05012021-JTR-01.qxd 1/4/2021 11:30 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar TRIBUNE PAGE 2 ARMY TO SCREEN 32K CANDIDATES IN RECRUITMENT DRIVE TILL JAN 31 DILJIT DOSANJH GIVES PROOF OF HIS INDIAN CITIZENSHIP The Indian Army commenced a recruitment drive on Monday adhering to strict Covid protocols. FORECAST THUNDERSTORM INBRIEF 10 ARRESTED FOR GAMBLING Kapurthala: The Kapurthala police have launched a drive against illegal lottery and gambling in the district. Under the supervision of Ajay Gandhi, ASP, Bholath, the police nabbed 10 accused redhanded. They have seized ~89,000 and a computer. The accused have been identified as Binni, Sanjay Kumar, Nachhattar Singh, Ashok Kumar, Rakesh, Gauri, Satwant Singh, Dalwinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Gurdev and Vikas Kumar. They have been booked under Sections 294-A IC, 13-A-3-67 of the Gambling Act and 7(3) of the Lottery Regulation Act. TNS THREE FALL PREY TO VIRUS IN DIST Jalandhar: The health authorities reported 21 positive cases in the district on Monday, taking the tally to 20,019. The health authorities reported three deaths due to the virus today in the district. The total number of fatalities reached 647. At present, the district has 288 active cases. As many as 19,084 people have been discharged while 187 people are under home isolation in the district. In Kapurthala, eight people tested positive today. The health authorities reported one death in the district. The victim belonged to Booh village and breathed her last at the Jalandhar Civil Hospital. TNS PAGE 3 RUSLAAN MUMTAAZ TO STAR IN SHOW NIKKI AUR JADUI BUBBLE Diljit Dosanjh has been standing strong with farmers ever since they started their protest against the farm laws. MAX 16°C | MIN 13°C | YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 14°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5:38 PM Famed actor Ruslaan Mumtaaz will soon be seen in a magician’s avatar in Dangal TV’s Nikki Aur Jadui Bubble. SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:27 AM TUESDAY | 5 JANUARY 2021 | JALANDHAR SMALL INCOME, BIG HEARTS! Dalit labourers giving all they can for protesting farmers at Delhi borders ■ Joint conventions to mobilise farm workers towards the capital from today ■ 50 of us have ❝Aroundhome to homebeen going from asking Tribune News Service Dayalpur villagers head to the Singhu border with quilts and mattresses donated by Dalit labourers for the protesting farmers. TRIBUNE PHOTO er labourers’ families brought in money, ration, snacks and all they could, to send to the protest site at the Delhi border. The Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee and Pendu Mazdoor Union will also hold joint conventions at Sangrur (January 5), Jalandhar, Amritsar and Moga (January 6) to consolidate labourers. The ultimate aim is to mobilise labourers to head to Delhi in solidarity with farmers. Surjit Ram Bhullar, a labourer from Bhulla village, said: “Around 50 of us have been going from home to home asking labourers to do their bit to support the protests. Several jathas have headed to Singhu and more are preparing to go. The response has been overwhelming. We have sent hundreds of mattresses and beddings from the region. From our village, we sent 50 quilts. This is our struggle, not just that of farmers. If farmers lose their land, we will lose our livelihood. Their fields sustain us. We are with them.” Gurcharanjit Singh, a farmer from Dyalpur village and member of the Bharti Kisan Union (Qadian) as well labourers to do their bit to support the protests. Several jathas have headed to Singhu and more are preparing to go. The response has been overwhelming. We have sent hundreds of mattresses and beddings from the region. We sent 50 quilts from our village. This is our struggle, not just that of farmers. If farmers lose their land, we will lose our livelihood. Their fields sustain us. We are with them. ❞ Surjit Ram Bhullar, A LABOURER FROM BHULLA VILLAGE as the Kirti Kisan Union, said: “The kisan andolan has acted as a unifying factor for farmers and labourers. Any fault lines being created between labourers and farmers have vanished during the farm stir. There has been a huge outpour of solidarity from labourers. House after house pitched in with ~10 to ~1,000 and offered blankets, mattresses, clothes — all they had — to support farmers. There are about 4,000 labourers in Dyalpur alone and they all are with farmers. Farmers and labourers’ groups are going from house to house 26,000 IKGPTU students appear for offline exams Tribune News Service Aparna Banerji Jalandhar, January 4 While the government seems hardly bothered about how protesting farmers are faring during inclement weather at Delhi borders, Dalit labourers, who work in fields for farmers, were considerate enough to collect quilts, mattresses, tarpaulins and wooden planks for them. Over 200 quilts and mattresses, 100 tarpaulins were collected from Dyalpur, Bulla and Dheerpur villages on Saturday. Another 100 wooden boards (or planks) went from Mehatpur, so that farmers have something to step on when they get down from tractors during rain. During the ongoing farmers’ agitation, Dalit labour leaders across villages in the region have been going from home to home mobilising support for farmers. Labourers, who are the most marginalised ones of the income groups in the state, which have traditionally been pitted against farmers, are expressing an overwhelming solidarity with farmers in the struggle. Mattresses, blankets, quilts, khes and lois, which labourers brought in from their homes piled up within minutes on a cot placed in the midst of Dyalpur three days ago. Oth- PAGE 4 raising awareness among people. In jathas, you can’t distinguish a farmer from a labourer. Farmers and labourers have both understood that one can’t survive without each other.” Balwinder Kaur, tehsil president of Pendu Mazdoor Union (democracy), whose own daughter has gone to Singhu, says: “Jathas are going in everyday and I have sent my daughter. I will also go myself. At our village, women are mobilising support among labourers for farmers. We won’t get food to eat if farmers lose their land.” Kapurthala, January 4 As many as 26,000 students in colleges affiliated to the IK Gujral Punjab Technical University appeared for regular, offline examination that began from Monday for the first time since the pandemic began. The university adopted a student-friendly and flexible approach, taking consent from all students beforehand. Nearly 26,000 out of 42,000 students opted for the offline January-2021 examination and appeared today. All Covidrelated norms were followed stringently on the campus. The remaining students were given an option to appear for exams in March 2021 or even later as things become conducive. Fur- ther, a wide range of examination centres were offered to students to choose the one which can be nearest to their home. The university has also decided not to charge extra exam fee from those appearing in March 2021. The varsity conducted the exam on the main campus also, from where a hosteller tested Covid positive last Saturday. He was isolated immediately by the health authorities. The university maintains that it has ensured proper compliance of guidelines of UGC/MHA/state government since its re-opening and students and staff were being tested for Covid-19 from time to time. Varsity officials said, “All continued on page 2 Students who appeared for the offline exams conducted by IKGPTU for the first time since March last year. TRIBUNE PHOTO Come Feb, over 350 health staff to Dr Parminder Kaur joins as new Protesters evicted from CT campus Six pass-out students get busy in administering vaccine Medical Supdt of Civil Hospital were sitting on agitation Tribune News Service TAKING ON COVID 50 ■ Teams set up ■ No. of vaccination centres in the district 150 3 12 lakh ■ Cold stores at Civil Hospital ■ Vaccine storage capacity ■ Health workers registered for vaccine in Jalandhar Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 4 Come February and as many as 300 to 350 health workers per day are expected to be engaged in administering the Covid vaccine during the first phase of the vaccination drive. As many as 12,500 health workers have registered for the Covid vaccine in Jalandhar. A hectic exercise is underway to complete the remaining registrations across the district. As many as 150 centres have been set up in Jalandhar district, where the vaccination shall be administered. A storage capacity of more than 12 lakh doses is currently available in Jalandhar. Nearly 50 teams have been set up across the district to make the Covid vaccination drive a smooth affair. In the city alone, 23 teams shall be operational. While a total of 12,500 health workers have been registered so far, experts say the total health workers exceed this number – Jalandhar being the biggest healthcare hub in Asia. The Health Department said they were still in the process of registering health workers, the registrations of some of whom were still pending. The district has a capacity to store over 12 lakh vaccines. Notably, there are quite a DRY RUN HELD IN KAPURTHALA An inoculation dry run for the Covid-19 vaccine was held in Kapurthala district on Monday in anticipation of the first phase of the vaccination drive, which is to be held in the state shortly. As many as 3,581 health workers have been registered for the first phase of the Covid vaccination programme in Kapurthala. A total of 26 cold chain points have been set up across Kapurthala to store the vaccine. A storage capacity of 6, 94,000 vaccines is available in Kapurthala currently. The vaccination will be stored at temperatures ranging between 2°C and 8°C. As many as 45 ice lined refrigerators (ILR) shall also be storing vaccines. A three-room set up at the Civil Hospital, Kapurthala, for the dry run on Monday comprised a waiting area, a vaccination room and an observation room. TNS few health workers across the medical spectrum, who claim they haven’t received any intimation about the registrations. Dr Nirdosh Goyal, a privately practicing psychiatrist and former in charge of the de-addiction centre at Kapurthala, said: “I haven’t received a request for sharing my details so far. My details haven’t been sought.” Pooja Smara, a staff nurse at the trauma centre of the 12,500 Jalandhar Civil Hospital, said: “My details for registrations have not been sought. But whenever these will be sought, I’m willing to be vaccinated.” District Immunisation Officer, Jalandhar, Dr Rakesh Chopra said: “We have a list of over 50 private hospitals in Jalandhar, all of which have been asked to send in the details of their health staff. While many have already written back and registered their staff, others are yet to do so. The process is as yet ongoing. It will be completed soon. The three cold stores at the Jalandhar Civil Hospital as well as all CHCs and sub-divisional hospitals shall be used to store the Covid vaccination. It is not yet known which one shall be administered in Jalandhar, but we are expecting the process to begin tentatively by February first week. The next dose will be administered after 14 to 28 days depending on the vaccine.” While a dry run has been held at Kapurthala, Dr Chopra said the time of the dry run in Jalandhar is not yet known. Dr TP Singh Modal Officer, Covid, Jalandhar, said: “All details of the health staff have been sent by their respective in charge. Their registration is complete. The vaccine is awaited and everyone is looking forward to the process whenever it begins.” Jalandhar, January 4 Dr Parminder Kaur joined as the new Medical Superintendent at the Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Civil Hospital here recently. Earlier, Dr Parminder was deputed as the Senior Medical Officer at the ESI Hospital, Jalandhar. She completed her house job in this hospital during 1989-90 and also worked as a microbiologist in the laboratory of the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar. After joining the office, she said all programmes of the Punjab Government and the Health Department would be implemented in letter and in spirit. She said the Jalandhar Civil Hospital was one of the biggest health institutions in the state and she would ensure that best healthcare facilities were provided to patients visiting the hospital. She lauded the efforts of the Civil Hospital doctors and the entire staff for their courage exhibited in offering the best healthcare and treatment, particularly during the Covid19 pandemic period. — TNS Jalandhar, January 4 Protesting pass outs of CT Group of Institutions were evicted from the campus on the intervention of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday. Around six students were sitting on a dharna from December 29. The protesters demanded that they should be handed over their degrees, which were withheld by the management of the institute. The management had been maintaining that they would release degrees after the state from December 29 and demanding degrees government disburses them the grant of ~39 crore under the SC Post-Matric Scholarship scheme, which had been pending from three years. The institute had filed a petition in the High Court, which was heard today. It demanded that directions be issued to the police to ‘remove demonstrators and illegal activities carried out on the campus’. The petition- er mentioned that despite the matter being reported to the police, no action was taken. Hearing the matter, Justice HS Madaan issued directions to the Jalandhar Police Commissioner to look into the grievances and do the needful. The petition was disposed of. Manbir Singh, managing director, CT Institutes, said, “After the intervention of the High Court, protesters were evicted from the campus. We were feeling so helpless and had even given a written representation to the police, but no action was taken. As a result, we sought legal route.” Now, crush that plastic and earn coupons! 10 reverse-vending machines installed for plastic waste disposal under Smart City project Ajay Joshi ❝The machine will not only keep the city litter and Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 4 Disposing plastic bottles will no longer be difficult in the city in future. Reason: The civic body has installed 10 reversevending machines for plastic waste disposal under the Smart City project. In the first phase of the project, the bottle-crushing machines have been installed at the Civil Hospital, city bus stand (2), DC complex (2), HMV College, DAV College, KMV College, Municipal Corporation (MC) office and Devi Talab Mandir. For disposing a plastic bottle smartly, a user will also be rewarded with a coupon. MC Commissioner Karnesh Sharma said eight such plastic bottle-crushing machines would also be installed at major locations of the city in the second phase of the project that would be completed by the next week. c m y b pollution- free, but will also provide ~5 coupon to people. The coupons will be sent to users via their smartphones. They will only have to fill their mobile numbers while crushing their bottles in the machine to avail the coupons, which can be redeemed from empanelled hotels or shopping malls. The move will encourage people to throw plastic bottles and waste in the machines. Surjit Singh ❞ Saini, INTERIM TEAM LEADER OF THE PROJECT A plastic bottle-crushing machine installed at the Jalandhar bus stand. TRIBUNE PHOTO The machine is capable of crushing and storing around 2,000 bottles and cans every day. Surjit Singh Saini, interim team leader of the project, said the machines would be open for public soon after an inauguration function. “The machine will not only keep the city litter and pollution-free, but will also pro- vide ~5 coupon to people. The coupons will be sent to users via their smartphones. They will only have to fill their mobile numbers while crushing their bottles in the machine to avail the coupons, which can be redeemed from empanelled hotels or shopping malls. The move will encourage people to throw plastic bottles and waste in the machines,” Saini said. The machines are capable of crushing and compressing 2.50 ml-2.5 litre bottles. With a cost of ~1.11 crore, Ridhi industries, an Ahmedabad-based firm, will take care of the operation and maintenance of the bottle crushing machines for five years. Saini said a mobile application would also be launched shortly to caution workers as to when the machines would be filled completely. The steps to use the machines have been taped outside the machine.