23022021-JTR-01.qxd 2/22/2021 11:10 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar TRIBUNE JUST 19, AMRITPAL IS CREATING WAVES THROUGH FITNESS PAGE 2 DADASAHEB PHALKE INT’L FILM AWARDS FOR BOBBY, AKSHAY A fitness influencer from Batala, he believes the best way one can make a difference in others’ life is to inspire them. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF 2 NABBED WITH PISTOLS, BULLETS Hoshiarpur: The CIA team arrested two motorcycle riding youths with two country-made pistols and 10 bullets near Tanda Government Hospital Chowk. The CIA team led by ASI Mahesh Chander, while patrolling, had reached the chowk. They saw two motorcycle riders coming towards them. The bike riders panicked after seeing the police and fell from the bike in an attempt to turn it away. When the police searched them, two 32 bore country-made pistols and 10 bullets were recovered from them. The accused have been identified as Sukhwinder Singh Lali, a resident of Duggari village in Dasuya, and Nitish Kaushal, a resident of Adda Saran (Kandhala Jattan). The police produced the accused in Dasuya court, from where they were handed over to the police for three days’ remand. OC STONES LAID FOR ~41-CR PROJECTS Jalandhar: Member of Parliament Santokh Singh Chaudhary and local MLAs on Monday laid the foundation stones of development projects worth ~41.07 crore in different parts of the city as Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh presided over the virtual launch from Chandigarh. “The projects would fulfil the long pending demands of people of the city. Jalandhar is going to see transformational change thanks to your vision and leadership for which people and I are extremely grateful,” he told Capt during the ceremony. The projects include installation of 15 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Basti Peer Dad at a cost of ~20.61 crore, which would provide relief to citizens of Jalandhar North and West constituencies, upgrade and beautification of Jalandhar city railway station at ~6.26 crore, installation of waste management plant of 100 tonnes per day capacity at Gadaipur at ~8.09 crore, safety and security measures for Rainak Bazaar street using utility duct for overhanging electrical wires at ~4.02 crore, and digitisation of Guru Nanak Dev Library at ~2.09 crore. TNS PAGE 3 SWANAND KIRKIRE PENS ANTHEM FOR NEW CHANNEL ISHARA The Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Awards 2021 were announced at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai. MAX 26°C | MIN 12°C | YESTERDAY MAX 26°C | MIN 12°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6:21 PM PAGE 4 The new channel’s anthem has been released and national award-winning lyricist Swanand has written this song. SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:00 AM TUESDAY | 23 FEBRUARY 2021 | JALANDHAR 128 students from Nawanshahr test +ve in 10 days Fresh surge in Covid cases; highest in 2 months Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 22 Nawanshahr has started witnessing a rise in the number of fresh cases of Covid-19. The number of students testing positive for the virus has crossed 250 in the past two weeks in the district. While on February 12, there were 122 students who tested positive, the number has crossed the 250 mark, which means that 128 more students have tested positive in just 10 days (from February 12 to 22). The vaccination of teachers has started in the district. Health officials said 70 students of Government Senior Secondary School, Karyam, tested positive. Until now, samples have been taken from 50 schools in the district. Also, the exams of Classes VI to XII are under way. The Education Department, the administration and the Health Department are already in a spot as there is no relief since last month. Meetings are being held almost every day between the departments to chalk out various plans to curb the spread of the virus. Officials of the district Education Department (Secondary) have come up with a ‘way’ to ensure that Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Health team collects samples from the staff and students at Government School, Kariam, in Nawanshahr. TRIBUNE PHOTO social distancing is maintained in the schools and students do not come in contact with each other. “We have been taking exams by making the students of board classes (VIII, X and XII) to appear in the morning and the students of rest of the classes come to their schools in the afternoon,” District Education Officer (Secondary) Jagjit Singh said. Those students who have tested positive are taking their exams from home. Officials of the Education Department said students were not following the social distancing norms and most of the times they could be seen without masks. A special checking drive has also started in the district. Civil Surgeon Gurdeep Singh Kapur confirmed that vaccination of teachers had also started. “We had collected the data. The vaccination started today. We have been giving instructions to the school staff to adopt every measure,” he said adding that contact tracing was also being done so that the spread of the virus could be stopped. Jalandhar, February 22 After a gap of around two months, a big surge of 54 was seen in the number of fresh Covid cases in the district on Monday. This may be the highest single-day count reported in the district in the last two months. It was on May 1 last year that the district crossed 100 cases. In the past nine months, the district tally has crossed 21,000 cases. With the fresh cases, it stands at 21,286 today. However, with a fresh surge in the number of Covid cases in the past week, concerns regarding the new strain of Covid reaching Punjab haunt health authorities. The surge is dramatic compared to the much in control Covid scenario in January. On certain days in January mere five to 10 cases were reported in Jalandhar. For example, on January 26, only five cases were reported in the district, on January 27, as many as 26 cases were reported and on January 29, 19 cases were reported. With per day averages dipping down to five to 10, in February the per day cases maintained an overall JALANDHAR LOGS THREE DEATHS, 54 NEW CASES HELPLINE NUMBERS FOR COVID PATIENTS ■ Helpline number of Ambulance: 108 TODAY’S COVID UPDATE NEW CASES: 54 TOTAL CASES: 21,286 NEW DEATHS: 3 TOTAL DEATHS: 699 RESULT AWAITED: 276 TOTAL DISCHARGED: 20,226 ACTIVE 361 ■ Emergency helpline: 104 ■ Jalandhar Helpline for Covid or other medical queries: 0181-2224848 ■ Distt Immunisation Officer contact: 94171-64164 ■ Website for Covid bed info: https://jalandhar.nic.in/ very intensive, ❝Though sampling in Jalandhar iswe have not come Covid cases are being reported. But across any case of NRI who returned from abroad and tested positive for Covid. As far as tracking is concerned, it is done at airports. So far, we do not believe the surge in Jalandhar is connected to the new strain. ❞ Dr Balwant Singh, CIVIL SURGEON average of 20 to 30 cases per day. However, for the past one week, 40 to 45 (and on one occasion even 45 cases per day) were reported. However, the most bothersome part is that as per insiders the Health Department is not even tracking the NRIs returning home. While in the months of March and April last year (in the beginning of the Covid surge), ASHA workers and paramedical staff were deputed to track the returnees from abroad. However, at present no such tracking is taking place. Speaking to The Tribune, an ASHA worker said, “At present, we are not tracking NRI returnees. We had been deputed for verification regarding Ayushman cards for which we have been collecting information from door to door. A meeting with the Civil Surgeon has been fixed for tomorrow but so far we have not been given any instructions to track Covid among returnees from abroad or other states.” Meanwhile, most people of the district move without putting a mask in public places. Even many people at crowded places can be seen without any mask. Jalandhar Civil Surgeon Dr Balwant Singh said, “Though sampling in Jalandhar is very intensive, Covid cases are being reported. But we have not come across any case of NRI who returned from abroad and tested positive for Covid. As far as tracking is concerned, it is done at airports. So far, we do not believe the surge in Jalandhar is connected to the new strain.” The Civil Surgeon confirmed that a meeting with ASHA workers was due on Tuesday in which they would be asked to increase sampling and tracking of Covid patients. Hoshiarpur dist’s Dhamai village Covid can cause blood clots that declared micro-containment zone can lead to stroke, says expert Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, February 22 The health authorities declared Dhamai village of Garhshankar sub-division a micro-containment zone after 11 persons tested positive in the last few days. Additional District Magistratecum-Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Amit Kumar Panchal issued an order under Section 144 of the CrPC in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said only medical emergency and essential services will be allowed in the microcontainment zone. He said teams of the Health Department will conduct door-todoor survey and contact tracing at Dhamai village. 27 POSITIVE CASES REPORTED With health authorities reporting 27 Covid-19 positive cases in Hoshiarpur district on Monday, the total number of patients has increased to 8,323. The authorities reported two more deaths and the toll reached 358. The deceased have been identified as a 72year-old patient from Dasmesh Nagar and a 59-year-old resident of Pandori Suleman village. Civil Surgeon Dr Ranjit Singh said at present, the district has 188 active cases and the recovery count reached 7,900. Out of today’s 27 patients, five were from Hoshiarpur city and remaining 22 were from different health blocks of the district. In addition, all positive cases will be shifted to health centres as per protocol. The Additional District Magistrate said the village has been declared micro-con- KNOW YOUR COUNCILLOR In the municipal council poll held recently, several new faces have emerged, who will lead the people in their respective areas. Some of them have struggled very hard to make a mark. Jalandhar Tribunecatches up with some councillors who are gearing up to serve the masses and stand for their voters for the next 5 years... Highly qualified, she jumped into politics to help people A science graduate (BSc medical), and a postgraduate in English Literature, a BEd and diploma holder in disaster management, 32-year-old Mandeep Kaur is the most qualified councillor elected in the Rahon Municipal Council in Nawanshahr. Kaur fought as an Independent from Ward Number 1, and residents chose her to work for them. Kaur said she was the first one in the family to join politics actively. Her family has an inclination towards the Congress party. “I got married 10 years ago and completed my studies after marriage. I was always into social services and had the zeal to help out those in need,” she said. “I never thought of joining politics. It was the result of a few disappointments that I decided to fight. I was upset with the way works were getting done around us. This is the reason why I decided to take a jump and come out of my comfort zone. In this way, my wish to do social service will also be fulfilled,” she said. She has a list of priorities for her ward clear. Kaur also threw light on her hobby — painting. She loves calling herself a ‘creative artist’. Mandeep said she used to organise free painting camp for children belonging to economically weaker sections. Mandeep Kaur (32) Independent councillor from Rahon my ward to be developed. We must have committee in which every ❝I wantshould be educated and have the requisiteacaliber. My focus will remain member on education of children. Apart from it, I will do every work with full honesty… c m y b tainment zone for 10 days. He said legal action under the Disaster Management Act- 2005 will be taken against violators. Staff vaccinated Staff of the Civil Surgeon office was vaccinated at the Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital today. Accounts officer Amandeep Singh and superintendent Mukhtiar Singh encouraged the entire staff to get vaccinated. The Civil Surgeon said the vaccine was safe and effective, thus one should get vaccinated without any hesitation. He said numerous officials of the Health Department have been administered the second dose as well. Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, February 22 Although typically considered a lung infection, Covid-19 has been found to cause blood clots that can lead to severe stroke. Experts say this can happen in any patient regardless of age and even in those with few or no symptoms. People with Covid-19 as young as 30 are experiencing strokes even when their symptoms were mild. Dr Swati Garg, consultantneurology at Ivy Hospital, while addressing an online session, said a suspected stroke may be confirmed by scanning the brain with CT/MRI scanning. It can lead to severe disability, bed-rid- ❝ A suspected stroke may be confirmed by scanning the brain with CT/MRI. It can lead to severe disability, bedridden state and even death. Advanced care can be provided in hospitals with strokeunit. Dr Swati Garg, ❞ CONSULTANT-NEUROLOGY AT IVY HOSPITAL den state and even death. Advanced care can be provided in hospitals with strokeunit. If stroke is due to a clot in the brain, the clot can either be dissolved with injectable drugs (thrombolysis) within 4.5-hours or it can be removed using special micro-catheters (mechanical thrombectomy). If a stroke is due to brainhaemorrhage, then surgery can be done in specific cases. The strict control of sugar and blood pressure can prevent stroke, said Dr Swati. One should act ‘FAST’ to conquer disability due to stroke. FAST stands for facedrooping on one side, weakness in one arm or leg, difficulty in speech and time lost is brain lost, she said. Symptoms to watch out for include weakness or paralysis of the extremities on one side of the body, lack of sensation in extremities on one side of the body, facial droop on one side of the face and speech impairment. Collection suspended, layoff fears haunt staff at toll plazas Ajay Joshi ❝After the the imposition of Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 22 With farmers protesting at the toll plazas for nearly 90 days now, the contractual workers working at the toll plazas are fearing job losses. While the suspension of toll collection across the state has already cost dear to the toll companies, the workers anticipate that if situation remains the same, they are likely to face layoffs. As the impact on collection at some toll plazas began from mid October, last year, the same had intensified to no fee collection with the free movement of vehicles at all toll plazas after various farm organisations moved to lockdown due to Covid-19, this was the second time, when the company is suffering losses. We thought of recovering from the Covid slump after the relaxations in the lockdown, but farmers’ agitation only added to it. Rajeev Sharma, Toll plaza workers submit a memorandum to the DC. Delhi. The inability to collect toll has caused revenue loss in crores to the toll-col- lecting authorities. Farmers, up in arms against the three farm laws passed by ❞ TOLL MANAGER AT NAKODAR TOLL PLAZA the Centre, have been staging sit-ins at toll plazas in the continued on page 2