05062023-CT-01.qxd 6/5/2023 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune PO HELD FOR THEFT AT 3 SHOPS IN MANI MAJRA GANG STEALS SPARE WHEELS OF THREE SUVS IN THE CITY ADDA CRICKET XI, DERA BASSI, LOG 81-RUN VICTORY A notorious thief, who is also a PO, arrested by the UT police for theft at three shops in Mani Majra. P3 A gang of thieves targeting SUVs active in city with 3 cases of spare wheels being stolen from Thar coming to fore.P3 Adda Cricket XI, Dera Bassi, defeat Mohali Club by 81 runs during a match of U-Forever Cricket Cup. P3 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 115 PANCHKULA 78 MOHALI 96 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD INBRIEF FOUR HELD WITH SNATCHED PHONES Mohali: Four persons have been arrested for snatching 20 mobile phones in the Mohali and Kharar area. They have been identified as Balongi residents Balwinder Singh, alias Prince; Jasvir Singh, alias Jassa; Rajan Kumar, alias Jaggu; and Phase 1 resident Nitin. A stolen bike has been recovered from them. The four were nabbed from a checkpost near Ballo Majra. They used to sell mobiles to Nitin, a shop owner in Balongi, cops said. A case has been registered at the Balongi police station. They were remanded in two-day police custody. TNS 5 NABBED WITH 115-GM HEROIN Mohali: Three SUV-borne youths have been arrested with 100 gm heroin in Bhago Majra. They have been identified as Ropar native Davinder, Kangra native Ajay Kumar and Ludhiana native Sandeep Singh. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered at the Sadar Kharar police station. Also, Sunny Enclave resident Harman Arora and Gharuan resident Inderjit Singh were arrested with 15 gm heroin. A case has been registered at the Kharar City police station. The suspects have been sent to one-day police remand. TNS 46 tipsy drivers challaned in city Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 4 During a special drive to curb drunken driving in the city, the Chandigarh Traffic Police has issued 46 challans for the offence and impounded seven vehicles. 7 vehicles impounded during drive The police said anti-drunken driving checkpoints were set up in the city on the intervening nights of June 2 and 3, and June 3 and 4, during which motorists were issued challans for drunken driving. Since January 1, a total of 753 challans have been issued by the police for the offence and 265 vehicles impounded. “The local court has also suspended 109 driver’s licences for the offence,” said a police official. The police said the drive would continue in the future. MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 37°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 35.9°C | MIN 23.3°C SUNSET MONDAY 7:21 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:21 AM » MONDAY | 5 JUNE 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Deptsoverworked,short-staffed, Soon, sector committees to redress public grievances clinical lab services ailing at PGI These will comprise members of RWA, police officials Most facilities in dire need for additional laboratory workers Naina Mishra MANIFOLD INCREASE IN NO. OF INVESTIGATIONS Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 4 The Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) is grappling with a shortage of laboratory attendants and nursing staff as its clinical laboratory services continue to expand rapidly. The increasing patient load resulting from the expansion and creation of new clinical care facilities has created a dire need for additional support staff at various departments. The Department of Endocrinology, in particular, has witnessed a tenfold increase in the number of investigations conducted. From a monthly average of 1,850 investigations earlier, the department currently handles more than 25,000 investigations per month, translating to approximately 1,400 tests or over 400 patient reports per working day. Interestingly, there is only one laboratory attendant in this department, necessitating an urgent requirement ■ Department of Endocrinology Most PGI departments are grappling with increased patient load. FILE REQUEST RAISED FOR 17 LAB ATTENDANTS To meet the shortfall, the PGI had requested 17 laboratory attendants in the standing finance committee meeting held in April this year. However, the agenda could not be discussed and will now be placed in the next meeting for approval NOT ENOUGH DIALYSIS MACHINES Haemodialysis facility at PGI’s Advanced Paediatric Centre has only two machines that run for 12 hours a day. With challenges in shifting intubated, sick paediatric patients to main dialysis centre at Nehru Hospital at night, there is an urgent need to run the facility 24x7. This means additional dialysis machines and four laboratory attendants for two more workers to meet the growing workload. Similarly, the Department of Medical Parasitology has experienced a substantial increase in workload over the past few years. The diagnostic tests conducted by the department have almost doubled, with over 8,000 culture tests being performed in 2022, compared to 4,600 tests in 2021. To cope with the increased workload, the department has witnessed a tenfold increase in number of investigations conducted in the recent past ■ From 1,850 tests earlier, it is running 25,000 now, at an average of 1,400 tests or over 400 patient reports per working day ■ There is only one lab attendant in dept & there is urgent requirement for two more workers to meet growing workload ■ In Dept of Medical Parasitology, number of tests has doubled, with 8,000 being run in 2022 against 4,600 in 2021; it needs 2 more lab attendants ■ Dept of Neurology has four EEG labs, an EMG/NCS lab, and a Doppler lab, but lacks a lab attendant; it needs 4 attendants urgently requires two additional laboratory attendants or hospital attendants. The Neurology Department, responsible for running several specialised laboratories, is Continued on page 2 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 4 Promising “360 degree solution” to residents’ problems and bridge the communication gap between the police and public, the UT police will launch its “Samavesh” programme next month. Under this scheme, sector committees will be formed to resolve public issues. In case the complaints are not resolved by these committees, these will be taken up by area committees. The committees will comprise members of area resident welfare associations (RWAs) and police officials. This was shared by UT SSP Kanwardeep Kaur during an interaction with members of the Chandigarh Residents Association Welfare Federation (CRAWFED). Under the plan, monthly meetings will be held with area RWAs, where problems of local residents will be taken up and resolved. The minutes of the meetings will be recorded. Matters pertaining to the UT Administration or the municipal cor- 10 PCR vehicles and 16 bikes have been added to augment night patrol. ‘SAMAVESH’ INITIATIVE FROM JULY: SSP ■ Under UT police’s ‘Samavesh’ initiative to be unveiled in July, sector and area committees will be formed ■ Monthly meetings will be held with area RWAs, where problems of local residents will be taken up and resolved ■ Public issues will be taken up by sector panels; if unresolved, area committees will address the concerns, says UT SSP Kanwardeep Kaur ■ Minutes of meetings will be recorded & matters pertaining to UT Administration or MC will be escalated to relevant authorities poration will be escalated to relevant authorities. “Under the Samavesh scheme, there will be 360 degree solution to the problems. It is hoped it will reduce the communication gap between the police and public,” stated the SSP . The police will be dedicated to carrying out verification in the area. They will visit senior citizens’ houses for servant verification. Beat policing and community policing would also be strengthened under “Samavesh”. Under the programme, the Citizen Services Centre (CSC), to come up at several police stations, will be linked Continued on page 2 2 Himachal-based drug Dog electrocuted by livewire in suppliers among 3 held fence, house occupant booked Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 4 The Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) of the Chandigarh Police has arrested three persons, including a suspected drug peddler and two Himachal Pradesh-based suppliers who allegedly provided drugs to peddlers active in the tricity. The police said Rakesh Kumar, alias Rakku (30), a resident of Nayagaon, was arrested near the Sector 1/2/3 rotary with 854 gm charas, a country made pistol and a live cartridge on May 30. A case under the NDPS Act and Arms Act was registered against the suspect at the Sector 1 police station. He was produced in court, which remanded him in fiveday police custody. During his interrogation, the suspect revealed he had purchased the contraband from Shanta Kumar (35), a resident of Kullu. The police said investigation revealed Rakesh earlier worked as a bouncer and was in touch with a number of drug addicts. He started supplying charas to make a quick buck. Over a period, he built a wide network of customers, including students. Rakesh had a tainted past as he was earlier arrested by the Chandigarh Police in an NDPS case. Currently, he was also involved in the used car business. On the basis of information provided by Rakesh, the Installed to prevent access to green area along govt residence Chandigarh, June 4 A stray dog died after being electrocuted by a livewire put up in the fencing of a green area developed adjacent to a corner house in Sector 23. The occupant of the government house, identified as Randhir Singh, has been booked by the police. The suspect is, however, currently out of town. Sources claimed Randhir was a police official from a One of the suspects arrested by the Anti-Narcotic Task Force. HOW THREE LANDED IN POLICE NET ■ On May 30, Nayagaon resident Rakesh Kumar was nabbed with 854 gm charas; he revealed he had purchased it from Kullu resident Shanta Kumar ■ Rakesh earlier worked as a bouncer and used to supply charas to addicts; he had built a wide network of customers, including students ■ A police team raided a Mandi village and nabbed Shanta, who had allegedly been supplying charas in the tricity for the past five years ■ On his disclosure, cops arrested Sham Chand, also of Kullu, who was involved in cultivation of charas in the forest area ANTF team raided a village in Mandi district of HP and nabbed Shanta, who had Continued on page 2 neighbouring state, but the Chandigarh Police were yet to confirm this. According to the police, they received information about a livewire having been put up to prevent unauthorised entry into the green area adjacent to the house. A local resident claimed the stray dog attempted to enter the area and was electrocuted, resulting in its immediate death. Sources said a local resident discovered the unconscious dog entangled in the wire and attempted to remove it. In the process, he also got electrocuted. It was then that the residents realised that there was electric current in the wire. A case under Section 336 of the IPC and under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act has been registered against the suspect at the Sector 17 police station. — TNS Cops examine the green area where incident occurred in Sector 23. 53 more structures to tap rainwater in UT this fiscal Sandeep Rana TO COST ~6 CRORE Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 4 Going ahead with the motto “catch the rain where it falls, when it falls”, the city municipal corporation will install 53 more rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures by the end of the ongoing financial year. These will be constructed at all community centres of the city and other such available areas at a cost of around Rs 6 crore. Rainwater accumulated on the pavements and roads will be harvested directly using the latest technology. Officials say the harvested water will be used for the needs of the particular institution where it has been constructed. It may be used in gardens, cleaning, flushing and other such non-drinking c m y b ■ The MC will construct additional Rainwater harvesting structures at Sector 9, Chandigarh. rainwater harvesting structures at all community centres and other available areas at a cost of around ~6 crore ■ Rainwater accumulated on pavements and roads will be harvested directly using the latest technology and put to non-drinking use ■ Harvested water will be used for watering of gardens, cleaning, flushing and other such needs of the institution where it is constructed 126 ALREADY CONSTRUCTED AT VARIOUS GOVT FACILITIES IN UT ■ MC has built 126 RWH structures ■ A 2008 notification mandates ■ Centre is focusing on saving at offices, schools, hospitals, sports complex and community centres all buildings with area exceeding 500 sq yrd to have an RHW system rainwater through “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” initiative purposes. The civic body has already constructed 126 RWH structures at various government offices, schools, hospitals, sports complex, commu- nity centres and others in order to capture and store rainwater for non-potable purposes such as gardening, flushing, and cleaning. As per the October 16, 2008 notification, all buildings that are or will be constructed on plot area exceeding 500 square yards mandatorily have a rain- water harvesting system. “The Sukhna wetland spread over an area of 25.42 sq km acts as a natural groundwater recharge medium. The city already has 100% storm water drains network coverage to remove excess rainwater runoff and thus helps in protecting utilities such as roads, buildings, and underground utilities, from damage caused by excessive water accumulation,” says MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra. The Centre had launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan in 2019. The ministry is taking up nationwide campaign “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” focusing on saving and conserving rainwater with the theme “Source sustainability for drinking water” from March 4 to November 30.