21082024-CT-01.qxd 8/20/2024 11:36 PM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune 10M SHOOTING RANGE TO BE SET UP IN PUNJAB SCHOOLS 2 INTER-STATE VEHICLE THIEVES HELD, 3 CARS RECOVERED BIOPIC ON FORMER CRICKETER YUVRAJ SINGH TO BE MADE Govt will set up 10m shooting range in one school in each district, says Education Minister HS Bains. P2 Accused were running a business of sale and purchase of old cars on Khanna Road in Amloh. P2 Bhushan Kumar and producer Ravi Bhagchandka are collaborating to bring Yuvraj's life on big screen. P4 » » TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Deepankar Sharda Peddlers giving info on drug lords to get immunity Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 20 Medicine cures diseases, but only doctors can cure patients — a saying by famous Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jun was evident as protesting doctors examined patients outside the Bhargava Auditorium, PGI, today. Many patients queued outside the venue for the protest. The doctors did minor checkups and prescribed medicines to the patients at the protest site located in an open ground. “We just cannot leave patients suffering. We stand in solidarity against the incident that happened in Kolkata, but we are performing our duty simultaneously. Our protest is not out of politics, but to demand full justice,” said Dr A Patel from the PGI. From adults to toddlers, all got a patient hearing from the doctors. “It was like revisiting the old times when there were no buildings and doctors used to examine patients in the open. Disruption to the system by organising protests, which troubles the general public, should be discouraged. The doctors have made a good example of how a protest should be conducted,” said Aanchal, who was there with Chandigarh, August 20 To disrupt and dismantle the drug trafficking network in the city, the Police Department has decided to enforce provisions of the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act. Drug peddlers providing critical information leading to the arrest of drug lords and dismantling of their network will be granted prosecution immunity. The police explained that this initiative aimed at encouraging drug peddlers to share comprehensive and crucial information about drug kingpins. “This measure offers incentives and protection to those who assist in checking drug trafficking,” said a police official. To effectively combat drug trafficking, it is crucial to address the deterrents imposed by drug warlords on their peddlers, the official added. “We urge drug peddlers who have been coerced into this illegal activity and wish to escape it, to come forward and disclose complete information about the drug network,” the police said. Those who make full and truthful disclosures about continued on page 3 No new case registrations at PGI OPDs till further notice WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH Special cultural evening ‘Indradhanush ke Rang, Janambhoomi ke Sang’: By Pracheen Kala Kendra in collaboration with Sanskar Bharti, Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, 6:30 pm Film screening: French film ‘Ride Above’ with English subtitles will be screened at the Gallery, Alliance Francaise, Sector 36, at 1 pm on August 22. No entry fee. Play ‘Main Sapt Sindhu Bol Raha Hun (Partition 1947): By Samvad Theatre Group, Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, 6:15 pm Art Exhibition: The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience; Nexus Elante; On till August-end; Entry with tickets Top: Doctors protest at the GMCH, Sector 32; and PGI medicos form "Nari" using their mobile phones: NITIN MITTAL/VICKY A first — Passages for advertising Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 15, 40, 46 and 52 Mohali: Phase11 Panchkula: Sector 25 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com Chandigarh, August 20 The cash-strapped Municipal Corporation has proposed to auction 357 public utilities and connecting passages in various markets and green belts for advertising on the designated spaces. The sites have been divided into four categories — A, B, C and D — with respective reserve prices. A list of the sites and corresponding reserve prices has been prepared for the e-auction of advertisement rights for display of advertisements in MC to offer 357 public utilities, connecting paths to display ads PROPOSED RATES Category Reserve price (per sq ft/month) A ~300 B ~200 C ~100 D ~50 “multi-lot” through LED backlit/digital screen. This is the first time the MC will be offering connecting passages for advertising in Chandigarh that has been sensitive with heritage norms. The corporation has finished renovating connecting passages in the Sector 17 Plaza and the work is underway in the Sector 22 market. Also, this is the first time that the civic body is offering the largest number of public toilets for advertising. These spaces have been lying vacant since the advertising agency awarded the project of using designated advertisement spots at 55 public toilet blocks gave up two years ago. continued on page 3 THE TRIBUNEINTERVIEW: PROF RENU VIG, PU VICE-CHANCELLOR Did well in NIRF rankings despite having half the sanctioned faculty: VC P ❝ ANJAB University’s place has dropped in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings for the third consecutive year. The institution performed well despite having only half the sanctioned staff strength, says Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig in an interview with Akashdeep Virk. We are good in sciences but can do better in social sciences. Whatever we have achieved, this has been with just around 50 per cent faculty strength, and with more faculty members, we can do a lot. ■ The university has lagged behind in the NIRF rankings this year too. What are the measures being taken regarding this? We have analysed the data and I have been meeting various faculty members lately. We need to move ahead with a better focus and work on a lot of things. The research standards need to be taken care of as also the data capturing methodologies. This has been our weakness. We need a better mechanism at keeping a track of students when they complete their studies from here and venture in employ- MAX 34°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 34.8°C | MIN 26.2°C SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.54 AM PGI doctors examine patients at protest site Exhibition to celebrate Word Photography Day: By Chandigarh Press Club, on till August 21, Punjab Kala Bhawan, Sector 16 PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.57 PM » WEDNESDAY | 21 AUGUST 2024 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST ment world. We are good in sciences but can perform better in social sciences. These departments have been told to ensure quality research and publishing paper in quality journals. Whatever we have achieved, this has been with just around 50 per cent faculty strength, and with more faculty members, we can do a lot. For better results, we have started hiring regular teachers. This will improve the quality of research practices as the number of PhD students will also increase. ■ Shortage of regular facul- ty has been a major issue in the university. What is the status of fresh inductions against the vacancies? For the batch of teachers to be inducted from the first advertisement, we shall be able to complete the process by the end of this year. For most of the posts, the pre-screening process has already been completed and we are proceeding with further processes. Interviews have been scheduled for five posts while the process for nine posts has been completed. We understand that regular faculty is crucial for better research standards and we are making every effort possible to admit new teaching members. ■ The tenure of the Senate is going to end on October 30 and talk is that the body might get dissolved or its character may be changed. What is your take? If this happens, it won’t be the first time that the university would be without a governing body. During Covid in 2020, the elections to the Senate could not be held and were conducted later in 2021. The university functioned sans the Senate then as well. Organising online classes, admissions, examination, etc was a challenge but everything was managed very well. Students were admitted in July 2021 and degrees were also awarded. continued on page 3 c m y b A resident doctor examines a child at the protest site in the PGI complex on Tuesday. PRADEEP TEWARI her toddler, who was suffering from a chest infection. Earlier in the day, the doctors marked a silent protest by wearing masks to signify their contribution to the fight against the Covid pandemic. In the evening, they took out a candlelight march across the city. “We are demanding justice for our fellow, who lost her life to a heinous crime. The fight for justice will continue,” said Dr Sukrtri. At the PGI, a total of 3,837 patients were examined at the OPDs, while 159 indoor admissions were reported. In Emergency, a total of 510 patients were attended to and 70 surgeries were conducted. “In the morning, we decided to carry out check-ups at the protest site. Since our nature of work doesn’t allow us to just leave our occupation, we will continue to perform our duty till the time our protest continues across the nation. We are demanding justice and a central protection Act from the government,” said another doctor. The Union Health Ministry has issued guidelines to ensure safety of healthcare professionals by taking various steps such as prop- erly displaying relevant penal provisions of the state legislation to prevent violence against health care workers in hospitals, installing a sufficient number of high-resolution CCTV cameras, setting up a control room for quick response to an emergency, etc. Meanwhile, the PGI has decided to enhance CCTV surveillance, install panic buttons and set up round-the-clock control room, claimed sources. A 12-member committee has been formed to make the PGI campus safe for resident doctors and patients.