20102024-LT-01.qxd 20-10-2024 00:40 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune PROJECT LAUNCHED TO BUILD BRIDGES OVER BUDDHA NULLAH 600 FROM STATE COMPETE IN ROLLER SKATING C’SHIP PROTEST AGAINST POLICE ‘INACTION’ IN VIOLENCE CASE The Buddha Nullah bridge project is being taken up at a cost of around ~8.40 crore. INSIDE State Roller Skating Championship is being organised by the LDSA under aegis of the PRSA. INSIDE Hundreds staged a dharna in Abohar, demanding action in post-panchayat poll violence case. INSIDE » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 34°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 20°C SUNSET SUNDAY 5.46 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:28 AM SUNDAY | 20 OCTOBER 2024 | LUDHIANA Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 19 The 300-bed Civil Hospital, which is already overburdened with patient load, is grappling with shortage of specialist doctors as well. With an average footfall of 300 patients in the OPD, the hospital requires more staff than its present strength. Along with the OPD, doctors are also taking care of admitted patients, conducting postmortem examinations, performing medical board tasks and attending VVIP duties, besides doing other works. For the past two months, the Civil Hospital is working without a forensic expert which, in turn, is giving a tough time to the hospital administration. Daily between 7-10 cases arrive for autopsy and at present, it is taking one day’s time to prepare the final report. The forensic expert from Khanna is called here to conduct post-mortem examinations in some cases, along with him all specialists from the hospital, including surgery, ortho, ENT, skin, eye and microbiology, have been conducting post-mortem INDERJEET VERMA Civil Hospital reeling under shortage of specialist docs Two months on, Civil Hospital is working sans a forensic expert. MANAGING MULTIPLE TASKS Along with OPD, doctors at the Civil Hospital are also taking care of admitted patients, conducting autopsies, performing medical board tasks and attending VVIP duties, besides doing other works. duties and many times, at the cost of their own work. A specialist from the hospital said he had to leave his OPD work to conduct the autopsies. “A forensic expert should be posted here at the earliest as it is taking a toll on our work,” he said. A medicine specialist is the backbone of any hospital and shockingly, at present it has one medicine specialist, who is on leave and currently, two doctors are deputed here. There is only one radiologist who is taking care of ultrasound cases, CT/MRI scans, medico-legal cases, bone ossification test, X-ray reporting of medico-legal cases and attending court hearings as well. Around 900 ultrasounds, 100 CT scans (medico-legal) and 25 age-estimation tests were done at the hospital every month. Along with such cases from the city, those from rural areas, including Sahnewal, Raikot, Sidhwan Bet, Maloud, Payal, Dehlon, Hatur, Jagraon and Khanna, are referred to the district hospital. The heavy footfall every day has resulted in waiting period for the OPD patients. Next, for the past one year, the lone surgeon is handling the surgery cases in the hospital. After one surgeon resigned, no replacement was given, which made things difficult for both patients and the doctor. Every month, 20-25 surgeries are being conducted at the hospital but many times, these have to be postponed due to some other important works. In the Skin and ENT departments also, there is only one specialist each. Whenever the doctor is on another duty or on leave, patients have to bear the brunt. Senior Medical Officer, Dr Harpreet Singh said the hospital had shortage of specialist staff and they have written to the higher authorities number of times. c m y b UP native found dead outside gym Ludhiana, October 19 The body of a man was found outside a gym near the Shingar Cinema road here on Saturday morning. When the owner came to open the gym today, he was shocked to see a man lying dead. He raised the alarm, following which people gathered at the place. The police also reached the scene and started investigation. Injury marks were found on the head of the deceased. As per information, the body of the man was found outside the gym early on Saturday morning. Initially, the police investigation stated that the victim had suffered a natural death as there were such signs, which could prove that he was not killed. The body was shifted to the Civil Hospital where autopsy would be conducted to inquire about the exact reason of death. SHO, Police Division 3, inspector Amritpal Sharma, said the police also questioned local residents to get any clue about the deceased. “The victim, identified as Kuldeep Singh (36), a native of UP was homeless. He used to , sleep outside the gym. It is being suspected that the victim had fallen off the stairs of the gym on Friday night and due to serious head injuries, he succumbed. There is no angle of loot or assault as the mobile and other belongings of the deceased were found intact,” he said. — TNS Faith beckons HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Devotees light candles to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Ramdas in Ludhiana on Saturday. Cracker sellers meet DCP, allegeshop allottees selling licences to others Ludhiana, October 19 Firecracker sellers today visited the office of the Commissioner of Police (CP) here. They alleged that the traders who had been allotted shops through draw of lots at the grain market this time have futher selling their licences in lakhs of rupees to other persons. They met DCP Shubham Aggarwal in this regard. The traders said the allottees had no knowledge of how to sell or buy firecrackers or how to ensure safety at shops. One of the oldest firecracker traders, Ashok Thapar, said 66 shops were set up by the Ludhiana Fire Worker Association in 2016. In 2022, a writ was filed in the high court, after which the court ordered that only 50 shops could be set up at the grain market, Ludhiana. Thapar said around the association had 40 members who had been doing the business of crackers for about 40 years. They had also bought the stock in January itself but now they would be in a complex situation as the shops were not allotted to them. He said the 40 persons who won the draw of lots were now planning to sell licences of their shops for Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. Through the practice, crackers would be sold at high prices as the entire burden would be put on customers. DCP Shubham Aggarwal said as per the government policy, any person could apply for a licence to sell firecrackers. The draws were conducted in a transparent manner. Those who had been allotted shops should run the same. If anyone sells the shop to someone else, action would be taken against him. It was also mandatory to display licence in the shops. — TNS