16072025-JTR-01.qxd 7/15/2025 10:48 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune BAN ON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC DURING CHINTAPURNI FAIR AFTER 2 YEARS, BLOOD BANK REOPENS AT CIVIL HOSPITAL NOW, MUMBAI TO WITNESS MAGIC OF SCOTT’S MUSIC The DC holds a meeting regarding smooth operations during langar in fair, starting from July 25. P2 Blood Bank at the Civil Hospital has resumed operations after being nonfunctional for nearly two years. P3 Travis Scott’s highly anticipated Circus Maximus World Tour is creating waves among his fans all over the world. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.32 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:34 AM » WEDNESDAY | 16 JULY 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF WOMAN BRUTALLY MURDERED Phagwara: A woman was brutally murdered by assailants near Radha Soami Satsang Ghar on Saturday. The deceased Harjit Kaur, a resident of Ferozepur, is living in Guru Nanak Colony, Lohian Khas. She was going towards Gidder Pindi after dropping her daughter at a school when she was attacked with sharp-edged weapons. The assailants inflicted fatal injuries, resulting in her death on the spot. The motive behind the attack was robbery. The attackers fled the scene with Harjit's gold earring, purse and mobile phone. OC TWO HELD UNDER NDPS ACT Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested two persons on the charge of selling intoxicating tablets. As many as 20 tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused Surindar Singh, alias Dhunda, a resident of Raipur Arian village, and Surindar Singh, alias Shinda, a resident of Chhohle village. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. OC THREE BOOKED FOR DOWRY Phagwara: The Nakodar Sadar police have booked three members of the in-laws' family for 'dowry harassment'. The accused has been identified as Gurwindar Singh, a resident of Begowal town in Kapurthala (now in the US), his father Sulakhan Singh, and his mother Harbhajan Kaur. Manpreet Kaur of Pandori Sekhan village complained to the police that her marriage was solemnised with Gurwindar, but after some time, her in-laws started harassing her for dowry. OC WOMAN HELD FOR ABETTING SUICIDE Phagwara: The police have arrested a woman on the charge of abetting suicide. The accused has been identified as Harbant Kaur of Shahkot. Sukhjit Kaur, wife of the deceased Sukhwindar Singh, of Shahkot, had complained to the police that Harbant's sister Paramjit Kaur had taken Rs 16.67 lakh from them but did not pay back. She said whenever they demanded their money, they were insulted, and this became a headache for her husband, who committed suicide and wrote a note blaming the accused for his death. oc MAN HELD FOR ASSAULTING YOUTH Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a miscreant on the charge of assaulting a young man with a pistol butt. The accused has been identified as Sahil of Saidpur village. Jagir Singh of Killi village had complained to the police that the accused and his six accomplices waylaid his nephew and attacked him, used a pistol butt in the crime, and threatened him with dire consequences. oc WOMAN HELD FOR SELLING LIQUOR Phagwara: The Bilga police have arrested a woman on the charge of selling illegal liquor. As many as 550 bottles of illegal liquor were recovered from the possession of the accused Seema of Sangowal village. The Shahkot police arrested Mehar Chand of Rajewal Khurd village with 140 litre of lahan . OC 44% posts of doctor vacant in Civil Hospital Over 50% posts of nurse also vacant Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 15 The largest Civil Hospital in the state is grappling with an acute shortage of staff, severely hampering its smooth functioning. The staff crisis at the 500-bedded Civil Hospital in Jalandhar is posing a serious challenge to the government health infrastructure of the district. Catering to a footfall of 1,200 to 1,500 patients per month — and sometimes more — the hospital is one of the most visited civil hospitals in Punjab, serving not just the city but also numerous patients from rural and peripheral areas. The most critical shortage is in the nursing and medical officer (MO) categories, including specialists for surgeries and other departments. Of the 154 sanctioned posts of MO in the hospital, only 85 are filled, while 68 (44%) posts lie vacant . In addition, 17 more MO posts are required as per the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) norms, bringing the total sanctioned posts to 171. The situation is even A view of medical ward at the Civil Hospital in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH graver in the nursing section. While the hospital operates with 83 nurses, it ideally needs between 400 and 500 to function smoothly. Of the 210 sanctioned nursing posts, including nursing sisters, staff nurses and nursing superintendents, only 83 NURSING STAFF SCARCITY CATEGORY Staff nurses Trauma nurses Nursing Sisters Matrons Sister Tutors POST 144 40 22 3 15 VACANT 87 30 7 2 3 WARD SUPPORT STAFF CATEGORY Ward staff Ward staff (Trauma) Pharmacists Lab technicians Clerks POST 110 15 10 12 17 VACANT 60 11 1 12 9 are filled, leaving 127 vacant. Furthermore, according to the IPHS norms (2022), an additional 200 posts should be sanctioned, raising the total strength of 410 nurses. Although the hospital is functioning with 586, it lacks the staff to serve patients adequately. Several wards remain non-functional due to the shortage. The previously active TB ward, ENT ward, orthopaedic ward and the new burn unit/ICU above the trauma ward are non-operational due to lack of staff. The shortage of the paramedical staff, including ward attendants and safai sewaks, has left several wards in disarray. A senior doctor at the hospital said, “Over 30 passouts from the DNB programme indicate our need for specialists. Although we have competent doctors, the inefficiency in services can only be resolved once the staffing needs are met." Currently, we are heavily understaffed.” Medical Superintendent Dr Rajkumar stated, “We keep sending staffing demands to the state government. Our DNB programme is helping us meet the requirement for doctors to some extent. The government is also in the process of recruiting and conducting interviews for staff nurses, specialists and MOs. However, the most serious shortage right now is of nursing and paramedical staff. We also need super-specialist doctors in cardiology, neurology, urology, etc. The requirementement request has been sent several times. In addition, ICU technicians are also urgently required,” he added. Body of man, woman Cong protests GST raids on traders, burns CM’s effigy found on rly track Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 15 A 35-year-old man and woman were found dead on the railway track near the Nagra locality around last midnight. The police suspect that they both jumped before the train to end their lives. GRP officials reached the site and took the crushed bodies into custody. The railway police officials kept waiting for the families of the deceased to reach out to them. It was this evening that their family members contacted the police. ASI Taranjit Singh, who has been handling the case, said one of the victims had been identified as Karan (35) of Karar Khan Mohalla in Jalandhar. He was jobless. “We kept asking the family to share some clues about the identity of the woman too but they feigned ignorance and said they do not know anything about her whereabouts”, the ASI said, adding that hence they were waiting for someone from her family to contact them. She too seems to be of the same age as Karan. Postmortem on Karan’s body will be held tomorrow at the Civil Hospital after which the body will be handed over to them for the last rites. “We shall wait for the family of the woman for 72 hours to contact us after which a social organisation will be roped in to perform her cremation”, said the police. Jalandhar, July 15 The Jalandhar Urban Congress Committee held a demonstration against the GST Department for conducting frequent raids on the premises of traders and business units in the city. The protesters burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and raised slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party-led government. Congress leaders and workers criticised the government and the GST Department for their alleged harassment of businessmen. They claimed that the government’s policies have caused immense trouble for the business community. Rajinder Beri, president of the Jalandhar Urban Congress Committee, and Surinder Kaur, in-charge of Jalandhar West constituency, addressed the gathering. They alleged that the government has failed to fulfil its promises to the business community. The protesters demanded that the government should stop harassing businessmen and provide them with a conducive environment to operate. They also demanded that the government should take immediate action to address the grievances of the business community. Prominent Congress leaders and workers, including Jagdish Kumar Dakoha, Prem Nath Dakoha, Rajesh Jindal Tonu, Rashpal Jakhu, and Randeep Singh Lucky Sandhu, participated in the protest rally. Congress leaders hold a protest against CM Bhagwant Mann over GST raids in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH MC told to clear sewer blockage on H’pur road AAP leaders visit Fauja Singh’s house Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 15 Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal today visited the Hoshiarpur road to oversee the ongoing project of widening and four-laning of this highway. He issued directions to the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation to clear sewer blockage on this stretch on a priority basis to ensure proper disposal of rainwater. Likewise, he also asked the Public Works Department (PWD) to complete levelling of road after lying of pipeline under surface water project so that commuter do not face any problem here. The DC further stressed the timely completion of this road stretch as majority of works, including shifting of electricity poles, have already been accomplished. The DC underscored the Tribune News Service DC Himanshu Aggarwal oversees the project of widening of the Hoshiarpur highway. urgent need to complete the project at the earliest to benefit the large number of commuters who use this roads on a daily basis. He highlighted the significance of five-kilometre stretch of Lamma Pind-Jandu Singha Road so its widening will ease traffic movement. He also stated that completion of this project will facilitate the traffic flow between Jalandhar c m y b and Hoshiarpur as a large number of commuters from the city area will be able take this route without going to Rama Mandi for their travel to Hoshiarpur. Jalandhar, July15 To express condolences on the death of the runner Fauja Singh, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal and Adampur constituency’s party in-charge Pawan Kumar Tinu visited his house at Beas Pind and met his family to convey their sympathies. Both leaders said the passing away of the runner has not only brought grief to the people of Punjab, but has also left Punjabis across the world in mourning. Even at the age of 114, his enthusiasm was like that of a young man. He will always remain an inspiration for the youth and sportspersons. The AAP leaders said the loss suffered by his family is irreparable and can never be compensated. They assured Fauja Singh that AAP will always stand by his family. On Monday, Fauja Singh was taking a walk outside his ancestral home in the village when an unidentified vehicle hit him. He was then admitted to a private hospital in Jalandhar, but the doctors later declared him dead. Throughout the world, Fauja Singh was known as the Turbaned Tornado, Running Baba, and Sikh Superman. Man booked for cheating in ~45L property deal Phagwara, July 15 Sahil Seth, resident of Mansa Devi Road, in Adarsh Nagar, Phagwara, has been booked under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code for cheating and criminal intimidation. The FIR, registered at Phagwara Police Station, follows a complaint filed by Krishna Gopal, a resident of Mehli Gate, Phagwara. According to the complaint, Sahil Seth entered into a written agreement on December 12 last year to sell his residential property to Krishna Gopal for Rs 45 lakh. Gopal alleges that he paid Rs 35 lakh as advance payment based on the agreement, but despite repeated requests and the passage of time, the property registration was never completed.