Tarn Taran Diary

Shortage of staff at government-run hospital

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Though we are to talk of only Sub-Divisional level Civil Hospital (SCH), Patti, but the position of other government-run health institutions is also not of satisfactory nature. The Patti Civil Hospital is catering to around four lakh people of border area villages falling under the sub-division. Shortage of medical and para-medical staff has been prevailing at the hospital since the past more than 20 years but the present situation is of the worst type wherein only few medical officers are serving. It is the referral institution to three rural Community Health Centres, numerous Primary Health Centres and many Sub Health Centres. To provide better medical services to the border area residents, the department has sanctioned 28 posts of medical officers, including specialists for this Sub-Health Centre when only three MO's are working here and the remaining are lying vacant since the last over two years.

There is only one pathologist, one ENT surgeon and three medical officers. The ENT and another MO works here only for three days and the remaining three are sent to other government institutions to work. The remaining posts, including that of the medical specialties like surgery, anaesthesia, orthopedics, ophthalmology, paediatrics, gynaecology, medicine, radiology, chest and TB, dermatology, psychiatry etc are in the line of the vacant posts.

When the matter was discussed with one of the senior most district-level officer of the department, he disclosed that in the whole district there was only one ENT specialist and not a single psychiatry specialist. Due to the non-availability of psychiatry specialist all the drug de-addiction centres were facing closure and only Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) was working to give medicines to the already registered patients. The senior officer disclosed that even the DCH (District Civil Hospital), Tarn Taran, too sans medical specialists. Narinder Kaur, District President of Aurat Mukti Morcha said that with the present situation of the government-run health institutions, the women section is of the worst affected specially of the weaker communities who have to pay heavy charges for the delivery cases to the private hospitals and other diseases related to women. Narinder Kaur said that being a predominantly border and rural area, grappling with struggles of drug addiction and poverty, people find it increasingly difficult to get good medical care. Private hospitals are scarce and unaffordable for these sections. It is worth noting that Patti town is the home town of Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar. The lapse on the department's part to not provide sufficient medical facilities to the under privileged residents has been noted by people.

Tarn Taran youths embark on exposure tour of Delhi

On the directions of Director Youth Services, Punjab, 45 youths of Tarn Taran district were taken to a four-day exposure tour of Delhi recently to make them aware of the culture of the other states. Preet Kohli, Assistant Director of the department, who led the tour informed that the most religious and historical sites were visited by them. Red Fort, Jantar Mantar, Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Qutub Minar, Rajghat, Palika Bazar, Humayun's Tomb and other places with rich history were among the sites visited by them.

Preet Kohli said that the youths were taken aback by looking at the maintenance of decades-old Red Fort — which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The Jantar Mantar Marg is one of the five best historical places situated in the Parliament Street. It was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur in 1724. The youths also visited historic Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, which is situated near the Parliament House. It was built by the Sikh military general Baghel Singh (the birth place of whom is Chabal village in Tarn Taran). It was built in 1783 after Baghel Singh captured Delhi on March 11, 1783, and stayed there for a brief time and constructed several Sikh religious shrines within the city. The youths noted the history of Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, which is situated in the middle of New Delhi. It has its golden dome and tall flagpole. It has its association with the holy visit of eighth Sikh Master Guru Harkrishan Sahib to Delhi. Regarding the history of Qutub Minar, it was noted that it was built between 1199 and 1220, and contains 399 steps. It is also a UNESCO World heritage site. It is surrounded by some other historic sites.

The youths were brought to Rajghat, memorial complex in Delhi. It is the burial place of Mahatma Gandhi and is located on the bank of Yamuna river. Mahatma Gandhi was cremated here on January 31, 1948. Preet Kohli said that the aim of the tour was to apprise the young generation of the unity in diversity of our rich cultural heritage. The participants were made aware of the culture of other states.

Administration indifference makes residents suffer

The administration has not taken appropriate action to make arrangements for the proper disposal of the waste water of the area villages situated on the National Highways No. 54 near Aladinpur, Rasulpur and others. This years-long lapse has taken an ugly turn now. It is proving to be dearer not only for the countless number of residents of the area but for the commuters of the neighbouring states like Rajasthan and Delhi as well.

Due to the negligence, the long part of the service road nearer to the National Highway No. 54, which had developed knee-deep pits with the stagnated water, has been closed for an indefinite period. The local residents have been facing troubles due to this.

text and photos contributed by Gurbaxpuri