- Patiala
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Cancer-affected families have been pressured to restrain their basic requirements, comprising spending on food, kid care and schooling, in an attempt to provide costly treatment to their sufferers.
The truth came to hand accompanying a study carried out by the Centre for Development Economics and Innovative Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala. Union Finance Ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs provided the financial support to the said project.
Prof Lakhwinder Singh Gill, Prof Inderjeet Singh and Parmod Kumar were the affiliates of the project group.
The concentration was on monetary and financial outcomes for the families having cancer sufferers.
Four villages comprising Kotbhai, Bhaliana, Doda and Channu of Muktsar region where the occurrence of the deadly disease is the maximum in Punjab were chosen to make the investigation.
The Malwa area (Muktsar is also its part) has recently been dubbed as the Punjab’s cancer belt. In a report recently, Punjab administration had disclosed that of the 33,318 cancer linked demises in the state of Punjab over the past 5 years, 14,682 had lost their lives in the Malwa area alone.
Gill added that 136 cases of thelethal disease got covered under the plan. Out of these, 103 lost their lives and 33 were coping with the illness.
Around 62 sufferers were straightly connected to farming, 54 to household jobs and 20 to other works. Only 3 of them had an insurance cover. Of the total cases, 53 had liver cancer, 25 had breast cancer, 19 had blood cancer, and 17 in throat.
During the study, it has been disclosed that 45 of these patients borrowed funds from ‘arhtiyas’ (commission mediators), 26 from friendss, 38 from village property-owners and 16 expended from their personal savings (11 from other sources) for the cure. The research also set uo the truth that a big part of villagers in Malwa still hinge upon arhtiyas for funds. Interestingly, the occurrence of the disease was detected more — 52.21%— amongst females as against 47.79% amongst males in the targeted villages.
The average cost on cancer cure was detected to be Rs 2.75 lakh and average illness length 1.9 years. But, the cure cost varied hinging upon the nature of the cancer.
The cost stood highest at Rs 3.93 lakh among brain cancer patients. However, the important finding of the project was that in order to avail the expensive treatment and pay back the funds taken as loan (for cure), victim families have had to decrease on food, clothing, housing, education and social functions.
Another concerning aspect that came to light was that in case an earning male associate suffers from the disease, the family confronts a lot of complexity in securing advance. The money lenders fear the funds may not be returned after the patient’s demise.
The state administration has taken steps to assist cancer sufferres in their cure, however the average per sufferer amount approved by it is Rs 1.07 lakh. The study group has emphasized on designing a monetary resource back up system for the cancer sufferer families that should cover not only cancer cure but also their basic requirements.
Costly, painful cure –
- The average cost of cancer treatment, as per the Punjabi University study, is Rs 2.75 lakh
- The cure cost stands maximum at Rs 3.93 lakh in case of brain cancer sufferers
- The average illness length after being discovered with the deadly disease is 1.9 years
- The state administration offers an average Rs 1.07 lakh per cancer sufferer
- The research group has advised establishment of a fund for aiding the affected families meet their basic requirements
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The Congress party will field applicants for all block samiti as well as zila parishad seats in Fatehgarh Sahib in the upcoming polls.
“The party will field applicants of spotless image,” district Congress committee (DCC) president Harinder Singh Bhambri said here on Tuesday.
“The Congress workers’ gatherings are being arranged in all blocks and the DCC already had applications from the candidates,” he said.
The applicants’ names would be declared soon, stated Bhambri, adding that his party was positive the citizens would vote against the Punjab’s ruling association.
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The CPM has expressed disapproval towards the SGPC’s engraving the name of eighties militant commander Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale on a memorial plate at the Operation Bluestar memorial within Sri Harmandar Sahib in the holy city of Amritsar.
Charan Singh Virdi, secretary of the Punjab state group of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), stated that the individuals who loved public concordance would be stunned to know that the novel monument at Sri Darbar Sahib consisted of a stone boasting an engraving, which reads, “In the reminiscence of the fourteenth leader of Damdami Taksal, sacrificial victim Sant Giani Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale and all martyrs of 1984.â€
“To my mind, it is an ill-fated event and breach of faith on part of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) management,” stated Charan Singh Virdi.
“It is also expected to upset public harmony and tranquility in Punjab.”
Charan Singh Virdi asked CM Parkash Singh Badal, deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar to clarify to the individuals how they proposed to mend the damage once it was exercised.
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The Sirhind police officials have detained two persons following charges of keeping addictive drugs.
Prince Bajaj of Jhansa village in Kurukhestra region of Haryana and Kulwinder Singh of Bibipur village in Fatehgarh Sahib region in Punjab got detained during probe.
During probe, the officials seized 8,000 drug tabs from both the persons.
A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was lodged against Prince Bajaj and Kulwinder Singh.
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Sham Lal Gakhar, who as inspector general of police attached with Punjab Lokpal had charged the administration of distressing him, has bagged his prize: a note to expel him from the 3-acre authorized house.
The administration has given him a penal rent notice of Rs. 1.97 lakh for each of the six month peiod of overstay, whereas the going rental fee is just Rs. 3,000 a month.
He, at the present, is IG, policy and rules. In October 2011, as Lokpal inspector general, he was served a similar notice when leading a probe against CM Parkash Singh Badal in a case regarding the running of Chandigarh private buses in the state of Punjab.
At that time, Gakhar had charged the administration of distressing him. Later, he was transferred to the Patiala Range as IG, which allowed him to kept hold of the residence. But, after the creation of the SAD-BJP-2 government in the state, he was again sent to Chandigarh on March 23.
“We served him many eviction notices,” said AS Pannu, divisional commissioner of Patiala. “Under the new directions of the high court and government guidelines, we will use even force (to evict the house) and ask for attaching his salary.”
In the year 2011, the court of the subdivisional magistrate (SDM) forwarded the warrants of ownership, as the IG had overstayed in his administrative place. “The section estimated the penal fee for overstay on commercial basis that is over Rs. 10 lakh now,” stated a source coping with the estate officer.
Another around 20 overstaying civil and police functionaries have been notified to leave official homes. Deputy superintendents of police Tarun Ratan, Sewa Singh, Arshdeep Singh Gill, and Harvinder Singh (Tapa); former SDM Anil Garg; and Indian Police Service officer D Nirbale are well-known among them.
On orders from the divisional commissioner, the estate section has forwarded to the IG of the Patiala range to either vacate the house or stopped the salaries of law offenders.
Divisional commissioner himself will take action against the law offenders.
Despite a lot of efforts, IG Shyam Lal Gakhar could not be reached for remarks.
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A top level medical group, comprising Dr Vishvajeet, Dr Anand Zacherias as well as Dr Thomas from the CMC, Vellore (Tamil Nadu), and Dr Subodh from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha (Maharashtra), on April 29 reached Government Rajindra Hospital in order to examine the health services being offered here.
College Principal Dr KD Singh stated that as Government Medical College, Patiala, was amongst 5 medical colleges of India that had been selected to incorporate health services in their peripheries, the group reached here in order to revise the facilities being offered here.
Dr KD Singh stated that the group would set up a list of troubles, which require to be dealt.
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A 24 hours helpline to control drug menace will shortly be commenced in six regions of Punjab and every call made on that telephone number will be traced for checking by senior police officials.
Senior police functionaries have admonished that any police representative who lodges a fake case of drug peddling against an individual would be penalized. Orders have also been forwarded for police officers to make sure that first-time drug offenders attend a de-addiction plan.
While talking to press persons at Police Lines today, Patiala Zone IG Mr. Paramjit Singh Gill stated that with the detention of 367 individuals in 6 regions situated in Patiala Zone, petty crimes like snatching and thefts would record a decline.
“Usually drug addicts resort to snatching and robbing individuals to raise money for drugs. But, with our drive against drug dealers, such crimes have witnessed a decline,” Mr. Gill added.
The police in the cities of Sangrur, Patiala, Barnala, Roopnagar, SBS Nagar and Mohali lodged 330 cases and detained 368 individuals with drugs.
“In place of going after drug peddlers, efforts are being made to arrest the kingpin so that the supply chain can be broken,” said the IG.
“We commenced the drive on April 1, accompanying rules from the Deputy CM to act hard against drug peddlers as it would check other crimes as well,” said the IG.
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Sarah’s English Learning Institute has recently moved their services from Melbourne Australia.
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Over 2,100 books from the personal compilation of ex PM Inder Kumar Gujral will turn out to be part of the library of Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab.
The family members of the late twelfth Indian PM has decided to donate the books collection following request made by vice-chancellor Jaspal Singh, who was the country’s high commissioner to Mozambique in Africa during Gujral’s period as PM.
“It is a privilege and a opportunity that we will be capable of studing the works, which motivated the great person in his political job,” Mr. Jaspal Singh stated.
Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, who will be on Punjabi University campus on Tuesday to be a part of the World Punjabi convention, will kick off the Gujral segment of the library. The books, which have got here from the official home of the Gujral family in Delhi comprise works on foreign relations, faith, global affairs, and Gujral’s preferred subject: poetry.
The archive consists of Gujral 159-page life story. “Matters of Discretion”.
While talking on telephone from Delhi, Mr. Naresh Gujral, MP from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and son of the late ex PM, delineated his father as a great fan of books and stated that the family was contented to give pupils access to his compilation.
Gujral, who headed the second United Front administration for a period of 12 months, expired on November 30, 2012 after brief sickness.
SD Gajrani, who composed “IK Gujral as Prime Minister”, has accepted Pbi Uni’s move to take his books over to its library.
“Gujral had special love for Punjab and it’s an honour for the university to preserve the sources of his knowledge,” added Mr. Garjrani.
In the year 2010, Punjabi University had conferred the doctorate degree (honoris causa) on the ex PM at his home in Delhi.
Considering Gujral’s ill health, for the first time, Punjabi University had made an exception and delivered the degree to anyone off the campus.
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Patiala Fire Brigade has been going through big troubles these days.
After hearing the bell, the fire brigade team reached the accidental spot with just two employees along with a driver.
They try their best to deal with the problem.
Due to staff shortage, the officials at both the fire brigade stations in the city are keep on 24 hour alert.
But, the department has no leading fireman and it seems that the authorities are just playing games.
In addition, there is also shortage of the necessary equipments at both the fire stations.
There are no breathing apparatuses in the fire stations that are the most necessary tools for the officials.
The department has asked for 2 breathing apparatus to the Municipal Commissioner, but they have not taken any step in this regard.
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Well known dam Bhakra is deteriorating with the passing time.
For repairing work, the water level in the dam kept low from Sirhind to Khanauri.
The centre govt has also sanctioned a fund of Rs 3 crore for the repairing works.
As per the officials, the dam will get more water on Sunday.
After this, the repairing work will get hide and the authorities will not be able to find any proof of carelessness
From the last few years, the authorities have been ignoring all this.
A worker from the site said that they got orders to just repair the upper portions because when the authorities pay visit to the site, they will see the upper parts which are noticeable and other gets hide in the water.
He also said that the irrigation officials also came to visit the site and they were happy with the repair work.
This seems to be a game played by the people concerned.
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The Cooperative Bank Employees Federation State of Punjab conducted a key meeting, and declared that they will oppose government plans of employing managers and senior managers in cooperative banking institutions.
They also stated that they will go to high court in this regard.
The meeting was presided over by the president of the Cooperative Banks Employees Federation S. Gurnek Singh Dhillon.
In the meeting, Union head of Patiala Cooperative Bank and joint secretary of State Federation Shri Ajneesh Kumar Titu and General Secretary of Patiala Amarinder Singh Whisky said that the federation is against the direct employment of managers and senior managers because thus far, they positions got fulfilled after picking experienced employees from the bank staff.
They added the direct employment will halt the promotions of the bank employees who have been working from many years and spent a big part of their lives in these banking institutions.
They also said that these staffers were not getting any quotas in the direct employment.
They added up that the bank jobs always demanded high experiences and in spite of good experience, they are not getting and chances to get promotions.
Amarinder Singh urged the government to end the direct employment plan.
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One more case of mistreatment of Punjabi girls came to light when an attempt of second wedding by a Punjabi man got foiled by a watchful first wife of the groom.
As per police officials, Dilip Singh Pammi resident of village Boh Babial near Ambala in Haryana state reached the marriage palace situated in Katika.
The parents and family members welcome the guests and they all were in part mood.
But, after some time a 28 year old Sunita Rani along with Banur police reached the spot and stopped the marriage.
Everyone was in big shock after seeing her. A few guests ran away and some went to the nearby markets.
She told that her husband was working under Dilip Singh and after the death of her husband, Dilip got married to her 12 years back.
She also told that they have two kids Karan and Kiran.
She added that Dilip’s elder brother said no to their relationship 12 years ago but other relatives had accepted them.
She also informed that they were living in Dehradun from the last 12 years and a few weeks back, Dilip came to his village to meet his relatives.
She said that they both are in contact continuously, but she got the news about his marriage from Dilip’s friend, vijay.
After all this, Dilip accepted the truth and said that he was just using Sunita Rani.
The police has taken him in custody and further probe has been started.
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The Bajrang Dal heads and other workers in Patiala have condemned the brutal attack on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner on death row in Pakistan which that said was ‘ a very sad thing.
“Yes, It is very sad. Some inmates attacked him in jail. I think that is a very sad development,” they said.
Moreover, they carried out a rally outside Hanuman Mandir in Bishan Nagar, Patiala.
Sarabjit Singh was in a ‘deep coma’ and placed on breathing apparatus after being assaulted by a group of prisoners inside a Pakistani jail.
Two Indian High Commission functionaries got consular access to Sarabjit Singh in the intensive care unit of Jinnah Hospital this morning, where he was admitted after being assaulted by two inmates in the prison
“The functionaries of India’s High Commission in Islamabad obtained access to Sarabjit in the intensive care unit of Jinnah hospital, Lahore at 2:00 a.m.,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesman Syed Akbaruddin.
“Doctors attending to Sarabjit Singh informed the Indian functionaries that he is in coma on breathing apparatus and receiving IV drip,” he said.
The Indian mission had met Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Friday night to look for consular access.
The two Indian functionaries reached the hospital and spent some time with Sarabjit.
Security has been beefed up at the hospital, where dozens of police commandos have been deployed.
Sarabjit Singh was arrested in Pakistan in the year 1991 and sentenced to death following charges of spying and carrying out 4 bomb blasts, which got lives of 14 individuals.
But, his family members contends that Singh is blameless and a victim of wrong personality who crossed into Pakistan in the year 1990 in an drunk state.
In addition, the Bajrang Dal head Charanjit Chauhan said that the Indian administration should adopt strict policy.
They also burnt Pakistani flag in aggression.
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Patiala: Videos showing police “cruelty†and “rowdiness†are speedily turning popular on the web with more than 5 lakh hits on the social netwoking site, youtube.
Perturbed, the Punjab Police now wants these video recordings to be “restricted for content and checked for genuinenessâ€. Some of these video recordings show police officers hitting, ill-treating citizens or taking bribe.
A senior IPS office stated, “We cannot gag everything going viral on the web, however a mechanism requires to be adopted to check the actuality of these video recordings.â€
CSR Reddy, Additional Director General of Police, Information Technology, stated that he would get such video recordings probed.
DS Bains, Principal Secretary, Home Department, added that he would discuss with legal specialists to discover a answer.
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Patiala: The district consumer disputes redressal forum has directed the Oriental Insurance Company Limited (OICL) to pmake a payment of around Rs. 3 lakh to Sant Gopal Singh, the owner of Bassi Pathana-based Bhola Tyre Service, with 6 per cent interest from the day of lodging the complaint (December 12, 2007) till its realization, together with Rs. 5,000 as lawsuit charges.
Sant Gopal Singh had lodged a complaint for the second time before the forum. His initial grievance got rejected by the forum on May 19, 2008, on the reason that detailed proof was needed to decide the complaint and the forum had no authority.
The complainant then lodged a plea against the verdict in state commission that in its order of October 19, 2012 remanded back the complaint to settle on merit. After the state commission’s verdict, the complainant again registered the complaint before Fatehgarh Sahib-based consumer forum.
About complaint
The complainant had insured the articles lying in his shop on August 8, 2005, for a sum of Rs. 3 lakh and paid Rs. 1,289 as premium to the OICL and the policy was valid from August 9, 2005 to August 8, 2006. On June 3, 2006, a few individuals set the shop afire and the articles in the shop got burnt. Sant filed an FIR and forwarded the data to the insurance firm, which dilly-dallied in the payment of the sum which was insured.
The forum decided the case favoring the appellant.
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Ex Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today expressed strong disapproval of the cruel and fatal attack on Indian national Sarabjit Singh in Kot Lakhpat prison in Pakistan on Friday.
Singh stated that this was quite merciless to treat somebody in such a barbaric way with the sole intention to murder him.
Showing his sympathies with Sarabjit’s partner, Kids and sister, he appealed to the administration of the nation to make sure that his life is saved at all costs even if it meant getting him shifted out of Pakistan for appropriate cure.
In a declaration forwarded today, the ex Punjab Chief Minister stated, just because Sarabjit is on death row and his clemency appeals have been discarded does not provide anyone the license to make such cruel attempt on his life.
“This betrays a brutal and barbarian mindset of the people who have assaulted himâ€, he observed, while hoping Sarabjit recovers from coma at the earliest.
Capt Amarinder wished that the administration of the country lodge a strong disapproval with the Pakistan administration over this event, besides making appropriate arrangements for the family associates to visit him there and be his side during the time of his treatment.
He trusted that the administration of Pakistan and the federal administration of Punjab there takes severe note of the subject and makes sure the safety of other Indian inmates lodged there. He commented that such events only hurt the sensitivities of the people and result in tensions when everyone on the both sides wishes peace and agreement to prevail.
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With the aim to reinforce the health care system crosswise Punjab to offer 24X7 Comprehensive Medical Services comprising urgent situations, obstetrical deliveries and Trauma services for every sufferer within a radius of 10 kilometers, the Punjab administration has chosen 22 district hospitals, 41 Sub-Divisional Hospitals in addition to 37 Community Health Centers (CHCs) well-resourced with the newest medical as well as diagnostic facilities.
Revealing this, a representative of the Chief Minister’s office stated that the Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal sanctioned a proposal of Rs. 102 crore to achieve the remaining works in this regard in the coming three month period.
The CM was presiding over a high level gathering of the Health and Medical Education & Research departments at Chandigarh at his official residence late last evening in which Health & Family Welfare Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Advisor on Health & Medical Education Dr. KK Talwar, famous physicians and senior authorities of both the sections were present.
Badal also ordered the Health Department to speed up the process for filling up all the empty posts and make sure cent-percent accessibility of Specialists and MBBS Doctors besides, other paramedic personnel in all the hospitals within stipulated time.
Accepting the request of Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education Vini Mahajan to ensure the smooth functioning of health care services in the State, the Chief Minister approved to create about 200 additional posts against the doctors who had proceeded for higher studies.
Underlining the dire requirement to aware the citizens regarding the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable illnesses, comprising locally endemics, the CM asked the Health section to launch a huge awareness drive shortly.
While reexamining a comparative analysis and progress of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which was rolled out in the year 2005 in the nation with the key aim to lessen Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), Badal added that although the state had been praised at National level for its exceptional attempts in dropping IMR but it was still required to attain more.
He asked the section to sketch a plan for setting up separate Hospitals or Wing for the Mother & Child care. Mr. Badal also said the section to make a system below which each and every newborn baby should be provided intensive health care for vital first month even after being discharged from the hospital.
In the gathering, Badal also reexamined the standing and development of setting up 5 new 50-bedded (each) ‘Model Drug De-addiction Centers’ at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Bathinda as well as Patiala that would be made operational as tertiary care facility in addition to service, training, records, research and manpower growth centers. Likewise to provide accessible and uniform health care services for drug users at all District/ Sub-divisional Hospitals, total 31 centers with 10-bed facility in each were being established.
Out of which 7 pre- subsisting Centers had already been prepared and 3 recently built would also be working shortly besides, 21 Centers were to be set up. The CM asked the Health section to make sure the accessibility of sufficient staff and other necessary support at the recently built Centers at Khiala Kalan, Hoshiarpur and Batala.
The CM also sanctioned the establishing of Drug De-addiction services in Central Jails and would roll out Prison Drug De-addiction Plan at Ludhiana prison shortly.
Badal also sanctioned the suggestions of PGIMR specialists Prof. Ajit Awasthi and Prof. Debasish Basu for documentation and supervison of the drug abuse situation crosswise Punjab in addition to, conducting a thorough research in a scientific way with the active participation of ICMR. He also impressed upon the requirement to involve nongovernmental organizations in this programme by assigning them an exact region or villages around a particular Drug De-addiction center.
Badal also asked the section to chalk out the modalities for introducing Pay Clinic system in the Medical Colleges for the working Doctors to shun the practice of their working in the private health Institution after the college hours.
During the convention, the CM was advised by the MD Punjab Health System Corporation Mr. Husan Lal that under the revised Core Plan of Rs. 268 crore the up gradation works in one District Hospital, 6 Sub Divisional Hospitals, six CHCs and 36 PHCs had been finished, while rest of the work was in procedure. It was also informed that out of 300 MBBS doctors picked out by PPSC, 290 physicians had joined the section thus far.
Major amongst those who were there in the gathering comprised Health & Family Welfare Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Health Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Advisor on Health & Medical Education Dr. KK Talwar, Dr. Ajit Awasthi from PGIMER, Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education Vini Mahajan, Special Principal Secretary to the CM Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, MD Punjab Health System Corporation Hussan Lal, NRHM Director Raj Kamal Chaudhary, DRME Dr. Tejveer Singh, Director Health Dr. Ashok Nayyar, VC Baba Farid Medical University Dr. SS Gill and Principals of Government Medical Colleges of Patiala and Amritsar besides, other Medico Professionals, Experts and officers of the state government.
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Controversial Punjabi movie, ‘Sadda Haq’, will hit Patiala theaters on May 10 after the Supreme Court lifted bans by different state administrations during the last week, the movie makers have declared.
On the same day, the movie will hit Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, UP, Chandigarh as well as the national capital.
Maker Dinesh Sood stated, “The lifting of the ban is a big relief. This had been our request from the very beginning – we had asked the Punjab administration to establish a group of neutral associates for the viewing of the film and then decide accordingly. On the advice of our counsel, we moved the Supreme Court for a faster decision, and this is a landmark judgment for any Indian movie.â€
Maker Dinesh Sood was also joined by movie’s actor-writer-co creator Kuljinder Singh Sidhu, Upwinder Sidhu, Nidhi Sidhu and Surinder Dhalla at a press meeting that took place at Chandigarh Press Club.
Sood also stated that the Supreme Court has directed the Central Board of Film Certification to provide the movie an A Certificate.
“That’s the only change we’ve been asked to follow and we would be happy if we get a U/A certificate. We will come to be acquainted with the certification on Monday,†the film maker added.
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Patiala: With the zila parishad and block samiti polls planned for May 19, the Punjab Police officials have an uphill task of gathering 3.40 lakh firearms from all over the state before elections.
The authorities in some regions have already notified the citizens to deposit their weapons with the concerned police stations.
Sources added that there are possibilities that political jealousy might turn blood-spattered as these polls are violently competed. Even during the Vidhan Sabha polls, related orders were forwarded by the Election Commission.
With the malkhanas (stores within the police stations) already filled to capacity, the police officials will have to hinge upon private arms stores for storing the weapons.
To ensure compliance, the policemen are being asked to visit the households of those holding arms licences and urge them to deposit their weapons at the earliest.
In Ludhiana region, there are 28,102 licensed firearms whilst in the cities of Bathinda and Gurdaspur there are around 35,152 and 35,794 licence holders, respectively. Sangrur has more than 15,000 firearms and Patiala has more than 25,000 firearms.
But, villagers are seemed unwilling to surrender their weapons. “We are lame ducks without arms. There are many cases pending against the opponent factions,†claimed Karamjit Singh, a villager from Samana.
On an average, 1,500 firearms are likely to be deposited at a police station.
Punjab Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Dinkar Gupta stated that he would hunt for a report on the stuff from all regions by April 29. “The plan of the exercise is to carry out the elections in a peaceful manner,†he said.
Daunting task
The police have been told to gather weapons from all license possessors
The police have been asked to check the households of all license holders crosswise the state
On an average, 1,500 firearms are likely to be deposited at each and every police station.
