Feel like we are living in Pakistan: AAP MLA claims discrimination over health centres in Moga
Chandigarh, Mar 25 (PTI): AAP MLA Devinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhose on Tuesday alleged "step-motherly" treatment to Moga, citing a lack health-related facilities in the district.
"Why is there discrimination against Moga? I feel like we are living in Pakistan," Dharamkot legislator Dhose said.
Dhose made the remark during the Question Hour of the budget session in the state Assembly.
His outburst came after Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh replied to his question that there was no proposal to upgrade the Dharamkot PHC (primary health centre) to a sub-divisional hospital under the consideration of the government.
The facility is under the community health centre Kot Ise Khan, located eight km away, replied the minister.
Singh also said there was no proposal to open a trauma centre in Dharamkot.
"There are already five trauma centres functioning in the state of Punjab, which are functioning in Jalandhar, Pathankot, Khanna, Ferozepur and Fazilka," the minister said.
After receiving the minister's replies, Dhose said the Dharamkot constituency (which is in Moga district) is a backward area.
"We are also the residents of Punjab, and our district is Moga. Not even one health-related project has been given to the Dharamkot constituency by our government. In Kot Ise Khan CHC, only two out of eight posts of MBBS doctors have been filled yet.
"Step-motherly treatment has been meted out to Moga. Earlier, 300 specialist doctors were recruited, and of them, only four doctors were given to Moga. Now, out of 255 MBBS doctors, only four have been given to Moga. Malerkotla is a small district and 28 MBBS doctors have been posted there as compared to four doctors given to Moga," he lamented.
"I want to ask why this discrimination is against Moga, whether Moga is part of Punjab. I feel like perhaps we are living in Pakistan," the MLA said.
The health minister informed the House that the Dharamkot constituency has a population of 24,000 population comprising 50 villages
A CHC is set up in an area where the population is over 1.25 lakh, and a sub-divisional hospital is set up if the population is over 10 lakh, he said, adding, Moga doesn't pass the criterion.
He also pointed out that Moga has a district hospital.
Earlier, AAP MLA from Mohali Kulwant Singh questioned the health minister about the deployment of health staff and other facilities in a new dispensary in Sector 69 and the completion of work on a dispensary building in Sector 79 of Mohali district.
Replying to the MLA's question, Singh informed the House that the health staff had been deployed temporarily at the buildings constructed to start dispensaries in Sector 69 and the adjacent Saneta village.
"The work of building of Urban Primary Health Centre at Sector 79 is under construction, revised detailed estimates of the remaining work have been calculated at Rs 151.03 lakh. After receiving the funds, the work is expected to start in six months and to be completed in about six months, that is, in about 12 months," the minister said.
The Mohali MLA responded by saying he heard otherwise.
"... had my people there (Sector 69 dispensary) till 9 am. No staff member came. Tell me when these dispensaries will be made functional. Till today, they are not operational. The staff strength is not complete. And with temporary staff, better health facilities cannot be provided," he said.
The minister, in his response, said, "It is possible that his (MLA) people gave information at 9 am and the staff may have reached 9.05 and 9.10 am."
Singh even provided names of the health staff, comprising a doctor, a pharmacist, a lab technician and a staff nurse deployed at the dispensary, to counter the MLA's claims.
"I have all the whole list. I also got it confirmed from the Director, Health Services and the secretary then I gave the statement," he said.
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Man kills woman lecturer, sets car ablaze; dies by suicide in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): A 46-year-old man allegedly killed a woman lecturer by setting fire to the car with her inside, before dying by suicide; his severed body was found by railway police the next day, police said on Tuesday.
The deceased, identified as Ramanjinappa, a resident of Doddaballapura, was a contract worker in the tahsildar’s office, they said.
Police said the man, who was married and had apparently separated from his wife, was in an illicit relationship with a woman identified as Saroja, whose charred body was found inside a gutted car in an isolated area near the Bashetty Industrial Area in Doddaballapura taluk on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
Saroja was also married and had a son, police said.
According to police, on Saturday, the man allegedly borrowed a car from an acquaintance, claiming he had a medical emergency and needed to visit a hospital.
Citing preliminary investigations, a senior police officer said the man picked up the lecturer from a bus stop in Devanahalli. The two spent a couple of hours driving around Nandi Hills and nearby areas.
Later, they reached a secluded spot in Doddaballapura, where it is suspected that an argument ensued inside the car, following which he allegedly hit her on the head with a hammer, the officer said.
He then set the car on fire, reportedly using petrol, and is believed to have died by suicide thereafter, police said.
Locals who saw the burning car alerted the police and fire department, who rushed to the spot, extinguished the fire, and found the woman’s body completely charred inside the vehicle, the officer added.
His severed body was found near railway tracks in Bidadi by the railway police on Sunday, he said.
The motive and whether the crime was premeditated or impulsive are under investigation, he said.
Saroja’s husband filed a complaint accusing Ramanjinappa of killing her, police said, adding that a detailed investigation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events.
