Chandigarh July 1, 2025 :

 In line with zero tolerance policy adopted against corruption by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Tuesday arrested George Masih, Block Officer, posted at Block Development and Panchayats Office (BDPO) Amritsar while he was receiving Rs 13000 as a bribe.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the aforementioned accused has been arrested following a complaint lodged by a resident of village Bikraur, in Amritsar district.

He further added that the complainant has approached the VB alleging that he wanted to contest Panchayat elections from his village in the year 2024 but could not do so, as a notice declaring him defaulter was issued to him by Block Officer Ajnala stating that he had not cleared outstanding dues of Government land measuring 4 Kanals and an FIR would be registered against him in this regard. As per the complaint, the accused asked the complainant that if he wanted to get his name stuck off from defaulter list and also to get correction in the revenue record, he has to pay a bribe of Rs 13,000.

The spokesperson informed that after preliminary verification of this complaint, a team from VB Unit Amritsar laid a trap and apprehended the aforesaid accused while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 13000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Amritsar range. The accused would be produced before the competent court tomorrow and further investigation into this case was under progress, he said.

Chandigarh, July 1, 2025 –

Continuing its ongoing relentless drive against corruption in the state, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), on Monday arrested Head Constable (HC) Raj Kumar, posted as personal security officer (PSO) with DSP Bhucho, in Bathinda district red-handed while he was accepting a bribe of Rs. one lakh.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the accused police official has been arrested following a complaint filed by a resident of village Kalyan Sukha, in tehsil Nathana, district Bathinda.

He further informed that the complainant lady approached the VB alleging that due to a dispute over agricultural land, the opposite party had got registered a false case against her husband and both her sons at police station Nathana, which was being investigated by DSP Bhucho. Subsequently, Raj Kumar, Reader, made two phone calls from her mobile number and informed that he had spoken to the DSP regarding this re-investigation and only the DSP’s signature on the report was pending. For getting the case cancelled, he demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh. Accused Raj Kumar told the complainant that Rs one lakh should be paid immediately as the first installment so that he could get the work done. The complainant recorded this conversation on her mobile phone and submitted it to the VB.

The spokesperson informed that after verification of the complaint, a VB team from Bathinda range laid a trap and apprehended HC Raj Kumar while he was accepting Rs one lakh as a bribe from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. The tainted money has been recovered on the spot from his possession.

In this regard a case under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Bathinda range. The accused police personnel would be produced in the competent court tomorrow.  During further investigation of the case, if the involvement of any other officer/personnel comes to light, he would also be nominated in the case, he said.

CHANDIGARH, July 1:

          To mark National Doctors’ Day, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Tuesday, inaugurated the statewide expansion of the Punjab STEMI Project, empowering all the district and sub-divisional hospitals in 23 districts to quickly intervene and give thrombolysis treatment by administering a clot buster drug Tenecteplase to save patient life in case of heart-attack.

          This ambitious initiative, also known as “Mission Amrit” (Acute Myocardial Reperfusion In Time), aims to dramatically improve outcomes for patients experiencing ST-segment Elevated Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), the most severe type of heart attack.

          Dr Balbir Singh accompanied by Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul and Professor & Head of Cardiology at DMCH Ludhiana Dr Bishav Mohan, while launching the project here, said that the Tenecteplase injection, which costs around Rs 30,000, is being administered free of cost under this project. This injection helps to dissolve blood clots in the heart, he added.

          The project was launched across the state after the success of a pilot project, which was initially implemented in two districts— Ludhiana and Patiala— and extended to nine more districts later. In the pilot stage, approximately 14,000 chest pain patients have been enrolled, and out of 1305 STEMI patients identified, 583 have successfully received thrombolysis at district health facilities.

          Speaking about the need of the project Dr Balbir Singh said that historically, patients in Punjab suffering from chest pain faced critical delays, often reaching a first medical contact an average of 2-3 hours after symptom onset. Many local hospitals and nursing homes lack the immediate diagnostic and treatment capabilities for STEMI, resulting in further delays in transferring the patient. This frequently pushed patients beyond the crucial “therapeutic window period” or Golden Hour for thrombolysis, a clot-busting therapy vital for restoring blood flow to the heart.

          Sharing more details about the STEMI project, the Health Minister said that this project directly addresses these challenges through an innovative Hub and Spoke Model. District and Sub-Divisional Hospitals will serve as “Spoke” centres, equipped to handle initial diagnosis and management of STEMI patients. These Spoke centres are seamlessly integrated with expert “Hub” hospitals – including the existing DMCH Ludhiana and GMCH-32 Chandigarh, and four new hubs including Government Medical Colleges of Patiala, Faridkot, Amritsar and AIIMS Bathinda.

          “Upon arrival at a Spoke centre, STEMI patients will receive primary management, including thrombolysis, under the direct guidance of experts from the nearest Hub via tele-ECG based consultation. Crucially, the thrombolytic drug, Injection Tenecteplase 40 mg (TNK 40 mg), will be provided free of cost at all district health facilities, eliminating financial barriers to immediate, life-saving treatment. Following stabilization, patients will be transferred to the Hub centers for further expert opinion and comprehensive treatment,” he added.

          Terming it as a monumental day for healthcare in Punjab, Dr Balbir Singh said, “The Punjab STEMI Project, building on the success of our ICMR pilot in SAS Nagar Mohali and Ludhiana, is a testament to our commitment to ensuring that every citizen, regardless of their location, has access to timely and effective care during a heart attack. By bringing thrombolysis directly to the district level, we are closing critical time gaps and significantly increasing the chances of survival and recovery for our patients.”

          To ensure the project’s success the Health Minister said that over 700 staff members, including Medical Specialists, Emergency Medical Officers (EMOs), and Staff Nurses from all 23 districts, have undergone intensive capacity-building training programs at DMCH Ludhiana under the guidance of expert cardiologist Dr Bishav Mohan. All emergency rooms in hospitals have been equipped with ECG and defibrillators for management of STEMI cases.

          Dr Bishav Mohan, Professor & Head of Cardiology at DMCH Ludhiana said that people need to be sensitised about the symptoms of heart attack, which usually people confuse with gastrointestinal problems and ignore. “The ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death in India. This collaborative approach ensures that patients receive the most advanced treatment within the golden hour, improving their chances of survival,” he added.

          On the occasion, 12 doctors from across the state, who have successfully thrombolysed the patients within the timeframe were felicitated by the Health Minister.

          Among others, State Information Commissioner Adv Harpreet Sandhu, Special Secretary Health-cum-MD NHM Ghanshyam Thori, MD PHSC Amit Talwar, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr Hitinder Kaur, Director ESI Dr Jaspreet Kaur, Director Principal AIMS Mohali Dr Bhavneet Bharti, Dr Bhupinder Singh, Professor & Head, Cardiology, AIIMS Bathinda; Dr Parminder Singh Manghera, Assistant Professor, Cardiology, GMC Amritsar; Dr Saurabh Sharma, Assistant Professor, Cardiology, GMC Patiala, Assistant Director cum State Program Officer NP-NCD Dr Gagandeep Singh Grover and Medical Officer Dr Ashu were also present on the occasion.

BOX: What is a STEMI?

An ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a type of heart attack that is more serious and has a greater risk of serious complications and death. An infarction is a blockage of blood flow to the myocardium, the heart muscle. That blockage causes the heart muscle to die. Therefore restoring blood flow quickly may keep the damage from being permanent or at least minimize the severity of the damage.

Utilising a Hub and Spoke Model, the project connects district health facilities with tertiary care hospitals to facilitate timely diagnosis, expert consultation via tele-ECG, and immediate administration of free thrombolytic therapy, followed by transfer for advanced care.

Chandigarh/Malout, July 1:

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government continues its dedicated efforts to uplift the weaker and underprivileged sections of society. As part of this initiative, Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur today Hands Over loan waiver certificates amounting to ₹8.72 crore to 505 families belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community during a special event organized at K.G. Palace, Malout.

On this occasion, the Minister also distributed approval letters worth ₹71.40 lakh to 140 beneficiaries under the Ashirwad Scheme, with each beneficiary receiving ₹51,000.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Baljit Kaur reiterated the Punjab Government’s firm commitment to the welfare of the needy and marginalized sections of society. She emphasized that the State Government is ensuring maximum welfare measures for people from every section of society. She noted that, for the first time in the history of Punjab, such significant relief has been extended to the economically weaker and backward classes, made possible because the State’s budget has been prioritized for the welfare of the common people. She added that the government is judiciously utilizing every rupee from the State exchequer for public welfare.

The Minister informed that this loan waiver covers all loans distributed by the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation (PSCFC) up to March 31, 2020. This waiver provides much-needed financial relief to borrowers from the SC community and differently-abled categories. She added that the State Government has already issued ‘No Dues’ certificates to these beneficiaries, ensuring that no recovery proceedings will be initiated against them under PSCFC rules after the waiver.

She further stated that the State Government will repay the entire outstanding principal, interest, and penal interest amount to PSCFC by April 30, 2025, ensuring complete financial settlement.

Among those present on the occasion were District Welfare Officer Jagmohan Singh, Personal Assistants to the Cabinet Minister Arshdeep Singh Sidhu and Shinderpal Singh, Ramesh Singh Arniwala, Sukhpal Singh (President, Truck Union), Yadvinder Singh (Sarpanch), Nirmal Singh (Sarpanch), Kulwinder Singh Bittu, Jyoti (Sarpanch), Dr. Sadhu Singh, and a large number of beneficiaries.

CHANDIGARH, July 1:

          With the ongoing decisive war against drugs ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has completed four months, Punjab Police has registered 12135 first information reports (FIRs) and arrested 19880 drug smugglers leading to the recovery of 786 kg heroin since March 1, 2025.

          Since the launch of this anti-drug drive, Punjab Police, under the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav,  has been conducting operations daily simultaneously in all the 28 Police districts of the state. Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann had asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla, who has been personally overseeing the operations, revealed that apart from the 786 kg haul of heroin, police have also seized 301 kg opium, 158 quintals poppy husk, 11 kg charas, 300 kg ganja, 2.9 kg ICE, 27.99 lakh intoxicant pills/tablets, and ₹11.58 crore drug money.

          Sharing details of outcome of Day 122, the Special DGP said that Punjab Police has arrested 128 drug smugglers and recovered 4.1 kg heroin, 3.5 kg opium, 10 kg poppy husk, 13667 intoxicant pills and ₹1.25 lakh drug money from their possession.

          Over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1300 police personnel, under the supervision of 87 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 418 locations across the state leading to the registration of 92 first information reports (FIRs) across the state, he said, while adding that police teams have also checked as many as 428 suspicious persons during the day long operation.

          Meanwhile, the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced 76 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.

Chandigarh:

The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh carried out a major anti-encroachment drive today in Sector 22. The operation focused on the outer mobile market, Shastri Market (22D), and the area near Kiran Cinema.

Following the directions of Municipal Commissioner Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, the enforcement team carried out the drive and issued 52 challans to violators during the drive. Illegal vendors occupying public corridors were removed to ensure free and safe pedestrian movement. The drive aimed to reclaim public spaces and maintain order in the market areas.

The Municipal Corporation has reiterated its commitment to keeping public areas encroachment-free and ensuring better civic amenities for residents and visitors. Similar drives will continue across the city in the coming weeks to discourage illegal encroachments.

The MC appeals to all vendors and shopkeepers to cooperate and adhere to the civic norms.