Sukhbir Singh Badal condoles the death of Surinder Singh Kairon

Chandigarh, March 17, 2009

Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, President, Shiromani Akali Dal and Deputy Chief Minister today expressed profound grief over the demise of former Member Parliament Mr. Surinder Singh Kairon, who expired at Amritsar last night after heart seizure.
In a condolence message President SAD, recalled the contributions of Mr. Surinder Singh Kairon in development of Majha region and his commitment for upliftment of downtrodden and oppressed in the society.

Mr. Badal expressed heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed to Almighty to give peace to the departed soul and strength to them to bear this irreparable loss.

Former Member Parliament Surinder Singh Kairon, died here last night after suffering a massive cardiac arrest. Surinder Singh Kairon was the father of Adesh Pratap Kairon, the Punjab Food and Supply minister

His father Pratap Singh Kairon was the first chief minister of Punjab. Surinder Singh Kairon was related to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal whose daughter Preneet Kaur is married to Kairon's son Adesh Partap Singh Kairon Food and Civil Supplies minister of Punjab. Surinder Singh Kairon is survived by wife Kusum Kumari and three sons Adesh Partap Singh, Gurpartap Singh Kairon and Uday Singh Kairon

LIBRA SEEKS CBI PROBE IN MISUTILIZATION OF CENTRAL FUNDS BY STATE GOVT.

LUDHIANA, March 16, 2009
Dr.Paramjeet Singh Ranu

The department of Health & Family Welfare Government of Punjab was under fire when the sitting M.P. of Ropar Sh.Sukhdev Singh Libra fires salvo by writing a letter to the Governor of Punjab by demanding a CBI inquiry regarding deteriorating Medical Health Services , misutilization and embezzlement of Central Government funds of Department of AYUSH under the NRHM ( National Rural Health Mission) by the Officials of the Health Department in Punjab.

Forwarding a complaint written by Dr.P.S.Ranu the President of Sehajdhari Sikh Federation Sh.Libra has demanded that CBI probe is the only minimum solution to unearth the scandal and misutilization of central funds by the state Govt. The 2 pages Complaint reads that under the National Rural Health Mission Scheme the Government of India Department of AYUSH has given subsidy for plantation of medicinal plants for the farmers of the State of Punjab. The said subsidy has been received from the Central Government but same has not been distributed amongst the farmers. It is not even known where the subsidy has gone as the particular farmers even do not exist. It is apprehended that the said amount has been siphoned off in connivance of the high-ups (Politicians and Officials ) of the department for some vested interests. Even the Health Minister has admitted before the media that there has been embezzlement in funds but is a long process for investigation. A video CD of her statement has been enclosed for evidence purpose along with the complaint. An IAS officer C.S.Talwar Addl Secretary Health was holding an enquiry into the matter but could not reach any conclusion.

The complaint also states that the Health Department of Punjab has purchased more than 100 Generator sets of 5KW capacity from a firm in Agra at a price of Rs.1,50,000/-per Generator which is highly exaggerated as comparative to the Generators of 5KW in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi which has creates a doubt on the integrity of the purchasers when similar Generator sets are available in Punjab for Rs.25,000/ only. The Health Department has purchased Dental Chairs which are most sub standard and are not properly working, numerous dialysis machines worth crores are lying idle in different Government Hospital due to lack of competent operators. General sanitary condition in the Hospitals wards, Dispensaries are very poor despite the fact that the grant of approximately Rs.2.50 crores was given to the Health Department for up keeping and maintenance of buildings of Health Dispensaries and Hospitals in the State under the NRHM scheme by the Central Govt. but nothing has been done to improve the pathetic conditions of these Hospitals. Rats are seen running in the Hospitals which reflects the hygienic measures of the hospitals, a video CD has been enclosed as an evidence. These type of unhygienic conditions prevailing in the hospitals are very dangerous for the patients where there are high risks of infections to the patients and it seems the department is playing with the precious lives of the citizens.

Also it is stated in the complaint by Dr.Ranu that there is no proper staff like Doctors in the Hospitals. The patients are being examined and administered medicines by the Pharmacists who play with the life of patients.There is no transfer policy, the honest and deserving doctors are transferred to far of places. Even the couples have not been spared and are kept at distance which is not congenial for them to work properly and against the law of justice and violation of the laid down norms of transfer policy. Categorically it is stated in the complaint that on one side the Health department is claiming to eradicate narcotics in the state and on the other hand the department has distributed Opium in bulk quantities against the norms to those Pharmaceutical Companies who are favorites of the Senior politicians like ministers. Even the person appointed as Authority to disperse the Opium did not qualify the basic eligibility for the post. An Inquiry is liable to be conducted separately in this issue not less than by the Narcotic Wing or CBI. In fact the said Opium has come to the market for sale. Even Sh.Satpal Gosain the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha has sought an inquiry from CBI in this matter.

The Poor are not treated in the Hospitals and even delivery patients are turned out for want of doctors or lack of medicines. There are no adequate equipments in the Hospitals and many leading News papers of the State have highlighted the pitiable condition in the Health Department for seeking a probe at many times but nothing has been done. The above facts are costing the precious lives of suffering humanity and the patients which also cost the involvement of Central & State Exchequer. The grants and funds given to the Punjab Health Department by the Central Government Department of AYUSH are pocketed /siphoned off by the concerned officials and Higher Politicians. The Sehajdhari Sikh Federation has requested that a High level inquiry be conducted by Central Bureau of Investigation in the Public Interest to unearth the scam involving several crores of rupees as the funds involved are related to the pool of the Central Government.

To initiate an inquiry by CBI regarding deteriorating Medical Health
Services , misutilization and embezzlement of Central Government funds
of Department of AYUSH under the NRHM (National Rural Health Mission)
by the Officials of the Health Department in Punjab.

LUDHIANA, March 16, 2009
Dr.Paramjeet Singh Ranu

We are constrained to bring into your kind notice the day to day deteriorating Medical Health services in the State of Punjab due to the malfunctioning and poor administration of the Health authorities in the Department of Health and Family Welfare Government of Punjab. Several crores of Central and State funds have been misutilized which is evident from the following evidences and media reports:-

1: Under the National Rural Health Mission Scheme the Government of India Department of AYUSH has given subsidy for plantation of medicinal plants to be given to the farmers of the State of Punjab. The said subsidy has been received from the Government of India but the same has not been distributed amongst the farmers. It is not even known where the subsidy has gone as the particular farmers even do not exist. It is apprehended that the said amount has been siphoned off in connivance of the high-ups (Politicians and Officials ) of the department for some vested interests. Even the Health Minister has admitted before the media that there has been embezzlement in funds but is a long process for investigation (CD of her statement is enclosed for evidence purpose). An IAS officer C.S.Talwar Addl Secretary Health was holding an enquiry into the matter but could not reach to any conclusion.

2: The Health Department of Punjab has purchased more than 100 Generator sets of 5KW capacity from a firm in Agra at a price of Rs.1,50,000/-per Generator. This price is highly exaggerated as comparative to the Generators of 5KW in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. The fact that the Generators were purchased at very high price from Agra itself creates a doubt on the integrity of the purchasers when similar Generator sets are available in Punjab for Rs.25,000/ only.

3: The Health Department has purchased Dental Chairs which are most sub standard and are not properly working which has caused a great loss of the public money and state exchequer.

4: The Health department has purchased number of dialysis machines which are lying idle in different Government Hospital and there is nobody to operate the same for lack of competent staff. The amount of purchase of machinery runs into crores of rupees.

5: The General sanitary condition in the Hospitals wards, Dispensaries is very poor despite the fact that the grant of approximately Rs.2.50 crores was given to the Health Department for up keeping and maintenance of buildings of Health Dispensaries and Hospitals in the State under the NRHM scheme by the Central Govt. but nothing has been done to improve the pathetic conditions of these Hospitals. Rats are seen running in the Hospitals which reflects the hygienic measures of the hospitals( CD Enclosed as an Evidence). These type of unhygienic conditions prevailing in the hospitals are very dangerous for the patients where there are high risks of infections to the patients and it seems the Health department is playing with the precious lives of the citizens.

6: There is no proper staff like Doctors in the Hospitals. The patients are being examined and administered medicines by the Pharmacists who play with the life of patients.

7: There is no transfer policy, the honest and deserving doctors are transferred to far of places. Even the couples have not been spared and are kept at distance which is not congenial for them to work properly and against the law of justice and violation of the laid down norms of transfer policy.

8: The Health department on one side is claiming to eradicate narcotics in the state and on the other hand the department has distributed Opium in bulk quantities against the norms to those Pharmaceutical Companies who are favorites of the Senior politicians like ministers. Even the person appointed as Authority to disperse the Opium did not qualify the basic eligibility for the post. An Inquiry is liable to be conducted separately in this issue not less than by the Narcotic Wing or CBI. In fact the said Opium has come to the market for sale. ‘Daily Ajit’ in its paper dated 15.10.2008 has published a news item to this effect (copy enclosed). Even Sh.Satpal Gosain the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha has sought an inquiry from CBI in this matter.

9: The Poor are not treated in the Hospitals and even delivery patients are turned out for want of doctors or lack of medicines. There are no adequate equipments in the Hospitals(Press clippings attached).

10: Many leading News papers of the State have highlighted the pitiable condition in the Health Department and for seeking a probe at many times but nothing has been done. The above facts are costing the precious lives of suffering humanity and the patients which also cost the involvement of Central & State Exchequer. The grants and funds which are granted to the Health Department by the Central Government Department of AYUSH are pocketed /siphoned off by the concerned officials and Higher Politicians.

In light of the above facts your Highness is requested that a High level inquiry be conducted by Central Bureau of Investigation in the Public Interest to unearth the scam involving several crores of rupees as the funds involved are related to the pool of the Central Government.