Sharma’s Herculean task

DR S S BHATTI,CHANDIGARH

Priorities before the new PGI director

PGIMER is one of the most prestigious medical and research institutions in the country. The new management should gear up to meet the expectations and challenges of good patient care systems. Also,skewed patient-nurse ratio effects patient care,as nurses are forced to cope with an increasing burden of patients. So,the number of nurses should be increased. There should be no Bulbul or Suman like at GMSH-16,which had faced problems because of negligence of the staff. Priority should be given to the health of the mother and the baby. Various chemist shops at PGI have been found charging extra for medicines. Also,cases of chemists selling used medical equipment have come up. All such culprits such be caught and strict action be taken against them. Also,there is a need to spread awareness about transmission of infections and sterilisation among the staff.

DR SHRUTI K CHAWLA,CHANDIGARH

What about the common man?

Soon,room rent at Panchayat Bhawan in Sector 18 will be hiked. This is uncalled for. In a democratic set up,the concerns of the common man are the most important. Instead of putting burden on low-budget tourists,superfluous posts should be done away with. The sole objective behind setting up the Panchayat Bhawan was that this way,general public and low-budget tourists will be abler to stay at a very nominal rent and that too,with good food at nominal rates. I appeal to the Administrator of Chandigarh,Shivraj Patil,not to approve the increased tariff,instead,pass orders for the reduction of increased posts and withdrawal of security personnel from a large number of bureaucrats.

NARINDER SINGH,CHANDIGARH

Better late than never

The decision of Punjab University (PU) authorities to impose Section 144 around the vice-chancellor’s office is a step in the right direction,though quite a belated one. The university is a place where one pursues studies and all actions,which hamper this task,need to be curbed. Educational institutions should not be a place where political activities take place,especially when politics has polluted the peaceful environment of PU. Let us hope that the authorities will be able to withstand the pressure of the people with selfish motives and implement their plan.

A K SHARMA,CHANDIGARH

Shortage of staff effects public services

In Chandigarh,a large number of posts is lying vacant in almost in every department,caused owing to retirement,resignation,dismissal,death,etc. These have not been filled up for many years now. As a result,the people are being harassed while they opt for some public service. The stock reply they receive in every department is — “we are short-staffed”. Not only this,in certain cases,officers are holding charges of different departments in addition to their own. Moreover,whatever ad hoc arrangements are made to deploy staff on a contract basis,neither have the requisite expertise nor the talent to carry out the designated functions. This has given a severe jolt to public services. On the one hand,owing to population explosion,there has been a phenomenal increase in development activities. On the other,there is shortage of staff to cope with the situation. The tax payers have the every right to ask for such services and in a democracy,the administration is responsible as well as duty-bound to provide these to the common man. One fails to understand why no recruitment has been made,as the general public pay their taxes regularly. The Chandigarh Administration as well as the Municipal Corporation is requested to recruit staff in various departments in accordance to norms.

S K KHOSLA,CHANDIGARH