Dy CM, wife conduct surprise raids

Dy CM, wife conduct surprise raids
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Harsimrat and Sukhbir check price of a medicine at the Civil Hospital in Bathinda. Photos: Kulbir Beera

Bathinda, July 17
In an attempt to check the faults in the administrative machinery, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal along with his wife Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal conducted surprise visits at Civil Hospital, Civil Lines police station and complaint centre of the Powercom, here late this evening.
Their visit caught the administration unawares and spread a reign of terror in the district administration. To keep the visit totally confidential, keeping their convoy away, the Badal couple drove in a private vehicle without a red beacon atop.
Getting first-hand account of the situation, Sukhbir marked a number of inquiries to the DC and SSP, Bathinda and asked them to deal with the guilty strictly. Irked over some complaints of a serious nature Sukhbir even talked to the chiefs of departments concerned over the phone and directed them to submit their reports within two days.
It was a surprise for all including patients and doctors, when the Badal couple entered the Civil Hospital in the evening. They straightaway visited the patients' wards and enquired about the state of affairs.
As the patients apprised them about pathetic system of the hospital, where the doctors shy away from diagnosing patients and the nurses remain least bothered about patients, the Badal couple immediately summoned the Civil Surgeon and SMO of the hospital.
An inquiry was also marked to the Bathinda SSP to inquire into overcharging for medicines brought from the Red Cross medicine shop.
Taking notice of a complaint against the orthopedic specialists for taking patients to their private hospitals, Sukhbir asked the factual status of the situation from the SMO Vinod Garg. Replying to the query, the SMO said they had already investigated the matter and found the doctors guilty.
The SMO further disclosed that one of the orthopedic specialists took ex-India leave but remained here to run private practice, which irked Sukhbir and he called up the secretary health, Punjab, to probe the matter and said if the doctor was found guilty, he be dismissed with immediate effect.
Seeing the crumbling structure of the hospital, Sukhbir asked the Health Secretary Punjab visit here within a week and prepare estimates and start the work soon.
Further, they moved to Civil Lines police station, where they took an exception to treatment being given to the undertrials. They also found the attendance register of the wireless control room lying unfilled.
In an unusual gesture, Harsimrat asked the cops to flash a hoax call to the PCR staff to check their reporting time. Then going to the police station register, Sukhbir made calls to a number of complainants and asked them about the way police treated them. He even enquired if the cops had demanded bribe from them. Finding the recovered goods lying in the lock-up for long, Sukhbir asked the SSP to ensure the disposal of all recovered property within two months.
The Badal couple paid a surprise visit to the Powercon complaint centre at Multania road where they attended complaint calls and observed that the consumers were at the receiving end. Taking record of vehicles and staff posted there, Sukhbir counter checked the details from the executive engineer.
Finding the X-En attempting to mislead him, he called up the chairman Powercom, KD Choudhary and directed him to conduct an immediate enquiry and deal with the official, in question, strictly.
He marked an inquiry to the SSP Bathinda to check the allegation of electricity staff misusing the official vehicles for personal use.