M A I N   N E W S

Several trains cancelled
Farmers block rail, road traffic
From Tribune Reporters

AMBALA, Oct 13 — Rail traffic was thrown out of gear following a dharna by Bharatiya Kisan Union activists. In the Ambala division, the BKU activists sat on a dharna, among others, at Tapa, Lehra Gaga, Rajpura, Sirhind, Rampuraphul and Chhajli which led to the cancellation and detention of several trains, causing inconvenience to passengers.

According to the Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala, Mr Ashwini Kapoor, the detention of trains by BKU activists was on in most places till late evening. “The trains have been detained between Chhajli and Lehra Gaga on the Jakhal-Dhuri section from 10.35 a.m. onwards, at Tapa between Dhuri and Bathinda from 11.30 a.m. onwards, at gate no. 117 between Rampuraphul and Lehra Mohabat on the Dhuri-Bathinda section from 1.10 p.m. onwards and at Rampuraphul on the Dhuri-Bathinda section from 11.40 a.m. onwards,” he said.

Mr Kapoor stated that at gate no. 134 between the Rajpura-Shambhu on Ambala-Rajpura-Ludhiana sections the trains were detained from 12.15 p.m. to 4.20 p.m. and at Sirhind, the trains were detained, on the Ambala-Ludhiana section from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.

The trains which have been cancelled include 4UB and 6 UB.

The trains which were affected due to the agitation leading to their running late include the 1058 Dadar-Amritsar Express which was detained at Patiala from 2.10 p.m. to 4.35 p.m., 2926 Paschim Express detained at Rajpura from 12.21 p.m. to 4.25 p.m., 4648 Flying Mail detained at Khanna from 3.52 p.m. to 4.28 p.m., 2925 Paschim Express at Ambala Cantonment from 2.20 p.m. to 4.22 p.m., 5211 Jansewa Express detained at Jagadhari from 2.18 p.m. to 4.23 p.m., 1 UB Passenger detained at Shambhu from 12.44 p.m. to 4.25 p.m. , 4711 Sriganganagar-Haridwar Intercity detained at Saharanpur from 3.45 p.m. to 4.10 p.m. , 1 UD Passenger detained at Ambala Cantonment from 3.30 p.m. to 4.35 p.m., 333 Passenger detained at Ambala Cantonment from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. and 3 LJH Passenger detained since 3.10 p.m. onwards.

Mr Kapoor said a number of freight trains were detained between Saharanpur-Ambala and on DUK section for non-acceptance and also on the RBR section. “In addition to this, freight trains were also regulated at Ludhiana to DUK and Ludhiana to Moradabad via Saharanpur has since been started,” he said.

The Additional DRM stated Rajpura-Dhuri-Bathinda and the Dhuri-Bathinda and the Dhuri-Jakhal sections still continue to be disrupted.

Efforts were made by the division at DRM, ADRM and Sr DOM’s level for liaisoning with the state government including the Home Secretary, DGP, District Commissioners and Superintendent of Police, (GRP) to intervene.

He said the stations staff of the above sections were instructed to make proper announcement at stations for information to passengers of the latest position about the trains. An emergency office has been opened here to constantly monitor the situation.

Temporary refund counters were opened at Rajpura, Ambala Cantonment, Sirhind, Patiala, Sunam and Lehra Gaga to refund passengers.

PATIALA: Rail traffic was disrupted on various routes as farmers blocked tracks at Rajpura in protest against the non-procurement of paddy and reduction of rates of various varieties of paddy by government agencies.

Hundreds of farmers sat on the tracks near Rajpura thereby disrupting all Ambala and Delhi-bound rail traffic . Passengers had a harrowing time in reaching their destinations as the Amritsar-Mumbai 1UP was held up at Sirhind and the Amritsar- Dadar passenger train was held up for more than five hours at the Patiala railway station. Several other passenger and goods trains were also stopped at various destinations by the protesting farmers.

SANGRUR: A large number of farmers blocked the rail track at Chhajli village, near Sunam, on the Jakhal -Ludhiana section.

Railway sources said the Ludhiana-Jakhal passenger train which departed from Ludhiana at 9.15 a.m. had to return from Sunam this noon while another train (Hisar-Ludhiana) which reached at Sangrur at 4.10 p.m. was still stranded at Jakhal.

The Ludhiana-Jakhal train, which departed from Ludhiana at 4.10 p.m., would be stranded at Dhuri till the lifting of the rail blockade at Chhajli.

ROPAR: Congress workers led by a former Chief Minister of Punjab, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, and the General Secretary of the PPCC, Mr Jagmohan Kang, on Friday blocked traffic on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh road in Morinda in protest against the non-lifting of paddy and the crises being faced by the farmers.

Earlier, Congress leaders took out a procession.

Addressing the farmers, Ms Bhattal alleged that the tussle between the SAD and the BJP was the real reason for the plight of the farmers.

PHILLAUR: Thousands of farmers awaiting paddy procurement were frustrated by the delays in purchases. Punjab former Congress Minister Ch Santokh Singh, talking to mediapersons after his intensive visit to different mandis of Phillaur subdivision here claimed that more than fifty thousands quintals of paddy was lying in Phillaur mandi alone. A farmer Hans Raj of Phillaur was found selling paddy for Rs 300 per quintal instead of the official rate of Rs 510 per quintal for inferior paddy.

PHAGWARA: The call for rail and “rasta roke” had no impact here.

The nearly 15 of the G.T. Road and railtrack that pass through this subdivision remained free from any “chaka jam”.

AMRITSAR: The Punjab Kisan Sabha, the CPI and the CPM and three other agro unions — Kirti Kisan Union, Kisan Union Ekta and Bharti Kisan Union — sat on a “rail roko” agitation. The farmers stopped two trains — the Amritsar-Pathankot Express and the Pathankot-Amritsar Express.

India beat S. Africa, enter final

NAIROBI, Oct 13 (UNI) — India knocked joint favourites South Africa out of the $ 1 million ICC Knockout Trophy at the Nairobi Gymkhana Club grounds here today, winning their Semifinal by a crushing 95 runs to set up a final with New Zealand in two days time.

‘Man-of-the-match’ Sourav Ganguly led the way with a belligerent 141 not out after he won the toss in the morning. When South Africa batted, he bowled one over and was rewarded with the key wicket of Mark Boucher, the top scorer in the Proteas’s innings with 60.

India posted a mammoth 295 for six wickets when they batted this morning, Rahul Dravid (58), Yuvraj Singh (41) and Sachin Tendulkar (39) playing good support roles for Ganguly. They then took to the field to bowl South Africa out for exactly 200 in 41 overs, Zaheer Khan (2 for 27), Anil Kumble (2 for 28) and Tendulkar (2 for 32) being their main wicket takers.

South Africa were undone by their inability to put together a worthwhile partnership. Only a fifth wicket stand of 56 between Jonty Rhodes and Boucher and of 55 between Boucher and Lance Klusener gave the South African total some respectability.