Muktsar, February 25
Hundreds of passengers at the bus stands of Muktsar and other towns of the Malwa region today remained stranded for hours as a good number of private buses, presently comprising more than half of the Punjab’s public transport, went off the routes to ferry the workers of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to Delhi for the massive protest rally tomorrow.

Men, women and children flooded the main Muktsar bus stand, making queries at the counters, while the policemen around the official vehicle of the District Transport Officer (DTO) were seen forcing a private bus to halt and divert to a particular village to pick up the activists for the SAD rally in Delhi.

“We have been assured of the expenditure for only diesel for ferrying the party workers to Delhi for the rally,” said a private bus operator, explaining that the buses of the transporters “close to the Badal family”, incluidng the Dabwali Transport Company (DTC) and Jeet Transport were spared to carry the local passengers load along with the Punjab Roadways, PEPSU and PUNSUP fleets.

A group of passengers from a village of Malout block were overheard as they laughed away their point that “Badal (Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal) has spared his own buses, while certain poor transporters are paying the price as they are forced to ferry the rally participants to Delhi”.

Against the average daily revenue collection of Rs 14,000 in the form of the bus entry fee, the Muktsar bus stand figure today stood at Rs 8,000 only.   

Lakhbir Singh, waiting for a bus to Malout with his wife and children, was a worried lot, as they had to reach their native village, several kilometers beyond Malout. “It is evening now and we do not know whether we will get the mini-bus to our village from Malout,” he explained, cursing the “politicians and the transport administrators”.

“You could very see for yourself that this bus stand has never been so overcrowded before,” said one of the inspectors of the Punjab Roadways, informing that the number of buses via Muktsar had reduced to almost half today.

He further assessed that the public would suffer more tomorrow, the day of the SAD rally in Delhi as hundreds of more buses would be leaving for the national capital late tonight or in the next wee hours.

A beeline of empty private buses was seen along the Muktsar-Malout-Lambi-Killianwali highway, which were arranged by the SAD cadres. 

Bathinda, February 25
The Shiromani Akali Dal- Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) ‘Insaaf Rally’ today forced the commuters of the area to remain stranded at bus stand, here, waiting for the buses to reach their destinations as fleet of private buses were engaged in the transportation of the SAD-BJP workers for the rally at Delhi.

As per the reports the buses have been hired on some nominal fare, but many of them are on just the diesel basis. Sources in the administration informed that the district transport officer in order to oblige leaders ordered some transporters to make arrangement of the buses for the rally.

When, the DTO, Bhupinder Singh was contacted for his version, he refuted the allegation leveled on him.

A large number of the scheduled bus timings were missed as the private buses, except the ones owned by Badal and his kin were taken out to some place in the morning. The rally forced the PRTC to bear the weight of it, as an employee at the entry fee collection point, said that on an average 540 private long buses pay the fee, but today the collection was restrained at the 350 only.

At the time of departure of the convoy, it was observed that most of the participants were going for charm of free travel.

It may be mentioned over here that the SAD-BJP coalition government has claimed the rally as a protest to get some doles for the debt-ridden farmers and also for industrial benefits for the state.

Bathinda, February 25
British immigration laws and stringent visa restrictions apart, even the Indians settled in the United Kingdom (UK) were averse to more of Indians migrating to the UK, says Dev Sharma, former mayor, London Borough of Redbridge. The ex-mayor was here to deliver a lecture on education at Baba Farid Institute today.

The proposed amendments to make the visa laws more stringent for Asians were yet to be adopted but it was more a fallout of September 11 attack that made the Muslim community a suspect prompting the government to scale down the number of immigrants, the ex-mayor told the TNS in an exclusive interview. The influx of more Asians adds to the struggle of Indians settled in UK and they have become wary, he added.

Sharma observed, “Further, the opening of eight European countries has squeezed the employment opportunities for Indians. However, there is still some scope in information technology, nursing and financial services.”

The ex -mayor did not agree that the Asians were being subjected to racial discrimination in the UK and said that racism was a phenomenon. “I feel more insecure in Mumbai than in London when I hear the utterances of Raj Thackeray against non-Maharsahtrians,” he said.

A versatile personality with varied interests, Sharma is AFBPS, Chartered Psychologist, fellow royal Society of Medicine and Book Review Editor.

Ex-mayor, who came here after nearly five decades was overwhelmed on his visit and said, “You can take an Indian out of India but not India out of an Indian.”

“I am astonished to see the progress and development made by Bathinda, earlier known only for its railway junction and Quila (Fort). I hope that it will be like any other modern town of Punjab in the next 20 years. “Development is a gradual progress and the Malwa region is on the right path,” Sharma said.

Hailing from Ferozepur district, the ex-mayor spoke on a wide range of issues pertaining to NRIs and said that the most of their investments in India were in real estate.

Referring to a large number of people from Punjab going abroad and settling there, he said, “It is a sense of adventure apart from various avenues and money available there that lure Punjabis to migrate.”

Further, it required money to go abroad and people of Punjab had money, he said, adding that historical and social intercourse also motivate people to migrate.

Bathinda, February 25
He has several national and international sports awards to his name. Of late, he won for India a silver medal after throwing over seven kg iron ball to the distance measuring 18.37 metres in a shot put event at the third Indoor Asian Games held in Doha (Qatar).

In an exclusive interview with the TNS, this young achiever shared his views and thoughts after he reached here on Friday.

TNS: Whom would you give the credit for your success?

OP: God. After Him, it is my mother, who always keeps my spirits high. And then, it is my coach Bahadur Singh and my friends. Last but not the least, K.P.S. Brar, for he promoted me.

TNS: The top medal was just 19 cms far from you. What reason do you cite for not reaching for it?

OP: I did lay my hands on the Gold but my throw measuring over 19 metres was judged as invalid.

TNS: How was the experience playing abroad?

OP: On foreign land, extra pressure mounts on you as you represent your country and comparatively huge crowd only adds to the nervousness.

TNS: What about facilities?

OP: Facilities in India are just for namesake. Diet, the most important requirement of an athlete is neither proper nor accessible here. And the government supports is negligible in this regard. Foreign athletes are physically tougher than us. Secondly, Indian coaches lack dedication and rarely instil confidence in players. Besides, foreign coaches are technically more qualified. I have performed sans coach for two years ever since I started my career in May 2005. It was only in 2007, that the Indian coach Bahadur Singh after recognising my talent trained me. The sports kits of international standard are also not available in India.

TNS: Reason for the declining sports standards here?

OP: The foremost reason is the poor administration. There is no dearth of talent in our country. But the officials in sports department and those on top, including politicians, have no experience of sports and have no love for sports. Money is another constraint as athletes come from poor or marginal background ‘only’. Government does not help and sponsors are mainly concerned about cricket. However, I am thankful to the DLF managing director, Parveen Kumar, for the sponsorship of Rs 20,000 per month that I receive from his company. Thirdly, the ‘ignorant’ attitude of media, who does not probably know that there are many more games played in India besides cricket.

TNS: What amendments do you suggest?

OP: The sports administration needs a thorough overhaul for transparent functioning and those running it must have sports background. There should be good sports academies and diet should not be a constraint for a player. Importantly, the media should act a bit responsible.

TNS: What role do drugs play, as far as Indian sports are concerned?

OP: Players in India take drugs only to improve their performance so as to win a medal. But the medal is not their ultimate aim. It is the government job that they really target to achieve. It is high time the government reflected upon it.

TNS: Any message for those for whom you have become a role model now?

OP: First, you should have unwavering love for your country. Believe in God and hard work. Don’t concede to problems, win over them. And, be optimistic.

We wish him all the best for the Federation Cup to be held in Bhopal from tomorrow and that he qualifies for the Olympics 2008 to be held in Beijing late this year.

Bathinda, February 25
The state police has stepped up the security for the VVIPs visiting the city. Finding the media galleries as most sensitive, the police has now planned to verify the antecedents of each and every media person.

The security authorities were concerned over the presence of unknown media persons in the rallies and press conferences of VIPs visiting here. Sources said that during interrogation of some militants arrested recently, the police had received some inputs that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, Sukhbir Singh, president of the SAD, were on the hit list of certain militant organisations.

With MC elections round the corner, the top leaders of different political parties would visit the city for campaigning purpose. For their security, the district police chiefs have started taking meetings with the pressmen to convince them for the security drill that would be put in place.

The police was also setting up some teams to verify the media persons. At the district level, the department of public relations (DPR) has also been involved.

It is worth mentioning here that earlier, yellow identification cards were issued to the media persons. But following its alleged misuse, the DPR stopped issuing them. An official in the DPR office informed that some publication houses misused the cards by issuing authority letters to several persons.

SSP Naunihal Singh held a meting with the pressmen here today to ascertain their views regarding the security measures. It was observed that the bags carried by lensmen pose a grave threat to the security. During the meeting, he also asked for four photographs of every media person along with the identification letter issued by the media authority concerned.

When the director public relations of Punjab, Tejveer Singh, was contacted on phone, he said, "We have not received any formal information regarding the threat to the VVIPs from the media persons. However, the DPROs have been instructed to coordinate with the district police."

Bathinda, February 25
The professed love of politicians for sports and their tall claims about encouraging the budding talent stood exposed on last Friday as no prominent leader of substance showed up at the function to honour the local heroes who returned here with two silver medals from the Asian Indoor Athletics Championship held at Doha.

Interestingly, the government has left no stone unturned to construct an international cricket stadium here. It even started the Punjab State Panchayati Tournament this year to spot budding talent, but in a strange paradox, has no time to honour athletes who bring pride to the nation.

It was no mean achievement for Malwa College athletes, Om Prakash and Gurvinder Pal Singh, to have brought laurels for the country and Bathinda by winning two silver medals at the event but unfortunately, the politicians and bureaucrats failed to spare time to felicitate them.

The apathy of politicians towards such promising athletes was all the more intriguing as local politicians are centres of attraction at all big and small functions including the annual day functions of schools and colleges. The reason is not difficult to seek. The athletes run on the track and perform and have no time to run after the politicians.

It was for the first time in the history of Punjab that two students from the same college won two silver medals in any international meet.

The Malwa region is known as the political turf of leaders of many hues and no function is complete without their presence. But the local heroes, who were lustily cheered and brought from the railway station to the venue of the function at Dunes Club in a procession, did not find a place on the itinerary of politicians.

Not to talk of politicians, even the senior administrative officers were conspicuous by their absence.

Om Prakash, 20, has already won a gold in the Junior Asian Games and is eyeing gold in the Olympics. 

Bathinda, February 25
While the case filed by some aggrieved parents alleging irregularities in admissions to LKG in St Joseph’s Convent School would come up for hearing in the court tomorrow, some parents have come in favour of the school and denounced the allegations as ‘misinformation’ being spread by some ‘vested interests’.

In a written statement issued here today about 20 parents stated that their children had appeared for the interview of LKG class in this school and no donations was ever demanded from them by the school authorities.

It was only the general observation, social ability and appearance of the child, which was taken into account for selection.

On the other hand, the advocate of the petitioners, Rohit Khattar, said, “We are against the quota system prevailing in the school and expect the educational institutes to work under the framework of law with transparency.”

It may be recalled that taking strong notice of the reluctance of the school authorities to hand over the record, the court had directed the principal to personally appear in the court along with the entire record.

Fazilka, February 25
It was the prime and moral duty of all teachers to ensure that the examinations of VIII and XII classes, to be conducted by the Punjab School Education Board, should be free of copying, observed Harbans Singh Chahal, district education officer (secondary), Ferozepur.

He was addressing a workshop of superintendents and supervisors in the local Girls Senior Secondary School, which would conduct the examinations from March1. He urged the officials to ensure that there was no external interference while conducting the examinations. He warned the officials that they should perform their duty honestly failing which strict disciplinary action would be initiated against the erring ones.

Talking to media persons, Chahal revealed that 40 examination centres had been set up for middle standard examinations while 13 for senior secondary examinations. He said that a supervisor should be appointed for every 35 students, while a superintendent and deputy superintendent should be appointed for every 160 students. The education board had assigned the duties to the officials concerned.

He added that flying squads had also been also been constituted for ensuring cheating free examinations in the district. The Government Girls Senior Secondary School at Fazilka has been made a collection centre for answer sheets of the middle standard examination.

Renu Kamra, principal of the Government Senior Secondary School for Girls, Lachman Ram Kamboj, principal of the Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Vijay Monga, principal of the Government Senior Secondary School, Karnikhera village, Gurmeet Singh, principal of the Government Senior Secondary School, Lalowali village and Kailash Bansal, principal of the Government Senior Secondary School, Sabuana village, also addressed the workshop. 

Barnala, February 25
Two persons reportedly died after consuming “excess alcohol” in a wedding party, while other two are battling for their life in a hospital.

To celebrate the marriage of one Didar Singh, a wedding party was organised at Attar Singh Wala village, about 17 km from here, on Sunday evening. Among the guests, village residents Beant Singh and Phola Singh allegedly consumed excess liquor and returned home. After some time when family members of Beant Singh (36) tried to wake him up, he did not respond to the call. Same happened with Phoola Singh (58), while Binder Singh and Kaka Singh had to be rushed to the civil hospital, Dhnaula. Their condition was stated to be out of danger.

Village sarpanch Balwinder Kaur’s husband Chamkaur Singh said that both had consumed excess alcohol.

The police after registering a case brought the bodies to the civil hospital for postmortem. After the postmortem, the bodies of both the deceased were handed over to their family members. 

Mansa, February 25
Deputy commissioner S.S. Dhillon has directed the civil surgeon, Mansa, to provide certificates of handicap to the handicapped persons on preference basis by organising camps at block levels.

District project coordinator of the Sarv Siksha Abhiyan, D.S. Dhillon said that they had sent a list of 217 children to the SMO office for handicapped certificates but these were yet to be released .