Bathinda, March 19
Nothing can put things in order at the Bathinda Bus stand. The execution of the tall claims made by the VVIPs including the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, SAD (B) chief, Sukhbir Badal seems to be still far away.

The bus stand of the fast growing city caters to a number of long route buses in all directions. But the deep potholed entrance, engulfed with foul urinal smell, over-charging, lack of security, no parking system, sans of illumination system and fans and poster-covered walls are the factors prevalent in the bus stand.

“If one is sleeping even then he comes to know when bus enters the bus stand, thanks to the huge pit welcoming at the entry gate of the bus stand,” mocked a commuter, Harbans Lal.

Samiksha, a student of LLM, said, “It leaves a bad impression on the travelers who are welcomed by the foul smell of urine, prevailing all around in the bus stand.”

“I took a bottle of mineral water, with maximum retail price of rupees 13, but the canteen man charged Rs.15 for that. In the absence of any hygienic drinking water in the bus stand everyone is compelled to pay more than the printed price,” lamented Prashant Kumar, a medical representative of a pharmaceutical company.

One of the shopkeepers, at the bus stand on account of anonymity said, “It has been a long time, when the water tanks were cleaned up.”

Another worrying aspect is the lack of security in the bus stand, when this correspondent visited the police beat box, situated in the bus stand it was found vacant. After half an hour a Punjab police constable arrived and started ruing for the lack of the police staff.

“No one cares for the free movement of private vehicles inside the bus stand, which not only create hurdles in the smooth movement of the buses but also poses a threat of accident,” rued a private bus driver, Mohan Lal.

When contacted, the general manager, PRTC Bathinda bus stand, Iqbal Singh said, “The state government has a plan to convert it into a state-of-the-art bus stand, so in the wait of that plan’s actual seeing day light, nothing is being spent on the bus stand.”

Kandwala (Fazilka), March 19
The villagers of Kandwala, a sleepy village near Fazilka, have a reason to justify the sealing of the stock of wheat meant for the mid-day meal in the village’s primary school, as the stock has allegedly taken its toll with the death of two women and hospitalisation of four kids after they consumed the wheat in question.

The Punjab health officials have taken the samples of the wheat from the Kandwala primary school and the stock has now been sealed thereby halting the glorified centre-sponsored mid-day meal scheme in the village.

Following the death of Sammi Bai on Monday, her daughter Jaswinder Kaur succumbed to the food poisoning yesterday. Significantly, five pigeons and a sparrow had also died after consuming the flour from the same wheat.

Fazilka SDM Rajiv Prashar today convened an emergent meeting of the officials from the separate departments of Education, Food Supply and Health, and recorded the statements of the teachers, who had reportedly distributed the wheat to several school children.

Significantly, 5 pigeons and a sparrow had also died after they consumed certain grains when the wheat was being grinded, the SDM said, pointing out the findings of the dead birds’ post-mortem which was conducted at the veterinary hospital.

“There was an announcement from our village Gurdwara that all those who have got the wheat from the school must not use it immediately after the victimised family members began vomiting and rushed to a local nursing home on Saturday night,” said village Sarpanch Sukhjinder Singh, who sat amongst the mourners at the dwelling of Kulwant Ram, Jaswinder Kaur’s bereaved husband.

Kulwant Ram has now all hopes in his four children, who were now recovering at the GGS hospital in Faridkot.

“Since there is no prima facie intention in the death of the two women, we have not lodged any complaint against any specific persons,” said Arniwala police station SHO Ranjit Singh.

The SDM had issued instructions that no child would now be given food from the stock in question in that school till the probe was completed, he added.

The viscera of the two deceased women were sent to a forensic lab in Kharar, near Chandigarh, for further investigations, after they were declared dead due to food poisoning, the SDM told The Tribune.

Bathinda, March 19
In an attempt to reduce his mother’s woes, he has been reportedly facing the brunt of the police. The leaders, who lured his family members for past 18 years seeking votes from them, have now turned a blind eye towards the pathetic condition of Nirmal Singh, a non-medical student who tried to breach the security cordon to meet Sukhbir Badal. The Shiromani Akali Dal (B) chief was delivering a speech at Goniana village on Tuesday.

Reportedly, Nirmal was frustrated and wanted that his mother Shanti Devi, who had been working on ad-hoc basis for past many years, be confirmed at her school as a peon. And Nirmal wanted to meet the SAD chief personally in order to get the application sanctioned.

But the security personnel overpowered him immediately and took him into custody.

The Nehianwala police had registered a case against Nirmal under sections 186 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code.

Visibly upset his mother Shanti rued, “My son is in trouble because of me. I will not forgive myself for that.”

Narrating her plight, she said, “His elder brother, who was physically challenged, died couple of years back. And Nirmal took the responsibility to support the family. But despite the requests made by the villagers the police has registered a criminal case against him. It would only spoil his future.”

“We have been attached with the SAD (B) for the past 18 years unmindful that the president of the very party would become the reason for the arrest of my son. I agree that Nirmal took the wrong way in approaching the chief but he had no hostile motive for which he has been detained,” she rued.

It is the time when our family needs the support of any leader, but now no one is lending his shoulder, Shanti Devi added.

When contacted, the additional station house officer of the Nehianawala police station, Boota Singh, said, “During the interrogation, no clue of his ill-motive has been found.

He could be released on bail but the matter is linked with the security of a VVIP, so the police administration has been taking it very seriously.”

Meanwhile, the villagers said that at the time of elections, these VVIP leaders visit door-to-door and beg votes. But once elected, things change in entirety, none can meet them personally.

Bathinda, March 19
A team from the district health department, led by the civil surgeon, Bathinda, took five samples, including flavoured drinks, tea, oil and sweets, from two factories situated in Guru Nanak Pura area, here today.

Giving details, the civil surgeon, Maninderjit Singh said, “We had received information that the two factories had been adulterating their food products. Acting on the tip-off, our team sealed the goods and took the samples.”

Adding to the details, district health officer, Bathinda, Kastoori Lal said, “The samples will be sent to the laboratories and the report will arrive within 40 days. The guilty can be punished for six months of imprisonment along with fine.”

Food inspector Sanjay Katyal said, “On Monday, a team from health department conducted raids at the factories but their owners managed to flee. So, both the factories were sealed. And today, the sampling was done in their presence.”

Bathinda, March 19
Thanks to the callous attitude of the Civil Hospital authorities towards the prevailing system of the hospital that it always find place in the news.

Earlier it was in news for the lack of the medico-staff, poor infrastructure, burning bio-medical waste, clash between lady doctors inside the operation theatre and this time it has been found blameworthy for burning dry leaves in open air and also for causing damage to trees.

During a visit to the civil hospital, the TNS team found dry leaves being burnt beside the trees causing pollution, which the patients and their attendant were forced to inhale.

Burning of trees is a criminal offence but the concerned authorities were least bothered. Credit goes to the forest department, Municipal Corporation (MC) and the pollution control board under whose nose the illegal activity goes unchecked.

Even the senior medical officer (SMO), Charanjit Garg expressed his ignorance about the violation, but assured to look into the matter.

When contacted, the conservator of the forest department, Parveen Kumar said, “Loss to any alive tree amounts to a criminal case, but the forest department has no authority to intervene in the matter here as the activity has been done within the hospital premises and in charge of the hospital would bear the responsibility.”

On being apprised of the fact, the environment engineer, Gurinder Majithia said, “It is the responsibility of the MC to look into the nuisance and if they fail to do so, then the pollution control board will take up the matter with the district administration.”

The executive officer, MC, Kamal Kant speaking oin the issue said, “I have done a deep study on the issue and such pollution falls in the court of the pollution board. Just to save themselves from the procedure they have been passing buck towards MC.”

Bathinda, March 19
The authorities of the Delhi Heart Institute and Research Centre here held a press conference today and claimed to have done the highest number of open heart and bypass surgeries in the area during the past few months.

At the conference, the doctors said that the hospital had successfully undertaken heart surgeries of even 21, 23 and 35 years old patients. The need of hour is to make the masses aware about the preventive measures, they added.

Ferozepur, March 19
Vigilance sleuths have arrested a sectional officer of the district transport office (DTO) when he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs  25,000 for issuing no dues certificate.

SSP Vigilance Ferozepore Range, Rajinder Singh, told media persons that the complainant Rajinder Singh, resident of village Sham Khera who is owner of Lahore Sargoda Transport Company reportedly told the vigilance bureau that sectional officer (SO) Parveen Singla was demanding a bribe of Rs one lakh from him for issuing no-due certificate in respect of his transport company. Parveen had allegedly told Rajinder that the company, he had bought owed huge tax to the department, however if he paid him that money, no-due certificate would be issued instantly to him. SSP said that Rajinder gave an initial amount of Rs 25,000 to the SO as part payment. While he was handing over the amount, the vigilance team nabbed the SO red handedly in presence of government witnesses, Pakhar Singh ADO and Gurlal Singh from agriculture department and shadow witness Sukhdeep Singh, resident of Khunn Khurd.

SSP said that a case no.2 dated 19-03-2008 under section 7, 13(2)88 PC Act has been registered against the SO. 

Barnala, March 19
Tehsildar Saroj Rani Aggarwal, who was suspended a few days back, has been reinstated with immediate effect. Aggarwal informed TNS that financial commissioner (revenue) Romila Dubey reinstated her and she had received the orders in this regard. A copy of the orders had also been sent to the deputy commissioner’s office.

She said that on learning about her suspension she met Dubey to submit her explanation as she had been suspended without a hearing. And she was reinstated immediately after it was found that there was nothing objectionable against her, she added. — OC

Barnala, March 19
The local police has arrested a dera head after he was allegedly caught red-handed indulging in an ‘immoral’ activity.

SHO Harmeek Singh said acting on a tip-off late Tuesday night the police conducted a raid and arrested a couple in compromising position near Sidana street. The man was later identified as Mahant Sukhdev Muni, who heads the Madhva Nand’s Dera at Sanghera while the woman belonged to Ludhiana.

A case has been registered and both of them have been sent on judicial remand.

Ferozepur, March 19
Under the aegis of Golden Arrow AWWA, the medical fraternity of the division organised a workshop on ‘Mother and Child Health’ at Mamdot Hall here today.

The event was attended by expectant and prospective mothers along with their husbands. Informative lectures on mother and child health were delivered by specialist doctors from the army.

On this occasion, Shashi Sibal president AWWA Golden Arrow Division released a Health Bulletin on this topic and also inaugurated a health exhibition. In her address, she emphasised her commitment to continue efforts of AWWA to improve women’s access to medical services and to sensitise the environment to their health needs. 

Barnala, March 19
Bar Association here observed complete strike today to protest against the attack on few advocates and the subsequent registration of a case against senior advocate and former MP Rajdev Singh Khalsa.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA) has also lent its support to the local Bar.

Senior advocate Shiv Darshan Kumar Sharma informed that the PHHCBA president Anmol Rattn has written a letter to the DGP, Punjab, for taking stern action against those responsible for the attack. The DGP has also been requested to withdraw the case against Rajdev and other advocates.

He further said that following the strike, the lawyers staged a dharna at court complex. — OC

Ferozepur, March 19
The Fazilka-Abohar rail link would be completed within a year, said Zora Singh Mann, MP while talking to media persons here today. Mann said that he had a meeting with the General Manager, Northern Railways at Baroda House, New Delhi on Tuesday wherein the GM gave an assurance to complete this long pending work within year’s time.

MP said that he asked the GM to introduce an Inter-city train between Ferozepur and New Delhi, for which the GM gave his consent. MP said that the new train, which would have AC chair car also, would start from Ferozepore at around 6 am in the morning and reach New Delhi at round 1 pm. — OC