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Burning of wheat stubble still on in rural areas
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Tractor-trailers deployed
SAD launches poll campaign
Candidates withdraw from race
Rejection of nominations
BJP holds meeting
Mini-secretariat in the eye of a storm
Contamination of canal water
Modernisation of Army underway
Childhood sans the joy
Sisters top in medical exams
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Burning of wheat stubble still on in rural areas
Bathinda, May 5 People in adjoining villages were found burning wheat stubble in their fields today, barely days after the tragedy, even as district administration officials claimed to be involved in Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections. This gives a clear impression that the visit of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to the fire affected villages does not seem to have much effect. It may be recalled that the CM had ordered district administration officials in the area to check the problem but stuble burning is going on unabated. During a visit to the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway on Monday, the TNS team found farmers and labourers setting fields on fire. Most fields in villages under the Phul Tehsil of Bathinda district were found to be on fire and were engulfed with smoke. The smoke was enough to cause road accidents on the busy highway, besides other disasters. When apprised of it, SDM Phul, Umashankar, under whose jurisdiction the stubble burning was witnessed in villages like Lehra Sondha, Lehra Mohhabat and Rampura, expressed his ignorance but assured that the matter will be looked into. Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, Rahul Tewari said, “We have urged people in general, but if they do not provide us with the information, we can not keep a check on such activities in the whole district. However, we will inquire about it and all guilty persons would be booked under various provisions of the law.” When contacted, Punjab agriculture minister Sucha Singh Langah said, “We have been providing enough subsidy to the farmers to purchase rodavators and other equipment to remove stubble. Despite this, if they have been posing a danger to others, they would be penalised.” |
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Tractor-trailers deployed
Bathinda, May 5 An official connected with procurement told this correspondent that 5,49,592 tonne of wheat had been purchased here by various agencies and 64 per cent of this had been lifted so far. Tractor-trailers have been deployed to lift the wheat stocks that had piled up in the local market committee yard. An official said that the required fleet of trucks was not available to undertake the job. Shortage of trucks and labour has hit the wheat lifting operations by the procurement agencies in the entire Malwa region. Against 4,56,555 tonne of wheat purchased by the procurement agencies in Bathinda last year, the figure has so far touched 5,49,592 tonne. But the farmers were annoyed with the delay in lifting of the stock. The Malwa’s Ferozepur district is leading with 10,74,879 tonne of procurement, whereas Sangrur district with 9,20,642 tonne stands second and Ludhiana district with 8,13,055 tonne of procurement is ranked third. |
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BJP, SAD to confront each other in four zones
Bathinda, May 5 Even the state level three-member SAD-BJP committee formed to settle the dispute regarding the allocation of seats, could not reach a
settlement. According to information available, the SAD-BJP candidates will confront each other in four zones in the Zila Parishad elections. Moreover, both the parties have initiated a campaign to woo the voters. Earlier, five BJP candidates had filed the nominations for the Zila Parishad elections, but with the withdrawal of one candidate, Ramesh Kumari from Balianwali zone, the party will contest on four seats. Meanwhile, the SAD will contest in all 16 zones. A total of 79 candidates had filed their documents but after the final list was declared, only 43 are left in the race. District president BJP (rural) Dyal Singh Sodhi himself has filed his nomination papers from Bhucho Kalan seat. Ignoring the candidates of its “ally” the SAD (B), the BJP will contest from three other seats at Burj Tharod, Kuttiwal Kalan and Bangi Rugu. The fight between the SAD and the BJP in Bangi Rugu zone is being watched keenly as it would be a direct contest between the two parties because the nomination form of the Congress candidate was rejected during the scrutiny. Interestingly, the SAD has given ticket to Sikander Singh Maluka’s son Gurpreet Singh Maluka from the Burj Throd zone. Jaspal Singh, the cousin of Amarjit Singh Dhankhana, the Talwandi SAD area in-charge, has also been given a ticket from the Kuttiowal Kalan zone. It has also been learnt that the BJP candidates have been saying in their campaign that the SAD gives ticket on the basis of nepotism while BJP has listed only its workers. The statements have been providing grist to the mill about the potential rift between the SAD and the BJP. When contacted, Kamal Sharma, general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab unit, who was also a member of three-member committee said, “The panel meetings have not yielded any results and now I will also join the election campaign.” |
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SAD launches poll campaign
Abohar, May 5 The CM’s younger brother, better known as “think-tank” of the ruling party, Gurdas Singh Badal, addressed gatherings to mobilise support for the SAD (B) candidates; Mandeep Singh Pappi and Malkiat Kaur for Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad zones, respectively at Tarmala village close to the Seetogunno sub-tehsil headquarters of this sub-division. Talking about the supply of contaminated water in the canals of this region, he informed about the discussions held with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal last night and claimed that the government was seriously thinking of taking remedial steps. Gurdas Singh Badal also assured the gathering that a reasonable compensation would be delivered at the farmers’doorsteps, affected in the recent inferno, after the elections. Surinder Saluja, a member of the general council of the party, listed welfare schemes, which were restored by the present government for the benefit of the downtrodden. Those present included senior SAD (B) activists Jathedar Bhagwan Singh, Jasveer Singh Bagga, Harvinder Singh Nambardar, Balwinder Singh Gill, Amritpal Singh Dhillon, Kaka Hayer Chakda, district secretary Charan Singh and Harjinder Singh Khemakhera. Badal also addressed a meeting in village Kuttianwali later. |
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Candidates withdraw from race
Mansa, May 5 Altogether 28 candidates out of 70 decided not to contest election for Zila Parishad. With that now 42 candidates are in the fray. In Mansa Panchayat Samiti, 22 candidates out of 64 have withdrawn their candidature while in Bhikhi, 29 candidates withdrew papers. As far as Budhladha, Jhuneer and Sardoolgarh seats are concerned, altogether 57, 29 and 38 candidates respectively decided to quit. It may be recalled that three candidates for panchayat Samiti elections have been declared winners without polls as nomination papers of their opponents were rejected. |
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Rejection of nominations
Mansa, May 5 District Congress president and MLA from Sardoolgarh Ajit Inder Singh Moffar, Bikram Singh Moffer, general secretary of Punjab Youth Congress, block Congress president Ajaib Singh, Gurwinder Singh Pammi, and Palojit Singh Bajewala and several others also addressed the gathering. Congress leaders said that Dilraj Singh Bhunder was contesting from Raipur zone while his Bhundar village falls under Jhanda Zila Parishad zone. Sukhwinder Singh ADC (General) said that nomination papers of Gurwinder Singh Pammi and Palojit Singh Bajewala were rejected under section 208 (1) of the Punjab Panchyati Raj Act 1994 after considering the report of BDPO
(Jhunner). |
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BJP holds meeting
Abohar, May 5 All of them warned the dissidents against supporting the Congress candidates and advised them to sort out differences, if any, amicably. Referring to a message received from the SAD (B) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the local leaders said those who were found supporting the opposition candidates directly or indirectly, would have to face the music. |
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Mini-secretariat in the eye of a storm
Fazilka, May 5 The construction of mini-secretariat was initiated by PUDA in March 2006, allegedly in “utter haste and by flouting norms and procedure.” Initially, it was scheduled to be completed by December 2007. Later, the time limit was extended up to March 31, 2008. Even as the issue of acquisition of the land is pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the PUDA has landed in another soup by allegedly encroaching upon another piece of thoroughfare land, measuring about more than three kanals, adjoining the original temporary boundary of the mini-secretariat complex. The piece of land falls between Swami Vivekanand Park and the premises of the old Islamia School, where the mini-secretariat building has been constructed. This piece of land has been a public road for the last 50 years and it has been connecting two roads. Taking cognisance of the activities of PUDA, executive officer of the municipal council issued a notice to divisional engineer, PUDA, Bathinda, having a camp office at Fazilka, on February 20 last. It has been stated in the notice that the PUDA authorities have encroached upon the public road by filling earth on a metalled road, raising a boundary wall and extending its premises up to the boundary of Swami Vivekanand Park. The executive officer had issued a warning to stop construction on the public road, but in vain. The copy of the notice was also sent to SDM, Fazilka, for initiating necessary action to prevent encroachment. However, the PUDA has merged the thoroughfare area on the premises of mini-secretariat. Since the office of the SDM did not take any action to remove the encroachment, two residents of Fazilka, namely Lakshmi Narain and Om Parkash, have filed a petition under section of 133 of the Cr PC before the court of SDM-cum-collector Fazilka against PUDA through its sub-divisional engineer Fazilka and EO municipal council, Fazilka. The petitioners have requested for the removal of the encroachment. A very piquant situation has risen in this case because the SDM-cum-collector is also the administrator of the municipal council, Fazilka, and virtually he himself has to hear a petition against his office. The collector has listed the case for hearing on May 6. He has also sought report from the Tehsildar regarding the factual position of the thoroughfare land. |
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Contamination of canal water
Abohar, May 5 Speaking to newsmen at his office in the new grain market here today, Jakhar said Justice Vijender Jain, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, would be requested to visit the canal here during his official visit on Monday to see personally what kind of water was being supplied by the government. The government had defied the HC directions given two years back on checking the mixing of chemical effluents discharged by the Ludhiana-based industrial units with Sarhind water feeder. The Punjab Pollution Control Board and Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board were bound to solve this problem but they too were under some kind of pressure in performing their legitimate duties, the MLA regretted. Elaborating on other measures, Jakhar said the party plans to stage sit-ins and demonstrations at the local canal colony immediately after the Panchayat Samiti polls. The party workers might force health department teams to consume contaminated water before giving a clearance chit to the departments concerned. Jakhar demanded that a treatment plant to deal with the sewerage water discharged by the Buddha Nalah at Ludhiana should be commissioned on war footing. Funds should be provided for laying cemented pipeline to supply water from the Bhakra Dam to the Abohar branch directly for drinking purpose. Installing RO system in one or two villages of the CM’s citadel was no answer to the problem, priority should be given to renovate the entire drinking water supply system in rural as well as urban areas, he demanded. |
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RO system for villages: Gurdas
Abohar, May 5 |
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From the horse’s mouth: Dilawar loves his trade
Bathinda, May 5 Dilawar has trained hundreds including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, the grandchildren of former President of India Giani Zail Singh, besides Army officers and students. “Horse riding, like some other games has become a gamble and stud farms have mushroomed in the country. But I have turned down attractive offers to train jockeys,” he says. A member of the Presidential Guards from 1972 to 1988, Dilawar Singh was also the horse riding instructor at the Indian Military Academy (IMA). He was the only instructor at the academy who was asked to take classes of officers because of his experience, skill and knowledge. “I enjoyed my stint at the IMA as the officers and cadets were responsive and quick learners. I will never forget the adventurous journey on horseback from Dehradun to Delhi with three officers and six cadets which started on December 25 and concluded on December 27, 1987 with riders covering a distance of 300 km,” he recalls. He says that the horse is a very faithful animal and a fully grown up horse should be fed four times a day and given rest after every meal. Its normal diet comprises 1.360 kg of gram, 2.042 kg of barley, 1.130 kg of chokkar (wheat husk) and 60 grams of salt. Dilawar has done a course in all arms and animal management. he is also an expert in polo jumping and tentpaging. According to him, the act of getting on a horseback for the first time goes by many names, including backing, breaking, mounting and simply riding while the horse’s gait includes actions labelled as walk, run, trot, canter, gallop, among others. There are many techniques for introducing the young horse to a rider but the end goal of all methods is to allow the horse to quietly allow a rider on its back and to respond to basic commands. He says that ideally, a young horse will have no fear of humans. When asked about the significance of a ‘horseshoe’, Dilawar said many people believe that it wards off evil effects and people come to him asking for it. Driving nails to fix the horseshoe on the hoof is an art as the hoof has to be of proper size, neither big nor small, he says. At present, Dilawar is working as instructor at DPS, Bathinda. He has no big ambitions but only the desire to train horses and the riders. |
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Modernisation of Army underway
Bathinda, May 5 The Long Term Perspective Plan (15 years) is further split into Services Capital Acquisition Plans (5 years) and Annual Acquisition Plans. The modernisation of Army is a continuous process based on threat perception, operational challenges, technological changes and budget allocations, he added. He said that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has undertaken projects to develop necessary technologies in respect of Seabed Arrays and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and these ongoing Technology Development projects are likely to be completed by December 2009. The spokesman said a proposal to set up an ordnance factory to manufacture new generation carbines at Korwa in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh was approved in 2007. There was no other proposal under consideration for establishing new ordnance factories but the Korwa factory was expected to be established by 2010. He informed that the Group of Ministers (GOM), appointed in pursuance of the Kargil Review Committee, had recommended lateral transfer of Army personnel to Paramilitary organizations in their report on ‘Reforming the National Security System’ with the primary aim of keeping a young profile of the Army in peak combat effective state. The Sixth Central Pay Commission, has also recommended a scheme of lateral transfer of defence personnel to central police organisations and defence civilian organizations after rendering 7-17 years of service, with the aim of providing lifetime employment to defence personnel. He also disclosed that the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has concluded an agreement with the Airbus Industries for the supply of 2,000 ship sets of forward passenger doors worth $150 million during March 2008. However, there is no proposal to manufacture A-318, A-319, A-320 and A-321 aircraft in the country in collaboration with the Airbus Industries. |
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Childhood sans the joy
Bathinda, May 5 The owner of the dhaba, Madan Lal, took note of it. They were not allowed to answer any of our questions. Soon they were pushed inside the kitchen. When the dhaba owner was questioned about it, he did not deny having employed them and instead argued, "How do you think will they be able to make their two ends meet? Will you help them out?" Madan Lal said that he was not aware of it, adding that he would check into it. The bottomline of it all is that despite the social disapproval, child labour continues to thrive. While the law frowns on it and prohibits it, the practice goes on. Perhaps at the root of it all is grinding poverty which compels the parents of these children to send them out for work at an age when they should be attending classes in a school. It is not just a case of one eatery, child labour is visible almost everywhere and in all cities especially where labour moves to due to the push factor of migration. And legal action sans social input is not quite a positive way to resolve the issue. |
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Sisters top in medical exams
Mansa, May 5 Ranjana Jindal, the younger sibling, topped in the state in the entrance examination for MD. She did her MBBS from Dayananad Medical College, Ludhiana. She secured 652 marks out of 800. Both the sisters did their matriculation from DAV School, Mansa, and XII from Ranbir College, Sangrur. Their brother, Vivek, is also studying in MBBS in Patiala. Vijay Kumar, the proud father of the doctors, said that his children had a plan to open a hospital in Mansa where the poor would be able to get free treatment. |
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