Bathinda, May 23
The development path that the SAD-BJP government chose was the main reason for sweeping the Congress out during the Zila Parishad and Panchayat polls held recently in the state, said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today after laying foundations stones of various civic amenities projects in Bathinda and Mansa districts.

Unveiling the plan that envisaged the investments of Rs 206.86 crore for the projects related to water supply, sewerage and sewerage treatment plant, the CM assured that the projects would be completed within 18 months.

The CM was accompanied by local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia and SAD-chief Sukhbir Badal.

When asked about the reason for laying foundation stones of new projects while many past projects still lie untouched, he said, “Many of the previous projects, launched during the Congress regime, were fake as papers regarding the same were not submitted to the government.”

Refuting the allegations of high-handedness during the PRI polls process, the CM and Sukhbir lashed over PPCC chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal for not accepting the public verdict.

While talking to media persons, the CM expressed deep concern over the poor state of the sewerage system in Maur Mandi, falling in Bathinda district. He further expressed his wish to develop the Bir Talab Zoo, Bathinda, so as to promote it at the national level. For the purpose, he said, chief conservator of forest and experts had been called.

Expressing ignorance, the CM dismissed the query related to a high-level meeting over the water sharing between Punjab and other states, which is believed to be held on May 27.

Taking concern of the menace of unchecked industrial waste being mixed in the Sirhind Canal, he said, “Meetings were continuously being held with the officers and the matter would also be put up in the meeting with the World Bank officials.”

Justifying the withdrawal of security to BJP minister Satpal Gosain and CLP chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Badal named some office-bearers belonging to the SAD (B), whose security was also decreased due to polls-related arrangements. Interestingly, throughout the press conference Manorajan Kalia and Kamal Sharma, the BJP leaders, remained tightlipped.

Bathinda, May 23
‘Believe it or not’ but the names of over 4,000 dead persons of this district figured in the ‘live’ voters list for the upcoming Panchayat polls. The list was revised in January 2007 and 2008 but the names of several dead persons were not deleted. The local people also did not press for the same.

Bathinda, May 23
In an attempt to lure voters before the Panchayat elections, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia and Member of Parliament Sukhbir Singh Badal allegedly made the mockery of the model code of conduct on the pretext of laying foundation stones and holding public meetings at five Nagar Councils of the district, surrounded by villages where the Gram Panchayat (GP) elections are slated for May 26.

The trio apparently made their best to bluff the state election commission (SEC) and laid the foundation stones of water and sewerage treatment projects worth crores of rupees. Though the stones were laid in Nagar Council areas but most of the attendants were reportedly called from villages.

In the public meetings held at Kotfatta, Bhucho, Maur, Phul, Rampura and Bathinda, the CM and his subordinates used a dual formula to target the rural votes for the Panchayat polls in the favour of their party-backed candidates and also for the next Nagar council, and committees elections.

While addressing the gathering, the CM, minister and MP all promised for re-carpeting and widening some roads leading to villages and also to remove the acute shortage of water from villages.

Meanwhile, the Chopper of the CM, which had been in the news recently, again cast shadow over his today’s visit. Flouting the code, the air vehicle landed at the stadium of village Bhucho Kalan falling under the GP. Interestingly, the officers authorised to initiate prosecution against the alleged violation of the code were following him throughout the visit.

The chopper of the CM remained flying through out the day in Bathinda and Mansa districts as the programmes were scheduled in nearby Nagar councils

Well known for his diplomatic rhetoric, the CM left no stone unturned in urging the population for vote and support to the party and even used the word “beggar” for him. Putting finger over the alleged rivalry of former CM Amarinder Singh, he said, “If I would not be a CM then we both father-son would be behind the bars.”

Terming the allegations baseless, media advisor to the CM, H.S. Bains said, “As the tour was official so there is nothing wrong if land falling in the GP was used for landing.”

As DCs have power to initiate action against the violators, but the DC Bathinda, opted to remain tightlipped, when asked.

It may be mentioned that the imposed Code of Conduct restricts the ministers and authorities from announcing any financial grant in any form or promises, which may influence the voters in favour of the party in power.

Mansa, May 23
“It is very unfortunate that a large section of our population do not get safe drinking water even after 60 years of independence,” said CM Parkash Singh Badal after inaugurating drinking water and sewerage projects at Bhikhi and Budhlada in Mansa district. 

While addressing public meetings, CM said that all cities would be developed through a master plan in which 100 per cent supply of drinking water and sewerage would be included. 

With the cost of Rs 3,200 crore, canals would be widened from Bhakra Dam and new canals would also be constructed to ensure more water to farmers for irrigation and nearly 25 per cent water would increase in canals after this step. 

Chief minister admitted that Mansa district was also backward in education.  He promised three schools in every constituency to be opened for studying science.  Along with this, one Adarsh School would also be started in every constituency, he added.

Shiromani Akali Dal president and MP Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the Akali-BJP government was committed for the development of Punjab.  He said that to ensure 24 hours electricity supply, a thermal plant of 2,000 megawatt with a cost of Rs 10,000 crore would be constructed in Mansa.

In this project, the unemployed youth would get employment. Five cement industries would also be set up here, he added. 

Addressing the gathering, cabinet minister Manoranjan Kalia said that the Akali-BJP government was trying to solve the problems of people. General secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, said the projects of water supply and sewerage would be completed in one year.  With the establishment of these projects people could get clean drinking water and black water could be used for irrigation after treatment, he added. 

At Budhlada, the chief minister ensured the construction of over-bridge and memorial of Hitabhilashi, former state president of the BJP. 

Among others who addressed the function were SAD leader Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, district president of the SAD, Harbant Singh Datewas, MLA Jagdeep Singh Nakai, and BJP leaders Kamal Sharma and Suraj Chhabra.

Moga, May 23
The District Magistrate of Moga, Satwant Singh Johal, has given a major relief to the women employees by sparing them from doing poll duty in the Gram Panchayat (GP) elections to be held in 238 villages of the district on Monday. Moga is the only district of the state where women have been exempted from the poll duty.

“We have enough male employees in the district to conduct the elections,” said the DM.

Moreover, the members for as many as 90 GPs of the district had already been elected unanimously and resultantly, reduced the burden of conducting the polls, he added.

As per the details available, members of the GPs of 11 villages in Moga-I block, 7 villages in Moga-II block, 15 villages in Baghapurana block, 15 villages in Nihalsinghwala block and 42 villages in Kot-ise-Khan block had been elected unanimously.

Johal said the district administration had made all arrangements with regard to the polls and instructions had been issued to the poll staff to be fair while conducting the polls.

He warned the poll staff that if anybody was found helping any particular candidate/party or indulged in unfair means, stern action would be taken against him immediately.

Johal also appealed the political parties and the public to strengthen the roots of the Democracy by casting their votes and help in conducting the polls peacefully.

Meanwhile, the DM has asked the authorities concerned of the excise department to ensure the closure of all liquor vends in the rural areas as a preventive measure, except for the townships of Moga, Baghapurana, Dharamkot and Badhni Kalan in the district.

On the other hand, the district police had also made adequate arrangements for the panchayat polls, said Ashok Bath, SSP of Moga district. “We have also sought some extra force from other places to ensure free and fair polls,” he added.

It may be mentioned that few incidents of violence and attempt to capture booths in this politically sensitive district were reported during the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti polls that were held early this month.

But this time, the district administration claims to have taken more stringent measures to prevent such incidents.

Zira (Ferozepur), May 23
Local Congress MLA Naresh Kataria alleged that the state electricity board has violated the model code of conduct of the panchayat polls by announcing that the board was planning to give a cash reward of Rs one lakh to those panchayats, who would achieve full conversion to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

The MLA said the chairman of the board, Y.S. Ratra, has stated in this regard last week to a section of the media to impress the rural voters in favour of the SAD-BJP candidates for the ensuing panchayat elections.

He demanded from the state election commission to take stern action against the board authorities for violating the model code of conduct by announcing the scheme at the time of elections.

Kataria further said instead of rewarding the panchayats, the board should provide CFLs either free of cost or at subsidised rates to the common public as the experiences of giving cash rewards had not proved fruitful. “It leads to corruption,” he added.

The MLA said that an estimated 55 lakh bulbs were being used in the villages and if fully converted to CFLs, it would cost Rs 55 crore. It could be reduced by directly contacting the manufacturing companies.

On the other hand, if 13,000 panchayats of the state shifted to CFLs it would cost the board Rs 130 crore.

If CFLs were provided to the rural people free of cost the board that was already in deep financial crisis would save Rs 75 crore, the MLA added.

Mansa, May 23
During his visit here, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal assured the delegation led by district president of ETT Teachers’ Union Hardeep Singh Sidhu to convert as many as 11,000 ETT (elementary teachers training) teachers from the zila parishads to the education department.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Punjab Kisan Union met the chief minister at Budhlada and submitted a memorandum with regard to their demands.

District president of the union Balkaran Singh Balli informed that farmers were being exploited through the OYT (Own Your Tubewell) scheme as under the scheme, electricity material was being sold to them on high rates.

Union leader Balkaran Singh also demanded teh regular water supply to the Bhakhra canal and loan-waiver for farmers, who had ownership not more than 10 acres.

Fazilka, May 23
A meeting of the state executive committee of the coordination committee of paramedical and health employees, Punjab, led by its convener Lal Singh Dhanuala and chairman Ravinder Luthra was held at Ludhiana. Giving details of the meeting, Shashi Kant (Fazilka), president of Punjab State Pharmacists’ Association, district Ferozepur, informed that the meeting resolved to take out a procession and a dharna in front of the residence of Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla at Amritsar on June 10.

The dharna would be against the non-acceptance of the long-pending demands of thousands of paramedical employees working in the state health department.

Addressing the meeting, Dhanaula and Luthra alleged that there was resentment among employees due to the negative and adamant attitude of the health minister and officers towards their demands.

They alleged serious irregularities and misappropriation of the funds in the Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY) and Reproduction and Child Health Care (RCH) schemes under the National Rural Health Mission.

The employees’ representatives further alleged that following the transfer of control of 1,193 rural dispensaries to Zila Parishads by the previous state government, the health service in rural areas was in shambles. On the other hand, over 800 pharmacists and 1,400 class IV employees had been rendered surplus.

At the meeting, the government was flayed for not accepting the pharmacists’ demand to register them as medical practitioners even ten years after service and change their designation to pharmacy officer, senior pharmacy officer and chief pharmacy officer, according to the span of service.

The representatives, including chief organiser Sardara Singh Gill, co-convener Amarjeet Singh, chief adviser Bhajan Singh, treasurer Simarjeet Kaur and other members of the coordination committee lamented that 117 class IV employees, who had qualified as lab technicians, had not been promoted even as over 250 posts of lab technicians were lying vacant.

Bathinda, May 23
While the elections for Panchayats are still underway, blame game has already begun within Congress. The Congress has not fared well in the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections held so far and is shifting the blame on ‘rigging and use of money and muscle power’ by the government but the stage for ‘battle within’ is almost set for an acrimonious debate after the elections are over.

The Congress MLA from Nathana, Ajaib Singh Bhatti says that he was of considered opinion that the congress would have done better if the party did not sideline former Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh.  

Amrinder Singh has a mass base and better hold over the electorate, he told The Tribune on phone. When asked whether rigging was responsible for poor showing of Congress in the polls, he said that rigging was not ruled out but in elections to grass-root democratic institutions like Panchayats, ‘money and power’ play a crucial role and obviously, ruling party was always in an advantageous position.

He said a unanimous election to Panchayats was welcome but it should be through consensus and not under duress and some minimum qualification should be fixed for Sarpanchs so that they could function effectively after they were elected.

The large-scale violence, which erupted during elections for Zila Parishad and Block Samiti members, did not augur well for our democratic polity and it should strengthen the social bonds and not create a ‘divide’ among the community, he added.

When asked about the upcoming Municipal Corporation elections Bhatti did not rule out SAD chances of winning.

However, political observers here say that the Congress had fared well in this region in assembly polls due to support extended by Sachha Dera Sauda but now it has totally ignored them and miserable failed to come to expectations of the people.

Fazilka, May 23
A constrained relationship between a husband and wife allegedly ended up in husband drowning his wife to death by throwing her in the Gang canal.

According to the FIR lodged with the Sadar police, Fazilka, by Puran Singh, a labourer of Singhpura village, his daughter Seema Rani was married to Kashmir Singh of nearby Aliana village five years back. The couple had two children. But their relationship was strained.

On the fateful day of May 20, Lal Chand and Jagsir Singh, both residents of Singhpur village and known to Puran Chand, were going to Aliana village in the night.

On the way, they noticed Seema Rani and her husband having a verbal duel. They tried to mediate but all in vain as the enraged Kashmir Singh pushed his wife Seema into the Gang Canal and fled away.

Seema was drowned in the fast current of water. Lal Chand and Jagsir Singh informed the incident to Puran Singh.

The body of the deceased was recovered on Thursday night.

The police has registered a case under section 302 of the IPC against Kashmir Singh, who is still absconding.

Fazilka, May 23
Two motorcyclists were killed in a road accident on Thursday evening. According to the available details, Satnam Singh (23), a clerk at brick kiln, along with his helper Rajesh Kumar were going from village Ghubaya to Abohar on a motorcycle. As they were trying to overtake a truck near village Dangar Khera, the bike collided with a truck trailer coming from the opposite direction. In the accident, both died on the spot.

Deceased Satnam Singh was a resident of village Ghubaya and was employed in a brick kiln of chief parliamentary secretary and MLA of Jalalabad, Sher Singh Ghubaya. Rajesh Kumar was a resident of Uttar Pardesh.

The Khui Khera police registered a case under section 279/427/304A of the IPC against the truck driver, who is absconding.

The post-mortem examination of the deceased was conducted at the local civil hospital. 

Moga, May 23
Yograj Sharma and Sanjiv Ghanauli have been nominated as chairman and president of the state body of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray), respectively.

The other office bearers include, Subash Talwar- acting president, Raman Pehalwan, Baldev Bhardwaj, Harish Singla, Neeraj Verma, Navneet Kapoor — all senior vice presidents, Yogesh Batish, Om Prakash, Parshotam Fauji, Pawan Prabhakar, Amarjit Sharma — all vice presidents, Jagdish Kataria- general secretary-cum-spokesman, Chander Prakash Nagpal, Santokh Singh Babbi, both secretaries, Tarsem Tandon, Sham Sunder, Chandan Verma, Anil Tandon, Sanjiv Sharma, Rajan Anand, Satish Kumar, Harjit Singh, Ashwani Chopra, Varinder Kumar, Satinder Saini, Manoj Pathak- all state executive members.