Bathinda, June 19
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, today openly came out in the support of former deputy speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Darbari Lal. She accused the Badal family for carrying out political vendetta against Darbari.

“Darbari Lal is innocent and the vigilance inquiry against him by the Badals is just a political vendetta. His four-storey building in Amritsar has been approved by the Local Bodies department. Congress party will always stand with him,” Bhattal told TNS here today.

She also accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for ‘politicising’ the Sikh religion. “Badal’s interference in Sikh religion has increased so much that the five Takth Jathedar’s are fighting amongst themselves. Some are also demanding Khalistan. Sikhs all across the globe feel let down by all this in fighting and that is why, they go to different ‘Deras’ for seeking spiritual peace. This trend is very damaging for the Sikh religion,” she alleged.

She also said that deputy commissioners and SSPs of around eight districts of the state have gone on leave. “This clearly indicates that even the bureaucracy is feeling the heat. All of them know that during the upcoming elections, SAD would indulge in all kinds of unfair means, which may leave the bureaucrats in soup.”

She said Congress had also sent a list of 28 bureaucrats from Punjab, who had helped the ruling combine in the PRI polls held recently, to the CBI and Central Vigilance.

“We have also got to know that Bathinda’s ADC (Development) Vijay N Zade and Bathinda Development Authority has violated the code of conduct by issuing tender notices two days back. Now we would add these bureaucrats in our list. I have also sent a copy of the tender notice to State Election Commission today and have also spoken to election commissioner, A K Dubey,” she informed.

To this, Vijay N Zade said, “The tender notice is of an ongoing construction work, cost of which would not be more than a couple of lakh of rupees.”

She also said, “We have also set up a twenty member team of advocates, which would take appropriate legal action against those, who will try to disrupt the poll process.”

“I can give in writing that just a day after the declaration of the results of BMC polls, opposition leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal will say SAD used force to win the elections as she would be frustrated and will have nothing to say to the voters and supporters of her party,” said Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD chief here while campaigning for the party candidates.

Lashing over the Congress, Sukhbir made mockery of the infighting of Bhattal and former CM Amrinder Singh. He said the leaders of Congress themselves had not been performing their duty to back up their candidates and even showing remorse for the SAD-BJP leaders, who were supporting their candidates.

Challenging the opposition, Sukhbir called them to actively participate in the elections and face the results.

Refuting allegations levelled by the Congress regarding the “forcible” leave of the SSP, DCs and other senior ranked officer, Sukhbir said, “If elections could be won through officers then oppositions could have never win any elections anywhere.”

Seeking votes in the name of ongoing developmental projects, Sukhbir reminded the projects of sewerage system, power supply, roads, drinking water, Atta-Dal scheme, review of pension scheme, railway over bridges, civil airport, cricket stadium, free education providing Adarsh schools and state-of-the-art air conditioned bus stand for the city. Trying to get youths attention, he termed the project of Rs 32000 crore oil refinery as a scope of job placements. Calling Bathinda “the heart of Malwa”, Sukhbir said that Rs 150-crore had been sanctioned for the uninterrupted power supply.

Before concluding, he called upon party workers to work hard till the last moment of elections. Meanwhile he urged them to attend the “strength show” rally of SAD-BJP combine, which would take place on Friday in the city.

Bathinda: Kamal Bakshi president United Christian Front (UCF), Punjab during a press conference, today urged the priests in the city to ask the Christian community to lend their support in favour of the ruling SAD for the forthcoming BMC polls.

Pinning hope on the SAD, Bakshi stated that the party represents the minority and would surely find solution to the their problems. — TNS

Bathinda, June 19
Shahi Imam of Punjab, Maulana Habib-Ur-Rehman Sa-Ani Ludhianvi, who is also the national president of All India Majlis Ahrar Islam (AIMAI) Hind, today announced that Muslims were safe in India than Pakistan and Punjab was safest and peaceful state among states of India.

Reminding the “Fatwa” issued against the Amrinder’s pakistani journalist friend Aroosa Alam, he alleged, “She is an agent of the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI, that is why whenever she comes some untoward incident take place in India.” He cited Ludhiana and Jaipur blasts case in support of his statement.

During his visit to the city, he announced to extend full support of his party in favour of SAD in the BMC Polls. Speaking in favour of SAD-led government, he said that SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had assured them of taking one member of Muslim community in every district town planning board and grievances redressel committee.

Lashing over Congress, he said that no Congress stalwart even the then Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh had bothered to take care of Muslim community during the Congress regime.

Advocating dissolution of Waqf Board, Maulana Habib-Ur-Rehman said that he had been fighting for the dissolution of the present board as “corruption” had become normal feature of it. He advocated constitution of a new board comprising members having “clean” image. 

Bathinda, June 19
With a day left for campaigning in the BMC polls, the Congress MLAs are conspicuous by their absence.

Out of the total 44 Congress MLAs, only three of them have so far spared time to participate in the poll campaign. On the other hand, the SAD and BJP leaders have been making frequent rounds of the city for the last one-week. Whereas on the Congress front, only the local MLA Harminder Jassi and Guruharsahai MLA Rana Sodhi canvassed for their candidates. Barnala MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon also reached the city today.

SAD president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, along with senior BJP leaders, including Manoranjan Kalia and Rajinder Bhandari held rallies.

Whereas Bhattal arrived in the city only today morning. Bhattal was to address five rallies today and three rallies on Friday. But she addressed just two rallies today and is expected to address one rally on Friday. Sukhbir addressed around nine rallies today and five on June 15.

Bathinda has a total of five MLAs and only one of them is involved in poll campaign.

Anti-encroachment drive evokes mixed response in Moga
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, June 19
District administration and the local municipal authorities have been carrying out an anti-encroachment drive in certain pockets of the town for the past couple of days. The local residents had welcomed the step while 'rehri' owners and certain political leaders had expressed their annoyance.

The anti-encroachment drive was launched in the past also but there seemed to be no visible impact due to political interference. This time, the drive had been launched in fruit and vegetable market and the old grain market in the town.

Local residents have appreciated the drive but not every one seemed to be happy with it. 'Rehri' owners backed by trade unions maintained that the district administration and municipal authorities were partial in removing encroachments. There have been allegations that influential people have also encroached upon the government land and officials are not acting against them.

Few shopkeepers said that the municipal council was charging the "teh-bazari" from them and on the other hand they were uprooting them. They had been charging the "fee" for letting us occupy the space for years and now they were bent upon uprooting us, said another shopkeeper.

However, many shopkeepers of the old grain market today appreciated the anti-encroachment drive and they also gave in written to the DM and executive officer of the municipal council to carry on the drive against encroachments because they were creating lot of problems for the common public.

Local leaders of all parties including the sitting Congress MLA and former president of the municipal council, Joginder Pal Jain, started a man to man contact with the shopkeepers to get political mileage out of it, keeping in view the forthcoming elections of the local body due in four months time.

Body of 52-yr-old found, kin allege murder
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, June 19
The local police today recovered a semi-mutilated body of a 52-year-old labourer identified as Gurmail Singh from the premises of a private factory, where he used to work, at Khosa Pando village in the district.

The exact cause of the death was not immediately known but his wife and family members alleged that the owners of the factory murdered him.

Since, he was pressing for the release of his salary for the past few days, the factory owners might have murdered her husband, she alleged.

On the other hand, the factory owners stated that Gurmail Singh had committed suicide.

The body was presently lying at the civil hospital and post-mortem would be conducted tomorrow.

On the basis of preliminary investigations, the police registered a criminal case under section 306 of the IPC on charges of 'abetment of suicide'. However, no was arrested by the police so far.

4 booked for murder
Our Correspondent

Barnala, June 19
Local police has booked four persons, including a woman, in connection with the death of a youth.

Twenty-one-year old Amrit Singh alias Laadi was found dead today morning. The alleged murder took place at Kothe Harbans Pura near Sekha about 12 km from here on Wednesday night.

Kaka Singh, father of the deceased, complained to the police that his son went outside yesterday evening but didn't return. Today morning, when his other son was going to the fields to bring fodder to the animals, he found the dead body of his brother on the way. His body was having injuries on neck, abdomen and other parts.

Kaka Singh revealed that his son was enjoying illicit relations with a married woman who lives in the neighbourhood. He used to refrain his son, but he did not comply. So he suspected Balbeer Kaur, her husband Gurinder Singh, her father-in-law Darshan Singh and mother-in-law Jaswant Kaur responsible for the death of his son.

DSP Khaira said that on the complaint made by Kaka Singh, the police registered a case at the Sadar police station under section 302 and 34 of the IPC. The investigation is still going on and the police is conducting raids to nab the accused.

Man kills wife’s ‘rapist’, Absconding
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, June 19
In a fit of rage, a man along with his accomplices killed the accused, who had allegedly raped his wife in the cantonment area here on Wednesday.

According to the information available, the victim Monika (name changed) was allegedly raped by one Lucky, resident of Gowal Mandi area in the cantonment, on Tuesday night, when she was alone at home. After committing the crime, he fled from the spot. When Monika’s husband Sekhar returned home, she narrated the episode to him.

On the basis of medical examination report and statement of Monika, the police registered a case against Lucky under section 376 of the IPC.

However, enraged over the incident Sekhar wanted to avenge himself. On Wednesday night, he was able to trace Lucky and accompanied by some of his friends, he allegedly attacked Lucky to death.

The Police has taken the body in its custody and was investigating the case.

Meanwhile, Sekhar and his friends, identified as Soni, Mangi, Victor and Pushpinder, are reportedly on the run.

Same-sex couple splits
Our Correspondent

Barnala, June 19
Split between a lesbian couple was reported here at Moom village today.

It is learnt that Sarbjeet Kaur (name changed) of Moom village got married to Amandeep Kaur about two and half years ago after exchanging ‘mangalsutra’. She was severely beaten by Amandeep’s brother and her cousin, and was hospitalised at the civil hospital here.

Sarbjeet Kaur told the reporters that she and her friend Amandeep were working with the Malwa spinning mill at Barnala. Both developed friendship and about two and half years ago they decided to live as husband and wife. They performed marriage after exchanging ‘mangalsutra’. Sarbjeet became husband and Amandeep became wife.

She spent many nights together at Amandeep’s home during this period. But yesterday, Amandeep called her at her home at Diwana village. Amandeep’s brother and cousin tied her to a tree and thrashed her badly. She alleged that in the recent past, Amandeep, in connivance with her family, took her GPF money and other savings worth Rs 50,000.

She alleged that Amandeep had ditched her. Later , Amandeep’s family called the Bhadur police for her arrest. The police took her along and hospitalise her at the civil hospital, Barnala.

SHO Barnala Kulwant Singh, when contacted, said that this case came to the police station but with the intervention of some people, both the parties reached a compromise and dispute had been settled.

Assistant lineman electrocuted; workers stage protest
Our Correspondent

Barnala, June 19
The employees' union of the Punjab State Electricity Board held a protest at the civil hospital, Barnala, following the death of an assistant lineman.

The union leaders raised slogans against the PSEB officials as even after the passage of 15 hours no senior official came to take stock of the situation.

Union leader Narian Dutt said that this was really shameful that a employee died while working, but no higher officials bothered to console the grieved family.

Narrating the incident he said that Amarjeet Singh Sekha, the deceased, was working on an 11 KV line yesterday.

The electric supply was disconnected on this line, but all of a sudden the electric supply was restored and he got electrocuted.

He was brought to the civil hospital, Barnala, where the doctors declared him dead. His body was handed over to family members after post-mortem examination.

Baljeet Singh, Xen sub-urban, informed that an enquiry had been ordered to know how the electric supply was switched on to the line, when some maintenance work was going on it.

Branch managers of co-op banks felicitated
Tribune News Service

Moga, June 19
Acknowledging the performance of few branches of the cooperative bank of the district, the board of directors of Central Cooperative Bank Limited honoured the branch managers in a function held here today.

Managing director of the bank and MLA from Baghapurana, Darshan Singh Brar, presented mementoes for best deposits in the urban areas to branch managers of Badhni Kalan, Moga, and in rural areas to Kokri Kalan and Ajitwal.

Similarly, two best profit earning branches of Nihalsinghwala, Rania, non-performing assets -Tharaj and Chogawan, for advancing maximum loans to Moga and Moga mandi, both urban, and Lohara and Samalsar, in rural category, were honoured by the board.

The managingt director said that a loan of Rs 15.21 crore advanced to farmers in the district had been waived-off by the bank authorities as per the policy of the government.

The state government was likely to release this grant to the bank to cover up the loss, he added.

BSF jawans get new barrack 
Our Correspondent

‘Pollution board directive confusing’
Anil Jerath
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 19
The directive of the Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PSPCB) regarding the discharge of hazardous wastes from the units has created more confusion than clarify its position to the industry.

The Board has issued circulars directing the defaulting units to get authorisation from it and to display boards outside their premises giving details of the effluent discharged by them by May 31, failing which they will have to wind up their business. The size of the boards to be displayed outside the units, as per the directive of the Board, is 6 ft/4 ft.

Highlighting the confusion created by the circular, the Bathinda Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) stated that although the deadline set for seeking authorisation and for the mandatory display of boards was May 31, the letter from the Board to this effect was received only in the first week of June.

The industrial units are confused on another count. A Supreme Court’s monitoring committee, working under the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, had issued a circular dated April 19, 2007, to all the state pollution control boards and secretaries, environment, specifying the display of 6/4 metres boards by the units, giving details of the hazardous wastes let out by them. It had also set the deadline of May 31 for compliance of the order.

In fact, the Board has acted as a follow up to the circular of the monitoring committee.

However, the difference in the version of the monitoring committee and the Board regarding the size of the boards to be displayed has created confusion among the units.

In its judgement dated October 14, 2006, the Supreme Court had taken a tough stand on the discharge of hazardous waste and directed recommendatory steps and strict actions if the defaulting units failed to comply.

The monitoring committee had conducted a survey and found that the Apex Court’s order had not been complied with, resulting in the circular issued by it to the states.

The circular further cautions that in case the measures set out in it was not heeded to by the deadline, it would amount to contempt of the court.

The units are in a fix on another count. Neither the monitoring committee nor the State Pollution Control Board has specified the quantity of hazardous wastes, which could invite punitive action.

According to the BCCI, the small-scale units should be exempted from the provisions.

It has urged the State Pollution Control Board to review its stand.

It argues that if all the units, without any regard to the quantity of hazardous wastes discharged by them, are brought under the ambit of the new provision, the ‘License Raj’ culture would be revisited on the industry.

They fear that it would encourage the harassment of innocent or minor defaulters.

Woman among seven booked
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, June 19
The Makhu police has registered a case against seven persons, including a woman, for allegedly killing a person.

Brijinder Singh, son of the deceased, informed that they had 10 canal land in Nizamdinwala village, which was under dispute with some persons.

He alleged that on Tuesday night, when his father was sleeping alone in the fields, Harbans Singh, Rajwant Kaur, resident of Makhu, Kulwinder Singh alias Baba, resident of Phemiwala, Arjun Singh, Kala Singh residents of Rassulpur, and Lashmir Singh, resident of Taran Taran, came to their fields and shot his father.

A case FIR no.79 dated 19 June under sections 302, 25, 27, 54, 148 and 149 of the IPC has been registered against the above mentioned persons.

Around 80 marriages have been saved in past two years
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, June 19
The family counselling is saving couples from separation in Moga. Around 80 marriages have been saved so far in the last two years.

A 32-year-old, Ranjit Kaur (name changed), a resident of the nearby Landeke village, filed a case for divorce on December 15, 2007 in a judicial court here following a marital dispute with her husband against whom she levelled allegations that he was a drug addict and wanted her to indulge into prostitution.

Breaking the legal bindings, the additional sessions’ judge of Moga, B.S. Sandhu, went a step ahead to refer this case to a local family counselling centre, set up by district administration, requesting to save the couple from separation.

The young family counsellor there, Kanwalpreet Kaur, who holds masters degrees in English and Psychology, took it as a challenge and called both the husband and wife on couple of occasions to discuss their problem.

Her husband who is a truck driver finally realised that what he was intending to do was wrong. The husband promised that he would quit taking drugs and respect his wife. Finally, the misunderstanding was solved and now the couple lives happily.

Another interesting case came to the counselling centre recently in which the parents of the young married woman alleged that their girl was not living with her husband happily and feared danger to her life.

However, the 25-year-old married woman Kiran (name changed), a resident of the Bageana Basti of the town, when questioned by the counsellor   rubbished all such allegations and revealed that her parents were unnecessarily trying to create differences among them.

The husband, who runs a small provision store, too claimed that there was no dispute in their marital life. The misunderstanding was removed from the minds of all, especially the parents of the woman, following which the couple is now going on well.

Counsellor Kanwalpreet, while talking to The Tribune, revealed that more than 80 women had approached the counselling centre during the past two years and almost all the cases had been solved to the satisfaction of the couples and their parents.

“We have received 20 fresh cases this year. While most of them have been solved the remaining are likely to be solved in the next couple of weeks,” she said.

She said the basic problems among the couples arise from mistrust, drug-addiction and to some extent lesser income or poverty.

Kanwalpreet said that the district administration, under a programme of women and child welfare department in collaboration with the Association for Social Health in India (ASHI), had set up a team of women to assist her, which meets every Thursday to take up such cases of marital disputes for counselling.