Rampura Phul, June 25
While the railway traffic came to a halt in Malwa region as hundreds of anti-Dera protesters resorted to “Rail Roko” to press the demand for arrest of Baba Ram Rahim, Head of Dera Sachha and his gunman on the call of Khalsa Action Committee, Baba Hardeep Singh, Convenor of Bathinda unit of the Committee threatened to lay siege to stop Dera followers from going to Salabatpur Dera.

The protesters led by Parminder Singh (SAD) Amritsar and Simranjit Kaur (women wing of SAD) stopped the trains, squatted on railway track and swarmed the station.

The call for ‘rail roko’ evoked instant response and hundreds of passengers remained stranded here and were put to great inconvenience. A retired teacher, Pritam Singh, who was on his way to Faridkot, said such protests were useless as they did not serve any purpose. Nothing could be achieved by preventing poor brothers and sisters from reaching their destinations, he added.

The protesters were demanding arrest of Baba and his gunmen and registration of case of murder under section 302 of IPC against them in connection of death of a Sikh in firing by gunman of Baba at Pune recently.

Police force headed by SP and consisting of one DSP, three Inspectors and 150 policemen was deployed to avoid any untoward incident but the protest passed off peacefully, SP (D), S.S Chahal said.

The protesters stopped the Bathinda –Dhuri and Ambala-Ganga Nagar trains for several hours while the Haridwar bound train 4712 was suspended at Dhuri and the Ambala-Bathinda train was cancelled by the Railway authorities as a precaution to avoid any damage to railway property.

Baba Hardeep Singh, convenor of Bathinda unit of Khalsa action Committee expressed his anguish that Baba Ram Rahim, facing criminal charges was moving freely while his gunman had guts to fire on Sikhs, killing one of them and injuring some others.

Reminding the INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala of his earlier stand to shift the Dera of Baba Ram Rahim outside Haryana, Hardeep Singh said the Sikhs would  vote in mass for his party in the assembly elections and ensure his victory if he translated his words into action.

Claiming that the peaceful protests evoked overwhelming response, he informed that   Khalsa Action Committee would meet tonight to chalk out future course of action to further intensify the stir for arrest of Baba.

Though the agitators felt sorry to the commuters, who were stranded for four hours from 11 am to 3 pm, but at the same time they said that the ultimatum of the protest was given three days in advance.

At Bathinda, rail traffic remained disrupted from 12.20 pm to 7 pm causing several trains to be stranded at the station.

Bathinda, June 25
Who will be the first mayor of Bathinda ? This has become a topic of speculation in the town.

Baljeet Singh Birbehman

Initially, it was being believed that Baljeet Singh Birbehman, a close lieutenant of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, was the ultimate choice for the post. However, Rajan Garg, has become another claimant for the post.

It is worth mentioning that Garg won the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) election despite efforts of some partymen to engineer his defeat. His supporters point out that he is not only district (urban) president of the SAD here, but is the only non-Sikh Akali to win the election and as such he had bright chance of occupying the chair.

Rajan Garg

On the other hand, Birbehman enjoys confidence of some local leaders of the SAD who are close to the Badals.

The BJP has claimed the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. Incase this is accepted by the SAD, the BJP might push the candidature of Gurinder Kaur Mangat for the post of senior deputy mayor to give representation to women.

They might propose Inder Lal for the post of deputy mayor as he not only belongs to weaker section, but also is educationally qualified.

Ferozepur, June 25
Bibi Jaswinder Kaur of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was unanimously elected as chairperson of the Block Samiti (BS), Ghal Khurd while Mukund Singh was elected as vice-chairman. The elections for the same were held here today in the presence of irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon and MP Zora Singh Mann.

On the occasion, Sekhon and Mann congratulated the newly elected officials and exhorted them to work for the welfare for the poor and the needy. At the same time, they urged them to ensure all-round development of the villages in their block.

It is pertinent to mention that during elections of Zila Parishad and Block Samitis held last month, the SAD had won all the seats in 22 zones of the Ghal Khurd block.

In the election for the chairmanship of the Block Samiti, Ferozepur block, held here today, Harjinder Kaur was elected as chairperson and Davinder Kaur as vice-chairperson respectively. The elections were held in presence of SDM M.P. Singh.

On the occasion, Sukhpal Singh Nannu, chief parliamentary secretary, Punjab, congratulated the newly-elected.

Faridkot, June 25
Uninterrupted flow of polluted water in the Sirhind canal that is the drinking water source has created fear of outbreak of epidemic among residents of this town who have generally stopped consuming tap water. Most of the population has resorted to purchasing underground water filled cans being supplied by rickshaw pullers and auto drivers who are doing a brisk business.

Fear struck the town last week when raw sewage water carrying thousands of dead fish came gushing in the drinking water source contaminating the piped supply. Flow of highly contaminated water continues in the canal, but its colour has changed muddy from the earlier black due to heavy rains.

Although engineers of the water supply department claimed that the water now being pumped was potable, but a public spirited resident produced documents to show that besides metals, chemicals and other pollutants, the level of total dissolvable salt (TDS) count was as high as 150.

He said tests have shown that the hand pump water being supplied by rickshaw pullers also contained TDS to the level of 135.

A resident of the town, Jasbir, said that the rickshaw pullers have fixed Rs 150 as monthly charges for supplying each can of 20 litres of water. It is better to pay that amount for water that has a lower level of contamination.

The deputy commissioner, V.K. Meena, said that the drinking water here was being polluted due to flow of effluents containing sewage like discharge of the Budda Nullah at Ludhiana into the Sutlej waters. The contaminated water of Beas also flows into the canal system. Only one of the seven treatment plants at Harike Pattan, where water is discharged into the Sirhind and Rajasthan canals, has so far been made functional. The other treatment plants were still at construction level.

An engineer of the water works department said that muddy water in the canal was being pumped to the filtration plant after treating it with alum. The pumping capacity was 4 million gallons against the daily requirement of 5 million gallons. He said that effluents continue to flow in the canal, but these were not visible now because of muddy water.

They had sent about 400 water samples for being tested at the Bathinda laboratory, but results were awaited.

Another resident, Inder Singh, recalls that water emitting foul smell was flowing in the canal till rains came. Tap water in the old cantonment, Baba Farid Nagar and other localities was contaminated. Residents of these areas are sometimes allowed by army personnel to take water from their tankers.

Officials suspect that the raw sewage water was being released into the canal from Budda Nullah that carries the entire filth of the Ludhiana town.

The condition of water flowing in the Rajasthan canal was worst than that in the Sirhind canal. The Rajasthan government has reportedly found it unfit for drinking.

Engineers said the problem aggravates when the Rajasthan canal is shut for periodical repairs. At that time the entire filth flows into the Sirhind canal.

Pawan Preet, a political activist, lamented that their cries for safe drinking water before the district grievances committee have fallen into deaf ears.

Ferozepur, June 25
Deputy Commissioner Megh Raj today called on all commercial banks to come forward and provide soft loans to the unemployed youths and the people residing below the poverty line.

The DC was speaking on the occasion of meeting of district-level banking review and consultative committee.

The meeting was attended by ADC Jaskiran Singh, ADC (Development) H.S. Pabla, AGM OBC A.S. Cheema, DM NABARD Amrik Singh, Lead Bank Officer (LBO) N.S. Gill besides other senior officials from various banks.

On the occasion, the DC informed that during the financial year 2007-08, loans were provided for agriculture, small-scale industries and to the unemployed youths to the tune of Rs 2124.60 crore.

He added that farmers were provided agriculture loans worth Rs 1712.49 crore on easy installments.

The DC said that 576 unemployed youths were provided financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Rozgaar Yojna to start their own work.

He further said that an amount of Rs 2.18 crore was granted as subsidy to the unemployed youths last year.

In the meeting, the DC advised bank managers to open pension accounts of widows and aged persons without any delay.

Mansa, June 25
“Peace would be maintained in Punjab and nobody would be allowed to disturb it at any cost,” said SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal during his visit in the district.

He further said there were no differences between the Akali Dal and BJP over the issue of Dera Sacha Sauda. 

Addressing public meetings in Mansa, Sardulgarh, Budhlada and Bareta in favour of the alliance candidates, he assured that the Punjab government would do its best for the development of cities. He said that along with a thermal plant in Mansa, six cement factories would be established in this region.

He said the last Congress government had done nothing for the development of Punjab and now the Akali-BJP government had been concentrating on the development of cities and villages. 

He assured that in the next few months, sewerage and water supply schemes would be fully implemented in the cities. 

General secretary of the SAD (B) Balwinder Singh Bhunder said that the Congress government had done nothing for the development of Punjab and now the people of Punjab had an opportunity to get development projects by electing the Akali-BJP candidates in these municipal elections. 

District president,SAD, Harbans Singh Datewas, Gobind Singh Longowal, Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, Angrej Singh Mittal, Suraj Kumar Chhabra and all SAD-BJP candidates were present on the occasion.

Bathinda, June 25
Two restaurant employees were found dead under mysterious circumstances while one person was killed and nine others were injured when the lintel of an under construction showroom collapsed in Bathinda town today.

Lokesh (20), a pantry worker and Balbir Singh (40), working as Tandoori of Handi restaurant, opposite lake on Bathinda-Guniana road here were found dead in a room in the third floor under mysterious circumstances last night.

According to informed sources ceiling fan was lying over them and they were rushed to the hospital where they were declared dead. The information about the incident was given by some fellow workers who immediately called Naujawan Welfare Society.

A case has been registered in Thermal Police station and investigation are in progress, Gurcharan Singh Sub Inspector told TNS that Manager of the hotel said that both deceased died due to current and the also shared this view.

The Uttarakhand Gadhwali Sabha suspected some foul play and urged the Police to thoroughly investigate the case. President of the Sabha, Surinder Pawar did not allow the police to conduct the post mortem and asked them to wait till the relatives of the deceased arrived.

In another incident, one person, identified as Bullet died while nine others were injured when the lintel of showroom, under construction at Focal point on Dabwali road collapsed and fell on the labourers working on the site. According to sources, the support to shuttering of the second floor slipped and the entire load fell on the labourers.

The injured persons were rushed to hospital and critically injured Bullet succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital and declared dead by the doctors. A case has been registered in Wardhman Police station and investigations are underway, investigating officer Jagtar Singh said.

Abohar, June 25
The BJP-SAD alliance had assumed it would be a cakewalk in municipal council polls slated for June 30, but intensive campaigning by the Congress has put the ruling parties in an uncertain situation.

Experts feel that the way the SAD humiliated BJP during election of the chairman and vice-chairman for the Panchayat Samiti in the neighbouring town Fazilka on Tuesday is going to cast its shadow on the polls.

On the Congress side, corner meeting are being held besides door-to- door campaigning to muster support for the Congress candidates.

On the other side, former BJP MLA Ram Kumar Goyal is the star campaigner for the alliance. So far no senior state-level leader on the either side has confirmed arrival for campaigning here. Denial of tickets to the loyalists of Goyal’s archrivals in the party had apparently annoyed the rank and file, sources said.

According to the available information, differences that cropped up over seat sharing in the BJP and SAD even a day before the last date for filing nominations continue to haunt the election scenario.

The hoardings put up at the main crossings here are prompting people to compare the achievements during the last five years; Congress term in the council with the preceding term of the BJP are not only eye catching but thought provoking also.

During most of the corner meetings, Congress MLA Sunil Jakhar was found lambasting the BJP for its acts of omission and commission.

He even blamed the saffron party leadership of playing dirty tactics such as making the disposal works non-operative when the town recorded just seven cm of rainfall last week to mislead the electorates on the state of development in Abohar. 

Barnala, June 25
Demanding the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, the activists of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) blocked the road traffic for about one and half hour at Tarksheel chowk here today.

The chowk is the main point for the entry of buses into the city. Due to the blockade, the Barnala-Ludhiana highway saw a long queue of buses and other vehicles for which the commuters had to face great difficulty. The activists raised slogans against the Dera chief and the state government.

The blockade was lifted following the intervention of the police. — OC

Abohar, June 25
A fortnight-long Summer Creative Camp concluded at the Military Station, Sriganganagar, on Tuesday. A total of 172 children aging between 8 and 19 years participated in the camp organised by the Amogh Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA).

A plethora of activities were conducted at the camp that ranged from music classes to rifle firing, boating to calligraphy, debating to swimming, career counselling to games and coaching. AWWA president Deepshikha Daulta said the aim behind arranging the camp was to inculcate and hone the creative talent of the participants.

A campfire during the concluding function late night was attended by Major-General B.S. Daulta, GOC of Sudarshan Chakra Division, Brigadier Chandra Shekhar, station commander of the military station, and AWWA Amogh division vice-president Mitu Shekhar besides other distinguished guests.

Prizes were given to those who performed well, including Alankrita, Neha and Harsh in the junior, middle and senior sections respectively. — OC