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Man kills two teenaged daughters Shocked family members of the deceased mourning the incident at their house in village Chak Fateh Singh Wala on Sunday. Tribune photo: Kulbir Beera
New attraction at Deer Park
Rajasthan gets canal water back
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Baljeet Singh Dadu Sahib and Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh honouring the parents of Dilawar Singh by presenting them siropas and gold medals at village Jai Singh Wala in Bathinda on Sunday.
Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh
Raninder visits the homeless
Raninder Singh, son of Captain Amarinder Singh, addressing uprooted dwellers of Dhobiana Basti in Bathinda on Sunday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh
Remove Moga SSP to restore human rights, says Mann
Traversing 1800 km to spread social messages
SDM Fazilka Rajiv Prashar and his companions during their tour of
Gangotri. A Tribune photograph
Moga MC polls Congress leaders at a party meeting held in Moga on Sunday. Photo by writer
BKU seeks compensation for damaged cotton
‘Problems of traders to be resolved soon’
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Man kills two teenaged daughters
Chak Fateh Singh Wala (Bathinda), August 31 According to the villagers and the police, Gurmail Singh (40) has three daughters and a son. Two of his daughters, Rajveer Kaur and Manjinder Kaur, are twins and he is learnt to have been upset ever since they were born. So, he gave Manjinder to his sister-in-law, who belongs to village Rajeana. He is also learnt to have been suffering from some mental disorder since 2003 and was undergoing treatment at various hospitals. As per the statement of the villagers, Gurmail Singh killed two of his daughters who were living with him, Prabhdeep Kaur (17) and Rajveer Kaur (15) with a sharp-edged weapon. His wife Sukhjeet Kaur was taking her bath at that time while his son was playing outside in the village. After committing the crime, he shut the door of the room where the bodies were lying and then himself consumed a pesticide. Finding him in a critical condition, Sukhjeet Kaur shouted for help and his kin reached the spot and took him to a private hospital in Bathinda. When the relatives opened the door of the room that was shut, they found the two girls lying dead on the floor and informed the Nathana police. During the police investigation, sarpanch Gurmeet Singh, panch Makhan Singh and the villagers said that nobody from the family wanted to get a case registered as they knew of the mental disorder from which he had been suffering and due to which he had he had perpetrated the crime. Villagers also said that Prabhdeep Kaur had completed her Plus Two education and was preparing for IELTS. Rajveer Kaur was studying in class IX in the village school. They mentioned that the family was financially well off as they have around 12 acres of land, a tractor and cattle. When contacted, investigation officer, Gurpreet Singh, SHO Nathana, said a case of murder would be registered as per the law but the statement of the villagers would also be attached with the case file. About the actual reason that instigated Gurmail Singh to commit the crime, the SHO said it was too early to reach any conclusion. Later reports received indicated that the accused Gurmail Singh was out of danger. Meanwhile, the bodies were sent to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, where a postmortem was to be conducted.
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Plans afoot to set up butterfly park
Anil Jerath Tribune News Service
Bathinda, August 31 Speaking to TNS, Anand said that the entire project would cost Rs 12.50 crore for which the blueprint has been sent to the government for approval. It will comprise a butterfly enclosure, breeding centre waterfall, wooden overbridge and museum hall. "We have already started plantation of the special variety of trees and shrubs that attract butterflies", he said. There will be waterfalls, ponds, rock garden, pathways and some benches to enable citizens to enjoy the park. He added that the butterfly garden would house 50 to 80 varieties. "The museum hall will display pressed specimen of various species of butterflies along with information about each variety. Slide shows on butterflies will also be arranged for visitors especially school children", Anand revealed. Elaborating on the project, Anand said that one need not capture butterflies for such a park. "All one has to do is plant trees and shrubs that attract butterflies along with some wild species where butterflies breed," he explained. Plants like potter weed, marigold, cosmos, pentas, milk weeds, balloon plant, kanher, citrus trees and curry leaves attract the butterflies and encourage breeding, DFO added. Anand stated that the nature of the park is such that people will be able to see full-grown butterflies as well as various stages of their development like caterpillar, larvae and pupa. The best time for butterfly watching is just after monsoon till early November but they can also be seen, although in lesser numbers, in March-April, he added. The DFO stated that besides being beautiful to watch, butterflies form an important component of the food chain and are excellent indicators of the state of environment. "They are the first to be affected by even the slightest of disturbance and their presence or absence helps us monitor ecological changes in habitat thus warning us about any deterioration in the environment", he said.
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Rajasthan gets canal water back
Abohar, August 31 MLAs from Rajasthan Gurjant Singh Brar (Sangria) and Dharminder Mochi
(Tibbi) informed that the cut forced on Friday at RD 5200 of Rajasthan Feeder has been plugged by the Punjab government. Brar and Mochi had met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday at Chandigarh along with irrigation minister Sanwar Lal Jat and Surinderpal Singh, minister of state for agriculture in Rajasthan government, to lodge protest over suspension of water supply to the Rajasthan canals for siphoning off the floodwater from Ferozepur and Moga districts. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also spoke to Badal on the phone. While urging Badal to withdraw instructions for suspension of supply to the canals that fed farmers in the Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh areas, she reportedly offered to make available pumping sets to drain out water from the flood-affected areas of Ferozepur and Moga, sources added. According to information, suspension of water supply to two major canals by Punjab had sparked criticism in Sriganganagar district. Punjabi farmers had warned the SAD (B) leaders that it would be fatal for the BJP which was going to face Assembly elections in the next few days. They regretted that the SAD (B) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was hoping to broaden the party's base in Rajasthan but the coalition government in Punjab had decided to suspend canal water when it was urgently required. Moreover, the neighbouring state had resolved to divert epidemic-prone floodwater to Rajasthan which already suffered a lot due to the supply of black water that carried chemical effluents from Ludhiana-based industrial houses. Well-placed sources said irrigation authorities had released 1000 cusecs of water each in the Gang Canal and Indira Gandhi canal yesterday. Sriganganagar XEN Gurpreet Singh, while confirming this, said on the mobile phone that water was expected to reach by Monday morning in required volume. Captain Subhash Sehgal (retd.), spokesman of the Rajasthan Kisan Sangharsh Samiti who had been camping at Ferozepur since Friday along with Gurbalpal Singh Sandhu, former chairman of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project and Kuldeep Singh, also confirmed that the Punjab authorities had plugged the cuts and released water in a phased manner. The plan to make cuts in the Rajasthan canals to siphon off flood-water from Punjab had opened a
Pandora’s box. BJP leader and minister of state for agriculture Surinderpal Singh while criticising the Punjab government said on Saturday that crops which were at the ripening stage in an area spread over 2 lakh hectares in Sriganganagar area would be damaged by this unwise step.“It is a dictatorial and arbitrary decision taken without informing the Rajasthan authorities and gross violation of the inter-state agreements,” he said. The minister cancelled all his local engagements and air-dashed to Chandigarh by the state chopper along with other ministers under instructions from Vasundhara Raje on Saturday, sources confirmed. In another measure senior leaders of the Rajasthan Kisan Sangharsh Samiti who had rushed for on the spot survey in Moga and Ferozepur areas last evening reported that Punjab authorities had planned to divert floodwater from Akbar Wala,
Gidderpindi, Jogewala, Mohammad Shah Wala and Dibwala Chakkian villages in Rajasthan feeder. Bharatiya Kisan Sangh during an emergency meeting held at Sriganganagar on Saturday had warned that floodwater would not be allowed to flow in the Rajasthan canals. Some farmers led by Net Ram Jhatwal had also intercepted the official vehicle of an executive engineer in Sriganganagar later and allowed him to proceed only after getting an assurance that water would be released from the Sadhuwali head by Monday. Hanumangarh MLA Vinod Kumar while addressing a workers meeting at the Lakhuwali headworks said the SAD (B)-BJP coalition government was inimical to the farming community of Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar districts. Even when the dams in Punjab were at saturation mark, the required quantity of water was not made available to the Gang Canal, Rajasthan Feeder and Indira Gandhi Canal. And now, they were diverting highly contaminated floodwater. |
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Dilawar’s death anniversary observed
Jai Singh
Wala (Bathinda), August 31 Jathedar, Takht Damdama Sahib, Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Baljeet Singh Dadu Sahib Wale, Bhai Mohkam Singh, Bahi Mohan Singh Kartarpur, Justice Ajit Singh Bains (retd), Bhai Pal Singh France, Bhai Satnam Singh
Paunta, Bhai Daljeet Singh Bittu, Kanwar Singh Dhami, along with a number of other Sikh hardliners, marked their presence there. The observance of Dilawar’s death anniversary was for the first time organized in the village and Dhadhi Jathas and Raagi Jathas recited shabads there. Meanwhile, representatives of the Shiromani Sikh Council International honoured Dilawar Singh, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Balwant Singh Rajoana by presenting the Shaheed Baba Deep Singh gold medal. The medal for Dilawar was received by his mother Surjeet Kaur, whereas Justice Ajit Singh Bains (retd) received the medal for Jagtar Singh Hawara and Pal Singh France received the medal for Balwant Singh. On the occasion, Bhai Narain Singh listed some demands that were unanimously accepted. He mentioned that the portrait of Dilawar Singh should be placed in the Central Sikh Museum, Amritsar, for which a request would be made to the SGPC. They also sought the construction of a library and stadium in his name and also release on parole for some Sikhs who had acted in the interests of the community. Addressing the gathering, Nandgarh spoke about the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. “The Dera chief can be pardoned only if he seeks apology at the Akal Takht Sahib and also gets baptised there,” he said. Nandgarh also maintained that he was not interested in sticking to the chair of Jathedar, which he had been for the last six years. He said he was aware of conspiracies against him and lashed out at a retired senior police officer for his anti-Sikh activities. The leaders also motivated the villagers to set up a social club in the name of Dilawar Singh to keep his memory alive. |
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‘Demolition issue will be taken up at Lambi rally’
Anil Jerath Tribune News Service
Bathinda, August 31 Raninder described the demolition drive carried out by PUDA as inhuman. He lambasted the SAD government, saying that the father-son duo of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, in connivance with a top industrialist of Bathinda, were out to mint money by carving out a colony at the demolition site and selling the interests of the poor. He said even some religious institutions were also razed to the ground in this drive without keeping in mind the religious sentiments of the people. Water and electricity supply should also be restored to all the residents, he added. The residents of the area are now facing the ordeal of getting on with their lives after PUDA razed their houses. The weather added to their woes, with yesterday's storm and rains. "Only we know how hard it is to go through a day. There is no one to help us," Kartar Singh, leader of the Dhobiana Basti Bachao Action Committee said. Raninder said he would make all out efforts to get compensation for the affected families. He even threatened to move court to get justice for the homeless. Later talking to TNS, he said the issue of demolition would be raised at tomorrow's rally in Lambi. He also said that he had information that some Akali workers would be laying nakas in and around Lambi to thwart Congress supporters' move to reach tomorrow's rally site.
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Remove Moga SSP to restore human rights, says Mann
Moga, August 31 Reacting to the death of a youth at the hands of policemen in Kot-ise-Khan block on Friday night, Mann alleged that incompetence of the district police chief had in the recent past led to many brutal acts by his subordinates. Levelling serious charges against the SSP, he said the officer had been trying to protect his subordinates involved in heinous crimes. “It is surprising that no cop has been named in the FIR registered for the brutal murder of the youth hailing from a poor family and that further efforts are being made to hush up the case,” he alleged. He expressed concern over the growing crime graph in the district and said the involvement of police personnel in heinous crimes was not a good sign. The radical Akali leader said the recent recovery of RDX by the Jagraon police from here and the emergence of land and drug mafia in the area had also created a sense of fear among the residents. |
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Traversing 1800 km to spread social messages
Fazilka, August 31 Prashar reveals that he undertook the tough journey to sensitise people about female foeticide and dreadful effects of global warming. He carried banners on his bike and at different places warned people of the consequences of female foeticide and global warming. While talking to media persons, the SDM disclosed that he went for a risky expedition for the first time in 2003. Then, he had travelled to Khardungla in Leh region at a height of 18,360 feet and carried a banner with the message, ‘Check Female Foeticide’. Khardungla is the highest mountain of the world that could be approached by a vehicle. After that there was no looking back for Prashar. Later, he undertook such drives every year. During his tours, he was accompanied by Surinder Singh of Fazilka and tehsildar Namdev. He informed that he, along with his companions, scaled the second highest mountain peak of Tanglangla and the third highest peak of Lang Lucha La. Prashar maintained that his recent tour was quite difficult as compared to his previous journeys. He informed that on their way to Gangotri, a 100 feet large glacier slided at Budhari tehsil near Gangotri and they were held up for two days. The food and water they carried along was also exhausted. He informed that they use to cover a maximum of 100 km a day on mountains and 350 km on plains. Expressing concern for global warming, Prashar said that shrunk glacier from Gangotri had reached Gaumukh which could prove fatal. Prashar has launched a website www.dreamlandofrajivandnamdev.com which carries details of their adventures. The PCS officer informed that despite risks involved in the ventures and threat to life he would carry on with the adventure trips. |
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Cong infighting makes selection of candidates a strenuous task
Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service
Moga, August 31 The committee members include MLAs Joginder Pal Jain, Darshan Singh Brar and Ajit Singh Shant besides ex-MP Kewal Singh, ex-minister Malti Thapar and ex-MLA Vijay Sathi. Revealing this to TNS, he said no one had the right to field his own candidate without the recommendation of the committee. He said applications had been invited from the interested candidates seeking party tickets by tomorrow evening. Later, a draft list of the candidates would be prepared taking into confidence the committee members, which would be approved by the state working president Mohinder Singh Kaypee, he added. “No one will be allowed to dictate terms. If this happens, it will invite disciplinary action,” he warned. Meanwhile, there were reports of heated exchange of words between some party leaders and Jain, who had expressed his feelings to project his wife Swaran Lata Jain as the presidential candidate for the MC polls. State general secretary of the party and former MLA Vijay Sathi alleged that Jain had planned to field his supporters as independent candidates from some wards, which was against the party interests and principles. When some leaders tried to defend Jain by demanding for him the right to select candidates, Sathi walked out from the meeting, revealed party sources. It may be mentioned that there was a resentment among a section of the party leaders against Jain. Party insiders said most of the local Congress leaders were avoiding confrontation with the state government considering the sweep made by the SAD-BJP combine in almost every local body elections held in the state recently.
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BKU seeks compensation for damaged cotton
Abohar, August 31 A BKU spokesman said that a meeting of the union was held at Gurdwara Guru Teg Bahadur here. District president Darshan Singh Chak Nidhana presided over the meeting. All block presidents and office-bearers from different sub-divisions were present. A survey report presented in the meeting claimed that 60 per cent of the cotton crop in the sub-division had been damaged due to unchecked sale of insecticides. The officers were acting as publicity agents of some manufacturers. Rajpura, Panniwala Mahla, Panjawa, Tootwala and Kallarkhera were among the worst affected villages. “Surprisingly, such a situation develops only when the SAD (B) is in power,” the report said. The local unit has decided to fight for the cause of cotton growers and would demand 60 per cent compensation from the state government besides strong action against some insecticide dealers. The meeting also took the government to task for choosing the wrong time to close canals for desilting in the region and warned of an agitation if the authorities did not mend their ways.
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‘Problems of traders to be resolved soon’
Bathinda, August 31 Assuring the traders of solving their problems at the earliest, Kapoor asked them to bring their grievances in writing and they could contact him on first three days of the week at Punjab Agro-Industries office in Chandigarh. He would be available at its Bathinda office on the remaining working days, Kapoor added.
— TNS |
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In a gruesome incident, a person killed his two teenaged daughters and then tried to commit suicide here today.
Bathinda, August 31
Fazilka SDM Rajiv Prashar has set an example by scaling the difficult areas of Gangotri and Leh on his bike while spreading the message of checking female foeticide and global warming. Prashar returned here after completing his eight-day tour of 1,800 km along with his two companions. He is perhaps the only PCS officer of the state to have undertaken such a daredevil act.
Moga, August 31
