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Allegations against Moga MC
Trucker electrocuted while averting accident, two hurt
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Post of Improvement Trust
chief
Rampura Phul bus stand ready
Docs say sweets may sour your fest
Dist BJP leaders boycott minister
Three killed in road mishap
Bid to grab temple land foiled in Abohar
Mansa markets witness fall in cotton arrival
Hanumangarh put on high alert
Award for college
Efforts on to lift standard of education, says Nannu
Teachers meet DPI
Blood donation camp organised
‘Kisan Mela got positive response’
New block at Abohar hospital
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VB probe put off for now
Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service
Moga, October 4 Sources revealed that a team of the VB, along with technical experts, visited the town on Friday and summoned all the MC officials concerned to collect samples of the works done during Jain’s tenure. The VB officials collected one sample of the road from railway road for laboratory examination. However, the complainants were not summoned by the officials. One of the complainants, Ajay Gora, said as per the legal provisions and set procedure, the presence of complainants was necessary while collecting samples. When Gora came to know that the inquiry team was collecting samples without his presence, he lodged a protest with the VB officials following which the work of collecting samples was suspended. A VB official revealed that fresh date of collecting samples would be decided soon so as to ensure the presence of complainants. It may be mentioned that a complaint in this regard was lodged with the VB by another former president of the MC, K.S. Gill, and Gora, a former councillor, over a year ago, who had alleged that sub-standard material was used in the construction of roads and streets of the town. The corrupt practices had resulted in misuse of public funds meant for development works, they further alleged. Earlier, on July 7, the VB had called technical experts to collect the samples. But the then executive officer of the MC, Brij Mohan Jham, instead of co-operating with the investigating agency, used his influence to gather a section of MC officials and employees in front of the office of the DSP so as to protest against the VB inquiry. At that time, he brought a letter issued by the local bodies department dated April 13, signed by the director-cum-special secretary of the department, that in a meeting with the chief minister on April 11, it was decided that the ‘interference of the VB has been stopped in the local bodies and all such cases will be inquired by the internal vigilance wing of the department’. The local officials of the bureau had sought a clarification on this letter from their higher authorities, who took about three months to issue directions to carry on the inquiry.
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Trucker electrocuted while averting accident, two hurt
Abohar, October 4 As per information gathered from different sources, including eye-witnesses, four truckloads of bricks left Abohar for Jodhpur as most of the areas in Rajasthan are facing a shortage of bricks. One of these trucks was moving behind a tractor-trailer that was carrying potatoes for sale at Sriganganagar. At one point, it appeared that the truck and the tractor-trailer would collide. To avert the collision, the driver of the truck pressed brakes but lost control. Resultantly, the truck hit a roadside building so hard that it collided with an electricity pole at about 11 pm on Friday. Electric current passed through the truck. Simultaneously, its diesel storage tanks also caught fire. Driver Gurvinder Singh of village Bargadi in Muktsar district got electrocuted and was trapped in the fire as well. However, his assistant Lakhbir Singh of village Bargadi, district Muktsar, managed to jump before the collision. Meanwhile, the tractor-trailer overturned and Binder Singh of Rampura Phul got buried under the heap of potatoes. Some residents of village Maujgarh rushed for help. They rescued Lakhbir and Binder. Both were rushed to the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital at Abohar. The doctors later referred Lakhbir to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College Hospital at Faridkot. Some witnesses said fire tenders from Abohar and Sriganganagar were called but none could control the fire due to insufficient water. By then, many trees had caught fire besides the house that was hit by the heavy-duty tractor. Even at 10 am today, the vehicle was on fire when newsmen visited the spot. No fire tender was there. The charred body of the 21-year-old Gurvinder was shifted to the local civil hospital for post-mortem by the Khuyiansarwar police. |
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Post of Improvement Trust
chief Rajay Deep Tribune News Service
Bathinda, October 4 It has been learnt that three BJP leaders from Bathinda are leaving no stone unturned to grab the seat. Though not one of them has openly staked his claim to the seat, yet all of them are reportedly putting in their best efforts to please the top brass of the party so that the nod is in their favour. As per the norm, there would be six trustees. Three of them would picked from among the BMC councillors. Three others would be nominated. One of them would be appointed the chairman of the trust. Interestingly, none of three stalwarts in question hold any position in the Bathinda Municipal Corporation. Of the three names, Ashok Bharati and Mohan Lal, lost in the recent BMC polls, while the third, Parminder Goyal, did not even contest the elections. Speculations are rife that the trio have their equations right with different BJP leaders. As per the reports, Parminder Goyal is in the good books of Madan Mohan Mittal. Ashok Bharti has good terms with Manoranjan Kalia, while Mohan Lal is close to Laxmi Kanta Chawla. All three have been reportedly making their best efforts to make them push for their candidature. One issue is that no one wants a loser in the BMC polls to get the seat of the trust chairman. The winner should also be designated as a trustee. Moreover, one's association with the party is also likely to be taken into account before taking any decision. Mohan Lal joined the RSS through the ABVP in 1966. Ashok Bharti got attached to the party in 1978 and now hold the portfolio of the convener of the state intellectual cell of the BJP. Parminder Goyal joined the RSS in 1973 and had remained a state executive member ever since. As per the seniority, Mohan Lal deserves the seat but losing in the BMC polls and having already served in the Improvement Trust in 2000-02 is proving to be hurdle for him. Bharti being sober, has less opponents but his perceibved "weak" hold on the district administration in comparison to other contenders is proving to be a hindrance for him. He was once suspended from the party in 1995 on some charges. Meanwhile, Goyal is a ‘fresher’ at this level, so the party seniors do not want him to reach this stage. It may be mentioned that other than the above mentioned names, there were two more in the race. All the contenders are now waiting for the visit of BJP general secretary Kamal Sharma and ex-minister Balram Ji Dass Tondon, who are scheduled to visit the city on Sunday to bolster their chances.
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‘Bus passengers to get insurance
cover’
Rajay Deep Tribune News Service
Rampura Phul (Bathinda), October 4 The minister claimed it was for the first time that the state government had chalked out a policy to provide instant relief to the families of road accident victims. Master Mohan Lal was in town to inaugurate the city bus stand. Giving details about the projects, he said 250 new buses would soon be added to the existing fleet while 50 air-conditioned buses would be added on Punjab Day. He said all future bus stands would be equipped with AC lounges and staff rooms. He also announced that the Rampura bus stand would be named after a martyr. The minister stated that after converting the Bathinda and Patiala bus stands into state-of-the-art facilities, the bus stands at Raman Mandi, Fatehgarh Sahib and Maur Mandi would also get a facelift. Mohan Lal said that the present government, till date, had added a fleet of 164 new buses and 300 drivers, 250 conductors and 320 technical staff had been appointed in the state transport department. "When we came to power, Punjab roadways was running losses worth Rs 162 crore, which has now been reduced to Rs 52 crore. The PRTC which was running a loss of Rs 3 crore has also now managed to earn a profit of Rs 10 lakh," he said.
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Docs say sweets may sour your fest
Bathinda, October 4 The alleged use of adulterated milk, synthetic colours and acids in the preparation of the sweets by some unscrupulous manufacturers, too, does not augur well for the consumers. As per the recent report of the milk samples taken by local health authorities in the past 25 days, as many as 36 out of the 70 samples have failed the test. The department officials have also taken about a dozen samples of sweets from various shops and sent them to a laboratory in Chandigarh. The results are awaited, as it takes at least 40 days for the report to come. In the meantime, the sales of sweets have already peaked. Though the sweets are irresistible, especially in the festive season, but the doctors have pointed out that these should be avoided as much as possible, as some ingredients used in their preparation could even be carcinogenic. The doctors advise that only the sweets that have been prepared without the use of synthetic colours should be used and that too in small quantities. Dr M.K. Chhabra, a nephrologist, says, "Though no specific case pertaining to any ailment arising out of consumption of sweets has come to my notice, it is an established fact that the colours used to make sweets attractive can harm kidneys and even lead to food pipe cancer or stomach cancer. The best option is to consume 'mithai' in its pure, 'desi' form." Dr Rajesh Jindal, a cardiologist, says that high consumption of all milk products is not good for heart. But, he adds, cheese, particularly the variety prepared using acid, is very harmful, as it can lead to heart problems and even be carcinogenic. He says that cheap colours used in the sweets are also very harmful and the health authorities should check if the sweets shop owners are using only the recommended colours within the permissible limits. Dr Kasturi Lal, District Health Officer, said that the department had taken more than a dozen samples and no action could be taken against the erring 'halwais' till the reports were out and adulteration was proved. He also added that the samples were taken as a routine exercise and no specific drive was on keeping in view the festive season. A prominent sweets shop owner, when contacted, however, denied the use of any sub-standard ingredient in the preparation of the sweets. Denying the use of any acid or adulterated milk in the preparation of mithais, he claimed that only the approved edible colours were being used to make the sweets. |
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Dist BJP leaders boycott minister
Rampura Phul (Bathinda), October 4 The minister today visited Rampura to inaugurate the bus stand built at an estimated cost of Rs 1.29 crore. After the inauguration, he addressed the gathering. Ironically, neither the urban unit president of the district BJP, Narender Mittal, nor the rural unit president Dyal Dass Sodhi, were present there. After the function, when contacted over the phone, Dyal Dass Sodhi gave vent to his feelings, saying, "When the minister did not even bother to inform me (a district unit president), how can he expect me to come and pay my respects to him?" "There should be proper communication at least with the district leaders before chalking out any programme. It is not a personal issue, but many of the workers wish to list their grievances before the minister. But the minister showed a wrong attitude towards the district workers. Frustrated, I along with my supporters opted to stay away from the function," he added. Narender Mittal had a similar reply. He said, "The minister has been nursing the myth that he has attained a high stature. So, he opted not to even send a message about his visit to the district president." “This act of the minister was unethical as it was against the party's policy and it would be discussed at a party meeting in the future," he said. |
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Three killed in road mishap
Bathinda, October 4 Volunteers of the Sahara Jan Seva rushed the bodies and the injured to the civil hospital, Bathinda. Giving details about the mishap, the volunteers of the NGO said that the victims were returning to Dabwali after attending a wedding ceremony at a city hotel in Bathinda. Their car bearing the registration number HR 24 C 7041 collided with a PRTC bus (PB 11N 0762) that was coming from the opposite direction. Father, son booked for killing neighbour Bathinda: The Cantonment police booked a resident of village Bhucho Kalan along with his son and another accomplice for killing a 23-year-old neighbour, Jasvir Singh, who was having an affair with his daughter. According to police sources, the accused called Jasvir from his home on Thursday evening. When the victim did not return home at night, his father complained to the police. After investigation, the police found that the accused had killed him and thrown the body at Chak Ram Singh Wala. After a search operation, the body was found on Friday from a canal distributary. After the postmortem, body was handed over to the family of the deceased. A case under sections 364, 302 and 201 of the IPC has been registered against the accused. — TNS
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Bid to grab temple land foiled in Abohar
Abohar, October 4 As per information, about a dozen followers of Kalanwali (Haryana) based Mahant Shiva Nand of Udaseen sect allegedly indulged in breaking the locks of the main gate of the Kutia on the Sahitya Sadan road and tried to take its possession. This caused tension in the locality. Some members of the committee, including its vice- president Brahm Parkash Bhusari rushed to the Kutia after informing the police. DSP Parampal Singh and SHO Jagrup Singh led a heavy contingent of the local police and rounded up 10 persons, who were camping inside. The DSP assured the residents that no one would be allowed to disturb peace and harmony by unlawful acts. The committee claimed that the family of Murari Lal Ahuja had legally handed over the possession of the property to run a branch of the Geeta Mandir. Some sadhus were allowed to camp here temporarily and their head had later left for his native village in Uttar Pradesh. Regretfully, some Mahants had been conspiring to grab such religious places and had indulged in killings also in some villages of the sub-division in the past few years. A bid to grab the Kutia had also been made during last year but alert devotees foiled that, a spokesman for the Mandir said in the evening. |
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Mansa markets witness fall in cotton arrival
Mansa, October 4 According to sources, about 7.12 lakh quintal of cotton had arrived in the markets for procurement last year while this year, only 4.15 lakh quintal of cotton has been brought to the markets so far. Delay in procurement by the Cotton Corporation of India
(CCI) on a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,800 is being considered as the main reason for poor arrival. Mahinder Singh, a farmer of village
Bhainibhagha, said private lenders had auctioned the cotton at the rate of Rs 2,400 to 2,500 per quintal. Another farmer Nek Singh of village Tuthianwali also said they were not getting the genuine price for cotton. It may be mentioned that the CCI has not started procurement of cotton for want of green signal from the Mandi Board. Farmers prefer to take their produce to the markets in Haryana and Rajasthan where they are getting high price, between Rs 3,000 and 3,100 per quintal. This is the main reason of low turnout in the markets of Punjab. The Bharatiya Kisan Union and the Punjab Kisan Union have demanded procurement of cotton through the CCI at Rs 2,800 a quintal. |
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Hanumangarh put on high alert
Hanumangarh/Abohar, October 4 The sub-divisional magistrate at Hanumangarh has been asked to coordinate with his counterparts in Sangria, Tibbi, Peelibanga, Nohar, Rawatsar and Bhadra areas. The naib tehsildars have been directed to keep vigil in Pallu and Chhanibadi sub-tehsils. Deputy commissioner Sinha said some anti-social elements were trying to vitiate the atmosphere by spreading rumours. Lack of proper information might endanger communal harmony and peace, she added. Seeking cooperation from the caretakers of all religious places and members of their managing committees, the DC alerted the civil and police officials also. Rumour-mongers would be dealt with firmly, she warned.—
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Award for college
Bathinda, October 4 Punjab minister for health and family welfare Laxmi Kanta Chawla presented the award to Dr Yadwinder Singh Brar, NSS coordinator, on Voluntary Blood Donation Day which was observed in Guru Nanak College Banga on October 1. The college principal appreciated the efforts of the students and the staff in this regard. This is the only college that has received this honour along with other welfare agencies engaged in this noble cause. The NSS unit of the college is planning to hold another blood donation camp on October 22.
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Efforts on to lift standard of education, says Nannu
Ferozepur, October 4 Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Revenue) Sukhpal Singh Nannu presided over the concluding session, which was attended by S.C. Jaiswal, regional director,
CHO, besides Bharat Singh, HoD, Hindi Department, Delhi University, Rishi Chaubey and Satinder Singh. Paramvir Sharma, principal of the institute, explained how the experts dwelled on making the teaching of the language more effective and
interesting. Nannu spoke about the initiatives undertaken by the SAD-BJP government to uplift the quality of education. He said the government was making concerted efforts to improve the educational standards of the government institutions.
— OC |
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Teachers meet DPI
Barnala, October 4 Giving the information, Sukhwinder Singh Bhandari, district general secretary of the Dal said the delegation apprised the director about the various grievances and demands of the teachers, including transfer of pending GPF cases to DDOs. He said about 60,000 cases were still pending with the director, public inspection, Punjab. The Adhayapk Dal has demanded immediate transfer of the GPF cases to drawing and disbursing officer of the schools concerned in the various districts. He said the director had accepted the demand and directed its officials to transfer all the pending cases to DDOs concerned within next three months. Bhandari said she also assured them of looking into their other demands. |
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Blood donation camp organised
Bathinda, October 4 Baldev Singh, sarpanch of the village, inaugurated the camp. Speaking on the occasion, Baljit Singh, chairman of the club, emphasised the need for voluntary blood donations to meet the increasing demand for blood and its components in the region. He donated blood for the 54th time on the occasion.
— TNS
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‘Kisan Mela got positive response’
Bathinda, October 4 In a press release issued here on Saturday, G.S. Buttar, director of the local station, informed that the response of the farmers to the mela was so overwhelming that seeds of new wheat variety PBW 550 worth Rs 49.7 lakh were sold as compared to Rs 15-20 lakh in the last Kisan Mela. Buttar advised the farmers to sow the new wheat variety in the month of November to get higher yield.
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New block at Abohar hospital
Abohar, October 4 Municipal council president Shiv Raj Goyal presided over the function while social activist Ved Lohia was the special guest. Sharda recalled that noted philanthropist and social activist Purshotam Lal Sharda had planted the sapling of service to the humanity but it had grown up into a large project for Sabha members efforts.
— OC |
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Rampura Phul (Bathinda), October 4
