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Mid-day meal Fried Lizard found in the mid-day-meal in a government school near Abohar on Saturday. Photo: Raj Sadosh
Abohar registers second gang-rape in a fortnight
Communal Harmony
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PSEB union members wave black flag at Sangat Darshan
Primary games fail to begin, kids disappointed
Pak qawwal not allowed to visit native town
Fake currency case
Rajasthan poll observers, candidates to meet today
TechNet-2008
Annual sports day
10 held in Mansa for carrying illegal arms
Jubilee celebrations
One killed in road mishap
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Dish had fried lizard this time
Raj Sadosh
Abohar, November 22 Panicky parents also thronged the school complexes in other areas to know about the welfare of their wards when told that meals had already been served in some of the institutions. Head teacher, Krishna Kumari on noticing the lizard at about 12.30 pm when the contractors supplied the meals, informed local advisory committee chairman Gurbux Singh, sarpanch Jashandeep Kaur and Block Primary Education Officer Mohinder Kaur. Before rushing to the school, the latter informed the sub divisional authorities. Some officials including Tehsildar, Avtar Singh reached the village and summoned the local in-charge of the so-called NGO, which had been given the contract by the Education department for supplying mid-day-meal to about 70,000 students in Abohar and neighboring sub divisions. The police was also informed sensing trouble against the contractors but the officials were able to pacify agitated parents assuring that stern action would be taken against the guilty. Some members of the village panchayat and teachers organisation regretted that the administration had not taken any action on finding cockroaches and ants in rice, vegetable and pulses earlier whereas the government talked much of improving hygiene in the institutions. They suspected politicians-administration-contractors nexus in the foul play. They further said that the schoolteachers had been serving “halwa” as per set menu on each Saturday. But the contractors lamented that the menu given to them did not include halwa.
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Abohar registers second gang-rape in a fortnight
Abohar, November 22 As per information available, a Baba Deep Singh Nagar resident stated that she had been working as a helper at the marriage functions to make her both ends meet. On November 16, one of her neighbours, a truck driver by profession, tried to molest her daughter in an inebriated condition. She reported the matter to the local police which started investigations the next day. She further said that on Thursday, she was waiting for the bus near city bypass for Malout where she was to assist at a marriage function. Her neighbour along with three accomplices kidnapped her in his truck and they gagged her with a piece of cloth before gang-raping her. They released her only after she put her thumb impression on a paper to testify that she was not interested in pursuing the complaint regarding the alleged bid to molest her daughter. The hospital authorities have referred the papers to the city police for further proceedings. In a separate case, on November 10, a minor girl of Dharam Nagar here had appeared before the SDM along with her relatives and stated in her complaint that on the previous day while she was returning from a medicine shop after purchasing medicine for an ailing member of the family, eight boys came in a car and kidnapped her. They allegedly took her to the fields and gang-raped her. Late at night, they dropped her back in a semi-conscious state near her house and sped away in the vehicle. The SDM confirmed that he had referred the application to the senior medical officer of the local civil hospital for necessary action. Sources in the hospital had confirmed that the victim was medically examined. The police had, so far, not revealed about the action taken upon. |
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Week passes unnoticed
Anjali Singh Deswal Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 22 Educational institutions play a prime role in promoting communal harmony by organising seminars, debates, painting competition, essay, slogan writing, symposiums, workshops and cultural programmes. But in Bathinda, authorities appeared oblivious to it. DC Rahul Tewari, when asked, said, "I don't know about it. No information has come to us in this regard." Not just the authorities, even children in the city are also clueless. Most children said they have heard of national integration but don't know what it is. Many educational institutions across the country organise events to make the children aware about national integration. But educational institutions in the city did not appear to show any cuch interest. Is it that communal harmony is not needed in the city or that the whole official machinery has become involved in making the Virasat Mela a success?. DEO Baljinder Singh Mann, when asked about the Communal Harmony Week, said, "I am not aware of what is to be done because I have not got any orders regarding it from the administration."
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PSEB union members wave black flag at Sangat Darshan
Bathinda, November 22 While talking to TNS, the employees of technical services union alleged that the protest was against the suspension of seven PSEB employees of Patiala division. They were demanding the reinstatement of the employees. In the protest, activists from Malout, Abohar and Gidderbaha of the PSEB divisions, took part. Earlier, during Sangat Darshan, Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister, toured Goniana, Bhucho and Behman Diwana, where he granted various development projects worth Rs 15 crore, including repair of roads, water supply and sewerage works. Badal instructed the officials of the irrigation department to keep a check on canal water thefts in the state. He also passed orders for transferring an official of the PSEB from Bathinda district after villagers had complained against the working of the official. Later, addressing a press conference here, the chief minister said that the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), after conducting a special survey, was preparing a list of farmers and farm labourers for their alleged suicides in the state. Talking about the statement of Simranjit Singh Maan of the SAD (Amritsar) that his party would put up candidates to contest against the Badal family at all seats, the CM said contesting elections was a democratic right of one and all. Badal, however, parried the query whether any member of his family would contest from Bathinda. When apprised about the complaints regarding poor standards of the mid-day meal, he said the government was contemplating upon hiring a private company which would provide meals at the cost of Rs 2 per meal per child. |
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Primary games fail to begin, kids disappointed
Bathinda, November 22 District Sports Officer Ranjit Brar said, "According to the schedule of the state government, the games were supposed to begin on November 14 but nothing happened. We are ignorant of the reasons as to why the games did not begin.” “All the schools got letters containing information about the games. For organising these games, the state government used to release funds but this year, we only got letters and no funds. The children are ready and we have arranged for their sports kits, that are given during the march past, which happens as the games begin. But they are lying with us. We are still waiting for the games to happen but it seems that enthusiastic students would be disappointed,” Brar added. Coaches organised camps at various places to train children for these games this year as well. Sukhwinder Singh organised a camp for girls to train them in kabaddi at Baluana village from November 3-13. But the children got disheartened because the games did not begin as scheduled. "The government did not organise games as decided and fresh dates have not been announced yet. It is tentative whether the games would take place this year or not. Winter has arrived and it is very cold in Bathinda. If the games happen now, then it would affect the performance of the children due to the cold. Girls were very enthusiastic when I began the camp but as the games did not happen, their enthusiasm too vanished," Sukhwinder added. DEO (Primary), when contacted, stated that the administration only would know the actual reason for postponing the games. "The district administration does not decide the schedule of these games. We conducted the district-level games according to the schedule but we are totally unaware of the state-level games," Dhillon added. Whether the games happen or not, the children who were keen to participate, have been affected to a great extent. Children were discouraged as their efforts went in vain. |
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Pak qawwal not allowed to visit native town
Bathinda, November 22 He has come here for the first time to take part in the Virasat Mela this evening and it was his "desire" to visit Bhadaur where many of his relatives reside. His grandfather and some other members of the clan lay buried in the graveyard there. Mehar Ali said that the objection raised by the authorities in his visit to Bhadaur was that his visa was only for Bathinda and Phagwara. His first cousin and other relatives had come here to meet him in the hotel where he was staying. His paternal uncle had stayed back at Bhadaur where his son Raj Mohammad was pursuing the family tradition of music. He wants India and Pakistan to soften the border between the two countries so that the families of Punjab divided during the partition could meet like those of Jammu and Kashmir. Mehar Ali was leading the troupe alone as his younger brother Sher Ali was unable to come due to fractured leg. His father, Badaruddin Khan, had migrated to Kasur from where he shifted to Multan in 1965 before finally settling down in Faisalabad in 1982. He was annoyed that getting visa, particularly for visiting Punjab, was an uphill task. The restrictions for the divided families in particular should be relaxed, he said. Mehar Ali, who has over the years made a name in sufi music, was hopeful that the authorities would positively respond to his request and allow him to visit Bhadaur before he leaves tomorrow for Phagwara where he has to participate in a programme on November 24. He prayed to "Allah" that the peace talks between India and Pakistan should reach a logical end so that the people on both sides were benefited. He said that the opening of the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K for trade and visit of members of divided families on the basis of permit issued by the respective deputy commissioners instead of passport and visa was a welcome step and was appreciated also by people in Pakistan. His close relative and a young Punjabi singer, Masha Ali, has made a name in Punjab and the classical singer, Magar Ali, was also related to him. Mehar Ali said that the Indian film star Shahrukh Khan was quite popular in Pakistan and people love to watch his movies on the TV channels. The Indian TV serials were also popular in Pakistan, he added. |
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Cop held, sent on police remand
Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service
Moga, November 22 The police had booked one Balwinder Kaur of nearby Duneke village allegedly trying to deposit fake currency in her account with the Oriental Bank of Commerce’s railway road branch here. The manager of the bank had complained to the police that the said woman brought Rs 40,000 to deposit in her account, out of which, 18 currency notes of Rs 500 denomination were found to be fake. On the basis of the complaint, the police had registered a criminal case. In her statement, the said woman had alleged that she got Rs 10,000 as loan from one Mohammad Azij, who is a tenant of a cop. He had arranged the money from a head constable with the police. During the course of investigation, the police picked up the head constable, Darbara Singh, from Ludhiana on Friday night and produced him before a local court here. The court sent the accused on two days of police remand for further investigations. Sources said that Azij, through whom the fake currency was allegedly given to the woman, had also come under scanner. Further, the police was also probing the reports that this fake currency was smuggled into the country from Pakistan and about the possible links of the policeman with drug smugglers and terrorists.
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Rajasthan poll observers, candidates to meet today
Sriganganagar/Abohar, November 22 Aruna, while addressing the sector officers and civil officers of Sadulshehar and Sriganganagar in the Zila Parishad hall on Saturday, laid emphasis on better vigil on the polling centres identified as sensitive, extremely sensitive and critical. The DC informed that ROs and AROs had been instructed that the last date for submitting the postal ballot proforma had been fixed for November 28. So far, 200 posters have been removed, five vehicles, three loudspeakers seized and 13 cases have been registered. The flying squad of the Excise Department had conducted raids at 120 places and destroyed 27 litres of illicit liquor besides smashing 50 working units. More than 6,000 habitual criminals have been booked under relevant sections of the CrPC. — OC
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TechNet-2008
Abohar, November 22 He, earlier, released balloons and hoisted the flag amidst fine band performance by the students to inaugurate the function. Jakhar, further said the big bang theory was being replicated. There was a revolution in the world of communications. Humanity was at its best with its Tech Net weapons. But, he asked, “Do we know where we are heading towards? What about the world of feelings, emotions and human sensitivities? Let us ponder over it, whether it should be technology for humanity or humanity for technology.” He complimented principal Kusum Khungar and local advisory committee chairman, Dev Mittar Ahuja for arranging such an important event in the remote area of Punjab. He was happy to find that the teams from more than a dozen cities had arrived here to participate. CBSE assistant education officer, S.K. Jaina, Regional director of DAV schools, B.C. Josan and DAVIET director, C.L. Cochhar also presented their views on the topic.
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Annual sports day
Abohar, November 22 S.K. Jaina, assistant education officer of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), was the chief guest while Dr Parminder Sharma, principal of Bhag Singh Hayer Khalsa College for Women, Kala Tibba, was the guest of honour. About 50 students won a huge applause as they performed group dance on a popular number of Gurdas Mann mixing it with folk dances of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Equally eye catching was the group dance by tiny-tots on ‘Bam Bam Bhole’, a famous bollywood number. In the sports events held today, the winners included Deekshant Godara, Harmeet Singh, Arvind, Amandeep, Sanjeeva, Ramanjit Kaur, Sukh Sagar, Deepa, Hardeep Singh, Pawandeep Singh, Samta, Amanpreet, Chakshu, Kavish, Piyush, Raymon, Rahul and Ravish. While reading out the school’s annual report, principal Kuriakose V K informed that four students of the school, namely Sanjeeva, Dharampal, Navdeep and Khushpal had qualified for the national school sports.
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10 held in Mansa for carrying illegal arms
Mansa, November 22 Manwinder Singh, SSP, Mansa, said acting on a tip-off, ASI Rajinder Singh set up the naka and stopped a Tata Sumo for checking. During the search, a country-made pistol and three cartridges were recovered from 10 persons in the vehicle. Giving details, the SSP said the pistol was recovered from Leela Singh of Budhlada. He hails from village Palwa, district Jind in Haryana. Others who were travelling along with him in the vehicle were also arrested after some sharp-edged weapons were recovered from their possession. The police has registered a case under sections 399 and 402 of the Arms Act.
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Jubilee celebrations
Bathinda, November 22 The arrangement was made in the open and many kids were seen almost shivering due to the cold. Cars were haphazardly parked on the surrounding roads causing problems to commuters. In spite of Manpreet Singh Badal, finance minister, arriving as the chief guest, only one police vehicle was seen taking care of security. But the kids put up a vibrant show and Pandora's Box and the Naga dance were especially liked by the audience. |
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One killed in road mishap
Abohar, November 22 The injured were identified as Bhaga Ram and Banwari Lal of village Choohriwala Dhanna. Some persons shifted them to the local civil hospital but the doctors referred Bhaga Ram to Ludhiana.
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government and government-aided schools in the sub division to not serve mid-day-meal to the students as fried lizard had reportedly been found in the vegetable that was supplied to the Government Elementary School in village Bahawalbassi about 10 km from here.
Bathinda, November 22
