Bathinda, December 1
To spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, students of several schools and colleges, besides district officials carried out a rally as the city observed the 20th World AIDS Day today. In the evening, students, scouts, defence and railway personnel held an awareness march that culminated at the railway station, where the participants, in hundreds, lit candles before a large red ribbon (international symbol of HIV/AIDS awareness) raised for the purpose.

“Though the march has concluded but efforts would not cease and we would continue to sensitise people about the dreaded disease,” said Narinder Kumar Bassi, community AIDS educator, UNAIDS.

He said his day started at 5 am and was spent spreading awareness about AIDS to at least 25,000 persons through lectures and distributing red ribbons, posters, flexes, leaflets and the VCDs of a movie titled ‘Saavdhan’ made by the BSF and the UNAIDS.

Those sensitised included students, teachers, prisoners, railway personnel, passengers and defence personnel, among others.

Sarup Chand Singla, area in-charge, SAD (B), also lit a candle on the occasion.

Referring to the recent Mumbai terror strike, Ankur, Ujjwal, Rohin and Sahil, science students who were a part of the march, said there was no difference between AIDS and terrorism as both aimed at killing people. “By spreading awareness about AIDS, we can at least curb one of the tough problems bothering the world.”

Ria, a class XI student, and her friend said, “We are aware of the disease and would make others aware too.”

About 30 scouts and guides, under the headship of Paramjeet Singh of Northern Railway Bharat Scouts and Guides, also spent their day sensitising people on the deadly disease.

Major Rajeev Bhargava, NCC, said there was a dire need to make the youth aware about the fatal virus as future lies with them only.

Kulwinder Kaur, who was leading the NCC guides, said, “At present, prevention can only save people from AIDS and it is possible only if they know about it.”

One lakh persons from all walks of life, including students, pledged through a signature campaign that they would spread awareness against AIDS.

To mark the day, Baba Farid Institute of Highter and Foreign Studies organised a seminar on AIDS awareness, where a lecture on the subject was delivered to the students and faculty members.

The audience also vowed to inform people about the causes and precautions related to the fatal disease.

Meanwhile, a rally was organised under the leadership of civil surgeon Neelam Bajaj and assistant civil surgeon Indu Bhushan Aggarwal today.

DC Rahul Tewari flagged off the rally after releasing balloons carrying AIDS awareness slogans.

Students from various school and colleges besides volunteers of local NGOs participated in the rally carrying banners and placards with AIDS awareness messages.

They also raised slogans as the rally that began from the Fire Brigade Chowk traversed through the main markets of the city to culminate at the Hanuman Chowk.

A tableaux calling for prevention against the disease was also organised on the occasion.

ITBP jawans and their commanding officer besides chief medical officer, district vaccination officer, family welfare officer and mass media officer were also part of the rally.

Bathinda, December 1
Blaming the politics of vote bank as the prime reason behind the festering terrorism in the country, the Indian Ex-Services League today said that unless care is taken to prepare electoral rolls by enlisting only genuine voters, terrorists will continue to dodge the authorities with the help of fake identity cards they procure. This is the root cause for the terror attacks that stalk us like plague, said Lt Colonel (retd) Daya Singh of the League.

The terror attack on Taj and Oberoi Hotels in Mumbai will be remembered for long by those who have concern for national security and safety. The security lapses call for introspection of our governance system and to perceive tragedy likely to happen in the days to come, said Singh.

Nothing can be paid to the Armed Forces to match the risk and valiance with which they are called upon to sacrifice their lives. It is also ironical that the government drags its feet when it comes to restoring pay parity of defence forces but on their death, lakhs are doled out as reward. Why to make a mockery of the system that can work well to foster a cohesive teamwork for safety of our country, Singh asked?

Pointing out that the Falkland war of 1982 between England and Argentina reminded us well on how to protect our coast lines, Singh said that India’s manpower resources trained well by Army and Navy who are retired young to keep the youthful profile for  agility to fight on land and sea, can be utilised to the extent of 40 per cent with 60 per cent new entrants for surveillance and marine attacks.

A vital weak link in our national security is the perfunctory manner in which electoral rolls are prepared by enlisting voters sleeping on footpaths and in urban slums on public land without verifying their identity. Hence there is need to prevent terrorists from obtaining fake identity cards. These points have been highlighted to the CEC for corrective actions but only with a limited success due to vote bank politics.

This is the root cause of all serial bomb blasts be it in trains or metropolitan cities or Hotels like Taj or Oberoi or even the parliament-the temple of our largest democracy in the world to satisfy our ego. Only the God Almighty can save us. Earlier we learn these lessons, better it will be for the National Security and Public Safety only if we want to exist honorably in the world.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, December 1
While reaffirming determination to weed out terrorism from the homeland, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that Congress would make no politics on this issue, rather appeals to all political parties to avoid exploiting people on the base of caste, creed, language and religion. We must understand that nation matters most than petty personal interests, he said.

Addressing a mammoth rally at Hanumangarh today, he paid tributes to the brave soldiers and civilians who had lost lives in terror attack in Mumbai. Let's give a united and determined fight to weed out terrorism, the Prime Minister sought to convey top brass of other political parties.

People raised hands and shouted "lathi goli ki sarkar nahin rahegi, nahin rahegi" as Manmohan Singh lambasted the BJP government in Rajasthan for indulging in repressive measures, including lathicharge and firing to crush farmers agitation at Gharsana in district Sriganganagar. The saffron party, he recalled, had promised urban consumers electricity supply for 24 hours a day besides ensuring 8 hour supply to the rural consumers but failed to fulfill the promise even when she (Chief Minister) claimed of attaining self- sufficiency in power generation by and large. The state government failed in making water available to farming community even for drinking. About 1.75 lakh applications for tube well connection were lying unattended in Rajasthan. The BJP opposed the nuclear treaty with USA teeth and nail whereas this was the right way to generate electricity to meet needs of millions, he regretted. The crowd responded with "no no" as he asked should such anti-farmer government be voted to power again. He alleged that the BJP-led government in Rajasthan preferred to oblige MNCs by handing over fertile agricultural land in some cities instead of bettering irrigation facilities.

Alleging that the non-congress governments (including Rajasthan) had mischievously delayed/detained implementation of the public welfare schemes launched by the UPA government to defame the Congress, Manmohan Singh said there had been no discrimination in passing on funds to the state government, by his government, under the Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojna to link each village with pucca road. A sum of Rs 35,000 crore had been earmarked under the Food Security Mission and National Agric cultural Development Scheme. Small farmers were offered Rs 70,000 crore debt relief. Even when inflation posed a challenge, we enhanced MSP for wheat from Rs 639 to 1000 and that of paddy from 560 to 900 per quintal. Subsidy on fertilizers was also increased despite of adverse conditions, he said.

While terming the BJP as anti-farmer and anti-poor, the Prime Minister observed its leadership suffered of "Nafrat" and "Ahankar" like evils. Their governments in the states were reluctant in passing on the benefits of NREGA, Mid-day meal and Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan schemes to needy and deserving people. The central government had set up 25 primary health centres and 1.46 lakh sub centres to provide basic relief to about 6 lakh women. We made another sincere effort to improve the life of female population by employing then under the Asha and Anganwari schemes. The age limit for old age pension schemes was raised to 65. This too was not followed by some non-congress governments, he regretted.

"If you wish that all the schemes could be continued by the congress, please vote against the BJP. Not only your but the future of your wards depends on the incoming poll day. Don't get swayed by misleading and false promises being made by the non-congress parties who you had already tested and tried", he exhorted.

Hanumangarh district congress president Vinod Kumar offered him garland. Sangria candidate Param Navdeep was among those present on the dais. AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik said the Vasundhra Raje government indulged in blood bath by using bullets during 28 agitations during past 5 years.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, December 1
Even when the organisers this time abandoned the decades old practice of ferrying workers from other areas across the inter-state border to increase the size of an election rally, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's rally was termed as one of the best held so far.

He landed at Suratgarh airport where Sriganganagar district Congress president Prithipal Singh Sandhu and party candidate Ganga Jal Meel from Suratgarh segment discussed with him, over the tea, problems faced by the people allegedly due to the misrule of the BJP in Rajasthan. They apprised him of the shortcomings in NREGA and other public welfare schemes owing to poor implementation by the state government.

Interestingly, election managers normally get tired and prefer to halt campaigning for a day at least but Mahila Congress activists led by Vijay Chaudhary were found addressing a well attended meeting exclusively of women in a village where Muslims are in good numbers.

Another significant development was the decision to support Congress candidate Santosh Saharan in Sadulshehar segment by Guru Atam Vallabh Jain Sarv Dharam Sabha.

BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu too drew a sizable crowd as he campaigned for BJP candidate Harnek Singh Kaler in Srikaranpur segment.

Abohar, December 1
A five-day holiday will be observed by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) beginning Wednesday to clear the glut of cotton in local ginning and pressing factories, V.P. Nagpal, in-charge of Punjab zone, has informed the local market committee and other officials.

Nagpal said the CCI had so far purchased about 24 lakh quintal of Narma cotton from different markets but the ginning factories were unable to process the stock reportedly due to acute power shortage besides other technical reasons. He said that baseless reports appearing in a section of the local media that the CCI might stop purchase at the MSP as it had achieved the stipulated target. Rather, the CCI had decided to continue the purchase even after March 31 as late sowing in some villages would result in late arrivals. There was no reason for the cotton growers to be panicky over the baseless reports, we are determined to help them for an indefinite period, he asserted.

Meanwhile, Harpal Singh, secretary of the market committee, said that the arrival of cotton was nine per cent more than last year so far with the purchase recorded here at 4.60 lakh quintals. This raised revenue receipts on account of market fee by 28 per cent. Last year, the market committee had earned Rs 5.74 crore, it is 7.36 crore this year. Arrival of paddy was till today recorded as 1.76 lakh quintal whereas it was 88,000 quintal last year, he added. Harpal Singh said the CCI today purchased about 90 per cent of the 15,000 quintals of total arrival of cotton.

Abohar, December 1
The students of Swami Keshwa Nand Memorial School were felicitated on the college premises here for winning four prizes in the maiden youth festival of the associate institutes of Guru Nanak Dev University, joint coordinator Anurag Nagpal informed on Monday.

The team comprising Mohit, Rahul, Nirmal, Ankita, Kiran and Mohit Bajaj won the second prize in mime while Sonia Bathla too secured the second position in poem recitation. Sumit Kumar and Prem Lata won the third prize in cartooning and rangoli competitions. The teams were led by Sakshi Sharma and Vinod Bansal.

Bathinda, December 1
Students of Sanawar School on Bathinda-Malout road presented bhangra and giddha as the school celebrated its annual prize distribution function on Monday. They also expressed concern over the recent Mumbai terror attacks by enacting a play that appealed for peace.

The function started with the traditional lighting of lamp.

Principal Ravinder Kaur welcomed the guests and read out the school’s annual report. ‘Universal peace’ was the theme of the function. Gurcharan Singh Brara, chairman of the school, and Kuldeep Singh were also present on the occasion.

Students presenteed a nature dance and thanked the gifts of nature. A Punjabi choreography was also performed.

Students enacted a play to express grief over the terror attacks in Mumbai.

Tiny tots presented a Rajasthani dance which was well-received by the audience.

Later, bhangra and gidha, folk dances of Punjab, were performed.

Chief guest on the occasion Dr. J.S. Anand, who is the principal of the MGDAV College here, gave away the prizes to the meritorious students.

The principal thanked the gathering and the National Anthem was played to conclude the function.

Bathinda, December 1
The Government Middle School, Fatehpur (Mansa) recently conducted calligraphy competition in Punjabi language. All students of the school took part in the contest which aimed at raising the academic standard of the students by improving their speed, accuracy and beauty in writing Punjabi language.

Birbal Singh clinched the first position in the class-VIII category while Jaswinder Kaur and Veerpal Kaur got second and third positions respectively. In class-VII category, Jagjeet Singh, Gurdeep Singh and Harjinder bagged the top three positions.

In class-VI group, Beant Kaur, Ramandeep Kaur, and Amandep Kaur secured the top three places respectively.

Ranjodh Singh, Punjabi language teacher, said right posture of sitting, holding pen correctly, maintaining proper gap between letters and words along with accurate shape of letter together produce an attractive, geometrically correct view of handwriting.

Incorrect pronunciation, carelessness while writing and less practice were the major obstacles on the way of good handwriting, he added.

Hardeep Singh, art and craft teacher gave tips of geometrical design of Punjabi alphabets. Deepinder Kaur, PTI, applauded the participation of the students.

Lakha Singh, head of the school, encouraged students to make efforts for accurate and beautiful handwriting.

Bathinda, December 1
The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Bathinda, recently convened the meeting of its Scientist Advisory Committee which proposed its activities concerning agriculture training course, exhibitions, farmer camps, Agriculture Day and others for the year 2009.

Officials of different government departments, including agriculture, horticulture, pisciculture, dairy farming, banks, forest, animal husbandry and progressive farmers took part in the meeting.

Dr Amritpal Singh Brar, associate professor, agronomy, presented the report concerning previous year’s activities. Dr S.K. Sharma presented annual planning report.

Chief guest Dr N.S. Malli, director, extension education, PAU, Ludhiana, advocated that the suggestions of farmers be taken seriously.

The KVK also organised exhibitions related to kitchen garden, poultry and honeybee farming and others on the occasion.

Bathinda, December 1
The Eastwood International School, Doomwali, presented a poignant revival of the history of India's struggle for independence on its annual day on Sunday. The theme of the function was 'Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna.'

The theme was chosen to commemorate 101 years of Bhagat Singh and other martyrs. The students took part in the event with the underlying belief--- aspiring, believing and achieving.

The parents and chief guest PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa were accorded a warm welcome. Bhay Singh Sandhu, nephew of Bhagat Singh and Jagdish Bhagat Singh, who resembles the martyr himself and is the president of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Jagriti Manch in Panchkula, were the guests of honour.

The function began with a welcome song and a prayer dance followed by a multimedia presentation of the school's new website highlighting its achievements. In her speech, Dean Beena Rao said that times have changed but values never go out of fashion, though their manifestations may differ.

Incidents from the freedom struggle like Jallianwala Bagh carnage, the Chauri Chaura incident and the Kakori conspiracy case, opposition to the Simon Commission were all enacted drawing applause from the assembled crowd. The songs 'sarfaroshi ki tamanna' and 'Mera rang de basanti chola', which Bhagat Singh sang in jail, were also woven into the narration.

In his speech, the chief guest motivated the students to work hard for the motherland. He also laid stress on the need to inculcate right values among the youth.

The function ended with a grand finale wherein everyone pledged to work selflessly with the belief in the adage 'one world, one campus.'

Bathinda, December 1
The Max India and the DDRC together will organise a camp for artificial organs at Suhana near Mohali from December 3 to 9. This was stated by ADC Shruti Singh here today.

The ADC said that people who are in need of artifical limbs, calipers and crutches can contact secretary, Red Cross J.R. Goyal, on December 2. Arrangements will be made to send them to Mohali on December 3.

The physically challenged would be provided artificial limbs free of cost. Persons with specific needs can take along an attendant and they would be looked after by the organisers, she said.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, December 1
An inter-state gang based in Sangrur district of Punjab was responsible for the robbery in Oriental Bank of Commerce branch in village Nagrana, sources in the district police at Hanumangarh said while confirming that kingpin of the alleged gang, Shankar of Moonak in Sangrur, had been arrested by the special team formed to investigate the case. The gang had stormed at the Nagrana branch and decamped with Rs 2.96 lakh after locking the staff in the strong room.

As per available information, sub-inspector Buta Singh, in charge of the team, had a tip-off that Shankar would be visiting his relatives in village Manaksar. However, raids yielded no results. He was finally nabbed from Moonak. The mobile calls captured by Nagrana tower indicated that the cell phones of the members of the gang repeatedly contacted each other on October 7-8 and looted the bank on October 8 during the conversation.

Sources said Shankar had identified his accomplices as Deputy and Subhash of Moonak, Jaswinder alias Naughty of Dabwali and Mamraj Saini of Bhulath. All his accomplices, however, had later been arrested by Haryana police in Bhuna after a similar bid and were locked in Hisar jail at present.

Shankar reportedly revealed that they had looted Rs 4.5 lakh from Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in village Saniyana of Fatehabad region on July 28. Last year, they had reportedly looted Rs 12 lakh from Pawda (Uklana) branch of the Oriental Bank of Commerce.