Bathinda, July 8
On a call given by the Punjab Arhtiyas Association, the arhtiyas of the district have decided to stage a dharna tomorrow to protest against the state government’s decision of giving direct payment to the farmers.

Terming the decision as a gross injustice meted out to the traders, Satish Kumar Bansal, president, District Arhtiya Association, apprehended that the economics of all business organisations would be shattered in case the commission agents did not receive repayment of advances given to the farmers. It would also affect genuine farmers, as they would not get advance for funding inputs for the next crops, he argued.

The arhtiyas and other associations are opposing the decision as they lend unsecured loan to the farmers throughout the year and pay the price for farmers’ produces after deducting the loan amount. The commission agents said the farmers borrow money for seed and other inputs. However, if the payment was made to the farmers bypassing the commission agent, their money would no longer remain secure, they added.

The farmers are also learnt to be supporting the arhtiyas, as they had a bitter experience when the government sugar mills directly bought the sugarcane from them. The dues are lying unpaid for the past eight years. Moreover, the direct distribution of bonus amount to the farmers through purchase agencies this year had fallen flat and the amount was finally given to arhtiyas for distribution. The farmers, who were given the cheques, are still to get their payment.

Ashok Kumar, president, District Beopar Mandal, alleged that the decision would create a rift between arhtiyas and farmers. During a meeting held today, it was decided that no crop would be sold or purchased by arthiyas, he added.

The government had taken the initiative to bring transparency in dealing with the farmers and to check the rising number of suicides among the debt-ridden farmers.

Bathinda, July 8
Terming the implementation of 85th constitutional amendment for seniority list of the Superintending Engineers (SEs) as an ulterior decision, the General Category Engineers of Punjab Irrigation Department today threatened to proceed on ‘mass casual leave’ for three days from July 13-15, if the state government does not withdrawn the decision by July 12.

They announced that if the officials concerned remained unmoved, it would take the shape of an “indefinite mass leave” thereafter with dire consequences as the state was already finding it tough to cope up with water supply during the paddy season.

After holding a meeting at Chandigarh, representatives of the engineers talking over the phone, alleged that the government had already given additional charges to five junior most SEs of reserved category against the established quota of 14 per cent. This had created lot of resentment among the ‘deserving’ engineers of the general category.

In a letter to the Principal Secretary to the Government of Punjab, Department of Irrigation, they urged that besides the issued seniority list, in question, current duty charge (CDC) of chief engineers wrongfully given to reserved category, orders issued for holding DPC of SEs, under the implementation of the 85th amendment should be withdrawn.

Further, they pleaded to hold Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting for promotion of Executive Engineers to SEs strictly on the basis of Seniority List of Year 2000, presently prevailing in the department for all eligible officers and to give CDC charges to Executive Engineers of 1978 batch for the posts of Superintending Engineer strictly as per the final seniority of year 2000.

Talking over the phone, the general secretary of the General Category Engineers’ Association, RS Buttar and Executive Engineer, Irrigation, Bathinda, Harlabh Singh Chahal said, “We are firm on our stand, without caring for the consequences. We will agitate till the government does not give us deserved rights.”

Mansa, July 8
Some irregularities have reportedly taken place during the recruitment of counsellors, lab technicians and outreach workers for the AIDS control programmes, alleged Jaspal Khokhar, a resident of Mansa, on the basis of the information, he collected under the RTI Act.

Advertisement for recruitment of 46 counsellors, 44 lab technicians and 15 outreach workers was given in the newspapers on 14-08-2007. This advertisement and selection criteria was totally inconsistent with the rules and regulations as per the guidelines of the National AIDS Control Organisation.

It was admitted in the enquiry report that as per the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), a person who holds a diploma in nursing (GNM) with a minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience in the field of HIV/ AIDS, is eligible to be appointed as counsellor but some selected candidates were inexperienced. Along with this, preference was given to known candidates in the selection procedure. Meanwhile, president of the District Youth Congress Mansa, Gurpreet Singh Vickey, has written a letter to Gulam Nabi Azad, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, regarding the malfunctioning of the Punjab State AIDS Control Society.

In the letter, he mentioned the irregularities which had taken place in the appointment of AIDS control employees.

He alleged in the letter that funds provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were not used in good spirit by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society and appointments made by the society neglected the NACO guidelines to prefer their known persons by ignoring the minimum basic qualification and work experience.

There are many NGOs in Punjab which were allocated funds with the target to mobilise commercial sex workers, MSM and other HR groups, but in fact, they manage those persons, who were never connected with these categories of people.

Bathinda, July 8
City colleges saw hordes of new faces as they began new admissions for the coming academic session. Government Rajindra College saw the maximum rush. Its fee is one-third of that in other local colleges.

At Rajindra College, admission for B.Com had started yesterday and 58 seats were filled out of the total 128. The highest percentage for the course, which is one of the most preferred in other colleges also, was 92 and the minimum was 70 as compared to last year’s 58 per cent.

Principal of the college R.K. Bangar said admissions for B.Sc (science with biology and science with maths) began today and BA admissions would start tomorrow. “We have 60 seats each for both B.Sc in science with biology and science with maths which can go up to 80 seats. Seats for BA are not limited and depend upon the college’s capacity,” Bangar added.

At DAV College, the admissions are already on. Similar is the case at Swami Vivekananda College and SSD Girls’ College. At DAV College, 23 admissions have been finalised in B.Com, 40 in BA while only four students opted for BBA, which otherwise is a very popular course, principal Dr J.S. Anand said.

“We are expecting more students as admissions would be on till July 18 without late fee. These days, professional courses are more in demand and education has become job-oriented. A majority of students join the polytechnics because they score less than 60 per cent and want to get jobs immediately after they complete their college,” he added.

Colleges witnessed a decline in students seeking admission in B.Sc in science with biology this year as Rajindra College received only 17 applications which is lower than the last year and similar is the case in DAV College.

In Swami Vivekanand College, there are 30 seats each in BCA, B.Sc IT, PGDCA and 40 seats in stitching and tailoring course which can be opted for after Class XII. There is no cut-off in this college for seeking admissions and students are given seats on a first come, first serve basis.

All colleges except for Rajindra College admit students on a first come, first serve basis.

Ferozepur, July 8
Students of the local Dev Samaj College for Women have bagged top positions in the examinations conducted by the Panjab University (PU). Madhu Prashar, principal of the college, while applauding the performance of the girls, said that Sonia of BSc final year had stood first in PU with 86.20 per cent marks.

Similarly, Sheenam Dhawan from BSc first year (Medical) also stood first in PU securing 88 per cent marks, while Rishu Monga from BSc first year (CSC) bagged the first position with 84.71 per cent marks.

Abohar, July 8
Sanjeev Kumar of village Telupura has again brought laurels to the Abohar sub-division by winning a gold medal in the National Para Championship that concluded in Bangalore on July 5. This qualifies him for participation in the World Cup events to be held in Korea in September but paucity of funds may again be a hurdle for the boy who is a student of the DAV College here.

This son of a class IV employee, Virender Kumar, who is working at the Government Senior Secondary School at village Khuyiansarwar near here had missed international games that were recently held in Germany as he could not arrange Rs 70,000 despite financial assistance coming in from a group of social workers led by Rakesh Nagpal of Fazilka.

During interaction with some media persons at village Telupura on Wednesday on his return from Bangalore, Sanjeev Kumar informed that he along with Nurul Hussain from Orissa, participated in the wheelchair-3 category badminton doubles and finally clinched the gold.

The 9th senior and 3rd junior tournaments were organised by the Karnataka Badminton Association under the aegis of the Sports Authority of India in collaboration with the Para Olympic Committee of India for physically challenged sportspersons. He had earlier won the second position in the Para Olympics last year.

His father Virender Kumar said the district administration had released Rs 12,000 while SDM Amit Dhaka provided guidance in making the trip to Bangalore possible.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, July 8
Laljit Singh Brar (35), nephew of a former Rajasthan minister Gurjant Singh Brar, was killed, while his friend Gangajal Soni from Jasana (Nohar) sustained serious injuries in a road mishap on Tuesday evening, while overtaking a truck about 20 km away from Raziasar on NH 15.

Gurjant Singh Brar and his brother Kartar Singh Brar (father of Laljit) reached the spot immediately on getting the shocking information. PD Sharma, SHO Raziasar, said the luxury car that Soni was driving turned turtle five times as it went out of control while overtaking the truck. This led to death of Laljit Singh Brar on the spot while his wife, who was sitting behind, had a miraculous escape.

Soni was rushed to the Civil Hospital with multiple injuries. They were on way to Bikaner for some social engagement, family sources said.

A number of persons from Sriganganagar attended the funeral at village 5LNP on Wednesday and consoled the Brar family.

Abohar, July 8
In an award that may help in toning up the lacklustre working in the offices of the insurance companies, the Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services) has directed the heads of the branch, divisional, regional and head offices of the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. to proportionally contribute from their pockets the amount of interest and costs in accordance with the periods for which a claim case remained pending.

The Adalat chaired by Amarjit Singh Katari with Dr SK Gupta and Dr RL Taneja as members passed the award on Tuesday. A copy of the same is available with The Tribune.

A local resident Mahavir Parsad had filed the application through Sat Pal Khariwal, chairman of the Consumer Movement an NGO, here. He had got his Toyota Innova vehicle insured for a sum of Rs 8,30,000.

The vehicle suffered extensive damage and its driver Sukhbir sustained serious injuries in an accident on December 29, 2007. The surveyor RS Gill, who was appointed by the Malout branch of the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. assessed the loss at Rs 8,29,000.

The claim of the respondent has neither been repudiated nor accepted so far. The matter is shuttling between the branch, divisional, regional and head offices of the company.

The Adalat held that such a long delay in settling a claim is nothing but borne out of malafide, inefficiency and insensitivity to consumer needs.

It directed the company to pay Rs 8.29 lakh with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum with effect from March 2008 with Rs 2,000 as costs.

However, the erring officials will have to share amount of interest and cost from their own pockets.

Bathinda, July 8
With the arrest of 10 persons, the Bathinda police today claimed to have cracked six cases of theft and snatchings that took place in the past two months.

Giving details, SP (Detective) Ajay Maluja said the police arrested six persons, who were accused in four cases of theft and snatchings that took place in the past two months. On July 7, the police received a tip-off that the accused, namely Mohammad Rafiz, Jawaid Kahan, Roshan Lal, Nirmal Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Abod Kumar, were hiding at a secluded place near Papiha palace in the city outskirts. They were armed and were planning to execute a dacoity. Acting upon the information, the CIA staff, Bathinda, raided the spot and nabbed all of them.

A stolen motorcycle and a scooter were recovered from their possession. During the investigation, they accepted to have robbed a house in Balla Ram Nagar. They had decamped with two ear rings, Rs 4,000 and two mobile phones. Further, they admitted to have committed two chain snatchings, one at the Fort road and the other at the Ajit road.

The SP (D) said the arrested persons were professionals who have been arrested on earlier occasions also.

Meanwhile, the cops arrested one Mohit Kumar of Aggarwal colony and Vikas Kumar of Pukhraj colony, who used to commit snatchings in order to fulfill their urge for drugs. A mobile phone and some other articles were recovered from their possession, which they had reportedly snatched from a woman on Mall road on June 5.

In yet another case, the police arrested Krishan Singh of Thermal Colony and Ajay Kumar of Panchvati Nagar for burgling a house in Thermal colony on July 4.

Gold ornaments, computer, DVD player, NSG bonds and Rs 95,900 were recovered from their possession.