Bathinda, January 5
To lodge their protest against the rising prices, deteriorating law and order situation, financial crisis, corruption at various levels, growing danger of communal division in the state, members and activists of the CPI and the CPM will observe hunger strike in front of the offices of the sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) across the state from January 18 to 22.

Besides the activists and members, central and state-level leaders of both Left parties, including a member of national executive of the CPI Dr Joginder Dayal, state secretary of the CPI Bhupinder Sambar, state secretary of the CPM Charan Singh Virdi and other executive members of the CPI and the CPM, will also take part in the hunger strike to put pressure on the state government to redress the problems of the common masses and adopt pro-people policies.

Talking to The Tribune today, Dr Joginder Dayal alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance government in the state was adopting “anti-people” policies due to which various sections of the state were crying against the SAD-BJP government nowadays. He alleged that the BJP was only shedding crocodile’s tears against the hike in power tariff as it was doing nothing concrete to get it withdrawn.

Dr Dayal further said the Punjab BJP’s decision to meet its high-command in New Delhi on withdrawal of power tariff hike issue was only a face-saving act because it had also been following the same economic policies of liberalisation and privatisation.

Dr Dayal said if the Badal government was really interested in solving the financial crisis of the state then it should claim heavy arrears of taxes pending towards influential people and sections of the society.

The CPI leader also asked the government to strengthen the public distribution system and implement the NREGA scheme seriously.

Besides, the government should also take effective steps to provide pure drinking water in those areas of the state, especially Malwa region, where people were suffering from Cancer due to consumption of contaminated water.

Moga, January 5
Resident of this town, a middle-aged woman has demanded DNA test of her two-and-half year old daughter to match with an influential person of this area to ascertain the paternity of the innocent child.

The DGP of Punjab P.S. Gill has referred the matter to the women cell of the district to inquire into the matter and report to his office within 48 hours.

As per the details available from the police, Minakshi Sharma the aggrieved woman has also threatened to kill herself and her daughter in case the biological father of her daughter did not accept them.

She approached the DGP a couple of days back. He has ordered a probe into the matter, which would be conducted by the women cell of the local police. The women cell has begun investigation into the matter. Santosh Rani in-charge of the women cell said that she had called both the parties this afternoon but they did not appear before her. “I have asked them to come again tomorrow to record their statements,” she said.

Minakshi had alleged, “After my divorce, I came into contact with one Ravinder Singh Ravi who is a director of a reputed finance company of the area and is a politically well connected person.”

Adding that she had an affair with him who was the father of her daughter, Minakshi said that when she got pregnant he promised to marry her and take her to his home. She said, “My daughter was born in October 28, 2006 but Ravinder refused to accept me and also my daughter. He even denies fathering my daughter,” she added.

She had further stated in her complaint that when she pressurised him to accept them he began threatening her and sent a message through another woman that had he given birth to a son he would have accepted them.

She has demanded, “I want a DNA test to be conducted of her daughter to match with Ravi to prove the biological relationship,”

The Tribune tried to contact Ravinder Singh Ravi on his cell phone but he did not pick-up. However, to a section of the media, he had denied all the allegations terming them baseless. He said that he was being falsely fabricated into this case.

Sriganganagar/Abohar,January 5
While beating Pakistan’s old record in plantation of saplings, the Harit Kranti Abhiyan that was carried on August 11-12 on the sprawling hills of Dungarpur in Rajasthan, has achieved distinction in the Guinness Book of World Records. As many as 6,11,137 saplings were planted in 24 hours in the Dungarpur district. Earlier, in Pakistan 5,41,176 saplings had been planted on one particular day while India held record of planting 4,47,874 saplings.

The publishers of the Guinness Book of World record on Monday informed Dr Arushi Malik, former District Collector of Dungarpur, who is now posted at Chittorgarh that the distinction achieved under her command, has been verified and added to the book.

Notably, the Rajasthan government last year launched Harit Rajasthan Abhiyan and authorised the district collectors to use funds available under the NREGA to convert the deserts into green belt.

Dr Malik had sculpted a comprehensive plan and involved scores of the NGOs also. Accordingly, 300 volunteers planted 6,11,137 saplings during the 24 hours beginning from August 11 on the sprawling hills at village Khemaru under Gram Panchayat Gadamoriya located at eight km distance from the district headquarter of Dungarpur. Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, had especially flown to the district along with some cabinet colleagues to congratulate Dr Malik and NGOs for creating history of a sort.

Dr Malik said that today the credit needs to be shared by all those who worked round-the-clock to scale the odd hilly area for planting saplings and kept the word on nourishing the same later.   

While informing that there were jubilations all over the district today, one Kamlesh Sharma informed that the present DC Puran Chand Kishan has congratulated his predecessor and hoped that this would boost the morale of the volunteers, who were eager to carry on the campaign this year as well.

Bathinda, January 5
Three-year-old twin brothers Rajanpreet and Sajanpreet, suspected to be suffering from Swine flu, were admitted to the isolation ward of the local Civil Hospital today. They belong to Talwandi Sabo in this district.

The hospital authorities today took the samples of throat swab of the boys. The report of the samples is expected to be received from the PGI, Chandigarh, by tomorrow evening.

District health officer (DHO) Dr Dharampal Singh Sekhon today said the family of the twins did not have any history of swine flu.

Gurdev Singh of Ghamiara village in Muktsar district and Gurjant Singh from Neelianwali village in Haryana, who had been tested positive for swine flu, were still undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital. However, the condition of both patients is reported to be improving.

Meanwhile, Civil Surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj today took a round of the Civil Hospital. She also visited indoor wards to take stock of the situation.

Fazilka, January 5
Satinder Singh Savi, local municipal councillor, belonging to the SAD (B) has sought high-level security arrangements during the elections for the post of senior vice-president and junior vice-president of municipal council, to be held on Wednesday.

While expressing apprehension that there is threat to his life in an application moved to the local DSP today, he has also pointed out that some disruptive elements could enter the venue of polls and hence strong security arrangements must be made to ensure free and fair elections.

In another application moved to Rajiv Prashar, SDM-cum-Returning Officer, Savi requested the SDM to inform all municipal councillors about the time and venue of elections well on time so that nobody could be allowed to indulge in any foul play. He also demanded that election proceedings must be videographed.

The election for the posts of senior vice-president and junior vice-president was to be held on January 1, 2010. However, it was postponed by the then SDM-cum-Returning officer Pardeep Aggarwal on some technical grounds. The next date of election was fixed as January 6, 2010. However, in the meantime, Pardeep Aggarwal was transferred out of this town.

Savi in his application moved to the DSP also alleged that as he fought a long legal battle to save a piece of land belonging to the local municipal council, which was being sold for a song, so he was always under threat. He added that on January 1, 2010, when the meeting for election of these two posts was held, some disruptive elements tried to play a mischief but the situation was saved as election was postponed.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that both the posts of senior vice-president and junior vice-president had been lying vacant for the past about three months. The total strength of municipal council's elected members house was 21. Out of these 21 municipal councillors, 14 belonged to the BJP, Six to the Congress and one to the SAD (B).

Rajiv Prashar, SDM, when contacted, said that election would be held as per the rules and nobody would be allowed to disturb the election and foolproof security arrangements would be made at the venue. 

Bathinda, January 5
Terming the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president along with his supporters a “puppet” of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, the MLA from Nathana, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, criticised them for making “unnecessary” changes in the Nanakshahi calendar.

At a meeting held yesterday, Bhatti said such things were being done at the instance of Badal government. He also said the calendar should not be made “Badal Bani”.

Lakhwinder Singh Tungwali, Jagrup Singh Tungwali, Amarjit Singh, Kehar Singh Sarpanch, Satinder Singh, Kulwant Singh Sarpanch, Sukhmandar Singh and Joginder Singh were also present.

Bhatti further said the Punjab government had given a New Year gift to the people of state in the form of black-out. He said that earlier, the residents of the state faced power cuts in summer due to power shortage. Bhatti termed the power cuts in winter as a special gift to the people. He also alleged that the Badal government had not prepared the NREGA job cards and the BPL cards of Congress workers.

Bhatti said that Punjab had turned into a hub of drugs and fake currency. He alleged that the Badal government’s propaganda against drugs was just a lie. 

Barnala, January 5
In a shocking incident, two motorcycle-borne boys threw acid on a girl student of class XII, who was on her way back home from tuitions near Kacka College road here, inflicting serious injuries to her. The doctors at a local hospital have referred her to the Dayanand Medical College at Ludhiana.

Giving details, paternal uncle of the victim, said that his niece was the student of S.College and used to take private tutions from Brij Bushan, who teaches at Kuch College road here.

He further said that at around 7.15 pm on Monday evening, his niece was returning home from tuitions on Electra scooter and when she reached near Income Tax street along Kucha college road, the two youths who were already waiting for her on a Hero Honda motorcycle threw acid on her.

He added that her niece had suffered burns on arm, neck and other parts of the body, told her family members about the sequence of events.

The victim’s uncle further said that immediately after the incident, they rushed his seriously injured niece to a private nursing home where the doctors attending on her referred her to the Dayanand Medical College at Ludhiana.

After getting information about the incident, the city police reached the spot and detained two suspects in the crime. Their interrogation was on.

The DSP, Barnala, Rupinder Bhardwaj said the police has registered an FIR under sections 326, 324 and 34 of the IPC on the complaint made by uncle of the victim and have started investigations. He claimed that the youth who committed the crime would be soon brought to book.

Meanwhile, a prominent citizen while expressing concern over the incident said the incident was first of its kind in Barnala city and reflects deteriorating law and order situation in the city.

Mallanwala, January 5
The local police today arrested a resident of Ferozepur district and seized fake Indian currency of Rs 49, 200 from his possession.

On a tip-off, the police arrested the accused, identified as Gurbhej Singh, alias Bheja. The 27-year-old accused took fake Indian currency of Rs 65, 000 from a Pakistan-based shepherd in lieu of the original currency of Rs 30, 000, which was to be paid later to the supplier.

Palwinder Singh, SHO, local police station, said that out of fake currency of Rs 65,000, the accused managed to circulate Rs 15, 800 in various markets. The fake Indian currency that had been seized included 16 notes of Rs 1,000 denomination, nine notes of Rs 500 and 287 notes of Rs 100. He said the accused came in contact with the Pakistan-based supplier when he used to go to till his nine-acre land situated across the cobra fencing erected on Indo-Pak border at Muthianwala village of Ferozepur district. The accused struck a deal with him and took fake currency notes of Rs 65,000 from him. Thereafter, the accused had buried the bundles on his land about two months ago.

Few days ago, the accused who used to go to his land after passing the security gates set up by the BSF personnel guarding the Indo-Pak border, near Tapo Chowki, brought the bundles and circulated them in various markets.

The accused confessed that he took fake Indian currency for the first time from the Pakistan-based shepherd. A case under Sections 489-A, 489-B, 489-C and 420 of the IPC has been registered against the accused. He would be produced in the court tomorrow. 

Abohar, January 5
The farmers of the tail-end villages agreed to lift the five-day old dharna late on Tuesday evening following a marathon meeting that led by the Deputy Commissioner, Kamal Kishor Yadav, had with the leaders of the action committee at the site.

The authorities yesterday released water in the sub-canal but that could not flow further due to the bandh.

A spokesman for the action committee said that the DC had promised that adequate quantity of water at the tail-end fields would be made available within three days. The committee has been assured that remodelling of outlets that adversely affect supply to the tail-end villages would be completed latest by the Republic Day, January 26. The DC has reportedly assured that strict measures would be taken to check the theft of canal water. — OC