B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Fund Paucity
New building of Rajindra College library
Bathinda, January 31
The completion of new building of the library of local Government Rajindra College hangs fire for want of funds for the past about nine months.

Ambi Hathoor Club win Indo-Canadian Kabaddi Cup
Champion team won a cash prize of Rs one lakh besides a trophy
Bathinda, January 31
The Ambi Hathoor Club, Moga lifted the fifth Indo-Canadian Kabaddi Cup by defeating Harjit Kabaddi Club, Bajakhana, Bathinda. In the final match held here.
Players of the Ambi Hathoor Club, Moga, in jubilant mood after winning the fifth Indo-Canadian Kabaddi Cup in Bathinda on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Martyr cremated with state honours
Bathinda, January 31
Lance Naik Jagdish Singh (30), who sacrificed his life, while fighting the militants, in Kishtwar area of Doda Sector in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, was cremated today with full state honours at his native Deon village, about 15 km from here. His father and brother lit the pyre. He is survived by wife and two daughters. A contingent of the Army reversed arms and opened fire in the air to pay respect and honour to the martyr.
Army men carrying the coffin of Lance Naik Jagdish Singh for last rites at village Deon in Bathinda on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

MC launches demolition drive
Ferozepur, January 31
The municipal authorities today launched a demolition drive under which around nearly 100 unauthorised houses constructed by poor families in the Basti Shekhan area were demolished. As per the information, there are around 84 canal land belonging to provincial government in this area, where over the years, these poor families had constructed temporary shelters without any permission.

Decks cleared for kinnow processing
Abohar, January 31
Decks have been cleared to resume long-awaited processing of kinnow fruit by the Punjab Agro Juices Ltd. (PAJL) at its plants that had been developed, by exploring the technology imported from California, at village Alamgarh (Abohar) and Jahankhelan (Hoshiarpur), with a cost of Rs 84.11 crore in 2007, sources said.

Panchayat Polls
Voters throng booths
Hanumangarh/Abohar, January 31
The second phase of polling for Panchayat Samitis and village panchayats passed off peacefully on Sunday in Hanumangarh district. Luxmi Devi, 102 years old, was among the voters who turned up at the polling station in Tibbi, a resident Prabhu Ram confirmed.

Jail inmate dies
Ferozepur, January 31
An inmate of the Central Jail, Suba Singh (55) died following a heart attack. Surjit Singh, brother of the deceased, said his brother had suffered a heart attack earlier also. Suba had been lodged in the jail for five years in connection with a murder case.

Train services to be resumed
Abohar, January 31
Most of the trains that had been suspended in the region due to dense foggy weather will be restored by tomorrow. As per the information received by Hanuman Dass Goyal, vice-president of the Railway Passengers Association (NZ), the railways have decided to restore 4225/4226 Ambala-Bathinda-Sriganganagar Intercity and 9771/9772 Jaipur-Bathinda-Amritsar train with effect from Monday.

Fund Paucity
New building of Rajindra College library
Construction work hangs fire
Sushil Goyal
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 31
The completion of new building of the library of local Government Rajindra College hangs fire for want of funds for the past about nine months.

The construction of the building was started with a grant of Rs 30 lakh, sent to the college by the higher education authorities from the higher education fund in the year 2008, but the construction work of the library building was stalled in March/April last year when the entire amount of the grant was spent.

The college authorities even today do not know when the construction work of the library building will start again as the funds are not available with them to get the construction work resumed. They are still awaiting funds or sanction of the funds for the library building as the deputy commissioner has already sent budget estimate for the completion of library building to the Principal Secretary, Higher Education and Language Department, Punjab.

When contacted the college Principal Sukhchain Rai Garg said that the college had earlier received Rs 30 lakh for library building which they gave to the PWD B&R Department for executing the work.

However, the PWD authorities had to stop the work after raising structure of the library building as there were no more funds available with them to complete the remaining work, he added.

The principal further said the special secretary, Higher Education, G.K. Singh had visited the college on January 15 to examine the proposals of required basic infrastructure facilities, including library building, in the college.

The DC in his letter, written to the principal secretary, Higher Education, in December 2009 has sent budget estimate, worth Rs 6.93 crore for improving infrastructure in Government Rajindra College. This amount of Rs 6.93 crore includes an amount of Rs 1.11 crore for completion of remaining work of the library, construction of a reading room, seminar hall, and computer laboratory in the library block.

Ambi Hathoor Club win Indo-Canadian Kabaddi Cup
Champion team won a cash prize of Rs one lakh besides a trophy
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 31
The Ambi Hathoor Club, Moga lifted the fifth Indo-Canadian Kabaddi Cup by defeating Harjit Kabaddi Club, Bajakhana, Bathinda. In the final match held here at the Sports Stadium today, the winners collected 33 points while Harjit Club gathered 32.5 points.

The winner club was honoured with a cash prize of Rs one lakh while the runner up club got a cash prize of Rs 70,000.

In this tournament, eight Kabaddi teams participated from various parts of the state, including Rarra Sahib, Bathinda, Moga, Kapurthala.

Punjab Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony. He gave away prizes to the winners.

He also announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the organising club, Indo-Canadian Punjabi Sports and Cultural Club, Toranto, and Rs 50,000 for Rural Youth Club Association which assisted the Indo-Canadian Club.

Among others who were present included chairman of Bathinda district planning committee Sikander Singh Malooka, Bathinda district (Rural) president of the BJP Dayal Dass Sodhi, MLA from Sardoolgarh Ajit Inder Singh Mofar, area in-charge of the SAD for Talwandi Sabo constituency Amarjit Singh Sidhu and Bathinda SDM KPS Mahi.

Martyr cremated with state honours
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 31
Lance Naik Jagdish Singh (30), who sacrificed his life, while fighting the militants, in Kishtwar area of Doda Sector in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, was cremated today with full state honours at his native Deon village, about 15 km from here. His father and brother lit the pyre. He is survived by wife and two daughters. A contingent of the Army reversed arms and opened fire in the air to pay respect and honour to the martyr.

His cremation was attended by a large number of villagers.

The Bathinda SDM K.P.S. Mahi represented the district administration. Prominent among others who attended the cremation ceremony included Nathana MLA Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Pucca Kalan MLA Makhan Singh and chairperson of Bathinda Zila Parishad Rajwinder Kaur. 

MC launches demolition drive
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, January 31
The municipal authorities today launched a demolition drive under which around nearly 100 unauthorised houses constructed by poor families in the Basti Shekhan area were demolished. As per the information, there are around 84 canal land belonging to provincial government in this area, where over the years, these poor families had constructed temporary shelters without any permission.

The municipal authorities had given one week notice to the families to vacate the land. Today, after the expiry date of notice, the municipal authorities under the supervision of the SDM GS Pannu, Sandeep Tiwari, executive officer along with other officials demolished the houses with help of the JCB machines.

To prevent any resistance by the affected families and check any untoward incident, heavy police deployment had been made, which was supervised by the DSP Jasbir Singh and inspector Sarabjit Singh.

Tiwari said the families have been given time to vacate.

He further said that the demolition drive would be followed by cleanliness of the entire area.

Earlier, the MC had auctioned some portion of this land to private persons. Tiwari said after the cleanliness, the private plot owners would be given the possession of their plots.

Meanwhile, hundreds of families, were rendered homeless following the demolition drive.

Decks cleared for kinnow processing
Our Correspondent

Abohar, January 31
Decks have been cleared to resume long-awaited processing of kinnow fruit by the Punjab Agro Juices Ltd. (PAJL) at its plants that had been developed, by exploring the technology imported from California, at village Alamgarh (Abohar) and Jahankhelan (Hoshiarpur), with a cost of Rs 84.11 crore in 2007, sources said.

While confirming that the processing is expected to commence in the first week of February, the PAJL officials said registration of fruit growers have been started. The fruit would be received from the farmers on the ‘first come first served basis’ and coupon system would be followed as was applicable at the sugar mills.

Notably, the PAJL had sought nod from the CM Parkash Singh Badal to run the plants of its own since the Markfed was not willing to sign an agreement.

The PAJL had not been able to pay the monthly installments of the loan worth Rs 50 crore that had been advanced by the Primary Rural Development Bank.

A sum of Rs 30 lakh was to be paid as monthly installment beginning July 2009 but the liabilities had mounted up to Rs 1.78 crore by now besides the bank liabilities.

The PAJL has decided to procure Kinnow fruit for processing at a rate of Rs 5 per kg subject to the condition that it should be orange in colour, not less than 45 mm in size with juice yield without pulp more than 40 per cent.

The Kinnow fruit is available at the retail counters at Rs 12-15 per kg per different size while its wholesale price had not so far exceeded Rs seven during the open auction at the local yard.

Panchayat Polls
Voters throng booths

Hanumangarh/Abohar, January 31
The second phase of polling for Panchayat Samitis and village panchayats passed off peacefully on Sunday in Hanumangarh district. Luxmi Devi, 102 years old, was among the voters who turned up at the polling station in Tibbi, a resident Prabhu Ram confirmed.

In Tibbi area 192 panches had been elected in 30 gram panchayats unanimously while 144 were in the fray for the office of sarpanches. More than 88,000 electorates were today given a chance to elect their representatives by exercising their franchise.

Earlier Sheokaran Meghwal was elected sarpanch for village Hardaswali. Interestingly 201 out of 356 panches had also been elected unanimously in 34 villages. — OC

Jail inmate dies

Ferozepur, January 31
An inmate of the Central Jail, Suba Singh (55) died following a heart attack. Surjit Singh, brother of the deceased, said his brother had suffered a heart attack earlier also. Suba had been lodged in the jail for five years in connection with a murder case.

The jail authorities handed over the body to the kin after the post mortem. — OC