Bathinda, February 26
The annual budget presented by Union Finance Minister (FM) Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament today attracted a mixed response here. Some termed it as good while some described it as “anti-middle class”.

President of the Bathinda Chamber of Commerce and Industry Raman Watts though appreciated enhanced income tax benefits in the budget, he criticised the budget by saying that the FM had done nothing for the small scale industry.

Watts said there was an annual exemption of central excise duty upto the turnover of Rs 1.50 crore to the small scale industrialists for the past four years, but due to three-four times increase in the prices of raw material during the period they were expecting an increase in the turnover permissible for exemption up to Rs 3 to 4 crore. However, the FM had disappointed them in a big way.

Bathinda district president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) Shingara Singh Mann also flayed the increase in the diesel prices. He said though the government had given two per cent relief in the rate of interest on crop loans (from seven per cent to five per cent) it was counterbalanced with the hike in diesel prices.

State general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal TR Singla from Bathinda said overall it was a very good budget. With regard to increase in the excise duty from eight to 10 per cent, he said the hike did not make much difference in view of the 20 to 25 per cent fluctuation in the prices of raw materials in 10 to 15 days. He also appreciated enhancement in income tax benefits to the people.

MM Behal, an employee in the State Bank of Patiala here, flayed the budget by saying that service tax had not been abolished, which was the need of hour due to multiple tax system in the country. He said the rising prices had made the life of the people, especially employees, difficult. In these circumstances, the hike in the prices of diesel and petrol had also eroded their salaries.

Yogesh Aggarwal, an income tax advisor, termed the budget as good. He said with this budget, the medium middle class getting salaries upto Rs 8 lakh had got benefits in the income tax. However, he condemned the two per cent hike in the excise duty on iron and steel.

Meanwhile, the students and faculty of the Punjabi University Campus, Maur, witnessed the live telecast of the Union Budget 2010-11 today. The faculty discussed the budget later. Principal Dr DK Madaan also gave his comments on the budget. The students also expressed their happiness over this interesting event.

Bathinda, February 26
After duping crores of rupees from cotton spinning mills of Maharashtra and Andhra Pardesh, a group of three persons has allegedly cheated five big textile industry owners of Punjab, including three from Bathinda district.

Acting upon the complaint of the aggrieved industrialists, the district police recently booked the alleged group comprising V Parshotman, TK Padmani and Mukesh Chugh for running a dubious firm under the name of Sri Subrabhatha and Company at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu under various sections of the IPC.

Using the same modus operandi with all spinning mill owners, the accused were said to have deceived them by offering alluring business deals through a website and telephonic communications. Once after reaching an agreement, the group ordered cotton thread worth lakhs from each firm by issuing a number of cheques in the first quarter of 2009.

The firm owners realized they had been cheated, when except for a few, most cheques could not be cleared as the accused had directed the banks not to clear the amount.

Irked over being duped, some of the mill owners visited the given address of the firm, where they came to know the fact that there was no such firm. Meanwhile, they collected information about the group that about 17 cases had already been registered against them in connection with a similar offence.

Returning from there, one of the aggrieved spinning millers of Bathinda district, Makhan Lal of Rama Krishna Spintex Private limited, Maur, lodged an FIR against the accused. Acting upon the complaint, police booked them under sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC.

A Bathinda police team recently visited Tamil Nadu and nabbed the accused V Parshotmam and brought him to Bathinda. Producing him in the court, police got his 10-day remand to ascertain the facts.

After that, the court again allowed three days more of his police remand. Meanwhile, the under trial complained about being beaten up by the police, acting upon which, the courts constituted a medical board and sent him to judicial custody at Central Jail, Bathinda.

As per the new development, two more aggrieved spinning millers namely Rohit Gargi of Punjab Spintex Ltd., Behman Diwana and Satpal of Sri Hari Spintex limited, Maur, have lodged similar complaints (under section 420 and others of the IPC) against the accused on Thursday.

Giving details, the aggrieved millers said one of the accused Mukesh Chugh was on bail and he had admitted in writing that he was working as a cotton broker with some firm at Delhi but V Parshotman decisively engaged him in his fake firm and he landed in trouble.

The staff of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Bathinda police said they were investigating the matter in detail.

Bathinda, February 26
The Bathinda Vikas Manch today launched an awareness campaign to educate the common masses about the adverse affects of the chemical colours used during the Holi festival and inspire them to play with natural colours on the day. As part of the campaign, an awareness programme was organised in the Dhobiana Basti here.

On the occasion, president of the manch Rakesh Narula said chemical colours had adverse affect on skin and eyes while natural colours were not harmful in any manner. He added that keeping in view the health hazards due to use of chemical colours, people should play “Holi” only with natural colours this time.

Narula said the natural colours could be prepared easily at home by using rose and other flowers, turmeric, lettuce, leaves of dry mehandi etc. He also urged the gathering to take pledge not to play “Holi” this year with chemical colours. He said they should play “Holi” with only natural colours to make it memorable.

A member of the manch, Navneet Singla, appealed to people to display brotherhood while playing “Holi”.

On the occasion, students of Guru Teg Bahadur Public School took a pledge to play “Holi” with natural colours only and disseminate the message.

Bathinda, February 26
Taking into consideration his tender age, the Juvenile Justice Board here has directed a minor boy, who was an accused in a mobile phone snatching case, to perform community service. He has been told to make people aware about traffic rules with the help of traffic cops for two weeks.

The boy, Lucky alias Manpreet Sharma of local Bhai Mati Das Nagar, was booked for snatching a mobile phone belonging to one Neelam Gill on March 1, 2007. The Kotwali police had registered a case against him under section 382 of the IPC.

Appearing in the court of principal magistrate, the Juvenile Justice Board, Bathinda, KK Singla, the boy confessed to his crime and pleaded for a lenient view.

Going by his previous record, the magistrate observed that he was a student and kept on attending the court regularly for more than two years.

Announcing the verdict, the magistrate mentioned that the Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act, 2000, was to mend the behaviour of the juvenile.

The magistrate wrote: “Juvenile is of such an age that in case he kept on visiting the judicial courts for a long time it can affect his mind and here may be chances of his coming into contact with some criminals…”

“So after considering all facts, I consider it fit that an order be passed directing the juvenile to perform community service. Hence, it is ordered that juvenile will assist the traffic police by joining them for two weeks by advising to the people to follow the traffic rules from February 25 to March 10, everyday from 4 pm to 6 pm,” the magistrate directed in the judgement.

Following the judgement, the boy appeared in the SSP office from where he was sent to the traffic police office on Thursday.

To verify the facts, when The Tribune team visited the traffic police office, the boy was undergoing education in traffic rules there.

In-charge of the traffic police, Bathinda, Bharpoor Singh said, “We have given him basic knowledge about the traffic signs and rules. Now, he will be taken to city roads to make people aware about the traffic rules from Saturday.”

The boy said, “I am grateful to the magistrate who took a lenient view and gave me a chance to become a good citizen.”

Bathinda, February 26
Bathinda deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari has been transferred to Ludhiana.

Tewari will be replaced by the deputy commissioner of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawan Shehar), Gurkirat Kirpal Singh.

Bathinda, February 26
Justice Nirmal Singh, retired judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir has been appointed as a member in the recently constituted tribunal—the Vansadhara Water Dispute Tribunal—for the adjudication of a water dispute in Orissa regarding the inter-state river Vansadhara and the river valley.

Singh is the husband of Faridkot Member of Parliament, Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan.

Abohar, February 26
Prahlad Kumar Neol, general secretary of the Balluana circle SAD and resident of village Khatwan took over as chairman of the Abohar Improvement Trust with unprecedented fan fair today.

CM’s younger brother and former member of the Lok Sabha, Gurdas Singh Badal was the chief guest in the function held here to felicitate Neol. Also present were Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamal Kishor Yadav and SDM Amit Dhaka.

While justifying Neol’s appointment, Gurdas Singh Badal, known as think-tank of the party, said the Neol family of Seetogunno belt had been loyal to the SAD for the last four decades.

He hoped the SAD-BJP alliance having won the Lok Sabha election for four terms in Ferozepur would sweep the next Vidhan Sabha polls as people had become fed up with the Congress that had failed on all fronts.

Ferozepur, February 26
Raminder Singh, Commissioner, Ferozepur division, said about 14 lakh MT of wheat would be procured in this border district in the coming season against the 13.84 lakh MT wheat procured by different agencies last year.

The commissioner, who presided over the meeting of the district officials including Deputy Commissioner (DC), Ferozepur, in connection with the reviewing of arrangements made for the coming procurement season, here recently, said Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup and FCI would procure 2.8 lakhs MT wheat each. The Punjab State Warehousing Corporation and Punjab Agro Industrial Corporation (PAIC) would procure 1.54 lakhs MT wheat in the coming season.

He said the authorities concerned had also identified the godown where the procured wheat would be stored. The transportation of wheat from the grain markets to the godown without any delay would be ensured and farmers would get payments in lieu of their procured wheat crop within 48 hours of its procurement.

Mansa, February 26
CPI leader and former MLA Buta Singh today informed that public issues would be raised during the meeting of the district grievances committee which would be held on March 2.

Speaking about the problems, he said though these issues have already been raised during the last meeting of committee but to no avail.

Serious problem of dirty water disposal which has been continuously affecting people of the city would be discussed with the officials concerned.

Three bridges are in poor condition at different places including the one near Fafrebhaike on the Uddat canal distributary. Another bridge on the same canal between Nangal and Deluana village and a bridge on Sammaon drain to are in poor shape causing inconvenience to the residents of Mansa and the nearby areas.

These issues should be resolved immediately, the CPI leader demanded.

Moga, February 26
Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial College of Education, Dhudike (Moga) organised a lecture on moral values and social evils.

Gurdev Singh Dhaliwal, an NRI, stressed upon the importance of moral and academic education. He honoured Jagsir Singh and Jayant Parashar, who stood second in Inter-zonal Punjab University skill in teaching competition.

Tarlochan Singh won the gold medal in open Punjab power lifting competition. Principal Dr Tripta Sharma honoured Dhaliwal and presented him a memento.

Moga, February 26
Two undertrials fled away from the police custody in the judicial court complex in Moga, today. They were brought here from Ludhiana Central Jail for a case hearing.

Paramjit Singh and Sarabjit Singh were caught in September 2009 and booked under the NDSP Act.

SHO Kikkar Singh said, “We have registered a case of negligence against both the police officials and arrested them. A hunt has been launched to nab the drug peddlers as well.”