B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Female foeticide
Health dept adopts religious course
Bathinda, March 20
To disseminate the message throughout the state in a big way against the social evil of female foeticide during the ongoing “Navratras”, religious days dedicated to Goddess Durga from March 16 to 24, the state health authorities have taken a special initiative.

The banner that will be raised at different places in Bathinda district during the Navratras. A Tribune photograph

Convocation held at Rajindra College after long gap
Bathinda, March 20
As many as 324 students of the local Government Rajindra College received degrees during a convocation function held on the college premises today.

Students of the Government Rajindra College in a jubilant mood after receiving degrees during the convocation ceremony organised on the college premises in Bathinda on Saturday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Trains to run on normal route from today
Bathinda, March 20
The usual hustle and bustle at the Bathinda railway junction—Asia’s biggest—is all set to stage a comeback on Sunday when the 36 trains - touching the station - affected due to the biggest-ever upgradation exercise here will be back on tracks. Work on the inter-route relay interlocking had commenced on March 8 and it had necessitated the diversion and rescheduling of the trains.

Rice millers rue power cuts
Say production affected badly
Fazilka, March 20
The unscheduled power cuts, absence of banks dealing in foreign exchange transactions and failure of the state government to set up an export hub in this region have generated a wave of disappointment among the rice mill owners, contributing a key role in the growth of the industrial economy of Punjab.

Protest in PSEB
TSU workers gear up for rally on Monday
Abohar, March 20
The Technical Services Union (TSU) today resolved to organise rallies in all the sub-divisional offices of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) within the Muktsar circle on Monday as a part of its agitation against the alleged anti-worker policies of the management.

Gang of tractor lifters busted, 3 held
Ferozepur, March 20
The police has busted a gang involved in theft of tractors and arrested three persons of the gang along with three sharp-edged weapons. The accused have been identified as Bikkar Singh alias Sahiba, Jagroop Singh alias Jupa and Harpreet Singh alias Hariya.

New Dy DEO in Moga
Moga, March 20
Baldev Singh has assumed charge as the new Deputy District Education Officer (Elementary) of Moga. He has taught English in the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) at Jagraon in Ludhiana for the past 13 years. — TNS

Female foeticide
Health dept adopts religious course
Sushil Goyal
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 20
To disseminate the message throughout the state in a big way against the social evil of female foeticide during the ongoing “Navratras”, religious days dedicated to Goddess Durga from March 16 to 24, the state health authorities have taken a special initiative in this regard. The authorities are sending e-mails to Civil Surgeons and asking them to install big flexes at religious places, especially temples, and other important public places like big chowks, in villages, towns and cities.

The Bathinda district health authorities have been directed to prepare 25 flexes (size 8’X6’) to display the same at temples as thousands of devotees pay obeisance during these days to mother goddess, besides other important public places.

An e-mail in this regard was received from the state Health Department on Thursday by the Civil Surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj.

Talking to TNS today, Dr Bajaj said besides sending an e-mail, health minister Dr Laxmi Kanta Chawla, during a meeting held at Chandigarh on the previous day, had asked Civil Surgeons to prepare flex boards bearing a slogan “Kanjkan di pooja karde ho, kayon janam den ton darde ho” (you worship baby girls, then why are you afraid of giving them birth).

Dr Bajaj said the slogan was enough to disseminate the message against female foeticide in a big way as it puts special impact on people’s minds due to the religious sanctity attached to it.

Eight such flexes were today displayed in Maisarkhana village, situated on the Bathinda-Mansa road, about 25 km from here, as thousands of devotees pay obeisance at a famous temple there during “navratras”.

The health staff has also displayed banners at local ITI chowk, Kot Bhaara village bus stand near Maur Mandi, Kot Shamir village, Talwandi Sabo town and some places in Bathinda city.

Convocation held at Rajindra College after long gap
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 20
As many as 324 students of the local Government Rajindra College received degrees during a convocation function held on the college premises today. Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon was the chief guest while advocate Adarsh Pal Gupta was the special guest on the occasion.

The event was reportedly organised to revive the old convocation culture of the college, which was discontinued during the days when militants were active in the state.

Though the college authorities had prepared a list of 423 students, who scored more than 55 per cent marks in final examinations during 2009, only 324 turned up to receive the degrees.

Giving details, the college staff stated that 21 students of MA (Political Science), 10 of BSc (Honours) in Economics, 55 of BSc (non-medical), 17 of BSc (medical), 49 of BCom and 172 students of BA received the degrees.

Addressing the gathering, the college staff highlighted that 20 students brought laurels to the college by securing positions in the university merit list.

In his speech, the chief guest motivated students to work hard and achieve their goals. He admitted that the graph of education in rural areas had plunged which required a lot of effort for improvement.

Kahlon also assured the college authorities of releasing Rs 5 lakh for the maintenance of the building.

In the end, principal of the college Sukhchain Rai Garg proposed the vote of thanks.

Fazilka: Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon spoke to The Tribune in a brief interview at the residence of his close friend Jaipal Singh Sandhu here today.

When asked why the Assembly sessions are brief and many of the important issues do not get discussed at all to shortage of time, the Speaker argued that if any political party demands a lengthy session, time can be spared for it.

On chaos in the House, Kahlon said that every member of the Assembly has the right to present his views in the House but admitted that a lot of time gets wasted due to unnecessary hue and cry raised by the MLAs.

The role of the marshall in the House should be restricted, he added.  However, he avoided responding to many questions saying he was the Speaker of the House. Hence, he would not comment on political issues.

Trains to run on normal route from today
Sudhanshu Verma
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 20
The usual hustle and bustle at the Bathinda railway junction—Asia’s biggest—is all set to stage a comeback on Sunday when the 36 trains - touching the station - affected due to the biggest-ever upgradation exercise here will be back on tracks. Work on the inter-route relay interlocking had commenced on March 8 and it had necessitated the diversion and rescheduling of the trains.

The railway has made all preparations to re-run the trains on their normal route from March 21. Area traffic manager, Bathinda, Sher Singh told TNS today that the service of the 36 trains, including express and passengers, passing through Bathinda station, would be resumed from March 21. The trains diverted or short-terminated would also run on their normal path.

Sources in the railway said that the division and departments concerned had been informed about the decision.

Altogether 13 trains touching the station remained suspended between March 8 and 20 as the junction underwent a revamp.

Rice millers rue power cuts
Say production affected badly
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Fazilka, March 20
The unscheduled power cuts, absence of banks dealing in foreign exchange transactions and failure of the state government to set up an export hub in this region have generated a wave of disappointment among the rice mill owners, contributing a key role in the growth of the industrial economy of Punjab.

“We are also unable to honour out export order commitments on scheduled time due to power cuts,” pointed out a section of rice mill owners adding that the state government must ensure uninterrupted supply to industries in the border areas so that they could avoid financial losses by running their respective units round-the-clock.

Tejwant Singh Tita, president, Rice Millers Association, Fazilka, said though about 200 rice mills in the Ferozepur district had been exporting rice to Iran, Dubai and Saudi Arabia and had been fetching thousands of crores of rupees in shape of foreign exchange for the country, the grim power situation had become their major source of worry.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that the Ferozepur district had been contributing a major share in 18 lakh MT rice, being exported from India to nook and corner of the globe. The export of rice from this region had also opened up new avenues for employment for the youths belonging to the border areas.

Subash Aggarwal, leading rice mill owner of Jalalabad, said that mill owners had been waiting for the promise of setting up an export hub in this area, made by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal during the Jalalabad byelection, to be fulfilled.

Protest in PSEB
TSU workers gear up for rally on Monday

Abohar, March 20
The Technical Services Union (TSU) today resolved to organise rallies in all the sub-divisional offices of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) within the Muktsar circle on Monday as a part of its agitation against the alleged anti-worker policies of the management.

The TSU secretary Om Parkash said that the workers would be accompanied by their family members in the state-level demonstration at the PSEB headquarters in Patiala on March 26.

They would wear black gowns and carry black flags during the demonstrations at the offices of the sub-divisional magistrates in Muktsar and Ferozepur, making part of the Muktsar PSEB circle from April 7-12 in the next phase. — OC

Gang of tractor lifters busted, 3 held
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, March 20
The police has busted a gang involved in theft of tractors and arrested three persons of the gang along with three sharp-edged weapons. The accused have been identified as Bikkar Singh alias Sahiba, Jagroop Singh alias Jupa and Harpreet Singh alias Hariya.

Sarabjit Singh, in-charge, CIA, informed that the CIA staff police had laid a barrier near village Sodewala, when they spotted three persons on a tractor coming from Mallanwala side. When his men asked them for the documents of the tractor, they failed to produce it and confessed that the tractor was a stolen one. He further said that the police have recovered four tractors worth Rs 17 lakhs on the basis of information provided by the arrested persons.