Bathinda, April 13
On the one hand, the state government is busy making all efforts to deal with the two-day (April 15-16) strike of the PSEB employees, which they are going to lodge against the unbundling of the PSEB, and on the other, as many as 22 organizations coming under a common banner, have announced that they would stretch the protest till April 27.

The representatives of all 22 organisations, which include unions of farmers, labourers and PSEB employees, assembling under the leadership of labour union leader Gurnam Singh Daud, held a secret meeting late on Monday evening in the Malwa region.

Taking a unanimous decision, the representatives decided that besides the strike by the PSEB employees, the volunteers of the joint committee would wear black badges and hoist black flags at their houses and tubewells and raise anti-establishment slogans in all villages to observe protest on April 15.

The next day, the agitators would hold a two-hour road blockade throughout the state, from 12 to 2 pm. Then the protesters would start village level slogan raising protests from April 17, which would continue till April 26. During the village level protests, the agitators would convey public messages to "expose the real face" of the state government.

Before concluding the first phase of agitation, on April 27, the protesters would assemble in one village of each district and hold district-level protests there.

During the meeting, it was also alleged that the unbundling would give impetus to privatization and the entire working would be affected. The unbundling would mean the end of concessions to farmers and farm labourers. Besides, it would end permanent job security for the employees of the PSEB, they fear.

Disclosing details to this correspondent, general secretary of the Bharti Kisan Union Ekta, Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said, "We are aware that the chief minister had directed all DCs and SSPs to foil our protest with the force of guns and baton. Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed throughout the state to prevent our gathering. Moreover, with the heavy deployment of police, the state has been turned into a fortress. Despite this, we will make our protest successful, and face the cops with determination and peacefully."

Kokri Kalan further said, "The ruling and opposition parties are hand-in-glove. It is because instead of passing a resolution in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha about doing away with the Electricity Act 2003, the ruling party has opted for unbundling and ironically, the opposition is also tight-lipped and favours the policy."

"We have initiated steps for support from all corners to make the joint protest a success," claimed Kokri Kalan. See also P4

Abohar, April 13
Deployment of police commandos at the grid sub-stations and frequent breakdowns in the power supply since early morning today indicated that the consumers may also have to bear the brunt of strike by the PSEB staff on April 15-16. The Council of Junior Engineers too has resolved to go on symbolic strike to oppose unbundling of the PSEB.

The joint forum of the TSU today organised meetings, presided over by Muktsar circle presidents Balwinder Singh and Baldev Singh. A deputation comprising leaders of Sodhi and Bhangal factions of TSU met the XEN at divisional office here. — OC

Bathinda, April 13
In a unique distinction, the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) has become the first ISO (International Standardization Organization) certified development authority in the state.

Interestingly, the BDA got three certificates altogether: ISO 9001:2008 (quality management system), ISO 14001:2004 (environmental management system) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (occupational health and safety assurance system).

After inspection and audit at three different times, the Quest International Certification, which is accredited by ANAS-BNR (USA), issued the certificates for three years, with the condition of conducting surveillance audit of all facilities every year.

The BDA, as notified by the state government, had come into existence on July 16, 2007.

To make BDA eligible for ISO certification, its officials equipped the building with various facilities like a single window system, launching of a website, communication networking, installation of notice boards and complaint box, introduction of IVRS, printed brochures and handbills, waiting room and availability of newspapers and magazines.

A bio-metric machine was installed to record the attendance of the employees and CCTV cameras were brought in to keep an eye on activities inside the complex. Placards encouraging the staff to expedite work and have better relations with the public were put on display.

Meeting one more condition for ISO certification, all BDA employees underwent blood tests and details about their blood groups as well as the number of persons depending upon them were collected.

To ensure speedy process at the single window system, all applicants will get a fixed date before which the officials would dispose of their work. Further, the BDA officials have installed a file tracking system through which the chief administrator would be able to check the status of any file at any time. It is expected to help in monitoring work and checking delays.

An elated BDA chief administrator Ravi Bhagat said it was a matter of pride not only for the BDA staff but also for the district as BDA was the first authority in the state which had got the ISO certificate.

Bathinda, April 13
The local police, led by SHO Gurjit Singh Romana, at about 8.15 pm forcibly removed Malkiat Kaur (35) from the Ambedkar Park (outside Mini-Secretariat) where she had been on an indefinite hunger strike since March 31 in support of demands of the residents of the local Mehna Basti and Amarpura Basti, seeking adequate compensation and allotment of 100-yard plots in lieu of their lands acquired by the government for constructing a bypass.

The police, with only one woman ASI, Jaswinder Kaur, reached the site of the hunger strike and even manhandled the women, sitting along side Malkiat, to remove her from there and take her to the local civil hospital for treatment. The police forcibly got Malkiat Kaur to board an ambulance and took her to the hospital. All this happened in the presence of local Tehsildar Avtar Singh who was present there as executive magistrate.

However, the men and women, accompanying Malkiat Kaur, opposed the police action.The police also took them in custody, including Sadha Singh, the husband of Malkiat Kaur, and asked them to sit in the police Gypsy saying they had been arrested.

When Malkiat Kaur was admitted to the local Civil Hospital and administered glucose by the hospital staff, she continued to raise her voice saying that she would again sit on an indefinite hunger strike. She asked as to why had the police removed her from there forcibly. She also repeatedly tried to remove the glucose bottle.

Dr Parminder Bansal, who checked her blood pressure, said her blood pressure was normal (140/90).

When contacted, SHO Romana told TNS that the action had been initiated on the orders of the DC. He said the police had arrested eight to ten protesters, including women, from the Ambedkar Park who had been creating a scene there. However, he could not specify the sections under which they had been arrested. 

Bathinda, April 13
In protest against the non-acceptance of demands of the brick kiln workers, the district unit of the Lal Jhanda Bhatha Mazdoor Union (AICCTU), Punjab, today announced an indefinite strike by the brick kiln workers from today in the district.

As per the union leaders, the workers will strike work at about 150 brick kilns till the acceptance of their demands.

The union also declared that the workers at all brick kilns of the district would start a dharna for an indefinite period from April 16 outside the office of the DC to compel the administration to put pressure on the brick kiln owners to sign an agreement and implement the same. — TNS

Bathinda, April 13
Respite from the heat wave is unlikely for the residents of the region in the near future as the conditions prevailing for the last four days are likely to continue.

Moreover, there is also a possibility of a further rise in the temperature after two days, weathermen predicted.

The mercury has been hovering well above 40 degrees Celsius mark in Bathinda and adjoining areas since Friday causing development of heat wave conditions.

The temperature, however, dipped considerably on Monday to settle at 38 degrees Celsius. The mercury again headed north today and recorded 41.1 degrees Celsius, as per the Agro-met advisory services, PAU regional station, Bathinda. The day's low was 19.4 degrees Celsius.

As per the weather forecast made by the IMD Chandigarh for Bathinda region and received by the Agro-met advisory service here today, heat waves conditions are likely to continue as there is a possibility of mercury hovering around 38-40 degrees Celsius during the period.