Bathinda, April 22
Irked over the fruitless meetings with the chief minister and the deputy chief minister, activists of the Anganwari Mulazim Union (AMU) today gave a call for starting a chain hunger strike at the gate of the CM’s residence in Badal village from May 1—the Labour Day.

Earlier, activists of the AMU had announced they would disrupt the political conference of the Shiromani Akali Dal (B) at Talwandi Sabo during the Baisakhi fair on April 14. And the very next day, they had to launch a chain hunger strike at Badal village.

However, taking pre-emptive steps, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal invited them for a dialogue, during which, he assured of fulfilling their demands within a week. Following the assurance, the AMU activists had deferred the move.

Further, the president of the AMU met the CM at Badal village on Wednesday but the CM reportedly expressed his inability to take immediate action. Irked over the fruitless meeting, Anganwari volunteers assembled at the Teachers’ Home, here today.

Speaking to this correspondent, AMU volunteers claimed that the CM had accepted all their demands like a hike in their honorarium, implementation of reservation for them in ETT teachers’ recruitment and providing basic infrastructure at each Anganwari centre on many occasions, but nothing had been implemented till date.

Disclosing the strategy, AMU activists said the protest would be launched on May 1, which is observed as Labour Day. As per the schedule, every day, a delegation of 21 members from each block of the 10 districts in the Malwa region will go and sit on a hunger strike by rotation.

“In the first phase, we will lodge a protest in the shape of a chain hunger strike which will be continued till the chief minister finally executes the terms of the agreement made with us,” said Hargobind Kaur, president of the Anganwari Mulazim Union.

“If we fail to move the government¸ we will intensify our protest, leaving the responsibility for any untoward incident on the state government,” she added.

The union leaders said the police could do nothing more other than beat them up and lodge them in prison, for which they were already prepared.

“Everybody knows that activists of the AMU have already undergone tortures at the hands of the government at times, so nothing can deter them from this step,” said Balveer Kaur Mansa, finance secretary of the AMU.

Sounding determined, activists of the union said, “We shall die but will not bend.”

Sources in the department of power, Punjab, informed that farmers had been filing cases against them demanding compensation for destroyed crop.

Measures to prevent fire mishaps

Bathinda: According to Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Baldev Singh, farmers should remain vigilant and avoid smoking and taking illegal connections from the main power supply lines.

He suggested that overuse of tractors, threshers and combine harvesters should be avoided as these tend to heat up if used without proper break.

The official advised the farmers to clean and load the crops at a distance from the power lines, transformer or electric poles as short circuit from these sources could lead to fire break-out.

Avoid the illegal but common ‘kundi’ connection (direct connection from the supply line), which not only leads to loosening of wires but also causes electrocution and fire accidents, the ADFO suggested. — TNS

Fazilka, April 22
Thousands of marginal, small and medium farmers of more than 25 villages of this sub-division have failed to start the sowing of cotton crop as the authorities concerned have not supplied them canal water so far.

The cotton season started on April 15 and would come to an end on May 15. The germination of cotton seeds takes place in villages in this sub-division only when the fields are irrigated with canal water as the underground water is unfit for this purpose.

Thousands of acres of land in more than 25 villages of the sub-division are still lying fallow despite the fact that farmers having landholding in other cotton producing pockets of Punjab are nearing the completion of that exercise as they have been supplied sufficient canal water.

The denial of canal water have forced the cotton growers of villages Muradwala, Sabuana, Siwana, Purana Siwana, Tillawala, Lakhe Ke Dhab, Kheo Wali Dhab, Bare Ke, Shatirwala, Bakainwala, Bandiwala, Jandawala Meera Sangla, Jandawala Hanumanta, Kabul Shah, Heerawali, Roop Nagar, Khanpur and Kariean to sit idle.

Bakhshish Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), Ferozepur, when contacted, first claimed that water had been released in the eastern canal, which supplied water to cotton producing villages of Fazilka sub-division yesterday.

However, when he was made aware of the fact that till today, not a single drop had been released in the eastern canal by the irrigation authorities, he said he would take up the matter with PS Bhogal, Superintendent Engineer (SE), Irrigation, Ferozepur.

Bhogal, when contacted, said that water in the eastern canal could not be released so far as the canal distribution system of Ferozepur area needed 5000 cusecs of water daily to cater to the needs of the area being fed by it. But so far, only 2500 cusecs of water was being supplied by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). He added that it might take two to three days to release the water in the eastern canal that supplies water into the Fazilka area.

Rajinder Kumar, former sarpanch of village Bandiwala, said if canal water was not released immediately, cotton growers would have to suffer damages as they would not be able to get proper yield of the crop due to its late sowing.

Varinder Sihag, former sarpanch of village Siwana, pointed out that farmers had already suffered on account of a fall in the yield of wheat crop. The fall in cotton yield, a cash crop, would bring economic disaster for them.

Mohinder Singh Rinwa, former parliamentary secretary and Congress leader, demanded that water in the eastern canal be released immediately so that cotton could be sown well in time. He said that Bt cotton seeds, which were now being sold for a premium in the open market, must be made available to common farmers at a controlled price by the state government. 

Moga, April 22
Is liquor mafia emerging in Moga district? This is a question with various connotations and with no straight answer.

Most of the 46 groups of liquor contractors have joined hands together by adopting the illegal practice of pooling, which has resulted in a steep hike in the rates of liquor as compared to the previous financial year and also fleecing of the consumers by charging more money on account of sale of beer bottles, the maximum rates for which have already been fixed by the state government in its excise policy.

Going by the official records of the excise and taxation department, all the groups that have been allotted licences for liquor vends in Moga are politically influential, mostly belonging to the Congress party or their staunch supporters. Some of them are close to Joginder Pal Jain, the Congress MLA from Moga.

Since the political and business stakes are high, the excise department seems to have no control on liquor vendors as they have started charging higher rates for the popular brands even without displaying the rate list in the far-flung areas of the district.

This correspondent visited various places in Moga town and the district during the last two days and found that beer was being sold at for Rs 70 per bottle for both the light and strong brands even as the excise department has fixed the rates at Rs 55 and 62 for light and strong beer per bottle, respectively.

Apart from this, the popular brands of IMFL liquor, Blender's Pride, Smirnoff and Royal Challenge, are being sold between Rs 430 to Rs 450 per bottle at different places which is Rs 50 to Rs 100 more than the last year's sale price.

Similarly, Royal Stag, DYC and Red Knight is being sold for a price ranging between Rs 320 to Rs 350 per bottle at different places, which is also Rs 50 to Rs 100 more than last year's sale price.

As far as scotch is concerned, Johnnie Walker Black Label is sold at Rs 2700 to Rs 3000 per bottle, Chevas Regal at Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 per bottle, Black Dog, Something Special, Teacher 50 and Red Label for Rs 1300 to Rs 1500 per bottle at different places.

On the other hand, there have also been reports that some liquor contractors are selling the left-out stock of the previous financial year illegally purchased at a nominal price from the old vendors. As a result, no tax has been paid on the old stock being sold illegally.

When contacted, SJS Beesla, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner of Moga district, denied the report that old stock was being illegally sold by the vendors but admitted that beer was being sold at a higher rate. "I have asked the excise officers and inspectors to visit all the liquor vends personally and report to me within two days," he said.

While admitting that most of the contractors have pooled together, he said this practice has been going on for the past many years. “We have a huge amount of Rs 63 crore this year to collect from them in nine instalments, so we normally allow them to pool so that they do not suffer losses,” he said.

In reply to a question, he said that pooling is an illegal practice and the excise policy or other laws do not permit them to pool together. "We are helpless and have to think of the government's revenue," he added. 

Moga, April 22
Politician-turned liquor baron, a local Congress leader, Jagroop Singh Takhtupura and two of his associates have been booked by the police on charges of fraudulently selling three road permits of buses.

An FIR under sections 467, 468, 471 and 120-B has been registered against him and his two associates Nirpal Singh and Milanjit Singh in the Moga (city-1) police station; however, they were yet to be arrested by the police.

As per the details available, Jagdish Singh, a resident of Faridkot complained to the police that he was cheated of Rs 9.40 lakh by Takhtupura and his associates who sold three road permits of buses to him on March 28, 2010, the validity of which had expired three years ago.

Last week, another FIR was registered against Takhtupura and some other liquor contractors of Moga under sections 458, 427, 342, 148 and 149 of the IPC by the police in the Mehna police station on charges of forcibly entering into a liquor shop belonging to a rival group, beating up a salesman and damaging bottles of liquor in the 'war' of liquor cartels at Moga, the district headquarters.

It may be mentioned that Jagroop Singh, hailing from the historic/religious village of Takhtupura famous for the Maghi Mela, has entered into the liquor trade this year and managed to get two groups of vends in the Moga town.

The liquor trade took a U-turn in the current financial year with some Congressmen and their supporters having managed to enter this business. 

Ferozepur, April 22
Claims of the state government regarding crores of rupees being spent on potable water supply and sanitation notwithstanding, the scenario persists to be gloomy on this account.

The issue regarding provision of clean drinking water which should have been an utmost priority of the people at the helm continues to haunt the residents who more often than not complain about the water supplied by MC being contaminated. Over and above, appalling sanitary conditions prevailing in the town and frequent power cuts further add to the people's woes.

District Health Officer Dr Rakesh Sikri informed that many water samples collected from different areas of the city have failed the test. He said the reports about the same have been sent to department concerned.

Not to talk of the interior areas of the town and newly established colonies where the water supply is poor, even most government schools especially in the hinterland are devoid of proper drinking water facilities.

In the absence of drinking water facilities at some schools, children are consuming groundwater drawn from handpump, unmindful of the fact that the depth of these handpumps was in most cases less than 100 feet.

Earlier, the district administration had sanctioned reverse osmosis (RO) systems for the schools, but most of them have been rendered inoperative or need maintenance. When contacted, MC authorities said 25 tubewells in the city were supplying drinking water to the residents, all of which were in working condition.

Charanpal SO, MC, said that earlier, due to frequent power cuts, tubewells could not function, but the condition was fine now. About the water supplied to the interiors of the town being contaminated, he said sometimes, residents resort to illegal water connections and later on, the pipes are not plugged properly due to which the drinking water gets polluted by parallel sewerage lines.

Satish Arora, JE, Cantonment Board, said there were 13 deep-bore tubewells supplying water to the cantonment residents, adding that one tubewell near Kumhar Mandi was not working and the same would be repaired soon. About the condition of water, he said last year, 14-km long old and junked water pipes were replaced with new pipes at a cost of Rs 4 crore and rest of the 11-km water pipes would be changed soon.

With summer already having set in, the residents are forced to purchase costly RO and UV systems, and those who cannot afford are left to the mercy of municipal authorities, who are always ready with stereotyped replies citing either paucity of funds or manpower crunch.

Apart from the contaminated water being supplied, the blocked sewers dotted with heaps of garbage and cesspools of slush are common sight here. At several places in the city, especially near the old TB hospital, outside Zira Gate, opposite Dussehra ground where more than four hospitals are situated besides Basti Shekhanwalki and Burt road near Dashmesh Nagari, the situation is really bad. Instead of rectifying the problem, the government has already shifted the office of water supply and sewerage board from Ferozepur to Bathinda.

While the residents are suffering, the councilors are busy fighting over petty political issues. For the last two years, the post of MC president is lying vacant, ostensibly due to bickering within the ruling SAD-BJP councilors. The elections for the post have been postponed on several occasions as local BJP leaders failed to reach a consensus about their choice of the candidate. (To be continued)

Bathinda, April 22
Following a series of violent incidents involving labour engaged in construction of the Rs 19,000-crore oil refinery near here, the district authorities today summoned top officials of the refinery and contractors and ordered them to initiate welfare measures to maintain calm among the workers.

Deputy Commissioner Gurkirat Kirpal Singh and SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill discussed with them various issues to maintain peace in the refinery area.

Incidents of arson and violence have been taking place in the refinery where over 25,000 labourers are working round the clock to commission it within the timeframe.

SC Das, general manager (Construction), Rajiv Parmar, chief manager of the refinery, and officials of 40 different companies engaged in the construction were present at the meeting.

The DC asked them to set up a disaster management and rapid action team consisting of officials of all companies to take immediate steps to solve any problem related to labour and prevent it from spreading. They were asked to initiate welfare measures for the labour.

Gill said a police post would be established at the refinery to tackle any illegal activity. 

Bathinda, April 22
The district unit of the Pensioners’ Front, Punjab, has alleged that the district treasury office has not been passing the bills of the revised gratuity of the pensioners even as the cases have already been sanctioned by the Accountant General (AG), Punjab.

Convener of the Front Gurcharan Singh said here that the revised gratuity bills of the pensioners were not being passed by the district treasury office on some pretext or the other though the bills had already been passed in some other districts by district treasury offices.

On the other hand, an official in the district treasury office here said today that the revised gratuity bills could not be passed without a clarification from the AG, Punjab. He further said the office had already written to the AG seeking clarification about the passing of revised gratuity bills with a view to make the payment of the arrears of the revised gratuity to the pensioners. These pensioners had retired between January 1, 2006 and July 31, 2009, he added.

The pensioners have also demanded from the state government release of the arrears of revised pay-scales to the pensioners for the past 43 months. They also demanded enhancement in the medical allowance to Rs 1,000 per month from Rs 500 per month.

They asked the authorities of the district treasury office to pass all types of bills without any delay, as and when the same were received by the treasury office.

Fazilka, April 22
Police have booked four persons including a woman under section 420 IPC for allegedly cheating a farmer for Rs 45 lakhs. Of these four, two were arrested by the police on Wednesday evening.

As per the statement of a farmer Chhinderpal Singh, a resident of village Vakeelanwali, he had purchased a piece of land measuring 152 kanal and 7 marlas from Iqbal Singh of village Ratta Khera.

He paid Rs 45 lakhs as the price of the land through a sale agreement. According to Chhinderpal Singh, he insisted on transferring the land in his favour on the due date but the party concerned allegedly dilly-dallying.

Due to this tactics of Iqbal Singh, Chhinderpal Singh became suspicious and started probe at his own level. He found that Iqbal had sold the same land to a woman, Nirmal Kaur, also a resident of village Rattakhera after entering into a sale deed with Chhinderpal Singh. When he asked Iqbal Singh to return his Rs 45 lakh, he allegedly refused to do so.

Police investigated the matter and found that Chhinderpal Singh was cheated. Acting upon the statement of Chhinderpal Singh, police registered case against Iqbal Singh and his companion Partap Singh, Surinder Singh and purchaser of the land Nirmal Kaur. — OC

Moga, April 22
Health authorities have thrown away 200 litres of adulterated synthetic milk kept under unhygienic conditions at Kadarwala village in Dharamkot area of Moga district on Thursday.

Last Thursday also, around 200 litres of adulterated synthetic milk was seized from the nearby Tota Singh Wala village and four persons were arrested by the police after registering an FIR under sections 420, 272, 273 of the IPC and section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act against them.

Dr Kuldip Singh, District Health Officer of Moga, while talking to The Tribune, revealed that following a tip-off, a health team raided the house of one Swaran Singh, son of Mahinder Singh at Kadarwala village and found that synthetic and adulterated milk was being prepared under unhygienic conditions by him.

“We have thrown the milk after taking the samples and sent them to a laboratory at Chandigarh for chemical examination,” he said.

When asked why an FIR has not been registered against the alleged culprit, the DHO said that as per the instructions of the state government, he could initiate legal action only after reports of samples test positive in laboratory.

He further revealed that the health authorities have also taken as many as four samples of eatables from shops at Dharamkot and sent them for laboratory testing. — TNS