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Creating identity database Stampede at Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters
Light showers predicted
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Five test positive for Hepatitis-C in Sooch village
Funds sought for constructing Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras
Sirki Bazar sub-post office merged with city post office
DC office clerk goes missing in Ferozepur
Artificial scarcity of Bt cotton Groundwater
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Creating identity database
Bathinda, April 30 If one goes by the details and objectives of the Census 2011, it will be a milestone as the government intends to create NPR, a comprehensive identity database, which will further facilitate in creating a biometric-based identity system in the country, allowing a ‘unique’ identity card for all the citizens. Officials involved in the process claim that it is for the first time that information will be collected in unusual categories like ownership of mobile phones, computers, internet, fingerprints and photographs of individuals, which will help the government in formulating plans and strengthening country’s security. Moreover, the ‘House listing and Housing Census schedule’ enlists various questions related to standard of living, like about drinking water facility. If you get drinking water from a tap, whether it is from treated or untreated source; if it is from a well, whether covered or uncovered; and then details about other sources like handpump, tubewell, spring, river/canal, tank, pond, lake, etc. The House Listing and Housing Census schedule will have 35 questions. To avoid errors in the details, the authorities of the Census-2011 have clarified that people from scheduled castes can be only from Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists and not from any other religion while people claiming to be scheduled tribes can be from any religion. Among other questions in the performa, Census house number, predominant material of floor, wall and roof of the Census house, number of persons residing in the household, number of dwelling rooms, main source of lighting, waste water outlet, availability of kitchen, fuel used for cooking, details of gadgets, vehicles and the banking services will be prominent. Meanwhile, the NPR household schedule will have 14 questions, including name of the person and residency status, relationship to the head, sex, date of birth, marital status, educational qualification, occupation/activity, place of birth etc. Confirming the details, Principal Census Officer, Bathinda (City), Ravi Bhagat said, “The whole task is for the welfare of the nation as well as individuals, so we urge everybody to cooperate with the enumerators. Anybody found attempting to disturb the Census process will be held liable under Census Act 1948.” Some of the questions in House Listing and Housing Census schedule are: Predominant material of floor, wall and roof of the Census house; number of persons residing in the household; availability of drinking water source; main source of lighting; waste water outlet; fuel used for cooking; details of the gadgets and vehicles; and availing of banking services. Some of the questions in National Population Register Household Schedule are: Name of the person and resident status; date of birth; marital status; educational qualification; occupation/activity; name of father, mother and spouse; and place of birth. |
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Stampede at Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters
Bathinda, April 30 After bringing the bodies back from Sirsa, their kin performed their last rites, here today Though the family members preferred to avoid media persons, sources in the CID informed that Kamla Rani was a resident of Heera Wala Chowk. The CID officials said her husband was running a readymade cloth shop at Mehna chowk. Another woman, Bimla Devi, a teacher, who was in her forties, belonged to Patel Nagar. The CID officials disclosed that her funeral was performed in the evening as the family members kept waiting for the arrival of her children, who studied in Delhi. Sources in Sirsa informed that the stampede took place around midnight, when a congregation concluded and the dignitaries of the Dera were distributing some gifts and 'parsad' to the followers of sect chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, officials said. However, the Dera followers described the incident as an accident, and claimed that it took place when Dera followers, in large numbers (in thousands) were rushing out of the Dera after attending a satsang. |
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Light showers predicted
Bathinda, April 30 The maximum temperature during the week here varied between 40.2 degrees Celsius and 41.8 degrees, while the minimum temperature ranged from 22.2 degrees Celsius and 25.2 degrees. The mean relative humidity varied between 60-15 per cent during these days. As far as the weather forecast for the next three to four days, rain is likely in isolated parts in the region for the next two to three days. As per the IMD Chandigarh, weather is likely to remain mainly dry with possibility of duststorm/partial cloudiness/thundershowers at some places for the next two to three days in Bathinda and its adjoining areas. The daily maximum and minimum temperature are expected to range between 37 and 41 degrees Celsius and from 23 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees. Wind speed is likely to range between 4-7 kmph during this period. |
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Five test positive for Hepatitis-C in Sooch village
Bathinda, April 30 Meanwhile, in the light of Hepatitis-C cases in the village, the Bathinda Civil Surgeon today wrote to the Ballianwali SMO to check the quacks in the area and stop the use of infected needles and syringes by them immediately. The Civil Surgeon also wrote to the SMO to educate the residents of the village about the preventive measures of the disease. The Ballianwali SMO Dr Amrik Singh told TNS today that five teams of the health officials the previous day and today visited door to door in the Sooch village to conduct survey about the patients, affected by the disease. He said the teams detected five positive patients, suffering from the disease. The SMO said, however, seven to eight persons in the village were also claiming that they had also been suffering from Hepatitis-C, but they had no proof, so their blood tests would also be conducted now. Dr Amrik Singh further claimed that even the disease was not active in the five detected cases, but they had been found positive during tests. He said this was a blood-borne and chronic disease. During the year 2008 and 2009, four persons each had been found suffering from Hepatitis-C in the village while in 2010, five patients had been detected so far. A camp would also be organised in the village on Monday to educate the villagers, he added. The DHO Dr Dharampal Singh Sekhon said the Hepatitis-C was not a water-borne disease as it spread through infected needles and syringes, blood transfusion and unsafe sex. Sekhon said he had also asked the SMO to collect blood samples of the suspected patients to conduct investigations. |
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Funds sought for constructing Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras
Bathinda, April 30 These kendras will be constructed to provide space for facilitating the functioning of the Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) office at the Gram Panchayat and block levels. Besides, these kendras will also function as a knowledge resource centre to help the people to get information about MGNREGA and other rural development programmes. An amount of Rs 10 lakh will be spent on the construction of the village-level kendra while the block-level kendra will be constructed at a cost of Rs 25 lakh under the MGNREGA scheme’s budget. The Bathinda district authorities have sought Rs 33.30 crore for the construction of kendras in the NREGA annual action plan of the district for the financial year 2010-11. Talking to TNS, additional deputy commissioner (Development) C. Sibin said the Bathinda district had 315 villages and eight block headquarters where the BNRGSK would be constructed after the receipt of funds. He said these kendras would be constructed by engaging NREGA workers. He also said 90 per cent of the amount would be spent on material component, including skilled labour, while the remaining would be spent on engaging unskilled labour. Meanwhile, Sibin disclosed that though there were 36,000 NREGA job cards in the district, covering about one lakh beneficiaries, but during 2009-10 only 20 per cent beneficiaries sought work under the NREGS. He also said about 6,000 beneficiaries got 100 days’ work under the NREGS during 2009-10 in the district. He further said the NREGA workers were being provided various works, like de-silting of ponds and canals, construction and repair of link roads for rural connectivity, and tree plantation. He said at present the NREGA workers were being paid Rs 123 per day as wages in the district. When asked whether the Centre has enhanced wages of the NREGA workers, the ADC (D) said the Centre had allowed enhancement only in those states where the workers had earlier been getting less than Rs 100 per day. |
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Sirki Bazar sub-post office merged with city post office
Bathinda, April 30 The communiqué concerning merger of the sub-post office reached the officials concerned who also started taking measures for the smooth merger. When contacted, superintendent post, Bathinda, Makhan Singh told TNS over the phone today in the evening that the sub-post office was not fulfilling the distance norm. Singh said that steps had been taken to inform the customers about the development. "Boards are being installed at the sub-post office," he added. He also said that a separate counter would be functional at the city post office from Saturday for the customers of sub- post office. However, the postal department's decision was termed as 'sudden and unexpected' by customers as well as by many postal staff. The sub-post office had undergone a facelift a few months ago, sources in the postal department said, adding that counters were renovated and new furniture supplied making it difficult to understand why the department had taken such a decision. Two postal assistants along with other staff were deployed to cater to
the need of the residents of the area. |
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DC office clerk goes missing in Ferozepur
Ferozepur, April 30 Information gathered by TNS revealed that Surinder Kapur, who was dealing with arms licences, went missing when he was going from his official room to the room of his assistant located at a distance of about 150 metres. A case of kidnapping under section 364 of the IPC was registered at the local police station after the authorities concerned suspected that Surinder Kapur could have been kidnapped by unknown persons. “We are trying our best to trace out Surinder Kapur,” said Harjit Singh Pannu, SP (D). Information revealed that colleagues of Surinder Kapur came to know about his disappearance under mysterious circumstances around five last evening when the offices were being locked on Thursday. The office of Surinder Kapur and one of the cupboard was found open by his colleagues. His motorcycle was also found parked in the premises of the DC office. When the family members came to know about the incident, Namrata Kapur, wife of Surinder Kapur, who is also working as a clerk in the Tehsil office, along with her son, started searching for him. They also contacted persons known to Surinder Kapur to ascertain his whereabouts. When they failed to get any clue, they approached the Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav along with the representatives of the DC Office Employees Association for help. Following this, a case was registered and search for Surinder Kapur was started by the police. Vijay Behl, representative of the Association, said that though a section of other employees made calls on the mobile phone of Surinder Kapur, he (Kapur) did not take the calls. Later, the mobile phone was found switched off continuously. |
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Artificial scarcity of Bt cotton
Abohar, April 30 Meanwhile, sources in the agriculture department confirmed that different officials led by the district agricultural officer Bakshish Singh Chahal were on a sampling spree. Chahal was assisted by Khuyiansarwar soil conservation officer Hardyal Singh, Bhupinder Kumar, Ranbir Yadav and Sandeep Bhateja, all agriculture officials, in taking 12 samples of the Bt cotton seed till last evening. Chahal inspected eight seed selling shops. Notably, different factions of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) as well as legislator Sunil Jakhar had rapped the department for not taking even a single sample. SDM Darshan Singh Grewal has also issued an order directing all seed dealers to display stock position prominently. Significantly, many farmers at the Khuyiansarwar sub-tehsil are now opting for tried varieties of the cotton other than Bt. Confirming it, some progressive farmers said that the Bt seed tried during the past three years had done no miracle. Rather Rashi-134 variety almost ruined cotton growers last year. “We had to pour in hundred per cent extra quantity of the urea besides DAP, the latter is not needed for ordinary cotton varieties. Narma cotton was prone to American bollworm but could be controlled while white fly completely damaged the Bt crop last year. After paying four times for the Bt-2 variety, the yield remained at par with Desi cotton at eight quintal per acre on average. Those who had maintained the accounts beginning sowing season were convinced that there was no fun in trying the Bt cotton again. |
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Groundwater
Abohar, April 30 So far, piped supply from waterworks had not been arranged. The residents pointed out that last year, Jamuna Devi died of breast cancer while Roop Ram and Amar Singh were identified as the other victims. Last year, Sardul Singh had died of mouth cancer. There is only one medical practitioner in the colony. He is also not equipped with resources to diagnose the deadly disease, the residents rued. |
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