Fazilka, June 17
Manjeet, a student of class X in one of the village of this sub-division was disappointed today as he could not go to the house of his maternal grandmother despite summer vacations.

“Due to acute shortage of labour, I have been asked my father to help him in transplanting paddy in our fields,” he pointed out, adding he has no option left but to sacrifice all the enjoyments and thrills.

Shama Singh, another student of class VII, whose father owns a small landholding, has finished half of his homework given for summer vacation when he was asked to go to the fields to transplant paddy along with other family members.

As the number of migrant labourers from Bihar, UP and other states, who used to come to Punjab during the paddy transplantation season, has declined drastically this season, a large section of farmers, having small landholding, have started taking the services of their family members including school going children to complete the task at the earliest. The trend has been catching up day by day.

Besides, Punjabi labourers have made unprecedented hike in their wages. Now, most of them have started charging Rs 2500 for per acre paddy transplantation, which ranged between Rs 1800 to Rs 2000 when the season began on June 10, 2010.

“Only 10 per cent and five per cent paddy has been transplanted in Zira and Jalalabad sub-divisions, which are the main rice predicting area of this district,” said Bakhshish Singh Chahal, chief agriculture officer (CAO), adding that labour shortage could delay completion of paddy transplantation as it could continue till July 10 against the target of June 30.

He claimed that problem of labour shortage would become acute enough, if heavy rains lashed Punjab within a few days as at that time all the farmers would rush for transplanting the paddy quickly to take advantage of wet fields.

Rachpal Singh, a farmer with big landholding, said this season, the situation had developed where they had to follow the ‘diktats’ of labourers in fixing the wages. He added that though a large number of construction labourers had jumped into paddy transplantation for earning more, still they had been facing shortage of manpower.

Meanwhile, a large section of farmers having respectable landholdings have been camping at Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Sirhind railway stations for the past two to three days to get enough number of migratory labourers for paddy transplantation.

Bathinda, June 17
In a step to make urban land acquisition process land owner and government-friendly, the Punjab government has introduced a new land purchase policy, under which a number of procedural complications would be done away with.

According to the policy, a primary committee would be constituted to acquire an urban land, with chief administrator, deputy commissioner or his representative, additional chief administrator, land acquisition collector, superintending engineer, divisional engineer, district town planner and the estate officer as its members.

At first, the primary committee will broadly identify various issues like direction, required area and the purpose for which the land was being acquired. Then, the case would be forwarded for approval to the state government's executive committee headed by the chief minister.

On receiving a nod from the executive committee, the primary committee will adopt a two-envelop system and invite tenders/bids from interested parties through newspapers. The first envelop would have details like revenue record, registry, Jamabandi, ownership rights etc, while the other would contain financial bids.

The policy states that all land owners can apply for tender/bid either separately, jointly or through a representative.

Opening the technical bid envelop, the primary committee will select the suitable site after inspecting all sites. Then, the committee will send its report to the SDM for revenue verification and later, objections would be sought against the selected land.

Getting an approval from the executive committee, the financial bid envelop would be opened in the presence of all bidders. Considering the financial viability of the project, an interim report would be sent to the district collector-cum-price fixation committee, which would further put up the same with the cabinet sub-committee after fixing the prices for the land. Once the sub-committee clears the case, the land would be purchased.

Confirming the facts, chief administrator of the Bathinda Development Authority Ravi Bhagat said, "The newly-introduced land purchase policy is an owner-cum-government-friendly step. It would enable the administration to skip various steps like issuing a number of notifications besides other lengthy procedures. On the other hand, it will make the land owner a happy lot, as the land would only be purchased after it is offered voluntarily. Moreover, the value for their land would be nearly the market price."

Bathinda, June 17
To help farmers, especially marginal and small farmers, by making available to them tractors, laser land leveller, rota-vators, paddy transplanters, etc on hire basis for fulfilling their agriculture-related requirements, the Punjab State Farmers’ Commission has approved subsidy cases of 14 multi-purpose cooperative agriculture service societies of the district for the setting up of agriculture service centres in their respective villages before June 30.

The office of the Deputy Registrar (DR), Cooperative Societies, Bathinda, had earlier sent the cases of 72 multipurpose cooperative agriculture service societies to the Punjab Farmers’ Commission for approval so that these societies could get subsidy to the tune of 33 per cent from the commission on a loan of Rs 10 lakh, meant for purchasing tractor, laser land leveller, rota-vator, happy seeder, etc to run the agriculture service centres, but the commission has approved cases of 14 societies.

Talking to TNS here today, the DR, Cooperative Societies, Bathinda, Harbant Singh Jatana, said the names of 14 villages, whose societies’ cases had been approved by the commission, were Gill Kalan, Sireawala, Phul, Ghanda Banna (all in Phul subdivision) and Gidder, Pathrala, Jassi Bagh Wali, Puhli, Nandgarh, Lehra Khana, Lehra Bega, Bandi, Ghudan and Chak Bakhtu (all in Bathinda subdivision).

Jatana said under the subsidy scheme, the purchase of tractor (50 HP or above) and laser land leveller was essential for the cooperative agriculture service society while it could purchase other equipment/machinery from among the rota-vator, paddy transplanter, happy seeder etc.

Before the approval of subsidy cases of these 14 cooperative societies, as many as 28 societies of the district, including Mandi Kalan, Maluka, Salabatpura, have already got the benefit of subsidy from the commission. These societies are reportedly earning money by providing tractor, laser land leveller, etc to the farmers on hire basis.

These 14 cooperative agriculture service societies will have to purchase the equipment and machinery before June 30 for setting up the agriculture service centres. Then they will submit the bills of the equipment/machinery to the Assistant Registrar (AR), Cooperative Societies, concerned for sending the same to the office of the DR, Cooperative Societies here, which will send the same to the Punjab State Farmers’ Commission for granting the subsidy.

The scheme was launched in the light that the marginal and small farmers are unable to purchase tractors, worth about Rs 5 lakh, and laser land leveller, worth about Rs 3.40 lakh, and other equipment to fulfil their agriculture-related requirements. Besides, purchase of tractor and laser land leveller is also not profitable for any marginal or small farmer.

Bathinda, June 17
To protect Bathinda city from floods and heavy rains during the ensuing monsoon season, the district administration has divided the city into 12 sectors.

According to deputy commissioner Gurkirat Kirpal Singh here today, besides deploying three employees in every sector, an officer has been deputed as sector officer so that advance arrangements could be made in each sector.

The phone numbers of the flood control room are 0164 – 2221042, 2219042.

Fazilka, June 17
The local Municipal Council (MC) has courted another controversy after a resolution was passed by a section of the municipal councillor to allot a piece of land belonging to it and situated in front of the local civil hospital to a particular doctor for running clinical laboratory.

After the resolution was passed on June 1 by a section of the municipal councillors belonging to the BJP, a section of municipal councillors belonging to the Congress opposed this move and demanded that piece of land of the MC must be allotted to any doctor by holding open auction for the same.

In addition to this, the Municipal Council authorities faced embarrassment when Satinder Singh, only municipal councillor belonging to the SAD (Badal), who also remained vice-president, lodged a complaint to the director, local bodies in connection with the allotment of that land to a particular doctor by the Municipal Council authorities without holding auction and by violating the established rules.

He demanded that the auction must be held so that bids could be invited from them who were interested to take that land for opening laboratory to conduct tests for poor patients at subsidised rates.

Anil Sethi, president, Municipal Council, when contacted, said some of municipal councillors belonging to the Congress and some of those, who had their own vested interests, had got frustrated over the huge development being carried out in this city by the MC and hence they were making issues out of non-issues.

He said development works worth Rs 1. 33 crores were going on in the city. Tenders for development works for Rs 60 lakh would be floated shortly.

The town had not witnessed such a huge development when the Municipal Council was ruled by the Congress municipal councillors and it was the main reason that the Municipal Council authorities were being defamed by them. He said land would be allotted to anyone through open auction only as resolution passed on June 1 was a mere part of proceedings and was yet to be cleared by the state local bodies department authorities.

Meanwhile, Hari Chand Kamboj, former president, Municipal Council, Surinder Kalra, former chairman, improvement trust, Rani Devi, municipal councillor and Ashok Wattas, former municipal councillor, have demanded that the state local bodies department authorities must cancel the resolution and subsequently rake legal action against those, who had passed the same against the established norms.

Ferozepur, June 17
Sukhpal Kaur, accounts assistant in the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) was arrested this evening for her alleged involvement in embezzling the funds with the help of her husband Karamjit Singh, who is working as assistant in the civil suit branch of the office.

Official sources said Sukhpal had allegedly been embezzling funds for the past two years and in the preliminary investigation, it came to light that she had so far embezzled more than Rs 4 lakh. Sources said Karamjit Singh had absconded after the registration of case against him, his wife and one accounts official identified as Gurbachan Singh.

SSP SPS Parmar said Sukhpal had confessed her crime after she was arrested. He added that though a case had been registered against Gurbachan Singh, accounts official, so far nothing had come out prima facie against him.

He said a departmental inquiry could be launched against Gurbachan Singh for showing negligence in taking care of the funds, which had been embezzled by the accused. The services of a chartered accountant (CA) would be taken to carry out the proper audit of funds. Joginder Singh (DSP) who conducted the inquiry, said Sukhpal had been preparing fake bills of expenditure on various things to draw the money from the funds, which were always at the disposals of the SSP under the head of private funds.

After preparing the fake bills, Sukhpal, had been issuing the cheques to make payments of the same in the name of her husband Karamjit Singh. A case in this connection had been registered under sections 409, 420, 120-B, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC against these three accused at the local police station.

Fazilka, June 17
This issue connected with the death of Natesh, a student of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Ferozepur, under mysterious circumstances three days ago, has taken a new turn on Thursday when members of the Valmiki panchayat decided to observe complete bandh in this town tomorrow to lodge their protest against the alleged denial of justice to the family of deceased.

Raj Kumar, a senior leader of Valmiki Panchayat, while talking to the TNS on the phone this evening, said neither a criminal case was registered against those students, who had alleged murdered Natesh nor the police authorities were ready to listen to their complaint on that issue.

Natesh, a student of the second year of the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, disappeared under mysterious circumstances from the bank of Gang Canal at point located near its bridge on Ferozepur-Moga road few days ago.

His body was found floating in the same canal at a distance from that point and his family members cremated him in this town.

Though principal of college, TS Sidhu said Natesh was feared dead due to drowning, Neelu Kumar, father of Natesh, alleged that his son had been murdered by his classmates and later threw his body into canal.

The classmates were identified as Jatinder, Manpreet, Maninder, Karamjit, Amarpreet and Sunil Kumar.

Sarbjit Singh, SHO, police station, Kulgadi, when contacted, said it was not a case of murder as Natesh had drowned while taking bath in the canal alongwith his friends. He said body of Natesh was found in Rajasthan area.

Meanwhile, members of the Valmiki Panchayat said they would intensify their agitation if the authorities concerned did not give them justice.

Ferozepur, June 17
Tirath Pal, a resident of village Ruknabegu of this district, accused of involved in setting a young girl of the same village on fire about a week ago, surrendered in the court of judicial magistrate here today.

Sarbjit Singh, SHO, police station, Kulgadi, where a case of murder under section 302 of the IPC was registered against Tirath, said a notice would be given to them by the relevant court in connection with the surrender of the accused. Later, the accused would be formally arrested and further action would be taken against him. Meanwhile, the police heaved a sigh of relief as the parents of the victim along with a major section of villagers had threatened to launch an agitation, if the police failed to arrest the accused by noon today.

Abohar, June 17
A farm worker, her mother and alleged paramour have been arrested for allegedly drowning her father-in-law, Daulat Ram Meghwal (50), in a minor near the Danewala Satkosi crossing close to the Abohar-Hindumalkot road on July 11 last year, Khuyiansarwar SHO, Gurbhej Singh confirmed today.

The police had initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 of the CrPC upon recovering a body from the sub-canal on July 11. However, one Pala Ram of village Meharwala near Tibbi (Hanumangarh) identified the victim as his father when photo of the deceased appeared in a regional newspaper.

He informed the police that he had married Sunita of village Chak 2SSW (Fatehgarh) in 2001. She had left for the border village Jandwala Meerasangla of Fazilka sub-division a few weeks back along with her mother Sugana Devi to harvest wheat. The duo was accompanied by Rohtas, son of Amar Singh of village Sirangsar (Pallu), who had developed illicit relations with Sunita, the husband alleged.

Since injury marks on the body had also been identified during the postmortem conducted at the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital at Abohar, the police registered the case under section 302, 34 of the IPC vide FIR 85/09 on July 25 and initiated search for the accused persons, SHO Gurbhej Singh said.

The trio, who had been shifting the places of their hiding for the past about 11 months, were finally nabbed on Wednesday during a raid at village Kikkarkhera near Abohar. Preliminary interrogation reportedly indicated that Charanjit Singh of village Killianwali was also involved in the killing, however, he gave a slip when the police rushed to the village, sources added.

Fazilka, June 17
The Sadar Police have arrested Harbhajan Lal alias Gabber for raping a seven-year-old girl. The accused has been booked under section 376 of the IPC.

As per details, Mona (name changed), a resident of the nearby village of this sub-division, went to Harbhajan Lal alias Gabbar's shop to purchase snacks.

Her parents happened to go to the shop to buy some household items.

They heard cries of their daughter in room adjacent to the shop. They rushed in to rescue her and noticed the accused committing crime. The girl was rushed to the local hospital for medical examination. — OC