Bathinda, October 12
After the delay by a couple of months that invited many protests, finally, the railway underbridge (RUB) located at level crossing 245-A, near the railway junction is going to be dedicated to the public on Wednesday.

The underbridge will connect the main city with the ‘line paar area’ (across the rail track colonies), comprising various localities including Paras Ram Nagar, Partap Nagar and Railway Colony.

Though the RUB still lacks many things before it is completed, Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal is scheduled to perform the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, which will be followed by his public meeting.

Bathinda DC Gurkirat Kirpal Singh said the rest of the things that 
awaited completion were minor and would not pose a hurdle in the flow of traffic.

It may be mentioned that the foundation stone of the underbridge bears the name of former finance minister Surinder Singla, stating that he laid it on November 19, 2006, during the previous Congress regime.

However, sources informed that the construction was started during the SAD-BJP government that came to power in 2007.

It has been reported that the RUB worth Rs 17 crore was a part of the railway budget plan 2006-07. In the budget it was proposed that it would be constructed by the PWD (B&R) and Indian Railways on a cost sharing basis.

Giving details of dimensions and cost of the RUB, the executive engineer of the PWS (B&R), Kulbir Singh Sandhu said out of the total cost, Rs 11.21 crore was borne by the PWD for constructing approaches, while the remaining Rs 5.79 crore was borne by the railway authorities on the portion under the railway lines.

The railway engineers had used box push technique in constructing the bridge that put the tracks in working condition throughout the process.

The delay in construction led to a number of protests, most of which were led by an ex-councillor Vijay Kumar.

Ferozepur, October 12
The resistance to the demand connected with the district-level status to Fazilka, which is being raised by its various organisations, became more stiff today when representatives of different organisations of Ferozepur, who held a meeting here today, decided to set up a Zila Bachao Sangarash Committee to stall any move of the government to bifurcate Ferozepur district.

Ferozepur, one of the biggest districts of Punjab, has witnessed carving out two districts Muktsar and Moga out of it about 15 years ago. Some parts of Ferozepur district were also merged with Faridkot district a few decades ago.

The representatives of different organisations and the Bar Association of Fazilka, have been holding a continuous agitation for the past about 55 days to press the government to accord district status to the border town.

The protesters have also blocked rail traffic, observed bandh and blocked to make the Punjab government accept their demand. Even members of the ruling SAD and BJP including MLA Surjeet Jiyani have come out in support of the protesters openly.

However, today different organisations of Ferozepur joined hands at the instance of District Bar Association and started opposing the demand.

President, District Bar Association, Ferozepur, Kanwardeep Singh Syal said, “An urgent meeting of advocates and members of the executive committee along with members of different societies have been convened in the court complex (Ferozepur) and it was decided that the state government would not be allowed to divide this district further.”

“The representatives have also taken a pledge that if the state government bifurcates Ferozepur district, it would be done over their bodies,” said Syal, adding such a move would be retaliated with force.

Those present in the meeting were Ashwani Mehta, president, Beopar Mandal, Satpal Bajaj Subash Tulli, Budh Ram, Puran Singh Joshan, TS Gill, Roshan Lal Sethi, DS Sandhu, DR Goyal, Manmohan Handa, Surjit Bhatt, Surinder Bajaj, Mukhtiar Singh, Raj Kumar Phool, Raj Kumar, SS Nagpal, Gulshan Monga, Tarlok Singh, Harish Chawla and PC Munjal.

Bathinda, October 12
It was an unusual day in the history of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) when avoiding the many objections raised, a majority of the councillors passed all but one item on the agenda list, during the general house meeting, held here today.

Setting the controversy to rest, the general house of BMC relieved the residents of developed residential areas of the city from the development charges, which were Rs 100 per square yard.

However, it was clarified that the development charges would remain applicable to all other areas coming under the categories of undeveloped, unauthorised and commercial.

Further, the house approved the proposal of a consultancy company to sell the Blue Fox land after dividing it into 39 SCOs of different sizes.

Meanwhile, several other items on agenda list related to street lights, traffic lights, maintenance of roads, parks etc. These were also passed without any objection.

The only item kept pending was related to garbage disposal at Harbans Nagar and Nahhatar Nagar.

Bathinda, October 12
A labourer was buried alive while another sustained severe injuries at the under-construction Guru Gobind Singh Oil Refinery at Phulokhari village.

It is learnt that Mukeshwar Saha (25) of Bihar along with Dinesh Yadav of the RSB Construction Company was doing construction work when they got buried when a hydra crane overturned. Both the labourers sustained severe injuries.

Mukeshwar, however, died on the spot. Sources in the refinery said Dinesh was out of danger.

Annoyed over the accident, a number of labourers suspended the work and raised anti-establishment slogans. They accused refinery officials of being least worried about the safety of poor labourers.

On getting the information, Talwandi Sabo DSP Surinder Pal Singh along with a posse of police personnel reached the spot and pacified the agitators.

During a round of negotiation, construction company officials announced to give compensation to the bereaved kin. On their part, refinery officials assured of improving the safety arrangements. Labourers resumed the work only when the assurances came in.

Kin of the deceased has been informed and the police has initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 of the CrPC.

Earlier too, several labourers have lost their lives that led to protests at the refinery.

Bathinda, October 12
At a rally being organised for the recruitment of airmen by the Indian Air Force authorities at the Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology here, as many as 911 candidates from Ferozepur, Bathinda, Mansa, Moga, Muktsar and Faridkot districts appeared in the written examination yesterday. Of them, 48 passed the written examination for Group Y.

Deputy director, Employment Generation and Training, Bathinda, Harpal Singh said the physical test and medical examination of the successful candidates was held here today, on the basis of which selections would be made.

He said the recruitment was being done in the presence of Wing Commander R. Kannan, Commanding Officer.

The deputy director also said the selected candidates would be given three months’ training, during which they would be paid Rs 5700 per month.

Fazilka, October 12
The health department has been spreading message to prevent leprosy and tuberculosis through magic shows amongst the residents in general and children in particularly. The shows were arranged at three different places of the slum area of Jattian Mohalla, DC DAV Model School and Government Senior Secondary School for Girls here on Tuesday.

Magician Samrat Sagar through his magic shows tried to display the pitiable condition of the leprosy and TB patients. Medical official of Civil Hospital (Fazilka) Dr Davinder Kumar Bukkal apprised the audience of treatment and preventive measures.

SMO of Civil Hospital Dr SP Garg said the aim behind these programmes is to spread awareness. — OC

Barnala, October 12
Barnala police has arrested a drug peddler and recovered one kg of opium from his possession late last night from Bhadaur.

Meanwhile, the cops have also recovered medical drugs from Sanghera and near the grain market.

Giving details, Barnala SSP Gurpreet Singh Toor, said as part of a special campaign against drug abuse, the police under the supervision of Mukhtiar Singh, DSP Tapa, arrested Khushmanpreet Singh of Sirsa in Haryana and recovered the opium from his possession.

A case under the NDPS Act has been filed. 

Sriganganagar, October 12
A cop serving the Delhi Armed Police (DAP) has been arrested under the NDPS Act for allegedly carrying 2.5 kilogram of opium, the district police claimed.

As per the information available, constable Harish Kumar and his pillion riding Surinder Kumar of village 12BD were intercepted by a police party which was led by SHO Gobind Ram of Gharsana when they were travelling by a motorcycle on the 2STR Anoopgarh road.

Surinder managed to escape during frisking while 2.5 kilogram of opium was recovered from the possession of Harish Kumar, who was on a visit to his hometown during the casual leave.

In yet another case, one Harish Kumar of Guru Nanak Basti was also nabbed by the police on Monday for having four gram smack in his possession, the police authorities informed.