Bathinda, January 21
Six Punjabi-speaking unidentified youngsters allegedly robbed two city residents of cash and articles worth lakhs along with an Innova car near Fatehabad in Haryana when they were returning from the Delhi airport to Bathinda early this morning. The police of both the states — Haryana and Punjab — are probing the incident.

According to details available, Tek Chand alias Bunty, who is brother of Ashok Kumar Dhunike (vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal), received his friend Amardeep Jaura, a renowned jeweller of Bathinda, at the Delhi airport around midnight. Amardeep had returned from Winnipeg (Canada) where he had shifted recently. He still has his business in Bathinda.

The vehicle Innova (PB03Q1450) in which they were coming belonged to Ashok Kumar Dhunike and had reached near Fatehabad at about 5 am when an Innova bearing a number of Jagraon (Punjab) intercepted them on the highway.

Before Tek Chand and Amardeep could comprehend the scene, six clean-shaven unidentified persons alighted from their vehicle and fired into the ground to intimidate them. Later, they asked the duo to come out of the vehicle and hand them over the articles and cash that they were in possession of.

“Fearing a threat to life, we handed over all articles, including the gold we were wearing, and cash to them. They left us on the road and drove away in our vehicle, which was loaded with various imported goods. We informed the Haryana police about the incident and after completing legal formalities, we reached Bathinda in the evening,” said Tek Chand.

The victims claimed to have been robbed of nearly Rs 15 lakh that included Indian and Canadian currencies, various gadgets and gold besides the Innova car.

Ashok Kumar Dhunike told TNS, “The Fatehabad police registered a case and initiated an investigation immediately. The police has recovered the Innova used in the crime and found a number of fake number plates and copies of registration certificate of other vehicles in it. The cops suspect that the vehicle recovered was a stolen one.”

“The accused might have transferred the robbed goods into our Innova, which is still missing,” he added.

When contacted, Bathinda SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill said, “Though the incident took place in Haryana and a case has been lodged there, we are providing assistance to them in tracing the accused.”

Bathinda, January 21
Demolishing nearly a dozen structures in the Vishwakarma market today, the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) took possession of land acquired for constructing a link road to the upcoming localities of Model Town phase IV and V.

Meanwhile, the owners of some of the buildings alleged that the BDA did not issue them a notice of demolition and the drive damaged goods in their buildings.

Refuting the allegations, Chief Administrator of the BDA Ravi Bhagat said after wading through long legal proceedings, the total land had been acquired at a cost of Rs 13 crore and only after receiving no objection affidavits from the persons, whose land was purchased.

Following a legal process, three structures were spared from demolition as the High Court had issued stay orders on the same, the BDA Chief Administrator said. 

Bathinda, January 21
It is now official! Newly married women, who want to delay the birth of their first child for one or two years, can get Copper-T inserted in the uterus from a gynaecologist.

Dr Monika Sharma, a gynaecologist of the district, told TNS here today that the Government of India had now mentioned about the insertion of Copper-T among newly married women in its new guidelines though earlier, there was no such clear cut instructions or provision in this regard.

She also said that even lactating mothers could also get Copper-T inserted in the uterus to have a difference between the newly-born child and the next child.

Dr Monika Sharma was in the city to create awareness at a family welfare programme among Anganwari workers/supervisors and members of the NGOs, including Mahila Kalyan Samiti, Bathinda, about the insertion of the new Copper-T, having 10 years' life. It may be recalled that earlier, the Copper-T was required to be replaced after three years.

She also educated the participants by telling them that now with the insertion of new Copper-T, there was no need to change it for about 10 years, which meant that a woman had to get the Copper-T inserted for two times upto the age of 45 years in her life, instead of several times. She also said that the failure of Copper-T was also less than one per cent.

She further said that it was also a myth that the Copper-T increased obesity among women or got rusted in the uterus. She said as there were no side-effects of the Copper-T, so women should use it in a big way by getting it inserted from a gynaecologist.

A surgical specialist Dr Anil Goyal, who gave a visual presentation about the non-scalpel Vas Occlusion (NSV) for men, said that in India, only eight to nine per cent men and about 22 per cent women got NSV operations and tubectomy operations respectively conducted on them.

He said this showed that the men's contribution in family welfare programme was less as compared to women. He said the men did not come forward for NSV operations, fearing weakness or thinking that family planning operation was meant for women.

District Health Officer Dr Raghbir Singh Randhawa emphasised on the propagation of use of Copper-T by women in a big way and adoption of the NSV operation method by men.

Bathinda Civil Surgeon Dr Inder Dayal Goyal also disseminated the message to remove myths among men and women with regard to sexual weakness among men after NSV operation and obesity among women after insertion of Copper-T.

Bathinda, January 21
A glance at the anomalies in the B.Ed colleges across the state indicates that it would not be wrong to say that education has become a mere business for the institutes and the government too has turned a blind eye towards the problem.

On the one hand, the number of B.Ed colleges has mushroomed and on the other, many of them are being run with the sole aim of minting money without bothering about the norms and rules laid down to govern their functioning.

According to the information collected through various sources, including the activists of some student unions, many such colleges lack the required infrastructure, duly appointed teachers, proper library and other facilities mandatory for running these institutions.

Raising an objection against the menace, activists of the Punjab Students’ Union (Shaheed Randhawa) today charged the authorities of the private self-financed colleges of fleecing the students.

They said the department of higher education, Punjab, had fixed the annual fee for the B.Ed course in all private self-financed colleges at Rs 40,000 for the session 2010-11.

It included the tuition fee and the additional staff activity fund. But the union claimed to be in the possession of fee receipts of various students from whom the colleges had charged around Rs 50,000 and even Rs 65,000 as the annual fee for the current session.

The student leaders rued that last year, the fee was Rs 35,000 but considering the pleas of the colleges, the government itself had revised the fee to Rs 40,000. Still, it failed to meet the 'greed' of the colleges, who without bothering about the directions, looted students of thousands of rupees.

Demanding an immediate intervention by the Department of Higher Education, Punjab, president of the Punjab Students' Union (Shaheed Randhawa), Pavel Kusa said, “If the department concerned does not take the required steps to check the menace, we would be forced to lodge protests, which could go to any extent.”

However, the official website of the Federation of Self-Financed Colleges of Education (www.bedpunjab.org) mentioned that after detailed meetings, the Colleges of Education, allowed participation for the admission process to B.Ed. course session 2010-11, conducted by the Federation of Self-Financed Colleges of Education, Punjab, can charge Rs 49,000 annually for the B.Ed course for the session 2010-11 in two installments, excluding the charges of security and prospectus.

But no official of the federation could be contacted as all mobile phone numbers (helpline) given were either out of service or switched off.

When contacted, the Special Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Punjab, GK Singh said, “The matter is very serious. If the student union activists or the students have any valid proof against the anomaly, they must report it to the director of the department.”

He assured that immediately after the complaint reaches them, the matter would be probed through a joint director rank official.

Abohar, January 21
The political atmosphere is likely to get heated in Abohar, Balluana and Fazilka assembly segments of the Ferozepur district on January 25 when President, SAD (B) and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal will initiate some development projects besides addressing a series of public rallies in the region. He would hold sangat darshan also and initiate a number of development projects in this region for the first time after his uncle Gurdas Badal parted company with his brother and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal a few months ago.

The region was being looked after by Gurdas Badal before his son Manpreet Badal was expelled from the Punjab cabinet. Almost all the leaders belonging to the SAD (B) were feeling themselves cornered when Gurdas Badal was managing the affairs of this region. Manpreet Badal also tried to make inroads in this region by holding a series of meetings of his Jago Punjab Yatra in the past few months. Almost all his meetings failed to attract a huge crowd despite the fact that his father was once elected as Member of Parliament (MP) from the Fazilka Lok Sabha seat.

Information gathered by the TNS revealed that Sukhbir Badal would lay the foundation stones of about five irrigation projects to make a political impact in this region in all likelihood as availability of water in adequate quantity for the irrigation and drinking purposes was an unfulfilled dream of thousands of farmers and other people of this region.

He had already cleared a number of projects related to cleanliness of canals and distributaries of the region.

Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav, who held a meeting here today in connection with preparations of these functions, said Badal would also solve the problems connected with sewerage and water supply system of this town by holding a meeting with the local municipal councillors.

He said besides sanctioning various projects in Abohar, Balluana and Fazilka assembly segments on January 25, Badal would also ensure that all those who were eligible for pension under different schemes of the Punjab government, must get the same without any delay. Some of the pockets of this region would also get health facilitiess. The irrigation projects, which would be started by Badal, included New Tarmala minor, Bazidpur distributary, Khippawali minor, Aspal minor and Abun distributary. Meanwhile, SAD (B) leadership has been putting efforts to make the rallies a success. 

Abohar, January 21
Two judicial complexes, located in Abohar and Jalalabad towns of the Ferozepur district, whose completion was delayed by many months, will be inaugurated by three judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court tomorrow.

TPS Mann, MMS Bedi and LN Mittal, judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court will formally inaugurate these judicial complexes of Abohar and Jalalabad towns, which were constructed at a cost of Rs 17.86 crores and Rs 13.56 crores, respectively. Two separate functions at Abohar and Jalalabad will also be held.

Notably, the delay had also increased the cost of construction as well. The judicial authorities of the Ferozepur district had to intervene in the matter. Inderjit Singh and Sukhwinder Singh Bedi, executive engineers, who were supervising the construction of these two judicial complexes, said the delay was caused due to a change in the design.

Meanwhile, NK Garg, president, Bar Association, Abohar, said the Bar members would raise the demand of setting up of the court of additional sessions judge at Abohar with all the three judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

He said litigants belonging to the Abohar region had been facing a lot of harassment as they had to travel a long distance and spend a lot of money to attend the session courts at Ferozepur.

The newly-constructed compex is spacious enough to accommodate the courts of the additional session judges.

There was proper arrangement to provide residential accommodation to the additional session judges and their subordinate staff in the judicial complex.

Sat Pal Kamboj, president, Bar Association, Jalalabad, said it was a big moment for the Bar members as they would get a new judicial complex, which was spacious and equipped with all the facilities.

Fazilka, January 21
The residents of village Chandmari in Fazilka sub-division have decided to postpone all celebrations and solemnising of marriages for a month following the tragic death of four minor children in a train-auto collision last Saturday at an unmanned level railway crossing near village Theh Kalandar.

The sarpanch and nambardar of the village announced the decision during the Akhand Path Bhog (last rites) performed at the village for the departed souls. The children, namely, Babbaldeep, Amandeep, Renu and Saurabh of village Chandmari had been crushed to death when the Ferozepur-bound train had hit the tempo that was ferrying the children at Theh Kalandar unmanned level crossing.

Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya, SDM (Fazilka) Ajay Sood, DSP Karamjit Singh, Navdeep Jyani, son of local MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani, Youth leader Jaswinder Singh Rocky and a number of villagers participated in the bhog and expressed condolences with the bereaved families.

On the occasion, Ghubaya handed over a cheque for Rs four lakhs to the parents of the deceased as ex-gratia. In the memory of the deceased children, Teachers for Society and Shri Ram Kirpa Pheri Sangh, organised a blood donation camp at the local Civil Hospital yesterday. 

Abohar, January 21
The Balidan Divas of Sher-e-Sindh Hemu Kalani, freedom fighter and revolutionary, who was hanged to death on January 21, 1943 by the British, was observed in a dozen towns of West Rajasthan today.

Hundreds of Sindhis thronged the Jhulelal temples and memorials to remember the martyr.

A folder on the life history of Kalani was also released. The community demanded that the profile of Hemu Kalani should be included in the syllabus books to impart inspiration to the youth.

Representatives of NGOs offered flowers petals at the portrait of the hero.