Bathinda, January 29
By next week, the Suwidha Centre, set up by the district administration at the Mini-secretariat here, will provide on-line facility for submission of passport application forms. Once the facility becomes operational, the applicants will not have to do any paper work.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr S. Karuna Raju told TNS today that the staff of the Suwidha Centre would feed the entire data related to a passport seeker into computer in the latter's presence. The data would be forwarded via internet to the Regional Passport Officer (RPO) at Chandigarh for the preparation of the passport. For the purpose, four persons were being imparted training here, he added.

The DC said the Suwidha Centre would charge between Rs 100 and Rs 200 from the passport seekers for providing them the online service while private persons charge Rs 500 to Rs 600 for filling the forms.

He said he would also ensure a liaison between the Centre and the RPO, Chandigarh, so that applicants don't have to face any difficulty in getting their passports.

The DC said there would be a separate queue for defence personnel and senior citizens at all the counters of the Centre.

Meanwhile, the work on the computerisation of land records in the district was being done on a fast note and it would be completed 15 days before the deadline (March 31), he added.

Bathinda, January 29
A multi-crore modern hockey stadium equipped with floodlights and astroturf will be constructed at the Government Rajindra College here soon. To be built by the Improvement Trust, Bathinda, the foundation of the stadium is expected to be laid in March.

Talking to TNS here today, Chairman of the Improvement Trust Ashok Bharti said the decision in this regard was taken at a meeting held in Chandigarh a day earlier. He said besides Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, the Secretary (Sports), the Director (Sports) and the officials of the Punjab Mandi Board attended the meeting. Bharti further said the Improvement Trust would spend over Rs 12 crore on the construction of the stadium that would be equipped with astroturf and floodlights.

He said estimates for its construction would be prepared by the Punjab Mandi Board. After receiving the estimates, the short-term tenders would be invited for the construction work, he added.

Bathinda, January 29
Gurlal Singh, a student of BA (Part-II), and Pinki, a student of BA (Part-III), were adjudged the best athletes in the boys and girls’ categories, respectively, on the concluding day of the 58th annual athletic meet of the Government Rajindra College here today. Gurlal secured 20 points to bag the title while Pinki obtained 25 points.

Principal Sukhchain Rai Garg gave away prizes to the winners.

The winners in various events are: 200-m race (Boys): Gurlal Singh; Three-legged race (Boys): Jagdeep Singh and Gagandeep Singh; Triple jump (Boys): Gurlal Singh; 1,500-m race (Girls): Pinki; 5,000-m race (Boys): Balwinder Singh; Long jump (Girls): Jasbir Kaur; Hammer throw (Boys): Hardip Singh; 400-m race (Boys): Gurlal Singh; 200-m race (Girls): Pinki; 100-m race (Girls): Pinki; and 100-m race (Boys): Gurlal Singh. — TNS

Ferozepur, January 29
Three officials of the local Central Jail including an assistant superintendent were placed under suspension by its superintendent LS Jakhar after mobile phones, narcotics, intoxicants and other illegal material was recovered from the possession of the inmates, lodged in its different barracks, during the raid conducted by Ferozepur DC KK Yadav and district police chief Kaustab Sharma along with other officials on January 27.

The security and intelligence agencies feared that the mobile phones might have been used by the Pakistan nationals, lodged in the jail.

Jakhar confirmed that three officials including Suraj Parkash, Assistant Superintendent of Jail, Des Raj and Emi Chand (both head constables) were placed under suspension.

He said he had urged the district police authorities to equip them with metal detectors. Besides, sniffer dogs would also be used in the jail premises at random, Jakhar added. “He had also asked the police authorities to interrogate the inmates to ascertain as to whether any official of the Central Jail had been facilitating them or not in their illegal activities. The district police will take legal action against the accused,” Jakhar said.

Bathinda, January 29
Local SDM KPS Mahi has written to the SSP to register cases against three shopkeepers in the city, who were found selling or storing Chinese kite line (thread) at their shops during a checking conducted by him today.

The SDM raided about 20 local shops selling kites and thread in the light of the order of Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Dr S. Karuna Raju to ensure Chinese thread was not sold in the district.

Mahi said he had recovered a huge number of spools of Chinese thread from three shops located on the Amrik Singh road (near Veer Colony) and the Qila road here. Shops in various localities, including Arya Samaj Chowk, Paras Ram Nagar, Amrik Singh Road, Partap Nagar and Bhagu Road, were also checked, he added.

The SDM said the campaign would continue against the sale and storage of Chinese thread by shopkeepers and cases would be registered against the shopkeepers violating the DC’s orders.

Bathinda, January 29
A meeting of the executive committee of the district unit (Urban) of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) was held under the presidentship of in-charge of affairs for the district unit (Urban) Neeraj Tayal here today.

Tayal interacted with the party leaders to work out strategies in view of the ensuing Assembly elections. Among those present at the meeting were president of district unit (Urban) Sham Lal Bansal, chairman of local Improvement Trust Ashok Bharti, and senior deputy Mayor of the Municipal Corporation Tarsem Goyal. — TNS