Abohar/Fazilka, February 25
The residents of Abohar and Fazilka, border towns in Ferozepur district and various villages falling under their respective jurisdiction, had a reason to cheer today as the Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has given an effective hint in connection with the commissioning of the much awaited Abohar-Fazilka rail link for the passengers in the current year.

In her railway budget speech delivered in Parliament today, Mamata has sanctioned a new train for the Abohar-Fazilka track, which is likely to be operational by March this year.

Vishwesh Chobey, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Ferozepur, said Banerjee had sanctioned a new train for the Abohar-Fazilka link.

Hence, it had become certain that the rail link would start its operation on a commercial basis, this year.

The residents of Abohar and Fazilka regions of Punjab and the adjoining Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan have been waiting for commencing of train service on the Abohar-Fazilka section for the last eight years.

The establishment of the rail link has been delayed and hence, its cost of construction has gone up to Rs 210 crores from the original estimate of Rs 88 crores, which was worked out for it in the initial stage. This important rail link was sanctioned in 2003 by the Ministry of Railways on the consistent demand of people and politicians of these regions. The foundation stone was laid down by the then Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar in 2004.

The rail link was supposed to be operational in 2007. However, the physical work was almost completed in the recent past and trial run was expected to start any time. The rail link, when becomes operational, will set up direct train connectivity between Ferozepur border district of Punjab and Sriganganagar border district of Rajasthan.

Besides, it would open new rail routes for Abohar and Fazilka. The trade activities in these border towns are also expected to pick up with the commencement of the new rail link.

Raj Sadosh adds: Sweets were distributed in the old grain market area here today after the Railway Minister announced the much-awaited Abohar-Fazilka passenger train. However, Hanuman Dass Goyal, vice-president, Railway Passengers Association, regretted that the minister had not accepted other demands even when scores of memorandums seeking more facilities for the commuters had been sent to her.

Mansa, February 25
Taking strong exception to the Railway Budget-2011 tabled today, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal termed it as a case of ‘deception with the people of Punjab’.

Talking to the media after holding Sangat Darshan here today, Sukhbir lashed out at the Congress-led UPA government for totally ‘ignoring’ Punjab in the railway budget presented by Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in Parliament.

Targeting Mamata, Sukhbir said, “She must have kept it in mind that as the Railway Minister, she represents the whole country and not just West Bengal or Rae Bareli.”

“I along with the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will soon call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to lodge a strong protest over the step-motherly treatment given to Punjab in the Railway Budget,” said Sukhbir. Recounting the demand for trains for which his wife Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Amristar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu had written letters to the Union Railway Minister, including the Bathinda-New Delhi Shatabdi, Chandigarh-Amritsar Express and the upgradation of Amritsar, Ludhiana and Bathinda railway stations, besides the extension of rail freight corridor up to Amritsar and allocation of additional bogeys to Punjab for wheat and fertilizers transportation, Sukhbir said, “We have been ignored which confirms the charge of discrimination against the NDA ruled states, including Punjab.”

About the benefits of holding mid-term elections in Punjab, Sukhbir ruled it out saying that former CM Captain Amarinder Singh had failed to secure the nod from his party high command to appoint office-bearers of his choice. So, he was dangling a carrot before the disgruntled Congress leaders to keep them in his flock.

Seeking immediate judicial inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the Hond Chillar massacre, Sukhbir said, “The dubious silence of the Punjab Congress leadership as well as the Union Home Minister on this sensitive issue reflects their guilt psyche.”

Reiterating that the SAD-BJP government was fully committed to ensure the overall development of the state, Sukhbir said all major initiatives taken in the fields of power, education, infrastructure, air as well as road connectivity and health services explain the approach of the government. Calling upon the SAD-BJP cadre to rise above petty factional feuds, Sukhbir asked them to work collectively.

Earlier, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also laid the foundation stones of 10 internal roads of Mansa city and flagged off the Mansa-Amritsar AC bus service. Later, joining his wife, Sukhbir inaugurated the newly-constructed bus stand in Bhikhi where he also held a Sangat Darshan to redress the grievances of the people. 

Bathinda, February 25
National president of the Lok Bhalai Party (LBP) Balwant Singh Ramoowalia today produced a married girl, Anita, a resident of Akalia village (Mansa), before the media persons here. The girl's husband, living in Canada, has allegedly refused to take her along even after allegedly taking lakhs of rupees from her father Vijay Kumar.

According to Vijay Kumar, he had spent Rs 12 lakh on the marriage of his daughter that took place in February 2009. Later, he gave Rs 10 lakh to the family of his son-in-law as demanded for sponsoring his daughter's case. Despite this, he has not taken his daughter to Canada. Anita, with tears in her eyes, narrated her woes. According to her, her husband has been telling her that since he lives in Canada, so they could do no harm to him.

Narrating the case of Anita, Ramoowalia told the media persons that Anita's husband was from Bhaini village in Ludhiana district. Anita's father had spent Rs 22 lakh on marriage and for her daughter's sponsorship. He said the amount of Rs 10 lakh as sponsorship money had been given to Anita's mother-in-law.

He said when Anita's husband refused to take her to Canada, then Vijay Kumar approached the Mansa police. After an inquiry, the Joga police in Mansa district registered a case against the youth and his family members.

Ramoowalia further alleged that in the name of further inquiry, a woman officer in the internal vigilance cell at Chandigarh had weakened the case by dropping the names of three persons and only keeping the name of Anita's husband in the case.

He said his party demanded suspension of the woman officer and registration of a case against her.

Ramoowalia also appealed to the High Court and the DGP, to take suo moto action in this case. He also said that his party was going to hold a dharna in Mansa on March 1 in favour of such girls and against unemployment, drug abuse etc.

On political issues, Ramoowalia said he was in favour of Third Front, but it should be formed on the basis of pro-poor principles.

The LBP chief also said that in Punjab, democracy had been hijacked by corruption in politics. He said there was an anarchy-like situation in Punjab. Besides, no one had been listening to the problems of the poor, he added. 

Bathinda, February 25
A member of the All India Congress Working Committee (CWC), Jagmeet Singh Brar has urged the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to send an all-party delegation to Hond Chillar village (near Rewari) in Haryana, where more than 30 Sikhs had been massacred on November 2, 1984, to place the facts of that tragic incident on record.

Brar told the media persons here today that he had met the PM at the Parliament House in Delhi the previous day where he urged the PM to send an all-party delegation to Hond Chillar at the earliest as Parliament session was on.

He also said that the Prime Minister had assured him that he would take a decision soon in this regard.

He also suggested that after visiting Hond, the delegation should submit its report to the PM. He even sought from the PM an inquiry into the tragic incident by a sitting judge of the High Court.

Brar also appealed to the Members of Parliament (MPs) of the SAD and the Congress to raise the Hond Chillar issue in Parliament. He said he had even met senior Congress leaders, Ahmed Patel and Mohsina Kidwai, to ensure the sending of a joint delegation of all parties to Hond Chillar.

If anyone has done commendable work for the rehabilitation of the Sikh victims of the 1984 riots, then it was PM Manmohan Singh who did a lot for the Sikhs as the Union Finance Minister and the chairman of the Rehabilitation Committee, Brar said. 

Bathinda, February 25
To resolve the controversy arising out of the proposed hike in electricity tariff by 68 per cent, members of the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) held a public meeting here today.The members of the commission listened to public grievances related to power cuts, fly ash, power theft and corruption in the department.

PSERC members Virender Singh and Gurinderjit Singh Ghuman were accompanied by secretary of the commissioner Namita Sekhon.

The meeting started with people expressing resentment that the time and venue of today's hearing was not publicized to help them approach the commission with their grievances.

A consumer awareness group raised the issue of smoke and fly ash billowing out of the chimneys of the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant. The delegation accused the PSPCL of not keeping the promise of providing uninterrupted power supply by declaring the 8-km radius of thermal plant as no power-cut zone.

A farmer Shiv Charan Singh said that if power theft remains checked, the Powercom and Transcom should themselves overcome the loss and the hike in tariff should be avoided.

PSERC member Virender Singh said, "We have noted the complaints and directed the officials to mend their ways."

Bathinda, February 25
State Nodal Officer (Jan Aushadhi) MP Singh today visited the city to check if the doctors of the local Civil Hospital and the Women and Children's Hospital are prescribing generic medicines as per the instructions of the government. These generic medicines are available at the Jan Aushadhi drug store located on the premises of the hospital.

The officer visited at the Red Cross medical store, adjoining the Jan Aushadhi drug store, to examine the OPD slips, on which the doctors prescribe medicines. He collected photostat copies of about 20 OPD slips, containing prescription of branded medicines, in place of generic medicines.

MP Singh said that during the checking of the OPD slips, he had found that barring a few generic medicines, the doctors had prescribed branded medicines on OPD slips. This was despite the efforts of the Health Department to ensure prescription of generic medicines by the doctors, which were available at the Jan Aushadhi drug stores. He said he even got himself examined by a doctor at the hospital who prescribed him branded medicines.

He said the Health Department wanted there should be only one medical store, i.e. the Jan Aushadhi drug store, in place of two medical stores. He said the department also wanted the closure of the Red Cross medical store to promote Jan Aushadhi drug store here.

He said he would now submit his report to the Managing Director (MD) of the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC) for initiating further proceedings. 

Ferozepur, February 25
The players of the Golden Key Division team defeated Delhi Area team 6-1 on the third day of the Western Command Football Championship, which was being organised by the Golden Arrow Division, in the local cantonment area.

Chabban Thapa of the Golden Key Division scored two goals in the 35th and 37th minutes while the remaining four goals were scored in the 14th, 25th, 78th, 98th minutes of the game by the other players. The lone goal for the Delhi Area team was scored by Kamlesh Kumar in the 83rd minute.

The second match of the day was played between Gurj Division and Deep Strikers and it was a drawn affair as both the teams scored one goal against each other.

Shesha Baba Pradhan scored the first goal of the match for Gurj Division in the 71st minutes of the game while LNL Jyotin of Deep Strikers scored the equaliser in the 75th minute of the match.

In the third match of the day, Golden Arrow Division defeated Elephant Division 2-1. Mahinder Topo and Man Kamal Singh scored one goal each in the 61st and 65th minutes of the match for the Golden Arrow Division, respectively, while the lone goal for the Elephant Division was scored by Lance Havaldar Sujaya Mandal in the 51st minute of the match.

In the last match of the day, Rising Star Corps troops crushed Vajra Corps troops 
4-0.

Sanju Aire scored two goals in the 14th and 79th minutes of the match while the remaining goals for the winners were scored in the 3rd and 89th minutes.

Dr V. Adimurthy, professor and senior advisor (Interplanetary Missions) at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), who was in Bathinda on Friday to attend a UGC-sponsored national conference on ‘Advanced mathematics and its applications’ organized by the the post-graduate department of mathematics of the DAV College, spoke to Rajay Deep of The Tribune on the steps the ISRO is taking to accomplish India’s mission in space.

Excerpts from the conversation:

Q: How far is the day when human beings will be able to live and work at other destinations within solar system?

Ans: Efforts are on for a mission to Mars and Moon and I am hopeful that by 2035, people will be there.

Q: What is the focus on — Mars or Moon?

Ans: No doubt, efforts are being made for both but the prime focus would be on Mars as it has been observed that the possibility to create living atmosphere there is more than on the Moon. It is easily possible to establish a colony on Mars as on the Moon, the whole supply would be required from the Earth.

Q: Is water available on the Moon?

Ans: There were various studies giving different opinions on the issue but the final report suggests that water is available on the Moon but not in its present form like a flowing river. But its molecules are certainly there and may form into water with the passage of time.

Q: What is ISRO doing to build bio re-generative systems?

Ans: Since the propylene product is not biodegradable, researches are on for green propylene.

Q: What are the steps being taken to develop instruments to measure greenhouse gases, disaster monitoring and climate data records?

Ans: We are aware of the anthropogenic effects caused by the man-made remote sensing satellites. To evaluate and check them, there are many researches going on. Parallel to it, we have to understand that it requires continuous services experimenting upon the soil, groundwater, agro-products etc.

Q: What is the major challenge for space transport?

Ans: As at present the cost of space travel is too high, we need the expandable launch vehicles that can be used and reused, but it requires very high investment. So, nobody has approved it yet.

Q: What proved to be the reason behind the failure of India’s advanced GSAT-5P communication satellite, launched recently?

Ans: Though the first and foremost cause is yet to be ascertained, we have studied that the connections snapped and therefore, the vehicle lost control.

Q: Does the failure of GSAT-5P put any effect on the plans of ISRO to launch three major missions, namely the Resourcesat-2, Youth satellite and X- satellite?

Ans: Undoubtedly. After the unexpected experience, our schedule was mismatched. But we are all working hard to launch them on schedule.

Q: Why does ISRO want to launch the regional navigation satellite system when the Global Positioning System (GPS) maintained by the United States is freely accessible by anyone with a GPS receiver?

Ans: The requirement for such a navigation system is driven by the fact that access to GPS is not at all guaranteed in hostile situations and we have witnessed various uncertainties in it.

Q: What is the ISRO doing for students?

Ans: The ISRO is running a large number of programmes to attract students from various pockets. The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology offers various courses for graduates and postgraduates.

Ferozepur, February 25
A quarrel between the in-charge of a private transport company and ‘adda’ in-charge of the Punjab Roadways, posted at the cantonment bus stand over the time-schedule of the buses, took an ugly turn.

Later, Balwinder Singh along with his other accomplices allegedly thrashed Kripal Singh. The police have registered a case against Balwinder along with two other persons in this regard. However, no one has been arrested so far.

Barnala, February 25
A day after the Supreme Court set aside the pardon granted by the then Governor of Punjab to three accused, who led a struggle against the alleged killers in the infamous Kiranjeet gang-rape and murder case, the mass organisations are going to oppose the order tooth and nail. These mass organisations have already started activating themselves to wage a struggle against the order.

With the order wherein the SC has referred back the pardon to three people for reconsideration, the Governor’s power to grant pardon to any convict under article 161 of the constitution, has come under judicial scrutiny. A Supreme Court bench of Justice GS Singhvi and Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly on Thursday, not agreeing with the pardon, has ordered it (the act of pardon) be referred back to the Governor for fresh consideration.

The Thursday order of Justices Singhvi and Ganguly in the case involving three accused Narain Dutt, Prem Kumar and Manjit Singh Dhaner, says, “Questions of law arising before us are, whether the power under Article 161 is subject to judicial review and if yes, to what extent? Whether the Governor had rightly exercised his power to pardon under Article 161?”

The order further reads, “We are constrained to hold that we cannot approve the order of the Governor. We, therefore, set aside the order and remand it to the Governor for reconsideration of the matter in accordance with law.”

Addressing a press conference here, Narayan Dutt, flanked by representatives of various mass organisations including Democratic Teachers Front, Bhartiya Kissan Union (Ekta-Daconda), PSEB (Now PSPCL) Employees Federation, Inqualabi Kendra Punjab, PSPCL Technical Service Union and Punjab Subordinate Service Federation, said, “We have decided to start a sustained struggle against the order.”

“We will use people’s force to compel the state for approaching the Governor to keep the pardon intact.”

He added that the High Court had already acquitted Prem Kumar and Narayan Dutt in 2008. The third accused had moved the Supreme Court against the order of the High Court convicting him in the case.

The then Punjab Governor, SF Rodrigues, had granted pardon to three convicts accused of murder, who were awarded life sentence by a trial court. The three, Narain Dutt, Prem Kumar and Manjit Singh Dhaner, were founder-members of the Anti-Kiranjit Rape, Murder Case Struggle Committee.

After the Governor had granted pardon to the three on July 25, 2007, a bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had set aside the pardon on March 11, 2008 but had acquitted Narain and Prem in the murder case, while upholding Manjit’s sentence.

The three had filed an appeal against the High Court order in the Apex Court on which the Supreme Court bench on Thursday announced its orders.

Moga, February 25
The High Court of Punjab and Haryana today granted bail to Rashpal Singh. He was allegedly booked by the police along with many others for allegedly murdering Inderjeet Singh, the then sarpanch of village Gajeana near village Lopo in Moga district on March 6, last year.

During the investigation, the local police claimed that the murder was the result of gang wars which claimed many lives 2009-10 in Moga district.

In a similar incident, a few days later on April 22, last year in a shoot-out at night, a village sarpanch Rashpal Singh and his private gunman Jagtar Singh were shot dead at Dhaudhar village in the Moga district.

An FIR under various sections of the IPC and Arms Act was registered on the same day at the Badhni Kalan police station in the district.

Considering the totality of the facts and circumstances of this case, Justice Alok Singh of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while allowing the petition, ordered to release Rashpal Singh, the petitioner, on bail to the satisfaction of the trial court.

Sriganganagar, February 25
Thousands of residents in the twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh felt disappointed over the rail budget presented by Mamata Banerjee today in Parliament.

general secretary, Zila Road Rail Yatri Seva Samiti and member of the Divisional Railway Users Committee Gurprasad Behal said no relief was offered to devotees to visit the Golden Temple at Amritsar and Nanded Sahib in Maharashtra. The deputations led by former MP Virendra Kataria, Lok Sabha members Bharat Ram Meghwal and Arjun Meghwal had requested Mamata and the Railway Board chairman that the Nanded Sahib-Sriganganagar weekly train be run on tri-weekly basis and also to introduce the Sriganganagar-Amritsar Express train via Abohar.

Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni had also urged Mamata to run Garib Rath from Sriganganagar to Nanded Sahib. — OC

Abohar, February 25
Two gangmen were killed while five others sustained injuries as a gas cylinder exploded during the welding of a rail track on the Abohar-Sriganganagar section late in the evening. GRP officials said the gangmen were welding joints during the gauge conversion near Government College rail crossing in Sriganganagar. The blast caused panic in adjoining localities.

Madhuban and Bhagwati were blown apart in the explosion. Om Parkash, Mithu Lal, Dula Ram, Shivdan, Shiv Chand were admitted to the district hospital. Dula Ram is in a serious condition. SP Rupinder Singh and other police officials visited the site.

Abohar, February 25
SDM Jasdeep Singh Aulakh, former legislator Parkash Singh Bhatti, Madan Lal, chairman, Satya Sai B.Ed College, Subhash Ahuja, principal, Abhishek Polytechnic College and Praveen Middha, HoD, MIMIT, were honoured by presenting them with siropas during the concluding session of a three-day religious congregation.

The congregation was organised by the Abohar Polytechnic College at village Kala Tibba near here, principal OP Bhadu informed. — OC