Bathinda, June 8
Even as the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has declared that Punjab would remain free from power cuts during the current summer season, system break-downs, which have been taking place in different parts of the state, have been triggering power cuts.

Due to the unannounced and unscheduled power cuts of different durations frequently, the residents of various areas in Punjab have been facing lots of problems. Information gathered by the TNS revealed that on Monday night, two units of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) tripped after current transformers (CT) in the Muktsar-based grid developed a snag and disrupted power supply in a major part of the Malwa region for hours.

Though the power generation by both the units of GNDTP was restored quickly, power supply was disrupted in certain areas of Bathinda today again when the authorities concerned shifted load from one grid to another.

The power supply to different pockets of the Malwa region was being stopped every day also due to the fact that the PSPCL has been carrying out maintenance work of distribution system including replacement of transformers in a phased manner.

Arun K Verma, Director (Distribution), PSPCL, said a squall, which hit various parts of Punjab on May 21, caused a huge disturbance in the power supply system due to uprooting of 9000 electric poles and damaging of 1500 transformers. “The PSPCL has managed to restore the power distribution system in almost all the pockets of Punjab except certain areas falling in Patiala district. We hope that before June 10, when eight hours of uninterrupted power supply would be started for paddy transplantation, the power distribution system would be perfect,” he added.

He claimed that there was no shortage of power. The PSPCL earned around Rs 4 crore yesterday by selling about 150 lakh units. A number of units of all the three thermal plants, located in Bathinda and Ropar districts, were kept closed for a few days due to less demand for power after rains lashed Punjab in the last week of May 2011.

GS Chabra, Director (Generation), PSPCL, said all the sources of power generation in Punjab were being fully exploited to produce maximum electricity to meet the demand of consumers belonging to different categories.

Abohar, June 8
Hundreds of fish have been found dead in the drinking water reservoir of the old municipal waterworks, located on the terminal of the main bus stand and Jain Nagar. A similar situation had developed in June 2008.

The authorities have not bothered to remove the wild growth of shrubs and garbage since then. Dead fish were spotted when Nar Seva Narayan Seva activists led by president Raju Charaya visited the waterworks to find out the reason for the supply of highly contaminated water to over 1.5 lakh citizens for the past few days.

The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board winded up its sub-divisional last month as the Municipal Council failed to revise the contract for the annual maintenance of water supply and sewerage system.

The Board managing director had sent estimates for annual maintenance well before March 31 but the Council did not place it in its meeting for approval. SDO Hakam Singh Sidhu had reportedly told the state headquarters that he felt humiliated as the ruling BJP leadership was protecting the party workers, who had thrashed him in full public view on May 2 during the office hours.

Consumers in some localities had complained that stinking water was being supplied for the past two-three days. The Council had made stop-gap arrangements to run the waterworks and sewerage system as technical staff was not available to meet the requirements.

A consumer Bajrang Goyal said one of the dead fish might weigh about 10 kg. Sources in the Council said Dera Sacha Sauda volunteers were being approached to get the water tanks cleaned.

Sriganganagar, June 8
Blue bulls would neither be killed nor sterilised in the remote border region. Possibilities of developing a separate sanctuary for blue bulls would be explored by the district administration.

This was the outcome of a high-level meeting held at the District Collectorate here today. A section of the farmers had complained to the Central and the State Governments that blue bulls keep damaging their standing crops and were also responsible for scores of fatal mishaps.

Some of them had suggested that Rajasthan should follow the old Punjab pattern under which a few persons were licensed by the SAD-BJP alliance government to kill blue bulls using firearms in the wildlife sanctuary area of the Abohar sub-division bordering Sriganganagar.

The decision was deferred later when the Akhil Bhartiya Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha opposed it tooth and nail, representatives of the community claimed. During the meeting that was presided over by the District Collector, the experts from the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development discussed the possibilities of launching comprehensive campaign to sterilise blue bulls.

A sample survey conducted recently indicated that a number of blue bulls had gone up much compared to black bucks in the twin districts of Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar. The representatives of the dominant Bishnoi community categorically told the officials and experts that they would not allow sterilising or killing of blue bulls.

Bathinda, June 8
In protest against the 'atrocities', allegedly committed by the police on May 2 on the villagers of Selbrah (near Rampura Phul), the members and activists of the CPI, the CPM, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha, the Lok Bhalai Party (LBP) today blocked the road at Salabatpura Kenchian on Jaito-Barnala road, about 40 km from here.

It may be recalled that on May 2, the police had arrested 20 persons from Selbrah on the charge of attacking the cops on April 30 evening after a clash over the opening of a liquor shop in the village. The villagers had alleged that the police committed atrocities on them.

State executive member of the CPI Jagjit Singh Joga said that on June 27, "black day" would be observed in Selbrah village while on July 18 and 19, the Bathinda-Barnala road would be blocked at Rampura Phul for 48 hours. He said the police had released seven of the 20 arrested, but their agitation would continue till the remaining 13 arrested persons were released and "false cases" registered against the villagers were cancelled.

State secretary of the CPI Nirmal Singh Dhaliwal, state secretariat member of the CPM Bhup Chand Channo and state general secretary of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha Gulzar Goria alleging that the government was committing atrocities on the Dalits to protect the interests of the landlords.

LBP leader Nachhattar Singh Sidhu also flayed the government for atrocities on the villagers.The leaders also said the effigies of the Punjab government would be burnt in the villages from tomorrow.

Barnala, June 8
A young man allegedly committed suicide due to torture at the hands of his wife and in-laws at Dudi Kalaan village of Barnala on Tuesday.

Police have filed a case against the wife and in-laws of the deceased on the basis of the complaint filed by the father of the deceased.

Giving details about the incident, Gurlal Singh, father of the deceased Satnam Singh said his son used to work for Standard Combine in Handyaya.

He said three years back Satnam got married to Sarvjeet Kaur, daughter of Nachitter Singh of Bhadaur, and had a son.

Gurlal Singh alleged that Jagdev Singh, brother-in-law of Satnam used to beat him and also threatened him for getting the entire family falsely implicated in a fake case.

Manjeet Singh, SHO, Handyaya, investigating officer of the case, said a case has been lodged against four persons including wife, father-in-law and brother-in-law of the deceased. The police have launched a hunt for the accused, the added.

Abohar, June 8
The District Magistrate of Ferozepur, Kamal Kishor Yadav has banned the screening of PTV Home channel programmes with immediate effect. While issuing the prohibitory orders, he has mentioned that the channel had not been registered with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Notably, the PTV transmissions had been banned by the Central government after the Kargil war. Since then, viewers had by and large preferred to remove the antennas even when the PTV had enhanced its range through the new towers that were believed to have been installed near the Sulemanki (Fazilka) border.

However, the cable operators had allegedly been catching and transmitting signals from some private satellite channels of the neighbouring country, sources added.

On whether any action against the erring cable operators was taken, nobody is inclined to comment on it. SHO Sukhdev Singh was transferred from here last month.

Bathinda, June 8
Inhaler devices are important tool for doctors treating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CDPO), revealed a study done in India by Vitull K. Gupta, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (AIMSR), Bathinda. The study was co-authored by Jagjeet Singh Bahia, Ashwani Maheshwari, Sonia Arora, Varun Gupta and Sahil Nohria.

It was published online on May 5 in International Indexed Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. Vitull said the effectiveness of inhaled drugs depends on the patient’s ability to use inhaler device properly. Adherence to treatment regimens was likely to be influenced by their opinions about use of inhaler as a mode of therapy. — TNS

Bathinda, June 8
Harsurinder Kaur (84), mother of a retired DPRO Wahegurupal Singh, died after a prolonged illness here today. She is survived by three sons including senior Supreme Court lawyer HS Phulka, and a daughter.

She was cremated at their native village Bhadaur, about 28 km from Barnala, this afternoon.

Several leaders, including Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagdip Singh Nakai, chairman of district planning committee Sikander Singh Maluka, area in-charge of SAD for Bathinda Assembly constituency (Urban) Sarup Chand Singla, Mayor Baljit Singh Beer Behman, district president of Youth Akali Dal Balkar Singh, expressed grief. — TNS