Mansa, June 15
In an unprecedented move, the local municipal council authorities and the Deputy Commissioner are on a collision course over the possession of a building located near the bus stand.

The dispute between the Municipal Council and the DC developed when the latter rented out that building to a private contractor for running a canteen without the consent of the Municipal Council authorities and the Council authorities passed a unanimous resolution to get back possession of that land.

A building was constructed over a piece of land a few years ago for running the office of the Red Cross society in it. The money was spent by the Municipal Council for construction of that building.

Now the Council, in its resolution, has alleged that the DC had given that building on rent to another person despite the fact that this building could have been used only for the Red Cross.

They added that use of the earning made from renting that building by the DC for his office was illegal and hence, the MC took its building back. The MC authorities would be entitled to take that income with fine and interest from the authorities concerned, the resolution pointed out.

The Council also passed that if the building was being used by the office of the DC then it would amount to illegal possession. The resolution also said that to take necessary action, the house of the Municipal Council authorised the president and executive officer (EO) of the MC.

The resolution also indicated that if need arose, the Punjab and Haryana High court could be approached on the issue.

Bhupinder Singh, executive officer of the MC, while confirming that the resolution had been passed, said this building was needed to shift certain items and record to it as the old office building of the Council had been sold.

Deputy Commissioner Ravinder Singh said the resolution passed by the Council was illegal. He said that building on that land was constructed by the Red Cross society. The Council could take possession of that land by giving the money to Red Cross society, which it had spent for construction of that building.

He said that many years ago, a ‘Bhojan Bhandar’ was functioning in that building. It stopped functioning a few years ago due to various reasons.

Now, a proposal to open a Bhojan Bhandar in that building has been floated and hence, that building had been given on rent to a person to run a canteen.

Bathinda, June 15
The start of various courses in hospitality and hotel management at five government colleges of the state is likely to be delayed.

Non-completion of buildings and non-availability of required equipment so far in the five colleges situated in Bathinda, Mohali, Sangrur, Ludhiana and Amritsar have become major factors behind the delay.

In 2009, the Punjab Government with the help of the Union Ministry of Tourism had decided to start the vocational courses in five colleges and seven industrial training institutes (ITIs) of the state.

The ministry had decided to grant Rs 1.5 crore to each institute, which included Rs 50 lakh for building and the remaining for equipment.

The ministry had sanctioned the project for Punjab to overcome shortage of skilled manpower in growing hotel and tourism industry of the state.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that these courses were to be started within 18 months from the date of sanctioning of the project.

The ministry had also transferred substantial funds to the state treasury immediately after the project was sanctioned.

While the construction of building for starting such courses at the Government Rajindra College, Bathinda, is yet to be started, the buildings at the Ranbir College, Sangrur, the Government College, Ludhiana, the Government College, Mohali and the Government College for Women, Amritsar, are near completion.

However, the principals of these colleges claimed that unavailability of required funds and lack of equipment could force them to shelve the plan to start these courses from this academic session, which is likely to begin in July.

They pointed out that after the required infrastructure was set up, they would have to take approval for running these courses from the universities with which their colleges were affiliated and such exercise would also consume a considerable time.

Hussan Lal, secretary, Department of Tourism, Punjab, said he was aware of the bottlenecks and was working towards removing the same so that diploma and certificate courses of different durations in hospitality and hotel management subjects could be started from this academic session. He said the project was being implemented by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board.

The secretary said though these courses were to be started within 18 months of the sanctioning of the project, the grant given by the ministry would not lapse if the beginning of the courses was delayed due to various unavoidable reasons.

Faridkot, June 15
The two-day stand-off between the district and sessions judge and the District Bar Association of Faridkot over the demolition of lawyers' chambers came to an end on Wednesday evening after the intervention of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana.

Justice Ranjeet Singh of the High Court who is also the chairman of the building and maintenance committee of judicial complexes, talked to the sessions judge Fatehdeep Singh and the president of the bar association Anoopinder Singh Sekhon to pave the way for a dialogue between them.

Later, a delegation of the Bar Association met the sessions judge, who, took a softer line and assured that adequate office space within the court complex would be provided to the lawyers whose chambers had been identified for demolition.

The judicial complex, housed in a building of the colonial period, is under renovation these days. There is also a proposal to construct a shelter for the litigants and create space for parking of vehicles.

Sekhon claimed that the sessions judge has agreed that the existing chambers would not be demolished before the construction of news chambers on the new space allocated for this purpose.

It may be mentioned that the Bar called an emergency meeting on Tuesday and passed a resolution to suspend the court work, today.

The lawyers, showing strength of unity suspended the court work on Wednesday to press for their demands.

Yesterday also, the court work was suspended by the protesting lawyers.

When a delegation of the lawyers met went to have a dialogue with the district and sessions judge on Tuesday to demand allocation of space to the affected lawyers for the construction of new chambers, the judge, Sekhon claimed, refused to talk to the lawyers.

After the stand-off was resolved on the assurance of the sessions judge, the Bar Association called off the resolution to suspend the court work. “We will now resume normal court work from Thursday,” said Anoopinder Singh Sekhon.

Bathinda, June 15
Even as a fortnight has passed since the fast-unto-death agitation by the AIE (alternative innovative education) Teachers Front, Punjab, began outside the Mini-secretariat here in support of its demands, no serious effort has reportedly been made by the state government to either fulfill the demands or persuade protesters to end the agitation.

The agitation entered its 45th day today. It includes a 30-day dharna that the activists held in May.

Carrying an effigy of the Punjab Government today, members and activists of the front, led by its president Dhiraj Kumar, took out a protest march from the Mini-secretariat to the Fauji Chowk and back while raising slogans against the government and in support of their demands. Later, they burnt the effigy at the main gate of the Mini-secretariat while holding a demonstration. They also held a ‘siapa’(mourning) and raised slogans against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Their demands include regular jobs to AIE teachers who have B.Ed. and ETT qualifications, admission to ETT course in July to AIE teachers who have passed class 10+2 and a chance to improve their result to those AIE teachers who have less than 50 per cent marks in class XII.

Dhiraj said the fast-unto-death of Charanjit Kaur of Moga entered its 15th day today (including her stay at the local Civil Hospital for some days) while the fast-unto-death of Sarbjit Kaur from Faridkot entered its ninth day. He said these AIE teachers were not ready to end their fast till the government accepted their demands. He said the health condition of Sarbjit Kaur had started deteriorating now.

Dhiraj also said in case the government did not issue a notification with regard to accepting their demands soon, they would intensify the agitation.

Meanwhile, the chain hunger strike by two members of the Inclusive Education Volunteers Association (IEVA) entered its 10th day today. The protest is being held outside the Mini-secretariat here. Their demands include scrapping of home-based education and enhancement in the honorarium of volunteers from Rs 2,500 to Rs 10,000 per month.

Bathinda, June 15
The ‘tough’ decision taken by the authorities of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) to make it mandatory for the students of class X to pass in five of the total six subjects led to a steep downfall in the pass percentage from 77.94 last year to 64.32 this year. The move is now attracting criticism.

Of the total 3,52,948 students who appeared in the PSEB matriculation examination, this year, only 2,27,009 could clear it.

Parents and some educationists are anticipating that it would further increase the drop-out rate.

“Finding the Board examination tough to crack, a large number of students who failed this year would opt to leave their studies and it would even affect the next batches also,” they feared.

Sham Lal Bansal of Bathinda termed the PSEB decision against the national policy. Flaying the PSEB for repeatedly claiming that it had been moving on the pattern of the CBSE, Bansal said, “When the CBSE can give the option for students to go for either the Board exam or the school test, why has PSEB toughened its stand?”

“The officials of the state education department want some amendment in the Right to Education Act 2009, claiming that they want it to be more friendly but making the three languages and two out of the remaining three subjects compulsory indicates wrong intentions,” said Parkash Goyal, a teacher.

“Though the PSEB officials are claiming that the tough decision will pave the way for better results in future, the fail percentage of this year, that is nearly 36 per cent, can not be justified in any way. Hardly a few students declared to have failed or those given compartment in math, science or social studies will be able to bear the jolt and make another attempt,” lamented Darshan Singh Dhillon, convener of the district Save Education Society, Mansa.

“This experiment of the PSEB making it mandatory to clear five out of six subjects is not less than being responsible for the national loss. The affected students would either have to pay huge fees or would opt to quit studying further,” he added.

However, the chairman of the PSEB, Dalbir Singh Dhillon said, “Making it mandatory to clear five subjects was not the decision solely taken by me. It was decided after a number of meetings conducted with different committees of eminent educationists for the purpose.”

Clarifying the doubts, Dhillon said the actual fail percentage is just 15 per cent and comparatively unchanged compared to last year. The rest of the gap is of compartment cases, which decreased the overall pass percentage.

“Taking a tough stance may have resulted in unexpected results and has invited criticism but in the long run it will surely prove to be beneficial for the students and people will appreciate it,” he added.

Bathinda, June 15
The Punjab Government has initiated efforts to set up a technical university in Bathinda and if all goes well the foundation stone of the same will be laid within a month or so.

The government has contemplated on developing Bathinda as the second education hub of the Malwa region. So far, erstwhile princely town Patiala is considered as the educational hub of the region as it is dotted with three universities besides several medical, dental, sports, engineering, physical education and other education institutes.

Bathinda has a central university and a regional centre of the Punjabi University, Patiala, besides medical, engineering, B. Ed and other educational colleges.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was working round the clock to make the project of setting up the technical university in Bathinda a reality. A piece of land has also been identified for the purpose.

Other projects that are under active consideration of the Punjab Government includes construction of air-conditioned bus stand on about eight acres on the Bathinda-Barnala road near the cantonment.

The bus stand would be constructed by a private player over the piece of land belonging to the Improvement Trust, Bathinda. The government has proposed to the Improvement Trust authorities that it should transfer eight acres to the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) either on lease or annual rent basis.

Besides, the government is also thinking on enhancing the overall status of Bathinda town by setting up food and entertainment joints.

A section of renowned multinational companies running food chain and entertainment businesses has been engaged by the government to set up their outlets here.

It is worth mentioning here that the project connected with construction of an international cricket stadium and a five star hotel, foundation stones of which have been laid down by Sukhbir Badal, still seem to be out of sight.

Bathinda, June 15
Acknowledging the glory that renowned shooter Avneet Kaur Sidhu of Bathinda has brought to her home state, the Punjab government has decided to honour her by offering the post of deputy superintendent of police (DSP).

Besides Avneet, Palwinder Singh Cheema (wrestling), Amandeep Kaur (hockey), Manjeet Kaur (athletics) and Ronjan Sodhi (shooting), figure in the list of sportspersons selected by the state government for the post of DSP.

Sources in the state government informed that after clearing the file which mentioned the names of five sportspersons, the chief minister sent it to the Department of Home for completing the formalities.

Born in 1981, Avneet started her shooting career in 2001 from the Dasmesh Girls’ College, Badal. Impressing all with her calibre, in a short span of six years, she reached the top and secured a gold and a silver medal in the 18th Commonwealth Games—2006, held at Melbourne (Australia).

In August 2006, winning an Olympic quota for India in the 49th World Shooting Championship held at Zagreb (Croatia), she became the sixth sportsperson (shooting) of the country to book a quota place in the Olympic Games 2008 Beijing, China.

Among the long tally of her achievements, a bronze medal that she won in the 15th Asian Games held at Doha (Qatar) in 2006, a bronze in the 11th Asian Shooting Championship held in Kuwait and a gold medal in AISL Australia Cup II held at Sydney in March 2008 are the major ones.

Speaking to The Tribune, the elated shooter informed that she had won more than a dozen gold medals and lots of silver and bronze medals at different competitions that she participated in at the international and national level.

Recipient of Punjab State Award, Avneet was also conferred the Arjuna Award in 2008 by the President of India.

Daughter of Amrit Pal Singh Sidhu, an agriculturist, Avneet, on the basis of her achievements, joined Air India as Assistant Manager at New Delhi in 2008.

Reacting to the report that the Punjab government is going to honour her with the post of DSP in Punjab Police, Avneet said, “I am overwhelmed with the government’s gesture to honour its outstanding sportspersons. Moreover, it has motivated me to work harder and win more laurels for the nation as well as my home state that has acknowledged my hard work.”

When asked about her future plans, she said, “I have made up my mind to quit Air India as I always wanted to serve my home state. I will try my best to do justice to the faith and responsibility that the state government is going to put in me.”

Moga, June 15
Two pilgrims died and seven others including five women were seriously injured when the car in which they were traveling collided with a truck near here, last night.

The pilgrims have been identified as Rajinder Singh, the driver of the car, and Shinder Kaur — both residents of village Sireawala in Bathinda district.

The pilgrims were on their way last night to pay obeisance at Gurudwara Baba Budha Sahib near Taran Taran.

Their vehicle collided head-on with a truck loaded with sand near a national power grid, four kms from here on the Moga-Kotkapura road in the Moga district. The injured were immediately rushed to the district hospital. Four out of the seven injured persons were referred to the DMC, Ludhiana as their condition was said to be critical. Police has registered a criminal case against the truck driver. Further investigation is in progress. — TNS

Ferozepur, June 15
The District Administrative Complex ( DAC), the foundation stone of which was laid in June last year by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is likely to be completed shortly following which all the branches of Deputy Commissioner’s office shall be shifted here, said Raminder Singh, Commissioner, Ferozpur Division after inspecting of the new complex on Tuesday.

While expressing satisfaction over the quality and pace of the construction work, the Commissioner said that the first phase of the DAC housing various branches under the Deputy Commissioner’s office shall be completed by July whereas the other block housing the SSP office is expected to be completed by December this year.

The Commissioner said that the people coming from various parts of the district and even from far-flung areas shall be relieved as they will not have to flit from one place to another for work as all government offices will start functioning under one roof.

Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav, SDM GS Pannu, DFSC Luvkesh Sharma besides Daljit Singh, Executive Engineer, and other officials from PWD department were present during the inspection. 

Ferozepur, June 15
The local health authorities on Tuesday launched an awareness drive about leprosy during a function organised in the “Kushth Ashram” here wherein the doctors from the Civil Hospital gave detailed understanding about the disease.

Dr DP Godara, Civil Surgeon, Dr GS Dhillon, SMO, Dr Neeraja Talwar, Maninder Kaur, District Mass Media Officer, Harpreet Singh, Urban Leprosy Worker besides representatives from various NGOs were also present. Dr Dhillon said that the health authorities also distributed free medicines, clothes and shoes to the needy people during the function. — OC

Muktsar, June 15
A man, belonging to Lalbai village (near Lambi), today sustained a bullet injury when a person from Bidowali village, about 10 km from Lambi, opened fire on him over a land dispute. The injured person was sent to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, for treatment.

Talking to TNS over the phone this evening, the Lambi DSP Bhupinder Singh Khatra said there was a dispute over a piece of land between Mander Singh and Avtar Singh, both residents of Bidowali village. He said the man, Nachhattar Singh from Lalbai village, a brother-in-law of Avtar Singh, had come to Bidowali today in support of his close relative where an altercation took place between Mander Singh and them.

The DSP further said that during the altercation, Mander Singh opened fire with a revolver which hit Nachhattar Singh and he sustained a bullet injury. He said Nachhattar Singh had been sent to Civil Hospital, Bathinda, for treatment. He said the police had conducted raids on the house of Mander Singh and other places, but he could not be arrested as he had fled after the incident.

The Muktsar SSP Indermohan Singh said the police had registered a case against Mander Singh under Section 307 of the IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act.

Abohar, June 15
Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma has given a clean chit to party councillor Ravi Makkar who had been arrested by police under the NDPS Act and Arms Act on June 3.

Senior officials had claimed that a police party chased the car driven and owned by Ravi on the road opposite to the SP's residence-cum-office here on the night of June 2 and recovered 500 grams of opium along with a licensed revolver during the search.

Ravi Makkar had alleged that he had been falsely implicated since he had a day earlier dared to express concern over deterioration in the water supply and sewerage arrangements during the meeting of the Municipal Council.

Sharma who reached here late on Monday evening was reportedly informed that factionalism had led to Ravi's arrest. “If the probe reveals that someone within the party implicated him, the guilty will have to face the music,” he asserted. Sharma also extended support to Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev in their fight against corruption.