The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Bhullar’s death sentence Badal accuses Capt of politicising the issue SP Sharma Tribune News Service Bathinda, September 26 Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today accused the PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh of politicising the issue of mercy for the Khalistan militant Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar by trying to hijack the demand already made by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Badal, who was here to inaugurate a cancer hospital, also addressed the SAD activists. He said he had sought support of the Congress and the BJP on the issue of clemency to Bhullar who was facing death sentence for having allegedly triggered a bomb blast at Delhi resulting in the death of nine persons and grievously injuring Maninderjeet Singh Bitta. Badal parried questions on the issue during the inauguration of the hospital, but lambasted Amarinder after addressing a meeting of the SAD activists. He pointed out that initially, it was only the SAD that sought mercy for Bhullar, who has already been in the prison for the past about 17 years, and Amarinder has now started harping on the issue. The Chief Minister said seeking pardon for Bhullar was on the political agenda of the SAD and the party would seek support of other political organisations. It was for the BJP to decide whether to support us on the issue or not. Badal said talks were progressing with the BJP on the issue of seat sharing for the coming Assembly elections and the matter would be sorted out shortly. Badal accused the UPA Government at the Centre of messing up the lifting of the last season’s paddy from the godowns while the fresh harvesting was fast approaching. The Centre has failed to vacate the godowns for the fresh arrival as lifting of the old stock was moving slowly. Earlier, while inaugurating the Max Super Speciality Hospital, Badal announced to create a dedicated fund in the hospital for treatment of poor patients afflicted with cancer. The facility would be available in the Max hospitals here and at Mohali, the CM said. Badal said the specific fund would comprise Rs 3 crore as upfront consideration already paid by the Max Healthcare in addition to 5 per cent of gross revenue annually. This fund would be deposited in the local account of the hospital and managed by the Rogi Kalyan Smiti that would exclusively utilise it for financing the medical treatment of poor patients suffering from cancer. He said another ultra modern hospital for cancer treatment would soon be established here by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences in view of high incidence of the disease in this belt. He said a sum of Rs 60 crore had already been released by the state government for the project. The Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to provide the best medical care and diagnostic facilities to the people within their reach. He said the government has established a corpus fund Rs 20 crore during the current financial year to provide free treatment to poor patients suffering from cancer. Chairman and managing director of the Max Healthcare, Analjit Singh, said the establishment of these two super speciality hospitals in Punjab was an outcome of the CM’s vision, support and inspiration. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of Rs 35-crore Punjab Institute of Technology of the PTU at village Nandgarh in Bathinda district to provide quality education in engeneering, management, pharmacy and agriculture and animal husbandry. “This prestigious institute, first of its kind in the region, would offer five-year integrated course after Class X besides graduation and post-graduation courses,” Badal said. The CM also inaugurated the extension block of the district administrative complex constructed at a cost of Rs 16 crore.
	CM opens Max hospital in Bathinda Sushil Goyal Tribune News Service Bathinda, September 26 At the inaugural ceremony of a 200-bed Max Super Specialty Hospital, set up by the Max Healthcare Institute Limited especially for cancer and cardiac diseases, on the premises of Civil Hospital here, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal could not control his emotions when he termed the occasion as historic and a golden event not only for Bathinda but for the entire state. Badal said the setting up of a big cancer hospital in this region was a major issue. As there was no specialised hospital in this cancer belt, the patients had to go to Bikaner, Chandigarh or Ludhiana. “In view of this, I had requested the chairman of the Max India Group, Analjit Singh, to set up two cancer hospitals in the state which he had agreed to. He kept his words and has set up two hospitals at Bathinda and Mohali,” Badal added. Badal also appreciated the Max India Group for installing world-class machines here to diagnose and treat cancer and heart patients. Badal also listed some projects initiated and completed by his government in Bathinda city as well as in the district. He said Punjab’s first jogging park was being set up in Bathinda while “Shikaras” and boats had also arrived at the lakes for public recreation. Besides, a deer safari was also being set up here and a civil airport was also being set up in the district, he added. Earlier, Badal inaugurated the hospital by unfurling a ribbon at the entrance. Later, he took a round of the hospital where he was shown a Rs 6-crore machine LINAC, installed in the basement of the hospital. The LINAC (radiation oncology) is the latest technology of radiotherapy to treat cancer patients. The machine burns or shrinks the cancer tumour with radiation. Among others who were present on the occasion included chairman of the Max India Group Analjit Singh, executive director of the Max Healthcare Dr Dilpreet Brar, Mayor Baljit Singh Birbehman, SAD’s area in-charge for Bathinda (Urban) Assembly constituency Sarup Singla, SAD’s area in-charge for Bathinda (Rural) Assembly constituency Darshan Singh Kotfatta and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagdip Singh Nakai.
	CM takes a dig at tie-up between PPP, Left parties Tribune News Service Muktsar, September 26 A day after Manpreet Badal’s People’s party of Punjab (PPP) forging an alliance with CPI and the CPI(M), Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said the new alliance would not affect the poll prospects of the time-tested SAD(B)-BJP alliance. However, touring many villages of Gidderbaha, his home constituency, Manpreet Badal also made counterclaims of a new alliance providing a new opportunity to the voters in a political cul-de-sac state. “Wait for the next elections to see as to how the Akalis and Congresses vanish,” said Manpreet Badal. The CM was visiting various flood-affected villages of his home constituency today. On the other hand, Manpreet Badal was visiting the Gidderbaha constituency villages to thank the voters for supporting him in the SGPC election. As Manpreet supported candidate in Gidderbaha area lost the SGPC election, Manpreet attributed the SAD (B) candidates’ victory to booth capturing, rigging and fake voting. “The SGPC election in Punjab was a complete sham,” alleged Manpreet. “The forthcoming assembly election results would show where the SAD (B) stands after its poor-performance in all sphere of Punjab,” said Manpreet. “The role of the Gurdwara Election Commission in the SGPC elections was highly partial as the Election Commission seemed to be dancing to the tunes of the ruling SAD (B),” alleged Manpreet. However, addressing the residents in Lambi villages, the CM said the SAD (B)-BJP alliance brought unprecedented development in the state- giving Punjab a new face on all the developmental fronts. “The SAD-BJP alliance would return to power and that too with a thumping majority,” claimed Badal. About the election preparations by the PPP- Left parties’ alliance, Manpreet Badal said a division of seats among the alliance parties would be finalised next week and the PPP has constituted a four-member panel consisting of Manpreet Badal, Jagbir Singh Brar, Kushaldeep Dhillon and Abhay Singh Sandhu to select the party candidates for the forthcoming assembly elections.
	Restrain use of pesticides to prevent ecological suicide: KVM Tribune News Service Bathinda, September 26 The Kheti Virasat Mission has urged the Punjab Government to undertake a widespread and multi-centric environmental epidemiological mapping of the Malwa region that has a high incidence of cancer and other diseases. Executive director of the mission, Umendra Dutt, today urged all political parties to include the issue of clean environment and ecology in their respective election manifesto as Punjab has suffered the most severe ecological crisis, thus it needs a paradigm shift to prevent ecological suicide. A balance sheet regarding the collapse of Green Revolution also needs to be drawn. “We need to know what went wrong with agriculture so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes. A post-mortem of the Green Revolution is absolutely necessary,” said Dutt. He said as Punjab has one of highest levels of pesticide consumption in the country, it subsequently has the highest pesticide load on its people and eco-system. Punjab is already facing severe adverse impacts of agro-chemicals used during the last four decades. The Punjab Government should now take bold steps to ensure a safe environment and eco-system to the future of generations. Dutt said to achieve this objective, the government should immediately ban aggressive marketing of pesticides, including all forms of advertisements, publicity and promotion schemes for pesticides and other agro-chemicals along with all incentives given to the pesticide and agro-chemical dealers’ network.
	Dengue count rises to six in Ferozepur Our Correspondent Ferozepur, September 26 After two more suspected dengue patients tested positive on Sunday, the anti larva squad of the Health Department has started a ‘damage control exercise’. Giving details about the preventive measures, Rajinder Gagneja, unit official in the Health Department said the anti-larva team has traced dengue larva from four places in the local Professors Colony. Besides, it has also found larva of anopheles female mosquito that is the main source of malaria from Kirti Nagar and Basti Skekhanwali areas in the city. Gagneja further said his team has done preventive spray in all the vulnerable places. Also, an awareness campaign was launched to sensitise the residents to ensure cleanliness around their surroundings. On the occasion, Narinder Nath and Suresh Kumar, inspectors, Health Department, said fogging would continue as a preventive measure in all the sensitive areas. Meanwhile, as per the official record, the total number of dengue patients in the district has risen to six. The number does not include the patients who are being treated in the private hospitals or have been referred outside the district.