Bathinda, January 5
Local businessmen bear the brunt of the Election Commission's guidelines, which prohibits carrying of unaccounted money above Rs 2.5 lakh.

A local businessman has lodged a complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner that the income tax officials were not releasing their Rs 15 lakh despite submitting all the documents pertaining to the money.

In his complaint, Suresh Kumar of Bathinda-based Jai Mata Construction Company said his firm deals in executing government contracts in the railway department and supplies stone ballast to the railways.

The firm is paying income tax, which is assessed at the Circle: 1, Bathinda.

One of the six partners of the firm used to withdraw money to further distribute the same at different working sites.

"On December 27, I withdrew Rs 15 lakh from the State Bank of Patiala, Mall Road, and it was to be distributed to the workers at different work sites in Hanumangarh, Budh Singh Wala, Fateh Singh Wala and Ban Wala railway stations on the Hanumangarh-Ganganagar section," he said.

The details of the firm, motive of money, supporting documents of the firm and the bank were produced at the police naka near Balluana village in Fazilka, but the authorities refused to return the seized money.

He said the money was seized at 1 pm and he was forced to wait till 11 pm but the money was not released. Meanwhile, the policemen and the excise department officials kept demanding one document or the other. All their demands were fulfilled, Suresh added.

He said the cops even had a word with the bank officials but to no avail.

The partners rushed to Fazilka next day again and submitted a bank certificate in connection with the cash withdrawal, bank statements since April 2011, photocopies of two cheques through which the money was withdrawn, a copy of the work order, income tax return and audit report of the firm for the last two years, chartered accountant's certificate regarding the firm's turnover of the last three years and a confirmation certificate regarding balance on March 31, 2011.

"We have met the assistant excise and taxation commissioner, tehsildar, sub-divisional magistrate, the Deputy Commissioner, the police officials concerned. We are still making rounds of their offices but to no avail," the partners said.

They said that the functioning of their firm had come to a standstill following the seizure.

Fact file

n Rs 15 lakh was seized from a Bathinda-based businessman on December 27 at Fazilka and despite submitting all the necessary documents and meeting higher officials, the money has not been returned to them so far.

n The Income Tax Officer of Fazilka said it would take a minimum of 120 days after the seizure took place, for the departmental process to complete.

n The firm will get the rate of interest for this period and will have to pay fine if it failed to submit necessary documentary proofs.

Bathinda, January 5
The Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, Kamal Kishore Yadav, has ordered a change in morning timings for government and private schools in view of the fog and intense cold weather conditions in the district.

The change in timings was decided at a meeting that the Deputy Commissioner held with the school principals. According to the change, the schools will now open at 9.30 in the morning.

During the meeting, the DC said, “Deciding the closing time of the schools would be the responsibility of the respective school heads.”

The change in the timings of the schools was probably necessitated following the Ambala tragedy in which several school kids had lost their lives. — TNS

Bathinda, January 5
Members of various farmer unions today blocked the railway track near the Bathinda railway station in protest against non-acceptance of their long-pending demands.

Farmers thronged the railway track at 12 noon and staged a dharna till 4 pm. They raised slogans against the Central government and demanded that the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat, paddy, cotton, cereals and sunflower be raised as per the recommendations of Dr Swaminathan Commission.

Ram Karan Singh, district president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Lakhowal, said the commission was formed in 2006 and had recommended that the MSP of crops needed to be raised. After the Swaminathan Commission, a committee of five chief ministers was formed, which too recommended that the prices need to be revised upward. However, nothing had been done in this regard, said the farmer union leader.

Apart from hike in the minimum support price of different crops, farmers also sought waiving of agricultural debt and more benefits for the agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, commuters remained at the receiving end in view of the railway blockade.

Many trains got delayed due to the dharna and the railways suffered loss.

Fact file

n Farmers thronged the railway track at 12 noon and staged a dharna till 4 pm. They raised slogans against the Central government and demanded that the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat, paddy, cotton, cereals and sunflower be raised according to the recommendations of Dr Swaminathan Commission.

n Apart from hike in the minimum support price of different crops, farmers also sought waiving of agricultural debt and more benefits for the agriculture sector. 

Bathinda, January 5
As many as 101 cancer patients from Bathinda district have got an amount of more than Rs 1.11 crore from the Chief Minister’s Cancer Relief Fund during the past five months for their treatment.

The amount has been paid by the government directly to the hospitals or the cancer institutes, from where the patients have been getting treatment.

Apart from these 101 cases, the cases of 56 more cancer patients from various parts of the district are still pending with the Cancer Control Cell at Chandigarh for approval. Also, around 20 cases are lying with the district authorities as the applications of the patients are incomplete due to non-filling of forms that require detailed break-up of the treatment expenses by the hospitals or the doctors concerned.

The cancer patients, who have applied for the financial aid from the CM’s Cancer Relief Fund, belong to various parts of the district, including Bathinda, Maur Khurd, Dayalpura, Bangi Rupa, Jhanduke, Raiyan Patti, Deon, Kotfatta, Mehma Bhagwana, Bhagta Bhai Ka, Sangat Kalan, Maluka, Raman Mandi, Nehianwala, Rajgarh Kube, Jethuke, Krarwala, Khemuana and Khayaliwala.

Majority of the female cancer patients in the district have been suffering from breast cancer and cervix cancer while there are some cases of brain cancer, prevailing among the children. Besides, there are several patients of blood cancer and food pipe cancer who have applied for the financial aid under the scheme.

Doctors say after knowing about the disease, the patients should not panic.

The doctors insist that if the treatment starts at stage zero or even at stage one, the cure rate of the disease and life expectancy of the patient increase.

The patients should not go to quacks or “tantriks” for treatment. They should also not be afraid of the allopathic treatment. Besides, they should not make any delay in the removal of the cancerous part with surgical method, they add.

The CM’s Cancer Relief Fund Scheme was launched in the state in July last year for the welfare of the cancer patients. Under the scheme, financial grant up to Rs 1.50 lakh is given to the patient on the recommendation of the doctor/hospital, treating the patient.

However, sometimes the patients, who have been getting treatment, especially from the hospitals situated outside Punjab, face problems in getting the aid as the hospital authorities don’t mention the break-up of the treatment expenses.

Medical malady

n The CM’s Cancer Relief Fund Scheme was launched in the state in July last year for the welfare of cancer patients.

n Under the scheme, financial grant up to Rs 1.50 lakh is given to the patient on the recommendation of the doctor/hospital, treating the patient.

n Majority of the female cancer patients in the district have been suffering from breast cancer and cervix cancer.

n The doctors insist that after being diagnosed with the disease, the patient should not panic.

n If the treatment starts at stage zero or even at stage one, the cure rate of the disease and life expectancy of the patient increase.

Bathinda, January 5
The prices of vegetables have rolled down due to influx of locally-produced vegetables in the market as well as a lull in the marriage season.

Vegetable wholesale dealer, Pankaj said three days ago the prices started tumbling down. “In the wholesale market, the prices have tumbled down by Rs 4 to Rs 6 for each vegetable,” he said.

Hoteliers and caterers added that prices have nosedived due to a lull in marriage season. As per astrologers, no marriages are being solemnized till January 14 due to unfavourable planetary positions.

“Winters are usually associated with marriage. The season would pick up from January 14 onwards and the prices of vegetables will shoot up again. Till then, common man has the benefit of enjoying the easy availability of fresh vegetables at lower prices,” said Khem Raj, a resident of Ganesha Basti.

Meanwhile, the traders said that the prices have also decreased due to influx of vegetable produce from the local market. Bathinda, a cash crop intrinsic belt, has very less area under vegetable cultivation, which is not enough to fulfil the needs of the district.

Vegetables sold in Bathinda are brought from far-off places. By early January, produce from areas of Haryana, Malerkotla and Sangrur starts being sold in Bathinda.

“The vegetables are picked and sold, thereby giving more options to people,” observed Surinderjit Singh, horticulture development officer with the horticulture department.

He added that excess supply of potato had flooded the market and other vegetables too were being produced in adequate numbers.

“There is no dearth of produce, but the farmers face marketing problem, which middlemen take advantage of,” he said.

Bathinda, January 5
The foot-over-bridge (FoB) at the Bathinda railway junction is not only “outlived” but also considered as unsafe, particularly for kids, in absence of any sort of cover, like iron-net, on the sides.

Though nothing unfortunate has happened so far, the members of the passengers welfare associations demanding covers on the sides of the stairs as well as at the FoB alleged that the railway had been ignoring the danger as if it was waiting for some disaster.

Many claim that the FoB is over 100 years old and had once fallen. It may be mentioned that presently, nearly 20,000 passengers use the FoB daily.

President of the Pool Banao Sangarsh Committee, Vijay Kumar, claimed that the structure had fallen in 2001 due to “wear and tear”.

However, as per railway sources, the FoB fell as a door of an engine got stuck with one of the bridge’s pillars, and the incident could not be related to wear and tear.

Vijay Kumar also said the FoB was 108 years old and required attention from the railways for various reasons. He said that the sides of the FoB were virtually open as there was no cover, like iron-net, which could be found on the FoBs at many railway stations.

He said that the gap between horizontal bars is wide and only a bit of carelessness on the part of any passenger may land him/her in trouble. “This FoB is not safe for kids,” Vijay said.

Vijay said that demanding attention from the railways towards many “defects” of the FoB, his committee had been suggesting replacing the existing bridge with a new structure, that would also include a ramp that will be of help to senior citizens, women and physically-challenged passengers.

However, as per senior officials of the railways, the covers on the sides of an FoB are normally used at the electrified sections (tracks on which electric trains run) to eliminate any chance of a passenger coming in contact with the high-voltage wires.

They also said that the gap between horizontal bars at FoB at Bathinda station is as per the railway parameters.

Railways officials claimed that besides schedule maintenance, the railway also carried out repair work of the Bathinda FoB when needed.

Bathinda, January 5
Guru Kashi University (Talwandi Sabo), with a vision to improve the lot of unemployed youths, who are many a time misguided by the unqualified immigration agents and are sent to foreign countries through illegal means, has established a memorandum of understanding with Singh & Associates, a Certified Canadian Immigration Firm.

These youths will now be given technical and professional training in the trades such as welding, plumbing, pharmacy, nursing, sheet metal, aeronautical engineering, aircraft assembly and many more trades that are approved by the Canadian and Quebec government as trades in high demand.

The students will be given training by highly skilled professionals from Guru Kashi University and will be given coaching for the preparation of IELTS.

Since these courses are immigration-oriented courses, the students will only be given diploma upon finishing all the requirements, including IELTS, in order to ensure that these students get 100% placement as a PR or workers in Canada after completion of the diplomas.

The list of trades is not only published by the Government of Canada, but the training will be as per Canadian syllabus.

Bathinda, January 5
The Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav today held a meeting with the district officers for conducting the Republic Day celebrations in a big way in the city.

Addressing the meeting, Yadav said the district-level Republic Day function would be held on January 26 at Sports Stadium here. On the occasion, the contingents of the Punjab Police, Commando Police, Home Guards and NCC, etc would take part in the parade. Besides, a cultural programme would also be presented.

Yadav said the rehearsal for the parade and cultural programme would start from January 13 while on January 23 the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) and on January 24 the Deputy Commissioner would inspect full dress rehearsals.

For the preparation of the cultural programme, a committee had been formed. ADC (Development) Abhinav Trikha would be in-charge of this committee.

The DC also deputed various officers for making arrangements, regarding cleanliness of the stadium, stage, seating plan, electricity, drinking water, medical assistance, decoration of chowks, welcome gates, duty pass, recovery vans, refreshment and urinals etc. He said a review meeting, regarding arrangements, would be held on January 20. 

Bathinda, January 5
A man, identified at Nirmal Singh of Paras Ram Nagar, was looted by three persons near the City Centre last evening. In his complaint, the victim said three persons blocked his way when he was riding on a bike. They beat him up and took away his purse containing Rs 2,000. A case has been registered at Civil Lines Police Station. — TNS

Bathinda, January 5
Two persons, including a woman, have been booked for cheating a resident of Hamirgarh village. Harbans Singh alleged that Surjeet Kaur and nambardar Hardev Singh sold off his land to someone by preparing fake documents. A case under sections 420, 463, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered at Diyalpura police station. — TNS