The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Egoism hits functioning of political parties in Ferozepur Anirudh Gupta Ferozepur, February 3 Inflated egos and vested political interests have marred the functioning in both the Congress as well as the ruling SAD-BJP combine in this border segment. The missing bonhomie between the leaders of these political parties was quite apparent during the recently concluded polls. While discordant notes emerged within the SAD-BJP cadre, the Congress also became a victim of internal strife which caused much soreness within the party rank and file. Though the BJP did not face any dissidence in the form of a rebel candidate in contrast to the Congress whose ex-MLA Ravinder Singh Sandhu aka Babbal contested the polls as an independent. However, the missing support from its coalition partner remained a matter of concern for the BJP’s Sukhpal Singh Nannu, in the run-up to the polls. When asked, Nannu agreed that a sense of mistrust prevailed between the two parties here. “Initially, there were some issues amidst the SAD-BJP workers which were sorted out following the intervention of the senior SAD leadership,” he said while admitting that the support was a case of too little, too late. Some other local BJP leaders were though quite vocal in grumbling against their alliance partner. However, they refrained from coming on record. While admitting the fissures within the SAD-BJP, Kamal Sharma, general secretary, BJP, said, “We were aware about the situation but the issues were ironed out before it could eclipse the poll prospects of our candidate.” Sharma added that during the fag end of the canvassing, the SAD did come out open in support. Another BJP leader attributed the missing SAD support to the reason that the Akali stalwart, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, who hitherto represented Ferozepur, shifted to Maur assembly segment this time due to which the SAD cadre also moved out with him which created a void here. However, Nand Kishore, circle jathedar, SAD, denied any rift with the BJP. While ruling out any differences, he said, “We had one common agenda— to make Parkash Singh Badal the Chief Minister again. So, no question of any differences.” On the other hand, the Congress too suffered due to internal bickering after Sandhu decided to contest against the party’s official candidate Parminder Singh Pinki. Sandhu rued that he was the rightful contender for the seat but the party decided otherwise. Instead of supporting either side, most of the senior Congress leaders here remained aloof from the election scene but some did come out in the open. Former MC presidents, Ashok Gupta and Jagdish Lal Gakhar, besides Congressmen Ram Chander Goyal and Ashok Gupta, besides others, chose to support Babbal, while ex-MLA Gurnaib Brar, Anoop Singh, president, DCC, besides senior Congressmen, including Dharampal, Chander Mohan, Narinder Sandha, Ulfat Rai MC, to name a few, drummed up support for Pinki which triggered almost a vertical divide within the party. “It’s unfortunate to see that leaders these days put their own self before the party,” lamented a senior politician of the area, who did not wish to be quoted.
	Fazilka loses historical lake to govt apathy Praful Chander Nagpal Fazilka, February 3 While the world celebrated the Wetland Day with the slogan “water is life”, the historical Badha lake of Fazilka is bereft of even a drop of water. At present, cultivation is being carried out on about 48 acres of wetland area. The land is owned by the village Badha panchayat and it has been leased out to the farmers. As per sources, between 1844-1946, the lake was the source of drinking water for the people of the town. Till the 80s, the lake was full of water and supported various species of migratory birds here. But it gradually dried up and became extinct in the 90s. The man-made hurdles and barriers stopped the flow of water from the Sutlej creek leaving it with no source of water. The overflow of water from the Sutlej creek used to recharge the lake every year. With the passage of time, when the source of water dried up, the water in the lake evaporated and in this way, another wetland area succumbed to official indifference. “No efforts were made to save the wetland area as the government failed to provide any source of water to keep the lake alive,” rued Social Welfare Society president Raj Kishore Kalra. According to the patron of the Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka, (GWAF) Bhupinder Singh, retired professor, IIT, Roorkee, “This has affected the ecology badly and has left the small horse-shoe lake on its banks dry.” As per official sources, the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) submitted a report to the state environment department stating that the conservation of the wetland is essential. “Repeated attempts have been made to construct colonies in this ecologically fragile area but vigilant locals have helped stop the area from becoming a concrete jungle,” says Navdeep Asija, general secretary, GWAF. In 1844, a Britisher, Pat Van Agnew, constructed his bungalow (presently DC camp office-cum-residence) on the bank of the Badha lake. He was impressed with the bio-diversity and environment of the area. “Today, because of the criminal negligence of the authorities concerned and the greed of man, Fazilka has almost lost the lake, due to which our city came into existence,” said Asija. “The only ray of hope for the people of the Fazilka region is recharging the Badha lake wetland with fresh water feed from river Satluj through the existing network of canals. The 17 acre of Panchayat Shamlat (common land) is using the canal water for irrigation. The same route can be used to recharge this low-lying lake followed by removing man-made obstructions and encroachments on the original natural route of the lake’s recharging. This will not only maintain the bio-diversity, but also improve the quality of groundwater in the area,” suggests Asija.
	Lokpal IG to probe school’s salary-related irregularity Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, February 3 The exploitation of teachers in many private schools in the absence of proper service structure and their low salaries vis-à-vis the workload assigned to them is an open secret. But it is first time that three independent inquires in the functioning of a private school in Kotkapura have not only unravelled the modus operandi of many private schools but have also given indications of school education department officials shielding those in the wrong. After three independent inquiries by the police, district administration and the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) in the functioning of a private school in Kotkapura, on the charge of preparing fake salary statements, the Lokpal Punjab has directed the IG, Lokpal, to conduct further on the basis of a complaint filed by Vipan Kausal, a resident of Kotkapura. Earlier, the police, PSEB and the district administration, in their separate inquiries, found that while the teachers were actually paid only Rs 700 to Rs 1500 per month, in the salary statements submitted to the PSEB, the school claimed paying the teachers Rs 4550-Rs 5480. Moreover, in the salary statements submitted to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) department, the school downplayed the salaries, showing just Rs 350-Rs 500 per month. According to the inquiries, the reasons for preparing three different fake salary statements is not only saving money but also misleading the PSEB to get permanent affiliation for the school and depriving the teachers of their due EPF. In the salary statements submitted to the PSEB, the school claimed paying the teachers in the bracket of Rs 4550-Rs 5480, the minimum wages fixed but the salaries were showed much less to EPF department as it is mandatory for the school to pay 12 per cent of the salary as EPF contribution. The inquiries revealed that the ever-increasing fee together with heavy registration and admission charges, compulsory purchase of stationery items and uniform from prescribed shops in the private sector are some of practices adopted by the school to pocket commission in the sale of books and uniforms. On the basis of these inquiries, the EPF enforcement officer directed the school to pay Rs 5,16,767 as PF dues for the last nine years while the PSEB legal advisor recommended the cancellation of the affiliation of the school. However, due to the alleged connivance of the school management with some senior officials in the education department, no action was taken, alleged Vipan Kausal in a complaint to the Lokpal. The Lokpal has directed the IG to conduct a detailed inquiry, said Kausal.
	Haphazard parking of trucks puts lives of motorists at risk on Abohar-Malout road Raj Sadosh Abohar, February 3 Spurt in accidents on the Abohar-Malout road (NH-10) near the Truck Operators Union has revived the demand for the shifting of the union complex on the outskirts of the sub-divisional town. A luxury bus hit and injured two waiters, Chiman Lal and Prem Kumar, as it headed towards the Malout road from the parking place. Driver Gurtej Singh, along with the conductor, managed to escape. A resident of the Seed Farm colony, Shamsher Singh was injured in a collision between a tempo that he was driving and a canter while coming back from the local railway station. Powercom lineman Jagjit Singh sustained injuries as a car hit his bike near the road overbridge that connects Hanumangarh road with the Malout road. The car driver, Gurpal Singh of Dharangwala, has also been admitted to the Civil Hospital. Residents from the localities situated on both sides of the highway assembled on Friday to express their resentment over the haphazard parking of trucks on both sides as this, they said, was the main reason for the mishaps. As per the Master Plan drafted by the then Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Sarvesh Kaushal in 1994, the truck union was to be shifted to the city bypass as it had emerged as a major problem in the smooth flow of traffic. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had not granted any relief to the union in a case observing that it was not an approved body. Moreover, the protesters said, the union complex had been witness to blood bath including three murders triggered by fight to control immovable assets. The traders' organisations too had in the past raised their voice over the arbitrary increase in fare by the union officials. State Social Welfare Board chairperson Vijay Laxmi Bhadoo had recently termed the union as a tool in the hands of the ruling politicians to mint money. The managing committee of Shri Ramsharnam Ashram located on Malout road had submitted memorandums to the state government seeking shifting of the union complex but the union officials managed to get the Master Plan as well as memorandums stalled using their influence. The automobile and auto parts shops on the same road near the union complex also add to the seriousness of the problem.
	Dengue Deaths Rights panel seeks report from Muktsar DC Tribune News Service Muktsar, February 3 The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has sought a detailed report from the DC Muktsar regarding pre-winter outbreak of dengue, which reportedly caused seven deaths and affected nearly 5,000 others. Kulbir Sekhon, a practicing lawyer at Punjab and Haryana High Court and native of Muktsar, had filed a complaint with the commission in October 2011 seeking its intervention into the matter. Sekhon had alleged that the district administration failed to take necessary steps to check dengue even as more than 5,000 people had been suffering from the disease while seven had died. Taking prima facie cognizance of the complaint, the Commission has now sought a report from DC Muktsar, Arshdeep Singh before May 30 and has also directed him to look into the matter carefully.