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B A T H I N D A E D I T I O N

Poll panel to videograph all counting tables
Special chief electoral officer Usha R Sharma Bathinda, February 23
All the counting tables would be videographed on March 6, when counting of votes cast during the assembly elections held on January 30, takes place.

Special chief electoral officer Usha R Sharma

Bhunder discharged from hospital
Bathinda, February 23
After 51 hours, Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder was discharged from a private hospital here this morning.

Need to curb misuse of SC Act, says HC
Chandigarh, February 23
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for curbing with a heavy hand the increasing tendency of implicating people under the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

7 killed in road mishaps
Abohar, February 23
A motorcyclist identified as Navdeep was killed while his pillion riding nephew Sunil Kumar of Jalalabad was injured seriously as a tractor-trolley reportedly hit their bike near village Khubban in the sub-division last night.

EARLIER STORIES

	Makkar to meet PC, seeks session of new SGPC House February 23, 2012
	Mafia ‘eye’ Rajasthan govt land February 22, 2012
	Docs accused of sharing profit with lab February 21, 2012
	Fazilka arms licence holders in a fix February 20, 2012
	Residents protest police ‘inaction’ in murder case February 19, 2012
	Amritsar gets more from cancer fund February 18, 2012
	6 held for trying to sell PDS wheat February 17, 2012
	Illegal sand mining racket unearthed in Ferozepur February 16, 2012
	Anonymous letter with cell number creating panic February 15, 2012
	Fleecing of patients raises hackles February 14, 2012

	Poll panel to videograph all counting tables Megha Mann Tribune News Service Bathinda, February 23 All the counting tables would be videographed on March 6, when counting of votes cast during the assembly elections held on January 30, takes place. The special chief electoral officer Usha R Sharma said this here today. Sharma, who is also the commissioner of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab, was here as the chief guest at the 19th annual athletic meet of Punjab Technical University Giani Zail Singh campus held today. Speaking to TNS, Sharma said that earlier, the halls, where counting of votes took place, used to be videographed. "But this time, every table would be videographed on the orders of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure transparency." Sharma ruled out any foul play in the incidents where electronic voting machines (EVMs) were found beeping in the strong rooms. She said it was due to technical glitches. She added that the common people have been appreciative of the role of ECI in conducting free and fair polls in the state, which helped people to cast their vote without fear. Talking about technical education, Sharma said the Punjab government was all set to introduce seven new polytechnic colleges in the state to meet the ever expanding demand for technical education. She said the Institute Management Committees (IMCs), formed at various technical institutes, were working well to boost the student-industry interface. She added that the government already has tie-ups with MNCs like Larsen and Toubro, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kirloskar and Trident wherein students trained at various polytechnic colleges and industrial training institutes (ITIs) are being given hands-on training, stipend and jobs. "However, the percentage of such students getting absorbed in the industry is very low. “Our aim is to increase this percentage and make students more employable. For instance, we have started giving training under skill development initiative wherein the soft skills of the students are honed to make them more employable," she added.
	Bhunder discharged from hospital Sushil Goyal/TNS Bathinda, February 23 After 51 hours, Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder was discharged from a private hospital here this morning. He was admitted to the hospital on February 21 at 7.30 in the morning after he suffered a heart attack at his residence near Sardoolgarh in Mansa district. In-charge of the hospital, Dr G.S Gill, DM (Cardiology), said Bhunder was discharged from the hospital around 10 am today as he was found fit and healthy. He said Bhunder had been advised normal diet but had been told not to consume items containing fat. He said, however, he could go for a walk. Dilraj Singh Bhunder, son of Balwinder Singh Bhunder, said when his father was discharged from the hospital, he along with family members visited the house of a close relative here. After that, he went back to Sardoolgarh to meet his supporters and well-wishers so that they do not face inconvenience in meeting him by visiting Chandigarh, he added. Dilraj further said his father would meet people till tomorrow afternoon at their residence near Sardoolgarh. Amrik Singh, an SGPC member from Balluana and a relative of Bhunder, said late this evening that Bhunder today met his supporters and well-wishers from 4 pm to 7 pm at his residence at Kahnewala village (three km from Sardoolgarh). He further said Bhunder would also meet the people from 9 am to 11 am tomorrow at his residence. He said Punjab Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike today also visited Bathinda to enquire about his well-being. However before his arrival, Bhunder had already left Bathinda. So, spoke over the phone, he added.
	Need to curb misuse of SC Act, says HC Saurabh Malik/TNS Chandigarh, February 23 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for curbing with a heavy hand the increasing tendency of implicating people under the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Quashing an FIR registered against Chandigarh-based Dr Onkar Chander Jagpal under provisions of the Act, Justice Mehinder Singh Sullar asserted: "As strange as it may appear, but strictly speaking, the common tendency and frequency of the complainants of involving and roping the accused on vague and bald allegations under section 3 of the Act, have been tremendously increasing day-by-day in our society. "Even plain and simple occurrence under the Indian Penal Code is given the colour of offence under section 3 of the special Act by adding false and vague allegations as in the instant case. "This tendency needs to be curbed. If not discouraged and in the wake of their over enthusiasm and anxiety to take revenge of civil dispute by involving the accused in such false criminal cases, in that eventuality, it will ultimately weaken those true cases of the prosecution as well even against the real culprits and the very object and purpose of the Act would pale into insignificance in this relevant behalf". Justice Sullar added: "It is not a matter of dispute that the Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe Act is a special enactment/statute and its provisions have to be strictly construed in the same manner as mandate by the Act and not otherwise. "The element of intentional, insult or intimidation with intent to humiliate a member of Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe in public view should clearly be borne out from the FIR…. "It is a matter of common knowledge that such (offending) words in a quarrel between the two enemies at a spur of moment are common and routine and cannot possibly be taken to be an offence under the Act". Before parting with the ruling, Justice Sullar added that mere utterance of offending words would not constitute an offence under the Act in the absence of intention or mens rea to humiliate the complainant in public view, particularly when the imputations were grossly vague in quarrel or altercation between the members of non-Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Caste.
	7 killed in road mishaps Abohar, February 23 A motorcyclist identified as Navdeep was killed while his pillion riding nephew Sunil Kumar of Jalalabad was injured seriously as a tractor-trolley reportedly hit their bike near village Khubban in the sub-division last night. Rajinder Kumar of village Choohriwala Dhanna died on the spot while two others, travelling by a car, sustained injuries as the driver lost control over the vehicle and hit the roadside bridge near Dhaani Maseet on the outskirts of Abohar town last night. A bank manager Inderjit Ojha and his brother Surjit Ojha, advocate, were killed as a truck in the neighbouring Rajasthan reportedly hit their bike last evening. Malout resident Surja Ram Suthar was killed while his three sons, Satpal, Banwari Lal and Om Parkash, received injuries as a truck reportedly hit the car by which they were traveling on the Rawatsar mega highway. One Vinod Miglani, resident of N-Block at Sriganganagar, was killed as an unidentified vehicle hit the motorcycle that he was driving near village Sadhuwali on Abohar-Sriganganagar road last night. In village Kishanpura (Sadulshehar), an unlicensed Peter Rehra crushed two-year old Ramandeep Kaur to death.— OC
	Tribune Impact Helping jail inmates on frivolous health grounds lands docs in trouble Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, February 23 After two independent judicial and police inquiries found some doctors in Faridkot Civil Hospital guilty of helping some criminals to escape on 'frivolous' medical grounds and giving them 'comfortable treatment' in special rooms in hospital, the health department has initiated proceedings for disciplinary action against the two 'erring' doctors. The police have also sought the legal opinion for necessary action against the doctors concerned. The district and sessions judge, Faridkot, ordered an inquiry after The Tribune, on October 12 last year, exposed how some accused in many criminal cases, at times, avail of the benefits of the hospital's 'hospitality' on the basis of fake medical grounds in connivance with the doctors. Enjoying a sort of furlough, these jail inmates stay in the Civil Hospital with their family members as the doctors, inside and outside the jail, are allegedly 'cooperative' with these 'patients', revealed The Tribune report. Gurmit Singh Chauhan, SSP, Faridkot said the police conducted an inquiry about the connivance of the two doctors who allegedly helped the jail inmates in escaping from the jail on frivolous medical grounds and admitting them to the Civil Hospital. The inquiry was conducted on the directions of the district and sessions judge, Faridkot. Now, on the basis of this inquiry, the police have sought the legal opinion from the district attorney for taking necessary action against the doctors, said the SSP. As per the directions of the sessions judge, the civil surgeon's office here has also conducted an inquiry in the suspected role of the doctors, said Tejwant Singh Randhwan, Civil Surgeon, Faridkot. "I have already written to the director, health services, Punjab, for initiating disciplinary action against the erring doctors," said Dr Randhwan. The Tribune reported that in one case, though two jail guards were deputed with an 'ailing' jail inmate during his stay at the Civil Hospital, during an inspection by a senior police official, both the guards were nowhere around the accused and he was roaming around at ease and with no semblance of pain in any part of his body. In another case, a murder accused was enjoying 'special treatment' in the Civil Hospital on grounds of a mysterious disease. However, once the matter was brought to the notice of a senior judge, the accused was discharged and rushed back to jail. It is alleged that some jail inmates, having good connections with the doctors, after spending some days in the Civil Hospital, get their cases referred to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College Hospital, Faridkot, for an extended stay outside the jail.

UN team to visit Fazilka to explore potential of rural tourism
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, February 23
The newly-constituted Fazilka district is going to figure on global tourism map as two representatives of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) are likely to visit the district to explore the potential of rural tourism.

As per sources, Sudhir Sahi, consultant for rural tourism with UNWTO and Brig TPS Chaudhury, advisor, UNWTO/Punjab Heritage and Tourism Development Board, shall visit the rural areas of Fazilka and Abohar on February 28 and 29.

The team shall visit the historic rural areas of different villages, Asafwala War Memorial and the joint check-post at Sadiqi.

The team members and local administration officer shall visit village Mohar Jamsher, the rare example of mistake committed by the officials while erecting the barbed wire fencing as a result of which the village was surrounded on three sides by the barbed wire fencing and on the fourth side by the Sutlej river.

Village Mauzam where residents are involved in making rural furniture like Vaan Murah (a type of settee made out of jute), quite popular in border villages, is also on the itinerary. The team shall also meet the members of famous Punjabi folk jhumar dance invented by Baba Pokhar Singh of Fazilka.

The team is also proposed to visit Peer Burziwala in village Gulaba Bhaini. The shrine of Peer Burziwala here falls exactly on Radcliff line. Half of the shrine is in India and half in Pakistan territory. Every year, people from both the countries jointly celebrate a fair in the presence of BSF and Pak Rangers and spread the message of love and peace.

Rampura where the Village Industries Commission has proposed setting up a desi Punjabi jutti cluster, village Katehra where one of the biggest 125 acres organic farm is being managed by a progressive farmer Vinod Jyani, is also on the visitors' list.

The last point of the tour would be the blackbuck wildlife sanctuary in Abohar which is considered Asia's biggest. It is spread over 6514 acres and has more than 4300 blackbuck.

"We assure the team of our cooperation. We had prepared and presented the report on rural tourism three years back as part of our feasibility study," said Navdeep Asija, general secretary, GWAF.