 |
|
|
curtains on virasat mela
Two injured in armed attack as gang war spills over
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Methadone project on a new high, helps addicts kick the habit
Counting rehearsal for 4 constituencies today
Policy dialogue to focus on sustainable agriculture
Sarpanch of Bare Gura village hurt
Free medicines given to patients at medical camp
Teachers demand promotions
|
|
Mela marked by melee
Heritage quotient diminishing at heritage fest, feel visitors Megha Mann Tribune News Service
Bathinda, February 26 The family members of the legendary singer Kuldeep Manak, to whom the mela was dedicated, were honoured on the occasion. Sources said that an ailing Yudhvir Manak, Kuldeep’s son, nearly collapsed at the place where the symbolic house of senior Manak was constructed. “He was unable to handle the dust and chaos and suddenly collapsed. He was immediately given water, while his attendants fumbled for his medicines,” the sources said. Manak’s wife Sarabjit Kaur and daughter Shakti too were present at the felicitation ceremony along with the family members of his first cousins. The last day of the mela saw a huge footfall of youngsters many of whom were seen openly indulging in eve-teasing. Even the females attending at the visitors’ stall were not spared from lewd remarks and stares. “For the last three days, we have been standing here, but today was the worst. We turned a blind eye to the eve teasers and behaved as if we did not hear their comments,” said a female dressed in Punjabi attire, putting up a brave face. The mela’s heritage quotient was largely found missing. Col (retd) Amarjeet Singh Batth, a wildlife photographer and writer, who had specially come from Ludhiana to capture the mela in his lens, felt the event is losing its essence. “I could not stand the garish music and chaos beyond one hour. I had heard a lot about this mela and hoped to capture some of the best moments of heritage. It seems that the event has lost its grandeur in commercialization. All I could see was stalls lined with sponsors and their screaming banners,” said a distraught Col Batth. The mela had a corner where a pigeon was tied to the cage, while onlookers posed with it for photographs. The bird lovers reasoned that pigeons are never caged and are instead set free. “A pigeon never leaves its master and instead prefers to sit on a canopy nea its owner. It was a bit surprising to see the pigeon’s dainty legs tied to the cage,” said Paramjit Kaur, a resident of Kamla Nehru colony. Meanwhile, a group of youngsters enlivened the atmosphere with their bhangra and giddha.
|
|
Two injured in armed attack as gang war spills over
Bathinda, February 26 The attackers and the victims are said to be members of two different groups, fighting with each other for the last few months. Police officials said there is a tussle going on between the Bhati gang and Machhar gang over a pending court case. While two members of a group are undertrials in a heinous crime, those who have turned witness against them in the court, have to bear the brunt and are allegedly attacked for supporting them. The injured have been identified as Sandeep Kumar of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar and Indervir Sahni, a resident of Dhobiana Basti. Despite a ban on carrying of firearms, the accused, said to be eight in number, inflicted injuries on two people on the busy railway Mal Godam road in the city. The victims were trying to enter the Sirki Bazar when they were intercepted by a car. The attackers, in a Skoda car, were trailing behind the scooterists and after blocking their path, started beating up the duo with sticks and attacked them with sharp-edged weapons. One of them was armed with a gun and fired shots that pierced through the thigh of Indervir. Sandeep received injuries inflicted by sticks on his back. Both the injured were taken to the Civil Hospital with the help of volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa, an NGO. Senior police functionaries including the DSP and the SHO of the area reached the spot and enquired into the matter. While no senior police official including the Bathinda SSP and Kotwali SHO Jagdeesh Lal were available for comments, police sources said a similar case of firing was reported a few months ago near Bhucho Mandi in which a man lost his life. Informed sources said a fight between both the groups is on following the arrest of two murder accused by the police. The accused are opposing the support extended by another group in the court, police officials said. Special nakas have been laid in the city by the police following the firing incident today. Police officials said the accused in today’s firing incident would be arrested soon.
|
|
Stamp of approval on postal strike
Bathinda, February 26 Following a nation-wide call, the postal staff would go on a one-day strike on Tuesday for what they call is a step to "save the nation and protect the workers from the neo-economic policies adopted by the Centre". Besides discussing the charter of demands, the postal employees also chalked out plans during the meeting to ensure the success of the strike. Over 70 postal staff from Bathinda and Mansa districts took part in the meeting, said Makhan Lal, division secretary of the All India Postal Employee's Union, Group-C. Addressing the meeting, Makhan Lal called upon the postal staff to put a united face to ensure the success of the proposed strike to safeguard the interests of the nation and the workers. During the strike, the postal staff would also hold a demonstration in front of the gate of Bathinda Head Post Office on February 28, said union leaders. As per the union leaders, the charter of demand comprises two parts. Part A includes concrete measures to contain price rise, for linkage of employment protection with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs, strict enforcement of all basic labour laws, universal social security cover for the unorganised sector and creation of a national social security fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendation of NCEUS and parliamentary standing committee. Part A of the charter also seeks an amendment to the Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than 10,000 per month, removal of ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus and others. Under the part-B, the agitating postal staff are demanding an end to downsizing of employees, outsourcing and privatisation of postal work, filling up of all the vacant posts of functional requirement, merger of dearness allowance (DA) with pay for all purposes, including pension and others. Leaders of several unions of the postal employees, including Surajbhan Sharma, Pursottam Das, Nachhar Singh, Harpal Singh, Fakir Chand, Ram Chand and others were present during the meeting held here today.
|
|
Methadone project on a new high, helps addicts kick the habit
Bathinda, February 26 On the day the project was launched, as many as five intravenous drug users had started taking the dose of methadone hydrochloride oral concentrate, ranging from 2.5 to 3.5 ml. The concentrate is mixed with water for administering the dose to the patients. However, on February 17, nine more intravenous drug users were put on treatment under the project while on February 18 one more drug user started taking the medicine. On February 21 and 23, two intravenous drug users each came to the centre for beginning the treatment. Thus, a total of 19 intravenous drug users are now being administered the dose of methadone hydrochloride daily at the centre. A majority of intravenous drug users are from the Bathinda city while some are from the surrounding areas. They have to come to the centre daily to take the medicine, even on public holidays. The project coordinator of the drug de-addiction centre and research assistant of the methadone project, Roop Singh Mann said the staff at the centre would start administering methadone hydrochloride to five drug users more from next Monday. The authorities at the centre had a list of 36 intravenous drug users while more persons had been approaching them for the treatment, he added. Mann further said the intravenous drug users, who have started the treatment, had also been playing a role in spreading the message about the methadone project due to which more intravenous drug users were arriving at the centre. Two intravenous drug users, who have started the treatment at the centre under the project, told this reporter that they were feeling good as they had started leading a normal life after starting the medicine here. They said their family members too had noticed the change in them. One of them said, "Now I want to kick drugs. Earlier, I had been administering two injections daily, spending about Rs 100 per day". Another intravenous drug user said, "I had been administering intravenous injections four to five times daily by spending about Rs 400 daily." However, both of them said after starting the methadone treatment, they were of the view that the treatment had proved to be a boon for them. It may be mentioned that according to the studies, conducted in various parts of the world, methadone is effective in controlling the craving for drugs and reducing the risk of relapse in drug users, especially the intravenous drug users. It is also effective in reducing the use of drugs, risk of HIV infection and improvement in the quality of life of the drug addicts. Fact file
|
|
Counting rehearsal for 4 constituencies today
Bathinda, February 26 For the first time, every counting table would be videographed. Earlier, the counting room was videographed. However, as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), all the tables would be monitored through videographing. The supervisors and master trainers would be involved in counting. District election officer-cum-deputy commissioner KK Yadav said every constituency will get 14 counting tables, while 12 tables would be reserved for Bhucho constituency. The counting staff would be directed to immediately report any kind of anomaly in the electronic voting machine (EVM) to the concerned returning officer (RO). The staff would be directed to check the battery of EVMs before starting the counting. The entire data would be fed in computer and forwarded to the election commission and after counting the machines would be re-sealed. The counting staff would not be allowed to use mobile phones inside the counting centres.
|
|
Policy dialogue to focus on sustainable agriculture
Bathinda, February 26 Dr Rajneesh Arora, vice-chancellor of Punjab Technical University will be the chief guest, and Prof Sukhpal Singh, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, will deliver the keynote address. Dr OP Rupela former principal scientist, ICRISAT, Hyderabad and advisor, UN-FAO, will give a special address. It will address issues of ecological sustainability of agriculture, rejuvenating soil health, mitigation of environmental crisis, conservation of natural resources, how to reduce the ecological footprint of all developmental and agriculture activities and ensuring a safe and healthy ecosystem for our society.
|
|
Sarpanch of Bare Gura village hurt
Bathinda, February 26 The sarpanch, Rashwinder Singh, was going to attend a marriage at a resort. His car, bearing registration number of Uttar Pradesh, was badly damaged in the accident and his leg was injured. Traffic came to a standstill immediately after the accident and the commuters helped the sarpanch get out of the car. He was rushed to a private hospital on Barnala road in an ambulance. Onlookers said Singh had to apply brakes when the car ahead of him stopped all of a sudden, without giving any indication. Harmandar Singh, a resident of Bara Gure village, said the condition of the sarpanch was stable.
|
|
Free medicines given to patients at medical camp
Bathinda, February 26 At the medical camp, Dr Pawan Kumar Pathania examined over 65 patients. After the examinationan, the needy patients were also given medicines free-of-cost. Chief of the Eknur Welfare Society, Raj Kumar and other members were also present at the camp.
|
|
Teachers demand promotions
Bathinda, February 26 The members said before the Assembly election, the Departmental Promotion Committee was handling the procedure of promotion which stopped after the election code of conduct was imposed. Now that the elections are over, the union wants the procedure to get back on track.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Bathinda, February 26
There seems to be no respite from crime in Bathinda city. Today, some assailants fired gunshots and injured two youngsters in the heart of the city at Mal Godam road.
