B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Non-payment of electricity bills
Power supply to Harcharan Brar’s family home discontinued
Muktsar, March 26
The power supply to the houses of former chief minister Haracharan Singh Brar's family has been cut off, reportedly for being one of the major defaulters of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).

Muktsar resident gets third position in PCS (Judicial) exam
Muktsar, March 26
Imanbir Singh Dhaliwal, a resident of Barkandi village in Muktsar district, has stood third with 603 marks in the Punjab Civil Services (Judicial) Examination - 2011, the results of which were declared on Saturday night.

Local seed varieties gaining ground
Faridkot, March 26
The concept of storing and multiplying the once-forgotten local seed varieties has started gaining ground in this part of Punjab.

Now, students climb water tank
Faridkot, March 26
After unemployed teachers, pharmacists and linemen, about two dozen students of the Regional College of Punjabi University in Jaitu town of Faridkot district, today climbed a water tank to register their protest against the college authorities for imposing heavy fine on them.

Students atop the water tank at Jaitu town of Faridkot on Monday. A Tribune photograph

Book on India’s policy towards Sri Lanka released
Fazilka, March 26
Former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Joginder Singh released the book “India's policy towards Sri Lanka: Current issues and challenges” during a seminar held at the local MR Government College.

Miscreant decamps with Rs one lakh from bank
Abohar, March 26
A woman raised an alarm alleging that a youth, impersonating as a member of the staff, decamped with her purse that carried Rs one lakh from the main branch of the State Bank of India here.

Labourer buried alive as soil caves in
Muktsar, March 26
A labourer lost his life, while two others sustained injuries, when they were buried under a heap of soil at Maha Badhar village near here.

Truck gutted, drive burnt alive
Sriganganagar, March 26
A truck loaded with bricks was gutted and its driver burnt alive as high-tension electricity wires fell on it after the vehicle hit a pole fixed on the divider at Bhadra.

Non-payment of electricity bills
Power supply to Harcharan Brar’s family home discontinued
Archit Watts/TNS

Muktsar, March 26
The power supply to the houses of former chief minister Haracharan Singh Brar's family has been cut off, reportedly for being one of the major defaulters of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).

The PSPCL officials have snapped the power supply to the residential and commercial establishments of the Brar family for the non-payment of bills amounting to nearly Rs 30 lakh.

Officials in the power department told The Tribune that last week, they discontinued the power supply to the house and other establishments of Congress MLA Karan Kaur Brar (daughter-in-law of former CM) in Sarainaga village and the bill had not been paid so far.

It may be mentioned here that Karan Kaur and her late husband Kanwarjit Singh Brar “Sunny” had shown their assets worth Rs 127.5 crore in the affidavits while filing the nomination for the assembly elections held recently.

Confirming the development, Satinder Singh Sodhi, executive engineer, PSPCL, said, “Yes, the power supply to the house of sitting MLA Karan Kaur Brar has been snapped due to the non-payment of bills amounting to Rs 30 lakh.”

“In September 2011, the Brar family paid some amount against the pending bills but they failed to clear the arrears. So, we discontinued the power supply,” he added.

When contacted, JS Multani, Superintending Engineer (Muktsar circle) PSPCL, said, “We have performed our duty and there is nothing personal against any individual. The financial year is about to end and we have to recover the maximum amount pending towards the consumers." "Power supply has been discontinued not only to the private consumers but some government departments as well," he added. He said the power supply to almost seven godowns of the FCI and a few water works of the Public Health department in Muktsar circle was also discontinued for the same reason, as they had to recover almost Rs 10.5 crore to meet the target.

Repeated attempts to contact Karan Kaur Brar and her son Karanbir Brar proved to be futile.

Muktsar resident gets third position in PCS (Judicial) exam
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Imanbir Singh Dhaliwal

Muktsar, March 26
Imanbir Singh Dhaliwal, a resident of Barkandi village in Muktsar district, has stood third with 603 marks in the Punjab Civil Services (Judicial) Examination - 2011, the results of which were declared on Saturday night.

Imanbir, a law graduate of the 2005-08 batch from Panjab University, Chandigarh, is the son of Joint Director, Intelligence (Crime and CID), Punjab, Gurcharan Singh Dhaliwal. He earlier cleared the Haryana Civil Services (Judicial) examination, but did not join there.

Speaking over the phone from Chandigarh, Imanbir said, "The last time, I was not successful in the PCS exam and lost out by a close margin of just 0.5 marks."

Imanbir said he topped at the DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, where he did BA (Geography) with 91 per cent marks in 2005.

He did his initial studies from St. Xavier's School, Bathinda, and was also a topper there.

"This is a delightful moment for me as many of my students have also cleared the exam," said Imanbir, who also taught students at the Resilience Judicial Academy,Chandigarh, while preparing for the exam.

Revealing the name of the man behind his success, Imanbir said his uncle Harcharan Singh Dhaliwal, Additional District and Sessions Judge in Chandigarh, always inspired and motivated him.

Local seed varieties gaining ground
Balwant Garg/TNS

Faridkot, March 26
The concept of storing and multiplying the once-forgotten local seed varieties has started gaining ground in this part of Punjab.

Assisted by several voluntary organisations from South India, though slowly but steadily, many traditional seed conservers among the farmers in Punjab are leading the way in their work towards facilitating sustainable livelihoods for farmers by promoting and distributing the seeds of traditional varieties to maintain genetic diversity in crops and plant species on farms.

Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM) is the driving force behind the seed conservation movement in this part of Punjab. KVM, a voluntary organization, is working with the Working Group on Seed Conservation; a Bangalore-based voluntary organisation to turn the mindset of the farmers towards preserving and maintaining traditional seed varieties and setting up kitchen gardens in the rural and urban areas to ensure good quality food security.

“In the coming days, we are starting a seed mapping exercise to collect the varieties of traditional seeds from the farmers in Punjab and also provoking a dialogue and debate in the village community. Through these discussions, farmers would come to realise what the effects of their conversion to modern, high-yielding crop varieties had been-- a monocrop farming system and loss of plant diversity on their land,” said Krishan Prasad, the convener of the Working Group on Seed Conservation, Bangalore.

In cooperation with KVM, Krishan Prasad is holding five meetings with the farmers at Khuban village in Abohar, Karamgarh Satran in Bathinda, Chaina in Faridkot, Bhutna in Barnala and Ghuni Ke in Patiala, starting at Chaina today.

Conservation and exchange of indigenous seeds form the base of the Save Seed Campaign in the country. The movement has opened new opportunities for the seed conservers, said Umendra Dutt, executive director, KVM. 

Now, students climb water tank
Balwant Garg/TNS

Faridkot, March 26
After unemployed teachers, pharmacists and linemen, about two dozen students of the Regional College of Punjabi University in Jaitu town of Faridkot district, today climbed a water tank to register their protest against the college authorities for imposing heavy fine on them.

The protesting students alleged that the college authorities did not issue them the roll number for the final exams as the required number of lectures was not attended by them. The roll numbers for the exam, scheduled to start next week, will be issued only if the students pay a huge fine for not attending their classes, alleged the students.

Suman Lata, the principal of the college, said the fine was imposed as per the university rules as these students did not attend their classes regularly this academic year.

Terming the protest by the students as a pressure tactics to terrorise the teachers and the college authorities, the principal said she could not violate the university rules. "I will send the case to the university to waive the fine and issue roll numbers to these students," she said.

Once the college authorities and the civil and police administration came to know about the students perching atop the water tank, they rushed to the spot and started persuading the students to climb down, with an assurance of meeting their demands. After one of the students climbed down following the assurance, the other students also followed suit.

Book on India’s policy towards Sri Lanka released
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, March 26
Former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Joginder Singh released the book “India's policy towards Sri Lanka: Current issues and challenges” during a seminar held at the local MR Government College. The book is authored by Dr Gurnam Chand, associate professor and head, department of political science, Government College, Fazilka.

The other eminent personalities who joined the book release ceremony were Emanuel Nahar, fellow and associate professor, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Prof Damodar Panda, head, department of Chinese and Tibetan Studies, PU, Chandigarh, Prof Darshan Singh, principal, MR Government College, Fazilka and Prof Bhupinder Singh, IIT Roorkee.

The book focused on the dilemma of the Indian government’s policy in responding to the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.

From 1983 to 1987, when the India sent the Indian Peace Keeping Force, the objective of India’s involvement in Sri Lanka was two-fold. 

Miscreant decamps with Rs one lakh from bank

Abohar, March 26
A woman raised an alarm alleging that a youth, impersonating as a member of the staff, decamped with her purse that carried Rs one lakh from the main branch of the State Bank of India here.

As per the information, Roshani Devi (70) of village Rajanwali, along with her grandson Vicky, entered the bank in the bazaar number 4 here carrying a bag containing cash.

She was to deposit Rs one lakh to purchase state stamp duty papers required for registration of a land deal. A youth reportedly approached the waiting woman and her grandson impersonating as a member of the bank staff and offered assistance to get the money deposited on a priority basis. They moved with him from one to other.

Meanwhile, the stranger decamped with the bag containing cash.

A team led by ASI Gurmeet Singh reached and started examining the footage of the CCTV cameras after inquiring from the elderly woman and her grandson. — OC 

Labourer buried alive as soil caves in
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, March 26
A labourer lost his life, while two others sustained injuries, when they were buried under a heap of soil at Maha Badhar village near here.

Tarsem Singh died before he could be pulled out, while two others, namely, Kaka Singh and Mandar Singh, escaped with injuries.

All of them were trying to get dry clay from a mound near Chand Bhan drain when the mishap took place.

The body was handed over to his relatives by the police, while the injured were receiving treatment at the local Civil Hospital.

Truck gutted, drive burnt alive

Sriganganagar, March 26
A truck loaded with bricks was gutted and its driver burnt alive as high-tension electricity wires fell on it after the vehicle hit a pole fixed on the divider at Bhadra.

As per the information, driver Om Parkash lost control over the truck loaded with bricks while negotiating a turn in the morning.

The vehicle hit a divider near the main bus stand and rammed into an electricity pole. Current gripped the truck as high tension wires fell on it. The driver could not jump out of his cabin as spark in the wires caused the fuel tank to catch fire. It exploded soon after.

On receiving the information, the police cordoned off the area. Two official fire tenders along with a private water tanker took about two hours to control the fire with the active assistance offered by the members of the public.

The police recovered the completely charred body of driver Om Parkash and shifted it to the local civil hospital for postmortem. — OC