Bathinda, April 9
Out of the 51,633 persons, who were tested for Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during the past several years at the integrated counseling and testing centres (ICTCs) in the Bathinda district, 812 tested positive for HIV with 1.57 positivity percentage till February 2012.

However, at present, 220 HIV patients are getting treatment at the ART (Anti-Retroviral Therapy) Centre in Bathinda.

According to the data issued by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society with regard to an overview of the HIV/AIDS cases in Punjab, the estimated HIV/AIDS cases in India are 2.39 million while in Punjab the estimated adult cases (as per estimation 2009) were 56,928 while the number of HIV positive cases (1993 to February 2012), detected at the Punjab’s ICTCs, was 30,001.

The seriousness of the government’s attitude towards this deadly disease can be gauged from the fact that in the year 2008-09 the number of ICTCs in Punjab was 71, which has now risen to 209.

However, in the year 2009-10, there were 148 ICTCs and in 2010-11 the number of the ICTCs in Punjab was 168. It shows that in 2011-12 (till February) the government set up 41 new ICTCs.

To check the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state, the government has also increased the number of HIV tests at the ICTCs. As per the data for the year 2008-09, as many as 1,67,307 persons were tested for HIV at the ICTCs while in the year 2009-10, 2,28,094 were tested.

Likewise 2,76,990 persons were tested at the ICTCs in 2010-11 and in 2011-12 till February 2012, 3,10,199 persons were tested for HIV.

A total number of 4,954 persons (with 2.96 percentage positivity) were detected to be positive for HIV during the year 2008-09 at the ICTCs throughout the state while in the year 2011-12 as many as 4,913 cases (with 1.58 percentage positivity) were detected till February 2012 at the ICTCs.

However, during the years 2009-10 and 2010-11, 5,351 and 5,425 persons, respectively, were detected as HIV positive.

Bathinda, April 9
Giving the residents of Bathinda and the adjoining areas respite from the blazing sun, that had been beating down hard for the past two weeks, a dust storm on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday made the maximum temperature dip by as much as 4 degree Celsius.

The last the weather had taken a U-turn was on March 20 when dust-laden winds in the city and its adjoining areas had caused the temperature to plummet. a file photograph

While the maximum temperature in the past week had been hovering well above 35 degree Celsius, the maximum temperature recorded on Monday was 34.5 degree Celsius, as per the agri-met department of the PAU regional station, Bathinda.

City residents woke up to the noise of windows banging shut in the middle of the night to realise the occurance of a dust storm.

Electricity supply was also disrupted a couple of times in certain parts of the city, only to be restored within a short span of time.

Weatherman had, on Friday, forecast the possibility of dust and thunderstorms in the area. Attributing the change in the weather conditions to western disturbances, the weatherman said similar weather was expected to prevail on Tuesday as well.

As per the All-India Weather Bulletin (Evening) released by the India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, dust storms/thunder squalls would occur at one or two places over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The last time the weather had taken a U-turn was a couple of weeks back, when dust-laden winds had lashed the city and its adjoining areas for almost three consecutive days.

The weather had sprung a surprise in the last week on March 20, just after the region had started witnessing the first signs of summer with mercury hovering near the 30 degree Celsius mark, the temperature had plummeted to record 26.2 degree Celsius, thanks to the dust-laden winds.

Bathinda, April 9
Court of sessions judge SK Aggarwal today sentenced a student of BA (Part III) to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl.

As per the copy of the judgment, 21-year-old Ajaypal Singh, a resident of Mehraj village, was sent by the SHO, Rampura, to face trial for the commission of offence under the sections 363, 366-A, 376 and 506 of the IPC.

According to information, in May 2011, the statement of the victim’s mother was recorded.

The mother had said that her daughter, who was a class VIII student of a private school, used to travel by bus to school.

On the fateful day of May 11, 2011, after getting free from the school at 2.15 pm, she boarded the bus.

The girl was stopped by a young boy, residing near her house in the village, who told her that her mother had fallen sick suddenly and that her mother had been admitted to a hospital in Bathinda.

The girl, taken in by what the boy told her, sat with the boy on his motorbike and the two drove towards Bibi Wala Chowk.

The boy then took the girl to a house, assuring her repeatedly that she would be taken to meet her ailing mother. The boy then raped her and also threatened her with dire consequences in case she related the incident to anyone.

The boy then dropped her near Mehraj village. The girl disclosed the turn on events to her mother when she enquired about the delay in her return from the school.

The victim’s mother then took her to the police station and a medical examination was conducted. The police later recovered the motorbike that the boy had used in the crime. A case was registered at a police station in Rampura.

After the trial, the accused was sentenced to seven-years rigorous imprisonment and a fine worth `7,000 was also imposed. In case the accused fails to pay the fine, he will have to under one more year of rigorous imprisonment.

Fact file

After raping the girl, the accused threatened her with dire consequences in case she told anyone about the incident. The girl narrated the story to her mother, who then took her to the police station. The girl underwent also a medical examination.

Bathinda, April 9
Keeping in view the ensuing rainy season, all drains of the state will be cleaned before July 15 so that people of the state, especially of the rural areas, do not face any type of inconvenience during the season.

Stating this today, the Punjab Irrigation Minister, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, also said directions had been issued to the authorities concerned to clean the drains in the stipulated period. He said an amount of `36 crore would be spent on the cleaning of the drains.

This disclosure was made by Sekhon on the last day of his thanksgiving tour to various villages of the Maur Asembly constituency.

The villages that he visited during his tour include Gehri Bara Singh, Harkishanpura, Mandi Khurd, Nandgarh, Jhanduke, Mansa Khurd, Gill Khurd, Daulatpura, Kotra, Bhunder Dhade, Ballianwali and Tahla Sahib.

Sekhon said all arrangements would be made in advance to protect the people during the rainy season so that they did not suffer losses to their property or life.

While extending his gratitude to the people, Sekhon heard their problems and assured them that the problems would be resolves at the earliest.

He said though he was an outsider candidate, the people of Maur assembly constituency had given him a lot of love and affection by making him victorious in the recent elections. He also assured them that all steps would be taken for the overall development of the constituency.

Sekhon said in the Maur constituency, new roads, canals, drains etc. would be constructed. Besides, drains would be made pucca. He also said the people of the state would see a revolutionary change in the irrigation system in the years to come.

On the occasion, Sekhon also heard the problems, being faced by the village Panchayats. He assured the Panchayats that he would make all efforts to change the look of the villages by initiating development-oriented steps. He also directed the officers to solve the problems of the people on priority basis.

Sekhon today completed his thanksgiving tour of all the 66 villages of his assembly constituency.

He reportedly toured the constituency to know the problems that the people in his constituency were facing and to know more about every part of his constituency.

Fact file

* Promises that all drains of the state would be cleaned before July 15 so that people of the state, especially of the rural areas, do not face any type of inconvenience during the season. An amount of `36 crore to be spent on the project.

* Promises new roads, canals, drains etc. would be constructed in Maur constituency. Also ensures that the drains would be made pucca.

* Assures Panchayats of changing the look of the villages.

Bathinda, April 9
An Army man lost `1.6 lakh after his ATM (Automated Teller Machine) card was swapped at an ATM of the Cantonment Branch of the State Bank of Patiala.

The money was withdrawn from different ATMs. A case under the section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against unidentified persons at the Cantonment police station.

In another case, two persons were booked by the police for firing gunshots and creating panic near Bibi Wala Chowk. The accused have been identified as Bikram Singh of Baba Farid Nagar and Jasdeep Singh.

A case under sections 336, 148, 149 and 25, 27, 54 and 59-A of the Arms Act has been registered in this connection at Civil Lines police station.

Bathinda, April 9
Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) today staged a dharna near the Mini-secretariat against the arrests of farmers’ leaders following an agitation against encroachment of a piece of agricultural land in Gehri Baghi four years ago.

Bogh Singh, general secretary of BKU (Ekta-Sidhupur), said on July 9, 2008, some unscrupulous elements encroached upon a piece of land in Gehri Baghi village and some villagers protested.

Three people lost their lives in the following melee following and also because of the lack of first aid. Some farmers leaders were booked by the police and were sentenced to imprisonment.

Bogh Singh said the farmers’ leaders today gathered outside the Mini-secretariat and raised slogans against the Punjab government for registration of false cases against its leaders.

The dharna was lifted only after the senior administration officials intervened. 

Bathinda, April 9
Aiming to increase the number of children, especially those residing in the slum areas of the city, going to schools, members of the city-based NGO, Bathinda Vikas Manch, have started the initiative called the ‘School Chalo Abhiyaan’.

Under the drive, the NGO volunteers have started meeting slum dwellers and encouraging them to send their children to the nearest government schools.

As part of the drive, the volunteers visited Beant Nagar and encouraged the children in the age group pf 6-14 years to start going to schools.

The volunteers also made the parents of such children about the benefits being offered by the government schools and the importance of education for the removal of poverty and a bright future for the children.

A similar awareness programme was also organised in Dhobiana Basti here today. While as many as 10 children from Beant Nagar promised to join school, eight children from Dhobiana Basti told the volunteers that they would like to go to school and study for a better future.

The NGO volunteers said they planned to take the drive to adjoining areas as well to try and convince more parents to get their admitted to schools in the beginning of the new academic session itself. 

Bathinda, April 9
All arrangements have been made by the district administration in connection with the holding of the state-level Baisakhi festival on April 13 at Talwandi Sabo.

Giving this information here today, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Bhupinder Singh Rai said duties had been assigned to the officials for the successful organisation of the Baisakhi festival, in which a large number of devotees would take part from all parts of the country and abroad. The ADC said the Talwandi Sabo SDM had been made he Mela Officer while the District Development and Panchayat Officer would be Assistant Mela Officer. He said Talwandi Sabo had been divided into six sectors in connection with the festival. For each sector, an in-charge had been appointed, he added. 

The ADC also said to enter the mela area, there were 11 roads, for which separate parking points, check-posts and barricades had been set up. During the mela, three fire tenders and four recovery vans would be deployed. He said security camps had been set up near the main sarovar and Sri Likhansar Sahib sarovar where divers along with life jackets and boats would remain present. The District Revenue Officer had been made the in-charge of these camps. The ADC said the Civil Surgeon's office would set up six medical posts to provide medical facilities to the devotees during the mela. Besides, arrangements had also been made for uninterrupted power supply. 

Besides, a control room would be set up at the office of the Talwandi Sabo SDM. He said the senior superintendent of police (SSP) would ensure the security arrangements at the mela. Women police personnel would also be deployed there.  At various places, 300 urinals and 200 toilets would be set up for men and women in the mela area. Potable water would be made available by the public health authorities. Transport services and sanitation arrangements would also be made. 

Bathinda, April 9
Harminder Singh Jassi, former Congress MLA who had unsuccessfully sought re-election from the Bathinda (Urban) constituency in the recently held Assembly polls, visited some wards of the city yesterday as part of his thanksgiving tour. He also addressed gatherings and assured the people that he would continue to work, like earlier, for the development of the city. 

Jassi also said in case any injustice or discrimination was done to the Congress workers, he would not tolerate it. He said though the Badal government was making tall claims, regarding development in the state, the long power cuts these days had exposed their hollow claims. The former Congress MLA said that while the dreaded swine flu (H1N1) was threatening to appear its head again, the state government had not made sufficient arrangements to tackle any exigency. 

Jassi thanked the residents of the city for casting votes in his favour and the support extended to him in the Assembly election. Among others who were present on the occasion included district president (Urban) Ashok Kumar, former minister Chiranji Lal Garg, a delegate of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee KK Aggarwal, Rajinder Goldy, Harwinder Sharma, Harpal Singh, Manohar Lal Bansal, Jasvir Kaur, Sudarshan Sharma and Rupinder Bindra.

Bathinda, April 9
A colonel was injured in a hit-and-run case near the cantonment area while he was coming from Chandigarh in a car.

In his complaint to the police, Colonel Harish Kumar said a car driven by Bikramjit Singh of Burj Kahan Singh Wala hit his car. He said the car was being driven rashly and he received injuries. His car too got badly damaged in the accident.

The accused fled after leaving his car behind. A case under sections 279 and 427 of the IPC has been registered against Bikramjit Singh who could not be arrested by the police.

NRI, kin booked for demanding dowry

An NRI, his sister and parents have been booked by the police for demanding dowry. In her complaint to the police, Amandeep Kaur of Har-Raipur village alleged that the NRI and his family members demanded dowry and harassed her on some pretext or the other.

A case under sections 498-A and 406 of the IPC has been registered in this connection against Gurjeet Singh, his parents Gurmail Singh and Amarjeet Kaur and Gurjeet's sister Kulvir Kaur. Kulvir resides in a village in Fatehgarh Sahib.

One booked for causing injuries

A resident of Bathinda has been booked by the police for inflicting injuries on another person following heated arguments over the issue of distribution of money. The complainant, Rajinder Mohan, said they got a contract for construction near a factory at Sangat Mandi and his colleague attacked him following a dispute over the distribution of money.

Six booked for beating up Ganesha Basti resident

Six people including a mother and her two children have been booked by the police for beating up a resident of Ganesha Basti.

In her complaint to the police, Jasvir Kaur said a widow, Raj Rani, is residing near her house and many unidentified people used to visit her house at odd hours. People residing near the house had been objecting to such visits. Jasvir Kaur was beaten up when she enquired from some youths why they were standing in front of the widow's house.

A case under sections 452, 323, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC has been registered in this connection against Raj Rani, her daughter Vicky Kaur and son Sonu, residents of Ganesha Basti, Manga Singh, Bittu, Bhupinder Singh and three unidentified people.

A case has been registered in this regard at the Civil Lines police station. 

Bathinda, April 9
The Hindi Department of the Central University of Punjab hosted a special lecture here today. Renowned Hindi critic and analyst, Professor Ramesh Kuntal Megh delivered the lecture on 'Vishwa Mithak Aalekhkari'.

Paramjit Romana, Dean (Students Welfare) introduced the speaker to the gathering. Vice-chancellor, Prof (Dr) Jai Rup Singh officially invited Prof Kuntal.

While defining the word 'Mithak' meaning mythology, Prof Megh elaborated on the various forms of mythology. Introducing the audience to the ancient mythologists, he compared the Indian myths with those from the Greek, Egyptian and the Mesopotamian civilisations.

He threw light on the ancient myths, their development, changes and creation of new myths. He said our beliefs play a huge role in the creation of myths and these can't necessarily be explained through logic.

He said 'logos' (logic) and 'mythos' (mythology) are both equally valid and depend on the intuitive knowledge. He added that the myths may not have a scientific explanation but still these have been parts of the ancient civilisations and are still believed to be true by many.

Bathinda, April 9
Baba Farid Group of Institutions organized a scholarship test on February 19. To award prizes to the position holders of this scholarship test, BFGI organised a prize distribution ceremony on April 9.

Candidates declared successful in the scholarship test conducted by the Baba Farid Group of Institutions along with the guests, faculty members and other students on Monday. A Tribune photograph

BD Sharma, Deputy Director Activities, welcomed the guests and threw light on the policies of the institute. In view of this, the year 2012 has been dedicated to promote the concept of "Live Green".

In class X, Gursharandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Kaur and Karandhir Kaur held the top three positions, respectively. And in class XII, Chetan Sharma, Pushpjeet Singh, Yashika Garg bagged the first three positions. They were awarded a laptop, desktop and a digital camera, respectively. Besides, 20 consolations prizes were also given to the winners.

Managing Director, BFGI, Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal congratulated the winners.

Col (Dr) Rakesh Sharma, Director, Academics, gave the vote of thanks.

The principals of BFGI colleges, heads of the centralized departments, faculty members and students were also present on the occasion.