B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

HC endorses creation of sessions division in Moga
Moga’s Ist sessions judge to assume charge today
Moga, April 27
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) has endorsed the recent notification of the state government to set up a sessions division at Moga and also granted promotion to Karamjit Singh Kang, additional sessions judge, who would assume the charge of the office of the first district and sessions judge of Moga district here tomorrow.

Electronic goods worth Rs 70 lakh gutted
in Ferozepur
Ferozepur, April 27
Electronic goods worth Rs 70 lakh were gutted in a fire that broke out in an electronics outlet in the cantonment area during the wee hours of Friday. According to the information available, the guard on night duty saw smoke emanating from the shop at around 3 am, following which he informed the owner of the shop, Vikas Gupta, who immediately rushed to the spot.

Lift the procured wheat in 48 hrs or face action, officials told
Fazilka, April 27
The Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, KJS Cheema, today pulled up the officials of a half dozen procuring agencies for failing to lift the procured wheat in time in Fazilka and nearby Jalalabad grain markets.

Substandard gunny bags: Arhtiyas smell a rat
Fazilka, April 27
The Arhtiya Association here smells misappropriation in the purchase of allegedly substandard and underweight gunny bags for the purpose of wheat procurement. President of the association Shree Niwas Bihani along with dozens of members and farmers showed the ‘substandard’ bags supplied by different procurement agencies to the commission agents for filling wheat, to the Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, KJS Cheema.

Ex-MP Kataria for quick commissioning of Abohar-Fazilka rail link
Bathinda, April 27
A former MP and a senior Congress leader Virendra Kataria today urged the Railways Minister Mukul Roy to immediately commission the railway line between Abohar and Fazilka to facilitate the commuters.

Arhtiyas to recompense farmers incurring loss in mandis due to rain
Muktsar, April 27
Roshan Sunkaria, secretary, Parliamentary Affairs, Punjab, today said if any farmer suffered loss in mandis due to rain, the commission agent concerned would be held responsible for the same and would have to compensate the farmer.

Cheque bounce case against Cong MLA
Faridkot, April 27
In a cheque bounce case, the court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Faridkot, today summoned three persons, including Congress MLA Joginder Singh, in a cheque-bouncing case filed by one Amarjit Lal of Faridkot.

HC endorses creation of sessions division in Moga
Moga’s Ist sessions judge to assume charge today
Kulwinder Sandhu/TNS

Moga, April 27
The Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) has endorsed the recent notification of the state government to set up a sessions division at Moga and also granted promotion to Karamjit Singh Kang, additional sessions judge, who would assume the charge of the office of the first district and sessions judge of Moga district here tomorrow.

Confirming this to The Tribune, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Moga, Rakesh Gupta, said Justice Ranjit Singh Randhawa, who is also the chairman of the building committee of the HC, would preside over a formal function being organised for the purpose.

Justice KC Puri, administrative judge of the Faridkot and Moga districts, and Justice AN Jindal would accompany Justice Randhawa to grace the function, the CJM said.

The president of the District Bar Association, Sunil Garg, said the creation of the sessions division and the post of the district and sessions judge at Moga, 16 years after the district came into being, was an historic event.

He said the state government issued notifications in this regard early this month and sent them to the Chief Justice of the HC for endorsement.

In December, 2011, a full bench of the HC had given its consent for the creation of sessions division. The posts of additional district and sessions judges at Moga were created in June 1998 but the administrative control was kept under the Faridkot sessions division.

Garg said it would help in better administrative control over the judiciary at the district level. Besides, decisions on transfer of cases could now be taken at the local level.

Garg said the Moga sessions division had been carved out of the Faridkot sessions division. The new division would cover the revenue areas falling under Moga district.

At present, over 2,000 cases are pending in the courts of the additional sessions judges at Moga, Garg said, adding that the creation of the post of a district and sessions judge would help speedy disposal of these cases.

Electronic goods worth Rs 70 lakh gutted in Ferozepur
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, April 27
Electronic goods worth Rs 70 lakh were gutted in a fire that broke out in an electronics outlet in the cantonment area during the wee hours of Friday. According to the information available, the guard on night duty saw smoke emanating from the shop at around 3 am, following which he informed the owner of the shop, Vikas Gupta, who immediately rushed to the spot.

By the time the shutter of the shop was rolled up, the fire had spread in all directions.

The fire tenders from the Cantonment Board, the Municipal Committee, the Army and from Faridkot were pressed into service and it took almost four hours to extinguish the fire.

Deputy Commissioner S Karuna Raju, JV Singh, CEO, besides other officials reached the spot.

The DC said he would submit a report about the loss incurred due to the fire to the state government so that financial help could be provided to the beleaguered shop owner.

The DC advised that all shops where electronic or inflammable material is stored should be equipped with fire extinguishers.

Lift the procured wheat in 48 hrs or face action, officials told
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, April 27
The Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, KJS Cheema, today pulled up the officials of a half dozen procuring agencies for failing to lift the procured wheat in time in Fazilka and nearby Jalalabad grain markets.

Cheema was on his visit to the area to assess on-the-spot procurement of wheat in one of the largest grain markets of Punjab. When he reached the Jalalabad grain market this afternoon, there was hardly any space to enter. Unhappy over the arrangements, Cheema told the officials to get the procured wheat lifted within 48 hours or face action.

After Cheema left, the officials sprang into action. Nearly 50,000 bags lying in the Fazilka grain market were lifted by the evening. “The officials concerned have been directed to ensure that the market was cleared by Saturday evening,” said Fazilka SDM Charandev Singh Maan.

As per the Market Committee officials, 8,49,040 bags (each weighing 50 kg) were yet to be lifted till Thursday.

The Special Principal Secretary also directed the second district food and supply controller at Ferozepur, who holds the independent charge of Fazilka district, to shift his office to Fazilka immediately.

Substandard gunny bags: Arhtiyas smell a rat

Fazilka, April 27
The Arhtiya Association here smells misappropriation in the purchase of allegedly substandard and underweight gunny bags for the purpose of wheat procurement. President of the association Shree Niwas Bihani along with dozens of members and farmers showed the ‘substandard’ bags supplied by different procurement agencies to the commission agents for filling wheat, to the Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, KJS Cheema.

Some of the new bags were torn while the stitching of the bags gave way.

In the presence of DC Dr Basant Garg and district heads of half a dozen procurement agencies, commission agents alleged that some of the gunny bags weighed between 350 and 450 gm instead of the prescribed weight of 665 gm.

“Wheat spills out of the underweight and torn bags is causing financial losses to farmers and commission agents,” alleged Kirpa Ram, a farmer. “Moreover, the name of the company supplying the bags and the mark of the procurement agencies is often not legible,” added some farmers and commission agents.

Taking a prompt action on the complaint, Cheema immediately spoke to some senior officials at Chandigarh and assured the farmers of resolving the problem soon. — OC

Ex-MP Kataria for quick commissioning of Abohar-Fazilka rail link

Bathinda, April 27
A former MP and a senior Congress leader Virendra Kataria today urged the Railways Minister Mukul Roy to immediately commission the railway line between Abohar and Fazilka to facilitate the commuters.

Kataria alleged that the commissioning of the rail line that has already been laid was being delayed under the pressure of the transport lobby. Those commuting between the two places on bus were at present paying one way fare of Rs 25, whereas each rail ticket would cost mere Rs four.

The railway line connecting certain strategic defence formations was completed in July last year but railway traffic is yet to begin.

Kataria also urged the minister that a stoppage at Malout should be declared for the Sriganganagar—Nanded Sahib Express and the Srorohella—Sriganganagar Express as passengers there have to travel a long distance to catch the trains. — TNS

Arhtiyas to recompense farmers incurring loss in mandis due to rain
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, April 27
Roshan Sunkaria, secretary, Parliamentary Affairs, Punjab, today said if any farmer suffered loss in mandis due to rain, the commission agent concerned would be held responsible for the same and would have to compensate the farmer.

While inspecting the grain market at Muktsar and purchase centres at Malout, Gidderbaha, Mehrajwala, Aulakh and Badal, Sunkaria also cautioned the district administration and directed its officials to expedite the lifting of wheat.

During a meeting with senior officials, Sunkaria said any negligence in performing duties would not be tolerated. He directed the officials to provide all facilities to the farmers sitting in mandis with their produce.

Cheque bounce case against Cong MLA

Faridkot, April 27
In a cheque bounce case, the court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Faridkot, today summoned three persons, including Congress MLA Joginder Singh, in a cheque-bouncing case filed by one Amarjit Lal of Faridkot.

Joginder is MLA from Jaitu seat in Faridkot district.

In his complaint to the court, Amarjit alleged that the MLA, who is also the president of Farid Truck Operators Union, Davinder Kumar Titu and Parnam Singh Maur, two other office-bearers of the truck union, had issued him a signed cheque of  `1.12 lakh against an outstanding payment with the truck union. But the cheque was dishonoured. — TNS