Moga, February 6
Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) teachers, mostly women, were allegedly manhandled by the police when they protested on the national highway on the main square of the Moga city on Wednesday. They accused the state government of vacillating over their demand for jobs, besides pressing for the acceptance of their other demands.

They alleged that the government had already conducted interviews of the EGS teachers over a year back but the appointment letters had not been given to them.

The protesting teachers squatted on the main square, blocked the highway for about two hours and also raised slogans against the state government. The local police tried to persuade them to lift the blockade. A local magistrate also arrived on the spot.

The protesting teachers alleged that the cops roughed up female teachers and resorted to cane charge but the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ashish Chaudhary denied the allegation. However, he said a case under section 218 of the IPC has been registered against the protesters for blocking the national highway.

When asked about whether some teachers had been arrested by the police, Chaudhary said no one has been arrested by the police but the law would take its own course.

The teachers had threatened to immolate themselves in front of the Chief Minister's residence in Chandigarh tomorrow. 

Fazilka, February 6
The announcement by the railway of making Fazilka a model (Adarsh) station has brought cheers to the residents. The announcement to this effect was made on Tuesday in Delhi. Besides Fazilka, two more railway stations, Muktsar and Gidderbaha, in Malwa region, would also be developed as Adarsh railway stations.

Patron of the Northern Railway Passengers Samiti, Babu Vakil Chand Dawra of Muktsar, president Dr Amar Lal Baghla of Fazilka, vice-president Raj Pal Gumber, general secretary Babu Ram, secretaries Sham Lal Goyal and Sham Lal Chhabra, finance secretary Liladhar Sharma, office secretary Puran Singh Sethi, Beopar Mandal president Ashok Gulbadhar, Social Welfare Society president Raj Kishore Kalra and others hailed the decision.

"Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had announced to upgrade the status of these railway stations during his visit to Muktsar on Maghi Mela this year and he has fulfilled his promise," said the president of the samiti, Dr Amar Lal Baghla.

The station will depict the local ethos. The architecture may also replicate a local landmark, said an official. An Adarsh station has all basic facilities like toilets, drinking water, waiting rooms and catering services. These stations also have dormitories, especially for women passengers.

A railway official said "The focus will also be on improvement in all areas like ticketing, circulating, signage, easy access, exit and adequate lighting at the station."

Fazilka, February 6
Work on setting up the hotline connection at Civil Hospital, Fazilka, to ensure uninterrupted power supply to meet the emergency and other essential services, has begun. The poles have been installed and cables have been laid.

But the main hindrance in completing the project is the delay by the railway in granting permission for laying cables beneath the rail track. The power station is situated across the railway track. Hence, permission is mandatory. "Only clearance from the railway is awaited," said executive engineer Ramesh Kamboj. "I am not aware about the case, but if the Powercom has applied for clearance, the file must be in process," said DRM, Ferozepur Division, NK Goyal.

"We had deposited Rs 30,000 as security last year. Similarly, the Punjab Health System Corporation had also deposited the amount for the installation of a hotline connection,” said SMO, Civil Hospital, Dr SP Garg. — OC