Bathinda, February 8
Congestion, chaos, potholes, stench from urinals, garbage and dirt welcome passengers as they enter the busy PRTC bus stand here. Once you enter the bus stand, your safety is in your own hands. You ought to remain alert and a little ignorance can prove to be injurious. There is no separate entry or exit point for people and the buses.

Over the years, the number of vehicles and commuters has increased at the bus stand in Bathinda resulting in congestion. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

When asked about the traffic management at the bus stand, Jaswinder Chahal, the traffic manager of the PRTC, Bathinda, said, "The bus stand came into being in 1974. Over the years, the number of passengers and buses have grown manifold but the space remains the same, resulting in congestion."

He said, "At present, the bus stand caters to 157 buses of the Bathinda depot and 400 private buses. Though chaos rules the entry point, drivers and commuters have become expert in negotiating their way through. Fortunately, no mishap has been reported so far."

The general manager (GM) of the PRTC, Bathinda, MS Hundal, said, "The problem is not only that people enter and buses leave the bus stand through the same gate. Even cars, scooters and rickshaws use the same exit gate, which leads to chaos."

When asked why separate entry point for people was not being constructed at the bus stand, he said, "There is no point spending money on construction at the present site of bus stand, as there were talks about constructing a modern bus stand on the Bibi Wala Road."

The problem at the bus stand is not only limited to congestion. Even hygiene is not maintained here. The stench from open men-urinals bordering the bus stand makes you nauseate. Garbage strewn on the premises of the bus stand is no less than an eyesore.

The PRTC GM claims, "The bus stand is cleaned thrice a day. We have a contract with the Sulabh, an international social service organisation, which is responsible for the cleanliness here."

He added, "People should also have a sense a responsibility and keep the precincts of the bus stand clean and hygienic. They eat and throw whereever they feel like. I admit that there is no dust-bin at the bus stand but it is due to security reasons. In the given circumstances, passengers have to do their bit to ensure cleanliness."

Ramandeep Kaur, a commuter, said, "The bus stand is very unhygienic and the authorities concerned should give more attention towards its cleanliness."

Ninderpal Kaur, another commuter, said, "I never use the public urinals due to their unhygienic condition."

Bathinda, February 8
Upset over the unhygienic surroundings in the government departments, the Additional District Magistrate-cum-Additional Deputy Commissioner Rajeev Prashar has passed orders under Section 144 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) to keep the District Administrative Complex (DAC) neat and clean.

In a letter sent to all the departments in the DAC, the ADC stated that it has come to his notice that many places in the Mini-secretariat are full of dirt and filth. Pieces of waste paper and various other kinds of waste could be found lying at various places in the building. Besides, butts of cigarette and bidi are also found littered in the departments.

Further, it has also been found that waste is dumped on the complex, which should be checked immediately and special measures should be taken to ensure cleanliness on the DAC.

People usually spit out tobacco and other tobacco products in or near their seats which should be stopped immediately.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner said such unhygienic conditions could lead to various health problems for the employees as well as the public visiting the government offices here for official or other purposes.

Efforts should be made to keep the rooms, toilets, floor and every nook and corner of the DAC neat and clean.

It is stated that the copies of these orders be sent to the office of the district magistrate, SDMs, tehsildars, Block Development and Panchayat Officers, market committees, police stations and municipal committees so that cleanliness is maintained at their offices as well.

Fact file

* In a letter sent to all the departments in the DAC, the ADC stated that it has come to his notice that many places in the Mini-secretariat are full of dirt and stink.

* Pieces of waste paper and various other kinds of waste could be found lying at various places in the building. Besides, butts of cigarette and bidi are also found littered in the departments.

* Apart from this, it has also been found that waste too is dumped on the complex, which should be checked immediately, the letter stated.

Bathinda, February 8
After fighting a legal battle for three years, a forest officer and two others were acquitted today in a case regarding the use of derogatory remarks and injuring a person belonging to backward classes. The person concerned was a resident of Kuti Kishanpura village.

The counsel for the forest officer, Gurwinder Mann said the court of the Additional Sessions Judge Jaspal Singh acquitted the accused.

Lachhman Singh had lodged a complaint in the court against the forest officer, Rachpal Singh of Pakka Kalan village, Kaka Ram Jassi Baghwali and Harbhajan Singh of Gurthari village.

In his complaint, Lachhman stated that since the police initially refused to listen to his problem, he decided to file a complaint in the court. Lachhman accused the trio of beating him and using derogatory remarks against his caste while he was on way to his village and stopped by the bus stand in Chak Ruldu Singhwala village. He had accused the forest officer of stealing wood from the forest area. The complainant said he used to bring the alleged misdeeds of the trio in the notice of higher government authorities and local politicians.

He said the incident took place on November 8, 2008, when the accused, who were under the influence of liquor, inflicted injuries upon him after abusing and using derogatory remarks against him.

Gurwinder Mann said the complaint was filed to pursue the case under Sections 323, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3/5 of the SC and ST Act.

The accused persons were first summoned by the then Magistrate KK Singla in March 2011. After several hearings, the case was transferred to a special judge for further hearing.

Mann said the charges were framed against the accused persons on January 1, 2012, under Sections 323 and 506 of the IPC and the SC/ST Act.

However, after listening to the arguments of both the parties, the court decided to acquit the accused.

Bathinda, February 8
A year after the health department conducted a surprise checking at a city-based sex clinic, its owner Satpal Bhateja today appeared in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Harinder Kaur Sidhu and was granted bail in a case registered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and other sections.

Earlier, a complaint was filed with the Health Department by a city resident Yogesh Batish following which the department had conducted a surprise checking.

The drug inspector, Bathinda, Prabhdeep Singh took medicines in his possession and later filed the complaint under sections 18 (c) and section 18-A, punishable under section 27 (b) (ii) and 28 of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945.

The drug inspector, in his complaint to the court, stated that on February 6 last year, he visited the premises of Satpal Bhateja on the directions of the then Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, Dr Iqbal Singh.

The drug inspector said he was sent there to verify a complaint lodged against Satpal Bhateja.

He was accompanied by another drug inspector Lakhwant Singh and Dr Dalip Singh, the then Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Rampura Phul.

Bhateja was found to have stocked 13 types of allopathic drugs for sale and distribution at his shop.

He was told to produce valid drugs sale licence or any registered certificate of being a medical practitioner which could authorize him to stock such drugs for sale.

The drugs inspector said that the sexologist failed to produce sale licence or RMP certificate on demand as required under rule 2(e) and he also failed to disclose the source of acquisition of allopathic drugs stocked for sale.

Later, in a reply received by the department on March 27 last year, Bhateja sent the purchase record of 12 types of drugs. However, the purchase record of the tablet Alprazolam, batch number A2/178, was not submitted and the reply was considered to be unsatisfactory.

The drugs inspector said the facts of the case were reported to the State Drugs Controller, Punjab, and prosecution orders against Bhateja were sought. The State Drugs Controlling and Licencing Authority, Punjab, issued prosecution order against the unlicensed shop M/s Vijay Pal Hospital (run by Bhateja).

Granting bail in the bailable offence to Bhateja, the court of the ACJM fixed 
the case for pre-charge evidence.

Bathinda, February 8
To spread awareness about the ill effects of drugs, a Punjabi film, "Lagi Nazar Punjab Nu' by Balraj Sagar was screened on the Rajindra College premises.

The initiative was taken by the Rajindra Youth Club and the Punjab State AIDS Control Society. The screening was held in the presence of the film's director Balraj Sagar and the college authorities. The film highlights burning social issues like drug addiction among the youth of Punjab and female foeticide.

Principal Vijay Goyal, vice-principal Ramesh Chander Pasrija, Dr Gurhit Singh Mann, co-ordinator of Rajindra Youth Club, Paramdeep Kaur, the nodal officer of Punjab State AIDS Control Society, released the film in the presence of its director Balraj Sagar. Principal Vijay Goyal said films with important social messages will be screened every month on the college premises.

SSA-RMSA union holds meeting at Teachers’ Home

Members of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyaan (RMSA) union held a meeting under the chairmanship of Manjit Singh at Teachers' Home today. Addressing the gathering, Manjit Singh said the government has been making false claims and is not fulfilling its promise of paying salary to the teachers and is also not regularizing their jobs. He said on February 15, the union will hold a protest against the government at Moga. The protest is to force the government to fulfill its promise of regularisation of teachers' posts and to pay them their due salary.

Farmers to hold rally in city on March 6

Kul Hind Kisan Sabha, Punjab, is organizing a state-level meeting of delegates at Bathinda on March 6-7. On March 6, a rally highlighting the issues related to the farmers will be held. The rally will be addressed by Atul Kumar Anjan, central general secretary. The announcement was made by general secretary of Kisan Sabha, Punajb, Bhupinder Samber and Jagjeet Singh Joga. They further rejected the food security bill presented by the government in its present form and laid stress on introducing a new bill with amendments. Kul Hind Kisan Sabha will come up with suggestions and ideas during the two-day conference at Bathinda.

Caravan to propagate mother tongue

Kendari Punjabi Lekhak Sabha has organised a Punjab level 'Maa Boli Chetna Karwaan' starting from February 15 to 20. The caravan will start from Chuhar Chak village in Moga and will reach Bathinda on February 16. Its closing ceremony will be held at Jalandhar on February 20. The caravan will reach Bathinda on February 16 at Teachers' Home where a seminar is being organised. aThe speakers will focus on the topic 'Maa Boli Da Mahatva'. Later, they will march towards the DC office.

Bathinda, February 8
An awareness programme on tuberculosis (TB) was held today at Sarswati Public High School, Thakur Colony, Bathinda. Gagan Goyal, communication facilitator, District Health Society — RNTCP (Revised National TB Control Programme), made the students and the staff aware about the disease.

District TB Officer Dr Ashok Monga was instrumental in organizing the programme.

Goyal said TB is a dangerous disease but with treatment, lives can be saved.

He informed that the government had started a DOTS system under which treatment and medicines are provided free of cost.

The students and the school staff were informed about the symptoms, precautions and treatment for TB.

The communication facilitator urged the people to get their sputum examined immediately in case anyone discovered the symptoms of TB, like cough for more than two weeks, blood in sputum, loss of appetite, loss of weight and pain in chest.

The sputum examination is done free of cost in government hospitals, Goyal said, and appealed to the people not to leave the treatment midway. In case any patient gave up the treatment halfway, then the disease becomes incurable, he informed.

The patient should complete the course of the medicine, ranging from six to eight months, to get rid of the disease forever.

Goyal said the government is going to provide DOT Plus treatment for the defaulter MDR patients. Students also asked questions about the disease to Gagan Goyal.

After the programme, school principal Veena Thakur thanked the communication facilitator for holding the awareness camp and hoped that such events would keep the students informed about their own well-being.

Bathinda, February 8
Inter-college youth festival was organized at the Adesh University campus today. The function was organized in collaboration with the Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle. The event was organized to stimulate value-based education and improve the interaction among the youth in the context of inter-personal relationship, communication skills and to build leadership qualities.

About 800 hundred students from 50 different colleges of the zone, along with Adesh Medical College and other colleges of the Adesh University, participated in the festival.

The main activities included the quiz competition, poem recitation, turban tying and painting competitions. The quiz competition was the highlight of the function and saw intense participation from the teams as well as the audience.

Speaking on the occasion, chief guest Dr HS Gill, chancellor, Adesh University, lauded the gesture of the organizers in holding the event for the benefit of the youth. Dr Gill said such activities are essential for the uplift and development of moral character among the youth to build a healthy social system.

Dr GPI Singh, vice-chancellor, presided over the function. He stressed upon the need for such activities in educational institutions and said professional education must be a component of value-based education.

Dr Paramjit Singh, registrar, Adesh University, Dr GS Gill and Prabhjit Kaur were the guests of honour.

The prizes were distributed by Dr Avininder Pal Singh, additional chief organizer, Guru Gobind Study Circle.

In the quiz competition, Adesh Medical College, Mata Sahib Kaur Girls College (Talwandi Sabo) and Shahid Ganj College for Women (Ferozepur), were the top three performers.

In the dastaar contest for boys, Avtar Singh of Bhai Maha Singh Engineering College (Muktsar) got the top position followed by Jaswinder Singh, also of Bhai Maha Singh College, Gupreet Singh of Regional Polytechnic College, Bathinda, Amritpal Singh of Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Institute, Bathinda, and Simarjeet Singh of Dashmesh Khalsa College in Muktsar.

In the dastaar competition for girls, Amandeep Kaur of Adesh Dental College, Bathinda, Bhawani Kaur of Baba Farid College, Deon, and Rajinder Kaur of Bhai Maha Singh College in Muktsar bagged the first three positions, respectively.

In the painting competition, Varinder Kaur of Dasmesh College got the first position. She was followed by Ajaypal Kaur, also of Dasmesh College, and Amandeep Kaur of Mata Sahib Kaur Girls College, Talwandi Sabo. Sandeep Singh of Gurukul College, Bathinda, and Sukhveer Kaur of Baba Nihal Singh College secured the fourth and fifth positions.

In the poetry recitation contest, Jashan Preet Kaur of Guru Nanak College, Muktsar, Inderpreet Singh of Bhai Maha Singh College, Muktsar, Jaskiran Kaur of Brajindra College, Faridkot, Amadeep Singh of Bhai Aasa Singh College, Goniana and Kiranveer Kaur of Dasmesh Girls College, Badal, were adjudged the top performers.

Bathinda, February 8
A mock drill was organized by the dispatch station of the pipeline department of Hindustan Petroleum at village Katarsinghwala as part of its disaster management plan.

The chief guest on the occasion was the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Bathinda, KK Yadav. Deputy Director, Factories, Vishal Singhla, NDRF commandant Jaideep were also present along with the senior police officials and the representatives of the IOCL, BPCL and HMEL.

The 30-km long pipeline of Hindustan Petroleum extends from Raman Mandi to Bathinda depot. The HPCL workers demonstrated how in case of a leakage and fire, the situation can be brought under control with fire tender and an ERV.

The DC asked the villagers to keep their security in mind in case of an emergency. He also asked the representatives of the company to co-operate with the 
villagers in such an eventuality. He complimented the rescue workers and the HPCL team for successfully organizing the mock drill.

Senior manager (operations) of the Bathinda pipeline at Raman Mandi, GP Tantuboy, lead the mock drill. Manager (maintenance) Rajesh Bariar thanked all those present.

Bathinda, February 8
The "bhog" ceremony of Akhand Path of Shri Guru Granth Sahib was celebrated at Punjabi University Campus, Maur, by the staff and the students of the campus as per the institution's tradition. The devotional hymns by Ragi Mohan Singh mesmerized those present. The principal of the campus, Dr DK Madaan said such endeavours strengthen moral values.

He highlighted the role of the youth in shaping the future of the country, and said the population of youth in India has increased to 64 per cent in 2011 and will further increase to 70 per cent by 2025 which is way ahead of the developed countries.

Gurmeet Singh Peerkot, ex-chairman, Market Committee, Maur, encouraged the students to imbibe moral values. Ashok Gupta, senate member, Punjabi University, laid emphasis on the importance of cultural values. Buta Singh Brar, head, Punjabi University Regional Centre, Bathinda, enlightened the gathering about the greatness of "Gurbani" and its relevance to humanity. Ram Singh, secretary, Gurdwara Khalsa Diwan Sahib, Maur, honoured the principal.

Among those present were Sarabjit Singh, DSP Maur, industrialist Tej Ram Singla, Amarjit Singh Sidhu, principal, Punjabi University College, Rampura, Vijay Kumar, principal, Punjabi University Girls College, Mansa, Jeet Singh Joshi, head, Punjabi University Neighborhood Campus, Jaito, Rakesh Kumar, RK Mahajan, Punjabi University Regional Centre, Bathinda, Dharam Singh, Security and Transportation Officer, Talwandi Sabo and Balraj Singh Brar, in-charge, Yadwindra College of Engineering.

Bathinda, February 8
Punjab Technical University Giani Zail Singh (PTUGZS) campus hosted an entrepreneurship awareness camp for the students of its polytechnic wing today. The camp was organized by North India Technical Consultancy Organization (NITCO), Chandigarh, on behalf of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI-I) and the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, New Delhi.

The objective of the camp was to spread awareness regarding entrepreneurship as career option and to inculcate entrepreneurial education, so that the students can set up their own ventures.

Renowned entrepreneur of the city, PR Bhandari, managing director of Bhandari Engineering Company Pvt Ltd, was the key speaker. He motivated the students to take up self-employment citing real life experiences.

VK Arora, AGM, NITCON, Bathinda, made them aware of various self-employment courses being run.

Bathinda, February 8
A seminar on "Positive thinking" was organized at Guru Kashi University (GKU) by BK Arun, youth co-ordinator, Punjab, Brahm Kumari Association. The seminar focused on ways in which one can develop positive thinking and positive attitude.

BK Arun shared his views on meditation and yoga and said these activities are helpful in increasing concentration. He said that only through positive thinking can a happy and healthy life be lead and added that it was also the best way to beat stress caused by modern lifestyle.

SK Ahluwalia, vice-chancellor, Guru Kashi University, asked the students and the faculty members present to have a positive approach towards life and said positive attitude plays an important role in achieving success. Dean, Development, Guru Kashi University, and all the faculty members of the MBA and MCA department attended the seminar.