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Sale of govt land
R’than revenue officials demarcate land
Faridkot, February 28
A month after the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) directed the Faridkot police to take necessary legal action against four persons, including a retired IAS officer for the alleged offence of selling government property worth over Rs two crore, a team of officials from the revenue and the Rajasthan canal departments today made the demarcation of the land and submitted the report to the police.

Waterlogging Relief sought for affected farmers
Abohar, February 28
The Drainage Department has submitted a report to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urging him to provide relief to the farmers of different villages from the problem of waterlogging that haunts parts of Balluana segment of Abohar sub- division.

5 booked for abducting schoolgirl
Ferozepur, February 28
In a case related to the alleged abduction of a school girl which took place here today, the Ferozepur police has booked a youth, identified as Sukhdev Singh (24), a resident of village Masita under Kot Ise Khan police station besides four other unidentified youths, all of whom allegedly whisked away the girl in a black Alto car while she was waiting for the school van near Kulgarhi village this morning.

Woman ends life in Fazilka village
Fazilka, February 28
A married woman committed suicide by strangulating herself in Arniwala village of the Fazilka sub-division this morning.

Sale of govt land
R’than revenue officials demarcate land
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, February 28
A month after the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) directed the Faridkot police to take necessary legal action against four persons, including a retired IAS officer for the alleged offence of selling government property worth over Rs two crore, a team of officials from the revenue and the Rajasthan canal departments today made the demarcation of the land and submitted the report to the police.

In a writ petition filed before the HC, it was alleged that a retired IAS officer had sold the prime land of Rajasthan government, situated on Kotkapura-Talwandi bypass, in Faridkot to some property dealers in connivance with some revenue officials in January 2010.

Over 53 years ago, the Rajasthan government had purchased and acquired over two lakh acres of agricultural land in south-west Punjab for construction of the Rajasthan Feeder Canal. While about 65,000 acre is under the Rajasthan Feeder canal, the remaining 1.35 lakh acres is lying unused, alongside the canal.

In the present case, though two separate inquiries by the economic offences wing of the police and the revenue department had earlier implicated the accused for the fraud but no action was taken because one of the accused was a retired IAS officer while his son is a serving IAS officer in Himachal Pradesh, alleged Pawan Mittal, the complainant in the High Court.

It was alleged in the writ petition that the retired IAS officer was the owner of 272 square yards of land but in a deal with three realtors, besides his 272 square yard, he also sold about 3,030 square yards, adjoining the land of the Rajasthan government. It was alleged that though the revenue department officials knew of this, due to the clout of the officer, no objection was raised when the sale deed was being registered and its mutation was entered in the revenue record.

Taking cognizance of the writ petition, the HC directed the police to take necessary action. As the accused were still claiming to be the owners of the Rajasthan government land, the district administration asked the senior officials of the Rajasthan canal department, revenue department and the police to demarcate the land to nail the accused.

After examining the demarcation report, the police will take necessary action as per the law in the present case, said GS Toor, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Faridkot.

Waterlogging Relief sought for affected farmers
Our Correspondent

Abohar, February 28
The Drainage Department has submitted a report to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urging him to provide relief to the farmers of different villages from the problem of waterlogging that haunts parts of Balluana segment of Abohar sub- division.

Executive engineer Gulshan Nagpal has confirmed in his report that at least 500 acres of land in village Alamgarh and Sayeedwala have been affected. The department has proposed to construct a 3 km long link drain to dispose of water from the affected villages in the Sayeedwala drain.

Notably, the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) had recently commissioned the construction of a 9-km long pipeline to dispose of sewage directly from the main disposal works in Abohar.

XEN Gulshan Nagpal, who accompanied SAD MLA from Balluana Gurtej Singh Ghuriana during a visit to the affected villages said the project would cost about Rs 4 crore and the work could be completed within four months of the receipt of funds from the state government.

Meanwhile, scores of farmers of another waterlogged village Bahawalbassi near Abohar city bypass have faxed a memorandum to the Chief Minister regretting that the water treatment plant set up at the cost of Rs 1.31 crore in village Bahawalbassi under a NABARD project to provide relief from waterlogging has failed to achieve its aim.

Local farmers said the plant was inaugurated in 2008 to save farmers but their hopes had been dampened. The affected farmers have now urged the CM to order the laying of a new pipeline to dispose of water into the Abulkhurana drain that passes through village Ramsara. The farmers said they are unable to grow cash crops because of the problem. 

5 booked for abducting schoolgirl
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, February 28
In a case related to the alleged abduction of a school girl which took place here today, the Ferozepur police has booked a youth, identified as Sukhdev Singh (24), a resident of village Masita under Kot Ise Khan police station besides four other unidentified youths, all of whom allegedly whisked away the girl in a black Alto car while she was waiting for the school van near Kulgarhi village this morning.

Sources said 17-year-old girl belonged to Nazo Shah Misri village under Kulgarhi police station and was studying in a private school in the city.

In his complaint to the police, Sukhchain Singh alleged that his daughter was waiting for the school van at the bus stop on the outskirts of the village when some persons who were in a car allegedly abducted and took her away.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarter) Vibhor Kumar confirmed that a case has been registered at Kulgarhi police station in this regard.

He said the police has launched an investigation into the matter for which the call details of those involved have been procured.

Sources said the police has already rounded up some people, including Sukhdev’s father and brother, all of whom were being questioned to ascertain the veracity of facts in the case.

The police said during the preliminary investigations, it was found that the girl was apparently in touch with the accused over the phone for the last few days. Sources said the accused earlier resided in the same village where he used to work with a liquor contractor.

Senior Superintendent of Police Varinder Pal Singh said the police has got vital leads in the matter, and added that efforts were being made to track the location of the girl for which a special police squad has been formed.

Woman ends life in Fazilka village
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, February 28
A married woman committed suicide by strangulating herself in Arniwala village of the Fazilka sub-division this morning.

Twenty-three-year-old Mandeep Kaur, who was physically challenged, was married to Sukhwinder Singh, a resident of village Arniwala two years back.

The father of Mandeep Kaur, Karaz Singh, a resident of Bhura Kunna in Taran Tarn, said his daughter was under mental stress. However, he ruled out any foul play in her death.

The post-mortem of Mandeep Kaur was conducted at the local Civil Hospital today in the evening.