Bathinda, March 22
The Punjabi University, Patiala, has failed to abide by its own calendar and scheduled examinations on two gazetted holidays.

While the examinations of private candidates and students pursuing correspondence courses will begin tomorrow, the regular students will be taking exams from the next week onwards.

According to the date-sheet issued by the university, private candidates and students of correspondence course will appear for the BA (Part I) English examination on March 23, which is observed as the Shaheedi Diwas in the state. On March 29, which is celebrated as Good Friday, the students will have to appear for BA (Part I) History examination.

Debunking the notion that scheduling an examination on a holiday could create confusion among students, the controller of examination of the Punjabi University Pawan Kumar Singla said: "All the holidays declared by the Punjab government are listed in the university calendar. Good Friday and Shaheedi Diwas have also been listed in the calendar since these two are listed as holidays by the state government."

"The university has further divided these holidays into three categories - holidays for the teaching staff, the non-teaching staff and restricted holidays. Both Shaheedi Diwas and Good Friday are not holidays for the teaching staff. Hence, the examinations have been scheduled on both the days," he added.

He said if the university took all the listed holidays into consideration, the schedule of examinations would become very long. "Unless the holiday is very important, it is not listed for the teaching staff. The teaching staff is entitled to 10-12 holidays per annum. Though Saturday is holiday for the non-teaching staff, classes are held in the university. Thus, examinations have also been scheduled on Saturdays. We have to schedule the exams on holidays otherwise the schedule will stretch over two months," he said. 

Bathinda, March 22
The Supreme Wines Group has established monopoly and wrested control over the 522 liquor vends in Bathinda district. Of the nine circles under the Excise and Taxation Department, the group bagged vends unopposed in six circles during an auction held today. With one group bagging all vends in the district, liquor is all set to become dearer.

A group of liquor-vend contractors teamed with the Supreme Wines and filed 51 applications for the nine circles. Only three applications were filed against them.

The revenue of the department has increased by Rs 10 crore. Last year, vends were auctioned at Rs 137 crore. The figure was pegged at Rs 147 crore this year.

Assistant excise and taxation commissioner Pawan Garg said from the nine circles of the district, 54 applications were received and fees to the tune of Rs 35.35 lakh were collected.

In Bathinda city, two circles include the area near the canal and the area close to the railway station. One circle each has been established in Rampura, Raman, Kotfatta, Bhucho, Goniana, Maur and Sangat Mandi. The fee for vends in Bathinda city was Rs 75,000 per application while it was Rs 55,000 for Kotfatta and Maur circles. For vends in the remaining circles, the application fee was Rs 70,000.

For the Rampura, Goniana, Bhagta and Bathinda circles, Rahul Kansal had filed an application each on behalf of the Supreme Wines. Similarly, on the behalf of the group, Jaswinder Mann had filed applications for Bhucho and Maur circles. No other application was received in these circles. For the Raman circle, 16 applications were filed, of which Jaswinder Mann had filed 15 applications. Subhash Dhuddi from Padampur area of Rajasthan was the other applicant. For the Sangat circle, 16 applications were received. Jaswinder Mann had filed 15 applications and Bhinder Singh from Fattakheda village Malout filed one application. For the Kotfatta unit, 16 applications were received. Rahul Kansal of the Supreme Wines filed 15 while Bihari from Padampur Rajasthan was the other applicant.

Bathinda, March 22
As part of the ongoing theatre festival by the Natyam Manch, a theatre group, the play ‘Jinne jhalle mere palle’ was staged at the open-air theatre in the Rose Garden here today.

Written by members of the Sparch Theatre Society, Abohar, and directed by Gaurav Vij, the play focuses on men in an asylum, who, through their words and actions, create humorous situations.

“When an honest health minister visits the asylum for inspection, he is also taken as a mad person. The asylum inmates share with him the stories of their lives and how while getting rid of the madness of the society they became mad,” said Gaurav Vij.

On Saturday, the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, a play ‘Chippan to pehlaan’ will be staged.

Talking about the play, Kirti Kripal of the Natyam Manch said, “The play is being staged to observe the Martyrs' Day. The play will make people aware of the ideologies of Bhagat Singh and will also bring to life the days he spent in jail.”

Sukhvinder Sukhi of the Drama Art Group will direct the play. 

Bathinda, March 22
In its endeavour to offer world-class platform for all-round development to its students, the Baba Farid Group of Institutions (BFGI) today announced its collaboration with the world's largest students' organisation, AIESEC.

AIESEC, with its presence in more than 100 countries and territories, provides a golden opportunity to its member students by creating possibilities of international internships in countries across the world.

During a press conference, organised in the city today, to make the announcement, Amninder Singh, an AISEC member, who recently returned from Poland after his internship, Evan from Brazil, Chirag from Chandigarh and Alicia from Colombia, shared all the information about the organisation.

Addressing the audience, they said AIESEC came into existence in the late 1940s. It has more than 86,000 members and above 10,00,000 alumni members. It provides more than 10,000 internship projects. It has seen a great success and today it is helping students all over the world to become global citizens.

They added that through AIESEC, students of BFGI would be able to gain a summer training/internship in more than 100 countries of the world like Canada, USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany and many more.

They also apprised the gathering that AIESEC provides all assistance to students, from signing-up to understanding the culture of foreign countries before leaving for the country and even attending to them when they reach the destination. The internship programmes by AIESEC, are in the field of management, education and development.

Amninder added that such international internships help the students to improve their communication, personality and technical.

Once the internship is over the students of BFGI would get three certificates. While one is given by the organisation where the internship was done, second is given from AIESEC India and third by AIESEC Chandigarh. The international members of AIESEC also shared their experiences and provided information about the Global Internship Programme (GIP).

Chairman of the Baba Farid Group of Institutions, Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal, said he dreamt of seeing the placement of all the students and of adapting the western culture and creating a policy of 'earning while learning'.

With this culture, the students will become financially independent while pursuing their goals, he added.

Bathinda, March 22
The meeting of the executive committee of Bathinda Red Cross Society and its allied organizations was held today. The meeting was presided over by Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav.

The activities undertaken by the Red Cross Society were discussed along with a blueprint of the work to be undertaken in future.

Yadav said the issue of constructing a new building for the working women's hostel has been referred to the central Government. The staff at the working women's hostel will be shifted to the school for the deaf and dumb. He added that a new vehicle would also be bought soon.

It was decided to request the authorities of Guru Gobind Singh Refinery to sanction funds for the evening school of the Red Cross so that the students in the slum areas are able to receive their education.

Also, a school would be opened for the visually impaired children at the SGD School for which the Sun Foundation, New Delhi, is being roped in.

Bathinda, March 22
Max Super Speciality Hospital, Bathinda, is organizing a two-day free medical camp on March 24-25. Patients will be provided free consultation in gynaecology, ENT, eye ailments and paediatrics.

A team of doctors from Max Super Speciality Hospital, Bathinda, including consultant gynaecologists Dr Sonika Bansal and Dr Ritu Garg, eye specialist Dr Jitender Gupta, ENT consultant Dr Rohit Goyal, child specialists Dr Neeraj Ahuja and Dr Gaurav Garg, will provide free consultation to the residents of Bathinda and its adjoining areas. In a press statement issued here, general manager, operations, of Max Hospital, Dr Aniruddha Suranglikar said a healthy woman is the key to a healthy family. Therefore, the camp will focus on the concerns of women related to gynaecology.

The experts will also counsel them about the common ailments that may occur in various stages of a woman's life, its prevention and treatment.

The Malwa area of Punjab in general and the Bathinda area in particular, has been of concern to the health planners. Of late, efforts have been made to provide quality medicare to the people in the region. 

Bathinda, March 22
The anti-narcotics cell of the Bathinda police arrested three people at the railway station for gambling, while their three other accomplices managed to flee. Sub-inspector Gurinder Singh from the anti-narcotics cell nabbed the accused and recovered Rs 49,700 from their possession.

Those arrested include Ravinder Kumar from village Chautala Tahni (Dabwali), Davinder Kumar from village Seeto Guno in Fazilka and Sandeep Kumar from village Ghudda in Bathinda. Those who fled have been identified as Gobind Singh from Sangat Kalan, Amru from Ganga area of Haryana and Amrit Singh from Ganganagar.

In another incident, the Rampura police arrested one person while gambling near Arya School, Mandi Rampura. Police recovered Rs 1,100 from the possession of the accused Sandeep Kumar alias Bitti, who was freed on bail.

Thief nabbed by residents

Residents caught hold of a thief in Hans Nagar area and recovered the stolen goods from his possession.

In a complaint to the Canal Colony police, Ratna Rani, a resident of Hans Nagar stated that at around 1 pm on March 21, she got call from her neighbour that two men had broken into her home.

One of the accused was nabbed with the help of her neighbours while the other fled from the spot. The accused has been identified as Rupinder Singh, a resident of Surkhpeer road. Ratna Rani stated that a bag containing four watches and gold earrings weighing 5 grams were missing. Police has arrested the thief.

Swift car stolen

A Swift car has been stolen from Kamla Nehru Colony. In his complaint to the cantonment police, Vipan Singla stated that his Swift car, bearing the registration number HR 59-9898, was parked outside his home when some unidentified miscreants stole it. A case has been registered by the police in this connection.

Man assaulted

Beant Singh, a resident of street number 2, Power House Road, was allegedly beaten up near village Bhucho Khurd. In his complaint to the Nathana police, Beant Singh stated that on March 20, at around 7:30 pm, the driver of a tempo traveller, number PB13AA8292, forcible stopped him near village Bhucho Khurd.

Along with six to seven other unidentified miscreants, the driver beat up Beant, robbed him of Rs 10,000 cash and a mobile phone. Police has registered a case.

Two held with smack

The Balianwali police arrested two people with 3 grams of smack and habit-forming drugs. The accused have been identified as Shubham Kohli from Rampura Mandi and Harpinder Singh from village Pitho.

A case has been registered in this regard. In another instance, the Dyalpura police arrested one person with habit-forming drugs. The accused Avtar Singh, a resident of Kothe Bhagta Bhaika, was arrested with 20 bottles of cough syrup and 200 tablets.