B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

fish found dead in Rajasthan Feeder Canal
Canal spreading water-borne diseases in Rajasthan: Study
Faridkot, March 31
After reports of fish having died in Rajasthan Feeder Canal in Faridkot and Ferozepur appeared in the media recently, apprehensions are being voiced on how this could be dangerous for the humans as well.

SC/ST panel to inquire former MC chief’s murder case
Abohar, March 31
The National SC/ST Commission has decided to inquire into the murder of a former president of the Abohar Municipal Council and veteran Congress leader Tulsi Ram Dhaulia.

Eye donation boon for 650 visually impaired
Fazilka, March 31
Efforts of two social organisations of Fazilka town in motivating the people for eye donations after death have brought fruitful results as 325 pairs of eyes have been donated in the area. ocial Welfare Society president Raj Kishore Kalra and PRO Shashi Kant said as many as 200 pairs of eyes had been donated in the past five years.

Abohar Water works land row
CLP leader demands judicial probe
Abohar, March 31
Expressing dissatisfaction over the action taken by the state government in the “land scam” highlighted by him last week, the Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar said at a meeting of party workers here today that suspension of Kanungo Buta Singh in the case was just an eye wash.

Mock JEE test conducted
Barnala, March 31
As many as 740 engineering aspirants of 82 private and government schools of the region took the mock JEE (joint entrance examination) test, conducted by the Aryabhatta Group of Institutes on its campus, here today.

Mass marriage held in Barnala
Barnala, March 31
As many as 101 marriages were solemnised during a mass marriage held in the memory of a former Barnala MLA late Malkiat Singh Keetu, at the grain market here. The function was organised by the Mata Gulab Kaur Yadgari Trust, Barnala, under the leadership of a SAD leader Kulwant Singh Keetu.

Car knocks down two kids, one dies
Abohar, March 31
A child was killed and his brother injured when an unidentified car allegedly hit them while they were crossing the Abohar-Malout road here. The police said Harpreet and his brother Lovepreet were referred by the local Civil Hospital to a Faridkot hospital where the former succumbed to injuries.

fish found dead in Rajasthan Feeder Canal
Canal spreading water-borne diseases in Rajasthan: Study
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, March 31
After reports of fish having died in Rajasthan Feeder Canal in Faridkot and Ferozepur appeared in the media recently, apprehensions are being voiced on how this could be dangerous for the humans as well.

The findings of a study conducted by an NGO in Rajasthan confirm these fears and show how the water reaching many districts of Rajasthan from Punjab is threatening the health of the people.

The study, 'Water and Health: A study of Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojna', revealed that water in Gang and Indira Gandhi canals, the two distributaries of Satluj, flowing to Rajasthan after traversing through Ferozepur, Faridkot and Muktsar districts in Punjab, is not fit for human consumption.

It also revealed that supply from these canals was leading to the spread of water-borne diseases in the desert state. The study was conducted by a senior professor at the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur, MS Rathore, for the NGO —Health, Environment and Development Consortium —some time back. It was found that 70.6 per cent of the people surveyed were afflicted with diseases due to bacterial and heavy metal content in the water of these canals.

In Faridkot, after reports of high casualty of fish, the health department has swung into action. The officials of the department on Friday collected samples from the Rajasthan canal. "The water samples were collected after reports of high fish casualty," said Rakesh Arora, Civil Surgeon, Faridkot.

The instances of aquatic mortality and the adverse effect on the health of the people relying on the river water in south west Malwa region of Punjab and the northern belt of Rajasthan, consisting of Faridkot, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Ganganagar, Bikaner, Hanumangarh and Jodhpur districts, are in plenty but the people are accustomed to living with these periodic aquatic mortalities, said Rathore.

The level of oxygen in the water in the Gang and Rajasthan Feeder canals is almost nil since 1996, revealed a study to check the level of pollution. Umendra Dutt, executive director, Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM), a voluntary organization, working in the field of environment and ecology in the region, said the official indifference on this was obvious.

"Water brings diseases, it does not support life here," said Kultar Singh, the grandson of former president of India, Giani Zail Singh. Kultar is a member of the organisation Cancer Roko Seva Society, working in the area.

"In the absence of sewerage treatment plants, many towns in Punjab are pouring their sewage in Satluj and Beas, the rivers which were once revered for being the lifeline of the region. The industrial waste, consisting of heavy metals and chemicals, is dumped in these two rivers without any fear, affecting the aquatic life in these rivers," Kultar Singh added.

SC/ST panel to inquire former MC chief’s murder case
Our Correspondent

Abohar, March 31
The National SC/ST Commission has decided to inquire into the murder of a former president of the Abohar Municipal Council and veteran Congress leader Tulsi Ram Dhaulia.

Confirming this, Punjab Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar said here on Sunday that the vice-chairman of the Commission Raj Kumar Verka would reach Abohar on April 4 to initiate the proceedings in this connection.

Jakhar claimed that the Congress and the ruling alliance partner BJP have unequivocally demanded that the investigation in the case should be assigned to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) since the Punjab Police was not able to crack the mystery shrouding the murder.

Speaking to the mediapersons at his residence here, the CLP leader said the mutilated body of Dhaulia was found in an abandoned well in Patel Nagar (also known as Sukhera Basti) on March 7. The well is about 200 meters away from the deceased's house in Prem Nagar (also known as Regar Basti).

Dhaulia’s relatives had said he left the house in the third week of February without informing anyone.

The post-mortem of the body was conducted by a medical board at Faridkot.

Experts had taken samples of the water to ascertain the number of days that the body had remained in the well, but a report is yet to arrive.

Eye donation boon for 650 visually impaired
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, March 31
Efforts of two social organisations of Fazilka town in motivating the people for eye donations after death have brought fruitful results as 325 pairs of eyes have been donated in the area.

Social Welfare Society president Raj Kishore Kalra and PRO Shashi Kant said as many as 200 pairs of eyes had been donated in the past five years.

Kalra stressed the need of emulating the example of neighbouring country Sri Lanka where eye donation is mandatory to eradicate the blindness from the country.

“Three mega camps have already been organised by the Social Welfare Society to felicitate the relatives of the deceased for being a part of the noble cause,” said Kalra.

Similarly, during an eye donation campaign launched by Ram Sharnam, 125 families have donated eyes of their deceased relatives.

These institutions with the help of local philanthropists have been successful in providing vision to about 650 visually impaired persons. Experts of Jagdamba Andh Vidyalaya, Sriganganagar, and Kartar Devi International Eye Bank, Sirsa, used to help activities of these organisations in implanting a cornea of a deceased to a visually impaired person.

“Eye donation has acquired the shape of a mass movement in Fazilka as 650 visually impaired persons got vision. The number is quite higher as compared to other towns of the state,” said Dina Nath Sachdeva of local Ram Sharnam.

Abohar Water works land row
CLP leader demands judicial probe
Our Correspondent

Abohar, March 31
Expressing dissatisfaction over the action taken by the state government in the “land scam” highlighted by him last week, the Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar said at a meeting of party workers here today that suspension of Kanungo Buta Singh in the case was just an eye wash.

He said since Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had assured on the floor of the House (Punjab Vidhan Sabha) two years ago that none would be allowed to “grab” the Abohar municipal water works land, the state government should constitute a commission headed by a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to probe the multi-crore scam in which a battery of officials and political workers were allegedly involved.

In the meantime, all the construction activities on the controversial land should be banned.

He said no action has been initiated against other officials of the Revenue Department who had dubious role in changing the mutation of the land besides ensuring transfer of possession to the “buyers” of the controversial land.

Mock JEE test conducted
Tribune News Service

Barnala, March 31
As many as 740 engineering aspirants of 82 private and government schools of the region took the mock JEE (joint entrance examination) test, conducted by the Aryabhatta Group of Institutes on its campus, here today.

Dr Manoj Mittal, campus director of the institute, said the test would be helpful for the students appearing for the JEE (main) test, to be held on April 7. It would guide them how to utilise time during the main examination.

In the mock test, Simran, Ritika and Isha secured first, second and third positions respectively. They were awarded with a tablet each.

Mass marriage held in Barnala

Barnala, March 31
As many as 101 marriages were solemnised during a mass marriage held in the memory of a former Barnala MLA late Malkiat Singh Keetu, at the grain market here. The function was organised by the Mata Gulab Kaur Yadgari Trust, Barnala, under the leadership of a SAD leader Kulwant Singh Keetu.

Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa extended blessings to the newly-wed couples, who belonged to the weaker section of society. They were gifted domestic articles.

On the occasion, Dhindsa also announced a grant of Rs 30 lakh from his MPLAD fund for the Barnala Assembly constituency. — TNS

Car knocks down two kids, one dies

Abohar, March 31
A child was killed and his brother injured when an unidentified car allegedly hit them while they were crossing the Abohar-Malout road here. The police said Harpreet and his brother Lovepreet were referred by the local Civil Hospital to a Faridkot hospital where the former succumbed to injuries. The two brothers were crossing the road to fetch drinking water.

Witnesses said owing to scarcity of potable water in the Panjpeer Colony, many kids and women have to cross the national highway daily to fetch water from the adjoining locality. There had been mishaps in the past also, they added. The police said a case has been registered in this connection and efforts were being made to identify the car that knocked down the kids. — OC