B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Docs in Faridkot jail demand extra security
Faridkot, April 21
While the meeting of Inspector-General (Jails) Jagjit Singh with the inmates of Central Jail, Faridkot, yesterday was successful in calming down the agitating prisoners who ended their hunger strike, the doctors and paramedical staff in the jail hospital are still anguished, regretting that the jail authorities were not taking a serious view of their complaint that they receive threats from the prisoners.

Army holds cricket league for border villages
Ferozepur, April 21
On the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which has become a rage in the villages along the Indo-Pakistan border here, around 12 border villages in Hussainiwala enclave came together to participate in the “Hussainiwala Premier League” organised for the first time under the aegis of the Golden Arrow Division of the Army.

Deputy Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang giving away the trophy to the winning team of the Hussainiwala Premier League, a cricket tournament organised under the aegis of the Golden Arrow Division in Ferozepur. A Tribune photograph

400 acres of illegally occupied forest land vacated
Ferozepur, April 21
Around 400 acres of valuable forest land which had been illegally occupied by the land mafia has been handed over back to the forest department. As per the information, the land which had been encroached over the years, was spread in three forest ranges in Ferozepur, Zira and Jalalabad areas.

Fazilka DAC building hits stumbling block
Fazilka, April 21
The decision of the local Municipal Council to offer a new site for the construction of the proposed District Administrative Complex (DAC) at Fazilka district headquarter has raised many eyebrows.

Poet Sant Ram Udasi remembered
Barnala, April 21
On the occasion of 74th birthday of a revolutionary Punjabi poet Sant Ram Udasi, a seminar and ‘Kavi Darbar’ were organised here by Sant Ram Udasi Yadgari Committee, Barnala.

13 booked for illegal sand mining in Barnala
Barnala, April 21
The district police today registered a case against several persons for “illegal mining of sand” from a canal during its closure at Sehna village.

2-day delegate convention of Tarksheel Society concludes
Barnala, April 21
The two-day state-level delegate convention of Tarksheel Society, Punjab, ended here today with a call to make the people aware about the importance of scientific approach in their daily life. Besides, the society will also make efforts to educate the student community by associating them with the scientific literature in the next two years.

Docs in Faridkot jail demand extra security
Allege inmates hooked to drugs turn hostile when denied sedatives
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, April 21
While the meeting of Inspector-General (Jails) Jagjit Singh with the inmates of Central Jail, Faridkot, yesterday was successful in calming down the agitating prisoners who ended their hunger strike, the doctors and paramedical staff in the jail hospital are still anguished, regretting that the jail authorities were not taking a serious view of their complaint that they receive threats from the prisoners.

During a meeting with the IG, the prisoners who were on hunger strike yesterday charged the jail hospital with failing to provide adequate healthcare. But in their meeting with the IG, the doctors and the paramedical staff in the jail hospital alleged that many of the prisoners and undertrial in the jail were drug addicts.

The increased number of deaths and suicides in the Central Jail, Faridkot, is the outcome withdrawal symptoms. The problem was more acute for the jail staff as there was no proper medical care for these addicts, the doctors in the jail hospital told the IG.

The doctors and the paramedical staff in the jail also expressed their disappointment over the poor infrastructure and lack of medical specialists in the jail.

The doctors said there were many drug addicts among the jail inmates and they apply pressure on the hospital staff in the jail to provide them with tranquilisers.

The doctors demanded that they be provided with security and medical specialists be deputed in the jail for the proper treatment of prisoners.

The IG (Jails) said some medical specialists would be empanelled for better service to the patients in the jail.

During a meeting with the civil and police authorities and the jail staff, the IG was informed that the clandestine supply of drugs was still going on. Besides installing mobile jammers in the jail to check the misuse of mobile phones and the supply of drugs, there was no solution to the problem, the officials told the IG.

The doctors said they need police security in jail as the prisoners turn hostile when the hospital staff denies them tranquilizers and sedatives.

Army holds cricket league for border villages
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, April 21
On the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which has become a rage in the villages along the Indo-Pakistan border here, around 12 border villages in Hussainiwala enclave came together to participate in the “Hussainiwala Premier League” organised for the first time under the aegis of the Golden Arrow Division of the Army.

Army sources said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the civil-military ties besides boosting the morale and confidence of the youths belonging to the border villages and keep them away from the scourge of drugs.

The finals of the cricket league, inaugurated on April 4, was played between Rajoke “Royals” and Chandiwala “ Warriors”.

Deputy Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang, Senior Superintendent of Police Varinder Pal Singh besides other senior civil and Army officials were also present. Lauding the efforts of the Golden Arrow Division in organising the event, the DC said it will go a long way in promoting sports and health consciousness amongst the youths belonging to the border villages.

The SSP said it was imperative that the youth of this border region remains fit and agile so that at any time of crisis, they can contribute to safeguarding the motherland from external aggression.

400 acres of illegally occupied forest land vacated
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, April 21
Around 400 acres of valuable forest land which had been illegally occupied by the land mafia has been handed over back to the forest department. As per the information, the land which had been encroached over the years, was spread in three forest ranges in Ferozepur, Zira and Jalalabad areas.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sanjeev Tiwari said in Ferozepur range alone, around 233.5 acres of forest land has been freed from encroachment while another 90 acres in Zira range and 70 acres in Jalalabad range have also been vacated.

The DFO said the estimated cost of the land which has been retrieved was around Rs 75-100 crore which will now be utilised for carrying on plantation drive and increasing the forest cover. “ Around 16 lakh saplings will be planted on this reclaimed land,” he said, adding that the department faced many problems besides law and order issues while getting the land vacated.

In some villages along the Indo-Pakistan border, including Gulam Hussain Wala, Bareke protected forest area and Langeana, around 48 acres of forest land had been illegally mutated in the name of private persons allegedly in connivance with the revenue officials. This land too has been transferred back to the forest department now, the DFO said.

It is pertinent to mention that several instances have been reported during the last few days when the forest officials have come under attack from persons owing allegiance to the land mafia while carrying out an anti-encroachment drive.

Sources said thousands of acres of prime forest land continue to remain under illegal possession of certain influential persons in the region. However, due to lack of manpower, resources and security cover, the forest department has been unable to do anything about it. 

Fazilka DAC building hits stumbling block
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, April 21
The decision of the local Municipal Council to offer a new site for the construction of the proposed District Administrative Complex (DAC) at Fazilka district headquarter has raised many eyebrows.

The council resolved at its recently held meeting to offer 52 kanals (6.5 acres) of land to the government, which is at present in the possession of SD Senior Secondary School management. The proposed prime land is situated adjacent to the cremation ground on the national highway here.

Notably, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone of the DAC on July 27, 2012, adjoining the present office of the Deputy Commissioner on Abohar road, which has been housed in the sub-divisional administrative complex, better known as Mini-secretariat, on the first anniversary of Fazilka district. Rs 37 crores were allocated for the five-storey DAC building. The proposed DAC was to come up over three acres of land.

Nine months have passed but not even a single brick has been added to the project. Surprisingly, before the project could take off, the municipal council, at its meeting, decided to offer a new site for the project. This is despite the fact that the land is in possession of the management of the SD Senior Secondary School. The land was given to the management on lease in 1948 for 100 years which would expire in 2047. However, the principal of the school, Dinesh Sharma, said the management has refused to return the land and would fight to retain it.

“The department has not received any official information regarding the change of the venue of DAC,” said Prem Kumar, executive engineer, Public Works Department, which has been assigned the construction work.

President of the Municipal Council Anil Kumar Sethi maintained that the earlier site for the DAC lacked enough space. Hence, a new site has been proposed. He said the new site is nearer to the proposed sessions court which would benefit the public in the long run.

What has prompted the MC to shift the venue for the DAC is not exactly known. Sources maintain that the council wants to shift the venue for two probable reasons. First, it has taken the ground that the earlier site was reportedly under the control of a wing of the Army.

Secondly, the MC is of the view that the 52 kanal of land leased to SD school free of cost, has less commercial value as compared to the previous site. In the prevailing scenario, a majority of the people in the area feel that both the venue may fall short of the future requirements of the expansion of DAC. They feel that if at all the DAC is to be relocated, it should be constructed in an open space.

Site out of sight

• Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone of the Fazilka DAC on July 27, 2012
• Nine months have passed but not even a single brick has been added to the project
• Surprisingly, before the project could take off, the municipal council, at its meeting, decided to offer a new site for the project
• This despite the fact that the new land is in the possession of the management of the SD Senior Secondary School
• The land was given to the management on lease in 1948 for 100 years that would expire in 2047.
• School principal Dinesh Sharma said the management has refused to return the land and would fight to retain it.

Poet Sant Ram Udasi remembered
Tribune News Service

Barnala, April 21
On the occasion of 74th birthday of a revolutionary Punjabi poet Sant Ram Udasi, a seminar and ‘Kavi Darbar’ were organised here by Sant Ram Udasi Yadgari Committee, Barnala.

These programmes were held last evening. Prof Bhim Inder Singh from Punjabi University, Patiala, read a paper on the revolutionary poet during the session. In the discussions on the paper, Om Parkash Gasso, Attarjit, Hakam Noor and Jagraj Dhaula also took part. Among others who participated in the programme included Iqbal Udasi, Narayan Dutt, Gurpreet Rurreke, Megh Raj Mitter, Paramjit Mann, Baldev Mander, Dr Amandeep, Gurmail Bhutal and Amit Mitter. 

13 booked for illegal sand mining in Barnala
Tribune News Service

Barnala, April 21
The district police today registered a case against several persons for “illegal mining of sand” from a canal during its closure at Sehna village.

According to official information, these persons were mining the sand from the canal with shallow earthen plates for personal use and selling it.

Following a complaint by the Canal Department, the police registered a case against Kalu, Sattu, Bheema, Bhindi, Janaka and eight to nine other unidentified persons at Sehna police station.

The case was registered under Sections 379, 353 and 186 of the IPC and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Tapa, Harwinder Singh said a patrolling party had been deputed to prevent the illegal mining of sand in the area.

2-day delegate convention of Tarksheel Society concludes
Tribune News Service

Barnala, April 21
The two-day state-level delegate convention of Tarksheel Society, Punjab, ended here today with a call to make the people aware about the importance of scientific approach in their daily life. Besides, the society will also make efforts to educate the student community by associating them with the scientific literature in the next two years.

About 240 delegates from various parts of the state took part in the convention. The convention was attended among others by Balwinder Barnala, Hem Raj Steno, Harinder Lally Sunam, Jaswant Zirakh Ludhiana, Harchand Singh Bhinder Patiala, Balbir Chand Longowal, Rajinder Bhadaur, Sat Pal Saloh Nawanshahar, Sumit Singh Amritsar and Jarnail Kranti Chandigarh.

During the convention, 10 members were elected for the state committee of the society for the next two years. They are Rajinder Bhadaur, Sukhdev Phagwara, Harinder Lally, Ram Sawarn Lakhewali, Bhura Singh Mehma Sarja, Hem Raj Steno, Balbir Chand Longowal, Sukhwinder Baghpur, Balwinder Barnala and Chanan Vander Faridkot.

These 10 persons will head different departments of the society like finance, law, publication, printing, editing, media and mental health awareness.