Bathinda, August 7
The district administration has found a solution to the problem of waterlogging in the city. It has been decided to set up rainwater harvesting structures in the low-lying areas of the city, which get inundated even during mild showers, to tackle the problem.

Under the initiative, the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) has already decided to float tenders worth Rs 35 lakhs for laying rainwater harvesting structures at ten identified low- lying places in Model Town phase III. The XEN, BDA, Vasudev Anand said the ten identified sites are those that get inundated during the showers. "The aim is not to let the rain water go waste. Harvesting it will also reduce the pressure on the sewerage system that will be spared from carrying rain water and will support the sewerage water only," he added. Pipes will be laid as deep as 200 to 250 feet to harvest the rainwater. After the work is handed over, it will take around three months to complete the project.

The Deputy Commissioner had recently convened a meeting with the officials of the BDA, Municipal Corporation and the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) over the issue.

"While the BDA has started working on the project, it would take some time for the MCB to start it. The areas under the BDA are cleaner ones and have planned development. Rainwater getting accumulated in the areas developed by the BDA has mud. However, water that accumulates in the areas under the MCB gets mixed with sludge, which will not be good for the health of rainwater harvesting structures. The sludge may choke the structures," said Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav.

Yadav added that if the project succeeds in Bathinda city, it will be replicated in areas under other civic bodies in the district as well.

The MCB and the PWSSB will together execute the project by the time the next monsoon sets in. Municipal Commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta said the project was technically not viable in the municipal areas. "However, we are working on some other plans to deal with the problem of waterlogging in the city," he said.

Bathinda, August 7
The Bathinda depot of the PRTC has extended the last date for making bus travel passes for the students till August 10. Today was the last date for getting new passes made and renewing the old ones and a serpentine queue of students was visible outside the PRTC office.

The Bathinda depot of the PRTC deals with educational institutions located within a radius of 60 kms. It covers around 110 schools and colleges of all kinds. More than 8,000 students are issued bus passes that are renewed quarterly.

As per the rules, the passes were to be renewed in the month of July. "The entire July was a holiday in colleges and admissions started after July 28. So, most of the students could not get the new passes or the renewed ones. These students started pouring in from August 1 onwards," said the PRTC officials.

The passes are made or renewed on a quarterly basis, from the first to the seventh day of the month. Being the last date today for the same, a huge rush was witnessed at the depot.

Students had come from villages in Bathinda and Mansa districts to get their work done. Many had come a day before and slept in some inns in the city to stand in a queue early in the morning. In their bid to keep pace with the rush, the PRTC employees had been operating the pass counter from 8 am to 6 pm instead of the usual timings of 9 am to 5 pm. However, due to the huge volume of work, not every student's pass was renewed or made anew.

The in-charge of the pass counter, Hardev Singh said that the senior PRTC officials have directed that the last date for making passes or getting it renewed be extended to August 10.

"We have been directed not to refuse the services to any student and extend the date for making passes till August 10. Students can now avail of the benefit easily," he added.

Bathinda, August 7
Thick layers of dust, mats lying unkempt on the benches and ceiling fan lying abandoned on the floor - one look and no one would believe that this is a gym and that too inside the Government Rajindra College.

The health centre, which was opened with the purpose of helping the staff members and the students in keeping fit, is ailing itself. The 'Rajindra Health Centre' was opened in the year 2004 and has been lying closed for more than two months now.

Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, Surjeet Singh, physical education teacher at the college said, "The health centre is meant to serve the students and the staff members. Interestingly, mostly the students of physical education use the facilities here. Most of the students using the facility are from the villages. The staff members hardly get the time to be here."

He also shared that the health centre had been lying closed for a few months ever since the examinations began, which was followed by vacations and then by new admissions.

"The college is also yet to hire a trainer for the centre. The salary of the trainer is also given out of the PTA fund. Once a trainer is hired, the centre will be cleaned up and will be opened for the interested staff members and students," he said.

"The college authorities were busy in the admission process and now that the classes have started we will make the necessary arrangements to open the centre to the students. I had met Surjeet Singh and discussed the matter with him. If he states the requirement for trainer for the centre we will initiate the process without losing any time. The expenditure will be covered under the PTA fund of the college," the principal of Government Rajindra College, Vijay Goyal, said. 

Bathinda, August 7
The tussle over the orders issued by the State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT) directing the teachers of the District Institutes of Educational Training (DIETs) and Government In-service Teacher Training Centres (GISTCs) to be sent to Adarsh Schools for 'field experience', is refusing to die down.

While the teachers have upped the ante against the orders, strangely enough, while the order will resolve the problem of staff shortage at Adarsh Schools, it will create the same problem in DIETs. Jean Paul Singh Sekhon, a DIET teacher, said, "We met the director of the SCERT today and submitted a memorandum and have declared that we will boycott the orders till the time the SCERT either clarifies or recall its orders. The term 'field experience' has been used in the orders but it goes against the rules."

Sekhon explained that the main work of the DIET teachers is pre-service teacher training and in-service teacher training. He further added that as per the DIET rules, a teacher has to spend a week or two at schools to check the application of the training.

"The SCERT didn't use the term 'deputation' since in that case, it would have been bound to pay the employees deputation allowance. We are against the orders since 'field experience' has been initiated for an indefinite period. The teachers were not consulted before assigning the centres and to top it all, we are not being paid any travel or dearness allowance for the same," he said.

The teachers said while the government was trying to get rid of the problem of shortage of staff at Adarsh Schools by posting the DIET teachers there, it was creating the same problem for them.

While highlighting the problem of staff shortage at the institute, Swarna, an ETT student at the DIET in Deon said, "Nine of our teachers have been sent to Adarsh Schools and now we are left with only four teachers to teach us 11 subjects. Our studies are being hampered because of this move."

SCERT director, Roshan Lal Sood, attributed the orders to the Government of India. "SCERT received the orders from the Government of India. The orders asked us to attach DIET teachers to Adarsh Schools and that is what we have done."

When asked about the duration of the 'field experience' and the shortage of staff at DIETs, he said, "The time duration is also a matter that the Government of India needs to decide on. We are just toeing the line. As for the shortage of staff at the DIETs, we have sent a letter to the state government asking it to arrange for staff by either shifting the suitably qualified teachers or by making fresh recruitments."

Fact file The SCERT didn't use the term 'deputation' since in that case, it would have been bound to pay the employees deputation allowance. The teachers say they were not consulted before assigning the centres and they are not being paid any travel or dearness allowance. SCERT director Roshan Lal Sood said the orders were received from the Government of India. “The orders asked us to attach DIET teachers to Adarsh Schools and that is what we have done," he said.

Bathinda, August 7
A policeman was killed with his own carbine accidentally on Tuesday night. Forty four-year-old Thana Singh, posted at court complex, had gone home in Police Lines at around 9:15 pm.

"The carbine hung on his shoulder. When he tried to remove the turban on reaching home, the carbine fell down and accidentally went off. Thana Singh received a bullet in the head and died on the spot," said the investigating officer Narmal Singh.

Thana Singh was a native of village Bhunder in Muktsar district. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. All the three children are studying. He was cremated in the afternoon today. — TNS

Bathinda, August 7
A public interaction on the city development plan (CDP) will be held on August 12 at the office of the Municipal Corporation Bathidna (MCB).

In a press statement issued here, assistant municipal commissioner Kamal Kant Goyal stated that Darashaw Consultants, Mumbai, has been chosen as the consultant for the CDP and an interaction with the NGOs, municipal councillors and other organizations will be held on August 12 at 11 am.

The occasion will be used by the authorities to elicit views on the development of the city, the challenges ahead, the problems confronting the civic bodies and suggestions for resolving them.

Bathinda, August 7
Assistant municipal commissioner Kamal Kant Goyal has issued the schedule for fogging in the city to control the breeding of mosquitoes. Fogging has begun in the city from August 1 and will continue till August 17.

On August 7, fogging was done on Surkhpeer Road and Multania Road right side, Multania road main stretch, Bir Talab Road, Subhash Basti, police quarters in ward 39¸ Bharat Nagar, Patel Nagar, Green Avenue and Jujhar Singh Nagar left side area of ward 6, Pujjan Wala Mohalla, PRTC Road left side, from GT Road to Mall road fire brigade to Pujjan Wala mohalla (ward numbers 22, 23 and 36).

On August 8, the areas where fogging will take place include Hari Nagar, Preet Nagar, Lal Singh Basti, Sanguana Basti, streets of Naruana road, Dashmesh Nagar, Pratap Dhillon Basti (wards 31 and 32), Pukhraj Colony, Manocha Colony, Ghanaiya Nagar, Balmiki Basti, Gali Khaddar Bhandar Wali, area under ward No 17, DC’s residence and adjoining areas, right side of Amrik Singh Road, Arya Nagar, Ahata Niaz Mohammad, Nai Basti street numbers 1 to 6, Birla Mill Colony and Malviya Nagar, wards 21 and 48.

On August 9, the localities where fogging will take place include the area till Amarpura Basti street No 9, Mehna Basti, Bangi Nagar, Udham Singh Nagar and Ganpati Enclave, wards 27 and 33, Chandsar Basti, Bank Colony, North Estate, Kamla Nehru Colony and Dr Narang road area, wards 6 and 17, Ahata Madhokpura and fish market, ahata Sakandpura, Veer Colony and ward 47, Namdev Nagar area.

On August 10, the areas to be fogged include Baba Deep Singh Nagar, Balraj Nagar, Bhai Mati Dass Nagar and Housefed Colony, wards number 26, 27 and 29, Sarabha Nagar, Harpal Nagar, Basant Vihar and Aggarwal Colony area, ward 16, Green Avenue, Panchvati Nagar, Vishal Nagar phases 1, 2 and 3, Shakti Nagar, New Shakti Nagar and Tagore Nagar area of ward 49.

On August 11, the railway colonies, the stretch from fire brigade to Mall Road and railway station to Taar Bazaar, Sirki Bazar, old police station area, Qila road and further towards the fire brigade, inner sides of ward numbers 35 and 36, Model Town phase 2, Beant Nagar and Dhobiana Basti, wards 9 and 11, will be fogged.

Similarly, on August 12, the areas of Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, Balla Ram Nagar street number 10 left side, Balla Ram Nagar left and right side streets, Bank Colony and National Colony ward number 4, municipally, office of sewerage board, thermal colony, Joganand Road, Kothe Amarpura, Kothe Sucha Singh wards 1 and 2, Model Town phase I, Radio Colony, Harbans Nagar, industrial area wards 12 and 30 and dump area will be fogged.

On August 13, the areas like Mata Jivi Nagar and Hazura Kapura Colony till street number 9, Guru Gobind Singh Nagar till street number 10, left side of ward number 3, Power House Road, left side of street number 6, left side of Ajit Road, Guru Arjun Dev Nagar and Shiv Mandir Wali Gali in ward number 8, right side of Bhatti Road, Ganesha Basti and wards 19 and 20 of Thakur Colony area.

On August 14, the areas like Model Town phase 3, Baba Farid Nagar, Barnala bypass and Vishwakarma market (ward numbers 8 and 5), right side of Power House Road till chowk, civil station, Mini-secretariat and district courts complex, new bus stand, PRTC workshop, wards 14 and 23, Prajapat Colony, Azad Nagar, Shiv Colony, left side area of Sarabah Nagar and Brar Bandhu area in ward 19.

On August 15, fogging will be done in areas like Thermal kachi colony, Kheta Singh Basti, Hardev Nagar, Kothe Kame Ke, Kothe Gian Ke, CISF Colony, Oriya Colony, Janta Nagar ward number 50, Bhagu Road and nearby streets, Shant Nagar area and right side of Dhobiana road, Police Lines in ward 10 and 14, area around DC’s residence, left side of Bhatti Road, Ganesha Basti, Thakar Colony and wards 19 and 20 of Dheevar Colony.

On August 16, areas like Arjan Nagar, Gurukul Road, Gopal Nagar, 80 feet road and right side of 80 feet road, right side of Paras Ram Nagar, wards 44 and 45 in Jogi Nagar¸ left and right side area of Adarsh Nagar, NFL Colony, Mandar colony ward 1, Sanjay Nagar, Awa Basti, Kala Singh Sidhu Colony, 80-feet road and wards 34 and 35 will be fogged. On August 17, fogging will take place in areas like Alam Basti, Dubey Colony, left side of Paras Ram Nagar and Pratap Nagar, right side of wards 43, 44 and 46, both sides of Ajit Road till Ghode Wala Chowk, left side of Power House road till 100 feet chowk and Bibiwala Road and the right side area of wards 14 and 15, Guru Ki Nagri, women’s hostel, civil hospital, Haji Rattan link road, wards 26 and 28 and the regional centre area.

Bathinda, August 7
The Baba Farid College of Engineering and Technology (BFCET) started its new session today with a laptop distribution ceremony as part of the National E-Governance plan (NeGP).

Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda Kamal Kishore Yadav was the chief guest on the occasion. He distributed the free laptops among students of BTech (computer science engineering, software engineering, information technology, electronics and communication engineering and electrical engineering).

Chairman of the Baba Farid Group of Institutions (BFGI) Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal welcomed guests and newly-admitted students.

He discussed the concept of an “e-governance campus” (a joint venture of the Central Government and the BFGI) with new students.

The BFGI is one of the 100 e-governance campuses across the country for setting up NeGP in association with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

He said the students of e-governance campuses get opportunities to work on projects in the fields of income tax, central excise, employment exchange, education, health, agriculture, commercial tax, e-panchayat, e-district, India portal, insurance, banking, pension, posts, e-procurement, road transport and e-biz. To make e-governance project successful, laptops were being distributed to students to help them work on various projects from their home or college.

Dhaliwal also discussed the concept of ‘earn while learn’ introduced at the BFGI this year.

He said for the overall development of students, the Global Internship Programme had also been started by the BFGI.

The DC praised the efforts of the BFGI and encouraged students of the BTech (first year) to put their full efforts and work with sincerity and dedication. A student of the MBA (first year) Babbu Kaur, the highest earner of the week under the ‘Earn While Learn’ programme, was also honoured by him.

Principal of BFCET Manish Goyal apprised the students of the rules, facilities and academic achievements of the college. Dr Manish Bansal, Deputy Director (academics), BFGI, proposed the vote of thanks.

Punjabi singer Sarabjeet Cheema entertained the guests and students with his folk songs on the occasion.

Bathinda, August 7
Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) today held a protest by burning an effigy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’s flag over the alleged killing of Indian soldiers by Pakistan troops. The protest was held at the fire brigade chowk.

Led by BJYM district president Vikram, the activists raised slogans against the Prime Minister.

BJP district president Parminder Goyal said the Indian Government should give a befitting reply to the attack on the Indian soldiers.

Bathinda, August 7
Commander Baljinder Virk (retd), District Defence Services Welfare Officer, Bathinda, said a medical camp, pension adalat and a recruitment inquiry rally was being organised on August 25 at Bhai Mastan Senior Secondary School, Malout Road, Sri Muktsar Sahib.

The rally is being conducted under the aegis of the 16 Artillery Brigade, Faridkot. It is being organised for the ex-servicemen of Faridkot, Bathinda, Ferozepur and Sri Muktsar Sahib districts.

A pension adalat will also be held during the rally to resolve the pension-related issues of ex-servicemen and their families. Representative of various regimental records will be present to resolve the record-related issues.

A free medical camp will also be organised to provide medical aid to the needy ex-servicemen and their families. Various specialist doctors will also be available during the camp. A recruitment inquiry rally will be held to spread awareness among youth of the region about a career in the Army.

A Canteen Stores Department canteen and free langer will also be organised on this occasion. The Army authorities have made elaborate arrangements to pick up the ex-servicemen for rally from various places like bus stands of Bathinda, Faridkot, Sadiq, Abohar, BSF Chowk Ferozepur, Gol Chowk Malout and Kotkapura.

Virk appealed to all ex-servicemen of the region to avail the opportunity and participate in the rally. The ex-servicemen can approach the District Defence Serviecs Welfare office, Bathinda, for any query regarding the same.

Bathinda, August 7
Government Model School, Rai Ke Kalan, today honoured its students for their performance in the recently concluded district-level 59th School Sports Tournament.

The students of the school performed well in kho-kho matches and bagged the first positions in the Under-14 and the Under-17 categories of boys and the second position in the Under-14 category of girls.

Subhash Chander, Principal of the school, school management committee, all staff members, gram panchayat, Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Dashmesh Sports Club congratulated the students and physical education teacher Amardeep Singh, assistant coach Des Raj and Charanjit Singh on the achievement.

Bathinda, August 7
OD Sharma, honorary secretary of the Bathinda Cricket Association and life member of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), Mohali, has been elected as the member of the executive committee of the PCA for the 19th consecutive time.

The announcement was made during the general body meeting held recently at the PCA cricket stadium, Mohali.

In a press statement released, Jeet Mal, president of the Bathinda Cricket Association, said Sharma had also been taken as the member of the Tournament & Fixture Committee of the PCA. He had also been nominated as the convener of the Plate Group comprising 14 districts of the state.

Bathinda, August 7
The Anti-narcotics cell of the district police has arrested four drug peddlers and confiscated 1 kg opium from their possession. Of the arrested, three are residents of Rajasthan and one is from Bhagta Bhai ka, Bathinda.

They have been identified as Parveen Kumar from the Panj Kher area of Sangria (Rajasthan), Vineet from Sabuana Road, Dabwali (Rajasthan), and Kuldeep Ram from Sangria (Rajasthan) and Gurdeep Singh from Bhagta Bhai Ka, Bathinda. Gurtej Singh, in charge of the cell, said Gurdeep was driving the confiscated vehicle, (white Qualis). The accused were intercepted at a specially laid naka near Giani Zail Singh Engineering College. Gurdeep had earlier been working as a driver and lost her job for being involved in illegal activities. The gang was bringing opium from Rajasthan and wanted to sell it further in areas of Bathinda. The market value of the confiscated opium is around Rs 90,000.