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Operators threaten to burn school buses
Police remand of former DTO extended by a day
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Son’s ailment inspires woman to serve society
Residents discuss city’s development plan
Sekhon to hoist Tricolour on I-Day
Water resources employees union stages dharna
Crockery house asked to refund excess amount
Head constable’s motorbike stolen from Police Lines
Damaged sewer cover poses threat
Red Cross celebrates Youth Day
Police foil AIE teachers’ bid to stage protest outside DAC
Poppy husk seized, one held
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Operators threaten to burn school buses
Bathinda, August 12 The president of the union, Gurpreet Singh Happy, while addressing a rally held at the grain market here today as part of the statewide strike, said burning effigies would not serve the purpose. "The government doesn't want us to use buses and vans which are in bad condition. The government is also not ready to give us time to induct better vehicles in our fleet. In such a case, we will not be left with any other option but to burn the buses and vans that we cannot use," he said. The protesters also tried to foil the attempt to run vehicles by members of the other union, who were displeased with the strike and had claimed that they would run their buses and vans to ferry students. Stationed at various nooks and corners of the city, members of the School and College Bus and Van Operators Union intercepted buses and vans ferrying schools and college students and staff members. While the protesters tried their best to make passengers alight from the buses, the police personnel intervened and let the buses ply. Apart from Bathinda, a large number of bus and van operators from places like Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Muktsar, Faridkot, Fazilka, Abohar, Barnala, Mansa, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Saheb etc attended the rally. The protesters criticised the Central and state governments for hiking the price of diesel, imposing taxes on them and harassment by traffic officials. Addressing the gathering, the union leaders claimed that the traffic police personnel issued a challan to them over trivial issues and sometimes, over matters which were not even valid. The union president accused the traffic police personnel of setting up nakas and penalising buses and vans ferrying children to schools. Bus operators’ demands
The union demanded that the transport and other taxes levied on small vehicles be waived since the operators didn't make much profit. They also asked the district administration to show leniency in case an operator sought local registration number for a vehicle brought from another state. The protesters also asked that the validity period of school and college vehicles be increased from 15 years to 20-25 years since these vehicles are used for only a few hours in a day. They also criticised the district administration for giving them an ultimatum for adding good buses to the fleet. The union argued that they needed at least two years to do so. Their other demands included insurance of the bus and van drivers and sanctioning of vehicle loans at lesser interest rates. Parents at receiving end
Meanwhile, parents of students were a worried lot as they had to drop and pick their wards from school. Long queues of cars and motorbikes were seen outside schools in the city as parents waited for the schools to get over for the day so that they could take their children home. Traffic snarls were also witnessed at some places in the city. |
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Police remand of former DTO extended by a day
Bathinda, August 12 The former DTO of Bathinda is in police remand for the past five days and so far, the police has recovered some missing files and three registers from his the accused's former official residence in Bathinda. The police said they have conducted raids in Muktsar, Bathinda and Chandigarh to ascertain the role of the former DTO and his coterie. The investigating officer in the case, DSP (D) Ranjeet Singh, and public prosecutor Dayajit Sra appeared against the accused while advocate Gurwinder Mann, the assistant of District Bar Association president Mohinder Sidhu, appeared for the accused. The accused's brother Onkar Singh, who is a practising lawyer in the High Court, was also present in the court complex. DSP Ranjeet Singh told TNS that the accused's laptop, if recovered, could give vital leads to the case. He pointed out that the police may write to the Vigilance Bureau to probe the assets acquired by the accused during his stint as DTO at various places across Punjab. On the arrest of other co-accused in the case, the DSP said at present, the police was interrogating BM Singh, adding that all the airports have been intimated about the absconding co-accused in the case. It is pertinent to mention here that a DTO office clerk Raman Kumar, data entry operator Baljeet Singh and middleman Gagan Teshwar too were booked in the case along with BM Singh and they are yet to be arrested. Rajeev Mittal, the agent, is in judicial remand.
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Son’s ailment inspires woman to serve society
Bathinda, August 12 Today, it has been six years since she has been running Ashtvakra Disabled Welfare Society and helping children and grown-ups with special needs. And her elder son Navroj is happily married and settled. “When my son was young, I faced a lot of problems since many from our family thought that having a child with special needs was a problem. Many told me that he does not deserve to receive education in a mainstream school and I should take him out. Nevertheless, after several operations, he managed to graduate in computer studies and today, takes care of the accounts of our factory,” said Indu. Taking inspiration from her own fight, Indu decided to encourage more families to take good care of their children with special needs and shirk ignorance. “We conducted a survey in nearby villages to figure out how many such persons needed our help and guidance. We focussed on those who had never been able to learn anything or were progressing towards the age of learning. “We try and adopt five such children or grown-ups every year and according to their age and requirement, teach them reading, writing or a craft that can help them in becoming self-reliant. Later, the society tries to get them admitted to a mainstream school,” Indu said. The society has enlisted 53 articles that the grown-ups are taught to produce to earn money. These include bags, mats, baskets, pickles, ‘papad’ among several other items and consumables. The society sells these items and a part of the sale receipts is given to the special persons and the rest is ploughed back into the working of the society. “My aim is to end the ignorance related to physical and mental handicaps. Instead of shedding tears over the condition of such persons or turning away from them, we should try our best to help them. Rather than sending them to schools for special children, we ought to try and help them adapt in mainstream schools, play and learn along with normal children,” Indu said. |
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Residents discuss city’s development plan
Bathinda, August 12 By and large, the wish list included the civic issues that were required to be addressed urgently. Members of non-government organisations, municipal councillors, social workers and media presented their vision for the city's development. The issues that they believed required immediate attention included inadequate sewerage and rainwater drainage systems, insufficient drinking water supply, the menace of stray cattle, encroachments, need to strengthen garbage lifting from primary and secondary points in the city, providing more and better public urinals and toilets, moving out the garbage treatment plant as well as creating better and more parking spaces. The Darashaw Consultants, Mumbai, which was earlier hired to work on the multi-level parking project at the Fire Brigade site, has been roped in as the consultant to prepare the CDP. During its presentation, the company officials broadly spoke about the development plan for the next 25 years covering aspects, including infrastructure, basic services for urban poor, urban renewal and heritage conservation and economic and social development of the city. The draft will undergo changes before it is finalised and presented in public domain. Advocate Nand Lal Garg said the collected garbage should be covered while being ferried across the city. Garg along with a social worker Raj Gupta, Vijay Bhatt and others demanded that encroachments in residential as well as commercial areas be checked. It was proposed that a five-member committee should be formed in each ward to oversee the work to maintain cleanliness. These committees should not include any political person and should have at least two ex-servicemen and other retired people. Residents demanded that the capacity of motors installed at the ponds in Sanjay Nagar and Balraj Nagar should be enhanced so as to tackle the problem of draining out rainwater that accumulates in the city. Emphasis was laid on passing building plans of institutions only after they enough space is earmarked for parking. "The hospitals, banks and commercial establishments in the city do not have any designated parking lots. Resultantly, pavements are being used for parking purposes," said Raj Gupta. People demanded that there was an urgent need to provide drinking water connections to the areas of Guru Nanakpura, old police station and Haji Rattan, which has a population of 4,500 to 5,000. Municipal councillors Daljit Singh Brar and Master Harmandar Singh presided over the meeting along with municipal commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta and assistant commissioner Kamal Kant Goyal. Master Harmandar Singh said keeping in view the 30 per cent increase in population from 2001 to 2011, the city has to prepare itself for the future. He added that the Darashaw Consultants should present CDPs of the other cities it has developed, identify main economic constituents of Bathinda such as educational institutions and base its report around these. He also asked for laying more emphasis on densely populated areas as well as the areas trans railway lines. Interestingly, only 15 of the 50 municipal councillors were present at the meeting today. Municipal councillors said they did not receive any personal invitation. A former chairman of the Improvement Trust and a former municipal councillor Mohan Lal Garg flayed MCB officials for not roping in people like him. "We will take up the matter with higher government functionaries," he said.
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Sekhon to hoist Tricolour on I-Day
Bathinda, August 12 This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda, Kamal Kishore Yadav, during a meeting which he held with the officials of various departments to review the arrangements for the Independence Day function. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Mohabbad Tayyab, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Rajiv Parashar, SDM Sakattar Singh Bal and SP (Headquarters) Gurmeet Singh, besides officials from different departments. The DC checked with the officials about the preparation for the cultural programmes and parade to be held on the occasion. He also directed the officials concerned to ensure proper parking, potable water, uninterrupted power supply, recovery vans, cleanliness, first aid and other important services at the venue. He also directed the officials to strengthen the security and traffic plans to ensure that nothing untoward takes place. The DC also asked the officials to make sure that all those who have been invested with the responsibilities related to the function should perform the task assigned with responsibility and alacrity.
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Water resources employees union stages dharna
Bathinda, August 12 The dharna was held against the government for not implementing the pension scheme. They demanded the salary for the month of July and 30 per cent arrear of the pay scale. Also, the elections for the office-bearers of the Bathinda unit of the committee were held today. The leaders of the committee said that the government should implement the demands accepted during the meeting held with the administrative director of the Punjab Water Resources and Development Corporation, Chandigarh. The committee members said that if their demands are not accepted, a dharna will be held at the Chandigarh office on August 23.
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Crockery house asked to refund excess amount
Bathinda, August 12 The complainant, Amreek Singh of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, accused Vardhman Steel and Crockery House of overcharging on the sale of two crystal vases of Maple Lifestyle (Senator series). Amreek Singh said that he purchased two vases for Rs 300 each and at the time of the purchase, the seller assured him of taking back the vases in case any defect was found in them. After noticing that the vases were of an inferior quality, the complainant approached the seller and asked him to refund the money and take back his vases. The seller, however, refused to do so. The complainant also said that the price tag was of Rs 245 while the shopkeeper overcharged by selling the item for Rs 300. The complainant accused the crockery house of selling the vases by saying that they were of the best quality and the price too was genuine. The forum summoned the shopkeeper who appeared and in his reply submitted that he had purchased a vase from Rajeev Marketing House, South Model Gram, Ludhiana, and was only a dealer for their items. The shopkeeper said he had purchased 24 vases and it cost him Rs 260 per piece. The seller stated that the buyer was shown the bill and claimed that no price tag was attached on the vase. It was also mentioned in the bill that 'Goods once sold will not be taken back', 'Terms and conditions for Vardhman Steel and Crockery House Apply, No Guarantee No Claim'. The seller denied that the assurance of taking back the vases had been given in case any defect was found in them. The Forum, after a perusal of the documents, observed that the shopkeeper purchased 24 crystal vases for Rs 227.50 each and had paid an amount of Rs 5,460 to Rajeev Marketing House. The bill of Rajeev Marketing House falsified the version of the shopkeeper that he had purchased the crystal vases for Rs 260 per piece, whereas 260 was the item code, not the price of the crystal vase. The Forum also observed that it was proved that the opposite party had sold the said crystal vases by charging more after taking advantage of the fact that no rate was printed on the box of the said crystal vases. The Forum cannot fix the sale price of those vases, but it would meet the ends of justice if the price of two vases be refunded to the complainant, it held. The Forum was of the view that the complainant had failed to prove his other allegation that the said crystal vases sold to him were duplicates and of an inferior quality with cogent and convincing evidence. The complaint was accepted with Rs 1,000 as cost and compensation and the opposite party was directed to refund the amount of Rs 600 to the complainant. At the same time, the complainant has been asked to hand over those crystal vases to the opposite party without any breakage. The Forum directed that the order be complied with within 30 days from the date of receipt of the copy of the order.
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Head constable’s motorbike stolen from Police Lines
Bathinda, August 12 that earlier, a car belonging to a policeman, was also stolen from inside the Police Lines. Car stolen from outside Mittal Mall
A car bearing the registration number of Delhi was stolen from outside Mittal Mall. The complainant, Prince Singla of Parasram Nagar, said that he had parked his Maruti Swift car outside the mall. A case under section 379 of the IPC has been registered against unidentified miscreants. |
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Damaged sewer cover poses threat
Bathinda, August 12 A local resident, Baldev Singh Kamal, said for the last few months, the cover of the sewer has been lying broken. "The matter has been brought to the notice of the municipal councillor of the area as well as the employees of the sewerage board, but the cover has not been replaced. It seems that the municipal corporation is waiting for a tragedy to happen before rectifying the fault," he added. During the rains, the situation becomes precarious as the sewerage hole gets covered by water and can't be seen, thus increasing the danger of unsuspecting passersby falling in it.
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Red Cross celebrates Youth Day
Bathinda, August 12 "The youth is the future of the country and the power of the youth can work wonders for the progress of a country and to make its future bright. All youngsters need to realise their importance and not waste the prime of the lives by getting hooked to drugs," said the secretary of the Red Cross Society, Bathinda. The secretary, Colonel (retd) Mukhtiar Singh Kullar, was addressing a gathering at the Red Cross Bhawan here today. He asked the youth hailing from a rural background to attach themselves with organizations working for the uplift of society and the needy. Also present on the occasion was first aid trainer of Red Cross Society, Naresh Pathania. While addressing the gathering, Pathania said, "The youth of this country has immense power. The need of the hour is to channelise this power in the right direction." Three booked for assault
Police have booked three persons for seriously injuring a resident of Parjapat Colony. In a complaint to the police, Arshdeep Singh said that Babbi, Deepa and Pammi attacked him after heated arguments over a trivial issue. The complainant said the accused attacked him with an iron tool at Car Bazaar on Goniana road. Kotwali police have registered a case in this regard. |
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Police foil AIE teachers’ bid to stage protest outside DAC
Bathinda, August 12 The police personnel locked the gate of the Teachers' Home when the agitating teachers tried to leave the place. Only five members of the union were allowed to step out and meet the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner, Kamal Kishore Yadav. Dheeraj Kumar, president of the union, said, "The DC has given us a written assurance that a meeting with the Education Minister, Sikander Singh Maluka, has been fixed on August 21." He also said that the union was protesting against the orders of the government to send the DIET teachers to Adarsh schools for field experience. "By taking this step, the government filled the vacancies of teachers in Adarsh schools, but in turn, caused a shortage of staff in DIETs," he said. The Front is also demanding that the DIET pass outs be given jobs by the government. |
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The School and College Bus and Van Operators Union, Punjab, today threatened to start burning buses and vans outside the offices of the transport department across the state in case the state government did not accede to their demands.
While many would express grief over having a family member with special needs, Indu Garg was inspired to do something big.
Indu, a resident of Rampura Phul, had to choose to be housewife to take care of her elder son who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. But instead of getting depressed over her son’s condition, she chose to help more such persons.
A meeting of stakeholders in the City Development Plan (CDP) was held today wherein they presented their "wish list" for the project, which is deemed to be a vision document for the city's development.
The members of the Punjab Water Resources Employees Action Committee under lining circle 2, lining division 7, lining division 8 and the research office today staged a dharna outside the office of the superintending engineer (SE).
