Bathinda, October 9
The drinking water pipeline, supplying water from the Bhagu Road water works to Model Town phase III, burst today exposing the shoddy work of the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) -- the agency that developed the urban estates (Model Town).

Today in the morning, the residents of Model Town phase III, noticed that a puddle had been formed by the roadside towards the main gate from the Dhobiana Basti side.

Residents of the area immediately informed the officials concerned. At around 10 am, the employees of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), that maintains sewer and water connections in the area, was pressed into service.

The workers found that the drinking water pipe, which was running parallel to the sewer pipe and ran through a manhole, had burst.

For the past many days, residents of the area had been complaining of lack of water in Model Town phase III, but the officials had been unable to detect the leakage.

"Time and again, we have raised the issue of receiving dirty water supply, but no one was bothered. We have been forced to drink this water for the past many years. How would an RO plant treat the sewage and turn it into drinking water? The government is not concerned about the health of the common man," rued the chairman of Model Town Phase III Residents' Welfare Association, Rakesh Arora.

Residents of the area said that late on Tuesday evening, water suddenly started gushing out of the place. By today in the morning, a puddle had formed that threatened to damage the road. Officials of the PWSSB also reached the spot and inspected the repair work.

People said the BDA has violated its own guidelines by laying drinking water pipe through a manhole and has kept the health of the local residents at stake. "Dirty water can cause Hepatitis A and B and several other ailments. Had there been an outbreak of the disease who would have been responsible for the mess?" said the president of the welfare association, Gurmail Singh.

Meanwhile, the XEN, BDA, Vasudev Anand accepted that there had been a flaw in laying the drinking water pipe through the manhole with sewer pipes running parallel to it.

"When the Model Town Phase III was coming up, there was encroachment on the other side of the road. Keeping in view the urgency to grant water connections to the people, the BDA allowed the laying of the pipe through a manhole," he said.

Anand added that as a temporary method, the pipe has now been bypassed from the sewer and a special project is being charted out to lay the new pipes on the opposite side of road.

Bathinda, October 9
The residents of Paras Ram Nagar have objected to the dumping of garbage along the boundary wall of the railway hospital.

A resident of the area, Jagdish Ghai, said the railway has provided a dumping ground adjacent to the hospital, which has created problems for the residents of the railway colony as well as that of Paras Ram Nagar.

Former municipal councillor of the area, Vijay Kumar said the garbage dump poses a threat to the health of patients visiting the railway hospital for treatment.

"Due to the dumping of garbage, stray cattle often gather here. It poses a threat to the people, especially the commuters, as the road on which this garbage dump is located, connects the railway colony and Paras Ram Nagar to Thandi Sarak," he said.

Being poorly lit at night due to insufficient street lights, the area has also turned into a haven for the anti-social elements after the sunset.

Vijay Kumar said the residents of the area had raised the issue with the divisional railway manager (DRM), Ambala division, during his visit to the Bathinda railway station on August 14.

"Though the area under the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MBC) is clean, the railways do not care for its people. There is no arrangement for cleanliness. Despite our repeated requests, railway has done nothing," he added.

Bathinda, October 9
Member of Parliament from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal today advised the All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi to learn etiquette in politics. She stated that he showed immaturity by not inviting Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Cancer Hospital at Sangrur, for which the Punjab Government had given 25 acres of land.

While speaking to mediapersons at Goniana Kalan during her sangat darshan programme, she said, “Rahul needs to learn some manners. He insulted the country’s prime minister by calling an ordinance passed by Dr Manmohan Singh’s cabinet rubbish and nonsense. Thereafter, Rahul not only committed a mistake by not inviting the Chief Minister to the inauguration function but was also rude enough to not invite former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who was the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee for more than 10 years,” she said.

“He should know that we gave the land for the construction of the cancer hospital. By extending no invitation to the Punjab government, the Congress has once again exposed itself. The party has proved that it indulges in vote-bank politics and not for the welfare of people,” she said.

She also accused the Central government of not supporting Punjab. “Issues such as pollution of rivers, unorganised irrigation system and waterlogging have being ignored by the Central government. The domestic airport at Virk Kalan is ready but the Central government is yet to inaugurate it,” she said.

During the sangat darshan, the MP visited Goniana Kala, Jeeda, Jandanwala, Khialiwala, Kothe Amargarh, Kothe Sandhu, Mehma Swai and Sivian. She inaugurated the new primary school in Jeeda village. She inaugurated water works at Jandan Wala village and the library at Government High School at Khialiwala.

Bathinda, October 9
The five-day loan mela, organised in Bathinda by the State Bank of Patiala, concluded today. Many big real estate companies participated in the mela and offered great discounts during this period.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav, former Mayor Baljit Singh Beer Behman, former Senior Deputy Mayor Tarsem Chand Goyal also visited the mela. They appreciated the efforts of the bank for serving the society with such an initiative. Around 600 persons visited the mela to clarify their queries. As many as 30 customers were sanctioned house loans to the tune of Rs 2.50 crore during this mela.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla was the chief guest on the concluding day of the mela. Bank managing director Achal Kumar Gupta was also present on the occasion, deputy general manager SP Shrimali apprised the gathering of various schemes being offered by the bank. 

Bathinda, October 9
Punjabi film actress Neeru Bajwa has started following in the footsteps of her Bollywood counterparts. While one of the leading Bollywood actresses Katrina Kaif is often seen taking her sister Isabel along to public events hoping some projects land in the newbie's kitty.

Neeru, who was in the city recently, had also brought her younger sister Rubina along. The actress was here to promote her upcoming Punjabi film RSVP (Ronde Saare Vyaah Pichhon).

Rubina, who has a striking resemblance with her star sister, said, "Although I am eager to try my hand in films, I would like to wait till the right offer comes my way. I am yet to get an offer which is exciting and the right launch-vehicle for me. I wish to introduce myself to the audience with a product that would carve a niche for itself."

While the younger sister is waiting for her dream role to come her way, Neeru said she had already enacted what she thought was the role-of-a-lifetime for her. "I don't have a dream role anymore. When I entered the industry, my dream was to play the role of Heer and the wish was fulfilled when I got to play the role opposite Harbhajan Mann in the film Heer-Ranjha in 2010," the actress said.

She added that while she used to do only one film a year earlier, this year she did 'Jatt & Juliet 2', 'Naughty Jatts' and now 'RSVP'. "I don't have a policy of doing one or two films a year. This year proved to be good for me as I got a lot of interesting offers. I don't like finishing projects in a hurry," the star actress said.

"I gave my nod for 'Ronde Saare Vyaah Pichhon' since it had a unique concept. While in all the other films, boys are shown as cons, it is the other way round in RSVP. I play a bride who cons a rich boy into marrying her," she added. 

Bathinda, October 9
On the third day of the 59th Punjab State School Sports tournament, kabaddi circle style and basketball matches were played at three venues in the city.

In the boys' category of kabaddi circle style, the Maluka Wing beat the Faridkot team (20-16), the Faridkot team beat the Jalandhar team (34-29), the Maluka Wing beat the Ludhiana team (30-28), the Sangrur beat the Barnala (43-25), the Kapurthala beat the Sangrur (28-16), the Barnala beat the Gurdaspur (38-34), the Kapurthala beat the Gurdaspur (47-24). In the girls’ category of kabaddi circle style, the Ferozepur team beat the Patiala team (55-22).

In the boys’ category of basketball competitions held at Khalsa Senior Secondary School, the Patiala team beat the Gurdaspur team (67-36), the Amritsar beat the Gidderbaha (31-16), the Jalandhar beat the Hoshiarpur (58-35), the Ludhiana beat the Sports School, Jalandhar, team (76-33) and the Bathinda Wing beat the Amritsar team (57-42).

In the girls’ category of the basketball competitions, the Bathinda beat the Barnala team (15-14), the Amritsar beat the Moga (29-3), the Amritsar Wing beat the Amritsar (30-8), the Hoshiarpur beat the Bathinda (31-12), the Patiala beat the Sangrur (33-26) and the Ludhiana beat the Kapurthala team (22-10).

The competitions were held under the supervision of Prof Surjit Singh, Prof Madan Lal, Harjinder Singh, Varinder Singh, Balraj Singh, Rupinder Kaur, Jasvinder Kaur, Dalip Kaur, Gursewak Singh, Rajpreet Kaur, Sukhjinderpal Singh, Manreet Kaur, Sandeep Singh, Mandeep Kaur, Harcharan Singh, Rajinder Singh, Nazar Singh, Balvir Singh and others. 

Bathinda, October 9
A man and his mother from Pathrala village, who were accused in a murder case, were acquitted yesterday by the court of district and sessions judge Tejwinder Singh as the victim’s father backtracked from his statement.

Jaspal Singh, the father of Sukhjit Kaur, told the court during the cross-examination that his statement against his son-in-law Gurtej Singh and his mother Malkiat Kaur was given under pressure.

He told the court Jaspal that his thumb impressions had been obtained on blank papers. He told the court that his daughter Sukhjit was never maltreated by Gurtej and Malkiat. He stated that his daughter had accidentally fallen into a water tank and died and that neither any dowry was demanded nor given before or after the marriage.

Jagsir Singh, Sukhjit's uncle, too stated that she had not died due to the maltreatment of her husband and mother-in-law. He told the court that Sukhjit was leading a happy married life. On the basis of the statements, the court gave the accused a benefit of doubt and acquitted them.

In his complaint to the Sangat police on December 24, 2012, Jaspal, who is a resident of Bhyauri village in Muktsar district, had stated that at the time of marriage, they had given dowry to his daughters' in-laws but Gurtej and his mother were not satisfied and kept on pestering her to bring more dowry.

He said on December 22, 2012, Sukhjit had called him and said there was a danger to her life and had asked him to come to the village.

When Jaspal went to Sukhjit’s house, he found her body on a bed. Jaspal alleged that Sukhjit’s husband Gurtej, mother-in-law Malkit Kaur and father-in-law Nahar Singh had strangulated her for the want of dowry and her body had been dumped into a water tank.

During the police investigation, Nahar Singh was found to be innocent. A case was then registered.

Bathinda, October 9
An undertrial, lodged at the Bathinda Central Jail, escaped while being produced in the court complex today.

The accused has been identified as Brij Kumar, who had been arrested under the NDPS Act and was lodged at the Bathinda Central Jail since 2010.

He was produced in court number 2 today in the afternoon at around 1:30 pm. Sources said the accused Brij Kumar had borrowed the mobile phone of a cop, Nardev Singh, who was escorting him to the courts. On the pretext of talking to someone on the phone, the undertrial got an opportunity to flee from the spot.

Though the undertrial escaped at 1: 30 pm, the matter was reported to the judicial complex police post only at around 3 pm.

A Home Guard jawan had also accompanied Brij and Nardev, but he was asked to stay on the ground floor, while the duo went to court number 2, located on the first floor of the complex. The accused Brij Kumar, a resident of Aggarwal Colony, has several cases under the NDPS Act registered against him.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ravcharan Singh Brar said that a case has been registered against the accused Brij Kumar as well as cop Nardev Singh. Police have also placed Nardev under suspension.

"Our teams are already tracking the movement of the undertrial, who will be arrested soon. The role of Nardev Singh is also under the scanner. The guilty will not be spared," the Senior Superintendent of Police added.

Bathinda, October 9
The police has registered a case pertaining to robbery at the office of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) located on the Barnala Road on March 14. The police said the case had been registered now after the AAI had produced bills of the stolen things.

Valuables, including computers and furniture, were stolen from the office. The thieves took away six chairs, two tables, four almirahs, four fans, eight tubelights and a 200-metre-long electricity wire. The total cost of valuables stolen is Rs 1.13 lakh.

The AAI operations have failed to take off from the building. The sprawling campus of the AAI, adjacent to Mata Jivi Nagar, is covered with wild shrubs.

During the sanghat darshan meeting of Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav last month, residents of Mata Jivi Nagar had requested that the area be spruced up and cleaned saying that the wild growth was proving to be hideouts for anti-social elements.

Bathinda, October 9
The Cantonment police arrested four people with fake currency to the tune of Rs 4,400 here today.

The accused have been identified as Binder Singh from Pathrala, Gamdoor Singh from village Bhammu Patti Kotbhai, Baljinder Singh from Pacca Basti Kotbhai and 
Surjit Singh from village Balluana. Police also recovered a scanning machine and printer that was being use to make the fake currency notes.

Investigating officer Ajaib Singh said the kingpin Binder had been booked earlier for the same offence at the Sangat police station. All the accused were arrested near Pathrala.