Bathinda, October 30
Keeping in mind the upcoming Lok Sabha poll, the state government has shown unprecedented alacrity in delivering cycles to government schools. Under the Mai Bhago Scheme, these cycles will be distributed among the girl students of Classes XI and XII in the government schools of the state.

Within four months of the Department of Public Instructions (DPI, secondary) seeking data from government schools regarding the number of students who had taken admission in the two classes, the cycles have already been delivered at some of the schools.

In Bathinda district, out of 80 senior secondary schools, more than 3,400 cycles have already been delivered to 37 schools. About 1,138 bicycles are yet to be delivered to Government Girls' Senior Secondary School, Mall Road.

Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, officiating principal of the school, Satwant Kaur, said, "The cycles came in parts and were assembled by the employees of the manufacturing company. We had submitted the names of 1,138 beneficiaries. We have received cycles for all the students. We are waiting for the orders from the office of the District Education Officer (Secondary) to initiate the process of distributing cycles."

DEO (Secondary) Harkanwaljeet Kaur said, "The process of assembling the cycles got over two days ago and within a week we will pass orders for the distribution of the same among the students."

Amardeep Singh, in charge of the Mai Bhago Scheme in the DEO office, said the contract of giving cycles to the schools was given to SK Cycles, Kohinoor Cycles and Vishal Cycles. Out of these, SK Cycles has delivered cycles at 37 schools.

Apart from schools in Bathinda, cycles have also reached the schools located in Goniana, Baluana, Sangat, Mehta, Gobindpura and other places in the district.

As per the data made available by the office of the DEO, there are 80 senior secondary schools and 90 high schools in the district.

As many as 6,377 girls have taken admission in Class IX in the district during the academic session.

The number of girls who took admission in Class X this year stands at 5,042. While there are 3,799 girls in Class XI, there are 3,290 girls in Class XII in the government schools of the district. 

Bathinda, October 30
A Health Department team on Wednesday conducted a surprise checking at various places in the district and collected seven samples of eatables. Headed by District Health Officer Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa, the team conducted a surprise checking at focal point where midday meals is prepared for schoolchildren.

"We had received complaint about the centre here. Hence, we visited the place and collected samples of uncooked urad dal and cooked Bengal gram," Randhawa said.

The team also visited a storage facility where grains were stocked. Officials of the company responsible for preparing midday meal were directed to store grains in containers instead of stacking them in gunny bags. "We have asked them to lay emphasis on hygiene," Dr Randhawa said. The team also collected samples of uncooked moong dal from the mess of the hostel at RNM Nursing School. Besides, samples of sweets were collected from Sangat and Ghudda. The team collected two samples each from these places. At Sangat, samples of cham cham and malai chat were collected from two shops. As soon as the team started collecting samples, other sweetmeat makers closed their shops in the market.

Samples of khoya and besan pinni were collected from two sweetmeat shops in Ghudda. Dr Randhawa said the samples would be sent for purity test. 

Bathinda, October 30
Shopkeepers staged a protest against the Municipal Corporation, Bathinda (MCB), over the accumulation of sewage water at the Paras Ram Nagar chowk today. The shopkeepers said the stagnant water was affecting their sales in the festive season as it dissuaded customers from visting their shops. “Earlier, cesspool used to be formed only during rains . Now, the pipes are unable to bear the load of sewage,” said Shyam Sunder, a shopkeeper.

Former municipal councilor Vijay Kumar said the problem was in the pipeline laid from the Alam Basti disposal that carries the waste across the Sirhind canal and dumps it at the place where fly ash of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant is dumped.

The pipeline was laid in 1999 to drain off rainwater from Paras Ram Nagar and the nearby areas. “ In 2004, the MCB joined this pipe with the sewage pipe. Neither the dumping place nor the pipes are designed to carry the sewage. The accumulation of waste over the years has resulted in a marsh like situation at the sewage dumping site, which affects the free flow of water leading to the creation of such cesspools,” he added.

Meanwhile, municipal commissioner Vipul Ujwal too visited the spot. “There was some technical problem in the pipe. The fault has been fixed and the entire area will be drained by the evening,” he said.

The municipal commissioner also convened a meeting of Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) officials wherein he reviewed the pending works as well as complaints.

Ujwal said the emphasis would be laid on providing an alternate to the owners of dairies and dhabas, who dump their waster into the sewer.

“Though dairy owners have constructed sedimentation tanks, they are unable to manage the slurry. Consequently, when they empty these tanks, the slurry is washed away into the sewer defeating the purpose of constructing tanks,” he said.

Though at a nascent stage, the MCB is toying with the idea of providing an economically viable solution for the use of slurry . “We are planning to take up the issue with the Agriculture Department . If it works, then we can think about a plant for preparing manure,” he added. 

Bathinda, October 30
The vigilance department today held a seminar on the issue of corruption at DAV College calling upon people to join hands for rooting out the corruption.

Speaking at the event, DSP vigilance Janak Raj said if anyone wants to make a complain against corruption, especially regarding bribery cases, he or she could call at number 1800-1800-1000 and can register a complain. “Action will be taken against the accused. But the fight against corruption is impossible without involvement of the people. People should decide neither to pay bribe nor to accept it. Any kind of bribe case can be reported to the vigilance department”, he said.

Besides him advocate Preetam Singh, Bhola Singh Gillpatti, principal, DAV College Dr JS Anand, Maheshinder Singh and student Gurtej Singh also spoke at the seminar. At the end of seminar, vigilance bureau inspector Gurdev Singh Bhalla thanked the people. 

Bathinda, October 30
Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, will be celebrating ‘New Punjab Day’ on Friday at its campus. The function, aims to popularise Punjabi language, literature and culture, will include lectures to be delivered by renowned personalities. Dr Joga Singh, former head, Department of Languages, Punjabi University, Patiala, will deliver a lecture. Detailed discussions will be held on the present and future challenges to Punjabi language.

Dr NS Malhi, Vice-chancellor of the university will preside over the function. Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill, director (planning and development) of the university will dwell upon the challenges being faced by the Punjabi language.

Varsity students win prizes

North Zone convention of Indian Society of Technical Education (ISTE) was held at the Rayat Institute of Engineering & Information Technology, Ropar, recently. The students from technical institutes of Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pardesh and Jammu & Kashmir participated in various technical competitions. As many as four prizes were won by the students of Guru Gobind Singh College of Engineering & Technology of GKU.

While Kundan Kumar won the prize for best B.tech project, electronics & communication engineering award and the best male student award, Sadhna Singh won the best female student award, and Kaushal Kumar won the best B.tech project award for electrical engineering. — TNS

Bathinda, October 30
Students of the junior wing of the Police DAV Public School today urged the residents of the city to celebrate a pollution-free, green and eco-friendly Diwali this year. The students took out an anti-cracker rally which was flagged off by 
the senior police officials and the school principal, Monika Singh.

The officers also urged the people to make efforts and celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner. The principal expressed the need to protect the environment and said both the children and adults should make efforts to bring down the level of pollution in the city. Students of DPS will also take out an anti-cracker cycle rally on Friday. The rally will be flagged off from Rose Garden at 10.30 am. — TNS

Bathinda, October 30
Kin of a patient who died because of not getting treatment on time created ruckus at the Raman Mandi Civil Hospital today. They alleged that negligence was the cause of the death. People registered their protest by keeping the body of the deceased in front of the hospital and raised slogans against the Health Department. They also damaged some windows of the hospital. The victim, identified as Kalu Ram, a resident of Raman Mandi, had received injuries after falling into a drain. He was immediately rushed to the Raman Mandi hospital for treatment.

The people alleged that as there was not enough staff at the hospital. He was rushed to a private hospital where doctors denied to treat him saying that he be taken to a government hospital. In the meantime, Kalu succumbed to injuries. Following the incidence, the district Health Department have directed the SMO, Talwandi Sabo, to take action against the nurse who was absent from duty. 

Bathinda, October 30
On the third day of the ongoing 59th Punjab State School Sports Tournament, district education officers (secondary and elementary), Harkanwaljeet Kaur and Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta, and assistant education officer (sports) Pavittar Kaur met the players of various teams participating in the tournament.

After giving away the prizes to the teams winning the superleague match, DEO (elementary) Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta addressed the students and discussed with them the importance of taking part in sports activities apart from paying attention to their studies. She added that apart from developing competitive spirit and sportsmanship in the player, sports also help in staying fit.

In the superleague match of under-14 boys’ category of handball, Bathinda beat Muktsar 7-1 to win the handball competition. Moga defeated Sangrur by 15-12 to bag the third position in the competition.

In the under-19 boys’ category of netball competition, Mansa beat Sangrur 23-5, Faridkot beat Patiala 5-0, Amritsar beat Jalandhar 15-1, Muktsar beat Gurdaspur 15-4, Tarn Taran beat Moga 15-2 and Ludhiana beat Fazilka 19-6.

In the quarterfinal matches of kabaddi in the under-19 girls’ category, Maulka beat Muktsar 69-40, Ropar beat Gurdaspur 44-15 and Hoshiarpur beat Amritsar 32-18. In the superleague matches, Maluka Wing and Ropar tied 6-6 and Ferozepur beat Hoshiarpur 14-8.

In the quarterfinal matches of kabaddi in the under-19 boys’ category, Sangrur beat Gurdaspur 25-15, Sangrur beat Tarn Taran 27-26, Bathinda beat Fatehgarh Sahib 30-10, Muktsar beat Moga 25-18 and Amritsar beat Tarn Taran 44-25. In the superleague match, Bathinda beat Muktsar 35-11.

In the league matches of handball in the under-14 girls’ category, Ludhiana beat Fazilka 9-3, Barnala and Fazilka tied and Ropar beat Muktsar 10-3.

Present during today’s matches were observer Amarjit Singh Barnala, selection committee member Balwant Singh, Paranjti Kaur, co-convenor Harcharan Singh, Nirvair Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Jasveer Singh, Sukhjinderpal Singh, Mandeep Kaur, Gulshan Kumar, Gurlal Singh and record committee member Randhawa Singh, Ruby Gupta, Maninder Kaur, Jasveer Kaur and Nazar Singh.