Bathinda, November 14
The advocate fraternity in Punjab is opposing tooth and nail the notification of the new Punjab Rent Act issued by the state government.

Members of the District Bar Association (DBA), Bathinda, demanded shifting of powers to deliver justice from SDM to judiciary. They claim that introduction of the Act was likely to make eviction of tenants easier in case of a dispute.

Lawyers said since SDMs were directly under the control of the state government, justice would take a back seat if the new legislation is implemented. The lawyers apprehend misuse of power by SDMs and that cases might be decided by them under some influence.

Apart from opposing the powers being vested in SDMs under the new Punjab Rent Act, the lawyers in Bathinda have also held protest against the alleged scathing remarks by the Civil Line SHO Sikandar Singh against the lawyer fraternity. Due to the strike by advocates, litigants have been at the receiving end due to non-functioning of courts for the past five days in a row.

DBA president Mohinder Sidhu said apart from holding a strike, the state body of the lawyers was also drafting a petition against the Act that would be filed in the High Court. “A meeting of the presidents of DBAs in Punjab was held at Ludhiana yesterday where it was decided to oppose the powers being vested in SDMs,” Sidhu said.

Members of the DBA also raised concern over the complex nature of the new Act.

“Shifting of powers for trial of cases to SDM is not at all in the interest of the general public as SDMs are indirectly controlled by their political bosses,” said former DBA president Ranjeet Jalal. He added that the SDMs were bound to take decisions under political pressure.

Unlike lawyers of the nearby districts, the advocates practising in Bathinda are happy about setting up of the appellate tribunals in Bathinda, Jalandhar and Chandigarh as the litigants from the nearby districts would have to come all the way to Bathinda if they have to appeal against decisions.

Jalal lamented that SDMs do not have enough time to deliver justice like judicial officers, as they remain occupied in lengthy meetings and have to attend to visits by politicians. Already, people visiting the SDM office here were a harried lot as the SDM has an additional charge of the DTO.

Lawyers will not allow the state government to politicise the Punjab Rent Act as SDMs will not able to deliver justice on a par with judicial officers. The powers are bound to shift from the executive to the judiciary with the lawyer fraternity in the state being against the government’s decision. Chander Mohan

The government is trying to usurp the powers of judiciary by not allowing the cases to be heard in the courts but by SDMs. The new legislation should come under the ambit of judiciary the work of which is still more transparent as compared to the functioning of SDMs who hardly have time to sit in their offices, especially in this “VIP” region. Gurwinder Mann

Even as the notification pertaining to new Punjab Rent Act has been issued, it does not seem that it will be implemented considering protests being held by lawyers. The government should have taken the lawyers into confidence before taking such a decision. Mohinder Sidhu

There is a lot of confusion over the new Act which has litigation at every stage, starting from renting out a building, raising annual rent, making alterations in building etc. Moreover, SDMs are under direct control of the state government, which means justice would be tilted in favour of influential people and government functionaries. Ranjit Jalal

The legislation is not only a cause of concern for lawyers but will also result in harassment of litigants. The advocates will not allow the Act to be implemented in the manner the state government wants. In any case, judicial officers are a much better choice than SDMs. Rajan Garg

The new legislation is nothing but yet another ploy by the SAD government to capture the luxurious residential and commercial buildings in the state. Sifarish (recommendation) would replace justice if SDMs are given powers to carry out trials. JR Khattar

Bathinda, November 14
In the ongoing protest by lawyers against alleged scathing remarks by Civil Lines SHO Sikandar Singh and release of accused shopkeepers booked by the police, shopkeepers today joined the protest showing their solidarity with the tenants.

The lawyers demanded action against the SHO and arrest of the shopkeepers booked for damaging property and other sections on the complaint of advocate Ved Parkash Singh Khurmi. The shopkeepers too demanded cancellation of the case registered against the tenants of the advocate.

While the advocate, claiming ownership of the shop, is supported by the District Bar Association (DBA), Bathinda, the shopkeepers booked by the police now declared having support of the Bathinda Beopar Mandal.

Advocate Khurmi got a case registered against the tenants of his shop situated on the GT Road a few days ago for damaging property.

The lawyer is fighting a legal battle with his tenants to evict them from the shop rented out by his father 35 years ago.

“We came under one umbrella after the lawyers show their unity. We wish to show the lawyers that the shopkeeper booked by the police is not alone and the entire Bathinda Beopar Mandal is with the tenant occupying the shop,” said Jiwan Lal Goel, president of the Bathinda Beopar Mandal.

Demanding justice without any bias attitude, Rameshwar Jain said his family members were embroiled into the case with false allegations levelled by advocate Khurmi.

Jain said in view of the lawyers’ strike, he himself appeared in the court wherein he came to know about the withdrawal of petition moved by him through his counsel, without his approval.

Meanwhile, Khurmi said the case was registered against his tenants after the report of the District Attorney. He accused police officials of supporting the shopkeepers.

Bathinda, November 14
While schools and colleges today teemed with activities to mark the Children's Day, four kids lodged at Bathinda Central Jail along with their mothers were happy to get new toys and eatables.

Jail Superintendent Rajmahinder Singh Dhaliwal said toys and eatables were distributed among children lodged at the jail along with their mothers. “We wanted them to know that today was different for them. They are behind bars for no fault of theirs and have the right to happiness like any other child,” he said.

Over 60 kids are lodged in different jails of the state along with their parents. The Sangrur jail has around 12 such children lodged with their mothers.

The women wing of the jail means world to one-and-a-half-year-old Lavash. He is learning to walk. On the Children's Day, he was a proud occupant of new toys and eatables. Lavash's mother Gurbinder Kaur and father Shashi Kant are serving life imprisonment here. Since there was no one to take care of the child outside the jail, he is living with his parents on the jail premises.

Another inmate, Pooja from Rampura, has a year-old son Raksam putting up with her. Romi Kaur from Mehraj village of Bathinda is lodged along with her four-year-old daughter Radhika who was too happy to receive eatables and toys today. Saroj Rani is lodged in the jail for smuggling drugs and has a four-year-old-son Sahil spending his childhood in the jail.

However, not all children are as fortunate as five-and-a-half-years old Arsh, whom yoga instructor Radhe Shyam Bansal took out of jail as his caretaker in 2012.

Arsh is the son of a couple lodged at the jail. His parents Surinder Kaur and Avtar Singh, residents of Malkana village, were arrested for drug peddling. When the inspecting judge from Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice KC Puri, visited the Bathinda jail in March 2012, he saw Arsh and talked about his future. It was suggested that the child be handed over to a caretaker, as per the provisions of law. Radhe Shyam Bansal volunteered to be Arsh's caretaker and took him out of the jail.

Bathinda, November 14
The Punjab Government Pensioners Joint Front will be holding a state-level rally at Bathinda tomorrow pressing for their long-pending demands.

The rally will begin from the Pensioners’ Bhawan and culminate at the Suvidha Centre on the District Administrative Complex. Also, pensioners from Barnala today joined the Front on the fourth day of its members’ hunger strike.

The general secretary of the pensioners’ body, Gurdev Singh Kotfatta, stated that on March 3, 2009, the Punjab Cabinet had stated that the government was dedicated to implement the recommendations of the Pay Commissions. In the budget session of 2013-14, the Finance Minister had reiterated the government’s liability to implement the Pay Commission recommendations. However, the state government backtracked on its decisions.

There is unrest among the pensioners as the state government has not added 50 per cent dearness allowance to the pensions and did not implement 25 per cent hike in salaries, he said.

Bathinda, November 14
A young unidentified miscreant hoodwinked two shopkeepers in the city and escaped with material worth Rs 4,000 today.

Kala, a victim

The youth went to a temple situated on the Barnala road and expressed the desire of one of his family members to hold a community kitchen. He asked the temple priest to send two persons to assist him in buying edibles and other material from the nearby market.

After noting down the material required for holding the ritual, the youth took two boys, a few years younger to him, along on a bike. The trio reached a grocery shop situated on the Ajit Road where the accused dropped one of the boys and purchased material worth nearly Rs 2,500. He left the shop assuring the shopkeeper and the boy that they would return after making more purchases.

Kala, the shop owner, said the youth did not come back even as they waited for over two and a half hours. Losing hope of the youth's return, he asked the boy to foot the bill. The latter, however, expressed his helplessness and narrated the youth's story of holding a community kitchen. The boy also expressed his inability to identify the youth.

Kala brought the matter to the notice of the Cantonment police and was surprised to meet another shop owner whose story was no different from his. The youth had deceived the other shopkeeper by taking away vegetables worth nearly Rs 2,000 with an unfulfilled promise of returning after dropping the material at the temple.

The priest was summoned to the Cantonment police station by the SHO. On learning about the fraud, the priest paid the bills of both the shopkeepers using donations received at the temple.

The police said no case had been registered in this connection so far but investigations were on. The police said efforts were under way to nab the accused.

Bathinda, November 14
National Education Day was observed at different places in the city. At Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (AIMSR), inter-batch slogan writing competition was organised wherein students of batches 2012 and 2013 participated.

Principal Dr Harkiran Kaur said the day is observed in memory of leader Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. The slogan writing competition was based on the theme science and society. Dr Kapil, Dr Monika and Dr Shweta were the judges of the event. Dean academics Dr Rajiv Mahajan and Dr AK Maria distributed trophies to the winners.

Jasmine and Pulkita Lamba of batch 2013 won the first prize, Rifika and Anupriya of batch 2013 won the second prize and Abhishek Mishra and Kandla of batch 2013 won the third prize. The overall trophy went to batch 2013 students for their maximum contribution. The day was also celebrated at Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School. Secretary of the school trust Harmohinder Singh Mokha blessed the children. Students of the junior classes gave performance on patriotic songs. Principal Jatinder Kaur encouraged students to perform better in life.

Bathinda, November 14
On the occasion of World Diabetes Day today, experts laid emphasis on adopting simple way of living, yoga asanas and adhering to strict diet to remain fit.

Yoga instructor Radhe Shyam Bansal said diabetics could keep themselves healthy by following yog asanas and having frequent but small meals. “Diabetics get lot of relief and invigorated mind after practicing yog asanas. Asanas such as Mandook Aasan, Markat Aasan and Pooran Kati Aasan with pranayam provide relief. For the last many years, I have been teaching these asanas and have seen brilliant results in diabetics,” he said.

The Max Super Speciality Hospital organised a diabetes mela wherein 220 people from in and around the city participated. Consultant, diabetes and metabolic disease Dr Sushil Kotru, ophthalmologist Dr Jitendra Gupta, diabetes foot specialist Dr Bharat Kotru, medical officer diabetes department Dr Manisha Bhateja and nutritionist Savita Singhla examined the patients.

Dr Sushil Kotru said prevalence of diabetes increasing at an alarming rate in India, proportion of young people with the disease was also soaring. The major cause for increase of Type 2 Diabetes in young adults was obesity and decreasing rate of physical activity, leading to insulin resistance.

A recent study conducted in Southern Punjab revealed prevalence of diabetes to be around 20 per cent in urban areas while 11 per cent in rural, which was the highest reported in the country.

Another big issue that confronted Punjab was the lack of awareness about diabetes related ailments. Almost 35 per cent urban and 18 per cent rural people, who were suffering from diabetes, were yet to be diagnosed. “It is quite a paradox that even with a better access to higher level of healthcare and better health awareness, diabetes and related ailments remain to be on higher prevalence in urban areas as compared to the rural segment,” he said.