Bathinda, January 15
The Sports Department will now have to lighten its pocket to shell out rent for the land on which the Multipurpose Sports Stadium is built. The land belongs to the Waqf Board, which today initiated the process of measuring the land to figure out the amount payable by the department.

Interestingly, till now the Sports Department and the Waqf Board had been at loggerheads, fighting a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court claiming the land belonged to them. After the department lost the case in the High Court, it appealed against the verdict in the Supreme Court.

As the date of the pronouncement of the verdict by the Apex Court is getting near, the department has become increasingly apprehensive of the verdict and offered to reach a mutual compromise with the Waqf Board, which wanted its land vacated.

As per the mutual agreement, the department will now pay rent for the land it is using. To initiate the process of measuring the land, executive engineer of the Sports Department in Chandigarh Sanjay Mahajan and executive officer of the Waqf Board Ali Hasan reached the stadium.

Bathinda, January 16
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has imposed advance consumption deposit (ACD), thereby increasing the security deposit of all kinds of consumers from the domestic to the industrial sector.

While the security deposit of industrial units keeps on changing every three years, it is implemented on the domestic consumers for the first time. The rates are based on orders of the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC).

The rice-sheller units were served notices in September 2013 while the hospitality industry, shop owners and traders have been recently directed to pay the ACD.

The security deposit of those consumers is being revived whose monthly average consumption is more than the security deposited. “For instance, if a person has paid a security deposit of Rs 2,000 and his average monthly bill is Rs 5,000, he will be charged Rs 3,000 plus bill of 45 days as the new security,” explained an official of the PSPCL on condition of anonymity.

After one year, the PSPCL will pay an interest on the additional amount deposited in the form of adjustments made in consumers’ bills. The entire security will be refunded once the connection is surrendered.

Opposing the amendments, president of the Bathinda Hotel, Restaurant and Resorts Association Satish Arora said the move was aimed at filling the empty coffers of the state government and enabling it to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. “On the one hand, we are demanding exemptions to keep the hospitality industry afloat, on the other hand, the government is issuing dictums to dissuade us,” he said.

Demanding withdrawal of the notification, Arora said the hoteliers would oppose it. The association members threatened of stir if the government did not withdraw the notification.

District president of Rice Millers’ Association Narayan Garg said the old security charged was on the basis of load taken. “Now the monthly average is being charged. Ours is a seasonal industry and we work just 4 to 5 months a year. We received the notices in September and decided not to pay. At this, the security deposit was added to our bills. Now even if we pay Rs 5,000 lesser amount, we will be subjected to high penalty. The PSPCL has twisted its way to recover money from us,” he said.

Garg added that while the Punjab Government was promoting the state as a preferred investment destination for NRIs, it was sapping off the state’s industry.

Sources said keeping in view the ensuing Lok Sabah elections, the state government may temporarily withdraw notification for domestic consumers.

Those with monthly average consumption of more than the security deposited will have to pay more Advance consumption deposit to be implemented on domestic consumers for the first time

Bathinda, January 15
Giving relief to a city doctor, Dr Sanjay Garg, the District Consumer Redressal Forum today penalised a private insurance firm to pay 9 percent interest per annum since the time Dr Garg had taken the insurance policy.

Dr Garg had filed a complaint against the Birla Sun Life Insurance alleging that the company had assured him return of 8 to 18 per cent return on the policy he had taken. As per the policy’s terms and conditions, Dr Garg claimed to have deposited the installments.

In the last five years, he paid Rs 1.45 lakhs as installments. After completion of the policy term, when Dr Garg asked for his money, the company paid him a mere Rs 50,000 and started making excuses for paying the rest of the amount. The forum directed the company to pay Rs 30,000 along with other benefits, if any, with interest at the rate of 9 percent per annum since June 9, 2010. — TNS

Bathinda, January 15
The row over laying 32 inch or 16 inch sewer pipes on Naruana road took a new turn today with Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav asking Thapar University to conduct a survey and prepare a plan for the project.

The civil engineering wing of the university team will conduct a detailed survey of the area and submit its report to the district administration. Based on the report, a decision will be taken on the size of sewer pipes to be laid.

It was decided in the meeting between the area residents and the deputy commissioner today.

The Naruana road area lies in ward number 32 and 33. Residents of the area had locked horns with the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB), opposing its move of laying 16 inches wide sewer pipes. The residents of the area said since the area was densely populated, it required wider sewer pipes keeping in view the future needs as well.

Two months ago, the MCB had started the work of laying the 16 inch wide pipes, which the residents had stalled and till today, the work remains suspended.

In order to deal with the situation, Municipal Commissioner Vipul Ujwal had written to the civil engineering wing of Punjab Technical University Giani Zail Singh campus asking to give it a technical advice whether to lay 16 inches or 32 inches wide sewer pipes. In its report, the engineering college advocated laying 16 inches of sewer, which the area residents did not accept.

Terming the report a sham, the area residents alleged that the institute authorities never conducted any survey and gave just a superficial report.

In order to find an amicable solution to the problem, the deputy commissioner today convened a meeting of the area residents as well as officers of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB).

The area residents maintained their demand of laying 32 inches wide sewer pipes. Representing a group of residents, former municipal councilor Rajinder Singh said the sewer being laid on the Naruana road was 1.8 km long, while the 32 inches wide pipe laid in Amarpura Basti was 1 km long. Similarly, the length of sewer in Lal Singh Basti too was 1.1 km.

“Despite the fact that the length of sewer laid in these two areas is lesser than the one proposed for Naruana road, 32 inches wide sewer has been laid. Our sewer is longer and hence its capacity should also be increased,” they said.

DC KK Yadav directed that a new plan for the project should be prepared. He said the area residents would be included in the new survey and the drafting of the plan so that their representation and participation was not missed out. The Thapar University’s engineering wing will now be requested to prepare the plan.

Row over 16 inch or 32 inch sewer for Naruana road sewer project Thapar University to conduct survey of Naruana road again this time Residents challenge PTU GZS report Sewer to be laid as per the recommendations of Thapar University engineers

Bathinda, January 15
A 19-year-old youth was beaten to death at Raman Mandi today. The deceased, identified as Ravinder Kumar, a resident of ward number 11, had gone to meet the daughter of accused Harcharan Singh late last night.

In her complaint lodged with the Raman police, Ravinder’s mother Santosh Rani stated that accused Harcharan’s daughter had called her son Ravinder to her house last night. She said she had asked her son not to go, but he did not relent.

When he did not return till late night, she went to Harcharan’s house and saw her son Ravinder being badly beaten up. On seeing Santosh Rani, Harcharan fled from the scene.

Santosh Rani then called her relative Gurdev Singh and took Ravinder to a hospital in Raman where doctors referred him to the Talwandi Sabo Civil Hospital. Doctors at the civil hospital declared him dead on arrival.

Investigating officer ASI Kashmir Singh said a case had been registered against Harcharan Singh. Efforts were on to nab him, he added.

Youth Akali Dal workers stage a protest near District Administrative Complex in Bathinda on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

The dharna staged by the YAD today was a study in contrast. Close to 1,000 YAD workers assembled at Ambedkar Park which is very close to the District Administrative Complex and marched towards the Government Rajindra College and back. Although this movement caused a huge traffic snarl, police didn't round up any YAD worker.

‘Bajwa has tainted past’

The YAD workers accused the PPCC chief of having a tainted past and alleged links with drug dealers and traffickers. The YAD workers added that the Congress was dragging Majithia's name into the Jagdish Bola drug trafficking case since it wanted to save the skin of its own leaders.

Calling the Congress demand for a CBI probe into the case baseless as it would prolong the case, senior vice-president of the Youth Akali Dal, Gurpeet Singh Maluka said, "Punjab Police is capable enough of handling such cases and solving them with alacrity. Handing over the case to the CBI would delay it while such cases should be solved on priority basis."

General secretary Jagsir Singh Baliana and Bathinda district president Balkar Singh Brar alleged that drug smuggling and illegal trafficking of weapons has been the business of PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa. They also alleged that his father Satnam Singh Bajwa became a victim of the war between the drug traffickers and the land mafia and the cause of his death was whitewashed by the party.

They also demanded an inquiry into the charges levelled by Captain Amarinder Singh against Partap Singh Bajwa for his alleged involvement in embezzlement of government funds, drug trafficking and land grab cases.

They pointed out that while Jagdish Bhola was arrested in 2001 during the SAD government in the state, his case was dismissed in 2002 as soon as Congress came to power in the state. This clearly indicated that Bhola had patrons in the party.

Also present during the dharna were Rattan Dev Sharma, Rakesh Sharma., Gurlabh Singh, Chakaur Singh Mann, Harjit Singh Kaljharani, Gurcharan Singh Deon, Rajinder Singh Mann, Swaran Singh Aklia, Malkit Singh Peter and several other YAD workers from across the district.

Cong prepares to hold another dharna

Interestingly, Congress party workers also have plans to block major roads across the state for two-three hours on January 16 as a mark of protest against the state government's inaction against Majithia. The Congress is demanding that Majithia should resign from the state cabinet and also that the CBI should be given the case.

Bathinda, January 15
The Bathinda Chamber of Commerce and Industry today demanded an increase in excise duty exemption for the small- scale industries (SSI).

In a press statement issued here today, the president of the chamber Raman Watts stated that presently, the excise duty exemption for SSI units is Rs 1.5 crore. He said this limit was set more than eight years ago.

In the last eight years, the prices of all inputs, including iron and steel, copper, brass, petroleum products, electricity, wages and freight have increased manifold. "The recent fall in the value of rupee against the dollar has hard hit the market resulting in further increase in the price of all the inputs," he reasoned.

The members of the chamber demanded that keeping in view the increased cost of input, exemption limit should be raised from Rs 1.50 crore to Rs 5 crore in a year.

Watts said there are 25,000 to 30,000 SSI units in every state. Assuming that at least half of SSI units will increase their production, it would generate jobs for more than 20 lakhs people in the country. Besides, it would also add to the revenue of all states and the central government.

Bathinda, January 15
Dr Gursharan Singh, dean of the Post Graduate Studies Department of Punjab Agricultural University, while addressing the members of the department of agriculture at Guru Kashi University (GKU) said that the newly-emerging institutions should develop graduates with a balanced personality, apart from imparting latest knowledge and skills in various fields.

He also emphasised upon the need to develop social skills, human values and empathy among the youth. The teachers should work as role models and must have positive attitude towards the pupils and efforts should be made to bring about desirable changes in the overall behaviour, he stated.

He further added that for the development of the rural areas, the regional educational institutions can play a pivotal role in imparting quality education which can minimise the gap between the rural and urban thereby leading to the formation of a balanced society.

Dr Surjeet Singh Gill, former director of the extension education centre of PAU, said education should aim at the holistic development of an individual. Education helps the transformation of information into knowledge and a teacher plays the role of a catalyst in this transformation, he said. Information may be procured from books, internet and several other sources but knowledge is perceived only with the involvement of a teacher, guide or mentor, he added.

Dr NS Malhi, Vice-chancellor of GKU, Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill, Director (Planning & Development), registrar Satish Goswami and other officials honoured Dr Gursharan Singh and Dr Surjeet Singh and expressed the hope that they would visit the university frequently.

Bathinda, January 15
The Kotfatta police have arrested a man with a Swift car that was stolen from Uttar Pradesh.

Police arrested Bhupinder Kumar alias Bunty, a native of district Meerut in UP, and presently a resident of the area located behind Ganpati Enclave. He was intercepted during a naka laid near village Gehri Bhagi.