Bathinda, November 1
Farmers in the region seem to have been highly disappointed this season following a basmati glut in the district, as they are not getting even half the rates as compared to last year.

Farmers had set their hopes high as the variety was a hit last year. As a result of last year’s response, this season, a large number of farmers had sown basmati seeing the high rate of Rs 4,500 it had fetched last year. The contract for agricultural land this year had also gone high at Rs 55,000 per acre. Besides due to the high cost of seeds, fertilisers and other things, farmers are finding it hard to bear the loss as the rate this season has come down to Rs 2,000 at the local grain market.

Farmers are finding the Haryana option viable despite the fact that they have to bear the extra transportation cost, as they are getting Rs 2,350 in return for their crop there.

Rajwinder Singh, a farmer from Chughe Khurd, said he had sold his crop in Haryana as he was not getting a good price in the local market here. In Haryana, he had got Rs 2,350, though it is not encouraging as they were expecting but still it is more than here.

Another farmer Balkar Singh said they will be bearing a huge loss this season, as earlier, there was no rain due to which they had to use generators for watering the crop. The high rates of fertilisers had also raised the input cost and now they are getting a low rate.

An agriculture expert said the minimum support price (MSP) should be fixed for the basmati and the government procurement agency should buy the crop. With this, farmers would be assured of what return they will get.

He also stated that a major reason this year for drastic low rate of the crop this season is that basmati in large quantity has reached the market, which has affected its rate.

Meanwhile, private traders are reaping windfall profits by quoting prices according to their will. In the absence of proper marketing and minimum support price, such local traders and private agencies are these farmers’ main buyers as government agencies do not buy from them.

Bathinda, November 1
Dengue ward in the Civil Hospital has been closed leaving the suspected patients in lurch with no space due to which they are now being admitted at other wards in the hospital.

On Saturday, one more patients underwent the MAC ELISA test but, however, the reports were found negative during the preliminary stage. Around six people have been found positive with dengue in Bathinda till date. The patients prefer getting treatment from private institutes. However, the patient who got negative reports of dengue has been admitted to other ward of the Civil Hospital and has been detected with malaria.

A MAC-ELISA assay (an immunoglobulin M-based test) is most widely used test for dengue fever virus.

The dengue fever is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with a dengue virus. Water-holding containers, including plastic, metal drums and cement tanks facilitate breeding of dengue mosquito.

Dengue is one of the major public health problems which can be controlled with active participation of the community and for this the need is to organise health education programmes about dengue disease to increase community knowledge and sensitise the community to participate in integrated vector control programmes.

The district health authorities, however, have been claiming of being active and maintaining the continuance of fogging in the areas of the city.

Besides, the authorities also claim of creating awareness among the masses about the precautions to get themselves protect from dengue.

Bathinda November 1
Bandh called gave by various Sikh organizations in view of the long pending demand for justice to the family members of 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims faied to get much response in Bathinda. Everything remained peaceful and most of the shops and market remained opened. However, the Railways kept a vigil over the stations in order to check any disruption in trains. None of the trains were stopped or markets shut by any member of any organization. However, in the evening, workers and leaders took out a candle march demanding justice for riots victims.

Bathinda, November 1
The plan of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) to deal with stray cattle problem has come to a grinding halt with resident of Faridkot staging protest against the shifting of animals from Bathinda to a cattle pound in Faridkot.

A vehicle of the MCB was stopped by some Faridkot residents last week with accusations of shifting the stray cattle from Bathinda into open area of Kotkapura.

Despite making the protesters aware about the MCB’s initiative and agreement between the pen (gaushala) over shifting of animals the protesters refuse to budge.

Instead of hearing employees’ pleas, the mob manhandled the officials. The MCB entered into an agreement with a gaushala (cattle compound) of Faridkot around three months ago wherein the authorities have to hand over 500 cattle after which the government would release funds for the care of the animals.

The matter was brought to the notice of the senior police functionaries and a meeting of senior corporation officials and the police on Tuesday.

Officials of the corporation claim to shift nearly 270 animals since the launch of the project after a long gap of over five years. The incidents of road accidents involving the stray animals on city roads is on the rise and more 15 people have lost their lives during the past over two and half years.

Admitting discontinuation of the scheme, Commissioner, Corporation, Dalwinderjit Singh, said the issue will be resolved by Tuesday. “I had a word with police officials and a meeting between residents of Faridkot, gaushala and those opposing to make them aware about our drive against stray cattle,” Dalwinderjit said.

He said the agreement with the Faridkot gaushala was made as almost all the gaushalas in Bathinda and adjoining Mansa district are full to their capacities.

President of the Sri Gaushala, Bathinda, Jeeva Ram Goyal, said there are four gaushalas in Bathinda wherein 2,500 cattle are kept and the largest is of Sirki Bazar.

Ashok Kumar, president, Mansa, gaushala, said they have 1,800 head of cattle, including those cows that give milk.

“Since it is not easy to look after stray animals even in gaushalas, it has become a Herculean task of accommodating these animals. Usually, we deny receiving animals from outside Mansa as area residents oppose it and instead pester to first removing the menace from our own town,” Ashok said.

He pointed out that the gaushala had hardly 500 to 700 animals around five years ago. But the number is rising gradually as area residents complain about sick and aggressive animals.

“Apart from the daily Rs 45000, we spend nearly Rs 5 lakh every year on treatment of animals but fail to get even a single penny from the state government,” Ashok said.

Bathinda, November 1
Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who is in-charge, Bathinda, today passed strict instructions to Congress workers in Bathinda to show unity ahead of the Municipal Corporation of Bathinda (MCB) elections in Bathinda.

While addressing the meeting, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring passed gag orders to the party leaders and workers by restricting them for going to the media or giving any statement. He said it is seen that leaders are releasing statements against the party leaders that affects the image of the party, so now, nobody is allowed to go to the media. Anybody, if has any issue, should contact the party leaders. He also told that anybody found doing this would expelled from the party.

He also stated that any party leader or worker who do not attend the meeting for third time would be sacked from the party without any explanation.

Taking lessons from the defeats of the Congress in Lok Sabha and state polls, he said the party had started many great schemes for the poor, Dalit, each and every sections of the society. But there also they lost as they failed to reach out to the public with our work. So now, the Congress has decided to make booth-level committees and their aim are to tell the people in villages regarding the wrong doings of the Modi-led NDA government at the Centre and the SAD-BJP government at the state.

He directed workers to tell the people that Central government has de-controlled the diesel prices and slash in diesel and petrol prices was due to fall in international crude oil prices and when it will go up the rates of diesel is go up skyrocketing.

Raja Warring also stated that no worker or leader is allowed to launch any agitation without the information of senior leaders. He said if they know the protest then they can hold the agitation more aggressively.

While talking to the TNS, MLA Raja Warring said people are fed up with the SAD-BJP combined government and are eagerly waiting to the uproot them from the clutches of the power and will bring back the Congress to power with more than two third majority.

Taking a dig at the BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, he said what Sidhu had said in Haryana elections, the Congress party had been stating for the last seven years. Sidhu and his wife are protesting, speaking against the SAD of corruption, then why his wife do not resigned from the post of CPS.

On Jhumba’s issue, he said it was his personnel issue, party was not at all involved in it.

Dsitrict Congress, president, Bathinda urban, Mohan Lal Jhumba, was seen totally ignored by the congress district leadership. As he was seen sitting at a side when Amrinder Singh Raja Warring started addressing then Jhumba went back and was seen standing in the last row.

During the meeting, even some party workers from Maur raised in between and disrupting Raja Warring address accused that they hade been booked by the police in many fake FIRs due to political vendetta but district leaders do not stand with them despite their repeated attempts for help. — TNS

Bathinda, November 1
A special court today awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment to two persons, including a resident of Moga, for carrying four quintals of poppy husk.

Awarding the sentence today, judge (special court), Rajwinder Kaur, also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh failing which the accused would further undergo a one-year imprisonment.

The accused, Jaswinder Fandi and Gurpreet Rana were caught travelling in a mini-truck along with the poppy husk. The Sadar police, Bathinda, had recovered 10 bags (36 kg each of poppy husk) and two separate bags of poppy buds with 20 kg in each bag after which a case was registered against the accused. — TNS

Bathinda, November 1
Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) burnt an effigy of the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bathinda Chemical Limited (BCL) Group of Industries Rajinder Mittal outside his residence in Civil Lines here today.

Sukhpal Sra, general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad said they were protesting against Mittal as yesterday, he had been found guilty and awarded four years of imprisonment and fined Rs 18,000 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court at Patiala in case of the use of cow carcass in the oil produced by his company.

The protesters raised slogans against Mittal and stated that it was quite unfortunate and disheartened that while it appealed to people belonging to other religions not to slaughter cow, a Hindu was doing the same.

It is worth mentioning that Rajinder Mittal has always remained close to the state governments. Two year ago, he was given the state award by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. 

Bathinda, November 1
Demanding justice for the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, AAP workers took out a candle march here today. The march started from Goddikki and finished at Fauji Chowk.

Baljinder Kaur, who contested the Talwandi Sabo byelection on the AAP ticket, lead the march.

She said besides Delhi, Sikhs were killed across many states. However, the number of victims were much more than the official figure of 3,000 killed alone in Delhi. A number of victims had applied for the red card, but their applications were still laying pending.

“After 30 years, justice has not been provided to the victims. The accused, involved in riots, should be awarded punishment. A special investigation team (SIT) made by Arvind Kejriwal should be made active. The AAP has taken the candle march in all districts of the state,” added Baljinder Kaur.

Bathinda, November 1
The Punjab Bank Employees Federation (PBEF) today alleged that the BJP-led NDA government failed to bring about any change in the first five-six months of their regime. They alleged the BJP was also following UPA policies and trying to privatise the banking sector.

They said the government had failed to take necessary steps to recover the money from defaulter corporate houses.

Addressing a press conference, PR Mehta, president PBEF, NK Gaur, general secretary PBEF, SK Gautam, joint secretary, AIBEA and secretary, PBEF said the revised wages for bank employees had been due since November 2012. The UFBU had submitted a charter of demands in 2012, but the Indian Banks Association (IBA) had been delaying the matter despite 13 meetings with the negotiation committee of the UFBU during the past two years.

They said inflation and the workload on the employees had increased due to steep increase in volume of business, there is urgent need to increase the wages of the bank employees, but the attitude of the IBA and the government seemed to be apathetic.

The IBA had offered to increase the wages by 11 per cent which was not acceptable to them. They said due to adamant attitude of the IBA, the United Form of Bank Unions would go on a strike on November 12, and strikes would be observed zonal wise from December 2 to 5.

They said in the name of remedy and improving the banking system, successive governments had tried to privatise the banks. They were eager to grant banking licences to big corporate and business houses.

They wanted to make banks more urban and elite-oriented and profit based. They were willing to write off huge loans of corporate houses.

They said the PJ Nayak Committee recommendations should not be accepted as these were aimed at privatisation of the public sector banks. The committee recommended the merger of banks to design a new governance structure and keeping PSBs out of the purview of the CVC and the RTI Act etc.

They demanded that the PSB should not be privatised. The government’s equity capital in PSBs should not be reduced or diluted. Corporate houses should not be given banking licences. Efforts to merge banks should not be encouraged. They said the Punjab Bank Employees Federation was holding its 11th conference in Bathinda on November 2, in which a large number of delegates from across the state would participate.

Bathinda, November 1
The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum today directed the New India Assurance Company Limited to pay a sum of Rs 67,847 including a fine of Rs 15,000 to an accident victim.

The directions came after a complaint was filed by Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Rampura Phul.

Advocate Naresh Garg, the complainant’s counsel, said the truck of his client was insured with the New India Assurance Company Limited, Rampura Phul. The vehicle met with an accident near Bhucho Mandi following which a surveyor was conducted to assess the loss.

Though the surveyor submitted his final report to the company, the compensation was not granted despite repeated requests.

The lawyer stated that the officials of the company took a plea that the person driving the vehicle was not the complainant, but cleaner. The surveyor who enquired about the incident, mentioned in the report that the driver was the complainant — Gurdeep Singh.

The company, however, claimed that the VAT form of the company which had sent the material from Kandla in Gujarat, mentioned the name of cleaner in the driver’s column.

Garg stated that it does not make any difference whose name has been mentioned in the VAT form as the spot surveyor found that the actual driver was driving the vehicle.

Moreover, the accident occurred two days after issuing the VAT form from Gujarat and it has nothing to do with the accident claim.

The forum, after hearing both the parties, said the insurance company denied the genuine claim of the complainant.

The forum directed the insurance company to pay Rs 52,847 as the loss assessed by the surveyor and a fine of Rs 15,000 along with interest at the rate of 9 percent per annum.

Bathinda, November 1
Kin of the victim girl have accused the police inaction in a molestation case and misbehavior by police official. They said that they were running from pillar to post demanding justice, but nobody was listening to them.

Balbir Singh, victim’s father and a resident of Balluana, said, his daughter, 23-year-old on October 21was returning home after work around 7 pm. On the way, accused Nirmal Singh, Balwinder Singh, alias Pidhu, and Balkar Singh, residents Balluana village, misbehaved and molested her. Later, they also tried to abduct her.

The victim was able to successfully run away from them and started shouting. After hearing her, many people reached there and dropped her at her home safely. At home, she narrated the incident to her parents, and on October 22, the matter was reported at the Balluana police post and a case was registered on October 24 at Bathinda Sadar police station.

The kin accused that even after the registration of the case, ASI Krishan Singh at Balluana police post has not arrested the accused. He also stated that when he went to the police post to talk to him, he threatened him and told him that he would put the father and his daughter behind the bars.

Bathinda, November 1
A three-day brain stroke awareness camp and seminar concluded at Max Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH), here on Friday. Free consultation was provided to patients above 60 years.

Dr Abhishek Kumar Garg and Dr Manoj Majhi, said with the lakh cases of acute stroke recorded every year, brain stroke is the third leading cause of death in the country, “People are not aware how to manage a stroke patient.

First, there is a need to recognise the warning signs of stroke, which included numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, confusion or trouble in speaking, blurred or double vision, drowsiness, nausea or vomiting, trouble in walking, loss of balance and coordination. If such symptoms persist, the patient should be rushed to a neurologist,” said Dr Abhishekh.

“Patients have high chances of recovery if they seek help within 4.5 hours of the attack. After the lapse of this period, administering drugs is risky and less effective. The delay in treatment can result in permanent disability,” said Dr Majhi.