Bathinda, November 9
Eight students were taken ill today due to alleged food poisoning after consuming the food from the mess of the hostel of Guru Kashi University (GKU), Talwandi Sabo, while about 80 others who were complaining of headache were also brought to the hospital by the university staff. The students alleged that they had been served food in which a dead lizard was found.

Eight students who were vomiting were admitted to the Civil Hospital on Saturday night while the others complaining of headache and shivering were sent back after being given medicines by the doctors.

According to the information available, more than 80 students were taken to the local sub-division hospital in Talwandi Sabo after they complained of headache and vomiting late on Saturday late evening after having their meals in the hostel for boys. About 10 students who were complaining of vomiting, were admitted to the government-run hospital in Talwandi Sabo while others complaining of headache were given medicines.

Some students had complained of a lizard being found in the food which was allegedly served to the students in the GKU mess.

The students admitted to the local hospital were, however, referred to the Civil Hospital, Mansa, late on Saturday night where the doctors, including the District Health Officer reached the spot. About eight students, including Anika Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Varinder Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Virat Kumar, Vikas Kumar, Pradeep Kumar and Sunil Kumar, were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, and were discharged in the morning.

Senior Medical Officer, Talwandi Sabo, Dr Darshan Kaur said, "Only 11 students were admitted here while about 80 had reached us. All of them had a minor complaint of headache and were given medicines. Our team including Dr Amandeep Singh, pharmacist Harjinder Singh and a hopsital employee Kulwinder Singh went to the hostel of Guru Kanshi University and gave medicines to the other students. Most of the students were in panic after hearing that they had consumed the food in which some students allegedly had claimed to have found a lizard. Now, all of them have been discharged from the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, also are out of danger."

Taking cognisance of the gross negligence on the part of the mess contractor of Himalaya Hostel on the campus of Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, where about 8 students started vomiting after dinner on the night of November 8, the Vice-Chancellor has cancelled the contract with the mess contractor. A complaint has also been lodged with the Station House Officer (SHO), Talwandi Sabo, against the mess contractor. The hostel warden has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.

The Vice-Chancellor appreciated the role of the senior officials of GKU who without waiting any time immediately took the sick students to a hospital at Talwandi Sabo and Bathinda.

Vice-Chancellor Nachattar Singh Malhi also thanked the district administration, police authorities and the medical officers of the civil hospital at Bathinda and Mansa for their timely help.

The Vice-Chancellor assured that such incidents will not be allowed to re-occur and it would be ensured that adequate precautions have been taken.

Bathinda, November 9
The local police today foiled a state-level protest march of the AIE/EGS/STR Union by arresting its workers from near Bathinda Fort and Teachers’ Home and took them to the various police stations in the city.

Heavy police force was deployed in various areas of the city which barricaded the roads to keep the protesters at bay. SP (H) Jasveer Singh, DSP, Bhucho, Gurmit Singh and DSP (City) Gurjit Singh Romana, along with SHOs of various police stations were seen actively keeping a close watch on their movement.

It is pertinent to mention that union leaders and workers were planning to hold a state-level protest march from the main bazaar of the city secretly and due to which they had gathered in a clandestine way.

The agitators were protesting against the state government as they had not been paid salaries for four months starting from July.

Union leader Simranjit Kaur said on the one hand, they have not been given salaries and on the other, the government had started a school mapping survey.

In this survey, they have to get the information as to how many students are studying in the age-group of 6 to 14 years and as to how many are not studying and what are the reasons behind their not going to schools. She said, for this survey, they had been assigned duty in other villages due to which they were facing problems. They did not even get any fare from the government.

It is worth mentioning that when leaders of the unions started gathering at the Teachers’ Home, then suddenly, the police detained the four union leaders Simranjit Kaur, Swarna Devi, Kulwant Kumari and Taranjit Kaur and took them to the Canal Colony police station while from Quila, Davinder Singh, Rohit Kaushal and Jasvir Singh were taken to the Kotwali police station.

The entire day, the police were seen keeping a tab on the union members entering the city from outside. Their leader Davinder Singh said today when they were gathered to make some programme, the police arrested their three leaders, while their workers were also arrested from Teachers’ Home.

He also added that in the evening, they were released on bail and have been booked under Sections 107/151 of the IPC.

DSP (City) Gurjit Singh Romana said these protesters were arrested and later released on bail.

Bathinda, November 9
A video of Bhagwant Mann, Member of Parliament of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from Sangrur, has gone viral on the mobile social networking site WhatsApp. In the video, the MP has attacked the Shiromani Akali Dal over the law and order situation in the state.

He has questioned Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal over the involvement of SAD leaders and workers in various crimes and cited cases such as the kidnapping of a girl in Faridkot, killing of an ASI in Amritsar, sale of drugs in cars and many others.

“This has raised a point that you (Dy Chief Minister) have given a free hand to the SAD leaders and workers in criminal activities,” he said.

He also appealed to the police not to blindly trust their political bosses who order them to do the wrong. He reminded them that at the time of joining the police force, they took the oath in the name of the Constitution and not Sukhbir Badal or Bikramjit Majthia.

Bhagwant Mann has demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing of two brothers in Jamalpur. He also asked for the resignation of Sukhbir Badal.

It is worth mentioning that the social media has become the ultimate way of connecting with the masses and each leader has became active on social media sites.

Some leaders have even specially set up a Social Media Department in their offices. SAD leaders, after the debacle in Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, have claimed that they have lost the ground as they failed to counter the social media attack.

Bathinda, November 9
Lack of water disposal mechanism has led to the erosion of the Rs 22 crore Railway Under Bridge (RUB) on the Bathinda-Mansa Road. Despite repairing it umpteen times, the bridge continues to haunt the motorists passing through it.

Lack of a pro-active approach during the construction of the bridge has now led to deep potholes and constant fear of weak side walls falling again. A major chunk of the walls fell off last year which has led to the suspension of senior officials of the PWD B&R Department.

As per officials and local builders, vital points were not kept in the mind during the construction of the RUB. “Due to lack of water disposal mechanism, the installation of two temporary pumps to drain out water too failed to function properly. The two pumps bring the accumulated water from the road, more than 30-foot down, but the water again seep through the walls and reaches the same position,” said Jagseer Singh, a resident of nearby Kotshamir village.

He said the bridge is situated in a low-lying area and during the rainy season, water from all directions accumulates at the lowest level of the bridge and despite pumping it out with two pumps and long pipes, the water could not be disposed of.

A project report entailing Rs 1.25 crore was forwarded by the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), but due to the disapproval of the project, it was initially disapproved due to lack of funds.

In view of the vicious cycle of the problem due to the catchment area and the lack of the RUB, the problem could not be solved until a permanent salutation is made to dispose of the rain water.

“The problem could be solved by either purchasing extra land by the state government or to lay the pipes to drain out the accumulated water by using the sewerage pipes,” said another Ramesh Kumar, a daily commuter.

In a bid to get temporary relief the PWD-B&R Department has now fixed the responsibility of the contractor who has built the bridge to take care of the continuous repairs.

“We have not released the 50 per cent of the total share of the security of the contractor (around Rs 26 lakh) for the repairs of the RUB during, before and after rainy seasons,” said SDO, PWD B&R, Vishal Garg.

Earlier, too, the contractor was told to repair the collapsed wall on which a hefty amount was spent by him.

XEN NP Singh said the contractor is supposed to carry out the repairs under the defect liability period of one year. “The contractor will execute the repairs till there are problems in the RUB. Though we are trying our best to bring a permanent solution to the problem with the approval of the project submitted to the government under which the drainage of the water would be permanently made using the sewerage pipes,” Singh said.

The RUB was inaugurated by Member of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal in November 2012.

“The authorities must take action in this regard as, apart from the injuries inflicted upon the motorists, the rough patches have also lead to the damage of the four-wheelers. The government must adopt a pro active approach during the construction such projects.”
—Harpal Singh, B Tech student

“Our vehicle gets stuck in the deep waters during rainy season and we never knew that it was the problem crated by the government itself. It now appears sheer wastage of the government money as an amount of Rs 22 crore is spent on the bridge, which has hardly extended a benefit to those passing through the road.”
—Gurmeet Singh, resident of Gehri Bhagi village

“The engine of my car had failed to restart as it got submerged under the deep waters last year and I had to spend Rs 1,000 to take the vehicle pulled out using a tractor hired from Bathinda city. The government must think over it again and must spend Rs 1.25 crores so that commuters should not get caught during rainy season.”
—Arshi, a daily commuter

“The government should have taken care of the aftermaths of all such consequences of the water disposal which has now led to numerous problems to the commuters. When a common man thinks twice before spending a single penny the government should have done the leg work before wasting the Rs 22 crore of public money.”
—Ramesh Mehta

The problem of stray animals in the city has assumed gigantic proportions. Road accidents due to collision with stray animals are increasing with each passing day. Many have lost their lives in these accidents while a large number of people have been wounded.

The authorities and the city residents are aware of the problem and have also taken some steps, which have resulted in limited success. But a lot needs to be done in this regard.

Open House Question In view of the rising cases of dengue in Bathinda, what should be done by the medical authorities and the public to keep the disease at bay? Email your opinion to bathindatribune@gmail.com or post it to Bathinda Tribune, SCF-117, Opposite Harchand Cinema, Goniana Road, Bathinda.

The authorities and residents should join hands and also rope in NGOs that are willing to help in this regard so that the problem of stray animals roaming on the city roads finds a long lasting solution.

Bathinda, November 9
Students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1 today came from all parts of the country to participate in an alumni meet after a gap of 28 years. Around 30 students from Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Bangalore and various other parts of the country arrived in the city to meet their classmates and teachers.

The students who have studied in KV No. 1, Bathinda Cantonment, have been reuniting with the help of an initiative of the present generation students through social networking sites and cell phones.

Former principal of the school, TD Garg, said the students are meeting their colleagues after a gap of more than two decades.

“We are holding a meeting tonight at a hotel along with the family members of the students and teachers while an interaction with the school students of the KV No.1 is being organised tomorrow on the school premises at Bathinda Cantonment,” Garg said.

Passouts of 1984-87 (Classes X and XII) have arrived in Bathinda, he added. Being from an Army background, most of the students are now in the Indian Army serving at various top positions. Besides, there are others who have become engineers, doctors and journalists.

Bathinda, November 9
Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon today admitted that breaches in various canals had taken place and there was a shortage of funds for the purpose. He said the funds to clean the canals would be released soon.

Janmeja Singh Sekhon was here as the chief guest in the closing ceremony of the 17th Punjab State Junior Senior Wushu Championship, which was held at the Community Centre of Model Town, Phase III.

He announced a grant of Rs 51,000 for the association and distributed prizes among the winners and the organisers.

He said the Punjab Government was taking great steps to encourage the sportspersons. The state government is giving government jobs to the sportspersons who have brought laurels to the state and country and has also announced monetary prizes for them, he added.

He appealed to the students to come forward and take part in sporting activities to remain healthy and fit.

In the event of junior boys category (below 45 kg), Shubham of Patiala won the gold, Jagjit Singh of Mansa pocketed the silver, Rahul of Amritsar and Sukhchain of Mansa bagged the bronze medals.

In below 48 kg category, Kushal Kumar of Patiala won the gold, Harpreet Singh of Mansa won the the silver and Sahil of Hoshiarpur and Gurdip Singh of Bathinda clinched the bronze medals.

In below 52 kg category, Gurlal Singh of Mansa won the gold and Akashdeep Singh of Gurdaspur and Rajkaran of Tarantarn won the bronze medals.

In below 56 kg category, Rohit Kumar of Patiala bagged the gold, Dilpreet Singh of Mansa won the silver medal and Rohin of Amritsar and Navjot of Mansa pocketed the bronze medals.

In below 60 kg category, Sukhdarshan Singh of Mansa won the gold. In below 65 kg category, Manjinder of Jalandhar won the gold medal.