 |
|
|
Ban on smoking goes up in smoke
Retired SDO accuses MC of land grab, to approach DC again
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
100-Feet road Slum dwellers to launch Swachh Bharat Abiyaan to delay anti-jhuggi drive 
Bathinda, November 22
While the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) is planning to raze the 40 odd hutments on 100-Foot Road adjoining New Shakti Nagar near Mela Ram Road the poor jhuggi owners are, however, trying last ditch effort to save their temporary shelters by cleaning their surroundings. Residents of the slum on the 100-Feet Road near New Shakti Nagar protest against the razing of their hutments in Bathinda on Saturday. Photo: Vijay Kumar
15 booked under NDPS Act
‘Decision to import cotton reduced its rates’
Financial crunch stumps players
Goniana suicide case: Amanpreet’s grandmother passes away
Utsav-2014 marks annual function of DPS
61 donate blood at Malwa college
Feedback
|
|
Ban on smoking goes up in smoke
Bathinda, November 22 District Health Officer (DHO), Raghubir Singh Randhawa, said the Health Department has nothing to do with issuing challan to a person smoking at a public place as the health authority has appointed nodal officers of different departments. “For instance, if a person smokes in a public place under the Municipal Corporation then the nodal officer of the MC will issue a challan and similarly, other departments are assigned the task. Nodal officers of private offices too have been directed to appoint nodal officers to check the menace,” the DHO said. Former Improvement Trust chairman, advocate Mohan Lal Garg, said the number of people smoking in government offices has though reduced considerably, the authorities had miserably failed to curb the menace in private places, including market places and roadside. Though ADC (D), Sonali Giri, in her meetings, had directed the nodal officers to issue challan to those who smoke in public places but nothing has been done practically. Despite her directions to the nodal officers concerned to issue at least 10 challans every month, not even a single challan has been handed out to those flouting norms. Naresh Kumar, the sanitary inspector of the Municipal Corporation too failed to act on the complaint lodged by city residents. “We are quite upset over the public smoking by young boys in front of the Three Cinemas where the boys gather every evening and covert the entire area into a living hell with their cigarettes,” said advocate Gurwinder Mann, a city resident. It is a common sight to see people smoking at public places at the bus stand, railway station and in the city markets. “There is a need to remove illegally built cigarette or birhi vendors from the roadside which have now made permanent points to sell tobacco products which becomes a major cause of cancer,” said another Deepti Rawat, a resident of Green Avenue. She said the market of Improvement Trust, opposite to Three Cinemas near Green Avenue, is full of such people where not even a single challan has been issued to those who not only smoke to affect their own health but are creating problems for the others as well. “The smell of smoke spreads over up to quite a distance and it affects the environment to a great extent and people are unable to even breathe amidst public smokers,” said another resident Harbans Lal. He said 40 per cent of the smoke emitting out of cigarettes affects smokers and 60 per cent to the bystander. The city residents alleged that if they complain against the cigarette and birhi sellers at khokhas (temporary vends) then the nodal officers would made these khokha owners aware of the complainants who (birhi sellers) then enter into heated arguments with the complainants. Most of the youngsters who smoke first consume medicinal drugs and to get a high they would use the cigarettes and birhis. “Though there are two liquor vends between a stretch of one and half kilometer stretch of the Rose Garden Chowk and Tinkoni yet there are at least 15 illegal points where birhi and cigarette sellers are illegally selling tobacco products. They would not only sell their products but allow the smokers to consume the same which upsets the passerbys as these points of tobacco sale are in parking areas and at the roadside,” said another Kehar Singh, a retired police inspector. Ghanshyam Das, a temple priest, on the GT Road rued that many groups of young boys come to a tea vend in the evening adjoining his temple and after consuming the tea they would smoke. “The smell of smoke emitting from the cigarettes and birhis would spread all over but the authorities are not bothered to issue even a single challan to such offenders,” he said. The Health Department has nothing to do with issuing challan to a person smoking at a public place as the health authority has appointed nodal officers of different
departments. If a person smokes in a public place under the Municipal Corporation then the nodal officer of the MC will issue a challan and similarly, other departments are assigned the task. Nodal officers of private offices too have been directed to appoint nodal officers to check the
menace. — Raghubir Singh Randhawa, District Health Officer The number of people smoking in government offices has though reduced considerably, the authorities had miserably failed to curb the menace in private places, including market places and
roadside. — Mohan Lal
Garg, Ex-chairman, improvement trust
|
|
Retired SDO accuses MC of land grab, to approach DC again
Bathinda, November 22 It is pertinent to mention here that Sandhu had attended the sangat darshan organised by the DC Dr Basant Garg in July and had requested the DC to look into the matter who in turn marked the complaint to the MCB. “I had bought the 271 square yards of land in Azad Nagar in 2001. The map of my plot No. 493 had been approved by the then Municipal Committee of Bathinda. As per the approved map, the plot was by the side of a 20-Foot Road on the other side of which a park was to be developed,” said Sandhu, who currently resides in Mata Jivi Nagar. “When the MCB started construction of the boundary wall of the park, it took away 10-foot from the road and demolished the boundary wall of my plot to construct the 20-foot road thereby taking away 10-foot front portion from my plot. I raised my voice against the demolition of the boundary wall of my plot but the MCB employees paid no heed,” he said. “As a reply of my complaint registered with the DC during his sangat darshan in July, the MCB has mentioned that as per rules and regulations, the part of land which it took away from my plot belonged to MCB. I want to know that if the land belonged to the MCB, why was the map showing it as part of my plot approved in the first place. If the MCB approved wrong map then also it’s not my mistake then why should I pay for it?” he asked. He further stated that when the maps of other plots in his neighborhood were passed, they too were shown 20-foot wide road, which started from the boundary wall of the park constructed. “The map of my plot was passed in 2001 while maps of all other plots were passed later on. If the MC has to acquire part of my plot, it should compensate me for the same,” he said. He further stated that he had approached the Chief Minister of Punjab, Deputy Chief Minister, and several senior officials of the district administration but all in vain. He added that he would now take up the matter with the DC once again.
|
|
Slum dwellers to launch Swachh Bharat Abiyaan to delay anti-jhuggi drive
Gurdeep Singh Mann Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 22 The jhuggi residents announced that they are ready to keep all the surroundings neat and clean as the influential people residing in the nearby posh New Shakti Nagar are upset over their presence in nearby area. “Apart from cleaning both the sides of the 100-Feet Road, we have also decided to remove the water stagnation and will never dump garbage anywhere near to the vicinity of motorist’s sight passing through the road,” said Prahlad, one of the leaders of jhuggi residents. “Last time, when our jhuggis were razed from Parjapat Colony, one newborn child and an elderly died as the time chosen by the authorities was sultry and the poor fail to bear the brunt of unbearable summer,” Prahlad said. He pointed out that now, the weather would again take its toll which will affect their elderly, children and women if the authorities resort to remove hutments amidst winter. He pointed out that the hutment owners have unanimously decided to clean their surroundings and to move back their belongings kept on the road to pave way for the motorists, especially the owners of New Shakti Nagar. The hutment owners also proposed to grow plants, put flowerpots and to raze the portion of the jhuggi’s that bother the other residents. They also announced to permanently remove the problem of their people shouting and abusing at night after consuming liquor. Residents of New Shakti Nagar led by city hotelier Satish Arora and former improvement Trust Chairman advocate Mohan Lal Garg demanded immediate removal of the hutments as they have encroached upon the land on both sides of the 100 feet road leading to chaos and nuisance. Municipal Commissioner, Dalwinderjit Singh, bowing to the pressure built up by the area residents had initially announced to raze the hutments after consultation with DSP (City) Gurjeet Romana. “We have been told by the corporation officials and the DSP to pick all our belongings before December 5 after which bulldozer will raze the all the hutments,” said another Sunita Devi. She pointed out that the administration is not providing us any alternate place after removing our hutments on December 5. The poor jhuggi residents claim to have occupied the place around a decade ago and are using kundi connections. Most of the people residing in the jhuggis are junk dealers and apart from young boys and girls, their population also comprises of kids, newborn, women on family way and elderly people.
|
|
15 booked under NDPS Act
Bathinda, November 22 The other accused who have been booked are Jarnail Singh of Bucho Mandi, Balwinder Singh of Burj Kahan Singhwala, Bhola of Bucho Kalan, Jangi of Bucho Khurd, Rajiv Kumar of Chak Fateh Singhwala, Seera Singh of Tungwali, Lachman Singh of Lehra Mohabat, Melo of Kalayana Khurd, Mela Singh of Bijoyana, Raj Rani of Poohla, Nela Singh of Poohla and Joga Singh of Nathana. Investigation officer, Gurparvinder Singh, saidd the police party on tip off raided the village where they arrested three accused. The police sources added that despite the arrests 12 other accused in their group were still absconding and would be nabbed soon. The Bathinda police are trying to get more information from the arrested accused during the interrogation of persons involved in drug trafficking and are trying to break the chain of those involved in the sale and purchase of contraband.
|
|
‘Decision to import cotton reduced its rates’
Farmers feel that the NDA government’s decision to import cotton from the foreign countries like Australia is the major reason behind the decline in cotton price this season. Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, state general secretary, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Ekta Ugrahan, said the government’s decision to import cotton created fear in the traders, due to which they did not gave the price of the cotton crop to the farmer. He also stated that if the government feels that the yield of cotton is lesser this year, the decision could have been taken after that sale of cotton was over here, but taking this decision at the start of the season had caused a huge loss to the farmers. He also admitted that prices of cotton purchased from markets in Africa and Australia are lower than that grown in India. But they are disappointed that the government has done nothing to arrest the drop in domestic prices. After suffering the initial damages by drought and later unseasoned rain and storm, farmers are now not getting the expected response from the buyers. The price of the cotton has remained low on expectations. The high price of the cotton in the last two seasons excited the farmers to increase the area under cotton this year. In 2012, cotton prices had touched Rs 7,000 per quintal mark. Last year, in 2013, the average price of cotton had remained just below Rs 5,000. However, the average price of cotton has gone down to Rs 4,000 during current the season. The cost of input of the farmers on the cotton crop has also increased this season. It was not only once but twice when farmers had to spend more to cherish their crop. The unforseen drought in June, July and untimely heavy rain in September caused huge damage to the cotton crop and double the cost of production on cotton crop. Balkaran Singh, a farmer, said the support price should be fixed taking into account the rise in input costs. “If farmers cannot recover their costs naturally they will be in distress and this leads to suicides. We had a lot of expectations from the Modi government but it hasn’t done much,” he said. It is pertinent to mention that many farmers in the district have yet not sold their crop and have stored it in their stores or houses hoping that rate might go up in near future. Rajbir Singh, another farmer, said he had stored his cotton crop as that price he is getting at present, he have to bear huge loss so he is waiting that he will sell when rates will go up.
|
|
Financial crunch stumps players
Bathinda, November 22 Bathinda has three multipurpose stadiums besides the Government Rajindra College ground and the railway stadium. The condition of these grounds is deplorable, especially, the multipurpose stadiums is quite pathetic due to which players get injured. Meanwhile, boxing and judo players have been practicing without any coach for a long time. They are left on their own as there are no coaches available to train them. There are only two coaches for volleyball and athletics. The construction of a shooting range could not be completed due to the lack of funds. The condition of the athletics track is also the same as the work to built a synthetic tracks has been hanging fire from some time. Government Rajindra College was once considered as the place of sports persons, as cricket, hockey, football and basketball players used to play there on a regular basis. But the laying of an AstroTurf has upset the schedule of the players. They have not got any other place to practice. The work on the international hockey stadium has been underway since 2011 and the gaps in the allocation of funds have hampered the work. Meanwhile, the fate of the international cricket stadium on the Dabwali Road is hanging fire. The project was announced with much fan fare in 2008 but the work on it could not be started. In a recent development, the district administration has decided to use it for domestic matches for which a ground will be developed at the international cricket stadium. The athletics ground and the football ground have also not been properly managed by the railway officials due to the lack of funds. The work on another cricket ground has been started by Cops Club. But for that, players will have to take permission from the police administration. District Sports department official admitted that there were inadequate sports facilities due to the lack of funds.
|
|
Goniana suicide case: Amanpreet’s grandmother passes away
Bathinda, November 22 “She was disturbed over the loss of her grand daughter and great grand daughters. She would often talk about the three of them and wonder if the culprits would ever be brought to book,” said Amanpreet’s brother Gursharan Singh who had lodged a complaint against seven family members residing jointly in the house at Goniana, including Amanpreet’s mother-in-law Jasvir Kaur, father-in-law Ekattar Singh, husband Gurlal Singh Brar, uncle Balkar Singh—district president of the Youth Akali Dal, his wife Rupinder Kaur, brother-in-law Omkar Singh and his wife Yashpreet Kaur. While Balkar Singh and his family members remained elusive, extended family members today announced that they would be holding an ‘Antim ardas and bhog’ ceremony at Goniana Kalan village for Amanpreet Kaur and her daughters. “If they were so grief-stricken as they claim to be, why didn’t they come forward to retrieve the three bodies from the water tank? We not only retrieved the body with the help of volunteers of an NGO but also conducted the last rites in Fatehgarh Nov Avad village. Neither did their family contact us nor did anyone come to conduct her last rites. The bhog ceremony is a drama as the He further alleged that on the behest of the Badal government, the police were not acting on the case with alacrity. “Balkar is known for his proximity to several leaders of the state government and senior police officials and is still enjoying their patronage. A whole week has passed but the police have not been able to get a single lead in the case,” Gursharan said.
|
|
Utsav-2014 marks annual function of DPS
Bathinda, November 22 The function began with the Ganesha Vandana and a Bharatanatayam performance. This was followed by staging of a play ‘Baal shram mitayenge hum’ which addressed the problem of child labour and exhorted the people to bring he social menace of child labour to an end. The cultural programme came to an end with
the presentation of a fusion dance performance ‘Rang’ which brought together traditional dances of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. Chief guest of the day, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, appreciated the children for putting together a spectacular show. Principal of the school, Arun Jee, also congratulated the students for actively participating in the function. |
|
61 donate blood at Malwa college
Bathinda, November
22 Rajesh Gupta, Regional Manager,
SBI, was present during the occasion as the chief guest. The chief guest appreciated the efforts of the college authorities for organising this camp. Prof Harjeet Singh and Prof Harpreet Singh, the in-charges of the camp, stated that blood donation camps are regularly organised in the college and the volunteers are always available to donate blood in emergent situations. |
|
|
Poor air quality
The Punjab government has failed to keep a check on the refinery. The air is so contaminated that the residents find it hard to breathe. Most of the people complain of breathing problems, swollen, red and watery eyes. The smoke is so dangerous that residents of Kanakwal village have been repeatedly requesting the government to relocate the entire village at a safe and sound place. The area is worst hit by cancer and the polluted environment is adding to the problem. Harjot Sidhu, Bathinda Rehri market
should be built
The numbers of rehri vendors is also increasing. But we usually see that due the to increasing number of rehriwalas, there is
obstruction in traffic. It is also evident that earning livelihood is a fundamental right of every citizen hence rehriwalas also enjoy it but according to our constitution, these rights are not absolute. Rehriwalas also need employment so the administration should provide them with
infrastructure like Chandigarh. Shiv Kumar, Bathinda
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
The ban imposed on smoking seems to have gone haywire as neither the district administration nor the health authorities has taken any action in this regard.
While the public suffers due to smoking at public places the authorities refuse to take any action despite the complaints lodged by city residents.
Bathinda, November 22