Behram (Nawanshahr), March 10
A tractor-trolley carrying 70 bags of stolen wheat of PUNSUP, meant for ration depots, was recovered by the Behram police from the house of a local resident Satnam Singh, alias Satta.

The police had taken action following a complaint received form the PUNSUP authorities.

A Tribune team went to the police station to click the photographs of the impounded tractor-trolley. The team was denied entry to the police station.

The main gate was locked. Even though DSP Rajinder Singh had instructed the munshi to allow the photographer to take shots of the tractor-trolley, the latter refused to oblige.

Home Guard Des Raj said that they won’t allow any journalist to enter the police station without the permission of the higher officials. 

Kapurthala, March 10
As many as 35 rural doctors of the district have not received their salaries for past two months owing to the delay caused by the Punjab rural development and panchayats department in releasing the required amount.

Interestingly after making repeated representations, the cheques presented to them, on Tuesday, for the month of January by Zila Parishad found bounced on Friday.

The doctors, appointed by the ZP as service providers in June last year for the rural dispensaries, have’nt been paid even a single paisa for the months of January and February. Each service provider was to be given Rs. 30,000 per month for running a rural dispensary, of which, Rs. 5000 to pharmacist and 1500 to sweeper has to be given.

Some of the service providers told The Tribune, on the condition of anonymity, that it has become very difficult to run the dispensaries in the absence of required money. Even the money spent on pulse polio campaign has not been refunded yet.

When contacted, ZP secretary KS Grewal admitted the delay in releasing the amount. On the cheque being bounced Grewal said that it took time to credit the amount released by the department’s account from Chandigarh. “The amount has been credited, the service providers may present their cheques again,” Grewal said.

Phagwara, March 10
Taking a serious note of the civic problems related to sewerage blockade, drainage system and disposal of water in several localities of the town the Phagwara Nagar Council has decided to purchase a ‘sewerage jetting machine’ estimated at a price Rs of 32 lakh.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the council headed by its president Malkiat Singh Ragbotra in council’s office.

The problem is in the various areas including Industrial Area, Tibbi, Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Onkar Nagar, Rattanpura and Bhagatpura.

The meeting also decided to construct ‘community centre’ to provide education, social services and employment to BPL families under one roof near city club situated in council premises.

The meeting also decided to build an ‘old age home care centre’ near industrial area park.

Giving details of the meeting, Ragbotra said that NC has appealed to all social organisations besides philanthropists to come forward to contribute in these social services cause of the council.

Replying a question about sanitation programmes of the council especially in the jaundice and gastro affected localities, Ragbotra said though it will take some time to purchase the new sewerage jetting machine, the council has decided to hire it from Jalandhar to resolve the problems of the affected areas immediately.

He claimed that Nagar Council had initiated sufficient steps by launching a ‘cleanliness drive’ in these areas.

Five out of total 27 councillors remained absent from the meeting due to personal reasons.

The absentees included Hardip Kaur Anand, Padam Dev Sudhir Nikka (both of Congress), Surinder Kaur (BSP), Surinder Singh (BJP) and Inderjit Singh Sonkar (SAD). 

Jalandhar, March 10
Shamme wafa dilo main jalane ki baat kar, phir inkalab desh mein laane ki baat kar..!.

Thus went the first song at the National Convention on Bonded Labour at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall on the second day today.

More than the rhetoric of various speakers, the singing groups, inspired 500-odd delegates from various parts of the country.

The three-day convention is being organised by the Centre for Education and Communication, New Delhi, Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan, Punjab, Jan Jagriti Kendra, Chhattisgarh, and Jeeta Vimukh Karnataka in collaboration with the UK-based Anti Slavery International. Ashok Aggarwal, a Supreme Court lawyer, emphasised the need to implement the Right to Education in order to eradicate the curse of bonded labour. As per the SC directives, whoever earns below the minimum wage, falls in the category of bonded labour.

Portraying the bonded labour as ‘Amir dharti ke garib log’, Asha Shukla, a senior journalist from Chhattisgarh, said this problem had increased women trafficking. J .John, director, Centre for Education and Communication, said the office of district magistrate which is responsible for identifying and rehabilitating this class, is itself an instrument of oppression. Gopal Iyer, an expert, said that the same problem existed in Punjab. He said that Punjab has local as well as migrant bonded labour.

Later in the evening, choruses from various states sang songs of freedom .