Bathinda, December 1
Numerous programmes aimed at creating awareness about the dreaded AIDS disease marked the ‘World AIDS Day’ here today. ‘Know AIDS, No AIDS’ was the theme of the awareness campaigns that focussed on vulnerable sections like youth and illiterate labour.

The day started with awareness programmes in different parts of the town and culminated with a candlelight march organised to highlight the dangerous effects of the disease.

Community AIDS Educator, Narinder Kumar Bassi, a crusader against AIDS, was the moving spirit and hopped from place to place to cover as many people as possible. Bassi, who claims to have educated about 2.5 lakh people during the past 12 years about the need for awareness on AIDS, started the day by distributing red ribbons, symbolising AIDS, free, to all and sundry.

Bassi, along with his team, visited the railway station area. Passengers, railway staff, coolies and passers-by were given red ribbons and informed about the dangers post by the AIDS virus and the necessary precuations to stay away from the malady.

Posters were also designed with the photograph of Sri Ravi Shankar and his message on AIDS and distributed among the people.

Similar posters with a photograph of Dalai Lama were distributed last year.

Lectures on AIDS awareness were delivered at Sanatan Dharam Senior Secondary School, Punjab National Bank, Government Senior Secondary School Naurana and other places and interactive sessions were also organised by Bassi.

An awareness programme was also organised at ‘Career Point Kota’, and the principal, Ishwinder Singh, stressed upon the need to build strong character as the best precaution against the spread of AIDS. He said that AIDS awareness should be an integral part of education as the youth were more susceptible to the disease.

A march was taken out from the stadium area to railway station in which hundreds of people from all walks of life participated. The marchers were carrying banners, posters and placards with slogans about AIDS.

Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tewari flagged off a rally from the Fire Brigade Chowk to Hanuman Chowk in which thousands of students from various schools participated. The district administration also took part in the rally marked by catchy slogans against AIDS, raised by the students.

It was a serious affair at Vivekananda Girls College where a seminar was held and the principal Raj Gupta, who is also the president of Malwa AIDS Suraksha Sangathan Movement, gave a detailed account of AIDS prevalence in the country and steps taken to check it. She said that poverty, illiteracy and over indulgence in sex due to limited means of recreation were the main reasons for AIDS.

She said that India had the third highest population of AIDS-infected people, next only to South Africa and Nigeria but a silver lining was that according to the latest report of AIDS Asia, the number of HIV-positive patients has gone down from 5.7 million in 2006 to 2.5 million in 2007.

Ferozepur, December 1
The health department would establish 24 new Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) at sub-divisional hospitals in the state which would provide free counselling and testing for HIV to a person on his own free will or as advised by the medical practitioner, said Laxmi Kanta Chawala, health and family welfare minister, while presiding over a state-level function organised to mark the World AIDS Day at Mamdot village situated along the Indo-Pakistan border here today.

Sukhpal Singh, chief parliamentary secretary, KBS Sidhu, secretary (health), DC Bhagwant Singh, SSP Dinesh Pratap, N. M. Sharma, additional project director PSACS, besides senior officials from the health department were present on the occasion.

Chawla said that at present, 33 ICTCs were functioning in district hospitals, medical colleges and some selected sub-divisional hospitals in the state. She further announced that one ART (Anti Retroviral Treatment) centre would soon start functioning at the Government Medical College, Patiala with link centers at Ferozepur and Ludhiana.

The ART centre would provide a comprehensive package of services for PLWHA/AIDS patients including free ARV drugs, diagnosis and treatment of opportunistic infections and preventive education, revealed the minister.

Already two such centers are functional at Government Medical College, Amritsar and Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, she said. On the occasion, Chawla exhorted her colleagues, municipal councilors and village panchayats to come forward and spread awareness about this dreaded disease. The health minister, in what is the first instance of its type, exhorted the religious bodies to help create awareness on AIDS prevention.

Commissioner Ayush and secretary of health K.B.S. Sidhu also addressed the gathering. Swaran Singh, Chief Medical Officer, extended a welcome to the minister and gave a presentation about the measures undertaken by the local health department to prevent AIDS.

Earlier, Chawla inspected an exhibition on HIV/AIDS set up by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society (PSACS) on awareness at the venue. A rally was also taken out on HIV/AIDS awareness in which students drawn from various schools and colleges participated.

On the occasion, skits and songs were also presented by the school students. It is pertinent to mention that Punjab has 2,635 HIV-positive patients on therapy, which is the highest in northern India.

As per the directions of Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, executive chairman of the Punjab Legal Service Authority, the World AIDS Day was also observed here in the session courts complex.

On the occasion, Birinder Singh in charge of the district and sessions court, said that people suffering from this disease should neither be socially discriminated nor should they be deprived from basic human rights.

The function was also addressed by J.P.S. Wahniwal, civil judge, Subhash Sharma, district attorney, Navneet Gupta, ADA (Legal), Vipan Wadhawan and Harbans Lal Chhabra, both advocates.

Fazilka: An AIDS awareness seminar was held on the premises of the Truck Union here to mark the World AIDS Day. SDM Fazilka, Rajiv Prashar, additional sub-divisional judicial magistrate, S.S. Mann, judicial magistrate Jarnail Singh, Bar association president, Anil Jain, Truck Union president Sandeep Kalra and medical officer of the civil hospital of Fazilka, Davinder Kumar Bhukkal, were present at the seminar.

While addressing the seminar in which a large number of truck drivers and conductors were present, Bhukkal said they were more prone to AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases due to unsafe sex. He highlighted the causes and preventive measures.

He said that the major cause of AIDS is unsafe sex, re-use of needles and transfusion of HIV-positive blood to other patients and delivery of child by AIDS affected mother. He said that AIDS is an incurable disease and its prevention is the only treatment. 

Mansa: An AIDS Awareness rally was organised here today on the eve of the World AIDS Day.   Avtar Singh Jarewal, civil surgeon Mansa, gave a green signal to this rally.  School students, teachers, social organisations and medical students and employees participated in this rally.  AIDS awareness messages were written on the banners.  On this occasion, a representative of the World Health Organisation Yang Chan Delma awakened the people against the dreaded diseases. 

He had also given information about different medical techniques for Pulse Polio.  Some competitions at the Senior Secondary School for Girls were organised.  Ranjit Singh and Inderjit Singh gained the first position.  Harpreet Singh and Tehal Singh’s teams earned the second position.  Third position went gone in the favour of Hans Raj and Hardeep Singh.

Abohar, December 1
Apprehending a spurt in the activities of intruders and smugglers during the ensuing winter season, all ranks of the Border Security Force (BSF) had been asked to maintain extra vigil, BSF DIG V. K. Sharma said.

Talking to newsmen on the sidelines of the 43rd Raising Day celebrations at the sector headquarters here this afternoon, Sharma said opium cultivation in the neighboring countries had increased manifold and the political turmoil there might 
also increase the scope of intrusions from the other side of the international border.

All border observation posts would be put on alert throughout the day, as there had been some attempts for intrusion in broad daylight also in the neighbouring sectors, he said.

The BSF would further strengthen relationship with the residents of villages in the border areas besides ensuring feedback from ex- servicemen. It would also be ensured that the funds received from the central government for the Border Area Development Projects were utilised properly, he further said.

Regular meetings would be held by the officials in villages in the border areas to redress their problems, he informed. Possibilities of shifting the wire fencing closer to the border would also be examined to enable cultivation across the fencing, he assured.

Ex-servicemen from Ferozepur, Faridkot, Mansa, Muktsar and Bathinda districts were invited on the eve of Raising Day today. The widow of a jawan, Nihal Singh, too traversed a long distance to join in the celebrations. Elaborate transportation facilities were made at the local bus stand to give a lift to the guests up to the sector headquarters. Folk songs of neighbouring states and sapera dance performance entertained jawans and officers besides a grand performance by the BSF band to the accompaniment of old tunes. Bada Khana provided ex-servicemen the opportunity to interact and revive memories. 

Some of the old-timers like Boota Singh, Swaran Singh, Pehalwan Singh, Jagga Singh, Satnam Singh and Nawab said they had opted for the BSF after the merger of PAP in 1967 and had the privilege of protecting borders against the Pakistan aggression in 1971.

Assistant Commandant R. K. Wadhwa was decorated with Keerti Chakra for act of bravery at Raja Mahatam border post, they remembered. They felt young even in the late seventies after attending the raising day celebrations today. Vinod Kapur said he was feeling short of words in expressing pleasure. They were assured of supplies through “Prehari” CSD canteen besides, extension of medical facilities through the BSF hospitals and dispensaries.

Bathinda, December 1
To facilitate meaningful interaction between war widows (Veer Nari) and functionaries responsible for their welfare, the Veer Nari Meet was organised at the Bathinda Military Station today.

Savita Sharma, wife of Brigadier N.P. Sharma, Station Cdr, Bathinda Military Station, presided over the programme. Several person including functionaries of AWWA and various military and civil officials also attended the function.

Sources in the Bathinda Military Station said that Veer Naris, who had scarified their most precious possession — their husbands — for the safety of the country, need special concern and commitment to their welfare. Therefore, Veer Nari Meet is organised at Bathinda Military Station every year.

Addressing the gathering, Savita Sharma explained various welfare schemes and exhorted the war widows to avail of maximum benefits. She offered assistance in training of desirous Veer Naris at the Chetak Vocational Training Centre (CVTC).

She also said that AWWA would provide self-employment opportunities to Veer Naris and women of ESM families to live a life of dignity. She also interacted with Gurdial Kaur, wife of Late Subedar Joginder Singh, who was awarded Param Vir Chakra during Indo-China war.

The Veer Naris also interacted with other officials from the ESM helpline, ESHS, DPDO and District Soldier Board wherein they were informed about details of new schemes and provided assistance to solve their existing problems. 

Bathinda, December 1
Reader’s feast! Yes, it is true. Sponsored by the human resource and development ministry, the National Book Trust of India has chosen Bathinda for showcasing its huge treasure. The venue is Govt Rajindra College.

Fairy tales, biographies, autobiographies, science and science fiction, folk-lores, poetry and music, in 16,000 titles in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English are all there. There are around 32 publishers and booksellers displaying their stuff at 41 stalls.

Most of the stalls belong to local publishers from Moga, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. But Sahitya Akademi stands alone with its award winning literature.

This is the first time the National Book Trust has come to Bathinda. Last time, they organised a book fete in Jalandhar. This is the eighth time that they are showcasing their books in Punjab.

“We sold around 40-50 lakh copies in Jalandhar and we are expecting the same response here,” said Dr Baldev Singh, from the NBT.

Some big names who added zing to the fair were Sahitya Akademi award winners Ajmer Singh Aulakh, Ram Sarup Ankhi and Mohan Bhandari. Speaking on the occasion, Mohan Bhandari said books can revive sensitivity in man.

Three books, Bharat Diyan Lok Kathanva by Nagarjun, 1857 Di Bagawat by P.C. Joshi and Bandi Bol were also launched today.

Forget Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code, Friedmans and Paul Coelhos. Indian literature is here in a big way. Fix your date with Sahirs, Pritams and all.

And, bibliophiles rejoice, you will get a discount of 10 per cent or more on every purchase. 

Ferozepur, December 1
In another such incident within a week pertaining to the alleged kidnapping of a school boy, Tushar, 4, a student of nursery studying in Grammar School was reported missing after some unidentified motor-cycle borne persons took him away from the school.

According to the information, today in the morning, Tushar had gone to school along with his brother Karan, who is a student of Class II in the same school. Ramesh Kumar, their father, an employee in the district education office, said that at around 10:30 am, a motorcycle-borne person went to the school and took both the boys with him, after falsely introducing himself as their uncle.

Ramesh further revealed that after some time, his elder son was dropped back near their house in Bazar Number 3 in cantonment area, whereas the younger one had not returned till the time of reporting. He alleged that since they did not know anyone resembling the identity of the motorcyclist, it seems that someone had intentionally kidnapped their child.

It is pertinent to mention that on Monday last, two teenagers had enacted a 
kidnapping drama just to skip school, which had put the entire police force on its toes.

When contacted, SSP Dinesh Pratap said that the police was trying to establish the identity of the motorcyclist who had come to school. He said that the police teams have been dispatched to various locations to find the missing child.

Barnala, December 1
The local court of additional district and sessions judge Vivek Puri awarded life imprisonment to all the seven accused in a murder case, here today. Those convicted are Karnail Singh, Jeet Singh, Jagroop Singh, Jugraj Singh, Jagsir Singh, Bhola Singh and Dara Singh. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on them. In case of non-payment of fine, they will have to undergo an additional imprisonment of one year.

According to the prosecution’s Jagjit Singh Dhillon, Balbir Singh, panchayat member of Shaina village, was going to Barnala on his scooter accompanied by his brother Wazir Singh on September 19, 2005.

Intentionally, one of the accused threw a cycle before the scooter of Balbir Singh and both fell down. After he fell down, someone lifted Balbir Singh and took him to a nearby secluded place where Karnail Singh, Jeet Singh, Jagroop Singh, Jugraj Singh, Jagsir Singh, Bhola Singh, Dara Singh are learnt to have beaten him up, leaving him bleeding badly.

After that, Wazir Singh took Balbir to the civil hospital in Barnala. However, owing to his critical condition, he was referred to Ludhiana. Balbir succumbed to his injuries on way to Ludhiana.

A case under sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC was registered against the accused.

Abohar, December 1
By qualifying in the overseas services test , Savant Singh Dhindsa (23), a resident of the old Suraj Nagari here, makes his way into the Army of the United Kingdom as a non-commissioned officer (NCO).

This will be the lone entry from Punjab state this year under the overseas selection programme for the Commonwealth countries. He was greeted by the officials in Wembley recently.

Satvant, son of a government school teacher, Ajinder Singh Dhindsa, did his matriculation from Assumption Convent School and 10+2 from the DAV College here. Later, he acquired proficiency in computer engineering and information technology at the Institute of Management and Information Technology, Malout, 30 km from here. He had won the President’s Medal as a scout and was also recognised as a national player in kabaddi.

Early this year, he hit the headlines by presenting a research paper at the Third International Conference on Technology, Knowledge and Society in Cambridge. 

Bathinda, December 1
Renowned playwright Habib Tanveer's 'Jis Lahore nahi vekhya', which has been spreading the message of communal harmony across the Indo-Pak borders since its creation in 1990, was staged here tonight by the Pakistani artistes.

Leading her troupe 'Tehrik-e-Niswan', Karachi-based Sheema Kermani presented the one-and-a-half hour play at the Rajindra College auditorium, which echoed with the poetry of Nasir, one of the characters of the play. The play revolves around an old Hindu woman, who was left behind in her 'haveli' in Lahore during the partition but she gradually became the beloved of Muslims after the communal carnage.

The message of Maulvi, another positive character, was clear that the religion of any person has never been by choice and, thus, one should try to understand his or her own faith rather than curbing the fellow human beings of another faith.

The troupe had earlier presented the play at Faridkot and Muktsar. Today's show was organized by 'Symphony' — an international society of poets, writers and artistes.

Before the show, noted Punjabi writer Dr Baljinder Nasrali was honoured with 'Symphony International Award in fiction- 2007' for his novel 'Veehvi sadi di akhri katha' written in the background of the phase of militancy in Punjab. 

Abohar, December 1
Anwar Jafri and Sheema Kirmani, directors of the Tehreek-e-Niswan group from Pakistan, said all misgivings about people in East Punjab had worn off because of the hospitality par excellence, which the troupe had enjoyed last week. Parantha and lassi here ensured that they did not become homesick, they added.

They were expressing their views informally during a reception hosted by the Lok Kala Kendra here at the cooperative bank guesthouse last night. Relaxing after two hours of performance in the DAV College auditorium, the visitors even joined the hosts for folk dance.

The troupe had arrived to stage Jinney Lahore Nahin Vekhya, a play based on the partition of the country. Interestingly, ‘Sparsh’, a local theatre group led by Gaurav Vij of the DAV College had also staged the same play here last year. Last night’s show by artistes from Pakistan was sponsored by the Natrang Theatre Society.

Senior functionaries of the Lok Kala Kendra including Iqbal Singh Godara, Rajinder Singh Jakhar, G. S. Chahal and Tirlok Singh Brar welcomed the stage artists from the neighbouring country and presented gifts.

Sheema Kirmani said the troupe was amazed to find hundreds of women driving two-wheelers in this part of Punjab. On their side, they can drive four-wheelers only after rolling down the glasses.

However, drug addiction among youth was equally alarming on both sides of the border. This would have to be tackled, the artistes felt.

Barnala, December 1
Coming to the rescue of an aggrieved family, a philanthropic organisation handed over a minor missing girl to her parents. Jagir Singh Jagtar, general secretary of the Bhagat Mohan Lal Sewa Samiti (BMLSS) said that Sunita (13) ran from her home in Chandigarh on Friday. She reached Barnala and hired a rickshaw. The rickshaw-puller learnt that this minor girl had run away from her home as she put up her anklets to pay him. He took Sunita to Lachman Dass, president of the BMLSS.

Lachman Dass tried to enquire about the home address of the girl, but Sunita kept on giving false addresses. The samiti member reported the matter to the police. Sunita remained with a family of the BMLSS that night. Today, lady cops enquired from Sunita. It was then that she said her parents reside in sector 56, Chandigarh. The samiti informed the parents of Sunita. Narinder Singh, Sunita’s father, along with neighbours reached Barnala. Only after satisfying the samiti with identity proof was Sunita allowed to go with them.—OC

Barnala, December 1
To protest against the Indo-US nuclear deal and happenings at Nandigram in West Bengal, the Inqlabi Kendra, Punjab, held a demonstration near the civil hospital here on Friday.

Accusing the union as well as the West Bengal government of taking anti-people decisions, Kendra leaders asserted that if these decisions were not rolled back, it could prove detrimental for the country’s progress.—OC