Bathinda, December 7
Kicking a boom in the price of landed property in this town, which is considered backwaters of Punjab, a 21,780 square yard piece of prime land in the heart of the city today fetched a fabulous price of about Rs.184 crores. The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) put the piece of land to auction.

The civil hospital earlier stood on the piece of land but was now the plot was lying vacant for the past some time.

Initially, the pace of bid remained slow than that was expected, but finally the freehold commercial land fetched more than Rs.84,400 per square yard to the PUDA’s kitty.The highest bid was given by a Delhi based firm, Best Group of Companies, which bagged the plot.

The auction of the land, scheduled to start at 11.30 am, began at 1 pm, which caused uneasy moments among the bidders.

The reserved price of the land on The Mall road, was fixed as Rs 62,000 per square yard with the five percent eligibility fee in the shape of demand draft.

There were only four bidder groups, Best group, V.V. hotels, Himachal group and Parasmani land promoters who arrived at the venue of auction. The interesting point observed was the first the bid was raised to Rs.62,500, with the addition of Rs 500 per square yard by the Best group, which culminated at Rs.84,400 per square yard by the same group.

The bid that started at Rs.62,000 touched onlty Rs.75,100 till 5.30 pm. Getting frustrated over the 100 bucks move, some of the bidder groups, requested the Deputy Commissioner, to return their eligibility fee, as they were of the view that it was not a proper auction. The bidders also alleged that the authorities were just wasting their time. Some of them were found talking to the DC to disclose the minimum price, at which the authorities wanted to sale the land so that they could start only from that point.

After 5.30 the bid jumped and within less than an hour, it reached the final stage.

H.S. Arora, managing director, Best Group of companies said, “It has gone beyond our expectation, but competition never look at any side.” About the future plan, he parried the query and said, it was yet to be decided.

The closest bidder, a city based, Sewak Ram Bhola, the representative of Himachal group described the bid as beyond their reach, but there was no regret even if we have lost the auction, he added.

The other competitor, Ludhiana based, Vikas Passi of Parasmani Land Promoters said, “I was very close to the final bid, but I had not expected it to reach so high.”

In the congratulating ceremony, the Deputy Commissioner, Rahul Tewari said, “Even though there were not many bidders, but the land has been sold at the good value.”

On the other side, it may be mentioned here that before the auction started, not only the ‘land mafia’ but the government was also of a view to sell the piece at much higher price, which could not be met.

When contacted, working president of the ruling SAD, Sukhbir Singh Badal, was in a jubilant mood over the high amount fetched by the land. He said it indicates that the investors have realized the development potential of the town.

Sukhbir said that the hype created by the SAD led government has resulted in the investors looking towards Bathinda that had so far remained neglected.

Bathinda, December 7
Putting the bickering with the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) at the backburner, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which is its ally in Punjab, has not lagged behind in putting up hoardings and posters throughout the town greeting Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on his birthday that is being celebrated here on Saturday.

Both parties have created a hype of tomorrow’s public rally and other functions and were busy trying to mobilize their supporters to the sports stadium that would be the venue of the main public meeting in which BJP stalwart L.K.Advani and former chief minister of Haryana, Om Parkash Chautala will be present.

All busy crossings and roads have been decorated with colourful hoardings bearing pictures of Atal Behari Vajpayee, L.K.Advani, Parkash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh, BJP chief, Sukhbir Singh Badal, working president of SAD, and other senior leaders of both parties.

Not a single electric post in the city has been left without a poster wishing Badal many happy returns of the day.

A local BJP leader said that the party has received instructions from the high command to wholeheartedly participate in the function. He said that the BJP has got separate hoardings printed for the occasion. Pictures of ministers belonging to the BJP have also been included in these flexes.

Badal would first lay foundation stone of the district headquarters of the SAD and also an international level cricket stadium before reaching the sports stadium to address the public meeting. The entire route has been decorated with posters, buntings and arches giving a festive look to the town.

SAD activists have put up separate hoardings and have deployed a fleet of buses to carry people from the neighbouring districts to the venue of the main celebrations. Security has been beefed up in the town.

Senior leaders of the BJP held a meeting in the circuit house this morning to mobilize their cadres for celebrating Badal’s birthday.

Bathinda, December 7
Jagrup Singh Brar, a second time MLA from Surrey-Panorama Ridge in British Columbia (Canada), who is on a three-week personal visit to India has said that he is working with the Indian Government to improve the system to attract the NRI investment in Punjab.

``But for this purpose, Indian as well as the Punjab government has to step forward and make its system more transparent, less time consuming and easy for NRIs. Even the rules and regulations should be relaxed for them,’’ Brar said this while talking exclusively to TNS here this evening.

He also congratulated the Punjab government for creating a NRI cell for helping those settled abroad.

Brar, who is accompanied by his wife Rajwant and daughter Noor, said, ``Each and every NRI in Canada wants to invest in its mother country. We NRIs have two hearts, one heart is always attached to India and one heart is here for Canada. I always request all NRIs, let us get together, improve ourselves here as well as help our brothers and sisters in India. But due to some bad experiences, they had in India; people back home are somewhat reluctant to invest in India. The government should formulate policies that should create a sense of trust amongst them.’’

Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia had recently said that for want of skilled manpower, British Columbia is now looking towards Punjab and Haryana for human resource. Campbell also said that people from India, especially Punjab, could fill the shortage of 3.5 lakh people required for jobs that still remained vacant due to shortage of manpower over the next 10 to 12 years.

Commenting on this, Brar, who is from the opposition party in BC Assembly said, ``It is good that the BC government has showed faith in people from Punjab but the BC government should also make some changes in their system of hiring people. Credentials of people, who have studied in India, should be considered at par with those in Canada.’’

Bathinda, December 7
Negotiations to end the standoff between the police and the lawyers could not reach any conclusion till Friday night.

The lawyers stuck to their stand to arrest the Sub inspector and his subordinates, in question.

The advocates threatened to put blockades on the Bathinda-Goniana road on the occasion of the Chief Minister’s birthday on Saturday, to mark their protest.

The protesting advocates stated that they were ready to face arrest as the issue was related to their dignity.

Meanwhile, work remained suspended in all courts in the district, the advocates also said that all bar associations of the state suspended their work in support of the Bathinda District Bar Association.

The advocates continued their dharna outside the mini-secretariat, here today.

SP (H), DS Maan met the protesters and said that the Sub-inspector and one of his subordinates have been sent to the Police Lines. But the protesters remained adamant to their demand for registering the case against the policemen in question.

In the late evening, a delegation of 20 lawyers met the Deputy Commissioner at his residence, but the negotiations remained futile.

On his part, the sub inspector in question, Bhagwant Singh, on phone, said, “It is not fair, the guilty people are showing themselves as victim. All of them were drunk that night, when I insisted for their medically test, they pleaded for not doing so. All the protesters are just trying to suppress the truth by showing the strength, he alleged. 

Bathinda, December 7
Armed Forces Flag Day, a reminder to the people about the sacrifices made by soldiers of three forces during war and peace, was observed with solemnity here today.

Brigadier Bant Singh (retd.), Vice President District Sainik Welfare Board, Bathinda pinned the flag on Deputy Commissioner, Rahul Tiwari, Senior Superintendent of Police Naunihal Singh and other dignitaries, a ritual followed every year, to raise funds for welfare of needy ex-servicemen, widows and dependents.

Variety shows and carnivals were organised at some places to mark the day by Armed Forces formation and units. Flag Day messages were also displayed to prop up collection. Token flags and car flags in red, deep blue and light blue, representing the three services were distributed to the public by District Sanik Board in lieu of donations. The people generously contributed for the noble cause.

The Flag Day is observed on December 7 every year after the Independence of the Nation and the funds collected on this day are kept separately at the office of District Sainik Welfare Officer. A committee headed by deputy Commissioner is in place to provide financial assistance to the needy and the DC is authorised to give assistance upto Rs 5000 while the District Sainik Welfare Officer powers are limited to Rs 1000 to each needy.

District Sanik welfare officer, Lt Col. B.S. Mann informed that the practice was prevelant even before independence and the funds were collected by sticking  ‘paper poppies’.

He said heads of the schools were also requested to educate the students about the significance and relevance of Flag Day fund, as also to inculcate a feeling of patriotism among the youth and arouse concern about the welfare of ex-servicemen and their families.

Fazilka, December 7
The chief safety commissioner of the Northern Railway, Bhupinder Singh on Friday visited the Fazilka railway station to monitor speed of trains and to carry out inspection of railway tracks on the Fazilka-Ferozepur section.

Members of the consumer association of Fazilka, led by its president Harmit Singh, met the chief safety commissioner and apprised him of their long pending demands and the problems of the railway passengers of Fazilka and surrounding areas.

They demanded that machinery installed for unreserved ticket system (UTS) begins operation, as of now no employee had been appointed to operate the UTS.

They also rued the platform’s bad condition.

The demand to build an overbridge to link platform number 1 and 2 was also raised. Besides, restarting the midnight train from Fazilka to Delhi, setting up of washing line at Fazilka and conversion of unmanned railway crossing on the outskirts of the town near Penchanwali were also discussed with the chief safety commissioner.

Muktsar, December 7
In a tragic incident, four employees of the PUNSUP were killed in a road accident, which occurred at Kotli Road, here on Friday night.

According to sources, the car in which they were travelling skidded into a minor irrigation canal on the city outskirts.

The deceased, who were returning to Muktsar after inspecting rice-shelling units, have been identified as PUNSUP field officers Bahadur Singh and Gurmukh Singh, clerks-Banarsi Dass and Paramjeet Singh. Sources said that they were declared brought dead at a private hospital here.

Bodies would be sent to the civil hospital on Saturday morning for the post-mortem examination, the police said. 

Abohar, December 7
Residents of Arya Nagar here staged a dharna in front of residence of the SDM today demanding probe into the mysterious missing of a Dalit youth, Monu. Later, the protesters marched to his office shouting slogans against the police and the state government. At the SDM’s office they again staged a protest.

They suspected a foul play of Monu been pushed to fall into the canal.

Local authorities said thecase could be registered in the Fazilka sub-division, as Arniwala, where the incident occurred, was in Fazilka. But officials at Fazilka said since orchestra operator of Abohar had engaged the deceased, the complaint be lodged at Abohar only. They demanded action against the orchestra-owner and others for their alleged negligence. — OC

Muktsar, December 7
‘Saudagar’, a Punjabi adaptation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice’, will be staged at the Red Cross auditorium here on Saturday.

The comedy, directed by Preetpal Rupana of ‘Kadam Kala Manch’, touches the relevant issues pertaining not only to the trading community or capitalism, but also the social problems of the modern contemporary world. 

Rupana, who graduated from the National School of Drama (NSD) of Delhi a decade back, said this was perhaps for the second time in Punjabi theatre that a Shakespearean comedy was being adapted, dealing with the people’s psyche in this changing phase of the trading community, presently being dominated by the multinational companies.

He hoped that the play would help in spreading the theatre culture in the Malwa region.

Moga, December 7
To mark Armed Forces Flag Day, a district level function was jointly organised by Sainik Welfare Board (SWB) and district administration with the active support of the army here today.

The SWB and the army distributed Rs one lakh among families of 20 ex-servicemen. Besides, Seetal Singh, Parliamentary secretary, gave Rs one lakh to the SWB from his discretionary fund for welfare of the families of former soldiers. Earlier, wreaths were laid at the bust of martyr Joginder Singh, Param Vir Chakra, near district court complex. — TNS

Faridkot: District administration, Sainik Welfare Board and the army celebrated Armed Forces Flag Day here on Friday. Photographs of martyrs Naib Singh Gill and Havildar Bachitar Singh, Ashok Chakra, were paid floral tributes. Ex-servicemen Kartar Singh, Mukhtiar Singh and Kuldeep Singh were given Rs 5,000 each while Balbir Kaur, wife of ex-serviceman Chand Singh, received Rs 10,000 on the occasion. — TNS

Ferozepur:The district administration has distributed a grant of Rs 25 lakh under different schemes for the welfare of ex-servicemen in Ferozepur district, deputy commissioner Bhagwant Singh said while presiding over the meeting of Sainik Board in connection with Flag Day here today. The DC said the soldiers, who attained martyrdom or were handicapped during any insurgency operation, would be provided with financial help. The DC honoured the officials who had made financial contribution on the Flag Day. — OC