Bathinda, December 21
Roadies on MTV may be a thriller on the small screen but the Army is way ahead in keeping the real life show going.

Army biking expedition set out on a 14-day adventure trip on Hero Honda motorbikes to traverse a diastance of 3,250 km, mostly rough and rugged terrain, covering the Punjab, Rajasthan and Harayana, all traditional areas of recruitment for the Army.

The memories of the Roadies will come alive with daring bikers meandering in their two-wheelers, testing their riding skills and the robustness of their bikes.

Brigadier Gautam Kaur flagged off the 17-member expedition on 10 Hero Honda bikes –five Hero Honda Hunks, three Karizmas and two CBZs at a function organised at the Bathinda military cantonment here today.

The Indian Army has always associated itself with adventure. Headed by Captain Jagpreet Singh Midha, the dare-devil bikers would pass through Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Barmer and Jodhpur among other minor cities over two weeks and will come back to Bathinda on January 6, 2008.

It was the first such occasion in the city where people watched the exhilarating spectacle being organised on the occasion of the 40th Raising Day celebrations of the Parbat Ali battalion in collaboration with the Hero Honda company.

Faridkot, December 21
Absconding guard Kulwinder Singh, who was manning the Chuhar Chak railway crossing, surrendered before the Government Railway Police (GRP) today.

He compromised his duty by opening the gate before the passage of the Satluj Express, which was heading to Ferozepur from Ludhiana, which claimed as many as 17 lives on the foggy morning of December 14. An equal number of persons were injured in the accident.

The GRP, Faridkot, had registered an FIR against the guard under section 304 of the IPC and section 175 of the Railway Act.

According to the people of adjoining villages, the railway guard used to allow the mini-bus to travel across the barrier by ignoring the safety norms. Human error behind the casualty brought the working of the railways under the scanner.

In a damage control exercise, railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced immediate financial aid to the families of victims.

A high-level team had been assessing the reasons and collected the information regarding railway crossings.

Abohar, December 21
The bridge over the Malukpura minor sub-canal on the Alamgarh-Dharampura road in Abohar is in a pitiable shape and is now known as a death trap in the area.

Interestingly, even a cavalcade of the SAD (B) MP Sukhbir Singh Badal and his mother Surinder Kaur Badal had passed over this bridge to participate in social functions in the last few months.

But the authorities, it seems, were waiting for a major mishap to occur before they reconstruct the 15-feet long bridge, the farmers rued.

Besides loaded bullock-carts, scores of light as well as heavy vehicles were today seen crossing the bridge.

The bridge had virtually cracked in the middle and may collapse any time, people feared. The sidewalls too have been completely damaged.

A few weeks back, a tractor-trailer fell into the sub-canal but the persons travelling by the vehicle had a lucky escape as the canal was dry then.

Sources in the irrigation department indicated that not only the bridge needed a replacement but the sidewalls too required immediate repair.

In the past, the poor condition of the sub-canal has resulted in about a dozen breaches.

Unfortunately, the files along with the estimates for maintenance works of the bridge have been gathering dust with the officials for a long time, sources added.

Some residents said they had to pray for safety while they cross the bridge.

Bathinda, December 21
Bathinda has been selected for the introduction of an urban health mission, under which four 10-bed hospitals will be constructed in the slum areas of the city.

The state government has also approved the plan for setting up a cancer hospital in the city with state-of-the-art facilities like an oncology wing and a cobalt unit, where all facilities, from cancer detection to complete treatment, would be available. It will be a public, private partnership (PPP).

“The department is going to invite some renowned hospitals for taking land on lease and construct the hospital over here,” said Sukhdev Singh, director, health and family welfare, Punjab, at the inauguration ceremony of a three-day free health fair in the city.

The fair witnessed a large number of patients turning up on its first day at the Civil Hospital, here today. The fair provides free check-up, free treatment and free medicine to every patient.

The fair, being organised with MPLAD funds, aims at educating people about the care and preventive measures. Various stalls have been set up to educate people about the non-scalpel vasectomy and female foeticide. Giving details about the health fair, Civil Surgeon, Maninder jit Singh said, “The camp will prove its importance. It is a blessing for all patients.”

Acording to the director, health and family welfare, “The area is developing day-by-day. But it lacks modern health facilities.” He apprised that the department is doing its best to launch super specialty techniques like in Ludhiana, Chandigarh and other big cities.

He said that the department is going to introduce new techniques to reduce the death rate among women during child birth. Speaking about the incidence of cancer in the area, he said, “It is not just the Malwa region. Even the train for Bikaner has become known as the ‘Cancer Train’, as mostly cancer patients trvael by it to Bikaner for treatment. The site for the cancer hospital has been decided as a team of officials had visited Bathinda on November 20 in this regard.

MP, Bathinda, Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, who has sanctioned Rs 8 lakh for the camp from her MP’s fund, said on the occasion, “Even after decades, the area is still lagging behind in education and healthcare. Just to help and make educate the people, the central government takes such steps.”

When contacted, Punjab health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla said over telephone, “The health fairs have shown good results in Tarn Taran and Amritsar. Now, the department is hoping for better results in Bathinda. She disclosed that if anybody registering himself at the health fair needs to undergo surgery, then it would be done on a cashless basis.”

On the incidence of cancer, the minister said, “Bathinda has been facing a severe problem in this regard. To ascertain the actual cause, special teams have been formed which would soon submit their reports. Meanwhile, a 4.8 acre piece of land has been selected where a super specialty cancer hospital will be constructed. The land will belong to the state government but will be given on lease to the company that will construct the hospital there. The lease amount will be utilised for the health improvement purposes only.”

“Various renowned hospitals have shown their interest in taking the land on lease for the purpose. But the state health department would fix some pre-conditions for the treatment of poor patients at this hospital,” she added.

Abohar, December 21
The Shiromani Akali Dal (B) has started gearing up to mobilise people for participation in Maghi Mela slated for January 14 in Muktsar.

Manjit Singh Barkandi, district president of the SAD (B), today held a meeting of the local office-bearers here inside a gurdwara.

He reportedly asked those present to begin a mass contact drive in villages of their respective circles to ensure a good show. SAD’s working president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, would have a meeting with senior party office-bearers in this connection soon, he informed.

The event gains importance as the party will be holding its first such conference in the historic town after forming a coalition government in Punjab.

In the past, the Congress and an arch-rival of Badal, Simranjit Singh Mann, had held parallel conferences on the occasion. Since the SAD (A) is now termed a divided house, there were speculations over its plans.

Sources said the Congress also wants its senior leaders to visit the Maghi Mela to project that the party was a united force.

Some sources indicated that the Lok Bhalai Party, headed by Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, was also examining the possibility of holding a a conference at Muktsar.

Abohar, December 21
Residents of street 9 in the heart of the old walled city foiled a land grab attempt by timely calling in the city police last night, sources said.

According to the information available, the oldest mosque in this town was located in this street facing the main bazaar of the town.

The property came under the control of the Punjab Waqf Board after the partition. The board later leased the building, spread over 2,000 square feet area to the Arya Mahila Propkarini Sabha, which made the best of it through the Shishu Niketan Vidyalya to impart education up to primary level to kids of the locality.

However, the Sabha had to discontinue the institution after the death of Vidya Vati Arya, its chairperson. The condition of the building continued to deteriorate due to lack of maintenance.

Last year, some residents, in a representation made to the local municipal council, feared that the building might collapse any moment. The council then demolished the complex.

The demolition gave rise to many controversies. Representatives of the Punjab Waqf Board visited Abohar and resented that the council had not taken the board into confidence. A notice was mandatory before the demolition also.

Interestingly, the council turned down all protests. The residents, for the last few months, had complained to the council on many occasions that the prime land with a market value exceeding Rs 40 lakh was open to misuse.

The council did not pay attention to the problem despite the fact that a children’s school had come up near the plot.

On the eve of Id-ul-Zoha, some of the residents found masons and labourers constructing a boundary wall on the plot in haste. They informed the civil administration and the city police.

But by the time the police arrived, the masons and labourers fled. The police took some bags of cement into custody. The Punjab Waqf Board has been informed about the development, sources added.

Bathinda, December 21
Maghar Ali and Lovejeet stole the hearts of the audience at ‘Bazma’, a Sufiana Qalam nite on the second day of the Rahul Kaushal Yaadgari Festival organised at Teachers’ Home, here this evening.

A jam-packed hall witnessed sufi singing par excellence with the likes of Maghar Ali of Sham Chaurasi gharana.

Maghar performed various compositions of Bulle Shah and a classical song, ‘Main tutta dil han dekhi peere tori na.’

Though Lovejeet was a part of the joint qawali performed by Maghar Ali and Teji Gill, but with his performance lasting just a few minutes, he took everyone by surprise and emerged as the Man of the Match.

Other singers who performed at this cultural function were Dilbagh Chahal, Teji Gill and Manpreet Gill.

Abohar, December 21
The BSF on Thursday foiled yet another intrusion bid by nabbing one Bangladeshi national near here.

Sources said BSF men of 75 Bn arrested one Bilas Khan, son of Abdul Khalid and resident of village Moilganj-Dhansagar of Bhagirath district in Bangladesh, while he was trying to cross the international border near Anandsar post, 2 km away from the zero line.

The BSF found Pakistani Rupees 750, INR 484 and two identity cards from his possession. One of the cards was of Pakistan.

He also had a bus ticket, which suggested that he had travelled by J&K
transport recently.

Abohar, December 21
The shopkeepers of the bus stand market observed half-day strike to express resentment over an unauthorised tavern.

Two days ago, some elements had indulged in fight with sharp-edged weapons after consuming liquor there, the protesters said.

According to the information, the excise and taxation department had officially issued licence for a dozen liquor shops here and the licensees reportedly enjoyed the liberty of arranging a comfortable place (tavern) but scores of unauthorised shops are doing a brisk business by displaying hoarding of dhabas in different localities.

These caused a nuisance and people living around and doing other businesses felt harassed as regular drinkers thronged the taverns immediately after the sunset, the shopkeepers rued.

Regrettably, dominance of the liquor traders in the administration had scaled such heights that no one dared to initiate action.

The owner of a shop close to the municipal bus stand said some armed persons thrashed his employee Radhey Shyam when he was opening the shutter yesterday.

He had a miraculous escape, otherwise there would have been blood bath, he averred. The administration had ignored such complaints in the past also, the traders regretted.

Barnala, December 21
During a drive to check the anti-social elements, the local police arrested two persons while gambling near Sekha phatak here today.

The police arrested Pankaj and Gagndeep, while gambling, and Rs 2,850 was seized from them. A case under the Gambling Act has been registered.

In two separate incidents, the police seized 11 kg poppy husk. While Janta Singh was arrested with 7 kg of poppy husk, 4 kg of poppy husk was seized from Harbans Singh. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against both the accused.

Abohar, December 21
An undertrial committed suicide in the district jail at Hanumangarh, 61 km from here on Thursday.

Daya Ram (50), a resident of Nohar, hanged himself in the barrack. District magistrate Mugdha Sinha has ordered a magisterial inquiry by Ashwani Yadav, sources confirmed today.

Another incident of suicide was reported from Gharsana in the neighbouring Sriganganagar area. One Tara Chand, aged about 40, hanged himself in his house at village Chak 6DD. His son informed the police that the victim had gone to sleep after consuming liquor on Thursday night but was found hanging in the morning.

Mansa, December 21
The sewage from one of the banks of the Musa Branch distributory here, drawn out by the canal department in June 2007, was not picked up and is still lying at the bank.

With the passage of time, some of the sewage retreated to the canal and has disrupted the flow of water. For that, the farmers in the area are facing difficulty in irrigating their fields.

Kisan Union leader Ram Singh Bhainibagha said the situation was due to the negligence on the part of canal authorities and contractors.

He demanded regular cleansing of the canal, so that the fields could get enough water supplies for irrigation.

When XEN, canal department, Makhan Garg was contacted, he said that since the side was not approachable, the authorities are facing difficulty in removing sewage from the other side of the canal. However, he assured that it would be picked up soon.

Bathinda, December 21
The state government has been urging the farmers to quit the wheat-paddy cycle and go in for diversification as the existing cycle has increased the number of problems for the farmers.

Now, the Council for Citrus and Agri Juicing in Punjab has planned a comprehensive strategy under which they would be urging the farmers to grow more of citrus fruit trees. Under this plan, the council has laid down certain guidelines.

“For setting up an orchard under this project, the farmer should give a minimum of 10 acres of land to the council. The farmer would be given two different plans for this project. For the first plan, which will be of six years duration, the council would take land on lease from farmers for that period. The council would pay Rs 10,000 per acre for the first year and for the next five years, this amount would be increased by two per cent every year. After the end of six years, the farmer would become a 50:50 partner with the council and would be sharing all the expenditure and gains,’’ J.S. Gill, senior manager, Council for Citrus and Agri Juicing in Punjab, said.

“For the second plan, named the 12-year plan, the council would acquire land on a contract basis for a period of 12 years by paying Rs 10,000 per year for the first three years which would be increased by 20 per cent after every corresponding three years,” Gill informed.

He further added that the council already has 280 acres of land under citrus plants in Bathinda alone. “We have our orchards at 14 different sites in Bathinda district,’’ he said.

This project was started in April 2006 with merely 20 acres of land and the council had acquired 5,500 acres of land by March 2007. “Out of this, 4,000 acres is in the southern part of the state and 1,500 acres in the north. Now, we would be taking more land on lease in the state and plan to increase the area under citrus orchards to 90,000 acres in the next five years.’’

“For maintaining soil health by nitrogen fixation, we would be planting leguminous crops (gram, beans etc) in these orchards for the first three years. We are using hi-tech techniques like drip irrigation at our orchards. Due to declining water table, drip irrigation is the need of the hour,’’ Gill added.

The problem of unemployment can also be solved to some extent by this scheme, because a number of processing units are being installed in Punjab, he said.

Ferozepur, December 21
The Punjab government would spend Rs 650 crore to provide potable water, drains and sewerage system in the various villages of the state.

ukhpal Singh Nannu, chief Parliamentary secretary (Revenue), said this while laying the foundation stone of the repair works of different roads in the city here.

On the occasion, Nannu distributed Rs 2.50 crore to over 50 panchayats of Ferozepur, Ghal Khurd and Mamdot blocks for various developmental works.

He advised the sarpanch present on the occasion that they should utilise the allocated funds in proper manner and asked them to submit the list of pending development works in their respective villages.