Bathinda, January 15
Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Avtar Singh Makkar today flayed SAD (A) president Simranjit Singh Mann as someone given to verbose claims.

Taking Mann to task, the SGPC chief said he would welcome it if Mann could produce the objectionable CD that he had claimed he would at a public meeting in Moga district a day earlier. It may be mentioned that Mann had threatened to produce CDs on eminent personalities involved in objectionable acts.

On the issue of CDs involving Daljeet Singh Bedi, the SGPC president said that initially, investigation by a five-member committee had found Bedi free of the charges levelled against him. “So, a clean chit was issued. But when another newspaper published his objectionable photographs, he was immediately dismissed.”

Refuting the allegation that the incident had tarnished the image of the SGPC, he said, “Whatever we could do, we have done.”

Avtar Singh was in the city on a personal visit to the residence of SGPC member Bibi Davinder Kaur.

Reviewing his performance during his fresh tenure as SGPC chief, he said, “We have passed a resolution that three kind of persons— rapists, thieves and drug addicts— will not be allowed into the SGPC on any condition. Acting according to the resolution, I have dismissed 60 people,” the SGPC chief said.

On the district administration’s denial of permission to Dera Sacha Sauda for holding a religious function at Salabatpura, he said, “The Dera chief should avoid such activities as the situation is not yet calm in the state.”

On the issue of SGPC, which is a religious body but is concerned with politics, Avtar Singh said, “Both should not be termed as separate. But the need of the hour is to ensure that politics does not take over religious matters. If both can be in harmony, then it can set an example.”

“Sikhs have always accepted that religion and politics go together. For the Sikhs, both are collective as the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Committee were formed within a month’s gap in 1920,” he said.

When Avtar Singh was asked about the Khalsa Action Committee’s (KAC) charge that CM Parkash Singh Badal was not secular because of his involvement in SGPC affairs, he clarified, “The KAC and other such committees have nothing else to do but level allegations.”

Asked about his relationship with Paramjit Singh Sarna, chief, SAD (Delhi), he said, “Sarna tried to shield some criminal elements, so he has been facing the music.”

On the issue of dispute over Gurudwara Sangat Civil Station’s elected pannel, he said that if the matter comes before the SGPC, then approprate action would be taken.”

Bathinda, January 15
Tension gripped the city as the Dera-Sikh controversy erupted again, this time in the Gurunanak Pura Mohalla, late in the evening. Despite the order issued by the district administration, a family, believed to be dera followers, reportedly performed the ‘Naam Charcha’ ceremony. In retaliation, Sikhs attacked their house and threatened them with dire consequences.

The neighbourhood was tense as no one was even willing to speak of the incident. To instill confidence among the people, a large police contingent lead by the ASP (City) was deployed in the area.

As per the reports, Labh Singh and his family, along with close acquaintances, performed the Naam Charcha. When the Sikhs went to stop them, a heated argument ensued which took an ugly turn as Sikhs attacked their house. The main gate of the house was reportedly torn apart and the crowd pelted stones at the inmates.

When Kirpal Singh, son of Labh Singh was contacted, he said, “We were just celebrating the birthday of my son. Someone misguided the Sikhs that we were performing Naam Charcha at home. After getting the information, Sikhs came in hundreds laced with swords and lathis. They thrashed me, but I somehow managed to save myself and bolted the door. They then hurled stones and bricks at our house, but we escaped. Only my mother received minor injuries.”

Kirpal Singh gave a statement to the police in which he is believed to have named some persons belonging to his locality along with others whom he could not identify.

Confirming that two persons had been rounded up, ASP (City) Harsh Kumar Bansal said, “We have started rounding up persons whose identity the complainant has revealed to us.. To verify the complaint and the actual facts, we will have to detain them and record their statements.”

Before leaving the place, police personnel including DSP (Security) Parminder Pal Singh, SHO Kotwali Davinder Singh and a number of PCR policemen took a round of the area to instill confidence among people living in the area.

It may be mentioned that a similar incident had taken place on November 30 last year in Bhai Mati Das Nagar area of the city. 

Faridkot, January 15
Member of Parliament from Faridkot, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also working president, SAD (B), blamed the previous Congress governments at the Centre and the state for not giving due importance to healthcare.

He was here to kick off a three-day health fair being held at the Nehru Stadium. Comparing Indian healthcare policy with other developed nations, Sukhbir said that it had not received adequate attention.

As many as 72 stalls for treating different ailments had been set up. These related to heart care, cancer, TB, dentistry, orthopaedic, paediatric and others. Besides, ayurvedic, homoeopathic practitioners and yoga trainers were also available to guide the patients.        

To provide health facilities at one place, gadgets for X-ray, ultrasound, ECG were made available free of cost. Even medicines were given free of cost following prescription from medical experts. Claiming healthcare to be one of the top priorities of the SAD-BJP coalition government in the state, Sukhbir said it was committed to removing lacunae in scarcity of doctors, sophisticated gadgets and medicines. About the miserable condition of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, he said it would be upgraded into a model university within a year. He also informed that the Parkash Singh Badal government was in touch with two leading pharmaceutical companies, Ranbaxy and Max, for setting up a centre in Malwa to deal with cancer. Talking about NABARD assisted Rs 1,280 crore rural water supply scheme, he informed that 50 villages in the district would benefit from this scheme.

He laid the foundation stone for the construction of a community hall for the Bawaria community. He also inaugurated water supply centres at six villages, namely, Bholuwala, Jhottiwala, Channiya, Sadiq, Kingra and Chet Singhwala. DC V.K. Meena urged residents of the district to get optimum benefit from the camp by seeking help from medical experts.

Ferozepur, January 15
The state government would soon employ 155 medical specialists and the PPSC has been instructed to carry out the recruitment formalities in this regard, said Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Health Minister, while laying foundation stone for the new waiting lounge and mortuary cell on the premises of the Civil Hospital here today.

Chawla was accompanied by Sukhpal Singh Nannu, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Revenue), DC Bhagwant Singh, SSP Dinesh Pratap, S.S. Walia (civil surgeon), M.P. Singh SDM, M.S. Tinna SMO, besides senior government officials.

Talking to media persons, Chawla said that the health department had launched a massive campaign against sale of spurious medicines, female foeticide and adulteration, adding that already spurious medicines worth over Rs 1.5 crore had been confiscated in less than three months.

Chawla also said that in order to strengthen the ayurvedic system, the state government would soon initiate the process for recruitment of ayurvedic doctors.

She said that the government had received a grant of Rs 10 crore under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for nurturing the ayurvedic system. She added that the ayurvedic hospital in Patiala, which was closed, has been started again.

Chawla said that the government had embarked on a proposal to open two special cancer hospitals in Mohali and Bathinda, under the public-private partnership system. She also said that 27 new blood banks, having a capacity of 30 units each, would be opened. She added that blood-testing facilities would also be provided at these centres.

Chawla said that to provide better facilities to patients, Rs 3 crore was being spent in each district of the state to open new therapy units. 

The meet would not only be a warm-up session for the international shooters leaving for the pre-Olympic camp at Sydney next month, but also an opportunity for the budding girls to get exposed to the world-class shooting range.

"I am looking forward to the event before my Sydney visit as this range would tell us lot many things which we normally miss at home," said Avneet Sidhu, the gold medallist of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games who won the silver at the 33rd Guwahati National Games.

The new shooting range on the Dasmesh Girls College campus here would be another surprise for the international shooters of the North, said Punjab Sports Director Pargat Singh, who expressed his hope that the three-day event would change the scenario of shooting in the region.

The inauguration of the range, to coincide with the first-ever National Women Air Weapons Meet, would be presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who has been instrumental to rope in eminent coach Parimal Chaterjee all the way from Kolkata to train the budding girls at the college's shooting academy.

Camping here for nearly three months now, Chaterjee said that the National Rifles Association of India secretary general Baljit Singh Sethi and other NRAI officials had also expressed their happiness at this newly built shooting range.

These officials had visited the range on Saturday and gave the Association's nod to hold the event. 

Moga, January 15
A local court sent Phamanjit Singh, son of DSP (Vigilance) and his accomplice Ishpreet Singh to police remand for looting Rs 28,000 from a person, today.

Ashok Baath, officiating SSP, said that both of them were apprehended day before yesterday from a naka on Gill road after they had committed the crime. The accused were riding an Enfield motorcycle without a number plate.

A case was registered on a complaint by Sukhpal Singh of Vedanta Nagar at south city police station. He stated that the two youths on a motorcycle approached him when he was returning home and asked about Ferozepur road. However, a few minutes later, they again approached him and took out sharp-edged weapons and looted cash from him.

Abohar, January 15
Diwan Chand Verma, executive officer of the local municipal council, had been 
placed under suspension, sources said.

According to the available information, D.S.Bains, principal secretary of the local government, had on January 11 issued a letter, DSS/MSS/2008/20, to this effect. Verma would be issued a charge-sheet later. He was to retire on January 31. Earlier, the government had reportedly divested him of financial and administrative powers, pending investigations by the chief vigilance officer of the department into allegations levelled against him in the complaints lodged by Ram Kishan Mittal, state vice-president (local bodies’ cell) of the Bharatiya Janata Party and councillor Suversha Narang.

The department had given additional charge of the council to D.K. Goyal, EO, Talwandi Bhai, recently. Verma had tried to get a resolution passed by the council that all monetary benefits must be allowed to him before the day of superannuation, sources said.

Verma had strongly refuted the allegations levelled by the BJP men terming them as politically motivated.—OC

Barnala, January 15
The Punjab and Chandigarh Teachers Union held a demonstration in support of their long pending demands, before the office of the deputy commissioner, here today.

The union leaders strongly condemned the abolition of the Service Security Act over the unaided posts of affiliated colleges, which was otherwise in practice. They lamented that this Act was abolished in the last session of the Assembly by the state government, which was a betrayal for private teachers. They demanded from the state government that it take back its decision. While addressing the demonstration, state secretary of the union, Prem Kumar Sharma, said that the government had made big promises to the teachers’ union during the election time, but now it was behaving irresponsibly.

He said the main demands of the union included adjusting the surplus posts created by shifting 10+2 to schools, implementation of the UGC guidelines in colleges and sanctioning 95 per cent grants to the affiliated colleges. —OC

Abohar: Members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union from the DAV College, DAV College of Education and Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College assembled at the DAV campus here on Tuesday and held a protest rally.

They burnt copies of the Amended Service Security Act of 1974 while highlighting their long-pending demands. The teachers urged the state government to withdraw the amendment and accept the charter of demands in letter and spirit immediately.—OC

Barnala, January 15
The Likhrai Sabha of Barnala organised a symposium on short story collection, “Tai Hina challi gai”, penned by Sharnjeet Kaur, at the Bansal Charitable Trust, here today. In his presidential address, Sahit Shiromnai award winner novelist, Om Parkash Gasso, said that the main role of a writer was to make society sensitive towards its rich values, but the sorry state of affairs was that today’s polity was heading towards consumerism.

Kulwant Singh Mohali, a professor, said the main theme of the stories was to describe the hardships in man–woman relationship. He applauded stories like ‘Darna’, ‘Mere Pati auange’ and ‘Kashni phool’.

Likhari Sabha state secretary and chief guest Taejwant Mann prevailed upon the writers to write upon earthy issues as well. 

Abohar, January 15
Mohan Lal, a noted writer, who had introduced Bashir Badr to Hindi readers by compiling and publishing the first collection of gazhals penned by him is no more. He was cremated at Muktsar, where he had recently shifted from Abohar on Monday. 

The 70-year-old writer had died of cardiac arrest, family sources said today. Mohan Lal, a former inspector in health department, came to limelight when his Punjabi novel, “Pota Pota Dard”, hit the stands two decades ago. Wazir Agha, a celebrity in Urdu literary circles in Pakistan, got the novel translated and published in a leading magazine there.

Fazika, January15  
Motorcycle borne ruffians have unleashed a rein of terror in Fazilka town these days. Youths from the town and nearby villages, throughout the day, drive their bikes at high speed and blow hooters and dauntlessly flout traffic rules. The civil and police administration appears to have turned a blind eye to their anti-social activities.

A meeting of the prominent residents was held in the local M.R. Government College, which was presided over by principal Sat Pal Gupta. He admitted that the atmosphere in the college too had been vitiated by anti-social activities and flaunting of hooters by motorbike riders.

He said that the police had been informed many a time but to no avail. Besides media persons, former MC president Bajrang Lal Gupta (BJP), former chairman of the Improvement Trust, Surinder Kalra (Congress), municipal councillors Ramesh Verma (BJP), Ashok Watts (Congress) and large number of local residents were present at the meeting.

During the meeting, a college science student, Sandeep Kumar, narrated his tale of torture at the hands of hooligans. He said that as he was returning after celebrating Lohri from his college, two days ago, two youngsters riding Bullet motorbikes hit girls going on a moped. However, when he objected to their activities, they fled. The next day, the group along with their two dozen companions assaulted him near his residence in Basti Oddanwali of Fazilka. The youths, who had arrived in a Maruti Zen car and other vehicles, hit him with sharp-edged weapons.

Improvement Trust’s former chairman Surinder Kalra said that the ruffians had virtually seized Bathinda Chowk near the Centurion Bank of Punjab and from Shashtri Chowk to Sanjiv Cinema chowk. They also indulged in eve-teasing and passed remarks on the young women and girls.

 In view of this situation, a peace committee led by principal Sat Pal Gupta has been constituted. The committee has taken up the issue with SHO city police, Baljit Singh, who was present at the meeting. The peace committee demanded setting up of a police post near the MR Government College and curbing hoodlum activities. The SHO said that he would control the entire situation and enforce law and order in 
letter and spirit. He also appealed to the representatives of political parties not to interfere in the police functioning regarding this. He also sought the cooperation of residents.

When members of the peace committee visited the college canteen, they saw empty wine and beer bottles. The members were told that use of alcohol and intoxicants was frequent in the canteen. Upon this, the SHO warned the canteen in-charge of legal action if he did not stop the use of alcohol and intoxicants in the canteen immediately.

After the peace committee meeting, the police immediately started checking bike riders in the city.  

Bathinda, January 15
To verify the accounts of some private hospitals in the city, the Income Tax department conducted a survey at three hospitals on Tuesday.

Sources said the income tax team lead by Laxman Singh, joint commissioner, surveyed the accounts including ledger book, fee slips, patient registers and computers of these hospitals.

The team first visited a hospital located on Bibi Wala road and after checking their accounts, went to a children’s hospital on Goniana road. A bone and joints specialty hospital located near the petrol pump on Bathinda-Goniana road was also surveyed.

Confirming the facts, Commissioner H.S.Sohi said, “It was a routine survey that we decided to conduct at these hospitals. The team found some discrepancy in the account of Rs one crore at two hospitals. The records of the third hospital is yet to be checked.”

About the penalty, Sohi clarified that the hospital authorities have the right to produce more documents in their support. 

Bathinda, January 15
The Harbhajan Institute took an entrance test ‘ IIT Target’ and declared its result on January 10. In this test, Sumit Kalsi bagged the first , Gunjan second and Tushar Bansal got the third positions. And in the ‘IIT Foundation’ test, Munish Garg got the first position, Rimmi Garg bagged the second position and Sagar stood third. 

To encourage the students, directors of the institute —Harbhajan Singh, Amolak Singh and Jaideep Syal, gave away cash prizes of Rs 10,000 for the first prize , Rs 5,000 for the second place and Rs 3,000 for the third position. During the function, Harbhajan Singh announced that the next test would be held on February 3, which would also be organized in other places of Malwa. 

Bathinda, January 15
After two days of rumpus, it was a more orderly scene at the Army recruitment rally here today as about 6,000 youth were short-listed after screening and were issued tokens.

Recruitment officer Colonel Azimuddin said that a large number of youth could not pass the height test or did not have the required documents to qualify for 
further rounds.

The process of elimination would continue and the short-listed youth would be required to pass the physical fitness test followed by a medical test to quality for the written test.

About 25,000 youth from six adjoining districts had converged here during the past two days for recruitment in the Army but nearly 75 per cent of them did not make it to the preliminary rounds.

The youth from Bathinda, Mansa and Muktsar appeared for strenuous physical fitness test today, which included 1.6 KM race, chin-ups, sit-ups, 9-feet ditch jump, zigzag balance, height, weight and chest measurements. Those who pass the physical fitness test would be sent for a medical test tomorrow after detailed documentation.

The youth from the other three districts of Faridkot, Ferozepur and Moga would undergo the physical fitness test tomorrow and only those found fit would take the written test in the final round.

A disturbing trend at the rally was that not many tall, well-built and sturdy Sikhs, a distinct identity of the Sikh regiment, were seen at the recruitment rally.

The main reason for a very large number of frail and physically not so strong youth appearing for recruitment is attributed to increasing drug addiction in the Malwa region. The addiction is telling upon the health of the youth, said a local who has been watching such rallies for years.

Army authorities that organise recruitment rallies in Punjab for churning out the ‘cream’ are also concerned over this distressing development. The list of selected candidates would be prepared and a cut-off list would be prepared on the basis of available vacancies.

Bathinda, January 15
With the Punjabi marriage season at its peak, gold prices on Tuesday touched a record Rs 11,615 for 10 grams in the markets. It marked a sharp increase of more than Rs 300 over what the metal had traded in the market on Friday.

It was found that the sale of gold in the city has gone down by more than 60 per cent and jewellery shops wore a deserted look. People are frantically selling their gold to make hay while the sun shines, dealers say.

While speaking to TNS, Jagvir Goel, owner of Goel Sons Jewellers, said, “We used to get at least 100 customers a few months back. But as the price of gold skyrocketed, the number of customers started decreasing. Earlier, gold was considered to be the most trusted metal for people to invest in, but now it’s going out of their reach. Countries like Japan, China and Russia are involved in bulk buying and forward trading of gold and that is why, this price hike is happening. Demand for the yellow metal has gone up and supply is limited. Previously, these countries bought only 8, 12 and 14 carat gold, but now they are trading in 24 carat gold.”

“Gold has become expensive not just for the common man but for the elite as well. People have also stopped disposing of the yellow metal in the hope that prices would increase, especially in the festive season. Only those customers are coming who are in dire need like for marriages or other family functions. Otherwise, no one is buying gold and the jewellers are simply waiting for better days to come,” said Swaran Jain of Jain Jewellers in the city.

Analysts point out that this record price rise has nothing to do with domestic demand. “In the global markets, investors hurried to buy the metal because over the last couple of days, the dollar has been getting progressively weaker. Traders in the US believe their central bank, the Federal Reserve, will lower interest rates to avoid a recession,’’ said an expert associated with the bullion market.

In India, the analyst pointed out that if the rupee wasn’t as strong as it is right now, gold could have gone up to at least Rs 12,000. 

Bathinda, January 15
A company based in South India has allegedly cheated investors of Rs 70 lakh in Bathinda. A five-member group of ‘Mada the Trader’ used to promise investors that their money would double. Around one month back, they took three shops on rent in ‘Chandsar Basti’ and kept furniture, electronic goods and household items for sale.

The company used to take half the price of the items in advance and deliver goods after a fortnight. One incentive was that a person could invest half the price of any item and double the sum after 15 days. Sensing huge mounts of profit, people were attracted to the company’s plan. The company had four men and one woman as its employees. 

Its head was Jassu and his accomplice was Sabeer Khan. They also used to issue receipts for the money. The company opened an office in an ordinary locality. First, they doubled the money of some investors and won the confidence of the people.. In the last two weeks, their shops witnessed a large number of customers queuing up. Sources said that today, the shops did not open. A case has been registered with the police in this regard and a search is on for the company’s employees. —TNS