Bathinda, January 23
Families of farmers and agricultural workers, including women, held a rally in front of the office of the deputy commissioner here today. The protesters were led by the state president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta (Ugrahan) Joginder Singh Ugrahan.

The protesters were demanding that their debt be waived off, Rs 5 lakh be granted as compensation to the families of farmers who had committed suicides and a government job for their kin.

The BKU submitted a list of 682 farmers who committed suicide between 1990 to 2007. The list was handed over to the deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari. In the applications, the suicide-affected families have mentioned that the farmers members had committed suicide due to debt or financial crisis.

Shingara Singh Mann, district president, BKU, also demanded the implementation of government-farmers agreement on the Trident land acquisition issue and framing of pro-farmer policies for making agriculture a profitable avocation.

Bathinda, January 23
To stage protest against the transfer of 16 teachers from the Government Rajindra College, students protested in large numbers under the aegis of the Punjab Students Union (Shaheed Randhawa) in Bathinda on Wednesday.

The students had gathered at the Balwant Gargi theatre and raised slogans against the government, a press release issued by the union informed today. State president of the union, Pawel Kussa and teachers’ leader Sarabjit Sarma alleged that the government’s intention was to close down the college.

The college already had 31 vacant posts and now it has increased to 47.

The union alleged that out of the 1,870 posts in 54 state colleges, as many as 1,000 were lying vacant. And instead of filling them up, the government was bent on abolishing these posts. 

Bathinda, January 23
Members of the Christian community today took out a procession here today demanding a CBI inquiry into the incidents of attack on their religious places in Orissa and other places in the country. They later submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India to the district administration.

Led by George C. Masih, president, Christian Welfare Association and Pastor Faqir Chand, they demanded that the central para-military forces should be deployed in adequate strength at all sensitive places to prevent the recurrence of such incidents as the local police had failed to control the situation.

An impartial and proper assessment of the damage to various churches, institutions and other establishments should be made and adequate compensation provided to the affected persons without any delay. The culprits involved in creating communal disharmony should be given exemplary punishment, they demanded. They sought police protection for a fact-finding team consisting of various church leaders who intend to visit the Kandhamal district of Orissa and other affected places.

Barnala, January 23
To get some relief from the state government, over 500 victims’ families, who lost their kith and kin under the burden of debt, gathered and staged a dharna, led by the Bhartiya Kisan Union Ekta (Ugrahan) at the deputy commissioner’s office here today.

BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said there were about 411 cases of debt ridden suicides committed by farmers and labourers of the smallest district of the state. These facts were based on the data collected from the victim’s families of Barnala.

Elaborating the numeric, Ugrahan revealed that in Barnala block, there were 262 cases of suicides while in Shaina block it was 119 and in Mehalkalan blocks it was 30 cases.

The BKU Ekta demanded applications from the victim’s families about two months in advance to form the data. This data might be incomplete as there was probability that a majority of the affected families were not aware of this data collection, he added.

The dharna comprising young widows, aged people and children presented a gloomy picture of the poor state of farming in the state.

While addressing, Joginder Ugrahan said the SAD–BJP led state government had failed to meet its electoral promises even after 11 months. In the election manifesto, it was promised that those families whose wards had committed suicides under debt would be given Rs 2 lakh as compensation and a job to one of the family member, but nothing of the sort happened.

He claimed that these families who were thousands in numbers in the state were leading a miserable life, as many of these families had lost their only breadwinner.

He demanded that the loans of farmers be waived off, as agriculture was no more a profitable venture keeping in view the increased cost of pesticides, seeds and agricultural equipments.

Nirmal Singh Bhadur, Chamkaur Singh ,Hardeep Singh Tallewal, Bhagwan Dass and many others also addressed the farmers.

Bathinda, January 23
Bihara Singh, 75, of Maur Chadat Singh village in Bathinda district, has lost both his sons. His sons, both farmers, ended their lives to escape the debt trap to which many tillers of the soil have fallen prey in Punjab, a state once described as the grain bowl of the country.

“The pain and agony of a father who has lost his young sons is immense,” he said in a feeble tone.

Bihara, who was here to take part in a demonstration outside the deputy commissioner’s office, to protest against suicides by farmers, said his two sons, Balkaur Singh and Gurcharan Singh, troubled by the burden of debt, committed suicide by consuming pesticides.

“I remember the day (August 16, 2005), when a neighbour came to me to convey the news about my elder son Balkaur’s death. He had consumed pesticide as the arhtiyas were applying pressure on him to repay the loan of Rs 60,000 that he had taken,” said Bihara.

Balkaur is survived by two daughters and a son. Balkaur’s elder daughter was married two years back, but the stress of marrying off his younger daughter troubles the grandfather. Balkaur’s son discontinued his studies while he was in Class VII owing to the poor financial condition of the family.

His younger son Gurcharan was 27 when he ended his life on April 1, 1998. He is survived by a son (18) and a 14-year-old daughter..

Gurcharan’s son, Sukhdeep, who was also present, said, “I study in Class XII at Maur but the financial condition of the family is such that I may not be able to study further.”

“I humbly request the authorities to help as there is no one to stand by us in such time of crisis,” said Bihara.

Bathinda, January 23
Well-known playwright and actor Ajmer Aulakh, who is currently battling cancer at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital in New Delhi has thanked the Punjab government for standing by its promise and giving him Rs 5 lakh as aid, announced two days back, for treatment.

The cheque, issued in the name of Aulakh’s wife, Manjit Kaur, was handed over to him today by Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) general secretary, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, at Aulakh’s house at Mansa.

The 65-year-old, one of the most decorated playwrights of the state, has through his works, highlighted the struggle of the poor, farmers and marginalised sections of society. The dramatist has been a proud recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2005. He was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award and joins a select rank to have received both the awards.

Speaking to TNS over phone from Mansa, Aulakh said, “It has been over a year now that we have been running from one hospital to another. Till now, more than Rs 2 lakh has already been spent and the doctors at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital have given us a rough estimate of around Rs 6 lakh for the entire treatment. The costs can further escalate depending on the nature of the disease.”

Explaining how he came to know about the fatal disease, Aulakh said, “It was in May 2006 that I used to experience pain in my legs and arms. But it was only on December 28, 2007, that bone cancer was diagnosed by doctors at the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMC&H), Ludhiana. On January 2, I got admitted to the DMC&H and underwent chemotherapy.”

“One of my good friends, writer Gurbachan Singh Bhullar, who lives in Delhi, suggested that I should visit the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital for treatment. On January 9, we went there and the treatment began. But the doctors were unable to find the root from where the cancer had started. It was only on January 16 that the root was spotted in the thyroid gland located in the throat even though I never had a throat problem. The surgery was perfromed on January 18. I shall be going to Delhi again on January 25 because the process of radiation is to start,” he added.

“I have seen so many up and downs in my life that I am prepared for all eventualities. The only thing is that now I am in a hurry to finish up the tasks that I had set for myself,” he said.

Mansa, January 23
Balwinder Singh Bhunder, general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal, today said that a hospital would be established for the treatment of cancer patients soon. After granting a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to Ajmer Singh Aulakh, president of the Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, who is under treatment for cancer, Bhunder said that government was serious about the cancer which had been affecting the people of Malwa.

“Government is also considering for the help of writers who are not able to afford the expenses of the deadly diseases”, he added.

Bathinda, January 23
About 1500 candidates qualified for the common entrance examination (CEE) for recruitment in the Army after ten days of gruelling physical and medical tests that concluded here today.

Over 20,000 candidates had turned up for Army recruitment rally of which 5,500 candidates were issued tokens for fitness and physical measurement test.

Of the 2,500 candidates selected for medical test after first three rounds, 1,000 could not clear the test conduced by a team of three doctors of different specialities. ‘The response to the recruitment rally was overwhelming and it is wrong to say that people are not keen to join the Army,’ Director, Recruitment Colonel Bishnoi said.

Bathinda, January 23
With the arrest of five persons on Wednesday, the district police claimed to have solved the abduction and killing case of 25-year-old Karamjit Singh of Faridkot.

The senior superintendent of police (SSP), Naunihal Singh and DSP (D), Surinder Pal Singh told the media about the crime and its investigation.

According to the SSP, the deceased Karamjit, a student of PGDCA of Malwa College situated at Bathinda-Goniana road, was living in a rented room at Goniana. On January 15, at around 8 pm, some unidentified persons took him along with them.

Getting suspicious over Karamjit’s absence from the room, the landlord informed his relatives about the development. After two days of unsuccessful frantic search, the deceased’s father registered a complaint in this regard at the Nahianwala police station on January 18. A case under section 365 of the IPC was registered.

A DSP (D) Surinder Pal Singh-led police team, which included SHO Nahianwala, in charge CIA staff and some other policemen, was constituted to probe the case.

After some investigation, the police reportedly concentrated their attention on six persons, including Shagun Lal of Bhaggu, Amrit Pal of Gidderbaha, Assa Singh of Savaya and three residents of Lambi, namely Amandeep Singh, Rajinder Singh and Varinder Singh.

On Wednesday, they arrested five of the accused, who reportedly confessed their crime before the police.

According to the police, the accused said that they took Karamjit on January 15 in a car bearing the number DL-4CM-0908 from his room.

Shagun, a jawan in the Army, on leave those days, is reportedly a maternal uncle of the deceased, the SSP said, adding that he had a sense of insecurity because of the deceased as both were of the same age-group and had apparently developed fondness for the same girl.

Shagun approached Balbir Singh, another maternal uncle of the Karamjit at Faridkot on January 20 and confessed to their act. The accused hit him on the head and threw him. Based on his statement, a case under section 302 and 201 of the IPC was registered against them.

Police also said that after killing Karamjit, the accused tried to extract some money from his family. He demanded Rs 8 lakh as ransom from the father of the deceased and threatened him with dire consequences if they approached the police.

The police team even arranged a bag in which only one layer of the currency were original and the rest were fake. Even after placing the bag at the decided site, no one reached the place to receive the bag.

The accused had made an abortive attempt also on the eve of Lohri. Shagun wanted to make easy money and he knew that the father of the deceased was going to sell a house for Rs 20 lakh. So, he chose an easy target.

The police has recovered the body with feet tied from the Rajasthan feeder canal at Lohgarh head in Muktsar district. The body has been sent to the Civil Hospital, Malout, for post-mortem.

One of the accused, Assa Singh, could not be arrested till the filing of the report. 

Barnala, January 23
To pave the way ostensibly for the smooth sailing of Sukhbir Badal in the ensuing elections for the party president scheduled for January 31, the electoral process for delegates of SAD (B) was completed in a hurry here today.

Former minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, the observer, visited Barnala and Sangrur. Despite fixing the election meeting at the gurudwara, which was the usual practice, he landed up at the PWD rest-house apparently to avoid any untoward incident.

Barnala being the stronghold of former chief minister Surjeet Singh Barnala, had the potential of creating problems for the presidential contender. The meeting was completed in a hurry and names of the proposed delegates were collected.

Sekhwan said that as the final delegates would be elected only after consultation with the party president, so the delegates selected from Barnala would be informed by post.

Many senior Akalis like two-time MLA Malket Singh Keetu, state vice-president of SAD (B) Bhola Singh Virk, vice-president of municipal committee Raminder Dhillon and Manjeet Dhillon and Baba Sukhdev Singh Dupehra were not present on the occasion.

When Sekhwan was asked, he said that the SAD (B) respects the democratic rights of party workers but found nothing wrong if the delegates were elected after consultation with the party president.

In Barnala district, nine delegates are to be elected, but the workers have put in a demand for 125 delegates to represent this newly-created district.

Muktsar, January 23
The Punjab public health department would be losing over Rs 1.10 crore in the process of the Muktsar City Club’s efforts to acquire the adjacent 20 marla land of the department, which presently houses two divisions of the rural water works.

Muktsar deputy commissioner (DC) Vikas Garg, who is also the chairman of the club, confirmed, while talking to TNS here, that the administration had decided to shift public health offices from the land in question, which would soon be given to the club “on a lease basis.”

When asked about the kind of lease agreement with the government for handing over the land to the club, the DC surprisingly stated that the modalities for the lease were still to be worked out.

“But yes, we are going to shift the offices to another complex and the land to be vacated would be given to the club,” the DC said.

While the district administration has assessed the market value of the land belonging to the public health department at Rs 5.5 lakh per marla, the financial loss to be faced by the department would be over Rs 1.10 crore, in case the land is given to the club.

Surprisingly, the construction work to provide new office to the public health department was being conducted by a private contractor who stated that he would be paid for the job by none other than the club management.

The construction in question, to shift the offices at a new place was being carried out without any paper work as the department never sought any quotation for the job, the senior officials of the public health department said on the condition of anonymity.

When asked how could any private party construct a building on government land without any documentation, a senior official said, “It’s up to the DC to answer your queries.”

It may be recalled that the Public Health Employees Union had approached the deputy commissioner last month against the transfer of the department’s land to the club, but the deputy commissioner pacified them and promised that the club management would be providing new rooms to them at another nearby complex of their department.

Ferozepur, January 23
In his report sent to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, local MP Zora Singh Mann and the chairman of the district-level vigilance committee, constituted to monitor all schemes sponsored by the Centre, highlighted the various irregularities and discrepancies found in the construction of roads under PIDB, PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna) and BADP schemes. Mann accompanied by deputy commissioner Bhagwant Singh has recently inspected these roads and reportedly taken cognizance of the inferior material used and the poor workmanship during the construction of certain roads.

While talking to media persons here, Mann said that erring officials would be taken to task. — OC

Abohar, January 23
The Mealy bug eradication campaign launched by the Agriculture Department gained momentum as people living in rural areas extended their cooperation to a great extent, agricultural development officer Bhupinder Kumar said today at Bhagsar village on the Abohar-Hanumangarh road.

Sarpanch of the village, Lal Chand, along with other farmers assisted the team from agriculture department in removing the shrubs on the roadside as well as other places where the Mealy bug was expected to thrive.

Bathinda, January 23
There was panic in the Baba Gill Wali Gali area of Ganesh Basti here late in the evening today after some persons fired shots in the air.

Dharam Singh, a PSEB employee, reported to the police that five persons came to the locality and fired outside his house.

Finding him absent, they fired at his another house.

In his complaint, Singh added that the accused had been threatening to kill him as his son had helped a girl in getting a rape case registered against them at the Civil Lines police post.

DSP (Security), SHO Kotwali and SHO Civil Lines police station reached the spot. No case had been registered till the filing of the report.