Bathinda, February 13
It will take 15 more days for the state government to come up with a full report on the ‘Girdawri’, conducted to ascertain the loss of crops due to frost in the state. Sucha Singh Langah, state agriculture minister, said this during a recent visit to the district.

After the frost hit all the major crops in the state, including potato, peas, chillies, the state government issued a letter on January 25 to all deputy commissioners of the state for conducting a ‘Girdawri’ and submit the detailed report within a fortnight.

“But the extent of loss is so big that we have not able to prepare the report till now. Usually, in Punjab, in the month of January every year, the problem of frost existed for just a few days. But this year, we had frost for almost 10-15 days, which affected the crops by at least 50-60 per cent. In some areas, 100 per cent of the crop has been destroyed due to frost,” the minister said.

“The crops most affected include potato, peas, tomato, chillies and even wheat. So we are taking some more time to prepare a report to ascertain the loss because we don’t want any discrepancies in the report,” Langah informed.

“We also want that none of the farmers, whose crop has been affected by frost, should be left out. Once the report is submitted, the government would announce a relief package for the farmers,” he added.

Last month, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had assured the affected farmers that the state government would speak to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for aid from the central government as well. “It’s a natural calamity, so I feel the centre must provide relief,” he had said.

Abohar, February 13
Scores of farmers from Kundal, Bhangala and Chanankhera villages today started “pucca morcha” (indefinite sit-in) to oppose the acquisition of 2050 acres of agricultural land by the state government to set up a 1100-MW thermal plant in the private sector.

The farmers marched to the dharna site raising slogans and started an indefinite sit-in to protest against the land acquisition. The decision to launch the indefinite stir was taken at a joint meeting of the village-level struggle committees and the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan).

BKU block president Sukhmander Singh Bazidpur Bhoma led the agitators and announced that the stir would continue till the state government withdrew the project.

He warned the SAD (B) legislator from Balluana constituency, Gurtej Singh, against prompting farmers to support the project and said that if he did not stop, his entry into the villages might be banned along with that of the survey teams.

The gathering was also addressed by Satnam Singh, Nachhatar Singh, Resham Singh, Wasawa Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Mohar Singh, Mehal Singh, Tej Singh and Joginder Singh. They said that any bid to acquire the land would be resisted firmly.

BKU district secretary Gurmail Singh Burjan said China and the United Kingdom were abandoning thermal plants as the fly ash emanated by these units polluted the environment apart from affecting the health of people.

A thermal plant in the sub-division would be disastrous for Asia’s largest open wildlife sanctuary, he added.

Bathinda, February 13
Notwithstanding the claims of LPG dealers that the supply situation has eased, the poor and underprivileged continue to be a harried lot.

During the investigation, the TNS team saw that the poor consumers get the stock reply at LPG outlets: waiting period for getting the gas refill is 23 days. However, there is not much problem for the rich and the influential who get LPG cylinders without delay.

Alarmed by reports that LPG cylinders were being sold in black and domestic cylinders were being misused by commercial establishments, the administration conducted raids and booked the offenders. The raids compelled the dealers to make the supply system slightly more transparent.

The manager of Punsup Gas Service at Amrik Singh road, Suresh Kumar Jindal, admitted that in several cases, out of turn supply has to be made on humanitarian grounds or other pressing reasons.

It may be mentioned that there is no mechanism to ascertain whether the humanitarian grounds are ‘genuine’. Further, there is no shortage of commercial LPG supply that are sold for Rs 1,140 per cylinder as there is no subsidy on them and supply is in abundance. “You can get commercial cylinders instantly,” said Dimples of HP Gas Agency, when asked about supply situation.

The raids by the administration also detected misuse of domestic cylinders for commercial purposes on a large scale. “Consequently, the misuse of domestic cylinders was checked to some extent and the number of commercial consumers rose from 5 to 70,” added Suresh Kumar, stating that the agency is also facing a staff crunch.

“It appears that the gas companies have found a novel way to reduce losses by creating a shortage of subsidised domestic cylinders and flooding the market with commercial cylinders,” said Sanjeev Bansal of Veer Colony.

Bathinda, February 13
The flames of the advocates-police clash, that took place last year here, have not yet been doused with the Punjab and Haryana High Court today serving a notice of motion to the deputy commissioner, senior superintendent of police, Punjab government and the sub-inspector and constable in question asking them to file a reply on April 11, following a writ petition filed by the lawyers.

Giving details, president, District Bar Association, J.R. Khattar said, “We filed the writ petition on February 2. Hearing our petition today, the High Court issued a notice of motion under article 226, 227 of the constitution against the senior superintendent of police Naunihal Singh, deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari, the Punjab government, sub-inspector Bhagwant Singh and the constable Jagdev Singh. They all have been directed to file their reply on April 11 this year.”

The advocates filed the petition along with clippings of all related newspaper articles. It may be mentioned that the clash between the police and the lawyers had taken place outside the Harchand Cinema at Bathinda-Goniana road in the late hours on December 5 last year.

The advocates were reportedly returning from a party and after seeing an accident on the road, had stopped for a while. Meanwhile, a vehicle hit the advocates who then reportedly got involved in a brawl with passersby. SHO, Civil Lines, Bhagwant Singh, along with his staff, reached the spot and tried to end the brawl. The lawyers and the police then became involved in the fracas that ensued.

The next day, the lawyers staged a dharna outside the Bathinda mini-secretariat and suspended work at the court. They also demanded the arrest of the sub-inspector and his suspension, accusing him of ‘brutal’ behaviour. They had also demanded the transfer of the SSP.

The lawyers then took out a protest march and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Faridkot Range, Jitendra Jain. A delegation of the advocates also met chief minister Parkash Singh Badal when he visited Bathinda on December 8, for his birthday.

Expressing his ignorance about the notice, DC Rahul Tewari said, “When the notice reaches me, I shall file a reply.”

SSP, Naunihal Singh, when contacted, said, “We are not at fault. But if the notice has been issued, then we have enough to file a reply.”

“I am aware about the notice. But we did nothing that violated law. Even then, if the advocates have taken a stand, I am ready to face trial as I have proofs of innocence in my possession,” said SI Bhagwant Singh. 

Bathinda, February 13
Is love in the air? With Valentine’s Day on Thursday, most young hearts in the city are pounding with a resounding ‘yes’. But there are some who don’t know what the buzz is about. And some of the oldies did not mind even terming it as ‘dramabaazi’. However, it is none of the gift shopkeepers’ business, who have stocked everything that could strike the cupid-struck lovers’ minds and hearts. Just read on.

“The day, February 14, is all about sharing love with your near and dear ones. And it is not just for the ‘boys and girls’, as the misconception prevails,” says a student at the Harbhajan’s Institute of Competition.

When the question was put to college and school students in the city, most of them expressed ignorance. However, Sania, a teenager, proved to be an exception. She went on to narrate the tale as if she was doing a Ph.D on the subject. This is what she said, “There are a number of stories associated with the day. The one that is quite popular is related to the assassination of Saint Valentine, a priest in Rome during the 3rd century, who helped couples marry secretly against the wishes of the then emperor Claudius II. The emperor had banned marriages as he needed men for his military and found that married men were not ready to leave their loved ones.” Phew!

Since, he was assassinated on February 14, the day began to be observed by exchanging love messages, quipped her friend.

Amanpreet of Jetking could not figure out how to pronounce Valentine.

“Bathinda is growing as far as V-Day was concerned. Though it does not match the standards of metros or Chandigarh, but people here are catching up speedily,” said Tarun Garg, who plans to meet his girlfriend in Chandigarh on that day. People here do not come out and prefer to stay and organise a get-together indoors, he added. His father, sitting next to him, chipped in with a smile, “The hype is nothing short of ‘dramabaazi’.”

Many believed that the day has received an impetus in India due to the growing influence of the West, through movies and the media. “People in India have forgotten legends like Sohni Mahiwal, Heer Ranjha and Laila Majnu and now they remember Mr Valentine,” quipped retired school headmaster Sham Lal.

“The sale of gift items is on the rise,” said Ashok Goyal of Goyal Traders, Dhobi Bazaar. He has stocked as many as one lakh Valentine’s Day cards as he was expecting customers not only from Bathinda but also from Mansa, Malout and Gidderbaha.

“It was in 1983 when I added love cards to my stock,” said Goyal.

The price of the gift ranges anything between Rs 50 to Rs 15,000. One can pick up cute teddies, perfumes, pendants, quotation plates, lovebirds, figures of entwined couples in metal and stone or the latest entry i-Pod. The market is flooded with the stuff. Chocolates and cards are obviously a must.

“Sale is at peak around V-Day, next only to Diwali. However, about 70 to 80 per cent of the gifts are purchased by youths to pamper their partners,” informed Rajinder Gupta, who runs a gift shop at Dhobi Bazaar.

“We know a lot about the day. On this day, one can easily approach and propose to a girl with immunity. There is no fear of getting smacked. We are keeping our options open for at least three girls. Who knows…,” said a confident and enthusiastic Gaurav along with his gang while returning from their school on the Mall road here. Obviously, our parents do not have any idea about our secret ambitions, they said.

“You don’t need a particular day to express your love to somebody. I believe that every day is a Valentine Day for real lovers,” chirps Priyanka Bhagat.

The day certainly is for everyone of any age and is celebrated all over the world as love knows no boundaries. One shares emotions, feelings with others. The day also provides a chance to own up one’s mistakes and make amends.

So dudes and dudettes out there, get ready to fall in love. Just put on your thinking cap and come out with a special, may be innovative, way to say, ‘I do’.

Abohar, February 13
A frail old crusader, working to sustain ecological balance in this sub-divisional town, is a common sight. Gauri Shankar Khatri, an octogenarian, is seen watering saplings that he had planted, during a campaign launched on Basant Panchami in Nehru Park here.

He wishes to grow plants which would bear flowers of yellow and orange colours in plenty.

It is difficult to count the saplings which he had planted during the last five years in parks, cremation grounds, schools and other public places.

He has often been seen carrying saplings on a rickshaw to places where he has to plant them.

Khatri had migrated from Rajasthan to start a business in dyes and chemicals some decades back.

He made a name for himself by introducing qualitative dyes (dry colours) in small packages, besides ultramarine blue, at an affordable price.

But for the last few years, Khatri has involved himself in social service and was instrumental in developing the Lions Chowk near the college road railway crossing as a memorial to 34  citizens, who were killed by terrorists here in March 1990.

He also got a dharamshala constructed under the banner of the Khatri Samaj.

“But my first love is greenery, which is gradually disappearing due to rapid urbanisation,” Khatri said.

“We, the elderly, were joined by hundreds of youngsters twice during the day in the park. But the onus of maintaining it lies with the users also,” he added.

Gauri Shankar Khatri is now interested in fostering the “rubber plants”, as they are commonly called, with a belief that these would live longer and give shadow also.

Abohar, February 13
In separate press briefings today, MLA Sunil Jakhar and N.S. Brar, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), announced that training programmes would be organised to provide self-employment to the educated youth besides women from the BPL (below poverty line) families.

The SDM said the Ministry of Science and Technology had authorised the North Indian Technical Consultancy Organisation (NITCON) to organise a six-week long entrepreneur development programme to promote food processing industries in the region.

“Those who are 18 to 35 years old and have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in science, diploma in a branch of engineering, BCA or MCA, would be eligible for free of cost training at the Central Institute for Post Harvesting Engineering Technology (CIPHET),” the SDM said.

The training would begin on February 19 and the list of trainees would be out by February 18, he added.

Brar said the NITCON and the civil administration would help the trained youth in securing permission from the related departments to set up food processing units.

Financial assistance would also be provided to them, he added.

Informing about another programme, NITCON project officer, Prince Gandhi, said a 12-week long workshop would soon be held at Fazilka to train educated and unemployed youth in manufacturing inverters.

The MLA informed that 300 girls from the BPL families would be trained in sewing, stitching and embroidery. Their applications would be forwarded by the local municipal council to the State Urban Development Authority (SUDA) soon.

Those who complete three months’ training would be gifted sewing machines also, he added.

Faridkot, February 13
Pratap Inder Singh Phulka, general secretary, Ex-servicemen wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), has asked that the Manmohan Singh-lead United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government must announce all the 300 Armymen missing during the anti-Sikh riots as martyrs.

Talking to media persons here today, Phulka said that he had identified 50 out of 300 Army officials, who became target of the ‘pogrom’ in 1984.

He said that the Army personnel were either returning home from duty or were heading to join it when they were killed on the way.

The anti-Sikh riots erupted following killing of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Phulka claimed that the ministry of defence had the file pertaining to the disappearance of 300 Armymen ranging from jawans to officers and added that the then government did not allow the file to be made public.

He said that no investigation was ever instituted in the matter.

Bathinda, February 13
Many students were injured in a group clash at Rajindra College, here today. After the intervention of the police, the parents of the students were informed. But finally, a compromise was reached.

Sources said preparation regarding a sports event was going on at the college ground. Suddenly, some sportsmen had an altercation. Some outsiders also reportedly arrived at the scene and got involved. Civil Lines post in-charge Ranjit Singh reached the spot and the accused were taken to the police post.

When contacted, Singh said, “ The matter was reported to the parents and keeping their future in mind, they have been made to reach a compromise.” 

Ferozepur, February 13
In a twin accident, a woman was killed while two persons sustained injuries as a fast moving mini-truck hit a car, but not before ramming into a street hawker near Aggarsein Chowk on the Mall road in the city.

Later, as the driver tried to flee, the truck hit another car after some distance on the same road. In the accident, the man inside the car sustained injuries.

The injured were admitted to the civil hospital. The police arrested the driver of the mini-truck. Further investigations are on.

Moga, February 13
In an amazing turn of events, two persons were shot dead in the evening here today. One of them, Jasbir Singh, a resident of Saidek village, was about to get married on February 14 at Lande village in the Baghapurana block. The other person who died was his maternal uncle’s son, Harpreet Singh, a resident of Chakar village of Jagraon.

Jasbir Singh, along with his friends and relatives, was returning to his native village in a Tata Sumo after the marriage ceremony of his sister. However, on the way, a Honda City — PB10 9474, with windows covered with black film, overtook the Sumo and forced it to stop. Subsequently, a tall unidentified youth, wearing a cap, alighted from the car and fired shots at Jasbir and Harpreet. Both of them were rushed to the civil hospital, where they were declared brought dead.

It may be mentioned that Jasbir had arrived from Canada two months back. No arrests had been made till the filing of the report.

Bathinda, February 13
The electrical engineering department of the GZSCET, Bathinda, will organise the second national conference on Current Trends in Electrical Engineering – 08 (CETT-08) on February 14.

Er. A.S.Mokha, chief engineer, GNDTP, would be the chief guest at the function. Lectures by experts and papers by the researchers from various engineering colleges and industry from all over the country would be a part of the event. — TNS

Abohar, February 13
Jogwinder Singh won the kite flying contest held during the Basant Panchami celebrations at the Kenway College of Education here.

In the kite making contest, Ranjeet and Vikram bagged the first and second positions, respectively. Krishan Kumar and Sheetal stood first and second, respectively, in the greeting making contest while Tanu Yadav and Kuldeep Singh shared the third place. Subhash, Krishan, Ranjeet, Raj Kumar and Mamta entertained the gathering with poetry and songs. Vice-principal Susheela Narang and senior lecturer Vipul worshipped goddess Saraswati. — OC