(Rampura) Bathinda, February 21
“No BJP leader is lured by the charm of power. If there is a conflict between clinging to power and the welfare of the common masses, we are ready to even leave the government,” stated Rajinder Bhandari, the Punjab BJP president here today.

Saffron nod for Dera ritual Bhartesh Singh Thakur Tribune News Service Nathana (Bathinda), February 21 Triggering a fresh controversy over the Dera issue, Punjab BJP chief Rajinder Bhandari today said everyone should be allowed to practice one’s religion. When asked to reply in yes or no to if naam charcha should be allowed, he said if the country is secular, then it should be allowed. “We must respect each other’s faith,” he added while interacting with media persons at the annual function of Dashmesh Public School and Girls College, Nathana. On power tariff, he said, “We would never allow it to increase.” Blaming the Congress regime for the mess, he said Punjab would be a power surplus state in next five years.

Claiming that the biggest achievement of the SAD-BJP coalition government in Punjab was maintenance of peace and harmony, he said the Badal government had been successful in its endeavour. Despite the Dera-Sikh tension, the government had handled it in a competent way, he added.

Bhandari was here to address a public gathering, named ‘Visthar Rally’ held at the Grain Market today. He was accompanied by BJP state general secretary Kamal Sharma and other leaders of the district.

On subsidies, he said, “The BJP wants to continue it and also refrain from imposing the octroi.” The government has levied no tax other than the entry tax, he added. About the forthcoming MC elections, he said, “The SAD (B)-BJP coalition already has an agreement over seat sharing.”

When Bhandari was asked about the BJP demand for the post of deputy chief minister, he said, “We had requested but the ally was not ready to accept it. So, we have given up as the BJP does not want to create any issue over it.” On the issue of red beacons atop the vehicles of SGPC members, he replied, “The BJP has never supported beacons for SGPC members.”

On the Congress rally in Delhi to be held a day earlier than the SAD-BJP rally on February 26, he said, “We will welcome if the Central government fulfils all the basic needs of Punjab even at the Congress rally.”

Bathinda, February 21
While the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is busy mobilising its cadres in view of the coming elections for the Lok Sabha and the prestigious Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC), there is hardly any activity in the camp of the opposition Congress that is basking under the influence of the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda.

The SAD leadership is trying hard to mend its fences before these two elections to prevent a repeat of the drubbing it suffered, particularly in the Malwa belt, during the Assembly elections when the Dera chief, Gurmit Ram Rahim, came out to support the Congress candidates. Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is chief of the SAD, were frequently visiting here. No senior leader of the Congress has visited here in the recent past as local leadership of the party was once again banking on the support of the Dera chief.

The main concern of the SAD is the election for the BMC that is likely to be announced within the next few days, whereas the Lok Sabha polls are scheduled next year.

A lot of realignment within the SAD and the Congress is expected to take place as the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat would get de-reserved before the next elections. There is expectation of Sukhbir or some member of the Badal family contesting the election from here as a result of which the foremost task before them is to neutralise the influence of the Dera chief here, said a senior functionary of the SAD.

The BJP, which is a coalition partner of the SAD, has adopted a soft approach towards the Dera and its leaders have refused to toe the line of the SAD on the issue.

Out of the total number of 1,64,970 electorate in Bathinda during the last Assembly elections, the Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi polled 83,545 votes defeating his nearest SAD rival Sarup Chand Singla who bagged 68,900 votes.

A SAD leader was hopeful that the balance could tilt in their favour in case the party leadership succeeded in mellowing the Dera supporters. However, stray incidents of violence against the Dera followers were creating further polarisation, he lamented.

Jassi said the Congress party would shortly finalise its strategy for these elections.

Bathinda, February 21
Some persons of Patti Jhutti area of the city, whose land would be acquired for a Rs 80-crore project, including construction of 7.8 km long and 100 feet wide ring road (from Malout Road to Badal Road), junctions and roadside amenities, have alleged that the government was meting out injustice to them by offering them less price for their land.

A total of around 90 acres of land would be acquired for the project, around 80 acres from Patti Jhutti area and nearly 9 acres from Behman Deewana village. About 45 acres would be used to construct the link road while the remaining land would be used to develop junctions and road site amenities on all the road crossings to fall on the ring road.

“We are not against the construction of the ring road, but the government would also acquire our land to develop junctions and road site amenities on the four road crossings — Lal Singh Basti Road, Bir Talab Road, Multania Road and Behman Deewana ring road. For one road crossing, 8 acres of land (two acres each on every corner) would be acquired. Price of the land is around Rs 1 crore per acre while the government is offering just Rs 50 lakh per acre,” alleged Deepinder Singh, an area resident whose three acres of land has been acquired at one of the road crossings.

Harvinder Singh, whose land measuring one acre has been acquired, said, “Our land is just a couple of kilometers away from the city and is a prime land. Now, when the prices of our land are escalating, the government, vide its notification number 7/69/07-1 B&R3 issued on February 12 this year, was acquiring our land at such a low price.”

Another aggrieved Jagtar Singh, whose 2.5 acres of land would be acquired, alleged, “We have met the deputy commissioner of Bathinda, Rahul Tewari, on February 16 and 19 and have apprised him of the prevailing market price of land in our area.”

However, the DC, when contacted, said, “All those persons, whose land would be acquired, have agreed and only eight families are not agreeing. Heavy traffic would pass over ring road once it becomes operational. So, we need to have land for the construction of roads and bus stand, if required.”

“We are offering them Rs 40 lakh per acre for the land, which would be used for the construction of the road and Rs 50 lakh per acre to those whose land falls on the road crossings,” the DC said.

“And the price of Rs one crore per acre was nowhere on that stretch of road. Land prices would increase only after the ring road is constructed. And if anyone creates a problem, we will not construct the road and would invest that money on some other development project in the city,” the DC added.

Bathinda, February 21
The decision of the dairy farmers to increase the price of milk by Rs 3 from March onwards has certainly brought a cheer on their faces but city residents feel that this price rise would affect them severely. Milk, which is now selling at Rs 22 per kg, would now be sold at Rs 25 per kg.

In April last year too, the price of milk was increased by Rs 3 per litre. Hence, 11 months on, consumers will have to bear the brunt again.

With the rise in milk price, the price of milk products like cheese, condensed milk, ghee, curd, etc is also expected to increase. “The price of cheese, condensed milk and ghee would increase from Rs 15 to 20 per kg while curd will get dearer by Rs 6-8 per kg,” Sham Lal, a sweetshop owner near Gol Diggi, informed.

A dairy owner, Davinder Singh, from village Behman Deewana, who ferries milk to various localities in the city, said, “Last year, the price of wheat was Rs 750 per quintal, which was increased to Rs 1,200 per quintal this year. The price of cottonseed too has increased from Rs 900 to Rs 1,200 per quintal in the past few months. The price of green fodder has also risen to Rs 54 for every 40 kg as against Rs 22 last year. The prices of cattle have also spiralled, from Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000 per animal.”

“So our expenditure has increased in the past one year. Hence, we had no choice but to increase milk price. If the prices of above mentioned products are revised, we would reduce the price of milk as well,” he informed.

Nathana (Bathinda), February 21
They all gathered around the model of Orion constellation to explain it, when we introduced ourselves. The model was a part of science and art exhibition displayed outside the venue of the annual function of Dashmesh Public School here to honour its stars, both in academics and sports. Gurjinder Singh, a student, said, “It is visible at night and is a part of our galaxy.” He was selected as one of the presenter for the exhibition.

Chief guest Rajinder Bhandari,Punjab BJP chief, arrived well in time to take the chair.

The programme started with a prayer and then cultural performances took over. ‘Phulkari’, ‘Ghodi’ and ‘Lathe Di Chadar’ captivated the viewers. But the nursery students held the audience spellbound with their performance —‘Nanha Munna Rahi’. Jaswinder, an English teacher, who helped in preparing the item, said, “It was hard work of a week. I have also prepared the KG students for ‘Ek Batta Do, Do Batta Chaar’ choreography.” Behind the stage, Navreet Kaur, a student, was waiting for her turn to present a group song ‘Jai Punjabi’, with her friends.

Tension was evident on her face. It’s just like exam!

R.S. Mann, founder of the school, said such functions help in expressing the creativity of students and prizes inspire them to return to stage. About the teachers, he said, “ It is the only profession where you feel proud when your student attains dizzying heights.”

Ferozepur, February 21
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has directed the director (quality& control), PWD, to inquire into the reports regarding the poor quality of work and materials used during the construction of various roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) of the union government.

In his orders, the CM categorically mentioned a list of seven roads including, Khai Pheme Ke to Mamdot, Gudhar Dandi to Guruharsahai, Ferozepore-Fazilka road to Midha, Jalalabad to Lakhewali, Muktsar-Jalalabad to Ratta Ther, Muktsar-Jalalabad to Guruharsahai and Ferozepur city to Kamalawala. It is pertinent to mention that all these roads come under Ferozepur district.

The CM has told the director to personally visit all these roads and submit his findings within a fortnight. According to information available, the CM has also asked the Vigilance Bureau to enquire into the reports regarding the poor construction of these roads.

It is worth mentioning here that MP Zora Singh Mann had earlier inspected these roads along with the then deputy commissioner, Bhagwant Singh, a month ago, wherein he had expressed anguish over the poor quality and inferior quality of material used. Mann had later dashed off a letter to the CM and the Union rural development ministry about his concerns regarding pilferage of government funds during the construction of these roads, a copy of which is available with The Tribune.

When contacted, Mann endorsed these developments and admitted that an inquiry has been marked into the poor construction of roads under the PMGSY and other centrally sponsored schemes by the CM. Mann said that no misuse of public money would be tolerated at any costs. He exhorted the officials of the various executing agencies to ensure proper quality of work in various development projects in accordance with the norms laid down by the government.

Mann informed that an amount of Rs 400 crore has been sanctioned under the PMGSY during the last 10 months for the construction of various link roads. He said that being a representative of this parliamentary constituency, it was his duty to ensure that the electorate get the benefit of welfare schemes started by the state and central government.

Ferozepur, February 21
The Punjab government would spend Rs 1500 crore on the repair and widening of the state and national roads, revealed Parminder Singh Dhindsa, PWD Minister, while talking to media persons here today.

Dhindsa said that Rs 1,200 crore has already been spent this fiscal on repair and maintenance of roads with assistance from the World Bank, NABARD and PMGSY scheme, since the formation of SAD-BJP government in the state.

Dhindsa was here to lay foundation stone of the Makhu–Lohian-Gidderpindi road to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 775 lakh. Later, Dhindsa addressed SAD workers in the village Chakian in Makhu block. He was accompanied by Zora Singh Mann MP, Hari Singh Zira former MLA, Avtar Singh Minna President SAD Youth Wing, Montu Vohra, Bachittar Singh besides officials of PWD department.

While addressing the gathering, the present SAD-BJP government had already spent Rs 1200 crore on road development.

Dhindsa said that an amount of Rs 70 crore was being spent on Ferozepur-Zira-Dharamkot road on its widening and reconstruction. He said that the overbridge on Mallanwala-Makhu road which had collapsed during the previous government’s time would be reconstructed by May this year. He added that besides constructing several new overbridges, the government would reinforce and maintain the old ones, which need repair. He also issued orders for the repair of Harike bridge.

Mann said that the 27-km long Jogewala-Dharamkot road had been constructed at a cost of Rs 11 crore and the Mallanwala-Zira-Fatehgarh Panjtoor road was also being constructed.

Zira said that an Adarsh School was being established at a cost of Rs 5 crore in village Hardasa for the education of the poor and downtrodden. 

Barnala, February 21
Thullewal village witnessed tense moments today after officials went there to take possession of panchyat land being tilled by the farmers.

But with the intervention of some prominent men of the area and former Improvement Trust chairman Parmjeet Singh Mann, the situation was brought under control and a compromise was reached.

An investigation carried out by The Tribune revealed that the said piece of panchayat land measuring18 bighas and 11 biswas was purchased by four brothers, Darshan Singh, Chamkaur Singh, Pritam Singh and Mahinder Singh from Gurdev Singh, Gurbaksh Singh and Harnek Singh, sons of Borian Singh in 1994 at the rate of Rs 1 lakh per acre.

During sarpanch Inderjeet Singh’s tenure, the panchyat filed a case against the four brothers to take back the possession of the land. Now, the panchyat, under the leadership of Labh Kaur, won the case but the farmers challenged the verdict before the commissioner, Patiala, which is still pending.

Acting on the basis of the local court’s decision, the district administration represented by duty magistrate Naib Tehsildar Gurinder singh Balian reached the site with police force to take back the possession of the land. Presently wheat and mustard crops have been sown on the land. Due to this, people in the village opposed the possession of the land.

Paramjeet Mann met deputy commissioner R.L.Mehta requesting him to give more time to reap the crops. The delegation also assured the administration of full cooperation once harvesting was completed.

Following this, the deputy commissioner directed the officials to suspend taking back possession of the land for some time. 

Muktsar, February 21
The state government’s move to make it mandatory for class X students to pass in mathematics in order to qualify in matriculation is fine. But who would teach the students in the absence of math teachers as hundreds of posts lie vacant across the state?

Popping up this query, the Punjab Mathematics School Teachers’ Association has also reacted sharply, but not against, to the fresh move of the state government to make it compulsory by 2010 for the matric students to secure 33 per cent marks in mathematics and mandatory for those appearing in the 2009 exam to get a minimum of 25 per cent marks to clear matriculation.

“Though the state government had finally agreed to our long-pending demand of making the subject compulsory to clear class X, at the same time, the Board should realise the fact that 29 per cent posts of math teachers are lying vacant in primary schools alone,” the Association’s general secretary, Jaswinder Singh Chabhelwali, said.

The task to make such bold decisions fruitful would not be easy for the Punjab State Education Board (PSEB) as now, it would not only have to fill up the vacant posts of Math teachers but also to appoint the subject specific teachers at the primary level to build a strong base for the students. They would also have to venture out with concepts like practicals for the subject and scholarship-based open competitions like Maths Olympiad.

“This move would, of course, sensitise the students to concentrate on learning the basics of mathematics,” he said.

Setting the year 2010 as deadline, the school education department has clarified that the students studying in class VIII now were being given two years time before the actual implementation of the decision and also that this would ‘give time to mathematics teachers to gear up.’

The issue of increasing number of failures in mathematics at the matriculation-level has been raised time and again, even in the Vidhan Sabha. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had affirmed that nearly 17,000 unemployed teachers would soon be appointed on a contract basis.

Now, it is to be seen whether such appointments with a monthly salary of around Rs 5,000 would serve the purpose of imparting quality education in subjects like Math and English.

Bathinda, February 21
Dipreet Kaur, the anaesthetist who was in the eye of a storm when she was accused of clicking pictures of a patient in the nude in the operation theatre by another doctor, Swapanjit Kaur, today claimed innocence of the charges. In support of her stand, she submitted a police report mentioning that no objectionable footage was found in her mobile phone.

Meanwhile, in another development, highly-placed sources in the civil hospital said the report of the two-member investigating team, constituted to enquire into the case, has submitted its report to the higher authorities. It is learnt that the report finds the two doctors guilty of misconduct.

According to sources, the report says the two doctors were guilty of careless attitude towards the patient, who was given anaesthesia and was about to be operated upon for hysterectomy.

Civil surgeon Maninderjit Singh said, “The panel has submitted its report and the Director, Punjab State Health Corporation (PSHC), has summoned me to appear before him on Friday in Chandigarh.”

Moga, February 21
Starting from a nondescript dusty village of Bathinda, this Punjabi novelist has carved out a niche for himself in the tinsel town of Bollywood.

A large number of people are unaware that Buta Singh Shaad has to his credit 22 novels in Punjabi and has produced as many as 10 movies in Hindi and nearly eight in Punjabi.

Born and brought up at Dan Singhwala village in Bathinda district, Shaad grew up with the dream of projecting rustic life in his writings. Dexterity in weaving up problems of individuals, society, commonplace incidents and unusual phenomenon earned Shaad  a name in the Punjabi literature.

Some of his popular Hindi movies are “Nishan,” “Himmat Aur Mehnat” and “Pehla Pehla Pyar.” Currently, he is working on a film, yet to be named, with cast including Bipasha Basu, Aftab Shivdasani, Om Puri and Johnny Lever.

During his extended stay in Bollywood, he got the opportunity to work with famous cinema stars. He introduced Tabbu against Rishi Kapoor in “Pehla Pehla Pyar.”

Currently residing in Mumbai for discharging his professional needs, he said that his heart still longed to live in his native village. Hence, he makes it a point to visit his native place after every two months.

His Punjabi novel “Sandhoori Ambiyan” will hit the stands after a fortnight while one more novel, “Motiyan Wali Sarkar” is near conclusion.

The turnaround from writing novels to producing movies was not a sea- change for him. He feels that both forms of art belong to the same genre. According to him, a novel presented on celluloid becomes a movie while on papers, it retains in its literary form only.

Faridkot, February 21
The 84th annual Jor Mela was organised at Gurdwara Tibbi Sahib, Jaito, near here today.

Addressing a congregation, Avtar Singh Makkar, president, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) said that the “Morcha of Jaito” paved the way for subsequent Indian freedom from the British.

Notably, first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru had participated in the Morcha and was arrested for the first time in his eventful struggle for independence.

The SGPC president criticised the Manmohan Singh government at the Centre and blamed it for interfering in the matters of the Sikh community.

Sucha Singh Langah, agriculture minister, took part in the Jor Mela with “Chetna rally”, for making people aware about the threat of the pest, Mealy bug. 

Barnala, February 21
Famous Punjabi film director and theatre personality Mangal Singh Dhillon today expressed serious concern over the increase in drug addiction in the state.

Dhillion, who was here today to screen his latest Punjabi film ‘Sarvnash’, based on the abuse of drugs among the youth, said the main reason behind the ever-increasing indulgence in drugs is that today’s youth is forgetting his rich heritage and glorious past. Not able to fight the challenges in life, the youth were taking the easy way out.

While taking to media persons after the screening of the film at the SD College, he said, “So far, I have made six Punjabi films related to Sikhism but neither the Shiromnai Gurudawra Parbandhak Committee nor any other Sikh institution has provided any assistance during the production of these films.”