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City bus service a distant dream
St Joseph’s Convent |
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Sorry State of Affairs!
Debt-ridden farmer commits suicide
SHO suspended for dereliction of duty
Traffic checking irks commuters
Banawala Thermal Plant
Aid given to widows
Dr Ambedkar Medical Plan
Punjab deserves tax holiday: BJP
Balram Jakhar to visit Panjkosi on March 9
Inter College Youth Festival
Reetu adjudged Miss Farewell
Sports trial for workers’ meet on March 2
Workers’ agitation enters third day
PSEB staff stage protest
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City bus service a distant dream
Bathinda, February 28 Several people whom this correspondent contacted felt “betrayed” over the government not fulfilling its commitment. They alleged that the department concerned was taking the commuters here for granted and giving them just fake assurances in view of the forthcoming Municipal Corporation elections. One Deepak Kumar of Naamdev Nagar here said, “The promises are nothing but the ploy to lure the voters in view of the upcoming MC elections.” Bathinda has been termed as speedily growing city of the state. But in the absence of local buses, people here are forced to commute through rickshaws and private vehicles only. The 28 passenger shelters built across the city a few years ago are in dilapidated condition now as the city bus service was yet to be introduced. The MC authorities had made promise of introducing a city bus service here. In 2005, the department concerned even prepared the proposal to launch the service but it was put under the carpet as nothing has matured so far. The department of local government has today inserted a notice in newspapers whereby it has invited proposals from bus operators for financing, procurement, running, operation and maintenance of city buses on specified routes under city bus services project for Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. In the advertisement, the department has mentioned innovations regarding GPS system, pass system and electronic ticket vending machines. The people who failed to see the name of their city in the advertisement, have now raised their voice against the alleged ‘ignorant’ attitude of the government. On his part, the Bathinda MC commissioner, K.K. Yadav, said, “A resolution has been submitted to the principal secretary of our department to launch the scheme here.” Replying to a query about the repeated promises made to the residents of the city, he disclosed that it would take time as the process was only in its first stage as even the preliminary survey had not yet been completed.” The Punjab minister for local government, Manoranjan Kalia, when contacted, said, “A survey was in progress to check the feasibility of the project. The bus service would start only if the routes are economically beneficial.” |
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St Joseph’s Convent
Bathinda, February 28 The application was moved by the school on February 26 after the judicial magistrate, Class I, ordered seizure of the relevant record pertaining to the admissions to LKG and restrained the school authorities from starting LKG classes. The school did not produce the record and the commissioner appointed by the school also returned empty handed. Taking suo motu cognisance of the reluctance of the school authorities in producing the records, the court directed the principal to appear personally in the court on February 26 with the records. In the meantime, the judicial magistrate was promoted and the case was adjourned till March 5. The parents of aggrieved children had alleged irregularities in admissions while a section of parents had defended the school authorities and hit out at the petitioners for maligning the school’s image.Advocate for the petitioners, Rohit Khattar, said, “We have full faith in the law and are optimistic that justice will prevail against all odds.” |
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Sorry State of Affairs!
Fazilka, February 28 Police officials took custody of the foetus and submitted it for examination at the local civil hospital. The senior medical officer at the hospital expressed inability in conducting the examination and referred it for autopsy to Medical College, Faridkot, after taking permission from the civil surgeon, Ferozepur. The police has registered a case under section 318 of the IPC against unidentified persons and has started investigations. President of the Social Welfare Society, Fazilka, Raj Kishsore Kalra, general secretary Kanwal Kishore Grover, PRO Shashi Kant have in a joint statement condemned the incident and demanded that a proper probe should be conducted into the case. |
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Debt-ridden farmer commits suicide
Mansa, February 28 The residents of his village and family members said that he had to pay Rs 4 lakh taken from moneylenders and cooperative agricultural societies. He is survived by two daughters and a son. Meanwhile, district president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta) Ugrahan, Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha, state president of the Punjab Kisan Union Ruldu Singh and former MLA Buta Singh demanded compensation from the government for the family of the deceased farmer. It may be mentioned that two workers of village Ralla and Bareta had also committed suicide in the district some time back. |
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SHO suspended for dereliction of duty
Moga, February 28 The SHO was suspended after he had been indicted by an intra-departmental inquiry. The inquiry was conducted by Jaspal Singh, DSP (Baghapurana). It is pertinent to mention here that the festive mood on the opening day of the Kabaddi tournament turned gloomy when two groups owing allegiance to different political parties locked horns on February 16. The brawl turned bloody when one of them opened fire which left five persons injured. According to the police, Inderjit Singh, belonging to a party of the ruling coalition, and Bittu Singh, a resident of Budh Singhwala village along with Nikka Singh of Rode village, had clashed with another group of Budh Singhwala’s sarpanch Major Singh, who had allegiance with the opposition party. Apart from Major Singh, Binder Singh, Kulwant Singh, Ajmer Singh and Mithu Singh had sustained injuries. Had the police been at the place, the bloodshed would have been averted. |
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Traffic checking irks commuters
Bathinda, February 28 In order to cross the city a vehicle has to pass through at least three check-posts as the district police has set up as many as 15 check-posts all over the city over the last three days to intercept vehicles and check their documents. Challans have been issued for incomplete documents. Taking a serious note of the inconvenience faced by the commuters, the residents today issued press releases alleging the ‘high-handedness’ of the policemen, posted at these check-posts. Surender Kumar, a resident of Goniana, narrated his plight, saying, “I was riding on my scooter with my wife and the police intercepted us thrice. Though no ticket was issued to me as I had all the documents, but we were harassed for no reason.” His wife, Amrita added, “While arguing with us, a motorcycle with three riders fled but the policemen were least bothered about it.” Beant Singh Randhawa, the president of Guru Gobind Singh Sports Club, in a press note, mentioned, “The whole city has been turned into a cantonment just to harass the residents. No one is bothered about the unauthorised buses plying on the city roads,” he added. When the assistant superintendent of police (city) Harsh Kumar Bansal was contacted, he said, “The whole effort is to nab miscreants, and if
somebody has been suffering due to repeated checks, we can not help him as it is part of our duty and we have no other way of handling the situation.” |
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Banawala Thermal Plant
Mansa, February 28 Addressing the convention, state president, Punjab Kissan Union, Ruldu Singh said that they were not against the establishment of the thermal plant at Banawala but 70 per cent of jobs for the children of farmers and labourers, and reasonable price of the acquired land should be ensured. He blamed the Punjab government that it was ignoring the demands of the farmers. State secretary of the CPI (ML) Liberation, Rajwinder Singh Rana, said that the centre and state governments of Punjab had been implementing the anti-farmers and anti- labourer policies. State secretary of the Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, Bhagwant Singh, said that so called development of the Congress and Akali governments had been proving disastrous for the labour class. State president of the BKU (Revolutionary) Surjit Singh Phool demanded that development should be labour intensive and based on social development. Bheem Singh,Kanwaljeet Singh and others also addressed the convention. |
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Aid given to widows
Abohar, February 28 The women had lost their respective husbands in road mishaps a few months back. A prayer for peace to the departed souls was held before presentation of the cheques under the Sankat Haran Bima Yojna that had been scripted when Bal Ram Jakhar was the minister for agriculture in the union cabinet. Under this scheme, the farmers, who purchase IFFCO fertilizers from its service centers or through cooperative societies affiliated with it, are covered under the free insurance scheme for which the IFFCO paid premium to IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Company. The maximum limit for payment of the insurance amount under the scheme had been fixed at Rs 1 lakh, area manager Amarjit Singh said. The chairman was joined by assistant registrar cooperatives Atma Ram in handing over the cheques to the widows. R.K. Gawri, district manager of the Fazilka Central Cooperative Bank, informed that no clearing charges would be payable on these cheques. Significantly, none of the widows had to visit the IFFCO office to get their claims processed.
— OC |
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Dr Ambedkar Medical Plan
Moga, February 28 Sawinder Singh Johal, deputy commissioner, informed here today that 75 per cent of the cost of treatment would be released to the hospital concerned. The scheme would be available at all the state hospitals funded by the state and central governments, and hospitals recognised by the state government. Besides, the scheme
was available at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and PGI, Chandigarh. The eligible persons are required to submit an application along with a caste certificate, income certificate, ration card and the estimated cost of treatment duly certified by medical superintendent. The application must be forwarded by either the sitting MP of the area or deputy commissioner or secretary in-charge of health and social welfare department. The duly filled form must reach the director of the Dr Ambedkar Foundation, New Delhi, at least 15 days before the surgery. |
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Punjab deserves tax holiday: BJP
Fazilka, February 28 Addressing a press conference, he said that these demands were not a prestige issue for the party. Bhandari was accompanied by the state BJP vice president and Fazilka MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani and district BJP president, Mohinder Pratap Dhingra. Talking in details about SAD-BJP Delhi rally Bhandari said the condition of Punjab farmers was no different than their counterparts in Andhra Pardesh and Maharashtra hence their loans should also be waived off. He alleged that Punjab was being overlooked in grant of other mega projects too even as the state had been serving as a granary for the country since pre-Independence days. He said that border state Punjab deserves tax holidays and Industrial concessions on pattern of Himachal Pardesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttrakhand for its industrial and economical development. Replying to media persons’ questions, BJP chief admitted that the desired pace of development was not in Punjab and the biggest hurdle in it was the financial crunch, which was a “gift” of the previous Congress regime. Bhandari revealed that three meetings of SAD-BJP co-ordination committee had been held and the impact of economical reforms would be visible in the state budget to be presented soon. |
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Balram Jakhar to visit Panjkosi on March 9
Abohar, February 28 The legislator shared concern over failure of the state government in making canal water available for cultivation at this crucial juncture in the region. He said that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had during his last Assembly session boasted of making water available at the tailend villages and also announced that the irrigation officials would have to obtain a certificate from each sarpanch of the village located at the tailend of sub-canals in verification of the supply of water. But, Jakhar said, none of the official had visited the villages which faced acute shortage of water for farming. “ I will be submitting a memorandum signed by the sarpanches to the CM during coming Assembly session”, he informed and assured to lead an agitation if the CM does not respond well. |
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Inter College Youth Festival
Bathinda, February 28 Jugraj Singh of Government Polytechnic College, Batala, and Roop Pal Singh of Malwa Polytechnic College, Faridkot, stood second while Parveen Kumar of Government Polytechnic College, Bathinda, Parminder Singh of Lovely Polytechnic College, Phagwara, and Gurmeet Singh of Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial College, Ajitwal, secured the third position. As many as 45 teams from the polytechnic institutes of Punjab and Chandigarh are participating in the festival. Judges for today’s function were singer Surinder Shinda, lyricist and choreographer Gill Surjit and lyricist Hardev Dilgir. Deputy commissioner, Bathinda, Rahul Tewari, was the chief guest on the occasion. |
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Reetu adjudged Miss Farewell
Abohar, February 28 Vijay Bholusaria was the chief guest. Pooja, Komal, Kashish, Meetu, Ashu and Ritika enthralled the gathering with a variety of dance performance. In the boys category Mayank and Dheeraj won the title of Mr Farewell and Mr Punctual respectively. During another farewell function held in Shri Gurunanak AV Girls College here, Rajni won the title of Lucky Girl, Abhilasha chosen as Miss Farewell and Sarabjit adjudged the Miss Evening. Principal Geeta Watts presided over the function. Star performers during the four-hour cultural programme included, Rozy, Sonam, Rajwinder, Sonu, Chandani, Pallavi, Jinam, Anchal, Promila, Priya and Ritika. |
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Sports trial for workers’ meet on March 2
Bathinda, February 28 According to Narinder Pal Singh, secretary general of the Punjab State Worker Sports Association, “Only those sportspersons who are employed can participate in the trials. They should bring along their proof of employment. The games for which the trials are being held includes volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis, chess and athletics (100, 200, 400, 800m, long jump, high jump and shot put).” “During the championship, selection of the Indian team would also be made. Those selected would take part in the international championship to be held in Italy,” he added. |
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Workers’ agitation enters third day
Abohar, February 28 Today was the third day of their indefinite sit-in outside the office of forest range officer here. The union regretted that the charter of demands submitted to the local as well as senior officers had not been attended to. It had become almost impossible to arrange meals for their families besides clearing dues in the educational institutions. Sources in the forest range office said the state government had not released budget for the payment of wages to the workers for the last six months. This forced the authorities here to discontinue the services of most of the workers, which had affected tree plantation campaign also, the sources
added.—OC |
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PSEB staff stage protest
Abohar, February 28 TSU leaders criticised the state government for carrying on the process of unbundling of the board. |
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Science Day
Bathinda, February 28 |
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Bathinda, February 28
