Bathinda, April 23
The policemen accused of attacking ITI students in the lathicharge incident that took place in December last year, have been given a clean chit. The report has been sent by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, Chandigarh.

The report, it is learnt, states that the inquiry in the case was conducted through the SP (D), Mansa. An FIR, number 791, dated December 20, 2007, was filed in the case under sections 342, 186, 506, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC at the Kotwali police station, Bathinda.

The vehicles damaged in the incident were also examined and the statements of persons concerned were also examined. The report says that the situation at that time was tense and the action was taken by the police to maintain law and order.

The police took action only to bring the situation under control, it says. While doing so, nine police officials were injured and had to be admitted to the Civil Hospital here for treatment. After the release of the students involved on bail, none of them was found to have been hospitalised for medical aid, whereas the police officials were still nursing their wounds in the hospital.

Regarding the entry of the police officials in the bathrooms meant for girl students while chasing the agitating students, the principal of the ITI has given in writing that Baljit Kaur, Gagandeep Kaur and Sukhbir Kaur, the complainants, have since left the institution after completing their studies.

The fourth girl, Amanpreet Kaur, who had remained in the news, has joined the institute as an instructor. Even she has not castigated any police official in her statement for misconduct with any girl student, the report points out.

Confirming the details, Parvinder Singh, general secretary, Human Empowerment League of Punjab (HELP), said that the PSHRC authorities have sought the response of persons concerned and the case has been adjourned till May 22.

It may be mentioned that the police had used lathicharge on ITI students who had allegedly damaged PCR motorcycles on December 20, 2007, outside and even inside the institute’s premises. The reason for the agitation by the students was the reported misbehaviour of some private bus operators with them. When the police intervened into the matter, the situation took an ugly turn. The case was taken up by the PSHRC on the basis of news reports.

Bathinda, April 23
The State Election Commission (SEC), Punjab, has increased the expenditure limit for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections. The orders in this regard have been sent to all additional district election officers-cum-additional deputy commissioner (development) in the state.

As per the memo number SEC-PE-SAP (28)-2008/3425-3444, the limit of election expenses has been fixed as: election for the members of Zila Parishads – Rs 1,20,000, Panchayat Samitis – Rs 50,000, Gram Panchayat for Panches - Rs 12,000. It may be mentioned that previously, the limit was fixed as Rs 60,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively.

It has been mentioned that under rule 41 of the Punjab Panchayat Election Rules, 1994, the election commission may fix expenses to be incurred by a candidate for any office which may vary from office to office and may also specify a performa in the expenditure statement will be submitted by the candidate within a month of the declaration of the result. In supersession of previous orders, the commission has decided to fix the limit of election expenses.

The performas together with the instructions for filing the election return is the same and there is no change, only the maximum limits may be noted for necessary action.

It has also been reported that counting of votes for Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad will be held on May 13, just the next day of the polls.

Giving details of the officer being appointed for the elections, the ADC (Development) Vijay N. Zade earlier disclosed that the duty of sub-divisional magistrates would be set as registration officers (RO) for the panchayat samitis, while additional deputy commissioner (development) had been given the responsibility of the Zila Parishad. The district level officers, mostly executive engineers, would be given the charge for Gram Panchayat, as on an average, one officer will be an RO for 15 village panchayats.

Bathinda, April 23
The issue of rights over the premises of the Summer Hill Convent School situated on Bathinda-Goniana road opposite the Police Public School, after the death of the school’s managing director (MD) Ajmer Singh, has snowballed into a major controversy.

The recently-appointed MD Ramesh Kumari, along with members of the school committee, today levelled allegations at the family members of Ajmer Singh, SAD leader belonging to Lambi village and a retired superintendent of police for their connivance. The charges have been mentioned in her letters sent to CM Parkash Singh Badal and several administrative and police officials.

Talking to media persons in the school premises here today, she produced copies of the complaint lodged with the higher authorities. She also handed over the copies of registered Will no. 89, dated May 25, 2004 of Ajmer Singh, in which he had reportedly mentioned that: “All the rights that I have got in the properties at Haji Rattan Bathinda will accrue to Ramesh Kumari on my death.”

Giving details about the dispute, she said, “After the death of Ajmer Singh in November 2007, his son Resham Singh, who is a resident of Roranwali village in Rajasthan, along with his mother, wife and other relatives, came to attend Akhand Path and other rituals, which were performed by the staff of the school to pay tributes to him. But since then, they have occupied some rooms in the girls hostel campus. Whenever they were asked to vacate the premises, they threatened the staff.”

She further alleged that on January 14, 2008 some “goonda” elements forcibly entered the girls hostel, misbehaved with the staff and tried to take away the school records.

Accusing the police, she said despite their repeated requests and formal complaints, the police had been showing a callous attitude. She further recalled the words of the CM that women would not be called to the police stations for recording statements and said she along with the lady principal and a maid made several rounds of the police stations to get their statements recorded.

When Resham Singh was contacted over phone, he refuted all allegations. “The land is on lease from the Waqf Board, where the will cannot be considered as the final authentic proof. My father, just a month before his death, gave a statement to the Board in the shape of an affidavit expressing his desire for me to be his survivor,” he said.

On his part, SSP Bathinda, Naunihal Singh said, “As per my information, both the parties have been claiming their right over the property. But if they have any complaint against police, they can come to me. I will check the matter.”

Muktsar, April 23
The school teachers here today held a sit-in against the District Education Officer (DEO), accusing him of spoiling the atmosphere in schools by harassing the teachers. They even warned him of intensifying their protest further if he did not abide by their ‘genuine’ demands.

The agitated teachers from Muktsar and far-flung areas of the district gathered at the DEO office premises under the banner of Teachers Democratic Front (TDF) and demanded the removal of DEO Harbans Lal Goel or meet their demands.

Raising slogans against DEO’s alleged “dictatorial attitude”, they accused him of conducting forceful transfers as they distributed pamphlets which stated that the DEO had not issued even a single list of the cases related to seniority or confirmation of teachers.

At least 40 cases related to the confirmation of certain teachers were pending with the department, mainly for the last three years against the stipulated time-period of one year. In a case, the confirmation of a teacher was pending since December 2002 and the repeated pleas of the teacher with the DEO for the pursuance of his case did not yield any positive result.

The DEO was also condemned for forcing the teachers and students to attend certain functions of the ruling politicians. It may be recalled that the district administration had been criticised for forcing the students on a holiday to stand for hours in a stadium during the state-level animal fair held recently on the occasion of Maghi mela.

On another occasion, the teachers had expressed their resentment when Punjab agriculture minister Succha Singh Langah criticised the teachers’ fraternity while presiding over a campaign against mealy bug organised in Muktsar recently. The DEO had then ordered the teachers to reach the venue for a show of strength during that function.

The TDF activists who addressed the protest ‘dharna’ today included the organisation’s Muktsar district president Mohinder Singh Bariwala, secretary Sohan Singh, Muktsar block presidents Buta Singh and Narinder Kumar Bedi, and the block chiefs Balwant Singh, Sukhpal Singh, K.C. Rupana and Jarnail Singh from Doda, Gidderbaha, Malout and Lambi, respectively.

Bathinda, April 23
Thanks to lack of ecological awareness on the part of municipal authorities, the city has nominal green cover compared to its population. Consequently, the residents are prone to various ailments and complain of a number of health hazards.

Bathinda, which hosts more than 3 lakh people, has reportedly less than 3 per cent of its municipal corporation area under plantation. In addition to this, the city lacks trees at a stretch to form a green belt, considered a vital part of a healthy environment.

Roadsides, public places and parks are the main areas where plantations can take place, yet these areas are largely neglected by the civic authorities as trees are sparsely found at a number of such sites.

“The MC has never taken the issue seriously. No doubt the city lacks a green belt, but the authorities can arrange land for such purposes. Still, a lot of area is there around the roads, parks and public places which can be utilised for plantation,” says Varinder Jindal, a resident of Model Town. Saplings are planted every year but fail to survive due to lack of after care. “The issue of plantation has always been kept on the back-burner. Trees play a significant role in checking the water table, a major problem being faced by the city. Our NGO is doing its level best to make the city greener by planting saplings wherever it finds a suitable place,” says Vijay Goyal

“Wherever there is greenery in the localities, it is the result of ardent efforts of a number of residents’ welfare societies formed in the city. The MC does not bother about this, otherwise, the city would not have had this problem,” says R.P. Gupta of Swachchta Abhiyan Manch.

S.K. Sharma, an eye specialist and lover of nature, says plants play a pivotal role in maintaining the required moisture level in the atmosphere. “Diminished level of moisture in the atmosphere is considered a root cause for various direct and indirect eye ailments,” he said.

“Ninety per cent of the patients who visit my clinic suffer from diseases which show that the city’s atmosphere is deficient in moisture. Undoubtedly, the problem can be sorted out by adequate plantation in and around the city,” he said.

Sharma also suggested that the MC authorities should make it mandatory for all residents of new localities to earmark a place for green plantation in houses.

Kamal Kant Goyal, executive officer, Bathinda Municipal Corporation, whose horticulture wing deals with the plantation work in the city, claimed that more than 4 per cent of the MC area was under green cover. “We are doing our level best to make the city green. Last year, the MC spent Rs 8 lakh on planting saplings in the city. Most of the plants died due to heat wave, dry spell and cattle menace. But to have optimum results, we need cooperation from the public, which is lacking to an extent,” he complained.

When asked why some of the major locations in the city were partially green, Goyal said they would be made fully green as early as possible.

Bathinda, April 23
In search of meritorious and talented candidates from the Bathinda region, Swami Vivekanand Institute of Engineering & Technology (SVIET) of Ramnagar, near Chandigarh, launched a talent hunt programme here today. The institute is also offering scholarships and quota for candidates falling under some specified categories. “Apart from that, a management course will be started from the session 2008-09 which will be exclusively for girls,” Pooja Mittal, spokesperson of the Swami Vivekanand Group of Institutes, told pressmen.

The SVIET started functioning in 2004 and is imparting education to 4,200 students, out of which nearly 20 per cent belonged to the Malwa region. “The region has talent in abundance. They are industrious and sincere too. The only thing that they need is proper guidance to achieve success,” said Pooja.

A career counselling and education fest would be organised in May and June, where students and their parents would be guided to choose a career in medical, engineering, management, pharmacy and others.

Addressing the conference, the spokesperson announced the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship Scheme for the meritorious and talented students, which envisaged reservation of two seats each for candidates belonging to weaker sections, single girl child, sports and handicapped quota categories. Those with a minimum of 50 per cent marks in graduation from a recognised university will be eligible for the reserved seats.

Besides, the candidates who have secured 65 per cent marks in graduation will be eligible for a scholarship of Rs 1.2 lakh for the two-year-long Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM), which is a regular course.

Pooja informed that from the session 2008-09, the Swami Vivekanand Group of Institutes was coming up with a management institute meant exclusively for girls. “A Letter of Intent has been received from the AICTE, New Delhi, in this regard.”

Girls with 70 per cent marks in graduation will be eligible for a scholarship of Rs 40,000 for the two-year-long course.

Impressing upon the motto of the SVIET that aimed at educating the students to become job creators rather than job seekers, she said the students passing out of the institute had secured placements in companies like Infosys, HP, Kotak, HDFC, and Standard Chartered Bank.

Abohar, April 23
The Congress party here has initiated the process of identifying the prospective candidates for the upcoming Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections. Talking to media persons on the sidelines of a function here today, legislator Sunil Jakhar said a mass contact programme to gather the opinion of the party workers would be started soon in rural areas. Accordingly, recommendations would be made to the party high command for finalising the candidates.

Claiming that the Congress would retain its hold in all the civic bodies in the region, Jakhar said the electorate would vote against Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD(B)–BJP government that allegedly failed in fulfilling the promises it made in its last election manifesto, including that of providing water for drinking and irrigation and electricity.

Taking the BJP workers to task for burning the effigy of the Prime Minister during a protest march against inflation, the Congress legislator blamed the BJP for adopting double standards. The saffron party leaders on the one hand urged the UPA government to raise the minimum support price of all essential commodities but in the same breath expressed concern over the rising prices, he said. It has been confirmed during several surveys that during the NDA regime, 23 per cent of Indians were able to get food once in a day. It is 15 per cent now, he claimed.

While talking about mall culture, in another function, Jakhar said, “Even in the Congress, some friends had advised me to create a mall on the prime land vacated by shifting of the Military Hospital but I respected the sentiments of senior citizens, and renovated the Nehru Park, which was developed in 1976 by my father Balram Jakhar. Hundreds of children, women and senior citizens can be seen enjoying a walk in the park.”

Jakhar later warned those who were reportedly conspiring to get the approval of the present state government for developing a mall by disposing of the Patel Park in the Patel Nagar locality.

Barnala, April 23
While accepting the plea of the local truck operators to hold free and fair elections for the Truck Union, Barnala, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the local administration to conduct the elections in a peaceful manner. With about 1,150 operators in the union, the elections are scheduled to be held on April 25 at the multicomplex on Nanaksar road here.

While talking to TNS, Jaswinder Singh Manti, a former loyalist of Malkeet Keetu, alleged that there were large-scale anomalies in the working of the local truck union. He claimed that out of a total of 1,150 truck operators, their group had the support of about 700 operators. Presently, former MLA and local SAD Assembly segment in-charge Malkeet Keetu’s son, Kulwant Singh Kanta, was heading the post of presidentship of the truck union, Barnala. As the Keetu group doesn’t want to lose this coveted post, it may go to any length to foil the election process.

Apprehending that the Keetu group could use muscle power if the elections were to be conducted, one group had knocked at the doors of the High Court for conducting the elections, Manti added. He said his group had full faith in Charnjeet Singh Khatra’s leadership.

Manti also informed that an action committee, representing truck operators, had approached the bank authorities not to allow anybody from withdrawing the union’s money till April 25. The truck union, Barnala, has crores deposited with five different banks.

Meanwhile, Keetu, in a press conference held here, today claimed that his son Kanta still enjoyed the support of most of the operators. He said the claims made by Manti were false and things would become clear on April 25. — OC

Bathinda, April 23
Dr P. G. Khera, from the Institute of Health Management Research (IHMR), Jaipur, said Punjab needed to reorient its agriculture based on chemical fertilizers and other hazardous pesticides to avoid a catastrophic health scenario.

Punjab is going through an unprecedented environmental health crisis and according to a survey excessive use of pesticide was affecting the reproductive health of females in the state.

Addressing a seminar at the ITJ Institute here today to create awareness in the public on health issues, Dr Khera said Punjab had the highest probability of pesticides of exposures on a large percentage of its population. He said it was well-established fact that growth of cancer was also linked to pesticides, besides other factors.

A recent survey had pointed out high exposure to chemical poisons had a direct impact on the reproductive system of women. High foetal loss in Punjab was mainly due to spontaneous abortions, miscarriage and stillbirths.

Giving new dimensions to the research, he said high ratio of female babies died during premature births.

This study may cause ripples in medical fraternity.

Moga, April 23
The legal services authority of Faridkot, Moga and Muktsar districts has decided to provide free legal aid to as many as 367 poor people.

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting presided over by Varinder Kumar, district and sessions judge at Faridkot, on Wednesday. Additional sessions judges A.K. Singla of Faridkot, Amarjot Bhatti of Moga, G.R.Baniyal of Muktsar, district attorneys, civil and police officials of these districts participated in the meeting.

The sessions judge disclosed that so far, 302 Lok Adalats had been held in these three districts in which 32,497 cases were taken up, out of which 18,135 cases were decided with mutual understanding of the parties concerned. An amount of Rs 89,48,44,211 had also been awarded by the Lok Adalats for the settlement of cases, the sessions judge added.

As many as 4,096 poor persons had so far been provided free legal aid by the legal services authority, out of which 539 belonged to the scheduled castes, nine to backward classes, 452 women, 32 children, 2,566 under-trials and 498 other poor people.

Surinder Kumar Sachdeva, additional district attorney (legal), said that they had organised as many as 208 seminars in these three districts to bring awareness among the people about free legal aid being provided to them by the government.

Mansa, April 23
A youth was found murdered on Tuesday night in Nangal Kalan village here. A love affair is being suspected as the reason behind the murder. A case has been registered against three persons, who are now absconding.

Ever since his childhood, Bikramjeet Singh, son of Mukand Singh, was residing in the village with his maternal grandparents following his mother’s death. His grandfather was a granthi in another village.

The police said the deceased was allegedly having a love affair with the daughter of one Bhola Singh, a resident of the same village, which became the cause of his murder.

The villagers informed that Bikramjeet had links with Bhola’s family and used to frequent the latter’s house.

But when the family members of the girl came to know about the affair, they advised him against visiting their house. But he did not pay heed to it despite several requests.

Station House Officer (SHO) Gamdoor Singh of Sadar police station here informed that acting on the statement made by the deceased’s grandmother, a case had been registered against Bhola Singh, Karnail Singh and Kaka Singh, sons of Channan Singh and residents of the same village. However, none of them could be arrested as they were absconding. — OC