Bathinda, May 31
The police here is under the scanner following its questionable stand over registering of an FIR in the case pertaining to the killing of two Congressmen of village Ghaso Khana in Talwandi Sabo block, who were allegedly killed in the heat of the Panchayat elections, on Thursday evening.

The police registered a case on the morning of May 30 showing the incident to be a case of accidental death. Apparently under the pressure of the kin of the deceased who staged a dharna at the civil hospital in Bathinda on Friday evening, the police converted the case into one related to murder.

Due to the alleged delay on the part of the police, the postmortem of Swaran Singh (27) and Hargobind Singh (35), could be conducted only this morning at the civil hospital in Bathinda. After the bodies were handed over to the family members, the last rites was performed at village Ghasokhana under heavy dedployment of police.

Showing copies of the FIR, relatives of the deceased, later accused the police of adopting a non-serious attitude. They said that the police first took away the motorcycles from the spot where both were killed with sharp-edged weapons and said it to be acase of road accident. Later, when the kin of the deceased claimed to be eye-witnesses, the police registered a case for murder but only quite late in the day.

In the first FIR, the incident was termed as a case of accidental death. The Kotfatta police registered a case under sections 304-A, 279 and 427 of the IPC on the basis of the statement of constable Ajmer Singh.

But later, the police converted it into a case of allegd murder and changed the sections under which the case was registered to sections 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC. The names of nine persons, Boota Singh, Gurmail Singh, Gulab Singh, Gurnam Singh, Gurjeet Singh, Balwinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Charanjeet Singh and Ranjeet Singh were mentioned in it.

“The policemen could not even see the wounds inflicted by sharp-edged weapons on the bodies of the deceased and said it was a case of accidental death. Despite our repeated requests, the police did not complete the formalities and due to that, the postmortem could not be performed.”

DSP (D) Surinder Pal Singh, who was investigating the case, till Friday evening, had a stock reply to all the queries saying that the investigation was on.

Even at the cremation, no senior Congress leader arrived to console the family. Congress MLA from Talwandi Sabo, Jeet Mahinder Singh, also did not turn up.

SSP Bathinda Naunihal Singh, however, said everything was being done in a “free and fair manner and as per the due process.”

Bathinda, May 31
The additional district electoral office has started preparations for the Nagar Panchayat and MC elections, which have been notified and would be held on June 30.

Giving a reply to the State Election Commission (SEC) to its query vide number SEC-2008/8579 dated May 27, the additional district electoral office submitted a detail of the Nagar Panchayat and Municipal Councils along with wards, booths and voters.

In the details, it has been mentioned that Goniana Mandi 13 wards, 13 polling booths, 8969 voters, Bhucho Mandi 13 wards, 13 polling booths, 8880 voters, Kotfatta 11 wards, 11 polling booths, 4505 votes, Sangat Mandi 9 wards, 9 polling booths, 1593 votes, Maur Mandi 15 wards, 27 polling booths 18856 votes, Raman Mandi 13 wards, 18 polling booths, 12351 votes, Rampura Phul 17 wards, 34 polling booths and 31683 votes.

In pursuance of the various provisions of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994, the SEC notified the detailed programme. As per the notification, June 17 is the last date for filing nominations while scrutiny of nominations would be done on June 19 and candidates could withdraw their forms on June 20. Polling will be held on June 30 while results would be announced on July 3.

In determination of the number of elected members and reservation of offices of presidents of municipalities rules, the govt of Punjab, department of local bodies adopting the policy of rotation, announced the reserved seats.

In the details procured, Bhucho Mandi Nagar Panchayat has 13 seats, wards number 5, 10 and 11 (SC), 8 (SC woman), 3, 7, 13 (woman), 12 (BC), 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 (general). Rampura Phul has seats 17, ward number 1, 8, 9 (SC), 6 (SC woman), 3, 7, 12, 16 (woman), 15 (BC), 2, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17 (general). Goniana has seats 13, ward number 1, 2 (SC), 11 (SC woman), 3, 6, 10 (woman), 9 (BC), 4, 5, 7, 8, 12 and 13 (general). Maur has 15 seats, ward number 1, 10, 12 (SC), 9, 14 (SC woman), 3, 6, 11 (woman), 15 (BC), 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 13 (general).

Raman has total seats 13, ward number 1, 9, 11 (SC), 3 (SC woman), 4, 7, 13 (woman), 8 (BC), 2, 5, 6, 10, 12 (general).

It may be mentioned that the ADEO, Bathinda, Vijay Zade has already forwarded the demand for the electronic voting machines to the SEC. 

Bathinda, May 31
The list of Congress members for the Campaign and Candidate Selection committees formed for the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, scheduled for June 22, was made public today.

According to Tehal Singh Sandhu, secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), the Campaign Committee would be headed by MLA Dakala, Lal Singh, and the Candidate Selection Committee by MLA Bathinda, Harminder Singh Jassi.

The committees were formed to ensure that party wins the BMC elections. Despite the fact that all the five MLAs in the district were from Bathinda, the party performed poor in the Zila Parishad, Block Samiti and Gram Panchayat elections.

The Campaign committee would consist of MLA Dakala, Lal Singh, MLA Guruharsahai, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, MLA Malerkotla, Razia Sultana, Congress Working Committee member and ex-MP, Jagmeet Singh Brar, former finance minister, Surinder Singla, former deputy speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and Congress chief spokesperson, Bir Devinder Singh, and former minister Jasbir Singh.

The Candidate Selection Committee would include MLA Barnala, Kewal Singh Dhillon and MLA Bathinda, Harminder Singh Jassi (both conveners), Ashok Kumar, president of the District Congress Committee (urban), Tehal Singh Sandhu, secretary of the PPCC, Iqbal Singh Dhillon, president of the District Youth Congress, Jagroop Singh Gill, K.K. Aggarwal, Sukhdev Singh, Jeet Mal and Kulwant Rai Aggarwal, ex-president of the Bathinda Improvement Trust.

PPCC president Rajinder Kaur Bhattal is believed to visit the city on Sunday. She would also attend the bhog ceremony of Sham Lal Nagpal of Bhagta Bhai Ka village, a Congress worker and business partner of MLA Rampura Phul Gurpreet Singh Kangar.

The Candidate Selection committee would prepare a final report of the candidates from the city by June 2 and would later send it to the PPCC president. On the basis of the report, tickets would be allocated to the candidates on June 4.

Moga, May 31
Often mentioned in the Punjabi folk songs as the village that turned into a town, Moga is now fast losing its natural beauty and culture. The town was once rich enough to influence the whole Punjabi community.

The project to beautify the Moga town by developing green belts, parks and parking sites is hanging fire for the past many years, probably due to the callousness of the district administration, the civic body and the local politicians.

It was in the year 2002 that a draft proposal, ‘People’s project for the beautification of Moga’, was drawn up with the initiative of the district administration but hardly anything had been done in this regard so far.

Even before the year 2002, the proposals to beautify the town were discussed at various levels but were, somehow, never drafted.

Instead of going ahead to beautify the town at ground level, the file of 2002 draft proposal gathered dust in the offices of the district magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate and the executive officer of the municipal council.

In the meantime, during the past few years, not only the local people/businessmen but also senior officials of the district administration encroached upon the public land on the main roads, thwarting the whole idea of beautification.

Entering the town from Ludhiana side, one can notice the encroachments made by businessmen, workshop owners along the national highway (NH). As one reaches the heart of the town, near the sub-jail on the left side is the residence of the district magistrate that has encroached the public land along the NH.

The local MC authorities had turned a blind eye towards this encroachment for the past many years probably to avoid confrontation with the administration. Similarly, one could see encroachments in almost all the areas of the town but the MC authorities are least bothered about them.

A local resident, Daljit Singh, was of the view that the MC needs to act hard on the encroachers if the dream to beautify the town was to be realised.

Ajay Sood, a former member of the MC, said it was essential to develop green belts in the town as it was fast losing its natural beauty.

The civic body, in association with the local administration, has to act tough to remove the encroachments. Then, an effective plantation drive followed by adequate steps for the maintenance of plants was the only solution for making the town green, he added.

On the other hand, there is a proposal to develop a park near the Guru Nanak College on the forest land. With the implementation of the proposal, which is almost in its final stage, hundreds of trees would have to face the ‘axe’ from the administration.

Bathinda, May 31
At a time when the ex-servicemen are up in arms to press for their long-pending demand of ‘One Rank ,One Pension’ and are agitating against the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission (SPC), about 3,000 ex-servicemen in Bathinda and Mansa would go without pension during the months of May and June.

Explaining the reason, president of the local unit of the Indian Ex-servicemen League, Lt Col Daya Singh (retd) said every defence pensioner was required to sign a certificate with his banker, once a year during the month of November, that he was alive and had not remarried or re-employed. Though certificates were furnished by the ex–servicemen, their bankers failed to forward them to the DPDO, who releases pensions to banks by 25th of each month, he disclosed.

The failure of several bank managers and their subordinates to comply with this mandatory provision has put the ex-servicemen in a desperate situation and they would have to go without pensions, Sodhi said, adding that the widows would also face the same fate.

He also alleged that the banks were charging Rs 65 from every pensioner annually from the DPDO to do this favour but in spite of claiming the charges, the banks failed to discharge their obligations towards the Ex-servicemen. Even security guards/gunmen of the bank, being ex-servicemen, would not get the pension due to the ‘kind courtesy’ of bank staff, he gasped. 

Ferozepur, May 31
The Punjab Government has embarked upon a special project to develop the Harike wetland as a major hub of tourism in the state so as to attract thousands of bird lovers and foreign tourists.

Spread over an area of 86 sq km, the Harike bird sanctuary and wetland is situated on the confluence of rivers the Sutlej and the Beas. The Harike, which has become a home to thousands of migratory birds, who flock to the place during winters, was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1982. Later, in 1990, owing to its aesthetic and recreational value, it was declared as a wetland of international importance (Ramsar site) and was included in the world wetland map.

A team from the World Tourist Organisation (WTO), led by G. Blacken, visited the Harike on Friday along with project director C.M. Trishal, who held discussions with deputy commissioner Megh Raj, SSP Dinesh Pratap and other senior wildlife and forest officials to develop the place as a tourist centre.

The DC informed that various internationally acclaimed experts were being roped in to prepare massive project to develop the areas of the Beas and the Sutlej with the Harike wetland so that it can add to the )eco-tourism potential of the state.

He added that the government was also contemplating the proposal to establish log huts near the Harike for bird-watchers and that a tourist complex would also be built.

The WTO team also held discussions for removal of water hyacinth from the Harike as it spoils its beauty to a large extent. The issue regarding the flow of industrial effluents and sewage into the Sutlej was also discussed.

It is pertinent to mention that in the year 2000, as part of the Operation Sahyog, launched to restore the Harike’s pristine glory, the Golden Arrow Division of the Indian Army had removed around 1,50,000 tonnes of water hyacinth from the wetland in six months. But after the wetland was handed over to the government by the Army authorities, things turned back to square one.

Bathinda, May 31
The thirteen-day Chetak Summer Camp-2008 for children concluded with scintillating cultural programmes performed by children here this evening.

The camp, organised by Chetak Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), evoked an overwhelming response from the children who participated in various creative activities enthusiastically and learned a lot.

The summer camp, a brain child of the president of Chetak AWWA, Rashmi Sujlana, was attended by children in the age-group of 6 to 16 years ,who utilised their summer vacation in gainful, recreational and refreshing creative activities.

During the camp, a large variety of activities like time management, fitness exercise, planning strategy, party, invitation and menu planning, table manners, flower arrangement, theatre and dance, photography, food and nutrition, were taken up and the children got enough opportunity to explore their hidden talent. The participation of the 100 odd children in a dazzling cultural evening was a rare show of creativity, talent and confidence, highlighting India’s leitmotif of unity in diversity.

Most items at the cultural programme carried the message of unity in diversity, respect for all religions and compassion towards all.

An exhibition organised on the occasion also gave a vague idea of the activities undertaken during the camp as the exhibits in different stalls depicted the art, craft, paintings and candles made by the kids.

An exciting feature of the show was that unlike the reading of report of activities during the camp, two small girls were shown in conversation, explaining how they benefited from these activities which were both informative and educating.

Lt General R.S. Sujlana presided over the function.

Mansa, May 31
The police arrested nearly 30 labourers, including women, who were trying to occupy a shamlat land at Datewas village here with the motive of constructing their houses. To protest against this step by the police, the Mazdoor Mukti Morcha held a rally at the village today.

The district secretary of CPI (ML) and the leader of morcha, Bhagwant Singh Sammaon, said the administration had promised to provide plots to the labourers but now the administration was backtracking on the issue. The leaders of the labourers said they would hold a protest rally in different villages of the district on June 2 and burn the effigies of chief minister Prakash Singh Badal. They added that a rally would also be held in front of the SDM’s office, Budhlada, on June 3.

Barnala, May 31
Four persons were booked in connection with the death of one Joginder Singh, who succumbed to his head injuries at the local civil hospital today.

The deceased, a resident of Gursewak Singh Nagar, was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday night in a serious condition. No arrest has been made so far.

Baljinder Singh, brother of deceased, in a complaint to the police, said that he and his brother lived at Gursewak Nagar. There was a mini factory, named Kuldeep Agro, in the locality and the machines of the factory had been a cause of inconvenience to the people who had several times requested the factory owner to shift it to some other place.

On Wednesday night, Joginder's family again requested the factory owner to shift it, Baljinder said, adding that hearing this, the men in factory got infuriated and started pelting stones. Joginder sustained injuries and was later admitted to the civil hospital. Today, he succumbed to his injuries.

The body has been handed over to the family of the deceased after the post mortem which was performed by a medical board.

City SHO Harmeek Singh said that a case under section 302 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against Pritpal Singh, Narinder Singh, Jassi and Binder.

Bathinda, May 31
The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) organised an anti-mealy bug drive at village Pakka Khurd here on Saturday. Under this drive, a training camp for the eradication of mealy bug was also held at the Co-operative Society of the village.

The camp was presided over by S.K. Sharma, deputy director, KVK, Bathinda. Karamjeet Sharma, associate professor, extension education, PAU, also explained the ways in which mealy bug can be controlled by the farmers.

Abohar, May 31
Concerned over the worsening social scenario, the top brass of the Arora community on Friday gave a clarion call for developing a drug and dowry-free society.

Those who shared the dais at the birth anniversary celebrations of Maharaja Arut Ji, the founder of the community, here included Kurukshetra MLA and Haryana state INLD president, Ashok Kumar Arora, former Punjab Pradesh Congress president and MP Virendra Kataria, BJP MLA from Rajasthan Ashok Nagpal, SAD general council member Vijay Nagpal, district BJP president Mohinder Partap Dhingra and Raj Kumar Girdhar, president of the Northern India Arorvansh Mahasabha. The veterans unveiled a marbled statue of Arut Ji Maharaj near the Nehru Stadium.

The speakers exhorted the community to fight against social evils and rise above orthodoxy.

The guests also gave a call for bringing down the female foeticide to zero level and denounced the government for not effectively enforcing the Dowry Prevention Act.

Raj Kumar Girdhar, who presided over the function, also released a book on the life of Arut Ji Maharaj. — OC