Bathinda, June 14
While the Punjab government has decided to cut 50 per cent VAT on petroleum products to provide relief to consumers, the public sector oil companies were forcing motorists here and in other towns of the state to purchase premium brands of petrol and diesel at a higher price as the supply of the cheaper unleaded petrol to the outlets has been stopped.

Added the hike of Rs 5 per litre of petrol by the Centre, the motorists here were paying an additional sum of Rs 9 per litre as the premium brands of petrol were Rs 4 dearer than the unleaded one. While each litre of unleaded petrol was sold here for Rs 55.42 after the Central hike, the premium brands (Power, Extra Premium and Speed) were being filled in vehicles for Rs 59.60 per litre. As the unleaded petrol has suddenly vanished from the outlets, the motorists have no option but to refill their vehicles with costlier brands putting an extra burden on their domestic budget.

Subhash Aggarwal, president of the Bathinda Petroleum Dealers Association, said that the Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum were forcing the petrol pumps to lift only the premium brands and have said no to the unleaded petrol that was cheaper.

He said that by forcibly supplying the premium brands, the oil companies were making an additional profit of about Rs 50,000 on each tanker carrying 12,000 litres at the cost of the consumers.

The Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil Corporation were also forcing the outlet owners to lift at least 40 per cent premium diesel with the supply of ordinary brand, he complained. The price difference between the two brands of diesel was of Rs 2.25.

He said that to protest against the dictatorial attitude of the oil companies, the petrol pump owners have decided to boycott lifting of petroleum products once a week on Wednesdays.

Meanwhile, when contacted on his mobile phone, Ajay Bhardwaj, sales officer of the Hindustan Petroleum, refused to comment why the motorists were being forced to buy the premium brands and he simply said that “it is our policy matter which I cannot discuss with you”.

Bathinda, June 14
With 103 candidates withdrawing their nomination papers today, 248 candidates were left in the fray out of the total number of 354 candidates for Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections scheduled for June 22.

In a press note issued here, Rahul Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner-cum Returning Officer, said that out of the 103 candidates who withdrew today, 25 belonged to recognised parties.

Out of the total number of  248 candidates left in the fray, 147 are Independents while papers of three of the candidates were rejected during scrutiny.

Bathinda, June 14
With the elections round the corner, heavyweights of all political parties are chalking out their schedules and strategies to camp for the elections.

Ruling SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal is keen to win the BMC polls as his and his wife Harsimrat Kaur’s name is rolling in the air for the next parliamentary polls.

With the direct involvement of Manoranjan Kalia and BJP general secretary Kamal Sharma even the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to win the elections.

Giving details of the schedule, Harmander singh Jassi, Congress MLA from Bathinda said that Surinder Singla, former state finance minister would be here from June 14 evening, Rana Sodhi, MLA Guruharsahai and Bir Devinder, chief spokesman of the PPCC would camp here from June 15 till elections and PPCC chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal would be here from June 17-20.

While the junior vice president of SAD, Sarup Singla said that in the core committee meeting held at Chandigarh, it is decided that Bikram Singh Majithia, minister public relations, Gulzar Singh Ranike, minister animal husbandry, Hira Singh Gabria minister for jails and tourism, Prem Singh Chandumajra, D.S. Cheema advisor to chief minister and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal would camp here during the elections.

Mansa, June 14
For municipal council (MC) elections in Mansa district, 158 candidates have filed their nomination papers from different councils. District electoral officer-cum-DC Surjit Singh Dhillon said so far, 90 candidates for the Mansa MC, 40 for Sardoolgarh, one for Budhladha and 27 for Bareta had filed nomination papers.

The Congress announced its candidates for 10 wards here. District president Ajit Inder Singh Moffar and election in-charge Birj Lal Goyal, declared the candidates after holding a meeting. The party had also announced 13 candidates for Sardulgarh MC. No decision has been taken for Budhlada and Bareta MCs yet.

President of MC Mansa, Narottam Singh Chahal, filed his nomination papers from ward number 18.

District president of the BJP, Suraj Kumar Chhabra, and press secretary Hardev Singh Ubha said the party had declared its candidates for six wards in Mansa. About Sardulgarh, Bareta and Budhlada, the decision would be taken soon.

Meanwhile, Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, ex-MLA of the SAD, informed that the party had declared its candidates for 10 wards in Mansa and in three wards; the Akali Dal would support independent candidates. He informed that the Akali Dal was in alliance with the BJP.

June 17 is the last date for filing nomination papers. The elections would be held on June 30. — OC

Abohar, June 14
A deputation of the Youth Congress activists from Punjab, led by former MP Chanderpal Shailani, complained to All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi that the SAD (B) – BJP alliance government in Punjab had been wilfully delaying utilisation of funds received under the NREGA, Indira Avas Yojna, Rajiv Gandhi Vidyut Yojna, Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan besides other schemes mooted for the welfare of the BPL families.

It was a part of the deep-rooted conspiracy as the SAD (B) top brass had felt that the delay would brighten the prospects of the alliance candidates during the PRI elections, the deputation further alleged.

Confirming the development, Shailani told this correspondent on phone from New Delhi today that the Punjab Youth Congress secretaries, Mangat Ram Chayal and Gurmander Singh Brar, were among those who briefed Rahul Gandhi during a meeting in his office on Friday.

Earlier, former CM Amrinder Singh and PPCC president Rajinder Kaur Bhattal too had separate meetings with Rahul to present their point of view on the simmering differences besides political scenario in the state.

The deputation cited specific instances to assert that the construction of roads under the central funding was deliberately held up in different areas and the SAD (B) leaders blamed the union government for this. The alliance partners had virtually used the administration as puppets to indulge in unfair means to win the PRI elections. Not only that, the returning officers were warned that they would be “cornered” by transferring them to non-lucrative posts if they failed to toe the lines of the area in-charges of the alliance. Intimidation of electorate and the Congress workers had led to violent incidents during the elections, but stern action against the accused was still awaited, they said.

Shailani further informed that the deputation requested Rahul Gandhi to ensure fair representation to the dedicated Youth Congress workers while allotting tickets for the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly elections as well as the next Lok Sabha polls.

Rahul reportedly assured to consider all inputs and would draft the line of action accordingly.

Bathinda, June 14
The United Welfare Society, Bathinda, organised a seminar on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) at Government Rajindra College here today. The day was observed to mark the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the Nobel Prize winner, who discovered the ABO blood group system.

Dr Kulbir Kaur, director, Life Line Blood Bank, Patiala, informed that this day was designed to raise awareness about the need for safe blood around world, to thank and honour those blood donors who make transfusion possible. Lauding the role of volunteers of the United Welfare Society, Bathinda, Anil Saraf, chairman of the society, said, Bathinda city has one of the largest voluntary blood donor groups in the country.

Shinjini Tiwari, wife of Bathinda DC Rahul Tiwari, presented the donors of the society with mementoes.

The prominent blood donors who were present included R.K. Banger (69 times), Hardip Singh (62 times), Prem Pal Mittal (60 times), Mangal Sain Sharma (51 times), Saroj Sahi (50 times) and Raj Gupta (45 times).

Red Cross, Bathinda, organised a blood donation camp and 25 units of blood was collected on the occasion. Upjit Singh Brar, ADC, honoured the blood donors at the camp.

Bathinda, June 14
On the last day of the three-day protest against the withdrawal of the OYT (Own Your Tubewell) scheme and for the grant of new tubewell connection (general category), farmers under the banner of the BKU (Ekta) Ugrahan staged a dharna in front of the DC’s office here today. District president Shingara Singh Mann led the protest.

On May 29, the PSEB withdrew the scheme that aimed at providing early tubewell connections to the farmers after some farmers complained of being fleeced by the private firms selling material for tubewells.

“Distressed over the suspension of the scheme, Iqbal Singh, a farmer from Khiyali Wala village in Bathinda district, allegedly committed suicide,” said Mann.

Another farmer said there were several applicants, who had mortgaged their land and other belongings to purchase the required material for the installation of a tubewell. On the one hand, they were fleeced by the private firms while on the other they had to wait for the connections.

Farmers rued that now, they had sown paddy instead of cotton and were not in a position to sow any other crop.

Shingara said the protest would be intensified if their demands were not met.

Later, the farmers submitted a memorandum to the DC and the superintending engineer, PSEB, Bathinda.

Barnala, June 14
To lodge their protest against the non-issuance of tubewell connections under the own your tubewell (OYT) scheme, hundreds of farmers under the banner of the BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) staged a dharna in front of the office of the Xen, PSEB, here today.

The BKU leaders strongly criticised the sudden suspension of the scheme. They rued that farmers had sold jewellery and pledged their land to get a tubewell connection.

BKU district president Bukan Singh Sadhowal alleged that the state government wanted to privatise the PSEB. It launched the OYT to please farmers but in the guise of that, it wanted to benefit the businessmen. He added that the farmers had already sown paddy but now they were facing water shortage.

Hardeep Singh Tallewal, state orgainsation secretary, feared that if the state government did not release connections to the needy farmers immediately, they might head for suicides. — OC

Nehianwala, June 14
It was a long wait for the wife and kin of 29-year-old NRI Hardeep Singh who was allegedly murdered before they succeeded in getting the case registered against her in laws at village Nehianwala, today.

Giving details of the incident, kin of deceased alleged that there was a property dispute between the deceased, his father Boota Singh and brother Jagtar Singh. “On June 8 and 9 following a quarrel at their home, they assaulted him on June 10 and he succumbed to his injuries on his way to Ludhiana where had to be admitted. Sensing the gravity of situation, DSP (D) Surender Pal Singh along with commandos and water cannon reached the spot. After a long meeting with both the parties police booked four accused under section 302 of the IPC.— TNS

Moga, June 14
Deepshi Goel, a student of Navyug Shishu Mandir School here, has secured second position in the class X examinations conducted by the Punjab School Education Board. The results were declared today.

Although she had a severe viral infection and suffered from typhoid during the exams, she worked hard to secure 93.54 per cent marks, informed Meera Sood, principal of the school.

She said Deepshi’s sister Sheena Goel had also attained a merit in class XII examinations.

“I studied for as many as eight hours a day to prepare for the examinations,” said Deepshi, who had a busy day today as she thanked her relatives, family friends and teachers who rushed to her house to congratulate her.

Wearing a smile, Deepshi said she had expected a place among the top 10 in the state but had never thought of securing the second position.

In reply to a question, she said her ambition was to become a computer engineer.

Her father Naranjan Goel and mother Sunita Goel said they were proud of their daughters.

Deepshi had been practising yoga to concentrate on her studies besides playing badminton and participating in the cultural programmes.

Ferozepur, June 14
The quarterly lok adalats for disposal of cases were held at Ferozepur, Abohar, Fazilka, Jalalabad and Zira today.

The lok adalats, held under the supervision of Jaspal Singh, district and sessions’ judge-cum-chairman of the district legal services authority, took up as many as 749 cases. Of them, 639 were settled and approximately an amount of Rs 4 crore was awarded to the parties to settle the disputes. — TNS