Bathinda, June 20
The well-known canvassing star of the SAD-BJP combine, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Amritsar MP, cabinet minister Manoranjan Kalia and BJP state president Rajinder Bhandari were absent from the SAD rally, which was dubbed as a ‘show of strength.’

Though a number of MLAs, MPs, party chief of the SAD along with the chief minister marked their presence at the rally. It took more than two hours for the SAD chief Sukhbir Badal to reach the event. Sources said that low turn out of supporters at the rally in the beginning was the reason behind Sukhbir’s delay.

Addressing the gathering, Sukhbir Badal held the Union government responsible for inflation. Flaying opposition leader, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal he said she had almost lost her heart to win the BMC polls that was why she was using tactics to pass the buck of her defeat.

CM Parkash Singh Badal also lashed over Bhattal alleging her of leaving the battlefield. Assuring voters, Badal said there would be no paucity of funds for development if the Mayor comes from SAD-led combine.

Refuting the allegations of unfair use of power to win the elections, Badal said, “I have already directed officers to ensure fair poll. “We are even willing to deploy the CRP, BSF and Army during elections, if the opposition demands so”, he added.

MP Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan, Seva Singh Sekhwan, Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon, Hira Singh Gabria, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mahesh Inder Grewal, Narender Mittal, Tota Singh, Gurdev Badal, Gursharan Kaur, Sarup Chand Singla, Balwinder Bhunder and Kamal Sharma were the prominent leaders of the SAD who also addressed the gathering.

Bathinda, June 20
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership today expelled four rebels who failed to withdraw their candidature from the election for the BMC and continued to remain in the field against the BJP nominees.

Those expelled are, Darshan Garg (Ward 24), Harminder Singh Samadh (ward 12), Bhagwan Dass Bharti (ward 35) and Gurcharan Singh Khubban (ward 38).

The district chief of the party, Sikendar Singh Maluka, has ordered their expulsion from the SAD for a period of six years.

The SAD chief, Sukhbir Singh Badal, had earlier warned the rebels to withdraw their papers. He said that any SAD activist found campaigning against the BJP candidates would also be expelled.

Axe falls on: Darshan Garg, Harminder Singh Samadh, Bhagwan Dass Bharti and Gurcharan Singh Khubban 

Bathinda, June 20
Amidst mudslinging on each other by political parties, a concern for voters!

In view of the elections for Municipal Corporation, the Swami Vivekananda Study Circle held an important meeting at the local DAV Public School, where it was resolved to launch a campaign for voters. It was presided over by Sandeep Parchanda.

Parchanda said that most of the time, electorate didn’t vote carefully and then suffer for five years. He urged that everyone should exercise his right to vote.

It has also been decided in the meeting that advertisements-‘Jago Voter Jago’ would be distributed to caution the voters. — TNS

Bathinda, June 20
Not leaving anything to chance, candidates have started flocking to astrologers and godmen seeking divine and planetary intervention for their victory at the fag end of the campaigning in BMC elections.

While many of the aspirants wanting to sit in the ‘hallowed precincts’ of the council chamber had been regularly visiting astrologers since the announcement of the polls, others have been forced to do so on the advice of their near-and-dear ones, besides their supporters.

Many of the astrologers had predicted a tough time for those in fray on account of the alignment of as many as seven planets in the past week. This had led to panic among many contestants and havans and pujas were performed on calculated and auspicious lagnas. The ‘going rate’ too shot up since everyone wanted to make a killing while the going was good.

Those whose planets had malefic influences were seen wearing certain gems and stones while others were wearing a particular shade of clothes.

An Independent candidate from Ward 37, on request of anonymity, said that on the advice of priest he had not taken any kind of intoxicants during campaigning.

Charms and talisman were the other means suggested to many candidates to avert defeat and bad influences. The more superstitious combined all these just to make sure that they were not defeated on this account alone. Some of the candidates were sure of victory just because they had the blessing of certain godman.

While buying gems and paying for puja and havans was the easier part, many others seen throwing certain amounts of foodgrains and puja items in flowing canal today evening.

But at the end of the campaigning today, it is the voter who will decide their fate by tomorrow evening, talisman or no talisman. 

Barnala, June 20
As many as 282 candidates are in fray for four municipal committee elections falling in the district.

Giving this information, DC R.L. Mehta informed that a total of 512 candidates filed papers for the civic body elections. During scrutiny, 16 nominations were cancelled on one pretext or the other, while 214 candidates withdrew their candidature from the elections.

Giving detailed information, Mehta said that for the Barnala municipal committee (MC), as many as 227 candidates filed nominations, out of them eight papers were cancelled while 89 candidates withdrew their papers. Now there are 130 candidates left from 25 wards.

Similarly, in Dhnaula 72 candidates filed nomination papers before D.S.Cheena, returning officer. Out of them, three got cancelled and 26 withdrew their nominations.

In Tapa, out of a total of 134 nominations four got cancelled and 61 withdrew their claims.

For the Bhdaur municipal committee elections, 79 candidates filed the papers, only one got cancelled and 38 withdrew their papers.

Mansa, June 20
After scrutiny and withdrawal of nomination papers for four municipal councils of Mansa district, 205 candidates are left in the fray.

For Mansa’s 21 wards, 142 candidates had filed their nomination papers and now only 85 candidates would fight elections.

In Sardoolgarh, 68 candidates had submitted their papers for a total of 13 wards, seven got rejected and 28 candidates withdrew their nomination papers today.

For 13 wards of Bareta, 93 candidates had filed their nomination papers and today 44 candidates decided to leave the fray.

And for the Budhlada municipal council, 61 candidates had submitted their nomination papers for 13 wards, the nomination papers of three candidates were rejected and today 20 candidates withdrew their papers. Now, 38 candidates are left in the contest.

Meanwhile, different political parties and Independent candidates had started their poll campaign on different issues.

Ferozepur, June 20
In a special board meeting held here in cantonment office, all new elected and nominated members were administered oath of allegiance under section 17 of the Cantonments Act, 2006 by president, brigadier S.S. Bhatia.

The elected members who took the oath today included, Joginder, Bimla Joshi, Meenu Gupta, Nirmala Rani, Radhey Shyam, Brij Kishore and Sabastian Rai.

Irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon also attended the meeting as a special invitee.

In his address to the board, Sekhon lauded the efforts of the president and member secretary A.Sekhar Babu for their efforts to give a new lease of life to the board and initiating galore of development measures in the station.

The irrigation minister said that due to their efforts, the board had gained financial independence and there was no complaint regarding its functioning during the last few years.

Later during the meeting, Brij Kishore proposed the name of Joginder for the post of vice-president, which was seconded by Radhey Shyam.

Since there was no second name proposed, Joginder was unanimously declared as vice-president by brigadier Bhatia.

In his address, brigatdier Bhatia exhorted all the members to work together with utmost honesty and devotion for the development and progress of the cantonment.

Others who attended the meeting today included station medical officer Colonel Vinod Garg, Colonel A.K. Sharma and Colonel J.S. Soin, both nominated members.

Abohar, June 20
Heavy rain threw normal life out of gear in the sub-division today. To add to the residents’ woes, the lights were out for almost the whole day. Besides, vehicular traffic remained suspended for over three hours between Gumjal and Kallarkhera villages on the Abohar-Sriganganagar road due to felling of trees.

Electricity supply in Sunder Nagari and adjoining localities got disrupted as an electricity pole fell following the wind. In other areas, the supply was disrupted as a huge signboard, near the Sahitya Sadan complex, fell on PSEB’s main transmission line. No efforts were made till evening to remove the board, the residents regretted.

Some fruit growers informed that grapes in most of the orchards had been damaged due to the incessant rain.

Meanwhile, the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, which had launched an indefinite sit-in in the canal colony since first week of the month, packed up the tent following reports that the irrigation department had released sufficient water in the canals and sub-canals in order to avert flood in some distributaries. All the sub-canals were today found running to their capacity and the farmers feared that there could be breaches.

Today’s downpour also washed off the campaigns of various parties for the MC elections. All the political parties had to cancel the inauguration of the offices of their candidates, which were scheduled for Friday.

Mansa, June 20
Everytime it rains and the city residents are fraught with fear of commuting. There is an urgent need to improve the sewerage as well as rainwater drainage system in the city.

Poor sewerage system created troubles for the residents, especially those living in Beer Nagar and Bhatta Basti, who had a tough day today following the downpour.

Sukhcharan Singh and Gurjant Singh, CPI (ML) candidates, and Kisan leader Harjinder Singh Mansahia, said the pond that used to store the rainwater was full as the MC had not disposed of the sewage in the pond thereby reducing the storing capacity of the pond. SDM Gurjeet Singh Pannu and ADC (D) Baljeet Singh Sandhu today arranged for some temporary drains to flush out the blocked water.— OC

Bathinda, June 20
In view of shortage of labour during the ongoing paddy season, which has been haunting the Punjab farmers, Dr Manjit Singh Kang, vice-chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has advised the farmers to adopt mechanical paddy transplanting to meet the challenge of labour shortage for paddy transplanting. 

“This will also help in reducing the cost of cultivation of paddy provided these machines are available to farmers on custom hiring or through co-operatives,” he said while talking to TNS over phone from Ludhiana.

It is pertinent to mention here that farmers across the state are facing the problem of labour shortage. Some are even forced to hire labour from Rajasthan and Haryana. Even the labour costs have escalated from Rs 600 per acre last year to Rs 2000 per acre this year and are rising with every passing day.

He also said keeping in view the emerging demands running into thousands of machines, the state government should also facilitate installation of an assembly-cum-manufacturing unit in the state to cut down the machine cost. “This will go a long way in solving future problems due to dwindling natural resources in the state particularly water.”

Dr J.S. Kolar, member, Punjab Farmers Commission (PFC) said, “Our commission has advised to promote these machines in view of escalated labour charges demanded by the migratory labour.”

Ferozepur, June 20
To take stock of the measures initiated by the district administrations to prevent mealy bug, a high-level meeting of the officials from Ferozepur and Faridkot divisions was held here today which was presided over by financial commissioner (development), R S Sandhu.

The meeting was attended by B.S. Sudan, commissioner of the Ferozepur and Faridkot divisions, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, director (agriculture) Punjab, V.K. Meena, deputy commissioner (DC) Faridkot, Surjit Singh Dhillon, DC Mansa, Satwant Singh, DC Moga, Jaskaran Singh, ADC Ferozepur, Rajat Aggarawal, ADC Muktsar and Upjit Singh Brar, ADC Bathinda, besides other senior officials from agriculture and revenue departments.

Sandhu stressed on the need for total implementation of all programmes mooted by the state government in systematic manner to prevent the attack of mealy bug on cotton and rabi crops in the Malwa belt.

He said that officials from forest, drainage, panchayat and revenue department should be deputed on the job to destroy host plants.

The financial commissioner also listened to the suggestions put forward by the DCs and other officials to tackle the problem of mealy bug.

During the meeting, Sudan told the DCs to take personal interest in the drive against mealy bug and review the situation periodically.

Abohar, June 20
The NGOs authorised to run free kitchen (bhandara) on the Pahalgam- Chandanwari-Panjtarani route are facing difficulties. They could not put up the tents for want of ponies to carry the tents and other material.

Speaking to this correspondent on phone from the base camp Chandanwari today, Bhim Sain Jat, president of the Abohar-based Shri Amarnath Langar Sewa Samiti, informed that the shortage of ponies owes to the arrival of double the sanctioned number of pilgrims at Pahalgam during the first two days of the Yatra, which had upset all the arrangements.

Jat further informed that eight NGOs had been granted sanction to run bhandara at Sheshnag but only two were able to put up the tents.

Barnala, June 20
The 21-member action committee expressed satisfaction over the surrender of Shyam Singh to the Sherpur police in the Manpreet murder case. Shyam Singh was one of the main accused in the case.

Action committee member Sukhdev Bari said that it was victory of the people and had been possible due continuous agitation led by them. He informed that the first phase of the struggle was over as it involved the arrest of all accused and put pressure on the police to get the case registered under section 302. It may be mentioned here that the police had registered the case under section 304.

He said now the action committee would go to the court to get justice for Manpreet.

Shyam Singh, a JE with the PSEB, surrendered yesterday before the police after playing hide and seek for 14 days. It may be mentioned here that Manpreet’s in-laws allegedly killed her on June 5 at village Kheri Chahal. Bant Singh, victim’s father, complained to the police that she was being killed for dowry.

The police had already arrested two accused including the husband and his maternal aunt in the case.

Bathinda, June 20
The Punjab Mail ran over a woman at gate number 12 on the Bathinda-Delhi railway line yesterday night. After the control room got the information, the Sahara workers reached the spot and took her to the hospital where she was declared brought dead.

The Sahara has also informed the GRP. The victim was around 22-year-old and was wearing a printed salwaar-kameez. The body has not been identified till now. Vijay Goyal, Sahara president, said the body would be kept till its identification was not completed. —TNS