Bathinda, August 16
Seeing the four road vacuum sweeper machines, dumped in the fire brigade premises, out of which three are lying untouched, it can well be said that equipment purchased without analyzing its usefulness and viability, only makes it difficult to attain the goal that has been set.

Despite having a poor experience with one road vacuum sweeper machine of the Improvement Trust, the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials purchased three more such machines.

According to the information provided by a highly-placed source in the BMC, each machine had cost Rs 12.5 lakh. He further said that one machine consumes minimum six litres of diesel in an hour.

The machines were purchased from a Samrala-based manufacturing firm about a couple of months back. Besides these machines, brand new Eicher tractors were also purchased.

At the time of purchasing these machines, some politicians belonging to the ruling parties and other senior BMC officials had allegedly sanctioned the purchasing of these machines just to make the residents feel that the city was being modernised and equipped with latest amenities.

But the machines hardly served any purpose except for drawing flak from the local people.

A number of roads in the city are being revamped due to which almost the whole of the city has been dug up. Potholes, sand and pebbles lying everywhere proved to be hurdles in the smooth functioning of these machines as they need enough space to move.

One of these machines was introduced with great fanfare but sensing the reality, the administration withdrew its usage within a few days.

"It was astonishing that the department launched these machines despite knowing that these would not be able to move on the city roads due to the chaos all around. It seems that after wasting the public money, the BMC officials came to know about the non-viability of these machines," said a cross-section of citizens.

When contacted, the executive officer of the BMC, Kamal Kant said, "The machines have been parked as the roads are being revamped. After completion of the projects, they would be put to full use."

"More over, we are going to open tenders for the operation of these machines for which fuel and maintenance would be provided by the BMC. But the rest of the work would be done by the contractors," he added.

Bathinda, August 16
"Even if he is behind the bars, I still have hope in the strength of this holy thread that whenever I would be in trouble, my brother would be beside me to help," said Muktsar-based Veerpal Kaur, who visited the Central Jail premises to tie rakhi on her brother's wrist, here today.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan, that fosters the bond of love and affection between brothers and sisters, was marked by emotional scenes at the Central Jail here. The tears in the eyes of the sisters at the sight of their jailed brothers moved the stoutest of hearts.

"It is the first rakhi in my life when I have tied the thread on the wrist of my brother, who is in jail. Though I keep meeting him frequently, but today I was unable to hold back my tears when he hugged me," said Kiranjeet Kaur, the sister of Gurpreet Singh, who has been in jail for the past one year. Following the orders of the Punjab jail minister Hira Singh Gabria, the prison authorities had provided tables and chairs for the women, who were visiting to celebrate the festival with their brothers. According to the visitor's register kept at the jail, the number of visitors was higher today than on normal days.

The additional superintendent of jail, Darshan Singh Grewal, said, "We had tried our best to make the siblings comfortable on this special day."

Sunita Devi, who was here in jail to tie rakhi to her father and paternal uncle, requested this correspondent to help in taking her plea to the state authorities to grant pardon to her kin. Her father Mahinder Sharma, said with tears in his eyes, "She is our daughter as well as sister. But today, we can not fulfill her wish."

Though some shared their emotions, there were others who requested that their names should not be quoted. It was a moving moment when a middle-aged woman said, "Words of your news story can never match the sentiments of a sister whose heart is beating to see her brother out of these thick walls and bars."

Ferozepur, August 16
The Sutlej continues to pose danger to the residents of more than two dozen villages along the border in this town that had already been severely hit. The agricultural fields were totally submerged due to rising water level of the river.

A visit to the affected villages revealed that alarmed over the situation, the nervous farmers were getting together and pooling their resources to reinforce the bandh so that the area where river water had not reached yet could be saved.

At Basti Ram Lal, close to Indo-Pakistan border, Karnail Singh, a farmer, informed that farmers were working overnight to raise the level of bandh by at least three feet so as to save the remaining portion of the village. He said deputy commissioner Megh Raj had visited their village yesterday and had provided them with a JCB machine to strengthen the bandh.

One could see the farmers queuing up their tractor-trolleys filling earth along the bandh hurriedly. Another farmer, Gurnam Singh said he had just settled from the setback of floods, which ransacked his fields in 1988, and now he would have to face the ordeal again.

The other affected villages in this area include Basti Chamrianwalai, Laduwala, Muthianwalai, Bandala, Kahn Singh Wala, Bagiche Singh Wala, Waliwala, Kamale Wala and Dhira Gaira.

Earlier, the district officials swung into action in the wee hours today after reports of breach in Dhussi Bandh at three places in Makhu area.

DC Megh Raj informed that the breaches were reported in Sanghera, Khanna Mahnewala and Sekhewala villages past midnight, following which all officials reached the affected area at 3 am and started rescue operation.

Janmeja Singh Sekhon, irrigation minister, along with Ashok Malhotra, chief engineer (drainage), and R.K. Goel, chief engineer (canals), also reached the village where breach was noticed. Sekhon said the drainage officials had been instructed to divert the water into Rajasthan Feeder and plug the breach at the earliest.

Former MP Jagmeet Brar visited the affected areas today. He said he would submit report to Prime Minister Manhoman Singh about the flood situation in the area. Parminder Singh “Pinki”, general secretary of the PPCC, also visited Basti Ramlal and other affected villages. He demanded that the government should announce compensation for the farmers, whose standing crops had been destroyed.

Fazilka, August 16
Nearly 1000 persons living in about 150 houses of the border village Bhaini Dilawar in Fazilka sector, situated across the barbed fencing and Sutlej river, were evacuated today to prevent any loss of life. Nearly 500 heads of livestock have also been shifted to safer places. The army has reportedly been put on alert. About 500 acres of agricultural land had been inundated for past four days due to rise in the water level of the Sutlej.

The evacuated villagers say that their standing paddy crops have been totally destroyed and they seek adequate compensation for the same.

Following report of flood situation in The Tribune, the administration has geared up to avoid any loss of human life or live stock.

According to tehsildar Subhash Khattak, who is supervising the evacuation operation, about half dozen large boats had been pressed into service to shift the villagers, their belongings and the cattle. Since the administration has not felt the necessity of setting up relief camps, the evacuated villagers went to their relatives and acquaintances in nearby villages of Mohar Khiva, Mohar Sona and Dhani Kharaswali on the outskirts of Fazilka town.

A medical team from Primary Health Centre, Dabwala Kalan, led by senior medical officer D.P. Godara, has been rushed to ensure medical facilities for the villagers.

Ferozepur divisional commissioner B.S. Sudan, deputy commissioner Megh Raj, Chief parliamentary secretary Sher Singh Ghubaya and Fazilka MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani besides several officials have visited the flood-affected areas.

According to official sources, special girdawri to access the exact loss shall be conducted soon.

The village is located across the Pattan check-post is surrounded by Pakistan from three sides and is connected to India through the Sutlej. The pontoon bridge laid by the security forces use to serve the purpose of connecting the village with the main land of Fazilka sub-division. But it had to be dismantled due to increase in water level.

Mansa, August 16
The heavy rains for the past two days have destroyed the cotton crop on large scale in this district.

According to information available, crops on nearly 400 acres in village Chhapiyawali, 250 acres in Bajewala, 225 acres in Makha, 150 acres in Udhat Bhagat Ram, 200 acres in Mozia, 500 acres in Kishangarh, 250 acres in Govindpura, 500 acres in Kullarian, 250 acres in Phuluwala, 300 acres in Bhalike, 500 acres in Khudal, 120 acres in Bhame Khurd, 200 acres in Lakhmeerwala and 150 acres in Akanwali were submerged due to accumulated rainwater.

The farmers of the villages feared that their crop would be destroyed. Leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha said that the government should issue orders of special girdawari to access the loss and the affected farmers should be compensated.

Bathinda/Faridkot, August 16
PWD minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa has said that express highways would be constructed to link all district headquarters in Punjab with Chandigarh. The work would be taken in hand next month and completed within 18 months.

Dhindsa said that the government was giving top priority to upgradation of roads to usher prosperity in all parts of the state.

He said that the inter-district roads would be widened to four-lane level, while the link roads would be widened to 18 feet.

Dhindsa said that a sum of Rs 18,000 crores would be spent on this work. The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) would contribute Rs 15,000 crore, while the PWD would spend Rs 3,000 crore. He said that the medical college buildings at Amritsar and Faridkot would be renovated at a cost of Rs 300 crores. The jails at Faridkot and Jalandhar were also being modernised, he added.

Near the zero line, August 16
A group of Brahmakumaris from the Abohar centre visited the border area today to tie rakhis on the hands of those who brave all weathers to safeguard the international border.

“It is an unprecedented occasion for all of us as we had never even dreamt that we would receive so much love living far away from our homes,” said emotive BSF men.

Scores of children and women from border villages also thronged the BoP (Border observation Post) complex. Most of them carried along packs of sweets besides a wide range of rakhis and thermos flasks filled with cold milk. The BSF men reciprocated the gesture by serving snacks and jalebis to the guests.

Raj Yoga teachers Darshana and Sunita led the Abohar-based group in applying vermillion on each BSF men’s forehead before tying rakhis, which had been specially arranged from the Mount Abu, headquarters of the NGO. Earlier, the NGO celebrated Raksha Bandhan at the sector HQ of the BSF here.

DIG V.K. Sharma and his wife Ramesh Kumari were among those who accorded warm and affectionate welcome to the visiting group. The DIG appreciated their gesture.

Bathinda, August 16
More than half of the Bathinda town remained without power supply today because of a major fault in the main transformer in the thermal station. The power supply got snapped at 3.15 pm and was restored only at around 9.30 pm. Engineers said they were trying to detect the fault since the afternoon.

Executive engineer K.S.Mann said that the power supply would be restored as soon as the fault was rectified. Among the affected areas were Parasram Nagar and localities around, Goldiki, Ajeet Road, Goniana road, and colonies like Green Avenue near the lakes.

This is not for the first time that the transformers in the thermal station have developed some snag. The problem has been reoccurring for the past some time and the authorities have failed to take effective steps for proper maintenance of transformers, residents of the affected areas complained.

Barnala, August 16
In the current fiscal, the Punjab State Mandikaran Board will construct new roads measuring 1700 km in the villages of the state, disclosed Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, chairman of the board, who was here today to attend a function at Kalke village, 24 km from the city. The roads will be constructed at the cost of Rs 13 lakh per km.

The chairman said at village Kaleke, 2.7-km-long road would be constructed at a cost of Rs 47 lakh. He laid the foundation stone of the new road today.

Lakhowal said the board was a profitable institution now with an annual income of Rs 21 crore, profit being 16.7 per cent. He claimed that when he joined the board as chairman, it was running in losses at 5 per cent a year. By nabbing the guilty and erring commission agents and employees, he had managed to make it profitable.

Lakhowal said special attention would be paid to the development of the mandis in the state. He informed that presently, the board had two sources of income — market committee fee and rural development fund. The market committee fee would be used for the development work and maintenance of the Mandis while the rural development fund would be utilised to construct roads, the chairman added.

Gobind Singh Longowal, former minister Punjab, SGPC executive committee member Baba Tek Singh Dhnaula and Zila Parishad member Darshan Singh were among others present on the occasion.

Bathinda, August 16
A case has been registered against three persons including two brothers for the murder of one Lakhbir Singh of village Dhapali under the Phul police station. According to police sources, the accused include Resham Singh and Buta Singh. In-charge of Phul police station Sukhdev Singh said that enmity was the reason behind the murder.

The deceased's father alleged that his son had gone to the fields yestarday. He was attacked by some peersons with sharp-edged weapons whilw he was on his way back.

He was injured severely. He died while on way to Ludhiana. The police had started search for the accused but they had not been arrested when last reports came in. The body was handed over to the family members after the postmortem.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist, Ranvir Singh, was seriously injured after being hit by a car near maur Mandi, 35 km from here on Mansa road.

He was admitted to the civil hospital here. According to information available, Ranvir has a shop in Talwandi Sabo and was returning home at night whenh the accident took place. He has suffered fractures in arms and legs. His condition has been described as serious.

Another motorbike was hit by a car in Balla Ram Nagar in which the motorcyclist Jitendra Kumar and his sister Sunit were injured. They were admittedto the civil hospital by volunteers of the Sahara Jan Seva. In Amarpura, a 12-year-old child was electrocuted and is in hospital.

Mansa, August 16
The body of a woman was found in the fields of Kahnewala village here on Friday. Her family members allege that it is a case of rape and murder.

According to sources in police department, Vidhya Devi (32), wife of Satbir Singh and a resident of the village Kahnewala, had gone to fields for some work. But when she did not return home, her family members started searching for her. Vidhya’s body was found lying in the fields. The body was folded in a bag.

The Sardulgarh police has registered a case against unidentified persons on the basis of the statement by her husband. Satbir and other family members doubted that she might have been first raped and then murdered. However, the police said the rape could be confirmed only after the autopsy report.

The SHO, Sardulgarh, informed that the body was cremated after conducting the post-mortem examination today.