Fazilka September 17
Worms and insects were found in the mid-day meal sent to two schools here today which was to be served to its students. However, the authorities concerned withheld its distribution.

According to details available, the cooked rice and grams sent as mid-day meal to the local Arya Putri Pathshala and Government Elementary School Number 3 here contained worms. It was noticed by school teachers and the distribution of the meal was withheld.

It is pertinent to mention here that up to September 15, the mid-day meal was cooked by school teachers. But now, private companies were providing the cooked mid-day meal. Apart from the poor quality of the food, the quantity sent for distribution is quite little in comparison to the number of students.

There are also reports that in some schools the private contractors failed to provide the food under the scheme.

The staff of both the schools, where the sub-standard food was brought for distribution, informed about it to the Block Primary Education Officer (BPEO) Ram Chand, who visited the schools and checked the food. He immediately directed the staff to withhold the distribution.

The BPEO also admitted that the quantity of meal received was quite less and he had brought it to the notice of the District Education Officer, Ferozepur, Sohan Lal Kashayap. Kashayap also admitted that the quantity being provided was inadequate in proportion to the number of students. He said the system would be streamlined soon.

The SDM Fazilka, Rajiv Prashar, visited Government Elementary School Number 3 and directed tehsildar Subhash Khatak to visit the Arya Putri Pathshala.

Both the officers, after inspecting the food and finding worms in it, directed the school officials against distributing the food to the students.

Surprisingly, none of the authorities monitoring the mid-day meal took the initiative of taking samples of the sub-standard food containing worms.  

The SDM disclosed that he also inspected the schools of Dhani Gulab Ram, Chaurianwali, Abhun, Chack Dabwala, Jorki Andhewali, Chimnewala, Ojhanwali, Baghewala, Chahlanwali and found that the private contractor had failed to provide mid-day meal there.

Prashar said he had sent his report to the deputy commissioner, Ferozepur. In the report, he had suggested that the raw foodgrain and the kitchens where the food was being prepared, should also be checked.

Bathinda, September 17
Acting upon the directives of the ruling SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal to rejuvenate the SC and BC wings of the party, Gulzar Singh Ranike, minister for welfare, held a meeting with members of the reserved community, here today.

Though the SAD in-charges of rural areas marked their presence at Gurudwara Hazi Rattan, the venue for the meeting, but the general gathering was below expectations.

Addressing the gathering, Ranike expressed deep concern over the shortcomings in the proper implementation of the Atta Dal scheme and other projects initiated for the welfare of the weaker sections of society. He said the SAD chief had asked him to conduct a proper survey and submit a report so that the shortcomings could be removed.

Ranike said the government had noted that the SC/BC categories had grievances which needed to be redressed. He lashed out at the police for the maltreatment of SCs/BCs and asked the SSP Bathinda to ensure that no person from the weaker sections is harassed.

When asked about the long pending pension cases, he said the government had released Rs 40 crores for it and the remaining Rs 20 crores would also soon be released.

The minister chose to blame the Congress when asked about the pensions pending from November 2006 to March 2007, the last phase of the Congress regime.

About the alleged high-handedness against people of reserved categories during the recent PRI polls, he said the CM had taken a serious view of it. Ranike said the government had been chalking out a project to launch an all-round training centre in Punjab, for which a piece of land was to be identified. Expressing disappointment over the decline in sporting activities, he said, "The youth have become enmeshed in drugs and to pull them out of it, we have been launching employment and sports promotion schemes. The sports budget would be increased. The diet rate, fixed at Rs 60, would be increased to Rs 150 per day."

On promoting animal husbandry, he said, "We are ready to provide training to youth from poor sections, but now a different problem has come up, that we are not able to get youths with BPL cards. So, these cards would also be reissued after proper survey."

Bathinda, September 17
Bhagat Singh Janam Diwas Committee, Goniana block, has decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh in a different way.

Rather than following a common practice, the committee plans to enact the thought process of Shaheed Bhagat Singh in 10 to 15 villages to make the youth aware of his thoughts. A 'Jhanda March' and choreography depicting the thoughts of the great hero will be organised.

Gurpreet Singh from the Elementary Teachers' Training Union said, "The present government is totally in contrast to what the great freedom fighters of India wanted. Today, the government is promoting privatisation. Corporate giants and our so-called leaders are benefiting in a huge way but what about the farmers, labourers and people below the poverty line? The present day scenario is exactly what it was at the time of the British empire."

Manpreet Singh of the Punjab Students' Union (Shaheed Randhawa) felt, "There are no jobs for the unemployed youth of India. Farmers are committing suicides, there is no work for labourers. Then how does the present government justify its tenure? The price rise is at an all-time high and essential commodities have become a distant dream for the commoner."

The committee strongly felt that the policies of the ruling government are not in accordance with the ideology of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. He wanted social equality for all, but it does not seem to be happening. "People are nothing but a vote bank that can be manipulated anytime," felt Gurpreet.

'Nukkad' meetings at various villages are already taking place to spread awareness. The organisations involved are BKU Ugrahan, Technical Services Union, Lok Morcha and Punjab Students' Union (Shaheed Randhawa). 

Bathinda, September 17
The Indian Ex-Services League (IESL) comprises ex-servicemen from the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Its Punjab and Chandigarh Executive Committee has been recently elected by the district delegates. These are: Col Bhag Singh (retd), president; Lt Col T.S. Grewal Moga (retd), Lt Col J.S. Mand (retd), Jr Comdt K.S. Dhillon, vice-presidents; Maj G.S. Gill (retd), general secretary; Lt Col Daya Singh (retd), PRO; Sgt. Sukhdev Singh (retd), assistant secretary; Maj Surjit Singh (retd), treasurer.

A governing council has been constituted under Brig Mohinder Singh (retd), Brig Harwant Singh (retd) (CPRO), Lt Col J.S. Mand (retd), Honorary Capt Mehnga Singh (retd), Honorary Capt Jagat Singh (retd).

The executive committee pledged to pursue all pending cases of disparity and anomalies in pension, perks and concessions of ESM and shortcomings in the sixth pay commission, including pension for all ranks.

An effort was also made to increase membership of the IESL through a special drive in all districts. 

Guru Ki Dhab (Faridkot), September 17
Political conferences organised by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-B), the All-India Lok Bhalai Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) on the eve of the annual Jor Mela at Guru Ki Dhab near Jaito in this district failed to draw crowds here today. The visitors enjoyed the mela more than the speeches of the political leaders.

SAD leaders today made the most of the party’s conference here by indulging in “Congress bashing” and singing praises of the CM, Parkash Singh Badal, and SAD-chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, for taking up various development works in the state. The father-son duo could not reach the mela venue as their helicopter could not land due to inclement weather.

Gurdev Singh Badal, Tota Singh, both former ministers, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, general secretary of the party, Mantar Singh Brar, ex-MLA of Kotkapura in Faridkot district and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar attended the conference. All these leaders devoted most of their time in criticising the Congress and raised issues like development of the state during a short span of one and a half year of the SAD government.

Gurdev Singh Badal said Sikhs had played a vital role in the country’s freedom struggle and laid down their lives for their motherland in wars against neighbouring countries. He said Sikhs had been instrumental in shaping the destiny of the nation, but the Congress had “hurt the community religiously, socially and economically.”

Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, national president, Lok Bhalai Party, said if all secular forces unite in the state, they can give a befitting reply to the SAD in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. He reiterated his stand to support the Congress if it wanted to oust SAD from the state.

Lashing out at the SAD-B government for selling off some government buildings to some private hands to benefit its kin, SAD(A) chief Simranjit Singh Maan alleged that the SAD was bent upon minting money and would render hundreds of Punjabis jobless. He demanded a separate Sikh state. He claimed that due to the wrong policies of the present regime, all sections of the society wanted a change in the government.

Bathinda, September 17
A shepherd allegedly killed his 14-year-old mate in the fields at village Mehraj of the district, on Tuesday evening.

According to the information available, Amar Singh, a farmer of the village, had kept one Nikka Singh of Tapa Mandi and 14-year-old Gurjant Singh of Kothe Maha Singh Mehraj to shepherd the goats he owned.

Giving his statement to the police, Gurcharan Singh, the father of the deceased, said that when he visited the village to take him along, he found Nikka Singh beating Gurjant Singh with lathis. Gurjant later succumbed to his injuries. — TNS

Bathinda, September 17
A two-year-old girl child who fell into a 30-feet deep pit, was rescued in village Siriyewala of the district on Tuesday evening after a rescue operation that lasted four hours.

According to the information available, the child, Love Preet, along with her mother, had come here from Khialiwala village to visit her maternal grandparents. Last night, while playing, she fell into the pit, which was dug up for installing a hand-pump.

Soon after receiving the information, villagers rushed to spot and started the rescue operation. Meanwhile, officials also reached the place but the JCB machines reportedly could not reach there. The villagers dug up a parallel pit and rescued the girl.

Bathinda, September 17
The Thermal police booked Amit Kumar and his father Pawan Kumar of Bathinda along with a Raj Kumar of village Gill Kalan for attempting to take illegal possession from the complainant, Kesho Ram of Bathinda.

SHO Ucee Chawla said, "A case has been registered after the report of the kanungo, who took the measurement and identified the piece of the land. In that report, it was mentioned that the wall, which the accused demolished, belonged to the complainant. So, as per the preliminary information, a case under sections 323, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC had been registered. — TNS