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PRTC staff clash, 14 held
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Craze for lottery Diwali bumper big draw in state Bathinda, October 27 Diwali is here and people are anxious to know about the Diwali bumper which they have been waiting for many days now. Every year, there is a Diwali bumper organised by the state and in turn the government receives a huge amount of money by selling the lottery tickets.
Armymen’s kin light up lives, say absence makes heart grow fonder
It’s dark Diwali, say ex-servicemen
Infantry Day
‘No room for land mafia in BJP’
‘Dist-level body for women, kids soon’
CCI says procurement over
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PRTC staff clash, 14 held
Bathinda, October 27 According to the details available, demanding that the terminated activists of the union be reinstated, the activists of the union today staged a three-hour long dharna, from 5 am to 8 am, at the main gate of the bus stand, which disrupted the movement of buses. Senior police officials and the SDM reached the spot and offered them an open dialogue with the authorities and asked for the lifting of the dharna, which the agitators turned down. The situation took an ugly turn, when the agitators started hurling abuses at the general manager of the PRTC Bathinda depot and also at leaders of the other factions of the PRTC employees who were trying to pacify them. In that verbal dual, some protesters allegedly manhandled the employees of PRTC and one of them even pulled at the beard of Ganda Singh, inspector, PRTC Bathinda depot. One other employee sustained injuries on the leg. Following this, they also assaulted the protesters claiming it was an act of "self-defence." Pritam Singh, Gurtej Singh, Sucha Singh, Ganda Singh and other leaders of the INTUC, AITUC, CITU, Karamchari Dal and SC/BC organisation alleged that the accused had referred to them as "agents" of the GM, which they found to be objectionable. "They assaulted us and the police arrested many of them and if they are freed under political pressure, then this time, we will launch an agitation against the police," they added. While talking to TNS, general manager PRTC, Iqbal Singh said, "The protesters were miscreants and the services of many of them had been terminated on serious charges. They were accused of consuming opium, poppy husk and were also found guilty of dereliction of duty. I made it clear to them that after the termination, the issue of their reinstatement is something which only the senior officials can decide. " "I have given in black and white about the loss of Rs two lakh which the PRTC incurred today due to their activity," said Iqbal Singh. On his part, SHO Kotwali, Devinder Singh said that the police had arrested 14 protesters and the local court had sent them to 14 days of judicial custody to the Central Jail here. |
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Craze for lottery
Bathinda, October 27 Almost every third household in Punjab purchases a lottery ticket. The state government has 366 weekly lotteries, 12 annual lotteries and four bumper lotteries every year. The state recorded a sale of tickets to 43, 48,580 households in the year 2001 and the number of sold tickets has been growing ever since. In 1997, around 4.51 lakh tickets were sold. In 2003, it was 13.75 lakh. The year 2005 recorded a sale of 13.99 tickets. 2006 touched a sale of 13.92 lakh tickets, the number went upto 14.81 lakhs in 2007 and 2008 expects a sale of 15 lakh tickets. In ten years, i.e. 1997 to 2007, the number of tickets sold in Lohri bumper were 61.93 lakh, Baisakhi bumper fetched around 52.06 lakh customers, rakhi bumper sold 36.78 tickets and Diwali bumper sold 101.41 tickets. In Bathinda alone, 1.32 lakh tickets were sold last year and the Punjab state lottery department expects the number to go upto 1.50 lakh this year. The lottery department sells off 6 lakh tickets on an average in Bathinda alone. A single ticket costs Rs 100 and the revenue coming in from the sale of these tickets is in crores. The year 2002-03 got a revenue of Rs 68.36 crores. The figure went much higher in 2006-07 as the revenue was Rs 168.70 crores. 2007-08 received Rs 175 crores and this year the expected revenue is Rs 200 crores. On this Diwali there are two prizes of Rs one crore each and on every lottery won, the state government deducts 30 per cent TDS, 10 per cent surcharge, 3 per cent education cess and whatever is left after these deductions is given to the prize winner. By the above data it is clear that there is an increased craze for lotteries in the state and the state government is earning huge revenues in the name of lotteries in the state. |
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Diwali Mela
Abohar, October 27 DIG V.K. Sharma while revealing this during a talk on the sidelines of the Diwali Mela at the BSF sector headquarters here on Monday said initially a decision to realign the fencing spread over 27 km had been taken to meet the long-pending demand of the farmers in the border region. They wanted to get the fencing shifted closer to the border, though within the international norms, for better cultivation facilities. While launching rescue operations during the recent flood fury, the BSF men observed that it would not be viable to shift the wire fencing at least in 4-5 km stretch as the same could be washed off in such a grim flood situation. A revised plan would be forwarded, he informed. On frisking of women farmers during their entry through the gates to cultivate their fields across the wire fencing, he said at present they were being frisked by some elderly women of the same village who had been assigned the task in consultation with the sarpanch of the respective village. However, the BSF has completed the process for recruiting young female constables. Their training is in progress after which they would be deployed in the border villages to do this job. Talking about problems related to tube-well connections on the other side of the wire fencing, the DIG said that company commanders had been asked to solve the problems related to new tubewell connections as well as replacement of parts etc of the existing tube wells. The commanders are already having monthly meetings with the border village residents to update feedback besides sorting out grievances, if any, on the spot. Vigil on the border posts has been further intensified to check smuggling of contrabands during the ensuing winter. Night vision equipment system has been modernised. Ramesh Kumari Sharma, wife of DIG V.K. Sharma, chairperson of the BSF Wives Welfare Association, inaugurated the Diwali Mela. She was greeted by a large number of children and women who also joined her in visiting different stalls and entertaining games. It was full of festivity. |
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Armymen’s kin light up lives, say absence makes heart grow fonder
Bathinda, October 27 Some families staying in the separated family accommodation at the Bathinda Military Station are the ones who would not be having a complete Diwali due to the family's key member serving the country at other places. Not every defence officer manages to get leave on festivals and Diwali for them would be somewhere in the tough terrains either fighting the militants or sitting and watching crackers burst in the sky. Little Ayush, whose father is somewhere in the northern sector, said, "This time, mummy got crackers for me. Papa said he would come but he could not make it." There are many children who miss their fathers who don the fatigues and have to be away on most occasions. Mrs Sharma, a housewife said, "This is not the first Diwali we would be celebrating without my husband. This will be the third time. The country is my husband's first priority and his family comes next." These families do feel lonely when everyone around celebrates Diwali with their families but it is a way of life for most families who celebrate major Indian festivals without their fathers and husbands. These children feel that such separations make them more independent and ready for every situation in life. "When I grew up, my mother looked towards me for taking up every responsibility that papa took when he was around," said Karan, who studies in class XII but feels he is ready to take up every responsibility in his father's absence. Although, today they will feel the absence of someone as close as a father and a husband but still they will light up their house, exchange greetings with neighbours and light crackers and prove it again to the world that they are the families of warriors and can sacrifice anything when it comes to serving in the olive greens. |
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It’s dark Diwali, say ex-servicemen
Bathinda, October 27 The arrears need to be given in one go to relieve the financial hardship of the poor, he said. The League realises that there are problems in preparing pension tables of defence personnel due to the varying rank and file and varying length of service, but still it holds that delay will lead to problems in cases of death and where the pensioners die intestate. Litigation will multiply to effect division of pensioner’s amount among various claimants if nominations are not made. Hence, ex-servicemen request for early payment of arrears in one go. The League also wants ex-servicemen to render their life certificates to DDPOs and banks to avoid delay. The dark Diwali was first experienced by the Indians after the 1962 war with China. Singh regretted that this was happening only with ex-servicemen who fought bravely during the 1965 and 1971 wars, while hoping that the genuine grievances of ex-servicemen would be looked into. |
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Red Ribbon Express chugs in
Bathinda, October 27 Though the Red Ribbon Express was welcomed with much fanfare at the railway station here, there was not much crowd there. Shortage of volunteers in the coaches was also obvious. Earlier at 9.15 am, after welcoming the train, an inauguration ceremony was arranged at Gandhi Bazaar, where Member of Parliament Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan was the chief guest. In her speech, Gulshan appealed to the doctors to treat AIDS patients with care and affection. As many as 110 motorcyclists, volunteers of Nehru Yuva Kendra, were also flagged off on the occasion. They would visit various villages in the district. On the first day, young girls were seen along with their parents seeking information about the disease, its symptoms and preventive measures. The seven coach special train, which has been stationed at platform number 9, has three coaches for exhibition and display of educational material. The fourth coach has an auditorium, where a conference room has been set up. In the fifth coach, counselling-cum-medical services including STI/ RTI treatment, are being provided. The sixth coach meant for cultural performances was shut. One coach is for the staff that has been following the train since last year. Officials said that the project, conceptualised by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, had been implemented by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in collaboration with the Railway Ministry and Nerhru Yuva Kendra. Giving information, Preet Kanwar Singh, assistant director (D&P), Punjab State AIDS Control Society, said that besides the train, an awareness campaign had been launched through the performances of cultural troupes, which had been dispersed in six groups to cover 24 villages on each of the three days that the train will halt here. Two buses, that have been acompanying the RRE, have also been sent to the villages to spread awareness. As per the schedule, a provision for screening films has also been made. It would be done at places where the buses halt at night. Manish Kumar, a volunteer with the technical support unit in the conference coach, said that four batches of 60 persons, including the youth, ANM, police staff and health department employees have started working on disseminating messages on HIV prevention. When contacted, Mohan Singh Rana, chief executive officer, RRE, said, "We have been taking these steps as as people are preferring to celebrate Diwali than visit this place." |
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Infantry Day
Ferozepur, October 27 On this day in 1947, in response to first threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our nation, the first elements of the Indian infantry landed at Srinagar airport and defended the Kashmir following an attack by the Pakistani forces with help of raiders on October 18, 1947. In the wake of Independence, as Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir was finding himself in precarious condition, Pakistan staked claim on Kashmir, being a predominantly Muslim state and tried to exploit the vulnerable situation. In the attack by Pakistani forces, much devastation had been caused, Baramula was overcome and the enemy was within 30 miles from Srinagar when Maharaja signed the instrument of accession to India on October 26, 1947. By this time, the situation had turned grave and raiders had advanced along Uri-Baramula road towards Srinagar. At 5 am on October 27, 1947, the battalion headquarters and company of the first battalion of the Sikh regiment were flown into Srinagar who fought gallantly reversing the tide of the battle and thus saved Kashmir. |
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‘No room for land mafia in BJP’
Abohar, October 27 Speaking to some selected newspersons here Goyal informed that chief minister Parkash Singh Badal plans to hold his maiden sangat darshan here well before the beginning of election process for Lok Sabha. He would be requested to accept the long-pending demand for opening a government college here. Refuting allegations on sheltering the land mafia and illegal colonisers, Raj Goyal alleged that all such forces had emerged and flourished when the Congress was in power here. Might be that some of them changed sides for vested interests but the BJP leadership won’t permit them to resume their illegal acts. Informing that the Chief Minister had accorded consent for developing water treatment project through HUDCO by securing loans from banks, Goyal said immovable property of the council would be pledged for this purpose. |
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‘Dist-level body for women, kids soon’
Abohar, October 27 Under the scheme sewing and stitching centres would be set up at block level for which trainers would be employed by the Board. Slum areas will have lion’s share in this project.
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CCI says procurement over
Bathinda, October 27 As per details procured, the arrival of the cotton is 36 per cent less than the previous year, till the date. Though the MSP was fixed as Rs 2800, the details reveal that the general rate of cotton remained between Rs 2618 and Rs 2778 per quintal. Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, chairman, Mandi Board, said, "CCI was accused of starting purchase eight days late than scheduled." |
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