Bathinda, November 16
Keeping in view the "statewide excesses" committed by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) on Congress workers during the recently held municipal corporation and panchayat elections in the state, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Bathinda unit, has decided to form an 11-member Basic Unit Congress Committees (BUCC) to check excesses committed against the party workers in the state.

Talking to media persons here today, Ashok Kumar, president, district Congress committee (urban), said he had also asked the Congress workers to form booth-level committees in the state to ensure free and fair Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. "SAD had used brutal and undemocratic means to capture grassroots democratic institutions," the DCC president alleged.

He lamented that police had also played an active and partisan role when it came to polling by bogus voters, booth capturing, beating up of party polling agents or insulting party women and candidates in the MC and panchayat polls in the state. Meanwhile, some local Congress leaders are busy lobbying for the ticket from Bathinda parliamentary constituency with the party high command in New Delhi.

As per highly placed sources in the Congress, there are three main contenders for the parliamentary ticket which include Capt Amarinder Singh's son Raninder Singh, local MLA Harminder Singh Jassi and CM Parkash Singh Badal's cousin Mahesh Inder Singh Badal. Sources informed that Raninder has a brighter chance of being fielded from the Bathinda parliamentary constituency as five out of the seven Congress MLAs in the constituency are of Capt Amarinder Singh group. These include MLAs from Nathana, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Pakka Kalan, Makhan Singh, Talwandi Sabo, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, Sardulgarh, Ajit Inder Singh Mofer and Budhlada, Mangat Ram Bansal.

Only two MLAs from the Bhattal group are believed to support Jassi's candidature, which include MLA Mansa, Sher Singh Gagowal beside Jassi himself.

With the Badal family laying its claims over the Bathinda seat, people of this area as well as the Congress leadership feels that only Raninder can emerge as a strong contender against them.

During the last assembly elections, Raninder was in-charge of the Bathinda parliamentary constituency and the party did well under him. At that time, he is believed to have struck a chord with the elderly as well as the youth of this area. 

Bathinda, November 16
Senior vice-president of the ruling SAD Charanji Lal Garg has again courted controversy. In a press note issued today, Garg claimed that he along with a delegation of aggrieved farmers of Virk Kalan village, whose 40 acres of land would be acquired for the construction of a civil airport at Bhisiana near here, met chief minister Parkash Singh Badal at his native village Badal in Muktsar district today.

Garg stated that the price for the land to be acquired for the project, fixed at Rs 5.70 lakh per acre, has been increased to Rs 10 lakh per acre by the CM following his request. Further, he mentioned that to execute the order, the CM immediately issued telephonic orders to the deputy commissioner, Bathinda, Rahul Tewari. Garg also said that before leaving, the farmers expressed their gratitude to the CM for revising the price of the land.

However, in contradiction to Garg's claim, when TNS contacted deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari, he said, "The CM called me up and inquired about the matter. I said that the rate fixed for the acquisition (Rs 8 lakh including all charges) was already more than the market price. Hearing this, the CM did not ask anything further."

When apprised about the press note issued by Garg, the DC claimed that the CM had not given him any such order.

Contrary to the claim of Garg, farmers, whose land is going to be acquired for the construction of a civilian air terminal, were are also found to be unhappy with the "revised rate" claimed for the acquisition.

Resham Singh and Sammu Singh, farmers whose land had been acquired even in the past (1978) for constructing the air force station, said that even at this price (Rs 10 lakh), which the SAD leader had claimed, they were not happy.

"After giving the land, we would be landless. So, there is no fun in the increased rate for us," they added.

It may be mentioned that there is a plan to build a civilian enclave instead of a full-fledged airport at Bhisiana. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) would construct and look after the enclave while the state civil aviation department would acquire and provide land for the project. The district administration would execute the project.

As per the sanctioned project, civil flights would use the air strip already existing at the Air Force Station, Bhisiana. But a new air strip would be constructed there to connect with the new terminal.

Fazilka, November 16
Huge stocks of wheat and rice, received as part of the mid-day meal scheme by about 2,000 primary, middle and senior secondary schools of this district, are likely to go waste. The foodgrains are lying unused as the government has entrusted the job of providing the meal to a private concern without shifting these stocks from the schools.

Raj Kishore Kalra, patron of the Shiksha Sudhar Committee, an NGO, disclosed that from September 15, the state government had on a trial basis shifted the arrangement of supplying cooked mid-day meal in the three districts of the state, namely Tarn Taran, Nawanshahar and Ferozepur, to an NGO, Nari Shakti Indicare.

Earlier, teachers used to get the meal cooked in schools. For the purpose, the State Food and Supplies Department supplied the foodgrains. However, with change of the arrangement, over 1,000 quintals of the foodgrain stock lying in the schools has become a problem for the school heads.

Kalra said that about 5 to 10 quintals of foodgrains are lying unused in each school of this district.

There are about 1500 primary schools, 250 middle schools, 112 high schools and 98 senior secondary schools in Ferozepur district. If not picked up, the stocks are likely to rot completely as it has already started rotting. Besides, rodents and insects are also damaging the stocks. The stocks are prone to theft also.

Heads of many schools, on the condition of anonymity, revealed that they had raised the issue of shifting the foodgrains from the schools but the officers concerned did not take any initiative even as over two months had passed after the stocks were dumped at the schools.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, November 16
District collector Mugdha Sinha today issued notices to 26 officers and employees under section 134 of the Peoples Representative Act, 1951, to explain why strict action should not be taken against them for abstaining from the first election training camp.

Sinha said presiding officer Achleshwer Sharma besides polling center assistants Ram Kumar, Raja Ram and Inder Singh had been served notices. Ex-parte action would be taken if their replies were not found to be satisfactory, she added.

Meanwhile, the DC and SP Navjyoti Gogoi made a surprise visit to the inter-state border near villages Bhirani, Gandhibadi, Chhanibadi, Jhansal, Biran, Mehrana, Malkhera and Khachwan, which fall under Bhadra constituency, and Malwani, Phephana and Padmapura in Nohar constituency.

Sub-divisional magistrates and DSP besides SHOs have been directed to enforce prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC. The district police chief asked the SHOs to seize arms from the licensees, who had not deposited the same in the police stations yet.

The DC has convened a meeting of the SMS service providers on November 18 amidst complaints that in gross violation of the model code of conduct, some political parties, candidates and individuals were misleading the public with ‘objectionable’ news through SMS.

A work plan to book such service providers under the relevant Act is likely to be finalised during the meeting.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, November 16
The dissidents contesting as independents might play a key role in the ensuing elections in Sriganganagar as well as neighbouring Hanumangarh district, felt most of the senior political activists during an informal conversation.

Their observation is based on the fact that a united fight by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the last election had reduced the Congress tally to one out of 11 seats in these two districts where Punjabis are populated in good number.

Significantly, most of the dissidents preferred to convene Maha Panchayat following the traditional Marwari style and announced their candidature only after the gathering raised hands in solidarity. The Maha Panchayat organised by District BJP Yuva Morcha president Mahesh Budania in Sriganganagar before filing nominations for Sadulshehar constituency as an independent candidate rang alarm bells for the BJP candidate Gurjant Singh Brar. The segment has been demarcated by including some of the areas neighbouring Sriganganagar city, including border township of Hindumalkot.

Another alarming development is that all major dissidents, including Brij Lal Saharan, Harbhagwan Singh Brar, Krishan Saharan, Mahesh Budania and Sunil Yadav, held an important meeting on Saturday night and agreed to form a sub-committee to choose anyone of them to contest against the BJP's official candidate Gurjant Singh Brar. The aim was to teach the high command a befitting lesson for ignoring the sentiments of the grass root workers, sources said. Sitting MLA Surinder Singh Rathore from Sriganganagar was also present to endorse the decision.

Another Maha Panchayat was convened by Jai Deep Doodi at Bhadra. His name was in the first list of the BJP candidates and he also produced the copy of the official letter authorising him to contest on Lotus symbol. But on Saturday, he was directed to return the letter as the saffron party had left the seat in an adjustment for the INLD.

Addressing thousands of workers and supporters, Sandeep Doodi, former chairman of the Hanumangarh Cooperative Bank accused the Chautala family for playing political gimmicks in some areas of Rajasthan that adjoined Haryana. Both have filed their nominations as independents also.

Meanwhile, in a major development, the Congress in its fourth list has given ticket to Jagtar Singh Kang from Karanpur constituency. Other front runners for the ticket were district Congress president Prithipal Singh Sandhu and former legislator Gurmeet Singh Kunnar.

Abohar, November 16
The second application for the Congress ticket from Faridkot (reserved) Lok Sabha constituency has also been filed by a local worker.

Punjab Youth Congress secretary Mangat Ram Chayal met AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi at 10, Janpath office to submit his claim recently. Earlier, former MLA Parkash Singh Bhatti had put in his papers to the AICC.

Bhatti had argued that during his tenure as chairman of the Improvement Trust at Faridkot, he had strengthened mass base there. As he and his in-laws originally hail from Muktsar district, he was in a position to give a better fight to the SAD in comparison to others, he claimed.

Now, Chayal, in-charge of Muktsar district for Youth Congress affairs, stated in the application that he was denied party ticket from Balluana Assembly segment last year but campaigned for the party sincerely.

“Being an activist of the Youth Congress, I have better chances of winning from the Faridkot constituency in the ensuing elections,” he said.

Abohar, November 16
By shifting the rail lines and fish plates that remained dumped near the local railway platform for many months, the authorities have brightened the hopes on construction of the Abohar-Fazilka rail link.

Carriers were seen clearing the stores thereby giving relief to hundreds of citizens who used to cross through these and sometimes faced assault by anti-social elements who took advantage of the blind curve due to dumping.

The Railway Passengers Association (North Zone), while welcoming transportation of the material to villages near Abohar town, urged the engineering works section of the Railways to speed up the completion of the next phase. — OC

Mansa, November 16
The agriculture department in Mansa has achieved a major breakthrough in the production of groundnut in Peron village of this district.

Nearly two years ago, the department had launched a project with the cooperation of the Ratan Tata Trust for promoting production of groundnuts. About 250 acres of area was covered under the production of this crop. Due to the efforts made by the trust as well as the department, farmers produced up to 16 quintal groundnut per acre.

Agriculture officer Satpal Sharma informed that during the first year, the project was cooperated by Punjab Agriculture University. Next year, the trust provided seeds and other help for the production of groundnuts.

Under the project, the department provided technical advice to the farmers growing groundnuts. For more production, a new variety of seed (SG-99) was provided to them.

To encourage farmers about raising the crop, the department had observed the Groundnut Field Day on November 5 at the village. Tarsem Singh, joint director of the department had presided over the function. He advised farmers to save and protect the SG-99 variety seed so that they could sow it next year.

Chief agriculture officer Davinder Singh also advised the farmers about this crop.

Meanwhile, the farmers have demanded from the state government about the proper marketing of their produce.

Bathinda, November 16
Amid the speeches by eminent personalities, releasing of calendars and books, the two-day 13th Sarab Hind Punjabi Lekhak Conference, concluded here today.

In the morning session, the writers dwelled on the topic "Punjabi language and various education sectors" in depth and expressed their views.

Rajinder Singh Cheema, former advocate general, said if the court proceedings take place in the language of the aggrieved, then it could be expected that clear and more facts would come out in the open. He further accepted that the Punjabi could not be the language of the High Court as judges from various states are posted in the High Court.

Citing the report of the UNESCO, Vidwan Singh Soni said that in the 2007, the report said that children, who got education in their mother tongue, had a clearer vision as compared to others.

Jagmohan Kaushal expressed said language and education had been attacked from three sides. In the name of development, monopoly is being given to English, while in the name of national language, Hindi is being promoted all over the country which had been causing great loss to Punjabi and other regional languages.

He mentioned that the teacher-student relationship was also under strain today because of the change in value system.

Renowned writer TR Vinod emphasised upon the need to set up a langugae department to make efforts to promote Punjabi.

In the second session, 'Language, education and political parties' programme' was discussed at length, where Joga Singh, Manmohan Singh, Harkrishan Singh Mehta and GS Sidhu Damdami expressed their views.

In his speech, GS Sidhu Damdami, editor, Punjabi Tribune, He appreciated that the eminent personalities had spoken on the topic. He said that in today's era, politicians had been using language as a tool to serve their vested interests.

He mentioned that language was an issue on which even political parties had different factions and parties had been formed upon the linguistic issue.

"Now, we must give some thought to the fact that Punjabi, which still lacks the deserved status in this country, has been developing abroad in countries like 
Canada. It is time to discus the promotion of this language at a global level," Sidhu Damdami said.

"In practice, we see that laws have been used to create an atmosphere to develop Punjabi, but I personally feel that it is not an issue over which pressure should be exterted. But there should be ample material so that one is not dependent on any other language in any subject," he concluded.

Bathinda, November 16
Political guests, who were invited to speak at the 13th Sarab Hind Punjabi Lekhak Conference during the discussions on ‘Language, education and political parties' failed to turn up today.

As per the invitation card, Jagdeep Singh Nakai, chief parliamentary secretary, Makhan Singh, a Congress MLA, Charan Singh Virdi, (CPI-M), Mangat Ram Pasla, Rajinder Bhandari, president of the state BJP and Avtar Singh Karimpuri (BSP) were supposed to participate. None of them came but some of them sent their representatives.

Earlier, in the morning session, Dr S.P. Singh, former vice-chancellor of the Guru Nanak Dev University, who was supposed to preside over the session on ‘Punjabi language and various education sectors,’ did not reach. Harshinder Kaur, daughter of the renowned Prof Pritam Singh, also could not reach. When contacted, convener of the 13th Sarab Hind Punjabi Lekhak Conference, Jagdish Singh Ghai said he did not know the reason for Dr S.P. Singh's absence but Harshinder Kaur could not reach due to her domestic engagements arising after the death of Pritam Singh. "Jagdish Nakai informed us yesterday about his inability to reach while Makhan Singh had gone to Hazur Sahib. Charan Singh Virdi and Mangat Ram Pasla sent their representatives. Avtar Singh Karimpuri could not be contacted for formal invitation. But Rajinder Bhandari's absence was really shocking as he had assured that if he was unable to reach due to some reason, then he would send Kamal Sharma to represent him. But none of them reached.”

While talking to The Tribune, an octogenarian Punjabi writer present there, said, "The absence of these politicians clearly reflects their reluctance. Politicians can cross any hurdle to lure voters, but on occasions like this, they show that they are least bothered,” he added.

Bathinda, November 16
Facing opposition from the traders based on Amreek Singh road, the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities have decided to drop the centre verge road project in the area.

As per the plan, for the smooth flow of traffic, the BMC authorities started construction of the cemented centre verge from the Gol Diggi turn, which was to be extended up to the SSD college. But when the officials started construction work near the Veer Colony area, shopkeepers objected to it, citing the problem of parking vehicles for their customers.

As the road is narrow in comparison to the flow of traffic, the shopkeepers lodged their protest before BMC commissioner K.K. Yadav, who stopped the work following the plea.

Sushil Kumar, who runs a provision store on Amreek Singh road said, "The BMC authorities started constructing the central verge without even checking its viability. As the road does not have space for any construction in the middle of it, there would have been more traffic bottlenecks had the central verge been constructed." "As per our view, the BMC authorities have taken up the contract to convert Bathinda into a "concrete city. They raised a cemented wall on Bathinda-Goniana road. Now, it has started here,” lamented Parkash Kumar, an employee at a sanitary shop there.

Sudershan Mittal, a resident of Veer Colony, who was passing through the road, said, "The logic given by the BMC officials, of streamlining the flow of traffic by creating a divider, is nothing more than an excuse to fill the coffers of the contractors."

BMC commissioner K.K. Yadav said, "It was part of the Rs 40 crore beautification project for the city. We started it on the demand of the people. Now, some are creating a hurdle in it. For the time being, we have stopped the construction and after negotiating with the protesters, we will try to restart it."

Bathinda, November 16
The Bathinda Military Station has become an eventual destination for the stray cattle. One can see these animals roaming around freely often scaring passersby. According to sources, some civilians just let loose cattle that have outlived their utility into the cantonment at night.

Sources also revealed that some civilians were spotted putting fodder inside the boundary of the cantonment so that the cattle remain inside the military station's boundary.

Civilians who own cattle do not want to leave cattle that does not serve any purpose at 'gaushalas' because for this, they will have to pay money and so, they leave their cattle out in the open and on roads.

There has been a fatal accident in the past inside the military station due to the stray cattle and cases of people being pushed and scared away by them were also reported. Efforts were made to shoo away the cattle but they used to come back through the broken wires of the boundary.

The cantonment has been divided into sectors and maintaining the security of these sectors is also a resposibility that is divided but not much can be done as regards to stray cattle because many factors are involved in it.

Authorities feel that if the cattle are sent outside, they might get slaughtered which would hurt religious sentiments. They are left inside the boundary, stay there and even die there.

The Army has however taken steps to ensure the safety and security of people staying inside the cantonment.

Men are seen with sticks to keep the animals away from roads. The cantonment is huge and open which serves as an apt location for the animals. The most commonly spotted animal are bulls.

Sources also stated that the cantonment not only accommodates stray cattle but is also home to jackals and foxes. The green open expanses of the military station attract these animals.

Commissioner of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation, said, "The Bathinda cantonment is not in our jurisdiction. Generally, a cantonment board office is there to maintain cleanliness and matters related to stray cattle like in Ferozepur and Jalandhar. But Bathinda does not have a cantonment board office. The Army manages its own affairs and we have no say in this."

It should be noted that the problem of stray cattle is not limited to the cantonment only. The city too has become a victim of this menace. Cattle in the middle of the road disrupt traffic on the already dug up roads of the city.

Schoolgoing children are the most affected because they become easy targets for the stray cattle. The problem becomes worse at night.

The authorities seem to be shifting the blame on each other. Although the Army had made efforts in the past to take the cattle out of the boundary and leave them inside dense jungles but they traced their way back into the green environs of the cantonment.

After talking to the authorities concerned, it was clear that as of now, no immediate solution to this menace appears to be in sight for the harried commuters.

Bathinda, November 16
S.S. Jain Sabha opened a Vardhman Charitable Physiotherapy Centre at its premises here today. The centre, fitted with latest physiotherapy equipment will provide treatment to public, including disabled and destitute persons of the city.

Speaking to The Tribune about the new facility, Dr Shweta Mittal, said, "The idea is to reach out to as many people as possible.”

The centre will provide services to all at a nominal charge of Rs 40 per sitting. Anyone from anywhere can access treatment at the new centre, said Hukam Chand Jain, president of the Sabha. Pawan Jindal, chairman, Acharya Jaimal Jain Gaushala, Gillpatti, inaugurated the centre. — TNS

Mansa, November 16
Patients are bound to face difficulties in the civil hospital Mansa because of insufficient number of doctors and other staff. The main reason for referring the patients to other hospitals is absence of proper medical facilities as well.

According to information available, nearly 20 posts of doctors have been sanctioned, out of which five posts are vacant. The rush of patients need nearly 30 to 40 posts of doctors. Doctors are required for gynaecology, radiology and pathology. Patients belonging to these departments are referred to other hospitals.

There is no permanent post of emergency medical officer, the emergency patients particularly at a time of night are referred to other hospitals. Blood bank is also running in absence of permanent in-charge. Insufficiency of nursing staff and laboratory technicians is also affecting the proper treatment of patients.

Most patients are bound to get their tests conducted from private laboratories. and fourth Deputy medical commissioner, Dr Rupinder also admitted the insufficient number of doctors and other staff in the hospital. He said there should be sufficient appointments of doctors and other staff members to improve the proper treatment of patients.

Bathinda, Novemebr 16
In spite of the rise in number of criminal incidents by migrants being reported in the city, local residents still seem to be oblivious of the need to verify the antecedents of their migrant servants.

To check the crime involving migrants, the police has made numerous appeals to the citizens to provide it with the complete details of the domestic helps employed by them. But still, the police has not received the desired response from the public. In absence of complete details, it becomes quite difficult to trace the culprits.

SSP Aashish Chowdhary felt that the people of the Model Town and other posh areas, where a majority of the migrant servants worked, were not responding to the appeal as desired.

He said in case the people cooperated, it would not only bring down the crime rate but also act as a deterrent against the arrival of errant migrants, who had flocked the city in the past many years.

The SSP said although many of the servants did not have criminal background but the residents had to be cautious of the runaway criminals, who could be finding refuge at new addresses in the city on fictitious names.

He said the majority of residents did not verify the antecedents of the persons they employed, both as domestic help or at their commercial establishments.

Since January, two cases of murder and as many as 16 theft cases had been reported in the city while several of them go unreported. But still, the people were not coming up with the details of their migrant employees.

Chowdhary urged the residents to get the police verification of their servants done at the earliest to enable the police in protecting their lives and property.

Abohar, November 16
A female foetus was found in a sullage water carrier near the disposal works close to the main cremation ground across Indira Nagari here today.

As per information available, one Raj Kumar while desilting the carrier noticed the foetus wrapped in a small bag. He informed Raj Kumar Charaya, president of the Nar Sewa Narayan Sewa Samiti, who passed on the information to the city police.

A police team, headed by ASI Raj Kumar, rushed to the spot and shifted the about five-month-old foetus to the civil hospital.

A case under section 318 of the IPC has been registered, sources said.

Meanwhile, the body of an unidentified person was found in a field near village Balluana, located 10 km from here. The police is investigating, sources said.

Moga, November 16
The local police have registered a case against a woman for stealing the car of her husband.

Police sources told The Tribune that Sudhir Kumar, son of Kishan Lal, a resident of Arra Road had lodged a complaint before the police station (south) that his wife Prem Piyari Punita, daughter of Sukhdial Singh, a resident of Chandigarh had stolen his Maruti car number PB-29H-8177, about two weeks back.

The police had registered a criminal case against her under section 379 of the IPC on Thursday evening.

Preliminary investigations made by the police had revealed that the couple was not enjoying cordial relations for quite some time and a legal suit of their divorce was pending before a local court.

Since, the court was yet to take a final decision on their legal suit of divorce, the said woman was still wife of the complainant as per the Hindu Marriage Act. Therefore, the police had surprisingly registered a criminal case of theft against her.