Bathinda, December 12
Keeping in view the recent terror strike in Mumbai, Punjab DGP N.P.S. Aulakh today underlined the need for proactive policing by strengthening the security of vital installations besides ensuring the required preventive measures to face the challenge of renewed threat of terror attacks.

Talking to TNS over phone from Amritsar, Aulakh said that during a high-level meeting with police officials to review the security arrangement throughout the state in order to meet any emergent situation, he asked for the institutionalised arrangements for following up the inputs from the state, inter-state as well as national agencies.

He cautioned the field officers against any complacency on their part.

Directing for the constitution of Quick Response Teams (QRTs), comprising fittest security personnel, under the leadership of experienced police officers at district level, Aulakh asked the field officers to submit their requirements in the form of modern weaponry and protective equipment and assured them of providing it at the earliest.

Emphasising the need to put in order the required preventive measures and to follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the DGP informed that a high-level committee would be constituted soon under the leadership of ADGP (Crime). Other experienced police officers would be included in it to institutionalise their experience of fighting terrorism in Punjab.

The DGP also asked to keep a constant close watch on the activities of former terrorists and other criminals and pointed out that for this purpose, the SHOs and in-charge of police posts concerned were the most perfect officials to update the intelligence inputs.

He also directed to strengthen the security of vital installations throughout the state and step up vigil on the inter-state borders.

Aulakh assured of providing more security men for the purpose, which were being detached from the security duties under the state police's new initiative to withdraw 10 per cent security personnel deployed on security duties.

He also emphasised on the need to establish close and cordial relations with the general public to get important and timely information and directed the field officers to devote maximum time for listening to their grievances.

Bathinda, December 12
Upset with the overwhelming response that the Congress leader and former chief minister, Capt. Amarinder Singh, got in the Malwa region during his recent mass contact tour, the ruling SAD-BJP coalition has hurriedly tailored a series of public meetings to counter his show of strength.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has reached here and would address three public meetings in the Faridkot district tomorrow. He would distribute cheques for various development projects at Jaito, Kotkapura and Faridkot and also address public meetings.

Sukhbir would also address public meetings at various places in Bathinda, Barnala and Ferozepur districts later.

He is scheduled to address five public meetings in the Mansa district on December 16 and 17 and lay foundation stones of some projects.

The local unit of the BJP also swung into action today and held a meeting of prominent leaders and municipal councillors to formulate the party’s action plan in view of the recent political developments.

A BJP leader said the local unit was being geared up for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Abohar, December 12
Some members of the Municipal Council today criticised the officials for their alleged “casual” approach in launching the "Rashtriya Swasathya Beema Yojna".

The members got upset when they were told during a meeting in the council here on Friday that two-day camp for listing the beneficiaries would commence tomorrow. The councillors were asked to approach the BPL families in their respective wards and inspire them to participate in the camp.

While criticising the administration for "negligence and unrealistic approach," the councillors including Vimal Thathai, Baldev Singh Kalsi and Prem Kalra said the scheme deserved wide publicity which should have been started at least a fortnight back. It was mockery of such a national project that 31 employees of the council were today asked to visit one ward each and inform the people. How the employees could visit 25,000 houses in a single day, the councillors asked.

The councillors were informed by the officials in the meeting that the scheme, inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Independence Day, has been launched in all the districts except Ferozepur. The head of the BPL family will have to deposit Rs 30 only to make four other members of his family also eligible for free treatment up to Rs 30,000 during the year in all government-run hospitals as well as the private hospitals which had been registered under the scheme.

The officials clarified that only the families listed as BPL during surveys conducted in 2002 and 2004 are entitled to submit application forms on Saturday and Sunday in the council. The councillors resented that no campaign had so far been launched to bring awareness for the scheme. 

Abohar, December 12
While inaugurating kinnow grading and waxing plant near village Gidderanwali of the sub-division on Friday, the local legislator, Sunil Jakhar said that the farmers would have to switch over to allied business to survive in the farming sector.

Informing that the UPA government had offered subsidy besides other incentives under the Horticulture Mission, the legislator said so far 18 plants had become functional in the private sectors and most of the plants were sponsored by the fruit growers but steps need to be initiated to develop cold stores and air-conditioned trucks for the transportation of the fruits also.

Emphasising the need of promoting drip irrigation system to save water, Jakhar regretted that 45 per cent of the farmers in Punjab had stopped involving themselves in day to day care of fields/orchards.

The plant was jointly inaugurated by the MLA and SDM, NS Brar. — OC

Bathinda, December 12
One person was killed while six sustained injuries when a canter turned turtle on Bathinda-Barnala road today. The deceased has been identified as Pargat Singh (32), son of Amar Singh, a resident of Khanna. The condition of one of the injured, Nabby Singh, is stated to be critical.

According to the information available, six persons on board the canter (PB-13-N- 9070) carrying a DJ system were coming from Malerkotla and in an attempt to avoid an accident with a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction, the man at the wheels, Nabby, lost control over the vehicle. Resultantly, the canter overturned and a bus coming from the opposite direction ran into it.

The volunteers of the Sahara Life Saving Brigade, on receiving the information, rushed to the spot and found the passengers badly trapped inside the canter. They took them out and shifted all those injured to the civil hospital, Bathinda.

The doctors at the hospital declared one person travelling by the canter, Pargat Singh, as brought dead. The condition of Naib Singh, the driver and the owner of the DJ system, was stated to be serious.

Other injured have been identified as Taj Mohammad (25), Sadrool (30), Wajid, all residents of Malerkotla, and Deepak Kumar, a resident of Khanna. Besides, the driver of the bus, Labh Singh (40) son of Maluk Singh of Naseebpura village also received injuries in the accident.

Moga, December 12
A man and his 19-year-old son were killed while three other women members of his family sustained serious injuries when a car in which they were travelling rammed into a stationary truck from rear, near Lohara circle on the outskirts of the town, early this morning.

According to police sources, five members of a family, including Karnail Singh (50), his wife Kulwinder Kaur (48), son Karandip (19), daughters Ramanpreet Kaur (19) and Amanpreet Kaur were going to Ludhina to attend a marriage ceremony in a Maruti car bearing registration number PB-05-F-8468. When the car turned towards Ludhiana road from the Lohara circle, it rammed into a stationed truck. The tyre of the truck was punctured and the driver and cleaner were replacing it without any indications that the truck was stationary, sources said.

Karnail, who was driving the car and his son Karandip died on the spot while the women members of his family were seriously injured.

A nearby resident on a morning walk first noticed it and informed the police.

The police reached the spot immediately and rushed the injured persons to the district hospital where their condition was said to be critical when the news report was last filed.

The police after registering an FIR had begun investigations. The truck driver and cleaner were said to have fled from the spot after the occurrence of the accident.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased was working in the office of the market committee here. 

Bathinda, December 12
Four persons sustained injuries in separate mishaps in the city today. They were hospitalised by the volunteers of the local Sahara Life Saving Brigade.

An unidentified person (50) was lying on the local Mall road in a critical condition when the volunteers, on receiving the information, rushed to the spot and shifted him to the civil hospital. His condition is stated to be serious and he was being attended to by the volunteers of the NGO.

A 60-year-old person was hit by a vehicle near the local Police Lines and sustained injuries. He was admitted to the emergency ward of the civil hospital here by the volunteers of the NGO. The injured has been identified as Hardev Singh, son of Pala Singh and a resident of Maur.

One Madhu Paswan (35), a migrant labourer, was knocked down by a bike while he was pedalling his way home on a road near the Sirsa barrier. The volunteers hospitalised him. The motorcyclist fled after hitting Paswan.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist fell on the Bathinda-Dabwali road, 15 km away from here, and received injuries. He was identified as Franky Garg, son of Dharam Pal and a resident of Navi Basti here. On receiving the information, the volunteers of an NGO got him hospitalised.

Bathinda, December 12
J.S. Kular, Special Judge, on Wednesday sentenced four persons to rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 10 years and fine of Rs one lakh each in a case of poppy husk smuggling.

According to reports, the Rama police station team had recovered 50 kg of poppy husk on June 24, 2006, from an Esteem car. The car was stopped at the Sekhu police barrier following a tip-off. On search, the police recovered 50 kg of poppy husk from the occupants of the car, who were identified as Gurdas Singh, a resident of Desu Jodha in Haryana, Sarup Singh of Chatha village (Haryana), Sukhmandar Singh of Hassu village (Haryana) and Mahinder Singh of Mandi Kalan village in Bathinda.

The police had registered a case against all the accused in this regard at Rama police station.

The court, during the proceedings of the case, found the four guilty and sentenced them to 10 years of RI and a fine of Rs one lakh each.

In case of non-payment of fine, they would have to undergo an imprisonment for another year.

Bathinda, December 12
More than 320 traffic challans were disposed of during a special traffic Lok Adalat organised by the Legal Services Authority at the Judicial Complex here today. Kuldip Singh, District and Sessions Judge, supervised the same.

Traffic violators paid the minimum possible penalty and got back their documents on the spot.

Two special benches were constituted under the supervision of the Additional District and Sessions Judges (retired), G.S. Dhaliwal and G.S. Dhiman.

The Sessions Judge instructed the judicial officers to clear the cases of senior citizens and women on a priority.

Talking to the TNS, Rakesh Soni, assistant district attorney, said it was a successful attempt to clear the traffic challans pending in courts for years. Twelve benches were constituted to dispose of the challans, he informed, adding that two benches each were also constituted at Talwandi Sabo and Rampura Phul.

Soni appealed to the people to get their pending cases settled at Lok Adalats to save money and time.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, December12
Dr Manju Lata Sharma, Bikaner-based project officer for the National Polio Surveillance Project, funded by the World Health Organisation (WHO), today asked the officials to prepare separate micro-plan and conduct a survey to ensure overwhelming response to the pulse polio vaccination campaign.

Presiding over the preparatory meeting at the Hanumangarh district collectorate on Friday, she informed that the campaign would be launched on December 21 and would conclude by February 1 next year.

She asked the chief medical officers to identify families in the high-risk areas, including brick kilns as the cluster of huts was more prone to polio. Besides giving details on the arrangements to be made quickly at the district level, she said each booth should have four vaccinators and Rs 75 would be given to each vaccinator on a daily basis.

District coordinator of the Rajasthan Health Development Project, Dr Preet Mohinder asked all the new physicians to get quick physical verification of their medicine stores so that unwanted medicines could be shifted to the community health centres, where these could be used.

Abohar, December 12
Senior members of the Bal Kalyan Samiti today visited Eklavya Ashram and gave readymade garments, toys and other essential goods to three children, who had recently been found weeping in a compartment of the Ahmedabad-Jammu Tawi train at Hanumangarh railway station and were handed over to the Ashram by the administration.

One of the children revealed to the visitors that they had boarded the train along with their mother at Bikaner railway station. But on the way, their mother told them she was stepping down to arrange for drinking water but she did not turn up. She had five children.

However, the boy was unable to tell the name of the village to which they belong. The youngest of them, aged about 11 months, is being given mother-feed also by a female member of the Ashram.

Samiti members confirmed that during the last few months, about three dozen children had either been deserted by their parents or left inadvertently on the railway platform, mostly when long route trains halted for few minutes.

Surprisingly, none of the parents had so far contacted local authorities to trace out their children.

The samiti had decided to bear the expanses of nourishing such children in the Ashram. All of them will be provided with education facility as well, they assured.

Mansa, December 12
The Police Lines in Mansa, which is being run from an old and dilapidated dharmashala, would soon be shifted to a new building, being constructed at Mansa-Tuthian Wali road near the water works.

According to sources, when the district came into existence in 1992, the Police Lines was set up in the dharmashala due to the shortage of buildings.

The building is under the ownership of Mahavir Dal. Policemen revealed that the building was nearly 80 years old.

Police sources said that the dilapidated condition of the building remains a cause of concern to the cops.

They, however, expressed happiness that the Police Lines would soon be shifted to a new building.

Sources also said that the condition of the buildings, in which both the police stations of the city were running, was also not good. Some police staff, on the condition of anonymity, said that they had also been facing the problem of shortage of quarters.

They demanded that their problem of quarters should also be resolved soon. 

Bathinda, December 12
Ludhiana beat Amritsar in kabaddi (girls) competition on the second day of the Punjab State Primary School games being held at the Sports Stadium here today. While Sangrur prevailed over Patiala in kabaddi (girls), Muktsar went down to Patiala in kho-kho.

In gymnastics (girls) competition, while Gurdaspur got the top position, Bathinda and Amritsar were placed second and third respectively. In the all-round performance, Kamini of Gurdaspur secured first position, Kirandeep Kaur (Bathinda) stood second and Muskan (Amritsar) was placed third.

In gymnastics (boys), Sangrur and Bathinda were declared joint winners for the top spot; second and third places went to Muktsar and Gurdaspur, respectively. In the all-round performance, Sumit (Sangrur) got the first position while Ravi Sharma and Kuljit Singh of Bathinda were placed second and third, respectively.

In long jump (boys) competition, Navdeep Singh (Gurdaspur) leaped 4.12 metres to secure top position, Gurpreet Singh (Muktsar) and Mukesh Kumar (Ferozepur) were placed at second and third positions respectively.

While Kiran Bala (Faridkot) leaped 3.91 metres in the long jump (girls) and got top spot Sumanpreet Kaur (Ludhiana) and Vaishali (Gurdaspur) were adjudged second and third by leaping 3.83 m and 3.76 m respectively.

In wrestling (25 kg category), Dilawar Khan (Patiala) was declared winner. Rohit (Gurdaspur) and Kulwinder (Barnala) were placed second and third respectively in the event. Manu Raja (Amritsar) was declared winner in the 30-kg category while Satpal (Ropar) and Arshdeep (Bathinda) got the second and third positions respectively.

In the closely contested kabaddi matches, Ferozepur defeated Sangrur, Jalandhar prevailed over Ludhiana and Nawan Shahr went down to Taran Tarn.

In kho-kho (girls) competition, Sangrur beat Taran Tarn, Patiala beat Muktsar, Gurdaspur defeated Ludhiana, Moga won over Barnala, Amritsar beat Kapurthala, Bathinda beat Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur prevailed over Nawan Shahr and Ropar went down to Faridkot.