Bathinda, December 18 
Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) president and Member of Parliament Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked the Central government to proportionately reduce the price of petroleum products in line with the reduction in crude oil prices in the world. Sukhbir was talking to the media after laying the foundation stone of sewerage and water works projects in Bhucho Mandi here.

Sukhbir Badal said that the prices of petroleum products including diesel were increased in the country in direct proportion to rise in prices of crude oil prices. He appealed to the Central government that the rates of diesel, petrol and LPG gas must be reduced forthwith by the Government of India as relief to the people, particularly farmers of the state. He said that the Central government should reduce the prices by at least 30 per cent in order to provide some succour to the people of the state that were still struggling to eke out a respectable living. 

He said that the Punjab government had paved the way for four thermal plants worth thousands of crores in the state and claimed that these plants would ensure 24-hour power supply to every sector, including farming and industry.

To a question about new CCI guidelines and the harassment being faced by farmers, the SAD president said that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had taken up the matter with the Central government to roll back the guidelines.

He lashed out at former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh for not looking after the interests of the people of the state during his tenure and said that he did nothing for the people of Punjab. 

To a query regarding Amarinder Singh accusing SAD of forcibly controlling the cable network in the state, Sukhbir said that Amarinder was a frustrated man and he had no topic but to raise allegations against the Badal family. 

Earlier, addressing a public rally here, Sukhbir Badal informed about his future plans including setting up of two universities at Bathinda and Amritsar, an international airport and improved drinking water and sewerage facilities for all, at Bathinda. 

He laid the foundation stones of water and sewerage projects worth Rs 13 crore in Bhucho. He also gave a grant of Rs 2.50 crore to Bhucho Nagar Council for its development works.

Among others, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, ex-MLA, Sikander Singh Maluka, district president, SAD (B) and Jagdish Singh Nakai, chief parliamentary secretary, were also present on the occasion.

Muktsar/Bathinda, December 18 
Harsimrat Kaur, wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, today said that the people were feeling insecure as the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre has failed to control incidents of terrorism in the country.

Harsimrat Kaur, who was addressing a series of public meetings in the Muktsar district, launched a frontal attack on the Congress and said that only the NDA government with the support of SAD could solve problems of the people. The UPA was a weak government and does not have the will to fight terrorism. Pakistani terrorists ruled the roost for three days in Mumbai during the recent attack, she pointed out.

She accused successive Congress governments of giving step-motherly treatment to Punjab and said that the price of diesel would be reduced by Rs 10 in case the NDA was voted to power at the Centre.

She said that the people should not get "misled" by what former chief minister and Congress leader Amarinder Singh was propagating against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The Congress leadership in Punjab has "betrayed" the people of Punjab. She distributed cheques amounting Rs 1.21 crore to 31 panchayats of the district for development of the respective areas.

Harsimrat Kaur said that special camps would be organised in various villages of the district to finalise cases of old age and widow pension. Potable drinking water will be supplied to all villages. As many as 108 adarsh schools were being opened in the state to uplift the standard of education, she added.

Bathinda, December 18
The Central Water Commission (CWC) is examining two proposals of the Punjab government to meet the problem of waterlogging in the districts of Faridkot, Muktsar and Ferozepur in the Malwa belt.

It is learnt that the Punjab government has submitted two proposals for relining the Rajasthan and the Sirhind feeders to the union ministry of water resources.

The World Bank is also taking keen interest in solving the problem by providing a loan for this purpose. An expert team of the bank recently visited various affected villages of Muktsar where the problem was acute.

A team of the CWC set up to suggest measures to check seepage of water from the Rajasthan canal causing waterlogging in the Muktsar district recently visited the area and has recommended formulation of a comprehensive detailed report with short and long term measures to reclaim the affected area.

Experts say that plugging of seepage would irrigate an additional area of 2 lakh acres in Punjab and Rajasthan that would increase agriculture production by about Rs 300 crores per year.

It is learnt that remote sensing studies have revealed that 34.97 thousand hectare land in Punjab was waterlogged. Whereas 16.46 thousand hectares and 8.41 thousand hectares respectively was waterlogged in Haryana and Rajasthan.

It is worth mentioning that the South Western districts of Faridkot, Muktsar and Ferozepur are badly affected by salinisation and waterlogging. 

Bathinda, December 18
The Bathinda police has stepped up security arrangements for a huge gathering planned by Sikh organisations at Dayalpura village in the district on December 21. The Akhand Path is beginning tomorrow at Dayalpura Bahika gurudwara Jafanama Sahib and to tighten security, around 700 police personnel have been called in from Mansa, Faridkot and Bathinda and put on duty. 

According to sources, a senior police officer from issued orders to tighten the security as a huge gathering was expected at Dayalpura Bhaika village. Senior police officers conducted held a meeting in Bathinda and instructions were issued in this regard to all concerned. The sources stated that the intelligence wing has also alerted the police force in the city. Senior police officers were missing from their offices today as Sukhbir Badal was in the city and security arrangements about the panth meeting was being planned. 

Policemen on administrative jobs have also been deployed. Sources said the gathering at Dayalpura Bhaika village was being planned to take a decision against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief. Every Sunday, thousands of Dera followers gather at Salabatpura, headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda in Punjab, near Dayalpura Bhaika village, and the police is fearing a clash between Dera followers and Sikh activists planning to gather there on Sunday.

Daljeet Singh Bittu of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) said, "The Akhand Path is starting tomorrow and the bhog is on December 21. We are expecting a huge gathering where a decision will be taken about how to tackle the Dera chief. He was supposed to be arrested but he is roaming freely and those who stage peaceful protests are being arrested. 

“Lately, the Punjab government has allowed Dera gatherings to take place and Deras that were shut down, are being reopened. In Mansa, an agitation had taken place and the road there remained blocked from September 15 to September 27. The agitation was held to close down the Mansa dera. It was closed down but the government is threatening people who are protesting against Dera. The Mansa Dera was again opened after a month. Salabatpura is the place where the Dera chief had conducted the act of blasphemy on May 13 last year. This gathering is not by a particular political party or leaders. Leaders are involved but the decision to handle deras and its chief would be taken in front of the people."

Sources also stated that the whole area around Dayalpura Bhaika village has been barricaded. The SSP, Bathinda, stated that the police force was ready for every possibility and adequate force had been deployed. He did not elaborate and did not give a clear picture of the number of personnel deployed and steps taken to ensure security in the area.

Moga, December 18
The state education department of Punjab has introduced district-level and state-level talent search examinations of Science and Mathematics subjects for the students of Class XII and only Mathematics for Class V to identify brilliant students and nurture their talent.

This scheme has been introduced on the pattern of national talent search examination being conducted by the National Council of Education and Research Training (NCERT).

A senior official of the department while disclosing this to The Tribune revealed that this new scheme of the state government would honour and help talented students by providing financial assistance.

At the state-level, the government has decided to give prizes for to the top three students of each class in both the subjects. The first prize would comprise a cash prize of Rs 5,100, second prize Rs 4,100 and third prize Rs 3,100, besides, few consolation prizes and certificates of merit.

Similarly, at the district-level, a provision has been made to give cash prizes of Rs 2,100, Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,100 for those students who would come first, second and third in the examinations, respectively.

In this context, the education department has on date identified at least 850 intelligent students who would sit in the district-level talent search examination in mathematics and science subjects, revealed Major Singh Sandhu, district education officer.

In reply to a question, he said that this scheme has been mooted under the Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan (SSA) for the students of government schools only. This scheme of talent search examination has not been introduced for the government-aided or the private schools in the state.

There were reports that at least 20,000 students would participate in this talent search examination being conducted on coming January 10 across the state.

The unique feature of this scheme is that unlike the national talent search examination, the students would have to pay nothing for this examination either on the name of application form or examination fee. “This is totally free so as to attract more and more students from all sections of the society studying in the government schools”, he added.

Sardari Lal, an eminent educationist of the area who retired as principal of a school few years back was of the view that these talent search examinations would help develop competitive skills among the young students to get admissions in professional courses after passing Plus II examination. 

Bathinda, December 18
A majority of people believe that if you want to become a doctor, you need to join a coaching centre that would affect your pocket heavily. If you also feel so then it's time to rethink. Dr Divya Singh, who resides in this city, stands as an example for those who agree with the above belief. She joined the 2002 batch of MBBS at IGMC (Indira Gandhi Medical College) in Shimla after cracking the CBSE PMT in the very first attempt, scoring 690th rank, without any specialised coaching from any institute. 

"I did my Class Xth and XIIth from Kendriya Vidyalaya in Yole Cantt, HP, which is a very ordinary school and I did not feel the need to take coaching to get through PMT. My mother was my guide throughout as she taught science subjects at a school. I believe that self-study is the key to success."

Jyotika Singh, Dr Divya's mother said, "She was always serious about becoming a doctor. She was a good student throughout and did not find it difficult to get through the PMT in the first attempt."

She has once again proved herself by coming first at PGI's all-India level MDMS exams. According to Dr Meenu Singh, a paediatrician at the PGI in Chandigarh, around 7000 students had appeared for the exams. 

Dr Divya would be taking up radio diagnosis at her post-graduate level, a field not opted for by many doctors. Her father is a serving Army officer and she would prefer staying back in India and practice. "If you really want to become a doctor then be serious from class VIII onwards and go for planned studies. Spend time with your books. Coaching does not matter. You just have to really want something to get it," is her tip to MBBS aspirants. 

Bathinda:The Bathinda District Amateur Athletics Association has given an award to Sujata Yadav, student of Army School, Bathinda Military Station, for excelling in athletics. Handing over the cheque for Rs 12,000 to Sujata at a recently held function, the secretary of the association, Kamal Preet Singh Brar, encouraged her for working hard to bring laurels to the city, state and the nation.

Sujata, a student of class X, was adjudged the best athlete in the CBSE Cluster-15 Inter-School Athletics Meet, recently held at Dhuri. She got first positions in several events, including 800m, 1500m and 3000m race in the U-19 category, in the meet. Sujata had also bagged third position in 1500m race in U-16 category in the Open North Zone Inter-State Athletics Meet held in Lucknow in August 2008. 

She got the third position in 2000m race in U-16 category in the Punjab State Open Junior Athletics Meet held at Patiala this year. The Army School also had given her the prestigious Chetak Young Achievers Award for excelling in academics and sports. Sujata is going to participate in the National CBSE Inter-School Athletics Meet scheduled to be held at Mehsana in Gujrat between December 20-24.

Bathinda, December 18
The members of the Democratic Teachers’ Front held a meeting and decided to hold a dharna against the DEO (Elementary) in January in support of their demands. 

According to rules, a teacher gets an increment after completing four years of service, then nine years of service and then 14 years. But teachers alleged that the govt is not going by its own guidelines and they have not got a raise. The government conducted block-level games for schoolchildren for which Rs 15,000 was supposed to be given by DEO office to block primary education office. But Resham Singh, a teacher in Jahandawala, alleged that money has not reached yet. — TNS

Ferozpur, December 18
Heavy turnout of defence pensioners was witnessed during the 90th Defence Pension Adalat, organised here today at the Mumdot Hall under Headquarters, 7 Infantry Division, for redressal of grievances of defence pensioners, including defence civilians, residing in Punjab.

The pension adalat, which is being held under the aegis of the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), New Delhi, in consultation with the Ministry of Defence, was inaugurated today by Indu Liberhan, IDAS Additional CGDA, New Delhi. On the occasion, A K Chopra, IDAS Principal Controller (Pensions, Allahabad), Major General

T.S. Gill, GOC 7 Infantry Division, D.R. Negi, ADAS CDA (P) Allahabad, Brig S.S. Bhatia, Station Commander, Brig A.K. Bali, DDGPS Army Headquarter, besides scores of senior officials from defence, banks and other establishments were present on the occasion.

In his inaugural address, Chopra highlighted the role of Pension Adalat in mitigating the pension problems of the pensioners across the country as well as training initiatives taken by his office in the newly constructed Defence Pension Training Offices pertaining to Defence Establishments. He also assured the pensioners that the two-day Adalat would resolve all the pension problems of the pensioners as per rules and orders.

Expressing his views on the occasion, Brigadier Bali, DDGPS spoke about welfare measures taken by the Central government in the grant of pension to Gaurav Senanis and Veer Naris.

Major General Gill, GOC also extended his good wishes to the PCDA (Pensions), Allahabad in organising the Pension Adalat being held here for the first time.

In her address, Indu Liberhan appreciated the role of the Defence Pension Adalat in resolving the problems of pensioners. Liberhan advised the pensioners to make the most of such initiatives.

Ferozepur, December 18
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will lay foundation stone of the Gidderwindi road bridge to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 85 crore on December 23. He would later participate in the sangat darshan at Makhu, said Bikram Singh Majithia, minister for public relations, water supply and sanitation, while talking to media at village Dhandhia in Makhu, here.

Majithia was here to attend antim ardas of Sardarni Surjit Kaur, sister of Hari Singh Zira, former Akali Minister.

On the occasion, Majithia said that the Gidderwindi road-cum-rail bridge, which connects Malwa with Doaba, was the one of its kind rail-cum-road bridge, which was constructed during the times of British Rule.

Majithia said that the Union government was responsible for the closure of international flights from Rajasansi airport in Amritsar. He said that the state government was ready to provide assistance to the Union government for the development of the airport. 

Hanumangarh/Abohar, December 18
There is a need for techno-legal experts to de-mystify cyber law and make it possible for a large section of the society to take up the study of cyber law.

About 50 scholars attending the two-day national seminar on “Technological Development and Cyber Laws: Problems & Prospects” at the Nehru Memorial Law PG College, Hanumangarh, envisaged that in future, engineering, commerce and management colleges would also have to teach cyber law as an extension of computer science, commerce and management education, even while the law colleges try to extend their coverage of criminal laws and IPR laws to the cyber world. Most of the participants from different states said the scope of cyber laws had expanded more rapidly than what many considered possible in India given its huge rural population with low technology base.

Those who addressed the seminar included DC Mugdha Sinha, K.C. Bhardwaj, vice-chancellor of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, Professor B.C. Nirmal of Benaras University, Dr Vimalendu Tayal and others also addressed the seminar. — OC

Abohar, December 18
By snatching Rs 4,000 and a mobile phone from a businessman at 9 pm on Monday by pointing knife at his neck, the miscreants have again exposed the condition of law and order in the city. Notably, the crime was committed on the corner of a street, located close to the house of a local legislator.

As per the information available, three persons on a motorcycle, two of them masked, were apparently waiting for Yash Paul Bagai, former office-bearer of the Arhtiya Association, who now runs the hostel mess on the DAV campus.

Teachers in the DAV campus rued that there was no streetlight arrangement around the localities in the neighbourhood of the campus that has three colleges besides a school equipped with hostels for boys and girls. Repeated requests made to the authorities to tighten the noose on the motorcyclists besides car-borne suspects, who roam around the campus, had gone unattended.

Others alleged that the local authorities were giving vehicle-owners a free hand to violate traffic rules and regulations.

Not a single vehicle having tainted glasses or beacon had been challaned so far. That the authorities were casual in performing their duties can be judged from the fact that 75 per cent of the milk sellers had removed silencers from their vehicles thereby polluting the environment.

The residents point out that eve-teasers could be noticed harassing female students on the roads connected to the civil hospital, Sahitya Sadan, DAV campus and other prominent educational institutions.

The police had not confirmed having nabbed any chain snatcher yet. Recently, water motors had been stolen from three houses in the South Avenue area itself, the residents said.

Abohar, December 18
Even when the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana had directed the sub-divisional magistrate to not conduct the election of the local Bar Association, a faction reportedly preferred to go ahead with the polling and claimed in the evening amidst beating of drums and distributing of sweets that as many as 88 members had exercised franchise.

Most of the candidates of a group were "declared" elected with "thumping majority". The local tehsildar and police were present around the Bar room to prevent any untoward incident, sources said.

As per the information, Harpreet Singh Brar, honorary secretary of the Bar Council, in a communiqué addressed to the SDM today informed that through the representation of members and election committee it had come to the notice of the council that the election being held today was not in a fair and proper manner. “At this stage, you (SDM) are directed not to conduct the election and the same shall be postponed till the decision of Bar Council.”

SDM N.S. Brar confirmed that he had received the communication at 2 pm and the same was conveyed through the tehsildar to the returning officer at 2.10 pm. The tehsildar, Brar said, was deployed in the morning to maintain law and order as there appeared to be some tension.

Bar Association president Devi Lal Bishnoi said that on the basis of the report of the audit committee headed by N.K. Garg, names of 38 members had been deleted as they had not reportedly cleared the dues. Accordingly, 154 members were found eligible for joining the election process.

Sources said that some persons approached the civil court yesterday complaining that they had been debarred from casting their votes. They claimed that the Bar secretary had confirmed having received the amount from them. The court directed that the plaintiffs will be allowed to cast their votes if they had already paid the requisite balance amount/subscription fees/fine as prescribed by the association subject to the final decision of the court.

Bar president Devi Lal Bishnoi maintained that the chairman of the election committee had on December 17 suspended the election till further notice in view of the orders of the civil court. But a faction had allegedly formed another committee to go ahead with the election. He termed it illegal. The other faction however refuted the allegations. 

Mansa, December 18
A Lok Adalat would be held in the judicial complex at Mansa on December 20 
and 21.

Informing about this, district and sessions judge, Bhupinder Singh said that High Court judge Harbans Lal would inaugurate the Lok Adalat.

He said that nearly 10,000 cases would be brought to the Lok Adalat for hearing with the consent of the parties concerned.

He said that in the cases which are solved in the Lok Adalat, there could be no appeal against the decisions. He appealed to the people to bring their cases before the Lok Adalat and take advantage of it.

Bathinda/Fazilka, December 18
The indefinite strike started by the members of the All India Grameen Dak Sewak Union, Bathinda under the banner of the All India Postal Extra Departmental Employees Union entered into second day on Thursday. Talking to TNS, Nachhatar Singh, president, said that they would stage a rally in the city in support of their demands for “proper salary” on Friday. Members of the Fazilka branch of the All India Gramin Dak Sewak Union also participating in the strike.

Assistant Secretary of the Fazilka circle Shagan Lal, while addressing the gathering, said the union had resorted to agitation as recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission in respect of their demands were overlooked.

He said the Gramin Dak Sewaks were the backbone of the Indian Postal Department and still they were receiving a step-motherly treatment. — TNS