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Cards still a hit!
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Warmest winter in 25 years, say experts
Cotton farmers blow hot amid chill, begin 72-hr stir
Workers of various farmers’ organisations keep themselves warm at night on Monday near CCI office on Mal road.
PSEB’s New Year gift: Pay more for using power
‘Irrigation system to be revamped’
Heroin seized at border
SSD Girls’ College gets award
Student awaits correct marksheet
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Cards still a hit!
Bathinda, December 29 Yet come what may, there is nothing to replace the colourfully and creatively crafted New Year greeting cards, for they continue to caress the cosiest corner of the recipient's heart for the whole year, at times, even longer. Archies galleries are flooded with gift items, especially greeting cards. The variety includes relationship cards, poster cards, jumbo cards, genuine cards all ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 300. New items have arrived in love series such as the musical Taj Mahal, an instrumental musical couple of the Titanic, bracelets and many other crystal items. Amit, the owner of Archies Gallery in Nai Basti, Bathinda, said he is getting a good response and the sale of cards is increasing with each passing day. Most young people buy couple items and cards in love series. The charity cards of NGOs like Unicef, HelpAge India and CRY, despite being good stuff, are less in demand, probably because they are used for official purposes, he mentioned. Milburan Goyal, the owner of the Archies Gallery in Dhobi Bazar, said though the gift items are not much in demand but the sale of greeting cards is increasing day by day. Vikas Goyal, a businessman in Bathinda, who was buying a card for his fiancee Ishita, said greeting card lends a personal touch. The value attached to a card is more important. People wish each other through e-mails or SMS. But greeting cards have their own grace. People spend much time in choosing a card out of hundreds and the recipients preserve it for long, which keeps the relationship healthy. Kunal Sharma said he bought a lovely greeting card for his girlfriend because there are many things which cannot be said but can be expressed with the help of a card. However, in the modern age, emotional values have changed. People don't have the time to go for extra effort. Vikram Garg, an employee of the ICICI Bank in Bathinda, said in today's fast paced life, people prefer the easy way out. They wish each other through SMS, which takes less physical effort. Yagya Dutt, a BPO employee in Delhi, also said that text messages are the simplest ways to greet and wish people in a fraction of seconds. The medium is inherently two-way, unlike in the case of greeting cards, and the recipients can respond immediately. Moreover, sending a greeting card is a long procedure and was an old corporate commercial culture, which is becoming rare now. |
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Warmest winter in 25 years, say experts
Bathinda, December 29 The region's average minimum temperature in the months of November and December 2008 was about one degree higher than the previous years. The maximum also behaved similarly. According to the Agro-MeT Advisory Services, PAU Regional Station, Bathinda, the average minimum temperature of Bathinda region remained 10.3 degree Celsius in the month of November during the last two-and-half-decades and the maximum had been around 28.7 degree Celsius in the month. While in the month of November 2008, the average minimum temperature recorded was 11.4 degree Celsius, 1.1 degree higher than the previous years and maximum remained 29.9 degree, 1.2 degree higher. As far as temperature in the month of December is concerned, during the last 25 years, the minimum temperature in the first-three-week of December remained 5.7 degree Celsius and the maximum was 23.5 degree. While in the first-three-week of present December, the average minimum temperature was 8.5 degree, nearly 3.0 degree higher than previous years. The maximum, however, remained almost similar. The director of PAU, regional station, Bathinda, Dr Gurmeet Singh Buttar, attributed global warming as the main reason behind the change in average temperature. He also added that factors like paddy straw burning and deforestation were also responsible for the change. He said that what the region had experienced in the last two months was not favourable for wheat. High temperature in these two months was detrimental to tillering, he added. Dr Buttar, however, said that the prevailing weather condition was conducive for wheat crop. Not only temperature, rainfall in the region was also witnessed decline. In November 2007, the rainfall was 2.1 mm while no rain in this November dampened the spirit of wheat growers. In December last year, the rainfall recorded was 5.9 mm, while current month experienced nil. Dr Buttar said if it rains in these times, it would be beneficial for wheat. |
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Cotton farmers blow hot amid chill, begin 72-hr stir
Bathinda, December 29 According to the information received, representatives of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta (Ugrahan), Kisan Sangarsh Committee, Punjab Kisan Sabha, Punjab Kisan Sabha (Sambar), Kirti Kisan Saha and Punjab Kisan Union have given a call for the gherao of the CCI office to protest against the "self-styled" purchase of their cotton crop. Sukhdev Singh Kokari Kalan, general secretary of the BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) said, "Officers of the CCI have been purchasing the crop at a rate that they feel is proper. By doing so, they have been flouting the norms and assurances given to us by the state government." "We were ensured that cotton would be purchased at MSP, which had been fixed at Rs 2,800 per quintal. But now, at the time of the purchase, the CCI staff have been harassing the illiterate farmers. Every time, they give the excuse of moisture in crop and want us to sell it at a lower rate," he alleged. Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of the BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) said, "This protest is an awakening call for the government and the CCI, who are deep in slumber. We will keep blocking the road despite the biting cold for 72 hours continuously, as decided. But if no officer concerned comes with a written assurance to purchase the crop at MSP, it may be stretched further." Lehmber Singh Taggar, general secretary of the Punjab Kisan Sabha, said, "In this protest, six unions have been playing the main role, while five others have lent their support to us." "The excuse of moisture given by CCI officials is not true as recently, out of the six lots declared moist, except for one, all others were according to the norms, as determined by tests in laborator. This in itself is an evidence of the harassment we have been facing," he added. "Earlier, CM Parkash Singh Badal, through his principal secretary Darbara Singh Guru, conveyed to us the acceptance of our demands, when we had chalked out a rail roko programme. But soon after, the CCI went on backfoot, which we will not allow," leaders of the union announced. The agitators were also demanding arrangements for public conveniences and threatened "If the administration does not arrange, we will ease ourselves in front of shops in the area." In the absence of V.P. Nagpal, manager, CCI regional branch, Kamal Kant, the accounts officer said, "We have been following the norms received from the head office. About the demand of agitators, we can do nothing." Placing figures that till December 27, the CCI had purchased 3,99,3326 quintals of cotton, he said it is just the CCI which has been purchasing. No other agency had come forward, he said. About allegation of finding deficiencies in the crop, he said at that time, CCI had problems with storage capacity, so it took place.
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PSEB’s New Year gift: Pay more for using power
Bathinda, December 29 According to sources, now, one kilowatt connection’s service charge would be Rs 300 as compared to the earlier rate of Rs 250. Service charge of a seven kilowatt connection, which used to be Rs 500, would now be Rs 600. If
the connection is more than seven kilowatt, then the service charge would be Rs 900 whereas, earlier, it used to be Rs 750. Medium supply connection’s service charge would be Rs 900, earlier it used to be Rs 750. Twenty kilowatt to 99
kilowatt load comes under the medium supply connection. While service charge for domestic connections have increased, service charge for industries have been reduced. Large supply connection’s service charge was earlier Rs 1000, but now, it would be Rs 900. There is not much acceptance of this decision. Shingara Singh Mann, district president of BKU, said, “Already the city reels under long spells of power cuts. We are not getting enough power supply. The situation is bad in summer when there are frequent power cuts. With this situation prevailing in the state, the service charges on domestic connections being increased is hard to comprehend and is not acceptable. Big industries can afford even increased service charges but in their cases, the charges have been reduced. We appeal to the government to roll back the increased charges.” |
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‘Irrigation system to be revamped’
Mansa, December 29 The SAD leader further said the state government was serious about water and electricity problems of people. To provide proper electricity supply at cheaper rates, nearly 19 new power grids had been se tup from the month of March to November this year and 11 other grids would be completed till March 2009, he informed. On this project, Rs 250 crore was spent and Rs 200 crore more would be spent till the end of this financial year. Talking about the welfare of the poor, the SAD leader said that the state government had established a new fund with Rs 400 crore for the education of the poor children. Talking about the development work in Mansa district, he informed that various development works worth Rs 400 crore had been launched. Today, he laid foundation stones of two canal distributaries at Joga, the estimated cost of which is Rs 30 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of the link road from Bhainibagha to Ubha. At Joga, he distributed the cheques for Rs 1.45 crore for the development work. On this occasion, parliamentary secretary Jagdip Singh Nakai, ex-MLA Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, ex-MLA Malkit Singh Kittu, Gurpreet Singh Peerkot, deputy commissioner Kumar Rahul and SSP Manwinder Singh were also present. |
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Heroin seized at border
Ferozepur, December 29 According to sources, the BSF officials got an intelligence input regarding some consignment being brought from the DT Mal area inside Indian territory. Based on the information, at around 10 am today, the BSF sleuths led by inspector R.D. Mehta launched a massive search operation near border outpost Dona Tellu Mal ( DT Mal), close to border pillar 194/3 along the zero line of Indo-Pakistan border, when they found six packets of heroin concealed beneath the ground under cover of thick vegetative growth. The distance between the international boarder and the fencing in this area is around three kilometres. BSF Deputy Commandant, 07 battalion, J.L. Meena said that the consignment was hidden at a place between the international border and cobra fencing so that it could be cleared later on by their Indian counterparts under "conceal and clear" strategy. Meena further said that the packets of heroin recovered by BSF bore various stamps. Some packets were inscribed with 555, 2009 marks besides Uncle Brothers Foundation Tribal Area 2005 was written on them. The bag in which the consignment was hidden had some address of Sialkot Cantonment in Pakistan, he said. Meena said that the BSF had intensified the search operations and patrolling along the border so that anti-national forces and drug peddlers do not take advantage of thick fog and chilly conditions. |
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SSD Girls’ College gets award
Bathinda, December 29 The award was given at a meeting held by the State Red Cross, Chandigarh. The honour was received by college's principal Dr Parminder Kaur Tanghi and YRC counsellor Monika Kapoor. Manohar Lal Ji Gupta, president, SSD Sabha and Dr Anil Bansal were delighted to congratulate the college staff. All staff and the students of the SSD Girls’ College got the honour for their hard work. |
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Student awaits correct marksheet
Mansa, December 29 Parents of the student said Iresh Bansal appeared in the examination in 2007-08. He got 65 per cent marks in the environmental studies paper while the actual marks he reportedly obtained was 89 per cent. In this connection, the parents of the student wrote a letter to the block primary education officer requesting him to verify the marks. About this, the official had sent a letter to the secretary, Punjab School Education Board, Mohali, on April 9 this year informing about the actual marks of the student in the subject concerned. Parents of students said that the error was yet to be rectified. The BPEO said that a reminder would be sent to the authorities concerned in this connection. |
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Lodging a protest against the alleged 'anti-farmer' attitude of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), six farmers' unions along with hundreds of their activists have started a 72-hour "gherao" of the regional office of the CCI, here today.
