Bathinda, January 4
Winters are here and the chill is killing. But thanks to the apathy of the officials, the inhabitants of the Bir Talab zoo on the outskirts of the city have to bear biting chill in absence of any special care.

The authorities concerned have not made arrangements to help the animals to prevent the chill.

During a visit to the zoo, the TNS team found that barring a few, birds and animals were facing the cold in the open.

Though cane sheds were put up in some cages they were very old and not capable of providing any relief to the animals.

One of the employees at the zoo seeking anonymity said, “At other zoos, the authorities try to provide the best of facilities to save the birds and animals from the harsh winter. But here, the authorities seem to be indifferent. Less quantity of paddy straw, which gives warmth to animals, is insufficient to serve the purpose.”

Another employee said, “Despite our repeated feedback, senior officers are not showing concern. They are probably waiting for some mishap to take place.”

Around 20 Chital, a breed of deer, were locked in a cage without any cover. Similarly, about 20 black bucks, an endangered species, are also forced to bear the chill due to the callousness of the authorities.

They are provided with just a dingy shed. Black partridge and the large Indian parrot were also seen shivering in cold.

As per the information received, the zoo has been losing its sheen as no improvement has been made here and the number of visitors was also decreasing.

An official said there were only five employees at the zoo to manage all jobs, which they find very tough.

Bathinda, January 4
On Sunday, the chill too took a break! After spelling continuous chill in Bathinda and the nearby places for the past ten days, the weather today relented a bit and gave the much-needed respite to the residents from the biting cold and the fog.

Springing a surprise to all, the mercury climbed considerably and well surpassed the normal range to touch 8.6 degree Celsius at the minimum level, as much as 4.1 degree higher than on Saturday, as per the Agro-MeT advisory services, PAU Regional Station, Bathinda.

The maximum temperature also experienced a robust increase and recorded 19.0 degree Celsius, three degrees higher than yesterday.

It may be pertinent to mention here that 8.6 degree Celsius is the highest minimum temperature recorded in the region during the last fifteen days.

However, the residents’ plan to have a sunbath on Sunday was thwarted because the sun continued to play hide-and-seek with clouds throughout the day because the region experienced an overcast.

Notably, as predicted by the weathermen, a feeble system for rainfall has been developing in the region since Friday and the region had also witnessed slight rainfall yesterday night in isolated pockets.

Talking to The Tribune on Sunday evening, the weathermen attributed cloudy conditions to the reason behind the rise in temperature.

The weathermen also said that if the cloudy condition continues, the mercury might experience more rise.

Meanwhile, the residents’ wish to have a fog-free holiday materialised as the fog that had descended on Saturday afternoon did not recur.

The weathermen on Friday had predicted that the intensity and duration of the fog would decline within two to three days.

However, the wind continues to blow at a steady speed throughout the day before increasing in the evening.

The biting cold coupled with fog has been throwing life out of gear in the region for the last fortnight.

On many days, the residents got up to a blind start due to near nil visibility. The railway had to cancel several trains or reschedule many due to the prevailing weather condition.

Bathinda, January 4
A dispute that got heated up after the girls living in a local PG accommodation demanded hot water from the PG owner led both the parties to police station this morning. Subsequently, the girls had to shift the accommodation.

According to information received, eight girls were living in an accommodation on street number 15, Ajit road here, as paying guests.

All of them were students of class XI of a school in Mudki (Faridkot) and were residing in the city for the past two months to receive coaching from a private study centre.

The incident occurred last night when the girls, reportedly, asked for hot water from the PG owner, Reema Jain, as geyser ran out of order.

However, she asked the girls to pay extra for the same, while the girls claimed that provision for hot water was a part of the contract.

The issue led to an altercation and the girls threatened to shift the PG. Getting frustrated over it, the PG owner asked the girls to leave the house immediately.

Since it was night then, one of the girls called up at her home and narrated the incident to her father, who reached the city after two hours. He tried to pacify the matter and took all of them for dine out.

In the morning, parents of other girls also reached and asked the PG owner to refund the money.

They accused her of using her social links to suppress the girls. In the meantime, her husband Abhay Jain and her brother, an advocate, started rebuking the parents.

Finding media persons, they started levelling allegation upon their professional character as well.

Finally, the matter reached the civil lines police post where both the parties gave their applications in writing.

Jaswant Singh, father of a girl said, "We are paying monthly charges of Rs 3,700 per girl. At the time of contract, the PG owner had assured of providing all facilities, including food, accommodation and hot water. But now, they have started intimidating our girls, which we will never tolerate."

On her part, Reema Jain, in her complaint, alleged that the matter was a plan of the girls. She further alleged that the girls thrashed her and also attempted to run away from house to defame her.

When contacted, investigation officer Gurnam Singh said, “We have received applications from both the parties. The girls have changed the PG accommodation. We are hopeful that the matter will be sorted out on Monday.”

Bathinda, January 4
Activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, Bathinda, in a press note issued here today disclosed that with the help of a consumer, they had nabbed an LPG cylinder vendor, who allegedly used to distribute underweight cylinders.

Naming Amarsons Gas Services, Bathinda, they accused the agency of not paying attention to the complaints of consumers and for not issue slips for cylinders.

They alleged that a senior official of the gas company had switched off his mobile phone after they informed him of the matter.

The matter was reported to the district food supply department, whose official reached the spot and after weighing cylinders, took eight cylinders in his custody.

Rajan Singla, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, Bathinda, said, "We always try to make the consumers aware and in such an attempt today, a consumer nabbed a vendor who was looting people for a long time."

Bathinda, January 4
In a heart-rending incident, a man killed his wife with a sharp-edged weapon at village Kothe Chhapri Wale in Bathinda district, this morning.

According to information received from village sources, Baldev Singh, the accused was not on good terms with his wife, Amarjeet Kaur, for the last few months.

Sources said both used to quarrel as the accused suspected his wife of having helped his niece elope with someone and marry him.

According to police sources, Baldev, his wife and two kids were sleeping in an outer room while the other family members were in other rooms.

In a fit of rage, Baldev attacked his wife with a sharp-edged weapon in the early hours on Sunday.

The attack was so brutal that her head, ear, jaw and leg all were badly injured. His children, aged eight and two years, also witnessed the gory incident.

Before fleeing, the accused disclosed the incident to his elder brother. The family members attempted to save the life of the victim but in vain as she died within a few minutes.

After receiving the information, the staff from the Killi Nihal Singh Wala police post and Nehianwala police station reached the spot. Volunteers of an NGO took the body to the civil hospital, Bathinda, for postmortem.

The police registered a case under section 302 of the IPC. Till the filing of the report, the accused could not be arrested.

Mansa, January 4
One person was killed and 30 others were injured during the Nagar Kirtan procession at Fatehpur village in Mansa district today when they suddenly fell into a well after its roof collapsed.

According to information received, the Nagar Kirtan was organised today on the eve of the birthday of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Fatehpur village.

An old well covered with roof is located near the path on which the Nagar Kirtan was crossing.

Some youngsters were standing on the roof of the well to view the Nagar Kirtan. Suddenly, the roof of well collapsed and the youngsters fell into the well.

The villagers assembled and the injured were taken out of the well. Cops from the Jhuneer police station brought the injured to different hospitals for treatment.

SHO Pritpal Singh said that 10 of the injured were admitted to the civil hospital in Mansa, five in Sardulgarh, 10 in private nursing homes at Jhuneer.

One person, Avtar Singh, son of Biker Singh, a resident of Fatehpur, was referred to Bathinda but he died.

One Makhan Singh was referred to Patiala in a serious condition. Bikram Singh Moffer, son of Ajit Inder Singh Moffar, MLA from Sardulgarh, reached the site and helped in bringing the injured to hospitals.

Ajit Inder Singh Moffar expressed deep sorrow over the incident. He said it was unfortunate that the incident occurred on a pious occasion. He demanded compensation for the dead and the injured.

Mansa, January 4
To strengthen the party in the region, the Congress has reinducted former AICC member Manjeet Singh Jhalbooti who was suspended from the party after the 2007 assembly elections.

State party president Mohinder Singh Kaypee had given his consent for his re-entry in the party on January 1.

According to information available, Jhalbooti had contested the assembly elections in 2007 as an independent from Mansa constituency.

Party sources said Jhalbooti has a good following in the Mansa, Joga and Budhlada constituencies which probably lead to his re-induction into the party.

Jhalbooti has worked with the NSUI, Youth Congress, PPSC secretary and member of All India Congress Committee.

Meanwhile, Block Samiti member Harmesh Singh Khiala, Tarsem Singh Chauhan, Ex-chairman of panchyat samiti, Mansa, Suresh Kumar, district president of Karyana Association, Mela Ram, municipal councillor Mansa, Vinod Kumar, municipal councillor Bhikhi and Gurjant Singh Aliser, president of Block Congress, Bhikhi, has welcomed this step of the party.

Abohar, January 4
The railway authorities have extended the limit for completing the construction of the Abohar-Fazilka rail link by three months, well placed sources said.

The contractors have now been asked to make the line functional by June 30. The project had been hanging for the last two decades due to one reason or the other.

The railway ministry had initially sanctioned Rs 37 lakh for conducting the survey and compensating the farmers who were to surrender the land for the construction of 42 km long line but this small amount was later transferred for the Udhampur rail link project.

Construction of Abohar-Fazilka rail line is considered the most strategic since this would facilitate linking two important cantonments of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan with Udhampur in the Jammu region via Ferozepur.

The project is also expected to give much of revenue to the railways by passenger and the goods traffic.

The traders in Rajasthan will have an easy route to export goods to Pakistan through Amritsar-Attari on the completion of the project.

Also buoyed will be thousands of devotees who visit Radhasoami Dera in Beas on the way to Amritsar.

Initially, the work was to be expedited by March 31 this year but agitation by unauthorized occupants of the government seed farm land on the outskirts of this sub divisional town halted the work almost for quarter of the last year.

Finally, the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had to release hefty amount from his discretionary fund to compensate the former tenants even when they had lost the legal battle in the Punjab and Haryana High Court long back over their dispossession.

Round the clock work is going on in many phases now. One finds workers busy in replacing the wooden and iron sleepers with concrete made structures for re-fixing the existing rail line in the local railway complex.

Another group of workers is busy in constructing the bridge over Abohar-Malout Road (NH 10) besides laying rail line on both sides of the road. Construction of 400 mtr over bridge on the college road crossing has also gained momentum.

Strengthening of the rail track within the city boundary was necessitated keeping in view the recommendation reportedly made to the Railway Board by the authorities to extend Lal Qila Express from Bathinda to Sriganganagar via Abohar.

Jan Shatabadi Express has also been recommended to run between New Delhi- Bathinda-Sriganganagar, sources said.

Abohar, January 4
Tactical handling of the situation by the sub-divisional police averted a hyped confrontation between the Sikh Sangat and Dera Sacha Sauda followers in the village Gobindgarh, 5 km from here, on Sunday.

However, the followers succeeded in holding the Naam Charcha in a tactical manner.

The authorities were worried over reports that the block committee of the Dera had resolved to organise a function to celebrate the birthday of Shah Satnamji, founder of the Dera, in village Gobindgarh, which had elected most of the Premis as members of the village panchayat resulting in election of a follower as sarpanch also.

The day coincided with the Prakash Diwas of the 10th Sikh guru Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh sangat too had decided to celebrate the day in a big way.

The Dera followers had been busy for last 48 hours in levelling and decorating all the sandy streets, which led to the house of 15-member organising committee Khushal Singh, who had offered to host the function.

His house was illuminated but police closed the main gate of the house from inside.

Policemen were deployed not only around the house but also in the adjoining streets and main roads.

Sadar police SHO Ratan Singh along with city police SHO Jagrup Singh and ASIs were camping inside the house of Khushal Singh.

The organisers tactically secured permission for performing bhajan-kirtan before distributing monthly ration kits to needy women who had arrived from 7 villages.

The kirtan enthused the followers so much that scores of them started dancing. This continued for half an hour and the purpose was virtually achieved.

Distribution of kits to 95 persons followed this. These carried ration goods besides woolen shawls.

The followers dispersed in the afternoon after receiving Prasad. Interestingly, attendance in the village gurdwara was comparatively thin.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, January 4
The home district of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh today celebrated the birthday of Dera founder Shah Mastanaji by organising Naam Charcha and social welfare activities in each town besides some of the villages, spokesman Lakhjit Insan informed.

Lakhjit said 151 followers donated blood during a special camp held at Srikaranpur. Reports received from different places said more than 200 needy persons, identified during a survey, were given monthly ration kits, each costing about Rs 800.

Sixty kits were given in Sriganganagar alone as hundreds of devotees attended the weekly Naam Charcha. Similar reports had been received from Hanumangarh district.

The followers exchanged New Year Greetings after the function and prayed for peace and prosperity everywhere.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, January 4
Cutting across political lines all the legislators from Sriganganagar district met the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday at Jaipur to discuss suspension of production in Sriganganagar Sugar Mills due to indefinite strike by the farmers, well placed sources confirmed this evening.

The legislators told the CM that the representatives of sugar mills from Punjab had succeeded in pursuing the farmers to transport their produce to the Fazilka Cooperative Sugar Mills, located near Khuikhera about 55 km from Sriganganagar besides private sugar mills at Dhuri near Sangrur.

As production of sugarcane in Punjab had considerably fallen, the mills needed more cane to run to the capacity till the end of the season.

Gehlot reportedly said that in Rajasthan the cane growers were being offered Rs 144 per quintal lump sum and the payments were to be made later on.

Whereas the mills at Khuikhera offer Rs 125 per quintal in cash on the spot besides ensuring Rs 44 as bonus, which would be paid on January 12.

The mill in the private sector at Dhuri offered to pay Rs 170 per quintal immediately after unloading of sugarcane.

The MLAs further informed that the mills at Sriganganagar was on its last leg as the foundation stone of the new mills had been laid near Kesarisinghpur.

The farmers staged a dharna as their demand for price at par with Punjab and Haryana could not be processed well on time before the beginning of the season.

On the other hand, the Sugar Mills Engineers Association has also threatened to go on strike from January 12, if their wages are not revised.

The CM has planned a meeting of senior officers to end the stalemate by January 6, sources added.