Bathinda, January 9
The strike by oil company officials pay packet made the situation tough for commuters in the city as public transport, school buses, ambulances and vehicle owners had to keep their vehicles parked as no fuel was available.

According to sources, some schools instructed parents to drop and pick their children themselves. Customers were seen queuing up at gas stations but the situation had improved by evening. Gurbachan Singh from Khurana and Sons said, "We were open till late last night because people kept pouring in. We opened at 6 am and people started coming in just to escape the rush which had built up late in the morning. The situation was under control later by afternoon because there was information about officials of some oil companies being suspended while others had been arrested. Some companies also backed out from the strike.”

Panic had struck the city yesterday as the news of the strike by oil company employees spread.

According to information available, while the BPCL employees ended their strike by afternoon, GAIL and IOCL employees called off their stir late in the evening. But the situation would take a few more days to normalise. HP pump owners in the city, however, said there was no need to panic as there was enough supply. "Our suppliers are supporting us fully. They have assured us that there will be no dearth of fuel," Gurbachan added. 

Bathinda, January 9
Trucks were seen stationed on the city roads as the truck union is still adamant over continuing the stir. The transporters and truck unions have launched a nation-wide stir in support of their demands. Aatma Singh Chahal, chairman of truck union in the city, said, "We conducted a meeting today and announced that everything depends upon the meeting scheduled to take place in Delhi tomorrow."

The union threatened the government at the state level to be ready for severe consequences if they were denied what they have demanded. Life in the city has already been affected as no supply of fresh commodities is coming. Fruits are getting dearer as most of them come from outside. Bananas have already become costly by Rs 10 a dozen and grapes costlier by Rs 50 per box. Florists, however, are relaxed as their stock comes from Delhi by trains. Kinnows are grown around the city and still their price jumped by Rs 5 per kg. The strike is affecting not only outside commodities but local commodities too.

Kinnows were being supplied to Delhi till Wednesday but now, their supply is not going out. "We had heard that some commodities were being taken to Delhi but now even they have been stopped. Those who own private vehicles, might still be taking things outside but there have been instances of drivers being thrashed in some areas of Punjab. Our union has set up barricades all over the state and we will not allow anyone to drive trucks," a member of the union said.

Sources also added that not only trucks but other unions like tractor union, 407 union, canter union and Matador union have also decided to support the truckers in their stir. 

Bathinda, January 9
Many of us will remember Hasari Pal, the rickshaw puller who was the protagonist of Dominique Lapierre’s famous classic ‘City of Joy.

Well, it seems Bathinda too has its share of Hasari Pals weaving their way through trials and tribulations of life.

However, in the absence of any alternative livelihood, about 10 physically handicapped persons are transporting men and material in this city. With advancing age coupled with congested roads, these rickshaw pullers are finding it tough to pursue their calling and are seeking jobs from the administration that are less risky.

Kaur Singh (45), son of Jagan Singh, lost his right arm while working on a fodder chopper at village Jodhpur Pakhan about 24 years back and is pulling rickshaw in the city for the past 20 years to meet the needs of his family. Kaur Singh has to look after his wife Rani, who has lost her eysesight and two sons who are five and two years old, respectively. He said he used to leave his house at 9 am after cooking meals for his family members. He cooks the dinner after he returns from work.

"No doubt, manoeuvring a rickshaw with one hand in today's traffic is a difficult task. One has to do it, especially when one does not have any other option," said Kaur Singh, who earns around Rs 100 per day. He wants that the administration to arrange a job for him. Kaur also seeks free education for his children.

Similar is the story of 42-year-old Munshi Singh, son of Gurbachan Singh. He too lost his right arm while operating a fodder chopper at village Ganga in this district on March 20, 1993. To support his family, he purchased a rickshaw after taking bank loan which he has returned by paying Rs 200 per month.

Munshi's wife works as a maid while his two children are studying. He says he earns anything between Rs 60 and Rs 100 per day. "Now, I feel that I have grown old. The heavy traffic has added to the problem. I hope the administration shows some concern by providing jobs to people like me. I am ready to work even as a watchman," said Munshi, who lives in Deep Singh Nagar and has been certified by state government as physically challenged.

Abohar, January 9
Many localities have been virtually inundated with stinking sewerage water that flowed back due to stir by the farmers who were protesting against the negligence of the local bodies in plugging the breach that had developed in the sullage water drain on the outskirts of the town on Sunday last.   

Streets in localities identified as Arya Nagar, Gobind Nagari, Nanak Nagari, Thakur Abadi, old Suraj Nagari, Sant Nagar, Shyam Vihar, Jain Nagari and Bhagat Singh Nagar are virtually like ponds as the reporters conducted a tour this afternoon.

In fact, the entire old walled city faces threat due to accumulating dirty water that has by now entered the Ladies Club and also forcing suspension of an exhibition besides hampering the preparations for the Sunday Lohri festival. Some of the religious places including Baba Ram Dev temple in Arya Nagar have been virtually gheraoed by sewerage water.

As per information available, scores of farmers on Sunday complained that a breach in the sewerage drain had inundated their fields and posed threat to vegetables besides other crops.

But they regretted that the council remained deaf and dumb on the issue. They resorted to direct action thereby creating a bandh to block the flow of water from the damaged drain to their fields.

This resulted in back flow of water to the city area. Students had to pass through the water as the schools finished today’s working hours.

The officials of the municipal council and Punjab Water Supply Sewerage Board tried to pursuade the agitating farmers but they had not relented till filing of the news.   

Daulat Pura Newan (Moga), January 9
President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (B) Sukhbir Singh Badal has said the state government was committed to remove all the difficulties being faced by the common public in the government offices. It would bring in administrative reforms at all levels of the government departments functioning at the state as well as the district and sub-division levels, he said, while addressing a public rally here on the second day of his tour in this district.

He said the administrative reform commission headed by Dr Parmod Kumar would submit its report within three months, which would be implemented immediately.

The main objective of the commission was to make the administration more responsive, transparent, efficient and speedy. Besides, it aimed at ending corruption and making mutation of land registration, ration cards, driving licence etc. easier, the SAD chief added.

Striking an emotional cord with the people of his Lok Sabha constituency, Sukbir said he would no longer be representing the constituency as it had been reserved for scheduled castes after the recent delimitation but he would continue his efforts for the welfare of the people of this area.

It may be mentioned that the sitting Lok Sabha member from Bathinda constituency Paramjit Kaur Gulshan has been fielded from Faridkot constituency, currently being represented by the SAD chief. A major portion of the Moga district falls under this constituency.

Sukhbir appealed to the people of this area to vote for the SAD candidate in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

During the public gatherings, he distributed cheques worth Rs 2 crore to 46 panchayats of the Baghapurana and Rs 3.52 crore to 137 panchayats of the Dharamkot assembly constituencies for development works.

At Dharamkot, he promised to provide clean potable water, purified with Reverse Osmosis (RO) system, in all the village panchayats of this district, besides, initiating a scheme for laying sewerage system in the villages. Sukhbir added that the panchayats would be provided with connections of electric water pumps to irrigate the common land brought under cultivation to generate income for panchayat.

The SAD chief was accompanied by senior SAD leader Jathedar Tota Singh, MP Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan, chief parliamentary secretary Sheetal Singh and other local party leaders of the district.

Meanwhile, the SAD president, while addressing a public gathering in Moga late in the evening, announced to provide all financial help for the development of the town and gave a cheque of Rs 3 crore to Barjinder Singh Brar, president of the local municipal council, to carry on with the ongoing development works.

While praising the ongoing works of the MC on replacing the main sewerage system, constructing new parks, concreting all the roads/streets in the town, equipping the streetlights with CFLs, constructing new roads etc., Sukhbir said that his government would make this town a model town in the state.

The chairman of the Improvement Trust Yogesh Goel, all the MCs, officials of the local administration, local leaders of the SAD and the BJP were also present on the occasion.

Mansa, January 9
“The SAD-BJP alliance in the state has been using the funds of the Central government and deriving political mileage out of it,” stated Mohinder Singh Kaypee, president of the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee, while talking to media persons at the residence of former All India Congress Committee member Manjit Singh Jhalbooti here today.

Jhalbooti had rejoined the Congress recently.

Kaypee flayed the state government for misusing the public money saying that due to its wrong policies, the state was facing a loss of Rs 58,000 crore. He said while the bonus on paddy was given by Central government, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal attempted to take the credit by distributing cheques in a manner which portrayed that the father-son duo had addressed the farmers’ grievances.

“The SAD-BJP government had murdered democracy during the panchayat elections. The Congress will not tolerate such attitude in the forthcoming parliamentary elections,” Kaypee said.

Talking about cotton purchasing, the Congress leader said the Centre had asked the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to continue the purchase of cotton at the MSP (Rs 2,800).

On the occasion, a function was organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, in which the Congress workers took part.

Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar addressed the gathering and said the Congress campaigning for the elections would be launched during the Maghi Mela. State president of the Youth Congress Ravneet Singh Bittu said they would give a befitting reply to the atrocities committed by the SAD-BJP.

Among others present on the occasion were general secretary of the state Congress Ram Pal Dhepai besides Gurjant Alisher, Gurtej Singh, Bikram Mofer, G.S. Vicky and Balwinder Singh Kaka.

Abohar, January 9
The administration has finally locked the controversial Abohar Club which had hit the headlines following detection of a high profile gambling network in a bungalow that was allotted in the name of an INLD lady MP who died in New Delhi last month. The media had reported live recovery of the plastic badges bearing Abohar Club marking along with small telephone exchange besides mobile phones there. It was reported that the recoveries indicated that the gang, which allegedly run the gambling den had a deep link with the Club here.

Sources said that the police had put a blanket ban on the activities in the club here immediately after the satellite channels flashed the news last month and the New Year could not be celebrated in the club for the first time during last 70 years of its existence. Interestingly, the club had in the past hosted functions which were attended by chief ministers, Central ministers and senior officers from the army and civil services on important occasions but some of the members had started submitting memorandums urging the government to cancel its lease for some reasons. Some of the police and civil officers conducted raids and had booked even a president of the club under the Gambling Prevention Act in the recent past but later succumbed to political pressure.

As per information available, the municipal council (MC) had in a petition filed under section 94 of the Punjab Public Premises Act had requested the district administration to order dispossession of the managing committee of the club as its lease had expired four years back and no renewal was considered. ADC Jaskiran Singh had passed order in favour of the MC but its implementation reportedly became victim of the alleged political pressure. The citizens had suggested that the MC be allowed to auction the club land to arrange funds for purchasing land near the new water works for its expansion as the old water works had almost collapsed.

Fazilka, January 9
To combat the skewed sex ratio of girls as compared to boys, a local NGO Sarhad Social Welfare Society (SSWS) has decided to celebrate the festival of Lohri by organising a programme to honour the newly-born girls.

As per Rakesh Nagpal, president of the SSWS, the main theme of the programme is to fight female feoticide and create awareness about alarming situation arising out of the depleting sex ratio. He said that 151 newlyborn girls up to the age of one year would be honoured at the Lohri programme being organised at the local Ram Palace on January 11.

Public health, sanitation and public relations minister Bikram Singh Majithia would be the chief guest while Punjab BJP vice- president and local MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani would preside over.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sher Singh Ghubaya and MLA Balluana Gurtej Singh Ghuriana would be the distinguished guests.

The special feature of this programme is that it would be the first Lohri programme of over 100 baby girls. Besides, 11 families, who have two daughters and do not desire third child, would also be honoured. The baby girls participating in the fest would be presented gifts by the society. The SSWS had organised similar programme last year also where Lohri of 101 newly born girls was celebrated. The programme was the first of its kind in the area.

Mansa: The local Sabhyachar Chetna Manch would honour some girls on this Lohri fair, which would be organised on January 10. Among those to be honoured include Dr Ranjana Gupta, who achieved first position in MD entrance test in Punjab in 2008 and was awarded the gold medal by the DMC Ludhiana. Dr Meenu Jindal, who attained first position in the M.D.S. entrance test of Punjab in 2008, Veerpal Kaur of Joga, who was vice-captain of the Indian football team that played at Vietnam, Kiranjeet Chauhan of Nangal village, who won the national sub-junior games and received a gold at the State Boxing Championship, and Sukhjeet Kaur of Kot Dharmu village, who stood first in wrestling at third Inter-school National Tournament are also in list. — OC

Muktsar, January 9
All arrangements had been made for the forthcoming Maghi Mela in Muktsar, stated the Deputy Commissioner, Rajat Aggarwal, while interacting with media persons here.

The fair is organised every year to commemorate the supreme sacrifices made by 40 Muktas (liberated one) led by Bhai Mahan Singh at Khidrana ki Dhab (now Muktsar) during the battle with the Mughal army, which was chasing Guru Gobind Singh from Anandpur Sahib.

Aggarwal said about 10 lakh devotees from different parts of the state and outside were expected to converge on the holy city to participate in the fair.

He said to facilitate devotees, the city has been divided into eight sectors and a duty magistrate and a DSP would be deployed in each sector to maintain law and order and regulate traffic during the mela.

He said a civil control room had been set up at the Civil Secretariat, while the police control room would come up at Government Girls Senior Secondary School. Eight sub-control rooms would also be established where apart from policemen eight teams of doctors would be deployed.

The DC said that 19 duty magistrates, 29 doctors, 47 pharmacists, seven sanitary inspectors and 150 safai sewaks had been deployed on duty for the mela. Eight mobile teams of doctors would also be pressed into service for extending medical assistance to pilgrims.

Over 100 temporary lavatories were also being set up. Fire brigade service would also be in place to deal with any untoward incident.

As many as 12 tankers had been arranged to provide drinking water to devotees.

Bathinda, January 9
Following a rumour that the question paper of the ongoing PTU exams has been leaked, a high-level checking was ordered by PTU's Dean (Examination) N.P. Singh at the PTU nodal centre Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering. The checking team was headed by Dr J.S. Hundal, principal, Baba Farid College of Engineering and Technology.

According to sources, PTU's question papers used to get leaked every year and this year also there was a rumour which made the college authority take action.

Dr Hundal examined all the question papers that have come from PTU and also the seal put on them by the varsity. The seal was intact, sources said. The bundles of question papers when counted were full. There were rumours that students fearing the maths paper, which is supposed to be held tomorrow, had indulged in using unfair means to get the question paper before the exam.

A report about the checking was submitted to PTU Dean (Examinations). Sources added that the PTU exams for regular students would end on January 10 but would go on for some more days for private students. 

Abohar, January 9
While questioning the fairness of the survey conducted by teachers of government primary schools about two months back, the Education Department has asked them to conduct another survey and make a list of children between 6 and 14 years of age, who were not getting education, sources confirmed today in the evening. It is pertinent to note that the teachers are busy with the Class V and VIII annual exams.

The centre head told the teachers that the department wanted them to go to streets and villages along with cameras to catch the faces of such students. Besides, they have been asked to prepare complete bio-data of such students and submit the final report by January 12.

The centre heads were reportedly briefed about this during a meeting in the office of the block primary education officers on Wednesday.

Earlier, some of the survey reports had suggested that no child between 6 and 14 years of age was found to be illiterate and no drop-outs were noticed. The government grew suspicious and directed that the surveyors should go to each house again and prepare the bio-data of all the children, supported by his/her photograph.

It has not been made clear as to who will provide camera or make payment if services of the commercial photographers were availed of.

Fazilka, January 9
The Bharat Vikash Parishad (BVP) will organise the 8th national-level symposium on Bharat Ko Jano (Know India) on January 10-11 at Shah Palace here. National executive president of the BVP Ishwar Datt Ojha told media persons today that the symposium was dedicated to the martyrs of the 1971 Indo-Pak war in Fazilka sector.

He said the main idea was to inculcate a spirit of patriotism and dedication towards duty among the students of different age groups and to preserve the cultural heritage of India.

Ojha said that 50 senior and 50 junior teams from different states of the country, who had won the state-level symposium, would compete on varied subjects, including religion, culture and history.

Zonal chairman and convenor of the programme Niwas Bihani said Tikshan Sood, forest minister, would inaugurate the programme on January 10. Public Health and sanitation minister Bikram Singh Majithia would be the chief guest at the prize distribution function to be held on January 11. — OC

Sriganganagar/Abohar, January 9
There had been a substantial rise in the cases of rape, kidnapping and abduction in Sriganganagar district during the last two years, a perusal of the annual crime chart prepared by the police confirmed. However, there was decline in number of murders and attempts to murder.

While 39 cases of rape were registered in 2006 and 66 in 2007, 70 were reported during the last year besides 66 cases of kidnapping/abduction. The number was 38 in 2006 and 56 in 2007. The police stations registered 39 cases of murder and 71 attempts to murder were made during the last year compared to 61 and 73 in the preceding year. Only seven robberies were reported last year whereas it was 18 in 2007. There had been no riot in 2007 but in 2008, 21 robberies were committed. During the last three years number of thefts and burglaries had almost been the same. Number of cases registered under the IPC during last year was 4632 while it was 5172 in the preceding year. 

Despite traffic safety measures and monthly awareness campaigns with the help of NGOs, 168 persons died in 415 road mishaps during last year while 181 had been killed in the preceding year.

The district police succeeded in its counseling drive to bring down the number of disputes alleging intimidation due to insufficient dowry. In all 276 cases were still registered whereas the number was 625 in the preceding year.