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Female foeticide: Health staff interrogate couple, cops plan action
Bathinda, January 28
Acting upon a tip off provided by the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) cell, Bathinda, the medical staff of Bathinda and Muktsar districts with help of an NGO, interrogated a couple accused of female foeticide here this morning. After recording the statement of the couple, Muktsar civil hospital authorities sealed the ultrasound centre where pre-natal sex was allegedly determined.

A team of doctors questioning the persons accused of female foeticide in Bathinda on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Kulbir Beera

20 hurt as bus, truck collide head-on
Bathinda, January 28
Over 20 persons sustained injuries when the bus they were travelling in collided head-on with a truck coming from the opposite direction on Bathinda-Malout road near Gidderbaha this morning. Poor visibility due to dense fog has been suggested as the reason of mishap.

Mangled remains of the bus that hit a truck on Bathinda-Malout road on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Water purifying plants for villages
Bathinda, January 28
To tackle the problem of contaminated water, the government has allowed a grant to the water and sanitation department for installing silver ionisation plants so as to purify the water supplied through water works to the villages of this region.

Family members of martyrs to be honoured
Bathinda, January 28
Around 400 men of the Ghudda village are in the defence forces and the villagers are proud of them. The Azad Soch Krantikari Sangathan would conduct a cultural programme where families of four martyrs of this village would be honoured.

14-day camel safari flagged off
Abohar, January 28
Major General A.K. Bakshi, GOC, Amogh Division, flagged off the Camel Safari, organised by the Elite Ekkis unit to commemorate its silver jubilee, at the Military Station here amidst dense fog today.

Power plant to come up in Fazilka
Fazilka, January 28
The Punjab government has decided to set up a 20 MW power generation plant at the Fazilka Cooperative Sugar Mill in village Bodiwala Pitha.

	Rose Garden in shambles Gardeners doing household works for BMC officials S.P. Sharma Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 28 The colourful flowers in the Rose Garden here are withering as a large number of trained gardeners have permanently been deployed in the houses of bureaucrats to wash utensils and do the daily household work. Out of a total strength of 72 gardeners on rolls to take care of the garden sprawling over an area of 18 acres, only 13 are working there and 16 have been put on duty in various other parks of different localities. Other 40 odd gardeners were deployed in houses of some officers and engineers of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) for household work, an official said. The garden constructed in 1979 is under the control of the BMC. Interestingly, the Rose Garden is the only place for outing here and nearly 1000 persons visit it daily for morning walk or during the day. But it presents a picture of neglect. Weeds have replaced lush green grass in the lawns and the main water body is full of dirt. The fountains seldom work. Water filtration tanks have been constructed over the 40-acre piece of the park’s leisure valley that was earlier a favourite destination for morning and evening walkers. The authorities of the BMC have virtually shut their eyes towards the garden where the contractor of the cafeteria was fleecing the visitors by selling cold drinks and other eatables at inflated price. A packet of chips was being sold for Rs 25 against the printed maximum retail price of Rs 20. An extra Rs 5 was being charged on a bottle of soft drink. When questioned, he said the BMC had allowed him to do so. However, when commissioner of the BMC K.K. Yadav was contacted, he feigned ignorance about the fleecing of visitors.
	Girls education to get a boost Anjali Singh Deswal Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 28 The state government has planned to upgrade the education for girls and motivate them to remain fit and attend school by imparting lessons on yoga. According to sources in the education department, a grant of Rs 3 crore has been sanctioned for five activities, which would cover girls of various classes in the government schools of the state. Bathinda’s share of Rs 12.60 lakh has already arrived and cheques have been issued to the schools covered under the scheme. Girl students of classes VI, VII, and VIII would be taught yoga. For the purpose, Rs 5,000 have been given to 100 schools. While Rs 1000 would be utilised for teaching yoga the remaining amount would be used for buying sweaters and shoes for poor girls of these classes. Sources said that girls in the state, especially from the rural areas, lack awareness. They do not know about the various educational schemes being run by the government. For spreading awareness, the government has also decided to distribute CDs containing information on problems being faced by girls. Savita, district resources person (DRP) of the project, said: “Girls in this area do not attend school. We have provided many facilities, like free books and mid-day meal. Their fee has also been waived off. And now, we are giving them lessons on yoga besides sweaters and shoes. We hope that the project would motivate girls to attend school, at least till the elementary level.” Sukhjeet, a student from a local government school, said, “Yoga classes have begun in our school and it refreshes us. It keeps us fit and helps us in keeping our mind balanced.” Gurvinder Pal Kaur Dhillon, DEO (primary), is the project director and is assisted by DRPs and other volunteers in the project. Savita said the permission for running the project was taken by the DC. “We had had a meeting with him on January 14 and had submitted our requests to him. He approved them and gave us a go ahead for the project. We get grants under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan but are not allowed to spend them without the DC’s approval.”
	Female foeticide: Health staff interrogate couple, cops plan action Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 28 Acting upon a tip off provided by the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) cell, Bathinda, the medical staff of Bathinda and Muktsar districts with help of an NGO, interrogated a couple accused of female foeticide here this morning. After recording the statement of the couple, Muktsar civil hospital authorities sealed the ultrasound centre where pre-natal sex was allegedly determined. They also raided the work place of a staff nurse where the foetus was allegedly aborted. As per the details available, Sadhu Ram Kusla, project officer of the PNDT cell, Bathinda, received information about the sex determination held at Madho hospital in Muktsar on Monday. And that the couple, kin of a member panchayat and hailing from Manak Khana village in Bathinda, would be aborting the pregnancy on Tuesday. Acting on the tip-off, the PNDT cell informed the offices of the civil surgeons of both the districts. It also took help of the Beti Bachao Manch, an NGO, and put up check-posts at various points en route Muktsar-Bathinda. Kusla said efforts to save the foetus could not succeed and on late Tuesday evening, they came to know about the abortion. In the early morning today, they traced the couple staying at the house of their relatives located on the Malout road in Bathinda. The medical team comprising of district family welfare officer N.R. Duggal, Jagriti, Jaswant Singh and Satish Goyal of Muktsar besides district family welfare officer Malkit Singh of Bathinda detained them and recorded their statements. During interrogation, the couple admitted that the sex of the foetus determined at the cost Rs 5,000 and then abortion for Rs 6,000. However, they stated that some doctor had told them about some problem in the development of the foetus. Therefore, they went for abortion. Meanwhile, they disclosed that they had a year-old girl. When contacted, J.R. Chauhan, civil surgeon, Muktsar, said: "Since nobody was found present at the time of raid, we have sealed the ultrasound centre and the house of staff nurse. For further legal action, the police have been informed." Baljeet Singh Sidhu, DSP city, Muktsar, said, “We are completing the formalities. After that, the case would be lodged.”
	20 hurt as bus, truck collide head-on Bathinda, January 28 Over 20 persons sustained injuries when the bus they were travelling in collided head-on with a truck coming from the opposite direction on Bathinda-Malout road near Gidderbaha this morning. Poor visibility due to dense fog has been suggested as the reason of mishap. According to information available, the bus bearing number PB 11B-9341, belonging to Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), was en route Malout-Bathinda. On reaching Daula village, it hit the truck (RJ 29G-0761) loaded with pebbles. On getting the information, ambulances of Sahara Jan Seva, an NGO, and the Highway police vehicles rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to the civil hospital at Gidderbaha. About 10 persons were discharged after providing them with first aid. However, remaining patients were referred to the civil hospital, Bathinda, for further treatment. When contacted, Kulwinder Singh, SHO, Gidderbaha, said, “After investigation, no body was found guilty as fog had led to the mishap. No case has been registered yet.” — TNS
	Water purifying plants for villages Bathinda, January 28 To tackle the problem of contaminated water, the government has allowed a grant to the water and sanitation department for installing silver ionisation plants so as to purify the water supplied through water works to the villages of this region. The plant costs Rs 2.5 lakh per unit and has already been installed in about 20 villages of the region. Giving details, Gora Singh, ex-MLA, said, “The plants were installed about a week ago. An RO system would be installed at those villages where it is not possible to install the silver ionisation plant.” Sources said that earlier, the water used to be treated for impurities by adding bleaching powder. This process was insufficient for the type of water that is supplied in the region. Now, before being supplied to the water tanks of different areas, the water would pass through the silver ionization plant, which would free the water of bacteria and other impurities. Sources said the cost of RO water would be 10 paise per litre. — TNS
	Family members of martyrs to be honoured Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 28 Around 400 men of the Ghudda village are in the defence forces and the villagers are proud of them. The Azad Soch Krantikari Sangathan would conduct a cultural programme where families of four martyrs of this village would be honoured. “We lost two men in the 1971 war, one in 1984 and another during the Operation Vijay conducted in 2001. To honour their families and remember their heroism, we are conducting a cultural programme where Punjab’s famous artiste Gursharan Singh would give his performance,” Rajinderjeet of the Sangathan said. Sources said that choreographies, songs, dances and plays based on patriotism would be performed on February 1 in the village. In order to uplift education and motivate the children of the village to take interest in studies, the families of the four martyrs will honour the students who fared well in academics. A library in the village would also be inaugurated on the day. It may be mentioned that the youth of the village had been making constant efforts to introduce a library in the village.