Bathinda, February 3
Brigadier Bant Singh (retired) was cremated with full honours at Ram Bagh cremation ground here today. The funeral was largely attended by dignitaries from army as well as civil administration. Bant Singh had died on Monday at Military Hospital in Chandimandir near Chandigarh, where he was being treated for injuries sustained in a road accident a fortnight ago. He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Sons of the deceased, Brigadier Sukhdev Singh (retired) and Shiv Dev Singh, joint director (development), Punjab lit the pyre.

As per the details available, whole core of Bathinda cantonment, including the lieutenant-general D.S. Chauhan, commander, 10 Corps, attended the cremation ceremony.

Son in law of the deceased, major-general G.S. Malhi, major-general Mohinder Singh (retd), major-general J.S. Herr (retd), major-general C.S. Panag (retd), brigadier I.S. Gakhal, director, Sainik Welfare Department, Punjab, and colonel Amar Singh, district sainik welfare officer, were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

From the civil administration, mayor Baljeet Singh Bir Behman, SSP Ashish Chaudhary and SP (D) Ajay Maluja were present. Various advocates, BMC councillors and members of NGOs also attended the ceremony.

Sharing information about the life of Bant Singh, some of his fellows said he was born to a simple farmer’s family in Balianwali village on May 12, 1922.

On August 30, 1965, he became brigadier and held the command of Indo-Pak war at the 260 km long border covering Harike, Hussainiwala, Fazilka, Anoopgarh and Sri Ganganagar.

He was appointed as the director of Territorial Army in April 1970.

Bant Singh retired on May 9, 1974 as brigadier.

He had been honoured with 31 medals, including five Veer Chakras, five AVSM, a VSM and a Sena Medal. 

Bathinda, February 3
Huge rush was witnessed on the first day of the sale of application forms for the post of constables in the Punjab Police at the mini secretariat here today.

A number of youths that TNS spoke to said that they wanted the job as it was the rare employment opportunity. They were hardly a few aspirants who had social welfare as their dream or wanted to serve the nation.

According to information received from the official selling the forms, around 950 forms for the post of male constable and 110 for women constable were sold on the first day. The application forms will be sold for couple of days more.

Tirath Singh, who had cleared class XII and is a resident of Bhokhra village, said, "None of my family members were in police. I am applying as there are very less sources of employment left today."

A local resident, Gurpreet Singh, who had passed class XII in first division, said, "It is not the choice but a search for employment for which I am applying."

Similarly, applicants for the post of women constable were observed less keen to join the department as of choice.

It may be mentioned that the cost of prospectus-cum-application form is Rs 100 and it has to be submitted in person or by post to chairman, sub-boards, Fatehgarh Sahib, Khanna and Ludhiana.

Bathinda, February 3
A day-long strike by practising lawyers of the Bathinda district courts against amendments in Section 41 and 309 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), partially affected the work in the courts today.

Referring to the strike as successful, Raj Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, president, Bathinda District Bar Association, said: "Our aim was not to harass people but to give a signal to the government against making any amendment."

According to the proposed amendments, trial of rape cases should preferably be completed within two months. Moreover, to ensure a speedy trial, the court shall not adjourn the case on the grounds of lawyer being engaged in another court or his inability to attend the court due to an illness. Also, no arrest would be required for cognisable offences such as molestation, dowry harassment and attempt to robbery, which invites a maximum punishment of up to seven years imprisonment.

"It is completely unfair as this will tend to bring more corruption in our system and we are opposing it," said Sidhu.

The amendment proposes that the police officer may, instead of arresting the person concerned, issue a notice of appearance asking him to cooperate in the probe.

No arrest will be made in a non-cognisable offence except under a warrant or an order of a magistrate. The reasons for arrest should be sound and recorded in writing by the police officer, the amendment proposes.

Bathinda, February 3
Just like the previous occasions of accidents at unmanned railway crossings, this time too it is being said that had the crossing been manned, the rail-school van mishap occurred in Ferozepur district could have been averted. The accident killed three kids while many sustained severe injuries.

Those favouring for the argument could be right to some extent. However, if one considers the scene at a manned railway crossing one would see only few persons respecting the closed bars.

During a visit to various railway crossings, existing in the vicinity of the city, the TNS team today observed a number of people crossing the tracks ignoring the closed bars, even after seeing the running train.

When asked, a number of them gave petty excuses for hurry.

At Patiala crossing, a number of school children were observed passing under the closed bars. Almost every scooterist and bicyclist was in hurry to cross the railway track at the cost of his life.

When asked, the children, who were returning from schools, said, "We are hungry, so we are in hurry to reach home."

A motorcyclist, while tilting his bike to cross the closed crossing, said, "It is Punjab. There is no need to worry about the laws and regulations."

The gate man appointed there was observed very tense while stopping the violators.

He was observed hurling abuses to check the violators as the whistling train was about to reach the crossing. But to no avail.

Ferozepur, February 3
The Railways have constituted a three-member committee to look into the incident in which an engine hit a school van at a unmanned railway crossing in Ferozepur on Monday morning. Three kids were killed while several sustained injuries in the mishap.

A team of officials from the Northern Railways headquarters, New Delhi comprising additional general manger Arunindra Kumar, chief safety officer Shiv Kumar and principal chief engineer Ashok Gupta, along with DRM Satish Kumar visited the accident site near village Haraj yesterday and constituted a Junior Administrative Officer Grade (JAG) Committee comprising senior divisional safety officer Alok Mittoo, senior divisional mechanical engineer S.P. Singh and senior DEN (1) R.K. Gupta to look into the causes and submit a report within next few days.

Talking to The Tribune, head of the inquiry committee, Mittoo said that the committee would start the inquiry tomorrow and complete it within a day or two. Mittoo said that apparently it seems that the driver of the ill-fated school van, Kulwinder Singh attempted to take chance of crossing the gate in hurry before the engine had arrived due to which the engine hit the rear part of the van resulting in the tragedy. Mittoo said that the unmanned level crossing ( C-71) where the mishap occurred will be manned very soon for which clearance has been given by the head office.

According to the sources, there are around 1,400 level crossings in Ferozepur Division alone, out of which 1,100 are reportedly unmanned at the moment. Railway officials said that that as per the railway guidelines, if the Train Vehicle Unit (TUV) reaches 5000, then the level crossing is considered for the manning for which a clearance has to be obtained from the district administration and commissioner of railways safety (CRS). However, if the visibility of both sides of the level crossing is less than 800 metres than the crossing with even 4,000 TVU is also considered for manning.

Last year, the division has converted 27 unmanned level crossings into manned gates and this year another 30 gates would be manned, disclosed railway officials.

Ferozepur, February 3
The BSF authorities have leveled serious allegations against a local police official of the rank of Inspector for abetting cross border smuggling in this border area.

BSF sources said that the fact came to fore when on the intervening night of January 31 and February 1, 2009 they apprehended two Indian nationals from area between border pillar no. 204/1 and 204/2 near Border Outpost Lakhasingh Wala around 40 meters from border fencing, who had come here to receive consignment of drugs and fake currency from their Pakistani counterparts.

BSF sources said that the two Indian smugglers, who were identified as Shubeg Singh and Satnam Singh were overpowered by the BSF. However, their Pakistani accomplices managed to escape. Later, during interrogation by the "G" branch BSF at BOP Masta Gatti, these arrested smugglers named a police official, whom they stated had allegedly sent them to bring the consignment. The arrested smugglers also told the BSF officials that four persons were waiting for them in white Indica car at some distance from that spot.

As per sources, the BSF have lodged a written compliant about the incident with Mamdot police station to register a case against the arrested smugglers and the police officials who had allegedly prompted them to bring the consignment. BSF officials also alleged that the persons sitting in the white Indica car were also in uniform.

SSP Dinesh Pratap said BSF officials might have got confused as the police present in that area were on some operation to nab the smugglers. He said that the entire issue was an outcome of some misunderstanding, which the BSF officials should have clarified before hand. However, the police was still looking into the matter to ascertain the allegations being leveled by the BSF, he said. 

Fazilka, February 3
A young girl of an orchestra party was killed while four other girls of the group and a man sustained injuries in a road accident involving a car and tractor-trailer near Saint Kabir Polytechnic on the outskirts of Fazilka town on Monday night.

According to sources, Jasvinder Kaur alias Venus (20), a resident of Nawanshahar along with her 4 companions identified as Sunita alias Reena (20), Chahat (22), Kamini (21) and Jyoti (18) were going to Ferozepur in Maruti car. Sonu (25) was driving the car. A tractor-trailer without headlights reportedly came from a link road and rammed into the car resulting in death of Venus on spot.

All the injured including the driver of the car were rushed to a local civil hospital by other members of the orchestra troop.

As Reena resident of Ferozepur another occupant of the car sustained serious injuries, she was shifted to Ludhiana. The orchestra troop was returning after performing in a marriage party at Balluana near Abohar. 

Bathinda, February 3
The district police officials today inspected the Central Jail here today and did not find anything objectionable during the search.

As per the information received, the chief of the Punjab Police had ordered his subordinates to carry out inspection in the jails across the state.

The inspection team was led by SP (D) Ajay Maluja. Over 100 cops conducted the inspection from 9 am to 11 am.

The police party included Umashankar, SDM, Phul, and a number of female police staff.

After concluding the search, Maluja said, "The orders were given by high command as a preventive measure against any untoward incident. We thoroughly searched the jail but could not find anything objectionable."

Bathinda, February 3
The Baba Bhagu Shaheed Youth Club, Bathinda, in collaboration with Nehru Sewa Kendra, organised a seminar on 'female foeticide' at Government Senior Secondary School in Gill Patti village here today. More than 50 activists of the club and women leaders attended the seminar. Women from slum and semi-slum areas also took part in the seminar.

The objective of the seminar was to create awareness among village women about their reproductive rights, female foeticide and its impact on the society.

During the seminar, Sadhu Ram Kusla, project officer, PNDT, and member, National Child Protection Commission, emphasised that despite the best efforts of the government, population has increased manifold. The existing rate of growth of population had nullified all development efforts.

Tahil Singh Sandhu, who was chief guest at the seminar, said that paradoxically, sex ratio decline was most prominent in the high per-capita income areas of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. Anita Rani, principal of the school, said that education could bring about women empowerment.

Bathinda, February 3
Hundreds of landless peasants under the banner of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union staged a region-level dharna outside the DC office here today. The protesters, who came from Muktsar, Faridkot, Moga, Ferozepur, Barnala, Sangrur and Patiala, accused the state and Central governments of pursuing anti-labourer policies.

Addressing the protesters, Jora Singh Nasrali, president of the union, lashed out at the governments for not conceding to their long-pending demands.

The union demanded action against village sarpanches for committing excesses on them, waiving of loans to labourers, grant of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those debt-ridden labourers who committed suicide and a job to a member of each affected family.

They also demanded distribution of ration through depots and placement of labourers in the below poverty line category.

The leaders said the main motive of most of the schemes launched or promised for the betterment of peasants was just to garner votes. — TNS

Mohali, February 3
The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has decided to introduce semester system for classes IX and XI, instead of class XII from coming session.

The move is a trial to check success of the semester system before is introduction in the board examination classes. The decision has been communicated to the Education Department and schools.

Dalbir Singh Dhillon, chairman, PSEB, said the decision had been taken in interest of the students, as they generally prepared for competitive examinations at this time.

Efforts were on to provide syllabus books by the time the next session begins. The subject experts were meeting educationists and persons concerned to prepare 
the schools for the new system.

Sources said the decision was taken by the Education Minister. Certain quarters opposed introduction of the system in class XII. Following the new decision, the board employees would get sufficient time to prepare for the system to conduct the board examinations for classes X and XII, likely to be introduced from 2010-11 session.

Sukhwinder Kaur Saroya, Director (Academics), said that the syllabus had been divided into two parts. 

Abohar, February 3
The GAIL (India) Limited and Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the natural gas sector related opportunities in India.

While confirming the development, IFFCO chairman Surinder Kumar Jakhar said that the agreement was signed by A.K Purwaha, Director Business Development, GAIL and V.K. Bali, Director (Technical), IFFCO.

Under this cooperation agreement, the chairman said, both the companies would jointly evaluate the potential of setting up of a gas based power plant and other industries including chemicals, fertilizers, compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG) in India and also explore the possibility of sourcing of natural gas / LNG for the identified projects.

Bajakhana (Faridkot), February 3
SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal recently spelled out his love for Hockey to promote the national game in Punjab with international standards.

And, today, he came down at the ground level to announce giving recognition to the 'circle style' Kabaddi being played in the state for the past many centuries. The traditional 'circle style' Kabaddi that originated from here lost its value in the 'national style' recognized by many countries in the world.

Addressing as a chief guest on the final day of three-day 11th International Harjit Memorial Kabaddi Tournament here, today, Sukhbir said that 'circle style' Kabaddi players could now avail quota in government services and they would be benefited with all those facilities given by state government to sports persons.

He also announced to give Rs one-lakh each to all the 1200 villages of the state from the coming financial year to provide sports facilities at the ground level. He said that the government was committed to promote Hockey and Kabaddi, besides, encouraging other sports.

He said that on the lines of IPL they would soon start World Kabaddi League, which would begin functioning from July, this year. He said that international Kabbadi Championship would be conducted from this year and players from countries like US, Canada, England, Norway, and Pakistan would be invited to participate in it. He said that prize money for winners would be Rs. one crore, for runners-up Rs 55 lakh and Rs 25 lakh for second runners-up.

He said that the basic idea behind the World Kabaddi League was to bring all Kabaddi clubs under one umbrella. He said that club officials in Canada, US and UK have shown their shown interest in this league.

Sukhbir who is also Sports Minister of the state was looking forward for Punjab to play a pivotal role in reviving Hockey. Discussing initiatives taken by the government to encourage sports in the state, he said that for the first time state was organizing the first-ever four-nation Punjab Gold Cup Invitational Hockey Tournament. He said that to promote hockey at grassroots level the young hockey trainees from rural areas of Punjab were brought to witness the top world stars in action during the Punjab Gold Cup.

He said that state would soon organise a similar hockey tournament for women.

To provide better infrastructure and facilities for Hockey, Astroturf grounds would be setup at Sansarpur in Jalandhar district and Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district, besides, a world class Hockey stadium and coaching centre at Mohali. He announced a grant of Rs. four lakh for setting-up a Kabaddi stadium here. Among others Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagdeep Singh Nakai, President Punjab Kabaddi Association Sikander Singh Maluka, Lok Sabha member from Bathinda Paramjit Kaur Gulshan and SAD's Senior Vice President Gurdev Singh Badal were present on the occasion.