Ferozepur, February 24
The election for the post of president, Municipal Committee, scheduled to be held today, was postponed once again due to internal strife within the BJP councillors. The local administration and the police had made elaborate arrangements for the elections hoping that the long pending issue will get resolved today, but in vain. According to the information, out of a total strength of 25 councillors in the House, only 16 were present today, most of whom belonged to either the BJP or the SAD.

However, at the time when the election was to be held, seven councillors including six from the BJP, and one Akali MC walked out, leaving the rest of the BJP MCs in the lurch. Since the quorum was not fulfilled, the elections had to be postponed for the third time.

The main reason behind the postponement of the elections time and again is being allegedly attributed to the cold war between the warring groups owing alliance to the local BJP MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Revenue), Sukhpal Singh Nannu and the state general secretary Kamal Sharma, who is being supported by the local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia. All the BJP MCs who walked out of the house proceedings are considered close to local MLA Nannu.

While Nannu and some other MCs are supporting Davinder Kapoor for the post of MC chief, the other group was initially projecting Ashwani Grover as the party's choice. However, today another BJP MC, Davinder Bajaj's name was proposed for the coveted post. Bajaj is also considered close to Kamal Sharma.

After today's political drama, BJP general secretary Ashwani Sharma who is also party in-charge for this district has reportedly recommended stern action against the BJP councillors who walked out of the elections today. Meanwhile, amidst the infighting between the MCs, the condition of the city is deteriorating day by day, and the administration it seems is helpless.

While the SAD-BJP government is harping on development to gain the confidence of the voters, the internal strife in the BJP has brought the development works in the city to a grinding halt, which can pose difficulties in view of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

Bathinda, February 24
Rural doctors today alleged that the administration was not providing basic 
infrastructure to the rural dispensaries and violating the terms of contract of the doctors appointed to these dispensaries.

According to the doctors, even medicines were not reaching them on time. And the medicines that were received by them are those already lying in surplus at the dispensaries.

Dr Deepak, a rural medical officer in Khenuana village near Bathinda, said, “In our contract, it was mentioned that medicines and other things would be provided at doctor’s doorstep. But the Zila Parishad office asks us to collect the same from its office. The quality of medicines is also not satisfactory.”

“We don’t need paracetamol and chlorpheniramine. Ferrous sulphate, phenol barbitone and at some places even glibenclamide and mebendazole are in surplus. We need cough syrups, anti-fungal ointments and tablets, multi-vitamins, muscle relaxants, anti-anxiety drugs, bandages, spirits, antibiotics, loperamide and paediatric syrups. We get only two types of antibiotics. They do not suit everyone,” said Dr Manish Gupta, a rural 
medical officer at Baho Yatri village.

The doctors also stated that the health authorities force them to spend the excess stock before making a requisition for fresh medicines. “How can we give a medicine to someone who does not need it? Moreover, we cannot issue a wrong medicine,” Dr Deepak added.

Sources said that according to the contract, medicines worth Rs 7,500 were to be supplied to a dispensary per month but the doctors were hardly getting the supplies. Sometimes there is no supply for six months at a stretch.

C. Sibin, ADC (D), when contacted, said, “We are providing necessary infrastructure to all the dispensaries. If we ask them to arrange for a transport for collecting medicines from Zila Parishad offices then we reimburse the transportation cost. The problem of inadequate medicines and irregular supply is with the concerned headquarters and we would be soon purchasing the medicines and supplying them.”

The doctors, however, said no transport reimbursement has ever come their way.

Bathinda, February 24
The controversy over the detailed project report of Maur Mandi, in which the officers concerned had reportedly issued contradictory statements, has brought the water works and the sewerage board here under scanner.

The State Information Commission (SIC) has now summoned the superintending engineer (SE) and the executive engineer-cum-public information officer (PIO) of the department to appear in person on the next hearing of the case slated for April 2.

As per the details provided by the complainant, Vijay Kumar of Maur Mandi, CM Parkash Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone for Rs 25.67 crore worth sewerage project on May 23, 2008.

He sought information about the detailed project report under the RTI Act. In reply, the department disclosed that the tenders were opened but the report was not yet complete.

Kumar further said that later, the officials even stopped responding. Frustrated, he filed a case before the State Information Commission vide CC No. 2265 /2008. 

When the case was pursued by the SIC, Jagmohan Singh, SDE-cum-APIO, stated that no specific detailed project report of Maur Mandi had been approved by the competent authority till that day.

Singh further stated that the deputy commissioner, Bathinda, had written several demi-official letters to change the detailed project report, as per the requirement of the city. 

He added that as and when the detailed project report was approved by the competent authority, the same would be supplied to the complainant.

On February 17, the day of the next hearing, the complainant alleged that while replying to the related queries of the media, SE M.L. Bansal had claimed that the detailed project report was completed a month before the tenders were invited and allotted to a Hyderabad-based company.

However, in a clarification to the executive engineer vide memo number 68, dated February 7, 2009, Singh said that Bansal had stated before the Press about the finalisation of the detailed project report, which had not been approved by the competent authority yet.

When contacted, Bansal said, “Till date, I have not received summons,” adding that he had sufficient documents to convince the SIC.

Bathinda, February 24
The Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology is openly flouting orders of the high court that called for making environmental sciences compulsory in all colleges. But, it has been more than a month that there is no one to teach the subject to 175 students of electrical and mechanical engineering's sixth semester and civil engineering's fourth semester.

The semester had started on January 9 but since then, no teacher has been appointed to take classes for the subject. The semester is ending in May but the college management has not even advertised the post.

According to the university to which the college is affiliated, at least 90 days class should be conducted for any subject.

The students had taken the matter to principal Dr Harpal Singh but he did not take the matter seriously.

Dr Gursharan Singh of the college said, "Environment science is a general subject. The principal has been apprised of the matter many times but to no avail. Other colleges from all cities, even near Bathinda, have appointed lecturers for the subject but our college does not seem to bother. Any teacher can teach this subject. It is not necessary to appoint a specific teacher to take classes for this subject. The principal has to at least tell us which teacher is supposed to take the classes. But he is not doing this also."

Despite several attempts, the principal could not be contacted for his version.

Bathinda, February 24
A fresh controversy has cropped up in the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC). This time, it is the names of deputy and senior deputy mayor engraved on the foundation stones being laid for the reverse osmosis (RO) plants in different wards of the Corporation.

Some councillors have objected to the “extra importance” being given to senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal and deputy mayor Gurwinder Pal Kaur Mangat in the works undertaken by the BMC. These councillors include those belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party, the party to which Goyal and Mangat belong.

There are 14 BJP councillors in the BMC and as per the information available, 12 of them had already decided against letting any stone be laid in their ward that bore the names of Goyal and Mangat.

Today, the 12 councillors, accompanied by some SAD-led and independent councillors, held a meeting with Mayor Baljeet Singh Bir Behman and apprised him about the resentment among them due to the appearance of the two names on the foundation stones.

They even threatened to damage the stones if they were laid against their wish.

In the meeting, Mayor Bir Behman and K.K.Yadav, Commissioner, BMC, were present.

When contacted, the Mayor said, “I have heard the councillors. Tomorrow, I will hear Goyal and Mangat before deciding on the issue.” On his part, Yadav said, “It is a party matter. After the final decision is reached, we will analyse the viability from an administrative angle.”

It may be mentioned that during the fourth general house meeting, a BJP councillor had alleged that the house was giving “extra-importance” to Goyal and Mangat. The councillor had warned that the councillors can anytime remove Goyal and Mangat from the positions they currently held.

Bathinda, February 24
Was it Lord Shiva’s blessings that all miscreants in the district remained busy celebrating Shivratri and the Bathinda police did not register any criminal case on Monday? Whatever be the reason, the SSP, Bathinda, was happy to record the day as crime-free, something that has happened after a gap of three years.

When this correspondent visited the police control room today to get the crime report for the day, the officer concerned replied, “Bhole Baba Di Kirpa Ho Gayi, Koi Crime Hi Nahi Hoya.”

According to police sources, it had happened after a period of over three years, when the records of all the 16 police stations, a CIA staff post and 11 police posts of the district registered no criminal case.

The sources said last crime-free day was reported in 2005 on the occasion of Diwali.

It may be mentioned that though Monday was quite an easy one for the district police, it had witnessed a hectic Sunday when the EGS teachers climbed atop a water tank while lodging their protest.

It is pertinent to note that the Bathinda police daily records around 10 cases, including theft, snatching, quarrel and property related issues.

An unconfirmed report said that the Kotwali police station of Bathinda in 2008 broke all the records in the state as it recorded the highest number of crimes — over 1,000.

Confirming the facts, SSP Ashish Chaudhary said, “It was a good day for all. We wish for more such days in future.”

Bathinda, February 24
In order to eradicate polio, the district administration will hold a door-to-door campaign from March 1-3. During the campaign, polio drops would be adminstered to as many as 17,000 kids of the district between 0-5 years.

In a press release issued here today, civil surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj and district immunisation officer Ajitpal Singh stated that during the campaign, about 82 teams and 27 supervisors would make sure that the campaign is a success.

The polio drops will also be administered to kids of labourers working in 170 brick kilns of the district.

Mansa, February 24
“Sincere efforts will be made to fix a job quota for girls, particularly from Malwa, who are backward educationally and socially, in industries and other institutions,” said Harsimrat Kaur, wife of deputy CM Sukhbir Badal while talking to the media at Datewas village here today.

Harsimrat said she favoured fixed job quota for women in industries, which are being set up in Bathinda and Mansa. She stressed upon education for girls to remove social evils like female foeticide.

Special classes for girls would be arranged in schools and colleges through a shift system, she added.

Harsimrat informed that a plan was being made to provide for the economic security of girls. Under this plan, fixed deposits would be made in favour of girls at the time of birth, admission in schools and at the time of passing different classes like V, VIII and X. Rs 5,000 would be provided in their fixed account at every above mentioned occasion, she said, adding that the plan would help in checking femicide. The girls interested in continuing their study or getting married after the age of 21 years, would be encouraged through economic help.

Harsimrat said she became more aware of the problems being faced by women after visiting Mansa and Bathinda and these would be solved.

When asked about her candidature from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, she clarified that her campaign for the rights of women would continue and is not related to her candidature.

Harsimrat addressed public meetings at Bareta and Budhlada today. District president of SAD Harbant Singh Datewas and Paramjit Singh Sandhwan also addressed the gathering.

Ferozepur, February 24
Former District Youth Congress president, Harinder Singh Dhindsa has been appointed as secretary, Punjab Preadesh Congress Committee (PPCC) by state party president Mohinder Singh Kaypee. In a communication, Kaypee exhorted Dhindsa to put in best efforts to strengthen the party, especially in the wake of the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Dhindsa thanked Kaypee, Parminder Singh, general secretary, PPCC, for reposing faith in him. Dhindsa said he will work hard to strengthen the party and ensure victory of the Congress candidate from Ferozepur LS seat. — OC

Abohar, February 24
India is the largest producer of fruits and vegetables but its share in the global markets for these commodities is less than one per cent, regretted Surinder Kumar Jakhar, chairman, Indian Farmers Fertilizers Cooperatives (IFFCO). 

Speaking as chief guest at the annual meeting-cum-seminar of the IFFCO Opinion Leaders Club at the Central Institute for Post Harvest Engineering Technology (CIPHET) here today, Jakhar said the main reason for this is poor agricultural practices, unhygienic conditions at farms and uncontrolled usage of synthetic agro-chemicals like pesticides. Coming down heavily on mushroom growth of farmer unions, the IFFCO chairman said they serve no positive purpose.

Arvind Pratap Singh, Project Executive of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), in his keynote address, said the FICCI has taken up Royal Norwegian Embassy sponsored four-year project on promotion of EUREPGAP standards of good agricultural practices. EUREPGAP is an initiative of agricultural producers and the major retail chains belonging to the European Retail Parties, an association of 118 major growers, exporters and importers in Europe.

In the pilot project, 210 farms were initially selected. CIPHET in-charge RK Gupta and Amarjeet Singh, senior area manager, IFFCO, welcomed the guests.

Scientist Vinod Saharan and IFFCO deputy manager RL Sethi also spoke on the occasion. 

Moga, February 24
Two persons were seriously injured when they were attacked by some armed persons outside a gurudwara in the main bazaar of the town, this morning.

As per the details available, when Nachattar Singh, son of Ram Singh resident of village Hariewala was on his way to the district courts to appear in a criminal case pending against him, some persons led by one Kewal Singh stopped him in the main bazaar near the railway crossing and started beating him up mercilessly.

In a serious condition, he somehow managed to escape and enter the premises of the nearby Bibi Kahan Kaur Gurudwara. A person identified as Harpreet Singh, a resident of Khokhar village, came forward to help him but the attackers opened fire on them. Harpreet was injured in firing. The attackers ran away from the spot.

The injured were rushed to the district hospital where their condition was said to be stable, said doctors who attended on them. Nachattar suffered multiple fractures.

After the statement of Nachattar Singh, the police registered a criminal case under section 307 of the IPC. It was learnt that the police had managed to nab three of the culprits and recovered the car and one gun involved in this incident. However, the police officials denied having arrested any person with regard to this incident.

Preliminary probe indicated that Nachattar and Kewal had an old enmity. — TNS