Bathinda, March 24
‘Vote for change’. With this slogan, the Bahujan Samaj Party kicked off its poll campaign in Punjab today. The party organised its first election rally in the state at the local grain market.

Addressing the rally, the party’s national general secretary Narinder Kashyap, who reached here to garner votes for the party candidates in Punjab, flayed the SAD (B) and the Congress for advancing the dynastic rule in the state. Expressing confidence in the party’s growth, he said the BSP would make the government in the 15th Lok Sabha (LS) and Mayawati would become the Prime Minister.

“People are fed up with the union governments of the Congress and the BJP, who failed to fulfill their basic needs. In view of this, the only alternative at present is the BSP,” he said.

Kashyap said the BSP had already announced 12 of its 13 candidates in Punjab and the nominee for the Gurdaspur seat would be announced in two-three days.

He said the BSP would spring a surprise by winning at least six seats in the state. “We would aim at consolidating the votes of the Scheduled Castes in the state, which were about 33 per cent of the total population,” Kashyap said, adding, “The BSP is not only aiming to increase the number of votes but winning seats was equally on its mind.”

He also said the party would write to the Election Commission for sending paramilitary forces in Punjab considering the violence that took place during the last Panchayati Raj elections.

On the occasion, Kashyap also welcomed into the party the dissidents from the SAD (B), the Congress and the Lok Bhalai Party. One of the dissidents Mohinder Singh Sohl, who joined the BSP, said he was not happy with the policies of the SAD (B).

BSP state president Avtar Singh Kareempuri urged the gathering that on April 28, the BSP supremo Mayawati will visit Ludhiana to address a party rally. Among others who addressed the rally were Nem Chand Chaudhary and Gurdev Singh Manshahia, LS seat candidates for Bathinda and Ferozepur.

Bathinda, March 24
In view of the forthcoming paddy season, hundreds of farmers from across the Malwa belt of Punjab today lined up outside the sale counters of the certified seed in the Kisan Mela, which was organised by the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) on its extension campus here.

It was a herculean task for farmers to first deposit money at the counters and then get the seed bags issued. As many as 18,321 bags of seeds of various varieties of paddy, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables were sold.

Chota Singh, who came from Fatehpur in Mansa district, was satisfied with the six bags of seed that he was issued. He said the paddy seed was not available in the fairs organised by the PAU in Mansa, due to which he was here.

Several private sector seed producers had set up their stalls outside the PAU premises. But the farmers preferred to purchase the certified seeds as they were insect resistant and gave a good yield.

Vice-chancellor of the PAU, Dr M.S.Kang, told TNS that the theme of the fair “conservation of natural resources” aimed at drawing the attention of farmers towards water pollution that arise due to excessive use of pesticides and insecticides. There was a need to take remedial steps. Farmers should judiciously spray pesticides and insecticides.

Highlighting the problem of brackish water and soil, Kang said the PAU scientists have developed relevant technologies to resolve the problem.

Lectures were also delivered to urge farmers for adopting scientific techniques to enhance the production of grains and vegetables and prevent pollution.

Dr. G.S. Buttar, director of the PAU research station here, advised the farmers to get in touch with PAU experts to seek modern agricultural technologies. 

Mansa, March 24
"Either I or my mother-in-law Surinder Kaur Badal would be the SAD candidate from Bathinda and the announcement in this regard would be made by SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal soon," said Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of Sukhbir while talking to this correspondent at Sardoolgarh today.

Harsimrat said that during Mansa visit she found that women have bed facing many problems and these would be addressed on the priority basis.

Women were backward in several fields, including education, employment and social, she said, adding that she would try to solve them with the cooperation of people.

She pointed out that women had been facing problems as they were ignored.

She said that the Nanhi Chaan campaign was getting positive response from people and this would be propagated on large scale during parliament elections.

She claimed that in coming years, people would see a revolutionary change in the state and particularly in Bathinda.

She addressed public meetings at Jhanda Kalan, Karandi, Khaira Kalan, Khaira Khurd, Allu Pur, Mirpur Kalan and Sardoolgarh. Among others who addressed the public meetings included SAD general secretary Balwinder Singh Bhunder, chairman Zila Parisad Dilraj Singh Bhunder, Kaka Dhillon, Jaspal Kaur Bhunder and Gurpreet Singh Banawali. 

Abohar, March 24
Amidst complaints that the wheat and other essential commodities were not being supplied to most of the BPL card holders, the local police have arrested licensee of a fair price shop and a grain merchant after seizing 100 bags of wheat that had allegedly been siphoned off for the black market, sources said.

As per information, Nai Abadi resident Suresh Kumar who runs fair price shop in Rajanwali village had allegedly sold out 100 bags of wheat reportedly supplied to him by the government agencies for distribution to card holders.

The CIA staff accompanied by an inspector from the PUNSUP nabbed Suresh along with grain merchant Harbans Lal of village Sardarpura when 
the latter was allegedly making payment against the wheat bags.

Well-placed sources said pressure from political quarters was mounted up to hush off the case but the police was quick enough in registering the case under section 406 and 420 of the IPC.

Another depot holder had earlier been arrested while selling wheat to a flour mill here on the Thakur Abadi road, sources added. 

Bathinda, March 24
A day-long free medical camp was organised by the district TB department in association with the Dost Welfare Society at Bal Bhawan in Ganesha Basti here today to mark the World TB Day.

Municipal commissioner Munish Kumar was the chief guest at the function organised on the occasion while Bathinda civil surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj presided over the function.

Nearly 352 patients were examined by the doctors at the camp. Free medicines were also distributed among the patients.

Munish Kumar appealed to the people suffering from cough more than two weeks to go to the nearest TB Centre for sputum examination on alternative days. J.R. Goyal, secretary, Red Cross Society asked the gathering to control the disease in the Bathinda District.

Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, district TB officer said about 322 patients were given free treatment in January and February this year. 

Bathinda, March 24
The BSNL, Bathinda district, today selected its 15 "loyal and valued" landline subscribers to give bonus to them for making regular and timely payments of their bill. The customers were selected in a lucky draw.

Conducting the draw at BSNL office here, the general manager Vinod Parkash said that the giving bonus sort of thing was an attempt to encourage and appreciate them for their act.

"Landline customers who have been making payments of their bills uninterruptedly for the last six months were eligible to take part in the draw. Altogether 22,405 customers in Bathinda were found fit for the purpose," the GM said, adding that the lucky ones would be given some sort of bonus equivalent to the last bill of their telephone.

"The winners would be informed through letter as well as phone," the GM said.