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Apollo group’s information centre set up
New service to update farmers on crop price, weather
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Workers from Rajasthan step in as NREGA checks cow belt migration
Drain water brings high crop yield, poor health
Raninder predicts fall of Badal govt after LS polls
CPUJ meet
‘Tap youth power for progress’
Fazilka heritage fest from April 9
Youth killed in mishap
Blood donation camp held
Eyeing Olympics, Army catches them young
No tab on code violation
A BMC vehicle being used to sprinkle water at the venue of deputy CM Sukhbir Badal’s election rally at Kothe Amarpura on Sunday. Tribune photo: Kulbir Beera
One held with 2.5 kg opium
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Apollo group’s information centre set up
Bathinda, April 5 Patients, who wish to consult specialists of the Apollo Hospitals at Bathinda, could now fix up appointments through the 24-hour information centre. Other relevant information such as the treatment procedures, the cost of treatment and boarding and lodging facilities could also be had from the centre free of cost. Briefing media, Dr G.S. Nagpal, managing director of the Nova Heart Hospital, said, “We have always striven to provide the very best healthcare facility to the people of this region and this tie-up would help us in taking this endeavour further in a more professional and efficient manner.” On the rationale behind opening the centre R. K. Raina, senior manager, marketing, Apollo Hospitals, stated that they have chosen the Nova Heart Hospital because of their commitment to provide best possible healthcare to the people. “Besides providing super specialist consultations at the doorsteps of the people of the region, the hospital would provide valuable information about treatment and also facilitate the patients, he added. He further said many patients encountered difficulties in getting accustomed to the metro cities and the centre would provide relevant information beforehand to avoid inconvenience to them. Dr Rajeev Rajput, senior consultant, interventional cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, while speaking to media, said heart diseases were increasing day by day and this tie-up would be helpful to the patients by providing cardiac consultation and cardiac procedure in their city itself. The hospital patients who have to get follow up treatment could also make use of the information centre. Tele-medicine facilities are to be introduced shortly for this purpose. Specialists of the hospital would also visit the centre periodically to conduct outpatient camps and diagnose the patients. |
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New service to update farmers on crop price, weather
Bathinda, April 5 Giving information, Raju Barwale, managing director, Mahyco, said the company had taken the initiative to provide farmers with personalised market-relevant information through RML because in the seven years since Bt cotton was approved for release by the Indian government, farmers had revolutionised cotton production in the country thereby doubling it from 136 lakh bales in 2003-04 to 315 lakh bales in 2007-08. Amit Mehra, MD, the RML, claimed that the new service would help farmers to enhance their crop yields and improve their production over a wide range of produce, including onion, cotton, soybean, pomegranates and kinnows. Also, the Government of India actively supports the RML service, he added. “Since its launch in October 2007 in Maharashtra, the RML had sold nearly two lakh quarterly subscriptions. Farmers had reported significant financial benefits within few weeks of using RML,” Mehra informed. “It is driven by the need for information in the farming community and the rapid rise of mobile penetration in India which is accessible and affordable to the farming community,” he said.
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Workers from Rajasthan step in as NREGA checks cow belt migration
Bathinda, April 5 During an interaction with a large group of labourers working at village Jeewan Singh Wala, who had come from Pali area in Rajasthan, it was observed that they had come just due to the necessity of wheat, which they cannot get in their region. They said in their area water level was too low to produce wheat. So they had come here bearing huge travelling expenses. In the previous season, it was observed that due to implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), a small number of labouers from Bihar and UP had come here, as they had got jobs in their own states. Recalling the past experiences of labour shortage, farmers of the region have already started booking the labourers in advance to avoid such situation. “We are a total of 26 members in family, who have been reaping the crop here in this 12 acre field. After here, we will move to the adjacent chunk of the field, as ‘Sardarji ’ had already booked us for that,” an elderly labourer Boota Singh said. Another labourer, Rana Sabu Chaudhary said, “We stay here for a month and after the harvesting season will return to our village in Rajasthan to reap bajra and get other jobs also.” The farmer, Jagsir Singh of village Jeewan Singh Wala, whose field was being harvested, said, “No labourer is free nearby as most of them are busy in laying road and construction related works. Now labourers from Bihar and UP are not interested in coming here, so we have been finding these Rajasthanis to be the only assistance for us because we alone cannot reap the whole area on our own.” On being asked about the use of Combine harvester he said, “We never go for that machine considering its demerits, as it spoils much quantity of grains and also leaves stubble in the earth.” About the charges being paid to them, he said, “Now we cannot negotiate with them much, as understanding the labour pang, they too have started taking stand on their demand. They take 1.2 quintal wheat for reaping one acre. In a day, they all including women collectively reap total three acre of crop. Other than this we have to bear their milk and sugar expenses and also provide shelter at our own house.”
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Drain water brings high crop yield, poor health
Bathinda, April 5
The effect of crops irrigated with toxic waste can be observed in symptoms like plaque on teeth, joint pain and grey hair in the villagers. Whether it is wheat, cotton, paddy, vegetables or any other crop, farmers of villages Kotbhara, Kot Bakhtu, Kotfatta, Ramgarh Bhunder, Chathewala, Jeewan Singh Wala, Shergarh, Mallwala, Kaile Bandar, Chak Ruldu Singh Wala, Pathrala, Manak Khana and others, located along the banks of the Lisada drain near Bathinda, have been using this dirty, stinking, toxic black water for about two decades to irrigate their crops. The drain carries sludge and waste of factories located in Barnala district. Shockingly, while crossing Bathinda district, the drain becomes dry as almost the whole of the water gets used in agricultural fields. During a recent visit to some such villages, it was observed that despite awareness about the adverse effects of the irrigation practice, the officials were not taking adequate steps to rectify the situation. The official apathy is evident from the fact that farmers, pooling money, have installed motors pumps along the banks of the drain, from where they lift the water that is supplied through kilometers long steel and cemented pipes buried beneath the earth, to the agricultural fields. Narrating his plight, Satwant Singh, an elderly farmer of village Kotfatta, said, "This water stinks, so it is obvious that it would be leaving its harmful effect on crops also. Taking precautions, we sell whatever we produce in the market and buy canal irrigated yield of crops for our own consumption." Showing the carrots sown in his field for self consumption, Balwinder Singh of village Kotbhara said, "The crop will get spoiled if I do not sell it in the market as my grandchildren have clearly refused to consume it as it has been irrigated by this muck." "Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the SAD (B) candidate for Lok Saha elections came to a nearby village but when we were about to inform her about the problem, a leader, who was acting as her guide, flipped the issue saying that it was farmers who use the drain water of their own will due to its high productivity," alleged Jaswant Singh of Kotbhara. Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, Neelam Bajaj said, "The task to check the water and its effect on crops is to be done by the agriculture department. Moreover, the laboratory tests are very expensive but soon, we will try to get some of the crops examined, considering the public health." Replying to a query, Chief Agricultural Officer, Bathinda, Paramjeet Singh Sandhu said, "To check the menace, we had requested the Punjab Agricultural University authorities. But so far, no response has been received." "When the crop is harvested this time, we will take samples to get it examined," he assured. DC, Bathinda, Rahul Tewari said, "Till now, no formal complaint has come to me regarding this. So I cannot visit and check the crop and the water on my own. But if somebody lodges a complaint, then we will take immediate action.”
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Raninder predicts fall of Badal govt after LS polls
Mansa, April 5 He further said that all sections of the society are not happy with the performance of the state government because SAD-BJP government could not fulfill its promises, which were made during the Assembly elections. Raninder appealed to the people that they had an opportunity to give a befitting reply over the atrocities of SAD-BJP government. Raninder lauded the performance of Manmohan Singh led Central government for launching many policies for the welfare of farmers, employees and poor people. He addressed public meetings at Pairon, Autawali, Matha, Bajewala and Jhuneer. Meanwhile, hundreds of Akali workers today joined the Congress party in the presence of Raninder Singh. Congress MLA Ajitinder Singh Moffar, youth leader Gurpreet Singh, Bikram Singh Moffar and Jeevan Dass Bawa also spoke at the meetings.
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CPUJ meet
Abohar, April 5 According to Shyam Sunder Sachdeva, a member of the national council of the Indian Journalists Union, the meeting that concluded at Tarn Taran this afternoon was also attended by the presidents, secretaries, state and national committee members from the Ferozepore and Faridkot districts. About 150 delegates sought to convey through SAD MP Dr Ratan Singh Ajnala and the local legislator Harmit Singh Sandhu, who also shared the dais during the open session, that the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal announced in the presence of more than 1500 journalists last year that Rs 11 lakh grant would be released besides allotting a plot for developing media training center in Mohali. The CM had also assured that henceforth no correspondent will be arrested until the complaint against him is investigated by the gazetted officers. Such cases were to be reviewed by a committee comprising of the DC, SSP and the district president/secretary of the CPUJ. Senior SAD leaders were apprised of the resentment that prevails among the journalists over failure on the part of the coalition government in fulfilling the assurances. As per reports, most of the delegates were of the view that the CM has virtually backtracked on the promises in the same fashion as he had been doing with the government employees during the past two years. He released during the last one year cheques worth crore of rupees to different NGOs but ignored the CPUJ under a hidden agenda. No proceedings had so far been initiated for the allocation of the government land in Mohali to enable the CPUJ start construction of the media training center, CPUJ president Vinod Kohli said. Though some suggested that agitation should be launched in a phased manner at all the sub-divisional headquarters while others were of the opinion that Bathinda should be the only destination to organise a sit-in (dharna) against the government. A final decision is expected in a day or two.
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‘Tap youth power for progress’
Abohar, April 5 A large number of principals, lecturers and delegates from different institutions of Punjab and neighboring states participated in the day-long seminar that was organised in collaboration with the Council of Teacher Education (CTE). Principal Dr R.P. Asija, a former member of the PU senate and syndicate welcomed the guests. Asija called for enabling youth cope with frustrations to join the nation building endeavours. Vijay Luxmi Bhadoo, chairperson of the Women and Child Development Corporation gave a call for waging a decisive battle against social evils that continued to haunt the nation. CTE state president Dr D.R. Vij said India had made tremendous progress but could not exploit its full potential. NCERT representative Dr K.L. Arya persuaded the would-be teachers to inculcate values and pass on the same to the students. PU senator S.S. Sangha opined that NSS and NCC can be the best mediums for channelising the youth power. The media also needs to highlight the positive efforts and play a vital role in bringing the country at par with the US and other developed nations. Director Anurag Asija thanked the experts for presenting their valuable and incisive papers at the seminar here.
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Fazilka heritage fest from April 9
Fazilka, April 5 The general secretary of the association, Navdeep Asija, disclosed that this year the theme of the festival is “Organic Food and Global Warming.” According to the details provided by Asija, during these four days of festival, one night will be dedicated to display the vibrancy and cheerful nature of Fazilka people. Live bhangra show, rock bank performances in front of Fazilka's historic clock tower daily would be an important feature of the festival. The programmes on second night would be dedicated to the martyrs of Indian armed forces, who laid down their lives defending the country in general and Fazilka in particular in the 1965 and 1971 wars and on occasions. This night will be organised in collaboration with Indian armed forces. Besides, a night dedicated to honour and celebrate the women of Fazilka region, who made the city proud in different fields is also planned. A debate on global warming will also be organised. To promote organic food, a food street on the pattern of Lahore's famous food street is going to be organised in which the noted chefs of the area will prepare the organic food of Malwa region. Further, to keep the traditional culture of Fazilka alive, the local artists will display their products related to handicraft and traditional fine arts on both sides of the road leading to Pratap Bagh, the venue of the festival. “The Fazilka Heritage Festival 2009, besides bringing out this spirit alive in the shape of a mega cultural festival, is going to be bigger, broader and better, wherein cultures unite, wits battle, ideas and imagination get involved,” said an enthusiastic Dr Bhupinder Singh, the patron of the GWAF.
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Youth killed in mishap
Abohar, April 5 Their vehicle reportedly collided on the Abohar-Hanumangarh road with a canter that was carrying vegetables from Jaipur. The driver of the canter fled leaving the ill-fated vehicle on the spot. Some passersby shifted the three youth to the civil hospital after dragging them from the badly mangled jeep. However, the doctors declared Amandeep as brought dead, while others are responding to the treatment, hospital sources said, while confirming that the body of the deceased had been handed over to parents after the postmortem. A case has been registered against the driver of the canter, the Sadar police said. In another incident, a resident of Rohini in Delhi, Mamta Goyal, her daughter Rasiga and son Kshitij were seriously injured, as the car they were travelling in, collided with a jeep near Raziasar yesterday, Sriganganagar police said. All the injured have been admitted to the district hospital.
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Abohar, April 5 Deputy Commissioner Naveen Jain inaugurated the camp by donating blood. He was followed by DSP Rajinder Singh Sisodia, traffic police in-charge Naresh Gera and Sadar SHO Ranveer Singh. About 95 persons filled forms as blood donors, three for donating eyes after death while one person pledged to donate his body after death. The blood bank team was led by Dr Sunita Sardana and Dr Pyare Lal Sharma, while senior journalists Vineet Bishnoi and Roshan Lal Ahuja conducted the camp as the state observers. DC Jain also discussed in detail medical and social importance of blood donation. District president of the union Anil Jandu and the general secretary Raju Ramgarhia said scribes also owe responsibilities to society, and so, they will keep on arranging such welfare and inspiring activities. BJP Yuva Morcha, Congress slum area wing, Mahila Morcha, Lions Club, Yuva Rajiv Brigade, Navjiwan Nasha Mukti Kendra also coordinated to make the camp a success. People made a beeline and waited for hours but blood was collected strictly as per requirement of the blood bank. — OC
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Eyeing Olympics, Army catches them young
Bathinda, April 5 Col D.K. Pradhan, officer-in-command of the Company, while talking to TNS said, “We would select boys in the age group of 11 to 14 years and would train them for the Olympics. The Army would also provide them education till class X or XII. They would be absorbed in the Army, if they met the specific requirements.” He said the boys’ sports companies were at many places like Bangaluru, Chennai, Secunderabad, Devlali (Maharashtra) etc. An Army personnel said boys who were interested in appearing for the selection should report at the sports stadium along with their parents or relatives by 7 am. They must bring along their birth certificate, certificate provided by the school authorities mentioning in which class the student is and sports achievement certificates if any. While those who have had passed class V and were 11 to 14 years old are eligible, boys having a remarkable achievement in sports but are below 11 years or over 14 years, will also be considered.
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No tab on code violation
Bathinda, April 5 Today, employees of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) using tractors and water tanks were found sprinkling water at Kothe Amarpura, where a rally is scheduled to take place on Monday. When those deputed for the ‘unofficial’ job, were asked about the violation, they declined to say anything. Sources said the tank would remain stationed there till the rally to serve drinking water to all visitors. Meanwhile, it was seen that the tent and other structures were being raised using domestic LPG cylinders, which was a gross violation itself of the orders issued by the deputy commissioner. When apprised of the matter, BMC Commissioner Manish Kumar said, “I have not ordered anybody to perform such an ‘illegal’ job. Taking suo moto notice of this information, I will take strict action against the persons concerned, as it is a violation of the poll code.”
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Bathinda, April 5 In-charge of the wing, Makhan Singh, said, the arrested accused Jagdeep Singh of Goluwala Mandi (Rajasthan) had come here on a motorcycle to deliver the consignment to some unknown person. Sources in the area also informed that the accused had thrown some of the opium in a drain. When contacted, AIG, Counter Intelligence, Patiala zone, Pripal Singh Virk, said, “The accused has been arrested in Bathinda but the case would be registered under the NDPS Act at the Narcotic Cell, Amritsar, which is the notified police station for narcotic cases.” — TNS
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Bathinda, April 5
Bathinda, April 5
Bathinda, April 5
Bathinda, April 5
