Bathinda, April 22
The royalty of Patiala, Rishma Kaur, has perhaps for the first time walked through the dingy lanes and by-lanes of this town to campaign for her husband Raninder Singh, who is the Congress candidate for the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency.

Not only the 50 wards of the Municipal Corporation here, but she also visited several institutions and NGOs to strike a chord with the common people during her weeklong election campaign.

She has been camping here since April 17 when Raninder Singh filed his nomination papers. She had filed her papers as his covering candidate. She returned to Patiala this afternoon to campaign for her mother-in-law Perneet Kaur after addressing four rallies at Kamla Nehru colony and Bhulera Mohalla.

During her campaign, Rishma asked people not to be scared of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as their days were numbered. The SAD leadership was frustrated and has resorted to bullying, she said.

Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, is scheduled to address an election rally at the Gandhi Market near the railway station on Friday.

The SAD and the Congress, after having extensively campaigned in the rural areas of the constituency, would now concentrate on the Bathinda town.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who camped here for three days before proceeding to some other constituencies, would be back here on Saturday to campaign for his daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is the SAD candidate. Her husband and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh would also concentrate here.

Captain Amarinder Singh, Congress campaign manager and father of Raninder Singh, would address an election rally at Lambi, the home constituency of the CM, next week.

He would address a series of rallies here on April 26 and 29 and again on May 3.

This has become the hottest among the 13 parliamentary seats of Punjab as it was virtually a fight between two families — Badals and Amarinder Singh. Members of the two families are expected to undertake door-to-door campaign in the town this week.

Bathinda, April 22
Whether it is the chief minister or seasoned ministers or the candidates contesting for the first time, all believe in the heavenly power and to pamper the celestial beings, undertake rituals to appease them. There is hardly any candidate who does not invoke God’s blessings.

Most of the candidates standing for elections started their election rally after performing a yajna or paying obeisance at gurdwaras, be it stalwarts like Raninder Singh or comparatively younger lot like Bhagwant Singh. The candidates feel that without pleasing and appeasing gods, they would not be able to do anything.

As per information gathered by TNS, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, SAD-BJP candidate for Bathinda LS seat, keeps on reciting ‘gurbani’ while moving from one place to another in a car for her campaigning.

TNS spoke to a few astrologers and the thing that became clear was that the candidates do not approach the astrologers but send their chief campaigners or the persons funding their election.

Dheeraj Sharma, a city-based astrologer said: “We have to use ‘mundane astrology’ when we are predicting the future of a candidate. This astrology is used as the political figures affect the lives of many a people. So the alignment of stars has to be taken into consideration. It is a comprehensive study of many factors.”

He further said that during the last Assembly elections, a majority of astrologers predicted a landslide win for former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. They mostly studied the stars of Vajpayee and did not take into consideration the overall picture and hence, they were proved wrong.

Sharma said that most of the candidates send their emissaries not only to one astrologer but to many.

He said many start the yajnas at their homes. Some perform pooja at Bagula Mukhi in Kangra near Chintpurni Temple. The yajna performed at this temple is very effective against the bad intentions of one’s foes and yajna performed at the temple offers a blanket of security. Many candidates perform yajnas at their homes as “Bhairav Yajna” can be performed anywhere and offers strength to the one performing it.”

Another astrologer, on the condition of anonymity, said: “It is very natural that the candidates want to know the results and will not leave any stone unturned to win the elections. Big rewards will involve big efforts and the candidates do not mind sending their family members to different places to appease the stars not in their favour. As the elections near, the race to astrologers will hot up. Till the results are out, the candidates will think they are the winners for hope is eternal.”

Faridkot, April 2
The 32-year-old Sukhwinder Singh Danny hand-picked by Rahul Gandhi from his youth brigade is fighting the Lok Sabha election on Congress ticket from Faridkot (reserved) constituency.

No matter, it is a nice opportunity for him to enter the electoral politics but his luck is more important for Rahul Gandhi, who has taken up the task of bringing youths in the Congress party.

Convent educated Danny holds a postgraduate degree in Political Science and Business Administration. However, the exact answer will be available only after the result of the elections so as to how tough it is going to be for the young Dalit leader?

He is fighting the political battle with the sitting MP of Bathinda Bibi Paramjit Kaur Gulshan of the ruling SAD, who has been shifted to Faridkot, as this seat has been Reserved for Scheduled Castes after the delimitation.

Gulshan holds an experience of five years in politics. She is the wife of a High Court judge and joined politics after quitting the teaching job. She has the advantage of being a sitting MP, belonging to a ruling party in the state and above all rolling smoothly on the political legacy of SAD President Sukhbir Badal who is the outgoing MP from here.

On the other side, Danny has just made his entry into the politics even after belonging to political family background. His father Sardul Singh had been a minister in the Congress from 2002 to 2007 and his maternal grandfather Gurmej Singh was also a minister in the Congress from 1972 to 1977 and 1992 to 1997.

Danny is totally banking on the local leaderships of his party in the nine Assembly segments. He does not have his personal say in the area. His campaign is not organised and most often he skips political/worker meetings, which is not a good sign for him. The only advantage he enjoys is of being a good orator through which he touches the sentiments of the people in a typical Punjabi tongue.

His rival Gulshan seems to be over-confident of her win. Though, she also depends upon the local party leaderships in their respective areas but she also has personal contacts with the Akalis in the area.

"I am confident I am going to win. I know there are lots of expectations but the party leadership has reposed faith in me and I will deliver," says Gulshan who is already in the thick of electioneering visiting villages.

Danny is also confident of his win demanding votes on the name of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He often says at public meetings, "I am fighting the election to strengthen the hands of Manmohan Singh, a Sikh and a Punjabi and I hope you will vote for me to see him as the PM again". 

Abohar, April 22
Election Commission observer Sameer Singh Chandel from Rajasthan inspected the counting centres and strong rooms in the DAV campus here today.

SDM Amit Dhaka, Abohar, deputy registrar Cooperative Societies Buta Singh, assistant returning officers for Abohar and Balluana segments and Avtar Singh Makkar tehsildar also accompanied him.

He informed that counting of votes for the Fazilka segment would be held at Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College, Abohar segment in the DAV College of Education and Balluana segment in the DAV College here. Barricading of the complex will be done within the next few days. — OC

Sriganganagar/Abohar, April 22
The Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC) men have been deployed at the RSS office in Suratgarh following the incident of ransacking by members of a minority community.

As per available information, the trouble started when women of a minority community residing next to the RSS office "Keshav Kuteer" near the Bhagguwala Kuan (well) allegedly emptied baskets full of garbage outside the office. As the RSS pracharak Vinod Kumar objected to it, the male members of the neighbouring family allegedly thrashed him and started pelting soda water bottles and bricks at him. They ten entered the office and damaged furniture etc also, RSS workers alleged.

Sensing trouble, as members of both the communities started gathering, the city police reportedly raided the RSS office and took pracharak Vinod Kumar and three other workers to the police station where they were kept in the transit lock-up. BJP workers led by city unit president Vijay Goyal rushed to the police station while members of the minority community too thronged the police complex. Both sides started raising protest slogans blaming the other for the trouble. However, the police allowed the RSS workers to go and convened a meeting to bring the warring factions to compromise. None had lodged any FIR, sources said.

Some residents of the locality said tension had been going on far last few months as the RSS named the crossing next to its office as Bharat Mata Chowk and fixed a portrait of Bharat Mata to prevent the members of the other community from pursuing their alleged plan to raise a guest-house allegedly to grab prime municipal land. The matter had been lying pending with the higher authorities, one Manoj Swami informed. 

Abohar, April 22
The sub-divisional police have been asked to take out flag march to instil confidence in the electorates for fair and fear free poll.

Election Commission observer Sameer Singh Chandel also directed the civil and police officials during a meeting here today to ensure that political parties dare not to influence the voters by offering liquor or money besides adhering strictly to the model code of conduct. — OC

Bathinda, April 22
Members of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation (PSSF) today sat on chain hunger strike to protest against the ‘anti-employee’ policies being adopted by the state government.

The members demanded the release of the Fifth Pay Commission report before the Lok Sabha elections and fixation of pay in the revised scale after merging interim relief with effect from January 2006 onwards.

The protesters, led by Gurbans Singh Johal, zonal secretary of the Federation, criticised the state government for ignoring the genuine demands of the Punjab employees. They demanded the revision of the terms and conditions of the ‘anti-employee’ Fifth Pay Commission. They also demanded for regularisation of employees and that the vacant posts in the state were filled up.

The members warned that if the government did not implement the report, they would continue their indefinite chain hunger strike at all district headquarters. “One of our members Sajjan Singh had been sitting on fast unto death in Chandigarh,” the PSSF zonal secretary said.

Bathinda, April 22
In the wake of the increased number of dengue and malaria cases in Bathinda and adjoining areas last year, the Bathinda health department has geared up for prevention and control of these diseases.

To review the steps taken by the department for the prevention and control of dengue, malaria and other water-borne diseases in the city, Dr I.B. Aggarwal, assistant civil surgeon, Bathinda, convened an emergency meeting at the Directorate of National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme today.

In order to tackle dengue cases, the city has been divided into four zones (West, East, South and North) to be headed by senior medical officers (SMOs) from dispensaries, polyclinic and community health centre. They have been assigned the responsibility of checking and monitoring their respective zones. They have also been directed to monitor the situation in order to predict the impending outbreaks of dengue, malaria and other water-borne diseases.

The zonal officers have been advised to maintain liaison with the medical officer in charge of the dispensaries for effective implementation of malaria and dengue-control measures.

Besides, the sanitary inspectors of the health department, the Bathinda Municipal Corporation and other institutions shall also assist the officers in the prevention and control of malaria and dengue.

Dr Aggarwal has also directed all medical officers and SMOs to monitor the cases of increased fever in their respective dispensaries.

"Since the civic bodies are responsible for the supply of potable water, sewage disposal, the heads should act well in time and check leakage and contamination of drinking water," said Dr Aggarwal

"Creating awareness among the masses through educative and media means was the only alternative to check the outbreak of these diseases," added the official.

The health authorities appealed to the NGOs to coordinate with the health department officials and civic authorities of their respective areas so that the chances of the outbreak of the disease were minimised.

Bathinda, April 22
Rural doctors working with the government have said that private practitioners were acting as quacks and were misguiding poor and uneducated villagers suffering from tuberculosis by just putting them on one or two drugs, which have steroids, and preventing them from visiting government dispensaries for proper treatment.

Dr Aslam, state president of the Rural Medical Service Association (RMSA), said discontinuation of treatment in some cases leads to development of drug resistance in patients, after which it becomes difficult to cure the disease.

The doctor said though free medication was available across the state, lack of awareness was hindering the efforts of the rural doctors.

Bathinda, April 22
The Punjab-based International Tractors Limited (ITL), which sells tractors under the Sonalika brand, claimed that it has achieved the highest export sales among all manufacturers in the country during the financial year 2008-09.

As per the press release issued here today, Deepak Mittal, managing director of the company, stated that the company posted export sales of Rs 105 crore, an increase of over 262 per cent over the previous year. It had earned Rs 40 crore from exports in 2007-08.

Mittal stated that the company had been able to achieve the record in a year of global recession and when the export industry showed a negative growth of 11 per cent.

The ITL further claimed a sales growth of 110 per cent within India — the highest among all tractor manufacturing companies in the country — and the company’s turnover in 2007-08 was Rs 1,300 crore.

Mittal attributed the growth in exports to its foray into the US market last year.

He added that it was through the ‘Hobby’ tractors, which are low-powered with 40-45 hp and used for gardening.

The company has also bagged orders from 18 countries such as Australia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and other European countries, apart from the US. It has set up an assembly plant in Nigeria to cater to the African market.

The company has also launched a multi-utility vehicle, Rhino, from its Rs 200 crore plant in Himachal Pradesh. The vehicle is being manufactured in technical collaboration with the MG Rover of Britain, the release said.

Bathinda, April 22
Except for expensive antiques, several conventional arts and professions are losing significance in this modern hi-tech world. Products churned out of machines are replacing the handmade ones. One such profession falling victim to the tech-attack is that of ‘sikligars’, the ones who had been making, sharpening and repairing scissors and knives for decades now.

Darshan Singh (60) hails from Sunam Mandi and is in his family profession for past 35 years. The ‘sikligar’ was in the city recently when TNS spoke to him.

“Our products are almost dead. People, these days, prefer company-made steel equipment. Resultantly, ancillary jobs have also reduced,” he said.

The ‘sikligar’ informed that a group of six to seven sikligars leave his town on bicycles for different places of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. They hawk for about 20 days to return with the earning barely enough for their family’s subsistence.

“Our children did not take up the family profession and are doing meanly jobs for Rs 1500 per month. For want of money, they have remained uneducated,” lamented white-bearded Darshan.

The ‘sikligar’ said: “Before polls, we are promised some privileges and facilities. But once the elections are over, nobody listens — whether Akalis or Congressmen. And it has been happening since my father’s time. The least that those in power can do for our community is provide our kids with education or some vocational course for our daughters.”

Darshan, who is also the vice-president of the Sikligar Sabha, Sunam, informed that there were nearly one lakh ‘sikligars’ in the state.

In Sunam only, he said, their population was close to 100. Most of them live in ‘kutcha’ houses. All are uneducated and don’t have enough money to venture into any other business.

Interestingly, no ‘sikligar’ has ever been booked for a criminal offence, difficulties galore notwithstanding. “Our gurus have ordered us to labour and live on the income so earned. No matter if it is more or less,” Darshan averred before peddling his way on.

Bathinda, April 22
The Earth Day was celebrated at the Eastwood International School, Doomwali on Wednesday. The Space Club members organised a show to mark the occasion. The Music Club kids presented a song, suggesting and advising as to how to save and preserve our environment and creating an ecological balance and living in harmony with nature and other creatures of planet earth.

Swati Aggarwal, IIT Rourkee, is heading the Earth Day Project, for the school and wished everyone a safe and healthy life on earth. The dean, Beena Rao, addressed the children telling them the importance and significance of the day.

The Space Club children presented a small skit in which they showed how human beings have disturbed the balance of nature, having stripped it of its resources, leaving the earth a poorer place for its descendants.

The Lord Rama Public School celebrated the Earth Day on its campus on Wednesday. The students carried pots with saplings and banners with slogans saying 'Save Mother Earth', 'Grow More Trees', 'Trees are like our lungs', 'cutting down of trees is like digging one's own grave' etc.

The teachers of the school impressed upon the students the necessity of keeping the surroundings clean, green and pure.

Principal Suraj Setia highlighted the importance of trees and pollution that poses a serious threat to human life. 

Bathinda, April 22
The Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa Institute of Engineering and Technology managed by the GTB Educational Trust, Malout, celebrated its 12th annual day on Wednesday.

Vice-chancellor of PTU Jalandhar, Rajneesh Arora was the chief guest on the occasion. In his address, he said that technical courses play an important role in the rise of any nation. He encouraged the students to be self-employed after the completion of their studies so as to be job providers instead of becoming the job seekers. Dr O.P. Vinocha, director-principal, presented the annual report at the function. Mahant Baba Kahan Singh Ji, Sewa Panthi, Patron, GTB Education Trust, addressed the students and staff, telling them the importance of spiritual values in the life.

In the end, S. Hardev Singh Jhorar, secretary, GTB Educational Trust, presented vote of thanks. Harjeet Singh Mann, dean, scademics, thanked staff members and students for their cooperation. Members of GTB Educational Trust were also present on the occasion besides other dignitaries. — TNS

Bathinda, April 22
Kotwali police arrested a clerk of the Municipal Council, Malout, for deceiving a number of doctors of Bathinda by issuing fake house tax receipts from the Municipal Corporation office, here today.

According to information available, the accused, Dharminder Singh of Malout, had deceived a number of people of Bathinda by issuing fake receipts of house tax. He had receipts of all municipal councils and corporations in the Bathinda district.

While issuing the fake receipts, he used to charge an amount that was less than the actual due amount, saying the matter would be settled by him on his own. On the basis of suspicion, some doctors of the city today objected to his act and nabbed him in the Municipal Corporation premises here, this evening. Before the police reached, the mob had manhandled him also.

Confirming the report, SHO, Kotwali police station, Harmeek Singh Deol said, “The accused had duped people of Rs 44,424. He has been arrested on the charges of cheating the doctors and would be produced in the court on Thursday.”

Bathinda, April 22
Two days after a CBI team nabbed the Commander Works Engineer of Military Engineering Service (MES), Bathinda, Col. PK Mohanty red-handed with a bribe of Rs 5,000 from his office, Army authorities today broke their silence and expressed concern over the issue.

Colonel PK Batra OIC Media of Chetak Corps, Bathinda, in a written statement said the Army authorities had expressed concern over reports of the arrest of the colonel. They assured full cooperation to the CBI in the investigation.

Moreover, they also assured of necessary action following the outcome of the CBI investigation.

Claiming to uphold the standards of integrity in the service, the Army reiterated its commitment in this regard and vowed to take strong action against those proved guilty of misdemeanour.

Fazilka, April 22
A girl (3) was crushed to death in Madhav Nagari locality today morning, while playing outside of her residence near the road, after an unidentified vehicle hit her from the back resulting in serious injuries to her.

According to Mahinder Kumar, father, and Meena, mother of the deceased, the hands and legs of their daughter Komal were crushed. She was immediately rushed to the local Civil Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries after some time.

City police has started investigation into the mishap. 

Hanumangarh/Abohar, April 22
A fair price shop licensee at village Khara Khera of Hanumangarh district had allegedly sold out 133 out of 243 quintals of wheat supplied to him for distribution among the Above Poverty Line families at subsidised rates to some private traders in neighboring Chautala area of Haryana, district collector Naveen Jain said today.

During the raid conducted by the SDO Asa Ram Doodi under instructions from the DC in response to some complaints, the licensee Dewat Ram reportedly fled with records. His godown has been sealed and a case under the Essential Commodities Act of the IPC has been registered against him.

The DC said each APL cardholder will be supplied 20 kg wheat at Rs 6.80 per kg. The consumers have been asked not to pay more than Rs 136 against such supply. At present, distribution was in progress at Rawatsar, Tibbi and Sangria area and likely to be started in Hanumangarh and Nohar sub-division. However, distribution at Bhadra and Peelibanga will be started by the next month. The DC has directed SDOs, tehsildars and naib tehsildars to inspect outlets. — OC