Bathinda/Mansa, April 29
Congress campaign manager Captain Amarinder Singh today said that countdown for the Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP coalition government has begun and they would be thrown out of power after the Lok Sabha election results were declared.

Addressing a largely attended rally at Mansa, Amarinder Singh said the Badals should be grateful to their fate that their government survived this long despite "inefficiency, corruption, nepotism and vindictiveness".

"Their days are numbered now and they will soon have to pack off," an upbeat Amarinder told a cheering crowd.

He said there were strong reasons for the SAD-BJP government's fall as it had "failed on all fronts."

The state ministry had seven members of the Badal family and the eighth one was now trying her luck to enter the parliament from the Bathinda constituency.

Amarinder Singh alleged that the Badals "have grabbed everything that had the potential of spinning money for them, be it the transport business, sand mining, cable TV operations or hotels".

Striking an emotional chord with the people, Amarinder reminded them that he put his government at stake by abrogating the water sharing agreements to save the water for Punjab.

But the "Badals neither cared nor dared to take any such initiative despite claiming themselves to be the guardians of Punjabi interests, they befooled people over this issue for decades," he said.

Referring to the discrimination against the police officials by the SAD-BJP government, Amarinder Singh said he had full knowledge as to how they were resorting to favouritism and ignoring merit and seniority.

He said he would ensure that the seniority is maintained and respected at all costs while promoting officials. "The worst is over and better times are ahead." he said.

Capt Amarinder Singh was accompanied by Sher Singh Gaggowal and Ajitinder Singh Mofar, both MLAs.

Bathinda, April 29
Severe heat wave conditions have been prevailing in Bathinda and the adjoining areas for the past three days as the northbound mercury has been hovering well above the 40-degree Celsius mark.

Moreover, there is no respite in sight from the scorching heat that has set the area on the boil.

Recording a new high on Wednesday, the mercury settled at 43.2 degrees Celsius, the highest ever temperature recorded so far of the season.

The day's minimum was 23 degrees Celsius, the Agro-MeT Advisory Services, PAU Regional Station, Bathinda, said adding, today's temperatures were above normal.

The sources at the regional station added that the temperatures have been above normal since Monday.

On Monday, the maximum temperature was 41.6 degrees Celsius while the minimum was 19 degrees.

On Tuesday, mercury moved further towards north and recorded 42.2 degrees Celsius while the minimum was 20.6 degrees Celsius, as per the sources in the regional station.

In addition to this, the information which has emanated from the meterological
department may also not be termed as pleasing and encouraging for the residents
of the region.

"The mercury is likely to touch 44 degrees Celsius mark in the next one or two days," weathermen predicted.

As far as the weather forecast made by the IMD, Chandigarh, on Tuesday and received by the regional station here, the weather is likely to remain dry and clear in the next two days.

There is possibility of rise in day temperature as mercury may remain between 42.6 degrees Celsius and 44.6 degrees in the period.

The relative humidity in the period may be around 25 per cent to 45 per cent,
weathermen said.

Bathinda, April 29
Mangal Dhillon, a renowned Bollywood actor, producer and director today urged people to cast their votes keeping in mind the merit of the candidates and not the parties they belong to.

Dillon was here as chief guest to inaugurate an education consultancy centre. Talking to the media, he blamed the politicians for the corruption and inefficiency.

“I urge you to present a list of demands in front of the leader who comes to you for votes. Do evaluate him after five years if he fails to keep his word and give him or her a befitting reply. If you fail to do so, leave the country and settle in some other country as we are not capable of taking on the politicians," Dhillon said.

When asked about his efforts made for the betterment of people, he said, "I have been producing movies based on the theme of eradicating social evils. In one such movie, I do my best to inspire people to stand up for their rights along with realising the power of the Guru and Gurmatt".

He said that in his movies, the theme and production create an environment for social and religious fervour.

Replying about monetary gain made through movies, he said, "It is a noble cause
for which I am ready to devote my life. From the movies, I have been incurring
monetary loss but a number of NRIs are attached to me who give me the help to
try again and again".

Bathinda, April 29
An all-time record in the Bathinda district has been created with the procurement of 6,51,278 tonne of wheat till today.

Stating this, deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari said the total procurement during the last Rabi season was 6,42,300 tonne.

However, the figure has been crossed even as the procurement during the current season was still to go. Due to the bumper crop, the procurement was expected to increase further.

Tewari said the shortage of labour has been removed and 3,90,809 tonne of wheat have been lifted from the grain markets.

The agencies involved in procurement of wheat have so far released a payment of Rs 659.56 crore against the total procurement worth Rs 687.15 crore.

He said jute bags, storage space, transportation and labour contracts were finalised before the procurement began.

However, some labour problem was faced during the lifting process in the grain markets, as the labour was engaged in harvesting wheat. Lifting operations were progressing in full swing now.

Giving a breakup of the wheat procurement, Capt.(retd) Parveen Vij, district food and supplies controller, said the Pungrain has purchased 1,04,212 tonne, the Markfed 1,42,345 tonne, the Punsup 1,25,300 tonne, the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 73,901 tonne, the Punjab Agro 88,100 tonne and the Food Corporation of India 1,13,020 tonne. Traders have purchased 4,400 tonne of wheat so far.

Bathinda, April 29
Real issues and problems of people in Punjab's Malwa belt seem have lost in the din of mudslinging by ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and opposition Congress leaders, the main contesting parties.

Contest between Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, and Raninder Singh, son of former CM Amarinder Singh, here has become battle between the two families. None is concerned about the commoner.

Leaders of both main parties have virtually skipped issues of public importance and were washing the dirty linen in public. This blame game has confused the electorate.

Neither the SAD and nor the Congress leadership has tried to understand the problems of common people living in this "cancer belt of Punjab" and other projects lying unfinished adding to woes of the people.

The foremost issue of drinking water supply here and in other towns and villages of the area has remained untouched.

SAD-BJP coalition government's initiative to install reverse osmosis (RO) plants to supply purified drinking water in certain cancer-hit villages has remained unsuccessful in some areas because the system was unable to clean the filthy water that flows in the canals.

This town, which is the hub of activity, is also faced with an acute scarcity of
drinking water.

People contracting ailments by consuming filthy water have to go to neighbouring Rajasthan or Delhi for treatment because proper health care is not available here.

Baba Balbir Singh Seechwal, who has raised voice against pollution, recently asked people to boycott the political parties that do not include pollution-free environment in their election manifesto. However, hardly any political party or the general public has taken a cue from his statement.

The Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency, which consists of the Bathinda and Mansa districts, is among most educationally backward areas of the country with a very low literacy percentage.

Women literacy is very low less, but the governments failed to solve the problem of shortage of teachers in the schools and colleges in the area.

No party seems bothered about settling the kin of those farmers who committed suicide because of debt. The rural areas of Bathinda have witnessed the highest number of suicides by farmers.

Amarinder Singh has been trying to exploit emotional issues and accuses Badal of indulging in nepotism and mismanaging the affairs of the state.

He claims the farmers, government employees and housewives were fed up with
the Badal government.

Amarinder claims that farmers of the Malwa region became prosperous during his Congress regime when the Bt cotton was introduced. The farmers have always suffered when Badal became Chief Minister, he says.

The former CM also takes pride in claiming that the Badal family has been forced to camp in Bathinda and forget the other 12 Lok Sabha seats because Raninder Singh has posed them a big challenge.

Badal, with folded hands, says “don’t compare me with Amarinder Singh who has five times changed his political parties and did nothing for Punjab”.

He denies it was his personal fight with Amarinder Singh. However, the general impression is both families were engaged in shadow boxing in Bathinda.

Badal says the state government has chosen Bathinda for setting up the central university because of the poor literacy rate in the region.

Bathinda, April 29
Hardev Singh Arshi, Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate for the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat today gave a clarion call to the people of Punjab to unite against the ruling SAD-BJP combine and the opposition Congress and to provide a third alternative in the state in the May 7 parliamentary elections.

Talking to The Tribune here today, Arshi made a scathing attack on the Parkash Singh Badal-led government for the rising prices, unemployment and its allegedly anti-poor, anti-farmer and anti-industry policies.

“The industrial units are being closed down here and they are making a beeline for the neighbouring states while the state government is sitting silent,” he said.

He also said the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress parties were generally pursuing the same economic policies, which fulfilled the desires of the World Trade Organisation and the World Bank.

He said these policies were not only crushing the common man, but also affecting badly the middle class, farmers and traders.

The CPI candidate said the Badal government had “failed” to implement most of the promises made in its manifesto during the previous Assembly elections. Due to this, agrarian crisis was prevailing in the state.

“The Badal family, in connivance with top industrialists of the state, was out to mint money by selling private properties at throwaway prices and selling the interests of the poor.” he added.

Besides, if voted to power, he said, the Left parties will not be averse to taking Congress support from outside to a Third Front government, Arshi said, adding that he was committed to provide safe drinking water to cancer afflicted people of the state and an early completion of thermal plants to ensure 24-hour power supply.

Arshi said the party had not lost its following in the region. He alleged people were not satisfied with the SAD-BJP alliance in the state.

“Neither the SAD-BJP alliance nor the opposition Congress has any vital issue to address and both are indulging in mudslinging,” he said.

Criticising the policies of NDA and UPA, he said that due to the pro-imperialist policies, the country had been facing economic meltdown in different fields.

Corruption, poverty and illiteracy had been badly affecting the progress of the state, so the people should support the Left parties in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Arshi said.

Bathinda, April 29
Seven Seas Education Consultants of Sydney, Australia, inaugurated its office for India operations here today.

Mangal Dhillon, a Bollywood actor, was the chief guest, while Dr JS Virk, chairman, GOPIO, Australia Business Council, was the keynote speaker on the occasion. Baljeet Singh Bir Behman, Mayor and some foreign industrialists were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Virk said they were focusing on the accurate and clear consultations regarding student visa and PR cases.

He said here, education level of people in general is low and mischievous agents easily befool them with smart tactics.

At this stage, the need of the day was that a single centre should be here to provide cheap and best information to all.

Bathinda, April 29
The Kendriya Vidyalaya No. -I, Bathinda Military Station, celebrated its 30th annual function today.

Brig. Deepak Das, Commander 615(I) AD Brigade and chairman VMC was the chief guest on the occasion.

The other officers present were Col Amit Rao, commanding officer 27 AD. On this occasion, a colourful cultural programme was presented by students.

The function began with Saraswati vandana, rhyme song, choreography on the theme 'Save Earth Save Environment', action song, English skit, quawali, choreography on patriotism and bhangra were presented.

Tiny tots in their colourful dress and action mesmerised all. Principal T.D.Garg presented the school report and spoke about achievements of the vidyalaya. Yamuna House won trophy for being the best house for the session 2008-09.

Prizes were distributed to the winners and shields were presented to the guests of honour Col.Amit Rao, Col. P.S. Bisht and former principal H.S. Puri.

Abohar, April 29
Rich tributes were paid to educationist Dr Gobind Lal Nagpal former principal of the DAV College of Education during a prayer meeting held on Wednesday morning at Swami Keshwa Nand Senior Secondary School here.

Officiating principal Chand Phutela and Gurmeet Kaur said the institution had
suffered an irreparable loss.

Dr Nagpal had died due to cardiac arrest in his house located in the old Suraj Nagari here on Tuesday during sleep.

The door of his bed room had to be broken as he did not respond to repeated knocking as well as the mobile phone calls.

Dr Nagpal had served some colleges in Haryana before joining here. He also worked as director in some prestigious institutions of Punjab and Rajasthan.