Bathinda, May 3
The former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh today gave a clarion call to the electorate to “wipe out the SAD-BJP alliance” and cautioned them to beware of “political stunts” of the Badal family. He was addressing a public rally here in favour of the party candidate from Bathinda and his son Raninder Singh.

A confident Capt said LS results would be amazing and the Congress would wrest all the 13 seats. He said the SAD-BJP alliance had no vision for the development of Punjab and was involved in petty politics just to garner votes to promote the Badal clan.

Amarinder pointed out that the SAD-BJP government had failed to present even a single budget in the past two years.

He said the Congress took a bold stand in safeguarding the interests of the farming community by annulling all previous agreements on river waters that saved about 16 lakh families of Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Bathinda, Barnala, Ferozepore and Faridkot districts. On the other hand, he said, Badal intentionally delayed this issue and bartered the interests of Punjab.

He said Bt cotton and abrogation of water treaties were the achievements of the Congress government.

He criticised the functioning of the Badal government. He alleged that as many as 42 Congress workers were killed during the SAD-BJP regime because of atrocities. He stated that the SAD-BJP government would fall after the Lok Sabha elections if a Congress candidate was elected.

He said Dr Manmohan Singh was an able Prime Minister and he should be elected to power again to govern the country for its welfare and development.

Coming down heavily on BJP leadership, who has raised doubts on the honesty of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Capt Amarinder said, “If Manmohan Singh is not a man with clean image, then none else is clean in the country.”

Dubbing the BJP and its alliance partners as power hungry, he said it had tried to vitiate communal harmony and divide people with their hatred-oriented politics. Likewise, its alliance partner SAD was responsible for the black days of terrorism and the social unrest, presently prevailing in the rural areas of the state.

He pointed out that the entire Badal family was camping in Bathinda because Harsimrat Kaur Badal was facing an “uphill task” due to the presence of Raninder Singh (Congress) in the election arena. He said the Badals were so desperate that not only they themselves, but also a large number of SAD supporters from across the state had reached here in a bid to save their “sinking boat”.

A belligerent Amarinder Singh called Bikram Singh Majithia a “bandar” (monkey) and Sukhbir Singh Badal a “balungra” (kitten) while alleging that the duo was out to ruin the state’s development.

Among others, MLAs Harminder Singh Jassi and Makhan Singh, and Raninder Singh, the LS candidate from Bathinda, also addressed the gathering.

The Captain addressed massive rallies at Nathana, Mansa and other segments in the past few days and would campaign in Lambi tomorrow. The peasantry was disappointed over the haphazard procurement of their produce by various agencies during the SAD-BJP regime. However, in wake of the elections, the state government made elaborate arrangements for procurement of the current wheat crop.

The SAD was facing the disadvantage of coordination lacking between its rank and file and the BJP, its coalition partner, during the entire campaign in this crucial constituency. Visits of top BJP leaders in the area were abruptly cancelled causing further setback to the campaign.

Efforts of the SAD-BJP core committee to put up a united face have remained futile and activists of the latter were half-heartedly campaigning for Harsimrat.

CPI candidate, Hardev Arshi, has held impressive rallies in certain pockets, particularly in Mansa district. Nem Chand Chaudhary, BSP candidate, was also involved in a hectic campaign. The two are likely to cut into the vote bank of the Congress, feel SAD activists.

Q: In what way is your party different from the other parties?

Fazilka, May 3
The non-payment of compensation to farmers having lands across the barbed-wire fencing along the zero line is emerging as a important poll issue in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

It is pertinent to mention here that the farmers who cultivate across the barbed wire fencing are not allowed to grow tall height crops due to security reasons. Besides, restricted entry into fields across the fencing and damage to crops by intrusion of stray animals particularly pigs from Pakistan side were the important reasons in light of which the Vajpayee government had granted Rs 2500 per acre annually as compensation to farmers.

The payment of this compensation was, however, stopped in 2002. Now whichever candidate contacts the border farmers for votes, he has to face volley of odd questions from the farmers who are demanding increased compensation in light of the difficult situation.

Kundan Singh, resident of village Dholla Bhai, whose land falls across the fencing say that they would vote only for that candidate who would ensure compensation to them. The farmers maintain that fighting all odds, they cultivate to the last inch to the Indian territory but they were not allowed to grow tall height crops. They could not cultivate sugarcane yields good returns at low input costs and lesser maintenance due to security hazards.

If they cultivate tall height crops, intrusion from Pakistan side and smuggling of narcotics and other contraband items becomes easier as on Pakistan side there is wild grass and no cultivation is done. If the tall crops are cultivated, the security personnel find it difficult to keep strict vigil.

The SAD-BJP candidate Sher Singh Ghubaya while touring these border areas holds Captain Amarinder Singh government and UPA government at Centre responsible for non-payment of the crop compensation which had been sanctioned by the Vajpayee government. He alleges that the Vajpayee government during its tenure had released the farmers compensation at Rs 2500 per acre annually to the Captain Amarinder Singh government for payment to farmers. However, Captain government instead of releasing the compensation to farmers diversified the funds.

He further alleges that in 2004 when the UPA government came to power it stopped releasing Rs 2500 per acre annually. He promises the voters that if NDA is voted to power it would ensure compensation of Rs 5000 per acre annually to them.

On the other hand, Jagmeet Singh Brar is trying to woo the border farmers by assuring that he would try to get such compensation to farmers. He says that it is due to efforts of Congress party that Rai Sikhs have been granted Schedule Caste status and he would try to address this and other problems also. It may be noted that the agriculture area across the barbed wire fencing is largely cultivated by the Rai Sikhs. 

Bathinda/Mansa, May 3
Just four days before the Lok Sabha polls in this constituency, Congress leaders today accused SAD (B) workers of assaulting their party men. They also accused the Mansa police for rounding up seven of their activists to sabotage their 'massive' rally under SAD pressure.

According to the information available, Zile Singh, a senior Congress worker and panchayat Samiti member of village Adamke, was attacked by SAD (B) workers with some sharp-edged weapon in the fields in his village this afternoon.

Giving details of the incident, Sardulgarh MLA Ajit Inder Singh Mofar alleged that Zile Singh was attacked by Akali workers with a clear motive to kill him. However, he managed to save himself but received severe cuts in his right arm. While talking over the phone, Mofar alleged that the police were not only acting as a mute spectator but was also supporting the culprits. He demanded registration of an FIR against the accused and alleged that the police was shielding the guilty.

In a separate case, seven Congress workers from the Sardulgarh assembly segment were reportedly arrested by the district police.

Mofar alleged that they were being harassed deliberately to disrupt their rally in Sardulgarh, being addressed by former Chief Minister and the chairman of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Campaign Committee, Captain Amarinder Singh.

He identified the arrested Cong men as Polojit Singh of village Bajjewala, Satpal Singh of Fatehpur, Joginder Singh and Zila Singh, a nambardar of village Khuduwal and Randhir Singh and Jagtar Singh of village Sahnewali.

Lodging a protest, Congress activists led by Mofar blocked the road at Ghaggar bridge in Sardulgrah for about four hours, which was lifted only after the release of Congress workers and an assurance of withdrawal of cases filed against them.

When contacted, SSP Mansa, Manminder Singh denied the incident as was being alleged. "The clash took place in the fields over some water dispute. It was not at all related to election. One SHO is still in the village for investigations but nobody is ready to give any statement about the clash. But I will ensure that necessary action is taken against the guilty irrespective of their party affiliations," he said.

"Moreover, we did not arrest any Congman. Only one Polojeet Singh was called to the police station at Jorkian, that too on the direction of the court concerned, where a plea for the cancellation of a case registered against him was rejected. About the rest, whose arrest they are alleging, had themselves followed him to the police station, we did not call them."

Abohar, May 3
"Vote da haqdar kaun, koyee nahin" and "lotu partiyan nu bhajao, kise nu vote na pao" such slogans rented the air as scores of motorcyclists passed through the main roads of the sub-divisional town on Sunday braving scorching heat.

The rally aimed at emphasising "vote for none" was organised by the Lok Sangram Manch. Emanating from rural areas of the Khuyiansarwar block, the rally was led by a four wheeler that carried portraits of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and other martyrs. It proceeded to the villages of the Abohar block to pursuade the electorate against exercising their franchise in the May 7 elections. The participants resented that all the political parties had been befooling the people during the campaign in all previous elections but none bothered later to ensure basic amenities. They also referred to the infamous Diwali night episode of village Choohriwala Dhanna ruing that politicians-in-power had stalled proceedings against the cops of the Khuikhera police station those were guilty of unleashing reign of terror on innocent people as the latter dared to prevent some men in khaki from indulging in immoral act during the Diwali night in 2007.

All the (political) parties were more interested in safeguarding the interests of the MNCs and industrial houses than poor farmers, daily wage earners and dalits, Baldev Singh convener of the Manch alleged. The promise of atta and rice at Rs 2 per kg is political gimmick, he said.

Bathinda/Budhlada, May 3
“Lal Krishan Advani and Manmohan Singh, both should now come out of the fool's paradise and accept the reality that the Third Front will not let them get the chair of the Prime Minister of India," said Amarjeet Kaur, national secretary of the Communist Party of India, today while addressing a poll rally at Budhlada for Hardev Singh Arshi, the CPI candidate for Bathinda seat.

Lashing out at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Amarjeet said, "Now it has been exposed that both the alliances have lost their allies partners, who giving them set back are now joining the Third Front."

"Lalu Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan have lost their attachment with the Congress. In the same way, Mulayam Singh and the PMK have broken their alliance with the BJP. On the other hand, Mayavati too has cleared her position that after the polls, she will neither go to the Congress nor the BJP but will join hands with Third Front,” she said.

Leaders said that after the results of the Lok Sabha elections, the Third Front will be able to form governments in states, specifically, Andhra Pardesh, Tamilnadu, Orissa, Meghalya and others.

Joginder Dyal, a senior leader of the CPI, touched upon the problems of Punjab, raising issues related to debt-suicide by farmers and unemployment created by the global meltdown and pathetic state of industry.

Hardev Singh Arshi said, "I am fighting against the emperors of the state, who have been fighting for the sake of family prestige and not for raising the voice of the people."

"You all know that such rich people can never stand by the poor community, so the best option among all is to select a candidate who belongs to the grassroot. I leave the decision to you with the hope that you, accepting the policies and preferences of the CPI and the Third Front will cast your vote to form a government of the commoners,” he added. 

Bathinda, May 3
A large number of taxi and private vehicle drivers are making hay in the ongoing Lok Sabha poll campaigning. They are sporting saffron flags atop their vehicles to show that the vehicles are engaged by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party, but virtually they carry passengers from one destination to another without the fear of the police or the transport authorities.

Several such vehicles could be seen on every main road in the district full of passengers. In fact, the drivers of these vehicles are confident that by seeing the saffron flag, the authorities would not dare to challan the vehicles.

When it was brought to the notice of authorities, they pleaded innocence, but asserted that a number of vehicles were permitted to ply as they have paid all dues before being issued route permits.

Manjit Singh, a traffic police official, told TNS that despite the election, the police were keeping a close watch on unauthorised plying and a number of such vehicles were being challaned and fined.

“Supporting a flag whether saffron, blue or red atop a vehicle is not illegal. However, if these vehicles are found being used in electioneering then they are taken to task according to the Election Commission guidelines,” he remarked.

The elections have also brought a lot of business for taxi operators. “It is very difficult to hire a taxi or a private commercial vehicle as it seems that a majority of them have been pressed into election campaign,” said a trader, Pranav Bhandari, at the Railway road.

However, a number of vehicles plying without the valid authorisation either belonged to the influential politicians or local police personnel or enjoying their protection and these are never challaned.

Bathinda, May 3
Upbeat over the hassle-free procurement of wheat during the current season that has coincided with the Lok Sabha elections, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has said the Punjab government with meticulous planning and month long extensive procurement operations, has thwarted the “ulterior designs” of the Congress-led UPA government to create hurdles in the procurement process.

He said despite many hurdles created by the UPA government to foil wheat procurement being done on the eve of crucial elections, the Punjab government has stood the test of time by procuring a record 102.44 lakh tonnes of wheat and making record payment of Rs 11,207 crores to over 10 lakh farmers of the state and that too, in a short span of 30 days.

He said the gigantic task was done in the face of stiff challenge posed by the Central government by creating artificial storage crisis, banning the export of wheat through road route to depress its rates and encouraging distress selling of wheat in UP and MP by keeping the FCI out of procurement operations in these states.

He said the Punjab government utilised the crisis created by Union government as an opportunity to prove that Punjabis always strive to excel in face of challenges.

He said that to meet the storage challenge, sugar mills, rice mills and whatever empty space available with the government was utilised to store wheat. This was in addition to new plinths constructed by the Punjab government to stack freshly procured wheat.

Giving the details of procurement operations, Badal said that jute bags were purchased in advance and the West Bengal government was requested to run extra shift in jute mills for supplying sufficient quantity of bags to Punjab. Punjab became the first state to utilise online banking facility to instantly transfer money in the accounts of commission agents within 24 hours of auction of produce in the grain markets. This paperless instant mode of payment has prompted other states to study the Punjab model so that it could be replicated there also.

Bathinda, May 3
Concerned over the uranium effect among some children in Faridkot, a demand for deeper study to detect uranium level among the people of Punjab and determine the source of the heavy metal was made in a seminar at Faridkot today.

The seminar was organised jointly by the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Kheti Virasat Mission and the Baba Faird Centre for Special Children.

The participants expressed grave concern over the high level of uranium in Punjab hitherto unknown for any such activity. Reports suggesting that the high level of uranium in the water samples in Bathinda could be from the granite mines of Bhiwani (Haryana) are even more serious matter to be pondered over.

The study conducted by the IDPD on the health status of indigenous people around Jadugoda uranium mines in Jharkhand has confirmed a definite impact on the health of these people. Praful Bidwai, a senior journalist, and Achan Vinayak, convener, Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), brought to light the “recklessness” with which the Indian government is going ahead with nuclear energy programme without any consideration for safety and health of the people living in the vicinity of uranium mines and plant.

Dr M.K. Mahajan, professor and head of radiotherapy in CMC Ludhiana, and Dr Santokh Singh gave presentations on the subject. Several other doctors participated in the discussion that followed. The seminar was inaugurated by Dr S.S. Gill, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, and chaired by Dr Jairoop Singh, vice-chancellor, Central University, Bathinda.

Fazilka, May 3
As the LS polling date is approaching, the issues of auction of 53 acre mortgaged municipal land and transfer of 43 kanal prime land to PUDA for the construction of mini-secretariat in Fazilka has started boiling.

The Congress has alleged that the 53 acres of land has been auctioned at throw away price of Rs 2.51 crores due to failure of BJP led municipal council to relinquish the loan raised for canal based drinking water project.

Punjab BJP vice-president and local MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani and MC president Anil Sethi in a press conference today maintained that the loan was raised in the year 2001 to start the ambitious canal based drinking water project. They alleged that the subsequent Congress led municipal council in its tenure from year 2003 to year 2008 did not make desired efforts to liquidate the loan.

They also alleged that the Congress led municipal council in its same tenure transferred 43 kanal of prime municipal land to PUDA for the construction of mini-secretariat complex without realising a single rupee as consideration for the land in violation of the law. Jyani has alleged that the land was transferred hastily to derive political mileage and the municipal council was deprived of huge funds, which could have been utilised for development and even the situation of auction of the mortgage land would not have risen, had the MC been paid for the land transfer to PUDA.

Now, the municipal council is striving to secure an amount of about Rs 11 crore towards the value of the land provided to PUDA by the Congress led municipal council. They say that the 43 kanal land used for mini-secretariat complex has been evaluated at collector rate

Jyani and Sethi maintain that as they are confident of realising the amount of Rs 11 crores, they would be able to redeem the auctioned 53 acres of land which had been mortgaged for canal based drinking water project. 

Abohar, May 3
As many as 51 houses in the Dalit colony developed under the Indira Awas Yojna at the village Khatwan of this sub-division were affected by the fire that broke out allegedly due to burning of stubble by some farmers late last night. However, no loss of life was reported.

Even as the district magistrate had issued orders prohibiting burning of stubble after harvesting of wheat by combines, most of the farmers in Abohar and adjoining sub-divisions are found putting the left out straw on fire every evening. Media persons, who visited village Khatwan around midnight also noticed fire in the fields outside the villages Ramsara, Bhagu and Dodewala-Rajpura.

As per information, farmers outside the village Khatwan had put stubble on fire late in the evening. All of sudden high velocity dusty storm lashed the region. The fire initially spread to heaps of dry fodder stacked near the Dalit colony and later engulfed the cattle sheds and temporary projections. "We were cooking meals when fire spread over", Sumitra Devi a house wife said. Most of the residents immediately shifted their families and live-stock to safer places and cried for help.

A youth Sukhjinder Singh informed hundred of farmers from village Bahawwala, Bhagu, Patti Sadiq and Khatwan rushed for help along with their tractor-trolleys. The vehicles were used to fill water from the village pond to spray it on the burning houses. It appeared to be an uphill task since fire continued to move wildly. The residents were more concerned about the safety of their wards and cattle.

SDM Amit Dhaka, DSP Tarun Rattan Sharma, Tehsildar Avtar Singh Makkar, all the station house officers along with scores of policemen reached the colony. A fire tender from Abohar also joined the fire control operations. Five tenders were summoned from Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts but the situation had been brought under control before their arrival late midnight.

Pappu Ram has lost his small flour milling unit while the bullock cart, the only source of income for Vinod Kumar, was converted into ash. Worst affected was Milan, a gardener, he lost all the house holds besides loosing the roof top. Others affected by the devastating fire included Prabhu Dayal, Banwari Lal, Sahib Ram, Net Ram, Om Parkash, Rajinder Kumar, Jagga Ram, Krishan Kumar, Mohinder Kumar, Dana Ram, Lachhman Dass, Raju, Pinky, Prem Kumar and Kahna Ram.

Smoke was still emanating from the heaps of dry fodder and sheds when a team of the revenue department led by Naib Tehsildar Narinder Singh Saini visited the affected area on Sunday morning. Political leaders have also made a beeline to express sympathies with the affected families. Interestingly, none of them agreed to speak to the administration for taking the violators of prohibitions on stubble to task fearing loss of votes, locals rued.

Bathinda, May 3
The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) is all set to introduce a grading system for Class X from 2011. Board examinations will finally come without the pass or fail tag for students.

As per the press release issued by the PSEB, the grading system will adopt a five-point scale, which means awarding students grades from A to E. This will eliminate the schools from showing raw scores on the evaluation report of each student. The new grading system is based on two parameters - absolute and percentile marks.

Explaining the system, PSEB authorities stated that though there would be subject-wise grades, no cumulative grade will be awarded, as marksheets do not carry the total marks at present. The last grade will be the un-qualifying grade and this will decide whether the candidate has passed the exam or failed it.

Gradually, the word ‘fail’ would be abolished once this system is successfully implemented. This would reduce stress on students and discourage `unhealthy’ competition among them. In the present system, there is a lot of stress on the students. They are evaluated only on the basis of their marks. But the PSEB grading system will help reduce the mental stress experienced by students.

Further, the introduction of grading will do away with unnecessary competition among students for top marks and will put an end to the `hero or zero’ syndrome prevalent in many schools. With the introduction of a skill-based grading system, the teaching approach itself undergoes a drastic change and learning will become a joyful experience. Students will gain more confidence in this system. They will start enjoying learning, Board release added.

The (grading) system also cut down competition where a student struggles to get at least one mark more than his friend. Thus, the grading system would change the very concept of education offered. 

Abohar, May 3
For the last two years the present government had not been able to provide even potable water to about 1.5 lakh citizens, said Sat Pal Khariwal chairman of the Consumer Movement, while addressing first meeting of the awareness campaign in Nai Abadi here on Friday.

Exhibiting reports obtained through the state information commissioner under the RTI Act recently, Khariwal said the senior medical officer of the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital here had confirmed that 30 samples of drinking water taken from different localities during the period May 2007-August 2008 were examined by the bacteriologist at the State Public Health Lab, Chandigarh. As per reports received from the lab, the samples taken from the residence of councillor Veer Bala Nagpal in Indira Nagari, Vinod Kumar Sant Nagar, Sat Pal Regar Basti, Sarwan Singh Nai Abadi, Kewal Krishan Dayal Nagari, Rajesh Kumar Green Avenue, Milakh Raj Convent Avenue, Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Government Senior Secondary (Girls) School, Divine Light Public School, Old Water works, New Water Works and Civil Hospital failed the tests, as water was not found potable.

Khariwal informed that a case has been filed before the Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services) Ferozepure against the Municipal Council that is headed by the BJP-SAD alliance. The council had failed in making available sufficient stock of alum from December 2007-February 2008. The authorities were reluctant in producing the stock register.

Another activist Vijay Golcha exhorted the people to exercise their franchise for electing neat and clean government that can deliver the goods to the consumers, who always felt cheated by false promises.