The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Lost & found Baby back with mom but queries still remain Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Bathinda, June 5 The Bathinda police today presented the arrested woman from whose possession the newly-born male child was recovered late on Thursday night. Though the police narrated the sequence of the incident, but a number of queries remained unanswered which even the senior police officers, who addressed the media, here, could not answer. As per the police details, the arrested woman, Kiran Kaur of Sohal Patti in Barnala, had taken the baby from his maternal grandmother, Surjit Kaur of Bathinda. Immediate after, she left along with the infant in a rickshaw for the bus stand from where she boarded a bus to Rampura Phul. Reaching there, she called up her husband, Manpreet Singh, who came there to receive her in a hired Indigo car (DL 3SV-3043). The couple along with the baby left for their home in Sohal Patti. In the meantime, the family had raised an alert and the police had begun its probe. Meanwhile, the taxi driver, Sukhwinder Singh, who dropped them at their house, watched the news of the missing baby on a Punjabi news channel. Suspecting it was this couple that had fled with the baby, he informed a cop and some other acquaintances and then approached the Rampura and Kotwali police. Acting upon the information, a team of Bathinda police raided the house of the accused woman at Sohal Patti, where some celebration was on. The team could manage to arrest only the accused woman as the others had fled. SP (D) Ajay Maluja, who was holding the press conference, said the accused woman had taken the step to make her husband happy as she had no child. About two years back, she got married and later had a miscarriage and wanted to have a child. Once, she had even tried to purchase a baby from Patiala, paying Rs 20,000 for it but the bid was foiled. “She had misguided her husband. Claiming that she was pregnant, Kiran came here to her maternal home about two months back. After lifting the boy from the Civil Hospital, here, yesterday, she asked her husband to pick her up from the Rampura Phul bus stand,” said Maluja. Taking action in this regard, the Kotwali police booked the woman and her husband under sections 363-A and 369 of the IPC. Producing her in a local court, police got a day’s remand to ascertain more facts. It may be mentioned that sources in the hospital said that the arrested woman had given a currency note of Rs 1,000 to the grandmother of the child, terming it as government aid in delivery cases. And when she was standing at the fee slip counter, the accused took the baby from her, offering a helping hand. However, the police did not accept this. Did the grandmother of the child (complainant) shout for help only when the accused, a polio-ridden woman, left the hospital in rickshaw? How could she manage to flee so swiftly? Immediately after the incident, the father of child, who belongs to Malout, had raised doubts over his mother-in-law’s possible involvement in the disappearance of the child. Why is the police ruling out such possibility? The accused is just a 25-year-old woman and was married two years back. What made her so frustrated to have a child that she took such a step so soon? Was she declared unfit to be pregnant again? If she misguided her husband by claiming to be pregnant, why did he not visit the Civil Hospital where she claimed him to have given birth to a male child? Instead of reaching the hospital, how did he allow her to come by bus to Rampura Phul? Was there no possibility of Kiran being a member of a child-lifting gang? All the queries remained unanswered as the SP (D) passed on the buck to SHO Kotwali, terming himself to be busy with another case. On his part, SHO Kotwali, Harmeek Singh Deol said since the arrest, he had been busy with VIP duty.
	Man accused of fraud acquitted after 24 years Tribune News Service Bathinda, June 5 Twenty-four years after being held responsible for the fraud, 62-year-old Manjit Singh was acquitted by a local court here on Saturday. The 24-year long trial was marked by change of three judges in the court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM). As there was no sufficient evidence to establish the crime, the judicial magistrate Parminder Singh acquitted Manjit Singh, a resident of Nathana. Manjit Singh said, “I am relieved to be acquitted of all charges. I have full faith in the judiciary but these 24 years have been tortuous.” According to the prosecution, Manjit used to work as a secretary at the cooperative society in Kalyan Mukha village. On the complaint of the branch manager of the society, who was also an eyewitness, a case of defrauding the society of Rs 28,000 was registered against Manjit Singh on October 20, 1984. But the police had filed the challan in 1985. As per the proceedings of the court, as many as 34 witnessed were produced in the case. Talking to TNS, Madan Lal Angi, an advocate for Manjit Singh, said that he took over the case in 1991. After hearing arguments and finding no evidence of defrauding the cooperative society, Parminder Singh, judicial magistrate, acquitted Manjit Singh of the charge.
	Doctor students rue change in rules Tribune News Service Bathinda, June 5 The doctors who had appeared for MD, MS and PGET, 2009, on Thursday rued Punjab government’s role in altering the MCI rules (Medical Council of India), a body which looks after the rules of medical institutions in the country. Doctors said an entrance test for MD, MS and PGET was conducted on April 5 this year and the result was out the same night. Students were clarified in the prospectus that the eligibility marks criteria for admissions as per the MCI rules and Supreme Court ruling is 50 per cent for general category and 40 per cent for reserved category students. On the basis of this, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), held the first counselling for 60 per cent quota (in service doctors) and 40 per cent quota (doctors who have not done any govt service) on April 24 and 25, respectively. According to Gaurav Jain, who provided all the information, there were a total of 33 seats in BFUHS and only 12 students were found eligible under 60 per cent quota. The remaining seats were to go for 40 per cent quota but with state government’s ruling, these seats have more number of eligible candidates. It was mentioned in the prospectus that if the candidates under 60 per cent quota failed to get minimum eligibility marks for admission, 50 per cent for general category and 40 per cent for reserved category, vacant seats due to non-availability of students, would be transferred to 40 per cent quota and vice-versa. It has been over a month since the first counselling took place and the state government issued a notification on May 27, No. 5/12/2008- 3HB3/2254, which gave relaxation of eligibility marks for admission from 50 per cent to 45 per cent for general category and from 40 per cent to 35 per cent for reserved category candidates, which is against the MCI rules. It means the number of eligible students for 60 per cent quota would rise. In 2001, the Supreme Court clearly stated that the state governments do not have any power to interfere with the MCI rules regarding minimum eligibility marks, this was confirmed by V.K. Sharma, a lawyer, who is fighting the case of Dr Anmol Grover and others, filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Dr Grover and other students, who were under 40 per cent quota, filed a writ petition against the government’s notification and want that the eligibility marks should be as per the MCI. The first hearing was on June 3. The judge set the next hearing date on June 8 and issued a notice to the government and the BFUHS. Last date of admission is June 20 according to the SC ruling and doctors under 40 per cent quota want a quick decision from the government.
	Young faces make Parliament vibrant: Harsimrat Anjali Singh Deswal Tribune News Service Bathinda, June 5 For Harsimrat Kaur Badal the newly elected MP from Bathinda, it might be her parliamentary debut, but the Badal bahu has already started feeling the sense of responsibility that her electoral foray has entailed following her entry inside the hallowed precincts of the nation’s highest legislative body. While speaking over the phone from Delhi, Harsimrat told TNS about her priorities, plans and aspirations. “The moment you step inside the Parliament, an overwhelming sense of responsibility overcomes you. I am learning how to shoulder my responsibilities and fulfil the hopes that people of Bathinda have from me. After becoming an MP, I am becoming aware of things that I was not aware of earlier,” she said. One good thing, Harsimrat said, was that the young ministers are ready to take the burden off the shoulders of the old-timers. “Young faces and their energy make Parliament look and feel different from what we used to see earlier. I am meeting ministers and trying to learn about government schemes that I can enforce in Bathinda. Being based in Delhi, it would be much easier for me to coordinate things,” she said. She feels that now she has the right to ask questions if something wrong takes place and highlight the problems of the people in a more effective way. “I have made note of some points in President Pratibha Patil’s speech yesterday and I would raise questions on these. “I thought that my fight was limited only to Punjab but after becoming a part of the Lok Sabha, I feel I have to stand up against a whole lot of people to implement the changes that I want to. I have to fight to get funds to implement schemes. “There are so many departments here and it all depends on how much you can manage to get from them,” she said.
	Heroin worth Rs 10 cr seized Our Correspondent Fazilka, June 5 The BSF recovered 2 kg of heroin, worth Rs 10 crores in the international market, from Fazilka sector in its newly-launched strategy to fight the conceal and clear policy adopted by the drug peddlers. According to DIG BSF VK Sharma, a special BSF patrol party of 199 Battalion during intensified search operation recovered two packets of heroin concealed near the Nirmal check-post in the Fazilka sector on Friday morning. The heroin packets were concealed in blue polythene bags and buried under three palm date trees 13 metres inside the Indian territory. The heroin packets bore marks of 'UNN'. The concealed heroin appeared to be freshly buried. The drug was tested with special UN kit that confirmed it was heroin. The DIG said that of late, the narcotics smugglers had changed their method of smuggling by concealing the narcotics in the Indian territory. Thereafter, the smugglers reportedly give information about the location of the hidden narcotics to their contacts in India, who retrieve the concealed consignment for onward transportation.
	Huge rush of visitors Gallery for visitors at Sadiqi JCP Our Correspondent Fazilka, June 5 The long pending demand of the border area people and visitors coming from far off areas to have a visitors’ gallery at the joint check-post Sadiqi in Fazilka sector has been met with the inauguration of the gallery today. DIG BSF VK Sharma and deputy commissioner, Ferozepur, Megh Raj at a special function organised at JCP Sadiqi inaugurated the visitors’ gallery, constructed at a cost of Rs 20 lakh. Fazilka SDM Charandev Singh Maan was also present on the occasion. The gallery has a capacity of seating 1,000 visitors coming to witness the retreat ceremony at Sadiqi check-post. There is great rush of keen visitors here. The union government has provided the funds for this purpose from the Border Area Development Fund, said DC Megh Raj. He said that a ceremonial gate is under construction at the venue of the retreat ceremony to give it an attractive look. A total amount of Rs 9 lakh will be spent on this gate of which Rs 6 lakh has already been spent and the remaining Rs 3 lakhs would be released very soon, the DC said.
	Indira Awaas Yojna cheques fail to reach beneficiaries Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, June 5 A major scam in the rural development department with regard to the release of funds through cheques to the beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojna (IAY) has come to light in the Moga district. A survey conducted by The Tribune in Kot-ise-Khan and Nihalsinghwala blocks has revealed that officials at the level of BDPOs and panchayat secretaries had not distributed cheques of the grants released under this scheme of the union government to many beneficiaries, for reasons best known to them. A grant of Rs 35,000 in two installments of Rs 17,500 is provided to the families holding below poverty line (BPL) cards, particularly to the poorest people in their respective village to build their own pucca houses. The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) issue cheques in the names of the beneficiaries and send them to the BDPOs for distribution among them. Normally, the BDPOs further hand over these cheques to the panchayat secretaries for distribution with the help of respective sarpanches of the villages. As per the details available, the DRDA issued many cheques of Rs 17,500 in November 2008. But in most of the cases, they had not reached the beneficiaries even in six months. The validity of cheques had expired and the panchayat secretaries through BDPOs had started sending them back to the DRDA requesting to issue new cheques. The cheques of Rs 17,500 each were issued to Lakhvir Singh, son of Balwant Singh and Balkar Singh, son of Joginder Singh, both residents of Melak Kangan village of Kot-ise-Khan block as the first installment by the DRDA on November 26, 2008 but they were not delivered to them within six months. It is not only them, who had been deprived of these grants but there were many other poor people in the district, waiting for the cheques already issued by the DRDA in their name for the past many months. During the past couple of weeks, the BDPOs of Kot-ise-Khan and Nihalsighwala blocks had sent 15 and five requests respectively to the DRDA to issue new cheques to the beneficiaries as the validity of the old cheques had expired after six months of their issuance. There were also such reports from Dharamkot, Baghapurana and Moga blocks, however, details were not available. Paramjit Singh Sidhu, deputy chief executive officer of the DRDA, while admitting the fact that the cheques had not reached the beneficiaries on time said that he would conduct an inquiry into the matter. “The matter is in knowledge of the additional deputy commissioner (development) also and he has asked me to look into the matter,” he said.
	More veterinary colleges to come up; boost for fisheries Our Correspondent Mansa, June 5 The animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development departmentb held a refresher course with the cooperation of the National Fisheries Husbandry Development Board in Mansa today. Secretary, animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development, Usha R. Sharma, inaugurated the training camp. Addressing a gathering on the occasion, she said a subsidy of Rs 1 crore and 35 lakh would be provided to those, who are involved in the business of fisheries. This money would be spent on the construction and repair work of ponds. She informed that private veterinary colleges would be opened to meet the need of the veterinary doctors. Sharma admitted that nearly 350 posts of veterinary doctors have been lying vacant in the hospitals. Adequate steps are being taken to improve the quality of animals, she mentioned. She further said that the number of milk providing animals was declining in the state but production of milk was increasing. The camp would continue from June 5 to 14 in Mansa and nearly 35 persons, already into the fisheries business, would be benefitted out of this training programme. Dr Kuldeep Singh, assistant director, fisheries and husbandry in Mansa said that nearly 146 farmers of Mansa have been trained through these camps and 600 hectares was covered under the fish husbandry work till now. Usha Sharma informed the farmers that the government has launched insurance scheme for cattle to benefit farmers. ADC (General) Malwinder Singh Jaggi was also present at the function.
	Farmers convinced to transplant paddy after June 10 Tribune News Service Muktsar, June 5 The official of agriculture office, Gidderbaha, ploughed transplanted paddy, which was being sown today on the instruction of the chief agriculture officer, Muktsar. Farmers have to use their own tractor to plough the paddy. Dr Harbans Singh Lohara, officer of the department, told the media that earlier announcements by Gurudwara speakers were regularly made in every village of the block asking farmers not to transplant paddy before June 10, except in waterlogged area, where water should be seven feet from the ground. But the farmers were arguing how could they transplant paddy after June 10 especially when there is a shortage of labourers? Dr Singh replied that it may rain in a day or two which will be more useful because there would be less consumption of diesel. The late sown paddy would give good yield. The educated farmers of the area know the importance of late sowing of paddy, he added. The farmers were convinced and agreed to transplant paddy after June 10. They assured the officers of not transplanting paddy before June 10. On being asked the main benefit of transplanting paddy after June 10, he said that the main natural resource, water, was saved and also the cost of paddy cultivation would decrease. He further said that when an Act comes into force, it has to overcome many tests. Chhinderpal Singh, Bhagat Singh and other official of the department were also present in the field when the paddy transplanted was ploughed.