Bathinda, July 3
Despite the claims of the authorities concerned of having restoring normalcy, the effects of the recent violence is still evident on construction work at the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery at Phulokhari village in Bathinda.

For one reason or the other, the Rs 19,000 crore refinery has been grappling to find its way ever since its foundation was laid in 1998. At that time, it was said the construction would be completed within 48 months, but even after 11 years have passed, not even the basic structure is ready.

Earlier, the refinery was finding it tough to cope with politics that took place over it with the SAD (B) and the Congress accusing each other of scuttling efforts to help the refinery see the light of the day. Then, finding a smart investor emerged as a huge problem. Wading through these, the entry of Mittal Energy Investment Limited, stabilized the work at refinery. Construction work gathered momentum.

But the violence at the refinery on June 29 again gave a jolt to the construction work. During the incident, protesting labourers went on the rampage and damaged infrastructure and set ablaze more than 25 vehicles.

Reacting to the incident, police registered case against the mob, without mentioning number of accused labourers.

The police case has left such a negative impact on the labourers that they are living under the fear of being picked up by the police any day. As most of the estimated 12,000 labourers are migrants, most of them along with their families have started moving out of the place to save themselves.

Talking to TNS, some of the labourers said were waiting for July 7 as on the seventh day of every month the construction companies pay them their monthly wages. It is after this date that they may contemplate their future course of action.

"My family is so frightened after witnessing the firing that they are urging me to leave the place soon. But, I will have to wait here till I get the salary. I have started working in the refinery but feel there are chances of the salary being deducted along with police action," lamented a 35-year-old labourer, who pleaded not to quote his name.

"Here, the attitude of the employers is heartless which we witnessed after the death of one our colleagues on June 29. In view of this, it is tough to work here in future," said Subodh Kumar (name changed) a labourer from Bihar. While moving around in the Labour Colony outside the refinery, it was observed that some fresh faces, mostly labourers, have landed from UP and Bihar. But getting a negative response from their kin here, they were planning to leave the place to look for some agriculture related job.

A senior refinery official said they were not entitled to speak to the media. However, refusing to be named, he said, "We are calculating the losses and a separate wing has been working to settle our claims from the insurance companies.Gradually, normalcy is returning as labourers have joined work. We are hopeful of achieving the target of completing the construction by March 2011."

Bathinda, July 3
For revamping security system, the Integrated Security System (ISS) has been chalked out for 140 vulnerable and sensitive stations. Sources in the railways said that Bathinda junction is one of the stations which have been included in the list.

The system aimed at setting up foolproof security at the station.

The ISS has several features and the most important is fortifying or sealing of station premises by erecting 10 feet-high wall - 6 feet-high concrete wall and 4-feet barbed wire, sources said, adding that with this the entry and exit points would be fixed to avoid trespassing.

The other features are related to checking aspects, which include automatic vehicle scanning. Even heavy vehicles like bus, truck could be scanned through the system, sources said. Next is installing of door frame metal detectors, which cost around 1.5 lakhs and is able to indicate exact location of metal. The system is working at airports in the country.

Other aspects are scanning of luggage by X-ray machine as done at Jammu station, surprise checking by sniffer dogs, sources said, adding that two dogs have been proposed for Bathinda.

And also installation of CCTV for close surveillance, sources said. The data collected through all the components of the system would be monitored at the Centralised Control Room.

Railway sources said that as many as Rs 18 crores have been proposed to installed the ISS at stations in Ambala division and out of which Rs three crores have been earmarked for Bathinda junction.

The ISS would be installed in two phases and Bathinda comes under the phase-II.

Bathinda, July 3
Ambala divisional security commissioner (DSC), RPF, SZ Khan, expressed satisfaction over the functioning of RPF post Bathinda. Talking to media at the Bathinda station during the day-long annual inspection of the post on Friday, Khan said that the RPF had been making efforts to ensure security to the rail passengers.

Earlier, the DSC inspected RPF barrack and inspected parade. He also gave tips to personnel for keeping themselves fit.

He awarded constable Dipak Kumar for proper parade.

Khan inspected records, registers at office and also the case property room. He announced to give award to constable Manjeet Singh and head constable Vir Singh for their exemplary works.

Giving instructions to personnel, Khan said that apart from ensuring security to passengers, making cordial relationship with passengers were also necessary.

Khan also assured the personnel of solving of their problems.

The RPF Bathinda team won kudos and award for team work. Bathinda RPF post commander M.K. Panwar congratulated his team members.

Senior divisional finance manager, Anand Singh accompanied Khan during the visit.

Abohar, July 3
While confirming that Railways Minister Mamta Banerjee has announced during the Railway Budget today that a new train will be introduced from Sriganganagar for Nanded Sahib, former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president and Rajya Sabha member Virendra Kataria recalled that earlier also intercity trains from the region for New Delhi and Hardwar were introduced when the Congress was in power.

The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh after participating in the tri-centenary Gurta Gaddi celebrations in Nanded Sahib had recommended that the holy place should also have rail link for the remote area of Rajasthan bordering Abohar, Kataria said.  

Speaking to this correspondent on the phone from the Parliament house immediately after presentation of the budget, he described the budget as pro-poor and pro-under-privileged class, besides, welcoming the decision to provide double decker air conditioned coaches for those who can afford.

Issuing concessional travel pass for Rs 25 only to the persons having monthly income less than Rs 1500 is going to help the BPL families substantially, he added.

 “The idea of running non-stop trains on busy routes as time saving exercise is novel. Since independence, there had been no proper use of the surplus land in the railway complexes. Mamta has broken the stalemate by deciding to open nursing institutes and attaching the railway hospitals to the existing hospitals. The encroachments over the prime railway land give shabby look everywhere. Thousands of persons had grabbed the land by developing pucca houses. By promoting industries on its surplus land, the railways will not only earn much but also be able to combat the nuisance,” the former MP said.

Kataria, however, regretted that none of the railway ministers had accepted the long pending demand of the passengers of this region for doubling the number of A/c chair cars and sleeper coaches in the intercity/express trains, which run between Sriganganagar-New Delhi and Sriganganagar-Hardwar.

He expects to take up such issues with Mamta Banerjee on Monday.

Bathinda, July 3
The transport industry has condemned the hike in diesel prices affected by the UPA-led Central government. Talking to TNS over phone from Ludhiana today, Charan Singh Lohara, president, All-India Motor Transport Congress, said the increased price would deal a heavy blow to the transport industry.

Suresh Bansal, a local industrialist, said the hike will have a cascading effect on the prices of other commodities.

In a statement issued today, the SME (Small and Medium Enterprises), Bathinda, a body of traders, estimated that the prices of other commodities could go up by as much as 10 to 15 per cent adding to the misery of the middle class, which is going to be hit hardest by the recent hike.

Terming the hike as unjustified, Dipinder Kumar, president, Bathinda Truck Operators’ Union, said it would put a heavy financial burden on the consumers and was likely to hit the trade and industry.

Dipinder said. “Finance companies are lenient with loans, which has caused an unusual spurt in the number of trucks. It has led to unhealthy competition making it impossible to recover costs from customers,” he said.

Trade leaders said instead of raising the prices, the state should have restructured its taxation system and absorbed the hike in international prices by directing states to lower the high rate of VAT and other levies on petro-products.

Bathinda, July 3
An unidentified youth was feared drowned in the Sirhind canal near the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant here today. According to information available, the youth was taking a dip in the canal along with his friends. When he did not come out after taking the dip, his friends shouted for help and fled from the spot.

On receiving information, the volunteers of Sahara Jan Seva and the Naujwan Welfare Society started the rescue operations. Till the filing of the news, the youth could not be traced. Meanwhile, the administration has decreased the water level in canal to help in the rescue operation.

Abohar, July 3
N. Sambasiva, who had a long career with Nagarjuna Fertilizers, has joined the Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KRIBHCO) as new marketing director, a press release received here said.

He has received of Shriram award from the FAI and the best performance award from the NFCL. — OC 

Fazilka, July 3
A special meeting of members of the Municipal Council of Fazilka was held recently. Anil Kumar Sethi, civic body chief, presided over the meeting. The meeting was convened to adopt a resolution to accept an amount of Rs 5 crore on account of the cost of 46 kanal 7 marla land, in which the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) had built Sub-divisional Administrative Complex (mini-secretariat) in Fazilka.

This newly constructed sub-divisional administrative complex has been embroiled in controversies ever since its construction was commenced by PUDA on September 18, 2006.

It may be recalled that during the previous Congress regime, in which the Municipal Council was also ruled by the Congress party members, the council in alleged violation of law allowed PUDA through a resolution no. 56, dated July 26, 2005, to construct mini-secretariat complex on its prime land without securing even a single rupee towards its cost to allegedly derive the political mileage.

After change of the political scenario and Municipal Council election, the BJP-led civic body has now been striving to secure an amount of Rs 11 crore, which it considered as market value of the land from PUDA. According to sources, lengthy process for settling the cost of the land continued. On intervention of the CM, PUDA agreed to pay Rs 5 crores as final cost of the land which the MC accepted. 

Ferozepur, July 3
A case of child marriage has come to light in the cantonment area here after three months of the illegal marriage, when the marital dispute of the teenaged couple reached the women’s police station for investigation.

The six-member panel of the police has recommended registering criminal cases against the parents of the couple.

As per the details available, 14-year-old Deepika, a resident of Khatik Mandi in the cantonment area, got married to a 16-year-old boy Sukhmander Singh, a resident of Mudki village on March 2, this year.

On May 27, the girl levelled serious allegations of molestation on her father-in-law, Kuldip Singh, and gave a written complaint in this regard to the then SSP Dinesh Pratap Singh, who referred the matter to the women’s police station for inquiry.

In-charge of the women’s police station, SHO Kashmir Kaur was shocked to see the couple. She came to know that Sukhmander was born on May 26, 1993 as per the school certificate and his age was just 19 years. The girl was 10 years old when her father got the family ration card made in the year 2005 from the Food and Civil Supplies Department. a

During investigations, it also came to light that the couple wanted to get benefit of the shagun scheme. They had applied for getting this financial grant which is meant for poor couples. — TNS

Sriganganagar/Abohar, July 3
The bandh in most of the grain and vegetable markets in Sriganganagar district was peaceful, reports received at the district headquarters indicated. The call for first phase of the agitation was given for Friday by the Kisan Beopari Majdoor Sangharsh Samiti to express resentment over failure of the Rajasthan government in arranging adequate water from Punjab through the Indira Gandhi canal.

However, most Beopar Mandals distanced themselves lamenting that the entire north region was reeling under water and power crisis due to delayed monsoon. In Gharsana, Samiti workers led by legislator Pawan Duggal marched through the markets to ensure a complete bandh. The administration had ensured heavy deployment of police to avert any untoward incident. At Rawatsar, the shopkeepers resisted attempts by Samiti activists, which led to minor altercation. The Samiti has decided to go on 'chakka jam' on July 8. — OC

Ferozepur, July 3
The Ferozepur police achieved a major success in its drive against the cross-border smuggling of narcotics on Friday, when it arrested two drug peddlers along with a consignment of heroin worth Rs 60 crores in the international market, besides, arms and ammunition.

Giving details while speaking to the media here, SPS Parmar, the SSP, said that a special police party under CIA in-charge Sarabjit Singh had laid a naka on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road near village Khai Pheme ke when it spotted an Alto car bearing registration no. PB 30 D 6665, coming towards Ferozepur. The police team stopped the car and conducted a search of the vehicle in the presence of DSP Raghbir Singh and SP (Detective) HS Pannu.

The SSP further said that on thorough search of the car, the police team recovered six packets of heroin hidden beneath the driver's seat and another six packets from the adjacent seat. He said that all the packets weighing 12 kg each bore the stamp of Afghan Medical Laboratory (9999), which indicates that this consignment of heroin has made its way to India through Afghanistan via Pakistan.

Two persons present in the car were identified as Hardeep Singh alias Kala, son of Baldev Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran and Gurdev Singh, son of Hira Singh, a resident of Makhu. Both were taken into custody. The police also seized two .32 bore revolvers along with live cartridges from the duo, the SSP informed.

He also informed that the police has registered a case under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act against both the persons and further probe were being carried out which would help the police nab more persons linked to the cross-border smuggling of drugs.