Ferozepur, July 16
Escorted by a galaxy of senior party stalwarts, the Congress candidate for Jalalabad by-election, Hans Raj Jossan, filed his set of nomination papers in the office of Rajiv Prashar, SDM Jalalabad, here today.

Former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, president PPCC Mohinder Singh Kaypee, ex-minister Lal Singh, chief whip (CLP) Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Sunil Jakhar, Naresh Kataria, all MLAs, Jagmeet Brar ex-MP, Gurnaib Singh Brar president DCC, ex-MLA Mohinder Rinwa, and Parminder Singh Pinki, general secretary PPCC, besides scores of other senior party leaders were present on the occasion. Earlier, during an election rally in support of the party candidate, AICC special invitee Jagmeet Brar dubbed the SAD-BJP nomine Sukhbir Singh Badal as an outsider, whom he said was playing with the sentiments of the innocent border residents, to pursue his own political interest.

PPCC chief Kaypee said owing to drastic misrule of the present SAD-BJP regime in the state, Punjab has dropped down to 17th rank in the development ratings, while it was at the second position during the previous Congress regime. 

Bathinda, July 16
In a sensational incident, a group of eunuchs attempted to bobbitise a 23-year-old youth here today. The youth’s mother is a class IV employee of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation while his father is a safai sewak at the Civil Hospital.

The injured was rushed to the Civil Hospital from where doctors after giving him a preliminary treatment asked his parents to take him to a medical hospital in Faridkot or Patiala.

However, for want of money, the parents of the victim were found running from pillar to post to get financial aid.

Till the filing of the news, neither the police had reached the hospital to record the victim’s statement nor had government officials lent a helping hand to the family.

The injured Sunil Kumar of Awa Basti in Bathinda alleged that he ran a barber’s shop in the locality, where some eunuchs led by their leader ‘Shaktimaan’ used to visit. About a month back, they asked him to accompany them. “When I refused they forced me to inhale some medicine and I became unconscious. They took me to their ‘dera’ at Doda village in Muktsar. When I regained senses, I was wearing a woman’s dress. They used to drug me and forced me to do household jobs. Once, I tried to flee but they nabbed me from the village bus stand. This morning, they asked me to board a car and said they would drop me back home. On the way, they tried to bobbitise me. They flung me down at the grain market from where I somehow managed to reach home,”

His mother Bimla Rani said, “I found him lying in a pool of blood outside the house, I rushed him to the hospital.”

Dr Rakesh Gupta, a surgeon at the Civil Hospital said, “The wound is so deep that if he does not get proper treatment (micro surgery), his organ can be totally damaged.” His father Krishan Lal said, “Unable to bear the medical expenditure, I vainly pleaded in front of the administrative staff here.”

SHO Kotwali police station, Gurjeet Singh Romana, claimed that the crime took place outside Bathinda district and passed the buck on to the Muktsar police.

Bathinda, July 16
It was an awkward situation for the secretary of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), an IAS officer, today, when he had to plead before the full bench of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, for a lenient view in a case related to his showing ‘disrespect’ to an order of the forum.

In view of his plea, the forum’s bench comprising its president George and members Phulinder Preet and Amarjeet Paul, limited the punishment to fine only.

One Darshan Singh of village Bir Talab here had lodged a complaint with the forum that Husan Lal, secretary, PSEB and Narinder Singh Gill, PSEB SDO (Suburban), Bathinda, had failed to comply with a case of power connection settled by the Forum. In the case, the bench decided that Darshan Singh could get his power connection restored, after depositing half of the bill amount.

In a fresh complaint, the complainant alleged that he kept visiting the SDO with a bank draft payable to the respondents but the SDO refused to accept it saying, “Courts keep passing such orders.” During the previous hearing on July 14, the bench took a serious note of the non-appearance of the Secretary, mentioning that he had no respect and honour for the rule of law, dignity and proceedings of the forum.

Though finding no violation of the principles of natural justice if the order of his conviction was to be announced in his absence, the bench afforded an opportunity to both the respondents for hearing them today.

They appeared in person and pleaded before the bench to take a lenient view of the case.

Confirming the facts, president, District Consumer Forum, George said, “Considering their plea, a fine of Rs 3,000 has been imposed on them. If they fail to deposit the fine within 30 days, they could be sent to three months of simple imprisonment.”

Bathinda, July 16
Authorities of the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) are confident of making their recently allocated regional research and training centre at Kaljharani village successful in developing livestock trades parallel to agriculture. The authorities are going to set up two more regional centres at Padhri Kalan and Talwara. The launching of three Krishi Vigyan Kendras is also in progress at Mohali, Tarn Taran and Barnala.

Dr Vijay Kumar Taneja, VC, GADVASU, who was here today to take first-hand account of the progress of work initiated here, said, “The centre will consider need-based research programmes. Salinity and waterlogging are major problems of farmers here, land is losing its fertility. So we have started work on developing fisheries to convert zero-earning land into aqua farms. It is a challenge, which we have undertaken.” He was accompanied by the registrar of the varsity, SK Jand.

Three sections, namely, vermicompost preparation, producing milk-yielding cattle and fisheries, have been set up for demonstration. The bio-gas plant, which was lying non-functional there, will soon be rendered operational.

“To attract people, we have decided to organise a fair within two months from now, where farmers would be invited to gain knowledge about parallel profitable occupations,” said the VC. “We will spread information through imparting training to farmers, which they would replicate in society and develop these beneficial trades, which would help in self-employment and uplift of the socio-economic status of people,” he added.

Abohar, July 16
Denial by the chief engineer of the PSEB over discrimination in power supply notwithstanding, lakhs of consumers in the Abohar sub-division may have to bear the brunt of the presence of scores of VIPs, including ministers and top brass of the SAD, for campaigning for the Jalalabad by-election. Most of them are expected to stay till August 5, the last day for the campaign.

Telephonic enquiries made by different consumers verified that Fazilka and Jalalabad sub-divisions were enjoying round-the-clock power supply. There were tripping thrice only during the past 18 hours, a social activist confirmed.

However, in Abohar, consumers in the urban area were deprived of power supply for over eight hours today on the trot. The situation in the rural areas is grim, some farmers said.

Humidity added much to their woes. The drastic power cut has also affected the supply of drinking water, besides, health services in the 100 bed Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital here.

Ferozepur, July 16
Calling upon the Union government to immediately announce a comprehensive relief plan to bail out the farming community, the SAD-BJP nominee for Jalalabad by-election Sukhbir Singh Badal, president, SAD, today said any delay in announcing relief would further push farmers into the vicious cycle of debt trap.

He also appealed the Centre to direct all nationalised banks to stop the recovery of agricultural loans and issue a fresh notification for the waiver of their debt, considering the drought conditions.

Accusing the Congress-led UPA government of playing petty politics with food bowl states of India, Sukhbir said since most of the states presently facing the condition of drought were opposition or NDA ruled states, the Congress was opportunely dragging its feet from declaring drought in these states as national calamity.

He addressed rallies at the villages Dhab Khushal, Chuyiaan, Dhab Kariyal, Muhalam, Meenewali and Bhorthal kalan of Jalalabad Vidhan Sabha constituency here today. 
— OC

Bathinda, July 16
Mahyco Monsanto Biotech Ltd today organised a crop management seminar at a local hotel. About 17 regional representatives of different Bt Cotton selling companies from the states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan attended the seminar along with some scientists of Punjab Agriculture University, Haryana Agriculture University.

P.J.Suresh (Lead Technology Development) of MMB, A Dhawan of PAU, Ludhiana, S. Siwach of HAU, A.S.Brar of KVK, Bathinda, were the main speakers who shared benefits of Bollgard II technology and discussed the prevailing drought-like situation and the agronomic and nutrient management. — TNS

Bathinda, July 16
The Central University of Punjab (CUP) started its operations today with the launch of a tree plantation drive on its provisional building located on the city outskirts.

While the District Forest Officer (DFO) provided 2,000 plants free of cost to the university for the purpose a team of 50 members of the 27th Battalion of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) assisted the plantation process.

Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Jai Rup Singh inaugurated the drive by planting the first tree in the presence of Upjeet Singh Brar, ADC (General), Lokendra Singh, the assistant commandant of the ITBP, J.S. Anand, principal, DAV College, and Prof Pushpinder Jai Rup.

On the occasion, Jai Rup Singh informed that the drive aimed at giving a green and environment-friendly look to the campus. The extensive landscaping of the campus has also been started. The campus was being spruced up to start its academic session from September 2009, he added. — TNS

Ferozepur, July 16
The police had today registered an FIR of abduction against unknown persons in the case of missing lawyer amid high drama of protests by the Bar Association and employees of the Cantonment Board. The investigating team was still groping in the dark without having any clue for tracing the missing lawyer.

The Bar Association met in the morning demanding registration of an FIR against Joginder Singh Jindu, vice-president and Satish Arora, junior engineer of the Cantonment Board on the basis of the statement of the family of Kiran Pandey, the missing lawyer who is also a local RTI activist.

When Jindu and Arora came to know about it, they led a huge procession of the employees of the Board and few local unions to protest against the Bar Association. They went inside the court complex and threatened some office-bearers of the Bar Association, which further aggravated the situation.

The advocates came out in the open and blocked traffic on the national highway for some time, besides blocking the car of the SSP. SSP Surinder Pal Singh Parmar then called on both the parties to persuade them not to resort to protests. District Magistrate KK Yadav also held a meeting with the SSP to discuss the issue.

Later, while talking to The Tribune Parmar said he had ordered registration of an FIR against both Jindu and Arora for threatening the office-bearers of the Bar Association after recording the statements of the lawyers.

He also confirmed that an FIR of abduction had been registered against the unknown persons in the case of the missing young lawyer and investigation was in progress to trace him.

Meanwhile, talking to The Tribune, Dharam Chand father and Lila Devi mother of Kiran Pandey alleged that Jindu visited their house a few hours before their son went missing and threatened the family with dire consequences. "We want the police to arrest Jindu and Arora," said Rekha, sister of the missing lawyer. 

Ferozepur: The High Court of Punjab and Haryana has sought a status report in the case from the state government through its Home Secretary and DGP on Tuesday. The division bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice KS Ahluwalia while accepting the PIL filed by advocate HL Arora asked the state to reply on Tuesday. — TNS

Abohar, July 16
Kundi connection was reportedly detected during a raid carried early morning on Thursday by the flying squad led by an additional superintending engineer (ASE) of the PSEB at the residence of a former Congress legislator here, sources said.

The flying squad has on Thursday slapped a fine amounting to Rs 1.22 lakh as the illegal load was calculated at five kilovolt. The ASE has recommended registration of an FIR at the special police station that deals with cases pertaining to the theft of electricity, sources added. — OC