The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	DC takes steps to rein in ragging Tribune News Service Bathinda, July 23 Following the Supreme Court’s order to implement the recommendations on anti-ragging measures, DC Rahul Tewari today held a meeting with the representatives of all colleges in the district. In the meeting, the DC appointed the DSP (H) as the nodal officer on the part of the police and the district revenue officer (DRO) from the civil administration. He maintained that the media would be one of the best supportive organs. Reading the SC order, the DC asked the colleges to ensure that the wardens of the hostels were more vigilant and available on mobile phones round-the-clock. The representatives of colleges were asked about the status of constituting anti-ragging committee and squads. The representatives, who could not clear their position on the subject, were asked to take the SC orders seriously or face the consequences on account of the contempt of court. Acting upon a suggestion of a college representative, the DC asked the officers to issue an order under section 144 of the CrPC, which would require private PG owners to inform the district administration about the details of the students lodged on their premises. Replying to a query, the DC said, “Wherever an incident of ragging is reported and institutions do not take adequate steps to redress the grievance, regulatory bodies would conduct inquiries through fact-finding committees and would be empowered to take strict action.” Tewari said student representatives would also be invited in the next meeting to lend their support in making the mission against ragging a success. Among others, the ADC (General), SDMs of Talwandi Sabo, Rampura Phul and Bathinda attended the meeting.
	With AC room, helipad for CM’s use gets facelift Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Kaljharani (Bathinda), July 23 The once temporary helipad at Kaljharani village has now taken a permanent shape with the construction of an air-conditioned waiting room and round-the-clock surveillance by the cops. Kaljharani is about 32 km from the Bathinda district headquarters on the Badal road, touching Muktsar district. Whenever Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal or his son SAD chief Sukhbir Badal land here to visit their house in Badal village, all senior officials of the Bathinda and Muktsar districts mark their presence at the helipad, burning hundreds of litres of fuel. Witnessing the frequent landings of the choppers hired by the Badals at the Kaljharani helipad, the district administration has set up an air-conditioned waiting room. Earlier, in its absence, the CM and the bureaucrats in attendance had to wait in their cars, before the civil aviation gave the clearance for landing or take off. The room has recently been constructed by the PWD at an expense estimated to be in lakhs. The room is equipped with adequate number of chairs for holding brief meetings. During lean days, the air-conditioned room is ‘well utilised’ by the security personnel manning the helipad. Sensing the threat perception to the CM who has Z plus security, the district police have put five policemen on permanent guard, to man the helipad. Showing the attendance register, head constable Ranjeet Singh, who has been deputed as in-charge of the ‘helipad guard’ there, said, “We are five and by rotation, we keep vigil at the helipad for four hours, armed with gun. We are bound to keep vigil at the helipad as in case of any untoward happening, we would be the first to be penalised.” An official of the district administration, seeking anonymity, said, “Earlier, the Badals used to land at the Badal village, where only the Muktsar administration officials used to be present but for reasons better known to them, they have moved to Kaljharani and put the government machinery of the two districts on the move.”
	Rain water inundates town Raj Sadosh Abohar, July 23 Finding that all the main roads in the walled city were caving in due to waterlogging and gradual failure of the pressure type sewerage system, which had been re-laid in 1992, property rates have started nosediving, sources indicated. The real estate market earlier suffered a major jolt last year when the Municipal Council while responding to an application filed under the RTI Act had declared 22 colonies illegal. However, the promoters of such colonies, enjoying close links with the ruling parties, had managed to stall action by the PUDA to whom the Council had forwarded the survey report, sources said. The colonisers have not been able to find new buyers during the year. A walk on the main road after the first monsoon downpour indicates this town of Panjpeers had started sinking. Since the Municipal Council has not been paying salaries to its staff regularly, it cannot be expected to arrange funds for meeting the challenge. The shopkeepers on the both sides of the Gaushala road, Sahitya Sadan road and the Circular road have been filling the khuds with waste building material besides alerting the passers by. The khud at the turning point of Sahitya Sadan road near Bishnoi Mandir has further deepened after recent downpour. The new town faced serious threat to survival in 1990. However, on the initiative taken up by the then Deputy Commissioner Suresh Kumar and ADC MP Singh, the Central government sanctioned Rs 23 crore Urban Renewal Project (URP) to replace the outlived sewerage system. But waterlogging played spoilsport. Chandigarh-based contractors could hardly utilise Rs 17 crore in the stipulated period of three years and the rest of the grant expired. Now, even the newly laid pressure-type sewerage system has started collapsing, threatening hundreds of houses. Local legislator Sunil Jakhar had got Rs 3 crore sanctioned by the Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh in 2006 to get a 3-km long disposal water channel constructed. It was to be extended by 6 km to put the sewerage water in a drain. However, the present government paid no heed to it. The first downpour of the season that recently lashed the town, just for an hour, had virtually wreaked a havoc. Even when the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) improved upon its old track record, hundreds of citizens had to shift to safer places for shelter leaving behind their entire households. The rain water that crossed a rail underbridge had entered residential quarters located between the Sahitya Sadan and the railway track. Accumulated water continues to pose a threat to the railway track. “None of the municipal officials or councillors had cared to visit us,” rued Sheesh Pal, a resident. Similar conditions had developed in six slum areas, a survey confirmed. Some educational institutions too remained under water for a week. Sources in the PWSSB said the state government had not released funds for any major project during the past two years.
	Cooperative agriculture service society Violation of service rules comes to light Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Moga, July 23 Irregularities in the cooperative agriculture service society of Pandori Araian village near Dharamkot have come to light in the Moga district. The society has allegedly promoted a peon to the post of salesman against a vacant post by violating the service rules of the cooperative agriculture service societies. As per the rules, the minimum qualification for the post of salesman is 12th standard but the peon has been promoted to this post even though he does not possess the minimum qualification that is mandatory for this post. A resolution passed by the society members, in this regard, was attested by Harbans Singh, inspector of the cooperative societies, even as Kashmir Singh, president of the society, was not present in the meeting. There were reports that the secretary of the society has withdrawn a total sum of Rs 63,246 from the accounts of the society on March 4, 2009, despite written objections raised by the president of the society. Similarly, a total sum of Rs 2,24,237 were also withdrawn from the society accounts at different occasions during this year. Further, the stock of 48 tonnes of urea and 12 tonnes of DAP fertiliser as on March 31, 2009, was missing from the storehouse. Sources revealed that this stock of fertiliser amounting to Rs 9.00 lakh was shifted to some other place. The president of the society, Kashmir Singh, while speaking to The Tribune admitted that irregularities were committed in the society by the secretary with the help of the inspector and some members of the society.Adding that he had lodged a complaint in this regard before the joint registrar of the cooperative societies, who is inquiring into the matter, Kashmir Singh said he had suspended the secretary of the society with immediate effects. Meanwhile, Harbans Singh, inspector of the cooperative department, clarified that he has nothing to do with the recruitment of the salesman and withdrawal of money from the bank accounts. "My duty is to attest the resolutions passed by the society members and I am in no way a party in functioning of the society," he said.
	Educating underprivileged kids Red Cross plays the good samaritan Ravi Dhaliwal Muktsar, July 23 The underprivileged kids, some orphaned at a very young age while others hailing from poor families, have been brought under one roof by the district Red Cross, which runs a Residential Bridge Course to ensure them quality education. The initiative has been launched in this district under the guidance of the deputy commissioner Rajat Aggarwal. The project has been aptly named Residential Bridge Course since it attempts to bridge the gap between these children and those studying at the government schools. A few months ago, the District Education Officer (DEO) was asked by the district administration to identify 50 kids from poor families, who had dropped out of primary and middle schools in villages of this district. After an elaborate survey, the DEO came up with a list of 50 kids, who were later brought under the aegis of the Residential Bridge Course for proper education and care. "The most important things we teach these kids is that misfortune of the soul cultivates strength. We act as catalysts to ensure that these children get quality education and are back in the government schools once the course is over in November. All these kids came to the centre empty-handed but will go back to their villages enlightened with the virtues of good education," says Hardev Kaur, secretary of the Red Cross, who directly supervises the activities at the centre. The teachers said they want these children to become responsible citizens. "Once they do so, the mission of the Residential Bridge Course will be completed," says Hardev Kaur with a sense of pride.
	Pvt stamp paper vendors doing brisk business Rajay Deep/TNS Bathinda, July 23 Buyers of stamp papers and revenue tickets in Bathinda are being fleeced by the private vendors, thanks to the apathy of the revenue department. To check the menace, the administration had decided to sell the stamp papers and the court fee tickets at the Suvidha Centre. Ironically, the centre hardly serves the purpose as officials they rarely issue the stamp papers or tickets. Moreover, the staff at the counter itself refers the customers to private vendors sitting outside the Mini-Secretariat or ask them to wait for a few days. One Jagtar Singh of village Jassi Pau Wali said, “It is the third time in the past month that I got the reply that the stamp papers are out of stock. Finally, I had to purchase the stamp papers from a vendor outside the Tehsil complex by shelling out Rs 3 for each stamp paper,” he alleged. Jaswinder Singh, centre in-charge, said: “A demand has been sent to revenue department. We hope to get it soon.” Pleading anonymity, a stamp vendor said, “We get only two per cent commission in selling the tickets and stamp papers and we perform various formalities. So sometimes, we charge a couple of extra bucks but not from everyone.” When DC Rahul Tewari was apprised of the matter, he assured of looking into it and of conducting a raid on the private vendors to check the fleecing of customers.