Bathinda, September 28
Symbolising the victory of good over evil, effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran were set ablaze at several places in the city to celebrate Dusshera on Monday evening.

The festival was celebrated with traditional zeal and gaiety with the whole city soaking in the festive spirit. Celebrations at Paras Ram Nagar, Railway ground, MSD Senior Secondary Public School and the NFL complex saw huge crowds with the maximum number estimated at Paras Ram Nagar.

Fireworks lit up the sky after sunset and the burning demons were reduced to ashes after Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Ravana enacted a fight.

“Earlier in the day, tableaux were carried out through the city streets. Like on previous occasions, this year also a crane was used to burn an effigy of Ravana,” said Vijay Kumar and Sanjeev Soni, organisers of the New Friend Ekta Dramatic Club.

Around 20, 000 people attended the celebrations that took place at the MSD Senior Secondary Public School. Principal of the school Suraj Setia said the chief guest on the occasion was Dr Jitender Jain, DIG, Faridkot range. He was preceded by Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tewari who graced the earlier part of the celebrations. At around 5:50 pm, the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath were burnt.

Informing about the celebrations at railway ground, MP Singh, assistant divisional engineer, Bathinda, said a colourful tableaux was carried out in the city and in the evening, effigies of demons were burnt.

It was more than just Dussehra at the NFL complex. The celebrations began on September 19 with an array of activities, including mythology-based quiz for children, an ‘antyakshari’ on religious songs for women, a painting competition for kids and a fancy dress for toddlers.

The NFL Durga Puja and Dussehra Committee organised ‘jagran’ and ‘prabhat pheris’ also, Brajesh Sharma and SR Singla from the NFL informed.

Children were seen busy purchasing bows and arrows as vendors outside the venues of Dussehra celebrations had put up stalls to make a quick buck. The police had put up barricades to ensure security across the city today.

Ferozepur: The festival of ‘Dussehra’, marking the victory of good over evil, was celebrated here at various places with enthusiasm and religious fervour. The effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran were burnt at Dussehra functions organised at Ram Bagh, Dusshera Ground, Housing Board Colony, outside Zira Gate and Dhobi Ghat areas, which were presided over by various political leaders.

Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Irrigation Minister, presided over the function at Ram Bagh and Dussehra Ground whereas Sukhpal Singh Nannu, DC Kamal Yadav were the chief guests at Housing Board Colony. Parminder Singh ‘Pinki’, general secretary PPCC, was the chief guest at the function held outside Zira Gate whereas former MP Jagmeet Brar presided over the Dussehra function organised by Sunil Vij and party at the Housing Board Colony.

Mansa: Dussehra festival was celebrated with enthusiasm in Mansa on Monday. A function was organised by Mahaveer Dal Mansa in Dussehra Ground. The function was inaugurated by the Deputy Commissioner Kumar Rahul and SSP Manwinder Singh. Effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad were burnt. DC Kumar Rahul and president of Mahaveer Dal, Bhushan Garg, exhorted the people to adopt fair ways and stand for the truth.

Malout, September 28
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presided over the Dussehra celebrations, which concluded here today.

Accompanied by his wife Surinder Kaur Badal, the CM evinced keen interest in the function organised by the local City Welfare Club.

After reminding people that the occasion symbolised the victory of the good against the evil, Badal was quick to remind the residents of Malout that in the last two years and a half of the SAD rule, the state government had spent a whopping Rs 100 crore on various developmental projects.

He claimed that Rs 36 crore had been spent on improving the water supply and sanitations system and that Rs 30 crore had been spent on setting up a 220 KV grid, which he said, had proved to be boon for Malout's residents. He assured the people that more such grants would be doled out to the district once the state's fiscal situation improved.

Badal said the interest of the residents of Malout was always uppermost in his mind. He exhorted the people to follow the path shown by Lord Rama and at the same time he asked them to shun the path followed by Ravana.

Congratulating the City Welfare Club office-bearers for organising the function, Badal said whatever plans the club has intitiated for the development of the city, the state government would fully finance them. Patting the organisers on their back, he doled out a grant of Rs 1,00,000 to the club. Prominent among those who were present were the Malout MLA Harpreet Singh and president of the City Welfare Club Tony Garg. — OC

Ferozepur, September 28
Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon today formally, kicked off the procurement drive by the government procurement agencies at the grain market, Ferozepur Cantonment. Sekhon said the state government would ensure that the entire crop of the farmers reaching the market was purchased and the payments were also made instantly.

Sekhon said all arrangements for smooth and uninterrupted purchase of paddy all over the state have been completed, adding that the government has arranged Rs 15,011 crores from the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the farmers were paid the remunerations within no time.

He said earlier it was planned to start the procurement in October. However, due to special efforts of the CM Parkash Singh Badal, the procurement has been started ahead of the original schedule. Requisite number of jute bags have been made available in the grain markets and rice shellers have been earmarked to store the procured paddy, he added.

He said this year, the agencies were expected to procure 13 lakh MT paddy from the market. “The commission agents would be released power connections on priority for paddy cleaning machines,” he said and assured the farmers that there would be total transparency during the paddy purchase, adding that the paddy with higher moisture content than stipulated will not be purchased.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sukhpal Singh Nannu also started the procurement drive in the city grain markets. 

Faridkot, September 28
Purchase of paddy by the procurement agencies of the union and the state government agencies started in the Faridkot district on Monday morning.

While starting the official purchase, the District Magistrate, VK Meena, said the arrival of paddy was expected to be 6,03,000 metric tonnes (MT), this year.

He said before the official purchase which began today, a total of 475 MT of paddy, had already been purchased by the private traders.

“There is a total of 60 purchasing centres in the Faridkot district, out of which, the three main purchasing centres: Faridkot, Kotkapura and Jaito-have been established in the urban areas while the other 57 centres are located in the rural areas,” the DM said.

Meena claimed that all the arrangements had already been made by the district administration for the smooth procurement in the grain markets. The required water supply, electricity and all other arrangements were in place, he added. The DM, directing the agencies concerned to make payment of paddy to the farmers within a period of 72 hours of the purchase, said lifting of paddy would be done within 48 hours.

Former agriculture minister and veteran SAD leader GS Badal, chairman of the District Planning Board LS Arrayianwala and other local leaders of ruling party were also present.

Bathinda, September 28
Despite the official announcement of starting paddy procurement from today, none of the six government purchase agencies entered the markets of this district, where hundreds of quintals of paddy kept lying waiting for them.

Confusion about the official date of procurement, high-level of moisture in the crop and poor arrangements in most mandis remained the major reasons for the abscence of government agencies in all 137 grain markets in the district.

Sources informed that moisture level was recorded somewhere around 23-25 per cent in the crop, while the Fair Average Quality (FAQ) is about 18 per cent at the highest. As per the details, about 8000 quintals of paddy has arrived in the mandis of the district, out of which, just about 2000 quintals was sold to private buyers at their own rates, while farmers were waiting for the government agencies to give at least the (MSP), fixed at Rs 880 per quintal.

Goniana Mandi witnessed the highest arrival of about 3500 quintals out of which 2000 quintals were sold to private buyers.When contacted, DMO Narender Singh said, “No doubt there was confusion regarding the procurement date as it was preponed thrice. We have been doing our best to ensure all arrangements are in place as the markets have been allotted to procurement agencies concerned.”

“We have problems with truckers, who have been unlawfully using our grain sheds to park their vehicles. I have lodged a complaint with the DC, who assured us of removing them by Tuesday after sending force,” he added.

Moga, September 28
CM Parkash Singh Badal lashed out at 'forces' that are trying to disturb communal harmony in the state saying that they enjoy the backing of the Congress.

He was addressing a public gathering in the new grain market after distributing cheques to poor families under the Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), a Centre-sponsored scheme, here today.

Without referring to the forthcoming SGPC elections or to the demand of a section of the Sikh community in Haryana to constitute a separate gurudwara panel for managing the gurudwaras of the state, he said the main agenda of these 'forces' was to divide the people on communal lines to get political mileage and get control of the gurudwaras.

On the occasion, the CM distributed cheques of Rs 3.21 crore to 1,257 families of the district under the IAY scheme, which provides for Rs 35,000 to each poor family living below the poverty line (BPL) for constructing a new house and Rs 15,000 for the repair of existing houses.

He claimed that that Rs 222 crore had so far been given to Moga district during the past two and half years by his government. Badal clarified that the Commissioner's office of Faridkot was not being transferred to Bathinda as rumours about this were being floated among the political circles.

Badal also gave some valuables tips to farmers to downsize agricultural machinery by one-fourth of the present level and involve cooperatives for community farming. The CM advised to diversify cultivation to fruits and vegetables and adopt new techniques, which consume less water.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sheetal Singh demanded to upgrade the status of Dharamkot town to a tehsil level from the existing sub-tehsil by attaching 150 villages falling under this assembly segment.

He also demanded a concrete road on 'dhussi bandh', the embankment of Sutlej River from Bahadar Wala to Jogewala village, besides, a government college for girls in the town.

The former minister and senior SAD leader Jathedar Tota Singh insisted to revise the criteria for the selection and identification of BPL families.

Earlier, the District Magistrate Satwant Singh Johal while welcoming the CM on his visit expressed his thanks for granting 37-lakh for plugging the breach on 'dhussi bandh' of Sutlej River.

Bathinda, September 28
PSEB employees will be holding protest rallies on October 1 against the Board management’s decision of not implementing the recommendation of the wage formulation committee.

PSEB sources disclosed that previously, the Board used to revise pay scales of its employees by consulting the state government due to its autonomous status. However, this time, the state government has till yet withheld its decision. A senior engineer said, “It is an attempt to undermine the PSEB’s autonomy, which is unacceptable.”

At a recent meeting, it was decided to hold protest rallies at zonal headquarters on October 1. The future course of action would be decided by the leaders during the rallies. — OC

BATHINDA: St Xavier’s School, Bathinda, secured first position in the North-zone II handball tournament which was held from September 19 to September 22.

In the U-19 Girls’ category the school came first and in the U-14 Girls’ category the school came second.

About 70 teams from Punjab and Haryana participated in the tournament. Principal Father Ivo Dias and vice-principal Father Remy Cardozo congratulated the students.

Both the teams have been selected to participate in the Nationals being held at Shimoga in Karnataka. — TNS