Bathinda, October 20
With an aim to impart education to the jail inmates, especially youths, the Department of Jails is going to launch a pilot project soon in Patiala jail. After examining the viability, the department may also start such a project in Bathinda.

Replying a query at the Central Jail here today, DGP (Jails) Anil Kaushik said his department was also preparing a final project regarding education programme in jails to cater to the needs of the jail inmates.

The DGP (Jails), who was here to examine the matter relating to improvement of facilities in jails, said his department was also assessing a proposal to install jammers to check the menace of use of mobile phones by the inmates. But there was a problem in installing jammers, as area around almost all the jails had been inhabited now, he added. Kaushik said if a suitable technology to install the jammers in jails was developed they would go for it.

When asked why a large number of jail jawans (constables) have not been promoted even after about 20 years of their service, the DGP said he had written to the government to ensure at least one promotion to every jail employee before his retirement. However, promotion to all was not possible, he added.

The DGP stated that his department had submitted a draft to the government to make changes in the old jail manual. He also said there was no proposal to change the location of Bathinda Central jail.

Bathinda, October 20
The ongoing construction of the Bathinda-Badal railway overbridge (ROB) said to have been initiated by the ruling Badals, has been suspended for an indefinite period.

The reason for this, it has been learnt, is reportedly a change in plan by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Sources in the PWD (B&R) informed that out of the total 10 pillars, seven had already been constructed when Sukhbir Badal asked the authorities concerned to modify the plan and make the two-lane ROB into a four-lane.

The ROB has been in the news ever since its foundation stone was laid mainly because the Railway Board had refused to pay its share of the cost saying flow of traffic on the road was much less than the required criteria.

According to information available, the construction of the ROB was started in March this year and was scheduled to be completed by June 2010. As per the initial plans, the total estimated cost of the ROB, including the land acquisition, payment to contractor of the construction company, payment to forest department for axing hundreds of trees, etc, was calculated at Rs 34 crore.

The design for the two-lane ROB, length about 750 metres towards Badal road, and 450 metres towards the Bathinda-Dabwali side, also had a crossing for the controversial ring road being planned.

On the one side, the order of the Deputy CM has put the officials of the departments concerned in a dilemma as construction had already been started. Further, the proposed change would delay the project for about a year as it would require fresh acquisition for land located adjacent to the ROB.

On the other hand, officials of the construction company are also in a Catch-22 situation as they have completed about one-fifth of the work and the sudden orders asking for suspension of work with immediate effects has put them in a quandary.

When contacted, Jag Ram Sharma, manager of the Amarnath Aggarwal Construction (Pvt) Limited, Panchkula, said, “We are absolutely out of work these days as the officials concerned have asked us to keep the work suspended till further orders. In this situation, out of 50 employees, including labourers on job, many have been sent on leave. Even the heavy machinery hired for the construction has also been returned”

Confirming the facts, Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tewari said, “We will try our best to get the final decision of the government at the earliest as construction work has been suspended mid way, which is also a hurdle in the flow of traffic. If required, the process of acquiring land will also be started, but till now no communication could take place.”

Ashok Goyal, Chief Engineer, PWD (B&R), said, “We have been studying all aspects and nothing is final yet.”

Ferozepur, October 20
The district administration is making elaborate arrangements to organise “Ferozepur Heritage Ferstival” scheduled to be held in this border town from November 19-21.

DC Kamal Yadav, while presiding over a meeting of the local officials, NGOs, social and religious organisations said it was an effort to promote the rural sports and revive the rich cultural heritage and legacy of this historic district.

The festival will be held under the banner of SPARSH (Society for promotion of rural sports, culture and heritage), he added.

Yadav informed that the proposed 'Virasat Mela' will be a three-day function, which would encompass various events beginning from akand path, nagar kirtan, rural sports including kushti, kho-kho and kabaddi. Exhibition of various historic artifacts would be held on the first day, followed by the cultural events like dramatics, bhangra and giddha on the second day.

Basant Garg ADC (Development) said scores of towering personalities in the field of music, literature and art will participate in the event. A laser show on the life and times of Shaid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and Anglo-Sikh wars will be one of main attractions, he mentioned.

Besides, an evening of ‘sufiana kalam’ will also be held. Wadaali brothers and Gurdass Mann have also been invited. Jaskiran Singh ADC, Gurtej Singh SDM, Ashok Handa DPRO were also present on the occasion.

Jasriran said events like baby show and dog show will also be held to promote community participation in the vent.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, October 20
Encouraged by the exemplary performance of some women, who had been elected as chairpersons of the municipal councils in different towns of Rajasthan, the state government has decided to reserve 50 per cent of the wards for women in the next municipal elections.

The process of delimitation of wards for the councils, which are to go to polls soon, has already been completed. The revised policy on reservation has been recently implemented in the district city of Hanumangarh. In this district, Neelam Saharan, chairperson of the Municipal Council at Rawatsar, a town known for the ancient temple of Khetarpal Baba, has not only belied doubts over the capability of women to work but is also emerging as role model. Under her directions, the council has prepared leasehold documents for 200 houses in less than six months. She handed over the documents to 160 citizens today during a brief and simple ceremony.

Those present, included Gurcharan Kamdar, president of the sub-committee for lease holdings, officiating executive officer, Mani Ram Swami. Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, had directed the councils all over the state to solve the long-pending problem of the legal occupants of the houses by giving them leasehold certificates.

In Rawatsar, Neelam Saharan's predecessor was able to deliver such document to about three dozen persons only during his four-year term.

Saharan said the council has so far earned net revenue of Rs 25 lakh. This would streamline the development works also, she said. Councillor Jagdish Modi said as per the law of the state even a legal owner is termed as encroacher until he has been issued the ‘patta’.

Bathinda, October 20
From now on, the data operators attending to general public at the Suvidha Centres in Bathinda, Talwandi Sabo and Rampura Phul would possess enhanced skills in customer handling.

Around 40 operators attended a class on customer handling and soft skills at Bathinda today and took lessons from Dr Gulshan Kumar, who came from the Institute of Technology and Future Management Trends in Chandigarh.

Dr Gulshan delved into intricacies of customer handling at these Centres. “People come here with a belief that our operators would be able to help them. Necessary cases like making of a driving licence etc are handled at these Centres which brings people from all stratas of society to these centres. It is very important for our operators to know how to handle the customers. Some people are troublesome also and Dr Gulshan told us how to handle reckless people without being rude,” said Jaswinder Singh, district Suvidha administrator at Bathinda.

Dr Gulshan taught the art of avoiding ‘No’ as a reply. Apart from the data operators, the attendants working at these Centres were also asked to accompany visitors to the counters concerned. Dr Gulshan told these attendants that there work was not limited to serving water only.

Dr Joram Veda, assistant commissioner, who is a trainee here, conceived the idea of training the workers of Suvidha Centres in customer handling. He discussed the need with the Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, and arranged for the class. Similar classes would be taking place in the coming months also, Jaswinder informed.

The 40-minute class gave a boost to operators’ confidence that would help them achieve the real purpose of setting up Suvidha centres, Jawinder felt.

At the end of the class, Dr Gulshan asked some general knowledge questions from the operators.

Talwandi Sabo, (Bathinda), October 20
As many as 1650 participants will take part in the three-day Punjab State Rural Games (PSRG) for girls being organised by the Punjab Sports Department at Dasmesh Public School, here, commencing from October 21. 

Giving details, Director, Sports, Punjab, Pargat Singh, said the games would have 10 disciplines — athletics, basketball, hockey, handball, kabaddi, kho-kho, weightlifting, wrestling, football and volleyball. 

He added that the players selected would further take part in the National Rural Sports Tournament. Earlier, the state sports department had conducted block and district level tournaments all over the state, in which about 1.5 lakh participants took part in various disciplines.  

All the participants would be provided to and fro travelling expenses, accommodation, sports kit and diet expenses at the rate of Rs120 per head by the sports department. 

Director, Sports, also informed that the games will be inaugurated by Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Member of Parliament from Bathinda, on October 21 at the Dasmesh Public School, Talwandi Sabo. 

Speaking about the arrangements, Anil Kumar Garg, SDM, Talwandi Sabo, said all arrangements including accommodation, catering, transportation, medical, security etc. had been finalised.  

Earlier, talking to TNS, Pargat Singh informed, “Punjab is going to host four disciplines (kabaddi, volleyball, football and kho-kho) in the National Rural Games (boys and girls) to be held at Anandpur Sahib in January 2010. 

About the Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) scheme, he said the department was doing its best to meet the target of the previous year, when about 1233 villages were covered under the scheme. 

“Under the PYKKA scheme, the Centre is contributing 75 per cent share to the state government to cover all villages for sports grounds, equipment and honorary trainers. We have set a target to cover all 12329 villages in the state under the scheme in the 10-year period,” Pargat said. 

When asked about any decision on the construction of the international cricket stadium in Bathinda, where Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone about two years back, Pargat Singh said, “A meeting has been conducted at the chief secretary’s level but the decision is yet to be announced.”

Mansa, October 20
Damaged banks of the canal distributary were causing difficulties for the residents at some places in the Mansa district. As per the information, banks of the canal distributary were damaged near Bhainibagha village near the bridge, situated on the Mansa-Bathinda road.

Meanwhile, farmer leader Ram Singh Bhainibagha and Mohinder Singh Romana said the damaged banks of the canal had blocked the way resulting in trouble to the passers-by. They demanded early repair of these banks. Xen of the canal department, Gopal Singh said as per the government scheme, all the banks of the canals would be repaired by the end of December.

Ferozepur, October 20
In order to prevent the residents of Abohar and Fazilka sub-divisions from the hassle of coming all the way to the district headquarters for their routine works, all the senior district officials including SSP, DFSC, DEO, DSSO, programme officer ICDS, besides welfare officer will camp at Abohar every Thursday, stated Kamal Yadav DC, while presiding over a meeting here on Wednesday.

Yadav said on the occasion, SDM Abohar, DSAP Abohar, tehsildaar, XEN PSEB, XEN irrigation, EO MC, BDPO Abohar and Kuiyan Sarvar and Tehsil Welfare officer will remain present along with their supporting staff.

The first camp will be held on 22 October under his own supervision at the SDM office Abohar, Yadav informed.

Ferozepur, October 20
The State Vigilance Bureau has caught a patwari red-handed from Zira in this border district while taking a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a farmer on Tuesday morning.

A criminal case under the prevention of corruption Act has been registered against him in the bureau's police station here, in this town. He would be produced before a local court on Wednesday.

As per the details available, a farmer Kuldip Singh, son of Thana Singh, a resident of Kassuana village of Zira sub-division reported to the Vigilance Bureau officials that the village revenue patwari Bhagan Singh had demanded Rs 15,000 from him for doing 'jamabandi' of a piece of land.

Kuldip reported that he had already given him Rs 10,000 for getting the work done but the patwari was not doing his work and instead was also demanding rest of the money Rs 5,000 in advance.

Following his complaint, the DSP Baldev Singh of the Vigilance Bureau, laid a trap and caught the said patwari red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from the farmer.

The amount was recovered from his pocket. Another sum of Rs 8,800 was also recovered from his pocket, for which, the investigation was still in progress.

The patwari was not able to give any satisfying reply as to from which sources he possessed the money, when the last news report was filed.

Ferozepur, October 20
Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon presided over a Sangat Darshan programme. During the programme, the minister listened to the problems of the local residents besides the village panchayats.

SDM Gurtej Singh Pannu, DSP Jasbir Singh besides leaders of the Akali Dal were present on the occasion. He solved most of the problems on the spot and marked the rest of the applications to the officials concerned.