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No end in sight to
pollution
Docs report rise in eye, respiratory ailments
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‘Everyone exposed to allergies’
Pets, cattle too bear the brunt
IHM principal sacked
After ROs & EHPs, sanitation campaign for better hygiene
Paddy glut in Fazilka mandis as workers go on strike
PU zonal youth festival concludes
Former PPCC president Virendra Kataria and Rajneesh Ahuja giving prizes to a team in the PU zonal festival at Abohar. A Tribune photograph
Cong ticket aspirants in poll mode as screening for MC elections begins
Court acquits ex-BMC engineer in graft case
Foundation stone of 220KV sub-station laid
Countrymade liquor seized
Files gathering dust for reasons
unknown
Body found near rail track
‘Smart classes need of the hour’
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Smog engulfs region; chokes city lungs, blurs vision
SP Sharma Tribune News Service
Farmers who are now preparing their fields for the next crop have created the smog that engulfs the town mainly due to the burning of paddy stubble in defiance of the orders of the respective district magistrates. Fly ash released in the air by the thermal plant here has become a chronic problem. The problem was also being faced by residents of the districts of Bathinda, Faridkot and parts of Ferozepur. Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari today convened a meeting of district officers to tighten their belt and take action against the erring farmers. The police have so far registered cases only against six defiant farmers although burning of paddy straw was a common practice by most farmers in the area. A government functionary pointed out that because of political interference it was almost impossible to take action against the farmers indulging in burning straw. The weather office said that the level of humidity has suddenly increased to 85 per cent. Not only the smoke from fields, but also the fly ash coming out of the chimneys of the thermal plant was responsible for the polluted atmosphere. Residents of the town cried that the unchecked smog was causing health problems among them. MM Behl, leader of the joint action committee seeking remedial measures to stop air pollution by the thermal plant, claimed that the fly ash was causing all sorts of problems for the residents of the town. Residents of various localities have come together to form the joint action committee against the problem of fly ash. NK Gosain, a teacher in a local college, lamented, "It has become difficult to take out one's scooter as ash particles are causing irritation in the eyes of two-wheeler riders". It was suffocating outside because of smog, he added. Another resident, Kulbeer Singh, pointed out that his car that was washed in the morning was covered with a layer of ash and dust within minutes after that. "Initially, we thought that the smoke might have been the effect of the massive fire in the oil depot near Jaipur," he said. DC Rahul Tiwari said the district administration has chalked out a three-pronged strategy to tackle the situation. Besides asking the police to register cases against those defying the magisterial orders, he would write to the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) to take steps to educate farmers against burning straw and introduce affordable technology to use the stubble for producing manure. Tiwari said that he has also ordered officers of the rural development and block development agency to take against the farmers causing the menace. It is worth mentioning that the High Court has asked deputy commissioners to file detailed action taken report to check the menace. Meanwhile, Tiwari has convened a meeting of engineers of the thermal plant and leaders of the joint action committee here on November 12 to find a solution to the problem of fly ash. Engineers of the plant claim that the process of ammonia dousing was controlling the problem, but the joint action committee members were not satisfied by their claim.
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Docs report rise in eye, respiratory ailments
Bathinda, November 4 "The problem of every second patient is being caused by the prevailing air pollution," consultant eye surgeon Dr Amrit Sethi, said, adding that the burning sensation, itching and watering in eyes had apparently become everyone's problem these days. "Besides, patients carrying small foreign bodies in their eyes have also been frequent in the last four days," Dr Sethi said. Terming the prevailing air condition as havoc for eyes, Dr Sethi, who is also the past president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab, said the condition could certainly cause serious infection and resultant discomfort in the eyes. "People generally rub their eyes whenever foreign bodies enter their eyes. Rubbing of eyes with hands is in itself an erroneous practice as it leads to infection and most importantly, if the foreign body happens to be a solid particle, rubbing may cause scratch in the eyes," the specialist explained. Dr Sethi recommended washing of eyes with clean water. Talking about the level of air pollution, Dr Sethi said that breathing is difficult even inside the room. "Our right of enjoying safe air is being infringed," he said. |
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‘Everyone exposed to allergies’
Bathinda, November 4 Dr Ajit Pal Singh, MD, chest diseases, said, "During the past few days, I have been witnessing that the number of allergic patients has been rapidly increasing. To treat the patients of tuberculosis and bronchial asthma approaching us, besides medicines, we are advising them to keep the face fully covered with cloth." "It is not only commoners but doctors too are getting affected by it. Knowing that this pollution is causing health hazards, the authorities must swing into action to check its sources," said Rakesh Gupta, a senior doctor at the Civil Hospital in
Bathinda. Kundan Lal, medical officer at the Police Lines, Bathinda said, "There are some allergic patients in the district police who have started visiting us frequently over the past three-four days. Though the patients might have been suffering due to the change in season, the pollution too has been silently affecting their health."
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Pets, cattle too bear the brunt
Bathinda, November 4 Dr Umesh Puri, a city-based vet, said the number of cases coming to him have increased for the past three days. "Dogs with eye infection, white discharge from the eyes and skin allergies are coming to me. This is due to pollution being caused by stubble burning in the area. Animals in Bathinda already had a tough time fighting problems caused by fly ash and polythene consumption and stubble burning has added to their woes. Smaller animals like pug dogs and other small breeds are more prone to chest infections and other problems. I am attending to several dogs daily with related problems. Everyday, I am giving antibiotics and anti-allergic medicines to dogs," he added. Dr SD Jindal, veterinary officer in-charge of the polyclinic here, said that almost 15 animals, including cattle, were being tested for similar problems at the polyclinic for the past three days in Bathinda. Dr OS Parmar, director, extension education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, said that the smoke caused due to stubble burning would affect every biological thing including animals. "There is a dire need to develop a mechanism to dispose of paddy straw in the state. One way out is to send paddy straw to dry fodder deficient states like Rajasthan and Gujarat," Dr Parmar stated. Dr Charanjit Singh Nabha, assistant scientific officer, PPCB, said that stubble could be used as a fertilizer because 33 per cent of the total fertilizer used for crops remained in the stem. |
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IHM principal sacked
Bathinda, November 4 In a further development, C. Sibin, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Bathinda, is being given the officiating charge of the IHM, till the next principal is appointed. Confirming the details, Principal Secretary, Tourism Department, Geetika Kalha said, "The principal has been terminated on the basis of the findings of a three-member investigation committee formed by the deputy commissioner, Bathinda, which found him guilty of the allegations levelled by the female staff of the IHM." Speaking further, Kalha said, "The ADC (D), Bathinda has been considered for the officiating charge of the principal-cum-secretary of the institution till we appoint a new principal." On his part, DC Bathinda, Rahul Tewari said, "The tourism department officials today conveyed the termination orders of the principal over the phone but the written orders are yet to be received." Parrying the query over the phone, SK Banerjee said, "You better talk to the higher officials of the tourism department." According to the details of the case, about a month ago, narrating various incidents, the female staffers of the IHM had lodged a formal complaint of sexual harassment against the principal in question. The complaint was submitted to various departments including Principal Secretary of the Department of Tourism, National Human Rights Commission, Punjab State Commission for Women, Rashtriya Mahila Kosh and Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, with a request to take immediate action, failing which any one of them could be a victim of rape or suicide. Acting upon the complaint, an inquiry committee was formed, which comprised the ADC (General) Shruti Chaudhary, Civil Surgeon Neelam Bajaj and District Revenue Officer Kiran Jain. Submitting a 25-page probe report, the committee members said the physical harassment could not be actually proved and it was very sensitive allegation, which needed a lot of strong evidence. However, the committee members assuming the female complainants to be true, recommended strict action against the accused and added that when the whole staff was against him, the accused should be removed from the post. |
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After ROs & EHPs, sanitation campaign for better hygiene
Muktsar, November 4 The twin concepts of RO plants and the
EHPs, set up in three villages in Muktsar district, have been immensely successful among the villagers in the region and now the spotlight will be on the novel TSC project to be initiated in
Kotbhai, one of the biggest villages in Gidderbaha assembly segment, for which groundwork has been completed. Said Apramjeet Singh
Ghuman, a US-based civil, chemical and nuclear engineer, who is closely associated with the project, “The uniqueness of the TSC lies in the fact that it promotes behaviour change by the villagers as against the toilet construction focused approach of earlier programmes which was no solution to the solid waste generated by the village. It will be a community led approach where the entire village ends open defecation and achieves ‘total sanitation’ by collection and conversion of solid waste to energy. This campaign has become necessary in rural Punjab because of sanitation related illness in both children and adults which acts as a drain of productivity and income-ultimately perpetuating poverty.” “The maintenance of sanitation and hygiene in villages are the mandatory duties of village
panchayats. The disposal of solid waste and sewage is becoming a major problem for many panchayats and once the pilot project at Kotbhai village takes off, it is proposed to group several villages into clusters so as to form a viable unit for contracting out sanitation work,” he said. Said Manpreet
Badal, who termed the TSC as not an evolutionary but a revolutionary campaign, “Villagers will benefit immensely. Look what the RO plants have done to the lives of the common villagers. Cancer is on the decline now with people having access to safe drinking water through these plants. Similarly, in an attempt to reach out to top doctors working in urban areas, we brought in the
EHPs, which again has been a roaring success. Now, we decided to bring in TSC so that villagers can reap the rewards of clean hygiene and better sanitation facilities.” “The solid waste generated in the forms of household, agro and livestock leftovers will act as fuel for generating electricity through mini power plants to be set up in villages where there will be
TSC. At Kotbhai itself, a 300 kilowatt power plant, based on US technology, will be set up and power will be given to the PSEB through purchase agreement. Sanitation is a habit, it is not about constructing toilets is the bottom- line of the TSC even as Manpreet Badal and his team gear up to usher in a new era in healthcare in rural Punjab. |
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Paddy glut in Fazilka mandis as workers go on strike
Fazilka, November 4 As a result, there is a glut of paddy in the markets here. The labourers also staged a dharna in front of the Market Committee office today. These labour charges have been fixed by the Punjab Mandi Board. However, in view of the rise in prices, the labourers find it difficult to make both ends meet. Womenfolk, in particular, feel aggrieved and exploited over the measly sum given to them as
wages. Darshan Singh, president of the Mazdoor Union, said the wages fixed long back are meagre in view of the price rise. He demanded that labour charges should be increased forthwith.
Luxmi Devi, a labourer, rued that after working for more than 12 hours a day, she could hardly earn barely enough to get her two square meals a day. The labourers are demanding at least Rs 6 for a 35 kg bag and Rs 8 for a 50 kg per bag. However, the commission agents consider the demand of labourers to be exorbitant. Arhtiya Association president Om Parkash Setia said commission agents have already been paying more wages than fixed by the Mandi Board.
Pardeep Aggarwal, SDM, Fazilka, called a meeting of the representative of the
labourers, arhtiyas and Market Committee officials to resolve the issue. The meeting ended in a deadlock as the labourers adopted a tough stand. They have stuck to their demand. They declined to resume work without a hike in labour charges. SDM
Aggarwal, however, tried to persuade them maintaining that the final decision in hike has to be taken by the Mandi Board authorities but he would recommend and forward their case. This offer did not work too. Subsequently, the paddy glut continues. So far about 45,000 quintals of paddy stocks have piled up in the grain market, according to official sources. This is despite fact that the paddy arrival is relatively slow mainly due to fall in price of PUSA Basmati 1121. Most farmers, especially the affluent ones, are holding their stock in the hope of a rise in price of this variety of paddy. |
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PU zonal youth festival concludes
Abohar, November 4 Convener Dr Venita Singh said ‘Singh is King’ staged by the host institution was adjudged the best in skit competition while Babe Ke College of Education, Mudki, team won the second prize. Gurpreet Kaur of Badal was adjudged the best in individual category while Priya Sharma of Dhudike was placed second. In the final day’s results, Babe Ke College of Education, Mudki, topped in bhangra while Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial College, Dhudike, was the runners-up. Tejinder Singh of Ghall Kalan was adjudged the best dancer while Jagjit Singh of Dhudike was adjudged the second best. In mime, Dashmesh Girls College of Education, Badal, and its student Archana were adjudged the best. Bawa Nihal Singh BEd College, Muktsar, topped in women’s traditional songs, DAV College of Education, Fazilka, in knitting, Dev Samaj College of Education, Ferozepur, in pakhi design, Bawa Nihal Singh College of Education, Muktsar, in dasuti, JD College of Education, Muktsar, in phulkari and bagh, DAV College of Education, Abohar, in crochet work and DM College of Education in mehandi contest.
— OC
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Cong ticket aspirants in poll mode as screening for MC elections begins
Sriganganagar/Abohar, November 4 Applicants seeking Congress tickets from different wards were interviewed till Tuesday midnight, while those keen to try their luck for the office of the president thronged the meeting place along with hundreds of supporters on Wednesday. Major Yadav was being assisted by the Lok Sabha member Bharat Ram Meghwal, district Congress president PPS Sandhu and local legislator GJ Meel. The Suratgarh council at present has got president from the Muslim community, who had been elected by the councillors as per draw of lots conducted at Jaipur. It will now be headed by a member of the scheduled castes in general category. There will be a direct election of the president by the
electorate. — OC |
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Court acquits ex-BMC engineer in graft case
Bathinda, November 4 According to details available, reacting to the complaint of one Kewal Kumar, sleuths of the Vigilance Bureau, Bathinda, laid a trap and nabbed SE Varinder Kumar Setia from his office with cash amounting to Rs10,000 in April, 2007. In that case, Amarjit Singh of Baba Deep Singh Nagar had appeared as an eyewitness. Confirming the details, SSP Vigilance Bureau, Chaman Lal said, "During the court proceedings, both the complainant and the eye witness backtracked from their statements. Taking the issue seriously, the district court awarded them the punishment and released the accused." |
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Foundation stone of 220KV sub-station laid
Malout, November 4 Speaking on the occasion, the CM said the sub-station had become an essential requirement for the region as it will give relief in load to the 132KV sub-station at Malout. He added that in order to solve the overloading problem of the transmission system in the region, yet another 220KV sub-station at Jhunir village will be established at a cost of Rs 21crores and the same will be commissioned before May next year. This will improve power supply position in Mansa and Bathinda districts. Badal also disclosed that two more 220KV sub-stations at Sadiq and Himmatpura will be constructed before next paddy season at a cost of Rs 80 crores. PSEB chairman HS Brar, who was also present, said as per the policy of the Punjab government, PSEB is paying special attention to waterlogged areas where tubewell connections were being released on a priority basis. |
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Countrymade liquor seized
Bathinda, November 4 Giving details, ETO (Excise) RS Romana said one Bhushan Kumar of Poohla village had brought 600 cartons of PML from Ludhiana without permission. When the team reached there, about 100 cartons were offloaded at the outlet while the rest were in a canter which was seized along with the cartons. After issuing challan to the vendor, departmental proceedings were initiated. |
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Files gathering dust for reasons
unknown
Abohar, November 4 Senior councillor Vimal Thathai along with other MCs, in a letter faxed to the state government today, regretted that the files were gathering dust in the office of the local council for unspecified reasons. They claimed that 6,000 files had been cleared by in the wards during the tenure of the past Congress government in the state but the needy were now feeling frustrated over the attitude of the ruling party. — OC
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Abohar, November 4 As per the information, Moma Ram of Dhaani Maseet Wali was reportedly missing since early this morning. Early reports indicated that the body had been covered by sand but there were no visible injury marks except for biting by the dogs. His photo ID card, recovered immediately, helped in locating his family members. Postmortem will be conducted on Thursday. — OC
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‘Smart classes need of the hour’
Muktsar, November 4 Speaking on the occasion, Rakesh Dahiya, assistant vice-president, Educomp Solutions Ltd, said, “The requirement of today is innovative solutions designed to supplement traditional methods of learning with multimedia applications to enhance a child’s educational experience. IT can empower the teacher by providing him with additional education tools within the classroom.”
— OC |
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Lehra Mohabbat plant gets new chief engineer
Bathinda, November 4 |
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BATHINDA: The struggle for implementation of the new UGC grades in private aided colleges across the state would be relaunched. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held in Chandigarh. Teachers would wear black badges on November 6 and 7 and observe a two-period strike from November 11 to 14, Prof N.K. Gosain, district president, Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers' Union, informed on Wednesday. — TNS
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It is now four days that residents of Bathinda and adjoining areas have not seen a clear sun because of a thick layer of smoke coupled with patches of cloud in the sky. The situation was worst this morning when the sun appeared as a red ball in the sky because of smog and disappeared as the day progressed.
Abohar, November 4
Bathinda, November 4