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NGO says too much use of fertilisers to blame
Mid-day meal in school
Construction of rail overbridge in Ferozepur |
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Doc gets 7 years jail in rape case
Fog disrupts normal life
Thick fog in Bathinda on Tuesday morning. A Tribune photograph
Akali leader’s aide held for selling liquor, granted bail
New ration cards to be ready by January 2010
Straw burning
School kids to join drive against dengue
Pulse polio drive
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NGO says too much use of fertilisers to blame S.P. Sharma Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 10 Bangalore-based volunteer organisation, Greenpeace, has conducted the study in the three districts of Bathinda, Muktsar and Ludhiana. Doda in the Gidderbaha block of Muktsar district was the worst affected where the level of nitrates in a groundwater sample was 601.6 milligrams per litre against the prescribed level of 50 mgs for safe drinking water. Another sample from Muktsar had presence of 110.7 milligrams nitrates. The water samples of Bathinda, Jagraon, Ludhiana and Gidderbaha showed alarmingly high presence of nitrates. Presence of nitrates was also found in the water samples of Phul, Payal, Raikot and Malout. Preethi Herman, communications officer of the NGO, who was a member of the team that conducted the study, said that farmers have contaminated the groundwater and wells in the three districts due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers. She said studies have confirmed that drinking water or eating food contaminated with nitrates has a potential to develop cancer of digestive tract, bladder and other vital organs. She said results of 20 per cent of sampled water showed higher level of nitrates against the safety limit for drinking water. The preliminary report prepared by the organisation says that all three sampled districts have groundwater wells that are highly polluted with nitrates and 44 per cent of the sampled farming villages have wells with pollution level higher than the safety limit for drinking water. The report says that against the recommended application rate of about 100 kgs nitrogen per hectares, farmers in the sampled villages were found using 322 kgs nitrogen per hectare in the hope of high yield of crops during the 2008-09 agriculture season. The region might be suffering from widespread nitrate pollution on its depleting groundwater. Excess application of nitrogen fertilizers not only affects future food production by degrading soil fertility but also compromises the health of the farmers and their families by polluting the drinking water they depend on.
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Officials to probe irregularities
Shariq Majeed Tribune News Service
Sangrur, November 10 Even as police has not registered a case into the matter yet, it has recommended to DC Barnala that an inquiry into the matter, if any, be conducted by the education department authorities. Police sources said acting on the complaints of misappropriation into mid-day meal scheme, a police team led by the DSP Barnala, Rupinder Kumar Bhardwaj along with senior education department official raided the government run Gandhi Arya High School at Barnala. They said following checking of stock register and its tally with the actual stock in the store, the team found that actual stock in the store was in larger quantity than that mentioned in the register. Sources added that following this, police has seized the stock register and locked the store room. Police instructed that the school authorities should open the storeroom, to take material used for mid-day meal scheme, in its presence. They further said that police team has submitted its report to the SSP Barnala, who has recommended to the DC Barnala that an inquiry should be conducted by the education authorities following which action will be taken by police. Confirming this, Senior Superintendent of Police Barnala HS Bhullar said “Our team found that stocks maintained by the school authorities had less ration for mid-day meal scheme than was found in the stock room. I have recommended to the DC Barnala that an inquiry be conducted by the education authorities, following which, action , will be taken by police”.
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Construction of rail overbridge in Ferozepur Anirudh Gupta
Ferozepur, November 10 The age-old ROB reminiscent of the British times which had outlived its life several years back has been closed for reconstruction on which an estimated amount of around Rs 8 crores will be spent. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had laid the foundation stone of the reconstruction of this bridge last year. However, the work could begin only a few days back due to certain procedural wrangles. Since this ROB was the main route connecting the city and cantonment areas, the closure of this bridge has caused immense discomfort to the residents of both city and cantonment, especially school students, office-goers, patients and traders as well. Though, the authorities on their side had kept the provision for a bypass and the alternative routes had been worked out. However these routes, one from cantonment area, and another via BTW have turned out to be inadequate to manage the huge volume of traffic. Further, the railway line near the housing board colony has compounded the problems of the commuters going via cantonment area, as due to its closure, the number of vehicles gets stranded leading to chaos on both sides of the track. The other route via Basti Tankan Wali (BTW) is facing more acute problems. Since a number of trains including passengers, mails and goods trains pass through the railway gate on this road, it remains closed most of the times. According to the information available, all trains going and coming from Ludhiana (5), Bathinda (6), Jalandhar (6) besides goods train, mails including Janata Express, Punjab Mail, Jammu Tawi pass through this gate. Even for the trains going to washing line and shunting, this gate has to be closed. Earlier, it took less than 10 minutes to reach from any part of the city to the cantonment, but now it takes a minimum of 30 minutes, and if the railway gate is closed, it might take another half an hour. Parminder Singh Pinki, PPCC general secretary demanded that the railway authorities should deploy additional manpower or make arrangements to ensure that the railway gates on these bypass do not remain close for long. Pinki said he will take up the issue with General Manager Northern Railway to apprise him of the matter so as to ensure that the public does not face inconvenience.
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Doc gets 7 years jail in rape case
Bathinda, November 10 According to details collected from various police officials, one Jagjit Kaur of village Bhagta Bhai Ka had accused the doctor, Bhupinder Singh, of the same village, of committing fraud with her. In her statement, she had alleged that the doctor duped her of lakhs in the name of sending her to Australia. However, the doctor sent her to Bangkok, where he followed her. Telling her that he had divorced his wife, he managed physical relationship with her. Later, both returned to India and kept the relation alive. After a couple of week, when Jagjit Kaur came to know about the reality, she had quarrel with the doctor and narrated the incident to the police. Later, Dialpura police booked the accused under section 420 of the IPC on April 4, 2008. After the medical examination of the complainant, police added various sections-376 (rape), 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC - in the case. The accused was then sent to jail, from where he allegedly asked his wife to use an objectionable CD of the complainant, to get him released from jail. Acting upon the directions, his wife, Gurbinder Kaur, threatened the complainant to withdraw the case or face dire consequences. Failing in the attempt, Gurbinder Kaur got the CD copied and sent it to the houses of complainant and her kin. Meanwhile, two persons, namely, Vijay Kumar and Charna Singh, telecast it on some local TV network. Later, police booked all four accused. Considering the facts, the district and sessions judge Kuldip Singh today awarded seven years' jail term to the main accused. Rajinder Kumar, in-charge CIA staff, confirmed the details. Defence counsel Randhir Kaushal said, "My client Bhupinder Singh has been convicted in a previously registered rape case while the second case related to the objectionable CD is under trial in a lower court.” |
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Fog disrupts normal life
Bathinda, November 10 Moreover, the fog also sprung a 'pleasant' surprise for the residents as well as experts, with its timing, almost a month ahead the normal schedule. The region normally witnesses fog in the month of December. The foggy conditions that started developing on the intervening nights of Monday and Tuesday intensified today in the morning aggravating the problems of already smog-hit residents. Experts said that the conditions for fog had been maturing in the region as the humidity level was hovering near 100 per cent for the last couple of days and the snowfall in the northwest part of the country served as a precipitating factor. Further, after the rain on Monday morning - 2.2 mm, as said by the agro-Met advisory services, PAU region station Bathinda - the winter has entered another phase with the mercury also continuing its southward direction. The temperature recorded 11.8 degrees Celsius in the morning while the day's maximum was 24.5 degrees Celsius, around 5 degrees below the normal. |
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Akali leader’s aide held for selling liquor, granted bail
Sangrur, November 10 During the raid, 120 bottles of country- made liquor were recovered. However, even as the excise department officials arrested the political secretary of former MLA from Baranala, he was let off on bail. Local sources said on a complaint by liquor contractors of Barnala that Shanker Sharma, political secretary of former MLA and senior Akali leader Malkit Singh Kitu, was illegally selling country liquor to the people, excise officials comprising SP Pahuja, excise and taxation officer (ETO), Baldev Raj Garg, excise inspector and others raided the residence of the accused at Jhandhawala in Barnala and recovered 10 boxes, having 120 bottles, of country liquor. The excise department officials later arrested the accused and he was booked under Excise Act. However, local sources added that he was later let off after bail. |
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New ration cards to be ready by January 2010
Bathinda, November 10 This information was given by the District Food and Supply Controller (DFSC) at a meeting of the advisory committee of the Food and Supply Department here today in response to a demand, made by some members, with regard to preparation of new ration cards. At the meeting additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Shruti Singh asked the officials of the Food and Supply Department to ensure that for the convenience of common masses every depot holder would display information every month on a board, installed outside the depot, about the supply of wheat and kerosene. District level meetings of the advisory committees of various government departments were presided over by deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari and the ADC Sharuti Singh here today. At these meetings, the members presented their suggestions in the interests of the public. At a meeting of the revenue department it was suggested that the government should waive one percent fee, being charged for rectifying any error in the registry of land or property. |
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Pollution board takes samples for analysis
Anjali Singh Deswal Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 10 Authorities from the PPCB informed that samples from around 13 places have been taken to analyse the amount of pollution being caused by rampant stubble burning. Assistant scientific officer of the PPCB Dr Charanjit Singh Nabha said that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had given directions to assess the air pollution caused twice a year in both rabi and kharif seasons. " The samples were taken on Friday and the reports would be out on Monday," Dr Nabha added. Kulwant Singh, XEN, PPCB, Bathinda, when contacted, said that a lot of awareness has been spread about the impact of stubble burning. 'We have been distributing CDs in villages, regular write-ups in newspapers and other media have been given. This year, I did not receive the CDs but enough awareness has been spread. We have informed that any village found not indulging in this practice would get an appreciation letter from the government," Kulwant said.
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School kids to join drive against dengue
Bathinda, November 10 District Malaria Officer Malkiat Singh said, "Pamphlets have been printed which will be distributed on November 14, when the BMC is supposed to launch a drive. We have also completed all preparations to check and treat dengue affected patient," added Malkiat Singh. When contacted, BMC commissioner Ravi Bhagat said, "Taking our responsibility, we have slated a seven days fogging programme for the whole city, commencing from Wednesday.”
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Mobile teams to reach kids of migrant workers
Bathinda, November 10 District vaccination in- charge Dr MS Gill said today that besides 16,435 children of the migrant population, “anti-polio” drops would also be administered to the children of labourers, working at about 170 brick kilns of this district. Dr Gill said as many as 18 mobile teams would also administer "anti-polio" drops to the children of hut dwellers and the children of the labourers, working in the fields and constructing roads and buildings. — TNS
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Vets to boycott Centre’s schemes
Bathinda, November 10 The meeting also appealed make regular appointments of veterinary doctors in place of appointing them on contract
basis. — TNS |
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PPCC secretary appointed
Abohar, November 10 |
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The region got up to a blind start on Tuesday as dense fog enveloped the entire area causing near nil
visibility disrupting the normal life besides movement of the road and the rail traffic.
Moreover, the fog also sprung a 'pleasant' surprise for the residents as well as experts, with its timing, almost a month ahead the normal schedule. The region normally witnesses fog in the month of December.
