Bathinda, November 12
Expressing serious concern over the reported “uncontrolled” ash emitting from the chimneys of three and four number units of the local thermal plant, a joint action committee of four local localities today served an ultimatum on the thermal authorities. The ultimatum said if the renovation and modernisation work of the units to resolve the fly ash menace was not completed in a month, the committee would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking directions to the thermal authorities to complete the work immediately for protecting thousands of people from the adverse affects of the ash.

Talking to The Tribune here today, convener of the joint action committee MM Behal said the committee would collect thousands of signatures from the residents of the city to file a petition in the High Court, besides organising peaceful rallies and dharnas as part of their agitation.

He said their main demand was immediate renovation and modernisation of three and four number units of the plant as “uncontrolled” emission of ash from the chimneys was a violation of the Air Pollution Control Act.

He said the fly ash was creating a high level of air pollution in the city resulting in spread of various diseases, like TB, jaundice, asthma, bronchitis and allergy besides breathing problems. He further said it was a matter of regret that even after passage of several months the thermal authorities had failed in fulfilling their commitments regarding renovation and modernisation of these units. He said though the thermal ash was a major threat to the lives of the city residents, the thermal authorities seemed to have turned a blind eye towards it.

On the other hand, deputy chief engineer (Operation) of the GNDTP VK Dua told this correspondent that all the four units of the plant had electro-static precipitators for collection of ash, but for better collection of ash the three and four number units were yet to be renovated and modernised. He said all efforts were being made in this direction.

Meanwhile, some members of the joint action committee, led by MM Behal and municipal councillor RK Garga, met deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari at his residence (camp office) here this evening to explain the problem. On the occasion, the DC heard the views of the thermal authorities and members of the joint action committee to resolve the problem. Later, Behal said, the DC assured them that he would talk to the PSEB authorities to resolve the problem at the earliest.

Bathinda, November 12
To check the frequent incidents of ‘unwanted hurdles’ in the performance of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC), the authorities are all set to embark upon an ambitious training programme for all 50 sitting councillors of the BMC.

BMC authorities have chalked out a detailed programme in collaboration with the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration Punjab (MGSIPAP), whose representatives are going to hold a seminar for the councillors on Friday.

The seminar is said to be an attempt to hone up management and behavioural skills of councillors, where, BS Gill, technical director and BR Gupta, joint director of MGSIPAP, regional centre, Patiala, would be the faculty members to deliver the lectures.

According to the details of the programme procured, the speakers will cover various topics including the portion of 74th amendment to the Indian constitution which deals with the urban bodies, Muncipal Solid Waste Rules 2000, rights and duties of the councillors as well as the BMC at whole.

Confirming the details, Ravi Bhagat, commissioner BMC said, “The seminar has been arranged for the betterment of the BMC. Besides updating the information of all, the lectures will also help in informing about the rights and duties to the councillors elected for the first time.”

Bhagat said the whole exercise was aimed at helping elected representatives set priorities and decide on autonomous basis about various issues of development.

On the one hand, the BMC authorities are hopeful about the seminar, and on the other, are some councillors, who are taking it otherwise.

Speaking over the issue, a group of councillors said, “It is just another tactics of the BMC bureaucrats to show their dominance. During the seminar, the speakers will dictate us how to behave, while dealing with the BMC officials, which we do not want to learn”

“There is nothing for it to be taken otherwise, as it is just for their information. Moreover, after the lectures, there would be open discussion, where all will be free to express their views as well as suggestions,” clarified Ravi Bhagat.

Bathinda, November 12
The Bathinda District Cricket Association shall hold a trial to select players from the district team for its participation in the Punjab State Inter District Cricket Tournaments. The trial will take place on November 15, i.e. Sunday, at the Government Rajindra College here.

No trial fee shall be charged. Special attention shall be paid to the players from rural areas and from small mandis. Selected players shall attend a coaching camp at Bathinda and later shall be sent to Mohali for specialized training.

The trial shall be conducted by Arun Wadhwan, joint secretary of the Association, assisted by Ravi Kohli and Satya Bushan.

General secretary of the Association OD Sharma also informed that the Punjab Cricket Association, Mohali, shall soon start promotion of cricket in villages. Two schools in every district have been spotted to start a coaching centre.

OD Sharma has been appointed coordinator to look after these schools in seven districts—Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Sangrur, Mansa and Barnala.

Sharma said the infrastructure shall be managed by the PCA and all required playing material shall also be provided by it. — TNS

Bathinda, November 12
Eight labourers sustained multiple injuries when a lintel collapsed in a vacant plot near Pukhraj theatre here, this evening.

According to information available, about a dozen labourers were engaged in raising a lintel. They were on the job, when the adjacent wall, over which they had placed girders, fell and the whole structure collapsed. In the accident, many of the labourers got buried under the shuttering.

Hearing the hue and cry, a crowd assembled there and volunteers of the Sahara Jan Seva were called. They pulled out the labourers from the debris and rushed them to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda.

Giving the information, Vijay Goyal, president of Sahara Jan Seva said, “Soon after receiving the information, three ambulances were rushed to the spot. Besides taking the injured to the emergency ward, our volunteers have also been attending to them.”

When contacted, Bal Krishan, owner of the plot, in question, said, “The labourers were raising the shuttering structure, when some workers in our neighbourhood, without any wrong motive, shook the wall, over which we had placed the girders and other heavy material. The shock was so great that the wall collapsed and our labourers were buried under it.”

The emergency medical officer (EMO), Dr Ravikant said, “During the preliminary examination, it has been observed that except for one, the others sustained minor injuries, and they will be discharged after first aid. The one, who is severely injured, will have to be admitted as it is suspected that his hip bone might have been fractured.”

No police statement had been recorded till the filing of the report.

Bathinda, November 12
As per the directives of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union, the teachers of the local DAV College observed a strike for two periods today.

Teachers of the private aided colleges in Punjab are agitating against the management for not releasing salaries to them as per the new UGC grades while their counterparts in the government colleges and universities are already getting their salaries as per the new scales.

The teachers have been observing strike for past four days to press the management to accept their demand at the earliest. Around 80 per cent of the expenditure of aided posts is to be borne by the Central government. The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the state government have already issued necessary notification for the implementation of the UGC grades.

It was decided today that a meeting of the state executive of the PCCTU will be held on November 15 at the Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, to chalk out further strategy to intensify the stir. — TNS

Bathinda, November 12
‘Tarranum 09’, a two-day annual fest was inaugurated at the Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology (GZSCET) here today principal of the college Dr Harpal Singh. The first day was dedicated to Shaheed Bhagat Singh to mark his 102nd birth anniversary which fell on September 28. Kala Manch from Mullanpur, Ludhiana, presented Sirjna and ‘Chipan Ton Pehla,’ plays directed by Rakesh Chaudhary.

A fete was also organised on the occasion. A souvenir was released by chief guest Dr Buta Singh, head, Yadwindra Engineering College, Talwandi Sabo. Principal chief co-coordinator Prof Charanjit Singh welcomed the guests. — TNS

Ferozepur, November 12
The district and sessions court of Ferozepur today acquitted five persons arrested by the police for their suspected involvement in the incident of an unsuccessful bid to loot Rs 3.31 crore from a cash carrying van of the ICICI Bank on October 8 last year, in which, one gunman of the bank was killed while two others were seriously injured near Talwandi Mange village in Zira sub-division of this border district.

As per the case file, when the cash van of the bank stopped at a roadside dhaba on Zira-Kot-ise-Khan road on the way to Jalandhar from Barnala via Moga 
and Ferozepur, five persons travelling in a red Tavera car came there and started firing on the security guards, who were taking meals.

In the firing incident, one guard was killed on the spot and two others got injured. However, one ASI of the police, who was passing by that side, challenged the culprits, who ran away in the car which was bearing fake registration number plate. The police registered a case against unidentified persons under section 302, 307, 397, 34 of the IPC and 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at the Zira police station.

A special investigation team was constituted under Harjit Singh Pannu SP (Detective) to investigate into the incident, who arrested five persons. The then SSP Dinesh Pratap Singh claimed in a press conference their involvement in the crime.

The arrested persons were Lakhvir Singh, Balvir Singh, Harbans Singh, Gurtej Singh and Gurpreet Singh. Out of these, Gurpreet Singh was the son of former personal assistant of a cabinet minister in the Parkash Singh Badal government while Lakhvir Singh 
was deployed as security guard with the then commissioner of the Ferozepur division.

The Tavera car bearing registration number PB-3R-9700 was also recovered along with one .38 bore revolver, one .32 bore pistol, one .30 bore pistol, one 9 mm pistol and two double barrel guns from these persons.

After one year of trial in the sessions court, the additional sessions judge Harpreet Kaur Randhawa on Thursday acquitted them for lack of evidence as the witnesses produced by the police became hostile, did not identify the suspected persons and also did not support the prosecution as no one could identify them. 

Abohar, November 12
Patiala clinched the title in the 31st Punjab State Football Championship (Under-19) by beating Hoshiarpur 3-1 at Nehru Stadium on Wednesday evening. Sanjeev scored a brace while the third goal was scored by Satwinder as Patiala chalked out a comprehensive win.

Kulbir Singh Kang, patron of the Punjab Football Association, who had successfully organised state football, archery and cross country events here, while serving as additional deputy commissioner, awarded trophies. Former MLA Dr Ram Kumar Goyal, Market Committee chairman Dhanpat Siyag and Dr Rajinder Girdhar, principal of the Homeopathic Medical College were also present. 

Moga, November 12
The Dalit sarpanch of Samalsar village of Moga district was beaten and shot at by at least six persons allegedly supporters of ruling Shiromani Akali Dal party who broke into his house, yesterday. He was presently undergoing treatment.

The attackers allegedly hurled indecent words at the Dalit sarpanch Harmesh Singh abusing him of his caste. The police had registered a criminal case under sections 506, 307, 148, 149 of the IPC and sections 25, 27, 54, 59 of the Arms Act and sections 3, 4 of the SC/ST Atrocities Act against six persons identified as Angrej Singh, Rajpreet Singh, Harbans Singh, Sukha Singh, Rajwinder Singh and Lovepreet Singh.

However, no one was arrested when the news report was last filed. Preliminary investigations indicated that Harmesh Singh was removed from the post of sarpanch but was again elected with the support of Congress members.

Though, he was also a staunch supporter of the SAD but intra-party factionalism led to his removal from the post. Since, he managed to rope in the support of Congress Panchayat members, the Akalis did not tolerate it. They made an unsuccessful bid to kill him. 

Ferozepur, November 12
The police has registered a case under the NDPS Act against an inmate of the Central Jail for possessing huge amount of intoxicating drugs.

According to the information, the inmate has been identified as Jit Singh, son of Gulzar Singh, from whom 610 tablets of Hynotex have been seized by the jail officials.

The police has also registered a case against the jail guard, who had allegedly supplied the drugs to the erring inmate. The guard has been identified as Gurcharan Singh, who was on duty in the jail. 

Fazilka, November 12
The decision of Punjab government to reject the proposal to make Fazilka a district headquarter has evoked sharp reaction from a majority of the residents of the area.

Following this, members of the Bar Association, Fazilka, have decided to observe strike for three days consecutively. Lawyers boycotted work in the court from today.

It may be recalled that a former president of the Bar Association, Rajesh Angi, chairman Zila Banao Sangharash Samiti, Fazilka, has been leading the demand for over more than two decades. Members of the Bar Association and town residents have been pleading that Ferozepur district is geographically the longest district headquarters of Punjab.

The state government while disposing off the memorandum of Zila Banao Sangharash Samiti, chairman Rajesh Kumar Angi, has cited reasons mentioned by the commissioner and deputy commissioner Ferozepur. The DC in his report sent through the commissioner, has stated that creation of new district with headquarters at Fazilka would entail considerable financial burden upon the government.

On the other hand, Fazilka BJP MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani, while reacting to the decision, has stated that the issue is still alive for him. He said the demand for granting district headquarters status for Fazilka, has not ended yet and he would raise the issue during the coming assembly session. 

Ferozepur, November 12
The police has arrested two persons, who were allegedly running a racket of fleecing people on the pretext of doubling their money. ASI Major Singh said the police got a tip- off regarding movement of the people of this gang.

He said when the police raided a place near Kwality Resort, the alleged accused persons were waiting in an Indica car. On noticing the presence of the police team, they fired at the police. However the alert policemen overpowered them and arrested two persons identified as Jugraj Singh and Tarsem Singh, while their other accomplice Shapinder Singh managed to escape.

The police recovered one countrymade pistol, .315 bore pistol besides Rs 3400 cash. A case under section 307,420 under another under arms Act has been registered. — OC

Bathinda, November 12
The College of Physiotherapy, AIMSR, Bathinda, celebrated the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and the first union minister for education on Wednesday as the National Education Day.

Chief guest Dr GPI Singh enlightened the students about the ideas of Maulana Azad on education. Kavita Kaushal, principal, welcomed the guests. — TNS