Fazilka, November 15
With the Punjab government rejecting the proposal for granting district headquarters status to Fazilka, hectic activities have started. The members of Bar Association, Fazilka, observed a strike for three days as a mark of protest over the government decision.

Members of the Bar Association of neighbouring Jalalabad sub-division also supported the demand of granting district headquarters status to Fazilka. They too observed a strike for two days consecutively.

A large number of traders and socio-political organisations have also lent their support to the cause. A meeting of the executive committee of Beopar Mandal, Fazilka, presided over by its president Ashok Gulbadhar today unanimously resolved to fight for granting district headquarters status to Fazilka. It has also been decided to observe a complete bandh if the situation so warranted.

Different social organizations including Social Welfare Society, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Manav Kalyan Sabha, Sewa Bharti and others have also once again supported the demand for granting district headquarters status to Fazilka which is one of the oldest sub-divisional headquarters of Punjab and was also one of the three biggest subdivisions of the state till the carving out of sub-divisions of Jalalabad and Abohar from the parent Fazilka sub-division.

Major political parties have indulged in blame game for failure in securing district headquarters status even as the demand is about two decades old.

Former Congress MLA Mahinder Rinwa has accused the sitting BJP MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani of being "incapable" in getting this demand accepted.

On the other hand, Jyani, who is also the state BJP vice-president, while launching a scathing attack on Rinwa, has alleged that his predecessor (Rinwa) remained MLA for two terms but never raised the demand of upgrading Fazilka to district headquarters at any major platform. He has himself raised the demand in Punjab assembly twice. "The issue of district headquarters status for Fazilka is still very much alive and is on top of the agenda," said Jyani in press note released today.

Jyani said he has also raised the issue in the BJP legislature meeting held on Friday. All the MLAs have supported the demand and decided to take it up afresh with the Chief Minister.

The MLA has criticised the report of the Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur, on the issue and described it as irrelevant, unfounded and not based on facts. The Deputy Commissioner has in his report reportedly stated that granting district headquarters status to Fazilka would entail extra financial burden on the government.

Jyani, while strongly supporting the demand, has said that he would support the agitation of the residents of the Fazilka area on this issue. 

Bathinda, November 15
Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Congress MLA from Nathana, today alleged that the SAD-BJP led state government had failed on all fronts.

In a press release of the District Congress Committee (rural) issued here today, he stated that the farmers in the state were facing tough time selling their paddy crop to government agencies. They had been squatting for 28 days to sell their crop at grainmarket in Gobindpura. It only indicates an apathetic attitude of the state government towards the farmers.

The Congress MLA said the employees in the state, especially IIIrd and IVth class workers, are also not happy with the SAD-BJP government as they were finding it difficult to cope up with the rising prices while the state government was yet to implement the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

Bhatti alleged that the police was also dancing to the tunes of the SAD leaders. He alleged that for this reason, every other day a Congress worker was being implicated in false cases and booked under sections like 323, 324, 326 and 307 of the IPC.

The Congress MLA said he would take up these issues in the Vidhan Sabha and would form a front to protest against the excesses committed by the state government.

Bathinda, November 15
The onset of winter might have created problems for many but retailers selling woollens have heaved a sigh of relief, finally. The chill has finally forced people to open their closets and trace out woollens for some warmth.

The staff at one of the Reebok stores here claimed that there was an exceptional increase in customers who wanted to buy woollens.

“Even after putting a sale on warm clothes, there were not many takers for them. But of late, there were many who thronged our store for buying sweat shirts, pullovers, warm track suits and jackets,” a staff member said.

Local retailers who get woollens from Ludhiana said they had lost hope that this year they would manage to sell their woollen stock but the change in weather narrated a different story.

Vicky, a local retailer stated that light woollens were being pulled off the stacks but heavy woollens like sweaters and jackets were not being sold out.

“There were many customers for stoles, scarfs and light shawls, especially girls, as they need it while going to work or colleges. Sale of jackets and cardigans is also picking up. I hope the cold gets intense and we are able to do brisk business,” he added.

Last year also, the retailers selling woolens could do business only for a month and this year they felt that if winter failed to arrive, then they would have to sell their stock at heavy discounts. The change in weather, however, has given them a ray of hope.

Bathinda, November 15
In a startling incident, three cops of Kotfatta police station were beaten up, when they visited village Yatri while responding to a call regarding a clash received late on Saturday evening.

Besides the allegation of inflicting injuries, in the formal complaint lodged at Kotfatta police station, the cops accused that the assailants tore off their uniforms and damaged their private car, which they used to visit the spot.

According to details available, one Mithu Singh of village Yatri lodged a complaint with Kotfatta police that a group of persons had been threatening him to sell his land at lesser price on Saturday evening. After some time, the complainant called up the police station saying the accused beat him up.

Responding to the call, three cops including ASI Bhag Singh and two constables, Joginder Singh and Amrik Singh, went to the village in the private Maruti car of Bhag Singh. Just at the entrance of the village, the accused namely, Major Singh, Mukhtiar Singh, Malkit Singh, Jaswant Singh, Harjinder Singh, Hardeep Singh, Lakhveer Kaur and Chinder Kaur attacked them.

“We have not even started investigating the matter when they started using derogatory language. Immediately after, one of them assaulted us with a lathi and later, all of them pounced upon us. As we were outnumbered, they tore our uniform and inflicted injuries. We were yet to regain senses when they fled in my car,” alleged Bhag Singh.

Responding to the allegation, Kotfatta police booked the accused on various charges, including attempt to murder, robbery, assaulting public servant on duty, rioting etc.

Sources in the police station informed that the police recovered the damaged car and rounded up all the accused.

However, the SHO, Kotfatta police station, Jasvarinder Singh denied the arrest of any accused but accepted that the car was recovered today.

Bathinda, November 15
Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) may have partly complied with the Central Electricity Act-2003 by setting up dedicated police stations, which are working directly under its control, but these entities have now hit a roadblock with work in almost all of them suffering due to acute staff shortage.

The power board had established five police stations, with staff deployed from Punjab Police on deputation, in February this year in an attempt to check the menace of power pilferage which was acting as a big drain on its revenue. These stations were set up at Bathinda, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.

However, after tasting initial success, the shortage of staff has now started affecting their working with the result that power thefts in both rural and urban areas is once again on the increase. The power board has recently sent a proposal to the Punjab government to let it increase the strength of personnel working in these police stations from 10 in each station to 40.

Each station is manned by an officer of inspector rank and has two Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) and seven constables.

Said Inspector Baljinder Singh, who looks after both the Patiala and Bathinda stations, "We have submitted a detailed proposal to the government through the Board management to let us increase the staff. We are facing an acute staff shortage due to which our work is suffering badly. We have demanded that at least 40 personnel should work in each of the five police stations. This will increase the efficacy of the stations. Right now, we are handicapped and we cannot visit far-flung rural areas to curb power theft."

Power theft in rural areas is most pronounced and the staff finds in difficult to visit these areas.

Admitted Baljinder Singh, "We are also facing a shortage of vehicles. Right now, there is one vehicle for each of the five police stations which is not sufficient to meet our requirements."

Remarked a senior engineer, "PSEB had done a good job by setting up these stations. However, now staff crunch has hit their working badly. Under the Central Electricity Act-2003, setting up of such police stations had become mandatory. The Act has been encouraged by World Bank assessments and by prominent figures such as the distinguished scientist and parliamentarian Raja Ramanna. Earlier, it was common knowledge that meter readers, linesmen and billing clerks did not read meters and actually benefited from personal payments and political protection. The state government should go ahead and increase the staff of these stations so that power theft is checked."

The police stations function directly under the PSEB's vigilance and security cells. Meanwhile, Kashmir Singh Gill has joined as the new SP (Vigilance and Security), PSEB, at its Patiala head office. 

Bathinda, November 15
Two youth were crushed to death by a speeding bus at village Kaljharani here on Sunday. One person also suffered severe injuries after being hit by the bus.

Sources said a bus private bus (PB30A9568), which runs for a renowned educational institute located on Bathinda-Muktsar road on contract basis, went off road at village Kaljharani. The bus first hit a pedestrian, Gurlal Singh of Kaljharani, who sustained severe injuries. After the incident, the driver of the bus, Harmel Singh of Loolbai village, in his attempt to flee from the site indulged in reckless driving and hit two motorbike-borne youths namely, Jaswant Singh and Hargobind Singh of the same village.

Jaswant died on the spot while Hargobind succumbed to his injuries at Civil Hospital, Bathinda. After postmortem, police handed over their bodies to the family members.

SHO Sangat police station, Sandeep Singh, said the accused managed to flee but police took the bus in custody. He added that the case had been registered against the driver under sections 304-A, 279, 337 and 338 of the IPC.

Mansa, November 15
Two Mansa villages, Chahour and Reondkhurd, are among 20 villages that have been honoured for having the highest girl-child ratio .

As a result, these villages received special grants from state Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla at a function held in Amritsar.

Officials of the Health Department said two surveys were conducted to identify sex ratio in the 0-6 age category in 2001 and 2008. In Chahour village, the number of girl children between 0-6 is 1,160 after 1,000 boys while in Reondkhurd village, the figure is 1,132 after 1,000 boys.

Mansa, November 15
Farmer leaders who were released from Burail Jail in Chandigarh yesterday were honoured in their respective villages.

Farmer leaders of Bhartiya Kissan Union Ugrahan, district president of Mansa, Ram Singh Bhainibagha, state vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke and Sangrur district president Janak Singh Bhutal yesterday arrived in their villages and rallies were held as a mark of respect for their release.

A rally, organised in Bhainibagha, was addressed by Ram Singh Bhainibagha, Jhanda Singh Jethuke, Bhola Singh and Inderjit Singh.

Farmer leaders criticised the government for registering false cases against farmers leaders after the September 8 rally held at Chandigarh. They said that their organisation does not believe in violence and was fighting for the genuine demands of farmers.

The Chandigarh rally was held on September 8 to oppose the “privatisation” of Punjab State Electricity Board and fire and violence incidents was not the handiwork of farmers. Police lathicharged the farmers and later registered false cases against them. The arrest of farmers would not be tolerated and the struggle would continue, the farmers leaders added. 

Hanumangarh/Abohar, November 15
Five persons including a recently wed woman were killed as the Bolero jeep they were traveling in collided head-on with a truck near village Baliawas on the Alwar highway late last night, sources said.

In another mishap, two motorcyclists were killed as an unidentified vehicle hit them in Kotkasim area. As per the information, Parkash Jangid and his cousin Bindu were returning from Haruknagar. — OC

A local social studies teacher has got the distinction of participating in an International seminar arranged by software giant Microsoft in Brazil from November 3 to 7.

Vijay Gupta, a social studies teacher at government high school, Arniwala, was among the 250 teachers from 60 countries all over the world who participated in the 5th Innovating Teachers' Leadership Award Programme where they were given tips on latest software programme. Some teachers were also honoured on the occasion.

Gupta, on his return, while talking to The Tribune, revealed today that only six persons had been selected for participating in the seminar from India. These included two from Tamil Nadu and one from Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Delhi each. He was the lone teacher selected from Punjab. Microsoft sponsored their visit.

He disclosed that Amit Lota, co-ordinator of the project, had inspired him to participate in the programme initiated by Microsoft. In the beginning, he was selected for district and state level programmes for his knowledge regarding software. There after, he was selected for participation in the International programme by the company.

For this, he had been given training at Gurgaon. On return from Brazil, Gupta feels that there is dire necessity to promote computer education in government school of Punjab. — Praful Chander Nagpal

The Lok Kalyan Sewa Samiti, Budhlada, has been providing services to society in different fields for over two decades now. It has been continuously organizing eye check-up and surgery camps every year since 1988 and an estimated 1200 to 1500 patients benefit at every camp.

The Samiti's ambulance also provides service at very low rates. The ambulance provides free service at the time of road accidents and brings accident victims to hospitals.

Raj Kumar, who works there, said that late chief minister Beant Singh honoured this institution for providing services during floods. He said when floods hit this area in 1993, the Samiti was involved in supplying food items and medicines to flood victims through its own efforts.

Help rendered by various social organizations and the state government had reached the flood hit only due to the efforts of the Lok Sewa Samiti. Campaigns were also started against social evils like female foeticide and drug addiction. Ashok Kumar Singhla and Dr Mahinder Kumar have been serving as a president and chairman, respectively, of the Lok Sewa Samiti. — Parmod Mehta