Jalandhar, November 30
The Border Security Force (BSF) will soon replace the damaged fencing along the Indo-Pak border to stall infiltration bids across the border. The proposal regarding the replacement of the fencing would be sent to the Union Government in a week’s time.

This was revealed by Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Frontier, BSF, Himmat Singh on the eve of the 44th Raising Day celebrations of the BSF here today.

Addressing mediapersons, he said a survey in this regard was conducted by the BSF three months back and work on the fencing along the international border would be done on priority basis. “Due to fog, seasonal rains and riverine gaps approximately one-fourth of the total 500 km international border has got damaged at some stretches. And the need to replace the damaged fence was being felt for the past some time, which will be done soon,” he added.

The IG said a proposal to revamp the dirt fence track along the Indo-Pak border would also be sent to the Union Government soon. “The fence track would be cemented for better patrolling by the BSF troops along the border,” he said.

He also highlighted another proposal to revamp the floodlights at the border. Apart from this, the work on the forward shifting of fence at Abohar and Ferozepur border was also going on at full swing.

Answering a query pertaining to induction of modern surveillance equipment ahead of the foggy winters, he said, “Though we have not inducted any new equipment, but surveillance with the help of hand held thermal imagers (HHTI), monocular and border field surveillance radar (BFSR) will be increased at the border.”

Talking about any intelligence inputs pertaining to possible threats from across the border, he said, “There is no doubt that Punjab is a sensitive state due to its proximity to the border, but we are extra vigilant to retaliate any such possible threats.”

Talking about the rocket firing incident by militants in September at Attari near the international border, the IG said as per the forensic reports it was found that 107 mm shells with propelling material was used for firing across the border. “The BSF authorities are still probing the 
matter,” he maintained.

Earlier, the IG maintained that this year the BSF seized 117.3 kg heroin, Rs 64 lakh of fake Indian currency notes and 17 weapons, apprehended 35 Pakistan nationals and 56 Indian nationals and killed three Pakistan and 1 Bangladesh nationals.

Jalandhar, November 30
To give a fillip to fruit and vegetable cultivation in the state, the need of the hour was to set up a robust cold chain infrastructure so that the percentage of wastage could be brought under control.

This was the agenda for a seminar, “Cold chain development: Affordable technologies in the new paradigm,” which was organised by the government in collaboration with the CII here today.

Financial Commissioner N.S. Kang shared the various initiatives and incentives that the government has taken to boost this sector. Having such facilities would further catalyse the industrial and farm growth in the state, he added.

Chairman of the Punjab State Farmers Commission Dr G.S. Kalkat pointed out that 30-35 per cent of the agricultural produce got wasted due to the absence of proper storage facilities. The farmers also needed to be trained in the latest post harvest and produce handling techniques, he stressed.

Punjab Agro MD S.K. Sandhu and Sarvjit Singh, MD, Markfed, also briefed those present about the various initiatives taken by their departments in this context.

Akshay Bector, Vice-Chairman, CII, said ready meals and frozen food products had increased their market share in the recent years. Since Punjab had a very good agricultural case and only a fair amount of agro industry, there was good scope for the cold chain sector to flourish, he added.

Others present on the occasion included B.S. Sidhu, Director, Agriculture, and Dr Baldev Singh, Director, Horticulture. As many as 70 delegates, comprising cold store owners, entrepreneurs and farmers, attended the session.

Jalandhar, November 30
The district administration of Amritsar and Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust in a major decision has decided that Jallianwala Bagh will remain under the Department of Culture. The authorities, in the past, were planning to bring function and control of the memorial under the Department of Tourism. If materialized, this would have caused the dismantling or redrawing of building and architect of Jallianwala Bagh.

In a letter written to the committee of the Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall and other organisations, secretary of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust S.K. Mukherji said the bullet marks had been given chemical treatment and covered with water repellent fluorescent colour. He added that the walls had been covered with unbreakable glass up to four feet and the glass had been covered with green hedge and chain.

He said the script of light and sound show had been forwarded to the Indian Council of Historical Research and the issue of the installation of a statue of Udham Singh in the memorial complex had been forwarded to the Ministry of Culture. The issue would be discussed in the next meeting of the Board of Trustees.

While talking to The Tribune, Amritsar Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu also confirmed the fresh move and added that the administration was going to spend Rs 7.5 crore to develop the memorial. “We are also going to develop a visitor information centre at the entrance of the Bagh, which would be equipped with books, films, posters and calendars related to the memorial. There would be no change in the original structure and architect of the memorial,” he added.

It is also learnt that the matter to bring the pistol of Udham Singh from the UK to India will also be forwarded to the Union Government for further necessary action.

Hoshiarpur, November 30
As many as two people were killed and 29 injured in different accidents in the region. In a major mishap in Hoshiarpur, 27 passengers, including 8 women, were wounded when their bus (No PB-12J-8101) of Punjab Roadways in which they were travelling overturned at Shergarh bypass crossing, 5 km from here this afternoon.

All the injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Hoshiarpur.

According to the police sources, the bus was bound from Jammu to Chandigarh. While saving a three-wheeler, the bus driver lost control over the steering due to which the vehicle overturned.

Dr Gurdev Singh, Senior Medical Officer of the Civil Hospital, said condition of 4 injured was serious. One passenger had been referred to the DMC Ludhiana under critical condition.

Pathankot: A cyclist was killed in a road accident on the Pathankot-Jammu national highway near Dheera, 6 km from here, on Monday.

According to the police, Jagdish Raj (49), a labourer of Lado Chak village, was on his way home on his cycle when a vehicle coming from the back hit him, injuring him seriously. He was rushed to a hospital, but he died on the way. After conducting post-mortem, the body was handed over to his family members. A case has been registered.

Nawanshahr: Sikander Pal was killed on the spot and his wife Amandeep Kaur and daughter Kamlesh Kaur were injured when their motorcycle collided with a tractor trolley near Dogarpur village situated on the Nawanshahr-Garhshanker road here today. 

Jalandhar, November 30
A couple, claiming themselves to be parents of the world’s lightest baby, who is on a ventilator for over a month since her birth, has been running from pillar to post to save their daughter.

The baby weighed 500 grams after her birth on October 28 in Sigma Hospital, a child and maternity centre. Since the centre didn’t have ultramodern equipments, Dr Ashwani Malhotra, a pediatrician, shifted the child to Lifeline Hospital on November 1.

Sunil Kumar, father of the baby, who owned a plastic furniture shop in the Kot Kishan Chand area, sold his property to meet the hospital expenses.

Left with no money, Sunil and his wife Anuradha approached the district administration for help so that they could save their girl child. Though the DC forwarded the case to the civil surgeon, it proved of no help.

The civil surgeon expressed his inability in extending financial or other help to the couple but assured them that he would ask the hospital management to charge less, claimed Sunil.

Meanwhile, the Lifeline Hospital authorities complained to the district police on November 26 alleging that the couple was reluctant to pay the treatment cost, said helpless Sunil, who had gone under debt by then.

“To save my daughter, I am begging for the mercy of the district administration,” lamented Anuradha. The Lifeline hospital authorities were available for comments. 

Nawanshahr, November 30
With a view to provide safe drinking water to rural people so that they could be saved from water-borne diseases, the state government, with the financial assistance of the World Bank, has launched a mega Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project worth Rs 1,280 crore.

Under the project, Water Supply and Sanitation Committees have been constituted at the village level for people’s active involvement in the execution of the scheme.

Besides, District Programme Management Cells have been constituted to create awareness among the rural masses about the proper upkeep of the water supply schemes.

Under it, the District Programme Management Cell organised a training workshop at Khanpur village in the Banga block of the district. Hardip Singh, sub-divisional Engineer, Rozy, HRD Specialist, Jaswinder Kumar, Sandeep Bhandari and Tarlochan Singh made the people, especially members of the Water Supply and Sanitation Committee, aware of the various aspects of the scheme and their roles and responsibilities in planning, executing and monitoring the scheme. — OC

The DC appreciated the efforts of SAATH for creating awareness among students and general people about traffic rules and extending help in case of road accidents. Bhupinder Singh Khera, President of the Municipal Council, being the patron of SAATH, presented the annual report of the society. Besides, there were declamation and slogan writing and painting contests. — OC