B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Animal fair off to colourful start
Bathinda, December 19
The three-day zonal livestock championship "Khetri Pashudhan Championship-2009", started with the much fanfare and political activities, here today.
A boy with his camel on the opening day of the animal fair in Bathinda on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

Captain’s visit changes party equations
Moga, December 19
New equations seem to be emerging within the Congress ahead of the organisational elections in the Malwa belt. Former CM Captain Amarinder Singh is touring all the districts across the state these days. He has been facing the annoyance of his opponents within the party for holding public rallies 

Organisational elections
Cong leaders to meet in Delhi on Dec 22
Moga, December 19
The Congress high command has called a meeting of the nine-member coordination committee of the state unit of the party on coming December 22 in New Delhi to have a discussion on the organisational elections. This meeting was being held after a gap over one year.

Laughter the best medicine

BJP leaders Kamal Sharma, Ashwini Sharma and Ajay Jamwal have a laugh during a meeting held to review membership drive of the party in Bathinda on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

Three Army men killed in road mishap
Sriganganagar/Abohar, December 19
Three Army officials including the commanding officer of a unit based near Patiala were killed while an officer of the rank of Captain, sustained injuries in a road mishap late on Friday night on the Sriganganagar-Bikaner road (National Highway 15), sources said.

Swine Flu
Another suspect identified
Bathinda, December 19
A suspected swine flu patient (30) from Bathinda was today admitted to the local civil hospital. Talking to this reporter, District Health Officer (DHO) Dharampal Singh Sekhon said today that as he was a suspected swine flu case, so the health authorities had taken three samples from his throat to send the same to the PGI, Chandigarh for tests.

Teacher held for molesting student
Bathinda, December 19
Sangat police today arrested a social science teacher of Government Senior Secondary School (Girls) of village Ruldu Singh Wala for attempting to outrage the modesty of a class IX student. According to details available, the teacher in question, Major Singh, who was reportedly in an inebriated condition, found the 15-year-old girl alone in the classroom and attempted to outrage her modesty.

Rally on breast cancer awareness organised
Bathinda, December 19
After launching an anti-breast cancer campaign, a Delhi-based NGO “Roko Cancer” is going to start cervix cancer and oral cancer awareness and early detection campaign in some states in India while the NGO will also start this campaign soon in Punjab.

Fard Kendra goes hi-tech
Bathinda, December 19
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today started first ever fully computerised “Fard Kendra” (computerised land record kiosk) at Bhagta Bhai Ka near here besides reiterating government 's resolve to make reach of global positioning system (GPS) in every farm of the state.

Faking identity for SIM
J&K resident held
Fazilka, December 19
The local police today rounded up a resident of Jammu and Kashmir state for his alleged involvement of getting a SIM card of a mobile company on fake identity and using the same for making calls to undisclosed destinations.

3 bookies nabbed
Mansa, December 19
Mansa police have arrested three bookies in connection with betting regarding the ongoing cricket march between India and Sri Lanka.

Archery meet
Abohar, December 19
Principal Dr BB Sharma inaugurated the Panjab University ‘Inter-college Archery tournament’ at the DAV College here today. About 40 students from eight colleges have so far arrived to compete. — OC

ADJ court sought
Abohar, December 19
While welcoming Justice Nirmal Yadav of the Punjab and Haryana High Court during her official visit here, the Abohar Bar Association today made a plea for the court of the Additional District & Sessions Judge (ADJ) at Abohar arguing that the last village of this sub-division, Gumjal, is 165 km from Ferozepur. Association president Sukhpal Singh Sidhu told the visiting judge that Abohar is an A-class city. — OC

Animal fair off to colourful start
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 19
The three-day zonal livestock championship "Khetri Pashudhan Championship-2009", started with the much fanfare and political activities, here today.

The fair is not only confined to a competition among cows, buffalos, horses, goats and camels but various big and small animals like dogs, sheep, ducks and turkeys who are also being registered to compete in their class.

Besides catering to six main districts of Malwa region, namely, Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Barnala, Sangrur and Ferozepur, people from neighbouring Haryana and Rajasthan also thronged the venue to see the competition.

On the inaugural day, breed competitions, mare dance, Nihangs' feats and colourfully dressed camels remained the main attraction. Besides the district-wise registration stalls, various counters have been set up to motivate farmers towards the subsidiary occupations. A number of stalls have been allotted for medical assistance.

Addressing the gathering, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and animal husbandry minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, announced various schemes and subsidies and motivated the participants to improve the breed of their animal and adopt the profession as a subsidiary to agriculture.

As per the details collected, as many as 561 animals belonging to various breeds were registered today. The details stated that the maximum participation was of horse and mare, followed by good number of cows and buffaloes. The number of the rest of the animals remained quite low on the first day.

Out of the 46 prizes distributed in different categories, Ferozepur bagged 11, while Barnala and Bathinda managed to win nine prizes each. Sangrur got eight prizes, Muktsar clinched seven and Mansa could get only two, till the filing of the news.

As per the details of prize money, out of Rs 2.86 lakh distributed today, Muktsar got prizes worth Rs 79,000, Ferozepur got prizes of Rs 66,000, Barnala got prizes worth Rs 55,000, Sangrur got Rs 48,000, Bathinda won prizes worth Rs 31,000 and Mansa was apparently at the receiving end with the prizes worth Rs 7000 only.

The Punjab Animal Breeders Private Ltd., Badal village, which is being run by the Badals, has also sent six animals to the competition. On the very first day of the fair, two Marwari horses of this breeder farm won thousands of rupees as prize money, clinching first and fifth positions, respectively.

Captain’s visit changes party equations
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, December 19
New equations seem to be emerging within the Congress ahead of the organisational elections in the Malwa belt. Former CM Captain Amarinder Singh is touring all the districts across the state these days.

He has been facing the annoyance of his opponents within the party for holding public rallies across party lines but he has managed to expand his mass base and personal hold within the party in Malwa, if going by his rallies in the Faridkot, Ferozepur and Moga districts.

He has strengthened his relations with party MLAs Avtar Brar (Faridkot), Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi (Guru Har Sahai) and Sunil Jakhar (Abohar) who were little hesitant to publicly admire his style of functioning some time back.

Sodhi was once very close to him and also held the key position of his political advisor when he was the CM but the relation between them was not friendly during the past two years even as they never opposed each other publicly.

Rana was ambitious of getting the Lok Sabha ticket from Ferozepur constituency but he could not convince the party high command, in absence of Amarinderss support, to get the ticket.

He was seemingly uncomfortable within the party and initiated efforts to again come closer to Amarinder Singh. Sources close to the former CM revealed to The Tribune that former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah mediated between them.

On Friday, Amarinder went to Guru Har Sahai and stayed with the Sodhi family. All differences between them were sorted out at dinner a few weeks after the patch up.

Similarly, Avtar Brar, who was known to be a close confidant of Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has managed Captain’s show at Faridkot and shared a couple of drinks with him at his residence. He was also present in the party rally here, today.Sunil Jakhar also shared the stage with Captain Amarinder after a gap of many months showing signs of solidarity with him.

Interestingly, CWC member Jagmeet Brar who has a say in the Malwa belt and his brother Ripjeet Brar MLA from Kotkapura has not shared the stage with Amarinder during his tour to this belt, this week. The MLA from Baghapurana Darshan Singh Brar has also adopted the similar line cornering himself from Amarinder’s rallies. 

Organisational elections
Cong leaders to meet in Delhi on Dec 22
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, December 19
The Congress high command has called a meeting of the nine-member coordination committee of the state unit of the party on coming December 22 in New Delhi to have a discussion on the organisational elections. This meeting was being held after a gap over one year.

Revealing this to The Tribune here on Saturday evening, former CM Captain Amarinder Singh said party general secretary Mohsina Kidwai would preside over the meeting.

The union minister Ambika Soni would also attend the meeting. In reply to a question, Captain Amarinder said he was not yet sure whether the AICC president Sonia Gandhi would follow the tradition of nominating the PPCC president or adopt the new practice of electing the president through delegates like the recent organisational set-up of the youth wing of the party. “The issue would be discussed in the meeting,” he said. “I would prepare a force of at least 150 members per booth across the state to take on goonda elements of the ruling Akali Dal,” he said.

The Congress MLA’s Avtar Brar, Ajit Singh Shant, Joginder Singh Panjgrain, Naresh Kataria were present in the rally. The Congress MLA from Baghapurana Darshan Singh Brar, district party president Colonel Babu Singh (retd) and other senior leaders former minister Dr Malti Thapar, former MLA Vijay Sathi hailing from this town were not present in the rally. 

Three Army men killed in road mishap
Our Correspondent

Sriganganagar/Abohar, December 19
Three Army officials including the commanding officer of a unit based near Patiala were killed while an officer of the rank of Captain, sustained injuries in a road mishap late on Friday night on the Sriganganagar-Bikaner road (National Highway 15), sources said.

As per the information, Colonel Jitender Pandit was leading the convoy of an army unit using a Gypsy from Patiala to Bikaner. The vehicle reportedly collided with a truck (RJ-19-1G-9831) that was transporting Kinnow fruit to Gujarat on Friday night. The truck had reportedly overturned during the day on the national highway near Raziasar town and private crane was pressed into service to put it in the right position.

Raziasar Police station in-charge, PD Sharma, said that a case has been registered under sections 279, 337, 304-A and 283 of the IPC against the driver of the truck as per statement given by Naik S Nagraj. 

Swine Flu
Another suspect identified
Sushil Goyal/Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 19
A suspected swine flu patient (30) from Bathinda was today admitted to the local civil hospital. Talking to this reporter, District Health Officer (DHO) Dharampal Singh Sekhon said today that as he was a suspected swine flu case, so the health authorities had taken three samples from his throat to send the same to the PGI, Chandigarh for tests.

However, they had kept him in the ICU here and had also started his treatment.

Dr Sekhon said the relatives of the two-and-half-year old boy, who had been admitted to the local civil hospital with swine flu symptoms yesterday, had taken him to Patiala for treatment. He said he had not received any report about any other fresh case of swine flu from the district so far.

It is recalled that three persons from Bathinda city, including two women, had died due to swine flu during past some days. However, the authorities have been giving treatment to their contacts regularly. 

Teacher held for molesting student

Bathinda, December 19
Sangat police today arrested a social science teacher of Government Senior Secondary School (Girls) of village Ruldu Singh Wala for attempting to outrage the modesty of a class IX student. According to details available, the teacher in question, Major Singh, who was reportedly in an inebriated condition, found the 15-year-old girl alone in the classroom and attempted to outrage her modesty. Seeing the resistance of the girl, the accused allegedly assaulted her.

Somehow, the girl managed to escape and narrated the plight to her elder brother. The children hurriedly informed their family members, who along with hundreds of villagers surrounded the school.

Later, Sangat police reached the spot and took the accused to the police station. The medical examination showed the doctor was under the influence of alcohol. Acting upon the statement of the girl, police registered a case under section 354 of the IPC (assault or use of force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and arrested him. SHO Sangat Sandeep Singh said, “Had the police been late, the infuriated mob would have killed the accused. He is now in police custody." DEO (Secondary) Harbans Singh Sandhu said, "I received the information but due to preoccupation with the visit of the deputy CM, I could not visit the spot. I will investigate the matter in detail on Monday." "I have reports of some internal tussle going on between the school staff, there, due to which the matter got exaggerated,” he said. — TNS

Rally on breast cancer awareness organised
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 19
After launching an anti-breast cancer campaign, a Delhi-based NGO “Roko Cancer” is going to start cervix cancer and oral cancer awareness and early detection campaign in some states in India while the NGO will also start this campaign soon in Punjab.

In reply to a question here today chairman of MKC Trust and founder of "Roko Cancer" A.P. S. Chawla said that under the "Roko Cancer" campaign, the NGO had got done about 11000 mammography tests on women through out the country and had examined about 40,000 suspected cancer patients so far. He said he wanted to aware everyone in Punjab about the dreaded cancer disease.

Earlier, the NGO "Roko Cancer" in assistance with "Nanhi Chhaan" organisation also held a function on the campus of Government Secondary School for girls, Mall Road, Bathinda. On the occasion, a breast cancer awareness rally was also taken out. The rally was flagged off by a retired deputy DEO and breast cancer survivor Satwant Kaur. After passing through the city, the rally culminated at the Dunes Club here. Satwant Kaur said cancer was curable if detected at an early stage.

Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Indu Bhushan Aggarwal also extended all types of cooperation to the NGO in its efforts for detection of cancer.

Director of the NGO Isha Bhandari asked the women to fight against the cancer instead of fearing from it.

Fard Kendra goes hi-tech

Bathinda, December 19
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today started first ever fully computerised “Fard Kendra” (computerised land record kiosk) at Bhagta Bhai Ka near here besides reiterating government 's resolve to make reach of global positioning system (GPS) in every farm of the state.

As scanty clad farmer clicked the land record number in Fard Kender on the computer in the presence of Sukhbir Singh he was surprised to get computerised copy of Land records within 30 seconds.

Giving the progress of Fard Kendras, Sukhbir said that 31 such Fard Kendras would be operational by March end whereas by December 2010 all the 153 Fard Kendras would be at the service of farmers. — TNS

Faking identity for SIM
J&K resident held

Fazilka, December 19
The local police today rounded up a resident of Jammu and Kashmir state for his alleged involvement of getting a SIM card of a mobile company on fake identity and using the same for making calls to undisclosed destinations.

A case under sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 had been registered against the accused at the local police station. — TNS 

3 bookies nabbed

Mansa, December 19
Mansa police have arrested three bookies in connection with betting regarding the ongoing cricket march between India and Sri Lanka.

SSP, Mansa, Hardyal Singh Maan, said in a press conference that police had arrested them on the secret information. Police also recovered mobile phones, a laptop and printer from their possession.

After registering a case under section 420 of the IPC and 13 A/3/67, police had started further investigation. — OC