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BMC begins demolition
drive
Heroin worth crores seized by BSF team
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Fire: Thermal incurs major financial loss
Transformer thefts create hurdle in PSEB plans
Minimum temp may also rise
Navpal’s sacrifice remembered
Brigadier DS Chahal salutes at Captain Navpal Sidhu’s memorial at Balidan Divas function. Photo: Raj Sadosh
Aggarwal Sabha hails SGPC move
Nominated
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BMC begins demolition
drive
Bathinda, December 30 Amid mild protests, the BMC authorities, amid police protection, today razed 26 properties, comprising about 70 structures, to the ground. The drive was launched in the morning from Mansa road near Jassi Pau Wali Chowk, where six JCB machines and about 40 labourers, demolished 16 properties comprising about 50 structures. Objecting to the destruction on such massive scale, some people lodged their resentment before the BMC authorities. They accused the BMC officials of demolishing their structures, without even serving notices. Pacifying the protesters tactfully, the officials kept demolishing the illegal structures. The demolition team went to Bathinda-Dabwali road, where six properties, comprising about 15 structures, were demolished. Moving ahead, the team carried out its drive near Power House road on Bathinda-Goniana road in the heart of the city, where four properties including a hospital were demolished. Meanwhile, some violators of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act 1995, under which the demolition was being carried out, were seen demolishing their illegal structures, on their own. During the daylong exercise, the BMC authorities could not reach the Bathinda-Barnala road. A major portion of the Bathinda-Goniana road also remained untouched. It may be mentioned that taking notice of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the High Court had ordered the state government to implement the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act 1995. Meanwhile, it was also ordered that all buildings illegally constructed on the scheduled roads be razed down by July, 2008, throughout the state. Even after passing verbal orders, facing various reasons, including public resentment and political pressure, the state government kept urging for more relaxation in the time-frame which reportedly ends on December 31. Now the BMC officials will submit the progress report before the High Court on Thursday. When asked about the continuation of the drive, BMC Commissioner Ravi Bhagat said, “Due to the busy schedule on Thursday, it is possible that the drive could be postponed for a day or two but it is for sure that all structures identified as illegal would be demolished.” |
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Heroin worth crores seized by BSF team
Ferozepur, December 30 The heroin, worth crores of rupees was recovered when the BSF authorities launched a special operation after receiving intelligence inputs in same connection. The narcotics had been concealed in four packets in an area close to the border outpost Dona Telu (DT) Mal across the river Sutlej along the Indo-Pakistan border. Giving details, Rajesh Gupta, DIG, BSF, said that two packets were found hidden beneath a tree across Sutlej near BP number 194 followed by recovery of another two packets near BP 194/2 at a distance of 300 yards from the first spot. Gupta further said the total weight of the seized heroin amounted to 3.2 kilograms. He added that so far, the BSF personnel had succeeded in seizing about 47.7 kilograms of heroin, fake Indian currency notes of more than Rs 30 lakhs, eight pistols and three mobile SIM cards of Pakistan-based companies in 2009 in Ferozepur sector. Apart from it, four smugglers were also arrested in this period in the Ferozepur sector. Information gathered by TNS revealed that BSF personnel had also seized heroin from DT Mal post, which was also known as DT enclave. The DT enclave was a soft target for the unscrupulous elements to push narcotics and other contraband towards Indian side due to its character and its geographic location. The distance between fencing wire and Zero Line in this pocket ranged between two kilometres to two a and half kilometres as compared to a distance of 100 meters to 150 meters between fencing wire and Zero Line in other pockets of Indo-Pak border. Not only this, a major part of about 700 acres of land, which fell in this enclave, was lying barren and was being used for smuggling the narcotics in a 'conceal and clear manner'. BSF sources said that heroin, been seized yesterday, had been handed over to the state special operation cell. The cell had also been informed about the names of persons, who were suspected to be involved in this activity. |
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Fire: Thermal incurs major financial loss
Bathinda, December 30 The blast took place at around 10 pm in the oil-filled unit transformer. After the blast, unit number III, having capacity of 110 MW units generation, went out of operation.. According to eyewitnesses, the blast was loud and nearly 100-feet high flames leaped in the air but fortunately, no casualty took place. Immediately after the blast, besides the thermal authorities, senior civil and police officials arrived at the spot. Deploying about half-a-dozen tenders, the fire-fighters took about 45 minutes to douse the flames. As per the preliminary account, it is said that the fire took place in the generating transformer but today, the PSEB officials informed that the fire had damaged the unit transformer. The PSEB officials further informed that after the unit transformer was damaged in the blast, the auxiliaries would be shifted to the station transformer. He added that the problem occurred in the coal mill number III-A, which then damaged the motor of the unit. All this led to the blast and fire, which further damaged the Bus Bar--- a major equipment of the plant. Talking to TNS over the phone, Member (Generation) of the PSEB, GS Sra today informed that all requirements to repair the unit had been sent to the BHEL, mentioning the specification of the parts. “We are not in a position to suffer more losses, so as soon as BHEL would intimate us about the availability of the components, we will air lift them. Once the spare parts are arranged, the Bus Bar would be repaired within 24 hours.” When asked about the repair work of the unit transformer, he said it might take time, so the PSEB had also been thinking of replacing it. |
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Transformer thefts create hurdle in PSEB plans
Fazilka, December 30 The theft average is one transformer on alternative day. The PSEB had worked out an ambitious plan of installing transformers on water pump motors to prevent load shedding and check theft of power by farmers about a year back. The benefits of the scheme may not be commendable but the total loss incurred by the PSEB runs in lakhs. It is pertinent to mention here that the PSEB had worked out two plans for the installation of transformers on each water pump motor. According to the first plan, the total cost of a transformer which is around Rs 32,000 is borne by the PSEB while in the second plan, know as OYT (Own Your Transformer), the consumer had to contribute by way of easy loans. The entire scheme has run into rough weather, courtesy organised thefts probably by gangsters who are experts in stealing the transformers. Surprisingly, no thief has been identified despite the fact that FIR has been lodged in all 35 cases. The modus operandi of the thieves is that first they disconnect power supply to transformer and promptly remove the oil and copper and the valuable parts of the transformer dumping behind the remnants considered useless by the thieves during the night. According to knowledgeable sources, the material retrieved from the transformer is sold off for about Rs 15,000. The last theft has been in border village Alamshah where a transformer in the field of Satish Kumar Dhingra was stolen Tuesday night. Mohinder Dhingra, Chairman, Improvement Trust, Fazilka, has demanded that the theft be checked forthwith. He revealed that three transformers have been stolen in his ancestral village Mohammad Pira near Indo-Pak border and demanded that all installed transformers be insured. Meanwhile, Executive Engineer, PSEB Sham Lal Arora said he has brought the matter of transformer thefts to the notice of SP (D) and urged him to arrest the thieves immediately.
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Cloudy conditions likely to greet people on New Year
Sudhanshu Verma Tribune News Service
Bathinda, December 30 Slight rise in temperature particularly at minimum level, caused by clouds, may also be experienced during the period, news emanated from weather room on Tuesday indicated. And if the weather's mood on Wednesday is to be considered , the weathermen's prediction is appearing to be a reality as not only has the mercury climbed considerably today in the morning but slightly hazy condition was also witnessed till late in the morning. Meanwhile, continuing its hopping act, the mercury took another jump today recording 5.2 degrees Celsius at 7.30 am, almost 3 degrees high than yesterday, as per the Agro-Met advisory service, PAU regional station Bathinda. Before yesterday, mercury had been hovering around 4 degrees Celsius at minimum level. Around the end of the last week, it had recorded the lowest temperature of the season by dipping to 2.2 degrees Celsius. The mercury, however, showed stable behaviour at the maximum level and has been recording somewhere near 20 degrees Celsius for the last five days. As far as humidity is concerned, it has been between 100 per cent and 48 per cent during the last couple of days. According to forecast made by the IMD, Chandigarh for Bathinda region and received by the Agro-Met advisory service, here on Tuesday, the weather is likely to remain dry and clear with the possibility of partial overcast to overcast in conditions some pockets in the region near January 1. Temperature may also rise during the period, weathermen said.
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Navpal’s sacrifice remembered
Sriganganagar/Abohar, December 30 The occasion gained further importance as the Kalptaru Transmission executive Hitesh Goyal, on behalf of Shaheed Navpal Sidhu Trust, honoured family members of some war heroes who belonged to Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts. Brigadier Chahal said the Army as well as people salute Navpal who sacrificed his life after gunning down three militants in Surankote area of Poonch district in J&K. He was honoured with Shaurya Chakra posthumously. Navpal’s father Colonel (retd) Agyapal Singh Sidhu thanked the gathering. The guests also paid their reverence to the Granth Sahib during the Akhand Path. A contingent of the Army paid conventional salute to the martyr. Kunnar and former minister Surinderpal said Navpal had brought glory to this land of deserts. Trust vice-chairman Ghanshyam Harwani informed that kin of all those who sacrificed their life during the 1965-71 wars had been invited on the occasion. Others who paid tributes included Ram Dass Bilandi, chairman of the Shiksha Vikas Samiti, veteran social activists Sushil Kumar Jain, Gurbalpal Singh Sandhu, Lalit Sharma and tehsildar Hoshiar Singh. |
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Aggarwal Sabha hails SGPC move
Bathinda, December 30 The Dewan had purchased land for this purpose at a huge cost at that time. Ex-minister and president, Punjab State Aggarwal Sabha Chiranji Lal Garg said the SGPC move would cement ties between the two communities. Garg said the SGPC has requested the government to acquire ten acres of land arund the haveli the cost of which would be paid by the SGPC. The SGPC has allocated Rs 70 lakh for the first phase of repair and tenders for this work have been invited before January 20, 2010.
— TNS |
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Bathinda, December 30 According to official, the government has nominated Karnail Singh as chairman and Som Nath as vice-chairman of the Market Committee Barnala and Ajit Singh as chairman and Jathedar Malkit Singh as vice-chairman of the Market Committee Mahalkalan in Barnala district. The government has also nominated 28 members in these Market Committees. The respective notifications relating to this would be issued soon. — TNS
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Finally, implementing the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Bathinda
Municipal Corporation (BMC) today launched the demolition drive on the scheduled roads of the city.
Sriganganagar/Abohar, December 30
