Abohar, January 1
Desperate over the false promises reportedly made by the irrigation department officials over supply of water, more than two hundred farmers from the tail-end villages today plugged the Malukpura sub-canal by putting sand in it before beginning an indefinite sit-in (dharna).

They refused to negotiate with an officer of the revenue department who had rushed to defuse the situation asserting that they had lost faith in the administration here and would talk only to the secretary of the irrigation department.

The agitating farmers who belonged to Gumjal, Panniwala Mahla, Kallarkhera and Usmankhera villages that are located near Rajasthan border shouted slogans against the state government and advised the lower rank officers not to waste their time in pursuing them for calling off the agitation.

A spokesman for the action committee said, “We had submitted memorandums to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon twice at Abohar and were assured of adequate supply. We told them that during the Congress regime, the sub- canals were run to capacity ensuring availability of water for drinking and irrigation even at the tail-end. But we are denied water now for sowing of crops after formation of the present government.”

Complaining that 33 percent of the total area could not be irrigated during the outgoing year, one Bhagirath Ram rued, “The SAD-BJP alliance government wants to teach us a lesson for re-electing the Congress candidate in the last 
Vidhan Sabha election without realising that the alliance was unable to put a capable candidate.”

Another farmer Satnam Rai said the action committee had submitted a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner during the Lok Darbar at Abohar on December 17 giving deadline for adequate supply of water by December 31 but none bothered.

“Earlier in July, we had warned of similar agitation resulting in supply at the tail-end for a month. The situation returned to the earlier days later. They threaten the debt ridden farmers with arrests but are not ready to redress the grievances,” he rued.

A sub-divisional engineer of the department, when contacted, said the repair of canals was in progress, so the supply had been curtailed. It may take a month to restore the normal supply, he informed. 

Fazilka, January 1
The annual election for the posts of senior vice-president and junior vice-president of the Municipal Council, Fazilka, which was to be conducted today after a delay of three months has been postponed.

The elections have been postponed to Jaunuary 6 following the alleged deadlock between the SDM and BJP municipal councillors.

Both the posta have been lying vacant for the past three months due to the completion of tenure of senior vice- president Kanchan Sharma of the BJP and junior vice- president Satinder Singh Kathpal of the SAD. Deputy Commissioner Ferozepur had deputed SDM Fazilka Pardeep Agrawal as the election officer to conduct the elections. The SDM directed to hold the elections separately vide agenda No. 253 and 254. Accordingly, meeting for the election was to be held today. SDM Pardeep Agrawal reached the council office in the presence of local MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani.

However, in the meeting the SDM maintained that election would be held for the post of senior vice-president and the runners-up would automatically become the junior vice-president.

This proposal did not find favour with the BJP-led municipal councillors. Most of the BJP councillors opposed the proposal of the SDM in presence of Jyani.

They argued that since agenda for both the posts was issued separately so the elections should also be conducted accordingly. The MLA was also reportedly interested in holding the election separately for both the posts.

Since no formula could be worked out on the spot, hence, the deadlock persisted. Upon this, the SDM fixed the date of election on January 6 and left the meeting. It is stated that the MLA and councillors have informed the Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur, about the whole episode and has reportedly requested to conduct the elections separately for both the posts.

Moga, January 1
A proposal to convert the existing single line between Ludhiana and Ferozepur via Moga into a double line for the convenience of the commuters was pending before the ministry of railways for consideration.

Sources in the northern railways revealed that this would not only help in increasing the rail traffic on this route but it would also help in the near future to connect these lines with Chandigarh, after the completion of the ongoing project to link Chandigarh with Ludhiana directly via Morinda. Presently, the trains come to Ludhiana via Ambala in this area.

A railway official at Ferozepur revealed there were five passenger trains, one mail express and one irregular pair of train twice a week between Ludhiana and Ferozepur via Moga. On an average, as many as 5000 passengers travel on this route daily. Most of them belong to the service class and students.

Railway authorities were of the view that once the double lines come into existence, rail traffic between Ludhiana and Ferozepur would increase because of low fares and monthly passes being issued to the daily commuters.

The further extension of travel facilities to Chandigarh through Ludhiana in the near future would be of great advantage to the people of Punjab. Even Amritsar and Jalandhar would be directly linked to Chandigarh via Ludhiana.

Apart from this, a proposal to sanction new branch lines between Amritsar-Ferozepur, Ferozepur-Bathinda and Jammu-Katra was also pending. However, there was no proposal under consideration of the railway ministry with regard to the electrification of railway lines between Ludhiana and Ferozepur due to the poor condition of power availability in the state.

Faridkot MP Bibi Paramjit Kaur Gulshan has also demanded a direct train between Moga and Delhi, a long pending demand of the people of the Moga town. Dwarka Bansal, chairman, Citizens' Council of Moga says due to lack of such a train, moga has failed to attract investments.

Bathinda, January 1
The PRTC today gave New Year gift to the Bathinda residents by way of introducing an AC bus service for Haridwar, a sacred religious place, from the local bus stand.

The general manager (GM) of the local depot of the PRTC Iqbal Singh flagged off an integral coach AC bus for Haridwar at the local bus stand at 6-00 a.m. today.

This Bathinda- Haridwar bus will depart from the local bus stand at 6-00 am daily while another bus will leave for Bathinda from Haridwar at 11.30 am. daily.

This 45-seat bus will cover a distance of 406 km from Bathinda to Haridwar via Mansa, Patiala, Ambala, Saharanpur and Roorkee. The one side fare of Bathinda to Haridwar has been fixed Rs 423 per ticket. 

Bathinda, January 1
To meet the Saakshar Bharat Mission — 2012, the district administration has chalked out a Rs 106 crore worth detailed district level literacy mission, to be shared both by the centre and the state.

The programme aims at imparting functional literacy to 3,17,219 adults in the age group of 15 years and above. Besides, 1,30,000 school dropouts would also be covered under the basic literacy component of the project.

As per sources, the project would primarily focus on the set target of women, Scheduled Castes, minorities, other disadvantages groups and adolescents in rural areas but would not be limited to them.

The project will be implemented through Zila Sakharta Samiti (ZSS), which is already working in the field of literacy and social awareness.

Among the members, chairman of the Zila Parishad is the chairman of ZSS, while the deputy commissioner is the coordinator.

Besides the ZSS, Block Level Shiksha Samitis and Panchayat Lok Shiksha Samitis would play their important role in the success of the scheme.

The Lok Shiksha Kendra (LSK) and adult education centres (AEC), would be operational arm of the programme at the grass root level and responsible for delivering the entire range of activities under the mission including, literacy, basic education, vocational education and continuing education within the territorial jurisdiction.

Well-equipped multiple functional LSK would be set up at gram panchayat level to provide institutional, managerial and resource support to literacy and life long education. One AEC will be set up in each of the 328 villages, having the population of 5000 or above. A number of 'Preraks' (instructors) will be engaged to discharge administrative and academic tasks.

Further, residential camps will be organised, specially for adolescents and young adults in the age group of 15-25 years, who have already completed their primary education, but later relapsed to literacy for want of follow up and are now too old to rejoin school.

Such residential camps will be organized through resource persons.

On an average, a resident instructor will teach at least 30 learners in a period of one year. With this approach, the centre will function for about seven to eight hours every day.

The mission would cover strengthening of basic literacy, improving functional literacy to non literate adults, personality development, values, including social awareness of womenfolk, convergence of socio-economic development schemes with skill improvement, cultural appreciation and enrichment, awareness about social evils such as female foeticide, dowry, etc.

Giving information, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), C. Sibin said, "While implementing the programme, objective performance parameters have been well designed. A web-based management information system (MIS) would be put 
in place for real time monitoring and periodical reviews will also be made."

Bathinda, January 1
The offices of Panchayati Raj Department and the Water Supply and Sanitation Department have identified 41 villages from eight blocks of this district for sending their names to the Union Government for considering them under the Nirmal Gram Purskar Yojna.

Before sending the names of these villages to the Union Government, these will be sent to the state headquarters of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department by the local authorities. After receiving the same, the department will assign the duty of checking these villages to the officials of any other district. Then the names of these villages will be forwarded to the Centre. After that, the Centre will also send a team from other states to check these villages and verify the facts.

The names of the 41 villages that have been identified under Nirmal Gram Purskar Yojna are Nahiawala, Mehma Swai, Baho Sibia, Teona in Bathinda block; Pucca Khurd, Chak Ruldu Singh Wala, Chak Attar Singh Wala, Kaljharani, Sekhu in Sangat block; Bhai Harjoginder Singh Nagar, Kalyan Sadda, Puhli, Marri, Burj Kahan Singh Wala, Har Rangpura in Nathana block; Harkrishanpura, Mandi Khurd, Mansa Khurd, Gill Khurd, Zaid, Bhaini Chuhar in Rampura block; Kaloke, Sadhana, Kothe Pipli, Gurusar Mehraj, Kothe Baba Sukhananad, Burj Gill in Phul block; Babu Singh Nagar, Basti Surjit Pura, Nawan Kesar Singh Wala, Rajgarh Khurd, Gospura, Gurdit Singhwala in Bhagta Bhaika block; Teona Pujaria, Gurusar Jagga in Talwandi Sabo block; Bhai Bakhtor, Dhan Singh Khana, Burj, Bagher Mohabbat, Ramgarh Bhunder and Thamangarh in Maur block.

Talking to The Tribune, Jasvir Singh Aujla, executive engineer, Water and Sanitation (Division No. 3), Bathinda, said, “The main aim of the Nirmal Gram Purskar Yojna is to make the villages free of open defecation so that people avoid going to answer the call of nature in open. Besides, proper water and garbage disposal in the villages and beautiful look of the villages are other features of the scheme.” Aujla said the villages, which would be selected for Nirmal Gram Purskar, would be given prize money from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh by the Center for creating awareness in the village to keep the village defecation free and other such purposes.

In the year 2007-08, three villages of the Bathinda district, Gehlewala in Talwandi Sabo block, Harnam Singh Wala in Phul block and Burj Dalla in Nathana block had been selected for Nirmal Gram Purskar by the Centre. Gehlewala and Harnam Singh Wala had been given prize money Rs 1 lakh each while the Burj Dalla had been given Rs 50,000. 

Bathinda, January 1
A noble step taken by the district Red Cross Society to save the unwanted abandoned babies-the 'Pangura' (cradle) scheme-launched here about a year ago, hardly seems to have served its purpose.

It appears to be more so because of the "half-hearted" approach of the officials concerned, who could neither promote the scheme nor build confidence among people to put their unwanted babies in the cradle rather than throwing them in bushes and secluded places.

Frequent incidents, when social volunteers found abandoned babies in trains, at the bus stand, canal and remote places, kept exposing the real status of the scheme.

The district Red Cross Society, receiving funds from the authorities of the under construction Guru Gobind Singh oil refinery, had installed the cradle outside the MGD Deaf and Dumb School, on February 28 last year. Due to incidents of abandoning new-born babies being reported in the district, it was termed a timely step to save the hapless kids.

As per the plan, anyone who wanted to abandon a baby could simply put it in the cradle and press the bell, installed there. The bell was connected to the office and residence of the school principal.

Once a child was placed in the cradle, the authorities had to immediately get it medically examined and then the baby had to be handed over to some government approved organization. The organization was to take further responsibility for its adoption process.

The scheme was hought to be path-breaking in a district that had had gained notoriety due to frequent incidents of female foeticide. However, even after ten months have passed, not a single abandoned child has been put in the cradle.

During a random survey by the TNS, it was observed that people are still unaware about the installation of the cradle and its purpose. Ironically, when this correspondent visited the spot today, the caretaker of the cradle was not to be found. The visitor's register was lying empty and all the toys, napkins and kits placed at the time of inauguration were lying intact.

Sources in the district Red Cross society informed that the cradle was installed following a similar initiative in Amritsar but being sponsored infrastructure, the officials left it in the lurch.

Speaking over the issue, Vijay Goyal, president of Sahara Jan Seva NGO said, “There is a fear among people that they would be traced by the cops if they put their child there, which is a major hindrance in the success of the scheme.”

When contacted, the secretary of the district Red Cross society, JR Goyal accepted that scheme promotion was lacking but assured of taking necessary steps in future.

Bathinda, January 1
Members of the Sanjha Front, Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, Bathinda, today held a protest with black flags at the main gate of the thermal plant here against the non-acceptance of their demands by the PSEB authorities.

They were carrying black flags to show the same to the chairman of the PSEB, but he reportedly did not turn up at the plant.

The protesting employees were demanding removal of anomalies in their pay scales, increase in the rate of increment and revival of two increments earlier given to the employees at the time of promotions.

They also protested against the decreasing number of employees at the thermal plant.

Convener of the Sanjha Front Baljit Singh said that the chairman of the PSEB had not turned up at the plant today after receiving information that the employees would show him black flags at the main gate of the plant.

He said they had information that the chairman in place of visiting the thermal plant preferred to stop somewhere else near Bathinda.

The protesters were addressed among others by Baljit Singh, secretary of the Sanjha Front Parkash Singh, Malkiat Singh Saini, Sat Pal Goyal and Sadhu Singh.

Bathinda, January 1
A faction of the Punjab Cotton Ginners association that assembled at hotel Amsun Pride here on Friday unanimously decided to call off the strike and continue with the narma purchase from all mandis of the state. They feel that the strike will harm the interests of the farmers and arhtiyas.

A press release issued attributed the split in the association to the vested interests that were misleading other members of the association in their own interest. The association rued that instead of fighting for the real issues facing the industry like anomaly or delay in the notification of the waiver off the infrastructure development fund, imposed and later waived by the CM, the members were trying to harass the farmers and arhtiyas. 

Moga, January 1
All India Sikh Students Federation and Sikhs for Justice, advocating the cases of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, have welcomed the decision of the Delhi government to grant permission to the CBI to prosecute Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, for alleged involvement in the riots.

Lt-Governor of Delhi Tejendra Khanna on Thursday gave the go-ahead to prosecute him in murder and communal riots cases. The CBI was sitting over this case for the last four years after completing probe.

A former parliamentarian Sajjan Kumar was accused of instigating mobs that went on a rampage killing Sikhs in the national capital in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in November 1984.

President of the AISSF Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad and legal adviser of the Sikhs for Justice Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had stated in a press release that there was enough evidence to prove Sajjan Kumar’s involvement in communal riots. They said a witness, a widow, Bibi Jagdish Kaur, had already given her statement in a court regarding Sajjan’s involvement but the case was not re-opened against him.

There are at least 11 eye-witnesses against Sajjan Kumar to prove his involvement in the massacre of Sikhs during the 1984 violence, stated both Peer Mohammad and Pannun.

With the Lt-Governor’s sanction, the CBI would now file fresh murder charges against him.

Bathinda, January 1
District executive president SD Mahavir Dal Chiranji Lal Garg has welcomed the grant of Rs 87 lakh out of Central funds for the improvement of the historic temple of Maesarkhana.

He lauded Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal for making efforts for this purpose as the temple symbolized Hindu-Sikh brotherhood and unity.

Garg also thanked Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal for his efforts to include a link road, from railway station, Maesarkhana to the said temple.

Mallanwala, January 1
The police today recovered the dead body of local teenager Sukhchain, who was kidnapped and murdered by two other teenagers Hemant and Aman, for getting new mobile sets from the possession of deceased on December 26.

The body of Sukhchain was thrown into the link canal. Palwinder Singh, SHO, local police station, said both the accused had been arrested today and 22 mobile sets, which they had taken from the deceased, were recovered. The deceased was working as salesman at a mobile phone shop in this town. He added that Sukhchain Singh was kidnapped when he was going to the house of his owner Rohit Sethi from the shop to hand over the bag containing new mobile sets. The accused, riding a motorcycle, offered lift to Sukhchain Singh on the pretext that they would drop him at the house of Sethi.

The accused instead of heading towards the house of Sethi, went towards canal side. After reaching the canal, they killed Sukhchain and took the bag containing mobile sets from his possession.

Information revealed that Aman, who was running a canteen in the local government school, was once working at the shop of Sethi and was aware of the fact that every day all the mobile sets were being taken to Sethi's house by his employee. Hemant, the other accused, was known to Aman as he had worked with a mobile phone company at Chandigarh. He said the accused had been remanded to police custody. The post mortem was conducted today. 

Abohar, January 1
In the opening matches of the IFFCO Cup Twenty-20 National Cricket tournament at the Nehru Stadium here today, GCC XI defeated Honey XI by two wickets.

Preferring to bat after winning the toss, the Honey XI scored 107 in 20 overs with contribution of 25 runs by Sanjay. Gora took 4 wickets for 15 runs. In reply, GCA achieved the target in 18.2 overs with Kulwinder contributing 28 runs. Gora was declared man of the match. Chander Kamboj, president of the Chander Cricket Club informed that Abohar XI will clash with Malout XI and Brar XI with MTC XI Dabwali on Saturday.

IFFCO chairman Surinder Kumar Jakhar, the chief guest, who had been the captain of the first cricket team while studying at DAV College here, announced a contribution of Rs 1.5 lakh out of which Rs 1 lakh would be awarded to the winners on January 17 along with IFFCO Cup. Special guest Tara Singh Ahuja, chairman of the Homoeopathic Medical College, announced a contribution of Rs 25,000 and lauded IIFCO. — OC