Bathinda, January 4
Gurdev Singh of Ghamiara village in Muktsar district, who was admitted to the local civil hospital as a suspected swine flu case yesterday, has been tested positive for H1N1virus. The result of his throat sample was received today by the local hospital authorities from the PGI, Chandigarh.

The local hospital authorities had sent throat samples of Gurdev Singh and Sukhpreet Kaur of Bhai Bakhtor village (Talwandi Sabo) for swine flu test yesterday. However, Sukhpreet’s sample was tested negative during laboratory test at the PGI, Chandigarh.

Talking to this correspondent this evening the district health officer (DHO) Dr Dharampal Singh Sekhon said that Sukhpreet Kaur, however, died in the civil hospital the previous day, due to some other reasons not of swine flu. He said Sukhpreet Kaur had also been suffering from some kind of pneumonia.

The DHO said that now there were two swine flu positive patients in the civil hospital here. Both positive patients, Gurdev Singh and Gurjant Singh of Neelianwali village in Haryana, were undergoing treatment in the local civil hospital, he added.

Bathinda, January 4
Bathinda district is one of the five districts of the state that have been selected for the NREGA Mela-2010 to be held on February 2 at the Mela Ground, IARI, Pusa Complex, New Delhi. The fair is being organised by the Government of India on the occasion of the NREGA Scheme completing four years. The other four districts of the state are Mansa, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur.

In a letter written to the deputy commissioners (DCs) of the five districts, the Joint Development Commissioner-cum-Commissioner, NREGA, Punjab, has also asked the DCs to ensure the participation of their respective district in the fair.

According to information available, the Bathinda district has planned to put up a stall at the fair. The district will prepare a model related to the works executed under the NREGA scheme in the district. Besides, the district will also display the products, like honey bee, prepared by self-help groups. The NREGA literature in Punjabi language will also be put on display at the stall.

Assistant project officer in the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Bathinda, Sadhu Ram Kusla has been made nodal officer to make preparations for taking part in the fair. A district team has also been formed to participate in the fair. The team comprises district project coordinator (NREGA), additional district project coordinator, a project officer (NREGA) BDPO Sangat, a member of Zila Parishad, a member of the Block Panchayat Samiti, a Sarpanch from Scheduled Caste community, two NREGA workers (one from SC community and one woman) and a mate.

At the fair, awards will be given to the districts for their outstanding work under the NREGA scheme. Besides, “Rozgar Jagrukta Purskar” will also be given to non-government organisations (NGOs). These awards will be given to the NGOs involved in an effective manner for the fulfillment of NREGA objectives.

Bathinda, January 4
The Baba Farid Group of Institutions today organised an international seminar on ‘comparison of teaching methodologies of India and Canada’. The seminar aimed at acquainting the students and the faculty with the modern teaching methodologies of advanced countries like Canada and UK.

Manmeet Singh Bhullar of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology, Alberta state, Canada, was the chief guest on the occasion. He emphasised on the need of more NRI investment in the education industry rather than minor areas like concerts, stadiums, temples and various cultural and sports activities. Prof Rajneesh Arora, vice-chancellor, Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, presided over the seminar.

The seminar drove home the key point that Indian education system needed a remarkable change in its teaching methodology. Principals of schools and colleges, educationalists and academic experts from in and around the city took part in the seminar. — TNS

Bathinda, January 4
In protest against the allegedly unlawful promotion of matriculation pass vocational lecturers as principals, the Bathinda unit of the Government School Lecturers Union, Punjab, held a conference here on Sunday.

The activists demanded the state government to cancel the previous orders and depute the deserving candidates.

Accusing the officials of education department, the lecturers said they avoided informing the Punjab and Haryana High Court about the decision of the Supreme Court and promoted the vocational teachers as principals, in violation to the law.

Further, the protesters alleged that as per the set norms, vocational lecturers could be promoted only at 43 posts but the state government promoted them to 183 posts. — TNS

Bathinda, January 4
The Punjabi University were caught in a morass of their own making as some indiscreet by their middle order batsmen ensured that they were on the back foot against Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar.

Chasing GNDU's first innings total of 175, the hosts fumbled against some quality show by the fast bowlers and ended the day at 115 for 5.

When the hosts bat tomorrow, they will have to contend with the GNDU's fast bowling attack and will also be wary about the wicket, which has enough greenery to help the ball take an extra bounce.

Chasing GNDU's total, the hosts fumbled and lost three quick wickets putting pressure on the middle order. Their batsmen went for shots which were never there and they were rescued by a solid looking unbeaten 56 by Gajinder Singh who, is having a fine run in the tourney.

If Gajinder performs well on the morrow, he may well find himself in the running for the North zone team that will participate in the prestigious Vizzy trophy.

Bathinda, January 4
Prevailing cold waves conditions in Bathinda and its nearby places intensified today as the Sun remained under the wrap of clouds almost throughout the day, disrupting normal life third day in succession.

Mercury, however, showed little movement at the both levels - minimum and maximum - in comparison to yesterday and also more or less maintained its last day’s behaviour, it did not make any major difference in terms of chill as the maximum temperature hovered near 12 degrees Celsius.

The day’s minimum was 7.5 degrees Celsius, 2 degrees less than Sunday while the maximum was 12.4 degrees Celsius, slightly higher than yesterday, the Agro-met advisory services, PAU regional station, Bathinda, said adding that the region experienced 6.8 mm of rain during the last two days.

As far as the residents’ experiencing much cold than previous days, though there was no rain today, is concerned, experts said that it was not the mercury but the disappearance of Sun and the wind made all the difference.

Besides, the news emanated from the weather room may also not appear warm to many as possibility of fog and mist has been predicted.

As per the weather forecast made by the IMD, Chandigarh for Bathinda region on Monday and received by Agro-met advisory services, here, the weather is likely to remain dry; there, however, are chances of fog and mist in the morning and in evening in next two to three days.

The night temperature may fall while the region may witness rise in day temperature, weathermen added.

Hussainiwala, January 4
The BSF authorities have started contemplating to change the beating retreat ceremony (lowering of national flag at three joint check-posts on Indo-Pak border in Punjab) due to foggy weather prevailing in the northern India.

Official sources said that as the sun had started setting down early due to the prevailing foggy conditions, the timing of beating retreat ceremony would be advanced by half an hour within a few days. Presently, the beating retreat ceremony started at 4.30 pm daily and within a few days it would start at 4 pm.

A senior functionary of the BSF, when contacted, said that during the peak summer season, the beating retreat ceremony would start at 6.30 pm.

As the duration of day started decreasing during the winter season, the timings of the ceremony were changed accordingly so that it could be performed before the sunset.

Sources added that beating retreat ceremony were being held at Wagah, Hussainiwala and Sadiqi joint check posts (JCP) everyday. While Wagah fell into Amritsar district, both Hussainiwala and Sadiqi fell into Ferozepur district.

Sources said that decision in connection with the date on which the timings of retreat ceremony was to be changed would be taken formally by those, who had been handling the retreat ceremony at Wagah JCP.

Meanwhile, the bone chilling winter coupled with foggy weather seems to have failed to deter the people to watch the ceremony as everyday hundreds of people from nook and corner of the country have been witnessing the exercise being carried out jointly by Jawans of BSF and Pakistan Rangers at all the three JCPs.

A senior functionary of BSF pointed out that yesterday, which was Sunday, more than 700 persons came to witness the ceremony at Hussainiwala from India side despite the fact the biting cold winds were sweeping the region. He added that before the winter got intensified, on an average 950 person used to witness the ceremony on Sundays.

Sanjeev Kumar, who along with his relatives came from Panipat (Haryana) to see 40 minutes ceremony about two days ago, said that he and his relatives were thrilled to see it. He added that he would come to watch the ceremony every year.

Ashwani Kumar, a resident of Muktsar district, said that he was motivated to see the ceremony after watching the glimpse of same on television and hence he braved the inclement weather to see it.The BSF officials pointed out that most of those, who would come to watch the ceremony, were relatives of army and Para military force personnel. 

Barnala, January 4
The court of additional chief judicial magistrate today gave two days police remand to one of the accused journalist Sonu Bansal in connection with blackmailing influential persons of Barnala on the plea of police that remand of the accused was necessary for doling out the facts.

About eight persons including three girls, four journalists and a pharmacists were allegedly running a racket for blackmailing some influential persons of Barnala by making their nude clips with the girls and threatening them to show it to their wives.

Police sources said acting on a complaint by a local doctor to the SSP Barnala, H.S. Bhullar that some media persons were blackmailing him for showing his nude clip to his wife if he did not give them Rs five lakhs, a police party on January 1, 2010 arrested six accused including three journalists, two girls and a pharmacist whereas another journalist and a girl managed to escape.

They identified the accused as alleged district in-charge of a vernacular, who also worked as reporter in a channel, Karamjeet Khippal, alleged reporter of a TV Channel, Sanjay Bansal, reporter, Sonu Bansal, pharmacist, Rakesh Kumar, crime reporter, Sukhjinder Singh aka Prince Kanda, Payal, Radha and Nisha Rani.

Police authorities said that though three accused, Karamjeet Khippal, Payal, Radha Rani were sent by a local court to 14 days judicial remand on January 2, Sanjay Bansal and Rakesh Kumar were produced by the police before duty magistrate Rakesh Beri, who remanded them to 14 days judicial remand till January 16.

They added that police has already recovered Rs one lakh from Sanjay Bansal, Rs 75,000 from Sonu Bansal and Rs 20,000 and a video camera from Karamjeet Khippal.

Police further said that the police seeking further police remand of one of the accused Sonu Bansal to dole out more facts from him as also to make recoveries produced him before the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate, Barnala, who gave two days police remand of the accused.

They added that besides police is also hunting for Sukhjinder Singh aka Prince Kanda and a girl Nisha Rani, who continued to be at large.

DSP, Barnala, Rupinder Bhardwaj told The Tribune that police is further investigating the matter to dole out more facts in the case. He urged the affected people, if any, to come forward to share any sort of details in the matter.

Meanwhile, police sources claimed that of the Rs 11 to 12 lakhs made by the gang by this practice, the police have managed to make recoveries of just Rs 2.95 lakhs.

Ferozepur, January 4
The District Consumer Forum, Ferozepur, has imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the leading pharmaceuticals company, Torque Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, who are the manufacturers of Torex SF cough syrup, on account of gross negligence and for selling a product, which was unfit for human consumption.

The forum also took into account the wide advertisement and publicity for the said cough syrup luring the people at large to consume the same.

Sanjay Garg, President of the forum, said that one Vipan Arora had filed a complaint before the Consumer Forum, Ferozepur, pleading that he had purchased Torex syrup (Sugar free) and was shocked to see some suspended particles before opening the said bottle. Thereafter, he approached the chemist for the replacement of the said syrup bottle, but he refused to do so.

Ultimately, he approached the Consumer Forum which sent the said bottle for chemical analysis to the Government Analyst, Punjab at Chandigarh, who in his report stated that the suspended particles found in the bottle may be harmful. It was also stated in the said report that the cork of the said bottle was intact and the said syrup in the bottle was the product of Torque Pharmaceuticals Private Limited. However, the manufacturer of the bottle Torque Pharmaceuticals pleaded that the syrup in question is a Schedule-H drug and cannot be sold to a customer without medical prescription.

Garg observed that Torque Pharmaceuticals was making wide publicity of their product in various forms of media and if the said product is Schedule-H drug, then the manufacturer of the syrup should not have advertised the said product so widely for the purpose of promoting its consumption by the people. He also observed that it was duty of the Torque Pharmaceuticals to take due care and precautions about the quality of product and ensure its fitness for the consumption before sending it to the market for sale.

The forum also observed that the medicine in question was meant for the consumption of patients suffering from cough, asthma for whom the consumption of contaminated medicines containing harmful particle can afflict more harm than to a healthy man. In the preparation of medicine, more care and caution is required, which the Torque Pharmaceuticals failed to do so.

Finding it a fit case of deficiency in service and of negligence for selling a product which was unfit for human consumption, Consumer Forum directed the manufacturer of the syrup to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation, out of which Rs 7000 are to be paid to the complainant and the remaining amount is to be deposited in the Legal Aid Fund maintained by the Forum. 

Abohar, January 4
Even when the Technical Services Union (TSU) intensified its campaign to mobilise the workers of all the sub-divisions of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) for overwhelming participation in the demonstration scheduled for January 7, a local court has issued injunction prohibiting any such agitation within 100 meter radius of the office of the executive engineer, sources said today.

While confirming it, the TSU demanded that all the restrictions imposed on its activities be withdrawn. However, during a meeting at sub-division number 2 here today, the union reiterated that an effigy of the XEN would be burnt during the demonstration slated for January 7. The meeting was presided over by Nirmal Singh, a press release informed. The TSU claimed that the agitation was within the ambit of fundamental rights. — OC

Abohar, January 4
A cow got electrocuted while another one was seriously injured as low lying electricity main line wires touched a pole near Kundan Palace on the college road here on Monday, sources said.

The Nar Seva Narayan Seva volunteers rushed to the spot, got electricity supply suspended and shifted the injured cow to the veterinary hospital.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, Jan 4
Nearly 100 meter stretch of the Sriganganagar-Delhi road invites mishaps as the state government had not bothered to get it repaired for more than a year.The cause of concern is that the damaged portion is located on both sides of a small bridge, near the bus stop of village 26 NTR, which can collapse any moment, Ram Kumar Soni and other residents of Parleeka fear.

Sometimes, the vehicles that pass through the road raise so much of dust that visibility is almost reduced to zero and drivers loose control over the vehicles. More than 11 mishaps were reported during the past year resulting in injuries to over two dozen persons, as per a memorandum faxed to the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday.