Bathinda, January 8
Expressing concern over the hardships being faced by those aspiring to go abroad, Canadian MLA from Surrey-Fleetwood constituency of British Columbia (Canada) Jagrup Brar, whose native Deon village is situated near Bathinda, today said the travel agents’ profession must be regulated by the state government. Besides, a comprehensive programme for the travel agents should also be introduced to acquaint them about immigration policies of various countries, their social set up, values and cultural aspects etc, he added.

Talking to The Tribune, the Surrey-Fleetwood MLA said a university of the state should also develop a course regarding comprehensive programme for travel agents. It should also be made mandatory for each travel agent to pass this course. He also asked the state government to form a regulatory body for issuing licence to the travel agent who succeeds in such a course from a university or a college.

Brar said the regulatory body should also be given powers to terminate the licence of a travel agent if he or she committed any serious error or made a mistake while performing his/her duties as a travel agent. He said this was a must to discipline the travel agents and keep a check on their activities.

Brar said 50 per cent of the Indian population was young, so other countries were depending on India for skilled workers. He said not only in Canada, job opportunities for Punjabi youths were also available in other countries in the fields of healthcare, engineering, education etc. He said the youths who had the right skill to enter the global community should not fall victim to the travel agents.

Three-time MLA in Canada, who migrated only in 1991, said that Punjab was lacking on infrastructure, health and education system. He said during past 15 years the education system in Punjab had fallen drastically with rural schools been worst hit.

Brar also emphasised on improving the education system in Punjab. He also stressed upon the need of discipline in schools so as to make the students eligible for jobs in global market.

Brar was on a three-week visit to Punjab and would leave India for Canada on February 10. He has visited Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Faridkot Moga and Bathinda so far. During his visit to these places, he shared his views with the people from various walks of life, especially students.

Bathinda, January 8
Canadian MLA from Surrey-Fleetwood constituency of British Columbia (Canada) Jagrup Brar, who belongs to Deon village near Bathinda, today interacted with the students of the Government Rajindra College here. More than 350 students participated in the programme, which was presided over by principal of the college Sukhchain Rai Garg.

During his lecture, Brar focused mainly on his experiences and told the students that they could succeed in life only by choosing the right career and by dint of hard work.

He told them that nothing was impossible and they should discover their hidden strength to achieve their goals.

In the light of global marketing, Brar advised the students to choose a career from heart for better 
productivity.

He also asked them to choose a profession that led not only to employment but also had a potential for self-employment considering the uncertainty in global market. He exhorted the students that besides getting knowledge about the income potential in the profession, they should also know about its work conditions.

Brar answered the queries raised by students with regard to career opportunities abroad and other issues related to studies in Canada, Australia etc. He said there were a lot of job opportunities in Australia.

In view of the non-acceptability of Indians or Asians by the Australians, he said the Australian government should start a programme for its people to accept the newcomers to their country.

On the other hand, he also asked the people visiting Australia or other countries to understand the values, rituals, culture and system of these countries.

Among others present on the occasion included Dr GS Brar, Dr Gurjit Singh Mann, Jagrup Singh Brar and Seema Gupta. 

Bathinda, January 8
Acting upon the directions of the state police chief, the Bathinda police has started changing their mobile numbers.

Wishing good bye to the outgoing series starting from 98784-21001, the cops would now be available on mobile numbers starting with code 95929 followed by a five digit number, starting from 12901.

According to information available, the district police have received 99 numbers from the DGP office, in the first lot. Reports are that mobile numbers of the police officials across the state would be changed to the new series.

The change will make the inter-department statewide calls concessional.

In Bathinda district, the series up to 95929-12911 will go to the SPs and DSPs of the district. The SHOs and in-charges of the police stations and police posts would get 95929-12912 onwards.

Mobile numbers of readers/Munshi, posted in police stations and police posts along with the some of the staff posted at the district headquarter office are also being changed.

Confirming the development, SP (Headquarters), Sukhdev Singh Bhatti said, “We have been switching to new numbers following the orders from the head office that allotted 99 numbers to the district.”

Expressing displeasure over the change, a cop deputed at the police control room (PCR) said, “This change would create confusion among the staff as well as general public.”

Bathinda, January 8
A six-year-old boy suspected to be suffering from swine flu was admitted to the isolation ward of the local Civil Hospital this evening.

The hospital authorities have collected a sample of throat swab of the child, Mannu from Gidderbaha town in Muktsar district. The sample will be sent to the PGI, Chandigarh, for test tomorrow morning. None of his family members has so far been reported to be suffering from the disease.

District health officer (DHO) Dharampal Singh Sekhon said two other patients, earlier tested positive for swine flu, were today discharged from the Civil Hospital. The patients, Gurjant Singh from Neelianwali village in Haryana and Gurdev Singh from Ghamiara village in Muktsar, were in the isolation ward of the hospital for past some days.

Before Gurjant and Gurdev, five swine flu positive patients had earlier been discharged from the hospital, he added.

Meanwhile, seven members of the family of three-year-old twin brothers Rajanpreet and Sajanpreet, who were tested positive for swine flu by the PGI, Chandigarh, and are under treatment at the Civil Hospital, have also been given medicine by the health authorities as a precautionary measure. The twin brothers are reported to be recovering from the flu.

Local Aasra Welfare Society today created awareness about swine flu among hundreds of students of two local schools, the Senior Secondary School and the Lord Rama School by distributing kites carrying slogans related to swine flu. Bathinda civil surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj was also present on the occasion.

Moga, January 8
The body of a young woman hailing from a Moga village, who died under mysterious circumstances at Brisbane in Australia, arrived here this evening.

The parents of the deceased woman while alleging that she was killed by her husband and demanded legal action against him. They have threatened not to cremate her body until her husband was arrested by the police.

The incident appears to be of same nature of the murder of 28-year-old Manpreet Kaur who was killed by her husband in Australia on December 29, last year. Manpreet, originally from Ludhiana, used to live in Sydney.

The 22-year old Amanpreet a resident of Dosanj village of Moga district, died at Royale Hospital, Brisbane after struggling between life and death for more than one week. Her body reached her home today and has been kept at the district hospital mortuary.

The post-mortem of the body would possibly be conducted tomorrow after taking a legal opinion by the district authorities. Proshotam Das, the father of the deceased, said, “My daughter's friend Manpreet, who is from our village, told us that Aman was killed by her husband Pardeep who used to beat her and demanded dowry.”

Amanpreet married Pardeep on October 13, 2008. On February 3, 2009 both of them left for Australia on student visa.

Asha Rani, the mother of the deceased alleged that just after two and a half months of the marriage Pardeep began torturing her daughter. “We were hopeful things would settle down and their relations would improve but the situation only turned worse and my daughter had to seek shelter at her friend's place many a times before her tragic end,” she said.

She alleged that as per the information provided by Manpreet, Pardeep took her to a party last month where the duo had an argument. On returning home, Pardeep again beat up her. She fell unconscious and Pradeep threw her in a nearby canal.

The family members said that the Australian police saved their daughter from the canal and admitted her to the Royale hospital but she went into coma and later died on December 26 after one week.

Manpreet was with Aman during her stay in the hospital, they added.

The family has requested the Indian government to come to their aide and ensure the arrest of their daughter's killer.

“We will not cremate her till the killer is arrested,” the family members threatened.

The Tribune tried to contact husband of the deceased for his version but he could not be contacted. 

Muktsar, January 8
The first North India Livestock Championship - 2010, which is inaugurated here today, could hardly attract states other than Punjab.Though the animal husbandry department, Punjab had to host eight states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, the championship remained confine only up to Punjab. 

The participation of states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh proved negligible in terms of number of animals.

Out of the total 2300-odd animals registered with the organisers, except 158, all were belonging to livestock rearers of Punjab. The figures stated that 106 animals belonging to different categories were from Haryana, while Rajasthan participated with 39, while Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh participated with seven and six animals, respectively. The organisers had put their best to attract live stock holders of other states to participate in the five-day championship with cash prizes worth Rs 1.10 crore. Rearers were also offered facilities like, transportation fare, fodder, and accommodation.

Giving details, Dr Ashok Kumar, president of the Punjab state Vetrinary Officers' Association, a member of organising committee, said that transportation reimbursement did not include horses and dogs.

The maximum participation is recorded in buffalo/calves categories.

The fair was formally inaugurated by the state animal husbandry minister, Gulzar Singh Ranike, accompanied by the director of the department HS Sandha and other eminent personalities. 

Muktsar: Raj Hans, a horse of the Punjab Animal Breed Private Limited, said to be owned by Badals bagged the first prize of Rs one lakh, while another horse (bearing tag 1811) of this farm, clinched third prize worth Rs 31,000, during competitions.

Meanwhile, some cattle rearers alleged the judges for being biased. Among others, two farmers of Kauni and Chak Vairo ke villages staged protest in front of the chief guest, accusing the judges for "unethically" rejecting their sturdy buffalos.

On the other hand, organisers refuted the allegations. — TNS

Ferozepur, January 8
Facing difficult situation on account of his alleged facilitation of Pakistani woman to stay at a hotel in Jaipur without having valid visa to visit Rajasthan, Guru Harsahai MLA, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, today got shot in arm when a section of the Congress leaders of Punjab came into his support.

“All what is being aired in the news channels is a deep-rooted conspiracy to malign Sodhi's image, whose place in the party went high after he won the Assembly elections for the second consecutive term in 2007,” alleged the Congress leaders.

Rana Sodhi landed himself into trouble when it was alleged that he made a Pakistani woman, Najmi Rizvi, to stay at a hotel in Jaipur despite the fact that Rizvi did not have a valid visa to visit Rajasthan.

“Some vested interests have been trying to weaken the Congress party. First, a woman surfaced in Ludhiana, who levelled serious allegations against Capt Amarinder Singh. However, she disappeared. Now, character assassination of Rana Sodhi is being done by those elements, who are opposed against Capt Amarinder Singh and his associates,” alleged Anoop Singh, vice-president, Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee.

Gurdeep Singh Dhillon, general secretary, district Congress Committee (DCC), Ferozepur, said that Rana Sodhi was being victimised by vested interests for political ends despite the fact that Rana Sodhi was innocent.

He added that a large number of the Congressmen of Punjab would go to high command to explain them that activities of those vested interests must be checked, who were trying to weaken the party so that the ruling SAD-BJP of Punjab could get advantage of the same.

Shavinder Singh Sidhu and Atul Nagpal, both block presidents of the party, said that name of Rana Sodhi figured in the list of those, who were considered as the tallest party leaders of Punjab. Political opponents of Rana Sodhi within the Congress and from other parties were playing mischief so that the Congress could be kept out of power in the next assembly elections.

Amrit Vora, Congress leader and director, Markfed, advised them, who were bent upon maligning the image of Rana Sodhi that such accusations would lower their reputation and make Rana Sodhi more stronger among the people. Javed Akhtar, former vice-president, local municipal council and senior party leader, said that all the right thinking Congressmen were standing with Rana Sodhi and would apprise the high command of the fact that some anti-party elements were causing damage to the party for their own personal agenda. 

Ferozepur, January 8
Wife of a army jawan was found dead in her house in the Cantonment area here under mysterious circumstances.

As per the information, the deceased has been identified as Parminder Kaur, wife of Naik Bikram Singh.

Bikram stated to the police that on Thursday morning, after his kids left for school at around 8 am, he went to the market for some work. After returning, he knocked at the door but there was no response. He later broke open the back door with the help of his neighbours. He found his wife hanging from the roof.

The police have initiated the inquest proceedings under section 174 of the CrPC.

The body has been handed over to the relatives after the postmortem. 

Moga, January 8
Weeds and pesticides could lead to loss in the production of wheat from 15 to 35 per cent. Therefore, timely measures were needed to mitigate yield losses. Suitable herbicides should be applied in consultation with the experts of the agriculture department after first irrigation on broad leaf as well as narrow leaf weeds for effective control by adopting proper techniques.

The agriculture development officer of Moga Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, who has carried out demonstrations of spraying techniques in Charik, Mandira Wala and few other villages in the district this week revealed to The Tribune that a majority of the farmers were unaware of the proper spraying techniques.

He said that most of the farmers did not have suitable nozzles fixed in their spray pumps, which did not give proper results. “I recommend the farmers to use flood jet and flat fan nozzles for spraying herbicides and cone type nozzles for spraying pesticides to get good results,” he said.

He said that the farmers should use flat fan nozzle for herbicides spray at noon during the bright sunny days after evaporation of dew from the plant surface. The water mixture used for herbicides spray should be 80 to 100 litres per acre. The whole field must be sprayed uniformly and no spot should be sprayed twice to harvest bumper wheat crop, he cautioned.

Adding that the selection of herbicides should depend on the weed species growing in the field in consultation with the agriculture department, Dr Brar said that the spray should be done in a straight strip, the nozzle should not be moved away from the strip and the nozzle should be kept 40 to 50 cm above the crop.

For better results, farmers should use recommended good quality herbicides and pesticides and adopt proper spray technique/schedule recommended by the Punjab Agriculture University or the agriculture department, Dr Jaswinder Brar added.

Abohar, January 8
The Shah Satnam Cricket Academy entered the semi-final of the IFFCO Cup Twenty-20 National Cricket tournament on Friday.

 In the last encounter of their pool match facing Baba Moti Ram Club Mangwal (Sangrur), the Academy team won the toss and decided to bat first. Brilliant display by Ashok scoring 52 runs helped the team to score 134 in 20 overs. The Mangwal team was bundled out for 107 runs. — OC

Ferozepur, January 8
To motivate youths to join the defence forces, the Golden Arrow Division is going to organise an exhibition “Know your Army” on January 12 at the Sargarhi grounds here.

According to the defence spokesman, the exhibition would provide with a glimpse of the might of the Indian Army, its high technology and the latest military equipment including tanks, artillery guns, infantry combat vehicles besides the latest arsenal with artillery and infantry would be on display.

Based on the theme of “Role of Indian Army in Nation Building,” the exhibition would showcase the technological advancement and military power.

In addition, various motivational and awareness stalls would also be put up where information about joining the Indian army through NDA/IMA/OTA would be provided.

The main attraction would be the documentaries on famous battles fought against Pakistan by the Golden Arrow Division. — OC

Moga, January 8
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau caught an inspector of the Punsup, red-handed, when he was allegedly taking a bribe for clearing the bills of a commission agent at Nihalsinghwala in the Moga district on Friday.

Baldev Singh Parmar, DSP of the bureau, said that the Punsup inspector Suresh Chand Jindal had demanded a sum of Rs 15,000 from a commission agent Jaspal Singh of Machike village to clear his pending bills with regard to the purchase of paddy. The bureau team nabbed him outside the Saraswati Rice Mill on Friday afternoon when he was taking a sum of Rs 10,000 from the commission agent.

A criminal case under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the inspector in the bureau's police station at Ferozepur, this evening. — TNS