Bathinda, January 18
A major fire gutted a double-storeyed electric appliance shop located on the Court Road near Mehna Chowk here in the early hours today. As many seven fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames. However, six hours of operation could not save the merchandise from turning into ashes.

According to information available, one Nachattar Singh was the first to see the smoke emitting from inside the Mittal Enterprises, area distributor of a renowned home appliance manufacturing company, at about 5 am. Reading the numbers from the boards installed there, he informed the police control room and the owner of the shop immediately.

The fire brigade staff claimed to have received the call at about 5.23 am and rushed the fire tender within few minutes. However, people claimed the first fire tender reached the spot at about 6 am. They alleged that the firefighting staff was so careless that it took some time for them to open their ladder to reach the first floor of the shop.

An eye witness, former MC Chaman Lal Garg, claimed that it was the efforts of people, who broke open the locked shutter of the shop as the firemen were neither willing nor equipped to perform the task.

Anil Goyal, president of the Cooler Association, said, “Due to the callousness of firemen, the goods stored in upper storey were gutted despite four fire tenders present at the spot.”

“Police and Naib Tehsildar reached the spot in time but they could not even check the ongoing traffic, which kept on hindering the rescue operation,” eyewitnesses alleged.

It was an embarrassing situation for the fire-fighting staff, including the BMC officials, when equipped with huge torches and other tools, volunteers of the Sahara Jan Seva reached the spot and displayed a daring act. They climbed to the first floor and did their best to break the shutter.

As soon as the executive officer of BMC, BD Singla, reached the spot, people aired their resentment.

Irked over the situation, Singla said, “We have been facing funds and staff crunch, which is affecting our capability.”However, pacifying them, Singla claimed that all possible efforts were being made to control the fire.

Till the filing of the report, the cause and actual loss could not be ascertained. 

Muktsar, January 18
A frustrated unemployed lineman aged about 33 years on Monday made a self immolation bid in Lambi village (home turf of the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal).

The man was identified as Pirmal Singh of Sangrur, cashier of the Unemployed Linemen Union, Punjab.

Thanks to the immediate action of his colleagues and the cops present there, he sustained only minor burn injuries over his legs and escaped the further loss.

As per the information, the protesters hailing from different parts of the state assembled near the 66 kv grid of the PSEB at Lambi on Monday morning. Raising anti-establishment slogans, they moved towards the bus stand and staged traffic blocking dharna there.

After delivering fervent speeches, the protesters set the photocopies of their diploma and training courses' certificates on fire. Immediately, the youth in question, Pirmal Singh, who had already poured kerosene over his body reportedly jumped into the fire. Shocked over the incident, his colleagues and the cops jumped upon him and doused the flames. The policemen rushed him to the Civil Hospital, Lambi. Giving first-aid, the doctor declared him out of danger and discharged him after some time.

Talking to TNS, Tarlochan Singh, state president of the union, who was also present there, said, “Self immolation was not in our scheduled protest. We had assembled to lodge symbolic protest to make the government think about our decade old demands. We too were unaware, when Pirmal, getting frustrated over unemployment, jumped into the fire but swinging into action, we saved his life.”

When asked about their demands, Tarlochan said, “We had been lodging protests since the state government stopped our recruitment in 1997. We staged various protests, but every government pacified us by assuring to meet the demands, but till now nothing came in practical,”

It may be recalled that the activists of the Unemployed Linemen Union had lodged days-long fast-unto-death in Patiala in 2003, then continuous protest in Bathinda, during the Lok Sabha polls and later six of them had climbed up 120 kv electric tower in Jalalabad, when Sukhbir Badal was contesting assembly bypolls from there.

When contacted, SHO Lambi, Harinder Singh Chameli said, “Immediate after he jumped into the fire, we pulled him out and rushed to the civil hospital, where just after applying ointment, doctors discharged him.” When asked whether the youth would be booked for trying to commit suicide, the SHO denied.

On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner, Muktsar, Varun Roojam, flatly refused about any such incident. When contacted, SDM Malout, Praveen Thind said, “Though something took place, the reports suggest that it was not so serious.”

Abohar, January 18
Sanjeev Godara, member, Punjab Wildlife Board, has decided to take up the matter connected with hunting of two blackbucks, which allegedly took place in the open wildlife sanctuary a few days ago, with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, within a day or so.

Godara took the decision to take up the matter with Badal, who is also the chairman of Punjab Wildlife Board, as the wildlife officials have denied the fact that any hunting of blackbucks had taken place in the sanctuary area a few days ago despite the fact that a senior functionary of the Akhil Bhartiya Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha had claimed that two blackbucks were killed by the hunters.

Expressing grave concern over the activities of the hunters, who became active due to intense fog in this region, Godara said that he would urge Badal to make arrangements to press armed guards and patrolling vehicles into service to save blackbucks and blue bulls from falling prey to the bullets of hunters.

He said that he would also urge the chief minister that a criminal case must be registered in connection with the killing of two blackbucks in the sanctuary area allegedly by the hunters a few days ago.

Ajeet Singh, inspector, wildlife, Abohar, said that he had made on-the-spot inquiry and it was found that no hunting had taken place in the sanctuary area falling near Rajanwali area as alleged by some people of the area. He added that two skeletons of the blackbucks, which were found in the village, were actually killed by the stray dogs.

He claimed that stray dogs had become a major threat for the blackbucks and blue bulls in the open sanctuary and in this month, about three black bucks and three blue bulls had been killed by them.

He said that he had sent a detailed report in connection with the threat being posed by the stray dogs to protected animals in the sanctuary area to the district wildlife officer.

Tarun Rattan, DSP, Abohar, when contacted, said that case in connection with the alleged killing of two blackbucks by the hunters a few days ago, could not be registered as the wildlife department officials had not moved any application in this connection to the police authorities. HS Dhillon, district wildlife officer, said that three permanent guards and four daily wager guards were performing round-the-clock duty in the open wildlife sanctuary, which was spread over 13 villages. 

Bathinda, January 18
As part of a special campaign to medically examine pregnant and other women on January 23 and January 25, the district health authorities would organise several medical camps in the district.

Talking to this correspondent today, civil surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj said that special camps for examining pregnant women would be organised on January 25 in all community health centres (CHCs) and hospitals of the district, including Bathinda, Talwandi Sabo, Goniana, Rama Mandi, Nathana and Ballianwali.

Besides , children would also be checked. Pregnant women would also be given iron tablets free of cost, she added.

The civil surgeon also said that on January 23 medical camps for examining women would also be organised in slum areas at Bathinda, Talwandi Sabo, Maur and Goniana etc. At these camps women would be examined for all types of diseases, she added.

Dr Bajaj also stated that the district health authorities would also organise a six-day non-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) camp at the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, from January 25 to January 30.

Those who would be operated upon at the Bathinda NSV camp would be given Rs 1,100 and a kg of refined oil each as an incentive, she added.

She further said another NSV camp would be organised at Goniana from January 19 to January 25. At this camp, Rs 1,100 and a blanket each would be given as an incentive to those operated upon at the camp. She said refined oil and blankets were being given by the NGOs while a sum of Rs 1,100 each was being given by the government.

Mansa, January 18
Farmers of Mansa, Sangrur and Bathinda districts have been facing irrigation problem due to the absence of water in the Kotla branch canal, which provides water to the farmers of these districts.

Farmers of Mansa district said that this is the time to irrigate the crops of wheat and vegetables. They were bound to get water from the diesel engine-based tubewells by using diesel at higher rates. Teja Singh, a farmer of Mansa, rued that canal department was ignoring farmers by stopping water in the kotla branch canal. He informed that he was supplying water to his wheat and potato crop affording diesel on higher charges. Another farmer, Harjinder Singh Baggi belonging to Maur in Bathinda also expressed similar views regarding the absence of water in this canal.

He demanded release of water in the canal as early as possible. District president of the Bhartiya Kissan Union (Ugrahan) Ram Singh Bhainibagha said that canal department stopped water supply at wrong time that would be harmful for farmers because this was the suitable time for supplying water to all type of crops. Meanwhile, Xen, canal department, Gopal Singh said water was stopped in this canal for construction work on both sides of the canal.

Suspension of water supply from the canal would continue from January 15 to February 10, he informed. He said that both sides of canal are being repaired according to the direction of state government.

Fazilka, January 18
“The high drop-out rate of students is a matter of grave concern. A large number of students drop out of the school at primary and then at high school level. The parents of students have an import role in imparting higher education to their children.

According to the report of the Planning Commission, only 10 per cent students go in for higher education,” stated vice-chancellor, Punjab Technical University, Rajnish Arora, at the silver jubilee programme of Lala Saran Dass Boota Ram Aggarwal Sarv Hitkari Senior Secondary Vidya Mandir here on Sunday evening.

Arora was the chief guest at the programme. Vijay Kumar Chopra, chairman (Press Trust of India) and chief editor (Punjab Kesari Group of newspapers) was co-chief guest at the programme and national vice-president of Vidya Bharti, Dina Nath Batra, Nirmala Jyani, wife of Fazilka MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani, were the guests of honour in the programme.

Addressing the gathering, vice-chancellor Rajnish Arora said that the school has progressed and touched new heights in fields of education with the joint efforts of the School Managing Committee.

A colourful cultural programme was presented on this occasion by the school children depicting different themes, choreography regarding unity in diversity, women empowerment, female foeticide, illiteracy and corruption were main attractions of the programme.

School principal Madhu Sharma read out the report highlighting its achievements in different fields.

School managing committee chief Purshotam Mohan Chugh and general secretary Ashok Kumar Monga welcomed the guests.

Schoolchildren who had excelled in academic and other fields including extra curricular activities were given prizes by the guests and other dignitaries.

Ferozepur, January 18
Parminder Singh, general secretary, Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (PPCC) and a local resident today urged the chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to set up ward-level committees in the urban areas so that the incidents of crimes, which had become rampant in the past few weeks, could be curbed.

The Congress leader took up this matter after he came to know about the fact that the residents of this border town had been living under constant fear after criminals and goons snatched a chain of gold of a girl, while she was returning to her house a few days back and murderous attack made on a retired teacher, near the city bus stand on Sunday.

He said that goons and criminals, who had been roaming on motorcycles without number plates, had been striking at their will and escaping the police net by taking advantage of the intense fog, which had enveloped the region.

He said that both DIG, Ferozepur range, RP Mittal and SSP, Ferozepur, SPS Parmar, had given positive response today when he took up the matter with them. He also urged leaders of different parties to rise above their political affiliations and make efforts for the setting up of such committees so that criminals could be brought to book. No one should drive political mileage out of such incidents, he added. 

Abohar, January 18
The UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi and the AICC general secretary, Rahul Gandhi should personally intervene to clear the mess created by the unwarranted behaviour of the top brass towards sports stars, legislator Sunil Jakhar has said in a letter sent to the Congress chief.

Speaking to the newspersons on the sidelines of the Satyam Education and Career Fair at Arorvansh Bhawan here on Monday, he said that a review of the functioning of the major sports organisations has become essential after the gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra episode and revolt by the hockey team during the training camp.

Organiser BK Soni welcomed the veteran guests. Speakers included former SDM, BL Sikka and senior educationists Dr Neelam Arun Mittu, Dr Bindu Arora, Dr Amar Nath Baghla, Dr RK Uppal and SP Narula. An exhibition of the paintings of Sonia Singh, lecturer in the Bhag Singh Hayer College for Women, was also organised on the occasion. 

Abohar, January 18
Abour 3,000 BPL families in 52 villages of Balluana segment would get meters under the free power scheme, informed the SAD MLA, Gurtej Singh Ghuriana on Monday.

While inaugurating the scheme at village Kala Tibba on Monday, he distributed meters to 68 local families, who would be entitled to free electricity supply up to 200 units per month.

The state government would bear the expenses of installation of the meters and provide one CLF lamp to each family to boost the energy saving campaign. PSEB SDO, Surinder Singh Behal, was also present.

Ghuriana said that work was in progress for the construction of new waterworks in 27 villages of his Assembly segment while it had been recently completed in village Burjmuhar and Pattisadiq.

Muktsar, January 18
AGA Amritsar won the Punjab State Invitational-cum-Open Tournament Maghi Cup 2010 organised by the District Cricket Association, Muktsar, at the NPS cricket ground, defeating Bathinda District Cricket Association team by 29 runs.

The winner and runners-up were given cash prizes of Rs. 15,000 and Rs 10,000 by chief guest Bhai Harnirpal Singh( ex-MLA.) and S. Mohkkam Singh, president, District Badminton Association, Muktsar.

Maninder Sharma, Sukhmander Singh of Bathinda and Charahjeet Singh of Amritsar were declared best batsman, best bowler and best player of the tournament. RD Bansal, general secretary of the Association said 10 teams participated. — TNS