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Students share ideas on managing solid waste at seminar
Murder of DGP's father
Official apathy leaves Bir Talab zoo in state of neglect
Deer sitting against each other to escape the cold weather at the Bir Talab Zoo in Bathinda. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma |
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Panchayat polls
Fog fails to dampen voters’ spirit
Voters wait for their turn at a rural polling station at Suratgarh on Friday.
A Tribune photograph
Book exhibition inaugurated
Jnanpith awardee Prof Gurdial Singh along with Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Punjab
Jai Rup Singh (extreme left) taking a round of the book exhibition on the university campus in
Bathinda on Friday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma
CPI stages protest against price rise
Weapons recovered from Moga student leader
Dalit deserted by husband seeks justice
Suspicious, man shoots kin to death
Left holds rally against price rise
Woman’s hair sheared ‘forcibly’
Abduction charge on two
Workers stage dharna
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Students share ideas on managing solid waste at seminar
Bathinda, January 22 During the seminar, said to be an initiative of BMC commissioner Ravi Bhagat, teams from 33 schools took part and demonstrated the eco-threats posed by solid waste with the help of models and charts. The lectures, which the students delivered in the presence of various district-level officials, were quite impressive as they attacked the habits of society in enhancing the environmental degradation. Among other issues, waste reduction, refuse recycling, management of sewerage waste and advancement in waste treatment were the major topics that students spoke about. Suggesting ideas, students and officials floated various alternate methods like landfill bioreactors, co-disposal options and creation of website on urban municipal waste. The seminar not only proved to be an impressive initiative to create awareness among students but also gave lessons to the BMC staff to identify the barriers in effective implementation of policies and regulations in waste management. Mayor Baljeet Singh
Birbehman was the chief guest while deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari, Assistant Commissioner (UT) Joram Beda and District Education Officer (Secondary) were the guests of honour. In his brief speech, the DC urged the students, “If we decide not to use one polythene bag for a day, it will help check the use of lakhs of polybags on that particular day.” Expressing his inability to check the polythene manufacturing factories, Tewari said, “The administration cannot immediately close all such factories as a number of ancillary industries are attached with it, so everybody will have to stop the use of polythene, which can be done only through you—the future of the nation.” After brief presentations by students, a two-bench jury, including Dr Sanjeev Aggarwal and Dr Gursharan Singh of Giani Zail Singh Engineering College, announced that the team of St. Xavier’s was the winner while the Police Public School and the Government Senior Secondary School, Jassi Pau Wali, were the first and second runners-up. Participants were encouraged by presenting them with mementos and certificates. |
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NRI released on bail
Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service
Moga, January 22 He was picked up by the local police on January 11 after a case of theft under sections 457 and 380 of the IPC was registered against him, his two cousins Gursewak Singh, Sarabhjit Singh and one of his friends Shamsher Singh, all residents of this town, in the city police station. The CJM had first fixed the bail application for orders on January 18 but later adjourned it to January 20. On January 20 and 21, the judge went on leave and took up this matter today. While agreeing to the plea of Ramesh Grover, legal counsel of the NRI, the CJM ordered to release Jagdev and another co-accused Gursewak Singh who was also picked up by the police on the same day. After getting bail from the court, Jagdev revealed to The Tribune that a delegation of the Canadian High Commission also met the Home Secretary of the state this week to apprise him of the 'irresponsible attitude of the DGP to harass their citizen' demanding immediate withdrawal of all the cases. Adding that the Home Secretary had not given any positive response in this regard, he said that the Canadian High Commission would now approach the Union government through proper channel to pressurize the state government for withdrawal of all the cases. It may be mentioned that the DGP's father was murdered in 1991 and an FIR under sections 302, 307, 120-B, 34 of the IPC; sections 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act and sections 5, 6 of the TADA Act was registered against Jagdev's family members including mother Pritam Kaur, brother Hardev Singh, sister Paramjit Kaur and three others. Jagdev's name was included in the list of accused persons during the course of investigations. Jagdev fled the country and went to the US and then finally settled in Canada where he acquired the Canadian citizenship. The Supreme Court had acquitted all his family members from the murder charge. In 2009, when he came back to India and after PS Gill became the DGP of Punjab, two more separate cases of forgery and corruption were registered against him.
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Official apathy leaves Bir Talab zoo in state of neglect
Bathinda, January 22 Unclean paths, wildly grown grass, trees and bushes, decayed cages and crumbling toilets have been crying for maintenance. Not only the dilapidating infrastructure, authorities concerned are also apparently callous towards hundreds of animals and birds—inhabiting at the zoo. The guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority are being grossly violated here. The number of animals like black bucks, Cheetal and Sambars along with birds of Bajrigar species, which are caged in enclosures, is much higher than set norms. Sources informed that the zoo had 78 black bucks, 19
Cheetal, nine Sambars and 100 Bajrigar, which was almost double than the approved capacity. Further, for want of official concern the birds and animals are enduring the chilly weather. During a visit to the zoo, the TNS team observed that in the absence of required quantity of dry straw beds, deer were juggling to take shelter against each other to beat the biting cold. Animals like Sambars were sitting in groups to beat the chill. Lack of proper sheds and sheets was quite evident. Sources said the zoo had been facing shortage of funds, due to which birds had to satisfy their hunger with only one meal a day. When asked about the poor state of cleanliness and maintenance, the staff said they were just seven in number and had to deal with all duties, which was proving quite difficult for them. Expressing anguish, they disclosed that authorities did not even release their previous month’s salary. The zoo lacks a canteen to offer refreshments to the visitors. Moreover, a log hut there is unlocked only when senior forest officials visit. This has led to low visitor step-in and the total earning of zoo through entry tickets is said to remain only about Rs 200-300 a day. It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had once (in 2008) claimed to have been deeply attached to the zoo and promised to give it a facelift. Further, district forest
officials had prepared a detailed development project worth Rs 4 crore for the zoo, but it is still awaiting the nod. Moreover, the state tourism authorities did not even send a single penny out of the huge grant received from Central government for the development of the zoo. Forest Range Officer Tejinder Singh said, “There are a few requirements of the zoo for which proposals are already in pipeline and we are hopeful that they will be implemented soon.” When asked about the overcrowded cages, he said,
“We have informed about the matter to higher officials.” |
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89 pc voting in Bhadra
Hanumangarh/Abohar, January 22 In the Nohar segment, 22.48 per cent of the electorate had cast votes by 10 am, 61.14 by 1 pm and 83.52 per cent by 3 pm. For the next phase of elections, orders have been issued prohibiting deployment of government employees on election duty in the area where any of their relatives was contesting the election. — OC
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Fog fails to dampen voters’ spirit
Sriganganagar/Abohar, January 22 Women outnumbered men at most of the polling stations, even women aged above 75 were willingly escorted by their kin to exercise the franchise. Polling was by and large peaceful, official sources told this correspondent over the phone. Interestingly, Dr Param Navdeep, MLA Sangria and Shabnam Godara, Congress candidate for the Zila Parishad, were found doing brisk campaigning braving the foggy weather in the Tibbi area for the third phase of the elections. Sriganganagar Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh AT Pednekar informed that 249 candidates were in the fray for election of sarpanches in Anoopgarh area. As many as 201 panches have been elected unopposed. In Suratgarh, 170 candidates were left for the office of sarpanches whereas 223 members of panchayats had been elected unopposed leaving behind 524 candidates to try their luck. In Gharsana, 219 contestants were left for the offices of sarpanches while 122 panches had been elected unanimously. As many as 1025 contestants were still in the fray for election of
panches.
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Book exhibition inaugurated
Bathinda, January 22 More than 20 leading publishing houses/book suppliers from across the country, including the Cambridge University Press, the Oxford University Press, are participating in the exhibition. A wide collection of books covering almost every strata of education world has been displayed at the exhibition. About 20,000 books have been exhibited for college students, teachers and general public. After the inaugural ceremony, Prof Gurdial Singh along with other guests and dignitaries also took a round of the university complex. The author lauded the developments made by the university. He and other prominent guests praised and commended the infrastructural expansion of the university in such a short period. Among others present included Prof P Ramarao from the university, principal of the DAV College Bathinda JS Anand; Dr Pushpinder Kaur, Prof HS Bhatia, Prof Satish Verma and Prof RS Sandhu. They also gave their opinion to the university for selecting books for its upcoming multi-specialty library. |
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CPI stages protest against price rise
Bathinda, January 22 On the occasion, Joga alleged the prices of essential commodities were rising day after day as the Congress, the SAD and the BJP had received huge funds from the capitalists and businessmen during the previous Lok Sabha elections. He said due to this reason, main opposition parties like the SAD and the BJP were not launching any agitation against the Centre for rising prices. Besides, these parties were also not initiating any steps to control the rising prices, he added. Joga alleged that in the two-member committee report, prepared by Sukhbir Badal and Manoranjan Kalia, “anti-farmer” and “anti-people” recommendations had been submitted to the government. He said with the implementation of this report, Punjabis would have to face a huge burden in the form of taxes. He said the committee had not spared even Dalits, from whom it had “snatched” 100 units of free electricity. He announced that as part of the agitation drive, the CPI would hold protest dharnas at Talwandi Sabo on January 28, at Nathana on February 5 and at Maur Mandi on February 26. Among others present included district president of the Khet Mazdoor Sabha Harbans Singh Bathinda, general secretary of the Bathinda Khet Mazdoor Sabha Surjit Singh Sohi, district president of the Punjab Kisan Sabha Balkar Singh Brar, secretary of local unit of the CPI Ram Lal Garg, and state vice-president of the FCI Palledar Union Kaka Singh. |
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Weapons recovered from Moga student leader
Moga/Jagraon, January 22 In a routine checking, the Jagraon CIA Staff-II police nabbed one Gagandip Singh alias Gagan, a student of ITI Moga last evening and recovered a sharp-edged weapon 'gupti' which was hidden inside his socks. After interrogation, Gagan led police to recovery of almost 13 similar weapons that comprising three khandas, three kirpans, two khanjars (large knives), a khukri and a gupti. Police officials were of the view that there was an 'ugly' nexus between politicians and student leaders prevailing in the state that could lead to law and order problems like the recent firing incident between a gang of two student groups. Gagan, who had been arrested by the police, was also a former student union president, who has helped the police to recover sharp-edged weapons, meant for his group of students. According to Jaswinder Singh, in-charge of the CIA Staff-II, Gagan was the president of students union but was removed from his post recently. “When we asked him about the weapons, he told us that a politician hailing from Moga is his godfather in college politics and that he has kept all this weapons to give to other boys,” said the police officer. However, Gagan is believed to have parted ways with this politician recently. The police had booked Gagan under relevant sections of the Arms Act. |
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Dalit deserted by husband seeks justice
Moga, January 22 Although the police had registered an FIR under sections 307, 498-A and 406 of the IPC against her husband and some others in the police station at Dharamkot on December 25, 2009, no one had been arrested, so far. Instead, an attempt was being made to cancel the FIR under political influence. The DIG of Ferozepur range has summoned the case file from the police station reportedly to order a reinvestigation into the case so that the FIR could be cancelled against her husband and others. Manjit Kaur, the aggrieved woman, while talking to The Tribune, with tears in her eyes, revealed that she got married to Gursewak Singh, son of Babu Singh, a resident of Badhni Kalan in Moga on July 16, 200. Her parents gave sufficient dowry and spent huge money on her marriage. But her husband and other family members were not satisfied and started misbehaving with her, she said. "When I became pregnant, my sister-in-laws Kulwinder Kaur and Sukhdeep Kaur, both staff nurses along with her mother-in-law Bhajan Kaur, gave wrong medicines to me due to which I had a forced abortion and remained in the Kalra Hospital at Bathinda for eleven days in a critical condition. But no one, neither my husband or nor my in-laws came to visit me there," she said narrating her tale of woes. She alleged Gursewak solemnized his second marriage with another woman of Ludhiana district who also started living with them. "After some time, Gursewak took me from Badhni Kalan to Jalal village and from there he shifted at Ludhiana and started living with his second wife against my wishes," she said with tears in her eyes. She further said that her husband and in-laws including the second wife of her husband had beaten her up mercilessly on November 9, 2009 and thrown her into a canal near Jalalabad village. There was less water in the canal and she was saved by one Bahal Singh who took her to her parent's village, she said. Manjit has alleged that the police was also biased against her, which was quite evident from the fact that neither section 313 of the IPC nor relevant sections of the SC and ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act were added in the criminal case registered against her husband due to which some of the accused had got anticipatory bail from the court. In a letter written to the chairman of the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes, she has demanded that the panel issue directions to the police to add section 313 of the IPC and relevant sections of the SC and ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act and take up her case for holding an independent investigation to punish the guilty.
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Suspicious, man shoots kin to death
Muktsar, January 22 Malout (Sadar) police has booked the accused under section 302 of the IPC and various section of the Arms Act. As per sources, Parminder Singh had recently got married and completed all formalities to go abroad. His cousin Narveer Singh was having doubt over illicit relationhip with his wife (Narveer's wife). Parminder along with his family members visited the place of Narveer at village Midha, on Thursday. Irked over his presence, Narveer started arguing with him on the issue. Suddenly, he went inside and brought his .12 bore gun and fired at Parminder, who died on the spot. When contacted, DSP Malout (Sadar) Mukhminder Singh said, “Though the victim family has lodged statements, we can not confirm the facts till the accused is absconding. Efforts are on to nab the accused soon.”
— TNS |
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Left holds rally against price rise
Mansa, January 22 Addressing the rally, national council member of the CPI Hardev Arsi said that the Central government was supporting the hoarders who have been stocking up essential goods of daily use. Ignoring of agriculture and the anti-poor policies of the Central government were the reasons for the rising inflation, Arsi said, and added that the public distribution system (PDS) should be strengthened. He also criticised the state government for not properly implementing the NREGA. Other CPI and CPI (M) leaders like Buta Singh, Kulwinder Uddat, Krishan Chauhan, Gurnam Singh Kirti, Daljit Mansahia spoke.
— OC |
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Woman’s hair sheared ‘forcibly’
Bathinda, January 22 In her complaint, she alleged that Baljeet had a doubt that her husband was having an illicit relationship with her. She took her family along and committed the crime. The four accused have been booked under sections 354, 355, 352, 323 and 324 of the IPC.
— TNS |
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Abduction charge on two
Bathinda, January 22 The complainant alleged that his son was returning from his duty on Thursday when the accused abducted him. However, his son escaped from their custody. The police booked the accused under sections 364, 323 and 120-B of the IPC. However, the reason of his alleged abduction could not be ascertained.
— TNS |
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Workers stage dharna
Abohar, January 22 Notably, the officials had reportedly claimed that a local court had issued orders prohibiting dharna/demonstration within a radius of 100 meters from the office of the executive engineer.
— OC |
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Bathinda, January 22
Sriganganagar/Abohar, January 22
Bathinda, January 22
