Bathinda, March 19
A general house meeting of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) held here today remained a noisy affair with councillors accusing bureaucrats of indulging in corrupt practices and taking no steps to redress public grievances.

Before the discussion over regular agenda could start, a delegation of the Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Association entered the meeting hall and aired their grievance before the house seeking relaxation in the “exorbitant” house tax imposed upon them. The house assured to look into the matter.

Further, firing a salvo at senior officials of the engineering branch during the Zero Hour, councillor Krishan Kumar Garg accused them of indulging in corruption. Showing a photograph of an “illegally” constructed building near the Hanuman Chowk, Garg accused a senior engineer of having a large share in the building.

None of the engineers sitting in the house, however, raised an objection while some councillors thumped the desk in Garg’s support.

Later, during the discussion on agenda, councillors Santosh Mahant and Mohinder Kaur accused their colleagues and the BMC staff of paying no heed towards their complaints related to basic amenities like sewerage, potable water, cleanliness etc.

Instead of listening to them, Mayor Baljeet Singh Birbehman asked them not to interrupt the discussion on the regular agenda. Irked, Santosh Mahant flung the agenda file in the air leaving everybody stunned.

Later, the house passed an item listed in the agenda related to the development-cum-repair work for Rs 15 lakh (on an average) in each ward. However, facing some queries from councillors, the Mayor asked the BMC staff to specify the details of the works.

Finding it created discord, an item that included proposals for levying fee upon marriage palaces, deduction in payment released to contractors and charges upon petrol/diesel could not be passed.

Following a suggestion of councillor Jagroop Gill, the item was kept pending to receive objection from persons who would have to bear the brunt.

Later, the house unanimously passed a provision to revise the honorarium for a councillor to Rs 10,000, for deputy and senior deputy mayor to Rs 15,000 and for Mayor to Rs 20,000 along with Rs 2,000 as telephone allowances to all. However, the provision would be finally approved only by the government for it to be implemented.

Taking a step to check pollution in the city, the house appreciated an item on the agenda mentioning various reforms like polythene-free city, penalty for violators, arrangement to sweep the city etc.

But it was also kept pending for the sanitation committee to constitute bylaws in this regard.

To sort out the problem emerging after the PIDB refused to hand over the possession of the Blue Fox till the BMC repaid a loan amount of Rs 40 crore along with Rs 14.95 lakh as consultancy fee, the house passed a resolution to urge the state government for releasing a grant of the said amount so that the land could be taken into possession.

Bathinda, March 19
The draw of lots for the allotment of the 380 vends of the Punjab Medium Liquor (L-14 A) and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (L-2) in the district passed off peacefully.

According to officials of Excise and Taxation Department, about a dozen new faces succeeded in the allotment. However, luck did not smile on women applicants this time.

Though the draw of slips were in the names of individuals, the officials observed that the Ponty Chadha group to be a major alottee with at least eight groups of units (formed by clubbing number of vends) in the district.

Speaking about the successful applicants belonging to the neighbouring states, the officials disclosed that there were some outside players but their number was less.

About all five groups of seven units each (total 35 PML and 35 IMFL vends), allotted within the municipal limits of Bathinda city, the excise officials said the Divya Surya group was the biggest successor with two groups while the Singla group, the Friends Wine and the Amrit Pal groups got one each.

In a fresh move to ensure transparency in the event besides video recording, the nine-hour long event was screened on four huge-sized LCDs installed in the hall.

The slips were picked in the presence of various senior officials, including Deputy Commissioner Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, additional deputy commissioner C. Sibin and deputy excise and taxation commissioner TL Jindal.

It may be mentioned that the excise and taxation department earned about Rs 9.5 crore from nearly 6,000 applications received for the 380 vends, which were today allotted 
at the total license fee of Rs 82.32 crore.

Out of the total allotted vends, 307 were for PML while 73 were for IMFL. Further, sensing an increase in demand, the department has fixed a quota of total 56.38 lakh proof litres (46.04 lakh PML and 10.34 lakh IMFL).

Confirming the details, Bathinda AETC Pawan Garg said, “With the efforts of our staff, the whole event went off peacefully.”

Bathinda, March 19
On the one hand, under a Centre-sponsored scheme to mainstream the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Sidha, Homoeopathy), five government Ayurvedic hospitals in Bathinda, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur districts are to be upgraded with a grant of Rs 50 lakh each while on the other, the Ayurvedic hospitals and dispensaries in the state have been facing shortage of staff, including doctors.

The Director, Ayurveda, Punjab, has reportedly sought proposals regarding infrastructure, medicines, staff and furniture etc for upgradation of the Ayurvedic hospitals (situated in their respective districts) from the District Ayurvedic and Unani Officers of these five districts.

According to information available, a grant of Rs 50 lakh will be provided to undertake construction, renovation of existing hospital, purchase of equipment and furniture etc. However, the expenditure on addition/alteration of existing premises will not exceed 75 per cent of the total grant.

The Bathinda Ayurvedic authorities have reportedly initiated the process to prepare the proposal, including creation of new infrastructure.

As far as the matter related to shortage of staff is concerned, the situation is worst in Bathinda district. Not only that there is a shortage of Ayurvedic medical officers (AMOs) in the hospital and dispensaries, the post of District Ayurvedic and Unani Officer is also lying vacant for the past one year. However, the Faridkot District Ayurvedic and Unani Officer is handling the additional charge of the post nowadays.

There are 27 sanctioned posts of ‘trained dai’ (midwife) in the district, of which, seven are lying vacant while occupants of the remaining posts were shifted to the allopathic health centres about two months ago leading to inconvenience to woman patients suffering gynaecology problem

With regard to vacant posts of AMO (Ayurvedic doctor) in Bathinda district, the condition at Ayurvedic dispensaries and hospitals is pathetic. A post of senior physician is lying vacant at the Ayurvedic Health Centre in Maur Mandi whereas a post of an AMO each is lying vacant at the local Government Ayurvedic Hospital and the Indian System of Medicine Wing at the Civil Hospital, Bathinda.

It is a matter of concern that the posts of AMO are also lying vacant in Ayurvedic dispensaries in 17 villages of this district, namely Chanarthal, Bhagi Bander, Bhagwanpura, Dayalpur Mirza, Dan Singh Wala, Gumti Kalan, Kutiwal, Kot Fatta, Kotha Guru, Maur Charat Singh, Mehma Sarja, Nandgarh, Pathrala, Rama Mandi, Rampura, Shekhpura and Salabatpura.

Bathinda, March 19
During a surprise checking of some health centres by Bathinda Civil Surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj on Wednesday night, a doctor was found absent from duty at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Sangat.

 A pharmacist was also found absent from duty at the PHC, Talwandi Sabo.

Dr Bajaj said no officer or employee found absent from duty would be spared in future. She said the surprise checking would continue. — TNS

Ferozepur, March 19
Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, MLA and chief whip, Congress legislature party, today demanded that a committee of MLAs must be constituted to monitor the distribution of compensation to the drought victims, which took place in Punjab last year.

Sodhi, who also raised this matter in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, said that he was apprehending that the state government led by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would divert Rs 800 sanctioned by the Central government for compensating the drought victims for other purposes.

“The funds being given to Punjab by the Central government are being misused since the SAD-BJP combine had came to the state,” Sodhi alleged adding that now he feared that Rs 800 crores would not reach the actual victims of drought in Punjab and hence a committee was needed to monitor its distribution.

He alleged that already a wheat seed subsidy scam had surfaced in Punjab in the current session of Vidhan Sabha. Sukhbir Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, had to order an inquiry into the scam.

Earlier too, the state government had been diverting the funds which were meant for the welfare of downtrodden, he charged.

Sodhi pointed out that poor fiscal management of the state government especially by finance minister Manpreet Badal had led to a situation where the state had been facing deficit running in thousands of crores.

This had become the main reason as to why the state government had been diverting money for a section of beneficiaries to meet its other liabilities.

The Congress leader claimed that due to deteriorating financial status and law and order situation prevailing in Punjab, the people had lost faith in the present ruling setup and had become fully convinced that the SAD-BJP alliance did not carry that kind of calibre, which was needed to run a government.

He demanded that those functionaries of the state government who had diverted the funds meant for a particular project to other purposes must be taken to task.

The functionaries, who had caused heavy financial losses to the Punjab government by indulging in wasteful expenditure, must be brought to book as well.

The ruling alliance must also make arrangements to ensure the timely payments of monetary benefits being given to the poor section of society under different scheme if it was really serious about their welfare. 

Fazilka, March 19
The Graduates Welfare Association Fazilka (GWAF) has decided to organise Fazilka Heritage Festival-2010 from April 1-4 at the local Partap Bagh.

The festival would be organised in association with the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board. Saving water and promoting rich heritage of this historical town is the theme of the heritage festival. During the festival, the oldest building of Fazilka, Raghuwar Bhavan and historic clock tower would be decorated.

General secretary (GWAF) Navdeep Asija said that the first day of the festival would be dedicated to those elderly people who rendered extra ordinary services to the town. The second night of the festival would be named ‘Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan’ in which rich tributes would be paid to the martyrs through musical programmes and skit. On April 3, the women who brought laurels to the town would be honoured while the dynamic youths of the town would be honoured on April 4.

“We hope that with this initiative, more people would come forward to protect their environment and heritage as part of their moral duty,” said Dr Bhupinder Singh and Umesh Chander Kukkar, patron and president, respectively of the Association.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, March 19
Kirtan, gatka performance and band display marked the flag off ceremony of the Sriganganagar-Hazur Sahib Nanded superfast train at Sriganganagar railway station today.

Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Alok Ranjan along with other senior officers from Bikaner were also present as former Punjab Pradesh Congress president Virendra Kataria was joined by the Lok Sabha member Bharat Ram Meghwal in flagging off the train that recorded full occupancy in air-conditioned and sleeper coaches.

Interestingly, social activists from far off towns including Gurmeet Singh Makkar, Brahm Parkash Arya and Sukhdev Singh Gill from Malout were also present. Kataria and Meghwal were received among others by Gurprasad Behal member Region Railway Consumers Consultative Committee, Baldev Nagpal, state president of Arorvansh Sabha, Rail Sangharsh Samiti convener Bhim Sharma.

The chief guests and the DRM were honoured with saropas by Tejinderpal Singh Timma, Kashmira Singh Mangat and Baba Natha Singh. Station superintendent Hari Ram Meena supervised the arrangements.

Meanwhile, Former PPCC president Virendra Kataria and Sriganganagar MP Bharat Ram Meghwal have made a strong plea for running the Sriganganagar-Nanded Sahib superfast train biweekly. They joined hands to solve long-pending problems of the passengers in the region. 

Barnala, March 19
The state has produced a large number of intellectuals who regularly visited government run libraries. However, it may seem to be a miracle after going through the worst condition of the district library here which is also an example of laxity of the government.

The readers have a tough time scanning newspapers and periodicals as the building housing this library can collapse any time since it has been declared unsafe by the Municipal Council authorities long back.

As the condition of library building with leaking roofs and cracks is too bad to collapse anytime, most of the readers are now planning to stop visiting the library, located in the heart of the city.

The condition becomes rather miserable during the monsoon as water enters the library. Naked electric wires may result in electric shock to visitors.

“In the past, this library used to attract a large number of readers but now as the building has become unsafe and can collapse anytime, many of them have stopped visiting the library," said Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Qilla Muhalla, serving as an accounts assistant in Trident factory.

Another reader who regularly visits the library said, "There is shortage of space for storage of newspapers and periodicals as a result of which any person who wishes to check the newspaper of the last few months cannot easily get it."

The librarian candidly admitted that the condition of the building is not fit for the readers and needs repairs. The senior officials of the Municipal Council could not be contacted. However, reliable sources in the council said that they are in the process of shifting the library to a new building which is under construction.

Ferozepur, March 19
The issue connected with ordering of the magisterial probe by the district magistrate into the incident pertaining to the arrest of his two subordinates by the Vigilance Bureau in a corruption case on March 12 has snowballed into a major controversy.

Sajjan Singh Cheema, SSP (Vigilance) said the magisterial probe into the case by the district magistrate KK Yadav was irrelevant for them as parallel inquiry into the corruption case could not be conducted.

He added that Talwinder Singh, DSP, who caught two officials of the district magistrate office red-handed while accepting bribe from another officials, did not join the magisterial probe being conducted by Gurjeet Singh, SDM, Ferozepur. “The outcome of magisterial probe would not affect the fate of corruption case registered against the two officials namely Dharampal (Superintendent grade-1) and Baldev Singh (Establishment Assistant). It would also not affect the nature of investigation being done into the same case by sleuths of the Vigilance Bureau,” added Cheema.

Yadav had ordered a magisterial probe into the case when members of DC Office Ministerial Staff Association went on strike and brought official work in the whole district to a complete halt to lodge their protest against the action of the Vigilance Bureau officials.

Cheema said that the complainant from whom Dharampal and Baldev Singh took Rs 2,000 each as bribe money to make payment of his dues to the tune of about Rs 13 lakhs, was none else than the employees of the DM office and hence the question of any foul play on the part of Vigilance Bureau in this case did not arise.

Meanwhile, Yadav today ordered the reinstatement of Dharampal and Baldev Singh, placed under suspension after corruption case was registered against them. They were caught red-handed while accepting bribe from Kulwant Singh, clerk at the DM office. Both the accused were granted bail by the court of law about two days ago.

The members of DC Office Ministerial Staff Association, who have been observing strike at the district headquarters and all the five sub-divisional headquarters of this district since March 12, 2010, also withdrew the same after the reinstatement of two accused officials. Report of the magisterial probe was about to be submitted by Gurjeet Singh within a day or so. 

Abohar, March 19
Two motorcycle riders decamped after snatching a bag that reportedly carried about Rs three lakh from a farmer from a bank here today, sources said. As per details, farmer Banwari Lal of village Rajanwali had withdrawn cash from Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB) branch located on the circular road.

He visited the Bank of India branch located on the Gaushala Road for another transaction. As he was waiting for his turn, a boy entered the premises, snatched the bag and escaped with the accomplice who had kept the motorcycle in start mode outside the bank.

It seems that they had chased him when he started from the PSB. The farmer raised an alarm. Police rushed in but the culprits had sped away. The images caught on CCTV cameras were poor, police sources said. — OC

Sriganganagar/Abohar, March 19
Four persons were killed while four others sustained injuries during different road mishaps in Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts, police sources said today.

A motorcyclist identified as Subhash Chander (18) died on the spot as the two-wheeler rammed into a bus while overtaking a truck on Thursday on the Chaayian-Nohar road. Meanwhile, two persons who were travelling by an Indica car were killed as the vehicle collided with a truck late on Thursday night near village Gusainsar on the Bikaner road. The truck driver could not be nabbed, police said.

In yet another mishap, Jaswant Singh of Faridkot was killed while driver Mangal Singh of Bathinda was injured when their truck collided with a truck that was loaded with stone metal and had been parked on the roadside near village Kanasar. — OC