Bathinda, March 22
Despite farmers shying away from lifting seed of the controversial PAU 201 paddy in the “Kisan Mela” here today, the variety touching sale of seed bags worth Rs 6.50 lakhs continued to be one of the bestsellers by the end of the day.

A large number of farmers from the districts of Bathinda, Muktsar, Barnala, Ferozepur and Mansa made a beeline towards the seed sale counters of other varieties of paddy while there were few buyers at the sale window of the PAU 201 variety. The farmers preferred to buy paddy seed varieties of the Pusa 1121 (Basmati), PR-118, PR-111 and other series.

Most of the farmers were sceptical of the future of the PAU 201, as its first crop has run into controversy with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) so far refusing to lift the stock from the private millers. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has pleaded before agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad the case for lifting the nearly 30 lakh ton of grain that has piled up on the premises of millers, particularly in the Malwa region.

This high yielding and low water consuming variety was introduced recently by the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU). However, this paddy variety had higher damage and discolored percentage of 7 to 8.

Vice-chancellor of the PAU Manjit Singh Kang, who inaugurated the “Kisan Mela” in the morning, told this correspondent that the scientists were aware of the shortcomings in the variety and were trying to solve the problem. However, the process would take its own time and the change of genes could not be done overnight.

He said the seed of PAU 201 variety had remained the bestseller in a recent “Kisan Mela” at Ludhiana too.

Kang said that the PAU has released about 45 varieties of different crops during the past two years. A new variety of wheat seed - PBV 621- with 10 per cent higher yield would be released next year.

Meanwhile, with the paddy sowing approaching, many farmers were not convinced with the claims of the PAU and went in for purchase of other seeds.

Sukhdev Singh, a farmer of Gillkalan in Bathinda, said the farming community was apprehensive to lift seed of the PAU 201 as the controversy about its quality had not yet been solved.

Biker Singh, who had come all the way from Fazilka in the Ferozepur district, said because of uncertainty about the variety, he had opted to purchase seed of the ‘basmati’.

Gurlal Singh, a farmer from Barnala, said the Punjab government should end the uncertainty by assuring that the yield of the variety would be lifted without any hassle.

Vir Singh of a village near here said last time, he had sown the PAU 201, but this season he would prefer other varieties. Dilbagh Singh, who had come from the Lakkarwala village in Muktsar, said he would sow the PR-111 and PR-120 varieties this season instead of the PAU 201.

However, Manjeet Singh of Mansa Khurd, carried seed bags of PAU 201 that he said was a very high yielding variety of paddy.

Abohar, March 22
Hundreds of NREGA workers including women who had laid seige to BDPO Khuyiansarwar office, located near the crossing of the Abohar-Hindumalkot and Abohar-Fazilka road here today, finally agreed to release two revenue officials from their captivity after the sub-divisional authorities reportedly assured that their pending wages would be paid by March 25, sources said.

Meanwhile, Harjit Kaur, block secretary of the NREGA Majdoor Union, sustained injuries as the motorcycle that she was pillion riding rammed into herd of cattle.

She has been hospitalised. She was on her way to join the negotiations with the SDM to end the stalemate. As per the information gathered by The Tribune, the NREGA workers had served an ultimatum last week but the BDPO did not bother. They assembled in the Nehru Park, marched to the BDPO office but he had left the office sensing trouble.

The protesting workers gheraoed the office complex staged dharna and shouted slogans against the administration. Harjit Kaur and other office-bearers of the union alleged that the BDPO had received Rs five lakh for distribution of wages to the NREGA workers on Wednesday but did not distribute it.

They criticised the authorities for not following the 100-day job norms even when a few days were left in this financial year.

“We were asked to desilt ponds and drinking water reservoirs but bills were rejected under the pretext that the work had actually been done by the Dera Sacha Sauda followers,” the leaders resented.

It is learnt that the tehsildar and naib tehsildar went to the BDPO office to negotiate with the irate workers but they were gheraoed and forced to sit in a room from 2 pm to 6.45 pm, sources said. They were freed only when the union leaders made outcome of their meeting with the SDM public. 

Bathinda, March 22
Suspecting illicit relations of his middle-aged wife with a sexagenarian farmer, who professed to be a soothsayer, a man along with his son and a neighbour allegedly killed him at village Maur Khurd in this district on Sunday evening.

Lodging a police complaint, Hardev Singh, younger brother of the deceased Baldev Singh, accused Balvir Singh alias Toga, his son Jeewan Singh and neighbour Sukhdev Singh of killing his brother by hitting him with iron rods.

Sources in the village said one Veera Kaur, wife of Balvir Singh, used to visit Baldev Singh, who professed to be a soothsayer, seeking advice on domestic issues.

Meanwhile, Balvir and his son Jeewan Singh started suspecting that she had an illicit relation with Baldev. Regular disputes between Veera and her family ensued, but she kept visiting Baldev. This irked Balvir and he planned to kill Baldev with help of his son and a neighbour.

As per the details mentioned in the FIR, Hardev Singh along with his wife Jangir Kaur and Baldev Singh was going to fields to reap fodder on Sunday evening when the accused trio intercepted them. They allegedly hurled abuses at Baldev Singh and made known their intention to kill him. Immediately after, they started assaulting him with iron rods. In self-defence, Baldev injured Balvir Singh with an axe. However, in the scuffle, the assailant trio overpowered Baldev and killed him.

The Maur police said the accused trio had been booked under sections 302 and 34 of the IPC, adding that Balvir was admitted to the Civil Hospital, Maur, and was under police surveillance.

Ferozepur, March 22
The different wings of Punjab police have started conducting raids in various parts of Punjab to apprehend those, who have been trying to revive the terrorist outfit-Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)-with the active help of anti-India agencies operating from France and other parts of the world.

Official sources said that the state police authorities had constituted different teams to apprehend those, who were suspected to have links with Parshotam Singh, Daljit Kumar and Tarwinder Singh, suspected to be active members of the BKI and were arrested by Mohali police in the recent past.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that the Mohali police had taken two residents of village Gatti Madde into custody for their alleged links with a terrorist outfit namely Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), without informing the local police a few days ago. They were identified as Piara Singh and Lal Singh. Meanwhile, SPS Parmar, SSP, Ferozepur said he was not aware that the Mohali police had picked up two residents of this district. 

Bathinda, March 22 
A major fire broke out at a pesticide godown located in the grain market, late this evening. The fire at the godown, owned by Amarnath Bansal, was so huge that despite using over a dozen fire tenders, the flames that were leaping into the sky could not be doused. 

The fire started at about 7 pm but till midnight, the reason for the outbreak could not be ascertained. 

The administration, including senior police and BMC officials, vainly tried to control the fire as despite the spray of water, the flames kept leaping high. 

All buildings in the neighbourhood were got vacated. The smell of burning pesticide was so strong that people present near the spot felt uneasiness.

The CISF jawans were called but despite sprinking two drums of dry chemical powder (DCP), they too expressed their helplessness in controlling the flames.

Finding no other way, the administration sought help from the Indian Air Force officials at around 10 pm. 

But after visiting the spot, they too expressed their helplessness and disclosed that till the whole chemical (pesticide) gets burnt, the fire can not be controlled.  

Volunteers of the Naujawan Welfare Society, Sahara Jan Seva and Green-S brigade of the Dera Sacha Sauda continued their attempts to control the fire.

Sand bags were flung and a JCB machine to put sand was also pressed into service.  

At the time of going to the press, neither had the fire been controlled nor the reason for its outbreak could be ascertained. However, attempts were continuing.

Bathinda, March 22
Submersible solar water pump for irrigating fields was one of the biggest attractions for the farmers, who visited the ‘Kisan Mela’ that was organised here today by the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU).

Many farmers who saw the pump functioning without electricity were fascinated by the equipment and made enquiries about it. The manufacturers claimed that the pump with 15 HP motor was capable of lifting groundwater from a depth of 900 feet.

They were informed that the Centre would provide substantial subsidy for purchasing the solar water pump that did not require electricity.

The ‘mela’ showcased region specific technologies for natural resource management.

Inaugurating the ‘mela’, vice-chancellor of the PAU Manjit Singh Kang said that keeping in view the problem of brackish water and soil in the south-western Punjab, scientists of the PAU have developed need-based crop-specific technologies.

Mukhtar Singh Gill, director of extension education, expressed concern over water depletion in 138 blocks of Punjab. Out of 32.5 million-acre feet water available as much as 17.17 million acre-feet is drained out of the state.

Narinder Singh, a member of the board of management of the PAU, also spoke on the occasion.

GS Buttar, director of the regional centre of PAU, said that seeds worth about Rs 30 lakhs of various varieties of paddy, cotton, fodder and vegetables were sold in the mela today.

Fazilka, March 22
Heated exchanges and stormy scenes were witnessed at the time of auction of wheat and paddy straw and waste (kuttal) in the market committee office here today. The market committee authorities had to call police to control the situation and to disburse the prospective bidder who were present at the venue of auction.

The time for depositing earnest money through draft was fixed up at 11.30 am. The draft of only three bidders was received till the stipulated period. The reserve price was fixed to Rs 17.05 lakhs for one year and the bid was leased in favour of Maman Chand and Co for Rs 17.35 lakhs. District Mandi officer Amarjit Singh, market committee chairman Ashok Jairth and secretary Vijay Madaan were present during the auction.

Some persons including the BJP senior leader and Improvement Trust Fazilka chairman Mohinder Pratap Dhingra alleged that the drafts of some prospective bidder were not accepted. While the market committee chairman Ashok Jairth said the time for depositing the draft was scheduled to 11.30 am.