Bathinda, May 16
To mark the 27th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, an HIV/AIDS awareness programme was organised at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Centre here late on Sunday evening. The event aimed at remembering those who lost their lives to Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and extending help to those living with the deadly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The Global Health Council had started the annual candlelight event in 1983 in the USA. The theme of the 2010 Memorial was ‘Many Lights for Human Rights’. The day was observed for the second time in Punjab and the event was organised in Bathinda.

On the occasion, community AIDS educator Narinder Kumar Bassi delivered a lecture to over 100 ITBP jawans and distributed red ribbon, an international symbol of HIV/AIDS awareness, among those present.

Bassi informed the gathering about the ways by which the virus travelled among humans and how could they prevent themselves from contracting the virus. He said according to the latest figures released by the UNAIDS, over 24 lakh people were carrying the virus in India while the global figure stood at 3.34 crore.

Meanwhile, RK Verma, Commandant, 7th Battalion, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), also addressed the jawans.

He said a man learnt from mistakes and on the day one could learn from the mistakes of those who died of AIDS.

Verma said India was ranked third in the world as far as the number of HIV cases was concerned, adding, “It is not an achievement or something that we should be proud of. Instead, it is an impediment in the progress of our country.”

The Commandant also espoused the cause of a girl child and exhorted the jawans against indulging in gender discrimination.

Later, ITBP jawans and officers lit candles in front of a huge red ribbon. Bassi said seminars would be held for next 15 days at the ITBP centre with an aim to create peer educators, who would disseminate information on AIDS.

Bathinda, May 16
A 16-year-old girl was killed and a woman suffered serious injuries in an accident that involved a four-wheeler and a passengers train at an unmanned level-crossing at Jassibagwali near village Bandi in Bathinda on Sunday evening.

As per sources, the mishap took place around 5 pm when the car in which the victims were travelling collided with 338 Jodhpur-Abohar passengers causing critical injuries to car occupants, including Harpal Kaur (40) and her niece Veerpal Kaur (16). Both the injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda by a NGO Sangat Sahara Seva.

Later, Veerpal succumbed to her injuries late in the evening. 

Bathinda, May 16
Member Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is also the chairperson of Vigilance and Monitoring committee, Bathinda, today directed all the district officials to speed up the pace to utilise grants and funds released for the development of the constituency.

Harsimrat said that if the officials feel that the grants were insufficient¸ she would arrange more funds on her own level but the developmental works should not suffer.

Earlier, Harsimrat laid the foundation stone of a new building for the Women Police station, which was running in the old and unsafe building of the Civil Lines police post from past couple of months.

Speaking on the occasion, SSP Bathinda, Sukhchain Singh Gill said that out of Rs 10 lakh sanctioned from the MPLAD funds for the cause, they had received a sum of Rs five lakh. The whole building would be constructed within four months period.

Ferozepur, May 16
The forest cover in this border district has come under severe threat as unscrupulous elements have been cutting trees from the forest land after taking the possession of same allegedly by tempering the revenue record with the support of a section of revenue officials.

Though more than 1,500 trees have been chopped in different forest pockets of this district by unscrupulous elements in the past two years, the authorities concerned have been finding it difficult to stall this trend in absence of support from different state government agencies and strong connections of the offenders with the ruling politicians.

Official sources said that what the offenders had been doing was that they were getting themselves established as lawful possessor of the forest land by getting revenue record tempered and then cutting the trees at their whims.

So far more than 900 acres of forest cover had been grabbed by different people in this manner. If this trend continued, the forest department authorities will become landless in this district within a few years.

Though in an inquiry conducted by a senior civil official of the district, it was found that certain revenue officials were involved in tempering of revenue record and subsequently facilitating the felling of trees in about 65 acres of the forest area land situated alongside the banks of the Ferozepur sub-branch canal, no action was taken against them.

“Now hundreds of trees have been felled in the past few months in Makhu area, where about 22 acres of land belonging to the forest department has been grabbed by certain influentials by manipulating the revenue record,” said Mahavir Singh, district forest officer (DFO) adding that such a trend had been catching up in this district.

With acute shortage of staff and lengthy legal procedure, the forest department authorities would not be able to curb the illegal felling of trees, he pointed out adding higher authorities and district administration was being informed about such incidents immediately after their occurrence.

Three FIRs had been registered against those, who were involved in felling of trees in the past three months in three different police stations of this district.

Before that, forest department had launched 498 prosecutions against such elements. Besides, 1,047 damaged reports (DR) had been recorded against the offenders, he said.

KK Yadav, Deputy Commissioner (DC), when contacted, said immediate action was being taken against anyone, who was found involved in illegal felling of trees as per the complaint of the forest department officials. He also added that needful was being done in legal side also so that tempering of revenue record, if any, could be corrected at the earliest. 

Sriganganagar/Abohar, May 16
Acharya Mahashraman will formally take over as 11th chief of the Terapanth, a religious sect under Swetambar Jain, on May 23, Muni Sumermal Sudershan said during a congregation in Sardarshehar, known as capital of the sect and located on Hanumangarh-Churu road. Notably, Acharya Mahashraman was born at 
Sardarshehar.

The Padabhirohan Samaroh (Patotsav) will be held on May 23 at the sprawling ground of Gandhi Vidya Mandir, Sardarshehar in the morning. Notably, Acharya Mahapragya, who passed away on May 9 at Sardarshehar, had designated Mahashraman as his successor in 1997.

The Terapanthi sub-sect is derived from the Sthanakvasi; section. It was founded by Swami Bhikanaji Maharaj who was formerly a Sthanakvasi saint and had initiation from his Guru, by name Acharya Raghunatha.

Meanwhile the Rashtriya Nirman Sanskar Nirman camp which was scheduled from May 21-30 at Sardarshehar stands cancelled. Acharya Mahashraman has asked the followers not to celebrate his 49th birthday that falls on May 22 as per Samvat calendar.

He would spend the day at Samadhi of the Acharya Mahapragya and later take rest at the Malu Farms. The Chaturmaas and Vidya Mandir managing committees too kick started preparations for the May 23 event hoping participation of more than 50,000 followers across the country and abroad. 

Fazilka, May 16
The ETT Teachers Union said leaders of the union have announced that they would not allow Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal to deliver any speech from the stage during his incoming visit of Jalalabad. Notably, Sukhbir’s visit is scheduled to his constituency on May 18.

A meeting of the ETT Teachers Union was held here recently.

The meeting was presided over by the Malwa zone president Sanjeev Nagarag. Narang stated in a press release that the union members would not hold any talks in future with Sukhbir as the earlier meetings with Badal have proved to be futile. — OC

Bathinda, May 16
With their several modes of protests proving “insufficient” in drawing the attention of the state government towards their “plight”, the volunteers of Anganwari Mulazim Union (AMU) today chalked out two “novel” strategies to force the ruling leaders to give heed to their problems.

Talking to The Tribune late this evening, state president of the AMU, Hargobind Kaur said, “The state government has now become insensitive towards the anti-establishment slogans and dharnas. Now, we are going to launch blood donation drive and hold Path of Sukhmani Sahib to move the “Panthic” government.”

“Since the government has been sucking our blood through different modes of harassment, we have decided to donate the blood to the government, if it really interested in our blood,” said Hargobind Kaur.

The blood donation camp would be held at districts, where one group of 21 women volunteers would donate the blood on every Saturday. In a way to lodge protest in a different way, the blood would be donated in the name of ruling Badal family as well as the state government, informed the state president of the AMU.

She informed that the drive would start from the Anganwari volunteers of Muktsar - the home district of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. As per the schedule, Bathinda and Moga had been selected to follow the process for the next two weekends. Later, it would be replicated at all district headquarters.

Replying to queries, Hargobind Kaur said, :At first, we would urge the health department officials to collect our blood. If they deny, we would tie-up with NGOs for the purpose.”

Speaking about the second way to lodge protest, the state president of the AMU informed that considering the insensitive attitude of the government towards the slogans raised against it, the AMU volunteers would adopt “Panthic” way to put the voice in the ear of “Panthic government”.

“As the state ruling SAD (B) claims itself to be a Panthic party, we are now going to hold a camp at Lambi village, where 21 of AMU volunteers would recite the Path of Sukhmani Sahib for 24-hour, in a rotation wise manner for indefinite period. The volunteers reciting the Path would observe the fast also,” said Hargobind Kaur.

About the fate of drive to make efforts to reach Badal village to lodge relay fast outside the CM residence, which was launched since May 1, she said suspending it from Malwa, they had now moved it to Majha region after which it would entered to Doaba.

Abohar, May 16
The ministry of agriculture, vegetables and livestock of Afghanistan may invite the Punjab and Rajasthan farmers to help the country boost the production of citrus and other fruits apart from introducing the techniques of setting of greenhouses and shed net houses.

This was disclosed by Gulam Farooqi Omeri, senior functionary of the ministry, who along with 14 scientists and farmers of Afghanistan visited various orchards, farm houses, research centres and grading and waxing centres located in the Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan and Abohar area of Punjab recently as team leader.

In an exclusive interview with the TNS recently, Omeri while claiming that the visit to various places connected with the agriculture and horticulture activities in this part of India was a wonderful experience and all the members of the team had learnt a lot from it.

“To further sharpen our skills in agriculture and horticulture operations, we may invite Punjab and Rajasthan farmers so that they could teach our farmers in the fields located in our own country,” said Omeri adding the exchange of technology in agriculture and horticulture could become a permanent part of bilateral relations of Afghanistan and India as both the country had got similar agriculture practices.

The 58-day tour of Afghanistan-based scientists and farmers to various parts of India was organised by the International Horticulture Innovative and Teaching Centre, Jaipur, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan and Practical Training Centre, Holland.

The team, which also visited the hi-tech juice processing plant in Abohar, said that they could replicate the same thing in their country.

The scientists and farmers added that they had also tried to learn new techniques being adopted by the farmers of India in connection with running tubewell pumps by producing energy through solar system.

Even the scientists and farmers of both the nations could develop a mechanism where they could carry out joint research in the field of horticulture so that it could be made more profitable and attractive for the farmers, he pointed out. The intensive agriculture in Punjab and some parts of Rajasthan also impressed them.

Baldev Singh Sidhu, senior functionary of the horticulture department, Sriganganagar, who accompanied the team to various orchards in Abohar, said that all the members showed keen interests in various activities connected with kinnow cultivation in this region.

Abohar, May 16
Last year, the orchardists of this region remained confused after the kinnow plants in the sizeable area started drying up under mysterious circumstances.

Though that problem is still continuing, the growers have confronted another problem connected with drastic reduction of number of fruit buds on the kinnow plants.

“The drastic reduction of fruit buds on the plants is an indication that kinnow yield would come down in the coming season,” said Jasvir Inder Singh Jakhar, an orchardist of village Patre Wali adding that so far neither the officials of the horticulture department nor of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) could find out the reasons behind this kind of situation.

In certain pockets, the problem was so severe that only 30 per cent fruit buds had appeared on the Kinnow plants as compared to the number of fruit buds, which appeared on plants last year. Last year the area witnessed the bumper crop and this year the production could touch record low, he added.

Last year, a section of orchardists uprooted the kinnow plants which dried up within a short period under mysterious circumstances. The uprooting has still been continuing as the drying of plants is yet to come to halt and so far the orchards in about 400 areas of the land have been uprooted.

Jagtar Singh, an orchardist, said due to less number of fruit buds, the contractors, who would take their orchards on lease for one year, had been offering less amount of contract money to them as compared to the amount offered to them last year. It would affect the economy of the growers adversely, he added.

However, Gurpreet Singh, an orchardist, pointed out that a section of traders, apprehending that the production of kinnow would be less in the coming season, had started entering into advance agreement with the growers to purchase their produce at the rate of Rs 10-12 per kilogram during the season. Last year, the maximum price, which traders offered for per kilogram kinnow, did not cross Rs nine.

Surinder Dogra, Horticulture Development Officer (HDO), Abohar, when contacted, said that due to rise in mercury in the end of February and March 2010, the fruit buds could not appear on the kinnow plants as moderate temperature was required for the same.

He said that due to climatic changes, the kinnow plants witnessed more vegetative growth than the growth of the fruit buds. He said that it was expected that production of kinnow would reach up to the 70 per cent of the production of the fruit during the last year.

He said that last year the kinnow plants dried up on those pieces of land where water level rose and created water-logging type situation in the orchards. 

Ferozepur, May 16
While development of other towns of the state is receiving attention of the state government, the residents of this historical border town are deprived of the basic facilities as the local municipal committee (MC) continues to be in the red.

Potholed roads, supply of contaminated drinking water and lack of sewerage system in most parts of the town welcome visitors.

Every time when the matter is raised with the officials concerned, they come up with the stereotyped reply of paucity of funds. Marred by lack of finances and dearth of adequate human resource, juxtaposed with the government’s apathy, its functioning has now become a subject of criticism and has thus invited the public wrath.

The dismal state of affairs within the MC can be gauged by the fact that its standing liabilities have grown to over Rs 5.64 crores besides a monthly fiscal deficit of over Rs 25 lakhs which is hampering its functioning. The serving MC employees have not been paid their salary for the last two months and a liability of Rs 76.77 lakhs stands on account of the retirement benefits.

Besides, a sum of Rs 2.15 crores is due towards their pension and the GPF contribution. The enormity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that important fire equipment worth Rs 1.20 lakhs which was ordered some time back is lying with the transporter as the MC lacks funds to get the same released.

Investigation reveals that the MC also owes Rs 21.47 lakhs towards the HUDCO which it had taken as loan many years ago. At the same time, recovery of Rs 2.85 crores is pending towards house tax, water supply and sewerage tax, rent and tehbazari. The MC officials rue that the residents expect the services at par with big towns, however, they are not willing to pay the taxes. As per the information, recovery of Rs 1.73 crores is pending towards the residents of the town on account of taxes besides the current demand of Rs 1.12 crores.

The MC officials say there were 12,295 sewerage connections in the town, but billing was being done only for 4394 connection as other fall under exempted category. Similarly, there were around 12,700 water supply connections; however, the tax was being collected from only 4425 connections only, besides there were around 1500 illegal connections which do not fall in either category.

The MC officials say that three tractors, two hydraulic carriers and two bumper placers were immediately required for garbage lifting besides 100 wheelbarrows, 20 garbage bins and some other material was also required to ensure proper sanitary conditions in the town.

While the residents are up in arms due to contaminated water supply and poor sanitary conditions, the councillors have been shifting the blame to the state government.

Local legislator Sukhpal Singh Nannu, when contacted, said that efforts were on to improve the fiscal position of the MC. Nannu said that it has been planned to sell off some portion of the land under the MC through which an estimated around Rs 1.80 crores was likely to be generated which would be utilised to pay 10 per cent of its share for sewerage plan.

Earlier too, the MC had planned to sell Dusshera ground land to raise financial resources, however, the proposal backfired due to resistance from Dalit families residing there.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, May 16
A group of Afghans made a visit to Rajasthan to get training in horticulture. After spending some days in Jaipur, Bharatpur, Fatehpur and Bassi, the group reached Sriganganagar this week on a two-day visit.

During a meeting with the District Collector Ashutosh AT Pednekar at Sriganganagar recently, Ghulam Farooq Omari, the representative of the agriculture department of Afghanistan in Kabul, said that the advanced training provided to them in India would stand them in good stead in their horticulture efforts in Afghanistan.

The Jaipur-based International Horticulture Innovation and Training Centre (IHITC) is providing an advanced eight-week training in horticulture to Afghans from April 26 onwards as part of a Dutch-funded programme.

About 15 trainers of the extension department of ministry of agriculture in Kabul are attending a ‘Training of Trainers’ programme in joint collaboration with technical partner PTC+ (Practical Training Centre) from the Netherlands.

The group visited Agricultural Research Centre, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Kisan Sewa Kendra at Lalgarh Jattan.

The group visited an orchard that had been developed by migrants from Layallpur district of the West Punjab province and took a keen interest in kinnow plantation.

Dr Herman from the Netherlands, agricultural observer Baldev Singh Sidhu and assistant agricultural official Preeti Garg explained them how the deserts in this district had been converted into lush green fields and orchards. The members of the Afghanistan group said they find climatic conditions similar to some segments of their country. 

Ferozepur, May 16
The local police on Saturday arrested two persons identified as Jagdev Singh and Rawat Ram for their alleged involvement in smuggling of narcotics from Rajasthan to Punjab.

Sources said that both the alleged smugglers, who were transporting opium in a jeep bearing registration number of Haryana from Rajasthan to the border district Amritsar of Punjab were arrested at a special naka laid down by the Sadar police station near village Khai Pheme Ke, situated on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road.

SPS Parmar, SSP, said that over five kilograms of opium had been recovered from the accused. A case against them had been registered under the NDPS Act. Further investigation was being made into this case. — TNS