Hari Ke Pattan (Ferozepur), June 2
Even as flora and fauna and thick vegetation in about 40 acres of land of the Hari Ke bird sanctuary, which was a habitat for the migratory birds and other members of the wildlife family was damaged by unscrupulous elements in their bid to encroach upon the same, an inspector and a guard of the state wildlife department were placed under suspension for their alleged connivance into the same.

Official sources said Jeet Singh, inspector and Balwinder Singh, guard, wildlife, were placed under suspension on the basis of a report prepared in connection with the alleged encroachment of about 40 acres of land of the Hari Ke bird sanctuary by a three-member team including Gurmeet Singh, Deputy Chief Wildlife Warden, SS Bhatti, Conservator Forest, South and Vishal Chohan, district wildlife official, Ludhiana. “Prima facie, these two officials of the department have been found involved in facilitating the encroachment in the Hari Ke wetland, which has been declared a Ramsar site,” said Jatinder Sharma, chief wildlife warden, Punjab, adding that action against these two officials had sent a strong message to others that no laxity on their part would be tolerated.

He added though the land was taken into possession as the encroachers had already fled, a huge damage had been done to the green cover, which existed over that piece of land.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that a group of unidentified unscrupulous elements cleared the flora and fauna and vegetative growth from about 40 acres of land to make it cultivable.

The unscrupulous elements also set the elephant grass and other flora and fauna, most suitable for aquatic life and migratory birds, on fire to clear that portion. Information revealed that about 898 acres of land of sanctuary was already under the illegal occupation of encroachers, who had been carrying out the agricultural operations over the same for the past many years. Some of the encroachers had been using diesel operated tubewell motors to draw underground water from the deep bore-well, dug up by them over the same pieces of land. The wildlife department had been contesting court cases to get that land vacated.

Information revealed that the matter connected with the fresh encroachment of Hari Ke land came to the notice of the state wildlife authorities through a complaint from a private source. A team was sent to make physical verification of the spot. The team kept on moving from one spot to another yesterday from morning till evening and found that considerable damage had been done to the sanctuary.

“We would get the FIR registered against those, who have made an attempt to encroach upon the land belonging to sanctuary of an international fame,” pointed out Sharma.

Fazilka, June 2
More than 200 families that have been living on a piece of land belonging to the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), situated in this town, have urged the state government not to uproot them before providing alternative shelters to them. The family members had met the local MLA Surjeet Jiyani and the SAD (B) leader Satinder Singh Savi seeking help. They also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal through Savi, recently.

Fear gripped the residents after the PSEB authorities had served them notices for eviction. The residents have been holding voter I-card, below poverty line (BPL) cards and ration cards issued to them by the departments concerned. Talking to TNS, they alleged that though they were promised that they would be given residential plots free of cost during every elections by politicians of all hues, they had been living in deplorable conditions as the PSEB had not given electric connection to their dwellings and local municipal council had denied them potable water supply.

The residents said as they had been living on the piece of land belonging to the PSEB since independence, they must not be uprooted from there, and added that if the PSEB authorities still wanted to uproot them, they must be given alternative shelters free of cost before their eviction. Savi said he would take up the matter with the party high command so that poor people could be given a shelter before they are uprooted.

Bathinda, June 2
Irked over an alleged brutality, a woman killed her paramour by repeatedly attacking him with an iron pipe in face and head, in the wee hours today. Acting swiftly, the Civil Lines police arrested the woman from the spot — a construction site — where the man was posted as a watchman. During interrogation, she admitted to the crime and the police booked her under Section 302 of the IPC.

According to information collected, about 10 years ago, Darshan Singh, the watchman, had deserted his wife and started living with one Manjeet Kaur, who too was already married and had children. Though Darshan was about 15 years older than her, Manjeet developed relations with him and deserted her husband. She came along with her children and started living with Darshan at Harbans Nagar here. A few days ago, Darshan was hired by Raman Kumar and Sewak Ram Bhola as a watchman at their house that is under construction in Aggarwal colony.

“Earlier, Darshan used to live there alone at night but for past week, Manjeet too had been living with him,” said Raman Kumar, the owner of the property.

Sources in the colony informed that Manjeet rushed to the owners’ house at about 3 am today and alleged that some unidentified people killed Darshan. She asked them to give her fresh clothes as her suit got blood-stained while rescuing Darshan. Getting suspicious, they informed neighbours, who caught hold of her to prevent her from fleeing. Finding Darshan lying in a pool of blood and his gun damaged, they called up the Civil Lines police station. However, the cops did not answer the phone. So, they informed the police control room. The police reached the spot and took the woman in custody.

During preliminary investigation, Manjeet did not admit to the crime and the police took her to the CIA police station. She admitted to the crime there and even led the police to find the weapon used in the crime — an iron pipe.

She alleged that Darshan used to beat her up everyday, due to which she got so frustrated that she decided to kill him. Finding him asleep at about 3 am today, she assaulted him on the head with an iron pipe. In a fit of rage, she kept hitting him on the head and face till he died.

SHO Civil Lines Buta Singh said, “We cracked the case after collecting evidence from the spot and analysing an unusual behaviour of the accused.”

Takhtupura (Moga), June 2
The district administration claimed that after some hiccups, including little bitterness between the implementing authorities and the labour unions, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has finally taken off in the Nihal Singh Wala sub-division of the Moga district.

District Magistrate Satwant Singh Johal along with a team of senior officials visited as many as 15 villages in the far-flung areas of this sub-division to review the ongoing works. He also interacted with the labourers and the Sarpanches of the villages.

The DM said work on link roads and cleaning of ponds under the scheme was in progress in 20 villages of this sub-division. "I have found that women have shown great interest in work and as much as 80 per cent of the workforce comprised of women in these villages," he said.

Most of the work was being done on the link roads reclaimed from encroachments of the farmers. Roadsides were being strengthened on the link roads, after which, plantation would also be done on the roadsides.

The DM visited Rania, Badhni Kalan, Rajewal, Lopo, Minia, Lohara, Takhtupura, Nihal Singh Wala and many other villages. He distributed bananas and 'ladus' at some places among the labourers appreciating them for joining the work.

Later, at Takhtupura, Johal while claiming that all the misunderstandings between sarpanches and the labour unions, if any, had been sorted out to pave the way for smooth running of the works. He said so far, the district had received Rs 3crore under this scheme, out of which, Rs 15 lakh was received recently.

It may be mentioned that a total 26,860 families have been issued job cards in Moga district, out of which, 23,282 are scheduled castes and 3,578 from other castes. However, only 107 families, mostly in the Nihal Singh Wala area, have claimed jobs till date, as per the status report of the Union ministry of rural Development. As many as 71 families have reported on job during the first 10 days and 36 families during the next 10 days of the initiation of the work in the Nihal Singh Wala villages.

Bathinda, June 2
Due to an indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned, local Municipal Children Traffic Training Park, situated on the premises of the Rose Garden, is in a state of neglect nowadays. From the shabby condition of the park it appears that the authorities have not paid attention towards its upkeep for the past several years. The park was established in 1986 for imparting traffic training regularly to the children.

The flexes and a big hoarding, containing traffic signs, are in such a bad shape that it is difficult to read the traffic signs. Besides, several iron-sheet single boards also contain traffic signs but some of them are almost illegible or have faded. It seems that the road signs have not been re-written on these boards for long.

The sanitation in the park is also poor with a heap of garbage lying near the tunnel emitting foul smell. Uneven growth of the grass along the roads in the traffic park and several iron frames standing there without having traffic rules’ flexes, make the poor upkeep glaringly evident.

The worst thing in the traffic park is the toilet which is stinking badly. During a visit to the park, about 15 bottles of cough syrups were also seen lying there. A bridge, made for imparting knowledge about traffic rules, has also started crumbling as its plaster has peeled off at many places.

Ravi Bhagat, Commissioner, Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC), said the BMC had earmarked Rs 20 lakh in its budget for maintenance of all parks of the city though no specific funds had been kept for the traffic park. He said the BMC would spend some amount for its upkeep as the park had been established here for imparting traffic training to the children.

In-charge of traffic education wing of the local traffic police Sukhraj Singh said they provided knowledge about traffic rules and imparted training to the schoolchildren four to five times in a month. He said the children were educated about traffic road signs, about passing of railway level crossing, information about how to walk on the roads etc.

Ferozepur, June 2
The historic town of Ferozepur which is sans proper basic amenities, is also facing problems due to random encroachments. The problem has further worsened the scenario and added to its economic downfall.

Over the years, the land along the Indo-Pakistan border falling on the Indian side has been impinged upon by the affluent persons close to the people at the helm of the affairs. Even the forest land, municipal land or in some cases provincial government land has been usurped by the encroachers allegedly in connivance with the authorities.

A lot of cases related to encroachment on forest land are pending before various courts. Not only this, numbers of unauthorised shops, kiosks and other commercial pockets have come up over the years, especially along the GT Road and in some areas in the city.

These extended shops and kiosks along the national highway not only give a shabby look to the entrance of the town but pose serious traffic hazard to the commuters.

Even in the main bazaars of the town, both in city and the cantonment areas, infringement by the shopkeepers has become a bane for the passerby. A majority of the shopkeepers have extended their shops by displaying goods upto 4-5 feet on the road, which makes it extremely difficult for the commuters to pass through these areas.

Not only this, huge hoardings are placed at various places in the town without any valid permission from municipal authorities.

If the advertisement slots are identified before hand at places where they do not pose any traffic threat and then auctioned to the media agencies, it can generate a lot of revenue which can be utilized to provide facilities to the people, lamented Sunil Sharma, a local resident.

At present, the collections through advertisements are negligible if compared to other towns.

Though, both cantonment board and municipal committee authorities have launched an exercise to remove the encroachments several times in the past, things are back to square one sooner than later.

Ashwani Mehta, president, Beopar Mandal (City) said that these issues were recently raised during the meeting of the police advisory committee in presence of IG Bathinda zone Rohit Chowdhary. However, nothing tangible has worked out as yet.

Mehta said be it the main bazaar or the Baba Farid market near the bus stand where the 70-feet road had been reduced into a narrow lane, the situation was equally bad. Places like Makhu Gate are also among such areas.

Nand Kishore, president Beopar Mandal (Cantonment) said that the authorities should carry out regular anti- encroachment drives, but in a planned manner. Kishore added that they will extend full support for the same.

Abohar, June 2
It could either be called the insensitiveness of the SAD-BJP combine government towards the problem of residents of this region or inefficiency on the part of the officials concerned as funds to carry out the repair of Abohar canal are yet to be made available despite the fact that paddy transplantation season would begin shortly.

A plan was prepared to make the canal strong enough to cater to agriculture and drinking water needs of the people of this region by the officials of the state irrigation department.

The Punjab government was supposed to release Rs 2.85 crores for carrying out its repair within the shortest possible time.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that not even a single penny had been released for this task so far as the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was away to the United States (US) in connection with the treatment of his better half.

“I hope that the Chief Minister comes back soon and funds would be made available to the irrigation department for its repair,” said Amarjit Singh Dullet, chief engineer, irrigation, Punjab, adding that the moment funds were made available, the repair of the canal would be carried out.

The farmers of this region said that the Punjab government would be responsible if they suffered any loss in case canal water was not supplied in adequate quantity for paddy transplantation.

Moga, June 2
The additional district and sessions judge of Moga SK Aggarwal has sentenced a husband to seven-year imprisonment on having found him guilty of forcing his wife to commit suicide for want of dowry while his father, mother and brother have been acquitted by the court.

As per the case file, Rajvir Kaur, wife of Mahavir Singh, a resident of Baghelewala village committed suicide at her in-laws’ house by hanging herself to death on July 2, 2008. Her uncle Kuldip Singh lodged a complaint to the police.

An FIR under sections 304 B read with 34 of the IPC was registered against her husband, father-in-law Rajwant Singh, mother-in-law Gurnam Kaur and brother-in-Kulvir Singh, following which, they all were arrested by the police. Presently, they were all out on regular bail.

Teja Rawela (Fazilka), June 2
Volunteers of the Youth Club Organisations, Punjab, an NGO, recently rendered remarkable services to the sick residents of this village and surrounding areas which the present state government in Punjab could not do in the past more than three years.

Notably, these villages fall in the Jalalabad assembly segment, represented by Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The volunteers with the help of the Adesh Medical College authorities, brought an army of doctors, at the doorstep of the suffering section of humanity living in this and surrounding more than ten villages.

The Youth Club Organisation undertook the task after various news in connection with the sorry plight of residents due to indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned, appeared in a section of press. The doctors who participated in the camp included JS Bahia, Gurpreet, Vipin Goyal, Nitin, Saurav, Ashool Nak, Sudhir Rishi, Harpreet Badal, Sanjay, Parwinder and Parminder. The gynaecologist and physiotherapist also attended the camp.

The Adesh Medical College authorities announced to make arrangements to treat patients in their hospital either free of cost or at subsidised rates.

Happy Mann, general secretary, Youth Club Organisation, said they would approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Punjab State Human Rights sCommission so that the residents of these villages could get potable water. 

Ferozepur, June 2
The state government has released an amount of Rs 10 crores to the drainage department to execute various works connected with the flood protection measures in the state before the rainy season sets in.

Official sources said that flood project works would begin by the middle of June this year and were likely to be completed before the beginning of the rainy season.

Sources added that a plan to the tune of about Rs 123 crores was prepared by the authorities concerned for executing various flood protection works in the state on the basis of recommendations made by deputy commissioners of all districts of the state.

Subsequently, two plans worth Rs 25 crores and Rs 40 crores were prepared on the basis of those works, which fell into priority category.

“We would leave nothing to chance as far as the protection again flood is required in the state,” said Janmeja Singh Sekhon, irrigation minister, Punjab, adding that the state government would release more funds for this task in a phased manner.

Various sensitive points, which were flood-prone, had been identified on rivers including Ravi, Beas and Sutlej (perennial) and river Ghaggar (non-perennial).

The minister said the arrangements for the issue of flood news bulletin by authorised officials might be made with All India Radio (AIR) Stations at Chandigarh and Jalandhar and Doordarshan Kendra at Jalandhar.

“Flood control rooms are being set up at the tehsil, district, divisional and state headquarter during the rainy season under the charge of officials appointed by the Deputy Commissioners.

“A daily report (gauge slip) indicating discharges and gauges at important sites should be supplied every morning to the CM, Irrigation Minister, Chief Secretary, Financial Commissioner, Revenue, Principal Secretary Irrigation, Punjab and Defence authorities,” he added.