Ferozepur, June 14
Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, chief whip of the Congress in Punjab Vidhan Sabha and MLA, Guru Har Sahai, today said his party might launch an agitation within a few days to lodge its protest against the continuous ignorance of interests of farmers by the SAD-BJP government of the state.

“What has compelled the Congress party to think about launching an agitation shortly is the fact that the Punjab government led by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has been sleeping and has failed to make arrangements for canal water and uninterrupted power supply for eight hours for the paddy growers,” said Rana.

The paddy transplantation had started from June 10 as per the instructions issued by the state government. Though four days had passed, a major section of farmers of Punjab, especially Malwa belt, could not start the same operations as they had been devoid of canal water and uninterrupted power for running their tubewell motors to draw underground water to irrigate their fields.

“What has the Badal government been doing for the farmers? Was the government harassing the farming community deliberately and pushing them into the vicious cycle of suicide, which had been gaining more prominence ever since the SAD-BJP had come to power,” asked Sodhi, adding that water was absent from both perennial and non-perennial canals in the Malwa region.

“The time seems to have come when the Congressmen will have to come out on the streets to lodge an effective protest so that the SAD-BJP government could wake up and take care of poor peasantry of the state,” he said.

A number of representatives of different farmer organisations and hundreds of individual farmers had been approaching him everyday to raise his voice to improve their plight. The underground water level had gone down drastically. The canal water was absent. 0Electricity power was missing to run the tubewell motors and even then Badal claimed himself to be champion of the farming community, he pointed out.

“Earlier, the shortage of canal water has caused much delay in sowing of the cotton in its optimum sowing period. The state government could not meet its target of bringing 5.5 lakhs of hectares of area under crop this year due to shortage of canal water in April and May,” he claimed adding that the paddy growers had been meeting the same fate. 

Moga, June 14
The additional district and sessions judge of Moga, SK Aggarwal, has on Monday sentenced a woman and her two sons to life imprisonment on having found guilty of murder charges.

As per details, one Pappu Singh, a resident of Lal Singh Road of this town lodged a complaint in the police station on December 29, 2006 that a local resident Gurmail Kaur and her two sons Gurpreet Singh and Sukhmander Singh attacked them with sharp-edged weapons due to personal enmity. His father Kapur Singh was seriously injured. The police lodged an FIR under sections 307 and 34 of the IPC against the said woman and her sons.

Kapur Singh was referred to the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital at Ludhiana, he succumbed to his injuries after a few months while undergoing treatment. On May 2, 2007 the police added section 302 of the IPC during the investigation in the case.

The court sentenced also imposed a fine of Rs 7,000 each on them. If failed to deposit the fine, they would have to undergo another three years in imprisonment. 

Fazilka, June 14
The state government is hell-bent on ruining the brick kiln industry by enforcing the wrong and short-sighted policies. The industry is continuously heading towards near bankruptcy. This was alleged by the Brick Kiln Owners Association, state president, Kuldeep Singh Makkar.

Makkar presided over a state-level meet of the brick kiln owners held at Jalalabad on Sunday to discuss the problems faced by them. Chairman of the state unit, Surinder Pal Bansal, district president, Pardeep Aggarwal and scores of delegates from all over the state participated in the meet. The brick kiln owners rued that the state government has imposed a ban on digging earth in the rural areas for manufacturing bricks. Makkar said the brick kiln owners have already been paying Rs 15,000 annually as royalty to the government. Besides, the government has also withdrawn subsidy on fuel (coal), which would be detrimental for the industry, he alleged.

He warned that the Association would launch a statewide agitation to press upon the government to abrogate Bonded Labour Act. He threatened that if the government does not restore the previous facilities to them, they would go on an indefinite strike.

Abohar, June 14
The multi fruit and vegetables processing plants set up in this town and Jahankhela area of Hoshiarpur district a few years ago by the Punjab Agro Industrial Corporation (PAIC) at the cost of Rs 40 crores each are likely to be handed over to the private companies within a year.

The state government would hand over these plants to private companies despite the fact that kinnow and other fruit growers of different fruit belts of state had been opposing the same and urging the government to run these plants to their full capacity so that they could get better prices of their produce.

Official sources said the Punjab government had appointed a Gurgaon-based company as its financial advisor to help it in working out the modalities of making disinvestments in these two plants, which was started with much fanfare by the previous Congress government led by Capt Amarinder Singh.

Sources added that the entire process of working out the modalities of disinvestment would be completed within a period of nine months.

KG Sharma, chief executive officer (CEO), PAIC, said as the state government had taken in principle decision to carry out disinvestment in these two plants and hence all these exercises, which were mandatory, were being undertaken. He, however, did not reply when asked why the Punjab government had decided to handover these plants to private players.

He said the PAIC would run these plants till they were finally disposed of. He said processing of tomato for making its paste was carried out in these two plants by the private companies in the past about one and a half month. Now, efforts were being made to process Amla fruit.

Sukhminder Singh, an orchardist, said when running of the plant at commercial scale was a profitable proposition for both fruits growers and the PAIC, why this was being sold to private company, which would be least interested in protecting the economic interests of the fruit growers of this region. Subash Kumar, plant manager, said fruit was not available in the desired quantit as required to run the plants to its full capacity hence it could not be run on full commercial scale. 

Fazilka, June 14
Yet another controversy has erupted over the functioning of the local Municipal Council after its authorities allegedly sold off two residential plots located at the prime locations and having a huge market value for a song to two different persons allegedly through a ‘stage-managed auction’, held on June 1, this year.

This is not for the first time that the local MC authorities have invited controversy.

Tilak Raj Verma, executive officer, MC, said, “Jaskiran Singh, Deputy Director, local bodies, have ordered that auction of these two plots would remain suspended till the inquiry is completed to find out whether bunglings have been made into the same or not by the MC authorities.”

Jagmel Singh, Naib Tehsildar, Fazilka, who represented Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav in the public auction said, “I have informed Yadav (DC) that auction of two plots number 15 and 24 of the MC colony located on the Madan Gopal road has not been conducted in front of me and hence I have not signed the auction papers.”

He said he had also informed Yadav in writing that had the auction of all the 33 plots, which were held on June 1, this year, been held in a transparent manner, it could have enabled the MC authorities to earn more revenue from the same. He said the entire auction process required a re-look by the authorities concerned.

Jaskiran Singh said he had sought a report from the EO Verma in connection with auction proceedings of other plots to verify the fact that whether the auction of same had been done in a proper way or not. He said the EO had also been asked to submit the videography of the auction proceedings. 

Sriganganagar/Abohar, June 14
Lions Clubs International, world’s largest service club organisation, with more than 1.35 million members in more than 45,000 clubs in 206 countries and geographic areas, would present the 2010 Lions Humanitarian Award to Wangari Maathai, an internationally known environmentalist, peace, human rights and democracy activist from Kenya and the winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize on July 1 in the Sydney Entertainment Centre during its annual convention, District Governor (DG) of the NGO, Sunil Vashist informed.

Speaking on the sidelines of ‘Pushp-2010’ regional conference at Sriganganagar last night he said this would be the second convention in Australia, the NGO had earlier held one of its most popular conventions in 1991 in Brisbane. Some Lion leaders from India would also be honoured for their outstanding social services.

Vashist was joined by Anand Chopra, vice-chairman of the Kalp Taru Power Transmission, former DG Jyoti Kanda and the region chairman Bhoj Raj Jain in lighting a lamp before idol of Lord Ganesh. The prayer for global peace and tranquility was led by Khushbu Aggarwal.

Chopra expressed concern over wild demonstration of wealth, which he felt had caused erosion of moral values.

Region chairman, Bhoj Raj Jain, also spoke on the occasion. The veteran guests and leading social activists were honoured by the organisers during the function.

Significantly portraits of Lord Krishna were presented as mementos. Ved Parkash ‘Allah’ group from Abohar and DD-Idea “Bharat ki shaan” contest winner Sumit Khatri enthralled the gathering.

Bathinda, June 14
The recently-elected member of the Upper House of the Parliament, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, today accused state Congress leaders of creating hurdles in the elections of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

Bhunder was speaking at a ceremony held by the district leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (B) to honour him at Gurdwara Hazi Ratan Sahib.

“First, the state leaders of the Congress are not united as they differ in their statements about their role in the forthcoming SGPC polls. Further, conceding themselves to be weak in comparison to the SAD (B), they are now creating hurdles to get the elections delayed,” alleged Bhunder.

About his priorities in parliament, Bhunder said he would seek a special package from the Centre to help farmers get the right price for their crops and save the state's industry.

“Despite being aware of Punjab being an agrarian state, the Union Government is doing nothing to support our crops. The minimum support price (MSP) fixed for paddy and cotton, the two major crops of the state, is a mere cruel joke with our farmers,” said Bhunder.

He also added that the two varieties of paddy, 1121 and 201, which were proving beneficial to the farmers of Punjab, suffered loss in the hands of the Union Government as one was banned for export, while the other was disallowed even for planting, just to make a handful of millers happy.

Speaking about the industry moving out of the state, Bhunder again took a dig at the Centre, saying, “It is a planned move by the Congress-led Union Government due to which all neighbouring states were provided special economic packages but Punjab was left in the lurch. Despite doing its best, the state can not match the package, exemption and allurement that the Union Government can provide to the industry in the state.”

Replying to a query regarding the water dispute between Punjab and Haryana, the MP said, “We are clear over our stand that we cannot let our river water flow in the neighbouring state so long as our fields are dry. Moreover, Haryana has no right over the water, so it is a baseless claim.”

Expressing his gratitude towards chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Bhunder said, "I will try my best to live up to the expectations of the SAD-BJP alliance.”

Among others, MP (Faridkot) Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, former ministers Sikander Singh Maluka and Chiranji Lal Garg, chief parliamentary secretary Jagdeep Nakai and various constituencies in-charge of SAD honoured Bhunder and spoke about his experience and dedication towards the party.

Bathinda, June 14
World Blood Donors' Day was observed at the Blood Bank on the premises of Civil Hospital here today. Dr Dharam Pal Singh Sekhon, District Health Officer (DHO), presided over the function.

A representative of the local Aasra Welfare Society Ramesh Mehta said keeping in mind the need of the blood, the blood donation camps should be organised so that the wastage of the blood could be prevented. Secretary of the District 
Red Cross Society J.R. Goyal said district administration had been co-operating the voluntary organisations in holding of blood donation camps.

Dr Dharam Pal Singh Sekhon said the district health authorities would inspire the college students to promote the blood donation campaign in a big way.

Among others who were present or spoke on the occasion included senior medical officer (SMO) of local Civil Hospital Dr Vinod Kumar Garg, SMO of women and children hospital, Bathinda Dr B.S. Gill, president of Goodwill Society Vijay Baweja, a retired assistant civil surgeon Dr Indu Bhushan Aggarwal, Dr Mirnalni C. Kumar, Dr Rakesh Gupta.

On the occasion of World Blood Donors' Day, some volunteers of the Aasra Welfare Society also donated blood units. 

Bathinda, June 14
Two girls, aged 11 and 12 years, drowned in the reservoir of water works at village Jassi Pau Wali, late this evening.

The girls, namely Seema alias Jyoti and Aarti were reportedly playing in the village before the incident took place, villagers said.

They went to the taps installed near the reservoirs to quench their thirst. Suddenly, Arti slipped in the reservoir and seeing her drowning, Seema stretched a helping hand to rescue her.

But she too slipped in the tank and drowned.

Some of the villagers sitting at a common place in the village heard their cries and rushed towards the water works.

They found the girls palpitating. Immediately, the villagers jumped into the reservoir and pulled them out and rushed them to a private doctor in the village.

Pumping their chests, the doctor flushed out the water from their lungs and referred the to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda.

Volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa took them to the emergency ward, where the doctors declared them brought dead.

Meanwhile, the father of Aarti, Anokhe Lal, who is a migrant labourer, said the girls were playing near the water works and fell inside the tank.

However, the kin of Seema had not turned up till the filing of the news.

The bodies of both the girls were placed in the mortuary as the postmortem would be conducted on Tuesday.

Police is investigating the matter.

Bathinda, June 14
The Yog Sewa Samiti is organising a weeklong free yoga meditation camp here from June 16.

Bathinda: The general body meeting of the Telecom Retired Employees Welfare Association, Bathinda was held here today.

The pensioners of Department of Telecommunication and the BSNL today highlighted their grievances over red-tape and non-disposal of their pension arrears with effect from January 2007 as revised by the Central Government. — TNS