B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

BMC demolishes illegal building
Bathinda, August 2
The Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) today swung into action and demolished partially a much controversial double-storeyed commercial structure, located on the Mall road near Hanuman chowk.

The illegal building near Hanuman chowk in Bathinda being demolished, on Monday. Photo by the writer

Men lay onus of family planning on wives
Bathinda, August 2
A majority of men prefer that their wives should use contraceptive methods instead of them, indicates the data compiled by the district family welfare office here regarding adoption of various methods by the couples to avoid pregnancy temporarily or permanently.

Cops wage poster war against drugs, femicide Bathinda, August 2 To raise mass awareness against social evils, the Bathinda police today launched a campaign, under which messages urging people not to indulge in activities that harm the social fabric would be displayed across the city. A placard bearing a message to check female foeticide, installed on a traffic light pole on the Mall road in Bathinda. Photo by the writer

Shisham, Kikar trees drying up, forest dept trying to make up loss
Sangrur/Barnala, August 2
A sizable number of the Shisham and Kikar trees have dried up for unknown reasons over the last decade, but the forest department is leaving no stone unturned to cover it up by growing a large number of plants in its nurseries in good numbers in Sangrur and Barnala districts.

Irregularities in mid-day meal
Mansa admn sets up central kitchen
Mansa, August 2
In the wake of a number of irregularities in the implementation of the Mid-day Meal scheme in the state, the district administration of Mansa is setting up central kitchens, which would supply meal to the schools in the district. The project would be implemented in a phase-wise manner.

Ajit Singh murder case
Arrest of real culprits sought
Fazilka, August 2
To press their demand for nabbing the actual culprits in the Ajit Singh murder case, hundreds of activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari), Lok Sangram Manch, Technical Services Union and Krantikari Gramin Mazdoor Union staged a demonstration before the office of the SDM, Fazilka.

Docs found absent during surprise check
Abohar, August 2
Both the doctors, who were posted at the Primary Health Centre at village Jandwala Bheemeshah, had not turned up for duty by the time when the Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr DP Godara made a surprise check, sources said. A team of local scribes also visited the centre and recorded the absence on camera.

B.Ed teachers to stage protest on Aug 8 
Abohar, August 2
Since the meeting with the Deputy Chief Minster, Sukhbir Singh Badal had remained inconclusive over deferring the 50:50 boys: girls ratio in recruitment of the B.Ed teachers, the B.Ed Berozgar Front has now resolved to organise demonstration outside the residence of the Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur and gherao her in Kapurthala on August 8.

Special camp for differently-abled
Bathinda, August 2
A special camp will be held by the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) on August 8 at the local Grain Market for providing benefits to the disabled and other persons under various schemes of the government. Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal will inaugurate the camp.

Mealy bug attack on cotton crop
Agriculture Dept officials to hold awareness camp
Abohar, August 2
Concerned over attacks by mealy bug and white fly on the cotton crop, the agriculture department has decided to organise an awareness camp in all the villages, said Dr Bhupinder Kumar, agriculture development official, here.

BMC demolishes illegal building
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 2
The Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) today swung into action and demolished partially a much controversial double-storeyed commercial structure, located on the Mall road near Hanuman chowk.

The action came in the aftermath of allegations that the civic body had turned a blind eye towards those who had illegally raised the controversial structure.

Laced with police protection, senior officials including the commissioner and assistant commissioner of the BMC reached the spot and ordered to initiate the demolition process. Even after a couple of hours, the BMC staff could not completely raze the illegal structure.

It may be mentioned that the building had come into controversy after a BJP councillor Krishan Garg raised his voice in a general house meeting of the BMC, held on March 19 this year. Firing a salvo at the senior officials of the engineering branch, Garg had accused them of being corrupt. Showing the photographs of the building, he had accused the superintending engineer of the BMC, BD Singla, of having his ‘benami’ share in the building.

Further, showing copies of the notices issued to get the building demolished, Garg had claimed that even after completing all procedural formalities, senior officials did not take action as the SE of the BMC was himself one of the violators.

Later, Garg along with a few of his supporters, kept questioning the BMC officials to give him a reply as to what they did even after knowing that the building was raised illegally.

Then, on May 17, just after the beginning of the general house meeting, the assistant commissioner, BMC, Najar Singh submitted the investigation report on the building, which suggested that the building was declared unauthorised and the demolition formalities were completed, but it had been pending at the level of the corporation engineer for the past couple of years.

In the report, the responsibility of the then officials of the BMC was also fixed for all the irregularities. Despite this, no action was taken.

However, at the last BMC meeting (July 15), the councillors again raised the issue and accused the BMC officials of patronising those raising illegal buildings, which reportedly drove them to take the step today.

Though the building was partially demolished today, the BMC officials were observed to be coming up with different versions when asked about the ownership of the building.

Some officials named two women as the owner of the building while some informed that it was sold to five persons, including a SAD leader and some relatives of the SE in question, BD Singla.

However, BD Singla refuted the allegations of having any direct or indirect share in the building.

Men lay onus of family planning on wives
Sushil Goyal
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 2
A majority of men prefer that their wives should use contraceptive methods instead of them, indicates the data compiled by the district family welfare office here regarding adoption of various methods by the couples to avoid pregnancy temporarily or permanently.

According to the data, during the first quarter of the current financial year, as many as 2,013 tubectomy operations had been conducted in the district while only 186 men underwent non-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) operations during this period. Besides, 4,465 women took up intra uterine contraceptive devices (Copper-T) in three months.

Besides tubectomy, NSV and Copper-T, the other two known methods for preventing pregnancy are usage of condoms by men and consumption of oral pills by women. During the given period, 1,354 men took condoms from the health department’s institutions in the district while close to 350 women received oral pills.

A health official told this reporter that they supply ten condoms per month to a person, only for the days when woman could conceive, as no precautionary measure was needed on other days.

The official also said a majority of men avoid NSV operation as they fear that they would become sexually weak post operation, which was totally untrue. He said every man could experience similar pleasure after NSV operation as he had been having before.

Another health official said in several cases, even men reportedly compelled their spouses to go for a tubectomy operation instead of undergoing NSV operation themselves. He termed it as an “emotional atyachar” on women.

Cops wage poster war against drugs, femicide
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 2
To raise mass awareness against social evils, the Bathinda police today launched a campaign, under which messages urging people not to indulge in activities that harm the social fabric would be displayed across the city.

As a part of the campaign, a number of placards bearing messages that urge people to check female foeticide, shun drugs etc, are being installed throughout the city.

The messages are simple, but persuasive.

Seeking a favourable response to their campaign, the police has drawn some verses from the holy scriptures that prohibit drug use and female foeticide. These have been incorporated in the messages being exhibited on boards.

Initially, such boards and placards have been installed at main centres like bus stand, railway station, Hanuman Chowk, Kotwali police station and other busy spots in the city.

Though the messages are being issued by the SHO, Kotwali police station, the boards are sponsored by businessmen and social activists of the city. As the campaign is gaining momentum, a number of sponsors are reportedly approaching the police station.

“It is an appreciable move by the city police towards the social cause,” said an elderly businessman Sukant Kumar Singla.

Giving details, a cop at the Kotwali police station said, “A number of placards have been installed in the city and we have already placed print orders for more. Encouraging our efforts, everyday sponsors approach us with an offer to bear the cost of placards. However, we are taking precautions before selecting the sponsors as we do not want that someone with a criminal record gets his name on the placards.”

Shisham, Kikar trees drying up, forest dept trying to make up loss
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Sangrur/Barnala, August 2
A sizable number of the Shisham and Kikar trees have dried up for unknown reasons over the last decade, but the forest department is leaving no stone unturned to cover it up by growing a large number of plants in its nurseries in good numbers in Sangrur and Barnala districts.

Plantation of the shisham tree assumes more significance as it is the state tree of Punjab. Kikar tree is of equal importance as it has high medicinal value.

Sources in the Sangrur forest division comprising areas of both Sangrur and Barnala districts said, the department has grown a large number of plants in its nurseries including Nidampur nursery, Bhawanigarh nursery and Soiyaan nursery in Sangrur and Shaina nursery, Dadhahoor nursery and Badbar nursery.

“The Shisham and Kikar plants from these nurseries are planted in the mainly strip forests comprising rail forest, road forests, canal forests and drain forests of Sangrur and Barnala,” they added.

Sources further added the forest department had given a project to the Solan University to study the cause of drying up of these trees. The department is yet to receive the report from the university on the cause of the death of these trees.

A local botanist, Dr Sukhrashpal Kaur, who teaches botany at the Government Ranbir College, Sangrur, attributed the death of the Shisham and Kikar trees in the Malwa belt during the last decade to many probable factors.

“The drying up of these trees may be because of pathogenic attacks, due to dipping of water level or increasing pollution,” she said, adding that illegal felling of these trees could also not be ruled out.

Local sources said the number of dead trees due to drying up during the last decade was quite large. However, the department puts the percentage at around three per cent since 2001.

DFO Sangrur, Shailender Kaur, confirmed to the TNS that the department is planting Shisham and Kikar trees.

She also validated that Shisham and Kikar trees had died due to drying up in the Sangrur forest division during the last decade due to unknown reasons.

The DFO confirmed that the Solan University was given the project to study the cause of death of these trees in the region and added that the university has not yet submitted its findings to the forest department.

Irregularities in mid-day meal
Mansa admn sets up central kitchen
Rajay Deep/TNS

Mansa, August 2
In the wake of a number of irregularities in the implementation of the Mid-day Meal scheme in the state, the district administration of Mansa is setting up central kitchens, which would supply meal to the schools in the district. The project would be implemented in a phase-wise manner.

First such kitchen was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Kumar Rahul today in the Mansa block of the district. This kitchen would prepare meals for about 12, 376 students of 52 primary and 34 upper-primary schools in the block, the DC said.

Further, he said the district administration had planned to cover all 72,424 students of the 322 primary and 192 upper-primary schools in the district. For the purpose, six more central kitchens would be set up in Bhikhi, Budhladha, Boha, Bareta, Jhunir and Sardoolgarh blocks. “We have set a target to cover the entire district by September 30,” the DC said.

General manager of the state mid-day meal cell, Punjab, Prabhcharan Singh assured the district authorities of full cooperation. The contract has been allotted to a private firm, the People’s Welfare Society. As per the agreement, the food would be prepared according to a fixed menu.

As per district project coordinator of the Sarva Sikhya Abhiyan Authority, Darshan Singh Dhillon, the food would be cooked before 8 am and packed in containers later.

The vehicles carrying the sealed containers would leave by 9 am.

During the recess, the meals would be served under the surveillance of teachers. All schoolheads have been assigned with the task of keeping a check on the quality.

Ajit Singh murder case
Arrest of real culprits sought
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, August 2
To press their demand for nabbing the actual culprits in the Ajit Singh murder case, hundreds of activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari), Lok Sangram Manch, Technical Services Union and Krantikari Gramin Mazdoor Union staged a demonstration before the office of the SDM, Fazilka.

The members of these associations took out a protest march, blocked the traffic near the SDM office and raised slogans against the police and the Punjab government.

The representatives of these associations including Bal Krishan, Jasbir Singh, Jarnail Singh, Ram Niwas, Baldev Singh, Hari Krishan, Wasawa Ram, Manohar Lal, Ram Gopal and others have alleged that the police have been harassing some ‘innocent’ persons of the border village Bkainwala on the pretext of interrogation regarding the murder of Ajit Singh.

However, they are not making any sincere effort to nab the actual culprits.

Notably, Ajit Singh had died on July 1 under mysterious circumstances. He had been looking after the agricultural fields of a farmer at village Bkainwala.

The Sadar police had booked some unidentified persons on the charges of murder of Ajit Singh on July 2.

Police had rounded up some persons after registering a case and had started interrogation.

Police station, Sadar, in-charge, Baljit Singh said the police have been working in a transparent way and nobody has been implicated falsely or was being harassed by the police.

Docs found absent during surprise check
Our Correspondent

Abohar, August 2
Both the doctors, who were posted at the Primary Health Centre at village Jandwala Bheemeshah, had not turned up for duty by the time when the Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr DP Godara made a surprise check, sources said. A team of local scribes also visited the centre and recorded the absence on camera.

Dr Godara said explanation would be sought officially from these doctors, who were supposed to be present by 8 am. He had received complaints from the patients that the doctors were not punctual. Interestingly, the media team found that neither the veterinary doctor nor the physician of the health department were on duty at village Kallarkhera.

On being contacted, they claimed that they had gone to another village to attend to emergencies but did not elaborate. None had turned up in the office of the horticulture department at village Maujgarh and Khuyiansarwar when the media team visited the villages located on the Abohar-Sriganganagar road.

The mobile numbers of the staff were not available with the locals. Block Primary Education official Shyam Sunder Sharma here was found present in his office well before the scheduled time when another media team visited the office.

B.Ed teachers to stage protest on Aug 8 
Our Correspondent

Abohar, August 2
Since the meeting with the Deputy Chief Minster, Sukhbir Singh Badal had remained inconclusive over deferring the 50:50 boys: girls ratio in recruitment of the B.Ed teachers, the B.Ed Berozgar Front has now resolved to organise demonstration outside the residence of the Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur and gherao her in Kapurthala on August 8.

Members of the state struggle committee of the Front, Baldev Singh, Parminder Singh and Jaskaran Singh said during a meeting here in Nehru Park recently that as many as 7,654 youths, who had gone through the process of checking of documents related to their qualification after enlistment in the merit-list were awaiting letters of posting.

Special camp for differently-abled

Bathinda, August 2
A special camp will be held by the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) on August 8 at the local Grain Market for providing benefits to the disabled and other persons under various schemes of the government. Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal will inaugurate the camp.

Additional deputy commissioner (Development)-cum-nodal officer, DDRC, C. Sibin said here today several works relating to preparation of identity cards of senior citizens and disabled persons, issuance of bus pass to women above 60 years, issuance of disability certificates to disabled persons, filling up of forms by disabled girls of rural areas to benefit from a scholarship scheme, would be done during the camp. — TNS

Mealy bug attack on cotton crop
Agriculture Dept officials to hold awareness camp
Our Correspondent

Abohar, August 2
Concerned over attacks by mealy bug and white fly on the cotton crop, the agriculture department has decided to organise an awareness camp in all the villages, said Dr Bhupinder Kumar, agriculture development official, here.

Speaking during the camp at village Jhurarkhera on Monday, Kumar advised the farmers to control white fly menace to save the cotton crop from leaf curl problem.

Various insecticides should not be mixed for spraying the same on the crop and technical guidance should be sought from the experts and not quacks, he asserted.