Bathinda, August 12
To tackle the perennial problem of waterlogging and soil salinity in the Malwa region, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, has given green signal to a Rs 82 crore pilot project for this purpose.

The project to be implemented by a private party would involve development of fish farms on waste lands, setting up biogas plants based on paddy straw and also a centre of excellence for the standardization of food processing technologies. The Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) would be one of the stakeholders.

Expressing concern over the soil degradation and waterlogging in areas of Muktsar, Ferozepur and Faridkot, Badal said that at present, 1,25,000 hectres of land was facing this problem that had aggravated the plight of the farmers and the government was keen on launching a project on war footing to tackle this problem.

It is proposed to bring 200 acres of land belonging to farmers under fish farming, 50 acres for setting up of a centre of excellence and another 100 acres for development of food processing industry.

M/s. DHV of The Netherlands would provide the technology for desalination of water. The proposed technology is in operation for the last 25 years in The Netherlands.

It is proposed to generate 5 MW of electricity from paddy straw, which will be supplied to the upcoming food processing industry by the local farmers.

The residue from the power plant would be converted into compost, which would be available at 2/3rd price of chemical fertilizers.

The effluents from the digester of biogas plant would be further treated for conversion into value-added products like silica, lignin and cattle feed. 

Bathinda, August 12
Taking notice of a recently published news under “For better care, govt docs route patients to their homes - have deployed own staff to distribute their visiting cards”, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has called for a report from the state government.

Incorporating various facts in the news item, The Tribune had highlighted that doctors of orthopaedics section in the Civil Hospital at Bathinda had deployed their personal staff outside their cabins to distribute visiting cards to patients with a “free” advise to meet them at their residence if they wanted better treatment.

It was also mentioned in the news that some boys, who were busy entering the names of patients in an “unofficial” register, disclosed that they were the personal staff of the doctor, assisting him in his “tiresome” work.

Ironically, one of them had even stated that he was a sweeper at the hospital but after performing his official duty in the morning, he used to come and help the doctors as he knew how to plaster fractured and dislocated limbs.

Taking cognizance of the report, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal along with his MP wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, during their surprise visit to the hospital, had questioned the SMO of the hospital about the state of affairs.

Replying to the query, SMO Vinod Garg had submitted that the hospital authorities had already investigated the matter and found the doctors guilty.

Responding quickly, Sukhbir called up the secretary, Health, to probe the matter and said if the doctor was found guilty, he should be dismissed with immediate effect. Though the Health Secretary visited the hospital but reportedly no action was taken against any of the doctors.

Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the report, which was forwarded by a social activist of Maur Mandi, Vijay Kumar, the PSHRC authorities have now called for a report from the Department of Home Affairs and Justice and also from the principal secretary to the Government of Punjab, Department of Health Services before the next date that is fixed as October 20.

On the other hand, speaking to TNS, SMO Vinod Garg said one of the doctors in question had already been serving the notice period, which was completed on July 31 and he was relieved.

The second doctor had submitted his resignation in protest, which was not accepted but the health department issued him a letter intimating him about his transfer to Gidderbaha. He was sent the relieving orders twice, which he was refusing to accept, the SMO said.

Sevewala (Faridkot), August 12
The drama, which volunteers of the AIE Teachers' Union had been enacting atop an overhead water tank since Tuesday, was over in the wee hours today, after a former minister and senior SAD (B) leader Gurdev Badal, assured them in writing of arranging a meeting with the chief minister next week.

The protesters were demanding admission to the Elementary Teachers' Training (ETT) course, without any entrance test. Though the chief minister had once agreed to their demand for admission but with the condition that only 800 seats would be allocated to them in a year, which they flatly turned down. They were demanding admissions for all the 2200 volunteers at a time.

About a dozen volunteers had climbed atop the overhead water tank located on Bathinda-Jaitu road, near this village on Tuesday. They had poured petrol over themselves and warned the administration to convince the chief minister to issue in writing that all of them would be given admission in the ETT.

Observing it to be a routine exercise by the AIE volunteers, as they had lodged a similar protest several times in Bathinda and Ferozepur districts, initially, the officials did not show much concern. But when the volunteers did not relent even on Tuesday night, a number of sub-division level officials and a SAD leader Gurdev Badal were sent to persuade them.

Finding that the administration was just giving verbal assurances, one of the agitators attempted to set herself on fire. Though her colleagues doused the flames. A number of senior civil and police officials of the district had also held talks with the union leaders.

Finally, late on Wednesday night, Gurdev Badal again intervened in the matter and issued an assurance in writing that he would accompany them to meet the chief minister within a few days and do his best convince the CM to give admission to all of them at a time. 

Zira (Ferozepur), August 12
Punjab AIDS Control Society (PACS) has launched a massive campaign to make the people aware about the ill effects of AIDS and precautionary measures.

Disclosing it at a state-level function organised to make the International Youth Day here today, Satish Chandra, principal secretary, Health, Punjab, said besides PACS, many social and voluntary organisation were also working for this mission.

Chandra, who presided over the state-level function as Punjab health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who was the chief guest, gave it a miss, said about 21,966 cases of AIDS in Punjab were reported during the period ranging from 1993 
to 2010 and hence, the authorities concerned had been leaving no stone unturned to make the people aware of this deadly disease.

While the free treatment of AIDS patients was being done in the district hospitals of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Pathankot, every district hospital and medical college had been equipped with a laboratory to carry out HIV examination free of cost.

“At world level, about 7,400 persons are coming in the grip of AIDS everyday. Forty per cent of this figure belongs to youths falling in the age group of 15-24 years.

Different kinds of evils have become a major source for pushing people into the trap of AIDS,” he claimed.

He added that to curb the menace of AIDS was the need of the hour.

The state government had already been providing standard medical care to its people. The recruitment of 250 doctors in this year was also on the agenda of the state government. A hospital at the cost of Rs 5.5 crores would also be constructed at Makhu town in Ferozepur district, he said. Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav also spoke on the occasion. 

Moga, August 12
Former District Magistrate-cum-Chairman of the District Red Cross Society of Moga Satwant Singh Johal, who was transferred from here two days back, before relieving his post on Wednesday, terminated the services of Ashok Watts, secretary of the Red Cross Society.

He was suspended from service on May 19 last year, following complaints of administrative lapses and a ‘dispute’ with a woman employee of the society, who resigned from her post at that time.

It may be mentioned that the Red Cross Society had courted controversy during the tenure of the secretary.

The society was running a chemist shop in the district hospital without a valid licence from the drug licencing authority and prior permission of the health department in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The issue was highlighted by The Tribune, after which, the DM marked a magisterial probe into the controversy and finally, the chemist shop was shut down by the society. This correspondent tried to contact Watts for his version but he could not be contacted despite repeated efforts. 

Ferozepur, August 12
The Public Works Department (PWD) authorities have been leaving no stone unturned to complete both approaches of the railway overbridge (ROB) linking Ferozepur cantonment and city areas by August 14 so that it could be inaugurated by the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The deadline of completion of these approaches was fixed for October 1 this year, as per tenders floated for it.

The residents of cantonment and city areas of Ferozepur have been facing numerous problems ever since the earlier ROB, which was built about 150 years ago during the British times and was declared unsafe, was closed for traffic and its approaches dismantled about a year ago.

Information gathered by the TNS revealed that the reconstruction of approaches of the ROB was started about a year ago after the state government gave more than Rs seven crores for it. The residents were promised reconstruction of the ROB by a number of the ruling politicians in the past one decade, nothing concrete came out till September last year when Badal laid down its foundation stone.

However, the decision of the PWD authorities to get the ROB opened for traffic much before the deadline fixed for its completion has created a controversy as a section of Congress leaders alleged that certain measures, which were supposed to be taken for strengthening the bridge, had been ignored by the PWD authorities, which were in undue haste to get it inaugurated by the Chief Minister.

Media in-charge, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Parminder Singh while asking the PWD authorities as to why the approach roads on both sides of the ROB were not built yet, demanded that a high-level team of experts must check its strength before allowing flow of vehicular traffic on it.

He claimed that as per his information, a number of steps, which must have been taken for the longer life of the bridge, had been ignored by the authorities concerned. He added that even the funds for construction of this ROB were earmarked during the previous Congress government.

A senior functionary of the PWD, talking to the TNS on the condition of anonymity, while denying the allegations levelled by Parminder Singh said, “Though approach roads on both sides of the ROB are yet to be constructed, it can be inaugurated on August 14, and can be used for light vehicles. Heavy vehicles on it would be allowed to ply after a week or so.” He claimed that ROB was constructed by following all the established norms and parameters and no haste had been made in its completion.

Abohar, August 12
Congress councillors have strongly condemned the attack on their colleague Suman Taneja. Meanwhile, his condition in the emergency ward of the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital has been described as stable.

As per the report lodged with the city police, Taneja was attacked by car-borne miscreants with sharp-edged weapons, who intercepted him as he was returning home from his junk shop by motorcycle as usual late last night.

The assailants escaped leaving him with bleeding injuries as some persons responded to his alarm for help on the Seetogunno road.

Congress MCs including Vimal Thathai, Baldev Singh Kalsi, Sanjiv Chahar, Madan Lal Doda, Prem Kalra, Raja Ram, Ganpat Ram, Naresh Wadhwa, Sudesh Chhabra, Rameshwari Devi and Krishna Devi, who issued a joint statement, said the unsocial elements rule the roost here since the police had virtually emerged as puppet in the hands of the ruling politicians.

The attack on an elected representative has caused scare among the people in this sub-divisional town, they said. The councillors demanded that the culprits should be identified and arrested without delay otherwise the party would have to launch an agitation.

Moga, August 12
A five-year-old girl was 
sexually abused by a 35-year-old man at Sosan village in the Moga district on Thursday afternoon.

The alleged culprit was caught by the villagers, beaten up and handed over to the police.

The victim has been admitted to the district hospital where she is undergoing treatment. The medical report has confirmed that she was sexually abused.

The police had registered a criminal case under sections 376 of the IPC against Charanjit Sharma alias Nanna ,son of Chanan Ram, a resident of the same village and taken him into custody.

Moga, August 12
S Karuna Raju, an IAS officer of the 1997-batch has taken over as the new District Magistrate of the Faridkot district on Thursday in place of Dr Vijay N Zade, who has been transferred as the District Magistrate of Moga.

Raju was earlier posted as Joint Development Commissioner (IRDP and Special Secretary) in the rural development and panchayat department.

The DM of Moga, Satwant Singh Johal has been transferred in place of Raju as Joint Development Commissioner (IRDP and Special Secretary) in the rural development and panchayat department.