Bathinda, August 30
The department of Youth Welfare, DAV College, today organised a talent hunt function on the college premises where a number of cultural items, including bhangra, giddha, stage show, songs, were performed.

Sarup Chand Singla, constituency in-charge of SAD (B) was the chief guest, while Swami Surya Dev was the guest of honour. In his speech, principal of the college Dr JS Anand spoke about the introduction of new courses like M.Sc (IT), M.Sc (Mathematics) and MA (History). He informed the audience about the college’s plans to introduce MBA, B.Sc (Bio-tech) and B.Sc (Agriculture) from the coming session.

About the talent hunt, Anand said the selected candidates would participate in the forthcoming zonal youth fest of the Punjabi University at Dhadhe village. — TNS

Bathinda, August 30
The indifferent attitude of the cops and procedural delays in the release of impounded vehicles in police custody (Maalkhana) has turned almost every police station of this district into a junkyard.

According to a survey conducted by TNS, about 580 vehicles (124 motorcycles, 258 scooters, 36 trucks/tractors and 162 cars/jeeps) are dumped in police stations to corrode.

Though it is the responsibility of the police to ensure its safety, the unavailability of space has forced cops to keep the vehicles in the open to weather nature’s vagaries.

It was observed that many of the vehicles were there for over a decade. Nobody approached to get them released. Even if somebody approached the police, unwanted formalities scuttled his effort to get the vehicles released.

Some vehicles were found to be badly damaged as it concerned accident cases. However, a large number of vehicles, which the police claimed to have recovered in theft cases or seized under the NDPS Act, had lost many of its parts, including batteries, lights, 
tyres etc.

Seeking anonymity, a constable at the Dialpura police station informed that the parts were not missing when the vehicles were brought to the police station. These were actually fitted in the vehicles of some senior police officers.

Same was the statement of many junior rank cops posted at Cantonment, Balianwali and Thermal police stations.

"Whenever private vehicles of senior cops require any part to be replaced, they make the best use of these vehicles, which are parked here for long time," informed an employee of the Punjab Mandi Board.

He further informed that a couple of years back, the Kotwali police had encroached upon the premises of the district office of the Mandi Board and dumped dozens of recovered vehicles in the parking lot of the office.

It may be mentioned that during their surprise visit on July 17, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal were irked on seeing a large number of vehicles rusting in the open. They had inquired about the status of the vehicles.

Unsatisfied with the reply of the cops, Sukhbir Badal directed Bathinda SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill to take every possible step to ensure that each Maalkhana (store) of the district police was cleared within two months.

The Bathinda SSP said, "Acting upon the direction of the deputy CM, we have initiated the process. Initially, the vehicles lying in Maalkhana are being categorised. Once it is completed, a legal process will be started to get the clearance from the courts as most of the vehicles were concerned with criminal cases."

About the charges being levelled against cops for stealing parts of the vehicles in the Maalkhana, the SSP claimed he was not aware of it but said anybody found guilty would be strictly dealt with. 

Bathinda, August 30
The State Bank of Patiala today opened its 900th branch at Dyalpura Bhai Ka in Bathinda.

The branch was inaugurated by managing director of the bank, Ashok Nayar. Speaking on the occasion, Nayar said that bank proposed to open 20 branches in the identified villages to be covered under Financial Inclusion.

Today, Bathinda zone opened all the five branches under the initiative to provide service at doorstep to the rural population, he added.

The managing director said that these branches would extend all types of loans and banking facilities.

He asked to avail the facility of free counselling available at the Financial Literacy and Credit Counselling cell opened by the bank.

Other senior officials of the bank were also present on the occasion. 

Ferozepur, August 30
In an unprecedented move, the Railway authorities have started counselling students in government-run and private schools, located in areas dotted with unmanned level crossings to teach them how to cross it safely.

The employees of the Ferozepur railway division, accustomed to official chores are now enacting a different role in dramas being staged in different areas to bring awareness among over safe crossing of the unmanned railway level crossings.

Not only this, the Railway authorities have also started educating and motivating the sarpanches, panchayat members and municipal councillors by holding sessions in religious places to initiate them into the campaign launched for minimizing the accidents.

What has forced the Ferozepur Railway Division to take these steps is the fact that this division, one of the biggest area-wise and in terms of length of rail track, has witnessed about 13 accidents, which have claimed a number of human lives, since 2007.

It has also earned the dubious distinction of having the maximum number of unmanned railway level crossing in the country. Not only this, unmanned railway level crossings outnumbered the manned railway level crossings in this division, which catered to the areas including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

RV Singh, senior divisional safety officer, Ferozepur, said that before the start of winter fog in northern India, different teams of safety wing were expected to cover 1,000 schools in Punjab and its neighbouring states.

He pointed out that about 1000 students, teachers and principals of about eight schools along with elected members of panchayats of five villages were educated today in connection with rules, which were necessary to follow while crossing the unmanned railway level crossings. 

Fazilka, August 30
Two minor children, both siblings, studying in class I and II, applied in their school for a one-day leave in the border village of Gaganke.Nothing unusual in the request but for the reason that the two children required the leave to participate in a relay fast being held to demand district headquarters status for Fazilka.

In another instance, three generations of a family including grandfather Kashmir Singh, grandmother Piaro Bai, father Surjit Singh, mother Gurvinder Kaur, their son Karan Singh and daughter Kavita, all resident of village Gaganke, jointly sat on dharna which entered its 15th day today.

The protest, initiated by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), Fazilka, has been gaining momentum.

At a special meeting of the JAC held on Sunday, it was decided that the members of the committee would launch an awareness campaign in the town and rural areas.

JAC members Raj Kishore Kalra and Satish Dhingra said that keeping in view the necessity of funds to run the agitation, they have urged the protesting members of the JAC and others to lend support for the cause and contribute only Rs 10 per month. Notably, hundreds of persons have enrolled themselves as the members of JAC. 

Girls participating in the Mela Tian Da in Ferozepur.A Tribune photograph

Ferozpur, August 30
The Sher-e-Punjab sports club organised a cultural festival, 'Mela Tian Da', which showcased the true ardour of conventional Punjabi ethnicity, customs and way of life in the form of various events which mesmerised the audience.

Famous Punjabi artistes Inderjit Nikku and Awaz-e-Punjab Rupinder Handa also participated and presented soul stirring folk solks on the occasion.

A large number of students from schools and colleges of Malwa region also took part. Sarabjit Kaur of SD College, Moga, presented a dance sequence. Members of Lok Chetna Manch, Zira, presented a thought provoking choreography . On the occasion, competitions like Mehndi and Charkha weaving were held. The event left the audience spellbound. — TNS

Abohar, August 30
Concerned over the increasing poison content in grains, cotton staple, vegetables and fruits, furthering the high incidence of cancer in the region, International Cooperative Alliance director and chairman of the IFFCO Surinder Kumar Jakhar said that use of pesticides in India had substantially increased in recent years.

 It is increasingly becoming an inevitable input in intensive agriculture systems, which have mainly been fuelled by changes in cropping pattern and practice. Survey results confirmed that there has been a widespread lack of awareness on pesticides and their appropriate handling among the applicators in India. Implementation of alternate pest management strategies to reduce pesticide consumption was found to be ineffective.

Addressing the IFFCO Opinion Leaders Club meeting here, he exhorted the farming community to be judicious in using insecticides and chemical fertilizers.

Sukhraj Singh Brar, who retires as assistant registrar, cooperatives, tomorrow was honoured at the meeting that was also addressed by IFFCO senior area manager RK Upveja and manager, agricultural services, Roshan Lal Sethi. Teachers from Art of Living chapter gave important tips to the gathering on leading a life free from tension and social pollution.