B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Positivity propels parents to fight against odds

Bathinda, September 8 “My whole family was overjoyed when we were blessed with a boy after two daughters. But later, we realised that he was a special child, mentally challenged. We went for another child on the advice of family members. It was a boy again, but he too was mentally challenged,” rued Jaswinder Kaur of Phulo Mithi village. SK Jindal and his special kids at the parents’ awareness meet in Bathinda on Wednesday. Photo by writer

Combating Disability
‘Special kids need training, not treatment’
Bathinda, September 8
Mental retardation is not a disease. It is an irreversible condition. One must accept it bravely and move on to raise a special child by imparting behavioural training. This was stated by JP Gadkari, president of the Parivaar — National Confederation of Parents’ Organisations for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Blue Fox instance repeated Buyers fail to turn up at PIDB auction Bathinda, September 8 Just a week after the much hyped auction of the Blue Fox complex, valued in crores, was cancelled as no takers came forward, the auction of a chunk of about 2315 square meters located on the Power house road in the city also got cancelled for the same reason.
ADC (D), C. Sibin (left) and BMC commissioner, Ravi Bhagat at at the auction in Bathinda on Wednesday. Photo by writer

Supply of canal water
Bandh affects life in twin dists
Sriganganagar, September 8
To express anguish over the problem of the canal water supply, a call for bandh was given by the Rajasthan Kisan Sangharsh Samiti. Some other organisations also extended support to it.

Drug inspector’s graft case
Complainant files protest petition
Moga, September 8
Sukhdev Singh, complainant in the corruption case of drug inspector Balram Luthra, has on Tuesday filed a protest petition in the court of additional sessions judge Raj Shekhar Attri against the cancellation report filed by the state Vigilance Bureau.

Positivity propels parents to fight against odds
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 8
“My whole family was overjoyed when we were blessed with a boy after two daughters. But later, we realised that he was a special child, mentally challenged. We went for another child on the advice of family members. It was a boy again, but he too was mentally challenged,” rued Jaswinder Kaur of Phulo Mithi village.

She had come to attend the parents’ awareness meet organised by the district administration here today. Her sons Ranjit Singh (18) and Bhupinder Singh (15) are dependent on their parents for everything.

She said, “My husband is a daily-wage farm labourer, the only earning hand in the family. Whatever he earns is spent on the medical expenses of our sons. After our repeated pleadings, the administration fixed a pension of Rs 250 per month each for the two. It is too less to meet their expenses.”

Dass Malti of Hazoora Kapura colony here came with her 14-year-old son. She also accused the government of not doing the needful. Her son Dass Tarlok Singh is mentally retarded since birth. “I have four kids. While three of them are normal, this youngest one is a special child. We have not been issued any certificate till now, so that we can take advantage of the government schemes, if any,” she rued.

SK Jindal, an executive engineer with Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant, Lehra Mohabbat (Bathinda), participated in the event with his two sons - Keshav (14) and Rishab (9).

His only two sons are special kids. But, he has no complaints. “My wife and I are performing our divinely ordained duty with a hope that a day will come when they will prove their worth to the society.”

“Earlier, we ran here and there for their treatment. Then we realised that it cannot be treated. They only required behavioural training. As the training at special school is not sufficient, I devote my evening towards making them practice football and cycling, which will improve their nervous system,” said the confident father.

In a message to other such parents, Jindal urged them to remain positive and do their best in training their children so as to help them compete with the rest of the world.

Combating Disability
‘Special kids need training, not treatment’
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 8
Mental retardation is not a disease. It is an irreversible condition. One must accept it bravely and move on to raise a special child by imparting behavioural training. This was stated by JP Gadkari, president of the Parivaar — National Confederation of Parents’ Organisations for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Gadkari along with a number of experts in the field was here today to interact with parents of special children during the first awareness meet organised by the district administration.

After listening to views and suggestions of the activists of the Parivar, including its chief operations manager Vijay Kant, demonstration project coordinator Capt VN Gautam (retd) and in- charge of the Punjab unit Amarjit Singh Anand, parents discussed their problems with them and had a free exchange of ideas for the welfare of their special children.

Though some parents mistook the concept behind the meet and alleged that it was just another step taken by the state government to allure votes, the organisers and the dignitaries of the Parivaar tried to pacify and make them understand that it was to motivate them to form an association and be a part of the Parivaar, which already has 203 such organisations under its umbrella.

“If you unite and assemble on a platform, the Parivaar will try to convey your mind to the union ministry and the departments concerned so that your special children get special treatment,” said speakers.

Sharing his ideas on topics like mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities among children, Gadkari said, “First, we have to understand that it is not a disease, so it cannot be reversed. Parents do not accept the fact and keep running from pillar to post to know why this happened to their children and how will they become normal. In all this futile exercise, early intervention gets neglected and time flies away. Later, parents face many hardships in training their special kids.” Emphasising upon the need for training, he said, “Training is the only way out to bring special children at par with the normal children in their routine life. Behavioural problems can be handled by the special educators.”

Capt VN Gautam (retd) said, “We are working on a special project, supported decision making (SDM), which aims at preparing the community for assisting persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in exercising their legal capacity.”

Among others, resource persons Suma and Aditi, additional deputy commissioner Upjeet Singh Bar and secretary, the District Red Cross Society, JR Goyal interacted with parents.

Blue Fox instance repeated
Buyers fail to turn up at PIDB auction
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 8
Just a week after the much hyped auction of the Blue Fox complex, valued in crores, was cancelled as no takers came forward, the auction of a chunk of about 2315 square meters located on the Power house road in the city also got cancelled for the same reason.

Saying the property was located in the heart of the city, the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) authorities had divided it into two plots, measuring 1157.33 sq mtrs each and fixed the reserve price as Rs 41,860 per sq mtrs, with an eligibility fee of Rs 15 lakh per plot.

Though the auction committee, including the ADC (D) C Sibin representing the DC, who was the chairman of the committee and the BMC commissioner, Ravi Bhagat, who was a member of the committee, reached the venue at the scheduled time i.e. 11 am, no bidder turned up for the auction.

Finally, the committee announced the cancellation of the auction at about 3 pm, citing non-participation of bidders.

The development put an unwanted financial burden on the PIDB as lakhs of rupees were spent on advertisements. Further, they had set up a huge pandal and made arrangements for refreshment.

After cancelling the auction, ADC (D) C Sibin said, "It was a good property to invest in but it is unfortunate as no one came forward for it." When asked if there was some other proposal to sell it, the ADC (D) said it was for the PIDB to take a fresh decision. However, it is learnt that most investors in the area are divided in either SAD-BJP or Congress camps.

The Congress today at a rally had already announced its decision to prevent sale of public property while the investors close to the ruling alliance shied away because they did not want any controversy in view of the next Assembly elections.

Supply of canal water
Bandh affects life in twin dists

Sriganganagar, September 8
To express anguish over the problem of the canal water supply, a call for bandh was given by the Rajasthan Kisan Sangharsh Samiti. Some other organisations also extended support to it.

The bandh affected life in 95 per cent of the area that is irrigated by the Indira Gandhi Canal Project in the Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar district today.

In all the segments, scores of farmers staged a dharna, organised small rallies to criticise the Congress-led Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan and the Punjab government, led by the SAD supremo Parkash Singh Badal, for depriving the farming community of the canal water.

Samiti spokesman Captain (retd) Subhash Sehgal revealed to The Tribune that the Punjab government had illegally constructed a diversion in the Rajasthan feeder in Muktsar district to transfer water to the Sirhind feeder under the pretext of long-pending repair of the floodwater release gates of the Chaderbhan drain. — OC

Drug inspector’s graft case
Complainant files protest petition
Kulwinder Sandhu/TNS

Moga, September 8
Sukhdev Singh, complainant in the corruption case of drug inspector Balram Luthra, has on Tuesday filed a protest petition in the court of additional sessions judge Raj Shekhar Attri against the cancellation report filed by the state Vigilance Bureau.

The court, after receiving the protest petition, has fixed it for consideration on September 24, the next date of hearing in the case.

Ramesh Grover, legal counsel, who filed a protest petition, said he has requested the court to take cognisance of the offence under sections 7, 13(2), 88 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections 384, 385 of the IPC for extortion and attempt to extort with the threat of false implication.

While claiming that under the influence of health minister Laxmikanta Chawla, the drug inspector succeeded in getting the cancellation report submitted in this court, he said the complainant and a few others have also been implicated in a false case to pressurise them to withdraw the case against the drug inspector.

“The complainant was threatened by Surinder Pal Singh, SP of the Vigilance Bureau to make statement in favour of Luthra and when he refused to do so, he was beaten up, the proceedings of which are pending in the CJM's court,” he added.