Bathinda, September 12
As many as 69 activists of the ETT Teachers' Union were detained by the district police from the Teachers' Home, here today.

The action was taken when the ETT teachers were about to leave for Amritsar, where they had to attend a state-level protest rally organized against the cabinet minister for rural development and Panchayats, Ranjit Singh Brahmapura.

As per the details available, the protesters assembled at the Teachers' Home in the morning. After holding a meeting, they were about to proceed towards Amritsar when cops in large strength intercepted them. The bus they had hired was also taken into police custoday.

Irked, the ETT teachers staged a dharna there and raised anti-government slogans. However, within minutes, cops managed to lift the dharna and made them board their bus and took it to the Nehianwala police station.

Reaching there, ETT teachers again raised slogans, even inside the police station, where they were detained. However, the cops organized langar for all the detainees.

Late in the evening, police released all the 46 boys and 23 girls without even lodging any case against them.

SHO Nehianwala Gurpreet Singh said, "The action was taken to avoid any disturbance in Amritsar, where they had planned to participate in a protest rally."

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the action was not taken by the Nehianwala police but by the Kotwali, Civil Lines and Canal Colony police, who further took them to Nehianwala police station to keep them away from the city.

Accusing the state government of suppressing their democratic way of protest, the ETT teachers said they had given a call to keep all school being run under the Zila Parishad closed on Monday in protest.

About the reason for the protest against the minister, they alleged that he was creating hurdles in the move initiated to bring their schools (which are at present under Zila Parishad) under the state education department.

Abohar, September 12
Amidst reports indicating that more than 15 per cent of Pakistan’s current cotton crop has been destroyed by severe rains and floods, the cotton market here has jumped further.

The mega ginning project owners, who recently entered the market, offered Rs 4,050 for good quality Bt cotton whereas the average rate was quoted at Rs 3,800.

The exporters appear to be visibly in a hurry to arrange 35 lakh bales of cotton that the Government of India has permitted by November 1, this year. However, the arrival was confined to 350 quintals at the local 
market today.

Sources in the market said the cotton output in the neighbouring country is likely to be lower by 18.5 per cent than the stipulated target because of floods.

The government had targeted 14.11 million bales but now only 11.5 million bales production is expected. Flood-affected areas in the west Punjab province are estimated at 1.415 million acres. At global level, the cotton production estimates are 115.9 million bales for the year 2010-11 as against 100.41 million bales production last year.

Main producer at the world-level is China with production estimate at 32.5 million bales and India at 25.4 million bales, the experts said. The local ginning factories have withdrawn the call that was given early this week to boycott the purchase to resent the special rebate offered to the mega ginning units.

Bhagwan Dass, president of the Punjab Ginning Factories Association, was quoted as saying that the Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal had assured him of allowing three per cent rebate in the market fee to them also at par with the mega units.

Intriguingly, the state government at present earns about 500 per quintal on account of VAT and market fee on cotton at the rate 12.5 per cent whereas the Rajasthan government levies only 6.5 per cent tax. However, the arrival of cotton in the neighbouring state is yet to pick up, thanks to poor supply of canal water, routed through Punjab, during the sowing season.

The soaring cotton prices here bring cheers for the farmers while the traders, who had struck advance deals at lower prices, feel dismayed.

A progressive farmer Jagdev Singh at Daulatpura village said the height of 30 per cent of the cotton plants in Khuyiansarwar belt was less than two feet even at the plucking stage, which indicates poor yield this season. High prices can only compensate us since a lot had been invested on the seed and pesticides spraying, he observed. 

The existence of the only Sanskrit college, established about eight decades back, of district Ferozepur is at stake as merely 18 students are left in the college. The college has a history of imparting education to hundreds of students in Sanskrit every year.

However, since other professionally remunerative subjects have become more popular, the number of students has been decreasing gradually. The college is being run by the Shri Sanatan Dharma Samiti, Fazilka.

The successive governments did not care to preserve the precious ancient Sanskrit heritage which was being kept alive by the Sanatan Dharma Sanskrit College of Fazilka.

Sanskrit subjects of Prayag-1, Prayag-2 and Shastri part I, II and final are being taught by only two teachers engaged by the management.

Sanskrit is an elective subject and the the government too does not seem to be keen to promote it.

Now, only those students are eager to take admission in the college who want to pursue their career as religious preachers in armed or para-military forces. Another section of students include those who want to follow the profession of astrology.

The Sanatam Dharma Samiti (Fazilka) has been able to preserve one of the oldest institution of the town.

No fee is charged from the students. They are provided with free lodging and boarding facilities.

Even the teachers have been offering free services under the able guidance of octogenarian Sanskrit scholar and eminent teacher Pt. Sadhu Ram Shastri for the last about half a century.

The Periwal family, noted philanthropists of the town, established a trust to run the college. The members of the family residing in distant areas of the country contribute benevolently. The philanthropists of the town also provide necessary financial help to the managing committee, says Sushil Periwal, president of the Samiti. He added that they would run the college and promote Sanskrit education despite all odds.

However, he said if the government provides financial assistance to the Samiti, a registered body, it can restore the old glory of the only college. — Praful C Nagpal

Pokhran in Jaisalmer district had overnight drawn global attention when India conducted its first nuclear test on May 18, 1974.

However, the area was not new for millions of devotees, who had been paying obeisance at the historic temple of Baba Ramdev, a Tanwar Rajput and a saint, who took ‘samadhi’ in 1458 at village Ramdevra, located just 12 km away from Pokhran.

The annual fair that would be at its peak during this week is expected to attract more than five lakh people from Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujrat and other states.

Interestingly, about 50 per cent of them, pedestrians, are already on their way. The jatha led by Bhagirath Meghrishi that had left Abohar on August 30 is all set to reach Ramdevra by September 15.

The devotees from Abohar sub-division had also initiated construction of a Dharamshala there.

Notably, Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner had got a temple constructed around the ‘samadhi’ in 1931.

Legend goes that five peers from Mecca came here to test his power and after being convinced they paid their homage to him. Since then he is venerated by Muslims as Ram Shah Peer.

Since Ramdevra (also called Runecha), located in deserts, faces an acute shortage of water and the deep-bore-well water is not much fit for human consumption, scores of NGOs based at Abohar, Sriganganagar, Suratgarh, Hanumangarh left on Sunday with truck loads of food, water canters and generators to run round-the-clock free kitchen for the duration of the fair.

The enthusiastic volunteers carried multi-coloured flags while dancing to the tunes of bands braving inclement weather. Some of them had availed of casual leaves from their respective government offices. — Raj Sadosh

Bathinda, September 12
Rich food with less work is a recipe for disaster as far as heart is concerned, said cardiologist Dr Navneet Goyal. The cardiologist added that these two factors were the main reasons for heart problems in the people of Punjab.

Dr Goyal was talking to TNS on the sidelines of the opening day of a two-day free heart check-up and health camp at Goodwill Hospital at Paras Ram Nagar here on Sunday. The Goodwill Society, Bathinda, is holding the camp.

Dr Goyal said that hard work is necessary for keeping heart healthy. Walking and exercises like aerobics which cause sweating is in fact good for heart, the cardiologist said and added that one must be in constant touch with doctor, particularly after 40 years of age.

Dr Goyal was leading the 11-member team of doctors and paramedics staff of Medanta Medicity. The team examined over 650 patients, including woman and kids, on the first day of camp, said Vijay Bareja, president of the Goodwill Society. Bareja said that tests including, blood, ECG, ECO were conducted free of cost during the camp. 

Sriganganagar, Sept 12
Gurusar Modian, native village of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, would soon have a Senior Secondary School for Boys that would be affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

The foundation of the school complex was laid by the Dera chief today. Speaking to the media, he said admission in different disciplines will be offered from the next academic session.

Three yoga practitioners Neelam, Simarjit and Karamdeep visited Gurusar Modian to seek blessings from the Dera chief for competing in the World Cup to be held in Argentina. — OC

Bathinda, September 12
Altogether 18 units of blood were collected at a blood donation camp organised by the Aasra Welfare Society, Bathinda on the occasion of birthday of Parampreet Singh (19) on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the brothers of Satish Kansal, Ashok and Vinod, organised a blood donation camp in memory of their brother. Twenty-one units of blood were collected during the blood donation camp, organised by the Aasra Welfare Society. — TNS