Bathinda, November 19
On the second consecutive day of the demolition drive by the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) today, fearing action, a number of violators today paid fine worth lakhs in cheques to the officials on the spot and saved their buildings from being razed down.

Though the BMC authorities had failed to achieve their target on Thursday—the first day of the demolition, still the drive had a deterrent effect on the violators today.

Restarting the drive from a hotel located at the rear of the bus stand, a battery of BMC officials equipped with JCB machines and other equipment, reached the spot this afternoon.

Accusing the hotel owner of developing the basement without getting approval from the authorities, they asked the hotel owner to bring out his stuff as they were about to demolish the structure.

Fearing a major loss, the alleged violator agreed to pay the fine, which was about Rs 4.60 lakh. Honouring the request, BMC officials received a cheque from him on the spot and spared the building.

Further, the officials reached Bank Bazaar, where they had to demolish a floor of an electricity goods shop, constructed illegally. However, the owner of the shop also pleaded with the officials that he was willing to pay the fine, which they agreed to.

Moving ahead, the demolition team visited SAS Nagar to raze an under-construction house that was built without even seeking permission from the authorities concerned. Receiving information of the demolition, the owner of the building rushed to the spot and urged the authorities to impose penalty rather than demolish the structure.

Accommodating the request, BMC staff imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh along with development charges, which the owner immediately admitted to pay soon.

In the sequence of developments, the BMC authorities then moved towards Joginder Singh Nagar locality¸ where they had to face public anger against the demolition. However, with negotiations, a crowd gathered there. The authorities were assured of compliance with all procedural formalities.

After a day-long exercise, the BMC staff seemed to be happy enough seeing the deterrent effect of the demolition as it helped them collect lakhs of rupees from the violators without even applying force.

Mallan (Muktsar), November 19
Brimming with religious fervour, a large number of devotees took part in a ‘nagar kirtan’ (religious procession) organised to mark the 541st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh guru, in this district today.

An aircraft showering confetti on the procession on the outskirts of this village was the highlight of the event, which the devotees greeted with much enthusiasm. The shower continued for nearly half an hour.

The ‘nagar kirtan’ that traversed a 40-km long route was organised by the Nirol Sewa Organisation (NSO), Dhulkot (Muktsar). It started off from Gurdwara Guptsar Patshahi Dasmi, Chhateana (Muktsar), this morning and culminated at Gurdwara Tutti Gandhee Sahib (Muktsar).

Five beloved (Panj Piare) led the religious procession under the patronage of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book. The main attraction was the flower bedecked ‘Palki Sahib’ (palanquin) from Fatehgarh Sahib. The palanquin had been donated by American Sikhs on the occasion of 300th Shaheedi Divas of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, sons of 10th Sikh guru Govind Singh.

A number of vehicles, including motorcycles, tractor-trolleys, cars and jeeps, besides a ‘Gatka’ party and a Punjab Police band accompanied the procession, which passed through various villages, including Bhalaiana, Butter Sharih, Dhulkot, Mallan, Gurrihsanghar, Doda and Bhullar on its 40-km long route. The ‘Gatka’ party displayed its martial skills at various villages. ‘Kirtan’ was recited en route the procession.

Devotees accorded a warm welcome to the nagar kirtan as it passed through their villages. They bowed in reverence before the Guru Granth Sahib.

President of the Nirol Sewa Organisation Jagdeep Singh Kala Sodhi said an ‘ardas’ was held before the procession began from Gurdwara Guptsar Sahib at about 9.45 am.

He said they had successfully organised a ‘nagar kirtan’ last year also, which encouraged them to carry out the same this year too.

Former MP Gurdas Singh Badal also participated in the nagar kirtan at Mallan village where he was presented with a ‘siropa’ (a robe of honour) by Surjit Singh, a panch of Dhulkot village.

Bathinda, November 19
As many as 399 bottles of scotch and other brands of liquor were today seized from the mess that has been set up for the Chinese engineers in the complex of the super-critical Talwandi Sabo Thermal Project of the Vedanta Group at Banawali in the Mansa district.

Personnel of the excise department raided the mess in the residential colony that has been set up for the Chinese engineers who are building the country’s one of the largest thermal power projects and seized the liquor that was stocked illegally.

SP Pahuja, excise and taxation officer, said the seized liquor included 36 bottles of scotch and 327 bottles of beer that were smuggled from the Bathinda district. One person identified as Pankaj Kumar has been arrested and a case under Section 61 of the Punjab Excise Act has been registered.

Pahuja said the excise department had been receiving reports of liquor being smuggled for the Chinese engineers and top officials of the project were warned about it. However, the raid was conducted this evening and the smuggled liquor seized as they did not relent.

Bathinda, November 19
The birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was observed by District Congress Committee (City) at its office here today. Several Congress leaders, including district president Ashok Kumar, two delegates of the Congress K.K. Aggarwal and Balwant Rai, Iqbal Singh Dhillon, Rattan Rahi and Mohan Lal Jhumba, paid tributes to the deceased leader. Later, the Congress leaders and workers observed a two-minute silence to pay respect to the late leader.

President of District Congress Committee (Rural) Narinder Singh Bhuleria along with his colleagues observed the day at Multania village. District Youth Congress president Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, Baljinder Thekedar, Rupinder Singh Bindra, Kuljit Goggi and Harsewak Singh Multania were present.

Chairman of the Rajiv Gandhi Lok Bhalai Manch Dr Sat Pal Bhatheja, vice- chairman Ranjit Singh Grewal, general secretary Inder Mohan Bholla, and general secretary of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Inder Singh Sahni also paid tributes to Gandhi.

Abohar: The birth anniversary was observed as national integration day in Abohar and neighbouring areas of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh today. City Congress president BL Nagpal was joined in Abohar by Mahila Congress president Veerbala Nagpal, youth Congress chief Varun Verma, former president of municipal council Tulsi Ram, councillor Prem Kalra and other senior workers in paying floral tributes to the late Prime Minister.

In Sriganganagar, scores of employees were administered pledge by the ADC Hanuman Dan Bithu to work for strengthening national integration during week long functions to be concluded by November 25. In Hanumangarh, a sports meet was inaugurated after paying floral tributes to the former PM by students and teachers of Tagore Model Children School.

Local legislator Vinod Chaudhary was followed by other dignitaries in paying tributes to Indira Gandhi during a function held in Seth Radha Krishan Bihani Memorial Govt Senior Secondary School. District education officer Arjun Lal Verma and principal Madhu Bansal spoke on the occasion.

Moga: The 93rd birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was observed on the premises of Dr Shyam Lal Thapar College of Nursing at Moga. A medical camp was organised at the nearby Jalalabad (East) village to mark the day.

Dr Malti Thapar, former health minister and chairperson of the college, Dr Pawan Thapar, director of the college, Ajit Singh Kalyan, general secretary of the Harijan Sewak Sangh, woman students of the college and staff members offered floral tributes to the late PM.

Ferozepur, November 19
Mahima Singh, a student of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), located in Mahia Wala Kalan of this district, went missing under mysterious circumstances. Efforts made by the police and staff members of the school failed to trace him out so far.

Police sources said Mahima Singh, a student of class VII and a resident of Chak Dona village, under Mamdot police station, joined his studies on November 16. His father Gurnam Singh had accompanied him to the Vidyalaya on November 16.

Sources said Gurnam Singh left the Vidyalaya in the afternoon and Mahima Singh was found missing the next morning when the counting of students was done by the teachers concerned after the morning assembly was over.

Baldev Singh, principal of Vidyalaya, said preliminary investigation revealed that Mahima was not willing to stay in the Vidyalaya.

Gurnam Singh said he suspected that his son Mahima had been kidnapped by his enemies. Balwinder Singh Bhikhi, DSP, Zira, said details along with his photograph had been flashed so that he could be traced at the earliest. 

Moga, November 19
A 50-year-old farmer has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself to death at Rajeana village in the Moga district on Thursday. Police sources said the body of the farmer identified as Sohan Singh, son of Naranjan Singh, was found on the outskirts of the village hanging from a power supply transformer.

The exact cause of the suicide has not yet been ascertained but preliminary inquiries conducted by the police revealed that the deceased was mentally disturbed for the past many months. However, the police had failed to give a reason for his mental stress.

Investigations made by The Tribune revealed that he was addicted to liquor but had no loan liability on him.

The police had initiated inquest proceedings under section 174 of the CrPC after recording the statement of Baljit Kaur, wife of the deceased and taken into custody the body for postmortem. — TNS 

Ferozepur, November 19
The director, health and family welfare, Punjab, Dr JP Singh today ordered the cancellation of all the deputation postings and temporary postings of the employees of the department with immediate effect. In a letter faxed to the district health authorities throughout Punjab, Dr Singh has ordered that all the civil surgeons and medical superintendents of Punjab to cancel the deputation and temporary postings of staff of health department, which was done by them or at directorate level.

Ravinder Luthra, president, Punjab State Pharmacists Association and chairperson, coordination committee, Paramedical and health employees, Punjab (Ferozepur unit), said the state health authorities had taken this decision as these two bodies had been lodging complaints against the bungling being made by the senior functionaries under the garb of making deputation and temporary postings.

Abohar, November 19
The blood bank located in the local civil hospital was closed down as the senior medical officer (SMO) concerned first failed to get its licence renewed from the Blood Bank Licensing Authority (Chandigarh) within the stipulated time and when the formalities were completed after two years, a number of discrepancies were found in its functioning during its inspection carried out by the drug inspector (Ferozepur) Dinesh Kumar a few days ago.

A section of residents of this town including representatives of various political and social organisations raised slogans against the hospital authorities for their negligent attitude towards the patients. After the blood bank was closed on November 17, about 34 units of blood, have been shifted to the Fazilka-based civil hospital, located at a distance of about 35 kilometres from here. Now, blood units are being taken from the Fazilka hospital by the attendants of those patients who are undergoing treatment at the local civil hospital.

Civil surgeon Kanwarjit Singh Kakkar, dissatisfied with the functioning of some of the employees of the civil hospital, said he had sought written explanation from the official concerned in this connection. He added that he had written to the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC) to remove the discrepancies at the local blood bank at the earliest.