Jodhpur Romana, November 24
Punjab Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike today sought the cooperation of dairy farmers for bringing ‘white revolution’ in Punjab.

Ranike said, “If we want to improve the economic conditions of the farmers and the dairy farmers then we will have to make the farmer community aware in order to ensure development of dairy farming in a big way.” He said to achieve the same, the state organised district-level cattle fairs and livestock contests while it was now organising four zonal-level cattle fairs in the form of livestock and milking competitions.

Earlier, Ranike inaugurated three-day ‘Punjab State Zonal Livestock and Milking Competitions 2010’ here today. In these competitions, farmers with their cattle from Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Barnala, Ferozepur and Sangrur district are taking part.

The minister also took a round of the fair and visited various stalls.

Ranike said the government would also hold a national-level cattle fair at Muktsar on Maghi festival in January, in which there would be participants from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh also.

Ranike said the state government was setting up four modern “Pashu mandis” (cattle markets) in Amritsar, Killianwali (Muktsar), Jagraon and Swanpur (Kapurthala) at a cost of about Rs 2.5 crore each. He said in these mandis, veterinary hospitals, shops, canteens and parking lots would be provided.

The minister said the government would appoint 400 veterinary inspectors, 100 veterinary doctors and 25 veterinary specialists in near future to improve the functioning of hospitals. He also said they were going to start 45-day training programmes for youths and dairy farmers by setting up dairy training centres in the state.

Director of Animal Husbandry Department, Punjab, Dr HS Sandha, joint director Dr Amarjit Singh and deputy director Dr Surinder Kumar Singla were present.

Bathinda, November 24
The two-day 'Army mela-2010' organised under the aegis of the Sarvada Agrani Brigade on the premises of local Government Rajindra College concluded today.

The highlight of the day was free fall by parachute jumpers from a height of 11,000 feet.

A large number of civilians visited the mela and witnessed various types of modern and sophisticated Army equipment. The fair also act as a motivation for the younger generation, as many youths showed interest in knowing about recruitment in army and air force.

A tug-of-war and a volleyball match between the Bathinda team and the Army team were also organised. — TNS

Bathinda: Local DAV College won the Punjabi University Girls Hockey Tournament that concluded here at the college. The hosts were declared winner on the basis of scores in the league matches as the final against the Modi College, Patiala, ended in a draw.

This is the third time in a row that the DAV team has emerged winners in women hockey championship. Principal Dr JS Anand announced a reward of Rs 4000 for the players. The best player of the tournament Beant Kaur, again a member of the DAV team, was also awarded with cash prize. — TNS

Fazilka, November 24
Apprently on the pattern of slogan ‘Zo Zameen Sarkari Hai woh Zameen hamari hai’ (government land is our land), some farmers have encroached upon hundreds of acres of land of the Aspal seepage drain and have started wheat cultivation there.

The farmers have sown wheat on the bed of Aspal seepage drain during the last few days. They have cultivated hundreds of acres of bed land of seepage drain in about five kilometres stretch between villages of Karni Khera and odian in Fazilka sub-division.

As the correspondent visited the area, it was noticed that on the bed of the Aspal drain the crop of wheat had grown up to about two feet. It was found that some labourers of the farmers were working there. They refused to make any comment and did not spell out the names owner of the cultivated land.

Even the farmers have levelled the land there on their own and also arranged water supply for cultivated crop of wheat. It is pertinent to mention here that the previous Badal regime (1997-2002) had initiated an ambitious project to drain out the seepage water of Muktsar and Malout areas. At that time, Aspal drain was dug out at the cost of hundred crores of rupees. However, no seepage water was ever released in this drain as by the time the problem of seepage in Muktsar and Malout areas had reduced.

Moreover, there is a constant threat of erosion of its bank and its existence is at stake due to cultivation at the bed of the drain. Since the drain had been of no effective “use”, the farmers have been making its “best use” by cultivating wheat crop on its bed.

While commenting on the issue, executive engineer (Drainage), Gidderbaha circle, KK Single said he has come to know about the encroachment only from the media. It is quite a serious matter and the department has an option to opt out for legal action against the encroachers, added Single.

Abohar, November 24
Health minister Prof Luxmi Kanta Chawla today assured that discrepancies that had resulted in closure of the blood bank in Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital here would be shortly removed.

Responding to the phone call of Sita Ram Sharma, state secretary of the Rashtriya Suraksha Samiti, she confirmed that the problem was already in her notice and officials concerned had been directed to ensure availability of adequate quantity of blood in the local hospital.

Notably, Sita Ram Sharma had been recently honoured by the minister for donating blood for more than 60 times.

She was also apprised of the resentment that prevailed among the NGOs after death of a migrant daily wage earning pregnant woman Babli for want of blood.

The victim had seven month pregnancy and her husband could not afford to take her to Fazilka for administering blood even when the doctors in a private hospital had recommended it during the treatment before referring her to the civil hospital.

Umesh Phutela, in-charge of the blood donation cell in Bharat Vikas Parishad, also spoke to Prof Chawla in this connection.

She assured that the matter would be taken up with concerned officers tomorrow when state government offices resume work.

“I am deeply concerned over the sentiments of the citizens and would do my best,” Prof Chawla was quoted saying over the phone.

Sriganganagar, November 24
Since railway minister Mamata Banerjee had not so far responded to the requests made for running 3007/3008 Udyan Abha Toofan mail train between Sriganganagar and Agra instead of cancelling it from December 24 due to foggy weather, political leaders and NGOs have intensified their campaign for getting Sarai Rohilla-Sriganganagar express train functional before Christmas.

Lok Sabha member from Sriganganagar Bharat Ram Meghwal informed over the phone that he met union minister of state for Railways E. Ahmad in the Parliament House last evening to remind that Sarai Rohilla-Sriganganagar express train had been announced by the railway minister in her budget speech but it had not been started so far.

The Railway Board officials were recently found busy in making arrangements for its flagging off ceremony but Didi could not turn up from West Bengal. He urged Ahmad to ask the railway officials to ensure it's flagging off well before December 24 so as to provide a substitute to the passengers against cancellation of 3007/3008 Udyan Abha Toofan mail.

Notably, Bikaner MP Arjun Meghwal had also taken up the matter with the Railways urging them to put Udyan Abha train under monitoring and ensure its run from Sriganganagar to Agra even after December 24.

Former PPCC president and Rajya Sabha member Virendra Kataria said in April this year the railways had claimed that the trains running late due to fog and bad weather are set to become a thing of past. Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K), in collaboration with the Research Development and Standard Organisation (RDSO), have developed a fog vision instrumentation device which would enable train drivers to see through the fog for uninterrupted and safe operation. Surprisingly, such a device could not be arranged for Udyan Abha express, he regretted. Abohar legislator Sunil Jakhar has requested the Railway Board to reconsider the schedule for Sarai Rohilla-Sriganganagar express train.

Brahm Parkash Arya, a veteran social activist, Railway Passengers Association and Sriganganagar Rail Road Yatri Samiti have urged the union minister to fix brief halt of this train at Malout also since it would be highly inconvenient to catch the train from Bathinda since it was scheduled to run non-stop between Sriganganagar and Bathinda.

Muktsar, November 24
Three persons, including two children, were on Wednesday killed when the car they were travelling in fell into a canal near Thandewala village, about seven km from Muktsar.

Those killed were identified as Akashdeep Singh (6), Jashandeep Singh (14), both from Thandewala village, and Rajwinder Singh (26) from Mansa district.

Muktsar SSP Inder Mohan Singh said this evening that five persons were travelling in the car when the mishap took place. He said in the mishap, however, Jaswinder Kaur (24), wife of Rajwinder Singh, and 17-year-old Ramandeep Kaur, daughter of Daljit Singh, escaped injuries.

The SSP said Rajwinder Singh had been married to Jaswinder Kaur about one and a half months ago. He had come to Thandewala village to meet relatives.

The accident took place when he had been going to Muktsar in the car.

The police had initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Bathinda, November 24
Baba Farid College of Engineering and Technology organised a function ‘Technovision’ of its society NECcESs (a Network of Electronics and Communication Engineering Students) on Tuesday that was dedicated to great Indian freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Students of various departments actively participated in the events organised by the society.

The chief guest Ritesh Malik, cluster head, Tata Tele services and Arprit Goyal, zonal manager, service delivery, IDEA Cellular Ltd presided over the function and gave away the prizes to the winners of various events. Group’s MD Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal exhorted the students to participate in co-curricular activities.

Dr Manish Bansal, associate director, BFCMT, TPO Gaurv Garg and heads of all departments also graced the event. Hardeep Singh, assistant Prof, ECE department gave the vote of thanks. — TNS

Chandigarh, November 24
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal yesterday held a meeting with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath to discuss strategies to put various ongoing national highways projects on fast track and improve road connectivity in the state by launching new road network schemes.

The high-level meeting, attended by Secretary, Road Transport and National Highways, RS Gujral, saw the CM and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal impressing upon the Centre to grant approval to 16 works amounting to Rs 373 crore under the Central Road Funds Schemes submitted by the state government.

They also urged the Centre to release an unspent balance of Rs 93 crore of last years and Rs 49 crore allocated during the current year. The Union Minister directed the senior officers of the ministry to take steps for release of these funds and also to call the meeting of the Standing Committee shortly to expedite the issues.

The CM and Deputy CM requested the ministry to expedite the approval of the Zirakpur- Patiala Section of NH-64 by the Cabinet meeting on infrastructure as the state government had already completed all formalities. The Union Minister assured the Badals of early action in the matter. Similarly Badal stressed the need for speedy completion of the construction work of the left-out portion of 20 km on the Jalandhar-Dhilwan section as this is a crucial road and prone to increasing number of accidents. The Union Minister directed the ministry officials to complete this left-out portion without any delay.

The CM requested the Union Minister to clear the road project from Bhatinda to newly set up Central University near Ghudda village in the district to ensure smooth flow of traffic. The Union Minister assured him of early steps. — TNS