Bathinda, December 20
Out of nine drinking water samples, collected on December 14 by the health authorities from various water sources in the city, one sample (tap water) was found unfit for drinking on account of bacterial contamination by the State Public Health Laboratory, Punjab, during testing.

This sample was taken from the house of a retired revenue official, situated in Mehna Chowk area here. These samples were collected by the health authorities from three water works, two schools and four houses.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Raghbir Singh Randhawa said here today that the head of the family of failed water sample had been advised to ask the family members not to drink the water to avoid chances of jaundice disease.

He said it seemed that sewer water had mixed with the tap water somewhere due to leakage in the water pipe. He said a team of the health staff today again taken water samples from the Mehna Chowk area and other areas.

Meanwhile, the official figure of jaundice cases in the city today rose to 139 with the detection of 13 new cases. As many as six cases were reported at the local Civil Hospital while seven cases were reported to the health authorities by private doctors in the city. The six cases, reported at Civil Hospital today, were from Amarpura Basti, Guru Ki Nagri, Partap Nagar and Shant Nagar.

However, when asked that the unofficial figure of jaundice cases in Bathinda city could be much higher than the official figure of 139 cases, the DHO said that this could be on account of duplicity as a patient first visits a doctor for treatment and then goes to a laboratory for test. Sometimes, the same patient is even contacted by the survey team. Thus, the possibility of the same patient being counted twice or even thrice in some cases could not be ruled out, the DHO said.

The district health authorities today also collected 10 more blood samples of jaundice patients from different localities of the city, including Mehna Chowk, Kanhaiya Nagar and Navin Basti, to send the same to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot to ascertain the type of jaundice, whether it was Hepatitis A.

However the district health authorities were still awaiting the results of 10 blood samples of jaundice patients which were sent some days ago to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot, for ascertaining the type of jaundice.

Bathinda, December 20
The doctors and staff of the local Civil Hospital and the local Women and Children Hospital ended their five-day-old agitation this evening.

They had been observing a two-hour strike and dharna daily since December 16 on the premises of the Civil Hospital here in protest against the alleged misbehaviour with an emergency medical officer Shekhar Mangal by a person in the wee hours on December 15 at the Civil Hospital here.

When contacted, a leader of the agitating doctors, Dr Gurmail Singh, told TNS over the phone tonight that the agitation had been ended after a compromise was reached by both the sides. He said the doctors at the Civil Hospital and the Women and Childrem’s Hospital would perform their duties in a normal manner from tomorrow morning.

As per information, both sides reached the compromise in the presence of some political leaders and prominent persons of the city. 

Bathinda, December 20
In protest against non-acceptance of their demands, the staff of the district rural development agencies (DRDAs) today went on a two-day pen-down strike thereby paralysing the work at their offices in various parts of the state.

Talking to TNS over the phone this afternoon, president of the state unit of All India DRDA Staff Welfare Association Arvinderpal Singh Nagra said as per the reports received by him, the DRDA staff at all district headquarters observed the pen-down strike today. He added that the strike evoked an enthusiastic response from the staff as their demands were "genuine".

Nagra said their main demand was merger of the DRDAs staff in Zila Parishads or government departments. The other demands were revocation of suspension of national president of the Association Sadhu Ram Kusla and his reinstatement as he had been suspended by the government allegedly without hearing his version; regularisation of services of gram sewikas; uniformity in promotions; and filling of vacant posts by promoting the existing staff.

Meanwhile, the district unit of the Association also observed the pen-down strike and staged a dharna on the premises of the Zila Parishad Office here today. They also raised slogans in favour of their demands and against the state government.

On the occasion, Kusla claimed that in 2000, the then Badal government had formed a six-member committee under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Secretary to make recommendations in connection with absorbing the DRDAs staff in government departments of the state. He added that as per government's notification dated December 8, 2000, the recommendations were to be given in three months. However, the committee did nothing in this regard so far, he alleged.

Kusla alleged that the promotions of the DRDA employees were being done by following 'pick and choose' policy, which should be done away with.

Abohar, December 20
The much awaited census of black buck, blue bull and sambar is likely to start in a week or so in the Abohar black buck sanctuary, spread over 13 villages of this sub-division, dominated by the members of the Bishnoi community, known for its exemplary passion to protect environment and animals.

The Abohar open black buck sanctuary, which covers an area 180.5 square kilometres and only one of its kind in the world, is also considered as the only place in the country where the black buck is found in large numbers.

The last census in this Asia's largest open black buck sanctuary was held in 1998. Though next census was supposed to be conducted in 2003 and then in 2008, it could not be carried out by the authorities concerned due to paucity of funds with the state wildlife department coupled with acute shortage of staff manning it.

"We have engaged volunteers of the National Service Scheme (NSS) from different schools and colleges of the region to assist employees of the wildlife department in conducting the census (survey) of black bucks, blue bull (Neel Gai) and sambar in the sanctuary within a time period of about ten days," said Sanjeev Tiwari, Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), Ferozepur.

About 30 staff members of the wildlife department out of a total of 60, who had been deployed at the Hari Ke wetland bird sanctuary, would be pressed into service to carry out the census.

These employees would participate in the exercise during the day time and at night, they would ensure the protection of Hari Ke sanctuary, Tiwari added.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that during the last census, it was found that the number of black bucks in this open sanctuary, which came into existence in 1975, was around 3000.

Though incidents of hunting of black bucks and blue bulls by hunters had come down significantly, these protected animals were being killed by stray dogs frequently.

The menace of stray dogs and reduction of barren land for their habitat, the migration of black buck, blue bull and Sambar to neighbouring Rajasthan had also started taking place in the past two years or so.

Meanwhile, Sanjeev Godara, Member, Punjab State Wildlife Board, demanded that the Central Government must give enough funds to erect fencing alongside the roads criss-crossing the sanctuary to save the animals from being killed in road accidents.

Sriganganagar, December 20
The mortal remains of veteran socialist leader Mahadev Gupta, a close associate of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, were consigned to flames as hundreds of people from all walks of life bid him last adieu at his native town Kesarisinghpur.

The 87-year-old leader breathed his last on Sunday evening. He is survived by four sons and two daughters.

He along with Kamal Nain Sharma had formed the Socialist Party units in Sriganganagar district in 1950 and ensured the entry of Dalits in temples for the first time in the region.

Later, Prof Kedar Nath Sharma (former MLA) had joined him in expanding the base of the party. He had spearheaded agitation against the evictions of tenants, recovery of water user charges and courted arrest along with a thousand protesters. He had actively worked with Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Raj Narain and George Fernandez and Mani Ram Bagri during the people-oriented agitations. Notably, he was among the highest income tax payers of the region but also continued to influence the policies of the socialist movement till the last days of his active participation.

Meanwhile, in another development, the Sriganganagar district administration today succeeded in defusing tension that prevailed over the control of supreme Sikh educational institutions in the district town for past two days. Notably, the administration had last evening quickly swung into action and had pasted notices under section 144 over the premises of the educational institutions to avert a clash.

During a meeting called by the District Magistrate Subeer Kumar, the warring factions today agreed to the formation of a five-member committee to sort out the differences and ensure proper functioning of Shri Guru Nanak Khalsa College and school that had earned a name for academic excellence.

Sriganganagar, Dec 20
Having been assigned the task of promoting archery by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, international archery coach Limba Ram has succeeded in clearing the decks for setting up academies to train youth in archery at Bhadra and Sriganganagar in the region.

During his three-day visit to the region, Limba Ram was accorded a warm welcome by sports associations and his students at the Nehru Stadium in Hanumangarh, Nohar, Bhadra, Sadulshehar and Sriganganagar. He had a meeting with SP Rupinder Singh to discuss measures to promote sports at the Police Lines. Women cops, during police range sports meet, urged the ADGP to include archery in the events.

Sriganganagar DC Subeer Kumar said after a meeting with Limba Ram that space for an archery academy would be earmarked in Maharaja Ganga Singh Stadium.

Limba Ram said for the first time, the CM in his home state had sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for coaching. — OC

Sriganganagar, December 20
Pal Singh of village Bhangewala in Muktsar district sustained bullet injuries as some persons from the same village fired at him after intercepting his car on the Hanumangarh-Sangria road late last night. His son Jagjit Singh who was driving the car had a narrow escape.

As per a report lodged with the police, they were on their way to village Jandwala when a Ford car intercepted them. Those who alighted from the Ford allegedly thrashed the father-son duo and then started firing resulting in bullet injuries to Pal Singh, who was injured in the feet, while his son escaped. Pal Singh said the assailants had a land dispute with his family. — OC

Bathinda, December 20
The Civil Lines police today claimed to have nabbed a youth accused of various thefts in Muktsar, and recovered from his possession an Indica car, two motorcycles and Rs 78,400 in cash.

Acting upon a tip-off, cops intercepted a car near ICICI Bank near the 100-feet road here on Sunday. While they nabbed Amit Kumar, his accomplice Rajinder Kumar of Rupana fled from the spot. During interrogation, Amit Kumar admitted that the car he was travelling in was a stolen one. The interrogation further led to recovery of two stolen motorcycles also. He admitted to be a part of a gang that steals vehicles from Muktsar and sell them in Bathinda, the police claimed. A case has been registered. — TNS