Ferozepur, February 15
For decades, the local Home for the Blind, set up in 1956 by a philanthropist Dr Sadhu Chand Vinayak, remained a ‘light house’ for a large number of visually challenged persons hailing from every nook and corner of India.

They came here, got education and training in different occupations and subsequently settled down. However, the Home for the Blind, one of the famous institutions of the country, is in a miserable condition nowadays due to the apathetic attitude of both the state as well as the Central government.

Former President of India Giani Zail Singh and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had also visited this place.

The members of the District Council for the Welfare of Handicapped, Ferozepur, which has been running it, have to move from pillar to post to collect enough money to meet the expenses being incurred by them to meet the basic necessities. The members of the Society now hope that the visit of Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Vice-president of India along with Governor, Punjab, Shivraj Patil to its premises on February 17 will change the fate of the home for the blind. "I expect that Ansari might give Rs 10 lakh as one-time donation to the Home for the Blind, which would be a big relief," said BM Khanna, manager.

"At present, 23 inmates from various states like Punjab, UP, Bihar, HP, Haryana and Uttaranchal have been getting education in different fields. The institution is affiliated to the Indian Red Cross Society and National Association for the Blinds (Mumbai)," he added.

"Presently, there is no teacher to teach music to the inmates. Handlooms are lying idle in the absence of any trainer to train the inmates. Earlier, products of the Home of the Blind were being purchased by different departments of the state government, which was stopped a few years ago, thus resulting in an economic setback to the," disclosed Ashwani Sharma, secretary of the Society.

Parminder Singh, general secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), who played a key-role in arranging the visit of Ansari to this town, said he expected that enough funds would be made available to such institutes, which had been rendering a yeoman's service to the mankind, after the visit of the Vice-president.

Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav said there was a proposal to shift the Home for the Blind, which was being run in two buildings into one building and a commercial complex be developed on the site of other building so that enough money could be generated to run it on a large scale.

He said this proposal was not supported by a section of the members of the Society. 

Bathinda, February 15
Former finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal today said that after 11 months, there would be no rule of just one person in the state as it would be the rule of law, which would prevail through out the state. He also claimed that the people would not see even red lights atop vehicles in the state after 11 months (when Assembly elections are due) as these would disappear.

He also said that his group faced no threat from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress in the ensuing Assembly elections.

Manpreet was here today to extend an invitation to his supporters to participate in large numbers in his political conference, to be held on March 23 at Khatkar Kalan, the birth place of Shaheed Bhagat Singh in Nawanshahar district, where a pledge will be administered to the people to eradicate social evils from the state.

Regarding report of the Vigilance Bureau about the selection of doctors by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), Manpreet said corruption in high offices at the Central and state level was common, so in the PPSC case, the law must take its own course. However, he said there should be transparency in the selections and accountability should be fixed in such cases. This case should be pursued to its logical conclusion, he added.

To a question, Manpreet said vendetta politics had harmed Punjab but he would not allow it to prevail. He said it was vendetta politics due to which Punjab had been lagging behind. However, he also said that there was a fault in the political system and it must be changed.

With regard to his 'Jago Punjab Yatra' the former finance minister said no power in the world could stop a revolution from taking place in the state as youth power had associated itself with this revolution. He said after six months, the campaign would take the shape of a bigger movement.

Manpreet promised that if he got people's verdict, then after 11 months, there would be a new and stronger Punjab in which unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, drugs and corruption would have no place. He said in case the ongoing financial health continued to prevail in Punjab, then after 15 to 20 years, the Punjabis would have to go to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to work there as daily wagers. 

Bathinda, February 15
After his visit to the border town of Ferozepur, the Vice-president of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is expected to visit the native village of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal — Badal in Muktsar district and then Rai Ke Kalan (Bathinda) the same day, February 17.

Though the programme about his visit to Bathinda and Muktsar district is yet to get the final nod, the civil as well as police administration of both the districts has swung into action.

Highly placed sources in the administration informed that the Vice-president would come to Punjab aboard an aircraft that would land at the Bhisiana Air Force Station in Bathinda district. Boarding a chopper from there, he would first visit Ferozepur. His chopper would then land at the Kaljharani in Bathinda district, from where the Vice-president would visit the Badal village.

As per the tentative programme charted by the administration, he would visit an old age home to meet the elderly. He would then visit the shooting range in the village.

Lunch in honour of the Vice-president has been arranged at the Chief Minister's recently inaugurated palatial house in the village.

After lunch, he is expected to visit the Dashmesh Girls' College and attend a cultural function. Before leaving, a brief visit to the Mata Jaswant Kaur primary school is also on the cards.

Vice-president Ansari is also scheduled to visit a stitching centre at Rai Ke Kalan village in Bathinda district, which is being run under a government scheme for women's empowerment.

Further, the Vice-president would meet cancer patients in the village. It has been informed that the district administration is short-listing 20 cancer affected families to arrange their meeting with the Vice-president the day. He would also plant saplings in the village.

Taking a chopper from Kaljharani, Ansari would leave for Bhisiana from where he would board the aircraft to return to Delhi.

Though his visit to Ghudda village, where a number of projects including the Central University of Punjab and the Remount & Veterinary Squadron are to come up, is not in the schedule, its incorporation is expected, in the final programme.

When contacted, Bathinda Deputy Commissioner S. Karuna Raju said, "Though the minute-to-minute programme is yet to be finalized, we have initiated the process according to the tentative list."

"A number of officials have been assigned related duties and the trial landing of chopper has been completed today," he added. 

Abohar, February 15
Veteran educationist Brahmarita, principal, Brahmarishi Mission Senior Secondary School (Abohar) was accorded a warm reception by hundreds of students, teachers and eminent citizens as she returned home today after receiving the prestigious Bharat Ratan Shiksha Award.

She was honoured by Bhisham Narayan, former Election Commissioner Dr Krishnamurthy and other dignitaries during the 31st national seminar organised by the Global Society for Health and Educational Growth in the national capital yesterday.

She represented Punjab among hundreds of recipients, who had been short-listed on the basis of their exemplary performance in their respective fields.

The school managing committee president Dr Shyam Sunder Thakkar said during the reception here that under her dynamic leadership the students of the school had shone in dodge ball, netball and yoga competitions at the national-level.

Brahmarita pointed out that she was pursuing the goal given by globally revered saint Vishavatma Bawra.

Neha wins Miss Evening title: Neha, Navjot and Chinia were crowned as Miss Evening, Charming and Talented, respectively, during a function held at the Gopichand Arya Mahila College at Abohar on Tuesday.

The colourful proceedings marked with songs, music and dances were tastefully conducted by Shreya, Payal and Kanika.

Anupriya and Ridhi read out messages and wished good luck to the senior students. Prof Neeraj Mehta was joined by other teachers in honouring the winners.

Bathinda, February 15
A self-help group from Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir has become an attraction at the ongoing SARAS mela here, with its Kahwah, a traditional green tea recipe that has its origins in the Kashmir Valley.

Mumtaz, a young woman, who serves boiling hot Kahwah from a brass kettle or samovar, says, "Kahwah is usually served to guests as part of celebration dinner in Kashmir."

Starting the business with a loan of Rs 25,000 in 2003, this 10-member group is now happy with the government that gave them a loan of Rs three lakh that made them earn their livelihood in a better way.

Their stall is known as 'Kashmiriyaan Di Chaah Di Dukan' at the SARAS mela here. Hardly any person crosses their stall without enquiring about the samovar and the meaning of Kahwah.

Besides serving the piping hot Kahwah in cups, they sell the powder for the beverage in small packets enough to prepare five cups.

About the ingredients, Mumtaz counted on her fingertips to list saffron, crushed green cardamom, chopped almonds, cinnamon sticks, cloves, sugar, sattu, cashew and Kashmiri kulcha. She informed that Kahwah was an effective medicine for cough, cold, fever and stomach ailments. 

Abohar, February 15
The male child, named Manav, who was found abandoned on February 9, about four days after his birth, in the toilet cabin of a passenger train, has been shifted to the Nishkam Ashram (Ludhiana). A total of 15 couples had already got their names listed there to adopt such children.

Manav not only survived but was also in good health as a dozen women responded to the call given by an NGO and visited a private hospital on the Gaushala Road here to offer mother feed by rotation.

Child specialist Dr SL Phutela, while looking after the child, had reportedly suggested that he should preferably be provided mother’s feed to overcome any abnormal situation. Vaccination and other facilities prescribed at early stage were also offered.

Notably, some commuters had spotted the child while travelling by the Sriganganagar-Bathinda passenger train when it halted at the Panjkosi railway station.

The child, wrapped in a blanket, had been carefully left in a toilet ensuring that he did not fall in the flush hole. 

Sukhladhi (Bathinda), February 15
Tension prevailed in the village, following a clash between villagers and the musclemen of a private transport company, in which shots were fired in the air.

The clash took place over bus tickets and turned so ugly that police had to carry out a march in the village to restore normalcy.

According to information available, the conductor of the New Deep Bus Service had objected to some youngsters of the village when they tried to board the bus without tickets, on Sunday. Rejecting the validity of the student pass, the conductor stated that Sunday was a holiday, so they would have to pay the fare. An altercation ensued.

Immediately after the bus reached the bus stop in the village, the boys along with their other supporters, who were already present, started beating up the bus conductor. The incident was repeated when the next bus of the same transport company entered the village after a few hours. Irked over the attitude of the miscreants, the transporters lodged a complaint with the Rama Mandi police. Taking action, police conducted a raid in the village to nab the accused but finding them absent, rounded up their kin on Monday evening.

Getting united this morning, a group of villagers today visited the police station and assured of producing the accused before the police. After this, police released their kin.

However, after some time, two groups of armed goons entered the village and hurled abuses at the villagers. Some of the goons entered the village Gurdwara and dared the villagers to come out through the public address system. "When the hooligans started abusing the women in the village, we could not control ourselves and had a clash with them. Finding themselves outnumbered, the goons fled and some of them even sustained injuries in the process," said one Angrej Singh, whose nephew was one of the accused in the complaint lodged for assaulting the bus conductor.

Another villager, Labh Singh alleged that the goons sent by the transporters fired three rounds in the air to create terror in the village.

When contacted, the owner of the New Deep Bus Service, Hardeep Singh alias Dimpy said, "Actually, we were frustrated with the drug addicts in the village, who had made beating up conductors for no reason a routine affair."

"Finding that the matter had failed to get resolved in the last few days, finally, I sent two groups to the village to teach the miscreants a lesson today. But unfortunately, the men in the two groups did not know each other and assaulted each another. There was no clash with the villagers and all allegations against us about beating up the villagers are false," claimed Dimpy.

Mansa SSP Hardial Singh Mann, who is also officiating as SSP Bathinda, said, "I have directed the SP (D) and SHO to give a detailed report. Once the report arrives, proper action would taken against the guilty, whosoever he may be.”

Sriganganagar, February 15
Jiwan Singh and Swarup Singh of Zira (Ferozepur) were killed while the driver of the car Kikar Singh sustained injuries as the vehicle collided with a private bus on the Chhapar road near Sujangarh on Tuesday. The police had registered a case against the driver of the private bus under sections 279, 337 and 304 of the IPC.

Meanwhile, one Rameshwari Devi (50) was killed while ten others including Saroj Meghwal, director, Panchayat Samiti (Raisinghnagar) were hurt as the Marshal jeep by which they were travelling collided with a tractor-trailer at the Jhalar crossing on the Sriganganagar-Suratgarh road (NH 15) today.

The victims were going to Rawatsar on a pilgrimage. All the injured persons have been rushed to the district hospital at Sriganganagar, sources said.