NEIGHBOURHOOD

Yuvi visits deras in Fatehgarh Sahib
Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib, April 7
Innovative techniques in farming are an answer to debt-ridden farmers of Punjab, who failed to prosper despite high subsidies and rise in MSPs in the agriculture sector.

One of the ways to turn out agriculture as a profitable venture is to start with organic farming, says a study conducted by MBA students of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College.

Walking on the path of organic farming is quite slippery, but it is possible.

Students Prince Sharma, Pardeep Kaur and Sangeet Bangar, who visited some prospective farmers in Fatehgarh Sahib found that there were some farmers doing a better job even with limited resources. A farmer in Jalvehri village has saved nearly Rs 3.5 lakh by building a cattle shed using waste iron pipes of hand pumps. Since water table went down and hand pumps dried up, these pipes were used to build roof of cattle shed,” the students said.

The study further states that the problem of cultivation arises from pests and insects coming from other fields to the field of an organic farmer.

In order to fix the problem, the study identifies dual cropping as a key factor.

Head of the MBA department GD Sharma said it was difficult for students to get their degrees, but it takes a lot of effort to take-up such innovative projects, which lead to social development.

Bassi Pathana April 7
The local police has recovered 19 bottles of smuggled liquor and arrested two culprits. SP Singh, DSP, said that the local police headed by Rajwant Singh, ASI, in charge city, had erected naka on the Nandpur Kalour road.

He noticed a person and asked him to stop but he tried to flee. He was soon over powered. During search, the police recovered 10 bottles of smuggled whisky meant for sale in Chandigarh. He was identified as Tarun Kapila, resident of Pura mohalla, Bassi Pathana.

Similarly, the police had erected naka on the Dhunda Bypass road and during a search, the police recovered nine bottles of smuggled whisky meant for sale in Chandigarh. The accused was arrested and identified as Sunil Kumar, alias Banti, resident of Guga Mari Mohalla, Bassi Pathana.

Both the accused were arrested and a case was registered against them. He said the police had, also arrested one Jaswant Singh alias Goldy, along with cash and Dara Satta slips. The police has registered a case under the Gambling Act.

Dera Bassi, April 7
Indefinite dharna by farmers of Bhankarpur village for the ownership rights of 650-acre land, today entered into its 74th day and the farmers warned of continuing their struggle till they got justice.

Former Punjab minister Tejparkash Singh and senior Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar today visited the farmers and provided them their full support. They criticised the state government for ignoring the interests of farmers. Brar said that this issue would be raised with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon. The farmers have been fighting for the ownership right of land that is being cultivated by them for the last 50 years.

This land was provided to them under the consolidation scheme and 4 nambardars of the village and 84 tillers were shown in the ownership column of revenue record, but now the land was declared as common land.

This decision had not gone down well with the farmers cultivating on the land. Congress leaders assured that this problem would be resolved on a priority basis after the Congress would come into power in the state. The farmers raised anti-state government slogans.

Patiala, April 7
The Pensioners Welfare Association (PWA) today demanded that their timely retirement benefits are provided to the retired employees, following their retirement and their pension cases are taken up almost one year before their retirement. This was one of the prime demands raised through a memorandum by the PWA members during their 3rd annual conference held here recently, which was attended by hundreds of members from across Punjab.

PWA president BIS Grewal held talks with Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Punjab, Manasvi Kumar, where he raised numerous issues pertaining to better facilities for the retired employees. “We have given a memorandum, which would help the excise department take up our pending cases”, Grewal said.

“We urge the department to remove flimsy objections while taking decisions pertaining to retirees and if the problem persists, senior officers should form a committee and try to clear retrial benefits”, reads the memorandum. “Grant of provisional pension and disbursement of the GP Fund should be done as early as possible”, it read.

Urging the excise department to clear all pending medical bills, the PWA demanded that such bills should be cleared soon once the health department sent the report. “We also demand that a nodal officer should be appointed to look into the problems of the retired employees”, said PWA members.

Kalka, April 7
Continuing its anti-encroachment campaign, a team of local administration headed by Naresh Kumar, Duty Magistrate, today razed several illegal structures in Pinjore.

The official sources confirmed that the team along with the police force removed illicit structures constructed on government land with JCB machine in ward No-6 of Pinjore adjacent to NH-22, Kalka, despite opposition by residents of the area.

The sources further added that a case in this context was decided by the district grievance redressal committee on April 5 ,2011 in favour of the MC, Pinjore, following which the drive was carried out by the local administration.

Lalru, April 7
A sweeper was electrocuted in a hotel near Lalru today while sweeping the roof of a hotel.

As per the reports, Deepak Kumar, son of Babu Ram, resident of Kakru, Haryana, was a sweeper in the Grand Hotel at Lalru. He was electrocuted after coming in touch with naked electricity wires while doing his duty.

The deceased was 17-year-old and employed as a sweeper in the hotel. The police has registered a case against the owners of Grand Hotel under Section 304A after investigating the matter.

Chandigarh, April 7
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today made it clear that the authorities concerned are “under a legal obligation to ensure minimum necessary supply of water is made available to the residents” of Chandigarh and Mohali even as the Bhakra mainline canal remains closed for maintenance.

The assertion came on a petition filed in public interest by Mohali’s former municipal councillor Kuljit Singh Bedi through counsel Ranjivan Singh.

The Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia asserted: “This PIL has been filed seeking orders from the court to ensure adequate water supply to the residents of Mohali, in particular, and also Chandigarh during the period from April 5 to April 20.

“According to the petitioner, water supply is likely to be adversely affected during the aforesaid period on account of closure/repair works of the Bhakra mainline canal, which is the major source of water supply to Mohali and Chandigarh.

“There can be no manner of doubt that the decision of the authority to order repairs of the Bhakra mainline canal has been necessitated in the normal course and such repairs, even by closure of the mainline canal, has to be carried out in larger public interest.

“The petitioner very rightly has, therefore, not sought for any order of restraint on the closure/repair works of the mainline canal, but has moved the court for orders to ensure that minimum quantity of water is made available to the residents of Mohali and Chandigarh during the period of closure/repairs.

Disposing of the petition, the Bench asserted: “While the repair works, if required, by closure of the mainline canal will certainly go on, undoubtedly, the respondents, the authorities will be under a legal obligation to ensure that minimum necessary supply of water is made available to the residents, if so required, through alternative means.

“The respondents will act accordingly. Beyond the above, no further direction will be justified. The PIL shall stand disposed of in the above terms”, the Bench observed.

Chandigarh, April 7
The court of special CBI judge Ritu Tagore today sent the president of the Chandigarh-16 Cooperative House Building Society, Kulwant Singh Gill, to two-day police custody.

Gill was nabbed red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh for transfer of share certificate related to a flat purchased by the complainant on April 6. The accused was arrested from his residence at Sector 41.

CBI sources said Gill claimed in his statement to investigators that the bribe money was scheduled to be distributed among some staff members of the office of Registrar of Co-operative Society-17.

Though the CBI demanded seven-day custody, the court granted custody for only two days. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act had been registered against Gill.

Panchkula, April 7
District and Sessions Judge Manjit Singh acquitted four persons, including two women, who had been facing charges of abetment to suicide here today. Those acquitted are identified as Surinder Kaur, wife of the deceased, her mother Savitri Devi, and brothers Ram Singh and Hansraj.

According to prosecution, Ramesh, a resident of Nada village, on May 15, last year jumped to death in a well in the village. Following this, the accused were arrested under Section 306 of the IPC for abetment to suicide.

The police claimed that investigations revealed that the accused had beaten Ramesh on the same day following which Ramesh ran towards the well and later his body was fished out by the divers.

On the other hand, the counsels of the accused contended that their clients were not present on the spot at the time of death of Ramesh. They were arrested by the police when they visited the home of their daughter, maintained the counsels. — TNS

Mohali, April 7
The body of taxi driver Amarjit Singh (22), was found near Siswan village on Wednesday. He was murdered by unidentified assailants after robbing his taxi (PB-65-F 6660) on April 5.

A case under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the unidentified miscreants on the complaint of Bhupinder Singh, a resident Nurpur Bedi, Ropar.

SHO Mullanpur Gurwinder Pal Singh stated that Amarjit Singh, a resident of Nurpur Bedi, was working as a taxi driver at a Kharar-based taxi stand. He said on April 5, Amarjit called his taxi owner around 4 pm and told him that he had some known clients who had planned to go to Delhi.Subsequently, the taxi driver took them to Delhi in his car.

The police official said the next morning when the taxi owner tried to call Amarjit on his phone it was switched off.

On April 6, a passerby found a body on the Siswan road and informed the police. After reaching the spot, the police recovered a driving license from his pocket and identified him as Amarjit Singh, a resident of Nurpur Bedi.

The body of the deceased was handed over to the family after conducting a postmortem examination.

The police official said in the preliminary investigation it was found that the deceased had died due to strangulation. His mobile phone was also missing from the spot. The police believes that more than two persons were involved in the crime.

After registering a murder case against the unidentified persons, the police team has started working on various theories, he added.

Panchkula, April 7
Following a complaint from the Panchkula chief judicial magistrate,the local police has arrested a resident of Ropar allegedly for furnishing fake documents as a guarantee in the court. The accused, who was identified as Neeraj was produced in the court today from where he was remanded in police custody for two days.

According to information, Neeraj was in the court of CJM Gurvinder Kaur yesterday when the Judge got suspicious of his antecedents and asked the police to verify his documents, which were found to be forged.

Chandigarh, April 7
When the Indian Premier League (IPL) launched its first edition, it was only natural for the owners of the Punjab Kings XI cricket team to hinge their team around “Punjabiyat” in a big way to associate the team with Punjabis.

With city lad Yuvraj Singh, a Punjabi, captain, the team comprising local boys Pankaj Dharmani, Uday Kaul, Sunny Sohal and Gagandeep Singh, Punjabiat was pronounced.

Three editions later, Punjabiyat in the team seems to be conspicuously depleted if not altogether absent in the fourth edition of the IPL.

Instead, the team is more international than “desi”, which may be just as well considering the attraction Punjabis have for “phoren”.

The Kings XI is dominated mainly by the “Kangaroos”, some of who formed part of the Australian cricket team during Bhajji’s “monkey” episode in Sydney in December, 2009.

Interestingly, the team is being captained by Adam Gilchrist, who was a key batsman of the Australian team.

Besides one or two players - Abhilish and Bipul Sharma - even the other Indian players in the team are non-Punjabis. Even their playing in the matches seems doubtful.

Besides Gilchrist, the Australians in the team include Shaun Marsh, David Hussey, Ryan Harris and Nathan Rammington. David Andrew Miller is South African while Stuart Broad plays for England. The team coach Michael Bevan is also an Australian.

In the domestic players’ list all the key players included Parveen Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Dinesh Karthik (Tamil Nadu), Piyush Chawla (Uttar Pradesh) and Abhishek Nayyar (Mumbai) are outsiders.

Absence of Punjabi players also led many fans of the local team into dilemma. “We have two big players from Punjab- Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh. But both of them are playing for other teams. When Yuvi plays against Kings XI, which Punjabi would like to see Gilchrist emerge winner?” Questioned Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Mohali.

Similarly, local youngsters Mohit Sharma and his friend Vikram Singh said: “This time Kings XI team seem to be Australia’s ‘B’ team. As the entire team is sans Punjabis, local fans will find it hard to associate themselves with the team,” said the duo.

Chandigarh, April 7
Host Banyan Tree School (BTS) Cricket Academy thrashed Madan Lal (ML) Cricket Academy, Gwalior, by 183 runs in the Third Dr DD Sharma All-India Cricket Tournament (U-15) at BTS grounds, Sector 48, here today.

After winning the toss, the ML academy team elected to bowl first. The decision backfired as the BTS team piled up a total of 295 runs with the help of a fine century (113 off 62) by Harry Ahluwalia. Devan chipped in 60 runs in 51 balls.

For the ML academy team, Karanveer claimed 3 for 39, followed by Saurabh, who took 2 for 32.

In reply, the ML team was sent back to the pavilion on a paltry 112 runs in 21.3 overs. Krishna and Zubeer emerged top scorers for their team with identical 15 runs.

Karan, Kanav and Avish made the path easy for the winners by snapping two wickets each.

Brief scores

BTS: 295 for 10 in 35 overs

MLCA: 112 for 10 in 21.3 overs.

Chandigarh, April 7
The Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) will hold the Union Bank ITF Men’s Futures US$-10,000 Tennis Tournament from April 11 to 16. Players from around 17 countries like Japan, France, Germany, Uzbekistan, Luxemburg, Belgium, the USA, Sweden, Serbia, Taipei, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Yugoslavia will be participating in the event.

Organisers said the main draw would have 32 participants in the singles’ event and the size of the doubles’ event will be 16. Singles qualifying rounds will have 32 entries. Sign-in deadline for qualifying round is April 8.

The singles qualifying matches will be held on April 9 and 10.

As many as eight players will qualify for the main draw, along with four wild cards entries, which will make a total compliment of 32 players for the singles main draw matches.

The Indian challenge will have Yuki Bhambri and two stars from the CLTA- Sunil Kumar Sipeya and Vijayant Malik. Dr Jasjit Singh has been appointed the tournament director, while Puneet Gupta will be the referee.

The CLTA has made arrangements for accommodation of the players and officials at Hotel Shivalikview and Hotel Parkview. The technical aspect about the conduct of the tournament is being looked after by Gurvarinder Singh Sahota, director, coaching, CLTA.

Rajan Kashyap, patron-in-chief, stated that arrangements were being made for a live telecast of the semifinal and final matches.

Chandigarh, April 7
Raja Malvinder Singh has emerged as the front-runner for the post of Chandigarh Golf Club president with Punjab IAS officer Harjeet Inder Singh and Col (retd) JS Kang not filing their nomination papers on the last date of the nominations.

The fourth contender for the post, Punjab DGP SR Sharma also pulled out of the presidential race, as he filed his name only for the executive post.

But Sharma’s withdrawal from the race has brought in a last-minute entrant into the presidential battle. He is Col JS Panag, who believes in enforcing transparency in the running of the club.

Malwinder Singh has come out with his full agenda, which includes greener fairways, a better deal for caddies and a safe passage through the road dividing the old and new halves of the club.

Colonel Panag does not have a team, but he claims he can run the club with any team that is elected by members of the Golf Club on April 24.

While Raja Malwinder Singh and Colonel Panag will be fighting it out for the president's race, there are 14 persons in the fray for 11 seats on the executive.

Those in the race for the executive committee are Capt GS Ghuman, Dr BR Jain, Gursharan Sandhu, Colonel Thandi, Dr GS Kochhar, Ravi Bir, SS Bala, Colonel Baidwan, SS Gill, Jasbir Singh, SR Sharma, Anil Gakhar, Satish Kakkar and Colonel Rangi.