Kot Kapura (Faridkot), April 25
In a bizarre incident, lubricant fluid rained even inside the passenger coaches of the Jammu-Bathinda Express early this morning when a pipe carrying oil to the engine burst near here and hundreds of litres of oil splashed on the coaches of the running train.

The incident came as a shock for men, women and children travelling particularly in the ordinary sleeper class when the lubricant splashed at them through the open windows and spoiled clothes of a number of them.

The passengers remained stranded for more than two hours at the Romana Albela Singh railway station till another engine came from Faridkot and pulled the train to Bathinda.

The staff on duty at the railway station said that they heard some unusual sound like that of explosion and within seconds the coaches were drenched in black oil.

The fluid covered the roof and windowpanes of the air-conditioned coaches.

An officer of the railways who did not want to be quoted, said that the lubricant oozed out of the exhaust chimney of the engine of the running train and splashed on the coaches behind.

Passengers described this as a miraculous escape as the train could have caught fire incase some passenger would have been smoking when the oil splashed.

The engine was brought to Bathinda where the exact cause of the mishap was being examined.

Bathinda, April 25
Taking a tough stance, the Bathinda Improvement Trust authorities have decided not to allow the traders to hold Sunday market to carry out sale of old scooters, motorcycles and cars in the parking space of its shopping complex located on the Bathinda-Goniana road.

To ensure its implementation, the decision has been conveyed to those traders, who have been holding the Sunday market.

Official sources said the Improvement Trust authorities took the decision after residents of various colonies, which had come up near the shopping complex, lodged repeated complaints that the Sunday market was causing huge inconvenience to them.

Though the Improvement Trust authorities have issued notices to those who have been organising Sunday market to stop the same, it did not bring the desirable result. The market is being held in the parking area of the shopping complex for the last 10 years.

Chairman of the Improvement Trust Ashok Bharti said in case the traders did not stop organising the car and scooter markets from next Sunday, suitable action would be taken against them.

He said these traders had been offered a piece of land in the Transport Nagar on a temporary basis so as to enable them to continue with their commercial activities.  

Bharti said they had also been offered to take booths being constructed in the Transport Nagar, either by purchasing the same in an auction or on rent.

Gora Lal Jindal, executive officer, Improvement Trust, said the Improvement Trust could not allow anyone to use the parking space of any market to carry out commercial activities. 

Abohar, April 25
The untiring and spotless services rendered by Chaudhary Satya Dev as legislator from Fazilka and Abohar constituencies were acknowledged 19 years after his tragic demise in a road mishap.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal laid the foundation stone of Satya Dev Memorial Gate the link road that connects Choohriwala Dhanna, the native village of the former stalwart of Jan Sangh and Janata Party to the Abohar-Fazilka road (NH- 10) on Friday before reaching village Dangarkhera to hold Sangat Darshan.

This may help the SAD in winning over the Kumhar community to which the veteran leader belonged. The community had thousands of voters in some villages which earlier formed part of the Abohar and Fazilka segments but have now been transferred to the Balluana segment following the delimitation, observers said.

Satya Dev, born on July 8, 1929 had a life-long association with the Rashtriya Swaymsevak Sangh (RSS) since 1944. He had been jailed for spearheading many agitations for national language Hindi and later, during the Emergency. His career as a legislator started from Fazilka in 1962 when he crashed the Congress stronghold and later got elected from Abohar also.

He served as Revenue Minister, also in the SAD-Jan Sangh coalition government for a few weeks. However, he remained neglected by the BJP after his death in 1992 due to the prevailing factionalism.

The CM sanctioned grants to the villages during Sangat Darshan at Dangarkhera that had remained neglected so long they were a part of the Fazilka segment.

Bathinda, April 25
It may sound surprising but two police stations in Bathinda — Civil Lines and Sadar — are located away from their jurisdictions. Even if crime takes place at their doorsteps, the cops posted there are not supposed to take action. In such a situation (which happens several times a month), the staff of the two police stations pass on the message to the police stations concerned. The problem not only results in harassment of the complainants but also emerges as an indirect help to the criminals as it takes time for the cops of the two police stations concerned to reach the place of crime.

Police station Sadar that is meant for villages around the city is located in an old and dilapidating building in the city that falls within the jurisdiction of the Kotwali police station. Though experiencing the problems, the district administration had tried to shift it to a new building at village Bulade Wala that is within its jurisdiction, the proposal was scuttled as the village panchayat reportedly denied land for the purpose.

On the other hand, the Civil Lines police station that caters to almost half of the city, including the Mini-secretariat, courts and officers’ colonies, has recently been shifted to a newly-constructed building located in the Model Town, Phase III. However, the site where the police station is located is out of its own jurisdiction and the area falls within the limits of the Cantonment police station.

“If a crime takes place in our area, we cannot go to the police station located just opposite our houses as the cops posted there do not have the authority to entertain our complaint. We have requested senior police officials a number of times to find a solution to the problem but no action has been taken yet,” rued the members of the Model Town Phase III Welfare Association.

Demanding that their locality should be included in the area limits of the Civil Lines police station, the residents of phase III said it would not only save their time and energy but would also prove beneficial in chasing the culprits more quickly and effectively.

Meanwhile, some of the residents also objected to the title of the police station saying that the Civil Lines area was at least 3 km from the police station and demanded it should be renamed as Model Town police station.

Speaking to The Tribune, the staff of the Civil Lines police station also sounded unhappy with the irregularity. “Sometimes, it becomes very tough for us to make the complainant understand that the building in which we are stationed does not fall in our jurisdiction,” they said.

Bathinda SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill, when contacted, said the problem could be resolved only when the department gets new buildings for the Cantonment and the Sadar police station. He maintained that efforts were on to find the land for the purpose.

Bathinda, April 25
Eminent psychiatrist of the country Shiv Gautam has stressed that non-alcoholism and vegetarianism played a significant role in old age to prevent problems connected with ageing.

Shiv Gautam said this while delivering his keynote lecture on the topic ‘Healthy Ageing and Mental Health of The Elderly’ at the Third National Mid-term CME of the Indian Association of Geriatric Mental Health (IAGMH), organised by the Bathinda Psychiatric Forum here on Sunday.

He said as the average age had increased, the elderly too would have to change their mindset to lead a healthy life. Gautam added that to remain fit, they would have to avoid risks connected with smoking, alcohol and other intoxicants.

Shiv Gautam gave a detailed description of various policies being formulated by the Government of India to tackle the problems being faced by the old people. He referred to the Bhagwad Geeta as the first book of psychotherapy and Lord Krishna as the first psychotherapist.

SS Gill, Vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said the issue which had been confronting the medical fraternity was unrecognised mental health problems in old age like depression and dementia.

He added that other issues calling for equal attention of medical professionals were connected with migration problem of children, parents staying alone, neglect of parents and depression in the old age.

Expressing pleasure over holding of such a conference in Bathinda, he said high prevalence of drug dependence in young males of Punjab besides youth becoming lazy and lethargic were other areas of concern.

At the conference, hundreds of medical professionals having specialisation in the field of psychiatry along with representatives of various non-governmental organisations and other social institutions discussed the modalities to increase the quality of life of elderly people.

Another psychiatrist Avinash de Souza of Mumbai delivered a lecture on physical complication of dependence on alcohol like peptic ulcer, liver disease, pancreatic illness and their treatment.

SC Tiwari of Lucknow spoke about the problem of forgetfulness in old age and its medical management.

Ajit Avasthi spoke about the management of delirium (mental clouding) due to medical disorders and stressed on minimisation of medication. Rajiv Gupta of Ludhiana spoke about depression in old age.

Bathinda, April 25
Three state-level leaders of the agitating Unemployed Linemen's Union were today shifted from the Barnala sub-jail to the Central Jail, Bathinda.

Union leaders here believe that these leaders have been shifted to Bathinda jail as the government thinks that it would be able to weaken their agitation by doing so because they had been leading the agitating linemen from the front.

Mansa district president of the Unemployed Linemen's Union Darshan Singh Bareh said this evening that those shifted from Barnala were Soma Singh Bharroh, Jagtar Singh Mahinangal and Nirmal Singh Mallaah.

He said, however, the union could not know the actual reasons why they were shifted to Bathinda jail.

Meanwhile, the fast-unto-death being observed by Ranjit Kaur (62), mother of state president of the union Pirmal Singh, outside the Mini-secretariat here entered its seventh day today. Her health is deteriorating.

Union leaders said it seemed that the government had adopted an indifferent attitude towards their demands, jobs for unemployed linemen and unconditional release of their jailed colleagues. It was the reason why during the past 48 hours, no government doctor had come to examine Ranjit Kaur, they added.

Darshan Singh Bareh said they would now organise a state-level rally and a demonstration on April 28 in Bathinda, which would be attended by family members of the unemployed linemen in a big way. Besides, a large number of members of other like-minded organisations would also participate in the demonstration, he added.

Meanwhile, state president of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Kiranjit Singh Gehri today visited the protesting unemployed linemen and Ranjit Kaur at the dharna site here. Extending full support to them, he assured that the LJP workers would also join their rally and demonstration in large numbers on April 28.

Bathinda, April 25
Dissatisfied with the inquiry conducted by the SP (D), Bathinda, into an attack on his NRI son Sukhjinder Singh, a resident of Neor village in Phul Tehsil of this district Bikkar Singh has urged the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Bathinda, to re-order the inquiry to be conducted by another senior police officer for providing justice to the affected family.

In his representation submitted to the IG, Bikkar Singh has alleged that on the statement of his son Sukhjinder Singh, who is a resident of Canada, an FIR was registered against Gursewak Singh, Gurdit Singh, Inderjit Singh and Jagraj Singh for opening fire on him (Sukhjinder) and snatching gold chains from him and his mother Balwant Kaur. He has alleged that the incident had taken place on the directions of Jagraj Singh, who is also a resident of Canada.

Bikkar alleged that he had now come to know that during the inquiry, the SP (D) had given a clean chit to Gurdit Singh, Inderjit Singh and Jagraj Singh.

He had also alleged that the inquiry was one-sided as no eyewitness had been included in the inquiry. Besides, the police had not arrested Gursewak Singh, who had attacked his son, so far, he added.

When contacted, SP (D) Jatinder Singh said earlier, the inquiry had been conducted by DSP (Phul) Vinod Kumar, who found the three accused persons innocent.

He further said that he conducted another inquiry and found them innocent. Besides, Jagraj Singh was in Canada when the incident took place, he added.

According to the FIR, Gursewak Singh had shot at Sukhjinder Singh with a pistol at a petrol station near Malooka village on March 17 due to some enmity. The bullet hit him in the thigh.

Bathinda, April 25
Once, the main attraction of Bathinda, the five huge single-screen cinema halls are on the brink of extinction as the interest among cine-goers, who used to frequent there, is gradually waning. It is learnt that the reason for the downfall is that their owners are not able to match the services and the quality that recently-inaugurated multiplexes in the city are providing to the viewers.

During a survey of the local cinema halls, TNS observed that with the rise in income and busy schedules, people have started preferring multiplexes where one can always find the timings that suit to one’s schedule. Moreover, people are getting more particular about the ambience of the cinema hall and the availability of hygienic snacks and other food stuff.

As the traditional old cinemas are being replaced by the new multiplexes in the city, the poor man’s source of entertainment is receiving a severe hit.

Finding viewers heading for multiplexes, the traditional cinema owners were forced to reduce their price of movie tickets. The staff of the three cinemas located in a row on the Bathinda-Goniana road, informed that there had been a sharp reduction in their daily revenue through ticket sale.

“Hardly any of these theatres is earning profit,” they mentioned.

With a capacity of hundreds, the theatres in the city are getting only 25-30 viewers per show.

When asked whether the lack of facilities in the cinemas was the reason for the loss of business, the cinema staff was quick to respond, “What if they are providing more facilities. Compare the ticket price. We are charging just Rs 15 per ticket, which varies from Rs 49 to Rs 140 at multiplexes.”

To keep the cinema halls running, the owners and contractors mostly show Bhojpuri films targetting the migrant labourers. A high-budget movie is screened only after it is removed from the multiplexes.

On the other hand, officials of the Big Cinemas and the Fun Cinemas in the city claim that they are getting good response as they get customers not only from the city but also from nearby districts. “We provide the real feel of technology that goes into the making of a film. Though our ticket prices are higher than the traditional cinema halls, we provide value for money as a viewer gets good acoustics, picture quality and comfortable seats.”

Sriganganagar, April 25
An unidentified Pakistan national was gunned down by a BSF patrolling party in Srikaranpur sector last night.

Sriganganagar, April 25
The sweltering summer has started to affect not only people but also birds and animals in the twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh in West Rajasthan, environmentalist Khazan Makkar said.

As ponds had dried up due to the 21-day long closure of the canal system, the worst affected are the animals and the birds as their habitats are under threat. The gradual disappearance of shallow water spots due to the urbanisation has affected the very existence of various types of birds that resort to wetting themselves in the shallow waters in the summer to cool their body and control the temperature of eggs on which they sit to hatch.

While addressing a meeting after inaugurating a state-of-the-art senior secondary school for boys in village Gurusar Modian on Sriganganagar-Suratgarh road last week, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had advised his followers to hang water pots locally known as ‘Parindas’ for birds on the trees in all the villages.

The Rajasthan Scouts and Guides also decided to motivate the people to save precious birds by filling the water pots daily besides providing pure feed to ensure their safety.

Sources in the Education Department said the heads of educational institutions are being advised to get such pots fixed on each tree before the beginning of the summer vacations and instruct the class IV employees besides the teaching staff on makeshift duty to fill fresh water daily. 

Ferozepur, April 25
Following a call given by the Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (PFUCTO) and the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU), the teachers drawn from various colleges showed protest by ceasing the evaluation work and sitting on dharna for an hour on Friday at the Evaluation Centre of the Panjab University in the premises of DAV College for Women, Firozpur Cantonment against the alleged indifferent attitude of the managing committee of Khalsa College, Amritsar.

According to JR Prashar, State Executive Committee member of the PCCTU, the management of Khalsa College has spoiled the environment for higher education by allegedly suspending three teachers on flimsy grounds.

Gurtej Singh, district president, said the evaluation work of all the universities of Punjab will cease from April 27 onwards, if the letter of intent issued by the Punjab Government to convert Khalsa College into a private university is not withdrawn besides revoking the suspension of the three teachers. — OC