Bathinda, May 4
A large number of Rural Medical Officers (RMOs), working on contract basis under Zila Parishads in the state, have joined duties as regular employees in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats since yesterday. They have reportedly joined ‘under protest’ as the department has issued appointment letters to them under various provisions of the Punjab Civil Services (Rationalisation of Certain Conditions of Service) Act-2011, according to which they will get only basic pay for three years.

Talking to TNS today, president of the Rural Medical Services Association (RMSA), Punjab, Dr Aslam Parvez said the RMOs had joined under protest as their services had been regularised by the Punjab Government before the implementation of the Act. He said though no doctor had joined individually under protest but the association had given in writing on behalf of all doctors to the government about it.

Dr Parvez said a deputation of the RMSA, led by him, today submitted a memorandum stating that they were joining under protest, to the Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, Punjab. He said except for joining, the RMOs had no other option at this stage so they preferred to join as regular employees though under protest.

In the memorandum, the RMSA has urged the government to exempt the RMOs from the provisions of the Act while regularising their services as the state government had regularised the services of 1186 RMOs in the cabinet meeting held on March 9 last.

The RMOs have been working under various Zila Parishads since 2006.

The memorandum also stated that the RMOs have already been getting monthly remuneration of Rs 27,500 but under the new Act, they will now get only Rs 15,600 per month and that too for a period of next three years, even after working for several years in rural areas. As the services of the RMOs have been regularised, thus they could not be covered under fresh recruitments in any way.

The association said all RMOs were accepting appointment letters and joining duties under protest, demanding that they should be kept out of the purview of the new Act so that law of justice prevailed and their rights remained protected.

It also urged the government to accept their demand at the earliest possible to prevent the RMOs from resorting to any kind of protest and mass agitation.

Ferozepur, May 4
Even as harvesting of wheat is almost over in the state, some farmers, having land in the close vicinity of the Indo-Pak border across the Sutlej river, have been facing a lot of hardships to complete it. The transportation of men, material and machinery to their farm lands by using boats to cross the Sutlej, has caused delay in the completion of the harvesting of wheat.

Karan Singh, secretary, Border Area Sangharsh Committee, who owned a big chunk of land, situated across the Sutlej at Dona Telu Mal (DT Mal) area of the Indo-Pak border, said, “In certain pockets, the grains of over-ripened wheat have started falling on the ground and hence, the farmers have been getting four quintals less yield than the normal wheat crop per acre, this season.”

“The farmers had to waste time everyday for taking combine to their respective fields by crossing the gates set up in the cobra wire erected close to the Indo-Pak border in the morning and bringing it back in the evening,” he said. He added that it would take 3-4 days to complete the harvesting.

“On the evening of April 29, a tractor-trailer loaded with wheat fell off the boat into the river. The farmers pulled the tractor-trailer out after four hours. Though there was no report of any physical harm to the farmers, the wheat grains were swept away by the water. The tractor, whose engine was damaged, needed an overhaul,” he pointed out.

Farmers said combine harvester owners charged Rs 1600 per acre for harvesting the wheat despite the fact that they charged Rs 700 to Rs 800 per acre for harvesting wheat on normal land. The combine harvester owners agreed to cut wheat crops in this area only after harvesting in other parts of Punjab was over, they added.

They alleged that repeated neglect by the successive governments at the Centre and in Punjab has made the area a ‘no man’s land’ as they lacked basic infrastructure required for carrying out their occupational activities with ease. Even the boats had been purchased by them by collecting money through contribution made by land owners.

They added that though they had made representation to the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in 2009 for constructing a bridge over Sutlej in the DT Mal area to bring prosperity among the farmers who have their lands situated in that enclave, nothing positive had come so far.

Bathinda, May 4
Residents of Bathinda are reeling under heat as the city registered the maximum temperature of 42.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. The weatherman sees no respite till Thursday.

Despite the heat waves continuing unabated, hardly any of the dozen local NGOs came forward to put up stalls offering cold water to people, which had been a common practice in Bathinda during summer.

According to details procured from the meteorology department of the Regional Research Station of the PAU, Bathinda, the maximum temperature on May 1 was recorded at 39.8 degrees Celsius while the minimum was 23.3 degrees.

The next day, the maximum hit the 40.8 degree mark but the minimum registered a decline at 21.6 degrees.

On May 3, the maximum temperature recorded in the city was 42.8 degrees Celsius while the minimum jumped to 24 degrees Celsius.

The officials forecast that there could be respite from heat on May 6 and 7 as there is a possibility of dust storm and thunder showers.

In comparison to the previous year, the summer is late this time. In 2010, the mercury had touched 40 degrees Celsius on April 9 and had crossed 46 degrees Celsius by May 22.

Bathinda, May 4
The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) sold nearly 5.58 acres of land located at the Canal Colony here for Rs 31.38 crore, during an auction held today.

Rajinder Mittal, a renowned industrialist and coloniser of Bathinda, emerged as the successful bidder. He purchased the land at the rate of Rs 13,900 per square metre against the reserve price of Rs 13,395 per square metre.

The auction was conducted by the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) in the presence of its chief administrator Ravi Bhagat besides Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Bathinda, Umashankar Gupta, SDM KPS Mahi, assistant town planner and some representatives of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB).

It is learnt that three firms, namely the Bathinda Chemical Limited (BCL), the Radhey Gobind and the Ashwani Kumar & Cooperatives, had evinced interest in the auction.

Bathinda, May 4
If all goes well, the city will soon have a 2.5-km-long jogging path and bicycle track amidst hundreds of trees and shrubs. To be built at a cost of Rs 5 crore, it is the dream project of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who wants it to be completed within six months.

The project was assigned to the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA), which further allotted it to a private firm — the Silverglades planners and Architects of Gurgaon.

Earlier, the CM wanted it to be constructed along the Bathinda branch of the Sirhind canal but due to some technical and financial reasons, the periphery of the four reservoirs of the municipal waterworks located behind the Rose Garden has been selected for the purpose.

According to the details available, the project would be an extension of the Rose Garden with a beautiful entrance and three lanes — two-metre wide jogging track, three-metre wide bicycle track and a broad green belt dividing the tracks. Keeping in mind the convenience of the visitors, the construction plan includes sheds having sitting arrangement and lavatories.

As a preventive measure against any untoward incident, the authorities have planned to fence the four water reservoirs with tall grills.

Though the modalities are yet to be finalised, the BDA has chalked out a plan to purchase nearly two dozen racing bicycles. Anyone interested in cycling will have to ride only the special bicycles.

Personal bicycles would not be allowed there.

Confirming this, Ravi Bhagat, Chief Administrator, BDA, said, “It would be the best place for the elderly as well as youngsters to spend time with nature and keep themselves physically fit.”

Moga, May 4
Disturbed over the rising cases of malaria among the jawans in the Indian Army at field postings in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the country, the Ministry of Defence has approved a project to develop new anti-malarial therapeutic agents as an alternative approach to overcome the drug resistant stains of ‘plasmodium falciporum’ protozoan parasite causing malarial infections.

Renowned scientists Tilak Raj Bhardwaj, Director, PG Studies and Professor RSR Murthy Director, Academic, in the Indo-Soviet Friendship College of Pharmacy, Moga, have been assigned the research ‘synthesis and evaluation of polymer-linked combined anti-malarial pro-drugs to overcome the emergence of drug resistance for radical cure of malaria’.

Chairman of the college Parveen Garg, while revealing this to The Tribune, said the Life Sciences Research Board of the Defence Ministry has sanctioned Rs 26.98 lakh for the research to develop resistant-free alternate drugs for malaria. Though there are a number of anti-malarial drugs (chloroquine, primaquine, mepacrine, mefloquine ) but emergence of drug resistant stains of ‘plasmodium falciporum’ parasite has limited their therapeutic usefulness. “Therefore, there is a need for the new and effective anti-malarial drugs and alternative approaches to be used in the treatment of malaria,” said the scientists.

Both Bhardwaj and Murthy said in addition to the drug resistant stains, parasites also get localised in the tissue or brain resulting in relapse of infection or cerebral malaria, therefore, the project pertains to evolve polymer-linked combined anti-malarial drugs delivery system, which would not need to drug-resistance and act as more effective agent against parasites, located in blood, tissue as well as brain. "It will not lead to relapse and ultimately result in the total elimination of malarial parasite from the body," they said.

It may be mentioned that malaria is a common infectious disease widespread across the globe with an estimated yearly mortality of 1.5 to 2.7 million as 40 per cent of the world's population lives in malaria endemic areas. It is a common parasitic disease in the Defence Forces and their families living in malaria endemic areas. Anti-malarial drug resistance is a major problem in its treatment. The armed forces are in continuous movement and so they are more exposed to malarial infection.

VR Biswas, Additional Director of the Life Sciences Research Board of the Defence Ministry, is of the view that “need for a long acting, effective formulation of a combined anti-malarial drug is essentially required to keep our forces protected from malaria. Therefore, the research project is one of the possible approaches by which we can achieve radical cure for malaria.”

Abohar, May 4
Alleged involvement of the saffron party workers in thrashing of the sub-divisional engineer of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) has caused cracks in the relations of the coalition partners here.

While six BJP councillors joined the demonstration in the sub-divisional administrative complex seeking registration of case against the SDE for misbehaving with women protesters, the circle SAD has strongly condemned the incident of attack on the SDE Hakam Singh Sidhu inside the old waterworks complex during working hours.

The SAD sought to caution that protest against non-availability of drinking water should not have turned violent. The SAD demanded that the accused must be arrested. Meanwhile, the police confirmed having arrested Mangat Ram and Roshan Lal for thrashing the SDE and assured to arrest accused soon.

However, feeling dissatisfied over the police action, workers of the PWSSB and other state government departments continued strike and staged a 
dharna today.

The employees of the BJP ruled Municipal Council have started pen-down strike against the incident. This brought collection of water, sewerage, house taxes to a standstill. Some residential localities were facing a crisis as the supply of drinking water too remained suspended. Sources said the PWSSB may revive the move to hand over the control of sewerage and waterworks to the financially crunched MC that owes about Rs 2 crore to the Powercom and PWSSB. The Council has also not been provided with senior administrative and engineering officers for some time.

Abohar, May 4
While no activity was reported on the National Bird Day in this remote sub-division of Punjab, many schools in the neighbouring twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh motivated the students to arrange ‘parindas’, fill them with water and food and hang it on trees.

This correspondent found students in Sadulshehar, 30 kilometres from Abohar on the Hanumangarh road, rejoicing over the noble work that they had done to save birds while the meteorological department confirmed that mercury soared to 45 degree centigrade.

During a function organised by the DAV Centenary Public School in Hanumangarh, Principal RK Verma said Bird Day was first observed on May 4, 1894 by Charles Almanzo Babcock, superintendent of schools in the Oil City, Pennsylvania — according to the Library of Congress. Bird Day is often celebrated in tandem with Arbor Day — focusing on conservation and awareness. Scout master Rattan Singh Bhati said National Bird Day was established by bird activists to draw attention to the exploits of pet birds and captive birds.

They encourage bird festivals, bird walks and education programmes across the United States. Bird Day aims to raise awareness of the environmental problems that are making things difficult for these birds-leading to serious declines in many species-and to let people know what they can do to help.

The scouts and guides were also motivated to serve drinking water during summer vacations at the railway station and bus stand besides fixing ‘parindas’ for birds.

Jalalabad, May 4
In an apparent move to have a closer interaction with the people of his own constituency when the assembly elections are less than a year away, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has decided to spend five to six days with them.

Official sources said so far Sukhbir Badal, president, SAD (B), had decided to hold a series of Sangat Darshan functions on May 6, 9 and 12 in different parts of Jalalabad assembly segment, which is spread over various villages bordering Pakistan and facing an acute shortage of drinking water besides other basic amenities. A large number of people of this assembly segment, which returned Sukhbir Badal to Punjab Vidhan Sabha with a record victory margin of over 80000 votes in 2009, have openly shown their anger against the alleged neglect of their area by him.

The town had witnessed a series of traffic blockades on the Ferozepur-Jalalabad road a few months ago, which were organised by the people to lodge their protest over the denial of basic amenities to them. Some of the local leaders of the ruling SAD (B) have also left the party in the past few months.

A rice mill owner said Sukhbir promised that Jalalabad would be made a rice export hub when he contested assembly elections against the Congress candidate Hans Raj Joshan.

He said people had given them an emphatic win and now it was Sukhbir's turn to fulfill promises made by him to the electorate.

Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav said after holding Sangat Darshan on May 6, 9 and 12, Sukhbir Badal would spend a couple of days more in Jalalabad assembly segment for holding a long interaction with the people. The dates of such functions were yet to be finalised.

“Instead of laying foundation stones for different project, Sukhbir will interact with the people,” he said. He added that the last Sangat Darshan functions in this assembly segment were held in the third week of December, last year.

Vardev Mann, member, SGPC and senior leader of SAD (B), said during the Sangat Darshan functions to be held by Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, almost all the common demands of the people of the area would be accepted. 

Sriganganagar, May 4
In a case that had attracted the attention of the national print and electronic media, an interior decorator, Ajay Sharma, has been sentenced to three years of imprisonment while a two-year sentence was awarded to his father Gurdyal Sharma, a retired LIC officer, and mother Vimla Sharma today. The court of Additional Judicial Magistrate Prem Dhanwal, however, granted time for appeal to the Sharma couple.

Vimla was escorted to the court using a wheelchair since she was not well. Ajay is already in judicial custody. Ajay’s wife had lodged an FIR at the women police station on August 20, 2009 under Sections 377, 498A, 406, 323 of the IPC alleging physical intimidation and harassment for insufficient dowry.

Her contention regarding attempt to murder was not proved during the investigation. Ajay was arrested on September 2, 2009 and remanded in the judicial custody. His bail plea had twice been rejected by the High Court. However, father Gurdyal Sharma was granted anticipatory bail while Vimla Sharma was released on bail after appearing in the court.

Moga, May 4
The district police claimed to have nabbed a notorious opium smuggler belonging to Madhya Pradesh and recovered three-and-half kg of opium from his possession.

Stating this, SSP Sneh Deep Sharma said a patrol party of the CIA staff stopped a suspect on the Mehna-Chugawan link road, last evening. The suspect tried to give a slip but he was overpowered and taken into custody. The accused was identified as notorious smuggler Pyar Singh of Madhya Pradesh. During interrogation, it was found that the smuggler was a frequent visitor in the area to supply opium to his customers. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him. 

Abohar, May 4
Tributes were paid to Gopi Chand Ahuja, a prominent philanthropist and lifetime president of the local Gaushala, on his death anniversary during a function held at Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College here, today. Principals of the DAV institutions, Dr BB Sharma, Dr Neelam Arun Mittu and Kusum Khungar, Veena Ahuja and Saroj Miglani, former presidents of Innerwheel Club paid tributes. — OC