Bathinda, May 12
Even as arrival of wheat in grain markets and purchase centres in various parts of Malwa region has started declining, the lifting of wheat bags procured by different agencies is yet to gain momentum.

Though the officials of state procurement agencies and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) concerned claimed that lifting of wheat bags had been going on smoothly and more than 75 per cent of procured wheat had been lifted so far, some purchase centres particularly in rural areas are still choked with wheat bags.

In some of the grain markets located in urban areas, lakhs of wheat bags have been lying for the past many days.

Jaswant Kumar Bhallo, vice-president, Arhtiya Association, Punjab, and a leading commission agent of Rampura, said though the procurement of wheat had entered its fag end, the problem of lifting of wheat bags was still there in certain pockets of Malwa region due to acute shortage of labour.

He said in certain pockets, the FCI officials failed to carry out auction of wheat everyday. The officials also failed to provide an adequate number of gunny bags to commission agents in certain pockets. He said ‘Katcha’ purchase centres had been facing problems on account of slow lifting of wheat bags.

Satish Kumar, a leading commission agent of Bathinda, said the situation in connection with lifting of wheat bags had become normal in the local grain market.

TS Chopra, District Food and Supply Controller (DFSC), Bathinda, claimed that by May 15, all the grain markets and purchase centres would be cleared of every grain of wheat.

Harjit Singh Neelamann, president of the Arhtiya Association, Muktsar, said a large number of wheat bags were still lying in Kot Bhai, Madhir, Maha Bhadar, Jawahar Wala, Doda, Kauni, Khunan Kalan and Khunan Khurd purchase centres.

However, Kaushal Nath, DFSC, Muktsar, claimed that everyday, 30 to 40 trucks were being sent to rural purchase centres to lift wheat bags. He said within five to six days, all the grain markets and purchase centres would be cleared of wheat bags.

Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav said only two stations, namely Abohar and Jalalabad, had been facing problem on account of slow lifting of wheat bags. He said the DFSC had been asked to sort out the problem at the earliest.

He said wheat bags, which got wet in Jalalabad grain market due to rains that lashed the area a few days ago, were being segregated and after this exercise is over, lifting of wheat would pick up.

Bathinda, May 12
The rice millers association of Muktsar has urged the government to introduce a one-time settlement for the previous disputes pertaining to the stock of paddy.

In a letter to Governor Shivraj Patil and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, vice-president of the millers association Bhagwan Bansal has demanded that the previous disputes should be settled to provide relief to millers. This would also result in revenue generation for the government.

He pointed out that the storage capacity of grains has not been increased by the Food Corporation of India while the production was increasing every year.

The stocks stored in the open on the premises of the millers get damaged and they have to face the penalty imposed by the government agencies.

He demanded that the backlog of, at least, the past 10 years should be cleared through one time settlement.

Ferozepur, May 12
Some Congressmen of this border district, led by former MLA Ravinder Singh Babbal, today staged a dharna in front of Kulgadi police station and blocked traffic on the Ferozepur-Moga road for hours to get a case registered against Congress leaders belonging to another faction of the party.

Ravinder Singh Babbal, former Congress MLA, staging a blockade on the Ferozepur-Moga road on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

This is perhaps for the first time that the Congressmen of this district, who have launched a number of agitations against the ruling SAD-BJP alliance of Punjab in the past four years, have launched an agitation to get a criminal case registered against their own party men.

Babbal, who along with his supporters went to the house of SSP Kaustab Sharma late in the evening after lifting the dharna, said one of the party leaders Gurwinder Singh was injured after he was attacked by a group of workers having association with another leader of the district.

He added the accused had also fired shots at the car, in which Gurwinder was being taken to the hospital after he was injured in the attack by other Congress workers when a meeting of the party leaders was being held by Harminder Singh Jassi, general secretary, PPCC, in a banquet hall here, yesterday.

He alleged that the attackers also used derogatory remarks against the members of a Scheduled Caste community openly. He said he would not sit idle till the case against the accused was registered.

Yesterday, some of the party men threw chairs at each other and exchanged blows in the presence of senior leadership of the party, who held a meeting to work out the modalities in connection with the visit of party president Captain Amarinder Singh here on May 17. Anoop Singh, President, DCC, Ferozepur, who was conducting an inquiry into the circumstances, which led to the brawl, said he would submit his report to Captain Amarinder Singh tomorrow. Only the party high command was authorised to take disciplinary action against workers found guilty, he said.

Meanwhile, Babbal said the SSP had assured that the matter would be investigated and action taken accordingly. He added that the SSP Sharma had sought some time to complete the investigation. He said if justice was denied to them, they would launch an agitation again.

Zira, May 12
Manpreet Badal, President, People’s Party of Punjab (PPP), while announcing today that his party would not contest the SGPC elections because of its secular character, claimed that Punjab would witness establishment of non-Congress and non-SAD-BJP government in the state.

He addressed a series of meetings at Zira and Makhu areas. Manpreet said the PPP had started emerging as the third alternative for the people of Punjab. He said the PPP could contest the next assembly elections in alliance with like-minded parties. He was accompanied by Shavinder Kaur Jauhal, former president, Istri Akali Dal (Badal) and Jaijeet Jauhal. Manpreet claimed the PPP was going to people with an agenda to provide them the rule of law, if voted to power. He said Punjab could make progress in all fields only after the rule of law is established.

While accusing the ruling politicians of implicating Jaijeet Jauhal and others in a false criminal case, he said the PPP had also taken a pledge that the culture of implicating people in false criminal cases would be brought to an end after the state witnesses a change in the next assembly elections.

He said whosoever was behind the registration of the criminal case against Jaijeet and others would have to face dire consequences.

Manpreet said he had to leave the SAD (B) as he was fed up with corruption prevailing in the system.

He appealed to the people to enroll themselves as the members of the PPP in large numbers to bring about a significant change in Punjab's politics. 

Sriganganagar, May 12
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s arrest sparked off protests in the twin districts of Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar on Thursday.

Youth Congress workers led by Navneet Poonia organised a protest march at Hanumangarh during which an effigy of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Mayawati was set ablaze after sloganeering.

While addressing the rally, senior functionaries including Saurav Rathore, Sabeer Mohammad and Anil Kheechad criticised Mayawati for flowing dictatorial policies in victimising farmers and Dalit communities. Councillor Sunder Lal said that the YC workers, if required, would not hesitate in marching to UP to support the agitation launched by the affected farmers.

Mansa, May 12
Minister for Animal Husbandry Gulzar Singh Ranike today warned the district officials that corruption, dilly-dallying tactics and irregularities in the on-going development works in the district would not be tolerated. He also directed them to complete the development works at the earliest. Ranike said this while presiding over a meeting of the District Grievances Redressal Committee held here.

He also asked the officials to redress the grievances of the people on a priority basis and without any negligence. The minister also asked the district administration to remove encroachments in the district.

DC Ravinder Singh assured the minister that he would personally supervise the on-going development works to expedite its completion. In today’s meeting, 10 complaints were tabled for discussion, of which seven were settled on the spot. 

Bathinda, May 12
MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal sanctioned Rs 90 lakh for development works in various villages around here during her ‘Sangat Darshan’ today.

During her visit to a number of villages of the Maur block, she took a stock of the ongoing development works and listened to the problems of the people. Most of the problems were settled on the spot.

She laid foundation stones of reverse osmosis (RO) plants to provide potable water to residents of the villages.

So far, 400 villages have been provided with RO plants and work was progressing in the remaining villages, Harsimrat said.

She blamed the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for the steep rise in prices, which was caused due to frequent increase in the price of petroleum products.

The Bathinda MP accused the UPA Government of pursuing "anti-people" policies, as a result of which common people were suffering.

Listing the achievements of the SAD-BJP government, Harsimrat Kaur said during the last four years, a large-scale development had taken place in Punjab. Four thermal power projects were being built to make Punjab power surplus. These projects will generate 6,000 MW of electricity.

Harsimrat said the SAD-led government was providing subsidised rations to about 17 lakh families in the state.

She was accompanied by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagdeep Singh Nakai, Deputy Commissioner S Karuna Raju and SSP Sukhchain Singh Gill.

Mansa, May 12
A team led by Neelam Bajaj, Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, took the record pertaining to the treatment given to Jaspreet Kaur at the local civil hospital, into custody today for investigating the reasons, which led to her death at the PGI Chandigarh, yesterday.

Official sources said an inquiry into the death of Jaspreet Kaur due to mysterious reasons had been ordered by the Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla. She has especially deputed Neelam Bajaj to conduct the inquiry.

Pritpal Pal Singh, Civil Surgeon, Mansa, said the record of the blood bank of the local civil hospital, was also taken into custody by the inquiry team.

Jaspreet Kaur, who delivered a girl at the local civil hospital three days ago after undergoing caesarean section, died at PGI, Chandigarh, yesterday where she was referred by the local doctors after her condition deteriorated due to continuous bleeding.

Pritpal Singh, when asked, whether Jaspreet Kaur had died as she became serious after she was infused blood which did not match her blood group, said the angle would be investigated by the inquiry team.

He added that Jaspreet kaur was given 4 to 5 units of blood in succession to maintain her blood pressure as she was to be shifted to the PGI (Chandigarh) from the local civil hospital.

The body of Jaspreet, who belonged to Ubhe village, was cremated today.

Chak Saido Ke (Ferozepur), May 12
The students, a large number of teachers and residents of this village staged a dharna in front of the local government high school to lodge their protest against the alleged high-handedness of its head Brij Mohan Singh. The students, teachers and residents of the village also lodged a protest against the head yesterday as well.

However, the educational activities came to a complete halt today when the students and teachers skipped their classes and staged a dharna with the active support of a large number of residents.

Though the issue was connected with the non-payment of salaries to some of the staff members, who made the students skip their classes to join the agitation, could not be known.

Naresh Kumari, District Education Officer (Secondary), said as the matter was serious hence she would go to the school tomorrow on her own to make on the spot inquiry about the incident.

She added that anyone, who was found guilty, would be dealt with as per the departmental rules.

The protesters alleged that Brij Mohan Singh had withdrawn his own salary for the months of March and April 2011 while he did not complete the formalities for facilitating the payment of salaries to about 22 other staff members. They alleged that atmosphere in the school premises had deteriorated.

Brij Mohan Singh, while denying all the allegations, said the pay bills for withdrawing the salaries of some of the staff members were not submitted by a clerk Jasminder Singh into the treasury office concerned even when he had put his signature on it and hence the staff members could not get their salaries.

Jasminder Singh said Brij Mohan Singh had not signed the pay bills and hence it could not be submitted in the treasury office concerned. He said about 22 staff members including him could not get their salaries for two months. 

Katar Singh Wala (Bathinda), May 12
Member of Parliament (MP) from Faridkot Paramjit Kaur Gulshan today called upon nursing students to play a vital role in protecting unborn girls by educating people, especially the women folk, by shunning female foeticide.

She said the main reason why baby girls were killed in their mothers' wombs was the social evil of dowry. She said the parents should shun this notion. The girls were not anymore a burden on them these days because they were securing good positions in almost every sector, be it education, sports or commerce.

Gulshan asked the students to disseminate the message of “Nanhi chhaan” door-to-door. Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has taken an initiative to save the "Rukh and Kukh" (tree and womb) under the banner of “Nanhi chhaan”, she added.

Gulshan was here today in connection with a function organised at Dr Nagpal's Punjab Public College of Nursing to celebrate the International Nurses Day.

Chief Administrator, Bathinda Development Authority, Ravi Bhagat was also present.

Gulshan also told the nursing students that they could serve the humanity in a better way if they were of the view that they were not entering a profitable profession.

Managing director of the Nagpal Group of Institutions Dr GS Nagpal and chairman of the college Dr TS Nagpal also urged the students to keep in mind that they were in the nursing profession to give a healing touch to patients.

The MP also honoured students who had excelled in examinations. On the occasion, nursing students also took a pledge to serve the humanity while performing their duties in future. The students also presented a skit “Nanhi chhaan” discouraging the evil of female foeticide. The girls also presented a choreography on a Punjabi song. They also performed UK Bhangra and Malwai giddha.

Sriganganagar, May 12
Sowing of cotton has been affected in the twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh in neighbouring Rajasthan because of the Vijayee Bhava exercise of the Army and Air Force. The crop that had recently been sown in some segments has been damaged due to the ongoing exercise.

Some of the young farmers from the affected villages today submitted a memorandum to the District Collector Bhanu Parkash at Hanumangarh. While leading the deputation, Rajinder Prasad, vice-president, Panchayat Samiti said the areas irrigated by the canal water had also been acquired temporarily for the exercise even when Bt cotton had already been sown there. The villages connected with the IGNP Naurangsar Desar distributary, Suratgarh distributary and Rawatsar branch canal had not got canal water for scheduled sowing of cotton while supply would be suspended by May 13 as per rotation.

The experts had advised that cotton should be sown during the first fortnight of this month but it would not be possible due to the Army exercise. Sowing of cotton can be extended to May 20 provided water is released for a week in all the canals that exist in the segments occupied by the Army.

The deputation demanded that adequate compensation should be ensured for the farmers, who had been affected by the exercise. There were reports that some farmers in Suratgarh sub-division were yet to be paid compensation against the loss suffered by them due to such annual exercise, last year.

Notably, supply of water had also remained suspended in a dozen distributaries and sub-canals for three weeks in April to facilitate lining, repair of floor beds and pressure release valves in the Gang (Bikaner) canal, the work was finished by April 30 and the sowing of cotton was scheduled for the first fortnight of this month.

The DC reportedly assured that the matter would be taken up with the officials concerned.

Ferozepur, May 12
Resentment prevailed among the residents of Kunde village of the district over the delay being caused by the authorities concerned in removal of an encroachment on one of its streets by another resident identified as Amar Singh.

The residents alleged that though all the formalities for getting the encroachment removed on the public street had been completed by them, the authorities concerned had failed to take action against the offender so far. They added that the residents of about 20 houses had been facing problems in moving from one place to another. Though the matter was taken up with the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) by the Phapo, sarpanch of the village panchayat, encroachment could not be removed. Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav had also given his consent for removing the encroachment.

Gurmeet Singh Dhillon, BDPO, said he was busy in Sangat Darshan functions held by CM Parkash Singh Badal. Hence, he could not take action. He said the encroachment would be removed soon.

Jaswant Singh, SHO, Sadar, Ferozepur, said the police help would be made available to the officials. However, he added that it would be given only if the encroachment would be removed in presence of the duty magistrate. 

Bathinda, May 12
The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited organised a seminar on conserving electricity here today.

In the programme, students from the local MHR School and the SSD School, the power consumers and the officials of the corporation took part.

Chief Engineer (Distribution) Jaspal Singh urged people to make judicious use of electricity. He also asked them to use CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) in place of incandescent bulbs to save power.

The students and the consumers also expressed their views on power saving.

Jaspal honoured the students who performed well in a declamation contest on electricity saving. They were Aashmeen, Shubham Goyal and Kavita.

Abohar, May 12
Four persons have been sentenced to 10-year imprisonment each by a special court at Sriganganagar for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting two girls of Abohar. Amarjit Kaur, a resident of Abohar, had on March 25, 2003 lodged an FIR alleging that five persons travelling by a jeep offered lift to her daughters, who were to go to their inlaws’ village Mateeli Rathan. The girls had not reached the village.

The police recovered the girls and filed a case in the court against Harneet Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Vinod Kumar, Sheetal, Gurmeet Singh, Guddi Devi, Manzoor Ali, Sonia, Girdhari Lal and Charanjit Kaur of village Khuyiansarwar (Abohar). The special court today sentenced Harneet Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Girdhari Lal under Section 376 (2) (3) of the IPC to 10 years of imprisonment each besides holding them guilty under Sections 344, 366 and 368. Manzoor Ali has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment under Section 366, Vinod Kumar, Guddi, Gurdeep Singh, Sonia were also convicted under various Sections for their alleged involvement in the crime. — OC

Mansa, May 12
In a bizarre incident, a minor girl hailing from a Scheduled Caste community was repeatedly exploited sexually by a boy living in the neighbourhood. When the girl became pregnant, the accused killed the baby in the mother’s womb by administering her some medicine.

The girl belonged to Khiva Khurd village of the district. She was treated by the doctors of the local civil hospital where she was brought by her kin in a serious condition after she aborted the seven month old dead foetus.

A case in this connection was registered against Avtar Singh Tari, the accused, on the statement of the girl, a class X student of Government High School, Khiva Khurd village, under Sections 376 and 315 of the IPC. The accused is yet to be arrested.

Police sources said Avtar raped the victim about 8-9 months ago. After that, he repeatedly exploited her. After the girl started holding out threat to him that she would bring the matter to the notice of her parents, the accused promised to marry her. Sources said when the victim informed the accused about her pregnancy, the accused took her to different doctors of the area for its termination.

Pritpal Singh, Civil Surgeon, said the post-mortem of the dead foetus would be done. He said the police had also taken permission from him to take the DNA sample of the deceased baby.

He informed that the girl was undergoing treatment at the hospital.