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Concern over soil erosion by Sutlej
Per acre yield of cotton likely to increase by more than 10 per cent
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Cong MLA wants diversion of water to Pakistan probed
Cong to caution banks over advancing loans to state govt
One killed, 19 hurt as land dispute turns bloody
Rally held against police in Barnala
In Zail Singh’s village, girls drop out of school early
Refinery may deliver fuel by mid Nov
Selbrah observes ‘black day’
Excise officials seize vehicle carrying liquor
Pilgrims leave for Amarnath
Jassi flays govt
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Concern over soil erosion by Sutlej
Ferozepur, June 27 The residents of villages, Kutabdin, Nihala Lavera, Dhira Ghara and Kale Ke Hithar, who have been spending sleepless nights for the past few days, said if corrective measures were not taken by the state government, they would become landless as a large chunk of the land would be eroded within a few days. Sukhpal Singh Nannu, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS), who visited the affected villages, said continuous erosion of land in these villages would merge the main Sutlej river with its creek and then the water would start hitting Dussi bundh, Nannu said that continuous erosion of the land had also started posing a threat to the dwellings of the residents of these four villages. He said at Kutabdin village, the distance between the bank of the Sutlej and the dwellings had reduced to few dozen yards due to soil erosion. He said he would take up the matter with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Irrigation minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon tomorrow for the release of adequate funds so that studs could be set up at the vulnerable points to check soil erosion immediately. Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Engineer, Drainage, who also took a round of these villages, said soil erosion was a natural phenomenon whenever the water flows at a low level in the Sutlej. He said so far the situation was under control. The erosion would come to an end when the water level in the Sutlej increases. Gupta added that erosion had also been taking place as there was heavy deposit of silt towards the right bank of the Sutlej and hence, the water was hitting the river’s left bank. He said about 50,000 empty bags were required to erect studs at vulnerable points. He said he would take up the matter with the deputy commissioner to get funds for constructing the studs.
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Per acre yield of cotton likely to increase by more than 10 per cent
Bathinda, June 27 The assessment made by the field staff of the department revealed that the population of cotton plants was 100 per cent in every field and it had happened for the first time in Punjab ever since the Bt cotton was introduced. In the previous years, the population of cotton plants would fluctuate from 80 to 90 per cent as some of them would wilt or burn due to high temperature during the initial stage of their growth. “As the population of cotton plants is 100 per cent and the flowering stage is going on well, hence, it is expected that the per acre yield of cotton will increase by more than ten per cent this year as compared to previous years,” pointed out Tarsem Singh, Joint Director (Cotton), Department of Agriculture, Punjab and GS Chahal, Executive Director, Sir Ratan Tata Trust. Tarsem Singh and Chahal, who held a meeting of chief agriculture officers (CAOs) of all the cotton producing districts of Punjab here today, said if the present condition of cotton plants remained intact, the state would reap a bumper crop. They said the area under cotton crop had gone upto 5.70 lakhs hectares this year as compared to 4.83 lakh hectares last year. The target of cotton production was fixed at 22 lakh bales this year. They claimed that flawless distribution of Bt cotton seeds under the supervision of the state agriculture department, proper sowing in the stipulated period and suitable temperature during the germination period had played a key role in increasing their population. Tarsem Singh said now the farmers were being educated to keep surveillance on the crop and carry out the applications of fertilizers and insecticides according to the recommendations of the department. To curb the attack of mealy bug in future, the farmers were being asked to clear the weeds, which had come up in the vacant fields, located near their cotton fields. “Even the village panchayats have been asked to carry out weed clearance operation by engaging labourers under the NREGA scheme so that mealy bug attack could be blunted,” he claimed.
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Cong MLA wants diversion of water to Pakistan probed
Abohar, June 27 Alleging that the state government had hatched a conspiracy to deprive Abohar, Balluana and Fazilka segments of their due share in canal water, he said the gauge at headworks number 157 of the Sirhind feeder indicates that the discharge was 15.8 feet instead of 16.2 feet that creates a shortfall of 125 cusecs of water. This deprived the farmers in the tail-end villages of adequate quantity of water. It could severely affect cotton crop besides orchards. Surprisingly, water level in Bhakra dam was recorded at 1586 feet and average inflow of water had risen to 55,000 cusecs against the discharge of 28,000 cusecs in Bhakra dam, Jakhar pointed out. The Pong and Ranjeet Sagar dams also had comfortable position, inquiries made from the engineers revealed, he added. Rajasthan farmers flay Punjab Government: Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Kisan Sangharsh Samiti has flayed the Punjab Government for releasing less water in the Ferozepur feeder. Samiti spokesman Subhash Sehgal said the feeder had been designed for 6100 cusecs flow of water but only 5000 cusecs discharge of water was reported for the past three-four days. The Rajasthan government released Rs 90 lakh to the Punjab Irrigation Department last month to take up the long-awaited major repair of the floor beds and sidewalls in the feeder. The latter had claimed that the given work has been finished. Then why was it not being run to its capacity, he questioned.
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Cong to caution banks over advancing loans to state govt
Ferozepur, June 27 While disclosing this here today, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, vice-president, Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (PPCC) and MLA, Guru Harsahai, said the Congress party was compelled to take the decision as the ruling SAD-BJP alliance had been raising loans from different financial institutions and banks, subsequently misusing it and thus putting a financial burden on the already cash-strapped state. “We are not going to ask the financial institutions and banks that loans should not be advanced to the Punjab Government. We would caution them that they should verify as to whether the loan, advanced to the Punjab Government, would be utilised or misused,” he added. “How can development projects worth hundreds of crores of rupees can be executed within a period of six months by the ruling SAD-BJP alliance,” he asked, adding that the state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh would write to the FIs and banks on the issue. He said the Punjab Government tried to raise a loan of Rs 1100 crores for urban development projects when Manoranjan Kalia was the local bodies minister from a bank. However, the bank concerned refused to advance that loan to the state government for various reasons. “Now, again the Punjab Government has contacted HUDCO for raising a loan to the tune of Rs 700 crores for urban development projects to misuse it for wooing the electorate,” he claimed.
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One killed, 19 hurt as land dispute turns bloody
Jalalabad, June 27 The residents got angry after two of them suffered gunshot injuries when they were attacked by the outsiders with fire-arms. The enraged residents retaliated and attacked the outsiders with sticks and swords. They also set the tractor of the outsiders ablaze. Information gathered by the TNS revealed that the outsiders were allegedly supported by an important political figure of Ferozepur district. Police sources said that as per the preliminary information, 15 persons including two women in the outsiders’ group were hurt after they were beaten up by the villagers. On the other hand, two villagers also suffered gunshot injuries. Sources said all the injured were shifted to various hospitals in Faridkot, Muktsar and Jalalabad. The condition of those, who suffered gunshot injuries was stated to be critical. Karamjit Singh, DSP, Fazilka, who reached the spot, said the statements of the injured were being recorded and cases against the accused would be registered separately. He said the deceased was identified as Kabal Singh.
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Rally held against police in Barnala
Barnala June 27 The protesters, alleging that the police was trying to shield the accused, raised anti-police and anti-government slogans while marching through various areas of the town. Addressing a huge gathering at the grain market, social workers Narayan Datt and Maghar Singh Kulriyan, state president of Kacha Arhtiya Association Vijay Kalra, alleged that the police succumbed to political pressure and tried to hush up the murder case. They took strong exception to the ‘fact’ that after public pressure, the main accused was included in column number 2 of the challan which was despite the fact that the murder had been committed 100 yards away from te SSP office that too in broad daylight over three months ago. The speakers sought a free and fair probe by a senior official so that the real culprit behind the murder of Pali gets punished. They also warned the police and the government that Arhtiyas of the state would launch a fight for justice if free and fair investigation is not ordered into the case. SSP, Barnala, Gurpreet Singh Toor told TNS that police has arrested two of the accused within 20 minutes of the crime. "We also arrested the third accused named in the FIR and he is in jail. The matter is sub-judice since he has filed an application in court,” the SSP said. "Since some protesters have given a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, so we will look into that also,” he said.
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In Zail Singh’s village, girls drop out of school early
Sandhwan (Faridkot), June 27 The village sarpanch, Sukhdev Singh, said although the district headquarters at Faridkot was just about 5 kms away from here but the villageers were not willing to send their daughters there for schooling beyond class X. The village has a co-education high school, but most girls discontinue their study after the tenth class as their parents do not allow them to go to the town that has Plus Two schools and a college, said village elders Gurcharan Singh and Gurmeet Singh. The high school should be upgraded to the secondary level, they demanded. The village folk give credit for development of the area to Giani Zail Singh, but point out that after his death the village has become orphaned. Neglect of the area was not only by the present SAD-BJP coalition government, the previous Congress governments also did not pay any attention to their problems after Giani Zail Singh strained his relations with the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1987 by refusing to give assent to the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill arming the government with powers to censor any personal mail. Sukhdev Singh said the village has been split into two panchayats because of the increasing population. The biggest problem was of waterlogging as the government has yet to lay a sewerage system here. The sewerage project for five villages of Faridkot, including Sandhwan, was sanctioned in 2004, but nothing has been done so far.
The cotton yarn spinning mill sprawling over 30 acres set up during Giani Zail Singh's tenure, employed about 2100 men and women. It was shut in 1998 and transferred to a business tycoon, said the sarpanch. Gurcharan Singh pointed out that although the village is situated between Faridkot and Kotkapura towns on the highway but even private buses do not stop here to pick up the passengers and as such the railway station set up on the directions of Giani Zail Singh was a great relief to the common people as all passenger trains heading towards Bathinda, Ferozepur and Delhi stop here. The railways have rightly named the station as “Giani Zail Singh Sandhwan”, Gurcharan Singh appreciated. Gurmeet Singh said it was during the Giani's tenure as Chief Minister that a post office, dispensary, veterinary hospital and a school were set up in the village. Gurnam Singh and Jaswant Kaur, who were the immediate neighbours of Giani Zail Singh when he lived in his old house where a tower and a photo museum have now been constructed in his memory, recalled that the Giani made a group of about 50 residents of the village stay in the Rashtrapati Bhavan when they visited New Delhi when he was the President. The Giani also arranged for their transportation to various places of tourist interest in and around Delhi. They also recalled that the Giani arrived in a helicopter in the village to attend the cremation of his elder brother Jagir Singh.
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Refinery may deliver fuel by mid Nov
Bathinda, June 27 Disclosing this here today, Mohinder Singh Meena, a senior functionary of the North West railway, said the tentative date for transporting the processed fuel from the refinery to other parts of the country was conveyed to RC. Aggarwal, General Manager, North West Railway and SS Gupta, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Bikaner division, by senior officials of the refinery today. He said both Aggarwal and Gupta, accompanied by other officials of the railway department, held a meeting with the refinery top brass to work out the modalities. The railway authorities were informed that the refinery was expected to be commissioned by September or October and hence, they expected that processed fuel would be ready for transportation to other places of India by November 15. Meena said Aggarwal and Gupta carried out an inspection of the railway siding, being constructed by the refinery management. The railway siding is being constructed by the management of the refinery to connect it with the already existing railway line nearby. The other purpose of the visit of the two railway officials was to get first-hand information about the volume of business, which the railway would get from the refinery by way of transportation of fuel and income. He said that apart from inspecting the railway siding, both Aggarwal and Gupta also discussed other safety aspects connected with the transportation of fuel to other parts of country through railways. He said that Aggarwal also inaugurated the TTE (Train Ticket Examiner) resting room at the Bathinda railway station. They also inspected the rail section between Suratgarh and Hanumangarh railway stations.
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Selbrah observes ‘black day’
Bathinda, June 27 Some of the protesters wore black gowns and sported black bands on their foreheads. They also held black flags while taking out a protest march through the village streets, demanding withdrawal of "false cases", registered against the Selbrah villagers and release of jailed villagers. Before the march, the protesters also held a rally in the village. The protesters were led by leaders of various political parties, including state executive member of the CPI Jagjit Singh Joga, Gurcharan Bhagta (CPM), Randhir Singh Dheera (BSP) and Sewak Singh Kuka (LBP). On May 2, the police had arrested 20 persons from Selbrah village on the charge of attacking the police on April 30 evening when a clash had reportedly taken place between the police and the villagers over the issue of a liquor shop in the Selbrah village. The villagers had then alleged that the police had committed atrocities on them. CPI leader Joga said 14 persons were now out of jail while six were still in jail. He said they would now start burning of effigies in the Phul Assembly constituency from July 3. As part of the programme, the first effigy of the state government would be burnt in Bhagta Bhai Ka village. He said their agitation would continue till the release of remaining persons and cancellation of "false cases" registered against the villagers. Joga claimed that as per the information procured by him under the RTI Act, in the official record, no site for liquor shop existed at the place in Selbrah village, for whose protection the police committed "atrocities" on the villagers and sent them to jail when they had been agitating to get that liquor shop closed. Among others who were present were Jagjit Singh Joga, district secretary of Punjab Istri Sabha Jasvir Kaur Sra, Jeet Singh
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Excise officials seize vehicle carrying liquor
Bathinda, June 27 Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner Bathinda Pawan Garg said the excise officials had taken the four-wheeler in their possession for verification as the driver of the vehicle had no documents, related to liquor records, with him. The AETC said the liquor was found to be legal as the bottles contained holograms of the excise department. He said the vehicle was coming from Nawanshahar side towards Bathinda when the excise official stopped it for checking. — TNS
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Abohar, June 27 The group was led by Hari Ram Solanki. Another batch of pilgrims, who left by chartered bus today in the evening, included Satish Munjal of Nai Abadi, who hopes to pay obeisance for the fifth time. More than 50 volunteers had earlier left for Pehalgam to organise free kitchen at Pissu Top on the Chandanwari route from June 29 onwards. Shri Amarnath Langar Seva Samiti had been organising bhandara there for the past 13 years, president Bhim Sain Jat informed. — OC
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Jassi flays govt
Bathinda: Local Congress MLA and general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Harmandir Singh Jassi was honoured here by the local SC cell of the Congress party. Jassi was honoured as he had been made party's general secretary some time ago. Speaking on the occasion, Jassi flayed the SAD-BJP government saying it had been misleading people by making 'false' claims on various fronts. — TNS Entrance test
BATHINDA: The All-India online entrance test for 13 courses offered by the Central University of Punjab shall be conducted on July 16 at 16 centres, including Bathinda, Chandigarh, Shimla and Noida. The last date for online submission of forms is June 30. Candidates who have appeared in their qualifying exam and are awaiting results are also eligible. The details are available on the university website www.central Price hike flayed
Bathinda: The BKU (Sidhupur) at a meeting held on Monday condemned the hike in prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG. — TNS |
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Fear started gripping the residents of various villages located on the left bank of the Sutlej river, flowing in the district, after its water, which has been flowing at a low level, started eroding the soil aggressively.
A person was killed on the spot while 19 others including two women suffered multiple injuries after a bloody fight took place among the residents of Chak Swah Wala village of this sub-division and a group of outsiders, who tried to possess Panchayat land forcibly late in the evening today.The residents got angry after two of them suffered gunshot injuries when they were attacked by the outsiders with fire-arms.
In this village of Giani Zail Singh, the first Punjabi to become the President of India, the dropout rate of girls after the high school level is about 70 per cent as its residents are afraid of sending their daughters for further study to the neighbouring towns because of reports of rising crime graph.
