Bathinda, July 12
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, celebrating his 80th birthday in December 2007 at Bathinda, had made a promise to the people of Punjab that the whole canal system in the state would soon be revamped.

However, even after more than three years, a majority of canals which have become highly breach-prone, including the 90-mile-long Bathinda branch of the Sirhind canal that caters to a large chunk of Malwa, are still crying for attention.

Thanks to the apathetic attitude of the government, the menace of breaches is giving sleepless nights to all except the officials concerned.

The Bathinda branch of Sirhind canal that off takes from the head works near Doraha, reportedly carries nearly 2,200 cusecs of water. On reaching Bathinda, the level becomes 800 cusecs at the Bibiwala head works.

During the rains, when the state government is making big claims about its preparedness to tackle the flood threat, residents of the Bathinda region find themselves left at the mercy of God.

Repeated pleas to repair the damaged banks of the canal have failed to attract the attention of the officials concerned.

On walking a few miles along the canal, The Tribune team today found the situation to be precarious as long patches of the banks were badly damaged due to soil erosion. At many points, the water was level with its banks.

A baildar (caretaker of the canal) informed that the banks had become so weak that cracks could take place at any time. He claimed that discharging his duty, he had brought the situation in the notice of his seniors.

A group of farmers at Poohli village, worried over the pathetic condition of the canal, fear that if a breach occurs, their crops would be damaged.

The stretch of the canal that crosses Bathinda city is also in bad shape. Despite undergoing a harrowing experience in 2007, when a wide breach in the canal had created a deluge in many localities, no preventive measures have been taken till now.

Terming the canal a ticking bomb, a former official of the Irrigation Department informed that the canal banks had been weakened due to rat holes and roots of trees. If not repaired immediately, it would lead to a blast, he said.

Nirmal Singh Brar, executive engineer, Irrigation Department, admitted the canal needed immediate repair. He informed that a detailed project worth Rs 231 crore for the entire canal had been approved, but funds had not been allocated.

However, Brar claimed that perceiving the breach threat, the irrigation staff had been directed to intensify monitoring.

Bathinda, July 12
Deputy Commissioner Dr S Karuna Raju today inspected main canal Nathana (a branch of Sirhind canal) at Nathana and the Bathinda distributary passing through the military area here. He took stock of the weak points of the Nathana canal and ordered its repair.

The SDO of Bathinda canal sub-division, Makhan Lal Mangla, and the JE of the Bibi Wala section, Major Singh, accompanied the DC.

SDO Mangla told the DC about various problems being faced by his department in inspecting and maintaining the Bathinda distributary as it passed through the military area. He said despite having valid passes for entering the military area, the army personnel did not allow them to repair or maintain the canal. “Either the military personnel should own the responsibility to maintain the canal or they should not prevent us from doing so,” he said.

The DC asked the SDO to prepare a detailed report in this regard to resolve the problems being faced by the Canal Department. — TNS

Mansa, July 12
With the threat of flood looming large over this district that witnessed the havoc wreaked by the river Ghaggar last year during the monsoon, a team of 45 jawans of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has set up camp here. Though the river is at present flowing much below the danger mark, taking no chances, the NDRF team has launched its familiarization exercise, called Famex.

Besides identifying the vulnerable points, the team led by the Assistant Commandant, 7th Battalion, NDRF, Anil Dabral, is reviewing the disaster management plan of the district administration and collecting data on the preparedness to handle the situation. Well-experienced in responding to all kind of calamities including floods, the NDRF jawans are suggesting that the administration make the alterations in their arrangements as per the requirement. They had even visited the Chandpura dam located at the border of Punjab and Haryana, which is the main point from where the Ghaggar overflows and causes floods in the low-lying villages of Mansa district.

Speaking to The Tribune, Anil Dabral informed that the NDRF team was mapping the whole district, collecting all related details including the capability of the district administration to respond to any untoward situation, the availability of infrastructure, etc.

Dabral mentioned that the NDRF team was also holding camps in the villages and imparting training to the people residing close to the Ghaggar about the preventive measures to save themselves and their property in case floods take place.

Meanwhile, the SDM Sardoolgarh, NS Brar, who also holds the charge for Mansa, said the civil administration was well-prepared to tackle the situation. Brar informed that besides setting up control rooms at the sub-division level, the district had been divided into sectors and gazzeted officials had been appointed as nodal officers to monitor the situation round-the-clock.

Replying to related queries, Brar claimed that the boats were repaired and all departments including the health and animal husbandry had been directed to be well-prepared to quickly respond to the situation.

It was also reported that Mansa SSP had set up a special police post near the Chandpura dam and directed his staff to remain vigilant.

Moga, July 12
PPS officer Paramdip Singh Sandhu, posted as SP in the internal vigilance cell of the Punjab Police at its headquarters, who was taken into custody by the CBI in a bribery case, today, was also allegedly involved in the infamous Moga sex scandal that rocked the state in 2007.

A criminal case under sections 120-B, 182, 195, 211, 384 of the IPC and section-7, 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was registered against him and many others by the CBI in connection with the sex scandal in February 2009. The case is presently pending before the court of the special judge of the CBI at Patiala.

The CBI had prosecuted all the alleged accused in the case except for this PPS officer whose sanction for prosecution had not been given by the state government. The CBI, in its findings, found that when Sandhu was posted as SP (H) at Moga from 2006-07, a few women accused some rich persons of the area of sexually abusing them.

Sandhu’s subordinates, the lower level police officials and influential politicians of the area, intervened and struck deals allegedly through the SP (H) and the then SSP Davinder Singh Garcha and consequently, the girls refused to identify the accused. However, Sandhu had denied all these allegations while talking to this correspondent a number of times.

Although an FIR was registered by the Moga police in the racket but the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, keeping in view the sensitivity of the scandal, referred this case to the CBI for investigation. The state government challenged the jurisdiction of the High Court in referring this case to the CBI and on this pretext, had not yet given sanction to prosecute Paramdip Sandhu, the PPS officer.

Meanwhile, a Constitution Bench of five judges of the Supreme Court last year ruled that High Courts would no longer be bound to take the consent of the state governments in handing over investigations to the CBI. Legal experts say the decision of the apex court would directly affect the ongoing trial in the Moga sex scandal at the CBI court.

On the other hand, a Bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and AK Patnaik of the Supreme Court had on April 6 this year indicated that it might allow the trial in both the cases--- one registered by the state police under FIR No. 82 in 2007 and then by the CBI, relating to the Moga sex scam involving local politicians and senior police officials. The Bench has reserved judgment in the case. It may be mentioned that the infamous Moga sex scandal involving police officers and many local politicians had virtually shaken the state.

Moga, July 12
The agriculture department has introduced a leaf colour chart in the Moga district for the farmers to check the judicious use of nitrogen-rich fertilizers (urea) in the paddy crop for getting better yield by reducing the cost inputs.

This leaf colour chart technology, originally developed by the International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, has recently been approved by the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana. The PAU has also started manufacturing this chart, the subsidised price of which has been fixed at Rs 35 per piece for the paddy growers. The Chief Agriculture Officer of Moga Dr Ravi Kumar Sabbarwal and Agriculture Officer Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar revealed that the chart has six shades of green colour. Farmers have to keep it beneath the top leaves of the paddy crop and note the colour. If it matches the first, second and third colour in the chart, they need not apply urea.

If the colour of the paddy leaf is very pale and resembles the fourth or fifth colour in the chart, then the farmers should use urea immediately as per the recommendations of the agriculture department, they informed.

Dr Sabbarwal said the use of the chart was explained to the farmers through demonstrations in a few villages. "It is very handy and the farmers can easily use it at their own level," he said.

He said it should be used after 14 days of transplantation of the crop and assessed properly. "For those farmers who have transplanted the basmati paddy a few days back, it is the right time to check the nitrogen level in their crop," he added.

In case of direct sowing of paddy crop, it should be used 21 days after the sowing of the seeds. It could again be used to assess the fertilizer requirement when the crop starts flowering.

Dr Brar said the comparison test through leaf colour chart should be done either in the morning or evening. "The sun should be behind the farmer so that the leaf, with which comparison is made, is hidden from the sun," he said.

He said that the crop leaf, which is free from pest attack, must be taken for comparison. The leaf should not be plucked while carrying out the test. Ten comparisons should be made at different places and then an average result should be taken out of the different comparisons for consideration by the farmers.

The agro scientists said that nitrogen is the most significant input for paddy production but it has been observed that the farmers often use it excessively and inefficiently in the fields probably due to easy availability and heavy subsidy on fertilizers.

They said that excessive and untimely application of nitrogen fertilizer can escape from soil-plant systems to water bodies and the atmosphere creating pollution. Nitrogen escapes to the atmosphere as oxides of nitrogen leads to dissolution of ozone layer and may cause serious health hazards. Nitrogen reaches the underground water bodies as nitrates and makes the water unfit for drinking purpose.

Excessive nitrogen also attracts insects and pathogens that may lead to yield loss due to high incidence of insect attack and diseases. Also, lodging of the crop at ripening stage may occur in the fields receiving excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer leading to loss of yield. 

Ferozepur, July 12
The Consumer Forum has directed three firms, Parshotam Periwal and Brothers, Rashi Seeds Pvt. Ltd. and Ankur Seeds Pvt. Ltd. to pay Rs 24,70,000 as compensation along with interest to the seven farmers belonging to village Jhumianwali under the Fazilka sub-division.

These farmers in their separate complaints before the Forum had alleged that the seeds sold by the above companies were spurious due to which their cotton crop failed. The farmers contended that the cotton crop got affected with leaf curl virus. As a result, the plants remained less developed and bore less fruits.

In their reply, the cotton seed companies submitted that the growth and yield of the crop depended upon several factors such as environment, application of seed rate, quality of soil and water, sowing method, fertilizers, irrigation, use of pesticides and insecticides.

However, Sanjay Garg, President of the Forum, rejecting all such contentions, held that the poor growth of the crop and less yield was not due to these factors but rather allegedly due to inferior quality of seeds like Rashi-134 BG II and Jai BT produced by Rashi Seeds and Ankur Seeds, respectively.

Relying upon the report of the committee of government agriculture officers, Garg observed that the crops of the seeds produced by other companies developed fully and gave proper yield, whereas the seeds of the above companies failed to give proper yield and the farmers suffered a loss of yield of about eight quintals per acre.

Calculating the compensation by taking the average cotton price as Rs 5000 per quintal, the Forum ordered to pay the above compensation along with interest at the rate of 8 per cent per annum to the farmers as per the area in which the seeds were sown. 

Fazilka, July 12
The town can been seen dotted with posters and flex boards at public places and on government buildings allegedly by flouting the law. Moreover, most of the flex boards and other advertisements have been installed allegedly without paying the requisite charges to the localMunicipal Council. But the local civil and council authorities have allegedly become a mute spectator. The residents are the worst hit as the academy, school, college, religious and commercial centre owners get the pamphlets pasted outside their houses, badly defacing it.

The Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka, in a letter to the President, Municipal Council, Fazilka have regretted that the historical buildings like the Clock Tower, car-free zone, Partap Bagh and schools are being defaced by pasting posters and installing hoardings.

The secretary of the association Navdeep Asija has demanded that the council should take suitable action under the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1998 to maintain the historical buildings.

A virtual poster war to occupy prominent sites has also begun amongst the leaders of various political parties and ticket aspirants from various national and regional parties trying to project themselves as popular candidates. As the assembly polls are approaching, supporters of the different parties or employees paste the posters where ever they find space irrespective of government or private buildings. "We have brought the matter to the notice of the council and civil authorities many times but nothing has come of it," rued Raj Kishore Kalra, president of the NGO, Social Welfare Society. The poster war has also become a hindrance in smooth flow of traffic, alleged Kalra.

"We are going to issue notices to those concerned asking them to refrain from pasting posters at public places. If they do not abide by the instructions, then we would initiate legal action against them," said Sukhdev Singh, Executive officer, MC, Fazilka.

Ferozpur, July 12
Local transport authorities have embarked upon a special drive to sensitise truck drivers to follow traffic and road safety norms to minimize the road accidents. Gurcharan Singh Sandhu, DTO, said that a series of seminars were being held at various locations including schools, colleges and public places as part of the awareness drive.

In one such initiative today, Sandhu held a seminar with local truck drivers in attendance during which he made them aware about various traffic rules and their importance.

The truck operators were also guided on ways to keep themselves healthy and avoid food at the roadside dhabas which sell unhealthy food articles.

Abohar, July 12
Harcharan Singh, one of the top ten campaigners for the People’s Party of Punjab in the sub-division, has rejoined the SAD. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Gurtej Singh Ghuriana, while welcoming him at a function, said this will give a big blow to PPP convener Manpreet Singh Badal in the Balluana segment that was erstwhile known as the citadel of his father Gurdas Singh Badal, former MP.

Ghuriana along with scores of party workers drove to Harcharan's residence in village Bahawalbasi.

Harcharan, a progressive young farmer, is the sarpanch of the village and had led a cavalcade of hundreds of workers to Khatkar Kalan when Manpreet formally launched the PPP.

Ghuriana also visited village Bahadurkhera to give a jolt to the Congress by inducting Baldev Singh, member, Panchayat Samiti in the SAD. Baldev organised a function to mark his induction. — OC

Moga, April 12
Narcotics cell of the Moga police recovered fake currency worth Rs 15,500 from a youth traveling on a motorcycle from Fatehgarh Kortana village to Data village on a link road, last night.

The in-charge of the narcotics cell Kuljinder Singh stated that a ‘naka’ party led by him stopped a Hero Honda motorcycle bearing registration number PB-02-M-5844 and during a search, 31 fake currency notes of Rs 500 denomination each were recovered from his possession.

The youth, identified as Gurjant Singh, son of Joginder Singh, a resident of Chaba village near Sultanwind, Amritsar district, was immediately taken into custody and a criminal case registered against him.

Meanwhile, narcotics cell of the Moga police recovered 35 kg of poppy husk from Thammanwala village in the district. Sources said that a police party on secret information raided the house of one Jeet Singh, son of Nidhan Singh, yesterday. A bag containing 35 kg of poppy husk was found kept in his house.

Jeet Singh was taken into custody and a criminal case under Sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against him. Further, investigations were in progress, said ASI Virsa Singh who is investigating this case.

In yet another case, a 42-year man has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the girder fixed in the roof of his room at Kokri Kalan village in the wee hours, today.

The deceased has been identified as Harjinder Pal Singh, son of Harnek Singh, who was in depression for quite sometime, stated Jasvir Kaur, the wife of the deceased, to the police. The police had initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.

Bathinda, July 12
During patrolling and checking of vehicles, a team of the Anti-Narcotic Cell, Bathinda, led by ASI Balvir Singh, arrested Kulwant Singh (Goniana Mandi) and Kuldip Singh (Nehianwala) near a bridge on the Gillpatti-Nehianwala link road on Monday.

The duo was travelling in an Indica car. During the search of the car, the team recovered 1,050 bottles of Rexcof (100 ml), said to have intoxicating effect.

The police has registered a case against the duo under Sections 22/61/85 of the NDPS Act at the Sadar police station, Bathinda. — TNS