Bathinda, July 21
Though the larvae of mosquitoes causing dengue are normally found in the post-monsoon season, the district health authorities found them breeding in desert coolers at four places in a locality here today.

During a routine checking, an insect collector of the office of the Civil Surgeon went to the Street No 9 on the Ajit Road here to check the desert coolers and other breeding places of mosquitoes.

During the checking, he found larvae of the mosquito causing dengue in the desert coolers of four houses and immediately informed the officiating Civil Surgeon, Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa.

Later, Dr Randhawa along with a team, including epidemiologist Dr Nisha and sanitary inspector Sukhchain Singh, visited the houses and inspected the places. He also got the larvae destroyed. He educated the owners of the houses to dry the water tanks of their desert coolers every seventh day so that the cycle of breeding of larvae could be broken.

Dr Randhawa said it was pertinent to note that the larvae found in the desert coolers of four houses had been hatched from the eggs that had been laid during the previous year.

He said when the climatic conditions (increased humidity and fall in temperature) became favourable recently, the larvae hatched from the eggs after coming into contact with water.

He said it was the first instance during this season that the larva of mosquito causing dengue had been detected so early in the city. He said that so far, no case of dengue from the Bathinda district had been reported this season though in the neighbouring Muktsar district over 50 cases of dengue had been reported and one case was reported in Mansa district.

Dr Randhawa urged the city residents to store water in covered utensils as dengue mosquitoes bred only in clean water. He also asked them not to allow accumulation of water in open earthen pots, waste tyres, small water tanks built outside houses for animals etc.

Bathinda, July 21
Rural veterinary officers (RVOs), working under Zila Parishad in Bathinda district took mass leave today and staged a protest on the premises of the Zila Parishad Complex here. They demanded scrapping of the Punjab Civil Services (Rationalisation of Certain Conditions of Service) Act 2011.

They submitted a memorandum in this regard to ADC (D), Bathinda, C. Sibin. They alleged that by implementing the Act, the Punjab Government did injustice to them.

A leader of the RVOs said Rural Development Minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura had assured a delegation of the officers that justice would be done to them as they would be exempted from the Act, but to no avail so far.

He said that today, the RVOs had given an ultimatum to the Punjab Government through the ADC (D) that if the issue was not resolved before July 27, they may submit resignations en masse.

Bathinda, July 21
Members of the Rural Health Pharmacists Association, Punjab, under the leadership of president of the association Sukhvir Singh Raman, today began an indefinite dharna outside the Mini-secretariat here. Their main demand is regularisation of services on the pattern of rural medical officers.

Sukhvir Singh said they had been working for about five years in rural dispensaries run by Zila Parishads and their dharna would continue here till their demand was accepted. — TNS

Abohar, July 21
The recommendation reportedly made by the Sukhbir-Tikshan committee to upgrade Fazilka sub-division as a new district has been strongly resented by most of the citizens here.

Former president, Bar Association, Sukhpal Singh Sidhu, who had led the campaign for upgrading Abohar as district, said no other town other than Abohar in the Ferozepur district had got infrastructure that fulfills the norms for district headquarter.

Abohar has got sub-divisional administrative as well as judicial complex with sufficient space to meet the needs of district officials. Abohar has also got the best road, rail and communication network.

It would be unfortunate if the state government succumbs to political pressure from the coalition partner to ignore the claim of Abohar, he observed. However, Consumer Movement chairman Satpal Khariwal said creating new district headquarter at Fazilka would give relief as the people of Abohar would have to traverse only 32 kms as Ferozepur is located 120 kms away from this town. “We want to get rid of Ferozepur, the CM must settle the issue once for all”, he said.

Fazilka, July 21
Amid speculation of Fazilka being declared as the new district of Punjab, the residents of this border town are in a jubilant mood. Even as highly placed bureaucrats appeared to be reluctant to comment on the sensitive issue, Chief Secretary, Punjab, SC Aggarwal, while talking to The Tribune on phone, said the government would decide the issue soon.

Though MLA from Fazilka, and Transport and Technical Education Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani refused to make any official statement on the issue, he seemed confident about the outcome.

It is pertinent to mention here that Fazilka is one of the oldest sub-divisional headquarters of the state. Till the carving out of Abohar and Jalalabd sub-division out of its area, it was the biggest sub-division of the state.

The demand for according the district headquarter status to the century old historical town and sub-division had been raised over the last two decades by social and political organisation of the area besides traders.

The demand was initially raised by the Zila Banao Sangharsh Committee under the leadership of different stalwarts of the area.

It gained momentum when different organisations united under the banner of the Sanjha Morcha and started a relay fast from August 15 last year at the historical Clock Tower (Fazilka).

Fazilka MLA Sujit Kumar Jyani also supported the demand. He joined the agitation launched by the Sanjha Morcha. He sat on fast-unto-death on January 5, this year. He was supported by the other SAD and BJP leaders. The fast led to the constitution of the Sukhbir-Kalia committee to look into the matter of creating new districts in Punjab.

Punjab cabinet minister Tikshan Sood had then persuaded Jyani to break his fast assuring district headquarter status to Fazilka soon.

However, with the exit of Manoranjan Kalia from the cabinet, Sood was enrolled as the new member of the committee.

Eyeing the ensuing assembly polls next year and to further cement the ties with its alliance partner (BJP), the government appears to have acceded to the demand of creating Fazilka and Pathankot as new districts.

Highly placed political sources refused to say anything on record. However, pleading anonymity they maintained that the decision to grant district headquarter status to Fazilka and Pathankot had almost been taken by the government.

It is pertinent to mention here that the residents of Jalalabad too have been supporting the demand to accord district headquarter status to Fazilka during the agitation. They participated in the agitation as well.

The demand also got support from Ferozepur MP Sher Singh, hailing from village Ghubaya of Jalalabad sub-division. However, the residents of Abohar are likely to be displeased as they feel that their right would be overlooked since they too are making the same demand for Abohar.

There is a speculation that Abohar and Jalalabad sub-division and the nearby Arniwala sub-tehsil are likely to be the parts of the proposed new district of Fazilka.

Ferozepur, July 21
Notwithstanding the fact that Ferozepur has been one of the biggest districts of the erstwhile Punjab comprising the present day Hayana and Himachal Pradesh, the successive governments, both at the state and the Centre have always accorded it step-motherly treatment.

Over the years, the district has become a mute testimony to the political theatrics pursued by the local politicians hailing from thes area, as due to their own vested political interests, the district has been divided time and again. Moga, Muktsar and other areas have already been taken out of it.

Now, the speculations about yet another move to slice out one more district would be like the final nail in the coffin and the proverbial last straw as far as the local economy, growth and development prospects are concerned, feel the residents, who seem to be in no mood to allow any further division. “No other district in the state or probably in the country must have been divided so many times like this,” said Ashwani Mehta, president, Beopar Mandal, while questioning the silence and compulsion of the CM Parkash Singh Badal on the issue, who did his schooling from Ferozepur. Mehta asked, “Is this the ‘Gurudakshina’ that CM Badal is giving to Ferozepur in return by dividing it into many parts.”

Accusing the local politicians of not doing enough to safeguard the interests of Ferozepur, Mehta said if the government is keen on making Fazilka a district, it should convert Ferozpur into a sub-division. Then there would be nothing left here, he added in a scathing tone.

KD Syal, president, Ferozepur Bar Association, while cautioning the state government against any such move, said the Bar would oppose the carving of a new district out of Ferozepur. “We are meeting today and would chalk out an action plan for our agitation against any such move,” Syal said. He added that the local lawyers were also planning to meet the CM on the issue. “We would not be just a mute spectator to any such misadventure on the part of the government and would strongly protest against it,” he pointed out.

Ashwani Dhingra, general secretary, BJP (legal cell), said, “If Fazilka is made a district, Ferozepur, which is already facing an economic crunch, would be left in the lurch.” Dhingra added that any such move would prove detrimental for the future growth and development of this historic district sharing its boundary with Pakistan.

Sukhpal Singh Nannu, Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Rsevenue), who represents Ferozepur city constituency, said he has already raised the issue within the party forum many times and has suggested the party against any such move. Nannu said he would take up the matter with the party high command. Nand Kishore, president, Traders Association, who is also the circle Jathedar, SAD said that already in the absence of any lucrative commerce and trade, the local residents and traders of Ferozepur are reeling under financial crisis and if it happens, it would create more problems for the local businessmen. He urged that all the organisations of Ferozepur should oppose any such move.

Bathinda, July 21
Led by Congress MLA Harminder Singh Jassi, a deputation of local residents today submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Dr S Karuna Raju here while demanding that the proposed solid waste management plant be shifted from the urban populated areas falling in the local Municipal Corporation (BMC) limits.

The populated areas include the Housefed Colony, Nachhattar Nagar, Bhai Mati Dass Nagar, Deep Singh Nagar, the Industrial Area, Anup Nagar, Harbans Nagar, Udham Singh Nagar and Joga Nagar. The plant will be set up at a cost of Rs 200 crore to treat the solid waste of 18 municipal councils of this region, which will be brought here daily in trucks and other vehicles.

Jassi said if the state government continued with setting up the plant in the populated areas then they would chalk out an agitation plan against it.

On the occasion, a delegate of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee KK Aggarwal, district president of the Congress (Urban) Ashok Kumar and a senior Congress leader Jagroop Singh Gill were also present. — TNS

Moga, July 21
The Punjab Government on Wednesday launched a massive drive to collect the samples of fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides across the state by setting up flying squads dividing the state into three zones.

The Agriculture Department has fixed a target of collecting 3900 samples of pesticides and insecticides and 3100 samples of fertilisers from the whole state to check all the different products of each and every manufacturer selling the farm inputs.

These samples would be tested on a priority basis by sending 1300 samples each to the three government laboratories, located at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Bathinda. As many as 300 samples of fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides have been collected from the sellers in the whole state on the first day of this drive.

Dr Gurdial Singh Gill, joint director, Agriculture Department, heading the team of the flying squad in Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, Faridkot and Muktsar districts, said as many as 70 samples of fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides have been collected till today evening in the districts. The drive would continue in the next few days, he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Ravi Kumar Sabbarwal, chief agriculture officer and Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, agriculture officer, revealed that they have taken 30 samples of fertilisers against the target of the total of 120 samples and 35 samples of pesticides/insecticides as against the target of 210 samples on the first day of the drive in the Moga district.

The agro scientists have appealed to the farmers to purchase the farm inputs from reliable sources on proper billing so that action could be taken against the manufacturers and sellers even after the purchase, if the products are found to be spurious or sub-standard.

It may be mentioned that as much as 6000 metric tonnes of pesticides and insecticides are used in the state every year in the kharif and rabi crops by the farmers to increase their production of crops.

During the current season, the total area under paddy cultivation in Punjab is 27.5 lakh hectares, cotton 5.60 lakh hectares, sugarcane 80,000 hectares and maize 1.50 lakh hectares.

Moga, July 21
In view of the forthcoming assembly elections, the Punjab Government has directed the heads of all the departments in Moga to complete the ongoing development works in the district latest by November 30, this year.

Reviewing the progress of various development works at the district headquarters here today, senior IAS officer DS Guru, principal secretary to the Chief Minister, said any laxity in the execution of works would not be tolerated and also warned of action if the work was not completed within the stipulated time.

He directed the officials present in the meeting to monitor the works on day-to-day basis.

Expressing concern over the poor condition of cleanliness in Moga, he asked the executive officer of the local body to concentrate more on sanitation works and maintain the streetlights properly.

Guru came here last night and also took a round of the town to have a look at the civic amenities. He also directed the local body to ensure the supply of potable water for at least two hours in the afternoon besides the routine supply.

To speed up sewerage project of the town, he called on the railway authorities to construct an underpass for the disposal line within two months, the funds for which had already been released to the railways.

Further, Guru directed the EO of the Improvement Trust of the town to issue funds to the tune of Rs 3.10 crore for commissioning 31 reverse osmosis (RO) plants in Moga immediately. 

Fazilka, July 21
The NGOs of Fazilka have flayed the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) for carving out the proposed residential colony in eco-sensitive zone in the vicinity of Badha lake wetland area here.

Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka (GWAF) and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sports club officer-bearers, in a meeting held at the Freedom Fighter Lala Sunam Rai MA Welfare Centre, appealed to the residents to come forward to save the wetland, which is an eco-sensitive and fragile zone.

Notably, PUDA had issued advertisements in different newspapers recently seeking applications for purchasing 56 plots in the proposed six acres of land colony near the SDM residence. The land was transferred by the Punjab Government in favour of PUDA in lieu of the construction of Mini-secretariat by PUDA in Fazilka during the previous Congress regime. GWAF patron Dr Bhupinder Singh, general secretary Navdeep Asija and Sports Club president Paramjit Singh Pamma Warer have expressed concern that hundreds of trees in the only lush green area of the town of the proposed colony would have to be axed for raising the new structures there.

In a letter addressed to KS Pannu, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, LS Pantra of National Green Tribunal, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of India, Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur, KK Yadav, Asija alleged that the impact on the ecology of Fazilka has also not been addressed in the proposal.

Asija said the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) could have been done by the Punjab State Pollution Control Board for this colony as per the EIA notification in 2006.

The Association office-bearers have warned that if the proceedings of the proposed colony are not stalled, they would file a public interest litigation (PIL) in Punjab and Haryana High Court to refrain PUDA from carving out the proposed colony here, informed Dr Bhupinder Singh, patron, GWAF.

While talking to The Tribune, Superintending Engineer, PUDA, Bathinda, Paramjit Singh clarified that EID is mandatory for carving out colonies in 20 hectares of land only.

Singh said there would be no need to fell trees to carry out the construction as the park would be developed in the green area. However, the SE denied any violation of any law in the eco-fragile area.

Abohar, July 21
The students of the Radiant Institute of Engineering and Technology (RIET) have designed a collision avoidance system for modern vehicles. They were made familiar with the basics of embedded robotics during the six-week workshop that concluded yesterday. They have also made experimental trainers kit besides designing their own websites, Registrar Sanjeev Bajaj said.

Under the guidance of Urja Purush Prof Dr Bhupinder Singh (retd), Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Roorkee, the students were made to understand the basic technology used in the manufacturing of a bicycle. The luminary professor is toiling to develop a solar energy research centre at RIET campus. Vikram Kamra, Executive Director Svim Tech, USA, spoke on cloud computing.

Prof SS Maheshwari, a social activist and another academic giant Dr TS Kamal also graced the occasion. Vikram Kamra, Executive Director Svim Tech, USA, delivered a talk on cloud computing. Chairman Tara Singh Ahuja appreciated the efforts of the faculty and reaffirmed their commitment towards coming up with more of such events in the future.