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Gobindpura land acquisition row
Daily-wage earners in the village on tenterhooks
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Racket in fake gold biscuits unearthed, four held
World Teenage Day
Gadkari to address public meet at Fazilka on
Body of Ludhiana man found near Nathana
Prayers held for Sonia Gandhi’s quick recovery
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Gobindpura land acquisition row
Mansa, August 7 Already reeling under staff crunch, the police department is facing public ire for being unable to address their grievances. Besides most of the senior functionaries, including DSPs and SPs, constables and head constables, and even police vehicles have been deployed at Gobindpura in the wake of the farmers’ protest against setting up of a thermal power plant. Officials of Mansa police station said they hardly have time to look into routine complaints or pending criminal cases. Admitting that there had been a considerable rise in petty crimes, including theft, officials said chaos prevailed at police stations. “Not only the manpower but also the government machinery, including jeeps, buses, truck canters and other vehicles, have been pressed into service to ferry officials from one naka to another,” said the officials. A senior police functionary, pleading anonymity, said most of the police stations in Mansa, Barnala, Bathinda, Muktsar, Sangrur, Muktsar, Faridkot and Ferozepur were wearing a deserted look for the past around 10 days. An ASI, a ‘munshi’ and a home guard jawan are managing the affairs at Mansa Sadar police station for the past one week. The only two government vehicles at the Sadar police station, including a Bolero and a Trax, are being used to ferry cops to Gobindpura. The situation at Joga, Sardulgarh, Jaurkian, Baretta, Ralla and other police stations is no different. DIG Paramjit Singh Gill, when contacted, said the police would soon intensify the night patrolling to curb the petty crimes. He claimed that most of the police officials were deployed at Gobindpura from outside the Mansa or Bathinda districts and that the entire functioning of the police was not affected. ‘Expenditure incurred on police deployment ought to be probed’ Mansa: President of the Punjab Kisan Union Rulda Singh has demanded a high-level probe into how the police department or the government managed expenses incurred on thousands of police personnel called from all over the state and deployed here. Besides deteriorating law and order, lakhs of rupees had been spent upon food, stay and ferrying of cops everyday for the past 10 days, he alleged. — TNS
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Daily-wage earners in the village on tenterhooks
Gobindpura (Mansa), August 7 She stands behind a barbed wire fence outside her house to tell her tale of woes to the visitors. The fence has been erected by the Indiabulls under the protection of the police. Gurnam Kaur says like other 14 housholds, she had also borrowed money from the village moneylender for purchasing the land and building a small house for which she was still repaying the installments and as such, the property was not yet registered on their names. As a result, no compensation had been paid to her or the other 14 households. She says she and her daughter-in-law Rani were the breadwinners for the family. They do farm labour. “The house has now become like a jail as the authorities have erected the barbed wire fence outside,” she laments. “However, we have not been asked to vacate the houses yet and the electricity connection is also intact,” she says. Teja Singh, whose 12 acres out of his total landholding of 15 acres has been acquired, said the remaining three acres would be of no use as he would not be in a position to cultivate grains even for the family. He threatened that his entire family would take some drastic step if his entire fertile land, for which he has not accepted the compensation, was not returned to him. Teja Singh said his agriculture land had become out of bounds for him as it has been fenced with a barbed wire. The police deployed in strength in the village does not allow him and other farmers to run tube well to irrigate the standing paddy and cotton crops. Ram Nath, another elderly farmer, rued that his entire six acre landholding had been acquired. “The authorities should shoot me and other members of the family as we will be starved without getting alternate agriculture land with the amount of compensation that was being paid to us,” he cried. He said paddy crop was standing on his 4.5 acres and cotton on 1.5 acres. The crop had started withering as he was not being allowed to irrigate the fields. |
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Road mishap claims three lives
Malout, August 7 Three youngsters, Lakhwinder Singh, Manjit Singh and Sunil Kumar, all in their early thirties and residents of Malout, died on the spot. The car by which they were travelling collided with a trolley laden with wood with a flat tyre. Local residents said the tractor-trolley was stationed on the Malout-Gidderbaha road near Theri-Fakarsar village for the last few days. Lakhwinder was the only brother of five sisters and ran a medical store. Manjit was deployed in a restaurant and Sunil was working in Lakhwinder’s medical store. They were coming to Gidderbaha from Malout and failed to sight the trolley on the road. Bablu Taneja, one of the members of Malout-based NGO Rahat Foundation, said he was among those who reached the spot immediately after the accident. “Despite the fact that police post of highway patrol was a mere one and half kilometers away, the trolley could not be removed and cops did not bother to fix a reflector or any other road sign so that commuters could notice. Had the trolley been removed, the accident could have surely been averted,” Bablu said. He said there is only one crane in the Muktsar district which is usually pressed into service whenever the CM or any other VIP visits the area. DSP Bhupinder Singh Khattra, admitting the lack of cranes in the district, said a case would be registered against the tractor driver and the wood contractor would also be issued a challan. “It is yet to be ascertained whether the trolley was stationed for the past few days or not. The kin were asked to meet the SSP tomorrow in this regard,” he said. |
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Racket in fake gold biscuits unearthed, four held
Abohar, August 7 Fake gold biscuits were being marketed in the neighbouring areas of Rajasthan, reports said. One Pawan Kumar had informed the police that his cousin Kamal had gone missing. Later, he was contacted over the cell phone by a person, who claimed that Kamal had been kidnapped from Seetogunno bypass. The miscreant allegedly demanded Rs one lakh as ransom for freeing his brother. The deal was reportedly struck for Rs 70,000 as the family pleaded that no more money could be arranged, said the complainant claiming that he had identified the suspect as Sanjay, while making payment. A case was registered. The investigation indicated that Kamal had purchased gold biscuit weighing 800 gram from an unidentified person in Alwar (Rajasthan) for Rs 1.62 lakh. It was found to be fake. He along with a friend Sanjay Kaswan of village Muthianwali (Fazilka) conspired to dispose of the fake biscuit. Sanjay struck a deal with Pardeep, Rakesh, Bunty and Gaurav of Fazilka to sell the fake biscuit for Rs 4.5 lakh. They arrived here by car and decided to takie the delivery of the biscuit near a temple on the Seetogunno road. Finding that they were being cheated, they kidnapped Kamal in the same car. Sanjay Kaswan played a double role. He informed Kamal’s cousin Pawan that Sanjay had been kidnapped. He mediated for getting him freed against payment of Rs 70,000 later. The police in the Sriganganagar region have also registered a case in connection with the marketing of fake gold biscuits. |
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Breastfeeding: Rural mothers far active than urban moms
Bathinda, August 7 The World Breastfeeding Week that concluded today saw an array of activities in government and private hospitals. Civil Surgeon Dr Neelam Bajaj said while rural mothers consider it natural to breastfeed their babies, their urban counterparts were caught in the web of fashion and figure-maintenance. “City women have wrong notions that feeding babies might wreak havoc on their figures. They tend to forget that mammary glands sag with the passage of time, no matter whether you feed your baby or not,” pointed out a clinical nutritionist, Dr Sonia Gupta. She added that while rural women actively feed their babies, they were unaware of the importance of the first yellowish discoloured discharge from glands at the time of baby’s birth. “Rural elderly consider this first milk (colostrum) unfit for the baby and do not give it to the newborn. On the contrary, this milk is full of anti-bodies and very effective in guarding the baby against infection,” she said. Meanwhile, the secretary of the Punjab chapter of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Dr Ajay Gupta felt that in the past three to four years, many young mothers had started feeding their babies. With an increased level of awareness, working women were leaving their jobs to be with their babies and breastfeed them for a longer period, he added. “With one-child norm gaining ground, every parent wants to give its child the best thing. Working women, who cannot take leave from office, can resort to expressing milk and storing it to be given to babies later in the day,” he suggested. The benefits
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64 years on, residents still awaiting freedom
Mohar Jamsher (Fazilka), August 7 The strictness of the security forces and the topography of the village have made it totally different from the outer world. A few villagers have recently witnessed the rejection of marriage proposals. During a visit to the village after taking permission from the BSF and crossing the Sutlej on a boat, a mini India was found within the fence crying for immediate development. Though a primary school, temple, gurdawara and panchayat house are there, yet the lack of any permanent link to connect it with the rest of the country is forcing its residents to lead a tough life. Some of the villagers even got married in their own village as a majority of people from villages outside had a break in relations with them due to its unusual topography. “My brother got marriage proposals twice from other villages, but when the families visited, they dropped the idea without citing any reason,” rued Gulshan, who runs a flour mill in the village. Besides Gulshan, a number of villagers said they had spent their life but the future of their next generation was in the hands of the government. "The elections are again approaching and the politicians would come to seek votes, but we have decided not to vote, as all the governments have failed to solve our problems," said Sher Singh. "Make this village separate from the rest of the country as we do not want to its part.” "Every monsoon, the swollen Sutlej wreaks havoc on this village by not only washing away the temporary bridge made by us over the Sutlej but also by causing damage to the fields and the cattle," rued the 50-year-old Sher Singh. The BSF officials posted there informed that a pontoon bridge used to be there but it was dismantled this morning following the water level that touched the 9.6 feet mark. At this level of water, the floating bridge fails to sustain, so the CPWD officials dismantle it in July-August and reassemble it by the end of October, when the rainy season ends. Speaking to a number of villagers, it was noticed that the literacy rate was about 10 per cent. Kulwant Singh, village sarpanch, said, "After completing class V, when our children go to nearby villages for further studies, they usually reach the school late and the teachers do not allow them to attend the classes, which results in a drop in the number of students." Diseases like cancer, skin infection, dental problems and joint pain have gripped the residents in the absence of supply of potable water. There is no government health centre and the villagers face a number of problems while taking the patients or cattle for medical assistance. |
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Plans for digital library remain a distant dream in Fazilka
Fazilka, August 7 At present, the library is being run in an old portion of the college building. The library has a total of 22144 books on record but it has no librarian for the past seven years since the retirement of the last incumbent. Rakesh Saha, a restorer and Junior Lecturer Assistant (JLA) Chuni Lal, working on temporary basis from PTA funds, are managing the library, which has a transaction of around 400 books per day during the academic session. The books are stocked in five-decade-old cupboards. Some of the books are tattered. Recently updated books are seldom added to the library. With the development of the latest information and technology techniques, the necessity of converting the library into a digital one was felt a long time back. The University Grant Commission (UGC) in 2009 sanctioned the funds amounting to Rs 36 lakh for the construction of a new double-storeyed block for the digital library. However, due to the escalation of the cost of the project, the building was left incomplete about a year back. As per the contractor Manoj Kumar, the work related to steel railing, plinth protection, boundary wall, aluminum main gate, some electronic equipment, submersible pump motor, water cooler with RO system is yet to be carried out reportedly due to paucity of funds. Eminent socialite and educationist Raj Kishore Kalra has demanded that requisite funds should be sanctioned to make the project operational. Executive Engineer, PWD, Prem Kumar said at least Rs 10 lakh is required for the completion of library and installation of electronic gadgets. Hence, the library has still not been handed over to the college authorities. For this reason, the building has virtually become a place of merry making for some anti-social elements. Tribhuvan Ram, officiating principal of the MR Government College, said the college officials want the library building to be completed soon and its control be assigned to them to ensure its proper functioning and maintenance. |
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Rly official awarded for meritorious services
Ferozepur, August 7 Rakesh, in-charge of divisional land cell, was instrumental in tracing the railway land worth crores of rupees from the old Punjab state revenue records. He also played an important role in realising 30 to 40 years long-pending licence fee from the state government and the private parties as well, who were in possession of the railway land. Seminar held: A seminar on ‘Role of media in present scenario’ was held at the Dev Samaj College of Education for Women. DR Vij was the chief guest while Dr SS
Sangha, Dean, Faculty of Education, Panjab University, presided. Daljit Ami, journalist, Dr Satinder Singh, Jatinder
Mauhar, film maker, Dr Khuswinder Singh, principal, were the speakers. — OC |
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World Teenage Day
Bathinda, August 7 IAP president Dr HS Narang, president of IAP Bathinda Dr Prateek Kapila and secretary of the local IAP unit Dr Amit Aggarwal attended the session. Dr Narang apprised the students about the role of balanced diet and healthy nutrition in their growth and development and importance of taking breakfast. He taught teachers the way to handle peer pressure and examination stress among children. Teachers were asked to impart sex education to children in a friendly manner. Dr Prateek and Dr Amit spoke on the hazards of drug abuse and impressed upon students to take an oath against indulging in it. Breastfeeding Week concludes
Secretary of Punjab chapter of the IAP Dr Ajay Gupta said that from August 1 to 7, the World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated with a theme ‘Talk to me! Breastfeeding – a 3D experience’. Paediatricians from Bathinda, Mansa, Kotkapura, Giddarbaha, Muktsar, Dabwali and the Adesh Medical College, Bhucho, participated in a seminar. At the Adesh Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sumit reinforced MBBS students, nursing staff, health workers, community workers and teachers to motivate young girls, pregnant ladies and mothers about benefits of breastfeeding. An awareness camp was organised at the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, to emphasise upon the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for first six months after the birth of a child followed by introduction of appropriate and adequate complimentary feeding. Members of the IAP, the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI), the Gynecologists’ Forum, various NGOs, educationists and health workers attended the seminar. |
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Gadkari to address public meet at Fazilka on
Aug 11
Bathinda, August 7 They will be accompanied by several top SAD and BJP leaders, who have organised a thanksgiving rally after the acceptance of the demand of the people for according district status to the area. According to Kamal Sharma, general secretary of the state BJP, the Punjab in-charge of the party Shanta Kumar and the party election in-charge Jagat Parkash Nadda were also expected to address the rally. Both the leaders belong to Himachal Pradesh and are currently holding top organisational posts. Captain Abhimanyu, another senior BJP leader, would also be present. Gadkiri would land at the Bhisiana IAF station here in a chartered aircraft in the morning and drive to Fazilka for the rally. He would return to New Delhi in the evening. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal is expected to unfurl the National Flag at Fazilka on the Independence Day.
— TNS |
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Body of Ludhiana man found near Nathana
Bathinda, August 7 He worked as a labourer in a factory at Ludhiana. The deceased’s brother-in-law Hardeep Singh said Amit alias Nannu of Phillaur, also working as a labourer in the same factory, developed an affair with the deceased’s wife Kulwinder Kaur. They decided to eliminate Harmeet. Kulwinder Kaur has been arrested by the Moti Nagar police of Ludhiana. The accused took the victim in a car on the pretext of taking him to Chintpurni but threw him in a canal near Mehdudan Bridge adjoining Doraha. Relatives of the deceased said the post-mortem examination was conducted at the Faridkot Medical College while the last rites were performed at Dolon village of Ludhiana in the evening today.
— TNS |
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Prayers held for Sonia Gandhi’s quick recovery
Bathinda, August 7 Prominent among those present included Ashok
Kumar, KK Aggarwal, Inder Singh Sahni, Iqbal Singh Dhillon and Jagroop
Gill. Congress workers also prayed at Hanuman Mandir in the Post-office
Bazaar. — TNS |
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