B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Mansa men found suffering from breast cancer
Mansa, August 19
Men suffering from breast cancer were detected during the ongoing cancer screening campaign being run in different villages to diagnose people suffering from the malady and to create awareness about the disease.

AISSF calls for bandh on Aug 22
Abohar/Fazilka/Ferozepur/ Moga, August 19
The Jan Lokpal Bill campaign launched by Anna Hazare in New Delhi has put popular TV serials on the backburner, a survey conducted here said. Most of the 2,000 youth said they have been watching only TV news channels for a week bidding adieu to some high TRP serials that earlier kept them glued to the small screen.

Robbery accused arrested
Ferozepur, August 19
Within 24 hours of the occurrence of the robbery incident, the Ferozepur police, in a joint operation with the Ludhiana police, apprehended six persons including the mastermind behind the entire plot. A Patwari was robbed of Rs 7 lakh while he was travelling from Zira to Rajpura in his car along with his father.

Scribes assaulted
Journalists Union submits memo to CM
Abohar, August 19
Expressing solidarity with the Bathinda-based scribes over the beating up of two journalists by a contractor and his henchmen during the BDA land acquisition, the Chandigarh and Punjab Journalists Union has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through sub-divisional magistrate Jasdeep Singh Aulakh here.

Mansa men found suffering from breast cancer
Megha Mann
Tribune News Service

Mansa, August 19
Men suffering from breast cancer were detected during the ongoing cancer screening campaign being run in different villages to diagnose people suffering from the malady and to create awareness about the disease.

During the camp at Aklia Kalan village, two men were found suffering from breast cancer. These men had lumps in their chest for a long time.

“Instead of consulting a doctor, they kept ignoring the discomfort and pain. People generally believe that men can’t have breast cancer, which is wrong,” said social worker Rampal Dhaipi, who is organising these camps in Mansa villages in collaboration with an NGO, Roko Cancer.

The campaign began on July 11. The 29th and the last camp will be held at Bhikhi on Saturday. Not only men, even children as young as five years old have been found suffering from cancer. During these camps, three children aged five, seven and eight years were detected suffering from cancer.

“Malwa has a very high rate of cancer deaths. We are compiling the data of each camp and will prepare an exhaustive report. It would be given to the state and union governments for declaring Bathinda as a cancer zone, which is urgently needed,” Dhaipi said.

He also demanded insurance cover for every child, who suffers from cancer at the time of birth, as well as free treatment at the PGIMER, Chandigarh, for the cancer patients belonging to Malwa.

Emphasising on the need for spreading awareness among masses, Dhaipi said as many as 9,000 persons were screened in the last 28 camps. Those detected with cancer included 135 males, 200 females and eight children. Of these, 50 per cent were new cases, he added.

The first phase of camps will end on Saturday. Later, the Roko Cancer and Dhaipi would work on providing surgery and medicines to the cancer patients.

AISSF calls for bandh on Aug 22
Tribune Reporters

Abohar/Fazilka/Ferozepur/ Moga, August 19
The Jan Lokpal Bill campaign launched by Anna Hazare in New Delhi has put popular TV serials on the backburner, a survey conducted here said. Most of the 2,000 youth said they have been watching only TV news channels for a week bidding adieu to some high TRP serials that earlier kept them glued to the small screen.

A debate was also held at the DAV College auditorium here. The topic for the debate was the role of NGOs including the civil society in spearheading campaign against corruption.

Meanwhile, some academicians including Prof Rajinder Jigyasu, the author of many books on the Arya Samaj movement, joined the India against Corruption volunteers at the chain fast at the Nehru Park here today.

A one-day fast was also observed by the members of the SAD legal cell at the Bar Room in the sub-divisional complex here today. Bar president Jagdeep Singh Sandhu and former president Sukhpal Singh Sidhu expressed solidarity with Anna’s mission.

Meanwhile, a district-level demonstration was staged in front of the Fazilka DC’s office by MP Sher Singh Ghubaya, Transport and Technical Education Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani, chief parliamentary secretary, Gurtej Singh Ghuriana, SGPC executive members, Suba Singh and Gurpal Singh Grewal, Market Committee, chairman, Ashok Jairath, Panchayat Samiti, chairman, Ranjit Singh Dhaliwal and a large number of the SAD and BJP activists. The leaders were protesting against the alleged suppression policies of the Central Government.

“The countrymen have been facing the problems of rising prices andcorruption. The Congress-led UPA Government has failed to check corruption and bring back black money. The Congressmen are habitual of suppressing the democratic agitations,” said Ghubaya and Jyani.

Lashing out at the Congress, they alleged that the Centre is misusing CBI for its vested interests and now they are not keen to introduce strong Lokpal Bill. The leaders condemned the arrest of Anna Hazare. They also presented a memorandum to DC Dr Basant Garg for forwarding it to the President of India.

In support of Anna’s crusade against corruption, the SAD (Badal) along with its coalition partner BJP to encash on the public sentiment against the UPA, today organised a protest rally in front of the DC office at Ferozepur.

The rally was led by its district president Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Irrigation Minister besides senior SAD-BJP cadre of the district.

Sekhon said if the public mood across the nation was any indication, all the ministers of Congress-led UPA Government should have resigned till now as they have no moral right to continue in the office.

Sekhon said due to the erroneous, anti-people policies of the UPA Government, corruption had gripped the nation, adding that already several ministers and senior Congress functionaries were behind the bars and others were likely to soon follow the suit.

On the occasion, Hari Singh Zira, Baldev Singh Mamujohiya, Satpal Singh, vardev Singh Mann, Ashwani Dhingra, HJaspal Singh, Bachittar Singh Mor, Joginder Singh, Master Gurnam Singh and JJ Singh and other SAD-BJP leaders were also present.

The All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) has given a call for Punjab bandh on August 22 in support of the anti-corruption campaign initiated by Anna Hazare for bringing a strong Lok Pal Bill in Parliament.

AISSF president Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad has appealed to the public to show solidarity with Anna’s movement of anti-corruption by closing down all the commercial, educational and government establishments till 12 pm on Monday.

The AISSF chief also urged Anna to include accountability for massacre of hundreds of Sikhs in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots on his agenda.

Robbery accused arrested
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, August 19
Within 24 hours of the occurrence of the robbery incident, the Ferozepur police, in a joint operation with the Ludhiana police, apprehended six persons including the mastermind behind the entire plot. A Patwari was robbed of Rs 7 lakh while he was travelling from Zira to Rajpura in his car along with his father.

Ferozepur SSP Surjit Singh said the main accused was identified as Harpreet Singh alias ‘Happy’, a resident of Bahadurgarh in Patiala. He is a relative of the victim Surjit Singh Patwari.

The SSP said, “The Patwari had taken Rs 7 lakh from a commission agent of Zira to participate in an open auction for the purchase of residential plot at Rajpura. Happy, the cousin of Patwari’s wife, was aware of it. He hatched a conspiracy and hired professional goons to execute the plan.”

Other arrested accused involved in the crime have been identified as Harbhajan Singh alias Bhajji of Patiala, Sukhwinder Singh alias Manna of Khamanoan, Gurmukh Singh of Khanna, Kulbir Singh of Mandi Gobindgarh and Baljnder Singh of Khamanoan.

Scribes assaulted
Journalists Union submits memo to CM
Our Correspondent

Abohar, August 19
Expressing solidarity with the Bathinda-based scribes over the beating up of two journalists by a contractor and his henchmen during the BDA land acquisition, the Chandigarh and Punjab Journalists Union has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through sub-divisional magistrate Jasdeep Singh Aulakh here.

Reporters along with editors of the local newspapers marched to the sub-divisional complex to register their resentment.