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Farmers were not lathi-charged: IGP
New thermal plants to raise the level of pollution in Malwa
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Only one MLA attends district Cong committee meeting
Farad Kendra staff seek regular jobs, two employees on fast-unto-death
Ferozepur villager killed in roof collapse, 5 rescued
Farmers hope for better yield of white gold this year
‘Diversion of water to deserts could have averted floods’
Supected jaundice cases surface
31 left in the fray after scrutiny of nominations
School principal killed in road mishap
Patwari caught red-handed taking bribe
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land Acquisition for Gobindpura Thermal Plant
Bathinda, August 26 About the broken arm of one Hakam Singh said to be broken in the baton charge, the IGP said according to his medical report, the injury was about 15 days old as the formation of callus had already started there. With regard to the injuries sustained by some other protesters, he said according to the doctor’s report, their bruises were self-inflicted. The IGP further said that on Wednesday night, the police had received information that the farmers protesting at Mansa against the land acquisition in Gobindpura village for a thermal power plant, would stage a dharna on a railway track or remove the fence around the acquired land. So, the police chalked out a three-tier security system to maintain the law and order. However, when about 20 to 25 farmers on Thursday morning started raising slogans near the Mansa bus stand, the police detained them. They were, however, let off near the Bhaini Bagha village later. So neither the police lathi-charged them nor did any scuffle take place, he added. On the other hand, a senior leader of the BKU (Ugrahan), Shingara Singh Mann, told TNS over the phone that all 17 farmer and labourer organisations had condemned the IGP’s statement denying the lathi-charge. He also asked the IGP to hold an independent inquiry into the incident so as to bring out the truth and put it on record. The IGP also claimed that 93 per cent farmers had already accepted cheques as compensation against their acquired land for the Gobindpura thermal plant. He also said the police had to maintain the law and order in all circumstances. Mansa Deputy Commissioner Ravinder Singh said the land acquisition award had been announced in March 2011, but no one had challenged it so far in any court. He said barring some families, all had already accepted the money in lieu of their land. Mansa SSP SPS Parmar said they were not removing the protesters forcibly from the dharna site at Mansa. He said even today, about 200 protesters were sitting on
dharna. |
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New thermal plants to raise the level of pollution in Malwa
Bathinda, August 26 While two thermal plants here are functional, four others in the private and public sector have been sanctioned by the state government. The government had last year formulated the Power Generation Policy to transform Punjab from a power deficit to a power surplus state and to facilitate thermal power plants in the private sector. Residents of the main town of Bathinda are already crying due to the high level of air pollution being caused by the 440 MW Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) for the past 36 years. Although engineers of the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) claim that the smoke emission of the plant was within the prescribed limits, people take this claim with a pinch of salt. The record available with the local office of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) indicates that the Unit IV was a major source of pollution as the emission level of suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the outlet path A and B varied between 260 and 280 mg/Nm3 against the permissible level of 150. The PPCB does not regularly keep a tab on the pollution level of the thermal plant that was itself monitoring it. The data of stack emission samples was taken by the PPCB on June 23 when the emission level of the other three units was also slightly on the higher side. The Unit III is currently shut down due to its ongoing up-gradation works. About 6500 tonnes of coal is burnt everyday when all the four units of the GNDTP are functional. During his visit here some time ago, union minister Jairam Ramesh said that even the latest pollution control system in the thermal power plants was not capable of completely controlling pollution. The Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) at Lehra Mohabbat near here was burning about 12,000 tonnes of coal everyday to generate 920 MW of electricity. The 1980 MW thermal power project being set up by the Vedanta group at Banawali would consume 30,000 tonnes of coal everyday. Its first unit will be commissioned next year. The 1320 MW thermal power plant to be constructed at Gobindpura in the Mansa district is in the midst of a controversy on the issue of acquisition of 880 acres of fertile agriculture land for the purpose. The process to acquire 1200 acres of agriculture land at Kot Shamir near here for setting up a 1320 MW power plant in the private sector has been held up due to the protest by farmers. The 2640 MW thermal power plant at Gidderbaha that has been assigned to the NTPC when set up would burn about 40,000 tonnes of coal everyday.
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Only one MLA attends district Cong committee meeting
Bathinda, August 26 In the September 2 programme, Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh and CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal will also take part. When asked about the absence of three MLAs, Bhaleria said Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu was mobilising the people in the villages of his Assembly constituency for the September 2 programme while Gurpreet Singh Kangar and Makhan Singh had gone to Chandigarh to attend a meeting. Bhatti and Bhaleria informed that the Bathinda DCC (Rural) would also take part in a chain dharna programme to be held at Bareta on September 4 to compel the state government to scrap the land acquisition for the Gobindpura plant. They added that Congress leader Raninder Singh would also take part in the chain dharna. Congress workers discussed the matter related to forcible acquisition of land by the SAD-BJP Government for the Gobindpura plant. Duties were also assigned to the leaders and workers for the party’s morcha programme. Baljinder Thekedar, Harinder Mann, Lakhwinder Singh Lakha, Satnam Singh Beer Behman, Rupinder Bindra, Jawahar Singh Nandgarh, Rajpinder Raju and Gurbinder Ballo were present. |
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Farad Kendra staff seek regular jobs, two employees on fast-unto-death
Bathinda, August 26 Due to the agitation by these employees, the functioning in the Farad Kendras has been affected since August 17, the day when they went on strike throughout the state. The agitating employees of the Punjab Land Records Society, working in the Farad Kendras of the state, have been demanding regularisation of their services and stoppage of recruitment on temporary basis. President of the association Harpreet Singh announced that their strike would continue till their demands were accepted. The agitating employees today took out a protest march here and raised slogans against the state government and in support of their demands. — TNS |
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Ferozepur villager killed in roof collapse, 5 rescued
Ferozepur, August 26 DC S Karuna Raju, who visited the affected village today, confirmed the casualty. He added that the case would be taken up with the state government for giving compensation to the bereaved family. “I have also sanctioned funds for the affected family for constructing a house under the Indira Awas Yojna and some money has also been provided to them for purchasing other household items,” Raju added. The deceased Jagir Singh was shifting his household items to his brother’s house in the neighbourhood when the tragedy took place. The DC further said the administration has already cautioned the residents not to use manual boats as it was risky in case of strong currents in the river. But some people do notfollow the advice. Moreover, the motorboats have been provided by the BSF and NDRF troops, he said. Meanwhile, the administration has set up another relief camp for 500 people at Nihala Lavela, one of the worst affected villages besides Dhira Gaira, Bandala, Basti Ramlal and others. Meanwhile, the water level downstream of the Harike headworks today came down to 70,000 cusecs. The marooned villages are still facing a tough situation as the water would take some time time to recede. Drainage Department officials said the water level upstream of Harike has also come down to 90,000 cusecs but its effect would be felt in the distressed villages after two days. Some residents refused to shift to relief camps. At Basti Ram Lal, Nishan Singh said the water has receded by a few inches. |
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Farmers hope for better yield of white gold this year
Abohar, August 26 Arhtia Association president Pramil Kalani said the traders have cautiously resolved to go in for purchasing the ‘white gold’ from September 3. Experts stated that the moisture content in the balls may recede, if temperature, as predicted by the weathermen, rises to 38 degree centigrade by the next two days. Chances of rain hitting the region partially have been put at 30 per cent till Sunday. Humidity was recorded today at 56 per cent, it may go up in next 48 hours, meteorologists said. Swaran Singh, a farmer on the Kandhwala road, said picking could have been finished last fortnight, had the rains not lashed the area intermittently. The women engaged for the job were able to pick about 15-kg of raw cotton balls daily by working from dawn to sunset. Picking at village Kandhwala Amarkot remained suspended for about two weeks as the water overflowing from a pond inundated hundreds of houses besides most of the fields, located on the periphery. Another farmer Rajwinder Singh in Kikkarkhera said mealy bug or white fly had not affected cotton crop much this year due to the varied weather conditions and timely spraying of insecticides. Though none of the agencies was in a position to give the exact estimates, well-informed progressive farmers hoped for a better yield as compared to last year. |
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‘Diversion of water to deserts could have averted floods’
Abohar, August 26 Samiti members led by senior spokesman Subhash Sehgal visited some of the flood-hit areas during the last 24 hours. Sehgal said the water level in the Pong Dam had been recorded at 1,339 feet in the beginning of the outgoing crop season. Requests made repeatedly by farmer organisations to run the Rajasthan feeder, Indira Gandhi canal and Gang (Bikaner) canal to their respective capacity were turned down by the Bhakra and Beas Management Board on the plea that there was no official intimation from the Rajasthan Government. Intriguingly, the authorities at the Hari Ke and Hussainiwala headworks preferred to divert thousands of cusecs of precious water to the West Punjab province of Pakistan instead of meeting the requirements of wheat and cotton growers in the twin districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh. Scarcity of water had hit yields in the areas besides creating problems in the supply of drinking water. “The members of the Technical Advisory Committees also deserved to be blamed for the mess,” he said. The Samiti members regretted that the Punjab Government had not taken adequate measures to avert the floods. Funds should have been released last month apprehending the situation that has rendered thousands homeless in the border districts. |
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Supected jaundice cases surface
Barnala, August 26 A sizeable number of residents have been showing the symptoms of jaundice for the last two weeks. The suspected cases included Mukhtiyaar Singh, Megha Singh, Raldu Ram and many others. The residents rued that the administration has failed to provide them with potable water. Notably, the affected persons are too poor to afford treatment. Besides, garbage dumped in the open areas has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.The residents demanded that the administration should immediately get the sewerage and water supply pipes repaired and also get the area cleaned to avoid more such cases. Barnala Deputy Commissioner Paramjeet Singh said he would dispatch a team of doctors to the area to take stock of the situation there. In July this year, over four dozen residents of ward number 2 had fallen prey to jaundice due to the mixing of sewage in the water supply pipes. The administration had later launched a cleanliness drive in this regard. |
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31 left in the fray after scrutiny of nominations
Bathinda, August 26 Candidates in the race from Balluana seat reserved for Scheduled Caste (woman) include Shinder Kaur of SAD (1920), Gur Surinderjit Kaur from SAD
(Amritsar), Joginder Kaur from SAD and independent candidates Surinder and Baljinder
Kaur. Three candidates are left in the fray from Bhagta, including Harinder Singh from SAD (1920), Phuman Singh from SAD and Mukand Singh from SAD
(Amritsar). Four candidates are in the fray from Rampura Phul, including Sher Singh from SAD (1920), Hardeep Singh from SAD
(Amritsar), Major Singh Dhillon from SAD and an independent candidate Baldev Singh. Only three candidates will be contesting the seat in Bathinda constituency. They are Sukhdev Singh Bahia from SAD, Harpal Singh from SAD (1920) and Harphool Singh Khalsa from SAD
(Amritsar). From Balluana, valid nominations are that of Amrik Singh from SAD, Surjit Singh from SAD (1920), Harpal Singh from SAD
(Amritsar) and independent candidates Gurjant Singh and Narinder
Singh. Talwandi Sabo constituency has three candidates left, including Sukhdev Singh from SAD
(Amritsar), Mohan Singh from SAD and independent candidate Sukhdeep Singh.
Maur too has three valid nominations, including Gurtej Singh from SAD, Darshan Singh from SAD (1920) and Parminder Singh from SAD
(Amritsar). From Bhagta constituency, which is reserved for Scheduled Caste, nominations of Avtar Singh from SAD, Sukhmander Singh from SAD
(Amritsar) and Teja Singh from SAD (1920) were found valid after the scrutiny. From Rampura Phul general category (woman), the nominations of Kiranjit Kaur from SAD
(Amritsar) and Jaspal Kaur from SAD have been found as valid. Nineteen nominations were found invalid from the constituencies of
Bhagta, Bhagta (SC), Rampura Phul, Rampura Phul (women general), Balluana and
Maur. None of the nominations from Bathinda and Talwandi Sabo were found to be invalid. All the candidates have been assigned the election symbols as well. The SAD (1920) will contest on the symbol truck, the SAD
(Amritsar) has been allotted horse as the poll symbol while the SAD has been allotted tractor as the election symbol. All six independent candidates have been allotted different symbols. |
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School principal killed in road mishap
Bathinda, August 26 Gurpreet and his wife Jaswinder Kaur were on a motorcycle when a truck coming from the opposite direction rammed into them. While Gurpreet died on the spot, Jaswinder received serious injuries. She was taken to a Ludhiana-based hospital where she is undergoing treatment. The couple has a son and a daughter. |
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Patwari caught red-handed taking bribe
Bathinda, August 26 In his complaint to the Vigilance Bureau (VB), Sarbjit Singh of village Mallke, Tehsil Boha, Mansa, stated that Manjit Singh, the patwari posted at Dalel Singh Wala, Tehsil Budhlada, Mansa, had demanded an undue payment for registering the mutation of his ancestral land. He alleged that the patwari was demanding Rs 15,000 but the deal was struck at Rs 10,000. DSP, VB, Mansa, Jagdish Singh caught Manjit accepting the bribe and recovered the money in the presence of two official witnesses. On noticing the VB team, the patwari threw the currency notes on the floor. FIR number 9 under Sections 7, 13 (2) 88 of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at the police station, VB, Bathinda. |
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The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bathinda Zone, Nirmal Singh Dhillon, today refuted the media reports about the police baton charging the protesting farmers and injuring them at Mansa yesterday.
Three Congress MLAs, namely Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar and Makhan Singh, from this district failed to turn up at a meeting of the District Congress Committee (Rural) held at its office here today in connection with the preparations for the party’s September 2 ‘morcha’ at Bareta (Mansa) opposing the land acquisition for the Gobindpura thermal power plant.
Bathinda, August 26
A person identified as Jagir Singh reportedly died after his kutcha house collapsed, after being submerged in water at Dullasingh Wala village. However, five other persons, who were trapped in the strong currents of the swollen Sutlej while they had gone in a boat to immerse the ashes of their relative in the river near village Dhira
Gaira, were timely rescued by the NDRF team.
As bright sunshine gives relief from week-long intermittent, mild showers and mercury soars back at 33 degree centigrade, cotton picking in the region, known as Manchester of Punjab, has gained momentum. There had been no migration of cotton picking workers from the neighbouring state of Rajasthan this season. 
