B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Teachers’ Day today
Epitome of teaching reduced to mere building
Bathinda, September 4
While the education institutions in the city go gung ho with the Teachers’ Day celebrations on Monday, the Teachers’ Home Bathinda – a landmark in itself for teachers of the north region – stands asking if it has reduced to mere inn for holding congregations.

25 teachers felicitated in Fazilka
Fazilka, September 4
A total of 25 teachers from Fazilka, Jalalabad, Abohar and nearby towns of Arniwala and Ladhuka were honoured at a district-level programme.
Cabinet Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani honours Satpal Krishan Mohla, a teacher, at the district-level programme organised on the eve of the Teachers’ Day in Fazilka. A Tribune photograph

Jobless teachers flay state govt
Bathinda, September 4
The Unemployed Physical Education Teachers' Union held a meeting here today. The participants included teachers who had cleared July 2011 counselling of the Education Department that was conducted on the orders of the High Court.

Donating blood to celebrate the day
Abohar, September 4
While a section of the teaching fraternity is going to observe the Teachers’ Day as Black Day on Monday, 20 teachers including two women Neelam and Yogita, serving at Government Primary Schools on Sunday decided to serve the humanity by donating blood as part of Teachers’ Day celebrations. About two dozen other social activists also donated blood at the camp that was organised by Nar Seva Narayan Seva, an NGO at the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital here.

Siblings killed, parents sustain serious injuries in road mishap
Bathinda, September 4
A youth and his teenage sister were killed in a van-truck collision last night while their parents received serious injuries. The family members were returning to Rama Mandi from Bathinda in a Maruti van driven by their tenant.

Toddler dies of snake bite
Bathinda, September 4
A two years old girl in Gangaji village near Nathana died of snake bite today. The girl has been identified as Husanpreet Kaur who was playing with children at her neighbours’ place this morning.

Radha Ashtami to be celebrated today
Bathinda, September 4
Radha Ashtami would be celebrated at the Shri Chaitanya Godiya Math temple in Bathinda on September 5.

Railway under bridge under construction
Project likely to miss its latest deadline
Bathinda, September 4
The construction of the railway under bridge on the Bathinda-Mansa road may miss its deadline in November. While the court orders have left the project in limbo, the commuters feel the heat of the incomplete project.

A view of the under-construction railway under bridge on the Bathinda-Mansa road. A Tribune photograph

Bishnois call off stir as state govt agrees to set up police post
Abohar, September 4
The indefinite chain fast started by the members of the Bishnoi community at the Jeev Raksha Chowk on the Seetogunno road bypass here was called off today as the state government installed CCTV cameras and also accepted the demand for setting up police post to prevent reoccurrence of mischief.

Nehru Park given facelift in Abohar
Abohar, September 4
Hundreds of residents converged on the Nehru Park here today to appreciate the renovation work done by some NGOs during the three-day campaign.

National Taekwando Championship
Girl from border town wins bronze
Fazilka, September 4
Aarti, a student of class VIIth of the local Government Girls Senior Secondary School, has won the bronze medal in the seventh national Taekwando Championship held at Gurgaon recently.

Freedom fighter remembered on death anniversary
Abohar, September 4
Noted freedom fighter Chandi Ram Verma was remembered during a function held at the Swami Keshwanand Senior Secondary School here on Sunday on his death anniversary.

Teachers’ Day today
Epitome of teaching reduced to mere building
Megha Mann
Tribune News Service

Jagmohan Kaushal Founder and president, Teachers’ Home Trust

Bathinda, September 4
While the education institutions in the city go gung ho with the Teachers’ Day celebrations on Monday, the Teachers’ Home Bathinda – a landmark in itself for teachers of the north region – stands asking if it has reduced to mere inn for holding congregations.

With its foundation stone laid in 1956, the Teachers’ Home has had its own tryst with destiny. Right from land grabbers in 1959 to unwelcoming administration of Bathinda under the Patiala and East Punjab State Union (PEPSU), the Teachers’ Home has battled every odd end.

Albeit now it seems to have surrendered before materialism that has taken roots in the teaching profession rendering this epitome of teaching into a mere building.

“Down the line, aims and objectives of setting up this building are indeed slipping into oblivion,” says Jagmohan Kaushal, the founder and the president of the Teachers’ Home Trust while claiming it to be the only institution meant for teachers in the country.

It all started in 1955, when government started recruiting untrained teachers to teach in government schools. Kaushal, 19 then, felt that the procedure was wrong and raised his concerns. More people joined and formed a group.

“Instead of re-working the education system, government started following Lord Macaulay’s system, which was not tailored for Indians. We opposed this idea,” says Kaushal, who is better known as secular Marxist. The group succeeded in convincing masses to set up a place that teachers could call their own, learn, share and unwind at. People donated their pieces of land, around 5000 yards, for setting up the Teachers’ Home.

Apart from laying the foundation stone, nothing was done till 1959. Kaushal reminisces, “Being a prime property, suddenly we were in the eye of land grabbers. After several police cases and representations to the government, one fine evening we decided to claim our land. In May 1959, 500 teachers gathered from all over the state. At 9 pm, we started construction. By 5 am, we had constructed two rooms and the boundary wall covering 3,300 yards of area while disputed 1,700 yards were left out.”

While institute passed through the turmoil of numerous litigations, it has now lost its cause. It’s slowly gaining image of being an inn where functions can be held at very nominal cost. Kaushal relates the downfall with commercialisation of education everywhere and Bathinda in particular, which is now a hub of tuition industry for medical and non-medical competitive exams.

25 teachers felicitated in Fazilka
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, September 4
A total of 25 teachers from Fazilka, Jalalabad, Abohar and nearby towns of Arniwala and Ladhuka were honoured at a district-level programme organised by the Sarhad Social Welfare Society, an NGO, on the eve of the Teachers’ Day today.

Local MLA, Transport and Technical Education Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani, Fazilka DC Dr Basant Garg, Additional DC Charandev Singh Mann, District Education Officer Sandeep Dhuria, Sarhad Social Welfare Society president, Rakesh Nagpal, Municipal Council president Anil Sethi, Block Samiti chairman Ranjit Singh Dhaliwal honoured the teachers.

Eminent Educationist Raj Kishore Kalra and District Education Officer Sandeep Dhuria threw light on the life of second President of India Dr Radhakrishanan on whose birthday the Teachers’ Day is celebrated.

Besides, the Society also conferred special award to Raj Kumar, descendent of the founder’s family of leading school of the town, Lala Saran Dass Boota Ram Sarv Hitkari Senior Secondary School.

Jobless teachers flay state govt

Bathinda, September 4
The Unemployed Physical Education Teachers' Union held a meeting here today. The participants included teachers who had cleared July 2011 counselling of the Education Department that was conducted on the orders of the High Court.

During the meeting, Jaswinder Brar, Bhupinder Taggar, Jasvir Singh Maujia and others strongly criticised the Punjab Government for not following the orders of the High Court regarding recruitment of teachers.

They have decided to gherao all the members of the SGPC, the SAD and other political functionaries over the issue. — TNS

Donating blood to celebrate the day

Abohar, September 4
While a section of the teaching fraternity is going to observe the Teachers’ Day as Black Day on Monday, 20 teachers including two women Neelam and Yogita, serving at Government Primary Schools on Sunday decided to serve the humanity by donating blood as part of Teachers’ Day celebrations. About two dozen other social activists also donated blood at the camp that was organised by Nar Seva Narayan Seva, an NGO at the Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital here.

NGO president Raju Charaya, state award recipient, Padho Punjab district coordinator Shankar Chaudhary and assistant coordinator Rakesh Girdhar lauded the donors for noble work.

Eye specialist Dr Arun Jhamb and para medico worker Franklin Masih said 150-175 units of blood is issued monthly by the local blood bank that had been restored after renovation recently. This, they said, would not be possible without active contribution of the NGOs. — OC

Siblings killed, parents sustain serious injuries in road mishap
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 4
A youth and his teenage sister were killed in a van-truck collision last night while their parents received serious injuries. The family members were returning to Rama Mandi from Bathinda in a Maruti van driven by their tenant.

The deceased have been identified as 18-year-old Aditi and Aseem (20). Both were declared as brought dead at the Bathinda Civil Hospital last night.

Father of the deceased Ashok Kumar, who runs a shop at Rama Mandi, is still unconscious and his wife Alka had a fracture in her thigh.

The investigating officer in the case, Jagdeep Singh, said the tenant of the family, Mohan Lal, worked at the Bathinda Refinery and he offered to take the family members to Bathinda in his van yesterday. Mohan Lal was to receive someone at the Bathinda railway station in the evening.

The police said Mohan Lal was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and was driving the van rashly. The vehicle escaped hitting a speeding truck near the Bathinda city but collided with another near Sekhu village.

Volunteers of the Sangat Sahara Sewa Sanstha, Sangat Kenchiyan, reached the spot and rushed the injured to the Bathinda Civil Hospital where both the children were declared brought dead.

The police claimed that the family members of the deceased expressed their inability to pursue a legal case in this regard.

The police has initiated the inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. No action had been initiated against the driver of the van, who was absconding, claimed the investigating officer.

Toddler dies of snake bite

Bathinda, September 4
A two years old girl in Gangaji village near Nathana died of snake bite today.

The girl has been identified as Husanpreet Kaur who was playing with children at her neighbours’ place this morning.

Villagers said some families have built their homes near their agricultural fields, away from the rural community. A snake entered in the house from the agricultural fields and bit her leg while she was playing.

The victim was immediately rushed to the government hospital nearby but she could not survive.

The dead body was handed over to her family members. — TNS

Radha Ashtami to be celebrated today

Bathinda, September 4
Radha Ashtami would be celebrated at the Shri Chaitanya Godiya Math temple in Bathinda on September 5.

The programme would begin at 10.00 am with devotional songs and hymns. Mangla Arti would take place after performing rituals including the holy bath of goddess Radha. Ramesh Kumar, presiding official of the function, said the devotees can also witness the lotus feet of goddess Radha which according to him was possible only once in a year in the month of Bhadrapada. A langar would also be arranged for the devotees on the occasion. — TNS

Railway under bridge under construction
Project likely to miss its latest deadline
Gurdeep Singh Mann
Tribune news Service

Bathinda, September 4
The construction of the railway under bridge on the Bathinda-Mansa road may miss its deadline in November. While the court orders have left the project in limbo, the commuters feel the heat of the incomplete project.

Commuters on the way to Patiala, Mansa, Talwandi Sabo and Chandigarh usually take this route and have to wait at the railway crossing.

Railway officials said at least 25 trains run on the track everyday and the railway crossing had to be closed for 10 to 20 minutes everytime a train passes, which results in long queues of vehicles.

In view of the heavy traffic going towards the Bathinda Refinery, the chaos has increased manifold near the railway crossing.

The project started in February this year and Rs 5 crore have already been spent. The project suffered a setback in July this year when a local court ordered stay on the construction. People from nearby villages had approached the court laying their claim on a portion of land where the under bridge is being constructed. Admitting their plea, the court had ordered the stay on the construction on the dispute portion of land.The project was to be completed by November this year and later, the deadline was shifted to December owing to technical reasons. With no immediate relief in near future in sight, the project is bound to miss the deadline.

Officials of the PWD B&R claimed to have moved a higher court against the stay orders. “But legalities are always time consuming. Till the time the matter is not settled, commuters will have to bear its brunt. Even the cost of the project may escalate in the event of delay,” said a PWD official. Executive Engineer (XEN) of the PWD B&R Manjit Singh said efforts were on to overcome the legal hassles.

He claimed that the land occupied to construct the railway under bridge was in the possession of the PWD B and R Department for a long time. “While the work has been suspended on the one side of the project, it is going on a full swing on the Mansa side,” he claimed. When completed, the project is expected to benefit the population residing on the trans railway line.

With premier educational institutes like the Central University of Punjab and the Yadavindra College of Engineering, Talwandi Sabo, as well as many government schools situated on the other side of the railway track, the railway under bridge had been a long-pending demand of the area residents.

Bishnois call off stir as state govt agrees to set up police post
Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 4
The indefinite chain fast started by the members of the Bishnoi community at the Jeev Raksha Chowk on the Seetogunno road bypass here was called off today as the state government installed CCTV cameras and also accepted the demand for setting up police post to prevent reoccurrence of mischief.

Punjab Wildlife Advisory Board member Sanjeev Godara and SP Virender Brar offered juice to the fasting agitators. They assured the protesters on behalf of the government that no stone would be left unturned to identify and nab the miscreants, who had targeted the Chowk thrice in the past.

The Akhil Bhartiya Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha had launched an indefinite stir on September 2. The protesters expressed anguish over the failure of the police in identifying and nabbing the miscreants, who had defaced the statues of Indira Priyadarshani Environment National Award recipient Sant Kumar Bishnoi and black bucks.

Nehru Park given facelift in Abohar
Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 4
Hundreds of residents converged on the Nehru Park here today to appreciate the renovation work done by some NGOs during the three-day campaign.

The visitors also joined the members of the Association of Engineers and Shri Balaji Manav Seva Samiti in planting scores of saplings. NGO functionaries said due to the apathy of the Municipal Council (MC), they resolved to do the renovation work.

The volunteers removed garbage, trimmed century-old trees, applied lime powder coat, levelled grass and removed bunches that had fallen due to rains. The initiative inspired daily visitors also to participate in the campaign, general secretary of the Association AK Vij said.

“We have also made arrangements to check entry of stray cattle by modifying the entry gate,” president Sanjeev Sehgal added. Satish Munjal, a former senior executive engineer in the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), said it took just three hours to clean and make the lone fountain functional.

He was joined by another retired engineer Surinder Kumar Jhamb in honouring Rajat Loothra and Satish Sharma for their contribution in the renovation work.

National Taekwando Championship
Girl from border town wins bronze
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, September 4
Aarti, a student of class VIIth of the local Government Girls Senior Secondary School, has won the bronze medal in the seventh national Taekwando Championship held at Gurgaon recently.

Principal of the school Sandeep Dhuria said a total of 800 students had participated in the championship.

Aarti won the bronze medal in 32-kg category. Aarti belongs to a simple family.

Her father Sandeep Saxena is a mason while Sunita (mother) is a housewife.

Freedom fighter remembered on death anniversary
Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 4
Noted freedom fighter Chandi Ram Verma was remembered during a function held at the Swami Keshwanand Senior Secondary School here on Sunday on his death anniversary.

Veteran Gandhian BL Nagpal said on the occasion that Mahatma Gandhi and Lala Lajpat Rai had relied on village Abulkhurana born Chandi Ram Verma, who abandoned studies at the DAV College, Lahore, in 1918 to join the non-cooperation movement besides collection of Tilak Swaraj fund to support the freedom struggle as convener for Punjab.

Floral tributes were also paid by Inder Mohan Verma, former president, Rotary Club, senior educationists Ved Rustogi, Saroj Nagpal, Dr Sandeep Watts, in-charge, Swami Keshwanand Ayurvedic Hospital.