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Five of a family injured as house falls apart
Abohar/Sriganganagar, September 6

The Municipal Council at Abohar had to keep drinking water supply suspended for the second day to facilitate draining out of accumulated rain water on all the main roads, markets and a dozens of residential areas with fresh downpour today.
A house that collapsed in Abohar on Tuesday. A Tribune photograph

Once the cradle of Olympians, hockey languishes in border town
Ferozepur, September 6
Once the nursery of budding international hockey players, this border town which has produced stalwarts and Olympians like Harmik Singh (Arjuna awardee), Ajit Singh (Olympian), Stephen Charles (Olympic gold medallist) and Gaganajit (ace Indian centre forward), is now sans basic facilities and infrastructure required for the national sport.

Budding hockey players line up for a practice session in Ferozepur. Budding hockey players line up for a practice session in Ferozepur. Photo by writer

EARLIER STORIES

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	Five of a family injured as house falls apart Our Correspondent Abohar/Sriganganagar, September 6 The Municipal Council at Abohar had to keep drinking water supply suspended for the second day to facilitate draining out of accumulated rain water on all the main roads, markets and a dozens of residential areas with fresh downpour today. The Council Office Complex, residence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and the Sub-Divisional Complex too bore the brunt. The reports indicated that five persons were injured as the roof of a house collapsed at village Waryamkhera. The victims included Jeet Ram, his wife Darshana Devi, daughter Vinod Kumari, Maya Devi and Pappy. They were rescued by the locals, who woke up on hearing the blast-like noise. Many persons had a marginal escape as the boundary walls of the mess of Peerkhana in Rajiv Nagar and Railway Officers’ Colony collapsed due to the rain. A house owned by Mani Ram, a daily wage earner, collapsed in Durga Nagari at Abohar. Studies in some schools were affected as the grounds were inundated. In Sriganganagar region, two teenagers identified as Kuldeep Kumar and Kalu Ram died while playing near a house as wall collapsed at village Rayanwali, an official Madan Lal, under training at Raziasar police station, confirmed. In village Rangmahal, one Parvati Devi (60) and her daughter-in-law Mohinder Devi (40) suffered electric shock while hanging clothes on a wire. The heavy rainfall in Hanumangarh damaged two pillars bearing the serial number five and six in the ancient Bhatner Fort. They finally collapsed last evening, an eyewitness, Shyam Mangwana, confirmed. Notably, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials had directed the residents near the fort to vacate houses apprehending erosion. About four dozen houses at Ridmalsar have collapsed, Sarpanch Inderaj Poonia informed the district administration. He regretted the delay in draining out the water that had accumulated last week due to the incessant rain owing to insufficient budget.
	Once the cradle of Olympians, hockey languishes in border town Anirudh Gupta Ferozepur, September 6 Once the nursery of budding international hockey players, this border town which has produced stalwarts and Olympians like Harmik Singh (Arjuna awardee), Ajit Singh (Olympian), Stephen Charles (Olympic gold medallist) and Gaganajit (ace Indian centre forward), is now sans basic facilities and infrastructure required for the national sport. The only stadium available to the hundreds of budding hockey players for practice is in an appalling shape. Besides, no hockey coach has been posted here for the last several years. The ‘six a side’ astroturf provided in the stadium does not even have the goal posts or the water sprinklers. “It is ironical that the town which has produced a galaxy of hockey stars is deprived of even a proper playground,” said HNS Laddi, DSO (retd), a former national player. While recalling the glorious past of hockey here, Laddi said players like the legendary Dhyan Chand, Balbir Singh (Olympian and captain, Indian team), Olympian Rajinder Singh and Sahib Singh, have played on this ground. Laddi, who is also the secretary of the District Hockey Association ( DHA) regretted that the government was planning to set up hockey stadiums at other places, which have made the least contribution to the game while ignoring Ferozepur, whose players have brought laurels to the nation umpteen times. Olympian Ajit Singh, who has the distinction of scoring the fastest goal (within 15 seconds) against Argentina during the 1976 Montreal Olympics, also expressed similar sentiments. Ajit said there is no dearth of talented hockey players here even now. But they need proper training and facilities. Ajit demanded a separate hockey stadium of international standards here. He added that the present stadium was not even levelled. Besides, it was also catering to other sports like athletics, basketball and handball. “Official functions on Independence Day and Republic Day are also held here,” he said. Earlier, to give impetus to hockey in the area, Baba Shershahwali Hockey Academy was set up here in 2001 with the efforts of the then DIG Hardeep Dhillon. Though, the players of the academy have shown their courage in various championships, they are still deprived of the requisite infrastructure. Manmeet Singh, who is imparting coaching to the players of the academy, said hundreds of upcoming players from various villages come here to play daily but in the absence of a proper ground and equipment, they are not able to realise their optimum potential. “Since most of the players belong to poor families, they cannot even purchase hockey sticks,” he said, adding that if they are provided with conducive playing conditions and requisite equipment, they can revive the glorious traditions of the past and again bring glory not only to the border town but to the entire country.
	ETT teachers end hunger strike Tribune News Service Bathinda, September 6 The 24-hour symbolic hunger strike by five members of the ETT Teachers’ Union, Punjab, ended at 4 pm outside the Mini-secretariat here today. Nirbhey Singh Nangla, Harwinder Bath, Bhola Ram, Bhupinder Misarkhana and Amandeep Puhla, who were observing the hunger strike, were offered juice by the leaders of the union to end the strike. They were protesting to compel the state government to accept and implement their demands, transfer of schools (working under Zila Parishads and Municipal Councils) along with ETT teachers to the Education Department, pay-scale of Rs 10,300-Rs 34,800 plus Rs 4,200 as grade pay to the ETT teachers as recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission, and scrapping of a proposal regarding establishment of Panchayati Directorate for the teachers. A number of ETT teachers today gathered outside the Mini-secretariat here and also held a rally. They also raised slogans against the state government for allegedly adopting indifferent attitude towards their demands. A member of the core committee of the ETT Teachers Union Jagsir Sahota said after the successful holding of the symbolic 24-hour hunger strike throughout the state, the union had convened a meeting of the state committee on September 11 at Moga to chalk out the further course of action for getting their demands accepted and implemented. Sahota said they were of the view that the government should accept their demands without any further delay to prevent them from chalking out their further agitation on September 11.
	Ferozepur Central Jail inmate dies Our Correspondent Ferozepur, September 6 An inmate of the Central Jail, identified as Rajesh Kumar, died following an illness here today. As per the information available, a case pertaining to murder had been registered against Rajesh Kumar, son of Om Parkash, hailing from Abohar, at the Abohar city police station on October 19, 2004. Later, Rajesh was sent to the sub-jail (Fazilka) before he was finally shifted to the Central Jail in Ferozepur on November 13, 2004. In March 2007, Rajesh was sentenced to life along with a fine of Rs 10,000 by the court. Jail authorities revealed that neither Rajesh had ever taken any parole nor anyone had visited him in the jail ever since he had been lodged here. Rajesh was undergoing treatment in the jail as he suffered from epileptic attacks. When he was on his way to the factory for work in the morning today, he suddenly collapsed and was taken to the Civil Hospital where he was declared dead. Jail officials further said the relatives of Rajesh have been informed. His body would be handed over to his family members after the postmortem.
	Youth awarded life term for murder Tribune News Service Bathinda, September 6 In a murder case, the court of district and sessions judge SK Aggarwal today awarded life sentence to a 26-year-old youth from village Mehta. The case dates back to October 17, 2009 when Gurdhian Singh killed one Billu Singh of Jassi Pau Wali. In his statement to the police, Billu’s son Mandar Singh had stated that on October 17, he and his father had gone to his aunt’s village Jassi Pau Wali. In the evening, Mandar, Billu, Gurdhian Singh and some others started consuming liquor. Later, Gurdhian and Billu went on a motorcycle to fetch more liquor. When they did not return even after a long time, Mandar and others went to search for them but in vain. Later, some of the family members located Billu’s body on the outskirts of the village. There were injury marks on his forehead. Later, Gurdhian was arrested. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime saying that Billu had made wrong remarks about his (Gurdhian’s) female relatives. To avenge the same, he killed Billu.