Bathinda November 4
In a major relief to city residents, the ‘most-polluting’ Unit IV of the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) will be shut down tomorrow.

Taking notice of the pollution caused by the said unit, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had, on September 28, given a 40-day ultimatum to the GNDTP authorities to completely close the Unit IV. The period comes to an end on November 5.

In May and June, the PPCB had checked the pollution level of the plant and the level of the suspended particulate matter (SPM) emitted by the Unit IV was found to be 333 mg/Nm3 against the prescribed limit of 150 mg/Nm3.

Moreover, the level of SPM in a renovated Unit II was 175 mg/Nm3, which was also above the prescribed limit.

Taking notice of the same, the PPCB directed the thermal bodies to close the Unit IV as soon as possible. When GNDTP authorities asked for some time relief, the PPCB directed them to complete the formalities within 40 days.

Chief Engineer of the GNDTP, HP Singh said the Unit IV would definitely be closed by tomorrow.

“We have got the directions and the most-polluting Unit IV will be shut down on November 5,” he said, adding: “The renovation of this unit is already delayed. We will begin it soon after dismantling the unit.”

Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) is overwhelmed at the decision to close the ‘trouble-maker’ unit. Convener of the JAC, MM Behl said, “We will begin protests against the authorities and come out on the streets if the unit is not shut down tomorrow.”

The PPCB has also confirmed the closure. The XEN of PPCB, Najjar Singh Manshahia, said, “The board had given a notice to the thermal bodies and the notice period ends tomorrow. Also, we have got a call from the thermal authorities that they are shutting down the unit. The board would be happy if the problems of citizens are reduced.”

Bathinda, November 4
Dengue and heaps of garbage in the city remained the highlights of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) House meeting convened here today after four months and 11 days.

Not only the councillors of the opposition Congress, but even those of ruling SAD-BJP Government accused BMC employees of turning a Nelson's eye to their problems.

They alleged that all requests to clean streets in various wards of the city fell on deaf ears.

Santosh Kumari Mahant, councillor from ward 32, set the ball rolling accusing sanitary inspector Naresh Kumar of not responding to her repeated calls seeking cleansing of her ward.

Councillors Krishan Kumar Garg, Jagroop Singh Gill, Basant Bhatia, Mithu Ram Gupta, Mukesh Kumar and others too pointed out that cleanliness in the city is in shambles.

Mayor Baljit Singh Bir Behman sought written explanation from Naresh, the official concerned.

Councillors said ever since the temporary sweepers were regularised few months ago, the situation has grown from bad to worse.

KK Garg said while councillors have to monitor the cleanliness of their wards whereas the sanitary inspectors and supervisors were supposed to do the job. "The role of these supervisors and inspectors seems to have confined to only sipping tea in their offices," he said.

Garg proposed that the BMC should donate Rs 10 lakh from its fund for the welfare of dengue patients.

Jagroop Singh Gill demanded that the BMC should immediately pass a budget of Rs 2 crore to buying fumigation machines to senitise the city and kill dengue larvae.

A councillor, Basant Bhatia, said the sewerage department was not performing its duty properly. Endorsing his views, Mukesh Kumar added that despite repeated requests, neither blocked sewers were opened nor damaged sewer pipes were re-laid. Jagroop Gill objected to handing over the work of de-clogging sewer pipe lines to private contractors at heavy cost. He questioned the credibility and working of the department. 

Bathinda, November 4
The school children, who have got bicycles from the Punjab Government under the Mai Bhago Scheme, are pleased with the freebie but the photographs of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on them seems not to have gone down well with most of the students. Many have already removed the photographs.

A visit to the schools where bicycles were distributed to the girl students of Classes XI and XII revealed that most of the students have removed the CM’s pictures that were prominent on the front basket of the bicycle.

"Actually it is my brother, who removed the photo. I did not have any issue with the picture but my brother was not happy with it," said a student of a government school near Goniana.

Interestingly, the aluminum sheets on which photographs are printed have been riveted to the basket and are difficult to remove.

Some students say that they did not like the photographs while others had their own reasons. A student said she was not aware as to who removed the CM’s picture. She added that she had parked the bicycle at the cycle stand. Another student said the picture was not fixed properly.

The Punjab Government has distributed 4,500 bicycles for girl students of government schools in this district.

School teachers lamented that most of the bicycles given were useless. "Most of the girls, who had been given bicycles, come from far-off villages. Their parents do not allow them to commute distance of more than five km," said the principal of a government school not wishing to be identified. Furthermore, many girls do not even know cycling, he added.

Bathinda, November 4
The connoisseurs of antiquities are up for treat at the Prof Mohan Singh Mela, where section has been dedicated to rich Punjabi culture and heritage.

Antique collectors from areas of Bathinda and Faridkot have put up stalls exhibiting items related to the Punjabi culture. Octogenarian Karnail Singh from village Bishnandi in Faridkot had come with a hand woven mat that bore map of India.

Karnail had completed this work on October 12, 1971. A farmer, Karnail had used fine threads of hand spun cotton thread that was earlier used for making chords (naada). “I had this itch to do something different. So I started hunting for India’s map. I came from Faridkot to Bathinda to get this map and reproduced it on the mat,” said an illiterate Karnail, who took help of his tailor friend in labeling the map.

The mat is very dear to Karnail, who doesn’t give it to even his children or grandchildren. Some people from Chandigarh approached him for buying mat at Rs 70, 000, but he refused. “I want at least Rs 1 lakh for this creation. I’ve stayed apart from this mat for just one night and that was the toughest moment for me,” he said.

Also on the display are old utensils and other household items that belong to Randhir Singh Dhunna, a tailor. Dhunna has been collecting these utensils over last many years. His one of the most prized possessions includes a bag of Azad Hind Fauj marked 1924. “This bag belonged to my father-in-law,” he reminisced. Apart from bag he has old designer jewellery box, couple of mirrors and many other things.

The collection of gramophones of Jagdev Singh from village Mehta too drew crowd. Mehta has been collecting gramophones, its old records, spinning wheels and other such things for past 25 years. He, however, rued that though his passion earned him name and fame, his economic condition is very weak.

“I don’t have any place to keep these significant pieces of history. My own house is in a pathetic condition. Sources of income are so meagre that we are hardly able to make both ends meet. Government should set up a separate museum so that these antique pieces do not lose their sheen,” he added.

The exhibition is open for public till November 6.

Bathinda, November 4
The three-day cultural extravaganza, the 33rd Prof Mohan Singh Mela began today. Former cabinet minister of Punjab Sikandar Singh Maluka inaugurated the fair, today.

The fair has a section, Sant Fateh Singh Nagar, dedicated to the exhibition of the rich cultural heritage of Punjab. After the inaugural ceremony, the contests were held for the school students wherein the children presented Prof Mohan Singh's poems. Kavishree and Dhadhi groups presented their rich presentations that talked about the state’s culture and heritage.

A painting contest was also organised, in which, from group A, Karanveer Singh from Baba Farid Public School, was declared first while Bhawanpreet Singh Sandhu, from the same school, stood second.

Harpreet Kaur from Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School secured the third position. Consolation prizes were given to Kamalinder Singh, Pardeep Kumar, Jagmohan Singh, Arshpreet Kaur and Karan Kumar.

Similarly, from the group B, Amandeep Kaur from Mata Sahib Kaur Girls College, Kuldeep Kaur and Ravneet Kaur, both from Baba Farid School, secured the second and third position, respectively.

Consolation prizes were awarded to Ramandeep Kaur, Manwinder Kaur and Jaspinder Kaur.

Gurcharan Singh Maur, Bant Singh Dhillon and Pargat Grewal awarded the winners. Earlier in the morning, Youth Clubs Organisation organised a prayer ceremony at the Gurudwara Qila Sahib and arranged a langar. In the evening, a ‘Kirtan Darbar’ was held wherein Bhai Lakhwinder Singh Ragi, Paramjit Singh from Patiala, Baba Amir Singh Javaddi Taksal, Mann Singh Jhaur, Giani Sahib Singh from Shahbad Markanda, Baba Mukhtiar Singh from Beerbehman and others participated.

Baba Amir Singh Javaddi Taksal was honoured with the Sant Baba Sucha Singh Gurmat award and Giani Sahib Singh from Shabad Markanda was honoured with Mann Singh Jhaur award.

From group A Karanveer Singh from Baba Farid Public School was declared first while Bhawanpreet Singh Sandhu from the same school stood second

Harpreet Kaur from Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School secured the third position

Consolation prizes were given to Kamalinder Singh, Pardeep Kumar, Jagmohan Singh, Arshpreet Kaur and Karan Kumar

Bathinda, November 4
A motorcycle-borne miscreant snatched the purse of a female sub-inspector (SI) here on Thursday morning. The victim is deployed at Muktsar.

The incident occurred while sub-inspector Veerpal Kaur, a resident of Model Town, Phase-III here, was returning from the railway station on a rickshaw at around 5 am.

The cop also received injuries as she resisted snatching. However, the snatcher succeeded in taking away the purse while taking advantage of darkness and nonentity around due to wee hours.

In her complaint to the police, SI Veerpal Kaur said she was returning to her residence on a rickshaw when the motorcycle-borne snatcher grabbed her purse in front of the MSD School. The purse contained the victim's identity card, Rs 2,000 in cash, a mobile phone, an ATM card, her PAN card and driving licence.

The investigating officer (IO) in the case, SI Jaswant Singh of the Civil Lines Police Station, said the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of the stolen mobile had been put on surveillance. "The snatcher has switched off the mobile phone after taking out its SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)."

The SI said the snatcher was alone on the bike and had covered himself with a piece of woollen cloth. The victim had got upset and could not remember the face of the accused.

"The snatcher must be chasing the victim from the railway station and pounced on her at an 'appropriate' place," the IO said. He added that the husband of the victim 
was also in the police department.

"It is for the first time in my life that the purse of a sub-inspector has been snatched. Had she been in the uniform, nobody could have dared to even think of snatching her purse," said police officials who had rushed to the spot.

The officials said the incident could have been averted had the victim been carrying the purse on her left shoulder. Since the flow of traffic was on her right, it made the snatching easier because she was carrying the purse on her right shoulder.

With snatching incidents on the rise, people should take precautionary measures by carrying shoulder bags on the side opposite to the flow of traffic, advised police officials.

Bathinda, November 4
Under the banner of Lal Jhanda Bhatha Mazdoor Union Punjab (AICCTU), a number of brick kiln workers today gathered outside the Mini-secretariat here to submit a memorandum enlisting their demands to the Bathinda DC KK Yadav. They were led by a state-level leader of the union Harwinder Singh Sema.

Sema said the successive governments in the state had never implemented the labour laws in letter and spirit due to which the labourers had been suffering even after over six decades of the independence. Sema asked the state government to fix the minimum wages for the brick kiln workers as Rs 10,000 per month besides 50 per cent bonus.