Bathinda, December 2
With the state government stopping some types of payments to the retired and serving employees through its treasuries by issuing verbal orders to the treasury officers, it becomes apparent that the state is passing through a financial crisis even as the government claims otherwise.

It is learnt that about two months ago, the treasury officers received verbal orders from the Finance Department authorities against making payments to the retired employees of their retiring benefits like final payment of the general provident fund (GPF), leave encashment (300 days leave) and gratuity, which runs into lakhs for every employee retired from his service.

Besides, serving employees are also being denied various types of advances from their GPF accounts as two months ago, the treasury officers were also told not to make payments from the GPF. Resultantly, an employee cannot get an advance from his GPF for the purposes such as purchasing a computer system, ‘Mundan ceremony’, ‘Dastar bandi’ or house repairs etc.

In the treasury offices at Bathinda, Rampura, Talwandi Sabo and Nathana of Bathinda district, more than 100 bills of retired employees regarding gratuity, leave encashment and final payment of the GPF, are lying pending for release of payment due to the verbal orders from the Finance Department about stoppage of such payments.

Sources said it was not known as to when the Finance Department would give its nod to release such payments.

Meanwhile, the retired persons have been making rounds of the treasury offices to know the fate of their bills but have to return home empty-handed.

District general secretary of the Class IV Government Employees Union Gurbans Singh told TNS today that the cases of about 50 retired Class IV employees seeking payment were still lying with the treasury offices in the district. He said the payment to each employee runs into lakhs of rupees but the government has stopped the treasuries to clear the bills of gratuity, final payment of the GPF and leave encashment.

General secretary of the Government Pensioners Welfare Association, Bathinda, Jagdish Rai Bansal urged the state government to allow the treasuries to make the payment to the retired employees at the earliest so that they could use their money to settle their families or to fulfill their domestic needs.

Bathinda, December 2
An anti smoking drive has been launched at Bathinda Railway Station officials of the GRP (Government Railway Police) have been issuing fine to those found smoking on the railway premises. Railway authorities said that so far money to the tune of more than Rs 32,000 has been collected during the past two months.

While Rs 17,400 were collected during the month of November, Rs 15,200 were collected in October.

As many as 174 persons were issued challans in October for smoking on the railway premises and 152 were issued fine slips in November.

The fine has been imposed under the Prohibition of Smoking at Public Places Act-2008.

Railway authorities rued that a large number of tobacco-selling kiosks are dotting the entrance of the Bathinda railway station alluring passengers to buy biri or cigarettes while entering the railway station.

"Efforts are being made by the GRP officials to remove the kiosks and their owners have been given strict instructions to remove the roadside shops," said the Area Traffic Manager (ATM), SP Bhatia.

The railway officials said they have taken up the matter with civil administration and the Punjab Police as well and these kiosks would be removed soon.

"At present, these kiosks come up only during evening hours but we are keeping a close watch on their activities and efforts are on to remove them permanently from the entrance of the railway station", Bhatia said.

A fine of Rs 100 is slapped on the violators, which is collected on the spot.

Railway officials said they could arrest people for continuous flouting the rules and could be given a harsh punishment as well, but so far no stringent action has bee initiated against anyone.

Bathinda, December 2
On the last day of their five-day-long mass casual leave agitation, members of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU), led by district president Sukhpal Singh Sidhu, today also held a rally inside the Mini-secretariat complex and raised slogans in support of their demand, hike in the grade pay of clerks, assistants and superintendents.

The leaders of the union today appealed to the people to remind the Chief Minister, whenever he visits their area, that he should do justice to the ministerial staff. Besides they should also ignore the inconveniences, being faced by them during strike days.

The Mini-secretariat was virtually presenting a deserted look today as a large number of persons avoided to coming to the Mini-secretariat for getting their works done as they were aware that their visit to the Mini-secretariat will be a futile exercise due to the strike.

District general secretary of the union Kewal Bansal said the next decision of the union about further course of action would be conveyed to the members soon, and would be implemented in letter and spirit at the district-level.

The ministerial staff (clerical cadre) had gone on mass casual leave for the first time on November 22 for three working days but when the government did not accept their demand then they announced mass casual leave for five days more from November 28 to December 2. However, the offices will also remain closed for two days more on December 3 (Saturday) and December 4 (Sunday).

Thus, people have been facing great inconveniences since November 22. In case the proposed talks between the government and the union fail to reach any conclusive decision then the ministerial staff may go on mass leave for one week more as per the sources in the union.

Among those who were present or addressed the rally included Natha Singh, Baldev Singh, Khushkaranjit Singh, Balwinder Singh, Amarjit Sharma and Gurmail Singh.

Bathinda, December 2
Two more NCC units, namely the 3 Punjab Naval Unit and the 2 Remount and Veterinary (R&V) Squadron, have been added to the NCC Directorate of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today.

In Bathinda, the R&V Squadron is at Ghudda village near the proposed campus of the Central University of Punjab (CUP) and the naval unit is near the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant. Both the units are under the Group Head Quarter, Patiala, which is a part of the directorate.

Badal said students of the Malwa region could now go for horse riding and sailing trainings through the NCC. He congratulated Additional Director General (ADG), NCC, Major-General MS Virk and Brigadier HS Brar, Group Commander, Patiala, for their efforts.

The Chief Minister assured all necessary help towards converting the R&V Squadron into an R&V regiment. He announced that the allowances of associate NCC officers (ANOs) would be doubled. He also assured that refreshment, washing and traveling allowances of cadets would be enhanced.

During the inauguration of the two units at different places, NCC cadets gave a guard of honour to the CM. Cadets of the 3 Punjab Naval Unit displayed NCC activities by establishing a motivation and information gallery, and displaying static ship models besides sailing, pulling and rowing. Cadets of the 2 Punjab R&V Squadron presented a horseshow, cultural dance and live band display.

The aim of the 3 Punjab Naval Unit is to simulate interest among the cadets for the Indian Navy. The unit would enroll 200 senior and 1700 junior cadets. The cadets would devote 70 per cent of their training period to specialise in subjects providing them a omprehensive knowledge of the navy as well as seamanship.

The cadets will get practical experience of the sea life during their sea training camps. The adventure activities available to them would be scuba diving, sailing, rowing and boat pulling expeditions, wind surfing, yachting, kayaking and white water rafting.

Lakes of the GNDTP at Bathinda would provide training area. The unit has been temporarily accommodated at the Mahant Gurbanta Dass School for Deaf and Dumb.

The Bathinda unit is the third NCC naval unit in Punjab. The two others are at Amritsar and Naya Nangal.

As far as the 2 Punjab R&V Squadron is concerned, it will provide opportunity to 200 senior division cadets in horsemanship training. Sited in the vicinity of proposed location of the CUP at Ghudda, the infrastructure consisting of offices, accommodation, stores and stables has been constructed. Depending upon their respective acumen, the cadets will have the opportunity to participate in equestrian events at national and international levels.

The R&V Squadron at Ghudda will be the second of its type in Punjab. The other one is at Ludhiana.

The CM said to enlarge the footprint of the NCC, the national strength of 13 lakh was being increased to 15 lakh cadets in a phased manner.

Bathinda, December 2
In protest against the non-issuance of advertisement by the state government to fill 974 vacant posts of the Multi-purpose Health Worker (Male), members of the Unemployed Multi-purpose Health Workers (Male) union, Punjab, today took out a protest march from the Mini-secretariat to the Power House road, raising slogans in favour of their demand and against the state government.

They were led by the state chairman of the union Sukhwinder Singh and state president Surjit Singh. After reaching the traffic lights chowk (near Power House Road) at 2-00 pm, the protesters blocked the vehicular traffic on the main road there.

They remained there till 3.40 pm, causing great inconvenience to the commuters for over one hour and a half as many people had to divert their vehicles or go on foot by alighting from the buses.

Till 3-00 pm, there were no policemen except some traffic police personnel, who were regulating the traffic there by diverting the vehicles on an alternative route towards the Power House Road. Later, an SHO along with some cops came there.

Despite the road blockade for over one hour and a half and great inconvenience to the commuters, no efforts were made by the administration to get the blockade lifted from there. These were the protesters, who themselves lifted the blockade from there to block the traffic at the Bus Stand Chowk here. However, they continued the blockade till 4-00 pm at the Bus Stand Chowk when the Naib Tehsildar (Duty Magistrate) Subhash Mittal and the DSP (City-1) HS Deol talked to the protesters and arranged their meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, to be held on tomorrow at 10-00 am, for seeking time from the Chief Minister for a meeting with the union leaders. The leaders of the union said the SAD-BJP Government had not given employment to any unemployed multi-purpose health worker till now though hundreds of unemployed health workers were seeking employment for the last four years.

They said the government had promised to them that an advertisement would be issued in the newspapers to fill the 974 vacant posts of the multi-purpose health worker, but to no avail so far.

Bathinda, December 2
A large number of Class IV employees, working in the government offices here, today also stayed away from work for the fifth consecutive day in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands by the state government so far.

They came out of their offices after marking their attendance on the attendance registers.

Members of the Class IV Government Employees Union Punjab under the leadership of district president Manjit Singh today also held a rally near the Mini-secretariat here and raised slogans against the state government and in favour of their demands.

The demands include seven percent annual increment, medical allowance Rs 1500 per month, Rs 2,000 per month as special pay, abolition of contract system, promotion for matriculation pass Class IV employees without type test.

District general secretary Gurbans Singh said the agitating employees would go to Kapurthala tomorrow to stage a protest in the Assembly constituency of the Punjab Finance Minister Upinderjit Kaur to remind her that the Class IV government employees were also the employees of the state government, so it should also pay attention towards them on the pattern as it had paid attention towards some other categories of the employees.

He said on December 14 they would also hold a massive rally in front of the office of Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Chandigarh.

Among others who were present or addressed the rally included chairman of Control Committee Punjab Daler Singh, district president Manjit Singh and district president of Punjab State Subordinate Services Federation Balwinder Singh.

Bathinda, December 2
Rishi Sahni of the local Delhi Public School was adjudged the best athlete in under-14 category at the 57th Punjab State Athletic Meet while the school lifted the overall trophy in the same category.

As many as 394 students took part in the athletic meet in three categories, namely under-14, under-17 and under-19. In Under-19 category, girls stood runners-up in discus throw, long jump and 100 m hurdles.

In the Under-14 category, Ravneet Singh of the school won the gold medal in 600 metres and 80 metres hurdles races.

Principal of the school Dr. Arun Jee congratulated the participants and coach S Sankar.

Bathinda, December 2
Twenty-six cattle head impounded on Thursday late night after a vehicle carrying the animal was intercepted near Rose Garden chowk.

The workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal complained police about the animals being brought from Dhanaula area.

The Bajrang Dal worker Sanjiv Aggarwal said that the truck carrying animals jumped police nakas at Rampura, Bhucho, Bibiwala Road and were intercepted at the Rose Garden Chowk.

“As soon as we intercepted the vehicle, five of its occupants got off. A Scorpio vehicle following the truck screeched to a halt and all the five people jumped into it and fled away from the scene,” Aggarwal said.

However, the Kotwali police officials said that accused ran away taking advantage of the darkness. Twenty-six cattle recovered from the truck were sent to the cattle pound situated on Dabwali road.

Police have registered a case under Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty Towards Animals Act, Sections 4 A and 4 B of the Cow Slaughtering Act and the Section 295 IPC for hurting the religious sentiments. Case has been registered against unknown owner of the vehicle number HR 58 A 3713.

Aggarwal said that the recovered animals include only three cows and rest are bull.

He alleged that the animals seemed to be intoxicated.

Bathinda, December 2
A seminar was organised to commemorate the World AIDS Day at the Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (AIMSR).

Associate professor, department of medicine, Dr JS Bahia organized this seminar. Dr Bahia talked about awareness, treatment and prevention of this viral disease that has killed 20 million people and 45 million are suffering from its infection.

Dr Bahia opened the session, while Dr Prabhnoor Singh Hayer, Dr Simerpreet Kaur, Dr Jasleen Kaur and all MBBS interns of the institutes discussed the AIDS.

Professor and head, department of pathology, Dr VK Dubey and Dr B R Gupta from Physicians Form Bathinda chaired the seminar. Dr Kamalpreet coordinated this programme.

Bathinda, December 2
Local NGOs, including the Bathinda Vikas Manch, the Yog Sewa Samiti, the Art of Living and the People for Animal Welfare Society, honoured Prem Nath Garg a couple of days ago here.

Garg, who has retired on November 30 from State Bank of Patiala as chief manager, was honoured for the services, rendered by him in the bank and towards the society. President of the local NGO People for Animal Welfare Society Gaurav Goyal said Garg had been honoured by the NGOs as he remained always ready to provide help to needy persons and keep himself busy in social works.