Bathinda, December 31
The withdrawal of Rs 2 crores from a private bank in Bathinda sent the district officials in a tizzy.

The Bathinda Deputy Commissioner received a tip-off about the withdrawal of the money from a Bathinda-based private bank and officials were deputed to conduct a detailed investigation.

Enquiry conducted under the supervision of the Bathinda DC reveals that the money was meant for executing some work in a village in the district. The officials later came to know that the money was meant for the execution of some work in Malout under the supervision of the officials of Panchayati Raj, Muktsar.

Bathinda Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav said the matter is still under investigation and the complaint has been forwarded to the DC, Muktsar.

"Initially we got a tip-off from someone about the withdrawal of Rs 4 crores from a Bathinda-based bank. Later, we came to know that it was actually Rs 2 crores which was meant for the execution of some work in Chak Fateh Singh Wala village near Bhucho Mandi," the Deputy Commissioner said. He said the money was withdrawn in two installments and it was verified if the money was meant for any political activity.

He pointed out that the officials were deputed to look into any work going on in Chak Fateh Singh Wala. However, it was later found that no such work was in progress in the village.

The money, he said, was withdrawn on the 22nd and 24th of December.

The officials investigating the matter stated that it is being enquired if the money has been withdrawn taking all the legal aspects in mind or has there been any illegal transaction.

The matter has also been brought to the notice of the senior officials on election duty for necessary action. Action in this regard, if any, will be initiated after completing the investigation, officials said.

Bathinda, December 31
Six people have been booked by the police for demanding dowry in two separate incidents. In her complaint to the police, Simarjeet Kaur of Bank Colony said her in laws had been demanding dowry from her ever since her marriage.

Police have booked Amandeep Singh, father in law Amarjeet Singh and Kuljeet Kaur of Model Town, Phase-II, Bathinda. No arrests have been made so far.

In another similar case, Mandeep Kaur of Bathinda lodged a complaint with the police saying that her in- laws had been demanding dowry and harassing her on one pretext or the other.

A case under sections 498-A, 406 and 506 of the IPC has been registered in this regard against Amrinder Singh, Naginder Singh and Simarjeet Kaur, all residents of Kamalu police station falling under Rama police station. No arrests have been made in this regard so far.

Bathinda, December 31
Though the year ended almost on a freezing note, the residents of Bathinda experienced the other side of the mercury too last summer when the region sizzled at 46 degree Celsius.

The weather showed its colour in the year gone by. The mercury's abrupt mood swings, from severe heat wave to frost, and the monsoon crossing the normal mark, were the highlights.

At first, the winter played truant and when it came, it remained below the normal throughout the winter, even recording sub-zero temperature.

The monsoon had been favourable for farmers in many parts as this year, 435.5 mm of rainfall was recorded while the normal was 335.4 mm. In September last, the precipitation was 225 mm against the normal 71 mm.

On the last day of 2011, the mercury gave some room for revellers to rejoice as it rose in the morning to record 2.2 degrees Celsius, still below the normal, as per the agri-met department of the PAU regional station, Bathinda. The day's high was 20 degrees Celsius.

Bathinda, December 31
In the year 2011, Bathinda registered major rise in the number of dengue cases and the number of protests.

The year proved to be a bane on the health front, especially for Bathinda city. As per the figures available, more than 850 persons tested positive for dengue in the district. The number was quite high, if compared to last year’s count of 360.

However, out of more than 850 dengue positive cases from the district, more than 730 cases were from the Bathinda city alone while the remaining cases were from other health blocks, Goniana, Sangat, Talwandi Sabo, Ballianwali, Bhagta and Nathana. Among these health blocks, Talwandi Sabo remained most affected as around 60 dengue positive cases were reported from there this season. While 23 dengue cases were reported from Goniana, 17 cases were reported from Sangat.

More than 850 persons were officially declared dengue positive cases after conducting Mac Elisa test (a confirmatory test for dengue) on their blood samples at the Blood Bank of the civil hospital here.

The number of dengue positive cases from the Bathinda city alone was more than 850 as the Mac Elisa test on hundreds of patients from the city could not be conducted as their blood samples were not sent to the Blood Bank by their respective doctors, who treated them for dengue on the basis of rapid test (card test).

The figures placed Bathinda district at number two position in the state, only after Ludhiana, where more than 1,600 cases of dengue were reported this year.

Another development that kept the city abuzz was the number of protests organised in the city. Considering the city is the political turf of the Badal family, as Harsimrat Kaur Badal, daughter-in-law of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and wife of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, is an MP from Bathinda, protesters chose Bathinda to stage their dharnas.

As a result, the city emerged at the ‘protest capital’ of Punjab as protests were used as a means of putting pressure on the ruling party to accept their demands.

Almost all the protesting associations and unions were of the view that Bathinda was the proper platform for raising their grievances and demands.

This was the reason that outside the local Mini-secretariat several associations and unions staged protests by putting up tents there. The dharna and chain hunger strike by the Unemployed Linemen Union, that started on December 5, is still on outside the Mini-secretariat.

The protesting associations and unions blocked traffic, organised dharna, demonstration, burning of effigies, protest marches, and observed fast-unto-death and chain hunger strikes.

The associations and unions, that held agitation in Bathinda included unemployed linemen, unemplooyed teachers, safar sewaks, Farad Kendra employees, junior engineers, draughtsmen, brick kiln workers, laboratory technicians, class IV employees, farmers, labourers, EGS volunteers, mid-day meal workers, panchayat secretaries, NRHM Staff, ANMs, ministerial staff, pharmacists and multi-purpose health workers.

Bathinda, December 31
Although the year 2011 proved to be an accident-free year for the Bathinda railways, several basic facilities remained derailed during the last 365 days at the Asia’s second biggest railway junction.

The railways, however, carried out many renovation exercises at the station, like washable apron came up at the platform no. 2, no. 3 and no. 4.

A file photo of the Bathinda railway station.

Reaching the platforms, however, remained an ordeal for all, in absence of porters at the station, where there is no escape from stairs. The railways did provide porters but the addition of two porters, taking the tally to five, to cater the need of 20,000 passengers daily proved insufficient and rather ineffective.

The passengers’ demand for the construction of ramp or escalator to make boarding of the trains a pleasant experience for senior citizens, women and physically challenged did not find place in the to-do-list of the railways. So the tag – unfriendly station to elderly and challenged – remained with the Bathinda station.

As far as the punctuality of trains, including Mail and Express, at the station was concerned, Bathinda railways succeeded in maintaining the punctuality. Besides, kudos continued to pour in for the rail officials here for keeping the station neat and clean throughout the year.

On the facelift and modernisation front, while 
the VIP lounge came up at the station and the railway installed digital train display boards and train indicator boards, the absence of cloak room near the platforms continued to cause inconvenience to many passengers.

Bathinda got another superfast train connecting it with New Delhi as one of the two trains, announced by Mamata Banerjee, got on tracks with the AC Special chugging off this year.

On the social front, the Railway Scouts and Guides volunteers kept rendering their services, in polio eradication and other areas, including providing drinking water to passengers during summers.

The Thandi Sadak, which became reason for several protests in the past due to its dilapidated condition, was re-laid this year, giving relief to railways as well as general public.

Meanwhile, the newly-constructed car parking areas at both the sides of the station could not become operational. Railway sources expressed hope of their becoming functional in 2012.

The other new things likely to come up in 2012 are renovation of Platform no. 5, and construction of washable apron and renovation of platform no. 1 and 2.

The railways may also provide other amenities in the year 2012, like installation of coach indication boards at platform no. 5, 6, and 7.

Railway officials in Bathinda also hoped that steps to get the tag of passenger-friendly station could also be taken by the railways in 2012.

Bathinda, December 31
Dr Navjot Khosa Brar, wife of Dr Laljit Singh Brar, who has been a gold medalist, has cleared the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) exam, 2010.

The training will take place at the Officers Training School, Jaipur.

Speaking to Bathinda Tribune about his daughter’s achievement, JS Khosa said, “After completing her schooling in Bathinda, Navjot went to Government Dental College in Amritsar to study further. She has always been an all-rounder. She was good at sports as well.”