Bathinda, January 12
Till the last day of filing of nomination papers in all the six Assembly constituencies, namely Bathinda (Urban), Bathinda (Rural), Maur, Bhucho Mandi, Talwandi Sabo and Rampura Phul, of this district, a total of 90 nomination papers have been filed. The maximum nominations came from Rampura Phul (20), followed by Bathinda (Urban) 18, Bhucho Mandi 15, Talwandi Sabo 14, Maur 13 and Bathinda (Rural) 10.

On the last day of filing of nomination papers, 43 nominations were filed today. From Bathinda (Urban) constituency, Sarup Chand Singla filed his nomination papers as the SAD candidate while his wife Urmila Devi filed papers as a covering candidate. Prem Kumar filed papers as the candidate of Akhil Bharatiya Shiv Sena and Sanjiv Kumar of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackrey). Vijay Kumar, Parminder Kaur, Gurcharan Kaur and Rakesh Kumar also filed their papers today.

From the Bathinda (Rural), Jagsir Singh of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Malkit Kaur of the General Samaj Party filed their papers. Darshan Singh of SAD (Amritsar) and Angrej Singh also filed their papers today.

From Bhucho, Harwinder Singh filed papers as the candidate of People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) while Kanwar Yadwinder Singh filed papers as his covering candidate. Ram Kumar of the BSP, Daljeet Lori of the Punjab Labour Party, Paramjit Kaur of SAD (Amritsar), Ajaib Singh of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Harvinder Singh also filed their papers today.

From Maur, Jaswinder Kaur, wife of SAD candidate Janmeja Singh Sekhon, filed her nomination papers while Mithu Singh of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Gurpreet Singh of the SAD (Amritsar) also filed their nomination papers.

From Rampura Phul, SAD candidate Sikendar Singh Maluka filed another set of nomination papers today. Other candidates who filed their papers were Sukhmander Singh (SAD-Amritsar), Avtar Singh (BSP), Gurpreet Singh, Amarjit Singh, Parveen Kumar, Lakhvir Singh, Manjit Kaur, Sunil Kumar, Paramjit Singh and Harinderjit Singh (all independents).

From Talwandi Sabo constituency, Sukhdev Singh of the PPP and his wife Simran Kaur filed their nomination papers today. Other candidates who filed their papers were Lal Chand (LJP), Amarjit Singh (SAD), Yadwinder Singh, Harpal Singh, Amarjit Singh Sidhu, Ajaib Singh and Darshan Kumar (all independents).

Bathinda, January 12
The SAD candidate from the Bathinda (Urban) Assembly constituency Sarup Chand Singla campaigns on an appealing, modified Mahindra jeep. It is fitted with two speakers, a podium and stairs fixed as augmentation on the rear of the vehicle.

“It is meant to facilitate Singla to view the public while the vehicle is moving. Fitted with amplifiers, it is best suited for addressing public and the podium has been fixed to ensure prominence to him,” SAD workers said.

Inderjit Singh Brar, a supporter of Singla's supporter, said the vehicle had additions to it and it was not modified. He added that the fitness certificate of the vehicle had been duly taken.

District Transport Officer Bhupinder Singh said any kind of modification was not allowed till it was passed by motor inspectors. “We have not got any complaint from the returning officer about this modification being a violation,” he said. — TNS

Bathinda, January 12
Lashing out at the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP), the Bathinda MP, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, today alleged that the main aim of the PPP was to bring the Congress party to power in the state.

She was talking to mediapersons after the filing of nomination papers by the SAD candidate from Bathinda (Urban) Assembly constituency Sarup Chand Singla before the returning officer of the constituency, HS Kandhola here today.

She also said the people should give their votes to the party that believed in development. She said if the people wanted development in the state in future as well, they should make Parkash Singh Badal the Chief Minister once again.

If they did not want development in the state then they could give their votes to the candidates of the Congress party and the ‘Sanjha Morcha’, she added.

She also said if the Congress was voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections, it would withdraw the facilities being given to the weaker sections of the society these days.

On the other hand, it was the SAD-BJP government that had been providing free power to farmers, pensions and atta-dal to poor persons, she added.

“Congress party leadership in Punjab does not know even till today their candidate for the post of the Chief Minister... whether it’s Ambika Soni, Ashwani Kumar or someone else. This is the reason that senior leaders in the Congress are trying to project themselves as the candidate for this post,” she said.

She also flayed the PPP leadership for levelling allegation against the Badal family, with regard to encouraging family members over other members of the party.

She counteraccused Manpreet Singh Badal of announcing his father’s name as the candidate of his party from the Lambi constituency, even before he had announced the names of other candidates of his party.

Bathinda, January 12
After the filing of nomination papers by the SAD candidate from Bathinda (Urban) Assembly constituency, a rally was organised by the SAD-BJP alliance leaders near the Gol Diggi here today.

Among those who participated in the rally were Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the SAD candidate Sarup Chand Singla, Mayor of Bathinda municipal corporation Baljit Singh Beerbehman, senior deputy mayor Tarsem Goyal and the SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bahia.

Addressing the rally, Sarup Singla criticised the Congress party saying it had been “playing dirty politics” while the SAD was talking about only development in the state. He also thanked the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister for the development, done in the city in the past five years.

Baljit Singh Beerbehman called upon the people to vote for the SAD candidates for making Parkash Singh Badal Chief Minister for the fifth time.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal said people should cast votes for the development of the state as development had no relation with any caste or religion. She said the future of everyone was associated with the development of the state. She said during the past five years the SAD government had spent `3,000 crore on development work in the district.

She also asked the people to work for creation of history by bringing the SAD-BJP alliance into power for the second consecutive term. She also asked the people not to commit any mistake as the development in the state would stall in case the Congress came to power. She added that the Bathinda refinery, a major achievement of the Badal government, would change the profile of the district in the years to come.

Other leaders also asked the gathering to cast votes for the victory of the SAD-BJP alliance so that the on-going process of development in the state could continue for another five years. 

Bathinda, January 12
The Education Department has started collecting data in the district under the Right to Education (RTE) Act wherein it has directed all private and government schools to submit the details of their students studying in Classes I to VIII. Private schools, including those affiliated to the CBSE, the PSEB, recognised schools and associate schools, have been covered under the same.

“The schools take affiliation directly from the respective education boards, while the education department is not reported about it. The norms under the RTE Act make it mandatory for all schools to report the number of students from Classes I to VIII to the Education Department,” said District Education Officer (Secondary) Harbans Singh Sandhu.

The Data Capture Format handed to the schools in district also mentions that the government will reimburse the money spent on the students from the weaker section of the society.

As per the RTE rules, all private schools will have to ensure that 25 per cent seats were reserved for the economically-weaker section of the society. Most of the private schools in the district have shied away from it and many have not even mentioned the reservation in their prospectuses.

Going a step ahead, the RTE Act makes the government liable to reimburse the money spent on such children in private schools.

“The schools can claim the reimbursement of the money spent on the children belonging to weaker section and disadvantage groups,” Sandhu said.

However, the RTE Act is silent on the rates at which fees would be reimbursed. Private schools generally charge high fees, which is out of the reach of the common man. “Even the government will not be able to reimburse such exorbitant fees. It might reimburse fees as per its own rate. The Education Department has not been told the rates that would be applicable,” officials added.

Bathinda, January 12
Conceding to the demands of passengers to an extent, the Railways has rescheduled the timing of the ticket counter situated on the Railway Colony side.

The ticket counter is now being opened an hour earlier in tune with the timings of the grouping trains around 6 am. “The counter will now remain open between 6 am and 2 pm,” confirmed the ATM Bathinda, SP Singh Bhatia today. Earlier, the counter was being opened between 7 am and 3 pm.

The ATM said the Railways took the decision considering the convenience of passengers.

The Bathinda Tribune on January 10 highlighted the need of a round-the-clock ticket counter at the Railway Colony side.

Bhatia said more amenities at the ticket counter on the Railway Colony side are in the offing like hi-tech ticket issuing system - the Unreserved Ticketing System.

The arrangements would benefit thousands of passengers in the morning hours. The passengers of several trains, including Bathinda-Ferozepur Passenger, Ferozepur-Mumbai Janta Express, Bathinda-Fazilka DMU and others would be benefited with the new arrangements as these trains touch Bathinda station around 6.30 am.

The new timing has resulted into operation of four counters at 6 am at Bathinda station, as three counters also run on the city side.

The new timings would benefit the passengers living on the Parsaram Nagar side in particular as they would now get counter in early hours. And with one more ticket counter, the morning rush would also be divided.

Bathinda, January 12
Dead telephone? The culprit may be 'china dor'!

Sounding strange but it is true. This thin but the injurious string, apparently, has the knack of finding an enemy in everything, which is in the air. That’s why, after cutting short the lives of many kites and injuring its users, it has started grounding the communication system.

The Chinese string has found its new victim in telecom service providers, including telecom major BSNL.

Besides the BSNL, other telecom service providers are also fumbling to tackle the new menace that is causing revenue loss and is also capable of eroding its customer-base.

The string, which is used for flying kite is made of a special type of plastic and is not easily broken. Its sharpness could be comprehended from the fact that everyday several cases of injured fingers, eyes and neck are being reported in the hospitals of Bathinda.

Moreover, the string is causing problems to telecom service providers that are facing problems like disruption in services or connectivity, disconnection or dead phone due to 'drop wires' nowadays. The string being used by the telecom operators cut even the 'tough' wire meant to tolerate rough-weathers.

The complaint register of the BSNL, Bathinda, has recorded several cases related to drop wire. “There is a spurt in such cases and the culprit in most of the cases may be the string,” confirmed deputy general manager BSNL Bathinda, Amit Garg, on Thursday. “The different type of string being used by kite fliers these days is proving as detrimental to the telephone wire,” Garg said, adding, “substantial number of cases like dead phones, noise etc, may be because of these strings.”

The DGM said that there was no way in sight to tackle the problem except for increasing public awareness about the ill-effects of such strings.

Another landline telephone and broadband service provider - the Connect - has also been battling the string.

Zonal technical head of the company, Sanjay Gupta, told the Bathinda Tribune on Thursday that there was at least 30 per cent increase in the 'drop wire' cases nowadays and these cases could be attributed to the 'china dor'.

“The string cuts the wires completely or scratches or rubs the wires resulting in disconnection of the service or disruption in the service,” Gupta said.

He added that irate due to the problems, customers unknowingly blame the service providers and even go for disconnection. “The problem is not with the operators but due to the string,” he said. “This new and unexpected menace may cause revenue loss to telecom service providers,” Gupta said.

Finding an indirect support from the unexpected quarters for the ban on such string, an ‘anti-China dor’ group reiterated their demand that the “imported danger” be banned.

Ramesh Mehta of the Asra Welfare Society, Bathinda, said a complete ban on the sale of Chinese string must be imposed in the entire state without any delay.

The society has been creating awareness about the ill-effects of the string in Bathinda and its adjoining areas by distributing pamphlets, pasting posters etc for the last three years, Mehta added. 

Bathinda, January 12
Lohri was celebrated at the Radcliffe School, Bathinda, today with a lot of enthusiasm and fanfare. The mood on the campus was upbeat and the students were absorbed in the festive spirit of Lohri.

The function started with speeches in English and Punjabi highlighting the importance of the festival, which ushers in the spring season and bids adieu to the dull winter.

The students and teachers sang songs immersed in the rich cultural folklore of Punjab. A kite-flying competition was also organized.

The principal of the school, SK Jana, lighted a bonfire and along with other teachers, worshipped the ‘Dhooni’.

A cultural programme was also organised on the occasion, with tiny tots of the school presenting poems and performing dances while the senior Radcliffians presented Punjabi ‘boliyaan’, Punjabi folk songs, Lohri songs and poems.

The girls danced to the tune of song, ‘Charkha mera rangla’. Malwai Giddha was also performed by the students of classes VII and VIII. — TNS

Bathinda, January 12
Considering the ‘rare occurrence’ of the Somwati Amavasya falling on a Monday this year, devotees living in Bathinda and nearby areas have demanded special trains be scheduled between Sriganganagar-Bathinda-Haridwar from January 20 to 28. The Somwati Amavasya is on January 23.

Demanding a ‘mela special train’, general secretary of the Passengers’ Welfare Association, Bathinda, Hanuman Dass Goyal said, “Lakhs of devotees visit Haridwar to take a dip in the Ganga on the holy occasion.”

“This Somwati Amavasya is a rare occasion as it is falling on one of the Mondays of the month of Magh. This happens only once in many years,” he added.

He said that the railways should come forward for the lakh of passengers of this area who want to go to Haridwar and make arrangements for their to and fro journey.

Goyal has also written a letter in this regard to the Chairman, Railway Board.

Echoing similar sentiments, advisor, Railway Passengers Welfare Association, Rajinder Garg, said, “Special trains to cater to the devotees on this occasion are required.”

Jasvir Singh of Passengers’ Welfare Association also sought special trains on the occasion. Jasvir also suggested that the railway could extend the Sriganganagr-Ambala (train number 14525/14526), up to Haridwar for the time being considering the demand.

He also suggested that Sriganganagar-Haridwar via Bathinda (train number 14711/14712), which has been partially cancelled due to fog, should be run on its normal route.

Bathinda, January 12
Two students of a medical college received injuries after their car collided with the Bibi Wala Chowk.

The accident took place at around 1.30 in the morning. The information of the accident was shared with the volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa NGO by some eyewitnesses.

The volunteers said it took them more than san hour to extricate the injured boys from the badly-damaged car.

The boys were taken to Civil Hospital in the NGO’s ambulance. The hospital then referred them to a private hospital.

The volunteers confirmed that the car bore tha registration number of Haryana.

Although they said the cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained, the boys might have been driving in an inebriated state. They also added that fog or high speed may have caused the car to hit the chowk. Police officials were informed about the aciident.

The injured have been identified as Gurpinder Singh of Amritsar and Gurtej Pal Singh of Gurdaspur.

Bathinda, January 12
The Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal has formed a 21-members core committee to run the NGO.

In a press statement issued here, the Mandal’s president, Madan Lal Kapoor, stated that during the meeting convened on November 28 last year, objections were raised on the inclusion of more people in core committee from areas in and around Bathinda.

The president also added that the members of the NGO felt that people from different parts of Punjab should be given representation in the core committee. For last many years, the president was being elected unanimously.

Traders demanded that all of them should vote and elect their new president. “Hence the work on preparing voter lists in Punjab is going on,” he added.

Bathinda, January 12
Aiming to provide employment opportunities and help its MBA students meet the growing competition in the market, Baba Farid Group of Institutions' Department of Training & Placement has planned a Placement Week, from January 16 to 20.

Some of the companies that have given their nods for the drive are the B2B e-marketplace company Trade India, real estate company Axiom Realtors, IT solution provider Infotel Connect, Rich Infra RIIL and NSPL.

BFGI will also host the Fortune 500 company, HR consulting firm Manpower Group, and The Ashok Group, a brand renowned in India for its hospitality services.

The department is hoping to place all its MBA students before the beginning of the three job fairs at BFGI in April, June and August.

Bathinda, January 12
An inter-house debate compeititon on adolescence education was held at the Government Senior Secondary School, Ghudda, recently.

Rekha Rani, a student of Shaheed Bhagat Singh House, secured first place. Amandeep Kaur from Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru House came second, while Pradeep Singh from Maharana Pratap House secured third place.

The stage secretary at event was biology lecturer, Jaswinder Singh. Judging the debate competition were Amarjit Kaur, Manjit Singh and Malkit Singh.

School principal, Satish Kumar Singla, congratulated the winners and participants. — TNS

Bathinda, January 12
Police has booked a couple and some unidentified people for beating a resident of Kotfatta village.

Satpal Singh alleged that Kiranjit Kaur, her husband Gurbachan Singh and two unidentified persons entered his house and beat him up over some financial issue. A case under the sections 452, 323 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the accused and all the residents of Kotfatta village. —TNS