B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Stray animals trouble border town
Ferozepur, February 6
While the authorities concerned continue to maintain apathy towards the mounting menace of stray animals, the residents of this border town are an anguished lot and are demanding that the issue should be handled firmly and all those responsible for the prevalence of such conditions should be taken to task and levied heavy penalties.

API Malwa branch opposes
Bathinda, February 6
The Association of Physicians of India (Malwa branch) has opposed the proposal of the Chairman, Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI) Dr KK Talwar and member, Board of Governors of the MCI (MCI) Dr HS Rissam, making one-year rural stint mandatory for MBBS graduating after internship.

Procession taken out on eve of Ravidas Jayanti
Muktsar, February 6
On the eve of Ravidas Jayanti, a religious procession was taken out on the various roads of the city on Monday. A large number of devotees participated in the procession.

A religious procession being carried out on the eve of Ravidas Jayanti in Muktsar on Monday. A Tribune photograph

Scholars dwell on Dalit awareness in literature
Abohar, February 6
Scholars from different universities discussed the provisions and prospects of Dalit awareness in the Indian literature during the UGC-sponsored national seminar held at the Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College here today.

Dalit youth killed in Moga 
Moga, February 6
A 23-year-old Dalit youth was brutally murdered while one of his relatives was seriously injured yesterday when some people attacked them with sharp-edged weapons at Gajjan Singh Wala village in the Baghapurana sub-division of Moga district.

Smuggling accused brought for interrogation
Abohar, February 6
The police have brought Sarwan Singh alias Samma from the Amritsar jail on five-day protection warrant. Sarwan is wanted in connection with a case registered under the NDPS Act on May 28 last year.

 Stray animals trouble border town
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, February 6
While the authorities concerned continue to maintain apathy towards the mounting menace of stray animals, the residents of this border town are an anguished lot and are demanding that the issue should be handled firmly and all those responsible for the prevalence of such conditions should be taken to task and levied heavy penalties.

Stray animals, including mules, cows, bulls and dogs roaming on the busy streets, congested roads and even residential areas, are a common sight here.

Accidents related to stray cattle are reported frequently. The problem has attained such menacing proportions that these stray cows and bulls have started attacking passersby including women and children, inflicting serious injuries, which at times proves to be fatal. However, the issue does not seem to have caught the attention of the local authorities yet.

Inder Singh Gogia, a social worker, said it has become difficult for the women and children to even go to the vegetable market as more often than not, they have to come across the menace of stray bulls and dogs.

Gogia said the dairy owners and milkmen, after milking their cattle in the morning, allegedly release them to wander around in the town and again gather late in the evening. "Whenever the civic body gets into action and impounds these stray cows, the move is thwarted by the cattle owners with the support of influential politicians who get them discharged without any penalty or fine," said Rakesh Aggarwal, president, Gopal Gaushala in the cantonment.

Aggarwal said that at present, they had capacity to house 200 cattle, but if the government provides resources and financial assistance, they can accommodate a much larger number.

Stray dogs are no less a menace, often chasing and barking at the motorists and pedestrians. Even if you take out your pet for a walk on the Mall, considered to be a walker's paradise in the highly secure cantonment area, the stray dogs often confront you, posing risk to your safety.

These stray dogs even attack the children lingering around the houses and chase two-wheelers which at times becomes scary. "Most of these dogs have never been vaccinated and there is a good chance of getting rabies in case they bite," said Ashok Bajaj, a social activist

The residents maintain that they were fed up with the nuisance of stray animals and have complained to the government officials umpteen times. However, no action has been taken so far.

Earlier, the Cantonment Board had a sanctioned post of dog killer. However, due to the stringent laws regarding animal protection and rights, the same has been abolished. "We are planning to launch a drive to sterilize the dogs," said a Board official, adding that due to the scarcity of funds and dearth of adequate manpower, the issue could not taken up in earnest. "We are even thinking of relocating the cattle pound as it was difficult to take the impounded stray cattle that far," he added.

However, amidst all these promises, a lasting solution remains elusive, feel concerned citizens.

 Year-long rural stint for docs
API Malwa branch opposes
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 6
The Association of Physicians of India (Malwa branch) has opposed the proposal of the Chairman, Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI) Dr KK Talwar and member, Board of Governors of the MCI (MCI) Dr HS Rissam, making one-year rural stint mandatory for MBBS graduating after internship.

In a press statement issued here today, the API (Malwa branch) felt the proposal exposed the bankruptcy of policy makers who failed to analyse the reasons for the failure to attract the medical graduates for rural postings.

President of the association, Dr Vitull K Gupta said that on the one hand, the government was thinking of a three and a half years Bachelor of Rural Health Course to produce rural medical graduates and on the other, it is proposing to increase the MBBS course to six and a half years.

He expressed doubts over the capabilities of fresh medical graduates to deal with complex rural medical problems under adverse circumstances.

Dr Gupta felt that rural service should be made compulsory for both graduates and postgraduates. But before posting them in rural areas, the Union Health Minister should ensure good infrastructure, urban amenities, availability of medicines and secure atmosphere. Only then will young doctors be willing to work in rural areas. Otherwise, such a proposal will act as a strong deterrent for those wishing to join MBBS, he pointed out.

  Procession taken out on eve of Ravidas Jayanti

Muktsar, February 6
On the eve of Ravidas Jayanti, a religious procession was taken out on the various roads of the city on Monday. A large number of devotees participated in the procession.

 Scholars dwell on Dalit awareness in literature
Our Correspondent

Abohar, February 6
Scholars from different universities discussed the provisions and prospects of Dalit awareness in the Indian literature during the UGC-sponsored national seminar held at the Gopi Chand Arya Mahila College here today.

Noted playwright and director, Youth Welfare Department at the Punjabi University, Dr Satish Verma delivered the keynote address.

He was of the view that a major part of the population in India should be termed as Dalit since they were economically weak.

Dr Gurmeet Singh and Dr Ashok from Panjab University, Dr Baldev Dodra of Sangrur-based University College, and Dr DP Warne from Chaudhary Devi Lal University (Sirsa) were the resource persons.

Principal Dr Neelam Arun Mittu welcomed and honoured the guests by presenting them mementoes.

Dr Shakuntala Middha and Dr Meena Mahajan conducted the inaugural session.

The participants were of the opinion that the journey of modern Dalit literature has been a difficult one. “We must engage with what Dalits are writing — not simply for reasons of authenticity, or as a concession to identity politics, but because of the aesthetic value of this body of writing, and for the insights it offers into the human condition,” they said.

Speaking about the role of the history of Dalit consciousness, the participants observed it mainly begins from the time of medieval bhakti time, which is the reason of Dalit awareness in India.

Dalit literature should consider that the touching aspect of literature would always help the consciousness feature. Dissimilar historical events, situations and turns have brought about important changes in the growth of Dalit awareness.

The reading and understanding of traditional literature and the way of finding the self there, itself is important, Rejecting traditional literature be like killing it. Similarly glamorizing it equals to making it blind.

PU senator Dr Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Dr Brahmved Sharma, Inderjit Kaur, Surinder Sandhu and Kiran Grover also participated in the discussions.

 Dalit youth killed in Moga 
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, February 6
A 23-year-old Dalit youth was brutally murdered while one of his relatives was seriously injured yesterday when some people attacked them with sharp-edged weapons at Gajjan Singh Wala village in the Baghapurana sub-division of Moga district.

Police sources revealed that the deceased, identified as Gurdeep Singh, was working with a scrap dealer at Baghapurana town. A few months earlier, he had a tiff with some people in his village resulting in enmity with them, preliminary investigations had revealed, police sources said.

These people argued over some petty issue with his cousin Sohan Singh and he came to the spot to save him. The assailants left Sohan injured and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons.

Both of them were rushed to the district hospital here for treatment but Gurdeep succumbed to his injuries.

The police had registered a criminal case under sections 302, 323 and 34 of the IPC against Sukhmander Singh, son of Jarnail Singh, a resident of the same village and three of his accomplices at the Baghapurana police station and begun further investigations.

No arrests were made till the filing of this news report. 

 Smuggling accused brought for interrogation

Abohar, February 6
The police have brought Sarwan Singh alias Samma from the Amritsar jail on five-day protection warrant. Sarwan is wanted in connection with a case registered under the NDPS Act on May 28 last year.