Bathinda, February 27
The payment for the cooking material and cooks hired for the mid-day meal scheme, being run in government schools, has not been released since November last year. In fact, the cooks have not been given their salaries since November 2011.

In the absence of funds, the teachers are forced to meet the cost of cooking from their own pockets.

"The grains are not a problem. We were given enough grains at the onset of this academic year, till April 2012. But we have not been getting the funds to buy things needed for cooking such as LPG, spices and other things required," said a teacher at the government primary school in Model Town.

Another teacher at the government school in Bhucho Mandi regretted that for an elaborate scheme like mid-day meals, the government should ensure that funds are released.

"Instead, a corpus fund could be created to meet all kind of exigencies. The plight of cooks is worst. They are paid a mere Rs 1,000 per month and have not got this amount for the last five months," said the officials at the mid-day meal manager's office.

The cooks are usually village women or women living in the vicinity--- in the case of urban schools. These women are generally from poor families who are roped in to help with the cooking. "Mid-day meals also serve as a tool for generation of livelihood for these poor women. Though Rs 1,000 is not a big amount in times of steep inflation but for the poor family, it means a decent two-square meal a day," reasoned a teacher at the primary school in Amarpura Basti.

The monthly cost of cooking in Bathinda district alone is Rs 50 lakhs, while the salaries of cooks amounts to Rs 20 lakhs approximate.

District convener of the mid-day meal workers' union Baljit Kaur Dhipali said the unions have held repeated dharnas and agitations at district headquarters but to no avail. "Mid-day meal is riddled with a lot of problems. From where would the motivation to work come when people are not paid timely? It is very difficult for the teachers to keep the fire burning in their hearth on debt," she remarked.

Another worker revealed that in many villages, the teachers have opened debt accounts with local grocers. "Government teachers command a lot of respect and it is out of this respect that people do not demand money for the grocery items given to schools for mid-day meals," said another teacher.

Payment to be released in phases, says DGSE

Director General of School Education (DGSE), Ashok Kumar Singla said a meeting was convened at Chandigarh on Monday with the department of finance. "Within this week, the government would start releasing grants," he said. Stating that the elections were a major factor resulting in the delay of payments, he added that the grants would be released in phases.

Bathinda, February 27
Due to the stoppage of the payments of leave encashment, gratuity and final payment of the general provident fund (GPF) through the treasuries to the retirees by the state government, a large number of retired persons have been awaiting their pension benefits since December 2011 in Bathinda district.

Not only the retired, even the employees of the state government have been waiting for the payments of the arrears of their salaries for the last three months. Besides, the payments of the GPF advance for purchasing motorcycle or car, computer, ‘mundan ceremony’ and ‘dastar bandi’ have also not been made to the employees for the last two months. The payments of the bills of travelling allowance (TA) were also stopped a month ago.

Besides the stoppage of payments to the employees or retired employees, the payments for executing various development works by the PWD B&R, irrigation, and Public Health Departments were also stopped about two months ago by imposing a ban on making payments against LOC (letter of credit).

The payments are also not being made by the treasuries for clearing the bills of machinery parts and petrol for government vehicles.

According to information available, the district treasury, Bathinda, and three sub-treasuries at Rampura Phul, Talwandi Sabo and Nathana in the district have been keeping the bills, amounting to more than Rs 30 crore, which are yet to be cleared by them.

Due to the non-clearance of bills, the retired employees reportedly often come to the district treasury office to enquire about the fate of payment of their retirement benefits, but every time they return empty-handed.

Sources said these payments were not being made as the state government had been passing through a ‘financial crunch’.

The payment was stopped during by the Finance Department, Punjab, by issuing instructions to the treasuries over the phone verbally. However, nobody knows when the government would issue directions to the treasuries to make the payments, they added. 

Bathinda, February 27
Demanding the construction of a ramp or escalator at the Bathinda railway station, the residents have urged the Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi to announce a special package in the rail budget to be presented in Parliament on March 14.

"It's a paradox that Asia's biggest railway junction is not a passenger-friendly station, particularly for senior citizens and women," said the passengers, reasoning that boarding a train becomes a horrendous task for the passengers, particularly the elderly, in the absence of a direct approach to the platform as climbing stairs is unavoidable here.

It may be mentioned that the station sends and receives trains from six directions and over 60 trains, including superfast, pass through the station which is used by at least 20,000 passengers everyday.

There is no direct approach to the platforms here as the location of the station is akin to an island and there is no escape from the stairs.

General secretary of the Railway Passengers Welfare Association (RPWA), Bathinda, Hanuman Dass Goel, said construction of a ramp or subway at the Bathinda railway station was not only a decades-old demand but also the most genuine demand of the passengers.

"The very beginning of a journey starts with an unpleasant experience," Goel said, adding that only a special package or similar announcement in the rail budget could do away with the passengers' ordeal.

Convener of the Joint Action Committee, MM Behal said it was the long-pending demands of the residents of the area and the railway minister should pay heed to the problem. "There may be no other way, except to make a special provision for constructing a ramp, subway or escalator at the Bathinda station, to put an end to the problems being faced by the passengers everyday," Behal said.

Behal said that many senior officials of the railway gave assurances several times but nothing has been done so far.

Executive president of the Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat, Ashok Garg, said, "The tag of passenger-friendly status will keep on eluding the station till the very purpose of going to a station i.e. boarding a train, does not become hassle-free."

"Not less than a special package or provision for constructing a ramp or escalator will solve the matter," Ashok Garg said. Echoing similar sentiments, Desh Raj Chhatriwala of the Bathinda Paschim Welfare Organisation said construction of subway has been a long-pending demand of the passengers using Bathinda station.

Chhatriwala said his organisation had given a memorandum to the officials of the Ambala division several times and they assured him of taking steps in this regard and had termed the demand as genuine.

"It's surprising that even the genuine demand is not being fulfilled,” Chhatriwala said, and added it appeared that the ramp or subway would not be constructed without the intervention of Railway Minister. "So, the time has come for the minister to give a special package in the rail budget for the construction of a ramp at Bathinda station," he demanded. 

Bathinda, February 27
The National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) has come up with RISHI — Regional Incubation Science Hubs for Innovation project — for the government school students of classes IX, X and XI and those appearing in class VIII exam for the April 2012 session. Under the project, the students would be taken on a four-week summer vacation internship.

District science supervisor SS Mann said this was a prestigious project and an initiative under which the students of government schools would be encouraged to come up with innovations that are useful for the common man.

Ten entries have been invited from every district of the state.

“We have conveyed this to the school principals and would shortlist the promising proposals and send them for the state- level contest,” he said.

Mann added that the project is meant to foster the culture of innovation and creativity in school students with the aim of discovering hidden talent.

It will act as a reservoir of potential ideas for budding innovators, especially to provide a solution to the problems of the community through science and technology.

The school principals have been asked to direct their students to come up with the concept and idea and write a summary of it in hundred words and duly list the category (such an environment, pollution) mentioned in the proforma.

The four-week programme would be held from May 14 to June 8 at the Pushpa Gujral Science City in Kapurthala.

The Science City authorities would make arrangements for free boarding arrangements for the selected students.

Besides, the students would also be awarded a stipend of Rs 2,000.

The tentative date of submitting the presentation related to the project is the second week of April.

Bathinda, February 27
Two people including a newly-married man and a father of five daughters were killed in two separate accidents.

Twenty-six years old Rampal, a resident of Parasram Nagar, was driving a bike at around 10 pm last night and fell off. His head bumped on the road. He was taken to a nearby hospital by volunteers of an NGO but was declared dead in the hospital.

Rampal was blessed with a baby girl only a few months ago.

Police officials said the deceased was married just two years ago. The investigating officer said the father of the deceased was a gardener and had retired recently.

In another accident that took place at around 1 am on Bathinda-Malout road, the tyre of a private bus burst, making it veer off.

As the vehicle went out of control, a cyclist got crushed under it.

The deceased,identified as 36-year-old Amarnath, sold incense sticks for a living. He was the father of five girls.

The passengers in the bus too received injuries in the accident.

Police officials rushed to the spot and said a case in this connection would be registered against the bus driver. 

Bathinda, February 28
Inconveniences to hundreds of train passengers continued for the eighth consecutive day on Monday as movement of some trains passing through Bathinda remained affected in view of the on-going pro-reservation agitation launched by the Jats at Hisar in Haryana.

Railways sources said it was the eighth day today when the Kisan Express between Bathinda and Delhi was run on a diverted route. Some trains continued to be short terminated. Train number 54752 between Sriganganagar and Rewari and train number 54783 between Fazilka and Rewari were short terminated at Hisar. — TNS

Bathinda, February 27
With an aim to check smoking at public places and create awareness among smokers with regard to puffing up at public places, the district health authorities are making continuous efforts, especially in Bathinda city.

As part of these awareness efforts, the violators of the provisions of the Tobacco Control Act-2003 are being issues challans and fined.

A team of the health staff, led by assistant nodal officer Dr Ashok Monga for checking smoking at public places, today challaned three persons, who were smoking on the premises of the Civil Hospital here.

Later in the afternoon, the team members also challaned six more persons while smoking at the main bus stand here.

The health staff today challaned a total number of nine persons. They collected a sum of `325 after issuing the nine challans. The challan amount, however, ranged between, `10 and `100.

Sat Pal, a resident of Manna village, was challaned at the Civil Hospital complex by the team while smoking beedi. Sat Pal pleaded innocence about the implementation of the Act and promised not to smoke in public place in the future. Listening to his promises, the raiding team imposed a fine of `10 only. He also destroyed the bundle of the beedis and the matchbox.

While explaining that they could fine a violator up to `200, Dr Ashok Monga said they were more interested in creating awareness rather than collecting money.

He said Sat Pal was fined a meagre amount of `10 only for creating awareness among the people, who had gathered there. He added that the fine would prove to be a deterrent for the onlookers as well.

District Health Officer-cum-Nodal Officer, Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa, said they wanted to save the people from passive smoking. He added that while an active smoker might suffer from ailments such as lung cancer, the smoke is equally hazardous for the passive smokers. He appealed to the people to cooperate with the authorities to have a check on smoking at public places.

Dr Randhawa, while relating an incident, said after a team of health staff checked a person while he was smoking at the bus stand, and challaned him for `200, he immediately lighted another cigarette and challenged the team to issue him the challan once more.

Dr Randhawa also urged the public to cooperate with the health staff and save others from passive smoking.

Fact file

Under provisions of the Tobacco Control Act 2003, smoking is restricted include movie theatres, hospitals, public transport, railway stations, restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, amusement centres, offices, (government and private), libraries, courts, post offices, markets, shopping malls, canteens, refreshment rooms, banquet halls, discotheques, coffee houses, educational institutions, parks etc. However, smoking is permitted in airports, restaurants, bars, pubs, discotheques and some other enclosed workplaces if they provide designated separate smoking areas.

Bathinda, February 27
The joint commissioner of the income tax department, NJ Singh, along with some other senior functionaries of the department, today held a meeting with the city hoteliers and highlighted the advantages of depositing income tax in time.

The commissioner asked the hoteliers to deposit the income tax as per their income which could prove instrumental in the overall development of the hotel and other allied industries.

Satish Arora, president of the City Hotel and Restaurant Association, however said the hotel industry was the most neglected industry in the state.

He also pointed out the high taxes imposed upon the hotels and lack of basic facilities being provided to the hotel and restaurants.

“After paying a sum of `30,000 towards excise fees every year, party permit of `7,200, provident fund, house tax, generator fees and other heavy taxes, the hoteliers fail to make any earnings,” Arora said.

The hoteliers said despite tall claims, the state government had hardly done anything to promote tourism in the state of Punjab.

During the meeting, the hoteliers also demanded that the heavy taxes be relaxed and tourism be promoted in the state. 

Bathinda, February 27
In assistance with a local NGO, United Welfare Society, two blood donation camps were organised in Bathinda and Talwandi Sabo. The blood units were collected by the teams of Blood Bank, Civil Hospital, Bathinda.

President of the NGO, Vijay Bhatt said the blood donation camp in Bathinda was organised by the Shiv Parvati Sewa Dal, Chandigarh, while the blood donation camp in Talwandi Sabo was organised in memory of Bimla Devi by her family members in assistance with their NGO.

The blood transfusion officer (BTO) at the Blood Bank here, Dr Inderdeep Singh Sra, said the blood bank team collected 25 units in Talwandi Sabo and 11 units in Bathinda today.

He said in January this year, the Blood Bank had collected 876 units while in the month of February, so far, it had collected more than 890 units.

Dr Sra said the local NGOs had been playing a vital role in the collection of blood units. He said on February 15 a local NGO Aasra Welfare Society had organised a blood donation camp at Har Raipur village where 50 units had been donated.

On February 22, the local Lions Club, in assistance with Aasra Welfare Society, organised a camp at DAV College in which 58 units had been collected, he added.

Dr Sra further said on February 22, the United Welfare Society also organised a blood donation camp in Kothe Chhaprriwala where 25 units of blood were collected. On February 26, the United Welfare Society also held a camp in Bathinda in which 20 donors participated.

He also said a blood donation camp had been organised in army cantonment in Bathinda on February 20. At this camp, 50 units were donated.

Dr Sra appealed to the people to come forward to donate blood as blood donation was a way of serving the humanity and saving those people who were battling for their lives.

He also said people should not hesitate from donating blood as blood donation doesn’t cause any weakness to the donor.

Bathinda, February 27
On the occasion of 'Science Day' Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, is organising a special lecture at its city campus on Tuesday.

The main speaker at the event will be Prof SS Gill, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.

On the occasion, poster making, photography, painting, essay writing and poetry recitation competitions will also be organised and the paintings, posters and photographs from the competitions will put on display in the exhibition hall.

Fact file

National Science Day is celebrated in India on February 28 each year to mark the discovery of the Raman effect by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman on 28 February 1928. For his discovery, Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in the year 1933.

Bathinda, February 27
Ritu Singla, a student of SSD Women’s Institute of Technology, Bathinda, clinched the first rank in Masters in Computer Applications (MCA) in Punjabi University, Patiala and was awarded a university medal.

VC of the university, Sardar Jaspal Singh awarded the medal to Ritu during the 35th convocation ceremony of the university.

Nand Lal Garg, president of SSD Women's Institute of Technology, and the faculty members of the college congratulated Ritu on her achievement.

Bathinda, February 27
A farewell party was organised by the students of class IX for the class X students of the PKS International School, Balluana, on Saturday.

“We hope that students will take home the best experience and wonderful memories of their studies and the time spent at PKS School”, said school chairman S Sukhdev Singh.

School director, Professor DS Mastana, and school president, S Mohinder Singh, gave all the students best wishes for their future life.