Bathinda, March 2
Three person lost their lives while four school students received injuries in separate accidents that took place in Bathinda and nearby Gidderbaha town today. Among the deceased was Paramjit Singh (60), a retired junior engineer of the Powercom.

As per Jagdev Singh, a close relative of the deceased, Paramjit took a U-turn on his bike to enter the vegetable market and collided with an oil tanker coming out of the market. The oil tanker dragged the bike upto more than 15 feet near the Liberty Chowk.

Volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa said the retired JE was hardly breathing when they rushed him to the Civil Hospital.

The stomach, jaw and other vital parts of his body got badly crushed under the tyres of the oil tanker, the volunteers said.

Paramjit is survived by a son and two daughters. One of his daughters was married recently. The other daughter is working as a nurse in a hospital at Goniana and the son owns a spare parts shop in a nearby mandi.

A broken tooth of the deceased, broken spectacles, jacket, turban and shoes were seen lying in a pool of blood beside the broken motorbike.

The police said none of the roadside vendors came forward to get their statements recorded and claimed that they were not present during the time of the accident.

A traffic policeman said the driver of the oil tanker has been identified as Chann Singh, who is absconding.

The cops said some vegetables were lying next to the driver’s seat and it seemed that he was returning to his home.

Kotwali SHO Jagdeesh Lal said he was not aware of the statement of the deceased’s relative, Jagdev. He said the JE seemed to have been coming out of the vegetable market side and was then dragged by the oil tanker and died.

The driver was alone in the oil tanker and he was driving without anyone helping him to inform about the rear left side of the vehicle. Usually a truck cleaner sits alongside the driver and keeps him informed about the vehicles coming close to the rear wheels on the left side.

Had there been someone sitting alongside the driver, he could have been informed about the biker and the accident could have been averted, said the traffic cops.

Interestingly, the oil tanker was later driven by a lone policeman upto the Kotwali police station which is situated near the railway station.

Meanwhile, in another incident, a drunken truck driver overran two unidentified mechanics who came from Karnal in Haryana to repair some machines of a rice sheller in Gidderbaha.

After crushing the duo under the front wheels, the truck hit a school van. The mishap left four students injured. Further, the truck again hit an Alto car and damaged it completely.

The driver was arrested by the police while he was trying to flee.

Anmol Juneja of the Rahat Foundation said the injured students have been identified as Amandeep Kaur, Dilpreet Kaur, Khushdeep Kaur and Jasleen Kaur, all residents of Gidderbaha.

Bathinda, March 2
To protest against the setting up of a solid waste management plant near Burj Mehma village, a large number of people from Burj Mehma, Deon, Bhisiana, Jhumba, Mehma Bhagwana and other nearby villages today blocked the Bathinda-Muktsar road for over three hours.

They raised slogans against setting up of the plant and said pollution created by the plant would spell trouble for the area residents.

"The setting up of the plant was earlier opposed by the residents of Lehra Mohabbat village and it was then shifted to somewhere in Bathinda where too the area residents opposed it. Now, the plant is being set up near Burj Mahma and we will not allow it near our villages," said the block president of the BKU (Ekta-Ugraha) Gurmeet Singh.

The plant is being set up near an area where people are residing for the last many decades. The authorities are likely to start setting up the plant in next few weeks as the machines and other equipment have arrived, said the protesters. They added that they would not allow the setting up of the plant without their consent.

Gurmeet Singh said medical waste would also be disposed of at the plant making area residents prone to diseases.

The BKU leader said on February 17, the villagers had blocked the Bathinda-Muktsar road and the area tehsildar assured that he would take up the matter with the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner and arrange their meeting with him.

"But so far, nothing has been done in this regard. We fear that the plant would be set up around our villages against the wishes of its residents," he said.

District president of the BKU (Ekta-Ugraha) Shingara Singh Mann, a Khet Mazdoor Union leader Master Sewak Singh and others said they would intensify the agitation if the authorities failed to shift the plant.

Bathinda, March 2
Bathinda district has bagged eight state-level awards for motivating and conducting institutional deliveries in government hospitals, community health centres (CHCs) and 24x7 health centres during the financial year 2010-11.

Talking to this reporter here today, District Family Welfare Officer Dr Kundan Kumar Paul said in the district hospital category, the local Women and Children Hospital had been awarded for conducting 2,154 deliveries. He said the SMO of the hospital Dr BS Gill and he received the award at a state-level function held at Mohali the previous day.

In the category of total deliveries in a CHC, the centre at Bhagta was awarded and its SMO Dr SK Rajkumar received the award. As many as 637 deliveries were conducted there during 2010-11.

Further, Dr Monika Sharma was awarded in both the categories of cesarean sections in day time as well as at night. She had conducted 114 cesarean operations during the day time and 61 surgeries at night at the CHC, Goniana, during 2010-11.

Dr Navpreet Kaur from the Nathana CHC was awarded in the category of cesarean section in day time (Contractual). She had conducted 47 cesarean operations during 2010-11.

In the category of deliveries by staff nurses in a CHC with no gynaecologist, the award was given to the Bhagta health centre as 637 deliveries were conducted there during 2010-11. Bindu, a staff nurse, received the award.

In the category of ANM wise motivation performance for institutional deliveries, a staff nurse from the Nathana CHC, Paramjit Kaur, was awarded. During 2010-11, she had motivated as many as 48 women to go for institutional deliveries.

In the ASHA workers' incentive category, Rajinder Pal Kaur, working under the sub-centre Mehraj -1, was awarded as she had earned Rs 21,560 as incentive.

Dr Kundan Kumar said the Health and Family Welfare Department had awarded the prizes and honoured the top performer, gynaecologists, medicals officers, staff nurses, ANMs and ASHA workers for their outstanding contribution to promote the deliveries in the hospitals.

He said in each category, more than one person had been honoured with the award as there were several top performers in each category from various parts of the state.

The winners were presented with mementoes, shawls and certificates.

Fact file

* In the district hospital award category for conducting deliveries during 2010-11, the Women and Children Hospital has been awarded for conducting 2154 deliveries.

* In the category of total deliveries at CHCs, the CHC, Bhagta was awarded. As many as 637 deliveries were conducted at the Bhagta CHC in 2010-11.

* In the caesarian sections during day time at CHCs and caesarian sections at night at CHCs categories, Dr Monika Sharma was awarded. She had conducted 114 caesarian sections in day time and 61 caesarians at night at the CHC, Goniana in 2010-11. However, Dr Monika Sharma had recently left the job.

Bathinda, March 2
Seeking better connectivity with the places of religious significance, residents of Bathinda and its adjoining areas urged the Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi to introduce trains and increase the frequency of existing trains considering the sentiments of lakh of devotees of the region.

Residents said that better connectivity with religious places, namely Amritsar, Jalandhar, Malerkotla, Jammu, Haridwar and others would also help in the augmentation of development process of the Malwa.

Demanding a direct rail link and trains between Bathinda and Ludhiana, passengers said that Malwa was in dire need of a direct train between these two stations, via Rampura Phul, Barnala and Dhuri.

Advisor of Railway Passengers’ Welfare Association, Rajinder Garg, said that a direct train between these two stations would serve the purpose to a great extent as better and fast connectivity with Ludhiana was needed as it was one of the most industrialised and commercialised area of Punjab and there were many places of religious significance en-route.

Garg said a rail link between these two stations which are just 140 km from each other was a long-pending demand of the residents of the area.

Garg also said that a train on the route would, besides serving the purposes of businessmen, patients and students, would also help pilgrims as there were many places of religious importance like Malerkotla, Amristar, Beas en route.

General secretary of the Railway Passengers' Welfare Association, Bathinda, Hanuman Dass Goel demanded better connectivity between Sriganganagar-Abohar via Bathinda and Haridwar.

Goel demanded an increase in the frequency of the Amritsar-Jaipur train to properly serve the purpose of the residents of the region.

Also demanding an increase in the frequency of Nanded Express, Geol said the weekly train should be run three days in a week and it should also stop at more stations in the area.

Echoing similar sentiments, president of Bathinda Vikas Manch, Rakesh Narula, said the Nanded Express should be run daily and the train should also halt at small stations falling in the region.

Demanding a direct rail link between Bathinda and Ludhiana, Narula said a direct rail link between these two stations would serve many purposes. 

Bathinda, March 2
Punjab Chief Secretary SC Aggarwal today visited the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery, near Raman Mandi. He was accompanied by Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav and the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sukhchain Singh Gill.

The Chief Secretary held a meeting with the officials of the refinery and took stock of the work in progress. The managing director-cum-chief executive officer of the refinery Prabh Das, chief operating officer MA Tankiwala and the vice president of the project RR Handa took part in the meeting.

Aggarwal also visited various units of the refinery and witnessed the mock drill for dousing the fire. Aggarwal, Yadav and Gill also planted saplings at the refinery.

Aggarwal also received the engine, sent by the Railways. He also visited the pet coke unit of the refinery and inspected the material prepared. He congratulated the company officials for completing the work rapidly.

On the occasion, the trial run of a rail engine was also conducted on the track laid on the premises of the refinery to carry the petroleum products, produced by the refinery. 

Bathinda, march 2
The Department of English of Baba Farid College organised a two-day national conference on ‘Major Issues in Post Colonial English Literature’.

On Day 2 of the conference, Dr Jasbir Jain, chairman IRIS, Jaipur, was present at the valedictory session. She delivered her keynote address on ‘Post Colonialism’ saying “Students should go beyond theories”.

“We should not be bound by limitations and should not become passive listeners,” she said.

The session was addressed by Prof Paramjeet Singh Romana, dean, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda and Dr Jagroop Singh, Punjabi University.

Prof Harbir Singh Manku, GNDU Amritsar and Prof Anupama Vohra, Jammu University chaired the subsequent academic sessions.

While Prof Vohra focused on ‘Post Colonial Issues in the Life of a Sex Worker’ and ‘My Feudal Lord’, Dr Jagroop presented his paper on ‘Critique of Post Colonialism’.

The conference aimed at enabling the scholars keep abreast with the latest trends in research and innovation in the field of studies in English language and literature.

The conference also focussed on discussing the problems of teaching and learning English language in the non-native post colonial and third world countries.

The conference also offered opportunities for informal discussions and brainstorming sessions. The conference also promoted cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Managing director of BFGI, Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal, proposed the vote of thanks to all the delegates who participated in the conference. He appreciated the efforts of Jasandeep Kaur Romana, head of English Department, and her team for successfully organising the conference.

Bathinda, march 2
Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College, Nai Basti, hosted a farewell party for the passing out students of MSc (FT) and BA (final year). The event was aptly named ‘Euphoria 2011-12’, as the junior and senior students came together and had loads of fun.

The teachers wished the passing out students all the luck for all their future endeavours and career.

The highlight of the farewell party was the Miss Farewell contest. The contest included a fashion show round and a solo dance performance round.

The participants enjoyed the contest to the hilt and put their best foot forward in the fashion show round and displayed their dancing skills in the second round.

Students in the audience not only cheered for the contestants but also broke into impromptu jigs.

Rajveer Kaur was adjudged the Miss Farewell of MSc (FT) and the Gurjot Kaur and Kiran Brar were the first and the second runners-up respectively.

Manpreet Kaur won the title of Miss Farewell of BA (final year) while Harvinder Kaur and Swarnjit Kaur were declared the first and the second runners-up respectively.

Bathinda, march 2
A resident of Nasibpura village was arrested with 1.5 kilogram opium from near Talwandi Sabo. The accused has been identified as Gurmel Singh. A case under sections 22, 61, 85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has been registered against him at Talwandi Sabo police station.

The accused was put behind bars at the police station and would be produced before the magistrate, said the police officials.

Husband, parents booked for stealing material worth `6 lakhs

Husband and in-laws of a woman have been booked by the police for stealing material worth around `6 lakhs. A case under sections 457, 380 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered in this connection against Yavisht Garg.

In her complaint to the police, Nishi Garg, wife of Yavisht Garg, said she was married to Yavisht around a year ago. They got separated following a case of dowry filed by her.

While the case was pending, the in-laws including her husband and parents took away expensive goods from her house in Rama Mandi.

Investigating officer in the case, Parbat Singh, said a case has been registered at the Rama police station. No arrests have been made so far. He said the stolen goods include 190 grams of gold, rupees one lakh in cash, PAN card, pass book and other items.

Bathinda, march 2
Malwa College of Physical Education organised its annual athletic meet at its campus here today. The participants and other students started assembling in the ground at the scheduled time and soon, judo coach, Dev Singh Dhaliwal, flagged off the meet.

In his inaugural address, Dhaliwal asked the students to stay away from all types of intoxicants and learn to say no to anyone who tried to drag them into the habit of taking drugs. He also asked the participants to have sportsmanship since participating was more important than winning. He told the students about the benefits of being actively involved in at least one sporting activity. He said sports kept an individual healthy, and these healthy individuals would then constitute a healthy society.

Also present on the occasion were president, District Athletic Association, KPS Brar, principal of Malwa Management College, CL Singla and dean, students’ affairs, Prof NK Gosain.

Boosting the morale of the participants were principal of the Malwa College of Physical Education, Gurdev Singh and dean, Raghubir Chand Sharma.

The meet had track and field events for both male and female students. The events included shotput, 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres races for both male and female participants.

While Jagroop Singh won the 800 metres race in the men’s category, Anju Bala won in the female category. Ravinder Singh was the winner among boys in the 400 metres race. In shot-put, Anita Rani and Gurlal Singh were the winners in the female and male categories, respectively.

Sunita Rani, who won the javelin throw competition, came second in the shotput contest and also in the 100 metres race, was declared the best female athlete. Arshad Ali was declared the best male athlete.