B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Hussainiwala Setu inaugurated
Ferozepur, March 22
On the eve of the martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, the Golden Arrow Division of the Indian Army, in a function organised here at Hussainiwala today.

Maj Gen RK Sharma, GOC, Golden Arrow Division, inaugurating the two bailey bridges constructed over the twin canals near the Hussaniwala barrage near Ferozepur on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Fazilka heritage fest from April 5
Fazilka, March 22
The Fazilka heritage festival would be organised from April 5 to 8 at the local Pratap Bagh.

Protest march against proposed hanging of Rajoana held
Abohar, March 22
Hundreds of workers led by SAD (Amritsar) local unit president Tejpal Singh assembled at the Gurdwara Sangatsar here. They organised a procession that passed through the main roads of the town.

Members of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) accompanied by SGPC member Gurpreet Singh Jhabbar protesting against the death penalty to Balwant Singh Rajoana in Mansa on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

Farmers cheer as closure of Gang canal deferred
Abohar, March 22
Responding to the advisories issued by the agricultural scientists, the Water Resources Department in the neighbouring Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts of Rajasthan has revised its plan to close Gang (Bikaner) canal and Indira Gandhi Canal Project (IGCP) system for 40 days to take up the second phase of modernization project.

Hussainiwala Setu inaugurated
Amarjit Thind/Anirudh Gupta
Tribune News Service

Ferozepur, March 22
On the eve of the martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, the Golden Arrow Division of the Indian Army, in a function organised here at Hussainiwala today, dedicated two bridges named as “Hussainiwala Setu”, to the residents of this border town.

Sources in the army said the two bailey bridges constructed over the twin canals by the engineers regiment of the division would go a long way in alleviating the problems faced by the residents belonging to the border villages, besides thousands of those who come from far- flung areas to witness the retreat ceremony by the BSF and the Pak Rangers.

Speaking on the occasion, Major General RK Sharma, GOC, who along with senior army officials inaugurated the bridge, said the herculean efforts made by the army to construct the bridge within a short span of time was part of social commitment for the residents of this border area.

He also appreciated the help extended by the civil administration to facilitate the necessary approvals which paved the way for its speedy construction. 

Fazilka heritage fest from April 5
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, March 22
The Fazilka heritage festival would be organised from April 5 to 8 at the local Pratap Bagh.“The sixth heritage festival would be organised by the Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka, in association with the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Development Board, Municipal Council, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sports Club and the T-20 Cricket Club,” informed GWAF general secretary Navdeep Asija.

Fazilka’s famous handicraft, popular juti, organic, Punjabi and Rajasthani food, over five decade old articles displayed at the Virasat Bhawan in Fazilka, books depicting the history of this border town, Fazilka- based Baba Pokhar Dass’s famous jhumar, giddha and sufiana songs from the Ibadat band, the food park and the agro-park would be the main attractions. The four nights of the festival would be dedicated to youths, farmers, women and army jawans. 

Protest march against proposed hanging of Rajoana held
Our Correspondent

Abohar, March 22
Hundreds of workers led by SAD (Amritsar) local unit president Tejpal Singh assembled at the Gurdwara Sangatsar here. They organised a procession that passed through the main roads of the town. They submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional authorities expressing resentment overt the proposed hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana in connection with the assassination of former Chief Minister Beant Singh. They warned of serious repercussions if Rajoana was hanged to death.

Farmers cheer as closure of Gang canal deferred
Raj Sadosh

Abohar, March 22
Responding to the advisories issued by the agricultural scientists, the Water Resources Department in the neighbouring Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts of Rajasthan has revised its plan to close Gang (Bikaner) canal and Indira Gandhi Canal Project (IGCP) system for 40 days to take up the second phase of modernization project.

The canals will now go dry on April 10 instead of April 1. The Public Health officials have been told to fill the drinking water reservoirs to ensure the supply of potable water during the closure.

As per the original plan, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) was to suspend releasing of water to the Indira Gandhi Canal, one of the biggest canal projects in India, by tomorrow evening.

It was earlier known as Rajasthan Canal, but on November 2, 1984, its name was changed to Indira Gandhi Canal.

The canal starts from the Hari ke barrage below the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers in Punjab.

The BBMB was initially told to suspend supply to the Gang (Bikaner) canal that passes through the Abohar sub-division, on March 27.

Rajasthan Agricultural Marketing Minister Gurmeet Singh Kunnar along with some senior Congressmen, including former Improvement Trust chairperson Raj Kumar Gaur had a meeting with the irrigation officials to explain that standing wheat crop in most of the villages need two irrigation turns for ripening of the crop.

Notably, the first phase of modernising the canal was taken up about 10 years back with a budgeted cost of Rs 466 crore in phased manner. The then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had arranged funds from the World Bank through the Central Government.

The second phase is expected to cost Rs 40 crore during the proposed closure. Forty-day work is to be carried inside the canal, followed by 20-day work outside the canal.

While welcoming the revised plan, Rajasthan Kisan Sangharsh Samiti spokesperson Subhash Sehgal said the Gang Canal should be run to its full capacity. Only 1450 cusecs of water was supplied against the capacity of 2500 during in the past few days, he regretted.

This, he added, had resulted in the closure of sub-canals by rotation. Wheat had been sown in about one lakh acres of land spread over 1,200 villages but the farmers could hardly get canal water once a month.

Sriganganagar is known as the grain bowl of Rajasthan. Closure on April 1 would have badly affected the agricultural economy, he said.

Agricultural research officer Milind Singh had said that wheat sown around December 20, after the restoration of canal water supply, could get first irrigation in the first week of January, second in the middle of February and third in the last week. The crop has yet to develop “ballis” and would need more irrigation in April as there had been change in the climatic conditions.

Gurdarshan Singh of village Achadiki (Abohar) said hundreds of farmers in the villages located at the tail end, close to the inter-state border, have to draw water for human consumption from Gang canal. They too will suffer due to closure of the canal.