NEIGHBOURHOOD

321 students felicitated at annual function
Our Correspondent

Ambala, April 19
Around 15 acres of ripe wheat crop in three villages turned into ashes this noon. The incident was a big blow to the farmers who now have demanded compensation for the damaged crop.

According to information, around 10 acres of wheat crop was burnt in Jabbu Majra village close to Ambala Cantonment. They said that the incident happened after spark appeared in the wires crossing over their fields.

Similarly, around 5 acres of crop was completely destroyed in Kapoori village and Bilpura close to the Ambala City. The owners of the land, Atma Ram and Ram Pal, said that that the fire broke out in their fields due to the short circuit.

Some of the farmers of Jabbu Majra village told that they had informed the fire brigade about the incident but the crop turned into ashes before their arrival. 

Fatehgarh Sahib April 19
The arrival of wheat has picked up in the grain markets of the district. Till today, over 27,677 MT of the wheat has arrived in mandis and out of this 21,339 MT has been purchased by different government agencies, said Yashveer Mahajan, Deputy Commissioner.

He warned the procured agencies to lift the procured wheat and to ensure payment of procured wheat with in 72 hours. He said that delay in procurement and lifting would not be tolerated, if any official is found responsible, he will not be spared. He called upon the farmers to bring wheat to the mandis as per specification of the government so that they will not feel any difficulty in purchase.

Meanwhile, Kulet Singh Nagra, MLA Fatehgarh Sahib, visited various mandis of the constituency and he lashed out at the government for making poor arrangements for the procurement. He said that procured wheat was lying un lifted in the mandis and payments to the farmers are not being made in time.

District food and civil supply controller said that the process of lifting procured wheat has intensified, which was not fully operated due to inclement weather and rain.

The Civil Hospital at Lalru that was named after freedom fighter Baba Prithvi Singh Azad, but has not got upgraded or recognition. photo by writer

Lalru, April 19
The Civil hospital, Lalru, which was launched on the name of great freedom fighter Baba Prithvi Singh Azad in 1995 as a rural hospital, could not receive upgradation and recognition on the name of freedom fighter till now. It continued as Mini primary health center and, surprisingly, the name of Baba Prithvi Singh Azad was not mentioned in the concerned documents of the hospital. People of the area have been continually demanding the upgradation of the hospital and recognition on the name of Baba Prithvi Singh Azad, who belonged to Lalru and contributed in the freedom struggle.

Though the name of the freedom fighter was put up in front of the hospital building yet the government did not give its nod on the same name.

It was functioning as a mini primary health center with one medical officer and one post of the SMO, which was created recently. One post of the medical officer was lying vacant for the past some months.

Dr Daler singh Multani, president of Shelter charitable trust, who had also served in the hospital said that the hospital was launched under the scheme which was started on the name of freedom fighters but later it was converted in mini PHC. He informed that their organisation had made efforts for the proper functioning of the hospital.

He demanded that the hospital should be recogniaed and upgraded on the name of freedom fighter Baba Prithvi Singh Azad.

According to the information from the hospital staff, nearly 100 to 150 patients visit the hospital everyday for treatment but only two doctors were there to treatment them. A senior leader of the area, Deepinder Singh Dhillon, said that due to the industrial and educational set up in the area, a big hospital was needed here. He said that this hospital should be upgraded on the name of freedom fighter Baba Prithvi Singh Azad.

The CPI block secretary, Avtar Singh Dappar, and the congress leader Vasdev said that people of the area were bound to visit Ambala and Chandigarh in the absence of big hospital here. They demanded the upgradation of the hospital on the name of Baba prithvi Singh Azad.

Meanwhile, the Civil Surgeon, Mohali, Dr Usha Bansal, said that the hospital had received the status of community health center but posts of doctors were not yet sanctioned. After the sanction of posts it would have 30 beds and 6 doctors.

Chandigarh, April 19
In the ongoing trial, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorists, Jagtar Singh Hawara and Paramjit Singh Bheora, were produced in a local court today in the jailbreak case of 2004. They were brought here especially from Tihar Jail in Delhi.

Statements of three witnesses, including two shopkeepers from whom the accused had purchased SIM cards, were examined in the court today.

The court adjourned the hearing of the Burail Jail break case till May 16.

During the resumed hearing of the case before Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Rajesh Garg, defense counsel examined Kulwinder Singh, an employee of RTA Patiala, who submitted the records relating to the vehicle, which was used by the accused while fleeing from the jail premises.

Meanwhile, the defense counsel also cross-examined Ashwin Singh, a resident of Mohali, and owner of JF Marketing at Sector 22.

The case dates back to January 2004, when Hawara, Bheora and other two accomplices, Jagatar Singh Tara and Devi Singh, had escaped from the Burail Jail by digging a tunnel. While Hawara and Bheora were arrested from Delhi, Tara and Singh are still absconding and have been declared proclaimed offenders.

Chandigarh, April 19
Hosts Kings XI Punjab will face Royal Challengers Bangalore in their IPL match at the PCA Stadium in Mohali tomorrow. The home team lost to Kolkata Knight Riders last night.

Anil Kumble with Daniel Vettori (left) and members of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team exercise a day before their match, scheduled for Friday. Tribune Photos: Vicky Gharu

Panchkula, April 19
St Xavier’s School will hold the sixth Clive Shear Carrom Tournament at the school on April 20 and 21.

Its Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali branches, Delhi Public School at Pinjore and St Stephen’s School at Chandigarh will take part.

CLDAV School, St Teresa School, Little Flower Convent School and Saupin’s School at Panchkula will also participate. — TNS

Panchkula, April 19
The Choi Kwang Do Martial Art School will host the fourth national choi kwang do instructor training seminar at CKD Martial Arts School at Sector 16 from April 20 to 23.

Bikram S Thapa of the USA will lead the seminar. Fifty instructors from all over India will appear in the black belt test.

Geetika (12), Hridayesh (9), Devansh (10), Dhriti (13), Bhumika (11) and Yatharth (12) have been selected for the school. — TNS

Chandigarh, April 19
As many as 41 players have been selected for a training camp before the selection of the Chandigarh under- 19 boys’ cricket team for the Punjab inter-district cricket tournament.

The camp will be held at Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, from tomorrow. The team is scheduled to play its first match against Ludhiana on May 16.

Those selected are Jaskaran, Shivam, Udit, Karan, Arjit, Arpit, Simaranpreet, Gaurav Sharma, Sagar Baser, Gaurav Singh, Sumith Hooda, Rajpal, Kuljinder, Nawansh, Bhagwinder, Talwinder, Abhilash, Angad Chahal, Arvind, Ramesh Panchal, Lakshay, Keshav, Suraj Suri, Lovish, Harish, Arangjaib Arun Soreya, Krishan Khatri, Rahul, Hemang, Satyam, Anil, Karan Gupta, Sameer, Ankit, Akshay Kansal, Sukhraj, Kailash, Aseem, Rajat and TP Singh. — TNS