The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Lifting of wheat slow in Faridkot grain markets SP Sharma Tribune News Service Jaito (Faridkot), May 7 Thousands of wheat bags have accumulated here and in other grain markets of the Faridkot district where the pace of lifting by various procurement agencies is slow because of shortage of labour and trucks. The shortage of gunny bags has to some extent been overcome in the Ferozepur district, but the “arhtiyas” (middlemen) at Jaito complained of shortage of bags. According to Lal Chand Garg, secretary of the Jaito market committee, about 32,000 tonnes of wheat was lying unlifted in the grain market. The total arrival of wheat so far was to the tune of 92,380 tonnes out of which 86,020 tonnes have been purchased. The Pungrain, the Markfed and the Warehousing Corporation were engaged for procurement in the district. Garg said the shortage of gunny bags was one of the major factors for the slow pace of lifting. The “arhtiyas” were themselves arranging gunny bags to pack the wheat. The procurement agencies earlier used to supply the bags. The mechanical harvesting of the bumper crop was also responsible for the glut in the grain markets. A labour contractor, Naresh, said by this time, the wheat procurement had been completed last year, but this time, it was progressing at a slow pace and might take another fortnight to complete the job. There was no lifting for about 10 days because of shortage of labour and gunny bags. The situation was similar in the other 17 procurement centres around Jaito. The farmers were worried at Rukna Bego in Ferozepur where trucks were not available to lift the grain. Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner S. Karuna Raju said old bags were being reused to overcome the shortage of gunny bags. As many as 128 procurement centres have been opened in the district. He said the pace of lifting was initially slow but now it has picked up.
	In Muktsar, cattle feed bags being used to store grains Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, May 7 Old gunny bags of cattle feed were found being used for stacking grains at the local grain market today. The Central Government has allowed the state to reuse only those gunny bags that were once used for stacking the grain. During a visit to the grain market, TNS found that a number of bags specifically mentioning “cattle feed” were containing wheat and lying along with other bags. Though the officials in the district administration admitted that the bags used for storing cattle feed could not be used for the foodgrain in any condition, they failed to provide a satisfactory reply to a query related to the irregularity. The District Food Supply Controller (DFSC), Kaushal Rao Singla, said, “Now, we have a sufficient number of fresh and old gunny bags to store the grains. So, there is no possibility of gunny bag, which was once used for cattle feed, being reused to store foodgrain.” However, when he was apprised of the cattle feed bags being filled with wheat and lying in the open in the grain market, he said, “It might belong to some individual, as any government agency cannot use any other bag except for the new or old gunny bag, which once stacked grain.” Deputy Commissioner Paramjeet Singh said, “A few days ago, we faced a huge shortage of gunny bags to procure wheat lying in the grain markets of the district but now, we have a sufficient number of gunny bags. The old bags of cattle feed might have been used for grains during the period when there was a shortage.” “Still, this is not allowed. I will personally look into the matter and also order the field staff to perform their duties diligently. Even if it belongs to some individual or any private firm, it must have been stored separately and not along with other bags,” he added.
	Bengali girl recovered from Faridkot 23-yr-old went missing from Uttar Dinajpur district 6 months ago Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, May 7 Six month after she went missing from North Dinajpur district of West Bengal, a team of the West Bengal police today reached Faridkot to take custody of 23-year-old Meenakshi Shah (name changed). The young girl was undergoing treatment at the Red Cross Short Stay Home in Faridkot for the last two months. On March 17, some members of Mumara village panchayat in Faridkot reported to the police that an untidy young girl was straying in the area. The police reached there and later, handed her over to the Red Cross Society, Faridkot, as her health condition was very poor due to intense bleeding. She appeared to be a victim of sexual exploitation. So, the district magistrate ordered to constitute a panel of doctors for her treatment. It was not only the physical abuse that she went through but also mental torture. She could not even recall her name for over a month. Even though the Red Cross authorities took the services of some Bengalis to speak to the girl, it yielded no result. Last week, Meenakshi’s condition improved a bit and she revealed a cell number. The Red Cross authorities called up the number. On the other side of the line was Sumit, her brother-in-law in North Dinajpur district. Sumit revealed that Meenakshi was a post-graduate student and had gone missing in the first week of November, 2011. In the last six months, all efforts to trace Meenakshi by her family members proved futile and a missing report was filed with the North Dinajpur police, he added. Today, a five-member team of the WB police and Sumit reached Faridkot and District Magistrate Ravi Bhagat handed over the custody of the girl to them. Though her condition has now improved a lot, she is unable to recollect the events that happened in the last six months, said the District Magistrate. Sumit revealed that as the financial condition of his in-laws was very poor, so Meenakshi was living with her married sister for study purpose. She was a meritorious student, he said, adding: “She went missing in the first week of November last year, leaving all of us shocked.” Lipi Sarkar, a woman assistant inspector, who was one of the members of the West Bengal police team, said the police would further investigate the case after Meenakshi’s health improved. Sources in the Faridkot police believed that it was a case of sexual exploitation and there was a high possibility that some truck drivers brought the girl to Punjab and abandoned her when her condition deteriorated.
	Newborn dist awaits officials, staff, funds & infrastructure Praful Chander Nagpal Fazilka, May 7 Fazilka which was carved out as the 22nd district of Punjab in July 2011, still lacks the basic infrastructure required to house the official machinery. Except for the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), other district level officials has not been posted yet. The office of the Deputy Commissioner is also short of the desired officials. The SDM Fazilka, Charandev Singh Maan, is also officiating as the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Development and General. Two important posts in the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner (General and Grievances), who handle the routine affairs, are also vacant. All work is virtually handled by the Deputy Commissioner Basant Garg and ADC Maan. The vital requirement of posting a Civil Surgeon and other programme officials of the health department has not been met. Besides, the posts of the executive magistrate, assistant district revenue officer (DRO), district development and panchayat officer (DDPO), district transport officer (DTO), district welfare officer (DWO), district treasury officer (DTO), district mandi officer (DMO), district public relations officer (DPRO), district social security officer (DSSO), district small savings officer (DSSO), deputy statistical and economic advisor, two child development project officers (CDPOs) and the district programme officer, are still lying vacant. Out of these vacant posts, additional charge of have been given to the officials concerned of the adjoining districts of Ferozepur and Muktsar. The position of the staff in the offices is the worst. The office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) did not get even a single staff so far. The district rural development agency has not been established so far. The Zila Parishad and District Planning Committee have not been set up. Ironically, senior BJP leader of Jalalabad, Prem Valech, had been appointed the chairman of the agency three months back, reportedly due to political considerations. He is virtually a chairman without the department. “In fact, the entire district is being run on the basis of ad-hoc arrangements,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. The entire district is short of officers, staff, funds and infrastructure. “The affairs of the new district have become messier and worse than before because some of the officers holding dual charge are seldom available. The common people feel difficulty in getting their official work done because they can not go to Ferozepur and their work remains incomplete here too,” said Raj Kishore Kalra, president of Social Welfare Society, an NGO. The officer posted as District Food and Supplies Controller, Ferozepur II, who has been given independent charge of Fazilka district, has established his office at Ferozepur instead of Fazilka. “No sanction has been given by the government to establish the office of the DFSC at Fazilk,” said HS Mokha, DFSC, adding that he has been posted as DFSC Ferozepur II and has been directed to look after Fazilka district independently. The very purpose of people having a separate DFSC at the district headquarters has been defeated because of this. In the police department, the posts of the SP (D) and the DSP, Control Room, have not been filled up. Besides, a large number of posts of helping staff in different departments, teachers and medical officers are also lying vacant. In these circumstances, how the development schemes initiated by the government would be implemented can be anybody’s guess?
	Heroin worth Rs 15 cr seized in Ferozepur Our Correspondent Ferozepur, May 7 The troops of the BSF, 80 Battalion, today seized three kg of heroin from an area falling between the barbed wire fencing and international border, near the border outpost (BOP) Tapu in the sector. Giving details, KPS Rana, DIG, BSF, Sector headquarters, Ferozepur, said BSF jawans on patrol duty at BOP Tapu on Sunday night observed some movement ahead of the barbed wire fencing towards Pakistan near border pillar 177/10-11, following which they challenged the intruders. The latter, however, fled from the scene and retreated towards the Pakistan side. The DIG said a search operation was launched in the area in the morning, which led to the recovery of three packets of heroin weighing a kg each and valued at Rs 15 crore in the international market. Sources in the BSF said the consignment was packed and placed inside a pipe so that it could be pushed across the fencing. Further investigations were being made in the case.