Bathinda, May 27
The Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) of Bathinda, which is one of the busiest ISBTs in Punjab, has been painting a picture of utter neglect for the past few months, thanks to the apathy shown towards it by the officials concerned.

Although the number of commuters coming the Bathinda ISBT to take buses to other cities keeps increasing, little thought has been spared for the upkeep of the place.

Big potholes welcome the commuters as they enter the bus stand. As the commuters make their way around the potholes, they also get ready to brave the stench coming from the urinals. One look at these urinals is enough to realise that all thought of arranging got the sanitation at these washrooms has been thrown to the wind.

If the apathy shown by the civic authorities is not enough to trouble the passengers, the shopkeepers here give two hoots about the rules and regulations when it comes to selling their items.

Packaged food items, including water bottles, are sold at prices higher than the maximum retail price (MRP) printed on them.

Kiosks selling cut fruits, the sale of which is otherwise banned, do brisk business as there is no one, including the health authorities, to impose the ban.

A time-table is as important to a bus stand as an index is to a book. Interestingly, even this common sense has been shunned at the Bathinda ISBT.

Despite the fact that the bus stand registers a daily traffic of almost 1,500 buses, bound for various destinations, the old time-table still guides, in fact misguides, the passengers.

Needless to say, most of the buses arrive and depart at times, other than those mentioned on the time- table. No one else but the passengers are at the receiving end of the confusion.

The automatic bus washing plant has also been lying unused and defunct for the past few months.

The condition of the bus stand becomes unbearable during the rainy season. The accumulation of sludge and sewer water worsens the sanitation conditions at the bus stand.

The passengers travelling daily, opine that the authorities concerned need to pay immediate attention towards the condition of the bus stand as it becomes almost impossible to enter the bus stand premises.

“This is the right time for the officials to come out of their deep slumber and plan to ease out the difficulties of the passengers,” said Joginder Kumar, a local resident.

Another passenger, Suresh Garg, said, “The authorities must start a sanitation drive to make the bus stand clean. Besides, the repair work should also be started. The authorities must also keep other problems, being faced by the passengers, in mind and try to solve them as soon as possible.”

Bathinda, May 27
After the results of the Punjab Pre-Medical Entrance Test were declared last Monday and two students from Bathinda emerged as the toppers, the dismal performance of the IIT-JEE aspirants from the area once again came under the scanner.

Despite the fact that over the past few years, Bathinda has become the hub of coaching centres with some of the top coaching centres setting shop in the city, this year students failed to secure good ranks in the IIT-JEE examination.

Bathinda, May 27
Seeking better rail connectivity in Malwa, train passengers have once again demanded changes in the timings of a few trains passing through various stations in the region.

Member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (ZRUCC), Northern Railway, Hanuman Dass Goyal, has written a letter to the senior officials of the railways, including the Chairman of Railway Board, suggesting rescheduling of some trains in the interest of commuters.

Goyal suggested that the departure time of train no. 14712, Sriganganagar-Haridwar, from Sriganganagar may be changed from 04.10 to 03.55 making its arrival at Bathinda station at 06.15 instead of 06.35 as the train no. 19024 Janta Express also departs from Bathinda at 6.35. If 14712 reaches Bathinda at 06.15, then the passengers of the train may also take the train no. 19024.

Goyal also said train no. 12482 Sriganganagar-Delhi Express arrives at Bathinda at 08.25. The train no. 19223 Ahemdabad -Jammu Tawi departs from Bathinda at 08.10. If 12482 departs from Sriganganagar at 05.30 instead of 06.00 and reaches Bathinda at 07.55 then there may be availability of train no. 19223.

Goyal added that train no. 12481 Dainik Express leaves Bathinda for Sriganganagar at 18.20 and train no. 19224 Jammu to Bathinda arrives at 18.35. The passengers of this train have no train for Gidderbaha, Malout, Abohar and Sriganganagar. If 12481 departs at 18.45, passengers could get train for their destination en route.

Departure of train no. 54751 Rewari-Sriganganagar from Bathinda to Sriganganagar is 21.40, Goyal said, adding that train no. 15609 Awadh-Assam arrives at 22.10. Train No. 14731 Delhi-Ambala arrives at Bathinda at 22.15 and 14519 Kissan Express arrives at 22.20. The departure of 54751 may be fixed at 22.30 so that the passengers of the three trains could avail the service of train no. 54751.

Train no. 54563 Bathinda to Ferozepur leaves Bathinda at 13.30 before the Jind-Ferozepur train no. 54045 departs at 10.25 and Rewari-Fazilka 54789 at 13.05. Train no.54758 Sriganganagar-Bathinda-Ambala arrives at 14.25 therefore 54563 should depart at 14.40 to cross all the trains, Goyal wrote in the letter.

Train no. 54702 departs from Bathinda at 04.50 it should depart at 17.15 for the benefit of daily passengers, Goyal suggested.

Train no. 54559 Bathinda to Fazilka via Abohar will run at 09.10 from Bathinda. It would disturb the train 54756. So departure of this train should be 08.50, Goyal said, and added that till the Abohar-Fazilka route starts, it may run from Bathinda to Abohar.

Goyal also suggested that train no. 54555 departs from Dhuri at 06.15 and reaches Bathinda at 09.00. The train may run from Dhuri at 05.40 instead of 06.15 and reach Bathinda at 08.30 and it may depart at 08.50 for Abohar, Fazilka from Bathinda.

Urging the chairman of the railway board to consider the suggestions, Goyal said bringing changes in the schedule of the trains would be a passenger-friendly step.

Bathinda, May 27
If you are an avid morning walker, chances are you often tread the Goniana Road near Kanhaiya Chowk and thermal lakes. And if you are blessed with an observant eye too, chances are you’ve noticed the small beautiful green wooden houses that have been suspended from more than 50 eucalyptus trees along the road.

These houses, or the artificial nests, have been suspended from the trees by the forest department to increase the avian population in the area. As the eucalyptus trees are very high, few birds choose these trees to build a nest on them.

Sohan Singh, a forest guard who supervised the project of the artificial nests placed on the trees, says, “The forest department wanted to add to the biodiversity of the area. There are thermal lakes and long rows of lush green trees on either sides of the road. It is a pleasure to see birds add to the beauty of the area.”

“It’s been almost six months since the artificial nests were suspended from the trees and many of them have already been inhabited by various variety of birds. In the coming monsoon season, we are expecting that the empty ones will also get their residents,” added Sohan Singh.

Talking about the project, he says, “The forest department had as many as 75 such artificial nests made which were then suspended from trees along the thermal lakes and the Malout road. Apart from these two roads, similar artificial nests have also been suspended from the trees inside the Deer Park, Bir Talab. The project was not a very expensive one as these houses are made of wood and didn’t cost the department much. Each nest must have cost the forest department around Rs100-150.”

Elaborating on the maintenance of these artificial nests, Sohan Singh says, “The labour or the gardeners who tend to the gardens and the green belt in the area look after these artificial nests as well. They keep an eye on the children to make sure the children don’t scare the birds away. Once the monsoon is here, all the nests will be inhabited.”

Bathinda, May 27
With the funds made available to the district health authorities under the National Programme for Control of Blindness, an eye collection centre has been set up at the Civil Hospital here.

The centre was set up in February last in room number 34 in the old OPD block of the Civil Hospital. Since then, the centre has collected 14 eyes so far.

To run the centre smoothly, the health authorities have purchased a refrigerator, a scooter, four scissors, four small drums, four muscular hooks, four enucleation spoons, four enucleation scissors, four eye collection bottles, four trays and four speculums.

Ever since the eye collection centre came into being, it has collected the eyes of a person in the month of February, 10 eyes of five persons in March and a pair of eyes of a person in May so far.

According to an official of the centre, in cases of eye donation, the members of the non-government organisations (NGOs) inform them. On receiving the information, they reach there and collect the eyes. He said the NGOs get the eyes from them and then send it to the eye banks. He said most of the eyes had been sent by the NGOs to the Mata Kartar Kaur International Eye Hospital at Sirsa.

Talking to this reporter here, district programme manager of the District Blindness Control Society Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa said International Eye Donation Fortnight is observed from August 25 to September 8 every year to create awareness about eye donation. He said during the fortnight, people were educated about the donation of eyes so that others could see with their (donors) eyes after their death.

Dr Randhawa also said people should not believe in the myth that if a person is cremated without eyes, then in his next birth, he would be born without eyes. He said people should come forward in large numbers to donate their eyes to serve the humanity. He said such myths had made the task of the medical fraternity difficult in collecting the eyes.

Bathinda, May 27
The district police today claimed to have arrested three persons who were in possession of illegal weapons from various places across the district.

Two persons, namely, Kulwinder Singh and Jagga Singh, who were riding a motorcycle, were intercepted by the Balianwali police yesterday.

During the frisking, they were found to be carrying an illegal country-made .12 bore pistol, eight cartridges and a 'kirch'. Both were immediately arrested and a case under various sections of the Arms Act was registered against them.

Meanwhile, they were produced before a local court, which sent them to jail.

In another incident, one Ravi Singh of Rama village was found in possession of an illegal country made .12 bore pistol and four cartridges at Rama village.

He was also arrested and a case against him was registered at the Rama police 
station of the district.

Bathinda, May 27
Going back home in an ambulance after recovery from his injuries cost dear to a patient as the vehicle met with an accident and landed the patient again in a hospital.

Jagtar Singh, who was admitted to a private hospital in the city after he met with an accident a few days ago, was being shifted to his house in Khyaliwala village. But when the ambulance reached a traffic light on Bhatti road, it rammed into a Maruti car and overturned.

The police said that as per the statements of the eyewitnesses, the accident took place due to the rash and negligent driving of the ambulance driver.

"We have recorded the statements of the eyewitnesses and the patient. It seems the accident took place when the ambulance driver tried to jump the red light and rammed the vehicle into a car coming from the other direction," said investigating officer Jagdev Singh of the Civil Lines police station.

He further said the patient was taken to the Civil Hospital, where he was hospitalized for the injuries, which he sustained after today's mishap. Till the filing of the report, no arrest was made. The driver of the ambulance has been identified as Pirthi Raj. The Maruti car was also damaged in the mishap.

Bathinda, May 27
Terming the decision of state election department not to allot the "kite" as the election symbol to the People's Party of Punjab (PPP) for the civic body elections across the state, as an instance of injustice, the activists of local unit of the PPP today held a meeting at the residence of its senior leader Sukhdeep Singh Bhinder.

At the meeting, the PPP workers discussed a number of issues. Sukhdev Singh Chahal, district president of the PPP, presented his views on various issues to boost the morale of the workers. The PPP activists also criticized the decision of the UPA government to hike the price of petrol and decided to hand over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in this regard on May 31.

Bathinda, May 27
Members of the Government School PHD Teachers Front today held a meeting at the Teachers' Home and demanded that the state government appoint them as principals on the pattern of vocational teachers.

The teachers also demanded that they must be provided with three increments, which were approved by the fifth pay commission.

Babar Farid Singh, a member of the Front, said that at present, the teachers in universities and colleges were getting five increments, but they were still deprived of their right.

Bathinda, May 27
Teg Karn Singh, Parneet Singh and Ravshan have reached the semi-finals of the U-14 (B) group in the first Bathinda Lawn Tennis Tournament that began at the Police Public School here on Sunday.

As many as 28 tennis players, including girls, are talking part in the two-day tournament being organised by the Cops Club, Bathinda. Singles matches in the U-14, U-16 and U-18 age-groups are being played in the tourney.

Teg Karn defeated Gursimran Deep Singh (3-1) to reach the semis while Parneet defeated Abhishek Arora (11-1) and Ravshan beat Paras Bawa (3-0) to secure their berths in the semis.

In a match played in U-14 (G) group, Ravneet Kaur defeated Deep Simran Kaur (3-0).

In a match played in U-16 (B) group, Shauraya prevailed over Jorawar (3-1).

The tournament was inaugurated by the chief guest, CL Singla, principal, Malwa College, Bathinda. The guest of honour on the occasion was Monica Singh, principal, Police Public School, Bathinda.

The tourney is being organised under the guidance of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Bathinda, Sukhchain Singh Gill, who is also the president of the Cops Club, Bathinda.

CL Singla, principal, Malwa College and Monica Singh Photos: Bhupinder Dhillon

Principal, Police Public School, meet the budding players.  Photos: Bhupinder Dhillon

Bathinda, May 27
The Balianwali police today found the body of a 22-year-old youth from a water channel near Dhansukh Khana village. The youth was a conductor with a transport company and was abducted from his house at Mandi Kalan village on May 19.

Mahinderjeet Singh, SHO, Balianwali police station, said a case under sections 364, 365 and 34 of the IPC was registered against three persons. Now, a case of murder under section 302 of the IPC has also been registered against them. No arrests have been made. — TNS