B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

7-year-old school boy ran over by pvt bus, dies
Ferozepur, May 30
A seven-year-old school boy was run over by a speeding bus while he was going to the school today morning. The incident took place in Talwandi Bhai, around 20 km from the district headquarters.

The bus that ran over a school kid (inset) bore the public wrath at Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur district on Wednesday morning. A Tribune photograph

Young life snuffed out on road
Muktsar, May 30
A government teacher in his mid-twenties was killed in a road mishap when the car he was driving rammed into a tree on the roadside between Kauni and Surewala villages this afternoon.

Abohar-Fazilka rail link July 15 fresh deadline to open the track

Fazilka, May 30 After much hue and cry and various public complaints to railway department, the Chairman of Railway Board has flashed a fresh deadline to the Northern Railway authorities to open the Fazilka-Abohar rail track by July 15. A deputation of the Northern Railway Passengers Samiti and the Beopar Mandal presents a memorandum to the Divisional Rail Manager, Ferozepur Division on Tuesday evening. A Tribune photograph

Ferozepur DC conducts surprise raids at govt offices
Ferozepur, May 30
The rural health centre (RHC) in Tibbi Khurd village and a primary health sub-centre in Mamdot block were found locked during a surprise checking conducted by Deputy Commissioner S Karuna Raju and other senior officials today.

Probe begins into construction of substandard roads in Abohar
Abohar, May 30
A team of the Vigilance Department, Chandigarh, has initiated a probe into the alleged use of substandard material in construction of roads by the contractors of the local Municipal Council.

Police not interfering in civic polls: Moga SSP
Moga, May 30
Moga SSP Surjit Singh Grewal today refuted the allegations of the CLP leader Sunil Jakhar and another Congress leader and former minister Darshan Singh Brar that the police had created an undue pressure on the Congress nominees forcing them to withdraw their nomination papers in the Baghapurana civic body elections.

7-year-old school boy ran over by pvt bus, dies
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, May 30
A seven-year-old school boy was run over by a speeding bus while he was going to the school today morning. The incident took place in Talwandi Bhai, around 20 km from the district headquarters.

It is learnt that Rajan was going to his school when a bus belonging to a private transport company coming from the Bathinda side allegedly ran over him leaving him seriously wounded. The child was immediately rushed to a local hospital and was later referred to Ludhiana. However, he could not survive.

Meanwhile, people, who had gathered at the spot, started pelting stones on the bus and blocked the national highway. The driver of the bus fled from the scene.

Later, the police pacified the crowd following which the blockage was lifted.

ASI Harbans Singh said the police was investigating the matter and a strict action would be taken against the erring bus operator.

Young life snuffed out on road
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, May 30
A government teacher in his mid-twenties was killed in a road mishap when the car he was driving rammed into a tree on the roadside between Kauni and Surewala villages this afternoon.

Shamsher Singh, a teacher posted at Sheikh village and a native of Sukhna Ablu village, was going to drop his friends, who had come from Jalandhar to mourn his father’s death, at Kotkapura bus stand.

An eyewitness said the car was moving at a fast pace and the driver lost control over the vehicle. Shamsher Singh died on the spot while two persons, including a girl, sustained injuries. The injured, identified as Sukhwinder Kaur and Bhupinder Singh, were rushed to the Adesh Hospital, Muktsar, for treatment.

The Kot Bhai police has started inquest proceedings under section 174 of the CrPC and handed over the body to the bereaved family members after performing the legal formalities. SHO Paramjit Singh said the deceased was unmarried. He has left behind his younger brother and mother.

Abohar-Fazilka rail link
July 15 fresh deadline to open the track
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, May 30
After much hue and cry and various public complaints to railway department, the Chairman of Railway Board has flashed a fresh deadline to the Northern Railway authorities to open the Fazilka-Abohar rail track by July 15.

As per the information obtained by scholar retired Professor of IIT Roorkee Dr Bhupinder Singh from Rajesh Aggarwal, Director, Research Design and Standard Orgnisation (RDSO) Ministry of Railways, Lucknow, the Chairman Railway Board has given some fresh targets to the Northern Railway to complete the process of running train in a phased manner till July 15.

As per the directions of the chairman, the recruitment and postings of all the requisite staff comprising 172 employees to be deployed on this track should be completed by June 15, 2012.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety would finally inspect the track on the first week of July positively, after deployment of the staff on five railway stations and 27 manned level railway crossings, track and signalling maintenance. The repair of track and technical problem if any would be removed by June 15. 

As per the target, the track would be thrown open on July 15.

“Whether which centre or the state government representative would inaugurate the track is yet to be decided,” said Divisional Rail Manager, Ferozepur Division, N K Goyal, while interacting with the members of deputation of Northern India Passengers Samiti and Beopar Mandal who called on him in his office on Tuesday evening.

“The department has already recruited 36 out of total requirement of 172 employees, including station masters and assistant station masters. The remaining staff shall be available by June 15. The trial run of the train would be conducted on June 28 in which he and other senior officials of the department would make a ride,” said Goyal.

The members reiterated their resolve to initiate “rail roko” agitation from July 1, if a train on Fazilka-Abohar track is not introduced by June 30.

The members of the deputation Satish Dhingra and Shakti Singh informed that they have also demanded from the DRM to raise the level of platform number 1 for the convenience of the passengers and revive washing line at Fazilka railway station.

Ferozepur DC conducts surprise raids at govt offices
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, May 30
The rural health centre (RHC) in Tibbi Khurd village and a primary health sub-centre in Mamdot block were found locked during a surprise checking conducted by Deputy Commissioner S Karuna Raju and other senior officials today.

The DC said he had instructed the officials concerned to take stringent action against the government employees belonging to the health department who were found absent from their duties today.

The DC also visited a government primary school and an Anganwadi centre in Kala Tibba village. At a veterinary dispensary in the same village, he observed that the due procedure for treatment and maintenance of records was not being followed.

The DC also checked the ongoing work on computerisation of land records at the Fard Kendra in Mamdot. The DC interacted with people, who had come for various works, and listened to their problems. He said pending works on the provision of toilets and shelter for the visitors will be taken up soon.

Probe begins into construction of substandard roads in Abohar
Our Correspondent

Abohar, May 30
A team of the Vigilance Department, Chandigarh, has initiated a probe into the alleged use of substandard material in construction of roads by the contractors of the local Municipal Council.

Notably, on May 19, a section of citizens had intercepted the cavalcade of the local bodies principal secretary Suresh Kumar to show the dilapidated condition of some roads that had been constructed recently, particularly the old tehsil road and the Model Town road. Most of the roads had not survived even three months while the onus of maintaining the same rests with the contractors for five years. Suresh Kumar had assured that the complaints would be probed.

Police not interfering in civic polls: Moga SSP
Tribune News Service

Moga, May 30
Moga SSP Surjit Singh Grewal today refuted the allegations of the CLP leader Sunil Jakhar and another Congress leader and former minister Darshan Singh Brar that the police had created an undue pressure on the Congress nominees forcing them to withdraw their nomination papers in the Baghapurana civic body elections.

While terming these allegations as baseless, Grewal said not even a single nominee of the Congress party had filed his/her nomination papers in the civic body elections of this town.

“I had issued strict instructions to my staff against interfering in the local politics during the civic body elections. I have not received any complaint of misuse of power by my subordinates,” he said.

The SSP said if there was any specific complaint, the Congress leadership could send it to his office. The guilty, if any and irrespective of his/her rank, would have to face departmental action, he added.