B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Asia’s largest open wildlife sanctuary
Drinking water scarcity stares at protected species 
Abohar, June 4
Protected species in Asia’s largest open wildlife sanctuary, spread over an area of 188 sq km, are facing drinking water crisis as no efforts have been made to fill the water tanks inside the sanctuary while the mercury soared to 47 degrees Celsius in the past few days.
Black bucks (left) huddle together under the shade of a tree to escape the scorching sun at the Asia’s largest open wildlife sanctuary in the Abohar. Photos by writer

Three forest officials hurt while thwarting encroachment bid
Ferozepur, June 4
Three employees of the forest department were injured when they were allegedly attacked by some unidentified persons as they thwarted an attempt to encroach upon the valuable forest land in Bootiwala village under the Harike bird sanctuary. 

HC justices visit Fazilka to select site for district & sessions division
Fazilka, June 4
Two justices of the Punjab and Haryana High Court visited this town to select the site for setting up a district and sessions division in the newly-created Fazilka district.

18 booked for raising unauthorised colonies
Ferozepur, June 4
Acting tough against illegal colonisers, the Ferozepur police has booked 18 persons for allegedly raising unauthorised colonies and thereby violating the norms of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act.

Asia’s largest open wildlife sanctuary
Drinking water scarcity stares at protected species 
Raj Sadosh

Tanks built to provide drinking water to the inhabitants at various points in the sanctuary have run dry. Photos by writer

Abohar, June 4
Protected species in Asia’s largest open wildlife sanctuary, spread over an area of 188 sq km, are facing drinking water crisis as no efforts have been made to fill the water tanks inside the sanctuary while the mercury soared to 47 degrees Celsius in the past few days.

The sanctuary was established in 1975 with the aim to guard the wildlife in the border district of Ferozepur. While Blackbucks and neelgai (blue bulls) are the major inhabitants, the sanctuary is also home to peafowl, partridge, hare, jungle cat and other wild animals. The latest census confirmed that the largest number of black bucks dwelled here as they are protected by the Bishnoi community having about 25,000 houses in 13 villages.

Sources in the wildlife department said the state government had not recruited staff for the sanctuary during the past six years while vehicles abandoned on the office complex are waiting to be auctioned as files gather dust at the state headquarters. Only two guards on duty — Ashok Bishnoi and Kulwant Singh — are not in a position to cover such a large area. They claimed that tractors and canters were borrowed from the forest department to fill the tanks but some of the farmers had erected barbed fencing around their fields preventing access to the tanks. This made the ugly task of stray dogs easy who keep on targeting protected species.

As per the last census, 3,500 blackbucks, 3,500 neelgai, 10,000 kala teetar (black francolin) and many other species inhabit in the sanctuary area.

Akhil Bhartiya Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha president Ramesh Bishnoi regretted that the district forest officer (DFO) had not been posted at Fazilka and the officials at Ferozepur could not be expected to take care of the entire region from Hari Ke headworks bordering Tarn Taran to Sulemanki headworks in the area, even once a week. “A deputation had met the Forest Minister, Surjit Kumar Jyani, and apprised him of the assurances given by his predecessor Tikshan Sood. Jyani promised to fill the post of wildlife inspector but the orders are still awaited.”

Expressing concern over the fate of protected species, CLP leader Sunil Jakhar said as per the information obtained under the RTI Act, the state government had not utilised funds received from the central government for the development of the sanctuary for seven years during the past decade. “There has been growing construction of houses disturbing the basic structure of the sanctuary. Depriving the protected species of drinking water in this scorching summer is shameful,” he observed.

Wildlife activist Rai Sahib of Raipura village on the Seetogunno road said the species were eagerly waiting for rain that fills the water tanks besides bringing down the temperature.

Three forest officials hurt while thwarting encroachment bid
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, June 4
Three employees of the forest department were injured when they were allegedly attacked by some unidentified persons as they thwarted an attempt to encroach upon the valuable forest land in Bootiwala village under the Harike bird sanctuary. While giving the details, District Forest Officer (DFO) Sanjeev Tiwari said following a tip-off about an attempt being made to encroach upon the forest land in the Harike bird sanctuary area, a team of forest officials was sent to the spot.

Tiwari said when the team members reached the site, they were attacked by some unidentified persons. Three men sustained injuries in the attack. The injured — forest guard Indervir Singh and beldars Malkit Singh and Binder Singh — were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Zira.

Tiwari said the department had forwarded a complaint to the police department for registration of a case against the accused.

Hundreds of acres of forest land in the Harike sanctuary area have been allegedly encroached upon over the last few years.

The DFO said several cases regarding the same were being heard in various courts.

Forest officials complained that in absence of any weapons and other resources, including vehicles, they at times feel vulnerable to assault while taking on the encroachers.

HC justices visit Fazilka to select site for district & sessions division

Fazilka, June 4
Two justices of the Punjab and Haryana High Court visited this town to select the site for setting up a district and sessions division in the newly-created Fazilka district.

Justice Ranjit Singh, chairman, Building Construction Committee, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Justice Surya Kant, inspecting judge, Ferozepur Sessions Division, visited 12 acres of Municipal Council land on the National Highway No. 10 in the Dasehra ground on the outskirts of the town.

The judges along with Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg and SSP GS Dhillon also visited six acres in the existing sub-divisional courts complex which can be used to set up the sessions courts.

The judges also met the members of the Bar Association here. They assured the members that the court of ADJ would be set up within two months. However, the case would be put up before the full bench of the HC, headed by the Chief Justice, and it would finally decide about the site. — OC

18 booked for raising unauthorised colonies
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, June 4
Acting tough against illegal colonisers, the Ferozepur police has booked 18 persons for allegedly raising unauthorised colonies and thereby violating the norms of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act.

According to the information available, the police has registered a case against 13 persons for carving out an unauthorised colony near Satiawala village following a complaint lodged by Jagir Singh, a junior engineer with the GLADA.

The accused in the case have been identified as Kripal Singh, Gursewak Singh, Balraj Singh, Baldev Singh, Baljinder Singh, Rajwinder Kaur, Shamsher Singh, Sukhdarshan Kumar, Gaurav Kumar, Darshan Singh, Darshan Singh, Pratap Singh and Gurmeet Singh.

The police has also booked three persons identified as Ramesh Maini and his two sons Subodh Maini and Pramod Maini for another illegal colony constructed on 8.36 acres on the Sodewala road in the city. Sources said the case was registered following a compliant forwarded by the executive officer of the Municipal Council.

Further, the police has booked a coloniser identified as Baghel Singh for allegedly constructing an illegal colony on over five acres near Dev Raj Hitech Machines on the Malwal road, and Rajesh Kumar for an illegal colony built on 1.5 acres on the Rakhri road in the city.

Police officials said a special team had been constituted to apprehend the accused colonisers.