B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Prices of food items soar
Moga, July 23
After the increased cost of power, sugar and liquor, people now have to bear the rise in the prices of essential food commodities owing to the rise in global prices and prolonged dry spell at home affecting the farm production.

CPI workers protesting against the hike in power tarrif as well as the additional tax levied on sugar, near Gol Diggi in Bathinda on Monday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Fazilka dist’s first anniversary
Admn readies for celebrations
Fazilka, July 23
The district administration and the ruling BJP-SAD combine are working overtime to celebrate the first anniversary of Fazilka district, which falls on July 27.

overflowing sewage in Abohar
MC gets week’s time to make amends
Abohar, July 23
The district administration has served a one-week notice to the president, executive officer and engineer of the Abohar Municipal Council to improve the sanitation system and resolve the problem of overflowing sewage that has been plaguing the city for some time now.

In deep waters: A view of Patel Nagar that remains submerged in sewerage water, in Abohar. Photo by writer

Fazilka residents blame MC for sewage mess
Fazilka, July 23
Overflowing sewerages have hit the road infrastructure in the district headquarters. Not only the movement of residents has been restricted, the accumulated sewerage water on the roads also poses the danger of causing some disease.

 Prices of food items soar
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, July 23
After the increased cost of power, sugar and liquor, people now have to bear the rise in the prices of essential food commodities owing to the rise in global prices and prolonged dry spell at home affecting the farm production.

For the past few days, the prices of food commodities are rising almost every day. The upward trend is likely to continue for another few weeks due to the weak monsoon in North India, especially in Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.

Among the pulses, the hybrid variety of moong (green gram) was sold at Rs 3,500 per quintal (wholesale market) in the first week of July in most parts of Punjab but its price has now suddenly increased to Rs 5,000 per quintal.

The price of ‘desi’ or ‘sathi’ moong was Rs 4,500 per quintal in the first week of July, which has now increased to Rs 6,000 per quintal, revealed Ramesh Kuku, the district president of the Pulses and Rice Dealers’ Association. The rate of ‘dhoti’ moong had jumped from Rs 5,200 to Rs 7,000 per quintal within one week, he added.

During this period, the prices of small or single variety of kabuli chana (white chickpeas) has increased from Rs 4,800 per quintal to Rs 6,000 per quintal, dollar kabuli chana from Rs 5,800 per quintal to Rs 7,200 per quintal, mash (a pulse) Rs 4,800 to Rs 5,500 per quintal, rajmah (red kidney beans) Rs 5,000 per quintal to Rs 6,200 per quintal, normal variety of black grams Rs 5,200 to Rs 6,200 per quintal and dal chana (split Bengal gram) from Rs 5,300 to Rs 6,300 per quintal in the wholesale markets across the state with little variations.

Although the state government has not yet issued a notification to increase the tax and surcharge on sugar, the ground reality is that shopkeepers had already started charging extra from consumers.

A couple of weeks ago, the price of sugar was between Rs 3,200 and Rs 3,300 per quintal. It has now jumped to Rs 3,500 to Rs 3,600 per quintal, as per its quality.

The prices of sweets are also likely to increase within days in view of new tax imposed on sugar and increase in the rates of power. “We cannot absorb the increased cost. We have to pass it on to consumers,” said a local sweets shop owner.

Unless the state government offers some relief in the price of sugar and power tariff, the prices of sweets are expected to increase by 10 to 25 per cent in the next few weeks.

 Fazilka dist’s first anniversary
Admn readies for celebrations
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, July 23
The district administration and the ruling BJP-SAD combine are working overtime to celebrate the first anniversary of Fazilka district, which falls on July 27.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal would lay the foundation stone of the District Administrative Complex (DAC) on the day to mark the event. Sources said the five-storey DAC would be constructed adjacent to the existing Sub-divisional Administrative Complex on the Abohar road at an estimated cost of over Rs 35 crore.

The Fazilka MLA and a cabinet minister, Surjit Kumar Jyani, said a special programme and a public meeting would also be organised to celebrate the historic day. He informed that former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh and the in-charge of BJP’s political affairs in Punjab, Shanta Kumar, the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Charanjit Singh Atwal, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu and Adviser to the Chief Minister of Punjab Kamal Sharma are expected to participate in the event.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner, Dr Basant Garg, convened a meeting of senior administrative officials to take stock of the development works in the district, ahead of the visit of the Deputy Chief Minister.

“The Deputy CM shall inaugurate two bridges constructed over the railway track in Jalalabad town and a bridge on the Ladhuka seepage drain,” informed the Deputy Commissioner.

 overflowing sewage in Abohar
MC gets week’s time to make amends
Raj Sadosh

Abohar, July 23
The district administration has served a one-week notice to the president, executive officer and engineer of the Abohar Municipal Council to improve the sanitation system and resolve the problem of overflowing sewage that has been plaguing the city for some time now.

This was confirmed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Darshan Singh Grewal to a deputation of citizens who informed him that that the problem had paralyzed life in many localities.

Grewal is learnt to have told the deputation that strict action would be taken if the problems relating to the disposal of sewage and supply of potable water are not resolved within seven days.

He wondered why none of the municipal council official had bothered to meet him despite repeated calls. The administration can register cases for criminal negligence in providing basic amenities or recommend dissolution of the Council, he warned.

Divisional Commissioner Raminder Singh had asked the ADC to tone up efforts to solve the chronic sewage problem when residents of Basant Nagar had met him here recently.

The deputation told the ADC that residents in ward numbers 14, 25, 27 and 28 have not been able to come out of their houses for the last fortnight as the streets were submerged in knee-deep sewerage water. Most of the kids have not attended classes in their schools fearing they would drown in the dirty water.

Meanwhile, hundreds of residents including women from ward numbers 15 and 28 today organised a protest to express concern over the failure of the Municipal Council in solving the problem. They walked through the sewage while raising slogans against the Council.

Meanwhile, the chain fast outside the entrance to the Municipal Council continued today as the NGOs demanded that the Council be dissolved and its president be sacked for criminal negligence.

Interestingly, a section of the BJP councillors are leading the stir against the council run by their own party.

They regretted that state party president Ashwani Sharma was informed of the problem but he too could not help.

President of the Municipal Council, Shiv Raj Goyal, who remained inaccessible for more than a month, today visited the Council office and reviewed the situation. 

 Fazilka residents blame MC for sewage mess
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, July 23
Overflowing sewerages have hit the road infrastructure in the district headquarters. Not only the movement of residents has been restricted, the accumulated sewerage water on the roads also poses the danger of causing some disease.

Residents are blaming the Municipal Council (MC) authorities for the mess they are finding themselves in. Had there been proper cleaning of sewerage lines, the problem would not have arisen, believe residents here.

“We are not in a position to invite guests to our house and are virtually confined to our place for the last four days as the overflowing sewerage water has surrounded our house,” said BL Watts of the Arya Samaj Road here. “Our repeated appeals to the MC authorities on the prevailing situation fell on deaf ears,” he alleged.

The problem of sewerage water stagnation is equally putting the residents of the Church Road and the bus stand area to inconvenience. People have to cover their noses to escape the foul smell emanating from the accumulated water while they wade through it.

It is stated that the sewerage system has been choked at different places as it has not allegedly been cleaned for quite a time. “In such a situation, the residents are prone to serious health-related problems,” worries Goldy Sachdeva, a resident.

The accumulated sewerage water has also started eroding some parts of the roads. A major portion of the road opposite to the entrance of the local bus stand has been badly damaged causing inconvenience to commuters.

“The MC employees have started removing impediments in the sewerage lines and the problem would be sorted out soon,” said the executive officer of the Municipal Council, Sukhdev Singh.