Bathinda, December 8
The ban imposed on polythene bags with thickness below 30 microns has apparently become ineffective in the city.

The local markets are flooded with illegal plastic bags available in blue and black colours and in different sizes.

Taking a cue from its neighbouring states, the Punjab Government had banned polybags with thickness below 30 microns on May 1 last year.

After the ban was imposed, these illegal plastic bags remained unavailable for a couple of months.

"At present, polybags are openly being sold and used by shopkeepers. The ban is ineffective these days largely due to lack of policing," said Ashok Kumar, a shop owner in Sirki Bazar.

Till the end of 2011, only white plastic bags were available in the market. These polybags bore the names and addresses of the manufacturers, as per the rules.

However, nowadays all kinds of plastic bags are easily available. Be it vegetable markets in the city or wholesale and retail markets, black plastic is being liberally used.

As per the Punjab Plastic Bags (Manufacture, Usage and Disposal) Control Act, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) is supposed to control the manufacturing of such bags. However, when these bags reach markets for circulation and distribution, it is the municipal commissioner who has to keep a check on it.

Bathinda municipal commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta said the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) had been controlling the sale of plastic bags in the city. "Most of the unauthorised and illegal plastic bags available is coming from places other than Bathinda. It is the duty of the PPCB to curb it," he said.

Gupta said the market would continue to have constant supply of illegal plastic unless and until a complete ban was imposed. "A complete ban on sale and use of plastic bags should be imposed so that there is no chance for anyone to use it. Moreover, when people talk of conserving environment, they should also make it a point to boycott plastic bags and use paper or cloth bags only," he said.

However, the PPCB environmental engineer, Najar Singh Manshahia, said plastic bags from Delhi and Ahmedabad were flooding the city markets. "We cannot control the manufacturers outside Punjab. It is for the MCB to catch hold of the wholesale dealers and retailers of these bags to plug its supply in the city," he said.

Meanwhile, sources said to get the specified plastic bags, the retailers have to pay 20 per cent more than the cost of other plastic bags. With over 1,500 polybag manufacturing units in the state, there is a little scope for the ban to remain strictly in force.

"When the ban was imposed last year, the plastic bags units had piles of unauthorised bags that could have lasted over a period of six months to a year. With the ban coming into force, they withheld the stock for sometime and are now gradually releasing it into the market," revealed a source in the plastic manufacturing industry.

Bathinda, December 8
The son of a woman SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) councillor has been arrested for firing during a function being held at a restaurant situated opposite the Thermal lakes on the Goiniana Road today.

The police has issued strict instructions against firing in the air during marriage parties after a woman died following firing in the air by a student last month.

The accused, Lakhinder Singh, son of Surinderpal Kaur who is municipal councillor from ward number 50, was brought to the Thermal police station this evening. He was accused of firing during a marriage function in the evening.

ASP Patil Ketan Baliram said a case in this connection would be registered against the accused. "Nobody would be allowed to take law into his hands. A life was recently lost due to firing in the air on the night of Karva Chauth," the ASP said.

He said the accused was a resident of Guru Nanak Nagar, Bathinda, and he would also be booked for flouting the orders of the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate.

Thermal SHO Harpreet Singh said the son of the councillor was caught firing with a .32 bore revolver and was brought to the police station where a case had been registered against him.

The owner of the Handi restaurant where the function was being held, Pawan Garg, said no loss of property or life was reported during the firing which took place during a marriage party. "Though we do not allow anyone to fire during the parties, people however use their weapon usually after consuming liquor."

Meanwhile, former Bathinda MLA Harminder Singh Jassi condemned the incident. "It has now become a norm for SAD leaders and workers associated with the party to take law into their hands, which would not be tolerated. We will soon launch an agitation and make people aware of the highhandedness of SAD workers," Jassi said.

Bathinda, December 8
The Punjab Education Department has woken up to the issue of security of female staff working in government schools and has issued a set of instructions.

All the officers of the department have been directed to ensure that no woman is posted in remote areas. Where a single woman, especially in primary schools, is deputed, it should be ensured that the attached anganwari is running from the school premises. If these centres are not running in primary schools, the respective panchayats should be requested to shift these centres to the school premises.

Officers have been directed not to call women in offices for any kind of reports before or after the school hours.

The block primary education officers (BPEOs) have been asked to look into the incidents of villagers harassing the female staff or girl students standing outside the school building.

Block resource persons (BRP) and district resource persons (DRP) have been directed to make entry in the visitors' book at the schools where they pay a visit. Otherwise, it would be presumed that he had come for purpose other than official work.

The female teachers have also been directed to report any kind of harassment to their immediate seniors as well as other higher authorities. At the BPEO office, a woman has to be designated as the nodal officer who will hear all such problems, inquire into them and inform the seniors.

Bathinda, December 8
The director of the Local Bodies Department has directed the municipal corporations, councils and committees to stop using interlocking tiles for the laying of roads.

Tenders worth `3-4 crore for work on laying interlocking tiles in the city were floated. While the work orders allotted will be processed, all the tenders floated will be recalled.

Commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta said the orders were received through facsimile on Friday. “I have directed the concerned XEN to make an exhaustive list of the work orders and tenders floated in this context. We would be able to give an exact figure only after Monday. We will withdraw the tenders as per orders,” he said.

He added that the orders did not mention any reason behind suddenly stopping laying of these tiles that have been much in use for the past eight-ten years.

The serpentine walk-path in the Rose Garden was the first site in city to get interlocking tiles. Following suit, a large number of streets and main roads in the city were covered with it.

The tiles are especially known to be of more use in the narrow lanes of areas around Fort, where it is difficult to lay pucca roads. The areas of Pujjan Wala Mohalla, Sirki Bazar, area near old police station, grain market, Mehna Chowk, parts of Ajit Road, Amrik Singh Road and the pavements of Mall Road are all covered with interlocking tiles.

One of the contractors, requesting anonymity said when similar tiles could be used in developed countries like Holland, Australia, England and in other parts of India, then what was the point of banning them in Punjab.

“This is because the government officials supervising the interlocking tiles works are not sincere and are unable to perform their duties properly. Instead of taking action against them, government is harming the business interests of those involved in the manufacturing of these tiles,” added another contractor.

Sources said the ban had its genesis in the works Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) did during the assembly elections in the areas other than Bathinda. 

Bathinda, december 8
The general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress and former Bathinda MLA Harminder Singh Jassi today hailed the support received by the UPA on the issue of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

In a press release issued today, Jassi said a meeting of the local party workers was held today wherein they discussed the advantages of the FDI in multi-brand retail sector. He said the FDI would improve every sector, especially agricultural sector.

Accusing the ruling leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab of highhandedness, Jassi said the recent killing of a policeman by a SAD leader in Amritsar speaks volumes about the deteriorating law and order in the state.

Taking a dig at the Nanhi Chhaan campaign of MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, he said a large number of women and girls were staging dharnas in the state every other day and she failed to show any concern.

He also criticised the proposal for a loan of `100 crore, which has been passed by the general house of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB). 

Bathinda, december 8
A couple was injured in a road accident in the city today. The accident occurred in front of the Government Rajindra College.

The injured couple was rushed to the Civil Hospital by Harbans Singh and Munish Sain, volunteers of the NGO Sahara Jan Sewa.

The couple was admitted to the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital and were being treated for their injuries.

The injured have been identified as 50-year-old Narinder Kumar and his wife Pushpa Devi.

Bathinda, december 8
An elderly man lost his life after he was hit by a speeding train on the Bathinda-Dabwali railway line here today.

The body of the man was noticed by a passerby who brought the matter to the notice of the city-based NGO Sahara Jan Sewa.

The volunteers of the NGO rushed to the spot and shifted the dead body to the local civil hospital.

Volunteers Harbans Singh and Sandeep Kumar said the face of the elderly man was hardly identifiable. The volunteers added that the matter was brought into the notice of the Government Railway Police and its officials too reached the spot.

The deceased was later identified as 90-year-old Maggar Singh of Raike Kalan village. The volunteers said as per the family members, he was suffering from a hearing disability and went towards the railway lines while he was supposed to reach Bathinda.

The railway officials said inquest proceedings would be initiated in this regard soon.

Bathinda, december 8
The driver of a truck was injured when his truck collided with a car in front of the Police Lines in the city last evening.

The injured driver, who has been identified as 38-year-old Kala Singh, was admitted to the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

Bathinda, december 8
Mount Litera Zee School (MLZS) organised a charity dance show here today. All contributions collected from the event were donated towards the well- being and training of the differently-abled students at the Mahant Gurbanta Dass School for the Deaf and Dumb.

Mayor Baljit Singh Beerbehman and DEO Hardeep Singh were present at the event as special guests.

MLZS students, along with the students of Lord Rama School, Summerhill School, Kidzee Gidderbaha and MGD School for Deaf and Dumb presented various dance performances highlighting the great potential of the next generation.

The guests of honour and the participants were felicitated by the management of the Mount Litera Zee School, Bathinda.

Principal of the school, Bruce Hoffman, thanked the students for displaying their talent for a noble cause and the parents for taking out time to attend the event.

Bathinda, december 8
The first district-level taekwondo championship started at the St Joseph Convent School here today.

The Bathinda Taekwondo Sangh is organising this championship. ADC Rajiv Parashar was the chief guest at the opening ceremony.

In the sub-junior girls group, Tanisqua Yadav bagged the gold in the below-16 years category. In 16-18 kg category, Niti bagged gold, Nimant Mond bagged silver and Arushi won bronze. In the 18-20 kg category, Harleen Kaur bagged gold.

In the 22-24 kg category, Tisha bagged gold, Komleen bagged silver, Ashna and Hetab both won bronze.

In the 24-26 kg category Harhrat Kaur bagged gold, Hakshina bagged silver and Priya and Puneet Kaur both won bronze.

In the 26-29 kg category, Shavreen bagged gold, Akanksha Jain bagged silver and Priyanka and Rehana bagged bronze medals. In the 29-32 kg category Sana Grover bagged gold, Harleen bagged silver and Jeevanjot and Aashreya bagged silver.

In the 38-41 kg category, Gurnoor Kaur bagged gold, Kashni Taneja bagged silver and Tripti Jindal bagged bronze. In the 41-47 kg category, Dikshu Garg bagged gold, Rishbi bagged silver and Khushmanpreet and Pulkit Goyal bagged bronze.