B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Vigil up in Abohar sector
Fazilka, January 10
Keeping in view the tension on the border following the brutal killing of two Indian soldiers, the Border Security Force (BSF) has stepped up the vigil along the border and has launched the Operation Alert.
Braving the biting cold, a woman BSF constable keeps vigil along the Indo-Pak border. Photo by writer

HC directive drives local body into action
Abohar, January 10
Following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC), the Department of Local Bodies has rushed its officials from 11 towns along with equipment required to make the sewage system in Abohar functional.

No special train for Maghi Mela this year
Muktsar, January 10
Residents of the nearby towns and villages, who availed of the benefit of special trains to reach this historic town during Maghi Mela last year, have been deprived of the facility this year.

Cops gear up to contain traffic snarls, crime
Muktsar, January 10
To maintain the law and order during the Maghi Mela, the district police has laid 33 outer nakas and 40 nakas on the internal roads in the city.

Abohar farmers basket 60 prizes
Abohar, January 10 The progressive farmers of Abohar topped the medals tally in the Punjab state citrus fruit exhibition organised by the Horticulture Department today. Abohar bagged 60 out of 118 prizes in different categories during the event followed by Hoshiarpur with 16 and Jalandhar and Amritsar with nine prizes each.

In debt, man ends life
Ferozepur, January 10
Owing to severe financial debt, a local resident, identified as Sukhmeet Singh, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his residence in the cantonment here today.

Steam road roller lover comes calling all the way from UK
Bathinda, January 10
The love for vintage steam road rollers today made Derek Rayner, vice-chairman of the Road Rollers Association (RRA) of the UK, travel all the way from Britain to Ferozepur to see the 105-year-old machine that has been showcased in the town. Accompanied by his wife Dorothy, Derek flew to Amritsar from where they drove to Ferozepur.




105-year-old steam road roller stationed at Ferozepur.

Mansa police recovers kidnapped girl
Bathinda, January 10 The Mansa police has recovered a minor girl, who was allegedly kidnapped and raped by two youths from Dalel Singh Wala village. A press release issued by the police said youths allegedly kidnapped the girl when she was returning home from school. The accused identified as Nony Singh and Jasvir Khan have been booked for rape and arrested.

Vigil up in Abohar sector
BSF prepones the launch of Operation Alert in view of tension
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, January 10
Keeping in view the tension on the border following the brutal killing of two Indian soldiers, the Border Security Force (BSF) has stepped up the vigil along the border and has launched the Operation Alert.

Though the Operation Alert is an annual feature of the security forces, it has been reportedly preponed by four days in view of the tension.

“Three to four additional companies of the BSF personnel have been deployed along the border adjoining Sriganganagar, Fazilka, Abohar and Jalalabad areas falling under the Abohar Sector Headquarters. Nearly 150 BSF personnel shall maintain extra vigil in the sensitive border locations,” said officiating Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Border Security Force (BSF) Deepak Kandpal while talking to The Tribune.

Forty-five villages are situated along this border.

Three-layer security cover comprising night dominance surveillance equipment, special surveillance equipment, early warning and night vision devices have been provided to the BSF.

It is stated that in yet another step to improve the visibility and prevent intrusion, the ‘sarkanda’ across the fencing has been uprooted.

The Operation Alert would continue till the end of January. During the entire period of the operation, BSF officials would maintain special liaison with the police authorities at all levels.

Personnel of both the forces would exchange information to combat the threat.

The officiating DIG has also appealed to the villagers to immediately inform the BSF officials if they notice any suspicious activity in their respective areas.

The enhanced vigil during the Operation Alert assumes additional significance as it would also help in checking infiltration and smuggling of narcotics from across the border. Notably, there had been big hauls of heroin smuggled from across the border during the past some time.

HC directive drives local body into action
Raj Sadosh

Abohar, January 10
Following the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC), the Department of Local Bodies has rushed its officials from 11 towns along with equipment required to make the sewage system in Abohar functional.

As directed by Justice Rajesh Bindal on Wednesday, the executive officer (EO) of the local Municipal Council (MC) Bhushan Aggarwal held a meeting with Congress councillor Vimal Thatai and other senior workers to chalk out a comprehensive plan to give relief to about 1.75 lakh residents who had been suffering due to choking of sewerage system for the past few years.

MC president Shiv Raj Goyal of the BJP was not present at the meeting. He was reportedly out of the town.

Sewerage jetting and sucking machines from Ferozepur and Fazilka have been positioned on the main roads. De-silting machines from other towns will be brought into use in other colonies.

During the hearing of a PIL filed by some Congress councillors, Justice Bindal had directed that the process for de-silting be started from January 11. The HC had directed the State to provide at least 10 pumping sets to the Abohar MC for draining out the stagnated waste water and removing the solid waste.

The HC asked the state to provide the status report on January 15. It warned that in case the aforesaid direction was not complied with in letter and spirit, the Principal Secretary, Local Bodies, will be held guilty of contempt personally.

Briefing the media this evening, local legislator and CLP leader Sunil Jakhar said the Congress had to knock the door of justice as the state government had not bothered to release grant for maintenance of sewerage and water supply in the sub-divisional town for the past six years. “CM Parkash Singh Badal did sanction Rs 64 crore for extending the disposal system. But no grants were released to put the existing sewerage system in order," Jakhar said.

No special train for Maghi Mela this year
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 10
Residents of the nearby towns and villages, who availed of the benefit of special trains to reach this historic town during Maghi Mela last year, have been deprived of the facility this year.

In 2011, the railway authorities had run special trains on January 13 and 14 in view of Maghi Mela. These trains left Bathinda and Fazilka towns to reach here. But this year, the railway authorities have so far not decided to run any special train. In addition, some trains running in the late evening hours have also been cancelled due to bad weather.

Talking to the TNS, Muktsar station superintendent SR Meena said, "As of now, we have no information about running any special train for Maghi Mela."

Asked whether Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal would visit this historic town on the occasion of Maghi, as being claimed by Congress leaders, he said, "I have not yet received any information in this regard from my seniors."

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Paramjit Singh today held a meeting with officials of the departments concerned and reviewed the preparations for the Maghi Mela. He has directed to close the Bus Stand on January 13 and to make temporary bus stands on all important roads. He also directed the municipal authorities to launch a cleanliness drive in the town.

It may be mentioned here that last year, due to strict guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding expenditure on political activities near the assembly polls, all political parties had cancelled their conferences at this traditional fair.

This year, political parties in the state are leaving no stone unturned to show their strength by organising huge rallies. The parties are expected to sound their poll bugle for parliamentary polls.

Cops gear up to contain traffic snarls, crime

Muktsar, January 10
To maintain the law and order during the Maghi Mela, the district police has laid 33 outer nakas and 40 nakas on the internal roads in the city.

The police today said 12 parking lots have been earmarked for vehicles of devotees visiting the mela. Besides, 46 traffic points have also been fixed to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.

The police said 11 patrolling parties on foot and 12 on motorcycle, besides 10 police help centres would be in service to provide safety and security to the public.

Some traffic diversions would be made in the coming days. — TNS

Abohar farmers basket 60 prizes

Abohar, January 10
The progressive farmers of Abohar topped the medals tally in the Punjab state citrus fruit exhibition organised by the Horticulture Department today. Abohar bagged 60 out of 118 prizes in different categories during the event followed by Hoshiarpur with 16 and Jalandhar and Amritsar with nine prizes each.

In debt, man ends life
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, January 10
Owing to severe financial debt, a local resident, identified as Sukhmeet Singh, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his residence in the cantonment here today.

Police sources said that in the suicide note, Sukhmeet stated that due to financial burden he was resorting to take the extreme step and that nobody should be held responsible for the same.

Meanwhile, DSP Vibhor Kumar said the deceased's son had allegedly lost a heavy amount during the previous IPL matches, following which the money lenders were apparently after the family to recover their money.

Sources said the deceased's son had left the house two days ago and had not returned yet.

Steam road roller lover comes calling all the way from UK
SP Sharma
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 10
The love for vintage steam road rollers today made Derek Rayner, vice-chairman of the Road Rollers Association (RRA) of the UK, travel all the way from Britain to Ferozepur to see the 105-year-old machine that has been showcased in the town. Accompanied by his wife Dorothy, Derek flew to Amritsar from where they drove to Ferozepur.

The road roller was refurbished last year and placed outside the office of the Divisional Railway Manager. Derek said over the telephone that in 1964, he had developed love for the vintage road rollers and the association was set up to take care of the machines that were surviving.

Earlier, he came to Siliguri six years ago and travelled to Darjeeling where he had reports of presence of some old road rollers.

Accompanied by the DRM, NC Goyal, Derek would see the road roller tomorrow morning. Before proceeding to Ferozepur, he visited the mechanical workshop of the railways at Amritsar and was impressed to see the old steam engine of the erstwhile Patiala State Mono Railway.

Enquiries made by Derek revealed that the road roller was dispatched from Rochester on February 29, 1908.

He retrieved the original dispatch particulars and technical papers from the Lincolnshire Archives library that disclosed that the six-tonne four horse-power machine was made in 1908 by the Aveling & Porter, a UK-based firm. The archives indicate that it originally went to the then India office, Karachi.

The credit for restoration of the machine goes to Satinder Pal Singh Bhatia, the assistant traffic manager of the railways at Bathinda.

Fascinated with this vintage machine lying abandoned in the railway yard during his stint at Ferozepur in 2009, Bhatia approached the RRA and collected information about the road roller.

It was following consistent efforts and appeals to different railway officers by Bhatia for cosmetic renovation of this vintage machine and showcasing it at some prominent place that it was finally renovated and placed outside the lawns of the DRM office complex in October last.

In appreciation of his efforts, Bhatia was granted honorary membership of the prestigious RRA. 

Mansa police recovers kidnapped girl

Bathinda, January 10
The Mansa police has recovered a minor girl, who was allegedly kidnapped and raped by two youths from Dalel Singh Wala village. A press release issued by the police said youths allegedly kidnapped the girl when she was returning home from school. The accused identified as Nony Singh and Jasvir Khan have been booked for rape and arrested.