B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Juvenile home needs reformation
Faridkot, January 20
After the Delhi gang-rape incident, while there has been a nationwide clamour about juvenile delinquents and the need to reform them, the condition of the juvenile observation homes in Faridkot is a telling commentary on the sad state of affairs.

Faridkot youth booked as married woman goes missing from Ferozepur
Ferozepur, January 20
After the infamous kidnapping case in Faridkot, another similar case pertaining to the alleged kidnapping of a girl has come to light in this border town. The girl Manpreet, (name changed), 19, has been missing from her home situated in village Kabar Vacha under Ghal Khurd police station since December 9, 2012.

Students suffer as college increases seats sans permission from varsity
Fazilka, January 20
Over 100 students, who took admission in the local MR Government College, are at the receiving end as the Panjab University (PU) has reportedly refused to accept their admission forms sent by the college.

7,344 kids get polio drops in Fazilka
Fazilka, January 20
As many as 7,344 children up to age of five years were administered polio vaccines on the first day of three-day the polio eradication campaign today. Senior Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Fazilka, SP Garg and the nodal officer, Dr Vijay Arora, said 34 booths had been set up and two mobile and transit teams had been constituted to administer polio drops to the children.

‘Jal Chetna’ rally held in Abohar
Abohar, January 20
Thousands of students and teachers who had been facing suspension of drinking water supply for more than a week participated in the "Jal Chetna" rally that was flagged off by DSP Raj Kumar Jalhotra at the DAV campus here.

Body donor remembered
Barnala, January 20 The second death anniversary of a body donor, Comrade Mal Singh Mehal Kalan, was observed at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhewin at Mehal Kalan yesterday. Rich tributes were paid to Mal Singh by several persons, including Sant Jasbir Singh Khalsa, Harbhupinderjit Singh Laadi, Jaspal Singh Kalalmajra, Baba Sher Singh and principal Baljinder Singh Dhillon.

Juvenile home needs reformation
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, January 20
After the Delhi gang-rape incident, while there has been a nationwide clamour about juvenile delinquents and the need to reform them, the condition of the juvenile observation homes in Faridkot is a telling commentary on the sad state of affairs.

At first sight, all seems to be well here. But a closer look at the centre, set up by the department of social security, reveals that the reformation and rehabilitation of all 21 juvenile offenders, some as young as 9 and 11 years old, is lacking in spirit.

That the Juvenile Justice Act (JJA) is not being implemented in its true spirit is visible at this observation home. To reform these young offenders, who are in conflict with law; there are no teachers, doctors or counsellors.

As per the JJA, a progressive Act, there should a provision for certified educational or vocational programmes for these juveniles who can be encouraged to channelise their energy into productive work.

In April 2011, when a member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights visited this observation home on the directions of the Supreme Court, he found that the condition of the home was not satisfactory.

"Not only in Faridkot, the condition of all observation homes in Punjab is pitiable and it needs an upgrade," said Utsav Singh Bains, the visiting member.

Observation homes are vital institutions created for the protection, development, reformation and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. However, the existing infrastructure is not adequate to extend ample opportunities to the juveniles for their reformation.

Leave aside counselling, teaching and harnessing their skills, the state security department is not even releasing the kitchen expenses on time. Most of the time, the kitchen at the centre runs on credit and the bills are cleared at the closing of the financial year.

Though this centre has the sanctioned post of a superintendent but for the last many years this post has been lying vacant and the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) has been given the additional charge of the centre. Most of the time, the inmates themselves cook their food.

Since its start, this observation home has been running in rented buildings. To construct a spacious observation home in Faridkot, over five year back, one acre of land was purchased and a grant of Rs 1.67 crore was sanctioned. But the amount is yet to be released.

"We are hopeful of improving the infrastructure at the centre in the coming days," said Ravi Bhagat, Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot.

Fact file

Observation homes are vital institutions created for the protection, development, reformation and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.

• The reformation and rehabilitation of all 21 juvenile offenders, some as young as 9 and 11 years old, at the observation home in Faridkot is lacking in spirit.
• To reform these young offenders, who are in conflict with law, there are no teachers, doctors or counsellors.
• Though this centre has the sanctioned post of a superintendent, the post is lying vacant for the last many years and the Child Development Project Officer has been given the additional charge of the centre.
• Most of the time, the inmates themselves cook their food.

Faridkot youth booked as married woman goes missing from Ferozepur
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, January 20
After the infamous kidnapping case in Faridkot, another similar case pertaining to the alleged kidnapping of a girl has come to light in this border town. The girl Manpreet, (name changed), 19, has been missing from her home situated in village Kabar Vacha under Ghal Khurd police station since December 9, 2012.

Her parents have been moving from pillar to post to track their daughter who they think has been allegedly kidnapped by a youth belonging to Faridkot.

The father of the girl, Lakhbir Singh, said his daughter had been married to an NRI, Gurnek Singh, who belongs to Surrey (Canada) on March 4 last year.

After their marriage, Gurnek went back to Canada. Since the visa documents of the girl were not complete, she stayed back in India with her parents in the village.

Thereafter, she joined an IELTS class at one of the institutes in Faridkot so that she could improve her communication skills and join her husband in Canada.

But suddenly, she went missing from her home following which a complaint was lodged with the police. The father said his daughter did not take along anything with her, adding that he feared that she has been kidnapped.

The father said he came all the way from Manila where he works after the incident and has been camping in Ferozepur ever since.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varinder Pal Singh said following the complaint lodged by the father of the girl, the police has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) headed by SP (Detective) Raghuvir Singh to look into the matter.

The SSP said the police has already registered a case against one Lalit Mohan of Faridkot for allegedly kidnapping the girl.

The SSP said that as per the call details procured by the police, Lalit had been apparently calling the girl quite often. However, he is also missing from his house.

The SSP said the police was working on various theories and several suspects were being kept under observation to ascertain the whereabouts of both the girl and Lalit Mohan.

Meanwhile, Satnam Singh, general secretary, All India Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, alleged that the police was not doing enough to trace the missing girl.

Satnam said on Monday, the members of the Morcha will organize a protest to put pressure on the police to expedite the investigations. "In case the police is not able to trace the girl within the next two days, the Morcha will intensify its stir," he added.

Students suffer as college increases seats sans permission from varsity
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, January 20
Over 100 students, who took admission in the local MR Government College, are at the receiving end as the Panjab University (PU) has reportedly refused to accept their admission forms sent by the college.

On the basis of the forms, the university issues registration-cum-roll number card.

It is learnt that the university rejected the forms on the ground that the college did not seek prior permission for increasing the number of seats.

As many as 141 students of BA-I and three students of BA second and third years were allowed admission by the college after it increased the number of seats in the BA course.

The deputy director (Colleges) had, vide a letter dated September 10, 2012, increased the quota of seats in the college from 850 to 1,000.

But the university authorities reportedly rejected the forms on the plea that apart from the education department, the college authorities should have taken prior permission from the university also.

"We had deposited admission fees of Rs 1,800 with the college six months ago, but have not been registered with the university yet," regretted students Sandeep Kumar and Shiv Kumar.

The officiating principal of the college Tribhuvan Ram said, "We had informed the PU at the time of admission and applied for approval to increase the number of seats. A prior approval could not be taken as the last date of admission was nearing. Hopefully, the matter would be sorted out during the meeting of the syndicate of the PU."

With their admission forms not being accepted, the students shall not be allowed to appear in the 'eligibility test' of the college, followed by the final examination scheduled to be held in April this year.

"Why should the students suffer for a dispute between the college and university authorities," asked Baghich Singh demanding that the registration-cum-roll number cards be immediately issued to the students.

7,344 kids get polio drops in Fazilka
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, January 20
As many as 7,344 children up to age of five years were administered polio vaccines on the first day of three-day the polio eradication campaign today. Senior Medical Officer, Civil Hospital, Fazilka, SP Garg and the nodal officer, Dr Vijay Arora, said 34 booths had been set up and two mobile and transit teams had been constituted to administer polio drops to the children.

Medical specialists of the Civil Hospital, Fazilka, including Kavita Singh, NK Sethi, Vaneet Kumar, Daya Bhukkal, Anita Kataria and Kunal Malik, have been directed to supervise the campaign aimed at protecting children from the dreaded disease.

Paramedical staff of the Civil Hospital and three dozen students of the Government Senior Secondary School for boys also offered their services.

“Polio drops would be administered to the children at their homes in a door-to-door campaign during the next two days,” said the nodal officer.

The Senior Medical Officer has appealed to the parents to get their children vaccinated so that the dreaded disease could be eradicated.

The previous two years did not see any case of polio surfacing in the entire country. If no such case is reported for another year, India would be declared polio-free.

‘Jal Chetna’ rally held in Abohar

Abohar, January 20
Thousands of students and teachers who had been facing suspension of drinking water supply for more than a week participated in the "Jal Chetna" rally that was flagged off by DSP Raj Kumar Jalhotra at the DAV campus here.

The call for the rally had been given by the DAV Managing Committee to create awareness among the people over the decline in groundwater level and contamination of canal water.

Principals of all the DAV institutions including Panjab University senator Dr Sanjeev Kumar Arora, Dr Venita Singh, Dr Neelam Arun Mittu and Kusum Khungar besides the teachers walked with the students.

A marathon race was also organised by LRS DAV Senior Secondary Model School on the occasion. — OC

Body donor remembered

Barnala, January 20
The second death anniversary of a body donor, Comrade Mal Singh Mehal Kalan, was observed at Gurdwara Patshahi Chhewin at Mehal Kalan yesterday. Rich tributes were paid to Mal Singh by several persons, including Sant Jasbir Singh Khalsa, Harbhupinderjit Singh Laadi, Jaspal Singh Kalalmajra, Baba Sher Singh and principal Baljinder Singh Dhillon.