• Under the Shagun Scheme, girls from poor Scheduled Caste families are given Rs 15,000 at the time of their wedding. The beneficiary should apply for the benefit under the scheme before marriage.
• Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav stated that all the pending cases related to the financial years 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 had been cleared. The payment has been deposited directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries.

Bathinda, March 4
The computer teachers have accused the state government of denying them benefits. A meeting of the Computer Teachers' Union, Bathinda, was held to discuss various problems that computer teachers in government schools were facing. The president of the union, Balkaran Singh, presided over the meeting.

The general secretary of the union, Pardeep Kumar Maluka, said the services of computer teachers were regularised under the Punjab Civil Services Rule. "But the Education Department did not follow the state government's orders and kept the computer teachers bereft of handicap allowance, medical reimbursement and annual increment," he said. Besides, computer teachers are also engaged in non-academic work such as clerical and correspondence works, due to which they were unable to do justice to their job. The computer teachers have lodged a complaint with the grievances redressal cell of the Education Department, but are yet to get a reply.

The computer teachers said they were the backbone of the Education Department as it was due to computer education that the number of students enrolling in government schools was increasing. But resentment prevailed among the computer teachers in the state due to the wrong policies of the Punjab Government.

They warned that if their long-pending demands were not met with, they would launch an agitation against the state government.

Among those present at the meeting included vice-president of the union Sukhdev Singh, finance secretary Gurpreet Singh, Mandeep Talwandi, Kulwant Singh, Dharamveer Singh, Vikas Garg, Veerinder Sidhu, Iqbal Brar, Manpreet Adampura, Umesh Kumar, Jaswinder Singh and Sandeep Rampura.

Bathinda, March 4
The PRTC Pensioners' Association has decided to hold protests against the PRTC management on March 7 wherein dharnas would be staged outside its depots across the state.

On March 13, the pensioners will hold dharna on the Nabha Road, Patiala, outside the main PRTC office.

In a press statement issued here today, press secretary of the association Sukhdev Sharma stated that pensioners had met the PRTC managing director (MD) a number of times in connection with their long-pending demands. In the meeting held with the officer-bearers of the association on February 14, the MD had agreed that all demands were genuine. However, in the meeting convened on February 27, the PRTC employees were told that their economic benefits could be cleared only when the Punjab Police would pay its dues running into crores, on account of free passes given to cops.

Protesting against this, the pensioners have decided to hold dharnas.

PRTC pensioners have been demanding pensions by the fifth of every month, payment of remaining 38 instalments of daily allowance of the employees who retired before 2006, revised gratuity as per the pay commission to the employees who retired after 2006, pensioners aged 75 years and above should be given revised benefits in a lump sum amount, reimbursement of complete bills of pensioners suffering from chronic illness and other benefits akin to those given to the employees of the Punjab Government.

Bathinda, March 4
Security has been beefed up in Bathinda following the recovery of detonators from some unscrupulous elements in Chandigarh.

Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ravcharan Brar said though routine checking was on for the last few months, a special initiative has been taken today to intensify vigil in the city.

The police force, including all the senior functionaries in the district, have been told to remain on their toes round-the-clock. “We will not allow anti-social elements to raise their ugly heads,” he said.

Cops were seen checking vehicles and searching people on suspicion, in the city and at all the entry and exit points of the district.

Bathinda, March 4
The workers of the Youth Congress held a protest against contaminated water supply in street number 3, Paras Ram Nagar, Bathinda, today

Led by Ashu Thakur, the protesters raised slogans against the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) for not providing clean water to the residents of the area.

Thakur said the supply water received at the house of Vikas Garg, a resident of street number 3 in Pratap Nagar, contained an earthworm. The protesters alleged that the area often receives water supply mixed with sewage, which can harm the health of those consuming it.

The protesters said despite the MCB having failed to provide clean water supply, it had been sending huge water usage bills to the consumers.

The protesters included Komal Sareen, Inderjit Singh Bhau, Baljit Singh, Harman Kotfatta, Vikas Garg, Sudhir Yadav, Jaswant, Gurvinder Lakhani, Vishal Garg, Ashok, Luv Sharma and others.

Bathinda, March 4
As many as 150 workers associated with building construction were registered today at Behman Diwana village during a legal aid camp organised by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).

The workers were registered with the aim of providing them the benefits given under different schemes including the shagun scheme of Rs 5,100, Rs 1 lakh grant in ex-gratia for purchase of computer, free school fee, fee for higher education, interest free loan and various other schemes.

Speaking on the occasion, civil judge (senior division)-cum-secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, Kawaljit Singh, said the camp was organised on the directions of the administrative judge, sessions division, Jaspal Singh.

Kawaljit Singh said monetary benefits are provided to the workers under the Building and Construction Workers Welfare (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1996 and Rules of 2008.

He said any worker involved in construction activity for 90 days in a year is eligible to get himself registered with the Punjab Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board. Those eligible under the schemes are plumbers, carpenters, welders, electricians, technicians, painters, labourers, mason and others. They must be between 18 to 60 years of age.

Labour inspector Niranjan Singh, para legal volunteers-advocate Shahbharat, Kapil and Rohit Khattar, members of various NGOs, the former principal of St. Xavier's School, Father Ivo Dias, and others were also present on the occasion.

Niranjan said that so far, Rs 5.60 lakhs have been distributed to the workers under the scheme.

Bathinda, March 4
Five incidents of theft were reported in Bathinda during the last 24 hours at various police stations.

Malok Singh of Gopal Nagar said his bike, worth nearly Rs 32,000, was stolen from near the office of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC). A case under section 379 of the IPC has been registered in this regard at the Kotwali police station.

Balwant Singh, who lives near the city railway station, also complained of bike theft. He said that his bike, worth nearly Rs 20,000 was stolen from outside his residence.

A case under section 379 of the IPC has been registered in this connection at the Canal Colony police station.

Police also registered a case under section 379 of the IPC at the Nehianwala police station after two cars were stolen from outside the Queensland marriage palace. Deepak Kumar of Sangat Mandi said he along with his friends, who were traveling in two cars, came to see Gurdas Maan's programme at Queensland and their vehicles were stolen. A case under section 379 of the IPC has been registered at the Nehianwala police station.

Baljeet Singh, a resident of Phul, said he was going to attend the wedding of a friend when some unidentified persons in a Mahindra Scorpio blocked his path on Bathinda-Rampura road and attacked him. He said Rs 81,000 in cash was also stolen by the accused. Police has registered a case under sections 379, 323, 341, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC against unidentified miscreants at the Rampura city police station.

Police has registered a case under sections 380 and 511 of the IPC on the complaint of Sunil Kumar of Kotfatta, a shopkeeper who complained of a theft bid at his shop. Sunil complained that some unidentified persons tried to steal material from his shop by breaking through the rear wall of his shop.

Couple injured in accident

A couple received injuries in an accident that took place on Bibiwala road. The injured have been identified as Anmol Garg and Raman Garg. They were riding a two-wheeler when a speeding vehicle hit them. Volunteers of the NGO Sahara Jan Sewa helped in shifting the injured to the Civil Hospital in their ambulance.

NGO helps injured animals

Sahara Jan Sewa, an NGO, today helped in treating injured animals from the roadside. President of the NGO, Vijay Goyal, said the injured animals were taken to the veterinary hospital after first aid.

Bathinda, March 4
Bachpan, a play school, celebrated its annual day on Sunday where children demonstrated their creative skills.

Students from all classes participated in the annual day celebrations. There were various activities that the children enjoyed.

The play group cherished their Barbie Doll dance by tapping their feet to the accompaniment of various tunes. Children of nursery class paid respect to their parents and said they wanted them to be their role models in life through another dance performance. The children also showcased the importance of good manners in life that people neglect.

Through various ethnic and cultural dance shows, the children relived the idea of unity in diversity. A play was presented by the students of LKG and UKG based on the concept of unity is strength.

(Left) SSP Ravcharan Brar gives away a prize to a kid; children of Bachpan school present a dance item. Tribune photographs

Bathinda, March 4
Regional Group of College, Behman Diwana, organized a mega blood donation camp in association with Shaheed Jarnail Singh Welfare Society, Bathinda.

Amrit Pal Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), Sadar police station, was the chief guest on the occasion. The SHO inspired the students to serve humanity and be part of a noble cause.

General secretary of the group, Sukhraj Singh Sidhu, motivated the students to donate blood to save human lives. The principal of the college, Gurlabh Singh welcomed the chief guest Dr Inderjeet Singh Sra, Dr Ishaan Bansal and the members of the team from the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, for their valuable time.

The students of the institution participated in the event with zeal and donated 100 units of blood.

Like every year, Aninderpreet Singh (DPE), Kuldeep Singh, Rajinder Singh and the members of the staff made a praiseworthy contribution in organizing the blood donation camp.

Bathinda, March 4
Continuing the ongoing annual college week celebrations of the Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (AIMSR), the four-day long festival-Arrhythmia-- began here today.

The cultural festival started with dramatics and a skit followed by events like solo song, mono acting and choreography. Amninder Singh of the 2009 batch was declared the winner of the solo song event. The mono acting contest was won by Deepali while the winners in the choreography event were Jasmine, Medha, Surbhi, Steffy and the 2009 group batch.

The basic theme of the choreography and mono acting events were female foeticide and women empowerment. The messages related to social justice, human values and curbing of injustice towards women was put across in the skit and dramatic events which the 2009 batch won.

Students of the Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research present colourful programmes at the Arrhythmia that began on Monday. Tribune photographs

Bathinda, March 4
Punjab Technical Institutions Sports (PTIS) organized a two-day youth festival at Government Polytechnic College, Bathinda. Of the 140 colleges, 27 participated in the youth festival. Inderjit Singh, a student of Guru Gobind Singh Polytechnic College (GKU), won a silver medal at the youth fest. He had earlier won gold twice. Inderjit sang "Mahiya" in the folk song category. Lecturer Davinder Joshi was the in-charge of the team from Guru Gobind Singh Polytechnic College.

Amit Tuteja, principal of the Polytechnic College, congratulated the team. Vice-chancellor of Guru Kashi University (GKU) SK Ahluwalia honoured the winner. The VC said students with outstanding performance in cultural activities will be given scholarship in academics.