B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Heroin worth Rs 750 crore seized from state last year
Muktsar, March 10
According to the official website of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), of the total amount of heroin seized in the country last year, the most was seized in Punjab.

Three booked for raping minor
Ferozepur, March 10
A 13-year-old girl belonging to Basti Machianwali under Zira sub-division was allegedly gang-raped by a group of persons who abducted her from the house and took her away to an isolated petrol pump.

Fresh BDS graduates exhorted to go for research
Ferozepur, March 10
It was a day of jubilation for hundreds of dental graduates who were conferred the BDS degree today.


Vice-chancellor of the Central University of Punjab Dr Jai Rup Singh (centre) awards degree to a dental graduate in Ferozepur on Sunday. A Tribune photograph

RTE: 34 schools in Muktsar dist yet to submit infrastructure details
Muktsar, March 10
Thirty-four schools of Muktsar district are yet to submit their self-declaration forms mentioning the details of infrastructure and other facilities available at the school, to the education department as required under the Right To Education (RTE) Act. The deadline to submit the self-declaration forms is expiring on March 12.

NRI honoured for fight against cancer
Moga, March 10
Indian origin MPs of the United Kingdom (UK) have honoured Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, an NRI hailing from Bir Raoke village of Moga district with the award 'Punjab da Masiha' at a simple function held in London, yesterday.

Heroin worth Rs 750 crore seized from state last year
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, March 10
According to the official website of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), of the total amount of heroin seized in the country last year, the most was seized in Punjab.

Of the 23 significant seizures of heroin made in the country by the NCB, 12 were from Punjab.

Nearly 150 kg of heroin was seized in the state and it was approximately worth Rs 750 crore in the international market.

Seventeen kilograms of heroin was seized from Manipur, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.

The first seizure in Punjab was made on January 18 near the Border out Post (BoP) Bharopal in Amritsar district and 16.915-kg heroin was seized.

Thereafter, on January 21, another seizure of 13.93 kg heroin was made near BoP Muthianwala in Ferozepur.

On February 4, a seizure of 12.71 kg heroin was made near BoP Pall Patti, Tarn Taran. On the same day, another confiscation of 10-kg heroin was made near BoP Ghoga, Amritsar.

On April 19, nearly 21.85-kg heroin was seized near BoP Dharma, Tarn Taran. On March 29, 10-kg heroin was seized near BoP New Sundargarh, Amritsar.

Thereafter, seizure of 7.91 kg heroin was made from the high growth ‘sarkanda’ on southern bank of river Sutlej. On April 24, a consignment of 12-kg heroin was seized near the Pakistan International Border.

Later, on May 26, a seizure of 10-kg heroin was made, when the consignment was thrown out from a goods train plying between Wagah and Attari. On June 16, a consignment of 17-kg heroin was seized. On August 18, a consignment of 6.91 kg heroin was seized in Ferozepur.

Subsequently, on September 21, a seizure of 9.96 kg heroin was made from a PVC pipe along Indo-Pak border adjoining Amritsar.

The NCB officials stated that the suspected source of the seized heroin was South West Asia.

Facts in figures

• Of the 23 seizures of heroin made in the country, 12 were from Punjab
• Nearly 150 kg of heroin was seized in the state
• The approximate value of the heroin in the international market stood at `5 crore per kg.
• The amount of heroin seized from other states of Manipur, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Delhi was 17 kg each.
• The suspected source of the seized heroin was South West Asia.

Three booked for raping minor
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, March 10
A 13-year-old girl belonging to Basti Machianwali under Zira sub-division was allegedly gang-raped by a group of persons who abducted her from the house and took her away to an isolated petrol pump.

Senior Superintendent of Police Varinder Pal Singh said the police has registered a case against three persons, identified as Gurnam Singh, Laddi and Bhola, besides some other unidentified persons in this connection.

According to the information available, the incident took place last Friday. However, the case was registered only yesterday after the girl was sent for medical examination.

The SSP said a team has been constituted to investigate the matter and arrest the accused in the case.

Fresh BDS graduates exhorted to go for research
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, March 10
It was a day of jubilation for hundreds of dental graduates who were conferred the BDS degree today during the annual convocation held at the Genesis Institute of Dental Sciences and Research (GIDSR) here today.

Dr Jai Rup Singh, vice- chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, read the convocation address and awarded degrees to the successful graduates.

While addressing the young pass outs, Dr Singh exhorted them to opt for research in their chosen fields and not become complacent with the education qualifications gained so far.

Emphasising upon the need for providing quality education in various fields, Dr Singh advocated multi-disciplinary leverage in planning the curriculum and in the academic approach of various professional institutes.

Earlier, Dr Kamal Baghi, chairman, GIDSR, welcomed the guests and gave a brief overview about the history of the college.

Dr AS Gill, director principal, read the annual report in which he highlighted the academic achievements of the college.

RTE: 34 schools in Muktsar dist yet to submit infrastructure details
Archit Watts
Tribune News Services

Muktsar, March 10
Thirty-four schools of Muktsar district are yet to submit their self-declaration forms mentioning the details of infrastructure and other facilities available at the school, to the education department as required under the Right To Education (RTE) Act. The deadline to submit the self-declaration forms is expiring on March 12.

The RTE Act makes it mandatory for a private school to submit its self-declaration forms to the education department. Later, officials of the education department would inspect the school and if it was found that the school complied with the infrastructure and other norms laid under the Act, it would be given recognition.

As per the rules, if a school fails to submit the required form before the last date, it will be closed from April 1.

"The last extension of five months to send in their forms was given to the schools in October last year, which is going to expire on March 12. If schools defaulted on submitting their forms, they will not be allowed to run after April 1," said District Education Officer (DEO) Devinder Kumar Rajouria.

Rajouria said there were 295 private schools in the district and 250 of them had got the temporary recognition from the department before October last year. "The remaining 45 schools were served notices and 11 of them have also got temporary recognition," added Rajouria.

The schools that have not submit their self-declaration forms included eight from Muktsar city, seven from Malout city and rest 19 from villages in the district.

The RTE Act had come into force across the country on April 1, 2010.

The Act further says that all recognised private schools will reserve 25 per cent of their seats for children belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS).

Deadline expires tomorrow

The last extension of five months to send in their forms was given to the schools in October last year, which is going to expire on March 12. If schools default on submitting their forms, they will not be allowed to run after April 1

— Devinder Kumar Rajouria, District Education Officer

NRI honoured for fight against cancer
Tribune News Service

Moga, March 10
Indian origin MPs of the United Kingdom (UK) have honoured Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, an NRI hailing from Bir Raoke village of Moga district with the award 'Punjab da Masiha' at a simple function held in London, yesterday.

The award was presented to him by Virendra Kumar Sharma, MP from Ealing Southall constituency who is the group leader of Indian-origin MPs in the UK parliament.

Dhaliwal, who is the global ambassador of Roko Cancer, a UK-based non-government organisation, has taken up the task of conducting mammography tests on women with the help of mobile cancer detection vans and an expert team of doctors to detect breast cancer among women in his home state.

Dhaliwal revealed that the Roko Cancer has so far organised 1,427 cancer detection camps in Punjab and 500 more such camps to detect breast cancer among women would be organised during the current year.

Adding that three mobile vans with all facilities were presently in operation in the state, he said the Roko Cancer has also planned to set up two cancer hospitals with the participation of local organisations at Ferozepur and Daudhar village in Moga district.