B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Basic amenities missing at mandis in Muktsar dist
Muktsar, April 1
Though the wheat procurement season formally began today, proper arrangements are lacking in the majority of the grain markets in the district.

Abohar grain market ill-prepared for smooth lifting of wheat
Abohar, April 1
Notwithstanding the tall claims made by the state government, the new grain market here is ill-prepared for the ensuing wheat and mustard season

One killed, five injured in two road mishaps
Muktsar, April 1
A youth was killed in a head-on collision between two motorcycles at Roranwali village here late on Sunday night.

Cancellation of Dy CM’s visit to Abohar disappoints party workers
Abohar, April 1
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal will skip engagements here that were scheduled for April 3 as part of his two-day tour of the Fazilka district, sources said.

Former MC president's murder: Congress threatens stir
Abohar, April 1
Scores of Congress workers led by the local MLA and the leader of the opposition Sunil Jakhar marched to the office of Superintendent of Police Varinder Singh Brar and expressed concern

Basic amenities missing at mandis in Muktsar dist
Archit Watts/TNS

Muktsar, April 1
Though the wheat procurement season formally began today, proper arrangements are lacking in the majority of the grain markets in the district.

Apart from lack of availability of basic amenties, heaps of garbage lying here and there and presence of a large number of stray cattle on the premises of the grain markets are adding to the difficulties of farmers. The situation is almost similar in each mandi in the district.

Some farmers, who had come today with their produce in the Muktsar grain market, said, “Presence of stray cattle in a large number at the mandi is damaging the grain that we produced after toiling hard for months. Garbage is littered almost everywhere. The government should have made better arrangements before starting the procurement season.”

Another farmer Bakshish Singh of Doda village said, “It is not for the first time that the authorities concerned have failed to make appropriate arrangements. The situation was similar last year also.”

The farmers demanded that the higher authorities must visit the mandis to take stock of the situation and take corrective action to ensure smooth procurement in the coming days.

Jagmel Singh, a farmer in Malout, said, “The condition is poor, but the authorities concerned are yet to wake from a deep slumber. The produce will arrive in mandis suddenly and then, the authorities concerned will not be able to make amends. They must immediately set the things right at grain markets.”

When contacted, District Mandi Officer Kuldeep Singh Brar said, “Though the formal wheat procurement season began today, the arrival would begin in the mid of this month. By then, the things would be set in place at all the mandis.” 

Abohar grain market ill-prepared for smooth lifting of wheat
Raj Sadosh

Abohar, April 1
Notwithstanding the tall claims made by the state government, the new grain market here is ill-prepared for the ensuing wheat and mustard season

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) today informed the district administration that most of the hand pumps, streetlights had been lying defunct, and sheds remain damaged for the past many months and stray cattle keep on roaming near the mandi area as the Punjab Mandi Board had not sanctioned funds to repair the boundary wall of the local mandi.

BKU spokesperson Akshay Chaudhary said the state government agencies had not been able to arrange packing material during the crop season for the past few years.

The contractors had disappointed the farmers and commission agents by not ensuring effective lifting arrangements.

Reports suggest that the history is going to be repeated this time also as on the first day of the month (April) some workers were found dusting the yards but other remedial steps are yet to be taken.

Arhtia Association president Pramil Kalani said the secretary of the Market Committee and the district administration had been informed about the shortcomings at the preparatory meeting but initiative on their part is still awaited.

Market Committee secretary Jagdish Beniwal agreed that the complaints over drinking water, streetlights and damaged boundary wall were received but the cash-strapped committee had not been able to redress all these.

The local gaushala committee was requested to round up the stray cattle but there was no response. 

One killed, five injured in two road mishaps
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, April 1
A youth was killed in a head-on collision between two motorcycles at Roranwali village here late on Sunday night.

The deceased was identified as Gurwinder Singh (24) of Roranwali village. It is learnt that he was returning from Rattewala village when his motorcycle rammed into another bike coming from the opposite direction. Raju of Roranwali, who was riding the other motorcycle, sustained injuries in the mishap and was taken to a hospital in Guru Harsahai. He was referred to a hospital at Faridkot later.

Meanwhile, four persons were injured when the bus they were travelling in collided with a truck on the Malout-Muktsar highway near village Malout this morning.

Sources said the bus was going from Dabwali to Moga and the accident took place when it was trying to overtake the truck. The injured were identified as Gurdeep Singh (70) of Lohara village, Jalbhinder Singh (50) of Fakkarsar village, Darbar Kaur (50) and her daughter Baljit Kaur (17) of Ludhiana.

They were rushed to the Civil Hospital, Malout.

The Sadar Malout police has begun investigations in both the cases.

Cancellation of Dy CM’s visit to Abohar disappoints party workers
Our Correspondent

Abohar, April 1
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal will skip engagements here that were scheduled for April 3 as part of his two-day tour of the Fazilka district, sources said.

The decision has disappointed many in the ruling alliance as well as the Congress besides the local NGOs.

Sukhbir Badal had earlier visited the sub-divisional town on January 16, 2010, to inaugurate a railway over bridge and later to open the Suvidha Centre.

As per his itinerary released by the district administration last week, the Deputy CM was to formally inaugurate the 9.23-km-long pipeline laid by the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board at a budgeted cost of Rs 14 crore. The pipeline was tested on February 15 in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner.

He was also to lay the foundation stone for a sewage water treatment plant to be constructed at the estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. He was to inaugurate the new OPD block in the

150-bed Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital. He was also to inaugurate a hospital at village Wahabwala for which staff was yet to be provided.

The CLP leader Sunil Jakhar had on Sunday evening told the Congress party workers to meet the Deputy CM and submit a memorandum highlighting the neglect that the town had witnessed during the past six years.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union had resolved to meet the Sukhbir Badal to remind him that despite the assurances given by him and the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the administration was forcing farmers to pay canal water user charge, which was not applicable anywhere else in the state.

As per the official sources, Sukhbir Badal will now fly back after addressing a public meeting at Arniwala village in Fazilka.

Former MC president's murder: Congress threatens stir
Our Correspondent

Abohar, April 1
Scores of Congress workers led by the local MLA and the leader of the opposition Sunil Jakhar marched to the office of Superintendent of Police Varinder Singh Brar and expressed concern

over the inability of the police in cracking the mystery shrouding the murder of former Municipal Council president Tulsi Ram Dhaulia.

Jakhar regretted that the police had been fast enough in implicating Congress workers in false cases at the behest of ruling politicians but seemed to be apathetic in nabbing Dhaulia's killers. "This will not be tolerated. The party might launch a stir," Jakhar said.

The SP said a special investigation team (SIT) would be formed soon to unfold the mystery.