Bathinda, June 1
Models prepared by students of two schools of the district have been chosen for the national-level exhibition of the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) awards.

As many as 25 models would be displayed at the national-level exhibition tentatively scheduled to be held in September.

A mathematics model prepared by Harmanjeet Singh, a Class X student of the Government Senior Secondary School, Deon, and a science model prepared by Parneet Kaur, a Class XI student of the Government High School, Sardargarh, will compete at national level. Earlier, they clinched the second and third positions at the state-level exhibition held in Nawanshahar.

Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka, who was the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the state-level exhibition, announced the results and felicitated the winners.

At the two-day state-level exhibition, 486 models based on maths, science, environment and various other subjects were showcased. Students from schools across the 22 districts of the state along with their guides were present at the event to explain the functioning of their respective models.

Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, Harmanjeet’s guide Sukhdev Mittal said, “We have used seven geometrical figures to prepare various shapes such as that of alphabets, animals, human beings in action, trees, mountains, etc. The model is called ‘Zindagi Ke Rang, Ganit Ke Sang'.”

Talking about her ‘Solar car tube cooker’ model, Parneet Kaur’s guide Ramandeep Kaur said, “We have used a car tube to prepare the solar cooker. The car tube works like an insulated box which traps sunrays and heats the pot kept inside it. The Greenhouse Effect is the basic principle which is at work in the model.”

It may be mentioned that out of the total 109 students of middle schools of Bathinda district, eight were chosen for the state-level exhibition. As far as the high schools of the district are concerned, a total of 128 models and projects were put on display at the district-level exhibition. Out of these, as many as 10 students were chosen for the state-level exhibition.

Fact file A mathematics model prepared by Harmanjeet Singh, a Class X student of the Government Senior Secondary School, Deon, and a science model prepared by Parneet Kaur, a Class XI student of the Government High School, Sardargarh, will compete at the national-level exhibition of the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) awards. As many as 25 models to be displayed at the national-level exhibition tentatively scheduled to be held in September.

Bathinda, June 1
The SSA and RMSA teachers, who were arrested by the police for their protest in Bathinda a few days ago, were produced in a court here today. The court has extended their judicial remand till June 15.

As many as 38 teachers were brought from the Faridkot jail and produced in the court today. They shouted slogans against the Punjab Government for its failure in paying their salaries for 13 months.

The police had arrested these teachers while they were carrying out a protest march on the Mall road, near the Hanuman Chowk and other nearby areas in Bathinda city.

Members of the SSA, RMSA Teachers’ Union said the police had arrested them on May 5 and since then, they had been lodged in various jails, including those at Bathinda and Faridkot.

Teacher leaders said they would continue their protest till the government accepted their demand.

They said their colleagues were holding fast and protests inside the jails and the state government would be responsible if any untoward incident took place. 

Bathinda, June 1
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed ICICI (Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India) Bank to waive an outstanding amount of Rs 6.83 lakh and also imposed Rs 2,000 penalty on it for not issuing the NOC (No Objection Certificate). The forum also asked the bank to return the title deed to a widow whose husband had obtained two housing loans from the bank.

In her complaint to the Forum, Gurdeep Kaur, wife of Hardial Singh, a resident of Kamla Nehru Colony, accused the bank of not releasing the NOC despite adjusting the loan amount against an accidental insurance policy of her husband.

Hardial Singh was killed in a road accident.

The complainant stated that her husband had obtained two separate housing loans to construct the ground floor and then the first floor of their house in the Kamla Nehru Colony in Bathinda. The house was mortgaged with the bank after depositing the title deed.

The complainant’s counsel, Jai Gopal Goyal, said the bank claimed that it had transferred the recovery rights of arrears of the housing loan to M/s Assets Reconstruction Company (India) Limited. Now, the bank had nothing to do with the recovery of the loan arrears of the widow and the complaint be dismissed against the ICICI Bank, Goyal said.

The counsel added that a free insurance policy was given to Hardial Singh by the bank wherein it was stated that in case of road accidental death, the loan amount would be adjusted against the insurance provided by the ICICI Lombard.

On intimation of the death of Hardial Singh (borrower), the husband of the complainant, the bank adjusted only one loan. It however did not return the title deed nor did it issue the NOC. In addition, an application moved under RTI (Right to Information) Act seeking details of the account was turned down by the bank saying that the RTI Act is not 
applicable to them.

The bank, in its reply, stated that since Hardial Singh defaulted on the housing loan and an amount of Rs 5, 48,084.65 was outstanding against the installments and Rs 1, 34,916 by way of other charges has not been paid by the complainant, the NOC could not be given to his wife.

The bank claimed that the loan was insured for personal accident (free insurance) only subject to terms and conditions but no claim was ever lodged with the insurance company nor it was intimated by the complainant that Hardial had died in a road accident.

The Forum, rejecting the bank’s plea that the borrower's death was not intimated, questioned as to why the second loan account was not adjusted when the first loan was already adjusted on receiving the intimation of the customer's death.

The Forum, while accepting the complaint, directed to close the loan account of Hardial Singh without charging anything from the complainant. The bank was also directed to issue the NOC in this regard to the complainant and also to hand over her property documents which were mortgaged with the bank.

The counsel for the ICICI Bank Limited and M/s Assets Reconstruction Company (India) Limited, Sanjay Goyal, said that they have moved a petition before the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum for a relook of the order passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum.

Bathinda, June 1
Bathinda is one of the two districts in the state to be covered under a pilot project, which will aim at providing quality education to students, especially belonging to rural areas, besides ensuring their overall personality development.

To ensure the all-round development of students hailing from rural areas, the Punjab Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Award for Young People to initiate a premier self-development programme in government schools of the state.

The DPI (Schools), Kamal Kumar Garg, and a representative of the International Award for Young People, Bivujit Mukhoty, inked the MoU in Muktsar in the presence of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

In the first phase, the programme would be started as a pilot project in two districts, Bathinda and Sri Muktsar Sahib. The organisation will select 20 students each from 14 schools (seven schools from each district) of the two districts.

The selected students, in the age group of 14 to 25 years, would be imparted training in community service, skill development, physical recreation, adventurous journey and residential recreation so as to groom their personality in such a manner that they are fit enough to face competitions at global level.

The main aim of the programme is to build the confidence of the students through motivating and training them in these fields.

The Chief Minister said that the programme would go a long way not only in the personality development of the students but also in providing sustainable livelihood to them in the future. He added that the main thrust of the state government was to impart quality education to the students.

Badal hoped that the programme would not only play an important role in fulfilling the aspiration of the state government but would also help the students by opening new avenues of academic and professional training for them in future.

The Chief Minister also announced that after the successful accomplishment of the programme in these two districts, it would be replicated in other districts of the state. 

Bathinda, June 1
Members of the District Congress Committee and local leaders today burnt an effigy of Punjab Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka.

A press note issued by the spokesperson of the district unit of the party, Rupinder Bindra, stated that a dharna was organised under the supervision of the president of Bathinda Rural Congress, Narinder Bhalaria.

The Congress workers raised slogans against Maluka and blocked traffic for sometime near the District Administrative Complex. The workers said that they protested against Maluka for his involvement in the book scam. The workers said that instead of a probe by a retired judge, they were demanding a high-level probe into the scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Former MLA Makhan Singh, while speaking on the occasion, alleged that it was a matter of regret that the Education Minister's name had been associated with the irregularities with regard to books which are meant for the poor schoolchildren.

Former minister and ex-MLA, Bathinda, Harminder Singh Jassi said the SAD-BJP government, on the one hand, is involved in various scams and on the other, claims to have ushered in development in the state. He said the false development claims of the government will not go a long way as people have now realized that the SAD-BJP government has done nothing good for the state.

The workers said they would not relent till a high-level probe is ordered into the scam.

Bathinda, June 1
A two-day book fair was organised at the RBDAV Senior Secondary Public School. A wide range of books became the main attraction for the students of the primary and secondary classes.

The students took great interest in short story books, CDs of rhymes, talking and colouring books. The main focus of the exhibition was on books of science and maths activities for students of kindergarten and senior classes.

Books on general knowledge, spirituality, home remedies and vocabulary besides other subjects interested the visiting parents as well who were seen at the stalls. 

Bathinda, June 1
As many as 116 chess players came to Bathinda to take part in the two-day Punjab State Chess Championship which began here today. Of the 116 players who have come from five districts to take part in the competition, 26 are girls.

While 18 girls are from Bathinda, three are from Moga and Ludhiana and one each are from Jalandhar and Amritsar.

Malika Handa (18), who is from Jalandhar and is hearing and speech impaired, is also taking part in the tournament.

There are as many as 90 boys in the tournament of which as many as 14 are rated players. Fifty players are from Bathinda while the others are from cities like Jalandhar, Amritsar, Moga, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Sangrur, Ropar, Banga (Mansa), Bareta, Pathankot and Mohali in Punjab.

The staging of the tournament is expected to give a fillip to the game and promote it among the youth.

Bathinda, June 1
JS Property Dealers played Gold Gym in the 11th match of the First Drug De-Addiction BPL Green City Cup here at the Police Public School Ground today.

Gold Gym won the toss and elected to bat first. With the Ishleen Singh and Nevjot, the team scored 146 runs in 20 overs. While Ishleen scored 34 runs off 32 balls, Navjot scored 31 runs off 27 balls. Aman Haq grabbed five wickets in four overs.

Gopi and Sunny of JS Property Dealers helped the team in achieving the target of 147 runs in just 16.3 overs. While Gopi scored 61 runs in 33 balls, Sunny scored 35 runs in 30 balls. Kuljeet of the Gold Gym team, took one wicket in four overs.

Gopi was also declared the man of the match as he was the highest individual scorer and took three wickets as well. — TNS 

Bathinda, June 1
A lecture was organised at the Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo, to mark the World No Tobacco Day on Friday. Dr Sukhdev Singh was the keynote speaker on the occasion.

All the drivers, peons and other class IV employees were part of the audience during the lecture. Quoting the World Health Organization, Dr Singh said every year, 2.5 million people die of tobacco consumption.

He added that consumption of tobacco leads to many diseases like cancer of the mouth and lungs. Vice-chancellor of the university, SK Ahluwalia, shared that by keeping ourselves away from tobacco one can lead a healthy life. Training and placement officer of the university, Karanjeev Singh, was the co-ordinator of the programme. — TNS

Bathinda, June 1
Police has arrested two persons with poppy husk in two separate cases. Gurmel Kaur, a resident of Chandsar Basti, was arrested by cops from the Civil Lines police station with 2.2 kg poppy husk. Police said the woman had been selling narcotics in Chandsar Basti area to the drug addicts for the last few months.

She was arrested on the basis of secret information given by an informer. Police said a case under sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the woman at the Civil Lines police station. Further investigation in the case is on.

In a similar case, Raja, a resident of Udham Singh Nagar, was arrested with 8 kg poppy husk by cops from the Canal Colony police station. Investigating officer Baldev Singh said the accused was found carrying the drugs near the Bathinda-Lambi overbridge.

A case under sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. Baldev Singh said the source of poppy husk is being tracked by the police and further investigation in this regard is on.

The two incidents that took place today are not a case in isolation. Seizure of poppy husk and oher habit-forming drugs by the police is very common in the area where drug addiction has emerged as a major social problem, especially among the youth of the region.