Bathinda, June 13
Farmers are opposing a land acquisition move of the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) for developing an urban estate on 166 acres on the Sardulgarh road in Talwandi Sabo.

A delegation of the affected farmers has already given a representation to the Chief Administrator, BDA, APS Virk, while registering their protest.

Barinder Singh Mann, a farmer whose 20 acres could be acquired for the project, said the BDA issued a notification under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Acquisition Act around a month ago and invited objections from the farmers whose land was being acquired.

"The 166 acres belong to over 80 families in Talwandi Sabo and the land also has 40 constructed houses. These houses have water connections from the Public Works Department (PWD) while a grid nearby supplies power. Families have been living here for years and now the government wants to uproot them. We are emotionally attached to our ancestral land. None of us wants the government to acquire his land," said Mann.

Kakka Singh Sra, another farmer, added that more than 60 per cent of the farmers are marginal farmers having less than five acre. "For these farmers, land is the only source of income. Without land, they would be rendered unemployed and would be deprived of a productive mean to lead life," he said.

The farmers filed an objection with the BDA on June 4.

They alleged that the plan to acquire land was made to benefit a few people, who were influential and politically connected. "A commercial establishment and a piece of land of an influential person have been left out purposely to benefit him. The government has adopted a biased policy," accused farmers Bhola Ram, Mithu Ram, Ranjit Singh, Balaur Singh Gill, Gurdial Singh and Mukhtiar Singh.

They said in its election manifesto, the SAD had asserted that no farmer's land would be acquired without his consent. "We hope that the political party sticks to its promise and does not take away our land forcefully," added Mann.

Farmers had also met the Jathedar, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Balwant Singh Nandgarh, expressing disapproval of giving land for the aforesaid project of the BDA.

Meanwhile, BDA Chief Administrator APS Virk said farmers had met him and filed their objections. "The land acquisition collector, which in this case is assistant chief administrator, BDA, will listen to all the objections and suggestions, and then forward them to the government," he said.

Bathinda, June 13
The traffic plying on the Bathinda-Mansa road underneath the railway line near the Central University of Punjab (CUP) faced problems with rains lashing the city for the second successive day today.

With the Buildings and Roads (B&R) Department finding it a Herculean task to clear the flooded area, several cars got stuck in the accumulated rainwater resulting in a traffic jam at the site.

Volunteers of the Sahara Welfare Society, an NGO, pulled out as many as 22 cars today using tractor-trailers while the B&R Department officials watched. With the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) not undertaking the maintenance of the bridge, the B&R Department was clueless about ways to find a solution to the problem.

Though the B&R Department claimed to have roped in three motors to pump out water, their efforts did not bear any fruit. For the whole day, the accumulated rainwater could not be pumped out, while today's downpour added to the problem.

It was only after the local MLA Sarup Chand Singla directed the MCB authorities to clear the area, that things started working.

At around 6:45 pm, MCB workers and officials reached the spot and started evacuating the cars as well as draining out the water.

The MCB officials said a similar problem was faced when the railway underbridge towards Parasram Nagar was commissioned.

"Since the Parasram Nagar under bridge was not that deep, we eventually managed to pump out water. Now, we have taken it over and are able to find a way out easily. However, the Mansa road railway under bridge is much deeper and bigger than the one in Paras Ram Nagar, thereby creating a bigger challenge for us. Since we have not yet officially taken over the bridge, we could not work on it," reasoned assistant municipal commissioner Kamal Kant Goyal.

Bathinda, June 13
A year after the death of a BEd student and two others due to LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) leakage in a house at Gurdwara Hajirattan, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum panelised a gas agency for deficiency in service.

The Forum directed the gas agency to pay a sum of Rs 2 lakh as compensation and Rs 5,000 as litigation cost to the girl's family.

The quorum of Vikramjit Soni, forum president, and members Amarjeet Paul and Sukhwinder Kaur pronounced the verdict after listening to the arguments of both the parties.

The orders have to be complied with by the agency within 45 days from the date of receiving its copy. In case of non-compliance, the compensation amount of Rs 2 lakh will carry interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum till its realisation.

In his complaint to the Forum, Karam Singh, a resident of Gurdwara Haji Rattan, stated that he had received a gas cylinder from the Narain Gas Service, Model Town Phase 1, Bathinda. His wife and three daughters were present in the house when they noticed that gas was leaking from the cylinder. Rupinder Kaur, the complainant's daughter, in a bid to save refrigerator and other appliances, pulled out the plug of the refrigerator in the kitchen. However, the leaked gas caught fire, which engulfed the entire kitchen.

Rupinder received 95 per cent burns in the incident. She was first taken to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, and later to the Adesh Medical College and Hospital, Bhucho. She was further referred to the CMC, Ludhiana, where she died on June 21.

Her family claimed to have spent Rs 1 lakh on her treatment. The complainant claimed that household material worth Rs 50,000 was also gutted.

Apart from Rupinder, two neighbours, including Rohit and Sukhvir who rushed to douse the flames, too received burns. They too succumbed to the burns.

Seeking a compensation of Rs 5 lakh, Karam Singh stated that his 28-year-old daughter had done MA and was a student of BEd. Besides, she was giving tuitions from which she managed to earn Rs 15,000 per month.

The gas agency officials pleaded that the complainant concealed material facts and documents from the Forum as forged entries regarding booking of the refilled cylinder were made. They contended that the cylinder was not supplied by the agency. Also, Rupinder violated the instructions of the gas agency, which said whenever a LPG leakage is felt no attempt should be made to switch on or off any electric appliance or a switch.

The agency also refused to pay Rs 1 lakh for the expenditure incurred on the treatment of the girl and Rs 50,000 as the value of the household articles damaged in the fire.

The defendant pleaded that the loss was not occurred during the installation of the LPG cylinder rather it was due to the negligence of the complainant. They pleaded that precautions were not followed by the complainant.

Dismissing the defendant's claims, the Forum directed the gas agency to pay the compensation.

Bathinda, June 13
The assistant municipal commissioner, Kamal Kant Goyal, visited Awa Basti today where a 10-year-old Bunty had drowned after falling into a pit yesterday.

Goyal said the pit had been dug to lay a manhole. “Prima facie, it does not seem to be anybody’s mistake as the incident took place at around 3 pm when labourers were still around the site,” he said.

He added that the labourers or contractors could have been held responsible if they had left the place or not covered the manhole before leaving for the day.

Goyal also met the bereaved family members. He has directed the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) to submit a report in this connection by tomorrow. “If anyone is found guilty of negligence causing the death of the child, strict action will be taken against him,” he said.

The deceased, Bunty, was the son of a daily wager and a student of the Appu Society School being run for underprivileged children. 

Bathinda, June 13
The Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) at Ludhiana has discarded 3,369 expired units of blood in the last three years. This was revealed by information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on the eve of World Blood Donors Day being observed tomorrow. An NGO from Bathinda, Naujawan Welfare Society, had sought details of blood units collected and discarded from April 1 2010 to March 31 2013.

In their reply, the CMCH authorities stated that 36,533 units of blood were collected in three year of which 4,522 units were discarded. These included 3,369 units that had expired while another batch of 1,153 units was found reactive for infections transmitted by transfusion.

The president of the NGO, Sonu Maheswari, who had sought the information, said the CMCH was not the only instance where the blood collected goes waste and has to be discarded.

"We had earlier sought information from Guru Gobind Singh Medical College at Faridkot too and were told that units of blood were discarded of which 356 had expired. These were from April 1 2012 to March 31 2013," he said laying emphasis on better management of blood units collected, especially the units that are donated under voluntary donation programmes or camps. Meanwhile, the in-charge of blood bank, CMCH, Dr Rupinder Kaur said 5 per cent of the collected blood usually has to be discarded due to one reason or the other. "We require blood units more during the dengue season or in summer only," she said.

Meanwhile, sources in the office of the Blood Transfusion Officer at Civil Hospital, Bathinda, said that two years ago, during the dengue outbreak, Bathinda blood bank too had 2000 surplus units of blood. "Instead of discarding it, we distributed blood to government blood banks at Jalandhar, Patti, Amritsar and other areas. The CMCH authorities too could have done the same thing and could have saved the precious fluid that gives life to others," he said. He added that to avoid over accumulation of blood units, the best way is not to hold any voluntary blood donation camp or programmes.

It is pertinent to mention here that the state blood transfusion council sets targets for the blood banks every year.

At times, to chase the target laid, the blood banks end up collecting more blood than required. "But at the same time, we are also given directions to use the collected blood appropriately. The collection should not be the only target. Rather its rightful utilization should be looked into," suggested the owner of a private blood bank.

Bathinda, June 13
Young people are undergoing joint replacement surgeries due to obesity. Earlier, the joints were replaced only in the elderly, but due to bad heating habits and lack of exercise, more and more youngsters are opting for this surgery, said Dr Avtar Singh from Amandeep Hospital, Amritsar, while speaking at a continuing medical education (CME) programme held by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Bathinda.

Dr Avtar Singh added that with the advancement of technology, the computer navigated surgeries and customised joint implants are giving quality of life post surgery to the joint replacement patients. He said the bone specialists should promote healthy habits and exercise among the patients so that less number of them has to under joint replacements.

Plastic surgeon Dr Ravi Mahajan from Amandeep Hospital Amritsar lectured on the recent advances in plastic reconstructive surgeries. He said that even the patients undergoing joint replacement surgeries needed a team of surgeons, including plastic surgeons, to get the best results.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Bathinda has been holding such CMEs every month.

Bathinda, June 13
The entrance test for admission to postgraduate courses at Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, is being organized on June 15 and 16, at the city campus of the varsity located on Mansa Road, Bathinda.

A spokesperson for the university said that applications were invited for admission to M.Sc, MA, M.Pharma, M.Tech, LLM and M.Phil, Ph.D programmes. Candidates appearing for these examinations have been issued roll numbers to be downloaded from the website ww.cucet2013.co.in.

The entrance examination is being conducted by the Central University of Rajasthan on behalf of the ten newly established central universities at 59 different centres spread across the country. Keeping in mind the large number of candidates appearing for the test, the entrance examination is being conducted in three phases.

The first phase consisted of undergraduate courses, the test for which was conducted on June 2.

The test for postgraduate courses is being conducted on June 15 and June 16, while that for research programmes like M.Phil and Ph.D is to be organized on July 14.

Candidates from all over the country are appearing in these examinations in large numbers.

The results of the postgraduate entrance examination being held on June 15 and June 16 will be declared by the CUP on June 25.

Fact file

The entrance examination is being conducted by the Central University of Rajasthan on behalf of the ten newly established central universities at 59 different centres spread across the country.

Bathinda, June 13
The District Red Cross Society will spend Rs 2.94 lakhs on repairing Mahanta Gurbanta Dass (MGD) School for Deaf and Mute children. At a meeting convened under Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Mohammad Tayyab today, the representatives of Saint Joseph's Ambulance Association and Hospital Welfare Branch were also present.

Secretary, Red Cross Society, Col (retd) Mukhtiar Singh Kular said the school's toilets and some portions of the building need repairs, while the building itself needs a whitewash.

The Red Cross secretary said that Rs 2.94 lakhs were required for the job, a proposal which the members present passed unanimously. ADC (D) Mohammad Tayyab said a committee should be formed to monitor the money spent on various works.

Bathinda, June 13
A review meeting of the district health society was held under Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Mohammad Tayyab today.

The national programmes being run under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) were reviewed at the meeting. Dr Kundan Pal spoke about the facilities being given to pregnant women and newly-born children under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana.

As per the new guidelines of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana, all women from below poverty line (BPL) families, scheduled castes and tribes are to be given Rs 700 for delivery in the villages, Rs 600 for deliveries in the cities and Rs 500 for deliveries at home. The scheme is applicable to those women who have more than two children. To strengthen the ASHA workers in the district, the vacant seats will soon be filled up. He asserted that the targets of Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) will be achieved soon.

District Immunization Officer Dr Rakesh Goyal said the children and pregnant women are being administered vaccine on time.

Civil Surgeon, Bathinda, Dr Ajay Sahni, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr RS Randhawa, assistant civil surgeon Dr Kundan Pal, all senior medical officers, district education officer (secondary), Anganwari department, district food supplies officer besides the members of the non-government organisations were present at the meeting to take part in the deliberations and review progress of the existing health schemes.

Bathinda, June 13
Police has registered a case against five persons, including a woman for entering into a brawl near the tehsil office here.

In a complaint to the police, Gurdarshan Singh, a resident of Model Town in Bathinda said the accused, including Dilip Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Baljit Singh, Pal Kaur and Sukhdev Singh, caught him alone near the tehsil office and started beating him up. The complainant said he was badly beaten up by the accused following which he was injured. — TNS