Bathinda, June 18
Eyeing the forthcoming elections of the local Municipal Corporation (MCB), Mayor Baljit Singh Birbehman and Bathinda (Urban) MLA Sarup Chand Singla today laid out an elaborate plan to mitigate the suffernings that monsoon unleashes in the city.

Not only the field staff, even the office staff members of the MCB as well as the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) have been deputed on the task of maintaining sumps, providing power back-ups, ensuring adequate fuel to run gensets, coordinating with other departments and other works.

Addressing mediapersons here today, the MLA and the Mayor said the plan was crafted during a meeting held on Monday.

Five motor pumps are being purchased at the cost of Rs 10 lakh while Rs 2.5 lakh are being spent on getting three generators on rent. These gensets would provide power back-up to the pumps at Sanguana Basti, Janta Nagar and Sanjay Tobba.

XEN Tirath Ram will remain the overall in-charge of the entire plan and will ensure that the machinery used in monsoon water mitigation plan remains functional in all aspects. XEN Arti Gupta will ensure that the commissioner and assistant commissioner are given all the necessary updates on time while SDO Kishore Bansal will oversee the attendance of employees, make necessary arrangements for the mechanical and power back up needs.

Ravinder Singla will be the in-charge of the installation at Thandi Sarak while Davinder Jaura will be the in-charge of the main disposal at Post Office Bazaar, Sirki Bazaar, Sanguana Basti, Sanguana disposal and pond.

Sandeep Gupta has been deputed at the K point on the Power House Road. Besides, he will also look after the parts of Model Town, DC Residence, Civil Lines and Harbans Nagar.

An employee, Gurpreet Singh, will look after the areas of Veer Colony and Aggarwal Colony. Raman Kumar will look after the areas of Paras Ram Nagar, Alam Basti, Thandi Sarak and Janta Nagar. Somdutt will look after the areas of Sirki Bazaar, Post Office Bazaar and Dhobi Bazaar.

Madan Lal will look after the area of Aggarwal Colony while Sukhmandar Singh will look after the Hazura Kapura Colony area. Rajinder Kumar will look after the areas of Amrik Singh Road and Sanguana Basti disposal.

Jagannath will look after the area of the Sanjay pond disposal.

Krishan Kumar will be responsible for keeping sand bags ready so that they could be collected and used for stopping the flow of water.

Jagdev Singh will be responsible for the areas of Civil Lines and Model Town besides a sludge carrier.

Landscape officer Baldev Singh will be responsible for readying 10 gardeners and a tractor-trailer full of sand to be used for plugging water. Amarjit Singh will ensure that the installation at Sirki Bazaar is functional.

Chief sanitary inspector Ranbir Singh Rana will be present at the K point Power House. Gurcharan Singh will be the in-charge of Veer Colony sump and will be responsible for getting all the road gulleys cleaned.

Ajmer Singh will be the in-charge of the Sirki Bazaar area and will also ensure that road gulleys there were cleaned. Rakesh Kumar will be responsible for the areas of Janta Nagar, Paras Ram Nagar, Alam Basti and Thandi Sarak besides Paras Ram Nagar motor pump. Naresh Kumar will be responsible for the Sanguana Basti disposal and clearance of road gulleys.

Bathinda, June 18
A team of experts from the department of civil engineering, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra, inspected the railway under bridge (RUB) on the Bathinda-Mansa road today. A wall panel of the bridge had collapsed following incessant rain on Saturday.

The team studied the structure, took the design plans as well as discussed the shortcomings of the structure with PWD (B&R) officials.

Meanwhile, the passage of the under bridge towards Talwandi Sabo was opened for sometime in the morning, but the district administration was quick enough to get it closed keeping in view the safety of commuters on the stretch.

Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Damanjit Singh Mann said no traffic would be allowed to ply on the stretch until the PWD gives a written undertaking that the stretch was safe enough for vehicular traffic.

Ever since the wall panel collapsed, the traffic on the road has been routed through the villages nearby. Due to this, commuters have to travel 10 to 12 kms in excess to reach their destinations.

Inaugurated on July 21 last year, the bridge could not brave even the first spell of pre-monsoon showers due to a faulty structure and lack of plan for managing the rainwater, which was being pumped out right inside the side walls.

Attempts made to contact Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala division, PK Sanghi, proved futile. 

Bathinda, June 18
The filing of nomination for the Panchayat election in the state will begin from June 19. As per the notification of the State Election Commissioner, nominations can be filed from June 19 to June 22 from 11 am to 3 pm.

Rehearsals for the elections will be conducted on June 26 and June 29. It is mandatory for the entire polling staff to report on duty during rehearsals, said Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Kamal Kishore Yadav today while conducting a meeting in view of the elections that are scheduled to be held on July 3.

Addressing election officials, Yadav said the elections should be conducted in a transparent manner.

For the Bathinda block, the Executive Engineer, Central Works Division, the Chief Agriculture Officer, Bathinda, the general manager of the Milk Plant, Bathinda, the Executive Engineer, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the deputy director, Animal Husbandry, and the district manager of the Industrial Centre have been appointed as the returning officers.

For the Sangat block, the XEN, Mandi Board, the district manager, Markfed, the XEN, Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Division No. 2, and the XEN of the Division No. 1 will be the returning officers.

For the Nathana block, the district manager, Forest Department, the District Town Planning and Divisional Land Conservation Officer will be the returning officers.

For the Rampura block, the XEN, Canal Lining Division, Rampura Phul, the deputy director, Horticulture, and the divisional engineer, PSTCL, Division No. 8 will be the returning officers.

For the Phul block, the agriculture development officer, Rampura, and the XEN, Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Division No. 2 will be the returning officers

For the Bhagta block, the District Social Security Officer and the XEN, PWD, Division 1, will be the returning officers.

For the Talwandi Sabo block, the District Food Supplies Control Officer, Divisional Engineer, PSTCL, Division No. 7, the XEN, Civil 1, Bathinda Development Authority (BDA), the XEN, civil 2, BDA, and for the Maur block, the XEN, Bathinda Canal Division, the XEN (public health), BDA, and the district manager, Warehouse Corporation will be the returning officers.

For the Bathinda block, the nomination papers can be filed at the office of the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Bathinda, and at the office of the District Mandi Officer.

For Nathana, Talwandi Sabo, Sangat, Phul, Rampura, Bhagta Bhai Ka and Maur blocks, the nomination papers can be filed at the offices of the respective BDPOs.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Mohammad Tayyab, ADC (General) Rajiv Prashar, all Sub-divisional Magistrates, tehsildars, naib tehsildars, nodal officers and officials of the Education Department were present at the meeting.

Bathinda, June 18
A decade and a half down the line, delivery of a telegram could set the butterflies aflutter in the stomach of the receiver. It could announce a terrible news about a relative far away or good news about arrival of a new member in a family. It could also allay the fears of parents worried about their children. But with the advent of mobile phones and Internet, the telegram service started tottering.

Like typewriters, telegrams are things that legends are made of in India. While the earlier generation cannot forget the utility and reliability of the service, the present 'modern' generation has perhaps not even seen one.

No wonder, the BSNL recently announced that it would phase out the service from July 15. The telecom giant cited that it had been running into losses as the number of telegrams being sent and received had come down drastically.

Although the minimum cost of sending a telegram is Rs 28, concession is given in case the sender wants to convey news of someone's demise. The telegram carrying such a message can be sent for as little as Rs 5. The amount, however, does not appear too little if compared with the nominal SMS and call rates being offered by mobile service providers.

Saroj Bala Sharma, who was appointed as a telegraphist in 1981, is presently working at the BSNL exchange in Bathinda. She says, "What was once called the fastest way of transmitting news is now being called the slowest. Who says telegrams are not sent these days. Of course, the number of messages has come down. On an average, we receive 100 telegrams a day and send 60-70."

"An evident change is the content of a telegram. While earlier, people used the service to share personal news, it is now used for official purposes. The Army personnel and medical representatives use the service a lot. An attested telegram is also accepted as a proof in courts. There are several other official purposes that telegram serves," she added.

Munshi Ram, who has worked as a telegraphist in Shimla and Ferozepur before joining the BSNL exchange here, said, "It is true that the service lost its importance as a carrier of good and bad news since there are several other modes of communication now. But I wonder how BSNL would benefit by discontinuing the service. It will still have to retain the staff and give them other posts. The staff will still be paid salaries. The machines will however, be left redundant."

Jagmit Singh, a senior official at the BSNL office, said, "We have been marked letters regarding the closing down of the telegram service. We have also been asked to maintain records for the next three months about the number of people coming to the office to send telegrams. But I doubt anyone would come to avail of the service. The news of the service being phased out has travelled across India."

Bathinda, June 18
The high-tension power cables laid by the Powercom has created problems for the residents of ward number one in Kothe Amarpura village. The residents say they have been facing problems ever since the wires along with the electricity poles were installed in the village.

The residents alleged that the Powercom failed to get clearance from the Forest Department following which the power cables were laid with the trees lying in the middle of their trajectory.

“High-velocity winds coupled with rain shakes the electric wires and people fear it may fall upon them. We fear that the wires may soon get damaged or may lead to injury or some other mishap due to the faulty laying,” said Balvir Singh, a resident of Kothe Amarpura. Balvir has submitted a written complaint to the XEN, Powercom, Kawaljit Singh stating that his land is located just below the power cables which were laid a week ago. Balvir said that paddy has been sown on the land below the power cables and it is difficult for the labourers and others to pass under the power cables.

The complainant said the power cables were laid between Bathinda to Gobindpura Grid. Balvir said that the department officials were informed about the faux pas but to no avail. The officials tried to chop a few branches of the trees which came in direct contact with the power cables but ultimately, the cables were laid without caring for the trees.

XEN Kawaljit Singh said that he is yet to go through the complaint and assured that he would look into the problem. “We usually do not lay power cables whenever a tree comes in direct contact with the power cables. We try to chop the trees from the top. I would look into the problem and get it rectified,” the XEN assured.

Bathinda, June 18
Aiming to make the women in the rural areas of Bathinda district economically self-sufficient, the Cooperative Department has advanced a sum of Rs 105.61 lakh to 543 beneficiaries for setting up their own ventures like dairy, tailoring and beauty parlour during the last financial year.

Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, Kamal Kishor Yadav said the money has been advanced under the Mai Bhago Istri Shakti Scheme to enable the women to contribute to their family income. Apart from it, 1,815 women have also been included as members of rural cooperative societies in the district to boost the cooperative movement, he further added. As many as 114 self-help groups have been formed so far while 37 groups were formed during the last financial year. The women members of these self-help groups will run the affairs by contributing money on a monthly basis to the needy women members.

All the cooperative banks have been told to open zero balance accounts of these self-help groups to provide financial assistance in case they want to start their own entrepreneurial ventures, the DC added.

He further stated that as many as 23 camps were organised during the last financial year in the district during which 758 women got training to run their own ventures.

Sharing details of the health services being provided by the Cooperative Department to its members by registering them under the Bhai Ghanaia Health Scheme, the deputy registrar of the Co-operative Societies, Bathinda, Harbant Singh Jatana stated that as many as 9,393 members have opted for this cashless treatment policy in which expenditure on treatment to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh has been given to the members in a year.

Apart from that, an amount of Rs 2,100 has been given as 'shagun' to the female members on the delivery of a girl child. Till date, 878 members have benefitted with their treatment expenditure totalling Rs 90.38 lakh in the district.

Bathinda, June 18
A meeting of the working committee of the Income Tax Employees Federation, north west circle Bathinda was held at Civil Lines club yesterday. Circle president PK Vasudeva presided over the meeting. Cadre restructuring was discussed at the meeting for strengthening the unit.

Circle secretary DS Narwal, members of the secretariat, Rajinder Singh, Parvinder Kumar and ML Tuteja, were also present at the event.

The chief guest at the function was the commissioner of income tax, Bathinda, YR Saini.

Bathinda, June 18
Children, aged between 8 and 13 years, fill the Public Library of the city with enthusiasm and glee these days. These children are undergoing a theatre workshop which is being held by the thespian Toni Batish.

"This ten-day workshop aims at developing not only the children's interest in theatre but also their personality. Through various theatre activities and games, we are trying to boost their mental capabilities as well," says Batish.

While Batish engages children in mind games and theatre activities, his daughter Natika Batish teaches them dance.

"In a day or two, we will move ahead and begin preparing for the item which the children will present during the felicitation ceremony on July 23. Parents want to see their children performing on the stage, so we will start preparing for it," Batish adds.

While he had organised the workshop free of cost last year, this year, the children had to pay Rs 200 as registration fee. 

Bathinda, June 18
Guru Vallabh Education Society (Gurukul College), a constituent of the Bathinda Association of NGOs, organised a blood donation camp in the city today to commemorate the martyrdom day of Rani Lakshmi Bai. Managing director of the college, Bhushan Goyal, inaugurated the camp by donating blood. As many as 12 students donated blood at the camp.

It may be mentioned that the NGOs have played a crucial role in Bathinda in making blood donation a virtual movement of sorts. Different NGOs keep organising blood donation camps so that people in need of blood could be benefitted.

The “Mela Khoondaniyan Da”, organised in the city, was an ample testimony of the drive of NGOs.

However, the NGOs in the city have been at loggerheads with the state government after the user rates of blood units were revised by the Health Department.