Bathinda, July 9
Three months into the academic session 2013-2014 and the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) is yet to provide students of several government schools in the district with books of many subjects.

Many titles were, however, delivered at the schools today, just a month before the first internal examinations.

Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, books of all subjects are provided free-of-cost to the students of Classes VI and VII. However, in case of Classes IX to XII, books are to be given free-of-cost only to the students belonging to the scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other reserved categories.

Today, books of Punjabi and drawing for Class VI students were delivered to their schools while students of Class VII got books of social science.

The students of Class VIII are the lucky ones to have got all the books.

Students of Class IX also received books for several titles today. The list included books of mathematics, Hindi grammar, English grammar, English supplementary book and a Punjabi novel.

While the students of Class XI got their computer science book today, the students of Class X are yet to get books of English, social science and drawing.

Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, District Resource Person (books) Kamlesh Sharma said, “This year saw a prolonged admission process. Books fell short as there were students who were admitted late. The PSEB is trying its best to deliver all the books to such students. We are in regular touch with the block resource persons to know the status of shortage of books.”

He added that although several books were to be distributed during the summer holidays, the panchayat elections delayed the process of distribution. “Several teachers were on duty for the panchayat elections. Otherwise, the books were to be given to the students on the first day after the summer vacations. A couple of titles left to be given to the students will be distributed soon,” he added. 

Bathinda, July 9
Residents of the city and its adjoining areas heaved a sigh of relief after a brief spell of rain in the afternoon brought down the mercury and washed away hot and humid conditions prevailing since morning.

The residents woke up to a hot and humid morning and the weather remained the same till around 2 pm when the city witnessed overcast conditions. A brief but heavy downpour followed.

Although the downpour did manage to bring down the temperature, it was not as cool as Monday. On Tuesday, while the maximum temperature was recorded at 35.4 degree Celsius, the minimum temperature was recorded at 26.2 degree Celsius.

On Monday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 30.4 degree Celsius and the minimum temperature was recorded at 28 degree Celsius.

Bathinda, July 9
A resident of Menha Basti was killed after he fell from the tractor-trolley he was driving and got crushed under its wheels on the Malout road today.

The deceased has been identified as Chiria. He lost control over the tractor and fell off only to be run over by the vehicle. Volunteers of the Naujawan Welfare Soceity rushed the injured Chiria to the local Civil Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The police was informed about the accident. A case in this connection was being registered after recording the statements of the onlookers and the deceased's family members.

Bathinda, July 9
Days after the rivalry and revelry related to the recently conducted gram panchayat election subsided, the analysis of the votes cast in favour of candidates who contested for the posts of sarpanch has thrown up some surprising facts.

While some candidates beat their opponents by a huge margin, some managed a win by the margin of only a few votes.

Interestingly, as per the data received from the Zila Parishad office, there are a few candidates who have not even a single vote cast in their favour. Either they didn’t vote for themselves or the counting process bungled the numbers up.

As per the data, four candidates in the district drew a blank in polling votes. They are Mitthu Singh of Gurusar Jagga village, Ranjit Singh of Kotli Sabo village, Sukhraj Singh of Mohala village and Charanjit Singh of Loolwai village.

Then, there is a small group of those candidates, who got only one vote, possibly their own. Although they voted for themselves, no one else from their village showed confidence in them. This list includes the names of Joga Singh of Gurudutt Singh Wala in Bhagta Bhai Ka block, Gurcharan Singh, Jagdeep Singh, Hardeep Singh and Narayan Singh, all from Mohala village of Sangat block.

Three candidates got only two votes. They were Nayaab Singh and Harbans Singh of Mohala village and Balwant Singh of Pakka Khurd village.

The lists of candidates who got three, four, five, nine and 10 votes have only two names each.

While three candidates got six votes each, another three could poll seven votes each.

Bathinda, July 9
Bathinda city has been divided into 12 sectors to tackle floods in case of heavy rains. Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Rajiv Prashar convened a meeting today to take stock of the arrangements made to deal with floods in case it rains heavily.

Officials have been deputed in all these sectors. The ADC directed the sector officers to identify areas where waterlogging takes place and make necessary arrangements to pump out the stagnant water.

Sector officers were also told to identify the higher places where people could be moved to safety in case the lower parts of the city get flooded.

The ADC directed the officials of the District Red Cross Society to stay in touch with the volunteers of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) whose help can be taken, when needed.

The district food and supplies officers were directed to make arrangements for providing food and water to the people in case of floods as well as arrange for tents.

The officials were asked to identify divers who could be helpful. The civil surgeon was directed to make necessary arrangements for providing adequate staff and medicines.

The irrigation department officials were ordered to repair and strengthen the banks of the Sirhind canal and the drainage department was directed to ensure that the drains are cleaned regularly to avoid depositing of silt in it.

Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM), Bathinda, Damanjit Singh Mann, SDM, Rampura Phul, Charandeep Singh and other sector officers were also present at the meeting held to review the flood protection measures.

Fact file

* Officials have been deputed in all 12 sectors. They will identify areas where waterlogging takes place and make arrangements to pump out the accumulated water.

* Sector officers were also told to identify the places where people could be moved to safety in case the lower parts of the city get flooded.

* The officials of the District Red Cross Society will stay in touch with the volunteers of NGOs whose help can be taken when needed.

* The district food and supplies officers were directed to make arrangements for providing food and water to the people in case of floods as well as arrange for tents.

Bathinda, July 9
A girl residing in Balraj Nagar today accused the police of not listening to her complaint against a Barnala resident who allegedly exploited her physically on the pretext of marrying her. The family members of the girl alleged that she was offered cold drink laced with an intoxicant by the boy's family in Barnala yesterday to kill her.

The girl is undergoing treatment at the Bathinda Civil Hospital, where her mother, Jasvir Kaur, demanded the registration of a criminal case against the boy and his family members.

"We have been shuttling from the office of one police officer to another for over two months. We recorded the statements in the offices of the DSP, ASP, SP (D), SP (City) and twice met the Bathinda SSP but to no avail. Instead of going after the accused, the police is harassing us," Jasvir said. She alleged that though the Punjab Government boasts of listening to the genuine complaints of the people, especially the women and teenagers, none of the government servants ever listen to their complaint.

The girl's mother alleged that the boy's family members had connections with senior SAD leaders and the police was under pressure not to take any action against the accused. "Either the boy should marry my daughter or he should be given exemplary punishment for exploiting her and harassing the entire family," she said.

The girl alleged that the boy, a B.Tech student studying in Fatehgarh Sahib, came in contact with her around two years ago.

The girl stated that she was called to Balloke village by the boy's family members to reach a compromise where the family gave her cold drink laced with a poisonous substance. She said her life was saved as she left the boy's house and her friends called up the volunteers of an NGO.

DSP (City) Gurmeet Kingra, when contacted, said the family members of both the boy and the girl had initially agreed to their marriage but differences erupted later. "We tried to help both the families reach a compromise but differences cropped up between the two families. Both the family belong to the Jatt Sikh community," the DSP said.

The DSP said that the matter is now being investigated by SP (City) Dharamvir Singh. The SP (City) could not be contacted for his comments.

Bathinda, July 9
The unloading of wood at a local sawmill by some Army jawans was blown out of proportion with some local residents construing it to be a sale of stolen wood. The Army, authorities, however, clarified later in the evening that the wood was brought out of cantonment for chopping so that it could be used as fuel for cooking or other purposes.

According to the workers of Rajinder sawmill on Barnala road, two logs, nearly seven feet long and two feet in radius, were unloaded at the sawmill by five or six Army jawans who came in a truck. One of them was accompanying them on a motorcycle.

"They asked us to cut the logs into pieces and before we could start the process, a lensman deployed with a vernacular, enquired about the log. The jawans, however, evaded queries. Some local residents also gathered and tried to enquire into the matter," said Mahinder Singh, a worker at the mill.

"After some time, more Army officials arrived and ordered that the logs be taken back to their base. Later, some people who identified themselves as CID and intelligence officials, also visited our mill and enquired into the incident," he said.

Mahinder said it was for the first time that the Army jawans had come to their mill to get the logs chopped.

An Army spokesperson clarified that the wood was meant for fuel and the jawans who had brought it to the sawmill for axing got confused after a volley of questions and decided to leave the place.

"The issue got blown out of proportion due to a misunderstanding," the Army spokesperson said.

Station House Officer, Cantonment police station, Paramjit Doad said though he had been informed about the incident that had taken place at the sawmill, no formal complaint was received at the police station in this regard.

Bathinda, July 9
The Department of Education is hosting a counselling session for the students of government schools in the district. Government school students who secured more than 80 per cent marks in their class X examinations will be able to attend the session. The camp will be held at the MSD School on Wednesday.

District Education Officer (Secondary) Harkanwaljeet Kaur said, "The counselling camp aims at addressing the queries of the students regarding the choice of subjects and career. The counsellors will talk to the students to ascertain which subjects suit them the best."

She added that the counselling camp will help the students get more information about career-oriented courses and the demands of the job market. The counsellors have been called from Punjabi University, Patiala. 

FAct file

* Government school students who secured more than 80 per cent marks in their class X examinations will be able to attend the session. The camp will be held at the MSD School on Wednesday.

* The counsellors will talk to the students to ascertain which subjects suit them the best.

Bathinda, July 9
Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed outside examination halls where the class X and Plus Two examinations of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) will be held on July 10.

District Magistrate Kamal Kishore Yadav said that within a 100 metre radius of the examination centre, public gathering is not allowed. Parents, relatives and other people cannot stand their waiting for the examinees.

The measures have been taken as part of security arrangements to check the use of unfair means. — TNS

Bathinda, July 9
Blood cancer in children is completely curable. The younger the patient, the more he responds to the treatment, said Dr Anuj Bansal from Punjab Cancer Care and Research Centre.

Dr Bansal was addressing media persons flanked by a patient cured of blood cancer. The patient was three-year-old Ekamjeet Singh from Goniana Mandi. The child was referred to him by a local paediatrician.

"The child had blue spots on his cervical lymph nodes. We immediately got confirmatory tests for blood cancer conducted that confirmed the disease," Dr Bansal said.

"The child was then put on medicines. Three months ago, his blood cells were checked and they were found to be normal. He is currently on medication and will have to take medicines for the next two years. The child weighs 11 kg and is taking food normally," Dr Bansal said.

He has also been treating a 13-year-old patient Gursewak Singh from a village in Muktsar. For the last eight days, Gursewak too has been responding to the treatment.

Dr Bansal said parents should not panic if their child is diagnosed with blood cancer.

"In children, gene mutation is often the cause of blood cancer. It has got nothing to do with the hereditary factor," he said. He added that in children, blood cancer should be treated soon after its onset, failing which it could prove to be fatal.

It may be mentioned that the Malwa region is notorious for the widespread of incidence of cancer.

Bathinda, July 9
As many as 106 children were examined at the paediatric free medical check-up camp held at village Giana. The camp was held under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery in collaboration with Health Street Hospital.

A child being examined at the medical camp. Tribune photo

Dr Gaurav Monga from the Health Street Hospital examined the children and distributed free medicines. A large number of the children were found to be anaemic and were suffering from worm infestation in the intestine.

Earlier on Monday, a gynaecology check-up camp was held at village Phulokhari where 112 women were examined. The officials of Guru Gobind Singh Refinery have been holding camps at all the eight villages.

These include six the villages of Punjab, namely, Phulokhari, Giana, Kanakwal, Ramsra, Tarkhanwala and Raman and two villages of Haryana, namely, Harsu and Narang.