Bathinda, July 30
The medical check-up and assessment camps, which will be held in Bathinda, Rampura and Talwandi Sabo from August 1-3 aim to cover as many as 4,061 children in the district. These children, not above 15 years of age, were found to be suffering from one or the other kind of physical or mental disability during a door-to-door survey conducted as part of the Integrated Education for the Disabled (IED) under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (SSA) in June.

Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, district coordinator of the IED programme Barjinder Singh said, "The survey was done to gather details about the children with special needs, whether they go to school or not. As part of the IED programme, medical aid and help is given to children to make them capable of coming to school and receiving education."

He also stated that the pro forma B is updated every year and it carries the details like name, age, type and degree of disability, medical aid and help required, among other things.

As per the details gathered by various teams constituted under the IED programme, children in the district were found to be suffering from various kinds of disabilities.

The highest number of cases is of children suffering from mental retardation. There are as many as 1,057 such children in the district. Out of these, 937 are in schools. The remaining 120 are being covered under the special resource programme of home-based education. The home-based education aims to cover the children, who suffer from a severe form of disability and are unable to come to schools. Assistant special teachers or the integrated education volunteers in the district are trained to educate these children on how to take care of themselves and to explain to their parents the nuances of special treatment that the child may require, and which may better his condition. The volunteers spend three months on every child.

Further, as many as 1,011 children are found to be suffering from vision problems in the district. Of these, 1,006 are in-school children; 42 of them being visually impaired.

The survey also found that 205 children are hearing impaired. Of these, only one student is out-of-school.

All of the 223 speech impaired children identified during the survey are studying in schools. These include children who stammer or have other speech problems.

All of the 150 children, who were found to be suffering from orthopaedic impairment in upper limbs, go to school.

Of 254, 229 children suffering from orthopaedic impairment in lower limbs are in schools. The remaining 25 are being covered under special education programmes.

Out of the 444 children living with cerebral palsy, 320 go to school.

Out of the 258 children suffering from multiple disabilities, only 89 attend schools.

As many as 31 out of the 32 children, found to be suffering from autism, go to school. All of the 12 children suffering from cleft lip problem are school students.

As per the school reports, 385 students have also been identified with various kinds of learning disorders.

Bathinda, July 30
The police has registered a case against four persons for inflicting serious injuries with sharp-edged weapons and also firing gun shots. The complainant, Sona Singh of Maur Charat Singhwala village, said the accused, Sema Singh, Prem Singh, both brothers, Amanjot Singh and Labh Singh attacked and injured him and his uncle Gurmel Singh.

The complainant said that the accused attacked him due to an old dispute. He said that iron rods and sharp weapons were used to inflict injuries upon them. Police has registered a case under sections 307, 341, 324, 323 and 34 of the IPC and section 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act at the Maur police station.

Bathinda, July 30
Considering high level of humidity, truant rainfall and a harsh sun beating down, the residents of Bathinda and its adjoining areas have been pondering if this is the hottest July ever.

Surprisingly, the last week of July or the 30th meteorological week, was hotter in the last two years as compared to this year. However, 2010 and 2009 were less hot than this year.

As per the data procured from the agri-met department of the PAU regional station, Bathinda, the average maximum temperature was recorded at 36 degree Celsius this year.

In 2012 and 2011, the average maximum temperature recorded for the last week of July was 36.4 degree Celsius. In the year 2010, it was recorded at 33 degree Celsius and in 2009, it was recorded at 33.4 degree Celsius.

However, there has not been much difference in case of the average minimum temperature for the 30th meteorological week. While this year, it was recorded at 26.9 degree Celsius, it was 27.4 degree Celsius in 2012 and 2011. In 2010, the average minimum temperature stood at 26.7 degree Celsius while it was recorded at 27.3 degree Celsius in 2009.

Apart from the maximum and minimum temperatures, several other factors play an important role in deciding the weather of a particular day. As per the weather experts, quantum of rainfall, wind velocity, maximum and minimum humidity levels and several other factors affect the weather conditions on a given day.

Meanwhile, Tuesday saw the maximum temperature of 35.2 degree Celsius while the minimum temperature was recorded at 29.4 degree Celsius.

As per the forecast, there are possibilities of light showers in isolated places in the next two-three days.

Bathinda, July 30
A youth posing as son of an excise and taxation officer (ETO) was nabbed by some shopkeepers on Bhatti Road here this evening. Suresh Kumar, a shopkeeper, said the accused, around 25 years of age, entered one of the shops and demanded money saying that his father was an ETO.

The shopkeepers in the area gathered and posed certain queries to him which he failed to reply.

Later, the shopkeepers called up the police control room and handed over the youth to the police. Civil Lines SHO Sukhdev Singh said the youth was yet to be interrogated. Preliminary enquiries revealed that the youth was an addict and had tried to trick the shopkeeper to buy drugs. — TNS

Bathinda, July 30
In a riposte to the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa's suggestion that Harsimrat Kaur Badal should fight the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi in 2014, the Bathinda MP today said, "If he (Bajwa) suggests that I fight from Amethi, I would like him to fight from Bathinda." The MP said this during a sangat darshan programme held at Talwandi Sabo today.

She also ridiculed the Congress-led UPA government and the Planning Commission's decision to lower the poverty line showing a decline by 7.3 per cent over the past five years.

The MP expressed her displeasure over the way the UPA government was taking the poor for a ride by furnishing the wrong details. She also said that a handful of political leaders were making these immature statements to derive political mileage. "The price hike is in front of everybody and the anti-poor policies formulated by the central government would definitely eliminate the poor if not the poverty," she said.

Hitting back at the statements of Congress leaders on meals being available at Rs 12 in Mumbai, the MP said it was shameful that the so-called senior leaders belonging to the party which was considered to be "pro poor" were making such statements mocking at the poor. "The new slogan of the Congress should be "Garib Hatao" instead of "Garibi Hatao"," she said.

Referring to the recent statement of another senior Congress leader from Haryana, Chaudhary Birender Singh, who said Rajya Sabha seats were available for Rs 100 crore, the Bathinda MP said the leaders of the Congress party were maligning the Parliament. She added that the people had realised that the UPA government has crossed all limits of corruption.

Teachers and students of DIET institute held a meeting at the Teachers’ Home in Bathinda on Tuesday. Photo: Bhupinder Dhillon

Bathinda, July 30
Copper worth Rs 20,000 was stolen from the agricultural fields of four farmers in Patti Karamchand Mehraj village. In a complaint to the police, Harcharan Singh said some unidentified persons stole copper from the transformers on the intervening night of July 28 and 29. The complainant said copper was also stolen from the transformer installed in the neighbouring fields of Bhupinder Singh, Gurdev Singh and Preetam Singh. Investigating Officer (IO) Gurjant Singh said a case under section 379 of the IPC has been registered against the unidentified accused. The IO said that the accused cut off the power connection before stealing the costly copper from the transformers. So far, no clue is available to ascertain the identity of any of the thieves involved in the incident. Police is investigating the matter.

Woman arrested with illicit liquor

Police has arrested a woman with nine bottles of illicit liquor. The woman, identified as Jaspal Kaur Pali, a resident of Gill Kalan village, was arrested from near Gill Kalan village. She was brought to the police station where a case under sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered against her. She was later released on bail.

In another incident, police has arrested a resident of Jandawala Vinjhuka village near Nehianwala with 206 boxes of illicit liquor. The accused along with one Vipin, a resident of Bhairupa, was carrying the boxes in a Mahindra Bolero jeep. The accused had prepared fake documents pertaining to the liquor and had planned to sell them illegally. Seventy-five boxes of Hayward 5000 beer, 75 boxes of Thunderbolt, 20 boxes of Mcdowell, 19 bottles of Royal Stag, 5 boxes of Black Dog, 5 boxes of 100 Piper, two boxes of Royal Stag half, two boxes of Mcdowell half and three boxes of Mota Santra were recovered from the possession of the accused. A case under sections 420 and 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered against the accused at Dyalpura police station.

In another case, police seized 1056 boxes of whisky from a truck trailer near the Doomwali bus stand. Police arrested Ram Singh in this connection and registered a case under sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act at Sangat police station. Police also arrested Lakhvir Singh of Malkana village for possessing 12 bottles of illicit liquor. A case under sections 61,1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered against him at Rama police station.

Two booked for assault

Police has booked two persons for beating up a resident of Mehma Sarkari village. The complainant, Kewal Singh said Jagga Singh and Jaswant Singh, both residents of his village, attacked him over a trivial issue.

He said that Rs 600 in cash and a watch which fell off while he was being beaten up were taken away by the accused. The injured was admitted to a government hospital where he was treated for multiple injuries inflicted by the accused.

Police has registered a case under sections 341, 323, 379 and 34 of the IPC at the Nehianwala police station. No arrests have been made so far. Police is investigating the matter.

Villager assaulted

A resident of Lehra Bega village was beaten up by another villager after being denied petrol from a fuel station. The complainant Naib Singh of Lehra Bega village said he was beaten up on Sunday by Gurpreet Singh as he refused to give him fuel.

The incident occurred in Lehra Bega village. Police has registered a case under section 324 of the IPC at the Nathana police station. No arrests have been made.

One arrested with poppy husk

Police has arrested Budh Singh of Sema Kalan village with 20 kg of poppy husk. The accused was found carrying the contraband near Burj Kahan Singhwala village. Police arrested the accused during a naka. The accused was brought to Sangat police station where a case under sections 25, 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act was registered against him.

In another incident, police has arrested Gurpreet Singh of Talwandi Sabo and Naib Singh of Jagaram Tirath village with 7 kg poppy husk. A case under sections 15, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered at Rama police station.

Three injured in mishaps

Three persons received injuries in separate road accidents in Bathinda. Volunteers of the NGO Sahara Jan Sewa rushed the injured to the Civil Hospital in their ambulance. As per information available, a cyclist was injured on Santpura road when he was hit by a speeding motorcycle. The injured has been identified as Phul Singh, a resident of Kachi Colony. In another incident, a labourer was hit by a speeding truck near the Industrial Growth Centre. The labourer, identified as Barjinder Kumar, was taken to the Civil Hospital by the NGO. In another mishap, two persons on a motorcycle were injured after falling off from the vehicle. The bike rider had failed to negotiate a bend.

Bathinda, July 30
All India Radio (AIR), Bathinda, and the Water Supply and Sanitation Department today held a seminar in Mehma Sirja and Nehianwala villages to sensitise people about the advantages of pure drinking water and sanitation.

In a live road show, SDO Manpreet Arshi informed the people about the functioning of the department and the water supply schemes meant for the villagers.

The villagers were asked to maintain hygiene and were informed about the ill effects of consuming polluted water and the advantages of keeping the surroundings pollution free. The villagers were also told to use drinking water judiciously.

Others who participated in the seminar include assistant engineer Dharampal

Singh, block coordinators Ramandeep Kaur, Kirpal Singh, Jasvir Singh and members of the village panchayat besides the members of various village clubs and NGOs.

A boxing match in progress during the district-level school sports tournament on Tuesday. Photo: Bhupinder Dhillon

Sporting competitions were conducted today under the convenors Sukhjinderpal Singh, Jasvir Singh Gill, Mandeep Kaur, Binderpal Kaur, Makkhan Lal, Sukhcharanjit Singh, Jugraj Singh, Pardeep Kumar, Vinod Kumar, Saroj Kumari and others.

Results

Kho-kho Girls Under-14: 1st position: Talwandi Sabo zone, 2nd position: Sangat zone: Kho-kho Girls Under-17: 1st position: Talwandi Sabo zone, 2nd position: Goniana Mandi; Kho-kho Girls Under-19: 1st position: Mandi Phul, 2nd position: Talwandi Sabo; Fencing girls Under-14: 1st position: Sangat Zone; 2nd position: Goniana Zone; Fencing Girls Under-17: 1st position: Bathinda Zone 1, 2nd position: Goniana Zone; Fencing Boys Under-14: 1st position: Goniana, 2nd position: Sangat Zone; Fencing Boys Under 17: 1st position: Bathinda Zone 1, 2nd position: Goniana; Fencing Boys Under-19: 1st position: Maur Mandi, 2nd position: Bathinda Zone 1; Basketball Boys Under-19: Bathinda Zone 1 and Bathinda Zone 2 will play each other in the final; Softball Boys under-19: 1st position: Bathinda, 2nd position: Talwandi Sabo; Softball Boys Under-17: 1st position: Talwandi Sabo, 2nd position: Bathinda Zone 1; Softball Boys Under-14: 1st position: Talwandi Sabo, 2nd position: Bathinda Zone 1; Softball Girls Under-19: 1st position: Bathinda 1, 2nd position: Bathinda 2; Softball Girls Under 14: 1st position: Talwandi Sabo, 2nd position: Bathinda Zone 1; Wushu Boys Under-17: Minus 36 kg category: 1st position: Sukhmandar Singh of Talwandi Sabo, 2nd position: Rishabhjit of Bathinda 1; Minus 44 kg ctegory: 1st: Karan Rana of Bathinda Zone 1, 2nd: Satish Kumar of Bathinda Zone 1; Minus 48 kg category: 1st: Gurpreet Singh of Talwandi Sabo, 2nd: Gurpreet Singh of Bathinda Zone 2; Basketball Girls Under-17: 1st: Bathinda Zone 1, 2nd: Mandi Phul; Taekwondo Girls: Minus 29-32 kg category: 1st: Jassi Kaur of Bathinda Zone 1, 2nd: Ritika of Bathinda Zone 1; Minus 35-38 kg category: 1st: Lovepreet Kaur of Talwandi Sabo, 2nd: Jaspreet Kaur of Bathinda Zone 1.

Fact file

The tournament is being conducted under the supervision of the District Education Officers (Secondary and Elementary) Harkwanljit Kaur and Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta. Assistant Education Officer Pavittar Kaur is also involved in ensuring the successful conduct of the games.