Bathinda, August 1
The Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) latest directive has left all the schools affiliated to the board in a fix.

In the circular, the CBSE directed all the schools to furnish a few details on their respective websites. The information sought include the fee structure, salaries being paid to the teaching and non-teaching members of the staff and mode of payment, infrastructural facilities, area on which the school is built, the name of the trust or the society of the school, addresses of the members of the school committee, particulars of the teaching staff among other things.

The CBSE aims at maintaining transparency in the functioning of schools. The schools are also required to update the information.

The heads of institutions in the city are of the view that although the schools will have to abide by the circular, it was not justified to ask schools to upload information on websites, which are accessible to anyone.

"We received the circular and are contemplating the course of action. Had the board asked the schools to furnish the details, it would have been fine, but the purpose of making the schools upload such confidential details on websites evades us," said the principal of a CBSE-affiliated school in the city.

Principal of Delhi Public School Arun Jee maintained that although there was full transparency in the way the salaries are paid and the fee is collected by the school, he didn't see any reason for the CBSE to ask the school to upload the information on the internet.

"Since it is mandatory, the school will abide by the directive but it would have been justifiable if the government aided or funded schools were asked to do so. I don't see any particular reason behind the government taking a special interest in the salaries that the schools pay to their teachers and the mode of payment, etc," he said.

Father Eulalio Fernandes, principal of the St Xaviers' School, said, "We already have a website of our school and we keep updating most of the information (asked by the CBSE) on the website. As far as disclosing the fee structure and salary structure of teaching and non-teaching staff is concerned, the management of the school will take a decision."

Bathinda, August 1
Guneek Goel is very fond of playing with mobile phone and keys of motorcycles and cars. He is also very fond of soft toys and carries one wherever he goes. Sadly enough, he cannot cuddle it since both his arms are tied together with a piece of cloth.

The 11-year-old child, a case of cerebral palsy, slaps himself if his arms are free, stated his aunt Saroj Goel. "Although he can't talk, he understands everything we ask him to do. Once he gets hold of a mobile, he does not let go of it," she added.

Guneek and several other children like him were brought to the medical check-up and assessment camp organised as part of the Integrated Education for Disabled (IED) programme of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan. The camp was organised at the Government Elementary School, Mall Road.

Premlata, mother of 13-year-old Dipinder Singh, didn't care about her plastered arm and brought her son to the camp. Dipinder, a Class IV student of the special resource room being run at Desrak School in the city, is suffering from multiple disorders. "He has a hunchback and can't stand or walk properly. He has other disorders as well. But he loves going to school," said Premlata with a smile on her face. "His body may be frail but remains in high spirits," she added.

"The purpose of organising such camps is to assure the parents that their children are special and they are not less than any other child. We want to prepare and train them to face the world," said Barjinder Singh, district IED coordinator.

He shared that as part of the IED programme, music, dance, painting and several competitions were also organised to instil confidence in children and their parents. He added that while the children with severe forms of multiple disorders were covered under home-based education programme, others are being trained at the special resource rooms.

In Bathinda district, the work is handled by 53 inclusive education volunteers (IEVs), 20 inclusive education resource teachers and one special coordinator. The District Education Officer (Elementary education) Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta is the District Project Coordinator.

A team of experts from the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, and the Alimco, Kanpur, examined the children at the camp and have furnished the need for one artificial leg, 28 wheel-chairs, five tricycles, nine crutches, 19 callipers and three sticks for blind.

Bathinda, August 1
The body of an unidentified man was found in lake number two of the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant.

The man died under mysterious circumstances as his legs and hands were found tied with a rope.

Volunteers of the Sahara Jan Sewa, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) took out the body in the presence of policemen from Canal Colony police station. The deceased was wearing a sky blue colour T-shirt. The trousers and sleepers of the deceased were found outside the lake.

The police recovered a slip from the pocket of the trouser on which the words Hansraj Jaitu was written. The deceased could not be identified despite volunteers of the NGO being sent to nearby Jaitu Mandi. The volunteers said that they would try to identify the body. 

Bathinda, August 1
Induction of 43 staff nurses at health facilities in the district is expected to improve their functioning besides easing the burden on employees who had been coping with the problem of acute staff shortage. Around 80 posts of staff nurse had been lying vacant, which hit the delivery of medical services in hospitals. "We were overburdened. At times, one nurse was looking after more than two departments in two shifts. Now, we have heaved a sigh of relief," confided a senior staff nurse at the Civil Hospital, Bathinda.

While 43 staff nurses have been inducted, more are expected to join the government health facilities soon. Earlier, there was no staff nurse in the paediatrics ward of the Women and Children Hospital, Bathinda.

"The situation has improved now. At least, we have one nurse for each shift. But still, two nurses are required per shift. We hope that with the induction of the next batch, the situation will improve," added one of the doctors at the hospital.

While the nursing staff has got some respite, specialists are eagerly awaiting for new medical officers to join. Due to lack of medical officers, the specialists are being forced to do emergency, medico-legal and other duties. With their energy being diverted, the specialists are not able to focus on their work completely. The specialists have long been demanding recruitment of new doctors so that they can concentrate on the fields they specialise in.

Civil Surgeon Dr Ajay Sahni said 40 posts of medical officer were lying vacant in the district. "We have got one new medical officer at Primary Health Centre in Maiserkhana. Also, four new doctors will soon be joining the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) centre. In the next few weeks, we hope to get more doctors," he added.

Bathinda, August 1
Lodging their protest against the growing cattle menace, residents of Paras Ram Nagar and Pratap Nagar today collected over 60 cattle heads and drove eight of them inside the premises of the Municipal Corporation office near the railway station today.

Headed by the former municipal councillor Vijay Kumar, people protested against the growing problem of stray cattle and the fatal accidents these animals were causing on the roads.

Driving home a point: Residents of Paras Ram Nagar area raise slogans against the officials of the Municipal Corporation, Bathinda (MCB), for their ineffectiveness in curbing the menace of stray cattle, on Thursday; and municipal commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta hears out former municipal councillor Vijay Kumar at his office. Tribune photos: Pawan Sharma

Residents herded together the stray cattle from the city at around 11 am at the Paras Ram Nagar Chowk and came all the way walking to the MC office. On seeing a large number of cattle heading for the MC office, the employees shut the gates. Vijay Kumar and others forced the gate open using a baton to beat it.

Yielding to pressure, MC employees opened the gate and around 60 cattle heads were driven inside. Once inside, the protestors raised slogans against the corporation officials demanding that city residents should be given respite from the stray cattle menace that is assuming an alarming proportion.

As soon as the cattle entered the MC office premises, people ran helter-skelter looking for a safe place. DSP City Gurmeet Kingra, Kotwali SHO Karamjit Singh and a posse of policemen reached the spot.

Residents of Paras Ram Nagar force the entry of cattle inside the office of the Municipal Corporation in Bathinda on Thursday; employees of the corporation try to close the gate to prevent the stray cattle from entering the premises. Tribune photos: Pawan Sharma

Heated arguments were exchanged between the protesters and the municipal corporation officials. Not pleased with the episode, the MC officials tried to threaten the protestors saying that a police case will be registered against them for trespassing into the MC office and bringing in the animals.

However, the protestors refused to budge and said they were not protesting due to any vested interests, but were only highlighting the plight of the common man.

At around 1:15 pm, municipal commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta convened a meeting with the protestors who were led by Vijay Kumar. Gupta expressed displeasure over the turn of events. However, Vijay Kumar said this was the only way left for them to highlight the problem that the people were facing due to stray animals moving on the city roads. "I had given an application to the MCB requesting that concrete action be taken to check the problem of stray cattle menace. Despite repeated requests, nothing was done. We had already warned the MC authorities about taking this step if our demands were not met," he said.

A former municipal councillor, Vijay Kumar proposed to give two acres of land for setting up a cattle pound. However, Gupta told the protestors that a cattle pound was being constructed in an area of five acres and the project will be worth Rs 8 crore. He added that in yet another measure, a contractor is being appointed, who will be responsible for not allowing any stray cattle to enter into the municipal limits. The municipal commissioner asked for a time-frame of six months to execute the entire project.

Bathinda, August 1
Indian Farmers Fertilizers Limited held a training camp for the secretaries of cooperative societies for Bathinda and its adjoining areas. The training was aimed at popularising various schemes of the societies among the people. Deputy

Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Bathinda, Harbant Singh Jatana was the chief guest during cam. Senior area in-charge of IFFCO, Jaswinder Singh laid stress upon the need to rope in more people to popularise various people-friendly schemes.

Bathinda, August 1
The Democratic Teachers' Front, Bathinda, has opposed the introduction of Panchayati Directorate. In a statement released by the union today, the district head of the union, Paramjit Singh and secretary Baljinder Singh, pointed out that the government was not taking the right step by introducing the Panchayati Directorate.

"While the schools under the Panchayati Raj have been trying their best to come under the jurisdiction of the Education Department, the government is taking a regressive step and introducing the Panchayati Directorate. It shows that the government is not ready to shoulder the responsibility of the schools and wants to transfer the burden onto the shoulders of panchayats," said the district head.

He added that the way in which the government was acting in the matter, it seemed that it was just a matter of time before all the schools would be shifted under the Panchayati Directorate. The union also argued that instead of spending money on setting up and strengthening the Panchayati Directorate, the government could save money by shifting all the schools to the Education Department.

The union said the Panchayati Directorate would not only result in the deterioration of the education system in the schools under the Zila Parishad but also affect the careers of teachers.

Bathinda, August 1
An exhibition of books was held at the Punjabi University Campus, Maur, on the occasion of the 73rd death anniversary of Shaheed Uddam Singh. Renowned Punjabi writer Labh Singh Sandhu was the organizer of the exhibition. He also delivered a lecture on the occasion and shared his experiences. He said in this age of internet and e-books, the habit of reading was declining.

The pleasure of reading a book and the mental exercise it generates has no parallel, he stated

During his lecture, he also stressed upon the importance of education for girls. He said an educated girl can educate the whole society. He said books were man's real friends as by imparting knowledge, they helped the readers in connecting with their culture and values.

Dr DK Madaan, principal of the campus, said the exhibition aimed at promoting reading habits among students and teachers. He thanked Labh Singh Sandhu for delivering the lecture.

Bathinda, August 1
Kulwinder Singh of Bathinda Zone 1 bagged the first position in the above 75 kg category of Wushu in the district level 59th School Sports competitions. His namesake, Kulwinder Singh of Talwandi Sabo, bagged the second position in the same category. The district-level competitions concluded today.

The competitions were held at various schools across the district under the jurisdiction of the District Education Officers (secondary and elementary), Harkanwaljit Kaur and Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta. Assistant Education Officer Pavittar Kaur also coordinated the competitions.

Results: Wushu Under-19 boys: Minus 48 kg category: 1st: Pardeep Singh Bathinda zone 1; 2nd: Jaspreet Singh Bathinda Zone 1

Minus 60 kg category: 1st: Balwainder Singh, Talwandi Sabo; 2nd: Jashanpreet Singh, Talwandi Sabo

Minus 70 kg category: 1st: Jugraj Singh, Talwandi Sabo; 2nd: Akshadeep Singh, Bathinda Zone 1

Minus 75 kg category: 1st: Amrinder Singh, Talwandi Sabo; 2nd: Gurpreet Singh, Bathinda Zone 1

Plus 75 kg category: 1st: Kulwinder Singh, Bathinda Zone 1; 2nd: Kulwinder Singh, Talwandi Sabo

Throwball Under-19 boys

1st: Bathinda Zone 1; 2nd: Mandi Phul Zone

Throwball Under 19 girls

Bathinda, August 1
Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav today convened a meeting to review development works of the municipal bodies in the district.

He reviewed the works that are in progress, those that have already been done and those works that remain to be done.

Officials of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB), municipal committees from Raman, Maur and Bhucho Mandi and municipal council, Kotfatta, were present at the review meeting.

Yadav directed the officials to redress the complaints of sewerage, drinking water, streetlights, power and roads and complete the projects related to it. Mayor Baljit Singh Birbehman, municipal commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta and others were also present at the review meeting.

Bathinda, August 1
At the recently organised ISTE Faculty Convention-2013, two faculty members of the Baba Farid Group of Institutions (BFGI) were awarded the ISTE Best Teacher Award.

Members of the faculty, Harsimran Singh, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Kovid Sharma of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, received the award.

The awards were given away by Dr R Murugsan, president of the ISTE, New Delhi. — TNS