Bathinda, August 25
Bathinda's adventure sports enthusiasts' wait got over as an adventure carnival began here today. Now, they can satiate their hunger for adventure as the carnival is offering adventure water activities like para-sailing and wave-riding.

Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, Pawan Garg, the organiser of the activities, said, "The adventure sports carnival that we had organised last year got an astounding response from the public. We have once again opened the para-sailing and wave riding activities in the Lake No 3 as these were the most popular activities during the carnival last year."

Last year too, an adventure sports carnival was organised at the Thermal Lakes. Then, the Alfa Adventure Academy from Pune had brought the event to the city. The fortnight-long activity had helped the residents to enjoy adventure sports. An array of sporting activities like hot air ballooning, parasailing, zorbing, river crossing, archery, banana boat ride and rappelling were hosted at the carnival.

Garg added, "Unlike the adventure sports carnival that we hosted last year, this carnival is part of the activities that are open to the public round the year."

Garg said special arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of people taking part in adventure sports. "We make sure that anyone who participates in these sporting activities wears a life-jacket. We also have employees who look after the safety of the participants," he said.

However, enjoying the sporting activities comes at a huge price. While one will have to shell out Rs 1,500 for para-sailing, Rs 500 will be charged for wave-riding.

Garg said, "Gauging the reaction of the public, we may plan to introduce more activities. We are also planning to introduce water-skiing and banana boats."

He also shared that aiming to popularise the carnival, special discounts and packages are being offered to students and groups of 25 or more persons.

While speaking to Bathinda Tribune, Subhash Diwan, who had come all the way from Kotkapura with his family to participate in the carnival, patiently stood in a queue to buy tickets. "Ever since my sons got to know about the carnival, they were waiting for it to begin. We came on the first day of the carnival as they just couldn't wait more."

Pratap Singh, a resident of Homeland in Bathinda, was also at the carnival with his children. "Both my daughter and son wanted to experience adventure sports. Although my daughter is afraid of deep waters, she tried para-sailing and had fun," he said.

Bathinda, August 25
With an aim to encourage children to become more interested in mathematics rather than running away from the subject, Government Senior Secondary School in Bhokra village has set up a mathematics park.

Additional director general, school education, Parampal Kaur Maluka inaugurated the Shrinivas Ramanuj Memorial Mathematics Park at the school on Saturday.

Sharing information with Maluka, mathematics teachers Asha Rani and Hardarshan Singh Sohal said all the geometrical figures and information about mathematical operations have been displayed at the park in an interesting manner so as to excite children towards the subject.

The principal of the school, Sukhbir Singh, thanked the guests and shared that Rs 1.4 lakh were spent on the development of the park. She added that the money was not part of grant and was instead collected through sponsorships.

Addressing the gathering, Parampal Kaur Maluka praised the school authorities and staff members for taking such a noble initiative. She also hoped that other schools would also take inspiration from the park and develop something unique that would generate interest in subjects that students commonly don’t like. She also announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the school.

Bathinda, August 25
An insurance firm has been directed to pay an insurance claim of Rs 48,000 along with Rs 3,000 as fine to a farmer who had got his cattle insured from the firm and one of the animals died within one month of the insurance.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum directed the New India Assurance Company Limited, a general insurance company, to pay the money along with interest at the rate of 9 per cent since March last year to Palwinder Singh, a farmer of Lehra Khana village.

Palwinder had moved an application in the forum against the insurance company and the branch manager of State Bank of Patiala, Lehra Mohabbat.

After listening to the arguments of both the parties, the forum dismissed the petition against the bank but held the insurance company liable for delay in payment of the insurance claim to the complainant.

The complainant's counsel, Inderjit Singh Mann, said the farmer had purchased five heads of cattle, including a Holstein Friesian (H/F) black and a white dairy cow, after securing a loan from State Bank of Patiala, Lehra Mohabbat.

In view of the rising number of thefts and deaths due to various diseases among cattle, the bank got all the cattle insured by the New India Assurance Company Limited. The cattle were insured for a period of one year - November 24, 2011, to November 23 2012.

The H/F animal was insured for Rs 48,000. Before the animals were insured, a veterinary officer from the Civil Veterinary Hospital, Lehra Khana, declared them free of any kind of disease.

A tag number was also provided by the insurance company which was attached to the animals' ears.

The H/F black and the white cattle, however, died on December 21, 2011, one month after they were insured.

The farmer got the post-mortem of the animal conducted from the same veterinary officer of the Civil Veterinary Hospital, Lehra Khana, and intimation along with the tag number and the claim form were submitted to the insurance company through the bank.

The farmer, however, failed to get the claim despite making repeated rounds of the bank and the insurance company.

The opposite parties appeared before the forum wherein the bank officials stated that they were only supposed to execute the loan case. The bank stated that it had forwarded the intimation letter regarding the death of the insured animal to the insurance company as soon as they learnt about it from the farmer.

On the other hand, the insurance company stated that since the farmer delayed the intimation about the death of the cattle for two months, his claim was repudiated.

Due to the delay in the intimation, officials of the insurance company failed to inspect the carcass, officials of the insurance company claimed.

The forum observed that the insurance company placed no evidence on file to prove that the insurance policy along with its terms and condition was supplied to the complainant and he was made aware that in case the insured cattle dies, the insurance firm was required to be informed immediately.

Moreover, Rajesh Garg, the investigator deputed by the company to look into the claim submitted by the farmer, reported that as per the veterinary certificate, the tag number 29167 is intact in the left ear of the cow; as per the veterinary doctor's report, the market value of the cow is Rs 48,000; and the cow, which died, was neither changed nor sold.

The forum stated that if all the particulars of the dead cow tallied with the health certificate, then claim is genuine and may be dealt as per the policy terms and conditions.

The forum directed the insurance firm to pay Rs 48,000 to the farmer along with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum within 45 days of the receipt of a copy of the order, failing which the due amount will yield further interest of 9 per cent per annum till its realisation.

Bathinda, August 25
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) today announced that it would launch a state-wide protest against inflation and the long-pending demands of farmers not been taken up by the state and central governments.

A meeting in this connection was presided over by the state president of the BKU, Ruldu Singh Mansa.

BKU leaders demanded that farmers whose standing crops perished in the recent heavy rains should be adequately compensated. Poor farmers who do not have electricity motor connections should be given free diesel and tube well connections without bias. ]The union leaders also demanded that the mandatory clause of installing four-star tube well motors should be withdrawn and the fees charged to increase the horse power of the tube well should be reduced to Rs 1,200 per horse power. The farmer leaders said memorandums would also be submitted at the district headquarters on September 10 in this regard.

State leaders Gurnam Singh, Gamdur Singh, Bhola Singh, Dr Balwinder Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Lachhman Singh and Bhola Singh were present at the meeting.

An ambulance donated by the residents to the NGO Sahara Jan Sewa was flaged off in the city

Students of Lord Rama Public School handed over a cheque for Rs 2 lakh for the Uttarakhand Relief Fund to the president of the school Trust and the principal in Bathinda

Raising the pitch: Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal burn an effigy of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to protest against the arrest of the national president of the VHP Praveen Togadia, in Bathinda on Sunday. Tribune photos: Pawan Sharma

Baljinder was booked last year for stealing electricity. Baljinder, with the help of some residents of the area, including women, attacked the police party and injured them. Police have registered a case against Baljinder, Sunty, Sukhpal, Babaljeet Kaur, all residents of Surjitpura Jhuggian in Dyalpura Bhaika. Police have also booked three to four unidentified persons including women. The accused have been booked under sections 353,186, 427, 224, 225, 225-D, 332, 355, 148 and 149 of the IPC at the Dyalpura police station.

One arrested for possessing illicit liquor

Police have arrested Manga Singh, a resident of Bhagi Wandar village for possessing 72 bottles of illicit liquor. The accused was found carrying the liquor near Bhagi Wandar village. A case under sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered against the accused at Talwandi Sabo.

City resident booked for defaming Dera chief

Police today booked a city resident for defaming the Sirsa-based Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and writing objectionable things about him on a social networking site.

A complaint in this connection has been lodged with the police by Simarjit Singh of Mohalla Kikkardas. Police have registered a case under sections 295-A and 294 of the IPC and sections 66 and 67-A of the IT Act at the Kotwali police 
station.

Eight booked for assault

Police have registered a case against eight persons including three to four unidentified persons.

In a complaint to the police, Anil Kumar of Bhairupa village said Jaspreet, Kaku, Raja, Gurpreet and three to four unidentified persons injured him and his son Ajay Kumar. The reason behind this is said to be was a minor altercation with the accused.

Police have registered a case in this connection under sections 452, 323, 506, 120-B, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code at the Phul police station.

Jewellery worth Rs 2 lakh stolen

Gold jewellery worth nearly Rs 2 lakh was stolen from a house in Janta Colony at Rampura.

In a complaint to the police, Chottu Ram said some unidentified persons entered his house on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday and took away two gold chains, four gold rings, a gold bangle and four pairs of ear rings.

The complainant claimed that the gold was worth nearly Rs 2 lakhs.

Rampura city police have registered a case under sections 457 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code in this connection and further investigations are on to nab the accused in the case.

Bathinda, August 25
Bathinda will face Faridkot district in its first match of the Punjab State Inter District Championship for Katoch Shield for Group-B to be played at the Police Public School Ground in Bathinda on August 26.

Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has started the senior group tournament in three categories- A, Group-B and Group-C. OD Sharma, convener, Plate Group Tournaments for Group-B and Group-C, said three matches will be played in Bathinda.

The Bathinda-Faridkot match will begin on Monday. Bathinda will face Ropar on September 1-2 and play Kapurthala on September 4-5.

OD Sharma said that a camp comprising 26 probables was organised earlier this month.

All arrangements for stay, refereshment, lunch and ground facilities have been made. Ranjit Bhola has been assigned the duty to prepare the pitch and the ground while Satya Bhushal and Ravi Kohli will be the coach and manager of the Bathinda district team.

Arun Wadhawan, joint secretary, Bathinda and selector, PCA, Mohali, has been assigned the duty to observe all matches to be played in Bathinda and other stations to shortlist the players for the training camp at Mohali, to select the state team.