Bathinda, November 20
Demanding adequate supply of subsidised wheat variety HD-2967, farmers accused the state government of being extravagant for the inauguration of World Kabaddi Cup scheduled to take place soon.

The farmers alleged that the state government showed empty coffers when it came to solve their problems, but paid crores to Bollywood actors.

The area under the HD 2967 variety is on the rise since the introduction of this variety two years ago. The variety was introduced in Punjab on trial basis and it is likely to occupy more than 80 per cent the area in the state.

This variety od seeds has been approved by the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) and has also been recommended by Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana. Despite the claims of providing seeds of this wheat variety on subsidised price of Rs 810 for per 40 kg bag, farmers have been forced to purchase the same for Rs 1200 to Rs 1500 for per 40 kg bag from the market. Farmers lamented that they failed to avail the benefits of the subsidy due to the poor advertisement of the schemes and influential farmers.

Agriculture experts said the variety has become popular among farmers due to growth of this variety in different temperature and resistance to various diseases, including the most terrifying yellow rust.

Jagdish Grover, Associate Director, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, admitted that many farmers failed to avail the benefit of scheme. He said the farmers have other options as well.

"The problem is that our farmers follow one another blindly. If a section of farmers claims to reap the benefits of a scheme, the entire farming community runs after him," Grover said. He pointed out that PBW 621 is also equally good and farmers may get almost equal quantity and quality from the variety as well but farmers were prefering the former.

He added that the state government had offered subsidy on all the recommended varieties.

Grover said if the new variety encountered problem then the maximum wheat crop in the state would be affected due to the use of only one variety by a majority of farmers. Had the farmers been choosing a wide variety of seeds, the possibility of damage reduces and other varieties survives survive.

The associate director advised farmers to use different varieties of wheat to avoid a mass damage.

After repeated attempts, I failed to get subsidised HD 2967 variety and purchased the same for Rs 1,150 per 40 kg bag for 12 acres of agricultural land in Khuddian village. Though the government spends money on Bollywood actors and actresses, it has nothing for the farmers and the common man.
Makhan Singh of Khuddian village

The costly wheat seeds sown in 8 acres got damaged due to rains this season and I was forced to purchase this variety by paying through my nose for the rest of the 20 acres . Had there been some kind of subsidy, I would have surely managed to save some money.
Mithu Singh of Lehra Saunda

II was aware of the heavy rush of farmers for the HD 2967 wheat variety as our family members purchased the seeds of the variety for Rs 810 per 40 kg bag, much before the sowing season. We have sown seeds of this variety in 25 acres.
Jagjit Singh of Lehra Saunda

Only the influential farmers manage to avail the benefit of the subsidy and others are forced to purchase the seeds of good varieties by paying extra money.
Amreek Singh, Block president, BKU (Ekta-Ugraha)

There is not much hue and cry for this variety of seeds in our district as compared to the other nearby areas as other crops, including cotton and potato, are cultivated on a considerable part of the agricultural area in Bathinda.
Rajinder Brar, Chief Agriculture Officer

Bathinda, November 20
Members of the Democratic Mid-Day Meal Cook Front, Punjab, got an opportunity to discuss their demands with Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka during a meeting at the office of the Block Development Programme Officer (BDPO). A memorandum of demands was also submitted to him.

The Minister assured them that the scheme would not be handed over to contractors in any other district of the state. He said the matter of ending contractual work would be taken up during a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

On the demand of hike in the salaries of cooks, he said the state government could do little as the scheme was being run by the Central Government and the state government couldn’t make changes. He said the Central Government was forcing the state government to bear some part of financial burden of the scheme and it should be left to the discretion of the states.

He, however, assured them that the state government would work to iron out the hurdles and make sure that the salaries of the cooks were directly transferred to their bank accounts. He said the state government would soon take a decision on the issue of extending insurance benefits to the cooks and they would soon start getting training at the block level.

He said more cooks would soon be recruited in the schools where their number was less. He said school principals and in charges would be held accountable for not being serious in the implementation of the scheme.

Harjinder Kaur, state president of the union, general secretary Mandeep Kaur, Jal Kaur, Sinder Kaur, Sukhwinder Kaur, Sandeep Singh, Kulwant Kaur and Baljit Kaur were also present on the occasion.

Bathinda, November 20
The PSEB Engineers' Association intensified its agitation against the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) for taking "wrong" action against six engineers of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP), Bathinda, in a case of oil starvation in the turbine of unit 3, . The engineers have decided not to cooperate with the department, which may delay the work on the synchronisation of the unit 4 of the plant.During a protest today, the regional secretary of the association, Devinder Goyal, Ashok Arora, Manjit Singh, Rajinder Singla and others said that the engineers were agitating against the adamant attitude of the management and expressed deep anguish over the initiation of a disciplinary action against the officers of the GNDTP for the June 13 incident. They said the private company was the main culprit for the incident.

They said that due to the ongoing agitation, the renovation and modernization (R&M) work of unit 4 was disrupted. "The engineers have decided that work of unit 4 would be done as per the approved scheme without bypassing any protection scheme. Due to this, trial run of auxiliaries is running behind the schedule,"Devinder Goyal said. The engineers said the unit 4, which is scheduled to be synchronised by February next years, might not be synchronised on time, causing heavy losses to the PSPCL. The delay in the the completion of R&M work would affect the target of the government to make the sate power surplus.

The engineers have decided to switch off their mobile phones from 11 am to 2 pm on November 21, November 22 and November 25. They will also hold a gate rally on November 26 at 5 pm in front of the thermal plant gate 6. On November 27, they will switch off their mobiles phones from 11 am to 2 pm. Similarly, a gate rally will be held on November 28 the mobile phones will remain switched off on November 29 from 11 am to 2 pm.

Bathinda, November 20
Health Street Hospitals today observed World COPD Day. A free medical check-up camp was organised at the hospital in which 48 patients with chronic respiratory problems were examined. Computerised lung function tests were also conducted. Chest specialist Dr Mohit Garg delivered lecture in the OPD complex of the hospital.

Patients and others present in the hospital were sensitised on ways to prevent respiratory illness. The foremost was cessation of smoking. Burning of stubble and smoke from industrial units around is also to blame for increase in the chronic respiratory cases in the district, he said. The audience was also made aware of healthy life style ways.

Bathinda, November 20
Observing unfair trade practice on the part of Radcliffe School in Model Town, Phase-II, the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum has directed to refund Rs 26,000, pocketed by the school, to parents of two children.

In a complaint to the forum, Shamil Dhiman, a resident of Model Town, Phase-I, had stated that he paid Rs 13,000, including Rs 12,500 as admission fee, and Rs 500 as registration fee each for his two daughters to be admitted in Class I and in Class Buds.

The complainant said in total he had deposited Rs 26,000 for the admission of his two children in the school. The complainant alleged that the school authorities allured many parents like him to get admission in the school for which he along with others paid the money.

The complainant, however, was told to pay more as monthly fee and Rs 25,000 for the reservation of one seat in the school. The complainant said earlier the school authorities had not informed him about the extra monthly fee and the amount to be paid for the reservation of the seat.

The complainant accused the school authorities of enticing him by first pocketing initial amount, without informing abot the complete fee and then asking for more money. Unable to pay the extra amount, the complainant was forced to get his children admitted in another school. The school authorities stated that they did not fall under the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act. The claim of the opposite party, however, was refuted by the forum and after hearing arguments and claims of both the parties, the forum observed deficiency on the part of the school.

The forum observed that in the garb of allowing admission to the students and to secure seats, the school authorities were charging a hefty fee from innocent parents,.The forum observed that there was no prospectus, handbook of rules and regulations of the school placed on file and there was no admission form or written fee structure that was communicated to the complainant or placed on file.

The forum directed the school to refund the Rs 26,000 along with cost and compensation of Rs 5,000.

Bathinda, November 20
The long-pending development work at the Government Elementary School in Dhobiana Basti will finally see the light of the day with the District Education Officer (Elementary) and SDM visiting the school today.

“There is a chunk of 41 acres of land in Dhobian Basti on which a gurdwara and a school stand. During her sangat darshan, Member of Parliament from Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal had promised the school authorities to upgrade the school. The work had been hanging fire since the gurdwara committee wanted to use the land for expanding its premises,” said SDM Damanjeet Singh Mann.

He added that the supporters of the gurdwara were resisting the development and expansion of the school. He also said he was approached by DEO (Elementary) Dr Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta for resolving the matter.

“I was then directed by the Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda to visit the school and resolve the matter. Today, I told the gurdwara supporters in clear terms that the land belonged to the Municipal Corporation and no one could lay claim to it and that they should refrain from creating hurdles in the development of the school,” he added.

In the name of a building, the school has two rooms and a small office space. Three classes are held in a nearby dharamshala. The students and staff are dependent on a lone tap for drinking water, there is no toilet in the school. The students use the toilets in the dharamshala, the teachers have no option but to go to the nearby homes to relieve themselves.

Bathinda, November 20
The district administration has decided to hold camps creating awareness on importance of linking the Aadhaar cards with bank account numbers for getting domestic LPG subsidy.

At these camps, the bank proformas will be circulated which have to be filled and submitted to the respective gas agencies. On November 21 the camp will be held at village Ramsra and Bangi Ruldu State Bank of Patiala branch. On November 22 it would be held at State Bank of Patiala Civil Line Bathinda and on November 23 at State Bank of Patiala, Lehra Mohabbat branch.

Bathinda, November 20
After the residents of Naruana Road raised voice against the smaller sewer system being laid in their area, the residents of Kamla Nehru Colony have now raised concern over acute drinking water supply and problem of drainage of the rain water.

A delegation of the area residents met Municipal Commissioner Vipul Ujwal and officials of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) demanding that both the facilities need upgradation in the colony.

The Improvement Trust Bathinda had developed the colony in 1981. At that time small pipes with 4 to 6 inches diametres were laid underground to cater the needs of water supply. “Pressure of water was sufficient to meet with our demands till 1995. However, after 32 years, due to increase in the population as well as smaller size of pipes, there are frequent leakages affecting the water supply,” the residents said.

People reasoned that since water was the basic necessity of life, the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) should take an initiative to change the old system laid and augment the capacity of pipes.

The Municipal Commissioner has asked the delegation to meet him again after seven days to discuss the possible solutions.

Amritsar, November 20
In yet another major seizure, the narcotic cell of the city police today arrested two notorious bootleggers and confiscated around 6,000 litres of alcohol used in manufacturing illicit liquor.

They were identified as Rashpal Singh, alias Bodu of Jethuwal village, and Sapinder Singh, alias Shinda of Rampura village. The police have seized 30 drums in which the alcohol was kept besides impounding the Canter ( PB-08BA-temp-5708).

Kuldeep Singh, in charge, narcotic cell, said the accused were held from near Paradise Colony, located on Shershah Suri Road, Chheharta. They were involved in the smuggling of alcohol in the city area for a long time. Sapinder Singh was earlier arrested by the Maqboolpura police in May this year for possessing nine drums of alcohol. He was currently out on bail.

He said interrogation was under progress to identify the main suppliers of alcohol to them.

Amritsar, November 20
Though the Municipal Corporation (MC) has set a target for recovery of property tax from residents, authorities have failed to mobilise manpower and plan the task with a clear strategy to achieve the target. The last date of depositing the property tax with 10 per cent rebate is November 30.

While the MC's drive to collect the property tax has been gathering steam, it is also facing a tough time to convince the residents especially those owning commercial establishments to pay their dues within a stipulated time frame.

Its drive has met with a lukewarm response as the residents apparently expect further decline in charges if constant amendments in the tax realisation criteria by the Ministry of Local Bodies is anything to go by.

The tax which was calculated according to the prevailing collectorate rate, about 15 per cent at one point of time, it was further reduced to 7.5 per cent, followed by another decline of 3 per cent.

Similarly, for commercial rental properties, the property tax was reduced to just half i.e. from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. Now, it has been viewed that it may further nose dive up to one and a half per cent.

Confirming it, the Property Tax Nodal Officer, Rajinder Sharma, said the residents had been anticipating a further decline in the tax structure, which may or may not happen.

"There is still no official confirmation about the commercial rental property tax going down further, yet rumours abound that it will be just half of the prevailing criteria," he said.

Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora endorsed that it was one of the factors that residents behind residents being a bit shy of clearing their dues, as has been done in commercial cases but still the response from the residential units could not be termed as lukewarm.

"Today, we collected around Rs 17 lakh as property tax. From the commercial angle, it was unexpectedly low. The residents should not refrain from paying this miniscule amount which, too would be used back for their welfare only.

The proprietor of the property is provided with a form which is self-assessed by him only, just on the pattern income tax return is filed.

Nonetheless, even as the MC has tried to sensitise residents about depositing their property tax, applicable in the state from April 1, 2013, yet the pace with which the tax collection is pouring in, it may not achieve recovering full recovery by the stipulated period i.e. November 30.

Amritsar, November 20
Close on the heels of a robbery instance in which an employee of a cloth trader was shot dead in the Khilchian area falling under the Amritsar rural police district, another looting incident has come to the fore in which a shopkeeper was robbed by armed youths in Ajnala here.

The victim, Ashwani Kumar Mehta, a resident of Navi Abadi, Ajnala, told the police that the four youths were armed with sharp-edged weapons and they took away Rs 45,000 from the locker. Mehta runs a paint and plywood shop at Chamiari road in Ajnala.

He told the police that around 2 pm, the robbers who were in the age group of 25 or 26, two looters barged into the shop and attacked him and his father, Yashpal Mehta. He said his cousin, Pawan Kumar, also reached the place after listening to the quarrel. Later, two more youths entered the shop and broke the lockers before taking away the amount. Ashwani, his father, Yashpal, and cousin, Pawan, sustained injuries in the incident.

Sohan Singh, DSP, Ajnala, said the Ajnala police had registered a case under Sections 382, 323 and 34, IPC, in this regard. Investigations revealed that Ashwani’s neighbour, Krishna Kumari, who is a member of a temple committee, had withdrawn the amount from a bank and given it to Ashwani for keeping it.

He said further investigations were being carried out to identify the accused.

This is the second incident in the past one week in which a trader has been targeted by robbers. On November 15, three robbers had barged into a cloth trader's shop in a bid to rob him in the Khilchian area. They shot an employee of the shop dead. One of the accused was caught hold of by the shopkeeper and his employees on the spot while two of his accomplices slipped away. They were later arrested by the police.

Amritsar, November 20
A government school teacher was injured when two motorcycle-borne youths snatched her purse while she was returning home at Jujhar Avenue. She was going on foot when the incident took place.

Dimple Kaul, a resident of Max city colony, Jujhar Avenue, stated to the police that last evening when she reached near Flower School, two unidentified youths came from behind and snatched her purse. She resisted their attempt, but she fell on the road and was dragged by the accused. She sustained injuries on her legs and waist. She said she had a mobile and Rs 5,000 in cash in her purse. Varinder Kumar, investigating officer, said a case under Sections 382, 323 and 34, IPC, had been registered while further probe was underway to identify the offenders. —TNS

Amritsar, November 20
Guru Nanak Dev University will celebrate its 44th Foundation Day on November 24 at various venues on the university campus. Various affiliated colleges, constituent colleges will display their articrafts for the folklore exhibition to mark the occasion.

The Registrar, Dr Inderjit Singh, said NN Vohra, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Prof Rattan Singh Jaggi, Professor Emeritus, Punjabi University, Patiala, and Prof Deepak Pental, Director, Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, Delhi University (South Campus), Delhi, and former Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University, will deliver academic lectures in the Guru Nanak Bhawan Auditorium of the university on the occasion. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ajaib Singh Brar, would preside over.

The celebrations will start with Bhog Sri Akhand Path at the university gurdwara followed by Shabad Kirtan that will be recited by Hazoori Ragis from Sri Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar. An exhibition of a painting contest and folklore will also be organised at various venues.

This year the main attraction will be a special exhibition of rare books, manuscripts and photographs on the freedom movement in Punjab. It will be organised by Bhai Gurdas Library of the university. A bibliography along with biographies of some freedom fighters prepared by Bhai Gurdas Library in Punjabi, Hindi and English will also be released.

Bathinda, November 20
Speed, strength, endurance, foot work, neuro-muscle coordination and reaction time - these are the terms that are ringing in the ears of the 35 male kabaddi players who are part of the Indian training camp for the 4th World Cup Kabaddi. The camp, which is going on at the Thermal Stadium in Bathinda, is buzz with energy and enthusiasm as the players are determined to defend the title.

Although the final team will be announced in a week’s time, all the players are trying their best to get a berth in the team. “As many as 250 aspirants had participated in the trials out of which we selected the top 35 through a transparent process. By November 27-28, we will prepare a list of the selected players,” says coach Baba Harpreet.

Tall, lanky and with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, the youngest player in the camp is Gurjivan Singh. The 21-year-old hails from Ludhiana and is a BA-I student. “I have been a kabaddi player for more than four years now. Throughout my school days, I was more interested in sports and less in academics,” he says. “Although this is the first time I have been chosen for the national camp, I would like to be a part of the team and help it defend the title,” he adds. Sukhbir Singh Sarawan, with an imposing built, proudly states that he has been part of the team for all the last three world cups. He even led the team to victory in two of the three world cups. Although he is confident that he will be selected for the team this time too, he must be crossing his fingers.

The Sports Department spends Rs 500 on the diet of every player daily. Though the mess where meals are prepared for the players is lagging in hygiene, the menu has been chalked out keeping in mind the nutritional needs of the players.

For breakfast, the players get stuffed paranthas, curd, boiled eggs, milk, an apple and three bananas. Alternatively, they are also offered bread-omelette or porridge.

For lunch, vegetables, rice, roti, salad and raita is prepared. For dinner, while chicken is prepared four days a week, one day is kept for mutton. Vegetarian players relish a cheese apart from roti, daal, vegetable and salad.

Bathinda, November 20
The district administration and the district sports department geared up to host the national school games, which will begin on November 28. Competitions for hockey, boxing, circle kabaddi, netball and basketball will be held.

A meeting to review the arrangements for the same was convened by Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda, Kamal Kishore Yadav. He exhorted the schools to make sure that the students and staff members are present in a large number at the sports venues to watch the matches and motivate the players.

He also asked the heads of various departments concerned to make sure that the arrangements are made before the national games open on November 28. He also directed the Mandi Board officials to give final touches to the development work at the astro turf hockey stadium at Government Rajindra College and clean the premises before the opening ceremony.

He said the responsibility of transportation of the players from one venue to the other would lie with the district transport department. He also directed officials to make arrangement for the security of the players at the venues and their accommodation. He also asked the health department officials to make sure that a medical team and an ambulance are present at all the venues.

While the hockey competitions will be held at the astro turf hockey stadium, Malwa College and Sports School in Ghudda, boxing, circle kabaddi and netball competitions at St Xavier’s School. Basketball competitions will be held at the Khalsa School, Police Public School, Delhi Public School and Giani Zail Singh PTU Campus.