Bathinda, November 23
Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Sukhbir Singh Badal today claimed that the results of Vidhan Sabha elections in five states would be a clear message of complete deracination of the Congress at the national political scene.

Talking to mediapersons after holding sangat darshans in Bathinda district today, Sukhbir claimed that it would be for the first time in the Indian history that the Congress would get less than 100 seats in a general election.

The Deputy CM was accompanied by Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

“The ruling SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab will win all the 13 Lok Sabha seats as people have witnessed an unprecedented development in the state during the past seven years,” the SAD chief claimed.

He alleged that the wrong economic policies of the Congress-led UPA Government had hit the country’s economy hard. “People are frustrated but they know what they need to do now to save the nation. They are going to throw the UPA Government out of power,” Sukhbir said.

The Deputy CM said the inauguration of a 660-MW unit of the Talwandi Sabo Thermal Power Plant on Monday would give a fillip to the state’s economy besides adding to its power bank. “This power plant will be the first of its kind - hi-tech and non-polluting - in Punjab and will probably be the greenest power plant in the country. The entire power to be generated by the 1980-MW Talwandi Sabo plant will be supplied to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL),” he added.

Referring to the development projects under way in the district, he said the officers concerned had been directed to expedite the works within the stipulated time frame. He added that the sewerage systems, water supply and widening and remodelling of roads and streets at Maur Mandi and Maur Kalan would be taken up on priority.

Replying to a query on the drive to curb smuggling of drugs into Punjab, he reiterated that the Punjab police had been given clear instructions to nab the culprits, howsoever well-connected he may be, and deal such cases with an iron hand.

Also present during the Sangat Darshans were Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav and SSP Gurpreet Singh Bhullar.

Bathinda, November 23
While the state government is busy giving final touches to the preparations for the 4th World Cup Kabaddi, it is yet to offer jobs to the players who participated in the second and third editions of the tournament in the men’s category and brought laurels to the country.

Interestingly, the men’s team had been consistent in its performance and defeated all other teams to win and defend the trophy for three consecutive years.

Only the players who participated in the 1st edition of the World Cup Kabaddi were given jobs by the state government.

A lot of 35 players aspiring to get a berth in the team are practising in Bathinda these days under the guidance of coach Baba Harpreet.

Sukhbir Singh Sarawan, who was part of all the three world cups, said, “All the players who participated in the first world cup were given jobs by the state government.” “I am currently working with the Market Committee in Kotkapura,” said the 31-year-old raider who hails from Faridkot district.

Some players blamed the “slow pace of work” for the delay in job offers. “After we won the world cup, the state government announced that all members of the team will be given government jobs as a token of appreciation for their performance. We were called to Chandigarh and were asked to submit documents. However, we are yet to receive a reply from the Punjab Government,” said Maninder Singh, who was a member of the kabaddi team during the second world cup and is in the race to be part of the team this year too.

Some players expressed their lack of trust in the government’s way of functioning. They said they were waiting to hear about the jobs. “We had spoken to the officials concerned and they told us that the documents of the players were being processed and that the government will announce jobs for them soon. The players were not asked for their choice of departments,” said the coach of the team.

official speak
The government will certainly fulfil the promise it made to the players. Such procedures take time. Anyway, while these players were hardly known earlier, the entire country and the world knows them today. They are earning well from the game.
— Sikander Singh Maluka, Chairman, Punjab Kabaddi Assn

Bathinda, November 23
Randhir Singh and Jagdev Singh today removed their vast collections of coins, medallions, currency notes, stamps, old radios and gramophones and kept them under the table instead of showcasing it for visitors to the 35th Prof Mohan Singh Yaadgari Mela being held at the stadium in Thermal Colony here. They are peeved as the management of the fair did not make proper arrangement for their meals and accommodation.

“We were called here to exhibit our rare collection. However, the management had not arranged for our stay at night and we had to manage on our own. We felt neglected. As a mark of protest, we have removed our collection from the exhibit,” they said.

Currency notes and coins from 170 countries, stamps from 150 countries and coins dating back to 1st century BC apart from earthen, iron, brass and copper utensils and pots are among the most interesting items in 50-year-old Randhir Singh’s collection. This small-time automobile mechanic is no historian or celebrated curator. For the past 15-20 years, he has spent close to Rs 50 lakh on collecting these items from far and wide.

Jagdev Singh, a tailor by profession from Mehta village of the district, boasts of having a 104-year-old gramophone, an 80-year-old radio and rare old music records. He claimed he had spent more than Rs 30 lakh on collecting the rare items.

Collections of both Randhir and Jagdev were on display at the fair yesterday. More than answering queries of visitors, the two had been busy asking them not to touch anything and maintain distance from the tables.

However, today was a different day altogether, as they did not exhibit their collections.

Both the collectors said they had a lot more to show but they did not take their entire collections to all the venues. “The organisers of such fairs invite us to display our collection and make people aware about other countries and their civilizations and cultures. No doubt, we feel happy about displaying what we have collected with such a dedication. However, what bother us the most are the politicians, who appreciate our collection and ask us to keep up the good work but don’t even think of offering some financial help," regretted Jagdev Singh.

“Special guests at such functions do a lip service of promising to honour us. What will we do with a shield and an appreciation letter? We need money to preserve the culture and the rare items. Officials from museums have offered to display our items with our names mentioned as collectors. What will we get out of it?” asked Randhir Singh.

The collectors shared that their hobby was the cause of daily fights between them and their family members. “My wife and children fight with me for wasting so much time and money on collecting these items. We don’t let their words affect us but the government’s apathy pinches us,” said Jagdev.

Wood artisan Harbans Singh from Samalsar village in Moga had brought along his large collection of wooden toys to display at the mela. Harbans, a heart patient, had to stop his work as a carpenter five years ago when he was diagnosed with a heart disease.

“Doctors asked me not to work as it would not be good for my heart. I got bored doing nothing and three years ago, I started using my carpentry skills to make these wooden artefacts. The aim was to make know about the culture and folklores of Punjab. These are not for sale. I don’t expect any kind of help from the state government,” he said.

Bathinda, November 23
Lok Adalats were organised today at District Courts, Bathinda, Sub- Divisional Judicial Courts, Phul, District Consumer Forum, Bathinda and at the Improvement Trust to resolve on the spot disputes between two parties.

Nineteen benches in Bathinda and two each in Rampura and Talwandi Sabo were set up with the help of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) where judicial officers, lawyers and tehsildars settled disputes after hearing the arguments of parties.

The cases at the Lok Adalat related to motor accident claims, criminal compoundable cases, cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, rent, family disputes, domestic violence, civil suits, revenue disputes, telephone, power, banks, water bills, railway and forest departments.

Justice Jitendra Chauhan, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Administrative Judge of Sessions Division, Bathinda, also visited the court to oversee the settlement of cases. Speaking on the occasion, Chauhan said efforts are being made by the respective courts to expedite the process of settling cases of a different nature. He declared that the Lok Adalat is the best alternative to bring down the pendency of cases in the courts.

Nearly 20,000 cases were taken up in the Lok Adalats held in Bathinda Sessions Division since August this year and 17,471 cases have already been disposed of. A sum of Rs. 12,76,59,463 was awarded to the litigants.

A Lok Adalat was also held at the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum where 15 out of 37 cases were settled amicably. Cases related to insurance and banking sector under the Consumer Protection Act were settled in the forum under the supervision of forum president Vikramjit Soni. Meanwhile, people allotted land under various schemes of the Improvement Trust seeking compensation and solution to their different problems too were given a chance to hear their grievances in the office of the Improvement Trust. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla listened to their grievances.

Former Improvement Trust chairman Mohan Lal Garg, former district (urban) president of BJP, Gulshan Wadhwa, BJP general secretary Umesh Sharma, Neeraj Jaura. Vikram Lucky and Madan Lal were among those present.

A farmer displays his bedecked animal during the district-level Pashu Dhan Mela. Photos: Bhupinder Dhillon

Bathinda, November 23
Consistent efforts to make life-size statues using fibre glass sheets helped him in carving out a secure niche for himself in Punjab.

Showcasing a pair of bullocks at Prof Mohan Singh Mela at the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Ground, 42-year-old Manjit Singh Gill of Ghalkalan village in Moga district doesn't remember when he started making life-size statues.

Viewing his efforts towards the art, the Punjab Government offered him the job of a class I officer as art executive-cum-nodal officer, Department of Cultural Affairs, Archaeology and Museum in Chandigarh.

Visitors at the mela failed to move ahead without getting a glimpse of the showpieces put on display by the artist.

"Though I learnt about the professional approach towards the art after completing the four years degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts from GCA (Government College of Arts), Chandigarh and then two years master degree in Master of Fine Arts", Gill said. He topped in the four years sculpture degree.

Head turners: These bedecked animals were a centre of attraction at the district-level Pashu Dhan Mela held in Bathinda on Saturday. Photo: Bhupinder Dhillon

He remembers polishing his art while doing six years of degree where he also learnt the actual use of fibreglass. "The beauty of place gets a facelift wherever they are kept and has little difference from the real life as the high quality raw material is used to make the statues", he said.

Various natural designs of Gill are also in demand for various movie sets of Punjabi and Bollywood producers and directors.

A design of pot and a background made by him was also used in Bollywood movie 'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun'. "The film producers look for me whenever they fail to fit anything else at the movie background. Some designs made by me are also used as background for a TV serial", he said.

He added that it takes a month time to complete one statue, depending upon its size and material to the tune of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 is used in its making.

Gill revealed that his parents have agricultural background his younger sister is international athlete and become Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) in Punjab Police and his elder younger sister is a writer. After trying his hand on a whole lot of postures and size of unending variety of subjects including animals, birds, human beings now Gill says that he now only dreams of making the statues of freedom fighters.

"My house in Ghalkalan village is full of war heroes and freedom fighters including Bhagat Singh, Kartar Sarabha, Chander Shekhar Azad and numerous others. Now I am trying to trace faces which are fast fading out from the memories of our people", he added.

Initially struggling to get a perfect finish in one go but now his hand has got so much of experience that he completes the statue within a limited time period to get the perfect finish. The statues made of fibreglass otherwise costs Rs 50,000 to Rs 2.5 lakhs in the market which are light weight, 100 per cent water and corrosion resistant.

The class one officer, with the help of his younger brother also helps kids knowing the art during summer camps at various places in Punjab.

Bathinda, November 23
Prof Ravinder Bhathal, Sukhwinder Amrit and Mal Singh Rampuri were among the 18 personalities who were honoured with the Prof Mohan Singh Award at a function held at the Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo. They were honoured for their contribution to literature and culture.

Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill, general secretary, Prof Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation and director (planning & development) of the university stated that Prof Ravinder Bhathal enriched Punjabi culture and literature with his creations like 'Kalle Kohan Ton Pare, Pagal Pauna Satran, Ambri Akh' and 'Man Mamti De Mor'.

Sukhwinder Amrit gave as many as seven poetry books on different themes to the literature lovers. Prof Gill also added that she has maintained a continuous pace in her books of poetry from 'Surej Di Dehleej' to 'Neliya Mora Ve.'

Prof Gill stated that the book by Mal Singh Rampuri 'Gajni Ton Rampur' at the age of 85 is not less than a gift to the literature lovers.

Vice-chancellor Dr NS Malhi, chairman Gurlabh Singh Sidhu, president of the Prof Mohan Singh Mela Memorial Foundation Pargat Singh, renowned playwright Ajmer Singh Aulkh and Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill honoured Prof Ravinder Bhathal, Sukhwinder Amrit and Mal Singh Rampuri with the award.

Bathinda, November 23
In association with the Punjab Academy of Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, a competition of static scientific models was conducted at the St Kabir Senior Secondary School here today.

As many as 15 schools from the district participated in the competition. Colonel PAK Reddy from the Bathinda Military Station was present as the chief guest. The general secretary of the Punjab Academy of Science, Jagtar Singh, was also present.

Managing director of the school, ML Arora appreciated the students for their efforts.

While the model presented by the students of Silver Oaks School was adjudged the best, the second place went to the model prepared by students of the host school and the third prize was grabbed by YS School (Barnala). DAV School (Bathinda) and Vasant Valley (Ladda) were given consolation prizes. — TNS