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Beti Bachao campaign
Deputy CM: Mini zoo-cum-deer safari to be developed as tourist destination
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‘State govt to generate more jobs’
Punjabi varsity to introduce semester system in BA
VVIP cavalcade results in inconvenience to commuters
Procuring drugs is like buying death, say addicts
BJP flayed for cancelling Jagraon rally
combating fog
School timings changed
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Help fight foeticide, get rewarded
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, December 18 This was stated by the Civil Surgeon, Dr Ajay Sahni, while addressing a district-level workshop on Beti Bachao campaign held today. Dr Ajay Sahni said, “The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act 1994 was carved out to ensure that neither the sex determination of unborn child is conducted nor gender preference abortions are done. In Bathinda, 70 ultrasound and scan centres are registered with the office of the civil surgeon.” He claimed that these centres are regularly checked. Speaking about the Balri Rakshak Yojana, he said those opting for family planning after the birth of one or two daughters are given Rs 500 for every daughter per month till the the child turns 18 years of age. “Under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana, any girl child up to the age of five years is treated free of cost,” he said. The chief guest at the occasion was the chairman of the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA), Varinder Kumar Sharma while district attorney Iqbal Kingra was the guest of honour. Appreciating the efforts of the Health Department, Varinder Sharma said such functions should also be held at the village level to create awareness at the grass-root level. Assistant civil surgeon Dr Kundan K Pal welcomed the guests. In his address, Dr Kundan called upon people to consider sons and daughters as equal and expressed concern over the dwindling sex ratio. He said, “The sex determination of unborn child is an offence.” District Family Planning and Welfare Officer Dr Ravanjit Kaur Brar presented a detailed report on actions being taken under the PNDT Act. She said, “Under the Balri Rakshak Yojana, the couple whose first child is a female and has twins in the second delivery, is also covered under the scheme. At the same time, the couples having first twin daughters and later one or more daughters in second delivery, are not entitled to get any benefit.” Brahmkumari Rupinder delivered a lecture on the religious significance of girl child. Principal of Swami Vivekanand College Raj Gupta said it was important to curb the female feticide. Managing director of Mahant Gurbanta Dass College Dilbagh Singh said the campaign should be given an impetus by involving each and every expectant mother in it. The students of the ANM Training School presented a choreography and giddha creating awareness about the Beti Bachao campaign. Students Veerpal, Khushboo and Amrit presented poems, while volunteers of the Lok Kala Manch presented a street play. Sarpanches of the ten villages, who have registered an improved sex-ratio in the age-group of 0-6 years, were also honoured at the event. These included sarpanches of Sangat block, Kotguru village; Bhagta block, Salabatpura village; Goniana block, Multania village; Bhagu, Karamgarh Chhatran and Jodhpur Romana, Nathana block, Poohla village, Talwandi Sabo block, Lelewala II village, Swaich and Chanarthal. The district-level winners of the essay writing, slogan writing and poster-making competitions were also honored. Media officer Usha Singla and deputy media officer Harjinder Kaur organised an exhibition highlighting the Beti Bachao campaign.
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Deputy CM: Mini zoo-cum-deer safari to be developed as tourist destination
Bathinda, December 18 While interacting with the media after inaugurating the mini zoo- cum-deer safari he said the government was contemplating to develop this belt of Malwa region as an important tourist destination with main attraction deer safari. He said that different species of deer and zebra would be brought in the zoo besides other wild animals. This zoo would also be developed as an education centre helpful for the students undergoing higher zoological studies. In the next phase, the tiger safari would be introduced in mini zoo and a toy train would also be another attraction for children. In order to ensure all the basic necessities to animals within the walled area of the zoo, the government claims to have spent Rs 10 crore. Besides, this interpretation centre, inspection bungalow and a veterinary hospital within the zoo premises are also being set up. Landscaped park would have a garden in an area of 30,000 sq ft. Big cages spread over 50,000 sq ft, storage capacity of 2,000 sq m for the feed of the animals and 22,000 sq m passages are also being developed. Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla, MLA Darshan Singh Kotfatta, Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav, District Police Chief Gurpreet Singh Bhullar. |
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‘State govt to generate more jobs’
Bathinda, December 18 He said, "The internationally-acclaimed Cargill Company is setting up its maize processing unit in Bathinda which would boost the industrial growth in the state." Accompanied by his wife and the MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal during his sangat darshan at Kotshamir, the deputy CM said the state government has come out with an extensive plan to develop industry in the state in a big way. "At the recently concluded Progressive Punjab Investors' Meet, a large number of top business tycoons from India and abroad turned up and expressed keen desire to invest in Punjab. About 117 MoUs worth Rs 65,000 crore were also signed on the occasion," he said. He also took the opportunity to hail "Modi charisma" and stated that it would crush the Congress-led NDA government at the Centre. Referring to the undue delay in the inauguration of the Bhisiana Domestic Airport, he said the Bathinda MP had been in constant touch with the Ministry of Civil Aviation but the Union Government was deliberately delaying various key projects in Punjab. Talking about the newly-passed Lok Pal Bill by the Parliament to eradicate corruption, he impressed upon for the administrative reforms in the whole country on the lines of
the Punjab Right to Service Act. He said passing the Lok Pal Bill would not be enough to curb corruption. "We have to make sure the minimum physical interaction between the common man and officials through administrative reforms," he said. He also announced a grant of Rs 7 crore to ensure construction of streets and provision of drinking water. He also directed the officials to complete the whole project within the next two months. He also announced a grant of Rs 15 lakh for the development of the sports stadium at Kot
Shamir. grants
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Punjabi varsity to introduce semester system in BA
Bathinda, December 18 The semester system would essentially mean that instead of studying for the whole year and appearing for the examinations at the end of the academic session, students will appear for examinations at the end of every semester, which would be six months long. Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, principal of the Government Rajindra College, Vijay Kumar Goyal, said: "Although we are yet to receive any official confirmation from the Punjabi University regarding the semester system, we got the news. If the university introduces semester system, it would
prove beneficial to the students." The university had introduced the semester system to all its commerce and science courses beginning the academic session 2013-14 and is now planning to extend it to all the humanities courses in its 236 affiliated colleges. According to sources in the university, the university has already reconstructed the syllabus pattern according to the new pattern. The new system would be introduced in the constituent colleges of the university first and then to all its affiliated colleges. The announcement brings double treat for the students as while the burden of syllabus for each examination will lighten, the system would also ensure higher percentage of marks. Students of Rajindra College opined that the system would be a boon for those who would take admissions beginning next year. However, the semester system would also mean that the students will get lesser number of days off from college. While in annual system, classes are suspended for over a month after the examinations, in the new system, classes for the next semester would resume soon after the examinations for the earlier semester would get over. The system would also augur good news for the staff hired by the colleges on contractual basis. While in the annual system, the colleges used to relieve the contractual staff after the examinations and then renew their contract in the beginning of the nest academic session, the semester system would ensure continuity in their service. |
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Bank staff hold strike, demand early wage revision
Bathinda, December 18 MM Behl, district convener All India Bank Officer Confederation, said the non-performing asset (NPA) of the banks in country was Rs 1.6 lakh which constitutes the amount wherein loans lent have not been recovered. In 2012-13 banks, the public sector banks earned Rs 93,000 crore profit. However, the government deducted Rs 43,000 crore for writing off the NPA. Hence, the profit of public sector banks was shown at Rs 50,000 crore. "Interpreting this plea in a wrong manner, the union government now says that public sector banks are not performing well and hence its employees cannot be given the salary raise they demand," said Behl. The government has proposed only five per cent salary increase for the fiscal year 2013-14, which the banking unions have promptly rejected. Bank staff said, "Action should be taken against those banks that are not performing well. The good performers should not be harmed." The United Forum of Banking Unions comprises of All India Banking Employees Association, National Confederation Of Bank Employees, Bank Employees Federation of India, All India Bank Officers Confederation and All India Bank Officers Association. |
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VVIP cavalcade results in inconvenience to commuters
Bathinda, December 18 The police officials were deployed at all the intersections from Mansa road flyover near police lines, Civil Hospital up to Government Rajindra College bus stand. Some commuters entered into heated arguments while others fumed and took a long turn to reach their desired destinations by crossing the road from a far-off intersection. "A police official asked me in a rude manner not to take a right turn to reach my home in Model Town Phase-I,” said Varinder Sidhu, a lecturer. Sidhu was suffering from fever and was eager to reach home to administer medicine. "I was ordered to move ahead and not take a turn any turns in view of deputy CM's cavalcade. It's nothing but the deputy CM's wish to show their importance by passing through every road without any hurdles," said a local resident, Joginder. A section of residents alleged that the police officials violate norms by blocking roads, forcing commuters to take long routes whenever any of the Badal family members has to passes through the city roads. |
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An eventful year for city residents
Nikhila Pant Dhawan Tribune News Service
Bathinda, December 18 The actress danced her way to everyone’s heart as she performed on ‘Desi Girl’, ‘Jai Ganesha Deva’ and ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’ numbers to a packed Multipurpose Sports Stadium and left the city asking for more. The city’s brush with film industry didn’t begin and end with Priyanka’s moves. Actor-singers Gippy Grewal, Jazzy B, Sherry Mann, Jimmy Shergill, Diljit Dosanjh, and actresses Neeru Bajwa, Anjana Sukhani, Preeti Jhangiani, Simran Kaur Mundi and several others visited the city to promote their films. The year began with good news for the city as one of its boys made it large on a singing reality show on the television. Jazim Sharma, a 22-year-old youth, made it to the top 5 slot of the show SaReGaMaPa and was also given the title of ‘Shehzada-e-Ghazal’ by the guests on the show. Another lad from the city, 19-year-old Nirvair Singh, became not only the youngest contestant photography reality show, Mission Covershot, on the National Geographic Channel but also won it. Natyam Theatre Group once again gave a generous dose of theatre to the city residents during its theatre festival hosted in March and October. Plays taking a dig at the way the government works and the employees in government offices work remained the highlights of both the festivals. The festivals also brought the audience closer to some events of historical importance such as the Ghadar Movement. With its repertoire of trapeze artistes, magicians, jugglers, foreign artistes and animals, the Bombay Circus set shop in the city in April and entertained the audience for a month before moving on. Prof Mohan Singh Mela, with its exhibits of life-size statues, collections of rare stamps, coins and earthen and metal wares dating back to early civilisations attracted the city dwellers. Sufi singer Kanwar Grewal enthralled the audience with his musical performance on the concluding day of the two-day event. A pinch of glamour was added to the already full platter of culture and entertainment in the city. Owners of the lifestyle store, Kapsons, made sure that they launched their bigger and better new store in the city with style. Foreign models sashayed down the ramp wearing some items from the autumn/winter collection available at the store during a fashion show organised at the store.
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Procuring drugs is like buying death, say addicts
Bathinda, December 18 A weekly programme, all the addicts undergoing treatment at the centre, is given counselling and medicines every Wednesday. Talking candidly with the officials at the centre about addiction, an addict from Chugge Kalan said he took 1.5 kg poppy husk coupled with medicines as drugs. “My father is a teetotaller. Despite this, falling under peer pressure, I took to consuming drugs. I have spent the most fruitful years of my life abusing my body and giving pain to my parents. Now I want to quit,”
he said. Addicts from Amarpura Bastik, who consume synthetic drugs, said though they wanted to kick the habit easy availability of drugs was the biggest deterrent factor. “A combination of medicines with a cup of tea is priced at Rs 350. All kinds of medicines, abused as drugs, are easily available with the peddlers. Though, due to ban imposed, these drugs are out of our reach from the chemists shop, yet there is no check on the peddlers,” confided one of them. Addicts from Bathinda city and nearby areas said the Bir Talab and Bir Behman villages were the most notorious ones where every kind of drug was easily available. “It is a den of drug addicts and peddlers. When we know so much about the drug availability, we wonder how police are not aware of it? The police should take some stern action so that youngsters like us are saved from meeting disastrous end,” added another addict. The addicts feel that addiction begins in the family. When a son sees his father consuming liquor, he is bound to follow the suite. The father sets a wrong example and by the time he realises his mistake, it has already been too late. A woman had come to the centre seeking medicine for her husband who was addicted to poppy husk. Baljinder Singh, in-charge of the centre, said most of the patients coming for reform were the ones who had turned pauper due to addiction or had lost their family support due to the habit. |
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BJP flayed for cancelling Jagraon rally
Bathinda, December 18 “The rally was to be addressed by Narendra Modi and the BJP did the wise thing to cancel the rally after it realised that the rally would be a flop show,” Jassi said, during a meeting of party workers here today. He said people of the state would have boycotted the rally as they had seen the real face of the
SAD-BJP government in the state. He said if the party had been serious towards development of the state and progress of its people, it wouldn’t have burdened the public with heavy taxes to fill its coffers. He said the people in Punjab dislike BJP for the way it had uprooted the Punjabis settled in Gujarat. — TNS |
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NGO to distribute reflectors
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, December 18 With the help of the district traffic police, the NGO will distribute 5,000 reflector stickers. The NGO appealed to the people to avoid travelling in the dark hours. "If travelling is must, one should follow the white strip on road and the vehicle's speed should be kept low," Maheshwari said.
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St Xavier’s High School holds alumni meet
Bathinda, December 18 As a gesture of their gratitude to their teachers’ contribution to their success in their professional lives, the former students of the school felicitated the teachers who attended the meet. The students, who are working in diverse fields in the city and other parts of the country shared memories of the days that they spent in the school. |
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School timings changed
Bathinda, December 18 He announced that from Thursday, the timing of the primary schools would be 10am to 3pm while that of the high and senior secondary schools would be 9:54am to 3:45pm. |
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