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Pvt bus operators continue stir
Private bus operators block the area outside the bus stand by parking their vehicles on the road in Bathinda on Thursday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma
Frost adversely affects potato crop, harsh weather likely for another 12 days
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Floriculture hit by freezing temperature
Tobacco continues to kill in smoke-free Bathinda
A doctor counsels a patient suffering from a tobacco related disease in Bathinda. A Tribune photograph
Sangat Darshan held at Talwandi Sabo
Workshop on pulse polio organised
PSHRC member visits city
Surrey MP to visit GKU
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Pvt bus operators continue stir
Bathinda, January 2 President of the Mini Buses Operators Union Baltej Singh said the bus operators would not let their vehicles enter the bus stand premises and would not pay the adda fees till the Punjab Motor Union gave a call to discontinue it. For the whole day, commuters got stuck up in traffic that moved at snail’s pace creating problems for everyone travelling on the GT Road. In Bathinda, the PRTC has given the contract for collecting adda fees to a firm. The average daily collection of the adda fees is Rs 17,000, which the contractor has lost due to the protest. However, in the times of such stir, the contractor claims waive off for the loss from the PRTC and ultimately the PRTC will have to bear it. |
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Frost adversely affects potato crop, harsh weather likely for another 12 days
Bathinda, January 2 Rampura-based potato grower Darshan Sidhu said the late sown potato varieties are the worst affected. “Though, the occasional sunshine during the day brings some respite, the ground frost is doing considerable damage to the early sown varieties,” Sidhu said. Another farmer said this time they would only be able to get their input costs as compared to the last year’s nearly 200 quintal production per hectare. Punjab is a major potato seed producer in the country. Goniana-based farmer Jagtar Brar said nearly 80 per cent of the total seed of the country is provided by Punjab. Officials of the Punjab Horticulture Department said the maximum area under potato in Punjab was in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala. Farmers in Punjab grow 7 to 8 kinds of varieties. They expect nearly 21 lakh metric tonne production of potato in Punjab this year. Jagtar Brar laments that the political leaders at the helm of affairs make loud promises to bring crop diversification, practically there was hardly anything done for the farmers. Demanding 24 hour power supply during this winter season, Brar said lack of uninterrupted power supply forced farmers like him to spend Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 on diesel every day. Expressing similar views, potato growers in Rampura said they got panicked after the Powercom officials announced to release power on alternate days. “We ran from pillar to post and met the senior Powercom officials and apprised them of the ground realities. Thereafter, we got the assurance of power supply during the day. Earlier, they passed arbitrary orders of providing electricity during night hours only,” Sidhu said. Potato growers alleged the tall claims of the state and Central government to provide weather related information beforehand was all farce. “All the information at our websites proved wrong and now we depend on a few foreign websites to check forecast,” said Jagtar Brar, a potato grower. Most of the potato grown in Brar’s farm is for seed purpose for which the input cost is too high. As per these websites, similar cold conditions would prevail in Bathinda for the next 10 to 12 days, he said. He pointed out that the weather in Uttar Pradesh, which contributes nearly 35 per cent of the total potato production of the country, is clear. |
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Floriculture hit by freezing temperature
Bathinda, January 2 Director, Horticulture Department, Karnail Singh, said rains had brought some respite from the frost and the situation was improving. He said the progressive farmers using flower as a commercial crop had sown flowers under net farming and in polyhouses, which were not affected much. The flower which was available for Rs 40 to Rs 60 per kg a few days ago has now crossed Rs 100 per kg. Out of the total 2,110 hectares in Punjab, the Patiala district has got the maximum 315 hectares area under floriculture. Bathinda has 17 hectares under flower cultivation and it produces 125 metric tonne seed every year. “Though frost affects the tender crop of flowers every year, this time the damage is severe. Farmers, who adopted net farming managed to save their flowers,” said Kanwarpal Singh Lali of Bathinda. Lali has been growing flowers for the past two years and his crop in two and a half acres got worn out due to frost. Another farmer Dev Satya at Dabwali road said his flowers worth more than Rs 1 lakh got worn out due to immense frost this season. Horticulture Department officials say Punjab produces 10,377 metric tonnes of different flower seeds every year. Apart from marigold, flowers like gladiolus, marigold, chrysanthemum, rose, gerbera, tuberose and motia are also grown in various districts of Punjab. |
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Tobacco continues to kill in smoke-free Bathinda
Bathinda, January 2 Despite being constantly informed about the debilitating effects of the usage of tobacco or its products, smokers and tobacco products users continue to revel in puffing away or chewing their way to cancer. 45-year-old Gurmail Singh from Pitho village had been taking gutka since the age of 35 years. In late September last year, he had a small ulcer in mouth and was diagnosed of suffering from cancer of buccal mucosa. After spending Rs 3 lakh, he underwent a surgery at a Ludhiana hospital and now undergoing treatment at Max Superspeciality Hospital. “I started chewing gutka just to have an experiment with a new product that our farm hands used to take. I never knew, I would end up with the most dreaded disease,” said Gurmail, who is unable to speak, drink and eat properly. The treatment therapy has blackened the left side of his face, which is expected to turn normal, six months after his treatment is over. Having undergone immense pain, Gurmail has been able to motivate his young farm hands to quit gutka usage. “However, my elder brother continues to take gutka despite repeated warnings. I know what is in store for him,” said Gurmail. Similarly, 51-year-old Harbhahajan Singh from Fazilka has puffed beedis and cigarettes for 15 to 16 years. Today, he is undergoing treatment for cancer at Max Hospital. “Though, I have quit smoking, I want all others to do the same. Whenever I see a smoker, I do not hesitate to approach him and try to persuade him to give up this habit,” he added. ENT specialist at Max Hospital, the hospital empanelled under Punjab CM Relief Fund for Cancer Patients, Dr Rohit Goyal said the tobacco primarily causes cancer of the larynx (voice box), lungs, buccal mucosa and tonsils. “Ailment may begin as a small ulcer and develop into cancer later. It is one of the most painful cancers. Despite aggressive campaign advocating against the use of tobacco and its products, the current users don’t want to give it up,” he said. Radiotherapist Dr Majinder Sidhu said though, with the advent of technologies and better health facilities, the treatment for cancer had improved, the emphasis should be on prevention. “Not to smoke or use tobacco is an awakening from within. We should be strong-minded individuals to prevent it,” he said. |
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Sangat Darshan held at Talwandi Sabo
Bathinda, December 2 While addressing the people, the CM exhorted the people to rout the Congress from power at the Centre. He said the Congress party was the mother of all social ills faced by the country whether it was unemployment, corruption, illiteracy or poverty. In her address, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the government has failed the countrymen due to which the electorate has made up its mind to defeat the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls. She said the Congress vice-president, Rahul Gandhi, was not aware of the problems faced by the people as he had never gone among them. She said the attendance of the Nehru-Gandhi scion in the Lok Sabha was below 50 per cent and added that if an MP did not attend the sessions of Parliament, then how could he be expected solve the problems of the people. She said no stone would be left unturned to provide better civic amenities to the residents of Talwandi Sabo, adding that till now, Rs 250 crore has been spent on the development of this historic town. Akali leader Balbir Singh Sidhu, Special Principal Secretary to the CM KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav accompanied Badal. Later, paying floral tributes to former Union Minister Dhanna Singh Gulshan, the Chief Minister described him as a great philanthropist and an educationist who played a pivotal role in spreading education amongst the weaker and disadvantaged sections of society in the region. He said that Gulshan rendered selfless service to uplift the condition of the poor sections of the region. Badal also lauded the Lok Sabha MP Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan for carrying forward the legacy of her father by serving the people. Dy CM holds sangat darshan at Rama Mandi
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh
Badal, along with Harsimrat Kaur Badal today held a sangat darshan at Rama
Mandi. He asserted that there would be development in the state and it would witness unprecedented and complete transformation of rural and urban areas in the next two
years. Ttalking about the development projects in the district he said more than 80 per cent works had been completed and they had directed the administration and authorities concerned to expedite the remaining ones for the facilitation of general masses. He said the beneficiaries could avail
shagun, scholarships for meritorious students, atta-daal, pension scheme, ashirwad scheme etc and if they faced any difficulty they could directly approach head of the respective departments or Deputy Commissioners in this regard. He also assured public that pending development of roads, streets and streetlights would be completed in few months at Rama
Mandi. |
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Workshop on pulse polio organised
Bathinda, January 2 He said the need of the hour was to identify a risk area and to focus on it for routine immunisation also. In every block, senior medical officer and supervisor should have a list of high risk area so that these could be covered easily. The supervisor and vaccinator working under the campaign should be properly trained. At least 40 to 50 trainees should be present in each batch. Every high risk area should be marked in micro plan made for the campaign, which should include list of number of children and number of households. He said the employees conducting survey should mark the resident of a particular house as permanent or temporary. He also elaborated about filling information in each of the proforma. District immunisation officer Dr Rakesh Goyal said a meeting of school teachers would be conducted to sensitise them on ensuring that every child in 0 to 5 years of age group around them was administered the polio vaccine. Civil Surgeon Dr Ajay Sahni said in the year 2014, India would be polio free. He appealed the district residents to ensure that their children were given the polio vaccine. |
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The private bus operators continued their protest for the second consecutive day today against the state government by not plying their buses from inside the premises of the bus stand.
Bathinda, January 2
Farmers said flowers were in demand only during this festive and marriage season. The shortage of flowers has increased their prices, which affect growers and buyers, but the middlemen are minting money by raising prices.