Bathinda, January 6
In protest against the “politically-motivated” transfer of teacher Daulat Singh, ETT teachers employed with the schools under the Panchayati Raj assembled at the Zila Parishad office here today.

The teachers, under the leadership of their district president Gurmukh Singh Nathana and general secretary Yamandeep Sharma, protested against Singh’s transfer and demanded its reversal.

Acting on a tip-off that the teachers were planning to stage a dharna, a large number of police personnel had been stationed to contain the extent of the protest. The teachers, who started assembling post afternoon, raised slogans against the state government. They also submitted their memorandum of demands, addressed to the ADC (D), at the Zila Parishad office.

Elaborating Daulat Singh’s transfer case, Jagsir Singh Sahota said Singh had become a scapegoat because he was honest in his work. Sahota added that Singh wanted to spend the grant received by the school judiciously and as per rules, but this didn’t go well with the sarpanch of the village, who got the teacher transferred.

Other leaders stated that an enquiry had been conducted into the matter, which gave a clean chit to Daulat Singh, but still his transfer orders were not stayed. They also alleged that Singh was transferred after a few politicians passed orders for the same.

The teachers said that they would not bow down to pressure this time. They added that in case the government didn’t heed their demand, they would intensify their agitation against the state government and the Education Department.

Bhupinder Maiserkhana, Ram Brar, Gurpreet Khemuana, Manjinder Bhullar, Bhola Ram, Gurwinder Paliwal, Chanrajit Sivian, Arwinder and other activists of the union were also present at the dharna.

Bathinda, January 6
Government Polytechnic College for Girls, Ludhiana, has got the maximum grant of Rs 1.70 crore from the Central Government for upgrading the existing laboratories and workshops in the polytechnics of Punjab.

After more than 15 years of installation, the obsolete equipment and machinery in labs and workshops in 17 polytechnic colleges of Punjab will be replaced with modern equipments with up to Rs 2 crore grant for each college from the Central Government.

Apart from the electronic machinery, furniture items and books have also been finalised and are being sent for the final approval. With the introduction of new courses and changing syllabus, the students have been craving for modern equipment, machines and books from a long time.

This is the first major upgrade in the past over 15 years in Punjab polytechnics.

Additional director of Technical Education Mohanbir Singh said the first phase of the process of obtaining the machinery by floating tenders was almost complete and the polytechnics would soon start getting the desired equipment.

The proposals of all the polytechnics have been approved by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), New Delhi, after being vetted by National Institute of Technical Training and Research (NITTTR), Chandigarh.

The tenders for the procurement of computers, software and electronics equipment are published on Punjab InfoTech e-procurement web portal.

Mohanbir Singh said the tenders for the procurement of mechanical, electrical, pharmacy, chemical lab equipment had also been approved by the competent authority and would be published soon.

“Requirement of machinery and other gadgets from polytechnic institutes was received by the department and now the same will be delivered accordingly,” Mohanbir said.

He added the process of purchase through tenders was done in a transparent manner through e-tendering, wherein contractors at far off places like Chennai also applied.

“The process of major up-gradation in laboratories and workshops is being done after around 15-20 years. With change in the pattern of studies, these machines and equipments will improve the technical expertise of the students,” said principal of Government Polytechnic College, Yadvinder Singh.

The process of up-gradation is being done under the scheme of submission on polytechnics under the coordinated action for skill development.

The respective principals of the polytechnic institutes of Punjab submitted the list of machinery or equipment as per the proposal submitted to the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Apart from labs and workshop upgrade, six government polytechnics will also get a grant of Rs 8 crore each for civil works including expansion of building infrastructure.

Bathinda Polytechnic College is also one of these, which is getting this grant collectively from the state and the Central Government. The building plan is being sent for approval after technical vetting through B&R Department. 

Bathinda, January 6
Miffed by the increasing number of allegations about illegal cell phone towers coming up in the city, the MCB today released a list of the 168 legal mobile towers installed in the city.

Municipal commissioner Vipul Ujwal said the toll free number for registration of any complaint was-- 1800-180-2626. Assistant corporation engineer Gurpreet Singh has been appointed as the nodal officer for these towers. He can be contacted at 9316900004.

Ujwal reasoned that while allowing the installation of mobile towers, the state government guidelines were followed. The corporation will soon upload the list of legal cell phone towers in the city on its website www.mcbathinda.com. — TNS

Bathinda, January 6
A team from the School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, today visited the Bathinda Civil Hospital as a part of the ongoing exercise to review the work.

Team members Dr Preeti Thaware and Dr Sukhwinder Kaur reviewed work at the civil hospital, women and children hospital and the government hospital, Goniana. On January 8, the team will visit a few community health centres and hospitals in Talwandi Sabo.

The team’s visit is part of the state Health Department’s exercise to conduct inspection of 10 civil hospitals as well as review the work in 12 civil hospitals.

During the visit, the team members interacted with the patients, saw the facilities available and took details of the infrastructure for the patient care. It also sought details of the staff available for running these facilities.

The team inspected the health institutions and noted every minute detail. Special emphasis was laid on quality control.

Bathinda, January 6
The Punjab Police ASI, earlier booked for illegal confinement and harassment of a woman belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) category, was arrested today.

In a press note issued here today, SP Jasvir Singh said a case was registered against ASI Darshan Singh and SI Kabal Singh, on the complaint of Baldev Singh, a resident of Phoos Mandi.

The policemen were accused of arresting the wife of the complainant illegally. The accused has been sent to 14 days judicial custody. — TNS

Bathinda, January 6
With the last date for getting registered for licences under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ending on February 4, the Health Department today appealed to the food business operators to get themselves enrolled.

District Health Officer Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa said so far, 4,000 people had got registered, while 600 had got licences under the Act.

The numbers are small as compared to the targeted ones of vendors and big traders in food business. A rough estimate of the district health department states that there are around 60,000 small vendors and over 4,000 big traders.

As per the Act, anyone dealing in eatables with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakhs has to get registered under the FSSAI and those with an annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakhs have to get licences.

All food business operators have to get themselves enrolled and promptly display their registration or licence numbers in their shops, enabling consumers to know that they are buying eatables from registered and safe shops.

The Act also covers food handlers, working at the food business shops, who will have to undergo regular medical tests and maintain hygiene.

Meanwhile, the department also collected food samples under the FSSAI. The samples would be sent to the food lab located at Chandigarh for purity test.

Led by DHO Dr Randhawam, a team collected eatables from Arya Samaj Chowk. The samples collected include that of items like tikki and some oily food. A batch of expired cold drinks was also destroyed. Mainly targeting makeshift food shops like rehris, the department also conducted raids in Nai Basti from where it collected samples of “namkeen” and other eatables. 

Bathinda, January 6
Member of Parliament from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal today pinned her hopes on the NDA if voted to power at the Centre in the coming Lok Sabha elections. She said it would usher in an era of development in the state which was being neglected by the Congress-led UPA government as of now. She said this while addressing sangat darshan programmes in the district today.

She said the voters had seen through the vote-bank politics of the Congress and had decided to vote the party out of power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. She further said if the BJP-backed NDA formed the government at the Centre, it would also put Punjab state on the front foot.

She further said the Congress government had broken all records when it came to indulging in corrupt practices thereby pocketing the taxpayers’ hard earned money. She said this was the biggest reason why the people were eagerly waiting for the Lok Sabha elections to exercise their franchise and choose the right government at the Centre.

She also accused the Central Government of ignoring the financial health of the country for a long time and devising “anti-people” policies which were proving to be detrimental to the development of the country and were resulting increase in inflation. She also accused the Central government of turning a blind eye to the needs of the common man who was finding it hard to survive the inflation.

Expressing her party’s support to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as NDA’s prime ministerial candidate, she said it was high time that a person of Modi’s calibre came to the helm of affairs. She called Modi the right choice for being the prime ministerial candidate as under his leadership Gujarat has developed by leaps and bounds.

Harsimrat also diplomatically slighted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which is enrolling volunteers in Punjab as well. She said India was a democratic country and all political parties had the right to contest the elections. She further added that the pro-people policies that the AAP was announcing were already being implemented by the Punjab government. 

Bathinda, January 6
As many as 5,472 aspirants appeared for the scholarship test, organised by the the Baba Farid Group of Institutions (BFGI). The test, based on aptitude, general English and general knowledge was conducted on Saturday for the students who will appear in classes X and XII examinations.

The test is conducted every year by the BFGI to announce scholarships and fee concession worth Rs 1 crore in remembrance of S Kuldeep Singh Gill, director (finance).

Along with this scholarship test, an aptitude test was also held free of cost in which the aspirants were given an opportunity to fulfil their dream of choosing a good and bright career. The aptitude test was a scientifically designed psychological test which is also available online. The test decides the suitability of a particular student for a particular career and acts as a guideline for parents as well as students to choose the right career option on the basis of various areas of interest.

Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal, chairman, BFGI, said meritorious students would be given exciting prizes like laptop, notebook and a tablet as first, second and third prizes, respectively. Apart from this, there are 20 consolation prizes which include branded watches. The result of the test will be declared on January 15.

Bathinda, January 6
The Sabbychar Chetna Manch, Mansa celebrated Dheean Di Lohri. As many as 71 girls from different fields of various districts of the state were honoured on the occasion. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, MP, Rajya Sabha, was the chief guest. He ignited Lohri and honoured the girls invited.

Paramjit Kaur Sirhind was the guest of honour. Sufi singer Mamta Joshi and comedian Chachi Lutro performed at a cultural programme organised on the occasion. President of the Manch, Gora Lal Bansal, delivered a welcome speech and said it was the right time to celebrate the presence of new- born girls. He said people needed to change their mindset. Bansal said the organisation was celebrating Lohri of newborn girls continuously for the past nine years. 

Bathinda, January 6
A group of science students of class XII, presently attending an INSPIRE internship camp at the Fateh College for Women, Rampura Phul, visited the city campus of Central University of Punjab today to get acquainted with the courses, laboratories and the research programmes of the institute.

These meritorious students are in the last stage of their “Inspire Internship Camp” organised for five days under the sponsorship of Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India with the theme of “Innovation in Science Pursuits for Inspired Research”.

The internees were first given general information about the university programmes and facilities. Faculty of the university guided them in a tour of the fitness centre, museum, central instrumentation facility, environment science laboratories, bioscience laboratories, lecture rooms, seminar hall, library, computer centre and laboratories for research on molecular genetics, plant tissue culture, chemical and pharmaceutical sciences and physics.

At the end of the visit, students and teachers accompanying them shared their views about the visit to the Central University.

The visit to the campus of the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, aimed at inspiring the students to go for innovative thinking and choose a career in science and technology. The tour proved beneficial for students in giving them exposure to modern infrastructure for research and innovation.