Bathinda, February 28
The incidences of honour killings in Punjab seem to be declining according to the data released by the office of the AIG Crime, Punjab. The information procured by advocate Shahbharat Sidhu under the RTI Act reveals that the cases of honour killings in Punjab came down to mere three in 2013 as compared to 11 killings each in 2010 and 2011 and 9 killings in 2012.

The data reveals that the highest number of honour killings in Punjab took place at Tarn Taran where eight killings have been reported in the past five years.

The districts where no death or murder of honour killing has been reported in the past years are Central Jalandar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Patiala Ropar, SAS Nagar, Faridkot, Muktsar and Mansa.

Advocate Sidhu, some social workers and some activists however casts doubts over the data which shows the honour killings on the decline in state.

The police officials too said that it was difficult to declare honour killing on record as the complainants refuse to declare honour killing as the reason behind girl's death. Advocate Sidhu said that two honor killings were reported at Maur Police Station in 2013 whereas the data shows zero killings.

“If the girl dies before marriage then the issue of honour killing is buried but if she is killed by her relatives after the marriage only then the boy or his family declares it honour killing," said a social worker and advocate NK Jeet. Professor Paramjit Romana at Regional Centre, Punjabi University, said even if the on record number of killings were on the decline the sense of honour pertaining to the woman in different casts is still strong.

The data reveals that Tarn Taran has the highest number of honour killing, eight, in Punjab in the past five years. Amritsar (rural), Sangrur, Hoshiarpur and Moga witness three killings each in the past five years.

Bathinda, February 28
Hoping to continue to revive bright sunshine, the city shivered on Friday after it was lashed by winds followed by rainfall on Thursday night which caught the city dwellers unaware. As per the agri-met department of the PAU regional station, Bathinda, the city received 15 mm of rainfall.

Although the weather had started getting warmer over the last few days after the sun began to shine bright over the city, Thursday’s downpour caused the weather to change again and the temperature tumble by a few notches. While on Thursday, the maximum temperature was recorded at 22.8 degree Celsius, by Friday it fell a little to be recorded at 19.4 degree Celsius. However, the minimum temperature witnessed only a slight change. While on Thursday the minimum temperature was recorded at 9.6 degree Celsius, on Friday it remained at 9 degree Celsius.

As per the latest forecast released by the station on Friday, the weather in the region will be under the effect of disturbance and the region is expected to receive more rainfall over the next 48 hours. As per the prediction made by the Indian Meteorological Department of India for the next four days, the region is expected to experience partly cloudy sky with the possibility of rain or thunderstorm. On Friday too, the weather remained mainly cloudy with the sun playing hide and seek through the day with the city and its adjoining areas experiencing light drizzle late afternoon.

The region received a total of 27 mm of rainfall, including Thursday’s.

While on February 5 it received 1.5 mm rainfall, on February 7, it received 3 mm, on February 14 it got 3 mm and on February 22 it received 4 mm of rainfall before finally being drenched with 15 mm rainfall on Thursday.

Bathinda, February 28
The PSEB Engineers’ Association held a candle light protest march against the state government for violating agreement signed with engineers over the issue of extension of upper age limit granted to the chief managing director of power companies.

The engineers, who were, earlier, restricted to token strikes and wearing black badges, held the protest procession going around the city carrying candles. Around 300 engineers of power corporations the PSPCL and the PSTCL marched from the Teachers’ Home via different places to Fire Brigade Chowk.

All the engineers from the SDOs to Chief Engineers of the PSPCL West Zone comprising Bathinda, Mansa, Moga, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilka districts, Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant Bathinda and Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant Lehra Mohabbat participated.

President Baldev Singh Sran and general secretary Sanjeev Sood said the candle march protest was held against regressive policies of the Punjab government and management of power companies towards power sector.

“The association reiterates its resolve that organisations and systems are much more important than individuals and well laid procedures and systems should not be altered. This is the game plan of bureaucracy to sideline professionals in the power sector and the Punjab government is playing into hands of bureaucracy by indulging into such acts that are direct attack on professionalism of power sector that was only condition on which engineers supported government in 2010 at the time of implementation of Electricity Act 2003,” he said.

Sran added that there was no ground for state government to overturn agreement and for this reason it is a sheer betrayal of trust association had reposed at the time of signing of the Tripartite Agreement. They said that issues related to start of pay scale to new engineers and common cadres are not being addressed as per the TPA.

Engineers demanded that the government should revoke unilateral breach of the agreement and implement it in letter and spirit, failing which agitation will be intensified further, they threatened.

Bathinda, February 28
The annual athletics meet concluded today at the Guru Kashi University (GKU). College of Physical Education lifted the overall trophy. Gurlabh Singh Sidhu was the chief guest on the concluding day of the meet. He also gave away the prizes to the winners.

Addressing the students, Sidhu said participating in sporting events gave us a good health and a sound mind which help the students concentrate on their studies. He also lauded the efforts of Dr Tirlok Singh Sandhu (Director, Sports of GKU) and his staff for organising the athletics meet on the campus.

Vice-Chancellor Dr NS Malhi said sports developed a spirit of discipline and co-operation among the students which help in developing their personality.

Dr Ravinder Sumal, head, department of physical education, said during the athletics meet, various track and field events were organised in which students from all the constituent colleges of the university participated.

On the basis of over all performance, Sumit Boora and Parjeet Kaur were declared the best athletes. By bagging maximum number of medals, University College of Physical Education lifted the overall trophy with 166 points.

Students from Mahant Gurbanta Dass (Deaf and Dumb) school also visited the university during the athletics meet. 

Bathinda, February 28
Guest faculty lecturers are unhappy with the clauses mentioned in the letter released to all the 52 government colleges of the state by the office of the DPI (higher education). They had been sitting on dharna and boycotting classes for more than a month and called off their strike only recently,

The letter, sent to the colleges, directs the colleges to terminate the per-lecture pattern of payment to guest faculty lecturers and start giving them Rs 10,000 lump sum payment every month irrespective of the number of lectures conducted by them and also give an increment at the rate of 10 per cent every year. The letter however, mentions that the lecturers will be paid for seven months in a year since they are relieved from services every February till July. Speaking to the Bathinda Tribune about the clauses in the letter, Harminder Singh Dimple, state president of the guest faculty lecturers union, stated that apart from changing the pattern of payment and approving the increment, the government has not approved two of the most important demands made by the lecturers.

“We had demanded that instead of being paid from the PTA funds of the colleges, our salaries be paid from the state treasury. The fact that our salaries are paid from the PTA funds puts increased burden on the students since they have to pay a fixed amount towards the fund every year. Like all the government employees, our salaries should also be paid from the state treasury,” he said.

Pointing out that the guest faculty lecturers took four lecturers everyday and were also given duties during examinations and other organisation of events and functions in the colleges, he added that they be paid for all the 12 months the way the regular teachers are paid.

“The colleges relieve us in February and reinstate us only in August when the new academic session begins. We work as much as even more than the regular faculty members in the colleges. The government should take cognizance of the fact and pay us for all the 12 months instead of paying us for only seven months a year,” he added.

A deputation of the guest faculty lecturers met the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal in Nabha today and discussed that their demands had not been met. “After hearing us out, he directed his secretary Manvesh Singh Sidhu to look into the matter and solve it as soon as possible. We are hopeful that the government will pay heed,” Dimple added.

Bathinda, February 28
The fifth foundation day celebrations of the Central University of Punjab, established in 2009, concluded here on Thursday. The fifth foundation day was marked by a function which was attended by Avinash Chander, Secretary, Department of Defence, Govenment of India, as the chief guest and Prof (Dr) SK Salwan, formar Vice-Chancellor, PTU, as the guest of honour. The chancellor of Central University of Punjab, Prof (Dr) SS Johl presided over the function.

In his welcome address, Vice-Chancellor Prof (Dr) Jai Rup Singh said that international agencies have ranked the Central University of Punjab as first among the 16 new central universities, on the basis of research being carried out. The ResearchGate, the USA, on the basis of RG Score has also ranked the CUP at the top among the new central universities as well as new established IITs in India. The university is now at 12th rank among all 43 Central Universities of India as per ResearchGate score.

This was followed by an introduction of the visiting dignitaries by Prof RG Saini. Prof (Dr) SK Salwan delivered his talk on ‘The philosophy underlying universities’. He stressed the importance of diversity, dedication and innovation among the faculty and students of universities. He mentioned that transparency in research and routine activities plays good role in the development of free thought. — TNS

Bathinda, February 28
District unit of the Indian Medical Association today extend support for the Talwandi Sabo-based doctor who is being accused of being held responsible in a death of a patient.

District president of the IMA Dr Shiv Dutt Gupta said the police had registered the case against guidelines of the Supreme Court, which stressed upon the preliminary enquiry conducted by the board of doctors against the accused doctor. — TNS

Bathinda, February 28
Farm Advisory Service of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, organised a seminar for farmers. Director of Extension Education, Dr HS Dhaliwal was the chief guest during the occasion. Dr Jatinder Brar, in-charge of Farm Advisory Service Scheme (FASS) said the motive of holding the seminar was to sensitise the farmers about the contribution of machinery in the care of natural resources in the field of agriculture.

Bathinda, February 28
BBA students of Baba Farid College (BFC) brought laurels to their college with their academic performance in the examinations, the results of which were declared by the Punjabi University, Patiala, recently.

Gagandeep Kaur bagged the second position in the university by scoring 86.18 per cent marks in the second semester. Students of fourth semester bagged the first three positions. While Davinderjeet Kaur stood first with 85.55 per cent marks, Navdeep Kaur bagged the second position with 84.91 per cent and Parminder Kaur got the third position securing 84.23 per cent marks.

Students of sixth semester also excelled in their examinations. Arundeep Singh scored 83.59 per cent marks and bagged eighth position, while Megha Srivastava bagged the ninth position with 83.5 per cent marks.

Deputy Director (Academics) Dr Manish Bansal congratulated the students for their achievement. Chairman, Baba Farid Group of Institutions, Gurmeet Singh Dhaliwal, also expressed his happiness over the excellent performance of the students. 

Bathinda, February 28
Students of St Joseph’s Convent Senior Secondary School, Bathinda, showed outstanding performance in the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE). Of the five students selected from the city to appear for the examination, four are from the St Joseph’s school.

Muskan Mittal secured the third rank, Parul Arora ninth, Rajata Garg and Mehak Mittal got the 10th and 11th ranks, respectively. — TNS

Bathinda, February 28
An athletics meet was organised at Sarabha village for the special children under the guidance of District Project Director of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan in Bathinda, Dr Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta.

District coordinator Barjinder Singh Sidhu said this was the first time that such a meet for the special students was organised.

As many as 19 students from the district participated in the sports meet and took part in 17 different events. While Sunny Singh won the first place in the 100m race, Diljit Singh and Gurtek Singh bagged the second and third positions, respectively.

In the 200m race, Buta Singh bagged the first place, while Balkar Singh got the second position. In the 50m race, Rahul bagged the second place. In the shot put, Gurjant Singh bagged the third place while Gurpreet Singh bagged the first position in the long jump competition.

In the 200m race for girls, Veerpal Kaur bagged the first place, while Noora kaur bagged the first position in the 100m race. Also present during the competitions were Bhushan Kumar, Devinder Singh, Ajit Singh Sangat, Meenu Rani, Manpreet Kaur, Sukhpal Singh, Basant Kumar among others.