Bathinda, March 12
Power engineers are again up in arms against the state government and have decided to adhere to work to rule, which means that they would no more handle extra work they are overburdened with.

Bathinda being home to two major thermal plants of the state-- Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) Bathinda and Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) Lehra Mohabbat, it has the largest number of power engineers living here.

The engineers’ resentment may also reflect in the Lok Sabha elections wherein both the thermal plants are part of the Bathinda constituency.

Engineers of the GNDTP Bathinda, GHTP, Lehra Mohabbat and the west zone comprising Bathinda, Mansa, Mukatsar, Faridkot, Fazilka, Moga and Ferozepur are observing work to rule from March 12 to March 26, stated zonal secretary, GNDTP zone, Devender Goyal.

During the work to rule agitation, the engineers would perform their duties strictly as per rules, from 9 am to 5 pm only, and will not perform the duties of subordinates.

“In case of tripping in any generating unit at any of the thermal or hydro plants or fault in any transmission or distribution system during off duty hours, generation or supply of power may suffer and the responsibility for it would lie with the Punjab government and management of power companies,” added zonal engineer, GHTP zone, Harjinder Singh.

The engineers are agitated over the move of the Punjab government to raise the retirement age of the CMDs and directors from 62 to 65 years and for allowing entry of IAS officers in the management, which is against the concept of professionalism of power sector agreed to by the government in 2010 at the time of implementation of the Electricity Act. Engineers said the government has violated the Tripartite Agreement and has amended qualification criteria without reaching an understanding with the association.

Non-recovery of liquidated damages to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore from the private thermal plants due to delay in commissioning at Talwandi Sabo and Goindwal Sahib would translate into costly power for the power consumers of Punjab. The pop-sided policy of the state government to rely on the private generation means an additional burden of Rs 1,250 crore annually on account of imported coal whereas sufficient coal is available for Punjab for its own plants.

Besides, the state government also had a liability to pay Rs 1,700 crore during this financial year as capacity charges to private plants without getting a single unit of power. Such heavy burdens would result in a hefty increase in power tariff that will have to be borne by the consumers who are already suffering from economic hardships, they said. 

Bathinda, March 12
The Health Department today started the online registration of food business operators under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Act.

Under the project, the department issued the first licence to Kewal Chand Sharma, a shopkeeper at Bhagu Road. District Health Officer and Nodal Officer under the FSSAI Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa said the online facility will limit food operator’s visit to the health authorities.

“From the time of applying for registration or licence, till the inspections are conducted, the business operators will have to visit our office just once to give a hard copy and collect his licence or registration number,” he said.

Dr Randhawa said the business operator will have to register online through the website www.foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in Thereafter, he would be given a self-generated password and a login account using which he can see the status of his application. Within 15 days of applying online, hard copies will have to be submitted at the nodal officer’s office.

In the meantime, the district nodal officer will be informed about the application filed through the online system.

For the issuance of registration number, the food safety officer will conduct inspection and issue the number. However, for issuing licence, the inspection report will be verified by the nodal officer.

Since its introduction around two years ago, 620 licences and 4,000 registration numbers have been issued in the district.

Bathinda, March 12
A de-addiction awareness workshop was held at the de-addiction centre on the Civil Hospital premises, here today.

Speaking during the event, Civil Surgeon Dr Ajay Sahni called upon the youngsters to refrain from falling for all kinds of addictions. He said those on the path of sobriety should be torch-bearers for other addicts to put themselves on the way of reform.

In-charge of the de-addiction centre Dr Nidhi Gupta said the team has been running the de-addiction centre for the last 12 years and the Bathinda centre was one of the best-run de-addiction centres of the state. She added that Punjab had become a dumping ground for opium which is cultivated in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

She added that the prime cause for 40 to 50 per cent cases of the road accidents was drunk driving. Addiction also leads to marital discords. She said that 66 per cent of the youngsters use injectable drugs that render their arms useless within a few years.

Project coordinator Roop Singh said the de-addiction centre has been running the UNODC’s methadone centre wherein 125 patients have been registered. Seventy take medicines every day and 35 of them have completely left drugs and are employed.

Purshottam Bansal recited a poem on drugs. Naresh Pathania from the Red Cross Society thanked the guests present. BCC facilitator Narinder Kumar was the stage convener.

Besides, members of the Ambuja Cement Foundation, the Youth Welfare Foundation, the health department employees and patients were also present. 

Bathinda, March 12
After Green Revolution, Punjab farms are now the guinea pigs for gene revolution wherein the genetically modified (GM) fields trials have been allowed. Senior campaigner for an NGO working in environmental sector, Greenpeace India, Neha Saigal said while talking to Bathinda Tribune.

She added that being an agrarian society, Punjab has always been the field of trials for agricultural technology. “Introducing the GM trials, whose safety has not been proved yet, we are exposing Punjab’s agriculture to unknown danger lurking around. We are already living with cancer, an impact of the Green revolution, while the gene revolution will completely wipe us out,” she said.

Neha was in the city to address a public dialogue on a coalition to oppose GM field trials in the country. Neha said Member of Parliament from Bathinda Bathinda Harsimrat Badal was a part of the parliamentary committee that demanded a moratorium for the GM field trials. “Despite demanding regulations for the GM trials herself, MP Badal has suddenly grown quiet on allowing field trials in her own state, which is the granary of the country,” said Neha.

She added that by allowing open field trials for staple crops like wheat and paddy, the GM crop will enter into our main food chain thereby threatening the food security. “Wheat is not only expensively grown is Punjab, but is also a staple crop. It is high time for MP Badal to take a stand on the issue and not allow trials in Punjab fields. We need political intervention and public movement to address the issue,” she said.

Neha said there was no need to have the GM crops as the indigenous seeds of the country were enough to support food needs.

On a land having rich biodiversity, the GM trials will sound the death knell for the small farmers. Since the multi-national companies (MNCs) will control the market, small farmers will be wiped off from the field of agriculture as they will not be able to survive.

Bathinda, March 12
ADC Sonali Giri inaugurated a circle branch of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) near Bibiwala Chowk. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Sonali Giri said the nationalised banks were trying to bridge the gap between urban and rural banking by opening mobile wings that operate in the rural areas.

DGM GS Gandhok said this was the 105th branch of the Bathinda circle and the 29th branch of the district.

The branch has all basic facilities, including that of networking. — TNS

Jalandhar, March 12
After waiting long for 63 years, the Indian armed forces will finally participate fully in the biggest democratic exercise of the country, the Lok Sabha Elections, to be held on April 30 in Punjab.

In Jalandhar too, 11,000 new votes (general) have been and nine new auxillary booths have been set up by the district administration in Jalandhar cantonment for the 37th assembly segment of Punjab. The serving army personnel are all set to make their strong presence felt in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. The Election Commission this time has allowed the defence forces to cast their votes at the place of their postings if they are staying there for more than six months.

According to the prevalent rule by the Government of India, all the Central Government employees,including the defence forces could only register for voting at their places of posting if they have been residing there for at least three years with their families. However, this rule does not apply to civilians, who are only required to be residents for a minimum of six months in order to register themselves as voters in their places of posting. Contrast this with the length to which other democracies go to ensure the soldiers exercise their right to vote. In the midst of World War II, in 1945, the British had polling booths in jungles of Burma for their soldiers to vote!

However this time, the Election Commission of India has provisionally allowed all the central Government employees including the defence and paramilitary forces to vote at their posting place if they have been residing there for at least six months. “Any central Government Employee including all the defence and the paramilitary personnel can cast their vote at their respective place of posting provided they are stationed there for more than six months,” confirmed VK Singh, Chief Electoral officer, Punjab.

This has brought 85 per cent of the armed forces personnel to cast their vote. To facilitate them, the district administration has this time registered 18,000 army personnel for general votes and by establishing nine new auxiliary booths in the cantonment area.

Amritsar, March 12
Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat has deputed four government school principals as observers to conduct the final examination of Classes VI to IX and XI of Gyan Ashram Higher Secondary School, a government-aided private school. The management and teachers of the school are at loggerheads for the past sometime. The examinations began as per schedule from March 10. 

A section of teachers alleged that it was for the first time that four observers were appointed for an internal examination and they were not allowed to set the question papers. Infighting in the management committee has drastically brought down the strength of students in the school. A section of teachers alleged that a ruling party leader was stoking the trouble as the lease of about four acres of land of the school had expired in 1989.

The administration of the school, which was earlier named Gyan Ashram Senior Secondary School, is being run by two separate managements. Being a higher secondary school, from Class VI to XI, the affairs of the school are being managed by the Deputy Commissioner, who is the administrator of the school and disburses salary among the employees. On the other hand, the affairs of Class XII are being managed by the previous management committee. Meanwhile, the teachers regretted that 40 per cent reduction in the salary of 12 Class XII teachers was enforced from March, 2013, to September, 2013.

They alleged that a high fee of Rs 250 per student per month for Class XII had brought down the strength of students from 362 in 2011-2012 session to 122. Government schools charge Rs 95 from every students every month for the same class. Sources said the trouble started in 2010 when the then school management hiked the admission fee. This was brought to the notice of the then DC KS Pannu, who had initiated an inquiry under the then DEO Surjit Singh, Gumanpura, to amicably settle the dispute between the management and the employees. However, the suggestions made in the inquiry remained unimplemented.

Bathinda, March 12
The implementation of the Right to Information Act (RTI) seems to be of little consequence in the state as it is observed that government servants try to block or delay giving information by giving one or the other excuse.

Various departments resort to different tactics to deny information to seekers. Activists say the department officials delay information for months and finally provide partial information.

The detail of RTI queries answered by the office of the Director General of Police (DGP) between 2008 and 2012 is a testimony to this fact. Instead of witnessing an increase in the number of RTI applications received by the office, there was a decline from 1,150 applications in 2008 to 1,106 in 2012.

A section of the RTI activists in Bathinda and the surrounding areas feels that a lot needs to be done for the proper implementation of the Act. “The decline in the RTI applications at the DGP's office is because the officials hardly reply to a query and turn down applications citing lame excuses," said advocate Shahbharat Sidhu.

There were many ways to frustrate an applicant but no way to procure information within a stipulated time period, he said.

The local Dunes Club released partial details of the money collected by its members, its yearly expenditure and other details, by saying that the information sought was not available.

Authorities at Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant delayed information by saying that the applicant did not sign on an annexure attached with the application. It was returned with the comments that signatures were found on Form-A, but not on the annexure of questionnaire.

Recently, the office of the Chief Minister replied to an information seeker and asked him to deposit Rs 2 per page of the RTI answer.

“The authorities give vague replies to many queries to avoid giving information but there is the provision of second appeal to the appellate authority, the Chief Information Commission. If someone is determined to get the information, the authorities are bound to provide it. All they can do is just delay it for some time,” said advocate Chandermohan Ruby, practising at the district courts.

“When I persevered on getting the information, the officials of the BDA, Municipal Corporation, Traffic Police, Powercom, Excise and Health Department simply transferred the applications to other branches or sought a huge amount of money for it,” said an RTI activist Pardeep Goyal of Parasram Nagar.

Goyal said officials who were supposed to release the information would rope in friends and family members to put pressure on the information seeker to withdraw the information.

“Sometimes, the officials would reply that the information sought was not available, records were not maintained or they would simply not reply to any of the communiqués,” Goyal said.

Activists’ view

* A section of the RTI activists in Bathinda and surrounding areas feels that there is still a lot to be done for the proper implementation of the Act

* Activists say the department officials delay information for months and finally provide partial information

* Authorities at Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant delayed information by saying that the applicant did not sign on an annexure attached with the application

Amritsar, March 12
In a startling development, three police guards on duty with Amritsar Central Jail have been booked allegedly for facilitating availability of liquor to an under trial on the jail premises. A fresh case against the under trial, too, has been registered in this regard. The liquor was concealed in the three packets of juice.

According to information, the three head constables, Major Singh (no. 11968/TT), Resham Singh (no. 1345/TT) and Satnam Singh (no. 637/TT), were deputed to escort a jail inmate, Paramjit Singh, lodged in Amritsar Central Jail, for a court hearing at Hisar yesterday. He was serving trial under the NDPS Act.

When they returned in the morning at about 6.30 am, the jail staff searched the inmate before letting him in.

Officiating Superintendent RK Sharma said the three suspected Real Juice tetra packs were found in his possession which he attempted to sneak in.

“Though the packs were sealed, but on thorough checking, it was discovered that instead of juice, the packs contained whiskey. A special polythene bag was affixed inside the pack to pour whiskey. On interrogation, he confessed to his misdeed and a fresh case was registered with the Cantonment police station,” he said.

The role of three Tarn Taran cops who escorted him to Hisar, too, could not be ruled out because they had spent a night over there before coming back here this morning.

“It is quite evident that the juice tetra packs were filled with whiskey with the consent of the cops who shadowed him all the while to the court and back. We have submitted a report with the Tarn Taran police regarding the incident and action will be taken by the Tarn Taran police authorities only,” he said.

Nonetheless, a case under Sections 61, I and14 under the Prisoners Act has been registered with the Cantonment police station.

The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Prabhjot Singh, in charge of police station, said the case had been registered against the cops for being negligent in performing their duties and under the Excise Act. “Their role will be monitored and if they are found to be guilty, it may cost them their job,” he said. 

Bathinda, March 12
The local police today arrested four thieves and recovered 1.12 quintals of copper stolen from various villages surrounding Bathinda. In a press release issued here today, SSP Gurpreet Bhullar said that reports of copper theft from various villages were being reported during the past one month. Villagers complain that the thieves stole copper from the electricity transformers installed in the agricultural fields, especially in the Talwandi Sabo area.

To check the complaints, a team of SP Swaran Khanna, DSP Gurmel Singh and ASI Jagdish Sharma was formed.

Acting on tip-off, the policemen arrested the accused from near the bus stand of Bhagiwandar village.

Those arrested by the police have been identified Baljinder Singh (28), Gursewak Singh (24), Gursewak Singh Kukki (29), Madan Singh (23) and Randhir Singh (22), all residents of Mahinangal village.

Bhullar stated that the accused had confessed forming a gang of thieves and two of their accomplices are yet to be arrested. They admitted to having stolen copper from the 15 transformers from Mahinangal, Bhagiwandar, Laleana, Bangi Kalan, Kot Bakhtu villages.

The accused had been doing menial jobs like labourers. Efforts are on to arrest the rest of the accused, the SSP said.

A case in this connection has been registered at the Talwandi Sabo police station.