Bathinda, April 16
The school in-charges and principals who were given the drawing and disbursing powers by the District Education Officer (Secondary) on Tuesday had to return empty-handed from the treasury office, here today, when they reached the office to submit the salary bills of the teachers in their respective schools.

Although the DEO, Harkanwaljeet Kaur, had on Tuesday, endorsed the letter directing the extension of the DD powers of the school in-charges, the treasury officer stated that he had not been given any clear instructions regarding the same.

“Although the DEO has issued the letter to the schools heads and in-charges, we have not been sent any letter and in the absence of any such instruction, I can’t let the schools submit the bills of salaries. After the principals came to me with the bills, I requested the DEO to issues the letter to our department as well so that the needful can be done. Hopefully, by Thursday morning we will be able to take the bills,” said Ashok Chopra, treasury officer, Bathinda.

Speaking to the Tribune News Service, Pehra Singh, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Dyalpura Bhai Ka, said, “After the extension of DD powers, I went to the Phul treasury office to submit the salary bills, I was told that the bills could not be submitted since the right orders had not been passed. I will go there again tomorrow.”

Principal of the Government Senior Secondary School, Kotbhara, Jasbir Singh Dhillon, mathematics teachers at Government Senior Secondary School, Bhagu, Rajesh Monga and in-charge of Government Senior Secondary School, Chak Hira Singh Wala, Pritpal Singh, stated when they contacted the DEO, she directed them to ask the treasury officer to reject one of the bills and then bring the file to her so that she would be able to take up the matter with the DC.

“For close to half-an-hour, we kept shuttling between the treasury officer and the DEO. While the treasury officer said he had no instructions, the DEO asked him to give the same in writing so that she could proceed on the matter. One more day was lost in the meantime and the teachers were left with no salary,” said Monga.

Principal of the Government Senior Secondary School, Chak Ruldu Singh Wala, Ashok Bindra, stated that he had sent one of the class IV employees of his school to the treasury office for submitting the bills. But the bills were sent back. Interestingly, Bindra is one of the principals who have not been paid salaries since July last year when they were promoted.

Bathinda, April 16
A controversy has erupted over the venue of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally in support of the BJP-SAD candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal which is stated to take place on April 24 at Bathinda.

The preparation at the venue is in full swing with tents being erected on a large ground at Phase-III of the Model Town in the city. But the land where the big stage is to come up belongs to the Oriental bank of commerce (OBC) and the organisers of the rally have not taken permission for the rally from the bank authorities so far.

The BJP state media in-charge Sunil Singla surprisingly said he had no information from the party on Narendra Modi’s rally so far and the BJP state president Kamal Sharma will be visiting Mansa, Bathinda rural and the Bathinda constituencies on April 20 during which discussion regarding Modi’s rally will be held. He also stated that no permission have been taken by the party for the rally on April 24 so far.

It is worth mentioning that the organisers are yet to take permission for the venue. But the preparation has already had been started. The CRPF, Commandos and the Punjab police are taking stock of security at the venue. Even temporary offices of senior officials and control room have been set up in the adjoining park from the venue.

Even the have police personally visited the houses of people residing in the nearby localities and collected the data of person living in the area.

Gursewak Singh Gill, a resident of Model Town Phase-III, while talking to The Tribune said the police official today inquired about the detail of the households from the entire houses residing in the Model Town Phase-III.

It is pertinent to mention that Narendra Modi is coming in the city to lure the voters for the BJP-SAD combine candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is the wife of Deputy Chief Minister and President SAD Sukhbir Singh Badal and is fighting against her estranged brother-in-law Manpreet Singh Badal.

Bathinda, April 16
The state-of-the-art Advanced Cancer Research and Diagnostic Centre (ACRDC), coming up in the Industrial Growth Centre, which was to be made functional by March this year, has jumped its deadline. The outdoor patient (OPD) services at the ACRDC may start by the end of May or in the middle of June.

Caught up in the formality of seeking a number of permissions from various regulatory bodies, the centre is among the pet projects of the Punjab Chief Minister who wanted its OPD to start functioning before the Lok Sabha polls.

During its visit to the centre on December 12 last year, a delegation of the state health officials had laid emphasis on getting this 100-bed facility ready for at least OPD services by March 2014 while the rest of the facilities in the hospital were to be made functional in June.

A team of the Health Department, including the Principal Secretary, Health, Vinni Mahajan, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, Dr SS Gill, health advisor to Punjab government Dr KK Talwar and Dr Anbumani from Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai, had visited the centre. Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation Limited (HSSCL) is executing the project while the TMC is looking after the component of equipment installation. The BFUHS will run the facility.

A visit to the site revealed that while more than 90 per cent of the civil engineering work has been completed, the work on developing OPD services centre is yet to begin. Sources said the project needs permission from a number of regulatory bodies to start functioning, especially the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), before it is thrown open to the patients.

Director of the ACRDC, Dr MK Mahajan, who is a former head of the department of radiology, Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), Ludhiana, said orders have been placed for the equipment. “The order has been placed for cobalt therapy unit whose shipment is expected in the next 15 days. After its arrival, the machine would be installed, commissioned and calibrated on a trial basis. Thereafter, its performance will be discussed with the AERB before giving it the final nod,” he said.

He added that recruitments have already been made for the radiotherapy unit, while the rest of the staff will be recruited on a need basis. Besides the cobalt unit, the centre will have 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, linear accelerator and other diagnostic machines. He said the OPD services are expected to be started by the 
end of May or in the middle of June.

Bathinda, April 16
Leakage of sewer near the Rose Garden has led to potholes on the GT Road near the Rose Garden Chowk. The damaged road is causing inconvenience to free flow of traffic on the stretch.

Assistant Municipal Commissioner Kamal Kant Goyal said the road has developed potholes due to leakage of sewage. The Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) had decided to take up the project of repairing fault before Baisskhi. However, due to the unprecedented rush during Baisakhi days, the job was put on hold. The MCB officials will talk to the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB) on April 17 taking up the issue of repairs.

“Though it is a road of Buildings and Road (B and R) Department, we will be doing just its repairs. If the work could be completed in a day, it would be done on April 17,” he said.

Goyal added that if it would take longer for the repairs, the work will be taken up after April 30 Lok Sabha polls. Till then, to provide temporary relief, the potholes will be filled with mud or building material. 

Bathinda, April 16
The Bathinda unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) has extended its support to the Congress-PPP-CPI joint candidate for the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency.

In a press release issued here today, vice-president of the Punjab unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and senior vice-president of the Car Dealers’ Association, Yashkiran Sharma, said members of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) will go all out to support Manpreet and relieve the people of Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency of the ‘corrupt government’.

“Every section of the society is fed up with the SAD-BJP state government and will show its might to the state government when it will vote in favour of Manpreet on April 30.

Prime ministerial candidate of the BJP Narendra Modi has failed in presenting himself as a national leader,” he said.

“There is no Modi wave in the nation and for the third consecutive term, the Congress party and its allied parties will form the government at the Centre,” he added. 

Bathinda, April 16
Chandigarh University, Gharuan, today announced the dates for its national-level scholarship-cum-admission test (CU-SAT 2014) for the engineering students. Issuing a press release here today, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr RS Bawa stated that as many as 300 engineering seats in the field computer science, mechanical, electronics & communication, civil electrical, petroleum, and automobile would be offered under the CU-SAT 2014 to the students passing-out their 10+2 examination with non-medical stream.

He added that an amount of Rs 9 crore had been earmarked to be offered to the meritorious students who will qualify in the test which is to be conducted by university at 58 centres all-over India from June 1 onwards.

Dr Bawa further stated that a national merit list would be announced on June 15 in which all-India rank of the students would be generated based upon their performance in the test and an equal weightage would be given to 10+2 examination board results.

“We have more than 2,200 students from the Malwa region studying in the university and understanding their needs, the university, in order to promote brilliant students from Malwa region has formulated a special scholarship scheme that would encourage them to take admission under the scheme in which any student securing 80 per cent marks or more in their 10+2 board examination would be offered course fee waiver up to 50 per cent,” he added.

Bathinda, April 16
Members of the Sabji Rehri Union members today held a rally protesting against the incidence of Rajpura wherein a vegetable vendor committed suicide alleging harassment at the hands of officials of the local bodies.

The protestors included members of the Punjab Rehri-Fari Union and the Bathinda Rehri-Fari Union. They got together at the vegetable market near Gole Diggi and marched towards the Sadbhawna Chowk carrying black flags. They raised slogans against the Punjab government and the Rajpura municipal council.

The union members alleged that officers of the local bodies department harass them. “Be it the case of Rajpura vendor or that of the Patiala vendor who immolated himself six years ago. The vegetable vendors are at the receiving end,” said the leaders of union Rah Kumar Shaheen and Baljit Singh.

Demanding action against those responsible for Rajpura vendor’s death, the union members said that till the time culprits are not awarded punishment, they will hold protests daily.

They said that in future, if any of the employee of the local bodies or officials or the traffic police will try to harass them, they will hold mass protest.

Bathinda, April 16
The general observer for the Lok Sabha elections, Dilip Kumar Wasnikar, visited polling stations in some of the villages today. He visited the polling stations located at Veerkandi, Ganga, Daan Singh Wala, Aklia Khurd, Aklia Kalan and Balahad Mehma villages.

Dilip talked to the booth level officers (BLOs) about problems they were facing. Dilip Kumar Wasnikar enquired them about the list of voters having the EPCI based identity cards.

He said anybody could reach him at his number 8427531627 regarding election complaint.

Bathinda, April 16
The single window of the Bathinda parliamentary seat has granted permissions to as many as 45 vehicles to be used for election purposes with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) topping the charts.

Returning Officer (RO), Bathinda, had facilitated setting up a single window system for granting approvals for holding rallies, plying vehicles for campaign as well as using loudspeakers. The same permissions can also be sought from the respective Assistant Returning Officers (AROs). The single window set up at Bathinda has given 45 permissions for plying of vehicles for canvassing so far that includes maximum 15 permissions sought by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Besides, independent candidates from the BSP, the CPI ML, the SAD, the Congress, the Punjab Labor Party, the Nav Bharat Democratic Party and the Bahujan Mukti Party have taken permissions. — TNS

Bathinda, April 16
Singe-turned-actor Gippy Grewal called his wife Ravneet Kaur his lucky charm. “Before I got married, one of my albums did poorly in the market. Six months after marrying Ravneet, one of the songs from the album gained popularity and went on to become a blockbuster. Since then, I have believed that my wife is my lucky charm,” said Gippy.

In the city to promote his upcoming Punjabi film, “Jatt James Bond”, which also stars Bollywood actress Zarine Khan, Gippy said, “Working with Bollywood artistes gives the members of the Punjabi film industry a sense of discipline. We are used to reaching the shoot venue later than scheduled but the Bollywood artistes are punctual and we also had to mend our ways,” he said.

Talking about Bollywood artistes being given roles in Punjabi films, he said, “It is a good trend that the Bollywood actors and actresses have started working in Punjabi films as it helps the films in other parts of the country. In Punjab and the Northern India, people may know Gippy Grewal, but in Mumbai, people may not know me yet they know Zarine Khan and it would help the film in Maharashtra and other places,” he said.

In the film, “Jatt James Bond”, Gippy plays the role of Chhinda, a school bus driver. The film, shot in 11 villages, follows the story of Chhinda and his friends and how their lives change over a period of time. “The film subtly touches upon issues like corruption, farmer suicide and drug abuse and also has a fair dose of thrill,” Gippy added.

“One of the USPs of the film is Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Apart from singing two songs for the film, he has also worked as the music director of the film,” he added. 

Bathinda, April 16
Carrying huge quantities of medicinal drugs without having any prescribed bills or licence cost 10-year jail to two teenagers along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh to both. A judgment was pronounced by the Special Court of Jasjit Singh Bhinder in an open court today.

As per the brief facts of the case, two youngsters were caught carrying huge quantity of medicines by a police party.

The accused were identified as Sukhwinder Singh, 20, and Sandeep Singh, 23, both residents of Giana village. They were spotted along with the contraband by a police party headed by ASI Sewak Chand.

As per the prosecution, a police party on private vehicles was on its way to Hamirgarh village, Gurusar and Jalal for the identification of some suspected elements. The police party when reached near Gurusar village, on the GT Road, they saw two young boys sitting beside a bus stand with a gunny bag that were carrying medicines.

The accused, after noticing the police presence, tried to flee but were chased by the policemen. The duo revealed their identity and the cops took them to the police station. The policemen claimed that they saw the medicines lying inside the gunny bag.

The prosecution pleaded that the policemen tried to rope in an independent witness in the case but nobody was ready to join the police party to witness the incident.

The Investigating Officer (IO), in the case, gathered all the medicines and put it in a gunny bag. The IO revealed that later, he noted down the medicines and found 200 vials of Recodex, 20 vials of Rexcof, 12 pouches of Spasmo Proxyvon­-each pouch containing 24 capsules totaling 228 capsules, 20 pouches of Hypore containing 600 capsules along with large number of other medicines.

After hearing the arguments and pleas of the prosecutor and the defense counsel the court held both the accused guilty for carrying the drugs.

The convicts prayed for leniency on the ground that they were poor and were the only earning hands of their family and that their parents were old.

The court, however, considering the heavy amount of recovery from their possession ordered them to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 10 years along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh to each of them. 

Bathinda, April 16
The Kotwali police have arrested four people for gambling and recovered Rs 3,710 in cash from their possession. The accused have been identified as Suresh Kumar from Dhobiana Basti, Des Raj and Bablu from kachi Dhobiana and Amandeep Singh from the Namdev Road. They were arrested gambling in a park near Amrik Singh Road.

Man thrashed

The police today arrested a man from the Haji Rattan Chowk for allegedly beating up Surjit Singh, a resident of street number 1 Haji Rattan area. Surjit alleged that the accused Chhajju Ram entered into his house on April 12 beat him up using a baton.

Two arrested with stolen car, pistol

Two residents of Mandi Kalan village have been arrested with a stolen Swift Desire car. The police have arrested Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi and Raghuvir Singh, from near village Balianwali. The number of the recovered car is HR 26 BD 7717. The police have also recovered .315 bore pistol and three live cartridges from the possession of the accused.

Two cars stolen

Two cars were stolen from Talwandi Sabo on April 14. Jaswant Singh, a resident of Amrik Singh Road, reported that a Maruti car PB 11 L 0133 and Zen car DL 2 C A C 23 have been stolen. The police have registered the case.

Computers, accessories stolen from govt school

Thieves broken into a computer lab of Government High School, Sirjeana village, and stole away valuables worth Rs 90,000.

In his complaint lodged with the police, head teacher of the school, Narinder Kumar, reported that on April 11 night, some unknown people stole away two LCD, two UPS, one gas cylinder, two batteries and one LCD stand. The police have registered a case.