Bathinda, May 23
Bathinda residents' dream of having a world-class bus stand on the Bathinda-Barnala road will become a reality within next four-five months. Improvement Trust, Bathinda, the executing agency of the project, which had passed an agenda to ask the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) to assign its empanelled architects for designing the buildings, is now over with the task of shortlisting the architects.

Improvement Trust chairman Varinder Kumar Sharma today told Bathinda Tribune that the shortlisted PUDA architects have been asked to submit designs. He also added that the Army personnel had originally raised concerns regarding the height and distance for the bus stand from the cantonment area arguing that the construction of the bus stand would pose a security threat to the cantonment area.

"Initially, we had asked the Army to give us a no objection certificate after assuring them that all the issues will be addressed. In the initial blue prints being drawn up by the architects, all the concerns raised by the army have been addressed. We will submit the same with the army and inform them that all their parameters have been met," Sharma said.

He said the blue prints would then be sent to the state government for approval after which the bidding process would begin. The bidding process would include a bid for the designing of the entire structure and a final bid for the cost of construction for which a tender would be floated; he said adding that the process may take another three-four months after which the project would see the light of the day.

The bus stand will have a total covered area of 10 acres. The model, aimed to be self-sustaining, will have shops-cum-offices (SCOs) and several other public utilities and smaller commercial set-ups. Apart from having a PRTC workshop, offices of PRTC officials, dormitories for drivers, cloak rooms and other facilities, it will also have a night bus halt shelter to park around 100 buses at the same time.

The structure will also include a concourse for boarding the bus, separate areas for the alighting of passengers, bus bays, public relations office, tourist information centre, ramps for the handicapped confectionery shops, a parking lot for paid cabs and private parking space for two-wheelers and cars, an inquiry office, food courts, book stores and cloak rooms for men and women.

While till late last year, the cost of construction of the bus terminus, was being pegged at around Rs 25 crore, Sharma said that the real cost to be incurred would be ascertained only after the bidding process was over.

Apart from giving the city dwellers respite from the ever-crowded and acutely lacking in facilities old bus stand situated in the heart of the city, the new bus stand will also churn revenue for the Improvement Trust , since it would run the new bus stand and the buses will be charged on the basis of the number of trip. 

Bathinda, May 23
Railway is facing financial crunch which has led to the shortage of staff in its police force. There are total 59 sanctioned posts in the railway police force in Bathinda. Currently there are 53 officials, while 16 posts are lying vacant from a long time.

Officials said due to the shortage of staff they were facing lot of problems as they have to do 12 hours job instead of 8 hours per day to overcome the shortage. Moreover, they do not get holiday also easily.

Rajesh Kumar, Company Commander, Railway Police Force (RPF), while talking to Bathinda Tribune said, "Railway is facing shortage of staff. For the proper security at the station, we require 15-20 more policemen."

He said so far in this year, they have registered 980 cases. In these, most of the offences were that of crossing railway lines, moving at platforms without any ticket, traveling in train without ticket, chain pulling, wrong parking and crossing under the railway crossing.

Sources in the department said many times officials have demanded metal detector for the station from the senior officials but they were not being provided with the same due to financial restrains.

Rajan Gupta, a passenger, said: "There is a big security threat to the junction as there are no guards and metal detector at the entrance. The authorities even need to build the boundary walls of the station."

Bathinda, May 23
In a drive to curb drug menace, the Bathinda police have registered 116 cases under Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act and arrested 119 smugglers involved in drug trafficking.

Inspector General of Police (Bathinda zone) Paramraj Singh Umranagal said in last three days, the police have registered 116 cases and recovered 77 kg poppy husk, 122 gm opium, 267 gm heroin, 1 kg intoxicant powder and 8,616 intoxicant tablets.

Paramraj Singh said cases have been registered against the police officials who had been found hand in glove with the smugglers. 

Bathinda, May 23
A deputation of over 200 teachers, representing the ETT teachers employed in 5,257 schools under the zila parishad across the state today met the Education Minister of Punjab, Sikander Singh Maluka, pertaining to their long pending demand of bringing them under the state education department.

State president of the union Jaswinder Singh Sidhu also proposed to sit on a fast unto death if the state government failed to heed their demands.

During the meeting, the teachers pointed out that although they had been demanding the same since 2006, the state government had promises them in 2010 that their demands would be heeded and the schools under zila parishad be brought under the Education Department but the same was yet to be done.

The deputation, which met the minister in Maluka village today, was headed by the state president of the union, Jaswinder Singh Sidhu, patron Ranjit Singh Bath, senior vice-president Swaranjit Singh Bhagta and senior vice-president Balraj Singh. The teachers began assembling in the local gurdwara. They also turned down the minister's offer to meet a deputation of 10 teachers but the teachers were adamant on the minister accepting the memorandum of demands in front of all them.

While addressing the teachers, the minister gave assurance that he would personally rally for their demands during all the future meetings with the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal.

After meeting the minister the leaders of the union convened a meeting of their members during which it was decided that if the state government failed in implementing all the clauses of their promise done in 2010 by July 1, they would stage dharnas outside the residences and offices of the ministers of state and also stage a state-level rally on July 20.

Also part of the deputation were Kulwinder Singh, GUrjit Singh, Jagtar Singh, Buta Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Aman Brar, Rajesh, Shiv Kumar, Balwinder and several others. 

Bathinda, May 23
The NRI groom, Harpal Singh Mahil, a resident of Canada, has been awarded two year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 on the charges of fraud by the court of additional chief judicial magistrate Vijay Kumar at Bathinda today.

In 2008, Kotwali police station registered a case of fraud against the NRI groom. In the complaint, victim had accused that she got married to NRI Harpal Singh on April 3, 2006, at the time of marriage her parent as per the demands of the accused spend Rs 22 lakh on the marriage.

She accused that her husband after one month left for Canada and mother of the accused Sukhmander Kaur took away her gold ornaments and Rs 5 lakh with her while going to Canada immediately after her marriage. After one year, her husband visited India and during his stay told the victim that some other persons were ready to spend Rs 50 lakh on the marriage but the parents of the victim had spend just Rs 22 Lakh and as such their status has been degraded in the eyes of the locality of their class and relations.

After this victim narrated this whole story to her parents, they assured that more money will be given to them in near in future and parents gave Rs 1 lakh to the accused, who then took the victim along with him to Canada.

After reaching Canada, Harpal along with his family members started maltreating and harassing her on the account of bringing fewer dowries. He even started torturing and beating the victim.

Victim said after sometime she gave birth to a child and during the maternity, the allowance given by the government to her was also taken by her husband and other family members.

Victim later came to India to attend the wedding of her cousin in December 2008, at that time her husband asked her to get money from her parents as he wanted to start an import-export business and was in need of money.

She requested her husband to apply for the child's passport but he intentionally did not apply for the same and could not bring her baby to India.

When they reached Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi, her husband fled away with bag in which her gold ornaments and passport were there. Later, she came to know that Harpal after leaving her at Indira Gandhi Airport, boarded flight to Canada.

Last year when Harpal came to India, he was arrested.

Bathinda, May 23
A private bus rammed into a motorcycle leaving three injured at Bibi Wala Chowk this afternoon.The bus is owned by Orbit Company.

According to sources, the bus was coming from the Ludhiana around 2 pm and it rammed into a motorcycle.

Those who got injured were identified as Dev Singh, his daughter-in-law Rajbir Kaur and grandson Sukhraj Singh of Chak fateh Singhwala village. Condition of all of them is said to be critical. Three-year-old Sukhraj Singh has received fractures on both his legs.

Malkit Kaur, wife of Dev Singh, said they were going to Civil Hospital to meet their relative who had been admitted in hospital.

BKU leader Ekta Ugrahan Hosihar Singh demanded justice and said the driver of the bus should be arrested immediately. The police reached the spot and the investigation is under way.The driver and conductor fled away from the spot.

Bathinda, May 23
Calling the resignation furnished by the tourism and jail minister Swaran Singh Phillaur 'a drama', general secretary of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and former Bathinda MLA Harmander Singh Jassi today demanded that Bikramjeet Singh Majithia, originally named by Jagdish Bhola in a high-profile drug trafficking case, should tender his resignation rather than "sacrificing smaller ministers".

Jassi questioned the SAD-BJP state alliance's seriousness towards solving the case of drug trafficking while pointing out that the alliance was yet to Majithia to resign since he was the brother of the Badal bahu and Bathinda MP, Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

He also took the opportunity to attack the Bathinda MP of taking revenge from the residents of Bathinda constituency for not supporting her during the Lok Sabha elections. "Despite the fact that the Badal family has been calling Bathinda a VIP constituency and a power-cut free zone, the constituency has started reeling under long power outages lasting 8-9 hours. This is an indication of the fact that the MP is upset with the residents over the thin margin with which she won the election," Jassi said. He also reminded the state government of its promises that it made to the voters before the Lok Sabha elections. “During campaigning, SAD told he voters that the Congress-led central government was responsible for the property and other heavy taxes and its promise that the tax will be lifted once NDA-led government came to power at the centre. It is time the state government fulfilled its promise," he said and demanded the government should extend a financial help of Rs 5 lakh to each of the families of the farmers who committed suicide.—TNS

Bathinda, May 23
As per the directions of the state government and the civil surgeon of Bathinda, Dr Vinod Kumar Garg, first De-worming Day was observed across all the government, government-aided, model and adarsh schools and anganwari centres

On the occasion, under the guidance of Dr Garg a tablet of albendazole (400 mg) was given to the students of the Arya Senior Secondary Girls School, Bathinda. While addressing the students and teachers, Dr Garg said to prevent deficiency of blood caused by the worms in the stomach of children, intake of the tablet was necessary.

On the occasion, Dr Rakesh Goyal said as many as 1,28,000 students of schools were given the tablets and the students who were absent from school today would be given the same when they come back to the school tomorrow. 

Jalandhar, May 23
The interim bail of the four accused in the abetment to suicide case of industrialist Chandar Mohan Arora was rejected by the District Courts here today.

They had applied for the interim bail in the court of Harbans Singh Lekhi, Additional Districts and Sessions Judge.

Those who applied for interim bail were Yograj Puri, Neeraj Puri, Rajesh Verma and Harish Verma, said Rakesh Dhir, counsel from the side of the deceased.

On May 19, the interim bail of three other accused, namely Ramesh Sharda, Naresh Sharda and Sudesh Sharda, was also rejected by the court. One of the accused, namely Davinder, had also applied for interim bail, but he had later withdrawn the bail plea, fearing rejection from the court.

Against the alleged failure of the Government Railway Police in nabbing the accused who had abetted the suicide of industrialist Chandar Mohan Arora, the victim's kin had also threatened to intensify their stir against the railway police. They had also organised a candlelight march outside the Government Railway Police station on May 18.

Bathinda, May 23
Cdr (retd) Baljinder Virk of District Defense Services Welfare Officer (DDSWO), Bathinda, today said that a six-week coaching classes for NDA/CDS will commence from June 2 at the District Defence Services Welfare Office, Civil Station, Bathinda.

He said that during this course, the candidates will be taught all the relevant subjects for NDS/CDS written examination. A special emphasis will be given on personality development. The candidates will be provided an opportunity to interact with senior officers of Army, Navy and Air force. He urged the interested candidates to approach District Defence Services Welfare Office Bathinda, for enrolment at the earliest so that necessary administrative arrangements can be made.—TNS

Amritsar, May 23
Even as the state government has embarked upon a multi-core canal-based water supply scheme to cater to the needs of city residents on a pilot-project basis, the water situation here remains grim for now.

Residents of not only the Walled City areas like Bagh Rama Nand, Hansliwali gali, but posh areas like Anand Avenue, New Amritsar and Partap Nagar complain of getting unsafe drinking water supply in their homes. It is learnt that it is the distribution and maintenance system which is outworn and poorly maintained.

Mandeep Singh of Anand Avenue said the residents of the locality are forced to drink contaminated water mixed with mud. He also claimed to have approached the MC Commissioner over phone but there was no response from his side.

"It has been over two weeks that we are getting muddy water supply to our houses. How will water purifiers suffice, he asked.

MC Commissioner DPS Kharbanda agreed that the problem existed because some sewerage work was underway in the area and that the crisis would be resolved soon in the area. Xen Parduman Singh has been entrusted with the task of resolving the issue as early as possible," he said.

On the other hand, residents of the Bagh Ramanand area in the Walled City fear an outbreak of water-borne diseases in their area. Jagdish Singh, a resident, alleged that the water supplied here emits foul smell and it's muddy. He also had with him a bottle of muddy water collected from a tap.

"A large number of families are now dependent on other sources for drinking water or buy packaged drinking water. But how long can we carry on like this?" said Jagdish Singh, a resident of the area. A New Amritsar resident, Harcharan Singh, said that with the water overhead reservoir in the area getting non-functional, there would always be muddy and sticky layer that crop up on the water supplied to the homes. If water is collected in a bucket, there erupted some gluey like layer on its surface. Identical was the scenario prevailing at the Partap Nagar located on the GT road. It is actually the gap between demand and the supply of safe drinking water that has widened in the city of late. Sources say it will take at least two years to execute the water treatment scheme.

Amritsar, May 23
A day after the residents of Fatah Singh Colony held a protest outside the Gate Hakima police station, the police have registered a case against four persons for allegedly thrashing a youth, identified as Harwinder Singh.

The residents, headed by Communist leader Jaswinder Kaur, today held a demonstration outside the police station. They alleged that the accused threw bottles and bricks at the house of the victim and even fired in the air, which led to panic in the locality. They alleged that there was total lawlessness in the area as goons and drug peddlers supported by political leaders were ruling the roost.

The police said a case under Sections 336, 323, 506, 148, 149 of the IndianPenal Code had been registered against the accused, identified as Mota, Briti, Bharkilla and Shikhar, all are the residents of the same colony in this regard. No arrest has been made so far as the accused are on the run. 

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