Bathinda, June 6
In an early morning shocker, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla conducted a raid on the Excise & Taxation Department and the tehsil office. The officials who were found absent have been called for a meeting and a disciplinary action is being pondered upon against other employees found absent from the office during the checking.

The CPS, who conducted the raid at the two offices at 9.40am, was in for a surprise himself when he found out that most of the officials of the Excise & Taxation Department were yet to reach the office although the official reporting time was 9 am.

As per information, seven out of eight inspectors, all the four excise and taxation officers (ETOs) and many other employees of the department were found to be absent from or late for duty. One of the employees who were present in the office told the CPS that the other officials had been marked for duty at the sangat darshan programmes being conducted by the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Not letting anyone get by with an alibi, the CPS called up the Office of the Deputy Commissioner and asked for a copy of the list of employees who had been deputed on duty at the CM’s sangat darshan programmes.

He added that disciplinary action will be taken against officials and employees who had been found absent from duty. He also added that the department will now be asked to maintain an attendance register so that the whereabouts of any employee could be ascertained as and when required.

When the CPS moved from the Excise & Taxation Department the Tehsil office, public sitting at the office waiting for their works to be done surrounded him and told him that they had to go through several ordeals to get their work done at the Tehsil office. During a meeting convened with the tehsildar, Singla instructed him to ensure smooth functioning at the Tehsil office.

A clerk at the Tehsil office also came under the scanner after the public leveled allegation against him for asking for bribe. Singla assured the people that an enquiry will be done into the matter and necessary action will be done against the clerk.

Clarifying that the raid had nothing to do with the debacle which the SAD-BJP candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal had to face during the Lok Sabha elections in which she reclaimed the seat with only a wafer-thin margin, Singla stated that the raid was a routine affair and had nothing to do with the results of Lok Sabha elections.

He added that the raid was conducted under the directions of the state government which was taking all measured to ensure attendance of employees in their respective offices to ease public dealing. He added that he had already directed the Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC) to meet him on Monday.

While the AETC GS Tiwana refused to comment on his own absence from office during the checking, he stated that only two employees of the office had been deputed for the sangat darshan programme of the CM. He accepted that he had no knowledge about the whereabouts of the rest of the employees found absent during the checking. He further stated that departmental action will be taken against the employees found absent during the checking. 

Bathinda, June 6
Family members of a deceased staged a protest at the Civil Hospital today morning accusing alleging negligence at the hands of doctors during the treatment of the victim.

The protestors locked the emergency room by keeping deceased body inside and demanded action against the Station Medical Officer (SMO) and the doctor who treated the deceased.

To console the deceased family, former MLA and vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) Gurpreet Singh Kangar and MLA Ajaib Singh Bhatti reached the spot and demanded justice for the victim family accusing the working of police and hospital management.

Malkit Kaur, sister of the deceased, said on May 26 she along with her brother Mohinder Singh (50), resident of Phulewala, was returning home at 8 pm. Suddenly, three persons namely Jagsir Singh, Chamkaur Singh and Angrej Singh due to some old rivalry started beating Mohinder Singh with sharp-edged weapons. Mohinder was immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital, where Dr Gobind Ram operated his arm and leg in two separate surgeries. After undergoing treatment for nearly 10 days at the hospital, he was relieved from the hospital on June 5. His condition started deteriorating after reaching home and he was again admitted to the hospital, where he died at 9 pm at night. Malkit also accused Dr Gobind Ram of taking Rs 25,000 as a bribe from them and demanded strict action against the doctor and the SMO. She also accused SHO Phul Sikander and another policeman of not listening to their appeal. She alleged that accused Jagsir Singh and Chamkaur Singh; both are the brother of the SAD leader and sarpanch of the village Sukhmander Singh due to which police is acting against the accused. After getting the information, DSP Phul reached the spot and ensured of the justice after which the protest was lifted.

Meanwhile, Amrik Singh, the SMO of the Civil Hospital, refuted the allegations levelled by the family members of the deceased and said the deceased was fine and was allowed to go home after the approval of family only. He further stated that at 10 pm at night 30 to 40 persons came at the gate of the Civil Hospital with the body of the deceased and started raising slogans against the hospital 
officials. — TNS

Bathinda, June 6
With every passing day, students of final semester of BSc at colleges affiliated to the Punjabi University, Patiala, are growing jittery as the university is yet to give them a concrete solution to their problem of a clash between the dates of two of their BSc final exams and entrance exam for admission into MSc in other universities.

The students of Punjabi University are scheduled to appear for their mathematics number theory examination on June 17. On the same day, Delhi University will be conducting the entrance exam for admission to MSc in physics. As per the schedule of Punjabi University, the students have to appear for examination of nuclear physics on June 13. The same day, Panjab University will be conducting entrance exam for admission to MSc in physics.

While speaking to the Bathinda Tribune, the students stated that they had been running from pillar to post to get the university either speak to the other universities to change their entrance exam date or change the datesheet of the Punjabi University to accommodate the dates of entrance exams of other universities.

The students also alleged that they had been regularly corresponding with the university authorities, but were not getting any satisfactory response from them. “The university officials had asked us to write a letter and get it signed by the principal of the college, Vijay Goyal, and then send it to the university requesting for a change in the examination dates. Now, we have been asked to do the same again,” said one of the students of Government Rajindra College, Bathinda.

Speaking to the Bathinda Tribune, Controller of Examination at Punjabi University Patiala, Pawan Singla, stated that he was in Chandigarh for a meeting and would check if a change in the datesheet was possible.

“In case the datesheet can’t be changed, I assure that the students who appear for the entrance exams of other universities and miss the exam at our university will be allowed to appear for the exam at a later date. The students will have to furnish a proof of the fact that they missed the examination since they had appeared for the entrance exams on the same date,” he said.

Principal of the college, Vijay Goyal stated that a letter requesting the university to change the date of clashing exams had already been sent. He also stated that he would speak to the controller of examination regarding the matter and request for a written correspondence that the students would be allowed to appear for the examinations at a later date. 

The university officials had asked us to write a letter and get it signed by the principal of the college, Vijay Goyal, and then send it to the university requesting for a change in the examination dates. Now, we have been asked to do the same again.

A student, Government Rajindra College, Bathinda

In case the datesheet can’t be changed, I assure that the students who appear for the entrance exams of other universities and miss the exam at our university will be allowed to appear for the exam at another later date. The students will have to furnish a proof of the fact that they missed the examination since they had appeared for the entrance exams on the same date.

Pawan Singla, Controller of Examination, Punjabi University, Patiala

Bathinda, June 6
While the Indian Meteorological Department announced that the monsoon had arrived on Kerala coast on Friday, Bathinda and its adjoining areas simmered as the sun beat down harsh and the mercury moved northwards to cross the 46 degree Celsius mark and be recorded at 46.4 degree Celsius, the highest in this season till now. The night also offered no respite from the heat as the minimum temperature was recorded at 28 degree Celsius.

Although the maximum temperature was recorded at 46 degree Celsius on Saturday last week, the mercury had fallen a little to hover below 45 degree Celsius through the following week. As a result of low level of humidity in the afternoon and absence of strong winds, the heat wave lashed the region restricting the movement of the residents of the area.

As per the weather forecast released by the agri-met department of the PAU regional station, Bathinda, on Friday, there seems to be no respite in sight from the intense heat wave across Northern India. The forecast added that similar dry and intense hot weather would continue for at least four more days.

Bathinda, June 6
The state government-approved ‘low-priced’ liquor has become substitute for the drugs that have become expensive as well as out of reach in the state.

With prices of illegal contrabands skyrocketing-following large scale arrests of drug peddlers-the slash in prices of two major liquor brands (beer and country made liquor) has attracted a large number if of drug addicts in and around Bathinda.

The availability of illegal drugs, including smack, heroin, opium, poppy husk and others has become quite expensive in view of tightening of noose around the drug peddlers across state.

Consuming liquor, however, has become substitute for such addicts in view of slashing of prices by the Punjab Government.

From June 1, the cost of country-made liquor has come down from Rs 170 to Rs 165 and the prices of per bottle beer (Thunderbolt and King Cobra) have tumbled down from Rs 130 to Rs 100.

Government and private psychiatrists in Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala and Muktsar revealed that in view of tightening noose around sale of illegal drugs, majority of drug addicts hooked to various forms of illicit contrabands now find liquor as an alternate for kick.

“I had been consuming marijuana-filled cigarettes for the last eight years and ever-since the supply of this drug is cut by the police in Bathinda now I sleep after having two pegs of liquor,” said an addict at drug-de-addiction center at Bathinda, Civil Hospital.

A visit to the other drug-de-addiction centres in and around the city revealed that the 25 to 50 per cent addicts now find it hard (but not impossible) to procure various forms of drugs they are hooked to for the last many years and others opt for liquor.

“Those dependent on heroin, smack, opium, poppy husk and medicines abused as drugs, have now turned to alcohol. We have very less number of people visiting us to get rid of alcohol exclusively. Most are those who take concoctions of different drugs and have now started having alcohol in larger quantity to accommodate for the loss,” said the workers at de-addiction center in civil hospital.

Those who fail to gather money to purchase drugs, in view of sudden increase in its prices following police action against peddlers, visit the de-addiction centres suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms.

Besides the government-run de-addiction centres in the city, there are around four such private centres in district and one being run in jail exclusively to reform the prisoners.

SSP Gurpreet Bhullar said they are leaving no stone unturned to nail as many drug peddlers as they could. “Apart from medicinal drugs we have also seized considerable quantity of illicit and country made liquor”, Bhullar said. 

Bathinda, June 6
Teachers recruited under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (CSS), Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyaan (RMSA) and Central Sponsored Scheme (CSS) today raised their voice against the state government for punishing them for demanding their salaries, which have been due for the past 13 months.

In a press statement released here today, the teachers said their ‘crime’ was that they had dared to ask the government to release their salaries on May 1, 2013.

Instead of accepting its mistake, the government issued arrest orders of 138 teachers, including 43 women, who had gathered in the city and put them behind bars and kept them in the Faridkot jail for more than a month, they added.

The teachers had come to the District Courts Complex to attend a hearing in the case.

They said the 14 teachers who had attended a hearing on May 5 were given September 10 as the date of next hearing, the 84 teachers, including 43 female teachers, who came to Bathinda on June 4 for their hearing will have to come again on September 16 and the remaining 40 teachers, who came for a hearing on June 6 will have to attend the next hearing on September 20.

Teachers who should spend their time in imparting education to the students were being forced by the state government to appear for court hearings, they said.

Teachers had struggled to make both ends meet during the 13 months they were not paid their salaries, they added.

Bathinda, June 6
With the mercury already on the verge of crossing the 45 degree Celcius mark and no signs of respite in the near future, the unscheduled power cuts have added to the woes and made life a hell for city residents.

High level of humidity and blowing of hot winds are witnessed in the district.

Sources in the Electricity Department said the demand of power had increased but the production was not adequate. So, to fulfil this gap, cuts were being imposed, they said.

The duration of the power cuts might increase in the coming days, they said.

The city was announced as a no power cut zone in 2009, but with the changing political scenario after the 2014 election results, it has been facing continuous power cuts after May 1.

Power cuts are being imposed in all the localities of the city every day. Residents are facing problems in registering their complaints as the helpline number is inaccessible during night.

Ashok Kumar, a resident, said they were being harassed by the Powercom Department as power cuts were imposed during the night.

Another resident Nitin Jasiwal said during the period of high inflation, these power cuts have become another way of crushing the common man.

Due to power cuts, people running businesses are left with no option but to work on generators, which reduces profit.

On the other hand, generator and inverter shop owners are having a gala time power cuts lead to increase in their sale.

Sanjeev Kumar, an inverter shop owner, said the inverter business was in slump in the last 3-4 years as there was hardly any power cut in the city and hence, people stopped buying invertors.

Powercom XEN, Bathinda (City), Hardeep Singh Sidhu, said power cuts were being imposed as the demand was quite high and the supply was less.

Farmers shout slogans outside the IGP office seeking release of their leaders and other workers in Bathinda on Friday. Photo: Vijay Kumar

They launched an agitation demanding the release of their leaders and workers who were arrested during the protests in the minor girl rape case on May 26.

The activists were lead by the Punjab Mazdoor Union leader Fakir Chand, Gurmail Kaur and BKU leader Parminder Kaur.

They accused the Badal government and IGP of patronising drug smugglers, rapists and other anti-social elements.

They said it was after their earlier protest that the police bowed down and arrested the third accused in the rape case, Gurlal Singh, after 4 months of the incident.

Even in the Shruti kidnapping case in Faridkot, the police threatened the activists to file cases against them if they came out and protested against the government, they added.

But in this incident, the police went a step further and arrested the activists who had come to demand justice, they said.

From the last 4 days, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is in the city and holding Sangat Darshan in Talwandi Sabo but he chose to ignore the large number of activists protesting outside the IGP’s office and being taken away by the police every day, they said. — TNS

Bathinda, June 6
The 3-day 9th Cosco Cricket Tournament was inaugurated today on the campus of SSD College of Professional Studies, Bhokhra, Bathinda.

The tournament is organised in association with Saint Mahesh Muni Ji (Borewale) Sports Club (Regd 204) and the Panchyat of Gill Patti village.

Various teams of different villages are participating in the tournament. President of the club, Gurpreet Singh Mann, treasurer Khushwinder Sidhu, vice president Parminder Sidhu and general secretary Harpreet Sidhu honoured college principal Dr Rajesh Singla with a memento and thanked the management for providing the facilities to conduct the tournament.

Dr Rajesh Singla said such kind of sports events help students to improve agility and increase their strength.