Bathinda, June 18
At a crucial time, when the state government is focusing on health facilities at the Civil Hospitals across the state, the ayurvedic hospital located behind the Rajindra College is facing financial and staff crunch.

To give better facilities to the patients, double storey building has been upgraded and 50 beds have been kept in ward. But due to the non availability of the staff and lack of funds, these 50 beds are lying defunct.

Health and Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla in 2010 laid the foundation stone for upgrading this hospital from 10 beds to 50 beds hospital.

At present the hospital has two doctors and one pharmacist only, while the posts of four nurses, two grade-IV employees are lying vacant.

Even the electricity bills from last many months have been lying outstanding against the hospital.

A patient Sushil Kumar said, "Doctors are good but facilities for patients are not up to the mark. There is no seating arrangement at the waiting hall."

Officials present at hospital are also facing many problems due to non availability of the staff. Officials said, "There is one big generator set but due to non availability of fuel it remains non functional or sometimes officials have to put fuel in it from their own pocket."

Bathinda, June 18
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa will visit Bathinda on June 25 to take stock of the preparedness of party workers and senior leaders regarding the bypoll in Talwandi Sabo and Bathinda Municipal Corporation elections.

This was stated by the general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and former Bathinda MLA, Harmander Singh Jassi, who today convened a meeting with the senior leaders and workers of the party here.

Addressing the meeting, Jassi asked all to pull up their socks for the elections and specially asked the workers and the former councilors to keap a tab on the problems being faced by the residents of several municipal wards of the city.

He also shared his plan of constituting booth committees for both Bathinda urban and rural segments. He added that during his visit Bajwa will also chalk out the planning for the elections.

Jassi also took the opportunity to take a dig at the Chief Minister of Punjab and the Prime Minister of India. He stated that before the Lok Sabha elections, the SAD-P government lured the voters by saying that good days were here to come. He added that now that BJP-led government has come to the Centre, the voters are braving inflation, sky-high prices of vegetables and fruits, increase in the bus fares. Taking a sarcastic look at the central government, Jassi added that earlier the state government used to blame the Congress-led Central government for closure of various schemes but now that its own alliance party had formed the government at the Centre, the state government had resorted to discontinuing the atta-dal scheme and stopping the payment of salaries of government employees.

He requested the CM o prove it to the people of Punjab that the SAD-BJP alliance does not rule on the basis of lies and will fulfill its promises made to the voters before the LOk Sabha elections.

‘Raids a farce’

Talking about the surprise checkings being conducted by the CM Parkash Singh Badal and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla, Jassi stated that the raids were a political farce to fool the people into believing that the state government was serious about serving its people. He added that if the intentions of the CM and the CPS was pure, they should take strict action against officials and make the ministers found absent during checking resign from their respective posts.

‘Where is the MP?’

Raking up the issue of the second-time Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal giving her constituency a miss ever since she won the elections, Jassi questioned her attitude towards the people of her constituency demanding clarification on her absence from Bathinda ever since she was declared a winner, albeit with a slender margin. 

Bathinda, June 18
Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal will be visiting the city tomorrow, 33 days after the results of the Lok Sabha election were announced.

Harsimrat is visiting the city for the first time after becoming a cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre. The MP will thank the voters for facilitating her win for the second consecutive term from Bathinda parliamentary constituency. Harsimrat Kaur Badal was reportedly upset as the Lok Sabha election result was against the party's expectations. She was able to win by a slender margin of nearly 19,000 votes as compared to 1.15 lakh in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

The leaders of the SAD-BJP were waiting for her arrival for long as they wanted to welcome her in grand style. Due to the thin margin of her victory, there was no celebration in Bathinda constituency, no victory procession was taken out and even Harsimrat failed to reach the counting centre to collect her winner's certificate.

With Harsimrat Badal coming to the city, SAD workers and leaders are now delighted and prepared to welcome their leader. The roads have been dotted with boards congratulating Harsimrat on her elevation as Union cabinet minister. Sources claimed that she recently meet officials of her ministry and industrialists regarding the setting up of a food processing unit in her constituency. So it is expected that Harsimrat might announce something big for the city.

Bathinda Urban MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla said Harsimrat Badal will be visiting the city tomorrow and is expected to announce something big for the city. He also stated that Harsimrat will pay obeisance at Takht Shri Damdama Sahib first.

Bathinda, June 18
The Bathinda unit of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) after getting drubbed in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in which SAD candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal trialed by more than 29,000 votes from the Bathinda urban constituency has got into an action mode.

To cover up the loss, Bathinda urban MLA and Chief Parlianmentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla has started raiding government offices and holding meeting with officials for the past ten days. Sarup Chand Singla while talking to the Bathinda Tribune blamed the bureaucrats for the huge trail in elections. He said due to the delay in various works and unresolved public grievance we had to pay the price.

He said earlier we were highly dependent on the working of bureaucrats but now he would keep a tab on their working.

When asked about the reason behind the trail they have analysed after the elections, he said the main reason was we were not able to reach out to the public with the achievements of the government and on issue like property tax and illegal colonies backfired as opposition was able to cash in votes on their false propaganda.

He said during a meeting with the deputy chief minister regarding the poll debacle, he recently had put forward his views that social media affected the party the most. It's high time now that party should do something for the social media and makes sure that their achievements reach to the people.

Their is also a need to start awareness in society regarding the misuse of the social media. Singla said the drug issue also had gone against them and now Punjab government has initiated a drive against smugglers. He would personally fight against it in his constituency, even if his close relatives comes in a drug case he would put them behind the bars, so there was no question of shielding any party worker. He said ward-wise anti-drugs committee would be made so that it can be eradicated from ground-level.

He appealed to the public that if they find any officials not listening to their grievances, asking for bribe and not doing their work he should be contacted. Even in this regarding we are starting the toll free MLA complaint number and would install MLA complainant boxes at government offices.

Sarup Singla is also going to hold sangat darshan at the Municpal Corporation on June 20 in which he would be listening to the grievances of the public. — TNS

Bathinda, June 18
Two girl students of Government Nursing College, Bathinda, who tried to commit suicide by consuming sleeping pills on June 6, have now been expelled from the hostel.

The girls were allegedly tortured mentally by college authorities over their demands of basic amenities and use of mobile phones on the hostel premsises. They were treated by doctors at the Civil Hospital the same night but it went unreported with no intimation to the police about the case.

The students here have been demanding provision of basic amenities, including drinking water, cleanliness of hostel and usage of mobile phones on the hostel premises. The college authorities had banned the usage of mobile phones claiming the move to be the rules.

On June 7, the girl students of the GNC, Bathinda, staged a protest outside office of Bathinda Civil Surgeon but to no avail.

The college principle has now taken a U turn from her earlier statement. She claimed the students consumed their medicines whereas now the principle claimed that students caught fever that night.

A GNM student revealed that both the girls, who attempt suicide, were treated by doctors and the same was recorded in registers. The police on behest of principal and other staff wasn't informed. College authorities warned us not to reveal the incident to anyone and now the authorities have expelled the girls from hostel. One of the victim girls was not allowed to enter hostel.

Principle Anjuli James said, "The girls created indiscipline in the hostel so they have been expelled from hostel. They had not attempt suicide rather they caught fever following which they were admitted in hospital."

Bathinda, June 18
Police officials, who play a pivotal role in maintaining law and order, are residing in houses that are in a dilapidated condition. Police employee’s quarters at Police Colony in Lal Singh Basti area are virtually in a shambles and cry for attention.

The government on its part has not yet evinced any interest in repairing them. Basic amenities such as sewage, water and street lights are inadequately in the colony.

Windows panes and frames are broken in many quarters. Many quarters have been vacated due to their bad condition.

Mithu Singh, who stays in one of the quarters, said the condition of the quarters is quite depressing. Sewerage overflows in the backyards of the houses and emanates an obnoxious smell, he said.

Due to leakage of water pipes and the resultant seepage, walls have developed cracks. He said they had repaired the quarters on their own expenses many times.

Street lights have been lying defunct for the past many months and as a result, visitors have to grope their way in the colony during the night.

Even the road to the colony is worn out. The residents have appealed to authorities many times but it seems that their requests have fallen on deaf ears.

This police quarters were inaugurated by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Ferozepur range, in 1993. The quarters were given as an additional benefit to police officials by the government.

A police official, on condition of anonymity, said there were two routes for going in and out of the colony and both the routes were in a bad shape. The road has been dug up for the last 1-2 years due to sewerage work going in the area, he added.

It is worth mentioning that sewerage lines have been laid outside the police colony but so far no road has been constructed by the authorities concerned.

Even the sand dug up to lay sewerage lines has been dumped in the colony.

Bathinda, June 18
The state government has allocated three acres of land for the fish market on Dabwali Road from the area earmarked for the international cricket stadium. The government aims to provide a market to the farmers who opt for pisciculture in the water-logged areas.

The state government is already working to start a fish rearing project in the water logged areas such of Muktsar.

Earlier, the state government had asked the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) to search a land for the project. BDA authorities examined all the land available with them for developing the fish market.

BDA had proposed a market in areas of industrial growth on Mansa Road and another one on Bathinda-Badal Road near the railway-over-bridge.

District Mandi Board officer Gursewak Singh said 3 acres to 5 acres of land was required for the market and the land that BDA had recommended was not adequate. None of the areas was above 2 acres.

The issue of shortage of land was conveyed to Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal during his sangat darshan programme held at Talwandi Sabo.

“After holding a number of talks and deliberations, the Chief Minister finally directed the Sports Department to give 3 acres of its land on the Dabwali Road,” said Gursewak Singh.

The department has now sent its proposal to the headquarters at Chandigarh.

However, sources said three acres of land would not be adequate as it would not have enough space for future expansion.

The general manager of Punjab Mandi Board, GPS Randhawa, said the market would have around 40 shops for wholesale dealers, around 25 to 30 for retail shopkeepers and a couple of storage rooms as well.

The aim of constructing the fish market is to provide the sellers as well as buyers a platform where they can carry out transactions with all basic facilities, he added.

The government claims to develop similar markets in four other districts of the state. The Ludhiana fish market is about to be completed. Similar markets are also coming up in Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Patiala.

Sources said a similar proposal in Mohali could not be completed despite numerous efforts by the state government.

Randhawa pointed out that presently, frozen fish captured more than 80 per cent market in the state, which is being bought from far off places.

Farmers, who have more than 10 acres of water logged land, will be highly benefitted.

Bathinda, June 18
The District Consumer Forum observed deficiency on the part of e-bay India and imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000. The forum also directed to refund the price of a mobile hand set in Indian rupees equivalent to US dollar 207.50.

A complaint in this regard was filed by Vinod Choudhary, a resident of Bibiwala Road, through his lawyer, advocate Rohit Sharma.

Apart from e-bay India, the complainant also made Chennai-based HTC Global Services India Private Limited, a party into the case.

The complainant said in May 2013, he had purchased a mobile phone of HTC company with a sale price of US dollar 207.50 through online shopping from the website, using a credit card.

He said though he already paid the cost of the mobile phone, he was also told to pay Rs 2,122 as custom duty before getting the mobile phone through Indian Postal Mail.

After receiving the phone set, he found that the mike/speaker of the cell phone was not working. He contacted the company that sold him the phone as their authorised or empanelled seller promised to replace the phone in case of any defect.

When Choudhary saw that the matter reached out of his control, he filed a complaint.

The issue was heard at length in the forum and after going through all the details, the forum reached at a conclusion that there is deficiency on the part of the company.

Thus, keeping in view the facts, circumstances and the evidence placed on file by the complainant, the forum observed that the company sent a defective product to the complainant and then not refunded the price of the mobile in question to the complainant.

The complainant is entitled for the refund of the said amount, the forum observed.

The company has been directed to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 and refund the price of the mobile hand set in Indian rupees equivalent to US $207.50 considering the rate of the US dollar on the date of order. 

Jalandhar, June 18
Last week, the roof of the room adjoining the District Education Officer’s (Elementary) office (on the first floor), fell.

He wrote to the DC, who conveyed the matter to the education secretary, but even with an imminent threat now, the government still says the DEO shall be shifted to a new place "shortly".

Housed in a rented, unsafe building for the past 15 years, the education officers of the district have spent the last over a decade in the building, portions of which have been caving in or developing new threatening cracks and crevasses every year.

Finally, following the collapse of the roof last week, the district (and state) administrations seriously considered the shifting of officials to another building for the first time in ages.

While the roof collapsed at a time when no one was in the office, the staff seated in that room have now been adjusted in the elementary DEO’s larger office enclosure even as he continues to attend to his duties in the same office which leaks like a sieve in the rains.

Sources even said that district education officials had been asked to look for a new rented accommodation on their own since no government office was available.

While the DEO (Elementary) sits on the first floor, the office of the DEO (Secondary) is on the ground floor, right below the 
DEO (E)’s.

DEO (Elementary), Anil Awasthi said, “I wrote to the DC on the issue and we have been told that we shall be shifted soon. We could be shifted to the In-Service Training Institute on the Ladowali road or elsewhere according to availability. There is no government space or office available at the DC complex to house us, but new arrangement shall be made soon. Currently, I’m operating from the same office and the staff whose room roof fell have been adjusted with me.”

DEO (Senior Secondary) Kuldeep Sharma said, “For a long time, requests are being made to shift us to a new building. While I am on the ground floor, the urgent need to shift is for first floor officials because a roof caved in and space is also less there. At a meeting held in Chandigarh yesterday, the education secretary said we will be shfited soon. Possibly, arrangements will be made for both the DEOs and the CEO (Circle Education Officer) in a new building. It all depends on the space available.”

Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav said, “We received a proposal from the DEO (E) to shift him to the Government In-Service Training Centre. I have brought the matter to the Education Secretary and they also visited Chandigarh yesterday regarding the issue. Since no government building is presently empty, we are on the lookout for an appropriate office space. We presently await the orders of the education secretary.”

Education Secretary Anjali Bhawra said, “The DEOs shall be shifted to an alternative place shortly.”

When asked in approximately how many days the shift will take place, she said, “Shortly.”

‘Well of death’

Spread in over 8-kanal area, some employees have nicknamed the DEO office as “maut da khooh” (well of death), especially during the rains when it drips badly. The entire roof of the building drips during the rains, which also poses a danger to documents. In the past, when girders of another office fell, they were fixed with wooden planks. About 50 to 60 persons work at the office. In 2013, the stairs leading to first floor had been rendered unusable and a wooden ladder was being used. They have now been repaired. But officials dread the rainy season.

Fact file

* Declared unsafe for the past 15 years

* Officials still looking for alternative space after roof of room right next to DEO (E)’s office caved in

* DC cites non-availability of government space as the cause for delay

* Also says awaiting Edu Secy’s orders

* Edu Secy says shift will happen ‘shortly’ 

Jalandhar, May 18
Punjab Roadways is planning to introduce five more buses under the Km Scheme in the district that would run on Delhi-Chandigarh and Delhi-Amritsar routes.

Presently, seven buses run under the scheme, for which the contract between JCBL and Punjab Roadways is going to expire in August. Since it’s still unclear about the renewal of the contract, Punjab Roadways has floated a the proposal. 

Bathinda, July 18
City residents are irked over the hike in bus fares of both private and government buses in the state. The state government has taken a decision to hike fares by 8 paise per kilometer. With this, the fares have been increased to 91 paise from 83 paise per kilometer.

The state government has cited that the increase in crude oil prices in the international market as the reason behind this hike.

Interestingly, the Badal clan and its associates have chains of private transport companies in Punjab. It is alleged that the hike in the fares would benefit the Badal family and its associates the most.

“Bus transport is the mode highly used by the people who do not own a vehicle. If we are charged so much for a short distance, how will the common man travel? The Punjab Government should think about the public before taking these types of decisions, which affect the common man adversely,” said Lakhwinder Singh, a retired official of the thermal plant

Advocate Simerjit Singh said the Punjab Government hiked the fares due to the pressure created by private transporters.

The Transporter Minister said they had taken this decision while considering the demands of private operators who were suffering due to sky-rocketing prices of diesel.

The advocate said if the diesel prices were affecting the operators, they also affect the common man. The fares must be reduced considering the views of the general public, he added.

Tushar Gupta, a B Tech student, said hike in fare would affect him badly as he travels everyday from Talwandi Sabo to Bathinda to attend his college. The government should not have hiked the fares at present, he said.

He appealed that the students should be given special relaxation as the education fees are quite high and they are overburdened by huge fares.

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) general secretary Harminder Singh Jassi accused the Badal family for putting a burden on the common man for personal benefits.

He said they promised common man’s welfare on one hand but, on the other hand, they hiked the bus fares. This shows the difference in what they say and what they do, he added.

Jalandhar, June 18
Miscreants made an attempt to loot an ATM of the Union Bank of India at the Bashirpura market near Surya Enclave early this morning. They failed to reach the cash section of the machine.

Even as residents of the area had employed a watchman, the bank had not appointed any security guard specifically for the ATM. It was this morning that residents got to know about the attempt and they informed the Rama Mandi police about the same. A team of cops visited the spot and managed to get some clues from the CCTV footage.

Perhaps being inexperienced, the youths did not realise that their videos were being captured on cameras installed there. They had also come unarmed with gas-cutters.

SHO Rama Mandi Balwinder Singh said the footage revealed that the youths had entered the premises and fiddled with the ATM. He said efforts were being made to identify the two and nab them. He said the attempt took place around 4 am today.

The cops also interrogated the watchman of the area Ram Lalla Chaudhary who told them that he was in the area till 3:30 am. He said he suspected three youths riding a bike and taking a tour in the colony last night. But he said that till the time he was on duty, no such attempt had been made. 

Bathinda, June 18
A teacher of a government school today tried to commit suicide by consuming a poisonous substance at Natheha village. She was taken to the Civil Hospital.

As per information, the teacher today complained against the principal of the school for teasing her and using foul language.

The teacher being mentally upset tried to commit a suicide.—TNS