Bathinda, July 12
The death of an inmate inside the Central Jail yesterday at night sparked protests as his family members gathered in front of the jail today in the morning and started a protest against the jail administration.

More tension prevailed as the protesting kin reached the GT road and blocked traffic outside the Civil Hospital. Due to the traffic jam, long lines of vehicles could be seen on the road.

Sensing trouble due to disruption in traffic, police officials reached the spot to pacify the protesters. DSP (City I) Gurjit Singh Romana fixed a meeting of the relatives of the inmate who had died, with the officials of the district administration. Senior officials of the district administration assured at the meeting that justice would be delivered and constituted a committee for the purpose.

As per the information, an inmate of the Central Jail, Gurdip Singh, a resident of Amarpura Basti in Bathinda, died yesterday at night inside the jail.

Gurdip Singh's daughters, Asha Rani and Happy, said they were five brother and sisters and their father plied a taxi opposite the bus stand. They also stated that the economic condition of the family was not good and their mother Kuldip Kaur had fallen from the terrace a few months back and was unable to work.

The daughters also said that on July 6, their father was arrested with cartons of liquor. He was given bail by the court but suddenly the news of their father's death in jail came.

Happy, the deceased's daughter, said two days back, she had gone to meet her father inside the jail. He was fine at that time. She suspects that her father had died not of heart attack but due to some other reasons.

Family members of the deceased demanded that the administration should record the statements of the inmates who were with Gurdip Singh inside the jail and the incident be probed deeply as Gurdip Singh had been falsely implicated in the case by the police.

They alleged that Gurdip Singh was not given proper treatment inside the jail and an impartial investigation should be conducted into the case. Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg constituted a committee to be headed by the tehsildar. It is only after this that the next course of action would be taken in this regard, the DC said.

Jail officials, however, said Gurdip Singh had died of heart attack.

Bathinda, July 12
Heat wave conditions sweeping the region have claimed two more lives. Ashok Kumar, a resident of Nai Basti area in the city, was found dead on the main road outside the Ajaib cinema today in the morning. His body was taken to the Civil Hospital for post-mortem. The SHO, Civil Lines police station, along with a team, reached the spot and started investigations. The body was later handed over to the family after completing the necessary legal formalities.

Another person, Khem Prasad, 49, a resident of Nepal, was found dead in his room behind the bus stand. The Kotwali police reached the spot today in the morning and found he had died due to the heat as he had fainted last night when alone in his room. Because of this, he could not be taken to the hospital.

Many people were found lying unconscious at various places in the city due to the excessive heat. An unidentified person was found lying on the Power House road. He was taken to the Civil Hospital where he is undergoing treatment. In another incident, Amar Singh, a resident of Malout, fell down due to the intense heat on the railway bridge and had to be admitted to the Civil Hospital.

Other victims of the heat wave, Ramesh Kumar, 50, of Ludhiana and Sukhi Singh, 24, of Bathinda, were found to be in a serious condition due to dehydration and had to be admitted to the Civil Hospital for treatment of diarrhoea.

With this death, the number of people falling prey to the harsh weather increased to 14.

In an unfortunate incident, many persons also lost their lives while taking a dip in the Sirhind Canal to beat the heat last month.

Meanwhile, heat wave continued unabated forcing the people to stay indoors. The heat continued to be unbearable and power cuts added to the miseries of the people.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the high humidity levels made the residents sweat. While the maximum temperature was recorded at 42 degree Celsius, the minimum temperature was recorded at 30 degree Celsius.

Residents also grappling with water shortage

Many parts of the city are getting irregular and rationed water supply. In the absence of fixed hours of water supply, people have to remain alert even during the night to wait for the supply and conserve water as per their needs.

With no supply from the water works, residents are left with no option but to drink groundwater. It is worth mentioning that Bathinda is known for its contaminated groundwater.

The situation is such that many residents of Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar and its adjoining areas have installed motors to pump out groundwater. But the water most often is not potable.

Indra Kaushal, a resident of Bibiwala road, said they are heavily dependent on the RO plant installed nearby, as they have been receiving water supply sometimes at 3 am, that too, for an hour. It has become a Herculean task to get up at 3 am to fill all the canisters, she said, more so because the timings for water supply are not fixed.

Bathinda, July 12
After making tall claims of checking the pig menace, the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) finally seems to be taking action as strict instructions have been issued to clamp down on the menace.

After repeated complaints by a section of the local residents, Municipal Commissioner Dalwinder Singh passed instructions to keep the pigs out of the corporation limits. People residing in posh areas of the city with proximity to some other areas full of pigs have increased the number of complaints against the problem.

Dalwinder ‘summoned’ the pig owners at the corporation and warned them of strict action if any of the pigs are found to be roaming on the city roads, parks or residential areas. The commissioner said people living in and around Dhobiana Basti and Sanjay Nagar localities are upset over the problem.

The menace assumes alarming proportions when the pigs search the garbage dumped by the roadside adjoining the posh areas. “I have built a house after spending a huge amount in Model Town Phase I. Pigs, however, had continuously been venturing in and around the locality and could be seen in one of the parks built close to the unplanned residential area,” said Gurjeet Singh.

He said earlier too, the local residents had lodged numerous written complaints but all the authorities did was give assurance without any practical action. Apart from pigs, other animals, including stray cows and dogs, too barge into the residential areas, which needs to be checked. The roaming of such animals gives a breeding place for vector-borne diseases.

“Actually, those who rear pigs are the class III employees or those who perform menial works in the corporation office itself. The authorities fail to take action against them. Even if the officials ask someone to catch the pigs, they have to ask the pig owners only,” said Satinder Sandhu.

He pointed out that it is a Herculean task to catch the pigs and only skilled persons could be tasked with the job. The skilled workers too need a lot of time to run behind these animals.

It is pertinent to mention here that apart from nuisance, pigs have led to numerous road accidents also. Some pig owners make a hue and cry after their animals receive injuries and seek compensation.

The local residents said a truck driver was manhandled and a pig owner pocketed money after one of the pigs was crushed under a truck near Model Town Phase I sometime ago.

The corporation officials said they would wait for the next few days for the pigs to move out of the city limits or else start the process of catching them.

Bathinda, July 12
Because of the delay in obtaining a MiG aircraft for installation at the ITI Chowk owing to the cumbersome process involved, the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) now plans to replace the aircraft with dolphins.

The authorities will install a replica of the dolphins with a steel ball. At present, a similar structure is available at Phase VIII, Dolphin Chowk, in Mohali. The Dolphin Chowk, with colourful lights, was inaugurated in Mohali on December 22, 2010.

BDA officials said the process to obtain permission and the aircraft from the Ministry of Defence is cumbersome.The officials said the fibre statue of the dolphins is being sponsored by the Mittal Group of Companies that has already constructed a base for its installation at the chowk.

Similarly, the cannons to be put on display at the Fauji Chowk alongside the Victoria Cross winner Naib Subedar Nand Singh, is being delayed.

Officials said the process of installing the dolphins is likely to be completed before August 15. The height of the dolphin structure would be 12 feet with a stainless steel ball having a diameter of 1.5 feet and a base diameter of 5 feet by 9 feet, oval in shape.

BDA authorities regretted that they got the beautification of the Fauji Chowk done by reducing its inner circle and refurbishing its surroundings but the delay in the arrival of cannons has dampened their spirits. The aim of installing cannons beside the statue is to instill a sense of patriotism among the people, especially the youth, the officials said.

The plan to showcase the rich traditions of the Army is being delayed by its own authorities, the officials said, adding that they are receiving numerous queries about the incomplete work every day.

"Though we are pursuing the issue of getting sanction and the aircraft from the defence authorities, we cannot delay the installation and are now forced to put dolphins in their place," said the Chief Administrator, BDA, Varinder Sharma.

Varinder Sharma said they are in constant touch with the senior officials to procure the aircraft and the cannons but admitted that the delay is taking its toll on the renovation of both the ITI and the Fauji Chowk.

Bathinda: July 12
Providing langar (food) daily to the patients admitted to the hospital for the last 11 years and arranging for the stay of their attendants at the rest house known as 'Sran' for the last two years at the Civil Hospital, the Guru Amardass Samaj Sewa Sanstha, Gurudwara Matidass Nagar, is doing its best to help the needy and the poor.

For the attendants of the patients, the rest house, being run by the management committee of the local Gurudwara Matidass Nagar, has turned into a haven that provides them with shelter and food in times of need. Patients who reach here from far-flung areas and those who cannot afford to stay at private hotels have deep respect for the service being provided by the rest house.

Inspired by a retired PSPCL sub-divisional officer who is rendering service at the rest house for the attendants of the needy patients, 29-year-old Amrik Singh too has joined as a volunteer.

The retired PSPCL employee wants to serve but does not want to reveal his identity. He believes that service done with a pure heart should be done for free and not to earn name and fame. The 66-year-old manager belongs to Goniana and goes home every weekend.

"The attendants of the patients are served the 'Guru ka langar' at 7:15 pm. Those willing to stay for the night are charged Rs 20 for a bed but if someone is unable to pay, I myself pay the amount for him. I am strict with rules and regulations, so I pay the amount myself but do not force anyone to pay up. People themselves sometimes contribute more of their own will," says the retired PSPCL employee.

"I don't want to reveal my name but I started serving after god saved my pregnant daughter settled in the US. Just two years back, my eight months pregnant daughter slipped in the bathroom in the US and doctors did not believe that she could be saved. But a miracle happened and she was saved along with her child," he added.

There are four other employees of a government hospital working here as volunteers and they also render free service at the time of 'langar'.

Lakhan Ram, the attendant of a patient, who underwent surgery, said, "I am in the hospital for the last two days as my wife had undergone surgery and was admitted to the surgery ward. I don't have money to get her treated. We are both labourers but my wife is receiving free treatment under the government scheme. I am glad and thankful for allowing me to stay here for free besides providing me with langar."

President of the managing committee of Guru Amardass Samaj Sewa Sanstha, Bikram Singh, said, "For the last 11 years, we have been serving langar to the patients here. Observing that we are performing true service, the deputy commissioner gave us this land which was earlier being used as a store by the hospital. We turned the store into a rest house for the attendants of the needy patients. We have 18 beds here but sometimes all get occupied and the volunteers here have to sleep on the floor.”

Bathinda, July 12
The work on construction of a government elementary school building, within the premises of Government Girls Senior Secondary School on Mall Road, is nearing completion. Being constructed at the cost of Rs 1.41 crore, the school is being shifted from its current location adjacent to the AC market, to make way for the proposed multi-level parking project of the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA). The work was started in December last year and was to be completed by November 11, 2014. BDA Chief Administrator Varinder Sharma said the building would be completed by August end and would be handed over to the education department by September. As per the old project report, the three-storey building was to be constructed at the cost of Rs 1 crore. Besides the elementary school, it will also have the office of the block resource persons. Due to the increased cost of construction, the new budget is at around Rs 1.40 crore and would now be a two-storey building spread over 9,600 sq feet. The area to be vacated on Mall Road is 1.4 acres of the site of the BDA falling under the Optimum Use of Vacant Government Land (OUVGL) scheme. At this site, the BDA has planned a multi-level parking project. The project will give respite from the problem of parking vehicles in the heart of the city. At present, people park their vehicles along the boundary wall of the elementary school. For construction of a multi-level parking, the shady green canopies too might have to face the axe. The project will be a four-storey parking facility with a basement, ground floor, first floor and second floor. Also, 16 shop-cum-offices facing the road will be sold. The basement parking will have the capacity to accommodate 175 two-wheelers. The ground floor will have the capacity to park 38 cars and 44 cars each could be parked on the first and second floor. Due to lack of enough space, the BDA has decided to get two hydraulic lifts installed for taking cars to the first and second floor.

“We have limited land of 1.4 acres. If we construct ramps at least 10 feet wide to get the cars parked on the first and second floor, it would reduce the capacity of the parking lots. Hence, it was decided to put two huge hydraulic lifts to use,” Sharma added.

DEO (Primary) Shivpal Goyal said he too visited the under construction building. The pace of the work is going on at full throttle, he said, and added that there are eight rooms on the ground floor and similar rooms on the first floor. While the ground floor will be used for class rooms, the first floor will be for the department’s offices. “We will shift classes once the building is complete,” he said.

Bathinda, July 12
With a clear aim of impressing voters before Talwandi Sabo by-election, the Deputy Commissioner office here has been asked to work out an inauguration spree of development projects. The assembly seat had fallen vacant after Congress MLA Jeet Mohinder Sidhu had switched his camp to the ruling SAD after deserting a dwindled the Congress in the state.

During the meeting of the district administration held to take stock of development works of the district, the deputy commissioner Bathinda ordered launching of all the developmental works in the constituency at full throttle so that the same could not be discontinued with imposition of election code of conduct expected in next few days.

The orders were meant for continuing development works even during code of conduct in Talwandi Sabo.

”Once started, the works could not be stopped during elections and electorates get an impression that government is working for them just prior to elections,” confided an officer of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB).

He added that the MCB too had used same ‘tactic’ during parliamentary elections and got major roads in city laid in the garb of works initiated before election code of conduct. During the meeting convened deputy senior administrative officers minced no words in ordering that the developmental works which the CM had directed during various sangat darshans should be completed as soon as possible under Talwandi Sabo constituency. He directed all the department heads to prepare the review of works assigned by the CM in these programmes.

When inquired about volume of work assigned and amount sanctioned from Executive Officer (EO) of the Raman Mandi Municipal Council, the EO told district administration officials that around 78 works have been assigned related to re-carpeting of roads, laying of water and sewerage pipes, cementing the drains and many others. “The government has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for these works. Only around 10 to 12 works have been initiated so far,” said the EO who was directed to initiate all the works at the earliest.

Also, the PRTC officials were directed to restart the service of a bus connecting Talwandi Sabo, Maur Mandi and Chandigarh. “Though the bus is plying between Talwandi Sabo and Chandigarh, it was discontinued between Talwandi and Raman in view of non-viability,” said an official. He added that a section of residents of Maur Mandi raised their demand of bus service to Chandigarh from Maur via Talwandi during a sangat darshan.

“The CM immediately accepted the demand in view of by-elections and despite non-viability the PRTC bus service has been resumed on the route,” said another officer. Meanwhile, DC Basant Garg could not be contacted despite repeated attempts on his cellular phone, office and residence landline phone numbers.

Bathinda, July 12
The number of road accidents is not reducing in the city. In most cases, a major reason has been the violation of traffic rules and over speeding. In the last 24 hours, as many as nine persons have been injured in various road mishaps in the city.

Three motorcyclists were injured when their bike slipped on the Bathinda-Dabwali road near village Gehri Bhagi. They were taken to the Civil Hospital by the volunteers of the NGO Sahara Jan Sewa. The victims have been identified as Manpreet Singh, Jagdeep Singh and Amarjit Kaur, all residents of Sherpura village.

In another incident, a 20-year-old motorcyclist was seriously injured after hitting a canter from the rear on Bir Talab road. He was taken to the Civil Hospital, where his treatment is going on. The injured has been identified as Ravinderpal Singh.

Two motorcyclists collided near Giani Zail Singh Techinal and Engineering College on Bathinda-Dabwali road, in which one was seriously injured. He was taken to the Civil Hospital.

Two persons travelling on a motorcycle outside the Mittal Mall were hit by another bike in which both were badly injured. They were taken to the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital.

They have been identified as Mohmmad Khan (27) and Yogpal Singh (46).