Bathinda, August 2
While the state government is planning to hold the fourth edition of the World Kabaddi Cup, hoteliers in the city are yet receive Rs 6 lakh for hosting players and guests of World Kabaddi Cup-III.

Hoteliers in the city alleged that though the government asks them to accommodate the guests during such functions, when it comes to clearing the bills, the officials refuse to entertain them.

The members of city hotel association said, "Bills amounting to nearly Rs 6 lakh of two renowned hotels is still pending."

"We have been making repeated rounds of the office of the Deputy Commissioner but to no avail,” said one of the members.

The hoteliers said, "Though the government on the one hand, claims to have uplifted the hotel industry, on the other hand, it is harassing the hotel owners. The bill for boarding and lodging at the two hotels situated on Goniana Road and Mall road are pending for long,”

"The political leaders try to derive mileage by indulging in ostentatious shows during the kabaddi cups but when it comes to payments, they refuse to make eye contact. If we raise a hue and cry, then they would harass us in other ways," said a hotel owner.

The hoteliers said they were forced to offer rooms for the stay of players and other state guests during the World Kabaddi Cup last year.

"Earlier too, the payments were released after making repeated rounds of the office of the the Deputy Commissioner," said another hotelier.

They said numerous meetings with Deputy Commissioner Basant Garg had proved to be futile.

"We again met DC Dr Basant Garg two days ago and he assured of releasing the payments within a week or so. If the payments are not released, then we will unanimously decide not to entertain any of the verdicts or requests of the District Administration during such functions," said another irate hotel owner.

Deputy Commissioner Basant Garg could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. 

Bathinda, August 2
The saying “There is a world of difference between what the politicians are saying and what they actual do” aptly fits in the accusations leveled by the members of the Bathinda Hotel Restaurant and Resort Association against the government.

The members accuse the state government of making tall claims of giving relaxation in various taxes imposed upon the hotel industry during the election rallies but nothing has been done practically.

"Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and his adies spoke at the top of their voice to reduce all taxes on hotel industry and abolish permit fees during his election rallies but actually no such notification, letter or written communiqué has been received by anyone in this regard so far," said the president of the Bathinda Hotel Restaurant and Resort Association Satish Arora.

"Whenever someone has a look at the bill of such parties, one always objects to the 8 per cent luxury tax and permit fees. Despite our repeated requests that there is nothing being done practically on the ground to relax the tax and fees, nobody listens," said Arora.

He pointed out that people would enter into heated arguments over the issue even if they try to pacify the customers. "We end up saying that the entire bill will be waived if someone provides a written proof of the tall claims of reducing the tax and permit fees to the hotels," said the association president.

Hotels and marriage palaces are supposed to obtain permit fees from the Excise and Taxation Department to serve liquor. The fees ranges between Rs 3,000 to Rs 25,000, depending upon the category made by the department.

The issue of abolishing advanced tax too has been gathering dust as nothing has been done to abolish it, except for making announcements during the rallies, said Satish Arora.

If someone hires the sweetmeat maker and handles all the preparations for cooking on his own, then the hotel or marriage palace owner charges 8 per cent luxury tax on renting out the hall. "This too was to be relaxed but only on loudspeaker, not on paper," he lamented.

He, however, said that there has been relaxation in purchase of liquor from any of the liquor vends. "Earlier, liquor was supposed to be purchased only from the nearest liquor vend but now we may purchase it from anywhere. Also, the price of the whiskey has been fixed by the state government," he said.

Though orders of this change has not been received in writing, the department has given relaxation for purchasing liquor from anywhere, said the general secretary of the association, Anil Kumar.

The association members said that they have brought the problem to the notice of the department officials and political leaders concerned umpteen times but to no avail.

Bathinda, August 2
The first major spell of monsoon showers may have brought respite to residents who were reeling under humidity, but commuters and motorists had a tough time as the city roads got waterlogged.

Residents of the city and its adjoining areas heaved a sigh of relief after a brief spell of rain in the afternoon as it brought down the mercury and washed away the hot and humid conditions prevailing since morning.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 32.4°C early during the day.

As per the record maintained by the Agricultural-Meteorological Department of the Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Centre, Bathinda, the city and its adjoining areas received 4.4 mm of rainfall today.

Bathinda, August 2
Nine candidates have filed their nomination papers for the Talwandi Sabo bypoll. Today was the last day of filing the nomination papers. As per the office of Deputy Commissioner, there are 17 nomination papers, which include covering candidates. The voting would be held on August 21 in the constituency which became vacant after Congress MLA Jeetmohinder Sidhu’s resignation.

Today, AAP candidate Baljidner Kaur, independent candidate Balkar Sidhu and four others filed their papers. Others who filed their papers today include covering candidate of SAD, Nimrat Kaur and Bahujan Mukti Party candidate Balwinder Singh. Independent candidates Makhan Singh Premi and Bharpur Singh also filed their nomination papers.

Earlier, on August 1, SAD candidate Jeetmohinder Sidhu, Indian National Congress party candidate Harminder Jassi and Manjit Kaur-, wife of Harminder Jassi as covering candidate, filed their papers.

The scrutiny of the papers filed would be done by the office of the Sub- Divisional Magistrate (SDM) on August 4 at 11 am. The last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is August 6 and voters may exercise their franchise on August 21. The result would be declared on August 25.

Bathinda, August 2
The Schedule Caste (SC) wing of the District Congress Committee, Bathinda (Urban), today staged a protest near the Patiala railway crossing against the state government for ignoring the area in providing basic amenities and demanded a railway over bridge (ROB) to connect the area with the localities lying across the railway track.

Sddressing the protesters, Congress leader Ashok Pradhan said, "The SAD-BJP government is making false claims regarding the development it has done in Punjab, especially in Bathinda. The reality is different from what the government is claiming as the slum areas are still devoid of basic amenities. Even the long-pending demands of the residents to builtd a railway over- bridge (ROB) over the Patiala, Delhi, Sirsa railway crossings has not been fulfilled by the government. Earlier also, residents have staged protest demanding an ROB as they have to face a lot of problems as the railway crossing remains closed most of the time and traffic gets choked. But the government has turned a blind eyes toward this.”

SC wing chairman Niranjan Singh Bhola demanded that the sewer line in Sanjay Nagar should be laid at the earliest and roads be laid as due to the delay in the laying of sewer lines, commuters had to face many problems. He also said that due to old water pipes, many houses do not get water and the government should provide them with the facility at the earliest. 

Bathinda, August 2
Employees of the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) and Bathinda Workers Union, Azad, today protested against the state government and the PRTC management demanding regularisation and fulfillment of their demands, including the discontinuance of plying of buses under the kilometer scheme.

The empoyees have been demanding the fulfillment of their long-pending demands and on Saturday, they raised slogans against the PRTC management and the state government demanding that buses running under the kilometer scheme should be stopped as the owners of these buses are incurring a loss of around Rs 7 crore every month for the PRTC.

The PRTC employees were detained by the police on Saturday morning but were released following which the protesting employees again sat on dharna in front of the PRTC workshop.

The employees alleged that the drivers of the buses running under the kilometer scheme are pilfering 20 litres of diesel daily resulting in losses for the PRTC in connivance with the management.

Harbans Singh Bhola, president, Bathinda Workers Union, Azad, said, "The workers demanded that the contract system should be abolished and they be made regular employees. Overtime should be given and the suspended employees should be reinstated immediately."

Bathinda, August 2
Three jail inmates at Central Jail, Bathinda, were admitted to the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital by the jail authorities for drug overdose. They were later discharged on Friday evening.

This incident has once again raised questions on the supply of drugs inside the jail, as on the one hand, the police is fighting a battle with drug smugglers and has started a drive against eradication of drugs in the state, while on the other, inmates inside the jail have easy access to drugs.

One of the inmates in the emergency ward said they had drug overdose due to which their health deteriorated and they had to be admitted here.

However, the deputy jail superintendent said that two out of three inmates had taken drugs, while one was admitted to the hospital for some other health problem.

As per the information, jail inmates Sukhwinder Singh, Balwant Singh and Sukhchain Singh are lodged in Central Jail, Bathinda, for various crimes. The three had drug overdose.

Their condition had suddenly started deteriorating. At first, they were given medical treatment in the jail hospital but when their condition did not improve, they were taken to the Civil Hospital on Thursday night. 

Bathinda, August 2
The court of special judge JS Bhinder awarded 10- year imprisonment to a drug peddler.

Kuljeet Singh of Madheke village in Nihal Singhwala in Moga was awarded 10 years of imprisonment for carrying medicinal drugs. 50 pouches, having 100 tablets each- of phenotil, were recovered from the possession of accused in May 2011.

A case under various sections of the NDPS Act was registered against the accused at the Dyalpura police station. The police said the accused was carrying drugs in a bag and was riding a bike, which was intercepted by the police and the drugs was recovered.

Along with imprisonment, a fine of Rs 1 lakh was imposed on him. 

Bathinda, August 2
A truck driver was ‘mistakenly’ shot dead by some unidentified persons at Ekam Dhaba near Gehri Buttar village situated on Dabwali Road.

As per SSP Gurpreet Bhullar, some unidentified assailants had come to kill a person at the dhaba while the truck driver was having his meal at the eating joint.

The incident occurred at around 6.30 pm when some assailants armed with guns arrived at the dhaba. They aimed at the person to kill him and in the meantime, the truck driver stood up and the bullet hit him. The driver, identified as Hardev Singh, was rushed to the Civil Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors.

"We have an entire team of senior policemen at the spot who are verifying the facts and claims of the killing. The SP (D), SHO and others are present at the site and are enquiring into the issue," said the SSP.

Sources in Gehri Buttar village said preliminary reports suggested that the armed assailants had come to kill the dhaba owner but the bullet fired by the assailants hit the truck driver, who had nothing to do with the rivalry.

Sangat SHO Sandeep Singh said that they are exploring all the angles behind the incident and have rounded up the people present at the dhaba who will be interrogated to reach the depth of the case. "We have laid nakas all over the district and our neighbouring counterparts too have been informed about the incident. Initial descriptions of the assailants have been noted and all the close aids and relatives of the accused are likely to be identified before morning,” said another senior police officer. 

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Buses of smaller size should be plied

Local bus service was started at Bathinda with much fanfare for the convenience of general public. But because of the size of these buses and their poor maintenance, this service is not yielding the desired results. Traffic on the congested roads, especially on the mall road near railway station comes to a screeching halt when these buses pass through or take a turn in that area.

Moreover these buses do not keep their timings. It puts the commuters to a lot of harassment. To ensure smooth flow of traffic and to avail the optimum utility of local bus service, buses of smaller size should be plied on the congested roads.