Bathinda, August 13
There seem to be no takers for the scheme meant to compensate the crime victims or their families in Bathinda for the last four months. The scheme—‘the Punjab Victim or their Dependents Compensation Scheme, 2011’—was transferred to the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) from the office of the Deputy Commissioners in Punjab.

The DLSA officials in Bathinda said that in view of the little and late compensation for the victims or their families, the scheme was shifted to the DLSA from the office of the DCs, all over Punjab.

The Punjab government has notified the compensation victim scheme a few years ago for the purpose of compensation to the victims or their dependents—as a result of crime—and who require rehabilitations.

In a notification, issued in December 2011, the fresh amount of compensation was fixed by the government wherein the quantum of compensation was increased from the earlier compensation.

As per the earlier compensation of Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 lakh, victims or their families can now claim between Rs 10,000 to Rs 3 lakh depending upon the nature of crime.

Victims of rape, murder with rape, human trafficking, child abuse and kidnapping, simple loss or injury to child victim, rehabilitation of women and children and victims of acid attack are suppose to get compensation under this scheme.

The victims or their families have to file an application in the office of the DLSA with supporting documents including copy of the FIR and proofs of medical or other expenditures. The DLSA authorities stated that only those victims whose jurisdiction of crime falls in the Bathinda district, could apply in Bathinda and others could claim compensation in the respective areas where the crime has taken place.

“Their case will be resolved within 60 days and the maximum tenure of handing out compensation is six months,” said Jasvir Kaur, secretary to the DLSA.

She said the notification in this regard is received at her office in April. “We are sensitising this scheme and had held a meeting with all city NGOs last week to popularise the scheme,” she said.

Bathinda, August 13
The power tariff in Punjab is all set to be raised by 4 to 6 per cent per unit with the Election Commission allowing the state electricity regulatory panel to announce the revised charges. But this decision of the state government to increase the power tariff appears to have irked the residents of Bathinda as they are not happy with it.

Residents maintain that this is not the appropriate time for an increase in power tariff. Inflation is already there. Announcement of new rates, effective from April 1, will upset the monthly budget of the middle class families.

President of the Bathinda Urban unit, BJP, Parminder Goyal, said they condemn the government decision of hike in power tariff, as the traders are already upset with the state government, as we have seen it in the Lok Sabha elections and this will affect the party’s prospect in the civic polls.

President of the Bathinda Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Raman Watts said, “Industry in Punjab is already facing a crisis due to the tax concessions in bordering states and such a step would further affect the industry adversely.”

He also stated that if the state government increases the tariff, they will stage a protest against the government, but will not pay the hiked tariff.

Shikhar Goyal, a trader said that to increase the revenue of the government, the SAD-BJP alliance is putting an unnecessary burden of more than Rs 4,000 crore on the common man.

“With the power hike decision state government is trying that people should not live here, as that tax, rates of mostly all the communities here are more than our neighboring state,” said Sandeep Singh, a resident of Model Town.

Meanwhile, Neha Gupta, a housewife, said the SAD-BJP were claiming that “ache din aane wale hain” (happy days are about to come) if the Modi-led NDA comes into power, now, after he has come to the power we are seeing that day by day government are rising prices of all the essential commodities.

Accusing the state government, she said this hike will put her family budget totally out of control, inflation is taking it toll and now it’s even becoming difficult to survive.

It is worth mentioning that sources inside the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited claimed that the PSPCL has been reeling under financial pressure as it annually incurs Rs 5,300 crore loss on account of free electricity to the farmers. The corporation also had to purchase costly power from outside due to deficient rainfall and inadequate coal supply to run the thermal plants.

Bathinda, August 13
On the second day of her campaign in Talwandi Sabo, former Punjab Chief Minister, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal asked the Chief Minister of Punjab why did he not launch protests when Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were carved out of Punjab. Accusing the CM of playing politics over the Haryana Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, she opined that the senior Badal was an opportunist who let two states be carved out of Punjab but was now creating tension in Haryana.

Addressing a press conference in Bathinda, she also blamed the SAD for the Central government ignoring Punjab. “The Badal family used to call the Congress-led UPA government as Punjab’s stepmother but now, the BJP government was proving to be step-grandmother. Apart from getting a berth for his daughter-in-law in the Union Cabinet, what else had the CM been able to get from the BJP government at the Centre,” she questioned.

Elaborating on the claim, she shared that while the UPA government had loosened its purse and released Rs 25,000 crore for Punjab under various schemes, the NDA government released only Rs 15,000 crore funds for the state during its tenure.

“The Ramleela which the SAD-BJP alliance has been playing in the state will get over soon since the BJP is now taking revenge of the neglect with which SAD treated the BJP leaders in the state over the past six years. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal keeps talking about infighting in Congress but instead, he should look at the open fight between the SAD and the BJP leaders,” she added.

Responding to the query pertaining to the absence of Captain Amrinder Singh in Talwandi Sabo, she stated Amrinder’s first preference should be Patiala. She also took a dig at SAD’s strategy of positioning senior leaders in every nook and corner of Talwandi Sabo a result of fear factor which set in after Harsimrat Kaur Badal won the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat by a wafer thin margin.

When asked if Manpreet Badal’s role in the selection of Jassi as the Congress candidate for Talwandi Sabo bypoll was a potent sign of the PPP president joining the Congress in the future, Bhattal stated that Manpreet’s opinion was sought and was considered since he had fought the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress.

Later during the day, she addressed rallies at Giana, Bhagi Wander, Malkana and Jaga Ram Teerth.

Also accompanying her were Surinder Pal Sibia, Babby Batram Rupinder Bindra, Karun Kaura, Gurshant Brar, Inderjeet Sahni and Gurnaib Brar among others.

Bathinda, August 13
A full dress rehearsal of the celebrations, to be held at the Multi-Purpose Sports Stadium on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15, was held today. Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda, Dr Basant Garg, attended the dress rehearsal as the chief guest and unfurled the Tricolour. Also present were ADC (D) Sonali Giri, ADC (G) Sumit Jarangal, Municipal Corporation of Bathinda Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh, Bathinda SDM Damanjeet Singh, Narinder Singh Dhaliwal, DEO Amarjit Kaur Kotfatta, DDPO Rajinder Batra and other officials.

During the rehearsal, contingents of the Punjab Police, Home Guard, Police and Army Bands, Scouts and Guides and nursing students presented a march past. This was followed by the PT and dance shows by the students of various schools.

Students of St Joseph School, Bathinda, Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Adarsh School, Clay India School, Millennium School and Mahant Gurbanta Dass School for Deaf and Dumb presented cultural performances based on patriotism, Indian culture, social and environmental issues. — TNS

Bathinda, August 13
Halting their decision to go on strike, the PSEB Engineers’ Association had thanked the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also heads the Ministry of Power, for giving a patient hearing and resolving the long-pending issues of the association.

Earlier, on Monday, the general house of the PSEB Engineers Association held a meeting at GHTP Lehra Mohabbat to plan the strategy for their protest that was supposed to begin from August 15.

Sukhbir held a meeting with the PSEB Engineers’ Association at Badal Village on Wednesday in the presence of the PSPCL Secretary Anirudh Tiwari and the CMD PSPCL where various issues relating to the power sector and engineers were discussed in detail.

The association claimed that the Deputy Chief Minister categorically assured that Tripartite Agreement will be honoured and any change in its clauses will be carried out only after getting the views of the association and due discussions.

Association delegation that met Sukhbir Badal comprised of Engineers Baldev Singh Sran, president, Sanjeev Sood, general secretary, Bhupinder Singh, senior vice-president, Rakesh Gupta vice-president, Harjinder Bansal, SS Josan, Jasvir Singh Dhiman and HC Kamboj.

“Sukhbir has principally agreed to the plea of the association to have fixed tenure without any extension for the CMD or the Directors of the PSPCL and the PSTCL. It was also decided to start the process of selection for the posts of the Directors of the PSPCL namely the Director/G, Director/HR, Director/C, Director/F and Director/D within fifteen days. On the issues of common recruitment and cadre in the PSPCL or the PSTCL and legitimate start of pay scale to newly-recruited Assistant Engineers (SDOs). While acknowledging the importance of these issues Sukhbir assured the delegation that these issues will be sorted out shortly to the satisfaction of the engineers.” said, Baldev Singh Sran, president, PSEB Association.

The association informed the Deputy Chief Minister regarding biased, partisan and discriminatory attitude of the PSPCL management towards engineers. Following which, he directed the Secretary Power and the CMD PSPCL to hold immediate meeting with the association for resolution of issues related to the PSPCL raised by the engineers.

Sukhbir reportedly also appreciated the suggestions of the association for bringing down line losses and directed the PSPCL to shift the remaining 24 lakh meters outside the premises by March 31, 2015 positively while the Secretary, Power, was asked to monitor the progress of the same.

Association pointed out that besides remarkably improving the quality of power supply to the consumers, this will enhance the revenue of the PSPCL to the tune of Rs 1,000 crores. “Sukhbir also directed the PCPCL management to adopt the distribution reforms as suggested by the association and agreed that the share of the state in the generation capacity requires urgent enhancement and assured that government will take urgent steps in this regard and a 4000 MW plant will be brought up in the state sector. He issued the instructions to the PSPCL for rationalisation of workload as per norms and agreed that posts of SE Distributions, are required at district headquarters. The association assured that the engineers will work whole-heartedly for improving the consumer services under his able guidance.” added Baldev Sran.

Bathinda, August 13
After the Director General of School Education, it is the turn of the Punjab State Mid-Day Meal Society to take up the cause of healthy eating among the students. Toeing the line drawn by the DGSE that recently imposed a ban on the sale of junk food in the school canteens or at shops in the close vicinity of the government schools, the Punjab State Mid-Day Meal Society has issued fresh directives for the preparation of meals to be served to the students as part of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan.

Aiming to address the problem of low hemoglobin levels in students of the government schools, the private firms preparing the meals in the schools have been directed to add seasonal vegetables to the dal twice a week. They have also been directed to reuse the water left from boiling rice for cooking other items.

Bathinda, August 13
The sports policy of the Education Department has come under a scanner. As their is no sports trainer in the schools.

Every year thousands of students in the government primary schools had to suffer due to the education policy of the government. As the primary schools do not have the post of a physical trainer.

Earlier the Education Department had planned to conduct primary school games. In which middle school DP and PTI teachers were to give training to the students for some days in a month in their nearby primary schools, but this plan had failed to start.

There are 5,752 primary schools under the zila parishad and nagar councils. These schools do not have any physical trainer and students of these schools do not take part in any sports competitions due to the shortage of funds. In the past five years, nearly 2.5 Lakh students in the state have not seen any sports competition.

As per the information, there are 12,000 primary schools running under the state government, in which more than 12 lakh students are studying.

The Education Department has turned a blind eye towards the sports events. As the department is not sending sports fund to the schools. Earlier, block sports officer used to motivate the students in the primary schools, later this post was abolished.

DPEd and MPEd union Punjab leader Harjit Gill said more than 10,000 youngsters in the state were sitting ideal searching for the job after doing diploma and the masters degree in physical education. Even if the state government made a plan to give coaching to the students in primary schools at low pay scale, the union was ready for it.

GK Singh, Director Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) said, “There is no provision to recruit the physical trainers in the primary school, but they are providing better sports facilities to the students of the primary schools.”

Bathinda, August 13
Residents of Kalgidhar Nagar have been protesting continuously for the last three days raising their voice against the SAD-BJP-led Punjab government for delay in laying of the sewerage pipes in few streets on Beer Road.

People, residing in Kalgidhar Nagar, situated on Bir Road, said sewerage pipes were laid in most of the streets except for the street numbers 12, 13 and 14.

They said the work of laying the pipes in these streets had been pending for the last over two years.

Shouting slogans against the Punjab government, Jasvir Singh, Ajaib Singh and Harbans Singh said the tenders to lay the sewerage in these streets, were floated by the department concerned around two years ago.

They said the delay has led to resentment among the people residing in the locality.

They said though there was some digging in the middle of the streets to discharge the flow of water of the houses yet nothing was done to lay the sewerage pipes. They also threatened that if their demands were not fulfilled by the administration, they will intensify their protest.

Bathinda, August 13
As many as 35 NCC cadets of Giani Zail Singh Punjab Technical University Bathinda campus returned after completing ten-day combined annual NCC training camp held from July 30 to August 8. The cadets displayed the best of their talent in almost all the events organised at the camp.

The camp was organised by the 20 Punjab BN Bathinda at NCC Academy Ropar. Around 343 cadets from seventeen colleges and thirteen schools participated in the camp.

Weapon and physical training, firing, drill, map reading, camping along with various classroom lectures were organised at the camp. A parallel Thal Sena preparation camp was arranged by the Punjab Directorate of the NCC.

During the training camp, various competitions were held wherein cadets of GZS PTU campus showed their skill. Boys’ team comprising of Nitesh, Mayank, Arun, Shubham and Ankit etc was the overall champions in volleyball. They also won gold in the drill competition.

Girl cadets Lovepreet, Manpreet, Jaskiran and Shivani also excelled in the drill and firing activities. Kho-kho team of the campus won silver. Cadet Raju Kumar was appointed as the senior of the one of the companies.

The camp commandant Col Hansra and the Deputy Camp Commandant Col Dinesh Nijhawan appreciated the talent showcased by the GZS-PTU campus students. They expressed their satisfaction over the inclination of most of the students towards joining the armed forces.

The duties discharged by the ANO of the campus Lt Rajeev Kumar Varshney were also acclaimed by the camp authorities.

Campus Director Dr Jasbir Singh Hundal congratulated the students of the campus for attending the camp and encouraged them to serve the country selflessly and with dedication.

Mansa, August 13
A 30-year-old man murdered his wife with sharp-edged weapons in a broad daylight. The victim has been identified as Taranpreet Kaur, a resident of Atla Khur village.

The victim, a mother of a 12-year-old son, was living in Bhikhi along with her mother. Taranpreet, who used to run a boutique in Bhikhi town of the Mansa district, was thrashed and murdered outside her boutique by her husband, Karamjit Singh, a resident of Gobindpura, who has been living separately for more than two years.

The police claimed that the couple had been facing dispute for the last seven years and their cases were also lying pending in courts of Mansa and Budhlada where the accused and his family had been also been booked under Sections of dowry. — TNS

Bathinda, August 13
Fateh Group won the first place in volleyball in the district school games held at Government Secondary School (girls) ground.

Fateh Senior Secondary School (girls), Rampura volleyball coach Gurjit Singh Mann and Udham Singh said Fateh Senior Secondary School (girls), Rampura had won the final in the under-19 category by defeating Bathinda zone 2 and had bagged the first place in the district. Eight players of the school have been selected for the state.