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‘Synthetic’ milk supply raises hackles
One held for attempt to break open ATM
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Jassi begins thanksgiving tour after byelection
240 bottles of illicit liquor recovered
Prof RK Kohli is new CUP VC
Rain damages dowry material lying at women’s police station
Better
bathinda-stray cattle menace
Open House response
Poet Paash remembered
NSS camp held in city
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‘Synthetic’ milk supply raises hackles
Bathinda, September 7 The complainant, Daljit Singh, a resident of Ajit Road said, “Sometimes, I used to get the milk for my family and my pets from the dairy if our milkman failed to turn up at our home. Many a time, I had purchased milk from this dairy. But yesterday, I bought around 10 litres of milk from here. The milk cooled after being boiled but turned into a rubber next morning. Last night, me and my family consumed the same milk. In the morning, it turned into a rubber-shaped wet powder that looked peculiar in shape.” “Following this, the same morning, I reached the shop and complained about it to the health authorities with the milk carried in an utensil in my hands. I kept waiting for more than two hours but it remained fruitless as the health authorities came after two hours. In the meantime, the dairy owner supplied his yesterday’s stock of milk from backdoor whereas the police along with me kept on watching,” added Daljit, the complainant. District health authorities, however, reached the spot and took some samples. The dairy owner claimed that he had been supplying pure milk for many years and had never received any complaint. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility that such a thing could happen if the dairy owner had supplied the milk of a buffalo that had given birth to a calf recently.. District Health Officer RS Randhawa said, “Samples have been taken and would be sent for examination. If they do not pass the test, we would take strict action against the guilty. It being a Sunday, the team could not gather immediately following which it took us time to reach the spot.”
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One held for attempt to break open ATM
Bathinda, September 7
The accused has been identified as Devinder Singh, a resident of Partap Nagar. Investigating officer Jagtar Singh said Devinder was arrested while attempting to break open the ATM booth at Partap Nagar last night. He was presented before the judicial magistrate Gurpreet Singh and has been taken on a one-day police remand. He also stated that a case under Sections 457, 380 and 511 of the IPC have been registered against the accused at the Canal Colony police station. It is worth mentioning that the banks located in the city seem to have learnt no lesson from the recent cases of the ATM break-ins and thefts. Banks are yet to station guards at several Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in the city. Four cases of ATM break-ins and thefts have been reported from various parts of the district in the last one and a half year. While on June 12, 2013, a gas cutter was used to break the SBoP ATM located in Bhagta Bhaika and Rs 10.99 lakh was looted, in April 2013, thieves targeted a Syndicate Bank ATM located on Guru Kashi Marg. In a similar case, thieves struck at another SBoP ATM in Model Town and stole some expensive part of the machine. In February last year, miscreants broke an ATM of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) at Bibi Wala Chowk and stole Rs 7.86 lakh. Interestingly, neither the police have been able to get any breakthrough into the case nor have the banks been able to decide on the policy of stationing night guards at the ATMs. One can easily witness people flouting the instruction that the doors of the ATMs bear. As per the instruction, there should be a single person in the cabin to opt for instant banking while at times, over five persons can be seen standing inside the cabin waiting for their turn at any of the ATM site in the city. Moreover, the access log facility has also been demolished in the ATMs, in which, a customer has to swap the card on the door. After the recognition of the card, the door lock gets opened automatically. |
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Jassi begins thanksgiving tour after byelection
Bathinda, September 7 During his visit to the villages, he also took the stock of crops damaged by the untimely rain. He demanded that the Punjab government release funds to help the farmers whose fields and crops were submerged in water and also the poor people whose houses gave in due to heavy rainfall. Calling it a responsibility of the state government to compensate the farmers, he demanded financial help to the tune of Rs 50,000 per acre of land submerged in water and Rs 5 lakh per family whose houses were damaged in the rainfall.
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240 bottles of illicit liquor recovered
Bathinda, September 7 Two held with drugs
The police have arrested two city residents with habit-forming drugs. The accused have been identified as Vinod and Sukhwinder. As many as 408 capsules of Spasmo and 90 tablets of other drugs were recovered from their possession without any doctor’s prescription or licence. — TNS |
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Prof RK Kohli is new CUP VC
Bathinda, September 7 Prof Kohli, MSc (Botany), PhD, is a recipient of the JC Bose National Fellowship, the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. He is also a fellow of all the four national science academies (FNA, FASc, FNASc and FNAAS). Dr Kohli has more than 35 years of teaching experience. While addressing the faculty and the students in his first address as the VC of CUP, Prof Kohli said it was his life’s most fortunate occasion to serve this growing university of Punjab and it would be his aim to convert this institution into a top ranking institution of the nation and world. He congratulated the faculty for producing tremendous CSIR-NET results. Prof Kohli hoped that with the young dynamic team of the university, he will be able to face any challenges and competition in research. Pointing out the importance of the values of honesty and discipline, Prof Kohli added that it is must for every young mind to adhere to these core values without which progress is not possible. He also warned the young generation against the Western cultural invasion which is continuously diminishing our core cultural values while the other countries are learning from our mistakes on this count. Earlier, Prof (Dr) P Ramarao and Prof RG Saini greeted and welcomed the VC and his wife, Kumkum Kohli. The students felicitated all the teachers at a ceremonial function organised after the event on the day.
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Rain damages dowry material lying at women’s police station
Bathinda, September 7 Sometimes, the police recover the dowry material given to the girl by her parents that remained in police custody till the case is solved in the court. Sources said even some police officials have started using the dowry material lying at the police station. Officials at the police station have set up a special room in which they have kept a bed for taking rest, a refrigerator and two television sets for their entertainment. But the articles that the officials are using are related to matrimonial disputes going on in the court. The policemen said if not counselled properly, the situation takes an ugly turn. The police officials said th dowry material related to five to seven cases usually keep lying at the police station which is released by the girl’s family members after the intervention of the court.
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Better
bathinda-stray cattle menace Gurdeep Singh Mann Tribune News Service
Bathinda, September 7 Over 2,000 stray cattle roam in the city. These animals come in front of anybody at any time. These animals run in panic after hearing the pressure horns. “Most of the stray bulls and cows are brought to the city by the villagers. Once these animals reach the city, it takes at least a month or two for them to adjust in the urban surroundings,” said Sonu Maheshwari of Naujwan Welfare Society. These animals roam freely inflicting serious injuries to pedestrians and people riding two-wheelers. Last year, an elderly woman was killed in Parasram Nagar and a man had died near Gurudwara Hajirattan Chowk. This year, more than six serious injuries and a dozen other incidents of mauling by the stray animals have been reported. These animals run fast due to panic and hit the vehicles. Reportedly many vehicles have been damaged on the Barnala Road, Goniana Road, Bibiwala Road, near the vegetable markets, Model Town Phase-1, Bhagu Road, Parasram Nagar, Partap Nagar and Multania Road. On Friday, son of a Powercom official, died after his bike was hit by a stray bull near Bibiwala Chowk. The victim, Nimarjit, a student of Baba Farid College, succumbed to the injuries. A section of residents in Model Town Phase-1 offer green fodder to these animals around a temple, posing serious threat to the commuters. “Since the villagers have ractor trolleys, they find it easy to ferry animals in the urban areas to avoid nuisance in their fields and villages,” said Harjeet Sidhu, a resident of Barnala Road. “The situation worsens during the night, when the dark bulls or cows sitting or roaming on the road are not noticed by the drivers,” he added “While most of the people in four-wheelers escape serious injuries, their vehicles get damaged but those riding two wheelers have to face accidents,” said Sidhu. Officialspeak
One of the two Chief Sanitary Inspectors of the Municipal Corporation, Ranbir Rana said “We have already begun the process of shifting the stray animals by catching them from different localities”. “The corporation has only one vehicle which is used to ferry animals away from the city and the process has been started on Monday,” he added. “Our main objective is to keep the ‘ferocious’ animals away from the pedestrians and commuters. We have shifted 30 animals this week.We take the animals 47 kilometers away to a dera near Kotkapura in Faridkot.The vehicle meant to carry the animals can make only two rounds in a day”, said Rana. He said there is no other place to keep such animals.
Earlier catch
The corporation officials said earlier in 2013, 376 stray animals were shifted out to a dera in Goniana and some gaushalas. The process of shifting the animals has been delayed due to the lack of will of officials to work and political interference in the functioning of the corporation. Despite a hue and cry over the issue of stray animals inflicting serious and fatal injuries, the senior-most officials refuse to take up the issue. The officials said since there was no expert workforce to catch these animals, a handful of safai karamcharis are roped in to catch the animals. The officials claim that every day they shift seven to eight animals from the city areas.
Complaints to CM
A section of residents accompanied by some municipal councillors have taken up the issue with the Chief Minister during a sangat darshan. The Chief Minister assured to do the needful but nothing has been done. The MC authorities said a tender was floated to mitigate the problem by spending Rs 65 lakh for shifting the animals, but nothing materialised.
Gaushalas
There are seven gaushalas in and around the city, housing at least 1,200 to1,500 cattle. One gaushala is situated near Bhisiana, two each on Dabwali and Goniana Road, one each in Sirki Bazar and Ganesh Nagar. Rajesh Bansal, general secretary of one of the gaushalas on the Dabwali Road, said the cows giving milk were kept in the gaushala at Sirki Bazar while others had been kept at Dabwali Road. “Catching a cow is a herculean task and without much help offered by the state or local governments it’s difficult to take care of cattle. Apart from providing the feed and shelter to the cattle in gaushalas, we have to take care of their health as well”, added Bansal. ”The solution to the problem lies with the state government, which is yet to clear a file pertaining to the setting up of 15 gaushalas on the outskirts of the city. Unless we have space to accommodate these cattle, the problem cannot be resolved,” said workers of the gaushala.
Incidents involving stray cattle
1. October 2012: A resident of Jujhar Singh Nagar succumbed to injuries after he came in between the fight of two bulls. 2. August 2012:
A resident of Nai Basti died following severe injuries inflicted by two bulls on the 100 Feet Road. 3. July13, 2013: A 50- year-old resident of the Multania Road succumbed to injuries after he was hit by a bull near Hajirattan Chowk. 4. February 3, 2013: A senior citizen was hit by a furious bull near the railway lines adjoining Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant. 5. July 30, 2013: A couple and their child received serious injuries after the bike they were riding on was hit by stray cattle on the Goniana Road. A school teacher was hit by a bull near Arya Samaj Chow the same day. 6. September 10, 2013: Two city residents lost their lives after the bike they were riding on was hit by a bull on the Goniana Road. 7. October 15, 2013: A cyclist received serious injuries after being hit by a stray cattle in Gobindpura village. 8. 2014: Two men were injured this month near NFL Chowk and the old police station on the Multania Road.
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Government schools sans basic infrastructure
Nikhila Pant Dhawan
Bathinda, September 7 The problem becomes more glaring in the light of the fact when the state government insists that one of its top priorities is to provide free and quality education. As per the data received under the Right To Education (RTI) Act in March this year, the dropout rate at the secondary-level in Bathinda district was 8.59 per cent in 2013-14 as compared to 2.91 per cent in 2009-10. Although the dropout rate in Muktsar, (9.75 per cent), was the highest for the 2013-14, the district has progressed since the rate was recorded at 11.66 per cent in 2009-10. Other districts, which made significant progress in the field are Ferozepur and Sangrur. While in Ferozepur, the dropout rate decreased from 25.14 per cent in 2009-10 to 4.66 per cent in 2013-14, in Sangrur, it decreased from 20.84 per cent to 6.13 per cent. Bathinda is considered to be one of the VIP constituencies, since the Chief Minister belongs to the constituency and his daughter-in-law is not only the second-time Member of Parliament from the constituency, but is also a Union minister. Where to sit?
Classes being held under trees on the school premises, students sitting in the corridors and on mats inside the class rooms while appearing for the exams are some of the common sights in the government schools of the district. Shortage of furniture has been a perennial problem, especially in the elementary schools. Few schools, with low student strength are helped by non-profit organisations and donors to provide them with desks and chairs.
What to drink?
Non-availability of safe drinking water is another problem. While ROs have been installed at many schools in the district, there are still several schools where students rely on taps or hand pumps for drinking water. Water samples of such schools keep failing purity tests conducted every year.
Powerless?
Most of the schools in the district also face the problem of lack of funds to pay the electricity bills. The schools function without electricity for days and in case of some schools for weeks. Since the schools get a paltry amount in the name of annual funds, either the teachers and staff members contribute to pay for the bill or wait for some organisations to do the same.
Crumbling boundary walls
Last year, a student of one of the elementary schools of Bathinda was seriously injured when an iron gate of an adjacent gurdwara fell on him. Had there been a boundary wall the tragedy could have been averted.The situation at most of the schools in the district is the same – either the boundary walls are not there at all, are incomplete or are so old that they are crumbling ,
Delayed supply of books and uniforms
Last year, students of government schools had to wait till July to get some books which are provided free-of-cost under the education schemes. This year, however, the Education Department fared better and supplid the books in time. Similar is the case in release of grants for procurement of uniforms under these schemes. The grant for uniforms for the academic session 2013-14 was released to the schools in the last week of November.
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Poet Paash remembered
Bathinda, September 7 Convenor of the Punjab committee of the trust, Attarjit spoke on the life and works of Paash and his contribution to Punjabi literary world. Addressing the gathering, stage convenor for the event, Dr Parminder recited some of the popular poems written by Paash. Keynote speaker of the event, Dr Surjit Pattar threw light on how Paash’s works strengthened the Punjabi literature. |
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NSS camp held in city
Bathinda, September 7 BD Singla, additional commissioner of Municipal Corporation Bathinda addressed the students and apprised them of the problem of waterlogging that the city and its adjoining areas are reeling under. He also told them about the works being done by the MCB. — TNS |
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Bathinda, September 7
Bathinda, September 7
