Bathinda, September 13
In a bid to help the marooned people of the Jammu & Kashmir, the Bathinda district administration today sent 33,000 packets of cooked food through the AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force from the Bhisiana Air Force Station.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg said besides Bathinda, the administration of Mansa and Faridkot have also contributed in getting the meals prepared, getting them packed and transporting them with the help of religious organisations and NGOs. The entire material was first collected at Mahant Gurbanta Dass School for Deaf and Dumb Children and then transported to the Bhisiana Air Force Station.

Basant said the main aim is to provide healthy and fresh food to the people in distress. Of the 33,000 packs collected today, 18,500 were collected from the Bathinda city alone with the efforts of Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sarup Chand Singla, MLA Darshan Singh Kotfatta, SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bahia and Amrik Singh.

The administration would be dispatching another consignment of 1.20 lakh of food packs on Sunday and the campaign will continue for another one week. The AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, carrying seven quintals of food, left for Srinagar from where the packets would be further transported to the affected areas. The packs would also be air dropped in the pockets of Kashmir.

He added that the state government was maintaining liaison with the Air Force authorities for proper loading and transportation of the food and other materials. “We will coordinate with Deputy Commissioners of Mansa, Muktsar, Barnala, Sangrur and Moga who would send their supplies to Bathinda and from here it would be further sent to J&K,” he elaborated.

The DC was accompanied by ADC (G) Sumit Jarangal, IAS under training Vishesh Sarangal, SDM Bathinda Damanjit Singh Mann and others.

Meanwhile, the ADC (G) Sumit Jarangal has been designated as the nodal officer to coordinate for entire project.

Bathinda, September 13
Two residents of the city have been duped of Rs 12 lakh by a Ghaziabad resident by giving them fake assurances of getting them an MBBS seat in a medical college at Nasik in Maharashtra. The accused have reportedly fled to Ghaziabad after taking the money.

The victims have submitted a written complaint to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and he has directed the economic offences (EO) wing to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

In his complaint, Satish Kumar, a resident of Model Town and Harbans Singh, a resident of Dhobhiana Basti, stated that in the month of April this year, they saw an advertisement on guaranteed MBBS seats in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in some newspaper. They called on the number given in the advertisement and a resident of Ghaziabad, Kiran Kumar Prasad, took the call. Prasad told them that they can provide as many MBBS seats as they want and for the each seat, they will have to pay Rs 18 lakh.

In the month of May, Kiran came to Bathinda, where they paid him Rs 7.50 lakh for three students, out of which Rs 5 lakh was for the two sons of Harbans Singh and Rs 2.5 lakh for the daughter of one Satish Kumar. He confirmed that all the three students will get admission in the Nasik medical college.

Harbans Singh said after some days, when they called him up and enquired about the admission, they were told that they needed to pay Rs 1.5 lakh more per student. So, they had to pay Rs 4.50 lakh and give him the certificates of the students.

The accused came to Bathinda again and took the money along with the certificates. He also gave them an advanced dated cheque for the amount which they had given to him and told them that they should get it cleared if their wards failed to get admission in the medical college.

Later, neither did the students get admission nor could they reach the accused on the phone. The accused had even left the office the address of which was given to them.

Inspector Gurcharan Singh, in-charge, economic offences wing, said the case required in-depth investigation.

Bathinda, September 13
The death of a 22-year-old girl in mysterious circumstances in Balraj Nagar has sparked a controversy. The family members and relatives of the deceased today staged a protest outside the Vardhman police post demanding an in-depth probe into the matter and the arrest of the accused on the basis of the message received on the mobile phone of the deceased.

The protesters blocked the road outside the police post in protest as the police released him later after first arresting him. After this, the people gathered outside the Canal Colony police station and started raising slogans against the police department. They also accused the police of not taking action against the accused in the case.

To pacify the agitators, the police today recorded the statements of the deceased's relatives and arrested the accused.

It is worth mentioning that Lovely (22), a resident of Balraj Nagar, was found dead in mysterious circumstances at her house yesterday.

The father of the deceased, Chotte Lal, had stated that after he returned home at night yesterday, she served him tea. After that, she received a call on her mobile phone. Later, she started vomiting.

Lovely was rushed to the Civil Hospital, from where she was taken to a private hospital. But she was not treated at the hospital and was again taken to the Civil Hospital at around 7 am this morning.

Police had taken action under section 174 of the CrPC yesterday and handed over the body to the girl's relatives.

Bathinda, September 13
It seems that people are oblivious of the benefits of the fruit-ripening plant situated at the backside of the Government Rajindra College and continue to purchase the ‘chemical-laced’ fruits from the roadside fruit vendors.

Built at a cost of nearly Rs one crore the plant was setup around a year and half ago with an aim to provide chemical-free fruits to city residents.

The plant was built with a grant released by the Central government and the land was provided by the state government. “Instead of the local residents, people from outside Bathinda are more interested to purchase the fruits,” said Ghanaiya Lal Kanni, who has taken the plant on contract for five years from the Punjab Mandi Board.

As per a rough estimate, only 25 per cent people from the city turn up in search of the healthy fruits which are ripened in the air conditioned chambers, he said.

He pointed out that though fruits of various varieties are ripened in the six chambers as per the season, at present, it is only the banana which is in demand these days. “We do not sell less than 100 bananas to maintain the bunch of the fruits,”, he said.

Bananas procured from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra are first washed in fitkari (alum) water and then kept in the cold chambers for four days. “The chamber is opened on fifth day when the banana becomes fit for human consumption,” Kanni said.

He pointed out that they do not sell less than 100 pieces of banana and most of the buyers are from nearby Jaitu, Goniana, Maur Mandi, Mansa, Dabwali and other towns. “The banana which is ripened by dipping into the harmful chemicals rots within a day or two. Its outer layer becomes too black and the fruit releases water and is not fit for consumption,” the contractor said. He pointed out that the fruit ripened in a scientific manner using approved technology does not rot even after two to three days and its outer layer remain intact.

There is no way to differentiate the chemical-laced banana and the one ripened in these chambers.

“The fruit vendors usually sell the chemically ripened banana at a lower price,” he said. He added that once the sale for banana increases, he would then add other fruit varieties.

• The plant is given on contract by the Punjab Mandi Board for Rs 5 lakh a year, which includes nearly Rs 41,600 rent per month. The contractor also paid Rs 90,000 to Rs 1 lakh monthly power bill.
• As compared to the chemically-laced banana available in the market for Rs150 to Rs 250 per 100 banana pieces the same prepared in this plant costs Rs 150 to Rs 350 per 100 banana pieces—depending upon the size and weight of the fruit.

Bathinda, September 13
A few weeks after the surprise checking by Bathinda MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Sarup Chand Singla, the store department of the Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) has again come under scrutiny. This time, the sleuths of the Vigilance Department are examining the records pertaining to the sale-purchase and the actual material lying in the store department of the corporation.

Earlier, during the visit of the CPS, it was alleged that some irregularities had been reported in the store which needed to be checked thoroughly.

A team comprising a local DSP of the Vigilance Department and two inspectors from Chandigarh inspected the offices of the corporation yesterday and is believed to have seized some documents pertaining to the store department.

The vigilance officials are tight-lipped over the seizure of the documents but claim that they are examining papers and files procured from the corporation and have also questioned some employees. A section of the corporation officials said the visit of the sleuths had ruffled many feathers. They learnt that a written complaint has been lodged at the vigilance headquarters of the Punjab Police in Chandigarh following which a checking is being conducted by the sleuths.

"The store department keeps goods and material purchased for public utility and other usages. Making a purchase of Rs 5 to 7 lakhs in a month is a normal thing for the store department and the amount usually reaches a few crores by the end of the year," said a senior corporation official, pleading anonymity.

The transaction of money, its proper use, usage of material, kind of material purchased and other things matters in the store department.

"The papers and files which are taken into possession by the Vigilance Bureau will be scrutinised and it will take some time to reach any conclusion. The possibility of registration of a case in this regard cannot be ruled out at this stage," said a senior official of the Vigilance Department.

Vigilance SSP Sukhdev Chahal, however, said they have so far reached only the tip of the iceberg and it will take a few more days to reach any conclusion.

"There is no harm in visiting the government offices where there is public transaction. Such visits by the vigilance sleuths also help streamline the functioning of these offices sometimes," he said.

Bathinda, August 13
Demanding the pensions and medical bills clearance for the months of June, July and August this year, retired employees of the PRTC today staged the protest near Bathinda bus stand and shouted the anti-government slogans.

The members of the PRTC Pensioners’ Association staged a dharna and blamed the state government of formulating policies harming the retired employees.

In Punjab, there are around nine depots and above 4,000 employees across state who are not getting their pensions, claimed district president of the PRTC Retired Worker Union, Gurbachan Singh, Bathinda.

The members of the PRTC Pensioners’ Association claimed that many of their members were only hand-to-mouth and are running acute shortage of their necessities with their pension being halted at times of inflation when one is worrying to buy the daily vegetables.

Gurbachan Singh, president of the PRTC Pensioners’ Association, said, “Our agitation has started since September 6 and will be carried till September 16 while on September 17 a big protest would be staged in Patiala where all the protestors from across state would be gathered. The government is not willing to give us pension and we are running hand-to-mouth. We staged dharna today and raised slogans against the government. 

We would push the government with our agitation and if need arises we would intensify our agitation. The government, if running short of funds, should write to the Governor to impose Financial Emergency. There are numerous such pensioners who are hand-to-mouth and their pension is their only source of income but the government cannot feel the pain of those living in pain. Since 2006, we are facing this untimely delivery of pensions. We stage protests continuously and the state government releases pensions after two or three months.”

Bathinda, September 13
Apart from Punjabi players raiding during this World Kabaddi League (WKL) matches, Chinese crackers of worth nearly Rs 1 lakh too would be the centre of attraction. The preparations for these matches were even at the last moments today evening.

A workforce from a private company from Delhi hired by the Punjab government was busy in giving last touch to place where these crackers have been installed. Apart from the power backup, security, commentator’s cabin, viewers seating arrangements the workforce is also taking care of the music, floodlights and the fire crackers during the event.

“We have kept the environment pollution and other hazards in mind before installing the fire crackers, which are eco-friendly. This time we brought only Chinese anar (a cracker),” claimed one of the workers.

At a cost of Rs 2,000 per piece, 48 such crackers were purchased from Delhi to be used during the occasion. “We have made eight pairs of 16 crackers, with two crackers in a pair. These are placed at a distance of eight to 10 feet,” the workers said.

Sixteen of these anars, interconnected with electric wires, would be operated using a control system adjoining the entrance during the entrance of the kabaddi teams and when a team is declared winner.

They pointed out that the crackers are placed in such a manner that it would be visible prominently to all the spectators and the VIP guests. “We have placed eight crackers between the empty area of kabaddi mat and spectators—on the Astroturf—and also at the main entrance of the arena,” said one of the workers of the Super Film Works, assigned the task of overseeing the works.

He said the entire workforce has been brought from Delhi and they are expert in arranging materials required during the shooting of movies. “Our services are sought by the movie-makers to blow vehicles, show blasts and other fireworks or stunts,” the workers said.

They added that the Punjab government has continuously been hiring the workforce ever since the starting of World Kabaddi Cups in Punjab.

The workers said the sparks generated from the anar will not affect the turf of the hockey ground on which mats for the kabaddi matches are laid. “The normal spark of an anar is, too, hot and is harmful for the human skin but the spark emanating from this anar (of Rs 2000 per piece) is cold and will not affect the human skin or the turf,” the workers said.

Bathinda, September 13
An Easy Bill retailer in the city, Sham Sunder Goyal, has alleged a cyber fraud of Rs 35,000 from his online account. Goyal has filed a complaint with the Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar who has marked an inquiry into the case and directed the economic offences (EO) wing to conduct an investigation into the case.

In the complaint, Goyal has stated that Easy Bill is a unit of Hero Group and the PSPCL to pay electricity bills besides mobile and dish recharges. "On September 1 at around 1 pm, someone hacked my Easy Bill account and used Rs 35,000," he said

He stated that at 1.30 pm, the hacker called him as a customer representative of Easy Bill. "The person who called me gave his name as Arvind and his mobile number as 9811826589. His email id was easybillindiapvt@gmail.com. I have even contacted the senior officials of the Easy Bill but of no use as the reply of the stockist and the senior officials was not satisfactory. They are forcefully asking me to admit that I had a password related talk with that caller. I can assure you that my call was not at all related to any of the issues like password or Easy Bill id," Goyal said.

He alleged that he suspected the role of one of the Easy Bill employees in the fraud. "I contacted the customer care executives, but I am sorry to say that pressure is being put on me to admit that it is an oversight on my part or it is an act of hacking which cannot be traced," he said.

He has also alleged he has been mentally harassed by the attitude of the company in resolving the issue.

Bathinda, September 13
A retired army officer Baldev Singh Joshi has written a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to hold a CBI inquiry into the registration of a false FIR against the innocent people of the state, including ex-serviceman.

He has stated that on December 12, 2009 an FIR number 892 was registered against him and his son. He alleged that the Bathinda police have not submitted challan up to three years and later submitted a cancellation report in the court of the CJM Bathinda, which was accepted by the court.

After which he requested Sthe enior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bathinda, to register an FIR against the complainant under the IPC 182,506, 420, but it is being considerably delayed because of some corrupt police officer involved.

He also accused that the Punjab State Right Human Commission has also proved baseless, hopeless and in effective since working under the directions of the Badal government.

He has demanded that it should come out as to why without an inquiry a false case was registered only to enjoy illegal gratification from complainant and why challan was not submitted to court of law. Since the FIR was cancelled by the court, why did the police refuse to register an FIR against the complaint.

He has also stated that he will present documentary proof against the Punjab police before the CBI inquiry officer.

Along with this he has also submitted an affidavit stating that if he is wrong at any place or found anything false, he will not accept any punishment less than the death penalty.