In Muktsar, schools double up as community centres

Violation of rules

• The bhog ceremony at a school in Sukhna Abluvillage in Gidderbaha sub-division on Wednesday was held with the consent of its management
• A majority of the Sangat Darshan programmes of the Chief Minister, too, are held in schools
• On July 2, YAD workers had held a membership drive at Government Primary Schoolin Fattanwala village

A ‘bhog’ ceremony under way in Government Primary School at Sukhna Ablu village in Muktsar district on Wednesday. A Tribune photograph

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Gidderbaha, August 26

It’s a free-for-all in government schools of Muktsar district – the home district of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

After Sangat Darshan (public meeting) programmes of the Chief Minister and membership drive of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD), bhog (last rites) ceremonies are being held at government schools here, and that too, during school timings in clear violation of rules.

One such bhog ceremony was held at Government Primary School, Sukhna Ablu village in Gidderbaha sub-division today. Tents were pitched in the school ground to observe the ceremony from 11 am to 1.30 pm. During this time, loud speakers were also used, much to the inconvenience of students.

A large number of people had come to attend the ceremony. They were later offered eatables in a separate tent there.

Interestingly, the school management committee (SMC) had given the approval for the event on the request of the village panchayat, without bothering about the disturbance that would be caused to students.

When contacted, Davinder Kumar Rajoria, District Education Officer (DEO), Muktsar, said, “The holding of any such programme on the school premises is in violation of the rules. I have sought a reply from the school management committee and head teacher on why they allowed the bhog ceremony on the school premises.”

Notably, there is open space available for such programmes at the focal point in the village.

A majority of Sangat Darshan programmes of the Chief Minister are held in schools. Even during his recent visit on August 18 and 19, the programmes were held at schools in Dhaula, Tharajwala, Kheowali, Killianwali and Phulukhera villages.

On July 2, YAD workers had held a membership drive at Government Primary School, Fattanwala village.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Non-institutional deliveries still in practice in Muktsar district; Lambi tops the chart with 49 such births recorded this year

Non-institutional deliveries still in practice in Muktsar district

Lambi tops the chart with 49 such births recorded this year

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 30

Even though the health department is taking a number of steps to promote institutional deliveries (births), non-institutional ones are still taking place in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s home district Muktsar.

Data procured from the district administration revealed that till July end this year, 193 non-institutional deliveries took place across the district. Of these, the maximum (49) were reported in the Chief Minister’s home turf Lambi. This is followed by Alamwala with 43 non-institutional deliveries, Chak Sherewala with 40, Malout 25, Doda 20, Muktsar with nine and Gidderbaha with seven.

Even if one looks at figures of July, then too Lambi tops the chart with 12 non-institutional deliveries. This is followed by Chak Sherewala and Muktsar each with nine non-institutional deliveries, Alamwala with eight, Doda seven, Malout six and Gidderbaha with two. In July, a total of 53 non-institutional deliveries have come to the notice of the health department.

Sources said the district health authorities were also running behind the target of institutional deliveries. Of the total 2,160 institutional deliveries fixed as the target, only 1,749 could be done till July this year in the district.

Surprisingly, the state government provides financial assistance to below poverty line (BPL) families for non-institutional deliveries, which is a major reason behind this trend. For the non-institutional delivery in rural areas, the family is given Rs 500 and in urban areas, the family is given Rs 600 under the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme.

A senior doctor, preferring anonymity, said on the one hand the state government was taking steps to promote institutional deliveries, on the other, it was providing monetary assistance to families for non-institutional deliveries. “This practice must be stopped. Only then can institutional deliveries be promoted. For institutional deliveries, the state government provides free transportation to hospitals and return to their houses. Further, medicines and institutional deliveries are free of cost,” said the doctor.

When contacted, Dr Jagjivan Lal, Civil Surgeon, Muktsar, said, “We are spreading awareness among people about the benefits of institutional deliveries. It is safe for both the mother and the baby. Efforts are being made to promote institutional deliveries.”

Courtesy: The Tribune

Harsimrat fails to give insurance policies to women in her adopted village

Harsimrat fails to give insurance policies to women

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Lambi, August 31

Bathinda MP-cum-Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal didn’t keep her promise of gifting free personal insurance policies to Mann village women ahead of Rakhi. She had adopted the village under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) to transform it into a model village.

During her last visit to the village on August 8, Harsimrat announced she would personally hand over free insurance policies for 10 years to all women between the age of 18 and 70 on August 27. However, neither did she and nor did any administrative official turn up at the village to hand over the policies.

Teja Singh, Sarpanch, Mann village, said, “No one in the village has received the insurance policy. I fail to understand why Harsimrat didn’t visit the village.”

Some villagers seeking anonymity said the administration had even opened bank accounts for nearly 600 women in the village so they could get free personal insurance for 10 years.

“Harsimrat presented the same insurance policies to women in Bathinda and Mansa districts this week. But it is a mystery why she didn’t turn up at the village,” they said.

During Harsimrat’s last visit to the village, some unidentified miscreants had torn her hoarding. This village falls in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s Lambi assembly segment and located next to Badal village.

The village had also witnessed poll violence during the Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti polls in 2013. Nearly 150 Congress men were booked by the Lambi police.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Cops yet to arrest accused in PU student leader’s killing

A long friendship turned sour

• Relations between victim Amritpal Bawa and Bhanwar Brar Rocky, the accused, had turned sour about six months ago. Rocky had threatened Bawa's family over the phone on Saturday.
• Victim's uncle Gurinderjit Singh said: "Bawa was the only son in the family. Ironically, his sister lost him on the day of Raksha Bandhan."

FB flooded with mourning posts

• Bawa's friends and well-wishers have flooded his Facebook page with mourning posts, condemning his alleged killing by Bhanwar and his parents

Amritpal Bawa

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 31

The Muktsar police have failed to make any arrest in the murder of Amritpal Bawa Pency (25), former president, Gandhi Group Student’s Union, Panjab University campus.

Bawa was allegedly shot by his friend-turned-foe Bhanwar Brar Rocky and his parents on Saturday night at their residence at Rupana village.

Bhanwar’s father Navdeep Singh is admitted to a private hospital in Ludhiana, but he has not been arrested.

The police have tracked Bhanwar’s mobile phone location to Chandigarh.

Police sources said Bhanwar’s mother Simarjit Kaur was in Ludhiana, but her exact location could not be tracked. Sources close to the victim’s family told The Tribune that relations between Bawa and Rocky had turned sour about six months ago. The accused had even warned Bawa’s family over the phone on Saturday.

“Bawa’s family took the matter lightly, which resulted into his killing. The family was under impression that they would sort out their differences,” said a source.

The sources said a mutual friend of Bawa and Rocky, who studied with them in Chandigarh, had played a key role in creating differences among them. There was no role of any girl or money in the incident, they added.

GGSU named after gangster

Gandhi Group Student's Union was formed after Rupinder Singh alias Gandhi, former sarpanch of Rasulra village near Khanna. Gandhi operated a gang in Ludhiana and was murdered by a rival gang in 2003.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Former PU student union leader shot in Muktsar

Killer a close friend

• Amritpal Bawa Pency (25), a former president of Gandhi Group Student's Union, Panjab University campus, was allegedly shot by his close friend Bhanwar Brar Rocky
• Rocky, his father Navdeep Singh and mother Simarjit Kaur have been booked
• The police are suspecting it a result of a love affair, although they are probing the case from several angles

Victim Amritpal Bawa (in turban) with accused Bhanwar Brar, during a visit to Chandigarh. A file photograph

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 30

Amritpal Bawa Pency (25), a former president of Gandhi Group Student’s Union, Panjab University campus, was allegedly shot by his close friend Bhanwar Brar Rocky. The incident took place at Rocky’s residence at Rupana village, 8 km from here.

The police have booked Rocky, his father Navdeep Singh and mother Simarjit Kaur. The reason behind the murder was not known yet. The police were suspecting some love affair and investigating the case from various angles.

Police sources said Amritpal Singh went to Rocky’s house last night after having some arguments with him over the phone.

Gurinderjit Singh, Superintendent of Police (Detective), Muktsar, said: “A brawl took place at Rocky’s house. Roky and his father Navdeep shot some bullets from a pistol and .12 bore gun. The bullets hit Amritpal and he died on the spot. A bullet also hit Navdeep in the leg.”

“The injured were taken to hospital. Amritpal was declared brought dead at the Civil Hospital. Navdeep was referred to Ludhiana where doctors stated that his leg would be amputated,” SP said.

Gurinderjit Singh Bawa ‘Koki’, former president, Municipal Council, Muktsar, an uncle of the deceased, in his complaint to the police said Amritpal had come to Muktsar a few days ago from Chandigarh. “Last night when he did not return, I went for his search. His friends told me that Amritpal had left for Rupana village. When we reached there, we saw Rocky and his father firing bullets. We somehow managed to escape,” he said.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Labour shortage hits toilet project

A World Bank-funded project

• The state government has to build 4,400 toilets in Lambi block; 7,100 in Gidderbaha block; 8,200 in Malout block and 24,064 in Muktsar block
• Nearly Rs 61 crore will be spent on the project
• Construction in Gidderbaha, Malout and Muktsar blocks is yet to begin
• These toilets are to be built in those houses that do not have one

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service 

Muktsar, August 23

The construction of 44,000 toilets under the World Bank funded Open Defecation Free (ODF) project has been hit as the district administration faces a shortage of skilled labourers. To resolve the issue, the administration has now started training labourers. For instance, a batch of 30 labourers is being trained at the Construction Skill Training Institute (CSTI), Abul Khurana village, here.

The state government has to build 4,400 toilets in Lambi block; 7,100 in Gidderbaha block; 8,200 in Malout block and 24,064 in Muktsar block. Nearly Rs 61 crore will be spent on this project.

Ramvir Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Muktsar, said, “We have to construct the toilets in the given time frame, but we are facing a shortage of skilled labourers. So, we are training labourers for free at the CSTI in Abul Khurana village. It will help us overcome the shortage of skilled labourers.”

At present, the work is undergoing in Lambi block only. Construction in the other three blocks, where about 40,000 toilets are to be built, is yet to begin. These toilets are to be built in those houses that do not have one.

Courtesy: The Tribune

Muktsar fails to bring back dropouts to school; Despite spending Rs 3.48 cr annually, only 87 of total 437 join schools

Muktsar fails to bring back dropouts to school

Despite spending Rs 3.48 cr annually, only 87 of total 437 join schools

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 12

Despite the fact that the state government is every year paying Rs 3.48 crore to 601 education volunteers in Muktsar district, who have been given the task to educate school dropouts, the purpose is still not achieved.

For instance, the Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS), Alternative Innovative Education (AIE) and Special Training (STR) volunteers have brought just 87 of total 437 school dropouts (7-14 years) identified in Muktsar district to the mainstream of schooling this academic session.

A senior official in the district education office said the state government had not assigned teaching job to these volunteers and they were told to bring dropout children to the mainstream of schooling. “Due to political pressure, these volunteers have been given their preference postings. Thus the purpose is not being achieved. There are some government schools where these volunteers are not even required, but posted without any reason,” said the official.

Jaspal Monga, deputy District Education Officer, Muktsar, said, “Education volunteers have been given the task to bring dropout children to schools. As per records, 350 schoolchildren are yet to be brought to the mainstream of schooling in the district. The seniors are well aware of the facts as we have sent the report to them.” Another senior official said the salary of these education volunteers was coming direct from the state government and not under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) or any other scheme. “These volunteers are academically not qualified for teaching jobs as they have not cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test,” he added.

On the other hand, an EGS volunteer said they were doing the same duty as of the teachers. They alleged that the Education Department was exploiting them and not showing their work in records.

“There are some schools, which are being run by volunteers only as not even a single teacher is deployed there. The department doesn’t want to show us working like teachers because they fear that we will claim permanent job and salary hike,” he added.

Another education volunteer said, “We are unable to bring all dropout children to schools because the department is getting other works done from us as well.”

Repeated attempts to contact Pritpal Singh and Kulwant Kumari, who spearheaded the movement of EGS volunteers in the past, proved futile.

Courtesy: The Tribune