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Time of India
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
14 years on, land acquired in Mansa village remains unused
Bathinda: Amid a debate over Punjab's contentious land pooling scheme, intended to gather 65,000 acres for urban development, 750 acres of land acquired 14 years ago in Mansa district for setting up a power plant is lying vacant and undeveloped. The land, situated in Gobindpura village within the Budhlada sub-division, was forcibly acquired in March 2011 by the erstwhile SAD-BJP govt for a 1,320 MW power plant to be built by Peona Power, a subsidiary of India Bulls. The acquisition was met with fierce resistance from villagers, leading to nearly two years of protests marked by violent clashes. On Aug 2, 2011, farmer Surjit Singh from Hamidi village lost his life, and numerous others sustained injuries during confrontations with police. Today, residents are not only grappling with the unfulfilled promise of development but also the nuisance of wild boars and neelgai emanating from the overgrown, unused land, damaging crops and disrupting daily life. "Not even a single brick has been laid in these 14 years after the state govt acquired 750 acres of land against the wishes of landowners," said Gurlal Singh Gobindpura, a local resident whose family was at the forefront of the original protests. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sekeloa: Unsold Sofas Prices May Surprise You (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo "It has turned into a jungle from where wild animals cause trouble to villagers and damage crops," he added. While the govt initially offered Rs 23.68 lakh per acre, agitation by farmer organisations like BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) ultimately compelled an increase in compensation to Rs 25.68 lakh per acre. Despite the enhanced payout, the promised development remains elusive. Mansa deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh acknowledged the lack of progress. He confirmed that developmental activity has been stalled because certain critical stretches of land could not be acquired, preventing the consolidation of the entire tract. Singh also confirmed villagers' complaints about wild animals due to the prolonged disuse of the land. "The industrial house now has plans to set up a solar plant on the acquired land, and a project report is being prepared," the DC said. MSID:: 122951602 413 |
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Time of India
Woman, parents booked for cheating husband
Ludhiana: Ludhiana rural police filed a case against a woman and her parents for allegedly cheating her husband by not helping him to move to Canada after he bore expenses of her immigration. The accused were identified as Ranjit Kaur, Surjit Singh, and Paramjit Kaur from Kaleke village in Barnala. Harpreet Singh, from Hathoor village, told the police that he was married to Ranjit Kaur. Both parties decided that after the marriage, his family would bear the expenses of sending Ranjit Kaur to Canada, after which she would help him reach the country. The complainant alleged that his family spent Rs 30 lakh to send her to Canada but once she reached, she refused to help him get there. According to the complainant, he spoke to her parents but they too denied the arrangement. He said that he collected the money to send Ranjeet Kaur abroad with great difficulty. After investigations, Hathur police filed a case against the accused under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC. MSID:: 122903356 413 |
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Himachal Pradesh monsoon toll at 78; flash floods hit Mandi; 4 Chamba panchayats cut off
SHIMLA: Flash floods triggered by two cloudbursts struck several areas of Himachal Pradesh's Chamba and Mandi districts on Sunday, even as the death toll since the onset of monsoon on June 20 reached 78. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Cloudbursts and flash floods have caused a maximum of 22 deaths --- 14 from Mandi district alone, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre. As many as 28 people have died in road accidents. The state has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 572.69 crore. In the early hours of Sunday, a flash flood struck Kathwad rivulet in Chamba's Churah, washing away a bridge on Chamba-Chanju road, a water mill, and several structures. 4 Chamba panchayats cut off; IAF drops ration Four panchayats of Churah sub-division — Bagheigarh, Charra, Chanju, and Dehra — were cut off from the district headquarters. In the remote Chohar Valley of Padhar sub-division in Mandi, a cloudburst occurred in the village of Kotrang under Silhbudhani gram panchayat on the intervening night of July 5 and 6. Padhar sub-divisional magistrate Surjit Singh, along with other officials, reached the village and assessed the damage. Singh said there was no loss of life or injuries reported due to the cloudburst. However, three footbridges and one motorable bridge over the Kugdi and Kotrang streams were washed away. Additionally, around 50 bighas of private land belonging to the residents of Kotrang village, located near the rivulet, were swept away. Meanwhile, search and relief operations continued in the disaster-hit areas of Mandi on Sunday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter dropped 90 ration kits, 75 blankets, 3 boxes of clothing for men and women, two boxes of essential medicines, and other necessary supplies in the Seraj Valley. Additional director of the panchayati raj department, Surender Mohan, said a search team from NDRF and SDRF was using drones to locate people missing in the flood between Pandoh Dam and Patikri village. Mohan said two separate 18member teams have launched a search operation from Patikri Dam to Bakhli Khad towards Janjehli and Thunag. Additionally, ITBP teams, along with porters and patwaris, have delivered ration kits, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, and medicines to the affected villages in the remote Pakhrar panchayat, said Mohan. He said around 300 people have been accommodated at Government Primary School, Thunag, and the PWD rest house in Thunag. Mohan added that the Thunag to Janjehli road has now been cleared up to Lambathach, and restoration work was in full swing to open all roads leading to Janjehli. So far, nine pregnant women from the affected areas have been transported through various means to the regional hospital in Mandi and Nerchowk Medical College. Also, one pregnant woman has been referred from Janjehli via Karsog to IGMC, Shimla. According to officials, roadblocks in the affected areas were a major hurdle in reaching out to the affected people, especially in the Seraj region. As many as 243 roads remained closed in the state on Sunday, with the highest 183 in Mandi district, followed by 36 in Kullu, 12 in Kangra, 6 in Una, four in Chamba, and two in Sirmaur district. Power and water supply also remained disrupted in the flood-affected areas. According to the SEOC, 241 transfers were non-functional on Sunday, with the highest 182 in Mandi, and 278 water supply schemes remained disrupted in Mandi district. Ranaut finally in Mandi Mandi parliamentary constituency MP Kangana Ranaut visited the flood-affected Thunag area of Seraj Valley on Sunday. Ranaut met the victims in Thunag and assured them of all possible help. Ranaut said that even though the Prime Minister is on a foreign visit, he is aware of what is happening here, and the central govt has acted swiftly. She added that as an MP, her role is to secure funds. 'My role is to bring relief funds from the Centre. I don't have any personal fund, nor do I have any officials or a cabinet of my own. Still, I manage to reach the affected areas. The central funds are sent to the state govt. It won't come to me or to Jai Ram ji. Still, I manage to reach as I am also a Himachali and a Pahari,' she said. It may be mentioned that Ranaut faced a lot of criticism for not visiting the flood-affected areas of her constituency.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Time of India
Woman caught for keeping leopard paws
Panchkula: A woman accused of illegal possession of wildlife body parts was arrested Saturday, following a months-long probe into protected species trafficking. On May 10, the forest department was tipped-off about the possible presence of the body parts of protected wildlife species in a slum of Rambagh at Bhairon colony in the Kalka region. A team led by wildlife inspector Surjit Singh conducted a raid at the residence of Angoori Devi. Four boiled animal paws, suspected to belong to a leopard, were found in her house. However, the woman managed to flee the scene at the time. Due to uncertainty about the species, the seized items were sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, for forensic identification. The WII confirmed that the paws were indeed those of a panther (leopard), a Schedule-I protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Following the forensic confirmation, legal proceedings were initiated, and the divisional wildlife officer informed Pinjore PS, leading to the registration of a case under sections 9, 39, and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act on May 5. TNN
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Fake bail racket busted in Khanna, key players held
Khanna police have busted an organised gang involved in securing court bails using forged documents. Two key members of the gang, including the mastermind, have been arrested in a well-coordinated raid led by the local police. According to senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jyoti Yadav, the arrested accused have been identified as Surjit Singh, a resident of village Durgapur in Patiala district, and Mahima Singh of Rajpura. Both were apprehended red-handed at the tehsil complex in Khanna while allegedly attempting to process another fraudulent bail application. The police recovered nine fake Aadhaar cards, a counterfeit official seal of a naib-tehsildar, a fraudulent property valuation certificate, and other bogus paperwork. 'The gang had been misleading courts using these documents and had successfully managed to get bail in more than 25 cases', said the SSP. 'The gang's modus operandi was both cunning and systematic. They would first obtain the Aadhaar card of a real individual and alter minor details like the date of birth or a single alphabet in the name. A new photo would be affixed to create a false identity. Fake land ownership records were also generated and stamped with forged government seals. Using these papers, the gang members would present themselves as sureties in court and help secure bails for the accused', she added. Police investigations revealed that the gang had been charging hefty sums ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹70,000 per fake bail. In cases involving more serious criminal charges, the price would increase.
