Monday, August 3, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, August 3, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Roll back will
'result in bankruptcy' |
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Traffic
advisory panels to be set up |
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Plan to revive sick PSUs Udham
Singh Nagar 'not Punjab issue' Leaking
roofs, bird droppings at archives |
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Roll back will 'result in
bankruptcy' PATIALA, Aug 2 — The roll back in the power hike from the envisaged development 33 per cent to 16 per cent has come in for severe criticism from the PSEB Engineers' Association which, it claims, will push the electricity board into bankruptcy and put a stop to future power development in the state. The engineers feel the roll back in power tariff comes at a time when the 15th power survey report has predicted a peak hour shortage of 1,794 MW in the state during 1998-99 and funds were needed to remove part of the shortage. They say besides this, funds were required to complete the ongoing projects. An amount of Rs 285 crore was required to complete various transmission and sub transmission projects to transmit power from the Lehra Mohabat Thermal Plant, Ranjit Sagar Hydro Project and various other central sector projects and Rs 250 crore were required for the execution of various development distribution works during the current year. Association president Padamjit Singh and general secretary H.S. Bedi said it was not clear as to where will all this money come from when even after the proposed power hike the estimated commercial loss during 1998-99 would be Rs 750 crore. The leaders said the situation was grim as the low credit rating of the PSEB had made it difficult for it to raise funds through financial institutions and the market. On top of this, they said the board had sold off its major assets, including machinery, at the Ropar Thermal Plant and taken them back on lease for which the board was paying Rs 50 crore as annual rental. They said the poor financial health of the board had forced it to do this. A senior finance officer of the board disclosed that the sale and lease-back arrangement had been arrived at to get funds at cheap rates of interest and claimed that the policy was being followed by some other state electricity boards also. He, however, said the board was in "real trouble" as it was unable to raise funds adding that "one could not get funds from the market if one could not meet one's expenditure from revenue receipts". The engineers association said on the one hand the government and the consumers expected the PSEB to meet the power requirements and on the other the government was not allowing the PSEB to function as a viable commercial organisation and earn a bare minimum return of 3 per cent on capital as provided in Section 59 of Indian Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948. It said, the cost of coal had increased from Rs 1467 per tonne in 1995-96 to Rs 1870 per tonne now, an increase of more than 27 per cent and central sector power tariff had also escalated. In 1997-98 the total state consumption was 22068.4 million units (MU) out of which 10274.1 MU was from state thermal plants (46.5 per cent) and 6961.1 MU was purchased from outside (31.5 per cent). For these operations hard cash was required, which could be ensured only through rational tariff structure, the association added. Mr Padamjit and Mr Bedi
said the statement of the PSEB Chairman that the loss of
Rs 300 crore on account of free power to the agriculture
sector was adjusted against the interim payment of Rs 457
crore which the PSEB was supposed to pay to the
government was factually incorrect. The actual loss due
to free supply of power to the agriculture sector was
over Rs 1000 crore per year out of which Rs 300 crore per
year was the cash component which the PSEB was earning
through collection of energy bills of tubewell consumers.
They claimed the failure to price energy for the rural
sector gave the industrial lobby a strong lever by which
the tariff hike was fastly reversed. They called the
government to allow the PSEB to run on commercial lines
and also compensate it in cash for free supply to the
agriculture sector. |
Mann to hold 'Punjab jagao' rally JALANDHAR, Aug 2 (PTI) — Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the Akali Dal (Amritsar) today said the Badal government had failed to get any of the state’s demand accepted from the Centre and announced that his party would hold a ‘Punjab jagao rally’ next month at Chandigarh. "While the Akalis were given the mandate because they claimed that a BJP government at the Centre would be sympathetic to the state’s demands, the BJP leaders including union ministers, are publicly rejecting many demands, Mr Mann said at a press conference here. He said the Shiromani Akali Dal leaders rather than protest against such outright rejection of Punjabi demands were instead misleading the people on the issue of waiver of the state’s Rs 8500 crore loan. "Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has claimed on the floor of Parliament that the loan has not been waived and would not be waived". Mr Mann claimed. He said even the clearance for the oil refinery project, which Chief Minister Badal was projecting as a major achievement was doubtful. He demanded that Mr Badal direct his party MPs not to vote alongside the BJP in the election for the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha unless the Centre gave an assurance that Udham Singh Nagar would be excluded from the proposed Uttaranchal state. Mr Mann also expressed doubts about the genuineness of police claims about recovery of arms and said even when the militancy was at its peak recovery of such large quantities of RDX were unheard off. "How come that while the Punjab police chief P.C. Dogra claims recovering nearly 2.68 quintals of RDX, not a single unsavoury incident involving use of this explosive has not been reported? Has the police suddenly become so efficient? Mr Mann asked. He said a number of weapons and explosive seized during militancy were never entered on the records and the state police was now planting these weapons on youth who had at one time strayed into the path of militancy but were now leading a normal life. Mr Mann said if the SAD failed to extract a promise from the BJP to exclude Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed hill state of Uttaranchal, his party would organise a massive rally at Chandigarh next month. Mr Mann said the Akali-BJP government had failed to implement its election promises of abolishing octroi, inspector raj and corruption. The government also failed to check price rise, give old age pensions, release Sikh detenues languishing in jails, set up a commission to chronicle alleged human rights abuse and initiate action against guilty police personnel, prosecution of the perpetrators of anti-Sikh violence in 1984, and resolution of regret for Operation Bluestar in the state assembly and Parliament, he added. Alleging that human rights
abuse were continuing in Punjab, the radical Akali leader
said Kesar Singh of Kalewal and Sarbjit Singh of Sidhipur
in Fatehgarh Sahib district, who were arrested a few days
ago, had been produced before Mr Badal at Chandigarh on
June 5 last and the Chief Minister had then assured them
that they would not be harassed and arrested. |
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Family getting Rs 7 as
subsistence allowance AMRITSAR, Aug 2 — Believe it or not, a family in the far-away state of Kerala has been receiving a paltry sum of just Rs 7 as monthly subsistence allowance from the Punjab Government. This amount was sanctioned to the family after their son Suresh Kumar, an engineer with a private firm, was gunned down by terrorists in Sangrur district on March 11, 1992. He was the only son of his parents and was unmarried. Giving this information here today, former Communist Party of India (CPI) MLA Vimla Dang said she had written to the Punjab Government a number of times requesting that the family be paid Rs 2500 per month as subsistence allowance as was being granted to widows of terrorist victims. "The mother of the deceased had informed me through a letter yesterday that the subsistence allowance had not been increased", Mrs Dang claimed. According to Mrs Dang, the decision to grant Rs 7 as subsistence allowance was arrived at by deducting the pension of the deceased’s father from the allowance amount admissible to parents whose only son gets killed by terrorists. The father, who was a class IV employee of the Kerala Government, had retired from service after his son’s death. Mrs Dang pointed out that
in Punjab, a widow of a victim of terrorist act got Rs
2500 per month as subsistence allowance but if she had
her own source of income, then she was paid such an
amount as would not result in the total of her own income
and the allowance being more than Rs 5000 per month. Mrs
Dang has through a letter brought this case to the notice
of the Punjab Chief Minister. |
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Sanctions a passing phase, says
minister CHANDIGARH, Aug 2 — Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister, Punjab, has urged people not to get panicky over sanctions imposed by various countries in the wake of India's nuclear blasts. She was inaugurating a seminar on "Sanctions and its Impact on the National Economy" organised by the Society for Business and Economic Promotion here today. The sanctions did put pressure on the Indian economy, but this was only a "passing phase" because foreign exchange reserves stood at a comfortable $ 26 billion, she added. Dr Upinderjit Kaur said in this era of global inter-dependence, developing countries were equally needed by the developed countries that were in search of markets for potential investment and trade. India's international policies were already being reoriented in the light of these considerations. In his key-note address, Mr S.C. Nanda, Director, Administration, DAV College Managing Committee, said no doubt 63 institutions, together with the power sector, were facing the US curbs, yet there were hopeful signs that the G-8 decision to allow humanitarian aid would be interpreted broadly to enable the World Bank to improve new social sector loans, preferably relating to productive health and family welfare, control of malaria, T.B., leprosy, AIDS, primary education and nutrition. Mrs Shayama Chona, Principal, Delhi Public School, Mrs Kiran Chaudhary, Executive Director, Society for Business and Economic Promotion, Mr Dinesh P. Sharma, secretary of the society, and Dr S.D. Kadam, president, S.P. Mandal Mangalwedna, also expressed their views. Twenty outstanding Indian
men and women drawn from different walks of life from
India and abroad were awarded with the Shreshtha
Utpadakta Puruskar '97 on the occasion. |
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Traffic advisory panels to be set
up LUDHIANA, Aug 2 — To prepare long and short-term traffic management plans in all cities of Punjab, state and district level traffic advisory committees are being constituted in which representation will be given to non-government organisations (NGOs) and big industrial houses. This was announced by Mr P.C. Dogra, Director-General of Punjab Police, while addressing the opening session of a special workshop on traffic management here last evening. Mr Dogra released "Ludhiana City Traffic — a perspective," a study conducted by the renowned traffic and transport expert from Mumbai, Dr Shankar Vishwanath. This is the first serious effort to tackle the complex traffic problem in the city. Referring to the strict enforcement of traffic rules, Mr Dogra said the state government was thinking of authorising officers of the Punjab police above the rank of sub-inspector to impose an on-the-spot composition fee for traffic violations and irregularities. The DGP expressed regret for the withdrawal of traffic police from the main roads and observed that the police needed to be assigned traffic regulation duties again. In response to the complaints of some industrialists regarding the 'in-human' behaviour of police officials, Mr Dogra said that orientation courses would be started for the police personnel and efforts would be made to bring about a qualitative behavioural change so that the police could be made people-friendly. Regarding traffic problems on highways and in the cities the police chief said road accidents claimed three times more lies than, murders in the country. He urged industrialists, NGOs and the public to extend full cooperation in implementing the new traffic plan in this city. Mr Dogra appreciated to efforts of Mr Dinkar Gupta, SSP, Ludhiana, for formulating a comprehensive plan for channelising traffic in the city. He also appreciated the contribution of Dr Vishwanath. The DGP flagged off four new ambulances donated by NGOs for deployment on the four main roads entering the city. Police personnel trained in first aid and connected by a wireless system with the central police control room will man these ambulances. Dr Vishwanath, Dr G.S. Aujla, I-G, Jalandhar zone, Mr Arun Goel, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, were among those who spoke. Mr Dinkar Gupta, giving details of the newly launched traffic management system said a advanced traffic control system was being installed and 292 more policemen had been deputed in the traffic police and a new post of SP, Traffic had been created. He thanked the industrialists for contributing more than Rs 70 lakh to implement the traffic plan in different parts of the city. Mr Ravi Goyal District
Governor of the Lions Club promised to provide 50
ambulances while an NRI organisation will provide five
ambulances to shift the injured to hospitals. |
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Plan to revive sick PSUs AMRITSAR, Aug 2 — To overcome the acute financial crunch being faced by sick public sector units, the central government has decided to dispose off their surplus land or make optional use of it by constructing houses for employees. Apart from these, the Centre has ambitious plans to revive big sector units, including Hindustan Machine Tools. Union Minister of State for Industries, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, talking to TNS before presenting the first Sewa Singh Sekhwan Award to five eminent personalities here today said. HMT alone was suffering an annual loss of over Rs 200 crore, which was a matter of great concern. He said within the next two months the fate of the sick units would be decided. "We are looking for joint venture or even privatisation for re-structuring the sick public sector units", he said. Mr Badal said the centre was determined to bring all sick units around. Giving reasons for the losses, Mr Badal said that such PSUs were set up either on political considerations or to fulfil social obligations in the past rather than profitability considerations. As part of the plan the centre was encouraging voluntary retirement scheme in such units and many workers were coming forward to accept this. Further the knowhow and machinery of such units had become obsolete and new machinery was being imported to make them competitive. Perturbed by the rising incidence of suicides by farmers in Punjab, Mr Badal said there was an urgent need for speedy industrialisation of the state. Giving details, Mr Badal said the BJP led government would invest hundreds of crores in heavy industry in the state over the next few years. He said the country's biggest oil refinery to be set up at a cost of Rs 16,000 crores would definitely be set up in Bathinda district. Apart from this a big cement plant was being set up by Ambuja cements in the state and Apollo Tyres would set up units in the state. A big private university of South India was to open a unit in Gurdaspur district, for which the survey had already been completed, he said. A cargo station was also being set up at Amritsar for exporting agricultural produce through Amritsar airport. Mr Badal presented the first Sekhwan Award to five eminent scholars including Mr Sohan Singh Sital, Mr Sant Singh Maskeen, Mr Joga Singh Jogi, Mr Gurmej Singh and Mr Balbir Singh Changiara. They were presented Rs 51,000 a plaque and a shawl each. Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, State Minister for Public Relations and son of late Ujagar Singh Sekhwan former SAD president speaking on the occasion said that awardees were selected without considering their caste, creed or religion. The main consideration was their contribution to their respective fields. Among those who present on
the occasion were Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Minister Rural
Development and Panchayats and Mr Sucha Singh Langah,
State Minister for Industries. |
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Udham Singh Nagar 'not Punjab
issue' PATIALA, Aug 2 — While the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party supports in letter and spirit the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar into the proposed Uttaranchal state, it at the same time does not approve of the "immense and vociferous emphasis" given to the issue by various political parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal. Airing this viewpoint Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Minister for Local Bodies and seniormost legislative member of the BJP, said in a press conference here today the Udham Singh Nagar issue should solely remain the demand of the people of the district and should not become the main issue of Punjab as it had become. Denying reports that differences had emerged between SAD and BJP over Udham Singh Nagar, Mr Tandon said there was only the question of emphasis over the issue and not any disagreement or difference over the issue."Our party's thinking is that we should lend moral support to the people of Udham Singh Nagar and also that the aspirations, wishes and sentiments of these people should be respected", he said. However, he said, people from other states like Bengal, Haryana, Assam etc had also come to live in Udham Singh Nagar the emphasis given by certain parties, making it just an issue of the Punjabis, was sending wrong signals. The minister also sought to brush aside reports of friction between SAD-BJP government in the state and the central-government. The governments are pulling along together both in the state and at the Centre and there is no friction or differences, he stated. In response to a query over the promise made in the SAD-BJP manifesto about octroi abolition, an issue which has become significant due to the impending municipal corporation elections of certain districts, the BJP minister said the experiences of abolition of octroi in certain states had not been a healthy one. In hindsight, the SAD-BJP government admitted the promise of abolition was a mistake and it could not be implemented. Earlier, Mr Tandon, held a
meeting with the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata
Party. He held discussions about the party's plan
regarding the ensuing municipal corporation elections. |
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Leaking roofs, bird droppings at
archives PATIALA, Aug 2 — The Punjab Archives Department housed at Rajindra Palace, Baradari Gardens here, is crying for urgent care. Though the old building, built for residential purposes for Maharaja Rajindra Singh (1876-1900), looks in sound condition from the outside, it is actually crumbling from within. Not only the historic building but numerous valuable artefacts, lithographs, rare paintings, manuscripts, records of princely states of old Punjab, hand-written correspondence between the erstwhile rulers, treaties etc are also at stake. A visit to the old building reveals the pathetic state of affairs. The way to the staircase that leads up to the main building is blocked by old worn-out cupboards which have become a convenient place for dust to pile up and for insects and worms to reside in. The staircase made of costly wood has also lost its sheen due to lack of regular cleaning. The roofs of the main library and store under which all the priceless artefacts and records have been kept are also in a dismal state. Inquiries reveal each shower of the monsoons doubles employees' fear of a possible roof collapse or leakage in the building. Even a small leakage can destroy the ancient records which are being saved with the help of preservers. Sources in the department reveal many letters highlighting the pathetic state of the building and the need for urgent repairs have been written to the government but none of them has borne any fruit. An official remarked there was also an acute shortage of staff at the building. This shortage puts the visiting researchers to a lot of inconvenience. For instance, the post of a storer in the library is lying vacant. In his absence, locating a book is a difficult task. The librarian himself is seen running from one rack to another in his endeavour to find a book that has been demanded. Whatever staff that is on the rolls spends most of the time in cleaning the mess created by pigeons and other birds for whom there seems to be no better place of dwelling. The problem gets accentuated when the department is opened after holidays. In April this year, sources disclose, when the department re-opened after more than a week's holidays, droppings of pigeons were found scattered all-over the place and on the book shelves a pungent smell emanating from nearly 20 pigeons found dead accentuated the misery of the staff. Sources further reveal continuous neglect by successive governments has paralysed the services provided earlier by the department. The xerox machine installed to help the researchers for getting photocopies of the ancient record they want has not been in working order for the last couple of months. Similar is the fate of a micro film machine that was installed with the purpose to preserve all ancient material on a microfilm. Of all the rich ancient artefacts, books available at the archives are under grave threat of being lost forever. These include hand-written copies of Guru Granth Sahib which have been written by the gurus and have their signatures inscribed. There are primitive lithographs, paintings, documents and manuscripts that contain rare historical information about the life and times of religious gurus, erstwhile princely state of the region, popular personalities, important events, hand-written letters and signed treaties dating back to the 16th century. These pieces of art and documents of the erstwhile princely states of Patiala, Nabha, Jind and Kapurthala and some others were displayed nicely at the museum of the Archives Department before 1986. However, that year the government decided to shift all historical records of the state from 1947 onwards to Chandigarh. Later, the government also set up a museum at Chandigarh displaying records and other relics telling the role of Punjab in the Indian freedom struggle. This 100-year record and the accompanying proofs shifted to Chandigarh are but a small part of the countless documents and other memories of our ancient past which were displayed at the museum here but dismantled and dumped into dingy rooms of the archives as the government proposed to turn the archives into a tourist bungalow in 1986. The artefacts which were displayed in the showcases upto 1986 are now gathering dust behind locked doors. The decaying process which has already destroyed a number of the relics of the past may soon engulf the records if preventive measures are not taken immediately. The records that are under
grave threat include paintings showing the life and times
of Guru Nanak. Called "Janam Sakhis", these
were donated by eminent painter Labh Singh. Other
paintings show the kings of various erstwhile princely
states. These throw light on the life during those times.
Many important historical events have also been preserved
on canvas. |
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Internet snag hits academic PATIALA, Aug 2 — A fault in the Internet connectivity of Punjabi University, useful for academic work, has rendered the facility dead for the past more than two months. The most affected are the research scholars and teachers who need the latest information on the projects they are engaged in. A number of teachers, research scholars and students have repeatedly complained to the university authorities about the problem they are facing due to the non-availability of the Internet facility. Dr Chandan Singh, in charge of the Internet cell and Head of the Department of Computers, Punjabi University, confirmed the loss of Internet connectivity. He said that the university was also facing a financial loss due to the fault as the annual payment for the Internet connection had been made in advance. He said the university had taken up the matter several times with the Department of Electronics, Government of India, through which the Internet connectivity could be subscribed to. The department had tried to resume the service by switching over the university's internet connectivity to some other satellite but it had met with little success. Meanwhile, the teachers
and research scholars have also demanded an increase in
the internet accessibility hours. At present they
complain, it is available only between 10 a.m. and 1
p.m., which is not sufficient to meet their needs, they
say. |
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Punjabi sammelan in USA from Aug
28 PATIALA, Aug 2 — In connection with the 300th anniversary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa a number of organisations with the active participation of Sikhs living abroad will be holding an international Punjabi sammelan from August 28 to 30 at Milwaukee in the USA. While addressing a press conference here today, Mr Surjit Singh Dhaliwal said the sammelan was being organised by the Punjabi Kalakar Sanstha, Patiala, association with the Punjabi Sahit Akademi, Ludhiana. He said an 11-member organising committee had been formed. Other members of the committee are Mr R.P.S. Pawar, Commissioner, Patiala division, Mr Pritpal Singh Binder, Mr A.S. Pooni, Mr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Mr Harpal Tiwana, Ms Niha Tiwana, Mr Jagjit Singh Dardi, editor-in-chief of the daily Chardhi Kala, Dr Mahip Singh, Mr Makhan Singh and Mr Harbhajan Singh Rattan who will be the general secretary. He further said for the
three days of the sammelan papers on different subjects
would be read and discussed. Thereafter, four days had
been kept for sight-seeing. One week's boarding, lodging
and transportation would be provided by chief host
Darshan Singh Dhaliwal's family. |
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Plea to set up industries FEROZEPORE, Aug 2 — The Citizens' Council here has urged the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, to get the government to set up industrial units at Ferozepore, which is the most industrially backward town of the state. This demand was made at a function organised here today by the council. Mr Zira distributed spectacles on behalf of the Council to 175 poor and needy persons, whose eyes were tested by eye specialists on July 19. The council also sought a government model high school and a government college here. It also sought sewerage,
drinking water, streetlights and sanitary facilities in
the newly developed colonies of the town. A charter of
demands was also presented to Mr Zira. |
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Steps to improve power supply ABOHAR Aug 2 — On a complaint by the local consumer movement against the erratic power supply Mr K.S. Gill, Member, PSEB, Distribution, Mr A.K. Kundra, Chief Engineer and Mr S.S. Gill, yesterday visited the city under the directions of the Chairman PSEB to study the problem Mr Satpal Khariwal, president, consumer movement accompanied by two other office-bearers Mr Suresh Satija and Mr Krishan Russy met the high-powered team of the board and represented the case. The team after reviewing the situation decided that henceforth there would be eight technical staff members at each complaint centre. They would be headed by a junior engineer. Two new complaint centres would be equipped with telephones. The centres would maintain a complete record of the time of the registration and disposal of the complaints and undue delay would be reported to higher authorities. Mr Gill and Mr Kundra
sanctioned six more breakers each to ensure uninterrupted
power supply. All high density wires in the Krishna Nagar
area would be replaced. The local authorities were asked
to get the faulty transformers replaced. |
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Mittal is president of SSD Sabha BATHINDA, Aug 2 — Mr Rattan Lal Mittal was elected president of the SSD Sabha today. He defeated Mr Manohar Lal, a lawyer, by 14 votes. The elections were held after two years. The 153 member house of the sabha nominated Mr Ajoydhya Parkash as vice-president, Mr Harbans Lal Malwa as general secretary and Mr Narinder Mittal as secretary administration and Mr Mangat Rai as finance secretary. Mr Jagraj Aggarwal was
elected president of SSD Senior Secondary School, Mr Om
Parkash Gupta president of SSD Moti Ram Kanya
Mahavidyala, Mr Banarasi Dass Goyal president of SSD
Public School, Mr Raj Kumar president of SSD Mangat Rai
High School and Dr Walati Ram president of SSD Girls
College. |
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Paddy worth Rs 1,025 crore lies
unmilled SANGRUR, Aug 2 — As much as 17 lakh tonnes of paddy worth Rs 1,025 crore procured by the state agencies and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in Punjab during the last season has been lying unmilled in the godowns, according to Parmod Kumar Modi general secretary of the Punjab Rice Millers Association. According to sources, this paddy should have been milled at least four months back. The quality of unmilled paddy is deteriorating, fast causing a financial loss to the state and the central government. If the milling is further delayed, the rice may not be accepted by the other states, said Mr Modi. Procuring of water soaked paddy, which has lost weight, has resulted in its remaining unmilled. The millers want that the paddy bags given to them for milling should be as per the actual weight and not as per the filling weight. The filling weight is 65 kg per bag whereas the actual weight ranges between 54 kg and 57 kg. He said, the same problem
would crop up this year also if the paddy was procured
before October 1. |
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Badal to visit Muktsar on August 8 MUKTSAR, Aug 2 (UNI) — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will visit this historic town on August 8 to inaugurate the new focal point of which he had laid the foundation stone last year. Besides, the Chief Minister will inaugurate Panjab University's regional centre and lay the foundation stone of Delhi Public School here. This was announced by the city Deputy Commissioner here after a meeting with important dignitaries of the town, the nagar council president and all heads of the district departments last evening. The Deputy Commissioner
said it had been decided to finalise the master plan for
beautifying this historic town. |
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Set up drug advisory
committee, say chemists ROPAR, Aug 2 — The Punjab Chemists Association has demanded the setting up of a state drug advisory committee to solve various problems. Stating this here today, Mr Rajinder Jaggi, senior vice-president of the association, said this demand had been placed before the Punjab Health Minister a couple of days ago by a deputation of the association. Mr Jaggi said it had been suggested to the minister that drug advisory panels should also be set up in the districts. Besides officials, representatives of the association and the district chemists' bodies should be included in the state-level drug advisory committee and the district-level panels. The senior vice-president
said the association had also demanded the immediate
issuance of a notification regarding sales tax exemption
on life-saving drugs. A list of such drugs had already
been provided to the government by the association. |
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