Tuesday, August 25, 1998
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Tuesday, August 25, 1998 |
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Central
team holds talks with Badal |
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No levy on millers till
September 15: Barnala Planning
growth of urban Punjab Market
project a non-starter No
blood bank in town of donors Model
village on the border ‘Karza
mukti week’ from September 30 SGPC
may sort out rift, says Tohra Bhai
Manjit Singh not to attend clergy meetings |
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Central team holds talks with
Badal CHANDIGARH, Aug 24 — A team from the Union Ministry of Urban Development, led by Mr S P S Prihar, called on the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal to discuss infrastructural development plans for Anandpur Sahib in view of the Khalsa tricentenary celebrations in April,1999. The Chief Minister stressed the need for augmenting basic facilities like roads, water supply, sewerage, street lights, shopping complex and overall beautification of the town. He asked the Principal Secretary, Local Government, and the Anandpur Sahib Urban Development Authority to prepare a detailed project within a week and send it to the Ministry for clearance. The Chief Minister also discussed the plan of constructing a complex of 300 houses at Anandpur Sahib to mark 300 years of the birth of the Khalsa. These houses will be part of the proposal urban estate being carved out in the city. The Punjab Government will approach HUDCO for financing this project. The Regional Chief of HUDCO, Mr P S Khurana, agreed in principle to the proposal and offered to give free consultancy to the project. The team informed the Chief Minister that a proposal of Rs 1 crore has already been cleared by the Ministry of Urban Development for upgradation of civic life in Anandpur Sahib under different schemes. The Joint Secretary, Defence, Mr A P Sharma, also called on the Chief Minister and discussed the scope of opening some defence institute at Anandpur Sahib. He was informed that Punjab, being a border State, did not have any military academy. Some post-recruitment institute or some hi-tech military engineering institute may be opened in Punjab. The Urban Development team
and defence officers later left for Anandpur Sahib to
make an on-the-spot study of various projects to be
financed by the Government of India. |
Planning growth of urban Punjab CHANDIGARH, Aug 24 — Punjab is a highly urbanised state, where nearly 30 per cent of the population lives in cities and towns, a majority of which are fast growing into squalid slums. The central corridor of the state is the Grand Trunk Road — stretching from Amritsar to Rajpura. Nearly 44 per cent of the state's urban population resides on either side of this major artery. These big and small urban centres are like just one large city broken by uninhabited patches in the form of farms. These very centres contribute to the wealth of the state, agriculturally and industrially. In the absence of any comprehensive policy and because of lack of coordination between different government departments and agencies, the urban areas are fast becoming unliveable, given the smog and pollution which envelop the urban settlements. If Ludhiana is the largest spinner of wealth through industry, Khanna is the largest foodgrain trading centre: both places stink and are choked. One can imagine living conditions in other towns along the G.T. Road. It is in this backdrop that one has to study the role which the Town and Country Planning Department and the Punjab Urban Development and Planning Agency (PUDA) can and should play to make Punjab more liveable. The former, it is learnt,
is content with making "master plans" for
different places, which remain on drawing boards. The
latter is still struggling to make its presence felt. |
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Market project a non-starter AMRITSAR: The site for a new vegetable and fruit market, spread over 102 acres, near Valla village, has been encroached upon by slum dwellers as the old market has not been shifted there even after 26 years. The foundation stone of the new market was laid in 1972. Initially the site was earmarked for a grain market. Later the administration evolved a plan to shift the old vegetable and fruit market from near Hall Gate to the grain market. The old vegetable market is full of filth, especially in the rainy season. Besides, the old market is very congested and witnesses frequent traffic jams. Since the new site was virtually abandoned by the administration, many jhuggis have mushroomed there. Many labourers from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan have succeeded in securing ration cards and power connections on the basis of addresses of "Preet Nagar" which is a part of the encroached site. With the "blessings" of politicians, they have got photo identity cards. About 300 families have been residing in Preet Nagar as the authorities concerned have failed to check the growth of jhuggis. A society has opened a primary school in a concrete building near the slum which is also constructed on the encroached land. The then MLA had laid the foundation stone of the school. The foundation stone has now been removed for obvious reasons. The sheds constructed by the Market Committee are also being misused by employees of certain dying unit for drying clothes. Mr Om Parkash Arora, chairman, Punjab State Fruit and Vegetable Merchants Union, said most of the arhtias and retailers were ready to shift to the Valla market if the government allotted them sites. They were against holding an auction for the sites. He admitted that earlier they were not ready to shift to the new market as it was away from the city. However, with the expansion of the city and the old market getting congested they were ready to shift " within no time if the government allots them sites." There were about 240
arhtias and 100 retailers in the old fruit and vegetable
market, he said. |
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No blood bank in town of
donors RAMPURA PHUL, Aug 24 — Even though Rampura Phul is known as a "town of blood donors" in Asia, there is no separate blood bank here. Official sources said the only blood bank in the local civil hospital had been lying closed for the past one and half years due to many deficiencies. The blood bank was closed as it could not fulfil certain conditions laid down by the Government of India after the launching of an anti-AIDS programme in the country. Due to the closure of the blood bank, the 12 per cent population of the town who are regular voluntary donors face great inconvenience. Local residents have donated about 10,000 units of blood since 1978 by organising 100 camps. The town has won the second position in Asia in blood donation. Dr Ram Narian Maheshwari, Deputy Medical Commissioner, Punjab Health System Corporation, when contacted said a central government team was expected any time to inspect the renovated blood bank provided with the necessary equipment as directed by the Blood Council of India. He said the air-conditioning had been fixed in the blood bank. A modern refrigerator had also been installed and seven more rooms added to the existing blood bank. The region was a priority area in blood donation in Bathinda district, he asserted. Hospital sources said apart from the blood bank, the local hospital which had about 85 per cent occupancy, the best in the district, was facing an acute shortage of para-medical staff. The hospital had no ambulance (the earlier two vehicles had been abandoned) and the operation theatre was also in a bad shape. Interestingly, the post of anaesthetist, who is required for every minor operation, was also lying vacant. About 16 posts of staff nurse were lying vacant. Dr Maheshwari said to meet
the demand of staff nurses , pharmacists had been deputed
for staff nurse’s jobs. One new ambulance would be
given to the hospital shortly as the district as a whole
would get eight new ambulances from the Punjab Health
System Corporation. |
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Model village on the border BHINDI SAIDAN (Amritsar), Aug 24 — The Punjab Government has decided to develop this sleepy village in the border belt as a model village of the state. During his visit to this poverty-stricken village on August 3, the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, himself made this announcement after a prolonged meeting with its residents. A majority of the houses, 1,500 out of the nearly 2,500, would be rebuilt. HUDCO would advance loans to the tune of Rs 50,000 for each house. The village would be given a facelift, besides undertaking certain developmental works. The village Sarpanch, Mr Dalip Singh, claimed that the Chief Minister had accepted the main demands of the village, including metalling of the 'phirni', upgradation of the village dispensary to a 25-bed hospital, upgradation of the government high school to a plus-two standard school and construction of a bus stand. Educated youth would be provided training and loans for venturing in any vocation under self-employed schemes. Responding to a question as to why this village was adopted to be a model village of the state, he said during the Ajnala Assembly byelection in June 1994 Mr Badal was to address an election rally in this village on the last leg of his tour on that day. He was very late, but residents of the village with candles and lanterns in their hands kept waiting till very late in the night. On his arrival, they listened to his speech with rapt attention. Mr Badal had promised at that time, that if voted to power, he would develop this village as a model village of the state. He had kept his words and announced a plan to develop this village as a model village. The SDM Ajnala, Mr Bhupinder Singh, told TNS that a door-to-door survey had been conducted of the entire village. The educated unemployed youth would be persuaded to venture in dairy farming, fishery or any other business under self-employed schemes. Nearly 75 handicapped persons of the village had also been identified. They would be provided with artificial limbs. They would also be encouraged to take up any business under the self-employed schemes. The SDM disclosed that the chief town planner and the district town-planner had already visited the village a number of times. They would guide and help in the construction of new houses. The houses would mostly be rebuilt on the existing sites, but some would be constructed on the 70 acres of the panchayat land available around the "phirni". The village, located near the Indo-Pak border, is the most backward and poverty stricken. Six persons had died after drinking contaminated water from the village well in 1993. The Punjab Government has already extended a water supply scheme to the village. The village is
predominated by Rai Sikhs who are mostly landless and
farm labourers. The village also has a sizeable Christian
population. |
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‘Karza mukti week’ from
September 30 JALANDHAR, Aug 24 — The Punjab Kisan Sabha organised a "Karza mukti convention" here today which passed a resolution that farmers' debt related to agriculture be waived off. The kisan sabha leaders while addressing the convention said the green revolution was capitalist oriented. The farming community, which was always short of capital, procured large debts to increase productivity. Though the nation attained self-reliance in foodgrain production, unfortunately farmers got trapped in debt. Lashing out at the policies of the government in the agriculture sector, the kisan sabha alleged that the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation had directed the government to cut back on agriculture subsidies. Due to this, even research in the agriculture sector was suffering. The support price too was not justified, as the input prices in the agriculture sector had gone up with seeds, pesticides and fertilisers costing more. The sabha also alleged that the benefits of the land ceiling reforms had not percolated to the farming community. There were big farms in existence in the state. While government facilities and relaxations were benefiting the big farm sector, small farmers continued to suffer. The convention passed a resolution passed a resolution that if the government failed to waive off the debts incurred by the farmers, "karza mukti week" would be organised from September 30 and rallies would be held in front of block development and panchayat offices. As many as 10,000 volunteers from all over the state would participate in the agitation. The main speakers at the
convention were the president of the sabha, Mr Rachpal
Singh, the general secretary, Mr Lambhar Singh Taggar, Dr
Balwinder Singh from Panjab University and Mr Bant Singh.
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Declare Pak terrorist state: Bitta ROPAR, Aug 24 — Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, a former president of the Indian Youth Congress, has urged the central government to convene an international conference on terrorism for holding deliberations on various issues relating to terrorists' activities across the world and take steps to curb the same. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Bitta further said the international community should also declare Pakistan as a "terrorist state" and initiate stern action against it. He said now America had also confirmed that there was terrorism in many parts of the world by striking at several suspected terrorist bases in Afghanistan and Sudan. Mr Bitta said terrorists' training camps in Afghanistan were imparting training to Afghans for striking in Jammu and Kashmir at the behest of the ISI of Pakistan. He said America should also attack other terrorists training camps throughout the world to bring peace. The former president of
the IYC also called upon all political parties to sit
together for fighting terrorism and maintain unity and
integration of the country. He said political leaders of
all parties should forget their differences and speak in
one voice on issues like terrorism and atomic bomb blasts
so that any outside agency like the ISI could not succeed
in its nefarious designs. |
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SGPC may sort out rift, says
Tohra AMRITSAR, Aug 24 — The SGPC may intervene to sort out the differences among Jathedars of Akal Takht, Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib. An indication to this effect was given by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president of the SGPC here today. He said so far no Jathedar had approached the committee to resolve the differences if any. He said he had read about the alleged differences, in the newspapers only. However, he hastened to add if any Jathedar approached the committee, it may intervene to bring about an amicable settlement. He said as per Sikh traditions Jathedars were "above" any committee. When he was reminded the SGPC was the appointing authority of the Jathedars and was empowered to transfer them from one takht to another or even remove them, he said their differences would be resolved shortly. A "war of letters" of sorts had started among the Jathedars over certain vital issues. Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar, Sri Kesgarh Sahib, had not attended two consecutive meetings while Giani Kewal Singh did not attend the last meeting convened by Bhai Ranjit Singh, Akal Takht chief, to resolve some Sikh affairs. Bhai Ranjit Singh had already asked the other Jathedars to approach the SGPC, the Press and Sikh masses to clarify their stand on various issues and present their opinion openly. Giani Kewal Singh in his letter had alleged he was pained to see the element of distrust persisted among high priests which was a matter of grave concern, particularly when Sikhs were set to celebrate the 300th birth anniversary of the Khalsa Panth. The letter had further said instead of guiding the Sikh masses "our actions have caused suspicion in the minds of the Sikh masses". In response to the letter, Bhai Ranjit Singh also pointed out many vital issues. Letters were also exchanged between Bhai Ranjit Singh and Prof Manjit Singh over the collection of funds by the latter when he was chairman of the World Sikh Council. Mr Tohra, who had recently met the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, demanded setting up of a scrutiny commission to fix the responsibility of those responsible for the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. He alleged the earlier commissions, including the Ranganath Misra Commission, did not give justice to the victims of Delhi riots as he was rewarded by the party with the Rajya Sabha seat. He further said the reports of earlier commissions which indicted H.K.L. Bhagat, Jagdish Tytler and other Congress leaders for engineering the riots could not be implemented for obvious reasons. The SGPC chief, in his representations given to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister also alleged the compensation of Rs 1,000 crore for the damage done to the Golden Temple and Akal Takhat during Operation Bluestar in 1984 could not be given despite repeated representations. Mr Tohra reiterated that the Shiromani Akali Dal would not back out from the ultimatum served on the issue of Udham Singh Nagar to the Vajpayee government. He said the Vajpayee-led coalition government was unlikely to implement the decision of including Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed Uttaranchal state. Mr Tohra said
the SGPC was ready to accept the maintenance of the
corridor around the Golden Temple at its own cost to
maintain the sanctity of the temple. He, however,
criticised the working of PUDA and improvement trusts. He
said he had already brought the matter to the notice of
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Such trusts were
acquiring the fertile land of farmers at cheaper rates
and making undue profits, he said. |
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No levy on millers till
September 15: Barnala SAS NAGAR, Aug 24 — No levy will be imposed on millers for procuring paddy till September 15, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, said here today. Mr Barnala, who was on a visit to the National Institute of Pharmaceuticals Education and Research (NIPER), said the government had advanced the paddy procurement date to September 15 from October 1. This had been done in view of early sowing of paddy this year. There were districts like Amritsar where the crop was almost ready. In such areas millers could go in for procurement without any levy. After September 15 the government would begin procurement, 40 per cent of which would be done by the FCI and the rest by state government agencies. This year adequate arrangements for gunny bags had already been made. Huge stocks of rice and paddy were lying in Punjab which were now being transported to other states as per the requirements. About 50,000 tonnes were being transported daily from stores to make space for fresh purchases. Mr Barnala further said keeping in view the rising cost of production various concessions were being given to fertiliser manufacturers. Concession on DAP had been increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000 per tonne. On imported DAP the increase was from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 and on super phosphate from Rs 600 to Rs 900. He, however, ruled out the abolition of subsidies on fertilisers for the agricultural sector which now totalled Rs 9,000 crore annually. The minister said Punjab expected a bumper paddy crop of about 1.20 crore tonnes this year. He denied having given a dissent note at a Union Cabinet meeting in connection with the Udham Singh Nagar issue. He had only said that the views of the people of the area should be ascertained before taking any decision on the matter. His stand on the issue was the same as that of the Shiromani Akali Dal. As far as the BJP stand was concerned, he said the issue would be discussed in the UP assembly. Mr Barnala, who went around various teaching blocks of NIPER, said the institute was functioning on proper lines. He said NIPER needed more staff. The seven departments would be gradually increased to 10. Dr C.L. Kaul, Director of
NIPER, said the institute had sought a World Bank loan of
about Rs 16 crore for conducting a programme for the
training of drug regulatory personnel and setting up of
testing laboratories. However, it had not been cleared by
June, as expected, due to the sanctions imposed on India. |
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Bhai Manjit Singh not to attend
clergy meetings PATIALA, Aug 24 — In the wake of the controversy over the submission of the accounts of the World Sikh Council, Bhai Manjit Singh, Jathedar, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, along with Bhai Kewal Singh, Jathedar, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, has decided not to attend any more meetings of the Sikh clergy until his name is cleared of all allegations regarding the accounts of the council and the maryada of the five Takht is restored and respected. Talking to mediapersons here today at his residence, Bhai Manjit Singh said that he had been falsely charged with bungling of funds of the World Sikh Council during his tenure as chairman. "I have no accounts or any other records. They were never with me" he said, adding, that the accounts were with Mr Jaswant Singh Mann, secretary-general of the World Sikh Council. However, Mr Mann has, in a letter to the Jathedar of Akal Takht and Justice Kuldip Singh, already specified that all the records and account had been submitted to a court of law. Bhai Manjit Singh also put a question mark on the validity of decisions taken by the Sikh clergy in the past few meetings which he had not attended. According to the Sikh tradition, only the five Jathedars could meet and take a unanimous decision. However, today any five members under Bhai Ranjit Singh took decisions. The Jathedars of Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib and Takht Sri Patna Sahib were not attending the meetings. Owing to some reasons and in the absence of Bhai Kewal Singh, Jathedar Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, and himself the Sikh clergy had almost become a one-man show now. The priests of Sri Harmandir Sahib and Sri Akal Takht could attend meetings only during an emergency and not as a rule. It is worthwhile to mention here that the World Sikh Council was established in 1995. It was founded as a platform for redressing the grievances of the Sikh community. In April this year Justice
Kuldip Singh was made its chairman in place of Jathedar
Manjit Singh. The issue of the submission of the accounts
had been in the news since then. |
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Intruders in girls' hostel JALANDHAR, Aug 24 — A few unidentified persons barged into the girls' hostel of Dr B.R. Ambedkar Regional Engineering College on the night of August 21. The Principal of the college, Dr H.S. Sagar, said that some persons had jumped over the balcony of the girls hostel but no misbehaviour was reported. While the guard was present, other securitymen who were on a contract with the college were missing. An inquiry had been ordered under the chairmanship of the Chief Warden. The wall of the hostel would be raised. The police has detained
the guard for interrogation. The DSP (rural), Mr Rajinder
Singh, said that no other arrest had been made and the
intruders had not been traced. |
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Sikh council's unit formed AMRITSAR, Aug 24 — The president of the World Sikh Intellectual Council, Prof B.S. Balluana, formed a unit of the council here yesterday. Prof Balluana disclosed that Dr Sukhdev Singh, a lecturer in horticulture at Khalsa College, Amritsar, has been elected convener of the Amritsar unit. Dr M.S. Dhillon, principal of the college has been nominated patron and Prof Gurjit Singh secretary of the council. Dr Sukhdev Singh was
authorised to form the executive committee of the
district unit. |
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SAD (Panthic) to form front FARIDKOT, Aug 24 — The Shiromani Akali Dal Panthic, Punjab, has decided to form a third front with the support of like-minded parties shortly to combat with the problems of the people in the state. This was announced by Bhai Jasbir Singh Khalsa, former Jathedar of Akal Takht president of the party, while addressing a state-level party workers' meeting here today. He criticised the ruling group for its failure in fulfilling the promises made in the poll manifesto during the last assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state. Bhai Jasbir Singh charged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with encouraging malpractices, corruption and nepotism which had led to frustration among the Punjabis. He stressed upon the Chief Minister to bring legislation in the assembly for passing the Anandpur Sahib resolution and later send it to the central government for its final approval and give more powers to the state besides safeguarding the interests of a Sikh nation. Sikh culture should also be spread through different media channels at national and international level. The former jathedar laid emphasis on the installation of more agro-based industries to promote different agricultural products. Bhai Jasbir Singh warned the state government to change its attitude to protect the rights of Sikh people. He deplored several Union
Ministers, including Mr L.K. Advani, for making
anti-Punjab statements from time to time at public
meetings. Bhai Jasbir Singh said his party would hold a
rally at Chandigarh on September 15 to express its
anguish against the anti-Sikh policies of the state
government. |
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Robbers strike again PATIALA, Aug 24 — Robbers have struck the city again as six robberies were reported from Malwa Colony here last night. According to the residents, robbers decamped with cash and jewellery at six places in the colony. All the robberies took place between 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. today. Mr Narjinder Singh Sekhon,
SP, Headquarters, confirmed robberies at two places only.
He said that according to the police investigation, at
other places it was only an attempt and no burglary had
taken place. |
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Demonstration by bankmen JALANDHAR, Aug 24 — Employees and officers of different banks here held a protest demonstration in front of State Bank of India demanding expeditious industry-level comprehensive wage settlement. The call for demonstration was given by the United Forum of Bank Unions, which is pressurising the government to expedite the wage settlement since the last wage settlement in the banking industry expired on October 31, 1997. Our Correspondent
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