Tuesday, December 1, 1998
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Tuesday, December 1, 1998 |
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Ludhiana ground water
"toxic" CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 — The Central Ground Water Board has directed the district administration and the Municipal Corporation authorities of Ludhiana to paint all water pumps with red colour whose water had been found unfit for human consumption. Bereaved man to take stranger's ashes PATIALA, Nov 30 — For Chandrakant Ram Chandra Mule of Mumbai, his cousin Rekha's fervent appeal to get the body of her father home has forced him to take a painful decision. |
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Bhattal's charge 'baseless' PATIALA, Nov 30 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh, said today that the charge of the former Congress Legislature Party leader, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, of not being consulted before being removed from the leadership of the CLP when she was abroad, was baseless and an attempt to confuse the public. PAU VC
advocates bio-farming Change
self first: Kiran Rice
millers' plea to govt Food
panel suggested SAD
'to consider' revamp of party Bid
to get grant for Sobha Singh gallery Clarification
on cess |
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| 3 of family die in mishap | |
Clerk held on graft charge Plea to lift ban on promotions
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Ludhiana ground water
"toxic" CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 — The Central Ground Water Board, a department of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, has directed the district administration and the Municipal Corporation authorities of Ludhiana to paint all water pumps with red colour whose water had been found unfit for human consumption. There are hundreds of such pumps in Ludhiana, especially in the industrial area, Janta Nagar, near Budha Nala, and Kitchlu Nagar. The water of these hand pumps is injurious for human health due to mixing of toxic substances in the sub-soil water. Mr M Mehta, Regional Director of the board, told TNS here that the objective behind painting such pumps with red paint was that people should not draw water from these for drinking. He said that he had a meeting in this connection with the Commissioner of the corporation and the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner. Up to a depth of 50 metres, toxic substances like cadmium, chromium, cyanide, lead and arsenic, had been found beyond the permissible limit in the sub-soil water in certain parts of Ludhiana. Mr Mehta said that due to dumping of hazardous industrial waste in certain parts of the city, the sub-soil water had become polluted. Besides, the municipal authorities had been told to educate people and industrialists about the menace of ground water pollution. Another problem Ludhiana city, known as the industrial capital of Punjab, was facing was dwindling ground water resources. Mr Mehta said that every year the water table in certain areas of Ludhiana city was going down. For instance in Kitchlu Nagar, Agriculture University, Model Town and adjacent areas the water table had gone down by up to 15 metres. For arresting the decline in the water table and to curb the pollution of sub-soil water, the Union Ministry of Water Resources would soon issue a notification imposing certain restrictions with regard to sub-soil water. Mr Mehta said the board, which was vested with statutory powers, would make the registration of water pumps mandatory in Ludhiana city. He said that at present nobody knew how many water pumps were operating in Ludhiana city. Likewise, industrial units would be asked to disclose the number of dug-wells, bores etc through which they were dumping toxic waters in the sub-soil water. He said that it had been found that the majority of the units were dumping toxic wastes by pumping these into the dug-wells and deep bores. Prior approval would be
needed before any hand pump or tubewell was installed.
Such a provision was expected to be made in areas where
the sub-soil water level was declining, Mr Mehta added.
The corporation would be asked to install proper sewage
treatment plants and to locate waste dumping at proper
places so that it did not cause pollution. |
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Bereaved man to take stranger's
ashes PATIALA, Nov 30 — For Chandrakant Ram Chandra Mule of Mumbai, his cousin Rekha's fervent appeal to get the body of her father home has forced him to take a painful decision. Chandrakant has decided to take the ashes of another body home to Rekha as Rekha's father was cremated and his ashes immersed in the Ganga by a family of Muzzafarnagar, who mistook him for their relative. "Rather than return empty handed I have decided to take the ashes of one Suresh Kumar Sharma of Muzzafarnagar home to Rekha and present them as those of her father, Munu Rao's ashes, said Chandrakant. He said before that he would request the Muzzafarnagar family, which is expected here late in the night, to allow him to claim the body of their relative and perform the antim sanskar. "Unhone nana ko apna samajh kar unka sanskar kar diya. Main unke rishtedar ko apna nana samajh kar unka sanskar karna chahata hoon," said Chandrakant to TNS. Chandrakant's nana Munu Rao and six other relatives including three young cousins, were killed in the Khanna train mishap. While all the other bodies had been identified, Chandrakant had difficulty in locating the body of Munu Rao, because of which all the bodies were held here to be transported to Mumbai together. Chandrakant said when he went to recheck the hospitals of Ludhiana and Khanna on November 28 as well as see photographs clicked after the train tragedy he came to know that the Muzzafarnagar family had claimed the body of his nana, which resembled another body lying in the anatomy hall of the government medical college here. Chandrakant said he had talked to the Muzzafarnagar family which had claimed his nana's body who had said they could have made a mistake. He said another relative had boarded a train for Mumbai today with the coffins of the other relatives killed. Meanwhile Deputy Commissioner Viswajeet Khanna disclosed today evening that 69 of the 80 bodies brought to the medical college here had been identified and handed over to their relatives. Rajindra Hospital Medical
Superintendent Dr S S Sidhu had opined that embalmed
bodies could not be kept in the medical college for too
long. Following this the district administration had
decided to hand over unclaimed bodies to their relatives
till tomorrow evening. Any bodies left after that would
be cremated by the district administration. |
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BSF comes a long way JALANDHAR, Nov 30 — On December 1, the Border Security Force (BSF) will be completing 33 years of its existence. Starting with a strength of 50 battalions in 1965, the BSF has come a long way and has now emerged as the largest paramilitary force in the world with 157 battalions deployed in an area of about 7,500 km, bordering Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. The BSF has a proud heritage of service and sacrifices in guarding the borders in Punjab. It played a significant role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war in Punjab where the BSF units manning the border outposts, bore the initial fury of the Pakistani attack. The BSF in Punjab is ever vigilant on its borders in view of the concerted efforts of the Pak-based ISI and their nefarious designs to push in contraband and infiltrate Sikh ultras along with arms. During the anti-smuggling drive for the past three years, the BSF in Punjab has seized contraband worth Rs 5.5 crore, which included 125.790 kg of heroin, 288 gold biscuits and 44 different types of weapons. This year they seized fake Indian currency worth Rs five lakh in Ajnala subsector. During the past three years it has been able to kill 33 Pakistanis and 2 Bangladeshis and apprehend 833 intruders. A comparative study of the above figures show a definite decline in the attempts of border crossing. The current year has been seizure-free till date for the BSF in Punjab. The issue of the Pakistani intrusion in Ajnala subsector had been sorted out during the bi-annual meeting between the Pakistani Rangers and the BSF. For the rehabilitation of the widows of BSF personnel, job-oriented training was being given at family welfare centres, and afterwards, suitable employment was generated and arranged as per their capabilities. During the year 1997 and 1998, three gas agencies and 14 STD-PCO booths were commissioned in various subsectors to rehabilitate them and more such employment-generating schemes were in the offing. Besides, the BSF has lent a helping hand to the poor sections and is maintaining a good rapport with the border population. Regular medical camps, independently and in coordination with the civil authorities, to provide the much-needed medicare to the poor farmers are held. Sixteen such medical camps were held where free medical advice and medicines were distributed among the villagers. The BSF has also earned a
special niche for itself in the field of sports. The
force has produced 15 Olympians and 12 Arjuna awardees,
besides, numerous Asian and Commonwealth champions. The
Jalandhar-based hockey team recently won championships,
the Surjit Memorial at Jalandhar and the Nehru Memorial
Hockey Championships at Delhi. |
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Bhattal's charge 'baseless' PATIALA, Nov 30 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh, said today that the charge of the former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, of not being consulted before being removed from the leadership of the CLP when she was abroad, was baseless and an attempt to confuse the public. Addressing a press conference here, Capt Amarinder said that he and the Congress General Secretary, Ms Meira Kumar, had phoned Ms Bhattal on October 8 before her removal from the CLP leadership. He said Ms Meira Kumar had conveyed the decision of the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, to remove her from the leadership of the CLP. He said "following this I also talked to Ms Bhattal. She told me "mainu tusi protect nahi kita", upon which I answered that I could not protect her when she had broken a commitment given to the Congress President that she would return from abroad after one month." He said the CLP meeting for removing her from its leadership was held two days after this talk. He said earlier in August the Congress President had conveyed Ms Bhattal her decision to have a new CLP leader in Punjab. He said Ms Bhattal had pleaded that she be allowed to continue for one month as she had been invited abroad in her capacity as the CLP leader in Punjab. He added that the entire CLP unanimously decided to elect Choudhary Jagjit Singh as their new leader. He came down heavily on Ms Bhattal's hint that she had been removed from her post by the PPCC President and the Congress General Secretary. "Do you think the PPCC President and the Congress General Secretary can effect such an important change. The lady seems to be suffering from a lapse of memory as she must know the functioning of the party having herself served as the President of the state Congress." The state Congress President even went on to hint that the change had augured well for the party, saying that the Dalit vote had been consolidated following the elevation of Choudhary Jagjit Singh as the new leader which had been proved by the support given by Dalits to the Congress candidate in Adampur byelection. He said Ms Bhattal had preferred to campaign at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, instead of at Adampur, after her return from abroad. While thanking the people for reposing confidence in the Congress in the Adampur byelection, Capt Amarinder alleged that the voters had rejected the style of wooing voters through money and liquor as practised by the family of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, at Faridkot. He said the election had also seen the Congress getting a major chunk of the Sikh votes in a predominantly Sikh constituency. He claimed that the Hindu voter had also deserted the Akali Dal. Capt Amarinder claimed that the victory had been possible due to the vigilance kept by Congressmen on the polling day which saw the Union Minister, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, engage in rigging exercises. He also lauded the role of the Congress election incharge, Mr Birdevinder Singh, during counting. The PPCC President said
the election result would be reviewed at a meeting of the
state committee on December 8. He said an agenda for the
issues to be raised in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha
session would also be discussed. |
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PAU VC advocates bio-farming LUDHIANA, Nov 30 — There is an urgent need to shift from chemical-intensive farming to bio-intensive cropping patterns with a view to restoring the viability, sustainability and health of our agro-ecosystems, said Dr G S Kalkat, VC, PAU, while speaking at a national-level brain storming session on "critical issues of IPM in the changing agricultural scenario in India. He emphasised the need for development and adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) in agriculture at the farmers level because of the economic and environmental benefits it brings. Giving background information about the meeting, Dr D R C Bakhetia, head, Department of Entomology, PAU said that the spurt of advances in agricultural technology had led to intensive cropping with excessive and irrational use of fertilisers, pesticides and irrigation, resulting in a number of new pests diseases emerging and their management assuming serious dimensions. Approximately 100 delegates from ICAR institutions, state agricultural universities, development agencies and the pesticide industry participated. The group felt that
farmer's participation was necessary for success in IPM
implementation, for which a strong extension education
and training mechanisms will have to be provided at the
grassroots level. |
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Change self first: Kiran AMRITSAR: Shocked over the obscene film posters pasted on the walls of this city, the Ramon Magsaysay award winner, Dr Kiran Bedi commented: "It seems that the residents have stopped reacting while the administration has become a mute spectator to all this". Dr Bedi was here to formally release her new book," It's always possible," in the holy city. Before speaking about her book, she opined that a movement should be launched to stop the practice of plastering walls with semi-nude posters. She also appealed to the citizens to make the city neat and clean. "It is always possible, even when the task is awesome," she observed alluding to the title of her book. It was memorable moment for Dr Kiran Bedi — the first woman to storm the IPS bastion in 1972 when Dr HS Soch , Vice-Chancellor of the Guru Nanak Dev University, appreciated her work on bringing the first trophy to Guru Nanak Dev University in tennis. The symposium on her book was organised by Citizens Vision, headed by Mr Brij Bedi, her husband. Giving first-hand information about transforming Tihar jail, one of the largest prisons in the world, Dr Bedi said: "Whereas combined determination is based on innate goodness, anything is possible. But the initiative has to be taken by the individual and he has to rise above petty interests for the collective welfare of the society". Dr Bedi brought about fundamental changes, giving a human face to the administration. The inhuman wooden system was made responsive during her tenure as IG. She talked in detail about the ground realities in jail at the time of her joining. She said at the time of her joining as an IG, Tihar jail was notorious for being a cesspool of drugs and gang wars of corruption and extortion by both guards and powerful inmates. She claimed that the magnitude of the problem was enormous and it took her months to win the confidence of inmates. She also talked about the mobile petition boxes introduced by her, which was very successful in redressing prisoners' grievances. She also discussed attempts made by her in bringing aberrant individuals into the mainstream by giving them exposure to a more civilised environment, mediation, education and better civic amenities. Talking about the existing rot in the system, Dr Bedi stressed that a change in society could be brought only if the individual first transformed himself. She urged the masses not to remain mute spectator to wrongdoings. She was of the view that
one had to be true to oneself to bring a change in
society. |
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Rice millers' plea to govt CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 — The Rice Millers Joint Action Committee, Punjab, has urged the Union Food Minister, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, and the Punjab Government to relax the specifications with regard to levy and custom milled rice with effect from September 15. In a representation submitted to Mr Barnala and the Punjab Government, representatives of the committee said during the third week of September and second week of October, paddy in large parts of Punjab was damaged due to heavy rain. They said the rice millers would get no benefit for the specifications relaxed from November 27. Mr Gian Bhardwaj, convener of the committee, said today that by issuing instructions, the Union Government had relaxed specifications with effect from November 27, allowing 27 per cent broken rice, 4.5 per cent damaged rice, 8 per cent discolouration. They said they had demanded relaxation of specifications from September 15 as immediately after this day paddy had been damaged by rain. The committee also urged the government to allow 65 per cent yield of permal rice with effect from September, 1995, as had been done in the case of common variety of rice. The committee members said following experiments by CFTRI Mysore, rice millers had been asked to give 67 per cent yield of rice of common variety instead of 69 per cent but it was not reduced in case of permal rice. The committee has urged
the government to fulfil its promise of allowing 61 per
cent yield of rice with effect from September this year.
Mr Bhardwaj said at the meeting of rice millers with
authorities concerned about two months ago, it was
assured that following tests at laboratories concerned,
millers would be allowed 61 per cent yield of rice from
the current season of paddy. |
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Food panel suggested ROPAR, Nov 30 — The Punjab Government has suggested the setting up of a national food security council for maintaining the prices of essential commodities and keeping a close watch on their production, storage, marketing and distribution. This was stated by Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Punjab Food and Supplies Minister, while talking to reporters here last night. Mr Mittal said internal security and food security was the responsibility of the central government. It was the need of the hour to set up such a council on the pattern of the National Security Council. The minister also said that the council should be given the responsibility to review the prices and food storage. The council could also give suggestions for the future needs of any special crop. Mr Mittal also suggested
that the support price of the essential commodities
should also be fixed for maintaining the prices. He also
said that warnings had been issued to hoarders and
blackmarketeers and the officials concerned had been
directed to conduct raids. |
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SAD 'to consider' revamp of
party PATIALA, Nov 30 — Shiromani Akali Dal Secretary General and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa today said the Political Affairs Committee of the party would consider the possibility of a revamp following the defeat of the party candidate in the Adampur Assembly byelection. Talking to newsmen here last night after presiding over a meeting of the Cycling Federation of India, Mr Dhindsa said the PAC meeting, which would be called shortly, would also assess the role of various party functionaries in the Assembly byelection. Mr Dhindsa attributed the defeat in Adampur to the steep hike in prices and the crisis faced by the farming community due to natural calamities. He, however, said there was still need for a stock-taking exercise and modifying party policies if needed. Rejecting suggestions that there was a need to review the party's tie-up with the BJP, he said the tie-up was working smoothly and expressed confidence that the government would last its full term. Dr Joginder Singh Puar,
Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, presented
mementoes to the delegates. |
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Bid to get grant for Sobha
Singh gallery GURDASPUR, Nov 30 — Folk singers Gurmeet Bawa and Manmohan Waris, poet Gill Surjit and national bhangra dancer Harbhajan Singh were awarded the Sobha Singh Memorial Awards by the Sobha Singh Memorial Foundation at the Sobha Singh Memorial Cultural Mela that concluded in Sri Hargobindpur, 40 km from here, yesterday. More than 30,000 persons attended the mela. Mr Jagdev Singh Jassowal, Patron, Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation, Ludhiana, who inaugurated the mela said the Sobha Singh Art Gallery for which the building was constructed in 1987 had not come into existence till today. Ms Mohinder Kaur, MLA from Sham Churassi, presided. Mr SK Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, who was present on the occasion said the Punjab Government was in constant touch with the central government to give a grant of Rs 10 lakh for setting up the art gallery at Sri Hargobindpur. The opening of the art gallery was only a matter of time, he said. Mr Harjit Singh Bedi,
Chairman, Sobha Singh Memorial Foundation, sought the
issuing of a stamp to commemorate the contribution of
Sobha Singh to the Indian art through his paintings. |
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Clarification on cess AMRITSAR, Nov 20 — The Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association today clarified that none of the outlets in the state was charging 1 per cent cess imposed by the Punjab Government. The president of the association, Mr J.P. Khanna, refuted the allegation that the petrol dealers had increased the prices. He added that the government had issued a notification on November 17 levying the cess on the turnover and accordingly all oil companies had increased the prices while the dealers were getting invoices inclusive of all taxes. Mr Khanna pointed out that
the charge of an official spokesman that the dealers were
charging the cess was baseless. |
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of
family die in mishap KHARAR, Nov 30 — Three members of a family were killed while 36 persons were seriously injured in an accident near Daon Majra village on the Kharar-Kurali road, 3 km from here today. According to the Kharar police, the accident took place when a bus of Ambala Bus Syndicate which was coming from Kurali first hit a car and then crushed a scooter coming from the opposite direction. Mr Rajinder Singh, his
wife, Paramjit Kaur, and his 18-month-old son, Daljeet
Singh, who were riding the scooter were killed. |
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Clerk held on graft charge LUDHIANA, Nov 30 — Tek Chand, a consumer clerk in the special division of the Punjab State Electricity Board at Janata Nagar, was caught red-handed by the Vigilance Bureau while accepting a bribe of Rs 500. Ms Shashi Prabha Dwivedi,
SP (Vigilance), informed that Tek Chand had demanded the
bribe from Mr Mohan Singh for getting the release of his
electricity connection. |
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Students boycott classes PATIALA, Nov 30 — Students of three colleges boycotted classes for the fourth day here today in protest against the fee hike by Punjabi University. The striking students of Government Mohindra Girls' College and Modi College staged a dharna under the banner of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office. They also submitted a charter of demands. Mr Devinder Singh Rehal,
president of the district unit of the NSUI, has
threatened in a release that if the fee hike is not
withdrawn within 10 days, the students will start an
indefinite strike and gherao the Vice-Chancellor's
residence. |
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Plea to lift ban on promotions SAS NAGAR, Nov 30 — The Punjab State General Categories' Welfare Federation today demanded the lifting of the ban on promotions imposed since August 28, 1997. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Shyam Lal Sharma, president of the federation, said the ban was imposed by the government suo motu and on account of this ban many posts were lying vacant and work had been adversely affected. He sought the implementation of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ajit Singh Janjua case with regard to promotions in case of the Scheduled Castes and general categories employees. Mr Sharma said in many government departments, especially in the Education Department, the number of reserved category employees was more than 50 per cent whereas their quota was only 14 per cent. He said there was discrimination against the general category staff as in the department, the Scheduled Castes employees got promotions after seven years of service as lecturer, but there were many cases in which general category employees had not been promoted even after 22 years of service. Mr Sharma sought a
separate department to look into the grievances of the
general category employees. He also said the
"Shagun" Scheme should be extended to all
economically weaker sections. |
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Robbers' gang busted AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — The city police busted a gang of robbers with the arrest of three of them here last night. The SP City, Mr J.S. Kahlon told newsmen here today that the four-member gang led by one Jarnail Singh of Dhariwal, district Gurdaspur, had earlier robbed a gun from one Mr Bedi of Krishan Square. They had also stolen other valuables from his house. Later, the gang looted cash, a camera and watches from migrant labourers living in Sant Avenue. The police had arrested them last night near Sultanwind, while they were on their way to rob residents of the area. It recovered Rs 1000 in
cash, a double barrel gun, cartridges, camera and
watches. A police party has been despatched to Dhariwal
to nab their leader. |
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29 employees reverted PATIALA, Nov 30 — The Public Works Department (PWD) today issued orders reverting 29 senior assistants in the department and promoting 24 clerks, senior clerk and junior assistants to the post of senior assistant. A note released here stated that the orders had been issued on the orders of the Supreme Court. The employees had been reverted because they had not passed the assistant grades' examination. The reverted employees had
been told to join on the rank they held before being
promoted senior assistant. |
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Bicycle tour flagged off AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — The Commander of the armoured brigade, Brig K.P.S. Yadav, flagged off an eight-member cycle tour led by Lt A.R. Mane, belonging to 12 Armoured Regiment today. The expedition will visit
important historical places in the state during their
week-long journey. |
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Encroachments removed AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — The municipal authorities today removed a large number of encroachments in the Putlighar area of the city. The Mayor, Mr Subhash Chander Sharma, said this in a note issued here today. Rehris and kiosks occupying municipal land were shifted to the rehri stand near Sadar police station, he added. Later, the Mayor
inaugurated the premix laying works at Chowk Hussainpura
at a cost of Rs 1.10 lakh. |
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Courses to be resumed CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 — Punjab will shortly resume super speciality courses in three disciplines, plastic surgery, urology and paediatric surgery in Government Medical College, Patiala. Punjabi University,
according to the Principal Secretary, Medical Education
and Research, Mr K.K. Bhatnagar, has granted permission
for the same and the admission process will start soon. |
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CM convenes meeting CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 — The SAD president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has convened a meeting of the District Presidents (Jathedars) here on December 3 to discuss the latest political situation, according to party Secretary, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar. The venue will be the
Chief Minister's residence. |
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