Wednesday, December 2, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Wednesday, December 2, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Punjab
ministers to meet today BSP
fortunes go down CM
blames bureaucracy for delaying grant Non-stop
bus service
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Rallies
mark AIDS Day Conference
ends in fiasco Punjab
Govt bans book |
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Find cure
for genetic disorders: Governor ASHI
settles 25 disputes 6
crore for welfare of girl child UGC
course for college teachers Tax
exemption for 2 Punjabi films 8
victims' bodies not identified SAD
leadership criticised |
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Punjab
ministers to meet today CHANDIGARH, Dec 1 — As a prelude to the meeting of the district unit presidents (Jathedars), convened by the SAD President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, here on December 3, an informal meeting of the Council of Ministers is being held tomorrow. Mr Parkash Singh and the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, reportedly met today near Kharar. The occasion was the death anniversary of Mr Bachchittar Singh. This was their first meeting, perhaps, after Adampur debacle. The issue of Udham Singh Nagar seems to have been shelved. The committee constituted by the Prime Minister was to submit its report by November 30. Both Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and Mr Kalyan Singh, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, are members and Mr George Fernandes is the convener of the committee. Since the BJP’s own political situation is fluid, both Mr Parkash Singh and Mr Gurcharan Singh discussed this as well as the Udham Singh Nagar issue. Nevertheless in the face of the Adampur defeat, Mr Gurcharan Singh is unlikely to say or do anything which will precipitate matters for the Chief Minister. Such a move at this stage is also not in Mr Gurcharan Singh’s own interest, sources close to him maintained. The last time the district Jathedars were invited for an interface by the party President was on October 2. That meeting took place prior to the meeting of the SAD's Working Committee, which was held on October 6. Much of what was decided on October 2 remains unimplemented. This was so, explain party leaders, due to the Adampur byelection. One of the decisions was to hold district-level "conferences" as part of an exercise to re-assure cadre and the rank and file of the party that the Akali leadership had not "forgotten" ordinary workers. It is a different matter the workers have remained "directionless" all these 21 months. Now, sources say, there is a proposal to hold district-level "meetings" of key workers. Though the Jathedars had been briefed about the Government's various development programmes and the party's stand on some contentious issues, including Udham Singh Nagar's future, and about the propaganda being drummed by the Congress Party, the Jathedars have remained unconvinced. The four SAD General Secretaries, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Capt Kanwaljit Singh and Mr Baldev Singh Mann, were to be reallocated work to rejuvenate the party, nothing; of the sort has happened. What is expected of the Jathedars' meeting is not far to see or predict. The meeting will, as a matter of routine and set drill, adopt a resolution expressing "full faith" in the leadership of Mr Parkash Singh Badal as party chief and Chief Minister. They will also endorse the government's policies. But what is actually being sought by the Akalis, whom TNS spoke to , can be summed in five points — remove the all-pervasive discontentment in the rank and file; make the bureaucracy responsive at the cutting-edge; give the administration clear, political direction; and let Mr Parkash Singh act and assert himself, both politically and administratively. Talk of a reshuffle of the Council of Ministers is also gaining currency because the presence of greenhorns in the government and continuous absence from the scene of some others . The government, administratively and politically, should demonstrate it means business when it comes to price rise by taking action against hoarders. Giving them concessions and incentives alone was not enough, said SAD sources. The demand for someone other than Mr Parkash Singh as SAD President is there. But it remains subdued. The muffled voices will be muzzled because such an arrangement will create mere conflict and friction. With the blessings of the Chief Minister the bureaucracy is engaged in an exercise to suggest ways and means to fight corruption. The administrative secretaries have been deputed to study the working of some selected departments, namely Revenue, Transport, Controller of Stores, Excise and Taxation and the Local Government. The fact, however, is that corruption is all pervasive. This has also tarnished the SAD-BJP Government's image. Therefore, when the Council of Ministers meets here tomorrow the main agenda will be in the shadow of the Adampur byelection result. The question is how best to make the administration "responsive" to the political executive. Numerous complaints and instances have piled up with the senior party functionaries how MLAs and others are being treated in the field. At Chandigarh the government is already insulated due to security rings. Many of the Ministers also do not get to know what is happening where because of centralised and cloistered working of the Chief Minister and his family, as several Akalis openly admit now. Therefore, the December 3
meeting is important. It is likely to be followed by the
party's Working Committee and Political Affairs Committee
meetings. The Vidhan Sabha session has also been summoned
for later this month. It begins on December 21. Thus the
post-election scene in Punjab, politically and otherwise,
is dark. The growing indifferent attitude of the senior
political bosses to their own workers and that of the
bureaucracy to the political executive makes the SAD-BJP
doubly unblessed. |
BSP
fortunes go down JALANDHAR, Dec 1 — The defeat of Ms Vidwant Kaur of the BSP in the Adampur byelection to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha has once again highlighted the downswing in the fortunes of the party which, till not very long ago, projected, itself as the sole representative of the Dalits in Punjab and elsewhere in the country. The BSP leader, Mr Kanshi Ram, hailed from a small village near Ropar in Punjab and launched his movement from there. Therefore, it struck deep roots in the border State. But his politics of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds does not seem to have won him many admirers. During electioneering in Adampur, he addressed only one rally. Although it was well-attended, the BSP leader devoted most part of his speech to giving a dressing down to the BSP workers. If this galvanised the party cadres into more action, it was not visible during the campaigning. The BSP, which won nine seats in the 1992 Punjab Assembly elections, could win only one seat in the Assembly poll held in February, 1997. The party which bagged three Lok Sabha seats from Punjab in 1992 failed to win any this year. Ms Vidwant Kaur was the President of the Mahila Congress, the women's wing of the Punjab Congress before she decided to part company with it to contest the Adampur byelection. The Dalits constitute a sizeable about 40 per cent of the 1.19 lakh strong electorate of Adampur. The seat was won by the BSP in the 1992 elections. The BSP candidate in the last year's election, lost to the Akali leader, Mr Saroop Singh, but still managed to poll a respectable 17,768 votes. Ms Vidwant Kaur's poll managers assured her that even a minor swing in her favour would ensure her victory in the byelection. They would not tire of telling the visiting mediamen how they were proceeding on the assumption that over 17,000 votes were already in the bag of the BSP. But the electorate of Adampur had other ideas. They showed to the BSP poll managers how far removed they were from the ground reality. As things turned out, she secured only 8,365 votes, showing a precipitious fall of more 9,400 votes since last year and forfeiting her security deposit in the process. It was, therefore, clear that the Dalits were no longer under the spell of the BSP supremo, Mr Kashi Ram, and had returned to the Congress fold in large numbers. The election of Mr Jagjit Singh, a Dalit, as the leader of the Punjab Congress Legislature Party in place of Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal shortly before the byelection apparently struck the right chord among the Dalits. Belonging to the weaker sections of society, they were also the most affected by the spiralling prices of essential commodities and showed their anger in no uncertain terms. The poll result also showed that the BJP, a coalition partner in the Government, could no longer be sure of its urban Hindu vote bank. People in these towns were unhappy with the failure of the BJP leadership to fulfil poll promises like abolition of octroi and giving in meekly to the hike in electricity tariff as also the heavy dose of taxes in the State. There was heavy polling in the three towns of Adampur, Bhogpur and Alwalpur forming part of the Adampur constituency and it is clear that most of it went in favour of the Congress. The Akali slogans about the alleged Congress discrimination against the Sikhs as also Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 did not cut much ice with the rural Sikh voters who also cast votes in favour of the Congress. The Congress, which polled 24,274 votes in February last, secured 35,285 this time, an increase of over 11,000 votes while the Akali Dal which polled 40,578 votes last year, could manage only 35,279 votes this time, showing a fall of more than 5,000 votes. Jubilant Congressmen,
according to Mr Partap Singh Bajwa General Secretary of
the Punjab PCC, are now looking forward to winning the
next byelection, if and when it comes. |
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12
chemist shops sealed BATHINDA, Dec 1 — As many as 12 chemist shops were sealed in the district by the administration after conducting a series of raids late this evening. Seven persons have been arrested in this connection after registration of criminal cases against them by the police. Sources said more than six teams, comprising district officers, police officials and doctors which conducted the raids, found seven chemist shops of Talwandi Sabo running without licence. The other five shops, four in Bathinda and one in Rampura town, were allegedly selling intoxicants. Official sources said one of the shopkeepers ran away after locking his shop when a raiding team reached his business establishment at Rampura. Most of shop owners were allegedly selling intoxicants and spurious drugs in the market without any check from the authorities concerned. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, when contacted said the operation to apprehend the chemists was kept secret and raids were conducted after working out various leads collected by the district administration regarding the selling of intoxicants and spurious medicines by the chemists. He said he had talked to the higher authorities and the drug inspector would reach here tomorrow. Further action against these chemists would be taken by the drug inspector, he added. He said most of the chemists who were selling intoxicants were having no purchase bills with them to prove the fact that they had bought the intoxicants from authorised wholesaler. He said a campaign would
be launched against the selling of intoxicants and
spurious medicines by the chemists in the district. |
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Rallies,
seminar mark AIDS Day AMRITSAR: Dec 1— "In Olympics, India had only one, in population it is second to one, while in HIV it is second to none". This was the awareness motto at the state-level function organised by Indian Health Organisation (IHO) to mark World AIDS Day here today. The IHO resolved to care and share responsibility for controlling AIDS, which has assumed 'alarming' proportion in the country. Dr Ashok Goel, spokesman for the IHO, said the projected socio-economic fallout by 2005 was 6000 AIDS death daily, which would leave 3000 women as widows and about 12,000 children as orphans daily if drastic steps were not taken immediately. The Punjab Institute of Public Health Training here also organised a World AIDS Day function, which was presided over by its Director, Dr Jagmohan Singh Ahluwalia. SAS NAGAR: An awareness rally and a poster competition were organised by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society in association with AIDS Helpline here today. The rally, in which a large number of school children took part, was flagged off by Inderjit Singh Zira, Punjab's Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, from the Phase VII government Dispensary and culminated at the Phase IX dispensary. In the poster competition at the Phase IX dispensary 34 school students took part. Later in the evening an exhibition and a play on AIDS were organised at the PCA Club. The play depicted a real life story about a man and a woman who died of AIDS, the script of which was written by Gursharan Singh. It was directed by Umesh Kant and produced by Surinder Talwar and Ashu Khullar. An electronic visual in Punjabi was fixed near the Cricket Stadium. Dr G.S. Chahal, Assistant Director, Punjab State AIDS Control Society, said there were 38 licensed blood banks in Punjab and every unit of blood was being screened for HIV before transfusion. He hoped that 10 more licensed banks would be opened. He said there were now 34 STD clinics in the state, two at each district headquarters. A voluntary blood testing centre had been opened at the Amritsar Medical College, he added. Dr Chahal said disposable syringes were being supplied to hospitals in the state. The use of condoms was being promoted to check the spread of AIDS. LUDHIANA: On the occasion of World AIDS Day, the Health Department launched a mobile van manned by paramedical staff and equipped with literature and information on the disease to create awareness among the masses. This mobile van was flagged off by the Minister for Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Bibi Jagir Kaur. The minister also inaugurated an exhibition on the spread of this disease in India. A large number of pamphlets carrying detailed information on measures to avoid the spread of this disease were also distributed. Mr Bachhan Singh Cheema, MLA, Mr Sadhu Singh Ghudani, MLA, and Dr G.P. Chander, Civil Surgeon, were also present. BATHINDA: Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, on Tuesday said that village panchayats would be involved in the AIDS awareness programme. Addressing a rally of social volunteers, students and other prominent citizens on the occasion of World AIDS Day here, he said so far the best way to prevent AIDS was to create awareness about this deadly disease among the masses. People from all strata of society could play a significant role in this regard. Mr H.L. Bansal, President of the Punjab AIDS, Control Organisation (PACO), addressing the rally, said that units of PACO would be set up at subdivisional and block levels to create awareness about AIDS among the people. Mr Makhan Singh, MLA, Dr Bawa Ram, Civil Surgeon, and Ms Raj Gupta, incharge, NSS unit, SSD Girls College, also spoke. PATIALA: The District Red Cross Society, Lions Club (Fort) and Birji Foundation celebrated World AIDS Day here on Tuesday by organising a seminar on 'Role of voluntary organisations and social workers during disasters and epidemics'. Various speakers stressed that AIDS could be controlled through awareness. As many as 112 persons from different clubs, first-aid instructors, Scouts and Guides' leaders, Nehru Yuvak Kendra and NSS volunteers, social workers, and Punjabi University NCC officers participated in the seminar. JALANDHAR: The district Health and Family Welfare Department observed World AIDS Day on Tuesday in the Patiala Truck Union area on G.T. Road, Dakoha here. About 200 drivers and cleaners participated. Dr CP Bansal, Civil Surgeon, stressed that a sense of awareness must prevail among the drivers and the public to fight against the disease. He urged NGOs to lend a helping hand to control AIDS. Dr Bansal also flagged off a massive rally of schoolchildren which started from the Civil Surgeon's Office and culminated at Hans Raj Stadium. Mr SD Chugh, President, Rotary Club, Dr JK Bajaj, and Dr Dalip Kumar, District Health Officer, also spoke. HOSHIARPUR: World AIDS Day was observed at the local Civil Hospital on Tuesday. A function was jointly organised by the district health authorities, the Indian Medical Association and the BSF centre of Kharkan Kalan in this connection. Dr SR Gupta, Civil Surgeon, Dr S.S. Sharma, Deputy Medical Commissioner, and Mr SN Tiwari, Assistant Deputy Medical Commissioner, said that prevention was the only vaccine for AIDS, which had to be adminstered through health education to all. The youth was the force for change while knowledge was the thrust for this force, they said. Mrs Harjeet Sidhu, wife of Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated a blood donation camp on this occasion. Jawans of the BSF camp, Kharkan, donated blood. PHAGWARA: Members of the local branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), along with 400 schoolchildren, on Tuesday took out an AIDS awareness march here to mark World AIDS Day. The participants displayed banners against AIDS. Dr Raman Aggarwal, state Secretary, Medical Action Committee-cum-Legal Cell, IMA, Punjab, was among those who participated. NAWANSHAHR: The district Health Department in collaboration with the Blood Donors Council, organised a 'declamation contest' on "AIDS Awareness Today's Need" here to mark the World AIDS Day. Teams and individual participants from various schools and colleges took part in the contest. While the local Red Rose Public School won the running trophy. Ms Anuja Chopra (Dr Assanand Arya Sr Sec School), Neha Sood (Red Rose School) and Sunita Khara (Shivalik Public School) won the first three positions. Noted Dermatologist, Dr HS Gill and Mr GS Toor, founder president, Blood Donors Council, were among those who spoke. Dr Surinder Kaur Kochhar,
Civil Surgeon, presided over the function. |
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CM
blames bureaucracy for delaying grant PADIALA (Ropar), Dec 1 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today held the bureaucracy responsible for slowing down the pace of functioning several times by complicating the matters to be done on priority. Mr Badal made this comment on the issue of delay in grant of 95 per cent aid to the local Shaheed Bhagat Singh Khalsa College for Women where he was addressing a function organised on the occasion of the second death anniversary of late Bachittar Singh, a former Akali MLA, and founder of the college. It is worth mentioning here that Mr Badal had announced 95 per cent government aid for the college on the occasion of the first death anniversary of Bachitter Singh last year which could not be matured so far. Some speakers today reminded Mr Badal in this regard. The Chief Minister also said he had got prepared the case some months ago and sent the same to the Punjab Finance Department where it was still lying due to administrative reasons and bureaucratic attitude. He also tendered an apology that he could not keep his word. However, he assured the gathering that the case regarding 95 per cent grant to the college would be got cleared from the Finance Department very soon. Mr Badal, meanwhile, announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh to the college for its smooth running. The Chief Minister also stressed upon the introduction of computer education in educational institutions for providing competitive opportunities to Punjabi students at the national and international level. He also called on the people to turn to new trades and ventures by partially discarding agriculture as farming was now not a profitable profession. Besides this, in our country about 70 per cent people were involved in agriculture farming while in the developed countries, only four or five per cent people did agriculture farming. He also condemned the Congress Party for levelling allegations on the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) that it was not protecting the interests of Punjab. He said, it (Congress) was the same party which had always done injustice to Punjab and the Punjabis. He said, first the Congress played a vital role in snatching the Punjab waters, Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas, later, it made blunder mistakes by attacking Golden Temple and Sikhs during the anti-Sikh riots, he alleged. Mr G.S. Tohra, the SGPC chief, called upon the people to identify the anti-Punjab forces which also attacked the Golden Temple. He said, in the Adampur Assembly election, the SAD had been defeated as the wrong propaganda of the opposite party had won. The SGPC chief also said that Mr Badal had held several meetings with the Centre for introducing the Crop Insurance Scheme from this year. He said it was the SAD's initiative that the Centre had announced the crop insurance scheme for the farmers. He also appealed to the gathering to participate in the Khalsa processions and Amrit Parchar ceremonies, being organised as a part of the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa. However, he criticised the proposed tercentenary celebrations march by the Congress. Among others who also
addressed the gathering and paid tributes to late
Bachittar Singh included Mr Maheshinder Singh Grewal,
Punjab Medical Education Minister, Mrs Satwinder Kaur
Dhaliwal, MP, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, State Minister for
Health, Punjab, and Mrs Satwant Kaur Sandhu, MLA,
Chamkaur Sahib. Besides these, who also attended the
function, included Mr Harmail Singh Tohra, PWD Minister,
Mr Raghbir Singh, Transport Minister, Mr Kirpal Singh
Libra, Chairman, Punsup, and Mr Randhir Singh Cheema, a
former minister of the state. |
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Conference
ends in fiasco CHANDIGARH, Dec 1 — The press conference convened by the SGPC's Tercentenary Committee here today ended in a fiasco. Neither the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, nor the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, turned up for the occasion. This left the stage open to five Sants — Paramjit Singh Mahilpur, Mann Singh Pehowa, Hari Singh Randhawa, Makhan Singh and Sarbjot Singh Bedi. The purpose of the press conference was to explain about the proposed Khalsa march from gurdwara Anandgarh (Anandpur Sahib) to Fatehgarh Sahib from December 4 to 6, which has the patronage of the Akal Takht and the SGPC. Pressmen were visibly upset over the absence of the key persons and their questions to the present Sants evoked evasive, contradictory and conflicting replies or no answers. Among those who were present included Mohkam Singh and Malkiat Singh of the Damdami Taksal. The Sants, however, made it clear that they sided with the Akal Takht and were "religious" personalities and had nothing to do with "politics" yet in ways more than one they were critical of the November 22 function at Anandpur Sahib where the foundation stone of the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex was laid. Many reporters walked out
mid-way while a slanging match between some reporters and
the Sants continued for quite some time on certain
controversial issues involving religio-political
personalities. |
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Non-stop
bus service launched PATIALA, Dec 1 — The Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) Managing Director, Mr B. Vikram, today inaugurated a non-stop bus service on the Patiala-Chandigarh route. He said that non-stop buses would ply between Patiala and Chandigarh and vice-versa, from seven in the morning. The time for the departure of the last bus from Patiala would be 5 p.m. and from Chandigarh 6 p.m., he added. Mr Vikram further said
that there was a scheme to ply non-stop bus service on
other routes also. |
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Punjab
Government bans book CHANDIGARH, Dec 1 — The Punjab Government has banned the book "Vanity Incarnate" and arrested its author, Mr Harinder Singh, and publisher, Mrs Amanprith Singh. She is the wife of the author, who till recently was a Special Correspondent dealing with business publications of Indian Express here. The Punjab police in a statement here said that the writer and the publisher had been arrested from their Mohali residence as the book was likely to arouse passions of the people and hurt their religious sentiments. Cases under Sections 292 and 295 of the IPC have been registered at the Phase I, Mohali, police station. The police acted fast and it admits that the book was released today at Chandigarh and quickly found that it has inflammatory material. In fact, the book was sent to newspaper offices yesterday along with a detailed press release. A slim paperback edition sent by the author claimed to present caricatures of the Chief Minister, the SGPC chief, head priests and of a journalist. The police has also urged
journalists who have copies of the book to deposit the
book with the Mohali police station. Senior officers are
making further investigations. |
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Find
cure for genetic disorders: Governor AMRITSAR, Dec 1 — While referring to the alarming situation of genetic disorders afflicting nearly three lakh children born every year, the Punjab Governor, Mr B.K.N. Chhibber, said most of the people suffering from genetic disease had little possibility of cure. The Governor was inaugurating the Fourth International Genetic Symposium organised by the Department of Genetics of Guru Nanak Dev University this afternoon. About 200 delegates from India and abroad would be participating in the four-day symposium. The Governor stated that as infectious diseases were gradually being conquered through medicine, genetic disorders were emerging as the main cause of human morbidity. Therefore, the next challenge for all the genetic experts was to look for modes of regulation of diseased genes to provide alternate therapy and less expensive methods of treating patients with such disorders. Mr Chhibber opined that the techniques of gene therapy and cloning were powerful tools at the hands of genetic experts and hoped these would provide a cure for many diseases. But there were many ethical issues involved with it. Genetic manipulations had to be done within the purview of laws, beliefs and traditions. The Governor said for developing countries like India, there were the problems of large population, resource crunch and other compelling priorities. The amount of funds available for genetic studies was not enough even though there was a need to develop this science to make diagnostic and prognostic services available to the common man. By preventing the recurrence of hereditary diseases through genetic counselling, the burden on society can be significantly reduced, he added. Dr N.K. Ganguly, Director of Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, delivering a lecture on "Health benefits from molecular medicine" said at the PGI, Chandigarh, he had reported a genetic susceptibility mark of rheumatic fever, present in 99 per cent of the patients and in 3 per cent of the general population, which would require the suspectable population to be put on surveillance, thereby helping in primary control of the disease. Dr Ganguly said rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in India was 5 to 12 cases in every 1000 children in the 5-15 age group. All cardiac deaths were because of this disease and 40 per cent of all cardiology admissions were due to rheumatic fever. At the PGI, a molecular typing method of Indian strain of streptococci has been evolved, whereby it had been possible to develop a vaccine to prevent this disease. He pointed out that a new kit to diagnosis this streptococci had been developed by the National Institute of Immunology. This would help trace the symptoms of this disease at a very initial stage. Dr H.S. Soch, Vice-Chancellor, said genetic diseases were not curable at the source of affiliation but could be treated symptomatically. Treatment was expensive and the psychological stress on the patient and his family immense, specially in India. The common man was ignorant about genetics and there was dire need to educate the masses on the basis of the disease and methods to prevent it, he added. Dr Inder Pal Singh, Pro Vice-Chancellor, while giving a vote of thanks, said though studies in genetics were important, genetics in India had not received its due. In this context, he said the beginning of a full course on human genetics at Guru Nanak Dev University was a step in the right direction. Earlier giving a detailed
introduction about the symposium. Dr Jai Rup Singh,
organising chairman, said there was need for
international cooperation in human genetics, and training
of manpower in genetics, especially physicians. He wanted
more specialised centres catering to genetic diseases
should be opened and the existing ones further
strengthened. |
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ASHI
settles 25 disputes GURDASPUR, Dec 1 — The Association for Social Health in India (ASHI) settled 25 disputes regarding marital, economic, social and legal problems through counselling during the past quarter. This was stated by Ms B. Sandhu, Chairperson of the association, here today. Ms Sandhu said a de-addiction centre for the alcoholics had been started. She said the cases related to the Army, BSF and CRPF were settled with the help of their GOC-in-C in case of the Army, and the Director-General in case of the BSF and the GRPF. These personnel were usually recalled from their places of duty to attend counselling, she added. The association, popularly known as ASHI, takes the help of the police for settling disputes. A police officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police is attached to the association. However, the role of police is limited to solving the cases amicably and is involved when a person does not respond to the summons sent by the association to the defaulters who normally belong to other districts. The association also takes up the cases pertaining to the delay in pensions and funds. ASHI has been running a small Home since March 1994 for destitute women along with their minor children. They are provided free boarding and lodging, and given vocational training. The Home was being run with a grant from the Ministry of Human Resources, Department of Women and Child Development, Government of India, but the grant was stopped. This has affected the functioning of the Home. Ms Sandhu demanded the
release of the grant for the Home. |
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6
crore for welfare of girl child LUDHIANA, Dec 1 — Ms Jagir Kaur, Minister for Social Welfare and Tourism, Punjab, said the state government was committed to providing financial security and free education to the girls in the state. A sum of Rs 6 crore had been released to make fixed deposits of Rs 4,500 each, in the name of new-born 12,000 girls belonging to weaker sections of society, and to give Rs 500 each to their mothers as diet allowance, during the year. While addressing a state-level children's day function organised by the Social Security and Women and Child Development Department, Punjab Bhavan, today, she announced that the students who would secure top three positions in plus 2, matric and middle examinations in the state would be suitably honoured every year to instil a spirit of competition and excellence among the students. She said to provide better facilities for the mental development of the children, model children centres would be set up at the state and district-level, where all kinds of literature and informative aids would be provided. She exhorted the teachers and educational organisations to extend their full cooperation to implement the child welfare programme of the state government. She also announced a grant of Rs 5,000 each to the schools which participated in the state-level function. On this occasion the minister distributed cash awards of Rs 2,100, Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,000 to the students who secured first, second and third positions, respectively, in plus 2, matric and middle examinations last year. She also said cash prizes of Rs 500, Rs 400 and Rs 150 would be given to the students who would win first, second and third positions in the district in these examinations. Addressing the function,
Mr R.S. Kalsia, Director, Social Security and Women and
Child Development Department, said in all 11,829
"anganwaris" were being run by the department
to provide nutritious food to children belonging to
weaker sections. |
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UGC
course for college teachers PATIALA, Dec 1 — A UGC-sponsored refresher course on the theme "economic theory, globalisation and policy changes for the teachers working in universities and colleges" was inaugurated here today by Prof R.M. Goel, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University. The 25-day course has been organised by the Department of Economics, Punjabi University. The theme of the course was introduced by Prof Sucha Singh Gill, Head of the Department of Economics. He also underlined the forces of globalisation in multi-lateral financial institutions like the IMF, World Bank, WTO, MNC and trans-national corporations and governments of advanced countries, popularly known as G-7. About 40 teachers from Kerala, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh are participating in the course. The vote of thanks was
proposed by Prof J.R. Gupta, Dean, Faculty of Arts and
Social Sciences. |
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Tax
exemption for 2 Punjabi films CHANDIGARH, Dec 1 — Two Punjabi films "Mukaddar" and "Dulla Bhatti" have been given total exemption from entertainment tax by the Punjab government. "Mukaddar", produced by Tej Sapru and directed by Pankaj Dheer will be released on January 8. It has a star cast of Priti Sapru, Guggu Gill, Pankaj Dheer, Manjit Kular and Upasna Singh. "Dulla Bhatti",
produced and directed by Pammi Virender, is due for
release in March. It has a star cast of Randip Virender,
Naveksha Kapoor, Anil Sharma, Sarabjit Mangat, Neeta
Mahinder and Jaspinder Bhalla. Pammi Virender is the
widow of the Punjabi actor, Virender, who was gunned down
by militants 10 years ago. Randip is their son who is
being launched in this film. |
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8
victims' bodies not identified PATIALA, Dec 1 — Only eight of the 80 bodies of the Khanna train mishap victims, which were brought to Government Medical College here four days ago, are yet to be identified. Stating this here today, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Viswajeet Khanna, said there was still a chance of more bodies being identified as four claimants had come to Medical College here today to locate their relatives who were missing after the tragedy. Mr Khanna said as there was a possibility of more bodies being identified, it had been decided to keep the unclaimed bodies in the hospital mortuary that they could be preserved for some days. However, two bodies which were in an unidentifiable state, would be cremated by the administration tomorrow. He thanked the doctors and staff of the medical college for the special effort put in by them during the crisis. Meanwhile, the District
Transport Officer, Mr Navtej Singh, said one body was
transported to Sonepat today. He said the remaining
bodies would also be transported to their native places
if desired by the relatives. The Petroleum Dealers
Association had donated Rs 11,000 for the diesel required
for the task, he added. |
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SAD
leadership criticised LUDHIANA, Dec 1 — Former Akal Takht Jathedar Darshan Singh yesterday criticised the SAD leadership for not consulting the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, for the inaugural function of the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa on November 22. Addressing a press conference here yesterday, he said the prestige of the highest religious seat of the Sikhs had been lowered. Prof Darshan Singh said the community could not be alienated from Akal Takht, but the way the takht had been ignored was deplorable. He feared that it would now become a practice to ignore the takht. He suggested that the SGPC
should lead the celebrations after consultations with
various organisations and religious leaders. |
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Kandi
area cries for development HOSHIARPUR: The submonta-nous region situated in the north-east side of Hoshiarpur district and is known as Kandi area still lags behind the other areas of Punjab so far as development is concerned. The soil of the Kandi area is generally sandy and light in texture and poor in organic matter and more prone to drought and floods. Due to steep slopes, the area is infested with choes which cause flash floods every year causing heavy damage to crops and lands. The water-table is quite low due to which conventional irrigation through wells etc. is not possible. The main problem in the area pertains to drinking and irrigation water. Almost all link roads are in poor condition. There are 569 primary schools, of which the schools at Odra, Shin Chathial and Passi Karora villages are without any buildings. About 638 additional rooms are required to be constructed in various primary schools. There is no lavatory in any of the primary schools. As many as 80 posts of JBT teacher are lying vacant. There are 58 middle, 50 high and 30 senior secondary schools. In most of the schools posts of teacher are lying vacant. Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, said in order to ensure integrated development through a multi-disciplinary approach, the main components like forestry, agriculture, horticulture, soil conservation and animal husbandry were taken up. He said initially three watersheds, Arniala, Nara-Dada-Manjhi and Dasuya Langerpur group of choes, were selected and later additional watersheds like upper catchment or west swan, Kamahi Devi, Chak Sadhu, Kharkan, Patiarian, Dalewal, Throli group of choes and Patiarian were taken up. Eightytwo villages are covered. He said under the forest component hills had been covered with plantation of timber plants (15,400 hectares) and firewood and fodder plants (5100 hectares). To minimise the flow of silt structures had been erected. To check side erosion of the main choes, 319 km vegetative spur and 45368 M3 cratewise spur had been erected. To tap the perenial flow of water for irrigation, washing and bathing purposes, 33 Makkowal type tanks had been constructed in different sub-watersheds. At least 38 silt detention structures had been raised. An excessive number of genetically poor and uneconomical livestock has been one of the causes of environmental degradation in the watersheds. Almost every household maintains cattle. They graze their cattle in public and common lands, including forests. About 370 unproductive cows and buffaloes were handed over to the animal gosadan authorities. As many as 39,558 cows and buffaloes had been artificially inseminated till March, 1998. Fiftyseven schemes are in operation for the supply of safe drinking water in the area. The scarcity villages number 195 and most of the schemes are very old which need augmentation for which Rs 47.58 crore are required. The District Planning Board has approved 13 schemes for 34 villages. * * * Hoshiarpur city does not have a circuit house. There are only two rest houses, one of the PWD and the other of the Irrigation Department having five sets each. These rest houses generally remain occupied whenever any senior civil or police official comes here on his transfer. His predecessor does not vacate the government accommodation till he gets a house at his new place of posting. Besides, ministers frequently visit the town and stay at the rest houses. There is a small rest house of the PSEB behind the railway station. But no body prefers to stay there. There was a proposal to construct a circuit house in the complex of old civil rest house, which has been lying abandoned since long. * * * The construction of a unique 30-feet-high concrete statue of Lord Krishna along with a cow at a platform was recently completed by a renowned sculptor, Janak Raj Bagga, in the Gaushala complex, Hariana road, near Shivpuri. Although the unveiling ceremony of the statue is yet to be done, hundreds of pilgrims, passing through the city on their way to Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi, Kangra and Chamunda Devi, daily visit the Gaushala complex to have a glimpse of the statue. The construction of the
statue was completed within eight months at a cost of Rs
5 lakh. Mr B.D. Sud, general secretary of the gaushala,
said flood lights around the statue and a fountain are
yet to be completed. |
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