Friday, July 24, 1998
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Friday, July 24, 1998 |
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Punjab steps to minimise harassment CHANDIGARH, July 23 — The Punjab Council of Ministers, which met here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, decided that goods detained by the enforcement officers of the Punjab Sales Tax Department would be released on surety bond... Militant held, gangs busted AMRITSAR, July 23 — The police today claimed to have arrested another member of the newly formed militant outfit, Tigers of Sikhland, Sarabjit Singh Lovely, alias Dr Harsimranjot Singh, who was a founder member of the Khalistan National Army... Police social welfare cell in Hoshiarpur HOSHIARPUR, July 23 — The district police has taken the lead in the country by establishing a police social welfare cell. Mr Rohit Chaudhry, SSP, inaugurated this cell at the local ... |
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 BJP flays power tariff hike AMRITSAR, July 23 — In a significant development, the BJP has strongly condemned the 33 per cent hike in power tariff by the PSEB and described the step as "anti-people" ... Clashes mar Cong meeting BATHINDA, July 23 — Fisticuffs were exchanged and turbans flew today at a local Congress workers' meeting held here at Congress Bhavan when two groups of the party workers clashed... |
| Petroleum dealers' stir on July 27 AMRITSAR, July 23 — The Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association has decided to go on strike on July 27 against the recent hike in octroi on petroleum products by the Municipal Corporations of Jalandhar and Ludhiana... Traders end strike KHARAR, July 23 — The local traders ended their three-day-old strike here this evening. It was started after a clash between traders and employees of the committee over some dispute about anti-encroachment drive, after an announcement was made... Power tariff hike condemned JALANDHAR, July 23 — The Youth Congress held a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in protest against the 33 per cent tariff hike by the Punjab State Electricity Board... Government rethinking on power tariff hike LUDHIANA, July 23 — The Punjab Government is reportedly in a mood to reduce the 33 per cent hike in power tariff announced by the PSEB... Anti-encroachment drive leads to tension in town Boy kidnapped, recovered Candidates' plea to change medium of instruction PSEB engineers start work to rule PSSF directed to put off exam 3 hurt in clash at court complex 719 sarpanches take oath |
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Punjab steps to minimise harassment Tribune News Service CHANDIGARH, July 23 — The Punjab Council of Ministers, which met here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, decided that goods detained by the enforcement officers of the Punjab Sales Tax Department would be released on surety bond. The objective of this decision is to minimise harassment of traders and industrialists. Cases pertaining to detention of goods would be transferred from the detaining officers to their counterparts in the district where the office or the business premises of the party or person involved in the case was located. In districts where enforcement officers are not posted, the cases would be transferred to the nearest place to avoid inconvenience to the party or person concerned. Action would be taken against officers and officials found harassing traders. The council constituted a committee consisting of Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Minister, Science and Technology, the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, the Home Secretary, Mr G.P.S. Shahi and the Advocate-General to suggest measures for toning up the existing system of defending government cases in courts. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a month. Another committee headed by the Chief Secretary will resolve inter-departmental service matters of employees of the State Government to reduce litigation involving government employees. All Ministers have been directed to review the cases of employees in their departments to decrease the number of court cases. The council approved the proposal of implementing the Feed Control Order through the feed and fodder wing of the Punjab Animal Husbandry Department in addition to the Dairy Development Department.  |
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Militant held, gangs busted |
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| BJP flays power tariff hike Tribune News Service AMRITSAR, July 23 — In a significant development, the BJP has strongly condemned the 33 per cent hike in power tariff by the PSEB and described the step as "anti-people". Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, state president of the BJP and Member of Parliament, said the hike was effected without consulting the BJP. Mr Sodhi urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to immediately withdraw the hike as it would adversely affect the trade and industry in the state. Replying to another question, Mr Sodhi said the promise made to the electorate in the election manifesto of the BJP to abolish octroi was wrong, which the party realised only later. If octroi was abolished the overall development of the towns would be stopped, he said. This had come to light after an intensive study of the various municipal committees of the country where the octroi was first abolished and then imposed, he added. In a veiled criticism, Mr Sodhi also spoke against the decision of the government for free power supply to the rural areas. He said this had increased the losses of the PSEB which was already running at a loss. Mr Sodhi further said the decision to increase the power tariff would adversely affect the commonman. Our correspondent adds from Amritsar: Various trading and industrial associations here on Thursday condemned the 33 per cent hike in power tariff, announced by the PSEB. An action committee has been formed here to protest against the hike. The committee has decided to stage a protest outside the residence of the Deputy Commissioner on July 27. The president of the action committee, Mr Narinder Kumar Jain, said the government was trying to divide the people of the state along urban and rural lines and alleged that most of the benefits were being doled out to the people living in villages. Jalandhar: (UNI) Traders and industrialists here on Thursday held a dharna in front of Shakti Sadan in the city, housing the office of Chief Engineer (North) of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) in protest against the 33 per cent hike in power tariff in the state. They said the "huge hike" was a direct consequence of the alleged wrong economic policy of the Parkash Singh Badal government which had burdened the largely urban consumers to make up for a loss of about Rs 1000 crore per year on account of free electricity to the agriculture sector in Punjab. They contested the government claim that free dole to farmers cost the exchequer only Rs 250 crore per annum. Agitated beopar mandal leader Dhani Ram Gupta said the government had "electrocuted the urban population" by the hike, while Mr Tarsem Jain said it had come as a bolt from the blue. Several persons from the trade and industry charged the government with bias against urban people, while others said the hike would cripple the Punjab industry which was already passing through a recession. Mr Avinish Arora of Jalandhar Chamber of Trade and Commerce said it would make the state industry uncompetitive and could also result in closure of units which had been operating on a thin margin. Trade and industry representatives said the government, by revamping the functioning of the board and by cutting transmission and distribution losses, including thefts, could restore the financial health of the electricity board instead of burdening consumers for the alleged inefficiency of the board. Meanwhile, Punjab Youth Congress senior vice-president Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Thursday criticised the 33 per cent hike in power tariff in the state, claiming it was a direct consequence of the ruling Akali party's populist measure of doling out free but qualitatively poor supply of electricity to farmers. The youth leader asked if the Punjab Government would be able to mobilise investment of Rs 21,000 crore in the power sector by 2002 to maintain adequate power supply in the state. He claimed that infrastructure like power, roads, schools and hospitals were virtually collapsing in the state. He said Rs 9 crore budgetary allocation for the repair of primary school buildings in the current fiscal was not enough for even one block of Punjab. He asked if the people would have to wait for 140 years for repair of primary school buildings in 140 blocks of the state. |
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| Clashes mar Congress meeting Tribune News Service BATHINDA, July 23 — Fisticuffs were exchanged and turbans flew today at a local Congress workers' meeting held here at Congress Bhavan when two groups of the party workers clashed. Congress party sources said the meeting had been called by Mr Surinder Kapoor, former minister, and was presided over by the district president, Mr Bhagat Singh Dhaliwal. The aim of the meeting was to take decision regarding holding of demonstration against the recent hike in bus and power tariff during the proposed visit of Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal to the town tomorrow. Mr Dhaliwal said the trouble started when Dr Sat Pal Bhateja objected to the suggestion of Mr Surinder Kapoor about the holding of demonstration on the ground that Mr Amarinder Singh, president, PPCC, would hold a meeting of all the office-bearers of the party at Chandigarh tomorrow. He alleged that some supporters of Mr Kapoor started beating Dr Bhateja, who was rescued by other Congressmen present there. Mr Kapoor, when contacted, said Dr Bhateja was not a member of the Congress as he was only a member of the Sewa Dal wing of the party. He alleged that Dr Bhateja had come to the meeting with the intention of sabotaging it. He said when Dr Bhateja tried to "sabotage" the meeting, some party workers thrashed Dr Bhateja. He said he would write to the party high command to expel Dr Bhateja from all other organisations of the party for his "anti-party activities". Mr Kapoor said city Congress workers had passed a resolution in the meeting that a demonstration against the recent hike in bus fares and electricity tariff would be held tomorrow. For the second time, trouble at the meeting started when a worker levelled allegation against the supporter of Dr Bhateja, and when he (supporter of Dr Bhateja) objected to it, he was also thrashed by other workers. In the ensuing melee, the turban of a supporter of Dr Bhateja fell. Mr Dhaliwal said he would write to the state high command of the party for taking necessary disciplinary action against those who had disturbed the peaceful environment of the meeting and indulged in "goondaism". |
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| Police social welfare cell in
Hoshiarpur From Our Correspondent HOSHIARPUR, July 23 — The district police has taken the lead in the country by establishing a police social welfare cell. Mr Rohit Chaudhry, SSP, inaugurated this cell at the local JR Government Polytechnic yesterday. The SSP said the police had in coordination with the Health Department and voluntary organisations organised eight de-addiction camps in which 138 addicts were given treatment. A campaign was launched against smugglers of poppy husk and other contraband items. A huge quantity of poppy husk, charas and opium was seized. Besides medical camps were also organised. The police had devised a computerised format for public complaints pertaining to other government departments. All these complaints were forwarded to the district heads of the departments concerned for necessary action. Apart from redressing genuine grievances of the common people, this exercise also helped in improving police-public relations. An employment guidance bureau had been established in the local police. It was planned to organise employment guidance camps in different schools and colleges of the district. The police has also launched a campaign to enlist the help of youth of this district in fighting crime and social evils. The police had enlisted 51 boys and girls into the Police Youth Club. A traffic education programme had been launched in different schools and colleges. The police had identified six voluntary organisations for the help of the poor and destitute . |
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| Petroleum dealers' stir on July 27 Tribune News Service AMRITSAR, July 23 — The Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association has decided to go on strike on July 27 against the recent hike in octroi on petroleum products by the Municipal Corporations of Jalandhar and Ludhiana. Mr J.P. Khanna, president of the association, pointed out that the hike had not only brought down the sale of products in city pumps but also widened the parity in rates of filling stations within and outside the municipal limits. As a result a consumer preferred filling stations outside the municipal limits. Mr Khanna said petrol dealers who were getting a meagre commission fixed on a volume basis stood to lose substantially by a drop in the volume sale. Despite many requests to the Mayor Municipal Commissioners of the respective corporations, nothing had been done. |
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| Traders end strike From Our Correspondent KHARAR, July 23 — The local traders ended their three-day-old strike here this evening. It was started after a clash between traders and employees of the committee over some dispute about anti-encroachment drive, after an announcement was made by Mrs Daljeet Kaur, MLA, that all police cases registered against the traders would be withdrawn and no injustice would be done to them. The agreement was reached after a prolonged discussion with the traders' leaders, prominent persons in the evening today. Among others, Mr Tirlok Singh Jaggi, state president of the Punjab Retail Karyana Merchants Association and other office-bearers of the association, who especially came to Kharar to extend support to the traders, were present on this occasion. Earlier in the morning the traders assembled in a local dharamshala. The meeting was addressed by several leaders. They marched in a procession and met Mr Avtar Chand Sharma, SDM, and held discussions with him. The municipal employees were still sitting in dharna outside the office of the committee in support of their demands. |
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| Power tariff hike condemned Tribune News Service JALANDHAR, July 23 — The Youth Congress held a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office in protest against the 33 per cent tariff hike by the Punjab State Electricity Board. Addressing party workers senior youth Congress leaders alleged that the populist gimmicks of the Akali-BJP government were burdening the common man. They demanded the withdrawal of the 33 per cent hike failing which they would 'gherao' ministers and the Chairman of PSEB. Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its sister organisations held a demonstration in front of the Chief Engineer's office and staged an dharna. Industrialists who participated in the dharna said that 43.9 per cent of the total power available in the state was being distributed free of cost to agriculturists in the state, putting the entire burden on urban and industrial consumers. |
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| Government rethinking on power tariff
hike Tribune News Service LUDHIANA, July 23 — The Punjab Government is reportedly in a mood to reduce the 33 per cent hike in power tariff announced by the PSEB. An indication to this effect was given by Mr S.K. Tuteja, Chairman of the PSEB, when a deputation of the Ludhiana Small Scale Manufactures Association, led by Mr Harish Khanna, met him at Patiala today. Mr Khanna said on his return here that Mr Tuteja had appealed to the industry to avoid confrontation with the government on the issue. He said the government was left with no alternative but to increase the power tariff as the board was in such a serious financial crisis that its cheques had begun to bounce. He, however, agreed that a phased increase in tariff would have been the better way out. According to Mr Khanna, the board Chairman said the Chief Minister would soon convene a meeting of the representatives of trade and industry to discuss the issue and take a final decision on the matter. Mr P.D. Sharma, Chairman, Apex Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also led a deputation to the Chairman and emphasised that the hike would sound the death knell for the industry in the state. |
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| Anti-encroachment drive leads to tension in town From Our Correspondent SANGRUR, July 23 — Tension gripped the town today over the issue of removal of encroachments by the Municipal Committee. The Municipal staff launched its campaign for the removal of encroachments in the afternoon and was assisted by the local police and the district administration. There was a scuffle between the Municipal staff and shopkeepers. Two persons, including a Municipal employee, received injuries in the clash. Ms Indu Malhotra SDO (Civil), Sangrur, said the injured would be soon shifted to the local Civil Hospital. The Executive Officer of the Sangrur Municipal Council stated that the Municipal engineer and the overseer were still under the gherao of the public. The SDO (Civil) stated that a police party had been sent to get them "released" from the gherao. Shopkeepers closed their shutters and observed strike to protest against the encroachment removal campaign. Shopkeepers alleged that their representatives were not taken into confidence before launching the campaign. However, the Executive Officer stated warning on loudspeakers had been given by the committee regarding the removal. In view of the high tension, the encroachment removal campaign has been suspended for the time being |
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| Boy kidnapped, recovered Tribune News Service LUDHIANA, July 23 — Prompt action by the Ludhiana police today led to the recovery of a schoolboy within three hours of his being kidnapped for ransom and the arrest of his kidnappers. Mr Dinkar Gupta, SSP, said at a press conference here the schoolboy, Manish Kumar Singla, was a class IV student of Akal Sahai Convent School in New Janata Nagar in the city. He was on his way to school along with his elder brother when he was kidnapped around 7.40 a.m. by two persons in a white Maruti car. The car did not have any number plate. His elder brother, who is a class VI student in the same school, on noticing the absence of his brother rang up his home to inform that Manish was not traceable. Their father, who is a transporter, was out of station on a business trip. Soon Manish's uncle received an anonymous call demanding a ransom of Rs 2 lakh, failing which the boy would be killed. He lost no time in informing the police which swung into action immediately. Mr S.S. Sandhu, SP (City), Mr Gurjit Singh, DSP, and Mr Maninder Bedi, Inspector, division no 6, reached the spot and began making inquiries. They soon gathered the white Maruti car had sped towards Mandi Ahmedgarh near Malerkotla. As the police team proceeded towards Mandi Ahmedgarh, it picked up several clues conforming that the car had indeed gone in that direction. The boy was soon located in a dense jungle near Gurdwara Rara Sahib not far from Mandi Ahmedgarh. Both the kidnappers, who are brothers — Hardeep Singh Deepa (23) and Amarjeet Singh (20) — were arrested and the white Maruti car also recovered. Both of them along with the kidnapped schoolboy were presented before newspersons by the SSP at the press conference. The kidnappers lived near the house of their victim and had borrowed the Maruti car used in the crime this morning. |
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| Candidates' plea to change medium of instruction PATIALA, July 23 — A number of applicants for the two-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) correspondence course of Punjabi University have expressed resentment over English as the medium of instruction in the entrance test for admission. In a representation many applicants said the medium of instruction in English was particularly harsh on rural area students whose proficiency in the language was low. Such a policy was deplorable, particularly with regard to Punjabi University which all these years has been taking pride in being the only institution founded for promotion and propagation of Punjabi language. These aspirants demanded that the university should allow the students to answer in Punjabi or Hindi. Mr J.S. Brar, head, correspondence courses, said the decision had not been taken by Punjabi University. It was based on the rules framed by the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE), a statutory body formed by Parliament to regulate the correspondence courses in the B.Ed course. If the university did not follow the rules set by the NCTE the B.Ed degree faced the danger of being derecognised, Mr Brar said. The NCTE had already reduced the number of seats for the B.Ed (correspondence) course from 500 to 400 owing to a shortage of teachers. |
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| PSEB engineers start work to rule Tribune News Service PATIALA, July 23 — The executive committee of the PSEB Engineers' Association in an emergency meeting held here today has decided to start work to rule immediately on the call of Northern India Power Engineers Federation in support of Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board (UPSEB) engineers, who are on indefinite strike from July 20. In a statement here association president Padamjit Singh and general secretary H.S. Bedi, said the association also condemned the UP Government for "terrorising" the engineers by adopting strong-arm tactics instead of negotiations to solve the problem. The association had warned that actions like terminations and suspensions would not help normalise the situation and were bound to lead to direct confrontation with the community of engineers. They said UP engineers had gone on strike due to the failure of the UPSEB management to honour its commitment regarding pay revision. They said on the basis of five yearly revision, the pay scales of UP engineers had been revised in April 1979 and April 1984 but it was a matter of great concern that UPSEB management had failed to settle the issue of pay revision due in April 1989 and April 1994. This inordinate delay and total apathetic attitude of the management had forced the engineers to start the agitation. The PSEB Engineers' Association urged the Centre and the UP Government to immediately intervene and ensure that the matter of pay scales was settled through bilateral negotiations. Otherwise, the agitation could lead to the total breakdown of power system in the northern region due to the spread of this agitation in the other states. |
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| PSSF directed to put off exam CHANDIGARH, July 23 (UNI) — The Punjab and Haryana High Court here today directed the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board to postpone its examination for filling Naib-Tehsildar's posts slated for July 26 as the examination date clashed with that of the Provincial Civil Services (PCS) examination. The court also directed the board to give wide publicity regarding the postponement of examination through various newspapers published from here and Jalandhar. This news may also be broadcast by Jalandhar Doordarshan to avoid any inconvenience to candidates slated to appear for the Naib-Tehsildar's examination. Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Iqbal Singh handed down this order on a writ petition preferred by Mr Bagicha Singh and others who approached the court with a plea to alter the date of examination for the Naib-Tehsildars' posts being conducted by the board. Counsel for the petitioner contended before the court that the petitioners had made various representations to the authorities for postponement of the examination. |
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3 hurt in clash at court complex 719 sarpanches take oath |
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