Thursday, November 12, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Thursday, November 12, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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SGPC dream
comes true today 16
inmates go blind: report Akalis
mobilise crowds Recruitment
ban may go Panel
to meet Heads of State Medicinal
plants of contention |
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 Come prepared for arguments, counsel told CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — Directing counsel for various parties to the ongoing writ petition against the functioning of the Punjab People's Commission to come prepared for arguments, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court consisting of Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Iqbal Singh adjourned the case to November 18. Stress on effective
immunisation plans Procedure
for issuing certificates simplified |
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Forest
Department reclaims land from DSP IT
staff threaten indefinite stir Improving
elementary education Naib
Tehsildar granted bail Markfed
takes steps to buy DAP fertiliser Infrastructure
cess only at one stage DGP
files reply in damages suit |
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| College teachers seek UGC scales | |
IHRO convention on Nov 19 |
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SGPC dream comes true today AMRITSAR, Nov 11 — The SGPC president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra will formally inaugurate the Punjab World Channel at the Golden Temple complex tomorrow. The channel has already been on the air since November 1, Punjabi Suba day. The demand for transmission was raised during the week-long celebrations of the 400 years of the founding of Amritsar over two decades ago by Sikhs living in England. They approached the SGPC and even offered to send equipment for a high-powered radio station along with a transmitter to relay 'shabad kirtan' from the Golden Temple. The SGPC took up the matter with the Government of India assuring it that control of the radio station and transmitter would be vested with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The demand was turned down. But the SGPC and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) continued to raise the demand again and again. The SAD convened a world Sikh convention at Dewan hall of Manji Sahib in the Golden Temple complex here on July 26, 1981 to finalise a charter of demands to submit to the Government of India. This demand was one of the main demands listed in the memorandum. No demand was accepted. The SAD launched a dharam yudh morcha on August 4, 1982 on these demands. Negotiations were initiated by the government with the SAD. But no agreement was arrived at between the two parties. During the infamous Operation Bluestar the entire Golden Temple complex was captured by the Army on June 6, 1984 and all of a sudden, the government launched direct relay of the 'shabad kirtan' programme from the Golden Temple on June 8, 1984. With the revolution in the
electronic media, sikhs everywhere have been demanding
live telecast of the programme on satellite channel.
Tomorrow that dream will formally come true. |
16 inmates go blind: report AMRITSAR, Nov 11 — "The working of the prestigious mental hospital here is in shambles. Many of the inmates of the hospital have spent their youth, adulthood and middle age in hospital, and are lost to the society forever. "These patients are thought to be incurable. But it is a fact that they have never been put on effective treatment in the initial stages for want of adequate psychiatric facilities, both in terms of quantity and quality. "The Malady affecting the mental hospital, is indeed deep. But if this institute is to be saved from total decay, the state government has to take some hard decisions to stop the rut that has already set in." Thus reads a comprehensive report prepared by a team a psychiatrists at the behest of the Chairman, Punjab State Human Rights Commission. The commission has already taken a serious view of the startling 16 cases of blindness. The inmates have turned blind allegedly due to the negligence of the doctors. An inmate, a deaf and dumb woman, was admitted by Pingalwara on September 17, 1965, with complaints of wandering tendencies. Talking to herself and throwing stones at others, she was diagnosed as a case of mental retardation. Instead of improving, she became blind due to the apathy of the doctors. A report sent to the human rights commission narrates another story, that of Balwant Kaur, who was admitted to the mental hospital on April 4, 1970. She was diagnosed as a case of schizophrenia. The report says the patient is in a miserable condition as she was sustained fracture of the right femur and is almost blind due to bilateral cataract. Another woman, Chanchal Kumari, was admitted to the hospital in 1956 with the complaints of violent behaviour, including excitement, tearing off her clothes and throwing stones at others. She has become weak allegedly due to the inefficiency of the staff and faulty treatment. She has also developed blindness, though it is curable. Sheela Devi, another inmate of the hospital, who was brought to the hospital in 1967 with complaints of indulging in irrelevant talks, aggressive behaviour and running away from home, has now developed blindness. Another patient who turned blind has a woeful story to narrate. He has been sent on parole several times. According to a report, submitted to the human rights commission, he owned a piece of land which was sold by his family members with the help of the police in 1960 and he was not given his share of money. The condition of yet another inmate who turned blind as stated in the report is not better than that of the others. It may be mentioned here that the commission has directed Dr BLGoyal, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Medical College, Amritsar, to send brief histories of as many as 194 patients admitted to the hospital for a period of more than 10 years. All patients were interviewed by a team consisting of four postgraduate students in psychiatry under the supervision of Dr Goyal. The report said 16 patients had become blind after their admission to the mental hospital. Except one patient, all patients had a treatable cause for their blindness and, therefore, they could regain eyesight if immediate steps were taken for their eye surgery. However, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital while talking to TNS claimed that except criminals, the eyes of all non-criminals had been operated upon. He alleged that the hospital was being defamed by those who wanted it to be shifted to the medical college. Veteran CPI leader Satya
Paul Dang has demanded a high-level probe into the
functioning of the hospital. |
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Akalis mobilise crowds BATHINDA, Nov 11 — Senior SAD leaders and ministers are making hectic tours of almost all the villages of Faridkot, Mansa, Muktsar and this district for mobilising about one lakh people for Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's rally at Phulokhari village, 44 km from here, on November 13 being organised in connection with the foundation stone laying ceremony of oil refinery. After having faced embarrassment at Badiala village due to a thin gathering on October 30 on the occasion of a state-level function organised in connection with the 26th death anniversary of Sant Fateh Singh, Akali ministers, MLAs and leaders are leaving nothing to chance and competing with each other to mobilise the maximum number of people and win "appreciation" from Mr Badal. On the other hand, the entire district administration has descended at Phulokhari to supervise arrangements for the mega-function. The air force team inspected three helipads made for the Prime Minister's helicopter by conducting a trial landing and takeoff. CRPF jawans had been placed around the helipads for a security drill . On the other hand, villagers, particularly farmers are more concerned about the sowing of wheat, which has been delayed due to shortage of DAP fertiliser, than the PM's visit. Kaka Singh, a farmer while talking to TNS said that the peasantry which was in deep economic crisis and needed monetary relief. So the Punjab Government should make efforts in this direction rather than for impressive gatherings for the PM's function. For the residents of Raman town, located near the site of the refinery, the PM's visit has brought problems. They have been facing unscheduled power cuts for hours together for the past seven days and the drinking water supply has also become inadequate. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, when contacted said that he was not aware of any such problem and would look into the matter and solve it immediately. He pointed out that it was for the first time in the past 15 years that a mega-project of Rs 16,000 crore was being set up at one go. So far the central government had invested only Rs 2000 crore in all in the public sector in the state. Mr Parkash Singh Badal, state Chief Minister, will visit village Phulokhari tomorrow to review arrangements for the PM's visit. Union Industry Minister, Mr Sukhbir Badal has already been holding meetings with the district officers in this regard. Official sources said that a Special Protection Group (SPG) team attached with the PM which reached here yesterday had taken supervisory control of security arrangements of VVIPs. A twelve-foot high stage
had been made from where the PM would address the rally.
Only eight VVIPs will sit on the stage. |
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People's commission CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — Directing counsel for various parties to the ongoing writ petition against the functioning of the Punjab People's Commission to come prepared for arguments, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court consisting of Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Iqbal Singh adjourned the case to November 18. The adjournment was granted on a request made by counsel for the petitioner, Mr Sudershan Goel, a local lawyer. Counsel told the court that he had just received a copy of the reply filed by the state government. Therefore, he would need time to study the contents of the government reply before adducing arguments. He also told the court that the petitioner wanted to place certain documents which would help the court in deciding the matter. Revealing its proposal to take up the matter with the Union Government for extending the tenure of the Punjab Human Rights Commission up to 10 years, the Punjab Government said: "In view of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed under the Constitution, particularly those under Article 19 (1), the State cannot interfere with such private initiatives as the 'People's Commission', unless its functioning infringed any law or otherwise gives rise to a law and order problem." Meanwhile, Mr Mohan Singh, Mr Ajit Singh and Mr Narinder Singh (all from Gurdaspur district filed another petition in the High Court questioning the functioning of the People's Commission. They stated that the setting up of the "People's Commission by certain persons including, some former judges, was arousing such passions in the people as may lead to the revival of terrorism in Punjab." They stated that their relatives and kith and kin were killed by militants when terrorism was as its peak. Moreover, the functioning of the People's Commission rebelled against Article 21. The petitioners added that he People's Commission was the brainchild of those who could not stomach the restoration of peace to the state. They described it as a "mock court without any sanctity of law for misguiding innocent people of Punjab by issuing notices or summons to various authorities in Punjab. This action of the commission aimed at subverting the administration of justice and inflaming communal passions." They stated that a former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Justice D.S. Tewatia, did not hesitate to misuse his position for this purpose. Another few judges who lent their names to the commission are Justice H. Suresh, a former Judge of Maharashtra High Court, and Justice Jaspal Singh, a former Judge of the Delhi High Court. The petitioners stated
that surprisingly neither the Centre nor the Punjab
Government took any action against the activities of the
commission and they thought it fit not to take any
appropriate action against the commission which violated
Article 21 with impunity. |
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Recruitment ban may go AMRITSAR, Nov 11 — The state government is contemplating lifting the three-month old ban on fresh recruitment in the universities owing to pressure from various quarters. Since the imposition of ban, higher education in the universities has suffered adversely. The state government had imposed a blanket ban on filling the permanent, ad hoc and part time posts in the teaching and research wings of the universities in August. The act was being viewed as clipping of the wings of the Vice-Chancellors who enjoyed full autonomy till then it was followed by the ban on recruitment in the non-teaching departments in September. The teaching and non-teaching associations of the universities had raised a banner against the state government for imposing the ban. However, according to highly placed sources, government has agreed in principle to partially lift the ban because studies in certain departments have virtually come to a standstill due to posts of teacher lying vacant. The government is likely to consider the report of the Vice-Chancellors saying that the posts which are urgently required be filled. Dr H.S. Soch and Dr J.S. Puar, Vice-Chancellors of Guru Nanak Dev University, and Punjabi University, respectively, had brought the matter to Mr B.K.N. Chhibber, Chancellor of the universities, for taking up the case with Chief Minister, Punjab. Nineteen posts of professor, 39 of reader and 64 of lecturer are lying vacant in Guru Nanak Dev University. To cope with the workload, the universities have been arranging guest lecturers, who are difficult to get as they get a meagre amount of Rs 60 per lecture. The Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University had also discussed the adverse effect of the ban in departments of applied sciences and other job-oriented courses with the Financial Commissioner (Finance) and Financial Commissioner (Higher Education) Mr Rajan Kashyap and Mr G.S. Sahi, respectively, during the meeting of the Finance Committee held here last week. Punjabi University,
Patiala, at meeting of the Syndicate likely to be held
this week, may also justify the demand of lifting the ban
on fresh recruitment. |
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Malta boat
tragedy JALANDHAR, Nov 11 — Having failed to get any redress from the Indian Government, the Malta Boat Tragedy Association will approach the Heads of State of the countries concerned to initiate a probe. The association has also decided to hold a protest in front of International Court of the Justice in the Hague. The Doaba region was shocked when nearly 170 of its youths were drowned on December 25, 1996, in the Malta-Sicily channel. The total number of feared drowned was 280. Unemployed youths from India-Pakistan and Sri Lanka had paid Rs 3 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per head to travel agents in the hope of making money abroad. The true story of this ghastly tragedy has only been partially told by some survivors who have alleged that on the night of December 24, the Captain of the ship had forced 320 passengers at gunpoint to board a small ship midstream. But unfortunately the small ship collided with another and 280 of them drowned. The remaining 40 managed to swim and board the original ship. The Malta Boat Tragedy Association subsequently formed, has been demanding an international probe into the trafficking of persons which it says is equivalent to slavery, but in vain. Mr Balwant Singh Khera told the media here today that a three-member delegation would call on the Heads of State of the countries concerned to mobilise international public opinion against this "human cargo business" and save the poor unemployed youth from exploitation by the international mafia. The delegation will also meet the survivors of the tragedy and seek the help of the Human Rights Commission at Geneva. The association castigated the inquiries conducted by the CBI, saying that they were incomplete. It has been demanding that all those directly or indirectly connected to this human tragedy be punished. But so far, shipping companies and travel agents have denied the very occurrence of this accident. Even political parties and governments of the respective countries have shown little interest in the probe. No wreckage or bodies have been traced. The maximum number of feared drowned were from Punjab, but the state government has yet compensated only 50 aggrieved families by giving them Rs 50,000. The kingpin of the conspiracy is allegedly an Indian, Mr Mandhir Kumar Wahi, alias Bhola, alias Bablu. His office is in Greece and his father Satpal Wahi operates from New Delhi with Dharampal of Ludhiana. The list of guilty includes travel agents who are still doing good business in Doaba. The Malta Boat Association
has said that since culprits belong to many countries,
justice cannot be done to the victims unless all the
countries concerned cooperate. |
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Medicinal plants of contention CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — The Punjab Wildlife Department and the State Irrigation Department are on collision course. The reason for this is the insistence on the part of the Punjab Irrigation Department to give on contract the harvesting of certain medicinal-cum-vegetable plants from the world famous notified Harike bird sanctuary. The sub-divisional officer of the Harike headworks sub division (Irrigation Department) with its headquarter at Mukhu has issued an open auction notice for holding the auction on November 16 at his office to give the contract. An intimation in this connection has also been sent to the wildlife department authorities. However, objecting the holding of auction and giving the contract, the Wildlife Department authorities have made it clear to the Sub-Divisional Officer concerned and other senior officers of the Irrigation Department that such an act on their part was illegal and violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Wildlife Department authorities have told the Sub-Divisional Officer to cancel the auction otherwise action under the Wildlife (Protection) Act would be initiated against the defaulters. A senior officer of the Wildlife Department told TNS here today that earlier the auction was fixed to be held on September 15 last but then also the Sub-Divisional Officer concerned was informed telegraphically about the consequences of holding such an exercise. He claimed that the Irrigation Department had postponed the auction. But again the Irrigation Department was resorting to the same act. From the auction notice issued by the Irrigation Department, it was clear the Irrigation department authorities have taken into confidence its Principal Secretary. In the auction notice reference of a memo of the Principal Secretary finds mention. The senior officer of the Wildlife Department said that if the auction was held, a case would be filed in the court against the officials concerned. Quoting rules and law in support of the stand taken by him, the senior officer said that the Harike pond area spread over an area of 148 sq km was declared a bird sanctuary on September 8,1992 by issuing a notification under the Bird Life (Protection) Act, 1972. He said that Section 29 of the Act stated that "no person shall destroy, exploit or remove any wildlife from the sanctuary or destroy or damage the habitat of any wild animal or its habitat within such sanctuary except under and in accordance with a permit granted by the Chief Wildlife Warden". Violation of the section was punishable under Section 50 of the Act. The Wildlife Department authorities said that the removal of the habitat from the sanctuary was a more serious offence than the one allegedly committed by film star Salman Khan and his fellow travellers in Rajasthan. Although no senior officer of the Irrigation Department was available for official comment, the Irrigation Department has taken the stand that it would suffer revenue loss if the auction was not held, it is learnt. Last time it had auctioned the harvesting of plant for about Rs 2 lakh. However, commenting in this connection, the Wildlife Department authorities said that the Irrigation Department should take up the issue of making up the revenue loss with the State Government. "Our responsibility is only to enforce the Wildlife (Protection) Act," he added. The Wildlife authorities said that due to movement of labour engaged by the contractors for harvesting purpose, migratory birds were disturbed. He said that birds needed a very calm and peaceful atmosphere. Fishing had been completely stopped in the sanctuary, he added. The Wildlife authorities said the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had set up a Harike Wetland Conservation Mission by involving eminent environmentalists and oriontholgists, to make it a major attraction for tourists. Keeping in view the improtance of the this sanctuary, the Wildlife Department authorities were making all out efforts to increase the number of bird species in the sanctuary. Meanwhile, the Environment
Society of India has strongly objected to the issuing of
the auction notice. Mr S.K. Sharma, President of the
society, said that his organisation would also file a
public interest litigation against the Irrigation
Department if laid down laws and rules of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972, were violated. |
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Stress on effective immunisation
plans LUDHIANA, Nov 11 — Although the challenge has been formidable the rewards will be great in terms of vastly improved production efficiency if mucosal infection can be better controlled by effective immunisation strategies. This was stated here today by Dr Alan J. Husband, University of Sydney during the fifth international veterinary immunology symposium being held at Punjab Agricultural University. He was delivering the prestigious Pfizer Award Lecture. Dr Husband is internationally recognised for his contribution to immunology and pathology. He noted that diseases of mucosal surfaces such as the gut, lungs and the reproductive tract still caused the greatest degree of mortality and morbidity in production animals. Understanding the way in which this challenge was met by the mucosal immunosystem had represented and equally formidable challenge for scientists. A team of scientists from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, under the leadership of Dr A.N. Zakhtchouk reported a new approach of developing animal vaccines which were more effective, less costly and safe. They used bovine adnovirus-3(BAV-3) as vaccine vector. In a paper presented at the symposium, they reported that live vaccines when inserted through the oral or respiratory tracts were best inducers of immunity. Many disease organisms entered the body through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Thus, immunity was required in the mucuous lining of these tracts to block the initial infection. However, the live vaccine produced through conventional means had danger of mutating back to a virulent form, thus causing fatal diseases. The new approach reported by the scientists was likely to open up the possibilities of developing more efficient vaccines. The scientists discussed
the comparative immunology system as well as
third-generation vaccines. Vaccines needed a lot of
safety test as these were ultimately related to public
health. New systems of antigen presentation and newer
methods of diagnostics of animal and poultry diseases
evoked a keen debate amongst the immunologists. |
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Procedure for issuing certificates
simplified LUDHIANA, Nov 11 — The procedure for the issuance of legal heir certificates and countersigning of documents by the District Magistrate required by different foreign embassies has been simplified. Giving the details, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Goel said here today that now the applicants would have to apply for legal heir certificates with the SDM concerned instead of the D.C.'s office and a specific date would be given for the issuance of the certificate. After verification, the SDM would issue the certificate. He further informed that in case of the death of a government employee his ward would be able to apply directly to the SDM for the certificate instead of the department concerned. The Deputy Commissioner informed that in case of the countersigning of the documents required by different embassies, a person would now have to submit an application to the SDM concerned and would automatically get the countersigned papers by the District Magistrate within 14 days. Earlier, addressing a meeting of the District Traffic Committee, the Deputy Commissioner directed the District Transport Officer and the traffic police to check autorickshaws violating the rules and hold a meeting with owners of local buses and solve their genuine problems. At a meeting of the
District Agriculture Production Committee, Mr Goel
informed that there was no shortage of DAP in the
district and called upon SDMs to ensure that no dealer
could create an artificial scarcity in their
subdivisions. |
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IT
staff threaten indefinite stir LUDHIANA, Nov 11 — Gazetted officers and group (C) and (D) employees of the Income Tax Department and gazetted and executive staff of the Central Excise and Customs department observed a strike for the second consecutive day as per the call given by the coordination committee of the Department of Revenue. Mr Raj Kumar Walia, Secretary, Income Tax Employees Federation, said the government had failed to remove the disparity in pay scales. JALANDHAR: The strike of the Income Tax, Central Excise and Customs departments' employees entered its second day on Wednesday. They are demanding the revision of their pay scales. Mr BP Aggarwal, Additional General Secretary, Income Tax Gazetted Services Association (north west region), Mr S.K. Bhargava, General Secretary, Income Tax Group C Employees Federation (north west region), Mr Vijay Bahadur Singh, branch secretary, Customs and Central Excise Gazetted Officers Association, and Mr Nirmal Kalsi, Joint Secretary All-India Federation of Customs and Central Excise Executive Officers Association said in a joint statement that if the demands of the employees were accepted, the annual additional burden on the government exchequer would be only between Rs 15 and 20 crore whereas the daily revenue loss on account of such a strike was about Rs 425 crore. They said if the government failed to accede to their demands, they might opt for an indefinite strike. ABOHAR: Mr Rajinder Singh, Divisional Secretary, Income Tax Gazetted Services Association (north west region), and Mr Dharam Pal Chaudhary, Assistant Secretary, Income Tax Employees Federation (north west zone), claimed that all (group B) officers and employees of the Income Tax and Central Excise and Customs departments were observing complete strike at Abohar, Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepore, Mansa and Muktsar. PATHANKOT: Gazetted and non-gazetted employees of the local Income Tax, Customs and Central Excise departments observed a strike here on Wednesday in support of their demands. A rally was organised in
the Income Tax Office complex. |
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Improving elementary education CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — Radical changes are proposed in the existing elementary education system in Punjab. Concerned at the existing standard of education, steps are being taken to improve the quality of education and infrastructure in the educational institutions at the primary level. As a first step, the Punjab Education Development Act has been notified and also a board to administer the system. To raise money, the Act provides for a cess at a rate not exceeding Rs 10 per proof litre on the sale of liquor. This is expected to fetch around Rs 14 crore, annually. For desired result the minimum need is for at least Rs 70 crore. It is also proposed to enact a comprehensive law to regulate education. What is available is only the Punjab Education Code and Punjab Privately Managed Recognised Schools Employees' (Security of Service) Act, 1979. Punjab is in the process of studying the laws in other states. The former Secretary, Education, Mr K R Lakhanpal, had submitted a comprehensive proposal on a universal elementary education for the state by 2003. The report presents a dismal picture of the existing education system, despite the fact Punjab is one of the richest states. Only a glimpse will do here: there are over 3,000 schools either without a building or whose building is unsafe or dilapidated; hardly 20 per cent schools have a building; handpumps are the main source of drinking water in most schools; hardly a school can claim basic amenities like toilets etc; only 10 per cent of the schools have proper seating arrangements by way of desk/pattra and 60 per cent make do with taat-patti: The remaining 30 per cent have no seating arrangements; teaching aids and teaching material is unheard. Imagine Punjab, which boasts of so much progress, having a literacy rate of only 60 per cent against the national average of 52 and the highest percentage — 90 — of Kerala; one-fifth children in the 6-11 age group are dropouts; which means the dropout rate is 20 per cent; it jumps to 48 per cent in the 6-14 years age group — the highest in the country. Enrolment has stagnated at around 1.9 million between 1980 and 1995, despite an increase of 20.81 per cent in population between 1981-91. In fact given the "quality" and "infrastructural facilities" the schools are mere "detention centres" for the children. Teacher-truancy is also large and absenteism is well known. Lack of political will and no fear of administrative action make the system lax. No wonder, the Education Department is one which is deep in litigation. All together, over 5,000 cases are pending in courts, right up to the Supreme Court; contempt cases alone number about 850. Now steps are being taken to set the house in order. The present Secretary, education, Ms S.K. Sandhu, says a legal adviser has been appointed and the rate of litigation is declining. Postings and transfers is the bane of the department. Promotions, she said, had been held up due to court orders. Irrespective of the academic session, requests for postings and transfers pour in. At least 600 to 700 teachers retire every month. Hence the race for a suitable slot. Ms Sandhu says a policy is now on the anvil. Even the report on universal elementary education refers to this. It suggests "no transfers" in mid-academic session' if need be it should be on seniority and merit; a prescribed proforma should be introduced for transparency etc. in fact there should be a total ban on transfers between August 31 and February-end. Those teachers retiring in between should be allowed to continue till March 31, which is not difficult to implement. This proposal is under consideration. For community involvement, "village education committees" are being set up to entrust running of primary schools to the panchayats. The suggestion is to opt for "Punjab Sarthik Sikhya Karmi scheme", which envisages employing teachers from within the village and paying Rs 2,500 per month on one year contract. If the village committees find the work of a teacher satisfactory, after five years the teacher could be absorbed in the department. The minimum qualification for such teachers should be 10+2. The age for such teachers should be 20-25 years. The department is undertaking a survey and "mapping" schools to understand ground realities. The worst affected are border, bet and kandi areas. The school mapping scheme will help in "rationalisation" of the placement of teachers. Why not merge primary and middle schools in villages? There are now three separate directorates for school education alone: primary; secondary and State Council of Education, Research and Training. There is a proposal to set up a structure headed by "director-general of education." It is also proposed that the post of DPI in the three directorates should be open to "Class I officers, principals of colleges and head of departments in the universities" making them eligible for appointment on deputation, transfer or contract. To clear the mess in the recruitment of teachers, it is proposed to set up a permanent "teacher selection committee" and relieve the Subordinate Services Selection board of this responsibility. The system of constitution of "district-level selection committees" has failed. Ms Sandhu said though a
memorandum of understanding has been signed between the
Punjab School Education Board and Peel Board of
Education, Vancouver (Canada), a "second look"
was being given to that. The Minister, Mr Tota Singh, the
Secretary and some "experts" were likely to
visit Canada for proper appraisal of that MoU.
Nevertheless, a beginning had been made and 30 acre land
acquired in Khatkar Kalan for setting up a school in the
light of the MoU. A sum of Rs 50 lakh was available. |
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Naib Tehsildar granted bail PATIALA, Nov 11 — Naib Tehsildar Jaspal Kaur and two others — Kanwaljit Singh and Rantej Singh — have been granted bail by a local court in a case involving theft and causing injury. The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr B.C. Rajput, granted bail to the accused on November 5, according to a certified court copy received here today. Pronouncing the bail order, Mr Rajput directed the accused to join investigation, not to leave the country without prior permission and not to tamper with the prosecution evidence in any manner. The complainant, Mohinder Singh had alleged in the report lodged by the police that on June 6 this year he and his brother Natha Singh were talking outside their houses at Chaura village near here as there was no power till midnight. According to Mohinder Singh when power was restored both of them went to their houses to sleep. He said when he went to start his motor cycle in the early morning he called out to his brother, who cried 'save me, I am dying'. According to Mohinder Singh, when he went to his brother's house he saw Natha Singh in a semi-conscious state with blood oozing out of his ear and household goods scattered around him. He immediately called his mother Harnam Kaur and niece Narinder Kaur, who found gold ornaments and Rs 1.20 lakh in cash missing. The court noted that the accused was identified by Ranjit Kaur, wife of Darshan Singh Sohi, a brother of the complainant. During investigation of the case, Ranjit Kaur claimed she was a witness to the theft. Mr Rajput also said
investigations showed that the accused had a dispute with
Natha Singh and a case had been registered at Ludhiana
against Darshan Singh Sohi in May this year. The
statement of Mohinder Singh showed that the case was that
of simple theft and Harnam Kaur, who was present in the
house when the theft occurred, did not name anyone
immediately after the incident. |
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Infrastructure cess only at one stage CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — The infrastructure cess on the sale of goods in Punjab is to be collected from November 11 onwards and not from October 15. Clarifying this here today, an official spokesman of the Finance Department said the Ordinance of October 15 provided for the infrastructure cess and also for the establishment of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, headed by the Chief Minister. The board will take policy decisions on promotion and development of all forms of infrastructure in the state, including participation of the private sector. The Ordinance provides for levy of infrastructure cess equivalent to 1 per cent of the sale price on a group of commodities mentioned in the schedule to the Ordinance. Some sections of the trading community had sought clarifications in regard to the cess. For the convenience of the public and the trading community, it was clarified the cess would be levied at only a single stage of sale and would be collected by the Department of Excise and Taxation on behalf of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board. The stage of levy, whether the first or the last stage, would be same as for state sales tax levied on various commodities. The spokesman added that the commodities which were exempted from sales tax would be similarly exempted from the payment of infrastructure cess. The procedure for collection and administration of infrastructure cess would also be the same as for state sales tax. The amount collected
through the cess would be credited to a fund called the
Punjab Infrastructure Development Fund, which is to be
used exclusively for promotion and development of
infrastructure in the state. The initiative of the Punjab
Government is in line with the national policy for
infrastructure development. |
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Drugs that can cause deafness AMRITSAR, Nov 11 (UNI) — Drugs that are commonly prescribed for fever, headache, depression, sore throat, high blood pressure or urinary infections can cause a reversible or irreversible damage to the hearing mechanism thereby leading to deafness. Expressing these views at a seminar organised on the occasion of National Day for the Deaf today, Dr Dinesh Kumar, an ENT specialist at the Civil Hospital here, and Dr Jatinder Singh, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the local Government Medical College, said deafness caused due to medication, known as ototoxcity was becoming quite common in India as a large population here believed in self-medication. Irrational use of these drugs mostly by unqualified practitioners had also further compounded the problem, they opined. In addition to hearing loss, the maintenance of equilibrium should be a casualty of the ototoxic effect of these drugs, they said. Drugs that were usually implicated in causing ototoxicity were analgesics such as aspirin, common injectable and orally used antibiotics like gentamicin and erythromycin, the often used antimalarial-chloroquine, furosemide which was commonly used to increase urine output in case of high blood pressure and heart failure and lidocaine an agent used to produce local anaesthesia during minor surgery or as additive in ear drops. Patients who were in the
habit of unwarranted use of ear drops containing local
anaesthetics could render themselves deaf. The parents of
children with discharging ears who instilled drops
without medical attention could jeopardise the hearing of
their children for life. Poor kidney function potentiated
the ototoxic effect of certain drugs. Thus older people
needed to be carefully observed when under these
medications, the doctor said. |
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Markfed takes steps to buy DAP
fertiliser CHANDIGARH,Nov 11 — Following reports of shortage of DAP in Punjab, Markfed has tied up with Indian Potash Limited for the supply of an additional quantity of 11,000 tonnes of DAP. This quantity is being procured at Rs 8200 per tonne as compared to the normal price of Rs 8,000 per tonne. Markfed will be buying additional quantities of DAP at a rate of Rs 8200 per tonne and selling to the agriculture service societies at the rate of Rs 8150 per tonne, thereby incurring a loss of Rs 50 per tonne plus other incidental charges. Till date Markfed has
supplied 1.76 lakh tonnes of DAP to the societies/focal
points against last year's supply of 1.08 lakh tonnes. In
this way, as per the directions of the State Government,
Markfed has already supplied 90 per cent DAP till today.
The remaining 10 per cent would be supplied during the
current week, as Markfed was procuring 10,000 tonnes of
DAP every day. Markfed will supply 2.15 lakh tonnes of
DAP during the current rabi season. |
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Subsidised
rates of DAP sought MANSA, Nov 11 — The District Kisan Congress in a representation to the Deputy Commissioner today accused paddy procurement agencies of harassing farmers. It said in a memorandum that the scarcity of DAP had hit the farmers. It sought the supply of DAP at subsidised rates through government agencies and a special girdawri of land where paddy had been damaged due to rain. The memorandum was
submitted by hundreds of activists led by Mr Sukhdev
Singh Azad, district chairman of the kisan cell and Mr
Narotam Singh Chahal, Vice-President of the Punjab
Pradesh Congress Cell. |
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Arms
seized, 5 arrested JALANDHAR, Nov 11 — The police arrested a five-member gang here today and seized arms and ammunition from them. According to the police, Sewa Singh of Dhariwal Colony, Vinod Kumar of Nandanpur Colony, Rajesh Kumar of Abadpura, Harwinder Singh of Gobind Nagar and Sanjiv Kumar of Basti Gujjan were planning to commit dacoity. A case has been registered. A stengun, two magazines, 14 cartridges, and three kirpans were seized. On October 13 they committed burglaries amounting to around Rs 50,000. Five gold rings, seven wrist watches, two gold chains, besides a scooter, among other things, have been recovered. The above ammunition was
reportedly stolen from the house of a head constable. |
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Crisis in Youth Akali Dal over JALANDHAR, Nov 11 (PTI) — Youth Akali Dal (YAD) president Amrik Singh Aliwal today said all differences within the premier frontal organisation of the ruling Akali Dal (Badal) have been resolved and the entire leadership is campaigning for party candidate Dalbir Singh Dheerowal in the Adampur byelection. Youth Akali Dal leaders will undertake a pedestrian march across all 146 villages of Adampur to campaign for Dheerowal's success," Mr Aliwal told reporters here. A number of party leaders, who had earlier expressed resentment at Mr Aliwal's style of functioning and pressurised Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to remove him from party post, today expressed faith in his leadership. "We have conveyed our
concerns to Badal and he has directed us to fight
unitedly under Aliwal's leadership for Dheerowal's
success in Adampur. We have full hope that the crisis
would blow over soon", Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli,
General Secretary of the YAD, and one of the main
dissidents, said. |
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Central
observer arrives JALANDHAR, Nov 11 — One of two central observers deputed to monitor the byelection to the Adampur constituency has reached here. The other observer, Mr G P Verma is expected to reach tomorrow. The observer, Mr ASR Nayyar will be available to hear complaints against violation of the model code of conduct and complaints against expenditure by the candidates at the circuit house here, from 7 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. every day. He will also be available at phone number 230030. Meanwhile, today Congress general secretary Bir Devinder Singh, has lodged a complaint in the presence of Mr Nayyar that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal held a meeting of senior officials of the district at the canal rest house, Adampur today. The Congress has also
objected to the participation of the Deputy Commissioner,
Jalandhar, who also happens to be the district election
officer, in election meetings of the Chief Minister in
Adampur constituency. |
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Stir
threat over cow slaughter AMRITSAR, Nov 11 — The Bajrang Dal today threatened to launch a statewide agitation if no action was taken against the 18 persons responsible for transporting about 300 cows clandestinely to West Bengal for slaughter. To protest against the incident, protest march and rally were organised. The rally was addressed by Mrs Luxmi Kanta Chawla, BJP MLA, and Mr Arun Khanna, state Bajrang Dal chief. Agitated dal activists had demanded the immediate registration of an FIR against Asgar and his 17 accomplices for allegedly smuggling out the cows. The Bajrang Dal alleged that both the district administration and police had failed to act in time even though their activists had caught the culprits red-handed on November 9 from the railway station. Mr Khanna demanded a ban
on cow slaughter as it hurt the sentiments of the Hindus. |
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Forest Department reclaims land
from DSP HOSHIARPUR, Nov 11 — The Forest Department got vacated 402 kanals of forest land worth crores at Sekhan village in Garhdiwala sub-tehsil of Hoshiarpur occupied by Lakha Singh, presently posted as DSP (D) Nawanshahr and others. Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner Hoshiarpur told this correspondent here today that the land grabbers illegally occupied the land in 1987. The department had tried its level best to get the land vacated without success. Meanwhile, the land grabbers set up a big farm on it and even succeeded in getting the girdawri done in their favour. Mr Lakha Singh claimed that this land was allotted to him on 19.2.97 by the Tehsildar, sales, Dasuya at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre and a proposal was sent to the Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur to reduce the reserve price of the land to Rs 7000 per acre. The Tehsildar, Dasuya, however, said that he had not allotted any land to Lakha Singh or his wife Satwant Kaur nor was an money ever deposited by them on this account. He said the allotment order was bogus and no proposal was ever made to the Deputy Commissioner about its price. He said every government servant had to take sanction from the government to purchase property in his own name or in the name of family member. This property had not figured in any of the property returns of Mr Lakha Singh. The police has registered
a case in this connection. |
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College teachers seek UGC scales PATIALA, Nov 11 — The Punjab Government College Teachers Association has sought the implementation of the revised UGC scales as announced by the Human Resource Development Ministry on July 27 and November 9. Dr PSBhatti, President of the association said yesterday that university and college teachers were the only categories in Punjab whose scales had not been revised. He said the decision to implement the revised scales should be taken in consultation with representatives of the teachers' bodies. He urged the Government to implement the recommendations so that a better academic atmosphere was created for the smooth functioning of educational institutions. He also expressed concern
at the "delay" in the implementation of the
accepted demands and failure of the Government to promote
principals in 13 government colleges where the posts of
principal were lying vacant.
|
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IHRO
convention on November 19 LUDHIANA, Nov 11 — The International Human Rights Organisation (IHRO) has decided to hold a convention on the "role of intellectuals for the exposition of dharma and humanity" at Punjab Agricultural University on November 19. Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar, Sri Akal Takht, will preside over the function. The governing council of
the IHRO has also decided to confer posthumously the Max
Arthur Macauliffe award on Dr Hari Ram Gupta, a
historian, for his contribution in the field of history,
culture and heritage of Punjab and the Sikhs. |
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DGP
files reply in damages suit CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — The Director-General of Police, Punjab, Mr P.C. Dogra, today filed a reply to the suit for damages filed against him by Mr D.S. Rajput, a local lawyer. In his reply, Mr Dogra described the suit as false, frivolous and counterblast of the case registered against him. The suit was filed with a view to pressurising and demoralising the police force. It was also aimed at hampering the investigation of the case registered against him for offences, including sedition and criminal conspiracy. Mr Dogra maintained that the suit was not maintainable as notice under Section 80, Cr PC had not been issued to the defendants and the requisite court fee had not been paid. He added that the
statements released by him to the Press were in the
discharge of his official duties as police chief of the
state.
|
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JD
workers stage dharna LUDHIANA, Nov 11 — Members of the Punjab unit of the Janata Dal and the Yuva Janata Dal today staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office here in protest against the rising prices of essential commodities and deteriorating law and order situation. The party workers led by
Mr Harish Khanna, coordinator of the Janata Dal, also
raised slogans and burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister. |
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Forest
martyr's fund set up PATIALA, Nov 11 — All the employees of the Forest Department in the state have decided to donate a day's salary for the Forest Martyr's Memorial Fund. Disclosing this in a statement here today Mr Swaranjit Singh, president, Punjab Non-Gazetted Forest Employees Union said that the decision to donate their salary was taken last night after observing the first ever "Forest Martyr Day" at Noorkerian village in this district. The 'Forest Martyr Day' was observed to commemorate the sacrifice of Mr P. Srinivas, who laid down his life on November 10, 1991 in the course of apprehending smugglers and poachers in a forest of Mysore district. Recognising his services, the Ministry of Environment and Forest awarded him a 'Kirti Chakra' posthumously and through office orders issued on October 28 this year directed all state Forest Departments to observe November 10 as Forest Martyr Day. In the statement Mr
Swaranjit Singh also demanded that forest officers should
be given the latest weapons to combat poaching and
smuggling. |
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Employees
agitated CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — The Punjab School Sikhiya Board Karamchari Association is agitated over non-creation of posts since 1989 to handle the increasing workload. The Association General Secretary Mr Jarnail Singh Brar in a written statement today said that the finance committee of the Punjab School Education Board meeting tomorrow November 12 to scout for money for introducing computers should, in fact, pay attention to staff shortage. Mr Jarnail Singh Brar reeled off statistics to show how there has been a quantum jump in the workload and the extent of shortage of helping hands. The students appearing for plus two and matriculation had increased by over 2.36 lakh between 1996 and now. The shortage of staff — all categories — was of nearly 500. The performance of use of computers in compilation of result was not satisfactory. At least 25 per cent science group result for the March, 1998, examination was "wrongly fed" into the computers. The association has
appealed to the government and the board not to fritter
away money but recruit more staff. |
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No
salary for four months CHANDIGARH, Nov 11 — Over 350 National Discipline Scheme Instructors (NDSIs) of the Union Government, who were absorbed in the Punjab Education Department as physical education teachers, have not got salary for the past four months. Mr R.K.S. Dhawan, general secretary of the state unit of the National Federation, these teachers, said the Punjab Education Department was told by the state Finance Department to settle the issue of paying salary and other allowances to such teachers with the Centre. He said when these teachers were absorbed by the state government, the Central Government had given an assurance that the burden of the salary etc would be borne by it. Mr Dhawan said the Punjab
Education Department had not settled the issue and
consequently teachers were facing the trouble. He
requested the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to
direct the officials concerned to take up the cause of
the affected teachers and get their salary released. |
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