Monday, October 12, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, October 12, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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'Let
residents decide Punjab
approaches planning panel on agriculture policy Farmers
seek avenues for crop diversification |
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 What ails primary education
in Gurdaspur
Ex-servicemen
rally |
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Scrapping
of ORPs not to hit officers: Dogra Overflowing
drains play havoc Farmers
resorting to ‘distress sale of paddy’ Probe
promised into child labour case LPG
tanker overturns, blocks traffic DoT
told to pay compensation Suicides
on the rise in Raipur Cop
lynching case: 3 more held |
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'Let residents decide fate of US Nagar' RAJPURA, (Patiala) Oct 11 — Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Local Bodies Minister Balramji Das Tandon today said that the people of Udham Singh Nagar should be allowed to decide the fate of the district themselves and it should not seem that outside agencies were interfering in the issue. Talking to reporters here before inaugurating work on the repair of a road link in the city here, Mr Tandon said the Punjab unit of the party had all along claimed that the issue was not one of Punjab or Punjabis but that of the residents of Udham Singh Nagar district who belonged to various communities. Mr Tandon said the people of Udham Singh Nagar district should "raise their voice on the issue and tell what they want". He said this was important as the issue if left to outside agencies might prove disadvantageous for the residents of the district as an impression might gain ground that only the Punjabis of Udham Singh Nagar wanted the exclusion of the district from the Uttaranchal state and not the general public. The minister, when questioned whether the state unit of the BJP had also gone to Udham Singh Nagar to gauge the public mood, said the state unit had met the central BJP leadership alongwith Akali Dal leadership and conveyed its wish that the district be excluded from the proposed state. When questioned on the change of guard in the Chief Ministership of Delhi, Mr Tandon said "every party has to see how it can win an election". However when persisted whether this statement reflected on the leadership of Mr Sahib Singh Verma, he said this was not the case. He asserted that the party would fight the coming election in Delhi unitedly. The Local Bodies Minister also announced the launch of a clean Punjab drive on the occasion and also inaugurated the drive here. He said Rajpura town would be cleaned within a 15-day span under the drive. He said after a meeting of Mayors of Municipal Committees on October 13 the drive would be implemented all over the state. He said the cleanliness campaign would be implemented in all 140 Municipal Committees in the state within the next two months. Mr Tandon said people would be encouraged to take part in the drive through an awareness programme. He said while good work would be appreciated and rewarded those found wanting during the course of the drive would be taken to task. Mr Tandon said it had also been decided that officers in the state should strictly observe their duty hours. He said from now on wards officers would have to mark attendance in the morning and afternoon besides remaining in their offices from 12 noon to 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. during which they would also meet the public. He also disclosed that the government would soon do away with the system of collecting 'raahdaari' at each Municipal Committee check point. He said according to the new scheme which would be implemented soon 'raahdaari' would be collected at a single check post and distributed among all committees departmentally. He said this was being done following complaints by transporters that movement of truck was being delayed. AMRITSAR: The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, general secretary, Dr Raj Kumar has alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) had adopted double standards on the Udham Singh Nagar issue. In a press statement, here today, Dr Raj Kumar said that Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, a senior SAD leader and Union Minister was signatory to the resolution which indorsed inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar into the proposed hill state of Uttaranchal. Dr Raj Kumar, however,
said that the PPCC sympathised with the Punjabis residing
in Udham Singh Nagar. He said the SAD was raising the
issue for vested interests only. He said that SAD
leadership was unlikely to withdraw support to the
BJP-led coalition government on the issue.
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No compromise on US Nagar issue: Tohra NEW DELHI, Oct 11 (PTI) — Senior Akali Dal leader Gurcharan Singh Tohra today ruled out any compromise on the Udham Singh Nagar issue saying his party will withdraw its ministers and support to the BJP-led government at the Centre if the district was included in the proposed Uttaranchal state. "Our political affairs committee had long back taken the decision that if Udham Singh Nagar is included in Uttaranchal and if this injustice is done to us, then we will withdraw our ministers as well as support," Mr Tohra said. Replying to questions, he told ‘Star TV’ that although he did not agree with all that AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha stood for, he did believe that a party should be given its due according to its strength. Prime Minister Atal Behari
Vajapyee had last week set up a three-member committee to
decide the future of Udham Singh Nagar after talks with
an Akali Dal delegation, including Mr Tohra. The
committee has been asked to submit its report by November
30, the day Parliament’s winter session is scheduled
to begin. |
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Punjab approaches planning CHANDIGARH, Oct 11 — Punjab has suggested to the Planning Commission that the Centre should implement a "comprehensive crop insurance scheme" and formulate a "comprehensive agriculture policy" in consultation with major foodgrain producing states to step up level of investment in farm sector to ensure a reasonable return or profit to the tiller as is available to investors in industrial sector. While taking a fresh look at the agriculture policy, issues like land ceiling laws, price structure of farm inputs, incentives for import of latest technology, knowhow from the countries which already have such experience should be kept in view. Punjab has forcefully pleaded, sources say, that since land is a "limited" input, the Centre must undertake "immediate and imaginative" population control steps to bring growth rate to the minimum possible level. The Planning Commission was informed that although "input subsidy" to Punjab agriculture of over Rs 1,000 crore was often exaggerated, the "hard fact" of under-pricing of farm output, which causes loss to farmers, to the extent of Rs 4,000 crore, per annum, often remained unreflected. Thus, farmers faced a negative subsidy (return) of Rs 3,000 crore per year. In other words, it was a "net taxation" of Punjab agriculture to the tune of 34 per cent of the state domestic product from agriculture. The result is that about 70 per cent of the farmers enjoyed less than average per capita income of the state. In contrast, sources say, the world agriculture is net "subsidised" not "taxed" to the tune of 18 per cent of its value, Japanese agriculture by 72 per cent, European community by 37 per cent and the USA by 26 per cent. Hence the need for "liberal" incentives and subsidies to the farm sector. The Centre must make the institutional credit system simple and responsive to adequately attend to the requirements of the farmers. The state has sought Planning Commission’s help for the creation of a sound marketing system and a processing network to supplement for a remunerative and assured outlet for agriculture and horticulture surpluses. Also, foodstuffs should be priced at the required nutritional level that it is within reach of an averaged Indian and expenses on foodstuffs should not constitute a high percentage of the average per capita income of India’s population. Punjab, in particular, is facing the dilemma of wheat-paddy vicious cycle. On the one hand, the state contributes to national foodbasket feeding galloping population, on the other hand, its own agro-ecology is getting deteriorated due to depletion and weakening of natural resources. There is also a growing awareness of one of the negative fallouts of the green revolution in respect of expenditure being incurred on running tubewells, tractors, harvesting combines and inputs, besides consumption of seeds and fertilizer which all consume huge sums of money, the money which farmers do not have. This calls for greater net subsidies and not taxation. Migration of labour, which Punjab though finds useful and has absorbed in its socio-economic system and rising population have not allowed farmers’ per capita income to go up though agricultural production has grown at a high speed. The farmers, in the preocess, remain cash-starved unable to finance the expenditure on modern market supplied farm inputs. All this is leading to indebtedness. It is in this backdrop that Punjab sought a "comprehensive agriculture policy" and "crop insurance". It is equally keen on laying a better and wider canal irrigation network. It has sought assistance under the Centre’s "accelerated irrigation benefit programme". Such assistance from the Centre will be needed for "remodelling" of channels of uppar bari doab canal system to meet the revised water allowance in the post-Thein Dam project period. This means a sum of Rs 154 crore. Similarly, "rehabilitation and remodelling" of channels and infrastructure for providing irrigation in south-west districts of Malwa region require Rs 148 crore. A new canal, "Dasmesh irrigation project" estimated to cost Rs 450 crore has also been planned. These projects stand submitted to the Ministry of Water Resources and the Central Water Commission for necessary clearance, which is awaited. Will the Planning
Commission respond? As an agriculture, border state,
Punjab does need special consideration which the BJP
coalition government has, so far, been miser about. It
has often ignored with impunity Punjab demands putting
the SAD-BJP relations under a cloud in the eyes of the
people. The strained inter and intra SAD-BJP relationship
is also an indication how close the two coalition
partners are. |
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What ails primary education in Gurdaspur GURDASPUR, Oct 11 — Shortage of teachers ramshackle school buildings and bogus strength of students particularly in rural primary schools to justify strength of teachers have hit quality of teaching in this district. Copying on mass scale in the usual practice during board examinations. Co-educational schools in rural areas lack facility of separate bathrooms and lavatories for girls students and women teachers. Mr Ram Partap Shah, president, the Government Secondary Teaching Union Panjab said that 16 primary schools were functioning without buildings. As many as 400 schools were in real bad shape and its buildings leak profusely while it rains. Most of the primary schools have no boundary walls. Some of the school buildings have broken doors and have become shelters for stray animals. Mr Shah said that the district received Rs 1.25 crore for the construction and repair of 75 primary schools last year. He said that grant in this regard has not been received so for in current year. As many as 21 posts of block primary education officers out of total of 23 posts have been vacant for several years. As many as 150 posts of Central Head Teacher, 144 posts of Head teacher and 81 posts of JBT teacher were lying vacant in primary schools. Mr Shah said that condition of Middle, High and Senior Secondary Schools was equally bad. Most of the buildings need repair and leak during rains. No funds for the repair of these buildings and addition of new rooms in high and senior secondary schools had been received for the past three years. It was only last year that the district received Rs 17.30 lakh for the repair of 22 buildings of middle schools. Mr Shah said that 33 posts of principal out of total of 74 posts of principal of senior secondary schools were vacant. Mr Shah alleged political interference in the transfer of teachers. The transfer of teachers was no longer the jurisdiction of the District and Circle Education Officers. Even the DPI Schools and the Secretary Education Punjab had no jurisdiction regarding the transfer of teachers. The transfers are done by the ministers with the approval of respective MLAs. He demanded that the powers of transfer should be decentralised to avoid agitation in this regard. Mr Shah said that the
opening of Adarsh Schools mooted by the SAD-BJP
Government would be an exercise in futility if norms to
improve on existing standards of education were not
assured in the present educational scenario. The
Government must make a comprehensive plan to create
academic atmosphere by removing existing bottlenecks in
educational set up may be by taking measures to improve
upon the existing education policy. |
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Woman returns to avenge her
‘murder’ PATIALA, Oct 11 — A father allegedly murdered his three children and shot his wife in a most gruesome manner with the help of his three friends in a moving Tata Sumo vehicle between Banur and Chhat village in the district last night and threw away their bodies, giving them up for dead. However, the alleged assailant’s plans turned awry when his wife walked to the nearest police station to tell the tale despite a bullet in her chest. Given up for dead after being strangled and then shot in the chest by Kulbir’s friend, Rakesh, who felt Kulbir "would not be up to the task", Baljit was thrown in a ‘khai’ near Chamaru village alongwith her daughter. Her murderers even scrapped away the tattoo K.S. on her arm and cut her clothes before throwing her in the khai. Baljit talking to The Tribune from her hospital bed in the government Rajindra Hospital here today said she acted as if she were dead and had the courage to get up only after half an hour". After that, as it was late in the night and I had no clothes on I went to a dera and borrowed some clothes, after which I was directed to the nearest police station". Narrating her tale, Baljit said Kulbir had put her and the children in a Tata Sumo saying they were to go to Rampur Bushair at 8 a.m. last night from their residence in Sector 19 of Panchkula. He was joined by three friends Rakesh, Goly and Bunty. "My daughter Daljit (13 years), my son Vicky (5) and Goldy and Rakesh were sitting in the front seat while Kulbir, Bunty and our one-and-a-half- year-old child, Happy were in the back", she said. Baljit said the car was moving towards Patiala and after having crossed Banur the stereo was put on full blast. "Immediately my husband started to strangulate me. First I thought he was in a playful mood. But I soon realised something was wrong. Simultaneously, Rakesh started strangulating my daughter Daljit, who started kicking furiously. Rakesh took out a knife and stabbed her in the stomach to quieten her. I fell unconcious even as both my sons Vicky and Happy were strangulated. As I had fallen down they threw my daughter Daljit on me. She still had some life in her and said: ‘o Mummy’. This promoted them to stab her several times. "Even though I saw my daughter dying in front of me I kept quiet" said Baljit while showing the strangulation marks on her neck and the wound where the tattoo had been scrapped off". They first started talking as to how to dispose of the bodies. While the bodies of both the boys were thrown near the roadside after removing their clothes. They felt both me and my daughter’s body should be thrown in Dhakansu nala. As there was a traffic jam near the nala they decided to put the bodies on the railway track, but retreated after seeing some persons near it. Following this they decided to throw our bodies in a khai near Chamaru after taking off our clothes. My body was dragged and given up for good. I stayed still as they had stopped for some time after throwing our bodies to see if anyone had seen them. When I was sure they would not return, I got up", Baljit said. Baljit said Kulbir, a truck driver was her second husband. She had been widowed earlier. "I even annoyed my mother to marry him in court," she said. She had been married to Kulbir for the past nine years. However, in May Kulbir had stayed away from her for some time and had started frequenting the residence of his first wife in Banur. "He started going to Banur after he had sold off five acres of land owned by me and I had stopped giving him money as and when he demanded", said Baljit who said she was working under a contractor on security duty in the PGI at Chandigarh. Meanwhile, district police
chief Parampal Singh Sidhu was not available for comment.
SP (Detective) Kewal Kumar while confirming the murders
and the recovery of the bodies of the children, said the
police was launching raids on certain tip offs and hoped
to achieve a breakthrough by tomorrow. |
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Farmers seek avenues for crop
diversification RAKHRA (Patiala), Oct 11 — Speakers at a conference, held as part of the annual kisan mela organised by the Young Farmers Association here today, urged the government not to make empty promises, but provide avenues so that diversification in the present agriculture pattern could take place. They also highlighted the need for collective farming, village-level calamity fund, facilities for setting up agro units and quarantine measures to tackle pests like bollworm. The Executive Editor of The Observer of Business and Politics, Mr Balbir Punj, also highlighted the need to double the crop production to cope up with population increase. He also stressed that production of wheat at present was only to keep the nation at the subsistence level. The amount of foodgrains available per head was still the lowest in the world. Earlier, the Young Farmers Association secretary general, Mr Bhagwan Dass, said though the state government had been talking of diversification of crops since the past 25 years, nothing concrete has been done till now. He said things had been further complicated with Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, developing a new wheat hybrid which must be sown in the first week of October. "How can the crop diversification take place with such kind of seeds being introduced when farmers want hybrids which can be harvested in shorter durations", he said. Mr Bhagwan Dass also pointed out that diversification could only take place if the government coordinated with the farmers on the issue. He said the need of the hour was adding value to crops and steps for manufacturing rice wine and other commodities. The Young Farmers Association president, Mr Jagdeep Singh Cheema, said residents of villages must start a calamity fund so that money was available in case of a crop failure or some other natural calamity. He said in view of dwindling land holdings, experiments in collective farming should also be undertaken. He also called for low interest rates on loans given to farmers, besides a policy so that farmers' children could avail of good education at their villages. Mr Ramesh Inder Singh, Principal Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister, called for activating and revamping the cooperative societies in the villages for the benefit of the farming community. He said the present agro-economy in the country needed a thorough review and overhaul, adding that while states like Punjab, subsidised farm inputs like water and power, the procurement prices of foodgrains were fixed by the Centre. He said due to this the state had to compensate for the losses suffered by the state electricity board. Mr Ramesh Inder Singh said the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had instructed Punjab Agricultural University to re-orient farm research and develop alternative crops. He said possibility of increasing the yield of maize besides encouraging soyabean production were being explored. An agricultural exhibition
was also held. Not many farmers went to the exhibition or
to the interaction session in the morning. |
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Ex-servicemen rally to tell tales of woe BATHINDA, Oct 11 — Bir Singh of Lehri village who fought in Second World War and suffered injuries on the left hand, arm and leg is still running from pillar to post to get his gallantry award. Bir Singh though not able to name of the award, said that he had been refused the same. He and his wife were keeping their lives going with the pension amount of Rs 1700. No member of his family could get any government job, he added. Sepoy Nachhatar Singh of Gandara village (Faridkot) said though he was promoted to the rank of Naik, but he was still getting the pension of sepoy. He fought in the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Naik Mohan Singh is running from pillar to post to get his arrears of pay which have become due after the implementation of recommendations of the recent pay commission. Havildar Sardara Singh who was given honorary Naib Subedar's rank and working as a gun men in a cooperative bank after he was thrown out of the job after nine years. Nahar Singh who was working as peon in a government college was not given promotion in the ex-servicemen's quota. Different tales of woes were narrated to the TNS by number of ex-servicemen in their rally organised at the local military station here today. A number of ex-servicemen alleged that they were being denied their dues by the civil authorities and there was no one who could listen to their grievances and redress those. Major General (Retd) Gurdial Singh while addressing the rally said the bureacuracy was meting out mal-treatment to the ex-servicemen. He said the ex-servicemen were being cheated by public servants. He alleged that for the past 10 years, the demand of one rank-one pension of ex-servicemen was hanging fire. He said at present 135 Army personnel and 25 BSF and CRPF personnel were being killed in the militancy infested Jammu and Kashmir and Assam, but in return of their sacrifices, the ex-servicemen were getting nothing. Lt. Gen. G.K. Duggal, AVSM, Vr C, General Officer Commanding, 10 Corps, welcoming the ex-servicemen to the rally advised them to unite under one umbrella to pressurise the government for accepting their genuine demands in the democratic manner. He said it was very unfortunate that whatever government had done for the ex-servicemen so far was very little. He said more attention should be given to widows of ex-servicemen. He appealed to the ex-servicemen to launch a crusade against the social evils and motivate people for contributing their mite for building a strong nation. Mr Kuldeep Singh, Director, Sainik Welfare, Punjab, addressing the rally said the Punjab Government was making sincere efforts for mitigating sufferings of ex-servicemen. He said ex-servicemen were being educated about their rights and facilities. He pointed out that out of 17 Param Vir Chakras given so far in the country, 4 PVC had been won by the Army personnel belonging to Punjab. There was 1475 Army men who were decorated with different awards. In the rally about 6000
ex-servicemen of Mansa and Bathinda districts, including
Major Jagjit Singh Dhillon, Brig. Bant Singh and Major
P.S. Brar, who fought in Second World War, also
participated. The ex-servicemen were given "bara
khana' and medical check-up camps were organised for
them. |
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Scrapping of ORPs not to hit
officers: Dogra BATHINDA, Oct 11 — The Director-General of Punjab Police, Mr P.C. Dogra, today said a new method had been devised to undo all the own rank and pay promotions (ORPs) given to the police officers during the days of terrorism. Addressing a press conference here, he said the method had been devised in such a way that no police officer, who had been given an ORP would lose anything. He said all the ORPs would be reviewed in a phased manner and interests of all the police officers would be protected. He said the Punjab police would impart education up to 10+2 to the children of those policemen who had been killed by the terrorists and recruited into the Punjab police as assistant sub inspectors (ASIs). He pointed out that the ISI was trying its best to pump fake currency in Punjab and Jammu. He said the police had launched joint operations with the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Himachal police to check the activities of terrorists and smugglers, which had produced good results. He said in the past one year, the Punjab police had made a record seizure of weapons and explosives. The police had busted about 10 gangs of terrorists and smugglers. Earlier, Mr Dogra presented gifts to the family members of those policemen who had laid down their lives for the country during terrorism in the state. The families belonged to Mansa, Faridkot and Bathinda districts. Mr G.S. Mann, DIG,
Faridkot, Mr Yurinder Singh, Mr H.S. Sidhu, Mr Harnek
Singh (SSPs) of Mansa, Faridkot and Bathinda and Mr S.R.
Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, were also present. |
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Overflowing drains play havoc ABOHAR: The Aspal and Abulkhurana drains, being built to give relief to the farmers of Muktsar, Malout and Abohar areas from waterlogging, have started playing havoc after the heavy rain last week. The construction of the drain had drawn the battlelines between the Bishnoi community and the Akali-led government in the state. The feelings of the community were hurt as the proposed drain partly affected the wildlife sanctuary in this area, which had the largest number of black bucks on the subcontinent. The Bishnois got further annoyed when no member of Mr Parkash Singh Badal's Government attended the last rites of the environmentalist, Sant Kumar Bishnoi, who died of cardiac arrest while spearheading the agitation against the division of the sanctuary last year. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why the functions held in this subdivision on Mr Badal's first offical visit were poorly attended last month. The Bishnois had earlier been inclined to the Congress due to Mr Bhajan Lal's efforts, but later backed the SAD-BJP combine during the last assembly election. Newsmen visiting the rural areas last weekend were told by the farmers that the walls of the recently constructed drain had collapsed at some points. Drainage Department officials had not bothered to monitor the quality of material and technology used in the construction of the drain, farmers alleged. Engineers and supervisors seldom visited the site, a former sarpanch said. Crops were damaged in Bahadur Khera village early last month as water overflowed from the drain. The village panchayat had lodged a strong protest with the state government and demanded a special girdawari to decide the compensation to be paid to farmers. The railway authorities said another breach in the drain had endangered the railway track between Panjkosi and Killianwali villages. A red alert was sounded last week. Labourers were rushed in from Bathinda, Gidderbaha and Malout to set up a temporary bundh using 8000 sand bags near the track. The fields near the track were still submerged. Another incident was reported from Dharampura village when water near Burji No. 24 flooded several acres of prime agricultural land. The small farmers said they had struggled hard to save their cotton crop from the American bollworm but the drain had now completely damaged the standing crop. The residents of Kikkarkhera village spoke of the poor quality of construction of the drain. Inefficiency in the construction of bridges on the Abohar-Sriganganagar road had let to several accidents involving casualities. A former member of the
Railway Advisory Committee was highly critical of the
authorities. The drain had crossed the railway line but
the Divisional railway manager had not bothered to visit
the Bathinda-Sriganganagar track even once during the
last three years, he pointed out. |
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Farmers resorting to
‘distress sale of paddy’ PHAGWARA, Oct 11 — AICC member and former Punjab Minister Joginder Singh Mann today expressed dissatisfaction over the paddy purchase arrangements. Mr Mann alleged farmers had been forced to resort to the distress sale of paddy. Farmers had told him that they had been waiting for the past one week for the purchase of paddy to begin in Rehana Jattan mandi. Farmers were also facing "harassment" in Phagwara. Mr Mann said if paddy was
not purchased straightaway and the harassment was not
stopped, Congressmen would stage a demonstration. |
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Probe promised into child labour case JALANDHAR, Oct 11 — While the non-government organisation People Vigilance Committee on Bonded Child and Migrant Labour is trying hard to free four children from the control of a contractor, the SDM, Phillaur, has promised to initiate an inquiry into the case. The NGO volunteer, Mr Jai Singh, who is spearheading the campaign for liberating the four minor boys alleged to TNS here today that persistent requests in this regard to the officials concerned have fallen on deaf ears. The SDM Phillaur, Mr Prem Chand, told TNS that he would depute an Executive Magistrate to conduct an inquiry into the case. According to a Punjab and Haryana High Court judgement, passed by Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice N.K. Sodhi in 1996, prosecution is a must in cases where it has been found that bonded child labour is being kept for hazardous works. The judges had directed the District Magistrate, Jalandhar, to prosecute the offenders, but till date, not a single prosecution has taken place. The NGO alleges that several reminders to successive DM’s in the past two years have given no redressal to children of a lesser god. Sad but true, the NGO
alleges that more than 3,000 cases have been brought to
the notice of the administration in the Doaba region, but
not a single child has been liberated. The story of the
juvenile homes in the state is deplorable and secrecy
shrouds the girls who are kept there, alleges the NGO. |
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booked for murder KHARAR, Oct 11 — The
police has registered a case under Section 302 and 34 of
the IPC against Balbir Singh and Manoj Kumar for
allegedly murdering Mrs Surinder Kaur a local resident
last night. According to the FIR the deceased was the
wife of younger brother of Balbir Singh. Both the accused
consumed liquor and killed her by injuring with bricks.
Property dispute was said to be the reason of the murder. |
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LPG tanker overturns, blocks traffic KHANNA, Oct 11 — An LPG tanker overturned near Bija village 10 km from here at 3.30 a.m. on the GT road . It created a panic among villagers of the area and traffic was blocked. The tanker reportedly,
overturned and fell into the middle of the road opposite
Indian Oil pertrol station. Gas started leaking from the
tanker. Traffic was blocked on the both sides of the
road. Police officials reached the spot and cleared the
traffic through link roads. The fire engines from Khanna,
Gobindgarh and Ludhiana also reached there. The police is
overseeing the transfer of the gas to another tanker.
Till 6 p.m. the tanker was lying on the road and the
traffic was going via link roads. |
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DoT told to pay compensation MUKTSAR, Oct 11 — The President of the District Consumer Redressal Forum, Mr D.R.S. Thakur, has ordered the Telecommunication Department to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to Mr Dilraj Singh and restore his telephone connection. The complainant said his telephone had been disconnected by the department; although he had paid the bills on time. Moreover, the department had allotted the same number to another person, Mr Mukhtiar Singh. The surprising factor was that the bill of the new allottee of this telephone mumber was also sent to the complainant. No bill was ever sent to Mr Mukhtiar Singh, who availing the facility. When the complainant asked
the department in this regard, they did not give a
satisfactory answer and replied that Dilraj Singh had not
payed his telephone bill. |
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Suicides on the rise in Raipur MANSA, Oct 11 — At least three residents of Raipur village near here, have burnt themselves to death recently. A few weeks ago a married youth burnt himself to death. The youth came out from his house and went around in the streets. Earlier, Mrs Balbir Kaur, 35, had set herself ablaze a few months ago. She also died. Later Balbir Kaur, Sukhpal Kaur committed suicide in the same way. Besides, one boy was hospitalised for a month for burns. At least two similar suicide attempts were reported from the village. This trail of suicide is new to the village which has known only unnatural deaths by poisoning. A village elder said a decade ago suicide used to be a once-in-a-while incident, but now it took place more often. A few residents believe that such gory incidents started taking place in the village following the death of two teenagers by a tractor. To lend weight to their belief, they say only a few days ago a boy died of electric shock and another bathing in a water course. The village youth has been
at the forefront of anti-authority movements of Leftists
and Sikh fundamentalists. |
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TA
Bn raising day celebrated PATHANKOT, Oct 11 — Somewhere in the northern sector the 126 Infantry Battalian (TA) J&K Rifles celebrated the 49th anniversary of the Territorial Army. On this occasion the Commanding Officer, Col L.S. Sundram, inspected the ceremonial guard of honour. A special sainik sammelan was held, wherein the Commanding Officer recounted role of the Territorial Army since Independence and highlighted its performance during the recent Parlimentary and Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Congratuatory messages received from the Army Commander. The ADGTA and the Sub-area Commandar were read out. Several JCOs, NCOs and
tradesmen of this unit were felicitated and rewarded for
the devotion to duty. Widows of unit personnel, who had
laid down their lives for the nations were also honoured
at the function. A unit dinner was organised and retired
personnel of the unit were invited to it. |
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Cop lynching case: 3 more held MOGA, Oct 11(PTI) — Senior Superintendent Police Moga Shard S. Chohan today claimed satisfactory progress into the investigation of the head constable lynching case by mob on September 3 and said with the arrest of three more accused total number of arrests risen to 13 while the police wanted 12 more persons. The SSP said today that three persons wanted in the murder of Tarsem Singh head constable by the mob on September 3, surrendered before the police yesterday, were identified as Harbansingh alias Hero, alias Tej Singh and Harjinder Singh alias Chhinda. All three accused were
produced before the Judicial Magistrate Moga and the
Court remanded them into police custody up to October 12. |
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