Friday, September 4, 1998
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Friday, September 4, 1998 |
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 Employees of the Punjab Mandi Board staging a dharna in front of their head office in Sector 17, Chandigarh, on Thursday. — A Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan  Ahmedabad next on British
Airways agenda Court
directive to PSEB 'I
need no lawyer' |
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 Jathedars fight has SAD worried CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — The Punjab Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra here today held a closed door meeting to discuss the Sikh head priests issue. PUTA condemns
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A flood with a difference Medical
teachers seek retirement Lok
Adalats dispose of 2,600 cases Encourage
youth clubs : DIG Health
workers demand probe Panels
formed to monitor prices |
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Jathedars fight has SAD worried CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — The Punjab Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra here today held a closed door meeting to discuss the Sikh head priests issue. This is the second meeting between the two leaders within a week. Informed sources said that Mr Tohra, who had held meetings with the three head priests separately in the last days, briefed Mr Badal about the proceedings of such meetings. Although efforts were being made by the SGPC authorities at the official level and by certain other persons at unofficial level for patch up among the three head priests — the Jathedar of Akal Takht Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Prof Manjit Singh and Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Bhai Kewal Singh — reports emerging from the field in this connection are not very encouraging. Informed sources said that tension among the three head priests was growing instead of cooling tempers. Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal has also called a meeting of its political affairs committee. Informed sources said that the meeting would be held on September 11 and the issue of Sikh head priests is expected to be discussed in detail in that meeting. The on going tussle among the head priests could also cast its shadow on the Punjab Government as well as on the SAD. Sources said that the top leadership of the SAD was worried over what the Sikh head priests tiff. Informed sources said that
both Mr Badal and Mr Tohra were going to Paonta Sahib
tomorrow to participate in a religious function and a
seminar in which a large number of Sikh intellectuals are
scheduled to participate. Both leaders were expected to
discuss this issue with the intellectuals to solve the
issue amicably and to the satisfaction of all concerned. |
Ahmedabad next on British Airways
agenda CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — Ahmedabad will be in the next choice as and when British Airways (BA) is allowed to increase the frequency of its ex-India flights. Talking to TNS Jalandhar last night, Mr David Both, who looks after the training of staff for South East Asia, and Mr Rommel Valles, Manager, North India and Nepal, said there was ample traffic available even if the present frequency of ex-India flights gets doubled. Referring to the previous bilateral agreement between India and UK, they maintained that India had asked permission for access to eight trans-Atlantic destinations through UK, which was immediately agreed. UK too, sought, similar accessibility to different destinations through India. The agreement was, however, stalled as India expressed its inability to utilise eight trans-Atlantic accessible points through UK. Until a couple of years back, the share of BA in the Indian market was more than 22 per cent. At present, BA flies out of India from New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Calcutta. Now it plans to introduce flights from Ahmedabad and Bangalore. Though Punjab has a lot of potential to generate air traffic and has been doing very well in the absence of any international airport, there is little possibility of any foreign line operating from this state. Protectionism of Air India, unwarranted controls on fares and restrictions on ex-India flights were not only hampering the growth of the aviation industry in the country, but affecting the growth of the tourism industry. The BA officials said India, with so much to offer to the world outside, had a very limited tourism industry. A country which would be touching a billion mark in population has only six or seven international airports. And without more of these the growth of the aviation industry would be difficult. Because of stiff competition, air travel had become cheaper but in the absence of infrastructure, people were unable to make use of it. They agreed that the undercutting of fares had affected on-board services. Airlines had been cutting on certain areas to stay in competition. With more and more airlines coming up and offering cheaper fares, the major airlines had no choice but to under sell. "In fact, for those who travel on leisure, the feeling of holiday starts the moment they board an aircraft. They want good facilities and want to be looked after well. We try to live upto their expectations and do not compromise on the quality of service, Mr Rommel Valles said. At times, it was the quantum of air traffic which determined fares and services offered, they said. British Airways has
entered into an agreement with a private airline to
provide technical support to it. The new airline, which
will replace Modiluft, is expected to start its
operations soon. Previously, this airline had technical
support from Lufthansa but a controversy over the payment
of bills saw the German airline pulling out of the
alliance. |
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Court directive to PSEB on bills PATIALA, Sept 3 — Additional Civil Judge Birender Singh has decreed that electricity consumers in Punjab were entitled to a clear cut time of two weeks from the date of delivery of electricity bill till last date fixed for payment. According to a copy of the judgement received today the Public Interest Litigation Aid Forum had filed a suit for allowing this facility to the consumers under Section 91 of the code of Civil Procedure, the suit said the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) distributed bills a week or sometimes only a few days before the last date particularly when there were consecutive holidays in between. It also said sometimes bills were misdelivered or lost resulting in the disconnection of electricity supply and causing levy of penalty. The PSEB took the objection that no public interest was involved and suit by the PILAF was not maintainable. Mr Birender Singh ruled that the court would allow litigation in public interest if it was found that a person or group of persons were approaching the court in public interest for the redressal of public injury arising from a breach of the public duty. He said the PILAF had not approached the court with mala fide intention and the litigation initiated in public interest if not remedied or prevented would weaken the faith of the common man in the institution of judiciary. The judge also ruled that the PSEB despatch or hand over the bills to the bill-distributors strictly on the date of issue, who would deliver these to the consumers within two days of the issue as provided under the instructions. He said for enforcing the said instructions in letter and spirit the PSEB could if needed employ more bill distributors. Mr Birender Singh ruled in
case a particular consumer approached the PSEB for
extension of time for payment of a bill after the due
date was over on the ground that he was delivered the
bill late, his request be considered sympathetically and
he should be granted extension of time by a few days as a
matter of routine without going into the question as to
whether he was delivered the bill in the time or late.
The PSEB should issue instructions forthwith to its
officers concerned to this effect, the judge said. |
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PUTA condemns AIFUCTO stand PATIALA, Sept 3 — The Punjabi University Teachers' Association (PUTA) today condemned the statements of Mr Thekedath and Mr M. Bhatacharya, president and general secretary, respectively, of AIFUCTO announcing their decision to withdraw the ongoing teachers strike if arrears were paid in cash with effect from December 1, 1996, and acceptance of some other demands relating to college teachers. Prof B.S. Nanda and Dr Jaswinder Singh, president and secretary respectively of PUTA in a statement here today said the AIFUCTO leadership should not serve the interests of college teachers only at the cost of university teachers. University teachers are demanding UGC pay scales, quota-free eight years merit promotion scheme for all lecturers and readers and implementation of all scales from January 1, 1996. PUTA has also decided to join the Federation of Central Universities Teacher's Associations demonstration at Delhi tomorrow. Meanwhile, Mr Ramesh Singla, Senate member, Punjabi University and a former Congress MLA has threatened to sit on an indefinite fast from September 11 in front of the house of Dr Murli Manohar Joshi if the demands of the teachers were not accepted by September 10. Mr Singla in a statement
here today said the adamant attitude of the BJP
Government in about the teachers strike was aggravating
the issue. He said though more than three weeks have
passed since the strike began, no central minister had
initiated a dialogue with the striking teachers. |
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Mustard oil
not sold in Patiala PATIALA, Sept 3 — Mustard oil has been taken off the shelves of general merchant shops throughout the district. Inquiries in various markets of Patiala, Samana, Rajpura and Nabha revealed that shopkeepers have taken the commodity of their shelves. However reports of it being sold on the sly in small towns were being received. The authorities are in a fix as to what to do in such a situation. Already a law and order problem was created twice in the town when officials of the Health Department went to bazaars to take samples of mustard oil. On August 11 a team led by the District Health Officer, Mr Baldev Singh, was roughed up at Sarhandi Bazaar and two samples taken by it were snatched from them. The police had to intervene to rescue an official who had been gheraoed by the mob. Though an FIR was registered in the case after a few days. Another team which went to collect samples from Anaj Mandi on August 25 was unable to do its job following a gherao by the mob. The situation was further complicated with the local Beopar Mandal alleging that the ugly situations were created as the officials had come to collect their "monthly" pay off which had got delayed. District Health Officer Baldev Singh said following the two incidents the department had asked the police to provide security to it when its teams went to collect samples. He said following this a few raids were planned but they had to be cancelled as the local police did not depute personnel to accompany the raiding party. Mr Baldev Singh said a raid had been planned on August 29 also but on that day also the police personnel failed to arrive till the afternoon due to which the raid was cancelled. The DHO said the police had told the department that it would provide security to any team of the Health Department provided they were told about the raid in advance. He decided to take the help of the sub-divisional magistrate to collect samples. The DHO said the department was having problems in collecting samples at the sub-divisional and tehsil levels also. Department officials were able to collect samples from a shop at Samana. But a farmer intervened to say that the oil was his and not of the shopkeeper. Mr Baldev Singh said a large quantity of mustard was being put underground. Meanwhile, general
merchants have at many places put up boards that mustard
oil was not available in their shops. One such board at
Rajpura reads "saron da tail mang ke sharminda na
karo". |
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'I need no
lawyer' CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — Jagtar Singh Tara, one of the suspects in the Beant Singh assassination case who yesterday made a confessional statement before the Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, today told the court that he did not want to contest the charge levelled against him by the prosecution. Moving another application before the Sessions Judge, who held court at the high-security Burail jail, Tara urged that the charge against him might be decided at the earliest. The judge offered him the services of a lawyer at the state expense. Tara declined the offer. He then raised such slogans as "Khalistan zindabad", "Bhai Dilawar Singh zindabad," "Babbar Khalsa zindabad" and "Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale zindabad." CBI counsel, Mr S.K. Saxena and Mr R.K. Handa, urged the judge to place this application on the record of the court. Earlier the Sessions Judge conducted the cross-examination of Mr Madanjit Chhina, a Senior Assistant with the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On being quizzed by the defence counsel, Mr Chhinda said he had met Lakhvinder Singh, another suspect in the case, for more than 100 times before the bomb blast in which Beant Singh was killed on August 31, 1995, outside the Punjab Secretariat. At that time Lakhvinder Singh lived at Kansal village in the union territory. Mr Chhinna told the court that he met Dilawar Singh, 'human bomb,' at the room of Lakhvinder Singh nearly 10 times. He denied that the CBI had shown him photographs of Dilawar Singh or Lakhvinder Singh during the investigation of the case. He told the court in
answer to a question asked by the defence counsel that he
met Lakhvinder Singh last on September 2, 1995, at the
house of Lakhvinder Singh. While one Dalbir Singh Mala
had consumed liquor there, he had taken a few pieces of
pork meat. |
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A flood with a difference FATEHGARH SAHIB: Fatehgarh Sahib is perhaps the only district in the state which is flooded with numerous election petitions regarding the recent panchayat elections. There are 438 panchayats in the district and about 300 petitions are pending in the office of the district election tribunals. Many poll petitioners allege that candidates for panches and sarpanches were changed after the last date of withdrawal of nomination papers; some contend that their nomination papers were rejected on flimsy grounds to favour certain candidates; while others complain that they were declared elected after the counting of votes but soon after the poll result was reversed for reasons best known to the authorities. Mr Avtar Singh Lattour, president of the Bahujan Samaj Morcha, told The Tribune that the government had not made the reservation rules clear. Some general category panches have been elected against the SC and ST quota. In Kaulgarh village Didar Singh, a Jat Sikh, was declared panch of the village on the SC quota. In Khumna village the returning officer declared only two Scheduled Caste panches against three reserved seats. He said the staff deputed had no knowledge about the rules. Mr Surjit Singh Sahi stated that he was once elected panch of Nabipur village on getting 188 votes, but later his opponent Mr Jarnail Singh, was declared elected. Mr Kishan Singh of Lakhanpur village pointed out that he and his rival got 71 votes each but the returning officer did not show him the invalid votes and declared his rival elected as a panch. Ranjit Singh was declared sarpanch of Badochi Kalan unanimously, but his opponent alleged that these was never any unanimity. Mr Ujjagar Singh Namberdar alleged that his forged signatures were taken to make him sarpanch unanimously. Similarly Mr Narinder Singh was declared sarpanch of Attapur village but his rivals alleged malpractices. A leading Akali leader of the area, Harbhajan Singh, sarpanch of Chanarthal village, alleged that in his village the returning officer declared a woman who got only 46 votes elected as panch, whereas her opponent got 70 votes. It is worthwhile mentioning here that the election commission had earlier taken action against the BDPO, Amloh, who was the returning officer of the Amloh block. He has also asked to explain why the returning officers of Amloh, Sirhind, Khera, Bassi Pathana had changed the names of the declared candidates a month after the completion of the election process. When contacted, the district returning officer admitted that there was confusion. He said petitions were being filed where elections were held for the first time under the new reservation policy under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994. The reservation policy has lent itself to different interpretations by different returning officers and election officers. Since no previous adjudication on this reservation policy was available for reference, it had resulted in a number of instances where the aggrieved parties felt cheated. He said this time the procedure was different. Earlier the time between the withdrawal of nominations and the date of the poll was only of 10 days. In this period all arrangements like printing of ballot papers and training of staff could not be done properly. Various panches and sarpanches while talking to The Tribune suggested that the Deputy Commissioners should have been made the district electoral officers as in the parliament and assembly poll to avoid confusion. Mr T.R. Sarangal, Deputy Commissioner, who heads the district election tribunal said everyone had the right to appeal in court. There was no confusion. All the petitions would be decided within the prescribed time. Till now only one election
petition from Naraina village had been decided, in which
Mr Avtar Singh was declared elected as sarpanch. His
staff was working hard in handling the petitions. |
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Medical teachers seek retirement AMRITSAR, Sept 3 — The quality of medical education in various colleges is bound to deteriorate as many faculty members have sought premature retirement to join privately managed colleges. If the exodus continued unabated, the Medical Council of India may direct the medical colleges to improve the faculty which are pre-requirement for maintaining the affiliations. The 24-hour notices, submitted by some top medical teachers sought premature retirement because they felt "frustrated and humiliated" during their service in the medical colleges as the government failed to redress their grievances like enhancement in their pay scales etc. A 24-hour notice for resignation and premature retirement addressed to the Secretary, Medical Education and Research says that the Punjab Government has been unable to redress grievances of the medical and dental teachers. The Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association claimed that about 10 per cent of total doctor teachers from medical college here had opted for premature retirement. In the past 15 days, six teachers gave 24 hours notice for pre-mature retirement to join privately managed colleges. The association further
claimed that more resignations would follow which may
lead to de-recognition by the MCI if government failed to
take corrective measures immediately. |
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Lok Adalats dispose of 2,600
cases CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — The Punjab Legal Services Authority today convened a meeting under the chairmanship of Mr Justice H.S. Brar, a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to review the progress made by the authority from January 1 to June 30, 1998. Mr S. S. Arora, Member-Secretary of the authority, said during this period free legal aid was rendered to nearly 1,000 persons while 2,600 cases were disposed of through Lok Adalats. Compensation to the tune of over Rs 9 crore was granted in various accident cases decided by the Lok Adalat. The meeting gave its nod for an increase in honorarium and legal expenses payable to legal practitioners engaged by the authority. The meeting also lauded the scheme of legal aid counsel as framed by the National Legal Services Authority and approved by Dr Justice J.S. Anand, a Judge of the Supreme Court, and Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority for providing free legal services to persons in custody from the beginning — from the stage of remand in the magisterial courts — and commended the action of the Executive Chairman of the State Authority in adopting and implementing the scheme regarding appointment of legal aid counsel in magisterial courts with effect from August 1, 1998, in the state. The meeting also appreciated the idea of establishing a permanent Lok Adalat in all district headquarters in the state with a view to providing speedy and inexpensive justice to people. The meeting was attended, among others by Mr G.P.S. Sahi, Principal Secretary, Department of Home Affairs; Mr Vijay Kain, Secretary, Department of Finance, Mr S. S. Grewal, Legal Remembrancer and Secretary, Department of Legal and Legislative Affairs; and Mr G.S. Grewal, Advocate-General, Punjab.
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Encourage youth clubs : DIG ABOHAR, Sept 3 — The police will launch campaigns on drug de-addiction and vanamahotsava in the Ferozepur range. This was stated by Mr Hardip Singh Dhillon, DIG at his first police-public meeting here last evening. Mr Dhillon asked all policemen in three districts of the range to plant at least one sapling each for better environment. He said the Station House Officers should encourage youth clubs in the villages and inspire youth to participate in the games to keep them away from drugs. Some of the citizens alleged that at least 70 per cent students of the colleges were using drugs which were freely available. They criticised chemists who sell cough syrups and prohibited injections without prescription. Representatives of political parties and voluntary organisations also expressed their anger over the alleged violation of rules by liquor and wine contractors in the area under the very nose of Excise and Taxation Department and the police. They alleged that liquor shops were allegedly run by contractors in localities dominated by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and other economically weaker sections and even near schools and temples. They demanded action against such contractors. Some representatives alleged that certain cinema houses were screening obscene films and city walls were full of obscene posters. Regarding traffic problem it was urged that the timber market should be shifted out of town. Representatives regretted that the authorities had not bothered to construct round-abouts at the Hanumangarh-Sriganganagar bypass despite number of accidents. The DIG also asked the insecticide dealers not to market sub-standard insecticides. The SSP, Mr Gurcharan
Singh Pherurai, said two special cells headed by police
inspectors would be set up within two days to check
smuggling of narcotics from Rajasthan. |
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Health workers demand probe CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Punjab Health Minister, today assured employees to the Punjab Health Department that he would order an inquiry into the alleged supply of sub-standard and expired medicines to multi-purpose health (MPH) workers for distribution in rural areas. A deputation of employees led by Mr Surinder Kumar Sharma, secretary, and Mr Puran Chand, president of the Punjab Health Employees Welfare Forum, met Mr Kalia in his office at the Punjab civil secretariat here. The forum leaders in a statement said that they had received large number of complaints from health workers in the field that officials concerned were giving them sub-standard and expired medicines for distribution. They also said that test tubes were being provided to health workers in large numbers which were of no use. They said that the funds of the department should be used for the right cause and not for dumping items like test tubes in the field. They also submitted a charter of demands of the employees to Mr Kalia. They demanded that MPH workers should be promoted as supervisors on seniority basis and allowed training after promotion. Part-time sweepers should be employed at MPH centres and anomalies in pay scales of employees should be removed. The forum demanded that
homoeopathic and Ayurvedic dispensers should be
redesignated as pharmacists. |
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Panels formed to monitor prices BATHINDA, Sept 3 — Following directions of the Punjab Government, district, sub-divisional and block level vigilance committees have been constituted by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Ladhar, for monitoring prices of essential commodities. In a Press note issued here today, Mr Ladhar said these vigilance committees would also work for keeping the price of essential commodities under control. He said for providing fruits and vegetables on reasonable prices, the district administration would start the "Apni Mandi" scheme. He said shopkeeper had been advised to sell their commodities at a maximum profit of 10 per cent. He said at a meeting with trade organisations, the shopkeepers had been directed to display the rate list of commodities in front of their shops.
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Programme
for state, NRI youth LUDHIANA, Sept 3 — A programme involving the Punjabi youth of the state and of NRI’s is being planned by the NRI Sabha. The NRI youth would be put up with groups youth from the state Cultural programmes of these joint groups would be organised in various cities of the state. This was disclosed by Mr B.K. Srivastava, Commissioner, Jalandhar division and chairman, Central NRI Sabha, at a monthly meeting of the sabha here today. Mr Srivastava said NRI Sabha in districts would ensure the early solution of the problems faced by NRI’s. Punjabis would work as trustees of the NRI’s in the development of their native villages, he said. Mr Arun Goel, Deputy
Commissioner, and chairman NRI’s Sabha, Ludhiana, Mr
Apinder Singh Grewal, Mayor and president NRI’s
Sabha, Mr Gurmail Singh, secretary and Mr Resham Singh
vice-president, Cultural NRI’s Sabha also spoke. |
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Aulakh
refutes charge LUDHIANA, Sept 3 — Dr K.S. Aulakh, Director of Research, Punjab Agricultural University, today refuted the charge that PAU was to be blamed for farmers’ woes in the state. He said in a statement here that these observations made at a seminar organised by the Bharti Kisan were "not based on facts." The development of agriculture and the plight of farmers in any society depended upon a number of contributing factors. These included scientific technology, transfer of technology to farmers and adequate supply of inputs and credit facilities at reasonable interest rates for the purchase of inputs etc. Except for the first factor PAU had no control over the others. The technology developed
by PAU had been accepted by the farmers in the state
leading to the increase in agricultural production which
had no parallel in the other part of the world. |
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Badal
honours 30 freedom fighters BALACHAUR, Sept 3 — Punjab made many sacrifices during the freedom movement and contributed in a big way for national reconstruction. The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal said on the occasion of martyrdom day of warriors of Babbar movement shaheed Karam Singh and his associates at Daulatpur village, 10 km from here yesterday. He said Punjab bore the brunt of partition its people suffered heavily during decade-long turmoil in the state for which the Congress was "fully responsible". Mr Badal said his government had also been able to clear the state from debt of Rs 8400 crore. Mr Badal honoured over 30 freedom fighters. He announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for a primary school, Rs 15 thousand for the repair of Dharamshala and, Rs 40 thousand for computer. He also laid the foundation stone of a block of Babbar Karam memorial public school. Mr Satnam Singh Kainth, MP
Mr Nand Lal Balachaur and Mr Mohan Lal Banga (both MLAs
and the Deputy Commissioners of Nawanshahr, and Jalandhar
also paid their tributes to martyrs. |
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Inquiry
demanded against
Director ROPAR, Sept 3 — The general secretary of the Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Sekhon), Dr Tejwant Mann, has demanded an inquiry against the Director, Languages, Punjab, Dr Madan Lal Hasija for allegedly committing some irregularities in the functioning of the department. Talking to this correspondent on phone, Dr Mann alleged that the Director had created hurdles in the development of Punjabi by adopting "anti-Punjabi language methods, which included closure of some projects of the language Department. Dr Mann alleged some
financial irregularities in the printing of manuscripts
of books. He also criticised the Director for allegedly
spending the department's funds on dance and songs
programme in the name of culture. |
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2 units of
power plant shut down ROPAR, Sept 3 — The two units of local Guru Gobind Singh Thermal Plant were shut down following tripping due to leakage in boiler tubes. Now four out of the six units are generating power. According to an official spokesman of the plant, the boiler tube of unit No 1 leaked today, while the boiler tube of unit No 3 started leaking on Tuesday. The spokesman said the
repair work of the boiler tubes was in progress. It was
expected that both the units would be operational by
tomorrow. |
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Primary health centre for Palsora CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — The Chandigarh Administration will set up a primary health centre at Palsora village, which will be run by the local Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32. An announcement to this effect was made by Mr Jagdish Sagar, Adviser to the Administrator, while presiding over a nutrition exhibition "santulit aahar-khushhali ka adhaar" organised by the Dietetics Department of the GMCH at Palsora. Mr. Satya Pal Jain, MP, inaugurated the exhibition. Mr Sagar said for setting up the proposed health centre, 200 to 250 persons would have to vacate land for the purpose. He stressed upon the need to hold such camps and exhibitions at villages. A competition was held to
choose the healthiest male and female child in Palsora.
Harminder (in the group below 1 year ) and Nitesh ( age
group 1 to 2 years) won the "Palsora- ka-
rajkumar" crowns while Sakhi Devi |
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Teachers
stage dharna FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 3 – The teachers of local Mata Gujri College, who had been on indefinite strike for the last 24 days sat on a dharna and raised slogans against the government on Thursday. Prof Nirdokh Singh, member
State Committee and Prof G.S. Sandhu said they will
participate in the rally in Delhi tomorrow and will wear
black badges on Teachers' day. |
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Capt
Kanwaljit
decries Congress role PHILLAUR, Sept 3 — Punjab Finance Minister Captain Kanwaljit Singh, while addressing a religious gathering on the occasion of 15th death anniversary of Bawa Charanjit Singh at Begowal today, claimed that SAD-BJP government was committed to work for all-round development of the state and therefore increased its annual plan from Rs 2100 crore to Rs 2500 crore. Finance Minister said that the government had urged the 11th Finance Commission to increase share of the states in the gross tax receipts of the Centre from 29 per cent to 50 per cent also allowing them to retain the entire collection of small savings schemes. Accusing the Congress of
spoiling atmosphere of the state, the minister said that
the Congress had done nothing to solve any issue. It
always worked to complicate them. Mrs Surinder Kaur
Badal, wife of Punjab Chief Minister, besides Punjab
Ministers including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Mr Gurdev Singh
Badal, Mr Swarna Ram, Mr Ajit Singh Kohara, Mr Gobind
Singh Kanjla, Mr Raghbir Singh, Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan
also addressed the gathering. |
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Action against
doctor
recommended GURDASPUR, Sept 3 — Dr Ajaib Singh Sandhu, Civil Surgeon, has recommended action against a doctor and a driver of the ambulance for their alleged negligence to attend a patient on August 31 following an inquiry report submitted by the Senior Medical Officer the Local Civil Hospital. The patient, Tarsem Lal of Sidhwan village near here was brought to the hospital in a serious condition and was later referred to Amritsar where he succumbed to his injuries on September 1 early morning. BJP workers staged a demonstration under the leadership of Mr Ravi Gupta, president of the district unit of the BJP in protest against belated treatment of the patient. They also demanded the transfer of the Civil Surgeon. The hospital authorities
when contacted said that the Civil Surgeon was not even
remotely associated with the delay in the treatment of
the patient. Sources said a case under Section 307 IPC
was registered against some supporters of the BJP at
Pathankot and the BJP minister had allegedly pressurised
the Civil Surgeon to alter the medico-legal report but
the Civil Surgeon refused to oblige the minister and
stuck to the report submitted by a doctor of Pathankot. |
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Bazigar
woman raped PATIALA, Sept 3 — A case has been registered against three persons for raping a woman of the Bazigar community at Gurditpura village near Nabha in the district yesterday. The case has been registered at Nabha Sadar Police Station. According to the complaint, who is a married woman, she was raped in the fields near the village. She had gone there to collect firewood. The FIR has named Gulzar Singh, Ghota and a panchayat member of Jagna Paneh village and held them responsible for the crime. The case has been
registered under Section 376/34 of the IPC. The three
accused were absconding. |
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