Sunday, September 13, 1998
|
P U N J A B | |
Sunday, September 13, 1998 |
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
 |
||
|
Judges
tackle Bid
to raise more |
 |
|
||||||
|
PM's Punjab
visit on November 1 HP
Speaker visits Golden Temple Transporters
for ST checkposts 'Kale
Kachchhewale' gang busted Late
Akali leader's son joins Congress Aliwal:
Centre will meet all demands |
||||||||
 |
||||
Judges tackle result mess JALANDHAR, Sept 12 — Shorn of all pomp and show, the two-day Lok Adalat organised by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the campus of the beleaguered Punjab Technical University to satisfy the students who doubted the correctness of their CET result even after the declaration of the revised result, started this morning on a sombre note. As the clock struck 10, five High Court Judges, Mr Justice R.S. Mongia, Mr Justice H.S. Bedi, Mr Justice R.L. Anand, Mr Justice B. Rai and Mr Justice Swatantar Kumar occupied their respective Benches. They were assisted by judicial officers and social activists. The Chief Justice, Mr Arun B. Saharya, who had championed the cause of the students who had been wronged by the university in the tabulation of the original result, oversaw the functioning of the Lok Adalat. The brief of the Lok
Adalat was: The first to appear before the Bench headed by Mr Justice Swatantar Kumar was a group of visibly upset parents of 22 students, delivering a representation to the Chief Justice, who sat beside Mr Justice Swatantar Kumar, they said in a chorus: "Our confusion has been further confounded after the declaration of the revised result. Most of the students have received two marksheets. In certain cases there are variations both in marks and ranks, while in others there are variations in rank. Which of the two marksheets should a student believe as correct?" they asked. They pleaded with the Chief Justice and Mr Justice Swatantar Kumar that since the PTU had messed up the original result, the re-checking of the result ought to have been entrusted to any other university to restore the confidence of the students. This grievance was, perhaps, too late to be redressed. Mr Jaspinder Singh (Roll No 11048) was dissatisfied both with the original and revised result. He was awarded 122 marks. Nurturing doubts about the correctness of his result, he told the Bench that he suspected that the university had committed a mistake in totalling his marks. His doubt proved true. He was given only 3.2 marks in the chemistry paper whereas his marks were 31. This raised the total of his marks from 122 to 149.75. With the increase of 27 marks, he jumped ahead of several hundreds, if not thousands, of students. He left the PTU campus in a jubilant mood. Ms Ambika Rampal and Ms Amarpreet Kaur Dawra were dissatisfied about the result and they left the Lok Adalat with confounded dissatisfaction. While Ms Rampal asserted and insisted that one of her questions in the chemistry paper had been wrongly struck off by the examiner and urged the Lok Adalat to get it re-evaluated, the grievance of Ms Dawra was that although one of the questions in her mathematics paper was ticked as correct, the examiner did not award her marks for this question. Both girls were told that there was no provision for re-evaluation of result under the university result. They were asked to contest their case in the court. Ms Bhakti Sharma (Roll No. 101020) revealed that students who wanted to seek admission to the architecture course were required to take mathematics, physics, and aptitude test for architect. To her surprise she found that students who had not taken the compulsory aptitude test were brought by the university in the zone of eligible students. This had marred the chances of those who had taken all the four papers. Although most of the students who appeared before the Lok Adalat expressed satisfaction over the correctness of their result, there were quite a sizeable number of students who remained dissatisfied. While in the morning
session the Lok Adalat attended to the grievances of
those whose examination centres were Gurdaspur, Amritsar,
Ferozepore and Jammu, the afternoon session was devoted
to students of Ludhina and Jalandhar centres. |
Bid to raise more funds for
civic work LUDHIANA: In an innovative approach, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation will organise video and slide shows in a bid to educate and motivate its citizens into paying more for basic services in the megacity. Right now, the scenario is depressing, to put it mildly. Large parts of Ludhiana do not have reliable supply of drinking water. There are no sewer lines. Roads are in a state of neglect. In many areas, streets and roads have disappeared altogether. Street lighting, garbage removal and allied services operate in fits and starts. "It is not a very happy situation," admits the city's new municipal commissioner, Mr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, in what must be an understatement. He took over charge of his assignment about five weeks ago and has since been studying civic problems. There has been an haphazard and explosive growth of the city in the past decade and a half. Private colonisers set up colonies by promising the moon to the people. Once they made their pile, they disappeared from the scene without bothering to provide even the basic amenities in these areas. Even the numbering of residential houses is so haphazard that it is difficult to locate an address in most areas. All these problems have now landed on the municipal corporation's lap. "The provision of basic amenities for the entire city will require about Rs 1400 crore," says Mr Sandhu. "We just don't have that kind of money. Last year, the corporation's annual budget was a measly Rs 96 crore. After paying staff salaries, the corporation was left with just Rs 38 crore for developmental work. There is nothing much one can do with this amount". According to Mr Sandhu, the provision of civic services, including supply of drinking water, provision for sewers, pavement of roads and streets and streetlights costs Rs 393 per square yard. The Punjab Urban Development Authority has offered to undertake the job at the rate of Rs 350 per sq yd. But the corporation has resolved to charge only between Rs 20 and Rs 80 per sq yd from its citizens as developmental charges. Obviousy, this amount is grossly inadequate. Hence, the need to educate the citizens into paying more for basic services. "We have to tell them that you cannot have something for nothing. And I must say that people are willing to pay, provided they are assured that the money would be utilised properly and the results would be there for all to see," he asserts. Right now, the credibility of the municipal corporation is at nadir. It is under attack from all sides. Corruption is alleged to be all pervasive. Many look at it as a massive money-making machine. There is mass absenteeism. There have been cases
where corporation employees have "employed"
others to attend office or carry out the assigned chores
while they themselves relax at home or concentrate on
some side business. Officers and their subordinates seem
to specialise in passing the buck and advancing excuses
for not doing anything. There is no established system of
redressal of grievances with the result that citizens are
forced to run from pillar to post even for minor work. |
||
Coalition to set up coordination panels JALANDHAR, Sept 12 (UNI) — The ruling Akali-BJP combine in Punjab today announced its decision to set up "coordination committees" at both state and district level for the smooth functioning of the alliance at the governmental and political level. Stating this at a press conference here after a two-day meeting of the BJP state executive, state party president Daya Singh Sodhi said the decision was taken after "free and frank" voicing of grievances by BJP leaders before Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who addressed the meeting’s concluding session. Mr Sodhi claimed that the Akali Dal leader gave a "patient hearing to our political and administrative grievances." Asked if the state-level coordination committee to be set up by the ruling alliance, would now concentrate more on inter-state issues to smoothen ruffled sentiments of the Akali leadership, Mr Sodhi said "it (coordination committee) will only take up Punjab issues." On whether the state unit of the BJP would impress upon the Vajpayee government to solve the outstanding demands like the transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas and solving the river waters dispute, he said the union government was functioning as per a national agenda which was agreed upon by the coalition partners, including the Akali Dal. "We (BJP) have set aside our own agenda on Article 370 and Ram Mandir, and the coalition partners cannot force us to take up issues against the respective parties," he said. Mr Sodhi said SGPC president G.S. Tohra’s remarks against the BJP government at the Centre and Mr Vajpayee came up for discussion at the meeting. The Akali demand against merging Udham Singh Nagar district in the proposed Uttaranchal also was a point at the deliberations. The BJP leader said his party had reiterated that it was "unjust" on the part of the SGPC president to equate the BJP with the Congress and Mr Vajpayee with Mrs Indira Gandhi. "It was the Congress which was responsible for Operation Bluestar and Mr Vajpayee’s stand on the ‘1984 riots’ is known to all," he said. Mr Sodhi claimed that Mr
Badal assured the BJP leadership that the Akali Dal would
continue to "cooperate" with the Centre on the
Udham Singh Nagar issue. While claiming that the issue
would be resolved to the satisfaction of the Akali Dal,
he said even in the "worst case scenario", Mr
Badal had assured his party’s continuing cooperation
to the BJP. |
||
Medical teachers' stir spreads PATIALA, Sept 12 — The agitation launched by medical and dental teachers of Government Medical College, Amritsar, against the indifferent attitude of the Punjab Government towards the revision of their pay scales has spread to Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Provoked by the suspension of four teachers and mass transfer of senior faculty members of Amritsar Medical College, medical teachers and PCMS and junior doctors of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital held a massive rally in front of the OPD complex here today. The rally was addressed among others by Dr Baljit Dhillon, general secretary of the Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association (PSMDTA), Dr B.S. Tuli, general secretary of the local unit of the PSMDTA, Dr Janak Arora, a former president of the PSMDTA, Dr Sachin Walia and Dr Prem Phosla of the PSMDTA. The rally was also addressed by Dr B.S. Sohal of the PCMS Association who assured full support to the agitators. The speakers condemned the repressive measures adopted by the Medical Education Department. They appreciated the stand taken by the medical teachers of Amritsar Medical College who resigned en masse yesterday. Meanwhile, the president of PCMS Association, Punjab, Dr B.S. Sahota, and the general secretary, Dr D.C. Sharma, expressed solidarity with the agitating teachers. They urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to revoke the suspension of the four teachers and start a dialogue with their representatives. AMRITSAR (FOC): President of the Punjab Medical College and Dental Teachers Association, Dr Manmohan Singh, has said the vindictive attitude of the government had forced professors, assistant professors and senior lecturers to submit their resignations. Addressing a press conference here today, he however, stated that faculty members would take MBBS, MD and MS classes so that the studies did not suffer due to the strike. The secretary of the association, Mr Rajinder Singh Sidhu, pointed out that the teachers were getting less than their counterparts belonging to the PCMS and senior residents. Meanwhile, the local branch of the Indian Medical Association here has supported the demands of striking medical and dental teachers. The President of the IMA,
Dr Jasjit Chhachi, has appealed to the Punjab Government
to release the revised pay scales with immediate effect. |
||
PM's Punjab visit on November 1 CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will visit Punjab on November 1 to inaugurate a "total employment complex" at Kaljharani village, 30 km from Bathinda. Col B.S. Bhangoo told newspersons at Bathinda today that the Army had been deployed to level 64 acres of land to enable the district administration to complete the construction of the complex for the inauguration. The land for the project
had been donated by the village. Dairy farming, poultry
and other employment-oriented ventures would be set up in
the village to provide avenues for employment to the
village youth. |
||
HP Speaker visits Golden
Temple AMRITSAR, Sept 12 — Thakur Gulab Singh, Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh assembly, today paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Mandir. He had come here along with his family. He also partook of langar at the Golden Temple. The Speaker also laid
wreaths at the Flame of Liberty at Jallianwala Bagh. In
the evening he visited the Wagah border to witness the
beating of the retreat. |
||
Left,
BSP to continue fight CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — Mr Balwant Singh, state secretary of the CPM, Mr Joginder Dayal, state secretary, CPI, and Mr C.D. Kamboj, president, Punjab unit of the BSP, in a joint statement here today, said their parties would continue their joint struggle against rising prices, for free power to urban and rural poor and waiving of loans of the farming community. They said the next
programme would be announced by them on September 23. |
||
Transporters for ST checkposts CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — A meeting of transporters of Punjab was held here today under the chairmanship of Mr Sudhir Mital, Excise and Taxation Commissioner, to seek their cooperation in curbing tax evasion. The transporters demanded the revival of sales tax check barriers. Mr Mital said the
government was concerned over the large-scale evasion of
sales tax. He said strict action would be taken against
those who tried to obstruct "lawful
inspections" of business premises and shops. |
||
Bajaj chief of IAS
officers’ body CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — At a meeting of IAS officers of the Punjab cadre, here today Mr B.R. Bajaj was unanimously elected president of the Punjab IAS officers Association. It is the Mr Bajaj’s second term as president of the association. Mr Sarvesh Kaushal was appointed returning officer for conducting the election. Ms Ravneet Kaur, Mr C.L. Bains, Mr J.S. Kesar, Mr J.R. Kundal, Mr Rakesh Singh, Mr S.S. Chany, Mr N.S. Kalsi, Mr Dharmveer, Mrs Vini Mahajan, Mr Sanjay Kumar, Mr K.S. Saroj, Mrs Seema Jain, Mr B.S. Soodan, Mr K.A.P. Sinha and Mr V.K. Singh have been elected members of the executive of the association. Senior, middle rung and
junior officials have been given equal representation in
the executive, it is learnt. |
||
Plea
for escort jeep AMRITSAR, Sept 12 — Mr Kirpal Singh Randhawa, Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Organisation, in a communication to the DGP, Punjab, said either the CRPF security given to him as per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court be withdrawn or an escort Jeep be given to him. Mr Randhawa alleged that
he was being discriminated by the Punjab Police as other
politicians who were under threat like him had been given
vehicles to carry their escorts. |
||
'Kale
Kachchhewale'
gang busted FAZILKA, Sept 12 — The police last night busted the "kale kachchhewale" gang and seized two pistols and nine cartridges. Jewellery worth Rs 3.5 lakh was also recovered. According to a press note, the police raided a deserted brick-kiln at Chandmari village, 8 km from here, and arrested two men and two women while they were allegedly conspiring to commit a major dacoity. The accused have been
identified as Sunil, alias Shehkal, Vicky, alias Bepra,
Chatro and Ajab Bai. They belong to Guna district of
Madhya Pradesh and are Pardis. |
||
Late Akali leader's son joins
Congress BATHINDA, Sept 12 — Mr Sandeep Singh, son of the late Akali minister Teja Singh today announced his joining the Congress Party along with his supporters. Talking to TNS, he said that he was joining the Congress Party as Mr Parkash Singh Badal was misleading the people on all the issues of Punjab. He alleged that no section of society was happy with the functioning of the state government. The SAD-BJP combine government of the state had failed to fulfil its promises made on the eve of last Assembly elections, he added. He said that with the
installation of Capt Amarinder Singh as president of the
PPCC, the Akali Dal had suffered a setback in the Malwa
region as number of Akali leaders who were not happy with
the performance of the state government were coming into
the Congress fold. |
||
JEs
hold meeting CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — An emergent meeting of the general body of the Junior Engineers Association of the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department was held at SAS Nagar today in which delegates from all over the state participated, according to a press note issued by the association. The association expressed
concern over the delay in the promotions of junior
engineers in the department. Mr Inderjit Singh, general
secretary of the association, said the department
authorities had assured the association a few months ago
that promotions would be made but nothing had been done
in this connection so far. |
||
Aliwal: Centre will meet all
demands GURDASPUR, Sept 12 — Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal, MP and president of the Youth Akali Dal, said all pending demands of Punjab would be conceded by the Centre in due course of time. He said the Punjab case had been complicated with the passage of years and that Congress leaders who were blaming the BJP for not conceding the demands could not them get accepted even when they were in power. He said he was in constant
touch with Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union State Minister
for Indusrty, and efforts were being made to secure
maximum funds from the Centre under self-employment
schemes. Efforts were also being made to woo
industrialists to set up units relating to agriculture in
Punjab, he said. |
||
BVP
procession BATALA, Sept 12 — The Bharatiya Vikas Parishad (BVP) took out an anti-pollution procession here today. About 5,400 students from various schools also participated. Mr A.K. Sinha, SDM, was
the chief guest. |
||
 |
 |
|
 |
| Nation
| Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | Chandigarh | | Editorial | Business | Stocks | Sport | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | E-mail | |
