Tuesday, September 15, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, September 15, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Two
jathedars should quit: Takht chief
JD
against move on Udham Singh Nagar No
action planned |
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Punjab
bans payment Amarinder
alleges fiscal crisis |
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Storage
problem still unsolved
Cops
to probe claims about body's identity Paddy
procurement from today Secretariat
of Akal Takht opens Rice
millers' stir may hit procurement Kidnapped
child found dead |
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Punjab bans payment of bills PATIALA, Sept 14 — Facing a financial crisis the Punjab Government has slammed a blanket ban on the payment of government bills from the district treasury offices in the state. As a result, various government bills like the travelling allowance, provident fund, medical and other bills coming under the contingency and recurring expenses were returned today by the District Treasury Office here. Inquiries from various district departments revealed that the functioning of each department had come to a standstill owing to this ban on payment. There is also fear among the employees that the ban will also affect their salary bills of the month. The departments were told by the treasury authorities that the government through Secretary, Finance, had sent an official communication to stop all payments other than the salaries. Reliable sources in the Treasury Department said the ban came into effect at 4 p.m. on Friday when the communication from the Secretary, Finance, was received. The sources said a resource crunch was the reason behind the ban. Mr Subhe Singh, District Treasury Officer, when contacted confirmed the ban on payments. He said the ban had been imposed in the state due to some overdraft by various government departments. He also termed the ban as a temporary phase which would be over in few days and added that no ban on the release of salaries had been imposed and these bills would be accepted. However, officials from various district headquarters speaking on condition of anonymity said the salary bills were sent to the treasury office only after 20th of every month. Before that bills of other expenses are sent for clearance. It is the first ban on
payments in the current financial year. Last time the ban
was effected in the previous financial year on March 25.
While a ban in the last week of any financial year is
considered a normal feature, the imposition of any such
ban before that is termed at serious and puts a question
mark on government's financial health. |
No action planned against
Deans PATIALA, Sept 14 — No action is being contemplated against two Deans of Punjabi University who accepted applications and inspected two vocational computer colleges here where their own sons play an important role. The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr Joginder Singh Puar, told TNS here today that though the two Deans — Dr Balkar SIngh (Dean, College) and Dr B.S. Bhatia (Dean, Academic Affairs) — were at fault for themselves inspecting the two colleges, they had not indulged in any corrupt practice. He went on to say that they should not have inspected the two colleges on moral grounds. The Vice-Chancellor admitted that it was a normal practice to keep out of the decision-making process when someone's kith and kin were involved. "We follow this practice while making selections" he said, adding 'such a thing had never happened before". The Vice-Chancellor said the Deans had informed him of the applications received for opening of computer courses in Bachelor of Computer Applications and Bachelor of Business Administration. He said as the academic year was about to start, he had given directions that they may be given permission to start colleges after inspection of their premises on a provisional basis. Dr Puar, however, denied that he had been informed by any of the Deans that their sons were behind the societies which were to open the colleges. "I only came to know that their relatives were involved in the projects when I came back," he said. However Dean, Academic Affairs, Dr B.S. Bhatia, had said on August 29 that the Vice-Chancellor was abreast of the fact of the involvement of their relatives in the colleges. The Vice-Chancellor, while admitting that the image of the university had been affected due to the controversy, went on to say that he had watched their conduct for long and did not feel the need to take any action. He said he had gone to check the premises of both colleges. He said while the College of Management and Technology (CMT), with which the son of Dr Bhatia is associated had proper facilities to conduct classes for one year, he had told the Patiala College of Management and Training (PCMT), in which the son of Dr Balkar Singh is involved, to set up a library at the earliest. He said both colleges would be re-inspected on September 30. Earlier, a controversy had been generated in the university with Dean, College, Dr Balkar Singh, accepting the applications of both societies and setting up a sub-committee to inspect their premises in which he, Dr Bhatia, and Officer On Special Duty to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr S.S. Pahal, were members. The same sub-committee had also kept pending an application by another private society and only considered applications of two societies in which wards of Dr Balkar Singh and Dr Bhatia were involved, saying the application had been received late. Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dr Ram Murti Goel, had also reacted to the provisional affiliation given to the two colleges, saying it should not be given by members whose own wards were the beneficiaries. However, even though the
Vice-Chancellor has said that the two colleges which have
been given letters of intent to start new courses were
required to put up a notice, informing admission seekers
that the admissions were being made at the risk of
students as the colleges had only been granted
provisional affiliation, no such notice was put up during
the admission process which was completed some time ago. |
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Two jathedars should quit:
Takht chief AMRITSAR, Sept 14 — The ongoing efforts of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, SGPC chief, to bring rapprochement among the warring jathedars notwithstanding, Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedars of Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib, respectively, did not attend the meeting of five high priests held at Akal Takht which took significant decisions concerning the Panth. Bhai Ranjit Singh, Akal Takht chief, confirmed that they were neither invited nor would be allowed to attend the future meetings "still Prof Manjit Singh submitted the accounts of World Sikh Council." To a question, Bhai Ranjit Singh indicated that Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh should have either clarified their position before the Sikh sangat on the above issue or resigned by now. Bhai Ranjit Singh, however, reiterated that he would not resign from his post as demanded by the "so-called" Sikh intellectuals. He said the Sikh intellectuals who had no credibility among the Sikh masses had no locus standi to demand his resignation. It may be recalled that this is the third consecutive meeting at Akal Takht which was not attended by Prof Manjit Singh while Giani Kewal Singh did not attend the two meetings at Akal Takht so far. In place of Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh, two priests of Golden Temple, Giani Charan Singh and Giani Gurbachan Singh were taken. The other two Sikh high priests who attended today's meeting were Giani Mohan Singh and Giani Bhagwan Singh, head granthis of Golden Temple and Akal Takht respectively. Bhai Ranjit Singh said while deciding the much-publicised Tohra-Nirankari case, all five Sikh high priests, including Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh, were unanimous in exonerating Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, SGPC chief. He further said that the point purportedly raised by Prof Manjit Singh on this issue was uncalled for. Had he not agreed with the verdict, he could have given his dissent and the meeting would have been postponed. Bhai Ranjit Singh said he was ready to participate in any seminar on Akal Takht if organised by genuine Sikhs with good intention. He justified the
replacement of Prof Manjit Singh and Giani Kewal Singh
with two priests of Golden Temple. He said they were not
ordinary Sikhs. The priests of Golden Temple and Akal
Takht were appointed by Akal Takht and were acceptable to
the Sikh sangat. He said nobody had the right to ask the
validity of the "hukmnamas" issued by the five
high priests. |
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Amarinder alleges fiscal crisis KAPURTHALA, Sept 14 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Mr Amarinder Singh, alleged today the state economy was in a shambles as in an unprecedented move the Akali-BJP government had taken loans from commercial banks at 14 per cent interest rate, thus pushing the state into bankruptcy. While briefing the media here today, PPCC chief elaborated loans were being raised from commercial banks and markets at very high interest rates due to the mismanagement of the economy. Mr Badal, he alleged, was ushering in an era of economic crisis in the most prosperous state in the country. He asked Mr Badal to clarify to the people about his government's heavy borrowing otherwise the state unit of the Congress would file a public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court in the coming days. He said since coming to power the Akali-BJP government had not cleared a single power project, an essential ingredient for the betterment of the economy in the state. He said the work on Thein Dam had turned into a farce as a project which would have cost Rs 80 crore would now need over Rs 2,000 crore. The turn power generated from it would also out to be more expensive. Money had not been sanctioned for the Shahpur Kandi project so far. He rued that the international airport was shifted to Amritsar from Jalandhar-Kapurthala where the government had acquired nearly 300 acres of land. Answering a query on the people's commission, he said it was like perpetuating a state within a state. He said the police force should not be demoralised. The people's commission would be holding a kangaroo court and resorting to witch-hunting, he alleged, adding that the Congress had no objection to a fact-finding committee looking into the reasons which led the people of the state into turbulent times. "Just don't blame the police but look into the role of the political leaders also", he said. He said Mrs Sonia Gandhi, AICC president, would visit Amritsar on October 4 where she would meet the families of farmers who had committed suicide. She would also visit the Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir and Jallianwala Bagh. He said the Congress stood committed to the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab and a solution to the river waters dispute. The Congress would also give more representation to women in the state and the minorities, he said. The conference was also attended by Mr Amarjit Singh Samra, MLA, Mr Umrao Singh, Mr Balbir Singh, Mr Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Mrs Santosh Choudhary, Mr Jagtar Singh Multani, Mr Jasbir Singh Dimpa, president of the Punjab Youth Congress, and Mr Anil Dutta, PPCC, organising secretary. PHAGWARA (FOC): Mr Amarinder Singh on Monday declared the Congress would marshal secular forces for defeating the SAD-BJP combine in the coming byelection to the Adampur Assembly constituency and staked his party's claim for the seat. Talking to newspersons at the residence of Mr Harjit Singh Parmar, PPCC executive member, here, he said the Congress candidate would be more appropriate for the Adampur seat. He asserted he would leave no stone unturned for bringing secular forces on one platform and would discuss the issue with like-minded parties. When reminded that the three-party front had already asked the Congress to leave the seat for it, he said the matter would be resolved. The Adampur seat had fallen vacant due to the death of Punjab Minister for Housing, Sarup Singh. Accusing the SAD-BJP government of economic irregularities, he said his party would move the high court against the state government for loans at higher rates of interest. Twelve per cent interest had been paid for foreign loans which were normally available three to six per cent, he alleged. A sum of Rs 1000 crore was siphoned of to Gidderbaha because Mr Badal wanted to field his son from that constituency, he continued in the same vein. He termed the Sikh clergy row as unfortunate. Issues should be resolved amicably as controversy sends wrong signals, he pleaded. He said the mass contact
programme up to village level would be completed by
October 31. |
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Sale of traditional arms up FAZILKA, Sept 14 — Even as the fear of "Kale kachchhewale" gangs has been subsidising among the people with the arrest of more than 60 members of such gangs in different parts of the state, the people of Punjab particularly, in the rural areas are still arming themselves with traditional weapons like 'kirpans', 'gandasas' and 'khapas' for self protection. Police sources said that apart from arming themselves with the traditional weapons, the residents of the rural areas were applying for licences for firearms. The trends is more prominent in Moga, Faridkot, Bathinda and Ferozepore districts, the sources added. The sources said the killing of about three persons and injuring of about 20 persons by members of "Kale kachchhewale" gangs in two villages of Moga and Ferozepore districts few days ago, fear gripped the residents. They started purchasing 'kirpans', 'gandasas' and 'khapas'. Such was the situation few days ago that 'kirpan' which generally costs Rs 50 was selling at a rate of Rs 200 in the market. Similarly the rates of other sharp-edged weapons also went up. Mr Hardeep Singh Dhillon, DIG, Ferozepore Range, when contacted by TNS said 'thikri pehra' which had been introduced in the rural areas had been proving very effective and for the past few days no incident of crime by the 'Kale kachchhewale' gang had been reported. He said that few days ago the local police had arrested four members of a "kale kachchhewale' gang. Mr Ajay Maluja, DSP, Fazilka, when contacted by TNS, said that the four members of the gang, including two women, were active in the different towns of Muktsar and Ferozepore districts. The modus operandi of the gang was that the women would recce the area while selling the balloons during the day and night the women and would strike with their men at night. He said articles worth
over Rs 3 lakh, including gold jewellery, had been
recovered from these criminals who belonged to the Pardi
tribe of Madhya Pradesh. Two country-made pistols with
live cartridges and a knife was also recovered from them. |
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JD against move on Udham
Singh Nagar MANSA, Sept 14 — Mr Ramesh Chander Rattan, all-India general secretary of the Janata Dal and in charge, Punjab affairs, has stressed that Udham Singh Nagar and Hardwar should not be included in Uttaranchal state but should remain part of UP and flayed Mr Kalyan Singh, Chief Minister, for his latest statement to include Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal. Addressing a rally at Phaphre Bhaike village today he criticised the Congress for its proposal to send teams to China and South Africa to improve relations with these countries. Calling it a cheap propaganda he said the foreign policy should be dealt by the ruling party. Mr Rattan expressed the surprise that an SHO from Punjab went to Delhi to arrest the Editor of 'Sarita'. Mr Rattan said it exposed the highhandedness of the Punjab police and the government's attempt to gag the Press. Mr Rattan said Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav was welcome as an ally of the Janata Dal but Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav was not acceptable because of his involvement in corruption cases. Mr Rattan announced that the post of the president and other office-bearers of the state unit of the Janata Dal would be filled soon. Mr Jagpal Singh Chahal,
spokesperson of the Punjab core committee of the Janata
Dal flayed the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal for
not allowing the Janata Dal conference at Sant Gobind Das
School today. Mr Chahal alleged that the school was
locked on the instructions of the Chief Minister by the
district administration. |
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No let-up in tuitions despite
ban AMRITSAR: Despite a ban on tuitions enforced by Guru Nanak Dev University, "tuition shops" have mushroomed in the city. A circular of the university had initiated strong steps to stop college teachers, affiliated to the university, from doing private coaching or tuition work or engaging themselves in the "teaching business" for financial benefits. The university, in a circular, issued by Dr R.S. Bawa, Registrar, had asked all principals and managing committees of the affiliated colleges to advise their teachers about the decision of the university syndicate, which endorsed the decision to end all tuitions. The strong-worded circular of the university had also threatened to withdraw the approval of any teacher, found guilty of doing private coaching. Notwithstanding the discernible instructions, the tuition work has been going on unchecked due to lack of proper enforcement by the university. The university authorities said the decision to curb the menace of tuitions by teachers of the colleges affiliated to the university was taken after prolonged deliberations. Though the university had to take this decision to check tuitions on a number of complaints made by parents of the students, especially the poor who could not afford to spare money for the same, however, it is yet to be implemented in toto. The poor parents complained that the college teachers instead of giving proper coaching to the students in the educational institutes would "force" them to go in for tuitions. According to sources, the Guru Nanak Dev University had to take the decision to curb the menace of tuition when it learnt that some teachers of a college, affiliated to the university had disclosed about Rs 2 crore in the Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS). A casual visitor to the city would find big lines of two-wheelers, cars in the mornings and evenings which result in the frequent traffic jams. The university sources
pointed out that there were provisions in the university
rules to check tuitions by college teachers, however, due
to "lack of powers" in the hands of the
authorities, proper enforcement was not possible.
However, the parents of the students were of the view
that if the university failed to curb the menace of
tuitions effectively, the quality of education in the
colleges would not improve as most teachers devoted more
time to coaching centres rather than to colleges. |
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Another Sikh excommunicated AMRITSAR, Sept 14 — While the Sikh clergy today excommunicated yet another Canadian Sikh, Mr Preet Singh Sandhu, from the "Sikh Panth" for defying the hukamnama, Mr Avtar Singh Hit, a close confidant of Punjab Chief Minister and former president of the DSGMC, and Mr Atma Singh Lobana, a member of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), who were excommunicated from the Panth on June 16 last year, would be re-inducted in the community as their petition which included an apology was accepted by Akal Takht. Announcing these significant verdicts from the top floor of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar of the Takht, said Mr Sandhu was excommunicated from the Panth as he failed to appear before the five Sikh high priests to clarify his position. He was found guilty of "instigating" the Sikh sangat of Canada to defy the hukamnama on ‘Guru ka langar’ and using blasphemous remarks against those Sikhs who were supporting the ‘hukamnama’. The Sikh clergy has asked the Sikh sangat not to have any economic, social and political relations with Mr Sandhu. Mr Sandhu was declared "tankhaiya" (guilty of religious misconduct) on August 17 this year for defying the hukamnama. Bhai Ranjit Singh while pronouncing the acceptance of the petition of Mr Hit and Mr Lobana said they were earlier excommunicated from the Sikh Panth in connection with the beating up of Bibi Darshan Kaur, a prosecution witness in the case against former Union Minister H.K.L. Bhagat for his alleged involvement in the anti-Sikh riots of November 1984. After the incident, Mr Hit was directed to resign as member of the DSGMC and hand over all documents relating to prime land. However, Mr Hit had defied the hukamnama. In his verdict, Bhai Ranjit Singh said now Mr Hit had handed over all documents regarding the prime land and fulfilled all other conditions laid down by the Takht. The process for his re-induction into the Sikh fold had started. He directed Mr Hit and Mr Lobana to listen to shabad kirtan, dust the shoes of visiting devotees and clean utensils for an hour every day at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, New Delhi for 11 days. After that, both the excommunicated Sikhs would donate Rs 31,000 each to the orphanage at Pingalwara and Guru Ram Dass langar. Both would offer prayers at Akal Takht with karah parsad of Rs 101. Mr Hit was also directed not to dye his beard. However, Mr Gurmukh Singh
of Ludhiana who was also called by Akal Takht could not
turn up today as a result of illness. Bhai Ranjit Singh
said his case would be discussed within a few days. In
yet another case, Bhai Ranjit Singh said the case of
"Gurdwara Sanghu Dhoun" in Muktsar district
could not be pursued as the management of the gurdwara
had already removed the statue of Guru Gobind Singh as
directed by the Takht. |
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Storage problem still unsolved PATIALA, Sept 14 — Even as the procurement season starts tomorrow, employees of Punjab foodgrain procurement agencies are in a fix over storage. With the government failing to tackle the situation despite meetings of procurement agency managements at the district-level and with rice millers having gone on strike, the coordination committee of the employees of the procurement agencies feel a crisis may arise if the storage problem is not solved soon. According to Mr Ashwani Kumar, spokesman for the coordination panel of the employees of Markfed, Punsup, the Warehousing Corporation and the Food and Supplies Department, the government is not taking any steps to resolve the crisis. He said the employees had decided on their part to purchase paddy strictly according to the specifications. The coordination panel would ensure that the Mandi Board and arhtias discharged their responsibilities. The employees had demanded the necessary amendments to the specifications keeping in view the shortening of the duration of the harvesting season, giving of relief to farmers, end to the harassment of employees and speeding up of custom milling. He said the employees had sought security in mandis in apprehension of manhandling on account of strictness in procurement. He had also demanded the scrapping of the so-called national joint custody policy for paddy. He said the employees virtually had no control over the unauthorised lifting of paddy stored on the millers' premises without proper watch and ward. Employees could only act as informers to the management and it was for the latter to initiate legal action against the defaulting rice-millers. He said rice analysis under the Food and Supplies Department in the state had been stopped and the entire work had been given to the FCI which had only 40 per cent share in the state's food grain procurement. This had resulted in monopolistic trends on the part of FCI. The Food and Supplies Department should again be entrusted with the job of analysis of the rice delivered to the FCI so that the interests of the state agencies were protected. A state-level convention
of all employees belonging to the state foodgrain
procurement agencies would be held on September 20 in
Ludhiana to take stock of the situation. |
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Cops to probe claims about body's identity AMRITSAR, Sept 14 (UNI) — The Amritsar and Muktsar police has launched joint investigations into the discovery of an unidentified disfigured body of a young male which was found by the Muktsar police on September 3. The Amritsar Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Gurdev Singh Sahota, said here today the police became suspicious when Major Singh, a constable with the Punjab police, went all the way to Muktsar from here and claimed the body was that of his brother Baldev Singh, a convict lodged at Amritsar Central Jail who had been sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment last year for possessing and smuggling "smack"(brown sugar). Major Singh instead of performing the last rites of the body of his "brother" at his native village, Attari, in Amritsar district cremated it at Faridkot after the post-mortem, the SSP added. The SSP said prior to the discovery of the disfigured body, he had received a letter from the Amritsar Central Jail Superintendent wherein it was stated that Baldev Singh who was released on parole in July had failed to report back to the jail after the expiry of his "leave" period. This information had been forwarded to the Muktsar police, which is trying to establish whether the body with the disfigured face was that of Baldev Singh or of someone else, he added. Meanwhile, a new dimension has been added to the mystery surrounding the identity of the body with Mr Nirmal Dassa, resident of Peshawri camp in Chheharta town, near here, claiming the body was that of his son Harish Kumar, an autorickshaw driver. In his representation presented to the veteran CPI leader, Mr Satya Pal Dang, he made this claim, which has been forwarded to the local police. Mr Dassa claimed his son had been missing from home since August 29 and a report in this connection had been lodged at the Chheharta police station. According to Mr Dang, there was every likelihood that constable Major Singh posted at the Raja Sansi police station here had made a false claim in order to help his convict brother Baldev Singh to escape. Meanwhile, the Muktsar
police has taken into custody Major Singh and some of his
relatives in order to establish the truth. Incidentally,
Major Singh has been reported absent from duty since June
30. |
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Paddy
procurement from today SAMANA, Sept 14 — Mr Madan Mohan Mittal Food and Supplies Minister, Punjab, visited the training camp of the BJP here. Addressing traders and workers of the BJP, Mr Mittal blamed Opposition leaders for misleading traders. He declared that about 1.20 crore tonnes of paddy was expected to reach mandis and that the paddy will be procured from September 15 for which 1,488 purchase centres had been set up. He said all focal points
would be treated as purchase centres and 24-hour power
supply would be available at the centres. He asked
farmers to bring dried up produce and that the paddy
containing moisture of more than 18 per cent would not be
procured. He warned rice-shellers' owners that if their
strike continued, the Punjab Government would be
compelled to get their paddy milled by Haryana. |
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Barnala
accused of dual stand SANGRUR, Sept 14 — Mr Bir Devinder Singh and Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, general secretary and vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, respectively, while addressing a joint press conference here today said the Punjab Government led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal had failed on all fronts because no follow-up action had been taken seriously on the party election manifesto. The Congress leaders charged that Mr Badal was "unable to rule" the state and internal dissensions within the Akali Dal would soon bring the fall of the government. Mr Bir Devinder Singh accused Mr Badal of failing to take up the demands pertaining to Punjab with the central leadership. He criticised the "dual stand" taken by Mr Surjit Singh Barnala on the Udham Singh Nagar issue. Mr Barnala was a signatory to the decision of the Cabinet sub-committee which recommended the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal. Mr Barnala was also a signatory to the memorandum presented by SAD to the President opposing the merger of the place in Uttaranchal. "Mr Barnala owes an explanation to the people of Punjab on his dual stand", stated Mr Bir Devinder Singh. A dharna led by Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC president, would be staged outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner at Sangrur on September 24 to highlight the failures of the state government, he said. Mr Jasbir Singh, Mr
Bhagwan Dass Arora, Mr Sardul Singh, all former
ministers, and Mr Gurcharan Singh Dirba, district
president, were also present at the press conference. |
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Entrance
test on September 27 PATIALA, Sept 14 — Entrance test for admission to the three year MBA (CC) course which was earlier scheduled for August 30 and had to be postponed for certain reasons, will now be held on September 27. Giving this information,
Dr B.S. Bhatia, Dean Academic Affairs, said intimation to
this effect had been sent to all eligible candidates. The
centres of examination and the schedule of papers would
remain the same a university release said here today. |
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Secretariat of Akal Takht opens AMRITSAR, Sept 14 — A three-storeyed secretariat of Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, having all modern facilities like a fax machine, photocopier etc has started functioning. While the basement of the secretariat would be used for holding press conferences and small meetings, the ground floor would be used for secretariat purposes. The top floor of the secretariat could be used for holding meetings with VIPs. Bhai Ranjit Singh, Akal Takht Jathedar, would also sit in the secretariat for some time. The move to open a
secretariat started in September 1995 at the time of the
World Sikh Council conference here. The kar seva of the
building was carried out by Baba Harbans Singh of Delhi. |
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BATALA, Sept 14 (PTI) — In a significant move, 130 oustees of Ranjit Sagar Dam, popularly known as Thein Dam, were given appointments in the dam yesterday. Punjab Forest Minister Mohan Lal presented them appointment letters at a function organised at Phangota village yesterday. Addressing the function, the minister said 500 of the total 770 oustees' families of Punjab had already been given appointments in the dam, while the remaining 132 families would be given jobs in the next month. He also presented
interview letters to the remaining 132 families on the
occasion. |
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Rice millers' stir may hit
procurement LUDHIANA, Sept 14 — An indefinite strike by rice millers of Punjab from tomorrow is threatening to disrupt the paddy procurement operation by the official agencies due to commence from tomorrow. The Punjab Rice Millers Association announced its strike would continue till the government accepted its eight-point charter of demands. The rice millers would not allow the government procurement agencies to store the paddy on their premises. The demands include the fixation of rice yield at 62 per cent instead of 67 per cent, fixation of custom milling charges at Rs 17 for raw rice and Rs 92 for parboiled rice enhancement of driage allowance 2 per cent to 5 per cent from the start of the season, rice of 4.2 mm to be accepted as full rice, abolition of arbitration clause from the agreement, withdrawal of arbitration cases initiated against the rice millers pertaining to the sale of paddy crop 1994-95, fixation of rate of "barmna" retained by the millers during 1995-96 and 1996-97 and extension of milling period of paddy crop 1997-98 up to October 31 this year. The Food Corporation of
India and other official procurement agencies are already
facing a crisis as regards grain storage. |
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JALANDHAR, Sept 14 (UNI) — The Goraya police SHO, Sub-Inspector Inderjit Singh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Chain Singh have been suspended on corruption charges. The accused, transferred to the Police Lines here, have absconded and efforts are on to arrest them. The SSP, Mr Paramjit Singh Gill, alleged that the two accused took a drug addict Dalbir Singh, alias Pali of Kale village to the police station on the charge that he was involved in the poppy husk trade. But when Dalbir Singh told them he was merely an addict and was preoccupied arranging money for his travel abroad the cops threatened to entangle him in a case of smuggling unless he paid Rs 20,000. The SSP said Dalbir Singh arranged the graft money by selling some gold ornaments and borrowed a part from his in-laws and paid Rs 20,000 to ASI Chain Singh. But later he brought the matter to the notice of senior police officers who suspended both cops and transferred them to the Police Lines. Mr Gill said Phillaur DSP
had been entrusted with further investigation of the
case. |
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Kidnapped child found dead HOSHIARPUR, Sept 14 (UNI) — A four-year-old child of Jaura village in Tanda police station area, who was kidnapped last evening, was today found murdered near Birampura village, the police said. The police said the body of Manjit Singh Balmik bore marks of needles, indicating he had been murdered. The police, which had
earlier registered a case of kidnapping under Section 364
of the IPC, today added Section 302 of the IPC. The body
was returned to the child’s parents after a
post-mortem examination. |
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JALANDHAR, Sept 14 (UNI) — Two scooter-borne youths looted Rs 5 lakh of bank money at gunpoint from a van between Bara Pind and Goraya in this district today, police sources said here. Cashier Roop Lal was going in the van (HID 1050) after withdrawing the cash from the State Bank of Patiala’s branch at Bara Pind. When the youths brandishing a pistol asked the driver to halt. When the driver stopped the vehicle one of the youth took out the cash box and fled with his accomplice. The police have registered
a case. |
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‘Redress’
theatre artists’ demands PATIALA, Sept 14 — Patiala Division Commissioner R.P.S. Pawar has asked Deputy Commissioner Viswajeet Khanna to look into the demands of local theatre people for early redressal regarding allowing concessional rates in renting the local Central State Library and airconditioned auditorium to registered groups and genuine artists. Mr Pawar has also asked Mr Khanna to look into the demand for converting the lecture hall of the library into a mini theatre and building an open-air theatre at the centrally located Bhasha Bhavan of the Department of Languages, Punjab. Mr Pawar, who is also
president of the Patiala Kalka Parishad, gave this
assurance while presiding over a meeting of the parishad. |
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Triangular
contest for PUTA poll PATIALA, Sept 14 — A triangular contest is on the cards for elections to the Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) to be held tomorrow. The university has been keen campaigning by the three groups which include the present ruling group supported by the Free Thinkers and Progressive Teachers Council, the Centre for University Teachers (CUT) and the Group for Teachers Cause (GTC). Dr S.S. Joshi is the Free Thinkers' candidate for presidentship. Dr Joga Singh of CUT as vice-president and Dr N.S. Attri as secretary. The second group, which is unofficially known as the Dr Kehar Singh group and had refused to take over office for the half term allotted to it last year, is being supported by the United Teachers Front consisting of the Liberal Teachers Council (LTC), the Progressive Teachers Front (PTF) and the Sikh Intelligentsia Forum (Dhillon-Dalbir group). It has projected Dr Surinder Singh Khera of SIF as president, Dr Hari Singh Boparai of the LTC as vice-president and Dr R.K. Sehgal of the PTF as secretary. The third group consists of the Democratic Teachers Forum (DTF) and the Sikh Intelligentsia Forum (Dr B.S. Malhi group). It has put up Dr K.C. Singhal of the DTF as president, Dr Omkar Nath Shukla of the DTF as vice-president and Dr Kuljit Singh Sohal of SIF as secretary. A total of four
office-bearers, including joint secretary and seven
executive members, are to be elected. Voting is done
according to the preferential system of voting with every
teacher giving his first and second preference votes.
Candidates coming third are eliminated and their votes
transferred to the first two candidates. |
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Principals
to meet at Jalandhar CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — A meeting of principals of colleges of engineering affiliated to Punjab Technical University will be convened by the university at Jalandhar tomorrow to sort out problems of second-year students. Student representatives from each college will also participate. Students had earlier organised a peaceful protest at Jalandhar on September 12 against "harsh rules about which the students were informed more than a year after the commencement of the course". A student of SBS College of Engineering and Technology, SAS Nagar, said there was no mention of the newly announced rules in the prospectus. Nearly 1500 students in at least eight engineering colleges in the state are directly affected by these rules. These colleges are located at Bathinda, Ludhiana, Faridkot, Ferozepore, Malout, Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdaspur. Protesting students
alleged that rules and regulations were published neither
in the university brochure nor in the prospectus of the
institutions. New rules say that there would be no
provision for re-evaluation. Students claim that the fee
for re-checking for regular and reappear candidates was
on a higher side. |
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Punjab
promotes six officers CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — The Punjab Government today promoted six officers. Mr J.S. Chowhan, Joint
Director (Press), has been promoted Additional Director,
Mr Bhupinder Singh Sodhi, Deputy Director (Border),
Amritsar, and Mr Hem Raj Kalia, Deputy Director (Arts)
are now Joint Directors; and Mr Bhim Sen, Public
Relations Officer, Mr Ashok Bansal, Information Officer,
and Mr Surinder Mohan Singh, Public Relations Officer,
have become Deputy Directors. |
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PUNSUP
blames candidates CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 —The Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation has blamed candidates who turned up for appearing in grade I and II officers' test yesterday "despite every possible and timely measure to inform them," a press release said here today . The Managing Director said the candidates were informed about the postponement through advertisements in various newspapers on September 11 and 12 . News was also flashed on AIR , he added . It may be remembered that
hundreds of candidates from various parts of the state
turned up at Shivalik Public School yesterday alleging
that "they had not been adequately informed ". |
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