 |
|
| Saturday, July 8, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
What’s behind Rinwa’s tirade? Mid-term poll in Punjab ruled out PIDB officer gets ‘threatening letter’ Warrants against SGPC secy Show-cause notice to 15 institutions Chaos at mandi board meeting
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cong camps’ bid to end rift Centre’s stand on
autonomy lauded
Implement SC ruling: union Bid to take over hospital land “Shaheed Udham Singh” wins Nargis Dutt award Of power cuts and people’s woes Sikh Sangat backs
SGPC on jathas Christians to support
Insaaf International Milkmen threaten
dharnas
7 held for cheating Student drowns
in gurdwara sarovar Drugs seized
Directorate for middle-level schools Counselling for
BCA, BIT from July 10
|
|
What’s behind Rinwa’s tirade? CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The BJP president in Punjab, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, never misses an opportunity to attack the ruling Akali Dal. It seems he is always unhappy with the “big brother,” the SAD that leads the coalition government. In fact, his list of grievances increases with every passing day. This professor from Abohar, who was picked up some weeks ago to lead the party in place of Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, first alleged that the BJP cadres were unhappy as Akali ministers and government officers did not care for them. They were outcastes. Later he added that the Chief Minister and President of the Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was giving free power to farmers at a huge cost and ignoring other sections. Now he finds that in decision making, the BJP ministers have no voice at all. Also, the BJP had a much larger support base and could win at least 60 of the 117 assembly seats on its own, but was being ignored consistently by the Akalis. Clearly, Mr Rinwa has vowed to contest no fever than 60 seats in the elections, whenever these are held. “We will be equal partners in any future arrangement and occupy no such junior position. This should be clear to the Akali Dal, and that party should mend its ways,” Mr Rinwa declared recently. Interestingly, Mr Badal has refused to join this wordy duel. But can he wish away the war of attrition going on unabated. The Akalis do feel concerned, but they avoid making public comments, taking a cue from their leader. Asked whether there was any truth in the accusations hurled by BJP leaders at the Akali Dal rulers, a senior minister gave two reasons for the developments. One, after the split in the ruling Akali Dal and its poor performance during the
Look Sabha poll, BJP leaders felt emboldened to attack the government and Mr Badal. Mr Sodhi had earlier charged Mr Badal with making money during liquor auctions in 1998-99 — Rs 50 crore. The charge went unreplied and the attitude in the ruling Akali circles was, “who cares?” Two, a week Mr Badal is more at the mercy of the BJP for survival. As his ministers and MLAs browbeat him on a daily basis, the BJP leaders also chose to bully him. “No one is a real friend in politics these days,” Mr Badal one day had bemoaned. This minister also asserted that the BJP ministers were always taken into confidence. “Why do the ministers not speak? They have devised a new way. They merrily enjoy their power and care little for Akali workers, or even MLAs, and have their president to do all this absurd talking. This is the BJP’s style of running a coalition. If we had a good number of MPs, as we had in the previous
Look Sabha, then I would have admired the courage of the BJP president to speak like this. We could have taught them some lesson then,” the minister retorted in anger. It is also pointed out that the Cabinet has fully supported the decision to give free power to farmers, the hapless lot of Punjab’s population. This time also Mr Balramji Das Tandon, the seniormost BJP minister, was party to the decision to hike the power rates. He was a member of the committee that took the decision on this increase. But this minister had no answer when told that an earlier subcommittee of the Cabinet had recommended that free power should end, and it had both Akali and BJP ministers on it. “The Chief Minister has overriding powers. It is his prerogative to allow free power,” was the argument. What is at the core of the current tussle? One, the BJP that claims to represent urban Punjab feels that its interests are constantly being ignored. Funds for the local bodies do not come. Also, there should have been a Deputy Chief Minister from the BJP side. The Akalis have a pronounced rural bias, although during the last assembly elections. Hindus voted for the Akalis in a big way, not because the two parties
contested together but because Mr Badal presented the image of a sober, secular leader. This image is losing its shine. So BJP leaders in private accuse the Chief Minister of pursuing the kind of politics that weakens their support base. This could have a grain of truth in it. But what was the performance of the BJP during the last
Look Sabha poll? Urban voters went for the Congress. This pointed to the poor performance of the BJP ministers. It is the spectre of defeat that haunts the BJP, as it does the Akalis. Hence, the frowns and spoiled relations. Mr Badal may not speak up and since he is the party President, he may not react the Rinwa way; yet the strident criticism is only queering the pitch, much to the merriment of the Congress, the main Opposition party. For the BJP what happened to the party in Haryana could offer a lesson. It ditched Mr Bansi Lal, rode on Mr Om Prakash Chautala’s bandwagon and now is in the wilderness. It has travelled from the position of power sharer to that of sharecropper. Mid-term poll in Punjab ruled out GURDASPUR, July 7 — Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister Punjab talking to reporters at Dhariwal today ruled out mid-term elections in the state and asserted that the SAD-BJP government would complete five-year term. He said the reasons given for mid-term polls were dissensions in the Congress which would increase and would benefit the SAD-BJP combine in the coming assembly polls. The Finance Minister said that the SAD-BJP alliance was strong and difference of opinion expressed by the state BJP president was an internal matter of the two parties. He said the differences would be sorted out very soon. The Finance Minister said that Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President, AICC was no more a vote catcher and it had been proved in previous three Look Sabha and Assembly polls in the country. The Congress high command is divided over the issue of installing Mrs Sonia Sonia Gandhi as President of the party in organisational polls being held this year. The Finance Minister said that the Punjab Congress was a house divided. Differences between Capt Amarinder Singh and the former Chief Minister Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal are public. Even Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, MP has issued a statement that he would oppose Capt Amarinder Singh for the post of President of the Punjab PPCC in organisational elections. The Finance Minister said that the Congress had failed to play the role of opposition both at the Centre and in Punjab. No mass movement has been launched against increase in prices and other issues. The fact that in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Opposition leader has not been accepted by Congress legislators and they worked at cross purposes. The Finance Minister said that the Punjab government would contribute Rs 200 crore annually to cover the loss of the PSEB by way of providing free power to farmers. In agriculture sector farmers are given free power to the extent of 22 per cent. Even dalits are given 50 units of electricity free of charge per month. This entails a loss of Rs 250 crore per annum to the board. The Finance Minister justified the recent power tariff hike in Punjab. He said that power tariff in Punjab was lower than that in other states a except Himachal Pradesh. Small scale industry is given power supply at the rate of Rs 1.50 per unit at a subsidised rate. Finance reforms proposed in the last Budget could not be implemented due to Look Sabha elections. Now the implementation has started and as a result the economy of the state was improving. The Finance Minister said that World Bank loan of Rs 900 crore to provide pure drinking water in the state was an open issue and Punjab was likely to get this loan shortly. Mr Rinwa’s apprehensions expressed in media were unfounded, he added.  |
|
PIDB officer gets ‘threatening letter’ CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) has informed the Chief Secretary about a “threatening letter,” purportedly written by the Punjab PWD Engineers Association, received by him at his residence some days ago. The CEO, Mr Chhabilendra Roul, an IAS officer of the 1985 batch, reportedly received a one-page typed “threatening letter” at his official residence in Sector 23 here through ordinary mail soon after he returned to the city after three weeks’ training outside. Although the envelope carried the name — S. Sinha — of the sender, it appeared to be “fictitious” as the letter inside was not signed by anyone. It said it was from PWD (B&R) engineers. Investigations reveal that Mr Roul has also sent copies of the “threatening letter” to the Finance Minister, the Public Works Minister, the Principal Secretary, Finance, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, the Director-General of Police and the Secretary, Public Works. “You have become the Chief Executive Director of the PIDB and hard earned money of Punjabis goes into this board through infrastructure cess. This money is being embezzled by you which is being deposited in banks, bank lockers. We know that no road or bridge will be built with this money. “You seem to be a very daring goonda but you don’t know the Punjab (B&R) Department’s engineers will not spare you,” the letter received by Mr Roul said. The "threatening
letter” the sources said, was a sequel to the growing conflict between the state government on the one hand and PWD (B&R) engineers on the other hand over entrusting major infrastructure development works to the PIDB. Mr Roul, a product of the Delhi School of Economics, was hand-picked for this position. The CEO of the PIDB has also sent seven or eight letters to senior functionaries of the state administration informing them about the “threatening letter” and asking them to take the necessary action in this regard. Sources in the police and the Chief and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat confirmed that they had received copies of the letter written by Mr Roul. They, however, refused to say whether any action was being taken on the latter. Mr Roul is believed to have said in his letter that the “threatening letter” was written by the Punjab PWD, Engineering Association. Mr Roul said in his letter that “all the money received by the PIDB is professionally managed and spent under collective guidance and decisions of the board headed by the state Chief Minister.” He said there was no truth in the charges of embezzlement or misappropriation of PIDB funds. “For record, it may be stated that there is hardly any expense incurred so far by the board. All the money received so far has been reserved for important projects to be taken up in the near future with due approval of the board”. Mr Roul was not available for comment. |
|
Warrants against SGPC secy CHANDIGARH, July 7 — Following the refusal of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Secretary, Gurbachan Singh Bachan, to accept notice on a petition for initiating contempt of court proceedings, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued bailable warrants against him. Pronouncing the orders Mr Justice J.S. Khehar observed: “A perusal of the report shows that the respondent has refused to accept the notice of this petition. Let bailable warrants of the value of Rs 10,000 with a surety of a like amount be issued to effect service on him”. Alleging
willful disobedience, petitioner Baldev Singh of Sultanpur Lodhi (Kapurthala), working as a clerk with the SGPC — had earlier stated that though he was allowed to join duty following the High Court orders, he was not paid arrears. He had added that even the salary had not been paid since he joined. Going into the background, counsel for the petitioner had contended on his behalf that Mr Justice J.L. Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Aggarwal of the High Court, after setting aside the orders dismissing him from service, had held that “the petitioner was entitled to all consequential benefits including arrears of salary”. Plea to legalise
satta dismissed Finding no merit, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed a petition for legalising satta as a form of lottery. In his petition before the Bench headed by Mr Justice R.S. Mongia, Mr Mehar Singh of Khanna (Ludhiana) had contended that legalising satta would enable the government to earn revenue. He had stated that even though satta — “in shape of one or two digit lottery” — was legally impermissible in the state of Punjab, yet it was being practised by certain “unscrupulous elements”. The petitioner’s counsel had contended on his behalf that since the enforcement agency was unable to apprehend such elements, satta should be given a legal status. Pronouncing orders the Bench observed: “We are unable to agree with the counsel’s submission. It is not being disputed that under the provisions of the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998, no individual can run any type of lottery independently or as an agent. Only the state government may run any type of lottery under certain conditions under the Act. “In these circumstances, the question of asking the government to legalise the business of satta does not arise. We find no merit in this writ petition which is hereby
dismissed”. |
|
Show-cause notice to 15 institutions CHANDIGARH, July 7 — Fifteen technical education institutions — five engineering colleges, nine polytechnics and one Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Computer Applications institution — have been served with show-cause notice for not fulfilling the conditions laid down by the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). Following an inspection of these institutions, several shortcomings were found by a special committee set up by the Department of Technical Education, Punjab. The AICTE has given conditional approval to these institutions, asking them to meet the required conditions within a stipulated period. The AICTE had told the Punjab Technical Education authorities to conduct inspections from time to time in this connection. Confirming the issuance of the notices, the Punjab Technical Education Minister, Mr Jagdish Singh Garcha, said these institutions had been given three months to fulfil the prescribed conditions by the AICTE or face action. A report had also been sent to the AICTE on the inspection carried out by the committee. The committee carried out the inspection to check the availability of buildings, equipment, laboratories and staff as per the parameters set by the AICTE. Mr Garcha told TNS that in the 15 institutions, the committee found that the facilities were not as per the guidelines. He said the second inspection would be done after the expiry of the notice period and action recommended to the AICTE in the case of failure by the institutions to fulfil the conditions. He said he had told the committee to carry out at least three inspections in an academic year. The department has approached the council for giving its approval to the starting of the Master of Computer Applications (MCA) course in three engineering institutions. The minister has held a meeting in this connection with the Chairman of the council. The case for approval has been hanging fire for the past many months. As many as 180 more seats will become available following the approval of the council for such a course. Mr Garcha said the approval had been delayed as the council was preparing a new policy on technical education on the instructions of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. Meanwhile, a high-level committee of state government officials has approved the starting of the postgraduation diploma in information technology course and e-commerce in certain polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes. Mr N.S. Kalsi, Director, Technical Education, Punjab, told TNS that Punjab Technical University had been told to finalise the syllabi for these diploma courses. If everything went as planned, the courses would start in August. The government has tied up with a private international company to run these courses. Classes will be held in the evening as the infrastructure available in the existing ITIs and polytechnics will be utilised for this purpose. |
|
Chaos at mandi board meeting CHANDIGARH, July 7 — Pandemonium prevailed at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Punjab Mandi Board held at Kisan Bhavan here today. Amidst heated arguments, all six non-official members, appointed over a period of time by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, walked out in protest. They even boycotted the official lunch. The non-official protesting members were, Mr Charanjit Singh, Mr Jarnail Singh Dogarwala, Mr Amritpal Singh Sidhu, Mr Jagjit Singh Bhullar, Mr Bhupinder Singh and Mr Gurinder Singh. The trouble started, according to informed sources, soon after the meeting began. The non-official members presented a “parallel agenda”. They wanted it to be taken up first. The Board Secretary, Mr Phulwant Singh Sidhu, explained that at best their “agenda” could be treated as “supplementary” and taken up only after the “official” agenda had been dealt with. The members remained adamant and began shouting simultaneously, airing their grievances. Their main issues were: delegation of supervisory powers to the members enabling them to check mandis and take disciplinary action against erring employees; adherence to the transfer policy evolved when Mr R.N. Gupta was the Financial Commissioner, Development, rather than the Chairman, Mr Mal Singh Ghuman, alone wielding absolute power in this matter; and holding of a Board meeting every month. Despite the Chairman and the Secretary doing their best to give plausible explanations on each of the issues raised by the agitated members, the chaos continued. According to the sources, the members were “sore” because they had realised that as “members” of the board they practically had no powers, either administrative or financial. They could not even use the word “Director” with their names as there was no such provision in the Act. In fact, some of them had approached the board’s Administrative Officer seeking identity cards with the word “Director” written on it. These were not signed since that would have been legally incorrect. The members, as a protest, refused to take identity cards as mere “members”. Another reason for their frustration was the absolute “power” enjoyed by the Chairman. Certain non-official members, the sources said, were aware that the Chairman’s honorarium was raised from Rs 1,800 to Rs 10,000 per month at the last meeting of the board on June 25. The board is also paying house rent, (Rs 25,000 per month) for the premises occupied by Mr Ghuman. The non-official
members, on the other hand, were entitled to only the usual travelling and dearness allowances permissible under the rules for government employees. They got just Rs 500 for attending a meeting. On their demand that the board meet every month, the Secretary explained to them that as per the Act, the board met quarterly. His plea was that their “agenda” had to be legally examined and only then presented at the next meeting of the board, if found correct. The members referred to the “arbitrary” manner in which the Chairman would “suspend an employee in the morning and reinstate him in the evening” or transfer or retransfer officials. Sensing the mood of the members, Mr Ghuman did not mince words and remarked that he had kept records of every action he took. He had an explanation for every action of his. He asked the members not to force him to blurt out the “truth” for they would feel embarrassed. He said he had to bear a lot of political pressures and pulls and act accordingly”. Since the eight official members were present to complete the quorum of the meeting, the official agenda was considered and decisions taken. The non-official members who boycotted the meeting huddled together in a separate room in Kisan Bhavan and did not attend lunch when invited. The whole episode, the sources said, had two aspects: one, members wanted to share and enjoy power which they were unable to; and two, protest against the manner in which Mr Ghuman, was running the show, treating the board as his “fiefdom”. Despite all that has happened in the board in the past, Mr Ghuman was given extension since he had played a key role during the SGPC crisis when Mr Parkash Singh Badal was to remove Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra as SGPC President and Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar of Akal
Takht. |
Cong camps’ bid to end rift FEROZEPORE, July 7 — To ensure victory for the Congress in the next assembly elections, the leaders of the warring camps within the party are seeking to mend fences. An indication to this effect was available at the informal meeting between the Faridkot Congress Committee President, Mr S.K. Gupta, and his Ferozepore counterpart, Mr Harminder Singh Bhullar, held at the latter’s farmhouse here last evening. Singificantly, the two leaders who allegiance to the camps led by the Punjab Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh, and former Chief Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. While Mr Bhullar is considered loyal to Capt Amarinder Singh, Mr Gupta is part of the Bhattal camp. The two leaders discussed at length the challenges before the Congress, whenever the next assembly elections are held. The two sides resolved to sink minor differences to give a big fight to the ruling Akali Dal, which has expedited development works in the state. It was felt that the infighting in the Congress would only help the Akalis, who are contemplating to hold a mid-term assembly election. The two leaders were of the unanimous view that the Left parties might gain out of the infighting, which would indirectly strengthen the prospects of the SAD-BJP combine. The two leaders also decided to step up party activities in the region, especially the two districts they represent in the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Later, emerging from the meeting, the two leaders told mediapersons that they were prepared to give a joint fight to the ‘communal forces’ under the command of Capt Amarinder Singh. Asked whether they had also discussed as to who should be the Congress Chief Ministerial candidate from among their godfathers, the two leaders said, their loyalties were with the Congress party and not with any so-called ‘godfather’. |
|
Centre’s stand on
autonomy lauded MOGA, July 7 — Leaders of almost all parties here opposed the demand for greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir by the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah and congratulated the Prime Minister on rejecting it. Many leaders of political parties said here today that if the demand of the J&K Chief Minister was accepted, it would divide the people on communal basis. Political leaders, including former State Minister for Health and General Secretary, PPCC, Dr Malti Thapar, PPCC farmer wing’s President Mr Satnam Singh Sandeshi, BJP Press Secretary, Mr Rakesh Bhalla and others, urged Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to refrain from issuing such statements endorsing the proposal of J&K Chief Minister and demanding autonomy for Punjab. |
Implement SC ruling: union CHANDIGARH, July 7 — The Punjab General Categories Welfare Federation today took cognisance of the “political pressure” being exerted on the Chief Minister by Scheduled Caste politicians and bureaucrats, opposed to the implementation of the Supreme Court judgement in the A.S. Janjua-II case. In a signed statement, the federation’s president, Mr Shyam Lal Sharma, the senior vice-president, Mr Prabhjit Singh, and the general secretary, Mr Jarnail Singh Brar, said the Tuesday meeting itself was a “contempt of court” and the federation would considering petitioning the court. It may be recalled that the Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, and some ministers and Scheduled Caste IAS and PCS officers had met Mr Parkash Singh Badal and insisted that the Janjua judgement not be implemented. From what transpired at the Tuesday meeting it seemed that a divide line was appearing between Scheduled Castes and non-Scheduled Castes within the government. The Chief Secretary had cautioned bureaucrats against taking up caste as an issue. Mr Shyam Lal Sharma said several states had already implemented the Supreme Court judgement and Punjab should follow suit. Seeking immediate implementation the federation appealed to the Chief Minister to invite its representations for a hearing. |
|
Bid to take over hospital land AMRITSAR, July 7 — A piquant situation arose when PUDA authorities made a vain attempt to take forcible possession of the land belonging to Ram Lal Eye ENT Hospital, which is attached to Government Medical College. The protesters, including staff members and other trade union leaders, uprooted the notice board proclaiming, “This land and property belong to the Punjab Urban Development Authority”. However, PUDA again put up the board and fenced the “surplus land”. Dr Baljit Singh Dhillon, Deputy Medical Superintendent and general secretary of the Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association, said the Director, Research and Medical Education, in a letter addressed to the Principal of the medical college and the Medical Superintendent had said physical possession of the land may not be handed over to PUDA till a final decision was taken by the government. However, the PUDA authorities have claimed that the state government had already transferred the land for open auction to the public for mobilising funds. However, Dr Dhillon said the land which was donated by Mr Ram Lal, a philanthropist, for constructing a hospital in the early twenties could not be transferred or sold to anybody. With the transfer of land to PUDA, as many as 14 families of class IV employees would be
uprooted. Before the proposed auction of the land these houses have to be demolished. Mr Hardev Arshi, a CPI MLA, had also opposed the transfer of the government hospital to PUDA on the floor of the Assembly. Earlier, Mrs Vimla Dang had opposed the move in the Assembly in 1992 when the proposal to construct a police colony on the land of the hospital was mooted. Interestingly, Mr Karnbir Singh Sidhu, Chief Administrator, PUDA, was the then Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar when the police colony was proposed on the land of the hospital. The Deputy Medical
Superintendent has said the government had reportedly transferred the land to PUDA on the pretext of its being surplus. However, he said there was no surplus land in the hospital as there was a long-pending proposal to construct a nursing college, paediatrics, ophthalmology and deaf and dumb rehabilitation centre apart from the staff quarters there. The decision to transfer the government hospital land to PUDA was taken at a meeting of a high-powered committee, presided over by the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann. The Director, Research and Medical Education, was also present at the meeting. Local leaders like Mr Satya Pal Dang, a former CPI minister, Mr Jugal Kishore Sharma, Mr Ram Lal Sharma, Mr S.C. Sood, Mrs Pushpa Marwaha, Mr Ripudaman Singh and Mr Jagdish Singh condemned the decision of the state government to transfer government land to PUDA. They said the land could not be sold for residential purposes by PUDA as it was donated by a philanthropist. They said the surplus land should be used for expansion of the hospital. Dr Dhillon and the SDO, PUDA, exchanged hot words when the latter forcibly put up a notice again. Dr Dhillon alleged that a band of “private force” of PUDA misbehaved with him. He opposed the action of the SDO. Dr Dhillon said all associations of the medical college and the government hospital would hold a protest rally tomorrow. |
|
“Shaheed Udham Singh” wins Nargis Dutt award CHANDIGARH, July 7 — Raj Babbar’s Punjabi film “Shaheed Udham Singh” has bagged the Nargis Dutt national integration award, a Press release said here today. “Shaheed Udham Singh” is the first Punjabi film to win the coveted award. The movie has been directed by Chitrath Singh and produced by Iqbal Dhillon. The cast includes Amrish Puri, Gurdas Mann, Ranjeet, Juhi Chawla and Shatrughan Sinha among others. |
|
Of power cuts and people’s woes BATHINDA, July
7 — The city has a thermal plant but unscheduled and unannounced
power cuts have been creating problems for the residents. For the
past one week, unannounced and unscheduled power cuts have become a
routine. Citizens have been bearing with long-duration power cuts in
day and night times. Power cuts have also affected the functioning of
government offices. Even the civil hospital and other government
dispensaries are not free from the power cuts. Sources said that power
cuts had also hit drinking water supply to the citizens as the
tubewells could not work without power. Residents alleged that after
every two hours they had to face power cut. They added that they had
to spend sleepless nights due to power cuts imposed by the Punjab
State Electricity Board (PSEB) authorities at the dead of night. On
the other hand, large scale use of generators by people in their
residential and commercial premises due to frequent power cuts cause
noise and air pollution in the city. Frequent power cuts have also
given a boost to the sale of generator sets. Mr Iqbal Singh Sran, a
resident of power house road locality, pointed out that on one hand,
the residents of Bathinda city would have to inhale polluted air due
to mixing of fly ash being emitted from the chimneys of thermal plant,
on the other hand they were also facing power cuts. Residents
demanded that the PSEB should also impose powercuts of longer duration
in the VIP residential areas if the power cuts were being imposed due
to shortage of power. They alleged that even the PSEB had not been
giving any prior information to the public regarding the power cuts.
Telephones of complaint centres remained invariably engaged. Mr Kewal
Krishan Aggarwal, General Secretary, DCC (I), said that the Punjab
government should take immediate steps to make Bathinda a
power-cut-free city. No senior PSEB official was available for
comments. |
|
Sikh Sangat backs
SGPC on jathas PHAGWARA, July 7 — The SGPC today got support from unexpected quarter when the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat declared that the SGPC alone had the legal authority to send jathas to
Pakistan. Mr Madanjit Singh, Secretary, Punjab RSS, questioned the bonafides of the Sarna faction of the DGPC to send jathas to Pakistan ignoring the
SGPC. Former DGPC President Paramjit Singh Sarna and his men were resorting to “illegal” methods by doing so, he said. On accusations that the RSS had got Rs 17 crore from the Centre during the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa, Mr Madanjit Singh denied having received any amount and demanded a probe into the charges. |
|
Christians to support
Insaaf International BATHINDA, July 7 — The local Christian community has decided to support Insaaf International, a human rights organisation which will organise a sadbhavana march on July 15, 2000. In a press note issued here yesterday, Mr Joseph D’Costa, the priest in charge of Holy Rosary Church, here alleged that the Christians in India were in danger and they had an insecure feeling of not being in their own motherland. Mr D’Costa alleged that the minority communities were being attacked through the well-planned activities. He demanded that the government should take the necessary action against fundamentalist organisations and groups which were threatening and attacking the minority communities. |
|
Milkmen threaten
dharnas MOGA, July 7 — The milkmen supplying milk to various milk processing plants in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, at an emergency meeting held here today, decided to stage demonstrations and dharnas in front of RMI, a bicycle manufacturing unit at Rajpura in Patiala district, and also in front of Roadmaster Food Products at Kotkapura. The meeting, chaired by Mr Tejinder Singh, an executive member of the union, was held in protest against the failure of these units to make payments, worth crores, for the milk, supplied to them. Mr Tejinder Singh told newsmen that although the Managing Director of RMI, Mr Subhash Goel, and the Manager, Roadmaster Food Products, Mr Suraj Singla, had earlier assured them that they would make the payments to all milk suppliers, they had failed to do so. Besides this, a large number of cheques issued to milkmen in Punjab by these units had already bounced, he claimed. The union had, therefore, decided to take the matter to
court. |
7 held for cheating GURDASPUR, July 7 — The police has busted a gang of cheats who have cheated several persons of Jammu and Kashmir of crores of rupees. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, in a press note issued here today said that members of the gang identified as S. Kuna Sacron, Arun Kumar, K.Narain Sami, M. Adbul Kadar, Ravi Kumar, M. Amsu and P. Kumaran all residents of Tamil Nadu were arrested last night from Amritsar Railway Station. The SSP said that the gang had opened shops at Jammu and Gurdaspur and to win confidence of the customers supplied them articles like TVs, refrigerators, Computers, and household articles cheap and luxury goods at half the estimated rates against promise of delivery within next 15 days. Initially they supplied the articles for sometime but after collecting huge amount they disappeared to another place to open the shop. The SSP said that the accused opened a shop under Golden Complex scheme at Jail Road Gurdaspur a month ago. They collected huge sum of money and on July 6 disappeared from Gurdaspur. The fact came to light when the chowkidar of Onkar Nagar Mohalla reported the matter to Mr Darshan Singh resident of the area that the accused have disappeared in a Maruti car No. DDC-6087 at 2 A.M. He reported the matter to the police. The SSP said that the police sent parties to bus stands and railway stations from Gurdaspur to Amritsar to trace the culprits. The city SHO headed a police party and rushed to Amritsar railway station where he found the said taxi outside the railway station and through the taxi driver he was able to apprehend the accused before they could flee to some unknown destination. The SSP said that during interrogation of the accused, they confessed to the crime and added that they were going to Jalandhar to open a similar complex. They confessed having duped people of Jammu earlier of several crores. The accused said that they had booked 509 items in advance at Gurdaspur against heavy advances and gave delivery of only 148 items. A case U/S 420, 406, 120B of the IPC has been registered. |
|
Student drowns
in gurdwara sarovar FEROZEPORE, July 7 — A student of local Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Engineering and Technology died of drowning in ‘sarovar’ Gurusar gurdwara at Bazipur village, near here, on Thursday evening. Sources at the college told that the deceased had been identified as Gurpreet Singh Sodhi, a first year student of BE (Material Science) and a resident of Jalandhar. The body of the deceased was handed over to his parents late last evening. Meanwhile, the local Sadar police station SHO, Mr Balbir Singh, said that the deceased along with his two friends had gone to take bath in the ‘sarovar’ around 7 p.m. The deceased did not know swimming, therefore, he took a dip in the ‘sarovar’ with the help of a (iron chain). The deceased lost his grip of the chain and was drowned in the ‘sarovar’. He died on the spot. The SHO added that the police had initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the Cr PC. |
|
Drugs seized PATIALA, July 7 — The district health authorities raided a chemist shop in Het Ram Bagichi area on Wednesday. As many as 58,000 capsules in loose, packed in two sacks, 4912 duplicate capsules of proxyvon and 228 capsules of another common drug stored against the rules have been confiscated. The seized drugs have been sent for a laboratory test. According to the Civil Surgeon, Mr Ramesh Chandra, the raid was conducted on the basis of a complaint. These drugs are used in large quantities by the addicts. The chemist was arrested immediately and was remanded in police custody. A case has been registered under Section 420, IPC, and Copyright Act. |
Directorate for middle-level schools BATHINDA, July 7 — The Punjab Government has decided to set up a directorate for middle classes by August 15. All primary and middle level-schools will be linked with this directorate. In a significent step, the Punjab Government has formulated a policy for teaching subjects relating to science and commerce groups in government schools. Sources said the Punjab Government had taken this step as 55 per cent of the total 253 schools where education in science and commerce subjects was being imparted were not functioning properly. Mr Tota Singh, Education Minister, while confirming this, said in future teachers of science and commerce subjects would be posted only in those schools where the strength of students in these subjects would be 10 or more. Mr Tota Singh, who was here today to preside over the District Planning Board meeting, said the government would introduce science subjects in the plus one and plus two classes in schools where the result of matric students in maths and science was satisfactory. Regarding the vacancies in government schools, Mr Tota Singh pointed out that the process of recruiting more than 7,000 ETT teachers had been started. He said candidates with higher qualifications would also, be considered for these posts. He said the government had decided to upgrade a number of schools in the state. The schools would be upgraded after the approval of the Cabinet and the Finance Department. The number of such schools would be announced shortly. The Punjab Government had also decided to give Rs 20 lakh to each Assembly segment for improving school buildings. The government had decided to give jobs to the kin of deceased employees of the Education Department within six months. |
|
Counselling for
BCA, BIT from July 10 AMRITSAR, July 7 — Forms for admission to the BCA and BIT courses of Amritsar district will be accepted up to July 9 at the office of Dean, College Development Council (CDC), Guru Nanak Dev University. The office of the CDC will remain open to receive these forms on July 8 and 9. This was stated here today by Dr S.P. Singh, coordinator for the tests. Counselling for candidates of Amritsar district will be held on July 10 at 10 a.m. at Guru Nanak Bhavan of the University. The admission forms for Jalandhar district can be submitted in the colleges where courses are available till July 10 up to 1 p.m. On the basis of merit list, admission to these courses will be made on July 11. He said admission to the colleges of Phagwara and Pathankot will be done on July 12. Admission to the colleges of Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi will be done on July 13. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
