Defeat Cong in Sunam,Tohra tells Badal
From Our Correspondent

FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 1 — Mr G.S. Tohra, President, SHSAD, today dared Mr Parkash Singh Badal to make sincere efforts to defeat the Congress in Sunam byelections by reaching an understanding with his party on the choice of the candidate and the symbol.

He said Mr Badal was free to select the ‘real’ Akali candidate, who had made sacrifices for the Panth. He said either the symbol should be allotted to the SHSAD or Mr Badal should accept the SHSAD candidate and allot him the symbol of his party SAD(B). Mr Tohra said they were ready to accept both the proposal. He said Mr Badal should accept these proposals or agree to support the ‘real’ Akali candidate who will contest as an Independent.

He also said a meeting of the SHSAD working committee had been convened at Patiala on September 3. At this meeting, the SHSAD candidate would be selected. He said his party would not accept Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s son as Sunam candidate, because he had made no sacrifice for the Panth, his only qualification was that he was son of an Akali leader. He said if Mr Badal did not accept their proposal, he would be responsible for the Congress victory.

He said his party would highlight the issues of introducing the Congress culture in Akali Dal, rampant corruption in state, the worst administration, registration of false cases against Opposition party leaders, introduction of family rule, disrespect to those Akali workers who had made sacrifices. He said in this election, the votes would decide whether they favoured these issues or wanted a clean administration.

He said the Badal government had failed on every front. Mr Badal was making false claims and misguiding the public on the issue of setting up of big industrial units in the state.

Mr Tohra said in reply to a question, he was told in the Rajya Sabha that the state government had not made any proposal about the Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link. He said Mr Badal had failed to get any single project from the Vajpayee government. He said Mr H.D. Deve Gowda had given the state an oil refinery and laid its foundation stone three years back. Mr I.K. Gujral had allotted Rs 35 crore for the science city and Rs 114 crore for an international airport at Amritsar. He said in another reply he was told in the Rajya Sabha that the oil refinery would be set up at the cost of Rs 9896 crore only not at the cost of Rs 26000 crore as claimed by Mr Badal. He said in the past three years only Rs 300 crore had been released.

He refused any unity move with Mr Badal. He said Mr Badal and his men had forgotten the principles of the Akali Dal and had introduced the Congress culture.

Who will get Sunam Cong ticket?
From Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Sept 1 — The Congress candidate for the Sunam Assembly byelection is likely to be a toss up between the widow of former minister Bhagwan Das Arora following whose death the seat fell vacant and Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sanmukh Singh Mokha.

Presently Mrs Parmeshwari Devi, widow of Bhagwan Das Arora, is the front runner with former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal helping her to gain an audience with party President Sonia Gandhi. Mrs Bhattal has pleaded with the high command that the party must field Mrs Parmeshwari Devi in the forthcoming byelection to cash upon the goodwill created by her husband in the constituency.

Mrs Bhattal has made a strong case against awarding the party ticket to Mr Mokha, who is presently with the Tohra faction and had been instrumental in the defeat of Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa in the last assembly elections. Mr Mokha had garnered 20,000 votes in the Assembly poll while standing as an Independent, who received the tacit support of Mr Dhindsa’s bete noire Mr Surjit Singh Barnala.

The former Chief Minister, who camped in New Delhi recently to explain her viewpoint to the high command, also played up the widow angle, besides taking a number of panchayats and prominent Congressmen of Sunam to plead in favour of Mrs Parmeshwari Devi. She made it clear to the party that Congress would find it difficult to vote for an Akali in case Mr Mokha was given the party ticket and that the sympathy factor accruing out of the untimely death of Bhagwan Das Arora would also be lost if this happened. She took this plea despite the fact that Mr Mokha was her relative and she had held a number of meetings with him to facilitate his entry into the Congress.

Mrs Parmeshwari Devi has also taken a lead in the run up to the contest for the party ticket as pradesh Congress President Capt Amarinder Singh cannot overtly object to her candidature. The fact that she is a widow who must get her right goes in her favour and it is difficult to agrue with the Congress President on this score.

Highly placed Congress sources said Capt Amarinder was in favour of a winning candidate and Mr Mokha fitted the bill. They said Mrs Bhattal was trying to outsmart the PPCC President by recommending the name of Mrs Parmeshwari Devi. They said in case the seat went to Mr Mokha and Mrs Bhattal was made the election in charge, she would have to share equal responsibility if the Congress candidate was defeated as Mr Mokha was her relative and the Sunam seat also bordered her own constituency of Lehraghaga.

The sources said Mr Mokha was the only candidate who could give a fight to Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s son, who is likely to emerge as SAD choice for the seat. They said in case Mr Mohka was given the party ticket, he would create a divide in the Akali votes in the constituency. Supporters of Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, who had voted for him in the last poll, would also help Mr Mokha tremendously, the sources added.

The Congress leaders said Sunam was a traditional Akali seat and Capt Amarinder had conveyed as such to the Congress high command during a recent visit. They said Bhagwan Dass had won mainly because of the divide in the Akali vote bank in the last poll. This they claimed was the only way to defeat the SAD candidate this time and help Mr Mokha sail through comfortably.

Sunam byelection schedule
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — The following programme has been announced by the Election Commission of India for holding the Sunam assembly by-election: Last date for filing of nominations — September 11; scrutiny of nominations — September 12; last date for the withdrawal of candidates — September 14; date of poll, if necessary — September 29; and date of completion of the election — October 5.

The hours of polling will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Subdivisional Magistrate, Sunam, will be the Returning Officer. The nomination papers are to be filed with the Returning Officer between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on any day other than a public holiday, says an official release.

September 9 is not a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. As such, nomination papers can be presented to the Returning Officer on that day.

September 10 is a public holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and as such nomination papers cannot be presented to the Returning Officer on that day.

“The model code of conduct has come into force in Sangrur district from the date of announcement of the byelection by the Election Commission of India (August 28) and shall remain in force till the completion of the election process,” says the Chief Electoral Officer, Dr Brajender Singh.

Mansion owners use free power
Tribune News Service

FEROZEPORE, Sept 1 — Owners of over 50 mansions in the city are availing free power facility unauthorisedly to run their tubewells. Although the Punjab Government had announced free power policy purely for farming in rural areas, the owners of these mansions are also availing it against the tubewell connections, being used for domestic purpose.

This was detected by Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) staff during a recent inspection of these mansions. Confirming this to the TNS, the PSEB Executive Engineer, Mr Manjeet Singh Rajput, said that these mansion owners had been asked to either pay the commercial rate for using the tubewell inside their house or get them disconnected.

Interestingly, these mansions also included official residences of some senior administrative and police officers. However, the tubewell connections were installed in these mansions several years ago, when the owners had sufficient land for nursery and kitchen garden. But the recent inspection of these buildings revealed that these were not being used for agriculture. In most cases, the servants at these mansions were found using these tubewells for bathing.

Till the day, the Punjab Government announced free power for cultivation through tubewells, the owners of some of these mansions were allegedly running them through unauthorised power connections. This fact was also established during the inspection that was carried out as part of the PSEB’s campaign to plug the power theft in the city.

Row over Principal’s removal
Tribune News Service

BHATINDA, Sept 1 — The termination of services of the Principal of Mahant Gurbanta Dass School for Deaf, Dumb and Blind, being run by the district Red Cross Society, by the authorities concerned has created a controversy.

A section of directors of the school management alleged that the Principal of the school, Ms Anuradha, who was requested to join the school as Principal in December 1999, had been removed by the authorities concerned due to political pressure despite the fact that a three-year bond of service had been filled by her.

Official sources, however, said Ms Anuradha had been removed as she did not fulfill the conditions laid down in the advertisement published in the newspaper for the post. Ms Anuradha was above 40 years at the time of joining and hence was removed for being overage.

Interestingly, Mr Dharam Singh, who was appointed as project officer of the school after he retired as secretary of the district Red Cross Society, has been given additional charge of Principal of the school.

Mr Banarsai Dass Goyal, Director, pointed out that when the authorities concerned had no suitable candidate to replace Ms Anuradha as Principal then why had she been removed in such haste. He added that Mr Dharam Singh, who was managing the affairs of the school in the capacity of Principal now, was about 60-year-old while Ms Anuradha had been removed for being overage by only few days.

He further alleged that Ms Anuradha had been removed by the authorities concerned only to appease certain ruling-party politicians. He added that he had protested in the General House meeting when the matter of Ms Anuradha’s appointment as principal was discussed but his objections were not recorded in the proceedings.

Mr Narinder Mittal, another director, said the way the deaf and dumb school was being run would prove fatal for the institution one day. He added that the school for deaf and dumb was not anyone’s personal property and hence it should be run according to rules rather than on political considerations.

Official sources said the appointment of Principal was reviewed when the state Power Minister, Mr Sikander Singh Malooka, expressed his dissatisfaction on the selection procedure and demanded that the appointment should be reviewed, in the General House meeting held on April 6, 2000.

Following this, Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the school management, constituted a five-member committee to review the appointment. The committee comprising the Municipal Council President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Bhullar, Mr Baljit Singh Beerbehman, Managing Director of Bathinda Central Cooperative Bank (both senior Akali Dal leaders), representatives of DC and SSP and the District Education Officer (DEO), Mrs Surinder Kataria, mentioned in its report that Ms Anuradha was over age as per the advertisement inserted in the newspapers.

The authorities concerned showed so much haste in removing Ms Anuradha that she was summoned at 6 p.m. after office hours by a senior official of the district administration to serve the order which she received under protest.

However, Mr Jaspal Singh, said Ms Anuradha had been removed after following the proper procedure and there was no political pressure on the authorities to do so.

He said allegations of a section of directors of the school that their objections were not recorded in the proceedings were wrong.

POLITICS

Bid to put up common Oppn candidate
By Sarbjit Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — A lot of political activity is going on behind the scenes for making different Opposition parties agree to put up a common candidate against the ruling SAD- BJP combine’s candidate in the Sunam byelection scheduled to be held on September 29.

Informed sources said the idea of putting up a common candidate had been floated by the CPI’s secretary of the state unit, Dr Joginder Dayal. He had taken up the matter, according to the sources, with the president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh, and also with the president and the general secretary of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD), Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, respectively.

It is felt in Opposition circles that the ruling SAD-BJP combine’s candidate can only be defeated by a united Opposition. Sunam is a constituency where Akali candidates have won the maximum number of times in the past five decades and it will not be an easy task to defeat the ruling combine’s candidate by a single political outfit.

The CPI had, according to the sources, proposed to put up Mr Sapuran Singh, a Sunam-based advocate, as the common candidate of the Opposition parties. Mr Sapuran Singh has been active in the CPI for the past several years in the Sunam area. The CPI has a number of pockets of influence in the constituency and its candidate, Babu Gurbachan Singh, had won the election from this constituency in 1952. In the next two Vidhan Sabha elections, the CPI’s candidate remained in the second place while the Congress remained in the third. Even in the Lok Sabha elections in the eighties, the CPI’s candidate got over 10,000 votes in the Sunam segment of the Patiala Lok Sabha constituency.

As there could be neither consensus on a Congress nominee nor on an SHSAD candidate among Opposition parties, the only option, according to political sources, is a CPI candidate. Owing to its 

COMMUNITY

Sena launches drive to save jailed cops
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Sept 1 — Even as a number of police officials, including SPs and DSPs, have been facing criminal cases and some of them are even in jail for fighting against terrorism, the Hindu Shiv Sena today launched a mass movement from the historic Jallianwala Bagh here to secure their release.

The protest march, which would culminate in New Delhi, was flagged off by Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, President, All-India Anti-Terrorist Front. Mr Bitta, who recently met these police officials in the Patiala Jail, said their condition was pitiable and something must be done to get them released. He said these police official had fought a battle for the entire country and were instrumental in bringing normalcy to the state and hence they must be helped.

Mr Sanjiv Bhardwaj, President, Hindu Shiv Sena, while speaking on the occasion, said that he would not rest until the cases registered against these police officials were withdrawn. He said if the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Government could recommend withdrawing of cases against accomplices of Veerapan who were responsible for massacre of hundreds of persons then why should cases not be withdrawn against these police officials who fought the nation’s battle.

Activists of the Hindu Shiv Sena were carrying banners and placards reading save patriot police officials and “get them released from jails”.

Sangat darshan function
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Sept 1 — Mrs Gurjit Kaur of Batta village alleged that nearly three acre of her agricultural land, adjoining the Udiapur Minor canal, had been encroached upon by the Irrigation Department for the last several years and the government had yet to pay any compensation.

This complaint was listed at the District level sangat darshan held here yesterday, which was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner Mr J.S. Bir. Ms Gurjit Kaur alleged that a compensation of Rs 56,000 should be given to her. The Deputy Commissioner referred the complaint to the Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department, Devigarh Division, and asked him to dispose of the case within the next 15 days.

Ms Krishna Devi of Khalaspur village alleged that she had registered a criminal complaint against four persons at Jhulkan police station and so far no action had been taken by the authorities concerned. The Deputy Commissioner referred the complaint to the authorities concerned and asked them to take action immediately.

Mr Kikar Singh, former sarpanch of Nanowal village, falling in Nabha tehsil, alleged that since 1982, some people had illegally grabbed nearly 650 acre of the village shamlat land. He said despite instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the present sarpanch had still to get the land vacated. Mr J.S. Bir directed the District Development and Panchayat Officer to get the encroached land freed immediately.

Apart from the Deputy Commissioner, Mr J.S. Bir, nearly all senior officers of the district administration were present.

PSEB likely to go in for six-day week
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Sept 1 — The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) is likely to scrap the Saturday-off facility and go in for a six-day week to make its operations more efficient as well as tackle the severe financial crisis being faced by it.

According to high level sources the PSEB top management which met here under Chairman G.S. Sohal, has decided to go in for a sixday week or increasing the number of working hours by extending timings by half-an-hour every day. Sources said former proposition was more likely to be adjusted.

They said the management unanimously felt that efficiency in the Board had gone down ever since Saturday was declared an off day. They said it was felt that as the technical staff was already working on Saturdays, work come to a stop on Saturdays. It was felt that the movement of files had also slackened because of Saturday being observed a holiday. A proposal was also mooted to declare the first and second Saturday as a holiday.

Sources said in case the move did not find favour, it was felt that the working hours should be extended by half-an-hour. This would mean that if this scheme went through, office hours would extend from 9 a.m. in the morning to 5.30 p.m. with a half an hour break in the noon.

Besides the issue of work hours , the financial position of the Board was also discussed in detail at the meeting. It was revealed that the board was facing a problem in meeting the salary bill of the employees.

The current overdraft taken by the board also came under discussion. However, there was no official response to queries on this score with the Chairman not being available for comment.

Representatives of the Engineers Association today said the Board didn’t need to scrap the Saturday-off facility extended to its administrative employees but instead should carry out a self-introspection exercise and stop the current mismanagement of the board affairs. They said the management system needed to be reformed at the top and increasing work hours or scrapping the Saturday-off facility would not improve the board’s efficiency.

PRTC to modernise operations
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Sept 1 — In a bid to cut losses and modernise its operations, the Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation ( PRTC ) has decided to install a ‘ Global Positioning System ‘ in its buses which will help the Corporation to process all information regarding them at the click of a button.

The Corporation has also decided to undertake a computerisation drive as the system can only be run with the help of computers.

The system entails establishment of an antenna at the PRTC depots which can control around hundred buses each. Under the scheme a monitor is also fitted in the bus so that it can be observed from the depot. The system has a small ticketing machine which issues tickets to passengers.

The machine also helps in collecting data about the number of tickets issued for each stage of travel, the maximum rush at a particular stage as well as the time taken. The stoppages, including breakdowns and arrivals at each bus stand or recognised stop can also be processed under the system.

PRTC Chairman Manmohan Singh Sathiala said that the system was already in use in European countries. He said presently it was being used only in the Karnataka Transport Corporation. He said the entire system had been studied by the PRTC engineers and he would be visiting Bangalore soon to examine its functioning in detail.

Mr Sathiala said the scheme was likely to be started by the PRTC from the next financial year. He said according to feedback from the Karnataka Corporation which was running the system on 2,000 buses of the Bombay Metropolitan Corporation, it was quickly recovering the cost on its establishment.

Water in Fatehgarh Sahib areas not potable: report
From Our Correspondent

FATEHGARH SAHIB,Sept 1— Water supplied by municipal councils of major towns of this district is not potable.

On the directions of Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, samples of all tubewells of municipal councils in the district were sent to the state Public Health laboratory, Chandigarh for chemical analysis.

The Bacteriologist, Punjab, in his letter (No. SPHL/Pb./2000) to the Deputy Commissioner has mentioned that the water samples received on August 8 had been found unfit for human consumption. The samples the municipal councilhospital pump, Old Anaj Mandi of Fatehgarh Sahib, the tubewell of Chaudhry Colony, and tubewells near the Namdev Mandir and Balmik Basti of the municipal council, Bassi Pathana, are not potable. Similarly the tubewells of municipal council, Sirhind near a cinema house, the telephone exchange, the Naina Devi Mandir and the tap of Main Bazar, Sirhind, are also not potable. Both the tubewells of Municipal Council, Amloh, are also not potable, according to the letter.

Only in Mandi Gobindgarh town the water of all the five tubewells was found potable. Though the industrial town is known for the highest air pollution in the state.

The bacteriologist has also directed the Deputy Commissioner to obtain a certificate for portability of water of the tubewells within two weeks. The district administration is liable for action under the Factory Act 1948, Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, Section 2(21).

According to sources sewerage water gets mixed up with drinking water at certain points. This leads to the transfer of disease causing bacteria. The water tanks at the tubewells have not been cleaned up.

Mr R.N. Sharma, President, Citizens Welfare Council, Sirhind, and Mr Kuldeep Malhotra, President Citizens Club, Bassi Pathana, have demanded that a drive launched to clean water tanks and pipes.

Meanwhile, Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, told this reporter that municipal councils whose water samples were not found potable, have been directed to initiate drive to clean pipes and tanks. These bodies have been asked to report within in a week.

AISSF men to meet Vedanti
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Sept 1 — Activists of the All-India Sikh Student Federation (AISSF) (Pirmohammad faction) has decided to meet Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar of Akal Takht, with a demand to withdraw title of “Professor of Sikhism” given to Mr Gurtej Singh, a former IAS, for challenging the sacrifice of Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. The federation would urge the Jathedar to summon Mr Gurtej Singh At Akal Takht for distorting history.

“Mr Gurtej Singh of Institute of Sikh Studies had tried to belittle the sacrifice of Bhagat Singh by announcing that he was not a shaheed (martyr).

Talking to TNS, Mr Karnail Singh Pirmohammad. President, AISSF, said that Mr Gurtej Singh had ‘misquoted’ the famous book ‘Sachi Sakhi’ written by late Sardar Kapur Singh. He said not only Sikhs but Indians were proud of the sacrifices of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. He said the title of “national professor of Sikhism” should be withdrawn from Mr Gurtej Singh.

On the probability of unity among various factions of federations. Mr Pirmohammad said that this was linked with the unity of the Shiromani Akali Dal. “Whenever there is disunity in the SAD, the AISSF stands divided”, he said.

Mr Pirmohammad said the proposed 56th anniversary of federation scheduled to be held on September 13 at Gurdaspur had been postponed due to the killing of Gurpreet Kaur Sohal, President AISSF (woman cell), by her own nephew. He urged all factions of federations not to celebrate the anniversary of federation till the bhog ceremony of Bibi Sohal. He said though Bibi Sohal was active in Sikh struggle and met a number of times with Sukha and Jinda before their hanging yet she never advocated violence. She was totally against the killings of innocent persons. He criticised those who had given ‘distorted’ facts so far as her killing was concerned.

Mr Pirmohammad asked the police to probe the murder thoroughly and bring the culprits to book.

Crop loan limit raised
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — The Punjab Cooperation Minister, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, has raised the limit of short-term crop loans to Rs 85,000 for farmers owning land up to 15 acres.

The decision will become operative from October 1, according to a press note issued by the department here today. The limit has been raised on the recommendation of a state-level technical committee constituted for this purpose. Besides loans, farmers would get Rs 1,000 per acre, with a maximum limit of Rs 10,000, for related activity.

For one acre of wheat, the loan amount would be Rs 3,200 in cash and fertilisers, etc, worth Rs 2,000, known as the kind component. For one acre of paddy, Rs 3,500 would be in cash and fertilisers, etc, would be worth Rs 2,200. Likewise, the per acre loan in cash and kind for other crops has been determined by the committee. 

Telecom officials stage dharna
Tribune News Service

SANGRUR, Sept 1 — The Sangrur district unit of the Junior Telecom Officers Association under the presidentship of its district president Varinder Singh Brar today staged an hour-long dharna in front of the office of the GM(T) here.

As many as 50 JTOs and SDOs from different parts of the district participated in the dharna which was staged against the privatisation of the Department of Telecom services.

They were demanding service security, pension benefits and other benefits like better pay scales after the formation of the Bharat Telecom Nigam.

Mr Alok Jindal, a member of the district executive committee of the association said the agitation by the Telecom engineers would continue till their demands were accepted.

Punjab to upgrade 1,050 schools
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — With a view to modernise the education system, the Punjab Education Department will launch a special campaign of “sarb sikhiya abhiyan”. In the first phase six districts would be covered, where level of female literacy rate is less than national literacy rate. The aim of this scheme is to ensure elementary education to the children in schools by 2003, and to provide education up to primary level by 2007 and up to middle standard by 2010.

The government has decided to upgrade over 1,050 schools of different level in Punjab during current year with upgradation of at least nine schools in each Assembly constituency. For improving the infrastructure in the schools a sum of Rs 20 crore is being spent.

ADMINISTRATION

Kin given another chance to get jobs
Tribune News Service

He said cases relating to Ferozepore, Moga, Faridkot, Muktsar, Bathinda, Mansa, Sangrur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts would be considered on September 6 and those of the remaining districts on September 7.

MC resource crunch hits development
From Our Correspondent

ROPAR, Sept 1 — The Ropar Municipal Council is finding it difficult to carry out development works and the maintenance of various essential services in the town due to shortage of funds. The council is facing the shortage due to the non-release of various funds by the state government.

The council has not been able to meet its budgeted targets for the past two years. In 1999-2000, the council could generate only Rs 2.52 crore against a budgeted target of Rs 3.48 crore. The target, sources said, could not be achieved because the council did not receive any money from the MLA Development Fund. Besides, the state government also did not release the excise duty share of the council.

For the current financial year, the council has kept a budgeted target of Rs 4.69 crore. This includes an establishment cost of Rs 1.63 crore, Rs 18.8 lakh contingency funds and Rs 2.76 crore for development and maintenance works.

However, till July 31, the council has been able to generate a revenue of just Rs 81.62 lakh. This year too, the council has not receives any money from the MLA’s funds and has received just Rs 6.56 lakh as excise duty against its due share of Rs 94 lakh. The President of the council said if the funds from the state did not come, it might become difficult for them to pay salaries to the employees in the near future.

Missing paddy: 2charge-sheeted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — The Punjab Government today charge-sheeted Mr Karnesh Sharma, Deputy Director of the Food and Supplies Department, and Mr Abinash Chander, Deputy Director (since retired), and ordered departmental action against them after a fact-finding inquiry conducted by the department found shortage/misappropriation of paddy by certain millers who were allotted paddy for custom milling.

Besides this, irregularities were also allegedly committed while allotting rice mills in violation of the government policy, according to an official press release.

Reports were also received in this connection by the Chief Minister’s office from the Punsup office in Sangrur following an inquiry. Paddy stocks were found short/misappropriated by rice millers. The stocks had been stored by Punsup for custom milling. The District Manager, Punsup, Sangrur, Mr U.N. Sharma, was placed under suspension in this connection.

Action against the rice millers who had allegedly misappropriated the paddy has also been initiated by Punsup.

Pak making fresh efforts to revive militancy: DGP
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, Sept 1 — The Director-General of Police, Punjab, Mr Sarabjit Singh, today said Pakistan was making fresh efforts to foment violence in the state by sending members of a newly formed “operation group”, to Punjab.

Mr Sarabjit Singh, who was speaking to mediapersons at PAP Complex near here today, said Pakistan had not stopped its efforts to send militants in India and the fresh infiltration efforts were being made through the newly-formed operation group, through which it was trying hard to revive militancy in the state.

Besides this youths from Punjab were being allured by some foreign-based militant outfits to join their ranks and create trouble back in Punjab. But the efforts of the militant groups and the neighbouring country were by and large proving futile, since they had failed to get support of people at grass-root level so far.

CRIME

Case against six PSEB employees
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Police sources said no arrest had been made so far.

SSP directed to produce ‘militant’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 1 — Directing Jalandhar’s Senior Superintendent of Police and others to produce alleged militant Darshan Singh, shown to have been arrested on August 30, a day after a habeas corpus petition was filed for his release from “illegal custody”, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice to the state of Punjab for September 4.

At the very outset, counsel for petitioner stated that a case had been planted on Darshan Singh to protect the police. He stated that Darshan Singh was moved from his place of detention after the police came to know about the petition.

Claiming to be a close relative of Darshan Singh, Kewal Singh of Jalandhar district had earlier stated that telegrams had been sent to the Chief Minister , Director-General of Police and other police officials on August 28 by the detainee’s mother three days after he disappeared.

Going into the background, the petitioner stated that the detainee never returned home from a visit to see his relatives at Mokhe village. A call to Darshan Singh on his mobile phone revealed that he was in custody of Jalandhar police, the petitioner stated.

Accusing the police of neither releasing him nor producing him before the court, the petitioner stated that SSP Gaurav Yadav, when contacted by Darshan Singh’s brother, had assured him of his early release.

Darshan Singh, he stated, had returned from the USA in 1999 after spending about 10 years abroad as his (the detainee) wife was pregnant.

The police had claimed yesterday that a conspiracy to cause bomb explosions in the state had been foiled with the arrest of Darshan Singh. The police has added that Darshan Singh was carrying 3 kg of the explosive PETN when apprehended.

Magistrate’s order set aside

Setting aside an order refusing to issue process on a complaint by the President of Guru Nanak Education Trust at Jalandhar against former minister Maheshinder Singh and others, Mr Justice M.L. Singhal today directed the magistrate concerned to pass fresh orders after considering preliminary evidence along with police report.

Seeking directions to the state of Punjab and others to register a case on the basis of his complaint on the allegations of cheating, the petitioner, Gurbir Singh, had earlier stated that the magistrate should have passed an order issuing the process or refusing to do so after considering the preliminary evidence led by the complainant along with the police report.

Man with briefcase ‘bomb’ causes panic
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, Sept 1 — The news of a person carrying a bomb in his bag caused panic among residents and intelligence agencies alike.

A man carrying an expensive briefcase was apprehended by guards of the Telecom Department at Albert Road here today. Devinder Singh (40), mistook the Telecom Department for a hospital after he experienced severe stomach ache and tried to go in. Seeing the expensive briefcase in his hand the guards asked him to open it. He immediately pleaded with them that he was about to deposit the briefcase with the Shiromani committee as he had found it near the kotwali. On opening the bag it was found to contain sophisticated camera, equipment, credit cards, documents and passport of a Japanese citizen.

Taking the expensive camera equipment to be a bomb, the officials handed over the man to the police at Circuit House police picket nearby.

The news of the bomb spread like wildfire and several mediapersons, intelligence and detective wing officials visited the police picket to find out the truth.

Meanwhile, the briefcase was taken by SHO Harinder Singh (Civil Lines Police Station) to the kotwali where the briefcase was returned to a Japanese tourist who had registered a complaint about its loss just then.

1 arrested for woman’s murder
From Our Correspondent

JALANDHAR, Sept 1 — The district police has arrested one person for murder of a woman in Divali village situated on the Jalandhar-Noormahal road.

According to Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, Sukhwinder Singh hailing from Shahkot was arrested yesterday at Jamsher village.

During the preliminary interrogation, the arrested person revealed that he along with Kashmir Singh, Dara Singh and Gurdev Singh, all residents of Shahkot, had executed the crime on August 17.

According to the police, he further revealed they used a Maruti car which was parked on the outskirts of the village. While Gurdev and he stayed in the car Dara Singh and Kashmir Singh went to the house of Ashwini Kumar and shot dead his wife Sunita Rani.

The motive behind the crime was purported to be refusal on the part of the deceased to repay a debt amounting to a huge sum, the police said.

The accused was being produced in the court of the Ilaqa Magistrate and raids were being conducted to arrest the remaining accused.

EDUCATION

Pharmacy students boycott classes
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Sept 1 — Pharmacy students today boycotted classes and took out a march in the university campus to highlight the shortage of teachers in their department, besides other problems like lack of stipends for B. Pharma students and no reservations for B. Pharma students in M. Pharma courses.

Students have been boycotting classes since August 30. They pasted posters in front of the pharmacy department and throughout the university, listing their demands and reasons for their going on strike.

The students organised a march in the campus which started near the Student’s Centre, and ended in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office. The students sat on a dharna in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office, to voice their demands.

Students disclosed that they had boycotted classes due to various reasons, including lack of teachers. There were numerous vacancies in the department which were not being filled up. Things were in such a state that teachers were teaching subjects in which they had not specialised, to the detriment of the students.

The list of demands include, need to grant stipend for M. Pharma students on the pattern of other universities. The students of the Punjab Agriculture University also got stipends for post graduate studies. They also demanded that students who were doing B. Pharma from the university, should have seats reserved for them in M. Pharma classes. The students have also demanded that a placement cell be created in the department. They also alleged that questions in their examinations were usually out of syllabus.

The students withdrew their strike in the evening after talks with their Head of the Department. However, Dr Manjit Singh, when contacted said there had been no strike. When countered with evidence, he said students had only abstained from classes since August 30. He maintained that the students did not have any grievances against the department.

Computer centres for poor children
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Sept 1 — The Patiala Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, today said computer training centres would be opened to give training to needy children.

Presiding over a painting competition held at the Government High School in the cantonment here, Mr Bir said social organisations should also come forward for this. He said providing modern education to needy children would be the appropriate way to give them a head start in life and ensure that they were gainfully employed.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Woman Commission Chairperson Surinder Kaur Grewal said, 30 schools had participated in the district-level painting competition among 240 children. She said efforts would be made to give stipends to the deserving students.

District Children Welfare Council President Ravinder Kaur Bir, who was the spirit behind the painting competition, said such competitions had been organised earlier at the sub-division level. She said the winners of today’s meet would participate in the divisional-level meet being organised at Ropar on September 6.

A reward of Rs 1,000 was also announced for the winners. The Deputy Commissioner also announced a grant of Rs one lakh for the building of the school.

Will cotton production improve?
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Now the farmers are praying for no rains in September which can cause great damage to the “white gold”.