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| Saturday, October 7, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
FCI chief’s remark creates panic Unsold paddy worries
farmers Badal’s directive
on paddy procurement Directive on pollution alarms
PSEB
All 10 occupants of Tata Sumo killed ‘Revive CPI-Cong alliance’ |
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| DC holds meeting on
contaminated water ROPAR, Oct 6 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr G.S. Grewal held a meeting of officials of municipal councils and the Public Health Department here yesterday to discuss the issue of contaminated water being supplied in this district.
Sandwell delegation
calls on Gossain Bibi should step
down: Mann
“Hopeless” case cured with
Ayurveda SGPC stalls selling
banned book Make army
training must for kids: Bitta Traders damage
contractor’s office Artificial limbs
distributed No-trust
motion against MC president
1 held in mandir blast case Mother-in-law
ends life, husband jailed Easy bail takes
them back to crime Gang of robbers
busted
200 students take
part in trekking Reet Bhullar is Miss Fresher
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FCI chief’s remark creates panic FEROZEPORE, Oct 6 — The statement of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairman, Mr Bhure Lal, describing 80 per cent of the Punjab paddy as defective has pressed the panic button as the farmers camping at various mandis expect the price of their produce to fall further. Already, a number of farmers have sold their paddy for prices below the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 540 to the rice millers on account of delayed procurement. The farmers from border villages of the district complain of having disposed of their produce for as little as Rs 380. The statement has come as a big blow to the farmers, who are still awaiting the purchase agencies at various mandis. Most farmers feel that their paddy is not as bad as is being described by the FCI Chairman. For many, the statement is a reflection of the FCI’s reluctance to lift paddy due to inadequate storage space. Criticising the statement of Mr Bhure Lal, the district-based former Member of the Agriculture Price Commission, Mr Gurnaib Singh Brar, said that this would aggravate the crisis in Punjab, which is already witnessing road blockades by the resentful farmers. Adding that Mr Bhure Lal’s visit has done more harm than good to the state, he warned that this would encourage more distress sale of paddy. Jitender Aggarwal, a landlord from Wazidpur village, observed that the statement has disillusioned the farmers, who are hardpressed by the cost of agriculture inputs. Sham Singh of Ratta Khera village felt that the FCI Chairman has not taken into account the version of the farmers, before outrightly rejecting their produce. He claimed that the quality of paddy is far better this year compared to previous seasons. Mohinder Singh, an ex-sarpanch of Karmuwala village, said that the farmers are compelled to burn their produce. He feared that the FCI’s reluctance will also hit the scope of purchase by the state procurement agencies. A branch manager of a leading bank felt that the scenario will also affect the chances of recovery of loans advanced to the farmers for paddy sowing. Tribune Reporters add: AMRITSAR: Leading farm experts and progressive farmers of this district have urged the Central and Punjab Governments to take immediate remedial steps to break the current paddy procurement impasse to save the farming community from huge losses. In a statement issued here on Friday, they criticised and condemned the observation of Mr Bhure Lal. Termed his statement as ‘totally baseless and childish”, they said, “It is an insult to the farmers of the state keeping in view their record and contribution to the national food sector during the past four decades.” They further said that the FCI was facing acute problem of storage of foodgrains and that was the main reason to discard the paddy of Punjab farmers as all the FCI godowns were already full with stocks of foodgrains dumped there for the past many years. The signatories to this statement are Mr Harbans Singh Sohal and Mr Swinder Singh Kathunangal (both members of the PAU Farmers’ Advisory Committee), Mr Bhupinderjit Singh and Mr Jasjit Singh Bhullar (both member directors of the Punjab Mandi Board), Mr Tega Singh Sohal, Mr Sukhraj Singh Verka, Mr Surinderjit Singh Navada, Mr Sardul Singh, Mr Sukhdev Singh Randhawa, Mr Kabul Singh and Mr Kanwaljit Singh Dhotian (all farmers). MOGA: The Bharatiya Kisan Union on Friday assailed the Chairman of the Food Corporation of India Bhure Lal for saying that nearly 80 per cent of the paddy in Punjab is below the specifications laid down by the Government of India. The Press Secretary of the BKU, Mr Bhupinder Singh Mahesari, said a majority of the produce was of good quality and there was no reason why these stocks could not be procured. Meanwhile, paddy has piled up in the mandis in the absence of purchase. The President of the Punjab Young Farmers Association, Mr Shamsher Singh Dhillon, said farmers from all over the state would resort to chakka jam and paralyse the functioning of government offices if it failed to procure their stocks. |
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Unsold paddy worries
farmers SANGRUR, Oct 6 — Like elsewhere in the state, paddy growers in this district are worried on account of the non-purchase of their produce for
nearly 10 days on one pretext or the other by government procurement agencies in the grain markets and other procurement centres. A tour of the grain markets of Bhawnigarh, Mehlan and Sunam by this correspondent on Wednesday made it clear that the farmers would have to suffer huge losses if the government did not relax the paddy specifications for the procurement. Thousands of quintals of unsold paddy was lying in the markets but no buyers. Farmers were still bringing paddy to the grain markets in their tractor-trailers though there was no space in the Bhawanigarh and Sunam mandis to unload it. About 50,000 quintals of unsold paddy was lying in heaps at Bhawanigarh. The daily arrival of paddy in this mandi is said to be about 20,000 quintals while the procurement due to the strict implementation of specifications is much less than the arrival. Mr Parshotam Singh of Phagwala village and Mr Dilbag Singh from Alloarkh village said their hundreds of quintals of paddy was lying for procurement unsold at Bhawanigarh for the past 15 days. They said the inspectors of government agencies said their paddy did not fulfil the specifications while the millers were not ready to purchase their produce for more than Rs 450 per quintal. Mr Hardeep Singh, an officer of Markfed at Bhawanigarh, said they were facing a problem of storage as the millers were neither providing space nor making any agreement with the procurement agencies in this regard. So, Markfed was keeping paddy in its own custody. In Mehlan village situated on the Bhawanigarh-Sunam road, about 25,000 quintals of paddy, lying in the grain market, had no buyers as the FCI, the only procurement agency for this mandi, is not ready to purchase the produce on the plea that the paddy has discoloured grains up to 10 per cent while the specifications allow only 3 per cent discolouring. The FCI had procured only 250 quintals of paddy by October 3 last in Mehlan mandi. However, a majority of the farmers are still hopeful that the government would come forward to save them, said Mr Gurnam Singh from Mauran village, who had brought 100 quintals of paddy to sell. In the Sunam grain market, about 75,000 quintals of paddy is lying in heaps with no buyers while the daily arrival now is about 20,000 quintals. Lifting of procured paddy has also emerged as a problem. Farmers from different villages — Mr Kuldip Singh (Mardkherra), Mr Janta Singh (Kharrial) and Mr Ram Singh (Bakhshiwala) — in the grain market at Sunam told TNS that they had been here for the past 10 to 12 days to sell their produce but in vain. One of them even alleged that it seemed the government agencies and millers were conniving to force the farmers to sell the produce at low rates to the millers. |
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Central team visits Punjab
mandis AMRITSAR, Oct 6 — A high-level Central team, sent by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today visited various grain markets of this border district to take samples of paddy, with a view to clearing the glut of the produce. The Central team, which visited Goindwal, Harike and other grain markets of the state, comprised Mr K.M. Sihni, a senior IAS officer and Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Food, Mr V.B. Patnaik, Joint Commissioner Storage and Research, Government of India, Mr G.Vagralingam, Director of Food, Punjab, Mr Ashok Kumar, in charge of quality control, and Mr D.P. Reddy, Senior Regional Manager, FCI. The team will be staying at Ferozepore, it is learnt. According to Mr Bhupinder Singh, District Food and Supplies Controller, the Central team took samples of the paddy from the Amritsar mandis. It may be mentioned here that the Prime Minister directed the Central team to visit various mandis of Punjab on the personal request of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister. Mr Badal had reportedly complained to the Prime Minister that the FCI had been refusing to procure sufficient quantity of paddy on the pretext that most of the produce was damaged. The FCI Chairman, Mr Bhure Lal, who visited some mandis in this border district yesterday, had declared that about 80 per cent of the paddy in mandis was below the specifications laid down by the Government of India, causing panic among all concerned. Mr Badal had to approach the Prime Minister for speedy procurement of paddy as farmers have been resorting to traffic blockades and dharnas in protest against non-procurement of paddy. |
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Barnala flays FCI chief’s
statement Barnala, Oct 6 — Addressing mediapersons here today, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala said that the statement of the Chairman of the FCI that 80 per cent of the paddy coming to Punjab mandis was defective and below the required specifications, was unfortunate and irresponsible. Farmers who produced a record crop of 120 lakh tonnes of paddy were now being told that 80 per cent of the grain that they had produced was defective, he said. The norms prescribed by the Food Department have been made very stringent and were being enforced very strictly. With the result, only about 20 per cent of the normal purchase was being made, causing a glut in the mandis all over Punjab. The Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agriculture University, had said the quality of paddy was better this year than last year because the harvesting season had been absolutely dry. Clean and dry paddy was coming to the market. However, frivolous objections were raised while purchasing paddy and the farmers were being harassed. On the request of the Chief Minister, Punjab, the Prime Minister had sent a Central team to Punjab but it was not likely to solve the problem, he said, adding that in a situation like this it was necessary to have the Food Minister from a producing state like Punjab who had first hand knowledge of the problems of farmers. Arrangements should be made to purchase the entire stock of paddy which had arrived in the mandis. |
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Farmers block traffic FATEHGARH SAHIB, Oct 6 — The commission agents, farmers and the labourers organised a protest rally and blocked traffic on the G.T. Road, at Sirhind, today against the failure of the FCI to procure the paddy in the grain market. They raised slogans against the FCI but only a Class IV employee of the FCI was present and no other official was present in the mandi. Mr Surjeet Singh Sahi, District president, Arhtia Association, alleged that the FCI was not purchasing paddy and farmers had started taking back their paddy to nearby mandis and some of them to Haryana. Mr Jaswant Singh of Mirpur village told Luthiana Tribune at Sirhind Mandi that his paddy had been lying in the mandi from the past six days and he was taking it to Ambala for sale. Mr Gurcharan Singh of Sangarpura village said since September 29, he had been staying in the mandi to sell his paddy, but no one had purchased it. So he had decided to take it to Ambala. Mr Angrej Singh of Nabipur village said he and many other farmers had been waiting for the sale of paddy since September 28. Meanwhile, on the recommendations of Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy
Commissioner, Mr S.S. Katach, Inspector, Punsup of Samashpur Mandi,
has been suspended by the MD, Punsup, for irregularities during the
paddy procurement. |
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Badal’s directive
on paddy procurement CHANDIGARH, Oct 6 — Deputy Commissioners in the state have been instructed to ensure speedy procurement of paddy and lifting of complete stocks from all grain markets on the day of its
procurement. The Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to associate all District Food and Supplies Controllers and District Managers of various state agencies so as to avoid any inconvenience to farmers of the
state. Decisions to these effects were taken at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, here this evening after his return from New Delhi where had reportedly met the Prime Minister to seek is intervention in quick procurement of paddy from grain markets in the state by the Food Corporation of
India. Mr Parkash Singh Badal reviewed the procurement operations and issued directions to all heads of departments to further gear up the operations and clear all grain markets of all pending stocks
immediately. The Chief Minister, according to a press note, told those present at the meeting that the Food Ministry had agreed in principle to restore the old specifications for par-boiled rice to provide major relief to rice industry in the
state. The Chief Ministers wanted that there should be no distress sale of paddy anywhere in the state as he said that he had told both the Prime Minister and the Food Minister that no injustice to farmers of the state would
be tolerated. |
Directive on pollution alarms
PSEB CHANDIGARH, Oct 6 — The Union Environment Ministry’s directive to various thermal plants in the country to either fall in line or face action in state electricity boards. Warning the managements of thermal plants against pollution, the ministry has directed them to use coal having an ash content of not more than 34 per cent. At present, the coal used by most of the plants has an ash content of
nearby 40 per cent and is a major source of pollution in places like Delhi, Bathinda, Ropar, etc. Several meetings in this connection have been held at the national level among official of the Power, Environment and Coal Ministries and the Central Electricity Authority in the recent past. The managements of various state-electricity boards have told the Power Ministry that, by and large, they depend on coal provided by Coal India Limited, a Union Government organisation. However, this coal has a very high ash content. Owing to the high ash content, state electricity boards also have to make huge investments in coal to run the plants. Because of the low fuel value of this coal, its consumption remains always on the high side in the plants. The state government has put pressure on Coal India to ensure the supply of good quality coal having an ash content as specified by the Union Ministry of Environment. Sources said that Coal India, which had
near-monopoly on coal supplies to various parts of the country, was starved of funds for developing new mines having good quality coal. It was trying hard to get funds from the World Bank. Sources said the PSEB had started negotiations with a private coalminer, who had been supplying coal to West Bengal plants for the past several years, to supply coal to its thermal plants. Certain PSEB officials have already been to West Bengal to verify the supply record of the miner. The miner has given an assurance on the supply 30 lakh tonnes of coal to the PSEB, which buys about 90 lakh tonnes for its plants at Ropar, Bathinda and Lehra Mohabat. The private party has also promised to supply coal with an ash content of less than 34 per cent and at a price 15 to 20 per cent lower than that charged by Coal India from the PSEB. Sources said if the agreement was signed, the PSEB would be able to cut its coal bill by about Rs 100 crore. The bill is expected to touch Rs 1,700 crore this year. The Punjab Power Minister, Mr Sikander Singh Malooka, says that because of the high ash content in the coal used in the thermal plants in the state, the power generation cost has gone up. He said the coal bill of the PSEB had increased manifold in the past few years. The authorities concerned in the PSEB had been told to use coal having a low ash content to save money on this front. Sources said that obstacles were being created by Coal India in the allocation of a good coalfield for mining. The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has according to sources, taken up the issue with the Union Coal Ministry for expediting the process of
allocation of a coalmine block. One the coalfield is allocated, the miner will take 18 months to supply coal to the PSEB, it is learnt. The Union Government has come out with a policy to encourage private participation in developing new coalmines. But now, under pressure from Coal India, it is dragging its feet. The PSEB is also examining a proposal on “washed coal”. Sources said as this would cost at least Rs 150 per tonne more than the normal coal, it would not be in the interest of the board to clear the proposal. |
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All 10 occupants of Tata Sumo killed
JALANDHAR, Oct 6 (UNI) — All 10 occupants of a Tata Sumo, returning home to Punjab from Ahmedabad after attending a funeral, were killed in a road mishap on the Jaipur-Delhi highway in the wee hours
yesterday.
Jagir Kaur, along with her relatives, was returning to Samrari after attending the funeral of her daughter-in-law Amarjit Kaur when their vehicle collided with a trailer loaded with cars near Shahjehanpur, police sources
said.
Besides Jagir Kaur (65) the others killed in the accident have been identified as Sewa Kaur (75) Jagir Singh (60) Darshan Singh, Bhajan Kaur (52) Daljit Kaur (32) and driver Sukha, all residents of Samrari, Harjinder Kaur (30) of Pamal village in Ludhiana district, Balbir Kaur of Herian in Banga area of Nawanshahr district and Sukhdev Kaur of Nawan Pind Shankeian in Nurmahal area of Jalandhar
district.
The bodies were cremated yesterday. |
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‘Revive CPI-Cong alliance’ AMRITSAR, Oct 6 — The severing of the CPI-Congress alliance was the main reason for the defeat of the Congress candidate in the recently held Sunam byelection. Hence, there was a need to revive the relations between both parties, which fought against terrorism together. This was stated by Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, former president of the Indian Youth Congress and Chairman of the Anti-Terrorist Front (ATF), here today. He said the Congress should not forget the sacrifices made by the CPI workers and leaders during the peak of militancy. He said there was need to revise the old Congress culture. He alleged that a few Congress leaders who had links with Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale had succeeded in joining ranks with the Congress party. Such developments had adversely affected the byelection results, he claimed. Defending the former Prime Minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, Mr Bitta said he was ‘honest to the core’. However, due to dirty politics he stood isolated within his own party. “We will have to bring back the old Congress leaders to the forefront with a view to winning the forthcoming general election”, he said. The ATF chief alleged that the Rs 3 crore, sanctioned by the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao for overall development of the Jallianwala Bagh memorial in 1994, were lying unused. He said he was shocked to learn that not even a single penny had been spent from the Rs 3 crores in the past six years. He urged the Punjab Governor to come forward for development of the Jallianwala Bagh memorial. He said the Punjab Governor, who was also a member of the Jallianwala Trust, was one of the great heroes of the Army who understood the significance of a national memorial. Mr Bitta urged the Centre to launch an operation against Veerappan to rescue Rajkumar. “If Operation Bluestar could be launched to flush out terrorists from Akal Takht/Golden Temple why it (Centre) is hesitating to take action against Veerappan? Another reason for the Sunam byelection results was that the Congress high command had virtually ‘forgotten’ the sacrifice made by Beant Singh, a former Chief Minister. he alleged that the party leadership failed to turn up at the time of the death anniversary of the former Chief Minister held at Payal, which sent wrong signals to the voter. He said the Congress should be strengthened before the next general election. |
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DC holds meeting on
contaminated water ROPAR, Oct 6 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr G.S. Grewal held a meeting of officials of municipal councils and the Public Health Department here yesterday to discuss the issue of contaminated water being supplied in this district. Earlier, water samples collected by the district health authorities from water sources in Kharar, Kurali, Morinda, Ropar and surrounding areas had failed the tests for bacterial contamination conducted at the government laboratory at Chandigarh. On the basis of these reports, the Chief Medical Officer, Ropar, had declared the water in these areas unhealthy for drinking. Mr Grewal also directed the officials to check pilferage in water pipes and personally monitor the chlorination process of the affected areas within two days. After that, the samples would be tested again and if they were not found up to the desired standards, the officials responsible would be prosecuted, he warned. He also asked the Civil Surgeon to conduct surprise checks at the drinking water sources. The municipal council authorities have also been directed to erect a boundary wall around the waterworks. The municipal council officials, however, alleged that laboratory officials had asked for bribe for passing the samples, and since they did not oblige them, the water samples were failed. The Deputy Commissioner said he would write to the Health Secretary, Punjab, to investigate the charges. |
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Sandwell delegation
calls on Gossain CHANDIGARH, Oct 6 — An eight-member delegation, led by Lord Tarsem King, Lord of West Bromwich and leader of the Sandwell Council, UK, today called on Mr Satpal Gossain, Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. The delegation also visited the Punjab Vidhan Sabha hall. The delegation members included Mrs Jean Marson, Mayor of the Sandwell Council, Mr Nigel Summers, Chief Executive, Mr Daljit Singh Shergill, Vice-Chairman, Sandwell-Amritsar Friendship Association, and Mr Jatinder Sharma, Principal Adviser to the Sandwell Council. |
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Bibi should step
down: Mann PHAGWARA, Oct 6 — The All-India Rangretta Dal President, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, today said that Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC President, should either step down herself or be sacked by SAD President and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Talking to newspersons here, Mr Mann maintained that Bibi Jagir Kaur, did not have any moral, religious, social or legal right to continue as SGPC chief after her name had figured in an FIR registered by the CBI. The arrest of five persons, including two close associates of Bibi Jagir Kaur, showed a conspiracy to murder the pregnant Harpreet, Mr Mann alleged. |
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Mohinder Sidhu AMRITSAR, Oct 6 — Mr Mohinder Singh Sidhu, senior Youth Congress leader, has been appointed state general secretary of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front, according to a front press note. |
“Hopeless” case cured with
Ayurveda ROPAR, Oct 6 — Seven-year-old Harmandeep Singh, of Chandian village in Ropar district was suffering from Pyelonephritis, a disease in which kidneys get infected by bacterial, viral or fungal infection. After subjecting the child to scores of tests for about one year to detect the kind of microbes causing the disease, the prestigious hospitals of Chandigarh, including the PGI, Chandigarh and Government Medical College Hospital Sector 32, Chandigarh declared the case as hopeless. Mr Lakhbir Singh, father of Harmandeep Singh, says that doctors of the above mentioned hospitals, told that replacement of the kidneys was the only remedy for his son’s disease. After shuttling from one hospital to the other for about one year, he was asked to take his child suffering from acute pain and with swollen body, back home. Doctors advised him to bring the child back for replacement of kidney as the last resort only when the condition of the child became too critical. Dejected parents brought the ailing child back to their village. A doctor advised them to take their child to Mr D.C. Sharma, a senior Reserve Bank of India officer devoted to Ayurveda at Chandigarh. With faint hope of Harmandeep administered medicines given by the said Ayurveda devotee to their child. To their surprise the child responded to the medicine and got well within one month. Test reports of Harmandeep, who now goes to his school, also indicate that he has been cured of the infection now. Narrating his woes to this correspondent, Mr Lakhbir Singh, whose faith in doctors has been shaken said their agony started a year back when Harmandeep developed symptoms of Pyelonephritis. They took him to the Civil Hospital at Ropar for treatment. Doctors there recommended ultrasound and other tests to be done on the child. Though the disease was detected and different antibiotics were given to the child, for one month yet his condition didn’t improve. When White Blood Cell (WBC) level of the child rose to 9400 level, Doctors at Ropar told them to take Harmandeep to the PGI at Chandigarh. In the PGI too the condition of the child didn’t improve even after six months of treatment. At the PGI scores of tests were performed on Harmandeep which included the much painful endoscopy for two times, ultrasound, blood tests etc. Finding no improvement in the condition of the child at the PGI, Chandigarh the parents shifted him to the GMCH Chandigarh. There also tests were repeated which again included endoscopy for four times besides other tests. Here also the child didn’t respond to the treatment, the parents lamented. An upset Mr Lakhbir Singh, who feels that he has been cheated, now rues that in spite of his lower middle class background he had to shell out Rs 80,000 for laboratory tests of his child only to be told that he was a hopeless case. Now the child has been cured after he turned to Ayurvedic treatment. Doctor T.R. Aggarwal, who heads the BBMB Canal hospital, when asked to comment on the case says that Pyelonephritis basically is an infection of kidneys and the child might have healed due to his natural immunity or the latent effect of the antibiotics. About the replacement of the kidney which was allegedly recommended by the doctor at the PGI and the GMCH, for the child, he said that kidney replacement is the last option in this disease when the acute infection leads to renal failure. Doctor Ajay Jindal, of the Ropar Civil Hospital and specialist of the disease was of the view that the healing of Harmandeep might be temporary in nature and he might get infected any time in future. He added that the only tests required to detect the kind of microbes in case of Pyelonephritis were urine test and the urine culture test which cost less than Rs 100 and there was no need for any other types of test. Dr Jindal, however, refused to answer the query that then why the child was subjected to tests costing Rs 80,000 at the hospitals in Chandigarh. |
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SGPC stalls selling
banned book AMRITSAR, Oct 6 — The SGPC ban on its controversial book “Sachi Saakhi” seems to be on papers only as the book is still being sold after two days of the ban at the stall of religious books owned by the SGPC. The third edition of the book authored by the national professor of Sikhism late Kapur Singh was banned by the SGPC on October 4 after certain members, including Bibi Kiran Jot Kaur, raised objections on the references to her grand father and famous Akali leader, Tara Singh. The SGPC had assured that the book would not be released from the stalls until it was reviewed by a sub-committee of Sikh intellectuals. |
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Make army
training must for kids: Bitta JALANDHAR, Oct 6 — Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, president of the Anti-Terrorist Front and former chief of the Punjab Youth Congress, has advocated compulsory army training for schoolchildren and youngsters on the pattern of Israel. Mr Bitta, while addressing a press conference here today, said the threat posed by extremism and terrorism sponsored by Pakistan’s ISI was increasing, for which youths should be prepared and a national programme chalked out. He said the front had decided to organise a training camp for school children in Delhi in which former Punjab Police Director General K.P.S. Gill, Mr J.F. Riberio, Mrs Kiran Bedi and Mr V.P. Malik would participate. Mr Bitta alleged that foreign media was leaking information regarding the Indian security set-up to other countries and demanded that telecast of programmes giving such information should be banned. |
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Traders damage
contractor’s office ROPAR, Oct 6 — Agitating traders today damaged the office of the octroi contractor situated near the old bus stand. The traders, who were led by a few opposition municipal councillors entered the office of the contractor and damaged the furniture and destroyed papers. Workers who were deployed there to collect octroi fled the office and took refuge in nearby buildings. Earlier, the Viyopar Mandal had given a call for bandh till 1 a.m. today in protest against the alleged “maltreatment” of the traders by the contractor’s workers. The traders who had kept closed their shops and business establishments in response to the bandh call, organised a procession in the morning from the main bazaar to the octroi office. They also sat on a dharna in front of the octroi office for about half an hour before damaging the office. The president of the municipal council termed the agitation of the traders as unwarranted. He said nobody had complained to him about the octroi contractor and that the incident was politically motivated. The DSP (Headquarters), Mr Uppal, who is investigating the case said he had received the complaint of the traders only so far. They had alleged that they were peacefully sitting on the dharna in front of the office when the workers of the contractor incited them. |
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Artificial limbs
distributed BATHINDA, Oct 6 — A handicap ability improvement camp was organised today at the local Civil Hospital in which about 190 patients were given artificial limbs, hearing aids and calipers. The camp was organised by the District Red Cross Society, in association with the Bharat Vikas Parishad, Ludhiana, and Artificial Limb Centre, Faridkot. Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the camp. He said about Rs 2 lakh would be spent for providing artificial limbs to the patients. He added that more patients would be provided with limbs as per the availability of funds. Mr Ajmer Singh Mann, secretary of the society, said the patients who were examined and found eligible for getting artificial limbs would be called for giving the same at the next camp. |
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No-trust
motion against MC president FATEHGARH SAHIB Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Rajesh Paul Singh Latti, a senior Akali leader, said the councillors in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Director, Local Bodies, alleged that the president of the Council not only misbehaved with the councillors, but was also involved in financial irregularities and he misuses the funds of the council and works in an arbitrary manner. On the other hand, the Director, Local Government had also served a show-cause notice to the council president for committing financial irregularities and has sought an explanation. It is worth mentioning that in this faction ridden council, the president belonged to the minority faction, since he assumed change. He had the support of five members, whereas eight members were against him. It affected the development work as no resolutions were passed. Now the opposition members had managed the support of the ninth member to dethrone him. When contacted the Executive Officer said he had received the copy of the motion and no date had yet been fixed for the meeting. |
1 held in mandir blast case AMRITSAR, Oct 6 (UNI) — The city police has arrested Asgar Ali, a contractor involved in making crackers in connection with the explosion outside Shivala Mandir in the city on September 26 which left one dead and four injured and caused extensive damage. The SP (City) Mr Kewal Kumar, told newsmen here today that Asgar Ali had been arrested under Section 188 of the CrPC for violating the District Magistrate’s order banning the sale or storage of crackers in congested localities. He said detailed investigations had revealed that the explosion was caused after the potash, which was stored in a room outside the temple, caught fire. According to the police officer, Asgar Ali had been given the contract by the Shivala Mandir Management Committee for assembling fire-crackers in the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad for the Dasehra festival. Asgar Ali had stored large quantities of potash and about 1,000 fire-crackers which had been assembled by workers employed by him, he added. Mr Kewal Kumar said that the person who died in the blast was identified as Chootan, an employee of Asgar Ali and resident of Agra. Chootan had been smoking a bidi minutes before the blast and probably, this could have been the reason for the potash catching fire, he claimed. The police officer, however, could not give the reasons as to why the members of the Shivala Mandir Management Committee, who hired Asgar Ali, had not been booked. Action was being taken against the management committee members, he claimed. |
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Mother-in-law
ends life, husband jailed ROPAR, Oct 6 — In an unusual incident at Nangal, a husband landed in jail for beating up his wife and the mother-in-law committed suicide after being booked by the police on the same charges. The incident took place a few days ago when some residents of Ram Nagar locality complained to the police that their neighbour, Charan Dass and his mother, Bimla Devi, were allegedly beating up their daughter-in-law, Raman Kumari. The police raided the house of the accused and caught both the mother and son while beating Raman. Both Charan Dass and his mother were booked by the police and Raman Kumari was admitted to the BBMB Canal Hospital. In her statement to the police, Raman Kumari alleged that her husband and her mother-in-law used to bear her up for bringing inadequate dowry. A case under Sections 406, 498-A, 323/34 of the IPC has been registered. While Charan Dass was arrested on October 2, his mother had been missing. |
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Easy bail takes
them back to crime AMRITSAR, Oct 6 — Getting ‘early and easy bail’ is the main cause of most criminals reverting to crime after bail is granted, disclosed Mr Kewal Kumar, SP (City), and Mr Chaman Lal, DSP, here today. A case in instance is of the arrest of Surjit Singh of Guru Nanakwara, Dharminder Singh, alias Sweety of Nikka Singh Colony and Jagdeep Singh, alias Goldy, of Ram Tirath Road yesterday on charges of robberies. Six months ago, Surjit and Goldy were let off on bail in a case of robbery in the Chheharta area. Another case is that of a gang of six chain snatchers comprising Amardeep, Surjit Bhatti, Paramjit, Sukhbir, alias Sitta, Baljinder, alias Bhola, and Balbir, alias Sonu, who too were let off on bail a few days after their arrest on September 13. In most cases, criminals let off on bail take to crime almost immediately after their release. |
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Gang of robbers
busted NAWANSHAHR, Oct 6 — Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, in a press release issued here on Thursday said the police had busted a gang of robbers active here in the Kapurthala, Phagwara and Hoshiarpur areas by arresting its leader Jasvir Singh alias “Kaka” alias Ravi Kumar. One of his accomplices, Surinderpal alias Shinda, has been declared a proclaimed offender in many cases by the Hoshiarpur police. Both the accused snatched a scooter of a resident of Gogon village. Afterwards they tried to snatch another scooter from Manjit Singh, of Langeri village at gun point and even fired at him. However, they were caught with the help of villagers. |
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Youth held
for eve-teasing PHAGWARA, Oct 6 — A “Romeo” landed in police lock-up last evening for his alleged eve-teasing remarks and other overtures made to a girl working in a PCO booth
here. The girl raised the alarm and a CIA Inspector, who was passing by, nabbed the
youth. A case under Section 354 of the IPC was registered against the youth. |
200 students take part in trekking PATIALA More than 200 students from class VI to class XII participated in the trekking trips to various parts of Himachal and the foothills of the scenic Himalayas in Uttar Pradesh. Three
camps-Dharamsala-Palampur,Hemkunt-Badrinath and Narkanda, which was a high altitude trekking camp, were organised for the
girls. The boys were given the chance to
Chamba-Dalhousie, Har-Ki Doon, Mussoorie, Dhanolti, Surajtal lake and Tirthan valley. Treks and tours are an integral part of the school curriculum at the
YPS, said Mr Pardeep Singh Ghuman, a faculty member who led a boys’ group to the Tirthan Valley Adventure Camp. The camps which are regularly organised in the month of September aim at inculcating the spirit of adventure and comradeship and to foster a love for nature among the students. Prior to sending the groups to various assigned locations, briefing on treks and other associated activities was carried out by the experienced members of the faculty. |
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Reet Bhullar is Miss Fresher PATIALA The show began with some solo performances. The evening was marked with various items like skits, songs, dances and poetry recitations by the newcomers. The most appreciated performance was a group dance by the girls of B.Tech (I). Dance performance on a Punjabi song by Manpreet Kaur of the Forensic Science Department stole the show. She shared the best individual performer prize with Sukhjinder of the Sports Science Department. The most awaited item of the evening was modelling by the freshers. The girls of different departments participated in this. Reet Bhullar MSc (geography, part I) was selected as the Miss Fresher. |
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