The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Punjab Plan pegged at Rs 2793 crore
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 10
The Planning Commission today approved and fixed the Annual Plan of Punjab for 2002-03 at Rs 2793 crore. The Punjab government had placed a request for Rs 2750 crore. The plan size was approved at a meeting between Deputy Chairperson of Planning Commission K. C. Pant and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here today.

Revealing the details, Capt Amarinder Singh said Mr Pant had agreed to provide an additional Central assistance of Rs 43 crore of which Rs 10 crore, Rs 20 crore and Rs 13 crore had been earmarked for housing for the Scheduled Castes, development of border villages and for the upgradation of the medical and dental colleges in the state, respectively.

Capt Amarinder Singh pointed out that the 10th Five Year Plan outlay of Rs 18657 crore for the state of Punjab was also projected at the constant prices in the meeting.

The Punjab Chief Minister said the Punjab government was committed to improving the financial condition of the state and empowered sub-committee on fiscal management was constituted in this direction to slow down the growth in unproductive expenditure and, at the same time, improving resources through tariff rationalisation and appropriate user charges.

He said at the coming Budget session, a Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Bill to ensure adherence to the principle of sound fiscal management first of its kind in India was being introduced.

In order to have some kind of continuity in the budgeting and planning process the state government was also bringing in a Medium Term Fiscal Programme which would be presented along with the Budget.

Vets for CBI probe into scam
Animal Husbandry chief counters charges
P. P. S. Gill
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 10
The Punjab Veterinary Officers’ Association has levelled serious charges against the Director, Animal Husbandry, Dr G S Chahal, accusing him of misusing Central government grants to the tune of Rs 25 crore. But Dr Chahal has countered all the charges.

The association has listed several allegations, each supported by photocopies of official documents, and has presented the same to the Chief Minister, demanding a thorough probe. Dr Chahal on the other hand has also appended to his seven-page reply a thick volume of relevant photocopies of several documents to substantiate his version.

The key allegations of the association are:

1. Establishment of Punjab Livestock Development Board, involving an alleged scandal of Rs 5 crore and illegally transferring to it government assets;

2. Misuse of the Punjab Poultry Development Corporation in constructing carcass utilisation centre and diversion of Rs 786.6 lakh government money, despite a decision to wind it up;

3. Illegal purchase of equipment and instruments worth Rs 3.5 crore;

4. Business with Israeli Dairy Board, despite the Ministry of Agriculture’s warning not to do so;

5. Misappropriation of Rs 1 crore under the national ram/buck production programme;

6. Illegal selection of veterinary pharmacists, involving Rs 1.5 crore payments in the selection process.

The association patron, Dr Gurcharan Singh Chahal, and the president, Dr Rajinder Singh, have sought CBI enquiry into most of the scandals. The two said that time and again they had been exposing the ‘’misdeeds’’ in the department all through the past five years but no concrete steps were taken to stem the rot.

Separately, the Vets’ Association has also met the Minister, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, submitting in writing that Rs 60 lakh was collected illegally, allegedly by the Director, Dr G S Chahal, on the promise that he would get ‘’non-practicing allowance’’ announced by the Minister. (This representation to the Minister is dated March 19, 2002).

The Director, Dr G S Chahal, who is also the Managing Director, Punjab Poultry Development Corporation, was contacted and his comments were sought on the allegations. He replied to all allegations, as mentioned in the volume presented to the Chief Minister. He too has appended to his seven-page reply a thick volume of relevant photocopies of several documents to substantiate his version.

Dr Chahal denied the department had any business deal with Israel and added Dairy Development/ Milkfed may be able to throw some light on this. The vets had charged that the MoU signed by Mr R I Singh, former Principal Secretary to the then Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, during their visit to Israel in July 1997, was untenable. There is a letter of the Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr Nitish Kumar, addressed to Mr Badal, explicitly saying that Israeli technology was neither ‘’economically viable nor technically suitable’’ for the ground conditions prevailing in Punjab. This was in response to Punjab queries on importing Israeli dairy technology and expertise.

Likewise, Dr Chahal has defended the setting up of the Livestock Board and justified expenditure of Rs 5 crore that the Centre made available to it. But the Vets’ are suspect on this. Their suspicion finds mention in the note of the Joint Secretary, Mr M R Aggarwal, which is a telling comment on the Board. It says the head office of the Board is in Ropar and its bank account in Amritsar. Where and how Rs 5 crore has been spent is what the Association wants to know.

On the transfer of Rs 787.6 lakh to Poultry Development Corporation, Dr Chahal said it was not government money but money received for specific projects from New Delhi that was transferred. He has also defended purchase of equipment and instruments worth Rs 3.5 crore and given details.

On ‘’illegal’’ selection of veterinary pharmacists in 1994, a case which went up to the High Court, against 125 posts that were advertised, 250 candidates were selected. On enquiry, only 12 were found ‘’eligible’’. The selection of 238 was cancelled in 1999. It is alleged Rs 1.5 crore had exchanged hands in those selections. A note by the then Joint Secretary, Mrs Gyatri Jain, submitted to the High Court, says it all. But Dr Chahal in his reply to TNS said the case was given to the Vigilance, which found ‘’no irregularity’’.

Admission scam: main accused absconding
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, June 10
The main accused in the Computer Department of Guru Nanak Dev University admission scam Parma Nand has absconded after the police inquiry indicted him and Head of the Department, Dr Karanjit Singh Kahlon.

It may be recalled that Dr S. P. Kalia, SP city, who held an inquiry into the admission of Rakesh Kumar in the MCA course last year had found prima facie that PA to the then Dean, Academic Affairs, Parma Nand and Dr Kahlon had taken Rs 2.75 lakh from the student for accommodating him in the MCA course.

The inquiry also charged the complicity of other officers for conspiring to admit Rakesh Kumar by giving him fake roll numbers and asked him to attend regular classes. The scam came into light when Rakesh was allotted roll number which was issued to another student to take first semester papers.

Interestingly, the university authorities had got an FIR registered against Rakesh Kumar for playing fraud with the department by faking admission papers, but the probe by the SP found that the earlier FIR was wrongly registered much to the chagrin of the university.

The other accused, Dr Kahlon, told The Tribune that he had been falsely implicated in the case. Dr Kahlon added that he had full faith in the rule of law and hoped to come out clean.

New councillors sworn in
Tribune Reporters

Amritsar, June 10
Even as the election of Mayor was postponed, 57 new councillors took the oath of office in the presence of the Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar Range, Mr R. S. Sandhu, the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, and three MLAs here today.

Three Congress councillors were not present at the swearing-in ceremony. Mr Sardool Singh and Mr Harjinder Singh Thekedaar, ruling party MLAs, were conspicuous by their absence.

Dr Raj Kumar and Mr Jugal Kishore, MLAs, while talking to mediapersons after the ceremony, said the election of Mayor would be held within 10 days as the Vidhan Sabha would be in session from tomorrow. The deadline for the election of Mayor was June 22.

JALANDHAR: The Divisional Commissioner, Mr R. S. Sandhu, on Monday administered oath to 55 newly elected councillors of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation at the Pushpawati Gujral hall here today.

Though only newly elected councillors were allowed to attend the oath-taking ceremony this afternoon, yet a large number of their supporters and relatives forced their entry into the hall.

The Punjab ministers, Mr Jagjit Singh, Mr Avtar Henry and Mr Mohinder Singh Kaypee and Mr Raj Kumar Gupta and Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, both MLAs, were also present during the ceremony.

The Commissioner of the local municipal corporation, Mr Jagjit Singh, repeatedly requested the supporters of the councillors to keep quiet. Some of the councillors were seen annoyed over the arrangements made by the officials concerned, who, according to them, had allowed non-members inside the hall.

PUDA to sell all vacant property
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 10
Saddled with hundreds of flats and plots which have not found any buyers for years, PUDA has decided to put up all of these for sale in this month as well as in July and has even offered an attractive discount on its HIG flats to attract buyers.

PUDA, which expects to collect crores of rupees through sales of as many as 179 flats of various categories and 449 plots in its Urban Estate here, has, in a significant decision, also decided to reduce the rate of HIG flats constructed by it in Urban Estate from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 8.1 lakh. HIG flats constitute a major chunk of flats of PUDA which are lying vacant at present. While there are as many as 62 flats lying unoccupied, other flats up for sale are from the EWS category (20), LIG (66), MIG (29) and HM (2).

Also, as many as 449 plots are lying vacant. While most of the plots which are lying vacant are in the 250 square yard and 400 square yard category, there are some in other categories also. This time around PUDA has fixed the reserve price for 100 square yard plots at Rs 1,560 per square yard, for 200 square yards at Rs 1,768 per square yard and for above 200 square yard plots at Rs 1,976 per square yard.

PUDA Additional Chief Administrator Hussan Lal said while HIG flats would be disposed of on a first come basis, all other flats would be allocated through draw of lots. He said as regards the unoccupied plots, many of them had been allotted earlier but the allottees had got them changed as some of them were low-lying. He said some plots had been kept in reserve by PUDA as part of a marketing strategy.

Mr Lal said the government had now given clear cut instructions to dispose of all properties but added that these would not be sold below the reserve prices fixed for them. He said while a few of the properties would be put up for sale this month itself, the others would be disposed of next month.

Sources said a major reason why many of the flats could not be sold by PUDA was that there was a complete lack of “flat culture” in Patiala as there was less pressure on urban land as compared to other cities. Besides, they said, PUDA had fixed the prices for the HIG flats on the higher side. As regards the LIG and MIG flats, residents had complained bitterly in the past that their construction was of poor quality. The position was such that the flats which had not been occupied had serious defects, including uneven flooring and cracks at vital places. They had also become a haven for anti-social elements with many of the doors and windows not closed properly. However, PUDA is going to sell the flats on as is where is basis, Mr Lal said. He said the prices at which the flats were being sold were very competitive with a LIG flat costing Rs 1.26 lakh and an MIG flat costing Rs 2.83 lakh. He said residents would also have the advantage of depositing only 10 per cent of the total money in advance, 25 per cent on possession, and the rest in easy instalments.

POLITICS

Constitutional crisis in Punjab: Akali MLAs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 10
Akali legislators, who held a meeting here today on the eve of the Budget session of the Punjab Assembly under the chairmanship of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, passed a resolution saying that the state was facing a constitutional crisis. They alleged that the Congress government, in connivance with antisocial elements, was using all foul means to derail the democratic set-up in the state.

“We resolve to face the terror of the state government and also appeal to people to organise themselves against it", the resolution said.

The Akali legislators said the Congress government was using the police force to finish democracy in the state. The government has used all sort of anti-social elements to win the Malout Assembly poll and subsequent elections in the state.

Under the leadership of Mr Badal, they have decided to meet Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Union Home Minister, L. K. Advani to bring to their notice the “emerging critical situation “ in the state. The BJP MLAs will also be part of the delegation.

Seeking the cancellation of zila parishad and block samiti elections held yesterday in the state, the legislators have demanded the holding of the poll of these bodies under the supervision of the Election Commission of India by making special arrangements. Central para military forces should be deployed in the state for the purpose instead of the Punjab police, the said.

It may be mentioned here that after the Malout Assembly election, Mr Badal had stated that a team of NDA leaders would visit Punjab to have a first hand report regarding the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. However, the team has not visited the state yet.

COMMUNITY

SHO fells trees to line his pockets
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Moga, June 10
Can an SHO make a police station bereft of dozens of shady trees and pocket lakhs of rupees by ordering the cutting of these trees? The answer is in the affirmative if an unprecedented example put up by a cop, who remained posted at Baghapurana police station before he was dismissed on charges of gross ‘misconduct’, is to be believed.

Besides the illegal selling of trees of the police station, the officer, also allegedly extorted huge amounts of money from anti-social elements in lieu of granting them protection.

Mr Balwinder Singh Sekhon, former SHO Baghapurana police station, allegedly ordered the cutting of all about 50 trees of ‘shesham’ and ‘kikar’, sold these at throwaway prices and pocketed money amounting to Rs 5 lakh. Before ordering the cutting of huge trees, he did not even sought the mandatory permission from his superiors and the Department of Forests. He told his subordinates in the police station that there was no option but to cut the trees, since he had to ‘oblige’ two of his bosses by offering them an array of furniture items to be made out of the wood from these trees. He also told them that the trees were to be cut for paving the way for a residential complex to be built for the policemen. Interestingly, the officer also used to threaten his subordinates that since he was very close to the former Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal, nobody could dare take action against him.

The investigation ordered against the erring cop by the SSP Moga, Mr Varinder Kumar, has established that the former sold off the trees and pocketed the entire money. Mr Sekhon, according to Mr Varinder Kumar, did not report at the Police Lines where he was shifted after an FIR was registered against him.

According to Mr Varinder Kumar, the dismissed SHO and two of his subordinates forced Mohinder Singh, a resident of Marar village wanted in a fake currency racket, to shell out Rs 2 lakh for providing him “full protection” from the police. He said this was just a tip of the iceberg and the list of those anti-social elements, who enjoyed the patronage of Balwinder Singh Sekhon was long. The SSP said Mr Sekhon, who had been dismissed from service under Article 311(2) had absconded and an alert had sounded for his arrest.

Nuclear attack: no place to hide
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Ferozepore
For people of Punjab, if nuclear missiles ever rain down, there is nowhere to hide.

Among the 1.2 billion people of Asian subcontinent, the only people with any hope of finding shelter from a nuclear attack are top political and military leaders and people with enough money to grease their way into a few protective bunkers.

Jaswant Singh, a resident of Ferozepore, feels if Pakistan drops a nuclear bomb on Punjab lakhs of people in adjoining areas would also be killed. The Central and Punjab governments should strengthen civil defence and develop protective shelters in the state.

Even New Delhi too lacks air raid sirens, public fallout shelters and evacuation plan for almost 13 million residents.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, is said to have fallout shelters for the generals and politicians. But here in Punjab even in the border cities the government hasn’t educated the public on how to survive either normal shelling or a nuclear attack.

In 1999, New Delhi proposed a phased plan costing more than $240 million to handle the aftermath of a nuclear attack, which assumed the blast, would create a “dead zone” with a radius of 14 to 30 miles.

The plan included emergency medical bunkers, a disaster alert system, more than 200 protective suits for emergency workers and 750 decontamination and first-aid kits.

Indian hospitals are notoriously overcrowded and understaffed, and hence health care is worse. There is only one doctor for every 2,337 Indians, compared with one physician for every 406 Americans.

According to a 1999 study on the likely effects of a nuclear attack on Bombay, the blast, fire and radioactive fallout from a 15 kiloton explosion would kill 1,60,000 to 8,00,000 people in a population of more than 16 million and injure several hundred thousand.

Teach Pak a lesson, say migrants
Our Correspondent

Nawanshahr, June 10
Following continuing shelling by Pakistani troops, about 80 persons belonging to 20 families after migrating from border villages in the Akhnoor, R. S. Pora and Shamm sectors in Jammu and Kashmir have reached Hari Bhagat Dwar, Beerowal, about 12 km from here recently.

The villagers say the prevailing tension between India and Pakistan over the past few years had made their lives miserable. “People have been evacuating villages due to continuing shelling by Pakistani troops, laying of mines in fields and increased terrorist activities in the border villages in Jammu and Kashmir,” they said.

Mr Bhag Singh, an ex-serviceman, Mr Jasvir Singh and Mr Parkash Singh, who have migrated from the border villages told this correspondent that the world community, if really interested in fighting terrorism, should provide requisite aid and support to India to teach Pakistan a lesson instead of exerting pressure to maintain restraint. President Musharraf could not be trusted, they said.

Lepers resent govt apathy
Gayatri Rai

Bathinda
“It is with the help of the common man that we have built this ashram and are still surviving”, says Gopal, a leper and inmate of the Parmanand Leprosy Ashram of the city.

Although nobody exactly knows when this ashram was constructed, inmates claim that it is about 25 years old. At present, more than 100 persons are living here. Besides victims of leprosy, their family members are also staying here.

All inmates resent the “indifferent” attitude of the government and the local administration towards their problems. Nothing has changed for the leprosy patients as they are still living separately from society. They claim that even doctors do not like to touch them for treatment.

Although the children of lepers are getting education, they see little hope for them as many are working as juice sellers, waiters or “rehriwalas” even after doing graduation.

Although the ashram is clean and well-maintained by the inmates, its building is very old and its walls are in bad shape. There is no arrangement for potable water.

The municipal council authorities have allegedly refused to help them by saying that the ashram does not come under their jurisdiction. Now these people are forced to drink groundwater, which has been declared unfit for human consumption by the district health authorities.

The entire expenditure of the ashram is borne by the inmates. Lepers beg in the city for the purpose, though they have kept their children out of begging.

No doctor ever visits this ashram for the treatment of lepers. Although medical camps are organised frequently in the city by doctors and various social welfare organisations, not a single health camp has been organised for leprosy patients.

The lepers have to bandage their wounds twice a day. They buy bandage and medicines themselves. However, the local Civil Hospital has given them medicines free of cost on a few occasions.

The patients are also displeased with the fact that they have not been given the certificate of being 60 per cent handicapped due to which they have been deprived of many benefits.

The inmates say donations for the ashram have been received from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Arya Samaj Sabha, Mother Teresa Trust and city residents, but not from the government.

The leprosy patients wish that the government should give jobs to their children and lepers should also be given free medical help in every city.

Bathinda roads in bad shape
Tribune News Service

Bathinda
Most of the city roads which have been dug up for laying telephone cables are yet to be repaired.

The roads leading to the district courts complex are in bad shape and last year lawyers had staged dharnas and held rallies in front of the residence of the then Deputy Commissioner in protest against the failure of the authorities to repair these.

Before the Punjab Assembly poll, some repair work was started. However till now, it has not been completed and only a layer of stones mixed with sand has been laid.

Dust raised by traffic has led to eye, skin and respiratory system diseases, confirm sources in the local Civil Hospital. The condition of the 0.5 km stretch of the Bathinda-Goniana road which has been in need to repair for the past more than five to six years is the worst.

Residents of the Ganesha Basti area pointed out that instead of repairing the road, the authorities concerned have installed a signboard, reading “diversion”. In addition, the road on the one side is higher than the other by about 4 feet which leads to the accumulation of water on the lower side.

All vehicles entering the city or leaving it for Amritsar, Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar and Ferozepore have to use this road and since one side is not motorable, it acts as a traffic bottleneck. The road is in such a bad condition that even without rain it gets submerged under sullage.

Mr Naresh Kumar, a shopkeeper on the Bathinda-Goniana road, pointed out that while the one side was not motorable, the other had been encroached upon by a section of cement, sand and other construction material dealers.

A cross section of residents pointed out that while the companies laying the cables pay for the repair of the roads in the advance, the civic authorities take years to do the needful.

Residents demand amenities
Our Correspondent

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 10
Residents of Preet the Nagar area of Sirhind Municipal Council are virtually living in hell like conditions allegedly due to the negligent attitude of the Municipal Council, Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib. In a representation submitted to the Deputy Commissioner and other higher authorities residents of the area have alleged that though the council is collecting every type of tax from them, it has failed to provide even the basic civic amenities. They said though the colony was close to the district headquarters, the council authorities were not paying heed to their representations and complaints.

They alleged that the “pucca” drains have been made by the council but without any further provision of drainage of sullage, which ultimately flows in the streets and enters the houses making the movement in the streets difficult. The school-going children are the worst affected. The sullage has started stinking and has also become a breeding place for mosquitoes and other insects. Snakes have also been spotted in these drains.

Residents fear the outbreak of epidemic disease during the rainy season.

Residents have alleged that the repeated requests to the council authorities have fallen on the deaf ears. They said “it looks as if the authorities are waiting to swing into action only after breakout of deadly diseases”.

CRIME

Man shoots father, himself
Our Correspondent

Bathinda, June 10
Makhan Singh, a former Sarpanch of Bandi village in the district, was killed today when his son, Jagjit Singh (47), shot at him before committing suicide. Gurpreet Singh, grandson of the Sarpanch, was injured in the incident. The family members of the deceased said the tragedy took place unintentionally.

Gurpreet Singh (18) has been admitted at the local Civil Hospital where his condition is stated to be out of danger. A cousin of Gurpreet said the incident took place after a minor scuffle occurred between the Sarpanch and his son, who was allegedly in a drunkard state at that time.

According to a family member, Makhan Singh and Gurpreet Singh had a minor scuffle with Jagjit Singh when they asked him not to consume liquor.

Jagjit Singh took out a .12-bore rifle, the licence of which was in the name of his father, and fired a shot when Gurpreet tried to stop him, he was injured.

In the meantime, Jagjit Singh fired another round which hit his father in the head and he died on the spot. After that Jagjit Singh fired at himself with the same rifle and died.

The authorities at the Sangat police station under which the village falls refused to say anything about the incident. They did not say under which Section an FIR would be registered.

Youth beheaded, thrown into rivulet
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 10
An unidentified youth was beheaded and thrown into a dry rivulet in the Focal Point locality here recently. The incident came to light when some residents went to the area to answer nature’s call early this morning and saw the stabbed body and the severed head on the banks of the rivulet. The victim aged between 22 and 25 years, seemed to be a migrant labourer. They informed the police and other residents about the incident. The police, according to residents, though informed early in the morning, reached the spot around afternoon.

The ruthless manner in which the head was severed and thrown away from the body indicated that the victim and the murderers had some long-standing enmity.

According to police officials and experts, the circumstances in which the body was found also indicated that the killers had given a chance to the victim to run away.

It was perhaps the second such barbaric incident in the district after 1997, wherein the head of victim was severed from the body. In 1997, the head of Bholi of Khera village near Phillaur was chopped off by three persons.

Seven hurt in 2 clashes
Our Correspondent

Jalandhar, June 10
Seven persons, including three women, were injured in two clashes reported here today.

Four residents of Sanghowal village in Noormahal township, including three women, received serious injuries when a group of six persons allegedly attacked them with sticks over an old dispute regarding a main entry gate this afternoon. The injured were admitted to the Civil Hospital at Bilga village, while one of the injured Sumitra was shifted to the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar. Sumitra told this correspondent that her nephew Kulwinder along with his five accomplices came to her house and started abusing her. When she tried to resist their moves, Kulwinder attacked her with a stick causing severe head injuries. Gurmeet Kaur, Simro and her son Kulveer were also injured in the clash. A case has been registered by the police.

Meanwhile, a group of people carrying sharp-edged weapons and baseball sticks attacked Amajadkhan of the Garha locality at his house last night. Shital Kumar and Navlu, who tried to intervene, were also beaten up by the attackers.

Even as a case had been registered, resentment prevailed among the residents, who alleged that the police was trying to shield the culprits. They said the police allowed the culprits to run away.

Mystery shrouds death of 22-yr-old boy
A Correspondent

Rajpura, June 10
Mystery shrouds the death of a 22-year-old boy who reportedly consumed some poisonous substance on the intervening night of June 8 and 9 and died after being taken to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.

A resident of Rajpura town, Mr Jatinder Kumar complained of severe stomach ache.

His family members said Jatinder Kumar had taken some pain killers following which his condition started deteriorating. Soon the boy vomited and was taken to the Civil Hospital, Rajpura. He was referred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.

The CMO, Civil Hospital, Rajpura, Dr Tirath Goel, said, “Vicky was admitted to the hospital in an unconscious condition. Being a case of poisoning, he was referred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.”

The investigating officer, Mr Kasturi Lal (ASI) said a case under Section 174 of the CrPC has been registered on the complaint of Mr Manohar Lal, father of the deceased.

Mr Manohar Lal said his son had complained of stomach ache earlier also and used to pain killers without prescription. He, however, denied any other reason behind the death of his son.