Opinions
page:
NEWS ANALYSIS
Punjab
lands in debt trap
CAG reveals absence
of accountability
by P.P.S. Gill
In
Punjab systemic failure is discernible, as is indicated in the
slim volume “Epitome of CAG's Reports” for the year-ending
on March 31, 2003. |
SYL: Punjab to move SC on July
3
Chandigarh, June 28
The Punjab Government is expected to file a review petition in the Supreme Court on July 3 to get the recent order regarding the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal changed in its favour. The SC had on June 4 asked the Union Government to complete the remaining portion of the canal.
Officials sided with violators: MC
chief
Jalandhar, June 28
Admitting that a large number of unauthorised commercial buildings and housing colonies are being constructed in different parts of the city, the local Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Mr T.R. Sarangal, has said there were clear signals of bureaucrats and politicians encouraging illegal constructions.
Wardens apply for cancellation of Goyal’s
bail
Chandigarh, June 28
The poaching case against former Pathankot SDM, Mr Puneet Goyal, took another significant turn today with the honorary wildlife wardens of Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur seeking the cancellation of his bail.
3 cops booked for
corruption
Bathinda, June 28
Three policemen have been booked in a criminal case for corruption. The three policemen, identified as Head Constable Labh Singh and Constables Balwinder Singh and Gurmeet Singh, against whom the case was registered today under the Prevention of Corruption Act, were deployed on city patrol duty and were supposed to check all sorts of crime.
A ray of hope for disabled
children
Kartarpur (Jalandhar), June 28
Disabled children of this region have a ray of hope in England-based Avtar Singh Cheema and a few of his associates who are working overtime to set up Dera Harbansgarh Dharmik Vidya Kendra, an institute with the objective of making such children self-reliant by providing them with free training in recitation of “Gurbani” in accordance with Sikh tenets, classical music and herbal medicine cultivation.
Mr Avtar Singh Cheema, an NRI, is seen in front of the building of Dera Harbansgarh Dharmik Vidya Kendra, which is coming up at Kartarpur in Jalandhar district.
— Photo by S.S. Chopra
Committee expresses inability to pay rent to civic body
Kharar, June 28
The local office of the Market Committee has expressed its inability to pay rent to the Municipal Council for using the land of the civic body for holding Apni Mandi in the town once a week. This issue will be discussed at the monthly meeting of the council to be held tomorrow.
Punjab delegation meets Power Minister today
Ropar, June 28
A delegation of the Punjab Congress led by PPCC President H.S. Hanspal will meet the Union Power Minister regarding the demands of the state. The delegation will also take up the demands of Punjab workers with the BBMB with the minister.
Punjab Regiment officers get
together
Chandigarh, June 28
For members of the Punjab Regiment Officers Association, it was a memorable evening as they converged for a social get- together at the Defence Services Officers Institute here today.
Members of the Punjab Regiment Officers Association and their wives at a social evening organised in Chandigarh on Monday. — A Tribune photograph
Bus link between Amritsar, Nankana
Sahib sought
Chandigarh, June 28
The Guru Gobind Singh Foundation at a meeting today endorsed the demand of Dr Manohar Singh Gill, MP, for immediately starting a bus link between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, as well as for Amritsar-Lahore bus service for bilateral trade, commerce and tourism between the two Punjabs.
Open Wagah border for pilgrimage,
says Mann
Sangrur, June 28
Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), said today that the Sikhs wanted the opening of Wagah border for pilgrimage so that they could easily pay their obeisance at Sikh shrines in Pakistan.
Punjab power board to probe tower
damage
Patiala, June 28
The Punjab State Electricity Board has appointed a three member Committee to investigate the cause of the severe damage caused to two towers on the Rajdharani line from Patran after a cyclonic winds in the area. Both the towers were of 66 KV.
Dalits block traffic over power
cuts
Jalandhar, June 28
Hundreds of Dalits, including women, blocked traffic on the Jalandhar-Jandiala road at Dheena village, near here, for about two hours to protest against the failure of the PSEB to restore 24-hour power supply to the Dalit colony at Dheena village.
Sidhu against closure
of passport collection office
Amritsar, June 28
Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, MP, will raise the issue of declaring Punjab a non-disturbed area in the coming session of Parliament. Addressing a press conference here today he said the state was declared disturbed during the period of militancy.
Cricketer-turned-MP
Navjot Singh Sidhu speaks to mediapersons in Amritsar on Monday. — PTI photo
18 get jobs on compassionate grounds
Chandigarh, June 28
As many as 18 dependents of Punjab Government employees, who had died in harness, were given jobs on compassionate grounds by the Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister, Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang, here today.
Youth wins Rs 2 cr in TV contest
Faridkot, June 28
A teenager from Rupaiyawalla village, 23 km from here, has hit the jackpot in Zee TV’s ‘Playwin’ and has won Rs 2.03 crore.
Sangrur admn gears up for
floods
Sangrur, June 28
The district administration has geared up to tackle floods or flood-like situation during the ensuing monsoon. Various flood-control measures have been initiated in Moonak and Khanauri, the most flood-prone areas.
Three sanitary inspectors
suspended
Chandigarh, June 28
Three sanitary inspectors of Ferozepur, Jagaron and Kharar Municipal Councils have been placed under suspension. Departmental proceedings had also been initiated against Executive Officers for their "laxity" during the recent outbreak of diarrhoea cases in the state.
Burglary at PSB
branch
Moga, June 28
Unidentified burglars struck at the local branch of Punjab and Sind Bank and decamped with the belongings of four lockers. The incident came to light when a safaikaramchari, Ramesh Kumar, opened the branch office today and found the back wall broken. However, the police was not sure whether the burglary was committed on Saturday night or Sunday night.
2 held for smuggling
liquor
Patiala, June 28
Two persons who were using a ‘kar sewa’ jeep to smuggle liquor were arrested early today morning along with 15 cartons of liquor.
Woman, two daughters commit
suicide
Phagwara, June 28
Three suicide cases have been reported in the past 24 hours in the Doaba region of Punjab. A 24-year-old migrant woman, Anita Devi, jumped in front of a train along with her daughters Priya, aged two, and Priyanka, aged four, today morning on the outskirts of Phagwara. The bodies were brought for postmortem examination to the local Civil Hospital.
BJP leader’s ex-PA
remanded
Phagwara, June 28
Sodhi Ram, a former personal assistant (PA) of former Punjab minister and senior BJP leader Swarna Ram, who was arrested yesterday on charges of defrauding the local branch of UCO Bank of millions by depositing a fake draft of 2.5 lakh pounds (Rs 2.07 crore) and withdrawing Rs 1,07,60,000 this month, was remanded in police custody till July 1 today. He had got this draft from a British bank. He was arrested under Sections 420, 466,467, 468 and 471 of the IPC for forgery and fraud.
Case against JE
opposed
Moga, June 28
The Council of Junior Engineers has expressed surprise over a case registered against Punjab State Electricity Board Junior Engineer Jarnail Singh for in an incident in which two persons were killed when a transformer got burnt at Akalsar Chowk here.
Probe ordered into death of jail inmate
Jalandhar, June 28
The district magistrate has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of an inmate of Central Jail here under mysterious circumstances on the jail premises last night. A panel of three doctors will conduct the postmortem examination.
Gang of vehicle thieves
busted
Dera Bassi, June 28
The police claims to have busted a gang of vehicle thieves active in this part of the region after nabbing Nafees Khan, a member of the gang, from the Bawn locality in Uttar Pradesh.
Badungar: retain changes in NCERT books
Patiala, June 28
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Kirpal Singh Badungar today said the changes effected in NCERT books with regard to sikh subjects during NDA rule should be retained.
PTU students hold
rally
Jalandhar, June 28
Demanding a time of four and a half years to complete their degrees, BBA and BCA students from several affiliated colleges of Punjab Technical University took out a rally and presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner here today.
Medical entrance test for Sikhs put
off
Amritsar, June 28
The all-India medical entrance test for Sikh candidates, scheduled for June 30, has been postponed. Registrar, Examination, of the Association of Unaided Sikh Minority Medical and Dental Institutions of Punjab, stated in a press note issued here today that the fresh date of the test would be notified later.
University Diary
D. Litt to Sonia smacks of sycophancy, say intellectuals
Patiala, June 28
Though it was it was the spat between Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Swarn Singh Boparai and Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh which hogged the limelight this week, there was almost no discussion on the institution’s Syndicate’s decision to award Congress President Sonia Gandhi the degree of D Litt (honoris causa).
Computer essential teaching aid,
feel experts
Patiala, June 28
Punjabi University may have backtracked on its proposal to introduce Computer Application as a compulsory subject at graduate level following protests and intervention from the Chief Minister’s Office, but the institution’s Vice-Chancellor still feels computer education should be introduced as a compulsory subject as it is the need of the hour.
|
