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DIG to probe land grab case
Abohar, April 8 A Sub-Inspector here had recorded in a daily dairy report on March 9, 2006, that when he went to the Radha Swami Colony here to arrest Dhian Singh, a culprit, he was forced to talk to a “very senior police officer” on mobile phone. “The officer abused me and directed me to stay away from this dispute”, the SI said. He returned to the police station and recorded the event at 11.30 am. Dr Om Parkash Mutneja, a resident of Srikaranpur in Rajasthan, who met the DGP, Mr Sarabjit Singh Virk, and the ADGP last week, had stated that his daughter Dimple could get the FIR registered at the city police station, Abohar, after eight months of hard struggle. The DSP here was non-cooperative. The FIR was registered under instructions from the then DGP Mohammed Siddiqui and ADGP (Law and Order) J P Virdi on April 14, 2005. Those booked included Balkaran Singh Bhullar, a Canada-based NRI, his brother Baljit Singh, father Dhian Singh, Harbhajan Singh Nambardar, Jagmohan Kumar, Harnek Singh member Panchayat, Rajwant Singh (all residents of village Kala Tibba), Darshan Lal, Raj Kumar Setia, Major Singh (Naib Tehsildar), Kuldip Singh, document writer, Jasbir Singh Jhurarkhera and Mohan Lal, members, Municipal Council here. It may be mentioned that Mrs Miglani went to Dera Beas in Amritsar on September 10, 2004, with her family. She rushed back on learning that some armed persons had grabbed their house and agriculture land adjacent to the Radha Swami Colony. The armed persons threatened to eliminate the family and did not allow to take out even clothes and utensils. Her father-in-law who had been under a state of shock after death of his wife had signed some papers to sell the property to Balkaran Singh’s family even when the sale deed of the house were pledged to a local branch of Oriental Bank of Commerce. Though the period for executing the sale deed was one year, the alleged land mafia managed to get the sale deed registered and even mutation was completed in a single day. The deed was not computerised. Dr Mutneja regretted that none of the persons named in the FIR was arrested during last 12 months because a very senior officer of the police had allegedly been shielding the land mafia.
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Confrontation between PCS officers’ body, VB on cards
Chandigarh, April 8 Early this week, the Bureau in Ludhiana had booked Mr Ajmer Singh,a PCS officer who is posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) there, and certain officers of the Forest, Town Planning and other departments for alleged violation of various rules and norms while giving a
no-objection certificate for setting up a petrol station near Sahnewal. The case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act and various sections of the IPC. The association’s Executive Committee met here today to examine the case. Mr Ajmer Singh, who was called by the association in this regard, presented the “facts” before the committee. Almost all PCS officers of Ludhiana and executive members of the association were present at the meeting. After examining the matter, the executive, which met under the chairmanship of the association president, Mr P.S.Shergill, decided to back Mr Ajmer Singh and meet the Chief Secretary. Most members of the executive were of the opinion that bureau officials in Ludhiana allegedly danced to the tune of a private party which had a vested interest in blocking the NOC for setting up the petrol station. Meanwhile, Mr Ajmer Singh told The Tribune that he had issued the NOC as per the law. Mr Ajmer Singh, who was delegated powers by the District Magistrate to issue NOCs for petrol station sites, said Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited(BPCL), which was a Central Government undertaking, had applied for the NOC on April 25, 2004. The case was referred to the District Food and Supplies Controller (DFSC), who was a nodal officer, to seek comments from all departments and officials concerned, including the Agriculture Department, the Police Department, District Development and Panchayat Officers, the SDM, Ludhiana (East), the National Highway Authority and the Town Planning Department. Through the DFSC, all departments submitted their reports making it clear that they would have no objection if the NOC was issued by the Additional Deputy Commissioner. “The DFSC’s office sent the file to me and I further referred it to the District Attorney to seek his legal opinion on the issue. The DA’s office, citing certain Supreme Court judgements, gave his opinion that the NOC could be given”, said Mr Ajmer Singh. As all formalities had been completed, “I issued the NOC on February 23, 2006, to BPCL,” he added. However, on March 7, Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, Secretary, Town Planning Department, wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma, informing him that the consent given by the Town Planning Department through the DFSC for the issuance of the NOC had been withdrawn, Mr Ajmer Singh further said. “As the Town Planning Department had withdrawn its consent, I issued a show-cause notice to BPCL on March 8 for the cancellation of the NOC issued by me. And on April 4, I cancelled the NOC”, he said. It was the Town Planning Department which changed its mind repeatedly. First, on July 29, 2004, that department gave its consent to the DFSC for the issuance of the NOC by the Additional Deputy Commissioner. Then it withdrew the same on September 24, 2004. It again gave its consent on November 1, 2004. Again, on March 7, 2006, the Town Planning Department withdrew the consent. The association argued that no criminal case was made out against Mr Ajmer Singh and others. Mr Ajmer Singh was a legally competent authority to issue the NOC. If any party had a grievance in this regard, it, should have filed an appeal before the higher authority for the cancellation of the same.
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Panj Piaras, not CM, to open Khalsa museum: SGPC
Anandpur Sahib, April 8 Justifying the objection over inauguration by the CM, general secretary of the SGPC Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, said last evening that the Panj Piaras, five symbolic representatives of Guru Gobind Singh, had laid the foundation stone for the KHC in November 1998 in the presence of the then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. A member of SGPC from Anandpur Sahib, Mr Gurinder Singh Gogi, said, “We will submit a memorandum in this regard to the CM. If our demand would not be accepted then we raise protest on the day of inauguration of the KHC.” The work on the project had remained stopped for about a year due to paucity of the funds. Later the work got restarted in March last year here when the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, took initiative and helped the Anandpur Sahib foundation get a term loan of Rs 100 crore. Besides it, the Central and the state governments would grant the balance of Rs 48 crore. The total cost of the project is about Rs 300 core and out of it about Rs 150 crore had already been spend on its construction.
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Witnesses of peacock poaching case
Chandigarh, April 8 Also a prime witness in the peacock poaching case involving former SDM Puneet Goyal, Gunraj Singh says he has faced action for “exposing the forest mafia in Punjab which is clearing swathes of forest land of trees.” His partner in the cause Mr Sukhdeep Bajwa, another witness in the peacock poaching case, meanwhile apprehends similar action by the authorities, besides fearing for his life and that of his family’s. Working against forest mafia, Gunraj Singh and Bajwa (another key witness in peacock poaching case) recently filed a PIL against illegal felling of trees by Punjab Forest Department. The PIL came in the wake of Punjab’s ranking dropping in the State of Forests Report 2003. Where its area under forest was 2432 sq km in 2001, it declined to 1580 sq km in 2003. Between these two years, Punjab slipped from 11th to 35th position among Indian states and UTs. Following the PIL in Punjab and Haryana High Court, Secretary Forests, Punjab even gave an undertaking that the Department would not issue any permit for felling of trees unless the same is explicitly permitted by the High Court. The felling however continued, and yesterday when the Forest team raided Gunraj Singh’s farm house in Hoshiarpur, he along with Bajwa was showing the SDM and other officers the spots of illegal felling in Kukanet area of Hoshiarpur. Gunraj Singh today said he had been framed in the case. He also fears for his life and that of his family, especially after he was attacked in Hoshiarpur recently. A case was registered following the attack. While Gunraj Singh is absconding, it is strange to recall that he had reported some cases of sambar poaching as honorary wildlife warden Hoshiarpur. He had even rescued some animals. And though he maintains he has not visited his farmhouse for several days, the officer who coordinated the raid says he is accused for poaching the sambar. Mr Swaran Singh, Chairman, Flying Squad, Punjab Wildlife Department, told The Tribune today that he had received highly confidential information about a sambar’s remains being buried in Gunraj Singh’s farmhouse. After the raid, forest department team recovered legs and bones and skin of the sambar from the indicated spot. Also, Mr Swaran Singh ruled out the possibility of the recoveries being planted saying, “We kept the information secret. There is no question of a goof up.” DFO, Dasua Mr Amit Mishra who raided the farmhouse however does not rule out the possibility of sambar remains being planted there although he says the owner and his workers could also be responsible. “The farmhouse is spread over more than 50 acre. There is no fencing. It is easy for anyone to enter and plant the animal’s remains. The remains were recovered from just six inches below the ground. I have submitted my report and have suggested further enquiry.” While the enquiry may or may not be conducted, Gunraj Singh’s workers are under arrest for the violation of Wildlife Protection Act. The Wildlife Department is also on the lookout for Gunraj Singh who, Mr Swaran Singh says, is untraceable.
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Mystery shrouds youth’s death
Bathinda, April 8 Addressing a press conference here, the father of the deceased, Mr Ranjit Singh, said his son Talwinder Singh alias Lucky was a student of Malwa College and was having a love affair with a girl hailing from Mansa who was also studying in his college. He said Lucky had left for his tuition class at about 9 am on March 21. At about 12 noon, he received a phone call from the girl’s home in Mansa stating that his son had reached there. He said he again got a call from the girl’s family in the afternoon in which they stated that Lucky was in an inebriated state and was harassing them. They threatened him of dire consequences before disconnecting the phone. He said just when they were thinking to call Lucky back from Mansa, the GRP rang them up informing them about the recovery of his body near the railway station. He said the GRP registered a case under Section 174 of the CrPC . He said the police had also seized a note from Lucky’s pocket in which he had held three members of the girl’s family responsible for his death. He said DSP Lakha Singh had recorded their statements on March 29 and 30. He said Lucky’s post-mortem report was awaited and his viscera were also sent to a laboratory. Mr Ranjit Singh lamented that he and his wife had earlier approached the girl’s parents with a marriage proposal, but they rejected it in a rude manner. He said Lucky had also received a call from the girl’s uncle, with whom she was staying in Bathinda, on March 20, following which he was upset. He accused the GRP of being prejudiced in the case. On the other hand, the GRP authorities have denied their allegations and stated that they were acting as per law.
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S.P.S. Mann, a great supporter of free power to farmers Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 8 Mann, 76, died on March 30 after an unsuccessful bypass surgery. Born in Ferozepore in 1930, Mann studied at Government Mahendra College, Patiala, and Government College, Ludhiana, before graduating from D.C. Jain College, Ferozepore. A hardcore Akali, he was fascinated by Sants. His closeness to Sant Fateh Singh, Sant Chanan Singh and Sant Harchand Singh Longowal was ,therefore, understandable. It was on Sant Fateh Singh’s recommendation that he, at the age of 39, was nominated Administrative Member of the PSEB for the first time in 1969. It was during his first tenure that the decision to construct Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant at Bathinda was taken. At that time the proposal was strongly opposed on the plea that Bathinda was far off from the coal mines of Bihar. The then Chief Minister sought help from people in Punjab, asking them to contribute Re 1 each to make the project possible. The Union Government relented and sanctioned the project, which ultimately ushered in the Green Revolution in Punjab. Surinder Pal Singh Mann, known for his bold initiatives and decisions, was named the Administrative Member of the board again in 1978 for a term of four years. Realising that Mann was a man of impeccable integrity, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, the then Chief Minister of Punjab, nominated him a member of the Punjab Public Service Commission in 1985 for a term of six years. I had a chance to interact with him several times, recently at the residence of Mr Devinder Singh Benepal, former national hockey player and engineer now settled in Australia. Mann had immense knowledge of the power sector. Though his interest in politics was immense, he preferred to maintain a low profile. He did not evince much interest in electoral politics. During his tenure as Administrative Member of the PSEB he recruited not only a large number of outstanding hockey and other players in the board but also appointed folk artistes like Gurdass Mann. It was he who advocated the supply of free power to farmers by effecting several energy conservation measures, including the installation of capacitors, apart from strongly opposing the unbundling of the board. After retiring from both the board and the public service commission, he remained actively associated with education as a Member of Baba Banda Singh Engineering College in Fatehgarh Sahib. He leaves his wife Surjit Kaur, son Surinderjit Singh and daughter Veenu Kaur. — Prabhjot Singh
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PSEB staff mourn Mann’s death
Amritsar, April 8 The association expressed sympathy with the bereaved family. Mann remained member of the commission and the PSEB for six and nine years, respectively.
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Doctors bring cheer to woman with small uterus
Ludhiana, April 8 The team led by Dr Iqbal Singh made it possible for Sushma(28) of Rajasthan to give birth to a healthy baby even as Laparoscopic examination had established she had a small uterus (hypoplastic uterus ) with no ovaries. Ovaries produce eggs, which are essential for pregnancy. So she was declared by her previous doctors that she could never bear a child in her life. But Dr Iqbal, who brought the test-tube baby technology to northern India, treated her with conventional hormonal treatment and made her uterus to grow up to normal adult size (because when ovarian hormones are not secreted the uterus remains small and so cannot host a pregnancy). For about three years she underwent all Hi-Tech investigations and intensive (Hormonal ) treatment. So that pregnancy could be planned with donor eggs. Ultimately her sister from Canada came to her rescue and donated eggs. These eggs of the sister were inseminated with semen of her (Shushma’s) husband. In-Vitro- Fertilisation (IVF) was done and the embryos thus formed were transferred to the prepared uterus of patient Shushma. Fortunately the uterus accepted the embryos and pregnancy was confirmed which under close watch and constant care was carried upto full term. Now, today she is the proud mother of a healthy baby boy. The credit goes to the untiring efforts of her doctor (Dr Iqbal and his team) and also to the patience shown by Shushma who otherwise had lost all hopes of becoming pregnant as all the previous doctors had declared that she could never become pregnant in her life because of absent ovaries.
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Doctor offers to fulfil promise of Kalam
Amritsar, April 8 Dr Kalam had promised to get his vivid memories of ruthless massacre of hundreds of innocent persons on the command of General O’ Dyer published for the posterity to recall his contribution in the freedom struggle of the country. Dr Avtar Singh said he was deeply moved by The Tribune story and felt that it was the duty of the people of the city to take up the project to record his memoirs as part of Punjab’s rich history of valour and sacrifice. He said he would offer his support for the publication of the book whatever the cost might be. He said it was indeed sad that the memories should be recorded in the history books till he was alive.
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NGO starts mobile dispensary
Kurali (Ropar), April 8 The “health service van” was flagged off by Union Minister of State for Finance Pawan Kumar Bansal, who was accompanied by Minister of Tourism and Animal Husbandry Jagmohan Kang. “The van, carrying a team headed by Dr K.P. Singh, will cover four villages every day and provide medicines to villagers. We have also planned to provide OPD and X-ray facilities to villagers soon,” said Ms Bakshi, NGO’s secretary.
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Labourer’s death: DC for action against cops
Hoshiarpur April 8 Happy, a labourer, was killed on March 11 when earth caved in at the work site in Police Lines, Hoshiarpur. Three other labourers working at the site were also buried under the mass of earth, but they were rescued in time. Following allegations that the labourer died due to the negligence of the officials supervising the work, Deputy Commissioner D.K. Tiwari directed the SDM, Hoshiarpur, to inquire into the matter. In the inquiry report, a copy of which is available with The Tribune, the SDM has stated that sewerage of the Police Lines had got blocked. Inspector Harbhajan Singh and Constable Bhajan Singh were responsible for up keeping the Police Lines. They had hired labourers for digging at the site where the sewerage was blocked. The policemen also contacted the municipal council for helping them out. On the day of mishap, Sanitary Inspector Mukesh Kumar Sharma sent four labourers to undertake digging at the site. Meanwhile, the said police officials also summoned a JCB from a private concern and got 15-foot-deep pit dug. The labourers were asked to enter that pit to clear the blockade of the sewerage. However, the earth caved in, leading to the death of the labourer. The inquiry officer concluded that the labourers were not provided with any safety equipment before entering the pit. Moreover, no safety measures were taken to prevent caving in.
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Ropar residents protest district
status to Mohali
Ropar, April 8 The procession began from Kalyan cinema at about 10 am in the morning. It was joined by political leaders of various parties and religious organisation. People passed through various parts of Ropar carrying banners and gathered at the old bus stand. The protesters also jammed traffic on the Ropar-Nawanshar road for about two hours. MLA, Anandpur Sahib, Ramesh Dutt Sharma, said he had joined the protest as majority of people of the district had to suffer a lot due to the creation of a new district , Mohali. The people of Ropar, who have already been neglected on the development front in comparison to other districts, deserve better attention, he said. While the Chairman of the Zila Bacho Sangarash Committee, Dr R.S Parmar, said they had not got any response from the state government despite repeated protests. The government is neither withdrawing its decision nor providing any compensation. So we will hold a complete bandh in Ropar on April 14, he said. “It is unfortunate that Ropar district which has a lot of historical importance has been neglected by the state government. Instead of working for its development, the state government has committed a blunder by separating Mohali from Ropar,” said the district president of the BSP, Mr Charanjit Singh Ghai. President of the district Bar Association R.S Moudgil said advocates had been protesting after the announcement of district status to Mohali. We will continue our protest unless the state government accepts our demands, he added.
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3 kids charred to death
Sultanpur Lodhi, April 8 According to information, seven jhuggis were destroyed in the fire that erupted around midnight on Friday. Ketki Kumari (12), Juli (8) and Niku (6), children of Basu Paswan, a migrant labourer, were burnt alive, while his wife, Geeta, suffered severe burn injuries. Geeta was admitted to the local Civil Hospital where her condition was stated to be stable. According to the police, the victims were sleeping when the jhuggis caught fire from an earthen lamp. Jhuggi dwellers living nearby later extinguished the fire. Mr Raminder Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala, has announced a financial help of Rs 5,000 for the victim family.
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Student dies as bus overturns
Hoshiarpur, April 8 All injured students were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Mahilpur. According to the police sources, the deceased was identified as Harjit Singh (12) a student of class VII of the aforesaid school,
a resident of Barian Kalan. Nine students were discharged after first aid while a student Gurleen and driver Palwinder were referred to the Civil Hospital,
Hoshiarpur.
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Truck carrying LPG cylinders overturns
Ropar, April 8 Traffic was diverted to the Nalagarh road after a passerby noticed a gas leak. Mr J.C. Sabharwal, SDM, Ropar, reached the spot to inquire into the matter.
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Diamond jubilee celebrations
Patiala, April 8 Various programmes were held to mark the celebrations. The federation donated sports equipment at SOS Village, Rajpura, while the Oriental Bank Employees Union (Northern Zone), affiliated to the Punjab Bank Employees Federation, installed a water cooler at the Rajindra Hospital here. The State Bank of Patiala Employees Union (Punjab) donated books to students of Shakuntla School while doors were installed at the Sai Virdh Ashram at Chaura village, near here.
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Farmers lathi-charged
Barnala, April 8 Following Punjab Government’s move to acquire 376 acres of land of farmers of Dhaula, Fatehgarh Chhanna and Sanghera villages to set up three new industrial units of Trident Group, the group’s combine machines began harvesting the crops at Fatehgarh Chhanna yesterday morning. Condemning the police act as anti-farmer, state general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said on learning about the harvesting, 200 men and women reached the fields to lodge their protest. The villagers were prevented from reaching the site by the police. As a result, they squatted there as a mark of protest. The police asked them to leave but they refused to budge. Finally, the police lathi-charged the protesters. He added that Sukhbir Singh of Fatehgarh Chhanna village sustained serious injuries in the lathi-charge and was being treated at a Dhanaula hospital. SSP G. Nageshwara Rao, while talking to this correspondent on the telephone, refuted the allegation of police brutality over farmers and BKU activists, terming the lathi-charge on protesters as “bundle of lies”.
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School’s no-fee gesture to lone girlchild
Sangrur, April 8 The waiver is applicable to girl students studying in Class VI to Class XII. Out of a total of about 700 students of these classes, as many as 16 girl students, who meet the criteria, will get the benefit under this gesture of the school. Talking to The Tribune here today, Mr Kulwinder Singh, Principal of the school, said a decision to this effect had been taken by the governing body of the school at a meeting held under the presidentship of Mr Hussan Lal, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the school’s governing body, recently.
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Stone for girls' hostel laid
Patiala, April
8 Addressing a function organised in the Senate Hall of
Punjabi University, after laying down the foundation stone of block-A
of the girls hostel, he said the Punjab Government would
sympathetically consider the rupee for rupee scheme for Punjabi
University, Patiala, for the infrastructure created by it in the rural
areas of the Malwa region. The hostel will be constructed at the
cost of Rs 6 crore. He said remaining true to the basic objective of
doing commendable work for the promotion of Punjabi language,
literature and culture were the need of the hour. He said the 21st
century belonged to India, adding that, 50 per cent of its population
was in the age group of 25 years. Hence, the quality of human
resources and skill friendly environment in the society would be the
main strength of the future of India.
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