Chandigarh, August 10
In a swift reaction to yesterday's shocking discovery of a grave of female foetuses on a vacant plot owned by two quacks at Patran in Patiala, Punjab State Commission for Women, has ordered an inquiry by the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Patiala.

In an order passed here today, Ms Parminder Kaur, Chairperson, Punjab State Commission for Women, sought a report from the two officers within 24 hours.

Taking suo motu action on the report published in The Tribune, Ms Parminder Kaur observed that the crime committed by the husband-wife duo of Pritam Singh and Amarjit Kaur, who dumped female foetuses into a well after illegally aborting them, would be dealt with sternly.

A team of Health Department officials had yesterday stumbled upon the grave during a raid on the premises of the Sahib Hospital run by the couple allegedly involved in the business of illegal abortions for the past many years.

Taking to the streets over the incident, the local populace alleged that though the health authorities were aware about the going-ons, no action was ever taken by them.

The Tribune had reported that the health authorities were trying to find out the exact number of female foetuses dumped by the quack couple.

The authorities also sealed an ultrasound centre located in Samana town that was allegedly carrying out pre-natal sex determination tests and subsequently sending pregnant women with female foetuses to Sahib clinic for termination of pregnancy.

In its order, the commission also asked the Director, Health Services, Punjab, to depute a senior official to visit the spot and submit a detailed report to the commission within three days.

Taking Directorate of Health Services and Family Welfare, Punjab, to task for apparently painting a wrong picture before the commission via-a-vis the strict implementation of the PNDT Act, which envisages strict action against hospitals and doctors conducting pre-natal test to know the sex of the foetus, the Chairperson observed that the latest incident showed that the scenario put forth by the authorities was not correct.

"The commission has also been apprised from time to time about the arduous efforts undertaken by the Health Department of Punjab for preventing female foeticide. Why then, the authorities have failed to unearth such ghastly actions against humanity? Where has the system failed? Who are the officials responsible for such crimes?" the order says.

Patiala, August 10
Even as the accused Pritam Singh and Amarjit Kaur, the quack couple of Patran town of this district involved in the illegal abortion of female foetuses, were remanded in police custody till August 13 after they were produced in a court today, the district administration has launched an intensive campaign to detect clinics and ultra-sound centres facilitating female foeticide.

Mr Rakesh Kumar Verma, Deputy Commissioner, said as the matter was very serious, he had directed the health authorities to carry out checking of all ultra-sound centres apart from keeping a tab on the clinic which were suspected to be involved in this activity.

The quack couple was arrested yesterday after a case was registered against them under the MTP Act for their alleged involvement in carrying out the abortions and subsequently dumping the foetuses and placentas in a pit. The quack couple, which had been running the business from a triple-storeyed Sahib Hospital, located on the Patran-Patiala main road of Patran town, was involved in this activity for the past many years.

Dr V. S. Mohi, Civil Surgeon, Patiala, who had been looking after all operations launched against female foeticide, said that about 12 ultra-sound centres had been sealed so far and legal action had been initiated against five clinics for their alleged involvement in carrying out illegal abortion of female foetuses.

Amritsar, August 10
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, today offered to step down from his post if the alleged misconduct of his son at Shimla was proved correct.

Mr Dullo challenged Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), to head an inquiry after taking a dip in the holy waters at Harmander Sahib and submit an unbiased report.

Mr Dullo said he would accept the “Badal inquiry” fully if conducted after taking an oath. He said if Mr Badal failed to conduct the inquiry, he should immediately quit politics.

Mr Dullo alleged that his son was a victim of a high-level conspiracy, hatched by certain forces. He said neither he nor his party would take any step to hamper an independent inquiry.

Mr Dullo said politicians should not play politics by indicting family members of their opponents on flimsy grounds.

Earlier, Mr Badal had sought the resignation of Mr Dullo and Capt Amarinder Singh as PPCC chief and Chief Minister, respectively, following the Shimla episode.

In yet another significant statement, Mr Dullo said an intensive drive would be launched against drugs, which had assumed alarming proportions.

He admitted that the smuggling of narcotics could not be possible without the connivance of different agencies working at the international border. He said he would take up the matter of drug smuggling with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and Ms Sonia Gandhi, president, AICC, for tightening security on the border during the forthcoming meeting.

Mr Dullo said he would urge Capt Amarinder Singh to issue necessary orders to record adverse remarks in the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) of the SHOs who failed to control the sale of drugs.

Meanwhile, the PPCC chief alleged that the SGPC had destroyed rich heritage in the name of “kar seva.” He said his party and the state government would create a special cell to identify the heritage buildings in different parts of the state so that they could be preserved as per the norms set by the department concerned.

Mr Dullo said a drive would be launched to give due respect to the freedom fighters who had contributed to achieve India’s freedom. Their houses would also be preserved in original shapes, he said.

Pathankot, August 10
The police today booked former Municipal Councillor Jang Bahadur Bedi for beating up Pathankot Municipal Council junior engineer Desh Bandhu.

The former MC was booked on the directions of SSP Gurdaspur Paramraj Singh Umranangal. The SSP told The Tribune that the former MC has been booked under Sections 353, 332, 186 and 506 of the IPC.

Meanwhile, employees of the Municipal Council, who pacified to some extent due to the registration of the case continued their strike demanding the arrest of the accused in the case. The employees sat on a dharna in front of the Municipal Council office and raised slogans against the former MC and his political supporters. The employees broke earthen pots in protest against the beating up of their colleague.

They alleged that there are just 27 workers to maintain a sewerage line extending to 87 km. Instead of appreciating the fact that the work was being carried out despite such hals harrses, the local politicians were manhandling their colleagues.

The workers also threatened to stop the water supply and not to carry out sanitation work if the accused former Councillor was not arrested.

The case was registered yesterday late in the evening when all efforts to effect a compromise between the varying factions had exhausted. The political mentors of the former MC tried to locate the beaten up junior engineer to pressurise him into a compromise. However, the junior engineer, who was supported by the employees declined to give in. The police gave time to the political mentors of the former MC to effect a compromise. However, when the move failed the case was registered.

The agitating workers also got the support of the president of the Municipal Council, Mr Sharwan Kumar. Mr Kumar described the incident as unfortunate. He tried to pacify the employees by stating that the husbands of the woman Municipal Councillors, who act as defacto MC’s won’t be allowed to interfere in the working of the officers.

Meanwhile the accused former MC has gone underground.

Leaders of opposition, including the former BJP minister Mohan Lal also deplored the incident. They alleged that the way an employee had been beaten up showed the barbarism that was going on in the Pathankot Assembly constituency.

Ludhiana, August 10
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today distanced himself from the “politics of Mr Natwar Singh”. He said, he had not met Mr Natwar Singh in the recent past. Nor had he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

However, he called up the Prime Minister on telephone today morning asking, “if I can do anything for you”.

Talking to reporters after laying the foundation stone of a private township near here today, the Chief Minister said, he respected Mr Natwar Singh as his brother-in law. However, he added, he was at a variance with his (Natwar’s) politics. He said, he totally disagreed with what Mr Natwar Singh had said about the Prime Minister. He disclosed that today he called up the Prime Minister and offered his services to him.

The Chief Minister denied that he had met his brother-in law in the past few days. He said, he was in Mumbai and stopped in Delhi for sometime. From there he went to Chandigarh, without meeting anybody, including Mr Natwar Singh or any other party functionary.

However, the Chief Minister did not rule out a rapprochement, saying, it could always be reached. However, he added, it was up to the party’s president and the Prime Minister to take a final decision. On his stand on the issue, he retorted, of course I stand by the party, the party president and the Prime Minister”. He specified that he was in agreement with the party’s stand on the issue.

At the same time he said, Mr Natwar Singh was his brother-in-law and he loved and respected him a lot. He pointed out, but relationships and politics were two separate things independent of each other and these could not be mixed up.

The Chief Minister remained unambiguous on the issue and tried to reply all questions as clearly.

New Delhi, August 10
While settling an important legal question whether the tax authorities had a right to prepare hard disk copy of seized material on raids at the premises of tax evaders raised by the Punjab Excise Department, the Surpreme Court has ruled that there was nothing wrong in it as in the age of internet and IT provisions of law should not be read with rigidity.

Allowing an appeal of the Punjab Government against Punjab and Haryana High Court, imposing a cost of Rs 2,500 each on some officials of Excise Department who conducted raids in the office of M/S Amritsar Beverages Ltd in 2003, the apex court set aside the high court order directing that the money be recovered from the officials responsible.

The court said the Excise Act was passed in 1948 when the Information Technology was not even known. “The Constitution is a living organ and it has been interpreted differently having regard to different social situations,” a Bench of Mr Justice S B Sinha and Mr Justice Dalveer Bhandari said.

The court directed that the Tax authorities would ask the representatives of the company to make themselves available to them and obtain their signatures on the receipt or otherwise of the hard copies in terms of their undertaking in the counter-affidavit.

“The high court failed to notice that as problem arose for the first time, the officers of the Sales Tax Department might not have been able to formulate or lay down their own procedure,” the apex court said.

The high curt had allowed the petition of the company contending that under Section 14 of the Excise Act certain provisions regarding seizure of a hard disk, which was not followed by the department.

The apex court said the judiciary would always respond to the need of changing times in regard to development of technology and used its own interpretative principles to achieve a balance when Parliament has not responded to the need to amend the statute having regard to the developments in the field of science.

“Internet and other information technologies brought with them the issues which were not foreseen by the law… it did not foresee the difficulties which may be faced by the officers who may not have any scientific expertise or did not have sufficient insight to tackle with the new situation,” the court said adding though the IT Act, 2000 was amended to include various kinds of cyber crimes but it had not dealt with all the problems which were faced by the authorities.

Chandigarh, August 10
The Director Public Instruction (Colleges), Punjab, Mr Kanwarjit Singh, today stated the government had decided to employ retired teachers on contract to tide over the acute shortage of teachers in government colleges across the state.

Mr Kanwarjit Singh was addressing principals of government colleges affiliated to Panjab University during a conference at the university here today.

Reacting to the repeated demands from principals that they were not able to do justice to the courses being offered by the colleges due to lack of teachers, Mr Kanwarjit Singh added that instead of employing guest faculty or part time teachers without any quality control, the government had decided that colleges employ retired college teachers.

“These teachers on contract would have to be paid Rs 250 per lecture up to a maximum of Rs 10000 per month as laid down by the UGC,” he said.

The DPI added that the state government would be releasing a grant of Rs 5 crore to about 15 new and old colleges in the state for development and maintenance works. He suggested that colleges in the state should not divert their attention towards post-graduate courses but instead focus on strengthening undergraduate courses.

Talking to The Tribune, Mr Dalbir Singh, Principal, Government College, Muktsar, suggested that basic computer education should be made compulsory for students in colleges so that rural students could compete with urban college students. He also stated that Panjab University should do away with the rule that demanded a college principal to be a PhD.

Ms Prabhjot Kaur, Principal, Government College for Women, Ludhiana, pointed out that the Punjab Government, following an archaic rule, did not allow college principals to spend more than Rs 5000 at one go.

“We have funds in the college and our building is in shambles. But we cannot spend a large amount for its repairs,” she said.

Dr C. S. Rajpoot, Principal, Government College, Karamsar (Rarra Sahib), added that the government should respond to the alarmingly low response of students to pure science streams.

“We have been facing an acute shortage of students for BSc courses,” he said.

Dr Vinod Sharma, Principal, Government College, Tanda, said rural colleges were facing a problem of effective communication with the affiliating university and the government.

“Each year hundreds of students of rural colleges are told that their result is late as their documents have not reached the university. Students are forced to run from pillar to post just to get their results declared,” he said.

Along the zero line (Hussainiwala), August 10
If the hostile gestures being exchanged by the sentinels of BSF and Pakistani Rangers during the retreat ceremony at Indo-Pakistan Joint Check Post, Hussainiwala, are any indication, the relations between the two neighbouring countries seem to be far from normal.

Though, this retreat ceremony at Hussainiwala is a treat to watch and undoubtedly turns out to be a memorable experience for everyone who come to witness this rare electrifying drill, but off late the visitors have started raising question mark over the way the BSF and Rangers exchange intimidating gestures, which evokes nothing but abhorrence for the men on the other side of the fence.

As the smartly dressed BSF sentinels, the Seema Prahiris and the Pakistani Rangers set the fields ablaze by the thunderous tapping of their feet and match every step, every motion just to outdo each other, emblazoned feeling of patriotism engulfs the heart of everyone who comes to witness the drill. The raised eyebrows, the stretched shoulders and the daring glances send a wave of tremors throughout the body.

Though, the sanctity of the border is well preserved and well exhibited, yet the contours of these dare devil commandos who, in consonance with their motto, “ Duty unto Death” always place the nation above their soul, fills the atmosphere with suspense as one keeps on probing, what must be feeling of performing for nation’s pride and glory?

As soon as we walk past the BSF check-post, the point from where the vehicles are not permitted to go further without due permission, the entire atmosphere looks surcharged as this alien nation, which was once part of ours, is just stone throw’s away with only the barbed wire separating the two.

When the last notes of buglers sound, the ceremony folds up amidst thunderous applause by the audience on both sides, the sentinels of both nations maintain clock-like-precision while lowering their respective national flags. Amidst the intense feeling of astute patriotism, spirit of sacrifice and the hatred for the man on the other side of the border writ large on their faces, these guardians of the border march back to their barracks.

Though the BSF officials maintain that the aggressive postures, which the forces exchange are well rehearsed and part of the drill, but the kind of hatred it evokes is there for everyone to see as more often than not crowd on both sides gets virtually locked in a slogan war with things taking ugly shape sometimes as it happened once when India defeated Pakistan in the World Cup cricket match in Australia, when both sides had hurled abuses and even pelted stones on each other.

Sources in BSF claim that the practice was initiated by Pakistani Rangers to attract big crowds, as on any given day, people on the Indian side outnumber the Pakistanis. The aggression, which had reached flashpoint during the Kargil War and Operation Prakaram when people on both sides had started chanting slogans like, “Bharat Mata ki Jai, Hindustan Jindabad, Alah ho Akbar, Jive Pakistan” seems it would not die down soon.

In the present scenario, when not only the two governments but also the general masses have started sharing peaceful overtures, whether these gestures and aggressive reactions should continue to be a part of the drill or not has to be corroborated.

Amritsar, August 10
Monica Christy, a Nigerian National, who completed her 11 years jail in April this year, continues to be behind bars for the past four months— thanks to apathy by her country.

Christy, who was held for possessing narcotics, has been seeking desperately consular’s help from her embassy in New Delhi for the past four months but without response.

This is not an isolated case. There were more than 80 such detainees from other countries including Pakistan and Bangladesh who also are suffering from similar fate as their countries refused or delayed to take them back.

Expressing serious concern, over the plight of the foreign detainees in various jails of the country after the completion of the trial BJP MP, Navjot Singh Sidhu said the international community must rise up and enact laws for the prisoners who were not being taken back by their countries even after the completion of their sentences.

During the inspection of the Amritsar central jail here he said that such detainees were being dehumanized by archaic laws that have lost relevance in the present day scenario. Deeply touched by their conditions he said that he would take up their issue at international fora and in Parliament so that they could return to their homeland at the earliest.

The detainees who interacted with Mr Sidhu requested him to take up their cases at the highest government level so that they could once again enjoy freedom of in countries. The visit of Mr Sidhu has kindled a hope that their release was not too far.

Meanwhile expressing satisfaction over the management of jail, Mr Sidhu lauded senior officials including Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, DIG jails. Mr Sidhu announced a grant of Rs 20 lakh from his MPLADS funds for the construction of the new barracks and toilets. He said Rs 5 lakh would be given in a fortnight and other installment of Rs 5 lakh would be provided to the jail authorities by the end of the year. The remaining of Rs 10 lakh would be given next year. The BJP MP also handed over a cheque of Rs 1.50 lakh to provide funds for installing fans and beds in the barracks much for inmates.

On the request of the prisoners, the BJP MP urged the Punjab Health Minister Surinder Singla on phone to post a doctor in the jail on urgent basis to look after the health of the inmates.

New Delhi, August 10
While settling an important legal question whether the tax authorities had a right to prepare hard disk copy of seized material on raids at the premises of tax evaders raised by the Punjab Excise Department, the Surpreme Court has ruled that there was nothing wrong in it as in the age of internet and IT provisions of law should not be read with rigidity.

Allowing an appeal of the Punjab Government against Punjab and Haryana High Court, imposing a cost of Rs 2,500 each on some officials of Excise Department who conducted raids in the office of M/S Amristsar Beverages Ltd in 2003, the apex court set aside the high court order directing that the money be recovered from the officials responsible.

The court said the Excise Act was passed in 1948 when the Information Technology was not even known. “The Constitution is a living organ and it has been interpreted differently having regard to different social situations,” a Bench of Mr Justice S B Sinha and Mr Justice Dalveer Bhandari said.

The court directed that the Tax authorities would ask the representatives of the company to make themselves available to them and obtain their signatures on the receipt or otherwise of the hard copies in terms of their undertaking in the counter-affidavit.

“The high court failed to notice that as problem arose for the first time, the officers of the Sales Tax Department might not have been able to formulate or lay down their own procedure,” the apex court said.

The high curt had allowed the petition of the company contending that under Section 14 of the Excise Act certain provisions regarding seizure of a hard disk, which was not followed by the department.

The apex court said the judiciary would always respond to the need of changing times in regard to development of technology and used its own interpretative principles to achieve a balance when Parliament has not responded to the need to amend the statute having regard to the developments in the field of science.

“Internet and other information technologies brought with them the issues which were not foreseen by the law… it did not foresee the difficulties which may be faced by the officers who may not have any scientific expertise or did not have sufficient insight to tackle with the new situation,” the court said adding though the IT Act, 2000 was amended to include various kinds of cyber crimes but it had not dealt with all the problems which were faced by the authorities.

New Delhi, August 10
The Centre has decided to set up a regional passport office in Amritsar and develop circuits to boost tourism in Punjab.

Minister for Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni, after inaugurating an exhibition today, said the government was planning to set up a passport office in Amritsar and take up the issue of the Golden Temple Heritage Project with UNESCO.

Since only one project could be taken up, this year a natural lake project in Assam was sent to UNESCO for consideration as a world heritage site. The Golden Temple Heritage Project, the minister assured, would be taken up soon.

Meanwhile, the proposed office in Amritsar will be the third regional passport office for the state after Chandigarh and Jalandhar.

Batala, August 10
The police has arrested five members of a gang and seized fake currency worth Rs 35,800, one revolver of .38 bore with six live cartridges, one country-made .12 bore pistol with two live cartridges and two motor cycles.

According to a press note issued by Mr L.K. Yadav, SSP, Batala, a police party, which was on patrol duty near Gandhi Chowk, raided the old truck market area following a tip-off and saw seven persons on their motor cycles there. On seeing the police, two of them ran away. But five were caught.

Those arrested disclosed their identities as Gurpartap Singh of Bhucher Kalan in Taran Taran district, Harchand Singh of Bhucher Kalan, Kulwant Singh of Bhangwan village, Ranjodh Singh and Sardool Singh, both residents of Dalla village.

Those who fled from the spot were Baldev Singh of Bhangwan village and Gurnam Singh of Jor Singh Walla village under the Patti police station.

During the search of Gurpartap Singh, the police seized fake currency of Rs 9,000, one .38 bore revolver and six live cartridges. Fake currency of Rs 10,500 was seized from Kulwant Singh.

Fake currency of Rs 10,000 and Rs 4,400 was seized from Sardool Singh and Harchand Singh. One .12 bore country-made pistol and two live cartridges were also seized. Fake currency of Rs 1,900 was seized from Ranjodh Singh.

A case has been registered under various sections of the IPC and the Arms Act.

Bathinda, August 10
The police foiled a theft bid at the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) near the court complex here yesterday and arrested two persons in this connection.

The Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Varinder Kumar, said a patrol party under SI Amritpal was on its way back to the Civil Lines police station at 3.45 a.m. when it heard some noise in the bank building.

The cops checked the bank’s surroundings and found that the grill of a window had been cut. They called the security officer and the bank 
manager.

After opening up the bank’s locks, the police spotted two youths hiding inside the bank. They were identified as Ravinder Kumar, alias Banti, and Kabir, alias Koki. It was also discovered that they had tried to break open the bank’s safe. Both of them have been arrested.

Patiala, August 10
The Patiala wing of the Vigilance Bureau today caught red-handed an SDO of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), Madan Pal, while the latter was accepting bribe from a non-resident Indian industrialist Sukhvir Singh Cheema for ensuring uninterrupted power supply to his unit.

Mr Gurpreet Singh Bhuller, SSP, Vigilance Bureau, Patiala, in a press note issued here today, said the accused, who accepted Rs 12,000 from Mr Cheema as bribe money, had been harassing Mr Cheema by denying uninterrupted power supply to his unit, apart from delaying the increase in power load of that factory.

He added that Madan Pal, who was posted in the urban sub-division, Bassi Pathana, had not been doing the works which he was supposed to do despite the fact Mr Cheema had completed all formalities. Mr Cheema is running a unit involved in the manufacturing of fruit squashes and mineral water.

Mr Bhuller said that on receiving a complaint from Mr Cheema, a case was registered against Madan Pal. After that, a raid was conducted and the accused was caught red-handed. The bribe money was recovered from the accused. The accused was caught in the presence of two government witnesses and one shadow witness.

A search was being carried out in the house of the accused located in Jamitgarh village in the Ghanaur police station by a team of the Vigilance Bureau.

BUSINESS

Foot-and-mouth disease vaccine unit to be set up
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Ropar, August 10
With the signing of an agreement with one group of truck operators here today, the district administration today claimed to have solved the dispute with truck operators and Ambuja Cement Plant which was going on here for past several months.

As per the agreement, Ambuja Cement Plant will hire 180 trucks per day from Truck Operators Goods Carrier Transport Society Limited for transport of cement. Only those truck operators will be given work who reside in 86 villages surrounding the areas of the cement plant. Besides, it was also decided that in a case of hike in the diesel price, the fare of trucks would also be increased accordingly.

Those who participated in the meeting include District Transport Officer, Mr Rajiv Gupta, the DSP, Didar Singh, SDM, Sanjay Popli, two officials of Ambuja cement, Rajiv Jain and Mahesh Arora, and truck operators group headed by Partap Singh.

Meanwhile, another group of the truck operators, whose leaders have been in judicial custody in a case of embezzlement, continued to observe protest here. They were demanded release of their leaders claiming that the president of truck operators, Punjab, Mr Tarlochan Singh and president of one group of truckers, Mr Magar Singh, have been arrested in false cases following political pressure.

As these leaders resorted to protest in support of truckers' demand, the truck operators of this group will be meeting Chief Minister tomorrow in support of their demands.