Chandigarh, June 23
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has approved the proposal to give Rs 2,600 crore as subsidy to the PSEB in lieu of providing free power to the farm sector and poor sections of society for the current fiscal year. The approval means free power to farm sector will continue during the current fiscal year.

Sources said there would be an increase of 2.5 per cent in the tariff to be enforced from April 1 this year. However, as already three months have passed, the tariff will be annualised to recover the tariff of the April-June period in the remaining months of the fiscal year.

The tariff for the domestic sector is likely to go up by paise 8 per unit and for the farm sector paise 11 per unit. Entire burden of the increase for the farm sector will be born by the state exchequer.

There are apprehensions in PSEB circles that the new tariff order may be delayed by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission for a few weeks because of the ongoing MC elections.

“As the PSEB is facing a financial crisis, the commission should ignore the elections. Moreover, it is a non-political body and it should not be bound by the election code of conduct,” said a senior officer of the PSEB.

Once the commission announces tariff hike, the government will have to release the first instalment of the subsidy to the PSEB. Delay in its release can prove costly to the government in the payment of a penalty of Rs 35.50 crore.

Bathinda Day II
Defeated MC candidates revolt against Bhattal
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 23
Raising a banner of revolt against PPCC chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and the local leadership of the party, the defeated Congress candidates today demanded the expulsion of local MLA Harmandir Singh Jassi and two others from the party.

They accused Bhattal of having failed to campaign for the party candidates and demanded that Capt Amarinder Singh be handed over the reins of the Congress that had become dormant in the state.

They alleged that Jassi and his two supporters were hand in glove with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and other leaders of the ruling SAD and as such they “sabotaged” their victory chances. They did not allow the Congress MLAs of the district to campaign here.

Manohar Lal Bansal, who lost the election from ward number 6, said despite frantic telephone calls Jassi did not bother to come to their rescue while SAD activists captured their respective polling booths and manhandled even the women candidates of the Congress.

Accompanied by defeated candidates Asmat Bano, Rajinder Goldi, Surinder Kumar, Paramjit Kaur, Mona Chauhan, Capt Mul Singh, Usha Rani, Girish Chander and Rajesh Kumar, Bansal said not even a single election rally was organised in their wards by Jassi or any other leader. Bhattal sipped the rally on June 19 thereby demoralising the party rank and file. Bano said she was pushed out of the polling booth by a DSP accompanied by SAD activists who indulged in bogus voting.

Bansal said relations of Jassi with the Badals were evident from the fact that even after the SAD coming to power 18 months ago, he continued to be the chairman of Markfed. In lieu of this, Gurpreet Singh Maluka, son of a top SAD leader, was elected the chairman of the cooperative bank despite Congress majority in the board, he alleged.

He demanded that the Congress high command should order an inquiry into the party affairs here.

Chandigarh, June 23
There is a ray of hope for poor girls interested in pursuing studies as the New Zealand-based Shaheed Bhagat Singh Charitable Trust and the Patiala-based Dr Harsh Charitable Trust have joined hands to help such girls in Punjab.

Dr Harshindar Kaur, president of the Dr Harsh Charitable Trust, who has been working on reasons for female foeticide in Punjab for some years, said on Saturday that she was invited by the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Trust to visit New Zealand to discuss the issue of killing of the girl child in Punjab. “I told them the main reason behind such killings is evil of dowry. As parents have to spend a lot on dowry at the time of the marriage of the daughter, they kill her in the womb,” she said. The other reason was poor health-care for the girl child. Most of the girls die before attaining the age of five years in the countryside. And the third area of concern was their education.

She said her trust and the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Trust would continue to urge the authorities concerned to stamp out the evil. But both trusts in unison would also finance the education of poor girls up to the plus II level and also provide them free health-care. “As a first step, I have decided to provide the money required for the treatment of poor girls admitted to Rajindra Hospital at Patiala,” she said. In due course, such a measure would be extended to other hospitals, she added. The Shaheed Bhagat Singh Trust had already sent money to her for this purpose, she added.

The second step would be to help poor families having only girl children. “We will help the families to get their daughters educated by providing them the requisite financial support,” she added.

And the third step was that both trusts would provide help to orphan girls or those having no source of income and were dependent on their widowed mothers or close relations.

“All payments will be made by cheque and there will no cash payment. In case of girls studying in schools, there will be effort to pay their fee etc to schools concerned direct by cheque. A letter from the sarpanch or from the school principal testifying that the girl belongs to a poor family and needs help will be required. However, the trust will try to keep the names of girls helped by it a secret owing to social reasons. Making names public can lead to some sort of inferiority complex among such girls,” said Dr Harshindar Kaur.

“Our trust will invite applications from poor girl students, dependent girls and others concerned. Any girl who requires help can approach us at Patiala”. She said her telephone No. is 0175-2216783 and her residential address is: 28 Preet Nagar, Lower Mall, Patiala.

Ludhiana, June 23
A group of local youngsters in a couple of days planted more than 200 saplings in houses of people as part of the Save Earth mission requesting people to plant more trees and nurture them. “As global warming is on the rise, it is our moral duty to come together for a mission,” they said.

All eight pioneers belonging to the city are also engaged in educational activities at other places in the region. Atul Goyal, organiser, is a student of the Department of Law, Panjab University, Chandigarh; Tarun Suneja (B.Tech, Ropar), Rohit Goyal (B.Tech, Bathinda), Sahil Jain (B.Tech, GND varsity, Amritsar), Varun Jindal (B.Tech, Ropar) Rahul Gupta (B.Pharma, Lovely University), Raghav Singhal and Gitesh Sharma. All alumni of BVM School, Udham Nagar, have united for a common mission to check the depleting green cover on the earth.

Atul gives classic message of each one planting one tree because "when we will die, we will carry one tree with us". He said, “The statement is plain, simple logic. When we die, whether we are burnt or buried, wood will be required”.

Tarun said, “We have kept in touch with each other after our school. Global warming and depleting green cover have always been an area of common interest during discussions.

“Atul also takes personality building classes and we thought even tree plantation could be a personality development exercise. The exercise involves convincing people to plant trees”.

The group was able to involve 28 students, including girls and five gardeners, in the drive. Trees were planted in houses of people in Dugri, Model Town, Haibowal, Upkar Nagar, Prem Nagar, Udham Nagar, Tagore Nagar and Rishi Nagar.

Atul said, “The plantation was not easy. A servant came out and said the madam had asked him to say she was not home”.

Raghav said, “There were many who thought we were salespersons. One allowed us in because we said we would give them facility for lifelong free oranges. At the same time, there were several others who were very supportive. We were offered tea and even place for rest in air-conditioned rooms”.

Gitesh said, “The response has been very good, at the end of the day. We found at least six sponsors and were assured help by many others. We shall undertake another plantation mission at the earliest.

“Besides our initiative, we also want people to take the initiative and plant trees. Many houses have enough space, at least to plant fruit trees”.

In the beginning volunteers planted only fruit trees, including orange, lemon, custard apple, phalsa, plum and peach, besides certain others.

“It is easy to impress people with products that promise certain real returns,” Raghav said.

Chandigarh, June 23
The battle of supremacy in the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) is heading for climax with Pradesh Congress chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal accusing former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of indulging in cheap politics even as Amarinder’s supporters in the PPPC are coming to his defence.

Bhattal reacting to Amarinder’s claim that his detractors in the Pradesh Congress were in league with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for a Vigilance case against him, said she was fed up with Amarinder’s “white lies”. She added if Amarinder wanted to convey that she had any role in getting a case registered against him, she could also claim that the former Chief Minister was behind the case regarding the alleged misappropriation of funds registered against her during the previous SAD-BJP government rule.

The PPCC chief, however, added that she would still support Amarinder if he needed help as she did not believe in vendetta politics. She said she had sympathy for the former Chief Minister as he was from the Congress.

Amarinder, who was closeted with his lawyers at his New Moti Bagh palace residence in Patiala, however, said, “I do not need her help even if she extends any,” he told The Tribune adding, “I know how she has been acting in the past”.

Some new equations are also being stitched in the Congress. In a surprise move, senior leader Jagmeet Brar, who has been hostile to Amarinder, came out in his support. So also did Jalandhar MP Rana Gurjit Singh. Known Amarinder supporters, including Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Harpartap Ajnala, Jasbir Singh Dimpa and Sukhjinder Randhawa, also issued a statement on “certain black sheep” in the party trying to trap their leader in a false case.

The supporters of Bhattal, however, maintained silence on the issue, even though Bhattal reacted to it. PPCC spokesman Bir Devinder Singh said the party did not want to react right now. He, however, said Amarinder would have to prove his charges against Bhattal.

Gurdaspur, June 23
Union minister of state for industries Ashwani Kumar said today that leaders of the Congress and UPA would continue to persuade its allies to make them believe that the Indo-US nuclear deal was in national interests, hence should be allowed to materialise.

“I hope that the Left allies will not decide on this issue from a partisan perspective,” he said, adding, “owing to its legacy and traditions, the UPA leadership and the Congress will uphold national interests while seeking to strengthen the cohesiveness among secular political formations in the country.”

Talking to The Tribune on the phone, the minister pointed out that the timetable for the deal to go through did not leave much elbow room at this point of time.

Condemning the culture of “revengeful politics”, he said it was most unfortunate that the administrative authority was being misused to settle political scores.

“Two cases registered against former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is a case in point. This is also time for the Congress in the state to present a united face to resist an oppressive political regime in Punjab,” he added.

Sangrur, June 23
There is a direct contest in four and triangular in six wards of the local Municipal Council that has total 21 wards.

The prestige of district BJP chief Jatinder Kalra and district Congress president Surinder Pal Singh Sibia is at stake in ward number 9. Kalra’s wife Arti Kalra is the BJP candidate from this ward while Sibia is a resident of this ward.

In ward numbers 15 and 17, the Congress and the BJP are facing a direct contest while in ward numbers 16 and 18 the fight is between the SAD and the Congress. There will be a triangular contest in ward numbers 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 12. Besides the candidates of the Congress, SAD and the BJP, an independent candidate is also in the fray in these wards.

Ward number 10 is the only ward in the town where the most number of candidates (11), including the Congress and the BJP nominees, are in the fray.

Hoshiarpur, June 23
A cobbler, who is contesting the MC Elections from ward number 17 here, has sought entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for contesting the highest number of elections while in this profession.

Om Parkash Jakhu, the cobbler, has been mending shoes at a small kiosk near the local Clock Tower for the past 20 years. He has unsuccessfully contested elections for sarpanch of his native Thathlan village twice and for panch once. Besides, he has contested Assembly elections from Hoshiarpur and Garhdiwala constituencies for six times and three elections each for the Lok Sabha from Hoshiarpur and for the local MC. This time he is the lone candidate of the Lok Jan Shakti party here.

“I am a hard working, honest and always fight for the right of the poor. My poll planks are potable water for everybody, sanitation, proper sewerage and streetlights in the city.

“I have staked claim to entry in the Guinness Book of World Records since there is no person in the world who has been doing the job of mending shoes and has contested 15 elections,” says Jakhu, adding that he believes in the moral of the story, “The King Bruce and Spider.” “Try, try again and at last you will succeed,” he says.

Jakhu says he was known to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, former President of India Giani Zail Singh, Babu Jagjeevan Ram and present union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

He is a member of the Railway Advisory Committee and the District Telephone Advisory Committee.

Chandigarh, June 23
A high-level delegation, led by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, will leave for Mumbai tomorrow to meet the family of Balkar Singh, who was killed by the bodyguard of Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the SAD core committee, presided over by SAD patron and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Chief Minster’s media adviser Harcharan Bains said the delegation would also call on Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilas Rao Deshmukh to urge him to take strict action against the culprits.

It would also impress upon Deshmukh to take steps to safeguard the life and property of the minority Sikh community there.

Meanwhile, the SAD has appealed to Sikhs to maintain peace and communal harmony as preached by the Gurus.

The delegation would also meet the injured of the firing incident. It comprises Charanjit Singh Atwal, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Manjit Singh (Greater Kailash), Avtar Singh Hit, Onkar Singh Thapar and Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema.

Mohali, June 23
Health minister of Punjab Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla today gave stern directions to the civil surgeons posted across the state to ensure the corruption-free medical services in their districts.

She said if anybody found indulging in any corrupt practice, he would not be spared. She also asked them to enhance their performance to achieve the desired goals.

Chawla further said the senior officers of the health department from state headquarters as well as districts, including the secretary and the directors, would reach the selected areas in the field during August 13,14 and 15 this year in respect of the Independence Day.

On August 13, these officers would visit slum areas of different districts to sensitise the poor population regarding the health facilities and look into their needs.

August 14 would be dedicated for the healthcare of school children and various child camps would be organised for them.

Whereas, on August 15, the officers would hold ceremonies at different hospitals and health institutions and celebrate the Independence Day with them.

During this event an outstanding performing doctor, pharmacist, paramedical from each district shall be honoured.

Chawla asked the civil surgeons to ensure that the facilities and benefits entitled to pregnant women delivering babies under the Janani Suraksha Yojna Scheme should be given instantly on the spot without any waiting.

Amritsar, June 23
A number of X-ray plants and diagnostic centres in the holy city have been violating the safety code and instructions of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) endangering the lives of nearby residents.

X-ray machines installed in shops situated near various government hospitals, Radha Swami Satsang Bhawan, Hukum Singh Road and Majitha Road do not adhere to AERB norms.

As per the rules, the size of the room where the X-ray machine is installed should be less than 25 sq m, besides having lead shielding in the four walls which will not allow the dangerous X-rays from penetrating the walls.

However, these shops did not have any lead shielding, alleged Ravinder Kumar Sultanwind, president, All-India Youth Association. He said X-rays emanating while clicking could penetrate the wall in the absence of lead coating, thus endangering lives of nearby residents and causing serious diseases like cancer. The X-ray centres even had not employed trained radiographers, he added.

Demanding strict action against such plants and centres, Sultanwind said the illegal shops should be sealed immediately.

Dr Lehmbar Singh, civil surgeon, said the Health Department did not have any guidelines regarding checking private X-ray centres, while all governments hospitals adhered with the norms.

Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), June 23
Nihang Binder Singh (23), a member of the jatha of Baba Balbir Singh, head of the Budha Dal, was killed here this afternoon.

According to information, the deceased was passing through the main city market at 1.30 pm, when suddenly some unidentified persons attacked him with sharp-edged weapons. They removed one of his arms and stabbed him in the abdomen.

Frightened shopkeepers put down the shutters and ran away. The deceased remained on the road for 45 minutes and later succumbed to injuries.

After receiving a call from some mediaperson, SDM, Talwandi Sabo, Anil Garg reached the spot and called the police, that took him to a hospital. Doctors at the Civil Hospital declared him brought dead.

Baba Balbir Singh, who reportedly was some where out in the Malwa region, immediately reached the hospital.

The police has sent the body to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, for a post-mortem examination.

Chandigarh, June 23
The Chandigarh police today lathicharged protesting BJP workers-led by party’s firebrand MP from Amritsar Navjot Singh Sidhu-at Matka Chowk, when the group attempted to breach the barricades and proceed towards the Raj Bhawan. Water cannons were also used to disperse the mob.

The workers were protesting against the inability of the UPA government to check inflation, which has resulted in exponential hike in prices of all essential commodities.

While Sidhu and other BJP leaders dubbed the police action as “repressive” and “unwarranted”, since there was no provocation, ASP Madhur Verma said no prior permission was taken for the rally and the protesters violated prohibitory orders. Sidhu and 29 other BJP workers were taken into preventive custody under Section 107/51 CrPC, but were later released.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also condemned the incident and demanded immediate withdrawal of action against Sidhu and others. He advised the UT police to show restraint in dealing with such cases.

Earlier, Sidhu arrived at the Matka chowk around noon, along with his supporters on a jeep pulled by horses. Everything seemed fine till the MP decided to proceed to the Raj Bhawan to submit a memorandum.

Initially, police officials attempted to stop him from going further by pulling out the jeep driver. However, when Sidhu and his supporters decided to proceed on foot police used water cannons to disperse the mob. The pressure not only threw Sidhu and his supporters off balance, but also caused injuries to a sub-inspector. In the melee that ensued, Sidhu’s turban also came off.

Later, an infuriated Sidhu criticised the police action and said it symbolised the repressive attitude of the Union government. “Congress ka haath aam admi ke gal pe hai; haath mein nahin,” he said, adding that today’s events had once again proved that the Centre was insensitive to the miseries of the common man.

He alleged that the UPA government had completely failed to meet the aspirations of people and squarely blamed Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for it.

Sidhu, along with Vineet Joshi, member national executive, youth wing, N.K. Sharma, former president, Municipal Corporation, Zikarpur, later handed over the memorandum to additional DC Inderjit Singh Sandhu. The memorandum urged the Union government to take immediate steps to curb unprecedented spurt in inflation and rising fuel costs.

Drama was also witnessed at Sector 17 police station where Sidhu and his supporters were taken. Large number of BJP workers reached there and shouted slogans against the government. Police also resorted to a mild canecharge here to disperse the group.

Amritsar, June 23
There was protest by BJP workers here over the arrest of MP Navjot Singh Sidhu by the Chandigarh Police for protesting against inflation today.

Pictures of a distraught Sidhu flashed on national TV channels have sent a wave of anger among people who elected him from the holy city.

BJP district president Bakshi Ram Arora described the whole episode as unfortunate. He said Sidhu had sought their permission to present a memorandum to the Governor against rising prices of essential commodities, but unprovoked lathicharge and use of water cannon by UT cops was autocratic.

Arora said this showed the irresponsible behaviour of the police there. He said change of direction of the water cannon towards Sidhu had resulted in the fall of his turban, which he described insulting and an attack on his religious symbol.

Arora said Sidhu had just recovered from a serious ailment and the police’s callous attitude could have hurt him again.

Mayor, Amritsar Municipal Corporation, Shwet Malik resented the irresponsible behaviour of the UT police and added Sidhu was raising people’s concern over inflation which had put great burden on the common man.

Amritsar, June 23
Sidhanshu of Ropar topped in the PMT securing 748 marks out of 800, while students from small towns secured six top positions in the test, result of which was declared today. The entrance test was conducted by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.

Dr S.S. Walia, registrar of the university, said on phone that Rajiv Singh of New Delhi was caught impersonating for Harvinder Singh of Sardoolwala in Mansa district against roll number 805339 and handed over to the Patiala police.

Dr Walia said the staff posted at Government Girls Multipurpose Senior Secondary School at Patiala became suspicious of Rajiv when his photograph failed to match Harwinder’s whom he was impersonating. He said the supervisory staff asked him to give his signature which did not tally with that of Harwinder.

The registrar said the university would debar Harwinder from appearing in any entrance test in the country and flash his photograph to various universities in the country.

Rajiv admitted to the examining authorities that he had been paid to take the test for Harwinder.

He has been charged under different sections of the IPC at Patiala police station.

As many as 8,000 students appeared for the test for admission to various medical courses .

Two years ago also the staff of a centre in Jalandhar had caught an impersonator from another state while he was taking the test on behalf of another student.

Ludhiana, June 23
A survey on the housing condition, to be conducted by the Centre in rural areas and urban slums from July 1, will contribute towards appropriate planning and policy formulation in domestic tourism, housing condition and urban slums. The regional office of the Ministry of Statistics and programme implementation here is to undertake a training programme for its sub-regional offices in this connection.

The 65th round of survey will also cover rural tourism. The survey will conclude on June 30 next year.

A total of 288 villages and blocks will be covered under the survey in Punjab and 184 samples will be taken. In Haryana, 240 samples will be studied. As many as 144, out of the total, will be from rural areas. At the national level, 12,928 samples will be taken. As many as 8,172 samples will be conducted in villages.