Bathinda, November 15
The Punjab Cooperative Department has decided to decentralise powers to the management of cooperative societies in the state from January 1 next year in a bid to solve their day-to-day problems at their own respective district levels.

Stating this at a function organised by the Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank (PADB) here today, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, cooperative minister, disclosed that under this policy, the societies will strengthen the cooperative movement in the state and that will better rural economy through cooperative banks and also employment generation at the local level.

He said that cooperative banks in the state have been facing manpower shortage for years. He informed that he had brought the matter to the notice of the state cabinet and the demand for more staff was likely to be met soon.

To a query regarding sick and closed sugar mills in the state, he said that for the early revival of sick and closed sugar mills in the state, a consultative committee under the additional registrar of cooperative societies had been formed and it will submit its report at the earliest, he added.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the department had negotiated special prices with companies manufacturing tractors, CFL lighting, electronics, home appliances etc and was offering discounts up to 30 per cent on goods. These, he said, would be passed on to the members of the societies after keeping a small profit.

The Primary Cooperative Agricultural Societies (PACS) would regulate retail business, but every member of cooperative societies would be eligible for the benefit.

He also announced that the Cooperative Department had tied up with the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) for distribution of its bills by the PACS in villages. He said more than one crore consumers in the villages would benefit from this scheme. He said out of this, Rs 5 would be paid by the consumer and the PSEB would give Rs 4 per bill to the PACS. This would also lead to generation of more funds for the societies. This would also give job opportunities to one lakh persons, he added. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the cooperative sector was encouraging dairy farming and other alternative work to make poor farmers prosperous. Farmers could avail of the facility for cheaper loans from PADB to pay back their loans on installments taken at much higher rates from private banks, he added.

Earlier, Capt Kanwaljit Singh gave away cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh, 3 lakh and 2 lakh to the three best serving societies, respectively.

Among others, Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, MP, Jagdeep Singh Nakai, chief parliamentary secretary (cooperative), Sikandar Singh Maluka, former minister and Jasjit Singh Bunny, chairman, Punjab State Cooperative Bank, were also present.

Bathinda, November 15
If all goes well, Bathinda district police will effect a major change in its functioning and infrastructure.

Besides leaving dilapidated buildings and moving into new constructions, there is a plan to upgrade two police posts in the city to the level of police stations. There is also proposal to convert some police stations in rural areas into police posts and vice-versa.

According to documents procured, two police posts, Civil Station and Canal Colony, which have been running in "unfit" buildings, would be shifted to Model Town Phase III and PIDB land located across the railway lines, respectively. For upgrading the Civil Station police post into a police station, a requirement for 1.4 acres of land has been shown. In the same way, for upgrading the Canal Colony police station, a piece of two acres of land is required.

Further, it is also proposed that the CIA staff building, which has been running in Sirki Bazaar, a crowded area of the city, be shifted to Transport Nagar. For this, 1.3 acres of land is being sought from the Improvement Trust.

To shift the Sadar police station, three acres of land situated near the Industrial Growth Centre has been proposed, which is under the control of the Punjab State Industrial Estate Corporation (PSIEC). The reason for shifting the building is that industries are being set up on the city's outskirts, so, the police station should be shifted nearby to monitor law and order in the area.

Further, acting upon the directions of the DGP Punjab, Rampura police station will be divided into two parts-City and Sadar, which would work according to the territories of the assembly constituency. To construct the new Rampura Sadar police station, 24 kanals of Shamlat land has been proposed, for which the panchayat has set a rate of Rs 2.5 lakh per acre through a resolution.

In the proposal for the Balianwali police station, it has been shown that the panchayat had passed a resolution for giving 46 kanals of Shamlat land at a cost of Rs 2.75 lakh per acre.

Analysing the crime graph and distance factors, Dialpura police station is being proposed to be demoted to a police post while the Bhagta Bhai police post will be upgraded to a police station.

It has been mentioned that as the Dialpura police station was located in the village, so there were communication problems like telephone disorders and absence of mobile network. To overcome the problem, Bhagta police station would be a better option.

The same reasons have been cited for converting the Nathana police station into a police post and upgrading the Bhucho police post to a police station.

Confirming the details, SSP Bathinda, Ashish Chaudhary said, "We have submitted the proposal and it has been routed through the deputy commissioner, Bathinda. As the chief minister has shown interest in the proposal, we hope to get the approval and funds soon."

Bathinda, November 15
To dwell on the language and education system in depth, the two-day 13th Sarab Hind Punjabi Lekhak Conference, organised by the Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (KPLS), was inaugurated here today.

Punjab cooperative minister Captain Kanwaljeet Singh and vice-chancellor, Punjabi University, Jaspal Singh were among the noted Punjabi writers who graced the occasion.

Anoop Virk, president, KPLS, Sarabjeet Singh, general secretary, KPLS, Karamjeet Singh, president, Haryana Sahit Academy, Sukhdev Sirsa, general secretary, Punjab Sahit academy, T.R. Vinod, Marxist critic, Hardev Arshi, Harpal Singh Naamdhari, Jnanpith awardee, Padamshree Gurdyal Singh, Tejwant Mann, Joginder Singh, Ravinder Ravi from Canada, Karnail Singh, Karam Singh Vakeel, Surjeet Brar, Jasveer Jhajj, Surender Preet Ghaniya, dramatist Ajmer Aulakh, Gurbachan Singh and Jora Singh Sandhu were among other intellectuals who were present on the occasion.

In his brief speech, Captain Kanwaljeet exposed the reality saying, "When the voters are ready to sell themselves and politicians are there to buy them, what can be expected from democracy?"

Hailing the intellectuals present there, the minister said they should show the path to the politicians for the betterment of society.

VC Jaspal Singh, during the inaugural speech, spoke at length about the role of Punjabi University in promoting the Punjabi language. "Though I retain the right to allow students to go without studying Punjabi, I promise not to allow any one," he said.

"No degree in the university will be completed without Punjabi or a special test for Punjabi. It is time to know Punjabi culture, explore and project it," he added.

He said that the university was determined to retain the folk culture of the state and for this purpose, documentation and audio-video recording of folk dances namely, Bhangra, Giddha, Jhumar and Sammi, had already been started this year. He added that it would play an important role in checking erosion of original culture in future. He informed that the university would take up the work of restoring folk singing next year.

Joginder Singh, former vice-chancellor of the Punjabi University, lashed out at a particular class, accusing it of creating a hiatus between Punjabi and other languages. He lashed out at the state governments for not performing their due role in decreasing the gap between the languages and for the betterment of the education system.

But all wanted to promote Punjabi, he said, adding that for overall development, one needed to have an open mind.

At the function, many eminent personalities expressed their views, staged plays and presented songs. Ajmer Singh Aulakah, noted dramatist, inaugurated an exhibition on portraits of various writers.

Bathinda, November 15
The vice-chancellor of Punjabi University Jaspal Singh is in favour of developing a political culture among students. While talking to the media today, Jaspal Singh said, "In this country, everyone has a right to develop his/her political vision and participate in political matters. So, students are entitled to get involved in political activities."

When asked if students' bodies' elections are going to be held in Punjab, he said, "It is a concern of the state government, we have no role to play in it." In reply to a question about violence taking its toll on students politics, he said though the level of violence is increasing everywhere, such things in a student's life should be condemned.

But on the issue of checking violence in educational institutions, he could not give any satisfactory answer.

He accepted the fact of commercialisation of education, saying, "Everything is being commercialised in this era. But Punjabi University has a fair procedure based on merit. Vacancies are advertised and recruitment is transparent."

He also added that ad-hoc or contract based recruitments should not be taken as exploitation.

Speaking about the ongoing projects of the university, he said, "We are going to digitalise the manuscript, as the originals cannot survive for long. Further, there would be a fully air-conditioned library in the university campus and the Guru Gobind Singh Bhawan will also get a facelift.

On a question regarding steps being taken to restart the elections for the Punjabi University Teachers' Association (PUTA), he opted to remain tight-lipped.

Bathinda, November 15
The Punjab State Cooperative Agriculture Development Bank and Krishi Vikas Bank Limited, Chandigarh, organised a state-level cooperative function at the Government Rajindra College in the city today which attracted hundreds of farmers from the state. The function was nothing more than a nuisance for the college authorities. The Punjab State Cooperative Bank authorities had written to the college on November 6 that they wanted to organise a state-level function for which they needed the college stage and the premises. In a reply to the letter, the college authorities wrote on November 12 that as per the ruling of DPI, Colleges, an organisation has to deposit Rs 5,000 per day with a college if it intends to organise a function on the college premises. The college authorities alleged that the bank authorities neglected the letter and did not respond to it. Though, they stated that, the managing director of the bank concerned, on being asked about the deposit, they promised to send a draft after the function concludes.

The officiating principal of the college S.R. Garg told The Tribune that, "The preparations are on since yesterday. In a letter sent by the bank authorities, it was stated that the Chief Minister of Punjab would preside over the function but he did not arrive. We could not ask them to follow the rules because they told us that the CM would preside over the function. The permission for organising the function was to be granted only after the deposit was given but they did not wait for the permission."

Another college authority added that, "Stalls were also put up at the function for which the bank would have charged those who had put up their stalls but the bank authorities did not consider it important for us to know that stalls were to be set up."

Students said they attended the classes as usual and no disturbance was there but the authorities alleged that there were speeches and some cultural programmes created disturbance in conducting the classes. Some girls of the college stated that the function attracted a huge crowd from the nearby villages and they had to bear weird stares given by onlookers, standing in front of the college after attending the function. The crowd consisted of both old and young lot from the suburbs.

"We had laid out a new sports track on the ground where the function took place and even that was spoilt because of the police and other vehicles moving on the ground. Saplings planted by us were also uprooted because of the preparations made for the visiting VIPs," the principal said.

The visitors scattered used bottles and other stuff everywhere on the college ground and the college authorities said, "They promised that they would clean up the mess before they leave and we would go and take a look only after the function is over. We have no link with them so we did not bother to visit the site today."

Bathinda, November 15
Blooming Buds Pre-Nursery and Play Way School celebrated Children's Day-cum-Annual Function in the school premises today.

Viraj Sharma and Mehak Kapoor presented a short skit on female foeticide. Rajinder Kaur, IRS, deputy director, Income Tax Department, was the chief guest. Reena Gupta, Headmistress, appreciated the work displayed by the students. Arshreer Kaur bagged the first prize in fancy dress. Manjot and Vaduwar got the second prize while Adhya Garg was adjudged third. Garisha Gupta won the first prize in modelling, Shashank got the second prize while Molik Garg got consolation prize.

Asha School: The Chetak Asha School, Bathinda Cantt, won six silver and as many bronze besides five consolation prizes at the 11th Punjab State Special Olympics for disabled kids held at Ludhiana on November 8-9.

Those who brought laurels are Gurpreet, Preeti Yadav, Lokesh Yadav, Sonu and Manish Sharma. — TNS

Hanumangarh/Abohar, November 15
Misconception over an alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) virtually halted the hectic campaigning by Ram Partap, the BJP candidate in Hanumangarh constituency.

Two TV channels displayed in their bottom line strips that the Hanumangarh seat had gone to the INLD following the alliance.

This caused furore among the BJP activists spearheading the campaign in different localities and villages. They suspended the work and rushed to the central election office.

The air was cleared only after the party’s top brass at Jaipur clarified that only Bhadra seat in the Hanumangarh district had gone to the INLD and from there too, Abhay Singh Chautala’s brother-in-law Abhishek Matoria, who had defected from Congress to join the BJP recently, would contest.

Besides, another rumour that spread late on Friday evening caused anxiety in the party fore. There was a speculation that Ram Partap may be dropped as BJP candidate to accommodate a dissident, who had been denied party ticket from Sangaria constituency.

However, the third list of 45 candidates released by the party last night washed off the clouds.

Meanwhile, close on the heels of electioneering launched by the BJP Mahila Morcha activists led by Tara Devi Sahu, the Mahila Congress workers led by Vijay Chaudhary have also started knocking at the doors of the electorate even in small hamlets besides villages having much population of the downtrodden families.

Sriganganagar/Abohar, November 15
Twenty-five candidates filed nomination papers for different Assembly segments in the Sriganganagar district on Saturday, official sources said.

Kuldeep Indora submitted papers as Congress candidate while his wife Seema as covering candidate in the newly-carved Anoopgarh constituency. Bahadur Ram filed nominations as independent candidate. In Raisinghnagar, Arjun Chauhan (BSP) and Surinder Singh (CPIM) submitted their papers.

Mohinder Kumar (BSP) and his covering candidate Kamla Rani, Gurcharan Singh (CPIM) besides an independent Hans Raj filed nominations for Srikaranpur constituency.

For Sadulshehar, nominations were submitted by Subhash Bishnoi (Congress), Rawat Ram (CPI) and Mahesh Budania (independent).

Raj Kumar Gaur of the Congress besides independents, namely Kewal Kumar, Bhajan Lal, Maninder Singh, Satyavaan and Satya Pal, filed their nomination papers in Sriganganagar constituency.

Rajasthan Vikas Party nominee Jiya Ram and independents — Ram Karan, Dil Atma Parkash, Subhash Chander, Prabhu Dayal, Lichhma Gaider and Paramjit Singh Bedi —submitted their nominations in Suratgarh constituency today.

The district authorities informed that 8,359 weapons have so far been deposited by the licensees in different police stations of the district. About 3,286 persons were booked under section 144 of the CrPC in the district.

Some Sikh organisations criticised the administration for booking members of the Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj under preventive measures.

All the returning officers have received fresh messages to take action against unsocial elements under section 122, sources said.  

In Raisinghnagar, the administration tightened its noose to check violation of election code of conduct. Two vehicles, one belonging to a sarpanch, were impounded by the sub-divisional magistrate for carrying the Congress symbol.

Hanumangarh/Abohar, November 15
Nineteen candidates filed nominations in Hanumangarh district today, district collector Mugdha Sinha said.

Ram Partap (BJP) and Bhagwati Prasad Rathi (independent) submitted papers in Hanumangarh constituency while Krishan Karwa (BSP), Dalip Ram (Jago Party), Damyanti Beniwal (BJP) and Dr Param Navdeep (Congress) submitted papers in Sangaria.

Congress candidate Suchitra Arya and independent candidate Harbir filed nominations in Nohar. In Bhadra constituency, Sandeep Doodi and Jaideep Doodi submitted papers as BJP nominees. Interestingly, both have also filed their nominations as independent candidates.

In Peelibanga, Hanuman Dass (Congress), Gopal Ram (Bhartiya Bahujan Party), Santosh Rani (CPI), Sanjay (BSP), Mani Ram (CPIM) and independents Nazar Singh, Jagdish, Girdhari and Ganga Ram submitted their papers today.

Meanwhile, the DC informed that December 4 and 8 would be observed as dry day owing to polling and counting of votes thereof. Excise and Taxation officials and the police have been asked to ensure that no liquor is distributed in hotels, restaurants, clubs, shops or public places preceding 48 hours of the day of polling.

She further informed that the Election Commission had directed that no political poster should be pasted on any private building without permission from the owner in writing, the copy of which would have to be deposited with the returning officer concerned.

Moga, November 15
The newly-appointed vice-chancellor of Baba Farid Medical University of Health Sciences, Faridkot Dr SS Gill emphasised the need of strengthening the education system at the basic-level to produce good scientists who could carry out result-oriented research works in various fields.

He was addressing a national symposium on drug discoveries organised by the Indian Pharmacological Society (IPS) on the campus of Indo-Soviet College of Pharmacy here on Friday.

While appreciating the privatisation of education, he cautioned the policy makers to keep a regular check on the quality of education being provided by the private institutes.

Adding that one should not compromise on the quality of education, he said the private institutes should recruit talented teachers to raise the standards of education at all levels for better results.

Dr Ramesh K. Goel, vice-chancellor of the MS University, Vadodara, stressed upon the need to integrate basic research in life sciences. "We can't separate pharmacology from medical sciences or bio-technology."

Goel presented a research paper titled 'dynamism of pharmacology: from smoked drums to robotic well-plates and bench to bedside'.

Dr B. Dinesh Kumar, president of the IPC who came from Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad while highlighting the shortage of the young scientists in the country said there was a need to develop the second line of scientists to carry on with the research projects in all the fields. He presented his paper on 'pre-clinical safety evaluation of biotech products as a regulatory prerequisite.'

Dr. Manjit Singh Director Academics of the host college said the need of the hour was to initiate a meaningful interaction with the pharmacological scientists and the pharma-industry so as to develop economically viable research in this field.

Other scientists who presented their papers, included Dr P. Rama Rao from Chandigarh on 'G-Protein Coupled Receptors in Drug Discovery', Dr Arunabha Ray from New Delhi on 'Newer Insights into the Mechanisms of Theophylline Toxicity: In Search for an Antidote', Dr KK Sharma from New Delhi 'Drug Discovery and Development Process: How to Find First Human Trial Dose', Dr Hardyal Singh from Amritsar 'An Overview of the Studies on a Herbal Drug-Boswellia Serrata' and Dr Onkar N. Tripathi from Lucknow on 'Some Recent Advances in New Drug Discovery Research: HTS Crosses the Channel Barrier'.

After the evening session, a cultural programme was also presented by the students of the pharmacy college. Praveen Garg chairman of the managing committee of the college presented a vote of thanks to the visiting scientists.

Moga, November 15
The police has today arrested head constable Ranjit Singh, constable Jaswinder Pal Singh and a postman Om Prakash who were allegedly involved in the infamous passport scam that was unearthed in the passport branch of this district early this year.

Six persons, including Didar Singh, an employee of the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Chandigarh, Jaswinder Singh, Ranjit Singh and Gurdial Singh, all employees of the police department and earlier posted in the local passport branch, and Ranjit Singh, an employee of the Municipal Council, were booked by the police under sections 420, 465, 468 and 471of the IPC, section 2/8 of the Passport Act, and sections 13 (2) and 88 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

As many as 250 passports prepared during the past one year in the Moga district by the RPO, Chandigarh, were found to be made by tampering with official records, forging of documents of age, education, address proof, etc. However, the figures could run into thousands as the inquiry was still in progress.

The SHO of city police station (south) Varinder Singh Gill, who is investigating the scam, while talking to The Tribune revealed that the arrested policemen along with their colleague Gurdial Singh were posted in the passport branch for the past many years.

He said whenever they were transferred from the branch they used to get themselves transferred back after few days.

During investigations, it had also come to light that certain people who were refused visas (whose passports were stamped) and some other persons against whom criminal cases were registered used to furnish wrong antecedents and in connivance with the arrested policemen managed to get their police verifications cleared.

Gill said various travel against were also involved in this scam. These passport application forms with fake antecedents had been applied through various travel agencies of Punjab. Record of some private travel agencies in Chandigarh like Sandal Travels, Dollar Travel Agency and Ever Green Travel Agency besides Johal Travel Agency of Patiala were under the scanner. A clerk of health department, Usha Rani, posted here used to prepare fake birth certificates whereas Ranjit Singh, the postman, used to deliver these fake passports.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Usha Rani had travelled worldwide in many countries. She was presently eluding arrest.

The arrested policemen used to charge anything between Rs 30,000 and Rs 3 lakh per passport depending upon the potential of the client. The policemen had amassed money in crores. Constable Gurdial Singh had started a private college out of the money so earned.

The interrogation of the arrested cops had also disclosed that some senior functionaries of RPO Chandigarh and senior officials of the SSP office, Moga, could also be involved in the scam along with the travel agents. There could be a possibility of the involvement of certain civil officials of the district administration, said the investigating officer.

The police had seized many fake driving licenses, birth certificates, ration cards, rubber stamps of various offices, food supplies department, educational institutions, notaries etc. used for preparing fake documents, he said.

All the accused have been sent to police remand in passport scam. The police produced head constable Ranjit Singh, constable Jaswinder Pal Singh and postman Om Prakash before the local court of Kewal Krishan here this evening. Revealing this to The Tribune, Lakhvir Singh, additional public prosecutor of the district, said the court had sent all of them on a police remand till November 19 for further investigations and recoveries in this scam as demanded by the investigating team.

Faridkot/Bathinda, November 15
A media person and a former militant were among four persons, who were arrested in Kotkapura today for allegedly blackmailing a temple priest by demanding a sum of Rs one lakh. A woman also “involved” in the racket has been arrested.

The police said the four accused persons invited the priest for performing “havan” at a house. When he reached there, he was overpowered and his clothes were removed. Thereafter, he was allegedly made to lie over the woman and the three men took his photographs. They asked him to pay a sum of Rs one lakh, otherwise they would release the pictures to the media.

They allegedly deprived the priest of Rs 2,900 he was carrying.

The priest filed a complaint with the police, who arrested the four persons, including the woman.

The militant was facing trial in six cases that were registered against him at various police stations when terrorism was at its peak in Punjab. The police produced them before the media.

Ferozepur, November 15
The Ferozepur police today arrested two persons and recovered heroin worth Rs 10 crore in the international market along with fake currency of Rs 50,000 from them.

Talking to mediapersons, SSP Dinesh Pratap said the police had embarked on a multi-pronged strategy to contain the drug trade in the region, which proved to be successful. He said the police nabbed two persons near Peer Bariyan village while they were on their way to supply a drug consignment to another party. The SSP said one of the accused had been identified as Mukhwinder Singh alias Mukha, a resident of New Abadi, Zira gate here.

He added that on frisking, two packets of heroin besides fake currency in denomination of Rs 500 amounting to Rs 50,000 were recovered from them.

The SSP further said that earlier, the duo had been booked by the Jalandhar police after an illegal imported weapon was recovered from their possession. — OC

Malout, November 15
CM Parkash Singh Badal has alleged that the union government was responsible for the shortage of DAP in the state. During his Sangat Darshan in the villages of Malout sub-division of the Muktsar district today, he accused the Congress-led government in the Centre of discrimination with Punjab, the state that contributes 60 per cent of wheat and 40 per cent rice produced in the country.

Speaking about the World Bank’s water supply scheme, Badal said to get the benefit under the scheme those belonging to the general category would have to contribute Rs 800 and those in reserved category would have to pay Rs 400. The CM said under the project, water supply to 1,618 villages would improve, 1,000 water works would be cleaned up and 100 villages would have mini-bore sewerage system along with 300 RO plants in villages with blackish ground water.

He said the state government had drafted the plan to remove the water shortage. Under the World Bank rural water supply scheme costing Rs 1280 crore, about 3161 villages had been selected.

During the Sangat Darshan of seven villages, namely Midha, Raniwal, Mohla, Ratta Tibba, Karam Patti, Aspala, Kattianwali and Kabarwala, the CM distributed around Rs 12 crore for various works, including Rs 10.44 crore only for the repair of water channels in fields.

Mansa, November 15
Following the assurance from state government for considering their demands, farmers have postponed their ‘rail roko’ agitation till November 25.

State president of the Punjab Kissan Union Ruldu Singh Mansa said seven farmers’ organisations had launched ‘rail roko’ agitation across the state in favour of their demands.

To thwart their agitation, the government had adopted undemocratic means like carrying out raids at the houses of their leaders and arresting farmers, he alleged, adding that its effort, however, proved futile. Since the state government had assured them of considering their demands the farmers decided to postpone the agitation till November 25, Ruldu said.

District president of BKU (Dakouda) Gora Singh Bhainibagha said farmers demanded Rs 1,050 as MSP for paddy and Rs 2,800 for cotton besides reduction in the rates of diesel and petrol. — OC

Bathinda, November 15
The womenfolk here with 541 licensed guns lead the other 19 districts of the state where the total number of weapons in the hands of females is 833.

As many as 1374 women hold licensed weapons in the state out of which 960 are in the Malwa belt.

According to information obtained under the right to information (RTI) by a local activist Charanjit Singh Bhullar, there are a total number of 4,10,677 licensed weapons in the state.

Of these, 2,49,757 are in the Malwa belt.

The number of women possessing licensed weapons in various districts is, Mansa 25, Barnala 4, Faridkot 105, Patiala 256, Fatehgarh Sahib 29, Amritsar 153, Taran Taran 97, Nawanshehar 15, Kapurthala 40, Mohali 46 and Hoshiarpur 63. The total number of licensed weapons in the Bathinda district is 29,865.

About 10,000 persons in the state were issued arms licenses but these were cancelled, as they were unable to purchase the weapon within the stipulated period.

As many as 1350 arms licenses have been cancelled in the state on the recommendation of the police.