Ludhiana, September 21
Blackmarketeers from whom sugar worth Rs 50 crore was seized in the city in the last three days had not only caused price escalation of the commodity in the market, but had also duped the state exchequer of crores of rupees by not paying taxes.

This came at a time when a cash-starved Punjab is counting on every penny generated from taxes. More shocking is how such a huge quantity reached the state from UP without paying taxes at any barrier.

Investigating officials have admitted that various taxes levied by different departments, beginning with 4 per cent Entry Tax at the Shambu barrier, were not paid by the hoarders.

The hoarders facing criminal charges will also face separate inquiries by the income tax department, excise and taxation apart from the food and supplies department.

Director, food and supplies, Punjab, SP Singh, said they were giving the details of the hoarders to the income tax department to find out the assets of the dealers.

The sugar confiscated was allegedly unaccounted. "There was no entry of the transportation of such a huge quantity," a senior official said. A dealer cannot procure more than 2,000 bags of the commodity after a recent notification to this effect by the state government. More than one lakh bags of sugar, illegally hoarded, were seized.

It is learnt that sugar dealers bring the sugar by road as well as the railways. Connivance of several political leaders is being alleged as they prevail upon sale tax officials and allow entry of trucks to the state from various entry points including the Shambhu border and Patran-Khanauri border.

Interestingly, traders of other Punjab cities had also stored sugar in Ludhiana. Easy availability of godowns and record consumption of sweets during festival season in the industrial town has made Ludhiana a hub of blackmarketing activity for sugar dealers of the state.

Since Ludhiana had a number of godowns as industrialists store their products in them, it was easier for the hoarders to store as many bags of sugar as they wanted. Moreover, in an industrial city, the food supply department did not suspect that an essential commodity was stored there, said HS Mokha, DFSC, Ludhiana.

Seizures of sugar worth Rs 50 crore, hoarded by different firms in Seehra village in the district a few days ago, had exposed how dealers from Moga and Jalandhar were using storage space in this part of the state.

The Ludhiana police has already registered a case under the Essential Commodities Act against a Moga-based firm, Khoobi Ram Johari Mal, a Jalandhar-based firm, Chandi Mal Roshan Lal and an Ahmedabad-based sugar mill, Yashika international. The police is investigating the persons involved in the racket. Rajeev Kumar of Jalandhar-based firm is the only person arrested in the case so far. 

Chandigarh, September 21
The crackdown on sugar hoarders launched by the Punjab government appears to have started showing results as wholesale price of sugar in the state has dipped by Rs 200 per quintal, although traders term it as a temporary correction due to panic in the market after raids.

However, retail prices continued to remain firm at Rs 33-34 per kg as retailers were reluctant to bring them down in tune with the wholesale rates.

The wholesale rates of sugar have come down to Rs 3,000 per quintal against Rs 3,200 per quintal as was ten days back, traders said. "Wholesale rates (of sugar) have come down to Rs 3000 per quintal as a result of tough measures taken by the state government," Ludhiana-based sugar trader Devinder Singh said.

As part of its measures to keep a check on black marketeers, Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Department conducted raids on a Ludhiana-based sugar trader two days ago and recovered sugar to the tune of 1.07 lakh quintals worth Rs 39 crore, which has been considered one of the highest ever sugar seizures in the state.

About two weeks ago, the department with the help of the Police also seized 20,000 quintals of sugar at Rajpura following a tip off that the large quantity of sugar was stocked by a sugar mill. — PTI

Bathinda, September 21
No government agency has entered market to procure cotton and Malwa belt farmers complain of being forced to sell their produce cheaper to traders .

For a fortnight, everyday, cotton has been arriving in the markets in the region.

With government agencies absent farmers await traders to sell cotton in open auction, giving unequal negotiating power to ginners for the purchase of crop.

“The price I got was not acceptable in view of labour and expenses on the crop. But to meet my needs I had to sell 15 quintals at Rs 2,525 a quintal,” lamented Gurjant Singh of Kot Shamir village .

Gurmail Singh of Jassi Pau Wali, holding test report of the crop, said, “The expert termed my cotton better than set specifications. But traders will use clever tactics to buy it much lower price. I can not negotiate as the government has not announced MSP and date of the CCI entering the market. I cannot store crop for long.”

Gurjeet Singh of Kot Shamir, who sold eight quintals of cotton to traders at Rs 2,600 a quintal, said, “ Last season, total production was 15 to 16 quintals an acre. This season, it would be just half as nature was also against the farmers, resulting in size of plants being small. Traders have been doing their best to squeeze us.”

Kudeep Singh of Phus Mandi, said , “This season deficit rain forced us to use diesel to water fields and labour demanded Rs 400 a quintal to pick cotton. In market, buyers pay less . This has reduced margin to half of the what we will receive by selling it to traders.”

Ginners have own logic for bidding lower than the previous year’s MSP, “ The meltdown has dissipated our optimism and high taxes and market fees have hit our trade. So we can not offer higher price to farmers.”

Chandigarh, September 21
A thick fog, enveloping many parts of Punjab and Haryana for the past few days, has been baffling both farmers and meteorologists as the “summer fog phenomenon” is virtually unknown in this part of the country.

It was because of this fog-induced poor visibility that Neeta Ambani’s helicopter could not land in Chandigarh yesterday. Besides, there was a head-on collision between two trucks near the historic Gurdwara Ranwa Sahib, near Khamanon, on Sunday morning. “The summer fog is unprecedented,” admit meteorologists. “It usually happens in the hilly areas where there is a big shift in day and night temperatures,” they say.

A thick fog, besides being dangerous for road travellers, is also considered detrimental to crops. Meteorologists try to explain this phenomenon to the steep drop in night temperature.

“Once the difference between day and night temperatures becomes significantly large and there is abundance of moisture in the soil, the possibility of summer fog grows stronger. Since there has been a late revival of south-west monsoon in some parts of the region and nights have already started becoming cooler, the region gets covered with a thick fog in the mornings,” add meteorologists.

Farm experts, however, feel that late night and early morning fog in the late summer and monsoon months does not augur well for the crops. Paddy and vegetables, they say, because of this fog, become highly vulnerable to fungal and pest attacks that thrive on foggy weather conditions.

Crops need early morning sun rays both for their grain and fruit formation as well as for sensitising the environment of harmful bacteria, pests and fungi. The harvesting of paddy season is not far off.

“We are so used to fog in winter months only,” says Baldev Singh, a farmer of Khamanon, adding, “when I came out to my farm, I was surprised not to feel the chill normally associated with fog. Instead it was fairly normal temperature but visibility was very poor. Till about 8.30 am, most of the vehicles on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana road had their fog lights or parking lights on because of reduced visibility.”

Gurdaspur, September 21
Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken will meet the Congressmen, who have been victims of the SAD-BJP government vendetta, in Batala and other parts of this district tomorrow, to get first- hand information on the issue.

Maken, who is being sent specially by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, will submit a report to her after meeting the victims of vendetta at the earliest.

After meeting victims in Batala, including Congress municipal councillor Pawan Kumar Pamma, who was beaten up by henchmen of ruling politicians a week ago, Maken will meet victims of ruling party vendetta from Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts at Amritsar.

Sources said state Congress leaders, including Amarinder Singh, Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Partap Singh Bajwa and Ashwani Sekhri had been raising the issue of political vendetta and pressing the party high command to take necessary steps to curb it .Sources added state congress leaders had told the party high command the SAD-BJP government had been persecuting the Congressmen for political reasons from the day, it came to power .

The leaders had also raised the issue 50 Congressmen had been murdered in Punjab in panchayat, panchayat samitis, Zila Parishad, Assembly and Parliament elections held in the state after Parkash Singh Badal became Chief Minister.

Partap Singh Bajwa, MP, said in most of the cases the police had framed those Congressmen, who had been harassed .

Also many Congressmen had been put on trial in different parts of the state after false criminal cases were registered against them.

Congressmen said visit of Ajay Maken would boost morale of party workers. 

Malerkotla, September 21
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today concluded his speech in a hurry as members of the Muslim community started interrupting his speech and raised slogans when he was addressing a gathering at Idgah here.

They were protesting against the alleged mismanagement and tight security arrangements due to which they faced problems while reaching Idgah.

Badal did not meet mediapersons and left the venue as protesters were not ready to hear his appeal to remain calm. Policemen also tried to pacify the protesters, but to no avail. The protest even continued after the departure of Badal and the police had to chase the protesters and hurl lathis outside Idgah to disperse them.

However, Badal while extending greetings to the Muslim community on the occasion of Id-ul-Fitr announced a grant of Rs 25 lakh for purchasing land for the expansion of Idgah.

PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Dhuri MLA Iqbal Singh Jhundan, area in charge of the SAD for Malerkotla Assembly constituency Chaudhary Abdul Gaffar, Jathedar Tota Singh, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Gobind Singh Longowal and Parkash Chand Garg were also present on the occasion.

Jalandhar, September 21
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) secretary Varinder Sharma today said absence of Amarinder Singh from party functions raised doubts among workers about his devotion to the party and its programmes.

His statement comes a day after acting Congress Chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee alleged the former CM was not cooperating with him because he is ‘ Dalit’ but took ‘U-turn’ later.

‘If the party chief criticises Amarinder Singh for not attending deliberately party function, there is nothing wrong in it as every Congress worker knows this fact’ , he pointed out.

When pointed out Kaypee had gone back on his statement, Sharma said ‘ For Kaypee’s statement , he is the right person to answer this query but criticism of Amarinder Singh for keeping away from party functions , there is nothing wrong in it,’ he added.

In a report published in an English daily recently, Kaypee had accused Amarinder Singh of not cooperating with him as he was ‘ Dalit’ and even insinuated earlier too the latter had meted same treatment to former party chief Shamsher Singh Dullo.

Following the story , Kaypee took U-turn and denied ever giving such statement and even contended having been misquoted.

Meanwhile, Tej Parkash Singh, Congress MLA today chaired a meeting of party workers in Congress Bhavan here and reviewed preparations for rally against the state government on September 25.

To whether the former CM would attend the rally, Tej Parkash Singh said every party leader had been to attend the rally and let us see who attends the event.

Chandigarh, September 21
A day after the ruling SAD in Punjab announced a poll pact with Indian National Lok Dal for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, the Congress today lashed out at the two parties accusing them of indulging in political opportunism.

“Both SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal and INLD supremo Om Parkash Chautala are doing politics together to befool the people of Haryana,” Haryana Congress spokesman Ved Parkash Vidrohi said here.

Noting that the two parties had come together despite differences between them on major issues, he said that Badal had always opposed the construction of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal whereas Chautala has always claimed to get it constructed whether in power or out of it, he said.

“With the decision of SAD and INLD to forge an alliance, it has now become clear that the two parties are playing the politics of opportunism,” he said.

The SAD had yesterday announced that it would contest two assembly seats in Haryana in alliance with the INLD. — PTI

Amritsar, September 21
Pakistan’s former Foreign Secretary Shaharyar M Khan has said the Pervez Musharraf government did little or took no serious and sincere steps to check terrorism in Pakistan.

Khan said he had high hopes Indo-Pakistan relations would normalise despite Jammu and Kashmir and terrorism.

‘ People of both countries have come to terms with the fact Pakistan was created out of India but, there should be not animosity now. They want cordial relations. Cricket can help normalise relations between two countries. It is my experience,’ said Shaharyar Khan who was manager of Pakistani cricket team during its India visit in 1999.

Known as gentleman diplomat Shaharyar Khan conceded Pakistan’s military regime had failed to curb terrorism and its policies led to the growth of terrorism in Pakistan. Khan, leading a 25 - member delegation halted here today , on his way to New Delhi to attend book release function, ‘Shadows Across the Playing Fields’ on September 24. He also visited the Amritsar Games Association (AGA) Heritage Club, where he was received by AGA vice- president Pardeep Saini and later met women cricketers in Gandhi Grounds.

The book is written by Shaharyar and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor. ‘Shashi and me had planned the book much before his elevation as minister.We are friends from the times of our UN days’.

On terrorism in Pakistan, Shaharyar said it is different now as, eyewash anti-terrorism drive undertaken in the past by arresting two-three persons by the previous government. Prime Minister Zardari and Leader of Opposition Nawaz Sharif have resolved to wage war against terrorism and eliminate it from Pakistan which, had ‘inherited’ it . ? They are trying to root terrorism out from the country. But it is not an easy task. It requires grit and efforts. You might be affected by terrorism now. But, it was in Pakistan for a long time and has come out with more brutal face now with frequent blasts and killings in Swat, Peshawar, Kohat and Lahore. In fact, problem of terrorism was not tackled properly in the past,’said Shaharyar.

Shaharyar said judiciary in Pakistan was on the way to attain and assert supremacy and had become strong . ‘ Judiciary has regained full indepence and now is not influenced by politicians’ ,said Shaharyar.

Khan, however, sought to defend Pakistan nuke scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan saying he was apparently made scapegoat by the then Pakistan government to save itself from embarrassment and wrath of the USA. ‘During Nawaz regime, Pakistan has refused to share nuclear technology knowhow with Iran,’ said Shaharyar. He said minorities were just 5 per cent of population in Pakistan still, they are free and can rise to any position there .

Chandigarh, September 21
Protests by Hindus and Sikhs for the past more than a fortnight over setting ablaze of a holy book of Sikhs at Kandhkot in Sindh province in Pakistan notwithstanding, the police of Kashmore district is yet to arrest the culprits.

Dr Harbans Lal, a Sikh scholar settled in the US, in a communiqué to The Tribune, said the incident took place on September 5 at Guru Nanak Darbar, a common temple of Sindhi Hindus and the Sikhs at Kandhkot, in the northern district of the Sindh province.

Quoting The News International, a Pakistani newspaper, Dr Harbans Lal said after the Hindus and Sikhs of Sindh continued their protest, demanding arrest and action against the culprits, the provincial government has set up a high-level investigation team to probe the act of sacrilege.

Only an official communication of the Ministry of Minorities Affairs brought to public notice the incident that has sent shock waves among members of minorities in the Sindh province.

Incidentally, the Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs in Sindh is Dr Mohan Lal Kohistani, himself a Hindu Sindhi. He has been named to head the high-level probe team, other members of which are also from the minority communities. They are Saleem Khurshed Khokhar and Pitamber Sewani, both Members of Sindh provincial Assembly.

The News, quoting the official statement of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, said on September 5, some unidentified miscreants set fire to the religious and holy books of Sikhs in a common temple of Sikhs and Hindus, at Kandhkot.

The act caused panic among the Hindus and Sikhs throughout the province and the Pakistan Hindu Foundation also called for three-day mourning against the incident, after which the Hindu community observed a shut down in different districts of the province.

Subsequently, the Minister for Minorities Affairs announced that “the culprits would not be forgiven at any cost and the Sindh government would soon put these miscreants behind bars.”

He further added that he had personally talked to the Chief Minister of Sindh and got an assurance that justice would be done to the Sikhs. The Home Secretary and the IG Sindh have been directed to conduct an inquiry and submit their reports to him within three days.

Kohistani said he was personally investigating the matter and would also be joining the fact-finding team to probe the matter, and would submit a report to the CM for taking stern action against the culprits. 

Amritsar, September 21
A jatha of 350 Sikh pilgrims left for Pakistan today to pay obeisance at Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara and observe the death anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Of them, 100 belong to the SGPC while the remaining are from other Sikh religious groups. The SGPC group was led by Amrik Singh Vichoa.

Vichoa said the pilgrims would pay obeisance at Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara on September 22 and after paying obeisance at various historic gurdwaras, the jatha would return on September 28.

Moga, September 21
There have been reports of attack of false smut disease on the paddy crop in some parts of Moga district.

Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, agriculture development officer, said the high content of nitrogenous fertilisers used by farmers in the fields amid stagnant water conditions throughout the crop span had led to the spread of the disease.

He said, “High humidity, cloudy weather and intermittent rains at the time of flowering of the crop are highly conducive for the appearance of this disease, which can affect the crop yield.”

A fungus disease affects the grains, turning them creamy white and later orange in colour.

This disease, commonly known as fungus, affects the leaf sheath of the paddy plant a couple of weeks before the maturity of the crop.

New Delhi, September 21
Demanding a better minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, farmers from Punjab will hold a demonstration in the capital tomorrow.

Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) president Balbir Singh Rajewal said farmers from all over Punjab would march towards Parliament from Gurdwara Bangla Sahib to press for their demand.

The government has asked the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) to revisit the MSP offered to farmers for Kharif crops in view of increased cost of production due to drought.

An official said the CACP was working on the revised MSPs of different crops at the behest of the Agriculture Ministry, adding that while calculating the MSPs this time the CACP did not factor in the increased cost of production due to drought.

The government has already announced the MSP for Kharif crops, based on the recommendation by CACP. The paddy MSP was raised by Rs 100 a quintal but the offer had left farmers unimpressed.

Meanwhile, sources indicate that the CACP may be also asked to review recommendations made for Rabi crops so that losses incurred by farmers in the Kharif season can be made up.

Ludhiana, September 21
The state government is mulling over intensifying a drive against hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities following an anti-hoarding campaign against sugar.

Officials of the State Food Supplies Department have seized about 1.5 lakh quintals of sugar at three places with the biggest haul from Ludhiana. The seized haul of sugar contained 1,15,756 lakh quintals from Ludhiana; 25,000 quintals from Patiala and 2,400 quintals from Jalandhar.

In Ludhiana, there were three godowns where the hoarded stocks of sugar were lying and its wholesale value was around Rs 40 crore.

SP Singh, secretary, Food Supplies, told The Tribune today that they could take action under the Essential Commodities Act in the case of sugar alone as there was a notification issued by the Central government under which a wholesale dealer could store up to 2,000 quintals of sugar.

The seized stocks of sugar would be auctioned and the prices of sugar would come down in the market.

Earlier, the late former state Governor Dharamvira had launched a drive against hoarders and black marketers in the state. A large number of businessmen were arrested. However, leaders of the state Congress managed to get the drive stopped.

Wholesale dealers of various essential commodities have hired huge godowns in the periphery of Ludhiana where they hoard stocks and sell the same on the black market to evade VAT and other state taxes.

Ludhiana, being industrial and business hub, has a great scope for black marketing.

Patiala, September 21
Conditions of government hospitals has always been a cause for concerns for the government and poor people. Time and again lack of facilities and proper staff have been talked about, but to no avail.

The local Government Rajindra Hospital, one of the biggest government hospitals in the Malwa region, lags far behind other hospitals as far as cardiac care facilities are concerned. Sources said patients from middle-class and poor families prefer to visit this hospital since it is financially viable for them as far as operations of ears, nose and throat are concerned. However, when it comes to heart, people prefer to keep away from it.

Sources in the hospital said the main reason for people flocking to private hospitals and staying away from reputed government hospitals was that such hospitals did not have state-of-the-art equipment to deal with cardiac surgery cases.

A doctor said if top cardiac surgeons were posted in government hospitals and such institutions were equipped with the latest equipment, people would start flocking these as the treatment was much cheaper here vis-à-vis private hospitals.

Sources in the hospital said the cardiac department of Rajindra Hospital did not have any cardiac surgeon since long. Doctors from the medicine department were examining heart patients and advising them medicines here.

Things have come to such a pass that the doctor heading the cardiology department in the hospital, Dr Harbir Kaur, is also from the medicine department. In many case, hearts patients had to be referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, for specialized treatment.

Surinder Singh, Medical Superintendent of the Government Rajindra Hospital, admitted that Dr Sudhir Verma, ex-student of the same college, had voluntarily offered his services and that he had been re-employed. Dr Sudhir runs Sadbhavna Hospital in Patiala. Taking to The Tribune, he said he had offered his free services because he owed everything to the institute and would be glad to help it in whatever way he could.

Amritsar, September 21
Two persons, including a seven-year-old child, died while two more were admitted to the local civil hospital in a serious condition as gastroenteritis broke out in Dhaul Kalan village, about 10 km from here, today.

A number of residents were reportedly afflicted with the disease due to contaminated water while Pyara Singh (70) and a seven-year-old child lost their lives due to gastroenteritis.

Confirming this, a senior official of the health department said a medical team was sent to the village immediately and medicines were provided to the patients. The health department took four water samples and sent these for examination.

The medical team distributed medicines, including 4,000 tablets and ORS packets, to the patients. The condition of a month-old child and one Balwinder Kaur is stated to be serious. They have been admitted to the civil hospital.

Besides distribution of medicines, the residents of the village were advised to use boiled water for drinking. The official said they also asked the patients with symptoms of gastroenteritis to drink the solution of salt and sugar in case ORS packets were not available to them. He said they were also advised to come to the civil hospital in case of vomiting and other symptoms of the disease rather than going to quacks.

The two persons died as they failed to reach hospital on time and got treatment from local doctors, said the official. 

Rajpura, September 21
Krishan Kumar Garg, a septuagenarian, has been collecting newspaper clippings on varied subjects for the past around 20 years. So far, he has prepared 100 files of news reports on varied subjects.

A visit at his house here revealed that two rooms were neatly stocked with newspaper clippings. “I started collecting newspaper clippings in 1989. I had subscribed only two newspapers at that time. Now I get 12 national and local newspapers everyday,” said Krishan Kumar, who devotes his entire day in searching news reports and noting down its page number column and headline in his file.

News reports, pictures on varied subjects, cartoons, election features, consumer-related news reports etc find place in his files. “People from near and far-off places have been visiting my house for the past few years to get copies of various news reports. Though it takes some time to scan news from pile of tonnes of newspapers, but I manage to find every kind of news report,” he said. Garg also has complied separate files on pollution level, accident cases, water level, urbanisation etc.

He said initially his family members were upset with his hobby, but now when friends, family members and neighbours approach them to get copies of various news report, they feel elated and happy.