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Officers with ‘bad public image’ to go
Sikh jatha returns from Pak
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Khanna Chimayara Firing
Bangladesh envoy calls on CM
Rain fails to bring respite from smog
Just tears, dejection for abandoned NRI brides
Forced landing by helicopter
2 killed as building under construction collapses
Rain boon to farmers
Notice to biomass unit on dump site Probe ordered into immigration fraud
24-yr-old crushed under train
Award instituted for lyricists, singers
CM writes to Pawar on sugarcane price Property case
IELTS racket: Hunt on to nab kingpin
Suicide Case Mohali resident booked on rape charge
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Officers with ‘bad public image’ to go
Chandigarh, November 9 According to sources, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal have taken a decision to weed out officers who “do not enjoy a good public image” irrespective of their perceived closeness to the powers that be. The transfer of Punjab Pollution Control Board Chairman Yogesh Goyal, who was perceived to be a family friend of the Badals’, is a case in point. A senior official said the government wanted to send out a clear message that personal proximity to the family does not matter. He said action against Janjua today had proved that standing in the bureaucracy would not come in the way of proceeding against anyone. However, questions have arisen as to how the government will implement this drive with Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia, who has not seen eye to eye with his Akali counterparts recently, indicating he had not been taken into confidence while proceeding against Janjua. The BJP Minister, when questioned on this, said, “I welcome this drive against corruption. I hope it will continue in other departments also”. Kalia refused to elaborate on his statement. The sources said both the Chief Minister and the Deputy CM were keen on creating certain standards of governance. They said the Chief Minister, who usually did not move against political appointees, had become pro-active recently. The sources said the strategy had already yielded results. The government has identified 28 DSPs who do not enjoy a “good public image” and has directed the state police chief not to give them field postings. Similarly, the government has drawn up a list of tehsildars who are not being given field postings. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal recently went to the extent of ringing up from Sri Lanka to direct that “visible” action should be taken against Simarjit Singh Bains, an Akali leader perceived to be close to him. By distancing himself from Bains, who is accused of assaulting Ludhiana Tehsildar G. S. Benipal, the Deputy CM gave a signal that loyalists should not expect the government to stand by them in case they resort to such acts. According to the sources, the SAD-BJP government is at a crucial juncture after crossing the midway mark of its term. The government wants to create an impression of clean and transparent governance because this was the single most important issue which was responsible for the coalition’s loss in 2002 when the Congress stormed back to power.
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Sikh jatha returns from Pak
Attari (Amritsar), November 9 They came from different parts of the country like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Bihar. As many as 800 pilgrims were part of the SGPC jatha, said its leader Master Jagir Singh. Nearly 700 were from other Sikh organisations who paid obeisance at historic gurdwaras in Lahore and Nankana Sahib. Two of the devotees died during the pilgrimage and their bodies were sent to India. One of the pilgrims Kundan Singh said they were denied a visit to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. He said the security cover was unprecedented this time. As per tradition, the Indian Sikh pilgrims held Nagar Kirtan dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev at his birthplace on November 2. It was well received by residents of the town.
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Khanna Chimayara Firing
Jalandhar, November 9 AIKMS president Hardev Singh Sandhu, state president of the Kirti Kisan Union Nirbhai Singh Dhudike and state president of the Pendu Mazdoor Union Tarsem Peter said the SGPC chief’s “involvement” in the incident might easily be established, as a task force of the SGPC from different parts of the state could not assemble at one place without directions of its chief. They demanded an independent probe into the matter. However, Avtar Singh said he had gone to England and returned only on November 3. He said he had not signed any order directing the force to mobilise for Khanna Chimayara village. He added that the SGPC had got the possession warrant of the land and its men accompanied by knungo and patwari had gone to the village to take its lawful possession. He claimed that gunshots were fired from both sides. He claimed that the SGPC had no task force. “Some retired Army men are recruited as members of the task force, which looks after the security of different gurdwaras,” he added. However, the AIKMS chief said if the SGPC had any possession warrant, it should have adopted a peaceful method instead of resorting to the firing. Sandhu also blamed the Batala district police for shielding the accused involved in the firing.
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Bangladesh envoy calls on CM
Chandigarh November 9 Taking part in the deliberations, Badal urged the Bangladesh High Commissioner for direct export of kinnows from Punjab to Bangladesh, as now the latter was importing major chunk of kinnows through the Kolkata market. Badal asked the MD of Punjab Agro-Industries Corporation, SK Sandhu, to finalise the modalities for direct export from Punjab to Bangladesh which would be of mutual benefit to both the economies with the elimination of middlemen.
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Rain fails to bring respite from smog
Chandigarh, November 9 Unprecedented rain accompanied by hailstones at various places did bring down the temperatures considerably to indicate arrival of the winter in the region. Though many places in the region, especially some parts of the Malwa region, had the first glimpse of the sun since the beginning of this month, it is not enough to rid the region of the precipitating veil of smog, which in coming days threatens to grow stronger. It may be crippling not only the normal life, but also affecting farming operations, including the harvesting of the paddy and sowing of wheat. Both environmentalists and farm experts are worried over the climatic changes in general and emerging phenomenon of smog and fog in particular that deny the region much needed bright and sunny days. Smog and fog have even been worrying doctors and health scientists, as the incidence of both respiratory tract and eye infections have been on the rise. Environmentalists and pollution control experts admit that there has been a gradual spurt in carbon emissions in the region. Burning of wheat and paddy stubbles and increased emphasis on the thermal generation of power, they say, have been the major contributing factors for the changes being witnessed in the region. Though both Punjab and Haryana have put in places some administrative and legal measures to prevent farmers from burning wheat and paddy stubbles, failure to implement and enforce these measures have allowed the situation to go from bad to worse over the past few years. As a Tribune team travelled from Chandigarh to New Delhi last week, it encountered reduced visibility because of the smog even in late afternoon hours. And yesterday, the team found the climatic conditions appalling during its travel from Chandigarh to the Malwa heartland. Situation has been no better in Punjab where for the past several days, many districts did not witness sunrise at all. Smog and fog are a major challenge to scientists, as the periods for which they envelope the region have been constantly rising. “In 40 years after I took to farming, I have never witnessed this type of smog or fog in October or November. We used to have some days of dense or thick fog in the second half of December and the first half of January. But now, it starts in October and continues till January-end or the first half of February. It is wreaking havoc not only with the farming operations, but also the overall economy of the region besides posing a serious threat to the health of the people,” says Balwant Singh, a progressive farmer of Fatehgarh Sahib district. The Director of Punjab Agriculture, Balwinder Singh Sidhu, says that farm scientists have been trying to modify mechanical measures used in harvesting wheat for use in the paddy harvesting also. If the plant is harvested just a few inches from the ground as is done in the case of wheat, it will reduce the size of the stubble that can be safely ploughed back into the field to add to the soil fertility. Till satisfactory results are achieved from developing these new mechanical means, only stricter enforcement can help ease the situation, he adds. In some parts, the PSEB disconnected power supply to farmers burning stubbles. Recently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court also sought a report from the state governments on the steps being taken by them to check the problem. “Rain has been the only welcome relief. It not only dilutes the chemical content of the pollution - smog - but also helps in restoring the natural order in the climate,” says an environmentalist.
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Just tears, dejection for abandoned NRI brides
Ludhiana, November 9 This is the plight of abandoned NRI brides awaiting justice. Most of them are fighting their battles alone. Narrating their tragic tales at the Lok Bhalai Party's office here today, abandoned NRI brides recollected how they had dreamt of a happy married life abroad but, unfortunately, now their dreams as well as lives lie shattered. Talking to The Tribune, a couple of woman said even though they had been abandoned by their husbands, the law was unable to help them. Ruing the day she had planned to marry an NRI from Canada, 28-year-old Varinder Kaur from Patiala said she had been struggling to fend for herself for the last four years. ‘‘I feel dejected. I had thought I would live happily with my husband but that was not to be. He went back to Canada never to come back. I was told that I could marry someone else as I would not be able to afford Rs 15 lakh,’’ she said sobbing. Another bride from Moga, Neelam Sharma, said despite having spent Rs 25 lakh on her marriage to Sandeep Sharma of Canada, all she got in return were tears and dejection. ‘‘I got married in 2006 and lived with my husband for a month till he returned to Canada. He came back last month and married yet another girl from Raikot. Despite complaints, the police has expressed its helplessness and I am left to pick up the shreds of my life again,” said Neelam. Gurmeet Kaur from Moga, whose father sold off his four acres to arrange for her wedding and is now working as a farm labourer, is also bitter today. ‘‘I wish I had not married that cheat. He ruined my life. He should at least get punished for what he did to me,” she said. While taking up their cases, LBP supremo Balwant Singh Ramoowalia demanded that before registering NRI marriages, the administration should demand an undertaking from the groom, disclosing his social security number and marital status. He should also give an undertaking that he would apply for the bride's papers within 15 days after going back. Besides, Ramoowalia demanded a ban on marriage bureaus.
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Forced landing by helicopter
Bathinda, November 9 The helicopter carrying four Army personnel, including two crew members, was on the way to the cantonment here from Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The pilot, Captain Muneesh, reportedly took the decision to land the helicopter on a patch in a field from where paddy had been harvested. The village on the Dabwali road falls within the jurisdiction of the Sangat police station in Bathinda district. Personnel of the Army and the police reached the spot and were guarding the helicopter. The police said the helicopter would be flown from there tomorrow when visibility improved. Meanwhile, a thick blanket of smoke caused due to stubble burning by farmers suddenly engulfed most parts of the district in the afternoon following bright sun in the morning after six days.
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2 killed as building under construction collapses
Moga, November 9 According to reports, a building of Shankar rice mill on the Mudki road was under construction when all of a sudden 42-foot- high walls fell on them. Five labourers were buried under the debris. Three labourers were taken out of the debris alive but the condition of two others who suffered from multiple injuries and fractures was not immediately known. All of them were taken to a private hospital at Baghapurana. The doctors who attended on them referred two labourers to the district hospital at Moga. Doctors in the district hospital declared them brought dead. The deceased were identified as Praveen Kumar, son of Mehak Kumar, hailing from UP and Sukhchain Singh, a resident of nearby Jaimalwala village. The bodies were handed over to the families after a post-mortem examination conducted here. SHO of Baghapurana Pratap Singh, who reached the scene, told The Tribune that he had initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC into the incident. One car, a few motorcycles and a JCB machine were also damaged in the incident, he said. During preliminary investigations it was found that winds triggered by local pressure in this area had resulted in the collapse of the walls, he said. Moreover, rain had lashed the region in the morning and there was a slight drizzle when the incident occurred, he added. Meanwhile, it is learnt that no top official of the civil administration had visited the scene and no immediate relief had been given to the families of the victims till the filing of this report.
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Rain boon to farmers
Chandigarh, November 9 However, the forecast that it would rain on November 13, 14 and 15 could be worrying for farmers as even moderate rainfall could severely affect germination. The Met office here disclosed that there had been little to moderate rainfall in most parts of the state today. Ludhiana recorded the most rainfall at 13 mm followed by Balachaur with 7.3 mm and Nawanshahr with 6.4 mm. Amritsar recorded 4 mm of rainfall. Though plantation of wheat has started since November 1 and part of the crop has already been planted, it was partially delayed because of insufficient power. Farmers across the state received an average of four hours of regular power supply last week, which hampered agricultural operations severely. State Agriculture Director B S Sidhu when contacted said the rain would benefit farmers except a small number of them who have sown their crop. Sidhu said the department was taking steps to reduce input costs of farmers, which had become very high during the paddy season due to partial failure of the monsoon. He said a subsidy of Rs 30 crore was being extended to farmers under which they could purchase wheat for seed purposes at Rs 500 per quintal. The director said similarly a 50 per cent subsidy was being given on zinc and manganese. He said the department hoped to increase wheat production in the state to 4.5 lakh tonnes. Meanwhile, optimum water is being released from the Bhakra dam to meet the irrigation needs of farmers even though there is 28 per cent lesser water in the Bhakra and other reservoirs this year as compared to last year.
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Notice to biomass unit on dump site Patiala, November 9 Meanwhile, the district administration has recommended action against 58 persons for violating the directions issued by the Deputy Commissioner, wherein the burning of stubble was banned. “People are experiencing breathing problems due to the burning of stubble. Also, the smoke is causing road accidents as it leads to haze formation,” the authorities said.
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Probe ordered into immigration fraud Patiala, November 9 As per the orders issued by Commission members LR Roojam and KK Bhatnagar, Patiala SSP Ranbir Singh Khattra has been asked to get the matter inquired and then submit his complete report to the commission before the next date of hearing fixed for January 8, 2010. Notably, on October 10, 2009, Gurmail had approached the Patiala police for registration of case against Daljit Singh. In his complaint, Gurmail alleged that Daljit Singh, a resident of Nawashehar but now settled in USA, had duped him of Rs 16 lakh, on the pretext of sending him to America. The plaintiff claimed that Daljit usurped the entire amount even though he did not fulfil his promise. Elaborating the case, Gurmail said he had known Daljit since 1982. “In 2005, I expressed my desire of going to America. Daljit, who had permanently settled in America and used to visit India occasionally, demanded Rs 16 lakh for the purpose. I gave him Rs 6 lakh and Rs 10 lakh in two installments in 2006. But Daljit failed to send me to America and when he visited India in July 2009, I asked him to refund my money but to no avail,” alleged the complainant. Gurmail said finally he reported the matter to the Patiala police but it too did not initiate any action, following which he was compelled to knock the doors of the PSHRC. Taking the cognisance of the complaint, the PSHRC issued orders, dated November 5, 2009, which reads, “On consideration of the allegations made in the complaint, the commission finds that a prima facie case is spelt out as envisaged under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, and hence the complaint in this regard be registered as a case and SSP Patiala should submit an inquiry report, positively by next date of hearing.”
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24-yr-old crushed under train
Moga, November 9
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Award instituted for lyricists, singers
Jalandhar, November 9 Gill said the decision had been taken to check the trend of projecting women in poor light in Punjabi folk songs. He said a jury would be set up to shortlist songs highlighting the virtues of women folk.
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CM writes to Pawar on sugarcane price Chandigarh, November 9 In a letter to Pawar, the Chief Minister has asked the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to immediately revise its amended order of Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, issued on October 22, 2009, to the effect that instead of the minimum price of sugarcane, a fair and remunerative price (FRP) should be fixed by the Central government.
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Property case Chandigarh, November 9 Property, comprising 19 kanal, was owned by the Amritsar Improvement Trust, which requested the Amritsar senior superintendent of police to register a case against those involved in the sale and purchase of the property. This included the employees of the Improvement Trust, the municipal corporation and the revenue department, who had lent assistance or had connived in the sale. Disposing of a petition filed through counsel Parminder Singh, the Bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia ruled: In case the investigation in FIR 107 registered at police station civil lines, Amritsar, is not concluded by the investigating agency concerned within six months from the date of this order, the same shall stand transferred to the CBI without any further reference to the Bench. The CBI shall then take up the investigation and conclude the same within six months .
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IELTS racket: Hunt on to nab kingpin
Patiala, November 9 Three employees of the British Council, Britain's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities that conducts the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, and four youths, including two girls, who were appearing in the exam in place of other candidates, were arrested here. The IELTS is mandatory for pursuing studies in English-speaking countries like the US, Canada, Britain and Australia. “During the interrogation of the accused, we got some vital clues. Police teams have been sent to conduct raids in Punjab and Haryana to arrest the kingpin of this gang,” said district police chief Ranbir Singh Khatra. “There is a possibility of involvement of more employees of the British Council in this racket. As per our information, the kingpin is a woman who is operating from a town in Haryana, where she runs an IELTS coaching institute,” he said. The arrested British Council employees were identified as Anil Kumar, Neeraj Kumar and Saurav Goyal (all from Chandigarh), whereas another suspected employee managed to flee from the spot. Two agencies, Australia-based IDP and the British Council conduct this exam in India. The exam fee is Rs 8,500 and its score is valid for two years. “A big gang is working behind this racket. They used to charge from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from their clients and gave Rs 3,000- Rs 4,000 to the impersonators,” said a police official. Every week up to 800 students in Punjab sit for IELTS exam. — IANS
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Suicide Case Chandigarh, November 9 DIG CBI, Chandigarh, said the case was registered by CBI Special Crime Branch following high court orders on March 17, 2008, on a writ petition filed by Ram Kishan Kalash. The case was registered following the mysterious death of Sunil Kumar at the residence of his father-in-law Mohan Lal at Abohar on June 6, 2003. The victim, Sunil Kumar, of Raipur was married to Taruna of Abohar in 1998, and a daughter was born to the couple in 1999. Later, a marital dispute erupted and Taruna left her in-laws’ residence along with her daughter in 2003. After about two and half months, Taruna lodged a “false” complaint against her in-laws on May 12, 2003, regarding demand of dowry. Sunil also attended the inquiry conducted by additional SP, Abohar, in this connection. On June 5, 2003, he visited the residence of his in-laws for dinner on their invitation. Later, he was found in the lawn of the house bleeding profusely with injuries on his neck around 10 pm. He was admitted to the civil hospital, Abohar, where he later died. After the incident, Mohan Lal (victim’s father-in-law), Santosh Chaudhary, (mother-in-law), Taruna and their servant got themselves medically examined on June 8, at the hospital and obtained no injury certificates. The CBI stated that the probe established that Sunil Kumar had finished his life due to the magnitude of harassment and humiliation meted out to him by his wife and in-laws. Accordingly, a charge sheet had been filed against Taruna, Mohan Lal and Santosh Chaudhary in the court of CBI, Special Magistrate at
Patiala.
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Attari (Amritsar), November 9
Ludhiana, November 9
