The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	PIDB auctions land, fetches Rs 14.2 cr for 4 acre Sushil Goyal Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 15 In an auction of 4.02 acre chunk of land on the canal colony site here, the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) today fetched an amount of Rs 14.20 crore. The auction was held in the presence of Bathinda deputy commissioner (DC) Rahul Tewari, chief administrator of Bathinda Development Authority Ravi Bhagat, the executive engineer of PWD B&R, and two representatives of the PIDB. Talking to this reporter, the DC said local industrialist Rajinder Mittal emerged as a successful bidder as he purchased the land for Rs 14.20 crore at the rate of Rs 7,300 per square yard. He said Mittal had, on the spot, deposited Rs 1.42 crore, the 10 per cent of the total amount, as per a condition of the auction. The DC further said the remaining amount of the total price of the land would be deposited in installments every six months. Tewari said there were only two bidders, the other one being the Radhey Gobind Firm. During the auction, the Radhey Gobind Firm made an offer of Rs 7,200 per square yard. The auctioneer repeated this offer time and again for over half an hour, but no one came forward to raise the amount. The DC, however, was not satisfied with the price and waited for a higher bid. Finally, Rajinder Mittal purchased the land by offering a price of Rs 7,300 per square yard.
	Ring road project State files caveat petition in HC Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 15 Irked over the litigation and the hurdles it was creating, the state authorities have now filed a caveat petition regarding the construction of the much-hyped ring road phase-II. Meanwhile, officials of the PWD (B&R) have also notified section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act after disposing of the objections of the petitioner land owners in accordance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, issued on September 18, 2009. Filing a caveat petition under section 148-A to be read with 151 of CPC in the High Court, the state government has sought to be heard before it issues any order on any civil writ petition if filed by the 27 likely petitioners (with names), regarding the issue. Pleading before the HC, the state of Punjab, through the secretary, PWD (B&R), stated that the state government had issued notices under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act on February 8, 2008 to acquire land for the purpose of ring road to link two national highways namely, Dabwali-Bathinda and Malout-Bathinda to ease the traffic congestion in the town. In this project, there were 20 junctions, measuring 300x300 square yards, located four each on Lal Singh Basti road, Bir Talab road, Multania road, Behman Deewana road and two each on Badal and Malout roads. The notices were issued to be read with section 17 of the said Act. Then the notification under section 6 was issued on June 6, 2008. However, the proposed acquisition was challenged in the HC and was struck down on March 9, this year, for which the state government filed review applications. Further, the HC ordered in September that notification under section 4 would not be treated to have been set aside. It was also made clear that the benefit of the judgement would be applicable to the petitioners. The authorities claimed that 90 per cent of the owners had already accepted and received 80 per cent of the compensation amount. Fearing further litigation could jeopardize the “direly needed project”, the authorities, this time, prayed before the HC to hear them before passing any order. The development is being assumed as a reason to smile for the alleged land mafia, that has already purchased land around ring road to gain hefty benefit. Meanwhile, some of the land owners are again preparing to approach the High Court, saying they have not been heard properly. Accusing the administration, Deep Singh Brar, whose land comes under the acquisition limits said, “We will keep fighting legally before our objections are resolved in a fair manner.”
	Peculation of funds comes to light at PSEB, two held Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Muktsar, January 15 The recently exposed scam of Rs 1.18 crore at the PSEB office, Muktsar, has not only given a bad name to the office but also put the whole staff in the dock. Though the prime accused, head cashier, Sukhpal Singh, who allegedly decamped with the money, is still at large, police have arrested a revenue accountant, Yograj and a lower division clerk Krishan Kumar, after the PSEB officials alleged their connivance in the crime. Sources in the PSEB informed that police had interrogated a lower cashier Satwant Kaur also but failing to ascertain her involvement in the crime, she was conditionally released. On the other hand, the PSEB authorities have suspended Sukhpal Singh, Yograj and Krishan Kumar. Executive engineer, PSEB, Muktsar, informed that the department had suspended Satwant Kaur also but in the absence of any authentic proof of her involvement in the scam, she was reinstated today. Meanwhile, he suspected that many other could have been involved in the case as the investigations were going on in a detailed manner. Giving details of the incident, the PSEB officials alleged that Sukhpal had been cheating the department since December 1, 2009. He used to avoid depositing a part of cash in the bank but kept the departmental register up to date. The scam was exposed when on January 12, he left the office in the morning with a cash amounting to about Rs 12 lakh to deposit in the bank but did not turn up till 4 pm. Worried over his absence, the staff tried a lot to contact him but found his mobile phone switched off. Suspecting foul play, the officials brought the matter to the notice of higher authorities and then lodged an FIR with the city police, Muktsar. Later, investigating in detail, the officials observed a discrepancy of Rs 1.18 crore in the accounts. Meanwhile, they detected that Sukhpal had taken away some official records as well. Sources in the department said that being a head cashier of the office, Sukhpal Singh, used to have possession of one of the two keys of the cash safe. With the trust of the revenue accountant, Yograj, he managed to get the other key also. Meanwhile, officials termed the scam as a “well planned” move of Sukhpal, disclosing that he had a vacant plot in Muktsar, which he sold just a few days before fleeing. Chief Engineer, PSEB (west zone), GP Singh said, “We have been investigating the case in detail as all records are being thoroughly inspected. Anybody found guilty would not be spared at any cost.” When contacted, SHO, Muktsar, Davinder Singh said, “A case has been registered under sections 409, 120-B and 201 of the IPC. We have arrested two accused, namely, Yograj and Krishan Kumar, while the prime accused Sukhpal Singh is still at large.”
	LPG shortage Protest held in front of gas agency Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 15 Lodging a protest against the delayed supply of LPG cylinders, number of consumers staged a dharna and raised slogans outside a gas agency located on the Power House road here this morning. According to the protesters, they had got the booking slips after paying charges a couple of days back. Despite braving the morning chill and standing in long queues for past some days, they could not get the supply of domestic LPG cylinders. The anger of consumers came out in the open when they reached the agency and found the agency locked. They lodged a protest and blocked the road. On receiving information, police reached the spot and attempted to pacify the protesters. Meanwhile, councillor Manjeet Singh also reached the spot and contacted the agency owner over the phone. “The agency owner claimed that the delay was not deliberate but it was due to the shortage of supply from depots. He assured of supplying the cylinders immediately after receiving a truckload,” said Manjeet. After getting an assurance from the police and the councillor, the protesting consumers lifted the dharna.
	Deluxe number of car Faridkot lawyer bids for Rs 5 lakh Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Faridkot, January 15 A Faridkot lawyer, also a liquor contractor, Amritpal Singh Brar, has reserved the deluxe number 0001, for his yet to be purchased car, by paying Rs five lakh, which the transport authorities claimed to be the highest auction amount collected by any transport office in Punjab so far. The SDM of Faridkot, also officiating as district transport officer, Bhupinder Singh Brar, revealed that his relatives and friends paid Rs 1.10 lakh for 0002, Rs 90,000 for 0004 and Rs 60,000 for 0008. Brar, while talking to The Tribune said, “This is for the first time that I have made a bid for getting this prime number. It is just a passion for me to get this number. I have reserved this number for a car that I would buy in near future.” He said, “I never thought that I would have to pay this amount in the bid but there has been a tie between me and another bidder,therefore, I cannot let this number slip out of my hand.” Presently, Brar owns an Innova that bears the number 0050 and his cell number has five zeros after the service provider’s code. The DTO office stated, “We received 392 applications for 119 numbers.”