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UK Mayor’s name deleted from ‘black list’
Rice Scam
Agitating ETT teachers threaten self-immolation
Price Rise
Relief from power cuts for now
Surinder Kairon remembered
Issue alert against Sajjan, Sekhwan urges PM
Jatha leaves for Nankana Sahib today
Rs 2,100 cr from WB for state roads
Ferozepur SSP summoned in implication case
High Court
Notice to Punjab over payment evasion
Man killed by wife, paramour
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BKU (Ekta) Leader’s Murder
Amritsar, February 17 Admitting this, Gurmeet Singh Chauhan, Amritsar rural police chief, said this was a matter of investigation and no innocent person would be involved in the case. Among others who were booked were Kulwinder Singh, former Sarpanch, Sarabjit Singh, chairman, Panchayat Samiti, and suspended SHO Rashpal Singh besides 19 more persons. Lopoke while talking to The Tribune said that a high-level probe should be conducted in this regard, adding that his name was deliberately dragged due to political enmity. He said the probe would bring out the truth and rebutted the charges that he was involved in the incident. Meanwhile, a large number of farmers led by various organisations carried out a protest march that passed through various bazars. The body of the deceased farmer leader, Takhtpura, was handed over to members of his family after the postmortem. A heavy pose of policemen was deployed outside the postmortem building and other parts of the city. The farmer organisations including the BKU pledged that they would continue their agitation till the culprits were brought to book. Out of the four persons grievously hurt in the attack, the condition of Sukhwinder Singh Dharamkot and Heera Singh is stated to be serious. They were referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here. The demonstrators raised slogans against the ruling party and staged a dharna near Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Deep Singh. The SSP said raids were being conducted to arrest the culprits while adding that the police teams had found vital clues regarding the case. He said the injured were out of danger. Chandigarh: The Punjab Kirti Kisan Sabha and the Congress on Wednesday condemned the “brutal murder” of BKU (Ekta) organising secretary Takthupura on Tuesday. Kirti Kisan Sabha President Prem Singh Bhangu said the murder of Takhtupura was not only an attack on the farmers but also an attack on the democratic movement in the state. He demanded that the persons behind the murder be arrested immediately and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh and a government job be given to a family member of the deceased. PPCC chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee expressing grief on the murder said leaders of the ruling party considered themselves above law and were forcibly grabbing the land of the poor and marginal farmers.
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UK Mayor’s name deleted from ‘black list’
Chandigarh, February 17 Originally from Manatalwandi village in Kapurthala district, he was recently deported from Amrtitsar International Airport despite having a valid visa. The case was highlighted by Congress legislator from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who took up the issue with Hanspal, who in turn took it up with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry in a letter to Hanspal has written that “due to some security reasons, his (Joginder Singh) entry was banned but now the ministry has deleted his name from the adverse list and in future, he will not face any problem while he visits / enters India”. The case in question has once again strengthened the case of many Punjab politicians asking the Central Government to review the “black list”. Joginder Singh has since acquired UK citizenship and risen to become the Mayor of Slough, leading the life of a normal person and having nothing to do with subversive activities, but his name continued to remain in the “black list” of the government. There are many other persons who are in a similar situation, but are not so lucky to have their cases reviewed. Khaira said, “I took up his case with Hanspal on whose intervention the name of Joginder Singh Bal has been deleted from the prohibited list. But there is need for the government to review the list and ensure that people with no adverse record have no problem travelling back to their home country”.
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Rice Scam
Moga, February 17 The Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered a recovery of “default amount along with penal interest”. During investigations, the CBI had found that there was a Rs 320-crore loss to the exchequer, of which the losses in Moga district alone amounted to Rs 58 crore. Over 50 officials, including FCI Senior Regional Manager K. Shiva
Prasad, an IAS officer, were also booked in the scam. The CBI had took 451 samples from 12 locations in Punjab and sent to the Central Grain Analysis Laboratory. It found that 97 per cent of the samples were substandard. Of this, 20 per cent was unfit for human consumption due to which the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act was also added in the case. Criminal proceedings against five rice millers of Moga are still pending in the CBI court at Patiala. Some of the millers of Moga went to the HC against the CBI case, but Justice KS Ahluwalia on October 24, 2009, ordered to recover the “default amount along with penal interest” from the alleged accused rice millers. Even after over three months of the HC orders, FCI officials in the Moga district have not even issued notices to the alleged rice millers involved in the scam. Instead, they are making efforts, “probably in connivance with a politically connected powerful lobby of the millers”, to bring down the losses to zero. The officials contended that there was no stock of rice from 2004-2005 left pending with the corporation, which meant that the controversial rice was consumed through the PDS, sold out in the market or exported to the other countries. As such, the FCI has negligible losses as on date, the officials claim. An official of the FCI revealed that only two millers of Bagha Purana had recently deposited Rs 97,000 and Rs 1 lakh pending against them with regard to the rice scam. It is learnt that three criminal cases were registered against 45 rice millers of Moga district, 40 of Sangrur district, 41 of Faridkot and Muktsar districts and at least 100 mills of Bathinda and Ferozepur districts, which had been blacklisted by the state government. However, over 50 rice mills involved in the CBI case in these districts have changed the names of their firms and again got the paddy stock during the current season from procurement agencies for milling, which in itself is another big scam.
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151 water samples fail test in a year in Bathinda
Bathinda, February 17 These samples were collected from government and private schools, water sources of departments of Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Public Health, and Local Bodies, etc by the authorities of the Health Department. According to health authorities, if drinking water fails the test for the first time, then they write to the persons/officers concerned to improve the quality of water. After some time, they again collect a sample and send it for a test. In case this time also the sample fails the test, they take a third sample after about two months. If the third sample also fails the test, then they close the water source. In January 2010 the district health authorities collected 29 water samples from Sangat block, Bhagta, Rampura, Bathinda, etc. These samples were taken from water sources of the Public Health Department, Local Bodies, schools etc. However, all 29 samples passed the test and were found fit for human consumption. A team of the district health office today also collected two samples of drinking water from the mini secretariat here, one sample each from government schools of Kalyan Sukha village, Nathana and Phula village near Nathana. The district health officer (DHO), Dr Dharampal Singh Sekhon, said today that these five samples would now be sent to the Public Laboratory at Chandigarh tomorrow for testing. He said the sampling of drinking water would be done in a big way in the months to come as during the summer season they received more complaints about contaminated water as compared to the winter season.
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Free At Last
Bathinda, February 17 The old man had been languishing in the jail even after completing the term of imprisonment for being involved in a murder. Harnek Singh was arrested in September 1979 and was convicted by a court in October 1981. For some time he remained on bail until a higher court confirmed the life term. No one from Harnek’s family came to receive him as he was set free after all these years. His only son had come to meet him a few days ago from his native village of Phaphre Bhaika in Mansa district, but refused to file surety to facilitate his freedom from the prison. Office-bearers of a Sunam-based NGO, People for Direct Social Action (PDSA), had come to the jail to “adopt” Harnek Singh after reading the report published in The Tribune on Sunday last. SP Singh, who had initiated the case for the release of Harnek Singh, remarked that with the release of Harnek Singh, “I have a sense of achievement as I have been instrumental in getting someone freedom that was denied to him for more than five years”. The warders and other jail staff members beamed with joy as Harnek Singh walked towards the main iron gate. Outside the jail gate, Harnek Singh bowed to touch the feet of SP Singh as a thanksgiving gesture and asked the latter to give his phone number so that he could talk to him from time to time. Harnek Singh said he would stay wherever the NGO activists kept him. SS Dhaliwal, chairman of the NGO, said they would get Harnek Singh medically examined and their effort would be to first meet the panchayat members of his native village and persuade them to take steps to rehabilitate him in his own village. However, if they do not accept him, the NGO would send him to some good old-age home and bear all expenses. SP Singh told TNS that he had also initiated efforts for the freedom of an octogenarian inmate of the jail, Mahabir Prasad, who was undergoing treatment for a heart ailment in the jail hospital.He said there were eight other prisoners who were above 80 years of age.
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Agitating ETT teachers threaten self-immolation
Kapurthala, February 17 Harjit Kaur (24) of Gurdaspur has been on fast unto death since February 15, whereas ETT Union (Jammu Group) started chain hunger strike since January 2. Harjit’s condition became serious after a sudden fall in her blood pressure and weak pulse. A lady doctor of the local Civil Hospital who examined her at the site of the dharna advised the union leaders to hospitalise her immediately. Police personnel led by DSP Gurmit Singh and the executive magistrate tried to persuade the agitators to allow them to take Harjit to hospital but the agitators were adamant. They threatened to set themselves on fire by showing bottles of petrol and match sticks in case she was forcibly removed from Shalamar Bagh. Persuasion by the administration and threats by agitators continued for about three hours. However, later with persistent persuasion, the agitators agreed to take Harjit to the local Civil Hospital for examination. She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance but she refused to take treatment from the hospital and insisted on going back to the site of the dharna in the Shalamar Bagh. She tried to give a slip to the police but fainted at the hospital gate. At this, health authorities again took her to Shalamar Bagh in an ambulance on her insistence to join the agitators. It is learnt the union leaders sought recruitment of 15,000 teachers who had completed the ETT course from any state. Punjab Education Board Chairman Dalbir Singh Dhillon held a meeting with union leaders at Shalamar Bagh on Tuesday but they turned down the government’s offer to increase the vacancies from 3,400 to 5,000.
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Price Rise
Ludhiana, February 17 This was stated by Gurudas Das Gupta, group leader of the CPI in the Lok Sabha and general secretary of the AITUC while talking to mediapersons here today. He was in the city to address a state convention of the AITUC on rising prices and other problems being faced by the masses. “The Congress-led UPA government has failed to provide any relief to the poor people during its six-year rule and in particular the escalating prices of food items over the period have proved the helplessness of the regime against powerful lobby of traders and mill owners,” he alleged. On the hate campaign of the Shiv Sena against north Indians in Maharashtra, the CPI leader said: “Both the Shiv Sena and Pakistan are the enemies of India who are pursuing their nefarious agenda of dividing India. The entire country, including Mumbai, belongs to each and every Indian and all attempts to create a regional divide ought to be foiled,” he added.
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Relief from power cuts for now
Patiala, February 17 The cuts had reached beyond four hours in the last week of January due to power shortage. Administrative member of the PSEB Gurbachan Singh Bachi said: “There has been an increase in the power generation as repair works have been carried out at all thermal and hydel units across the state. Now, only one unit in Bathinda is undergoing the overhauling.” He said the board was getting 561 lakh units from thermal plants and 288 lakh units from the
Centre. “Hydel generation figures stand at 43 lakh units, whereas power generation from Bhakra Beas Management Board
(BBMB) sources is 72 lakh units. Power availability from other projects is about 13 lakh units,” he
added. Bachi said the PSEB was banking 32 lakh units of power. “In winters, the power generation from hydel projects in hilly areas like Himachal
Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand goes down. The PSEB provides power to these states and gets back during summers,” he said, adding that this year the PSEB would try its best to meet the demand in the state.
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A decade-long journey with special kids
Salora (Ropar), February 17 Children as young as three years are treated as per the nature of disability. Five-years-old Prabhleen from Ropar started visiting the centre since November last. “And the results are evident. A cerebral palsy child can now walk, hold things, speak and her concentration had improved,” says her proud mother Kuljeet Kaur. CEO ACF, Pearl Tiwari said it was the only centre in India under Ambuja Cement Foundation. The school has 72 special children, including 18 girls, she added. “We have seven special educators that cater to not only academic needs but daily needs of the children. Our emphasis is to make these children independent in daily chores, which are otherwise considered mundane by normal people,” Pearl said. The school is proud to have rehabilitated children in the mainstream. It finds success in rehabilitating its ex-students like Honey Saini who excelled in International Games for Special Children and Ashish, who runs a juice bar in Ropar and pockets around Rs 250 daily, principal Suresh Thakur said. Newly added Physiotherapy State-of-Art Centre, with aide of Rotary International Club, is doing well. Amritpal, 12, a resident of Dugri village, is a cerebral palsy child. He lacked coordination of upper and lower limbs eight months back. “With constant physiotherapy, he can now walk. His parents are amazed with the results,” says physiotherapist Arvind Kaur. The school charges nominal fee of Rs 300 per child whereas it spends Rs 30, 000 on each child every year. It has also introduced an adoption scheme, wherein a child can be economically adopted. The adoption is tax-exempted under Section 80 G and allows the donor to follow progress of the adopted child. “In a way, the donor feels connected to the child. We have had instances when donors come to see the development of the child they have funded,” Suresh Thakur added.
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Surinder Kairon remembered
Kairon, February 17 “The entire Kairon family has been active in politics and making immense contribution in the field of education apart from serving society. While Surinder Singh Kairon was a well-mannered political figure, the late Partap Singh Kairon was behind big development projects and institutions in Punjab like the Bhakra dam, Punjabi University,
Patiala, and Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana,” the CM said. SGPC chief Avtar Singh said the area owed to the Kairon family since all of its members worked overtime to ensure the development of the area in particular and for the development of the Majha area in general. Among others who spoke were MP Rattan Singh
Ajnala, Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Gulzar Singh Ranike, both ministers, MLA Virsa Singh
Valtoha, senior SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra and minister Adesh Partap Singh
Kairon. A large number of people from the area also paid tributes to
Kairon. Meanwhile, representatives of a number of employees’ organisations handed over memorandums to the
Chief Minister.
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Issue alert against Sajjan, Sekhwan urges PM
Chandigarh, February 17 In a statement issued here, Sekhwan said Sajjan deliberately did not appear at the Karkardooma court fearing his arrest despite three opportunities given by the court. He said Sajjan was “misleading” the process of law by taking plea of pending appeal in the high court and by “distracting” attention of the investigating authorities towards the legal process. He said the PM should take a proactive step in issuing alert at all airports. Appealing to the CBI to immediately affect the arrest of Sajjan Kumar, Sekhwan said any delay in the arrest would further complicate the case, jeopardising the much-delayed process of justice to the victims of the 1984 riots.
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Jatha leaves for Nankana Sahib today
Amritsar, February 17 SGPC member Jagir Singh will be leading the jatha while Jaspal Singh will be the general manager.The pilgrims will remember those Sikhs who laid down their lives on February 21 in 1920 when hired hooligans of Mahant Narain Dass not only resorted to indiscriminate firing on them but also butchered Sikhs who got injured in the firing.
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Rs 2,100 cr from WB for state roads
Chandigarh, February 17 A decision was taken at a meeting between a high- level World Bank team and CM Parkash Singh Badal this morning. The team comprised Lead Transport Specialist and Country Sector Coordinator Ben LJ Eijbergen, Senior Consultant / Adviser, Transportation Planning and Management, Yitzhak Kamhi, Senior Public Private Partnerships Specialist Sri Kumar Tadimalla and Senior Program Assistant, South Asia Sustainable Development, NS
Srinivas. — TNS
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Ferozepur SSP summoned in implication case
Chandigarh, February 17 But the dates and the developments made Justice TPS Mann today observe the police had apparently framed him up. In an obvious attempt to ascertain the truth, Justice TPS Mann has now called Ferozepur Senior Superintendent of Police to be present in the court on the next date of hearing. In her complaint to Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal, mother Manjit Kaur from Abohar had earlier asserted her son Palwinder Singh was being tortured and subjected to inhuman treatment in front of the parents, after being detained in Jalalabad’s police station. She claimed he was being threatened with implication, in case he failed to pay Rs 20,000. She also requested the Chief Justice not to forward the complaint to the district police headquarters, as she apprehended mix-up of “higher officials” with the Station House Officer and other cops. Going into the background in her complaint dated January 25, she said Palwinder Singh was picked up the same day at about 5.30 am by the SHO and others. As her complaint came up on the judicial side before Justice Mann after being treated as a petition, the state counsel said FIR No. 5, dated January 27, was registered at the city police station on the basis of one Iqbal Krishan’s statement. He alleged that Palwinder Singh tried to steal his motorcycle. The accused was produced before the police after being caught red-handed, the counsel added. Justice Mann said, “It appears that the petitioner’s son is being framed up by the police, fearing that the petitioner or her family might not initiate an action in regard to his picking up from the house on January 25.” Before parting, Justice Mann fixed February 22 as the next date of hearing.
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High Court
Chandigarh, February 17 The High Court ruled being a senior officer, the applicant need not be apprised of his role as a secretary (PWD Department), but accepted his prayer for withdrawing the direction on entry being made in the service record. The respondent authorities had initially stated land of petitioners Devinder Singh of Nihang Singh Wala and other similarly situated persons in Moga district had been acquired for laying Shahkot-Moga-Ramgarh road. But during the pendency of the case, they claimed the land had never been acquired. The Bench of Justice JS Khehar and Justice Nirmaljit Kaur asserted: “This case presents an extremely deplorable state of affairs at the hands of the state government.” Taking up review petitions, Justice Ranjit Singh ruled: “Once he was impleaded as such, it was his responsibility to ensure that a correct reply is filed before the court. Any wrong reply would certainly have led to injustice. Merely because he did not deal with the file, would rather aggravate his fault than mitigating it in any manner. “He ought to have realised that his department was expected to file reply before this court, where he was impleaded as a party. If he had authorised any person to take a stand on his behalf, responsibility will be his and of none else. If any internal arrangement has been made in the Department that will not be the concern of this Court. “Accordingly, no reasons are made out for reviewing the order directing him to pay any exemplary costs in this case. However, considering the fact that the applicant was at the helm of affairs when initial stand was taken but subsequently another officer took over from him, who, persisted with wrong stand, it can be said that he did not get opportunity to rectify the situation. His prayer that order of reflecting the entry in his confidential record in this regard may be a bit harsh, thus, appears justified.” Before parting with the order, the judge said: “As a result, no case for reviewing the directions is made out. The direction to reflect the entries in the annual confidential report of Karan Avtar Singh is, however, withdrawn. “Such direction, so far as applicant sub divisional engineer Manpritam Singh is concerned would remain…. The review application filed by Manpritam Singh is dismissed”.
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Notice to Punjab over payment evasion
Chandigarh, February 17 Refrigeration of mortuaries
The state of Punjab today assured the High Court that deep freezers in mortuaries of state-run hospitals at all district headquarters were being provided, so that the dead bodies do not degenerate. A decision to this effect has been taken in a meeting on August 6, 2009. The district authorities have also been directed to expedite the repairs. The mortuaries at Barnala, Faridkot, Patiala and Amritsar remained to be equipped with required refrigeration. An affidavit was also submitted before Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Jasbir Singh. The court had taken cognisance of media reports about the absence of arrangements to
provide proper care to the bodies.
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Man killed by wife, paramour
Sangrur, February 17 He said on the day of the crime, Deep had called up her paramour, who worked as a clerk with an advocate. She told him that her husband had a feud with her on suspicion of her having an illicit relationship. Major Singh reached their house in
an inebriated state and the duo strangulated him to death at night. Deep and Major Singh have been arrested and a case under Section 302 of the IPC has been
registered against them.
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