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RDX recovery case: 4 youths convicted
PSEB unbundling need of hour, says Lakhowal
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After three weeks’ absence, Badal in saddle again
Chandigarh, April 10 
While Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal basks in the glory of so far successful conduct of the World Cup Kabaddi Tournament, focus has shifted back to Chief Minister Parkash Singh
Badal, who after recovering from his illness, appears to be firmly back in the saddle.
Though Parkash Singh Badal did not start going to his office in the Civil Secretariat after recovering from illness, he has been attending to his office work besides presiding over all-important meetings to take decisions.
‘Capt to attend April 14 conference’
’84 riots: Panel to lodge complaint against Kamal Nath
Strike call: PSEB to deploy staff of other depts
Drive to exhort students to join Army
Export of huge quantity of rice stopped
Land Acquisition
Customs Commissionerate
State’s economy back on track, says Manpreet
Entry of private vehicles in Chhatbir zoo to be banned
Bardhan blames Dantewada massacre on govt
City Centre case adjourned till April 24
Premature Retirement of Cop
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RDX recovery case: 4 youths convicted
Ludhiana, April 10 The sensational recovery of such a heavy quantity of the highly explosive substance had put the state machinery on its toes. The court of Additional Sessions Judge Manjinder Singh awarded sentence of five years each to the convicts. Those convicted include: Gurpreet Singh (28) of Jangpur Road, Mullanpur, Sandeep Singh Harry (30), Bhavdeep Singh (25), residents of Ghuman village, Sudhar, and Gurinder Singh (25) of Friends Colony, Phagwara, falling under Kapurthala district. In this case, nine persons facing accusations of helping, conspiring with the main accused were acquitted by the court by giving them benefit of doubt. Whereas two accused had already been declared proclaimed offenders. Those acuquitted include: Ali Mohammad of Jaisalmer (Rajasthan), Dr Bhagwan Singh of Biddwal village, Sirsa (Haryana), Dilbagh Singh, alias Bagga, of Amritsar, Bhupinder Singh of Nawanshahr, Sarabjit Singh, Palwinder Singh, alias Pappu, Bhawanjit Singh, Bhawandeep Singh, Sarbjit Singh, all residents of Ludhiana. Two accused who had already been declared proclaimed offenders were Harminder Singh of Ludhiana and Bhupinder Singh, alias Sonu, of Mandi Gobindgarh. A case under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act, Section 25 of the Arms Act and 120-B of the IPC was registered at
Dakha police station on September 2, 2007. According to the prosecution, the then SHO of Dakha police station, Sub-Inspector Balbir Singh, had got information regarding an Esteem car in a suspicious condition on the Ludhiana-Jagraon road. When he went there, accused Gurpreet Singh was spotted sitting on the driving seat of the car. But when the police started searching the car, the accused fled. The police, however, recovered 3.5 kg of RDX concealed in a jug from the vehicle. The police had also claimed to have recovered a detonator with 50-metre electric wire, two cartridges of .315 bore pistol,
pipe, nipple etc.
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PSEB unbundling need of hour, says Lakhowal
Ludhiana, April 10 The decision to this effect was taken following party state executive committee meeting held in Ludhiana. BKU president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal stated that farmers were not getting power supply and as a result the farming community was bearing huge losses. “If the state government is committed to give undisrupted power supply to the agriculture sector post unbundling, the farmers have nothing to lose,” he added. Coming down heavily on PSEB employees, who are raising hue and cry over the decision, Lakhowal alleged: “More than 4,000 employees do not dispense their duties but have ample time to stage protests that has put a question mark on the existing work culture in the board.” However, the BKU president also said the government should also safeguard farmer’s interests post “unbundling”. “The government should be ready to add power bills and maintenance of tubewells to the cost of electricity production”.
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After three weeks’ absence, Badal in saddle again
Chandigarh, April 10 Though Parkash Singh Badal did not start going to his office in the Civil Secretariat after recovering from illness, he has been attending to his office work besides presiding over all-important meetings to take decisions. Be it the decision to continue with 58 as the retirement age or the controversial unbundling of the debt-ridden PSEB, Parkash Singh Badal has re-assumed the leadership role after almost three weeks’ absence from office. This week when he presided over a meeting of the Deputy Commissioners and district police chiefs, he was firm and clear in sending down the message that threats and calls for agitations over unbundling of the PSEB notwithstanding, law and order must be maintained at all costs and no “laxity” would be tolerated. It is perhaps after a long time that the Chief Minister addressed a meeting of police officers at this level. The Home Department is incidentally with Sukhbir Badal. An overwhelming response to the World Cup Kabaddi Tournament and large turnouts at all venues of its matches has enhanced the political stature of the younger Badal besides establishing him as a successful organiser. And now when the Council of Ministers meets again on April 15 reportedly to take a formal decision to unbundle the PSEB by separating generation and transmission wings, it will be the Chief Minister who would be leading the government from the front, especially when confrontations with employees besides farmers look imminent. Incidentally, Sukhbir Badal may not be in India when the PSEB goes into oblivion. He is reportedly going abroad again on April 18. This time, sources reveal, his absence from the state will be for a longer period than the previous one. Sukhbir Badal may have strengthened his grip both on the party and the administrative set-up, but he may still need time to fit into his illustrious father’s shoes as a successful administrator who had been managing many a crises facing the SAD-BJP governments over the years. It is not only bifurcation of the electricity board but also an acute shortage of power in the summer months that poses a major challenge to the government. With paddy transplantation season not far off, chances of any improvement in power supply look remote. And agitation by employees against unbundling may further aggravate the crisis.
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‘Capt to attend April 14 conference’
Bathinda, April 10 To a query whether Captain Amarinder Singh will participate in the conference Congress MLA from Talwandi Sabo Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu said the Captain would be attending the conference. He also said the district unit had also sent invitations to all office-bearers of the PPCC for the same. He also stated that though a request had been made to Kidwai and Soni but their participation was not as yet confirmed.
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’84 riots: Panel to lodge complaint against Kamal Nath
Ferozepur, April 10 While stating this here today, HS Phoolka, a member of the committee and a Supreme Court advocate, said a New York-based organisation, Sikhs for Justice, had already filed a suit in the US Federal District Court, against Nath for his alleged role in the 1984 riots. “As justice has been denied so far to the victims of the riots, the committee has decided to launch criminal proceedings against Nath,” said Phoolka, adding that the committee had enough evidence to establish the role of Nath in the whole episode in the court of law. When asked that why the committee was lodging the complaint about 25 years after the riots took place and when the Nanavati Commission had recommended no action against Nath, Phoolka said the committee was unsparing of those whose involvement in the 1984 riots was found. He said there were statements by riot victims against him (Nath) before the Nanavati and Mishra commissions, which probed
the riots. “Moreover when action has been initiated against Sajjan Kumar, then why Nath should be allowed to go scot-free,” he asked. Phoolka said he had also made an appeal to all the Sikh organisations, including the SGPC and DSGMC, and human rights organisations to come on a common platform so that the fight for justice for the riot could be executed effectively. In reply to a question, he said it was a blot on Indian democracy that successive governments of Punjab had been allowing a section of police officials, who were convicted by various courts for extra- constitutional killings of innocent Sikh youths and others under the garb of fighting terrorism, to serve the department.
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Strike call: PSEB to deploy staff of other depts
Ludhiana, April 10 To ensure that the work of the board does not suffer after the Cabinet meeting on unbundling on April 15, senior officials of the board were asked to use the services of engineers from the PWD, technical staff of municipal corporations and the Bhakra Beas Management Board and employees of the National Thermal Power Corporation. Directions to this effect were issued at a special meeting of the chief engineers and superintending engineers of five zones held today to ensure uninterrupted power supply on April 15 and 16 in view of a strike call given by the PSEB employees. The Member (Distribution), Kirandeep Chaudhary, asked the officials to ensure the safety of 550 power grids with the distribution division of the PSEB out of a total of 725. The rest of the grids are with the generation division. He also asked them to prepare lists of retired staff members and take them into confidence in case their services were required. They have also been asked to provide a copies of the lists to the deputy commissioners so that it was possible to call them up in case of need. ‘‘The public will not be allowed to suffer. It is not a difficult job to do. All officials will readily offer their services, ’’ said Chaudhary while addressing the meeting . Chaudhary said the agenda of the meeting was to tackle the situation. ‘‘We have asked the officials to be prepared so that we are not caught napping, ’’ he said.
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Drive to exhort students to join Army
Bathinda, April 10 In the light of this, the Bathinda district employment generation and training office is going to start a motivation drive in this regard from the third week of this month. The Centre for Punjab Youth Training and Employment (C-PYTE) will also extend its full cooperation in this drive. Talking to the TNS, here, the deputy director of the Bathinda district office of the Department of Employment Generation and Training Harpal Singh said as the CM was concerned over the declining number of youths from Punjab in the Army, especially as officers, so the students from Classes VIII to XII would be motivated and prepared mentally for joining the forces. The deputy director further said the motivation drive in Bathinda’s schools, private as well as government, would be launched in the third week of this month. During this programme they would educate the students about the prospects in the Army, he added. He also said his office would also make arrangements for providing the students three months’ free coaching before the start of examinations for admission in the National Defence Academy (NDA). He said free coaching would be provided to them by making the related-literature available. The deputy director said the CM had also announced a stipend of Rs 1 lakh per year for those students who would be selected in the NDA.
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Breeders to improve PAU 201
Ludhiana, April 10 Their reaction came after the state government asked farmers to stop sowing the PAU 201 variety after central agencies refused to procure it citing discolouration beyond the permissible limits. Moreover, the farm varsity also discontinued further sale of the variety. Brickbats from all quarters, however, have not discouraged the breeders, who will continue to work on it. ‘‘There are mechanisms and we can change certain characteristics of a variety. We can certainly reduce the percentage of discolouration of grains, ’’ said Dr G.S. Mangat, developer, while talking to The Tribune on the phone from Coimbatore. The breeder, who is on an official trip to Coimbatore, said they were going with the decision of the state government. ‘‘If farmers are facing problems, it is better that we improve it, ’’ he said, adding they were not sure about the timeframe within which the modified variety would come to the fields. Dr P.S. Minhas, Director, Research, said they had started with the mutation method and radioactive treatment so that the discolouration could be reduced. ‘‘This will be a fast-track method and take two years. If it does not work, it will take more than 12 years, ’’ he said. Dr G.S. Hira, a soil scientist of PAU, said this was the only variety that was a solution to the underground water table problem. It was to be transplanted by June 25 while normally the transplantation was to be done by June 10. ‘‘We were hopeful that the fall in the ground water table in 74 per cent of the area under paddy cultivation would be arrested if this variety was continued. The area experiencing a fall in the water table would have been reduced to 42 per cent. Moreover, in 58 per cent of the areas of the state, the ground water table would have risen. What else do we need?’’ asked Dr Hira. He added if the present practice of the rice transplanting date of June 10 was continued for another 15 years, one- third of Punjab would go dry. Following an advertisement on the dropping of PAU 201, panic has gripped farmers, who had purchased seed of the variety from the university. Dr P.S. Minhas, Director, Research, said they had produced 4,000 quintals of seed against 2,300 quintals last year and sold most of it. ‘‘We got an SOS from farmers today asking what they should do with the seed. I will take up the matter with the Vice-Chancellor now, ’’ he added.
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Export of huge quantity of rice stopped
Ludhiana, April 10 It was learnt here today that as many as 55 containers of rice were taken into custody at Ludhiana and 18 at the Mumbai port. Officials of the DRI and the Customs Department are tight-lipped and are not willing to pass on any information. It was learnt that the rice belonged to an Amritsar-based rice miller who allegedly claims to be a kin of the Prime Minister. However, the PMO has distanced itself from the same and has issued a statement saying, “law will take its course”. Accordingly investigations by the staff of the DRI and the Customs Department are in progress in Ludhiana and verification of the containers is being done. The DRI staff is reported to have sent some samples for analysis to find out the veracity of the claims of the owner of the rice miller. It is a huge quantity of rice as each container can have 20 to 40 metric tonnes of rice and its value is also quite high, running into several crores of rupees. According to a notification of the Commerce Ministry, only basmati rice Rajesh Jindal, Joint Director, DRI, refused to divulge any information and said “we will issue an official release when the inquiry is complete”. Similarly, officials of the Customs Department said the investigations were being conducted by the Directorate, Revenue Intelligence, and they were not involved in it. The detained consignments were meant to be exported to UAE and Canada. There is a lot of demand for non-basmati rice in Arab countries for the consumption of the labour force.
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Protesters burn effigies, block traffic
Sushil Goyal Tribune News Service
Bathinda, April 10 They blocked both gates at the main entrance of the bus stand, which affected the vehicular traffic adversely for some time. They also raised slogans against the government. The protest was held under the leadership of founder of the General Samaj Party, Suresh Goyal. Meanwhile, the indefinite hunger strike in support of their demands by Malkiat Kaur, a resident of Mehna basti, today entered 11th day, while the indefinite dharna by the protesters entered the 13th day in Ambedkar Park outside the Mini Secretariat here. Goyal said the local SHO, Gurjit Singh Romana, today met the protesters at the main gate of the bus stand and asked the protesting leaders to hold talks with the authorities for settling the issue. He said he took them to the local Circuit House where the local Tehsildar and the SHO talked to them and fixed their meeting with the Deputy Commissioner at 10 am tomorrow at the DC’s office. He said both officials had given an assurance to them that the matter would be resolved at the meeting. Goyal announced that they would neither lift their dharna nor Malkiat Kaur would end the fast till the acceptance of demands of the residents of Mehna and Amarpura bastis. He said if the administration did not heed to their demands, they would be compelled to intensify their agitation in other parts of the city.
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Customs Commissionerate
Amritsar, April 10 Commissioner, Customs, Ranjit Singh attributed the revenue shortfall to reduction in the rate of Countervailing Duty (CVD) from 14 per cent to eight per cent. Besides, withdrawal of export duty on Basmati rice resulted in shortfall of revenue to the tune of Rs 119 crore. The third reason is decrease in import of machinery and pulp/paper. The commissionerate is monitoring anti-smuggling activities on the Indo-Pak border stretching to 572 km. The Commissioner said in recent past they seized heroin, gold and fake Indian currency in eight cases of seizures at Attari international railway station and Attari-Wagah joint check post. He said the commissionerate was in dire need of scanners, latest X-rays and train pits for goods and passenger trains coming from Pakistan.
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State’s economy back on track, says Manpreet
Jalandhar, April 10 Since the state’s economy was largely dependent on the domestic market and the agriculture sector, it has registered a significant growth during the past one year, whereas the global and national economy received a drubbing due to the slowdown, he pointed out. Badal was in the city to inaugurate the website of local unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) here. The major factor in this upswing has been six consecutive bumper crops and prices of agriculture produce witnessing a steep hike, he revealed. The FM also added that in the 11th five-year plan the economic growth of the state was pegged at 5.9 per cent, but it attained a growth of 6.6 per cent this year. Similarly, as compared to the national agriculture growth of one per cent, the state has witnessed a growth of four per cent, he added. That agriculture was the mainstay of the state economy has been reiterated once again, as this sector contributed 30 per cent to the economy, whereas it was only 19 per cent at the national level, he added. Regrettably, the state’s performance was not up to the mark in the treasury sector, he said. Badal also said the state lacked in the tertiary and service industry and to give a fillip to this sector, Information and Technology (IT) parks spread over 1,200 acre in Rajpura and 225 acre in Kapurthala had been cleared.
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Entry of private vehicles in Chhatbir zoo to be banned Chhat (Banur), April 10 Zoo officials held meetings with consultants of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) recently to seek more ideas and alternatives so that the ban on the use private vehicles did not inconvenience anybody. The officials said after a ban on buses, other diesel-operated vehicles would also be banned. It would be followed by ban on the use of two-wheelers and other petrol-operated vehicles. Battery operated eco-friendly ferries were introduced in October last year to reduce noise and air pollution in the zoo. “Even after introducing these battery-operated ferries, the government has not banned the use of private vehicles. So, the very purpose of introducing battery-operated vehicles has got defeated,” said a zoo employee. The employees said there were four battery-operated ferries and the contractor had paid Rs 8.5 lakh on the purchase of each ferry, besides depositing Rs 4 lakh as contract amount. “After spending so much, there is hardly any income. Sometimes we earn only Rs 500 to 1,000 during a day. The income on Sundays goes up to around Rs 3000,” said Major Singh, one of the drivers of electric ferries in the zoo. The zoo officials, however, said they feared that there would be a chaos in the zoo if they put a ban on the entry of private vehicles abruptly. “We will introduce more ferries and vehicles would be banned in a phased manner,” they said. A ban on the use of pressure horns and haphazard parking would also be imposed, they added.
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Bardhan blames Dantewada massacre on govt Patiala, April 10 Speaking at an international conference at Patiala on “Role and responsibilities of media” with regard to Indo-Pak relations, he said, “The government has neglected all kinds of development in major areas of the country, particularly the ones occupied by tribal people. The Maoists take advantage of this situation and start targeting such areas and spread terror among people.” Supporting the action being taken by the police and the CRPF, he said the action was totally justified. “Maoist violence has to be curbed at any cost. But relying only on the police and the CRPF action is not enough. The government must also find other ways to handle it at the earliest because they are spreading with each passing day. Earlier, they were concentrated in Andhra Pradesh and now, almost 10 to 12 states are reeling under their threat. It’s been almost 63 years, how long these states should wait for development to reach them,” he said. On being questioned about government’s inability to control price rise, he said in fact the government had contributed towards price rise. Raising voice against the unbundling of the PSEB, he said he fully supported the struggle by the PSEB employees. “We are against unbundling and privatisation because if it continues, it would be deadly for workers.
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City Centre case adjourned till April 24
Ludhiana, April 10 The court has also granted permission to Captain Amrinder Singh for going abroad from April 15 to May 20. In his application, the Captain Amrinder has pleaded before the court that he wanted to launch his book in Bangkok and Dubai. Apart from this, he was also to attend some functions. The prosecution had opposed Amrinder’s plea of leaving the country. All accused except two were present during the hearing. A large number of congress leaders including former parliamentary secretary Surinder Dawar, Pawan Diwan, Amarjeet Singh Tikka, MLA Kila Raipur Jassi Khangura, former mayor Nahar Singh Gill and Congress legal cell chairman Dharamjit Singh Khera were also present during the court hearing to show solidarity with Amrinder Singh.
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Premature Retirement of Cop Chandigarh, April 10 Justice Ranjit Singh has also made it clear that pending cases cannot be allowed to go on and on just because the state counsels have not been handed over the briefs. Justice Ranjit Singh has also described as hollow and baseless such pleas for adjournments on the grounds of non-availability of brief. The scathing observations came in connection with an appeal filed by the state of Punjab and another appellant around 25 years ago. The state had challenged the setting aside of the order retiring a head constable prematurely. As the appeal came up for hearing, Justice Ranjit Singh asserted: “When the case was taken up for hearing for the second consecutive day, the state counsel expressed his inability to make submissions on the ground that the brief of the case is not available to him. “The regular second appeal is pending before this court since 1985. The hearing in such cases, which reach their turn after so many years, cannot be deferred on such specious plea that the brief is not available with the counsel…. Accordingly, the court would proceed to decide the case without receiving any assistance from the parties”. Going into the merits of the case against a retired head constable, Justice Ranjit Singh quoted the Punjab Civil Services (Premature Retirement) Rules to assert: “A person, who completes 25 years of qualifying service or attains 50 years of age can be retired from service provided the authorities are of the opinion that it is in the public interest to do so.” “The appellate court found that there was no mention made in the impugned order that this order of premature retirement was being passed in some public interest”. Dismissing the state appeal, Justice Ranjit added even before the high court, “no attempt was made to show the record of the head constable, which could have justified the action of the appellants to prematurely retire him”.
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Ludhiana, April 10
Ferozepur, April 10
Chhat (Banur), April 10
Amarinder allowed to go abroad