Tarn Taran, October 1
Ranjit Singh Mianwind, Chairman of the local Zila Parishad, has detected serious irregularities in release of grants worth Rs 5.7 crore under Indira Awas Yojna.

Talking to The Tribune, Mainwind accused four officials --- Additional Deputy Commissioner M.P. Singh, District Social Welfare Officer Manjit Singh, secretary of Zila Parishad Gurpratap Singh Nagra and Zila Parishad accountant Jagtar Singh --- of releasing grants without his permission.

The grant has been provided by the Rural Development Department of the Union Government under “Indira Awas Yojna” for constructing new houses and repairing old houses.

Under this scheme of the Centre, the homeless Dalit families or the members of minority communities were given a grant of Rs 45,000 for construction of new houses and Rs 15,000 or 20,000 for repairing the old houses.

The Zila Parishad Chairman said the amount had been given to the 1,258 beneficiaries in blocks Bhikhiwind, Khadoor Sahib, Voltoha, Patti and Gandiwind of the district.

He also said he received some complaints regarding ineligibility of beneficiaries after which he imposed a ban on the release of grants.

The above mentioned officials, as per the chairman, ignored any such instruction and even showed his consent in a letter to release the grants.

Mianwind claimed without his approval, the Zila Parishad Secretary in a letter, dated May 27, 2010, to Block Development and Panchayat Officers, said the Chairman had given approval to release the grants. The letter had signatures of the four above-mentioned officials.

Zila Parishad Secretary, when contacted, said he hadn’t committed any irregularity and followed every norm in releasing the grants.

Mianwind said he had written complaints to the Department of Rural Development of the Union Government besides the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Deputy Commissioner here.

The Chairman said he would not only take up the matter in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha through his elder brother and SAD MLA Manjit Singh Mianwind (representing the Khadoor Sahib Vidhan Sabha seat) but also lodge a criminal case against this irregularity.

Meanwhile, MLA Manjit Singh is not in good terms with Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Punjab, which was known to all.

Moreover, the officials, accused by Mianwind, were under the department of Brahmpura.

The Chairman demanded the matter be probed soon.

Deputy Commissioner Khushi Ram said he had not received any complaint from the Zila Parishad Chairman but on the same time he said the matter would be probed.

Amritsar, October 1
Just on the lines of pizza home delivery, one can now order plants at his doorstep. The number is 0183-2500598 and it would facilitate residents by being able to order any plant of their choice; the only condition being an assurance that they would take care of it.

Though this novel way of spreading awareness among masses about planting saplings is being carried out to strengthen the “go green, go clean” campaign, the only worry is that in the absence of technical expertise, this campaign would be rendered directionless.

Questions are being raised on whether residents would know which variety of plant they should ask for?

Named as “mobile green service”, the administration’s team, in collaboration with the Red Cross Society, Amritsar, and headed by Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu, inaugurated the campaign by distributing saplings from door to door on cycle rickshaws and autorickshaws.

The Tribune team found numerous spots where small saplings have been planted under the shade of the existing bigger trees.

“No tree can grow under the shade of an adjoining tree. It is a mandatory norm to maintain a certain distance from the existing plants,” experts believed.

They advocated that the administration should have done some homework. Special “plants protection act” should be enforced in the district.

“For example, the administration should force shop owners to take care of the saplings planted in the vicinity of their shops and any damage to the plants would lead to cancellation of their licence like the practice prevailing in Europe,” they said.

Agricultural Officer Dr Inderjeet Singh appreciated the efforts but said, “In the holy city, the administration is bent upon planting the fichus. But why this variety only when we have hoards of other options in plantation which can balance eco-diversity.”

Experts viewed that only plants can convert solar energy for the benefit of human kind.

“No other source in the world can be helpful in this context. Our soil and environment are most conducive to survival of plants, but the need of the hour is to distinguish the characters of the plant before plantation, keeping urbanisation in mind which is prospering day by day. Accordingly, people should be taught about the benefits of various varieties and encouraged to plant them in their vicinity,” advocated Dr Inderjeet.

“Varieties like nacanthus arbitorus (parijaat) would overpower even hundreds of agarbattis when it comes to competing in fragrance. Similarly, sheesham, kikkar and pagoda, besides citrus plants, should be encouraged. These plants possess medicinal values too,” he said.

Echoing identical views, Dr Suresh Chauhan advocated that plants with medicinal values needed to be encouraged and steps should be initiated for the survival and utilisation of the existing plants too.

Similarly, good varieties of amaltas are there, just in the lawns of the Deputy Commissioner’s official residence, but due to the lack of technical knowledge, its flowers were being wasted.

“Otherwise, the amaltas flowers are a boon for maintaining cholesterol levels if its jam is prepared after diluting it with honey. But the absence of knowledge, reduces these flowers to yet another ornamental plants,” said Dr Chauhan.

Amritsar, October 1
Taking cognizance of the disapproval of allowing Amritdhari Sikhs to wear “kirpan” while gaining entry INto the Commonwealth Games venues in New Delhi, SGPC President Avtar Singh termed this move as discriminatory and anti-Sikh.

A few days ago, Manpreet Singh was selected by the Delaware North Company for services in the food section of the venue, but later he was directed not to wear this symbol of Sikh faith inside the premises.

Avtar Singh stressed that Manpreet had undergone two-month training with the company supporting the same “kirpan”. He was also extended a stipend through cheques which testified fulfilment of their terms and

conditions. “Now, all of a sudden, how can they justify such objections, allegedly raised on the intervention of a particular political influence,” he said.

Citing the instance as a conspiracy, Avtar Singh said this shameful act was nothing but an attempt to tarnish the image of Sikhs, especially before foreign nationals. “Where was the need for raising such a controversy in our own country?” he questioned.

Avtar Singh informed that a delegation of the SGPC, led by Kuldeep Singh Bhogal, would soon visit the Home Secretary office in New Delhi to discuss the issue.

Amritsar, October 1
Over 125-year-old red-colour gate, made of bricks, with a clock set up in the middle, erected on the road leading to the holy Sikh shrine Golden Temple, has become one of the important landmarks of the city.

However, after over six decades of independence it is still famous with its British name than the Indian name, Mahatma Gandhi Gate and Gandhi Road, named after the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The name was apparently changed following independence.

The gate, with no doors, was built in 1876. The empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh had by then come under the control of the British Raj. The then Deputy Commissioner was C.H. Hall.

The gate became famous as Hall Gate after the name of the Deputy Commissioner. With the passage of time and spread of English language, it took the connotation of another meaning of the same word in the language “big, amply spacious”.

Amritsar, October 1
Even as the number of Indian billionaires and millionaires is steadily on the rise, the nation is yet to have philanthropist entrepreneurs like William (Bill) H. Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, and Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, said retired police officer Kiran Bedi while delivering the P.D. Kumar memorial lecture here today.

Gates and his wife Melinda run the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, financing in global health, improved learning opportunities and other activities. On the other hand, Buffett is known all over the world for donating heavily in value-based education system and for his personal frugal way of living, despite his immense wealth.

Kiran Bedi said it showed that our traditional value-based education system had not been passed on to our generations genuinely. She said the growth story of India would be an illuminating example for the rest of the world when its rich would start giving their wealth away to their compatriots by providing quality education and clean environment.

Proudly calling herself the daughter of the city, she credited her parents and not society for her successful career.

She asked girls to take up sports for their overall personality development. “Had I not played tennis in my youth I would have never joined the Indian Police Service,” she stressed.

Amritsar, October 1
The drug smugglers arrested two days ago from the Ramdass area may have a connection with the other side of the border. The Amritsar police (rural) is trying to find if this is the case.

On September 29, during a special drive against drug smuggling in the areas bordering Pakistan, the police seized 5 kg of heroin and a .30-bore pistol from four smugglers.

SSP (Rural) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said this success was the result of two separate operations already under way in the border areas when BSF jawans recently noticed some suspicious activities in the Ajnala sector bordering Pakistan.

“We had sought their remand to interrogate and we are hopeful of hatching the mystery of those persons who were spotted near the border some days back,” said the SSP.

It is to mention that on the night of September 21, the teams of the BSF and Amritsar (rural) police had an encounter with as many as three suspicious persons in the Labbe-Daria village in the Ajnala sector.

Nevertheless, they escaped, taking the advantage of darkness.

The search team has also reportedly found two pet bottles, with a capacity of two litres each, filled with IMFL (India made foreign liquor) and four packets of tea leaves from the spot.

The SSP (rural) said that it could not yet been established whether they escaped towards Pakistan side or were still on this side.

On September 29, the two smugglers, identified as Harjit Singh, alias Pappu, and Charan Singh, alias Channa, were nabbed by a naka party, led by Ajnana DSP Tilak Raj, near Chamyari Road. Three kg contraband and a pistol were seized from them.

On another raiding point near Talwandi Marha village, the same police party arrested notorious smuggler Joginder Singh, alias Jinda, along with his accomplice Gulvinder Singh, the same day.

SI Gurpreet Singh, in charge of Ramdass police station, said each one of them had been concealing packets of 1 kg each of heroin under their clothes.

Amritsar, October 1
Even as the nation celebrates the Blood Donation Day today, only 50 per cent of the total blood donors contribute voluntarily, while the remaining persons are either family members or replacement blood donors.

Lack of awareness among general masses and misinformation about health risks are the basic causes behind the lesser number of people who voluntarily donate blood.

Dr Neerja Sharma, in charge, state’s first Model Blood Bank situated at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, said voluntary blood donors were the safest blood donors who did not carry any transfusion or transmissible infections such as HIV or hepatitis.

Ironically, there are only 50 to 60 per cent donors who donate blood voluntarily in developing countries, while largely replacement or family members or paid donors provide blood to patients, she added.

“Though the number of donors is increasing, a lot many efforts are required to motivate more and more people for voluntary donation. The state’s first Model Blood Bank at GNDH, in collaboration with the Punjab AIDS Control Society, has initiated a number of programmes for spreading awareness among the population, including holding camps and distributing pamphlets,” said Dr Neerja.

She pointed out that even if only 15 per cent of the total populace of the country donated blood, it would be enough to meet the annual requirement. According to an estimate, about 90 lakh units are required in the country every year, while only 60 to 70 lakh units are collected through various means. Hence, there is a deficit of about 20 lakh units annually, due to which many patients lose their lives. The condition is deteriorating with every passing day.

But in Punjab, the situation is a little better at places where people are more aware than the other parts of the country. About 2.50 lakh units are collected every year in the state against the requirement of just over two lakh units. In Amritsar, the annual requirement of blood is approximately 40,000 to 45,000 units per year.

Ironically, the number of woman blood donors is much less as a majority of the women, who are interested in blood donation, are found to be unfit for bleeding and hence get rejected owing to various health reasons.

Amritsar, October 1
Sectarian divisions, ethnic loyalties and deteriorating economic conditions of Pakistan do not augur well for India, said Dr Alok Bansal, Executive Director, National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi.

He was delivering a lecture on “Contemporary developments in Pakistan and its implications for India” in the Department of Political Science of Guru Nanak Dev University here today.

Dr Bansal pointed out that the situation in Pakistan has come to such a stage that economic decline was posing a serious threat to the internal security of the country and therefore to the neighbouring countries, such as India.

He said the economic growth of Pakistan had been on the decline and the per capita income had been decreasing and Pakistan’s share in global trade had been negligible. Moreover, its heavy debt and the failure to repay debt obligations was further accentuating the economic problem of the country that had the potential of destabilising political conditions in South Asia, he added.

Prof Kuldip Singh, Head, Department of Political Science of the university, pointed out that Pakistan had been cultivating its ties with the Muslim countries with a view to find strategic depth, which was not good from the India’s point of view. Though Pakistan had not been very successful in the neighbouring Muslim world, its search for such a strategic depth was continuing, he added.

Dr Jagrup Singh Sekhon, Professor of political science of the university, pointed out that political stability and prosperity of India, especially of Indian Punjab, was closely linked with the political stability of Pakistan.

Amritsar, October 1
About 500 students from 75 schools participated in poetry, declamation, painting and shabad kirtan competitions, organised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to mark the Parkash Purb of Guru Ramdas today.

Amritsar, October 1
It’s been three months since the implementation of Antyodaya Ann Yojna (AAY) scheme (which has been extended to HIV positive patients) in the district, only 300 patients suffering from HIV have enrolled themselves with the district food and supply department for making ration cards, to get ration at very subsidised rates.

Under the central government’s ambitious project, food grains (wheat and rice) are provided to the poorest of people - who can not manage even two square meals a day for themselves - at much subsidised rates.

The scheme was extended to BPL families of HIV positive patients in June 2009.

The scheme was launched in the district about three months back.

However, it could not find many takers, due to the alleged lack of awareness and fear of social stigma.

Moreover, no efforts have been made to amply advertise the scheme to people suffering from the deadly disease.

Dr Anjuman Bhaskar, the district food and civil supply officer, talking to this correspondent, said very poor families of AIDS patients are provided wheat at Rs 2.10 per kg and rice at Rs 3 per kg.

Only patients recommended by the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and an NGO associated with the project, are given ration cards.

Quoting a national sample survey, she pointed out that only about 5 per cent of the total population of the country sleeps with food, which forced the government to launch the scheme for this section of the society in the year 2000. The government agencies later found that the families of HIV positive patients were usually ignored in the social set up.

When asked about the lesser number of patients availing the benefits under the Yojna, she pointed out that only three months have elapsed since the implementation of the scheme in the district, and expressed hope that more families would approach the department to take the benefit of the scheme in the coming future.

Moreover, she said the Drug De-addiction Centre at the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital has been approached in this regard so that more and more patients could be approached and made aware about the scheme.

As per the Punjab AIDS Control Society, there are about 7,419 HIV positive patients in Amritsar, while the number in the state is 22,510.

Amritsar, October 1
The Amritsar police arrested four persons and recovered a gold chain from them.

The arrested persons have been identified as Amar Singh, alias Sunny, alias Kupp, and Raju, both residents of Marji Mohalla, Division B police station. The police has also arrested a woman identified as Anju Rani and another person Suraj who allegedly used to buy looted gold articles from them.

A police team of Ranjit Avenue post arrested them from the railway station and recovered a gold chain from their possession.

According to police, both were part of the snatchers’ gang which was nabbed on September 25.

“During that day, this gang snatched a gold chain from a woman travelling on a scooter near the B-Block shopping complex. It was then that the police team arrested two gang members identified as Surinder Kumar, alias Nikku, and Balwinder Kumar, alias Sonu, residents of Mohkampura on the spot and recovered a motorcycle (PB02-BF-3970) from their possession.

Meanwhile, their accomplice Amar Singh, alias Sunny, escaped with the snatched gold chain.

A case under sections 382 and 34 of the IPC was registered at the Civil Lines police station on September 25. — TNS

Amritsar, October 1
Punjab Shiromani Kavi Parminderjit’s anthology of poems is a versatile, multipurpose and refreshing repository of Punjabi language. The book hit the stands recently.

Named ‘Tan Takiya’, the book reflects thoughts and observations of the poet on globalisation and free economy.

Before having a glance at the kind of poems, its message and entertainment qualities, it would be worth to know the meaning of the title.

In Punjabi, the word ‘Tan’ is used for the body while ‘Takiya’ as an abode of a ‘Fakir’ (ascetic), who abandons materialistic objects of the world to experience supreme bliss through human beings.

Hence, title of the book stands for that the human body is a place where all kind of activities take place in one’s lifetime. Body is the closest companion of soul.

The poet conveys to his readers that life is not less than odyssey. Another renowned Punjabi litterateur Swarajbir in his reaction to ‘Tan Takiya’ said it explored new horizons of life and offered an outline of hope and faith. “Nevertheless it is not a compilation of passive feelings of a poet looking for globalisation”, he added.

Human relations even acquaintances of his parents are of significance which inspired him to write about them to express his gratitude. The poem “Maa Di Saheli”, whom the poet met in the street, was no less than a blood relation as he reminds him of his late mother.

The IAAPA Canada had acknowledged his contribution to the Punjabi language in general and poetry in particular.

Editor of a monthly Punjabi magazine “Akkhar”, perhaps the only journal in Punjabi devoted to poetry, he began publishing and editing “Akkhar” in 1997, after having been associated with another Punjabi literary magazine “Lo” for a decade.

His literary career started with the publication of his book of poetry, “Likhtum Parminderjit”. He carved out an honourable space for himself in Punjabi poetry by writing “College Kitab” (1973), “Likhtum Parminderjit” (1981), “Meri Marfat” (2000) and “Bachpan, Ghar Te Main”.

His characteristic poetic style is to unfold the social issues in a poignant way besides, lively expressing human relations and dilemmas. He did not hold back in touching the pinching social topics considered taboos some years ago. His poetry stirs heart and forces his readers to ponder over them. “Meri Marfat” remained in the university’s MA (Punjabi)-II curriculum for three years.

He was honoured with the Kalam Puraskar by the Komantri Lekhak Manch. He has been given a number of awards, including the Safdar Hashmi Puraskar, Bawa Balwant Kavya Puraskar, Janwadi Kavita Puraskar and Maulvi Gulam Rasul Yaadgari Puraskar.