Chandigarh, October 16
About 116 years after the Prison Act came into existence, a new “Punjab Prison and Correctional Services Act” has been drafted for the state, in which there is no bar on reformation. At the same time, the staff has the liberty to maintain discipline within the prison’s four walls without using coercive methods.

In fact, the very title has the component of “correction” in it. The development is significant, as so far only West Bengal and New Delhi have replaced the old Prison Act. Designed by the British, it focused more on punishment. Reformation was, of course, not on the top of the agenda.

But all this is going to be a thing of the past. For, torture, cruelty and demeaning treatment permitted to an extent in the old Act have given way to right to dignity, basic minimum needs and access to law in the new Act.

Punishments with shades of degradation are barred. But, the prisoners are duty bound not to make false, exaggerated complaints and abide by all prison rules and regulations. Special emphasis is on gender issues, and the draft incorporates the latest developments in national and international laws. A committee, headed by deputy director of Institute for Correctional Administration Dr Upneet Lalli, has been drafted. The other members are former additional director-general (prisons) BS Sandhu and DIG (prisons) Jagjit Singh.

For drafting the Act, discussions have been held with stakeholders, including Punjab Jail Minister Hira Singh Gabria and DG (prisons) Anil Kaushik. Gabria has all along been insisting on overhauling the prison administration to meet the challenges it is presently facing.

Dr Lalli said, “The Prison Act of 1894 was enacted 116 years back in conditions radically different from those prevailing now. Need of the hour is to revisit the Act with a progressive legislation based on the correctional and rehabilitation philosophy accepted the world over by democratic polity.”

To begin with, the Prison Department shall be re-designated as Department of Prisons and Correctional Services, in sync with the very purpose of the new Act. The difference will not just be restricted to the name, but also the very functioning of the department. The new role assigned would entail institutional care, treatment, aftercare, probation and other non-institutional services.

The other salient features include different categories of prisons. Special security prison will be for dangerous, violent, escapees, riotous and difficult prisoners. On the other hand, maximum-security prison will be for terrorists, professional, and organised criminal careerist. The medium security prison will be for adult prisoners, who are non-recidivists.

Amritsar, October 16
Air India’s impending withdrawal of Amritsar-London-Toronto flight from October 31 has stalled work on taxi track to be laid at Rajasansi International Airport.

It is reliably learnt that the local authorities of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have withheld the report regarding the setting up of a taxi track parallel to the 3,658-metre runway from being forwarded to its Delhi headquarters.

The AAI head office had directed the local functionaries to explore the possibilities for setting up of the taxi track to bring down the runway occupancy and to submit the proposal. The state government had handed over 44 acres of land adjoining to the International Airport to the AAI to expand it as per the world class specifications in October 2009.

As per the plan, out of 44 acres, 33 acres were earmarked for constructing a parallel taxi track, which is expected to enable the authorities to increase the runway take off capacity from presently 12 aircrafts to 30 in an hour. The sources said the proposal was almost at the final stage when the news of the flight discontinuation came like a bolt from the blue. The proposal was held back as it may not bring the positive result at this juncture, said a senior functionary.

Even as the national carrier is reluctant to reverse its decision to withdraw the direct Amritsar-London-Toronto flight from the Amritsar Airport on the premise that it would operate two separate daily flights to London and Toronto from Amritsar with a stopover in Delhi, but it is yet to be seen whether the alternative arrangement would find favour with the passengers.

Ludhiana, October 16
Asking the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to act tough with the civil hospitals of the state, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued strict instructions to the former to ensure compliance of the biomedical waste (management and handling) rules 1998.

In a recent letter addressed to the PPCB member secretary, the CPCB has referred to the complaint made by the Anti-Corruption and Crime Investigating Cell, a Ludhiana-based NGO towards the ongoing violation of the biomedical waste rules 1998 at the civil/government hospitals in Punjab.

Rohit Sabharwal, the president of Anti-Corruption and Crime Investigating Cell, brought the matter to the notice of the CPCB. Further taking into consideration the incomplete annual reports of the civil hospitals on the biomedical waste management as was reported in The Tribune on July 1, the CPCB has instructed the PPCB to put the annual reports of all civil hospitals of year 2009 on its official website www.cpcb.nic.in.

A random inspection of the hospitals must be done followed by action against defaulters, states the letter from the CPCB. The CPCB has also directed the PPCB to take immediate action against the BMW violation at ESIC Model Hospital in Ludhiana, which was found guilty in the report submitted by the PPCB officials.

Also, the PPCB has been asked to submit the factual report and the action taken against the ESIC Hospital on priority. In another letter written to the state pollution control board, including the PPCB, the CPCB has pointed towards the major violation in dealing with the management of “waste sharps”, which include needles and syringes.

The CPCB stated that needles and syringes were required to be treated for disinfections through chemical treatment/autoclaving/microwaving, mutilation and shredding. But, the reports of positive pathogen test in brand new syringes bought by hospitals points towards the recycling of syringes, which is not permitted under the BMW rules, reads the letter.

The CPCB has called upon the state pollution control board to take action against the erring hospitals and create public awareness on the issue of proper collection, packing, treatment and disposal of the BMW through advertisements in electronic and print media.

Patiala, October 16
Balwant Singh, who has been awarded death penalty in the Beant Singh assassination case, has announced to donate his eyes and other body parts.In a letter sent in this regard through his foster sister Kamaldeep Kaur, to Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Balwant has expressed his desire that after his death, his eyes should be transplanted to Hazoori Raagi at Darbar Sahib Bhai Lakhwinder Singh, who is visually impaired.

In case, due to medical reasons, if it is not possible to transplant my eyes to Lakhwinder, then my eyes should light someone’s life, the letter reads.

Kamaldeep Kaur said after his death, his body parts including kidneys, heart etc should also be donated. Balwant is native of Rajoaana Kalan village of Raikot, Ludhiana.

Chhateana (Gidderbaha), October 16
For Manpreet Singh Badal and his supporters, it was an unexpectedly responsive crowd that participated in Manpreet’s maiden rally that he organised here today after being sacked from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s ministry.

The venue of the rally that was initially inside the Gurdwara Guptsar was later shifted outside, as the place was too small to accommodate the participants who had come from different areas. Manpreet’s father, Gurdas Singh Badal, who is the younger brother of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, listened to the speeches while sitting in his vehicle.

However, senior leaders of the ruling SAD and SGPC members from the Gidderbaha Assembly constituency were conspicuous by their absence.

Manpreet Singh avoided direct attack on Parkash Singh Badal or Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh and confined himself to highlighting the alarmingly bad financial position of Punjab.

Other speakers alleged that despite threats by top officers of Muktsar district administration, people had come out to show solidarity with Manpreet Singh.

Manpreet Singh said he won every election after launching his election campaign from the Guptsar Gurdwara and had now come to seek blessings for the restoration of the prestige of Punjab. A door-to-door campaign would be launched in Punjab to apprise the people about the financial problems faced by the state.

The participants rejected by waving their hands Manpreet’s offer to resign from the Assembly seat if the people wanted him to do so.

He claimed that although he had met Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to seek a debt waiver that was in the interest of Punjab, certain leaders of the SAD started getting nervous as if the step would make “my” stature in Punjab politics taller than theirs. When the government at the Centre was trying to find a solution through dialogue to the vexed problems of Naxalism, Kashmir and Pakistan, what was the harm in my meeting with the Union Minister for a debt waiver that would bring prosperity in Punjab, he asked.

He described his ouster from the ministry and suspension from the SAD as his “political slaughter”.

Later while talking to mediapersons, Manpreet Singh denied that he was planning to topple the SAD-BJP combine government. “My resignation from the ministry was based on principles and not for toppling the government,” he said.

“I never sought political space in Punjab and confined myself to financial matters that were within my domain in my capacity as Finance Minister of the state. I never defied any whip of the party but only apprised them of the pitfalls due to the rising debt,” he said.

When asked about his future plans, Manpreet Singh said it couldn’t be decided within 48 hours after coming out of the government. “I need at least 100 days to formulate my future course of action.”

He said it was unfortunate that the deteriorating financial position of the state had never been on the Centre stage of the political agenda in Punjab.

Manpreet Singh said he had not yet decided whether to involve himself with the coming elections of the SGPC.

Among the participants in the rally were Jagbir Singh, MLA of Jalandhar district, Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, former MLA of Faridkot, Gurjant Singh, former MLA of Sriganganagar (Rajasthan), Kuldeep Singh Dhos, former SGPC member, and Honey Fattanwalia, chairman, Market committee, Muktsar.

Though Manpreet Singh termed the rally a success much beyond his expectations, some of the prominent SAD leaders from the Gidderbaha constituency claimed that it was a “flop show”. 

Ludhiana, October 16
State Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla denied having taken any individual stand for former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, adding that she will stand by the decisions of her party.

Speaking about her absence from the BJP party meeting held in Jalandhar yesterday, Chawla said, "I had a prior engagement, but that does not imply that there is a difference of opinion between me and my party leaders."

The minister was in Ludhiana today to lay foundation stone of 50-bed Ayurvedic Hospital and to attend a function at Hero DMC Heart Institute, organised for the 250 children operated for congenital heart disorders.

When asked about her letter written to CM Parkash Singh Badal that appeared in a vernacular daily, Chawla said, "I am shocked about the leak of the letter as it was confidential and was written to the CM almost 25 days back, before the Finance Minister episode."

However, the minister maintained that she had not given any controversial statement in her letter adding, "It is in good taste to take up a matter with the CM and make some suggestions for the same."

Jalandhar, October 16
The Congress and the CPI have questioned the use of intelligence agencies to achieve political ends by parties in power.National leader of the CPI Joginder Dayal today said intelligence officials were being used as a tool to perpetuate the rule of parties in power in various parts of the country.

He said such a trend in Punjab had assumed worrying proportions. He said even the Central Government had been using its agencies for political purposes and got political surveys conducted before parliamentary elections to gauge its popularity.

He said political parties in power had been using intelligence officials to keep watch on their opponents outside and inside parties. “Are political opponents anti-national people on which spying has to be done by ruling parties?” asked Dr Dayal.

Senior Congress leader and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said intelligence officials intruded into the private lives of politicians and other persons such as mediapersons by recording their phone calls with highly sophisticated equipment. He said there could be no bigger crime than interfering in the private lives of mainstream political activists. He said the misuse of intelligence officials during the present SAD-BJP government had become more pronounced. “ In developed countries and mature democracies, the government fell if spying on political opponents was exposed,” he said.

Nangal, October 16
Nangal to Howrah, Gurmukhi Express Sewa, was flagged off today from Nangal railway station.Social worker OP Khanna and station supervisor Saroop Singh flagged off the train after conducting a small religious ceremony.

The train will start from Nangal every Saturday at 7 am. It will return from Howrah at 7:40 am on every Thursday and will reach at 3:40 am every Friday.

Train will stop at stations Sri Anandpur Sahib, Ambala cantonment, Muradabad, Lucknow, Mughalsarai, Patna, Asanpur, Keol, Varanasi and reach Howrah.

Today, as many as 61 passengers travelled in this train and the number of passengers is expected to increase.

Chandigarh, October 16
After the trial running for eight years, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), JS Sidhu, Chandigarh, today dismissed two defamation cases filed by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal against the former Congress Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh after the complainant in both the cases withdrew his complaints.

During the course of trial, Chief Judicial Magistrate had cross examined the current Punjab Chief Minister twice.

In the first criminal case, Sukhbir had filed a complaint against Captain Amarinder in February 2002 under Sections 499 (Defamation) and 500 (Punishment for Defamation) of the IPC for defaming him and his family by levelling false and baseless allegations through posters published in various newspapers before the Punjab Assembly elections.

The statement of Sukhbir was recorded in the case along with a few other witnesses by way of preliminary evidence and the same was closed on February 8, 2002. The witnesses the court of then CJM CL Mohal issued summons against Captain Amarinder Singh.

The second case was filed by Prakash Singh Badal after the Assembly elections of 2002 under Sections 499 (Defamation) and 500 (Punishment for Defamation) of the IPC against Captain Amarinder on August 12, 2002.

Chandigarh, October 16
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has initiated the process of serving notices to corporate houses and government departments through e-mail. The process is not only expected to streamline the justice delivery system, but also go a long way in helping petitioners seeking urgent interim relief.

The process follows the issuance of a circular by the Supreme Court of India in July, suggesting the serving of notices to government departments and corporates through e-mail. Punjab Additional Advocate-General Rupinder Khosla had brought the circular to the Chief Justice’s notice. Taking cognisance on Khosla’s communication, the Bench had directed the high court registrar to look into the matter.

According to the proposal, counsel of petitioner, while filing the petition, could also supply a soft copy of the petition and the e-mail ids of respondents to the high court registry. In case the Bench issued a notice to respondents, the notice along with the petition’s copy could be mailed to the respondents. — TNS