Ludhiana, October 27
Makkhan Singh, a key member of the Babbar Khalsa International, who was nabbed by a joint team of the special task force (STF) and Khanna police from Uttar Pradesh's Siddharth Nagar district on October 24, was planning an explosion at dera of spiritual guru, Ashutosh, at Noor Mehal. This was claimed by the Khanna police today.

Besides planning an explosion at the dera, Makkhan Singh, alias Dyal Singh, along with his aide, Karanvir Singh, another dreaded terrorist, who fled from the custody of Hoshiarpur police a few days ago, was also planning an explosion at a shrine near Khem Karan . The Babbar ultras were eyeing the shrine as it is located near the border and devotees from India and Pakistan visit the place.

According to the police, Makkhan Singh, hailing from Noorpur in Doaba region of the state, canceled his plan after the intelligences agencies, after a tip-off sounded an alert.

DIG, Paramraj Umranangal, said Makkhan had left India in 1987 and lived in different countries, including the USA. About his connections with Babbar Khalsa chief, Makkhan revealed that he came in contact with Babbar terrorists through one Tara Singh whom he met in California.

Chandigarh, October 27
Punjab BJP has finally, had its way with Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal agreeing to finance the development of BJP constituencies by availing a loan of Rs 1,100 crore from a consortium of banks, a meeting for which was held here today.

Punjab BJP legislative party leader and Local Bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, while confirming the development to TNS said he had discussed the matter with the Chief minister and a meeting in this regard would be held. today evening.

The minister said the Finance Secretary and bank officials would attend the meeting. “We are going to ask the banks for a loan of Rs 1,100 crore which will be guaranteed by the government”, he said adding the urban local bodies would not be burdened with loan repayments on this score. Kalia said the money would be transferred to the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company, which would undertake development work in urban areas.

The party had expressed its displeasure to the Chief Minister a few months back when it learnt that Rs 700 crore had been handed over to the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board to undertake development work in Akali constituencies situated in urban areas ignoring the BJP constituencies.

Kalia, when questioned on the issue, said, “Yes, they (SAD) have compensated us”. He went on to say that the BJP was being given fair treatment in the coalition.

Meanwhile, according to the plan worked out by BJP legislators as well as councilors will recommend development work needed to be undertaken in their constituencies. Only work, which can be completed within a span of eight to nine months, will be taken up so that legislators can take credit for the same in the next assembly election due in fourteen months time.

According to the present formula, the corporations of Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar will get Rs 100 crores each. As many as eight BJP constituencies are located in the territorial limits of these corporations. Besides this, ‘A’ class municipalities will get Rs 10 crore each, B class municipalities Rs 5 crore and C class Rs 3 crore each.

Patiala, October 27
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has ordered Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to recruit 5,000 linemen on a contract basis at a lumpsum salary of Rs 10,000 per month within 10 days.

Confirming this, Patiala Deputy Commissioner, Dipinder Singh, stated that representatives of the Unemployed Linemen Union, Punjab, today met Badal in Chandigarh and following the assurance, the protesting union members have ended their fast.

For the past one week, the Union members were protesting for the recruitment of the unemployed linemen in PSPCL. The union members had even defied court orders, prohibiting protest within 100m radius of the PSPCL headquarters.

A few days back, when the protesting union activists locked the gates of the PSPCL headquarters, the police had to be called. “A deputation of the union, led by its senior leader Rajinder Singh met the CM in Chandigarh today. After listening to the members, Badal directed the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of PSPCL to ensure completion of the recruitment process on merit in the next 10 days,” informed Dipinder.

Chandigarh, October 27
The SAD - BJP government is in for a two-pronged battle with newly appointed Punjab Pradesh Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh in the midst of finalising a state tour, even as former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal is getting a good response prior to his November 14 visit to Darbar Sahib in Amritsar.

According to Amarinder’s confidant and Talwandi Sabo legislator Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, the PPCC president would undertake a tour of the complete state after paying obeisance at the golden temple and Durgiana mandir in Amritsar.

Amarinder is likely to visit Amritsar on Friday or Saturday. Before that he is likely to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He is also meeting Congress leaders and workers at Punjab Bhawan in Delhi tomorrow.

Sidhu claimed the Akalis had been shaken by Amarinder’s appointment and that even senior SAD leaders had rung up the PPCC president to congratulate him. “This shows all is not well in the SAD, particularly amongst the senior leadership which is against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal’s proposed elevation as Chief Minister”, he added.

Meanwhile, reports reaching here indicate that there is a competition going on in practically all towns and cities to put up posters and placards congratulating Amarinder on this elevation.

Former Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal is also making attempts to put up a good show in Amritsar on November 14, which coupled with Amarinder’s visit, is a concern for the SAD.

Amarinder confidant Gurjit Singh Lalli Jawanda from Dhuri said party rank and file had come out in support of the new PPCC chief and that leaders had rejoiced at the development by putting up advertisements in support of Amarinder in the print media besides taking out “victory” processions in towns.

The SAD has, as a matter of strategy, decided not to give any “importance” to Amarinder’s appointment and is trying to project a business as usual approach. Its coalition partner the BJP is adopting a strident posture. Its legislature party leader Manoranjan Kalia when contacted termed the appointment as “old wine in new bottle”.

Kalia claimed the appointment would not make any difference to the BJP as the party had come out victorious in all urban areas during the last assembly elections when Amarinder was the Chief Minister. “We have taken care of our segments and made visible changes in all major towns which would ensure us even more goodwill this time around”, he added. 

Bathinda, October 27
Students, including the pass-outs of Adesh College of Pharmacy, Bathinda, which is a part of the Adesh Group of Medical Institutions, are feeling cheated and are apprehensive about their future as the Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharmacy) course being run by the college for the past four years is yet to get affiliation from the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).

Blaming the college authorities for spoiling their career, students rued, “Without affiliation to the PCI, a diploma holder cannot get enrolled with any pharmacy council, which means that the certificates we have are nothing, but a mere piece of paper. Even after spending a lot of money and two years, we are eligible neither for opening a medical store nor for employment with any medical institution in the state.”

Students said the college was started in 2006 with 60 seats without prior affiliation from the PCI. Putting forward the claim that all formalities had been completed and the PCI was about to issue the affiliation certificate, the authorities concerned kept parrying the queries from pass-outs and allured students in fresh batches.

At present, the college is running fourth and fifth batches of the D Pharmacy course but the affiliation is yet to come.

Irked over the harassment, a delegation of pass-out students met the Bathinda DC and apprised him of the situation yesterday.

During the meeting, students warned the administration to get the matter resolved soon otherwise, they would go to any extent.

They further said they would lodge a massive protest against the college authorities.

Speaking to The Tribune, some of the students said they had somehow got private jobs, but after the employers came to know that they did not have affiliation with the Punjab Pharmacy Council, Chandigarh, they issued notices to us.

“Befooling us, the college authorities did not even bother to think that their haste to mint money would not only cost a student the fee (Rs 22,000 per annum), but also the precious years of his life,” rued a pass-out of the first batch.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Gurkirat Kirpal Singh has marked an inquiry to the ADC (D), who would submit his report after probing the case and recording the statements of both parties.

However, Sarabjit Singh Brar, Principal of the college, refuted the allegations of cheating the students.

“We had applied for the affiliation on time but the delay was on the part of the PCI. Observing the gravity of the situation, we kept on pressing the council authorities. They have recently conducted an inspection of the college. We hope to get the affiliation very soon,” claimed the principal.

Jalandhar, October 27
Former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who made a quick visit to the Doaba region today, said the debt worth Rs 71,000 had already become unsustainable and if the present trend continued Punjab would become a failed state in due course.

In case the debt burden was not lightened, the state could default in the payment of instalments of interest and principal to off load the debt.

He said keeping in view the heavy debt burden, the Centre had directed the state to set up a sinking fund, which meant setting aside money to pay the debt instalments.

Manpreet said he had never talked about stopping the social welfare schemes such as the Shagun scheme, atta-dal scheme and old age pension etc., neither the Centre had laid any condition to stop such schemes.

“SAD President and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was playing with the emotions of poor people and misleading them by spreading lies in this regard,” he said.

Manpreet, who got support from the local Bar Association and its members, said he did not even talk about eliminating the power subsidy to the farm sector completely.

“I am all for giving power subsidy to small farmers but as far as rich farmers are concerned, there was no logic behind giving subsidised power to them,” he said.

Out in the field to mobilise people for his November 14 visit to the Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir and the Jallianwala Bagh, Manpreet said: “My fight would be to free the state from corruption, bad governance, poverty and drugs.”

When asked about when Sukhbir would be made the Chief Minister, Manpreet said it was an internal matter of the SAD with which he had nothing to do now because he was no longer its member.

Amritsar, October 27
With the SGPC general elections due to take place in March next year, Avtar Singh Makkar is likely to retain his post of the SGPC president for the sixth consecutive term when the committee elects its office-bearers on November 16 here.

Makkar’s position has been bolstered by various reasons. First, the SGPC general elections are round the corner and the SAD may not prefer a new committee head, particularly in view of the changed political scenario in the state after the exit of Manpreet Badal.

Secondly, all along his tenure, Makkar has been loyal to the party and also the Badal family. He also has a clean image with no corruption charges against him.

Lastly, he neither resorted to factionalism nor promoted it in the SGPC during his term.

It has been a smooth sailing for Makkar in the last five years except for the crisis created by the demand for a separate gurdwara committee in the neighbouring state of Haryana. However, the SGPC successfully dealt with the issue with the help of the SAD-led state government and the Centre, and didn’t allow any division.

Also during his tenure, the committee widened its reach by setting up Sikh Mission Kendars for promoting Sikhism in other states of the country.

The SGPC House has a total of 190 members, including 170 elected members, 15 nominated members and 5 Jathedars. All of them, except the Jathedars, have the voting rights. The SAD has a clear majority in the House with over 130 members.Though around 10 SGPC members, mostly from the SAD, have passed away in the last few years, it would have little impact on the poll outcome.

Kapurthala, October 27
If Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star, Dalip Singh Rana alias ‘the Great Khali’ were to travel in India’s first air-conditioned (AC) double-decker train, their journey will not be so smooth.

Not just Big B and Khali, but every person with height above six feet, will have to face a similar difficulty travelling by this train. As the height of the coach from its deck is just six feet, it will not be convenient for tall passengers.

The first AC double-decker train will run between Howrah in West Bengal and Dhanbad in Jharkhand, falling under the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway, Kolkata, within the next few days.

Earlier, Railway Coach Factory (RCF) here rolled out an AC rake comprising eight double-decker and two power-car coaches on October 16.

Though the overall height of the double-decker coach was increased marginally by 4.5 inches, they had no option but to keep height of the coach from its deck just six feet, the RCF authorities said.

Further, the luggage racks right above the seats on both sides of the coaches are too low which will add to the difficulty of passengers.

Talking to The Tribune, Bansal said several more possible modifications would be done while preparing more such rakes to make travel of passengers easier. To a query, Bansal said RCF would prepare two such rakes in the next financial year.

Questions have been raised why the train was not being run on profitable routes like between Amritsar and Delhi or between Mumbai and Pune, instead of running in Mamta’s own state.

Meanwhile, RCF authorities said it took about four months for manufacturing this rake after getting final go ahead in July following oscillation trials of its first prototype of AC double decker coach. Earlier, RCF rolled out the first prototype for oscillation trials within a record time of nine months on March 31, this year.

The new AC double decker coaches are capable of running at a speed of 160 KMPH against that of 110 KMPH of ordinary trains.

Patiala, October 27
what may be termed as an environment-friendly initiative, Patiala Foundation, an NGO, today launched the Patiala Green Cabs - an eco-friendly rickshaw service, which would be available to user on a telephone call in the royal city of Patiala.

A function in this regard was held at Rajindra Gymkhana and Mahendra Club, where chairman Patiala District Planning Committee Surjit Singh Rakhra and Patiala Divisional Commissioner GS Grewal formally flagged off the rickshaws.

Equipped with FM radio sets and first-aid kits, the rickshaws are made of metal only. “The traditional rickshaw were made of wood having weight of 100-110 kg but the Patiala Green Cabs are made of metal and weigh only 85-90 kg. This will reduce immense physical stress on rickshaw pullers and because of their aerodynamic design, it will be easier to ply,” said, Ravee Singh Aahluwalia, the general secretary of Patiala Foundation and the brainchild behind the project.

Aahluwalia said one rickshaw would cost them Rs 9,700 and they are getting them manufactured from a unit in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh). “We have divided Patiala city into 12 zones and every zone would spread over an area of 1.5-km radius. To begin with we have launched the project in one zone of Leela Bhawan, where 10 such rickshaws will ply,” he said, while adding that they would be giving these rickshaws to the rickshaw pullers at a nominal daily rent of Rs 20.

“We would be providing uniform, identity card and health insurance of Rs 1 lakh to a rickshaw puller and if there is no complaint of the rickshaw pullers plying the Patiala Green Cabs for a period of 15 months, the rickshaw puller will be given the ownership of the rickshaw,” said Aahluwalia. He further said the entire project was being funded by their NGO and gradually the project would be implemented in entire city. “The basic idea is to project the Patiala Green Cabs to promote eco-friendly, short distance mode of transport, besides offering a sustainable livelihood to rickshaw pullers also,” he added.

Chandigarh, October 27
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave a nod to set up a NCC Academy for boys and girls at Ropar over an area of 7.5 acre at a cost of nearly Rs 25 crore. A decision to this effect was taken by Badal at a meeting chaired by him at his residence this morning.

Disclosing this a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said the state-of-the-art academy to be built at Ropar would offer best training facilities to the NCC cadets in the Army, the Navy and the air wings equipped with the latest infrastructure.

Taking part in the deliberations, Badal also asked the Additional Director General NCC, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Maj General Mohabat Singh Virk to expedite the process to establish the NCC unit for girls at Danewal in Muktsar district over an area of 5.5 acre, the land for which had already been identified by the state government. He also asked the ADG NCC to immediately finalise the requisite formalities for setting up of the Remount & Veterinary (R&V) squadron at Ghudda village in Bathinda district at a cost of Rs 2.93 crore for which the Ministry of Defence and the GoI had already given its approval.

Badal also directed the Punjab Chief Architect to immediately prepare the site plans of the upcoming academy at Ropar, the R&V squadron at Ghudda and the NCC unit for girls at Danewal in consultation with the ADG NCC and coordinate with the PWD (B&R) Department for the execution of these projects in a time-bound manner.

The Chief Minister said the underlying objective of these projects was to give impetus to the NCC training so that the unbounded energy of the youth could be channelised in a constructive manner thereby weaning them a way from the menace of drugs.

Meanwhile, the Group Commander of NCC Ludhiana Col GPS Sawhney apprised the Chief Minister that at present 49,000 NCC cadets from different educational institutions were being imparted training in the various camps organised from time to time under the supervision of group headquarters at Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala across the state. He also urged the Chief Minster to allow additional funds of Rs 15 lakh in state annual budget allocation for the NCC activities besides setting up permanent installations of the NCC group units at Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala.

Patiala, October 27
State Information Commissioner PK Verma has issued show cause notice to Public Information Officers (PIOs) of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the Patiala District Administration for causing delay in supplying the information sought by Jatinder Jain of NGO Sankalp under the RTI Act 2005.

In its orders dated October 21, Verma has mentioned that PPCB PIO and Patiala ADC-cum-PIO, District Administration, APS Virk, should explain that why penalty should not be imposed upon them under Section 20 of the RTI Act 2005.

Notably, Jain has been pursuing the matter of unfit water of Arnetu village, coming under Pattran subdivision of district. He had made complaints about water problem of Arnetu to the PPCM, Patiala District Administration and Civil Surgeon Office early this year.

Subsequently, the PPCB took samples of water and found that the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is extremely high in water of Arnetu. Subsequently, on May 13, 2010, Jain sought information from the PPCB, District Administration and Civil Surgeon Office about the action taken on the complaints sent by him.

Verma in its orders mentioned that complainant has stated that though he got information but not in the stipulated time period of 30 days.

“It was only after I approached the State Information Commission (SIC) that the PPCB supplied information to me on September 24, 2010.

The Patiala Administration supplied information in October,” Jain said.

Meanwhile, the SIC orders read, “The grievance of the complainant regarding the delay, which has been caused appears to be justified.

The PIO of the PPCB and Virk are directed to submit explanation that why the provision of Section 7 (1) of the RTI Act 2005, which makes it mandatory that information has to be supplied within 30 days of the date of receipt of the application, was not observed in this case and hence why the penalty as prescribed in Section 20 of the RTI Act 2005 should not be imposed upon them.”

The orders also mentioned that explanation of both PIO’s should be submitted to the court on the next date of hearing on November 11, 2010. 

Faridkot, October 27
The Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, has cancelled the affiliation of four dental and three ayurvedic colleges of the state for not fulfilling the prescribed norms to run the colleges.

Confirming this to The Tribune, Dr SS Gill, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the Dental Council of India (DCI) had withdrawn recognition from four dental colleges of the state, following which, the university had cancelled their affiliation. These dental colleges include Adesh Dental College, Bathinda; Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Dental College, Ludhiana; and Sukhmani Dental

College, Dera Bassi. These colleges have been barred from giving admissions to students to the degree course in dental sciences.

The DCI had de-recognised as many as 39 out of the total 289 dental colleges across the country. None of these de-recognised institutions have been allowed to admit students in the first year classes for 2010-11.

The three ayurvedic colleges whose affiliations have been cancelled by BFUHS are Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha Ayurvedic College, Ludhiana; Guru Nanak Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Muktsar; and Saint Sahara Ayurvedic College of Bathinda. The Central Council of Indian System of Medicines have also barred them from conducting admissions in the degree courses for the academic session 2010-2011, confirmed Dr Gill.

Barnala, October 27
The Central team, which toured Sangrur and Barnala districts to assess the diminished quality of paddy, had to face farmers’ ire as four of its members were allegedly held hostage by farmers at Dhanaula here today.

Sources said farmers held hostage four members of the team at the Grain Market here and did not allow them to get down from there vehicle. The four members were allowed to go by the farmers only after the intervention of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Barnala Harjeet Singh and DSP Barnala (city) Rupinder Bhardwaj who assured the farmers of positive results.

The ADC and the DSP is believed to have told farmers that the team will access the loss in quality of the paddy to the Union Agriculture Ministry following which the Centre will address the concerns of farmers.

Chandigarh, October 27
Even as the state today claimed further inquiry was not required in the case of Kapurthala resident Roor Singh’s custodial death, the Punjab and Haryana High Court not only issued notice to the CBI, but also did not pass any order on the anticipatory bail plea of accused cop Gurmukh Singh.

Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ajay Tewari asserted no further orders were required at the moment on the anticipatory bail plea, while directing the handing over of documents to the Centre’s counsel, Onkar Batalvi.

As the case came up, the affidavit of DSP, Bholath subdivision, Babir Singh, was placed before the Bench stating guilty officials were already being proceeded against.

The affidavit added it could safely be assumed that Roor Singh could have procured the insecticide from the police station itself. It could have been available in the police station compound or the nearby places.

A report, earlier submitted to the HC says, SI Gurmukh Singh, ASI Ajit Singh, MHC Manjit Singh and AMHC Gurnam Singh have been found guilty; and DSP Mahinder Singh and Kapurthala SP(D) Sukhwinder Singh should be proceeded against departmentally for failing to make Roor Singh’s custody safe.

Already, the HC has directed the payment of Rs one lakh as interim compensation to kin of Roor Singh. Roor Singh of Nurpur Jattan village had died in Dhilwan police station in Kapurthala district, allegedly, due to poisoning during his illegal detention. The arrest was made allegedly for possessing over Rs 92,000 in fake currency. Congress legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira had alleged the accused were being shielded by the district administration at the behest of the ruling party.