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Thousands of quintals of wheat damaged
Foodgrains rot in the open
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Despite govt’s assurance, non-gazetted power staff continue strike
Patiala, December 9 Notwithstanding the assurance given by the management of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) that the Punjab Government has accepted several demands of the protesting employees of the PSPCL and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL), non-gazetted employees continued the strike for the second consecutive day.
Rs 1,300 cr for Punjab roads
Scribe in legal battle against Sukhbir attacked
Admission to NDA: Government to undertake boys’ training
Badal yet to approve policy on tainted cops
It’s season of yatras in state
Chief Khalsa Diwan to set up 2 Adarsh Schools
Jail staff suspended for beating inmate
Plan to provide potable water to villages
Mann moves HC for retrial of Badal case
Blast at Crackers Factory
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Thousands of quintals of wheat damaged
Ferozepur, December 9 On getting information, Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav has asked SK Sharma, district manager, Punsup, to explain to him as to how much quantity of wheat had been damaged and what were the reasons that caused damage to the wheat stock. Yadav said Sharma would give him a detailed report by tomorrow. It is learnt that thousands of bags were stored by Punsup authorities in a local rice mill over a plinth last year. A few months ago, when the wheat bags from this plinth were being loaded in a goods train for transportation to other areas by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) authorities, sand and sandstones in a large quantity were found in the bags. The FCI authorities immediately stopped the transportation of the wheat bags. An inquiry was launched by Punsup authorities and a few officials were placed under suspension. However, the wheat stock kept on lying in the rice mill over the plinth. Sharma said a high-level committee had been set up by Punsup authorities to handle the wheat stock lying in the rice mill over a plinth. He added that the level of the plinth, which was taken on rent by the official concerned of Punsup, was low.
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Foodgrains rot in the open
Ranwan, December 9 The entire procured stock is stored at the godowns. Owing to the casual approach, the lots to be lifted within six months of procurement, have been stored for the past more than two and a half years. The rotten wheat will be sold at low prices. Hundreds of tons of food grains have been sold by the government at a cost of mere Rs 1.33 per kg. Officials of Punjab Agro said the rotten 6,500 MT paddy, purchased in 2007, would not be able to fetch more than Rs 250 per quintal. Punsup officials said their agency had purchased 8,000 metric ton of wheat for 2009-2010 and 15,000 metric ton for 2010-2011. The entire lot has been rotting in open godowns. As per the guidelines, the food grain should be lifted within six months from open godowns. It becomes difficult to care for the food grains in such godowns, where there is no security or employees to keep a watch. Officials of the Punsup agency in Khamano said 3,500 quintal of paddy, worth around Rs 35 lakh was reported missing from a godown near Ranwan. An enquiry is pending in this regard. An inspector of the Markfed said 25,000 MT of wheat purchased by their agency was yet to be lifted, besides 6,000 MT wheat of the Punjab Agro. This wheat will soon damage. The government is not concerned about the pending stock, which is yet to be cleared and the next wheat season beginning in five months. The officials of the procurement agencies said the amount of rotting food grains lying in various godowns was expected to cross Rs 50 crore. The senior functionaries said the matter had been brought to the notice of top officials, but to no avail. They said the labourers were adamant for their demands, including permanent posts for them.
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Despite govt’s assurance, non-gazetted power staff continue strike
Patiala, December 9 However, its effect was less today, as according to power corporation officials, some of the employees union did not observe the strike. The protesting employees were adamant that their agitation would continue till the government issued written orders regarding the acceptance of their demands. On the other hand, the PSPCL management claimed that the effect of the strike was negligible and there was no major power breakdown in the state. Employees Joint Forum leaders, including Karamchand Bhardwaj and Surinder Pehalwan, however, said the strike was successful with thousands of employees participating in protest demonstrations. “The PSPCL management is claiming that power supply in the state has not been hit due to the strike. Our forum had already made it clear that we will be staging a protest and boycotting work and not resort to any move to disrupt power supply in Punjab,” they said. State president and general secretary of the Council of Junior Engineers Sawarn Lal and Davinder Singh, respectively, said they had not accepted the appeal of the PSPCL management to withdraw the strike call as the government had only given a verbal assurance that some demands had been accepted. “We want a circular from the government. Besides, we want that all our demands should be accepted,” they added. The council leaders further said they strongly opposed the move of the PSPCL management to abolish a large number of posts of employees. Meanwhile, as per information available, cash counters and complaint centres were operational in some parts of the state. “The strike call was not supported by all employees’ unions and hence the attendance of the staff was quite good today,” claimed a PSPCL spokesperson.
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Rs 1,300 cr for Punjab roads
Patiala, December 9 Dhindsa stated this at the prize distribution function of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Senior Secondary Public School here today. He said since SAD-BJP had came into power in Punjab in 2007, 23 railway over bridges had come up and 13 more would be operational by March 31. “Five mega flyover projects, at an estimated cost of Rs 250 crore, will be initiated soon,” the minister added. Dhindsa said state government would also spend funds to the tune of Rs 350 crore for link roads in the rural areas. Regarding the steps being taken for providing quality education to the students of the rural areas, Dhindsa said Adarsh Schools were being set up in Punjab villages to impart education from pre-nursery to class XII. He said the schools were being set up under the public private partnership mode and would impart free and quality education to the economically poor rural students in all districts. “The main focus of our government is all round development of the state. Ever since SAD-BJP took reins of state, development projects are being launched in Punjab,” he claimed. Dhindsa also laid the foundation stone of the school library. He gave away prizes to the meritorious students and exhorted students to lay emphasis on studies and co-curricular activities. Dhindsa also announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Senior Secondary Public School and Rs 2 lakh for the Government Middle School, Bhanra, Patiala district.
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Scribe in legal battle against Sukhbir attacked
Kotkapura, December 9 Sehgal, who is admitted in the Kotkapura Civil Hospital, said he was allegedly attacked by iron rods on his head by two persons. “I have identified one of the persons and given his name to the police,” he said. He alleged that the assailants had intentionally attacked him just two days before the court hearing against Sukhbir so that he could not appear in the court. The hearing was scheduled for today. Meanwhile, the court of Sangeet Pal Singh has adjourned the attempt to murder case registered against Sukhbir to December 23. The case was registered against Sukhbir and some of his supporters for allegedly assaulting Naresh
Sehgal, when he was covering the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, on June 30, 2006, following directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Sehgal said when he refused to reach a compromise, he was allegedly attacked by two persons. Adding that the police was reluctant to register an FIR even as he had suffered head injuries, Sehgal said he was still under medical observation. “It seems that the police is under the pressure of the Deputy Chief Minister,” he added. However, refuting this allegation, the SHO of the Kotkapura police station, who had recorded Sehgal’s statement, said: “We have entered his complaint in a daily dairy register and facts are being verified.” Faridkot SSP GS Randhawa said the probe was in progress. “Since the allegations are serious, we will conduct a formal inquiry,” he added.
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Admission to NDA: Government to undertake boys’ training
Chandigarh, December 9 A first of its kind venture, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI) could turn out to be a major supplier of officers to Indian defence forces and hopes to get the first student from the institute into the NDA by June 2013. The institute will be fully functional by April 2011 and will conduct a special entrance test on January 30 for the intake of the first batch of 50 boys who will be trained for two years, Major-Gen BS Grewal, Director of the institute, told The Tribune. The institute, beyond the first year, would have a strength of 100 boys. The Punjab Government has announced the setting up of the institute after the number of officers from the state has shown a steady decline over the years. The Indian Army that has a shortage of officers by anywhere between 12 to 13 thousand sees only about 2 per cent of the intake into the force from Punjab. There is a shortage of officers in the Indian Air force and Indian Navy, too, but it is much less than the Army. To further encourage the youth from Punjab to join the armed forces, the state government has announced a stipend of Rs 1 lakh per year for three years (training period) for boys who join the NDA. Giving details of the selection procedure for the MRSAFPI, Major-General Grewal said an entrance test would be held for Class X students of Punjab domicile, followed by an interview, an aptitude test and medical examination. These students should not be born before July 2, 1994. To be conducted on January 30, 2011, at Bathinda, Amritsar and SAS Nagar, the examination would test these students for English and mathematics. Major-General Grewal, who retired recently as Deputy Commandant, NDA, said the boys would be tested for officer-like qualities (OLQ) required for the armed forces. “After selection, the entire training is free, but the students will have to join Shemrock School and pay a subsidised fee for Classes XI and XII. We will take an undertaking from all successful boys that they will appear in the NDA entrance examination and will join the armed forces, if selected,” he said. NDA takes 300 cadets in each term, making it an intake of 600 per year for the three defence forces. With a specialised two-year training at the MRSAFPI, Punjab hopes that it will be able to secure a major share of boys who get selected for the armed forces. The MRSAFPI will provide basic military training, drill and sports facilities for football, hockey, basketball, horse riding, shooting, squash and golf, etc besides assisting boys to prepare for the NDA Entrance Examination and Services Selection Board interview. The administrative wing of the MRSAFPI is currently functioning from the office of the Department of Employment Generation and Training in Sector 17 E, Chandigarh, till it shifts to Mohali soon. The institute can be reached on their email afpi_mohali @ yahoo.com
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Badal yet to approve policy on tainted cops
Chandigarh, December 9 Taking on record the assertion, the Bench fixed January 12 as the next date of hearing in the matter. The matter pertains to the mandate of the Punjab Police Act against the continuation of tainted police officers on plum postings. Taking a serious view of the continuation of tainted police officers on plum postings in alleged violation of the Police Act, 2007, the Bench headed by Justice Mehtab Singh Gill had earlier ruled propriety demanded their removal or transfer.
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It’s season of yatras in state
Chandigarh, December 9 Never before in the history of the state have so many political personalities timed intensive tours of the state simultaneously. Currently former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal is conducting a “Jago Punjab Yatra” to drum up support for his cause after exiting the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). SAD President and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has launched a campaign of his own to limit damage if any from Manpreet’s yatra, including a public meeting in Manpreet’s stronghold of Gidderbaha. There is even competition to catch the attention of the youth with Punjab Youth Congress president Ravneet Singh Bittu and SAD youth wing patron Bikram Singh Majithia already involved in a war of words after Bittu claimed the “Nanhi Chaan” programme launched by Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal was a sham. Now Majithia has decided to launch his own yatra from December 11 under which all district towns would be covered to counter the ongoing statewide “padyatra” of the Youth Congress president. Majithia will focus on social reforms and encourage youth to forsake drugs, almost identical to what Bittu is doing. The organisation of so many programmes nearly 14 months before the Assembly elections is unique because political tempers in Punjab have usually risen only four or five months before the Assembly poll. This time, however, things are different because of the Manpreet factor. The SAD does not want Manpreet’s campaign to gain momentum as he is bound to attract SAD rebels who would damage the party’s prospects in the elections. The Congress, on its part, seems to be making up for lost time. There has been very little organisational activity in the last two years when the party high command was making up its mind whether to make Amarinder President of the Pradesh Congress or not. Party senior leader Lal Singh said that Amarinder Singh would start his tour programme from Sangrur on December 22. Choosing Sangrur is significant as it is also the constituency from which Amarinder Singh’s close associate, Arvind Khanna, is a party ticket aspirant. Lal Singh said a meeting in Tarn Taran on December 24 would follow the Sangrur meeting. Amarinder Singh will criss-cross the state rather than going from one end to another in a bid to build up the tempo in favour of the Congress quickly. He will be covering all district towns in the first phase. The district meetings would be followed by rallies in each of the 117 Assembly segments across the state in the second phase of the
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Chief Khalsa Diwan to set up 2 Adarsh Schools
Amritsar, December 9 The two schools, from pre-nursery to senior secondary levels, will come up at Dhandra in Ludhiana and Naushera Pannua in Tarn Taran. The schools will follow the education pattern of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). These schools will cater to about 1,000 children each and will be equipped with the necessary infrastructure where no fee and funds, etc, whatsoever, will be charged from the rural students. Charanjit Singh Chadha, president of the CKD, said the state government had allotted land for the two schools that would be built at a cost of Rs 8 crore. “The land has been acquired, the lay-out plans have been finalised and the tenders for construction have already been floated. It is estimated that within a year’s time, these schools would be operational,” he said. An agreement has been signed between the CKD and the Punjab Education Development Board (PEDB) wherein the capital cost towards the construction of school buildings would be borne equally by both the parties. “But the operational cost of these schools would be shared on a 70:30 basis (70 per cent by the PEDB and 30 per cent by the CKD). The whole faculty and their salaries besides other infrastructure to run the schools will be our responsibility. It will be our endeavour to hire qualified faculty for the children of deprived sections of society,” he said.
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Jail staff suspended for beating inmate
Ropar, December 9 Sunil Kumar is an under trial under Section 302 of the IPC in a murder case. After the session judge left, Parminder again beat up Sunil and stripped him in front of all other inmates. “Parminder beat up Sunil for raising voice against him,” sources said. Sunil’s mother, Surinder Kaur, complained to the deputy commissioner of Ropar, Arunjit Singh Miglani, against the staff. She had stated that the staff had tortured her son, Sunil. Arunjit deputed SDM Lakhmir Singh to investigate the matter. Lakhmir visited the jail with DSP city and found Sunil in isolation. His body bore marks of beating, but Parvinder defended himself saying that the injuries were self-inflicted. The district administration informed home secretary Punjab, who deputed DIG prisons, Jagjit Singh, to visit the jail. Talking to TNS Jagjit confirmed that Parminder was suspended. Also the deputy superintendent, Tejinder Singh Sodhi, was under suspension for not being able to check his subordinates.
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Plan to provide potable water to villages
Patiala, December 9 The workshop was attended by the engineers, serving under Water Supply and Sanitation Circle, Patiala, as well as doctors from the Health Department and delegates from the National Health Rural Mission (NHRM). During the workshop, District Programme Coordinator-cum-superintending engineer of the Water Supply and Sanitation Circle Patiala RC Diwan, spoke about coordination for effective implementation of SWAP. Diwan said the Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Department had envisaged an ambitious plan to provide potable water to the rural population of the state and to prevent them from water-borne diseases. “Under SWAP, the water supply and sanitation engineer will not only remain a technical person executing the engineering work but will be transformed into a social engineer,”he said. —
TNS
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Mann moves HC for retrial of Badal case
Chandigarh, December 9 Mann moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court saying “we are concerned about” the “millions of dollars”; and “Bofors, fodder scam of Bihar and 2G spectrum are nothing as compared to the present case”. Claiming that the scam “has been allowed to be buried” and the state has not even filed an application against the acquittal orders, Mann sought judicial intervention to order a retrial and that, too, outside the state. Mann also asked the High Court to ensure the “safety of the witnesses” so that they “may be able to depose without any threat or coercion and live peacefully”. The petition filed through counsel Ranjan Lakhanpal and Ashu Kaushik is expected to come up for hearing on Monday. Only after preliminary hearing of the matter, the High Court will decide whether it is a fit case to even issue notice of motion to the respondents.
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Blast at Crackers Factory
Chandigarh, December 9 In pursuance to the order of November 18, accused in the case Sahib Singh, along with victims’ parents Darbara Singh and Darshan Kaur appeared before the Bench this morning. State counsel Rupinder Khosla produced the closure report submitted by the police in the case and the order of Amritsar Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate accepting the closure report. On the peculiar facts of the case, the Chief Justice orally observed “the parents of the victim may not be able to withstand the long-drawn criminal case and the only relief that can be granted to them may be compensation, although no amount of compensation can be a substitute for the sufferings of the parents who have lost their two children.” Initially, the state government lawyer opposed the proposal to grant compensation to the parents on the ground that they, too, were responsible for sending their children to the crackers factory; and they should not be “rewarded” for their action. But the Bench was quick to observe “poverty is also a crime in this country. Obviously poverty compelled the parents to send their children to the crackers factory.” On seeing the stance of the Bench, the accused agreed to pay Rs 1.50 lakh by way of compensation. Khosla, too, agreed the state shall pay Rs 2 lakh to Darbara Singh. The Bench directed the state shall pay the amount to Darbara Singh before December 31. Accused Sahib Singh shall also pay Rs 75,000 before December 31. The second instalment of Rs 75,000 would be paid before January 31 next; and the PIL would remain on board till the payments were made. The PIL in the matter was filed by a journalist, Daljeet Singh, through advocate HC Arora. Mamta and her brother Amarjeet were killed in the blast on March 9, 2009, at the unauthorised crackers factory operated by Sahib Singh.
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Thousands of quintals of wheat stored in a local private plinth by Punsup authorities has suffered irrevocable damage and become unfit for consumption of even animals.
