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Krishan Kumar one of my most efficient officers: CM
Badal ‘not protecting’ honest officers
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He was treated shabbily: Bajwa
Important posts being given to ‘favourites’
High cotton prices push up agricultural land rent
Panchayat, municipal elections
Fee of PTU-affiliated colleges may be hiked
Akal Takht Jathedar’s move raises eyebrows
US-based Punjabi body alleges harassment by Indian diplomat
Data entry operators at fard kendras discontinue work
It took 15 years to find gender of sarus cranes in Chhatbir zoo
Bureaucrats must implement policies: Sekhwan
PAU gets best agriculture varsity award
SAD working panel member joins Manpreet
Jatha cancels pilgrimage to Katasraj
Repatriate Pak prisoners in Amritsar jail:
HC
Despite HC orders, crushing units continue illegal mining
Delay in payment of compensation
Four-year-old kidnapped
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Krishan Kumar one of my most efficient officers: CM
Sri Hargobindpur, February 14 The Chief Minister waxed eloquent on the former DGSE at an impromptu press conference held during the sangat darshan programme here today. He, however, denied that Krishan Kumar had been removed owing to his differences with Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan. “The post of the Project Director of the NRHM is a vital one, so I thought Krishan Kumar’s services could be better utilised by sending him to the NRHM,” he added. The programme was not meant for the general public. Only village panchayats of 130 villages of Sri Hargobindpur Assembly segment were invited where they were given grants worth Rs 9 crore, including Rs 2 crore for improvement of infrastructure in government schools. Qadian MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodinangal could be seen acting as a bridge between the sarpanches and the Chief Minister. Sewa Singh Sekhwan also made a brief appearance. Launching a virulent attack on the Congress, the Chief Minister maintained, “It was the Congress which was the fountainhead of corruption both at the state and the central government levels. Every day we keep on hearing about new scams involving senior Congressmen but no action is being taken against them. The 2G Spectrum scam involved a whopping sum of Rs 1.75 lakh crore. Compare this to Punjab’s annual budget of Rs 22,000 crore. Despite so many financial irregularities, senior Congressmen involved in the scam are roaming scot free.” Patiala: Claiming that the transfer of Krishan Kumar, Director-General School Education, was “an irrational and despicable decision” of the state government, former Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Bir Devinder Singh, said the decision was bound to prove disastrous for school education in Punjab particularly for the Sarb Sikhiya Abhiyaan project. “One must admit candidly that the school system in Punjab was in a terrible mess and the central grants for the Sarb Sikhiya Abhiyan were either mis-utilised or underutilised before Krishan Kumar took over as the DGSE, Punjab,” he stated in a statement issued here.
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Badal ‘not protecting’ honest officers
Mohali, February 14 Mentioning the transfer of the Director General of School Education (DGSE) Krishan Kumar to the Health and Family Welfare Department following differences with the Punjab Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, the former Punjab Chief Minister who was in city in connection with the vigilance case being heard in a local court said Krishan Kumar was an honest and professional official. On controversy over the vigilance report on the recruitments by the Public Service Commission, he stated that it was known fact Vigilance Chief Sumedh Singh Saini was close to the Badals and was capable of influencing the report. Replying to another query about sitting MLA being given ticket in the coming elections, he said the decision had been taken by the high command. In connection with the vigilance case, he said he had appeared before the court to take permission for going abroad.
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He was treated shabbily: Bajwa
Jalandhar, February 14 This is perhaps the first time that so many eminent persons have come out in support of an IAS officer. Speaking on the issue, Bajwa said what was the Chief Minister trying to prove by summarily transferring the Krishan Kumar? What signal was he sending out to honest and hard-working officials by posting an officer arbitrarily, known for his achievements, integrity and reputation for being an able administrator. Bajwa said Krishan Kumar had earned kudos in the past by keeping a strict control on corruption and as Deputy Commissioner, Nawanshahr, he was instrumental in correcting the skewed sex ratio by keeping a stern watch on female foeticide. As DGSE, he had changed the face of school education. Kumar had been treated most shabbily by the Education Minister. The dealing had been endorsed by the Chief Minister.
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Important posts being given
to ‘favourites’ Chandigarh, February 14 Amarinder Singh said Punjab Vigilance Bureau Chief Sumedh Saini had no option but to do Badals’ bidding to help him in two murder cases pending against him.“I am for strictest of punishment for any who has misused his or her authority, but by using the Vigilance Bureau the ruling alliance was only pressurising the PPSC member to select candidates recommended by the Badals,” he said. Demanding that Saini be replaced by “an upright officer, who is not amenable to pressure,” he said, “Let skeletons in the PPSC, if any, tumble”. He said the investigation by the Vigilance Bureau was aimed to help the government remove members of the Commission that would oppose the ruling alliance interference in its work”. The Congress Government, led by Amarinder Singh, had appointed the current PPSC Chairperson Sanjit Kumar Sinha, who is due to retire later this year. Two of the six other members, Brig (Retd) DS Grewal and Dr Satwant Singh Mohi owe their allegiance to the Congress. DS Mahal was a choice of former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal. That leaves only Anil Sarin and Hardeep Singh Grewal in the SAD-BJP camp. Amarinder said the SAD has failed to push its candidates in most competitive exams, therefore it wants to expand to PPSC members to 10, so that they get a majority say in most issues. He said the SAD-BJP Government wanted to fill 406 important posts with favourites that it feels would be loyal to the Badals during their services. “It would be unfair to see that a few favoured get into select posts, while a majority of the 44 lakh youth remain without jobs in Punjab”. He said he did not understand the logic behind filling the posts at the fag end. He said he would expose the nexus between Saini and Badals, who had developed a symbiotic relation for various reasons.
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High cotton prices push up agricultural land rent
Ferozepur, February 14 “A large section of the farmers, having moderate land holdings, have been scrambling to get more chunks of agricultural land on lease in their respective villages in areas near their places of residence, to supplement their incomes,” said President, North India Cotton Growers Association, Kattar Singh Jeeda. The farmers, who had rented out their landholdings for the past few years, now want to enter the business once again. Kirpal Singh, a small farmer of Phoos Mandi village of Malwa region of Punjab, who has taken four acres of land on rent last year and sowed cotton over the same, said he had taken ten acres more on rent for the coming crop season and would cultivate cotton to earn profit. Harpal Singh, a leading cotton grower of Lakhewali village of Muktsar district, said he had been receiving offers from farmers to rent out a piece of his agriculture holding. He said higher prices of cotton had started attracting farmers again into the field of agriculture. Agriculture department officials posted in about eight cotton-producing districts of Punjab pointed out that they were expecting a major shift from paddy to cotton by the farmers in the next crop season. They said Punjab may witness that area under cotton crop crossing seven lakh hectares in 2011. Secretary, Mandi Board, Karamjit Singh Sra, said the prevailing high prices of raw cotton had enabled the board to earn almost equal revenue from rural development fund (RDF) charges and market fee in the current season, which it had earned last year despite the fact that percentage of RDF charges and market fee were halved this season by Punjab government as compared to last year. Meanwhile, a large section of farmers has started entering into advance contacts with the cotton seed producing companies based in Southern states and Gujarat to avoid any scarcity of same during the sowing season, which is expected to start from April 15.
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Panchayat, municipal elections
Chandigarh, February 14 Justice Rajesh Bindal has ruled: “The Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994, came into force on September 19, 1994. While providing for disqualifications for being elected as a member of a panchayat or a municipality under this Act number 19 of 1994, the clear mandate of the Constitution of India has been given a clear go by, where the state legislature did not add in its wisdom, as was required to be provided for, disqualification for any person from contesting or being elected as a member of the panchayat or municipality.” Justice Bindal has now called for assistance of Punjab Advocate-General to deal with the issue. “As this is an issue, which has bearing on a number of appeals pending in this court for decision, assistance of Advocate-General would be required,” Justice Bindal asserted. The assertion came on an appeal filed by an elected panch of Pipal Majra gram panchayat in Ropar district. He was initially convicted in a murder case registered on February 17, 2000, at Chamkaur Sahib police station. Taking up his appeal, his conviction was converted to offence under Section 304A of the IPC. His election was challenged on the ground that the appellant, having been convicted, was disqualified from contesting or being elected as member panchayat. After his election was set aside by a tribunal, he moved the High Court. His appeal was admitted after his counsel claimed conviction under Section 302 or 304-A of the IPC was not one of the disqualifications. Justice Bindal asserted” Part IX was added in the Constitution of India with effect from April 24, 1993…. It is inter-alia provided therein that a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being a member of a panchayat, if he is so disqualified by or under any law for the time being in force for the purpose of elections to the legislature of the state concerned”. Referring to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Justice Bindal added: Sub section three provides that a person convicted for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and shall continued to be disqualified for a further period of six years from his release.
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Fee of PTU-affiliated colleges may be hiked
Jalandhar, February 14 A fee revision committee represented by principal secretary Suresh Kumar and PTU Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajneesh Arora has already given a recommendation to increase 33 per cent fee in colleges. The matter is now lying pending with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for a final nod. An interim hike of 10 per cent had already been introduced in the colleges last year for the new admission students. The fee had been increased from Rs 45,000 per semester to Rs 49,500 per semester for the 2010-11. The fee is likely to be hiked to Rs 60,000 per semester from the coming session, sources said. Confirming the same, the principal secretary said a report has been submitted in this regard. The association of the private colleges took up the matter with the Chief Minister in a meeting held on Saturday. The representatives of Punjab Unaided Technical Institutes Association (PUTIA) urged the CM to take a quick decision on the matter. “We have to get the copies of our prospectus for the new session printed. We need to mention the revised fee structure in these copies so that the candidates do not cry foul later,” the members demanded. President of PUTIA BS Dhaliwal said, “Since the college directors had not been given any representation in the fee revision committee, we have set out our independent committee to make our own calculations. We are waiting for the final verdict from the CM. We will then match it with our calculations and see if we can accept the given hike or not.” During the meeting, Dhaliwal also raised the demand for reducing External Development Charges and building cess for new college buildings and transport tax for buses being plied for the convenience of college students. In return, he assured providing all laboratory facilities to the science students of government schools in the vicinity as per the neighbourhood school scheme.
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Akal Takht Jathedar’s move raises eyebrows
Amritsar, February 14 The letter, which bears the signature of Jathedar’s PA Inder Mohan Singh, was issued by the Akal Takht secretariat on February 2. The letter addressed to Maharashtra DGP D. Sivanandhan says, “I want to draw your attention towards the fact that S Darshan Singh Ragi, who was ex-communicated from the Sikh Panth by Sri Akal Takht due to his anti-religious activities, cannot participate in any religious function. We have received complaints that he is going to participate in a religious function being organised by Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Ganesh Peth, Pune, on February 5-6. He, being an ex-communicated Ragi, his participation would provoke angry protest in the local Sikh community, which can create trouble in the said area. In the best interests of maintaining the peace, you are requested to take immediate action for preventing the participation of S Darshan Singh Ragi in the said function.”However, Prof Darshan Singh's programme did not witness any trouble and was well-attended by the Sikh Sangat in Pune. Meanwhile, former SGPC secretary and Sikh Panthic Council Chairman Manjeet Singh Calcutta today dubbed the Akal Takht’s move of writing to the DGP “sad”, stating that it has “thrown the traditions and the principles of the Takht to wind”. He said it was unfortunate that for the past some time "political and administrative force is being used to implement the Takht's edicts".
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GOLDEN TEMPLE
Amritsar, February 14 The project would see expansion of the langar hall, which would be 25 feet wider then its present width. Its seating capacity would also subsequently increase by 30 per cent. The double-storey building of the langar hall would also be equipped with AC facility in which VRV system pipeline would be laid to facilitate air-conditioning in the halls. The kitchen, where the langar is prepared, would also witness modification. It would be equipped with proper gas pipeline and safety features like fire extinguishers. At present, the building only houses the halls where devotees partake of langar while facilities like kitchen and dish washing were located in separate rooms or temporary sheds adjacent to it. However, once the project was completed, all activities right from preparation of langar to cleaning of dishes would come under one roof. Ranjot Singh, a Ludhiana-based architect, had been roped in to prepare the design of the new integrated building of the langar hall. However, the SGPC president clarified that there would be no change in the present structure of the langar hall. He said there would be no disruption in the ongoing langar facility in the wake of the project and it would continue uninterrupted. The new kitchen, too, would be built after providing an alternative place for preparing langar, he added. As per the SGPC, 50,000 to 90,000 devotees partake of langar everyday at the Golden Temple round the clock. The langar hall boasts of a modern facility like a chapatti- making machine, installed in March 2003, which can process 2,000 to 6,000 chapattis per hour. The current langar hall building was constructed by Baba Kharak Singh Karsewawale in 1979-80. The SGPC will construct another sarai (inn) adjacent to Gurdwara Saragarhi, near the Golden Temple. The 10-storey inn will have 299 rooms and will be equipped with facilities like an ATM. The tender process is underway and the work on the project will start soon. The SGPC had got the possession of this land only a couple of years back.
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US-based Punjabi body alleges harassment by Indian diplomat
Patiala, February 14 In the letter, the association had said due to harassment, the Indian community is full of resentment against the problems faced by them for visiting one’s own birth place. “The Indian community is fed up with the behaviour of the Consul General,” it reads. “The consulate demands a coloured copy of the Green Card, which is not possible as a US citizen and a US passport holder surrenders the same at the time of taking the US passport. They also demand first the Indian passport despite the fact that latest passports are submitted. Many of them must have, and actually had, come here on their mother’s passport, which is not available now,” claimed President NAPA Satnam Singh Chahal, while talking to The Tribune over the phone. “The Indian Consulate should help Indians and not harass them,” he added. Raising the issue of Pakistan born Indian citizens, Chahal said the senior Indian citizens, born before 1947, were also ill-treated by their own consulate. In very few cases, the US authorities consider the individual as a former citizen of Pakistan (actually undivided India) because of his place of birth. “Getting a visa for them is a Herculean task, despite being an Indian citizen,” he adds. Chahal, who had recently visited India and met many senior leaders in the Central Government and in the Punjab Government, claimed that the Prime Minister should intervene in the matter as the Indian community was facing hardships due to the behaviour being meted out to them. “Even in case a relative dies and someone wants an immediate visa for India, the authorities at the consulate ask for several documents, which are impossible to furnish and gives up the idea of the visit,” he said.
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Data entry operators at fard kendras discontinue work
Jalandhar, February 14 The revenue record computerisation project has been assigned to two different companies and the operators were working under these companies. Sources confirmed that barring Sangrur and Barnala districts, the problem of non-payment of salaries was in nearly all others districts, where the project was being executed by a single company. The company official confirmed that there were over 900 data entry operators at around 80 farad kendras (units where decades old revenue records are being computerised) functional at the district headquarters and tehsil offices of these 18 districts of the state. The operators are getting Rs 2890 as monthly salary. President Revenue Data Entry Operators Union Jalandhar Ashok Kumar said the operators, of seven to eight districts, had gone on strike today and those of other districts were likely to join in by tomorrow. Confirming the delay, Project Manager CMS Computers Limited Ambrish Saxena said the operators were not given the salaries of December and January. He said the salary would be released this week.
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It took 15 years to find gender of sarus cranes in Chhatbir zoo
Chhat (Banur), February 14 Zoo officials said the DNA samples of their feathers were sent to the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), Hyderabad, around one and a half month ago for gender identification. They said taking the DNA sample, by catching a bird, was not an easy task. “Zoo workers and officials were wary of the risks involved in catching hold of the bird and taking out a feather from its plumage,” said an officer. Zookeepers said the process of pairing birds, on the basis of behaviour, compatibility and age, would start in next few days. Now, efforts would also be made to exchange extra pairs or single bird with other zoos. Zoos have animal and bird exchange programmes under which new species are brought to the zoo in lieu of other species. Earlier, the birds could not be exchanged due to unknown gender. Presently, the zoo has one pair of sarus crane, which has been breeding for past few years. It gave birth to a chick last year. Though the birds are identical in appearance, the males show aggressive behaviour. To keep aggression at bay, the zoo authorities have kept them in separate enclosures. Expert bird watchers could differentiate male and female with their voice, behaviour and height. The zoo authorities claimed that birdwatchers failed to coordinate with them. Zoo Field Director Churchil Kumar confirmed the gender identification of the seven sarus cranes. Kumar said being a government laboratory, the testing was done for free. Now, the breeding and exchange programme of this bird would gain momentum, he said.
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Bureaucrats must implement policies: Sekhwan
Jalandhar, February 14 The minister made the claims while talking to The Tribune at the closing ceremony of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Wrestling Tournament, held at the PAP complex, here last night. The minister, however, made it clear that he had no differences with Krishan Kumar. It is our priority to post the newly appointed teachers in schools in the rural areas. The government schools in the rural areas are facing a major shortage of staff, he said.
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PAU gets best agriculture varsity award
Ludhiana, February 14 Out of the 22 nominations from various parts of India, the university was also selected for the Mahindra Samriddhi India Agri Awards, 2011.
— TNS
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SAD working panel member joins Manpreet
Jalandhar, February 14 In a statement issued here today, Punjab Agro director and a youth Akali leader from Gurdaspur Principal Harjinder Singh Randhawa, BJP Ludhiana district vice-president Harpreet Singh Harry, also vice- president of Sahnewal Market Committee and some other leaders have also joined Manpreet.
— TNS
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Jatha cancels pilgrimage to Katasraj
Amritsar, February 14 The pilgrims were supposed to visit Katasraj on March 2 for a dip in the holy Amarkund tank, the sacred sarovar in Punjab province of Pakistan, on the festival of Mahashivratri. The All India Hindu Shiv Sena failed to get a response from the Unio Ministry of External Affairs, on their request to the Centre to assure security of the pilgrims with the authorities in Pakistan.
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Repatriate Pak prisoners in Amritsar jail:
HC
Chandigarh, February 14 Advocate Ranjan Lakhanpal, president of World Human Rights Council had filed the petition. He was seeking directions to the authorities concerned to repatriate 57 Pakistani prisoners, who have already completed their sentence, but were still in jail. Lakhanpal had claimed that out of the total, 45 had even lost their mental balance. Appearing on behalf of the Centre, advocate Onkar Singh Batalvi said 12 prisoners had already been repatriated, while one was undergoing sentence. Another was under trial, he said. The Union Ministry of External Affairs was in correspondence with the Pakistan High Commission on the remaining Pakistani prisoners and after confirmation of their nationality and travel documents, they would soon be sent back to their country, Batalvi claimed.
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Despite HC orders, crushing units continue illegal mining
Ropar, February 14 A trolley of sand is being illegally trafficked at the rate of Rs 3,000 during
the day and Rs 2,000 during the night. Raising this issue in the meeting of grievances redressal committee held at Ropar today, committee member Jagjit Singh Jagga said villages of Manguwal, Sarsa Nangal, Dabujri, Ranjitpura, Aaspur, Kot Bala, Inderpura and the nearby areas are witnessing hectic illegal mining
activity. In some parts of the earmarked sites, the crushing owners have dug up earth, adjacent to the fields, more than 80 feet deep. As per rules, the contractors are not allowed digging out earth for more than 10 feet. Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, AS Miglani, has directed the police to take legal action against the erring crushing units and keep a tab on illegal mining activity in the district. Also the general manager industries-cum-district mining officer has been passed instructions to look into the matter. Officials of Punjab Pollution Control Board have also been directed to submit a report on water and air quality in and around the Ropar thermal plant. People have been holding the thermal plant responsible for spreading pollution in the nearby villages and also posing a threat to the wetland. The report would be tabled in the next meeting. One of the committee members Lal Bahadur was taken to Civil Hospital, Ropar, from where he was referred to PGI, Chandigarh, after he fell sick during the meeting. He is a patient of hypertension.
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Delay in payment of compensation
Mohali, February 14 To recover the compensation amount, the court of Additional District and Session Judge, Fatehgarh Sahib, has directed the Tehsildar Mohali to attach the salary of Rs 32,880, drawn by the union president who works as Senior Assistant in the PSEB, a Verna Car (PB 65 K 4344) and Swaraj Mazda truck (HR 55 A 32937). Gurdeep said he had already approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the orders of the Tribunal. On November 30, 2009, the Tribunal had directed Gurdeep and the truck driver, Sikander Singh, to pay the compensation after victim’s wife and parents went to the court stating that the sole bread earner of their family had died due to the truck driver’s carelessness. The victim’s family, in its plea, stated that Ladeep, along with two other labourers, Jagtar Singh and Baldev Singh, boarded the truck after loading the equipment of telephone towers from GTL Company, Phase VII. On way to Bathinda, the driver consumed liquor at Landhran village. Despite a warning by the occupants, the driver kept driving in a dangerous manner and lost control over it. As Ladeep was sitting on the left side of the vehicle, he was crushed under the vehicle and died on the spot. While the victim’s family had demanded a compensation of Rs 20 lakh from the driver and owner of the vehicle and the insurance company, the court directed only the owner and driver to pay the compensation. The plea against the insurance company was dismissed as neither the driver had a valid driving licence nor the vehicle had a registration certificate, fitness certificate and route permit.
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Four-year-old kidnapped
Amritsar, February 14 The sensational incident took place yesterday, late in the evening. Three armed persons barged into the house of the Sehgal family, situated on the second floor of the Kataria tower on Lawrence road. The accused, who had covered their faces while brandishing sharp-edged weapons, detained the child’s mother, Neha, and their servant and demanded cash and jewellery from them. Abhinav Sehgal, reportedly a builder and the father of the boy, had gone to Delhi on a business tour. While an altercation was on between the mother of the boy and the robbers, the latter lifted the four-year-old Rehan. Seeing her son in danger, Neha reportedly handed over Rs 1 lakh and jewellery to them. They also took away Rehan with them. After getting the information, senior police officials reached the spot and launched investigations. The Civil Line police station has registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC in this regard. Rumours were rife that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom to the tune of crores. However, the police officials denied this. The Commissioner of Police could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
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