Moga, April 29
The Barnala family that has been marginalised in Punjab politics after differences with the Badal family has landed in another trouble with their business interests at stake.

The Punjab government has decided to review the licence of Japson Pharmaceutical Limited (Sangrur), a company owned by Jasjit Singh Dhaliwal, son of Surjit Singh Barnala, the present Governor of Tamil Nadu and former chief minister of Punjab, after many irregularities in purchase of medicines allegedly surfaced.

The principal secretary of the Health Department, Satish Chandra, while confirming that the government would review the licence of Japson Pharmaceuticals, said the government has also initiated a high-level probe into the alleged allegations of irregularities in the purchase of medicines.

The government has recently issued charge-sheets against Bhag Singh, state drug controller, other officials, Ajay Singla, Vijay Mattu of the drug controller’s officer, SPS Sohal, former director of Health Department, Rakesh Gupta, Deputy Director of the Health Department. It may be mentioned that despite having issued charge-sheets against these officials, the government has not withdrawn the official work from them and they have also not been placed under suspension. It was learnt that the said company continued to supply medicines to the government allegedly in manipulation with the said officials after 2006 even as its licence was not renewed by the government.

Japson Pharmaceutical was set up at Sangrur with financial assistance from the Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC) in 1986. Later, the PSIDC took back its shares and Japson became a defaulter after having failed to repay the loan amount.

It has come to light that in the 1980s, the state government, to oblige the Japson Pharmaceutical Limited, changed the policy of purchase of medicines: “All the joint sector companies in which the PSIDC held equity of at least 50 per cent and which were manufacturing various articles used by the government departments were made eligible for consideration for declaration as the approved sources for the supply of those articles by the administrative department concerned.”

After this, the managing director of the PSIDC moved an application before the Health Department to grant approval to Japson Pharmaceutical Limited for being declared as approved sources. The director of the Health and Family Welfare (Punjab) also made similar recommendation, following which the government approved as many as 57 items for the purchase from this company.

The ‘irregularity’ under investigation that came to light is that even after the PSIDC took back its equity from the company, the health and other departments continued to purchase medicines from this company, probably under political pressure. Besides, the company also came to light, between 1994-1996, when the authorities of Patiala Central Jail allegedly spent more money, over Rs 75 lakh, on medicines purchased from Japson Pharmaceutical Ltd. than food for jail inmates.

The amount spent was also way beyond the budgetary allocation. The CBI also probed the matter after registering a preliminary inquiry, the details of which were not available. 

Bathinda, April 29
In a progressive step, the Bathinda Municipal Corporation (BMC) has chalked out plans to map the whole city under the geographical information system (GIS).

Under the project, each and every individual property within the municipal limits would be mapped through satellite cameras. A detailed digital database would then be created, to utilize it for multiple purposes.

The mapping would be done using the high resolution Quickbird satellite data that would be integrated in the GIS with details collected for each house or property by the BMC.

The project, as per an estimate, would cost nearly Rs 70 lakh to the BMC for mapping nearly 40,000 properties located within its limits. The project would be executed in two phases.

In the first phase, the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre of the state government would provide the satellite photographs of the whole city to the Bathinda Municipal Corporation for getting data on each property, including particulars regarding its owner, dimension, water and sewerage connections and arrears of taxes, etc.

The detailed GIS survey of the city would be conducted through reputed and eligible firm by inviting tenders. Visiting each and every house, shop and other establishments, the staff of the firm selected would collect data to fill Census-like proformas.

In the second phase, the details would be provided to the authorities of the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, who would further upload it in the satellite data.

After the GIS service becomes functional, BMC officials expect that checking the status of any property located within its limits would be just a click away.

Armed with an accurate map of the whole city with each and every minuscule detail related to each building and property, the BMC authorities would be in a better position to plan and implement future projects. The officials concerned expect the project to come into operation within six months after its initiation.

Terming it as his dream project for the city, BMC Commissioner Umashankar Gupta said, "Once it starts functioning, we expect that it will prove to be a great help in thinking and executing the schemes meant for the betterment of the residents." 

Bathinda, April 29
The pain of the victims of a mysterious blast in the Jogi Nagar locality of the city about nine months back, lingers on as many assurances made to them have failed to materialize.

Seventy-year-old Balwant Singh, who lost his wife, son and two grand-daughters in the blast, bursts into tears recalling that ill-fated evening of August 7 last year.

"I was having lunch, when a blast took place in my house and I lost everything. After the bodies were pulled out of the debris, I was informed that four of my family members had been killed. Meanwhile, two more girls, that of our tenants and neighbours, also died in the incident," recalls Balwant Singh, who partially lost his hearing in the blast.

Though he is full of gratitude towards CM Parkash Singh Badal for visiting him three days after the mishap and handing over cheques worth Rs five lakh (one lakh for each death and one lakh for the reconstruction of house), his grandson Mani has a strong complaint against officials.

"The CM had announced free education and books for me. As the promise was not kept, one of my school teachers kept paying my fee in class IX. Now at the time of admission to Class X, when we asked the officials, they said they did not have any written order to help me," he rued.

"Now my mother, who is the sole breadwinner, pays my fee from the meagre salary she gets after working in a pharmaceutical factory," said an anguished Mani. "My mother was assured of widow pension but nothing has been done."

Meanwhile, another blast victim, an embroider, Nafees Ahmad, a tenant in Balwant Singh's house when the trgedy took place, also accuses the government of ditching him.

"In the blast, my two-year old daughter was killed and my wife sustained severe head injuries. The CM, while handing over cheques worth Rs 1.25 lakh to me, had assured that the medical expenses incurred on the treatment of my wife would be borne by the state government. But I was refused reimbursement of the medical bills of her three major surgeries,” said Nafees.

The victims had another complaint-- that hardly anyone from the administration ever visited them after the mishap.

The blast had ripped off the house completely and damaged other buildings. Probe agencies could not pinpoint the exact reason for it.

Muktsar, April 29
The old name of this city, which was Khidrane Di Dhab, was changed to Muktsar to recognise the supreme sacrifices made by the 40 Muktas (liberated ones), while fighting as the warriors of the tenth Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh in his last battle with the Mughals in 1705, here.

With the ultimate aim of deriving political mileage on the occasion of the tercentenary of the martyrdom of 40 Muktas, held in 2005, both the principal political parties of Punjab — Congress and SAD (Badal) — fought a battle of sorts here by holding functions, rallies and laying foundation stones of different projects dedicated to the martyrs.

While the ruling Congress in 2005 erected four gates and Mukt-e-Minar to hold the tercentenary function in a befitting manner, a foundation stone was laid by Bibi Jagir Kaur, the then president of the SGPC and Parkash Singh Badal, president of the SAD (B), of a martyrs’ memorial outside the Tibbi Sahib Gurudwara here on May 4, 2005.

But even after six years, not a single brick has been laid at that memorial site. When its foundation stone was laid, Badal announced that the design of the memorial was approved and crores would be spent to build a great wall, where the portraits of all the martyrs (Muktas) would be installed.

The foundation stone has been lying in isolation as the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which was supposed to erect the memorial, seems to have forgotten it.

Dilmegh Singh, secretary, SGPC, said, "I know that a foundation stone was laid for a memorial for the 40 Muktas by Bibi Jagir Kaur and Parkash Singh Badal in 2005 on the occasion of the tercentenary of their martyrdom. I do not know why it could not be erected so far."

He added that fresh efforts would be made by the SGPC to fulfill its commitment made to the people on the occasion of the tercentenary of the martyrdom of 40 Muktas.

Karan Singh, manager, Gurudwara complex, said though a number of buildings had come up near the spot, where the foundation stone of the memorial was laid, enough land was available in the complex of the Tibbi Sahib Gurudwara to erect it.

He said the 307th anniversary of martyrdom of the 40 Muktas would be held at Gurudwara Shahid Ganj, the memorial (samadhi) of the 40 martyrs on May 4. 

Sriganganagar, April 29
The police raided the muddy walled residential room of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI agent Ismail Khan today. The cops found a broadband connection, computer and QRT pad equipped mobile phone along with a pen drive there. Equally astonishing was his IQ level, one of the officials said.

There were intelligence inputs that someone in the border district had been using a satellite phone without legal permission. Ismail was under the scanner for the past three months due to his visits to Pakistan under the pretext of meeting some relatives.

Officials said Ismail was nabbed yesterday when he was using his mobile with Pakistani SIM card at the border village Kharla. He has been booked under Sections 3/9 of the Official Secrets Act and was taken today after night-long interrogation to Jaipur for further investigation. He used to compile information regarding the movement of the Border Security Force (BSF) and police stations. It is believed that he came in contact of the ISI during a month’s stay against valid visa at his native village Chishtian in Bahawalpur district of West Punjab province in 2009. The visa was issued as he wanted to meet his uncle in Pakistan. It was extended for 10 days. His training actually started during the first visit, it is believed.

Sriganganagar, April 29
Union Defence Minister AK Antony would visit Rajasthan on Monday to review the operational preparedness of the Army along the western borders, an official spokesman informed today. He would visit the forward-most locations.

The chief of the Army staff, General VK Singh, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and senior military and civil officials would accompany Antony, who would also visit the Jaisalmer military station. The Defence Minister would also interact with the troops during a special Sainik Sammelan and community meal (Barakhana). — OC

Bathinda, April 29
Finally, bowing to the demands of the Unemployed Linemen’s Union, the state police today released all 299 of their colleagues, who were lodged in four jails of the state.

With this development that took late in the evening, the activists of the union and their family members who were staging a state level dharna outside the Mini-secretariat here for nearly a fortnight, lifted it and called off their protest.

It may be mentioned that 94 activists lodged in the Central Jail, Bathinda, were released on April 27. The remaining members of the union, who were lodged in Sangrur, Malerkotla, Barnala and Ferozepur jails, were to be released by April 28 but the administration delayed it for two more days.

They were arrested for creating disturbance in the Baisakhi conference of the ruling Akali Dal at Talwandi Sabo on April 14.

They were put behind the bars and a majority of them went on hunger strike while some were observing fast-unto-death.

Darshan Singh Bareh, leader of the union, said the agitators called off the protest after the SDM Bathinda KPS Mahi came and assured that the CMD Powercom KD Choudhary had promised to accept their demands like releasing the merit list for their recruitment by April 27 and also to give them a relaxation of two years in the age bar.

He mentioned that the Bathinda SDM offered a glass of juice to Ranjit Kaur, mother of the state president of the union, Pirmal Singh, who was observing fast-unto-death since April 19.

Bareh disclosed that the union would now start holding block and district-level meetings and if they were betrayed at the last moment, they would chalk out some other strategy to put pressure on the government. — TNS

Bathinda, April 29
To provide better healthcare at nominal charges to the poor of this region, the authorities of the Adesh Hospital have decided to slash the diagnostic fees and hospital charges from May 2. Advisor to the management of the Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda, and a former Vice-chancellor of 
Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Dr Ravinder Singh, said here today that the management of the hospital had launched a campaign to make available healthcare services to the people at the rate, almost equal to the prevailing rates in the Punjab government hospitals.

Dr Ravinder Singh further said the hospital management had slashed the OPD fee to Rs 10, daily bed charges to Rs 20, digital x-ray fee to Rs 80, ultrasound rate to Rs 100 without film and Rs 150 with film, ordinary delivery as Rs 400, cataract surgery with imported lens as Rs 7,000 and haemoglobin and blood sugar tests at Rs 5 to Rs 10 each.

The institute would also launch family healthcare scheme, besides covering school students of the area for healthcare purposes. Assistant Medical Superintendent of the institute Dr Gurpreet Singh Gill was also present. — TNS

Fazilka, April 29
Brigadier Arul Dennis unveiled the bust of Major Lalit Mohan Bhatia, set up in the war museum at Asafwala War Memorial, seven kilometres from here, today.

Major Bhatia was decorated with Veer Chakra (posthumously) for showing indomitable courage during the Indo-Pak war in 1971 in Fazilka sector.

Earlier, Brigadier Dennis and senior Army officials, Shaheedon Ki Samadhi Committee Fazilka, officer-bearers and members including BL Sikka, Mohan Lal Paruthi, Amar Chand Bhateja, Vinod Gupta, Shashi Kant, Dr Bhupinder Singh, Dinesh Thakral, Dr Anshu Chawla, Pawan Bhateja laid wreaths at the sanctum sanctorum. The contingents of the Army reversed their arms and sounded the last post to pay respect to the martyrs.

Brigadier Dennis also inaugurated Amar Shaheed Drigpal Singh Park constructed in the war memorial complex. Notably, the bust of martyr Drigpal Singh was also set up in the war museum two months back. It is pertinent to mention that on the night of 13-14 December 1971, Major Lalit Mohan Bhatia, commanding a company of 15 Rajput Regiment, was given the task of capturing a Pakistani post. As Major Bhatia moved his company towards the area, it came under heavy fire from light machine guns.

Undeterred by the fire, Bhatia continued to lead his company. He made the supreme sacrifice of his life to defend the country. Bhatia was given Veer Chakra posthumously.

Abohar, April 29
Thousands of passengers remained stranded for over four hours as all the bus operators sounded bugle for a lightning strike today against the alleged atrocities of the CIA staff of the Punjab Police.

Notably, the traffic came to a grinding halt. The protesters shouted slogans against the police and demanded immediate release of the driver Lakhwinder Singh and conductor Milkha Singh, who had allegedly been tortured during illegal detention at the CIA staff.

They also demanded action be initiated against the in-charge of the CIA staff, who had allegedly tried to implicate them in a case under the NDPS Act.

MC chief Shivraj Goyal along with the city police SHO Sukhdev Singh intervened. After half an hour of negotiations, they managed to get the deadlock resolved by 12.30 pm only after getting driver Lakhwinder Singh and conductor Milkha Singh released from custody of the CIA staff.