Package for urban areas today
Chandigarh, July 21
The SAD-BJP alliance has planned a major campaign to revive the image of the BJP that took a severe beating after the CBI raid on its leaders and subsequent resignation of its ministers from the Cabinet.

Patiala, July 21
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) today issued closure notices to as many as 20 dyeing units of Ludhiana, located on the Bahadur-Ke Road, for failing to initiate the process to install a common effluent treatment plant.

According to the PPCB notice, all the erring dyeing units should explain their position individually within 15 days as to why the Board should not direct the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) authorities to disconnect their power connections without any further notice.

PPCB Chairman KS Pannu said the proposed common effluent treatment plant (CETP) had to be made operational by November 30 this year. However, till date the dyeing units had not even purchased land for the CETP and had not sought any environmental clearance, he said.

“After the initiation of the process to install the CETP, a minimum period of one year is required to make it operational. Therefore, by no way the dyeing units can meet the November 30 deadline,” he said.

Having 20 members, the Bahadur-Ke-Textile and Knitwear Association, Ludhiana, had submitted a project report to the PPCB that they would install the CETP, based on zero liquid discharge technology, by November 30.

“The project being of public importance, the Board decided to regulate the installation and commissioning of the proposed CETP to achieve better quality of water discharge into the Sutlej. But so far, the Bahadur-Ke-Textile and Knitwear Association, Ludhiana, has not even purchased land for the CETP,” said Pannu.

“The two associations have failed to obtain environmental clearance from the competent authority, which is mandatory before setting up the project. This clearly indicates the non-seriousness of the association in setting up the plant,” added the PPCB chairman. 

Amritsar, July 21
PPP supremo Manpreet Badal today said his party would “respond positively” to an offer for a tie-up from Left parties, including the CPI and the CPM.

Interacting with mediapersons here today, Manpreet said, “I have got to know that the CPI and the CPM have resolved to approach us for an alliance. Though we have not received any formal communication from them, if it comes our way we will respond positively.”

However, he said they were not in contact with any other party, including the BSP, for an alliance. He expressed hope of forming the next government in the state. “If we don’t form the government, we will be betraying the hopes and aspirations of the people of Punjab.”

On the recent meeting between Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD MLA from Beas Manjinder Singh Kang, Manpreet said he had not met Kang for the last three months. “I haven’t been in touch with him all these months… Kang didn’t even take the membership of the PPP.”

Notably, Kang was among the two ruling party MLAs who threw their weight behind Manpreet after his ouster from the state government and the SAD.

On the CM’s remark about him committing “suicide politically by leaving the SAD”, Manpreet stated that the CM had a selective memory. “I didn’t leave the party, I was thrown out. Now, I have chosen my way and now whether I succeed or fail, why is the CM worried about it?” he quipped.

Regarding his party organisation, Manpreet said: “We hope to have it in place by August 31….Already, 18 lakh members have been enrolled.”

On the ongoing confrontation between Punjab and Haryana over Hansi-Butana issue, he said an all-party meeting should be called to discuss the matter threadbare and the political leaders of Punjab should speak in one voice. Meanwhile, around 50 leaders and activists belonging to different political parties joined the PPP in Rajasansi, Majitha and Amritsar West constituencies in the presence of Manpreet Badal who addressed a series of rallies in the district. 

Chandigarh, July 21
The SAD-BJP alliance has planned a major campaign to revive the image of the BJP that took a severe beating after the CBI raid on its leaders and subsequent resignation of its ministers from the Cabinet.

To be announced in the form of an urban package at a function in Jalandhar tomorrow, the alliance will try to consolidate its urban vote bank, even if the promises it makes are not viable.

The SAD-BJP Government is contemplating announcing three Municipal Corporations at Hoshiarpur, Pathankot and Moga. A similar announcement for Phagwara is in the pipeline. So far the SAD had been concentrating on rural segments.

Sources said municipal corporations for these cities were being announced with an eye on the next elections as none of the cities met the required criteria of “minimum population” and “income”.

“In order to qualify to be upgraded to municipal corporation, the civic body must cater to a specified number of population and generate a minimum income of its own”. Further, the budgetary allocations for 2011-2012 have no provision for this up- gradation.

The other pre-election sops likely to be offered to urban voters include simplifying procedure to get plans designed and sanctioned. Most of these would now be done by architects and the steps involved drastically reduced.The government also proposes to allow change of land use (CLU) locally instead of bringing the files to the Punjab Secretariat.

The sources said almost every segment of urban voters would be given concessions to take on the Congress, which has a predominantly urban base. These could include waiver or concessions in arrears of sewer and water bills.

The government is expected to announce concessions for employees of local bodies to bring them on par with other government employees.

“The objective is very clear, to strengthen the base of the alliance in cities and towns”, a senior official said.

The government will talk of the money spent on urban areas during the Congress regime and the five years of the SAD-BJP alliance.

The sources said that from 2002 to 2007, the Congress transferred Rs 1206 crore to local bodies whereas the SAD-BJP had given Rs 3310 to urban bodies in the first three years of its rule.

A senior government functionary, however, said the announcements to be made tomorrow were part of a series of reforms to be announced by September 10. “On August 8, the government will announce police reforms, the Right to Service on August 15 and Revenue Reforms on August 22 and so on”, the officer added. 

Nangal, July 21
Irrespective of the threat to Bhakra Dam from Pakistani agencies, hundreds of people live illegally in the colonies meant for the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) employees at Nangal, Kotla and Ganguwal.

Most of these people are neither BBMB employees nor their credentials and antecedents are registered with the local police station or BBMB itself. In most of the cases, the BBMB employees have sublet quarters allotted to them. Some have sublet the quarters to their relatives, while others are earning rent. Most of the illegal population comprises of migrants from other states. As per the Intelligence Bureau reports, the dam structure has threat from Pakistani militant outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ul-Dawa following which the Punjab and Himachal Pradesh governments have been directed to step up security measures in and around the dam.

Many people have complained to the BBMB management about this issue of BBMB quarters being illegally occupied. In March this year, a committee was formed under Deputy Chief Engineer Rathore to look into the matter. Rathore’s team conducted surprise checks and issued notices to the illegal occupants of these quarters.

The exercise went futile as no strong follow-ups were done and people continue to live illegally. There are around 3,000 quarters of the BBMB in its three colonies. Rathore said soon more surprise checks would be conducted and people living illegally in these quarters would be ousted.

Saunda (Fatehgarh Sahib), July 21
With 100 per cent loan facility and up to 50 per cent subsidy to set up dairy farms, the project is fast catching fancy of farmers. Besides semi-literate people from rural background, many highly qualified urbanites, too, are turning towards this profession.

Fatehgarh Sahib district has 55 modern commercial farms out of total 400 such farms in the state.

Officials of the Dairy Development Department said farmers have to undergo 15 to 45 days of training before availing the facility of loan and subsidies on farm tools and dairy sheds. They get benefit under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) and schemes of NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development).

Mandeep Singh, a 21-year-old and a plus two, and his 28-year-old cousin Gurjeet with matriculation degree have recently completed their 15 days of training and got two sheds installed. Their sheds would accommodate up to 50 cows. Department officials said besides people like Mandeep and Gurjeet, many youngsters with graduation, post graduation degrees and computer experts have undergone training.

Dairy Inspector Charanjit Singh said farmers manage to earn up to Rs 1 lakh every month with 50 to 60 cows. Farmers have tie-ups with multinational companies, which purchase milk on a daily basis and pay back after every 10 days. The milk is sold between Rs 19 and Rs 21 per litre and average production of milk per cow is nearly 15 litres a day. About 65 to 70 per cent of expenses are incurred upon the care and feed of the animals who give 4,000 to 6,000 litres of milk in 300 days.

A milking machine, which can milk two animals at one time, costs Rs 50,000 and government gives Rs 20,000 subsidy on it. Single milking machine costs Rs 40,000 with a subsidy of Rs 15,000. A bulk milk cooler with soundless generator (to keep the milk cool) costs Rs 8 lakh and government gives 50 per cent subsidy on it. Similarly, a fodder harvester costs Rs 2.6 lakh and farmers get a subsidy of Rs 1.25 lakh. A subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh is also given on Rs 5 lakh iron shed.

The department helps farmers to repay the remaining amount in easy instalments through various banks and it takes one to six months in completing formalities to avail subsidies and loan.

Chandigarh, July 21
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today handed over appointment letters to five eminent sportspersons, namely Manjit Kaur, Avneet Kaur Sidhu, Ronjan Sodhi, Palwinder Singh Cheema and Amandeep Kaur, who have won gold medals in the Asian and Commonwealth Games for the posts of Deputy Superintendents of Police.

Congratulating these sportspersons on the occasion, Badal wished them a bright future in their respective fields of sports, besides a promising professional career in the state police department. Badal said that the state government was committed to providing government jobs to eligible sportspersons who have brought glory to the state as per the guidelines of the sports policy.

The Chief Minister said the state government had already recruited several eligible sportspersons in various government departments. While felicitating these sportspersons who have been appointed as DSPs, the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the SAD-BJP government was committed to promote sports in a big way amongst the youth to wean them away from drugs.

He said that Punjab was all set to organise exhibition matches of the women kabaddi team for five nations during the World Cup Kabaddi scheduled in last week of October this year.

Jalandhar, July 21
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh has come under fire from SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar for his ‘non-Sikh’ ways and for failing to be a role model for young Sikhs. He was in the city to mobilise the Sikhs to sign petitions to be submitted to the President for staying the death sentence of Prof Devinderpal Singh Bhullar.

On the show-cause notice sent by Harbhajan Singh’s mother to Vijay Mallya-owned UB Spirits Group over an advertisement spoof that shows skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni ‘mocking' the former, he said: “ It is against Sikh tenets to either consume or endorse any intoxicant or non-vegetarian product.”

On the delay in holding the SGPC elections, he said the file was pending with the Centre for approval. “They are up to some mischief. On our party, we can hold voting in a day’s notice,” he said.

Chandigarh, July 21
The Punjab Congress today lashed out at Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon who, it said, beat a hasty retreat at Hansi Butana yesterday after being “outwitted” by Haryana officials, thus giving “undue advantage” to the neighbouring state.

“It was ideological bankruptcy of the government which saw the minister losing the argument to an official of the neighbouring state”, the Congress said in a statement. The PCC vice-president, Lal Singh, general secretaries Arvind Khanna and Harminder Singh Jassi said: “The minister regretfully lost the argument and to top it all, he threatened the official with slapping a case against him once the Chautalas come to power in Haryana.”

The minister should be sacked for such “impropriety”, they said. 

Patiala, July 21
Following a sudden increase in road accidents and Patiala topping the death chart in the state, the city traffic wing has started a special campaign against overspeed driving. To achieve this, the traffic police has procured an interceptor vehicle which would stay in the city for the next few days.

Senior officers confirmed that more than 40 challans were issued yesterday and the drive would continue for some more days against traffic violators as numerous roads in the city have become accident prone. “We will now get all details through the interceptor and roads where speed limit boards are in place would be under scanner and offenders would be challaned”, they said.

City traffic in charge HS Badoongar confirmed to The Tribune that they had temporarily got the vehicle from Chandigarh.“We are going to hold special nakas in the city and ensure that all overspeeding vehicles are intercepted and the violators brought to book”, he stated.

Patiala SP (Operations) SS Boparai said they had already requested for a permanent interceptor which would remain with the Patiala Police. “I think in a fortnight we should be able to get it and start with our drive of checking overspeeding”, he said.

Earlier, the traffic police had initiated a special campaign to create awareness against accidents and create vigil for traffic norms. “We delivered lectures in 146 schools where we covered 60,930 students and 2,985 teachers while 23 colleges were also covered where 3,563 students attended our awareness lectures”, Badoongar said.

Meanwhile, the city police is facing harassment as numerous roads and highways passing through the city do not have earmarked signboards for speed limits. 

Patiala, July 21
The PRTC Contractual Employees Union (Azaad) members here yesterday announced the end of its month-long strike after meeting Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Punjab, IAS DS Guru at Chandigarh.

Giving information in this regard, Managing Director, Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation, Manvesh Sidhu informed that the employees and the government had settled the matter amongst themselves.

He further informed that the employees had demanded that the date of applying for 400 posts advertised by the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporationshould be extended to July 29 and the management had accepted their demand.

Meanwhile, Assistant Managing Director Parneet Shergill today offered juice to state president of the union Jasmer Singh. Jasmer said the government had assured them that their demands would be fulfilled soon. After this, all the employees gathered at the Nehru Park to hold a meeting.

Addressing the gathering, Jasmer said though they had ended the strike, but in case the Punjab Roadways Transport Corporation management did not take back the suspended contractual employees, they would begin the stir again.

Jalandhar, July 21 
The Congress today said that the state government was befooling the farmers by announcing a subsidy on almost everything grown in the state, just before Assembly elections. 

The Congress state vice-president, Kewal Singh Dhillon, today said the subsidies being announced by Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah almost on a daily basis were already existing and were centrally sponsored under schemes like Macro-Management of Agriculture (MMA), Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oilpalms and Maize (ISOFOM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission and National Horticulture Mission. — TNS

Chandigarh, July 21
If allegations in a writ petition filed in public interest before the Punjab and Haryana High Court are to be believed, a Scheduled Caste community in a village in Tarn Taran district has been excommunicated.

Taking cognisance of the petition, the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal has asked the Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner “to look into the matter”.

Disposing of the petition, the Bench has also asked the officer to “take such steps as may be considered appropriate”.

In their petition filed before the High Court, Balkar Singh and other petitioners had sought directions to the State of Punjab and other respondents to act against the alleged social boycott of the Scheduled Caste community in Padhri Kalan village.

Directions were also sought by the petitioners to the respondents to take “action against the persons responsible for the boycott”.

The petitioners claim to have moved an application against misappropriation of funds of the panchayat and also against encroachment by a respondent, who is the village sarpanch. In retaliation, the sarpanch allegedly ordered social boycott of the SC community.

Expressing inability to adjudicate in the matter on the basis of the information placed before the court, the Bench observed that whether or not there is a social boycott or any illegality committed by the sarpanch, the matter required adjudication in appropriate proceedings.

“We, therefore, do not find any ground to issue any particular direction. However, without expressing any opinion on merits, we direct the Deputy Commissioner, Tarn Taran, to look into the matter and take such steps as may be considered appropriate,” the Bench added. 

Chandigarh, July 21
It’s shutters down for Nawab’z Restaurant, run allegedly by a former Director-General of Police’s son, at the Patiala Officers’ Colony.

The directions by the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice AK Mittal came on a petition filed in the public interest by the Ekta Kunj New officers’ Colony Welfare Society and other petitioners through counsel APS Shergill.

A Tribune report “Patiala’s Business mess” dated October 23 last was also annexed along with the petition. Shergill told the court that the commercial activities in form of the restaurant, bar, hookah bar, along with banquet and marriage palace, on the residential premises violated not only the basic fundamental rights, but also the zoning requirements of the Patiala town.

The petition added: “The request of the residents has fallen on the deaf ears as the respondent (proprietor) is very influential and claims to be the son of ex-Director General of Police, Punjab, and has been claiming that nobody has the authority or power to stop his business.”

“There are specific instances where the colony residents have been intimidated by gunshots and calls to 100 have not brought about any fruitful results. A stage has come where the colony residents have started feeling threatened and intimidated at the hands of unscrupulous elements, who keep on sitting near the wall of the residential houses, consuming liquor and openly abusing the residents,” stated the petition.

Before parting with the order, the Bench also fixed September 21 for filing written statement by 
the respondent. 

Chandigarh, July 21
The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice A.K. Mittal today imposed a penalty of Rs 20,000 on the State of Punjab for seeking unnecessary adjournment to produce the records of vigilance inquiry against Punjabi University’s former Vice-Chancellor SS Boparai.

The high court had earlier summoned vigilance case report and decision taken on it by the government in Boparai’s case.

The Bench had taken serious note of the fact that all 922 employees working on contract or ad hoc basis against permanent posts in Punjabi University, Patiala, were appointed without following the process of issuing advertisement for inviting applications.

An affidavit was earlier filed by the university through its Registrar Prof Manjit Singh giving the list of 922 persons working against regular posts on ad hoc and contract basis.

The list included 704 employees on non-teaching posts, and 218 lecturers. The list carried observations and remarks that most appointments were made on the basis of recommendations by heads of the departments concerned, and remaining were appointed under orders directly issued by the VC.

During the resumed hearing of the PIL by Santosh Kumari and others, the varsity counsel conceded before the Bench that ex-VC Boparai had made most of these appointments.

Counsel for petitioners H.C. Arora also apprised the Bench that Patiala Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) had conducted an inquiry into the matter and had concluded that there was a prima-facie case of corruption against Boprai. But the State Government arbitrarily rejected the report. 

Ropar, July 21
Sepoy Navdeep Singh of 148 Defence killed his pregnant wife, suspecting her of having illicit relations and dramatised the entire episode as a murderous attack by unidentified people.

Talking to the mediapersons here today, SSP Jatinder Singh Aulakh said Navdeep killed his wife on the night of July 18 between Grewal and Magror village, while coming back from Chandigarh.

Navdeep, posted at Chandimandir, suspected his wife of having illicit relation and thought that the child she was carrying was not his. While returning from Chandigarh, the couple had an argument over the name of unborn child. Enraged over this, Navdeep stopped the car and took out a sickle lying in the car and killed his wife.

In order to confuse the police, he first broke the front glass of his car, then hit himself with the sickle and tied his turban around his neck. “He wanted to pretend that the unknown accused had attacked him as well and tried to strangulate him. The role of his other family members is also under scanner,” Aulakh said.

The police got suspicious when it came to know that none of the valuables of the couple was missing. Later, during investigation, Navdeep confessed to having committed the crime. The police has registered a case against Navdeep on the complaint of deceased’s father Sukhminder Singh.

Meanwhile, the police has solved the murder case of Dugri village in Chamkaur Sahib and arrested former sarpanch Karnail Singh and his nephew Sandeep Singh, alias Jasvir.

On July 17, Gulzar Singh from Dugri village had gone missing after distributing milk in different houses in the morning. Since that day, the accused Karnail and Sandeep had also been missing.

Later, during the investigation, a dog squad visited the tubewell of Karnail Singh on village periphery. It was found that Gulzar was killed and later his body disposed of in the Sirhind canal. Divers were arranged to search his body, but they could not find it.

Later on July 19, his body was found near Dolowal village in Sangrur. A bullet was found pierced in his chest. Accused Karnail and Sandeep were arrested. The police has also recovered a scooter that was used to dispose of Gulzar’s body as well as the double-barrel gun used in the crime. Gulzar allegedly had illicit relations with Sandeep’s mother. 

Hoshiarpur, July 21
Two youths were murdered near Hukran village in the wee hours today. The SP (D) Randhir Singh Uppal said the badly mutilated bodies of Jasbir Singh (23), alias Hira, son of Prem Singh Saini, and his cousin Jasbir Singh (18), son of Gurdial Singh, both of Tajowal village, were found in the wee hours today.

The deceased and their cousin Bhupinder Singh, working in GNA Factory at Mehtiana, were returning home when they were attacked by Simarjit Singh and his brother Rachhpal Singh of Rihana Kalan, Kulwinder Singh of Bhungarni and at least seven others near Hukran.

Bhupinder Singh escaped. The attackers beheaded his two cousins and chopped off other parts of their bodies. — OC