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Potato farmers eye European market
Growers facing glut
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SGPC elections
Denied ticket, Ramgarhias to oppose SAD
PPP for HC stay, wants six-fold relief for farmers
Capt questions Badal’s scruples
Pollution to be burning issue when all thermal plants get going
Scheduled Caste panel takes up Sarabjit’s case
Pong Dam almost full
‘58 farmers yet to receive
cheques’
RTI activists seek action against 35 candidates for hiding poll expenses
Christians call off hunger strike
Rain hampers rescue operation in Fazilka
Shun mercury-based devices: PPCB to docs
NRHM strike to affect polio campaign: Govt
Patiala advocate’s suggestions on Lokpal Bill chosen for discussion by Parliament panel
HC: Prosecution sanction must for retd employees
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Potato farmers eye European market
Chandigarh, August 27 Though potato is still on the negative list for exports between India and the European Union, farmers in the state were pressing the Union Government (through Punjab Government) to get it removed from the negative list. With buyers from Germany coming to Punjab recently to see and assess the quality of potatoes grown here, and inquiries for exports coming in from other European Union members, potato growers here are hoping for exports to be allowed by the end of this year —when the new potato crop arrives. "A team of officials from the European Union headquarters is expected to visit the potato growing areas of Punjab. After two years of studying crop production by experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the state government has already declared that the potato crop in the state is free from brown rot and bacterial wilt. This report has already been submitted by the Government of India to the EU headquarters in Brussels," said Sukhjit Singh Bhatti, president of Confederation of Potato Seed Farmers. Bhatti said the potato farmers had already got the Global Good Agricultural Practices certification, which allows it to export their crop. "Based on this certification, we exported almost 20,000 tonnes of potato to Russia in February and March this year. Because of the potato glut earlier this year, the prices in the domestic market had started falling. But Russia was witnessing a shortage of potatoes and had waived off customs duty, so we decided to export potatoes there. But after the customs duty was again imposed in June, we have not exported the crop to Russia, as it becomes economically unviable," added JBS Sangha, general secretary of the association.
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Growers facing glut
Jalandhar, August 27 JS Sangha, president of Jalandhar Potato Growers Association, said though potato was selling around Rs 8-10 a kg, farmers were being forced to sell the crop for as less as Rs 3 and Rs 4 a kg for ‘Pukhraj’ and Jyoti varieties, respectively. “As this is the second glut in a row, the area under potato cultivation will fall drastically from the next season,” he warned. Due to attractive prices fetched for potato in the past, Sangha said, hundreds of farmers opted for its cultivation. “Initially, the going was good, but of late the high input costs in terms of fertilizers, labour and skyrocketing land contract rates had proved to be a bane,” he said. Last year, the total yield in the state touched the 32,000-MT mark. But it has been around 27,000 MT this year. Despite lesser production, the prices have remained low. Also, several big farmers exported about 10,000 tonnes of potato to Russia but they have been unable to get their payments, said Sangha. Several consignments to the Middle East in the past have been rejected, as they demand oversized potatoes, which are not cultivated by us, he said. “Unless the government steps in a big way to bail out potato farmers with an economic package, there is no hope for us.”
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SGPC elections
Amritsar, August 27 Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said, “Five-six candidates have contacted me in this regard while some have got baptised at their own level.” He, however, is expecting some more families would approach the Akal Takht for the task on Sunday. The Jathedar revealed that the family members of Punjab Minister Sucha Singh Langah, who is also a SGPC member, and SAD candidate Sukhdarshan Singh Brar had been baptized. He said the candidates whose family members would be left out would again be appealed to get baptised. The Jathedar had given this call after noted lawyer HS Phoolka submitted a memorandum to him stating that these were purely religious elections meant for the upkeep of gurdwaras and, therefore, all the candidates and their families should be baptised. Phoolka said he was forming committees at the district level to make sure the SGPC elections were free from use of intoxicants. He said they had already formed such panels in the Malwa region. He said he would soon meet the Jathedar and would urge him to direct the candidates to take a pledge in the Sikh Sangat that they would not resort to distribution of intoxicants to win the elections. Meanwhile, SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjeet Singh Mann has shot off a missive to the Gurdwara Election Commission seeking fresh nominations in the five seats where he alleged that the SAD had forced the opposition candidates to withdraw their nominations.
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Denied ticket, Ramgarhias to oppose SAD
Chandigarh, August 27 To vent their anger, the community has put up a candidate — Surinder Singh Riat from Ludhiana — as an Independent to take on the SAD nominee. Addressing the media here today, a group of leaders of the community said that while in the past, the community contested six or seven seats, during these elections, the SAD has not given even a single seat to the community.
— TNS
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Badal campaigns in Gidderbaha
Dodha (Muktsar), August 27 Badal was talking to mediapersons during his campaign for the SGPC elections in Gidderbaha assembly segment that was earlier represented by Manpreet. The Chief Minister said it was unfortunate that some political parties were trying to politicise the issue by “misleading the innocent farmers”. “More than 90 per cent farmers have willingly accepted the mutually agreed compensation of the land while about five or seven families are reluctant to accept cheques,” he said. Setting up of the thermal power plant in Gobindpura would usher economic development in the area and also add to the availability of electricity that was essential for industrialization, the CM said. “Such activities of the opposition parties put a brake on the tempo of development built by the SAD-BJP coalition government in Punjab,” he said. Badal has invited leaders of the 17 farmers unions spearheading the agitation on the Gobindpura issue for talks at Ludhiana tomorrow. He reiterated his challenge to Amarinder saying the latter should stop “misleading the farmers and come and have a bout of wrestling with him”. He also accused the
Congress-led UPA Government of “tailoring such formulas of financial aid to the states that keep Punjab out of the list”. CM Parkash Singh Badal will address 46 rallies from August 29 to September 11 in support of SAD-Sant Samaj combine candidates. He would also address three rallies in Haryana on September 11.
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PPP for HC stay, wants six-fold relief for farmers
Bareta (Mansa), August 27 It will also plead that the compensation award be enhanced six times for the land that is being acquired by the state government for a private company to set up the Gobindpura thermal plant in Mansa district. The six-fold increase in compensation is being sought by the PPP in the PIL on the basis of a provision in the National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, to be tabled by the Union government in Parliament soon. Manpreet asked the Punjab Government to postpone the acquisition by three-four months so that after the passing of the Bill in Parliament, farmers could get six-fold compensation i.e. more than Rs 1.3 crore per acre. He said even the courts had the power to enhance the land acquisition award money. Manpreet was here today in connection with a rally organised by his party unit in the local grain market in support of the farmers whose land had been acquired for the thermal plant by the state government. Besides Manpreet, the rally was addressed by former MLA Jagbir Singh Brar, Punjabi comedian and PPP leader Bhagwant Mann, another PPP leader Ranjit Kaur Bhatti, former SGPC member Kuldip Singh and Gurbir Singh Bhatti. Later, Manpreet, along with party leaders, submitted a memorandum, regarding land acquisition, to the ADC (Development), Mansa. Manpreet said that due to imposition of prohibitory orders in Gobindpura village, he wouldn’t go there. On the Assembly elections, Manpreet said he had formed a two-member committee that would talk to the CPI and CPM for an alliance on the basis of a common minimum programme.
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Capt questions Badal’s scruples Chandigarh, August 27 Amarinder pointed out that, as recently as on August 20 during the death anniversary function of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal at Sangrur, Badal had accused the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre of discriminating against his government. Now, within six days, he, without any moral scruples, has rushed to the same government for aid. Referring to Badal’s recent visit to New Delhi where he met some ministers and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Capt Amarinder said it only betrayed Badal’s double face.
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Pollution to be burning issue when all thermal plants get going
Bathinda, August 27 The government had last year formulated the Power Generation Policy to transform Punjab from a power-deficit to a power-surplus state and to facilitate thermal power plants in the private sector. Residents of the main town of Bathinda are already crying due to the high level of air pollution being caused by the 440-MW Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) for the past 36 years. Although engineers of the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) claim that the smoke emission of the plant was within the prescribed limits, people take this claim with a pinch of salt. The record available with the local office of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) indicates that the Unit IV was a major source of pollution as the emission level of suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the outlet path A and B varied between 260 and 280 mg/Nm3 against the permissible level of 150. The PPCB does not regularly keep a tab on the pollution level of the thermal plant. The data of stack emission samples was taken by the PPCB on June 23 when the emission level of the other three units was also slightly on the higher side. The Unit III is currently shut down due to its ongoing up-gradation work. About 6,500 tonnes of coal is burnt everyday when all the four units of the GNDTP are functional. During his visit here some time ago, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said even the latest pollution control system in the thermal power plants was not capable of completely controlling pollution. The Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) at Lehra Mohabbat near here was burning about 12,000 tonnes of coal everyday to generate 920 MW of electricity. The 1,980-MW thermal power project being set up by the Vedanta group at Banawali would consume 30,000 tonnes of coal everyday. Its first unit will be commissioned next year.
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Scheduled Caste panel takes up Sarabjit’s case
Amritsar, August 27 The commission has issued notices to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Union Home Ministry in this connection seeking reports on what the government has done so far for the release of Sarabjit who had been sentenced to death by a Pakistani court in serial blast case that led to killing of more than 12 people there. Vice-chairman of the commission Rajkumar Verka said, “It has admitted the petition filed by the Sarabjit’s family, while pointing out that the government has not taken up the matter with the neighbouring country seriously.”
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Pong Dam almost full
Chandigarh, August 27 According to an official spokesperson, around 32,660 cusecs of water were discharged from Pong Dam against the inflow of 44,336 cusecs. There was a discharge of 25,000 cusecs in Beas at Naushera Mirthal and 1,02,800 cusecs in Dhilwan. The Sutlej also witnessed the discharge of 70,930 cusecs from Harike and discharge of 69,135 cusecs from Hussainiwala. Due to the continuous heavy rainfall in the state, the water level in Bhakra Dam has also been increasing. The water level at Bhakra Dam today touched 1,671.76 ft while its capacity is 1,680 ft. According to an official spokesman, the water level on this day last year was 1,674.80 ft. The water level at Ranjit Sagar Dam has touched 520.96m and its capacity is 524.91m.
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‘58 farmers yet to receive cheques’
Mansa, August 27 Villagers of Gobindpura claimed this today during a press conference convened here. The labor-farmer families said that they own 447 acres of land and owners of 171 acres of land have not got any compensation cheques, while 35 families having 276 acres of land have declared giving back their cheques, they said. They claimed that their land constituted 50 per cent of the total land acquired for project. “Punjab government as well as company given work of plant is making false claims of 95 percent villagers giving them land peacefully,” a villager said. — TNS
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RTI activists seek action against 35 candidates for hiding poll expenses
Chandigarh, August 27 Releasing details based on information collected through RTI, the group has said that at least nine candidates, who contested the 13 Lok Sabha seats, and at least 26 candidates, who contested on Vidhan Sabha seats, are liable to be punished for concealing expenditure incurred on advertisements during the elections. The six members of the group - HC Arora, Prof Jagmohan Singh, Balwant Singh Khera, Anil Vashisht, Sarabjit Singh Kahlon and Parvinder Singh Kittna - while addressing mediapersons here said that at least 10 newspaper advertisements had been initially collected by Kittna that appeared in the support of Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, seven advertisements in support of Gurcharan Singh Galib, three in support of Vijender Singla, but relevant columns in their returns pertaining to expenses on advertisements were not legible. They claimed that Som Parkash, a candidate from Hoshiarpur, showed no expenses on advertisements despite six of these appearing in his favour. Daljit Singh Cheema (Anandpur Sahib) showed an expense of Rs 40,240 for eight advertisements, Partap Singh Bajwa (Gurdaspur) showed nil expense for three ads, Preneet Kaur (Patiala) showed Rs 53,280 for five ads, Harsimrat Badal (Bathinda) showed Rs 40,136 for five ads, Raninder Singh (Bathinda) showed Rs 66,408 for five ads, Sukhdev Libra (Fatehgarh Sahib) showed an expense of Rs 82,620 for eight ads, Ravneet Singh Bittu (Anandpur Sabib) showed Rs 50,013 for 25 advertisement and Jagmeet Brar showed an nil expense for 16 ads. Arora said ample evidence has been given to the Chief Electoral Officer and the group now wants her to contact the concerned newspapers and take action against these candidates or the persons who inserted the advertisements in newspapers. AGAC has said that if no action is taken by the CEO within a month, the group shall file a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a CBI investigation. Any person publishing advertisements in support of a candidate, without his consent or authority, is liable to be prosecuted, and on conviction can be sentenced up to three years of imprisonment under Section 171-H of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
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Christians call off hunger strike
Jalandhar, August 27 Officially Punjab has a little more than half a million Christian population but the community leaders claim the number to be four times higher and point to the existence of over 400 churches and parishes in the state. The community, under the banner of the Punjab Christian Movement and the United Pastors’ Movement, has been demanding the freedom to bring out religious processions. They complain that Christians are not allowed to do so in the state on the pretext that it would create a law and order problem. Addressing the gathering in front of the DC Complex, Hamid Masih and Vijay Kumar, presidents of the Punjab Christian Movement (PCM) and United Pastors’ Association (UPA) respectively, claimed that seventy per cent of Christians in Punjab are below the poverty line. He also claimed that while 40 per cent of Christians in the state are fourth and fifth generation Christians, there are 30 per cent second and third generation Christians and about 20 per cent are first time Christians.
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Rain hampers rescue operation in Fazilka
Fazilka, August 27 Power supply was cut on Friday evening in the flood-affected villages of Mahatam Nagar, Jhangar Bhaini, Retewali Bhaini, Dona Nanka, Teja Rohela, Gatti No. 3, Salemshah and other villages falling across the Kawanwali Pattan concrete bridge, said Harbans Singh, sarpanch of Mahatam Nagar. Following the power cut, residents are facing scarcity of drinking water as most of them draw drinking water from tubewells in absence of any canal network in the area, added Harbans Singh. “We were forced to cut power supply to prevent any untoward incident in the area,”explained XEN Powercom Sham Lal Arora. Some snakes have also been sighted by residents. According to official sources, due to the breach in Dona Sikandari bundh, standing crop of paddy, cotton and green fodder on 8,884 acres has gone under three to four feet of water.
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Shun mercury-based devices: PPCB to docs
Patiala, August 27 Pannu has sent a letter to Punjab Health System Corporation MD, Director Health and Family Welfare, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president and state president of the National Integrated Medical Association, Punjab, mentioning that mercury is a highly toxic element. He added, “Mercury is a global contaminant and neurotoxin and has an adverse effect on the human nervous system and other body parts. Mercury is significantly associated with the health-care industry as it is used in thermometers, blood pressure-measuring instruments (sphygmomanometers), esophageal dilators and dental amalgam. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a policy paper on mercury in health care calling for short, medium and long-term strategies to address the problem.” The letter further states that the WHO, in collaboration with the Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) - an International NGO, has the objective that by 2017, it will phase out the demand for mercury-containing thermometers and sphygmomanometers by at least 70 per cent. “In the United States today, it is virtually impossible to purchase a mercury thermometer, while mercury blood pressure devices are either banned or severely restricted. In Europe, mercury thermometers are banned. Similar policies are emerging in other countries for mercury-free health care.
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NRHM strike to affect polio campaign: Govt
Ludhiana, August 27 Principal Secretary (Health) Satish Chandra said this after he got to know that today's meeting between the NRHM employees and their Managing Director SK Sharma failed at the Circuit House, Ludhiana. Talking about the regularisation of these employees, Satish said, “As far as ANMs are concerned, their merit list for regularisation is ready with us and we will release it by Monday hopefully. The posts of these ANMs already existed in the state Health Department. However, the posts of the remaining NRHM employees were created after the NRHM came in existence. So we cannot regularise them until the Government of India asks us to do so.” The Health Department has the target of more than 7.5 lakh children for administering the pulse polio drops in three days. Programme Officer (Immunisation) Balwinder Singh said, “There will be 6,000 teams for the campaign and each team will have two members. We have also included the NRHM employees among these 6,000 teams. I know they are reluctant to work for this campaign due to their ongoing strike. But we have requested them to participate actively as it is a national programme." He further said appeals had been made to the NRHM employees through district immunisation officers in a recent meeting. The officer said, “In this round, we mainly target migratory population and cover slum, sub-slum areas, rural areas that are hub of migratory population etc.” Meanwhile, state spokesperson of the NRHM Union, Punjab, Rajinder Singh said, “We will boycott the pulse polio campaign.” “There are about 900 ANMs working under the NRHM and in each block one ANM is deputed to look after the pulse polio. Now when they are on strike, the work will definitely suffer,” said Satish Chandra.
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Patiala advocate’s suggestions on Lokpal Bill chosen for discussion by Parliament panel
Patiala, August 27 “The suggestions put forward by Gurjit have been selected to be put before the Parliament Committee when the final Lokpal Bill would take shape,” said Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat. Notably, Gurjit sent a petition to the Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, after suggestions were invited from the public by the government by circulating it in the national newspapers. Now, he has received e-mail from the director assuring that the Parliamentary Standing Committee headed by Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi would take up his suggestions for consideration. Talking to The Tribune, Gurjit informed that he had made various suggestions in his petition after studying each and every aspect of the current system. He said the most important point in his petition was making the Lokpal system three-tier, instead of two-tier as proposed by social activist Anna Hazare. "At the very outset, there is need to make the Lokpal system a three-tier system. There should be Lokpal at district level, state level and national level, based on dividing the jurisdiction both on basis of pecuniary and territorial grounds. It will not over burden the Lokpal with work and more over it will also help to expedite the matter, as there will be division of work at all the levels," he added. He further suggested that there should be provision of filing of appeal against the decision of the Lokpal also. "Appeal should be allowed only if the matter involves some law point or a substantial question of public importance and that, too, on seeking leave. This will enable free and fair trial and justice both to the complainant and the accused. Revision is to be filed in matters that are non-appealable and this can be described in the schedule. Reference can be filed in matters that involve some law point and which needs clarification by the nation level. Provision should be made that a complaint can also be filed online," said Singh. Interestingly, Gurjit Singh has already introduced two Bills in the Rajya Sabha as a common man. The first bill was pertaining to the misuse of Freedom of Speech by the Print and the Television Media under Article 19[2] of the Indian Constitution, report 132 dated December 12, 2008, and the second bill was “Imposition of reasonable restrictions on the use of Mobile Phones”, report 133 dated February 26, 2009.
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HC: Prosecution sanction must for retd employees
Chandigarh, August 27 With this, the High Court has made it clear that the prosecution cannot take advantage of a government employee’s retirement to proceed against him, once the sanction stands declined. The development is significant as the State of Punjab had all along been submitting that sanction was not required to launch prosecution against the employee since he had retired from service. Taking up the petition filed by Sukhdev Raj Dhingra through counsel Mansur Ali, Justice Sabina ruled: “Admittedly, petitioner was working as Taxation Inspector. The prosecution sought sanction to prosecute the petitioner in the FIR in question. Vide order dated April 26, 2006, the competent authority held that it was not a fit case for grant of sanction for prosecution of the petitioner.” Thereafter, the petitioner retired from service on April 30, 2006, on attaining the age of superannuation. “Since in the present case the sanction for prosecution had been declined by the competent authority, the prosecution could not be launched against the petitioner after his retirement. It is not a case where no sanction for prosecution of the petitioner was sought during the period petitioner was in service…,” the court held. Allowing the petition, Justice Sabina ruled that the “impugned order dated November 3, 2006, whereby the charge was ordered to be framed against the petitioner, is quashed. Consequently, the petitioner stands discharged”. Justice Sabina added the present case was duly covered by the decision of the apex court in the case of Cittaranjan Das versus State of Orissa. The retired inspector was booked in FIR number 21, dated July 28, 2005, under Sections 415, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, registered at a Mohali police station.
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Harpreet murder case: CBI puts forth 60 queries
Patiala, August 27 Satnam Singh Kler, the counsel for the main accused in the case Bibi Jagir Kaur, informed that during the court proceedings, the CBI counsel continued with the proceedings under Section 313 of the CrPc and as many as 60 questions, pertaining to the case, were put before the court by the CBI. “Now, the next date of hearing in the case has been fixed for September 2,” he said. Bibi Jagir Kaur and co-accused Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi, Sanjeev Kumar, Harminder Singh and Satya were present during the court proceedings, whereas Paramjit Singh Raipur and Nishan Singh had got exemption from personal hearing.
— TNS
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The glut in potato production last year is propelling Punjab farmers to start looking for new markets abroad to sell their produce.
After having exported potato to Russia and other CIS countries last
year, potato growers from the state are now eyeing Europe for exports.
Bareta (Mansa), August 27
Owing to the ongoing strike by the employees working under the National Rural Health Mission, the three-day-long pulse polio migratory round will be affected.
Principal Secretary (Health) Satish Chandra said this after he got to know that today's meeting between the NRHM employees and their Managing Director SK Sharma failed at the Circuit House,
Ludhiana.
