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Big B, Sri Sri to be present at Khalsa Complex opening
Ahead of assembly poll, politicians woo deras
Tragedy-struck Indian eves all set for finals
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Youngest skydiver has Bathinda link
Capt backs Badal’s demand of bringing back black money
President to visit Patiala on Nov 27
Govt employees with 25 yrs’ service to get full pension benefits
It’s Punjabis vs Punjabis in Philippines
Uppal: Most fraudulent
visa cases from Punjab
Neonatal mortality rate still
high in India: Experts
Work on six-laning of GT Road halted
Inclusive growth ensures human rights
HC: No place in judiciary for officials with doubtful integrity
Former cop robbed of Rs 10 lakh
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Big B, Sri Sri to be present at Khalsa Complex opening
Chandigarh, November 19 Among the invitees are the five Sikh High Priests, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasimi from Darul Uloom Deoband, Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini and renowned singer Asha Bhosle. The political guests include BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, Chief Ministers of a few states and eminent politicians of Punjabi origin who have made the cut in Canada and other foreign countries. Mian Imran Masood, a former Education Minister in Pakistan, has also been sent an invitation. After the inauguration ceremony, there would be a recitation of 'shabad' by Asha Bhosle, followed by brief speeches by a few religious personalities. The next would be a traditional Khalsa parade by Nihangs astride horses and a "Gatka" display. And the event would conclude with a shabad recitation by another renowned singer, Jaspinder Narula. The entry to the inaugural function, which would last for about half an hour, however, would be restricted. After the inauguration, a public function would be at Hola Mohalla ground in the rear of Gurdwara Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib. In the evening, yet another function would be held where a play, "Bole-so-Nihal", would be staged. "All functions related to the complex inauguration will have a religious ambience. Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan and others from the film world are coming but they will not stage any performance. They will be state guests," said Daljit Singh Cheema, in-charge of the functions.
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Ahead of assembly poll, politicians woo deras
The latest to join the league was People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) chief Manpreet Badal who recently met Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the controversial head of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda. Manpreet’s visit comes days after Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Capt Amarinder Singh visited the dera on November 12. The PPP president, it is learnt, had a 10-minute meeting with the dera chief, followed by another one with the dera’s political advisory committee (Punjab wing). Both Manpreet and the dera representatives concerned refused to comment on what transpires at the meeting. Ram Singh, one of the six members of the advisory committee, said there was no discussion about elections or even politics for that matter. He said Manpreet raised issues like corruption, drug-addiction and unemployment, issues about which even the dera was concerned. However, sources said a senior member of the dera’s committee, who is a resident of Husnar village in Gidderbaha, played an important role in facilitating Manpreet’s visit. “There is nothing wrong if a political leader visits a dera. Being a secular party, the PPP has high regard for every religious sect provided it works for the society’s betterment,” said Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, PPP vice-president. Ram Singh said several other political leaders, including Amarinder Singh, had visited the dera in recent past. But, said sources, the dera would weigh various options before taking the final decision on whom to support in the elections.
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Tragedy-struck Indian eves all set for finals
Ludhiana, November 19 “For the first time in life, we realised the importance of every second. One minute more and we would have been charred to death. Everything happened in just a span of two minutes. We broke the windscreens and jumped out of the burning bus. We looked back and saw the bus reducing to ashes,” said Jaskaran Kaur, the coach of the team, who suffered a prolapsed disk and bruises on both hands. The team members are thankful to Kulwinder Singh, whose presence of mind led to their escape. Kulwinder, a coach at the Jagatpura academy, near Nawanshahr, was travelling with the team when the incident took place. Kulwinder was the first to see the spark following the accident. “The girls were injured and crying in fear. The driver was dead. I got hold of a screwdriver and broke the windshield. Some commuters also helped us. The girls made a quick exit and, fortunately, we escaped,” said Kulwinder. Anu, who suffered a fractured nose and stitches near the eye, said she would play and give her best in the finals against England. “I can understand my injury is serious, but it is about the pride of my country,” she said. The team thanked Director Sports Pargat Singh for offering support to the players. The players also thanked the teams of Turkmenistan and England, which offered clothes to them.
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Youngest skydiver has Bathinda link
Bathinda, November 19 Anusha successfully dived from an aircraft in the flying academy at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh. She was among six divers who participated in the adventure sport. She said she was eagerly waiting to complete 16 years of age, which she did yesterday, to become eligible for undertaking the skydiving from a height of about 3,500 ft. Anusha said, “I enjoyed the first skydive and will perform four more tomorrow”. Her father also jumped with her from the same aircraft. She said it takes from three to four minutes for a diver to touch the ground, but in her case it took about six minutes because of her less weight of 38 kg. She said it was her childhood dream to skydive like her father, who is a well-known skydiver with more than 400 dives to his credit. Anusha was a student of Kendriya Vidalaya here and has recently taken admission in Class IX to Air Force Bal Bharti School, New Delhi. Anusha said the thrill of adventure went deep into her mind when she was just four and went for parasailing along with her mother. “I grab every opportunity to participate in adventure sports that comes my way,” she said. Tyagi said Anusha was a good swimmer and had done river-rafting and kayaking in Jammu and Kashmir. She also participated in the ski competition at Gulmarg in Kashmir last year. Anusha wants to join defence service where numberous opportunities are available to explore the world of adventure, while serving the nation.
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Capt backs Badal’s demand of bringing back black money
Ludhiana, November 19 Replying to a question on Badal's demand during an informal conversation with some reporters here, Capt Amarinder asked, “Why only the black money stashed abroad, why not the black money hidden within the country?” He alleged that Badal and his son were deliberately raking up the issue of black money to divert the attention “from their own wealth”. The former CM alleged that actually it was the Badals who had to explain their huge wealth accumulated in a short period. “Badal will have to explain the source of over Rs 2,000 crore with which he constructed two seven-star luxury hotels in Gurgaon,” he alleged.
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President to visit Patiala on Nov 27
Patiala, November 19 The presentation of the "colours" is one of the highly honoured ways to recognise the distinguished services of the
regiments. The "colours" would be presented by the President at a parade to be held at the Black Elephant Division, Patiala. Chief of the Army Staff General Vijay Kumar Singh would also be present at the ceremony.
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Govt employees with 25 yrs’ service to get full pension benefits
Chandigarh, November 19 Disclosing this here today, an official release said a Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal approved full pension for employees having put in 25 years of service with effect from December 1. The Cabinet also gave in-principle approval to bring parity between the pay scales of Excise and Taxation and Food and Civil Supplies Departments. The Cabinet also gave approval to grant extension to the policy of re-employment of PCS (executive branch) appointed on a contract basis till December 31, 2012 or the appointment of new PCS (executive branch) officers, whichever is earlier. It approved filling of 292 vacancies after restructuring the Punjab Home Guards and Civil Defence Department, of which 245 will be filled in the border wing of home guards and 47 technical posts in the urban/rural and civil defence wings. It also approved the recommendations of the Cabinet subcommittee on employees' demands. Kanungos will now get Rs 3,600 GP instead of Rs 3,000. School lecturers have been put on a par with school headmasters. Pharmacists have been placed in the higher pay band of Rs 10,300-34,800+3,600 against Rs 5,910-20,200-3,000 and likewise, the pay grade of grade I and grade II pharmacist will be now Rs 4,800 and Rs 4,200, respectively. Similarly, medical laboratory technician grade II has been now placed in the pay scale of Rs 10,300+34,800+3,600 and the higher post of medical lab technician grade I and senior medical lab technician will get Rs 4,200 and Rs 4,800, respectively. The feeder post of block extension educator will now get the pay scale of Rs 10,300-34,800+3,600 and deputy and district mass media officers will get grade pay of Rs 4,200 and Rs 4,800, respectively. Homeopathic and ayurvedic doctors in the pay of Rs 10,300-34,800 will now get a higher grade pay of Rs 5,400 and after four years under the ACP scheme. Up-vaids and homeopathic dispensers will now get a pay scale of Rs 5,910-20,200 with the grade pay of Rs 3,000. The pay of DDPOs, deputy, joint, and additional director being directly promoted from BDPOs will be protected in the higher scale. All sikhya karmis working in the Education Department will now get additional benefit of Rs 1,000 per month. The secretariat allowance admissible to the staff and senior secretariat staff will now get special allowance of Rs 1,500 per month.
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It’s Punjabis vs Punjabis in Philippines
Jalandhar, November 19 While, 25-30 Punjabi youths have been murdered in Philippines this year alone, a whopping number of 150 Punjabis have lost their lives there since 2005. After 1994-95, inter-gang rivalries and murders of Punjabis witnessed a spurt from 2005 onwards, with 25-30 youths losing their lives to violence every year. Most of the victims were from Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Moga and Nawanshahr. The Punjabis in Philippines are worried by the fact that it is mostly Punjabis who are behind the high incidence of violence and that young and neo-rich Punjabis have even started foraying into “supari” killings of each other with the help of local criminal gangs. Philippinos too are getting impatient over the increasing involvement of Punjabis in crime. “Earlier, it were mainly drug addicts who killed Punjabis to loot them. Now it is Punjabis who are after lives of Punjabis. Jealousy due to rising prosperity is fuelling murders and kidnappings. Neo-rich Punjabis don’t like the prosperity of other Punjabis and when the rivalries take a turn for the worst they hire contract killers to kill those they want to target,” said Mandip Singh Happy, the president of the NRI Sabha, Punjab’s Philippines wing who was currently on a trip to Punjab. He said two Punjabi youths, Gurvinder Ginda and Ranjit Singh Jeeta, kidnapped by gangsters last month were yet to be traced. “The situation has deteriorated because Philippines and India are not signatories to the mutual extradition treaty. After committing crimes, Punjabis head to India in search of a safe haven. Some Punjabi youths killed had settled there after their marriage to Philippino girls. After their second marriages in Punjab, they were eliminated by relatives of their Philippino wives,” said Mandip Singh. Prince, a resident of Bacaore Cavte city and a money-lender, said: “Punjabis were being targeted as they were directly into the money-lending business. Gujaratis and other Hindus were running factories so they were hardly touched by criminals.”
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Uppal: Most fraudulent
visa cases from Punjab
Amritsar, November 19 A Minister of State for Democratic Reforms in the Canadian government, Uppal was felicitated at the Khalsa College here today for his political achievements. He said all modalities for the tie-up had been finalised and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal would soon ink the deal with the Alberta Premier. Uppal said the present Canadian government had issued four-time more visas than that were issued earlier. “However, the number of fraudulent cases from Punjab is a matter of concern,” he said. He, however, expressed satisfaction that Indian students nowadays were studying abroad and then opting to work in home nation. Uppal said his government had toughened the law regarding granting of permanent residency (PR) visas to avoid desertion of brides by NRI husbands after marriages. He said the newly wed couples would now have to live together for at least three years so as to be eligible for a PR visa.
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Neonatal mortality rate still
high in India: Experts
Ludhiana, November 19 Dr Pejawar said, "The high mortality rate among neonatals is UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. However, in Kerala it is like Japan i.e. 3 per 1000 live births. Amongst the children who die within one year of their birth, a majority are newly born." Citing the reasons behind this, he said,"There are three main reasons: Low birth weight, sepsis (severe illness in which the bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacteria) and asphyxia.. To control neonatal mortality rate, institutional deliveries by a trained person should be preferred, proper hygiene should be maintained. Ante-natal check-up of pregnant women is a must and there should be immediate neonatal care for the new-born by a trained person." He further said although the Government of India has started many schemes to promote institutional deliveries, yet a lot more is required to be done in the rural areas. While Dr Amit Upadhay Head of Neonatology from Medical College Meerut said, “Three per cent premature babies are less than 1500 gm and require immediate ventilator support. Infection is the biggest reason for their deaths as a premature baby does not have well-developed organs. In case, a mother to deliver a premature baby say in the sixth to eighth month, she should be given two doses of steroids 24 hours before the delivery as it helps in saving the new-born from many complications and mental bleeding etc."
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Work on six-laning of GT Road halted
Fatehgarh Sahib, November 19 While talking to The Tribune, Jatinder Singh, Harjinder Singh, Raj Sahi and Pritpal Singh contractors said that they are sub-contractors of SOMA Enterprises, which has taken the project of constructing roads and bridges on contract from SOMA and ISOLEX, which have taken the project on contract from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).They said that they have gone on strike as the company is not making their payments worth Rs.100 Crore of material, cartage and labour for the last six months. They have requested the company officials regularly to make the payments but the officials had been making false promises for payment but have done nothing so for, where as they have been receiving regular payment from the main contractor SOMA and ISOLEX. They alleged that they have been reduced to a penniless state and they don't have any money to pay to the labour, who are on the verge of starvation. Harpreet Singh, Project Manager, he refuted all the allegations of the contractors and said that the payment would be made by the end of this month. He said by resorting to a strike they can not blackmail the company. He said it is a huge company and a big project; it hardly matters if few contractors have gone on strike and they will make loss of themselves. He said we are working for the public interest not for the individuals.
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Inclusive growth ensures human rights
Patiala, November 19 The focus was on the role of the state, NGOs, media and literature in securing human rights. There was consensus among the participants that inclusive growth alone can ensure human rights and prevent human rights violations since the marginalised sections of a society are most vulnerable to human rights violations. Shivdular Singh Dhillon, special secretary, Department of Personnel, Government of Punjab and Additional Managing Director, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, suggested that human rights and human development could not be separated from each other. Human development and human rights can be ensured only if there is economic and social justice. The college principal Dr Rupa Saini welcomed the guests and expressed the hope that the seminar would throw up many new ideas which would sensitise the students to the concepts of human rights and human development. Dr Swaraj Raj, the seminar coordinator introduced the theme of the seminar and the vice-principal Prof Sushma Goyal proposed a vote of thanks.
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Golden jubilee celebrations of Punjabi varsity begin
Patiala, November 19 “The next phases of the celebrations would be devoted to drawing a ‘futuristic vision’ to foster the overall development of Punjabi language, art and culture as the major thrust area for which the university was primarily established,” he said. Over three of its departments, namely, Punjabi, economics and physics are being accredited by the UGC as Centres of Advanced Studies. The Centre is sanctioning a grant of Rs 4 crore for departments in the Faculty of Life Sciences. Speaking on the occasion, Dr S.S. Tiwana, Dean, Academic Affairs, and Dr A.S. Chawla traced the history of the university since its inception and highlighted the rare achievements during the period. Dr Satish Kumar Verma, Director, Youth Welfare gave details about various folk events that constitute the inter-zonal folk festival. Department of Distance Education organised a seminar on “Role and challenges of distance learning” in the science auditorium in which Dr H.K. Manmohan Singh, a former Vice Chancellor of the university, discussed the merits of postal education.
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HC: No place in judiciary for officials with doubtful integrity
Chandigarh, November 19 The observations, which can be interpreted as a stern warning to the subordinate judiciary, came as a Division Bench dismissed a petition filed by a Senior Sub Judge who was compulsorily retired from service. The observations also assume significance as the judicial officer had alleged bias against some of the then High Court Judges. A High Court Judge was even impleaded as a party. Turning down Naurang Singh Mundra’s plea 16 years after it was raised, Justice Permod Kohli and Justice Ritu Bahri ruled: “The nature of judicial service is such that it cannot afford to suffer a judicial officer whose integrity is doubtful or has lost the utility for such a service”. The Bench said: “We find no reason to interfere in the order of compulsory retirement”. Mundra had challenged the order dated April 10, 1995, passed by the Punjab Government “for his compulsory retirement in public interest” on the recommendations of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Appointed a Sub Judge in June 1972 on being selected by the Punjab Public Service Commission, he was posted as Chief Judicial Magistrate at Ferozepur and thereafter as Senior Sub Judge at the same place. The Bench observed: “With a view to assail the order of compulsory retirement, the petitioner has attempted to make certain allegations against some practising lawyers at Ferozepur, the then superior officers, and also alleged bias against some of the then High Court Judges. However, except one Judge, no other person has been impleaded as a party. “So far as the then High Court Judge is concerned, the allegations are that the petitioner decided a case titled Ripudaman Kaur versus Union of India against the plaintiff, who happens to be the relation of the Judge. Judgment of the petitioner was, however, set aside by the appellate court and a regular second appeal also came to be dismissed by the High Court…” The Bench concluded: “The petitioner had more than 50 per cent of his reports less than good. He also earned adverse report for the period 1990-91. His overall service record does not reflect a very rosy picture. It is the opinion of the competent authority, in the present case the High Court, to compulsorily retire the petitioner. “We do not find that the order passed by the competent authority is erroneous in any manner or suffers from any factual or legal infirmity”.
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Former cop robbed of Rs 10 lakh
Faridkot, November 19 “Pointing a pistol at me, the miscreants threatened me to hand over the money bag to them or they would kill me. After snatching the bag, the accused fled,” alleged Ajaib Singh. Sat Pal Singh Sidhu, SSP Faridkot, said a case had been registered. — TNS
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With their injuries still fresh and the scene of tragedy still etched in their minds, these women grapplers are all set to give their best for the pride of their country.
Bathinda, November 19
The neonatal mortality rate is still high in India, i.e. 30 per 1000 live births and it is same as in other developing countries. However, if we compare it with developed nations, like Japan, it is ten times more in India. In Japan it is 3 per 1000 live births.
Muktsar, November 19
About Tim Uppal