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Tug-of-war over control of Sikh varsity at Fatehgarh Sahib
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Cabinet meeting on new taxes put off
SGPC approves Rs 443.6 cr budget for next 8 months
TRIBUNE IMPACT
Separate teachers’ cadre for border belt
Jalandhar-Panipat highway project back on track
Scientists alert farmers on pest attack
Dairy farmers threaten to stop supply to Milkfed
Aided school staff to
get pension benefits
Teachers to hold protest on Aug 5
Infant’s death at Jalandhar civil hospital
Jawan killed in Assam blast cremated
Govt college teachers to boycott work
DAV management to fight acquisition
Govt elementary school to go under the hammer
Act tough against drug peddlers: SSP to SHOs
Man dies as bus overturns
Court vacates stay on doctors’ appointment
State dragging feet on land grab probe
14 promoted as Chief Judicial Magistrates
Insurance company fined for needless litigation
3 kg of heroin seized from Pak train at Attari
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Tug-of-war over control of Sikh varsity at Fatehgarh Sahib
Chandigarh/Amritsar, August 3
Ahluwalia has accused Makkar of being responsible for 92 allegedly illegal appointments, including that of his grandson. Speaking to The Tribune, Ahluwalia demanded a CBI inquiry to probe the allegations that he had levelled on Makkar and also to look into the counter-allegations by the SGPC president. The suspended VC is set to become more strident in the days to come, saying he had an "atom bomb up his sleeve which, if released, would make it difficult for Makkar to remain in office". The "atom bomb" refers to an "objectionable action" committed by Makkar. For his part, Makkar today announced the SGPC had hired two private companies to conduct an audit of the expenditure during Ahluwalia's tenure as VC. One team would probe the construction work quality and the other the financial aspects. They would submit their reports within a week. "Everything will become clear once the reports are out," he said. Sources, however, said much of what Ahluwalia was claiming could be posturing on his part after being unceremoniously shunted out both from the university as well as the Trust that runs it. Ahluwalia had complete control over the university since its inception in 2008. However, things changed after he was hospitalised following a bullet injury on August 1, 2011. Apart from controlling the university, the point of contention is the 92 appointments done when Ahluwalia was in hospital. The then officiating VC, Dr Gurnek Singh, said the appointments were on an ad hoc basis as they needed to be made immediately. He said due procedure could have been followed when services of the appointees were to be regularised. Makkar, it is learnt, had a full say in these recruitments. After again taking charge of the university in January, Ahluwalia prevailed upon the syndicate on March 30 to inquire into the procedure under which these appointments had been made. This set the scene for a clash between Makkar and Ahluwalia. Ahluwalia, it is learnt, had been successful in getting his way earlier because of his proximity to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He had ruled the roost earlier as well when he was the VC of Punjabi University, Patiala. That, despite the fact that charges of moral turpitude were levelled against him, though he was subsequently acquitted in the case. But, Ahluwalia was not second-time lucky. He alleged that Makkar had conspired to remove him when the Chief Minister was out of the state and scheduled to go abroad. His claim, however, came under question as before being removed from the Trust on July 24, Ahluwalia was asked by a former chief secretary to put in his papers, it is learnt. This could not have happened without Badal being kept in the loop. Sources said the CM had attributed his support for Ahluwalia to his qualifications and expertise in academics. Ahluwalia also claims that Makkar had insulted him on the day when the foundation stone of the university was laid in 2008. Sources said it was Ahluwalia's "autocratic" style of functioning that did him in. It is learnt that when the university came into being, several sub-committees comprising the Trust members were formed to look into issues like expenditure, construction and salaries but the VC reportedly bypassed them all. Makkar also echoed the charge, alleging Ahluwalia "never" took the Trust into confidence while taking any university related decision. Sources said most of the Trust members had also raised objections over Ahluwalia's functioning. Makkar today called a press conference in Amritsar where he alleged that the suspended VC did not initiate any measures to get UGC (University Grants Commission) recognition for the university. He alleged that Ahluwalia had hired private security guards for himself who were being paid Rs 4 lakh a month. This, in addition to the security that had been provided to him by the state government. Ahluwalia's suspension and its consequent war of words between him and Makkar has prompted many to question his appointment to the key post. Noted Sikh scholar Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian said it was "shameful" that the first VC of the university, named after Guru Granth Sahib, had to be suspended. He said the sequence of events also raised a question mark over the functioning of those who were managing the university affairs and were responsible for appointing Ahluwalia. (With inputs from Sanjay Bumbroo in Fatehgarh Sahib)
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Cabinet meeting on new taxes put off
Chandigarh, August 3 The Cabinet was slated to take up the issue of resource mobilisation and discuss the proposed property tax.The Chief Minister, who has been away for four days, was scheduled to return to Chandigarh tomorrow to preside over the meeting. Official sources, when contacted on the issue, said the CM was hard-pressed for time. Besides, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa was in London for the Olympics. Hence, the meeting had been postponed. The sources denied that the meeting was put off because of lack of consensus with the Punjab BJP over the levying of fresh taxes. However, the official reasons given for the postponement seem mere excuses. This is because the CM has not cancelled his return to Chandigarh tomorrow. And Dhindsa’s London programme could not have been a sudden development. There seems to be some credence in claims that the coalition partners have not reached a consensus on the issue of raising taxes and this could well be the reason for the postponement of the Cabinet meeting. This could be gauged from the fact that the agenda for the Cabinet meeting could not be prepared till this evening. Department heads were asked to wait till 4 pm for finalising the items on the agenda. Sources said though the BJP is on board with the SAD on the need to mobilise revenue, for which an inter-party exercise had been going on for more than a month, the finer points are yet to the finalised. The SAD is keen on raising several taxes in one go to raise Rs 4,000 crore annually as it feels this is the only way to mobilise funds for development. The BJP’s concern is that the ordinary man is least affected. The party also has some reservation on the free power subsidy bill. Badal has been away for nearly four days along with a team, visiting the cellular jail at the Andamans, the Komagatamaru Memorial at Kolkata as well as watching the light and video programme at the Akshardham Temple in Ahmedabad, besides visiting the Sabarmati Ashram. The tour is aimed to help the CM and his team conceptualise the freedom fighters’ memorial at Kartarpur (Jalandhar). The CM is slated to leave for the US on August 7 to attend a wedding.
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SGPC approves Rs 443.6 cr budget for next 8 months
Amritsar, August 3
With the Supreme Court hearing on the Sehajdhari voting rights issue fixed for July 26, the SGPC executive had on April 3 passed the vote-on-account to manage its affairs up to July 31. With the case still in the apex court, the SGPC executive today passed a Rs 443.64 crore budget for the remaining part of the current fiscal year i.e. August 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013. A sum of Rs 280.84 crore has been allocated for maintenance of gurdwaras, Rs 72.86 crore for educational institutions, Rs 28.93 crore towards the General Board Fund, Rs 28.66 crore for propagation of Sikhism, Rs 15.74 crore towards the Trust Fund, Rs 12.26 crore towards the Education Fund and Rs 4.33 crore for the printing press. The annual SGPC budget for 2012-13 is Rs 665.46 crore. The SGPC executive had earlier approved Rs 221.82 crore for the period April 1, 2012 to July 31, 2012. Talking to the media later, Avtar Singh Makkar , SGPC chief, said they had acted on the directions of the Supreme Court. On Italy’s move to ban ‘kirpan’, he said the SGPC would take up the matter with the Central Government and urge it to utilise its diplomatic channels to resolve the issue. He said the SGPC would also approach the Italian Embassy in New Delhi and the UN. Makkar said the SGPC executive had given its nod to the construction of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan at Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall for preservation of ancient “birs”. The executive had also sanctioned Rs 5.5 crore for installing an AC unit at the under-construction Saragarhi Niwas for devotees.
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TRIBUNE IMPACT
Chandigarh, August 3 A team of officials led by SDM Neeraj Gupta and officers of the mining department surveyed the area near Knaun, Sedpur Kalan, Sedpur Khurd and Phul Makuari villages. It is learnt that officials of the Forest Department also visited the area. The Tribune had reported that the sand mining mafia had shifted base to Nawanshahr from Ropar. It had also highlighted that illegal miners had been digging trenches along the banks of the Sutlej since April this year. As a result, the river had changed its course. Mining is allowed in 13 quarries, covering 115.97 acres, in the district of Nawanshahr. Talwar said the probe would cover four aspects — damage to dhussi bandhs by trucks ferrying sand and gravel from the riverbed, demarcation of area of the legally auctioned quarries to see that larger areas were not quarried illegally, the depth of pits dug by miners and the quantity of riverbed material lifted by them. “I expect the report by tomorrow. Appropriate action will be taken against the accused,” he said.
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Separate teachers’ cadre for border belt
Chandigarh, August 3 He said that for the last 65 years, border areas had faced shortage of teachers and the problem could be solved only by creating a separate cadre of teachers who would remain permanently posted in the border areas. Maluka said the department had sought the names of teachers willing to be shifted to the border cadre. After filling the posts thus, the remaining vacant posts would be advertised for fresh recruitment. Sukhvir said the new teachers would be compulsorily posted in rural areas for a minimum three years. He said the Education Department must come out with a placement policy for teachers, classifying the posts/ stations as A, B, C and D. He said the teachers should be required to serve in each of these categories and those posted in urban areas should also be made to serve in rural areas.
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Jalandhar-Panipat highway project back on track
Chandigarh, August 3 Taking a sombre view of the developments, the Bench virtually rapped the NHAI on its knuckles for “creating confusion” by issuing the notice when the High Court was seized of the matter. “The court is monitoring the progress in the case. Why create confusion,” asked the Bench. “Heavens are not going to fall on you (NHAI)… why issue the notice even if there is no progress?” The Bench made it clear to the NHAI that the concessionaire was bound by its own undertaking to complete the Haryana portion of NH-1 by December and the Punjab portion by March next year. The Bench said already it had been made clear that the concessionaire of the 291-km six-laning project of the Panipat-Jalandhar highway would be liable to a fine of Rs 60 crore in case of failure to complete the project on time. “As the court has given time to the concessionaire to complete the project by December in Haryana and March in Punjab, the NHAI is directed to hold the information to the show-cause notice in abeyance,” the Bench said. Coming down heavily on the Union Ministry of Defence for not giving its nod for handing over available land to the NHAI for the project, the Bench gave it 15 days to take a decision in the matter.
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Scientists alert farmers on pest attack
Moga, August 3 After reviewing the impact of the prevailing dry spell on paddy in the district, Moga Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Harpreet Singh said there were indications of sheath blight attack on the crop in a few villages. He also presided over a meeting of the advisory unit on pest surveillance. “The farmers should spray insecticides as per the advice of agriculture scientists,” he said. Dr KB Singh, Deputy Director of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, said in early transplanted crop, drying of leaves due to bacterial leaf blight disease may be noticed. “Such a condition requires a spray with any chemical to control this disease,” he said.
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Dairy farmers threaten to stop supply to Milkfed
Chandigarh, August 3 Commercial dairy farmers, who supply 30 per cent of their produce to the Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation or Milkfed, have demanded an increase in the procurement price from Rs 395 - Rs 405 per kg fat to Rs 485 per kg fat by August 8. The farmers, who have got together under the aegis of Progressive Dairy Farmers Association, have threatened to stop milk supply to the cooperative besides launching an agitation from August 9. Daljit Singh Sadarpura, president of Progressive Dairy Farmers Association, said the prices of cattlefeed had increased manifold in the past one year. “The prices of all ingredients like de-oiled rice bran, sarson cake, de-oiled mustard cake and soybean had shot up. This in turn had increased the price of cattlefeed by Rs 600 per quintal. In the past one month, the cost of milk production has gone up by Rs 3 per litre. But Milkfed has not increased the procurement price of milk since September last year. As a result, the commercial dairy farmers are finding it difficult to stay afloat,” he said. While private milkmen have increased the retail price of milk by Rs 2 per litre, Milkfed has not affected any increase in the prices. Milkfed procures almost 8 lakh litres of milk everyday. Sukhraj Singh, a commercial dairy farmer from Gureh village near Ludhiana, said most commercial dairy farmers had taken huge loans from banks for automation of their dairy farms. “Because of the drought-like conditions, the animals are under stress and milk production is down. The input costs have increased manifold, but Milkfed is neither willing to increase the procurement price nor increase the retail price of milk. This is so because it has over 3,000 tonnes of skimmed milk powder in stock. If immediate steps are not taken for our economic survival, we will default on our loans and will be ruined.” Milkfed authorities said they were aware of the sharp increase in the prices of cattlefeed. “We will hold a meeting of the board of directors early next week and take appropriate action in the best interests of dairy farmers,” said BS Sidhu, Managing Director, Milkfed.
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Aided school staff to
get pension benefits
Chandigarh, August 3 However, on May 31, 2003, the then Capt Amarinder Singh Government had terminated the provision of pension for the employees, who retired after May 31, 2003. With issuance of the pension notification today by Education Secretary Hussan Lal, about 2,652 teachers and other employees, who retired after May, 2003, will start getting pension. Employees, who were denied pension, fought a sustained struggle to get the right of pension restored. Manohar Lal Chopra, convener of the Aided School Pensioners’ Union, said the government would give pension in cash with effect from April 1 this year. However, arrears of the pension for the past nine years would be given in five equal installments. The government would give the first installment of the arrears immediately. The total fiscal liability will be to the tune of Rs 285 crore. Meanwhile, Punjab Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union president Gurcharan Singh Chahal and secretary Ashwani Sharma urged the state government to get the pension cases of all the employees, who retired after May 31, 2003, processed at the earliest. They said these employees were facing a lot of financial problems. Chopra said under the notification, the retired employees would be entitled for pension, family pension, gratuity, commutation of pension etc. monetary gain * Capt Amarinder Singh led government stopped the pension of the employees who retired after May 31, 2003 * About 2,652 teachers and other employees will start getting pension in cash with effect from April 1 this year * Total fiscal liability will be to the tune of Rs 285 crore * However, arrears for the past nine years will be given in five equal installments
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Teachers to hold protest on Aug 5
Patiala, August 3 District president of the teachers’ union Hardeep Singh Todarpur said, “We want our services to be made regular and salaries should be at par with the Education Department teachers because we do the same amount of work. The master cadre teachers amongst us get a salary of Rs 18,000 only and there is no provision of PF and GPF, whereas a master cadre teacher in the Education Department gets a salary of at least Rs 25,000 along with PF and GPF facilities.” He said female employees under the SSA and RMSA face great difficulty as they get maternity leave for three months only and that too without pay. He said, “Since female employees working in the Education Department get six-month leave with pay, these teachers should get the same benefit. Moreover, we get only 10 casual leave and medical leave can be sought only if we apply in advance. The government must apply the same leave policy on us like the Education Department teachers.”
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Infant’s death at Jalandhar civil hospital
Jalandhar, August 3 Talking to The Tribune this afternoon, Director Health Services Family Welfare Dr Karanjit Singh today said, “The report will be sent to the Principal Secretary, Health, this evening and a copy of the observations made by the CPS have been attached to it.” The baby death issue had sparked a row with Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu sparring over the issue of the formation of a new committee. While Dr Sidhu wanted a new probe to ensure fairness and a look into all the technical aspects of the case, Mittal insisted that the CM’s probe committee cannot be countered by a new or parallel committee. But the health authorities, for the time being, seem to have found a middle path to counter the controversy, by attaching Dr Sidhu’s observations with the inquiry report. However, even as Karanjit Singh made it clear that the report was finally being sent to the Principal Secretary, Health; Mahajan remained tight-lipped on the matter. It has been a week since the baby’s death and two days since the initial deadline for the Principal Secretary to make the report public passed. But Mahajan still refused to divulge the future plans of the health department on the report. When asked this evening whether she had received the report, Mahajan said, “It hasn’t reached me yet, must be on its way.” When asked when the report will be made public, Mahajan said, “We haven’t thought about it so far. Normally, we do not make such reports public and those interested to know the details can always file an RTI query.”
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Jawan killed in Assam blast cremated
Patiala, August 3 Army officers, including Lt Alok Singh, Lt YPS Parmar, Subedar P Venkateshan and Subedar Om Parkash from the 13th Sikh Regiment, and Nabha SDM Poonamdeep Kaur and a large number of people paid floral tributes to the martyr. Naib Subedar Avtar Singh and Lance Naik Naib Singh of the 13th Sikh Regiment, who brought Sandeep’s body to his native village, said while the regiment was shifting to some other place from Goalpara in Assam on July 31, the truck in which Sandeep Singh was travelling was blown up with an improvised explosive device (IED). Sandeep and five others were injured in the blast but he succumbed to his injuries on August 1 at the Army Hospital there. Another soldier from the Gorkha Regiment was also killed in this blast, they said. Sandeep’s brother Mandeep Singh and his son lit the pyre. Mandeep recalled that since childhood, Sandeep wanted to join the Army. He said Sandeep joined the Indian Army in 2004 and got married to Kulwinder Kaur in 2009. He lost his father Bhajan Singh while he was undergoing training.
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Govt college teachers to boycott work
Patiala, August 3 Government college teachers are the only state employees who have not received the first installment of their arrears while others got the first installment of 40 per cent of their arrears in May 2011 with some receiving the second installment of 30 per cent of their arrears recently. President of the Government College Teachers Association Hardeep Singh Teja questioned the state government why it did not release their arrears as the Union Cabinet had delinked the issue of retirement age with that of salaries.
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DAV management to fight acquisition
Bathinda, August 3 The DAV College Management yesterday convened a meeting, presided over by Swami Surya Dev, who is known to be a senior functionary of the Arya Samaj. President, Arya Samaj, Bathinda, and acting chairman of the local managing committee, PD Goyal, DAV College principal Dr Jernail Singh Anand and DAV School principal Dr Satwant Kaur Bhullar also attended the meeting. “DAV authorities and the Arya Samaj have taken a serious note of the news reports appearing in the media about the MCB acquiring the playgrounds of DAV College, Bathinda. We want to remind them that we are not the encroachers but the owners of the land,” said Dr Anand. Swami Surya Dev said the Arya Samaj and DAV institutions were with the government as far as its agenda of development was concerned. “But the 22 acres of land belonging to DAV institutions should be a sacred affair for the development agencies,” he said while appealing to the authorities to spare the DAV institutions and develop the remaining land in the way they wish. Dr Anand pointed out that the filling of the area would cause problems for the college buildings which will get inundated during monsoon. He said the government should act keeping in view the interests of the minority community. The institution wanted the 22 acres, of which it holds the registration deed, to be spared for the development of educational institutions. He added that the Improvement Trust had invited objections over the project. “Citing our objections against the acquisition of land for the purpose, we produced all land deeds and registry that are in the name of the DAV management. Despite having cordial relations with the government, we are being bogged down,” he said. He claimed that of the total 22 acres of land, the college, playgrounds and school occupy only 10 acres, while the rest lies covered with rainwater. “Around 20 years ago, the corporation started dumping rainwater into the pond. But we remained quiet. Now we will not let the land fall under Improvement Trust’s project,” he added. Dr Anand claimed that the DAV Management filed a case in a local court in 2003 when some people started encroaching upon their land. “Though the encroachers won in the local court, we filed a petition in the High Court. The High Court ordered a stay on the land disallowing anybody from filling the pond or using any of its portions,” he added. However, the land under dispute has not been demarcated. Municipal commissioner Uma Shankar Gupta said the “inteqal” (mutation) of the land under the pond is in the name of the corporation and no one else had any right over it.
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Govt elementary school to go under the hammer
Bathinda, August 3 Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) has already prepared a feasibility report of the project under which 50 per cent area would be used for commercial purposes and the remaining for parking purposes. Besides, it would also have provision for civic amenities like public toilets. The entire project will be given on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. Confirming this, the chief administrator Uma Shankar Gupta said the elementary school would be shifted to the Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School, which is located opposite the elementary school. However, the district education officer (secondary) Hardeep Singh denied having got any official intimation regarding this. It has been learnt that the issue would be amongst the important ones to be discussed with the Deputy Chief Minister tomorrow. The entire plan and maps would be made available to him for consideration. “If all goes well, we are hopeful of auctioning off the land in another month or so,” added sources in the BDA. Earlier, in the month of March, different teachers’ organisations had protested against the taking over of the school for multi-level parking purposes. Undeterred by the shrill voices, the government decided to go ahead with its plan and has now finalised the shifting of the school. Besides having around 100 students studying in the elementary section, the 1.5 acres of land also has the office of the block education officer, which too will be shifted with the school.
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Act tough against drug peddlers: SSP to SHOs
Patiala, August 3 The SSP pulled up certain officers for lack of recoveries pertaining to drugs, especially smack and synthetic drugs, and warned them that they would be shifted if they failed to act tough against drug peddlers. Sources said the SSP was first summoned by Patiala IG Paramjit Gill along with SSPs of Sangrur, Mohali, Roopnagar and Barnala. “The IG instructed the SSPs to ensure more and more hard work in the field as per the directions of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who wants concrete results against drug trade in the state,” they said. Later in the evening, Patiala SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill pulled up SHOs of Nabha City and Sadar police stations as he was unhappy with their performance. Similarly the SSP directed the field officers to seal all drug routes and identify drug traders. “I have asked the field officers to be on their toes against drug smuggling and in case of any laxity, they would be shunted out,” said SSP Gill. “The Deputy Chief Minister has issued certain instructions and all officers posted in the district will have to obey the instructions,” Gill added. The SSP further briefed the officers pertaining to the launch of a special drive against drugs, especially smack, and have decided to monitor all suspicious persons allegedly involved in this trade and who have cases registered against them. Sources said the SSP has asked the officers to increase monitoring in their respective areas and ensure that smack cases are dealt at priority and the accused are booked. “All information pertaining to the case should be passed on to senior officers so that the drug chain and its nexus is broken,” the SSP told the officers.
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Man dies as bus overturns
Patiala, August 3 Fifty-five year-old Gurdial Singh from Tarn Taran district died on-the-spot. Avtar Singh, two and a half years old Parbhsimran and Harpreet Kaur were admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital for treatment. Three others, who sustained minor injuries, were given first aid treatment at a hospital. The police has registered a case of negligent driving against bus driver Gurvinder Singh on the statements of the witnesses.
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Court vacates stay on doctors’ appointment
Chandigarh, August 3 Taking up the matter, Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa directed that posts for the petitioners and those with equal merit be left while making the appointments.The case will now come up on August 13. Dr Arunpreet Kaur and 16 other doctors had initially filed a petition against the he Punjab Health Systems Corporation’s Managing Director, the Medical Council of India and the Director of Health and Family Welfare. Their grievance was that they were on the merit list of the competitive examination conducted for selecting Medical Officers. But their names did not appear on the merit list on the ground that they had not completed their internship. Appearing before the court on behalf of the petitioners, their counsel had referred to a document to state that the internship of the petitioners had been completed since then. Acting on their plea for staying the appointment of Medica Officers in Punjab on the ground that merit was being ignored, Justice Dhindsa had directed the corporation and other respondents against issuing appointment letters to candidates placed lower on the merit list than the petitioner-doctors. Counselling for allocation of stations to the Medical Officers and issuance of appointment letters was scheduled to be held from July 4 to July 7. Claiming to be directly affected by the interim stay orders issued by the High Court, seven other doctors had subsequently asserted that they were not being permitted to join the service, “even though they would not be affected in case the writ petition was finally allowed as even the induction of 17 writ petitioners in the selected list would not affect them”.
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State dragging feet on land grab probe
Chandigarh, August 3 Setting a 15-day deadline for the government to provide infrastructure to the commission, a Division Bench made it clear that the Secretary in the Department of Home Affairs and Justice would be in the dock for non-compliance of the orders by then. “Do you want someone to be punished,” asked the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain as the land grab case came up for resumed hearing this morning. At the very onset, counsel for the State of Punjab was asked by the Bench whether the government had moved the Supreme Court against the orders to constitute a commission to look into the land grab case. As the state counsel gave a blank look, the Bench took up other cases. It directed the State counsel to seek instructions from the government in this regard. As the case came up for hearing in the afternoon, the court was told that an SLP was likely to be filed on the matter in about two or three days. The Bench questioned the state counsel on the delay in providing infrastructure to the panel. It observed in the open court that infrastructure was to be provided within 30 days as per the order passed by the High Court on May 29. But precious little had been done to comply with the directions. The Bench asserted that the state was not too keen to go ahead with the probe, as it was against some people at the top. “In case infrastructure is not provided within 15 days, the Secretary will be present on the next date of hearing,” the Bench observed. The case will now come up for further hearing on August 21. In what could spell trouble for politicians, bureaucrats and top cops involved in grabbing land across Punjab, the High Court on May 29 had directed the constitution of a three-member tribunal. Headed by Justice Kuldip Singh, the tribunal was asked to look into land grab cases not just in Nayagaon and other villages on Chandigarh’s periphery, but the entire state of Punjab. The issue of influential persons acquiring land in Mohali district has been under the High Court scanner since 2007. Punjab had on a previous date of hearing informed the Bench that 60 influential persons, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, had acquired properties in the area.
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14 promoted as Chief Judicial Magistrates
Ludhiana, August 3 All the promoted CJMs, except one, have been appointed as secretary of the Punjab Legal Services Authority in different districts of the state. This is for the first time that CJMs have been deputed in the Legal Services Authority across the state in order to make the functioning of authority more vibrant. Those promoted as CJM and posted at different districts include K K Singla (Ludhiana), Shatin Goyal (Patiala), Tejinderbir Singh (Jallandhar), Gopal Arora (Rupnagar), Jagdeep Kaur Virk (Ferozepur), Hira Singh (Taran Taran), Gurnam Singh Dhillon (Gurdaspur), Arun Kumar Aggarwal (Amritsar), Vijay Kumar (Sangrur), Kawaljit Singh (Bathinda), Dr Rajneesh (Faridkot), Daljit Singh Ralhan (Muktsar). On promotion as Chief Judicial Magistrate, Amrinder Singh Shergill has been appointed as Additional Member Secretary, State Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh. Whereas, Hoshiarpur CJM Ram Kumar has been deputed at Secretary, Legal Services Authority, at same station and he will be replaced by newly promoted CJM Lukhvinder Kaur Duggal. Those promoted as Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) from the post of Civil Judge (Junior Division) with their new posting include : Amrinder Pal Singh (Ludhiana), Vikrant Kumar (Moonak), Yukti Goyal (Pathankot), Kawaljit Singh (Bathinda), Gurpreet Kaur (Amloh), Mohit Bansal (Phagwara), Neetika Verma (Barnala), Shikha Goel (Rajpura), Kapil Aggarwal (Malout), Triptjot Kaur (Baba Bakala), Jasbir Kaur (Jalandhar), Mandeep Mittal (Giderbaha), Pooja Andotra (Balachaur), Deepti Gupta (Fathehgarh Sahib).
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Insurance company fined for needless litigation
Chandigarh, August 3 Afsar Singh, a resident of Anadana village, was hit by a bullet while on duty at Mani Mandir near Poonch and suffered 80 per cent disability. He filed for an insurance claim in March 2007 and the company denied it on flimsy grounds. The Commission directed the company to uphold the decision of the District Consumer Redressal Forum, Sangrur, and pay Rs 4.50 lakh with 9 per cent interest from the date of filing of the case (March 2007). The company has also been told to pay an additional Rs 5,000 as litigation expenses. The company approached the commission saying the insurance claim seeker had concealed facts in his application and that it was not within the policy period for staking a claim. It argued that disability claim after 12 months of the accident was not covered and Afsar Singh had failed to apply within the stipulated time. The commission noted, “As per the policy clause, intimation of the injury was given well within the period of 12 calendar months. The repudiation of the claim by the insurance company was without any basis and against the terms and conditions of the policy.” The commission said, “Instead of paying the claim, the insurance company unnecessarily dragged the soldier into litigation. Even after passing a detailed order and speaking order by the forum, the company in order to prolong the litigation and deprive the soldier of his claim filed the appeal. In such circumstances, the insurance company is required to pay exemplary costs so that such leisure litigation” is avoided in the future.
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3 kg of heroin seized from Pak train at Attari
Amritsar, August 3 The contraband, hidden in cement bags and estimated at Rs 15 crore in the international market, was confiscated following a tip-off, said sources. This is the third such seizure from a wagon carrying cement bags in the recent past. Earlier, two heroin consignments were seized on June 2 and July 17 by the Rail Cargo Customs officials. The rise in heroin smuggling has left the traders worried who are now considering discontinuing the import of cement from Pakistan through the rail route. Members of the Confederation of International Chambers of Commerce and Industry said they will hold a meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue. Earlier, Amritsar Member of Parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu had raised concern over the new smuggling trend which, he said, could hamper trade ties between the neighbouring nations. Sidhu said he would soon meet Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma to apprise him of the situation and seek necessary steps to stop the illegal activity. traders worried * Rise in heroin smuggling cases has left traders worried. They are now considering discontinuing the import of cement from Pakistan through the rail route * This is the third such seizure from a wagon carrying cement bags & Two heroin consignments were seized on June 2 and July 17 by the Rail Cargo Customs officials
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The Punjab Government has created a separate teachers’ cadre for the 16 km border belt, keeping in view the perennial shortage of teachers in the area.
Accompanied by Member of Parliament Harsimrat Kaur and Education Minister Sikandar Singh
Maluka, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today reviewed the working of the Education Department.
Dairy farmers and Milkfed are heading for a showdown with the former demanding a 20 per cent increase in the procurement price of milk and the latter showing reluctance to do so.
Commercial dairy farmers, who supply 30 per cent of their produce to the Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation or
Milkfed, have demanded an increase in the procurement price from Rs 395 - Rs 405 per kg fat to Rs 485 per kg fat by August 8.
Residents of the area bid a tearful adieu to 13th Sikh Regiment Sepoy Sandeep Singh, who sacrificed his life in a bomb blast in Assam. He was cremated with military honour at his native village Mangewal near Bhadson in Patiala district. He is survived by his mother, wife Kulwinder
Kaur, younger brother Mandeep Singh, two sisters and a one-and-a-half-year-old son.
