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(Top) Ravinderpal's daughter Robinjeet breaks down during her father's bhog ceremony at Rampura village in Amritsar on Friday; Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia and SAD leader Gulzar Singh Ranike at the ceremony. Photos: Vishal Kumar
lifting of mining ban
Thousands bid adieu to Satguru
Grieved devotees at the cremation of Satguru Jagjit Singh of the Namdhari sect at Bhaini Sahib on Friday. Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan
Millions have lost their spiritual guide: PM
Obituary
637 cancer cases detected in Mansa
Sirsa violence: Takht wants accused arrested
Punjabi University confers D.Litt on singers Gurdas Mann, Surinder Singh
Gurdas Mann receives Doctor of Literature at Punjabi University in Patiala on Friday. Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, also the university Chancellor, is also seen. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar
Staff shortage hits emergency, OPD services at civil hospital
Public entry at Tiger Safari banned
Hospital staff shifted for vitiating environment
Train runs over elderly woman
Constitute child rights panel without delay: HC to UT
HC transfers Amritsar Improvement Trust case to another Mohali court
A policeman takes the revolver from advocate Randhir Singh. Photo: Vishal Kumar
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SAD all out to finish me politically: Manpreet
Jalandhar, December 14 Talking to mediapersons here today, Manpreet said, “From phone tapping to arm-twisting and offering plum posts to top PPP leaders, Akalis have been trying it all.” A former Finance Minister of Punjab, Manpreet had parted ways with the SAD last year to form his own party. He claimed that his personal staff was allegedly being coerced to quit the PPP. Manpreet released to the media a compact disc (CD) containing recorded conversation allegedly between Arunjot Sodhi and the party’s Ludhiana unit president, Jagdeep Singh. While Manpreet claims that Arunjot has been suspended from the PPP, the latter contends that he was still in the party. Arunjot claims that as he was a PPP founder member, Manpreet did not have the right to expel him. Calling Arunjot a Sukhbir agent, Manpreet had accused him of decamping with the PPP’s official records and party’s cheque books. A related complaint was also lodged with the Chandigarh Police. The PPP president claimed that the conversation in the CD threw light on how the Akali Dal had engineered fissures in the party. Manpreet alleged that Sodhi had approached Jagdeep to join the Akali Dal at the behest of SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. “I had directed Jagdeep to infiltrate into the SAD fold and record evidence. He managed to record 10 hours of telephonic conversation in as many days,” Manpreet said. In the one-hour telephonic conversation recorded in the CD, Arunjot is allegedly heard speaking to Jagdeep about the strategy formed by the SAD to weaken the PPP so that it could not form an alliance with the Congress for the next Lok Sabha elections. There is a talk about certain voice-recognising devices having allegedly been installed in Sector 3, Chandigarh, and Badal village to tap Manpreet’s mobile phone. The conversation is also about the SAD’s plans to induct the family members of martyrs Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev into the party, claiming “they could be influenced by offering a mere Rs 5 lakh each”. There is also a discussion about Akali Dal’s alleged plans to hijack Anna Hazare’s Punjab tour. There is also a talk about alleged payments to the Bahujan Samaj Party’s Punjab chief. Sodhi, however, has refuted the allegations. He claimed that “the CD was fake and aimed at tarnishing his image”. “I am a founder member of the PPP and Manpreet alone cannot expel me from the party. I challenge him for an open debate on all the allegations that he has levelled against me. Instead, he should come out with a white paper on expenditure of party funds during the Assembly elections,” he said. Manpreet also advised Sukhbir to change his mode of governance if he wanted to make Punjab “prosperous in real sense”. He also advised his uncle and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to rein in the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state.
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Robanjeet gets job letter
Amritsar, December 14 Paying tributes to Ravinderpal on his ‘bhog’ ceremony, Majithia said the appointment had been made as a special case as she had shown exemplary courage while trying to save her father, who was allegedly shot dead by expelled SAD leader Ranjit Singh Rana in Chheharta area on December 5. But certain parties had tried to politicise the killing, which was “unfortunate”, he claimed. Earlier, the Punjab Government had offered Robanjeet the post of Sub-Inspector in the Police Department. But, the family expressed its reservations on her joining the police. Majithia preferred handing over the letter inside the house in the absence of the media. Even the family did not interact much with mediapersons today. Apart from Majithia, among those present were Industry Minister Anil Joshi, former Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Inderbir Singh Bolaria and Virsa Singh Valtoha, District Congress (urban) president Jugal Kishore Sharma and District Congress (rural) chief Harpartap Ajnala. The Punjab Police Pensioners Welfare Association later handed over Rs 2 lakh to the aggrieved family.
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lifting of mining ban
Chandigarh, December 14 With mining activity set to resume early next month, consumers across the state can expect some relief from the escalating prices of sand and gravel. The mining of minor minerals was banned a few months ago, which had led to a sharp hike in the prices of sand and gravel. The price of gravel had gone up to Rs 2,300 per 100 cubic feet and that of sand to to Rs 1,900 per 100 cubic feet as compared to Rs 1,850 per 100 cubic feet (gravel) and Rs 1,700 per 100 cubic feet (sand) six months ago. Officials in the state Industries Department said that the state could now allow mining of minor minerals on over 1,400 acres of land. This would mean higher availability of sand and gravel, bridging the demand, supply gap, automatically bringing down the prices of the construction material in the state. The state government had got approval from the state Environment Impact Assessment Authority for auctioning 25 quarries with an area of over 5 hectares (but less than 50 hectares). However, mining officials felt that the quantity of minor minerals that could be extracted from the two quarries located in Amritsar district was much more than what had been allowed by the authority. It is now proposed to seek a fresh clearance for these two quarries. Initially, the Industries Department had been toying with the idea of fragmenting the 23 quarries and then auctioning these. But the proposal was struck down by the Cabinet at its meeting last month. It was felt that since the environment clearance had been obtained for a quarry, it would not be feasible to auction it by fragmenting/ segregating each quarry.
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Thousands bid adieu to Satguru
Bhaini Sahib (Khanna), December 14 The pyre was lit by the Satguru's cousin Jai Singh amidst the chanting of hymns. Baba Balwinder Singh performed the ardas. A special stage was erected for the last rites. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Dera Radhasoami head Baba Gurinder Singh, Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Cabinet Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PS Chandumajra, Ranjit Singh Talwandi, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Sant Jagtar Singh, Jagdev Singh Jassowal, Indian hockey team captain Sardara Singh, Sant Amrik Singh Panj Bhainian Waale, Member of Parliament (MP) from Jharkhand Inder Singh Namdhari, HS Hanspal, former MP, former ministers Santokh Singh, Satpal Gosain and Laal Singh, legislators Amrik Singh Dhillon and Gurkirat Singh and several other prominent persons attended the cremation. There were long queues of devotees trying to have a last glimpse of the Satguru. Jathedar Iqbal Singh recited shabads. Preneet Kaur, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, has expressed profound grief at the Satguru’s demise. She spoke to Sant Jagtar Singh on the telephone and expressed her condolences.”We stand by the Namdhari Darbar in this hour of grief,” she said in a statement. She described the Satguru as “ a spiritual guide who showed the way to peace to mankind.” The minister recalled the contribution of the Kuka Movement to India’s freedom struggle. Senior Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, expressing grief over the death, demanded that the final World Kabaddi Cup match scheduled for tomorrow should be postponement till the bhog
ceremony. She said the government should refrain from holding cultural programmes with performances by Bollywood stars.
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Millions have lost their spiritual guide: PM
New Delhi, December 14 In a message to Mata Harchand Kaur, the PM said the Satguru's message of peace and brotherhood would “continue to show us the way forward.” "I received the news of Satguru Jagjit Singh's passing away with deep sorrow and a sense of loss. The Satguru's teachings were based on the timeless principle of respect for all religions. His was a simple life devoted to the service of others. He was a source of guidance, inspiration and solace to millions. “He was also a renowned musician, well-versed in rare and original ragas, who worked to preserve the traditions of Indian classical music. I convey my heartfelt condolences to you, the near and dear ones of the Satguru and to his countless followers on this sad occasion'', read the PM’s message.
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Thakur Uday Singh made administrator
Bhaini Sahib , December 14 Thakur Uday Singh said a final decision on the Satguru's successor would be made after a meeting of the Namdhari sect top brass. He denied there was a race for the top post. Satguru Jagjit Singh was the third head of the sect. Satguru Ram Singh was the first and Satguru Partap Singh, father of Satguru Jagjit Singh, the second. Meanwhile, Lakhvir Singh, a dera spokesperson, said that Sant Uday Singh would be the new head. He would be designated as Satguru at the bhog ceremony of Satguru Jagjit Singh, on December 23.
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Obituary
Chandigarh, December 14 It was at Bhaini Sahib, the commune of the Namdharis near
Jalandhar, that the Satguru introduced a model for research, conservation and propagation of classical music that finds no parallel in the country. He encouraged the young to pursue classical music by creating a certain ambience at the dera
(commune).The young would wake up to the recitation of Asa ki vaar to the accompaniment of pure tantri vadya (stringed instruments). At least,150 children received training in classical music free
of cost at the dera round the year. For the young who attended regular school, special classes were organised in the evening, food was made available to them round-the-clock. Instruments were
customised so that the children could surfeit difficult permutations of tala and ragas. From among these children, the Satguru would pick the gifted ones and sent them for training under maestros. “Music is an integral part of the Sikh religion. He took upon himself the responsibility of keeping its purity in tact, and he did it with dedication, himself being such an accomplished musician,” says Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma. Research and archival work on traditional knowledge of music, that should have been taken up by universities, the government and research institutions, was carried out by the Satguru with unfailing dedication. “He proved by example that the path to spirituality is paved with music,” adds Pt Sharma. He re-discovered several musical instruments and re-introduced talas and ragas lost to time. He created an unusual ability among the commune inhabitants to understanding the finer nuances of classical music. The Satguru himself was known as a wizard of Punjab
pakhawaj. “Even the likes of Ustad Alla Rakha, Pundit Kishen Maharaj and Shanta Prasadji would be amazed by his brilliance in
tala. Many masters have played half matras, but the Satguru had mastered even savaya and pauna matras ,(one and a quarter and three fourth of a beat) a miracle in percussion,” says Rajan Mishra of the famous Rajan Sajan Mishra brothers. The vocalist brothers remain indebted to the Satguru for his help and guidance in their pursuit of music Young gifted musicians from the
dera, who were sent to masters like Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Ustad Zakir
Husain, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pts Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, late Ustad Vilayat Khan and Pt Birju
Maharaj, returned to share their knowledge with other budding talents in India and abroad. “ He was honoured as the Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi last year. He was a renaissance man who could play several instruments. He was a master of the Dhrupad
gayaki, he sent young students to all gharanas to create a confluence of music. Mighty governments could not do what he did for music, to keep the richness of our great heritage of music alive,” says Kamal
Tewari, Chairman, Chandigarh Sangeet
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637 cancer cases detected in Mansa
Bathinda, December 14 Besides, 1,431 suspected cancer cases have been reported so far in the survey. These persons complained of symptoms of one or other form of cancer. However, lab reports confirming the disease were awaited. Civil Surgeon Baldev Singh Sahota said the figures were based on a survey of 67,950 houses in Mansa. He said patients had been made aware about the Chief Minister Cancer Welfare Fund and available treatment in the state. Sources said it seemed the door-to-door survey may put up more realistic figures about the incidence of the disease in the district. They said as a sizeable population was yet to be surveyed, the count of cancer cases may rise further. Alike Bathinda, Mansa district too has poor quality underground water, which is said to be the main reason for the high incidence of cancer in the area.
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Sirsa violence: Takht wants accused arrested
Amritsar, December 14 The issue came up for discussion during a meeting of the high priests here, which was headed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh. The Jathedar said the issue was deliberated after Sikh leaders from Haryana informed that the police did not take any action except for registering a complaint against the offenders. The clash was triggered by a minor accident involving vehicles of a Dera follower and a local Sikh. The Dera followers reportedly pelted a gurdwara with stones, following which the Sirsa administration had to impose curfew. The meeting pondered over maintaining sanctity of Guru Granth Sahib. It was learnt that in a few villages the holy scriptures were consigned to flames to perform last rites without SGPC’s permission.
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Punjabi University confers D.Litt on singers Gurdas Mann, Surinder Singh
Patiala, December 14 While presenting the degree to Gurdas Mann, Punjab Governor and university Chancellor Shivraj Patil said the former’s contribution to music and Punjabi cinema was immense and widely recognised. Patil exhorted the students, faculty members and professors of the university to embark on goal-oriented research and teaching and enable the Punjabi youth to take up the challenges in their stride which would help in national development. Lauding the role of the Vice-Chancellor and faculty, Patil said, “The university is unique in the sense that students can study languages, religions, science and technology, international affairs and other subjects here. It helps the new generation to tackle different aspects of life.” Presenting the Chancellor’s Medal to Khushpreet Kaur, Patil also congratulated the students who received degrees, gold medals, and awards and wished for their prosperous future. “I am confident that your services to various fields will contribute greatly in the nation-building process,” Patil said. Among those present were Punjab Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Dr Jaspal Singh, Director General, National Archives of India, Prof Mushirul Hasan, Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, Tarlochan Singh and Punjabi poet Surjit
Patar.
The honour *
Singer Surinder Singh of Singh Bandhu gharana honoured for enriching the classical music tradition.
The university is unique in the sense that students can study languages, religions, science and technology, international affairs and other subjects here. It helps the new generation to tackle different aspects of life.
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Staff shortage hits emergency, OPD services at civil hospital
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 14 The worst-hit are the out-patient department (OPD) and emergency services. There is no gynecologist at the hospital and the lone pediatrician has been transferred. The doctors posted here either remain busy in court cases or are assigned VIP or sports duties thus affecting the OPD
services. Varinder Rattan, district president, Beopar Mandal, said there were no doctors at the OPD ward and the patients were seen crying as there was no one to listen to their grievances. "There is a shortage of medical officers, para-medical staff and other staff in the operation theatre and blood bank. There are very few technicians, staff nurses, physiotherapists, ECG technicians, ward assistants and sweepers." While pleading anonymity, doctors at the hospital said the government was not interested in providing proper health services. Some influential doctors get their transfers to places of their choice, he added. They admitted that all major healthcare services were crippled due to shortage of staff, medicines and proper equipments. Patients have to arrange the equipment and medicines required at the operation theatre on their own. No purchase of medicines has been made at local level for quite some time, they said. While the government has laid down certain guidelines and earmarked specific shops from where medicines are to be purchased, no meeting of the purchase committee has been called, they added. Meanwhile, MLA Kuljeet Singh Nagra said he would take up the issue with the government. He warned he would sit on a dharna outside the hospital or file a writ petition if the government failed to address the concern well on time.
Making matter worse
* The hospital has no gynecologist and the lone pediatrician has been transferred *
Doctors posted here either remain busy in court cases or are assigned VIP or sports duties *
No meeting of the purchase committee has been called despite government guidelines for earmarking specific medicine shops *
No purchase of medicines has been made at local level for quite some time
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Public entry at Tiger Safari banned
Ludhiana, December 14 Sources said once the Kabaddi World Cup was over and they had enough police force at their disposal, they would launch a massive hunt to nab the wild cat. After the rescue operation, the leopard had escaped and injured a forest guard on November 11. "The police force is busy with security arrangements for the Kabaddi World Cup. We will launch a search operation with the help of the police once the cup is over. We also have banned the entry of the general public at Tiger Safari till further orders," said District Forest Officer
DS Brar. "We do not want any untoward incident to take place. It can prove quite dangerous since the leopard is at prowl,"
Brar added. The efforts to catch the leopard had turned futile earlier. Many cages were set up to catch it. We have also ordered the cutting of wild grass around the area so that it does not give space for the animal to hide," he said. The leopard has killed two sambars and a high alert has been sounded in 10 villages in
Ladhowal.
feline fright * The leopard was rescued from a borewell for more than a month ago *
After the rescue operation, the leopard had escaped and injured a forest guard on November 11 *
It has killed two sambars and a high alert has been sounded in 10 villages of Ladhowal
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Hospital staff shifted for vitiating environment
Fazilka, December 14 The department has also transferred five employees of the hospital who had been allegedly vitiating the atmosphere. They were shifted to the other health centres today. Senior Medical Officer Dr Hans Raj Malethia said Sarvan Ram and Gurbax, both class IV employees, laboratory technician Arun Bala and ophthalmic officer Rajinderpal Singh have been shifted to the primary health centre at Jandwala Bhimeshah while staff nurse Tajinder Kaur has been transferred to the community health centre (CHC), Guruharsahai. It has been learnt that the civil administration, health department officials and SAD leaders have been desperately trying to persuade the agitating members to lift their chain hunger strike after the transfer of these staff members. The residents of the town as well as the people in the rural areas have been facing a shortage of specialist doctors and other medical facilities.
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Train runs over elderly woman
Fazilka, December 14
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Constitute child rights panel without delay: HC to UT
Chandigarh, December 14 Describing the situation regarding implementation of child right laws "extremely unfortunate", the Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain also warned the governments of Haryana and Punjab along with Chandigarh Administration to enact seriously laws for safeguarding the rights of children and abolition of child labour. The observation came in response to a bunch of petitions filed in public interest by social activist Hemant Goswami and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The Bench observed that creation of such commission was mandatory under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act 2005 but the process had been "hampered by red tape". The Bench also directed the Central government to grant financial sanction for constituting the commission in Chandigarh. The Centre was asked to do the needful in a week. The Chandigarh Administration would have to constitute the commission within a month thereafter. The Haryana government informed the Bench that the issue was tabled before the Cabinet in a meeting on December 12 which had approval it and the commission would be constituted soon. The Bench fixed January 9 as the next date of hearing. It asked the petitioner social activist and the counsel to come out with suggestions to make the commission more effective.
Court direction
* The High Court described the situation regarding implementation of child right laws "extremely unfortunate" *
The Bench also warned Haryana and Punjab to enact seriously laws for safeguarding the rights of children and abolition of child labour *
The court directed the Centre government to grant financial sanction for constituting the commission in Chandigarh in a week
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HC transfers Amritsar Improvement Trust case to another Mohali court
Chandigarh, December 14 Justice KC Puri observed that neither Punjab Additional Advocate General Anupinder Singh Grewal nor the counsels to the petitioner any raised objection to transfer of the case. The development is significant as the petitioner had earlier expressed some reservation about the case being heard by the Mohali court. The PPCC chief was initially seeking the transfer of the case from Mohali to any court outside Punjab. He had alleged bias against the state government, the prosecuting agency and the presiding officer. The Bench was told that the investigating officer Surinder Pal Singh was also a prime witness in the case. He was still serving with the Vigilance Bureau after being given extension in service and was not expected to depose independently. In his petition, Capt Amarinder Singh said he was booked in a corruption case for allegedly releasing 32-acre land of the Amritsar Improvement Trust. A case was registered in September, 2008 in this regard and the proceedings were going on before the Mohali special judge
(Vigilance).
The move
* Capt Amarinder had earlier expressed reservation about the case being heard by the Mohali court *
Punjab government had given go-ahead to shift the case to another court in Mohali less than a month ago *
The HC Bench observed that neither Punjab Additional Advocate General nor the counsels to the petitioner raised any objection to case transfer
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Lawyer fires in courts complex, booked
Amritsar, December 14 The Chief Justice of india and the Chief Justice AK Sikri of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are to lay the foundation stone of an “Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre” here tomorrow. The incident occurred despite security having been beefed in the vicinity of the courts complex. The police rushed to the site immediately after the incident and took the lawyer into custody. Advocates claimed that Randhir Singh had fired the shots merely to announce his candidature for the coming Bar Association elections in April next year. The police has registered a case under Section 336 of the IPC and Sections 27, 54 and 69 of the Arms Act.Bar Association president Pradeep Kumar Saini has condemned the incident. The lawyer was drunk, said Sanjeev Kumar, in charge, Civil Lines police station. He said four and not nine shots had been fired.
Not the first time
* In April this year, a jubilant advocate had fired shots after the announcement of Bar Association election results *
In January 2010, a gangster was shot dead inside the court complex in a gang war; at least 20 shots were fired. *
A person was injured in a shootout in January 2007 on the stairs outside a courtroom
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Namdhari chief Satguru Jagjit Singh, who breathed his last at SPS Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana yesterday, was cremated here today amid tight security arrangements.Thousands of Namdhari followers and prominent persons attended the last rites.
Punjabi University, Patiala, today conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) on noted Punjabi singer Gurdas Mann and renowned classical singer Surinder Singh of Singh Bandhu gharana during the 36th Convocation of the varsity.
