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Project to cut transmission losses in limbo
Vigilance probe against 3 Barnala jail officials |
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HC not satisfied with PUDA’s reply on depleting water table
38 yrs after land acquisition, farmers await compensation
Doubts over cancer survey’s credibility in Faridkot district
Panchayats chosen unanimously yet to get assured grant
Villagers: We were tricked into attending Legal Literacy Camp
Govt misleading people on
welfare schemes, says Sabha
Free Education For Poor
Misappropriation of Paddy Stock
Canadian MP vows Bill on legal protection to Sikh symbols
Two SGPC employees caught stealing
Badal cancels appointments
for another three days
PAU budget to go up by 10%
Div Commissioner for more de-addiction centres in Punjab
PCMS doctors to protest new PG admission policy
DSGMC members honoured
2 test positive for swine flu in Ropar
Concessions in travel fare cost Railways dear
Ferozepur police books two youths for rape
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Project to cut transmission losses in limbo
Patiala, February 3 The part-A of the project, ‘Restructured Accelerated Power Development Reform Programme’ (R-APDRP), was to be implemented in 47 towns of Punjab having a population of more than 30,000. The first phase of the project was initiated in June last year and was to be completed within five months by October-end. However, even after the passage of three additional months, only seven towns of Punjab — Mohali, Patiala, Patti, Jaito, Nangal, Gurdaspur and Gidderbaha — have been covered. The programme envisaged cutting down aggregate transmission and commercial (AT&C) losses by upgrading power infrastructure and introducing information technology in the distribution sector. As far as part-B of the programme was concerned, only Patiala has been covered under it. The second part mainly had to deal with renovation, modernisation and strengthening of the existing infrastructure, including transformers, sub-stations and fixing of pillar boxes. Even the technocrats working with the power utility have expressed unhappiness over the delay in implementing the project. “Funds to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore have been sanctioned for the project by the Union Ministry of Power under R-APDRP in the past two years. But, the pace at which the work is going on is unsatisfactory,” said Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers’ Association president Baldev Singh Sran. Sran said the AT&C losses had come down from 22 per cent to 17.4 per cent in the past couple of years. “But, the fact that the implementation of the scheme to cover entire Punjab is in limbo is a cause for concern,” he said. Association general secretary Sanjeev Sood said the tender process for awarding contract for undertaking part-B in the rest of Punjab had been dragged for more than a year, thereby, leading to unnecessary delay. “Inordinate delay in rolling out the programme in other parts of Punjab is beyond comprehension. The fast implementation of the scheme will bring down AT&C losses below 15 per cent in a predominantly agricultural state like Punjab and would result in lowering of tariffs, reduction in expenditure on costly power purchase and increase profitability of the debt-ridden Power Corporation,” claimed the association leaders. About the project Aimed at cutting transmission losses, the Restructured Accelerated Power Development Reform Programme was to be implemented in Punjab in two parts. The aim was to bring down the aggregate transmission and commercial losses below 15 per cent. It would have resulted in lowering of power tariff and reduction in expenditure on power purchase, thus, profiting the Power Corporation. First phase Called part-A, the first phase of the project mainly deals with information technology, including preparation of base-line data for consumer indexing, GIS mapping, metering of distribution transformers and feeders and automatic data logging for all distribution transformers and feeders, besides consumer-related services. Behind schedule In the first phase, 47 towns of Punjab having a population of more than 30,000 were to be covered. The project was initiated in June last year and was to be completed by October-end (2012). However, only seven areas —Mohali, Patiala, Patti, Jaito, Nangal, Gurdaspur and Gidderbaha — have been covered so far. Second phase Called part-B of the programme, this phase mainly deals with renovation, modernisation and strengthening of the existing infrastructure, including transformers, sub-stations and fixing of pillar boxes. Official-speak PSPCL director (distribution) Arun Verma said a Mumbai-based private information technology company, Spanco, was taking care of part-A of the programme. “Spanco was having some issues with its technology partners that led to a delay in the prorgamme. But now those issues have been sorted out and the project will soon be rolled out in other towns of Punjab," he said. As far as implementation of the part-B was concerned, Verma said tenders for awarding the work had been opened and were under evaluation. Funds to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore have been sanctioned for the project by the Union Ministry of Power under R-APDRP in the past two years. But, the pace at which the work is going on is unsatisfactory — Baldev Singh Sran, Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers’ Association president
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Vigilance probe against 3 Barnala jail officials
Patiala, February 3 The Vigilance probe comes after a three-member team headed by the Additional IG (Jails) conducted a surprise check. According to official documents (scanned by The Tribune) dated December 6, 2012, a three- member team comprising Additional IG (Jails) JP Singh, District Probation Officer (Patiala) Manjit Singh and Junior Assistant (Audit) Amrik Singh swooped on the Barnala sub-jail. “Deputy Jail Superintendent Ajit Singh Dhillon was on leave that day. On checking the jail records, we established 16 major lapses for which the Deputy Jail Superintendent, storekeeper and Head Warder look directly responsible,” reads the Vigilance report. The report (a copy is with The Tribune) says that prisoner Devinder Singh was released a day before his sentence was to end. Another prisoner, Pardeep Singh, was released on October 16, 2012, when his date of release was October 27, 2012. Another prisoner, Leela Singh, was released a month before his jail term was to end. The report says that the store records were incomplete and ration items were found either falling short or in excess. “The inmates were given wages in cash against the rules. Some financially well-off inmates were kept in cells for over three months”, reads the report. Punjab Additional DGP (Jails) Raj Pal Meena has already recommended strict action against the officers in his letter to Principal Secretary (Home) DS Bains. Bains said he was yet to read the report. “We will not tolerate such indiscipline and action against the officials concerned will be taken,” he said. When contacted, Deputy Jail Superintendent Dhillon said that he was unaware of the findings of the report.
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HC not satisfied with PUDA’s reply on depleting water table
Chandigarh, February 3 As the PIL filed by advocate HC Arora came up for resumed hearing before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, PUDA submitted a short reply in the court itself. The reply said PUDA has issued a notification to the effect that “all buildings located on plot area of 400 metres and above shall have rooftop rainwater harvesting system to recharge groundwater as per the specific design to be provided by the development authority concerned. As such, nothing more is required to be done by PUDA.” Dissatisfied with the short reply, the Chief Justice said to the PUDA counsel, “Tell us whether PUDA is using underground water, for construction of buildings, flats, or not?” In his PIL, the petitioner has sought issuance of instructions to the Punjab government, all municipalities and municipal corporations, along with bodies such as PUDA to ensure strict implementation of notifications issued by the Central Ground Water Authority.
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38 yrs after land acquisition, farmers await compensation
Faridkot, February 3 While many landowners have died, the descendents of several others are doing menial jobs since they were left with no source of income. Baldev Raj Watts, a local advocate who is contesting the case for many of these farmers, said the Defence Ministry had taken the possession of land in Killnau, Machaki Kalan and Kameana villages in September 1974. The Special Land Acquisition Collector had fixed the price of the land between Rs 2,500 and Rs 15,000 per acre. After some farmers challenged this price, the Punjab and Haryana High Court enhanced the rate to Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000 per acre. In the last many years, the farmers had made a number of representations before the defence authorities and even filed petitions in the courts, but no payment was made, said Gurdeep Singh, grandson of Gurdeep Singh who died waiting for the compensation. To force the defence authorities to release the compensation, the courts had attached the properties of the Central Government, but it failed to stir the authorities into action, said Watts. About 43 acres of the acquired land belonged to the Scheduled Caste Cooperative Society of Killnau village. Many society members have already died. For example, Hardial Singh, a retired headmaster, is now pursuing the case which his father Ram Singh had started in 1980. Phuman Singh of Machaki Kalan village has turned 102, but no compensation was paid to him. While the market rate of the land is now over Rs 25 lakh per acre, the farmers are running from pillar to post to get Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000 per acre price for the last many years, said Gurdeep Singh. A senior officer in Faridkot cantonment said the Defence Estate Officer, Jalandhar, had many times forwarded the case for obtaining funds for payment of enhanced compensation to the farmers.
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Doubts over cancer survey’s credibility in Faridkot district
Faridkot, February 3 As per the survey, there are 785 cancer patients in Faridkot, which has a population of 6.18 lakh. However, in the oncology department of the GGSMCH, 818 patients from Faridkot district are getting treatment for the disease. Besides these patients, there are many others who are getting treatment from Ludhiana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Bikaner. These 818 patients were among 3,698 cancer patients undergoing treatment at the GGSMCH as of October 2012. Moreover, though the health authorities claimed to have reached every household in 173 villages and four main towns of Faridkot district, no department team surveyed areas on the outskirts of these villages and towns. In Doad village, where over 50 persons reported to have died of cancer in the past five years, surveyors skipped most of the houses to collect information, said village sarpanch Gurdeep Bajwa. In Bukan Singh Nagar of Kotkapura, Ghania Wali Patti of Golewala, Gurdev Singh Patti of Kameana village, Wandar Jatana, Duraeana and many other villages and pockets, residents have similar complaints. Without requisite infrastructure and conformation to scientific norms, the survey was more of a paper exercise. “The Health Department in Faridkot relied on Asha workers and nurses for survey in rural areas. However, in urban areas, in the absence of Aasha workers, the job of diagnosing and educating people was given to students of private nursing colleges,” said Gurpreet Singh Chandbaja, president of the Bhai Kanhaiya Cancer Roko Sewa Society in Faridkot. The number is expected to escalate after people falling under the category of suspected cases are screened, said Health and Medical Education Principal Secretary Vini Mahajan. Sources said one reason for the disparity could be that there were cancer patients who did not prefer to disclose their condition due to the stigma attached to it. Unmatching figures As per the cancer survey, there are 785 cancer patients in Faridkot, which has a population of 6.18 lakh. However, in the oncology department of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, 818 patients from Faridkot district are getting treatment for the disease. Besides, there are many others who are getting treatment from Ludhiana, Delhi, Chandigarh and
Bikaner.
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Panchayats chosen unanimously yet to get assured grant
Ropar, February 3 Navtej Singh, district president of the Ropar Panchayats Union, said: “The government’s failure to disburse grants has disappointed residents of rural areas. The people here will not believe on any such promise made by politicians during the forthcoming elections”. The aim of announcing the grant was to save funds spent on holding elections and to promote harmony and brotherhood among locals. Following this announcement, out of the 590 panchayats, 235 had preferred to elect their members unanimously, said Navtej, sarpanch of Akalgarh Burjwala village. But the government did not give even a single penny to any of these panchayats in the district, he added. Master Pritam Singh, sarpanch of Railon Khurd village, said though Rs 3 lakh was not a big amount, it could be used for small development works in the villages. “It will now be hard for the electorate to believe what the government announces for them,” he said. District Development and Panchayat Officer Lakhwinder Singh confirmed that his department had not received any money in this regard. False promises
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Villagers: We were tricked into attending Legal Literacy Camp
(Sidhuwal) Patiala, February 3 Residents of nearby villages were brought to the camp on the pretext that they would be allotted gas connections and provided other services there. The police cordoned the area and did not allow anyone to leave the venue the entire day. “The policemen did not allow us to move till the chief guest arrived in the evening. My pleas that I had to feed my cattle fell on deaf ears," said Seona village resident Karnail Singh. “We were made to sit at the camp the entire day with an announcement every 15 minutes that the chief guest was reaching soon”, he alleged. However, Jeet Kaur of Sidhuwal village seemed happy to have got the Aadhar Card.“I have been promised a gas connection tomorrow after I fill a form,” she added. Held hostage?
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Govt misleading people on
welfare schemes, says Sabha
Chandigarh, February 3 “The government had announced an allocation of Rs 4,000 crore under the Scheduled Castes Special Component Plan for the welfare of SCs in its budget proposals for the current fiscal year. But nothing significant has been done under the plan,” said sabha president Paramjit Singh Kainth. He alleged the ruling alliance had been misleading the people regarding the welfare of poor sections of society. There was about 29 per cent population of the Scheduled Castes in the state, but only a negligible part of the budget was spent on their welfare, Kainth said, adding the government had not activated the high powered vigilance and monitoring panel set up to look into atrocities against SC members and their welfare. “The Chief Minister is the chairman of the panel which has MLAs of various parties as its members. The government has not convened even a single meeting of this panel,” he said. The sabha president said the government should issue a white paper on the steps taken for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and money spent on various schemes during the past some years.
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Free Education For Poor
Chandigarh, February 3 A decision to this effect was taken during a meeting with educationists and academicians here. Underscoring the need to impart quality education to these students, the Chief Minister called upon eminent educationists and academicians to make sincere efforts to provide education to these students in their schools to enable them to compete with other students. Badal urged educationists to open more branches of their institutions to cater to students from the deprived sections. Badal said education would remain the state’s top priority and that it was each one’s duty to help the disadvantaged sections. He directed the Director-General of School Education to visit various private schools and study their requirements, such as hostel facilities and other infrastructure, to initiate the scheme. Jalandhar: Seeking implementation of the Post-Matric Scholarship scheme for Scheduled Caste students, the Association of Volunteers for Students’ Rights has filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The association convener, Rajesh Kumar, said the scheme was initiated by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to help SC students belonging to families with an annual income of up to Rs 2 lakh to pursue post-matriculate courses. The scheme included maintenance allowance and reimbursement of non-refundable compulsory fee. “In 2010, the Secretary, Welfare, observed that the instructions issued in 2007 regarding the scheme were not being followed by several educational institutions. “The secretary warned of stern action, including termination of affiliation with the universities/councils concerned. Despite this, most of the institutions still charge fee from eligible SC students,” Rajesh Kumar said. — TNS
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Misappropriation of Paddy Stock
After the procurement agency received reports in October 2011 that 27,000 quintals of paddy were stored in the rice mill of the Akali leader for shelling and milling, the PUNSUP District Manager on January 21, 2012 wrote to the Deputy Commissioner to order physical verification of the stock. Since the mill was locked, no such verification could be undertaken. Sources in PUNSUP said that in October 2011, the agency stored 1.11 lakh paddy bags at the rice mill located on Faridkot’s Bholuwala Road. Of this stock, the miller did not deliver 27,000 quintals of paddy despite repeated reminders. Hence, during the current 2012-2013 season, PUNSUP did not allot any consignment to this rice mill. Now when the local PUNSUP authorities are under pressure from the higher-ups in Chandigarh to fix responsibility for the misappropriated stock, agency officials in Faridkot are facing a lot of resistance. Sandeep Bansal, PUNSUP manager, did not respond to phone calls. Desh Raj, a public distribution official, said physical verification of stocks would start tomorrow.
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Canadian MP vows Bill on legal protection to Sikh symbols
New Delhi, February 3 Jagmeet Singh, the first turbaned member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament, said: “Sikhs are being attacked in the US and other countries due to mistaken identity. We should create awareness about the Sikh religion at the world level and no one should be targeted on the basis of his caste, creed or religion.” On the occasion, Jarnail Singh, author of “I Accuse-Anti Sikh violence of 1984”, appealed to Sikh bodies to create a “Sikh identity protection cell” for Sikhs facing discrimination owing to their different identity and religious symbols. He said elected Sikh bodies should come forward to create a panel of lawyers for this purpose. Human rights lawyer Gur Ratan Singh, who has been instrumental in getting permission for Sikhs to wear the kirpan while entering the Ontario courts, spoke about “Sikh activists’ network” in Toronto.
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Two SGPC employees caught stealing
Amritsar, February 3 Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president, said the Manpreet Singh and Kuljeet Singh had been placed under suspension. When frisked, Rs 80,000 in cash was recovered from them, he said. — TNS
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Badal cancels appointments
for another three days
Chandigarh, February 3 An official release here said the Chief Minister’s health was improving but that the doctors had advised him further bed rest for three days. It said all pre-scheduled programmes of the Chief Minister across the state till February 6 had been cancelled and that fresh dates for the same would be announced later.
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Chandigarh, February 3 Dhillon also demanded payment of arrears to the university employees as per the revised pay scales. He said additional grant should be given to the university to clear the dues of the employees. Also, the Vice Chancellor has appealed to the university's Non-Teaching Employees Union to call off their agitation in view of the assurances given by the state government. — TNS
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Div Commissioner for more de-addiction centres in Punjab
Patiala, February 3 Expressing satisfaction over the project report prepared by the Divisional Commissioner, Awasthi said he would speak to the Chief Minister about setting up such centres in other districts of the state. He said drug-addiction had become a worldwide phenomenon and stressed the need to launch a campaign to eradicate the menace and to help rehabilitate addicts, especially youth. He said the PGI would extend all possible help to the state government in this regard. The approval to set up the centre in Patiala was given by the state authorities last month. The Badal government sanctioned a grant of Rs 60 lakh for the project. As per the project report, the 30-bed Saket Hospital in Patiala, which is being run as a drug de-addiction centre by the State Red Cross Society, would be upgraded to a 150-bed hospital. Pannu said the government had released the grant for starting the upgrade. He said the Chief Minister had given the nod to appoint two psychiatrists in the de-addiction centre. He said a team of doctors had been imparted special training by Dr BS Sandhu, Head of Department of Psychiatry at Government Medical College in Patiala. The Divisional Commissioner said special arrangements would be made for yoga, meditation, games, vocational work, religious discourses and Art of Living classes at the centre. He said the families of patients would also be given counselling so that they could keep a watch on their activities and company. He said volunteers from various villages, doctors, NRIs, scholars and psychiatrists had been trained to influence youth of every village against social aberrations, especially drug-addiction. He said retired civil and Army officers, media and general public would be involved in the task of making the state drug-free.
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PCMS doctors to protest new PG admission policy
Ludhiana, February 3 The association expressed concern over 26 per cent vacant posts of general duty doctor and 38 per cent of specialists in various health institutions. It also expressed concern over 252 newly appointed doctors refusing to join the PCMS. Dr Gagandeep Shergill, joint secretary, said: “To tackle this problem, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has directed the authorities concerned to lure young doctors to join the PCMS and stressed upon more incentives for doctors serving in rural areas. But the new PG admission policy for rural service and a faulty notification for PG increments to specialists have discouraged the doctors to join the PCMS rural service”. The new PG admission policy states a doctor has to serve for six years in rural areas instead of three years earlier. Besides, PG increments allowance of 15 per cent to specialist doctors has been denied to a majority of experienced specialists who have qualified their degree before 23 May 2001. The representative house demanded PG increments to all specialist doctors on the existing pay and scrapping of the PG admission policy. The association resolved to launch a stir for getting these demands accepted. The meeting, which was attended by all the newly elected district presidents and secretaries, was presided over by association’s state president Dr Hardeep Singh.
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DSGMC members honoured
Fatehgarh Sahib, February 3 SAD(B) general secretary Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra said the Sikhs of Delhi had outrightly rejected the "conspiracy of the Congress to divide the Sikhs". He said whenever the Congress had tried to interfere with the religious affairs of the Sikhs, they had strongly retaliated. He said these elections had proved that the SAD(B) under the patronage of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the presidentship of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal was the only party representing Sikhs across the world. He said in the Moga by-elections and in the 2014 Parliament elections, the Congress would be wiped out completely from the state.
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Green cabs flagged off
Patiala, February 3 Patiala ADC (D) Anindita Mitra flagged off this batch of 'green cabs' from the Zila Parishad Complex in Patiala. The project has been financed by Punjab National Bank under the DRI scheme. The Patiala Green Cabs Project has been pioneered by NGO Patiala Foundation in association with the district administration. The project aims at empowering unorganised rickshaw-pullers. The NGO has extended the benefits of subsidy and insurance to 78 such people till date. The chief functionary of the Patiala Foundation, Ravee S Aahluwalia, thanked the American India Foundation and Punjab National Bank for their active involvement in the project and financing the new batch. “We will do our best to cover others in the district to ensure that they get financial help and proper training to cover tourist spots in the city,” he said.
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2 test positive for swine flu in Ropar
Ropar, February 3 While one of the patients, Hukam Singh, is a resident of Suncity locality in Ropar, the other patient, Dharamvir, is a resident of Nangal. With these cases, the number of such patients from the district this season has reached three. A woman from Ropar was discharged from a local hospital after treatment for the disease last month, said civil surgeon Rajnish Sood. Sood said Dharamvir was admitted to the PGI after he complained of high fever. While family members of the patient were given the precautionary treatment at the hospital, a team of doctors from the district visited the locality of the patient to create awareness in the
neighbourhood.
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Concessions in travel fare cost Railways dear
Bathinda, February 3 Last year, the Bathinda railway station recorded Rs 15,73,96,996 as passenger earnings and Rs 28,74,73,358 as earnings from transporting goods. The figures show that the Railways is earning profit from freight transportation. The Railways offer travel concessions to various categories of travellers like physically-disabled, cancer patients, students, senior citizens, sportsperson, freedom fighters, etc. In most of the cases, the travel concessions are being misused by passengers. “While checking tickets, I once found a girl travelling on a ticket with concession for cancer patients, which is 50 per cent in the first AC and the second AC and 100 per cent in the third AC and the sleeper class. When I called the railway team of doctors, she immediately admitted that she was not a cancer patient," a TTE said. Mahesh Thakur, Commercial inspector of the Railways, said, "There are people who misuse the concessions provided to them. We have come across many cases but we cannot challenge them as they support their claims with medical certificates.” He added, “Once I came across a person with a severed thumb. He and his co-passenger were travelling at a concession of 75 per cent, each. He had a medical certificate due to which I could not take action against him.” There are a total of 50 types of concessions for passengers from different sections of the society. The concessions vary from 25 per cent to 100 per cent, depending upon the category that a passenger falls in. About 15 kinds of concessions are there only for patients and those accompanying them. Orthopaedically-handicapped/paraplegic persons, differently-abled and visually-impaired persons and those accompanying them are given 50 per cent concession in the first AC and the second AC travel. Thalassemia patients, heart patients, kidney patients, TB/Lupus Vulgaris patients, non-infectious leprosy patients and haemophilia patients are given 75 per cent concession while AIDS, sickle cell anaemia patients are given 50 per cent concession for travelling in sleeper class. As many as 250 persons were fined in January for travelling without tickets.
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Ferozepur police books two youths for rape
Ferozepur, February 3 Varinder Pal Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, (SSP), said the police swung into action after the girl’s family, accompanied by the sarpanch of Kotwal village, approached the Sadar police station. Investigations were entrusted with the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). Sub-Inspector Santosh Kumari got the girl medically examined following which a case under Sections 376, 366,342, 506 and 34 of the IPC was registered against the two youths. The SSP said the girl went to meet her boyfriend near Satiawala village on January 30, 2012, who did not turn up. As it turned dark, two youths approached her and offered to drop her home. They took her to a room in Basti Khanuwali instead where they raped her and then abandoned her near the city’s Zira Gate area. Ropar: The Nangal police has arrested a local resident for attempting to rape his eight-year-old stepdaughter. The wife of accused Dharamvir had lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. A case under Sections 376 and 311 of the IPC has been registered against the accused. Molested by cop
The Ropar police has arrested constable Ashok Kumar, a resident of Mehandpur village near Nangal and posted at Patiala, for molesting a woman. Ashok Kumar and his accomplice allegedly molested a woman near Badlehri village as she was taking a walk along the canal this morning. The woman, who managed to flee, sought help from passersby who overpowered the two. Anandpur Sahib Deputy Superintendent of Police SS Dhaliwal said the constable had been suspended. — TNS
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Patiala, February 3
Patiala, February 3
Bathinda, February 3
Faridkot, February 3