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TOP STORIES

Campaigning picks up as leaders come calling
Moga, February 8
The election campaign for the Moga byelection picked up pace today. The Pradesh Congress president, Capt Amarinder Singh, surprised residents as he walked through one of the city’s busy roads while Congress Working Committee member Jagmeet Brar and People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) chief Manpreet Singh Badal went door to door seeking votes for their candidates. The SAD candidate addressed several nukkar sabhas. No senior Akali leader was seen accompanying him.

Congress Working Committee member Jagmeet Brar embraces a vegetable seller while (right) a shopkeeper touches the feet of PPP president Manpreet Singh Badal during a door-to-door campaign in Moga on Friday.

Congress Working Committee member Jagmeet Brar embraces a vegetable seller while (right) a shopkeeper touches the feet of PPP president Manpreet Singh Badal during a door-to-door campaign in Moga on Friday. Tribune photos



YOUR TOWN
Amritsar
Chandigarh



EARLIER STORIES



Candidate profile
SAD nominee Jain’s shady past continues to haunt him
SAD candidate Joginder Pal Jain addresses a nukkar sabha in Moga. Moga, February 8
Two-time Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain who was elected from the Moga assembly constituency in 2007 and 2012 assembly elections shocked the Congress when he resigned from the party to join the SAD two months ago.


SAD candidate Joginder Pal Jain addresses a nukkar sabha in Moga. Tribune photo

Rape victim’s kin say they’re under pressure
SC/ST Commission Vice-Chairman Raj Kumar Verka consoles the victim’s father at a hospital in Amritsar on Friday; and (right) a policeman stands guard outside the ICU where the victim is recovering. Amritsar, February 8
Even as the Jalandhar gang-rape victim continues to be critical, her family members today alleged that they were being pressured into reaching a compromise with the accused.

SC/ST Commission Vice-Chairman Raj Kumar Verka consoles the victim’s father at a hospital in Amritsar on Friday; and (right) a policeman stands guard outside the ICU where the victim is recovering. Photos: Sameer Sehgal

SIT formed; two RMPs quizzed
Jalandhar, February 8
The grandmother of the Lohian rape victim, Kakko Bai, today said that the girl had been bed-ridden for the past more than 10 days.

Dual pricing of diesel hits state farmers
Chandigarh, February 8
The government's decision to introduce dual pricing for diesel by bringing in diesel at higher rates for bulk consumers has hit the farming community hard. Known to buy diesel in bulk for running pump sets to irrigate their fields from fuel outlets run by cooperative societies, these farmers are now forced to go to private retail outlets to buy diesel.





 

COMMUNITY

A search being conducted in Fazilka jail. Day after drug seizure in jail, govt suspends 3 employees
Fazilka, February 8
The Punjab Jail department has placed three employees of the local sub-jail under suspension on charges of dereliction of duty as narcotics were seized from the jail inmates yesterday.






A search being conducted in Fazilka jail. Tribune photo

State on major afforestation drive, to plant 4 cr saplings
Ferozepur, February 8
Alarmed at the dismal green cover of the state, the government has embarked on a major exercise to plant 4 crore saplings, besides filling hundreds of vacant posts in the Forest Department.

Jathedar releases calendar, but discord in Pak, US remains
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh (4th from L) releases the amended Nanakshahi Calendar in Amritsar on Friday. Amritsar, February 8
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh today released the amended Nanakshahi Calendar for the New Year and said the Sikh community had widely accepted its amended version.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh (4th from L) releases the amended Nanakshahi Calendar in Amritsar on Friday. Photo: Sameer Sehgal

Panel set up to implement urban sector reforms
Chandigarh, February 8
The government today constituted a sub-committee in the Department of Local Government to implement urban sector reforms more effectively.

Rs 25 lakh for fancy number
Fazilka, February 8
The auction of registration number PB-22-G-0001 today fetched the District Transport Office a whopping Rs 25 lakh. The number was allotted to the highest bidder, Abimanyu Kumar of Raipura village in Abohar, for his Audi car.

Bathinda plant running out of coal
Patiala, February 8
The coal stock at the three thermal plants of Punjab is fast depleting as Punjab thermal plants are receiving lesser coal from Panem Coal Mines Ltd in Jharkhand.

TRIBUNE IMPACT
8 units found polluting Budha Nullah
Patiala, February 8
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) raided the dyeing units operating from Focal Point, Ludhiana, yesterday evening and found eight dyeing units flouting pollution control laws pertaining to water. It found two units shut and four units complying with the prescribed norms.

Losing Heritage
American Punjabi body against demolishing historical buildings
Jalandhar, February 8
The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has strongly opposed the decision of the Punjab Government to demolish heritage buildings in Patiala and make way for commercial and residential sites.

File cases against erring officials, Batala SSP told
Chandigarh, February 8
Batala legislator Ashwani Sekhri today demanded registration of criminal cases against senior officials of the Local Bodies department as well as the executive officer of the Batala municipal committee for "criminal negligence" in failing to resolve leakage of sewerage in various localities in Batala town.

Saffronisation of PTU curriculum alleged
Chandigarh, February 8
Former Punjab Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh today claimed that the curriculum of the Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, was being saffronised under the command and control of the RSS.

Father-son duo hurt in acid attack
Sangrur, February 8
A father-son duo suffered injuries on their faces in Malerkotla today after an unidentified person threw acid on them. Mohammad Yamin (55) and his son Mohammad Akbar (30) have been admitted to a hospital in Banur where their condition was stated to be critical. The Station House Officer (SHO) of Malerkotla (City-I) police station, Devinder Singh, said the victims were on their way to offer prayers in a mosque when the incident occurred.

3 Mandi Gobindgarh units raided
Patiala, February 8
Excise and Taxation Department officials conducted raids in Mandi Gobindgarh steel mills and detected tax evasion in three units.

Rail coach repair factory planned
Tarn Taran, February 8
The Union Government plans to set up a rail coach repair factory at Patti. This was stated by Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Punjab Minister for Food and Civil Supplies at his native village Kairon after paying tributes to his grandfather and former Chief Minister Partap Kairon on his death anniversary.

438 awarded degrees at Patiala college
Students in a jubilant mood after receiving their degrees during the annual convocation of Khalsa College, Patiala, on Friday. Patiala, February 8
Punjab Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka today conferred degrees on 438 graduate and postgraduate students of Khalsa College, Patiala, during the annual convocation.


Students in a jubilant mood after receiving their degrees during the annual convocation of Khalsa College, Patiala, on Friday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar


COURTS

Missing Files Case
Notice to Punjab Chief Secy, Chandigarh IGP
Chandigarh, February 8
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice to the Punjab Government, its Chief Secretary, the UT Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and former Under Secretary, Personnel Department, Punjab, on a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the disappearance of more than 30 files on inquiries and charge sheets against bureaucrats.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Dera chief told to appear in court
Bathinda, February 8
The court of Additional Sessions Judge BS Johal today ordered the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, to appear in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bathinda, on February 22.


Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

Bail denied to Faridkot rape accused
Faridkot, February 8
The court of the District and Sessions Judge, Faridkot, today rejected the bail applications of the six accused, one of them an Akali leader, in an abduction and rape case.

VAT Tribunal vacancies
HC puts govt, Chief Secretary on notice
Chandigarh, February 8
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the Punjab Government and its Chief Secretary on notice while taking up a petition filed in public interest for filling three vacant posts of Punjab VAT Tribunal members.



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TOP STORIES

Campaigning picks up as leaders come calling
Tribune News Service

Moga, February 8
The election campaign for the Moga byelection picked up pace today. The Pradesh Congress president, Capt Amarinder Singh, surprised residents as he walked through one of the city’s busy roads while Congress Working Committee member Jagmeet Brar and People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) chief Manpreet Singh Badal went door to door seeking votes for their candidates. The SAD candidate addressed several nukkar sabhas. No senior Akali leader was seen accompanying him.

‘Maharaja’ charms Moga residents

Amarinder Singh was warmly greeted by local shopkeepers and businessmen as he walked through the busy Amritsar road while on his way to meet a youth leader. The erstwhile maharaja surprised all as he got out of his car. Breaking the security cordon, he started walking on the road, reaching out to every shopkeeper. Overjoyed, the latter posed with him for photographs. The Congress stalwart gave a patient hearing to the problems of residents, particularly the youth.

CWC member Brar reaches out

Jagmeet Brar has represented this area twice in Parliament. He once defeated Sukhbir Singh Badal when he was minister in the Union Council of Ministers. Saluting his fighting spirit, some local residents asked him to devote more time to state politics. Striking a chord with small shopkeepers, he embraced a vegetable vendor, tasted sweets at a shop and chose to sit among a group of labourers. Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu, senior youth leader Sukhwinder Danny, former ministers Malti Thapar and Chiranji Lal Garg accompanied Brar in the poll campaign.

Joginder Pal Jain on the defensive

The SAD candidate, Joginder Pal Jain, addressed nukkar sabhas at Daulatpura Niwan and Nidhanwala villages. No senior leader accompanied him. Justifying his defection to the SAD, he said that while in the Opposition for the past six years, he could do little for the voters. “I have chosen to join the SAD after thorough deliberations so that I can bring to Moga some good projects as well as jobs,” he said.

Manpreet talks of value politics
The PPP president, Manpreet Singh Badal, moved door-to-door on Akalsar Road, seeking votes for his party candidate Ravinder Singh Dhaliwal. He said the PPP was firm on its commitment to cleanse politics. "I need your support to strengthen value-based politics. You alone can change the rotten system through your ballot," he said. A local shopkeeper bowed down to touch Manpreet's feet, saying that he was his admirer. At other places, Manpreet was greeted with garlands and was offered tea.

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Candidate profile
SAD nominee Jain’s shady past continues to haunt him
Kulwinder Sandhu/TNS

Moga, February 8
Two-time Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain who was elected from the Moga assembly constituency in 2007 and 2012 assembly elections shocked the Congress when he resigned from the party to join the SAD two months ago.

After joining the SAD, he was not only made Chairman of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation but was also given party ticket to contest the Moga byelection necessitated by his defection.

Sixty-seven-year-old Jain prides himself in being a down-to-earth person and not a career politician and boasts of his experience in politics. After completing his high school, he started a drug manufacturing industry. He later shut the industry and entered the real estate business.

In 1994, he joined the Congress and was made Chairman of the Moga Improvement Trust. When the Akalis came to power in 1997, he joined the BJP. The government extended his tenure as Chairman of the Improvement Trust for another term.

In 2003, Jain contested the local body elections as an Independent. He won the election and joined the Congress to be elected as President of the Moga Municipal Council. In the 2007 assembly elections, he got the Congress ticket and defeated Akali heavyweight Tota Singh. He repeated his win in the 2012 assembly elections. Jain was involved in a number of criminal cases. The opposition parties have now started raising the issue of his shady past. Despite this, Jain is confidant of winning the election.

Money laundering case: He remained in the jail for several months under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) soon after he became MLA for the first time in 2007. A case in this regard was registered against him about three decades ago. While he was in judicial custody, another case was registered against him and four members of his family on the charges of evasion of stamp duty and flouting norms under the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995.
Fake passport case: A criminal case under Sections 419 and 471 of the IPC was registered against Jain for allegedly holding a fake passport. He was held at the IGI Airport, New Delhi in 1988. He was convicted without any imprisonment. He was released on probation.
Customs Act case: A case under sections 132 and 135 (I) (A) of the Customs Act, 1962, was registered against him in the late 1980s. The court acquitted him from the charges. The Customs Department filed an appeal against his acquittal which is still pending in the Delhi High Court.
SC/ST Act case: A criminal case was registered against Jain under Sections 382, 384, 323, 336, 148, 149 of the IPC and Section 3 of the SC/ST Act at the rural police station on May 13, 2009. Later, the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashed the FIR.
Attempt to murder case: An FIR under Section 307 of the IPC was lodged against Jain and his close associate Harnek Singh Ramuwala during the panchayat elections on May 26, 2008 at the Mehna police station. Complainant Guriqbal Singh had alleged that Jain and Ramuwala had tried to kill him. Both the accused were acquitted.

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Rape victim’s kin say they’re under pressure
PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 8
Even as the Jalandhar gang-rape victim continues to be critical, her family members today alleged that they were being pressured into reaching a compromise with the accused.

“Puran Singh of our village (Mandla Chhanna) has been calling us on the phone, insisting that we should reach a compromise with the accused,” said the girl’s father. “My daughter is fighting for life. I want justice,” he said, reiterating that the accused be arrested at the earliest.

He said he had told the SC/ST Commission Vice-Chairman, Raj Kumar Verka, about the calls when the latter visited the local Guru Nanak Dev Hospital where the victim has been kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Verka assured the victim's family of all possible help. He said he would instruct the police to arrest the accused and to ascertain if the family was under pressure from any quarters. Verka instructed the authorities to provide the best possible treatment to the victim and if need be, to shifted her elsewhere.

He also sought a Rs 15 lakh compensation for the family and a job for one of the family members.

Dr Tejbir Singh, Medical Superintendent, said that post-surgery, the girl continued to be critical.

The 14-year-old girl was reportedly raped by three youths, who were her relatives. A case was registered with the Lohian police station in Jalandhar on January 28 and the girl brought to the hospital here on February 6. Her uterus, that had developed an infection, was removed by a team of doctors.

A surgery was performed on her intestines too.

Chandigarh: Pradesh Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today condemned the brutal gang-rape of a girl in Shahkot .

He said more shocking was the fact that even after 10 days of the incident, none of the accused had been arrested. He said the government must ensure that the precious life of the young girl was saved and she was provided the best possible treatment.

Expressing concern over the rising incidents of rape in the state, he pointed out that the government had itself admitted that on an average, 40 rape cases were registered by the police every month. “Certainly, Punjab can't be described the safest state in the country as this government will have us believe,” he remarked.

He was referring to Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal’s claim that Punjab was one of the safest states in the country. He said the government’s "casual" attitude towards the crime could be gauged from the fact that it had pardoned 12 persons convicted and sentenced fo rape by various courts in the past one year. 

What SC/ST panel vice-chief wants
Arrest of the three accused without further delay
Probe into family’s charge that it is under pressure
The best possible treatment for the victim
Rs 15 lakh compensation for the victim's family

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SIT formed; two RMPs quizzed
Bipin Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 8
The grandmother of the Lohian rape victim, Kakko Bai, today said that the girl had been bed-ridden for the past more than 10 days.

Sources claimed that the girl, who was raped a couple of months ago, was made to undergo abortion by her family members.

They said her condition had deteriorated as the abortion had been performed by untrained persons.

The Punjab Director- General of Police (DGP), Sumedh Singh Saini, has reportedly asked Dinakar Gupta, Additional DGP (Law and Order) to look into the matter.

A special investigation team (SIT) under the Superintendent of Police (SP) Jalandhar-Rural, Rajinder Singh, has been constituted to study all aspects of the case.

Rajinder Singh said that on the statement of the victim's grandmother, the police had interrogated two RMPs (registered medical practitioners) .

The latter had admitted to having administered injections to the victim, “who was bleeding excessively from the uterus and emitting a foul smell.” Raids were on to arrest the accused, the police officer added.

Later in the day, the SC/SC Commission Vice-Chairman held a meeting with police officials.

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Dual pricing of diesel hits state farmers
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8
The government's decision to introduce dual pricing for diesel by bringing in diesel at higher rates for bulk consumers has hit the farming community hard. Known to buy diesel in bulk for running pump sets to irrigate their fields from fuel outlets run by cooperative societies, these farmers are now forced to go to private retail outlets to buy diesel.

This means that Punjab's small farmers who were buying diesel on credit from fuel stations run by agriculture cooperative societies now have to buy the same on cash payment. Already reeling under the high fertiliser and labour costs, the farmers are now forced to buy fuel by making instant payment.

Last month, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had brought in the dual pricing mechanism for diesel, mainly to cut down on the huge subsidy bill of the three state-run oil marketing companies.

As a result, bulk consumers, including farmers, the industry and state transport undertakings, have to pay an additional Rs 10.81 per litre, over and above the cost of diesel at private retail outlets where retail consumers continue to get diesel at subsidised rates. The bulk consumers in Punjab now have to pay Rs 56.80 per litre as against Rs 46.22 - Rs 46.66 per litre being paid by retail consumers.

Because of this huge difference in prices, farmers across the state have stopped buying fuel from the 55-odd consumer fuel stations run by the cooperative societies. A top official in the state Cooperatives Department said that with farmers shunning consumer outlets, most of these stations were running dry.

Balbir Singh, secretary, Nurpur Bet Agriculture Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Ludhiana, said on an average, a small farmer was buying 50 litres of diesel per week from the outlets run by the society before the price of bulk diesel was hiked.

"Now, since he has to pay in cash, he is buying lesser quantity and will run his gensets for a shorter duration and this may hit crop productivity," he said.

The state transport corporation has resorted to buying diesel from private retail outlets, thus saving the extra money required for bulk purchase. The state Transport Department has notified just four private retail outlets across the state for fuelling.

This has raised many an eyebrow as the department could have saved money by buying diesel from the 15-odd retail outlets run by various Punjab Government corporations that would have passed on the dealer's commission to the Transport Department.

The department buys 5,500 kilolitres of diesel in a month for its fleet of 4,300 buses. Buying diesel from state government-run outlets could have saved them Re 1 per litre as dealer's commission.

Inspite of repeated attempts to contact Transport Commissioner SS Gurjar, he remained unavailable for comment.

From credit to cash payment
Small farmers were earlier buying diesel on credit from fuel stations run by agriculture coop societies
Already reeling under high fertiliser and labour costs, they have now to buy the same on cash payment

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Day after drug seizure in jail, govt suspends 3 employees
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, February 8
The Punjab Jail department has placed three employees of the local sub-jail under suspension on charges of dereliction of duty as narcotics were seized from the jail inmates yesterday.

"The DIG (jails) has suspended Des Raj, head warden, Sukhwinder Singh and Karamjit Singh, both barrack guards," said Deputy Superintendent of Police (sub-jail), Fazilka, BS Ghuman. The names of the these employees figured in the FIR registered with the police last night regarding seizure of narcotics, a mobile, sharp-edged weapons, cash, cigarettes and other banned material.

The search was conducted by a team of civil and police officials led by Fazilka Additional Deputy Commissioner Charandev Singh Maan.

Sources said the Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka, through a report sent to the Principal Secretary (home) and the Director General of Police (jails) had recommended that the entire jail staff should be shifted as it was not possible to push narcotics and banned items into the jail without the employees’ connivance.

The DC also observed in the report: “It seems that no laws are followed inside the jail, hence disciplinary action be taken against the erring officials.” Ironically, the local police is reportedly trying to underplay the matter and registered an FIR against one inmate Charanjit Singh, a resident of Bahawala, Fazilka, under Sections 15 and 18 of the NDPS Act. It has been mentioned in the FIR that 200 gm of poppy husk was recovered from his possession during the search.

Apart from 20 gm of opium seized from the ventilator of barrack number 4, the team seized a mobile phone from inmate Anil Kumar, an amount of Rs 6,000 from Rohtash Chaudhary, resident of Sirsa, Rs 3,800 from Sunil Kumar, Rs 2,000 from Inderjit, Rs 1,000 from Sanjay Pal and Rs 780 from Parminder.

Nine razors, a scissor, two lighters, ‘biris’, cigarettes, earphone and a box of blades were also recovered. Despite the recoveries, no immediate action was taken against these inmates on the pretext that an inquiry was being conducted, sources said.

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State on major afforestation drive, to plant 4 cr saplings
Amarjit Thind/TNS

Ferozepur, February 8
Alarmed at the dismal green cover of the state, the government has embarked on a major exercise to plant 4 crore saplings, besides filling hundreds of vacant posts in the Forest Department.

Dubbed as a major initiative by the department in decades, the aim is to plant these saplings by June next year as part of the ongoing Green Punjab Mission. Nurseries have already come across the 15 forest divisions across the state and learning from the no-too-successful experiments in the past on similar lines, efforts are afoot to ensure survival of all the saplings this time. The required infrastructure too is in place. Sources said Punjab’s forest cover, at just 6 per cent, was the lowest in the country, the national average being 15 per cent. According to experts, the ideal forest is 33 per cent of the country's land mass. Taking corrective steps to double the cover here is a step in the right direction and would go a long way in improving the environmental health of the state, it has been maintained.

Large-scale deforestation, often in connivance with officials, political patronage and encroachments are the major stumbling blocks in implementation of such programmes.

Farmers living adjacent to forest areas are encouraged to cultivate their land for a fraction of the prevailing market price by junior forest officials, sources said. Such offenders manage to get away because due to lax laws and perennial staff shortage compounded by lack of equipment and infrastructure, they said. The magnitude of the problem can be gauged from the fact that the forest guards, the front line of defence against encroachers and illegal loggers, have to patrol over 200 km of forest area each within their divisions using their own vehicles and that too without proper back-up and in absence of arms or wireless sets. There have been numerous instances when the forest mafia fired at staff, forcing the latter to back away, they pointed out.

Dr SK Tewari, Divisional Forest Officer, Ferozepur, admitted to lack of staff but said they were doing their best with the resources at hand. The department has recruited over 500 guards recently and this will go a long way in stopping the encroachers and loggers. Steps are also being taken by the department to provide effective patrolling facilities for the ground staff.

He added that another problem pertains to non-incorporation of various government notifications earmarking department land in the local revenue records. This leads to a lot of foul play, with the revenue officials changing the ownership of the land in favour of private persons. “I have written to the Deputy Commissioner to get the records rectified so that action can be taken against such offenders,” he said.

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Jathedar releases calendar, but discord in Pak, US remains
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 8
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh today released the amended Nanakshahi Calendar for the New Year and said the Sikh community had widely accepted its amended version.

The Jathedar also claimed that the Sikh Sangat had given its verdict against the Sarna group, which had not adopted the amended calendar completely in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

The Jathedar said the newly elected DSGMC members had already announced that they will fully implement the amended calendar just like the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

He said the DSGMC had earlier partially implemented the amended form of the calendar, which had created confusion among the community members in the national capital. He appealed to Sikhs across the globe to observe ‘gurpurbs’ and ‘sangrands’ as per the amended calendar.

When asked why the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee were not following it, he said, “I will urge them to follow it and if they have any objections, they can send in their suggestions, which will be taken up for discussion.”

On the lack of unanimity among the jathedars of all five Takhts over the issue, he claimed that there was no disagreement and that all of them had given their approval to the amended calendar.

Asked why Takht Shri Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh had divergent views on the calendar, he maintained, "Nandgarh has also approved the amended calendar.”

The occasion also brought to the fore the fact that the SGPC continues to grapple with getting the amended calendar implemented among all Sikh organisations across the world even three years after it was introduced.

While the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee are following the original calendar, the Sikhs are a divided house over the issue in Europe and Canada. Pakistan had even denied visas to Sikh pilgrims who were a part of an SGPC jatha for celebrating ‘gurpurb’ there more than once in the past, contending that the PSGPC was celebrating the event on a different date.

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Panel set up to implement urban sector reforms
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8
The government today constituted a sub-committee in the Department of Local Government to implement urban sector reforms more effectively.

A decision to this effect was taken during a review meeting of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission which was chaired by the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister directed the department to expedite the process of completing developmental works worth Rs 1044 crore initiated in 142 cities of the state. under the mission last year.

He also asked the department to ensure timely completion of its ambitious project to provide water supply and sewerage facilities to all towns and cities of the state.

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Rs 25 lakh for fancy number
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, February 8
The auction of registration number PB-22-G-0001 today fetched the District Transport Office a whopping Rs 25 lakh. The number was allotted to the highest bidder, Abimanyu Kumar of Raipura village in Abohar, for his Audi car.

District Transport Officer (DTO) Balbir Singh Rana said the reserve price for the number was fixed at Rs 25,000. The auction of 225 fancy registration numbers fetched the Transport Office a record Rs 52 lakh.

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Bathinda plant running out of coal
It has stock just for a week
Plant at Ropar has coal for 10 days
Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 8
The coal stock at the three thermal plants of Punjab is fast depleting as Punjab thermal plants are receiving lesser coal from Panem Coal Mines Ltd in Jharkhand.

As per the latest report of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), coal stock at Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, Bathinda, is enough to keep the plant going for just a week, and the stock at Ropar and Lehra Mohabbat Thermal plants is enough for 10 and 13 days.

In case coal stock at a thermal plant is not enough to run it for a week, it will then figure in the critical category, as per the CEA standards.

The normative requirement of coal stock for Bathinda, Ropar and Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Plant is 30, 25 and 30 days. Normative requirement is the level of reserve stock that needs to be maintained by any thermal plant to keep the generation going.

The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has its own captive Pachwara mines in Jharkhand. Panem is the joint venture of PSPCL and Eastern Minerals and Trading Agency. PSPCL gets six rakes from Panem on a daily basis but presently it has been getting five rakes. One rake contains about 3800-tonnes of coal.

Sources said since Panem had already excavated more coal in the first 10 months of the current financial year, the company had to reduce coal excavation for the next two months.

PSPCL generation wing authorities said because of low power demand, two units each of 210-MW capacity at Ropar thermal plant and one thermal unit of 110-MW capacity at the Bathinda thermal plant had been shut down.

Another unit of the 110-MW capacity at the Bathinda thermal plant is already not functioning on account of renovation. “As of now, less coal is required so there is no need to panic,” said PSPCL Director (Generation) GS Chhabra. He further said PSPCL had already made a request to Coal India Limited (CIL) to step up coal supply.

It is learnt that a separate team of PSPCL officials had recently visited South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) headquarters in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh and Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) headquarters in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Both SECL and CCL are subsidiaries of CIL. The team had held discussions with the SECL and CCL authorities pertaining to the coal supply issue and had requested them to ensure that Punjab got sufficient coal on a daily basis.

Alarming figures
As per the CEA standards, if a thermal plant does not have enough coal stock to run it for a week, it will figure in the critical category
The normative requirement of coal stock for Bathinda, Ropar and Lehra Mohabbat Thermal Plant is 30, 25 and 30 days
Normative requirement is the level of reserve stock that needs to be maintained by any plant

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TRIBUNE IMPACT
8 units found polluting Budha Nullah
Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 8
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) raided the dyeing units operating from Focal Point, Ludhiana, yesterday evening and found eight dyeing units flouting pollution control laws pertaining to water. It found two units shut and four units complying with the prescribed norms.

The Tribune had carried a report: “Officials blame PPCB for toxic Budha Nullah, Kala Sanghian” in these columns on February 5 that highlighted how industrial units in Ludhiana violated pollution control norms.

Confirming the same, PPCB chairman Ravinder Singh said the raids were conducted by two teams headed by Environmental Engineers. He further said the raids started at 6 pm and continued till 1 am on Friday.

“Suvidha Cotspin Pvt Ltd, Golden Enterprise, Deluxe Fabrics, Yogi Dyeing, Colour Fab, Techno Knit Fab and SK Dyeing were found discharging untreated effluents in the sewerage system. The Effluent Treatment Plant wasn’t working properly and the treated water was found to be yellow in colour.

Water samples of all the 12 dyeing units have been taken and action against the erring units would be taken as per the board rules,” said Ravinder.

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Losing Heritage
American Punjabi body against demolishing historical buildings
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 8
The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has strongly opposed the decision of the Punjab Government to demolish heritage buildings in Patiala and make way for commercial and residential sites.

NAPA spokesperson Satnam Singh Chahal urged the Punjab Government to restore the state’s historical buildings for the future generation.

Running the state administration by selling the land on which historical buildings stand was not a wise decision. Instead, the Punjab Government should minimise its expenses, he said.

Chahal further said, “Though Punjab Government will earn Rs 1,500 crore by auctioning 90 acres of land on which the state’s several historical buildings stand, we will lose our heritage forever.”

NAPA spokesperson said this building was established 109 years ago. Moreover, the first hanging in Punjab also took place on this jail premises in 1989.

It has one of the biggest jail training schools in the country, which trains newly-recruited jail officers from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other states.

Recently, an NGO had spent a sum of Rs 20 lakh on the construction of a crèche for the children of women prisoners.

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File cases against erring officials, Batala SSP told

Chandigarh, February 8
Batala legislator Ashwani Sekhri today demanded registration of criminal cases against senior officials of the Local Bodies department as well as the executive officer of the Batala municipal committee for "criminal negligence" in failing to resolve leakage of sewerage in various localities in Batala town.

The Congress legislator today approached Batala SSP Tulsi Ram and filed a complaint against the Secretary, Local Government, the Deputy Director, Local Government and the EO of the Batala Committee for their failure to take steps to correct problems in sewerage lines in the town.

In a statement here, Sekhri said mixing of sewerage water with drinking water supply had led to 47 deaths in Gandhi Colony in Batala in September-October last year. He said the people of the city had been assured by the health minister as well senior officials that the problem would be resolved within three-four weeks.

Sekhri said despite three months having passed since this assurance was given, sewage was leaking in various localities in the city and the people were suffering for no fault of theirs. He said the officials who were playing havoc with the lives of the residents of Batala should be proceeded against under relevant sections of the IPC. — TNS

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Saffronisation of PTU curriculum alleged

Chandigarh, February 8
Former Punjab Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh today claimed that the curriculum of the Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, was being saffronised under the command and control of the RSS.

In a statement here, Bir Devinder said the process of saffronisation of the PTU was being done by introducing the basic postulates of Hindutva in the university curriculum. He said a new compulsory subject titled Human Values and Professional Ethics carrying 100 marks was introduced in all courses of engineering streams and that the syllabus of this subject had been designed by RSS ideologues. Bir Devinder said the text books suggested by the university for the new subject were written by the same ideologues of the RSS, who were initially involved in the drafting of the syllabus, strictly in consonance to the directive principles of the RSS.

He said almost all lessons in the text books were based on ancient vedic concepts and students were being forced to mould their way of life as per the value system enshrined in the Vedas and Upanishads and other ancient scriptures of a particular religion.

He said ironically the syllabus of the new subject does not find any mention or quote from Sikh religion, Islam or Christianity.— TNS

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Father-son duo hurt in acid attack
Tribune News Service

Sangrur, February 8
A father-son duo suffered injuries on their faces in Malerkotla today after an unidentified person threw acid on them. Mohammad Yamin (55) and his son Mohammad Akbar (30) have been admitted to a hospital in Banur where their condition was stated to be critical. The Station House Officer (SHO) of Malerkotla (City-I) police station, Devinder Singh, said the victims were on their way to offer prayers in a mosque when the incident occurred.

Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the assailant, with his face covered, initially attacked Yamin, who was moving on foot towards the mosque. When his son reached there and challenged the assailant, the latter threw acid on his face too.

Both the victims fell on the ground whereas the attacker managed to escape, the police said. The SHO said he had sent a police officer to the hospital where the duo was admitted to record their statements but the victims refused to lodge any complaint. They said they did not want any police case, the SHO said.

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3 Mandi Gobindgarh units raided

Patiala, February 8
Excise and Taxation Department officials conducted raids in Mandi Gobindgarh steel mills and detected tax evasion in three units.

Excise and Taxation Commissioner Anurag Verma said their teams raided the premises of Anuj Steel Pvt Ltd, M/s National Steel Rolling Mills and M/s AK Steel Pvt Ltd in Mandi Gobindgarh.

“Preliminary probe suggested that three firms were found suppressing their production and subsequent sales, resulting in large scale evasion of tax,” said Verma.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that all the above three firms paid Rs three lakh per month against tax due for Rs 10 lakh approximately. — TNS

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Rail coach repair factory planned

Tarn Taran, February 8
The Union Government plans to set up a rail coach repair factory at Patti. This was stated by Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Punjab Minister for Food and Civil Supplies at his native village Kairon after paying tributes to his grandfather and former Chief Minister Partap Kairon on his death anniversary.

The state government had discussed the issue with the Union Railways Minister. He said the national highway from Amritsar to Gujarat via Ferozepur, Fazilka and Abohar would be four-laned. — OC

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438 awarded degrees at Patiala college
Tribune News Service

Punjab Education Minister Sikander Maluka presents the degree to a student.
Punjab Education Minister Sikander Maluka presents the degree to a student. Tribune photos: Rajesh Sachar

Patiala, February 8
Punjab Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka today conferred degrees on 438 graduate and postgraduate students of Khalsa College, Patiala, during the annual convocation.

He advised the students to stay away from drugs and play a major role in the development of the nation.

Kiranjot Kaur, former General Secretary, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), while delivering the convocation address said, “Educational institutions have a huge responsibility to impart a value-based education and help build a society based on strong ethics,” she said.

College Principal Dr Dharminder Singh Ubha read out the college annual report highlighting the achievements of the staff members and students in various fields, including academics, sports and co-curricular activities. Students from different graduate and postgraduate courses, included MSc, Maths, MSc (IT), MBA, MA Punjabi, BSc Biotech, BCom, BCA and BBA.

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Missing Files Case
Notice to Punjab Chief Secy, Chandigarh IGP
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice to the Punjab Government, its Chief Secretary, the UT Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and former Under Secretary, Personnel Department, Punjab, on a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the disappearance of more than 30 files on inquiries and charge sheets against bureaucrats.

Directions have also been sought for the re-construction of files within a specified period so that disciplinary inquiries against eight IAS and 21 PCS may be concluded.

The directions by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain came on a petition filed by advocate HC Arora, based on two newspaper reports. The petitioner said that more than 30 files on inquiries and charge sheets had gone missing from the table of Yog Raj Sharma, the then Under-Secretary in the Personnel Department.

The departmental files related to IAS officers R Venkatratnam, Sumer Singh Gurjar, CS Srivastava, Himmat Singh, SK Ahluwalia, Ranjit Singh, Megh Raj, CS Talwar and Vijay N Zade.

The PCS officers were Sukhvinder Singh, Kuldip Singh, Paramjit Singh, Kuljit Pal Singh, Paramjit Singh, Harbir Singh, Sukhdev Singh Mahal, Karamjit Singh Sra, Lakhmir Singh, Indu Malhotra, TN Passi, Perneet, Paramjit Singh, PS Shergill, Inderyush Bharti, Jasdeep Singh Aulakh, Dalwinderjit Singh and NS Baath.

The petitioner furthersaid that Chandigarh Police had failed to register an FIR, despite letters by Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh.

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Dera chief told to appear in court
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 8
The court of Additional Sessions Judge BS Johal today ordered the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, to appear in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bathinda, on February 22.

On May 13, 2007, a local resident, Rajinder Singh Sidhu, had lodged a complaint against the dera chief for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community by trying to imitate Guru Gobind Singh.

The complainant had alleged that the dera chief had worn a robe similar to that associated with the Tenth Sikh Guru at a function in Salabatpura dera in Bathinda.

A case was registered under Section 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious act to outrage religious feelings by insulting any religion) of the IPC.

At today’s hearing, the court dismissed the revision petition filed against the summon orders (seeking personal appearance) by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s counsel SK Garg and Kewal Brar.

The complainant’s counsel, JS Khattar, said the directions were significant even if these had been passed after more than five years of the legal battle. Sikh religious leaders, including Panch Pardhani vice-president Baba Hardeep Singh, Jaspal Singh Manjpur, Manjit Singh Dhelwan, Dharam Singh Harraipur, Surinder Singh Nathana and Kulwant Singh Rori, were present during the hearing. Baba Hardeep Singh said, “We have faith in the judiciary.” He demanded that other cases against the dera head also be taken up in fast-track courts.

The case
A Bathinda resident had lodged a complaint against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh accusing him of hurting the religious sentiments of the Sikhs by imitating Guru Gobind Singh
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had allegedly worn a robe similar to the one associated with the Tenth Sikh Guru and appeared at a congregation in Salabatpura in Bathinda
The FIR was registered on May 13, 2007, under Section 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious act to outrage religious feelings by insulting any religion) of the Indian Penal Code

Dera wanted...
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had sought exemption from personal appearance in the Bathinda court
The court had dismissed his petition and sent him summons, asking him to appear in person
His counsel had subsequently filed a revision petition, which was turned down by the court on Friday
Now, the dera head will either have to appear in court or challenge the order in the High Court

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Bail denied to Faridkot rape accused
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, February 8
The court of the District and Sessions Judge, Faridkot, today rejected the bail applications of the six accused, one of them an Akali leader, in an abduction and rape case.

The accused, identified as Dimpy Samra, Bikramjeet, Pankaj, Sahil Sharma, Amandeep and Nishu Chopra, have been in judicial custody for the past over two months.

The had filed their bail applications, saying their release would not impact the case in any way.

They had assured the court that they would not intimidate or build pressure on the victim or the witnesses in the case. However, the court declined their plea. It said that since the court was close to reaching a verdict in the case, it would not be appropriate to release the accused at this juncture.

The case is being heard on a daily basis.

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VAT Tribunal vacancies
HC puts govt, Chief Secretary on notice
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 8
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the Punjab Government and its Chief Secretary on notice while taking up a petition filed in public interest for filling three vacant posts of Punjab VAT Tribunal members.

The Bench headed by Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri issued the notice for April 3 on the PIL filed by advocate HC Arora.

He was seeking directions to the respondents to fill the vacant posts only in consultation with the High Court, in view the Supreme Court judgments in the case of “SP Sampath Kumar versus the Union of India” and “State of Gujarat and another versus Gujarat Revenue Tribunal Bar Association and another”.

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