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3 siblings charred to death in Ludhiana
Patiala Murder Case |
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After SIT relief, Pardhan eyes a comeback
Clearance sale eludes Malwa tipplers
Dera chief’s ‘offensive’ photo on Facebook, 1 held
SAD govt biased against Gurdaspur, says Bajwa
Goa ‘Chintan Shivir’ to focus on LS poll
Cong leaders to approach Centre for getting security restored
ED takes up Rs 130-cr drug haul case
New Financial Commissioner
to take charge
Guru Arjan Dev’s descendents set to lose surplus land
Tailoring a better future
Authorities to raze century-old building, Sangrur residents cry foul
Vacancies to leave power corp powerless in summer
Relieve guest faculty in May, not Feb, govt colleges told
Barnala ROB inaugurated
Give pension benefits to ex-judicial officers: HC
Amritsar gang-rape:
Third accused held
2 youths die in road mishap
Man held with smack
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3 siblings charred to death in Ludhiana
Ludhiana, March 31 The victims have been identified as Sonu (5), Payal (3) and their 14-month-old sister Kamna. While Sonu and Kamna died on the spot, Payal succumbed to burn injuries at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Sonia (7), the eldest among the siblings, is undergoing treatment at the hospital. Her condition was stated to be critical. The victims’ parents, Kamal (35) and Seema (30), and a few of their neighbours also suffered burn injuries while trying to douse the flames. The incident took place around 2.30 am when the family was asleep. Aman Kaur, who lives in a nearby shanty, said the mishap occurred after a burning candle melted and the table on which it was placed caught fire. Within no time, the shanty turned into a fireball, she said. The Ladhowal police has started inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari has announced free treatment for the injured and monetary relief of Rs 1 lakh to the parents of the deceased.
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Patiala Murder Case
Patiala, March 31 The location of Pardhan's mobile phone shows he arrived at the crime scene almost an hour after the victim died (as per the postmortem report). A close scan of the SIT report reveals the former Mayor received a call on his mobile phone (no. 9056477777) from the mobile phone (no. 9876240673) of the victim's mother-in-law Paramjeet Kaur at 11.48 am. "The Mayor reached the crime scene at 11.55 am which shows Pardhan is not involved in the murder case", reads the SIT report. Meanwhile, the police has held Harpreet Singh as the main accused under Section 302 of the IPC and his mother Paramjeet as accused Under 34 of the IPC in the challan presented in a local court this evening. The SIT has also stated that verification documents recovered from various sources, including passports and other identity proofs, show Pardhan is not related to the two accused. "The documents show Tirlochan Singh as the husband of Paramjeet and the father of Harpreet," reads the SIT report. The SIT had questioned Harpreet, his mother Paramjeet and a Bahadurgarh-based girl who was constantly in touch with Harpreet on his mobile phone. The SIT report claims the victim was first seen at the crime scene by her daughter Manseerat Kaur and her housemaid Sonia. "While the viscera report confirmed the presence of organophosphate pesticide in the body of the victim, the report holds ligature strangulation as the cause of death," it reads. The report concludes that there is enough evidence against the two accused, but during the course of investigation if some more evidence comes to the fore, a supplementary challan will be presented in the court. What SIT report says
Demand for CBI probe Not happy with the report, the victim's family said they would stick to their demand for a CBI probe into the case to nail the real culprits
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After SIT relief, Pardhan eyes a comeback
Patiala, March 31 He said he was still a contender for the post of Mayor as it was due to the murder case and the allegations that the party had asked him to resign. The state government is expected to announce the new Mayor on April 2. A three-member committee has already met SAD councillors for their opinion and a report is already with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. The clean chit given by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has come at a right time for Pardhan, who is now eager to lobby for the post of Patiala Mayor from which he resigned on February 24. Pardhan said he would abide by the SIT probe and still felt for the family of the victim. “I am willing for a DNA test and any other probe that the victim’s family believes in. I am innocent and have no role in the murder,” said the former Mayor. Claiming that his rivals, both within and outside the party, tried their best to instigate the complainants and others, Pardhan said he never evaded arrest and was in touch with SIT members. “I had nothing to hide and it was not necessary for me at that point of time to intervene in the investigations. Therefore, I maintained silence,” he said while talking to The Tribune at his house. Accompanied by his wife Surinder Kaur, Pardhan said he had always abided by the discipline of the party and would continue to accept what the party decided for him. “If I am again re-appointed as the Mayor, I will accept it. If the party decides otherwise, I will still continue to serve the party,” he said. Surinder Kaur said she stood by her husband when there were allegations against him that he had another wife and a son. “I believed in my husband and the accused in the murder case, Paramjeet Kaur, mother-in-law of the victim, is like my sister,” she said. Not agreeing with the explanation provided by Pardhan and alleging a biased probe by the SIT, the family members of the victim rejected the probe and maintained that they wanted a CBI probe.
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Clearance sale eludes Malwa tipplers
Bathinda, March 31 There was no mad rush at liquor vends in Bathinda, Mansa, Ferozepore, Faridkot and Kotkapura. Most of the contractors have retained their licence for the next year beginning tomorrow. In other cases, the contractor will hand over the control of the vend to a new contractor belonging to his own group. Nevertheless, the vends registered more sale as liquor will get costlier by over 20 per cent from tomorrow. Muktsar was the only district which witnessed a heavy rush at liquor vends. In Raikot-Sudhar, vend owners reduced rates by 50 to 70 per cent besides giving free soda or snacks with liquor. Similarly, in Jaitu and Muktsar towns, the outgoing contractors offered liquor at a heavy discount. As liquor contractors cannot carry forward his stock in the next fiscal, those who could not get fresh allotment for 2013-14 had to finish their stock at any cost, said a liquor contractor in Jaitu. Another contractor in Bathinda said they suffered a loss of Rs 4 crore this year as liquor was costlier here as compared to Patiala or Ludhiana. No temptation
(With inputs from Balwant Garg in Faridkot)
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Dera chief’s ‘offensive’ photo on Facebook, 1 held
Muktsar, March 31 A dera representative of Kot Bhai block, Harbaljeet Singh, had yesterday lodged a complaint against Harbaljeet Singh, a Punsup Inspector. He was today produced in a local court, which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. As a preventive measure, the local police has tightened the security arrangements in and around Gidderbaha. The incident took place just a week before the expected appearance of the dera chief in a Bathinda court in a case against him for allegedly hurting sentiments of the Sikh community by "imitating" the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.
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Anna’s rally in Bathinda on April 3
Bathinda, March 31 CS Talwar, founder patron of the study circle, along with its chairman RK Mahajan told mediapersons that the study circle and the organisations under the banner of the Bathinda Association of NGOs have obtained due permission from the local administration for holding a rally in the Thermal Colony and later at Subash Market on April 3. He will also pay tributes to Swami Vivekananda at Rose Garden on that day. Later, he is scheduled to address a rally at Rampura.
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SAD govt biased against Gurdaspur, says Bajwa
Gurdaspur, March 31 Bajwa, who was accorded a warm welcome by hundreds of Congressmen on his first visit to his hometown after being appointed the state Congress president, said 1,600 acres of panchayat land was lying vacant in Kalanaur township. This could be used for setting up a rail coach factory (RCF) on the lines of the one established in Kapurthala, he said. He claimed he had convinced the Railway Ministry to set up a rail coach factory in Kalanuar, one of the most backward blocks of the state. "But the government is creating unnecessary impediments in the project," he alleged. "Kapurthala's economy has grown manifold ever since the RCF was established there. Had the state government not stalled the Kalanaur project, thousands of youths, who are now hooked to drugs, could have got employment," he claimed. Bajwa alleged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had instructed district officials to go slow on the prestigious Rs 250-crore Qadian-Beas rail line project. He said former Chief of the Army Staff Gen VK Singh had written to the Ministry of Railways citing the significance of the project keeping in view the area's proximity with the border. "The venture was given the green signal last year, but the state government was more interested in shelving the project," Bajwa alleged. He said one-third of the land had already been acquired. "However, the Chief Minister is neither interested in the welfare of the residents of the border area nor in the nation's security," he added.
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Goa ‘Chintan Shivir’ to focus on LS poll
Chandigarh, March 31 SAD spokesman Daljeet Singh Cheema said, “We will examine various aspects of our past performance and accordingly formulate our strategy for the next parliamentary elections.” Cheema said a four-member committee comprising Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Jathedar Tota Singh had been set up to prepare point-wise agenda for the conclave. “It will be a serious exercise and the expenditure of the ‘shivir’ will be borne by the party,” he said. The four-day brainstorming would be held from April 7. Apart from senior SAD leaders, including all MLAs and MPs, top BJP leaders have been invited. Known for its picturesque beaches, Goa was reportedly chosen as the venue by SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. The choice, though, came as a surprise for many as the SAD was known for holding such events in places of religious importance. This time as well, SAD patron and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was reportedly keen on organising the session in Anandpur Sahib. But, Sukhbir Badal and his team of young leaders are learnt to have prevailed upon the Chief Minister. The move, say analysts, could be an attempt by the SAD, which usually used to tow the Panthic agenda, to present itself as a modern party. However, it needs to be seen whether the visit to Goa would provide enough food for thought to the SAD leadership to shore up the dwindling economy of Punjab, a state that once used to be the most prosperous in the country. Contrary to the past, Punjab has now become one of the slowest growing states in the country; the growth rate during the 11th five-year plan was recorded at a poor 6.87 per cent. In fact, similar has been the case for the last about 20 years. Apart from the poor state of finances, several other challenges have been staring at Punjab. The state may also soon lose its dominance in the agriculture sector. During the coming wheat procurement season, it has been estimated that Madhya Pradesh’s contribution to the central pool will be almost equal to that of Punjab. Employment generation is another big issue haunting the state. As Punjab lacks enough opportunities for professional students, the latter have to venture out to Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune or Mumbai for getting jobs of their choice. Drug menace and the increasing prevalence of cancer are the other burning issues that require immediate attention.
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Cong leaders to approach Centre for getting security restored
Patiala, March 31 While three state leaders have already written to the Ministry for getting their security restored, four more Congressmen are expected to argue their case with the officials concerned at the Centre in the days to come. A few leaders are said to have met the Union Home Minister and apprised him about the “biased” security scenario and the “threat perception” to their lives. A Congress leader said the move (to approach the Home Minister) came after their repeated pleas to the state government and the Punjab Police brass fell on deaf ears. Former Congress MLA from Bholath, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, said, “The Punjab Police officers have been telling us to directly contact Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal over security-related issues. They want us to beg for security, something that we will never do.” In a letter to the Union Home Minister, Punjab Youth Congress president Vikarmjeet Singh Chaudhary had claimed that ever since he criticised the SGPC for honouring former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana with the ‘Zinda Shaheed’ title, he had been receiving constant threat calls. “As I was also quite vocal in taking on the SAD over misuse of grants and misrepresentation of central schemes, the state government decided to take revenge on me by withdrawing my security,” the letter read. Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib, said the state government must maintain a “balance” while allotting security personnel. “If Bikram Majithia, being the Youth Akali Dal president, can be given Z-plus security, then why can’t a similar facility be extended to the Punjab Youth Congress president,” he questioned. The SAD-BJP government had recently withdrawn security provided to several Congress leaders, including Khaira and Chaudhary. A majority of the 30 officially protected persons in Punjab are from the ruling coalition or affiliated to these parties. “It is clear that if anything happens to any of our leaders, the entire responsibility will be with the Punjab Home Department, which is headed by Sukhbir Badal”, Khaira said. Additional Director General of Police (Security) Dinkar Gupta said security to individuals, including politicians, was provided on the basis of threat perception and certain norms approved by Punjab Cabinet. "We depend on intelligence to determine who needs to be given security blanket. But, anyone can approach the Union Home Ministry with their requests (for security)," he said. Complaining of ‘bias’
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ED takes up Rs 130-cr drug haul case
Chandigarh, March 31 Special Director-General (Enforcement) Karnail Singh said: “We cannot offer any details at the moment. We are compiling important information to identify the potential leads”. The case had grabbed the headlines following the alleged involvement of boxer Vijender Singh, who was named in the case by key accused Anup Singh Kahlon alias Ruby. Sources in the Enforcement Directorate said a close perusal of the recoveries and links had given a strong indication of a well-knit supply network coupled with the possibility of an integrated centre or
centres. There was also a possibility of huge cash transactions which meant the involvement of several people, they said. Fatehgarh Sahib SSP Hardayal Singh Mann said: “The police is following several leads from 15 arrests made so far. There are important inputs which indicate a potentially extensive racket. We have announced all the arrests made till date”. Sources in the Intelligence Bureau said certain findings had given leads regarding possible links between police catches, including drug lord Raja Kandola and those held for operating a drug factory near
Samrala. A senior officer said: “The involvement of police officials in drug rackets in the state was worrying. In this case, the Punjab Police has dismissed boxer Ram Singh and Sub-Inspector Sarabjit Singh while another accused DSP Jagdish Singh Bhola is absconding”. Meanwhile, the police is also working on establishing a “definite association” of Vijender Singh with
Kahlon.
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Punjab to review merger
of govt primary schools
Ropar, March 31 Last week, the state government had ordered the merger of 690 primary schools, including 36 in Ropar district. The proposal to merge schools with less than 20 students with others within a radius of one km was mooted last year. The government planned to implement this decision to rationalise manpower and bring more uniformity in the teacher-student ratio across the schools in the state. For instance, two such schools at Malikpur and Gunomajra villages had only one student enrolled. A teacher had been deputed at each of these schools. Teachers, however, complained that the government had not followed proper procedure in deciding which schools were to be merged. Substantiating the claims of teachers, Dharminder Bhangoo, Ropar Government Teachers Union general secretary, said teachers from a school at Hafizabad village in Chamkaur Sahib block were shifted to a school at Khanpur village, where only five students were enrolled. The school at Hafizabad village, however, had 80 students enrolled, Bhangoo said. Similarlay, 60 students and staff members of Jagatpur village school in Chamkaur Sahib block were asked to leave their three-room building and shift to neighbouring Muzafat village school with one room. The school had just three students studying there, he said. Moreover, the primary schools were being run by both the Education Department and the Zila Parishads. The government did not state clearly as to how different schools run by these administrations would be merged, added Bhangoo. teachers’ Grievances
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New Financial Commissioner
to take charge
Chandigarh, March 31 DP Reddy, Principal Secretary, Taxation, will take an additional charge as Principal Secretary, Finance, tomorrow. He would replace Satish Chandra, who will leave for New Delhi on April 2 to join as a Member, Finance, National Highways Authority of India. Chandra, a 1985 batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, will be on deputation with the Central government. Sanjay Kumar, another IAS officer, has been given an additional charge as the Secretary, Coordination. Chief Electoral Officer Kusumjit Sidhu, an IAS officer of the 1979 batch of the Punjab cadre, is also expected to join the Central government soon. She has been posted as the Additional Secretary, Industries, in the Central government. Sources said Sidhu would be relieved to join the Centre after the Election Commission of India approved a name for the post of the Chief Electoral Officer from a panel of three IAS officers sent to it by the state government.
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Guru Arjan Dev’s descendents set to lose surplus land
Kartarpur (Jalandhar), March 31 While the man, popularly known as ‘Guruji’ in the holy town passed away in November 1998, his five legal heirs, including his widow Kamaljit Kaur, his sons Karamjit Singh Sodhi and Kanwar Charanjit Singh Sodhi and daughters Gurpreet Kaur and Rajpreet Kaur, reportedly will be able to retain just about 18.5 acres each from the chunk (as per the provisions of the Land Reforms Act 1972). The rest of the surplus property will go to the tenants and the state government. The Sodhis are managing the popular Dera Bhadbhag Singh in the name of the eighth descendent in the same lineage in Kartarpur, with its headquarters in Una. The case was originally taken up in 1961 but remained mired in litigations all these years. The entire team of the Revenue Department these days is busy culling details regarding the properties of the family, which fall in each of the four patwar circles of the Kartarpur town and 14 villages in the periphery, including Gopalpur, Bidhipur, Devidasspur, Chak Ram Singh, Ram Singh Pur, Ambgarh, Sirdaspur, Narpur, Meer Chhota, Chak Mehmudpur, Dhirpur and Dyalpur. The department officials said nearly 420 acre of land standing in the name of Amarjit Singh Sodhi includes non-cultivable land being used for roads and deras in the town. The remaining part of the land, however, includes agricultural land either left barren or tilled by the tenants. The officials have revealed that all prime properties in the town, including a stretch on the GT Road and shops along the highway, a theatre and grain market belong to the Sodhis. Interestingly, even the site of the proposed 25 acres of Jang-e-Azadi Memorial acquired at Kartarpur by the government and land acquired recently by a trust for a 14-acre housing scheme are said to be originally owned by the family. Kamaljit Kaur, when contacted at her fort in the town, could not divulge much. An effort to contact Kanwar Charanjit Singh Sodhi proved futile as he did not answer phone calls. His wife Meeta Sodhi said that it was her husband alone who could talk on the matter. Asked how her husband could be contacted, she replied that he was “too busy to talk”. What officials say Deputy Commissioner-cum-Collector Agrarian Shruti Singh said the case was on fast track these days with hearings being held every second or third day. She said that of the five heirs, Rajpreet Kaur had passed away and as per the Act, her land share will be passed on to her children. “We have sent many notices to the family for appearing in the court so that they have the first preference in the choice of the land, but only two of them have responded so far. After the heirs, the tenants of the Sodhis have the right on the land. In case some of these tenants own two hectares of land or more in the state, it will go to certain landless farmers in the state. The next choice will be for the ejected tenants from other properties in the state, as per the Punjab Security of Land Owners Act. One such case of Surjit Kaur was decided by me two days back and we have apprised her of the position in the case.”
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Tailoring a better future
Sarhali (Tarn Taran), March 31 Jyoti Sandhu, married to Sanawar-educated Parminder Singh, who was the first to open a boutique in the village, was the game changer. Sitting in her boutique, a proud Jyoti said that a large numbers of NRIs comprised her clientele. "At first I tried to dissuade my wife as I was not sure if we would get orders for high-end customers in this remote village. But I was proved wrong," said her husband. "At least 130 women in the area are associated with me. I give them designs and material and take care of marketing myself. We bring cloth from as far as Surat. After value addition by local women, it is sold for double the cost price," said Jyoti. Bhupinder Kaur, who also runs her own business, said: "Acquiring skills in hand-painted designs and shadow work has changed the lives of local women. By earning money, they have earned the respect of their menfolk who have become better husbands," she claimed. To a query on how many women in the village were engaged in embroidery and hand-painting, she replied: " I do not see a single women who is not a part of it." Depending on their skills, these women were able to earn Rs 125 - 250 a day, she said.
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Authorities to raze century-old building, Sangrur residents cry foul
Sangrur, March 31 The PWD B&R authorities have declared that the building is too old and needs to be taken down. The building has been locked down since February, 2012. However, some residents of the city feel the building should be preserved by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board. They say the building can be easily repaired at a cost of a few lakh rupees. The building was inaugurated by Maharaja Ranbir Singh on December 15, 1919. This is one of the few remaining buildings in the state that were commissioned by the Maharajas of the erstwhile Jind state. The other buildings of that era include Government Ranbir College, Ranbir Club, Baradari and Diwankhana. Sangrur was the capital of the Jind state. The executive engineer (XEN) of PWD B&R, Sangrur, had written to the District Education Officer (Secondary) in April, 2010, that the roofs of the first storey of the building were in a dilapidated condition and that the building was too old to be preserved. Sources said thereafter the education authorities got the building vacated in February, 2012. It is also learnt that the education authorities had recently written to the XEN, PWD B&R, to provide them with an estimate of the debris of the building so they could hold an auction for the demolition of the building. Heritage lovers, including Rajiv Jindal, author of ‘The Princely State of Jind Revisited’, and former students of the school, are against this move of the education authorities. They have urged the Punjab Government and the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board to take cognisance of the matter and save the building. picture of neglect
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Vacancies to leave power corp powerless in summer
Patiala, March 31 Due to the vacancies in the top brass of the organistion, it might be hampered in taking important decisions pertaining to purchase of power and tie ups for the summer. The third vacancy arose last week when Arun Kumar Verma, Director (Distribution), resigned. The post of the Director (HR) earlier held by H Seth has also not been filled ever since he retired last year. The post of Director (Administration) too is vacant after GS Bachi was told to resign. Sources said while some demand that the posts be filled by IAS officers, others believe the government should follow the prescribed rules and regulations to fill up the vacancies. There are also some who demand that the entire top brass be reshuffled. Sanjeev Sood, General Secretary, PSEB Engineers Association, said they had shot off a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister demanding the recruitment be carried out soon. “The two posts of Director (Distribution) and Director (Human Resource) are of critical nature in view of the immense demands being made of the organisation’s staff for the upcoming paddy season,” reads the letter. The association has further demanded that the government should fill the posts according to merit and follow the recruitment procedure it had framed in 2010. Davinder Singh, Council of Junior Engineers, PSEB, general secretary, however differed on the issue. “IAS officers should be recruited to fill the posts in order to maintain the smooth functioning of the organisation,” he said.
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Art lovers despair as exquisite works at PAU stand in total neglect
Ludhiana, March 31 Paintings by artists of national repute dot different parts of the university. Works by artists, including Sobha Singh, Dev, Paramjit, Kirpal Singh, Phoolan Rani, Raj Kumar, B Sanyal, HS Purewal, Satyan Ghoshal, Satish Gujral and sculptures by BK Roy adorn the wall of the university. Paintings like “Indian Summer” by B Sanyal and another by Paramjit in the committee room of the library are estimated to be worth lakhs of rupees. Sculptures by BK Roy namely “Mother and Child” and “Embrace” are also in the library. Not many students know that the sculpture on the campus, near the library, is by noted artist Shiv Singh. Some of the paintings at MS Randhawa Library, Parker House and the Museum of Agricultural History at the university offer a rare look into the history, culture and art of that time. Jarnail Singh’s painting about the rural life and culture of Punjab at the Parker House captures the soul of the culture of the state. Religious and historical paintings by Kirpal Singh from various episodes of the lives of Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Gobind Singh and Maharaja Ranjit Singh are displayed at various places at the university. Most of the works date back three to four decades, when the then Vice-Chancellor, MS Randhawa, used to call artists over for creating artwork or get these paintings at the university. Though these adorn the walls of library and guest houses of the university, art lovers are disappointed at the way these paintings are displayed, as the artworks are rare and increasingly vulnerable to weathering. “These paintings and artworks need to be protected from damage. This is such a treasure and needs to be cherished and treasured,” said an art lover. “By treating them as just another painting, the value of these paintings is getting undermined,” he said. The manner in which these paintings are displayed speaks volumes about the neglect. Randhawa was such a visionary, but none of the Vice Chancellors after him had worked for the proliferation of art and culture in the university, said a university official. It would be great if the artworks in the possession of the university were maintained properly, he said. Although the library was the best place for the display of the artworks, it should be protected and covered and a note about the artist and the title of the painting should also be displayed, he added.
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Relieve guest faculty in May, not Feb, govt colleges told
Chandigarh, March 31 The assertion not to relieve the lecturers till the completion of the academic year came during the hearing of a petition filed in public interest by Punjab Students Union through counsel Vivek Sharma. As the petition was taken up by the Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, the State of Punjab placed on record a communication dated March 20, “wherein principals of government colleges were instructed not to relieve the guest faculty lecturers during the academic year 2012-2013 till the classes are over as per the University norms”. Taking on record the communication, the Bench observed that nothing survived in the writ petition. As such, it was being dismissed as infructuous. Claiming to be “struggling for the rights of the students”, the petitioner had earlier stated that almost negligible number of regular lecturers were working in the State of Punjab; and it was taking money from the students in the guise of Parents Teachers Association Fund. From the money collected, the guest faculty lecturers were being employed to run the college. The Union added that the respondent, just to save the money, have relieved the lecturers a month prior to the examination, when the students need them the most. As such, the students were in a lurch as their courses were yet to be completed. Quoting an example, the petitioner said Punjabi University, Patiala, introduced semester system in BSc and BCom in 2010. The first semester starts in July and ends in December, while the second semester starts from January and ends in May. But the respondents employ guest faculty lecturers in August and relieve them after February 28 the next year. “It shows that the guest faculty lecturers can teach only one semester, which runs from July to December and the quarter of semester, as they are allowed to take classes till February. The Union added otherwise also there was an acute shortage of lecturers in the State, as regular selections have not been carried out for last more than a decade. students’ Loss
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Barnala ROB inaugurated
Barnala, March 31 It took over two years for the authorities to complete the 903-metre-long road over bridge. Later, Dhindsa inaugurated a sports bhawan and an administrative block, built at a cost of Rs 70 lakh at the Barnala Club here. He also distributed sports kits on behalf of Nehru Yuva Kendra, Barnala, among 20 youth clubs of the district. Under two sports schemes, he also gave cheques, worth Rs 1 lakh each, to 16 panchayats for the promotion of sports in their villages. Among others present on the occasion included Balbir Singh Ghunas, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Deputy Commissioner Dr Indu Malhotra and Darbara Singh Guru Bhadaur area in charge of the SAD.
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Give pension benefits to ex-judicial officers: HC
Chandigarh, March 31 A Division Bench has also asked the State to “recalculate the amount of additional pension and disburse the same to the eligible former judicial officers in accordance with law”. A communication issued in March last year, declining the claim of former judicial officers for additional pension and consequent recovery has also been set aside. The directions by the Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Ritu Bahri came on a petition filed by MS Chawla and other petitioners against the State of Punjab and other respondents. The petitioners had alleged discrimination in the grant of old age allowance. They had also sought the quashing of a communication dated March 21, 2012, directing the recovery of excess payments to retired judicial officers, who had drawn old age allowance on the completion of 65 and 75 years of age at the rate of 5 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. The State had claimed the benefit of such allowance was admissible only on completion of 80 years of age in terms of the Justice E. Padmanabhan Commission report. State counsel argued that the government had granted the benefits in terms of the report. Therefore, the petitioners were not entitled to any other benefits Taking up the petition, the Bench ruled the State’s stand was not tenable in law. “All the employees of the state government have to be treated on a par”. The judicial officers too are to be treated on a par with other employees of the state government in the matter of grant of pension benefits.
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Amritsar gang-rape:
Third accused held
Amritsar, March 31 Sanju, the third accused, reportedly surrendered before the police. Confirming this, Kaustubh Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said further investigations were on. Meanwhile, the two accused arrested yesterday were produced before the duty magistrate, who sent them to a three-day police remand. Sharma said all the suspects named in the FIR had been arrested, adding that they had not found the involvement of any fourth person in the case. Sharma had yesterday said a special investigating team headed by HS Brar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Crime, had arrested the accused from near Jhabal Road T-point. The two accused arrested yesterday were Sandeep Rana and Ajay . While Sandeep works as peon at a private bank located near the bus stand, Ajay works as a safai karamchari for the Municipal Corporation. The 21-year-old victim had complained to the police that she was abducted by four youths from the bus stand and raped in a moving car on March 25 evening. A case was registered on March 26 in this regard.
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Batala, March 31 Batala SSP Tulsi Ram said the victims, Jobanpreet, Arjinder and Rajwinder, all residents of Udokey village, were going to a nearby gurdwara on their motorcycle when a Toyota Innova coming from the opposite direction hit their bike. They were taken to Guru Ram Das Hospital, Amritsar, where Jobanpreet and Arjinder were declared brought dead, while Rajwinder was admitted with serious injuries. The SSP said the police rushed to the spot and impounded the Innova, while the driver of the vehicle managed to flee from the spot. "We will arrest him soon," he added.
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Man held with smack
Fatehgarh Sahib, March 31 Bakhshish Singh, the investigating officer, said the police recovered the drug from Kumar’s possession during a routine checking near Badaliala village. He said a case under Section 21, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused and added that further investigation in the case was on. Meanwhile the Gobindgarh police had nabbed two persons for possessing knives. The two accused have been identified as Yogesh Kumar Jaiswal, native of Bihar, presently living in Ajlali village and Ajay Kumar of Dadheri village. A case under the Arms Act has been registered.
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Three siblings were charred to death while while their eldest sister is battling for life after the shanty they were living in caught fire at Gagandeep Colony near Ladhowal.
Patiala, March 31
PCC president Partap Singh Bajwa alleged the state government was creating impediments in some vital projects which would have given direct and indirect employment to thousands of youth in the drug-hit Majha region.
Chandigarh, March 31
The last day of the financial year, which usually brings cheers for Bacchus lovers due to stock clearance sale by liquor vend owners on the expiry of their contract, did not bring much joy for tipplers in this region.
The functioning of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) will be hamstrung during the upcoming paddy season with three of its top-level posts lying vacant. The demand for power is extremely high during this time of year.
