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Year on, ICP gives major push to Indo-Pak trade
Day after clash at Pardhan’s house, Patiala hotelier booked for trespass
From boat ride to cold stats, party rocks in Goa
Only Rs 30 lakh spent on Goa conclave, says SAD
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Ministers away, Sectt wears a deserted look
Departments pulled up for incomplete replies in court
Now on, SGPC to be more cautious
JP Dutta to make film on Moga Armyman’s heroic saga
Drug dealers’ escape
DPS branch opens in Sangrur
SGPC fumes as Pak dithers on visa to pilgrims
More in dock for encroaching on Rajasthan land in Faridkot
Shopkeepers block traffic in Sangrur
IT Dy Commissioner, CA sent in remand
Leprosy cases on the rise
108 service: Govt yet to remove Badal’s photo from ambulances
HC notice to UT, Punjab on PIL
HC order summoning Chief Secy set aside
Notice issued to Centre on PIL against Henry
MLA’s son-in-law held for posing as CID agent
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Year on, ICP gives major push to Indo-Pak trade
Attari (Amritsar), April 8
Agencies involved in the functioning of the ICP said imports from Pakistan had almost doubled during this period, though the picture on the export front was not that rosy.
In terms of tonnage, 11.74 lakh MT of goods were imported while around 87,000 MT goods were exported through the ICP. The tonnage for exports is less as they all were high-value goods; the figures in terms of value are yet to be prepared. Another key aspect that reflects a major increase in volume of trade is that the net revenue of the Customs Department at Attari had gone up from Rs 62 crore to Rs 113 crore while gross revenue was up from Rs 87 crore to Rs 145 crore. The ICP also witnessed a collection of Rs 4.25 crore as Service Tax in its first year of operation. The highest number of trucks sent across the border in a day through the ICP stands at 330 while a maximum of 302 trucks arrived from Pakistan. The ICP also saw import and export of various new items in its first year. Among the new items imported were float glass, marble stone and sand, though the import of sand could not sustain after the first consignment. The check-post received 150 trucks of float glass every month despite it being a delicate item. Among the new items that were exported were newsprint, polypropylene, and carbon dioxide in liquid form. Another key factor was that trucks from Pakistan were now loading goods up to the extent of 70 to 80 tonnes in a truck as compared to the maximum of 40 tonnes earlier. The increase in volume of trade from the ICP holds all the more significance in light of the fact that this had happened despite Pakistan not implementing negative list for trade on the Attari-Wagah border. Pakistan allows import of only 137 items through the Attari ICP. In this list too, five items — livestock (eight categories), carcass/meat (15 categories), vegetables (22 categories), raw jute (29 categories) and yarn (44 categories) — take the figure up to 118. Facilities yet to come up Though the ICP will be completing a year of its operations on April 13, it is still awaiting the installation of full-truck scanners, in the absence of which the authorities here carry out manual rummaging of trucks entering into the Indian territory. Once installed, the scanners will serve as a potent deterrent to smuggling bids from across the border. Similarly, the duty-free shop is yet to be set up at the check post, though its signboard has been put up on the premises. On the front of passenger movement, Pakistan continues to use the old gate for the purpose despite India's plea to use the new one. In this scenario, the Indian authorities continue to run a shuttle service between the old gate and the new ICP to ferry the passengers from both the sides. Mixed response from traders
— Manav Taneja, Amritsar trader
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Day after clash at Pardhan’s house, Patiala hotelier booked for trespass
Patiala, April 8 The police is now probing the role of a Municipal Corporation Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) who, the hotelier says, had acted as a middleman and helped the former Mayor strike a deal. On Sunday, Motel Sunrise owner Gurdeep Walia and his family members sat on a dharna outside Pardhan’s house, demanding their money back. Things turned bloody when Walia was called inside by Pardhan’s family and “brutally assaulted”. Walia’s wife Ashwinder Kaur said: “The SDO who had played the role of a middleman has already faced a departmental probe... We have provided all details to the Patiala police, but wonder why no action has been taken so far.” Walia’s elder brother Manjit Singh was today shifted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. “Our family members, including women, were part of the dharna. There is not an iota of truth that we planned the attack. Pardhan’s family members had called goons to attack us who even fired gunshots,” said Walia’s relative. Tripuri Station House officer Kulwant Singh said they had registered a case against the hotelier, his brother Manjit Singh, their manager Gurmeet Singh and some unknown persons for trespass and under the Arms Act. The police is yet to record the statements of the hotelier and his brother. When contacted, Pardhan said: “If some SDO accepts money in Mayor’s name, the Mayor cannot be held guilty. I appeal to the police to probe the role of the SDO and the hotelier and make sure that the truth comes out.” He said he had already apprised his party president Sukhbir Badal about attempts to tarnish his image. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh Gill said they were probing the matter. Voice recording A 10-minute audio recording of hotelier Gurdeep Walia persuading a woman (allegedly Pardhan’s wife) to ask Pardhan to return the money paid to him to obtain clearance for his hotel, was submitted to the police on Monday. The woman and Walia talk about some official, Harkiran Singh, whom they accuse of trying to create a rift between them. The woman is heard convincing Walia that a clean chit from the SIT is expected any day and there is no need for asking back the money. Denying that the recorded voice is that of his wife, Pardhan has accused the Walia family of trying to defame him.
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From boat ride to cold stats, party rocks in Goa
Fort Aguada (Goa), April 8 There they talked on the first day of Vichar Manthan, an exercise that began with the legislators being briefed by their ministers in the morning, after an exotic night cruise meant to celebrate Dera Bassi MLA N K Sharma’s birthday. Post-lunch saw Akali chief Sukhbir Singh Badal bonding with them before all of them took off on a two-hour motorboat ride in the evening. And they did talk about the casuals they wore. For instance, BJP industry minister Anil Joshi and BJP legislator KD Bhandari stepped into the meeting room right after their morning walk on the beach in shorts. When Joshi was told that he had to make a formal presentation of his department, he excused himself to change back into semi-casuals. So did Bhandari. The conclave in the morning saw five ministers, including Madan Mohan Mittal, Janmeja Sekhon, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Surjit Singh Rakhra and Gulzar Singh Ranike giving a brief about their ministries and the work to be done in the next four years. They were grilled extensively by MLAs with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal telling them to be innovative. About ATTA DAL It was decided to hold a re-survey of all old-age pensioners and atta-daal scheme beneficiaries. After some legislators highlighted the issue of fake beneficiaries, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal said he had got an informal survey done in one of the blocks of his constituency and found similar results. It was accordingly decided that a new survey would be conducted by
SDMs, BDOs and Tehsildar by personally visiting various villages. It was decided that the officers concerned would be held personally accountable for their decisions and would have to file affidavits in that regard. VILLAGE WORKS WATER SUPPLY
Only Rs 30 lakh spent on Goa conclave, says SAD
Fort Agauda, April 8 Party sources said the two main expenditure components were hotel bills and air tickets. They said the party had spent Rs 6,000 per night per room (including three meals). The party has booked around 60 rooms at Taj Fort Agauda and Taj Holiday Village with MLAs sharing rooms. This brings the total cost under the head to Rs 10.80 lakh. The sources said Rs 12 - Rs 13 lakh had been spent on air tickets (both ways) for 120 persons. The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister came by a chartered flight from Delhi but used the chartered plane of Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia’s company. The sources said that incidental costs would take the total expenditure to around Rs 30 lakh. The SAD chief, Sukhbir Badal, said the entire expenditure had been borne by the party and there was no question of using government funds for the party programme.
Ministers away, Sectt wears a deserted look
Chandigarh, April 8 Besides meetings by top officers, including the Chief Secretary, there was little activity at the junior level. There were empty seats at different sections on different floors, an unusual sight. A number of officers did not report for work, particularly in the morning. The only place that saw a rush was the site where a rally was organised by the Punjab Civil Secretariat Staff Association. The staff stationed outside the rooms of ministers sat idle.
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Departments pulled up for incomplete replies in court
Chandigarh, April 8 Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh said: “Over the past one year, I have noted that in a large number of cases, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked for an affidavit to be filed by the Chief Secretary even though the matter pertains to the department concerned”. The communication, addressed to Administrative Secretary NS Kang, reads: “In these cases, it is noticed quite often that such orders are given on account of lack of appropriate attention by the department concerned in defending the case or in taking timely action as ordered by the court”. The Chief Secretary said: “I have taken strong note of the deficient action which forces the court to seek an affidavit at my level. In future, where such orders are passed by the court, I would like the Administrative Secretary to give me a report on the deficient action, if any, on part of the department concerned and fix responsibility before putting up the draft affidavit for my approval”. A senior official said: “It is strange that despite having a battery of legal officers on the state panel, the court sends us communication pointing towards inept replies. Those dealing with official matters need help of experts in filing legal replies. The government should make appointments of lawyers attached to the departments in the areas they specialise”. It has also been pointed out that greater accountability was required to be fixed in the entire decision-making and implementation process at all the levels before the issue came up to be defended in the courts.
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Now on, SGPC to be more cautious
Amritsar, April 8 He released a book titled ‘A Spiritual Journey of Harmandar Sahib’ at the Akal Takht secretariat but restricted its distribution on the plea that some additions needed to be made. The book has been penned by SGPC secretary Roop Singh. Showering praise on the book, Makkar said the SGPC would present the same to dignitaries visiting the Golden Temple. But he went back on his statement soon after and banned its distribution till “further orders”. He said more information needed to be included in the book from the historical perspective, besides translating it into Punjabi. “The book will be distributed among devotees once this is done,” he
added.
KPS Gill too for ban Chandigarh: "Anything connected with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala should be banned and made an offence," said former Punjab police chief KPS Gill while referring to the controversy over Punjabi movie "Sadda Haq", that is based on the Khalistan movement in Punjab. The film has been banned in Punjab. “There can be nothing more shameful than to compare Rajoana or Hawara with Sikh Gurus,” he said, referring to the film’s promotional song, while delivering a lecture on terrorism at Panjab University on Monday. He also flayed the SGPC for backing the film. Protest in Srinagar Kashmir Sikhs on Monday protested against the ban imposed by the Punjab Government on Punjabi film "Sadda Haq" in Srinagar. A group of Sikh youths from the Institute of Gurmat Studies, carrying placards and raising slogans, held a demonstration in the city's Lal Chowk area.
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JP Dutta to make film on Moga Armyman’s heroic saga
Moga, April 8 Hailing from Moga, Joginder Singh was posthumously decorated with Param Vir Chakra, the Army’s highest war-time gallantry award. Dutta had earlier produced ‘Border’, a film based on the Battle of Longewala between India and Pakistan in 1971. The movie is still a favourite among the defence community, with its songs being played at almost all functions organised to remember the war heroes. Speaking to The Tribune on the phone, Dutta said apart from Subedar Joginder Singh, he would produce films on the heroic tales of two other Param Vir Chakra recipients, Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore and Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. He said these films would be sequels or series of ‘Border’, with titles ‘Border II’, ‘Border III’ and ‘Border IV’. Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir of the 17th Poona Horse armoured regiment was killed while leading his tank squadron near Phillaur in Pakistan’s Sialkot area in the 1965 India-Pakistan war in the Battle of Chawinda. The film would also focus on Havaldar Abdul Hamid of the 4 Grenadiers who died in Khem Karan sector in the same war. Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal was killed in the Battle of Basantar during the Bangladesh war in 1971, with his centurion tank single-handedly having almost wiped out a Pakistani squadron. These films, the scripts of which are ready, will be shot in the armoured corps’ range at Babina in Madhya Pradesh, the firing ranges in Punjab and Rajasthan and in the mountainous regions of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. The Defence Ministry has also decided that it would support Dutta’s projects.
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Drug dealers’ escape
Patiala, April 8 Bhatti has now been posted at the jail headquarters till further orders. The orders came, following a probe report that was submitted by DIG (Jails) LS Jakhar. The report concluded that the inmates in the jail were sent out to a private accommodation in Ferozepur on the pretext of taking them to the Civil Hospital. The probe team found the undertrials were provided with liquor on the day of their escape. They still haven’t been nabbed. The inmates, Rachpal Singh and Gurjant Singh, had complained of chest pain to the Jail Medical Officer and were referred to the civil hospital for a check-up on January 11. Three Jail Guards took the two undertrials to a house in the Housing Board Colony, where Shamsher Singh Shera and two girls were waiting for them. While Shera and the three guards started drinking, the undertrials escaped from the scene. The jail guards had later claimed that the two accused had dodged them and escaped. Shera was later arrested , and he revealed that he was in touch with jail officials. “The probe committee had interrogated the three jail guards and found out about the nexus,” said Additional Director General of Police (Jails) RP Meena. “Daljit Singh Bhatti claimed he was unaware of the nexus, following which LS Jakhar was ordered to probe the matter,” Meena said. The Jail Department has also recommended strict disciplinary action against the medical officer. The escaped inmates were involved in a multi-million-rupee heroin deal.
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DPS branch opens in Sangrur
Sangrur, April 8 He assured the gathering that the school would provide high quality education to its students. He said this would help them become leaders of tomorrow and overcome many obstacles in their lives. Dr Harish Dhillon, who is the educational advisor to the school, broadly explained the education policy of the school. Dhillon is also the former Headmaster of Lawrence Public School, Sanawar. Kulwinder Singh, Director (Administration), spoke about the aims and objectives of setting up the school here. Among others present on the occasion included GS Grewal, former IAS officer, Baldish Singh Toor, president of the school, and pro-Vice Chairman Dr Ravi Sher Singh
Toor.
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SGPC fumes as Pak dithers on visa to pilgrims
Amritsar, April 8 Talking to The Tribune, Makkar said they had sent a list of 1,350 pilgrims to the Pakistan Embassy a couple of months ago. “But now when the date of jatha’s departure is approaching (April 10), the embassy says it can allot only 300-400 visas. This is unfair as it hurts the sentiments of the community. Almost all the applicants have made preparations for the visit. The denial of a large number of visas will cause disappointment,” he said. He said Pakistan must grant visas to at least 70 to 80 per cent of the applicants or they might contemplate not sending the jatha this time. He said the SGPC had a quota of 60 per cent pilgrims while other Sikh organisations had the remaining 40 per cent as per the Shimla Agreement. He said they had not even sent the names of 1,800 pilgrims (which is 60 per cent of 3,000 pilgrims allowed on Baisakhi), but the Pakistan Embassy was not ready to give visas to even 1,350 pilgrims.
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More in dock for encroaching on Rajasthan land in Faridkot
Faridkot, April 8 Several marriage palace owners, colonisers and farmers have been illegally occupying land along the Rajasthan Feeder Canal in Faridkot for the past several years. Legal notices are being served on these occupants with a direction to vacate the land, said Ravi Bhagat, Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot. “We will soon start legal proceedings under Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971,” said the Deputy Commissioner. The Rajasthan Government has been informed about these developments. In a case, an Executive Engineer of the Punjab Canal Department allotted a big portion of Rajasthan Feeder Canal land in Faridkot to an Akali leader on July 15, 2009, without any consideration. However, a judicial court in Faridkot had cancelled this allotment. In another case, a coloniser is illegally occupying a 207-ft-long stretch of Rajasthan Government land. He has even constructed a road on this land, using it as a passage for his colony. The Rajasthan Government owns over 2 lakh acres of land in southwest Punjab. The land was acquired for the construction of a canal in the 1960s. A wide strip of thousands of acres running parallel to the canal is lying unused, making it vulnerable to encroachment.
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Shopkeepers block traffic in Sangrur
Sangrur, April 8 The protesters raised slogans against the local municipal council authorities, holding them responsible for the slow pace of the construction work on the road from the Traffic Lights Chowk to Mahavir Chowk here. They said the contractor had dug up the road over a month ago to construct a divider and it is yet to be built. They alleged that sub-standard material had been used in building “We have lost a lot of business due to the dug-up road as people do not want to visit this area now,” they said. They demanded that the road should be constructed in a stipulated period. The protesters staged the demonstration under the banner of Sarb Sanjhi Dukandaar Association, Sangrur.
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IT Dy Commissioner, CA sent in remand
Patiala, April 8 Bhattacharya, who was posted at Ludhiana, resided at the Income Tax Colony here. Tipped off by a businessman, the CBI found the cash at the CA’s residence in Green Park during an early morning raid. Apart from the cash, the CBI took away laptops, computers and documents. Sources said subsequent raids had led to the recovery of Rs 67 lakh in cash. Ashwini Gupta is a renowned CA running a business. There was a complaint that he and Bhattacharya were conniving to make monetary gains by entering into negotiations with tax evaders.
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Leprosy cases on the rise
Sangrur, April 8 Twenty-three new leprosy cases were detected in Sangrur district in 2012-13. Of these, 19 are males and four females. Ten cases are of a mild form of leprosy called pauci-bacillary, while remaining are of the severe form of the disease called multi-bacillary. As many as 26 leprosy cases were detected in 2010-11 in Sangrur district; 31 in 2011-12; and 23 in 2012-13. Seven Punjabis were afflicted with the disease every year in this period. During the year 2012-13, three Punjabis contracted the disease in Malerkotla area and one each in Amargarh, Sunam, Sangrur and Dhuri areas. The remaining 16 patients are from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A doctor explained that leprosy was a skin disease which mainly affected face, arms, hands, legs and chest. If a patient had multi-bacillary leprosy, he would be administered medicine for 12 to 18 months and for six to nine months, if he had pauci-bacillary leprosy. He said the medicine was provided free of cost under the National Leprosy Eradication
Programme.
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108
service: Govt yet to remove Badal’s photo from ambulances Jalandhar, April 8 The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry had directed the SAD-BJP government to implement a uniform design and colour coding of these ambulances without any local modification before April 1. In its direction sent to Punjab Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Vini Mahajan on March 16, ministry’s joint secretary Manoj Jhalani clearly stated: “In case, the order is not implemented, the Government of India would be constrained to discontinue financial support to the service”. As many as 240 ambulances, under the 108 service, have been catering to patients free of cost all over the state. The ambulances were provided by the Central Government to the state Health Department under NRHM. Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal could not be contacted for a comment as is away to Goa for SAD-BJP’s “vichar manthan”. Vini Mahajan told this correspondent through an SMS to talk to Hussan Lal, MD, Punjab Health Services Corporation. Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) president Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary flayed the government for not removing Badal’s photos from ambulances despite Centre’s direction. Earlier, Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad had issued directions on March 15 that all non-Congress governments should stop taking credit for the Centre-sponsored facility. “All ambulances under this facility shall have “National Ambulance Service” inscribed in English, Hindi and the regional language with the logo of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) by April 1,” he had said.
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HC notice to UT, Punjab on PIL
Chandigarh, April 8 The PIL claimed there was a nexus between government officials and the industry, due to which carcinogens made their way into the consumer market. “The unholy nexus and collusion between the industry and public servants leads to a situation which results in mortality and morbidity of a large number of people, which is no less than cold-blooded murder,” the PIL filed by Hemant Goswami said. He has sought a ban on “all cancer-causing agents identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)”. In his petition, Goswami stated: “The WHO and its affiliate IARC has, in its over 50 years of research, identified hundreds of agents (carcinogens)... Despite such carcinogens having been clearly identified, the government does nothing and such cancer-causing agents frequently make way into the market... and are used in various industries to which people are exposed, and thereby it has resulted in increased cancer prevalence in India”. He also sought suitable arrangements to compensate and provide damages to anyone exposed to carcinogens at his workplace or otherwise.
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HC order summoning Chief Secy set aside
Chandigarh, April 8 Setting aside the orders, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain today asserted that the Single Judge should not have broadened the scope of the writ petition filed by the employee seeking payment of dues. The assertion came on a bunch of two pleas, including an appeal by the Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab, and other appellants against Ranjit Singh and other respondents. In his appeal, the Chief Secretary had challenged the orders dated March 12, 2013, passed on a writ petition, directing his personal appearance before the court. The Division Bench observed: "From the perusal of the writ petition, we find that Ranjit Singh filed the petition claiming salary for the period from March 1, 2010, till March 31, 2010, which had not been paid to him?." The Bench noted that Ranjit Singh retired from service on February 28, 2010, and was re-employed on the same post in the same grade and discharged duties from March 1, 2010, till March 31, 2010. "Admittedly, during the pendency of the writ petition, the benefits claimed by the petitioner had been given to him. We are, therefore, of the view that when the grievance of the petitioner stood satisfied, the Single Judge should not have broadened the scope of the writ petition on the ground that the State of Punjab as well as statutory bodies had not been making payments in several other cases. "As the petitioner has already been granted relief, his writ petition is disposed of. The order dated March 12, 2013,by the Single Judge summoning the Chief Secretary, Punjab, is hereby set aside. Consequently, the appeal preferred by the State of Punjab is allowed."
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Notice issued to Centre on PIL against Henry
Chandigarh, April 8 Taking up the matter, Justice RN Raina issued a notice to Union Home Secretary and to Avtar Henry for April 23. Directing Jalandhar Commissioner of Police to examine the complaint against Punjab's former minister regarding his citizenship, the High Court in December last year had made it clear that an FIR would have to be registered in case the allegations were prima facie found to be true. The Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain had directed the Commissioner to examine the complaint dated September 27, 2012, filed by Sehgal and to order registration of an FIR against him, if a prima facie case was found to have been made out, within two months. Sehgal, through advocate HC Arora, had stated that Avtar Henry acquired the British citizenship in 1969 under the name of Avtar Singh. He came to India on the British passport the same year and obtained an Indian passport, which was renewed from time to time. He also registered himself as a voter in the Jalandhar (North) constituency and contested the elections in 1986, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012.
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MLA’s son-in-law held for posing as CID agent
Ludhiana, April 8 Yasin, a resident of Alluna Miana village near Payal, was arrested from near Barewal bridge this evening. Gurveer Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), PAU police station, said Yasin was walking alone on the bridge when a police party stopped him for checking. "Yasin told the police that he was an undercover agent of the CID and his headquarters was located in Andheri Mumbai. He was taken to the police station for further questioning where he confessed that he had procured a fake ID to dupe people," said Gurveer Singh. Yasin has been booked under various sections of the IPC, including Section 170 (for posing as a government employee to dupe people). Sources said Yasin had strained relations with his wife. Mohammad Sadiq said: "I am not aware of the details of the case. He might have done something wrong for which he has been arrested".
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The foaming Arabian Sea idled against a summery beach ensconced along south of Candolim, at the shore of the Mandovi river.
Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC chief, said here today that the SGPC had backed the Punjabi movie, ‘Sadda Haq’, after viewing it from the religious perspective. “Henceforth, the SGPC will think twice before giving the green signal to any movie,” he added.
Sources said the number of trucks that arrived from Pakistan (imports) during the 2012-13 financial year stood at 34,366, which was over 70 per cent more as compared to 19,087 trucks in the previous fiscal when the old check-post was functional. However, the number of trucks that crossed over to Pakistan rose marginally from 38,917 in 2011-12 to 41,248 in 2012-13.
The
ICP has turned out to be a success with the trade witnessing an
increase of at least 35 to 40 per cent in the last year. It has done
well in overcoming teething troubles
It
hasn't been good so far. There is no coordination between the
multiple agencies involved in the ICP functioning and secondly,
the transport mafia has taken a toll on the trade
The first year has been a mixed bag for the ICP. We are still awaiting the installation of full truck scanners. We also expect Pakistan to allow more items through Attari border, for which I don't think the ICP is ready
Several SAD and BJP legislators expressed concern over the difference in estimates of development works carried out by panchayats under the Rural Development and Panchayat
Ministry. It was then decided that uniform estimates should be prepared by a reputed agency for all village works. It was also decided that
getting done all development works in villages in a proper manner should be the responsibility of
the panchayat secretary, the Block Development Officer and the sarpanch concerned.
There was a general feeling that the water supply and sewerage department was not equipped to handle the Rs 3,500-crore worth sewerage and water supply schemes to be taken up over the next four years. Legislators said the work was usually allotted to a contractor who sublet small works, leading to problems of alignment and poor quality. Sukhbir Badal suggested the work could be given to a reputed agency like L&T even if the state had to spend more on the
work. It was also decided that both sewerage and water supply projects be given to a single agency
Akali managers today claimed the party had spent around Rs 30 lakh on the Vichar Manthan even as SAD president Sukhbir Badal claimed that tax-payers' money had not been spent on the conclave.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice to the Centre and authorities in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on a public interest litigation seeking a ban on cancer-causing agents.