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Once opposed to Goa
conclave, CM now its strongest votary
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal interacting with the media at a restaurant at Taj Holiday village in Goa on Tuesday. Tribune photo
ICP effect: Booming trade, soaring property prices
HC sets up panels to regulate school fee
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PU Sexual harassment case
Law & order in state worrisome: Ashwani
Khaira flays SAD on security deployment
Losing Rs 100 cr to liquor mafia, excise dept uncaps beer prices
Hike labourers’ daily wages to
Rs 350: CPI
3 youths killed in accident
Cong MLA’s son-in-law, family allege frame-up
Bajwa opposes proposed power tariff hike
Released from Pak in 2007, man reunited with family
SGPC not to send jatha to Pakistan
HC gets tough on child labour
Judicial remand for Ram Singh
Over two lakh cases pending in High Court
Assailants barge into Faridkot hospital, kill 1
Assault: Former Patiala Mayor booked
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Once opposed to Goa
conclave, CM now its strongest votary
Fort Aguada (Goa),
April 9 Giving his feedback on the two-day conclave that ended today, the Chief Minister said, "I was one of the strongest opponents of the Goa conclave. But after attending it, I am its strongest votary. The conclave has been very useful as it has given everyone an opportunity to bond with each other." Badal was probably overwhelmed by the "heartfelt" feedback given by the SAD-BJP legislators. "Legislators shared their 'dil di gal' (deepest feelings) with me, something that could only have happened away from Chandigarh," he said. The Chief Minister said all issues had been discussed threadbare and now he would focus on implementing the suggestions made by the legislators. He said such brainstorming should become a regular feature so that the party can revisit the issues taken up in earlier sessions. Badal also took the lead in reasserting the 'panthic' moorings of the SAD. He said the next Vichar Manthan would be held at Hazoor Sahab in Nanded, Maharashtra. This takes care of the criticism that the party invited for "moving away from the 'panthic' agenda". At the closed-door meeting earlier, Badal commended SAD president Sukhbir Badal saying the latter's "out of the box" ideas had won the party the 2012 assembly elections. He also commended Youth Akali Dal (YAD) president Bikram Majithia and Istri Akali Dal president Paramjit Singh Gulshan saying both the wings had "done yeoman's service" to the party. Terming various social welfare schemes as a "commitment to the people", he said funds for them would be released on the pattern of salary given to state employees. He also announced that the government would come out with master plans for each block, district and even the state to ensure inclusive development. Calls
for ‘strong’ federal system Says
will go by BJP on PM candidate
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ICP effect: Booming trade, soaring property prices
Attari (Amritsar), April 9 Talking to The Tribune, Manjit Singh, who hails from Jhabal in Tarn Taran and owns a food joint near the ICP, said a number of hotels and dhabas had come up along the GT road ever since the ICP became functional and almost all of them were doing good business. He said the business had almost doubled in Attari and surrounding areas over the last one year. “The land prices have risen to as high as Rs 1 crore per acre, particularly along the GT road on the Amritsar-Attari stretch," he added. A tea vendor, Joginder Singh of Ranike village, said the prices had gone up even in villages. “The property prices have soared by 200 per cent in some areas ever since the government acquired 130 acres for the ICP," he said, adding with a surge in cross-border trade, their income had also gone up. The town is also attracting investors from other areas. Aman Jaspal, an entrepreneur from Chandigarh, has set up Sarhad, a restaurant specialising in Indo-Pak cuisine, near the border after quitting his job in Norway. Like others, Aman too is happy with his flourishing business here. However, the ICP has not provided much direct employment to local residents except for 1,500 porters who were already working at the old check post. But, associate business ventures like hotels and transport have generated a lot of job opportunities. Though no addition has been made in the number of porters at the ICP, their work has increased over the last one year and so has their income. Ajooba Singh, a porter, said there was a lot of work now. But the labour rates had not been increased, he added. Meanwhile, a section of residents complain that the long queues of trucks have become a nuisance for them. The queue is usually as long as 4 km from the border. Avtar Singh of Rodawala village said they had to face inconvenience as the exit road of their village remained blocked by trucks. Similarly, local shopkeepers complain that the long queue of trucks affects their business as there is hardly any place left for their customers to park their vehicles. Besides, some local transporters, having political patronage, are allegedly resorting to unfair means by giving priority to their own trucks. Harpal Singh, a truck owner, said: "The local transporters are pushing their trucks inside while the trucks coming from other areas are being made to wait for days together". Another truck driver Santokh Singh pointed out that they were made to park their trucks on the left side of the road while the vehicles of local transporters were parked on the right side. "The queue on the right side moves much faster than ours as they are given the priority," he alleged. Some truckers allege the local transporters force them to pay a hefty amount to take their goods across the border in their own trucks.
Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said he had earlier resolved the matter amicably. “However, if any trader or transporter still has a complaint, he can approach the police," he added.
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HC sets up panels to regulate school fee
Chandigarh, April 9 Referring to the issue of proper implementation of Right to Education (RTE) Act, the court ordered that the admission shall first be offered to eligible students belonging to EWS and disadvantaged group residing within 1 km of specific schools. In case, the vacancies remain unfilled, students residing within 3 km of the schools shall be admitted. If there are still vacancies, then the admission shall be offered to other students residing within 6 km of the institutions. The Bench asserted that the committees would be entitled to determine fees increase by individual schools on the examination of their records and accounts; and after taking into consideration the funds at the disposal of the schools. The Bench asserted: "If it is found that fee hiked by schools was more than warranted, the direction can be given to those schools to refund the same to the students". The three states have been "directed to examine the feasibility of establishing such a mechanism and take decision thereupon within a period of six months from today”. Till this is done, the court constituted three committees, comprising retired High Court Judges, a chartered accountant and an educationist. The scope of work undertaken by the committees would be restricted to 2012-2013. For 2013-14, the schools would have the right to fix their fees structure. “Each institute has to be given the freedom to fix its own fees structure…. At the same time, schools cannot indulge in profiteering and cannot charge capitation fee higher. The fees fixation is subject to these two restrictions," the order reads.
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PU Sexual harassment case
Chandigarh, April 9 The panel was formed after the Examination Centre Superintendent at the college had complained against Singh. The five-member committee in its inquiry, lasting for over two months, found that Singh, who had acted as the Centre Superintendent at the college during the semester exams in Decemeber 2012 had sexually harassed the five teachers. The probe report has been submitted to the university. The committee observed that Singh had passed lewd comments on the teachers several times. The report also stated that Singh stalked one of the teachers during his tenure as the Centre Superintendent. The panel said it was probable that the college authorities had shielded the accused. “There is strong evidence that the college authorities refused to entertain the complaints of the teachers and chose to shield the accused, thereby emboldening him,” the report says. It further stated that documentary, oral and circumstantial evidences established that Singh was in the habit of misbehaving with colleagues as he had been charged with similar accusations in the past too. The government and the university had conducted inquiries on Singh earlier also. The report says that Singh had not been paying full salary to teachers. More than half of the teaching staff was being paid a consolidated salary of Rs 8,000. The allegations of wrongful confinement of three of the complainants on January 6, 2012 have also been found to be true. The inquiry report will be tabled before the Syndicate in its upcoming meeting on April15.
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Law & order in state worrisome: Ashwani
New Delhi, April 9 Replying to a question as to why Punjab balmes the Centre, he said: “The SAD has a one-point agenda of criticising and blaming the Centre for everything.” On being asked about Badal wanting a more evolved devolution of central funds instead of the Centre thrusting down schemes which are not flexible and do not apply in all states, Ashwani Kumar said, “Other CMs have also made this demand; we will surely keep this in mind.” The minister, who hails from Gurdaspur in Punjab and is a Rajya Sabha MP, said the “law and order situation in Punjab is worrisome. Even policemen are struggling to maintain safety of their own families. I hope the SAD-BJP will focus on this. So far, they have failed on this front.” The minister said the fact that Punjab had become the route for international drug trade, spells risk for internal security and also for the future of the youth of Punjab. "A Rs 440 crore cancer research hospital near Chandigarh with a satellite unit at Sangrur is coming about due to special attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 1) If there was one person in the SAD- BJP delegation who was attired for a trip to Goa it was former BJP mla Sukhpal Singh Nanu. The mla not only wore a tee shirt with shorts along with a cap but also zipped around Goa in a heavy duty motor cycle. Accompanying him was akali leader Bikramjit Khalsa. 2) Most akali jathedars stuck to their colour code of white and blue. Even when asked in jest, senior leader Tota Singh said he had last worn a jean when he was in jail during the emergency in 1975. "It's too late for me to change now", he said. However Tarn Taran mla Virsa Singh Valtoha, who is usually attired in white kurta pajama tried out a blue Tommy Hilfiger shirt with accompanying pants. 3) Journalists, who were mostly kept out of the conclave, were invited to lunch with the CM and deputy CM at the Banyan Tree restaurant at the Taj Holiday Village. Sukhbir Badal took to eating seriously, devouring two helpings of thai salad along with generous portions of thai curries with rice. He also drank a diet coke which he said he was doing so after four months. "I have just reduced nine kilograms after a 17 day diet from a Panchkula dietician but thought I could do away with it for four days", he said adding he would see the scales after reaching Chandigarh only. 4) Besides the mlas and senior leaders, Sukhbir Badal also flew in his team of young managers including former Faridkot Improvement Trust Chairman Parambans Romana, his cousin Pawanpreet Badal, Jaito leader Yadwinder Brar and Gidderbaha leader Hardeep Singh Dhillon. The youth, including Romana pitched in to make the conclave a smooth affair. 5) The Chief Minister, the Deputy CM and senior Akali and BJP leaders also attended a high tea hosted by the Goa Chief Minister Monohar Parrikar. All the members of the delegation also visited the Goan Vidhan Sabha and attended the ongoing session for about half an hour. Later both Badal, Sukhbir and senior leaders of the SAD and BJP paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sahib Sanquerin. EOMB UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The state faces a problem with certain districts in Southern Malwa earning the sobriquet of ‘cancer- belt’," he said. On Haryana demanding a separate High Court, he said: “We will take a
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Khaira flays SAD on security deployment
Chandigarh, April 9 As per the affidavit, 1,294 specially protected persons have been allocated 4,120 security personnel at a monthly cost of approximately Rs 15.69 crore. The government also deploys 20 sections of the CRPF and four of the CISF for special security duty. — TNS
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Losing Rs 100 cr to liquor mafia, excise dept uncaps beer prices
Patiala, April 9 Sources said that liquor lovers in Punjab guzzle over 7.5 crore bottles of beer per annum which means that Punjab sells roughly 5 crore bulk litres of beer per annum. However, the Excise Department, for the first time, had fixed the maximum rate of beer in the state in last year’s policy. The state government could not impose any check on liquor vends where beer was sold at a much higher price than the fixed price of Rs 70 for light and Rs 75 for strong beer throughout the year. “Usually, the vend owners sold beer for Rs 120 in connivance with the local inspectors and some senior officials in the excise wing,” said a senior officer in the department. “We suffered an estimated loss of around Rs 100 crore due to this,” he said. Punjab Excise and Taxation Commissioner Anurag Verma said this financial year, they had increased the access fee from Rs 25 per bulk litre to Rs 50 per bulk litre. “This year, we are expecting to earn roughly Rs 250 crore as compared to the Rs 125 crore we earned last year,” Verma said. Verma said to make sure the price of beer did not shoot up in Punjab, the department would make sure the quota of beer was lifted in a quarter. “The prices of beer are roughly the same as they were last year with an increase of Rs 10 in some districts,”
he added.
Rising liquor revenue
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Hike labourers’ daily wages to Rs 350: CPI
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 9 He said the government’s recent decision to decontrol the prices of sugar would increase prices further and put extra burden on the common man. He said the government should address the problems of farm labourers and increase their daily wages to Rs 350. — TNS
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Moga, April 9 The deceased have been identified as Karnail Singh (21), Gurmail Singh (20) and Jagroop Singh (26), all residents of the neighbouring Budhsinghwala village. Gurmail’s father Nachhattar Singh said his son and his friends had gone to bring a stone/tile cutter on rent from Baghapurana when they met with the unfortunate accident. — TNS
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Cong MLA’s son-in-law, family allege frame-up
Ludhiana/Payal, April 9 Refuting the allegations, Sadique claimed Yasin was a drug addict, a charge denied by the latter's family. Yasin's sister Haseena Bano alleged her brother had been victimised as he had strained relations with his wife Taskin, MLA's daughter. Claiming that the marriage was a mismatch, Yasin's mother alleged her son was made to suffer as he had differences with his wife. "Taskin is older than him. It was her second marriage," she said, adding her daughter-in-law had charged her son with stealing Rs 35 lakh from their house. Mohammad Sadique claimed he had been trying to wean his son-in-law away from drugs, but to no avail. "I had even appointed him as my secretary and adviser," he said. He said: "I learnt about Yasin's arrest from media reports. It is strange that I am being charged with implicating him. Let the law take its course". Meanwhile, Judicial Magistrate Neeraj Singla has remanded Yasin to one-day police remand. Villagers vouch for Yasin Residents of Yasin's village Alluna Miana, near Payal, expressed shock at the development. Some claim Yasin was never involved in any illegal activity. Sardaron, Yasin's maternal grandmother, said: "Taskin Akhtar was Yasin’s teacher at senior secondary school, Payal, when the duo fell in love. They later got married”. She said one day, Yasin returned home and said he had been thrown out of the house by Taskin. A close friend of Yasin said the couple wanted to part ways. He claimed Yasin had gone to Taskin's house to collect his belongings. On reaching Ludhiana, he was arrested, he added.
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Bajwa opposes proposed power tariff hike
Ludhiana, April 9 Alleging that development funds released by the Centre were diverted for other purposes, he said the state Congress was exploring legal options on the issue. “There is no account of Rs 1600 crore development funds as per CAG report. Many financial irregularities have been reported in CAG I, II and III reports," he alleged. Stressing on the need for diversification in the farm sector, he announced that he, along with party MPs, would meet the Prime Minister to seek a Rs 5,000-crore package for crop diversification in Punjab. “But it should be monitored by some independent agency so that the funds are not misused," he said. He said the agriculture sector in Punjab was in dire straits. There was a negative growth of 1.7 per cent in the primary sector comprising agriculture, allied activities, mining and quarrying, he added. The industry was shifting base from Punjab to other places in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat due to a "lopsided" industrial policy of the state, he said. Terming the Goa conclave of the ruling alliance as an exercise to promote the "casino culture" and appease the BJP MLAs, he claimed the political parties at the sammelan were discussing irrelevant issues and had failed to provide any solution to the current problems plaguing the state. "Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has centralised power to such an extent that no village panchayat or local body is able to function independently," he stated. revised tariff to be announced today
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Released from Pak in 2007, man reunited with family
Amritsar, April 9 Ram Kumar, 46, was among 19 prisoners repatriated from Pakistan on August 14, 2007, as a goodwill gesture. As life in jail had taken a toll on his mental health, he was admitted to a mental institute. Kumar failed to give his address, as a result of which, it was well nigh impossible to trace his family. Shiv Kumar said he got to meet his brother after a gap of 21 years. Ram Kumar said he had spent 14 years in Pakistan before he was repatriated, but he did not remember how he reached there. Shiv Kumar said a week ago, they had received a letter from the police department informing them that Ram Kumar was in Amritsar. “We were surprised to know he is alive,” he said. Institute Director Dr BL Goyal said, “The condition of Ram Kumar had improved during the past one year. He had started talking about his family.” Dr Goyal said on the basis of information supplied by Ram Kumar, a communiqué was sent to Secretary Health, and the district administration in Hardoi was contacted. Around a dozen other Indian nationals repatriated from Pakistan are still staying at the mental institute while their families have not been traced as yet. “Another patient had come up with relevant information, on the basis of which, we are trying to locate his family,” said Dr BL
Goyal.
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SGPC not to send jatha to Pakistan
Amritsar, April 9 However, the High Commission has issued visas to the pilgrims who were part of the DSGMC jatha and other Sikh organisations. The SGPC jatha was to leave for Pakistan tomorrow. In February, the SGPC had sent a list of around 1,400 pilgrims who wished to visit Pakistan on the occasion of Baisakhi, but the High Commission said they could only give visas to 300 pilgrims, following which the SGPC decided not to send the jatha. SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said he had appealed the High Commission to issue visas to 70 to 80 per cent of pilgrims from their list and only then they could send the jatha. He said the denial of visa to a large number of pilgrims hurts the sentiments of the community. He alleged that the Pak High Commission had been continuously discriminating with the SGPC on this count for the past some time. "Every time a sizable number of devotees are denied visa by Pakistan without any reason," he said. Meanwhile, a number of pilgrims today reached the SGPC headquarters along with their luggage for the visit, but they were disappointed when they came to know about the Pak High Commission's move. On the other hand, the DSGMC has got visas for 171 pilgrims while 14 have been denied the same.
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HC gets tough on child labour
Chandigarh, April 9 The High Court has also ordered the setting up of special courts for children in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The directions came on a bunch of petitions concerning issues of protection of child rights.—TNS
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Judicial remand for Ram Singh
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 9 Ram Singh's counsel Jashandeep Singh said he pleaded with the court that his client was innocent as the police had failed to recover drugs or any other incriminating material from his possession. He said the police also agreed to this before the court, which remanded Ram Singh in judicial custody for 14 days. Ram Singh was arrested for his alleged links with his relative Ravicharan Singh, alias Ravi Deol, who was booked by the Sangrur police in an assault case. The police had raided Deol's house and recovered a huge quantity of drugs and ice worth Rs 115 crore. Meanwhile, Ram Singh’s parents have urged the SSP, Fatehgarh Sahib, to consider his case sympathetically, keeping in view his boxing career as well giving him an opportunity to mend himself.
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Over two lakh cases pending in High Court
Chandigarh, April 9 The High Court's annual report for 2012 indicates that 1.08 lakh cases were disposed of in the year while 1.16 lakh new cases were instituted. Available information suggests 11.51 lakh cases were pending in the district courts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. But the disposal was more than the institution of cases. No less than 16.31 lakh cases were disposed of in district courts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, while 15.80 lakh new cases were filed. — TNS
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Assailants barge into Faridkot hospital, kill 1
Faridkot, April 9 Members of one group barged into Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital Faridkot to kill the injured kingpin of the other group. After a clash between both groups in Ram Lila Chowk of Jaitu town this evening, the seven injured members of both groups were rushed to the Medical College in Faridkot. Though heavy police force was immediately deployed around the medical college, around 7.30 pm, armed with fire weapons, the members of one group barged into the emergency ward of the medical college and opened fire, killing Ranjit Singh, the kingpin of one group. Gurbax Singh, who was accompanying Ranjit Singh, was critically injured and was rushed to Ludhiana. Gurpreet Singh Toor, SSP Faridkot, said the police is yet to confirm Ranjit Singh's death. The police believes there was an old enmity between the groups owing allegiance to two senior Akali leaders - a former minister and an incumbent parliamentary secretary. The police has arrested Chamkaur Singh for allegedly killing Ranjit Singh in the hospital and seized a fire weapon from him. The clash between the groups of Ranjit Singh and Sadhu Singh started in the main bazaar of Jaitu town at around 5.30 pm. In this clash, Sadhu Singh and his three sons, his nephew and two others sustained serious injuries. At the time they were being rushed to the Faridkot hospital, both groups informed the police about threat to their life in the hospital, so heavy police force was deployed in and around the medical college hospital in Faridkot. While all injured were under treatment in the emergency ward, Chamkaur Singh, a nephew of Sadhu Singh, allegedly entered the hospital and opened fire at Ranjit Singh and Gurbax Singh, claimed the police. The firing in the hospital led to panic and doctors, paramedical staff and patients started running helter-skelter. The SSP Faridkot claimed the situation was under control and security had been further tightened.
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Assault: Former Patiala Mayor booked
He has been booked for allegedly assaulting two persons during a brawl at his house on Sunday. The police is expected to record the statement of one of the victims, Manjit Singh, who has been admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana with a punctured lung and other injuries. "Pardhan, his son Preetinder Singh and their relatives have been booked for voluntarily causing injuries, rioting and unlawful assembly following a statement by hotelier Gurdeep Walia," said Tripuri Station House Officer (SHO) Kulwant Singh. Police sources said the police could add Section 307 (for attempt to murder) to the case after recording Gurdeep's brother Manjit's statement. "We have been told by the doctors attending Manjit that he has a stab injury in his lungs," said Patiala SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill. "These are serious developments. There are corruption charges against Pardhan. The party high command may take some action in this regard," said a senior SAD leader. On Sunday, Gurdeep along with his family sat on a dharna outside Pardhan's house. They were demanding their money which they had allegedly given to Pardhan for saving their hotel from being demolished. Things turned bloody when Pardhan's family called them inside the house and then allegedly attacked them.
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Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today admitted that he had
all along opposed the holding of the party's "Vichar Manthan"
conclave in Goa, but that "he is a changed man now".
What they suggested
Cabinet ministers should meet legislators at
least once every month… not for their personal works but to brief them about
the state government's policies and also seek suggestions. — Madan Mohan
Mittal, Health Minister
Kumar said the charge of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that the Centre has been biased against the state was nothing but a baseless allegation. “The Centre has been more than generous and sympathetic in helping Punjab financially. The state has got maximum funds, rather it has been running on central funds and schemes,” he said.
Patiala, April 9