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Monsoon havoc in many villages
Muktsar flooded despite getting lion’s share of funds for drains
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Two boys drown in Abohar
Border farmers caught between Zero Line and ravaging Sutlej
Tata’s ambitious Camelot project back on track
Govt probe finds nothing wrong in auction of mines
Medical officers up in arms against govt
Take back control of Jalandhar medical institute, says MLA
Sukhbir may put off Canada visit
Revised notification on illegal colonies
Medicos to protest on August 26
Custom milling policy for paddy announced
Be proactive with Pakistan, say veterans
Punjab plans 36 computerised checkposts
De-addiction centre owners held for torturing inmates
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Monsoon havoc in many villages
Abohar, August 21 The police resorted to lathicharge and fired about 12 rounds in the air to disperse unruly villagers who in turn pelted the former with stones. Balluana Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Veer Chand was injured. The police has rounded up more than 20 protesters. A passerby, Raja Ram was also injured. He was admitted to the local Civil Hospital. Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Basant Garg along with Deputy Superintendents of Police Raj Kumar Jalhotra and Veer Chand visited the site to monitor the arrangements to plug the breach. As hundreds of Sayeedwala residents protested against the bundh, more than 200 policemen were called. Sher Singh Ghubaya. MP, and Gurtej Singh Ghuriana, Balluana MLA, (both of the SAD) reached the spot. Witnesses said when the officials decided to go ahead with raising the bundh, the villagers started pelting them with stones. The police tried to disperse the irate mob using lathies, but the former intensified the protest. The Deputy Commissioner then ordered firing in the air as some stones hit officials and the mob appeared to be turning more violent. The bundh was finally erected after the police chased away the protesters. The police has booked 80 persons for the clash. As many as 39 of them have been identified. Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar has expressed concern over the diversion of overflowing water from Sayeedwala to Khuyiansarwer, Telupura and Haripura villages of his (Abohar) constituency. He feared that there could be clashes between residents of the affected villages if breach was not plugged.
troubled waters
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Muktsar flooded despite getting lion’s share of funds for drains
Muktsar, August 21 Most of its areas are submerged in rainwater that too when there is no rain for the last three days. It has even put the functioning of the Drainage Department under a scanner. Drainage officials have admitted that they were given as much money as sought by them for the purpose. "Nearly Rs 5.29 crore was sanctioned for Gidderbaha circle and Rs 3.27 crore for Muktsar for cleaning drains. Even the work was done. The problem arose because of heavy rainfall and overflow of drains in Ferozepur," said PPS Ghumman, Superintending Engineer, Drainage Department, adding that they were now making all efforts to drain out the floodwater. Meanwhile, the floodwater that has changed its flow from Muktsar to Gidderbaha villages could spell more trouble for officials. "The level of water has risen in some villages in Gidderbaha," said a senior official engaged in flood-control operation. The residents have blamed the administration for slow pace of rescue operation. Activists of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union also staged a dharna outside District Administrative Complex demanding canopies. Nek Singh, a resident of Bhundar village, said water had almost touching the height of 5 feet, but the administration had not made any arrangement to evacuate them. "After waiting for five days, we finally brought our animals on road by using tyres as boats. The administration must speed up its efforts," he said. An aerial survey of flooded villages was also conducted in the afternoon.
apathy alleged
The residents have blamed the administration for slow pace of rescue operation. Some of them alleged the administration was focusing only on Muktsar villages while ignoring Malout and Gidderbaha blocks. Irate residents in some villages even blocked the Muktsar-Kotkapura highway today at Sarainaga for nearly four hours, demanding drainage of rainwater.
relief material
The administration today started distribution of relief material to the flood affected people. "Packets containing wheat flour and other grocery items, and cattle feed are being distributed in villages," said Deputy Commissioner Parmjit Singh. The health authorities have sought 50 doctors, 80 pharmacists and 12 ambulances from other districts, fearing disease outbreak
leaders’ visit
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is expected to visit Muktsar on Friday and his deputy Sukhbir Badal on Thursday. So far, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, KJS Cheema; Principal Secretary, Irrigation, Sarvesh Kaushal; Director, Health department, Ashok Nayyar and Director, Animal Husbandry Department, HS Sandha have visited the district to take stock of the situation
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Badal’s visit has officials on their toes
Gurdaspur, August 21 Former Speaker NS
Kahlon, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries GS Babbehali and Desraj Dhugga and Dera Baba Nanak halqa chief SS Langah failed to turn up at Dharamkot Pattan village where the CM met the flood-hit villagers. Administration officials were hard pressed to make arrangements for the CM's visit. Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhinav Trikha had to request the Army to let them use the military helipad at Dera Baba Nanak for the CM's chopper. The only senior leaders present at the helipad were area chiefs of Qadian and Batala SS Sekhwan and LS
Lodhinangal, respectively. The CM was accompanied to Dharamkot Pattan village,10 km from the helipad, by his Principal Secretary SK
Sandhu, Financial Commissioner NS Kang, Gurdaspur DC Abhinav Trikha and Batala Senior Superintendent of Police Tulsi Ram. The CM announced a special girdwari to assess the damage to crops. “The district administration will divide the flood-affected areas into different zones and PCS officers will supervise the girdwari operations to assess the damage to paddy, sugarcane and fodder. More than 5,000 acres of agriculture land has been inundated. Our efforts will be to adequately compensate the farmers for the losses,” the DC claimed. Motorboats are the need of the hour as during the monsoon, the PWD dismantles the pontoon bridge and the villagers are unable to travel to the other side to till their land. When pointed out that villagers residing near the border were living in harsh conditions ever since 1947, the CM said the Punjab Government had written to the Central Government on several occasions for incentives to these people but to no avail.
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Water surrounds security posts in border areas
Fazilka, August 21 A left marginal bundh (LMB) also known as Kanwanwali bundh has started eroding at several places. There is a threat of damage to the bundh if the floodwater doesn't recede. In case of a breach, floodwater will inundate 16 more villages. A pakka security bunker located near Mohar Sona village was washed away in the early hours today. Nearly 200 villagers, labourers and government officials have been engaged in strengthening the bundh, which has been weakened at several places by placing 20,000 sandbags, said Additional Deputy Commissioner Charandev Singh Maan and Executive Engineer (Drainage) Gulshan Nagpal, who supervised the operation. A large number of villagers have moved to safer places in nearby areas. They have started shifting their belongings and livestock as well. None of the villagers has opted to take refuge at relief camps set up by the administration. "There is no arrangement for green fodder for our cattle at the relief camps", says octogenarian Gehna Singh of Mohar Sona village. To add to the misery, the Pakistani authorities have shut the gates of Sulemanki head works resulting in back flow of the Sutlej water near the Sadiqi joint check post. It has led to submerging of the meeting hall on the Pakistani side where flag meetings between officials of both the nations are held. Meanwhile, Sukhdev Singh (35), a marginal farmer of flood-hit Sadda Singh village, near the zero line, was injured as the roof of his house collapsed. He was rushed to the local Civil Hospital from where he has been shifted to Government Medical College, Faridkot.
no respite
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Two boys drown in Abohar
Abohar, August 21 The parents of the deceased work as farm labourers who had migrated from Uttar Pradesh. Tehsildar Mandeep Singh Dhillon visited the village and assured assistance to the affected families. Fatehgarh Sahib: An Army jawan, who had come to meet his parents at Kheri Naud Singh village, was feared drowned after he slipped into the Bhakra Main Line Canal passing through the village. The victim has been identified as Ramandeep Singh (30). The district administration said efforts were on to retrieve the body. Ramandeep's father Darbara Singh said his son was presently posted in Ferozepur sector and was on leave since August 14.
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Border farmers caught between Zero Line and ravaging Sutlej
Ferozepur, August 21 Bereft of basic amenities like education, healthcare, roads and drinking water even after more than six decades of Independence, these villagers are yet to taste the fruits of freedom. Not only the hostilities between the two countries have a direct bearing on their wellbeing, the meandering Sutlej too plays havoc with their lives. Scores of villages like Tindiwala, Kaluwala, Chandiwala, Kassoke, Kamalewala, Khunder Gatti situated between the zero line and right flank of dhussi bandh face the nightmare of floods almost every passing year. Even during the normal days, the only mode of transportation available for some of these villagers is wooden "beras" (indigenously built boats) which ferry them to the mainland. But, when the river is in spate, they remain trapped inside their kutchha houses as even the "beras" no longer remain an option due to rise in the water level. "More often river water inundates our dwellings," said Mangal Singh of Chinniwala village. He said in the last five years, his fields had been wrecked by the Sutlej thrice. He rued that the leaders only came escorted with cameramen to score some brownie points and make utopian promises only to forget these. "The same story is repeated every year, but nothing has changed on ground," he said. Hundreds of villagers like Mangal who are doing farming in this area echo similar sentiments. Besides, the villages do not have access to basic amenities like education, healthcare, potable water, sewerage or proper roads. "The only government school situated close by is in Chandiwala which is up to Class VIII and the nearest government dispensary is in Rajoke," said Joginder Singh, a farmer. He said they had learnt to live with these challenges. "We have even got used to floods now," he said, adding that their fields got inundated almost every alternate year when excess water was released from dams. The claims of compensation were a farce, he said. "Last year, we got a meagre compensation for our damaged crops, but even those cheques bounced when presented in the bank," alleged Kulwinder Singh, another farmer. "Now we have started losing hope. The frequent flooding of our fields has shattered our economy," said Maggar. "Working in fields under hawk eyes of gun-totting security personnel, we do not have enough resources or skills to go and settle elsewhere. But, we do not want our children to settle here," he said. "The Chief Minister had promised that we will be made owner of the land tilled by us, but nothing has been done," says Desha Singh, a poor farmer.
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Rakhar Punya Rallies
Amritsar/Baba Bakala, August 21 Addressing a rally at the Rakhar Punya fair here, he said: "The Centre has fixed Rs 3,500 per acre towards losses for the flood-hit farmers while we (state government) will contribute another Rs 1,500 per acre, to make it Rs 5,000 per acre. I will take up the case of the affected farmers with the Centre and seek a revision natural calamity norms." Lashing out at the Congress, the Chief Minister alleged the Congress had always done grave injustice to the state by adopting an anti-Punjab stance. "The Congress has inflicted a wound on the Sikh psyche by unnecessarily meddling in our social, political, economic and religious matters. We have been wrongfully deprived of our capital and legitimate share in the riverwaters by the Congress," he said. Criticising the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, he said the Food Security Bill was nothing but a political gimmick adding that the Congress was not serious in passing it. Later addressing a press conference, Badal said: " I am ready to accompany PPCC chief Paratap Singh Bajwa to the Golden Temple and swear that we don't have any stake in the liquor business. I challenge him to prove his charges." On Bajwa's demand for a CBI inquiry into illegal sand mining, he said the Centre was responsible for the crisis as it had not given environmental clearance. Cabinet Ministers Bikram Singh Majithia and Gulzar Singh Ranike were among those present at the rally. The Chief Minister visited the flood-affected areas of the Ajnala sub-division in the morning. He said his government had already sent a Rs 161-crore proposal for strengthening embankments and other flood control measures to the Drainage Department and the same would be implemented soon. Conceding to the demands of the locals, the CM consented to the construction of a pantoon bridge on the Ravi in the Ajnala Sector. He said a sum of Rs 70 lakh had already been released to the Amritsar administration which would be disbursed among the farmers with land across the border fence at the rate of Rs 3,000 per acre. To a query, Badal advised Pradesh Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa not to play politics over floods and to take up the cause of farmers with the Centre. Visiting the flood-hit areas in Tarn Taran district in the evening, the CM announced to defer the recovery of crop loans of co-operative societies from the flood-hit farmers, thereby converting their short-term crop loans into medium-term crop loans. The Chief Minister ordered a special girdawri for assessing the loss caused to the standing crops, and a survey to ascertain the damage caused to property in the flood-ravaged areas. Kamal Sharma on CPS Sidhu’s outburst
On Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu's outburst, the CM evaded a direct reply though he said her suggestions were welcome. "She has said the government is directionless. I will be happy to receive directions from her." However, Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma said they would seek an answer from Dr Sidhu on the issue, adding that she should not have raised the matter in the media. "I have discussed the issue with BJP chief Rajnath Singh. There are so many forums within the party where she could have raised the issue."
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Will help Gujarat’s Sikh farmers: Bajwa
Baba Bakala, August 21 Addressing a rally here on the occasion of Rakhar Punya, Bajwa said: " We've decided to extend legal help to these farmers contesting the case in the Supreme Court. I will meet Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a top lawyer, in this regard tomorrow. We will hire a battery of top lawyers to help the affected farmers," He said Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal had promised the farmers that the SAD would bear the expenses incurred on the legal battle and lead a delegation to Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. "However, he has fulfilled none of the promises, leaving these farmers in the lurch." Bajwa praised party leaders Jasbir Singh Dimpa and Ranjeet Singh Chhajalwadi for a united show at the rally. Though the Congress held a single rally, factionalism did come out in the open during the event. Prior to Bajwa's arrival, Dimpa and Chhajalwadi had an altercation on the dais with the latter objecting to the presence of a leader expelled from the party. However, party leaders intervened and pacified the leaders while forming a ring around them to prevent mediapersons from capturing the tiff on camera. The PPCC demanded a white paper on the state's economy. He said the state government did not have funds to pay salaries to its employees and disburse old age and widow pension to the beneficiaries. He said the government had failed to disburse Rs 1,000 per month as allowance to the jobless as promised in the SAD manifesto. "We've asked our leaders to list names of 1,000 unemployed persons from each constituency and get them registered with the Unemployment Exchange. Subsequently, we will file a claim against the government on behalf of 1.17 lakh unemployed persons from 117 constituencies in the Punjab and Haryana High Court," Bajwa said. Referring to media reports that the Punjab Government had exhausted its overdraft limit, he said this indicated that the state was on the brink of bankruptcy. He said the state government had sought a loan of Rs 1,000 crore from PUDA against government land transferred to it for infrastructure development. He said the SAD-BJP Government had imposed a heavy dose of taxes on the people and yet was unable to manage the state economy. "As a result of heavy taxes and poor law and order, industry is shifting out of the state. In the past five years, 274 industrial units have shifted to other states," he claimed. Bajwa claimed that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had lost control over the state administration and his son (Deputy CM) was misusing the people's mandate to promote his family business in transport, liquor and real estate. He accused Sukhbir of shielding the sand mafia and monopolising various businesses. "Sukhbir Badal is leading Punjab towards disaster," he claimed. He threw an open challenge to the Chief Minister to accompany him to a gurdwara and vow that the liquor business in the state was not owned by his family. Bajwa blamed the SAD-BJP Government for ignoring historical in matters of development and making false promises on promoting religious tourism in the state. Asking the Chief minister to ensure that no disrespect was shown to the turban, he pointed out that " it was the SAD workers who toppled IAS officer KS Pannu's turban in Uttarakhand." Accusing the state government of failing to wake up to fury of floods in the state, he sought Rs 25,000 per acre for farmers who had suffered cent per cent damage to crops and Rs 15,000 per acre for those with partial damage to crops. Punjab Congress affairs in charge Harish Chaudhary and PPCC vice-president OP Soni were among those present at the rally.
On MLA Navjot Sidhu’s outburst
Taking a dig at the SAD-BJP Government over the outburst by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, Bajwa said the Badal family only made false promises. "Their own Cabinet colleague has alleged that she has not received Rs 100 crore promised to her for her constituency."
On Capt Amarinder Singh’s rallies
To a media query regarding former CM Capt Amarinder Singh's plan to hold rallies in the state, he said he could organise rallies in his capacity as a state Congress leader and that he had no problem with it. On SAD’s ‘false’ assurance to farmers Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal had promised the farmers that they would bear the expenses incurred on the legal battle and lead a delegation to Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. However, he has fulfilled none of the promises — PS Bajwa, PPCC president
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Tata’s ambitious Camelot project back on track
Chandigarh, August 21 Taking up the "Save Sukhna" case, a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said it was not vacating the stay, but the orders were not operative as far as the Camelot project was concerned. The Bench was of the view that the Camelot issue had already been looked into by a coordinate Bench of the High Court on March 26 last year and it would not go into the issue again. Appearing before the Bench on behalf of Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation, senior advocate ML Sarin argued that the matter had not been dealt with previously. He said the Bench hearing the matter earlier had verbally observed that it was not going into the catchment area issue. Similar arguments were raised by UT's senior standing counsel Sanjay Kaushal and counsel DS Patwalia. With this, it is clear that the stay orders are applicable to constructions other than the Camelot project. Counsel for some landowners, during the hearing this morning, sought the vacation of stay on construction activity on the ground that their properties were located in the same area. But the Bench refused to entertain the plea, stating that a specific application for the vacation of stay had not been moved by the landowners. The Bench made it clear that the issue of construction activity in the catchment area would now be decided once and for all and individual applications would not be entertained at this stage. The mega project was to come up on 53 acres. It was expected to have 1,734 flats in high-rise buildings, some up to 35 floors. The directions came after the counsel for Tata Camelot Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the Bench that the matter was res judicata, meaning already judged. In an attempt to substantiate his contentions, he referred to and read out the High Court judgment of March 26 last year which indicated that the Tata Camelot project could make further progress after grant of clearances, sanctions, permissions and
fulfillment of other pre-conditions. Singhvi told the court that the necessary clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment had been obtained on August 14. Amicus curiae or the friend of the court, Tanu Bedi, sought directions for placing on record the clearance. She argued that the initial order against the coming up of a housing colony or building activity in the catchment area was prohibited on March 14, 2011, about a year before the March 26, 2012, orders. She said the previous year’s order, referred to by the Camelot, had not dealt with the prohibition order. Bedi also referred to the housing company’s own reply to say it fell in the catchment area. Bedi referred to an earlier affidavit of the company, in which officials from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest said the project came under the Sukhna Lake catchment area. The project was on a highly sensitive zone, as per the master plan, she added. What High Court Bench said
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Govt probe finds nothing wrong in auction of mines
Chandigarh, August 21 Holding the e-auction as fair, the state is now all set to award the contracts for nine quarries that were disputed as being rigged. An inquiry report, which was submitted to the government today, however, has been rejected by the complainants. They said the e-auction was rigged in favour of an “influential” group of mining contractors, who were successful in getting control over all the quarries that were auctioned on August 12, as their bids were blocked. Bidders had alleged that the Punjab Infotech server stopped accepting their bids at the last minute, thus gave advantage to their competitors, who were 'influential' people. The quarries for which the bidders had raised objections were Tarheti Naranpur, Beli Changa, Talwara Jattan, Ghandran and Nalunga in Pathankot, Plaasi and Aelagran in Ropar and Kakrali and Sundaran in SAS Nagar. Following the hue and cry raised by the bidders regarding the e-auction being ‘rigged’, the state government had decided not to announce the result for these quarries, till the dispute was settled. The state government had also promised to conduct an inquiry into the e-auction and ascertain if the server was down and if it had stalled some bidders from making bids at the last minute. As part of this, the government got the log details of each participant in the auction and data was obtained from the Punjab Infotech and Indian Telephone Industries. The report has already been submitted to the government for further action. With this report, the state government will now be able to declare the successful bidders for the nine quarries. “Director, Mines, Manashvi Kumar today called a meeting of all the bidders, including the complainants and the successful bidders. They were given logs of all the bids made by them during the e-auction. However, the log details provided to us were only of the time till our bids were accepted. We had complained that in the last five minutes, the system had stopped accepting our bids. And there are no log details of the last five minutes of the auction (between 11 am and 11.05 am). The inquiry is a farce,” said Guriqbal Singh, Rajesh Kumar and Vikrant Mahajan, who had bid for quarries in Ropar, Mohali and
Pathankot.
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Encroachers scar Rajpura as officials look the other way
Patiala, August 21 Stray cattle and poor roads have added to the woes of the residents. The administration is sleeping over the menace for many years. Despite the high court orders against such illegal encroachments alongside the highway in Rajpura, no concrete action has been taken by the authorities so far. Shopkeepers have encroached upon almost 10 to 20 ft of the government land. Shopkeepers in some areas have also occupied footpaths and rehriwalas have taken over every nook and cranny of the town. Though the council authorities have time and again said they would initiate a drive to remove all makeshift encroachments from outside of shops, nothing concrete has been done so far. Because of temporary encroachments, the problem of traffic in the town has also worsened. “The encroachments are causing congestion on the roads. The problem can be sorted out only if the civic body imposes heavy penalty on the violators,” said Ramesh Kumar, a local resident. “Right outside my house, the shopkeepers have started charging from roadside vendors. I have requested them several times to remove these, but to no avail,” he said. A visit to different areas, including State Highway, Shastri Market, Jawahar Market and the Kasturba road, revealed that shopkeepers in many markets had extended their shops on to the road. This had covered footpaths meant for the pedestrians. “The situation has gone from bad to worst with the civic authorities turning a blind eye to the situation,” said Rajandeep Singh, a retired government employee. The Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Rajpur, Ashok Arora was not available for comments. Information gathered by the TNS reveal that shopkeepers in many markets allowed rehriwalas to carry out business in front of their shops after charging them Rs 50 to Rs 100 per day. As commuters continue to suffer, the civic body is doing nothing to clear the makeshift encroachments outside shops. Residents said pedestrians had to literally squeeze through the haphazard maze of rehris, kiosks and stalls in most of the town markets. Patiala DC Gopal Krishan Singh said he had directed Rajpura SDM JK Jain to remove all illegal encroachments in the next 10 days. “He has also been directed to start a drive against stray cattle and prepare a list of roads that need an urgent repair,” he added.
tale of woe
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Medical officers up in arms against govt
Patiala, August 21 These medical officers, nearly 60 in number, have been teaching for 15 to 30 years but have not been promoted yet. They have been teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Government Medical College, Patiala, for the past many years but they are not being provided any teaching experience
certificate by the Medical Education and Research Department. Expressing anguish, president, Medical Officers-cum-Lecturers’ Association, Rajindra Hospital, Dr Darshanjeet Singh Walia, said while the government was raising a false alarm that there was a shortage of teaching staff in the medical colleges and laying stress on direct recruitments, they were not being inducted into the teaching cadre despite years of experience. “Though we are eligible for teaching and have been doing it for years, we have not been inducted into the teaching faculty because of the policies of the Medical Education Department. The government has not held the Department Promotion Committee meetings for eight years following which we have been sidelined,” he said. General secretary of the association Dr Varinder Verma said while the teaching faculty was only doing the OPDs and taking classes, they were being made to slog day and night without any benefit. “We are the only ones who are doing emergency duties and don’t even get casual leaves, forget about summer and winter vacations. Even the paramedical staff and Class IV employees working with the teaching faculty get these leaves and we, despite doing 90 per cent work in the hospital, are being completely ignored,” he said. One of the medical officers said though they were not supposed to take classes, they were still doing it for so many years. “Now that the government has increased the timings of medical colleges, the teaching faculty has asked us to prepare a roaster and take classes. Why should we take classes when the government is not even giving us experience certificates? The government needs teachers and we are eligible for it, but still they are adamant,” he added. The Principal, Rajindra Hospital, Dr KD Singh, said the timings had been increased for the benefit of the students and patients and medical officers-cum-lectures should not have any issues. “As far as giving teaching experience certificates and their induction into the teaching faculty is concerned, they are all higher level issues and we cannot do anything about it. Since they are already taking classes, they should continue to cooperate with us,”
he added.
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Take back control of Jalandhar medical institute, says MLA
Patiala, August 21 Following a poor show by the PIMS, Jalandhar, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has not given it an approval to admit students in the MBBS course this year. Mohindra said the Punjab government established the PIMS on the lines of the AIIMS to provide cheap medical education and healthcare facilities to the people, but it had instead become a money minting tool for the bigwigs. “The institute is situated in the heart of Jalandhar city and the land costs several thousand crores. However, it was given at throwaway prices to some private players. A lot of money was spent on the development of infrastructure, but poor students are unable to take admission here due to high fee structure,” he said. “Since the MCI has not allowed the PIMS to admit students this year in the MBBS course for ignoring the MCI guidelines, the Punjab government must take back its control. There is a provision to take the PIMS back in government control in case of urgency,” said Mohindra. Meanwhile, he flayed the steep hike in fee in medical colleges across the state without proper notice. He said the state government had not opened any new medical college in the state in 40 years and had even missed a one-time opportunity provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to increase 100 MBBS seats in the state-run medical colleges for 2013-14. Mohindra said MBBS aspirants in Punjab this year were feeling cheated, as the annual fee structure mentioned in the prospectus issued by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, clearly stated that the fee in private colleges would be Rs 1.5 lakh for the government quota seats and Rs 4 lakh per year for the management quota. He said violating all norms, the state government had hiked the fee to Rs 2 lakh and Rs 6 lakh per year without any prior notice. In addition, compulsory hostel charges of Rs 1.5 lakh per year were also being charged from the students. Parents were not given any time to rethink or explore other options. “As mentioned in the prospectus, there are about 1,100 MBBS seats, whereas the first counselling was conducted for only 800 students. Adding to this, a large number of candidates from other states were given admission in the courses. The Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, is supposed to conduct counselling for the candidates who are bona fide residents of Punjab. During counselling, many parents raised a hue and cry in this regard and asked the university authorities to take a mandatory declaration from the parents and the candidates that they had not attended counselling in any other state except the CBSE centralised institutes, but their pleas were ignored. The candidates who burnt the midnight oil to enter medical colleges in Punjab have fraudulently been deprived of their legitimate right,” he said. Mohindra said in case the government was serious about bringing about improvement in the field of medical education in the state, a high-powered committee, under the chairmanship of the Punjab Chief Minister, should be constituted. The present setup was incapable of handling this important sector, he added.
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Sukhbir may put off Canada visit
Sources said he had sought legal opinion whether or not to visit Canada owing to the legal threats posed to him by radical Sikh groups. The Deputy Chief Minister may postpone his visit indefinitely, the sources said. Sikh human rights groups and some religious organisations in Canada have initiated a legal exercise for getting prosecution and arrest warrants issued against the Deputy Chief Minister. Sikhs for Justice, a New York-based group, and the Canadian Sikh Coalition, a non-government organisation representing over 50 gurdwaras and Sikh societies, have alleged that Sukhbir, being the state Home Minister, commands a police force that has "committed, ordered, incited and abetted extra-judicial killings of several Canadian citizens in India." Daljit Singh Cheema, SAD spokesman, who was to visit Canada before Sukhbir's visit for making arrangements, said the date for the Deputy CM's visit would be decided only after the election of chairmen of Zila Parishads. Attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal adviser of the Sikhs for Justice, talking to The Tribune from New York, said they were fully prepared to file two legal suits against Sukhbir in the courts of Ontario and Vancouver on the evidence of 12 Canadian citizens. He said they had also made the Punjab police chief, Sumedh Singh Saini, and a few other police officers as co-accused in the cases as they were “directly involved in fake encounters and the disappearance of Canadian citizens.” This was the first-ever attempt to hold Indian security forces responsible for the "torture and custodial deaths of Sikh citizens of Canada under the Canadian law,” Pannu claimed.
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Sarabjit’s sister, ex-minister Chawla tie rakhis to jawans
Amritsar, August 21 She said: "Whenever I come here (Attari), I am overcome by sadness. This is the route through which I always expected Sarabjit to return alive". However, to avoid any controversy, she dropped her visit to Amritsar Central Jail where she was scheduled to perform similar ritual for Pakistani prisoners. "Keeping in view the disturbances prevailing at the LoC, I decided not to invite any controversy by tying rakhis to Pakistani prisoners at Amritsar jail", she said. Meanwhile, former Cabinet minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, accompanied by students of BBK DAV College for Women, Springdale School and Ramgharia Nursing College, also went to the Attari border and tied rakhis to the security personnel. She said the tradition of tying rakhis to the jawans was initiated in 1968. "This gesture boosts the morale of the jawans who are away from their homes to perform their duty at the border areas", she said. BSF 50th Battalion Commandant Satish Kumar and 154th Battalion commandant Ranbir Dogra were present.
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Revised notification on illegal colonies
Chandigarh, August 21 Under the revised policy, only those illegal colonies or buildings in such colonies would be regularised which were constructed before April 1, 2013. The colonies have been categorised into three groups - colonies where 65 per cent area has been sold, where 35 to 65 per cent area has been sold and where less than 35 per cent area has been sold. A rebate of 5 per cent would be allowed if composition fee is paid in lump sum at the time of application. The new policy has slashed regularisation charges especially for the small plot holders and poor giving a major relief to all sections of society.
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Medicos to protest on August 26
Fatehgarh Sahib, August 21 A meeting of the association was convened this morning and it was unanimously decided that a demonstration would be held under the leadership of state president of the association Dr Ramesh Bali. The members would also burn an effigy of the state government, he said. Dr Devinder Singh, Dr Jaspal Singh, Deedar Singh, Gurjant Singh and Gurbachan Singh were among those present at the meeting.
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Custom milling policy for paddy announced
Chandigarh, August 21 Johal said this year the department had decided that only those rice millers, who had completed 100 per cent milling of paddy of 2012-13 or earlier years, would be allotted paddy for milling for 2013-14. “Any defaulter miller who is yet to complete the milling of paddy for 2012-13 will not be considered for allocation of paddy in 2013-14,” he said. The Union Government has not granted any further extension in the date of milling for 2012-13. As per the provisions of the policy, if any defaulter miller of 2012-13 deposits the cost of balance rice along with other overheads, he can be considered for allocation of paddy in the 2013-14 from the date he deposits the balance recoverable amount to the agency concerned. As per data available, there are around 2,500 mills that have completed 100 per cent milling for 2012-13. He further said there would be no dearth of gunny bales during the paddy procurement this year as 6 lakh bales had already been received in the state against the demand of 7.71 lakh.
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Be proactive with Pakistan, say veterans
Chandigarh, August 21 They said rockets
and shells were hitting villages close to theLine of Control, thereby causing panic among civilians and damaging their property. “The Nawaz Sharif-lead government in Pakistan, despite its stated desire
for a peace dialogue with India, appears to be playing in the hands of the militants,” a statement issued by the
AIDB read. “Instead of diffusing tension along the LoC, the Pakistani National Assembly passed a resolution charging the Indian
troops of unprovoked aggression. The facts are totally opposite,” said a member.
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Punjab plans 36 computerised checkposts
Chandigarh, August 21 The Deputy Chief Minister has asked the Excise and Taxation Department to construct and opertionalise all the check posts on January 1, 2014. The 11 check posts to be computerised under the integrated check post plan include Shambu-I, Shambu-E, Lalru, Banur, Khanauri, Balongi, Dehni, Madhopur, Kaller Khera, Doomanwali, and Zirakpur. The minor check posts include Ram Nagar, Devigarh, Moonak, Ghanouli, Lakhanpur, Mullanpur, Nangal, Harsar-Mansar, Chak Sadhu, Dalhousie Road, Saikulian, Sito Ghunoo, Rajpura, Talwandi Sabo, Killianwali, Sardulewala, Boha, Chullar Kalan, Mohali, Talwara, Amritsar Station, Ludhiana Station, Sarna and Khanaouri Kaithal Road.
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De-addiction centre owners held for torturing inmates
Hoshiarpur, August 21 Mahesh Sharma, a resident of Piplanwala village, and Jagjit Singh, a resident Chalora village near Chabbewal, who were running the centre at Nasrala village for the past many years, were detained and subsequently arrested for torturing and ill-treating the inmates. Deputy Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh Dalli said a case under was registered against the duo at the Bullowal police station last night. However, they were released on bail late in the night.
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Moga, August 21