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Master plan to check waterlogging soon: CM
9 pilgrims die in Barnala mishap
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Funds released for mid-day meal scheme:
Dhindsa
Mahilpur college in trouble for offering unapproved courses
Gurdaspur police busts KLF module
RTI highlights tardy rape investigations
Patiala MC ill equipped to execute regularisation drive
Specialist doctors seek separate cadre
Sikhiya protesters block Kurali highway for hours
27 dyeing factories raided in Ludhiana
Officer probing ‘fraud’ by forest staff shifted
Heritage route to showcase royal city
Keshgarh Sahib to Hazur Sahib train okayed
Protest as police fails to trace youth
Clear pending dues, docs to state govt
Panel chief’s appointment opposed
Electricity is goods, says High Court
Firing at Mohali village
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Master plan to check waterlogging soon: CM
Fazilka, September 15 Badal said waterlogging had assumed alarming proportions in the region and it required long-term measures. "The problem is no longer limited to saving crops, the entire affected area has seen a massive socio-economic devastation. It needs a permanent solution," he said. He said the beneficiaries of "shagun" and pension schemes in the flood-hit areas would get the payments on a priority basis. On allegations of CLP leader Sunil Jakhar that the state government was doing little for the flood victims, Badal said the government was bound by the laws framed by the Union Government according to which the state could not pay additional compensation. He said if Jakhar was able to show the way by which the government could pay a higher compensation to flood-hit farmers, the government was ready to pay the amount as demanded by the CLP leader. Fazilka MLA and Cabinet Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani and Member of Parliament Sher Singh Ghubaya and Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Basant Garg also addressed the gathering. Badal also listened to the grievances of residents of six flood-hit villages.
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9 pilgrims die in Barnala mishap
Barnala, September 15 Gurpreet’s husband, a resident of Burj Hamira village in Moga district, was injured in the mishap. Gurmail Singh’s third daughter Neha (12) and son Gurlal Singh also sustained injuries. Gurlal Singh and Lovneet Singh, driver of Tata Venture, were referred to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. The Additional Station House Officer (SHO), Shehna, Harjinder Singh, said a truck and a Tata Venture carrying 14 pilgrims from Kotkapura to Mata Kali Mandir in Patiala, collided head 9 km from Barnala. Truck driver Gora Singh of Ballarr village in Bathinda district fled after the accident. The Additional SHO said the police had impounded the truck and registered a case against the driver under Sections 304-A, 279, 337, 338 and 427 of the IPC. Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of the Barnala Civil Hospital Dr Jasbir Singh Aulakh said six persons had been brought dead to the hospital. Five persons who were in a critical condition were referred to Government Rajindra Hospital. Three of them died on the way amd were brought back. Barnala Deputy Commissioner Indu Malhotra, who visited the hospital, said she had recommended compensation for the families of the deceased persons. Barnala Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM)Amandeep Bansal also visited the hospital and assured the bereaved families of all possible help.
CM announces relief
Barnala: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased. Barnala Deputy Commissioner Dr Indu Malhotra said the Chief Minister had expressed shock at the tragedy and ordered free treatment for the injured persons.
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Funds released for mid-day meal scheme:
Dhindsa
Bassi Pathana, September 15 Dhindsa was in town to inaugurate a girls's hockey tournament at the ITI grounds organised by the local Mehar Baba Charitable Trust. He denied that salaries were not being paid to government employees. He said not only salaries, but the government had also released funds for the mid-day meal scheme. On PWD Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon’s claim on corruption in all government departments, Dhindsa refused to comment. However, he admitted that there were some black sheep in every department and the Vigilance Department was aggressive in nabbing such elements. Dhindsa said that hockey would soon regain its lost glory. He said the neighbouring state of Haryana was promoting only wrestling and boxing while Punjab had been promoting every sport by providing infrastructure to sports academies. He said eight hockey stadiums in the state had been provided with astroturf which would help improve the game. International matches would be held in Mohali this year, he added. Dhindsa announced a grant of Rs 3 lakh to Mehar Baba Charitable Trust for its contribution to promoting hockey in the area. He also announced Rs 10 lakh for a community centre in the town. Former hockey Olympian Balbir Singh Senior, local MLA Nirmal Singh, SAD general secretary PS Chandumajra, former MLA Didar Singh Bhatti, president of the Patiala Union Hockey Association Sukhwinder Kaur and former president of the Fatehgarh Sahib Bar Council advocate Amardeep Singh Dharni were among those present on the occasion.
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Mahilpur college in trouble for offering unapproved courses
Chandigarh, September 15 Sources said repeated refusal by the college principal
to let officials undertake the mandated inspection had made the
university mull action against the institution. The issue would be
tabled before the syndicate in its September 21 meeting. The sources
said the college was offering courses like B.Sc II (Agriculture), B.Sc
III (Fashion Designing), M.Sc II (IT), MA I English (60 seats) and over
10 other courses without permission from the university. PU officials
said the college had postponed the inspection six times during May to
September. The college, however, has justified its move through a letter
sent to the university stating that the University Grants Commission (UGC)
has confirmed autonomous status to the college with effect from April 1,
2013. The college stated that the university had still not endorsed the
notification regarding its autonomous status and that the college had
approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the PU's delaying
tactics.
‘No funds misused’
The UGC had sanctioned Rs 60 lakh for the
construction of a hostel for women and Rs 30 lakh was released as first
installment, he said, adding the utilisation certificate had already
been submitted to the UGC and physical verification had also been done
by a UGC team. On the issue of his date of birth, he said the
management had already given him a clean chit. On the allegation of
drawing two salaries, he said two IAS officers had tried to malign his
image and the Batala SSP had conducted an inquiry into it. He said he
was acquitted by Sessions Judge, Una in the case of use of a pistol at a
toll plaza in April 2011.
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Gurdaspur police busts KLF module
A top police officer claimed that the meeting was presided over by Director-General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini. Two Gurdaspur and Pathankot- based Hindu Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) leaders were among those said to be on the hit list. The security of these leaders has been tightened. Meanwhile, the Gurdaspur police foiled another attempt to revive terrorism in the state by busting a sleeper cell of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) today with the arrest of three persons. Sophisticated weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and foreign-made small arms, have been recovered from the three. Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sukhwant Singh Gill said the district police had arrested Sukhjinder Singh of Guria village that came under the Purana Shalla police station, Surjit Singh, a resident of Improvement Trust Colony (Scheme Number 1) and Surinder Singh of Kiri Afghana village, Sri Hargobindpur police station, Batala police district. The SSP said an AK-47 rifle with a magazine and 20 cartridges, a 0.38 bore Smith & Wesson revolver (made in US) with five cartridges and a .45 bore Taurus pistol (made in Brazil) with three cartridges had been recovered from them. He said the police had acted on a specific tipoff as well as operational leads obtained after the busting of terrorist modules by the Amritsar police and the Fatehgarh Sahib police recently. He said the terrorists were travelling in a Ford-Figo car when they were nabbed by a police party. Two motorcycles used by the gang had also been seized. An FIR under Sections of 17, 18, 20 (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, 120-B/ 153-A of the IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act had been registered with the Purana Shalla police station. “Investigations are on to completely uncover the module and trace its linkages,” the SSP said. He said that preliminary questioning of the arrested persons had revealed a “sinister design to revive terrorism in the state by foreign-based terrorist leaders who have motivated and financed local modules for targeting certain persons with the underlying game plan of fanning communal fire in the state.” The KLF module was being controlled by foreign-based terrorists Harminder Singh and Harmeet Singh, he claimed. Diabolic designs
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Plaza project: Marble work underway on war footing
Amritsar, September 15 Marble work at the plaza is underway on a war footing. At present the agency involved in the work is focusing on preparing the open area by Diwali, the deadline set by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is personally monitoring the project. Work on the basement will follow later. The marble flooring on 80,000 sq ft will be completed by November. Makrana marble, known to be one of the finest varieties, is being used for the plaza. The sprawling open space at the gurdwara entrance will have ornamental plants, benches and lights for the visitors. However, the proposal to install a radiant cooling system has been dropped with doubts expressed over its feasibility in such a vast area. The system would have kept the marble flooring warm in the winters and cold in the summers, enabling devotees to walk barefoot without any discomfort. The only constructed area on the ground will be that of "jora ghar" (area where shoes are kept). Most of the facilities will be in the basement, work on which will take another six months or so. Among the underground facilities will be a state-of-the-art interpretation and information centre for tourists, VIP lounge, bank, ATM, airlines and railway inquiry, multipurpose hall, security and services area, toilets and other public
conveniences. As there is a lot of VVIP movement at the Golden Temple, the plaza will have a separate lounge to accommodate dignitaries and their entourage. There will be an auditorium with a seating capacity for 100-150 persons. The holy shrine is visited by thousands of devotees from across the globe everyday and their number crosses the one lakh mark on special occasions like Gurpurb. The work on the plaza was started in May 2011.
The project
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RTI highlights tardy rape investigations
Inordinate delay in receipt of the forensic examination reports has been highlighted as one of the main reasons for the delay and non-completion of investigation in rape cases within three months. It has been pointed out that "the non-completion of investigation within three months by the police officer concerned violates the mandate given in the newly incorporated section 173 (1-A) of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. The rule says: "The investigation in relation to rape of a child may be completed within three months from the date on which the information was recorded by the officer-in-charge of the police station". The analysis of reply to RTI from the office of the Moga police showed that in at least five rape cases registered under section 366-A of the IPC as well as those registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, 2012, the investigation by the police had taken more than four or even five months. It has been pointed out that a more shocking aspect of the investigation into rape cases in Punjab was that despite repeated pronouncements by the Supreme Court that rape cases cannot be compromised between the parties, since the offence of rape is a crime against the society, rape cases in Punjab are still being compromised and the accused are being discharged/acquitted on that basis. Arora has quoted four examples of information procured under the RTI where the cases had ended in a compromise. These included complaints at Samalsar, Mukandpur (SBS Nagar district) and Kartarpur (Ropar district). Arora has pointed out that in several cases of crime under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, 2012, the forensic report has not been received despite the lapse of more than three months. In four cases at the police station of Ropar district, where the FIRs were registered between the period of February 5 till April 17, the police has replied that although the challan has been presented in the court by the police, the forensic report has not come. It has been pointed out that the state government needed to gear up its administrative machinery for implementing the amended provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973.
The revelations
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Patiala MC ill equipped to execute regularisation drive
Patiala, September 15 Two days ago, MC Commissioner PS Gill and Mayor Amrinder Singh Bazaz had announced the scheme and warned of strict action against colonisers who failed to deposit regularisation fee. Moreover, the new regularisation policy stated that colonies, where less than 70 per cent of the residents do not pay the regularisation fee, will not be given basic amenities. But, since boundaries are not demarcated, the MC officials will find it difficult to work out how many residents of any colony had paid the fee. “We will look into the matter,” said Gill. “I will study the policy thoroughly and work out if the boundary limits of illegal colonies need to be mentioned,” said Priyank Bharti, Director, Local Bodies. Sources said the MC was now stating that the 85 illegal colonies were legal as these did not come under the purview of the new regularisation policy. They said the MC had sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, asking him to lift the ban on the sale deeds of the said 85 colonies. “By declaring these colonies legal, the Patiala MC has lost revenue to the tune of Rs 15-20 crore that could have been generated by charging regularisation fee for the plots in these colonies,” sources said.
The flaws in policy
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Specialist doctors seek separate cadre
Chandigarh, September 15 General duties for the specialist doctors were actually a total loss of a specialised workforce, he said, adding that in the past few years, many new programmes were started by the department but a very few posts were created resulting in stagnation. Dr SP
Bhagat, secretary general of the association, said, “The government should constitute a specialist cadre and also grant new pay scales with promotions.” Dr Bhagat said the specialist doctors deserved special attention as they had put in three extra years of study in a specialised subject. The association said the doctors posted in rural areas should be given enhanced incentives as no specialist liked to shift his family to a place that lacked facilities like education.
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Sikhiya protesters block Kurali highway for hours
Mohali, September 15 Some residents said it was not administration or police officials but local residents who managed to pacify the agitators and convince them into lifting the blockade. The 200 protesters, including the union president Ajmer Singh Aulukh, general secretary Kuldip Singh and vice president Mandeep Singh Bangar, did not lift the blockade even after they were booked under Sections 283 and 188 of the IPC. Several residents were harassed even though the police had diverted the traffic to Ropar and Ludhiana. Rajni Jain, a local resident, said most of the residents were virtually on house arrest due to the traffic jams on the link roads of the town. “Most of the schoolchildren, college students and employees could not go to their institutes and offices due to this nuisance,” said Charanjit Kaur, another resident. Another evidently miffed resident Harminder Singh asked why the administration and the police allowed every union to block the road in the town. “Blockade of the highway for around 23 hours is not a joke. What were the administration and the police doing? We suffer every time for no fault of ours,” remarked Rajni Jain. Shopkeeper Rajinder Kumar said his business suffered a lot due to the traffic jam.
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27 dyeing factories raided in Ludhiana
“While the sample reports will be out in a week’s time, majority of the units were not treating their effluent as per the norms,” said a senior officer. Sources said the industrial units, in order to save electricity cost, manpower, and chemicals had been ignoring repeated warnings of the PPCB officials to treat industrial waste. Majority of the industrialists did not run the ETP units and repeatedly asked the PPCB for extensions. “It is sad that most of the industrialists do not comply with the norms even though we have carried out several campaigns in this regard. They try to save money and continue to release untreated effluent,” said PPCB chairman Ravinder Singh. On the industrialists’ request, the PPCB in June had constituted 10 teams to visit all the 236 small scale industrial units in Ludhiana and educate them about how to run ETPs.
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Officer probing ‘fraud’ by forest staff shifted
Ferozepur, September 15 Considered to be an honest and upright officer, Sunil Kumar had assumed the charge as Conservator of Forest eight months ago. He has been transferred to Chandigarh for reasons best known to those at the helm of affairs. Sources said the officer had recently tightened the noose around 12 officials in his department for alleged irregularities in the execution of the Malwa project. He had even placed some officials under suspension. Later, certain people affected by the investigations started raising hue and cry about his way of functioning. Earlier, Sanjeev Tewari, who was posted as Divisional Forest Officer here, had met the same fate. He had exposed a nexus between the land mafia and revenue officials. Sunil Kumar could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Department officials confirmed that the officer had been transferred overnight to Chandigarh. An IFS officer said it was demoralising for the officers who placed service before self.
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Heritage route to showcase royal city
Patiala, September 15 Elaborating further, Ravee S Ahluwalia, chief functionary, The Patiala Foundation, said the foundation in collaboration with Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, participants of the 74th Junior National Hockey tournament were taken from the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) to NIS, Char Bagh, Sheesh Mahal and Shahi Samadan. They were then taken up to Qila Mubarak on the Trial Heritage Walk before being brought back to TIC. “Everyday around 40 participants are taken on the Patiala Gedi on 15 Patiala GreenCABS. Over 600 participants will be taken on the route in a week,” he said. Ravee said this route would promote tourism and create several hundred jobs.
The route
Tourist Information Centre (TIC) to Shahi Samadan via NIS, Char Bagh and Sheesh Mahal and
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Keshgarh Sahib to Hazur Sahib train okayed
Ropar, September 15 Former Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had made an announcement in this regard during his Budget speech on February 26, said Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress Member of Parliament from Anandpur Sahib. He said with the introduction of the train, the long- pending demand of Punjabis had been met. Bittu thanked Railways Minister Mallikarjun Kharge and his predecessor Bansal for starting thetrain. At present, Sachkhand Express runs between Sri Harmandar Sahib and Sri Hazur Sahib. It is heavily overcrowded.
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Protest as police fails to trace youth
His family members alleged that they had an altercation with one of their tenants a few days back who had threatened to kill them. They had informed the police about the incident, but no action was taken. Police officials said they had interrogated the tenant, but no evidence could be found against them. Further investigations were on, they said. The protesters raised slogans against the police. They continued to block the road for several hours. Later, local MP Bibi Paramjit Kaur Gulshan and MLA Tota Singh reached the spot. Both the leaders directed the police authorities to trace the youth as soon
as possible.
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Clear pending dues, docs to state govt
Patiala, September 15 The doctors alleged that the state government was yet to release 8 per cent DA installment due from January 2013 and another 11.6 per cent of DA due since July 2013. They said the government had also not paid the third installment of the 2006 Pay Commission arrears. These were to be released in 2010 but the government deferred the payment till May 2013.
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Panel chief’s appointment opposed
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 15 Led by SGPC interim committee member Karnail Singh Panjoli, the workers have also shot a letter to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in this regard. Badal had yesterday appointed Singla as chairman of the District Planning Committee of Nawanshahr and Fatehgarh Sahib districts under the Clause 3 sub clause (6) of the
Punjab District Planning Committee. Panjoli alleged the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had sent shock waves among party cadres by overlooking senior taksali leaders and appointing Singla as chairman. Panjoli said that a delegation of party workers would soon meet Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in this regard. Certain party workers said a taksali leader with a clean image should have been considered for the post.
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Electricity is goods, says High Court
Chandigarh, September 15 The Bench has added that a significant characteristic of electric energy was that its generation or production coincided almost instantaneously with its consumption. “Thus, continuity of supply and consumption starts from the moment the electrical energy passes through the meters and sale simultaneously takes place as soon as the meter reading is recorded. “This means that all three steps or phases, sale, supply and consumption take place without any hiatus. The produced electricity would pass on from the place of its generation to the sub station and thereafter to the consumer. The sale is at the place where the consumer is located…. “The sale of electricity can only take place by its consumption on account of its inability to be preserved or stored,” the Bench asserted. The ruling by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih is significant as the State of Punjab had been claiming that it could not impose electricity duty in case of inter-state sale of power. But the sale of electricity to other states did not amount to inter-state trade. The sale in such cases was within the state where it is generated; and as such electricity duty could be imposed. In its detailed order, the Bench concluded: “In case of electricity, the sale and consumption are inseparable and it cannot be artificially assumed by creating a fiction that the sale of electricity can take place in two States…. “Any multiple taxations would be hampering free movement of electricity between the States and would, thus, be prejudicial to freedom of trade, commerce and inter-course throughout the territory of India and for the unity and integrity of the country. This would give rise to the same situation which was sought to be remedied by the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of India”.
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Firing at Mohali village
Mohali, September 15 Village sarpanch Kulwinder Kaur had filed a petition in the high court demanding an independent inquiry into the
incident. Sarpanch’s counsel Bikram Chaudhary alleged the Mohali police had registered a counter case against the
sarpanch, her family members and supporters just to weaken the case. “We have moved a petition in the high court for an independent inquiry into the incident,” he added. On July 5, two days after the zila parishad and gram panchayat poll results were declared, alleged supporters of Ramoowalia had opened fire at Kulwinder
Kaur, the winning candidate, and her family members at her residence in the village. Kulwinder Kaur belonged to the group of another SAD leader Kiranbir Singh Kang. Kulwinder Kaur alleged that the police openly favoured the attackers, who were supporters of
Ramoowalia. Seven persons, including Kulwinder Kaur and her three brothers-in-law, sustained injuries in the incident. The next day, residents of the village blocked the traffic on the main road following which the police registered a case. As many as eight persons were arrested in the case. On July 13, the police had registered a counter FIR against some persons of Kulwinder Kaur group. The high court has asked Ramoowalia and the police officials to file their reply by October 11.
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The Principal, Surjit Singh Randhawa,
has denied that he had bought a Skoda car from UGC funds. He said the
car was bought from the management fund and Rs 2 crore was still lying
in that account. 
Gurdaspur, September 15
Chandigarh, September 15
Patiala, September 15
Moga, September 15