The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Re-employed officers to get yet another term, despite taint Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 15 Faced with an acute shortage of PCS (Punjab Civil Service) officers, 29 officers of Punjab’s Retired Civil Services (RCS) are set to get yet another extension as their term expires at the end of this month. This is despite the fact that many of these re-employed officers are facing serious allegations of misconduct. The state is faced with a shortage of 100 officers in the Punjab Civil Services. “Though we are aware that some of these officers are not above board, we will have to re-employ them because there is a shortage of PCS officers. “It is not decided whether the re-employment will be for six months or a year, and if the previously re-employed 32 officers will get an extension,” said a senior officer. Sources said two of these re-employed PCS officers had attained the age of 65 and would thus be not re-employed. Another officer, against whom several complaints have been received, has not been given any posting for the past almost two months. He is unlikely to be re-employed. Some of the officers being re-employed faced serious charges of corruption during regular service. One of them posted as an ADC in a district in Majha post re-employment was accused of having misappropriated funds under the mid-day meals programme while he was posted in Amritsar. The officer took voluntary retirement but was re-employed. Another Retired Civil Service (RCS) officer’s name had cropped up in the “missing files” case (files of 35 IAS and PCS officers with inquiry reports had disappeared mysteriously) while in regular service. He is now on re- employment and has been made head of a corporation in the Doaba region. Another officer, posted in the Malwa region in the Local Bodies Department, was charge-sheeted in a corruption case during regular service. Earlier this year, 10 of these officers — Ajmer Singh, JC Sabbarwal, Pritam Singh Johal, Sukhwinder Pal Singh, Avtar Chand Sharma, Mohan Lal, NS Batth, Sohan Lal Bhumbak, AK Sikka and OP Popli — were initially granted an extension of six moths as the government was not too happy with their “style of functioning". However, they were later granted extension for another six months, till December-end. Officials in the Punjab administration admit that most of these officers had been re-employed without their service records having been checked. These officers have no accountability as no annual confidential report (ACR) is filed in their case. Hence, there is no fear of penal action. Against a cadre strength of 288 PCS officers, only 128 officers are working after 35 of them were promoted to the IAS recently, say sources. However, the government has nominated 30 officers to the PCS from other departments and another 30 have been selected to the PCS by the Punjab Public Service Commission. Even then, the state is short of 100 PCS officers. No accountability Officials admit that most retired officers are re-employed without their service records being checked These officers have no accountability as no annual confidential report (ACR) is filed in their case Hence, they have no fear of punitive action It is yet undecided whether re-employment will be for six months or a year and if the earlier re-employed 32 officers will get any extension Against a cadre strength of 288 PCS officers, as of now only 128 officers are working after 35 of them were promoted to the IAS recently The state government has nominated 30 officers to the PCS from other departments Another 30 have been selected to the PCS by the Punjab Public Service Commission. Even then, the state is short of 100 PCS officers
	Probe indicts Faridkot hospital docs for prescribing costly drugs Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, December 15 An inquiry by Additional Deputy Commissioner (D), Faridkot, has indicted some doctors and paramedical staff of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital for prescribing expensive cancer drugs to the patients. Faridkot Deputy Commissioner had ordered an inquiry in June after some voluntary organisations lodged a complaint. It was alleged that under a tactical understanding with pharmaceutical companies, some doctors had been prescribing high cost drugs to pocket hefty commission. The report states that while cancer drugs are available in the medical college at low prices, drugs required to treat other complications in cancer patients are not available. The ADC suggests the medical college authorities to provide all types of medicines to the patients and ensure they are not forced to buy expensive drugs when low-cost alternatives are available. It is better that cancer drugs are sold on no-loss no-profit basis by the Red Cross Society, the report states. The report suggests the authorities to sensitise the medical staff about the plight of patients who were undergoing acute physical and mental stress while combating cancer. This change in attitude will not only elevate the reputation of the medical college but also bring the much needed confidence among the patients and their families, says the ADC. The report reveals with only a junior doctor present at the OPD block, patients are at the receiving end. The indoor patient department is also overcrowded with patients sharing beds while getting chemotherapy treatment. Mohammad Tayyab, Deputy Commissioner, said the report had been forwarded to the authorities concerned for further action. Dr Gian Chand Ahir, Principal, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, said: "We have put up notice boards at all prominent places in the hospital, asking the patients to buy medicines from any shop of their choice. If doctors recommend a particular chemist to them, they can lodge a complaint". Dr SS Gill, vice chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, said: "We are taking steps to redress the problems of the patients. The medical staff is being told to be sympathetic in dealing with not only cancer patients but other patients as well." Other findings Drugs required to treat other complications in cancer patients are not available at the hospital Indoor patient department is overcrowded Patients have to share beds while getting chemotherapy Only a junior doctor is deputed at the OPD block OfficialSpeak We have put up notice boards at all prominent places in the hospital, asking the patients to buy medicines from any shop of their choice. If doctors recommend a particular chemist to them, they can lodge a complaint —Dr Gian Chand Ahir, principal, guru gobind singh medical college and hospital
	Faculty transferred from staff-starved Muktsar college Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, December 15 Staff shortage is affecting Government College Muktsar, the lone state-owned college in the district. Despite this, teachers are being transferred from here to the newly inaugurated Government College for Girls at Jalalabad, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal’s constituency. The authorities concerned are aware of the problem. But vacancies are still being created by transferring key faculty members. The college offers courses like BA, BCom, BSc (medical and non-medical), MA (political science, economics). Against 52 sanctioned posts of teachers, the college has 33 faculty members, comprising eight regular, nine part-time and 16 guest teachers. The departments of zoology, computers and Sanskrit have no faculty. The lone teacher of botany takes classes of zoology students. The recent transfer of four teachers, including two regular teachers of Punjabi and physical education, has led to resentment among the college faculty. The college has now just two teachers in the physical education department for over 800 students. The teachers say the college has over 2,000 students while the one in Jalalabad has only 159. Why are teachers being transferred from here and not from other big towns where colleges have ample staff, they asked. The post of college principal is also lying vacant for long. At present, the principal of Government College, Kotkapura, Dr Mohammad Jameel, has been given the additional charge of this college and of Government College for Girls, Jalalabad. Prof Mridula Singla, vice-principal of Muktsar college, said: “More teaching staff is required to manage the college affairs smoothly. Without adequate staff, the students will not get quality education.” Dr Jameel said: “Since the government is not recruiting permanent teachers, we are filling the vacant posts by appointing guest teachers. All the remaining posts will be filled soon.” Official apathy The lone state-owned college in the district is reeling under staff shortage Against 52 posts of teachers, the college has 33 faculty members, comprising eight regular, nine part-time and 16 guest teachers The departments of zoology, computers and Sanskrit have no faculty Despite this, teachers were transferred to the newly inaugurated Government College for Girls at Jalalabad, Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal's constituency
	55 employees of PSU subsidiary move HC Say denial of pay parity with others unjustified Rajmeet Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 15 A decade-old decision of the state public-sector undertakings (PSUs) to adopt parity in pay, allowance and perquisites of its employees with that of their wholly owned subsidiary companies have come to haunt the officials. While PSUs such as the Punjab State Industrial and Development Corporation (PSIDC), Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC), Punjab Financial Corporation (PFC) and Punjab Information and Communication Technology Corporation Ltd (Infotech) continue to pay salaries and allowances to its employees on par with their counterparts in government services, the same benefit was never extended to the employees of their subsidiaries. On getting whiff of the anomaly, at least 55 employees of the Punjab State Electronics Development and Production (ESPL), a subsidiary of PSIDC, have filed a civil writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking parity in pay scales with PSIDC employees. “The case will come up for hearing in February next year. It is a great injustice to hundreds of employees of different subsidiaries, who have largely retired or have availed Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS),” said Rajesh Goyal, a former Deputy Manager at ESPL. A senior official of Punjab Recorders Ltd, a subsidiary of Punjab Infotech, confirmed that the corporation never paid them on par with the corporation. Punjab Infotech, a PSU, is already in the red for spending crores from their fixed deposits reserve (FDR) on projects that never took off, depleting these from Rs 75 crore in 2008 to just Rs 34 lakh in 2012. The expenditure on paying salaries for the corporation increased from Rs 2.18 crore in year 2006-2007 to Rs 6.16 crore currently. A recent audit revealed that the expenditure increased due to revision of pay scales. The salary bill increased mainly due to appointment of staff on contractual basis during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 in anticipation of executing new projects that never took off. At the same time, the corporation never extended the same benefits to employees working in their subsidiaries. Kuldip Singh Walia, a former executive of Consumer Electronics Punjab Ltd, a subsidiary of Punjab Infotech, while citing the decision of the board meeting of the corporation, sought the money be paid to them in arrears. Bone of contention The state public-sector undertakings (PSUs) had decided to adopt parity in pay between its employees and workers of their wholly owned subsidiary companies a decade ago The PSUs did not extend the benefit to employees of subsidiary companies though they raised their workers’ wages The expenditure on paying salaries for one such PSU, Punjab Infotech, increased from Rs 2.18 crore in year 2006-2007 to Rs 6.16 crore currently

	Dry spell worries farmers Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 15 The dry spell and comparatively high temperatures have alarmed farmers who see the ‘freak’ weather conditions a threat to the wheat crop and most vegetables. It was for the first time in about a decade that there has been no rains at the onset of winters. Similarly, the temperature has also soared by at least two degree Celsius above normal. The only solace for farmers particularly potato growers is the absence of frost that would have resulted in severe damage to the potato crop. “Normally, minimum temperature in the first week of December hovers around 6.4 degree Celsius but, this December it was 8 degree Celsius. Similarly, there is a minimum of 10 mm rainfall between the first week of November and December but, this year there has been no rainfall after November 7 and so far, only four mm of rainfall was recorded. Though, there is seemingly no imminent threat to crops particularly, wheat, which is going through the tillering phase,” observed Dr KK Gill, Department of Meterology, Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana. Dr Naresh Gulati of the Punjab Agriculture Department, however, said that the ongoing dry spell of weather and comparatively high temperature was not ‘fruitful’ for wheat crop and vegetables particularly, root crops like carrot, radish etc, which grow better if there was a dip in temperature. “Roots of wheat and other vegetable plants get strengthened if there is intense cold that results from rainfall. The dry spell, if continues, could harm the overall growth of all seasonal crops,” said Dr. Naresh Gulati. Agriculture experts feel that not only wheat but, other crops like mustard, sugarcane and potato could also grow better at this time if it rains. “The effect of rain in this season is very good as it helps boost photosynthesis process in plants,” said Dr. Naresh Gulati. Dr Bhajan Singh, a Horticulture Development Officer, maintained that there was no threat to any fruit crops.
	CBI inquiry into Vidhu's murder sought Tribune News Service Sangrur, December 15 Malerkotla MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS), Farzana Alam, today sought that the inquiry into the Vidhu Jain death case be handed over to the CBI. The police have failed to find Vidhu’s killers even though over two months have passed since his death. She placed this demand before Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Member of Rajya Sabha and secretary general of SAD in Malerkotla today. Talking to this reporter over the phone, Farzana said any person found guilty for Vidhu’s death should not be spared at any cost. She said Dhindsa had assured her of taking up the matter with the top functionaries of the state government. Some persons allegedly burnt Vidhu Jain (13) alive in broad daylight on September 30 in Malerkotla. However, the police have so far not been able to find Vidhu’s killers. Dhindsa was in Malerkotla today, where Malerkotla residents honoured him with the ‘Nishan-e-Aizaz’ award for his contribution to the overall development of the Malerkotla Assembly constituency. Mohammad Izhar Alam, Chairman of Punjab Wakf Board, honoured him.
	Official apathy forces Ropar villagers to run health centre Arun Sharma Tribune News Service Ropar, December 15 When the state Health Department failed to run the primary health centre at Amrali village near Chamkaur Sahib for years, local residents took the matter into their own hands. With the support of a few NRIs, villagers set up a diagnostic laboratory, bought an X-Ray machine and even employed a laboratory technician and Class IV employees to run the health centre. The post of a lab technician, Class IV employees, a Female Medical Officer (FMO) and staff nurses had been lying vacant for several years. When contacted, sarpanch Sewa Singh claimed they had sent several reminders to the Health Department regarding the vacant posts, but to no avail. Now, the dispensary is equipped with an X-Ray machine, semi automatic analyser, gylcated haemaglobin estimationmachine and an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine. A new machine for foetal monitoring worth Rs 88,000 was also being procured, the village sarpanch said. He said a seven-member health committee set up in the village had employed technicians to operate the machines. The patients were being charged as per the fee prescribed by the Health Department, he said. Moreover, whenever there was a shortage of medicines at the centre, the villagers had volunteered to supply these, he said. Panch Paramjit Singh, who is also a member of the health committee, said the local residents had also won a state award for organising blood donation camps twice a year. He said local residents were proactive in tackling social ills and encouraged many programmes against female foeticide. The centre now runs 24 hours a day. However, with no Female Medical Officer and the medical officer at the centre overburdened with night duties at Chamkaur Sahib, the future of the centre seems bleak.
	Ringside View No-nonsense cop Ropar's new SSP, Ravcharan Singh Brar, has got cracking against the sand mafia. Two days after taking over the district police chief last month, he suspended the Morinda Station House officer (SHO) for allegedly pressurising the family of a rape victim to reach a compromise with the accused. An SHO was overheard expressing helplessness in arranging for sand for a VIP, saying: “ I am sorry boss, the new chief has warned us that if any report on illegal mining in the district is received, the SHO concerned will be named in the FIR under Section 120-B (party to a criminal conspiracy.” A few more such tough cops would do the state oodles of good. Inaccessible wetland Renowned ornithologists have always held that the humming bird moving about in an aerial dance among flowers and trees is a sight to behold. But at Asia’s biggest wetland, Keshopur Chamb, things have gone off tangent. Birds of various species have started flocking from Siberia and other Central Asian countries but with no ornithologist showing any interest. Reason: Five roads lead to the Chamb wetland but not one is in a motorable condition. Ornithologists say they simply cannot make their way to the area. Luck by chance It is said that bureaucracy is making the art of possible impossible. However, a Gurdaspur bureaucrat has succeeded in doing the opposite. Trapped in a traffic jam on the Batala-Gurdaspur road, Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhinav Trikha opted for an alternative route. On the way, he was taken aback at the dilapidated one-room Government Primary School, Mahmadpur, 7 km from Gurdaspur. Even more appalling was the sight of 54 tiny tots studying in a building declared "unsafe" several years ago. The DC asked the SDM, the DEO (Primary) and Improvement Trust officials to reach the school within 30 minutes. Paper work required to be done by various departments was completed within two hours and the school permanently shifted to the IT Community Hall, a stone’s throw from the old schoolbuilding. Strange that a traffic snarl proved a boon for the students. MLA in haste In the runup to the Lok Sabha elections, the SAD legislator in Faridkot, Deep Malhotra, has started a novel way of canvassing. The liquor baron has pressed a number of jeeps into service to make announcements on the benefits of the new Atta-Dal Scheme. His supporters play an audio-cassette of the MLA lavishing praise on the Chief Minister for the food scheme. It is to be seen whether this mode of campaigning will pay off. Missing the bus Though the state government has long been making claims on providing an efficient public transport system to residents of Amritsar, nothing has materialised so far. The government initially floated the idea of City Bus Service. It was launched in Jalandhar and Ludhiana. But the project continues to hang fire in Amritsar. The Amritsar MP, Navjot Singh Sidhu, in a dig at the state government, remarked recently: "The first lot of buses in Jalandhar and Ludhiana have reached the scrapyard but Amritsar residents are yet to board the new buses." The SAD-BJP Government came out with the plan for personal rapid transport system (PRTS) ahead of the 2012 assembly poll, but nothing has moved on the ground even after two years. Now, the government is talking about Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS). Amritsar residents are keeping their fingers crossed, wondering when they will finally say goodbye to risky rides on rickety autos. Between the lines Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal created quite a ripple when on both days of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit he remarked that women in the Badal family had never been involved in politics, but circumstances had compelled him to field his daughtrer-in-law Harsimrat Badal from the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency. "My granddaughter called me up to say that I should not field their mother in the elections. Now Sukhbir is here, Harsimrat is busy as MP and the children are all by themselves in Delhi." Considering that the CM is known to measure his words before speaking, observers say this may be an indication that Harsimrat may not contest the next elections. Rather, the CM may allow his estranged nephew, Manpreet Badal, to win the Bathinda seat. Many attribute Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia's rather muted presence at the summit, to the CM's "rediscovered love" for Manpreet and his brother Gurdas Badal. Whether the CM has reached a pact with his estranged brother and nephew, is anybody's guess. Indomitable CM Speaking at the concluding ceremony of the Investors Summit recently, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal remarked that the commitment of senior politicians, like his father, to the public was far greater than that of the new breed of netas, "including me”. Sukhbir said: “After I won the first parliamentary elections, my father asked me where I was going. I mustered the courage to say that tired of 22 days of electioneering, I was going to take a break. I asked him what he was planning to do. He said he was going back to the voters to thank them. I was speechless.” -—Contributed by Arun Sharma, Ravi Dhaliwal, Balwant Garg, Perneet Singh, Ruchika M Khanna and Sanjeev Singh Bariana
	7 electrocuted in Sangrur, one dead Tribune News Service Sangrur, December 15 Seven persons were electrocuted at a hotel at Nidampur village, near Bhawanigarh, today. They were immediately shifted to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, where one of them died. The police said when the victims were shifting a shed to the hotel, it touched a high-voltage wire overhead and electrocuted them. The hotel is being run by Sanjiv Kumar of Sangrur on a contractual basis.
	Industry rebuts cheap power claim Says tariff in Punjab, contrary to Sukhbir’s statement, is one among highest in northern states Umesh Dewan Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 15 Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s statement at the recent investment summit that the power tariff at Rs 7 a unit for the industry in Punjab was lowest among northern states has not gone down well with the quarters concerned. Rubbishing the claim, industrialists say the tariff, in fact, was the “highest” in the North. Their main argument is that the tariff did not reflect certain kinds of charges, including peak load restriction (PLR — applicable from 7 pm to 10 pm), being levied on the industry. Data procured from Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) shows that as compared to Punjab, neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan have been offering cheaper power to the industrial sector. But, the tariff is costlier in Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. While Uttar Pradesh is providing power at Rs 7.15 per unit to the large supply industry, the rate in Punjab is Rs 7.25 a unit. Rajasthan supplies power at Rs 6.21 a unit (small supply industry), Rs 6.34 (medium supply) and Rs 6.48 (large supply) in comparison to Punjab’s rate of Rs 6.59, Rs 7.17 and Rs 7.25. If the PLR charges are taken into account, the tariff touches Rs 8 a unit, say representatives of several industrial associations. But, Power Corporation chairman-cum-managing director KD Chaudhri argues that “it is wrong to compare the tariff with Himachal, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand as these states produce a large quantum of power through hydro-generation. “By jumping to conclusions that the average cost of power after adding PLR charges is more than Rs 8 is unjustified,” he contends. Badish Jindal, national president of Federation of Associations of Small Industries India, claims the tariff quoted by Sukhbir does not include PLR charges being levied on the large supply industry daily. “If the PLR charges are accounted, the average cost of power to the industry in Punjab is more than Rs 8 a unit. As 70 per cent of the power is consumed by the large supply industry, the tariff is bound to remain on the higher end,” says Jindal. Says Mahinder Gupta, president of Mandi Gobindgarh Induction Furnace Association, “The tariff for the industry in Punjab is the highest among northern states. Himachal, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir are supplying power at Rs 4.30 per unit,” he says. Gupta argues that if Punjab, as claimed by Sukhbir Badal, is power-surplus, the government should discontinue PLR charges, which is also a pending demand of the industry. Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings acting president Avtar Singh says the government has failed to keep its promise of reducing the tariff. “Sukhbir had assured that power charges will be reduced once thermal plants get going. But, that has not been the case,” he says. Though the PSPCL top brass refused a comment on lowering the tariff, some officials claim the rates may come down once all the units of these projects get operational, something that may take another two years. What Power Corp says It is wrong to compare tariff with Himachal, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand as these states produce a good quantum of power through hydro-generation. By jumping to conclusions that the average cost of power after adding PLR charges is more than Rs 8 is unjustified —KD Chaudhri, power corp cmd
	Demand for train halt in Dinanagar gathers steam Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, December 15 When Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa prevailed upon the Railway Ministry for a stoppage of Pathankot-New Delhi Express at Dhariwal starting from December 4, he did not know that he would be opening the proverbial Pandora’s box in Dinanagar, which falls in his parliamentary constituency. For long, Diananagar residents have been demanding the halt of thrice-a-week train in the town. People have protested, while activists of the Shiv Sena (Hindustan) burnt an effigy of the MP to press for the demand. They claimed that Bajwa was not making efforts for the train’s stoppage in the strategically important town. The MP went out of his way to persuade the ministry authorities for the train’s one-minute stoppage in Dhariwal because the town is part of Qadian assembly seat that is represented by his wife Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, people said. “As far as Dinanagar is concerned, the MP is not making efforts,” a Shiv Sena leader said. Dinanagar Congress MLA Aruna Chowdhury said that for the past 10 months she had been trying to convince the ministry to allow the train to halt in the town. Chowdhury, who is a two-time MLA from Dinanagar, said the town had historical importance. “If the train makes a halt in Dinanagar, the town’s economy will prosper.”
	Punjabi writer remembered Our correspondent Hoshiarpur, December 15 Tributes were paid to poet, novelist and playwright Ajaib Kamal for his contribution to the Punjabi literature at Dandian village near Mahilpur today. The third annual award instituted in his name was given away to Punjabi poet from Amritsar Dr Sohinderbir. A "kavi darbar" was organised in his remembrance. The event was marked by recitation of poems and ghazals of Ajaib Kamal. A large number of poets from different parts of the state participated. They said Ajaib Kamal's poetry highlighted moral, social, economic and spiritual decay in the society. Ajaib Kamal was born in 1932 in Hoshiarpur district. As a poet and playwright, his work is considered part of the modernist tradition in Punjabi literature. Beginning as a writer of ghazals, he later shifted to other verse forms and was considered a specialist of the long verse form in Punjabi. He had written several dramas in Punjabi, including “Chaanak Anne Han”, “Hatheli Te Ugya Shehr”, “Dahri Wala Ghora”, and “Langra Aasmaan”.
	Oppose Modi’s rally: Cong to Sikhs Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 15 Sukhpal Singh Khaira, PPCC spokesperson, has urged all Punjabis, particularly Sikhs, to boycott BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally at Jagraon in view of his “anti-Punjabi” policy displacing thousands of Sikh farmers from Gujarat. In a press release issued here today, Khaira alleged that it was a matter of shame for the SAD, which claimed to be the champion of Sikh rights, to invite Modi and honour him at a time when he was bent on displacing 50,000 Sikh farmers from Gujarat. Khaira said: “The Gujarat government headed by Modi is in the process of forcibly evicting thousands of Sikh farmers settled in the Kutch region for the past 50 years. Taking cover of the obsolete Bombay Lands and Tenancy Act, 1948, Modi has ordered confiscation of agricultural land of these farmers, despite the fact that they had toiled hard to convert barren land into productive soil”. “It is shocking that even after the farmers won the case against their eviction in the Ahmedabad High Court, Modi has challenged it in the Supreme Court. In contrast, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda had returned land of Sikhs in Pehowa and Kurkeshetra despite the latter having lost the case in the Supreme Court,” he said.
	State fails to complete water recharge projects Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 15 Despite being one of the worst examples of depleting groundwater resources in the country, Punjab seems to be oblivious to augmentation efforts to fill in the gap, or so suggests the Union Water Resources Ministry’s data on the Centre’s artificial recharge projects. According to the state-wise details of Demonstrative Artificial Recharge Projects submitted in Parliament on Friday, Punjab was sanctioned three projects and 86 structures under the Centre’s “Groundwater Management and Regulation Scheme” during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2007-12) — currently the Twelfth Plan is underway. But, Punjab failed to complete any of these. The other states that share the platform with Punjab include Bihar and Chhattisgarh. One of the best examples of the work done in the area has been by Tamil Nadu where all the sanctioned 273 structures have been completed. Likewise, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh are also approaching their goal. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides has resulted in more usage of water in Punjab. There are reports on how Punjab consumes 5,400 litres of water for producing a kg of rice whereas West Bengal consumes only 2,400 litres. Experts say the water-intensive cultivation process is causing the groundwater level to recede by 33 cm a day in Punjab where 70 per cent of the cultivable land is irrigated through tube-wells. On the whole, India is staring at a major water crisis. The average annual water availability for the country is 1,869 billion cubic metres (BCM). Of this, utilisable water is around 1,121 BCM — 690 BCM surface water and 431 BCM replenishable groundwater. An assessment by the National Commission of Integrated Water Resources Development mentions that the annual water requirement by 2025 and 2050 will be 843 BCM and 1,180 BCM, respectively. The per capita availability is 1,545 cubic metres per year, which will decrease to 1,140 cubic metres by 2050. With 1.21 billion people (18 per cent of the world’s population), India holds just 4 per cent of the total usable water and 2.3 per cent of agricultural land in the world. Agriculture sector is the largest water consumer (75%), followed by power and industry (15%) and domestic drinking water (10%). Dismal performance Under the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, the Centre sanctioned three projects and 86 structures for Punjab But, Punjab failed to complete any of these This, despite Punjab being one of the worst examples of depleting groundwater resources in the country Punjab consumes 5,400 litres of water for producing a kg of rice as compared to 2,400 litres in West Bengal Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is stated to be the reason for the high usage of water The groundwater level in Punjab is receding by 33 cm a day, say experts Alike Punjab, Bihar and Chhattisgarh have failed to complete groundwater recharge projects
	Red beacon list set to be pruned Aman Sood Tribune News Service Patiala, December 15 Following Supreme Court orders limiting the use of red beacons atop vehicles, the Punjab Government will soon make changes in its policy for the same. The government is waiting for a copy of the orders. The Supreme Court has favoured heavy pruning of sanctions for the use of red beacons and ruled that only constitutional authorities are entitled to the privilege. In the state, a large section of police and administrative officers and other prominent persons have already been denied sanction for the use of red beacons. These include Range DIGs and IGs, district planning chiefs, and the SGPC president. However, a majority of the officers in the state continue to use red beacons on their official vehicles even when they are off duty or when their family members are travelling. “We will further bring down the list. We are waiting for a copy of the Supreme Court orders,” said SS Channy, Principal Secretary, Transport. Additional DGP (Security) Dinkar Gupta said once the transport department ordered a fresh list of those allowed red beacons, his department would ensure its implementation. “New orders will take a few more days to come. We will not allow any unauthorised use of the facility,” Gupta added. Who are authorised Governor, Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers, chief parliamentary secretaries, Speaker/Deputy Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, judges, Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, Members of Parliament from the state, Chief Secretary, Finance, principal secretaries, administrative secretaries, advocate-general and chairmen of boards. At the district level, district and sessions judges, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, income tax commissioners, state transport commissioner and Mayors.
	Training jail inmates to be self-reliant Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 15 n In the Faridkot Central Jail, inmates are busy giving finishing touches to towels on sewing machines. The job gets them 35 paise per towel, meaning an inmate stands to earn Rs 175 to Rs 280 a day in case he works on 300 to 500 towels. n In Sangrur Central Jail, authorities are preparing to come up with a pulp paper unit for making cardboard boxes, which will be used for packaging in stores. n The Patiala prison will soon have a jail band to add zest to functions on the campus. More than a dozen inmates are being trained in modulating vocal chords and playing musical instruments. Once let off, the prisoners can use their skills to earn a respectable livelihood. These are only a few of the initiatives planned by the state government to reform the inmates and help them lead normal life after their release from jail. In the towel and cardboard projects, the government has tied up with a private firm, Trident Group, which is supplying raw material as well as marketing the finished products. In some other jails, the inmates are being taught sculpturing and painting. Secretary, Home (Jails), Raj Kamal Chaudhuri, said, “Efforts are being made to train the inmates in new subjects. The government’s aim is to shift them from traditional jobs like preparing food items, particularly biscuits, and wax products.”
	Rajindra Hospital staff accused of fleecing patients Tribune News Service Patiala, December 15 Though government hospitals are designed to provide cheap healthcare, certain employees at Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala often allegedly overcharge for services available there. Several complaints have been lodged against the hospital pharmacist Sohinder Kumar Kansal, but he allegedly continues to fleece patients. Malwinder Kumar from Sular said Kansal overcharged him and complained to Dr VK Sharda, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.