Tuesday, August 11, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, August 11, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Emigration
racket busted, doctor held |
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 Badal meets Barnala, seeks raise in paddy support price NEW DELHI, Aug 10 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today asked the Centre to raise the minimum support price of paddy for kharif 1998-99. Eight industries ordered to close CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Punjab Pollution Control Board has issued orders for the closure of eight industries and has launched proceedings against 74 others for discharging inadequately treated effluents into various drains in the state. |
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Safety awards presented Tohra:
keep away from addiction |
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University to recheck CET papers CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Punjab Technical University today gave an undertaking to the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it would recheck (or re-evaluate?) objective-type questions of the physics, chemistry and mathematics papers of all 14,948 students who had taken the combined entrance test this year for admission to various engineering colleges in the state. Counsel for the university, who gave this undertaking to a Division Bench consisting of the Chief Justice, Mr Arun B. Saharya, and Mr Justice HS Bedi, also told the court that the revised result so prepared would be submitted before the Bench next Monday when the case would be taken up for further arguments. Following the directions issued by the court at the last date of hearing, the university had conducted random checking of about 4,000 papers. According to the Registrar of the university, this random checking of the papers was done manually. He admitted that mistakes had crept in during preparation of the result. Counsel for the university had placed before the Bench the manually prepared result of 4,000 papers. This result had not been tallied with that prepared by computer. Counsel held the computer responsible for the mistakes that occurred in the result published by the university earlier. The lapses in the preparation of the combined entrance test were first echoed in the high court by Mr Vivek Jain, one of the applicants for admission. In his petition he had stated that he was awarded 119.50 marks and was placed at the 2098 position for admission. He had secured 88 p.c. marks in physics, chemistry and mathematics in the plus 2 examination conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. Mr Jain had not applied
for the first counselling conducted by the university
because he was not satisfied with the marks awarded to
him. He had made a written request to the university on
July 21 for giving him details of the marks. He had
pointed out certain faults in the preparation of the
result. On July 23 the university wrote to him that he
had secured 151.50 marks (32 more marks that the marks
awarded to him in the original result) and was ranked 837
in the merit list for admission. |
Badal meets Barnala, seeks raise
NEW DELHI, Aug 10 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today asked the Centre to raise the minimum support price of paddy for kharif 1998-99 from Rs 440 to Rs 500 for common variety and Rs 470 to Rs 550 for reclassified fine and superfine varieties. In a meeting with the Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, this evening the Chief Minister pleaded that the price must be enhanced in view of the high cost of inputs and escalation of various other charges. Following a request by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, the Union Food Ministry has agreed to advance paddy procurement season to September 15 instead of October 1, a state Government release said adding that the Food Corporation of India and other agencies would enter the various markets of Punjab on the new date for procurement. The Chief Minister also raised other issues like speedy movement of paddy stocks from Punjab godowns so that more space could be created, reimbursement of losses on account of sale of kharif 1994-95 paddy, more godowns and plinth rent charges. Parity in the rates of custom milled and levy rice, fixation of yield in respect of PR1-03, PR-111, and Pusa-44, depreciation on once-used gunny bags, enhancement of milling charges and damage to wheat stocks during July, 1993 and May, 1995 due to floods, were the other issues raised by Punjab. It was also agreed to increase the godown rent and as per the new rates it will be Rs 1.39 per square feet per month for rural godowns and Rs 1.78 per sq.ft. per month in urban areas. For open plinths 71 paise per square feet per month in rural and 81 paise per sq.ft. per month in urban areas. On reimbursement of Rs 268 crore losses on account of sale of paddy during 1994-95, the Chief Minister was informed that the Centre had cleared the case with a positive recommendations to the Finance Ministry. The money will be realised after the formal approval of the Union Cabinet. The Union Food Ministry also agreed to consider the issue of levy exemption on the non-basmati rice and also on parity of rates of custom milled and levy rice while announcing the levy prices for kharif 1998-99. Regarding depreciation on once-used gunny bags, the Punjab Government demanded that 40 per cent price be charged instead of 60 per cent. The Food Ministry will take up the matter with the Finance Ministry. The Union Ministry assured that the required quantity of gunny bags would be supplied to Punjab so that there could be speedier movement of paddy. The Chief Minister was
accompanied by the Punjab Food Minister, Mr Madan Mohan
Mittal, the Minister of State for Food and Civil
Supplies, Mr Charnji Lal Garg and senior officials of the
state government. |
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Emigration racket busted, doctor held GURDASPUR, Aug 10 — The police has arrested Dr Gurpal Singh, a PCMS officer currently posted at Anandpur Sahib in Ropar district as one of the four members of a gang engaged in sending youths abroad. The gang had allegedly collected Rs 65 lakh from gullible youths on the pretext of sending them abroad and providing employment there. Other members of the gang included Kamaljit Kaur, wife of the accused, Narinjan Singh, father-in-law of the accused, who both are at present in Thailand and Dr Subhash Chander, another PCMS officer, who had obtained anticipatory bail on March 12. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said here today that last year an FIR was registered on a complaint by Mr Parshotam Singh of Mustafabad Saidan village and Mr Manpreet Singh of Gurdaspur. The complaints alleged that both doctors had taken Rs 2 lakh each from them for sending them to South Korea and getting them employment. Dr Gurpal Singh allegedly introduced the complainants to Narinjan Singh who was given the responsibility of sending them to Bangkok (Thailand). On November 25, 1996 Narinjan Singh went to Delhi airport and made the complainants sit in a flight to Bangkok. Kamaljit Kaur received the two complainants and two more youth from Kapurthala district at Bangkok. She allegedly took four youths to a rest house and kept them there. On January 24, 1997, Narinjan Singh also reached Bangkok. When the complainants asked Kamaljit Kaur to send them to South Korea, she threatened to hand them over to the police. On March 11,1997 she allegedly got the complainants arrested in Bangkok by the immigration police. The youths were then deported to India where they contacted the police and the case was registered at the local city police station on September 7,1997. Mr Yadav said the arrest warrants of Kamaljit Kaur and Narinjan Singh had been obtained and steps to declare them proclaimed offenders were being taken. He said subsequent to this request for their extradition shall be moved through proper channel. He said Dr Gurpal Singh
during investigation confessed having taken Rs 2 lakh
each from 17 persons and in all collecting Rs 65 lakh
from various youths of Gurdaspur and Kapurthala
districts. |
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Eight industries ordered to
close CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Punjab Pollution Control Board has issued orders for the closure of eight industries and has launched proceedings against 74 others for discharging inadequately treated effluents into various drains in the state. Besides, cases have been filed against 11 industries in various courts for polluting water. Informed official sources told TNS today that the closure orders had been issued under Section 33-A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. To maintain the quality of inland surface waters, discharge of polluted waste water from industries is not permitted, unless these industries treat their effluents to the prescribed standard. During a special inspection made by the board officials, as many as 172 industries were found discharging their effluents into drains. Following action by the board as many as 62 out of them installed adequate effluent treatment plants (ETP) and were meeting the prescribed limits. The Central Pollution Control Board had recently taken very serious notice of the industries discharging untreated effluents in drains. It had directed all the states to take immediate steps to stop the industries from doing so. The central board had sent its teams to various states for checking the level of pollution in the various drains in the states. The board scrutinised the list of 1.80 lakh industrial units registered with the Industrial Department in the state. So far the board has identified 16,755 polluting units in the state. Out of these polluting units 10,032 fall in the red category (highly polluting) while, the remaining 6,723 fall in the green category (least polluting). Among these are 2,616 brick kilns and 1,779 rice mills. Out of the industries falling in the red category 1,593 had not provided effluent treatment plants while 6780 hand not taken air pollution control measures. Sources said that the industries which had failed to install the requisite pollution control devices to keep the level of discharge and emissions within the prescribed limits were being proceeded against under the provisions of the Water, Air and Environmental Protection Acts. The board has also identified 617 units as hazardous wastes generating ones. Out of these, 589 units have provided proper hazardous waste storage facilities and have been granted authorisations under the Hazardous Wastes Rules, 1989. The remaining 28 units have been closed for not complying with the rules. Sources said that no large and medium industry except electronic, computer software, printing etc would be permitted within 25 km of the urban settlement boundary of Ludhiana. This decision had been taken keeping in view the worst pollution conditions prevailing in Ludhiana city. What worries the board
most is that the municipal committees were discharging
untreated waste water into drains. These bodies were the
major culprits as far as polluting the water of drains
was concerned. As many as 74 municipal committees and
four corporations were discharging untreated water in
drains. |
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Safety awards presented LUDHIANA, Aug 10 — The government will work to provide a congenial work atmosphere to workers in various industrial units. It will also take appropriate steps to rehabilitate those workers who have been rendered disabled because of some industrial accidents. Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Minister for Local Government and Labour, said this during the Punjab State Safety Awards ceremony held here yesterday. While congratulating the awardees, Mr Tandon said he would consider enhancing the award money. He added inspectors of every department connected to the industry would be allowed to visit factories and industrial units only once a year. "An order to this effect will be passed soon," he said. Mr Tandon, presented 38 awards to various industrial units for the year 1995. As many as 41 awards were presented for the year 1996. The awards were presented in separate categories for textile industry (cotton), textile industry (rayon, silk), light engineering industry, food industry, chemical industry, foundries etc. The Kirt Vir grade I awards were presented to two persons and the Kirt Vir Grade II awards to four persons. Ten individuals received the Kirt Vir grade III awards. Earlier, while talking to the Press, he had said there were no serious differences between SAD and the BJP over the Udham Singh Nagar issue and the matter would be amicably sorted out. He also said the Union Government was getting more stable and there were no chances of it falling. He said the central government was not anti-Punjab and all issues relating to the state would be solved soon. When asked to comment on the power tariff hike, Mr Tandon said the government had given two stipulations to the electricity board — to save Rs 100 crore in the present year and not to recruit any employees in any of the categories. "This will help the PSEB to wriggle out of its present financial crisis", he said. While answering queries about providing safe drinking water to the urban population, he said an amount of Rs 3,700 crore was needed to develop efficient water and sewerage systems. In the 140 municipal corporations of the state, the government had applied for loans to various organisations. "Five years after we get the loan, we can provide safe drinking water," he said. Commenting on the hike in
octroi, Mr Tandon said the states where octroi had been
abolished were collecting taxes in other forms — by
imposing entry tax and turnover tax or enhancing sales
tax. |
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Tohra: keep away from addiction LUDHIANA, Aug 10 — Sikh youth should get their benediction (amrit chhakna) and should keep away from all kinds of addiction before the celebration of the 300th year of the foundation of the Khalsa in 1999. This appeal was made by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, chief of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, while addressing a conference at Alamgir yesterday. Mr Tohra said the Khalsa
was founded to root out cruelty and protect the weaker
sections of society. He said for the coming Baisakhi
Anandpur Sahib, birthplace of the Khalsa, would be
well-decorated. The government had granted Rs 300 crore
for its development. He further informed the Punjab
Government and the SGPC were involved in formulating
plans for the celebrations. Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal,
Minister for Medical Education, also addressed the
meeting and said the Sikh youth should work to root out
various ills afflicting our society. Mr Amrik Singh
Aliwal, MP, Mr Sadhu Singh Ghudani and Mr Jagdish Singh
Garcha, MLAs, Mr Gurmail Singh Sangowal, member of the
SGPC, Mr Kewal Singh, SGPC, vice-president, and Mr
Jaswinder Singh also addressed the meeting. |
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CM asked to clarify stand PATIALA, Aug 10 — The Mata Kaushalya Hospital Bachao Committee has threatened to boycott all deliberations at the Chief Secretary level in protest against the recent statement of the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, regarding the hospital courts complex row at Patiala. This was stated in a press release by the convener of the committee, Dr M.S. Randhawa. The committee urged the
Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to clarify the
stand of the Punjab Government on the issue which had
been engaging the attention of the general public for the
past five months. |
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Anti-Dalit policies criticised NAWANSHAHR, Aug 10 — The district units of the BSP, the CPI and the CPM here today jointly demonstrated against the anti-poor and anti-Dalit policies and hike in bus fares and power tariff. The activists blocked traffic for about an hour near Ambedkar Chowk, burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and staged a rally in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office. Addressing the rally, Mr C.D. Singh Kamboj, president, BSP, Punjab, said the atrocities against Dalits had reached an all-time high during the Badal regime. Rapes, murders and socio-economic exploitation of Dalits had become an order of the day. BSP leaders like Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri, Mr Shingara Ram Sahungra, MLA, and Mr Lal Singh Sulhani were being falsely implicated in police cases, alleged Mr Kamboj. Mr Ram Singh Nurpuri (CPM)
and Mrs Charanjit Kaur (CPI) also addressed the rally. |
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Badal unveils martyr's statue SANGRUR, Aug 10 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, unveiled the statue of Bhagat Singh Dhadhogal, a martyr of the area, at Dhuri, about 15 km from here, yesterday. Addressing a public gathering at his native village Dhadhogal, about 30 km from here, Mr Badal paid rich tributes to those who laid their lives during the freedom struggle. Criticising the Congress, the Chief Minister said the party had failed miserably to provide even basic facilities, including water, despite ruling the country for several decades. Mr Badal claimed the Punjab Government was preparing schemes to provide these basic facilities to the people but it would take some time to provide these facilities to the people, he added. He appealed to farmers to adopt other professions also besides agriculture for bettering their economic condition as the demand for paddy by other states would fall within three to four years. Mr Badal said rural youth would be provided training to enable them to earn their livelihood through self-employment. Loans would be provided to them after the training to enable them to set up their own ventures. Mr Badal announced a
financial grant of Rs 5 lakh for the development of the
village. |
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NSUI rally against price rise BARNALA, Aug 10 — Hundreds of activists of the National Student Union of India (NSUI) and the Youth Congress led by Mr Ashok Goyal today held a rally in protest against the rise in the prices of essential commodities, power electricity tariff hike and increase in bus fares and octroi. Addressing the rally, Mr Goyal alleged that the state government led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal had failed to provide any relief to common man. Instead it had burdened the people by increasing bus fares and electricity tariff. He alleged that the SAD-BJP government also backtracked on its promises made at the time of the elections. The SAD-BJP government had refused to institute a judicial probe for unmasking the forces behind the decade-long militancy in the state, abolish octroi and fill the SYL Canal with sand. Mr Goyal pointed out that law and order problem in the state had deteriorated. Incidents of rape, murder and looting had increased. The corruption in the government offices had also increased, he remarked. He alleged that though the
state ruling SAD-BJP combine had claimed that it had
given a pro-poor government there was no policy made by
the state government for the welfare of the poor. The
government had also not made any effort to eradicate
unemployment in the state. |
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Manch's plea on anniversary AMRITSAR, Aug 10 — The Amritsar Vikas Manch has demanded that the state-level function to observe 100th birth anniversary of Shaheed Udham Singh be held in Amritsar on December 26 next. The press secretary, Prof
Hari Singh, said here today that Shaheed Udham Singh
spent most of time of his life in a Khalsa orphanage here
after the death of his parents in his childhood. |
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60 BSF officers, jawans
honoured AMRITSAR, Aug 10 — Officers and jawans of the 47th battalion of the Border Security Force were honoured for rendering services of exceptional nature during their two-year stay in the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir at a special durbar held on Saturday evening at Ajnala, headquarters of the battalion. The Inspector-General of the frontier force, Mr Avtar Singh Aulakh, presented awards to over 60 men and officers, including the Commanding Officer, Mr R.K. Choudhry. The IG, while addressing the darbar, lauded the role of the BSF for the valour shown during the most difficult period during 1995-97 in the valley and arresting a large number of terrorists and seizing huge quantities of explosives, arms and ammunition. Mr Choudhry said the
jawans displayed great courage during their stay in the
valley and now were guarding the Indo-Pak border in this
sector. |
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BSP rally against price rise KAPURTHALA, Aug 10 — Workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party (Ambedkar) today took out a procession here to protest against increase in prices of essential commodities, rise in bus fares, electricity tariff and growing atrocities on Dalits. Earlier addressing the rally at Shalimar Garden, party president Mr Devi Dass Nahar blamed all central governments since Independence for the poor economic conditions of the Dalits. He said all these governments used the Dalits as a ladder to capture power. From Shalimar Garden the workers marched in a procession to the office of Deputy Commissioner where they sat in a dharna. They presented a memorandum to the DC. Mr Jia Lal Nahar president
of district unit of the party, led the procession. They
presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. |
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Video parlours face closure JALALABAD: Video parlour owners in Ferozepore district are in a dilemma over the District Magistrate's directions of July 16 to stop exhibiting films for which the certificate of commercial use has not been obtained. According to video parlour owners, there are no such video cassettes available in the market which permit its commercial use and nobody knows from where to obtain such certificates. Hence, video parlour owners have no other alternative but to close shop. There are seven video parlours in Ferozepore district, one each at Jalalabad, Guruharsahai, Mumdot Ladhuka, Zira, Makhu, Kot-ise-Khan. It costs minimum Rs 6 lakh to Rs 7 lakh to install a video parlour as per specifications under the Punjab Exhibition of Films on television screen through video cassette player (Regulation) Rules, 1989. These rules were framed by the government in exercise of powers conferred upon it under the Punjab Cinema (Regulation) Act, 1952. It was in the knowledge of the government that video cassettes available in the market and there were no such commercial-use cassettes available in the market, but in order to provide cheap entertainment to viewers from the weaker sections of society and to provide employment to youth during the height of terrorism, the government decided to set up video parlours. The licences were also issued to video parlours under the 1989 rules. Under the rules certificates were to be obtained. A fixed entertainment fee was also being deposited with the Excise Department under this Act. A licence holder can exhibit any film in his video parlour which has been censored by the Censor Board. There is no mention of commercial-use certificate in these rules. As a matter of fact the Northern India Motion Pictures Association has pressured the government to take such a step. The association objects to the screening of domestic-use cassettes by video parlours. As the cost of a projector film to be exhibited in Cinemas ranges from Rs 10,000 to 3,00,000, the same film to be exhibited in video parlours costs just Rs 200. However, there is a world of difference in the quality of picture and the ticket rates. Instead of playing with
the livelihood of employed youth the government should
find a way out acceptable to both cinema and video
parlour owners. |
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