The... Punjab

P U N J A B

Sunday, July 19, 1998

weather n spotlight
today's calendar

Police foils terrorists' plan
AMRITSAR, July 18 — The DGP, Mr P.C. Dogra, has claimed that with the timely exposure of newly formed terrorist outfit "Tigers of Sikh Land" raised by "terrorists" belonging to the erstwhile Khalistan national army", the Amritsar police has foiled a "highly sinister plan

157 officers not working
in Punjabi
CHANDIGARH, July 18 — As many as 157 officers, including senior bureaucrats and PCS officers, and 295 officials face action for not doing their official work in Punjabi in Punjab...

College for boys: posts yet to be sanctioned
AMRITSAR, July 18 — Due to the "tussle" between two ministers of Punjab, the opening of the first-ever government college for boys in this 421-year-old city has become a lacklustre affair...

Drug addiction grips town
ABOHAR, July 18 — Brown sugar and smack addiction has gripped youths of this town, bordering Rajasthan...
SAD-BJP promises: facts belie claims
GURDASPUR, July 18 — Welfare schemes launched by the SAD-BJP government a year ago have met with limited success in this district...
Ravi water for Amritsar
AMRITSAR: The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board is drawing up plans to use canal water to meet the demand of potable and drinking water for the city's urban population...
Badal seeks people's participation
RABBOUCHI VILLAGE (Ludhiana district), July 18 — The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today invited villages to supervise the expenditure on government development works in their respective areas...
CM sets deadline for dairy complex
CHANDIGARH, July 18 — Approving suggestions made by dairy experts, the Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has set a deadline of three months for starting the integrated multipurpose agricultural-cum-dairy complex...
Hit may be readmitted into Panthic fold
AMRITSAR, July 18 — Mr Avtar Singh Hit, a member of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and a former president of the Delhi unit of the Akali Dal (Badal), who was "excommunicated" from the Panth by the Sikh clergy on June 16 last year for allegedly defying the 'hukamnama' is likely to be readmitted into the panthic fold...
President apprised of environmental problems
CHANDIGARH, July 18 — A joint delegation of the Indian Ecological Society, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) called on the President, Dr K.R. Narayanan, in Delhi, last week...
Academic work to come to halt on July 21
JALANDHAR, July 18 — Academic work on the campuses of 220 universities and 9,000 colleges will be disrupted on July 21 as the teachers proceed on en masse casual leave...
Farmers resent release of water
GURDASPUR, July 18 — Resentment prevails among farmers of more than a dozen of villages against the release of water in Jattuwal ejector in the Bet area of Beas from UBDC canal by the Irrigation Department...
Police officers resent apathy
Punjab to clear link roads of encroachments
General Buch cremated
Drive to trace robbers
Helmet made compulsory
Udham Singh Nagar

Police foils terrorists' plan
Tribune News Service
AMRITSAR, July 18 — The DGP, Mr P.C. Dogra, has claimed that with the timely exposure of newly formed terrorist outfit "Tigers of Sikh Land" raised by "terrorists" belonging to the erstwhile Khalistan national army", the Amritsar police has foiled a "highly sinister plan to spread terror, communal tension and other devastating acts intended against persons in key positions, vital installations and sensitive places.
Addressing a press conference here today, he said six members of this outfit, including Rajiv Singh alias Rajiv Kumar Sharma, Rashpal Singh, Okan alias Akaljit Singh, Upkar Singh, Padarath Singh and Bhupinder Singh, had been arrested. One rifle, two revolvers, two pistols and 47 cartridges had been recovered from their possession.
This new outfit, he said, has been under the planning and operational strategy of Rajiv Kumar Sharma alias Rajiv Singh. He was actively assisted in this venture by Okan, a top "hitman" and founder member of the Khalistan national army raised in December, 1989, and who was arrested in Delhi at Indira Gandhi Airport in February 1992, while trying to leave the country after committing crimes in Punjab and Delhi. He was released from the Tihar jail a few months ago.
Mr Dogra said that this outfit with Okan as "operational commander" was planning to create terror and communal tension, killing of migrant labourers and rickshaw-pullers, kidnapping of top businessmen for collecting money and committing robberies in banks and financial institutions.
Responding to a question, he denied that Rajiv Kumar Sharma was an eyewitness in the Khalra case. He said letter pads of the "tigers of Sikh land" and two books in Punjabi entitled "why Khalistan movement failed in Punjab" were also recovered from their possession.
Notwithstanding denial by the DGP, Rajiv Singh is an eye-witness in the kidnapping and disappearance of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist. He himself is a human rights activist. It is believed that the case was fabricated to malign the Khalra Action Committee.
Rashpal Singh was a student of M.Sc. (journalism) at the regional centre of Guru Nanak Dev University at Jalandhar last year.
Meanwhile, Mr Kuldip Singh Kahlon, president of the Youth Akali Dal (Kahlon), strongly condemned the Amritsar police for kidnapping Rajiv Singh Randhawa, a human rights activist, and sought the intervention of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for his immediate release.
Meanwhile, Mr Kirpal Singh Randhawa, Deputy Chairman, Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO), alleged that inspector Udham Singh was trying to implicate him in this case.

157 officers not working in Punjabi
By Sarbjit Singh
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 18 — As many as 157 officers, including senior bureaucrats and PCS officers, and 295 officials face action for not doing their official work in Punjabi in Punjab.
Informed government official sources said here that following inspection of their work carried out by the authorities concerned of the Punjab Language Department, these government functionaries were found violating the provisions of the Punjab Official Language Act, 1967, under which it is mandatory for the state administration to work in Punjabi, which is the declared official language of the state since April 13. 1968.
The action against defaulting government servants in this connection would be taken under Rule 3 of the Official Code of Conduct Rules, 1966, and Rule 5 of the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeals) Rule 5, 1970.
As per these rules the government servant concerned can be censured, his or her upgradation can be banned and annual increment stopped. Besides, there can be an adverse entry in the annual confidential report (ACR) of the defaulting officer and official mentioning that he or she was not doing his official work in Punjabi.
The orders with regard to making entry in the ACRs have been issued by the Punjab Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, directing all departments concerned to make a special column in the ACR performa to remark whether the government servant concerned carried out official work in Punjabi or not.
The Punjab Minister for Higher Education, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, had requested all Ministers to discharge their official work in Punjabi. Likewise, the Education Secretary, Mrs Surjit Kaur Sandhu, and the Director, Language, Punjab, Mr Madan Lal Hasiza, has written to all administrative secretaries and heads of departments, respectively to ensure that all official work in their departments was done in Punjabi.
When contacted, Mr Hasiza confirmed that Mr Manjit Singh and Mrs Sandhu had written letters to all Ministers and administrative secretaries, respectively, for enforcing the provisions of the Punjab Official Language Act, 1967.
Departments like Personnel, Revenue and Finance were doing minimum work in the official language while departments like Technical Education and Transport had increased the use of Punjabi in their official work. But senior bureaucrats and top officials of various government departments mostly avoid using Punjabi and prefer English while putting notes on files, Mr Hasiza said.

Proposed college for boys: government yet to sanction posts
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service
AMRITSAR, July 18 — Due to the "tussle" between two ministers of Punjab, the opening of the first-ever government college for boys in this 421-year-old city has become a lacklustre affair.
Though the Education Department has applied to Guru Nanak Dev University for affiliation of the proposed college, the letter does not mention whose and whom to contact for completing the procedure.
On the other hand, the Finance Department has not sanctioned posts for the college so far. According to sources, the first government college for boys in this city would become a victim of adhocism from the day it starts functioning as "surplus staff" from other colleges would be adjusted in this college for day-to-day working.
It may be mentioned here that there are only three boys' colleges in the city — all in the private sector. They are Khalsa College, DAV College and Hindu College. However, the city has Government College for Women. All four MLAs had promised the electorate to open a government college for boys.
Interestingly, the Improvement Trust has earmark land for the proposed college in New Amritsar. The land was earlier allotted to a privately managed college, which was later cancelled.
Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, Minister for Higher Education, has made it a prestige issue to open the college in the current academic year. To materialise his plans, he has spoken to the district administration to spare space from the school for the deaf and dumb run by the District Red Cross Society.
The Principal of Government College for Women will also head the proposed college for boys. Interestingly, the Principal is retiring on July 31.
The proposed college in the first session would admit 80 students.
Dr S.P. Singh, Dean, Colleges of GND University, when contacted, confirmed that the university had received a request from the Education Department for granting affiliation to the college. He said this would be done at the earliest after completion of the necessary formalities.

Drug addiction grips town
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service
ABOHAR, July 18 — Brown sugar and smack addiction has gripped youths of this town, bordering Rajasthan.
According to sources, the number of youths who are getting hooked to brown sugar and smack is on the rise and the problem has acquired alarming proportions.
According to the drug deaddiction centre, Bathinda, most of the addicts belong to this town.
Sources said in the past one month, out of the 15 brown sugar and smack addicts treated at the centre, 80 per cent were from here and the rest from Ferozepore.
Mr D.K. Tiwari, SDM, when contacted, said the authorities concerned were worried about the increase in drug addiction here. He said according to the police, most of the brown sugar and smack was being smuggled from Chandigarh.
He said the civil administration, along with the police, had launched a campaign against drug addiction in the city. Voluntary organisations had been motivated to make efforts to check this menace, he said.
Police sources said 40 kg and 7.2 kg of heroin was seized from Ferozepore district in 1996 and 1997, respectively, while the cases registered under the NDPS Act in 1995, 1996 and 1997 were 89, 165 and 126, respectively.
Mr Karamjit Singh, Station House Officer, Sadar police station said a general alert had been ordered by the district police chief against the smuggling of brown sugar, heroin and smack. He said special squads had been formed to trap smugglers. Special nakas were also being laid to check the entry of these intoxicants in the city and villages of this subdivison, he added.

SAD-BJP promises: facts belie claims
From Our Correspondent
GURDASPUR, July 18 — Welfare schemes launched by the SAD-BJP government a year ago have met with limited success in this district. Announcements by the SAD-BJP leaders that Christians too would get 'shagun' grant of Rs 5100 on the marriage of their daughters appears to have remained unimplemented because not a single Christian girl has been covered under the 'shagun' scheme so far.
Mrs Manjit Kaur Sandhu, president, local District Mahila Congress (rural) said that corruption was on in villages in the name of granting pension under the old age scheme. She said that she had complained, in this regard, to the district social security officer but in vain.
According to Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner Rs 2.69 crore was given as pension under the old age pension scheme to 13,691 beneficiaries last year. During this year budgetary allocation under the scheme was Rs 78.49 lakh of which Rs 41.19 lakh had been distributed among 6,856 beneficiaries till July 17, he said.
Persons eligible under the scheme are more than 49,000 and with a current a waiver of income condition, the number of aspirants is likely to cross 80,000 figure. The amount allocated under the scheme is too meagre to cover eligible persons under the scheme.
Regarding houses for homeless and low income group persons belonging to Scheduled Castes the target for construction of houses was 800. And the sum allocated in this regard was Rs 4 crore, during last year. So far only 180 houses have been built.
Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner when contacted, said that the sites for building houses could not be selected due to unavailability of MLAs who have been extremely busy for elections held recently for the Lok Sabha, municipal committees and panchayats. If the number of complete houses made so far in the district is any indication the district administration will not be able to construct 800 houses target of the last year during the remaining term of SAD-BJP government. The target of houses to be built per block was initially 100 which later was reduced to 80. The district has 14 development blocks and total number of houses to be constructed during the tenure of SAD-BJP government, comes out to be 5,600 a target difficult to achieve.
Mr Sandhu said that under 'shagun' scheme in the current year the district had been allocated Rs 22.84 lakh. There are complaints that procedural difficulties in this regard have been great obstacles for the people to get the 'shagun' amount in time.
Under the widow pension, financial help to the "needy" children and financial help to the handicapped Rs 8.15 lakh, 1.10 lakh and Rs 80,000, respectively, have been distributed among 1423, 186 and 135 beneficiaries, so far in the district.

Ravi water for Amritsar
From Ashok Sethi
AMRITSAR: The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board is drawing up plans to use canal water to meet the demand of potable and drinking water for the city's urban population.
Talking to The Tribune the Chief Engineer of the board, Mr R.D. Kansal, said he had especially brought along a group of engineers from Chandigarh to evaluate the feasibility of meeting the ever-growing water needs of the holy city by supplying canal water duly treated from the Upper Bari Doab Canal which brings water from the Ravi.
Mr Kansal pointed that ground-water level was going down at an alarming rate and in two or three decades, it may not be enough to meet the need. The project had been envisaged to take care of the future expansion of the urban centre and growing population of the cities in the next century.
The Punjab Government had agreed in principle to work on this urban water scheme. To start with it would cover Amritsar. He was confident that if the scheme was economically viable other cities would be fed from the canal water depending upon the availability of river/canal discharge in that particular area.
Mr Kansal pointed out that officials of the canal department had assured the board that the Upper Bari Doab would be transformed into a perennial canal for making water available round the year. The project which would cost about Rs 109 crore would cover more than 50 per cent of the city's population which could be funded by financial institutions, the Municipal Corporation and other sources. He was confident that some of the surplus land available with the civic authorities in the nearby areas, Chali Khu area, may be used for water treatment plants thus saving a large chunk on capital cost. The project would be totally economical and spare water would also be available for irrigation etc. At present, the cost may seem prohibitive, but if work starts with the right earnest the project would pay back its cost, he claimed.
The Sewerage Board had undertaken the Sutlej cleaning scheme. Work started a few months ago at a total cost of Rs 230 crore. The project would initially prevent the pollution of the river by treating the industrial effluence which was being drained into the river passing through, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara and Phillaur districts.
The Central Government was contributing 50 per cent of the cost, while the state was making available the balance amount, he added. At present only a small amount had been made available for the cleaning project but work on it would soon accelerate, depending upon the availability of funds in the coming months. The engineers of the board working on the scheme had also been educating the local municipal authorities and committees not to drain their sewerage waste into the river so that in the coming years, river would be able to provide clean water.
The natural resources provided by these rivers had to be preserved at all costs and it was the duty of every citizen to contribute in keeping the rivers pollution free, he suggested.

Badal seeks people's participation
Tribune News Service
RABBOUCHI VILLAGE (Ludhiana district), July 18 — The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today invited villages to supervise the expenditure on government development works in their respective areas.
Speaking at a state-level function held here to mark the 142nd death anniversary of Baba Maharaj Singh who raised the banner of revolt against the British rule some one and a half century ago, the Chief Minister said his was a people's government committed to improving the lot of common man. In this direction, the government was channelling all its energies. The first year of the Akali government had been spent on setting its house in order. The state was groaning under a staggering debt which had been waived by the Centre following repeated pleas by him.
The state's finances were also in a bad shape because the previous Congress rulers believed more in the policy of divide and rule and frittering away the scare resources of the state than doing anything good for the people of the state. Now his government was paying full attention towards the speedy development of the state.
He wanted the people to take active interest in the development of the state. In this connection, he suggested that the panchayats should constitute village committees which could be associated with the development work being carried out in their respective areas. It would not prevent leakage of government revenue but also give the villagers a sense of participation in running the government, he declared amidst cries of "Bole so Nihal, Sat Sri Akal".
Mr Badal also paid tributes to Baba Maharaj Singh who was the first freedom fighter of Punjab after the British established their rule throughout India. He also announced that the government would organise a state-level function every year at his village on his death anniversary. Next year, the Chief Minister said his attempt would be to invite the President of India to preside.
The Chief Minister also announced grants totalling more than Rs 10 lakh for providing various facilities in the village which is located about 60 km from Ludhiana. The SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, said that his party was doing its best for the retention of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh. He was confident that these efforts would bear fruit. He, However, criticised the Congress Party for paying "mere lip service" to the cause of the residents of Udham Singh Nagar. He pointed out that the bill to create the new state of Uttaranchal could not be passed without the support of the Congress.
He also came down heavily on the Congress Party for allegedly carrying out false propaganda in order to give a bad name to the Akali government. He complained that Congress leaders were trying to mislead the people on the issue of law and order and bus fare hike.
Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Minister for Science and Technology, also criticised the Congress leaders for trying to mislead the people on the issue of bus fare hike. The fact was that the bus fares were still the lowest in Punjab as compared to those in the neighbouring states. He also complained that the contribution of the Punjabis to the country’s freedom struggle was not being fully recognised and projected through Doordarshan.
Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwa, Minister of State for Public Relations, was among those spoke.

CM sets deadline for dairy complex
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 18 — Approving suggestions made by dairy experts, the Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has set a deadline of three months for starting the integrated multipurpose agricultural-cum-dairy complex, a pilot project envisaged to tackle the problem of unemployment in the countryside and for diversification in the agricultural sector.
The Director, Dairy Development, Punjab, said today the project would be located at Kaljharani village near Bathinda. Farmers would be provided loans for purchasing cross-breed cows. All technical guidance, including construction of sheds would be provided by dairy development experts.
He said there would be 10 units each having 10 cows. It would be run on modern lines. Already an exercise has begun to procure best available cross-breed cows in the country for this project.
Mr Darshan Singh Alhoran, president of the Punjab Holstein association, who is associated with the project, has given some suggestions to Mr Badal for making this project a profitable venture. Informed sources said Mr Darshan Singh has urged the authorities concerned to make proper arrangements for the disposal of 30,000 litres of water which would be used daily.
He has also suggested provision of separate milking machines for each unit instead of installing a common machine for all units as provided in the project. Proper arrangement should be made for measuring the fat in the milk for each farmer separately. For storing grain, feed and dry fodder, separate provision ought to be made in the project.
Authorities concerned said that Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda had been made incharge of the project.

Hit may be readmitted into panthic fold
From H.S. Bhanwer
Tribune News Service
AMRITSAR, July 18 — Mr Avtar Singh Hit, a member of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and a former president of the Delhi unit of the Akali Dal (Badal), who was "excommunicated" from the Panth by the Sikh clergy on June 16 last year for allegedly defying the 'hukamnama' is likely to be readmitted into the panthic fold.
He had defied the 'hukamnama' to hand over 2.7 acres of land housing a school in the Hari Nagar area to the DSGMC on the plea that the land was allotted by the DDA for widows and children of victims of the 1984 riots.

Earlier, he was declared 'tankhaiya' for allegedly beating up Bibi Darshan Kaur, an eye-witness in the case of alleged involvement of H.K.L. Bhagat, a former Union Minister, in anti-Sikh riots.
Mr Hit has filed a revision petition before the Akal Takht chief, Bhai Ranjit Singh to seek "forgiveness". He has stated that he has handed over piece of land to the DSGMC along with all documents. The president of the DSGMC has reportedly certified this fact.
The revision petition would be considered by the Sikh clergy at a meeting scheduled to be held at Akal Takht here on July 25.
The Sikh clergy will also take up the case of an editor and four functionaries of the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Surrey (Canada), who were declared "tankhaiya" on June 25 for defying the 'hukamnama' on the langer issue. They were directed to clarify their position here on July 25. If they fail to do so, they are likely to be excommunicated.

President apprised of environmental problems
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, July 18 — A joint delegation of the Indian Ecological Society, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) called on the President, Dr K.R. Narayanan, in Delhi, last week.
Dr Manmohan Singh, a former Finance Minister; Dr R.S. Paroda, Director-General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR); and Dr G.S. Kalkat, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University; accompanied the delegation.
The team presented a set of two volumes of the proceedings of "International conference on Ecological agriculture: towards sustainable development" to the President.
The Conference was held at CRRID from November 15 to 17 last year.
This is for the first time that the proceedings of an international conference have been published in a record period of less than six months. Dr G.S. Kalkat played an important role in publication of the proceedings.
Entitled "Ecological agriculture and sustainable development", the proceedings have been edited by a team of agricultural scientist comprising Dr G.S. Dhaliwal, Dr N.S. Randhawa, Dr Ramesh Arora and Dr A.K. Dhawan. The first volume is devoted to soil and water resources, crop-environment interactions and integrated nutrient management. The second volume focuses on integrated pest management, and policy and planning for sustainable agricultural and rural development, according to Dr G.S. Dhaliwal, president of the Indian Ecological Society.
The proceedings raise some hair-raising issues concerning ecological disaster facing mankind. With dwindling natural resource, deterioration in the quality of air, water and food, loss of biodiversity, a decline in productivity and lack of environmental consciousness, it has become a Herculean task to raise food production to feed the expanding population.
Pesticides have entered into the foodchain. Fertilisers have polluted the shallow underground water reservoirs which if unchecked will become alarming and forests have given way to monoculture of crop plants. The situation is further compounded by the socio-economic problems faced by low and marginal farmers who could not fully exploit the Green Revolution technology. The increasing trend of suicides by farmers is a matter of grave concern to

policy planners and all those interested in sustainable development of society.
The experts have made recommendations with far-reaching implications for ameliorating the problems of environmental and ecological imbalances. Dr Manmohan Singh lays stress on a judicious mix of ecology, economy and technology. A people-centered development alone could ensure both sustainable growth and equity. According to him, politicians have to behave lime statesmen if sustainable development is to become a reality.
Dr Hans R. Herren, Director-General, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, emphasised the role of insects, mites and others in food and global environmental security as their importance in the area of environment, health and agriculture is often under or misrepresented.
One of the key recommendations is a three-pronged strategy to deal with ecological and other problems created by monoculture, including of wheat-rice rotation. These are (i) searching solutions within the prevalent production pattern, e.g., reducing water requirement for rice by avoiding early sowing and decreasing the use of standing water; (ii) evolving equally or more remunerative alternatives to wheat-paddy rotation, i.e. diversification to high value crops; and (iii) a medium and long-term development plan should be formulated covering relevant aspects.
The CRRID Director, Mr Rashpal Malhotra, explained to the President the future programme of action planned by the two organisations for the benefit of small and marginal farmers.
The President lauded the joint efforts of the two organisations in environmental protection and suggested them to actively involve the farmers in the programmes.

Academic work to come to halt on July 21
Tribune News Service
JALANDHAR, July 18 — Academic work on the campuses of 220 universities and 9,000 colleges will be disrupted on July 21 as the teachers proceed on en masse casual leave, Dr V.K. Tewai, National Secretary, AIFUCTO, said here today.
Thousands of teachers were expected to march to Parliament starting from the UGC office. All universities in the region — Panjab university, Punjabi University, Guru Nanak Dev University, Panjab Agricultural University, HP University, Horticulture University, Solan and Hisar Agriculture University — would go on leave en masse. Hectic activity was on in Colleges, both government and non-government, to mobilise the teachers to join the march to Parliament. Contingents of university and college teachers from UP, Rajasthan and MP would also participate.
Mr Tewari said the AIFUCTO strongly condemned the "anti-education efforts" of the HRD Ministry to "destabilise and jeopardise the statutory status of the University Grants Commission" to maintain and promote standards in higher education.
Good pay scales and service conditions for teachers were essential for the promotion of education standards, "Dr M.M. Joshi, HRD Minister, should give up his conservative approach and involve the whole teaching community in the vital task of national resurgence," he said.

Farmers resent release of water
From Our Correspondent
GURDASPUR, July 18 — Resentment prevails among farmers of more than a dozen of villages against the release of water in Jattuwal ejector in the Bet area of Beas from UBDC canal by the Irrigation Department.
When this correspondent visited the area today he found that standing crops of these villages had been submerged in 1 to 3 feet deep water. Eye witnesses said when the water was released in the ejector on July 9 the depth of water was more than 6 feet.
Farmers of the area said crops had been damaged as these had got submerged in water. These farmers said their crops had been damaged due to the release of water in the ejector by the Irrigation Department. They said water had never been released in the ejector for the past 10 years.
The farmers said the authorities were not doing anything to stop the release of water.
The villages where land has been submerged included Nadala, Dalerpur, Khera, Chheena Bet, Narainipur, Sundran, Meghian, Jagatpur, Tanda, Purana Chhalla, Chhourian, Pakhowal Kullian and Meelwan.

Police officers resent apathy
From Our Correspondent
SAS NAGAR, July 18 — The Punjab Police Service Officers’ Welfare Association has expressed its resentment against the non-implementation of the pay scales recommended by the last pay commission and notified by the state government.
The association president and local SP, Mr B.S. Randhawa, told newspersons here today that the association at a meeting held yesterday had demanded the immediate implementation of time scales as per the notification on a par with services like the PCS and the PCMS.
He said a coordination committee with Mr R.S. Khatra as coordinator had been set up to press the government to accept within a fixed timeframe the aforesaid demands apart from those relating to creation of the rank of SP, one-time relaxation in qualifying service and the reversion of deputationists.
The association condemned the hasty arrest of Mr Jagjit Singh, DSP, in Chandigarh without verifying his guilt to cover up the negligence of the Chandigarh Police.

Punjab to clear link roads of encroachments
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service
BATHINDA, July 18 — All encroachments on the 31,000-km long link roads of Punjab would be cleared in a special drive to be launched shortly.
This was stated by the PWD Minister, Mr Harmel Singh, at a function at Talwandi Sabo, 28 km from here last evening.
He announced that the drive would be launched in a phased manner and voluntary organisations and village panchayats would be involved in this task as done by the district administration of Bathinda.
The minister disclosed that Rs 1,400 crore would be spent for constructing new roads and bridges and strengthening the existing one in the state in the current year. He said that the Punjab Road and Bridges Development Board had been formed for the purpose and the Punjab government had given it Rs 250 crore initially.
Mr S.R Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, said that in the district all 1600-km-long link roads had been cleared of encroachments with the help of voluntary organisations, panchayats and government officials.
The minister also honoured panchayats, social volunteers and government officials for their contribution in the anti-encroachment drive in this district.

General Buch cremated
Tribune News Service
PATIALA, July 18 — Lieut-Gen Gurbachan Singh Buch, who passed away at Delhi yesterday, was cremated with full military honours here today.
The mortal remains of General Buch were consigned to flames by his son Col D.S. Grewal. He is also survived by two daughters.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Viswajit Khanna laid a wreath on the body of the General at his residence in New Officers Colony. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of Governor B.K.N. Chhibber and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal by Additional Deputy Commissioner R.S. Randhawa.
The funeral procession was attended by people from all walks of life, including Lieut-Gen H.S. Mann of COS, Headquarters, Western Command, Maj-Gen P.P.S. Bhandari, GOC, One Armoured Division, and Maj-Gen V. Bhanot, COS, Headquarters, Two Corps.
General Buch had the distinction of being the commander of the Northern Army. His family has the rare distinction of military service for five generations. The general's only son and only grandson are serving in the Army.
General Buch's feat of taking his tanks by air into combat at Chulshul Ladakhi in 1962 are unparalleled in the world. He dealt with the Sikkim problem successfully in 1975.

Drive to trace robbers
Tribune News Service
PATIALA, July 18 — A survey conducted by the district police has revealed that 80 per cent of the robberies and dacoities in the district are being committed by proclaimed offenders.
Stating this here today, Senior Superintendent of Police Parampal Singh Sidhu said the police had started a verification drive to ascertain the present status of the proclaimed offenders. He said the drive was being conducted by police stations and photographs as well as fingerprints of the offenders were being prepared.
The district police chief said 40 per cent of the verification process had been completed.
Some persons who had earlier committed robberies similar to those committed in the city in the past fortnight had been arrested.
The police was also verifying the antecedents of its employees who had been detained by "thikri pehra" groups.

Helmet made compulsory
PATIALA, July 18 (PTI) — District Magistrate Vishwajit Khanna today promulgated an order making it compulsory for pillion riders of two wheelers to wear helmet. The order would not apply to Sikhs wearing turbans.
In accordance with the directive of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, other restrictions have also been imposed which include ban on the use of red light on vehicles, tinted colouring of glasses of vehicles, compulsory wearing of uniform by drivers and conductors of school buses and a speed limit of 50 km per hour for school buses.

Udham Singh Nagar ‘not’ on SAD agenda
From Our Correspondent
LUDHIANA, July 18 — The Punjab Bhalai Manch has alleged that the issue of Udham Singh Nagar is not on the agenda of the Badal government.
In a press release issued here, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, president of the manch, has alleged that the SAD is not in favour of pressurising the BJP on the Udham Singh Nagar issue
The Punjabi Bhalai Manch was the first party to raise its voice against the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed state of Uttaranchal because it would affect the Punjabi settlers residing in Udham Singh Nagar.