Sunday, October 4, 1998
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Sunday, October 4, 1998 |
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Tohra names
WSC BJP
unit backs Badal on Udham Singh Nagar SAD
can't withdraw support: Congress Gas
leak creates Big
turnout at Vishav |
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 Question mark over From
debt trap to death trap Grievance
Minister inflicts new 'injury' |
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Rice
millers threaten direct action Ministerial
staff offer to withdraw stir 11
couples take marriage vows Stored
foodgrains "unfit for humans" |
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Tohra names WSC probe panel JALANDHAR, Oct 3 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president, SGPC and Rajya Sabha Member said a three-member sub-committee has been constituted to look into the funds of the World Sikh Council. Briefing the media here today, Mr Tohra said that the three members of the sub-committee are Justice Kulwant Singh Tiwana, a retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Bakshi Aftab Singh, Session Judge (retd) and Mr Surjit Singh Rekhi, Chairman of Income Tax Bar Council. He said that the sub-committee will also investigate allegations made by Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh on Jathedar Manjit Singh Calcutta for misusing the funds. The committee has the consent of Mr Jaswant Singh Mann, secretary World Sikh Council and the president of the World Sikh Council Justice Kuldip Singh and Bhai Ranjit Singh. The committee will be submitting its report on October 12. Taking a hard line on its alliance partner, the BJP, Mr Tohra categorically said that the SAD was serious about reviewing its tie up with the BJP as it had ignored the genuine demands of Punjab. While his party welcomed the non-inclusion of Hardwar in the proposed Uttaranchal state he said that the BJP had hurt and ignored the sentiments of its alliance partner by taking a hard stand on Udham Singh Nagar. Referring to Chandigarh's status of union territory, he alleged that Mr LK Advani, the Home Minister should not have issued a statement that Chandigarh will not be transferred to Punjab. He said that there were no
differences between him and Mr Parkash Singh Badal. At
the same time he hailed Mr IK Gujral, a former Prime
Minister, for doing a lot for the state and said no other
political leader would be able to emulate him. |
BJP unit backs Badal on Udham
Singh Nagar JANSUA (Patiala), Oct 3 — Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Local Bodies Minister Balramji Das Tandon today said all differences between the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP would be sorted out amicably. Talking to newsmen before addressing a rural congregation here, Mr Tandon said the central leadership would solve the issue of Udham Singh Nagar satisfactorily and ensure nothing adverse happened because of this issue. Mr Tandon said though the demand of exclusion of Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed state of Uttaranchal had to be decided by the Centre, the Punjab unit of the party had made it clear that the district should not be included in the state and had met the central leadership of the party to bring it around to its point of view. Speaking about the demands of Punjab which had been submitted to the Centre four weeks ago and to which the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Gurcharan Singh Tohra referred yesterday while stating that the days of extending unconditional support to the BJP government were over, Mr Tandon said the Punjab BJP unit stood by the Akali Dal on the demands of Punjab but understood that they were inter-state issues and could take time to resolve. Addressing the gatherings, Mr Tandon said the government would only encourage those multi-national companies to invest in the state who established agro units or any such units which would help farmers of the state. Mr Tandon also said that piped water would be made available to all villages in Rajpura block within a short period. Speaking on the occasion, Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said a delegation of the Akali Dal would meet Union Minister Surjit Singh Barnala at Delhi on October 5 to demand that the specifications on paddy be diluted as they were difficult to meet. He said the union minister would also be requested to give permission for procurement of paddy with more moisture content than permissible at present, besides relaxation in norms regarding discoloured and damaged paddy. Speaking on the Udham Singh Nagar issue, Mr Chandumajra said "we will get them to accept our view point through logic". Referring to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's visit to the Golden Temple at Amritsar, he claimed the visit would only further hurt the Punjabis and make them remember past injustices inflicted upon them by the Gandhi family, which would never be forgotten by the people of Punjab. Mr Chandumajra said the Congress was repeatedly harping on the fact that the Akali-BJP government was not coming up to the aspirations of the people despite the fact that it itself had done nothing for the development of the state in the last 50 years. He said the SAD had established six focal points in the Rajpura belt and would tackle other problems of villagers including making of latrines in all villages in a timebound manner. AMRITSAR: Mr Tandon said that the state government was committed to hike the wages of migrant labourers as per the precommendations of the committee constituted for this purpose. Mr Tandon said that the right to vote to labourers who are permanent residents of the state would not be denied. He said that this fundamental right could not be denied to genuine voters. Addressing the function,
organised by the Uttar Pradesh Kalian Parishad here
today, Mr Tandon said that all the genuine demands of the
migrant labourers would be redressed by the state
government on a priority basis. On the demand of the
parishad that the migrant labourers be given due
representation at all levels, Mr Tandon said that he
would discuss this point with the Chief Minister before
making any commitment. |
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Question mark over PM's visit ROPAR, Oct 3 — In a significant announcement today Punjab Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh ended speculations over the date of laying the foundation stone of the 'Azooba' project at Anandpur Sahib, when he declared that 'punj pyare' (five beloved ones) would lay the foundation stone of the proposed 'Azooba' on November 22 next. Earlier, it had been publicised that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would lay the foundation stone of one of the components of 'Azooba project' on October 17 and the Finance Minister had held a meeting at Anandpur Sahib about a fortnight ago for making arrangements for the Prime Minister's tour. But after this announcement there is a question mark over even the proposed visit of the Prime Minister on October 17. He said this at Rasoolpur village near Morinda after laying the foundation stone of a focal point in memory of Flying Officer Jagat Singh Toor, a martyr of the Indo-Pak war and Kuldip Singh, a martyr of the I.P.K.F. in Sri Lanka, there. Addressing the gathering, the finance minister said that about Rs 600 crore would be spent on the project which had been drawn up as a part of the celebrations of 300th birth anniversary of Khalsa Panth. He said that the central government had also given its assent to ply a 'Shatabadi Express' from Delhi to Anandpur Sahib. Under the 'Azooba' project, the state government had drawn up a plan for the setting up a 'Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex' at Anandpur Sahib which would include a Khalsa Heritage Park, Speaking Museum, Traditional Museum, Gallery of Paintings, Sikh War Museum, Khalsa Memorial Academic Institute, Gallery of Gurbani Sangeet, Sculpture Park, Convention Complex and Nishan-e-Khalsa. Lashing out at the previous Congress government in the state, the minister held the Congress responsible for the river water disputes and faulty division of areas, especially Punjabi speaking areas. Capt Kanwaljit Singh further said that the SAD had made an alliance with the BJP to protect the 30 per cent Punjabis and Sikhs who lived in other parts of the country as the Congress had committed atrocities on them from time to time. He said the anti-Sikh riots were the outcome of the Congress's 'wrong policies' towards Sikhs. Under the umbrella of the BJP the Sikhs felt safe across the country. Detailing the achievements of the SAD-BJP government and development works in the state, the Finance Minister said that nearly Rs 2500 crores would be spent on development works during this financial year in the state. He said that the state government had made power available for more than 12 hours a day to farmers by purchasing it from neighbouring states. The minister also announced that the Dhanauri-Rasoolpur road and Samana road would be made pucca as a special case as the road was named after both martyrs-Jagat Singh Toor and Kuldip Singh. He also announced a grant of Rs 2.65 lakh for the village youth club, construction of streets and drains and cremation ground for the village. The gathering was also
addressed by Mrs Satwant Kaur Sandhu, MLA, Chamkaur
Sahib; Mr Gurmeet Singh, village sarpanch; Jathedar
Jagjit Singh Rattangarh, Member SGPC; Jathedar Ujjagar
Singh Badali, a former president of SAD, Ropar district,
and Jathedar Balwinder Singh, a senior Akali leader. |
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SAD can't withdraw support:
Congress FATEHGARH SAHIB, Oct 3 — Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, Senior Vice-President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, talking to mediapersons here today, said that the Akali-BJP government particularly Mr Badal was promoting family interests.Thus while he earlier held five routes of buses now he had a fleet of 100 buses and many former Punjab Roadways routes had been bought by Mrs Surinder Kaur Badal. He alleged that the Punjab Government purchased sub-standard pesticides for the cotton crop from the factory of Adesh Partap Singh, a son-in-law of Mr Badal and now Mr Badal wanted to give the Adampur party ticket to his wife. That's why he got a survey conducted by the 'intelligence' wing but received negative reports. Talking about the Adampur byelection he said it was likely to be a contest between the communal forces and secular forces. He appealed to all secular forces and other political parties of the state to put up a united candidate. Being the principal Opposition party, securing 24,000 votes to the BSP's 17000 in the last elections the Congress has every right to the seat and other parties should support them as this election would be a referendum on the policies of the Akali-BJP regime. He said the PPCC has created a cell under his convenorship to collect evidence of corruption against the government and any individual could send his complaint to the PPCC. The party would check and file cases before the Lok Pal. Commenting on the Udham Singh Nagar issue, he said Mr Badal and the Akalis had committed criminal negligence. Though the SAD was now threatening the centre. Mr Badal would dare not withdraw his ministers as he could not afford to annoy his son. Mr Badal had mortgaged the state to the World Bank. Every department of the state has taken loans from the World Bank at very high interest rates. He supported the cause of
the striking ministerial staff and said his party had
passed a resolution in this regard. |
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Big turnout at Vishav Gurmat Samagam RATWARA SAHIB (Ropar), Oct 3 — The ninth annual three-day Vishav Gurmat Samagam began here with thousands of devotees from various parts of the country and abroad assembling at the venue of the event and listening to discourses by eminent religious personalities besides taking part in kirtan and meditation exercises. The samagam witnessed a record turnout on the first day itself allaying the fears of the organisers, the Vishav Gurmat Roohani Mission, that the prevailing inclement weather would hamper the smooth conduct of the samagam. More than 1,000 volunteers saw to it that everything went on with clockwork precision and the devotees stay here was pleasurable. Talking to TNS, organisers said a large number of devotees from UK, Canada, Malaysia, Germany, USA, Holland and Australia had arrived well in advance. They said that a huge tent, 800 feet by 200 feet had been erected where all activities of the samagam would be held. For the benefit of the gathering, over 200 closed-circuit television sets have been installed at various parts of the pandal while loudspeakers have been put up all over the sprawling complex of the mission and along the approach road from Mullanpur village. Besides this, more then 500 tents have been pitched for the devotees and arrangements for their stay have been made in various dharamshalas, gurdwaras and bhavans of nearby areas and Chandigarh. As many as 600 women volunteers were preparing langer round the clock. A free medical camp is also being manned by expert doctors of the Himalayan Institute of Medical Research and Yoga, Rishikesh. The samagam began at 8 a.m today with kirtan performed by Bhai Pal Singh. The topic of the day was the "maya" and the congregation was told about the types, effects and the consequences of succumbing to its wiles. The order of the day was to break free of the shackles of "maya" by reciting Gurbani, taking part in sangat and seeking the guidance of an able guru. Human life was precious and we should do good deeds and thank the Almighty by remembering Him at all times. Those who addressed the congregation included Sant Waryam Singh, chairman of the mission; Sant Hari Singh Randhawe wale, Sant Kalyan Dass, Sant Mohinder Singh Khanne wale, Swami Pritam Jyoti Hariji, Sant Sarabjot Singh Bedi Sahib and Prof Shamsher Singh, head of the Guru Granth Sahib Study Centre, Punjabi University, Patiala. While Punjab Chief
Minister, Parkash Singh Badal is expected to arrive here
tomorrow, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, SGPC chief will
participate in the samagam on October 5, the concluding
day. |
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Gas leak creates panic in
Sangrur SANGRUR, Oct 3 — Panic gripped the town late tonight when gas leaked from National Agro-Chemical Limited Company owned by a senior Akali leader. Though the effect of the gas could be felt more than 5 km away and around 40 persons were given symptomatic treatment at the Civil Hospital here, the district administration chose to play down the incident. District police chief Arpad Shukla said no poisonous gas had leaked from the factory, adding that a 5-kg balloon of chlorine had burst on the factory premises. He said it was not dangerous and only caused irritation in the eyes. He said residents had been asked to wash their eyes with cold water in case of irritation. The situation was under control, he claimed. Following the incident, senior officials of the district administration reached the spot. Official sources said the factory had been closed. Independent sources alleged the incident had been played down. Residents of Indira Basti and Dashmesh Basti, near the factory, complained of suffocation. People living 2 km away from the factory, too, complained of suffocation, they alleged. Civil Hospital sources said patients were reporting vomitting and chest pain. Some people alleged that a
gas pipe in the factory had burst, causing the leak. |
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From debt trap to death trap BATHINDA, Oct 3 — The debt trap seems to have become the death trap for farmers of the Malwa region as they are finding deliverance from their debt in death. With their hopes shattered once again with the failure of crops this year farmers are becoming paranoid. A suicide has been reported from Nat Bhager village in this district where a young small farmer ended his life on September 29 by consuming poison after his cotton crop was devastated by the recent rains. The farmer, Mohinder Singh was according to his family depressed at being unable to repay his debt to a commission agent due to failure of his cotton crop. The trend of farmer suicides which almost came to an end in the Malwa region with hopes of a good crop this season may have started again. Most cases of suicide go unreported. According to agriculture experts, about 90 per cent of farmers of the Malwa region are caught in a debt trap as repeated crop failures have ruined the economy. So far about 133 suicides have been reported in Punjab. According to psychiatrists, the debt trap has led to an increase in consumption of intoxicants, matrimonial disputes and family disputes. The economic disaster has made farmers more aggressive. Economic miseries coupled with social strife is one of the major reasons for suicides among farmers. Earlier, to off set their debts, farmers resorted to selling off their tractors bought on loans at cut prices. However, with the hope of better crops each season being piling belied the debt servicing burden keeps piling up in Malwa, a purely agrarian society with little industry as compared to the Doaba and Majha regions of Punjab. Finding it difficult to pay their debts farmers have started selling their land at throwaway prices. After experiencing five consecutive cotton crop failure farmers of Muktsar, Faridkot, Mansa and this district had shifted to paddy bringing a substantial area under paddy this season. To the chagrin of most, the recent heavy rains have flattened the paddy crop and made the harvesting of paddy difficult and expensive. Most paddy growers, talking to TNS said that even the crop saved by them and brought to the grain markets was not fetching the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 470 due to the "indifferent attitude" of the state as well as central government procurement agencies and they were forced to resort to distress sales. They alleged that though
the state Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal had
announced that a special girdawari would be held wherever
necessary for compensating farmers for their losses no
action had been taken so far. |
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Rice millers threaten direct
action PHILLAUR, Oct 3 — More than 2500 rice millers of the state would organise "direct action" and non-cooperation agitation against "discriminatory" policies of the Union and state government towards rice millers from next week. Mr Joginder Paul Vij, executive committee member of the Punjab Rice Millers Association, said today that a state-level meeting of the association would be held under the presidentship of Mr H.S. Baggar, on October 5 at Phagwara to finalise agitation's programme. Mr Vij warned the
government that rice millers would not purchase paddy
from private traders as well as from government agencies,
if government did not increase milling rate from Rs 13.20
to Rs 70 and ratio of rice from paddy be fixed as 60 kg
per quintal. Mr Vij also threatened court arrest, and
dharna programmes in New Delhi. If government did not
accept their demands. |
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Psychiatrists'
conference starts BATHINDA, Oct 3 — The two day ninth annual state-level psychiatrists' conference began here today. It was inaugurated by Dr L.S. Chawla, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences. Dr Anil Goyal, Organising Secretary, Punjab and Chandigarh Psychiatric Society, organiser of the conference said that 80 psychiatrists were participating in this conference in which a symposium on "suicide among farmers" would be held. He said that different
psychiatrists of the region would also read papers and
share experiences with each other. |
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Ministerial staff offer to withdraw
stir BATHINDA, Oct 3 — The Punjab State Ministerial Services Union today offered to withdraw its 20-day- old pen-down strike if the state government implemented the pay scales as shown in its advertisement to different newspapers. Mr Baldev Singh, state vice-president of the union alleged that advertisement given by the state government showing the pay scales of different categories of ministerial staff was misleading and a move to tarnish the image of employees. He said pay scales shown in the advertisements were fictitious and the state government was paying much less to ministerial staff at present. He said that union would welcome the implementation of such scales. He warned that if the state government did not accept their demands by October 4, the union would intensify its stir for which a sub-committee had been formed. He claimed that so far the strike was a complete success. Meanwhile, the secretary
of the district CPI unit, Mr Jagjit Singh Joga, in a
press note today demanded the state government should
solve this issue through negotiations. He warned that if
the state government arrested the striking employees by
invoking ESMA it would prove the beginning of the SAD-BJP
combine government in Punjab.
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Ministerial staff flay govt statement CHANDIGARH, Oct 3 — The Punjab State Ministerial Services Union today flayed the government statement comparing the pay scales of Punjab ministerial staff with the scales of pay given to Haryana and Central government employees. A press note issued by the union said that every state granted pay scales according to its own resources and other conditions. Union leaders — Mr Raj Kumar Arora, Mr K.K. Jindal, Mr Kulbhushan Kanwar, Harnek Singh Mavi and Mr Sukhdev Singh Gill — said it was wrong that a lion's share of the government funds was being spent on government employees' salaries. They claimed that even this time the total benefits of Rs 660 crore had gone to highly paid officers by restoring 30 per cent dearness allowance for composite initial scale which led to 9 per cent to 57 per cent benefits to employees. Certain categories of officers got even 150 per cent raise in their salaries. The union leaders accused the government of giving step-motherly treatment to the ministerial cadre by granting them scales of pay below the conversion table. The government also truncated CCA for low-paid employees from Rs 100 to Rs 35. They urged the government
to settle their demands instead of adopting the path of
confrontation. |
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11 couples take marriage vows LUDHIANA, Oct 3 — For Surjit Singh (26) and Reena (24) it was a wedding with a difference. The couple along with 10 other couples from different villages of Punjab, took their marriage vows at a ceremony conducted by the Shaheed Memorial Seva Society here today. These marriages were conducted keeping in view the religious traditions of the couples. In the same hall arrangements were made for conducting marriages according to the rites of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religions. The society paid for the wedding expensess bride and also gave dowry to the couples. However, while speaking to this correspondent, one of the said that she was 12-year-old. When contacted, Mr Vajinder Singh, general secretary of society said that the society arranged for the marriage only after it had received an attested application from the village sarpanch stating that the boy or girl were of marriageable age. Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, state minister, and Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, Mayor, Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, were also present on the occasion. Mr Charanjit Singh Grewal also announced a grant of Rs 25000 for the society. These mass marriages are conducted every year by the society. Mr Vajinder Singh, whose
missionary zeal has inspired many others is a state
government awardee. |
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Grievance Minister inflicts new
'injury' PATIALA, Oct 3 — Punjab Minister of State for Youth Services and Grievances Gobind Singh Kanjla, who has been in the center of many a controversy earlier, has involved himself in yet another by allegedly making crude remarks against a woman journalist of Sangrur. Addressing a panchayat function at Sakrodi village in Bhawanigarh block of Sangrur district on September 29 Mr Kanjla allegedly made crude remarks against a woman journalist and her family and alleged that she had asked him for money some months earlier. He also made derogatory remarks against another journalist who he claimed was writing against the government. Following the minister's outburst, the Bhawanigarh journalists decided to boycott the minister till he apologised for his actions. Following this the journalists of Sangrur, from where the woman journalist belongs, also held a meeting under the presidentship of Punjab Union of Journalists president Prem Goyal. Mr Goyal disclosed that other units of the Punjab Union of Journalists at Barnala, Dhuri, Malerkotla and Sunam had also held meetings and condemned Mr Kanjla's behaviour. In August this year Mr
Kanjla was involved in another incident when he allegedly
insulted and abused a clerk and handed him his transfer
orders after calling him to the circuit house in Sangrur.
The ministerial staff at Sangrur went on strike for four
days following the incident, after which a compromise was
affected. |
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Model Town cries for basic
facilities PATIALA, Oct 3 — Model Town, locality of the city is without basic amenities. Situated on the north-western side of the city, this locality once had wide roads, clean parks and planned demarcation of plots but now the area gives ugly look as roads have developed potholes. Rain water blocks, sewerage fill up roads with water which also enters houses in low-lying areas. Due to encroachments roads are also shrinking". Highlighting this state of affairs of the locality Mr Gulzar Singh Khaira, president, Model Town Residents Association in a statement said that no development had taken place in the colony for the past two years. He also alleged that only water tank that provides water supply to the colony was not functioning properly. For this residents were suffering from shortage of water. He also adds that sewerage and drainage systems had collapsed and the municipal officials were ignoring plight of the residents. The statement added that the association brought deteriorating condition of the area to the notice of the municipality and the elected representatives but nothing tangible has been done in the matter. The statement demanded
that all roads of the Model Town should be repaired and
recarpeted. The water tank should be repaired and the
blocked sewerage pipes dechoked. |
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CM
urged to ban People's Commission AMRITSAR, Oct 3 — The BJP MLA, Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, has urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to ban the "trials" being held by the People's Commission. In a press statement,
issued here yesterday, Mrs Chawla said she would oppose
the People's Commission which was proposed to hold its
"court" at Ludhiana on October 23. She said if
the government failed to ban the People's Commission by
October 23, she would lead a procession against holding
of the "court". She asked the Chief Minister to
give reasons for not requesting the Governor to ban the
"court" proposed to be held at Ludhiana. |
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BSP
to contest Adampur seat JALANDHAR, Oct 3 — Mr C.D. Kamboj, state president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) said here today that his party would contest the Adampur byelection and a five-name list has been sent to the party high command. Mr Kamboj said that his
party would not support a Congress candidate but was open
for the Congress support to its candidate. He also denied
that a meeting had taken place between Mr Kanshi Ram and
Mr Jagmit Brar to discuss alliance between the two
parties but he admitted that Mr Amarinder Singh has met
Mr Kanshi Ram. |
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SAD
(A) to field candidate JALANDHAR, Oct 3 — Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president, SAD (Amritsar) said here today that his party will contest the Adampur byelections and emerge as an alternative to the Akali Dal (Badal) in the state. On a three-day assessment tour of the constituency, Mr Mann held public meetings in various villages and alleged that the only two achievements of the SAD in the last 19 months were a ministerial berth for Sukhbir Singh Badal and two extensions to police chief, Mr P.C. Dogra. Doubting the sincerity of
the statement of the Chief Minister regarding breaking
away from its alliance partner if Udham Singh Nagar was
included in the proposed state of Uttaranchal, he said so
far it has been all double-speak by the Chief Minister to
remain in power. |
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Stored
foodgrains "unfit for humans" MOGA, Oct 3 — Foodgrains valued at more than Rs 200 crore procured by government agencies lying in godowns and in the open in various towns all over Punjab for the past several years were either damaged or at present rotting for want of storage godowns while people in Rajasthan were suffering not only from an acute shortage of foodgrains but also from hunger. Former state president of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Mr Kuldip Singh Sandhu and president Punjab Mahila Congress Mrs Malti Thapar said here yesterday what was the use of several hundred crores of rupees foodgrains lying in godowns of government procuring agencies in Punjab when a large number of persons from Rajasthan were suffering from food shortage. According to reports in several areas in Rajashtan people were starving the government there had declared as scarcity hit areas. They added that these foodgrains were stored by the agencies to earn profit. They said that apart from
wheat even rice worth crores of rupees at present was
rotting in the godowns which rendered unfit for human
consumption and no effort was made to save it from
damaging. They have demanded an inquiry into it and
action against the officials of those government agencies
who were responsible for this loss. |
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Rehabilitation
centre
to cost 60 lakh BATHINDA, Oct 3 — The district administration has sent the blueprint of a composite rehabilitation centre to be set up here to the Central Government and the construction work on the deaf and dumb children's school will start in next 15 days. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Ladhar said this here today. The District Red Cross Society would spent Rs 6 crore in the current financial year on welfare projects. He said the scheme of the composite rehabilitation centre — first of its kind in Punjab – to be built at the cost of Rs 60 lakh had been sent to the Central Government. The project would be built with the aid of Central Government. Chief Minister had also given sanction of building a old-age home at the cost of Rs 12 lakh. The home would have capacity of 25 inmates. He said that in the deaf and dumb children's school, 400 deaf and dumb and 150 blind children would be given training in different vocations and imparted education up to 10th class according to the syllabi of the Punjab School Education Board. He also inaugurated a eye
check up camp at Chak Fateh Singhwala village in which
500 patients were examined and 60 were identified for
necessary operation. The patients were given medicines
free of cost. |
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Danewalia
seeks probe CHANDIGARH, Oct 3 — Former Punjab police chief and president of a fledging Punjabi Party, Mr Bhagwan Singh Danewalia, today urged the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to order a vigilance enquiry into the huge fund collection by Sikh high priests. Mr Danewalia's argument
was simple. The SGPC had been set up under a central Act
of 1925 and hence all its employees, priests and office
bearers of the SGPC were public servants. Both the
Central and State Governments had powers to check their
amassing of wealth. Priests could not collect money and
pocket it, neither in India nor abroad. Like other public
servants, ministers and officers could not collect funds
and then pocket these. The priests had been misusing
their positions for too long, he wrote to Mr Badal. |
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BJP
chief's fast from October 6 BATALA, Oct 3 — The Bharatiya Janata Party district chief, Mr Uma Shankar, will sit on indefinite fast from October 6 in front of Towh Hall here, according to Mr Rattan Lal Mahajan, a spokesperson and BJP general secretary Shakti Sharma. Main demands of the party
are controlling conduct of private staff of octroi
contractors all disputes pertaining to octroi be decided
by Executive Officer of the Municipal Council. Movement
of 150 armed private staff of octroi contractors in the
town be stopped forthwith. |
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