Monday, October 19, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, October 19, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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SAD-BJP to
meet on Nov 1 Department
violating HC orders: workers
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 Left plea to Cong on common candidate CHANDIGARH, Oct 18 — The two Left parties have urged the Congress and the BSP to put up a common candidate from the Adampur Assembly seat. Builder
held in land-grab case |
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Resentment
over poor LPG supply Farm
technocrats seek better deal PM's
Punjab visit may be delayed Farmers
held for attacking official Negligence
behind NFL compressor burst Dark
Divali for region's farmers Gamblers
have a field day Debt
drives another farmer to suicide Corruption
case withdrawn Kin
of slain policemen get Divali gifts |
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SAD-BJP meeting on Nov 1 NEW DELHI, Oct 18 — The Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party are to meet here on November 1 to finalise seat sharing for the forthcoming assembly poll, the party general secretary, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, said here today. Mr Chandumajra, MP from Patiala, said the SAD-BJP alliance would be for the states of Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. A day before the November 1 meeting, the SAD committee comprising the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, MPs Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder and Mr Chandumajra, and two members of the Delhi SAD unit, Mr Avtar Singh Hit and Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, will meet here in Punjab Bhavan for the purpose. The Dal had recently set up an ad hoc committee under the presidentship of Mr Hit to find out the assembly segments where SAD can field candidates in Delhi. The committee included Mr Sarna, who initially resented the manner in which it was formed but later relented, Mr Chandumajra said. According to party sources, SAD hopes to field candidates in nearly 10 of the 70 constituencies where it claims it has considerable influence. The issue which remains to be tackled is the symbol under which the all alliance partners will contest since the BJP prefers to have candidates contest on its symbol. Meanwhile, Mr Chandumajra left here early this morning for New York as part of the Indian parliamentary delegation to take part in the UN General Assembly. Mr Chandumajra said it was rare honour for SAD since an Akali leader would address the UN General Assembly. Prior to its departure, the delegation met the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to discuss with him the issues to be taken up at the UN. Mr Chandumajra said the issues included India's nuclear policy, human rights and economic matters. The delegation is expected
to return to India on October 30, he said. |
Department violating HC orders:
workers GURDASPUR, Oct 18 — Daily wage employees of the Gurdaspur Public Health Division are angry at the decision of the executive engineer not to pay them salaries on par with regular employees on the equal work equal pay basis granted them by the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 18, 1996. As many as 973 daily-wage workers of the Department of Public Health had filed a writ on April 26, 1995 demanding pay parity. Official sources said that the department implemented the decision in June 1996. Later, the department filed a petition in 1998 in the Supreme Court demanding rescinding of the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and requesting a stay on payment of ‘on par’ salaries to daily wagers. But the Supreme Court refused to stay the order. Official sources said that the scales of daily wage employees of the Punjab Health Department were revised in 1998 along with regular employees. Of five divisions of the Punjab Health Department under Gurdaspur circle the daily wage employees of three divisions are getting revised pay scales on par with regular employees while daily wage employees of 2 two divisions, namely Gurdaspur (RWS) Public Health are being refused salary according to the revised pay scales for September 1998. Daily wage employees of Pathankot division have launched contempt proceedings against the executive engineer in the high court from where they have been granted a stay. Mr Gurcharan Singh Kahlon,
press secretary, daily wage employees association said
that daily wage employees of Gurdaspur division will
organise a dharna on October 22, if their demand for pay
parity was not implemented. He also threatened filing
contempt proceeding against the executive engineers, in
the Punjab and Haryana High Court for non-implementation
of the decision. |
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Adampur bypoll CHANDIGARH, Oct 18 — The two Left parties have urged the Congress and the BSP to put up a common candidate from the Adampur Assembly seat. This is a political necessity for the Opposition parties and these must come together, Left leaders said here today. The CPM State Secretary, Mr Balwant Singh, and the CPI State Secretary, Dr Joginder Dayal, who met here twice, appealed to the President of the Punjab Congress Capt Amarinder Singh, and the BSP President, Col CSKamboj, to put up a common candidate and he or she should contest without any particular symbol. If there was no agreement on the question of the symbol, there should be only one candidate, the leaders here told TNS. The assessment of the Left leaders was that a common candidate could easily defeat the Akali-BJP candidate. They felt that the Akali choice was not a very good one and that the candidate did not enjoy popular support. Both Mr Balwant Singh and Dr Dayal said the leaders of the four parties should sit down and think of a common candidate and a common election strategy. "The present record of the Akali-BJP government is not rosy at all. Rising prices, unemployment and the government's failure to adhere to any commitment offer an opportunity and it should not be lost", they said. But the Left leaders had apprehensions about the BSP. It seemed that party had already decided to field its candidate. This would only help the Akali candidate. The Congress party whose candidate was runner-up last time, claimed that this seat should be left for its candidate. Left leaders wished to avoid any division of Opposition votes and by winning this seat they could take the battle against the present government a step further. The Akalis were mainly banking on the division of the Opposition votes. In case, the BSP did not fall in line, the Left in all probability would support the Congress party. The Akali Dal led by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann had already announced its candidate from the Adampur seat. The Left leaders also assessed that the Mann Dal candidate would eat away a good chunk of the Akali votes. The Adampur byelection is
to take place on November 25. |
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Akali Dal (Democratic) announces nominee JALANDHAR, Oct 18 (UNI) — The Akali Dal (Democratic) today announced Mr Jiwan Singh as its candidate for the Adampur assembly byelection scheduled for November 25. Party President Kuldip Singh Wadala told newsmen here that his party, which was part of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha, would try to project Mr Jiwan Singh as candidate of the "third front" by seeking the support of the Left parties and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). "Our endeavour is to defeat both the Akali-BJP combine and the Congress because the combine is harmful to the nation and the state,’’ he said adding that the Congress was the "root cause of all troubles being faced by the nation now". Mr Wadala also sought the cooperation of the Akali Dal (Amritsar), claiming that "we have the largest base among Panthic organisations in the constituency’’. The Akali Dal (Amritsar) has announced the candidature of Mr Anup Singh Minhas and party president Simranjit Singh Mann has already toured the constituency twice canvassing for Mr Minhas. The ruling Akali Dal has fielded Mr Dalbir Singh Dhirowal as its nominee and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has already visited the constituency three times so far after the declaration. The Congress has sent the names of Mr Kamaljit Singh Lalli and Dr Harbhajan Singh to the party high command to select the nominee from among the two top contenders. Although the BSP has not
yet formally announced its candidate, state party
president CD Singh Kambhoj has informally launched a
campaign for Mrs Vidwant Kaur, who defected from the
Congress and joined his fold on October 3.
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Congress: declare Punjab
disaster-hit PATIALA, Oct 18 — Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh today called for declaring Punjab a disaster-struck area in view of the massive damage to the paddy crop in the state due to unseasonal rain. Addressing a Press conference here, Capt Amarinder Singh said funds should be released from the Centre as in the case of disaster-struck states. Compensation should be given to farmers for standing crops destroyed as well as those damaged in various mandis, adding that the services of Agriculture Department officials could be used in special girdawri operations. The PPCC president said the state government should also take measures to ensure farmers got remunerative prices for their produce by contributing some money from its own resources as nowhere in Punjab was any farmer getting support prices for his harvest. Capt Amarinder Singh also called for a moratorium on agricultural loans for two years keeping in view the damage to this year as well as last year's paddy crop. He said the government should allow farmers to take future credit in order to tide over the present difficult time. Capt Amarinder Singh, who planned to tour various mandis, said the Congress did not want to play politics at such a juncture and believed that collective support should be given to the Punjab farmer. Capt Amarinder Singh said the Congress had formed a special committee to be headed by its vice-president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, which would prepare a complete report on the extent of damage as well as suggest corrective measures. The other two members of the panel were Mr Balbir Singh from the Doaba region and Master Jagir Singh from the Majha region. All district committee presidents had been asked to submit reports to the committee. Speaking about the visit of Congress President Sonia Gandhi to Amritsar, the PPCC president said the decision on the date of the visit had been left to the All-India Congress Committee. Mrs Gandhi, during her visit to Jallianwala Bagh in her capacity as chairman of the trust, would also visit the Golden Temple besides meeting suicide victims' families. He said Mrs Gandhi was coming to the Golden Temple as a simple devotee and had no wish to receive a siropa from SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who was needlessly raking up a controversy by saying the SGPC would not give a siropa to Mrs Gandhi. Meanwhile, Congress
general secretary Birdevinder Singh has appealed to the
people of the state to observe a subdued Divali out of
the respect for the farmers who had been severely hit by
the unseasonal rain. He urged the people to donate
liberally to help the Punjab farmer tide over the crisis. |
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Builder held in land-grab case JALANDHAR, Oct 18 (UNI) — A prominent real estate businessman Charanjit Singh Channi has been arrested along with four others, while a police sub-inspector has been suspended in connection with a controversial 84-acre land deal near here. The action comes in the wake of an ongoing inquiry by Jalandhar police range dig Suresh Arora into the alleged grabbing of a piece of land in the outskirts of the city. The Sub-Inspector placed under suspension is Harjinder Singh. The probe was ordered by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on September 27 following a press report that a "land mafia" allegedly patronised by some senior police officers and politicians was trying to usurp the plot by forcibly evicting farmers' who had been tilling it for the past several decades. Senior Superintendent of Police Paramjit Singh Gill, when contacted today, told UNI that Charanjit Singh Channi, who is chairman of CT Builders and Developers, was nabbed yesterday along with one Karnail Singh Dhillon, his brother Baj Singh, Balwinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh. Efforts were being made to book the remaining 14 persons named in the first information report registered at the Sadar police station on October 15. The FIR was registered on a complaint by one Kewal Singh, a cultivator in the controversial plot, who was allegedly evicted on June 15 this year from the land worth more than Rs 30 crore at the present market rate. Mr Gill said City Superintendent of Police Satish Kumar Asthana has been handed over the case for investigation. "We will go deep into the case and will not spare any one arraigned during the investigation,’’ he added. The SSP said the police was trying to seize weapons which were allegedly used in scaring the cultivators. He said Sub-Inspector Harjinder Singh, who was station head officer (SHO) of Sadar police station on June 15, when the alleged incident took place, has been suspended because he did not take necessary and proper action. The land is located at Fazalpur village on the city's outskirts close to the Regional Engineering College and falls under the jurisdiction of Sadar police station. Harjinder Singh was SHO of Kartarpur police station when suspended, the SSP added. Complainant Kewal Singh alleged that about 200 to 250 persons swooped down on the land in jeeps, cars, 15 to 16 tractors, one truck and two buses on the afternoon on June 15. He further claimed that 19 of the intruders were armed. They started firing with an intention to kill. I and my brother Karnail Singh, who were then sitting near a tubewell, got scared and fled to save our lives," he said. Kewal Singh, resident of Liddran village, situated next to Fazalpur village, further said that men on tractors then started harvesting the standing sugarcane and bajra crops. The SSP said the police
were making efforts to recover the remaining arms
allegedly used by the accused on June 15. |
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Resentment over poor LPG supply FATEHGARH SAHIB: It has a Herculean task for the residents of Sirhind and Fatehgarh Sahib to get proper supply of gas ever since Punsup took over distribution work. Usually it takes from three to seven days to get a refill after standing in a long queue, at times from 6 a.m. Long queues and occasional blockades of traffic have become routine. When this correspondent visited the site, hundreds of men and women were raising slogans against Punsup. They also blocked traffic for some time. Talking to The Tribune, they recounted their tale of woe in getting proper supplies since Punsup has assumed the charge of supplying gas, they bemoaned their plight and wished that the agencies be given to private parties, who worked efficiently. They said the public wanted prompt supplies, no matter who ran the agency and pointed out that repeated complaints to Bharat Petroleum, district administration and Punsup officials had fallen on deaf ears. It is worthwhile to note that Sirhind and Fatehgarh Sahib have separated gas agencies of Bharat Petroleum earlier reserved for special groups. When these agencies were run by private parties it was easy to get cooking gas, connections and refill cylinders. But about six months ago on the basis of some complaint the district administration raided the gas agencies and sealed them on the ground that the general category parties were running them. Soon after the gas, agency of Fatehgarh Sahib was terminated all allotted to Punsup and later the gas agency of Sirhind was also transferred to Punsup. Now both the agencies are being handled by Punsup. People hoped that Punsup would deliver the goods to their satisfaction as the Punsup chairman belongs to Sirhind, but Punsup has failed to run it efficiently. It is alleged that they are being over-charged for a refilled cylinder. They have to wait for days to stand in long queues first to book a cylinder, then to get the receipt and refill. The offices of Punsup, from where gas receipts are issued, become crowded early in the morning. Queues started forming as early as 6 a.m. Women outnumber men in this arduous job. They allege that they have been visiting the agency for the past three days regularly and keep standing in queues till late evening only to be told to come the next day. Sometimes they have to send their children to school without breakfast and lunch, as they do not get enough kerosene from ration depots because the government has banned the sale of kerosene to those having gas connections. Rickshawpullers and rehriwalas are doing roaring business by charging from Rs 50 to 100 extra per cylinder for delivering at the residence. The people allege that they are hand in glove with the Punsup employees and they share the "booty". Dr Raghbir Suri, general secretary of the district BJP unit has alleged that Punsup has badly failed to distribute cooking gas and thus adding to the miseries of the public. He revealed that said the party district unit had passed a resolution in this regard and would apprise the high command about the problem. He demanded that gas agencies should be restored to their owners, so that supply could be improved. When contacted Punsup
officials said they were not getting normal supplies from
the plant. Non-availability of godowns was a major
problem hence gas cylinders could not be stored. They
expressed satisfaction over distribution work and hoped
the situation would improve soon. |
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Farm technocrats seek better deal GURDASPUR, Oct 18 — The district unit of the Agriculture Technocrats Action Committee and various farmers' organisations participated in a rally here yesterday to highlight the problems of farmers and the "apathetic" attitude of the government towards the technocrats demands. Among those who addressed the rally were Dr Satnam Singh, general secretary of the committee, Mr M S Chahal, district convener and Mr Gurbachan Singh Bajwa, general secretary of the Punjab unit of the BKU (Mann). Dr Satnam Singh criticised the government of breaking the parity between Agriculture technocrats and veterinarians. He demanded the restoration of the parity between Agriculture, Horticulture Animal Husbandry and soil conservation technocrats and veterinarians. He also sought, among other things, academic allowance and the free residence facility. He said farmers' interests were being "ignored" in the state. Farmers, after bringing their produce to the market, had to wait for days together to get payments. He demanded remunerative prices for agriculture produce and provision of fertilisers and farm machinery at low prices. Mr Bajwa criticised the
government for the failure of the procurement agencies to
purchase paddy. He charged that the government, in
connivance with traders, rice millers and arhtiyas, was
forcing farmers to sell their produce at low rates. |
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SAD unhappy with ‘saffron’
education agenda AMRITSAR, Oct 18 — The Supreme Court of India has already defined 'Hindutva' as a way of life and not as a religion. In the light of this decision, the experts recommended that India's invaluable heritage of the Vedas and upanishads should find due place in the curriculum from primary to the higher level courses, including the vocational courses. This controversial annexure on the agenda of the high-level meeting of state education ministers proposed to be held on October 22 and 23, followed by a state education secretaries meeting on October 24 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi is likely to be inaugurated by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, has become the subject of heated debate. The agenda, along with the annexure, was sent to education ministers and education secretaries of all the states by Mr Champak Chatterji, Joint Secretary (Planning), Government of India. Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, senior leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Minister of Higher Education, who is to attend the meeting, talking to TNS said that he was in favour of teaching religion in schools but would oppose the move of the BJP-led coalition to emphasise a particular religion in the curricula. He said he had been a critic of the Congress for negating religion in the name of secularism, especially in educational institutions. However, all religions should be given due importance while framing curricula. The annexure further reads that curricula from the primary to the highest education should be Indianised, nationalised and spiritualised at all levels of education and in all courses, even in vocational courses and essentials of Indian culture be introduced from between ten per cent to 25 per cent. Among other points the
proposed conference will also discuss plans for providing
free education for girls upto the college level,
including professional courses formulating and
implementing plans to increase governmental and
non-governmental spending on education upto six per cent
of the GDP with a view to providing education for all. |
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Farmers held for attacking
official BATHINDA, Oct 18 — Charanjit Singh and Devinder Singh, both farmers of Tungawali village were arrested today for assaulting Food Corporation of India (FCI) Inspector Ashwani Kumar three days ago. Both these farmers assaulted Mr Ashwani Kumar when the latter refused to buy their paddy as it was badly the affected by rains and did not meet specifications. Official sources said that following the attack on Ahwani Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Ladhar ordered a probe into the incident. Mr Amrik Singh, DSP, who conducted the probe found Charanjit Singh and Devinder Singh guilty of attacking Ashwani Kumar. The district administration has also suspended the licence of a commission agent of Bhucho Mandi who instigated Charanjit Singh and Devinder Singh. A case under Sections 353, 341, 186, 332, and 34 of IPC had been registered against both the accused. Meanwhile, State Food and Supply Minister, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, while talking to newsmen here today claimed that about 1.50 lakh bags of paddy had been procured by the government agencies today from various purchase centres of the district. He said no trader would be allowed to loot paddy growers. He claimed that paddy growers had even sold their produce at Rs 495 per quintal, which was Rs 25 more than the Rs 470 support price. He said 1.22 lakh tonnes of paddy had been procured in Bathinda district. Of it private traders had procured 24,000 mt. He said Chief Minister,
Parkash Singh Badal would meet Prime Minister, Mr Atal
Behari Vajpayee on October 20 for getting procurement
specification for paddy relaxed in the wake of untimely
rains. |
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PM's Punjab visit may be delayed BATHINDA, Oct 18 — Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to Raman town of the district for laying the foundation stone of an oil refinery on October 31 is likely to be delayed by a week. Unconfirmed sources said that the visit would be delayed for two reasons. First, the union Petroleum Minister would be abroad on October 31. Second, there were apprehensions that there would be poor turn out at the function as the farmers of Punjab were in crisis due to the widespread damage to their paddy and cotton crop by unseasonal rain. Meanwhile, the district administration is going ahead with arrangements for Mr Vajpayee's visit on October 31. An additional director general of police has surveyed the area and been made in charge of security arrangements for the visit. Mr S R Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, had constituted 16 committees for making different arrangements in connection with the Prime Minister's visit. The roads leading to the site of refinery from Raman town are being widened and three helipads being laid down for the helicopter of the PM. Official sources said that
a Rs 16,000 crore oil refinery was being installed by
HPCL and the Punjab Government. however, the equity
pattern between the two partners is yet to be decided. |
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Negligence behind NFL compressor
burst BATHINDA, Oct 18 — The bursting of a cube compressor of the National Fertilisers Limited plant on October 14 here could have been averted had the management given permission to the plant engineers to rectify the fault last month. Reliable sources said that the carbondioxide gas leakage from the compressor was detected on September 15 by plant engineers and the plant was closed for a day on September 18 to rectify the fault which could not be done. The plant engineers again sought permission from the NFL management to close it for a day again to rectify the fault, but the permission was denied on the ground that a large stock of ammonia would go waste if the plant was closed. Sources said that the engineers, who were fearing some untoward incident, detected that lubricant oil was going inside the compressor. The lubricant choked the filter and it became a big problem. The plant engineers, the sources said, decided to shut down the plant for the necessary repairs from October 14. However, they were again denied permission. On the night of October 14, the compressor bursted and caused a loss of Rs 3 crore to the NFL. The sources said moving spares of the compressor were available with the local engineers and for the repair of stationary parts, foreign suppliers would have to be contacted. It would take more than a month to put the plant back in operation. Official sources said the
plant was suffering a daily production loss of Rs 50
lakh. |
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Dark Divali for region's farmers BATHINDA, Oct 18 — The festival of lights, Divali, seems to have turned dark with given the untimely and heavy rain. Even while Divali will be celebrated tomorrow throughout the country, with people lighting up their houses, the farmers of Punjab, either out sitting in grain markets to sell their paddy produce or making efforts in the field to save their rain-damaged harvest flattened by strong winds will have little time for either lights or celebration. Already deep in debt and given the absence of buyers for their paddy even before the rains began most farmers are finding it difficult to raise fresh credit for celebrating the 'festival of lights' with all the rituals associated with it. For small and marginal farmers, even the syrupy golden 'jalebis' that are the staple of the poor now seem out of reach due to the severe financial crunch. Balwant Singh, a farmer of Bathinda says that he has no money for buying sweets and crackers for his children. He adds that as his paddy crop is still lying unsold in the market he cannot spend a penny this season. Even the commission agent is not coming forward to lend him money for celebrating Divali. Natha Singh, another farmer of Mansa, talking to TNS said that he and other farmers of the district will celebrate Divali in the grain market out under the open sky. He said it was a dark Divali for the farmers, the first in his lifetime. For businessmen too the Divali is not so 'illuminative' this season with few buyers for their goods due to the economic slowdown. During a round of various markets of this district and the surrounding areas halwai shops were found almost deserted. Earlier, they would sell their entire stock of sweets a day before Divali each year. "Most of us invested hefty sums preparing different sweets in large quantities. But with the traditional buyers absent from the market this season, the sweets will turn sour for us", says a leading halwai of this city pleading anonymity. Firecracker dealers too are finding it difficult to sell with sales not picking even though just one day is left before Divali. The clouds have also
played havoc with displays as shopkeepers can't put goods
out on the roadside. |
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Gamblers have a field day BATALA, Oct 18 — Gambling is at its peak in the industrial town of Batala these days with the police closing its eyes to the phenomenon. Senior officials claim that everything is 'normal' and anti-social elements are under control. However, one gambler told this correspondent here today that in the Batala Club gamblers play openly as its president is the resident subdivisional magistrate rendering it difficult for the Batala police to raid the club as it must first get permission from the SDM. This allows the gamblers, who learn of the raid. to stop play. Gambling in the club is played with 'rummy' counters which can be bought from the cash counter of the club. Other gambling addas are on GT Road (Amritsar side) Chakri Bazar Milan Mohalla, Thathiari Mohalla, Sarafan Bazar and Murgi Mohalla. Even some local restaurant
freely serve hard drink to their customers and allow them
to gamble without any fear of police raids. |
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Debt drives another farmer to suicide SIRIAWALA (Bathinda), Oct 18 — Balwinder Singh, a young farmer of this village committed suicide when he failed to repay his debt to a commission agent due to the failure of his paddy crop. Family sources said that Balwinder who had an accumulated debt of about Rs 6 lakh, ended his life on October 14 on finding himself unable to repay a loan taken from a commission agent of Jaitu mandi for constructing a house. Balwinder Singh, who had even tried to double his money with the help of a ‘conman’ frequenting the area finally tried to sell a piece of agriculture land to generate money for settling his debt. However, his family members did not approve of his action and he was not allowed to undertake the sale. Family sources said that after selling his paddy crop at throwaway prices, Balwinder Singh committed suicide on the morning of October 14. This is the third suicide
in this district in the past three months. Earlier, a
cotton grower of Gill Khurd, and a paddy grower of Nat
Bhagar village of this district ended their life by
consuming poison after they failed to repay their
respective debts. |
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Corruption case withdrawn JALANDHAR, Oct 18 (UNI) — A corruption case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation against a former income tax inspector here has been cancelled by a CBI court Special Judge ML Malhotra on the request of the premier probing agency, which failed to prove the case. The court order on October 7 a copy of which was made available to UNI by the accused, MML Verma,t oday said the CBI could not prove the case of disproportionate assets registered against with him on January 5, 1996. The court, after examination of the case file and final report submitted by the CBI for the cancellation of the case against Mr Verma, agreed with the CBI findings which failed to prove the allegations and ordered cancellation of the case. Mr Verma pleaded his own case, while Mr Mohammed Shakeel was the public prosecutor for the CBI. FLAYED: The Punjab University Teachers' Association has flayed the union government for the delay in the notification of the pay scales which were amended at meeting with the Home Minister was held after the month-long nationwide strike. Dr M Rajivlochan, secretary of the organisation, said it was unfortunate that varsity teachers in Punjab had not been paid salaries for the period they were on strike. At the meeting it was decided that the teachers would not be penalised for the period of strike. He criticised the increasing "bureaucratic interference" in academic affairs, which he said would be harmful to the system in the long run. A dharna will be organised
for two hours on October 22, he added.
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Kin of
slain policemen get Divali gifts LUDHIANA, Oct 18 — For the past 18 months militants in the state have been seeking aid from foreign countries for the revival of militancy in Punjab. However the Punjab police has been successful in curbing militancy and a large number of arms and ammunition has been recovered from some of the arrested militants. This was stated by the Director General of police, Mr P.C. Dogra, while lauding the role of the Punjab police at a function organised to give Divali gifts to families of those policemen who died while fighting militancy. Around 193 families of policemen from the four police districts of Ludhiana, Moga, Jagraon and Ropar, falling under the Ludhiana police range, were given gifts. Addressing the function, DGP Dogra said the sacrifice made by these policemen would always be remembered. "It is because they laid down their lives that we could defeat terrorism in Punjab", he said. The DGP pointed out that although the policemen had helped fight militancy they were now facing trials for human rights violation. He said senior officers of the level of SSP, DIG and IG would defend the policemen facing trials in court. Dr GS Aujla, IG Zonal, Mr
PS Sandhu, DIG Ludhiana, and Mr Dinkar Gupta, SSP,
Ludhiana also spoke. |
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