Wednesday, September 16, 1998
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Wednesday, September 16, 1998 |
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 Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, chief of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic), addresses a rally on Tuesday at Chandigarh's Housing Board roundabout in Sector 17— A Tribune photograph by Manoj Mahajan  CBI files 'status' report CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — The CBI today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Mr Bikramjit Singh, a senior Punjab cadre IAS officer, amassed assets to the tune of Rs 1.35 crore between 1985 and 1997 which were disproportionate to his known sources of income. Tackling Punjab’s ‘sick’ soil CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — It is time Punjab pays attention to soil health. The state soil is "sick". Its deteriorating health and degradation has become a cause of concern and worry. Dal (Democratic), RLM enter into pact JALANDHAR, Sept 15 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) president, Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala, said today that his party would contest the Adampur byelection, with consultation with its new alliance partner, The Rashriya Lok Tantrik Morcha. Undo injustice to widow, Dang pleads with CM AMRITSAR, Sept 15 — Veteran Communist leader Satya Pal Dang has sought the urgent intervention of the CM to undo the injustice done to the widow of Pardeep Kumar. |
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 VC
criticised for 'inaction' CRRID
submits report BSP
to fight against
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Aagman
Purab function begins Mysterious
disease hits paddy crop Pensioners
want ADA before festival season PCCTU
plea to HRD ministry Screening
test for doctors stayed Manjit
Singh 'must help' to transfer council account Ministerial
staff observe strike Date
for filing returns extended Punjab
concedes teachers’ demand |
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CBI files 'status' report CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — The CBI today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Mr Bikramjit Singh, a senior Punjab cadre IAS officer, amassed assets to the tune of Rs 1.35 crore between 1985 and 1997 which were disproportionate to his known sources of income. Filing its "status" report before a Division Bench consisting of Mr Justice J.L. Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Aggarwal, CBI officials revealed to the court that the income of Mr Bikramjit Singh during this period was Rs 46 lakh, while his expenditure during this period was of Rs 77 lakh. The CBI had filed the status report before the Judges pursuant to the directions earlier issued by the high court. These directions were issued when counsel for Mr V.K. Khanna, a former Chief Secretary of the state, had brought to the notice of the court that although more than a year had gone by the CBI had not completed investigation into the two cases that were entrusted to it. Speaking for the Bench Mr Justice Gupta asked counsel for the state: "What is the charge against Mr Khanna (who had entrusted the investigation of the case to the CBI)?" Mr Justice Gupta also asked counsel for the state: "How can Mr Khanna be said to have acted in a mala fide manner." The reply of the state counsel to these questions was: "Mr Khanna did not follow the procedure prescribed for entrusting cases to the CBI". He also told the Bench that the government intended to file a special leave petition against the order of the high court staying the enquiry ordered against Mr Khanna. The enquiry was entrusted to Mr Justice K.S. Tiwana. The Judges adjourned the case to October 6. It may be recalled that Mr
Khanna, as Chief Secretary of the state, had referred two
cases to the CBI before the installation of the Akali
Dal-BJP coalition government in the state. While one case
pertained to the amassing of disproportionate assets by
Mr Bikramjit Singh, and the other was about the allotment
of prime land to the Punjab Cricket Association and the
release of funds by certain institutions and
corporations. |
VC criticised for 'inaction' PATIALA, Sept 15 — Various academicians, including a former Dean, heads of college teachers unions and a Senator, have criticised Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Joginder Singh Puar, for not taking any action against two Deans of the university who sanctioned and inspected two vocational colleges being set up by societies in which their wards are members. Former Dean, Dr Amarjit Singh Dhillon said the VC had said enough against the functioning of the two Deans — Dr Balkar Singh (Dean, Colleges) and Dr B.S. Bhatia (Dean, Academic Affairs) — by admitting they were at fault for inspecting the two colleges in which their sons play an important role, while he was abroad. While saying that this condemnation was enough for a academician, Dr Dhillon added that action was not being taken against the Deans due to political considerations. He went on to allege that the university had become a cell of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and that the good work done by the VC earlier was being negated. University Senator Birdevinder Singh has called for a high-level inquiry into the matter. He said he along with other Senators were waiting for action on a submission made to university Chancellor and state Governor, Lt-Gen B.K.N. Chhibber. He said if no action was taken in the matter, he along with other Senators would call a meeting of the university syndicate to discuss the matter. Mr Birdevinder Singh said another fact which was being ignored was that it was for the first time that the university had bypassed established colleges to give permission to "shops" to open vocational courses in computer science. He said UGC norms had been violated in the process as the two colleges did not have a building of their own or proper class rooms, grounds or staff. The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union member, Prof Nirdokh Singh Chahal, said it was unfortunate that no action had been taken against the two Deans while the VC had taken strict action even in the case of minor irregularities found in marking of question papers by debarring 28 teachers from examination work and imposing arbitrary fines. He said this smacked of hypocrisy as glaring lapses done by the two Deans were being overlooked. The Punjab Government
College Teachers Union president, Dr P.S. Bhatti, said
rules should be same for everybody. |
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CRRID submits report on block
planning CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — The Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) today submitted two reports on block planning for Lambi and Faridkot to the Chief Secretary, Punjab, Mr R.S. Mann. The study comprises 10 chapters on agriculture, infrastructure, industry, employment education, health, poverty alleviation and decentralised planning. An "Action plan" and suggestions on "innovative strategies" were also submitted along with the reports. The study has indicated that successive failures of cotton crop are leading to financial stress, which is said to be a contributing factor in farmers committing suicide. Problems of soil salinity, rising water table, stagnating productivity and failure of exports in developing area-specific seed technology for the existing crops as well as alternative crops and non-availability of unadulterated fertilisers, pesticides, weedicides, find mention in the report. Need for a suitable mechanism to ensure that university recommended seeds, fertilisers and pesticides were made available to the farmers and recommendations were followed by the farmers has been stressed. The study has found that in Lambi block there is a significant percentage of landholdings which are less than two hectares. There is great need for making such holdings economically viable. For this apart from increasing productivity from the land, there is vast scope and need for motivating and training such farmers to adopt income generating schemes in areas allied to agriculture like, dairy farming, poultry etc. Another significant percentage of farmers in the block are having landholdings which are of 10 hectares and above. Such farmers need to be motivated to invest their own savings and loans from commercial banks (thereby reversing adverse credit deposit ratio) for value addition to the existing crops and for setting up agro-processing units. The declared objectives of the government to provide "save" drinking water for all by 2000 A.D. appears to be a "distant dream" as the data indicate that only 11 per cent of the households in Faridkot block and 31 per cent in Lambi block get "safe" drinking water as against the claim of 100 per cent. The problems of poverty, low literacy, poor enrolment, high dropout rates, poor quality education, non-vocationalisation of education, poor and inadequate technical education, poor infrastructure and non-reach of existing schemes for quality improvement of health infrastructure have been indicated and remedial measures suggested. On the functioning of the District Development and Planning Board, the study has pointed out inadequate provision of resources, non-transfer of transferable schemes and non-delegation of powers, functions and resources to panchayati raj institutions without which implementation of decentralised planning at grassroots level is not possible. According to CRRID Director, Mr Rashpal Malhotra, the study was conducted by a team led by Prof V.P. Dubey, Project Coordinator. The report is being
circulated to the departments concerned. |
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Tackling Punjab’s
‘sick’ soil CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — For sustainable agriculture the first priority has to be soil and its health. It is time Punjab pays attention to soil health. The state soil is "sick". Its deteriorating health and degradation has become a cause of concern and worry as much to the farmers as farm scientists and planners. To deliberate on the subject there was a seminar at Kisan Bhavan here today. The topic was "Degradation of land resources — protection for productivity improvement" organised by the State Department of Soil and Water Conservation and Wasteland Development Board. The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal was present. So was the Financial Commissioner (Development), Mr R.N. Gupta. The participants were scientists from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and officials representing the departments and agencies concerned with the subject and the problem. Ironically those attending the seminar were the ones who know exactly what the problems are and what possible solutions can remedy the "soil sickness". They were the ones who had mapped the Punjab soil with the help of fields surveys and remote sensing equipment and were aware of the extent of soil sickness, symptoms and seriousness of the degradation and deteriorating soil health. It was the Director of Horticulture, Mr K.S. Sandhu, who in his two-minute speech, said Punjab soil was "sick" and any discussion in the seminar must revolve around the sickness of the soil. Then, the question arises, for whom was the seminar meant? Well for an answer one did not have to look far. It came promptly and from none else than Mr Gupta himself. In his capacity as the state’s Financial Commissioner (Development), he referred to a similar seminar held at the same venue by the same set of organisers on the same theme and wondered what had happened to those elaborate and detailed "recommendations" made at the previous seminar. The major constraint, as Mr Gupta put it , was "finance". In the absence of resources all recommendations were reduced to zero. He admitted that "awareness" of the problem was there. It was also a fact that in peoples’ perception the government departments did not function. There were oasis of "good work" done in certain specific fields in pockets depending on the problems as these existed. But there was no concrete "action plan" as such; no targets; no efforts at "trial and error". The Minister, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, read out a prepared three-page speech, stressing the need for protecting and preserving land and water sources for posterity through better management and conservation. The key-note address by Dr S.D. Khepar, National Professor (Indian Council of Agricultural Reserach) at PAU, Ludhiana, projected the "real problem" of soil degradation due to several factors: salinity, alkalinity, waterlogging, seasonal flooding, low availability of nutrients, pollution of water resources on account of indiscriminate disposal of untreated industrial and sewage effluents, declining water-table, erosion etc. Dr Khepar proposed an eight-point action plan. Other scientists, like Mr
M.S. Bains, Chief Conservator of Soils, Mr H.S. Sur,
Associate Director of Research, Zonal Research Station
for Kandi Area at Ballowal-Saunkhri (Balachaur),
Nawanshahr, and Dr P.K. Sharma, Director, Punjab Remote
Sensing Centre, Ludhiana, gave an indepth account of
Punjab soil and water scenario. |
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BSP to fight against growing
atrocities JALANDHAR, Sept 15 — The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will fight against the growing atrocities, the price hike and work for the implementation of the 27 per cent reservation in the state. Addressing a press conference, Mr C.D. Kamboj said here today that party workers and leaders were being harassed. He said the lone BSP MLA of the party, Mr Shangra Singh Sanghru, was falsely implicated in a police case along with Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri, a former MLA. The government would not be allowed to arrest Mr Sanghru while 500 workers of the party would offer arrest on October 21 at Garhshanker. Speaking on the growing atrocities and police excesses, he said it was the duty and responsibility of the state government to constitute a commission to look into the case of unidentified bodies. He said the people's commission had no legal authority to summon police personnel and it was a one- sided commission. However, he said Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had promised to constitute a commission to look into all cases of human rights violations. Speaking on the party's
position in the state, he said it was no mean achievement
that their vote bank constituted 13 per cent and the
party would contest the Adampur byelection with the help
of the CPI and the CPM. |
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Dal (Democratic), RLM enter into pact JALANDHAR, Sept 15 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) president, Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala, said today that his party would contest the Adampur byelection, with consultation with its new alliance partner, The Rashriya Lok Tantrik Morcha. Mr Wadala, briefing the press announced that his party had formally joined the Rashtriya Lok Tantrik Morcha, and Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav had reassured that the long-pending problems of Punjab and the Panth would be given due recognition by his party’s programme for the states. He said the Akali Dal (Democratic) still considered Congress as number one enemy, though, he would not mind, if Mr Yadav’s morcha, became an alliance partner in forming the government at the centre. While the morcha, had also assured, the Akali Dal (Democratic) that it would oppose the merger of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal, when, the Bill is introduced in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. On the question of an alliance with the Akali Dal (Badal) he said that Mr Badal would have to withdraw his alliance with the BJP first and reaffirm his commitment to work for resolving the long-pending problems of the state and the Panth. He said the Rashtriya Lok Tantrik Morcha, will not have any political equation with Mr Parkash Singh Badal, however, if such a situation arose, Mr Wadala will be taken into confidence by Mr Yadav. The party will be holding
a state-level rally in third week of October at
Jalandhar, which will be attended by Mr Mulayam Singh
Yadav and other important leaders. |
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Health centre to be upgraded ANANDPUR SAHIB (Ropar): As part of development activities in and around this holy town in view of the 300th year celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa in April next year, the state government has decided to make the existing community health centre here as a full-fledged 100-bedded hospital. The work on the building is being done by the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) under the World Bank scheme. This project is being completed as extension and renovation of the local civil hospital. According to official information, the existing hospital has a strength of 30 beds. Thus 70 more beds would be added. The PHSC had already spent Rs 15 lakh on the existing building's renovation to enhance the utility. The renovation works include boulder pitching on the earthen slopes, grouting and repairs of terracing, plastering, glazed tiles in the corridors, repair of existing houses and roads etc. The estimated cost of the extension work has been fixed at Rs 4.60 crore which will be completed by March next year. The work of the new building was started in June this year. The new building will have a covered area of 17,000 square feet at each floor of the three-storeyed building. On the ground floor, there will be 40 beds (25 general, 10 emergency and 5 special beds) while on the first and second floor, there will be 30 beds each (five special and 25 general), according to information available at the construction site. In the extension programme, the hospital will have an administrative block-II which is under construction. Besides, a tubewell for water supply will also be installed. As per an official release, the upgraded three storeyed hospital will have the facilities for specialised services, including medicine, gynae, radiology, surgery and pathology, etc. There will be 11 OPDB, five operation theatres, two trauma wards and 11 other wards. This modern hospital fitted with generator set will also have the facilities of an electric substation, air conditioning, fire-fighting, laundry, kitchen, lift, ramp, roads and streetlights etc. It will also have 13 houses for doctors and staff. To meet emergency services, two mobile medical vans-cum-ambulances will be made available. All types of diagnostic aids for blood, urine and sputum, serum creatinine under the supervision of qualified pathologist and radiologist will be available. A blood bank will be established here under the charge of qualified blood transfusion officer. Talking to this
correspondent, Dr B.K. Goyal, Deputy Medical
Commissioner, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, Ropar
district, said the 100-bedded hospital would be upgraded
to 200 beds in a phased manner. |
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Undo injustice to widow, Dang
pleads with CM AMRITSAR, Sept 15 — Veteran Communist leader Satya Pal Dang has sought the urgent intervention of the Chief Minister to undo the injustice done to the widow of Pardeep Kumar. Mr Dang has written a letter to Mr Parkash Singh Badal, a copy of which was released to the Press here today. He has said Pardeep Kumar was appointed sevadar and later promoted as clerk. As a result of bureaucratic wranglings he continued to draw the salary of a sevadar. The CPI leader pointed out on September 8, 1994, Pardeep lost his life while on duty but his widow continued to get pension which was based on a sevadar's salary. Although, her case was referred to the district grievances committee but no decision had been taken on her plea for the past six months. Mr Dang had criticised the working of the grievances committee as the chairman of the same, who is generally a minister, does not "take matters seriously". The very idea of redressal of grievances gets defeated, he maintained. He demanded that the meeting of the grievances panel should be held regularly and the complaints should be disposed of on the spot or within a fixed time frame. The CPI leader had
appealed to the Chief Minister to take up the case of
Pardeep's widow that she was able to draw the pension
based on a clerk's salary. |
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Aagman Purab function begins FARIDKOT, Sept 15 — A nine-day function in connection with the 13th Aagman Purab of Baba Sheikh Farid began here today. A large number of people from different parts of the district reached Tilla Baba Farid to pay obeisance to the Sufi saint on the inaugural day of the celebrations. Devotees also took a dip at Holy Farid Sarovar at Gurudwara Godri Sahib, 4 kms from here. Mr Gurinder Singh Grewal, Deputy Commissioner and chairman of the celebration committee, said over 100 artistes of the Punjab Public Relations Department would feature in a six-day light and sound programme on the life of the saint at Shahid Bhagat Singh Park from tonight. A Russian troop and
aristes from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu
and Kashmir and Punjab would also present cultural
programmes from September 21, he added. |
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NFL
official seeks probe BATHINDA, Sept 15 — The seizure of some documents from the office of Mr R.C. Vashista, a senior official of the local unit of the National Fertiliser Limited (NFL), took a new turn when the official demanded a CBI probe into the matter. The documents were seized by a team of the vigilance wing on June 26 and 27. Mr Vashista has urged the General Manager of the NFL, Mr S.K. Mehta, to arrange for a CBI probe. In a letter written to Mr Mehta he alleged that the documents had been planted into his office. Mr Mehta, when contacted,
said he had not received any letter from Mr Vashista. |
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VC's
plea to farmers NAWANSHAHR, Sept 15 — Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, organised a kisan mela at the Kandi Research Centre, Bullowal Sonkherian, 25 km from here, yesterday. Addressing a large gathering of farmers, Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, stressed the need to solve the problem of the scarcity of irrigation water in the Kandi area on a priority basis. He exhorted the farmers to adopt new techniques and fertilisers. Dr Roshan Sunkaria, Deputy Commissioner, asked them to adopt dairy and poultry farming. Earlier, Dr Kalkat
inaugurated an exhibition-cum-seminar. |
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DM's
instruction to notaries LUDHIANA, Sept 15 — On a complaint received from the public regarding overcharging, non-issuance of fee receipts, non-recognition of identity cards issued by the Election Commission of India, driving licence, passports, arms licence for the purposes of identity of the persons and rates not having been displayed on the notice boards by the notaries public in Ludhiana district, a meeting of all notaries public in Ludhiana district was held under the chairmanship of Mr Arun Goel, District Magistrate, Ludhiana today. After protracted discussions, it decided that the fee fixed by the government would be displayed by each notary public and the same would be given wide publicity through the Press and the public would be exhorted to pay only the fixed fee. Each notary public would charge the fee directly from the customer and not from any mediator. Receipt of such fee charged would be issued on demand and intimation regarding overcharging by anyone would be given to the district administration. Any person having identity card issued by the Election Commission/driving licence/arms licence/passport/any other document with his photograph would not be asked to be identified by any other person and his identity would be deemed to be proved on production of such document. The notaries public were
directed to cooperate with the district administration. |
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Fire
in Ropar thermal plant ROPAR, Sept 15 — Following an explosion in generator transformer of unit No VI at Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, here the unit was shut yesterday. Mr S.P. Goyal, Chief Engineer, told this correspondent today that due to loose connections in the high tension (HT) bushing of the generator transformer, a spark occurred, and burst the HT bushing. Mr Goyal further said, transformer oil in the bushing leaked and caught fire. He said the fire was extinguished by the fire tenders of the plant. The Chief Engineer said
the plant authorities would bring back the unit in three
to four days in power generating position. However, he
added that after the repair work, unit No VI would be
closed for 30 days for overhauling. |
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Mysterious disease hits paddy crop AMRITSAR, Sept 15 — Over 42,000 hectares of the standing paddy crop in Amritsar and Gurdaspur district has been hit by mysterious disease. According to the Agriculture Department here the farmers have identified the disease as 'tundru' which was spotted first in Gurdaspur where paddy crop in over 30,000 hectare was hit. Last week a team of top scientists from International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Rice Research Institute, Hyderabad, plant protection adviser from Government of India and senior faculty members of Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, visited the affected areas. The Director Agriculture, Capt A.S. Randhawa, who accompanied the team told newsmen that the experts were unable to identify the disease but had taken samples for testing them in their labs. According to the farmers, the paddy plant suddenly turns from green to yellow and affects the yield of rice grain. The director assured the
farmers that a special survey would soon be conducted to
assess the damage caused to the paddy plantation by the
disease. |
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Pension
payment streamlined JALANDHAR, Sept 15 — The Government of India's Ministry of Finance, Central Pension Accounting Office, has streamlined the scheme for the payment of pension and relief to central government pensioners and widows by public sector bank branches throughout the country. In order to remove the delay of two to four months in payment of dearness relief/additional relief on pension by public sector bank branches, the office has evolved a new scheme to reduce the time taken to 10 days. Under the scheme, the bank head offices and link branches of the pension disbursing banks in the country have been made responsible to ensure the payment of pension relief and family pension within 10 days of the receipt of such orders of the Ministry of Pension and Pensioners Welfare, Government of India, along with the ready reckoner for the purpose. The All-India Central Government Pensioners Association, north zone, Jalandhar, has welcomed this step of the government. Meanwhile, the general
secretary of the All-India Central Government Pensioners
Association, Mr V.S. Jolly, today said that the
association had urged Union Finance Minister Yashwant
Sinha to ensure that the dearness relief of 6 per cent
from July, 1998, to central employees and pensioners,
announced by him four days ago, was paid to 35 lakh
central employees and 32 lakh pensioners with the pension
of September before the start of the festival season. |
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Pensioners want ADA before festival season JALANDHAR, Sept 15 (PTI) —The all India Central Government Pensioners Association today demanded that the additional 6 per cent dearness allowance recently announced for Central government employees and pensioners be paid this month before the start of festive season. "The association has urged Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha to ensure the payment of DA along with pension for September to 35 lakh central employees and 32 lakh pensioners", V.S. Jolly, general secretary of the association said. He welcomed the Centre's decision to hold the bank head offices and link branches of pension disbursing banks responsible for the payment of pension relief within 10 days of the receipt of orders from the government. "The measure introduced by the Ministry of Finance will go a long way in cutting down the delay period of nearly four months to not more than 10 days". He said "The new
scheme will also help streamline the payment of pension
and relief to Central government pensioners and family
pensioners by the public sector banks throughout the
country". |
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HOSHIARPUR, Sept 15 (UNI)— Constable Gurmukh Singh and Gurmail Singh were today arrested in connection with the Sunday clash at Khepra village in which one youth was killed and nine others were injured. The cop was the security guard of BJP MLA Girdhara Singh and his service revolver, too, had been seized, Hariana police station SHO Manjit Singh said today. Mukhtiar Singh (24), of Singhriwala, who was fatally wounded, had died on way to a Ludhiana hospital, while nine persons were injured in the clash in which firearms and lethal weapons were used. The clash occurred when Amrik Singh along with his friends went to Khepra to cut trees from a piece of land he had purchased in the village. Village sarpanch Kamaldev, his sons and others, who were allegedly cutting trees, attacked them resulting in the clash. The police has registered
cases of attempt to murder against both the groups. |
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PCCTU plea to HRD ministry JALANDHAR, Sept 15 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers' Union (PCCTU) has endorsed the decision of the AIFUCTO to call off the 26-day-old nationwide indefinite strike after having attained major gains over the Rastogi panel and government notification of July, 1998. However, the union has resented the way the UGC has been deprived of its legal right to recommend pay scales to promote higher education in the country. Dr V.K. Tewari, general secretary of the union, stated here today that the state executive committee of the PCCTU at its meeting held at S.D. College, Barnala, on Sunday urged the HRD Ministry to issue the amended notification along with the UGC regulations to ensure the early implementation of the revised pay scales for the university and college teachers. It demanded that the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Punjab and the DPI (C) should immediately convene a meeting with the representatives of the union to finalise the new schedule of holidays and other steps to compensate for the lost work in the context of the HRD Ministry's decision against any pay cuts and punitive actions. The union resented the
inordinate delay in the issuance of notification on the
pension scheme and its implementation to end the woes of
retirees since 1992. |
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Screening test for doctors stayed CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 (PTI) — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today set aside the screening test of Scheduled Caste candidates for MBBS doctor posts in Punjab saying that such a test negated the reservation policy. A Division Bench comprising Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice Iqbal Singh directed the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) to interview all Scheduled Caste candidates within three months. The petitioners, Dr Mohan Lal and others, had challenged the commission action saying the PPSC should not have put them to any test as it deprived them of their reserved seats. Out of the 500 posts advertised, 125 were reserved for Scheduled Castes. Fifty per cent of the reserved seats were to be filled from members of the Scheduled Caste and the rest from members of the Mazahbi Sikh Balmiki community. Out of 27 doctors
belonging to Mazabhi Sikh Balmiki community, only four of
them could pass the test. Out of the 270 Scheduled Caste
candidates only 59 could clear the test. |
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No
order to stop payments CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — While denying a financial crisis in the state, a spokesman of the Punjab Finance Department said that certain non-essential payments might have been postponed in view of the temporary mis-match between receipts and expenditure on account of the procurement of paddy in the state. He said that no
instructions had been issued to the state treasuries for
stopping payments. The spokesman said that funds now had
been received from the Reserve Bank of India and all
bills were being entertained by treasuries. |
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Manjit Singh 'must help' to CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — The Panthic Vichar Manch, an organisation of Sikh intellectuals, has urged Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, to direct Mr Jaswant Singh Mann to transfer the account of the World Sikh Council to its Chairman, Justice Kuldeep Singh. Addressing a press conference at the Press Club here, Principal Bharpur Singh, President, and Col Jasmer Singh Bala (retd), General Secretary of the Manch today said that if Mr Mann did not obey the directive of Prof Manjit Singh, then a meeting of the "old" Executive of the Council should be convened to get the account transferred. Col Bala said that it was the moral responsibility of Prof Manjit Singh to get the account transferred as he was Chairman of the Council before Justice Kuldeep Singh took over. He said if Prof Manjit Singh failed to get the account transferred, his continuing as Jathedar of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib would not be in the interest of Sikhs. Col Bala said that certain people were playing mischief by organising seminars and debates on the fundamentals of Sikh religion and questioning the authority of Akal Takht and its Jathedar. All this was being done to erode the basic value pattern of the Sikh community. Principal Bharpur Singh said that the questioning of fundamentals of Sikhism would not be allowed. They said that by dragging
the Sikh institutions in the courts certain people were
trying to lower the dignity of Sikh organisations. They
urged the SGPC to formulate a code of conduct for Sikh
head priests. All controversy with regard to Akal Takht
and its edicts should end and people dividing the Sikh
community should be discouraged. |
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SP
denies illegal detention AMRITSAR, Sept 15 — In a telegram to the Punjab Human Rights Commission, Mr Kanwarpal Singh, general secretary of the Dal Khalsa International, has alleged the CIA staff kept Rajinder Singh Bhola, working committee member of the dal, in illegal custody. He was called for investigation in the morning but has not been released so far. However, Mr Gurdev Singh
Sahota, district police chief, denied Bhola was kept in
illegal custody. He further said he had confirmed it from
the police official concerned. |
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Ministerial staff observe strike CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — On a call given by the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, stay-in-strike was observed today by ministerial employees in Punjab, according to a statement issued here today by Mr Raj Kumar Arora, president and Mr K.K. Jindal, general secretary of the union. They said the strike was complete all over the state and functioning of the government offices was paralysed. The union was left with no
alternative except to observe a strike as the Punjab
Chief Minister failed to implement the demands accepted
by him. Demands of the union include time-bound
promotions and promotional scales, change in designation
of clerks and steno-typists. |
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Date for filing returns
extended LUDHIANA, Sept 15 — The Central Board of Direct Taxes has extended the last date for the filing of income tax and wealth tax returns from September 30 to October 31. Mr Ashok Kumar Juneja,
Member, Regional Direct Tax Advisory Committee, (North
West Zone), said this date had been extended so that the
benefit of the modified "saral form scheme"
could be made available to the assessees.
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Punjab concedes teachers’
demand CHANDIGARH, Sept 15 — The Punjab Government has given one- time relaxation to university and college teachers from attending refresher courses for placement in senior scale and selection scale. A notification in this regard was released recently. The relaxation has been granted to the teaching staff till December 31, 1998. Teachers who joined the profession before December, 1990, will be benefited by the move. Teachers of the local colleges have urged the UT Administration to release similar guidelines for the staff working in the local colleges. The Administration follows the pattern of the Punjab Government in issues related to the teaching and the non-teaching staff. Earlier a similar relaxation was given by the government up to December, 1995. On account of
unavailability of adequate infrastructure and alleged
refusal by college principals to allow teachers to attend
courses during the session, there had been a persistent
demand for relaxation to attend refresher courses. |
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