Sunday, September 20, 1998
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Sunday, September 20, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Sonia’s
visit rescheduled
Kabaris plead for fair deal PATIALA: From being known as Toba Baba Dhayana to Kabari Bazar, the area along side Behera road here has come a long way. |
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 Badal
should 'admit' New
municipal Act in |
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Irregularities
in tenders alleged MCI
recognition for Guru Ram Dass Institute Sewerage
work from next month Students
on strike for 17 days Plea
to Technical Education Minister |
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Sonia’s visit rescheduled NEW DELHI, Sept 19 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, Mr Amarinder Singh, today criticised the statement of SGPC Chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra regarding the forthcoming visit of Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi to the Golden Temple. Reacting to comments by Mr Tohra that Mrs Sonia Gandhi would not be accorded a special welcome by the SGPC as her family had done “a lot of harm to the Sikhs”, Mr Amarinder Singh said: “The people of Punjab will welcome her”.Terming the SGPC’s chief statement as “ill-informed remarks”, Mr Amarinder Singh said that when Mrs Sonia Gandhi visited Chandigarh during election campaign earlier this year she had categorically expressed regret over “Operation Bluestar. “In any case, she was neither in the government or associated with the Congress or had anything to do with Bluestar”, he said.The PPCC president said on the other hand during Mr Surjit Singh Barnala’s regime in Punjab, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a protege of Mr Tohra, had led jathas. He claimed even now a bullet is lodged in Nishan Sahib as a result of the firing then.“Now Mr Barnala is a Union Minister and Mr Chandumajra is being proposed to be included in the Union Cabinet in the next expansion. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others,” he said.Mr Chandumajra, MP from Patiala had defeated Mr Amarinder Singh in the last general elections.Mr Amarinder Singh said the visit of Mrs Sonia Gandhi to Amritsar on September 27 had been rescheduled and she was likely to visit sometime next month. He said the appointment of the Lokpal should have been made through the Chief Justice who could have asked any retired judge to head the institution instead of the government appointing one.He said the Congress apprehends that the Shiromani Akali Dal would use the office of Lokpal to discredit his party members. Mr Amarinder Singh alleged the Parkash Singh Badal government was “mortgaging the future generations of the state by raising massive loans”.“There is complete bankruptcy and the state is running on an overdraft taken from the Reserve Bank of India but that has not stopped the Chief Minister from raising further loans,” he said.Mr Amarinder Singh said the state was taking Rs 1800 crore loans from commercial institutions and another Rs 2100 crore from the electricity board. He charged that precious funds earmarked for development in various districts were being diverted to Gidderbaha and Malout and “squandered away”.The Chief Minister had not made any statement on the situation even after the police had seized explosives in the state recently. “These seizures
indicate that the explosives had been carried into Punjab
by trained couriers and they could activate them at any
time,” he said adding that “if terrorism raises
it head who will fight”.The PPCC Chief also alleged
that the massive secret fund with the state police for
fighting terrorism was being misused. |
Kabaris plead for fair deal PATIALA: From being known as Toba Baba Dhayana to Kabari Bazar, the area along side Behera road here has come a long way. Refugees from Pakistan turned the Toba into a flourishing commercial centre which has now become one of the biggest Kabari Bazar as well as tractor markets in the state. However, with the increase in the Kabaris' commercial activity other problems arose. It was not envisaged that they would take up so much space and block vehicular traffic to such a large extent. This gave rise to a plan for shifting the bazar to a place outside the town in 1978, which proved abortive. Of late, the district administration decided to shift the bazar to Transport Nagar. However a section of the kabaris opposed the restricted auction planned for July 23 which had to be abandoned. Following this the district administration has now decided to go in for an open auction soon which would be held by the improvement trust. This step has caused a sharp divide among the kabaris. Behera Road Kabari Union president Mahinder Singh Sehgal pointed out that the recent decision of the administration to go in for an open auction had spelt doom for small kabaris. Most of the kabaris were ready to take part in a restricted auction and that the auction planned for July 23 was disrupted by persons who did not want to shift. However, Mr Sehgal alleged that the recent list of shops drawn up by a team consisting of Additional Deputy Commissioner R.S. Randhawa, chairman of the improvement trust, and the Assistant Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation before the auction was faulty. He said in the list all shopkeepers in the Kabari Bazar, including those who did not deal with junk, had been included. This was wrong as in 1976 when the improvement trust had decided to shift the market outside the town, 150 kabaris had been identified and they had submitted an initial deposit of Rs 1,000 each as the rate of land then was Rs 70 per square yard. He said these persons who should be adjusted in the new locality outside the town. The crux of the problem lies in the numbers involved. While the government has identified only 163 sites in Transport Nagar which were to be sold through a restricted auction among the kabaris themselves, its own team had identified 270 shops in the Kabari Market in a survey. A leader of the junk dealers association, Mr Sarup Singh Sehgal, said this move smacked of sheer hypocrisy. How could 270 persons be adjusted in 163 sites. He also claimed that the open auction was also a farce as outsiders were also allowed to bid for the sites. "We revolted against this due to which the auction was put off." Deputy Commissioner Viswajit Khanna, when contacted, said the administration while urging the kabaris to take part in the restricted auction had promised to create another extension of Transport Nagar for those who could not get sites in the new locality. He, however, had no answer on why all kabaris were not settled in the new locality, adding that they had to make adjustments among themselves as they could run business on the first floor of the shops to be built in the new locality. Mr Khanna said the matter was no longer in his purview after the disruption of the restricted auction. The case had been sent to the improvement trust which had decided to auction the 163 sites identified for the kabaris in an open auction. Earlier the rates had been fixed at Rs 750 for sq. yd. Now the rates would go up to Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per sq yd in an open auction. The trust was likely to set a date for the auction soon. Meanwhile, even as the
kabaris plead they be given a fair deal in the entire
process. They may eventually have to shift out with the
administration taking a firm stand on the issue as the
people of the town feel it is the only way to open the
inner city and create the much-needed parking space. |
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Badal should 'admit' govt's
failures JALANDHAR, Sept 19 — The Bairagi Maha Mandal, Punjab, has criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for failing to redress the problems of the people while urging the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, not to blame the Congress for all ills and instead take responsibility for the failures of his government. Briefing mediapersons here today, the president and the general secretary of the mandal, Mr Krishan Kumar Bawa, organising secretary of the Congress, and Mr Rajinder Singh Bairagi, Mr Pawan Diwan and Mr Tejinder Singh alleged that the Akalis had formed the government seven times in Punjab, but had no development projects to their credit. On the other hand, the Congress had to its credit Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab Technical University, Rail Coach Factory, etc. Although the Chief Minister's son, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, was the Minister of State for Industry, no major industrial project had been cleared for the state, they said. Referring to the coming visit of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, AICC President, to Amritsar, they said SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra's statement that no welcome would be accorded to Mrs Sonia Gandhi was a biased and political move. The Golden Temple was not anyone's personal property, they said. If Queen Elizabeth could be given a siropa why could not Mrs Sonia Gandhi. They alleged the law and order situation had deteriorated in the state and the economy was in a shambles. The mandal would confer
the Banda Bahadur award on Col Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, an
INA member and freedom fighter, on October 16 in
Ludhiana, they disclosed. |
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New municipal Act in winter
session HOSHIARPUR, Sept 19 — The Punjab Government will introduce new municipal Act in the winter session of the state assembly. Talking to madiapersons here today, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Minister for Local Bodies, said that the new Act having 700 clauses was being studied by the Legal Remembrancer. The amendments made by the Cabinet subcommittee in the Act had been accepted by the state Cabinet. There was a wide scope for making important changes in this Act. He said the Central Government would soon take decision on re-constituting the state Legislative Council for which the Punjab Government had already passed a resolution in the assembly. He said that chairman for all Improvement Trusts would be nominated soon. On giving representation to Hoshiarpur district in the state Cabinet, he said the BJP would soon take up the issue with the Chief Minister. It was most unfortunate that no MLA from Hoshiarpur district had been given berth in the state Cabinet. Answering a question, Mr Tandon said the formation of the people's commission was not necessary. The founders of the commission had been judges of high courts and the Supreme Court and were well aware of its legality. He said the state BJP leaders had already expressed their view about the formation of the commission to the Chief Minister. Earlier Mr Tandon
inaugurated a dental care camp organised by the
Hoshiarpur Welfare Society and inaugurated a municipal
park at Katcha quarters. He presided over a seminar on
Hoshiarpur city. The seminar was organised by the Citizen
Welfare Council Hoshiarpur. |
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The youngest cop MOGA, Sept 18 (PTI) — Ranjit Singh, who was recruited to the Punjab police as constable on September 11 at the tender age of 15 by relaxing all the norms, including age, height and education, by the order of Director-General of Police P.C. Dogra, is considered as the youngest constable of the police in the country. Ranjit Singh is studying in class X and belongs to Sandhuan, a suburb of Moga in Punjab. However, as Ranjit Singh has not yet completed 17 years of age, he will not be entitled to the pay of constable. The benefit of pay and seniority he will get only on the completion of 18 years of age. The DGP has also ordered that Ranjit Singh can continue his studies and he will be required to attend the Police Lines for two hours on every Saturday and Sunday. Ranjit Singh was recruited
to the Punjab police as a special gesture to help the
family of Tarsem Singh, head constable, Moga, who was
lynched by the mob at Moga on September 3 under the
pretext of "kale kachchewala". |
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Irregularities in tenders alleged PATIALA, Sept 19 — The Patiala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that tenders invited recently by the Municipal Corporation for civil works worth Rs 2 crore be cancelled, alleging that no tender forms were put up for sale in the corporation office on Thursday as publicised. Local unit chief Balwant Rai alleged that while the tender forms were not put up for sale in the corporation office where the officials concerned did not report for duty, these were sold at the house of a contractor. Mr Rai said though the party had approached the corporation authorities in the matter, no action had been taken on the complaint. The forms were to be submitted yesterday. A number of contractors said they were told that some officials were not available in view of the agitation by the ministerial staff. They alleged that despite repeated demands the forms were not put up for sale till 5 p.m. The contractors further alleged the tender forms were sold to a select group of contractors who had close connections with certain ruling party leaders. They demanded cancellation of the tenders in view of these irregularities and invitation of fresh bids. Mr Harkesh Singh Sidhu,
who took over as Commissioner of the Municipal
Corporation yesterday, was not available for comments. |
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MCI recognition for Guru Ram
Dass Institute AMRITSAR, Sept 19 — In a significant development, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has accorded sanction to Sri Guru Ram Dass Institute of Medical Sciences and Research after reinspection. The MCI had earlier cancelled the affiliation as the inspection team had found that the institute did not fulfil the requirement of staff and equipment etc. Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, addressing a press conference here today, said that a batch of 50 students of MBBS would be admitted shortly after the receipt of a formal letter by the MCI. Medical projects, including cancer institute with total investment of Rs 50 crore would be set up in Amritsar as a part of the tercentenary of the Khalsa Panth. Mr Calcutta, said more
than 100 professors and senior doctors had joined the
SGPC-run medical institutes by seeking premature
retirement or superannuation. |
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Sewerage work from next month BATHINDA, Sept 19 — The work for the laying of underground sewerage pipes in certain areas of this town will start next month. Talking to TNS on the telephone, the Food and Supply Minister, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, said that more than Rs 70 lakh would be spent on laying the sewerage pipes in the Model Town, Amrik Singh Road and Genesh Basti areas. He said that more funds to cover more areas were also expected from the government. Tenders had been floated for this work. He said that the State Government was giving priority to the sewerage and drinking water schemes in the city. The Minister said that to
drain out the rain water, pumping sets had been installed
at many spots. |
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Students on strike for 17 days FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 19 — Students of the 1997 batch of the local Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College has been on strike for the past 17 days in protest against the CPAM rules of Punjab Technical University. According to a press release issued by the Technical Students Union, the syllabus offered by the PTU is not properly defined and is very vague. The reference books are not available. Even the teachers are not clear about the syllabus and are unable to complete it in a semester's time. The students apprehended that the students of the 1997 batch would have to suffer from a setback of reverse in the first year due to the wrong implementation of the new examination rules. The students demanded that
the PTU should solve their problems immediately to avoid
confusion. |
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FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 19 (PTI) — The police today claimed to have found Manpreet Kaur, a Class VII student, who was allegedly kidnapped by two Kashmiri youths on August 10. Senior Superintendent of Police Paramraj Singh told mediapersons that the girl was found at the Amloh bus stand and one of the accused, identified as Mohamad Akram, arrested by a special search party. He said the co-accused, of
Saleem Akram, was still at large but efforts were on to
locate him.
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JALANDHAR, Sept 19 (UNI) — Poverty and chronic ailment of the only male bread-earner member of a family in nearby Kartarpur town drove a mother and her two teenaged daughters to suicide. The bodies of Mrs Sita Devi (40) and her daughters Sheila Devi (17) and Sonia (15) were found in their home at Charakhri mohalla in the town this morning. The three were suspected to have consumed poison, sources said. Mr Balwinder Lal, the only
earning hand in the family of four was reportedly finding
it difficult to feed his family as he was not keeping
well. This affected his earnings as a casual labourer. |
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Plea
to Technical Education Minister AMRITSAR, Sept 19 — The BJP MLA, Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, has sought the immediate intervention of Minister of Technical Education Upinderjit Kaur to allow admission of 200 students to the Dayanand ITI here who have been asked to leave the ITI due to "bad condition of its building." Mrs Chawla, in a letter to the minister, copies of which were press here today, described the government action as "unfortunate" as it had affected the careers of students. It was the duty of the government to take steps to repair old building. Mrs Chawla pointed out that the allowance of Rs 10 per month given to the ITI students had not been revised for the past 25 years. She demanded least Rs 100 per month should be given to the students for buying training material, she said. She blamed the government for the "neglect" of the ITIs which did not have enough funds to pay their power and water bills. She urged the minister to
visit the ITI immediately to see for herself the
condition of the building and the standard of education. |
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HOSHIARPUR, Sept 19 (UNI) — A woman died and two of her family members were wounded in a road accident near Gignewal Bridge on the Tanda-Hoshiarpur road today. Mangat Ram, his wife Raj Rani and seven-year-old daughter Renu were riding a scooter when they met with an accident with a three-wheeler, wounding all three of them. Raj Rani later died in the hospital. The family belonged to nearby Chakkowal Brahminia village, the police said. The Hariana police have registered a case against the three-wheeler driver Fauji, who fled-abandoning the vehicle. In another incident one Avtar Singh, who earlier worked as driver with the dera of Sant Baba Maan Singh, was allegedly beaten up and abducted by jeep-borne men from Mahilpur town last evening, the police said today. The police have registered
a case of abduction on the complaint of a dera inmate
Satinder Kaur, who alleged that a group of at least eight
armed men of the dera had abducted Avtar Singh. |
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Government
"harassing" traders PATIALA, Sept 19 — Capt Amarinder Singh, president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, has criticised the state government for its "anti-trader" policies. In a statement here today, the PPCC president said the Akali-BJP alliance had failed to fulfil its election promises regarding abolition of octroi and end to "inspector raj". On the other hand, the traders were being "unduly harassed" by Sales Tax authorities and implicated in cases. The PPCC president demanded a judicial inquiry into the firing incident in the city recently and withdrawal of cases against the traders. Capt Amarinder Singh said
the Congress supported the "just cause" of the
trading community and said the government should not
resort to strong-arm tactics while dealing with the
traders. |
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Welcome
march to mark PM's visit ROPAR, Sept 19 — On the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of a Sikh heritage museum by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee at Anandpur Sahib on October 17, a welcome march led by the Panj Pyaras, will be taken out in this town. To be organised as part of the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa, the march will commence from Gurdwara Kesgarh Sahib and culminate near Kila Anandgarh Sahib. As many as 300 horses, elephants and open jeeps will accompany the procession. This decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, at Anandpur Sahib yesterday. The meeting was also attended by Mr M.S. Bhullar, ADGP, Punjab, Mr P.R. Luthra, Chief Architect, Punjab, Mr Dalmedh Singh, Additional Secretary, SGPC, Mr K.S. Sishu, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr R.S. Khatra, SSP, Ropar. The minister said the
Prime Minister would be given a rousing welcome and the
entire function would be telecast live on Doordarshan. |
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Warning against insecticidal
mixtures LUDHIANA, Sept 19 — Scientists of Punjab Agricultural University have emphatically advised that the insecticidal mixtures should not be used to control insect pests of cotton. The scientists have disclosed that it is based on the fact that almost all insecticidal mixtures sold in Punjab contain pyrethroids which is against the recommendations of PAU. The scientists have advised the farmers that these synthetic pyrethroids should not be used on cotton after mid-September as the heliothis has developed resistance to them. In addition to this, synthetic pyrethroids are also known to resurge the whitefly population. The scientists feel that
once the "flood gates" are open and the farmers
remain ignorant about the drawbacks and consequences of
using insecticidal mixtures, they might resort to the use
of mixtures on other crops like rice, vegetables, fruits,
etc. It is highly undesirable as the extensive use of
insecticides is against the established norms of
sustainable IPM (integrated pest management) in
agriculture. |
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