Saturday, April 3, 1999
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Saturday, April 3, 1999 |
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SGPC, Sikh Council on
warpath AMRITSAR, April 2 — Even as the World Sikh Council (Amritsar region) is determined to hold its meeting at the Akal Takht secretariat here tomorrow, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has categorically stated that it will not allow anybody or any organisation to "misuse" its premises. Stripping Dalit woman: DIG holds inquiry ABOHAR, April 2 — The DIG (Crime), Punjab police, yesterday visited Bhangarkhera village to inquire into the alleged stripping and parading of a Dalit woman by farmer's family. BJP MLA Luxmi Kanta Chawla had raised the issue in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. |
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Badal decries Tohra's
remarks FARIDKOT, April 2 — Punjab Chief Minister and SAD President Parkash Singh Badal has assailed former SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra for his appeal to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to not attend the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib. "It seems Mr Tohra has lost his balance of mind," said the Chief Minister.
Village
that chose not to steal power Ramoowalia
for third front Order
set aside; HPCL plea allowed Badal
sees ploy to divide Punjabis MLAs
demand development fund "Parikarma
march" begins More
powers for coop societies mooted SGPC
colleges not to join April 5 dharna |
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| Dogra is head of Hoshiarpur DCC | |
Raising day celebrated |
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SGPC, Sikh Council on warpath AMRITSAR, April 2 — Even as the World Sikh Council (Amritsar region) is determined to hold its meeting at the Akal Takht secretariat here tomorrow, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has categorically stated that it will not allow anybody or any organisation to "misuse" its premises. The SGPC said today after that the suspension of Bhai Ranjit Singh, Giani Puran Singh, acting Jathedar, Akal Takht, had become the "legal" patron of the World Sikh Council. Hence, no meeting of the council could be held without the permission of the Jathedar. Mr Kulwant Singh, secretary, SGPC, said the meeting of the council had been convened in gross violation of the bylaws of the committee. As per the rules, anybody who wished to convene a meeting in the SGPC complex had to seek the permission of the president of the SGPC in writing. The task force of the SGPC has been instructed to take preventive measures to "scuttle" the proposed meeting of the council tomorrow. It may be mentioned here that Justice Kuldip Singh, a close confidant of the suspended Jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh, is the chairman of the World Sikh Council. He has convened a meeting of the executive of the council at Chandigarh tomorrow where crucial decisions are likely to be taken. Mr Jasbir Singh Ghuman, Mr Avtar Singh Ghulla and Mr Sawinder Singh, all executive members of the World Sikh Council (Amritsar region), however, said "come what may, the meeting will be held in the Akal Takht secretariat as per schedule tomorrow." They claimed Bhai Ranjit Singh continued to be the Jathedar of Akal Takht, by virtue which he was also patron of the council. They said they had already sought permission from Bhai Ranjit Singh to hold the meeting. The executive members alleged the SGPC had broken open the locks of the office of the council and taken away its records. They claimed the office of the council was housed in the Akal Takht secretariat. Mr Kulwant Singh, SGPC secretary, however said there was no such office in the secretariat. Funds of the council have remained a bone of contention between Bhai Ranjit Singh and Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar, Sri Kesgarh Sahib. The council was floated in 1995 when a World Sikh sammelan suggested that a world-level organisation of the Sikhs should be formed since the jurisdiction of the SGPC was confined to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Prof Manjit Singh, the then acting Jathedar of Akal Takht became the first chief of the council. When Bhai Ranjit Singh was installed Jathedar, Akal Takht, on December 31, 1996, he became patron of the council. He expressed his displeasure over the working of the council and sought its accounts. Prof Manjit Singh then resigned from the chairmanship of the council. A circular issued by Mr
Kulbir Singh Kaura, regional chairman, said the meeting
of the council had been convened to take decisions
regarding the tercentenary celebrations of the foundation
of the Khalsa. |
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Stripping Dalit woman: DIG holds
inquiry ABOHAR, April 2 — The DIG (crime) Punjab police yesterday visited Bhangarkhera village, to inquire into the alleged stripping and parading of a Dalit woman by farmer's family. BJP MLA Luxmi Kanta Chawla raised the issue in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during its budget session on February 26. Quoting press reports she urged the Chief Minister for a high-level probe into the incident. The DIG got recorded statements of the affected family including handicapped Dalit woman Jamna Devi, her young daughter Seema and husband Brij Lal. The DIG also discussed the case with Mrs Vijay Luxmi Bhadu, Treasurer, Punjab Pradesh BJP Mahila Morcha, who had spearheaded an agitation highlighting the incident and Mr Gurdip Singh, Sarpanch Shergarh village whom Mr Brij Lal had approached for protection and justice. Certain villagers were also asked about the conduct of Shriram Kumhar whose sons and grandsons had allegedly forced entry into Mrs Jamna Devi's residence, blackened her and her daughter's faces with mobil oil, stripped Mrs Jamna Devi and paraded her and Seema into streets of the village in January. The alleged culprits had also allegedly beaten up another daughter of a Naik family who was pregnant and had come to her parents' house. She was hospitalised but the culprits had reportedly prevented admission of the handicapped Dalit woman to the Civil Hospital here. Mrs Chawla during her visit here after the incident had criticised the police failure. The culprits had allegedly been given VIP treatment during their brief stay at the local police station. The police later had conceded that Mrs Jamna Devi was stripped but not paraded. It was also learnt that
the victims were being pressurised into reaching a
compromise with the culprits. |
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Paddy custom milling hit JALALABAD: Not even a single consignment of rice has so far been delivered to the central pool at the Jalalabad centre in Ferozepore district. The same is the case with Guruharsahai, Fazilka, Ferozepore and Zira procurement centres. This district, which used to mill the one-sixth of the state's paddy crop, now has hardly anything for milling. As a matter of fact, the custom milling of whole of the Punjab bas been badly affected this season due to rain during the harvesting season, which affected the quality of the kharif crop. But the custom milling is quite different here from the rest of the state, as the entire milling capacity here is parboiled and farmers prefer to mill paddy of the parboiled type. As per their version, the paddy harvesting season in Ferozepore district is quite advanced as compared to other milling centres. Secondly, harvesting is totally mechanical here and both these factors are responsible for a substantial decrease in the head yield of rice. These factors prompted the millers of this belt to convert their raw milling unit into parboiled, because this type of rice has a much better head yield than raw rice. But there is also a negative aspect: even slightly damaged or discoloured grain starts showing as it acquires a deeper colour in parboiling process. Ironically the authority while giving relaxation in lieu of rain-damaged paddy never bothered to relax the parboiled rice specifications not even for slightly damaged or discoloured grains. The district has a declining trend in custom milling since 1995-96 when the 2 p.c. damage condition of paddy for milling was withdrawn. Thus the millers went in private for purchase of paddy instead of custom milling of government paddy. The date-bound relaxation in 75 p.c. levy on rice for this year and demand for export of parboiled rice has also played a vital role in this diversification. Even paddy worth crore of rupees harvested in 1997-98 is lying unmilled with government agencies here. The most disturbing aspect of the problem is that now the number of millers here have already applied for the disconnection of their seasonal power connection ( from March 31) which might seal the fate of paddy worth Rs 60 crore lying at Jalalabad and about Rs 3,000 crore lying with various government agencies in Ferozepore district. Mr Ashok Goomber and Mr
Pawan Bajaj, executive members of Jalalabad Rice Millers
Association, stated that numerous requests by the state
government and parboiled millers since 1995-96 regarding
the parboiling industry could not move the central
government and now the situation had worsened due to rain
damaged paddy. They pointed out that the only way to
solve the problem might be an amendment in the
specification of the parboiled rice based on experimental
test milling of paddy. They also pleaded for issue of
stocks for milling on its original weight, instead of on
book weight. |
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Rice millers for withdrawal of
arbitration cases PATIALA, April 2 — The Punjab Rice Millers Association today appealed to the Punjab government to scrap arbitration cases initiated against rice millers of Punjab on account of losses suffered due to the sale of 1994-95 paddy crop as per the policy of the Union government. In a statement here, association president Tarsem Saini said though it had been decided that cases would be decided at the district-level by committees of the respective departments for which a schedule was prepared, he said the committee members of the agencies had already visited the respective districts and submitted reports to their heads but no decision for the withdrawal of the cases had been passed so far by the agencies concerned or by the state government. In an appeal to the government to pass orders for the withdrawal of these cases immediately, he said, if this was not done rice millers of the state would boycott milling of paddy of Markfed and Punsup agencies. Mr Saini said the Food and Technology Institute, Bangalore, had also not so far, conducted any experiment for the fixation of yield of rice in spite of the commitment made with them. He appealed to the Punjab government to take up the matter with the central government to expedite the field experiment by the Bangalore institute for the fixation of yield. He said that a team of the Bureau of Industrial Costing and Prices, Ministry of Industry, had visited Punjab for collecting data of the expenditure incurred on milling of paddy into rice for the fixation of milling charges. He alleged the experts had not undertaken any trial and merely depended on paper formalities and therefore the team was not be in a position to make any recommendation for the enhancement of milling charges. He said the association appealed to the Punjab government to take up the matter with the Union government to carry out trial milling after taking into consideration ground realities for the fixation of milling charges. Mr Saini also appealed to the Punjab government that in Jalandhar and Ferozepore districts milling of paddy was not possible under present specifications. He said there was advance sowing of paddy in this belt besides which crop conversion factor and untimely rains had caused heavy damage to stocks resulting the broken percentage being on the higher side and rice yield on very lower side. He said the Punjab government should take up the matter with the central government for relaxation after on the spot examination immediately so that milling is undertaken and completed before the summer season. He also criticised the
authorities concerned in Jalandhar Division which he
alleged were forcing rice millers to execute agreement
for milling of paddy on pro-rata basis. |
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Badal decries Tohra's remarks FARIDKOT, April 2 — Punjab Chief Minister and SAD President Parkash Singh Badal has assailed former SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra for his appeal to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to not attend the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib. "It seems Mr Tohra has lost his balance of mind," said the Chief Minister. Talking to reporters after attending a private function here today, Mr Badal said Mr Tohra should desist from making such unbalanced statements, keeping in view the larger interests of the Sikh community. The tercentenary celebration functions were being organised by all religions at the national and international levels, he added. The Chief Minister also
refuted the statements of Mr Tohra that he (Mr Badal) was
interfering in the working of SGPC President Bibi Jagir
Kaur. Mr Badal made it clear that nobody will be allowed
to disturb peace in the state. He appealed to the people
to be aware of the evil designs of the anti-national
forces engaged in activities. to disintegrate the
country. |
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Spread teachings of Gurus: Gujral ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 2 — Former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral, his wife, Mrs Sheela Gujral, Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh and Dr Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister, Jammu and Kashmir, today, paid obeisance at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, here. They came here, before participating in an inter-faith seminar "relevance of Sikh value system in the 21st century" at Chandigarh, today, in connection with the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations. Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib presented siropas to Mr Gujral, Mrs Gujral, Mr Dhumal and Dr Abdullah. Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Punjab Finance Minister and Bibi Jagir Kaur, president, SGPC were also present. Talking to newsmen, Mr Gujral said by creating the Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh changed the history of the country and brought a revolution in the social set up. He said, there was a need to maintain values, which had been established by the Guru regarding unity of the country, patriotism and break the chains of casteism. He called upon people to disseminate the tenets of the Gurus in 21st century. Later Mr Gujral and other VIPs visited the site of the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex here, where they were briefed by Capt Kanwaljit Singh. He told them that the design of the complex had been prepared by Moshie Safdie, an architect from Israel. A 160 feet high Nishan-e-Khalsa of stainless steel would be set up. He said the complex would be completed in two years at a cost of Rs 160 crore. Mr Gujral said the Gurus had always given respect to the women. Indicating towards Bibi Jagir Kaur, he said it was a matter of pride for her that she had got a chance to serve the organisation when the Khalsa was celebrating its tercentenary. He said gender equality in the Khalsa Panth had great importance and with the election of Bibi Jagir Kaur as SGPC president, it had strengthened. Later Mr Gujral along with
other VIPs left for Chandigarh. |
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Village that chose not to steal
power GURDASPUR, April 2 — Shahabpura in the Batala subdivision of Gurdaspur district is a unique village in the state whose residents of which have taken upon themselves to free the village from theft of power and clear all arrears of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), Mr Kanwaljit Singh Gill, Chief Engineer, Border Zone, PSEB, disclosed this at Bariar village, where he was on inspection of power supply position. Residents of Bariar, 3 km from here, have chosen to make the village power theft free, Mr Gill said and added that the PSEB had launched its pilot project, whereunder the transformer of the village had been fitted with master meter. The experiment, started a few months ago, has shown positive results and power theft in the village had fallen to 12 per cent from 50 per cent before the installation of master meter. Other villages which have offered to cooperate with the PSEB to reduce power theft were Mattewal, Sealka and Majitha of Amritsar district, he said. Mr Gill said if the project was extended to the entire state, it would help increase PSEB revenue by Rs 120 crore every year against the cost of Rs 10 crore for fixing master meters on transformers. He said defaulting amount during current year in the border zone had come down to Rs 38 crore against Rs 50 crore last year and efforts were afoot to bring it down to Rs 25 crore next year. Most of this outstanding defaulting amount had to be recovered from Amritsar Municipal Committee and several theft cases in the border zone, he added. Mr Gill said in summer there would be no cut in domestic and industrial power supply. He assured that power supply for the sowing of paddy would be regulated ensuring 10 to 12 hours daily subject to power supply position of the board. Mr Gill said that border
zone leads in revenue collection as regards to other four
power distribution zones of the PSEB in the state. He
said that revenue collection had increased to Rs 350
crore in the current year as compared to Rs 300 crore
collection last year. |
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Ramoowalia for third front PHILLAUR, April 2 — Former Union Minister and newly formed Lok Bhalai Party convener Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, has stressed the need of a third front to replace the present BJP-led Union government and a substitute of the Congress in the country. Addressing a political conference at Noormahal in Phillaur subdivision today, Mr Ramoowalia alleged that the Akalis, the BJP and the Congress were not sincere in solving the issue. These parties worked only for self-interests. Commenting upon the Akali rule in Punjab Mr Ramoowalia alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had only one-point programme to establish his son as Punjab Chief Minister. He said that Mr Badal never raised Punjab's long pending issues with the Union government. Regarding the SAD-BJP coalition Mr Ramoowalia said that both parties were trying to bring nepotism and family rule and both were adopting anti-people policies. Commenting upon the Badal-Tohra feud Mr Ramoowalia said this dispute was only for their self interests. Several Congress and Akali
leaders joined Mr Ramoowalia's political party on this
occasion. |
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Order set aside; HPCL plea
allowed CHANDIGARH, April 2 — Mr Justice V.S. Aggrawal of The Punjab and Haryana High Court while setting aside the orders of the Civil Judge, Rajpura, and the District Judge, Patiala, accepted the revision petitions of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and held that there was no bar for setting up a retail outlet in Chamaru, village Rajpura, on the land leased out to the corporation by Gurbachan Singh and Karamjit Singh of Highway Service, Shambu. The petitioner as a Government Company functioning under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas averred that from. May,1993, it had taken land on a 20-year-lease in Rajpura Tehsil measuring 8400 square yards for storage and sale of petroleum products. As per the registered lease deed, the corporation was at full liberty to make excavations for installing tanks and construct and erect thereon any building, pumping plan and for setting up of necessary desired equipment. It was further urged that on expiry of the initial 5-year term in May, 1998, the corporation in exercise of the renewal option had renewed the lease for another 5-years at an enhanced rental increasing the monthly lease money by 15 per cent of the original amount. The enhanced rental paid up to April, 1999, had even been accepted by Gurbachan Singh and Karamjit Singh. It was also stated there was no restriction on setting up of a retail outlet in the lease deed. The respondents stated that no notice for renewal of the lease had been served on them and that the land had been leased out only for setting up of a depot and not a retail outlet. It was added that the Civil Judge, Rajpura, and the District Judge, Patiala, had rightly accepted the contentions of Gurbachan Singh and Karamjit Singh in not permitting the installation of retail outlet. The High Court came to the conclusion that once the renewal option had been exercised after due notice, it was not necessary for a fresh lease deed to be executed. Since Hindustan Petroleum continued to be in possession of the leased land and it was paying rent for the same, it must follow that the lease stood extended. The court also held that the lease deed clearly revealed that the land taken on lease could be used as a depot for storage as well as for sale of petroleum products. There was no clause in the lease deed that the retail outlet cannot be set up. Therefore, no interpretation against the language of the document could be drawn. In view of its findings,
the High Court held that the orders of the Civil Judge,
Rajpura and the District Judge, Patiala, could not be
sustained. The court accordingly directed that the
application for ad-interim injunction of Gurbachan Singh
and Karamjit Singh be dismissed and the revision
petitions of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation be accepted. |
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Badal sees ploy to divide
Punjabis PATIALA, April 2 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said he would launch an offensive against Mr G.S. Tohra after the completion of the tercentenary celebrations on April 15 and "expose" the former SGPC chief. Talking to mediapersons at the aerodrome here, Mr Badal said he wanted to maintain the sanctity of the tercentenary. Hence, he had refrained from engaging in a war of words with Mr Tohra so far. Reacting to Mr Tohra's statement questioning the rationale behind inviting the Prime Minister to inaugurate the tercentenary celebrations, he said this was a "dangerous" move to create a wedge between Hindus and Sikhs. He, however, said the Sikh community was aware of this ploy to divine the Punjabis. The Chief Minister said the former SGPC chief who was trying to befool the people by "raising non-issues." He said it was unfortunate
that a seasoned politician like Mr Tohra was accusing
Bibi Jagir Kaur of being a "mahantni" when he
was a party to the decision to give her the party ticket
for the SGPC and Assembly elections. Bibi Jagir Kaur was
"more qualified" and had better understanding
of religious scriptures than Mr Tohra, Mr Badal remarked. |
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MLAs demand development fund LUDHIANA, April 2 — Eleven Akali MLAs belonging to the Tohra faction today asked the Badal government to convene a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha devoted to the tercentenary of the birth of the Khalsa. In a joint statement issued here, they said at this session the Punjab Government should provide for allocation of development fund at the rate of Rs 20 lakh per MLA on the lines of the development fund admissible to MPs and SGPC members. They said the MLAs, too, were answerable to the electorate and were committed to the development of their constituencies. If SGPC members could be given development fund out of the offerings of devotees at gurdwaras, why could not the MLAs be given the same, they asked. They also urged the Badal government not to invite any political personality to the functions connected with the tercentenary celebrations at Anandpur Sahib later this month. Instead, religious personalities like Jagadguru Shankaracharya, the Dalai Lama, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid and Pope John Paul should be invited. The signatories to the
statement included Mr Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Mr Manjit
Singh Calcutta, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Mr Harmel Singh
Tohra, Mr Surjit Singh Kohli, Mr Prem Singh Lalpura, Mr
Heera Singh Gabria, Mr Bikramjit Singh Khalsa, Mr Gurdev
Singh Shatrana, Mr Jagtar Singh Rajla and Bibi Daljit
Kaur. |
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"Parikarma march" begins ANANDPUR SAHIB, April 2 — The nine-day Khalsa "chetna parikarma march", which began from Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib this morning with the performance of "ardas" by Giani Tarlochan Singh, Head Granthi of the Takht, left the "white city" amidst slogans. During its ‘parikarma’ of the state, the march will halt at eight places. It will reach Sri Akal Takht, Amritsar, on April 4 and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo, on April 7 before reaching Kiratpur Sahib on April 10. It will merge with the main "Khalsa fateh march" to be held on April 12 from Kiratpur Sahib to Anandpur Sahib. Before the start of the march, siropas were presented to "panj piaras". Prof Manjit Singh, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Baba Kashmira Singh, Baba Mangal Singh Satlaniwale (Amritsar), members of the SGPC and devotees accompanied the march. FEROZEPORE: To participate in the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa, thousands of residents from this border district under the banner of "Sanjhivalta shatabadi march" will reach Anandpur Sahib. This was decided at a
meeting attended by the local MLA, district president of
the SAD (Badal) and the Minister of State for Cooperation
and Sainik Welfare, Punjab, Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon here
on Friday. The march would leave for Anandpur Sahib from
a gurdwara at Bazidpur village on April 7. |
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More powers for coop societies
mooted BATHINDA, April 2 — Punjab Cooperation Minister, Janmeja Singh Sekhon said that the state government would decentralise powers under the Cooperative Act to strengthen the cooperative societies shortly. Addressing a function organised in connection with the profit distribution to cooperative society at Pathrala village, 30 km from here yesterday evening, he said that largescale changes would be introduced in the Cooperative Act within two months that cooperative movement could be made more relevent to the people. He disclosed that a committee headed by the Finance Secretary, Mr Rajan Kashyap set up for suggesting the necessary changes had submitted its report to the department and it would be put up to the Cabinet meeting shortly for approval. He said that powers of officials of the Cooperative Departments would be reduced while the members of cooperative societies would be given more rights by changing the present Cooperative Act. The minister said that the Punjab government had decided to remove the 'middleman system' in the advancing of loans to farmers by the Punjab Agriculture Development Banks (PADBs). The Punjab government would make arrangements for direct loaning to the farmers instead to the supplier of equipment and other items as being done presently. He pointed out that rate of interest on the loans advanced by the Cooperative Department had been reduced by one per cent while the credit limit for the farmers had been increased from Rs one lakh to Rs two lakh. He added that the Cooperative Department had started advancing loans for non agriculture activities and this scheme was becoming popular. He announced the grant of Rs one lakh for the construction of building of Pathrala cooperative society and a metalled road would be constructed from Pathrala village to the Milkfed plant, he added. He distributed Rs 2.4 lakh
among the members of the Pathrala cooperative society, Rs
0.35 lakh to the Punjab government and Rs 1.13 lakh for
building funds from the total profit of the society. |
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SGPC colleges not to join April
5 dharna CHANDIGARH, April 2 — Eleven colleges under the management of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee have separated themselves from the decision taken by the action committee of the Federation of Principals and the Management of Private Colleges in the state to stage a dharna at Chandigarh on April 5 regarding non-acceptance of its demands. Dr Gurmohan Singh, General Secretary of the federation of associations of principals of non-government affiliated colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh, said in a statement that the recent decision to stage dharna was violation of an earlier decision taken by the joint action committee of both the federations to postpone its programme till April 20 keeping in view an appeal made in this regard by Bibi Jagir Kaur, President, SGPC, on March 27 at Anandpur Sahib to postpone all agitations till the tercentenary celebrations were over. Dr Gurmohan Singh who is also the Principal of Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib, said the SGPC college principals also boycotted the joint action committee meeting held at Jalandhar on March 28 to take the decisions regarding future agitation. He said the principals have decided to continue the normal working, including the examination work till April 20. He appealed the action
committee to postpone the agitation till April 20. |
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Dogra is head of Hoshiarpur DCC CHANDIGARH, April 2 — Captain Amarinder Singh, President, PPCC, has appointed Mr Ramesh Chander Dogra, MLA, as president of the District Congress Committee, Hoshiarpur, and Mr Gurbir Singh Sandhu, president of the District Congress Committee, Ferozepore. This was stated here today
in a press note of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. |
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Raising day celebrated JALANDHAR, April 2 — The 47 Air Defence Regiment (The Skyarchers) celebrated its 38th raising day somewhere in the western sector on Thursday. The unit is the frontline
unit of the Corps of Air Defence Artillery and has the
distinction of being equipped with state of art radars
— the flycatcher. The unit in its 37 years of
service has been engaged in the major operations. At
present the unit has been entrusted with the job of
protecting the most vital assets of the nation. It is
living up to its war cry of "47 maidan mein, hawai
dushman zameen mein". The unit is presently
commanded by Col Udai Raj Mishra. |
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Gang of thieves busted HOSHIARPUR, April 2 (UNI) — The police today claimed to have busted a gang of thieves which stole copper coil and fuel oil from transformers. Stating this here, district police chief RPB Mittal identified the accused as Deepak Kumar, Saranbir and Rangi Ram, all hailing from Uttar Pradesh and living in Ludhiana city. The SSP said that the
suspects had been arrested earlier also on similar
charges, but were bailed out. |
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Govt urged to repair roads PHILLAUR, April 2 — Senior Congress leader and former MP Iqbal Singh has urged the Punjab Chief Minister to take measures to get various roads approaching Anandpur Sahib repaired. Talking to mediapersons
here yesterday, he also urged the government to open
roadside milk bars on way to Anandpur Sahib instead of
liquor shops. |
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Mrs Dang seeks family pension
for widows AMRITSAR, April 2 — Mrs Vimla Dang, a former CPI MLA, has expressed concern over the alleged apthy of the state Government for not granting family pension to widows of employees of the Irrigation Department who were "shunted" to the Punjab State Tubewell Corporation. They had died before attaining the age of superannuation. In a letter written to Mrs
R.S. Mann, Chief Secretary, Punjab she said that the
widows were not given their due rights despite repeated
reminders. The plight of widows was miserable, she added. |
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