Thursday, April 22, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Thursday, April 22, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Vice-Principal’s
body found Woman beaten up by in-laws,
hospitalised |
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 Bathinda Chandigarh Faridkot Jalandhar Ludhiana Muktsar Patiala
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Dept
suspends wheat procurement Suspended Principal's name dropped
Verdict reserved on People's panel Allahabad Bank told to pay
compensation Hawala racket busted, 3 held Punjab promises to implement
Article 30 Project achievements, PR men told Case
registered against firm "Partition outcome of vested
interests" Villagers block highway FP camp at Kotkapura |
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Vice-Principal’s body
found LUDHIANA, April 21 — The body of Sarita Ahluwalia, Vice-Principal of a local school, was recovered here this evening, 72 hours after she fell to her death in an open manhole along the busy Ludhiana-Ferozepore highway, opposite the PAU campus, on Sunday. The body was recovered from a spot just 100 m from the main sewerage disposal plant of the municipal corporation in the Haibowal dairy complex near Budha Nullah. At least 300 men of the Sewerage Department were engaged in the round-the-clock search and rescue operations during the past three days. The body, which was beginning to decompose, was later identified by the relations of the victim and sent for a post-mortem examination. Mr S.S. Sandhu, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, today assured the family of the deceased that the maximum possible compensation under the rules would be given to them. The process for this had already been set in motion. He also directed all JE's of the Sewerage Department to ensure that no manhole remained uncovered in their jurisdiction and to submit weekly certificates in this regard. He urged the residents to bring to the notice of zonal executive engineers (sewerage) or zonal commissioner any open manhole so that immediate action could be taken to prevent such an accident in future. Meanwhile, the indignation among the residents over the ‘callous and inefficient’ ways of the municipal corporation, which resulted in this death, is threatening to acquire the form of a mass movement against the corporation. Mr Darshan Arora, Chairman, and Mr Som Nath, secretary of the Ludhiana citizens council, today condemned the corporation for its ‘criminal neglect’and asked it to hold a thorough inquiry to fix responsibility for the tragedy and mete out exemplary punishment to the guilty. They said that there were hundreds of open manholes all over the city which had turned into death traps. They alleged that the corporation staff was just not bothered about the problem and the Mayor, Mr A.P. Grewal, had failed to put in an appearance throughout the three-day ordeal to sympathise with the family of the victim. They appealed to the residents to bring to the notice of the council all instances where people had suffered injuries and disability due to a fall in open manholes to enable the council to prepare a court case to sue the corporation. Mr Deepak Singal, Chairman of the Ludhiana Citizens Health Council, demanded immediate preventive steps by the corporation to ensure that such tragedies did not recur. He also wanted the
corporation to construct grills or braces in the manholes
to prevent people from falling into them.A deputation of
the staff of new Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar,
led by its president, Mr Sunil Maria, also met the Deputy
Commissioner, Mr Arun Goel, and demanded action against
all those responsible for the incident. It also demanded
a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the victim. |
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Woman beaten up by in-laws,
hospitalised BATHINDA, April 21 — Harwinder Kaur, who got married about four months ago, is now under treatment at the local Civil Hospital as she was allegedly beaten up mercilessly by her husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law and husband's uncle on April 16 for bringing inadequate dowry. Rescued by her brother, Magh Singh, from her in-laws' house, Harwinder Kaur, daughter of a hotelier, was brought here and admitted to a private hospital on the same day. She was shifted to the local Civil Hospital on April 18 by her father after her condition deteriorated. Married at Jassi Parwali village Pirthi Singh, Harvinder Kaur alleged that on April 16, 1999, her mother-in-law called her to the courtyard and held her by the hair. Her sister-in-law, Kulwinder Kaur, and husband Pirthi Singh, then allegedly started beating her up and even kicked her on the stomach. Rachpal Singh, an uncle of her husband, allegedly threatened to kill her with his gun. She alleged that she was continuously subject to the mental and physical torture as her in-laws were demanding a Maruti car or Rs 2 lakh in cash. When she was being beaten up by her in-laws, her brother reached there and rescued her. She was then brought here. The police has
registered a case at the Sadar police station and G.S.
Bhalla, in charge of the police chowki at Kotshamir is
investigating the matter. |
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300 ‘sheesham’
trees felled MUKTSAR, April 21 — More than 300 sheesham trees have allegedly been felled and sold illegally by a resident of Jhindwala village in the past few moths as the authorities concerned failed to check him due to his "high political connections". Known as "mini Veerappan of Punjab" in the State Forest Department, he has felled sheesham trees located on the banks of the Arniwala distributary, the Khunan minor, the Dabre minor, the Bhagsar minor and on the Malout-Mukatsar road. Official sources said the illegal felling of trees was still continuing as the police as well as district administration had failed to take any preventive action in this regard. In a letter written by the local divisional forest authorities to the Deputy Commissioner, Muktsar it has been mentioned that the police was not taking any action against the culprit who had been blamed by the Forest Department for illegally felling trees in their repeated applications to the SSP. The authorities also pointed out that as the accused had been threatening officials of the Forest Department, it had become difficult for them to save the forest. Official sources said the modus operandi of the accused was to seal the area during the felling operation. The felled trees were converted into logs by using a power saw fitted on a vehicle and the logs were immediately sent to far off places for sale during night time. Mr Balkar Singh Sidhu, officiating SSP, Muktsar when contacted said the police was investigating the matter. He pointed out that the local Forest Department authorities and the accused were locked in another dispute too. Denying the allegation that the police was sitting over the issue, he pointed out that the accused had been booked once in a criminal case for felling trees. He added that accused could not be caught red-handed despite a number of raids conducted by the police in the areas where trees had been felled on a large scale. He also pointed out that
during one such raid, the police arrested three persons
allegedly for felling the trees. These three accused had
no connection with the main accused. |
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Dept suspends wheat
procurement CHANDIGARH, April 21 — Punjab's Food and Supply department has suspended procurement of wheat. Its share will now be procured by other state agencies like Markfed, Punsup and the Agro Industries Corporation. While the government asserts that this has been done for administrative reasons, the Opposition alleged that the government did not have money to procure wheat and it had already utilised the cash credit limit of Rs 1,000 crore to tide over its tight fiscal situation. A former Punjab Industries minister and Congress leader, Mr Brahm Mohindra today said that the Food and Supply department had been withdrawn as the government did not have funds. For the past fortnight no payment had been made except by the Food Corporation of India and Markfed, the apex cooperative organisation. Mr Mohindra also alleged that Punsup too has stopped procurement after buying just 65,000 tonnes. The Food department had purchased 3.1 lakh tonnes. He also asserted that the government had just Rs 120 crore to procure wheat worth Rs 3000 crore. It had only released Rs 30 crore. "While the farm experts are putting the total production at 136 lakh tonnes, the government has made no arrangement in advance to meet this new target. Whatever money was advanced in the form of cash credit limit, it has been misused", he said. What are the facts? Both Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, and Food Minister, Mr Charanji Lal Garg, denied that there was any shortage. "We shall pay each rupee to the traders and farmers. There was only a temporary problem and it has been overcome. We have already made available Rs 120 crore and we could go up to Rs 800 crore. No cash credit limit has been misutilised", they told TNS. Yesterday alone Rs 30 crore was paid. They also said that the Food department would oversee the entire operation and its share had been transferred to other agencies. Punjab's current deficit is over Rs 1,000 crore. The situation is bad. The cabinet which was to consider this serious problem could not do so as the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was not well. In fact, the deficit has increased since the government rolled back some taxes. Secondly, huge money, something like Rs 3000 crore, is struck in paddy and another Rs 500 crore in wheat. Unless this stock is lifted by the FCI, the government does not get any payment. This total amount which carries heavy interest has been permitted by the Reserve Bank since the procurement of both paddy and wheat is for the central pool. Punjab has utilised some cash credit limit to meet the urgent needs, but has now got out a bit of it with Rs 120 crore. In fact, it can utilise up to Rs 800 crore. "The arrangement," according to the Food and Supply Secretary, Mr P. Ram, "is that as we push the stock of procured wheat to the FCI, we get more funds available to pay. It is like rolling funds. Otherwise, the total procurement would end up paying some Rs 3,000 crore." The present plan has that the FCI would procure 33 per cent of total arrivals which are expected to be between 65 lakh and 70 lakh tonnes. Last year, the procurement was more than 63 lakh tonnes. As much as 67 per cent would be procured by the state agencies. The Punjab government would need Rs 3,000 crore and the present amount of Rs 120 crore is just peanuts. Even the revolving fund of Rs 800 crore is not enough. Till yesterday, the total arrival had touched 31.5 lakh tonnes. The Food and Supply department had purchased over 10 per cent, Markfed 20.8 per cent, Punsup 19 per cent, the Punjab Warehousing Corporation 9.6 per cent and the FCI 23.2 per cent. Clearly, the FCI was for short of its committed target of 33 per cent. "We have told the FCI to procure its share", Mr Ram said. In fact, Punjab is
worried about storage and movement. Wheat being
profitable it is keen on making a fast buck. Each bag of
88 kg turns out to be one quintal just after the rain. |
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List of nominees for education board BATHINDA, April 21 — The Director-General of Police, has dropped the name of Mr Surinder Singh Gill, suspended Principal of Sri Dashmesh Senior Secondary School, Talwandi Sabo, from the list of members nominated to the State Education Board of Police Public Schools. Official sources said the name of Mr Gill was dropped from the list of board members as he had been booked by the Talwandi Sabo police for alleged embezzlement of lakhs from school funds under Sections 406, 409, 420, 468 and 471 of the IPC. Mr Gill, who was principal of Sri Dashmesh Senior Secondary School, Talwandi Sabo, being run by the Punjab State Defence Security and Relief Fund Educational Society, Chandigarh, was nominated member of the State Education Board of Police Public Schools recently. The other members who were nominated to the board were the Additional DGP, Jalandhar; Additional DGP (Admn), Punjab, Chandigarh; Additional DGP-cum-Director, CPA, Phillaur; IGP, Zonal, Jalandhar; IGP, Headquarters, Chandigarh; and Dr R.M. Goyal, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala. The sources said that Mr Gill, who had been denied bail in the embezzlement case by the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr Inderjit Sharma, was indicted in an inquiry conducted by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Mr Alok Shekhar, for embezzling school funds. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the management of the school, had placed Mr Gill under suspension and asked the school's Vice-Principal to officiate as principal. The district police authorities took up the issue of Mr Gill's nomination with higher police authorities of the state. They also informed the DGP, Punjab, about the criminal case registered against Mr Gill in the Talwandi Sabo police station. The DGP, after going through the entire case decided to drop the name of Mr Gill from the list of nominees. In a letter faxed to Mr Ladhar by the DGP, it had been mentioned that the name of Mr Gill had been dropped from the membership of the state education board on March 22, 1999. Mr Gill could not be
contacted. |
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Verdict reserved on People's
panel CHANDIGARH, April 21 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today reserved judgement on a writ petition filed by Mr Sudershan Goel contesting the setting up of the People's Commission to hear complaints about missing persons in Punjab. Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Amar Datt, while reserving judgement, observed that the Union Government, in its affidavit filed before the court, had refused to amend the Human Rights Act to extend the term of the state Human Rights Commission up to 10 years to hear complaints. Counsel for Mr Goel
argued that the commission was acting like a parallel
court. Its continuance would subvert the administration
of justice. |
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Allahabad Bank told to pay
compensation CHANDIGARH, April 21 — In an unprecedented decision, the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, comprising its president, Mr A.L Bahri and members Mr Jasbir Singh and Mrs Davinder Kaur Bhamrah, has directed Allahabad Bank, Mandi Gobindgarh, to pay Rs 14 lakh to a current account holder along with interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum plus Rs 13,000 as costs and compensation, for wrongly scoring off credit entries in the account. M/s Makhan Lal Vinod Kumar, Amloh Road, Mandi Gobindgarh, in the complaint, alleged that the firm had deposited two cheques issued by their debtor, M/s United Ispat Udyog Ltd for Rs 6 lakh and Rs 8 lakh each, in its current account with Allahabad Bank on September 1, 1997. The amount of the two cheques were credited in its account, bringing the balance in its account to over Rs 37.5 lakh as on September 2, 1997. It accordingly issued a cheque for Rs 37 lakh to one M/s B.D Gupta & Sons. Allahabad Bank, however, returned this cheque dishonoured on account of insufficient funds, the firm's account. On enquiry, the complainant firm found that credit entries of Rs 14 lakh had been scored out by the bank, showing an insufficient balance. The complaint was filed, alleging the scoring out to be deficiency in service on the part of the bank as well as negligent act resulting in loss to the complainant. The bank in its reply contended that the drawer of the cheques had issued a stop payment letter regarding the cheques. According to these instructions, the cheque amount was not to be credited. However, due to oversight of the clerk, the cheques were credited in the complainant's account. The bank further contended that it was entitled to score out the entries on discovering its mistake. The bank's manager was subjected to detailed cross-examination whereupon the commission held that "this is not a case of inadvertent entries having been made on September 2, 1997, that the same could be scored out. It was a case where factually entries were made, showing credit of the amount of two cheques in favour of the complainant and having once done so, the same could not be reversed. Rather for reversal of entries the procedure is not for scoring of the entries but debit entries could be made in addition to the entries already existing.No such procedure was followed by the bank. Thus, the bank was deficient and negligent in scoring out the two entries referred to above of credit of Rs 14 lakh recorded in favour of the complainant and depriving the complainant of the use of the aforesaid money." The bank has also been
directed to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation and another Rs
3,000 as costs of litigation within a month. |
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Hawala racket busted, 3 held JALANDHAR, April 21 — The police here has busted a Rs 5 lakh hawala racket by intercepting a two member gang and recovering Indian currency worth Rs 4.9 lakh from them. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said here today that a special checking of vehicles was organised as part of the city sealing scheme on April 20 evening. A white Maruti van no PB-08 X-9697 was intercepted at Bidhipur Phatak by the police. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of Rs 4.9 lakh from an attache case lying on the back seat. He said three persons—Gurnam Singh son of Gurmit Singh of Talwandi Sarn, Amritsar (now at housing board colony, Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Jalandhar), Jujhar Singh son of Raghubir Singh of 46, New Dilbagh Nagar, Jalandhar and Jeet Lal son of Gian Chand of 104/5, Bhargo camp Jalandhar — were travelling in the van. He said that Gurnam Singh and Jujhar Singh had returned recently from the United States of America. Gurnam Singh had stayed there from 1994-98 and Jujhar Singh had stayed from 1997 to 1999. During their stay abroad they came into contact with a foreign based hawala operator and started delivering hawala money to various persons after their return to India. During interrogation they revealed that the hawala money was obtained from Charanjit Kaur and Jaspal Singh both residents of gali no 6, Tahliwala Chowk, Amritsar and was to be distributed among clients in the Bholath area. The Maruti van was hired for Rs 400 from Jalandhar to Bholath. The three persons have
been handed over to the officials of the Enforcement
Directorate for further legal action. |
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Punjab promises to implement
Article 30 CHANDIGARH, April 21 — Dr James Massey, Member, National Minorities Commission, and Chairman, High Powered Study Committee on Minorities, said today that the Punjab Government has promised to go as far as Tamil Nadu in implementing Article 30 of the Constitution. Talking to newsmen after his meeting with the Punjab Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, and senior functionaries of the state education department, Dr Massey said so far Punjab figured in the first list of states which had done nothing in past 50 years on the right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions as enshrined in Article 30 of the statute. Haryana, which along with Chandigarh also figured in the first list, has, already passed the education Bill which is awaiting the President's assent. Dr Massey said the entire country had been divided into three groups on the basis of progress in implementing Article 30. The report prepared by the committee headed by him would be circulated to all states for placing it before their respective legislatures. He said it was the second such committee constituted in May,1997. The first committee was headed by Dr Gopal Singh, he added. Dr Massey said the framers of the Constitution accepted the concept of "diversity in unity". The protection offered to the minorities through Article 30 was a pointer towards the fact that for the preservation of the Socialist, secularistic and democratic system accepted and adopted by the country was necessary. The commission has recommended a Central law or parliamentary legislation to give a definite direction to all the states and UTs to have a common approach for the implementation of Article 30. The other recommendation wants the National Minorities Commission to be strengthened so that the states and the UTs could take it more seriously. Revision of norms of the Ministry of Human Resource Development; enaction of special rules on the lines of the Tamil Nadu Minority Schools (Recognition and payment of grants) Rules, 1977, by all states and UTs, special schemes for socially backward and economically weaker segments of minorities and due importance to the mother tongue in primary and secondary level education are among other recommendations made by the committee, Dr Massey said. Copies of the report have already been submitted to the union government. Tomorrow he will hold
discussions with the senior functionaries of the
Education department of the Chandigarh Administration. |
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Project achievements, PR men
told CHANDIGARH, April 21 — While inaugurating a three-day 21st national conference of the Public Relations Society of India here today, the Punjab Public Relations Minister. Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, said that public relations organisations could play a vital role in projecting the correct image of India abroad. He said in the fast-developing world, PR exercise had become a most important factor to march ahead on the path of development. The society had adopted a very significant topic "Image India-PR strategies" for discussion. There was need for formulating proper strategies to make the Western world know that India was a great country with a lot of potential. Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Minister for Food and Supplies, while reading the message from Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, who was unable to come to inaugurate the conference, said PR men required to address important issues like population control and primary education. Mr Badal in his message said that PR men should project the achievements made by the country in the past 50 years. On the food front the country had become self country sufficient. In democratic sphere the country had set standards. It was on the path of emerging as a big economic power. He welcomed the delegates for visiting this part of the when Punjab was celebrating Khalsa Panth tercentenary. Mr N.D. Rajpal, national president of the society, in his keynote address, said that gloomy forecasts and mindless propaganda should not bother PR men. "As PR persons, we have a daunting task to create an atmosphere for creative energies and positive thinking across the world". He laid stress on the need to build a strong public opinion for evolving as agenda for the next century, which could take the country in the front line of economic powers. Mr S.S. Kohli, Chairman, Punjab and Sind Bank, said that Indians were performing very well in leading banks of the world as senior executives but this had not been projected properly. The banking industry was playing key role in the country's development but this also remained half-projecting. He called upon PR persons to contribute maximum in projecting the country's image and very high quality of its human resources abroad. Mr K.R. Singh, past president of the society, while talking about the objectives of the conference, said the world map was changing and PR persons should be prepared to face the challenges of the changing world order. Among others who spoke were Mrs Vijay Laxmi and Mr Charanjit Singh. They welcomed the
delegates to the city. |
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Case registered against firm ABOHAR, April 21 — The police has registered a case under Section 420, IPC, against G. Ganeshan and others who had been running a household goods scheme in Nai Abadi here, Mr Gurmit Singh Randhawa, DSP, said today. The investors had been asked to deposit xerox copies of the receipts issued by the firm against advance booking. Mr Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Executive Magistrate, who had been asked by the SDM, Mr Darshan Singh Grewal, to examine the working of the firm, Nee Vee Household complex, last week also submitted his report yesterday. Mr Satpal Khariwal, chairman, Consumers Movement, represented to the civil authorities last week that such schemes could not be run under the rules and regulations of the MRTPC. He had demanded that the bank account of the firm should be kept under close surveillance to safeguard the interests of the investors but the authorities could not intervene as the firm had opened its account with a private bank. The district unit of the
All-India Anti-Corruption Board had also submitted a
memorandum demanding legal action against Nee Vee
Household Complex which had been issued a licence to
operate the scheme by the local sales tax authorities. |
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"Partition outcome of vested
interests" PHAGWARA, April 21 — Rai Aziz Ulla Khan, the ninth direct descedent of Rai Kalha, who had given shelter to Guru Gobind Singh in 1705 at Raikot (Ludhiana), said here yesterday that there was common bond among Punjabis wherever they lived in the world. Rai Aziz Ulla Khan is custodian of 'Ganga Sagar' (vessel) which the 10th Guru had presented to Rai Kalha as a token of love after the Guru was pleased with his hospitality. He was among the dignitaries honoured during Khalsa's tercentenary celebrations. Rai Aziz Ulla Khan said that vested political interests had divided hearts through Partition. However, Punjabis could not be divided as common language and culture bound them, he said. Claiming that he had been guarding 100-year old history, Rai Khan offered to bring the holy relic for "darshan" by the Sikhs whenever the sangat so desired. The Ganga Sagar at present was in the locker of a London bank. He expressed satisfaction over improvement in Indo-Pakistan relations and visa restrictions should be relaxed further so that people-to-people contacts could be facilitated. He felt proud of being honoured by the Punjab government during tercentenary celebrations and was overwhelmed with hospitality. He also visited his ancestral village Raikot and saw the house where his elders had lived. He became very emotional on visiting Raikot. The Lok Sewa Dal Phagwara led by Mr Harwinder Singh Sandhu honoured Rai Khan. Meanwhile five top
Pakistani wrestlers — Mohammed Ali, Mohammed Usman,
Zahid Khan and Harun Khan were felicitated at a separate
function at the local Guru Nanak College yesterday. Mr
Jagat Singh Palahi, President, College Managing Committee
and Mr P.R. Sondhi, Chief National wrestling coach of
Indian team honoured them with mementos. |
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Villagers block highway JALANDHAR, April 21 (UNI) — Collection of drain water outside an under-construction gurdwara following the filling up of the pond in Jethumajara village in adjoining Nawanshahr district led to protest blockade of the Nawanshahr-Chandigarh road for two hours by the villagers today. The blockade was lifted shortly after noon following intervention of SGPC president Jagir Kaur whose car got caught in traffic jam. Led by village sarpanch Kirpal Kaur of the ruling Akali Dal, about 100 protesters blocked the road at 9.45 a.m. demanding that pucca drain built in the village be filled up so that the village waste water did not collect outside the gurdwara being built by a group of Nihang Singhs. When the administration filled up the pond in the Harijan basti in the village and built pucca drain for the exit of the sewage despite direction to the contrary by a Cabinet Minister, the residents rose up in arms and blocked the road, leading to traffic snarls. When Ms Jagir Kaur reached the blockade site shortly before noon, her car was caught in the jam. She invited the protesters for a dialogue in Singh Sabha gurdwara at Nawanashahr town and it was at her pleas the villagers lifted the blockade at around 12.15 p.m. Later, leaders of the protest group held an hour-long meeting with the Deputy Commissioner in where independent-turned Congress MLA Charanjit Singh Channi and former Akali MLA Jatinder Singh Kariha among other participated. The administration
agreed to fill up the pucca drain completed overnight
under police supervision. It decided that another pond
would be dug out in the village to take in the drain
water. It was also agreed at the meeting that those who
had got a stay against the construction of the gurdwara
would withdraw their petition, official sources said. |
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5 PSEB employees injured AMRITSAR, April 21
— As many as five employees of the Punjab The injured were Mr Kuldip Singh, Mr Harnam Singh, Mr Nirvail Singh, Mr Charanjit Singh and Mr Gurbachan Singh. They were admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. The condition of Mr
Nirvail Singh is stated to be serious. |
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Bus driver held for mishap TARN TARAN, April 21 — A private bus driver, Mohan Singh, has been arrested by the Sarhali police in connection with the accident on Monday evening near Thathian Mahantan village, in which eight persons of a family were killed and seven others travelling in a jeep were injured. Police sources said here
today that a case under Sections 304A, 279, 337, 338, 427
of the IPC had already been registered against the
driver. Those killed are Baljit Kaur, Bholi, Harbans
Kaur, Beero, Ravel Singh, Sonu, Kundan Singh and the
driver of the jeep Dukhia. The injured are S. Kaka,
Saroop Singh, Paramjit Kaur, Jasanpreet Kaur, and Heera
Singh, all residents of the Mamdot area of Ferozepore,
who were going to attend a ceremony at Dhoba village in
Amritsar district. |
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FP camp at Kotkapura FARIDKOT: The Bharat Vikas Parishad, Kotkapura, in collaboration with the district Health Department, recently organised a one-day free family planning camp in the town (Kotkapura). It was one of the biggest camps ever held in the history of the district. As many as 201 operations of tubectomy and vasectomy were performed in a record time of 15 hours. The function started at 9 a.m. and continued till midnight. Against the total number of operations, women remained in the top position. The Parishad spent Rs 1 lakh to mobilise people by giving 15 utensils of steel to each person at the camp. Zeenat Kumari, Sheelawanti and Paramjit Kaur, who mustered the cases, were also suitably honoured. Two vasectomy cases were operated under the NSV, a new Chinese technique. Most of the participants arrived from Bhatinda, Ferozepore, Moga, Muktsar and Faridkot. According to Civil Surgeon K.K. Aggarwal, another such camp will be organised in June. A special campaign has already been launched by holding camps on Monday and Friday on a regular basis to promote the family planning scheme in rural areas. He expressed hope that a target of 3,000 cases fixed by the Punjab Government will be achieved without any hindrance during the current financial year. Last year 2,7000 cases
dealt with under the family planning scheme. Help is
being sought from all non-government organisations to
promote the scheme in a befitting manner. The State
Government has also been approached to allocate adequate
funds to accelerate the programme, Mr Aggarwal added. |
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TUs resolve to oppose
globalisation JALANDHAR, April 21 — A state level convention of the trade unions and mass organisations under the banner of the CCTU (Coordination Committee of Trade Union), which was held here today in Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, strongly criticised the new economic policy of globalisation and privatisation, which was against the interests of the people and the country. Thousands of employees, workers and peasants from all parts of Punjab assembled here for the convention and resolved to continue organised and sustained campaign and struggle against these policies of the government. A presidium comprising Mr Vijay Mishra (CITU), Mr H S Minhas (TSU), Mr Chand Singh Chopra (Khet Majdoor Sabha), Mr Ramesh Sharma (PSSF) and Mrs Tara Sharma (AIDWA) presided over the convention. Mr Balwant Singh, president, CITU Punjab, while inaugurating the convention called upon the workers, employees, peasants, students and all sections of patriotic and secular people to come out against the communal and divisive forces to protect the unity of the country and defeat the ugly designs of ruling classes to disrupt unity of the working people. He criticised American imperialism which had assumed role of world policeman, by interfering in internal affairs of other sovereign countries. Attacks on Iraq and now on Yugoslavia, destroying property and killing innocent people were examples of its dangerous proportions which the imperialism had assumed. Mr Balwant Singh also criticised the Punjab government for following anti-people policies and banning recruitments in Punjab. He also criticised the Akali party for sowing seeds of separatism by claiming that the Sikhs were a separate nation. Amongst others, the
convention was also addressed by Mr Sukhdev Singh Bari
(PSSF), Mr Amarjit Singh Sodhi (TSU), Mr Joginder Singh,
Jindu - MSU (PSEB), Mr Moudigil, Mr S S Kooner (LIC) Mr
Chand Singh Chopra (Punjab Khet Majdoor Sabha), Mr
Raghunath and Mr Vijay Mishra both of CITU, Mr Rachhpal
Singh (Punjab Kisan Sabha, and Sukhwinder Singh Seikhon,
Mr Lembar Singh Taggar - Punjab Kisan Sabha and Mrs Tara
Sharma (AIDWA). |
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College teachers to do exam duty PATIALA, April 21 — Members of the Punjab Government College Teachers Association today decided to offer their services for the conduct of university examinations keeping in mind the future of the students and sentiments of the public. In a statement issued here, the association President, Dr P.S. Bhatti, said the executive committee had taken this decision at its meeting held at Mohindra College here. This decision had been taken despite the fact that the Punjab Government had not implemented the demands already accepted by it. He said the association had, however, decided to resort to a lightning boycott of university examinations on any day decided by its central leadership to ensure implementation of the accepted demands. It was also decided that the teachers would boycott evaluation of answer books if the Punjab Government failed to issue a revised notification strictly according to the December 24,1998, UGC notification by that time. The state council would
sit in dharna on May 3, in front of the office of DPI (C)
in protest against the negative attitude of the Punjab
Government towards implementation of the March 12, 1999,
notification. |
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Highest bid sent for authorities nod JALANDHAR, April 21 (UNI) — The highest auction bid today of Rs 46.09 crore of Jalandhar Municipal Corporation for the 1999-2000 year, which fell short by Rs two crore from the reserve price of Rs 48 crore, was today referred to Local Bodies Authorities at Chandigarh for approval, if any, by the local Corporation authorities following pressure mounted by contractors and their lobbyists. Last month, the Corporation authorities had rejected the highest bid of Rs 36.10 crore but today they were not allowed to cancel the bid by contractors and their supporting politicians, who asked to why the reserve price was kept so high when the 1997-98 octroi collection amounted to only Rs 29.40 crore. Octroi collection was for the 1998-99 year which ended on March 31 was not made available. Of the five contractors who took part in the auction, the highest bid was given by M/s Nirvair Singh Pawan Kumar of Moga, alleged to be a member of the cartel. Several ruling Akali
party leaders including Mr Charanjit Singh Channi and
SGPC executive member Partap Singh advocate were seen
active lobbying for acceptance of the bid. |
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Transfer of Punjab teachers in
June CHANDIGARH, April 21 — General transfers of school teachers in Punjab will be done between June 1 and June 30, according to the Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh. This was decided today as schools will remain closed during this period due to summer vacation and there would be no loss to studies. The minister said that transfer policy guidelines had already been issued to the teachers and they had been advised to send-in on prescribed proformas their options, duly attested by the head of the school in the district, before April 30. The district authorities have also been instructed to send transfer proformas of teachers of other districts to the DPI between May 1 and 15. Keeping in view the inconvenience caused to teachers in visiting Chandigarh for transfers, the minister has decided to give transfer orders only at the district headquarters. A separate transfer date would be given for each district. The minister further said that cases of the handicapped, widows, unmarried girls and teachers coming from other districts and from far-off places would be taken up on a priority basis. Teachers have been
advised not to visit Chandigarh for transfer. |
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