Bhakra water level 'normal'
NANGAL, April 26 — The water level at Bhakra is normal and there is no shortage for the generation of electricity, according to Mr Satish Mittal, Chief Engineer, Power Generation, Bhakra Beas Management Board.

More TB cases detected
FEROZEPORE: The number of tuberculosis patients are on the rise in the district. Of the total TB patients detected so far, most of them hail from Abohar sub-division which is a cotton belt area having cotton crop based industries.

Mayor, MC trade charges over auction
JALANDHAR, April 26 — The auction of octroi posts by the local municipal corporation has generated controversy after the Commissioner, Mr J B Goel claimed that the government had cleared the highest bid of Rs 46.9 crore while the Mayor Suresh Sehgal alleged malfeasance in the previous auction and said fresh bids would be invited.

Patiala, Amritsar hottest places in Punjab
CHANDIGARH, April 26 — Heatwave sweeping most of north-western region for the past week has caused sharp rise in day temperatures with Hisar in Haryana continuing to be hottest place with mercury shooting to 45° Celsius, forcing the people to stay indoors.

GND varsity exams from today
AMRITSAR, April 26 — More than 50,000 candidates will appear in various under-graduate examinations of Guru Nanak Dev University commencing from tomorrow.

Valmiki morcha to ‘liberate’ shrine
JALANDHAR, April 26 — The Valmiki Dharam Yudh Morcha today said it would recruit 1 lakh volunteers who would be administered an oath of "do or die" in the name of Bhagwan Valmiki to "liberate" a shrine in Amritsar.

Bitta: take up gurdwara panel issue with Pak
PHAGWARA, April 26 — Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, former president of the All-India Youth Congress Committee and national chief of the Anti-Terrorist Front, today did not rule out the hand of former SGPC Jathedar G.S. Tohra behind the constitution of the parallel Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee in Pakistan.

Bar association strikes work
ABOHAR, April 26 — Members of the local Bar association today suspended work and took out a march from the subdivisional court complex to the municipal council office to protest against the insanitary conditions and general problems being faced by local residents.

3 die as bus overturns
GURDASPUR, April 26 — Three persons died on the spot and one succumbed to his injuries in Civil Hospital, Amritsar after a private bus carrying more than 60 passengers overturned yesterday near Kalanaur 24 km from here.

Traders protest against ST hike
LUDHIANA, April 26 — In order to protest against the alleged anti-trade, anti-industry and anti-urbanite policy being pursued by the state government, as many as 50 leading industrial and trade associations organised a protest rally in front of the office of the Sales Tax Department here today.

Traders' protest from May 1
BATHINDA, April 26 — Traders will hoist black flags on their shops from May 1, 1999 to protest against the non-implementation of pre-poll promises by the SAD-BJP government.

Four arrested for theft
FATEHGARH SAHIB, April 26 — The police claims to have arrested a gang of thieves and recovered items worth lakhs of rupees from them. However, Sushil Puri kingpin of the gang is still at large.

Twelve hurt in group clash
NAWANSHAHR, April 26 — Twelve persons, including four women, were injured in a clash on Sunday at Jethumazra village due to tension between two communities over the construction of a nullah to drain out the water of a Dalit basti into a pond situated near a gurdwara.

Vets to hold dharna on May 25
LUDHIANA, April 26 — A meeting of the Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association was held here today in which it was decided that the state executive of the PSVOA would hold a state-level dharna in front of the office of the Directorate, Animal Husbandry, in Chandigarh on May 25 in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands.

Khalsa College poll 'all-Badal' affair
AMRITSAR, April 26 — The presidential election of Khalsa College, scheduled for April 24, which was postponed when Mr Parkash Singh Badal intervened as its President, Mr Parkash Singh Majitha, Revenue Minister of Punjab, had resigned, has brought face-to-face two powerful contenders.

• Absent Mandi Board official suspended
• RMPs not to sell intoxicants
• Rs 25000 timber destroyed in fire
• Release of ration sugar sought
• Holiday sought on May 1

• Pensioners demand release of DA
• Widows await pension
• Fire at JCT mill, FCI godowns
• School without basic amenities
• Octroi collection: harassment alleged

Rapprochement move afoot in SAD camps
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, April 26 — Saner elements in the Shiromani Akali Dal have already launched a campaign to bring rapprochement between the Badal and Tohra camps.

Senior Akali leaders are of the view that if rapprochement was not brought between Mr Badal and Mr Tohra, the Shiromani Akali Dal would have a tough time in the forthcoming mid-term elections. The SAD and its political-ally-BJP, apart from the two candidates supported by the Akalis had won all the 13 Parliamentary seats in Punjab. It was for the first time that the SAD and the BJP had won all the parliamentary seats in the Majha region.

According to sources, the patch up between Badal and Tohra camps could be reached if the former refrains from dismissing the suspended Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh at the proposed executive meeting of the SGPC on April 28 at Chandigarh. Mr Tohra has already declared that he would stop his campaign against Mr Badal if he presented himself before Akal Takht and accepted Bhai Ranjit Singh as its Jathedar.

The senior Akali leaders feel that it was good enough that there was no formal division in the SAD so far as Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, a former SGPC chief has been claiming that he was not going to leave the party. However, Mr Tohra and his protege, Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, a SAD MP from Patiala, have already declared that they would launch a campaign to make the SAD as the party of workers instead of the party of feudals. Though this campaign was proposed to be launched after the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth, no formal decision regarding this has been taken so far.

Though the Tohra camp had pitched a separate pandal at Anandpur Sahib on the occasion of tercentenary function, yet both the groups have not parted. It may be mentioned here that Mr Surjit Singh Barnala an Akali MP from Sangrur had addressed the congregation at Anandpur Sahib from both the pandals causing embarrassment to the Akali Dal. Though all the Akali MPs had voted in favour of the Vajpayee Government at the time of confidence motion yet the Tohra camp had adopted diametrically opposite stand outside Parliament.

In the given circumstances, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders feel that if both the Akali camps don't come together the SAD-BJP alliance wont sweep the forthcoming polls the way it did during the March 1998 poll.

HC aborts Punjab bid on PCS nominations
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, April 26 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today aborted the attempt of the Punjab Government to nominate to the prestigious P.C.S. (Executive Branch) those employees who were close to the seat of power in the Secretariat.

A Division Bench consisting of Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Iqbal Singh directed the Punjab Public Service Commission not to proceed with selections on the basis of recommendations received by it.

The procedure adopted by the Punjab Government was questioned by Mr Abdul Razeg Mansoor and Mr Vijay Kumar, working in the Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training at Sangrur. In their petition they had stated that the government had issued a circular on July 28, 1997 for Secretariat staff inviting applications for nominations to the P.C.S. The circular was not circulated among those who were posted in various directorates outside the Secretariat and other subordinate offices outside Chandigarh.

Allowing the petition the Branch held: "We direct the official respondents and the authorities concerned to circular the letter dated July 28, 1997, in offices subordinate to them and make fresh nominations after considering the circulation.

The Judges further held: "In our opinion the discretion vested in the competent authorities under rule 10 of the nomination rules is limited to making choice from among all eligible candidates and not to choose a particular candidate without considering others who fall within the zone of eligibility."

By a separate order the Bench also set aside the nomination of Mr Joginder Singh Dhindsa made by Master Mohan Lal, Legal and Legislative Affairs Minister. The minister had first nominated Mr Rakesh Kumar but later cancelled it.

The Judges noted that Mr Rakesh Kumar was nominated on August 13, 1997. The despatch number of Mr Dhindsa was noted in the office of the minister but receipt was not shown in the office of the Joint Secretary (Personnel) or the P.C.S. Branch.

"The circumstances which preceded the nomination of Mr Dhindsa are clearly indicative of the manipulation made by him to secure his nomination for recruitment to the service," the Judge held.

Fire incidents on the rise
From Jupinderjit Singh

PATIALA, April 26 — An increase in fire incidents can be gauged from the figures available for this division. As many as 80 cases of fire were reported to the fire brigade here till April 25. However, according to Mr H.P.S. Bhullar, Assistant Fire Divisional Officer, and general secretary, Fire Officers Association, the number of fire accidents has never crossed 30 in the recent past in April, adding that this phenomenon was similar all over the state.

While no report of human casualty has come, there have been reports of huge losses to standing crops of wheat.

According to Mr Bhullar, huge loss to crops occurred in two major fires at Bir Bhadson, Bhunerheri, Moti Bagh and at Nabha this month, destroying over 50 acres of vegetation.

Apart from the fire incidents in this division, several others are reported daily. As many as 24 acres of standing wheat crop were destroyed near Kahilpur village in Hoshiarpur district yesterday. Fire destroyed nearly 40 acres of standing wheat crop on April 15 at Roran Wal Khurd village in Amritsar.

Enquiries by this correspondent revealed that fire was triggered off due to reasons like sparks emanating from machines used in wheat harvesting, from faulty transformers, electric wires, and cigarette butts. The fire breaking out in fields sometimes spreads to forests as has been the case in some of the forest fires in this division.

Mr Bhullar said a majority of the fires had been due to sparks from the transformers or electric wires. The spark triggered off a major fire within minutes due to highly combustible material available in the form of wheat crop, dry grass and dry leaves. He said, it had also been noticed that farmers could not control the fire they ignited in fields after harvesting crop. This fire helped by strong winds spreads very fast and by the time the fire brigade reached, considerable damage had already taken place. In certain cases sabotage due to rivalry could not be ruled out, he added.

The SSP, Mr Parampal Singh Sidhu, said according to complaints registered by the police, the main reason, as alleged by farmers, was of the fire was due to sparks from electric wires and transformers. Due to strong winds, the wires touch each other, causing sparks that trigger off fire. He said no sabotage case had come up so far. Mr P.C. Atyalia a wildlife official, said fires in Bir Bhadson, Bhunerheri, Moti Bagh and Nabha were caused due to sparks from electric wires passing over the fields. There was no alternative to the wires as tubewells required high voltage power.

Mr K.S. Bhullar, Secretary, Punjab State Electricity Board, said due care was taken to maintain the transformers and wires. However, some freak accidents could occur.

Mr Atyalia said the only possible safety measure to check the spread of fires was to construct small trenches in between the fields.

HOSHIARPUR (FOC): Meanwhile, employees of the Forest Department saved a rest house of the department, located on top of a hill in the Chohal forest area, 15 km from here last evening, from fire.

Divisional Forest Officer Ratna Kumar said there were reports of forest fires from several villages of the Hoshiarpur forest division.

He said Bari Khad, Bahera, Kukanet, Kot, Patial, Malout, and Dehrian forests have cheel tree cover as a result the fire could spread easily.

Bhakra water level 'normal'
From Our Correspondent

NANGAL, April 26 — The water level at Bhakra is normal and there is no shortage for the generation of electricity, according to Mr Satish Mittal, Chief Engineer, Power Generation, Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). He dismissed the rumour that electricity generated this year at Bhakra will be less due to water shortage.

The water level at Gobind Sagar reservoir is rising after it touched its lowest at 1531.53 feet on April 12. On April 25 it stood at 1532.6 feet which is just 5 feet less than last year's 1537.8 feet at the same time. The lake is snowfed and it's water level rises as the snow melts in summer.

The water inflow also increased from 6,002 cubic feet to 20,858 cubic feet on April 25. Out of this, 19,393 cubic feet of water per second is being used to generate electricity, while the rest is being stored, he added.

The BBMB is generating electricity as per the targets set for it by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). Bhakra is generating 332.73 lakh units of the electricity per day which is in accordance with last year's average production. Last year, the BBMB produced 1,41,096.3 lakh units of electricity against a target of 1,06,500 lakh units.

The water level in Pong dam reservoir, which is mostly rain-fed, is at 1,330 feet above sea level, which is less than last year's level of 1,351 feet during the same time of the year. This has, however, not affected the generation of electricity at the dam, Mr Mittal said.

Moreover, 5,782 cusecs of Beas water is being released into Gobind Sagar from Deher project after the generation of the electricity. Nearly 104 lakh units of electricity are being produced at Deher project daily, he said.

More TB cases detected
From Manoj Dhiman

FEROZEPORE: The number of tuberculosis (TB) patients are on the rise in the district. Of the total TB patients detected so far, most of them hail from Abohar sub-division which is a cotton belt area having cotton crop based industries.

According to an official information, as many as 2,538 new TB patients were detected during 1998-99 against a total of 1,895 TB patients detected during 1997-98. Of them, 3,863 patients were being treated at TB clinics in the district.

The District TB Control Officer, Dr G.S. Dhillon, attributes rise in TB cases to illiteracy, poverty, malnutrition.

He says that there is dire need to create mass awareness about causes and prevention of the disease. Poor and illiterate patients go to unqualified medical practitioners for treatment. He adds that sixty out of a hundred patients go to registered medical practitioners.

The Department of District Health under supervision of the Civil Surgeon, Dr V.K. Bassi, held an anti-tuberculosis fortnight between March 12 and 26. During the fortnight, speakers apprised people about causes and prevention of the disease.

A total of 10 camps were organised in the slum areas - Gowal Toli, Ghumar Mandi, Ganda Nullah, Lalkurti, Bhattianwali Basti, Awa Basti, Baurianwali Basti, New Grain Market, Shekhanwali Basti and Baghwali Basti here, during the fortnight. A total of 1,369 persons were examined. Besides, sputum of 710 patients was tested. Two cases were detected and treatment of 85 defaulter TB restarted.

Similar camps were also organised at other places, including Abohar. At Abohar, nine cases were detected. The concluding function of the fortnight was held at the local civil hospital on March 26.

Certain local social organisations urged the authorities to adopt those TB patients who could not bear expenses of their treatment. The district has two tuberculosis clinics one each at civil hospitals of Ferozepore and Abohar.

12-cr scam unearthed, two arrested
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, April 26 — The police has unearthed a major scam involving over Rs 12 crore was taken from the public in the form of deposits by a bank.

The SSP, Mr Gaurav Yadav, said here today that two persons, including a retired Colonel, were arrested yesterday for their alleged involvement in the scam.

A case had been registered by the Economic Offences wing following a complaint by Darbara Singh who had alleged that Surinder Singh Dhindsa, Manager of Incan Bank, Jandusingha branch, had induced investors to make deposits by promising them 12 per cent interest on saving account and 15 per cent on fixed deposits. The bank is registered with the RBI.

A large number of investors deposited their money in the bank and an amount of Rs 80-90 lakh was deposited in the Jandusingha branch alone. The bank has over 10 branches in Jalandhar district. The complainant, who had two fixed deposits of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh each, alleged that when bank officials were contacted, they refused to pay up the deposits.

A preliminary inquiry was conducted by the Economic Offences wing and after its completion, the opinion of the District Attorney (Legal) was sought to arrest Col Tarsem Singh (retd) and Surinder Singh Dhindsa.

Investigations are on and more arrests are likely to be made.

Mayor, MC trade charges over auction

JALANDHAR, April 26 (PTI) — The auction of octroi posts by the local municipal corporation has generated controversy after the Commissioner, Mr J B Goel claimed that the government had cleared the highest bid of Rs 46.9 crore while the Mayor Suresh Sehgal alleged malfeasance in the previous auction and said fresh bids would be invited.

"We have accepted the highest bid of Rs 46.9 crore offered by Nirwair Singh and Pawan Kumar and Co. Even the state government has given its nod to the bid," Joint Commissioner Sarojini Gautam Sharda told PTI here.

But Mr Sehgal, who has been opposing the auction, said the bidding did not even reach the minimum reserve price of Rs 48 crore and corporation officials had no right or authority to accept the Rs 46.9 crore bid.

The auction held on April 21, immediately led to differences between the town's first citizen and corporation officials.

A previous attempt to privatise octroi collection had fizzled out when the bids did not exceed Rs 39.10 crore at the auction held on March 30 last.

Corporation officials said the Rs 46.9 crore figure was significantly higher than the projected revenue from octroi of Rs 22 crore in the corporation's budget for 1999-2000.

Sources in the corporation said the move to privatise octroi collection followed persistent reports of massive evasion of octroi leading to revenue losses of over Rs 10 crore each year.

Mr Sehgal said he was not opposed to the auctioning of octroi per se but was objecting to acceptance of a bid below the reserve price of Rs 48 crore.

"Even today, people have approached me with bids of Rs 48 crore. Then why should the corporation authorities rush to hand over octroi to those bidding significantly lower than the reserve price?" Mr Sehgal said.

He refused to say whether he would call a meeting of the 55-member general house of the corporation to discuss the matter.

Patiala, Amritsar hottest places in Punjab

CHANDIGARH, April 26 (UNI) — Heatwave sweeping most of north-western region for the past week has caused sharp rise in day temperatures with Hisar in Haryana continuing to be hottest place with mercury shooting to 45° Celsius, forcing the people to stay indoors.

The day temperatures at several places in the region ruled 4 to 8°C above normal. Weather office here has attributed abnormal rise in temperatures to the absence of any rainfall since March 9. However, there had been no report of any heatwave casualties in the region so far.

Reports said Shimla and Srinagar reeled under 8°C above normal temperatures with mercury rising to 27.6 and 28° Celsius, respectively. Jammu, reported the high of 40.3°C, 6° above normal.

Patiala and Amritsar turned out to be the hottest places in Punjab with the day temperature hovering around 42°C, five and seven degrees above normal.

The day temperature in and around Chandigarh rose to 40.6°C, against the normal of 36 degrees. Rohtak and Ambala in Haryana reported the high of 42.2° and 41.2° Celsius, respectively.

In Delhi the maximums at Palam and Safdarjung hovered around 42.5 and 41.6°C respectively.

VCs asked to check harassment of women
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, April 26 — The University Grants Commission has directed vice-chancellors of universities in the country to take immediate steps to check the rising incidence of female harassment.

In a demi-official letter addressed to the vice-chancellor, Prof A.S. Desai, also sought a detailed report about steps taken by them to handle the menace.

The demi-official letter of Prof Desai reads "issues of harassment of women are on the rise. In this connection, we had sent a letter suggesting that university initiate steps to set up a committee and develop procedures to hear complaints. The committee can also be proactive by developing conducive atmosphere on campus."

The UGC chairperson has also directed the vice-chancellors to evolve mechanism for conducted and affiliated colleges of the university also.

Dr S.P. Singh (Dean) Colleges, Guru Nanak Dev University confirmed receipt of the demi-official letter and said he had written to principals of all 85 colleges in the five districts affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University to set up special committees manned largely by women to hear complaints of harassment of women.

The colleges have also been asked to conduct preliminary inquiries.

Giving details, Dr S.P. Singh said these committees would deal with the cases of exploitation, harassment and eve teasing in the colleges. He admitted that in absence of such committees cases of harassment were often hushed up by the authorities.

It is pertinent to mention here that the issue of female harassment was also discussed on the floor of Parliament many times and the Supreme Court had directed educational institutions to take immediate steps to prevent incidents of harassment.

Interestingly, while the Guru Nanak Dev University has directed all its affiliated colleges to constitute committees no such step has been taken on the university campus. A Professor of English was demoted some time ago by the university Syndicate on the complaint of a female student and the lecturer of another department made to quit following charges of harassment of a female student.

GND varsity exams from today
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, April 26 — More than 50,000 candidates will appear in various under-graduate examinations of Guru Nanak Dev University commencing from tomorrow (April 27).

Dr R.S. Bawa, Registrar, said here today that 116 centres in the district of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur and Nawanshahr have been set up. More than 2000 teaching and non-teaching staff of the affiliated colleges and the university had been deputed to conduct the examinations.

Giving details of the measures taken to check copying in examinations, Dr Bawa added that the Principals of the affiliated colleges acting as local controllers would be authorised to check outside interference. The police would be deployed in the examination centres. In case of emergency, local controller and the centre superintendent had been asked to seek help from them.

The Registrar pointed out that senior teachers and non-teaching staff had been deputed as flying squads and observers. The flying squad teams would stay in the examination hall and would get the answer books sealed in their presence, and they had been authorised to bring along answerbook packets.

Dr Bawa added that roll numbers to all eligible candidates had been issued and no candidate would be allowed to enter the examination hall without roll number.

Valmiki morcha to ‘liberate’ shrine

JALANDHAR, April 26 (PTI,UNI) — The Valmiki Dharam Yudh Morcha today said it would recruit 1 lakh volunteers who would be administered an oath of "do or die" in the name of Bhagwan Valmiki to "liberate" a shrine in Amritsar.

"The recruitment would begin at Amritsar where the volunteers would swear in the name of Bhagwan Valmiki to launch a campaign for the liberation of the Valmiki shrine which is under the control of Manuwadi forces," morcha president Devi Das Nahar said.

Similar annointment conclaves for the new vigilantes army would be organised in all districts and towns, down till the tehsil level, in order to mobilise Dalits for the common cause, he said in a statement issued here.

Accusing Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of ditching the community on the issue of Amritsar's controversial shrine even after reaching an agreement in a tripartite meeting with the Prime Minister, he said the community had waited for nearly a year before resorting to the agitation.

Slamming all political parties as "Manuwadi forces", he said not a single member of Parliament of any party took up the issue of the shrine in the Lok Sabha.

The morcha was set up by Valmiki leaders in May last year during the week-long agitation against offensive remarks in Hindi serial Jai Hanuman.

He said if the government did not legislate and hand over the shrine to the community by August 15, they would observe the Independence Day as black day and organise a state-level rally at Kapurthala.

Bitta: take up gurdwara panel issue with Pak
From Our Correspondent

PHAGWARA, April 26 — Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, former president of the All-India Youth Congress Committee and national chief of the Anti-Terrorist Front, today did not rule out the hand of former SGPC Jathedar G.S. Tohra behind the constitution of the parallel Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee in Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Bitta said the Pakistani panel would give fillip to the Khalistan movement and sour Indo-Pak relations.

The relations had improved between the two countries in wake of the bus diplomacy and the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, should take up the issue of the parallel panel with his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Bitta said.

He alleged that during his 25-year presidentship of the SGPC, Mr Tohra had misused gurdwara funds.

Terrorists who were abroad were using gurdwaras for spewing venom against India and the government should seek their repatriation, he said.

Flaying Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann for raising the demand for Khalistan, Mr Bitta said Mr Mann should be booked for sedition and put behind bars. Soft-pedalling the issue would encourage secessionism.

On the dissolution of the Lok Sabha and the resultant burden of a mid-term poll, he said the situation was not of Congress making as the BJP and other parties had created a political stagnation. He said the Congress should prepare for elections.

ASI arrested for demanding bribe

JALANDHAR, April 26 (PTI) — An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Punjab Police was arrested for allegedly extracting Rs 23,000 as bribe by threatening to implicate a man in a false case of narcotics trafficking, the SSP, Mr Gaurav Yadav, said here today.

He said ASI Harbhajan Singh posted at police station division number eight approached Jaswant Singh of Hoshiarpur and threatened to implicate his son Mohan Singh in a case of selling poppy husk unless he was paid illegal gratification.

In a complaint lodged with the police, Jaswant Singh said he paid Rs 5,000 to the ASI as first instalment of a settled amount of Rs 30,000 and paid another Rs 18,000 in the presence of two witnesses named in the FIR.

DSP (detective) Ajit Singh, to whom the case was entrusted, arrested the ASI last evening.

Bar association strikes work
From Our Correspondent

ABOHAR, April 26 — Members of the local Bar association today suspended work and took out a march from the subdivisional court complex to the municipal council office to protest against the insanitary conditions and general problems being faced by local residents.

Addressing a rally at the council complex here Mr Hans Raj Sarswa, President of the association, said the Bar had repeatedly brought to the notice of the president and the EO of the council regarding the stinking water in and around the court complex, but appeared to have fallen on deaf ears. Even Mr Justice G.C. Garg and Mr Justice B. Rai of the Punjab and Haryana High Court during inspection had taken notice of this situation, but nothing had been done in this regard.

Mr Sarswa said because of choked sewerage, overflowing drains and heaps there was a fear of an epidemic. The protesting advocates submitted a memorandum to the president of the council. It said the water being supplied through a canal to the municipal water works was made unhygienic by some local residents who were disposing of the dirty water of their homes into it. People washed clothes and bathed cattle. The side walls of the tanks had collapsed allowing the underground water to mix with the canal water in reservoirs.

The Association also expressed concern over the growing traffic problem in the city. Drivers of cars, buses and other vehicles violated speed limit and other traffic rules. Roads were also in a bad shape, they added.

Highlighting another problem, members of the association regretted that there were encroachments on every street and market in the city. Circular Road, Main Bazar, Sadar Bazar, bus stand market, etc, were overcrowded and no place for parking was fixed. There were traffic jams at railway crossings. The number of road accidents had also increased at crossings due to negligence in regulating the traffic.

The members alleged that the funds of the council were being wasted. They warned that residents would also take part in the agitation if the unhygienic conditions in the city did not improve.

3 die as bus overturns
From Our Correspondent

GURDASPUR, April 26 — Three persons died on the spot and one succumbed to his injuries in Civil Hospital, Amritsar after a private bus carrying more than 60 passengers overturned yesterday near Kalanaur 24 km from here. According to sources the driver lost control of the vehicle after the bus developed a fault.

The deceased have been identified as Avtar Singh of Jaura Chhattran, village Gurpreet Singh of Dadowal village, Sukhwinder Singh of Kalanaur and Malkiet Singh helper of the bus.

The injured identified as Rashpal Singh, Jagdish Kaur, Asha Rani, Labhi, Rajpal Singh and Hardeep Singh have been admitted into civil hospital here. They are stated to be out of danger.

The eye witnesses said that after the bus turned upside down more than 20 passengers were buried under it. Hearing cries devotees of a nearby Beas Dera who were there in large number reached the spot and rescued the passengers from under the bus by lifting the bus.

Traders protest against ST hike
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 26 — In order to protest against the alleged anti-trade, anti-industry and anti-urbanite policy being pursued by the state government, as many as 50 leading industrial and trade associations organised a protest rally in front of the office of the Sales Tax Department here today.

Agitating Industrialists and Traders, under the aegis of the local Industry and Trade Forum, the Small-Scale Manufacturers Association, the Pradesh Beopar Mandal and others burnt the effigy of the Chief Minister and condemned the policies and programmes of the government.

They are protesting against the increase in sales tax on petrol, motor vehicles, coolers, hosiery and other items and first stage tax on items like auto parts, ball bearings and rubber goods.

Mr Harish Khanna, president of the Industry and Trade Forum, Punjab and Ludhiana Small-Scale Manufacturers Association, and Mr Jagmohan Sharma, president of the Pradesh Beopar Mandal, said they had sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner. They have demanded that the hike in sales tax on all items be with drawn, pending summary assessment cases be disposed of and that a moratorium for at least five years be announced before levying any fresh taxes.

Traders' protest from May 1
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, April 26 — Traders will hoist black flags on their shops from May 1, 1999 to protest against the non-implementation of pre-poll promises by the SAD-BJP government.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Executive Committee of Punjab Pardesh Beopar Mandal held at Raman, 35 km from here today.

Mr Madan Lal Kapoor, president, Punjab Pardesh Beopar Mandal, in a press note issued here said traders had also decided to boycott ministers' functions.

In the meeting various resolutions were taken regarding the the abolition of octroi, sale tax on photographers, halwais and bakers, dismantling of the enforcement wing of the Department Sales Tax bringing about parity in the sale tax structure of Punjab with its neighbouring states and withdrawal of a proposal for putting up sales tax barriers in Punjab.

Mr Kapoor said the Punjab government instead of meeting its pre-poll promises of lower taxes had burdened with new taxes and enhanced existing tax rates. He said the proposal to open direct purchase centres for procuring agricultural produce would harm the economic interests of commission agents.

Four arrested for theft
From Our Correspondent

FATEHGARH SAHIB, April 26 — The police claims to have arrested a gang of thieves and recovered items worth lakhs of rupees from them. However, Sushil Puri kingpin of the gang is still at large.

According to the police, a person who claims to be the political secretary to the MLA from Sirhind was operating a gang of thieves. He used to employ members of the gang with shops and purchase stolen goods from them at one-fourth of the original price. The police said this had been going on for many years.

On a complaint from Mr Attar Singh Dhingra regarding a theft in his shop, his servants were arrested and on interrogation they revealed that they had been stealing goods at the behest of Sushil Puri.

The police said they have arrested Mohinder Pal and Darbara of Sirhind, Lakhwant Singh of Mandour and Hardev Singh of Patiala under Sections 381 and 411 of the IPC. Goods worth lakhs of rupees and a cheque of Rs 3,000 given by Sushil Puri and Tata Sumo without documents has also been impounded.

Meanwhile, Dr Harbans Lal, the MLA from Sirhind, in a press note issued here clarified that his political secretary's name was Ranjit Singh and he had nothing to do with Sushil Puri.

Twelve hurt in group clash
From Our Correspondent

NAWANSHAHR, April 26 — Twelve persons, including four women, were injured in a clash on Sunday at Jethumazra village due to tension between two communities over the construction of a nullah to drain out the water of a Dalit basti into a pond situated near a gurdwara. Four of the injured received bullet injuries.

The groups were narrating entirely different stories and blaming the administration for the clash.

Mr Lehmber Ram, a local BSP leader, said the Dalits had been receiving threats since April 21, when the administration constructed the nullah to drain out the waste water. Members of the other community, with the help of local Akali leaders staged a dharna and blocked traffic in protest. The SGPC chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur intervened and reportedly instructed the administration to fill up the drain and construct a new one.

The Dalits had been doing night patrolling along the nullah when some persons had tried to demolish the nullah.

On Sunday around 50 persons armed with guns and other weapons attacked the persons sitting on "thikri pehra" at about 11.45 p.m. and tried to demolish the nullah. A clash ensued between the two groups.

Members of the other community said the clash occurred when the persons sitting on "thikri pehra" taunted an old man passing through the street near the nullah. When some men and women went there, Mr Lehmber Ram fired shots resulting in persons receiving injuries.

However, the DC, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, said the stay on the construction of the nullah had been vacated and he had constructed it to solve the problem of drainage of waste water, which may have led to the outbreak of an epidemic.

Vets to hold dharna on May 25
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 26 — A meeting of the Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association (PSVOA) was held here today in which it was decided that the state executive of the PSVOA would hold a state-level dharna in front of the office of the Directorate, Animal Husbandry, in Chandigarh on May 25 in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands.

Their demands included time-bound pay scales, increments for postgraduate degree and diploma holders, academic allowance and enhancement of visiting fee as decided by the pay commission.

Khalsa College poll 'all-Badal' affair
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, April 26 — The presidential election of Khalsa College, scheduled for April 24, which was postponed when Mr Parkash Singh Badal intervened as its President, Mr Parkash Singh Majitha, Revenue Minister of Punjab, had resigned, has brought face-to-face two powerful contenders Mr Satyajit Singh Majithia, a relative of Mr Badal, and Mr Rajmohinder Singh Majitha, a protege of Mr Badal and a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Both candidates had been campaigning vigorously, but the last minute postponement had taken both parties by surprise.

Reliable sources told TNS that the Chief Minister was likely to settle the issue of presidentship very soon as he expressed his desire for rapprochement between the warring factions.

Absent Mandi Board official suspended
From Our Correspondent

FATEHGARH SAHIB, April 26 — Mr Mall Singh Ghuman, Chairman, Punjab Mandi Board, ordered departmental enquiries against five Mandi Board officials found absenting themselves. They include the district Mandi Officer. He also suspended one of the absent employee on the spot and ordered that the staff to maintain all its registers.

He also inspected certain commission agent shops in the grain market and took into custody the record of a firm found in possession 2100 bags of wheat in excess of its record and imposed a fine of Rs 65 thousand on the spot. He also recovered Rs 1.09 lakh as market fees and Rs 1.00 lakh as R.D.F. fee.

He also directed mandi officials to arrange for shelter and drinking water at grain markets, and said sheds would be constructed in mandis on a priority basis. Talking to reporters he said such raids would be conducted throughout the state.

RMPs not to sell intoxicants
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, April 26 — The registered medical practitioners have pledged not to sell intoxicants to addicts in future. This decision was taken at a meeting of RMPs as part of tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth so that Punjab could be made "intoxicant" free state.

This was disclosed by Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, State Minister of Public Relations in a press release issued here yesterday.

Rs 25000 timber destroyed in fire

JALANDHAR, April 26 (UNI) — Timber worth Rs 25,000 was gutted at nearby Kartarpur town yesterday afternoon. Police sources said.

When wheat stalks in four acre field, after it was harvested of the crop by a combine, was set on fire. The blaze spread to outskirts of Vishavkarma timber market, destroying timber logs of Ajit Singh, the sources added.

Release of ration sugar sought
From Our Correspondent

MOGA, April 26 — The delay in the supply of sugar quota almost every month by the Civil Supplies Department here has caused resentment among consumers here.

They told mediapersons that the quota for this month had not so far been given to them. A spokesman for the Civil Supplies Department said today that the supply of sugar was made to the department by Punsup. All staff members of Punsup were busy in wheat procurement and this was the reason for the delay in the release of quota.

Pensioners demand release of DA
From Our Correspondent

MOGA, April 26 — A state-level meeting of the Punjab Pensioners' Association was held here today. Chaired by its president, Mr Hardev Singh, the association urged the state government to accept their demands or face agitation.

Their demands include release of dearness relief instalment due from January this year and grant of minimum pension equivalent to at least 50 per cent of the minimum basic pay of the revised scales granted from January 1999 to the posts held by the pensioners at the time of retirement.

Widows await pension
From Our Correspondent

MOGA, April 26 — Several hundred widows and other pensioners in the district have not been paid pension sanctioned by the government for the past several years according to reports available here yesterday. Although they have demanded the payment of pensions without payments of bribe money. These pensions are being paid to them by the Punjab Social Welfare Department, they said. They urged the state government to look into the matter and solve their problem. On the other hand the district administration has not yet received sufficient funds for this purpose.

Fire at JCT mill, FCI godowns
From Our Correspondent

PHAGWARA, April 26 — Three cases of fire were reported in the town yesterday. A fire broke out in the Waste Department of the local JCT Mill in which a large quantity of waste cotton was burnt. The fire-fighting staff of the JCT mill and the local fire brigade took over three hours in controlling the fire. The exact loss is being assessed.

In the second incident, a large number of tarpaulin sheets were destroyed in a fire at the FCI godowns here.

Wheat crop in 5 acres at Bhabiana village near here, were destroyed in a fire in another incident. The land belonged to Laxman Singh.

School without basic amenities
From Our Correspondent

GARHSHANKAR, April 26 — The Government Primary School in Salwara of Garhshankar tehsil is without basic amenities like mats, desks, play ground, toilets, electricity and even proper drinking water facility. What really adds to the woes is that it doesn't even have a room to accommodate the students. The roof of one of the rooms has been damaged since the past 15 years. Another room is used either as store or as a polling booth. The students have to sit in the open in biting cold, scorching heat and rains. There is no place even for morning assembly. Teachers are forced to buy chairs from their own pocket.

Mr Jaigopal Dhiman the President of the Social Democratic Party of Punjab visited the school and felt that due to wrong policies of government, the wards of economically backward villagers were being deprived of rights. He urged the Punjab Government to provide basic facilities to the school.

Holiday sought on May 1
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, April 26 — The Secretary of the Punjab unit of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Mr Swaran Singh, and the National Organisation of Government Employees (Punjab) General Secretary, Dr Shiv Gupta and the Hosiery and Industrial Workers Association (INTUC) President, Mr Suraj Parkash Tripathi, in a joint statement issued here today have sought a holiday on the International Labour Day falling on May 1 by the central government under the Factories Act and the Negotiable Instruments Act.

This would enable all workers working in factories, Punjab sector undertakings, government departments, banks, LIC and other financial institutions all over the country to celebrate it, they added.

Octroi collection: harassment alleged
From Our Correspondent

MOGA, April 26 — All political and religious organisations, including businessmen, shopkeepers and other people including women today sought intervention of the state government generally and the local administration particularly into what they described atrocities being committed on them by the contractors of the Moga Municipal Committee entrusted with realisation of octroi from them almost daily not only by threatening them with dire consequence and also mostly at gun point.

They in memorandum submitted to the government, and the Moga Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Kang, has alleged that several times the business community and also women bringing their articles from elsewhere in the state of Punjab are detained and put to great inconvenience.

If they refused to accept their demands including fine they unnecessarily imposed on them to cover the contract money which they had to pay to the Moga Municipal Committee after the octroi posts were auctioned since April. In memorandum they have alleged that even swords and guns are pointed toward them if they insisted not to pay the excess money they wanted to get to cover the contract money they had paid to the committee.

They later staged strong demonstrations in protest against the highhandedness of the contractors toward common man and said that they would close their business and stage dharnas if the administrations failed to check this sort of goondaism at hands of the contractors. Several Congress, BJP, Janata Dal leaders headed the demonstrations.