Sunday, August 15, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Sunday, August 15, 1999 |
weather  spotlighttoday's calendar |
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Dissidents'
meeting 'inconclusive' No funds released for NCC cadets |
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Mann
files papers from Sangrur Tohra's party misses the bus Villages submerged, inspection
sought War veterans seek better
facilities Kargil blows out candles at Wagah Kuldip Singh still WSC 'chairman' ISI-trained spy nabbed 5 buried alive in house collapses 3 children drowned ‘Choice between Sonia and
Vajpayee’ Prabhjot Kaur's campaign begins Eight file papers in Punjab Punjab DGP gets President’s
Police Medal |
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Dissidents' meeting 'inconclusive' PATIALA, Aug 14 — A three and a half-hour long meeting of the dissidents Congress held here this evening remained 'inconclusive' about the policy to be adopted in party's campaign for the local Lok Sabha seat. The meeting took place at the residence of former minister Brahm Mohindra apart from him other senior Congress leaders who participated were Mr Prem Gupta, Mr Surinder Singla, Mr Sant Ram Singla, Mr Bir Devinder Singh, Mr Brij Lal Goel, Mr R.P. Attri, Mr Lakhwinder Singh, Mr Nirmal Singh Bhattian, Mr Santokh Singh and Mr Raj Kumar. According to sources the leaders discussed several possible alternatives available to them in the wake of allotment of Congress ticket to Mrs Parneet Kaur, for the Lok Sabha seat. Mrs Parneet Kaur wife of Capt Amarinder Singh, had begun her campaign immediate afterwards the announcement of ticket early this week. However, only a few senior Congress leaders have participated in the campaign so far as majority of them belong to the dissidence camp. According to sources the dissidents are still firm on their decision of abstaining from the campaign in favour of Mrs Parneet Kaur. The sources said the dissident had become more bitter because neither Mrs Parneet Kaur nor Capt Amrinder Singh or any central Congress leader had approached them for sinking their differences. A couple of the dissidents have been contacted by personal assistants of the candidate who have refused to oblige. The meeting also could not decide upon the exact policy to be adopted now. It discussed, pro and cons of fielding an Independent candidate. The names of senior leader Brahm Mohindra and former MP Surinder Singla cropped up in this matter. According to sources the
dissidents would meet again tomorrow evening to chalk out
their future strategy. A final decision about their
policy is expected tomorrow as time is running out for
filing the nomination papers. |
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No funds released for NCC
cadets HOSHIARPUR, Aug 14 — On account of bankruptcy of the Punjab Government the future of more than 40,000 NCC cadets, including girl cadets of various colleges and schools in the state, has been affected as the government has failed to provide funds even for their refreshment. The government provided insufficient funds during the past year too. Leave alone organising prescribed training camps for these cadets for providing them "C" certificates, even regular parades have also been curtailed. According to official sources, the state government has to provide funds for the refreshment, washing and polishing allowance to the NCC cadets, salaries and honorariums to the civilians employed in the battalion offices, schools and colleges and office expenses to the battalion offices. Rupees 7 each was being given as monthly washing and polishing allowance to each cadet. The Army officers employed in the NCC battalions were being paid by the Army. Col A. S. Jatana, Group Commander, NCC Group Headquarters, Jalandhar, who was on an official visit, said here yesterday that despite various reminders, the state government had failed to provide requisite funds for the NCC cadets due to which they had stopped participation in regular parades now. The washing and polishing allowance had not been provided to them for the past four years. He pointed out critical situation of the NCC battalion offices. He said no funds had been given by the state government since April 99 to run the offices. Even payment of telephone and electricity bills were made by the Commanding Officers of battalions from their own sources. He said these officers had to purchase even office stationery and postal stamps from their own pockets to run the offices. He remarked that though the state government earmarked yearly funds but it never provided the same. He said due to the shortage of funds no training camp for girl cadets was organised last year. Colonel Jatana said if
the government had no funds then it should stop the NCC
training in the colleges. |
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Mann files papers from
Sangrur SANGRUR, Aug 14 — Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) today filed his nomination papers for the Sangrur parliamentary constituency. Mr Mann is the joint candidate of All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, Akali Dal (Democratic), Akali Dal (Panthic), and Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mr Mann was accompanied by a large number of workers and leaders of his supporting parties. Earlier, Mr Mann organised a massive election rally which was addressed by several important personalities including Bhai Ranjit Singh, former Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, president Akali Dal (Panthic), Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala, Mr Sukhjinder Singh, vice-president Akali Dal (A) and Mr Teja Singh Tiwana, member national executive of Samajwadi Party. Bhai Ranjit Singh appealed to the gathering to give a crushing defeat to the nominees of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He said the Tenth Guru
had sacrificed his sons for the dignity of the religion
while Mr Badal was sacrificing the pious traditions for
installing his son as Chief Minister. |
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Tohra's party misses the bus LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal will not be allotted an election symbol for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. In a communication the Election Commission's Under Secretary, Mr K F Wilfred has said that since the SHSAD is a registered but unrecognised political party, it was not entitled to ether reservation or allotment of any election symbol. The Election Commission has also said that the candidates put up by the party would have to choose from one of the symbols included in the list of free symbols for the state and that the SHSAD candidates would be given preference over independent candidates at the time of allotment of symbols. Meanwhile, the party
president, Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra has written to
the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, to allot the symbol
of either a car, bus or chair in order of preference. |
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Villages submerged, inspection
sought LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — The nearby town of Doraha and the surrounding villages are facing the wrath of the rain gods as they continue to be submerged under two to three feet of water. In a complaint of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Goel, members of the Ludhiana Municipal Council have alleged negligence and an indifferent attitude on behalf of the Drainage Department. The Punjab Government had sanctioned an amount of Rs 25 lakh for desilting of the Doraha flood drain before the onset of the monsoons. But none of the contractors completed their task according to the specifications mentioned in the terms of the contract, they added. Whatever digging had been done, was in a haphazard manner, resulting in the reverse flow of water towards the town instead of going downwards, informed Dr Ishwar Singh, President of the municipal council. He alleged that the money sanctioned for the project appeared to have been siphoned off and called for an inspection of the site to ascertain the allegations. The Drainage Department was to construct four culverts over the drain to facilitate the flow of water, which had not been done, resulting in the blockage of flood water at different places. The last portion of the drain which connects it with the canal (Patiala branch) has also not been touched for desilting. The members of the municipal council have urged the Deputy Commissioner to direct the concerned contractors to complete the work in time and the Drainage Department officials be asked to explain for the lapses. They have asked for the
matter to be placed at the district grievances committee. |
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War veterans seek better
facilities BATHINDA, Aug 14 — Jawan Pritam Singh, who fought World War II on the Burma front is finding it difficult to gather enough money to get his eyes treated. His meagre pension of Rs 1566 is not sufficient to meet his day-to-day expenses and with no other source of income, he had to leave the treatment of his eyes midway after undergoing two operations. Similarly, Lance Naik, Pritam Singh has no money to get the left arm of his son, Chinnder Pal treated. Owing to shortage of funds, his son has become disabled. Subedar Kala Singh, who fought in the three wars of 1962, 1965 and 1971 and remained in the national basketball team for 18 years, said that there was always a delay in the payment of his pension by the authorities concerned. Gulab Kaur, widow of Darshan Singh, an ex-serviceman who died about eight months ago at Bhagta Bhai Ka, has not got her pension so far. The war veterans and war widows, who assembled here at a meeting of war veterans from Bathinda and Mansa districts organised by the Army authorities at the local military station, demanded that they should be given better facilities and looked after well by the state and Central Government. They said they had sacrificed the better part of their life for the dignity and honour of the motherland and it made them sad when they got a raw deal from any government agency. Lt Gen G K Duggal, GOC, 10 Corps, who presided over the function, said the higher Army authorities were working on proposals for the welfare of ex-servicemen and the families of those soldiers who had laid down their lives for the country. The welfare schemes would be announced within a month or so, he added. Mr S R Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, said the Punjab Government had launched a number of welfare schemes for war widows, war veterans and ex-servicemen. He assured that all those who had served in the forces would get respect in government offices. Maj Gen (Retd) J S Heer also addressed the gathering. Later, a ‘bara
khana’ was organised for the ex-servicemen and
serving army personnel. Gifts were given to those who
participated in the meeting. |
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Maneka hits out at district
admn CHANDIGARH, Aug 14 — Ms Maneka Gandhi, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment has lashed out at the Ludhiana district administration for its alleged inaction against a circus for using tigers, lions and other prohibited species of animals in its performances. In a statement faxed to The Tribune here today, Ms Gandhi said she was extremely dismayed to learn that owing to bureaucratic inaction a circus had been making animals of prohibited species perform in its shows. She alleged that though
the People for Animals (PFA), the animal rights
organisation headed by her, had been complaining
repeatedly to the district authorities about the
condition of injured animals being used in circus, no
action had been taken so far. She said the local
administration must ensure that the circus was not
allowed to proceed to some other place before the matter
was resolved and the injured animals were removed to safe
custody. |
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Kargil blows out candles at
Wagah AMRITSAR, Aug 14 — The Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, which had been holding a candle-light vigil at the Wagah checkpost on the night of August 14 and 15 for the past four years, plans to opt out this year. The chairman of the manch, Mr Dilbir said here that the idea behind the candle-light vigil was to develop people to-people contact and bring about amity among the neighbours. The idea was mooted by veteran journalist Kuldip Nayyar, who has been a strong votary of goodwill in the region, was totally of disillusioned by events in Kargil and the continued assistance being provided to terrorists from across the border. Mr Dilbir Singh said he, along with Mr Satnam Manek and other social activists under the patronage of Mr Nayyar had been regularly holding day-long functions on this day culminating at the border at midnight with lighting of candles. He felt that their efforts had received a big jolt by the belligerent approach by hawkish elements in Pakistan. People on both sides of the border who had suffered hardships during the 1965 and 1971 wars felt that peace in this region had special significance. He hoped that the message of Mr Nayyar would not be lost in the din of war and one day better sense would prevail. He emphasised on the need to improve trade, cultural and social contacts to ease tension. He said the manch would
organise an Indo-Pakistan seminar 'Beyond Kargil' here in
the second week of September after the elections in
Punjab were over. |
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Kuldip Singh still WSC
'chairman' AMRITSAR, Aug 14 — Bhai Ranjit Singh, a former Jathedar Akal Takht has said that Justice Kuldip Singh (retd) was still chairman of the World Sikh Council. "He is and will continue to be chairman of the council", he said. Talking to TNS, Bhai
Ranjit Singh said that Mr Baldev Singh Sibia had been
nominated as acting chairman of the WSC due to
preoccupations of Justice Kuldip Singh (retd). Permission
of Justice Kuldip Singh was sought before the nomination
of Mr Sibia as acting chairman. |
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ISI-trained spy nabbed AMRITSAR, Aug 14 (UNI) — A Pakistani national suspected to be a Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) agency trained spy was arrested near Senshra village in Majitha police district yesterday. The Majitha Senior Superintendent of Police Mr Sukhdev Singh Brar said here today that a police party led by the DSP Mr Rashpal Singh Bhuman nabbed the suspected spy while he was roaming around under suspicious circumstances. A .455 bore pistol along with some cartridges was found from him, the SSP said. During interrogation, he revealed that his name was Mohammed Ashiq and he was a resident of Mian Chowk in Akhanowal district of Punjab in Pakistan, Mr Brar said. Mohammed Ashiq confessed that he had crossed over from Pakistan through Gagowal village after swimming across the Ravi with help of a inflated tube. The SSP said the Pakistani-national had been handed over to the joint interrogation cell of the Punjab police for further investigations. Certain documents in
Urdu recovered from him were being analysed, the DSP
added. |
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5 buried alive in house collapses AMRITSAR, Aug 14 (UNI) — Five people including three children, were killed in two incidents of house collapse following heavy rain in the border town of Khem Karan in the district yesterday. A Tarn Taran report quoting police here said today that three members of a family were killed when the first floor of their house caved in. The three were sleeping in a room at the time. In the second incident two boys were buried alive when their house caved in. The rain has caused
damage to standing crops and disrupted telephone and
electricity services particularly in the Khem Karan belt. |
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3 children drowned AMRITSAR, Aug 14 (UNI) — Three children drowned in village ponds and a canal in Majitha police district yesterday. According to police here today, 13-year-old Gurmej Singh and his 15-year-old cousin Saktar Singh drowned in the village pond in the border village of Sargara. Saktar drowned while trying to save Gurmej who had gone into the pond to get his buffaloes out of the water, police said. In the second incident,
a 14-year-old boy drowned in a canal near Sahura village.
The victim, whose body was later recovered by the
villagers, had gone to take a bath in the canal. |
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‘Choice between Sonia and
Vajpayee’ FATEHGARH SAHIB, Aug 14 — Mrs Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal SAD candidate for the Ropar Lok Sabha seat, today lashed out at the Congress and said it was for the public to decide whether it wanted Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister or Mrs Sonia Gandhi who had a foreign origin. Addressing a public meeting at Bassi Pathana, she said Mr Vajpayee had provided a clean government whereas most Congress leaders were involved in one or the other scams. Criticising Mr G.S. Tohra, president of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, she said he was in the fray only to ensure the defeat of SAD candidates. She highlighted various development schemes of the Badal Government. Addressing the meeting,
Mr Ravi Inder Singh, a former Speaker said that Mr Tohra
was not on "our agenda". He had lost the
sympathy of people as everyone had understood his
gameplan. He was in the fray not to win, but to defeat
SAD candidates. He alleged that Mr Tohra was on the
payroll of the Congress. He urged people to vote for SAD
for stability and a clean government. |
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Prabhjot Kaur's campaign begins KAPURTHALA, Aug 14 — The election campaign in favour of Ms Prabhjot Kaur, a nominee of the Akali Dal (Badal) from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, was kicked off in the town with the opening of the campaign office of Ms Prabhjot Kaur on the Kapurthala-Sultanpur Lodhi road yesterday. A large number of workers of the Akali Dal (Badal), the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Morcha besides others, participated in the function organised on the occasion. Mr Raghbir Singh, Transport Minister inaugurated the office. Addressing the function,
Mr Raghbir Singh said the Congress had only one aim
— to grab power, but had no principle or policy for
the welfare of the country. It believed in a
divide-and-rule policy and had no tolerance for the rule
of opposition parties. The people of the country he
added, would not accept that a person of foreign origin
should rule the country. |
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Eight file papers in Punjab CHANDIGARH, Aug 14 — Eight candidates filed their nominations for various Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab today, according to the information available at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab. Those who filed papers today include Mr Waryam Singh Rajput (Independent) from Jalandhar, Mr Avinash Chander (BSP) and Mr Stephen (BSP) from Phillaur, Mr B.C. Saini (Independent), Mr Rakesh Ram (BSP) and Mr Shankar Dass (BSP) from Hoshiarpur, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann (Shiromani Akali Dal-Mann) from Sangrur, Mr Sukhjinder Singh (Independent) from Faridkot. No nomination will be
accepted tomorrow, August 15 on account of Independence
Day being a national holiday. |
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Punjab DGP gets
President’s Police Medal CHANDIGARH, Aug 14 — The Director-General of Punjab, Mr Sarabjit Singh, has been awarded President’s Police Medal for his distinguished service on the occasion of Independence Day. Mr Sarabjit Singh, who took over as head of the Punjab Police on February 16, was selected to the IPS in 1965. He completed his training at the Central Police Training College at Mount Abu and was declared the best all-round trainee in his batch. After serving as SSP of Ludhiana, Bathinda and Amritsar districts, Mr Sarabjit Singh was promoted as DIG in February, 1986, and he remained the DIG, Ferozepore and Border range, during the height of terrorism. Terrorists laid an ambush near Moga for him in May 1988. He was awarded Police Medal for Meritorious Service on the occasion of Independence Day in 1988. Under his supervision as
the head of the Punjab Police, the tercentenary
celebrations of the birth of Khalsa in April this year
passed off peacefully. It was a major event to be held in
the history of Punjab. Anti-terrorist operations have
been sustained with vigour under his command. |
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PM vs Sonia main poll
plank: Tandon JALANDHAR, Aug 14 — A senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, said here today that the performance of the SAD-BJP state government would not be an issue, while the main poll plank would be Mr Vajpayee vs Mrs Sonia Gandhi. He criticised the Congress manifesto and dubbed the promise of providing a stable government as totally false. Claiming that the
SAD-BJP would sweep all 13 parliamentary seats in the
state, he, however, admitted that former SGPC President
Gurcharan Singh Tohra could exercise influence in one or
two seats in the state. |
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AISSF to back Khalra's wife AMRITSAR, Aug 14 — Mr Harminder Singh Gill, President of the All-India Sikh Students Federation, has said that the families of the slain militants have extended their support to the candidates of the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Talking to newspersons,
Mr Gill said the federation had decided to support Mrs
Parmjit Kaur Khalra, wife of Jaswant Singh Khalra (who
was allegedly kidnapped and liquidated at the behest of
the police for raising the issue of cremation of
unclaimed bodies) from the Tarn Taran Lok Sabha
constituency. He alleged that Mr Parkash Singh Badal,
Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal,
had failed to constitute a commission which could probe
the charges of cremation of unclaimed bodies at the peak
of militancy. He said this issue would become an election
issue in the Tarn Taran election. |
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Patiala telecom plans to clear
waiting list PATIALA, Aug 14 — The Patiala telecom district which includes the revenue districts of Patiala and parts of Fatehgarh Sahib has crossed 1 lakh lines landmark, according to Mr G.R. Tuteja, General Manager, Telecom, in a press note issued here yesterday. Mr Tuteja announced that
the existing waiting list at Rajpura, Amloh, Patran,
Nabha, Bassi Pathana and Samana would be cleared by the
end of the financial year. He said the department planned
to install an electronic exchange at Mandi Gobindgarh. |
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Colleges’ ultimatum to Punjab Govt LUDHIANA, Aug 14 — The non-government affiliated colleges of Punjab continue to face financial problems as the Punjab Government has not released the pending grants to the colleges for 1997-99. In a statement issued to the press here yesterday, Dr Ishwar Singh, President of the Non-Government Management Federation, said although the government had reached an agreement with the representatives of various college managements, principals and college teachers on April 21 this year about sanctioning revised pay scales for the teaching and non-teaching employees, yet it had failed to release these scales. The college managements
have now given an ultimatum to the government to release
the pending grants before August 15. Dr Ishwar Singh said
if no positive action was initiated in releasing the
grants, they would be forced to take action. |
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‘SAD-BJP alliance will sweep
poll’ BATHINDA, Aug 14 — The Punjab Food Minister, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, said today that the SAD-BJP alliance would repeat the same performance of 1998 parliamentary elections in the forthcoming poll by winning all seats. Talking to TNS here, he said while the alliance candidates had reached out to the maximum number of electorate in their respective constituencies, the Congress candidates were yet to launch their campaign. He claimed that intense infightings in the Congress would benefit the SAD-BJP candidates in the coming elections and the alliance would make a clean sweep in Punjab. He said the Congress had
been exposed before the public and the electorate was no
more attracted to its false promises. |
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New phone exchange at
Phagwara JALANDHAR, Aug 14 — The telephone numbers of the Phagwara exchange starting with digit 62 are being transferred from old E-10. B exchange to a new exchange from August 16. The General Manager of
Telecommunication said here today that the numbers of the
subscribers would remain unchanged. The subscribers
availing dynamic NSD/ISD/RSD control facility will be
required to re-register their secret codes afresh after
the changeover. For registration of their secret code
'ABCD' they have to dial 123 0000 ABCD after the change-
over. Thereafter, for locking NSD/ISD they will dial 124
ABCD 1 and for unlocking NSD ISD both they will dial 124
ABCD 0. In case of any difficulty, they may contact SDE
(Indoor), Phagwara, on telephone number 20001. |
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