Tuesday, February 16, 1999
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Tuesday, February 16, 1999 |
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150 down
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 Code for ministers soon ROPAR, Feb 15 — The Punjab Cabinet has formed a sub-committee for framing a code of conduct for the ministers and MLAs of the state for providing a clean public life as per the commitment made in the common minimum programme. |
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470 rice
millers held
Beant
case trial at Burail jail Show-cause
notice withdrawn |
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150
down with food poisoning KATANI KALAN (Ludhiana), Feb 15 — Festivities for the Shivaratri festival at Katani Kalan village, about 20 km from Ludhiana, turned out to be a nightmarish experience for nearly 150 residents yesterday after they participated in the "bhandara", organised on the occasion. According to sources, the Shivmandir Committee of the local Shiv Mandir had organised a massive "bhandara" on the occasion of Shivaratri in the temple premises where "aaloo gobhi" and "pooris" were served. The mandir committee had arranged a local halwai to prepare the food. The devotees after consuming the "prasad", had bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting and had to be rushed to nursing homes in the village and to Doraha. When contacted, the sarpanch of the village, Mr Manjit Singh Mangat, confirmed the news and said he, his wife and son were also suffering from food poisoning. He stated that the total number of villagers affected by this could be around 1000. Dr S.S. Mangat, a local doctor, said that he had received around 10 to 15 patients suffering from mild food poisoning. It is learnt that around 50-60 persons had also been admitted to another nursing home run by Dr Swatantar Pal. Mr Manjit Singh Mangat,
sarpanch of the village, said although most of the
patients were out of danger, three were said to be in a
serious condition. He said some of the villagers had
taken a sample of the food to the District Health Officer
at Ludhiana. But he was stated to be on leave. However,
he said, that a Duty Magistrate and the police had
visited the village on hearing the incident. |
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Badal
camp to have its way CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — With the installation of Giani Puran Singh as the head priest of Akal Takht, the Akali Dal (Badal) would now concentrate on two fronts. The first would be the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and the second would be to put a grand show on Baisakhi day to mark the beginning of the tercententary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib. Strategists of the Akali Dal, including the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal today revealed that in next couple of days, a good number of SGPC members would send a requisition notice for a general body meeting of the committee, where a no confidence motion to remove the President would be put to vote. A new president as per the All India Gurdwara Act shall have to be elected on that very day. Mr Badal is now searching for a suitable experienced Akali leader and an SGPC member to step in Mr Tohra's shoes. "It is not at all difficult since we have more than 135 members among the 175 elected members. Once a new president is there, the SGPC participation in the tercentenary celebrations would also increase," the strategists claim. The choice of a candidate for the top post is proving a tough task. One possible candidate is the former Akali Dal President Jagdev Singh Talwandi. He heads the crucial disciplinary committee of the Akali Dal where an explanation against Mr Tohra is pending. A show cause notice has been served on Mr Tohra by the committee. At present, Mr Badal is inclined towards Mr Talwandi. It is also possible, Mr Tohra who has repeatedly offered to quit, may do so on his own. He knows he is in a minority, but he is not made of the stuff who give up without a fight. He has taken help from Bhai Ranjit Singh in his fight and given sleepless nights to his rivals. In fact, but for Bhai Ranjit Singh, the Badal camp would have by now removed Mr Tohra from the presidentship of the SGPC and ended his protracted control over the body. But Mr Badal is worried about militants temptation to strike. The Panthic agenda blessed by Bhai Ranjit Singh cannot take roots, feel Badal supporters. Another fallout could be slow development pace of the state. Mr Badal is, however, confident that with new budget and more funds, development work would pick up. But the major worry about the deepening agrarian crises is going unattended and Mr Badal is painfully aware of this. The Badal faction is more
than happy with the success of the Patiala rally for
which many leaders including the Finance Minister, Capt
Kanwaljit Singh, worked hard for over 10 days. The crowd
in the area once dominated by Mr Tohra was massive and
responsive, the leaders feel. It also showed that ground
swell in favour of the Badal faction is due to his
moderate line. |
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Ranjit
Singh calls for 'dharm yudh' AMRITSAR, Feb 15 — The suspended Jathedar, Bhai Ranjit Singh, has reiterated that he remains the Akal Takht chief and will summon a "Sarbat Khalsa" (conclave of representatives of Sikh institutions) after the tercentenary celebrations of the creation of the Khalsa to seek approval for his claim. Talking to mediapersons at his residence after the installation ceremony of Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar, Akal Takht, the suspended Jathedar claimed he would continue to hold meetings at Akal Takht but would avoid initiating any step which could cause a confrontation. He said his stand had been vindicated as Giani Mohan Singh, Head Granthi, Golden Temple, had not attended the installation ceremony of Giani Puran Singh. He said as per the Sikh tradition, all Sikh institutions and representatives of various bodies presented a siropa (robe of honour) to the designated Jathedar at the time of his installation. Bhai Ranjit Singh claimed that many religious institutions stayed away from the installation ceremony of Giani Puran Singh today. So much so that the SGPC offices remained closed. He alleged the state government had virtually taken possession of Akal Takht with the help of government machinery. He, however, said he would give up the residence given to him by the SGPC if asked by "authorised persons" to do so. He alleged Giani Puran Singh would be seen as a "sarkari Jathedar" by the Sikh Panth. Bhai Ranjit Singh, however, said the "hukamnamas" issued by him from time to time could not be reviewed as these were pronounced as per the Sikh tradition. Pointing towards the use of official machinery today, the suspended Jathedar said it was a matter of concern that this had been done by the government which considered itself Panthic. The suspended Jathedar said the Badal government had been formed after a number of sacrifices by innocent persons. However, after the formation of the government, Mr Badal had opted to "promote" his family at the cost of the Panth. Bhai Ranjit Singh said he would mobilise "Sikh sangat" for celebrating the tercentenary of the Khalsa Panth in a befitting manner. "I shall launch a 'dharm yudh' against Mr Badal after the celebrations" he said. Asked if he would submit his resignation as Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh quipped: "This is ruled out as Giani Puran Singh has not been given siropa by the Head Granthi of the Golden Temple as per age-old tradition". The suspended Jathedar
said he would get possession of Akal Takht with the help
of "Sikh sangat". |
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Giani
Mohan Singh kidnapped by AMRITSAR, Feb 15 — The Shiromani Akali Dal today alleged that Giani Mohan Singh, Head Granthi, Golden Temple was "kidnapped" by the 'Rode family' (Mr Jasbir Singh Rode, president SAD Panthic) from his house. Talking reporters here today, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, secretary-general of the SAD alleged that his party might lodge an FIR after thorough inquiry if he did not return home. Giani Mohan Singh did not turn up for presenting "siropa" (robe of honour) to Giani Puran Singh at the installation ceremony at Akal Takht today which caused embarrassment to the Badal camp. When asked if Bhai Ranjit Singh, the suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht was also behind the whisking away of Giani Mohan Singh, Mr Dhindsa said he could not reply immediately before conducting a thorough inquiry. He, however, said that it was apparent from the statement of the suspended Jathedar that he would submit his resignation if Giani Mohan Singh would present a 'siropa' to Giani Puran Singh. However, on the other hand, Bhai Ranjit Singh denied charges of Mr Dhindsa that he had a hand in the whisking away of Giani Mohan Singh. "Giani Mohan Singh is a close relative of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Chairman, Disciplinary Action Committee of the SAD and it was at his behest that Giani Mohan Singh did not attend the meeting. He, however, appreciated Giani Mohan Singh who did not succumb to the pressure of the Badal camp for bestowing "siropa" on to Giani Puran Singh in alleged violation of the Sikh traditions. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said that Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, Union Minister for Food had violated the party discipline by criticising the party with regard to the suspension of Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar Akal Takht apart and the state government for alleged entry of the police in plain clothes in the SGPC complex. This issue would be discussed at length at the party fora. Mr Dhindsa added that it was unbecoming of a senior party leader to rush to the press on sensitive issues. Mr Barnala and Mr
Gurcharan Singh Tohra, SGPC chief, had a closed-door
meeting a few days ago and reportedly discussed the
on-going tussle among the Akali leaders. |
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Do
not involve Takht in feud: Pilot LUDHIANA, Feb 15 — Former Minister of State for Home and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Rajesh Pilot has urged the Akalis not to involve Akal Takht in their infighting. Addressing a press conference here today, he alleged that the warring factions in the Shiromani Akali Dal should iron out differences and work for the development of the state. He warned the feud between Jathedar G.S. Tohra and Mr Parkash Singh Badal could "indanger" the welfare of the people. On the recent hike in urea prices, Mr Pilot said the Akalis should have threatened to withdraw support to the BJP-led coalition government on the issue. The Union Minister for Food, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, acknowledging the economic crisis being faced by the farmers, should have taken a stand in their favour, he said. When questioned on the meeting between Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Congress president, with SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra recently, Mr Pilot said the Congress president had "nothing to do with the crisis in the Akali Dal." "The Congress will never join hands with Mr Tohra and Mr Badal who demanded the creation of Khalistan a few years back", he explained. Answering queries on the Congress stand on the imposition of President's rule in Bihar, Mr Pilot said the party had not taken a decision on the issue. However, both BJP and Samata Party had pledged to remove the Rabri Devi government in their election manifestos. Commenting on the bureaucracy, the Congress leader alleged that it was "becoming inefficient". Citing the example of transfer of three Air Marshals in one command, he said the situation was alarming. Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC
chief, Mr G.S. Ghalib, former member of Parliament, Mr
Rakesh Pandey, Mr Surinder Dawar and Mr H.D. Johar were
also present. |
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Code
for ministers soon ROPAR, Feb 15 — The Punjab Cabinet has formed a sub-committee for framing a code of conduct for the ministers and MLAs of the state for providing a clean public life as per the commitment made in the SAD-BJP common minimum programme. Disclosing this last evening at Jatwahar village, about 24 km from here, the Punjab Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, said the committee had been constituted under his chairmanship. The other two members of the sub-committee were Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Minister for Technical Education, and Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies. Mr Mittal said regarding the formation of the sub-committee, the notification would be made by the Punjab Governor in a couple of days. He said the ensuing Punjab Assembly session would begin on March 9. On the day, the Punjab Governor, Mr B.K.N. Chhibber, would address the Assembly. The rest of the business of the Assembly would be decided by the Business Advisory Committee. Mr Mittal also announced that he would go to Amritsar on February 21 to participate in the kar seva at the Durgiana Temple. He appealed to the people of the state to take part in the kar seva as it was being done after a gap of about 25 years. A number of people would also participate in the kar seva along with him, he added. Mr Mittal has also despatched two letters to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for naming the roads after the names of Bhai Joga Singh and Mr Yagya Dutt Sharma. In a letter, Mr Mittal has asked the Chief Minister to name the Nangal-Anandpur Sahib road after the name of Bhai Joga Singh, who left his marriage ceremonies in between when he received a call from Guru Gobind Singh to come to Anandpur Sahib. He came from Hoshiarpur via Nangal. In another letter, he has urged the Chief Minister to name the Ropar-Nurpur Bedi road after Late Yagya Dutt Sharma who belonged to Takhtgarh (Nurpur Bedi). Yagya Dutt Sharma was a leader of national stature, who also became Governor of Orissa. Mr Mittal, who visited Jatwahar village to pay obeisance on the occasion of Shivaratri at a temple there, assured the villagers that their demand for a single-span bridge on the Jatwahar khud, which connected the historical temple with nearby villages, would be fulfilled. Mr Mittal also assured the
people that steps for the all-round development of the
historical village would be taken by the government. |
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470
rice millers held CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — As many as 470 rice millers, who had come here to hand over the keys of their shellers to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, were arrested here today for violating prohibitory orders. They had decided on this action to protest against non-acceptance of their demands. The police said they have been remanded to judicial custody and would be produced in court tomorrow. The protesters, from various parts of the state, held a meeting at Kharar before proceeding to Chandigarh. They assembled near the Punjab Civil Secretariat roundabout and were preparing to join scores of their colleagues who had gone ahead to the CM’s residence to hand over the keys when they were taken into custody. Assembly of more than five persons is banned in the areas North of Madhya Marg. The agitators while demanding the resignation of Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Food and Supplies Minister also raised slogans against the government and the local police before being brought to the Sector 3 police station. Mr Tarsem Saini, president of the Punjab Rice Millers Association, said the government had not done anything to stop the shelling industry from total ruin. Lakhs of tonnes of paddy worth Rs 3,500 crore had been lying unmilled since last year, as milling has become an unviable proposition for the past many years due to the "unrealistic" conditions imposed by the government. The government had again gone ahead this year and purchased 98 lakh metric tonne of paddy, knowing that it could not be milled. An indication to this effect had been given to the government before the procurement season began. He said the yield of paddy had gone down in the previous years, but the government was insisting on recovering 67 per cent of the yield per quintal in raw and parboiled rice categories, whereas the actual yield is only 62 kg per quintal. If a one tonne sheller mills 4, 000 tonne of paddy and loses about 2000 quintals of rice as per government specifications, the owner would suffer a loss in lakhs, he added. Mr Subash Chawla, Mr Gurinder Singh, Mr Sat Prakash Goel, Mr Krishan Goel and Mr Ravinder Singh Walia, all millers, said the cost of milling had remained unchanged for the past decade and were not in tune with actual cost and expenditures. The government gives Rs 12 per quintal as charges, while the actual cost of milling varies between Rs 52 and Rs 58. In case of parboiled rice the charges are Rs 18 per quintal while the cost incurred by them is Rs 92 per quintal. The agitators demanded the scrapping of the arbitration cases registered in 1994- 95 which involve a sum of Rs 268 crore and withdrawal of cases against more than 350 sheller owners. An assurance was given by the Chief Minister that the cases would be withdrawn if the Centre did not settle the matter by December. The provision of driage charges is another sore point with the millers. While the government allows only 2 per cent charges while the paddy stocks procured and stocked beyond February 28 dry more rapidly. No driage is allowed for parboiled rice while the acceptance limit for both qualities is the same, 14 per cent. They said driage allowance of 5 per cent should be allowed. The rate of reimbursement
of damaged gunny bags (bardana) should be 40 per cent of
the new levy bardana rates. Similarly, the recovery rate
of old used gunny bags for the years 1995- 97, should be
Rs 12. 52, while it is being recovered at the rate of Rs
19 .02 per bag, which was a injustice to the millers,
millers said. |
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A
model of extravagance and waste LUDHIANA: Have you attended a Ludhiana wedding lately? No? Then just do it. With the "wedding season" in full bloom these days, it should not be very difficult to get an invitation. You may be in for an experience of a life time. Gone are the days when weddings had to be modest social affairs, with a ceiling on the number of guests, the quantum of food to be served rather limited and decorative lighting and flower arrangements unostentatious. In Ludhiana, all these considerations appear to have been given the go-by at a large number of weddings these days. Weddings have become ostentatious and lavish affairs, an occasion for conspicuous consumption and wastage as well as an event to show off wealth. If Ludhiana, like every other part of the country, is facing an industrial recession and a downturn in economy and, therefore, a cash crunch, it is certainly not reflected in the weddings. "Simplicity does not exist in the dictionary of Ludhianvis", quips Mr Tulsi Dass Jetwani (80), an old-timer who has been watching the social scene in the mega-city for the past several decades. "They don't believe in moderation". A visit to even an average wedding here will show that his observations are not far from the truth. "I have to travel all over north India in connection with weddings. But nowhere else have I come across the kind of lavish weddings that take place here," says a disc jockey who will not like to be identified for obvious reasons. He organises musical entertainment at the weddings complete with a dance floor and gyrating girls and can charge up to Rs 1 lakh and more. "Money is not exactly in short supply here", he observes laconically. An "average wedding" performed at one of the 50-odd marriage palaces or "farmhouses" in an around Ludhiana will cost a minimum of Rs 6.50 lakh. A similar wedding in Chandigarh or elsewhere in Punjab may cost just one-third. The rental charges for a marriage palace or a "farmhouse" vary between Rs 25000 and Rs 1.50 lakh per night. "We provide just the premises, crockery and waiters. Food is extra", says Mr Ramesh Kapoor, founder-president of the Ludhiana Marriage Palace Welfare Association. "The charges for food are fixed per plate basis and vary in accordance with the variety of food offered. Food costs between Rs 350 and Rs 1500 per plate."Of course, flower decoration is extra. The charges start from Rs 3000 and the sky is the limit. An average wedding may involve an expenditure of Rs 50,000 on floral decoration alone. More stylish weddings cost up to Rs 2 lakh or more on flower arrangements. There is no limit on guests whose number may vary between 600 and 3000. Food stalls are aplenty. Their number varies between a minimum of 21 and 70 and the variety of food and snacks offered is mind-boggling. Of course, liquor flows like water, if and when it is offered. A new concept of female waiters at weddings has been introduced. "We charge Rs 500 for a local woman waiter and Rs 2000 for a Delhi woman waiter", says Mr Kapoor. "Women waiters from Delhi are dressed better and, therefore, charge more". No wedding reception gets going properly before 11 in the night, even though the time given in the invitation is 8 p.m. "There have been occasions when guests arrive clutching envelopes containing 'shagan' but there is no sign of the baraat. They look lost', says Mr Kapoor. "For their convenience, we are now installing 'shagan boxes' at the wedding palaces". They can drop their envelopes into the box and go home if they so want", he adds with a straight face. Of course, when the baraat arrives late, the festivities continue till the early hours of the next morning. "The biggest consumers of wedding food in Ludhiana are the gutters of the mega-city", says Mr Kapoor. "By the time the guests are through with snacks and drinks, they are full. Nobody wants food at dinner time. Since we have to empty our vessels for the next wedding, we have to throw, the food into the gutters. We have discussed the problem with the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Goyal, several times, but it has defied a solution so far. People are unable to carry the surplus food to their houses. Even the beggars outside local temples and gurdwaras refuse to accept what they regard as "stale" food. It is the same story at most charity homes in Ludhiana. It is a collossal waste..." "Why doesn't someone do something about it?" exclaims Mrs Pappu Avinash Singh, a well-known social worker and president of the Luxmi Ladies Club. "I personally make it a point to go to these weddings only to hand over the 'shagan'. I don't stay there," Daughter of a freedom, fighter, she emphasises that people must be educated about the Gandhian values of simple livintg and high thinking. "Is it not a crime to spend so much on these occasions when more than half the population of the country is living below the poverty line?' "It is a rat race", observes Mrs Ruby Fernandes, another social worker. "If somebody has to spend Rs 10 lakh on a wedding, his neighbour wants to excel by spending Rs 15 lakh. His friend may want to spend even more, even if he has to beg, borrow or steal. The rich must live more simply, so that the poor may simply live. This extravagance in marriages is sickening and outrageous. What are we trying to prove?" she asks. "Things have now come
to such a pass that nobody wants to give a Maruti-800 as
a wedding gift. It has to be an Esteem or Cielo or some
other luxury car, says Mrs Dalip Brar, another social
worker. "A wedding invitation may be accompanied by
a pearl string or a silver bowl. Even 'shagan' from the
bride's side to the groom may include a set of car keys.
There is no end. Such brash and brazen show of spending
on marriages is a bane of our society". |
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Beant
case trial at Burail jail CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The Sessions Judge, Mr BS Bedi, who held court at the high security Burail Jail, today started separate trial of Paramjit Singh, one of the suspects in the Beant Singh assassination case. Paramjit Singh was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Later on his custody was given to the CBI and was remanded in judicial lock up here. Since more than 60 witnesses had already been examined before his arrest, the court had ordered that his trial should be conducted separately. Mr Bedi today recorded the examination-in-chief of Mr DK Tripathi, who was SP security to the late Beant Singh. Mr Tripathi told the court that the day the bomb blast took place the Chief Minister had left his house at 1.20 p.m. for the Punjab Secretariat. In the morning anti-sabotage staff had checked the vehicles attached with the Chief Minister. Mr Tripathi told the court that around 5 p.m. the Chief Minister left his office. He was accompanied by Mr Ranjot Singh Mann. When Mr Beant Singh reached the porch, he told Mr Mann that he was leaving for the UT Secretariat. Therefore, he would talk to him later. In the meantime, Dr Anil Duggal reached near the car of the Chief Minister and Mr Tripathi moved towards his jeep. Mr Tripathi told the court that he had hardly moved a few steps when the blast took place. He fell unconscious with certain injuries. He was admitted to the PGI. His cross-examination will
be conducted tomorrow. |
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Show-cause
notice withdrawn BATHINDA, Feb 15 — The Punjab Government has withdrawn the show-cause notice issued to Dr Ajit Pal, SMO of Children Hospital here a few months ago for writing a book on medical tips without the prior permission of the authorities concerned. According to a letter issued by Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab to Civil Surgeon, Civil Hospital, Bathinda, the reply of Dr Ajit Pal regarding the show-cause notice was found fit, hence the matter was closed. The Director, Health and
Family Welfare, has also asked Dr Ajit Pal to send a copy
of the book authored by him to the Directorate office for
official record. |
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Police
party fails to arrest kidnapper ABOHAR, Feb 15 — A police party which was sent to arrest the main accused wanted in connection with the alleged kidnapping of a seven-year-old boy returned empty-handed from Mandi Bariwala (Muktsar) finding his shop and house locked. No clue of the boy was available. Mr Daal Chand Nagori, owner of Shanti Oil Mills on the Krishna Nagar road here had lodged an FIR stating that five persons including Vijay Kumar S/o Kishan Chand R/o Bariwala and Pawan Kumar S/o Pala Ram R/o Kotkapura came to his mills in a white 1000 cc Maruti car and kidnapped his grandson Vishisht (7) playing in the compound, in broad daylight. According to the FIR several residents of the locality chased the alleged kidnappers and caught hold of Vijay Kumar but others escaped in the car along with Vishisht. Vijay Kumar was brought to the police station on Sunday afternoon but since he promised to produce the boy in the presence of eminent citizens of Bariwala and Abohar, he was allowed to go. The boy was not produced, Vijay Kumar also gave the slip to the police. Mr Nagori, said he had
lost his only son Narender in a jeep accident on July 11,
1995. Daughter-in-law Poonam left in-laws, house in 1996
and started living with her parents, Vishisht lived with
his grandfather Mr Nagori. The FIR says Mrs Poonam was
reportedly married at Kotkapura last year. Her father
filed a false complaint against Mr Nagori to recover
Vishisht. But the boy when produced before the SDM
Muktsar opted to live with grandfather and grandmother
here. An attempt to kidnap the boy was also made earlier.
Even then an FIR was lodged. Eminent citizens had gone to
Bariwala also but nothing was achieved. Now Mr Nagori
pleading that Vishisht was the only alive male member of
his family, he needed him most. |
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‘Kale
kachhewale’ gang busted GURDASPUR, Feb 15 — The police has achieved a major breakthrough in busting a gang of "kale kachhayanwale" engaged in committing robberies and thefts in the district and in Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. According to Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, three members of the gang, including Vijay Kumar, alias Kali Kutti, Rakesh Kumar and Dhiana, alias Labhu, were arrested, while two of their accomplices managed to escape. Two 303 bore and one .12-bore pistols and 14 live cartridges were recovered from their possession. The district police chief said the members of the gang belonged to a criminal tribe known as "Bangala". The member of the tribe come from Himachal Pradesh and live in various places in Kangra district. They reside near platforms in huts in Punjab. They hunt and eat the meat of tomcats, as a result of which they are stoutly built. They sell balloons during the day time, but commit thefts and arsons/looting at night. The modus operandi of the gang is that their female members survey the area during day time under the garb of beggars and during night, male members of the gang enter the targetted houses fully armed and hit the sleeping members of the house with cane/sword/illegal arms or confine the members of the house in one room and commit the crime thereafter. A case under Sections 399/402, IPC, and 25-54-59, Arms Act, has been registered against the accused at the Pathankot Sadar police station. Police parties conducted
raids in the area of Naushahra Nalbandan on the bank of
the Chakki, near Pathankot, and succeeded in nabbing the
accused. |
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3
coal mafia men held GURDASPUR, Feb 15 — The police has busted a coal mafia gang engaged in the sale of coal meant for the army in the market at a premium. According to Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, the members of the gang received coal through railway wagons. They obtained receipts of the coal supplied from the army officials concerned and sent part of the quantity to the Army. The remaining was sold in the open market. The district police chief said the police had prior information that a truck of the mafia had been loaded for supply to a brickkiln owner, Mr Pawan Kumar, of this district. The police laid a naka at the Kotli bridge under the Pathankot sub-division yesterday and arrested three occupants of a truck (HP-38-2881). The police recovered 10 tonnes of coal from the vehicle. The arrested were identified as Vijay Kumar, Inderjit Mahajan and Pardeep Kumar, all residents of Pathankot. The other persons involved were Harminder Singh Sodhi, Kanwaldeep Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Taranjit Singh, all residents of this district. The connivance of the army officials could not be ruled out, the SSP said. He said during
interrogation, the accused confessed that they used to
dump coal at Kandwal near Nurpur in Kangra district in
Himachal Pradesh. The police recovered 40 tonnes of coal
allegedly meant for the army. The accused also confessed
to the sale of coal thus obtained in Himachal Pradesh,
Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. |
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Aided
school staff to boycott exam duty CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — Teachers and other staff from state-aided schools of Punjab will boycott supervisory duties for the ensuing middle standard examination starting from tomorrow. This was resolved by them at a rally in front of the office of the DPI (S) here today. They also burnt copies of the Shiromani Akali Dal manifesto before courting arrest to highlight the indifference of the Punjab Government towards their long-pending demands here today. The employees, including a large number of women, from various parts of the district assembled near the bus stand and marched towards the Housing Board roundabout raising slogans against the government. Many of the protesters were carrying black flags and placards. Mr Teja Singh and Mr M.L. Chopra, President and General Secretary of the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union, said the government had failed to notify the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission in the process denying the legitimate rights of more than 12,000 employees. They said besides the employees, the pensionary benefits to more than 500 persons had been denied despite an agreement reached at with the Punjab Finance Minister, the Education Minister and the representatives of the union in August last year. The bureaucracy in the finance department was misguiding the government by misrepresenting facts, they alleged. Mr Chopra said they will
hold district-level demonstrations from tomorrow and
court arrest at the block level. |
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Principals
resent delaying tactics CHANDIGARH, Feb 15 — The Principals Association of Non-Government Colleges affiliated to Punjabi University, Patiala, met yesterday under the presidentship of Principal S.S. Sodhi and expressed strong resentment over the non-implementation of revised UGC scales for college teachers even after the commitment of the Finance Minister, Punjab, to release the salary for January, 99 in the new scales. Mr Sodhi said with the
delaying tactics of the government the teachers of
non-government colleges were compelled to resort to
strike when the time was crucial for students. With the
loss of studies during the peak season, the students may
lose their precious year of life due to the strike of
teachers. The Principals urged Mr Parkash Singh Badal,
Chief Minister, Punjab, to order immediate implementation
of HRD scales so that the long pending demand of teachers
was fulfilled. |
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Cancellation
of polytechnic plan resented MALERKOTLA, Feb 15 — Resentment prevails among residents here against the state government for its move to cancel the project of setting up a polytechnic here. A polytechnic was sanctioned at Malerkotla by Beant Singh government five years ago, but the Badal government has now decided to cancel the plan. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa had requested Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal on Friday at Manvi village, to cancel the plan of setting up a polytechnic at Malerkotla and to set up the polytechnic at Amargarh in Dhuri subdivision, instead. Residents here have,
however, resented the suggestion of Mr Dhindsa in a
letter sent to the Chief Minister. |
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