Thursday, February 25, 1999
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Thursday, February 25, 1999 |
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Liquor dearer in Punjab PATIALA, Feb 24 — Liquor will cost more in the state under the new excise policy for 1999-2000, which was approved by the Punjab Cabinet on February 22 and announced here today by the Excise and Taxation Commissioner. Plea for SGPC general house Tohra virtually rejects demand AMRITSAR, Feb 24 — The SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, today virtually turned down the demand for convening a meeting of the general house raised by 103 members who had expressed lack of confidence in him. |
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Medical college in trauma AMRITSAR, Feb 24 — The government medical college which celebrated its golden jubilee in 1994 has a campus spread over an area of eight kilometres, requiring stamina and strength to get from point to point as well as to cope with the chaotic traffic en route. Celebrate without malice:
Puran Singh Badal
talks to PM on rice specifications
Stray
animals hinder traffic, cause accidents Website
a boon for Red Cross Vichar
Manch tract to "awaken Punjabis" Farmers
down barriers, court arrest SAD
(A) plan to fill SYL canal Leave
not employee's right Land
grab bid foiled Chardikalan
march starts today Dowry
case: police remand for two Doordarshan
employees go on strike |
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| Rice millers protest | |
"Nagar panchayat" for Zirakpur |
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Liquor dearer in Punjab PATIALA, Feb 24 — Liquor will cost more in the state under the new excise policy for 1999-2000, which was approved by the Punjab Cabinet on February 22 and announced here today by the Excise and Taxation Commissioner. The policy introduces a cess of 75 paise on Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and an import fee on beer of Rs 3 per proof litre. In addition, the annual licence fee of wholesale IMFL shops has also been enhanced from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. Releasing the excise policy, Mr C.R. Darbhanga, Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner, said the cess of 75 paise per proof litre and the import fee on beer had been levied for the first time to improve the efficiency of the department, which needs more vehicles and modern communication equipment. The funds generated from these new taxes would also be used for rewarding the 'informers', policemen and the officials of the Taxation Department who curb the illicit distillation and smuggling of liquor. Mr Darbhanga said the new measures would increase the revenue collection of the department by almost Rs 1 crore over the last year's revenue of Rs 1200 crore. The excise policy has also increased minimum sale price of all brands of liquor by at least Rs 5. The desi liquors' minimum price is Rs 75 per bottle. Rum and gin at Rs 110 and whisky at Rs 110. The minimum sale price of economy medium and premium and de luxe brands has been fixed at Rs 130, Rs 150 and Rs 190 and Rs 285, respectively. The minimum price for beer has also been increased. For the ordinary brand, it is Rs 53 while for strong ones it is Rs 40. Mr Darbhanga said the new excise policy also provided stringent action against the defaulting licencees who violate the minimum sale prices prescribed. No limit for maximum sale price has been fixed and it could be known only after the auction of shops in April, Mr Darbhanga said. The excise policy has also
decided to allow opening of sub shops in areas bordering
Haryana. These shops were not auctioned last year. |
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Plea for SGPC general house AMRITSAR, Feb 24 — The SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, today virtually turned down the demand for convening a meeting of the general house raised by 103 members who had expressed lack of confidence in him. In a letter written to the members, copies of which were released to the Press here today, the SGPC chief said the decision of either 10 members of the SGPC executive or 103 members of the general house expressing lack of confidence and seeking a general house meeting was contrary to traditions, democratic norms and procedures. "Since a meeting of the house for the annual budget is to be convened, at that forum as per the desire of the members issues could be taken up," he added. The notice expires on March 3 before which the SGPC President is required to convene the general house by giving 20 days notice. If he fails to do so, the members can do so themselves by giving a notice of 10 days. In either case, the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar will attend the meeting. Mr Tohra's supporters had earlier come out with a 25-page tract to "educate, inform and awaken" the "thinking Punjabis about what was happening in the politico-religious arena of the Sikhs" under the banner of the Panthic Vichar Manch. Mr Gurcharan Singh sought the indulgence of the SGPC members to step forward to protect the Sikh tenets, code of conduct and conventions, besides the Sikh institutions whose credibility was sought to be eroded. A reference was also made
to Akal Takht as well as the SGPC, which was described as
a mini-Parliament of the Sikhs. "If we fail to rise
as one man now, history will not pardon us for such a
historical blunder," the letter added. |
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Hearing on plea for Tohra's sack
today AMRITSAR, Feb 24 — The Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission will take up for hearing petitions from both the pro-Badal and pro-Tohra SGPC members, tomorrow. The more important of these is the petition of ten pro-Badal executive members including the SGPC vice-president, Mr Kewal Singh and general secretary Mr Balbir Singh Pannu for removal of the SGPC President, senior vice-president, Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur and three pro-Tohra executive members and further disqualifying them for a period of five years for grave acts of malfeasance, breach of trust, neglect of duty and abuse of power and consistent defiance of the orders of the commission. The application was moved on Feb 15 when the Acting Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh was chosen at a Sikh congregation at Akal Takht. Another application before the commission filed by these members sought starting of contempt of court proceedings against Mr Tohra and other executive members and the SGPC secretary, Mr Surjit Singh for non-compliance of the orders of the commission for calling an executive meeting of SGPC on Feb 10. The application filed by pro-Tohra SGPC member Mr Sarup Singh Deshi for disqualification of ten pro-Badal executive members for holding an unauthorised illegal and politically motivated second meeting of the executive committee of the SGPC on February 10 in violation of the agenda set by the commission will also come up for hearing along with the applications filed by the pro-Badal executive members. Another application by him
for declaration of the ten executive members as
"unfit and disqualified" to continue as members
of the SGPC either as members of the executive or the
general body since they have become "patits" as
they worked against the interests of the Sikhs and
disobeyed hukumnama issued by Akal Takht will also taken
up for hearing by the commission tomorrow. |
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30 rice mills face closure GURDASPUR, Feb 24 — Rice trade in the district is in the doldrums. As many as 30 rice mills out of a total of 140 face closure following crisis in the units due to government apathy. More units may face closure if the present crisis are not resolved at the earliest. Sources said that Gurdaspur district was the only district in the state where rice millers made bulk purchases in their own accounts, paddy shelled in other districts in the state belongs to government procurement agencies. At present rice millers owe more then Rs 35 crore to arhtias for paddy lifted from them. Sources said that irony of the situation was that 3000 wagon loads of rice worth Rs 60 crore had piled up with the rice millers. Since the government not lifting the rice and rice millers were facing financial problems, the rice millers are forced to sell rice stocked with them at crash prices in the local market to make payment to arhtias. Arhtias cannot help pressing the rice millers to make payments because they in turn are being forced by the farmers to make them payments against paddy supplied to them more than three months ago. Mr Baljinder Singh, president, local Rice Millers Association, said that rice millers had been forced to sell their rice stocks at the rates varying between Rs 750-Rs 800 in the open market against support price of Rs 837 per quintal fixed by the government. He demanded the lifting of the rice stock by the FCI immediately otherwise feared huge losses to rice millers which ultimately might lead to the closure of many units. Labourers in large number has already been laid off and the process of laying off in view of current financial situation of the rice millers is still continuing. The rice millers said that the central government announced relaxations for the lifting of rice on paddy stored before October 27 last year. They demanded that the relaxation should be allowed from September 15 last year as had already been agreed to by the central government Mr Surjit Singh Barnala union minister for Food and Chemicals had enforced this decision in UP and Haryana. Perhaps this decision was not being enforced in Punjab due to preoccupation of the rolling group in their intra-party squabbles. Mr Baljinder Singh said that yield fixed by the government was 67 per cent against actual yield of around 60 per cent obtained by the millers. He said that the matter was raised with the Punjab as well as the union Government which agreed to constitute a committee to go into this demand of the rice millers. The committee has already submitted recommendations in this regard to the government but fails to understand that the recommendations of the committee are not being enforced. He demanded fixation of yield on actual basis immediately till the government give its own decision in this regard. Paddy stocks worth crores
of rupees belonging to various procurement agencies are
lying stocked in the premises of rice millers. The rice
millers have refused to shell this paddy on the existing
rate of Rs 13 per quintal because the millers hold that
milling cost has gone up to Rs 50 per quintal in view of
hiked rates of power labour and transportation. |
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Medical college in trauma AMRITSAR, Feb 24 — The government medical college which celebrated its golden jubilee in 1994 has a campus spread over an area of eight kilometres, requiring stamina and strength to get from point to point as well as to cope with the chaotic traffic en route. The "mother" institute whose students once pioneered institutes like AIIMS in New Delhi and PGI in Chandigarh, it has become anaemic. The fund-starved college and hospitals are ill-equipped to take advantage of the specialists its staff, who in turn feel frustrated and helpless. This has led to a gradual erosion of talent with doctors quitting for better options. At least 10 have resigned in less than five years. The medical complex is unique in that it has two emergency wings and two blood banks. But the emergency sections are an apology given the appalling sanitation, and lack of availability of basic drugs and equipment. Poor administration has further diminished the wing fragmented between medicine and surgery units, besides orthopaedics. One positive aspect though is the ready availability of quality glucose manufactured by the hospital's own saline plant which became functional barely two years ago after 20 years it was conceived. But this plus is negated by the operation theatres where patients' attendants are handed a printed lists of items they are required to fetch from the market before doctors can begin work. The faculty in turn complained of difficult working conditions and the obsolete teaching methodology still being followed for undergraduate students. Thus there were no modern teaching aids like projectors, closed circuit television or medical journals in the library. Instead the old chalk and blackboard routine was religiously followed in dimly lit, unkempt class rooms. A doctor narrated how for years students have been taught about the "structure" and "function" of an "electronic-microscope" through blackboard drawings. Amazingly neither does the college have one, nor have the doctor-teachers seen one themselves. Most ills afflicting the medical college and hospitals are attributable as much to "internal administrative" and "ego problems" as to government "apathy and paucity of funds" say doctors who are often left to their own resources. Thus in the eye and ENT hospital most doctors use their personal instruments and equipment like ophthalmoscope, refraction-set, operation loops etc in the absence of official back up. As for the hospitals equipment, the "operation microscope" bought in 1980 is out of order, as is the incubator of the clinical pathology lab. The hospital has no maintenance and engineering wing. There has never been review meeting to improve functioning of the hospital, say doctor-teachers currently wearing black badges to demand revised pay scales. Of the four nephrologists posted here three have left. In terms of research the less said the better. The library is ill-equipped, there are no computers, what to speak of internet connection. No senior professor has even a pager. There is no transport available to college students and the one ambulance is used more to deliver food to patients scattered all over the campus than the patients themselves. There is no protection to doctors against aids and infections with gloves and even disposable needles unheard of. In the emergency this correspondent saw just one bulb and a tube lighting the entire facility. While there is talk of "trauma wards" at the tehsil and block level there is no such ward in this major regional hospital itself either at the Guru Nanak Hospital or the old Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. Doctors and teachers admitted that while there has been an expansion of the network new problems have not been tackled while old ones become chronic and endemic. One wonders of what use
are the reports and expert committees constituted by the
SAD-BJP government over the past two years if medical and
dental colleges continue to languish. Or what purpose
will the Jalandhar based medical institute, gifted by Mr
I.K. Gujral or the proposed university of health sciences
at Faridkot, a serve if the existing medical
colleges/hospitals perish. |
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Celebrate without malice: Puran
Singh AMRITSAR, Feb 24 — The Akal Takht acting Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh, in his first message to the Sikhs, has appealed that the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations be observed in a spirited fashion, without malice or prejudice against anyone. In a signed message, issued from his Guru Nanak Hospital intensive care ward, Giani Puran Singh said the occasion demanded sweeping socio-religious changes. All religious and political organisations should jointly celebrate the occasion. This is the first message from Giani Puran Singh after he was installed Jathedar on February 15 at Akal Takht. He stated, inter alia, that the responsibility entrusted to him is not a 'bed of roses' but one of 'great responsibility' and 'difficulty'. Nevertheless, anyone approaching Akal Takht would be given his due, as per the established Sikh traditions, he promised. While expressing gratitude to the Sikhs and various organisations for reposing faith and confidence in him, he said the tercentenary celebrations must not be clouded by fear or prejudice against anyone. The 'dark clouds' on the horizon will melt away. 'My appeal to all is to participate, whole-heartedly and enthusiastically in the Khalsa march starting from Takht Damdama Sahib on February 26, he said. Giani Puran Singh, who is under medical treatment following a heart attack is now reportedly in 'fine health'. Meanwhile, the SAD (Mann) General Secretary, Bhai Ram Singh, in a signed statement issued today, condemned Mr Parkash Singh Badal for supporting the imposition of President's rule in Bihar. 'This is a stigma on the face of the SAD since it had always opposed evoking of Article 356 of the Constitution and demanded its repeal". Such a decision, the statement said, was 'anti-Panthic and anti-Punjab'. Bhai Ram Singh even took a
dig at the SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra,
holding him 'equally responsible' for putting to shame
the Sikhs in the eyes of the world by their deeds and
actions". 'History will never pardon the two of
them', he added. |
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Badal talks to PM on rice
specifications CHANDIGARH, Feb 24 — At last the Punjab Government has knocked the doors of the Prime Minister, Mr A.B. Vajpayee, for getting the issue of specifications for rice resolved. The issue is hanging fire for the past some months. In the absence of a solution the rice millers have adopted the path of agitation, resulting in the milling of paddy affected in a big way. The Punjab Government had moved a case to the Food Ministry headed by Mr Surjit Singh Barnala a few months ago for relaxing the specifications for rice to be prepared from the paddy bought after September 15. This rice is to be procured for the Central pool. Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Punjab Food and Supply Minister, told TNS here today that the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had contacted Mr Vajpayee over the telephone to get the issue resolved. He said Mr Badal also had talks with Mr Barnala in this connection. The Punjab Government is asking for allowing 27 per cent broken rice, 4.5 per cent damaged rice and 8 per cent discolouration in the levy and custom-milled rice. It has taken a plea that there was a heavy spell of rain immediately after September 15 which damaged paddy in the state to a large extent. It was not possible for the mills to prepare rice as per the existing specifications for the paddy which was damaged in rain. Following the Punjab Government's representation in this connection in December, the Central Government sent a team of experts for making a on-the-spot examination of the paddy damaged by rain. The team members had already submitted a report to the union government. Disclosing the latest development in this regard Mr Mittal said he had come to know that Mr Barnala had already cleared the file and now the issue would go to the Cabinet Committee for Prices (CCP) for a final approval. Asking the millers to withdraw their agitation, Mr Mittal said owners of rice millers were aware of the efforts being made by the state government for getting the specifications relaxed. He said he had accompanied them to Delhi for meeting Mr Barnala in this connection. Millers themselves had gone to Delhi to pursue the case at their level. Mr Mittal said certain politicians were playing a dirty role and motivating the millers to continue the agitation. He added that as it was a question of the survival of the rice industry, politicians should stay away. The charge of lathi charge on millers and other allegations were totally false. No where millers were lathi-charged, he added. In fact Mr Badal waited for about two hours at his residence to meet millers about two weeks ago but they did not turn up for such a meeting. On the other side, millers say differences between Mr Badal and Mr Barnala on the political plane had created such a situation in the rice milling industry in the state. They say that already the food ministry had relaxed the specifications in case of Uttar Pradesh but it had not been done so in case of Punjab. Meanwhile, a team of experts had come from Delhi for collecting data of the expenditure incurred on preparing rice from paddy in mills. On the basis of this data the milling charges will be refixed. The Punjab Rice Millers' Association had demanded that milling charges should be revised to Rs 60 per quintal, keeping in view the increase in power, labour and other rates. The Punjab Government had recommended that millers should be given Rs 32 per quintal as milling charges. The existing rate is Rs 13.20 per quintal. The team members have gone to Sangrur district to collect data, it is learnt. The issue of yield of rice from paddy has also been taken up by a food and technology institute Bangalore. Rice millers say that the government should allow 65 per cent yield of permal rice from paddy against the existing limit of 67 per cent. The Central Government had referred the issue to the Bangalore institute. Mr Mittal said the
Bangalore institute wanted to involve rice millers before
deciding the issue. |
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Vegetable prices crash, farmers
suffer loss MOGA, Feb 24 — Bumper cauliflower crop in the region this year has forced farmers either to sell it at a throwaway price or dump it in the fields because of no buyer in the market. Following this a vegetable grower of Nihal Singhwala village in this district brought his produce in the market on Monday for sale but since there was no buyer in the market he dumped it in fields. Mr Gurbachan Singh, a vegetable grower, said that he had invested a huge sum to grow cauliflower but the price available in the market was very low. He said that there was no buyer of it at 30 paise a kilogram. He paid Rs 150 on carriage to bring it in the market from his fields. Similarly a farmer of Baghapurana town threw his entire produce in the grain market for cattle to eat. He said that he had decided to plough his standing crop and prepare the land for another crop. Prices of other vegetables too have crashed resulting in heavy loss to farmers in this region, he said. Price of green peas were quoted Rs seven a kilogram while those of carrot, potatoes, radish and other vegetables ranged from Rs three to Rs five a kilogram in the region, he said. Prices of almost all kinds
of vegetable in the local market have fallen to a level
that growers here have suffered heavy loss due to the
this, vegetable growers said here on Monday. Prices of
almost all vegetables have gone down to a level that they
could not recover even the cost to meet the expenses,
they had spent on growing. According to a survey of the
local market on Sunday the prices per kilogram were
quoted at following rates, they said. Onion Rs 6
cauliflower Rs 3, potatoes Rs 5, carrot Rs 4, radish Rs
4, green peas Rs 7 brinjal Rs 6 and turnip Rs 5 etc.
Consumers feel happy as prevailing prices of almost all
sort of vegetables were within the reach of all sections
of the society, they added. |
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Stray animals hinder traffic,
cause accidents BATHINDA, Feb 24 — Mr Ajaib Singh, an Assistant Sub-Inspector, Punjab Police, died on the spot on November 2, 1998 on the Bathinda-Bhucho road when a stray animal (cow) hit his scooter leading to fall. Nearly two months ago a youth of city died on the Goniana road when he fell down after his scooter was hit by a bull. He was only son of his parents. On February 19, 1999, five occupants of a car were injured seriously when a bull dashed against their vehicle on the Bathinda-Barnala road in the cantonment area. On February 22, 1999, two persons were injured seriously near the bus stand when they come in contact with two fighting bulls. One of the injured who received head injuries was shifted to the DMC at Ludhiana. These are not isolated incidents. Stray animals mostly cows, bulls and pigs roaming the city and main roads in the district have been claiming human lives for the past many years by causing number of fatal accidents. Thousands of stray animals, which appear from nowhere always catch drivers of vehicles unawares, and causes serious accidents. Most of the accidents take place on the Bathinda-Barnala road. Police sources said that hardly a day passed when there was no report of an accident. Number of minor accidents were not reported to the police station by the victims. For the past many years, residents of villages surrounding this town, have been protecting their crops from stray animals by organising "thikri pehra" on entry points of their respective villages. On the other hand, residents alleged that most of the owners of cows who abandoned them when they stop giving milk, transported them to city and population of such stray cows was increasing day by day. Mr Lal Singh, Inspector, Punjab Police, traffic in charge of the city told The Tribune that they had no arrangement for checking the menace of stray animals. He added that stray animals had become a big nuisance for the smooth flow of traffic. Mr Sadhu Ram Kushla, secretary, Shri Gaushala when contacted said that at present they were keeping 1200 cows and bulls in three different sheds. He added that without the help of district administration, they found it difficult to increase the number of cows in their sheds. He said that if the district administration started funding for looking after the cows, they could take all stray cows into their sheds. He pointed out that the Punjab government was also giving grants to panchayats for opening gaushalas in villages. He added that 10 gaushalas were opened last year and the demand from a number of villages were pouring in to the local District Rural Development Agency which gave grant under the Employment Assurance Scheme. Police sources said that
accidents due to stray animals on the Bathinda-Barnala
road could be checked by raising wire-fence along the
road in the cantonment area and by making this road
four-laned with road dividers up to the Bhucho crossing. |
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Website a boon for Red Cross PATIALA: Patiala online, a website giving information about Patiala, is on its way to turning the fortunes of the cash-stripped District Red Cross Society. The website has earned around Rs 60,000 in about a month since its inception which money will go towards building a Bhai Kanhaiya Hall at Government Rajindra Hospital here. The hall is expected to serve as shelter for relatives of patients coming to the hospital. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, disclosed that further proceeds from the website would help the Red Cross upgrade the level of its services at Rajindra Hospital besides being able to give financial assistance to needy persons which is very difficult at present. Mr Bir said the website had become a success with a mere aid of Rs 500 from the Red Cross Society which it used to open its bank account. He said following this philanthropists and industrial houses were roped in to develop the website which had already started giving concrete results. Mr Bir said industrial houses were at present paying Rs 7,500 per month for advertisements in the opening page banner of website and Rs 6,000 for thumb nail advertisements on the information pages. He said besides this detailed advertisements on various organisations were also being displayed. The Deputy Commissioner said revenue was likely to go up further once the website became popular following which the administration would insert advertisements about the facility in international papers. He said the website had received an encouraging response with 531 persons visiting it from various countries in the world. He said complete information about the district and the subdivisions besides weather updates of the city were available in the website. He said non-resident Indians having land in the district could visit the site for latest revenue information. He said the district administration could also now keep better t rack of various social schemes like old age widow pension and shagun schemes. With all the information about beneficiaries being computerised, there were less chances of people taking these benefits repeatedly through fraudulent means. He claimed Patiala
district had become the first district in the country to
give detailed information up to the village level. The
website address is www. patiala. org. |
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Vichar Manch tract to
"awaken Punjabis" AMRITSAR, Feb 24 — A 24-page tract printed in Punjabi, is in circulation in Punjab. Though published by the "Panthic Vichar Manch" and priced at Rs 5 this booklet it is reliably learnt is being distributed by the SGPC. The reason for SGPC interest is simple. The "Panthic Vichar Manch" is an organisation of those who are close to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. This tract in Punjabi is a new medium adopted to "educate, inform and awaken" the "thinking Punjabis. It, primarily is an "attack" on SAD president-cum-Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, ever since he has "captured" Akal Takht and "usurped" the Sikh institutions through his proteges who are identified either as ordinary or executive committee members of the SGPC. The booklet contains a nine page hard-hitting letter to Mr Parkash Singh written by Punjabi writer, Jaswant Singh Kanwal, contains opinion of some other Punjabis, including that of SGPC acting president Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, besides copies of the "letter" and "message" to the Sikhs by the "Jathedar" of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, who is under "suspension". Kanwal, in his open letter has castigated Mr Parkash Singh for what he is doing, ostensibly to prop up his son. It lists "failures" of his government and "blatant blunders" being committed by him at the instigation of a small coterie which surrounds him. Under sharp attacks is the Editor of a Jalandhar newspaper. The writer is not lenient to even Mr Gurcharan Singh. His plea is that let the importance of Akal Takht and its dignity, honour and sovereignty not be allowed to go to the street and Mr Parkash Singh should atone for his "sins". This tract, it is learnt, is being mailed to all Punjab Ministers, MLAs, MPs, senior bureaucrats, IAS officers and the media's as a means to whip up public hysteria against what Mr Parkash Singh is doing. This may perhaps be the first in the series of such tracts which the Vichar Manch is likely to bring out. Besides these views it
also has comments of the Sant Samaj. There is a mention
that the "heart attack" which Giani Puran Singh
suffered on February 15 soon after his installation as
Jathedar of Akal Takht was due to the
"displeasure" of almighty. Such language and
propaganda is expected to make a dent in the psyche of
ordinary Sikhs. |
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Farmers down barriers, court
arrest HOSHIARPUR, Feb 24 — About 1000 farmers, including 250 women of Hoshiarpur district successfully dismantled obstacles put up by the district administration to prevent them from entering government offices, and courted arrest in the district courts here this afternoon in accordance with the stir plan of the CPI led Punjab Kisan Sabha. The protesters came in procession to the district court complex, entered all the offices located there and prevented the staff from working. One of the leaders even occupied the chair of the Deputy Commissioner, who was not in his office, and listened to the demands of the demonstrators. Later he announced waiving of loans of all farmers. Earlier, all the
participants assembled in Sardar Bhagat Singh Park and
staged a protest rally and criticised the SAD-BJP
goverdnment of Punjab for its anti-kisan policy. They
said that the sabha would also court arrests at Patiala
on February 25. |
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SAD (A) plan to fill SYL canal FATEHGARH SAHIB, Feb 24 — Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President SAD (A) has announced that his party has decided to fill SYL canal with earth as the state did not have any surplus water. Work on filling the canal will start from March 20 for which a meeting of district Jathedars and office-bearers has been called on February 27 at his village. Mr Mann was talking to media-persons at his residence Kila Harnam Singh today. He said the Badal government had failed on all fronts. He said the visit of Mr Vajpayee and Mr Badal was a flop as no treaty was signed on nuclear weapons the Kashmir issue or to remove wiring from the border and ease visa restrictions instead returning with five dumba sheep he was declaring this visit as successful and historical. Mr Mann strongly
criticised the recent killing of innocent people in
Kashmir and appealed to the militants not to kill the
innocents. |
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Leave not employee's right CHANDIGARH, Feb 24 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed Dr Satwinder Singh Marwaha, Director of the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCTC) to report back to Punjabi University immediately or resign from the post of the university's Head of the Department of Bio-Technology he was also holding. In 1997 Dr Marwaha had joined the post of Director, PSCTC without getting his leave sanctioned by the university. On January 27, 1998, the university decided to take action against Dr Marwaha and to declare his post vacant. Dr Marwaha approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for quashing the university decision. Mr Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr Justice S.S. Sudhalkar, before whom his petition came up for hearing, held that it was the discretion of the employer to grant or not to grant leave. The Judges held: "Any
leave, much less extraordinary leave cannot be claimed as
a matter of right. It will depend on the facts and
circumstances of each case and requirement of the
employer whether the incumbent should be granted
particular type of leave or not". |
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Land grab bid foiled LUDHIANA, Feb 24 — The district administration today thwarted an attempt by a "land mafia", comprising certain politicians and police and government officials to grab a piece of prime land near Chaura Bazar. According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Goel, a plot measuring about 3600 square yards belonging to the PWD had been lying vacant for some time ago. Later, it was shown to
have been transferred to the Wakf Board which in turn,
leased it out to the "land mafia". However, the
possession continued to be with the PWD. A case was filed
by the PWD in the court which was dismissed. The
department also lodged a complaint with the police that
its land had been encroached upon by certain persons. The
police, however, took no action on the plea that a case
filed by the PWD in this regard had already been
dismissed by the court. Taking advantage of it, the
encroachers constructed a room on the plot and started a
religious ceremony. When the matter came to the notice of
the Deputy-Commissioner, he got the encroachment cleared.
Mr Goel said action would be taken against the guilty. |
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Chardikalan march starts today BATHINDA, Feb 24 — A new chapter will be added to Sikh history on February 26 when Chardikalan-Sarbat Da Bhala march being organised by the Anandpur Sahib Foundation, starts from Talwandi Sabo tomorrow. Guru Gobind Singh the tenth Guru, who came to Talwandi Sabo at the end of 1705 A.D. after fighting battles of Anandpur Sahib, Chamkaur Sahib and Muktsar, stayed here for nine months and nine days, where he dictated the "Damdami Beer" to Bhai Mani Singh before leaving for Nanded (Maharashtra) on his final journey. The Anandpur Sahib Foundation has decided to complete the march in reverse, ending at Anandpur Sahib in four days. The march will reach Anandpur Sahib on March 1, 1999 skipping some stretches of Guru Gobind Singh Marg. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, in a press conference today said that all arrangements had been made for the march. The march will start from Diwan Hall of Takht Damdama Sahib at nine a.m. Weapons and other articles
belonging to Guru Gobind Singh will be displayed on a
mobile platform fitted to a large vehicle for the public.
Two horses belonging to the lineage of Guru Gobind
Singh's horses will join the march. |
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Dowry case: police remand for
two ABOHAR, Feb 24 — Ms D. Chawla and her son, Mr Anu Chawla, were remanded in police custody for two days by the sub-judge, Mr Rajinder Aggarwal, on February 23. Earlier, a police party, led by the ASI, Mr Hari Singh, had arrested them in a dowry case. According to an FIR lodged at the city Police Station here, under Sections 406 and 498A, Ms Seema, d/o Mr Amar Lal, a resident of Bhagwanpura, was married to one Mr Deepak Chawla, a resident of Manimajra, in April 1995. Her in-laws had, reportedly, been torturing her on the pretext of bringing insufficient dowry. Finally, Mr Deepak visited his in-laws on March 27,1997 and left Ms Seema with her parents. Later, her mother-in-law, Ms Chawla was approached by the relatives of Ms Seema but she, allegedly, refused to entertain any request for taking her back. The police registered a
complaint last week and Ms Seema's mother-in-law and
brother-in-law were arrested. The police was told that
her husband, Mr Deepak, was now abroad. |
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Doordarshan employees go on strike JALANDHAR, Feb 24 — Various categories of the local doordarshan kendra today went on strike in favour of their demand regarding pay parity with other staff as announced by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting recently. Mr K.K. Bali, unit secretary of the Doordarshan Professional Association, said here today that the studio recordings and news coverages were badly affected as cameramen had also joined the stir. He added that the Group D staff of the kendra too joined the dharna outside the doordarshan kendra. An organisation has been
formed at the national level under the name of the United
Forum of Prasar Bharati Employees which is coordinating
the stir. These employees will not draw their salary on
the pay day, he added. |
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Rice millers take out protest
march FATEHGARH SAHIB, Feb 24 — The district Rice Millers Association today took out a protest march at Sirhind. Later they staged a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner and were joined by thousands of labourers and commission agents to protest against government's indifferent attitude towards them. They alleged that the policies of the central government had ruined the rice-shelling industry of the state. It had also caused a financial crunch in the state as lakhs of metric tonnes of paddy, amounting to Rs 500 crore, was lying unused. They urged the government to reduce the rate of "bardana" and that the price of damaged bardana should be charged at the rate of 40 per cent. Later the millers
submitted a memorandum to the ADC. |
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"Nagar panchayat" for
Zirakpur CHANDIGARH, Feb 24 — In view of the rapid urbanisation of Zirakpur in recent years, the Punjab Government has decided to create a "Nagar panchayat" for this township, according to a press note issued here today. Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Punjab Finance Minister, said in the statement that the Local Government Department would soon issue a notification to invite objections within a fortnight. The villages to be incorporated in the panchayat include Lohgarh, Himmatgarh, Bishangarh, Baltana, Zirakpur, Dhakoli, Nabha Sahib and Bishanpura. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said
that the government had taken the decision to transfer
Zirakpur village presently in Ropar district to Patiala
district. The Revenue Department would soon issue a
notification in this connection. |
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Workshop held on environment CHANDIGARH, Feb 24 —The Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) organised a workshop under the National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) at Janata Model Senior Secondary School, Naya Gaon, today. The workshop was sponsored by the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology. The President of the Environment Society, Dr S.K. Sharma, asked children to form an environment club in their school and work for the conservation of environment. Scientists from the
Central Soil and Water Conservation Research Centre
talked on water resources, their pollution and ways of
keeping them clean. A quiz and a painting competition
were also organised. |
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College teachers' dharna on Mar 1 CHANDIGARH, Feb 24 — The Punjab Government College Teachers' Association and the Punjab Government College Principal's Association in separate statements said that the state government had diluted the UGC recommendations while issuing a notification with regard to the revised pay scales for college teachers. Mr P.S. Bhatti, president of the association, said the executive committee of the association held a meeting to examine the notifications and it was not satisfied with it. He said a dharna would be held by college teachers in Chandigarh on March 1 to press the state government to implement the UGC recommendations in toto. He said that a meeting of the state council had also been called to formulate the next programme, which includes boycott of examinations in case the Punjab Government fails to issue revised notification by that date. Meanwhile, Mr S.S. Chohan,
president of the principals' association, said that the
minimum fixation of Rs 12840 in a pay scale of Rs
12000-420-18300 and Rs 17300 in a scale of Rs
16400-450-20900-500-22400 had been denied to the
principals. The principals had been kept on a par with
lecturers in the selection grade. |
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Excise Dept honours Ranbaxy, PAL CHANDIGARH, Feb 24 — Two best revenue paying units — Ranbaxy Labs (Paonta Sahib) and Punjab Anand Lamps (SAS Nagar), were felicitated at the annual Central Excise Day celebrations held at the Central Revenue Building in Sector 17 here today. Mr S.S. Jha, Commissioner, Chandigarh-I, honoured these units for progressively increasing their revenue payments over the last few years. Mr I.R. Soni, Commissioner, Chandigarh-II, addressed a special gathering comprising leading persons of the trade and industry and members of the staff. The history of the revenue collection from the pre-Partition days was traced and changes made till date were highlighted. Emphasis was also laid on regular central excise duty payments by assessees for a steady growth of the economy. Mr B.K. Mehan and Mr Vinod
K. Peshawaria, representing the Industries Association of
Chandigarh, assured the department of their maximum
cooperation in revenue collection. |
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