Monday, July 19, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, July 19, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Race on
for Cong ticket |
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RTP faces
acute coal shortage Gujral to be joint candidate Teachers condemn
‘motivated’ probe Hukamnamas 'can be changed' Rakshak Dal to contest 5 seats Dang calls written test a hoax Compensate cobbler’s family:
MLA Computer friendly takht chief Lakhowal rejects procurement
prices Probe spending on waterlogging:
CPI BJP will not come to power:
Surjeet Substandard zinc sulphate seized |
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Race on for Cong ticket LUDHIANA, July 17 — The crucial battle for Congress nominations for Lok Sabha seats is on in earnest. Leaders of various factions and ticket aspirants have left for Delhi to lobby with the party high command level with each faction trying to corner the maximum number of nominations. With the party deeply divided in Punjab and even top leaders levelling allegations against each other this race for tickets was expected party sources told TNS that an important meeting of the sub-committee headed by Mr Pranab Mukherjee and in charge of party affairs pertaining to Punjab will be held on July 19 at Delhi to short list the names for various constituencies in Punjab. Other members of the committee are Dr Manmohan Singh, former Finance Minister, Ms Shelja, AICC Secretary in charge of Punjab affairs along with Mr Mukherjee, Capt Amarinder Singh, Mr Madhav Rao Scindia and Mr Yagya Dutt, who was appointed observer by the high command to collect feedback on the party's prospects and potential winning candidates. Sources said unsuccessful efforts were also made to get Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha nominated to the sub-committee. Chowdhary Jagjit Singh is said to be close to Capt Amarinder Singh. Party sources said the high command has already finalised some broad criteria for shortlisting of names. The criteria includes that no close relative of any party leader will be nominated barring exceptional cases no tainted leader will be given the ticket and veterans would be preferred to fresh faces. The party's election committee will meet on July 25 to finalise its first list of candidates for Punjab and other states where elections will be held on September 4. With an impression gaining ground that the Congress in Punjab was Jat-Sikh dominated, sources said efforts would be made to give at least three tickets to Hindu leaders in Punjab to maintain the secular face of the party. For the Patiala seat the frontrunners are Mr Birdevinder Singh, Mr Sant Ram Singla, Mr Surinder Singla and Mrs Parneet Kaur wife of Capt Amarinder Singh. A new entrant in the race for the Patiala seat is Mr C D Singh, who joined the Congress recently after quitting the BSP. In Ludhiana the race is between Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur daughter of late Mr Beant Singh, Punjab Chief Minister and Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, who represented this seat in the Lok Sabha when Mr Beant Singh was alive. The Ferozepore ticket is expected to be given to Mr Sajjan Kumar son of Mr Balram Jakhar although there are reports that a very senior leader of the BSP from Ferozepore has sounded out the party about joining it if he is assured the party ticket. Mr Gurmeet Singh Sodhi (Rana Sodhi) is also a strong contender for the ticket from Ferozepore. For the Sangrur seat the party high command is expected to request Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to contest. She is at present a member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from the Lehra constituency. Mr Gurcharan Singh Dadhahoor, who once represented Sangrur constituency in the Lok Sabha, is also in the race and has connections in the party high command. For the Bathinda seat, Mr Gulzar Singh, Mr Jasmel Singh and Mr Gurjant Singh are among the frontrunners while for the Faridkot seat the name of Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar's has almost been finalised after his differences with Mr Avtar Singh Brar, another Congress leader were ironed out. Mrs Ambika Soni is expected to get the ticket for Hoshiarpur and Mr Raghunandan Lal Bhatia is likely to be party's choice in Amritsar. In Gurdaspur, Mrs Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder appears to be the party's nominee again. In the Ropar reserved seat Mr Shamsher Singh Rai, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mr Charanjit Singh and Mrs Darshan Kaur, a relative of Mr Buta Singh, are in the race for the party ticket though a section of the party is pressing for the nomination of Chowdhary Jagjit Singh. For the Tarn Taran
constituency, Mr Gurinder Kairon son of late Mr Partap
Singh Kairon, Mr Gurchet Singh Bhullar and Mr Gurjit
Singh Rana, a sugar magnate, are among the top
contenders. Mr Umrao Singh, Mr Iqbal Singh and Mr Balbir
Singh are among the top contenders from Jalandhar where
Chowdhary Darshan Singh's son is also in the fray.
Sources said that there could be some surprises in the
nominations with the Congress looking for sports or other
stars to give the party lineup a touch of glamour. Mr
Navjot Singh Sidhu, an eminent cricketer, has applied for
the party ticket from Patiala, reportedly after meeting
top party functionaries. |
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Calendar puts SGPC in a spot AMRITSAR, July 18 — Like the ‘Hukamnama’ on "guru ka langar" (community kitchen), the controversy over the "Nanakshahi" calendar has kicked off a new controversy which may divide Sikhs further. The ban on the implementation of the calendar by the newly appointed Jathedar, Akal Takht, Giani Puran Singh, has put the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in a spot as the calendar was passed by the SGPC recently. Interestingly, the then Jathedar, Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, (now sacked) had also directed the then SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, to stop the implementation of the "nanakshahi" calendar till the submission of the report of a committee. Bhai Ranjit Singh had to take this extreme step on demand of heads of various Sikh deras. While the report of the sub-committee was still being awaited, the new SGPC headed by Bibi Jagir Kaur passed a resolution to implement the calendar. The calendar starts with the birth of Guru Nanak Dev. Till today, the Sikhs had been following the "Bikrami" calendar. When contacted by TNS for his reaction on the ban, Mr Kulwant Singh, SGPC Secretary, said "no comments" he said he could not speak on the issue as Akal Takht Jathedar was involved in this matter. It may be mentioned here that Mr Kulwant Singh had earlier criticised Baba Kashmira Singh, President, Sant Samaj, for raising serious objection over the implementation of the "nanakshahi" calendar. On behalf of Bibi Jagir Kaur, Mr Kulwant Singh had stated that the calendar was implemented on the recommendations of Sikh intellectuals and hence, nobody had the right to challenge the decision of the committee. While Mr Onkar Singh, SGPC member and President, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar City) said the SGPC should have waited for the report of the sub-committee constituted by the then SGPC chief, Mr Tohra, before implementing the calendar. However, Mr Surjit Singh, a close confidant of Mr Tohra said "if Hindus, Muslims and Christians have their separate calendars why the Sikhs could not implement their own calendar?, he said. He added that two lakh copies of the calendar were got published and even distributed when Mr Tohra was the SGPC president. On the other hand, Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, a BJP MLA, has said attempts be made to maintain brotherhood, between Hindus and Sikhs so that they could celebrate festivals together. Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC,
chief, however, could not be contacted for comments. |
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RTP faces acute coal
shortage ROPAR, July 18 — All six units of the Ropar Thermal Plant (RTP) may face closure at any time due to an acute shortage of coal. According to sources at the RTP if adequate coal is not received at the plant even for a day or two, several parts of the state may face a power failure and the supply to the rural areas for irrigating the paddy crop will be adversely affected. The RTP authorities have only about 70,000 metric tonnes of coal in stock out of which only 30,000 metric tonnes can be used for generating power. This is sufficient for running the plant for 36 hours at the optimum capacity of 210 MW per unit. When contacted Mr K.L. Bansal, Director, Fuel and Efficiency of the plant, admitted that most of the units of the plant might have to be closed in a day or two if the coal supply did not improve immediately, as per the requirement of five to six racks of coal a day. Each rack has about 55 wagons. He said the plant authorities had been sending fax messages to the authorities concerned in Delhi almost daily to supply coal in adequate quantity. Mr Bansal said this morning the authorities were forced to close one unit. He said the plant had received only 65 racks of coal this month. It had received 126 coal racks in the previous month against the demand of 150 racks. He said the plant had
received four and two racks of coal on July 16 and 17,
respectively, against the requirement of six racks a day.
However, he attributed the arrival of a fewer number of
racks to a railway accident which occurred on July 16 on
the Mathura-Agra section. |
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200 villages face flood
threat WATER could flood around 200 villages in Ghanaur, Sanaur and Bhunerheri blocks of Patiala district if immediate steps are not taken to ensure that the Haryana Government lifts the gates of its headworks constructed on the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal on the border with Sarala village in case of accumulation of flood water on the Punjab side of the canal. The Haryana Government, which had earlier constructed a kucha bandh on the SYL running in its territory, has now built a headwork on it. This ensures that the flood waters accumulated on the Punjab side of the canal cannot flow across to Haryana. There is a possibility of the water heading up at the SYL siphon and accumulating on the Narwana branch which is 12 to 15 feet above surface level as happened in 1993. This water could enter the Narwana main line running parallel to the SYL and breaching it as siphons there are not adequate to take on added water. The problem has been compounded by the alternative arrangements made by the Punjab Government not materialising. The state has built a headwork near Chamaru village with the intention of flushing out excess SYL flood water into the pachisdara. However, though the headwork has been completed, its gates have not been installed. Moreover, a bandh has been built ahead of the headwork adjoining the pachisdara which will ensure flood waters remain in the SYL. Around 13 choes cross the SYL between Ropar and the border with Haryana in the Ghanaur block of Patiala district. While most choes were supposed to pass through the canal, in some cases the crossings have not been completed. Due to this, water from these seasonal choes flows into the SYL and swells it up during the monsoons. The SYL is susceptible to breaching at many places as it has not been maintained and its embankment has been eroded by tree plantation. Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir when contacted said the matter of construction of a headwork by the Haryana Government had been brought to the notice of the Irrigation Secretary who was expected to take up the issue of blocking the flow of water in the SYL with his Haryana counterpart. However, work on removing this impediment seems to be taking time with the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Capt R.S. Randhawa, saying he had a few months back instructed senior SYL staff to coordinate with their Haryana counterparts. Speaking about the means to ensure that excess water from various choes did not flow into the SYL canal, Captain Randhawa said the SYL authorities had been instructed to build bandhs. Besides this, a wireless set had been installed at the super passage adjoining the SYL where the pachisdara crossed the Narwana main line. He said impediments in the pachisdara had been removed. The Forest Department had been instructed to clear a eucalyptus plantation which was covering three-fourths of the bed of the pachisdara in the area. The Executive Engineer,
Drainage, Mr B.S. Bhullar, disclosed that work on the
headwork at Chamaru which was supposed to drain out
excess water from the SYL into the pachisdara had come to
a halt due to lack of funds. |
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Gujral to be joint candidate PATIALA, July 18 — The Punjab Janata Dal today announced that former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral would be fielded as the joint candidate of the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal. Akali Dal (Amritsar), Akali Dal (Democratic, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), Bahujan Samaj Party and Marxist Communist Party of India (MCPI) from the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency. Talking to newsmen here after presiding over a meeting of the state executive and district presidents, its state unit president Jagir Singh Ganesh said broad consensus had been reached on Mr Gujral's candidature with Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra discussing the matter with the party's central leadership. Mr Ganesh said besides the Jalandhar seat which would be fought by Mr Gujral, the state unit would demand at least two more seats from the front. If, however, an understanding was not reached the party would field its candidates from all seats of Punjab, including Patiala from where Mr Amritbir Singh Gulati would be its candidate. Mr Ganesh said a broad
agreement had been reached on the front with only its
leadership to be decided. He hinted that Akal Takht chief
Bhai Ranjit Singh may be nominated leader of the front to
avoid a clash between Mr Tohra and Mr Mann. |
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Teachers condemn
‘motivated’ probe PATIALA, July 18 — A number of teachers organisations of Punjabi University today criticised the harassment of senior faculty members in the name of a vigilance inquiry and appealed to the Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) president to use his position to protect the teachers rather than demanding their suspension. The Democratic Teachers Front said through its convener Dr Ranjit Singh Ghuman that many were teachers being harassed for no fault of theirs. If at all there were certain procedural lapses or other irregularities the law of the land should take its own course. He said the teachers were cooperating with the vigilance authorities who, in turn, should deal with them in a dignified manner. Dr Ghuman urged the Vice-Chancellor of the university and the Government of Punjab to intervene in the matter, saying unless this was done it would not be possible for any teacher to act in a fearless manner in discharging their academic and administrative duties. Dr Ghuman also appealed to PUTA president Dr S.S. Khera to desist from using the PUTA platform to settle personal scores. In a separate release, Dr Raghbir Chand Gupta, convener Progressive Teachers’s Council (PTC), criticised the action initiated through vigilance department in the name of vigilance inquiry in which serving and retired senior teachers and a former Vice-Chancellor were implicated in a criminal case. Regarding the inquiry into appointments, Dr Gupta said there was a set procedure for appointment and the syndicate, the supreme governing body of the university, on which the government is well represented, ratifies every selection. The Centre for
University Teachers in a release said the whole exercise
was politically motivated and non-bailable warrants had
been issued on extremely flimsy grounds. |
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Hukamnamas 'can be changed' PHAGWARA, July 18 — The Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh, asserted here today that Hukamnamas issued from Akal Takht can neither be changed nor withdrawn. He was replying to a question as to whether he would change certain controversial Hukamnama issued by his predecessor Bhai Ranjit Singh. This assertion coming close on the banning of the Nanakshahi calendar will queer pitch for the Badal camp and pitch the Jathedar against the SGPC further as the Jathedar had defended the ban on the use of Nanakshahi calendar. Giani Puran Singh
refused to entertain any other question about Bhai Ranjit
Singh. When asked about the Tohra faction's
non-recognition of his designation, he shot back that
this question should be addressed to Mr G.S. Tohra. |
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Rakshak Dal to contest 5 seats AMRITSAR, July 18 (PTI) — The newly formed Rashtriya Rakshak Dal (RRD) a political wing of the Indian Ex-services League, today decided to join the election fray by contesting at least five Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. Col (retd) HS Kahlon, who is president of the dal, told newsmen after a meeting of its executive here that it would contest the Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar seats. Its two other seats would be announced after a state-level meeting of the party at Ludhiana towards the end of this month. He said that the dal
would also enter into alliances with other political
parties to secure representation for former defence
personnel in the political sphere. This is necessary to
get the problems of the defence personnel solved by the
government, he added. |
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Dang calls written test a
hoax AMRITSAR, July 18 — The veteran CPI leader, Mr Satya Pal Dang, has described the written test conducted on July 11 for the posts of panchayat secretaries in the state as totally hoax. Mr Dang in a press note issued here yesterday alleged that it was no secret that the appointments of the secretaries were being assured for Rs 1 lakh each. He pointed out that even
the roll numbers were not despatched to all candidates as
information was conveyed that in case the candidates did
not receive the roll numbers they should find out from
the Additional Deputy Commissioner or from various
centres designated in the district. This added to the
confusion at various centres. He expressed total dismay
at the functioning of the state government for this
"farce" of an examination. |
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Compensate cobbler’s family:
MLA AMRITSAR, July 18 — Mrs Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, a BJP MLA, has expressed resentment over the Punjab Government’s apathetic attitude towards the payment of compensation to the custodial death victim’s family. Mrs Chawla in a press statement issued here yesterday said a police inquiry had indicted the ASI, Darshan Lal, who was found responsible for the alleged killing of a cobbler, Ram Chand, last year at the city kotwali. She regretted that even the Chief Secretary of the state government expressed his inability to grant relief to the family of Ram Chand. She added that the punishment meted out to the erring ASI was a two-year cut in his service. She demanded proper
compensation be given to the family of Ram Chand. |
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Computer friendly takht chief ROPAR, July 18 — Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, on Saturday said that arrangements should be made in gurdwaras to provide computer education to youths. He was addressing a function organised by the Quality Education Foundation at Shivalik Public School here to give awards to students who topped the talent test conducted by the foundation for the districts of Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Nawanshahar. The Jathedar said he would make efforts to start computer education through the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in the gurdwaras. He said it was the need of the hour that the youth be imparted computer education alongside recitation of holy scriptures. He also stressed the need for quality education and introducing indoor games in the religious places. Addressing the
gathering, Jathedar Tota Singh, Minister for Education,
Punjab, called upon the people to launch a campaign
against mass copying in educational institutions and
obscene cultural activities in society. |
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Lakhowal rejects procurement
prices MOGA, July 18 — The President of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, has described the new procurement prices of foodgrains as a cruel joke on farmers. Talking to newspersons here yesterday, Mr Lakhowal said the government should have taken into consideration the increase in the prices of insecticides, fertilisers, tractors and tractor parts, pesticides, power and other inputes before fixing the foodgrain prices. Overall inflation in the country, he said, had nullified the marginal increase in the procurement prices. He urged the Union Government to look into the matter immediately. Mr Lakhowal also said
that loans advanced to farmers for farm outputs should be
written off and full compensation given to those who had
lost their crops due to natural calamities. |
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Probe spending on
waterlogging: CPI BATHINDA, July 18 — Mr Hardev Arshi, MLA and leader of the CPI in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today demanded that a CBI probe be conducted into the crores of rupees spent by the Punjab Government for tackling waterlogging in Muktsar and Mansa districts. Talking to newsmen here, he said that while the Punjab Government claimed that Rs 200 crore had been spent in Muktsar district alone the work done on the ground was not worth this amount. He said a CBI probe into work done, including digging up of drains and installing of tubewells along the Sirhind feeder would expose large-scale bungling. He said the rainy season
would prove whether the new drains were a success or not. |
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BJP will not come to power: Surjeet LUDHIANA, July 18 (PTI) — The CPM’s main strategy in the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll will be to work towards preventing the BJP and its allies from forming government at the Centre, the party’s General Secretary, Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet, said here today. "We will try to prevent the BJP and its allies from coming to power at the Centre as well as in those states where Assembly elections are being held," he told reporters here. Kargil could become an important poll issue as the BJP and some other political parties might try to extract political mileage out of it, he said, adding that "the victory belongs to the jawans only and not to any political party". In reply to a question regarding the formation of a third front, he said everything would be clear in a few days. Regarding Punjab, Mr
Surjeet said his party would not enter into any alliance
with the ‘separatist forces’. |
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Substandard zinc sulphate seized BATALA, July 18 (PTI) — Officials of Punjab Agriculture Department today recovered 2,930 kgs of sub standard zinc sulphate from a godown at the industrial town here. A high-level team of department officials raided the godown at the new grain market here on the basis of a tip-off and recovered the material, Gurdaspur Chief Agriculture Officer Gian Singh Nizzar told reporters. The bags marked "zinc super" instead of zinc sulphate were supplied by one Kashmir Singh Gill, sales representative of Jai Shree Rasain Udyog in New Delhi, he said. One Rakesh Kumar Gandhi,
who has been arrested in this connection, confessed that
he has been selling the substandard zinc which he had
brought from Delhi. |
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CM
backing
out of promises : lawyers FARIDKOT, July 18 — Inhabitants and lawyers of the district have charged Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for backing out of his promises to restrengthen this district . It had been isolated after its trifurcation with Moga and Muktsar districts in 1995. In a press statement here today, Mr Kaur Singh, President of the Bar Association and convener of the 21-member Action Committee, said during the past month a deputation of leading citizens and advocates led by senior Akali leaders met the Chief Minister thrice. He promised to do the needful while issuing a notification regarding the reorganisation of Moga district. Although the state government has notified the boundaries of Moga district by including 150 more villages from Dharamkot and Zira areas, nothing has been done to pacify the residents of the district. Criticising the vacillating attitude of the Chief Minister, the committee has decided to oppose the Shiromani Akali Dal candidate who is likely to be Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of Chief Minister, Punjab. He is likely to contest from the Faridkot Parliamentary constituency in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. It has also been decided
to organise a public rally on July 24 to make the people
aware about the false promises and adamant attitude of
the Chief Minister. The convener has also called the
establishment of Baba Farid University here a false
propaganda to get political mileage. He said no progress
has been made in this regard. |
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Hav Baldev Raj cremated HOSHIARPUR, July 18 (UNI) — Havildar Baldev Raj of Seven Dogra Regiment, who died in a mine blast in the Chamb Jaurian sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, was cremated with full military honours at Binewal village near Garhshankar town, today. The pyre was lit by his six-year-old son Sonu amid sounding of the last post by the Army buglers. The young soldier was survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter. Jalandhar cantonment Sub-Area Commander Brig Surjit Singh and Col Balbir Singh, Deputy Commissioner Iqbal Singh Sidhu and SSP R P Mittal among others paid tributes to the martyr. The Deputy Commissioner
announced the naming of the Government High School in
Binewal and the link road from Binewal to Garshankar town
in the memory of the soldier. |
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WSC supports directive CHANDIGARH, July 18 — The World Sikh Intellectual Council today welcomed the direction by Akal Takht Jathedar, banning the "Nanakshahi jantri" published by the SGPC. The "jantri"
was neither mathematically correct nor followed any
religious code, the statement read. The council appealed
to Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of the SGPC, to withdraw
the same, council Secretary Lieut-Col S.S. Nihan (Retd)
said here today. |
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Pepsu men block traffic PHAGWARA, July 18 — Pepsu Road Transport Corporation employees today blocked traffic outside the local bus stand in protest against the beating up of a conductor by staff members of a private transport company. The half-hour protest ended on the intervention of the police. The conductor was beaten
up following a dispute over passengers. |
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30 bags of banned
insecticide seized LUDHIANA, July 18 — The vigilance cell of the state Department of Agriculture conducted a raid on a paint shop near Dholewal Chowk on July 14 and seized 30 bags of a banned insecticide, BHL, from the shop. This insecticide was available under three brand names and the expiry date for two of the chemicals was already over. In a press note, the
department officials have stated that the raids will
continue till the manufacture and sale of these banned
pesticides is contained. |
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Tearful farewell to sepoy GURDASPUR, July 18 — Thousands of men, women and children formed part of the gathering which bid a tearful farewell to sepoy Major Singh of 8 Sikh Regiment who was cremated here today at his native village, Bhatoa, 20 km from here, with full military and civil honours. He is the third soldier of the Sikh Regiment who laid down his life while fighting Pakistan intruders. The body was flown to Tibri cantonment last night by air. According to Nayak Jaswant Singh who accompanied the body while talking to mediapersons said the sepoy was missing, along with Lieutenant Kanad Bhattacharya since May 21. The bodies of both martyrs were recovered on July 15. Brig R.S. Jaswal,
Commandant, 51 Brigade, placed wreath on behalf of the
Chief of the Staff. Col. J.Anantha Rama, Commanding
Officer, 19 Sikh Regiment placed wreath on behalf of the
GOC, 9 Division. Mr Mohan Lal, Forest Minister, placed
wreath on behalf of the Chief Minister, Punjab. Mr Hassan
Lal, ADC (R), Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP and Mr Pradeep
Sabharwal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, also placed
wreaths. |
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