Wednesday, July 21, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Wednesday, July 21, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Life term
for Talwandi's son, 4 held in Dalit stripping case |
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Special
courts to be set up Row over Seva Dal chief's
appointment Miles to go to keep promises Greed lands Army man, parents in
police net Villagers resent lack of basic
amenities Woman shot at by ASI Of literacy drive & welfare
schemes Ropar SSP goes on long leave HC rejects DAG's plea in subsidy
scam More contributions for relief fund 23 nominated to University Senate |
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Life term for Talwandi's son,
6 others LUDHIANA, July 20 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Lakhbir Singh, today awarded life imprisonment to Ranjit Singh Talwandi,Chairman of the Punjab State Industries Export Corporation (PSIEC) and son of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, along with six others, for the murder of Chamkaur Singh, a resident of village Talwandi Rai. The six others who have been sentenced to life imprisonment are Paramjit Singh, Pargat Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, Ranjit Singh's gunman and his three friends, Kulwant Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Jeet Singh. The seven accused had shot dead Chamkaur Singh on December 24. 1996, because of a property dispute and a case under Sections 302, 323, 324, 325, 148 and 149 of the IPC and under Section 25 of the Arms Act was registered against them. At the time of the order
Ranjit Singh who was present in court, was immediately
taken into custody and sent to Ludhiana Central Jail. |
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4 held in Dalit stripping
case ABOHAR, July 20 — Four members of the village panchayat at Bhangarkhera in this subdivision have been arrested for their indecent remarks against a Dalit handicap woman who was allegedly stripped and paraded in the village on January 15 after blackening her face by seven members of a family. The action against the panches, including a woman, had been taken on the instructions from the Home Department, official sources said yesterday. The arrests were made by Khuyiansarwer police but the four Phulan Devi, Ram Partap, Jas Ram and Munshi Ram were released on bail by a local court. The Home Department acted on the inquiry report submitted by DIG (crime) who had been directed to hold an inquiry when Ms Luxmi Kanta Chawla, BJP, MLA raised the issue in Punjab Vidhan Sabha after visiting the affected family here. The case was earlier registered following the publication of the story in The Tribune. Earlier the police was terming it as a "minor" incident as the suspects were active workers of the ruling party. The FIR was processed under Section 452, 354, 342, 506, 323, 148 and 149, IPC, but now the department had directed that Sections 182, 469, and 120-B added to this. According to the FIR, Jas Ram member panchayat, Ram Chander and Mohan Lal, all sons of Shriram Kumhar and their sons allegedly went to Jamna Devi's residence on a tractor, forced entry into the Dalit handicap woman's residence blackened her as well her minor daughter Seema's face with Mobil oil. Her other daughter, who was pregnant, when tried to intervene was allegedly hit in the stomach. Then the culprits allegedly stripped off Jamna Devi and paraded her along with her 15-year-old-daughter on tractor in the village. Jamna Devi narrated the incident to her husband, Brij Lal, on his return from another village. He approached the sarpanch of a nearby village but the FIR was finally registered on the intervention of a senior BJP Mahila Morcha activist, Mrs Vijay Luxmi Bhadu. The police had arrested
the culprits after many organisations threatened to
organise a protest rally here. The Human Rights
Commission had entertained The Tribune report as a public
interest case for inquiry but its findings were still not
made public. |
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Mental hospital run by warders AMRITSAR, July 20 — The local mental hospital is being run in violation of rules and regulations according to an expert study conducted at the behest of the Punjab Human Rights Commission. The hospital should function as per the guidelines laid down in the hospital manual but even the manual itself is not available in the hospital. The study, conducted by Dr Daljit Singh, a former professor and Head, Law Department, Regional Centre, Guru Nanak Dev University, Jalandhar, and his colleagues says initially the then medical superintendent of the hospital refused to give a satisfactory reply about the knowledge of the hospital manual. Later he claimed that the manual itself was not available. At one stage the government had intended to shift control of the hospital to the Director Research and Medical Education for a more professional approach but no decision was taken on this. Surprisingly the Punjab Government has not taken any step to set up an independent authority to administer this special facility as specified by a Supreme Court directive similarly. Though the staff strength of the hospital is sufficient to catering to the needs of the patients its Medical Superintendent, contrary to the requirements, is a non-specialist doctor. In fact the proportion of the specialists (Psychiatrists) to other doctors is quite meagre. In another shocking finding it said the warders of the hospital dominated the affairs of the hospital by virtue of sheer numbers and theirs being a non-transferable jobs. A visiting committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner has been constituted as required by law but seldom visits. In the last two years only four visits have been recorded although according to Section 38 of the Mental Health Act 1987, the committee must visit every month. According to the report while the chronic female ward is functioning out of a dilapidated building a new constructed to house the patients is lying locked only because the work of electrification has not been done. In this general atmosphere of neglect security is hardly a primary concern and patients ‘escape’, though numbers are often hushed up. The walls of the wards adjoin outside localities giving outsiders access to the hospital wards, especially the female wards. The report says there is no provision for a gate-keeper outside the female ward though one is provided outside the male ward. Treatment methods too are primitive and the use of electric shock therapy common. As the equipment is old and outdated the shocks are administered by approximation on the personal judgement of the doctor. The old machine urgently needs to be replaced by an automatic brief pulse machine costing Rs 40,000. But like most other things here, it hasn’t been done. Dr Vijay Kumar Khurana,
Officiating Medical Superintendent of the hospital,
however, claimed that there had been a ‘sea
change’ in the working of the hospital over the last
six months. He said that the report submitted by Dr
Daljit Singh and his colleagues did not depict a
‘true picture’ of the hospital and refuted
charges that the diet money per patient had not been
enhanced from He, however, admitted
that the financial health of the hospital was not
satisfactory and the hospital had yet to receive its
quarterly sanction of July onwards. He also admitted that
the several beds and flushes were broken for a variety of
reasons but denied any case of beating up of the patients
by the staff. He claimed that there had been a sea change
in the hospital’s working after the submission of an
earlier report based on a study conducted by Dr B.R. Goel
of Government Medical College, Amritsar. |
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Property disputes of ex-servicemen CHANDIGARH, July 20 — The Punjab Government has accepted a proposal to set up special designated courts for disposing of landed and other property dispute cases pertaining to ex-servicemen and serving defence personnel quickly. The proposal in this connection was put up at a meeting of the Rajya Sainik Board held under the presidentship of Lieut-Gen B.K.N. Chhibber, Punjab Governor, today. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is the first vice-president of the board and Punjab Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, and a representative of Western Command were among other official and non-official members present. Mr Kuldeep Singh Kahlon, Director of the Sainik Welfare, Punjab, told TNS that it would be a big relief for ex-servicemen and serving defence personnel who faced problems with regard to vacating their rented buildings and landed property. Informed sources said the special designated courts would also hear cases of property disputes of non-resident Indians who for the past several years had been pressing the Punjab Government to solve their problems in this connection. The Punjab Government has also decided to set up a coaching institute for preparing youth for recruitment as officers in the defence forces. There are about 13000 vacancies in the Army alone in the officer cadre and there is no quota system for recruitment in the officer cadre. The Punjab Government wants to take advantage of this. The sources said that to begin with the coaching centre would start in Dr Ambedkar Institute and later it would have its own building. The government was also examining the proposal to relax qualification to give jobs to the dependants of jawans who laid down their lives in Kargil and elsewhere in recent days. The proposal in this connection was discussed at the official level and it is likely to be submitted to the Punjab Cabinet for approval at the next meeting. There are reports that most of the dependants of jawans are not eligible for government jobs due to their inadequate qualification. The government has promised to give jobs to family members of martyrs. Job would be given within 30 days of receiving the application. Earlier, only Class III jobs were given to such dependants but now the Punjab Government has made a provision to give Class II jobs also. The government has agreed to give status of freedom fighters to gallantry awardees of the Army. It has also accepted the proposal to reorganise the department of sainik welfare for its effective functioning and to directly report to the Chief Secretary on the pattern of Haryana. The Punjab Chief Minister has directed the Punjab Urban Development authorities to set up an exclusive defence colony for ex-servicemen and serving defence personnel at SAS Nagar by forming a society. A sum of Rs 50 lakh was approved for various schemes from the Punjab amalgamated funds. The issue of clearing backlog of recruitment in government departments of ex-servicemen was also discussed at length. Brig Bant Singh (retd) said that about 50,000 posts falling in ex-servicemen's quota had not been filled. Quota in medical and engineering colleges which was reduced to 2 per cent had been restored to 4 per cent which was a provision earlier. The Chief Minister has
agreed to direct officers in all districts to reserve one
day for hearing the grievances of ex-servicemen in a
week. |
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Row over Seva Dal chief's
appointment FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 20 — Several office-bearers of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Seva Dal and District Seva Dal units have resigned from their posts in protest against the nomination of Dr Harbans Lal, MLA, Sirhind, as Chairman of the PPC Seva Dal. In a press note issued here today Dr Sohan Lal, vice-chairman; Mr Sashi Verdhan, organising secretary of the dal; Mr Amrit Pal Singh Tiwana, chairman of the District Congress Seva Dal; and Bibi Rachpal Kaur, Mahila organiser of the district Congress Seva Dal, have submitted their resignations to Mrs Sonia Gandhi and alleged that Dr Harbans Lal had joined the Congress after defecting from the BJP and he had always been involved in anti-party activities. They also alleged that he had acquired bogus degree of RMO and the matter was being probed by the vigilance department. These leaders also
threatened that if Dr Lal was not removed from the post
then all office-bearers of the Seva Dal units would hold
a dharna in front of Mrs Sonia Gandhi's residence. |
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Miles to go to keep promises JALANDHAR, July 20 — Gripped by the nationalistic fervour people are coming forward with contribution to the funds for soldiers fighting for the country at Kargil, Dras and Mushkoh. So much is being promised to kin of the martyrs at this time but the state of the families of the brave soldiers, who laid down their lives in three earlier wars of 1962, 65 and 71, is nothing but a tale of hollow promises as the administration, the state government and the Army have failed to give them their due. Even after almost three decades, the war widows are yet to get promised 10 acre plot or compensation at the rate of reserved price of the equivalent area, as promised to them at the time. This was stated by Maj Gen (retd) M.P.S. Mann as he has been pursuing the cause of the ex-servicemen and war widows in the state for the past many years. Repeated appeals by various ex-servicemen associations have fetched nothing but assurances by different parties in power, he alleged. According to the Indian Ex-Servicemen League, Punjab and Chandigarh, out of the 220 such cases pending before the state government 182 cases related to the war widows and about 38 cases were of dependent parents who were still waiting to get the promised land. The state had 5,627 acres earmarked for allotment to war widows and dependent parents. The government identified 800 cases for land allotment. While affected officers and their families were adequately covered under the scheme, the state government failed to honour its word to the claimants. Meanwhile, the earmarked land, is allegedly being cultivated by some influential persons. Though, the ex-servicemen league has brought the matter up with the government several times, the state government in 1992 quietly dropped the matter from the agenda without giving any reason, said Maj General Mann. While war widows like Mrs Charan Kaur, a resident of Nathu Chahal village in Kapurthala, whose husband, Gunner Karnail Singh, laid down his life at Chhamb-Jaurrian during the 1965, Indo-Pak war, has given up all hope of getting the land promised three decades ago. Ironically, her case is
complete since years but successive Deputy Commissioners
and revenue officers have withheld her file rationalising
that the land prices had increase manifold since 1965.
"Was my husband's life worth nothing?" asks the
hapless woman. |
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Greed lands Army man, parents
in ABOHAR, July 20 — An Army officer was booked and his parents arrested by the city police for allegedly harassing their daughter-in-law for dowry. A case was registered on the directions of Mr Justice Mehtam Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on a writ filed by Ms Rupinderpreet Kaur of Sunder Nagri, Abohar after the ADA, Ferozepore turned down her plea on grounds that the marriage was solemnised at Chandigarh so no case could be registered at Abohar. Ms Rupinderpreet said that her father had met one Suchcha Singh, resident of Guru Tegbahadur Nagar, Jalandhar in response to a matrimonial published last July. A meeting was fixed for Abohar and later, after both parties agreed a shagun ceremony performed at a marriage palace at Jalandhar. According to her it was at that time mutually agreed that her marriage to Captain Devinder Singh, posted in 7th Light Cavalry would be concluded without the giving of any dowry. According to the FIR, Devinder Singh and Rupinderpreet Kaur's Anand Karaj was performed at the Sector 32 Gurdwara at Chandigarh on February 10 this year and registered in Chandigarh under the Hindu Marriage Act six days later. Rupinderpreet alleged that soon afterwards her husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law began to harass her for not bringing an Esteem car, Rupees 2 lakh in cash and 50 tola in gold which, her in-laws said, her father had promised to give her at the time of her marriage. Following this she rang up her father on March 10, and he reached Jalandhar the next day and refuted their claim. Subsequently a panchayat was called and the in-laws reportedly promised not to harass the bride any more. But days later she was again tortured and coerced to sign blank papers by her father-in-law, which she refused to do. On March 28, Devinder Singh arrived from Chandigarh and took his wife to his point of posting where she stayed for a fortnight. Here too she was harassed. On returning to her in-laws at Jalandhar she again contacted her father on the phone on April 14. Shortly afterwards her parents gave electronic goods and 35 tolas in gold to her in-laws. Subsequently her father returned to Jalandhar with Rs 2 lakh in cash and a bank draft in favour of an automobile firm on May 15 to allow Captain Devinder Singh to purchase his Esteem. But the latter now demanded the entire sum in cash. When talks on a possible compromise failed, Devinder was deserted by her husband and she returned to her parents' house here. A few days later Captain Devinder Singh visited Abohar to settle on his new demands. As it was not possible for the victim's parents to fulfil these, he returned without his bride. Sources said her in-laws were even thinking of marrying Captain Devinder to someone else by concealing the fact that he was married. DSP Gurmit Singh
Randhawa said here that both the culprits had been
remanded to police custody for further investigation and
recovery of the dowry items, given by the bride's
parents. |
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Villagers resent lack of basic
amenities MEHRAJ (BATHINDA), July 20 — Residents of this village are living in miserable conditions due to the absence of basic amenities. Though the village is having nine panchayats, the residents have been facing acute shortage of water, electricity and teachers in the village school. There is no provision of drains leading to stagnation of water and becoming a health hazard. Official sources said the shortage of water was because of the local water works not being used for want of repairs. The road in the village also needed immediate repair. The residents told TNS that they had to cover 4 km to buy a stamp of inland letter from Rampura Phul as there was no post office in the village comprising 25,000 persons. The village had no higher secondary school for girls leaving them with no option but to go to Rampura Phul or Bathinda for higher education. They said they had brought their problems to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.R. Ladhar, when he visited the village for a "sangat darshan" programme with other district officials a few days back. The residents alleged that even as the half of the village had been brought under the 24-hour-supply scheme by the Punjab State Electricity Board PSEB authorities, the village had been facing 60 to 72 hour's power cut. They added that the PSEB authorities did not bother to supply electricity for 24 hours though their village was located within 500 metres of Lehra Mohabbat thermal plant. Mr S.R. Ladhar, when
contacted, said the district administration would solve
the problems of the village one by one. He added that the
provision for draining out dirty water would be made soon
and postal authorities would be asked to open a post
office at the village. |
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Woman shot at by ASI LUDHIANA, July 20 — A 40-year-old woman, Ms Gurmej Kaur admitted here at the Christian Medical College and Hospital yesterday with a bullet wound, is alleged to have been shot at by an ASI of the Punjab police. Although police officials deny that the incident took place, the ASI, Surjit Singh of the Ludhiana police, reportedly had a long standing property dispute with his brother, Mr Balbir Singh of Thuhana village near Hoshiarpur. "Yesterday Surjit Singh came to our village at around 1.30 pm and had a verbal duel with my father, Mr Balbir Singh. During the heated exchange of words, Surjit Singh took out his revolver. My mother tried to stop the fight and was accidentally shot at by Surjit Singh" alleged Mr Manjit Singh, son of Ms Gurmej Kaur. She was immediately rushed to the nearby Malpur Hospital where the doctors advised them to take her to Hoshiarpur. But the doctors there expressed their inability to treat her and referred her to the Christian Medical College and Hospital here. The woman was brought here and after a five-hour-long operation the bullet was removed from her abdomen. She was still unconscious and was unable to talk and give her statement. A neighbour of Mr Balbir Singh, Mr Amar Singh, who had also come here with the family, stated that trouble had been brewing between the two brothers ever since their elder brother had registered all his property in Mr Balbir Singh’s name. When contacted, SP city,
Mr A.S. Rai pleaded ignorance and said he would depute
somebody to find out the details and record the wounded
woman’s statement. |
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Of literacy drive &
welfare schemes NAWANSHAHR: The literacy drive must be made development-oriented and the volunteers involved in this drive must be given some sort of incentives with a view to averting any slackness. This was stated by Dr G.D. Bhatt, Director, Himalyan Region Research And Study Institute, New Delhi, while addressing a function organised here recently at Baradari by the District Literacy Society to mark the completion of the total literacy campaign (TLC) in the district. A 15-member team led by Dr Bhatt has come here to do external evaluation of the campaign which was launched in the district on October 2, 1997. Dr Bhatt, who has done external evaluation of TLC by choosing at random 2,622 neo-literates belonging to 15 villages and eight municipal wards of the district as samples for conducting his survey, said he was impressed with the personal involvement of the district officials in making the literacy drive a success in the district. Otherwise, this drive was considered a compulsion. He advised the district administration to link the literacy drive with the development-oriented projects. He said persons, organisations and villages which actively took part in this drive must be given priority in development projects to further ensure the success of post literacy campaign in the district, he added. The Deputy Commissioner, who is also Chairman of the District Literacy Society, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, said he, too, was apprehensive about the success of this drive as the general impression regarding the literacy drive was quite negative but with cooperation from all sections of society success could be achieved. Out of the total 49,311 illiterates in the district, as many as 32,707 of them were taught three primers during the total literacy campaign to equip them with functional literacy. He said during awareness drives to make the literacy campaign a success in the district it was emphasised that proper implementation of various development, employment and welfare oriented schemes of the government for the spread of literacy was prerequisite. Responding to the suggestion of Dr Bhatt for linking the literacy campaign with the development-oriented schemes, Dr Sunkaria said the district had already done it by giving grants of Rs 1 lakh each to the literacy conscious villages. Besides, training centres for self-employment, sewing training centres had also been set up. The volunteers involved in the campaign had also been honoured. Mr A.K. Sikka,
SDM-cum-Secretary, District Literacy Society, Mr Kashmir
Sanawa, Joint Project Coordinator and Mr B.S. Balli,
DPRO, also spoke on the occasion. |
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Ropar SSP goes on long leave ROPAR, July 20 — The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) here, Mr Jaskaran Singh, has proceeded on leave for more than two months. Earlier, the Election Commission of India (EC), while reprimanding the SSP for his partisan role during the Adampur Assembly byelection in his capacity as SP (CID), had asked the state government to shift him from field duty. Mr Gurmeet Singh SP (Operation), Ropar, today said, the SSP was on ex-India leave for 63 days from July 18. In his absence no one is officially officiating. It was being said that
in case the state government did not transfer Mr Jaskaran
Singh from here to another place, additional charge of
this district may be given to the SSP of a neighbouring
district or an SP of this district asked to officiate as
SSP. |
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HC rejects DAG's plea in
subsidy scam CHANDIGARH, July 20 — The CBI, which investigated the industrial subsidy scam in Punjab, has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it had approached the state government for granting the necessary sanction for prosecuting officers who are involved in sanctioning and disbursing the subsidy to industrialists. The CBI gave a list of the officers who are allegedly involved in this racket. They are Mr Sarabjit Singh, former Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, the chairman of the committee constituted by the government for releasing subsidy; Mr Pritam Singh, General Manager of the Amritsar District Industry Centre; Mr Sukhcharan Singh Sidhu, former Labour Officer; Mr Chand Singh and Mr I.M. Verma, Lead Bank Officers of the Punjab National Bank; Mr Gurtej Singh, Assistant Town Planner; Mr A.S. Bhullar, Excise and Taxation Officer; Mr N.P. Singh and Mr P.S. Sidhu, Assistant Environment Engineers of Pollution Control Board, Amritsar; Mr Sudhir Kapil, branch manager of the Punjab Financial Corporation; Mr Hari Om Khanna, district level officer; Mr Mangal Ram Kashyap, Excise and Taxation Officer-II; Mr S.P. Behl, Town Planner; Mr D.S. Sidhu, Deputy Economic and Statistical Adviser; and Mr Maninderjit Singh, PEB. The Deputy Advocate-General, opposed the plea of the CBI on the ground that the CBI should submit the report to the court and it was only on examination of the report that further action should be taken. He told the court that it is only after the orders of the counsel that steps for the grant of sanction could be taken. Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice T.H.B. Chalapathi, who constituted the Bench, held: "We are unable to accept this contention (of the Deputy Advocate-General). On the matter having come to the notice of the court, the CBI was asked to investigate. Therefore, it is for the investigating agency to take all steps necessary for the prosecution of the persons against whom the material has been collected. If the High Court were to examine the evidence and record a finding the interests of the officers may be affected and trial prejudiced". Speaking for the Bench, Mr Justice Gupta held: "A perusal of the statement produced by the CBI counsel shows that senior officers at different levels are involved. We hope and trust that immediate steps would be taken to bring the guilty to book". The Bench adjourned the case to August 20. Earlier, the CBI submitted before the court a copy of the status report. The report, which was read out in the open court, revealed interesting details. The report said the Punjab Government released a sum of Rs 46,06,500 to Syal Alloy Steels Ltd, Pathankot. The Managing Director of this industrial unit purchased FD Rs of this amount in his own name. The same FDRs were later converted into the name of the unit and a loan was raised by him against these FDRs. The CBI further alleged
that a sum of Rs 2,40,800 was sanctioned to Vishal Vir
Vikram Cement Industries by way of subsidy. Its owner, Mr
Hardev Singh, deposited this amount in his personal
account. |
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More contributions for relief
fund CHANDIGARH, July 20 — Members of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana High Court led by its President Mr H.S. Matewal, Advocate-General, Punjab, today called on the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and presented a cheque for Rs 1 lakh as the contribution towards the Punjab War Heroes Families Relief Fund. The Advocate-General Office has also contributed Rs 1 lakh for this noble cause. The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Chief Justice and Judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for contributing Rs 20,000 each for help to the families of martyrs of "Operation Vijay". Another deputation of the Ahrtia Association, Amritsar, led by its president Surjit Singh Bhittewad and Dr Rattan Singh, Minister, Animal Husbandry, also presented a cheque for Rs 2,11,111 towards the fund. Mr Harinder Pal Singh
Billa, President, Municipal Council, Mohali presented a
cheque for Rs 25 lakh to the Local Government Ministry,
Punjab, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, here today as
contribution for the fund. |
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23 nominated to University
Senate AMRITSAR, July 20 —
The Governor, Punjab, and the Chancellor of Guru Nanak
Dev University has nominated the following 23
personalities representing various sections of the
society to Guru Nanak Dev University Senate till June 30,
2000: Mr Ajaypal Singh Meerankot, MLA, Jandiala, Mr Hari
Jaisingh, Editor, The Tribune, Mr Kuldip Nayyar,
journalist, Dr K.S. Chug, Dr K.D. Singh, Pathankot, Mr
Avinash Chopra, Hind Samachar group of newspapers,
Jalandhar, Mr Satinder Singh Bains, staff correspondent,
Indian Express, Amritsar, Mr Harkanwal Korpal, staff
reporter, Ajit, Mr Kartar Singh Duggal, MP, Delhi, Ms
Kiranjot Kaur, executive member, SGPC, Mr Puran Singh
Josh, member, SGPC, Mr G.B.S. Kahlon, Director (retd),
Animal Husbandry, Punjab, Mr Inderjit Singh, Principal,
Jalandhar, Mr Devinder Gupta, Principal, Jalandhar, Mr
Prithi Raj Sareen, Principal (retd), Amritsar, Mr Pritam
Singh, Mr Vijay Kumar Sharma, lecturer, Government
College, Patti, Mr Dalbir Singh Mahal, advocate,
Jalandhar, Mr P.L. Mahajan, former president, Municipal
Committee, Amritsar, Dr Karamjit Singh Rai, Jaswant Rai
Nagar, Jalandhar, Mr Gurdev Kaur Sangha, Kadiawali
village, Jalandhar, Mr Sarbjit Singh Makkar, Jalandhar,
and Brig G.S. Dhillon, Amritsar. |
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Tohra, Kanshi are opportunists:
SSF FEROZEPORE, July 20 — President of the Sikh Students Federation (SSF) Rajinder Singh Mehta and secretary-general Amarjit Singh Chawla have opposed the poll alliance between the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali dal led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra and the BSP. At a press conference here yesterday, they accused that Mr Tohra and BSP chief Kanshi Ram were opportunists. They said Mr Kansi Ram was a confused politician who was making alliances with other political parties without any solid ground. They accused that Mr Tohra wanted to indirectly support the Congress by defeating the SAD-BJP combine. They stated that the SSF would create an atmosphere in favour of candidates of the SAD-BJP combine in the state during the poll campaign. Later, they, along with
other leaders, including the Jathedar of Akal Takht,
Giani Puran Singh, and former MP Zora Singh Mann, paid
tributes to Ashwani Bedi, a worker of the SSF, at
shardhanjli samaroh held here. |
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Fatehgarh Sahib DC bans PTV FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 20 — Mr V K Janjua, Deputy Commissioner banned the relay of PTV programmes. In orders issued here today the District Magistrate exercising the power conferred on him under Section 19 of Cable Network (Regulation) Act, 1965 prohibited all cable operators from retransmitting these programmes. He also issued directions to all the district officials yesterday to ensure implementation of High Court orders on school buses and traffic with immediate effect. The DTO and SDM's have been asked to supervise implementation. He said no school bus or van will be permitted to carry students without a permit and road worthy certificate. They will also have to carry a board showing the name of the school, route and timing. He said a drive will
also be launched to remove encroachments hoardings,
rehris, khokhas and garbage with immediate effect.
Helmets have been made compulsory for pillion riders.
Vehicles using pressure horns are also being challaned. |
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3 arrested for accepting
bribes JALANDHAR, July 20 — The Vigilance Bureau has arrested three persons from different areas here for accepting bribes. Mr R.P.S. Bajwa, Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Bureau, said here today that a junior engineer of the Punjab State Electricity Board, Surjit Singh, Parjian Kalan, Shahkot, has been arrested for allegedly accepting Rs 1000 from Mr Narinder Singh of Parjian Kalan. A lineman of the Telecom Department, Joginder Singh, Hoshiarpur, was arrested for allegedly accepting Rs 200 from Mr Ashok Kumar, Pharoli village, Hoshiarpur, and third arrest was that of a branch post master of Boparai Post Office, Bholath (Kapurthala), Gurdial Singh, for accepting Rs 500 from Mr Sukhdev Singh, Bullowal village. Cases have been
registered. |
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Rally by medical practitioners JALANDHAR, July 20 — The Medical Practitioners Association held protest rally here today against there alleged harassment by the administration and the police. Members from seven districts participated to protest against the administration's attempt to implement the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court of October 13, 1998, banning medical practice by Non-Medical personnel as illegal. The association says it
has a productive role to play in the rural and urban
areas. Where "prompt" first aid is not
available. The State General Secretary, Dr Ramesh Balli,
while addressing the rally said that 6-month-long courses
should be introduced by the state government as a prelude
to allowing them to practise medicine. The association
also demanded withdrawal of the FIR filed against them.
Later they staged a dharna at the residence of Health
Minister Manoranjan Kalia. |
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Cess on cinema tickets
suggested PATIALA, July 20 — The All-India Film Goers Association has suggested the imposition of a cess of Re 1 per cinema ticket sold for the welfare of Army personnel and the National Defence Fund (NDF) for the next two years. Mr Krishan Kumar Bansal,
chairman of the association, in a letter written to Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said this would be a meagre
contribution of the cinema-goers to the NDF. |
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BA/B.Sc (part II) results AMRITSAR, July 20 —
The results of BA/B.Sc (part-II) examinations conducted
by Guru Nanak Dev University this year in April/May, will
be declared on July 21, according to Dr R.S. Bawa,
Registrar, of the university. The gazette would be
available on the same day at 5.00 p.m. in the conduct
branch of the university. |
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