Friday, July 23, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Friday, July 23, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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First
school for deaf & dumb in Punjab |
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BKU to
contest LS poll Aliwal to contest from Ludhiana Red alert as rain water forms lake Case against Badal men adjourned Calendar controversy takes new
turn
Legal notice to Tohra DGP told to probe case against cop Army rules out sabotage War heroes’ families to be
helped
Militants plan to sabotage poll:
DGP Tohra complains to EC against SSP Bee keeping centre sanctioned CM wants watershed project
expedited Drive against bootleggers |
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First school for deaf &
dumb in Punjab BATHINDA: To provide training and skill to the deaf, dumb and blind children, the district Red Cross Society has started a school on the Bathinda-Goniana road. The project was conceived by the Red Cross many years ago to help the physical handicapped earn enough to lead a dignified life. However, the project was delayed for one reason or the other. The district administration helped the Red Cross collect donations so that the first phase of the school building could be completed. So far about Rs 75 lakh has been spent on the construction of the first phase. At present, 50 deaf and dumb children belonging to different age groups get training and education at the school from qualified staff. The school — the first of its kind in the state — has been providing education, accommodation, food and clothes free of cost to the students. The students will be given various types of vocational training to make them eligible for earning their livelihood. A plot of 10 acres worth Rs 1 crore was donated for the school by Mahant Sarupa Nand of Dera Tappwala. The school is named after the Mahant. The school when completed would have separate buildings for 400 deaf and dumb children and 150 blind children. Special trained staff along with the latest educational techniques involving the use of visual aids are being employed to teach the students. Admissions to the school are made after the applicants take an aptitude test conducted by staff borrowed from a similar institute in Sriganganagar in Rajasthan. Mrs Saroj Ladhar, principal of the school, told TNS that children from every nook and corner of Punjab and other neighbouring states come for admissions here. She said with an increase in the number of students, the number of teachers would also go up. Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, said the school would have double storey complexes, teaching blocks, hostels, hospital, TV and recreational room. A van would also be provided to students for short trips in and around the city. An auditorium would also be constructed. He said that for arranging the amount needed to run the school, the Red Cross AC market, which was under construction, would be sold and the proceeds would be deposited in a bank so that monthly amount could be withdrawn for school expenses. He disclosed that
arrangements had been made in the school for giving free
education up to the plus two level, according to the
syllabus of the Central Board of Secondary Education
(CBSE). The school would have its own computerised
Braille press for the blind and computerised manual press
for the deaf and dumb. Apart from these, the school would
have embroidery machine, knitting machine, beauty parlour
equipment, carpentry and a caning, candles, toy and doll
making workshop. |
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‘Panthic candidates’
election campaign LUDHIANA, July 22 — Bhai Ranjit Singh, the "dismissed" Jathedar of Akal Takht, is set to play a dominant role in the election campaign of the "panthic candidates" opposed to Shiromani Akali Dal in the parliamentary poll slated for September 4. Bhai Ranjit Singh, who had gone abroad earlier this month, returned to New Delhi yesterday after visiting Germany and a few other countries. Informed sources here said Bhai Ranjit Singh’s visit abroad had no mission other than the fact that he had been denied visa by the US Government some time ago and was, therefore, intent on proving that he was not a security threat and could pay a visit to any country in the world like any other citizen. He is scheduled to visit Punjab shortly where he will hold consultations with the former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who now heads the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD), and leaders of other Akali factions opposed to the Punjab Chief Minister to finalise the poll strategy of the anti-Badal forces. Sources in the SHSAD here say Bhai Ranjit Singh is expected to preside over the formal launching of the party’s election campaign later this month at a rally to be held either in Ludhiana or Faridkot from where Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister of State for Industries and the son of the Chief Minister, is likely to seek a re-election. "It will be a massive poll rally where all ‘panthic candidates’, including those belonging to the other Akali factions headed by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann and Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, as also the BSP will be introduced. Bhai Ranjit Singh’s pronouncements at this rally will set the tone for the subsequent election campaign of the "third front" spearheaded by Mr Tohra", they say. Bhai Ranjit Singh was expected to make an appeal to the Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular to give a crushing defeat to all those who had turned their back on the holy Akal Takht and were responsible for lowering the prestige of the shrine. Sources in the SHSAD said there had been a debate in the party on whether or nor such an appeal constituted a violation of the provisions of the law prohibiting the use of religion for political purposes. Now even if there is controversy on the subject, it will serve to enhance the electoral prospects of the anti-Badal "panthic candidates". Bhai Ranjit Singh plans to undertake an intensive poll campaign during which he will visit as many villages as possible where there is a near total sway of the rural folk. Meanwhile, the SHSAD is in the process of filing its candidates for the 13th Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. It will put up Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra from Patiala, Mrs Balbir Kaur Khalsa from Ropar. As regards Ludhiana, the party may field Mr Gurdarshan Singh Grewal, a former Advocate-General of Punjab, while Justice Kuldip Singh may be put up from Tarn Taran. For Gurdaspur, the SHSAD will field Mr Sucha Singh Chhotepur, a former Punjab minister. For Amritsar, the party may back Mr Bhupinder Singh Mann of the Bharati Kisan Union. In Jalandhar, the SHSAD will extend support to the former Prime Minister, Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, in case he decides to seek re-election from there. For Ferozepore, the BSP, with whom the SHSAD has entered into an electoral alliance, has fielded Mr Mohan Singh Phallianwala, a former MP, while for Phillaur, the BSP has renominated Mr Harbhajan Lakha, an ex-MP. The BSP is yet to finalise its candidate for Hoshiarpur, the third seat allotted to it in Punjab. The party as yet is
undecided as regards its candidate for Sangrur, Bathinda
and Faridkot constituencies. For Sangrur, the SHSAD may
support Mr Simrantjit Singh Mann if the party fails to
finalise a poll tie-up with the CPM. The Bathinda seat
may be allotted to the Rode faction while in Faridkot the
party will support anyone who can ensure the defeat of Mr
Sukhbir Singh Badal. |
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Interim report on disappearances
out CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Committee for Coordination on Disappearances in Punjab, a body formed by various human rights organisations of the state, today released its interim report with regard to enforced disappearances, arbitrary executions and secret cremations. Mr Ram Naryan Kumar, a spokesman of the committee, told a press conference here today that the final report was also being prepared and it would be completed soon. He said the interim report which was documented on the data collected by the committee's activists on the basis of evidence available with various sources, including victims' families, would be presented before the National Human Rights Commission, which is hearing a case with regard to cremations made by the Punjab Police. The case was referred by the Supreme Court to the commission. Mr Kumar said the committee had felt that the NHRC had limited the area of investigation by taking up only cremations of the 2097 bodies within Amritsar district. He said by presenting the well-documented report, the committee would plead before the commission to enlarge its area of investigation and do "justice" in this connection. He said as many as 838 incidents, reports were part of the interim report. The committee was also working on other aspects, including psychological impact, long-term impact on society and judicial attitudes, vis-a-vis, cases pertaining to victims of state repression. Besides all cases of habeas corpus falling in the jurisdiction of the committee would also be studied. Asked what was the attitude of the Punjab Government towards human rights, Mr Kumar said members of the committee a few weeks ago had gone to meet the Chief Minister after obtaining appointment. But the Chief Minister did not meet them as he was not well on that day. He said the purpose of meeting the Chief Minister was to urge him to make the report public with regard to alleged killing of Gurdev Singh Kanoke in police custody. He said the report was with the Punjab Government for the past three months, and it was not being made public. Kanoke was allegedly killed about seven years ago and the Punjab Government had ordered an inquiry in this regard. Quizzed why the release
of interim report had been timed with the Lok Sabha
elections, he said there was no motive behind this. As
the case with regard to secret cremations was going on in
the NHRC, the report was required to be prepared as a
solid evidence of human rights violations to be presented
before the commission. |
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BKU to contest LS poll MOGA, July 22 — The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union has decided to put up its candidates in the state during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections being held in September. The President of the union, Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, said here today that the party manifesto would be prepared at the party meeting to be held in Ludhiana on July 25. He directed all members
of the party to participate in the meeting. |
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Aliwal to contest from Ludhiana LUDHIANA, July 22 — The SAD has decided to field Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal as its candidate for the Ludhiana parliamentary constituency. This was announced here tonight by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal who is also the SAD chief, in a talk with reporters. He also indicated that his son, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, would be the party candidate from Faridkot constituency. "There is no question of shifting Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal to Tarn Taran or any other constituency as is being speculated in certain quarters", Mr Badal said in reply to a question. The Chief Minister said he would announce the names of party candidates by July 28. He emphasised that the SAD would contest the poll in alliance with the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Morcha headed by Mr Satnam Singh Kainth, MP from Phillaur. He did not think much of the assessment in certain political circles that the SAD had weakened considerably following a split in its ranks and the birth of the AISAD headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. "Never in the history of Sikh politics have the people patronised two Akali Dals. They have also gone for the original party and rejected the pretenders...This election will too decide who stands where", he said. Mr Badal said the coming parliamentary battle would be a contest between Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Mrs Sonia Gandhi. The Prime Minister’s stature had improved further with his deft handling of the Kargil crisis, he added. As regards the Congress leader, he said, her image had suffered at set back because of the party's amateurish handling of the situation arising out of the fall of the Vajpayee government in April. The haste with which Mrs
Sonia Gandhi staked claim to form the government and then
failed to do so had exposed her and her party. It was the
same story as regards the handling of the situation in
the neighbouring Haryana. The Congress first extended
support to Mr Bansi Lal and then withdrew it. All this
proved that the Congress leadership was not equipped to
handle the country’s major problems. |
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Red alert as rain water
forms lake KHANAURI (Sangrur), July 22 — All plans of the Punjab Government have come to nought with history being repeated with the formation of a massive lake having started at the siphon here where the Ghaggar crosses the Bhakra Canal from below it. Last year also a lake had formed here marooning 11 villages in neighbouring Patiala district for nearly one week. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had then taken an aerial round of the area and the district administration had announced that it would construct a canal by acquiring land to take excess water through the Batisdara, a natural drainway of the Ghaggar, before it entered Khanauri and release it back into the main river beyond the Bhakra canal so that the siphon at Khanauri was under less pressure. The plan could not take materialise and the Batisdara is lying unused. Matters stand as they were last year. As always water coming from the catchment area of the Ghaggar in the Shivalik hills has collected here as the siphon is ill equipped to take the immense load. The siphon can take on only around 15,000 cusecs of water while around 1 lakh cusecs of water has accumulated here, according to official sources. The water has formed a small lake which is submerging the paddy fields of adjoining farmers. The district administration has sounded a red alert in seven villages of Gurunanakpura, Kangihala, Matauli, Tejpur, Sagra, Chicharwal and Saperheri in Samana subdivision. The villagers have been directed to be ready to move to safer places. Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir said the gauge at RD 460 was at 750.4 feet and was increasing steadily with the danger mark being 753 feet. The Deputy Commissioner said steps were being taken to set up relief camps, if necessary. Meanwhile, villages of Matauli, Sagra and Raimajra may also be affected as the new bundh on the Sagra has breached. However, an old bundh at a slightly lower height is still holding. Residents of villages which are likely to be flooded are a dejected lot. They said the flooding was a annual feature which had been happening since 1988. "We are not interested in compensation being given to us for our crop damage but want that concrete steps be taken to ensure this does not happen next year", said Kulwinder Singh. Meanwhile, a huge amount of water is coming into the Ghaggar from the Tangri, Markanda and Patiala ki Rao rivers besides the Dhankshu Nala, Kaithal drain and Sirhind Choe. The Deputy Commissioner stated that the Tangri and the Markanda rivers were flowing above the danger mark. He warned fishermen and vegetable growers from venturing into the Ghaggar, Markanda and Tangri rivers. Four villagers, marooned while fishing in the Ghaggar near Kakrali village in Dera Bassi subdivision, were rescued by the administration today. The Deputy Commissioner stated that another crisis had erupted near Sarala village on the border with Haryana in Ghanaur block of the district where flood water from the Paschisdara has entered the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (SYL). Mr Bir said that flood
water had entered the SYL from the Paschisadara at RD
115. He said nearly 15.000 cusecs of water was flowing in
the SYL into Haryana after it had breached a kutcha bundh
from one side. He said the situation was being monitored
round the clock with the help of a wireless set installed
at the super passage adjoining the SYL where the
Paschisdara crossed the Narwana main line of the Bhakra. |
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Calendar controversy takes new
turn AMRITSAR, July 22 — The ongoing controversy over the Sikh "Nanakshahi" calendar issue by the SGPC further escalated today as the Gurmat Sidhanth Parcharak Sant Samaj has alleged that the calendar has been prepared by some foreign based anti-Sikh agencies. The samaj, which held a meeting of the heads of its member organisations here, claimed that Mr Pal Singh Purewal, who is foreign-based and the architect of this calendar, was working under a deep-rooted conspiracy to disintegrate the glorious Sikh traditions and its history on the behest of these foreign agencies. These agencies, the samaj observed, had already divided the Sikh community politically and efforts were afoot to divide the Sikhs religiously too. The meeting was presided over by the acting President of the samaj, Sant Mangal Singh of Gurdwara Sat Satlani, who welcomed the ban imposed by the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Puran Singh, on the implementation of the "Nanakshahi" calendar. A unanimous resolution was adopted which said the action of the Jathedar was appropriate and timely as he had saved the Sikh community from yet another controversy. If the new calendar was implemented it would have divided the Sikhs and harmed the Shiromani Akali Dal, both politically and religiously, at a time when the Lok Sabha elections were near, he added. The sant samaj in another resolution asked the Sikh organisations, institutions and societies to be aware of the acts of anti-Sikh forces who in the name of Sikh intellectuals were indulging in anti-Sikh activities. It called upon the Sikhs to boycott such forces. The meeting among others
was attended by Baba Satnam Singh of Sursingh, Sant Anup
Singh of Hazur Sahib, Naded, Maharashtra, Sant Kashmir
Singh of Bhuri, Baba Ajit Singh of Mirankot, Sant Gurdip
Singh of Kharari Issapur, Sant Parkash Singh of Harsha
Chinna, Baba Suba Singh of Gurdwara Khuh Sahib, Baba Dial
Singh of Behla, Baba Amrik Singh of Patiala, Baba Jagir
Singh of Khadoor Sahib, Baba Mehal Singh of Banur and
Baba Balwinder Singh, Jalandhar. |
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Legal notice to Tohra CHANDIGARH, July 22 — Four Akali Dal legislators and leaders today served a legal notice on Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President of the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, asking him to withdraw the statement he issued to the Press on July 21 that donations made by the public for Kargil martyrs were used by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for paying the salaries of government employees, or face the consequences. The leaders who served the legal notice are Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Senior Vice-President, Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, MP, Mr Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur, MLA and Mr Jagdish Singh Walia. Describing the statement as "totally false and baseless", the Akali leaders said the news had deeply hurt and offended all members of the Shiromani Akali Dal, legislators, MPs and Punjabis as well. "Mr Parkash Singh Badal is one man whose heart bleeds for the poor," said the legal notice, adding: "He cannot bear to see any suffering. He sympathises with the grieving. Their grief is his grief." The legal notice added: "Ever since the onset of the conflict over Kargil he (Mr Badal) has been in the forefront, organising relief for the soldiers and their families. He has visited almost every single family whose member laid down his life fighting at the frontier." "In this moment of national crisis," the notice said, "it was expected that all sane elements will get together and work unitedly for providing relief and succour to our valiant soldiers and their families. Now is the time when forgetting political differences we would celebrate the greatness of one India with its myriad cultures, languages and customs. "But sadly this was
expecting too much of you. For you no opportunity is so
solemn that it should not be used for partisan political
purposes," the notice added. |
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DGP told to probe case
against cop CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the Director-General of Punjab Police (Crime) to entrust to the crime branch the investigation of a case registered against Head Constable Joginder Singh on a complaint lodged by Mr Gulzar Singh, a resident of Amritsar. Mr Justice T.H.B. Chalapathi, who handed down this order, ruled: "The investigation is directed to be completed as early as possible, preferably within four months." In his petition Mr
Gulzar Singh alleged that his sister was married to
Joginder Singh, attached to the Amritsar SSP as his
gunman. She died on June 22, 1999, at the
"matrimonial house". A case against Joginder
Singh was registered on June 23 (FIR No 54) under Section
306, IPC. However, the police did not take any action
against Joginder Singh nor was it investigating the case. |
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Army rules out sabotage JALANDHAR, July 22 — Senior Army officers overruled any sabotage in the mishap at the 23 Field Ammunition Depot of the Army ordnance at Suranussi here yesterday in which five persons were killed. They clarified that a highly inflammable propellant in the 130 mm artillery shell was accidentally ignited due to friction and heat. Dubbing the incident unfortunate, the officials said Army personnel skilled in handling such ammunition were doing its routine duty when the 130 mm artillery shell exploded killing three persons on the spot, while one succumbed to his injuries at the Sacred Heart Hospital yesterday in Suranussi. Meanwhile, the Commander Work Engineers (CWE), Mr T.S.R Naidu, has refuted media reports that those killed and wounded were contract labour with the Military Engineering Services (MES). " The MES does not in any way handle the ammunition. Our duty is to maintain the buildings only", he clarified. The Army authorities have also refuted this theory. The condition of the
three wounded is stated to be critical. |
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War heroes’ families to
be helped CHANDIGARH, July 22 — ‘Shaurya Samman and Homage to War Heroes, a programme to recognise the families of war heroes, is being organised tomorrow at Tagore Theatre, in which six families and their wards would be adopted by the Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Services (WWICS) and Pinnacle. Six widows and their dependent parents, from Roopnagar, would be adopted by them tomorrow. For the time being, a trust fund has been set up in which officers and staff of the WWICS and the Pinnacle group have contributed their one day’s salary, and in which an equivalent amount has been donated by the company. According to Lieut-Col B S Sandhu, President of the WWICS, the six heroes adopted by them would be assisted on everything from aiding the wards in their education, job search, management of funds, housing, and legal advice. The six adopted families include the father of Gnr Gurjinder Singh of 3 Fd Regt; the wife and two sons and two daughters of Hav Tarsem Singh of 20 Punjab; the wife and two sons and one daughter of L/Nk Maluk Chand of 16 Dogra; Hav Bikram Singh’s wife and two sons, who belonged to 8 Sikh; the father of Ptr Gopal Singh of 7 Para and the wife and two sons and a daughter of Sep Narata Singh of 12 J &K LI. These families have been
identified by the Zila Sainik Board, Chandigarh, but
would be taken care of economically, only by the WWICS. |
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Militants plan to sabotage poll:
DGP JALANDHAR, July 22 — The state police has specific intelligence reports that outside forces will try to sabotage the elections and the police has been put into "top gear" to face any eventuality. Briefing mediapersons here today, the state Director-General of Police, Mr Sarabjit Singh, said some foreign forces were planning to push 400-500 militants through the Rajasthan border, while the Samba sector was also vulnerable to infiltration. He said militants in the state were under pressure to reorganise their activities by the outside forces, like the Khalistan Commando Force, the International Sikh Youth Federation and the Babbar Khalsa. To counter any such mischief during the elections, the state police had planned an elaborate security umbrella to cover the public and the candidates contesting the elections. For smooth conduct of the elections, the police had asked for 60 companies from the Centre. Answering a question on
why Bhai Ranjit Singh, former Akal Takht Jathedar, was
allowed to travel abroad, the Director-General answered
"he was not wanted in any criminal case." |
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Tohra complains to EC against
SSP LUDHIANA, July 22 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President of the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, has complained to the Election Commission of India against the SSP of Ludhiana, Mr Kuldip Singh. In a communication
addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, he pointed
out that no head of department involved in the election
process could remain posted in his home district. But Mr
Kuldip Singh, who was at present posted as SSP here,
belonged to Ludhiana district. His native village was
Bhaman Kalan, police post Kum Kalan, which fell in the
Ludhiana parliamentary constituency. Mr Kuldip Singh, the
former SGPC chief alleged, had cleverly shown himself as
a native of Chandigarh whereas his native village was
Bhaman Kalan where a large number of his relatives were
residing. Mr Kuldip Singh was "openly working"
in favour of the ruling Akali Dal.The posting of Mr
Kuldip Singh as SSP, Ludhiana, was not in the interest of
free and fair election. He, therefore, demanded the
SSP’s immediate transfer from here. |
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Bee keeping centre
sanctioned LUDHIANA, July 22 — The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has sanctioned a centre of excellence on the management of apis mellifera (bees) in the Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), under the National Agricultural Technology Project. The four-year project, 1999 to 2003, has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 86.28 lakh and will require the PAU scientists to rear the queen bees of pedigree stocks encase. Giving further details, Dr Darshan Singh, Professor and Head of the Department of Entomology, said the improvement in queen bees would be carried out through the import of semen of best known stocks from abroad and hybridisation through artificial insemination. Besides this, the work on honey bee nutrition, standardisation of the technology for transporting the package bees to different agroclimatic regions, management of bee diseases and enemies and seasonal management of honey bee colonies for maximising colony productivity will be strengthened. Moreover, for the development of human resources scientists from various ICAR institutions in India will be provided specialised trainings in bee keeping. Dr G.S. Gatoria, Senior
Entomologist, will act as principal investigator and Dr
P.K. Chhuneja, Assistant Professor of Entomology, will be
the co-principal investigator of this centre. Scientists
of this centre will be visiting agricultural laboratories
in the USA and the UK for advanced training. |
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CM wants watershed project
expedited CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has directed the senior government officers handling Rs 224 crore World Bank integrated watershed development project to execute it speedily. Presiding over a meeting for laying down a time-bound action programme of this prestigious project, Mr Badal said the required funds of 23 per cent share of the state government would be made available by creating a revolving fund. Officials have been directed by Mr Badal to strengthen the road network under the project to enable farmers to take their foodgrains to the mandis. Greater attention should also be paid to quality of livestock. Mr R.S. Mann, Chief
Secretary, who also attended the meeting held in this
connection, said an MoU had already been signed between
the Punjab Government and the Ministry of Finance, for
the prestigious project. |
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Case against Badal men
adjourned AMRITSAR, July 22 — The Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission today adjourned the hearing in the case filed by pro-Tohra SGPC member, Mr Sarup Singh Dhesi, till August 11 against 10 pro-Badal SGPC office-bearers and executive members, seeking their disqualification to continue as members of the SGPC as they have become "patits" by working against the interests of the Sikh Panth and disobeying the "hukamnama" issued by Akal Takht. Mr Dhesi had filed this case on February 1 after these members of the then executive committee of the SGPC had filed case against the then President of the SGPC, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, the Senior Vice-President, Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, and three other executive members for their disqualification as members of the SGPC for five years for committing grave acts of malevolence, breach of trust, neglect of duty and abuse of power. This case was slated to be heard on September 14. The commission headed by Mr Manmohan Singh Brar, adjourned the case on the application filed on behalf of the defence counsel saying that he was going out of station. The counsel for the
applicant also sought adjournment of the case as he could
not prepare replication and told the court that he would
submit the replication on the next hearing. |
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Jagir Kaur flays helmet rule AMRITSAR, July 22 — The SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, has condemned the order of the Chandigarh Administration of forcing Sikh women to wear helmet while driving two-wheelers. Extending whole-hearted support to the Sikh women agitating in Chandigarh against this order, the SGPC president in a statement issued here today said the Sikh traditions did not allow women to wear any sort of helmet as it was against their religious code of conduct. She added that the decision of the Chandigarh Administration was highly condemnable when the Punjab Government had already waived the wearing of helmet in Punjab. In England, Canada and the USA Sikh women had been exempted from this rule. She appealed to the
administration to withdraw its order. |
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Minister gives three months
salary CHANDIGARH, July 22 — Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Punjab Local Bodies Minister, presented a cheque for Rs 2.05 crore to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal for the Punjab War Heroes Families Relief Fund on behalf of the employees of the improvement trusts, municipal bodies and staff of local Government. Mr Madan Mohan Mittal,
Minister for Food and Supplies, presented a cheque for Rs
5.50 lakh on behalf of the staff of PUNSUP. He also
presented a cheque for Rs 31,000 — his three months'
salary for the fund. |
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Drive against bootleggers GURDASPUR, July 22 — In a special drive launched this week to check bootleggers, the police has arrested Mulakh Raj, Lakhbir Kumar, Lillo, Usha, Kanta, Pushpa, Soma, Jogindro, Sindo of Chak Phool Piara village under Sujanpur police station and recovered 3,47,000 ml of bootleg liquor from them. Mr Varinder Kunar, SSP, said the accused were earlier involved in the illicit distillation of liquor but switched over to smuggling of bootleg liquor from Chhanni Bela in Himachal Pradesh to the district. The police had recovered 15,000 ml of illicit liquor from Usha and Lillo a week ago. The SSP said the police also arrested Surinder Kaur, Kamaldeep alias Deepa and Malla for their alleged involvement in the sale of illicit liquor and recovered 73,500 ml of illicit liquor from them. Cases under Sections 61,
1 and 14 of the Excise Act has been registered. |
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Opportunistic pact, say SGPC men CHANDIGARH, July 22 — Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, Secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal, and several other members of the SGPC in a statement here said that the BSP leader, Mr Kanshi Ram, with whom Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra had entered into an electoral alliance had no faith in Akal Takht. The SGPC members said Mr Kanshi Ram and his party was responsible for throwing out several Sikh farmers from their farms in Uttar Pradesh. They also said that Mrs Mayawati's Government in the UP in the past years had allotted land owned by Punjabi farmers to certain others. The alliance between Mr Kanshi Ram and Mr Tohra was based on opportunism. They added that due to tactful and apt handling of the Kargil issue by Mr A B Vajpayee there was panic in parties opposed to the National Democratic Alliance. Mrs Sonia Gandhi was making meaningless statements as she had nothing to say against the BJP and its allies. The SGPC members said Mr
Vajpayee had won appreciation world over and succeeded in
isolating Pakistan. |
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Lecturers not given salary PATIALA, July 22 — At least 500 Punjab government college lecturers have not been given their salary for June as the state government has not sanctioned these posts. Claiming this in a press note, Dr P.S. Bhatti, President of the Punjab Government College Teachers Association has said, that even the salary bills for the sanctioned posts are not being cleared due to the "faulty" budgetary provisions of the government. Dr Bhatti has further said that the Punjab Government had revised the pay scales of government college teachers about four months ago but the arrears have not been released so far. Whereas other government employees have got their arrears along with revised salaries. The association has
condemned this "discriminatory" attitude of the
Punjab Government and urged Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief
Minister, who also heads the department of higher
education, to release the arrears and salaries. |
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Additional charge for Kaushal CHANDIGARH, July 22
— Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, Special Principal Secretary to
the Punjab Chief Minister, has been given additional
charge of the Punjab Public Relations department in place
of Mr J.S. Kesar, who has been shifted as Financial
Commissioner, Department of Forests and Wildlife. |
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D.S. Bains is Spl Principal
Secy CHANDIGARH, July 22 — Mr D.S. Bains, who was earlier with the Central Government on deputation from Punjab, has been appointed as Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. He is the third Principal Secretary to be posted in the CM's office. Mr Ramesh Inder Singh
and Mr Sarvesh Kaushal are already posted as Principal
and Special Principal Secretaries, respectively in the
CM's office. |
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Leaders back into SAD fold PATIALA, July 22 — Some local leaders who had allegedly crossed over to the Tohra faction during the rally held by the group here on July 17 along with Mr Sarup Singh Sehgal today expressed their loyalty to the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). Mr Manmohan Singh Bajaj, member of the Shiromani Akali Dal Working Committee, today said that three local leaders — Mr Deep Singh Diwana, Mr Sardar Singh Chawla, and Mr Pritam Singh Vohra — have announced their loyalty to the Shiromani Akali Dal. Mr Bajaj said a meeting
of SAD (Urban) held here today under the chairmanship of
Capt Kanwaljit Singh welcomed the candidature of Mr
Surjit Singh Rakhra for the local Lok Sabha seat. |
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DD stringers stop working
for Punjab Govt CHANDIGARH, July 22 — The stringers working for Jalandhar Doordarshan has stopped coverage of the Punjab Government functions. In a statement issued here today stringers said they had requested the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to clear their dues standing against the Punjab Public Relations department which had hired them for the coverage of various events in recent months. They said nearly Rs 20 lakh was due from the PR department. They said they had
knocked all doors of the state government but dues had
not been cleared so far. |
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