Monday, July 26, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, July 26, 1999 |
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Race for
Cong ticket hots up Mann, Wadala meet Ranjit Singh |
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Mantar
Brar to join SAD Rich tributes paid to Deputy
Commandant Village fields inundated Town turns away people Liquor smuggled into Punjab by
buses Affiliation of 27 law colleges
withdrawn Social security for the aged
stressed Pensioners write to Punjab Govt Netaji probe steering panel set up Decline in crime graph: DIG |
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Race for Cong ticket hots up LUDHIANA, July 25 — A fierce, no-holds-barred struggle has broken out in the Punjab Congress to secure party nomination for the 13 parliamentary seats in the state. Among the ticket-seekers are two former Chief Ministers, the daughter of a former Chief Minister, former ministers at the Centre and in Punjab, ex-MPs and ex-MLAs. These include Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, Mrs Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder, Mr Raghunandanlal Bhatia, Mr Balram Jakhar, Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo and Dr Kewal Krishan. The Congress failed to win any of the seats in the elections held in February last year. But this time around, the general assessment in the party is that the Congress will put up a much better performance. The anti-establishment factor and the split in the Akali Dal and the birth of the AISAD headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra will help Congress nominees at the hustings. The installation of Mrs Sonia Gandhi as AICC chief has also subdued dissident activity in the state Congress and eliminated chances of internal sabotage. Each of the 13 seats in the state has more than one candidates trying to secure the nomination. But perhaps the most interesting struggle is for the Ludhiana seat. In the field are Mr Gurcharan Singh Ghalib who has represented the seat in the Lok Sabha for one term and lost on two occasions and Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, daughter of the late Chief Minister Beant Singh. While Mr Ghalib regards himself as the natural claimant to the ticket, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, who is president of the Punjab Mahila Congress, is being backed in her claim by her family including her mother Mrs Jaswant Kaur and brother, Mr Tej Parkash Singh, who is an MLA. The entire family of the late Chief Minister has been camping in Delhi for quite some time to press the claim of Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur. It is being argued that Mrs Jaswant Kaur who was fielded by the Congress in Ludhiana in 1996 lost due to internal party sabotage mainly at the behest of the then Chief Minister, Mr Harcharan Singh Brar. The party owed it to the late Chief Minister who laid down his life fighting against the forces of terrorism to nominate his daughter for the Ludhiana seat. Attempts have also been made to rope in the ex-MLAs who represented the nine assembly segments of the Ludhiana parliamentary constituency to bolster the claim. Mr Harcharan Singh Brar is seeking ticket for the Ferozepore seat. Others in the field include Mr Harcharan Singh Hero, Mr Balmukand Sharma and Mr Mohinder Singh Gill. In Sangrur, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal is being put up by the party although she is said to be not very keen on it. Others seeking the Sangrur seat include Mr Gurcharan Singh Daddahoor and Mr Arvind Khanna. In Faridkot, the party has more or less settled on Jagmeet Singh Brar. In Ropar, the main contenders include Mr Shamsher Singh Dullo and Mr Shamsher Singh Rai. Mrs Ambika Soni is the front runner for the Hoshiarpur seat. Other contenders include Dr Kewal Krishan and Mr Romesh Dogra. Mrs Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder is being fielded from Gurdaspur while Mr Raghunandanlal Bhatia is being put up from Amritsar. In Jalandhar, the race is between Mr Umrao Singh , Mr Balbir Singh and Mr Iqbal Singh. In Phillaur, Mrs Santosh Chaudhary is likely to be allotted the Congress ticket while in Tarn Taran the party choice is likely to fall on either Mr Gurchet Singh Bhullar or Mr Gurinder Singh Kairon. The screening committee
of the Congress is expected to meet at New Delhi later
this week to finalise its candidates for the Lok Sabha
seats in Punjab. |
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Dissidents opposed to new faces JALANDHAR, July 25 — Faction fighting within the Punjab Pradesh Congress has reached its crescendo over the distribution of the party ticket for the ensuing parliamentary elections. With the high-profile screening committee meeting scheduled for July 28 to determine the final list of party nominations for the state's 13 parliamentary constituencies, the dissident group led by former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal is becoming more vocal in airing its displeasure with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee supremo Amarinder Singh's recommendation of "new faces". Highly placed sources reveal that several delegations led by three former PCC president — Mrs Bhattal, Mr Santokh Singh Randhawa and Mr Mohinder Singh Gill — are lobbying for the party ticket for their own men. On the other hand Mr Amarinder Singh is trying to project his loyalists for the party nominations. For the Patiala parliamentary seat, the name of Mrs Parmeet Kaur has been mentioned. But Mr Surinder Singla, Sant Ram Singla and Mr Bir Devinder Singh are engaged in hectic lobbying against her nomination. On July 16, a delegation of Congressmen in favour of the PPC chief's wife called on the Congress high command in Delhi. The sources also reveal that veteran Congressman R.L. Bhatia is being ignored by the PPC President as he has recommended Mr O.M. Prakash Soni's name for the Amritsar seat. Mr Soni was suspended from the party for six years for "misbehaving" with Mr Bhatia. The dissident groups have got together to stall the entry of fresh faces. They also feel that Mrs Bhattal not be made a scapegoat by making her contest the Sangrur parliamentary seat. The screening committee
comprising Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr Madhavrao Scindia, Mr
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Dr Manmohan Singh is scheduled to
meet on July 28-29. The former list for the party
nominations for the 13 parliamentary seats will be
announced by August 3. |
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Discuss poll strategy AMRITSAR, July 25 — In view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), and Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala, President Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) held a closed door meeting with the sacked Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, at latter's residence here today. They discussed at length the probability of reaching a poll pact and seat adjustment with all Panthic forces to defeat the Congress and the SAD-BJP combine in the elections. Talking to TNS after the meeting, Mr Mann said fruitful discussion was held at the residence of Bhai Ranjit Singh. He said that the SAD (Amritsar), the SAD (Democratic) and the SAD (Panthic) had agreed in principle to give all rights to Bhai Ranjit Singh so far as the distribution of Lok Sabha ticket were concerned. Mr Mann said all like-minded Akali factions (except the SAD Badal) had appreciated the decision of Bhai Ranjit Singh for not campaigning for any candidate in case of anti-Panthic alliance. The sacked Jathedar had indicated that he would not campaign for any faction if it had a poll alliance with the CPI and the CPM. In yet another statement, Mr Mann said the SAD (Amritsar), the SAD (Panthic) and the SAD (Democratic) would have poll alliance with the newly-floated All-India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD) headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Mr Mann said he would shortly meet Mr Tohra in this regard. However, Mr Mann said his faction "was in favour of reaching alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party as already approved by Bhai Ranjit Singh." Mr Mann said the Punjab Government had been violating the code of conduct in various ways. He alleged that the state had given extension to Mr Baldev Singh Mann, Administrative Member, Punjab State Electricity Board in violation of the code. He said the SAD had succeeded in getting bogus voters" enrolled in various parliamentary constituencies, especially in Faridkot. He said his faction would write to the Election Commission of India for taking appropriate action in this regard. Mr Mann alleged that the
Government of India had given a safe passage to Pakistani
intruders in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir. He
also alleged that the US President Mr Bill Clinton, had
mediated between India and Pakistan to solve the Kargil
issue though it was vehemently denied by India. With the
mediation of America, the Simla Agreement stood violated.
Now the Government of India should settle the Kashmir
issue permanently. |
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Farmers’ long wait for tubewell
connections PATIALA, July 25 — The Punjab State Electricity Board is grappling with the problem of releasing power connections to tubewells sunk by scores of farmers in the state. While the pending number of applications has swelled to more than one lakh, the board has yet not cleared connections, to hundreds of farmers who had applied for a tubewell connection under the — farmers’ expense scheme — launched by the board about six years ago. Under this scheme, the needy farmer remitted in advance all expenses incurred on getting power connection for his tubewell to the board. The PSEB promised to release the connection within six months but now nearly six years have passed and the majority of farmers who applied for it are still awaiting power supply. According to Mr Hardev Singh Sandhu, president of the Kirti Kisan Union, the affected farmers have been making rounds of the board to get the connection released but to no avail. He claimed though exact figures were not known yet according to the complaints the union receives the number is about 1,000. Out of these 63 farmers belong to Lakha, a small subdivision in Ludhiana district, he said. Producing documents of farmer Tar Singh, Mr Sandhu said the farmer deposited Rs 29,750 to the board for getting a tubewell connection on November 15, 1993, but six years after that he is still awaiting the connection. Mr Sandhu said Tar Singh had borrowed money on interest from an arhtiya (commission agent). The loan amount has now escalated to Rs 1.7 lakh. The farmer is now on the verge of selling his land to repay the loan. Mr Sandhu said every farmer who had deposited money to the PSEB was facing similar crisis. Mr Baldev Singh Mann, administrative member, PSEB, said as per his information nearly 15,000 tubewell connections approved by the board were awaiting release for the past two years. . But he has no information regarding pending cases of previous years and why they had been held up. Mr Mann said due to a recent storm the PSEB suffered huge losses due to which manpower and money was diverted to repair the damage. This might have delayed several connections which would be released shortly. Regarding the release of power connections to the farmers under the farmer’s expense scheme, Mr Mann said he had sought a complete report about the matter and could not comment on it at this stage. The Kirti Kisan Union
president said the union would now launch an agitation to
get the connections released. He said the board would
also have to pay interest to the farmers for keeping
their money for such a long time. |
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Mantar Brar to join SAD KOTKAPURA, July 25 — In an important political development in the Faridkot parliamentary constituency, Mr Mantar Singh Brar, Independent MLA of this assembly segment, has decided to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). Talking to TNS, Mr Mantar Singh said he had taken the decision to join the SAD last night after his meeting with SAD President and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Mr Mantar Singh, who left the SAD after he was denied the party ticket in the 1997 assembly elections, defeated the SAD candidate, Mr Mohinder Singh Brar, with a big margin. Mr Mantar Singh contested the 1997 assembly elections as an Independent. On the other hand, SGPC members, circle jathedars, municipal councillors and senior activists of the SAD, opposing the inclusion of Mr Mantar Singh, have warned Mr Badal that they would support Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, in the coming elections and oppose Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, if Mr Mantar Singh was taken back into the party. Mr Mohinder Singh Brar, senior Akali leader and close confidant of Mr Badal, who unsuccessfully contested against Mr Mantar Singh in the 1997 assembly elections, said party activists opposing the inclusion of Mr Mantar Singh in the party would hold a conference at Guru ki Thab tomorrow to take decision on supporting Mr Jagmeet Brar. He, however, added that he was not against the inclusion of Mr Mantar Singh in the party. "I am a loyal party worker," he added. Reliable sources said Mr Parkash Singh Badal had been trying to take Mr Mantar Singh into the party fold for the past many months to ensure the victory of his son, Mr Sukhbir Badal, in the coming elections. In the last Lok Sabha elections, Mr Sukhbir Badal polled about 5,500 votes less than Mr Jagmeet Brar in this assembly segment due to the opposition of Mr Mantar Singh. Mr Jagmeet Brar said at this moment he would not comment on the new political development. He added that by joining the SAD Mr Mantar Singh’s political career could be harmed. Mr Mantar Singh, however, clarified that he was not joining the SAD for gaining some office of profit. He was an Independent candidate and the SAD was his parental party. He said he would
announce his joining the SAD at his house tomorrow in the
presence of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. |
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Rich tributes paid to Deputy
Commandant KAPURTHALA, July 25 — Rich tributes were paid to Deputy Commandant Mohinder Raj of the Border Security Force who was killed by militants in Bandipore in Srinagar on June 14 at an all-party function held at Hindu Kanya College here on Saturday. Paying tributes to the martyr, Mr Raghbir Singh, Transport Minister, said besides giving financial aid to families of martyrs Punjab would endeavour to erect suitable memorials which would give inspiration to coming generations. He handed over a cheque of Rs 2 lakh to the bereaved family. Ms Jagir Kaur Begowal, SGPC president, announced that the SGPC would spend Rs 31 lakh on the education of children of martyrs killed in Kargil and Jammu and Kashmir. She announced financial aid of Rs 51,000 from the SGPC funds to the family of the Deputy Commandant. Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Technical Education Minister, said the Punjab Government would provide financial aid of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the martyr for the construction of a house. Mr V.K. Singh, Deputy Commissioner, said the district administration would recommend to the state government to give a suitable job to a member of the family after consultation with family members of the martyr. He announced that in order to provide facilities to families of martyrs Desh Bhagat Trust had been constituted with eight members from all walks of life. Mr Devi Dass Nahar, national president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (Ambedkar), Mr Gurdev Singh, prominent CPI (ML) leader, Mr Umrao Singh, former MP, Mr Balbir Singh and Mr Gulzar Singh, former minister, Prof Luxmi Kanta Chawla, BJP MLA from Amritsar, and several others paid tributes to the martyr. The District Congress Committee and the Commission Agents Association gave Rs 11,000 each and other local organisations also gave financial aid to the bereaved family. SOLAN: Former Chief Minister and CLP leader, Virbhadra Singh visited Pandal Badokhan and Budhar Kaneta, the native villages of Kargil martyrs Pradeep Kumar and Dharmendra Singh, respectively, on Friday. He met the family members of the two heroes and expressed his sympathies to them. Mr Virbhadra Singh was deeply moved when the fathers of both Pradeep Kumar and Dharmendra Singh said in almost identical words that they were proud of the fact that their sons had made the supreme sacrifice for the sake of the nation and that if the need ever arose they would themselves emulate their sons deeds. Mr Virbhadra Singh was accompanied by former MP K.D. Sultanpuri, sitting Congress MLA from Doon and DCC president Lajja Ram, Solan Zila Parishad president Nirmala Devi, DCC vice-president Surinder Sethi and DCC general secretaries Arvind Gupta and Ishwari Singh. Later, the former Chief
Minister addressed a party workers meeting at Kumihar
where in addition to discussion on party matters glowing
tributes were paid to the Kargil martyrs. |
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Village fields inundated PATIALA, July 25 — Flood water inundated agricultural land in Rasoli village in Samana subdivision last night when the Sagra Para overflowed due to excess water being released into it from the Bibipur Lake in Kurukshetra district. The Kurukshetra district authorities had released 2,000 cusecs of water from the lake yesterday to maintain its level after water flowed into it from the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal. Water had accumulated in the SYL canal after a breach in the Pachisdara nullah. Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir said there was 2 ft of water in the fields. He said the situation was now under control. The flood water was flowing into the Ghaggar from the fields. Mr Bir said at Khanauri, where the Ghaggar crossed the Bhakra mainline canal through siphons, the gauge had come down to 751 ft from 753 ft yesterday. As the water level was still near the danger mark, the situation was being watched constantly. He said at Sarala
village in Ghanaur block of the district, where the SYL
canal entered Haryana territory, the situation was also
under control, during to less rainfall in the catchment
area, the water coming into the SYL canal through a
breach in the Pachisdara nullah had lessened. At present
water with a depth of 3 ft was flowing into Haryana
through the SYL canal. |
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Town turns away people FATEHGARH SAHIB: Bassi Pathana town used to be known for its sewing machine parts industry. These parts had a countrywide demand. Its population has decreased from 25,000 to 18,000. With rapid migration to adjoining towns, the town has earned for itself pseudonym "town of pigs". The town has a municipal council which has funds hardly enough for the salary of the employees. The council is completely dependent on aid from the state. The infighting among the councillors has aggravated. Four of them are with the president, the majority of eight have thwarted resolutions, including those of the annual budget. The roads have heaps of rubbish into which mingles sewage overflowing from the choked sewerage. The street lights are far from adequate. Potholed roads filled up with drain water pose problems for those venturing out after dusk. The town does not have any proper outlet for drains.It stinks during the rains. The digging of streets and roads by the Telecommunication Department has come as the last straw for the residents. The Civil Hospital has no lady doctor. None of the doctors or staff stays here. The hospital lacks in emergency services. Serious cases are referred to Patiala. As a result private medical practitioners flourish. The town was declared subdivision in 1993 by the late Beant Singh, the then Chief Minister, but till today neither office, nor residence for the SDM and the DSP has been provided. Recently Mr Rajesh Paul Singh Lalli, a close confidant of Mr Parkash Singh Badal got sanctioned Rs 6.50 lakh grant for this town from Mr Sukhbir Badal and he distributed Rs 50,000 each, among all the 13 wards. Mr V.K. Janjua, Deputy
Commissioner, said Rs 6.40 lakh has been given against
the particular works. A comprehensive plan would be sent
to the government he added. |
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Liquor smuggled into Punjab by
buses CHANDIGARH, July 25 — The Punjab Excise and Taxation Department faces a unique problem. It has detected large-scale smuggling of Indian-made foreign liquor as well as country liquor by buses of various state government undertakings. This is being done in active connivance with conductors and drivers. The Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Mittal, told TNS that besides the business of bringing liquor in the state-operated buses being "illegal" it also caused "financial loss". It is estimated Punjab loses nearly Rs 30 crore to Rs 40 crore revenue, annually, thanks to smuggling by the state transport buses of other states as well as Punjab's own. Mr Mittal has now written to State Transport Commissioners of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and J and K, seeking their cooperation in stopping the malpractice. Such type of movement on the sly is forbidden under the Punjab Excise Act and if caught it could mean imprisonment with fine ranging from six months and Rs 1,000 up to three years and a fine of Rs 25,000. The communication
forewarns the State Transport Commissioners that such
buses will be impounded and conductors and drivers would
be liable for punishment with fine and jail. |
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Affiliation of 27 law colleges
withdrawn AMRITSAR, July 25 — On the recommendation of the inspection committee constituted by the Bar Council of India, affiliation to as many as 27 law colleges in Hyderabad was withdrawn. This was disclosed by Mr T.P. Singh and Mr Inderjit Mohanti, the two-member inspection committee of the Bar Council of India which visited border districts of Amritsar and Gurdaspur for conducting on-the-spot inspection for opening a law college in the regional centre of Guru Nanak Dev University at Gurdaspur. They said of the total 47 law colleges in Hyderabad as many as 27 were running in single rooms. "These were only educational shops which had to be closed down with a view to improve the quality of law education. Interestingly, the educational shops were being run by politicians. There was no need of attendance as there was no space for accommodating the students. Their modus operandi was to enrol the students by proxy. However, the committee of the Bar Council of India said the proposed regional centre of Guru Nanak Dev University at Gurdaspur had sufficient space to run the law classes. Mr Harbhajan Singh Soch, Vice-Chancellor Guru Nanak Dev University, said the regional centre at Gurdaspur would start functioning from next month. The university had already given advertisements in leading papers for recruiting lecturers of law, MBA and Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT). He further said the state government had already agreed in principle to allocate 22 acres for the proposed regional centre at Gurdaspur. For the time being the regional centre would start functioning in the building of Guru Nanak Government College which was earlier closed down due to certain reasons. He further said two departments of Punjab Agricultural University and the Hotel Management Institute of Government of India would be shifted to their own buildings shortly and hence there would be sufficient space for the regional centre there. The state government had also earmarked a grant of Rs 1.20 crore for the regional centre, Mr Soch added. He said the proposed regional centre would admit students from Punjab and adjoining states, including, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. There would be at least 100 seats for the law course. Dr Inderpal Singh, Pro
Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, also assured
the visiting inspection committee of the Bar Council of
India that the regional centre of the university at
Gurdaspur would provide quality education on the pattern
of the Law Institute of Bangalore. |
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Social security for the aged
stressed AMRITSAR, July 25 — The United Nations is celebrating 1999 as international year of the aged. Addressing a large gathering on the occasion the Union Labour Secretary, Mr Lakshmi Mishra, here yesterday said while the youth represented action the old represented wisdom. It was through the natural process of evolution that children who constituted the most tender and most precious of our human resources, reached old age, which he described as the most mature stage of human development. Dr Mishra said the state, as an agent of the society, had to create a climate that was conducive to complete the process of evolution. The celebration of the year of the aged was the reaffirmation of the resolve of the community of nations towards the problems and concerns of the old whose number was growing while their plight and predicament was on the increase. It was time to reflect on the importance of social protection for which we had to final an answer whether it was justified to deny the aged who had once led a full life and dedicated their best part in providing comfort and joy to others, he remarked. Dr Mishra said social security could be classified into two broad categories like social assistance and social insurance: while social insurance worked on the principle of collectivity and risk pooling which aimed at providing blanket cover in the old age or the victims of accidents etc. The concept of social assistance differed from country to country. However, there were positive and negative perceptions in terms of provisions of social security benefits to the aged. Quoting extensively from the book written by the president of the Social Security Society of India, Mr Parduman Singh, titled Protection of the Elderly, Disabled and the Survivors in India released by Dr Mishra on the occasion, he said the expenditure of the social security was declining. Earlier, the Vice
Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University Dr H.S. Soch,
moderated discussion on the social security to the aged.
Others who spoke included Mr Satya Pal Dang; Mr Parduman
Singh, Mr Harmander Singh and the Central Provident Fund
Commissioner, Mr K.A. Roy. |
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Pensioners write to Punjab Govt CHANDIGARH, July 25 — The Government Pensioners’ Association has again sent a representation, seeking a better deal. The association’s Additional General Secretary, Mr Yash Pal Gahi, told TNS today that despite the Fourth Pay Commission having recommended 10 major steps for the benefit of pensioners, the state had implemented just one: revision of pension. The unimplemented recommendations of the commission are: old age allowance at the rate of 5 per cent and 10 per cent on attaining age of 65 and 75, respectively; counting 97 per cent dearness allowance admissible on July 1, 1993 towards gratuity; benefit in pension for service rendered beyond 33 years; restoration of commuted pension after 11 years six months; reservation of plots and flats in PUDA colonies; at least 50 per cent pension to the retiree of the minimum of the revised grade of the post held at the time of retirement, etc. Mr Ghai said it was deplorable that despite being a rich state with highest per capita income, the government should be delaying and dithering over implementation of benefits which would accrue to senior citizens. "Why deny a fair deal to us?" The association has pointed out that, more than 15,000 cases of pre-1986 pensioners for "notional fixation of pay revision" of pension, etc, are pending in the office of the Punjab Accountant-General. There has also to be parity between pre-1986 and post-1996 retired persons. This has been done in respect of Central Government employees. Why not for Punjab pensioners? Mr Ghai also sought a favourable formula for sorting out pension for employees who retired between 1.1.1996 and 30.9.1996. The pensioners want anomalies committee to look after their demands as well. As serving employees they were entitled to certain allowances which were withdrawn on retirement. Why not pay a fixed sum of Rs 100 a month by way of house rent allowance? The sum of Rs 250, as fixed medical allowance, is also meagre. This amount needs to be revised upward. Both husband and wife should be entitled to travelling allowance. It was withdrawn from one of the spouses in January, 1995. Another important point raised by Mr Ghai was that the Directorate of Health has yet to release list of "chronic diseases" for the benefit of the pensioners. Such a promise was made one-and-a-half years ago. Will the government lend
its ears to pensioners?, ask Mr Ghai. |
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Netaji probe steering panel set
up ROPAR, July 25 — An 11-member Netaji probe steering committee has been set up to help the proposed Netaji inquiry commission by way of providing facts in a proper way. The members of the committee are Mr Ashok Ghosh (Calcutta), Mr Pradip Bose (Delhi), Mr Subratta Bose (Delhi), Mr Sunil Gupta (Calcutta), Mr D.B. Kalmankar, Chairman Karnataka Legislative Council, Mr Dalip Chakraborty, a former MP, Mr Jayant Roy, MP, Col Pritam Singh of the INA, Mr Vishwa Bandhu Tiwari (Lucknow), Mr Debabratta Biswas, general secretary of All-India Forward Bloc and Mr V.P. Saini, Chairman, Netaji Research Foundation, Ropar. The committee was constituted today at a session to hold deliberations on ‘strategy for presenting facts to the Netaji inquiry commission’ at the fifth all-India Netaji conference, being organised by the Netaji Research Foundation at the Ambedkar Bhavan here. The session was presided over by Mr Amar Roy Pardhan a former MP. The conference decided that the steering committee would also work to bring together all those who intended to appear before the inquiry commission. It would also guide them to avoid contradictions. The conference also decided to set up a ‘flying squad’ to probe into the stray news items regarding the appearance of Netaji at one place or the other. Mr V.P. Saini, convener of the conference, said because of lack of proper presentation of facts before the two previous inquiry commissions and because of unwanted contradictions in the versions of the people who appeared before the commissions, the commissions could declare Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to have died in the alleged air crash. He said, to avoid such a situation in future, the setting up of a steering committee was necessitated. Mr Debabratta Biswas, said that his party had already collected more than one thousand documents which would be submitted to the inquiry commission. He said, the party was going to depute a team of research scholars and legal experts to present its case before the inquiry panel. Presiding over the session, Mr Amar Roy Pardhan, said the inquiry commission would be appealed to direct the Union Government to seek facts and information from classified documents lying in the archives of the foreign countries. Among others who spoke were Mr Anil Mukerjee, Deputy Speaker, West Bengal Assembly, and Mr D.K. Sharma from Karnal. The conference also held
discussions on the topics "Facts disproving
Netaji’s death in the alleged aircrash at Taihoku on
August 18,1945" and "Netaji : A victim of
conspiracy" in the afternoon session yesterday. The
session was presided over by Mr Kaleemudin Shah, Minister
for Food, West Bengal. |
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Decline in crime graph: DIG LUDHIANA, July 25 — The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr Paramjit Singh Sandhu, said here today that the Ludhiana police range, which includes the police districts of Ludhiana, Khanna, Jagraon and Ropar, had registered a decline in various crimes. Giving details, the DIG said the number of murders in the range this year were 48 as compared to 57 during the same period last year. The police had made special efforts to solve cases of blind murder and culprits in 11 such cases had already been traced. He said special training was being given to the police to solve cases in which migrant labourers were involved. The DIG said 245 persons had been killed in road accidents. The police had taken special measures like making use of breath analysers and the radar system to check the speed of vehicles. Mr Sandhu claimed that the number of burglaries and thefts had gone down. The main achievement of
the police, he said, was the arrest of a 21-member gang
of "kaale kacchewale", involved in every kind
of crime, including murder. Asked to comment on the
frequent occurrence of kidnapping and abduction cases in
the Ludhiana police range, the DIG said out of a total of
56 such cases during this year, 35 had been solved. |
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Teachers in a quandary FAZILKA, July 25 — More than 1,000 teachers and heads of primary, high and secondary schools of Punjab who are due to retire on July 31 are getting restive with the date of their superannuation approaching. The reason is that the Punjab Council of Ministers in a major decision on May 4 this year had decided that retirement of all school teachers of the state will be linked with the academic session ending on March 31 every year. In accordance with this decision all teachers who are to retire between July and March 32 shall retire on March 31 to maintain academic continuity. This decision would have benefited all teachers who were to retire after July 1 this year as they were to be reemployed till the completion of the current academic session. This decision was taken in the larger interest of students. Since this decision has
not been implemented even after lapse of about three
months teachers who are to retire on July 31 are in a
dilemma. On the other hand studies of thousands of
students of different schools shall also be adversely
affected. Mr Raj Kishore Kalra, spokesman of the
Government Secondary Teachers Union, Punjab. In statement
here today demanded implementation of the Cabinet
decision of May 4 in letter and spirit to end the
stalemate. He has also urged the government to notify the
decision without further delay. |
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Jawan deserts post AMRITSAR, July 25 (UNI) — Mohan Singh, an Army jawan, who was on duty in the forward area in the Bhikiwind sector of the district deserted his post last night, police sources said here today. A report registered at Bhikiwind police station said the jawan took away with him his carbine and 62 rounds of ammunition. A case under Sections 25,54,59 and 380 of the IPC had been registered against Mohan Singh following a report by the Army authorities. The sepoy belonged to
Loharka village under Raja Sansi police station. |
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Pensioners to boycott Dal (B)
candidates MALERKOTLA, July 25 — The Sangrur district unit of the Punjab Pensioners Union at a meeting here yesterday decided not to vote in favour of SAD (B) candidates in the coming Lok Sabha elections if their demands were not accepted by the Punjab Governments. Mr Ajit Singh Bagri, general secretary, Punjab State Pensioners Mahasangh and Mr Prem Sagar Sharma, president, Punjab Pensioners Welfare Association, also attended the meeting according to a press note of the union. It was decided in the meeting to wear black badges and organise protest marches during the election meetings of SAD (B) candidates. The union also decided to give a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal on his visit to Malerkotla on July 31, regarding the long-pending demands of Punjab Pensioners Union. Mr Sat Pal Vatish,
general secretary, Sangrur unit of the association said
the unit had contributed Rs 62,000 towards to the relief
fund for the welfare of the families of Kargil martyrs.
Tributes were paid to the martyrs by observing two
minutes silence. |
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Committee on contract labour
visits NFL NANGAL, July 25 — A three-member central sub-committee on abolition of contract labour visited the National Fertiliser Limited (NFL) to study the problems and the viability of regularisation of contract labour working there. The sub-committee during it's two-day stay here, met the representatives of the NFL management, the contract labour union of the NFL, and the contractors supplying labour to the company. According to the sources, representatives of the contract labour union of NFL submitted a list of their grievances to the committee. The union has appealed to the sub-committee to end the exploitative practice of contract labour. Meanwhile the NFL management has welcomed steps being taken to end contract labour, but also asserted that it be continued in some jobs which are of temporary nature. The sub-committee is
part of the committee appointed on the directions of the
Supreme Court to give a report on abolishing contract
labour in various public sector organisations. |
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Plea to change polling date AMRITSAR, July 25 —
In a letter to the Chief Election Commission, Ms Laxmi
Kanta Chawla, a BJP MLA from here, has urged that date of
the forthcoming Lok Sabha polling should be changed from
September 4 to September 5 as Janamashtami falls on
September 3. She said most of the devotees would be busy
in the celebrations till midnight and hence they won't be
able to exercise their franchise or perform election duty
the next day. |
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Shift PSEB office, orders CM MOGA, July 25 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, yesterday directed officials of the Punjab State Electricity Board to immediately shift its office from Smalsar village in this district to Baghapurana town. The office of the board was shifted from Baghapurana to Smalsar village only three days ago. Earlier a deputation of
residents of Baghapurana town had met the Chief Minister
and demanded shifting of board's office to Baghapurana. |
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