• Nachiketa, Watre honoured
• Soldier cremated
• Punjab CM visits Kargil wounded

Punjab delicenses cold stores
JALANDHAR, June 12 — The Punjab government has decided to delicense cold store industry to promote cultivation of fruit and vegetable crops and divert area from paddy cultivation. Rupees twentyfive crore has been set apart to encourage the setting up of cold stores of different capacities in rural areas.

Will Kashi centre survive?
BATHINDA: The future of the local Guru Kashi Regional Centre has become uncertain as it has been meted out stepmotherly treatment by the authorities concerned for the past many years.

100 patwaris held, offices sealed
JALANDHAR, June 12 — In a major crackdown on patwaris, who have been on strike since June 1, the state government has reportedly arrested over 100 of them and locked their offices after removing the revenue record.

Tohra announces new Dal's office-bearers
CHANDIGARH, June 12 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra here today released the first list of office-bearers, working committee members and district jathedars of his party, which he has named as the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD) to avoid mix-up with the Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal.

Ex-servicemen a discontented lot
LUDHIANA, June 12 — There is growing dissent among ex-servicemen over the negligence of their welfare by the powers that be. In fact the present day socio-economic situation warrants more attention for the welfare of the dependants and widows of those serving the armed forces.

Probe ordered into overbridge collapse
BATHINDA, June 12 — The Railway authorities have ordered a departmental probe into the collapse of an overbridge connecting eight platforms of the local railway station today.

Road tax on mini-buses halved
JALANDHAR, June 12 — Even though the state Transport Department has incurred a loss of Rs 69 crore annually, the Transport Minister, Mr Raghbir Singh said today that the road tax levied on mini-buses in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar has been halved from June 7.

College teachers to boycott evaluation
MOGA, June 12 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) said today that teachers would boycott examination evaluation work at three universities in the sate on June 15 and launch a statewide stir to force the government to implement the pact reached with representatives of non-government affiliated colleges.

Colonies face 12-hr power cut
PATIALA, June 12 — A number of colonies in the city remained without power for nearly 12 hours since yesterday.

Farm technocrats decry govt policies
JALANDHAR, June 12 — The state Agriculture Technocrats Action Committee, Punjab, yesterday alleged that the pro-farmer image projected by the SAD-BJP government, was a total farce, as state's agriculture stood ruined due to wrong policies being followed for the past two and half years.

3 pilgrims killed in road mishap
PHILLAUR, June 12 — Three pilgrims were killed on the spot and six others sustained serious injuries, when a Chintpurni-bound Tata Sumo number HR 08B-7809, carrying nine occupants collided with a truck number PB 05A-9779, coming from opposite side, near the local bus stand on GT Road today, the police said.

Nurses resent govt's inaction
JALANDHAR, June 12 — The nurses' association has said today that if their demands were not met they would resort to single-shift duty.

3 boys drowned in Sutlej
PHILLAUR, June 12 — Three young boys, Vicky, Manga and Kamal, of Hakimpura village were drowned in the Sutlej near Jhandi Peer, a Muslim religious place yesterday.

My party open to all Punjabis, says Tohra
by Sarbjit Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 12 — The All-India Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra will have a "Punjabi" face. Its membership will be open to all Punjabis, including Hindus, Christians and Muslims.

"Not only Hindus, Muslims and Christians will be enrolled as members but they will also taken on party's decision-making bodies and also given the party ticket in elections", said Mr Tohra here today.

Having a dig at party headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Tohra said Mr Badal had maintained relations with the Hindus via the BJP but my party would have a direct relationship with the Hindus and other communities like Christians and Muslims. The enrolment of party membership will begin on June 15.

Mr Tohra, who otherwise known as hard liner, would follow a secular agenda and moderate party line. Announcing his party line, Mr Tohra said the rights of all religions and communities would protected by his party. Whereas the party would be a representative organisation of Sikhs, its foundation would be of all communities living in Punjab. Expressing his full faith in the unity and integrity of the country, Mr Tohra said his party would remain committed to the country's "Azadi and rakhi" (freedom and protection). The party was proud of the role played by the Sikhs in freeing the country and for its protection, and would remain committed to it.

The Akali leader said his party was for social, economic, political and religious equality in society. In other words he would follow anti-feudalism line. He considered Mr Badal and his associates as "symbol of feudalism in Punjab".

Sonia's nationality non-issue: Tohra
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 12 — The President of the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra said today that the foreign origin of the President of the All-India Congress Committee, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, was a "non-issue and an internal matter of the Congress party". If the Congress wins the election it might nominate any person for prime ministership. It was not his party's concerns."

Asked whether he was in favour or against the person of foreign becoming Indian Prime Minister, Mr Tohra said neither he was in favour, nor against. When questioned that Mr Parkash Singh Badal had decided to make it a major issue in the coming election, Mr Tohra said Mr Badal had nothing else to tell people of the state. So he had decided to make this an issue. Mr Badal should explain to the people what he had done for the people of the state in the past two years. What would he tell them as he, had done nothing, Mr Tohra himself answered the question.

Mr Tohra said Mr Badal wanted to swim across the "election" river by having piggyback ride of Prime Minister Vajpayee and that was the reason for him to cling to the issues raised by Mr Vajpayee.

Pressed to take a clear stand on the issue. Mr Tohra said there was no point in raising the foreign origin issue. Many Indians were holding top positions in certain foreign countries and "we all feel proud about their achievements". Take case of Fiji, Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago and also the UK and Canada where Indians were occupying political offices though many of them belonged to the first generation of migrants to these countries.

Power supply disruption hits paddy sowing
From Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

PATRAN, (Patiala) June 12 — Farmers of the Samana Patran Shatrana belt, who have to face fury of floods, frequently are suffering from another "calamity" this season no power to sow paddy.

Farmers are suffering the ill-effects of a high velocity storm which had uprooted power poles and damaged transformers in the region on May 12. Though the Punjab State Electricity Board claims that most of the work needed for the restoration of power supply has been completed on a war-footing, farmers feel they may not get any power for paddy sowing as poles and transformers supplying electricity to tubewells still need to be attended to.

The chugging of pump set engines is a familiar drone on hears while driving through the countryside. Nachhattar Singh of Mardanheri village near Samana says "my body is bleeding at seeing my pump, set engine run to ensure survival of the paddy I have sown". He said, he however, had no option but to go ahead with sowing paddy by running his engine on diesel as he felt the crop would otherwise get late.

He said many others who could not afford this overhead had no option but to wait for power to be restored. Some big farmers who have large holding are also waiting for power to be restored. Joginder Singh of Kath village said he would wait for some more time to sow paddy as it would be uneconomical to use diesel run pump sets for sowing 60 acres of paddy.

The situation is even more serious in Kuluwanu village near here where some farmers have sown paddy despite electric wires lying in fields. At Kaluwanu four poles of the 220 kva main line are lying uprooted in a row are still to be put in position.

Even transformers are lying unattended in Kaluwanu one month after the storm. A transformer was also seen lying close to road at Daftarwali village near here. Villagers also disclosed that they themselves had helped PSEB officials to erect poles uprooted by storm and had also helped in putting in order lines at many places.

Though officially, villages in the belt are getting four hours of supply everyday, even this has not been possible in most villages. Nachhattar Singh of Mardanheri said my village has received an hour of supply since the past two days. Power supply to tubewells has not been restored at all.

An official spokesman of the PSEB when contacted said according to board guidelines, all poles had to be erected by March 10, all lines put in order by March 15 and electricity supply restored completely March 16. He said this schedule was being followed.

Meanwhile, not only farmers of the Samana-Patran Shatrana belt are suffering from ill-effects of going without power. Even the towns of Samana and Patran are undergoing scheduled cuts of seven hours besides unofficial breaks. The entire belt is getting alternate supply from the 66 kva Sangrur feeder.

The 220 kva Patiala Patran and Sunam Mansa transmission lines were the worst affected in the May 12 storm. Besides this 50 towers had suffered damage in the storm. Electricity supply to the entire area including Samana, Ghagga, Patran and Shatrana had been disrupted.

Villagers moving to safer places
From Our Correspondent

FEROZEPORE, June 12 — Inhabitants of villages along the Indo-Pak Border here, have started evacuating their respective villages in view of a war-like situation.

When a few local reporters went to the Hussainiwala border in the afternoon today they found hundreds of villagers, including men, women and children, sitting near the smadhi of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

A number of vehicles were loaded with household goods, foodgrains and other valuables which were to be shifted to "safer" places by the villagers who were seen in great terror.

Indian soldiers near the smadhi were persuading the villagers to go back as the situation was "normal". They were saying that their migration would create "more terror" among people in and around the city.

The villagers were adamant on leaving and paying no heed to the request being made by the soldiers who told them that they (the villagers) would asked to evacuate their respective villages if needed.

Talking to reporters, Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Chandiwala village, said that he wanted to shift his family, including his wife and four children, and also essential goods to a "safer" place.

He added that in case the war took place between the two countries it would be very difficult for him to move along with his family members and household goods at a sudden moment.

Another villager said during the 1971 war, he had to leave the village in night after the war had started. It was very difficult for him and other villagers to suddenly evacuate their houses at that time, he remarked.

However, it was very clear that the morale of both Indian soldiers and people was very high and they expressed resentment over the behaviour meted out to Indian soldiers by the Pakistani army.

No officer of the district administration could be contacted for comments on the present situation in the border villages.

Nachiketa, Watre honoured
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, June 12 — The Management and Industrial Development Institute honoured Flt Lt K Nachiketa, fighter pilot, and Air Cmde A.G. Watre, at the Adampur air base today.

Speaking at the function Nachiketa said he had gone on a mission to hit some targets at 11.30 am on May 27, 1999, at Kargil and Dras. While returning to the base, the aircraft developed some technical snag and he had to eject. As he landed with his parachute in the Indian territory, infiltrators were able to capture him.

After being kept in captivity for five days, on June 3, he was handed over to the International Red Cross and later on to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Tears rolled down his eyes when more than 100 persons with flowers in their hands received him at the Indian High commission in Islamabad.

Soldier cremated
From Our Correspondent

HOSHIARPUR, June 12 — Havildar Kamal Dev Singh of 13 Sikh Light Infantry who laid down his life while flushing out Pakistani intruders in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir was cremated at his native village, Sandhra, with full military honours today. His four-year-old son and his younger brother lit the pyre.

Earlier, Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, on behalf of the Punjab Government and Mr R.P. Mittal, SSP, on behalf of the Police Department, placed wreaths. Col Balbir Singh on behalf of Lt. K. Daver, JCO II Core, and Capt. R.C. Pathania on behalf of Brig Surjit Singh, Station Commander, Jalandhar, also placed wreaths.

Mr Sidhu assured the family of Havildar Kamal Dev Singh that all facilities announced by the state government would be provided soon.

Punjab CM visits Kargil wounded
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 12 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today visited the Command Hospital, Chandimandir, to enquire about the health and well-being of wounded officers and jawans in the Kargil sector and elsewhere while protecting the country's territorial integrity.

The Chief of Staff of Western Command, Lieut-Gen B.S. Malik and Major Gen Virendra Singh, Commandant, Command Hospital, accompanied Mr Badal as he went round the wards.

Mr Badal said the people were proud of the courage and fortitude with which the defence forces were facing the infiltrators in the Kargil sector to defend the nation's boundaries.

Kohinoor: opening of bank vault delayed
From Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, June 12 — Even as a plain safe box in a Swiss bank vault could not be opened so far due to coming forward of more 'claimants', Mr Beant Singh Sandhawalia, who claims himself to be the real heir of late Maharaja Duleep Singh (son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh), the last ruler of Punjab before it was annexed by British in 1849, has urged all "Sandhawalias and other sardars" to unitedly fight for claiming the world's largest diamond Kohinoor (mountain of light). "It will be the common property of the entire Sikh qaum once it was handed over to me", he said.

Mr Beant Singh Sandhawalia, who now lives in Amsterdam (Netherlands), told his son Sukhdev Singh Sandhawalia, a teacher at the local Government Senior Secondary School, on telephone to convey to all claimants to not to put any hurdle in the handing over of Kohinoor to him. "I do not want it for myself. I shall donate it to Golden Temple where the Sikh Sangat would have its ‘darshan,’", he told his son.

It may be mentioned here that the existence of the Indian maharaja's claimed fortune came to light in the list of the Swiss bank accounts of supposed holocaust victims of the World War II published in August 1997. But much more than money at the stake, the box is rumoured to contain secret state treaties proving that the Kohinoor, was obtained from Maharaja Duleep Singh (who was eight-year-old at that time) by trickery and may have to be returned to his proven heirs. Recent reports said the bank vault, locked for 118 years, contained secret treaties that would prove that the Kohinoor was taken away by deceit from Maharaja Duleep Singh. The account was opened in the Swiss bank in 1871 by late Maharaja Duleep Singh in the name of Princes Catherine Hilda Duleep Singh when she was just one year old. Now the Kohinoor adorns the crown of Queen Elizabeth.

The most famous diamond in the world, Kohinoor, has a long history since it was found in the Golconda mines in southern India about 3000 years ago. Indians and Pakistanis have periodically lodged claims for its return.

Even as the news spread that Mr Beant Singh Sandhawalia's claim was accepted by the Swiss bank, a fresh controversy was kicked of when many "Sandhawalias and other sardars" of the district wrote to the bank authorities that they were the actual descendants of late Maharaja Duleep Singh. The vault, which was to be opened by the end of May, has not been opened so far due to fresh claims. Five Sandhawalia sardars, residents of Rajasansi (Amritsar) — Sukhraj Singh, Mr Surinder Singh Mr Avtar Singh, Mr Sarbjit Singh and Mr Tarsem Singh — claimed that they were the direct descendants of Maharaja Duleep Singh. Another claimant was Bibi Jasbir Kaur Sandhawalia who produced the pedigree of her forefathers. Another family which wrote to the Swiss bank authorities claiming to be the heir of Maharaja Sher Singh (elder son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh) is that of Lt -Col Mitpaul Singh, a resident of Attari, near here.

Punjab delicenses cold stores
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, June 12 — The Punjab government has decided to delicense cold store industry to promote cultivation of fruit and vegetable crops and divert area from paddy cultivation. Rupees twentyfive crore has been set apart to encourage the setting up of cold stores of different capacities in rural areas. Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Agriculture Minister Punjab, announced this yesterday at a gathering of farmers on the occasion of the demonstration of paddy transplanters in Jai Singh Wala village in Moga district. The Minister also announced a subsidy or Rs 40,000 for the farmers on the Chinese model of paddy transplanter, which otherwise costs Rs 95,000.

Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat, Vice Chancellor Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, said that to save the fast depleting ground water, present area of 60 lakh acres under paddy should be brought down to 40,000 acres. Otherwise there was danger of 60 per cent of the irrigated area becoming rainfed; as the tube wells which currently were irrigating this area would get dry. He called for the cultivation of alternative crops like soya been, maize, ground nut and fodder. He announced that the Punjab Agricultural University had arranged high yielding seed of soya bean and maize. These seeds will be released for cultivation after testing for their suitability under Punjab conditions. He also appealed to the farmers to adopt subsidiary occupations like dairy farming, poultry farming and bee keeping in order to improve their economic condition.

Dr Mewa Singh Sonar, director of Agriculture, Punjab appreciated the farmers for their response to the appeal of farm scientists by adopting timely transplanting of paddy from June 10 to June 20 by discarding the practice of early transplantation, which had many adverse effects on ground water and quality of produce.

Dr I.K. Garg, Senior research engineer demonstrated the operation of manual paddy transplanter which had been developed by PAU engineers and engine-operated Chinese transplanter. He told that manual transplanter cost only Rs 3,000 and two persons could transplant one acre in a day. With Chinese model three persons can transplant four to five acres in a day. The transplanting by these machines plant population of plants per square metre can be ensured whereas the manual labour plants only 16 to 20 plants in a square metre. He said that transplantation by machines could maintain the present level of paddy production even from 25 per cent lesser area under the crop.

Later, talking to reporters The Agriculture Minister said that the government had decided to set up potato processing plant at Jalandhar to prepare 20 products from potato. He said that potato growers problems of marketing would be solved for ever. The minister also announced that the state Department of Agriculture had 62 well equipped laboratories to give the advice to farmers on rational use of fertiliser based on soil test reports.

Will Kashi centre survive?
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA: The future of the local Guru Kashi Regional Centre has become uncertain as it has been meted out stepmotherly treatment by the authorities concerned for the past many years.

The centre was opened in a rented building here in 1984 to boost the higher education in the educationally backward Malwa region and to cater to the needs of students of neighbouring states.

For the past 14 years, the Punjab Government has neither made arrangements for constructing the building for the regional centre nor sanctioned funds to fill the sanctioned posts on the teaching faculty. In the absence of a hostel, the students from outside Bathinda district face accommodation problems.

Official sources said in the absence of a hostel, the students faced number of difficulties in attending the night classes. More so there are very few teachers here. Both these problems have made many students to migrate to Punjabi University, Patiala against the rules and regulation.

Official sources said at present the centre runs post-graduate courses in Punjabi, English and Economics and LL.B in the evening. Only two lecturers were working against the seven sanctioned post in the Economics Department, four against seven in Punjabi and three against five in English. In the Law Department, Punjabi University authorities has posted only one lecturer. Local advocates were engaged to take the classes.

The teaching faculty here feels that they have been reduced to beggars as they have to look for external financial aid for buying even a small thing.

The official sources said there were only nine students in M.A. (English) (Part-I and II) against the total 80 seats, seven in Punjabi against total 80 seats and 18 in Economics against 80 seats. The student strength was dwindling every year as no provision has been made for recreational facility, parking space and canteen.

Official sources said once the Punjab Government had passed a resolution for the acquisition of land for the centre and Rs 25 lakh had been earmarked for it on the floor of the Punjab Assembly. The proposal hasn’t reached to the implementation stage.

Dr S.S. Bhatti, Director, Guru Kashi Regional Centre, said the teaching faculty’s efforts for financial aid and a piece of land for the past many years have been in rain. He pointed out that if properly developed, the centre could attract students from Sirsa, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and other areas of Punjab.

100 patwaris held, offices sealed
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, June 12 — In a major crackdown on patwaris, who have been on strike since June 1, the state government has reportedly arrested over 100 of them and locked their offices after removing the revenue record.

General Secretary of the State Patwar Union Gurmail Singh said here today that SDMs and Tehsildars locked their offices in the state today, while arrests were made and raids conducted on their houses.

The union alleged that 70 patwaris were arrested from Nawanshahr alone. Arrests were also made at Mansa, Fatehgarh Sahib and Sangrur.

The union will send a formal complaint to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to take cognisance of the "trespassing" and removal of records from their houses and offices. Union leaders said the strike will not be called off and the union will organise rallies on June 18 at Muktsar, June 23 at Faridkot and on June 30 at Moga.

The patwaris are demanding technical rank, enhancement of the office maintenance allowance from Rs 35 per month of Rs 300 per month and filling up of 1300 vacancies.

Meanwhile, members of the Schedule Caste and Backward Class Revenue Patwar Union met Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Minister for Public Relations Revenue and Rehabilitation at the Circuit House here today and said that they were not supporting the State Patwar Union. Mr Sekhwan said that as the patwaris were matriculate and underwent clerical revenue training at the state government's expense, they could not be given technical status and pay parity.

He also warned the patwaris to join the work before June 15 failing which strict action will be taken against them.

Tohra announces new Dal's office-bearers
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 12 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra here today released the first list of office-bearers, working committee members and district jathedars of his party, which he has named as the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal (AISAD) to avoid mix-up with the Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal.

While Mr Tohra will be a President of the party, Mr Surjan Singh Thekedar will be Senior Vice-President and Mr Ranjit Singh Dumna will be its Junior Vice-President. Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra and Mr Sucha Singh Chotepur will act as its General Secretaries and Mr Sawaran Singh (Bir Khalsa Dal) will be the party's Treasurer.

The members of the working committee will be Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhillon, Mr Sukhjinder Singh, Mr Baldev Singh Sibia, Mr Harbans Singh Manjpur, Bhai Manjit Singh, Mr Darshan Singh Issapur, Mr Kirpal Singh Libra, Col Jasmer Singh Bala (retd) Mr Chajju Ram Sofat, Chowdhary Mehardin, Bibi Rajinder Kaur Bulara, Mr Surjit Singh Cheema and Mr Major Singh Uboke.

District jathedars will be Mr Rajinder Singh (Patiala), Mr Tek Singh (Sangrur), Mr Gurpartap Singh (Moga), Mr Jagroop Singh (Bathinda), Mr Gurdeep Singh Deep (Mansa), Mr Gurmej Singh Shahura (Amritsar Rural), Mr Onkar Singh (Amritsar City), Mr Gurbinder Singh Shampur (Batala), Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur (Nawan Shahar), Mr Jagjit Singh Gabba (Jalandhar City), Mr Lakhbir Singh Kalalmajra (Khanna), Giani Jaswant Singh Taan (Fatehgarh Sahib), Mr Labh Singh Kakuwal (Ludhiana rural), Mr Gurdev Singh Dalha (Jagraon), Mr Jaswant Singh Dhami (Hoshiarpur), Mr Karnail Singh (Ferozepore), Mr Sikandar Singh Muradpur (Tarn Taran), Mr Sarbjit Singh Bariana (Jalandhar rural) and Mr Joginder Singh Sahni (Chandigarh).

Mr Avtar Singh Autopin has been appointed president of the Delhi state unit of the party and Mr Didar Singh Hawri of Haryana state unit of the party. The remaining members of the working committee, district jathedars and members of the executive committee would be appointed soon. Mr Tohra added. The constitution of the party would be same as of the Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Badal.

Asked whether his party would claim scales as election symbol, Mr Tohra said the party would submit a claim in this regard to the Election Commission of India but would not insist on it if the commission rejected the claim.

Ex-servicemen a discontented lot
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, June 12 — There is growing dissent among ex-servicemen over the negligence of their welfare by the powers that be. In fact the present day socio-economic situation warrants more attention for the welfare of the dependants and widows of those serving the armed forces. These views were expressed by Lt. Col. C.S. Dhillon (retd), President of the Indian Ex-Services League, Punjab and Chandigarh, during an informal chat with this correspondent.

Lashing out at the political set-up, Lt.Col. Dhillon said the widows of those killed while fighting infiltrators in the Kargil and Dras sectors of Jammu and Kashmir had been granted the status of war-widows/war dependants. But when the Army personnel were away from home protecting the frontiers of the country, there was no one to look after their families and even their genuine complaints were not paid heed to because of red tapism.

Talking about the problems being faced by those serving in the armed forces, Lt. Col. Dhillon said when the soldiers were away from their native villages on duty, taking cognisance of their absence, their lands and other properties were often grabbed by their relatives or neighbours.

He said "Most often they have to suffer harassment at the hands of the police while fighting long legal battles.

To avoid this harassment, the government should give summary powers to the district magistrate to get their land vacated at the earliest". Citing the examples of calling the Army to fight the ultras in Assam and Jammu and Kashmir/and earlier during the peace-keeping operations in Sri Lanka, he said the Army was being used to rectify the situations caused by "political dishonesty."

He added that only one welfare officer of the rank of a JCO was supposed to look after 70 villages, so the role of the NGO (Indian ex-services league) here became important. But three years back, the Director, Sainik Board, Punjab, issued letters to all district Sainik Boards to stop the activities of the league.

The league had appealed to the higher authorities to get the letter cancelled, but to no avail.

Lt. Col. Dhillon said, "Unlike in the Railways and the police, where the pensioners are allowed to function from the premises of the department, but the Sainik Board was asked to stop our activities when we are in fact contributing to the welfare efforts of the Sainik Board itself."

He appealed to the ex-servicemen to stand united for their social and political rights.

Probe ordered into overbridge collapse
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, June 12 — The Railway authorities have ordered a departmental probe into the collapse of an overbridge connecting eight platforms of the local railway station today.

Official sources said three senior officials of the Ambala railway division would hold a joint probe into the incident. The three senior officers who had reached here yesterday and had started collecting information.

Official sources said preliminary investigations made by two senior Railway officers revealed that two spans of the overbridge collapsed when the door of a wagon of a goods train hit the pillar of the bridge.

A senior official preferring anonymity told TNS a probe was also being held to find out the persons who had been negligent in their duties. He added that due to the hitting of the door of the wagon pillar turned towards one side and the bridge collapsed.

He said it would take 15 days for reparing the bridge.

Official sources said due to this the hot line connection of the local railway station with the Ambala divisional office got snapped which was being restored.

The sources said the probe would be finished within three days and departmental action would be taken against officials responsible for it.

Road tax on mini-buses halved
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, June 12 — Even though the state Transport Department has incurred a loss of Rs 69 crore annually, the Transport Minister, Mr Raghbir Singh said today that the road tax levied on mini-buses in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar has been halved from June 7.

Justifying the decision by the department, Mr Raghbir Singh, while briefing mediapersons, said 263 permits had been granted in the three Municipal Corporations - Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar for plying mini-buses. But due to the high road tax only 165 buses were plying on these routes.

The Transport Department has said, no fine would be imposed if matadors, trucks, and mini-buses owners pay the tax within three months. This would fetch the department Rs 15 crore, according to the Transport Minister. But if the tax was not paid within the stipulated time frame, action would be taken under the Punjab Motor Vehicles Act, Section 14, B Mr Raghbir Singh said. The increase in the recovery of road tax is up by 20 per cent, this year.

College teachers to boycott evaluation

MOGA, June 12 (PTI) — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) said today that teachers would boycott examination evaluation work at three universities in the sate on June 15 and launch a statewide stir to force the government to implement the pact reached with representatives of non-government affiliated colleges.

"Evaluation work in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjabi University, Patiala and Panjab University, Chandigarh would be boycotted next Tuesday. PCCTU President S.S. Hundal and its general secretary V.K. Tiwari told reporters here.

They said the teachers would also hold mass dharnas at Chandigarh in front of the office of DPI (Colleges) on July 6.

The dons said all sections of the Punjab government employees have been brought into the ambit of benefits granted through revised pay scales but teachers of 23 colleges, many of them women colleges located in rural areas were still fighting, holding dharnas and protest rallies to ask for what was their legitimate due.

The union also demanded early implementation of revised pay scales by releasing grants as per the new scales, notification on pension gratuity scheme, revision of scales as per UGC guidelines and other demands.

Colonies face 12-hr power cut
From Our Correspondent

PATIALA, June 12 — A number of colonies in the city remained without power for nearly 12 hours since yesterday.

Residents of Anand Nagar, Tripuri, Rattan Nagar, Dashmesh Nagar and Upkaar Nagar localities on Sirhind road and Gurbax Colony, Jhujjar Nagar and Sanauri road area complained that power failure occurred at about 11.00 p.m. yesterday. The supply was restored in the afternoon, they added.

Residents of Anand Nagar and Dashmesh Nagar have also complained that the newly opened 'PSEB' complaint centre near Seona Chowk was non-functional.

Farm technocrats decry govt policies
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, June 12 — The state Agriculture Technocrats Action Committee, Punjab, yesterday alleged that the pro-farmer image projected by the SAD-BJP government, was a total farce, as state's agriculture stood ruined due to wrong policies being followed for the past two and half years.

The General Secretary of the Agriculture Technocrats Action Committee, Dr Satnam Singh, alleged yesterday that, productivity graph was going down, instead of up, while, cotton production had come down to 5 lakh bales from 27 lakh bales. On the other hand, the state's sugar demand was seven lakh tonnes, but only two and a half lakh tonnes were produced in the state.

The 32 sugar mills in the state were sick and to remain viable economically sugar mill has to crush cane for at least 150 days but no sugar mill in the state was meeting that target.

The committee also claimed that the state government was responsible for this "sugar muddle" as with the infrastructure and knowhow the state could produce 10 lakh tonnes of sugar a year. But due to the "wrong" policies, the farmers and the sugar mills were suffering.

Dr Satnam Singh said adding that agriculture technocrats would wear black badges in protest from June 14 against state government’s decision on making changes in their pay parity. Prior to the order, technocrats were entitled to pay-scales on a par with medicos and veterinary doctors.

Already in protest, the agriculture technocrats, have stopped verification of seeds and fertiliser but considering the difficulties faced by the farmers, they will organise camps in villages to demonstrate the latest techniques helping obtain higher yields. The technocrats will hold a rally on July 8 in Chandigarh.

3 pilgrims killed in road mishap
From Our Correspondent

PHILLAUR, June 12 — Three pilgrims were killed on the spot and six others sustained serious injuries, when a Chintpurni-bound Tata Sumo number HR 08B-7809, carrying nine occupants collided with a truck number PB 05A-9779, coming from opposite side, near the local bus stand on GT Road today, the police said.

The deceased were identified as Kiranpreet, Venna Bawa and Manpreet Kaur of Rajguru Nagar, Ludhiana.

All the injured, including Amrik Singh, Kishan Chana, Baljinder Kaur, Simranjit Kaur and Jaspreet Singh, were admitted in Phillaur and DMC Hospital, Ludhiana. The truck driver managed to escape leaving the truck behind. The police has registered a case.

The bodies have been sent to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem.

Nurses resent govt's inaction
From Tribune Reporters

JALANDHAR, June 12 — The nurses' association has said today that if their demands were not met they would resort to single-shift duty.

The General Secretary of the union and the General Secretary of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation have demanded an immediate redress of their demands so that the patients did not suffer.

The nurses had proceeded on mass casual leave on June 11 to protest against the cut in their salary.

AMRITSAR: Nurses of various hospitals on Saturday went on mass casual leave which adversely affected medicare services. The nurses also held protest rallies in pursuance of their demands.

Medical students boycotted the classes and hampered the working of hospitals.

PATIALA: Intensifying their ongoing agitation against the non-acceptance of demands, nurses in the state will boycott evening and night duty till the government redress their grievances.

Mrs Jeewan Preet Kaur, President, Punjab Nurses Association, said in press statement that rallies were being organised in several districts yet the state government had ignored their demands.

She said their mass leave would continue upto June 13 and might be extended.

3 boys drowned in Sutlej
From Our Correspondent

PHILLAUR, June 12 — Three young boys, Vicky, Manga and Kamal, of Hakimpura village were drowned in the Sutlej near Jhandi Peer, a Muslim religious place yesterday.

The boys came to Jhandi Peer on a pilgrimage were bathing in the river when the mishap occurred. The bodies of Manga and Kamal had not been recovered so far. Search is on to find out the bodies.