Sunday, June 27, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Sunday, June 27, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Tohra
begins Sarb Hind SAD poll campaign |
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Cong
ticket for Gujral? Yet another martyr from Ferozepore Ticket to Jakhar disfavoured Training poor in computers Murder case solved, 3 arrested Anti-drug day celebrated Conference on Netaji on July 24
& 25 Lecturers scale fixation case
cleared Spurious goods unit unearthed 200 buses on contract for PRTC
soon Engineer's bail plea rejected Order to clear drain of sullage Seminar to educate panches,
sarpanches Show-cause notice to MC chief |
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Tohra begins Sarb Hind SAD
poll campaign FATEHGARH SAHIB, June 26 — Jathedar G.S. Tohra President Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, today launched election campaign of his party from his home district by organising a political conference at Anaj Mandi, Sirhind town. There was enthusiasm among people and they stood in a queue for hours to touch his feet. He was calling everyone by name. Addressing the conference Jathedar Tohra said that in the coming Parliament elections the Punjabis have to choose between Mr Badal and Akal Takht. He said Mr Badal introduced Indira culture in the SAD (B) which would lead to destruction. He said as Indira Gandhi did not heed anyone's advice, collected money for her family and did not brook criticism of her working similarly Mr Badal was behaving now. His only one-point programme was to watch interests of his family and to make son his successor. He said he tolerated every thing of Mr Badal but when he deserted Akal Takht and managed to sack the Jathedar of Akal Takht he decided to part company with Mr Badal. He alleged that the Akali government did not fulfil any of the promise made during elections, he said, none of the Congress leaders nor any police official had been punished as promised. He said the Akali Dal always opposed the imposition of Article 356, but to please the BJP he favoured it. He did not raise the demands of Chandigarh, Punjabi speaking areas and the issue of SYL canal and Udham Singh Nagar. He said that Punjab had become bankrupt due to the wrong policies of the government. He said many agencies had offered to give interest free loan to the Punjab government for development but government ignored them. He said Capt Kanwaljit Singh was making declarations only to befool the people. He said there was no money for development but the ministers were collecting huge amounts. He said the people of Punjab would not favour those who had disobeyed Akal Takht. He said main agenda in elections would be failures of the Badal government and to enlighten people about his and of the company's misdeeds. He declared that after three days of Parliament election the Badal government would fall as he was likely to lose all 13 seats. He said again an Akali Dal government would be formed but only the leader would be changed. He said he would oppose Sonia Gandhi in the elections not like Mr Badal by calling her as foreigner but by calling her the daugter-in-law of Indira Gandhi and wife of Rajiv Gandhi who committed atrocities on Sikhs. Earlier talking to The Tribune Mr Tohra said human rights were being violated in the state despite seven judges having been accommodated only as Human Rights Commission and they had failed to give justice to even a single person. He said 200 IAS officers have been posted in state and Rs two lakh per month were spent on each IAS officer he said 45 posts of IAS were lying vacant in alone Centre by sending 45 IAS officers Rs 90 lakh can be saved. He said Mr Badal spends Rs 3 lakh daily on his air tours it can also be saved. He alleged that Mr Badal had made contacts with Sonia Gandhi through Barjinder Singh Hamdrard and Capt Amarinder Singh. A secret meeting had already been arranged. He said whenever Mr Badal became Chief Minister the party got humiliating defeat after that and was going to be repeated. He supported the cause of striking patwaris, Rmps and 89-day teachers. Mr Surjan Singh Thekedar criticised the anti-Panthic activities of Mr Badal. He said Mr Badal had brought a bad name to Sikh quam. Mr Sukhjinder Singh former Minister said that the people of the state were fed up with the Badal government and if Tohra had not formed the Akali Dal they would have voted for the Congress. Mr Kirpal Singh Libra, Chairman, Punsup alongwith district Akali Jatha presented a purse of Rs five lakh to Jathedar Tohra as election fund. Mr Sucha Singh
Chhotepur, Mr Ranjit Singh Dummna, Mr Sukhdev Singh
Dhillon, Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli, President Youth Akali
Dal, Mr Jaswant Singh Tann, District President Mr
Narinder Tiwana, Chairman Market Committee, Sirhind and
Mr Kirpal Singh Libra also addressed the conference. |
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Lok Sabha poll FARIDKOT, June 26 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will announce its candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha election in Punjab in the first week of July. This was stated by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister and chief of the party, while talking to reporters here today. Mr Badal who has been authorised by the Political Affairs Committee of the party said the nominees would be chosen on merit and nepotism would not be allowed in this respect. However, he parried the question regarding the nomination of his son and daughter Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister of State for Industries, and Mrs Parneet Kaur from Faridkot and Tarn Taran Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively. The Chief Minister, who had arrived here to attend a private function, said if required a committee of senior leaders would be set up to give final shape to the list of party candidates at the earliest. Dialogue with the BJP and other like-minded parties was in progress regarding the allocation of ticket. Levelling serious charges against Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President, All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, former MP and their other supporters for having a truck with the Congress, Mr Badal said these leaders would not succeed in their mission. The Chief Minister also decried the Congress party which shattered the economy of the country. Mr Badal appealed the people to bring an able Prime Minister like Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to lead the country on all fronts. The Chief Minister added that Punjab had made significant development in different fields and situation had also improved a lot as compared to the other parts of the country. He said Rs 700 crore would be spent to construct and repair roads during the current year in the state. The construction of new thermal plant at Goindwal Sahib would start soon to generate more power. The thermal plant at Lehra Mohabbat had already started functioning and the other at Thein Dam was likely to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister in the next 15 days. The Chief Minister made it clear that due respect, adequate financial assistance and government jobs under relaxed conditions would be given to the next of kin of those members who sacrificed their lives while fighting enemy in any part of the country. To another question Mr Badal said a grant of Rs 3 crore had already been given to start the work at Baba Farid Health Sciences University here and another instalment of the grant of Rs 7 crore would be released in the next two weeks. Later the Chief Minister
delivered documents regarding a piece of land to the
parents of martyr Gurbhej Singh who sacrificed his life
in the Bandipore area on June 5. The land was donated by
retired Army officer Col G.S. Sekhon. The Chief Minister
also addressed officers meeting directing them to speed
up development work in their respective areas. |
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Deputationists IAS officers' bane CHANDIGARH, June 26 — The Punjab IAS Officers' Association is perturbed over the induction of their own fellow officers from "outside" the state. Such IAS officers are known to exert "influence" in the right quarters and manage to get posted to Punjab on deputation either on "compassionate" grounds or on "health" or "parent-care" pleads. The association executive, which met here on Friday and decided to donate one day's salary to the war heroes' family welfare fund, also deliberated upon the induction of deputationists into the state cadre and economy measures initiated in the government. It is a known fact that having "engineered" their posting in Punjab, these IAS officers also angle for "important and crucial" posts. Some enterprising among them even move applications for subsequent "absorption" and do succeed. Association members drew the attention of the president, Mr B.R. Bajaj, to a letter he had written on the subject to the Chief Secretary on April 23, expressing "deep concern" over the inflow of deputationists and sought to know the response. While within the existing cadre there are officers who have been "ignored" in matters of postings and transfers, the executive noted that the Chief Secretary had not sent a reply to the letter even after two months. There are, TNS sources revealed, at present nine officers on deputation and each occupies an "important" and "crucial" post. When the state is already facing resources crunch and austerity is the watchword, where is the wisdom of encouraging more IAS officers into Punjab, which already has a burgeoning number of IAS officers? Most of the state IAS officers are willing to go to the Centre on deputation. There are some whom the Centre does not want. There is also a piquant situation when the state refuses to relieve an officer accepted on deputation. The case in point is of Mr V.K. Khanna, a former Chief Secretary. The executive felt that is future the association should not take such induction of deputationists lightly but "resist" the same. A resolution is to be sent to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary on this. Another issue which the meeting discussed pertained to the "economy" drive and felt sore that while bureaucrats have been singled out for implementation of economy measures, the "police and politicians" have been left untouched. Why burden the civil services and the technocrats alone? was the moot question. It may recalled that the Finance department has put certain restrictions on the expenses to be incurred on phone, petrol lubricants, oil and repair of vehicles. While endorsing the economy drive the executive resented the "discrimination", sources added. To a question, the sources said that the present nine officers on deputation are Ms Surinder Sidhoo (Secretary, Personnel), Mr Mohinder Singh (Secretary, PWD), Mr G.S. Pirzada (Managing Director, Punjab Warehousing Corporation), Ms S.K. Sandhu (Secretary Education), Mr R.T.Jindal (Special Secretary, Agriculture), Mr Devinder Kumar (Special Secretary, Secretariat Administration), Mr S.S. Sandhu (Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana), Mr K.J.S. Cheema and Mr Vivek Aggarwal (both posted in Muktsar as Additional Deputy Commissioners, Development and General, respectively). There were, sources said, several more officers waiting in the wings to join Punjab cadre, which has already accommodated some "couple" cases as well besides the ones mentioned above. One could understand the "genuine" cases siting "compassionate ground" as a reason.Nevertheless the available officers are equally capable of handling key posts. There is a brewing resentment over several "good" officers having been "dumped". The association, it is learnt, is also considering seeking administrative and judicial intervention in case the inflow of deputationists was not checked in future. IPS officers have already taken this step, wherein, judicial intervention was sought in the larger interest of the "local" officers belonging to the state cadre. Supersession in the IAS and political branding of officers has also led to a piquant situation within the cadre. Thus cadre change, absorption and good posts have all had a cummulative effect. Hence the discussion at the Friday meeting. the Punjab bureaucracy
is already under the lens. Of its own it had made an
attempt to take punitive steps on "corruption"
and "postings and transfers". All that was in
the past months.That has proved to be an
"abortive" attempt. The disease is somewhere
else and symptoms elsewhere. The remedy is known but who
will administer it? Political executive? bureaucracy? |
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Cong ticket for Gujral? JALANDHAR, June 26 — The two-day tour of this parliamentary constituency beginning tomorrow by former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral is being keenly observed by various political parties. Mr Gujral represents this parliamentary seat and it is to be seen whether he will reveal his inclination to contest this seat again in the ensuing elections in September. The former Prime Minister represented Jalandhar as the Janata Dal nominee in 1989 and in the previous parliamentary elections, he was supported by the SAD-BJP alliance. But the scenario since has changed, argue political observers, who feel the BJP will not forgive Mr Gujral for voting against the no-confidence motion against the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre. The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will be under pressure not to "bail out" the former Prime Minister this time. However, it is being said that Mr Gujral may contest on the Congress ticket. The AICC observer, Mr Yagya Dutt Sharma, during his visit here when asked if such a move was afoot was evasive in his reply and did not rule it out leaving many aspirants uneasy. Sources in the SAD-BJP government admit that the image of the alliance since it came to power had nosedived and it will not be a cakewalk for its candidates. On the other hand, the former Prime Minister's own personality and statesmanship will make him a formidable candidate. There are strong indications that if Mr Gujral contests as an Independent, the third front will support him. Mr Gujral's itinerary starts with a programme at the Rotary Club tomorrow noon followed by a visit to Goraya where he will address industrialists. Then he will visit the "dera" of Shravan Dass. Later at 7 pm, he will be the chief guest at the Sant Kabir Mela at Bhagat Budha Mal Park. On June 28 he will visit
the War Memorial here and address ex-servicemen. He will
attend a function organised by a local church, meet
delegates from different segments of society at the
Circuit House in the afternoon and conclude the tour with
a visit to the Radhasoami dera at Beas. |
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Yet another martyr from
Ferozepore BHOEPUR (Ferozepore), June 26 — Lance Naik Gurcharan Singh of 3rd Punjab Regiment another martyr of Ferozepore district. He is a resident of Bhoepur village, situated on the link road along the Dharamkot-Shahkot road, 70 km from here. Inhabitants of the village are eagerly awaiting to receive his body so that they can salute and pay tributes to him for his sacrifice made for the protection of motherland. Mr Mohinder Singh, martyr’s father, said he was proud of his son who sacrificed himself while fighting against the enemies. Gurcharan Singh is survived by son, Bhavanpreet (3), and wife. His family received his last letter on June 19. To express sympathy with the family of the martyr, the Ferozepore Deputy Commissioner, Mr Gurdev Singh Sidhu, accompanied by Mr Bakhtawar Singh, SDM, Zira, visited his residence and assured them that dependents of the martyr would be given all benefits as announced by the Punjab Government which include an ex gratia grant of Rs 2 lakh, a residential plot, and a government service to one of the family dependents on priority basis. Meanwhile, the DC said
his body would be expected to reach at Bhoepur village on
June 27. |
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Ticket to Jakhar disfavoured FAZILKA, June 26 — Congress ranks in Ferozepore district have virtually raised a banner of revolt against the possible candidature of Mr Bal Ram Jakhar, from the Ferozepore constituency Congress workers who met Yagya Dutt Sharma, central observer of the All-India Congress Committee, strongly opposed Mr Jakhar’s candidature. Others in the race for the Ferozepore seat are Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, former Chief Minister of Punjab Mr Virender Kataria, former M.P. (Rajya Sabha) and PPCC chief, Mr Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, General Secretary, PPCC, and Mr Hans Raj Josan, Secretary, PPCC. Besides them, Mr Mohinder Singh Gill, former MP and PPCC chief , is also in the race. During the Punjab Assembly poll in 1996 all nine Assembly constituencies in Ferozepore district, were won by the SAD-BJP combine. Former legislatures from the district, including Mr Bal Mukand Sharma, who represented Ferozepore four times on the Congress ticket, Mr Hans Raj Josan, Mr Babu Ram Chawla, both former state ministers, Dr Mohinder Rinwa, (Fazilka) and Mr Gurnaib Singh Brar (Ferozepore) in a memorandum to Mr Sharma at Moga last evening demanded that neither Mr Jakhar or any of his family members be given the ticket any person recommended by the Jakhar family should also be denied the party ticket. In the memorandum, senior Congress leaders have accused Mr Jakhar of damaging the party and held him responsible for the party rout in Ferozepore. They have said during the Assembly poll in Punjab Mr Jakhar secured party ticket for his proteges who had no mass base in Fazilka and Jalalabad Assembly constituencies. As a consequence, candidates sponsored by him lost. They have also complained that even though Mr Jakhar had contested from Bikaner, he was interfering in the party affairs in Ferozepore district to maintain his dominance. Mr Sajjan Kumar Jakhar, who is elder son of Mr Jakhar General Secretary of the PPCC pleaded with Mr Sharma not to give the party ticket to those opposing him and his father as cases against some of them were pending before the Lok Pal. According to
eyewitnesses, unruly scenes were witnessed at the party
gathering at Moga. Hundreds of workers who had travelled
long distances to aprise Mr Sharma of their views, were
not given audience. They returned disillusioned and
termed the visit of Mr Sharma as a mere eyewash. |
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Training poor in computers BATHINDA: The Computer Training Institute of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) here has imparted computer education to about 500 poor students in the past three years. Opened in February, 1996, the institute has so far trained 320 students belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the poor sections of society in the Certificate Course in System Management (CCSM) while 174 students of same category have been awarded the Diploma in Computer Programming. Apart from it, about 20 students have been given the Post-graduate Diploma in Computer Application (PGDCA). The institute was opened under the mini-ITIs scheme of the Central Government with the motive to raise the standard of technical education among the poor and Scheduled Castes. Computer training is being imparted free of cost. The motive behind the opening of this institute is to remove the imbalance of technical knowledge between haves and have-nots. The local institute — first of its kind in the state — trains 120 students with rural background having yellow cards every year. These students are given Rs 300 per month as a stipend. Mr Alok Shekhar, Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-Project Officer, DRDA, told TNS that after monitoring the performance and facilities available in the local computer institute, the DOEACC Society (An autonomous body under the Department of Electronics, Government of India) has granted for three years provisional accreditation for running 'O' level courses in the institute with effect from July. Examinations of the 'O' level computer courses would be held by the DOEACC Society every year and records of the students would be maintained according to the procedure laid down by the society. Mr Shekhar said at present there were 15 computers in the institute and only 12 students were being imparted education in one period. The computer centre also had its own library. The institute functioned from 8 a.m to 6 p.m six days a week. The names of successful candidates in various computer courses were being registered with the local employment exchange for jobs. Other placement avenues were also being explored for the students. The computer institute
was running without any external aid from the Punjab or
Central Governments. It had been made self-sustaining by
the fees charges for various computer courses from
non-poor and non-Scheduled Caste students. |
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Murder case solved, 3 arrested JALANDHAR, June 26 — The police has solved the murder of Kulwinder Singh alias Kulla son of Prakash Ram (19 years) with the arrest of three persons. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP said here today that a case (FIR no 51 of 23.6.99) under Section 302/34 of the IPC was registered by Goraya police station on the statement of Prakash son of Mela Ram of Sangh Dhesian. The complainant had stated that Ravinder Singh and Satwinder Singh both sons of Mr Pritam Chand have a TV repair shop in the village and Kulwinder had left a TV set with them for repair. When he went to collect the TV there was an altercation, in which three persons attacked Kulwinder with 'datar' and screw-driver. He was stabbed to death with the screw driver and 'datar' at 11 a.m. on June 23, 99. Mr Yadav said that the case was investigated by SI Harpreet Singh SHO, Goraya police station under the supervision of Mr Upinderjit Singh Ghumman, Dy S.P. Phillaur. Three accused surrendered before the SHO on June 24, i.e. Ravinder Singh S/o Pritam Chand, Satwinder Singh S/o Pritam Chand, Pritam Chand S/o Karam Chand. The accused have been
arrested and are in police remand. Preliminary
interrogation disclosed that the murder was a crime of
passion due to exchange of hot words.Weapons used for the
murder have been recovered. |
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Anti-drug day celebrated LUDHIANA, June 26 — The Indian Anti-Drug Addiction Forum, the United Nations Youth Organisation and the Lal Bahadur Shashtri Social Forum jointly celebrated International Day against drug abuse today in Janta Nagar. The Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress General Secretary, Mr Sushil Malhotra, and Dr Shiv Kumar Gupta, General Secretary of the forum, appealed to the youth to refrain from the use of drugs, alcohol and other intoxicants. PANIPAT: On the occasion of International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, as many as 600 students from different schools organised a rally to create awareness among the public against the evils of drug. The rally, organised by the District Red Cross Society, was flagged off by Mr P.K. Sharma, SDM. Addressing the students, the SDM said the problem of drug abuse and its illicit trafficking had become a major concern all over the world. He said a drug de-addiction camp had been organised by the District Red Cross Society at Lohari village in which as many as 50 drug addicts were given treatment. On this occasion, a former MLA, Mr Fateh Chand Vij, was also present. HOSHIARPUR: Mr R.P. Mittal, SSP, Hoshiarpur, inaugurated a medical check-up camp organised in connection with the International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking at the local Police Line on Saturday. Dr Kiranjit Kumar, Civil Surgeon, who was also present on the occasion said the problem had spread amongst all segments of society. PATHANKOT: A
seminar on drug addiction was organised here at Civil
Hospital on Saturday. Mr K.K. Garg, SDM, presided over
the seminar. |
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Conference on Netaji on July 24
& 25 ROPAR, June 26 — The fifth All-India Netaji Conference will be organised on July 24 and July 25 here by the local Netaji Research Foundation. Addressing a press conference here last night, Mr V.P. Saini, Chairman of the foundation and convener of the conference, said the conference would prepare startegy regarding the presentation of facts on the disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose before the Netaji Inquiry Commission, recently announced by the Government of India. Mr Saini said that besides the strategy, many issues of historical importance would also be discussed in the conference. He said 250 delegates from all parts of the country were expected to participate. The delegates would include the members of Netaji's family, families of the INA people, leaders of the All-India Forward Bloc, research scholars of international repute and the representatives of various oranisations working in the name of Netaji throughout the country. The Chairman said, there would be two sessions on July 24. In the morning session, discussions would be held on 'facts disproving Netaji's death in the alleged air crash at Taihoku on August 18, 1945'. In the evening session, the scholars would express their views on 'Netaji: A Victim of Conspiracy' Topic. On July 25, the conference in the morning session, would prepare 'strategy for presenting facts to the Netaji Inquiry Commission'. In the evening session it would prepare a 'master plan for creating an India of Netaji's dreams', he added. Mr Saini claimed that this conference on "Netaji" would prove to be a great mile stone in the history of India because of fruitful discussions leading to Netaji's disappearance and his ideology. Ne said, some decisions of far-reaching importance would also be taken at the conference. Mr Triloki Nath Gupta,
National Convener of All-India Jai Hind Parivar, said a
large number of members of the parivar would take part
and play a vital role for the success of conference. He
said, after the setting up of Jai Hind Parivar a few
months ago, more than 5000 members had so far been
enrolled. He expressed the hope that in view of over
whelming response from the youths, there would be 10,000
members of the Parivar by the end of this year. |
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Lecturers scale fixation case
cleared PATIALA, June 26 — The Punjab Government has cleared minimum fixation at Rs 14940 for the selection grade lecturers in the scale of Rs 12000 - Rs 18300. Claiming this in a press release Dr P.S. Bhatti, president, Punjab Government College Teachers' Association said here today that the Punjab government had also agreed in principle that the date of next increment would not change even in case of minimum fixation at Rs 14940 and an extension of completing refresher courses till December 31, 2000. He claimed two letters in this regard would be issued shortly, and said the Punjab government had also agreed to remove anomaly in the cases of principals being fixed in the scale of Rs 12000-18300 on their individual respresentations. Dr P.S. Bhatti has also
urged the Punjab government to grant two incentive
increments to in service Ph.D. teachers, benefit of past
service, service in the feeder grade and release of
arrears from 1.1.1996. Dr Bhatti also urged the Punjab
government to remove the disparity in the age of
superannuation between the government, private and
university teachers. |
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Spurious goods unit unearthed JALANDHAR, June 26 — The police has unearthed a factory making duplicate electrical capacitors using brand names of Samcap and Samrat. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP stated here today that two persons had been arrested and a case registered. The factory was located at Prithvi Nagar. The arrested were identified as Bhupinder Singh of Prithvi Nagar, Jalandhar, and Swaran Singh of Malsian village in Shahkot. Mr Yadav said the price
of the brand named capacitors was about Rs 1500 each
while these persons were selling the same at Rs 500-Rs
600 each. |
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Simranjit Mann to contest from
Sangrur CHANDIGARH, June 26
— Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president of the
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), will contest for the
Sangrur parliamentary seat as a joint candidate of the
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), the Shiromani Akali Dal
(Democratic) and the Samajwadi party, according to Kuldip
Singh Wadala, president of the SAD (Democratic). |
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Abducted girl traced MALERKOTLA, June 26
— The Ahmedgarh police smashed a gang involved in
abduction and sale of poor girls. Accoridng to Mr
Surinder Singh Saini, DSP, Malerkotla, an Ahmedgarh
police party raided the house of Shiv Kumar, son of Mam
Chand, resident of Ward No. 15 of Ahmedgarh, and
recovered a minor girl Rashida, daughter of Ali Mohammad,
resident of Gatti village of district Chobis Pargna, West
Bengal. He said the police arrested Shiv Kumar and his
wife Salma. Shiv Kumar revealed that they were to sell
the girl to Naser Khan, son of Aziz Khan of Rasulpur
village in Ahmedgarh tehsil. According to the DSP, a case
under Sections 365, 366, 372 and 373 of the IPC has been
registered against Shiv Ku |
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200 buses on contract for
PRTC soon PHAGWARA, June 26 — Punjab Transport Minister Raghbir Singh said here last night that 200 buses would soon be taken on contract for the PRTC to improve its services. The minister said the new private contract system would be run on the Delhi pattern. As many as 198 drivers would also be recruited on contract for two years. Under a new road tax
policy a 2 per cent lumpsum tax would be charged on the
total value of vehicle, the minister said. The issue of
giving some kind of benefit to kin of the Kargil martyrs
by the Transport Department would be taken up with the
Chief Minister, the minister added. |
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Anti-Pak protest PHAGWARA, June 26 — Activists of the All India Anti Corruption Forum, led by its president, Mr P.S. Passi, today burnt an effigy of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the local Paper Chowk on the G.T. road in protest against the Pakistan sponsored aggression in Kargil. The forum has decided to
organise a blood donation camp for the wounded soliders. |
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Engineer's bail plea rejected CHANDIGARH, June 26 — The Sessions Judge, Mr B.S. Bedi, today turned down the bail plea of Superintending Engineer C.J. Rai with the Punjab State Electricity Board. Rai, who was earlier on deputation with the Chandigarh Administration, was arrrested by UT Vigilance department in connection with a case registered on March 16 under section 13(1) (c), 2 and 15 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and sections 409, 511 and 120-B, IPC. The FIR pertains to the alleged preparation of inflated estimates about laying of 11 independent feeder from Sector 34 to Sector 31. The stand of the defence was that the order for the execution was never placed by the engineer. Moreover, there was a delay of three months in arresting him and he had been falsely implicated in the case. The defence told the
court that he had been transferred to Punjab after the
estimates were prepared. |
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Order to clear drain of
sullage PATIALA, June 26 — Mr M.S. Narang, Sub Divisional Magistrate, here has directed the municipal corporation to clean the drain passing through the city from the bus stand to the old Moti Bagh side within 15 days. The Magistrate issued the order on a petition by the Public Interest Litigation Aid Forum and seven leading advocates of Patiala and in view of the report of Tehsildar, Patiala, that such an order was essential so as to save city residents from the possible out break of any epidemic. According to Mr Ram Singh Salooja, president of the forum, the sullage drain running through the heart of the city was choked at various points, emitting a foul smell. It had become a breeding place for mosquitoes and was a potential source of various types of diseases during the approaching monsoons. Mr Salooja said
disobedience of the order entailed punishment under
Section 188, Indian Penal Code. Moreover, the order could
not be questioned in any civil court. |
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Seminar to educate panches,
sarpanches AMRITSAR, June 26 — As many as 7,500 panches and sarpanches attended a seminar held here today. The main objective of the seminar was to educate them regarding their rights and duties under the Panchayati Raj Act. The seminar was presided over by the Secretary Panchayats, Mr J.S. Gill. The Punjab Panchayat Minsiter, Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, said the act was fully implemented in the state with the election of 12,369 sarpanches and 75,000 panches. Mr Kahlon warned officials that any slackness on their part in dealing with the public would not be tolerated. During the seminar Mr
Jagir Singh Valtoha, Akali MLA from Valtoha, demanded
liberal grants to the villages. |
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Show-cause notice to MC chief KHANNA, June 26 — A show-cause notice has been issued to Mr Onkar Raj Mehta president, Municipal Council Khanna by the Punjab government. According to information following a complaint by more than 10 municipal councillors of Khanna MC the local government department deputed Chief Vigilance officer to inquire into the whole matter after the inquiry president was found guilty of the allotment of various works of MC to his relative Mr Suresh Kumar and Ashok Kumar and his domestic servant Shankar Yadav. Following the report of
Chief Vigilance Officer, Secretary local government,
Punjab, Mr N.K. Arora has issued a notice demanding his
reply within 21 days why he should not be removed from
the post of president and the membership of MC Khanna
vide letter No. 3553/7072 of June 7, 99. |
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