Tuesday, June 29, 1999
|
P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, June 29, 1999 |
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
 |
||
|
Punjab in
financial crisis |
 |
|
||||||
|
Insulate
police from political interference School in memory of martyr Soldier cremated with military
honours Districts to have fertiliser
plants Rain raises kharif prospects 41 schools may be upgraded Rakhra kicks off poll campaign No intrusion on Punjab border Sukhbir Badal denies nepotism by
CM Punjab to upgrade technical
studies Patwaris call off strike Shrine's desecration resented CM's vehicles hit in mishap |
||||||||
 |
||||
Punjab in financial crisis ROPAR, June 28 — Within the first quarter of the current year, the Punjab Government has been forced to stop all payments, except regular salary and pension, due to severe financial crisis prevailing since November 1998 in the state. According to sources in the Finance Department, the government imposed a ban on payments on June 24 telephonically to the District Treasury Officers in the state. The "ban" will continue till further orders. Earlier, in the previous financial year, the state government had been forced to impose such a ban on payments six times in the past six months (September 1998 to March 1999) due to poor financial health of the state. It is learnt that the government initiated this step to tide over the financial crisis, prevailing in the state. Earlier the government had created a sort of history in the beginning to this year by dividing the year into four quarters. The sources say, the government even before the start of this year, felt that the government would not be able to cope with the financial crisis. This forced the government to take such a drastic step for the first time in the state. Except regular pay and pension, a large number of other types of payment worth crores of rupees even in a district will be badly hit by this ban. The worst affected will be serving employees and pensioners whose pending bills of even of meagre amounts will not be paid by the treasuries in the state. The bills to be affected by the ban include T.A., medical, telephone, electricity, petrol, loans from General Provident Fund (GPF) and arrears. Whereas meagre payments of employees and pensioners have been stopped the retiring employees will also meet the same fate as their payments of gratuity leave encashment and other arrears will not be paid to them on time due to the ban on the payment. It is also learnt that as per the previous practice, the government issues special directions to the treasuries in the state whenever it desires to release any type of amount in the shape of funds. It is feared that this time, the same practice will also be followed by the government in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections so that voters could be wooed. People of the state
especially employees feel that the state government again
once has virtually admitted that the state has been
passing through a financial crisis. Some of them held the
state government responsible for its wrong policies on
the economic front. While a section of the society held
the concessions given by the Badal government to various
sections including to farmers and traders responsible for
the present crisis. |
||
PPCC dithers on show-cause
notices CHANDIGARH, June 28 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee authorities seem to have several issues on their mind. Within one hour the authorities made two different statements on one issue. In the first statement issued today, the PPCC authorities said that Mr Birdevinder Singh, General Secretary, and Mr Prem Gupta, Organising Secretary of the PPCC, had been suspended from the party on charges of breach of party discipline. Following this show-cause notices were issued to both for explaining their position to the Disciplinary Action Committee by July 14. But only an hour later another statement was issued by the party’s office here saying that the "suspension of Birdevinder Singh and Mr Prem Gupta will be effective if replies submitted by them to the Disciplinary Action Committee were not satisfactory." Informed party sources said that following pressure of the party high command in Delhi, the suspension orders were put in suspended animation. Sources said Mr Birdeviner Singh and Mr Prem Gupta had been advised by the party high command to file replies to the show-cause notices explaining their position. Meanwhile, Mr Harcharan Singh Hero, Chairman of the Disciplinary Action Committee, said today that a meeting of the committee was held here today in which the issue of Mr Birdevinder Singh, Mr Prem Gupta and two other leaders Mr Satwant Mohi and Mr Brij Lal Goel, who was earlier given a show-cause notice was also discussed. Among those who attended the meeting were Mr Lal Singh, Mr Sardul Singh and Mr Balmukand Sharma, all members of the committee. Mr Hero said Mr Birdvinder Singh and Mr Prem Gupta had been issued show-cause notices for breaching the discipline of the party and leaking out proceedings of the meeting which party leaders from Punjab held with Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President of the AICC, and other senior leaders of the party at Delhi, Mr Hero said that the
replies filed by Mr Mohi and Mr Goel to the show-cause
notices were found unsatisfactory. |
||
Kargil crisis JALANDHAR, June 28 — Advocating the postponing of Lok Sabha election till the Kargil crisis was resolved effectively former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral said that "the country was facing a war, and these elections came secondary to the nation's fight for maintaining and recapturing its territories". The Former Prime Minister addressing a function organised to pay "homage" to the Kargil martyrs at the War Memorial here today appealed to all political parties to join hands in this hour of crisis as the nation was waging a war against an enemy who had intruded into its territory. He said that it was a "war" in the Kargil sector. Minor intrusions "are tackled" within two weeks lent the armed forces of the country have been engaged to tackle it for the past two months to flush out the intruders in the sector, he added. An expert in diplomatic affairs and foreign policy, Mr Gujral reasoned that although Pakistan had lost its image of an innocent bystander in the Kargil sector as projected by it and the world opinion had swung in the favour of our country. He however said that the decision to cross the Line of Control should be left entirely to the armed forces. Lauding the spirit of nationalism demonstrated by the people, he said that the armed forces needed to feel that, the entire country stood behind them while they were engaged in a do or die situation. He cautioned that, if the election took place at this "juncture" political parties would rip each other over the Kargil issue, which would undermine "fighting spirit and morale of the soldiers". This situation would help Pakistan further in its nefarious designs", he said. Speaking on the caretaker government the former Prime Minister opined the the President should have formed a national government after dissolving Parliament as a caretaker government was not in a position morally to take decisions on vital issues facing the nation. Paying tribute to 41 martyrs of the state who made the supreme sacrifice since the Kargil crisis started, Mr Gujral also paid a moving homage to the soldiers who had died in the four wars the country had faced. He said that the state had sacrificed its sons for defending the nation's territory and it was an honour that out of 2600 casualties in previous wars 1902 were from Punjab. He appealed to the Punjabi spirit of honour and dignity and said that panchayat level committees be formed to look after the families of the martyrs. The families of Shaheed
Major Raman Dada, Major Rohit Sharma, Lt-Sacheen and
Havildar Harbhajan Singh was honoured at the function. Mr
Gujral, when queried if he would contest from Jalandhar
replied "the decision to contest will be made after
the Kargil crisis". |
||
Insulate police from political
interference PATIALA, June 28 — The creation of institutional safeguards, protection of rights of citizens, especially in relation to custodial deaths, illegal arrests, fake encounters, disappearances, provision of better working conditions to the police, particularly constables, was stressed in a workshop on citizens rights and law enforcement. The workshop suggested that the recommendations of the National Police Commission need to be implemented, the Police Act of 1861 should be amended. The workshop was organised by the Institute for Development and Communication, Chandigarh. Mr Shanker Sen, a Former Director of the National Police Academy and the National Human Rights Commission mentioned that there was need for insulating the police from ' political' interference. Mr P.S. Bawa, a former DGP, was of the view that there was proliferation of police activities like VIP duties, security etc while the basic functions like prevention and detection of crimes were undermined whereas it should be the main parameters of the police. Mr A.P. Bhatnagar from the Punjab Human Rights Commission said the professionalism and specialisation of the police force should be the main focus of reforms, Mr H.S. Sidhu, SSP Patiala, said there was need for giving stress on community rights and rights of victims. Dr Pramod Kumar, Director, Institute For Development and Communication, Chandigarh, mentioned that cases of violation of women rights were not registered. For instance, in 1995 for every reported rape, there were 68 unreported cases, for each dowry harassment case, 299 went unreported etc for molestation case 374 went unreported. Ms Surinder Kaur Grewal,
Chairperson, Punjab Women Rights Commission, mentioned
that there was need evolving a viable code of conduct for
policemen for combating atrocities against women. |
||
School in memory of martyr PATHANKOT: The government middle school, Charoli, in Pathankot sub-division will be named after the great martyr Harishpal, a lance naik of the BJK Rifles who made a supreme sacrifice combating Pakistan-backed intruders and Pakistan army regulars in the Dras-Kargil sector, said Mr S.K. Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur. Mr Sandhu said all the formalities to provide financial help and other facilities announced by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would be completed within next two weeks. He also announced the construction of a cremation hall at the site, the great martyr's body was consigned to the flames. Mr Sandhu lauded the village people for sending their youths to join the Army. The Charoli village falls in the border belt of the Indo-Pak border in the Bamial area of Pathankot sub-division. Harishpal Sharma's body was brought in a coffin to the village by the senior Army authorities and was consigned to flames in the presence of thousands of rural folks, civil, military and police officials, including Mr Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr K.K. Garg, SDM, Pathankot, with full military honours. The armymen reversed their weapons to pay last tributes to the great martyr who sacrificed his life for the sake of the country. However, his sacrifice did not go in vain and the Indian troops not only made an advance but also captured the Batalik ridge at a height of more than 17000 ft. Lance naik Sharma was a brilliant lad and always wanted to see a better society, especially the countryside, said Mr Ashok Kumar, a close Army associate of the martyr. Mr Sharma had left his
old mother, wife and elder brother, Mr Yash Pal Sharma,
who lit the pyre. |
||
Soldier cremated with military
honours BHOEPUR (Ferozepore), June 28 — The body of Lance Naik Gurcharan Singh of 3rd Punjab Regiment, who died while fighting against the infiltrators in the Batalik sector, was cremated with full military honours at his native village, Bhoepur, nearly 70 km from Ferozepore, last evening. Three-year-old Bhavanpreet, the only son of martyr Gurcharan Singh, with the help of one of his uncles lit the pyre of his father. Col D.N. Mathur, Ferozepore Deputy Commissioner Gurdev Singh Sidhu and Minister of State for Sainik Welfare, Punjab, Janmeja Singh Sekhon laid wreaths on the body. Hundreds of villagers, including men and women, officers and political leaders attended the cremation. Prominent among them were Mr Hari Singh Zira, Chairman, PSTC, former Punjab minister, Harmesh Kumar Mukhija, Mr Gurcharan Singh Pherurai, SSP and Mr Sital Singh MLA (Dharamkot). A slogan "yeh shaheed amar rahe" was raised by the gathering when the body of the martyr was put to flames. Contingents of the Indian Army gave the salute to the martyr by reversing their arms. Mr Gulzar Singh, who
brought the body from the Batalik sector to Bhoepur
village, said that Gurcharan Singh died in a heavy
artillery attack from the enemy on June 24. |
||
Districts to have fertiliser
plants NAWANSHAHR, June 28 — The Punjab Government with a view to providing better sanitation facilities in the towns has decided to set up plants for manufacturing fertilisers from the garbage at all district headquarters. This was stated by the Local Bodies, Labour and Employment Minister, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, while talking of mediapersons here at the office of the municipal council today. He said such a plant had already been set up at Jalandhar and the plant at Ludhiana would shortly be made operational. Mr Tandon said the government had started the "single transit pass system" for the convenience of the traders and transporters. Under this system it would be up to the traders that they wanted to stop for "rahdari and octroi" at one station or at more than one stations. He added that with the auction of octroi posts to private contractors, the income had increased. Citing examples, he said the octroi income of the town had increased to Rs 1.66 crore from Rs 85 lakh. The minister said to ensure an increase in the income of municipal councils and to expedite the pace of development in the towns, some more policy changes in working of the department of the local bodies were on the cards. He further said the vacant posts of EOs, MEs and inspectors, etc, had been filled at the local bodies department to make up for the shortage of staff in municipal councils. The Local Bodies
Minister said the government had decided to dispose of
the municipal council's properties through open auction
which had been encroached upon in various towns. |
||
Rain raises kharif prospects CHANDIGARH, June 28 (UNI) — The south west monsoon has further advanced into more parts of Haryana, Delhi and some parts of Punjab as torrential rains lashed parts of North India during past 24 hours, raising prospects of a good kharif crop. The city and its adjoining areas of Punjab and Haryana had 16.6 mm of rain which resulted in mercury going down by five degree celsius below normal in the past two days, the weather office said here today. Delhi was also lashed by monsoon rains with Safdarjung observatory recording 21.9 mm and Palam 18.1 mm rain. In Punjab, Patiala received 9.5 mm rain, while Ambala in Haryana had 3.2 mm rain, giving respite to people from the heat. Himachal had widespread rain with Nahan recording 50.8 mm followed by Una 49.2, Kaho 32.7, Sujanpur Tira 24.5mm. According to weather forecast here, moderate to rather heavy rains are likely to occur in Himachal and at a few places in Punjab and Haryana. A Lucknow report said Kakarhi in eastern Uttar Pradesh received 10 cm of rain during the last 24 hours. Gorakhpur, Faizabad, Bareilly and Lucknow divisions experienced heavy rain accompanied by storm. Normal to heavy rain was also reported from Allahabad, Kanpur, Varanasi and Kumaon divisions of the state. A weather office spokesman today said Bareilly and Bani received five cm rain while Rigaugi, Haridwar and Fatehgarh each received four cm rain. A Central Water Commission release said water in the Alaknanda river in Rudraprayag and Joshimath, Ganga in Hardwar, Dalmau and Kanpur, Ramganga in Bareilly and Dabri, Yamuna in Mathura, Agra, Aurraiya, Kalpi and Chillaghat, Sai in Rae Bareli and Sharda in Banbasa showed upward trend. Official sources today said here the water had entered many villages in Basti, Sidharthnagar, Balrampur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Gonda and Maharajganj following rain in Nepal. A report from Bareilly said heavy rain was reported in Nainital, Almora, Bijnore, Pilibhit and Bidayun affecting road traffic in Haldwani and Almora. The Weather Department
has forecast thundershowers and rain accompanied by
lightning in all divisions of the state during the next
24 hours. |
||
41 schools may be upgraded CHANDIGARH, June 28 — As many as 41 schools in Patiala district have been recommended for upgradation by the district education authorities. This had been done after taking into account the number of students in various villages of the district. Care was also taken to meet individual demands of the panchayats on the nature of upgradation. According to sources, the government had sometime back taken a decision that the upgradation would be done keeping in view the availability of staff. This was done keeping in view earlier experiences in the state where schools were upgraded but teachers were not posted for years together. This served no purpose other than showing on official records that a school had been upgraded. Moreover, the studies of students admitted in the higher classes suffered for want of teachers. Though the District Education Department has received a number of requests from different village panchayats and towns to upgrade the schools yet preference would be given to those which were deserving as per their survey, says Mr Kharak Singh, District Education Officer (Secondary), Patiala. He said his department had forwarded the cases of 41 schools in the district to the government for upgradation. As many as 10 schools would be upgraded from primary to middle, 16 from middle to high and 15 from high to senior secondary level. Presently, the district has 1156 primary, 164 middle, 118 high and 54 senior secondary schools. While all schools have the humanities stream, only 27 offer courses in science and 30 schools in commerce. To meet the shortage of teaching staff, the authorities have initiated measures to fill all vacant posts of teacher in the upgraded schools. He said he had received
instructions from the State Education Minister, Mr Tota
Singh, that no school should be upgraded until the
sanctioned strength was available in the larger interests
of the students. |
||
Rakhra kicks off poll campaign PATIALA, June 28 — The Shiromani Akali Dal high command has given a nod to Mr Surjit Singh Rakhra, a member of a multi-million non-resident Indian family to contest the Patiala parliamentary seat. He has started his campaign informally. In the last elections also, the SAD candidate, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, was the first to start his campaign. Though Mr Chandumajra, who is now with the All India Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, says he would contest the seat, his party is yet to endorse his candidature. The formal announcement of Mr Chandumajra's candidature will probably take place once seat sharing with the Bahujan Samaj Party is finalised. The Congress opinion is divided on the candidature of Pradesh Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh's wife Mrs Praneet Kaur. The Shiromani Akali Dal devoted this month to decide the party nominee for this seat. Among the names suggested, were of Subordinate Services Selection Board Chairman Jasdev Singh Sandhu, former legislator Randhir Singh Cheema and Mr Rakhra. The entire exercise was overseen by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh. It was after a meeting presided over by him last week that the entire party cadre of the constituency urged Mr Parkash Singh Badal to give Mr Rakhra the ticket. Since Mr Rakhra has accompanied Capt Kanwaljit Singh to a number of meetings held in the district. The finance minister has also been practically camping in the district since the last week to drum up support for Mr Rakhra. Efforts were also being made to project him as a consensus Akali candidate as Mr Rakhra was earlier quite close to Mr G.S. Tohra. Today also a meeting was
held in the villa of Mr Rakhra near here in which
panchayats of a number of villages passed a resolution
urging Mr Badal to give the party ticket to Mr Rakhra.
The resolution, which is being routed through the finance
minister, cites the social work done by him in the
constituency as his significant contribution. |
||
No intrusion on Punjab
border CHANDIGARH, June 28 — There has been no intrusion by Pakistani forces into the Punjab section of the Indo-Pak border. According to the Inspector-General of Police (Border Range), Mr J.P. Birdi, some reports had appeared that there was some intrusion from the Pakistan side, but they were not true. Mr Birdi said on
telephone from Amritsar that in Gurdaspur, Dera Baba
Nanak, Khalra or Khemkaran sector there had been no
intrusion from the other side. Both paramilitary and
armed forces were on high alert and keeping total vigil,
he added. |
||
Punjab to upgrade technical
studies FARIDKOT, June 28 — The Punjab Government has formulated a comprehensive scheme to upgrade technical education in the state. Under the plan E-mail and Internet facilities will be provided in all the 177 engineering, polytechnic and Industrial Training Institutes functioning in the state. Information technology and computer will be made a compulsory in 18 engineering colleges, said Dr Upinder Jit Kaur Minister for Technical Education at a press conference here today. The number of students will also be enhanced in these institutions. These institutions would be equipped with latest equipments, the minister added. She said each student of engineering colleges, polytechnics and ITIs would have to undergo training of six months, three months and one and half months in an industry, respectively, in Punjab before getting his degree. The minister stated that
liberal policy would be adopted to privatise technical
education. The minister said that the buildings of 15
more ITIs will be completed shortly. Matter has already
been taken up with leading state industrialists to
provide jobs to the trained graduates and other
categories of students to check unemployment. To monitor
the project an amount of Rs 126 crore had already been
allocated, the minister added. |
||
Sukhbir Badal denies nepotism by
CM FARIDKOT, June 28 — Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister of State for Industries has criticised Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President of the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal for levelling false allegations against Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal for encouraging nepotism. The Union Minister alleged that Mr Tohra himself was indulging in nepotism. In this regard, Mr Sukhbir Singh said that Mr Harmail Singh, son-in-law of Mr Tohra who was an ordinary employee of the Punjab government was under a Cabinet rank minister in the Badal government at Mr Tohra's instance. The same was the case of Mr Maheshinder Singh Grewal, former Medical Education and research Minister Punjab, a staunch supporter of Mr Tohra. Similarly Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra was allotted MP's ticket from Patiala Lok Sabha constituency in the last Lok Sabha elections at the behest of Mr Tohra the Union Minister alleged that Mr Tohra was making false charges. To a question the Union Minister denied press reports that he had launched his election campaign for contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections from Faridkot constituency. When his attention was
drawn that he had visited the area thrice during the past
one and a half months he replied that these were his
routine visits to redress problems of the people of the
area. Moreover, no decision had been taken by the SAD to
allot party ticket to him so far. |
||
Patwaris call off strike AMRITSAR, June 28 — The Revenue Patwar Union Amritsar district has called off its one month-old strike in view of the warlike situation in the border belt. This decision was taken
at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Mr Vinod
Kumar Sharma. The district unit also appealed to the
state union to accept the decision of Amritsar chapter
due to extraordinary situation in the border belt. The
press note issued here today said the union would
continue to endeavour for getting the genuine demands of
the revenue patwaris accepted. |
||
Shrine's desecration resented PHAGWARA, June 28 — Local Congress activists and villagers from Chairan village staged a dharna today in front of the office of the local Deputy Superintendent of Police to protest against the demolition of a wall and the "nishan sahib" of a shrine at the village. The protesters shouted slogans against a minister and a police officer for allegedly sheltering the culprits who had desecrated the shrine. Besides former minister, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, other senior Congress leaders including Mr Harjit Singh Parmar, Mr Ram Kumar Chaddha and Mr Shangara Ram addressed the rally. However, the DSP was not
available for comments since he had gone to Kapurthala to
attend a meeting. |
||
CM's vehicles hit in mishap PHAGWARA, June 28 — Two Maruti jeeps (Gypsy) of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal's cavalcade rammed into one another on the Banga road near old Subji Mandi today. However, Mr Badal was not with the cavalcade. It was reportedly going to Jalandhar. The mishap took place when the driver of the ambassador car at the head of the cavalcade applied brakes. A private Maruti car also rammed into one of the Gypsies. However, no one was
injured. |
||
 |
||
 |
| Nation
| Haryana | Himachal Pradesh | Jammu & Kashmir | Chandigarh | | Editorial | Business | Sport | | Mailbag | Spotlight | World | 50 years of Independence | Weather | | Search | Subscribe | Archive | Suggestion | Home | E-mail | |
