Tuesday, March 2, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Tuesday, March 2, 1999 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Hola
Mohalla begins Sink
differences, says Badal |
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Wheat
coming but where to store it Pak
gurdwaras may go to extremists Punjab’s
no to Rajasthan War
against Badal to continue: Tohra PWD
razes Khanauri encroachments Hepatitis-B
carriers found in jail Atrocities
on Dalits BSP warns state government |
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Hola Mohalla begins ANANDPUR SAHIB, March 1 — The three-day annual Hola Mohalla festival began with religious fervour and enthusiasm striking a colourful note here today. Thousands of devotees, who started pouring in here early this morning from all parts of the state, paid obeisance at the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and other historical gurdwaras. A large number of devotees also took a dip in the holy sarovar. Many persons were also administered ‘amrit’ (holy water) who offered themselves for baptising at the Takht. About 20 stalls have been put up near Takht Kesgarh Sahib by different government departments to depict the development in the state. For the recreation of the visitors circus, magic shows, swings and other such games are the major attractions. Gurdwaras and Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib have been tastefully decorated and illuminated. A large number of langars have been organised by different deras and sangat. From Our Correspondent:
The platforms for political conferences were also
erected today by various political parties. The stage for
SAD (Badal) has been set up in the main ground just in
front of the Gurdwara Kesgarh Sahib. Just adjoining it,
is the stage for Akali Dal (Amritsar), while the Congress
has erected its stage at its traditional place near
Khalsa College. Though the Tohra faction has not erected
its own stage but according to sources, it is likely that
Mr Tohra and his associates will address the people from
the stage for Sant Samaj. |
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Chardi Kala March ends ANANDPUR SAHIB, March 1 — The four-day "Chardi Kala-Sarbat da Bhalla March", started from Talwandi Sabo on February 25, culminated this evening here on a colourful note. Five gliders, showered colour paper slips on the march. Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal and Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh, accompanied the march from Chamkaur Sahib today. The march was received by Jathedar, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Prof Manjit Singh, SGPC member Jarnail Singh Aulakh, Jathedar Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Head Granthi of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Tarlochan Singh, Manager of the Takht Udham Singh, additional secretary of the SGPC, Mr Dalmegh Singh and others. Prof Manjit Singh performed 'ardas' on the culmination of the march and carried Guru Granth Sahib on his head to the Takht. He presented siropas to Mr Badal, Mr Talwandi, Jathedar Tota Singh and Mr Gurdev Singh Badal. Siropas were also presented to Panj Piaras, Panj Nisanchi and Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib. Addressing the gathering at the Takht, Mr Parkash Singh Badal appealed to all to forget differences for holding tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa in a befitting manner. He said one or two persons did not matter, it was the Panth which mattered. He wanted to complete the celebrations with the help of all. Mr Badal called upon people to spread the philosophy of the Gurus all over during the tercentenary celebrations' year. He expressed his gratitude to the people for extending whole-hearted support and response to the march which passed through the Guru Gobind Singh Marg and reached here by travelling about 577 km distance. Prof Manjit Singh, while
welcoming the marchers, extended invitation to the sangat
to participate in the celebrations to be held here from
April 8 to April 15. He also thanked Mr Badal for
initiating the march for the propagation of the sacred
philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh. |
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Tohra 'backed out' on
celebrations CHAMKAUR SAHIB, March 1 — The Punjab Chief Minister and president Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today charged that the SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra had backed out from the decision regarding the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa. Answering a question Mr Badal said it was up to Mr Tohra, participate in the political conference of the SAD to be held at Anandpur Sahib tomorrow. He was talking to newsmen in the Gurdwara Katalgarh Sahib complex here, where he was present along with Mr Tommy Thomson, Governor of Wisconsin in connection with the "Chardi Kala-Sarbat da Bhala march". The march arrived here last night. Mr Badal expressed the desire that Mr Tohra should be present at the SAD political conference, on Tuesday. The Chief Minister disclosed Punjab and the State of Wisconsin (USA) had decided to establish close ties, which included the establishment of a campus of Wisconsin University in Punjab, cooperation in agriculture and food processing, cooperation in the field of dairy farming, joint ventures, investment and trade and cultural exchange, including travel and tourism. Later, Mr Badal along with Mr Tommy Thomson saw off the march. About 70 vehicles, carrying marche, were in the procession. Bazars near gurdwara Katalgarh Sahib here were forcibly closed on account of CM's security. The police 'bandobast' hampered the free movement of the vehicular traffic. Despite full 'sarkari' patronage to the march, it got a lukewarm response here. Two helipads had been built for the landing and take off of CM's helicopter near Sallomajra village and near stadium here. Mr Badal addressed the
gathering from a vehicle near the gurdwara. Punjab
ministers Tota Singh, Madan Mohan Mittal, Gurdev Singh
Badal and Narinder Singh were also present. Some SGPC
members of the district also attended the function. |
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Wheat coming but where to store
it CHANDIGARH, March 1— Another major crisis is knocking at the doors of the Punjab Government. It is related to wheat storage. New wheat will start arriving in the grain markets within five weeks. The state government’s agencies and the FCI have fixed a procurement target of about 70 lakh tonnes of wheat for the central pool. There is a bumper wheat crop this year and its yield is expected to be nearly 140 lakh tonnes. But there is no space available for storing new wheat as available stores are already filled to the brim. Wheat stored there has not yet been moved out to deficit states. According to informed sources, only a few lakh tonnes of wheat can be stored in the state’s stores. Usually, wheat is stored in the open on plinths prepared for this purpose. It is covered with polythene. Official sources said about 40 lakh tonnes of wheat procured last year for the central pool by state government agencies was still in various Punjab stores. Out of this, about 6 lakh tonnes belonged to the Punjab Food and Supply Department, nearly 15 lakh tonnes to Markfed, 12 lakh tonnes to PUNSUP and the rest to the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation and the Punjab Agro Industries Corporation. The Punjab Government has sent several sos calls to the Central Government to vacate the stores in Punjab by moving the wheat to other deficit states for making space available for new wheat. The Central Government has agreed to move out about 10 lakh tonnes per month. But it will not serve the purpose. Even after moving this quantity of wheat in a month, there will be more than 30 lakh tonnes remaining with the state from the old stock by the first week of April when new wheat will start arriving. By May-end, the state will be requiring space to store about 50 lakh tonnes of new wheat. As much as 50 lakh tonnes of unmilled paddy is lying in the state. Rice prepared from it is also to be stored in the state’s godowns. Only 2.5 lakh tonnes of wheat was being moved out from the state every month. Due to this slow pace of movement of wheat, the backlog continued to pile and now the state was facing a very serious crisis. And the crisis was expected to be compounded by the coming paddy crop. The source said that about 140 lakh tonnes of wheat and paddy is procured in the state every year. For storing wheat and rice prepared from paddy, at least 10 lakh tonnes of foodgrains was required to be shifted from Punjab to other states every month. Anticipating trouble on this front, the authorities concerned have written to the Union Government to find a permanent solution to this problem. All Deputy Commissioners in the state have been told to identify government buildings like schools etc where new wheat can be stored. Apart from this, tenders have been floated for hiring space to store new wheat. But as hiring charges are not very encouraging, only a few parties have responded. The sources said the shelf life of wheat is normally considered up to one year. But some of the state agencies have wheat stocks procured in 1997. If any quantity of this stock was damaged, the state government agencies would have to pay the penalty. The FCI’s attitude was indifferent with regard to moving out wheat stock from Punjab to other states. The FCI preferred to send its stocks to other states and state government agencies were not given due weightage and preference. Moreover, wheat which was
imported from Australia had come through sea route. It
was unloaded at Bombay and sent to southern states which
otherwise are known as deficit states. As there was no
demand from southern states the FCI remained hesitant to
lift wheat to other states. Punjab would have to pay the
price for the Central Government’s mismanagement on
this front. |
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Pak gurdwaras may go to
extremists AMRITSAR, March 1 — Certain foreign-based Sikh organisations of Khalistani protagonists might succeed in wresting control of Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan since their reported move to form a Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PGPC) is likely to be accepted by the Pakistan Government shortly. According to sources here it had almost been agreed that the US-based Khalistani leader Ganga Singh Dhillon or one of his close associates would head the committee. Mr Dhillon had reportedly succeeded in winning over both factions of the International Sikh Youth Federation. One faction is led by Lakhbir Singh Rode and the other is aligned with Paramjit Singh Panjwar. Two other important militant organisations — the Babbar Khalsa led by Wadhawa Singh and the Dal Khalsa headed by Gajinder Singh, Satnam Singh, set up in Pakistan are reported to have opposed the move. If the new committee is constituted it might be considered as a setback to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who during his visit to Lahore took up the matter of the upkeep and maintenance of Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan with the Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif. He had suggested setting up of a committee with representatives of the SGPC, the Pakistan Government and some local Sikhs to restore normal rituals. Mr Badal also stressed that renovation and repair of gurdwara buildings in Pakistan be carried out with the help of SGPC. In case Pakistan approved the setting up of the PGPC it would be contrary to the suggestions made by Mr Badal. Ganga Singh Dhillon who is reported to have been camping in Pakistan seems to have taken advantage of the on-going bickerings in the SGPC and the Akali Dal. It may be mentioned that
such moves are in the air for the past two years. During
this period the Pakistan Wakf Board had made attempts to
wrest control of the collections of cash at historic
gurdwaras during the visits of Sikh jathas to Pakistan as
they placed their own 'golaks' (cash boxes) to collect
donations. Such golaks were, however, removed by SGPC men
who accompanied these jathas on the plea that they had to
spend the collected money for the payment of ration for
langar and other articles. |
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Headworks’ handover to BBMB NEW DELHI, March 1 — The Punjab Government is not prepared to handover the control of Mukeria and Harike Pattan headworks to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the State Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, said here today. Briefing newspersons here on the outcome of the meeting of Chief Ministers of North Zone at Surajkund yesterday, the Punjab Minister said his Government did not accept the proposal of Rajasthan because the state had been managing these headworks successfully and there was no need to hand over the control to the BBMB. The Minister told the meeting that the management of the headworks and the off-take of canal (double) to Rajasthan and various other States have been given due allocation. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the decision of northern states to implement uniform sales tax on 14 items, as decided at a meeting in October last year, had not been implemented till now. The Punjab Government had offered to hold another meeting of Finance Ministers of northern states in Chandigarh shortly to take a final decision on modalities of the implementation of uniform sales tax in all States. Capt Kanwaljit Singh told the meeting that to ensure more funds for developmental purposes there was a need to have a minimum buoyancy in collection of various taxes. For this, he said the states should do away with competition in giving large-scale tax concessions and tax holidays to attract investments. Instead of giving direct incentives, the states should give incentives in the form of better infrastructure facilities and other requirements. This would be one of the issues to be discussed at the next meeting in Chandigarh, the Punjab Finance Minister said. Punjab also pointed out that to speed up developmental programmes, it was essential that political as well as financial powers be delegated to states along with complete decentralisation of planning process. He felt the states should be given the option to plan their own priorities according to its own requirements. Capt Singh said it was decided at the meeting that appropriate recommendations would be made to the Centre in this regard. The Punjab Finance Minister said he also took up the issue of expanding the runway of the Amritsar International airport. He said the Punjab Government plans to develop the holy city for exporting fresh farm produce to the Middle East and other countries of Central Asia. He said the Centre had accepted the proposal and the Ministry of Civil Aviation had allocated Rs 124 crore to complete the expansion scheme of the airport so that large aircraft can be handled there. He said work on the airport would start next month after the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, lays the foundation stone. The Punjab Minister also referred to the high potential of hydel power in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and offered the state’s facilities and finances to explore a joint exploitation of this potential. The issue would be discussed at the next meeting of Chief Ministers of northern zone at Himachal Pradesh, he said. All Chief Ministers at the
Surajkund meeting were of the view that the fifth Pay
Commission recommendations had placed a high burden on
state resources and the Centre should evolve a
methodology to help out the States. Capt Singh said the
Northern Region Council would make adequate
recommendations in this regard to the Finance Ministry. |
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War against Badal to continue:
Tohra PATIALA, March 1 — Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra president, SGPC, has said that he will continue his war against Mr Badal till the honour of Akal Takht is restored. Mr Tohra was addressing a gathering at the death anniversary of the wife and son of Mr Gurdev Singh Sidhu, MLA, Shatrana, at Patran yesterday. Mr Tohra said the Chief Minister was scripting a black history of the state as never in the past the Jathedar of Akal Takht had been suspended. Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra,
MP criticised Mr Badal for issuing a whip for SAD MPs to
vote in support for the President's rule in Bihar. He
said by this move Mr Badal had deviated from the
long-held policy of the SAD to stand against Article 356. |
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PWD razes Khanauri
encroachments KHANAURI (Patiala), March 1 — This small but vibrant town along both sides of Patiala-Narwana (Haryana) scheduled road is a picture of destruction. The first perception of a first-time visitor to the nearly two kilometre stretch is of heaps of debris, broken walls, and scores of labourers busy removing and cleaning the piles of rubble to the accompaniment of wails of women and children evocative of scenes after a massive earthquake. However, the destruction in this case is man-made and began on February 19 when officials of the Public Works Department, Sangrur circle descended on the town armed with court notices and departmental orders to remove all encroachments alongside the road. Accompanied by scores of policemen and bulldozers within a span of two and a half days they razed the nearly 600 shops and houses, including two bank buildings and a school to the ground. The demolition drive was conducted amidst vehement protests by the locals who while admitting that the majority of construction were built of encroached land sought humanitatrian consideration. There was a lull in demolitions on the afternoon of February 22 after a shopkeeper Mr Mohan Lal was buried alive under the debris of his shop. One of his relatives was seriously hurt by falling debris and his leg had to be amputated. Following this incident public pressure mounted but could hold back the demolition team for only three days up to February 26, when the PWD officials again started the encroachment-removal exercise. When this correspondent visited the market on Friday afternoon PWD officials were marking a distance of 75 feet parallel to the edge of the road as the limit for demolition. All buildings within the limit would be brought down. A shopkeeper, Dhyan Singh, was seen pleading that his shop not be brought down and that he himself would dismantle it to salvage material. Xen PWD J.S. Sidhu, who was on the spot, defended the demolition drive. He said a stretch of 165 feet of land alongside the road belonged to the PWD for construction or expansion of the road. Even the Supreme Court had also ordered removal all encroachments alongside the highways. He said that a number of notices were served to the residents and correspondence had been going on for the past many years. Mr Sidhu said the residents had given in writing that they would remove the encroachments themselves but as they had not kept their promise the department had to swung in action. When asked what was the immeidate provocation for the timing of the drive Mr Sidhu declined to comment. He, however, admitted that there was no immediate proposal for expansion of the highway. Mr Deshraj an employee of Housefed whose house was also demolished said he had been living in it since 1956. He said PWD officials issued notices of encroachment only in recent years. We were corresponding with the authorities when suddenly they swarmed down on the place with bulldozers and within hours we were on the road itself. He said that the residents had offered in writing to demolish the buildings themselves. However, they had not anticipated the PWD authorities attacking the area suddenly. He also alleged that PWD authorities were demolishing not only alleged encroachments but buildings constructed on registered land. Daljit Singh who runs a girl high school, which was recently undertaken over by the government said no notice had been served. The PWD did not give time to residents to even evacuate buildings and began bulldozing every structure, he said. He has been living here since 1958. Four members of the notified area committee of Khanauri, Mr Jai Narain Singh, Ms Paramjit Kaur SAD (Badal), Mr Tarsem Chand Singla and Kamlesh Rani Singla both from the BJP, resigned from party membership in protest against the demolitions. Residents also charged PWD officials with demolishing buildings in an 85 feet radius from the road although PWD land extended for 75 feet only. Khanauri location itself is peculiar in that part of it falls in Patiala and the rest in Sangrur district. The people elect three representatives of the area, one for the Lok Sabha parliamentary seat of Patiala which is held by Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a second for the legislative assembly seat of 'Lehragaga' held by former Chief Minister Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and another legislative seat for Shatrana constituency held by 'SAD' MLA Gurdev Singh Sidhu. The residents said even though they elect three leaders none of them came to their rescue. Mrs Bhattal, however, visited the market on Wednesday and assured suitable compensation for the affected people. She also announced that she would take up the issue with Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal. In a bizzare twist while
200 families were rendered homeless in the drive it has
come as a boon for labourers and the mason, pressed into
service by residents to remove the debris and gather
usable remnants for restoring the remainders of building.
These workers are charging usurious sums for their
service. The price of a mason went up to Rs 300 daily
from Rs 150 while that of a labourer went up to Rs 140
from Rs 70 in the wake of the drive. |
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Hepatitis-B carriers found in jail BATHINDA, March 1 — After invading number of villages of this district, hepatitis-B now seems to be spreading its tentacles in the local central jail. This fact came to light when two blood donors were found out to be hepatitis-B carriers out of a total of 20 inmates who donated blood few days back in a camp organised by the Blood Donors' Council, NIIT, in the jail. Mr B.S. Gill, Deputy Superintendent (jail), when contacted by TNS said the jail authorities were taking steps to check this. Water samples were being tested and water sources were being clorinated. The water was being supplied to the jail by the public health authorities, he added. He said that few months ago, he had written to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for vaccinating all inmates against the hepatitis-B but no action had been taken so far. He added that the jail had no funds for purchasing expensive medicines for treating hepatitis-B carriers in the jail and for preventing its further spread. He said that at present the central jail had about 875 inmates, including the convicted and under trials, against its capacity of 500 inmates. The jail authorities were finding it difficult to screen every inmate, he added. Mr B.S. Dhaliwal, in charge, jail hospital, said that two hepatitis-B carriers who were detected by chance would be isolated. He claimed that these carriers never complained of jaundice to him. Dr Bawa Ram, CMO, said that as the jail authorities had their own independent fund for purchase of medicines, so the district health authorities could not arrange for the hepatitis-B vaccine from its own resources. He said that District Epidemeologist Officer (DEO) had taken the water samples from the jail and had contacted the jail doctor for taking the history of the hepatitis-B carriers. He added that the Civil Hospital authorities would arrange for the educative material regarding the prevention of hepatitis-B for the jail authorities. In the past two months,
two hepatitis-B carriers had died here, while the Civil
Hospital authorities had detected about 50 hepatitis
carriers in few villages during a random survey. |
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Atrocities on Dalits BSP warns PHAGWARA, March 1 — Accusing the SAD-BJP government of promoting "jaatiwadi atwaad" (casteist terrorism) against Dalits in Punjab, Mr Avtar Singh Karimpuri, general secretary of state unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party, today served an ultimatum to the Punjab Government that in case it failed to curb this terrrorism by March-end, the party then will set up "hit back centres" in vulnerable areas for following a tit for tat policy. Talking to newspersons and later addressing a rally here, Mr Karimpuri said that if any social upheaval followed due to the BSP's this policy then the government would be held responsible. The first centre will be set up at Bhangar Khera village near Abohar where a handicapped Dalit women and her daughter were stripped and paraded in the village after blacking their faces. The culprits were booked under bailable section of 451, IPC, while they have been and must be arrested under non-bailable section of 376, IPC, and prevention of atrocities on SC/ST Act, demanded Mr Karimpuri. He alleged that during two years of this government's regime many farm labourers had been murdered and 150 Dalit women raped. To prevent it, the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act should be implemented with a heavy hand, he demanded. Mr Shangar Pal Sahungara, lone BSP MLA, who was also sitting, said he would raise these issues in the Vidhan Sabha during the Budget session beginning from March 9. Calling the Congress, Akalis, BJP, Communists, JD and others Mr Karimpuri stressed that since problems of the country remained unresolved during past 50 years people should now give the BSP a chance to rule and solve these problems. Calling for reservation Act, Mr Karimpuri accused both the Congress and Akalis of adopting an indifferent approach towards reservation. If the Congress did not promote a senior IAS officer (SC), Mr Hari Ram, Chief Secretary of Punjab, the Akalis had also not promoted Mr Sube Singh to the post of the DGP, alleged Mr Karimpuri. Rather, Mr Sube Singh remained on post of DGP (home guards) for a long time and only now had been made DGP (vigilance), he said. A backlog of 32,000 vacant posts causing annual loss of Rs 250 crore to Dalit employees, blockage of promotions, 5 per cent decrease in reservation, treating Backward classes as bonded labour and non-implementation of Mandal report were gifts of the Congress and the Akali regimes, Mr Karimpuri alleged. Giving a do or die call to Dalits to save Dr Ambedkar's philosophy, Mr Karimpuri also called upon the Punjabis to rid the state of feudal coterie of Mr Badal and for saving employees, Dalits,peasants and poor people. Besides MLA Shangar Pal
Sahungra, former MP Harbhajan Lakha, district BSP
president Ashok Sandhu and block president Harbhajan
Balalon also addressed the rally. |
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A rare distinction CHANDIGARH, March 1 — Mr Teja Singh, President of the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and other Employees Union, has achieved a rare distinction of spending the last day of his service in Burail jail here. He has been arrested in connection with the ongoing agitation of school teachers and other employees in support of their demands. Mr Teja Singh retired from service yesterday after putting a 33 years of service as a master in Sargodha Khalsa High School, Ludhiana. Many teachers of aided
schools went to meet him in the jail today and
congratulated him for fighting for the cause of the
teaching community. |
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Badal greets people on Holi CHANDIGARH, March 1 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called upon the people to maintain age-old traditions of communal amity and brotherhood during Holi. Extending his
felicitations on the occasion, he said the festival of
colours had special significance in India's centuries old
cultural heritage, which propagates the unity of mankind,
tolerance and mutual understanding. |
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Bodies of missing girls found TARN TARAN, March 1 — The local police today found the bodies of two girls Gurjeet Kaur (8), daughter of Mr Manjinder Singh and Jaswant Kaur (5), daughter of Mr Pargat Singh, both residents of Jarmastpur village. The girls were missing since January 19, 1999 under suspicious circumstances. The police has registered a case under Sections 302, 201, IPC, against Bahal Singh, alias Balla (17), a resident of the same village in this regard. The police sources said here that a report was lodged in this regard in police station Chabal on January 19. The police received
information today that the girls, who belonged to a Dalit
family, had been killed by a young man of the same
family. It is also reported that the accused Bahal Singh
made a failed attempt to rape Gurjeet Kaur (8) and there
after he killed both the girls and buried their bodies at
a farm house in Palasaur village. The bodies were badly
decomposed and were postmortemed at the local civil
hospital. The accused has been arrested. |
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G.S. Sohan Singh dead AMRITSAR, March 1 — A renowned painter of portraits of Sikh gurus and other historical scenes, G.S. Sohan Singh, died here last night due to old age . He was 86. He was son of an engraving artiste Gian Singh who introduced animal figures in the fresco paintings in the Golden Temple. He was cremated this morning at the cremation ground near Gurdwara Shaheedan. Those present included officials and staff members of the SGPC and Golden Temple complex, religious and political leaders and prominent citizens. The SGPC President, Mr
Gurcharan Singh Tohra, and the suspended Jathedar of Akal
Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, condoled his death and lauded
his services to the Sikh Panth. |
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CM condoles death CHANDIGARH, March 1 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has expressed grief over the death of Mr G.S. Sohan Singh, a well-known painter, at Amritsar last night. He has extended his heartfelt sympathies to members of the bereaved family. The octogenarian painter has left an indelible mark in the tresco paintings on the walls of the Golden Temple. Mr Sewa Singh Sekhon,
Minister of State for Information and Public Relations,
also condoled the death. |
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Wisconsin varsity to set up
satellite campus CHANDIGARH, March 1 — Mr Tommy Thompson, Governor of the Wisconsin state of the USA, and Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister, today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for estabilishing a satellite campus of the University of Wisconsin in Punjab. Addressing a press conference after a lunch hosted by Mr Rajinder Bedi, Chief Editor of the Indian Reporter and World News, which is published from Chicago, for Indian journalists here today, Mr Thompson said he was hopeful that the campus would start functioning next year. The Punjab Government had offered the campus of the Punjab Institute of Public Admnistration at Chandigarh for the satellite campus to begin with. Mr Thompson said about 100 acres of land would be required to set up a permanent campus of the proposed university. He said students from the USA interested in Indian affairs would also come here for studying on the satellite campus. He said Wisconsin state
had earmarked $ 2 million for scholarships to those
students from Wisconsin state interested in studying
abroad. Courses in the MBA, information technology,
agriculture etc would be started at the proposed campus. |
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'Withdraw diesel price hike' NEW DELHI, March 1 (PTI) — Punjab Finance Minister Kanwaljit Singh today demanded a roll-back in the diesel price hike, saying it would directly affect the farmers and increase inflation. "The price hike in diesel by Re one per litre will directly affect the farmers and the common man and also increase the transportation cost which in turn will increase inflation," he told reporters here. The Finance Minister said he would shortly be taking up the issue with Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha. He said the Minsitry of Civil Aviation had allocated Rs 124 crore for the development of Amritsar international airport, adding with the fresh funds state government would develop the runway and other infrastructure at the airport to handle increase in traffic in near future. "State government plans to develop airport into a major exit point for proposed exports of agriculture produce to central Asia and west Asian countries," he said. The Minister informed that
new faclities at the airport would be complete by the end
of this year. |
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Pak poet for easing visa regulations AMRITSAR, March 1 — Eminent Urdu and Punjabi poet Dr Khalid Javed, leader of a 15-member Pakistani delegation today strongly advocated the relaxation of visa rules to facilitate movement of people of both the countries without any restrictions Dr Javed, while talking to newsmen here today, said both the governments should encourage frequent interaction among various cultural groups including that of poets, writers, journalists, artists and social organisations for better understanding. It is high time that the bitterness of last 50 years end in the aftermath of summit-level talks between Pakistan and Indian Prime Ministers at Lahore last week, he added. The delegation was
sponsored by the south-Asian fraternity and visited
various parts of Punjab including Chandigarh, Jalandhar.
It returned to Pakistan today in the Samjhauta Express.
The chairman of Hind-Pak Dosti Mr Dilbar Singh, who was
instrumental in arranging their programme said that
pressure groups from both countries could influence
public opinion for better relations. |
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Decision not to hinder exams CHANDIGARH, March 1 — The executive committee of the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and others Employees Union has decided not to cause any obstruction or hinderance in the conduct of matriculation and plus-two examinations beginning on March 4 and 9, respectively, Mr Manohar Lal Chopra, general secretary of the union, said here. Aided school employees will, however, boycott the duties in connection with these examinations. This decision was conveyed
to Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Chairman of the Punjab
School Education Board, today, who agreed to apprise
Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal of the union's
demands. |
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Super-time scale for 7 IAS
officers CHANDIGARH, March 1 —
The Punjab Government today promoted and gave the
super-time scale of Rs 18400-500-22400 to the following
seven IAS officers: Mr V.K. Bhardwaj, Mr Navneet Singh
Kang, Mr Suresh Kumar, Mr Jagpal Singh, Dr Manmohan
Singh, Mrs Agya Rajinder Singh and Mrs Sushil Gupta
w.e.f. January 1. |
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Pak players kar sewa at mandir JALANDHAR, March 1 (PTI) — A visiting hocky team from Lahore's MAO Government College will take part in the ongoing "kar sewa (community service)" at Durgiana temple in Amritsar. The team, which is here in connection with a college tournament, would take part in the "kar sewa" at the shrine on March 3, team officials said. The team members told reporters here that they found Amritsar no different from Lahore. Referring to the protests
by Jamaat-e-Islami activists against Prime Minister A B
Vajpayee's recent bus trip to Lahore, the players said a
majority of Pakistanis did not approve of such actions. |
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YC's initiative on family planning LUDHIANA, March 1 (PTI) — The All India Youth Congress (AIYC) on Sunday decided to set up an example in the field of population control in India by imposing a new type of self discipline on its own office bearers. AIYC secretary Jagdish Chander told newsmen here that from March onwards, no member of the organisation (upto block level) will be allowed to hold any office in the organisation if he or she has more than two children. This, however, would not apply to those who already had more than two children, he added. He also said the Youth
Congress had decided to float a wing named 'the rakt
vahini' whose members would willingly donate blood
whenever called upon to do so. |
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4
arrested
in dowry case BATHINDA, March 1 — Dr O.P. Goyal, Examiner, State Chemical Laboratory, Patiala, his sons, Dr Vikas Goyal and Nigam Goyal and wife Mrs Poonam Goyal were arrested today by the city kotwali police from Patiala for allegedly harassing his daughter-in-law Dr Ramneeka Goyal for bringing inadequate dowry. Police sources said Dr Ramneeka Goyal, who was married to Dr Vikas Goyal in March 1998, made a complaint against her husband and other relatives that she was being constantly harassed for bringing inadequate dowry to the local police about a month ago. The police after investigating the complaint registered a case against the four on January 21, 1999 under Sections 406, 498-A, 506 and 34 of the IPC. Mr Dinesh Sharma, SHO,
said the four accused were remanded in police custody for
one day by the Duty Magistrate today. |
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