Saturday, March 27, 1999
|
P U N J A B | |
Saturday, March 27, 1999 |
| weather n
spotlight today's calendar |
 |
||
|
Estimates Committee indicts
police CHANDIGARH, March 26 — Shocking revelations on the functioning of the police are made in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Estimates Committee report presented to the House here today. The observations and recommendations of the committee, headed by Mr Hira Singh Gabria, are a telling comment on what goes on inside the police, which is 72,000-man strong. Temple money siphoned off: Tohra RAJLA (Patiala) March 26 — Former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra today alleged that money belonging to the Darbar Sahib was being siphoned off to the government-controlled Anandpur Sahib Foundation. |
 |
|
|||||||
|
AETC
summoned on vends' auction Service
tax on CAs stayed Punjab,
Haryana court holidays Bhattal
threatens statewide agitation Farmers
asked to take to cash crops
Remove
"flaws" in notification, say varsity teachers Eight
killed in mishaps Two
walkouts in Punjab Assembly |
|||||||||
 |
||||
Estimates Committee indicts police CHANDIGARH, March 26 — Shocking revelations on the functioning of the police are made in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Estimates Committee report presented to the House here today. The observations and recommendations of the committee, headed by Mr Hira Singh Gabria, are a telling comment on what goes on inside the police, which is 72,000-man strong. The sweep of the report is wide. It talks of top heavy police administration, need to send officers on deputation to the Centre, downsizing the existing force and a ban on fresh recruitment, registration of false cases during the days of terrorism, out-of-turn promotions and reversions, absence of ambulances and cranes on highways to take care of accident victims, bungling in purchase of spare parts etc, in maintaining 4000-strong fleet of vehicles, winding up of at least two police districts and case properties, may these be confiscated or seized weapons or properties owned by terrorists. It was observed that at least 50 per cent cases registered during militancy were false and fabricated. Even after those arrested were let off police continued to harass them. It was revealing to know that police does not maintain any record of liabilities when it comes to repair of vehicles and purchase of spares. The cost of repair of vehicles alone amounted to Rs 57,95,75,317 in the past five years. Squandering and misappropriation of money is a common thing as is the purchase of chassis of 100 vehicles. The Committee did not entertain the police argument on top heavy administration when it was compared to the civil side, where 40 IAS officers were in Principal Secretary or Financial Commissioner level. The report recommends an enquiry as to how in the first place promotions were made and later reversion ordered. To check expenditure, setting up of central workshops for repair of vehicles is recommended. It has recommended 10 per cent cut in police budget for the next financial year. Cognisance has been taken of police nakas and then not removing the obstacles from the roads, leading to accidents. It also recommends shifting of police posts from thickly populated places. Likewise it favours winding up of Khanna and Jagraon police districts, a proposal already pending with the government since June, 1998. At least 17 police stations do not have telephones. The same were cut due to non-payment of bills. The pending bills add up to Rs 2.70 crore. It has taken a soft view on future of SPOs (special police officers), who number 15,000. Appreciating their role in difficult time it recommends that they should be absorbed in some government boards and corporations as the financial position of a majority of them is poor. The committee recommends that PPS officers must be cared for. There should be departmental promotion for at least 60 per cent of the state cadre officers PPS to the next rank of superintendent of police. The placement of IPS and PPS officers in the district should be on a 50:50 basis. The intelligence wing must have educated, knowledgeable police personnel who should be imparted proper training, which should be thorough and on modern lines. There is a mention about farmers who have land across the fence with Pakistan. The committee feels that the issue must be taken up with the powers that be to extend their working hours. It has expressed concern over the growing rate of accidents and inadequate facilities of medicare or removing damaged vehicles from the roads to avoid traffic holdups. It is strange that despite reminders the police did not furnish the information sought on various issues at the time of submitting the report. The manner in which case properties (weapons) are sold has also been questioned and certain details sought. Against Rs 448 crore in 1995-96, the police expenditure rose to Rs 850 crore in the current financial year. In other words, police expenditure has risen by 15.5 per cent between 1984-85 (Rs 55 crore) and 1998-99. The money received from the Centre should be spent on the specific project and details should be supplied to the committee, the report says. The police did not furnish details of money received in lieu of killing or capturing of known terrorists and who all got how much. Deployment of cops on providing security to private individuals was also examined. It was pointed out that a reduction was being effected gradually. The report is against
harassment of people and wants proper waiting rooms for
those who visit police stations. |
||
Temple money siphoned off: Tohra RAJLA (Patiala) March 26 — Former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gurcharan Singh Tohra today alleged that money belonging to the Darbar Sahib was being siphoned off to the government-controlled Anandpur Sahib Foundation. Addressing a large gathering in this village in the Samana block held to mark the anniversary of former legislator Hardyal Singh Rajla, Mr Tohra said Rs 3 crore had been siphoned off to the Anandpur Sahib Foundation from a fund meant for the beautification of the corridor around the Darbar Sahib. Mr Tohra said this was one of the reasons why the government wanted to remove him from presidentship of the SGPC before April 15. "I would not have allowed money to be transferred to the foundation in this manner", he said. The former SGPC chief alleged the government instead of finding ways to generate funds for initiating development works had concentrated on plans to remove him from office for the past three months. He said no economy drive was being implemented with ministers and legislators enjoying same perks as before. He criticised the government for raising the bogey of terrorism. He said he had fought against terrorism and not Mr Badal who preferred to remain holed up in his house. He said his supporters had been killed and 14 SGPC members had been murdered as they preferred to rally around him and not resign their seats as demanded by the militant outfits. Urging people to be ready to make sacrifices to change the system, he said he could understand their disillusionment as nothing had changed with the advent of the Akali government with the same officers and bureaucrats ruling the roost. Later talking to TNS the former SGPC chief said he was still ready for a patch up with Mr Badal for which the honour of Bhai Ranjit Singh, suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht, would have to be restored and the 10 executive members who had insulted the highest spiritual institution should beg forgiveness. Mr Tohra categorically said he would not form a separate party even if he was expelled from the Akali Dal by the Badal group. Speaking on the occasion, suspended Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh urged people to give him their cooperation so that the Chief Minister could be made to realise that the Panth was not the government. He took a particular swipe at Finance Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh who, he alleged, had colluded with former Punjab police chief J.F. Ribiero. He said despite the fact that the Finance Minister had even sent Mr Badal to jail the latter was still reposing trust in him. Former ministers Manjit
Singh Calcutta, Harmail Singh Tohra and Surjit Singh
Kohli, legislators Gurdev Singh Sidhu and Jagtar Singh
Rajla, former minister Sukhdev Singh Dhillon and Col
Jasmer Singh Bala also spoke. |
||
Youth SAD leaders revolt BATHINDA, March 26 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supremo and Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal today suffered a major jolt when the general secretary of the Youth Akali Dal and Chairman, Punjab Agriculture Development Bank (PADB), Mr Ishatpal Singh, and organising secretary of the Youth Akali Dal, Mr Hertej Singh Mehta, dissociated themselves from the party. They appealed to the "Sikh sangat to join the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa being organised by the suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh. In a press note issued here today, they alleged that Mr Badal had "manipulated" the suspension of Bhai Ranjit Singh, thus lowering the dignity of Akal Takht. By doing so, Mr Badal had also "sabotaged" the tercentenary celebrations by all factions of the Sikh under Bhai Ranjit Singh. By violating the "hukamnama" urging Mr Badal and Mr G.S. Tohra to stop their feud till April 15, Mr Badal had left a "black mark" in the history of the Sikhs. Mr Badal and his associates had also lowered the prestige of the Sikhs throughout the world. The leaders said "oppression" on Sikhs by non-Sikh rulers was a known fact but now ‘certain Sikhs’ had started violating the principle of ‘miri and piri’. This had given rise to doubts on the credibility of the SAD led by Mr Badal. They alleged by sending the police into the Golden Temple, the government which claimed itself a representative of the Sikhs had revealed it's "true self. They announced that
hundreds of their associates would participate in the
function organised in the city tomorrow in connection
with the tercentenary celebrations by Bhai Ranjit Singh
and Mr Tohra. |
||
AETC summoned on vends' auction CHANDIGARH, March 26 — In a case of alleged bungling in the auction of liquor vends for Faridkot district, held at Bathinda on March 21, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr Mela Ram and the Collector-cum-Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Mr A.K. Sharma to appear personally in court on March 30. The Bench comprising Mr Justice J.L. Gupta and Mr Justice N.K. Aggarwal questioned Mr Shiv Charan Dass, Excise and Taxation Officer, Faridkot and perused the documents produced by him and found it necessary to examine the above named officers in this connection. Mr Shiv Charan Dass stated before the court that during the auction of liquor vends at Bathinda on March 21 by Mr A.K. Sharma, two to seven persons made bids. Mr Amrik Singh had given bid of Rs 12 crore. None gave a higher bid. As per the conditions, 10 per cent of the bid money had to be deposited at the fall of the hammer. But money was not deposited by the highest bidder. On a question from the Bench on what action was taken by Mr Sharma when the highest bidder failed to deposit money, Mr Dass replied that action was to be taken by the Collector. None of the bidders signed the bid at the time of auction. "We asked the petitioner to sign the bid, but he did not", he said. He told the court that the bid statement was signed by the petitioner on March 25 and the bidder had appended his signature in his presence. He further stated that the petitioner (bidder) had reached the office on his own. He accepted that March 25 was a holiday. It may be recalled that
the petitioner has alleged that the respondents had
conspired to allot the vend to one Deep Malhotra
allegedly close to Chief Minister Badal, who had made a
bid lower than that of the highest bidder. |
||
Service tax on CAs stayed CHANDIGARH, March 26 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the notification issued by the Union Government on October 7, 1998, imposing service tax on practising Chartered Accountants. Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice Amar Datt handed down this order on writ petition filed by Mr Asim Jain, a local Chartered Accountant. The Judges directed counsel for the Union of India to file a reply to the petition by April 24 and adjourned the case to April 27. The petitioner stated that
the notification was discriminatory because it taxed only
practising Chartered Accountants and not others who
rendered similar service. He added that imposition of tax
on professionals was a State subject and the Union
Government had no power to impose this tax. |
||
Punjab, Haryana court holidays CHANDIGARH, March 26 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has notified the following local holidays for subordinate courts in Punjab and Haryana and Chandigarh for 1999. Punjab Bathinda: Makar Sakaranti January 14, Basant Panchmi January 22, Karva Chauth October 27. Kapurthala: Basant Panchmi January 22, Bhadar Kali Mela - May 12, Naag Panchmi August 16. Ludhiana: Guruaya Guru Amar Dass April 4, Mela Chappar - September 24, Bhai Dooj November 9. Ferozepore: Basant Panchami - January 22, Guru Hargobind Jyoti Jyot- March 22, Pather Chauth- September 9, Sangrur: Gurpurab Procession January 4, Budh Purnima April 30, Karva Chauth October 27. Faridkot: Mela Maghi January 14, Baba Farid's birthday - September 23, Govardhan Puja November 9. Hoshiarpur: January 14, February 13, and March 24 local holidays. Rupnagar: March 22, October 27 and December 20 local holidays. Jalandhar: Lohri January 13, Raksha Bandhan August 26, Mela Baba Sodal September 24. Gurdaspur: Maghi January 14, Guru Nanak Dev marriage day August 30, Bhai Dooj November 10. Patiala: Local holiday January 25, Holika Dehan March 1, Baba Vadbhag Singh's birthday. Haryana Faridabad: Holi January 1, Raksha Bandhan August 26, Bhaiya Dooj November 9. Hisar: March 1 & September 4, local holiday Bhai Dooj November 9. Narnaul: Sohagya Sundri Vart January 4, Raksha Bandhan August 26, Bhaiya Dooj November 10. Bhiwani: Holi March 1, Guga Navmi September 4, Chander Darshan November 11. Ambala: Rakhi August 26, Bawan Duadashi September 22, Shiv Puja November 22. Kurukshetra: January 4, August 26 and November 9 local holidays. Rohtak: Anand Chaturdashi September 24, Karva Chauth October 27, Bhai Dooj November 10. Jind: Hola March 3, Guga Nawami September 4, Bhaiya Dooj November 9. Sirsa: Raksha Bandhan August 26, Guga Naumi September 4, Bhaiya Dooj November 10. Sonepat: Holika Dehan March 1, Guga Naumi September 4, Bhaiya Dooj November 10. Chandigarh: (Union
Territory) May 1, September 4 and November 24 local
holidays. |
||
Bhattal threatens statewide
agitation LUDHIANA, March 26 — Former Chief Minister of Punjab and Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal today warned to launch a statewide agitation if the Badal Government insisted on going ahead with the "anti-people and anti-poor" aspects of the state Budget presented on March 24. Describing it as the "blackest budget in the history of the state," Mrs Bhattal said her party would register its protest both inside and outside the House. She would boycott the sittings of the state Assembly as long as the Budget was debated there. She along with other members of the party would participate in each and every protest and agitation to be launched by various organisations in different parts of the state. In the connection she mentioned the agitations being planned by teachers, roadways workers, government employees and other sections of society as also industrial organisations. She emphasised that the entire 14-member Legislature Congress Party was unanimous in its resolve to oppose the Budget in every conceivable manner. She accused the Akali Government of trying to use its brute majority in the House to stifle the voice of the Opposition. Mr Avtar Singh Brar and Mr
Harmohinder Singh, Congress MLAs, said they would not
hesitated to court arrest in order to register their
protest against the "anti-people and anti-poor"
policies of the Badal Government. |
||
Farmers asked to take to cash
crops GURDASPUR, March 26 — A large number of farmers from Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar districts participated in a regional kisan mela held here today by the Regional Research Centre, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, to impart training to farmers regarding latest techniques in the cultivation of rabi crops. Dr J.S. Kolar, Director, Research Extension, presided. Various agriculture experts stressed soil testing, balanced use of fertilisers, certified and disease-free seeds, timely sowing and timely watering of crops and use of literature produced by Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) to get maximum production. They warned farmers against using weedicides and insecticides, fertilisers and seed unless recommended by PAU experts. Dr Kolar said time had
come for farmers to diversify in view of the small
holdings. Moreover, the products of paddy and wheat had
reached a saturation point beyond which there was no
scope for improvement. He urged the farmers to diversify
to vegetable and floriculture farming to boost their
income. |
||
Case against 'magic cure
doctors' LUDHIANA, March 26 — The Ludhiana police has registered a case against four "potency pill doctors" for putting out newspaper advertisements contravening the provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act. 1954. The four against whom case has been registered are Pardeep Nagrath (M/s Pentavox India Ltd), Ashwani Kumar Gupta (M/s Abhishek Pharmaceuticals), Surinder Bhalla (M/s Uniko Pharmaceuticals) and Ashok Bhardwaj (M/s Fairhouse). The case has reportedly been registered at the instance of the Punjab Health Minister, Mr Manoranjan Kalia. The Minister instructed the Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, to ask the Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, to lodge an FIR against the four for making extravagant claims with regard to male rejuvenation and potency. Legal opinion obtained by
the police said that the advertisements put out by the
four contravened the provisions of Sections 39, B, C, D,
and E of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable
Advertisements) Act, 1954, and a case under section 154
of the IPC was made out. The offence is cognisable. |
||
Remove "flaws" in
notification, say LUDHIANA, March 26 — A meeting of the presidium of the coordination committee of the University and College Teachers Association was held at Punjab Agricultural University here last evening. The meeting was attended by presidents and secretaries of the university teachers' associations comprising Panjab University, Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjabi University and Punjab Agricultural University, the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) and the Punjab Government College Teachers' Association (PGCTA). The leaders said pay revision to private college teachers had provided some relief to the academic community. However, they were unhappy that the teachers and other academic staff of PAU and Punjab Technical University continued to be deprived of the pay revision due since 1996. The leaders regretted that the "flaws" in the notification of March 12 were still awaiting rectification. The presidium urged the government to notify the revision of pay scales for Punjab Agricultural University staff and implement the UGC notification of December 24, 1998, in toto by April 10, 1999. The Punjab Government should immediately release adequate funds for the smooth and simultaneous implementation of pay revision in the universities and colleges, including payment of arrears. It was unanimously decided
to continue the earlier plan of boycott of examinations
from April 10 if the government did not concede to the
long-standing demand regarding pay revision. |
||
Eight killed in mishaps ROPAR, March 26 — In two separate accidents in the district this morning, eight persons, including five pilgrims, were killed and 10 injured. According to the police, five pilgrims were killed and seven injured near Solkhian village on Ropar-Chandigarh road, about 10 km from here, when a Tata Sumo, in which they were travelling, rammed into a tree. The vehicle was on its way from Delhi to Vaishno Devi. The occupants of the Sumo — Braham Parkash (30) of New Delhi, his wife Swita (28); Murti (62), a resident of Mahendergarh (Haryana), Mahant Lakkar Nath (60) of Jhajhrrola Khera (Gurgaon), and Amit Kumar (7) also of Jhajhrrola Khera (Gurgaon) were killed on the spot, while the injured — Raj Sharma, driver; Ram Kala (55), Meenu (10), Neeraj (6), Banwari Lal (40), Sonia (7) and Nisha (6) were admitted to the Civil Hospital here. The police has registered a case against the Sumo driver Raj Sharma under Sections 279, 337, 338, 427 and 304-A of the IPC. It has also taken the vehicle in its possession. In another accident which took place near Bharatgarh village on Ropar-Anandpur Sahib road, about 20 km from here, three persons, including a child, were killed on the spot and three others injured. According to the police, the accident occurred when a Delhi-Barmana bus and another vehicle coming from the opposite side, collided. The dead include Preeti (18) from Bombay, R.C. Sharma from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh and Shubham (8) from Panipat. The seriously injured Savita (30) from Ropar has been referred to the P.G.I., Chandigarh, for further treatment. According to the doctors
in the emergency ward here, the condition of the injured
persons is stable. |
||
Two walkouts in Punjab
Assembly CHANDIGARH, March 26 — The entire Opposition walked out of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today during question hour over the issue of constitution of the district planning board. While responding to a question asked by the CPI MLAs, Mr Ajaib Singh Raunta and Mr Hardev Arshi jointly, the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, came out with a detailed reply but at the same time he said the issue could not be discussed as the matter was sub-judice. He said he was prepared to discuss the issue if the petition filed by Mr Jagjit Singh and others was withdrawn. However, Mr Arshi and the Leader of the Opposition, Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, insisted that the issue should be discussed and government should reply to the supplementary questions asked in this connection. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said this could not be done as the matter was pending in court. Even Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, Speaker of the Assembly, gave the ruling that no supplementary could be asked as matter was sub-judice. However, Opposition Benches continued to press for more information on the issue. Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, intervened to say that as already the Speaker had given the ruling that the matter was sub-judice it could not be discussed and there was no logic in pressing the matter further. However, not convinced with the stand taken by the Treasury Benches, the Opposition staged a walkout. The House saw another walkout when the Leader of the Opposition, Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, made an attempt to raise the issue of payment of old-age pension during zero hour. He said the House had already passed the supplementary demands but even then the payment of pension was being made. Mr Mittal got up to say that as being a leader of the Opposition, Chowdhary Jagjit Singh would get a chance to discuss the issue while speaking on the Budget, he should not discuss the issue during zero hour. For a brief period the House was drowned in din and Chowdhary Jagjit Singh and other MLAs of his Congress Party staged a walkout. Capt Kanwaljit Singh had a
dig at the Congress and said groupism within the Congress
was being put to use in the House. He said as Mrs
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal had taken a different stand,
politics of one-upmanship was being played in the House
by Congress legislators. |
||
2
killed
in bomb shell explosion HOSHIARPUR, March 26 — Two persons were killed on the spot when a bomb shell exploded in one of the huts of labourers of the Raghav Brick Industries at Saleran village about 10 km from here at 10 a.m. this morning. Both the deceased were brothers and were identified as Sor Singh (45) and Mukesh (25) sons of Jai Pal of Alipura village Muzaffar Nagar district (UP). Mr R.P. Mittal, SSP, in a
press release issued here said that after investigation
it seemed that both the deceased were trying to extract
copper/aluminium from the shell when the blast took
place. He said that source of the shell and type of the
shell was being ascertained. He stated that a case had
been registered at Sadar Police Station here. |
||
IAF plane crashes, pilot bales out PATIALA, March 26 (PTI) — An Indian Air Force fighter plane, MIG, crashed near Tolewal village in Sangrur district today. However, the pilot of the fighter plane, on a routine flight from Halwara in Ludhiana, baled out safely, according to IAF officials. The plane caught fire in the air and was totally smashed after crashing in the fields. The IAF officers have
reached the site. |
||
Encroachments figure at meeting KHARAR, March 26 — Encroachments on government land in the limits of the Kharar municipal committee was the main topic which was discussed in detail at a meeting held under the presidentship of Mr Ranbir Singh here today. Mr Om Parkash Aggarwal, a
member of the committee, gave a memorandum to the
president alleging that municipal land worth crores of
rupees in Kund and Dhab on the Landran road has been
encroached upon in connivance with one municipal officers
and in spite of complaints made by him no action has been
taken. |
||
Mann to lead morcha CHANDIGARH, March 26 — The Dal Khalsa will hold a rally and march here on April 4 which will be led by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, president of the Akali Dal (Amritsar). Mr Kanwar Pal Singh secretary general of the organisation in the statement here today said that the march was being organised to press the Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to get the Sikh youth detained in various jails released on the occasion of the tercentenary celebration of the birth of Khalsa. He said human rights
organisations would participate in the march, which has
been named as People's March. |
||
Punjab Assembly to sit today CHANDIGARH, March 26 — As per the decision of Business Advisory Committee of the House, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha will sit an extra day on Saturday, that is March 27. In the morning sitting,
the House will resume general discussion on the Budget
estimates. In the afternoon session there will be
discussion and voting on demands for grants in respect of
Irrigation and Power, Home and Education, etc. |
||
 |
||
 |
| 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 | |
