Tuesday, March 30, 1999
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Tuesday, March 30, 1999 |
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11 cops booked for murder BATHINDA, March 29 — On the directions of the Supreme Court the police has registered a case of murder against Punjab police Inspector Gurjeet Singh and 10 of his associates for murdering Paramjit Singh, a local resident in 1992 by branding him as terrorist. Militant with 32 kg RDX
arrested |
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Jagir Kaur "pawn in
CM's hands" LUDHIANA, March 29 — The suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, has said that the procedure of installation and removal of Akal Takht Jathedar and the constitution of Singh Sahibs of five Takhts needed to be reviewed so that Akal Takht became a "khud mukhtiar" — self depended body. Religious
leaders blamed for 'apostasy' Controversy
in Cong over Khalsa celebrations Terrorism
will come back: Pheruman Akali Dal
Rape
victim in total shock Low
potato price makes farmers jittery Major
fires in two cotton mills Positive
thinking to combat stress Driver
arrested Wind
up minorities' panel: Madhok Rethinking
on ST hike amid protests Sales
tax hike: hosiery units remain closed |
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11 cops booked for murder BATHINDA, March 29 — On the directions of the Supreme Court the police has registered a case of murder against Punjab police Inspector Gurjeet Singh and 10 of his associates for murdering Paramjit Singh, a local resident in 1992 by branding him as terrorist. Police sources said Paramjit Singh, who was picked up by a police party in 1992 under the Terrorist Act, was still untraced and presumed to be killed by the police party in an encounter when he was being taken for the recovery of weapons near Chumbhewali village. The sources said the police party led by Inspector Gurjeet Singh then got an FIR registered against Paramjit Singh for firing at the police party and for fleeing from the police custody under Section 307, 224, 186 and 34 of the IPC and 5/6 of TADA. The sources said Inspector Gurjeet Singh and his 10 associates identified as ASI Lakhbir Singh, Head Constable Gurbachan Singh, constables Mal Singh, Tirlok Singh and Harwinder Singh, jawans of Punjab Home Guards Kamaljit Singh, Jarnail Singh and Jagsir Singh, driver Pal Singh and a Sub Inspector had been booked under Section 302, 364, 201 and 34 of the IPC yesterday. Interestingly, it is the second case of murder registered against Inspector Gurjeet Singh. Earlier on the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court a case of murder was registered by the sadar police station, Mansa district, against Gurjeet Singh and his colleague Chuhar Singh for killing Gurmail Singh of Akkawali village. Inspector Gurjeet Singh was still serving in the Mansa district despite the fact that he had been facing two murder cases, police sources added. The sources said Gurdit Singh, father of Paramjit Singh first approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for justice. The Punjab and Haryana High Court entrusted the inquiry of the case to the then District and Sessions Judge of Bathinda Mr K.S. Grewal who indicted the police officials for murdering Paramjit Singh. The Punjab and Haryana High Court then awarded Rs 1.50 lakh has compensation to Gurdit Singh. Gurdit Singh then approached the Supreme Court for legal action against the accused and the Court directed the state police authorities to register the case of murder against the 11 policemen involved in the killing. The sources said an SP
rank officer was investigating the matter further. |
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Militant with 32 kg RDX arrested GURDASPUR, March 29 — The police has arrested Kewal Singh, a 24-year-old militant, of Hamirpur village in Akhnoor tehsil in Jammu district and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition. Mr J.P. Birdi IG, Border Range, who was accompanied by district police chief, Mr Varinder Kumar told newsmen here today that the accused was a close associate of Ranjit Singh Neetu, chief of the Khalistan Zindabad Force. Ranjit Singh, alias Neetu, is a close associate of Wadhawa Singh of Babbar Khalsa International, who is also in Pakistan. Both are under constant pressure from the ISI of Pakistan to revive militant activities in Punjab. The police recovered 42 kg of RDX, nine pencil fuse, two fuse with wire, one .38 bore German made revolver along with six cartridges, 4 hand grenades and 100 live cartridges of AK 47. Mr Birdi said on specific information a naka was laid at Berian Ferry last night. Two persons were spotted crossing the Ravi from Kathua side of Jammu and Kashmir under suspicious circumstances. They were asked to stop by the police. The police party nabbed the accused while his accomplice escaped. One revolver and 8 kg RDX bomb was recovered from the accused. He said on interrogation the accused disclosed that he had hidden other explosives near Madhopur which were later recovered by the police. Mr Birdi said the accused was a matriculate and due to unemployment had been engaged in the smuggling of heroine, smack, and gold since 1993. The accused had visited Pakistan more than 50 times by crossing the border, he said. Mr Birdi said the accused
confessed having developed contact with Neeta during his
last visit who motivated him to join his ranks for
causing blasts in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir and
Punjab. The accused was trained in the handling of
explosives and was sent with explosives and other arms
and ammunition with instructions to cause explosions at
bus stands, trains, crowded places and railway bridges in
the Pathankot area. |
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WB warning on health project CHANDIGARH, March 29 — The World Bank has told the Punjab Government that it will not be in a position to continue funding the state health system development project if the state continues to play truant with the funds. Mr Tahwit Nawaz, senior economist of the World Bank, told the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, yesterday, if the Punjab Government did not honour its commitment to provide Rs 138 crore as listed in the Plan and the Budget for 1999-2000, the World Bank would review the project in June and stop further aid. "We do not provide funds to states which do not perform and miss the targets", he stated. Mr Badal assured him that the government had made adequate arrangements and despite difficulties, there would be adequate funds available on time. The prestigious project to improve the health services was initiated by the previous Congress government. It took off during the present Akali government. Officials here say the progress has been "very slow". The commitment is to provide Rs 422 crore. But during the past two years, the poor fiscal situation forced the government to divert funds and pay just Rs 70 crore. During the year 1998-99 the government, against the promise of Rs 126 crore, could provide only Rs 44 crore. Some of the amount was borrowed from banks. Now it has committed to provide Rs 138 crore. "We are keeping our fingers crossed and do not just known how much we will get", a senior officer told TNS. Health and Family Welfare Minister Manoranjan Kalia, the Principal Secretary, Finance, Mr Rajan Kashyap, the Principal Secretary, Health, Mr Rajesh Chhabra, the Secretary, Planning, Ms Kusamjit Sidhu, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Mr Ramesh Inder Singh, and the Managing Director, Punjab Health System Corporation, Mr S.S.Channy attended the meeting. During discussions, Mr Nawaz discussed performance in the strategic planning cell and monitoring of hospital output as well as manpower issues. It was noticed that initially, positive steps had been taken in quality assurance, referral, waste management and training. Mr Nawaz said the World Bank could give liberal loans for strengthening the health care system and opening super-speciality hospitals with active participation of private companies. The Chief Minister, after discussing the issues with the officers, said the Punjab Government was keen on attracting private investment and World Bank assistance for opening more hospitals in rural and urban areas of the state. He said the State Government would release Rs 22 crore in April and May, 1999, besides releasing more funds during the current financial year. Mr S.S.Channy said a 100-bed hospital at Sri Anandpur Sahib was ready for commissioning and was likely to be inaugurated on April 7 during the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa. He said the Health System Corporation had arranged modern equipment for treatment of various diseases in the hospitals. Eighteen blood banks had been made functional and 13 more blood banks had been undertaken under Phase II. He said the entire system was being modernised. Mr Channy said three
districts — Jalandhar, Fatehgarh Sahib and
Hoshiarpur — had been selected under a pilot project
for monitoring diseases like gastroenterities, cholera,
viral hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis, meningitis,
malaria, tuberculosis, rabies, dengue fever and vaccine
preventable diseases. He said a plan had been drawn to
establish inter-connectivity with the district
headquarters for flow of information. By the end of this
financial year, computers and other infrastructure would
be made available at the district headquarters. |
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Jagir Kaur "pawn in CM's
hands" LUDHIANA, March 29 — The suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, has said that the procedure of installation and removal of Akal Takht Jathedar and the constitution of Singh Sahibs of five Takhts needed to be reviewed so that Akal Takht became a "khud mukhtiar" — self depended body. Bhai Ranjit Singh was here to participate in a seminar on "Khalsa Panth and Human Rights" organised by the International Human Rights Organisation (IHRO), as part of the tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa. While talking to the reporters here today, Bhai Ranjit Singh categorically stated that since the Singh Sahibs of five Takhts were on the payroll of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), they could not work independently from the SGPC. Bhai Ranjit Singh said his appointment letter could not be taken back by the SGPC, as he had started working as the Akal Takht Jathedar only after being accepted as Jathedar by all the various Sikh sangats. "If all the 'sangats' pass a resolution and demand my resignation, I will do so", he said. To a question regarding giving an application to the SGPC chief, Babi Jagir Kaur for allowing them to hold the celebrations at the already decided venue, the Jathedar said that he would not do so. He, however, said that if he was approached and asked to shift the venue he would consider this as he wanted that the tercentenary celebrations should be held peacefully. He further added that even if the government tried forcibly to stop them from holding the celebrations, he would peacefully oppose this. The Jathedar said he could not give "darkhwast" to Bibi Jagir Kaur as the Akal Takht Jathedar was superior to the SGPC chief. He accused Bibi Jagir Kaur of being a pawn in the hands of Mr Parkash Singh Badal and said that she did not enjoy the power to take a single decision on her own. Answering queries about the Jathedars getting involved in politics, Bhai Ranjit Singh said that he had never got involved with the state politics. He said that he had issued hukamnama to Barjindar Singh Hamdard, editor of Ajit, because he had published portions of the banned book, "Vanity Incarnate". "Since Barjinder Singh is a close associate of the Chief Minister, he took offence and with the support of some SGPC members got me suspended", he said. However, he added, that the Akal Takht Jathedar was like a judge and could not be removed by the powers that be. Bhai Ranjit Singh said he had never worked in cooperation with Mr Badal and had merely tolerated him. He said that he had observed how Mr Badal handled the affairs of the state, but always reconciled so that no rift arose among the Akalis. He said that now he would expose Mr Badal. When asked if he would use the platform at Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi for exposing Mr Badal, Bhai Ranjit Singh said that he would not hurry to do so and said that it would be done after the Baisakhi celebrations are over. He said the 10th Guru Gobind Singh had preached on Baisakhi that no one should tolerate 'zulm' and he would abide by the Guru's preaching and fight for rights of the Sikhs. He denied that he was trying to revive terrorism in the state. He said that Mr Badal along with Jathedar Tohra had visited him in the jail many times and pleaded with him to accept the post of the Akal Takht Jathedar. He accused Mr Badal of creating the fear of violence in the minds of Sikhs residing abroad, who wanted to come to Anandpur Sahib to participate in the tercentenary celebrations. Bhai Ranjit Singh appealed
to the Sikhs to take part in the Khalsa march starting
from Bathinda on April 11 and asked them to wear Kesri
turban and duppatas. He also called upon the Sikhs that
they should live with their heads held high as preached
by Guru Gobind Singh. |
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Religious leaders blamed for
'apostasy' ANANDPUR SAHIB, March 29 — Without mentioning the name of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal MP and president, Shiromani Youth Akali Dal, today, held him (Tohra) and other top religious leaders responsible for pushing Sikh youth towards apostasy. He said the trend would stop now as the new president of the SGPC Bibi Jagir Kaur belonged to the religious field. When his attention was drawn that Bibi Jagir Kaur had so far not resigned as an MLA, he said she would think over it. Mr Aliwal was talking to mediapersons here after holding a meeting of the presidents of district units of the Youth Akali Dal, members of the youth Akali Dal Tercentenary Celebrations Committee and workers. The meeting was held to draw up programmes for the celebrations. Out of the 19 district presidents, 17 participated. The Youth Akali Dal chief said the budget session of this SGPC should be held for at least three days holding discussions on accounts, so that the Panth could know, how much money had been utilised on religious affairs, education and dissemination of Sikhism. And the SGPC should set up a complex where only Guru Granth Sahib should be printed and it should be circulated free of cost to all devotees. Besides the SGPC should make a arrangements for the maintenance of the old 'beers' of Guru Granth Sahib. Regarding the age limit of the members of the Youth Akali Dal, Mr Aliwal said, earlier the upper age limit was 45 years, but now it had been reduced to 40 years on the directions of SAD president Parkash Singh Badal. However, he added that the SAD president could give extension to any one for a year or two. He said the SAD was not a party of the Sikhs alone. It was the party of all Punjabis, any body could become its member. Regarding the participation of the youth wing in the tercentenary celebrations. Mr Aliwal said the youth wing would hold a Sikh youth conference here on April 12. The Conference would be religious one and no body would be allowed to touch any political issue. All speakers would deliver lectures on different topics, including the role of the Sikh youth in the 21st century, drug de-addiction, anti-dowry and propagation of 'amrit sanchar'. He said, the Youth Akali Dal would not hold any Khalsa march but would extend a warm reception to the main Khalsa march, which would reach here on April 12. Besides, members of Youth Akali Dal would also participate in all five marches, being taken out from the native places of the 'panj piaras'. The president said that
Youth Akali Dal had drawn up a programme to hold
district-level meetings for the preparations of
tercentenary celebrations. He said, district-level
meetings would be held from April 1 to April 6 while on
April 7, a state-level meeting would be held at Ludhiana
to give final shape to the preparations. |
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Controversy in Cong over Khalsa
celebrations PATIALA, March 29 — The Pradesh Congress is in a controversy over the celebration of the Khalsa tercentenary which has led to the function held yesterday to flag off a yatra to Patna Sahib to get the Dashmesh Jyoti becoming a non event. Earlier former Minister Brahm Mohindra had raised a controversy by questioning the rationale behind the celebration of the tercentenary by the Pradesh Congress. Senior Congressmen of Patiala including general secretaries Birdevinder Singh and Sant Ram Singla, secretary Jasjit Singh Randhawa, organising secretary Prem Gupta and Anil Mehta were not present at the function which was also not attended by Pradesh Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh who deputed his wife Praneet Kaur to see off the jatha from Dukhniwaran gurdwara here. Absence of Mr Birdeviner Singh was most galling as he still is officially secretary of the five-member overall committee set up oversee tercentenary, celebrations. Observers had pointed out that Mr Birdevinder's absence was due to the fact that he had been recently ignored and superseded with regard to the "Dashmesh jyoti" programme with former youth Congress president Ramesh Singla being made in charge of the programme and even leading the jatha to Patna Sahib. Mr Singla is also a part of the five-member overall committee. Mr Birdevinder Singh when contacted by The Tribune said though he was in Patiala he could not attend the function as he had other pressing personal engagements. "One can be busy as was the Pradesh Congress president for whom his wife Mrs Praneet Kaur had filled in", he said. When asked to comment on being recently divested of his powers in the tercentenary committee he said "please do not embarrass my be asking such question". He refused to be drawn further. However, general secretary
Sant Ram Singla when contacted said needless controversy
was being created by trying to take advantage of the fact
that some senior leaders could not attend the function.
He said he had himself been at Chandigarh and was busy in
office with regard to the tercentenary celebrations. |
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Terrorism will come back: Pheruman
Akali Dal FEROZEPORE, March 29 — The Pheruman Akali Dal has said that the present situation in Punjab indicated that terrorism would revive in Punjab after April 15 when tercentenary celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa would be over. At a press conference here afternoon, the party's president Mahant Sewa Dass Singh added that the "old" Akali leadership would be responsible for the revival of terrorism, which earlier too was created by the same Akali leadership about two decades ago. He criticised the SAD-BJP government for not taking-up long-pending issues of Punjab for early settlement with the BJP-led government at the Centre. These were the issues for which the SAD (Badal) had organised several agitations when it was in Opposition, he added. Mahant Sewa Dass Singh said that he remained silent on these issues to give a chance to the Badal government to get these settled. But, the Badal government failed to settle these issues, he alleged and said, now he would activate his party to fight for the issues of Punjab. Welcoming the appointment of Bibi Jagir Kaur as president of the SGPC, the Mahant appealed her to maintain sanctity of Sikh institutions and religion. Bhai Ranjit Singh, the suspended Jathedar of Akal Takht, had lowered the sanctity of Akal Takht and hukamnamas as well, he added. Condemning Akalis, he said that "infighting" among Akalis was due to huge money collected for the celebrations of the birth of the Khalsa. He regretted that the Akalis were doing politics on the basis of religion which should be kept away from politics because both things were different. To a question, he said, the recent visit of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to Pakistan would not improve relations between India and Pakistan. If Mr Vajpayee wanted to do something constructive, he should get the long-pending issues including Kashmir problem settled with Pakistan. The BJP and the Congress
should rule the country with mutual understanding,
suggested Mahant. |
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Key highway in pathetic state HOSHIARPUR: Though successive governments in Punjab, including the SAD-BJP combine, claim that there has been overall development of roads in state, but the main portion of the Hoshiarpur-Una road, a state highway, remains neglected even 50 years after Independence. This road is an important inter-state road linking Punjab with Himachal Pradesh and provides the shortest route to Anandpur Sahib from Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts apart from parts of Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts. A length of 17.7 km of this state highway falls in Punjab and two important institutions, the BSF Subsidiary Training Centre and Police Recruits Training Centre are also located at Kharkan and Jahan Khelan villages respectively on this road. Such an important road has five choes from Hoshiarpur city to Chack Sadhu that still remain to be bridged. These choes create havoc to vehicular traffic during the rains. Flood water passes from these choes during the rains in the upper catchment areas of the lower Shivalik ranges. The district administration has constructed causeways in Bajwara and Jahan Khelan choes. But during the rains flood water prevented people from using them. The major choes of Jamanwala, Patiarian and Chack Sadhu remain to be bridged. Residents of about a score of villages located both sides of this road, employees and trainees of the two training centres as well as bus passengers have to face a lot of inconvenience during rains. The Central Works Division, Hoshiarpur, had prepared a Rs 12.45 crore plan to bridge all the choes and widen this road. But this plan remained on paper only till now due to non-availability of funds. The inhabitants of these villages and local politicians also made several representations to the authorities concerned in this connection. But they paid deaf ears to their requests. Col. A.S. Gill, a resident of Jahan Khelan village expressed his sorrow over the negative attitude of the state government towards this road. According to him, this was the only neglected state highway where even choes had not been bridged. Such an important road should immediately be strengthened and widened and choes bridged to make it all-weather ones, because the Himachal Pradesh Government had already taken up the widening and strengthening of this road falling in its jurisdiction. Similarly the
Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road has also been neglected for a
long time. Though the choes on this road had been bridged
but the road needs immediate repair as it has numerous
potholes. |
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Rape victim in total shock FEROZEPORE, March 29 — Ten-year-old Suneeta (not her real name), a resident of Basti Takan Wali here, has been in shock ever since she was raped by a car-borne person on Saturday morning. When a few newsmen went to meet her, she said: "us viyakti nein mere nal gandi gal kiti si (that person did a dirty thing to her)," and started weeping. Suneeta was going to get milk when she was kidnapped and raped. After the incident, several civil and police officials met the victim, daughter of an autorickshaw driver. Meanwhile, an indefinite dharna was staged near the PSEB complaint centre in the cantonment, demanding immediate arrest of the accused. The protesters were told by the DSP (subdivision), Mr Joginder Pal, and Mr DPS Kharbanda, SDM that the accused had been identified and would be arrested soon. The situation, which was very tense yesterday, was normal today. All shops, which remained closed on Sunday in protest against the incident, were open today. Autorickshaws, which observed a complete strike yesterday, also started plying today. Mr Joginder Pal said the accused had been identified and raids conducted at several places, including Muktsar, on Sunday night to arrest the culprit. Mr DPS Kharbanda, SDM said
clue to the alleged accused was given by one of the three
suspects who were paraded before the victim. |
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Low potato price makes farmers
jittery RAMPURA PHUL, March 29 — Due to insufficient capacity of cold stores and absence of bulk buyers from markets, the farmers of Bathinda district are sitting on heaps of potatoes which may start rotting. Having suffered heavy losses due to the failure of cotton and paddy crops last year the farmers received another shock in the beginning of this year as their produce of potato has been causing them loss and not profit as prevailing price in the markets was very low. At present the prices of white potato varies from Rs 80 to Rs 100 per quintal while the price of red potato fluctuates between Rs 45 and Rs 50 per quintal. Potato growers are suffering a loss of Rs 6000 to Rs 8000 per acre. Worried over low price of potato in markets of this district some of the farmers still have not harvested the crop and are thinking of ploughing the standing crop if the price situation did not improve. With traders, cold store owners and transporters dictating terms, the potato crop is likely to spell doom for farmers who already are in debt due to previous crop failure. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhillon, former Akali Minister, and a leading potato grower of this town warned that two days of bright sunshine would leave the harvested potato crop rotten in fields. He added that farmers could save the crop only by shifting it to cold stores immediately. The potato growers had started thinking of ploughing the standing crop as its harvesting cost and cultivation cost did not mean profit due to low prices of potato being offered by traders at present, he added. The farmers who have harvested their crop told The Tribune that now they were at the mercy of traders and not able to resist the offer of very low price being made to them by the traders. Mr Dhillon pointed out that if the authorities concerned did not make arrangements for the marketing of produce of the farmers then the farmers would be forced to take extreme steps as the economy would be completely shattered and they would not be able to sow the next crop. Mr Manmohan Singh, Deputy Director, Horticulture, Bathinda while talking to The Tribune said that in the district the production of potato was 15 lakh tonnes against the capacity of 9 lakh tonnes of 23 cold stores in the district. He added that cold store owners were being pressed to charge reasonable rent from farmers for storing the produce. He pointed out that problem of storing the produce had cropped up due to the fact that this year area under potato cultivation was 15,000 acres as compared to 10,000 acres last year and production of potato went up several times. Mr Dhillon said that the Punjab government should press various cooperative agencies for purchasing the crop of farmers at reasonable prices and at the same time make efforts to rationalise the amount being taken by the truck owners from the traders for transporting their the produce from this district to other states. Mr A.S. Bhatti, Additional
Deputy Commissioner, when contacted said that district
administration was making efforts to bring every relief
to the potato growers by arranging space in cold stores
for storing the produce. |
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Major fires in two cotton mills ABOHAR, March 29 — Bales of cotton worth Rs 50 lakh were destroyed in a fire that broke out at a cotton textile mill at Sriganganagar, 40 km from here, yesterday. Cotton yarn valued at Rs 40 lakh was damaged, mill sources said. The management and labour leaders are blaming each other for the incident. Enquiries revealed that there had been a wordy duel between the management and some labour leaders on Saturday night. Some miscreants had pelted stones at the vehicle of Security Officer B.S. Grewal at 2 p.m. However, clash was averted due to the intervention of the police. Initially, the fire control unit of the mill was pressed into service. Later, six fire engines were requisitioned from outside. The management claimed that it was an act of sabotage. The mill management had acquired four trucks on Saturday evening to transport finished goods to another place, but CITU workers staged a dharna and allegedly prevented the transportation. A mill spokesman alleged that some workers had threatened to set the mill on fire if another attempt was made to transport the goods. Some workers were booked by the police on March 26 for an alleged attack on mill officials. However, CITU's local unit president said when the mill premises had been virtually converted into a 'police cantonment', was it possible for any worker to play mischief. BARNALA: The entire cotton godown of a spinning mill was gutted here on Sunday following a major fire in this factory on Saturday afternoon. Fire engines were summoned
from Air Force Station, Barnala, Sangrur, Mansa, Rampura
Phul and Bathinda. Firemen could control the fire only
after 12 hours. |
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Positive thinking to combat stress LEHRA MOHABBAT (Bathinda): By fixing their target to achieve something in their job, corporate professionals and technocrats in various projects are coming under great stress. Constant working and with inadequate relaxation, they are finding it difficult to overcome the stress. To overcome the problems of job-related stress, the Shift Engineers' Guild of Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant (GHTP) in association with the Bathinda Management Association organised a seminar on stress management earlier this month at GHTP Colony, here. Delivering his key-note address in the seminar, Dr Agyajit Singh, Head of the Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, said stress was a part of life but too much stress was a partner of death. Stress was a mental and physical condition resulting from a perceived threat of danger. He added that in occupational life, stress could be defined as the reaction of an individual to new or threatening factors in their work environment. Stress could be positive and negative. While revealing the different sources of stress in job, he said managers could reduce the stress in the workshop by clarifying role expectation and the organisations could implement programmes and policies that could help individuals deal with their stress more effectively. Ms Savreet Brar of Institute of Alternate Therapy, Mohali in her address at the seminar — the first of its kind in any power plant being managed by the Punjab State Electricity Board — said the divine healing potential of the ancient science of Reiky could free an individual from stress. Mr Prem Kumar, Head of the School of Management, Guru Kashi Campus, Talwandi Sabo, in his address said engineers of any plant should be free from stress to achieve the optimum performance of the plant. He added that frequent interaction on stress management was the need of hour. Ms Anuradha, Deputy Director, SSD Women's Institute of Technology, said maximum importance should be given to positive attitude. She added that by maintaining good health and planning the time and task, stress could be reduced to a large extent. Mr Hari Harpal Singh, convener and Mr N.K. Saggar, chairman, of the souvenir subcommittee respectively, emphasised that stress being a universal phenomenon must be tackled on war-footing by organising seminars and workshops by the authorities concerned. At the seminar, about 137
professionals belonging to GHTP, Guru Nanak Dev Thermal
Plant, National Fertiliser Plant, Markfed, Spinfed and
Department of Telecommunication participated. The other
speakers were Mr D.P. Gambhir, Chief Engineer of Guru
Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, Lt-Col R.S. Dhindsa, PESCO,
Chandigarh, Mr Hazoor Singh, Milkfed, Managing Director,
at Bathinda, and Mr T.L. Paika, former Chief Engineer,
GHTP. |
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Driver arrested BATHINDA, March 29 — Binder, the driver of a Maruti van, has been arrested for alleged involvement in the murder of Pinky, alias Sneh, a housewife of this town. The husband of the deceased and his relatives first hushed up the case of Pinky, who died under mysterious circumstances near Kotfatha village on November 6, 1998, by dubbing it as a death in the road accident. The Punjab and Haryana High Court, however, directed the Kotfatha police to register a case of murder against Mr Subhash Goyal, husband of the deceased, and his relatives and friends when the father of the deceased, Mr S.L. Gupta, approached it for justice. The High Court also entrusted the inquiry into the case to Mr Paramjit Singh Gill, AIG (Crime), under the direct supervision of the ADGP (Crime), Punjab. Police sources said Mr Subhash Goyal and his relatives fled from the city after Mr Gill started a probe into the incident. The driver was, however, arrested on March 23 and remanded in police custody up to March 30, when he was produced before the Judicial Magistrate. The sources said Pinky, her husband and driver Binder was going to Chandigarh in a Maruti van on November 6, 1998, from Bathinda when their vehicle met with an accident near Kotfatha on the Bathinda-Mansa road. Pinky died in the accident. Mr Subhash Goyal and his relatives cremated Pinky's body on November 24, 1998 without informing the parents of the deceased residing in Chandigarh. The post-mortem examination of Pinky was done at the Civil Hospital, Maur Mandi. Mr S.L. Gupta, father of the deceased, then complained that his daughter had been murdered by his son-in-law, his relatives and friends but the police had taken no action. He also alleged that Pinky was being maltreated by her husband and other relatives continuously. Then Mr Justice K.K.
Srivastava, a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court,
while deciding a writ petition in this regard directed
the Bathinda police to register a case of murder against
the persons named in the complaint by Mr Gupta. |
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Wind up minorities' panel:
Madhok JALANDHAR, March 29 — Prof Balraj Madhok, patron, All India Jana Sangh and who claims to be a true disciple of late Dr Shayama Prasad Mukharji today said that the original reservation policy for SC/ST and other backward classes was for a period of 10 years only, but was being extended for the sake of vote bank. He pointed out that even Dr BR Ambedkar was against the extension of the reservation policy beyond a period of 10 years. Prof Madhok who was addressing a press conference decried the support of the minority commission for extending the reservation policy for Muslims. He pleaded for the winding up the National Minority Commission in the wider national interest. He had a dig at the initiative of the Vajpayee government to improve India -Pakistan relations, when he termed the bus diplomacy as a fraud. He even visualised a war between India and Pakistan in the near future. He parried question about his tirade against the Muslims. The Jana Sangh leader
claimed that the present Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was
a unit of the original Jana Sangh of which he (Madhok)
continues to be the patron. Prof Madhok wished success to
the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth and
appealed to all Hindus to take part in the celebrations. |
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Rethinking on ST hike amid protests LUDHIANA, March 29 — The Punjab Government is having second thoughts on its move to hike sales tax (ST) on motor vehicles and hosiery goods in the state, informed sources said here today. The Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, while presenting the Budget proposals for 1999-2000, proposed an increase in sales tax from 3.5 per cent to 10 per cent on motor vehicles and from 2 per cent to 4 per cent on hosiery goods, evoking widespread protests from trade and industry in the state. Mr Sooraj Dada, President of the Punjab Auto Dealers Association, led a deputation of auto dealers to the Chief Minister and Finance Minister at Chandigarh yesterday, while the Knitwear Club, representing more than 30 local hosiery units, observed a day-long bandh today. Mr Dada pointed out that the hike in sales tax on motor vehicles would spell ruin for the trade because it would make vehicles costlier by up to Rs 30,000 per unit, as compared to the prices prevailing in neighbouring states. Similarly, the hosiery industry, already reeling under the impact of a recession, would be unable to bear the burden of the increased sales tax. It would lead to closure of hosiery units and render thousands unemployed. The Finance Minister is
expected to make a final announcement in this regard
while presenting the Appropriation Bill in the Punjab
Vidhan Sabha tomorrow. |
||
Sales tax hike: hosiery units
remain closed LUDHIANA, March 29 — Nearly 10,000 hosiery units of Ludhiana today observed a complete bandh in response to a call from the Knitwear Club in protest against the Punjab Government's move to increase sales tax on hosiery from 2 per cent to 4 per cent. According to Mr Narinder Miglani, general secretary of the Knitwear Club, the bandh was observed in all major hosiery centres including, Mali Ganj, Hindi Bazar, Phalani Bazar, Chawal Bazar, Dal Bazar, Purana Bazar, Wait Gunj, Madhopuri, Bajwa Nagar and the Hazuri Road. Members of nearly 30 associations connected with the hosiery trade collected at Sita Mata Mandir in the morning and went in procession through the major streets of the city. An action committee headed by Mr Suraj Bhan Jain, president, Knitwear Club, was also formed. A five-member deputation
consisting of Mr Jain, Mr Narinder Miglani, Mr Ramesh
Garg, Mr Sham Bansal and Mr Harjit Singh, met the Chief
Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal at Chandigarh yesterday
and pressed for the withdrawal of the hike. The
deputation was accompanied by the local BJP MP Lala
Lajpat Rai, Mr Badal promised to look into the matter. |
||
Private practice by govt doctors
not to be allowed PHAGWARA, March 29 — Punjab Health Minister Manoranjan Kalia today disclosed that a record number of 150 doctors had been dismissed during past two years for various irregularities, including dereliction of duty, long absence from work etc. Terming private medical practice as social evil, Mr Kalia said that it won't be tolerated and anybody doing it would not be spared. Problem of understaffing would be solved this year. Mr Kalia disclosed that 750 doctors would be recruited. The process of recruitment of 74 doctors, 140 pharmacists and 300 staff nurses was already going on, claimed Mr Kalia. As much as Rs 422 crore
would be spent through the Punjab Health Systems
Corporation in five years for improving and streamlining
health services, in states, continued Mr Kalia. As many
as 150 hospitals would be renovated, given a facelift and
upgraded and sufficient medicines provided, added Mr
Kalia. |
||
Wheat procurement arrangements
made BATHINDA, March 29 — Punjab Food Minister, Chiranji Lal Garg today said that all arrangements for the procurement of wheat in the state had been made and 1350 purchase centres set up for it. In a press note issued here, he said that wheat from farmers would be purchased at a rate of Rs 550/- per quintal and filled in the bags of 50 kg capacity. He said that the Deputy Commissioner and other Food Supply officials would monitor procurement which would be started whenever wheat reached markets. He added that for the convenience of farmers, purchase centres had been set up at each focal point in Punjab. He said that facilities
like drinking water electricity and shelter would be
provided to farmers at purchase centres. |
||
Clear foodgrains’ stocks:
Ramoowalia MOGA, March 29 — Founder of the Lok Bhalai Political Party and former Union Minister for Social Welfare, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, yesterday urged the Punjab Government to clear the rotten stocks of foodgrain lying on the premises of rice millers all over the state to make space for the new wheat crop which is expected to reach in the markets during first week of April. Mr Ramoowalia said that
foodgrain stocks valued at several crore of rupees lying
for the past several years, had been totally damaged and
started emitting foul smell. Mr Ramoowalia further urged
the government to take notice of it as new stocks would
also meet the same fate if the rotten stocks were not
cleared. |
||
BJP leaders suspended FEROZEPORE, March 29 — The president of the state BJP, Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, has suspended Mr Chanan Das Kalra and Mr D.P. Chandan, president and vice-president, respectively, of the Ferozepore district unit of the BJP from the party. According to sources, Mr
Sodhi has asked these leaders to send their
clarifications to the party's state office within 10
days. |
||
Bassi Pathana MC Budget rejected FATEHGARH SAHIB, March 29 — A majority of the Municipal Councillors of the Municipal Council, Bassi Pathana, rejected the budget proposals presented by the President yesterday. According to Mr Om Parkash Tangri, Municipal Councillor, eight members voted against the budget while only five favoured it. In a press release, the councillors alleged that the President had not submitted any account of the expenditure already incurred nor had he given any detail about the expenses. They demanded an inquiry into the misappropriation of funds and immediate dismissal of the President. The Rs 2.65-cr budget of
the Sirhind Municipal Council was passed unanimously by
all members at a meeting here yesterday. |
||
Rs 50,000 ex gratia for
Varun's kin PHAGWARA, March 29 — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced Rs 50,000 aid for next of kin of young Varun Kumar who was shot dead by two persons here on March 25. Mr Badal also announced yesterday that the government would bear all medical expenses of Kamaljit Bhamra, who was injured and was under treatment at Ludhiana. The Chief Minister made these announcements when a BJP deputation led by block president Tilak Raj Kalucha drew his attention to the firing in which Varun (20) was robbed of Rs 4 lakh and shot dead in the local Chaddha market while his companion Bhamra was injured seriously, a party press note claimed here today. Mr Badal also gave Rs 5
lakh grant for Guru Nanak Mission Netrahin and Birdh
Ashram run by five blind NRIs at Sapror village.
Addressing the congregation there yesterday, Mr Badal
called for an eye donation drive to mark Khalsa's
tercentenary celebrations. |
||
Citizens' panel hails Railway
decision FATEHGARH SAHIB, March 29 — The Citizens Welfare Council, Sirhind, has welcomed the decision of the railway authorities to provide stoppage of six trains at the Sirhind railway station on the occasion of tercentenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa. In a press release issued today, Mr R.N.Sharma and Mr Surjit Singh Sahi, president and secretary of the council, respectively, demanded that these stoppages should be made permanent and not only for 10 days during the celebrations. They said the celebrations would continue for the whole year and Sirhind was the only approaching railway station for the entire country to proceed to Anandpur Sahib. The council also demanded
that all facilities for the railways station should be
provided for the convenience of the visitors. At present
the conditions at the railway station were deplorable.
There were no proper benches or provision of cold
drinking water. No fans or furniture was there in the
waiting room. There was no computer reservation facility,
the council said. |
||
AITUC march supports OCM workers PATIALA, March 29 — The Punjab State Committee of the All-India Trade Union Congress Committee today held a protest march through the bazaars of the city to express solidarity with an ongoing agitation of workers of the Oswal Cotton Mills, Amritsar. In a press statement Mr Nirmal Singh Dhaliwal, president, state committee AITUC said the workers of OCM Amritsar have been on strike since the past one and a half months in protest against low wages and high workload. He alleged that while the workers are being paid Rs 1200 to Rs 1600 at OCM, their counterparts in cotton mills at Delhi were getting wages more than Rs 3000 per month. He added the mill management had suspended more than 24 workers without assigning any reason and had also lodged criminal complaints against 20 workers. Mr Dhaliwal said the march
was held to urge the Chief Minister Punjab to intervene
in the matter and save the situation from worsening. The
state committee of the AITUC will also organise another
march on April 1 at different places in the state to
highlight shortcomings of the Punjab Budget. |
||
New phone exchanges JALANDHAR, March 29 — New C-Dot type digital electronic exchanges of 1000 lines capacity each have been installed at Bhaura, Langroa and Chakdana in Nawanshahr district. Mr Rajesh Wadhwa, General Manager, Telecom, said here today that the entire existing waiting list in these towns and adjoining villages served from these exchanges was likely to get cleared. He said the call waiting
and call alert (Automatic wake-up) facilities had been
provided on all telephones of these exchanges.
Subscribers with NSD/ISD/RSD on their telephones can
lock/unlock NSD/ISD/RSD themselves on their telephones
just by dialling a set of few digits and a four digit
secret code using the dynamic control facility available
in these exchanges. The call transfer, hot line and
abbreviated dialling facilities would also be available
on demand for a nominal rent. |
||
Dera chief dead JALANDHAR, March 29 (UNI) — Fakir Lal Badshah, said to be aged around 100 years, died at his ‘’dera’’in nearby Nakodar town yesterday, plunging his large followers into grief. More than 5000 of his
followers today marched in the town with his body before
its burial late this afternoon. |
||
Pensioners flay govt LUDHIANA, March 29 — A meeting of the All-India Government Pensioners Association, Punjab Circle, today criticised the Union Government for its alleged failure to release D.A. instalment at the rate of 10 per cent from January this year. It noted that the general
budget, presented by the Union Finance Minister, Mar
Yashwant Sinha, was also silent on this issue. This had
caused dismay among the central staff and pensioners. |
||
2 fired at, injured PATIALA, March 29 — Two persons were injured when the jeep in which they were travelling was fired at by unidentified assailants near Alowal village on the Patiala Bhadson road here last night. The assailants whose exact number is still unknown later sped away with the jeep leaving the injured on the road. According to the Bhadson police, Mr Bholla and Mr Bittu, both residents of Ambala, were on their way to Bhadson town when they were attacked. The injured managed to reach Alowal village after which they were taken to Rajindra Hospital Patiala and are reportedly out of danger. A case under Sections 307,
312, 334 of the IPC and 25, 54 of the Arms Act has been
registered at Bhadson police station. The police said
robbery did not seem to be the only motive of the attack.
The injured have in their statement identified one person
and the police also raided certain places but with no
success. |
||
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