Friday, November 26, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Friday, November 26, 1999 |
weather  spotlighttoday's calendar |
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SAD
leaders meet today 6 Punjab SSPs shuffled |
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PSEB
chief served contempt notice Ravi Inder's sack will ‘help
him’
Drainage works: JEs give Badal
details Scam: "loose slips"
being examined Amarinder accuses Badal of
corruption
Rural areas BJP’s priority:
minister Suitable jobs to war widows
assured NFIW: table Women's Reservation
Bill Govt not to fill Pro-VC’s
post Excise Dept inducts new audit
system Release funds, demands PAUTA |
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SAD leaders meet today CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — The Punjab Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who is concentrating these days in consolidating his position both in the party and the government, has called a high-level meeting of the party's top brass here tomorrow at Punjab Bhavan. Though no official statement as regards holding of such a meeting and its formal agenda has been issued either by the party office or president, but a senior party functionary confirmed that a meeting of the party's top leaders would be held tomorrow around 1.30 p.m. Among those who have been invited to attend the meeting include the district presidents of the SAD, members of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), a top body of the party with regard to taking all important decisions, members of the executive of the SGPC belonging to the SAD, and office-bearers of the SAD. Only a few days ago, Mr Badal had convened a meeting of the PAC in which a decision to issue a show-cause notice to Mr Ravi Inder Singh was taken for his alleged anti-party activities. Mr Ravi Inder Singh is due to submit his reply within a day or two. Informed sources said Mr Badal wanted to feel the pulse of the party at this stage when he had found out that certain leaders within the party have been doing spade work against him. The show-cause notice to Mr Ravi Inder has been issued in the light of these developments. Akali circles said another purpose of the meeting appeared to be that Mr Badal wanted to convey a specific message to all concerned in Akali circles that the party's rank and file, by and large, is with him and he enjoyed its full confidence. As usual, a resolution expressing full faith in the leadership of Mr Badal is expected to be passed. There are several key issues and events which Mr Badal will face in the near future. Already the issue of expansion of the ministry and filling of the vacant slots in the Cabinet is hanging fire for the past two months or so. Mr Badal has repeatedly made statements that he would expand his Cabinet by the end of the month. But it is expected to be delayed a bit, at least till the first week of next month. The new Governor, Lieut-Gen JFR Jacob, will be in the saddle on November 27. Sources said as expansion in the present circumstances is a ticklish task, Mr Badal would make all sorts of political calculations before going in for such an exercise. Another major task is regarding panchayat samiti elections which are due next month. The SAD, which suffered a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha poll, could not afford to lose the panchayat samiti elections to its main rival, the Congress. The other challenge for Mr Badal would be the elections to the Nawanshahr Vidhan Sabha constituency which fell vacant following the election of Mr Charanjit Singh Channi as a member of the Lok Sabha. The poll for that constituency is expected to be held soon and the Congress has already set the ball in motion. All these issues, especially with regard to panchayat samiti elections, are expected to be discussed at the meeting. Akali sources said already Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who formed his own party, has already started raising issues having emotional appeal. Mr Tohra had stated recently that his party would start a struggle for getting the pending issues pertaining to Punjab resolved. Sources said the SAD was
planning to hold rallies at district headquarters to
mobilise people and later on organise a big Moga-like
rally. This issue may also figure at the meeting.
District presidents are expected to raise the issue of
adjustments of political activists in market committees
and other available government institutions. |
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6 Punjab SSPs shuffled CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — Ordering the first major reshuffle after the Lok Sabha elections, the Punjab Government today transferred seven IG rank and 21 other senior police officers. This includes the transfer of Senior Superintendents of Police of Ludhiana, Nawanshahr, Tarn Taran, Faridkot, Jagraon and Barnala police districts and promotion of four IPS officers as DIGs in their own rank and pay. According to official orders available here, Mr K K Attri has been posted as IG, Crime, Punjab, in Chandigarh and Mr Anil Kaushik has been posed as I G Computers and Wireless. Mr Bakhshi Ram goes to Amritsar as IG Border Range, in place of Mr J P Birdi, who has been posted as IG Commando Battalions at Bahadurgarh in Patiala district. Mr K.L. Likhi has been posted as IG Provisioning. Mr D.R. Bhatti ahs been posted as IG, investigations, Lok Pal, Chandigarh, and Mr Shashi Kant as IG provisioning. Mr D.R. Bhatti has been posted as I G PAP, Jalandhar, against the post IG Training. Mr Dinkar Gupta has been posted as DIG, Intelligence, on promotion in his own rank and pay, and Mr C.S.R. Reddy has been posted as DIG, Lok Pal, in his own rank and pay. Mr R.P. Meena has been posted as DIG, India Reserve Battalion, at Bahadurgarh in his own rank and pay. Mr R.J.S. Nalwa has been posted as DIG, Vigilance Bureau, as DIG in his own rank and pay. Mr A.S. Rai, SSP, Faridkot, has been shifted to IVth Battalion of the IRB as Commandant and Mr Kuldip Singh has been posted as SSP, Ludhiana. Mr Jagdish Kumar has been posted as SSP, Tarn Taran, and Mr Jaskaran Singh as SSP, Jagraon, in place of Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, who goes in the same capacity to Nawanshahr. Mr G.S. Grewal has been sent to Bahadurgarh as Commandant of Ist Commando Battalion, and Ms Gurpreet Deo, SSP, Ludhiana, has been transferred to Jalandhar as S P, Vigilance Bureau. Mr Resham Singh has been posted as AIG PAP, Jalandhar, and Mr IPS Sahota as Commandant 82nd Battalion, PAP, Chandigarh. Mr Ishwar Singh has been posted as SSP, Barnala, and Mr S.S. Srivastava as SP Headquarters at Hoshiarpur. Mr Harchand Singh has been posted as S P , Vigilance Bureau, at Ludhiana, and Mr B.K. Garg as AIG, Welfare, Punjab. Mr R.P.S. Brar has been
posted as Joint Director, Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, and
Mr Parmod Ban as S.P. Vigilance Bureau, Punjab. Mr Arun
Kumar Oraon has been posted as SSP Faridkot. |
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IAS appointments CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — The Central Administrative Tribunal has restrained the Punjab Government from initiating the process of selection for appointment to the IAS cadre from "non-State Civil Service" till further orders. Mr Jasbir Singh Dhaliwal and Mr J.I. Nagi, Judicial and Administrative Members respectively, in their nine-page judgement having nationwide ramifications ruled: "Prima facie we are of the opinion that not only one must fall under the meaning of words 'special circumstances' and 'special case', as mentioned in Rule 4 and 8 of the 1954 Rules but must be able to satisfy that this nomination' is not in the nature of 'privatisation of nominations in recruitment' which is opposed to the concept of fairness and the equality clause as embodied in Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution." Speaking for the Bench, Mr Dhaliwal held: "An examination of the files and the recommendations indicate that the element of any special circumstance is totally missing. After a decision has been taken by the Punjab state, for example, on the ground that state government is facing difficulty on one aspect, let us say, either flood control or coping with financial crisis and that they are in need of some officers of outstanding merit having experience in these fields, one could accept the existence of special circumstances." Allowing two applications preferred by the Punjab Civil Services (Executive Branch) Officers' Association and Mr Harkesh Singh Sidhu, questioning the Punjab Government's decision to consider non PCS officers for appointment to the IAS, the Bench observed hat if a particular person who had fought valiantly in a national calamity or war with a neighbouring country and became handicapped in such a war and was working in a Punjab Government department such a persons could be considered as a special case. For considering a person for appointment to the IAS, the Bench held, the state government must show that it had decided to consider a person against a PCS quota due to special circumstance or because of outstanding merit. On examination of the files presented by the government, the Bench observed, one thing becomes apparent that recommendation of names from non-PCS source is being treated in a routine manner and names are chosen at random after heads of department sent the names of two persons nominated by them. One wonders about the
criteria adopted by the government for choosing people in
the manner they have been chosen. Besides was an
opportunity provided to all eligible officers working in
various departments for applying or for being considered.
This criteria was not followed and how could one person
be considered to be of outstanding merit as compared to
others. |
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PSEB chief served contempt
notice CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — Mr I.S. Tuteja, Chairman of the Punjab State Electricity Board, Patiala, was issued a show cause notice on why proceedings for contempt should not be issued against him on a petition preferred by Tirupati Industries, Ludhiana, against him. The show cause notice was issued for February 14, 2000 by Mr Justice V.S. Aggarwal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The petitioner had filed a civil writ petition in the High Court challenging the demand letter issued by the P.S.E.B. dated September, 1997 asking the firm to deposit Rs 18,38,587 along with interest for committing the alleged theft of electricity. The petitioner had also sought the refund of the Rs 4 lakh already received by the respondent. The writ petition was finally allowed on September 20, by the High Court declaring the impugned demand notice as illegal and quashed the same with a direction to refund the amount of Rs 4 lakh within one month. They were also restrained from disconnecting the supply of electricity bill and a reasonable opportunity is given to the petitioner-firm and decide the matter afresh. The petitioner-firm alleged that the respondents had deliberately chosen not to make refund of Rs 4 lakh to the firm, and the time period for refund had already lapsed. The petitioner prayed
for punishing the respondent for contempt of High Court
for deliberate disobedience of the court order. |
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Ravi Inder's sack will
‘help him’ CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — Mr G.S. Grewal, a former Advocate-General of Punjab, said today that the expulsion of Mr Ravi Inder Singh from the party, if it takes place, would not affect his membership of the house. On the contrary, he would be a free bird to pursue his goal with freedom and zeal. Mr Grewal in a signed statement said if the Chief Minister tried to curb the freedom of expression, he would weaken his position. The expulsion of Mr G.S. Tohra and 'manipulated" defeat of Mr Surjit Singh Barnala has not strengthened the hands of the Chief Minister in any way. On the contrary, his personal image has been tarnished. He said when Mr Tohra was expelled on an "innocuous statement", he accepted the challenge and caused a considerable damage. Similarly, the defeat of Mr Barnala from Sangrur was "manipulated by a very confused perception of the leaders." Such actions had weakened the party at the Centre, and not benefited the Chief Minister in any way. Mr Grewal said people were not prepared to give any credit to the Chief Minister for the induction of Mr S.S. Dhindsa in the Union Cabinet. Workers were not being
taken into confidence, alleged Mr Grewal. He said people
had no option but to blame the Chief Minister for all the
ills that afflicted the party and the government. With
the passing of each day, the misunderstanding between the
Chief Minister and the party was increasing. It was being
strongly felt that the Chief Minister would not be able
to steer clear the party through the "self-created
mess". |
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Tunnel was found in Operation
Sukha JALANDHAR, Nov 25 — The BSF which detected the tunnel on the international border on November 18 had launched Operation Sukha when it found the tunnel. A press party from Jalandhar visited the scene yesterday and met Mr Ruder Singh, Assistant Commander, BSF, at BoP Chandigarh, who told reporters that "we had launched Operation Sukha recently in which 80 BSF jawans took part. "During the operation on November 18, around 3.30 p.m. the tunnel was detected. He said had the tunnel not been detected for another 15 days, it would have crossed the barbed wire fence on the Indian side. One of its openings was located only 25 metre from the barbed fence inside Indian territory and the entrance was 30 metre from the border inside Pakistan territory. Later, they found two holes at a distance of 30 metres, which were meant to provide light and air inside the tunnel. Its end was dug up to 6 feet by the BSF men, who found cells and other tools and equipment used in digging. The company commander said that six or seven persons might have been involved in the process of digging. This is the third tunnel detected on the border during the past one and a half years. Senior BSF officials,
including the IG of the Punjab sector, Mr A.S. Aulakh,
had claimed at a press conference here yesterday that the
tunnel seemed to be the handiwork of drug smugglers
operating in the area. |
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Drainage works: JEs give Badal
details CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — Two junior engineers — Mr Balraj Singh and Mr A.P. Punj — posted in the Nawanshahr subdivision of the drainage wing of the Irrigation department met the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, at his office today to personally explain what they described as a scandal in the drainage works. Giving the details of the scandal, Mr Balraj Singh and Mr Punj told the Chief Minister that bogus estimates were prepared to make payments to contractors. They said though works were executed under their supervision, other officials were told to prepare estimates showing the volume of work several times more than actually done at the site. They assured the Chief Minister that they would prove what they had stated in their complaint, a copy of which was submitted again to the Chief Minister. They requested Mr Badal to appoint a high-level senior police officer and a technical expert to go into the scandal. Informed sources said the Chief Minister quizzed the junior engineers about important points with regard to the scandal. He also consulted his senior officers to hand over the enquiry to a senior officer posted in the Jalandhar range. It is expected that the enquiry would be handed over to Mr Suresh Arora, DIG, Jalandhar range. Reaching quickly on the
basis of a report carried by The Tribune yesterday as
regards the scandal, the Chief Minister immediately
directed the official concerned in the drainage
department and the district administration of Nawanshahr
district to send the two junior engineers to his office
today. The junior engineers were informed that the Chief
Minister personally wanted to know the details about the
alleged scandal for taking action in the matter. |
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Last of TADA detainees to be
freed soon MIANPUR (Ropar), Nov 25 — Sikh youths still detained in different jails under TADA for the past several years will be released soon. Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, said this while talking to mediapersons here this afternoon at the stone laying ceremony of a bridge on Sagrao rivulet on the Mianpur-Purkhali road, about 10 km from Ropar. The 124 metre bridge is stated to cost Rs 1.75 crore and will benefit 32 villages which are cut off during the monsoons. Mr Badal said his government had released the maximum number of TADA detainees. There were now only 20 to 30 TADA Sikh detainees who would also be released after the review of their cases. He claimed there was no financial crisis in the state and the laying of a foundation stone of the bridge was proof of this. He said development projects could not be undertaken by a cash-strapped government. Earlier, addressing the gathering, Mr Badal lashed out at the Congress and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra without mentioning him by name. He alleged the Congress harmed Punjab and Punjabis, especially Sikhs through its step-motherly attitude. Whenever the Congress came to power it snatched things away from the state whether it was water, electricity, Punjabi speaking areas, Chandigarh or other things. He said he had once offered the post of Chief Minister to Mr Tohra but at that time he declined the offer. "But when I (Badal) left the country for America for treatment his men started a campaign against me and to make Tohra Chief Minister." He said the Sikh community should beware of such forces. The Chandigarh-Ludhiana-Moga road, Jalandhar-Pathankot road and Chandigarh-Ropar road would be four-laned and railway over-bridges constructed at Kurali and Morinda. He assured the gathering
that Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex at Anandpur Sahib
would be completed in one and a half years and announced
a grant of Rs 5 lakh for Mianpur village. |
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Scam: "loose slips"
being examined GIDDERBAHA, Nov 25 — The team investigating the Rs 2.5 crore scam in the Bathinda canal division of the Irrigation Department has started examining "loose slips" allegedly containing accounts of distribution of "commission" for various works, executed by different officials of the department, among themselves. Sources said four "loose slips" in the handwriting of officials of the department contained the accounts of the "distribution" of money earned through illegal means in coded language. The sources said the slips contained the accounts of lakhs of rupees. Mr Alok Shekhar, ADC(D), Bathinda, who has conducted an inquiry into the Rs 2.5 crores scam had reportedly mentioned in his report that the mystery of "loose slips" needed to be solved by handwriting experts so that more bunglings could be detected. The sources said the "slips", which were submitted by the junior engineer, Bathinda canal division, Mr Tirath Singh Brar, along with his complaint regarding the scam contained accounts of the total expenditure on a project, net profit and "distribution of profit" among contractors and officers. The sources said the "slips" also contained the percentage of "commission" of the officers according to their ranks. One such slip also contained the details of the expenditure incurred on various non-officials jobs which included "Diwali-98, Rs 4600, 3 Peter Scott Rs 1350, CE visit Rs 2300, SE’s driver Rs 500, SE’s visit Gidderbaha Rs 4000, and Rs 400 for party." The four "slips" showed the alleged distribution of Rs 180279, Rs 259237, Rs 47978 and Rs 121999, meant for the execution of various projects. The sources said the matter written on the "slips" showed the total cost of project, actual expenses on the project, "commission" of the high-ups, "commission" for miscellaneous expenditure, contractors’ "commission" where the work was executed by the contractor and the net profit. The "share" of officers in the net profit was also shown on the slips. Mr Hardeep Dhillon, DIG,
Ferozepore Range, when contacted said the team was
examining the "slips" and would also take the
help of handwriting experts. He added that the team would
decodify the matter written on the "slips"
shortly and if a case was made out against any official,
he would also be taken to task also. |
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Amarinder accuses Badal of
corruption PATIALA, Nov 25 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress today urged the Akali SAD-BJP government in Punjab to seek a fresh mandate. Releasing resolutions passed by the Pradesh Congress in a meeting at Chandigarh yesterday at a press conference convened here, PPCC Chief Capt Amarinder Singh said all sections of society were disillusioned with the government and had showed in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Speaking on corruption, he said the PPCC felt that the Chief Minister and his immediate family should set an example instead of trying to pin down low-level officials. He accused the family of the Chief Minister, including his wife Surinder Kaur and son Sukhbir Singh Badal, of being the fountainheads of corruption. Talking of the financial position of the state he said all development work was at a standstill and plan expenditure was being illegally transferred to non-plan expenditure. He said cuts which could be imposed, like on the use of a helicopter by the CM, which cost the state Rs 24 crore annually, and cutting expenses of his ministry were not being done. He condemned the state government for deciding to go in for a Cabinet expansion at such a time. He said protests would be held throughout December to expose the ‘anti-people’ policies of the state government. The Pradesh Congress would also participate in a rally at Delhi on November 29 to protest against the inclusion of Rajiv Gandhi’s name in the CBI chargesheet. He announced setting up of a commission under the chairmanship of former minister Jagjit Singh Randhawa to ascertain the reasons for delay in commissioning of the Thien dam project. After at a civic reception, he dwelt on the government’s ‘corrupt deeds’ citing the example of Ferozepore district police chief Gurcharan Singh Pherurai. He said attempts to make Mr Pherurai a member of the Public Service Commission on the eve of his retirement were the last straw as Mr Pherurai had managed to get his daughter to top the PCS examination although she had secured only 47 per cent marks in her graduation-exams. Almost all senior
leaders of the city, including former ministers Brahm
Mohindra and Prem Gupta, former MP Surinder Singla and
party general secretary Birdevinder Singh did not attend
the function. |
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Rural areas BJP’s
priority: minister ABOHAR, Nov 25 — To shed its image of being a party of urbanites, the BJP is trying to make inroads in villages by allocating the second major budgetary share for rural development schemes ‘stating’ this to TNS at Kular Village, about 30 km from here, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Subhash Chander Mehria said today that a budget of Rs 8,300 crore had been set apart for making villages self-reliant in the next five years. Adding that this was the second major budgetary allocation after defence, Mr Mehria said: "This is one way by which, the BJP aims to consolidate its support base among the ruralities". He said two lakh villages of the total several lakh in the country were being adopted as model villages to bring an overall development through special package. He said the development schemes being chalked out for the model villages ranged from land reforms checking waterlogging. Whether the government was contemplating to declare waterlogging as natural calamity was yet to be addressed, he said. The minister, who was here to lay the foundation stone of a housing colony for Dalits, denied that his party had a mindset against the backward classes, as was being construed after the removal of Mr Kalyan Singh as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. He sought to clarify that the BJP has allocated an important portfolio to Mr B. Laxman, a member of the Scheduled Castes in the recent Cabinet expansion. To a question, whether he favoured Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan, his native state, being merged with Punjab in accordance with the demands of the Shiromani Akali Dal, the minister said, "I do not want to be drawn into this controversy. As of now, both Punjab and Rajasthan are enjoying a healthy relationship under the NDA-led coalition government, of which the SAD is a part". Later, in his address, the minister laid emphasis on volunteer efforts to make the villages self-sufficient. Punjab Minister Surjit
Jyani, who was also present, demanded that pilferage of
the canal waters should be checked. |
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Suitable jobs to war widows
assured AMRITSAR, Nov 25 — The Punjab Government has taken the lead to provide suitable jobs to the widows of army officers and jawans who had laid down their lives during the Kargil operation. The Director Sainik Welfare, Punjab, Brig, Kuldip Singh Kahlon, while talking reporters here today said the widow of Sq Ldr Ajay Ahuja had already been absorbed in the PCS cadre and was presently undergoing training. Brig Kahlon said the government had identified eight more widows who would be given class one jobs in the government service. He said the state had lost 106 sons during the Operation Vijay in Jammu and Kashmir. The government had provided Rs 5 lakh from its State War Heros Welfare Funds and Rs 2 lakh as ex gratia payment each to the families and dependants of these soldiers. Brig Kahlon stated that
the state government had decided to give this amount to
all those who had lost their lives in current
anti-insurgency operations like Meghdoot and Operation
Rhino in the north-eastern state. |
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NFIW: table Women's
Reservation Bill LUDHIANA, Nov 25 — The National Federation of Indian Women has asked the NDA government to table the Women's Reservation Bill for discussion in the winter session of Parliament beginning November 29 without further delay. While addressing a press conference here today, the general secretary of the federation, Mrs Amarjit Kaur, said that the Bill, seeking to provide a 33 per cent reservation should be tabled in the two Houses of Parliament for discussion as the Left parties and the Congress have already extended their support for passing the Bill. She also said that they
would organise rallies in order to mobilise public
opinion in favour of women's reservation and to impress
upon the government to table this Bill. |
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Govt not to fill
Pro-VC’s post AMRITSAR, Nov 25 — The Punjab Government has decided not to fill the post of Pro Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University which will fall vacant on November 28 after completion of the three-year term of Dr Inder Pal Singh an eminent Sikh scholar Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had reportedly returned the file relating to either appointing a new Pro-VC or giving extension to the present incumbent due to a "financial crunch". Though the decision was taken on the pretext of ‘financial crunch’ according to sources Mr Badal took the step in the wake of pressure on him by the BJP to appoint a ‘Hindu PVC’ in place of Dr Inder Pal Singh. Dr Inder Pal Singh, who was appointed PVC on November 27, 1996 for a three-year term has been trying to get an extension on the lines of the extension given to Mr Ram Murti Goel, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala. Many other academicians were also in the race, among them Mr A.N. Sharma, Principal, Span College Mukerian (Hoshiarpur). Dr K Ratna, Principal, Kanya Maha-Vidyalaya. Jalandhar eminent Hindi writer Dr Indu Bali and Dr Indu Banga. In the thirty-year history of Guru Nanak Dev University, the post of PVC has been vacant several times. Dr Inder Pal Singh was only the third PVC. The major problem in giving an extension to Dr Inder Pal Singh was his age. He is 68 year old while the University Grants Commission, in its guidelines has explicitly made clear that a vice-chancellor should not be more than 65 years. The vice-chancellors of Punjab Agricultural University Dr G.S. Kalkat was 70 at the time of his appointment. While Dr M.M. Puri, vice-chancellor, Panjab University was more than 68. Interestingly, while Dr
A.S. Aulakh was appointed as Pro-Vice-Chancellor PAU
there is no provision for this post. |
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Excise Dept inducts new audit
system PHAGWARA, Nov 25 — Mr M.K.L. Verma, IRS, member, Central Board of Excise and Customs and Chief Commissioner, Customs and Central Excise (Delhi zone) today spelt out changes in policy of the department, underlining the need for an attitudinal change and training of officers with minimum interference. Mr Verma was talking to reporters after laying the foundation stone of a four-storeyed office-cum-residential complex of the Central Excise Ranges at Phagwara. He stressed the need for
a closer interaction with the captains of industry in a
free and fair manner. A new scheme called Capacity
Improvement Programme had already been launched with the
collaboration of Canada, he said, adding that under it,
officers of the department would get the required knowhow
for the hi-tech new audit system under which small-scale
units with a revenue of over five crore rupees would be
covered from December to March. |
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Release funds, demands PAUTA LUDHIANA, Nov 25 — The executive committee on the Punjab Agricultural University Teachers Association (PAUTA) has urged the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to release Rs 6 crore at the earliest so that their long-awaited arrears would be cleared. In a press note issued here yesterday, the PAUTA President, Mr H.S. Brar, said earlier they met Mr Badal here on November 22 and urged him to release the funds as various research projects had been stalled. He said the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had already
released Rs 9.93 crore to the university for paying
arrears to the university faculty. |
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Stir threat by SHSAD PHILLAUR, Nov 25 — The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal will launch a statewide agitation in protest against the failure of the Badal government to work out a "Panthic agenda" for the next millennium. Jathedar Sukhdev Singh
Bhaur told this to this correspondent here today. He said
the SAD-BJP Government did nothing for acceptance of the
long-standing demands of Punjab in spite of the BJP rule
at the Centre. He said the Akali government worked only
to spread corruption and loot the state. |
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Tercentenary youth camp concludes ANANDPUR SAHIB, Nov 25 — An eight-day-long Khalsa Tercentenary National Integration Youth Camp concluded here today. As many as 2546 youths from 22 states, including 14 from Bangladesh and one from the USA, participated in the camp. The camp was organised by the National Youth Project with the cooperation of the Punjab School Education Board under the aegis of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. During the camp various activities like desilting of ponds, saplings plantation, maintenance and cleanliness of areas were conducted. A blood donation camp was also organised. Addressing the concluding function, Mr S.N. Suba Rao, Director, National Youth Project and Dr N.N. Panicker from Kerala asked them to work for the welfare of the world with constructive approach. They appealed them to stay away from drugs, smoking and other social evils. Mr Pritam Singh Saini
(67), a veteran world cycling champion, also present on
the occasion. |
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Mann reappointed PSEB member CHANDIGARH, Nov 25 — The Punjab Government has reappointed Mr Baldev Singh Mann as administrative member of the Punjab State Electricity Board with immediate effect for a two years, according to information available here. Mr Mann will assume
charge on Monday. He served the PSEB as administrative
member till August 10 last year but his tenure could not
be extended as the code of conduct during the Lok Sabha
poll had become operative by then. |
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Drivers killed in head-on
collision MOGA, Nov 25 — In a
head-on collision between a truck and a tanker on Tuesday
near Dhadha village, about 55 km from here, on the
Moga-Ludhiana road, drivers of both vehicles were crushed
to death, according to a report. The truck was coming
from Ludhiana while the tanker was on its way to Ludhiana
when the accident took place. The police has registered a
case and impounded the vehicles. |
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CM to flag off relief train LUDHIANA, Nov 25 — A goods train loaded with daily use articles including clothes, blankets, tarpaulins, eatables etc for Orissa will be flagged off from the local railway station by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on November 27. The goods sent to Orissa are being contributed by people from all over the state and will start reaching here from other districts from tomorrow. In order to make
adequate arrangements for loading items in different
wagons, a meeting of district officials was held under
the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Arun Goel here
today. |
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BDS migration test result
today AMRITSAR, Nov 25 — The result of the Joint Migration Test-99 for the second BDS course conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University on behalf of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences will be declared on November 26 and the interviews will be held on December 3 at 11 a.m. in the syndicate room (Senate Hall Building) of the university here. Stating this, the
co-ordinator of the test and the Registrar of the GND
University, Dr R.S. Bawa, said the result could be had
from his office or from the office of the Director,
Computer Centre, of the university. |
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