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| Monday, January 10, 2000, Chandigarh, India   |
Manpower trafficking racket
unearthed BSF nabs intruder, 2 Indian
smugglers ‘Need to study warnings on
ethnic conflicts’ 8 more tubewells for Patiala
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Badal ‘promoting’ family
interests ‘Efforts on’ to form
third front
Markfed staff up in arms Mass marriage of destitute girls Special funds for judicial complex Sub-Registrar’s office
computerised Badal to take up NRIs’
problems with PM Hall funded by NRI inaugurated Health employees not paid salaries Punjab to upgrade tourist
facilities Need for value-based education:
scholars
Baba’s arrest stayed
|
Decision on gurdwara site raises
eyebrows MAKHU (Ferozepore), Jan 9 — The recent Punjab Government notification, excluding Gurdwara Nanaksar from the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary near here, has raked up a controversy, with a section of forest and wildlife officials fearing, this would set a wrong precedent. As the gurdwara has encroached upon 104 kanal and 16 marla of the irrigation land, its exclusion from the sanctuary altogether will only encourage further encroachments in the protected areas. The land under the control of the gurdwara authorities belongs to the Irrigation Department and cannot be used for purposes other than forestry, officials point out. Citing rules, the officials said the gurdwara site, being a stretch on the canal strip, could not be given away for purposes other than forestry. Surprisingly, the land still is the property of the Irrigation Department and the authorities are yet to transfer it to the gurdwara. Confirming this to the TNS, the Executive Engineer of the Harike division of the Irrigation Department, Mr Jagroop Singh said, "As of now the gurdwara is an encroachment. With the denotification of the site from the sanctuary we can now think of regularising it", he said. The state government notification of November 18, 1999, had declared the Harike pond near here as wildlife sanctuary for a period of 10 years. However, the order in no uncertain words excluded Gurdwara Nanaksar from the sanctuary. Pleading anonymity, the wildlife officials charged the gurdwara authorities of exerting political pressure through the Chief Minister to get the site under their control denotified from the sanctuary. Resentful officials said the exclusion had rendered them incapable of checking the movement of those visiting the gurdwara to ensure the safety of the migratory birds. Besides, the use of loudspeakers by the gurdwara will adversely hit the movement of birds. The practice of immersing ashes of the dead, especially with polythene bags also polluted the sanctuary waters, one officer lamented. "This will certainly affect the ecological balance of the sanctuary", he said. However, the Director, Wildlife, Mr Gurmeet Singh on being contacted said, the gurdwara was excluded after considering the recommendation of the district administration. Henceforth, nobody would be allowed to encroach upon the protected area, he assured adding, this was necessitated as religious sentiments of the public were involved. While sources say the state government should have approached the Ministry of Environment and Forest in this case to get the gurdwara site denotified, Mr Gurmeet Singh said the state authorities were competent to exclude it from the sanctuary as the gurdwara was older than the Wildlife Protection Act that was invoked in 1972. The Executive Engineer Irrigation, Mr Jagroop Singh, has ruled out any extreme action against the gurdwara authorities at this stage, and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, has asked the Irrigation Department to examine the case for the transfer of the land to set at rest the controversy. "I recommend to the Irrigation Department to take lenient view of the matter as religious sentiments of the public are involved with the gurdwara built here for more than three decades ago". The head of the gurdwara Bhai Madho Singh on his part said, the government should donate more land for such a noble cause, instead of perceiving the religious place as encroachment. Brushing aside the charge of exerting political pressure on anyone, Bhai Madho Singh said, "We are religious people and have nothing to do with politics". Claiming that the birds
were fully protected in the gurdwara, he said, the
controversy was highly uncalled for. Referring to the
practice of the immersion of ashes from near the
gurdwara, an agitated Bhai Madho Singh said that nobody
was allowed to use polythene bags to maintain the
sanctity and hygiene of the sanctuary waters. |
Manpower trafficking racket unearthed GURDASPUR, Jan 9 (UNI) — The police today claimed to have unearthed a racket in manpower trafficking in the guise of sending business representatives of fictitious firms abroad, with the arrest of three of the four members of a gang, who had been operating the racket since 1996. The SSP, Mr Virender Kumar, said prime accused Ramesh Rajdan, who styled himself as executive director of the Kathua-based Eagle International, with its branch office at his residence in Pathankot, his wife Poonam Rajdan, and his brother-in-law, Pradeep Kumar, had been arrested, while the fourth accused, Ashok Rajdan, brother of Ramesh Rajdan, was still absconding. The police officer said in their preliminary interrogation the accused confessed that they had duped at least nine persons to the tune of Rs 12 lakh by sending them abroad as business representatives of their fictitious export-import firm. The SSP said amounts varying from Rs 40,000 to Rs 2 lakhs were taken from Dharmpal of Shapur Kandi, Manmohan Chand of Limini village, Sameer Puri, Deepak Thakur, Charan Dass, Baljinder Singh, Nirmal Singh and Sandeep Kumar, all residents of Pathankot, and Harjinder Singh of Tarn Taran. All of them were sent abroad as salesmen of some bogus companies registered in the name of Poonam Rajdan. The SSP said the accused used to get affidavits from their potential victims in their favour and in the favour of their fictitious firms to protect themselves against any legal action . Mr Varinder Kumar said Ramesh Rajdan, a clerk in 304-base workshop at Sujanpur, and his brother had set up Eagle International at Kathua in 1996. His wife and brother-in-law were partners in the firm, he added. The branch office was set up at Indira Colony in Pathankot where they used to reside, the SSP said. The police officer said the accused would get business visas from foreign missions in New Delhi on the basis of bogus project reports and send these people abroad as their business representatives. These people sent abroad would be left to fend for themselves. A case under Sections
420, 467, 471, 468, 168 and 120-B of the IPC has been
registered against the four accused. |
BSF nabs intruder, 2 Indian
smugglers AMRITSAR, Jan 9 — Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have apprehended a Pakistani intruder along with two Indian smugglers and recovered 8 kg of high-grade heroin near the border outpost (BOP) of Burj in Amritsar sector last night. A press note issued by the BSF sector Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), Mr H.S. Gill, identified the Pakistani intruder who was injured in an exchange of fire with the BSF naka parties as Abid Ali of Satrain village in Shekhpura district of Pakistan. A pistol and 11 cartridges were recovered from the intruder. Aother intruder sneaked back across the border after sustaining bullet injuries. The Indian smugglers were identified as Jagir Singh of Lakha Singh village and Sukhwant Singh Gogi of Kot Sidhu village. A BSF ambush party observed two persons sneaking across the border into India while taking advantage of the dense fog. As soon as the intruders neared the fence the ambush party opened fire and injured the two intruders who too fired at the BSF jawans. The two Indian smugglers
were taken into custody along with the contraband valued
at Rs 8 crore in the international market. |
‘Need to study warnings on
ethnic conflicts’ PATIALA, Jan 9 — Governments should study early warnings on potential ethnic conflicts so as to take preventive measures to initiate peace processes so that loss in terms of human life is minimised. These views were expressed by Prof, Dov Ronen of Harvard University at a discussion on the subject of "State of political science and the status and problems of ethnicity" held at the senate hall of Punjabi University here today. Professor Ronen touched upon issues like ethnicity, ethnic complex and ethnic tensions and conflicts. He urged experts to study various psychological, sociological and political aspects of a problem. He said scholars should help in developing a consensus as to what caused ethnic complex and how fears of ethnic groups from bigger groups could be dealt with. Professor Ronen said research on ethnicity was on in various countries and institutions at the academic and non-academic level. In this connection he urged researchers to take into consideration the opinion poll, election results, media reports and interviews which could give early warnings of potential ethnic conflicts. Prof Leslie S.Laczko from the University of Ottawa, Canada, discussed the problem of ethnicity with particular reference to the French-English dualism, immigrants and their descendants and the federal political system in Canada. He said Canada had adopted a policy of multiculturalism which to a great extent helped solve ethnic, social, cultural, linguistic and regional conflicts and tensions. Prof, John Coakley, Secretary-General, International Political Science Association (IPSA), gave details of the activities, aims and objectives of the IPSA. Among those who
participated in discussion were Dr Jasmail Singh Brar, Dr
K.Gopal Lyer, Dr, Gobinder Singh, Dr O N Shukla, Dr
Shanti Sarip, Dr Ranbir Singh and Dr Rammurti Goel. The
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, presided. |
8 more tubewells for
Patiala PATIALA, Jan 9 — To augment water supply in the city, the local Municipal Corporation has finalised a plan to dig eight new tubewells which will begin supplying water before March. The new tubewells would come up at Purani Kotwali Chowk, Chatta Nannu Mal, Neem Wala Chowk, Fire Brigade Area, near Quila Mubarak, Sanauri Adda, Arna Barna Chowk and Bishan Nagar Area. These tubewells would be in addition to the five other new ones at Guru Nanak Nagar, Raghomajra, Charan Bagh, Arjun Nagar and Factory Area. More tubewells had become a necessity owing to an increase of population and the non-working of at least four of the 13 overhead water tanks in the city. Sources claimed that four overhead tanks — one each in Quila Mubarak and Passey Road and two in Arjun Nagar — are out of order. Further, with increase in the city’s population and expansion of area coming under the Municipal Corporation had put extra burden on the water supply system. The Municipal Commissioner, Mr K.S. Kung, said the overhead tanks are useful in areas having three or more storeyed houses which is not the case with of the city. So, the decision was taken in favour of digging tubewells. Mr Kung said residents
of these colonies had been complaining about the
irregular water supply as these areas were either fed by
an overhead water tank or a tubewell located far away.
The pressure of water was not adequate to reach these
places. Now, their problem would be solved. |
A record recitation PATIALA, Jan 9 — Mr Tarsem Lal Goyal, a senior assistant with Punjabi University here, has done the city proud by getting his name mentioned in the Limca Book of World Records. According to the latest edition of the book, Mr Goyal has been included for reciting Bhagvad Gita, a holy book of the Hindus, in 75 minutes. The book mentions that in spite of reciting the sacred book at a fast speed in Sanskrit, Mr Goyal’s speech is accurate, clear and understandable. Talking to this correspondent about his record, Mr Goyal disclosed that he had never been a formal student of Sanskrit. He has done M.A. in Public Administration and in Philosophy. At a religious function in 1993, Mr Goyal first heard hymns from the Gita. “I got so impressed by that I wanted to reach it all myself.” He said he learnt the language on his own but was indebted to Dr Ravinder Kaur, Professor and Head of Department of Sanskrit, Punjabi University, and Dr Abhimanyu Malik, Professor of Sanskrit, for their help in refining his language. Mr Goyal said after some
years, he discovered that he could read the holy book at
a fairly high speed. On being encouraged by family
members and friends, he improved upon his speed and
succeeded in getting mentioned in the record book. |
Badal ‘promoting’
family interests SANGRUR, Jan 9 — Prem Singh Chandumajra, a former MP, and a senior leader of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal yesterday charged that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was pressuring the Union Government for postponing elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC). Mr Chandumajra termed this action of Mr Badal as anti-Akali. Talking to mediapersons Mr Chandumajra accused Mr Badal of adopting a dictatorial attitude in the party and the government and misusing his power for promoting the interests of his family. Elaborating his point, Mr Chandumajra said over 10 relatives of Mr Badal had been accommodated in the government in various capacities. Predicting the fall of
the Badal government soon, Mr Chandumajra said the Badal
government was working on ‘daily wages’ and
there would a political revolution. |
‘Efforts on’ to form third
front NAWANSHAHR, Jan 9 — Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, secretary-general, SHSAD, said here today that efforts were on for constituting a third front to defeat Congress and SAD candidates in the forthcoming Nawanshahr Assembly byelection. In a statement, he accused the Congress and Mr Badal of hurting the sentiments of the Sikhs by violating Panthic maryada. He said Mr Gurcharan
Singh Tohra, president, SHSAD, would inaugurate the
party’s office here soon to launch the campaign of
the SHSAD. |
Markfed staff up in arms CHANDIGARH, Jan 9 — Members of the Punjab State Cooperative Markfed Employees’ Union are up in arms against the management for the upgradation of posts and grant of higher pay scales to the accounts cadre of Markfed. The union president, Mr Ranjit Goel, and general secretary, Mr Harbhajan Dass, have in a signed complaint with supporting documents submitted to the Minister for Cooperation demanded stay of the implementation of the upgradation and scales to only a section of the employees. The selective bonanza has come at a time when Markfed is in the red and its units are making losses, says the memorandum. The memorandum to the minister, a copy of which was made available to TNS by Mr Goel today, has even alleged connivance of certain officials for the undue favouritism shown to the accounts personnel. The union has a grouse: it has not been given an appointment by the Financial Commissioner, Cooperation, despite repeated requests. There is allegation of the union that there has been a "deal" over the grant of upgradation and scales to the accounts people. The beneficiaries listed are as follows; the memorandum says "favouritism is very clear from the fact that on the revision of pay scales with effect from 1.1.1986 on the analogy of ministerial cadre, 83 categories were granted scale of Rs 1200-2100; 28 categories — Rs 1800-3200, three categories — Rs 2000-3500; six categories — Rs 2200-4000 and 22 categories granted Rs 950-1800". The union has demanded not only a stay on implementation but also equity thereon. On the one hand, 400 employees of a particular category have been granted higher scales and on the other 4,000 employees are ignored. The union wants a probe
from an outside agency. |
Mass marriage of destitute
girls PATIALA, Jan 9 — For a girl without mother, it was a red-letter day today. Bachni got married and received household items suits and jewellery at a mass marriage function, organised by the Sangharsh Sewa Samiti at a marriage palace here. “I never imagined I would be married off in a marriage palace in a big city with so many people to bless me,” said Bachni while talking to TNS. But for the Sangharsh Samiti, it would have been difficult for Bachni’s father, who is a labourer, to marry her off in this fashion. “He had so many other liabilities and I am glad he did not have to take any debt to marry me,” said Bachni. Bachni’s cousin sister also got married at a simple function today along with four other couples, all belonging to neighbouring villages. Bachni and her cousin Harjit belong to Banera Khurd village. Harjit’s father Lachhman Singh said he took the opportunity to get his daughter married through the help of the Sewa Samiti as he was a common labourer who could hardly make ends meet. Lachhman’s wife said her husband was also not able to do dihari everyday due to health problems. “Due to this it would have been very difficult for us to marry Harjit in such a manner as we have six children, including three girls”. The entire function was held in a dignified manner. A band welcomed the baratis into the palace on their arrival and they were served tea and snacks. Following this, the couples were blessed by eminent citizens, including the Deputy Commissioner’s wife and Red Cross Hospital Welfare Association Chairperson Ravinder Kaur Bir. The couples were blessed by Hindu, Muslim and Christian priests and also by Surinder Kaur Grewal, Chairperson, Mahila Commission, Punjab. Mrs Grewal urged the in-laws of the brides that it was their duty to look after the girls, saying they would get full moral support from those present on the occasion. Mrs Ravinder Kaur Bir announced that an old age home would also be built in the city, for which a plot had been allotted. President of the Sangharsh Sewa Samiti P.L. Johny said through this endeavour, the society wanted to prove that girls belonging to extremely poor families could also be married with dignity. He said the Sewa Samiti would soon start emergency medical services to help the public. Mr Johny said the
couples married today were from Banera Khurd and Seona,
Pharapur and Mehergarh Patti villages. He said the samiti
only helped in the conduct of the marriages and that the
engagements were arranged by the girls’ parents. He
said the samiti had given double beds, beddings,
utensils, suits, dressing tables and a silver jewellery
set all worth around Rs 20,000 to each couple to enable
them to stand on their own feet. |
Special funds for judicial
complex PATIALA, Jan 9 — Hopes of resumption of the construction work of the judicial complex-cum-mini secretariat near the District Courts here have been strengthened following release of special funds for it by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Mr Vinay Vatrana, Secretary, District Bar Association, disclosed in a press release here today the Bar held a meeting with Mr K.K. Garg, Registrar, Punjab and Haryana High Court, early this week over the slow pace of construction of the complex. He said Mr Garg informed the lawyers that Mr Justice R.S. Mongia had passed special funds for the speedy construction of the complex. It may be mentioned here that Chandigarh Tribune had in a recent news feature report highlighted the plight of the District Courts here due to non-completion of the new complex. Mr Vatrana said Mr Garg
also informed the lawyers that two storeys of the
proposed six-storeyed judicial complex would be given to
lawyers for setting up their chambers. |
Sub-Registrar’s office
computerised LUDHIANA, Jan 9 — In its strive towards becoming one of the most computer savvy districts in the country, the Ludhiana district administration has computerised the working of the Sub-Registrar’s office for the execution of land sale deeds, wills, and power of attorneys. Already the district transport office and the arms licence office in the city are computerised. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Goel, said today this would help enhance efficiency and check corruption and fraudulent practices in the registry of land sale deeds. "The 150-year-old system of registration being followed is quite lengthy as repeated entries have to be made in different registers, thus delaying the release of registration deeds. In the newly introduced computerised system, the seller, the buyer and witnesses would be photographed, the photos printed on the back pages of the sale deed and then stored as data in the computer," Mr Goel explained. The software for the project prepared by IES Dasua, was so designed as to mention the amount collected as registration fee on a particular day. It could also update the total of the deposited fee and give the cumulative total thus reducing the chances of bungling in the cash book which would be maintained by the computer. Two of the four endorsements earlier being made manually would be printed by the computer on the back of the first page of the deed and the other two on the back of the third page. The photographs of the buyer, seller and witnesses would be printed on the second page. After the printing, the document would be sent to the Sub-Registrar for signatures ensuring that the parties got the sale deed within an hour. Mr Goel said the computerisation would help keep a check on registration of under-valued deeds. "This would also check the cases of fraud in land sale deeds by impersonation," he said. To ensure the security of the data, every employee operating the computer would be given a secret user name and password to be changed and handed over to successors in case of transfer of the official. Contrary to the existing notion that the computer was only for those who knew English, the software for the same had been developed in Punjabi, with all printouts, records and endorsements on the back side of the registry in Punjabi for the convenience of the ordinary man. The Deputy Commissioner also said now that the issuing of registration certificates of vehicles had been computerised, the registration certificate would be made available on the same day after the receipt of documents. Mr Goel said to ensure
the issuing of sale deeds on the same day, the
Sub-Registrar’s office would have to deposit the
unreleased deeds to the Registrar’s office (ADC). |
Badal to take up NRIs’ problems with PM JALANDHAR, Jan 9 (UNI) — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said he would take up the non-resident Indians’ (NRIs) demand for dual nationality with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during his meeting with him in New Delhi on January 11. Addressing the fourth annual convention of NRIs organised by the Punjab NRI Sabha here, he said he would also take up problems NRIs faced in getting visas from Indian missions abroad for visiting him. NRIs hailing from Punjab have had been demanding revision of blacklist maintained by Indian Home Ministry, adding even when some of them were granted visas by Indian missions abroad, they were turned back from Indian airports because their names figured in outdated blacklists. The NRI Sabha had taken up the issue through Union Urban Employment Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who addressed the NRI convention here yesterday. The Chief Minister urged
NRIs to make investment of their resources and
specialised skills in Punjab to improve its agriculture
and education sectors. He called upon them to set up
schools of international standard in their respective
villages in the state so that posterity could get quality
education. |
Hall funded by NRI
inaugurated PATIALA, Jan 9 — A multi-purpose hall, built entirely with funds donated by a non-resident Indian, was inaugurated in Government Mohindra College here yesterday. The building, Bibi Kartar Kaur Memorial Hall, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 10 lakh donated by an NRI dental surgeon, Dr A.S. Marwah. His wife, Kuljit Kaur, inaugurated the building. The hall is named after her mother who was once a member of the faculty of Mohindra College. A press note of the college said that besides this contribution, Dr Marwah also instituted sports and academic scholarships by creating an endowment fund of Rs 4 lakh. The annual scholarships carry Rs 5,000 and a silver trophy to the best student in sports and in academics. The winners will also be given Rs 1,000 per month as scholarship in both categories. The second and third prize winners will be given Rs 500 per month. A three-member committee comprising Prof C.S. Virk, former Principal, Mr P.S. Sidhu and Mr S.S. Sodhi will decide the awards. The new building
consists of a hall, three faculty rooms and three
bathrooms. |
Health employees not paid
salaries FAZILKA, Jan 9 — Hundreds of employees of the Health Depart-ment working in the district have not been paid their salaries for December, 1999. According to information, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, health workers and Class IV employees working in T.B. Hospital, Ferozepore, Civil and T.B. Hospital, Abohar, the trauma ward of the Civil Hospital, Fazilka, the primary health centres of Mamdot, Ferozeshah and 43 rural dispensaries falling under these two health centres have not been paid their salaries owing to non-availability of budgetary funds. Mr Kuldeep Singh Khunger, Convener of the Health and Paramedical Employees Coordina-tion Committee, Ferozepore district, Mr Harish Sachdeva and Mr Ravinder Luthra, the president and secretary, respectively, of the Punjab State Pharmacists Association, Ferozepore, and Mr Shashi Kant, Senior Vice-President, All Employees Coordination Committee, Fazilka, in a joint statement issued here today held the Punjab Government responsible for the non-payment of salaries even as the government had issued clear instructions for the disbursement of salaries for December. These employee leaders also criticised the Chief Minister for making a disproportionate’ expansion of his Cabinet and putting ‘undue financial burden’ on the exchequer. They warned the
government that if the salaries were not release by
January 15, employees of the Health Department would
gherao the offices of the Civil Surgeon and District
Treasury Officer, Ferozepore. |
Punjab to upgrade tourist
facilities PHILLAUR, Jan 9 — The Punjab Government has prepared a "modern" tourism policy to promote tourism and attract people from all over the country and abroad. This was stated by the newly appointed Punjab Tourism Minister, Mr Swarna Ram, while talking to The Tribune in an exclusive interview here today after assuming charge. He said that the policy had been approved by the state Cabinet in principle. It was approved by the Cabinet subcommittee headed by the Punjab Finance Minister and had been sent to the Chief Minister for approval. The final draft would soon be approved by the Council of Ministers. The state government was considering setting up information centres at all district headquarters besides strengthening of existing ones at Wagah, Rajasansi Airport, Amritsar, New Delhi, Nangal, Chandigarh and Anandpur Sahib to provide assistance and information to the incoming and outgoing tourists. The Ministry of Tourism was giving priority to eight projects, worth Rs 4 crore, during the current financial year. The state government was also planning to set up fast food counters in Gurdaspur, Doraha, Sultanpur Lodhi, Harike, Garhshankar, Mansa, Mohali and Kiratpur Sahib under a centrally sponsored scheme. He said that the Union Government had sanctioned tourist complexes/schemes for water sports, para-sailing, toilets and drinking water facilities and sulabh mobile toilet vans. Six petrol stations had
been set up at Madhopur, Hoshiarpur, Nidampur, Moga,
Shambhu and Malout tourist complexes to provide
integrated services to the travellers and tourists. |
Need for value-based
education: scholars AMRITSAR, Jan 9 — A seminar "India in the new millennium" was organised at Guru Nanak Dev University yesterday as part of the ongoing ‘Vande Matram yuva sankalpa programme’. The speakers deliberated on various issues of public interest including the empowerment of women, health, education, judiciary and defence. Dr Satinder Singh, Dean, Academic Affairs, presided over the function. Dr Dinesh Sharma, associated with many WHO programmes, highlighted the dangers of drugs and intoxicants and the growing number of HIV cases. Dr Aruna Anand, a member of Khalsa College faculty, stressed the need of value-based education. Dr Balwinder Arora (sociologist, GNDU varsity), focused on the empowerment of women. Wg Cdr Sher Singh on behalf of the NCC advocated self discipline at the individual level as well as at the national level for a better India. Prof Kashmir Singh (faculty of Law, GND) varsity, analysed the working of judiciary in India. He applauded the role of judicial activism and said much more needed to be done. The seminar was attended
by officers and cadets of the NCC, volunteers of the NSS
and the Nehru Yuva Kendra. |
2.10 lakh given to seven
disabled AMRITSAR, Jan 9 —Mr Gulzar Singh Ranike, in his maiden address after assuming charge as Minister of State for Agriculture, distributed compensation worth Rs 2.10 lakh among seven disabled persons at a function held today at the ITI in Ranike village. He reiterated that the shagan scheme would continue and more than Rs 5 lakh had already been given to the needy under the scheme. Baba Mangal Singh of
Sant Samaj honoured Mr Ranike and Mr Ranjit Singh
Brahampura (Cooperatives Minister) with siropas. |
Couple commits suicide BATALA, Jan 9 (UNI) — Poverty and disease drove a young couple to commit suicide here this evening, the police said. Gurjit Kumar Bittu, 30, and wife, Ved Kumari, 28, in their dying declaration in the Civil Hospital, where they died after being brought by the police, said they were poor and had been suffering from TB and were neither in a position to afford their medical treatment nor feed their three children aged six months, four years and six years old. Dr Harbhajan Singh, who
attended on them in the hospital, said the couple told
him that they had consumed celphos tablets, a cheap
insecticide used in preserving foodgrains. The doctor
said when brought by the police to the hospital around 4
p.m. both were conscious and they said they were tired of
their poverty and disease. They died around 4.45 p.m., he
added. |
Orders to identify Wakf Board land BATHINDA, Jan 9 (PTI) — The Punjab Government has directed the revenue authorities in every district to identify Wakf Board land and allot the same to Muslims on a priority basis. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced this today while regretting that people had illegally occupied Wakf Board land in connivance with officials. Mr Badal said he would meet the Prime Minister and the Wakf Board Minister at Delhi on January 11 and try to work out a separate Wakf Board law for Punjab. Mr Badal was addressing
the Muslim community which had gathered at the Sports
Stadium here in connection with the Id-ul-Fitr
celebration. |
300 volunteers in Orissa JALANDHAR, Jan 9 — Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, addressing a gathering at a function organised to honour Ram Lila and Dasehra committee members from all over the state here today, said people should follow in the footsteps of the great Sikh Gurus. The Chief Minister said
300 volunteers from Punjab were working round the clock
to provide food to one lakh people in Orissa daily. He
thanked Baba Mohan Dass for his efforts to bring 500
children orphaned in the Orissa cyclone to the dera. |
Baba’s arrest stayed ROPAR, Jan 9 — Mr Maghar Khan, Sessions Judge, yesterday stayed the arrest of Baba Piara Singh Bhaniarawala, head of Dharam Kala Asthan in Dhamana village, about 10 km from here, till January 17 and directed him to join the investigation. A case was registered by the Nurpur Bedi police against the Baba under Sections 342, 365, 506, 323, 148 and 149 of the IPC on a complaint lodged by Mr Kamaljit Singh, a medical practioner of Bains village, about 20 km from here on the Ropar-Nurpur Bedi road. In his complaint, Mr Kamaljit Singh had alleged that he was beaten up by the Baba, his security guards and his driver on December 11 at the bus stop of Bains village. Earlier, the Sessions
Judge in his order on December 15 had stated that in the
event of the arrest of the Baba, he should be released on
interim bail till December 23. On December 23, the
Sessions Judge had further stayed the arrest till January
8. |
Cremation ground worker murdered MALERKOTLA, Jan 9 — Mr Gulab Shankar alias Banwari a worker of "Shamshan Ghat" was murdered here today early morning. He was 55 and belonged to Banaras district of UP. According to information he was strangled and attempt was made to burn his body. He was cremated by the Shamshan Ghat Committee this afternoon. The police has
registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC and
rounded up some persons for questioning. Social and
religious organisations have condemned the killing. |
 |
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