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| Tuesday, March 7, 2000, Chandigarh, India   |
Punjab pensioners left high and
dry Proposed
building laws may create problems Corruption
drag on growth: CVC
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| Sister
who brought up a Premier DOSANJH KALAN, March 6 — “He will be a deputy one day was the comment my mother often used to make about Ujjal,” recalls Mrs Harbans Kaur, first cousin of Mr Ujjal Singh Dosanjh, the first ever Indo-Canadian to become Premier of British Columbia.
Mann
faction dumps Tohra Morcha
to enrol 1 lakh members JD
(U) to launch enrolment drive
Police
posts near widow homes Rai
Sikhs demand SC status TB
patients a neglected lot Veterinary
doctors seek jobs NFL
staff stir from today Cancel
Indo-Pak bus, train services: Billa Diseased
trees worry forest officials Akali
leader cremated End
contract labour system, RTP staff Residents
seek link road Mass
marriage ceremony held Use
of loudspeakers 24-hour
service at govt hospitals soon Fine
performance
CCTVs
installed at mini secretariat
Three
held for killing youth Body
found House
looted
Medical
teachers end strike PAU
launches website
|
Punjab pensioners left high and
dry CHANDIGARH, March 6 — The year 1999, which was celebrated all as the Year of the Elderly People the world over, has left the Punjab Government pensioners high and dry. The year failed to move the Badal government to implement the recommendations of the Fourth Punjab Pay Commission relating to pensions and other benefits. Even two years after the report containing 10 major recommendations was submitted to the state government (February 20, 1998), the Badal administration has, so far, implemented only one recommendation — revision of pensions. The other recommendations remain unimplemented. The unimplemented recommendations include: old-age allowance at the rate of 5 per cent and 10 per cent on attaining the age of 65 and 75 years, respectively and 97 per cent Dearness Allowance admissible on July 1, 1993, to be counted for gratuity and benefit in pension for the service rendered beyond 33 years. Other recommendations are restoration of the commuted pension after 11-and-a-half years, reservation of plots and flats in PUDA colonies, at least 50 per cent pension to the retiree of the minimum of the revised grade of the post held at the time of retirement, increase in the expenses incurred on the dentures, spectacles and re-imbursement of expenses on the treatment of chronic ailments. According to the Government Pensioners Association Additional General Secretary, Mr Yash Paul Ghai, despite having the highest per capita income in the country, the state government was dilly-dallying in implementing the recommendations. There was no point in setting up a pay commission if its recommendations were not to be accepted. “Pensioners seek a fair deal from the Badal regime,” he added. The association views it seriously that thousands of cases of pre-1986 pensioners for notional fixation of pay revision of pension are gathering dust in various offices of the Punjab Government. These have to be expeditiously finalised. In all fairness, pre- 1986 retirees, who are in the evening of their lives, deserve a better deal. And, pensioners want the Accountant-General, Punjab, to hold a “pension adalat” for the speedy disposal of cases relating to the revision of pensions. The Punjab Government employees, who retired between January 1, 1996, and September 30, 1996, are deeply perturbed over the faulty formula for determining their pension. They suffer a loss of Rs 200 to Rs 800 per month in their pensions. The association seeks recomputation of their pensions as it has recently been done in the case of Central Government pensioners. The pensioners pointed out that as serving employees, they were getting HRA, CCA and rural area allowance. However, after retirement, they have been deprived of all these benefits. In all fairness, they should be granted a house rent allowance at a flat rate of Rs 100 per month. A fixed medical allowance of Rs 250 per month being paid to the pensioners is inadequate to meet the ever-increasing cost of medicare these days. It must be raised to Rs 300. Pensioners have another grouse that two years ago the state government asked the Principal Secretary, Health to release the list of chronic diseases. However, the authorities were still sleeping over the matter. Pensioners seek the restoration of travel concession to both the husband and the wife. It was withdrawn from one of the spouses from January , 1995, during late Beant Singh’s regime. It was an unjust step. When all other concessions are allowed to both , why was this concession denied to one of them? asked Mr Ghai. Will the government lend
its ears to the pensioners and spare some money in the
new Budget to implement the remaining , long-pending
recommendations? |
Big fraud in old-age
pensions detected ROPAR, March 6 — More than 1.77 lakh beneficiaries of different welfare pension schemes, including old age pension of the social security department, Punjab, were found ineligible during a special drive launched by the Punjab Government to establish the genuineness of pensioners. Stating this at a function in Gaggon village near Chamkaur Sahib yesterday, Mrs Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Minister for Removal of Grievances and Youth Services, Punjab, said with the deletion of these names more than Rs 42 crore would be saved per annum. She said the state had so far disbursed Rs. 65.61 crore among more than six lakh beneficiaries of the old age pension scheme during the current financial year. She said all eligible pensioners would get their pensions regularly in future and appealed to gram panchayats to recommend only genuine cases. She said youths who wanted to be recruited in the Army would be imparted free training and a stipend of Rs. 400. She also inaugurated a two-day medical camp, organised by Universal Medical Institute of Electro-homoeopathy, Garhshankar. Earlier,she inaugurated
a dharamshala at Talapur village. |
Proposed building laws may create
problems AMRITSAR, March 6 — To portray a progressive face in the new millennium by encouraging high-rise buildings in cities of Punjab, the local self government has proposed a change in clauses for commercial set-ups. The change in clauses seeks an increase in the floor area ratio (FAR) from 1:2 to 1:6 and an exceptional hike in ground coverage. An increase in FAR would mean an apparent scope for multi-storey buildings that could rise up to 130 feet in height. Whereas, the increase in ground coverage would give 15 per cent more area to be covered in a plot than permitted earlier. Earlier, the maximum ground coverage permitted was 50 per cent of the total area which would now increase to 65 per cent area covered by construction, thereby boosting the increase in base as well as height of the buildings. According to officials in the Town Planning wing of the corporation “Amritsar being strategically located on the Indo-Pak border with a concentrated constructed structure in the interiors will have little scope for high-rise commercial complexes in the main city”. The obvious choice will fall on the areas located in the periphery of the city, for such complexes. Being both vulnerable and sensitive as per its border location, high rise buildings would certainly invite objections from the defence circles, especially the IAF. Second with Amritsar’s hoping to let an international airport, according to instructions issued by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) 20-km radius area has been declared the area of limited height. On the religious front Amritsar being the religious capital of the Sikhs has its ‘maryada’ which needs to be conformed to, says a high official of Town Planning wing. Accordingly all buildings in Amritsar have to be lower in height than the historical Baba Atal Minar which may otherwise hurt the sentiments of the public. Other objections to the proposal come from the civic infrastructure-related departments that cater to the requirements of high buildings like water, sewerage, electricity, roads etc. Architects wonder if the corporation in its present capacity meet the basic requirements. However, an official points out a major loophole in the proposal that would be of help to the builders alone. He said “the proposal permits 65 per cent of ground coverage that leaves only 35 per cent of the total area for front setbacks used for parking and side set backs mandatory for fire safety. “This is insufficient when necessary calculations are worked out for installing fire-fighting equipment”. “Second is the provision for charging compounding fees (compromise money) if the area built is beyond the permissible FAR and, therefore, a violation”. The provision for compounding fee would encourage builders to ‘encroach’ upon areas otherwise facilitating fire-fighting equipment. The compounding fees
would aggravate matters and be an advantage to builders
who could violate and then legalise by paying compounding
fees for the violation. |
Corruption drag on growth: CVC LUDHIANA, March 6 — The Central Vigilance Commissioner, Mr N. Vittal has defended his decision to put the names of all IAS/IPS officers facing departmental inquiry on corruption charges on the CVC website saying this would prove a deterrent to other officials expose the delay in issuing chargesheets and ensure greater transparency. Mr Vittal was talking to mediapersons after delivering the third Sat Paul Mittal annual oration at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital here today. He said that he would continue to list more names every month. He added that some government departments were slow to take action against indicted officials but he would give them six months to begin proceedings. He said at present a list of 1100 cases was with him. He stressed on the need for a follow-up action and said he would now undertake the second leg in bringing the corrupt to book by also floating the names of those officials who have to be penalised. In answer to a question about the names of certain officials in the list, who had died a long time ago, he admitted that there was a slight goof-up regarding the four officials whose names were on the list but who had now been exonerated by a High Court, but said he had merely listed their names as those accused and this part of the information was factually correct. Mr Vittal called upon psephologists to conduct surveys to assess the corruption level in the country by fixing corruption perception index and bribe giving index. He said India ranked seventy third on the list of most corrupt nations, according to a survey done by a Berlin-based NGO-Transparency International. Earlier, delivering the lecture on “How India can make it in 21st century” Mr Vittal said there was direct link between corruption and economic development and said that the GDP of the country could increase by at least 1.5 per cent if corruption in the country could be brought down Scandinavian levels. He emphasised the need for simplification of rules and regulations in government offices, transparency in governance to empower the people, effective punishment for those found guilty and active participation of the public in weeding out this evil. Later Mr Vittal was
presented a citation by Mr Rakesh Bharti Mittal and Mr
Prem Nath Gupta, secretary of the management of DMC. |
Minister announces incentives for
NRIs FATEHGARH SAHIB, March 6 — Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, has announced that if any NRI donates an amount for the development of his village, a matching grant will be given by the government. The projects can be named on the NRI’s his relative’s name. Capt. Kanwaljit Singh said addressing a huge rural gathering at Dilwan village 20 km from here, today He also inaugurated the building of civil dispensary and a library constructed by NRI Jaswant Singh. He said in the current Budget Rs 2700 crore has been earmarked for the various developmental works. A comprehensive special plan has been chalked out to provide clean drinking water and regular electricity supply to all the villages of the state. This plan would be introduced from April. The construction and repair works on all the link roads and main roads would be completed by June 30. The Punjab Government and the SAD had submitted a memoranda to the Centre against the rise of 15 per cent price of urea. He said the SAD and other allies would oppose the hike in Parliament. He announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the construction of a retaining wall and drains of the village and Rs 1 lakh for the school building and Rs 25,000 for library books and Rs 30,000 for the cremation ground. Mr Swarn Singh Sohavi,
sarpanch Balwant Singh also addressed the gathering. |
Sister who brought up a Premier DOSANJH KALAN, March 6 — “He will be a deputy one day was the comment my mother often used to make about Ujjal,” recalls Mrs Harbans Kaur, first cousin of Mr Ujjal Singh Dosanjh, the first ever Indo-Canadian to become Premier of British Columbia. “It was me who brought him up. Ujjal’s mother, who died of tetanus at the age of 26, left behind two sons and two daughters besides her husband, Giani Pritam Singh, a school teacher-cum-farmer. Since we were a joint family, I was the youngest of his three first cousin sisters, I volunteered to look after Ujjal and my other cousins. At that time I was a student of Middle standard at the Guru Har Rai Khalsa Girls School of the village,” says Mrs Harbans Kaur, who arrived here yesterday from Pallya Kalan in Lakhimpur district of Uttar Pradesh. “I am the only one from the original Dosanjh family who is living in India. Rest all have immigrated either to the North America or England. Ujjal’s elder brother, Kamaldev, is also in Canada. His two real sisters — Nirmal and Tirath — are also settled abroad,” she said in an exclusive interview with The Tribune. “My brother, Harbans Singh and two sisters — Bakshish Kaur and Gurmeet Kaur — are also living abroad. While Bakshish is in England, Gurmeet is in America. It is Harbans Singh who looks after the family’s landed property here in the village. He is arriving on March 17 and will stay here till end of May. It is he who renews contract for leasing out 20-odd acres of land our joint family has in the village and a neighbouring village now,” she remarked. “Ujjal, as a child, was brilliant. He was born with a big boil at his back. It is why he could never attempt anything heavy. For four years, he lived with maternal grandfather; Jarnail Mula Singh, a comrade of Bahowal village, near Mahilpur, who was later sentenced to 20 years imprisonment at the Andaman’s cellular jail,” says Mrs Harbans Kaur. “Jarnail Mula Singh’s father, Baba Bir Singh, was hanged in the Lahore jail for his involvement in the Gaddar movement. Whenever my mother would say that Ujjal would be a deputy one day, my uncle, Giani Pritam Singh — Ujjal’s father — would quip jokingly ‘he would become nothing’. When Ujjal started going to High School at Phagwara, I got married. But I used to come during his examination days. He left the village after matriculation. But before that, he had imbibed spirit of nationalism and secularism from his father”, she recalls proudly. The house Giani Pritam Singh shared with his elder brother, Joginder Singh in the village is now looked after by Mr Gurmeet Singh, a veterinary assistant. He has been staying in the house for the past 27 years. It has been well maintained.It has a couple of rooms on the ground floor and some more on the first floor. Opposite the house is the “traditional barra” belonging to the Dosanjhs. Less than 100 metres from the house is the farmhouse which has a double-storey building, an old well and the agricultural land where wheat, barseem and sarson crops have been cultivated. “Ujjal visits the village everytime he comes to India. He visits me in Lakhimpur also,” says Mrs Harbans Kaur, who is now touching 70 years. “He called me up on the day he was going to take the oath. In fact, we came to know of his election as the Primier from television. Next day he called up. Someone from the Ujjal’s family calls us at Lakhimpur every now and then. We remain in touch and continue to be like a joint family as before,” she adds. Ujjal, she says, used to
be good in studies. He did not take much interest in
sports but he was politically very active and alert. His
wife Raminder used to teach at Shivalik Public School at
Nawanshahr though she belongs to Sham Singh Attariwala in
Amritsar district. Ujjal and Raminder have three
children. |
Mann faction dumps Tohra FEROZEPORE, March 6 — The Akali Dal (Amritsar) has decided to dump former SGPC President, Gurcharan Singh Tohra following his party’s dismal showing in the Nawanshahr byelection. Terming Mr Tohra’s party as one “rejected by the public” SAD (Amritsar) Vice-President, Mr Dhian Singh Mand said, “Tohra is no more an acceptable leader”. Replying to a question, he said, the SAD (Amritsar) has no hidden agenda and the party was keen to enrol a large number of Hindus to dispel doubts about its secular credentials. “At least two
Hindus are the members of our party working
committee”, he said. |
Morcha to enrol 1 lakh members PHILLAUR, March 6 — The Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) will enrol one lakh new members in the next three months. This was stated here yesterday by the BSM National President, Mr Satnam Singh Kainth, a former M.P. Mr Kainth said the
block, tehsil, district and the state units of the Morcha
would be reconstituted after the enrolment of new
members. |
JD (U) to launch enrolment
drive LUDHIANA, March 6 — The state unit of Janata Dal (United) held here, meeting today under the chairmanship of Mr Jagir Singh Ganesh, state president, decided to enrol at least 100 members in each district. Mr Jagir Singh said that
during a discussion with Mr Sharad Yadav, Union Minister
for Civil Aviation, he gave a clear assurance that there
was no proposal to shift the airport from Amritsar. |
Police posts near widow homes LUDHIANA, March 6 — Mrs Mridula Sinha, chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board said police posts have been established outside homes of widows in Brindavan in order to curb their sexual exploitation. She was addressing a press conference here, after attending a function to celebrate women's day, organised by the Shiv Sharan welfare society here today. Conceding that widows in ashrams at Vrindavan and Varanasi were exploited, she said by setting up police posts, touts and influential people exploiting the widows would be found out. She said the Central Social Welfare Board had recommended that the government keep a strict vigil on the trusts running homes to check exploitation of widows. A survey conducted by the board under the guidance of the Ministry of Women Empowerment found that almost 80 per cent of widows residing in these homes were from West Bengal. Subsequently, the West Bengal Government was contacted and it has now sanctioned a payment of Rs 300 per month for each widow. The board had been playing a pivotal role in providing shelter to the widows and had recently got a house in Brindavan to accommodate 500 widows. Talking about the various social welfare programmes undertaken by the board, she said it running vocational training centres and computer centres for young widows in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh where women were also paid a monthly stipend of Rs 250. Two such centres were currently being run at Nurpur Bedi in Ropar and another in district Hoshiarpur. She had asked the state board to open such centres in 15 Punjab villages. The chairperson also informed that through the budgetary allocation for this year, the board also planned to establish old age homes. In answer to a question, Mrs Sinha said there were 20,000 organisations being run under the Central Social Welfare Board and 3000 societies for blacklisted for financial irregularities or unfulfilment of conditions. The board has an annual
budget of Rs 70 crore. |
Rai Sikhs demand SC status JALALABAD, (Ferozepore), March 6 — Rai Sikhs are agitated at the Punjab Government’s failure to extend Scheduled Caste status to them. The community claims reservation rights by virtue of being Sirkibands, one of the 37 scheduled castes listed by the state government. But their applications for SC certificates are not cleared by the authorities. Members of the All India Rai Sikh, Mahatam, Sirkiband Welfare Association have also made a representation to the Ministry of Welfare to ask the Punjab government to accord SC status to the community. A Rai Sikh MLA, Mr Sher Singh and office bearers of the association claim that the Rai Sikhs are entitled to avail of benefits extended to scheduled castes. Quoting Bhai Kahan Singh’s encyclopaedia and a letter of the Punjab Language Department, the association president, Mr Balwant Singh Sirari said Rai Sikhs are ‘Sirkibands’ and entitled to SC benefits. However, Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, said there was some confusion on whether Rai Sikhs were Sirkibands and the matter was being discussed at the highest level. He made it clear that the benefits extended ‘Sirkibands’ were not being denied them but “Only genuine ‘Sirkibands’ are being issued scheduled caste certificates for various benefits”. He further said the problem was not confined to the Rai Sikhs alone, as some Ramgarhias were recognised as a backward class, while another section of the community was not. Seeing a political
design behind the government’s failure to extend SC
status to the community, Mr Sirari said that the upper
caste lobby feared losing the Ferozepore parliamentary
seat, if Rai Sikhs were recognised as SCs. “Since
the community has a sizeable population in the
district”. |
TB patients a neglected lot GURDASPUR, March 6 — Condition of TB patients admitted to the Civil Hospital here is very bad. There has been no budgetary allocation of food for diet of TB patients. As many as 9 TB patients are at the Civil Hospital at present. The TB patients are given a ward in a corner of the hospital where leprosy and skin patients come for clinical treatment. Moreover, mortuary is also in the vicinity and thus disturbs the patients. The TB ward suffers from acute dampness and sunlight rarely reaches the patients. A TB patient on condition of anonymity said that they were not allowed to sit in the open during the day. The District TB Association being a defunct body, provides no hope to the patients who are in a state of gross neglect. Social organisations like the Hospital Welfare Association and the Rotary Club (Midtown) are providing relief to the patients. The TB ward has no bathroom but an open place at the back of the ward is frequently used as a toilet by the patients. The President of the local Rotary Club, however, has offered to build a bathroom for TB patients at the earliest. The town had a big sanatorium in the suburb of the city where TB patients were admitted for treatment. About a year ago the Director, Health Services, and the Health Minister jointly decided to close it and shift the patients to the local Civil Hospital. The reports are that the building is used as a store by farmers of Aujala village, who are cultivating the land measuring more than 17 acres attached to the TB sanatorium. There are complaints
that the Health Department is making no serious efforts
to get the land vacated and put it to proper use for the
treatment of the TB patients in the district. The farmers
of the area said that lease of land in the area went up
to Rs 6000 per acre. |
Veterinary docs seek jobs SAMRALA, March 6 — The statements which were made by the Punjab Government regarding better veterinary services were all politically motivated. This was stated by Dr Narinderpal Singh, Secretary Unemployed Veterinary Graduates Association, Punjab. He further said 100 posts of veterinary doctors were advertised by the Punjab Public Service Commission on September 5, 1998. The result was declared on August 23, 1999, and a recommendation was sent to the Animal Husbandry Department for appointments. But till now the state government had taken no steps in this regard. They had also approached the state Finance Minister, Animal Husban-dry Minister, Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Punjab, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, and other higher authorities, but all in vain. At present there were about 300 veterinary vacant seats, he said. Moreover, illegal experiments on animals were being ignored by the state government. In a major decision the state Cabinet had passed a resolution regarding the immediate appointment of selected veterinary doctors on January 12. But now it was not implementing its decisions. The association has
threatened to launch an agitation in front of the Chief
Minister’s residence if appointments were not given
to selected veterinary doctors immediately. |
NFL staff stir from today BATHINDA, March 6 — Mr Ramesh Bhardwaj, General Secretary , NFL Employees Union and Mr Kamal Dev, General Secretary, NFL Officers Association in a joint press note issued here today said that the staff would wear black badges from March 7 to March 13. On March 14 and 15
employees would stage a dharna at the gate of local unit
in protest against the Centre’s decision to
privatise all units of NFL. The employees would also
participate in a rally in Delhi on March 16, and observe
hunger strike from March 21 to March 25. They said the
decision to privatise NFL was unjustified, and unfair as
the units were earning crores of rupees in profit each
year. |
Cancel Indo-Pak bus, train
services: Billa PHILLAUR, March 6 — The Hindu Shiv Sena president, Mr Surinder Kumar Billa, today demanded the immediate cancellation of bus and train services between India and Pakistan, saying that these were being used by the ISI to push-in terrorists, fake currency and arms and ammunitions into the country. Talking to newspersons
here today, Mr Billa urged the Union Government to
declare Pakistan a terrorist country and then appeal to
the world community to do the same. He justified the
action of Sena activists led by Mr Surinder Dogra to stop
the Lahore bus near Goraya on Saturday. He further said
no Shiv Sainik tried to throw stones at the bus as their
aim was only to demonstrate peacefully. He urged the
Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to review the
plying of train and bus service between Delhi and Lahore.
He threatened that Sena activists would agitate if the
government did not accept their demand by March 31. |
Diseased trees worry forest
officials AMRITSAR, March 6 — The Punjab State Forest Development Corporation today expressed concern over the large number of trees afflicted by a disease in the waterlogged districts of Muktsar, Faridkot, Bathinda and Fatehgarh Sahib. Talking to newsmen here today, chairman of the corporation Manjinder Singh Kang said the state government had requested scientists of Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, and Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, to look into the disease which had affected forests covering over an area of 5000 sq metres worth crores of rupees. The corporation would take care of these trees, which mainly shisham and kikar, after receiving the report from the scientists, he said. Mr Kang said the corporation would soon establish a ‘katha’ factory at Mohsali to process katha from khair trees in the kandi and Gurdaspur belt of the state. The corporation had also undertaken a Rs 408 crore project to plant trees in the state with the help of the Japanese assistance. Tissue culture
laboratories for a comprehensive forestation in the state
would also be set up, he added. |
Akali leader cremated KOTKAPURA, March 6 — The body of senior Akali leader and former MLA Mohinder Singh Brar, who died yesterday due to cardiac arrest, was cremated today. Mr Sarbjit Singh Brar, his son, lit the pyre. The funeral was largely attended. Among those, who attended the funeral, were Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal and Mr Sikander Singh Malooka (all ministers). Mr A Venu Parsad, Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot, DIG, and Mr Mohomad Mustafa. Mr Badal visited the
bereaved family early today. |
End contract labour system,
RTP staff ROPAR, March 6 — On the call of the Ropar Thermal Project Contractor Workers’ Union, a large number of workers today staged a dharna at the main gate of the thermal plant demanding the abolition of contract-labour system in the plant as per the Punjab Government’s notification of November 27, 1998. They were also demanding the regularisation of the services of the workers’ working at the plant under the contract labour system on the PSEB pattern. Bant Singh Brar, General
Secretary of the Punjab unit of AITUC Mr Ramesh Dutt
Sharma, a former MLA from Anandpur Sahib, Mr Raj Kumar
Tiwari, President, Ropar Thermal Project Contractor
Worker’s Union, Mr Vasdev Singh Gill, President, of
the RTP Employees Union; and Mr Radhey Shayam Sharma,
Vice-President, PSEB Employees Federation (AITUC)
addressed the dharna. |
Residents seek link road PATIALA, March 6 — Inmates of the local Harbans Theatre Lane, at a meeting held with Dr H.S. Sohal, discussed various problems of the area. They decided to call upon the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Patiala, on Thursday to urge him to arrange the construction of a new road linking Rajbaha Road to Sewak Colony and to provide an effective sewerage in the area. They also decided to
form the Harbans Theatre Lane Residents Welfare
Association, aiming at the beautification of the area and
welfare of the residents. |
Mass marriage ceremony held SAMANA, March 6 — A
mass marriage ceremony for 10 poor girls of the area was
performed at the Aggarwal Dharashala here yesterday by
the Sanatan Dharm Mahavir Dal, Samana. The function was
presided over by Mr Ramesh Garg, the industrialist. Mrs
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, a former Chief Minister, and Mr
Brij Lal Goyal, a former Chairman of Punsup, also
attended the function. Mr Ramesh Garg donated Rs 35,000
and Mrs Bhattal Rs 11000 to the dal. |
Use of loudspeakers ABOHAR, March 6 —
The consumer forum today urged the Deputy Commissioner to
impose a complete ban under Section 144 on the use of
loudspeakers for three months. The forum said not only
cinema owners but other commercial houses and orchestra
parties had been using loudspeakers flouting noise
pollution control levels. |
24-hour service at govt
hospitals soon AMRITSAR, March 6 — The minister for Health and Family Planning Dr Baldev Raj Chawla today said that the government was revamping health services and would offer round-the-clock emergency services at all its hospitals. The Health Department would also ensure that all life saving and other medicines were made available at various dispensaries. The minister who was
addressing ayurvedic doctors at Guru Nanak Bhavan here
said aware of their problems and his department was
looking into their demands. |
Fast for statue enters third
day PHILLAUR, March 6 — The fast unto death undertaken by a 82-year-old freedom fighter Pritam Singh, to install a statue of a martyr Babu Lab Singh at his native village Lassara near Phillaur entered the third day today. The statue was donated by his NRI nephew. Shaheed Babu Labh Singh Committee had to struggle with the panchayat. An Akali Dal (Badal) minister was allegedly backing the panchayat in stalling the installation of the statue. The village sarpanch has
denied the charge. He said the panchayat was not for
installing the statue at disputed site for which the
freedom fighter was agitating. |
Fine performance PATIALA, March 6 —
Noted sitarist Vikas Gupta weaved magic with his
performance on the occasion of the 34th programme of
Sankalp at Punjabi University here on Sunday. He was
accompanied on tabla by Jaidev. |
Rotary Club organises camp PATIALA, March 6 — The Rotary Club, Patiala Mid-town, organised the second free multipurpose medical check up camp in memory of the late Din Dayal Goyal in Kaler Bhani village on the occasion of Shivratri. As many as 600 patients were examined and given medicines. Mr Ramesh Sayal donated
a blood pressure instrument to the club. The club has
adopted the village for door-to-door health check-up of
the residents. |
CCTVs installed at mini
secretariat LUDHIANA, March 6 — The district administration here has taken a novel step for improving the government-citizen interface by installing closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) at various spots in the mini secretariat to be monitored by the Deputy Commissioner and the Additional Deputy Commissioner. The Central Vigilance Commissioner, Mr N. Vittal inaugurated the CCTV cameras today. So far a total of nine cameras have been installed at the district transport office, Sub-Registrar’s offices, treasury office and at different places in the corridors of the mini secretariat. Mr Vittal said the monitoring of staff by the CCTVs would enhance the functioning of the offices and the public would be able to get their problems solved without delay. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Goel, while addressing a press conference informed that seven more cameras would soon be installed and that the total cost of the project was Rs 1.25 lakh. Mr Goel said the installation of the cameras would also help in identifying officers, clerks whose public dealing was not up to the mark and would then be shifted to non-public dealing posts. He said this system would also be integrated with the already existing computer network at his office and every officer having a computer terminal would have access to the CCTVs and could then take immediate corrective measures. The Deputy Commissioner said the networking of all computers in the mini secretariat with the subdivisional offices in the district had been done. “All SDMs in Samrala, Khanna, Raikot, Payal and Jagraon are now connected to this network via a dial-up connection using the modem and telephone lines”, he said. This networking would be inaugurated by the Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, tomorrow. Mr Goel said Ludhiana
would be fully computerised by March 9 almost one month
before the deadline set for April 1. He informed that so
far Rs 34 lakh had been spent by the administration on
the computerisation process. |
Three held for killing youth HOSHIARPUR, March 6 — The police has arrested Balbir Kaur, alias Balbiro, daughter of Tulsa Singh, Harnek Singh, alias Rana, and Surinder Singh, alias Chhinda in connection with the death of Amarinder Singh, alias Raja of Garhshankar. The body of Amarinder Singh was found hanging from a canal bridge on February 8. The SSP, Mr R P Mittal, said here yesterday that Amarinder Singh had illicit relations with Balbir Kaur and after deserting his family had started living with her at Denowal Khurd village. He said, in the meantime Balbir Kaur came in contact with Surinder Singh, alias Chhinda, and wanted to marry him. She discussed the issue with Surinder Singh in the house of Surjit Singh at Moranwali village. She told them that she could marry Chhinda only if Amarinder Singh was eliminated. Surjit Singh demanded Rs 80,000 from Balbir Kaur for the purpose. The SSP said Surinder Singh contacted Harnek Singh, alias Rana, and Harwinder Singh to kill Amarinder Singh. Harnek Singh was to get Rs 10,000 and Harwinder Singh was to get Rs 30,000 for killing Amarinder. As planned Surinder
Singh, Harnek Singh and Harwinder Singh reached
Garshankar on February 7 and Balbir Kaur called Amarinder
Singh to a rented house in Deowal Khurd village on the
pretext of dividing the money which had been received as
sale proceeds of the house sold on January 20 by them.
Amarinder Singh stayed with her so that the account could
be settled in the next day. Amarinder Singh was taken out
by the accused on the pretext of settling the account.
They took him to canal bridge and strangled him. |
Body found PATIALA, March 6 —
The body of a middle-aged man having a tattoo mark
‘Madan Lal’ on his right forearm was found near
Hanuman Temple on the Rajpura Road here on Monday
morning. According to a post-mortem report, the person
died of asphyxia resulting from strangulation. |
House looted LUDHIANA, March 6 — Around 10 armed persons ransacked the house of a bank employee at Aasi Kalan village 23 km from here, yesterday and decamped with Rs 10,000 and gold ornaments. According to the information available, four of the 10 men entered the house of Mr Surinderpal Singh around 9.20 pm yesterday when he was watching television along with his wife Charanjit Kaur and looted the house. A son of the couple, Gurbir Singh, who came back home, was also tied up. The villagers alleged that the police arrived almost three hours after the incident took place. A .12-bore pistol and a
watch was found from the site. |
Medical teachers end strike AMRITSAR, March 6 — Medical and Dental Teachers in Punjab will resume taking their classes from tomorrow in view of the acceptance of their long-standing demands. The Medical and Dental
Teachers Association in a press note issued here today
said the Minister of Medical Education, Mr Manoranjan
Kalia, on March 2 at Chandigarh had assured the
association that arrears of revised pay-scales,
allowances and other benefits due since January 1, 1996
would be released in a few days. |
PAU launches website LUDHIANA, March 6 — Punjab Agriculture University formally launched its website www. pau edu. Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Aulakh launched site at the inauguration of five-day training programme on “Multimedia information design, Internet and intranet” here today. The training programme was jointly organised by the European Union-India Cross Cultural Innovation Network and Punjab Agriculture University. Dr Aulakh said that with
implementation of the World Trade Organisation agreement
from April, 2001, information technology would assume
greater importance. |
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