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| Friday, March 31, 2000, Chandigarh, India   |
Victims of infected anaesthesia SAD MLAs clash on free power
facility Punjab Budget passed Govt-developed sites attract few Badal to inaugurate Guru Nanak Dev
Bhavan Lawyers flay Giani Puran Singh’s
removal |
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Chandumajra blames Badal
Market committees made autonomous PPCC meeting on April 2 Punjab bandh today CM mum on cops’ reinstatement Revenue of PSEB’s anti-theft
wing up Dal (A) panel to begin unity
efforts SGPC to sue land grabbers Merchants decry registration fee Medical camp for disabled
JEs’ deaths due to
‘mental pressure’ Jewellery shop looted Students block traffic, stone each
other Three booked for raping girl
Printing error in question paper
|
Akal Takht issue finds echo
in Assembly CHANDIGARH, March 30— Issues related to Akal Takht again found an echo in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today. It was the Akali MLA, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, who raised the issue during zero hour. He wanted to know why the security of the "sacked" Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh, had been withdrawn? He charged the government with doing so out of "political" considerations. He wanted the Chief Minister, who is also the SAD President, to reply as to why the government had interfered in the religious affairs of the Sikhs and how come the ministers, rather than attending to their administrative work, were camping in Amritsar masterminding the developments at the bidding of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Surprisingly, the Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, allowed Mr Manjit Singh to have his say while the House listened with rapt attention. Mr Manjit Singh went on to charge that the Chief Minister through his actions, had denigrated the sanctity and dignity of Akal Takht. He saw in the new developments seeds of peace being disturbed in the state. The House must condemn the acts of the government in calling the shots in Amritsar on Wednesday. The Chief Minister in reply to Mr Manjit Singh’s observations stated he had no knowledge that the security of Giani Puran Singh had been withdrawn. He said he would talk to the senior superintendent of police, Amritsar, and ask him to contact Giani Puran Singh and provide the requisite security. The Leader of the House, however, after a pause remarked "there should be no criticism for the sake of criticism". "Their leader (meaning Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra) had not even recognised Giani Puran Singh", he added. Despite the comments of Mr Badal several others members, including Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Mr Hira Singh Gabria, Mr Ajit Inder Singh Moffar, Mr Prem Singh Lalpura were seen standing up and speaking out. The Speaker asked all of them to take their seats but to no avail. Soon these Akalis staged a walkout with Mr Zira and others raising slogans, which were expunged by the Speaker. Even as the echo of Akal Takht issue faded inside the House, mediapersons were addressed by the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, in the Press lobby. He rued that the very principles for which the Akalis fought all their lives had now been violated with impunity by "our own" government interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs. Such an indulgence, coming as it did from remote-controlled happenings in Amritsar on Wednesday only opened a new door for the future governments to meddle in the Sikh religious affairs. By doing what Mr Parkash Singh Badal has done the Panthic maryada, had been violated. Mr Tohra made it clear that his party still recognised Bhai Ranjit Singh as the "Jathedar". Still what had been meted out to Giani Puran Singh was shameful to say the least; after all he was their (meaning SAD Badal’s) own choice.The disrespect shown to Akal Takht and the Jathedars was unpardonable. It was for the Khalsa Panth to take cognisance of this and respond appropriately. As for his own party’s action, Mr Tohra said soon there will be a meeting to discuss the issue and a programme would be given out on Baisakhi at Anandpur Sahib. What had hurt the Sikhs was the manner in which the ruling Akali leadership, including the political affairs committee, had interpreted the concept of "Bhagti and Shakti and Miri and Piri". Referring to the three letters written by the SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur (including at the command of the SAD’s political affairs committee) only showed that those were not sent in expected "humility" but betrayed ego centricity on her part. Even the ministers were engaged to mastermind the happenings, he alleged. Mr Tohra skirted most of
the questions and would not commit if the manner and
style of issuing of edicts (between January 25 and March
29) was correct or if the edicts thus issued were right
or wrong. |
Victims of infected anaesthesia PATIALA, March 30 — A single stitch has proven to be a bane for Rano Balbir Kaur, wife of a local daily labourer. Having gone in for the much-yaunted single stitch laparoscopic tubectomy operation to restrict her family. Rano has been left with an infection in her abdomen which refuses to go . An infected local anaesthesia, Lignocain, used at the time of the operation has resulted in an infection in her abdomen inflammation around the stitch was followed by an abscess. "The pus refuses to go despite various antibiotics taken by me during the past three months," said Rano while talking to TNS at Mata Kaushalya Hospital here. Rano is not alone to suffer due to infected Lignocain in the district. There are hundreds of women who are presently suffering due to infections in their abdomens for the past two to three months in Patiala and Sangrur districts. Most of them are rural women who had trusted the country’s family planning system and the new laparoscopic technique used for tubectomy operations. Now they are ruing their fate besides spending a fortune on private medical treatment. Women who had got the tubectomy operation done from October to February in various hospitals run by the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) presently have to come repeatedly to hospitals to get their wounds bandaged as well as buy different antibiotics repeatedly. This is because resistant strains transmitted through the infected anaesthesia are not responding to the best of antibiotics. Jaswinder Kaur of Daunkalan said she had got her tubectomy operation done on January 18. She said after that pus was formed around the stitch which had been troubling her since then. There are many more women like Jaswinder who come to Mata Kaushalya Hospital here as well as at the dispensary at Model Town. A doctor at the hospital said around 15 women with infections were coming to the hospital for treatment on a regular basis in this regard. There have been also cases of women getting infected due to the local anaesthesia at Nabha, Samana, Sangrur and Budhlada. At Budhlada around 45 women were put at risk on January 27 when tubectomy operations were performed on them under the family welfare scheme. Women have also been infected due to episiotomy operations involving cutting of the vaginal opening during labour. A doctor who has done a large number of tubectomy operations said though infections due to them had come out in the open, a large number of women were suffering due to the same batch of anaesthesia being used on them for episiotomy incisions. He said doctors conducting the operations had zeroed in on the local anaesthesia as the reason for infection of wounds after conducting a check on the sterilisation process. Patiala Civil Surgeon Rameshwar Chander, when contacted, said his office was at present making local purchase of anaesthesia as the sample of the medicine distributed through the corporation had failed. The corporation in a letter on March 27 to all Deputy Medical Controllers has directed that the further use of Lignocain should be stopped and intimation of the balance of the unused stock should be given. The letter says testing of Lignocain samples supplied by Indo Chem Laboratories, Meerut, by the Microbiology Department of Government Medical College, Amritsar, had revealed by a growth in its injection . Though the faulty stock
of Lignocain has been replaced by fresh one which has now
put an end to further cases of infection, the infected
medicine has given the laparoscopic tubectomy technique a
bad name. "I was told it was a minutes job and I
would be on my feet with the wound healed in a few days.
My trust has been belied", she added. |
SAD MLAs clash on free power
facility CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The afternoon session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today proved an embarrassment for the ruling SAD-BJP combine. Not only serious differences among the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLAs came to the fore in the House, but even members from the treasury benches, especially MLAs belonging to the SAD, supported a resolution moved by Opposition MLA Ajit Inder Singh Mofar, urging the government to provide free power to Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and poor classes on the pattern of farmers. While some SAD MLAs supported the resolution, others vociferously opposed the free power facility given to farmers. Speaking on the resolution, Mr Mofar said the House should recommend the state government to take steps for providing free power to persons belonging to SCs, BCs and poor classes in all areas as had been done in the case of farmers. He argued that poor sections of the society could not afford power at the existing tariff. For the development of such sections of society, the government should provide free power. He said if farmers with large landholdings could be given free power, why could such a benefit not be extended to the poor sections. Speaking from the treasury benches, Mr Baldev Singh Khaiala, a SAD MLA from the Joga constituency in Mansa, said he was against free power to any section of society. Farmers could be given other benefits, he argued. He said before deciding on the issue of free power to SCs and BCs "poor sections" should be defined clearly. He said even if the government wanted to give free power, it should not be more than 40 units per household. Mr Parkash Singh Badal was not present in the House. There was no clear direction to the treasury benches on the stand to be taken on the issue. While Mr Khaiala spoke against the SAD-BJP government’s policy-decision to give free power to farmers, Mr Ajay Pal Singh Meerankot supported the resolution and said that free power should be given to Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and other poor sections. Mr Meerankot is a SAD MLA from the Jandiala constituency. Another Akali MLA, Mr Sadhu Singh Rajeana, created a flutter when he urged the government to ask the Jats to pay for the power they consumed for agricultural purposes. He said the government had taken a wrong decision on giving free power to Jats and it should be withdrawn. Mr Sikander Singh Maluka, Power Minister, tried to clarify that free power has been given to the farmers and not the Jats. Mr Rajeana did not accept Mr Maluka’s viewpoint and emphasised that he was against giving free power to anybody in the state. He said only feudal lords had been benefited by the decision. Another SAD MLA, Mr Balbir Singh, supported the resolution. He said since free power had been given to farmers, it should also be given to poor sections. He also stressed the need for improving the efficiency of the Punjab State Electricity Board. Mr Makhan Singh, an Akali MLA from Pakka Kalan, said there was no need for moving the resolution the government had been doing a lot to improve the living conditions of the poor. Mr Hira Singh Gabaria, who belongs to the Tohra camp, tried to interrupt Mr Makhan Singh, saying that he was unnecessarily praising the government. However, the Speaker disallowed him. Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, the Leader of the Opposition, supported the resolution and spoke at length for giving free power to poor families. He, however, also supported the decision to give free power to farmers. He said farmers who paid income tax might be excluded from the benefit. Mr Tota Singh, an Akali minister, justified the decision to give free power to farmers. He said the farming community had done a lot for the country and it deserved the benefit. The Opposition, led by
Mr Ajit Inder Singh Mofar, walked out from the House as
it realised that the resolution would not be passed. When
the walkout was staged, Mr Ajaib Singh Raunta, a CPI MLA,
was speaking. |
Punjab Budget passed CHANDIGARH, March 30 — The Punjab Vidhan Sabha today passed the Budget for the year 2000-01 with a voice vote. The Budget was presented in the House by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, on March 22. The discussion on the Budget was over on Wednesday. Capt Kanwaljit Singh, said the government would compress wasteful, expenditure and created staff car pool. He also assured that old age pension would be disbursed on the first of every month. The government would raise a loan from HUDCO A chair named after Guru Gobind Singh would also be set up in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, as part of the celebrations of tercentenary of the Khalsa Panth. The government was examining a judgement of the Tamil Nadu court regarding registered medical practitioners whatever benefit could be given to registered medical practitioners would be given. He reiterated the "shagun" scheme would continue. On fresh recruitment, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said that those selected by the Punjab public service commission and the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board will be shortly issued appointment letters. Referring to the situation in Kashmir, where recently 35 Sikhs were killed, the Finance Minister said that Punjab being a border state and also being affected by trans-border terrorism will take every possible step to beef up security and assured the House that the Police would not be let down for want of government help, especially, in terms of finance. He commended the Budget to the House for approval. Earlier several members raised a variety of issues during zero hour. One of the issues raised was by Ms Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, (BJP). She wanted the House to pass a resolution congratulating the Prime Minister on filling posts under the reserved. There were three calling attention motions as well. One by Mrs Chawla on the issue of ":mass copying" in the 10+2 examinations, the other by Mr Satya Pal Saini on buses not stopping at Mohali enroute to Pathankot and Hoshiarpur from Chandigarh. The third was by Mr Ajaib Singh Raunta on a complaint of Moga residents about contaminated drinking water. There was double sitting of the House today. The second half was on non -official business . Later the House was adjourned to April 3, Monday, till 2 pm. The Vidhan Sabha will
have its last sitting of the session on April 4 and
adjourn sine die the same day. |
Govt-developed sites attract
few AMRITSAR, March 30 — Yesterday’s auction of shops at the multi-storey Nehru Plaza Complex of the Improvement Trust, Amritsar (ITA) last evening attracted few buyers. Despite 15 attempts over the past three years the ITA has been able to sell just 33 of 403 shops in the complex. Of the 9 shops designated for auction yesterday only three small shops could be sold with the highest bid being for Rs 11 lakh. Bidding for six other shops which were to be sold was stopped after a sufficient number of bidders failed to turn up. Officials of the ITA blame the general slump in the market for the poor response. Another reason for the lack of interest may be the timing, as the month of March comes at the end of the financial year. Industry sources present at the bidding however claim the fact that the entire payment must be made in ‘white money’ has put off the prospective buyers. Ironically nearby private shopping complexes constructed after the Nehru Complex was completed were sold out even before they were completed. Given the lack of response, ITA had eased conditions last year and now only 15 per cent of the bid is required as down payment and the balance can paid in 10 half-yearly instalments. Despite this there is little interest. Outstation bidders however expressed disappointment at cancellation of the auction mid-way saying they have lost confidence in the auction process itself as it has been called off so many times. On the other hand ITA had taken a Rs 40 lakh loan for the project and must auction the plots to repay it. One such buyer from Delhi said it was his seventh trip to Amritsar and he had purchased just one shop, that too during the very first auction three years ago. "The rest of my trips have been futile," he said. Interestingly the
auction of booths and sites at the Ajnala Road
Development Scheme and the Kesari Bagh Area respectively
fared no better. Not a single site or booth was sold in
these areas in the auction held yesterday. While five
constructed booths were sold in the Truck Stand Area the
highest bid being for Rs 3.75 lakh. |
Badal to inaugurate Guru Nanak
Dev Bhavan LUDHIANA, March 30 — The newly constructed centre for the promotion of culture, Guru Nanak Dev Bhavan, will be inaugurated by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, on April 2. This was announced by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Goel, while addressing a press conference here today. The complex, built at the cost of Rs 8 crore, is located near mini secretariat. The bhavan complex comprises a state-of-the-art auditorium with a seating capacity of 1000 persons, a museum, an art gallery, a modern cyber library and a shopping arcade. "This bhavan seeks to promote the spirit of equality and brotherhood of mankind espoused by Guru Nanak Dev in his teachings along with promoting the understanding the religious and cultural heritage of our people", he said. The auditorium in this bhavan has a stage built according to international standards, well planned lighting system, modern acoustics and a 100 per cent power back up facility — which will help Ludhiana organise both national and international level meets, seminars etc. Also, the library covering an area of 9000 sq feet has been envisaged as a modern cyber library and will be run by the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation. Internet accessibility to poor members of this library will be free and it will also have sufficient research and reading material in consonance with the garment and hosiery industry, informed Mr Goel. The Deputy Commissioner further informed that as part of the complex, a beautiful shopping arcade ‘Oasis’ has been constructed. This centrally air-conditioned shopping complex with 48 shops, a restaurant and department stores will provide an ideal commercial space to the local manufacturers and businessmen. Keeping in view the problem of parking, a parking space for more than 300 vehicles has been provided in addition to the parking presently available in the mini secretariat. Direct road connection between the complex and Feroze Gandhi Market through the mini secretariat has also been provided by widening existing roads, thereby reducing traffic on the Ferozepore Road. A comprehensive landscaping of the premises is also being undertaken with the assistance of PAU and Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana. In answer to a question about how money was raised for the project, the Deputy Commissioner said the money was collected through the corporate committee setup for the purpose, the small savings award money, selling of shops in the arcade and a loan sanctioned by Punjab National Bank. "The corporate committee consists of 18 corporates who became members after paying Rs 5 lakh each. The bank has sanctioned a loan of Rs 2 crore, of which Rs 1 crore has been utilised so far. In addition, the selling off of 26 shops at the rate of Rs 10.8 lakh each, helped us net income for this project" he said. A finance committee was responsible for controlling the flow of funds. It is learnt that as part of the quincentenary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev in 1969, the state government decided to setup Guru Nanak Dev Bhavans in all districts of Punjab. The 4 acre of land on which the Guru Nanak Dev Bhavan complex at Ludhiana stands today was allotted by the state government. The Guru Nanak Dev quincentenary Celebrations Committee constituted by the state government started work on this prestigious project in 1996 with the involvement of local industrialists and prominent persons of Ludhiana. Through a national level competition an architect was selected to plan and design the complex. He informed that it was
decided to celebrate a week coinciding with the birth
anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev each year dedicated to
various cultural activities in consonance with the aims
and objects of the bhavan. |
Lawyers flay Giani Puran Singh’s
removal AMRITSAR, March 30 — The local Sikh Lawyers Association, has condemned the unceremonious removal of the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Puran Singh, and questioned the competency of excommunicated Bibi Jagir Kaur to remove the Jathedar. At an emergency meeting held here today, the association condemned the revocation of hukamnamas and directives issued by Giani Puran Singh which was unprecedented in history of Akal Takht. "It is against maryada of Akal Takht as a hukamnama once issued cannot be revoked", it said. The meeting was presided over by association president R.S. Bindra. The association criticised the role of Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Parkash Singh Badal and held him responsible for the crisis and confusion in the Sikh Panth. The association sought
the removal of Bibi Jagir Kaur. |
Chandumajra blames Badal SAS NAGAR, March 30 — A former Member of Parliament, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, yesterday said the Chief of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was responsible for the showdown between the Jathedar of Akal Tahkt, Giani Puran Singh and the SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur. The ongoing controversy had put the sanctity of the Akal Tahkt at stake. Mr Chandumajra, who was at the Amb Sahib Gurdwara in Phase 8 to address a meeting of party workers of the SAD, said the SGPC chief should respect the sanctity of Akal Takht. He hastened to add that his party still considered Bhai Ranjit Singh as Jathedar of Akal Tahkt. He disclosed that Mr G.S.Tohra would address the devotees at the concluding function of the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib to announce a special programme for the masses. The alleged misdeeds of the Badal Government would also be put before the people. The former MP said he
was in town to prepare the party workers for the March 31
Punjab bandh, the call for which has been given in memory
of the Sikhs massacred in Kashmir. He said the sacrifice
of the Sikhs had once again proved that the community
stood for the sovereignty of the country. |
Market committees made
autonomous CHANDIGARH, March 30 — For the realisation of the goal of devolution of authority to the elected representatives at the grassroots-level, the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal today passed orders, bestowing complete administrative and financial autonomy to the market committees for carrying out various developmental activities in their area of jurisdiction out of their own funds. Market committees were constituted under the Punjab State Agricultural Produce (marketing) Act 1961. These committees have an income of more than Rs 200 crore by way of 2 per cent fee on the value of all agricultural and other notified commodities transacted in the mandis. As per the existing arrangement, the Punjab Mandi Board has centralised all facilities regarding planning and execution of development work all over Punjab reducing the elected market committees to mere puppets. Not only this, the Punjab Mandi Board has full control over about 40 per cent of the total income of the market committees, which they contributed to the Punjab Mandi Board. It has vast powers over various market committees even in respect of the balance of 60 per cent funds retained by those. Now the government has empowered market committees to incur expenditure out of their share in the market development fund for construction or repair of prematurely damaged link roads, office buildings, guest houses, canteens, market yard platforms and other already notified activities. Henceforth they will not be required to approach the headquarter for project-wise administrative and financial approval. It will also enable the market committees to complete the construction work effectively under a time-bound programme and save labour and effort consumed for getting sanctions for petty jobs. The Punjab State
Agricultural Marketing Board (Engineering Wing) (
Execution of works) Rules 1979, would be suitably amended
for immediate implementing afore-mentioned decisions. |
PPCC meeting on April 2 CHANDIGARH, March 30 — A general body meeting of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee has been called in Chandigarh on April 2. Capt Amarinder Singh, President, PPCC, will preside, while Mr Moti Lal Vora, MP Mr Oscar Fernandes, MP, Ms Ambika Soni, MP, all General Secretaries of All India Congress Committee and Mr Naryanaswamy, Secretary, AICC, will address the meeting. Mr Sant Ram Singla, Vice
President, PPCC, said today that among other things, the
general body of the PPCC will discuss the latest
political situation, especially, the post-Budget
developments at the Centre and in the State. |
Punjab bandh today AMRITSAR, March 30 — To protest against the deteriorating law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir the All-India Hindu Shiv Sena has called for a strike on March 31 in Punjab. Sena president Surinder Kumar Billa said Sikhs and Kashmiri pandits were being discriminated against, in Jammu and Kashmir. Demanding security for Sikhs and Hindus in the troubled state he said that the Chief Minister should quit in the face of growing criticism for the current situation in the valley. The small-Vehicle Automobile Union has also called a strike to express sympathy for the families of those who died in the Anantnag massacre. PHILLAUR: In a related
development the Punjab Hindu Shiv Sena announced it was
going to with the Shiv Sena of Mr Bal Thackeray and
merger negotiations were in the final round. Punjab Hindu
Shiv Sena patron Swami Pushpendra Swaroop and other
leaders talking to newsmen here said the HSS has
postponed its agitation to block bus and rail services
between Delhi and Lahore on the directive of Mr Satish
Pardhan MP and Mohan Rawal MP (both Shiv Sena leaders). |
CM mum on cops’
reinstatement CHANDIGARH, March 30 — Raising the issue of policemen facing criminal charges during zero hour in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today, Mr Maheshinder Singh Grewal urged the Punjab Chief Minister to apprise the House on the departmental action having been taken against such police officials by the government. He said 1100 policemen were facing criminal charges. However, there was no response from the Chief Minister on the issue. Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, BJP MLA, asked the Chief Minister to explain why police officers removed from service for serious offences had been taken back in the police. Mr Ajaib Singh Raunta pleaded the case of employees of the Hospitality Department and urged the government to accept their demands and follow the Haryana pattern in their case. He said at present there was no provision for a single holiday for them. Mr Shangara Ram Sahungara said 23 employees of the mining wing of the Industrial Department had not been paid salary for the past 19 months. Mr Ajit Inder Singh
raised the issue of parole for "Dharmi faujis".
He said the parole period of 45 days should be restored
in their case. Mr Jagdish Sahni said manager of a Gramin
bank had distributed loans worth Rs 127 crore among his
relatives. The matter should be probed. |
Revenue of PSEB’s
anti-theft wing up BATHINDA, March 30 — The revenue earned by the anti-theft wing of the Bathinda operation circle of the P.S.E.B. comprising parts of Bathinda and Mansa district from various penalties has shown a 17 per cent increase as compared to the revenue earned last year. Mr R.K. Bains, Deputy Chief Engineer, Bathinda operation circle, in a press note issued here yesterday said in the current financial year, the wing had earned Rs 1.41 crore while in the last financial year the earning was Rs 1.20 crore. He said the campaign launched to check the theft of electricity had produced good results and the electricity board had been getting huge revenue in the shape of penalties imposed on consumers indulging in the theft. He said raids were being conducted to check the energy theft and to seal the meters. All power connections in the division number eight had been sealed and remaining connections of all other sub-divisions of this operation circle would be sealed by April 15. He said Rs 35 lakh in
the shape of recovery of defaulted amount would also be
taken from the consumers upto March 31, 2000. |
Dal (A) panel to begin unity
efforts FATEHGARH SAHIB, March 30 — The Akali Dal (Amritsar) had constituted a four-member committee to initiate unity efforts with the Panthic Akali Dal of Mr Jasbir Singh Rode and the Democratic Akali Dal. In a press note issued
here yesterday, Mr Iqbal Tiwan, spokesman of the party,
said Mr Ram Singh, General Secretary of the party, Dr
Asha Singh, Mr Jagjit Singh Badala and Mr Anoop Singh
Mirankot had been authorised by the president to work out
the modalities of unity with the two Akali factions so
that an alliance could be formed and the problems of
people highlighted. He said members of the committee had
been asked to submit their report within 20 days. |
SGPC to sue land grabbers AMRITSAR, March 30 — The general house of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee today passed a resolution to take legal action against those who had "grabbed" its land worth crores of rupees. For this a sub-committee will be constituted. To a specific question on whether the SGPC would take legal action against Baba Mangal Singh, Acting President Gurmat Gurbani Sant Samaj and a confidant of Giani Puran Singh for allegedly "grabbing" of SGPC land Bibi Jagir Kaur said that the SGPC would get its land back from all "land grabbers". However, Baba Mangal Singh refuted charges of grabbing SGPC land. He said that he would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court in this regard. Earlier, Mr H.S. Gill, an SGPC member had urged the general house to initiate action against Baba Mangal who has allegedly "grabbed" ground 400 acres of SGPC land. The SGPC also decided to
hike the lease on its 7000-acre land-holdings. |
DA slabs to be paid in cash CHANDIGARH, March 30
— The Punjab Government today made it clear that all
DA instalments sanctioned till date would be paid in cash
with effect from April 1. |
Merchants decry registration fee AMRITSAR, March 30 — The Amritsar Retail Kiryana Merchants Association has decried the registration fee of Rs 3000 and the renewal fee of Rs 2000 for dealers under sales tax laws. In a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister, the organisations said the dealers collected sales tax for the government and spent it on stationary and other works. They said this astronomical amount would be a burden on them. The organisations urged
the Chief Minister to intervene and demanded that the
registration fee should be reduced. |
Medical camp for disabled PATIALA, March 30 — A medical identification camp for providing callipers and tricycles to disabled persons was organised by Patiala District Red Cross Society at Devinagar village today. Mr Vijay Kumar Goyal, Honorary Vice-President, Red Cross, inaugurated the camp. He said as desired by the Deputy Commissioner, efforts would be made to provide callipers and tricycles to all disabled persons in the district. The camp identified 15 persons for tricycles, 2 for wheelchairs, 31 for callipers and 17 for operations. Dr Anil Pathak and Mr
Labh Singh, Sarpanch, organised the camp. |
Green channel at Amritsar
airport AMRITSAR, March 30 — Amritsar customs has introduced a ‘green channel’ facility at Raja Sansi Airport. The facility was announced in the wake of introduction of four new flights to be operated by Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan Airlines. The green channel facility was needed to help speed up clearance of passengers. Incoming passengers carrying non-dutiable goods can now walk through the channel after filing a customs declaration form. This information was
given here in a press note by Mr D.S. Sra, commissioner
customs. |
CPI flays move to open FBI
office LUDHIANA, March 30 — The district unit of the CPI has expressed its concern over the move to open an office of the FBI in India. Dr Arun Mitra, Assistant
Secretary, and Kartar Singh Bowani, district unit
secretary, in a press release alleged that this move in
the name of fighting terrorism would threaten the
sovereignty of the country. The FBI entry into such a
sensitive issue as inter-intelligence would have serious
repercussions and would undermine our institutions. |
Massacre condemned PATIALA, March 30 —
Dr Gurbhagat Singh, President, Dr Mehar Singh Gill,
General Secretary, Dr Deepinder Jeet Randhawa, Secretary,
respectively, of the Institute of Multicultural and Sikh
Studies, Patiala, have condemned the recent massacre of
Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir. |
JEs’ deaths due to
‘mental pressure’ AMRITSAR, March 30 — The Council of Junior Engineers of the Punjab State Electricity Board has expressed concern over the recent deaths of three junior engineers while performing their duties and said that these deaths were the result of physical and mental pressure on them due to overwork. Leaders of the council who were speaking yesterday at the bhog ceremony, of its engineer Avtar Singh who died during posting at the Sultanwind sub-station here said that electricity staff was working under duress as they were loaded with heavy multipurpose work like collection of bill amounts, detection of power thefts, attending breakdowns, completion of the new installations, attending complaints and protection transformers. Sometime they had to work for over 16 hours daily as they were compelled to complete their jobs on hand. The council asked the board management to take steps to check this. The function has
addressed among others by council President J.P. Singh
and Secretary Balbir Singh. |
Jewellery shop looted LUDHIANA March 30 — A jeweller’s shop located on the Satpal Mittal road was looted by three armed persons, who decamped with 700 gm of jewellery worth thousands of rupees. Mr G.S. Sandhu, SP (City), told mediapersons that at around 2 p.m. three persons went to Zaiver Jewellers and asked the owner of the shop, Tejinder Kaur to show them a few ornaments. When jewels were put on
display two of them took out their pistols and a third
started putting together the jewels in a bag. When the
owner and her son, Simranjeet, tried to resist, the
assailants beat Simranjeet up and also fired a shot, it
is learnt that the three fled away in a car. A case under
Section 392 had been registered. |
Students block traffic, stone
each other JALANDHAR, March 30 — Hundreds of students of the local Regional Engineering College organised a sit-in on the Jalandhar-Amritsar road, to protest against a fee hike disrupting after vehicular traffic for more than two hours. Around six students received minor injuries when groups of students from the REC and Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana plated stones at each other. Some panes of the security picket at the REC gate were smashed in the process. Meanwhile, the students’ strike has entered its tenth day today. The sit-in started at around 12.30 when about 200-300 striking students came out of the college, sat in the middle of the road and began raising slogans. This led to traffic jams. The traffic situation was eased once police officials diverted traffic through Maqsudan. Later two groups of
students clashed with each other when, following an
assurance by the college Registrar to take up matters
with the higher authorities the REC students decided to
abandon their protest programme, students of Ludhiana GNE
objected to this. This led to students of pelting stones
at each other. No one was seriously hurt in the incident.
|
Three booked for raping girl BATHINDA, March 30 — Two chemists and an unidentified youth have been booked by the local police allegedly for raping a young girl repeatedly after kidnapping her on March 20 from here. Police sources said the girl, who was working as a trainee nurse at a private clinic here, was kidnapped near Red Cross Bhavan by the accused. The accused took her to a tubewell at Bhaga village where she was raped by the trio for three days. The victim, a resident of Jodhpurromana village of the district, managed to escape and informed her parents. A medical examination of the victim was conducted. A case in this regard
has been registered under Sections 363, 366, 376 and 34
of IPC. Two of the accused have been identified as Ranjit
Singh and Binder Singh. |
Printing error in question paper AMRITSAR, March 30 — The accountancy question paper of the plus two examination of the Punjab School Education Board held here yesterday had a glaring mistake in the English versions. A large number of students opting for English-medium found printing error in question number 10 and 11 in Section B. The students told TNS that while the question papers in Hindi and Punjabi languages carried the correct question. The students urged the
board to give them full credit due to printing error in
the question paper. |
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