 |
|
| Monday, May 8, 2000, Chandigarh, India   |
Badal
to take up MLAs’ memo Acid
test for Takht chief Drop in smuggling on Samjhauta
Cong
to stage dharna on May 10 Legal
notice to Tohra loyalist Civic
poll on June 18 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pigs’
‘sacrifice’ shakes PSEB out of slumber PSEB
workers gherao official CPI
supports scribes’ stir Is
it a ladies club, or a battleground to settle scores? Religious
leaders open meditation unit Punjab
sets up 10 sanctuaries IMA
for review of CPA Potato
growers suffer losses Action
sought against Army officer
Mayor
for shifting ammunition dump
Charas
smuggling on the rise
Medical
college ‘short of funds’ Fake
degree racket unearthed, 2 held Decision
on PMT: affected hold demonstration
|
Badal to take up MLAs’
memo CHANDIGARH, May 7 — Name any hardship, the people of the three border districts, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ferozepore, have it in plenty. Punjab has a 553-km-long border with Pakistan. The people in the border villages are virtually living on the edge. Lack of development including a road network and bridges and restrictions on cultivating land across the “fence” all add to the woes of the people. Incidentally, all Assembly constituencies in the three border districts are at present represented either by the SAD or the BJP. These MLAs, including ministers among them, today assembled at Punjab Raj Bhawan to submit a memorandum to the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani. But because of other pressing engagements and bad weather he could not reach here. The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had fixed an hour-long interface between the MLAs and Mr Advani. Nevertheless, the Chief Minister took the opportunity to share and highlight the problems of the border districts with the mediapersons. At the outset, he clarified that Mr Advani had toured the border villages in June 1998. He was apprised of the problems. As a consequence of that first-hand knowledge, the Union Home Minister had agreed to pay compensation for economic loss suffered by the farmers for not being able to bring under the plough the land across the “fence”. The rate of compensation agreed to and paid to the farmers was Rs 3,000 per acre. Nearly Rs 8 crore were thus paid. This was for one year. The main stress in the memorandum was that the payment of this compensation should be made a “regular” scheme. Afterall, as Mr Badal said, farmers were living and working for the nation in the border villages. The total land beyond the “fence” was 16,857 acres. District-wise break-up was Gurdaspur: 3,771, Amritsar: 11,372 and Ferozepore: 1,715. The number of farmers being 1,919, 6,333 and 2,913, respectively. Mr Badal said any visible disturbance on the Indo-Pakistan border elsewhere resulted in migration of population, thereby, disrupting the normal life in the villages. The latest disturbances were during the Kargil was in summer - 1999. As such, the memorandum wants the Centre to adequately compensate the state by giving special funds. The river training works of Pakistan invariably caused extensive damage to the land and structures in Punjab. The MLAs wanted the pending, sanctioned sum of Rs 298.40 lakh to be released by the Union Home Ministry. Another sum was required for certain flood protection works identified with the help of the Border Security Force (BSF). This was Rs 521.33 lakh. In fact a sum of Rs 525.55 lakh for bridges though sanctioned has not been released, so far. “We want the Centre to release Rs 1,345.28 lakh to be released for flood protection”, said the Chief Minister. The rural road network was in a shambles in the border villages. For their repair, upgradation (widening etc) Punjab needs Rs 86.51 crore. In addition, for the Plan roads, the requirement was Rs 94.47 crore. Another key issue was of identity cards for family members other than the head of the family. The card is required while going across the “fence” to perform agricultural operations. Since agriculture was a family affair cards would go a long way in enabling women and others to take food across the “fence” to the farmers. Likewise enhancement in working hours was demanded by reducing the duration of dusk-to-dawn curfew. There were no toilet facilities in the border villages. With the entire length of the border now “fenced” and flood-lit it affected the privacy of women. A demand for this was also made. The sensitive nature of
the border does not permit sowing of certain crops, like
sugarcane, maize, cotton, chari (fodder crop). Mr Badal
said he would submit the memorandum later. |
Acid test for Takht chief AMRITSAR, May 7 — The meeting of the Sikh clergy, proposed to be held at Akal Takht on May 14 will be a litmus test for the newly-installed Jathedar, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti as the hardliners have submitted a written representation to take up the ‘RSS issue’. However, the Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has reportedly urged the Akal Takht Jathedar not to take any drastic step which could spoil relations between the Hindus and the Sikhs. Sikh circles feel if Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti handles the Rashtriya Sangat issue carefully, he will be accepted jathedar even by the detectors of the ruling SAD and the SGPC. However, if he fails to satisfy the Sikh masses on the issue he will face strong criticism. Sikh hardliners, including the Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann), The Dal Khalsa and the Human Rights and Democracy Forum, had held detailed discussions with Akal Takht Jathedar on May 3. Giani Joginder Singh had reportedly given an assurance to take up the issue in the May 14 meeting. However, if the Sikh clergy takes stringent action on the ‘RSS issue’ it might create trouble for the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal. According to Mr Kanwarpal Singh, a spokesman for the Dal Khalsa, the representation presented to Akal Takht had urged him to ‘reiterate the definition of a Sikh, take strict action for distortion in holy scriptures of the Sikhs by the Rashtrya Sikh Sangat an offshoot of the RSS. The hardliners, including the Dal Khalsa, the SAD (Mann) and the Human Rights Organisation had also urged Giani Joginder Singh that if no action was taken against the RSS it would create a communal tension like the “Sikh-Nirankari” clash in 1978 which was the root-cause of the decade-long militancy. The Sikh League, also submitted a written representation to Akal Takht Jathedar in this regard. The hardliners had threatened to physically push out RSS activists from villages if they failed to desist from ‘anti-Sikh’ agenda. The Sikh circles further say if Giani Joginder Singh, goes ‘go slow’ on the RSS issue it will strengthen the hands of the hardliners. The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra has already launched a campaign to ‘oust Badal’. The SHSAD feels that if no action is taken against RSS it will create communal trouble. However, Bibi Jagir Kaur, President, SGPC has gone on record against the ‘anti-Sikh’ propaganda launched by the RSS. The SGPC chief clearly stated that the Sikhs were a separate nation and not part of Hinduism as claimed by the Rashtriya Sikh Sangat. What has put the Sikh
clergy in a dilemma is that even Congress leaders like Mr
Jagmeet Singh Brar, MP, have raised the issue on the
floor of Parliament. Capt Amarinder Singh, President,
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, had also stated that
the Sikhs were not Hindus. The statements of Congress
leaders would definitely compel the Sikh clergy to take a
clear stand on the issue otherwise their
‘silence’ could strengthen hardliners. |
Drop in smuggling on Samjhauta AMRITSAR, May 7 (UNI) — A stepped up vigil by customs, immigration and law enforcing agencies at Attari railway station has led to a marked decline in smuggling of counterfeit Indian currency on board the Samjautha Express from Lahore, according to customs additional commissioner, M.S. Arora. He said following seizures of fake currency in January, certain measures were taken to halt this menace. In March and April, barring some isolated cases, there had not been a single incident of bulk seizure of fake currency notes. To counter the designs of money changers who entice customers outgoing passengers are being educated by customs officials at Attari not to accept fake currency being offered by money changers. A State Bank of India (SBI) counter had replaced the private money change stall at Attari to provide Indian currency in lieu of Pakistan currency to incoming passengers. Other measures including breaking open of all baggage, particularly water coolers. Even in winters passengers coming from Lahore carried water coolers which were often filled with dry fruit or other commodity. Though passengers are
unhappy when their water coolers are pulled apart there
was no other alternative as x-ray machines had often
failed to detect fake notes concealed in the cavities of
coolers, he said. |
Cong to stage dharna on May 10 FAZILKA, May 7 — Congressmen of Ferozepore district shall sit in dharna before the office of the Deputy commissioner, Ferozepore on May 10. Capt Amarinder Singh, President, PPCC, will lead party workers in protest dharna. Dr Mohinder Kumar Rinwa,
former, MLA Fazilka and Hans Raj Joshan, former Minister
Punjab, both secretaries, PPCC, addressing party workers
here today accused the SAD-BJP government of being
anti-farmer. They said wheat procurement was
unsatisfactory and lifting was slow. As a result payments
to farmers were delayed. |
Legal notice to Tohra loyalist JALANDHAR, May 7 (PTI) — SGPC member Partap Singh, a loyalist of Chief Minister PS Badal, today slapped a legal notice on Jagjit Singh Gaba, district president of the rival GS Tohra-led Sarb Hind Akali Dal, asking him to apologise for levelling allegations of destroying evidence in the case of the mysterious death of SGPC president Jagir Kaur’s daugher last month. “The false allegations, published in a vernacular daily, have caused discharge to (me) and disturbed (me) mentally,” Partap Singh said in the legal notice served through his lawyer upon Gaba and the newspaper. He asked Gaba to
apologise within a week and demanded that the family
contradict its report. |
Civic poll on June 18 CHANDIGARH, May 7 — In view of the transfer policy of the Punjab Government, likely to be implemented by May 15, and entrance tests to various classes and courses scheduled for May 28, the Department of Local Government today announced the general elections to the municipalities would be held on June 18. A notification issued on May 4 by the Principal Secretary, Mr N.K. Arora, had said the elections to six municipal councils, 31 nagar panchayats and byelections to various wards of nine municipal councils and one nagar panchayat would be held on May 18. Even the Election
Commission had brought this to the notice of the
government hence, the change of the date from May 28 to
June 18. |
Pigs’ ‘sacrifice’
shakes PSEB out of slumber JALANDHAR, May 7 — The death of three pigs by electrocution ultimately forced the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) authorities to come out of its slumber and to rectify a live high-tension wire which had been lying on the ground near a school in the local Baradon area for the past three days. The wire had been lying on the ground for past three days and posing danger to the lives of hundreds of students of the nearby Apeejay School and scores of morning strollers. None of the officials of the PSEB had allegedly turned up to put it in its place in spite of a number of complaints by residents, most of whom are high civil and police officers. So much so, that to prevent any untoward incident, a police officer had to make two of his securitymen stand guard near the wire for two days! And what forced them to act was the “sacrifice” made by three pigs, including a piglet, that were electrocuted yesterday morning while wandering in the area in search of food. As if this was not
enough, a PSEB Junior Engineer, who was supervising the
rectification of the wire, complained that he was doing
the duty of one of his colleagues who was on leave. |
PSEB workers gherao official NANGAL, (Ropar), May 7 — Workers of PSEB gheraoed a member, irrigation of PSEB and raised slogans against the board. Union leaders present at the spot said gherao was part of the state-level agitation to gherao members of the board all over state. The member had come to participate in the two-day seminar on renovation, modernisation and upgradation being organised by the BBMB. Workers of PSEB are
protesting against privatisation and non-implementation
of their long-standing demands. |
CPI supports scribes’
stir CHANDIGARH, May 7 — The Punjab State Council of the CPI has expressed concern over the RSS activities in the state, particularly in rural areas deteriorating law and order, increasing burden on the common man due to hike in prices of fertilisers, wheat, rice, sugar, the LPG and kerosene and continuous “surrender” of national interests before US imperialism and the International Monetary Fund. This was stated by Dr Joginder Dayal today at the end of the two-day meeting of the Secretariat and the district secretaries. Mr Bhupinder Samber chaired the meeting. Dr Dayal said the CPI took serious view of the RSS distributing “inflammatory” pamphlets and leaflets against minorities, especially the Christians. It was shocking that though veteran CPI leader Satya Pal Dang had brought this fact to the notice of the Chief Minister five months ago, the latter had not taken any steps to check it. Dr Dayal also extended full support to the strike of the newspapers/ agencies’ employees on May 8. “The CPI is highly critical of delay tactics of the wage board” said Mr Dayal. The CPI leader, while
supporting the struggle of the employees, demanded that
the Centre should take all steps to ensure speedy justice
to the employees of the newspaper industry. |
Is it a ladies club, or a
battleground to settle scores? PATIALA, May 7 - Squabbling sophisticated heel-clad women of this former princely state have turned the premier Maharani Ladies Club here into a battleground for factional supremacy, which recently saw the ladies scuffling with each other at a workshop on ‘’ Art of Living ‘’ . “Art of Living” took the backstage with agitated members belonging to the faction of present President Pratibha Jain not allowing former President Mrs Meeta Kukreja to take the mike. Mrs Kukreja apparently wanted to answer allegations regarding finance matters levelled by the other group during her stewardship of the club last year. However, she was not allowed to speak by the members belonging to the Jain group, who said she could not disturb the function and take the mike without the President’ s permission. Both factions have now dug in their heels and there is no immediate solution in sight which will help in solving the imbroglio . As of now 16 members of the dissident group , including past President, Mrs Kukreja, present Vice-President Dolly Sadhana and Secretary Shubhchint Sodhi have been ‘expelled’ from the club. This, however, has not had much effect on the expelled members who continue to attend club meetings as they did on April 3 when the “Art of Living” workshop was held. Ladies Club President Pratibha Jain has, meanwhile, got support from the parent Rajindra Gymkhana Club in the form of recognition of the club with her as its President . Emboldened by this she has decided to ask the security staff of the Gymkhana Club where all the meetings of the Ladies Club are held to debar all the expelled members from the main hall when the women get together to hold any meeting. The breakaway group is in no mood to give up without a determined fight. They have passed a no- confidence motion against Mrs Jain and installed Mrs Dolly Sadhana as “President’’ of the club. Their momentum was, however, broken somehow when they first formed the Mohindra Maharani Club. When it was realised that this would not be recognised by the parent Gymkhana Club, they reverted back to the Maharani Ladies Club nomenclature for all their press notes . The entire problem arose when Mrs Biba Brar, who was the Vice President of the club, and was to automatically succeed Mrs Kukreja as President this year went abroad and then disclosed she was not inclined to come back soon.There was dissension within the club as Mrs Pratibha Jain, who was the Secretary, became next in line to become President . There were also disagreements between the two groups over whether the next Vice-President should be nominated or elected . The present breakaway group had its way and Mrs Dolly Sadhana was elected Vice President. Following this there was again controversy over forming of the Executive Committee. The dissident group alleged that Mrs Jain had not taken the other office bearers with her while forming the Executive Committee following which they held a” club meeting ‘’ and passed a no-confidence motion against Mrs Jain. The problem was further aggravated when Mrs Jain alleged that she was not given details of expenditure by the former President Former President, Mrs Kukreja, while talking to TNS said during her two-year period she was able to nearly double the money handed over to her by the previous group from Rs 26,000 to Rs 50,000. She said the entire accounts had been handed over to Mrs Jain. She said she had tried in vain many times to explain this to the club members but was not being allowed to do so. Meanwhile, the Gymkhana
Club Secretary J.P.S. Walia said while the parent club
could not interfere in the quarrel of the ladies, it
wanted them to patch up. He said he had himself tried for
a patch-up by telling the breakaway group to coopt more
of its members to the Executive Committee but had not
been successful in his endeavour . Dissident group leader
Mrs Sadhana, however, said this could not be done as Mrs
Jain was putting too many conditions which were not
acceptable to her group. |
Religious leaders open meditation
unit ANANDPUR SAHIB (Ropar), May 7 — The representatives of various religions, including Amrinder Muni (Jains), Rabbi Ezehiel Malekr (Jew), Dr A.K. Merchant (Bahai), Father Joseph (Christian) and Maulana Kasami (Muslim), inaugurated the dome-shaped meditation centre, Nam Abhias Kendra, here today. The kendra has been brought by the Gurmati Sagar Trust, headed by the Jathedar of Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib, Prof Manjit Singh. After inauguration, the representatives all religions recited prayers of their respective faiths. Prof Manjit Singh said that this meditation centre had been set up to help the younger generation caught in the grip of narcotics to leave these ills through meditation. This meditation centre would remain open all the time to all people, irrespective of their caste or community, he added. The semi-spherical dome of this Nam Abhias Kendra has a diameter of 50 feet and 25 feet high. The roof of the dome has been made steel chambers which have area covered by a 13-feet thick coating of optical fibre. The optical fibre has been covered with water-proof material. About 200 persons can sit and meditate at a time in the 4000 sq feet area of this meditation centre. Earlier, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, also inaugurated a Auyurvedic dispensary in the Shri Guru Harirai Institute of Alternative Medicines. This institute has also been established in the same complex by the Gurmati Sagar Trust. Prof Manjit Singh said that these institution had been set up in connection with the recently concluded Khalsa tercentenary celebrations. He said that the basic objective of the Gurmati Sagar Trust for setting up such institutions in Anandpur Sahib was to bring it one the world map like the other holy cities of Vatican, Jerusalem and Mecca. Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of the SGPC, who was to inaugurate the Tercentenary Mahilla Sikhlai Kendra, however, did not come to attend the functions. The organisers, including Prof Manjit Singh, declined to comment on absence from the functions. Mr Sucha Singh Langah,
Minister for PWD (B&R), Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar
of Takht Damdama Sahib, and an SGPC member, Mr Tarnail
Singh Aulokh, were among those who were present. |
Punjab sets up 10 sanctuaries HOSHIARPUR, May 7 — To protect wild animals and increase their growth, the Punjab Government has established 10 sanctuaries in the state. Out of these one is located in the adjoining Takhni Rahimpur village in 956 acres of government land in the district. This was stated by Mr Tikshan Sud, Minister of State for Excise and Taxation, Punjab, while addressing a gathering at Takhni Rahimpur village, about 15 km from here, last evening. Mr Sud said ruthlessly felling trees had already decreased the forest area in the state due to which the number of wild animals had also gone down considerably. The state government had already imposed a complete ban on the hunting of wild animals. Efforts were being made to increase the forest area in the state, he added. Mr Sud said the wildlife Protection Department was motivating inhabitants of villages adjoining to the sanctuary at Takhni Rahimpur to use solar cookers to save fuel and avoid fire in the area. As many as 177 solar cookers were given to the inhabitants of the adjoining area on the occasion. Seventeen solar lights were installed in the area. The minister presented a cheque of Rs 50,000 for the development of the village. Mr Sohan Singh Bodal,
MLA and Mr Varinder Mohindra, Chief Conservator and
Warden of the department, also addressed the gathering. |
IMA for review of CPA BARNALA, May 7 — Dr T.N. Mehrotra, national president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), today urged the Union Government to review the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) to make relations between doctor and patient friendly because the Act in its present form was harming their relations in one way or the other. Dr Mehrotra was addressing the inaugural session of the 55th Punjab state conference of the IMA here today in which nearly 450 doctors from various parts of the state participated. Dr Mehrotra appealed to the medical fraternity to restrain itself from conducting sex-determination tests and illegal abortions in the larger interests of society. He also urged the members of the IMA to strengthen the association by involving young doctors by forming youth wings in medical colleges. He also advised doctors to become members of health insurance schemes and social security schemes. Dr J.S. Gujral, Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, urged doctors to work with dedication and as per medical ethics. Dr O.P. Singh Kande, president of the Punjab unit of the IMA, gave a call to doctors to be ethical on the issue of sex determination of the unborn child and to fight quackery. He said today the profession was being eaten away by the menace of quackery, commercialisation of medical education and the government’s apathy towards the interests of doctors. Dr R.C. Garg, organising secretary of the conference, proposed the vote of thanks. At the inaugural session, a large number of doctors were honoured for their contribution to the IMA, the profession and society. Those honoured included Dr Iqbal Singh Ahuja from Ludhiana, Dr Surinder Singla, secretary, IMA, Sangrur, Dr Raman Aggarwal from Phagwara, Dr Naresh Bassi from Ludhiana, Dr M.L.Gupta from DMC, Ludhiana, and Dr Narpal Singh from Sangrur. Dr Iqbal Singh Ahuja was given the lifetime award by Dr Gujral on behalf of the IMA, Punjab, for his contribution in the field of test tube baby technology and medical sciences while Dr Surinder Singla was given the best overall performance award. Later, a panel discussion was held on the Consumer Protection Act in view of the problems being faced by doctors while performing their duties. The session was chaired by Dr S.K. Singhal, Professor and Head, Forensic Department, Medical College, Dhule (Maharashtra). On the basis of the panel discussion, a conclusion was drawn that the Consumer Protection Act needed urgent review. The medical profession should not be checked by the CPA but by various state medical councils and the Indian Medical Council by giving them more powers. Scientific sessions were
also held as part of the conference in which doctors from
various fields presented their views on the management of
various diseases. |
Potato growers suffer losses MOGA, May 7 — Following a bumper crop of potatoes this year, the growers in this region have been forced to sell them at throwaway prices. According to survey of
the local vegetable markets here today, the crop fetched
only Rs 60 for 80 kg of potatoes. The retail price was Rs
1.50 per kg. A similar situation prevailed regarding
other crops like cauliflower, carrots and tomatoes. The
retail prices (per kilogram) of these vegetables were
quoted as :- carrot — Rs 2; cauliflower — Rs
1.50; tomato — Rs 10; green peas — Rs 8;and a
bunch of palak — Rs 1. The growers in this region
have, therefore, suffered heavy losses, according to
reports. |
Action sought against Army officer FEROZEPORE, May 7 (PTI) — Seven members of the Golden Arrow Canteen here have sent a representation to Defence Minister George Fernandes demanding action against an officer of the Infantry Division, for alleged corrupt practices. In the complaint, copy of which was given to media here today the complainants alleged that the army officer had been drawing liquor from the canteen and supplying it to civilians. They also attached copies of cash memos along with their complaint to substantiate their charges. The complainants say that after November last the modus operandi was changed. The officer now got a bill prepared in the name of local units or Div mess while the liquor was drawn by him through his adm NCO. The complainants claimed that if the record of the unit concerned or div mess was checked it would be found that the liquor drawn had not been delivered to them. They alleged that the
officer had drawn 819 bottles of various brands of liquor
worth about 1.79 lakh within six months against an
authorisation of 84 bottles. |
Mayor for shifting ammunition dump LUDHIANA, May 7 — “The city is sitting almost on an ammunition dump and can fall prey to a tragedy like Bharatpur,” said Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, here yesterday while talking to mediapersons. He said the people were becoming jittery about their security as the ammunition dump at Badowal village was just a stone’s throw from the city populated by nearly 25 lakh. He said that the
ammunition dump should be shifted from here to some other
place as the city was fast expanding. If its expansion to
that side was not allowed, the topography of the city
would become lop-sided, the Mayor said. He said a
resolution shall soon be passed by the civic body to
request the Centre Government to take necessary steps to
shift the dump to some safer place as soon as possible. |
Charas smuggling on the rise PATHANKOT, May 7 — The smuggling of contraband charas is on the rise in the local areas of the town. Police records reveal that in the past 20 days 2.5 kg charas was recovered from three different persons. On April 21 last, the police arrested two persons from the area of Mission Road, near DAV School, carrying 1 kg charas each. The arrested persons were identified as Resham Singh and Ajit Singh, belonging to Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. In another incident on April 26 Sanjay Kumar, alias Sanju, of Dhoran village in Kangra district, was arrested while he was coming in a Maruti van carrying 500 gm of charas. All three accused were challaned by the Police Division No. 1 under Section 20/61/85 of the NDPS Act. Likewise,
property-grabbing cases are also increasing in town. In
the past two months, seven cases of grabbing property or
forged sale deeds or power of attorney have been
registered in different police stations in Pathankot sub
division. |
Medical college ‘short of funds’ AMRITSAR, May 7 (UNI) — Government Medical College here is starving for funds. A report prepared by the college Principal, Dr B.L. Goyal, presented to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here yesterday, pleaded for funds for upgrading the facilities at the institution. It said the laboratories were loaded with outdated equipment while the condition of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital of the college forced patients to go to private hospitals. In certain departments equipment were lying idle for want of repairs as the institution lacked funds. About the college library, the report said it was worse than that of a good school. The report called for the setting up of an advanced cardiac care centre at the hospital as the incidence of heart disease was on the increase in this region. It also called for the setting up of a neurosurgery department, a kidney transplant surgical centre and a regional cancer centre at the hospital. The report further said a combat centre for the treatment of cancer patients, started at the college hospital way back in 1970, needed urgent upgradation and modern facilities and for this the government must provide funds. Patients came all the they way from Jammu and adjoining parts of Himachal Pradesh for treatment in this unit, it added. A number of teaching posts in the college were lying vacant. These should be filled as per the Medical Council of India norms. The report also called for enhancing the financial powers of the principal. It said the state’s
medical colleges, which were entrusted with the task of
implementation of national health programmes, were being
denied central grants for the purpose. The nodal agency
for these programmes was the Director, Health Services,
of the state who received the grants, but these were not
being forwarded to the medical colleges, the report
claimed. |
Fake degree racket unearthed,
2 held JALANDHAR, May 7 — The local police has unearthed a racket of preparation and sale of fake degrees and marks sheets of Magadh University, Bihar, with the arrest of two persons. The SSP, Mr Gaurav Yadav, said here today that on a tip-off, a case under Sections 420/465/467/468/471/472 of the IPC was registered in police station, division on 6, on May 6 in connection with the preparation and sale of fake BA and B.Ed degrees of Magadh University, Bodh Gaya. Two persons — Tarsem Lal, a resident of Bhargo camp in the city, and Salim Masih of Fateh Jalal village in the district — were arrested. Preliminary interrogation of the arrested persons revealed that their gang was indulging in preparation of fake degrees in the area of Bhargo camp. They would obtain blank printed forms of marks sheets, provisional certificates, degrees and other university documents through Bihar-based contacts, Mr Yadav said. The accused would sell the fake degrees to desirous customers for Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. The gang members would fill up the marks sheets with pen and use fake seals of the controller of examinations of the university. The fake seals have also been recovered and raids are being conducted to nab the gang members who have absconded. A police party will be
dispatched to Bihar to investigate the full ramifications
of the racket and to also investigate the possible
connivance, if any, of the university employees, the SSP
added. |
Decision on PMT: affected hold
demonstration CHANDIGARH, May 7 — Parents and their wards in the city, disgruntled with the Punjab Government’s decision to allow only those who have cleared plus two from the state to appear in the entrance examination for medical courses (PMT), staged a demonstration in Sector 20 here today. They warned to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court in case their demand to be allowed in PMT was not met. One of the parents from Ferozepore said his ward did his matriculation from the district. Subsequently, he joined a college in Chandigarh for plus with the hope for “better preparations for the examination”. He was now in utter despair. Another parent argued that Chandigarh was he capital of Punjab. “If Chandigarh candidates are not allowed to appear for the test, the city’s capital status is amusing”. One government servant, a Punjabi posted outside, said his son had done plus two from outside the state. Hence, he should be given the chance to appear in PMT. Several parents in the
list of complainants were from SAS Nagar whose wards had
studied in Chandigarh schools. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
