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| Friday, May 26, 2000, Chandigarh, India   |
Bigwigs in fake arms licence racket? MIMT scandal to be probed DSGMC not to send jathas to Pak Mixed response to farmers’ stir
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BJP leader Kaura resigns Rinwa likely to be Punjab BJP chief Rift in Gurdaspur BJP comes to fore SHSAD holds
anti-Badal march
How come policemen on fast are not losing weight? PATIALA, May 25 — The All-India DRDA Staff Welfare Association Chairman, Mr Sadhu Ram Kusla, and its Punjab state unit General Secretary, Mr Sukhjeet Prashar, today said due to the step-motherly treatment being meted out by higher officers of the Rural Development and Panchayat Department (IRD branch), employees of the DRDA might commit self-immolation. PUDA concession for
riot-hit Sikhs Amritsar hottest in region Resistance Forum
to hold conference Pension anomalies removed
Complaints galore against cops
Man shot at, robbed
of Rs 57,000 Woman murdered Booked for causing
worker’s death
PMET test on
June 18
Inter-state meeting at Shimla 
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Return books, SGPC urges Centre JALANDHAR, May 25 — Expressing gratitude to the Union Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, for disclosing that hundreds of rare Sikh historical books, articles and documents, which were gutted in a fire during Operation Bluestar, according to the White Paper issued by the then Congress regime, were indeed lying intact in custody of the CBI, the SGPC has urged the Central Government to return these articles to it immediately. Bibi Jagir Kaur, the president of the SGPC, was not available for comments. However, Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, the SGPC, Secretary, said the committee was thankful to Mr Fernandes, who had exposed the “lies” of the previous Congress government. “We are equally grateful to the Punjab unit of the Samajwadi Party which had been taking up the issue and supporting the SGPC’s long standing stance for quite some time.” said Dr Bachan. Though the SGPC had been persistently demanding the handing over of these articles since 1984, the matter was also being pursued by the Punjab unit of the Samajwadi Party, headed by Mr Fernandes. A delegation of the party, it was learnt, had met the Union Defence Minister in this connection in the first week of May. In response, the Defence Minister had disclosed in a May 3 letter to Dr Bachan that the books and documents recovered from the Golden Temple library had been handed over to the CBI by the Army authorities and the SGPC should take up the matter with the Ministry of Personnel, public grievances and pensions since the CBI came under its jurisdiction. Accordingly, the SGPC authorities today wrote a letter to the Ministry, demanding that the rare articles should be handed back to it as soon as possible. Confirming it, Dr Bachan, while talking to the TNS said the matter invited urgent attention for after being in custody of the CBI for so many years, these needed proper preservation. “I think they don’t know as to how important these articles are for the Sikhs and from historical aspect as well,” said Dr Bachan. According to a list prepared by the SGPC library authorities in 1988, according to which 2500 volumes of Guru Granth Sahib, 20000 rare books, 500 handwritten books and documents went missing after 1984 Operation Bluestar. Though the SGPC authorities were in the dark about the way the incident took place, Mr Joginder Singh the Assistant Secretary of the SGPC, said they believed that the articles were kept by the Army in an Amritsar-based youth hostel till September, 1984. He said when the SGPC authorities learnt about it and started pursuing the matter, the articles in question were shifted to Meerut cantonment, but mystery still surround as to how these articles landed in custody of the CBI later on. He said the SGPC authorities had also taken up the matter with former Prime Ministers Mr Chandra Shekhar, Mr V.P. Singh and Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao. In addition to this, delegations of the SGPC have been meeting Home Ministers and Defence Ministers, but these failed to move things further. But now the disclosure by the Defence Minister that the articles have been with the CBI has resulted in a ray of hope that the historical library in the Golden Temple will get its original shape once again. He said the Central Government should do the needful to make arrangements for return of historical articles without any further delay as it was already too late. SGPC team to meet Fernandes AMRITSAR, May 25 — The SGPC is likely to send a team to Delhi soon to meet the Union Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, to seek the return of the documents, scriptures and manuscripts of Sikh Gurus to the Sikh Reference Library here. The SGPC Senior Vice-President, Mr Balbir Singh Pannu, and General Secretary, Mr Hardalbir Singh Shah, talking to newsmen here today welcomed the information provided to the SGPC by Mr Fernandes that these documents were lying with the CBI since the Army handed over these to the investigating agency during the Operation Bluestar in 1984. The Union Defence Minister would use his influence with the ministries and departments concerned and ask them to hand these over to the SGPC, they said. |
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SHSAD to raise documents issue PHAGWARA, May 25 — The SHSAD, headed by Mr G.S. Tohra, who is a Rajya Sabha member, will raise in Parliament the issue of missing and rare Sikh documents and take all legal recourses, including knocking at the doors of the judiciary, for the retrieval of the rare manuscripts and articles lying with the CBI after these were taken away by the Army in June, 1984, during Operation Bluestar. This was stated here today by Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, Secretary-General, SHSAD. Talking to reporters at the historic Sikhchainana Sahib gurdwara before flagging off the party’s ‘chetna’ rally, Mr Bhaur, a former acting SGPC chief, said the truth about these rare manuscripts had come to light after 16 years with the bold but confessional statement of Union Defence Minister George Fernandes who had admitted in his missive to the SGPC that these manuscripts were lying with the CBI and that the SGPC should take up the issue with the Personnel Department. The White Paper issued by the then Congress government about Operation Bluestar, the book by Gen K.S. Brar and other statements had proved to be a bundle of lies and all concerned should be made to stand in the dock for contempt of Parliament and misleading the public, Mr Bhaur added. Making a dig at Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC chief, he said that rather than getting bogged down in family issues, she should take up the issue of the Sikh
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Akali MLA on Sikh library AMRITSAR, May 25 — Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, an Akali MLA and confidant of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, has claimed that the Sikh reference library was set on fire by the Army during Operation Bluestar in 1984 to destroy letter of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister in which she had assured Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale that central government had no plan to attack Golden Temple. This letter was written to Sant Bhindranwale a few days before the infamous operation, he alleged. Mr Calcutta claimed that the Army had searched thoroughly to find out the letter of Mrs Gandhi in vain. After remaining unsuccessful in their mission, they had to set Sikh reference library on fire. However, much precious material was saved during the Operation Bluestar. Mr Calcutta said that on behalf of the SGPC, he had been persuading the central government to hand over the rare manuscripts, books and relics related to Sikh history. However, every time the Congress government had replied that the rare books were destroyed during the Army operation. Mr Calcutta, while appreciating Mr George Fernandes, Defence Minister, for disclosing the source of the rare books, said the Vajpayee government and the Punjab government should make efforts to get back the Sikh literature from the CBI. |
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Bigwigs in fake arms licence racket? FEROZEPORE, May 25 — The district administration is into the thick of controversy, after the police in Delhi and Rajasthan caught several bad characters carrying arms licences issued from here. Al least four such cases — two each in Rajasthan and Delhi — were detected by the police of the respective states. Besides, two residents of Faridkot district of Punjab were wrongfully allowed to dispose of their weapons bought from ordnance factories by the local arms licence branch handled by the Additional District Magistrate, Mr
R.G. Sahota. These cases are said to be a tip of the iceberg, as the authorities have swung into action to find the number of arms licences issued to outsiders. The examination of government records is likely to open a can of worms, as political bigwigs had also reportedly recommended for arms licences in some of these cases. The controversy was sparked off by separate communications sent to the district authorities by the Delhi and Rajasthan police to verify the facts. It is learnt that Kharak Singh and Kuldip Singh, the two alleged bad characters listed by the Delhi Police, had their licences made at fictitious addresses in the Jalalabad and Zira areas of the district. Likewise, Mohammad and Gulam Mohammad of Sanghria in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan had their licences made at a Jalalabad address. Sources in the administration revealed that the two licences issued to the Hanumangarh residents were among those recommended by the Forest Minister, Mr Surjit Jyani of
Fazilka. Officials are now seeking to downplay the controversy saying that the minister’s assistant had made the recommendation in routine without any malafide intention. Interestingly, the minister is learnt to have sent a fresh letter seeking to cancel the licences if at all wrongfully recommended. Although the Deputy Commissioner’s office has confirmed this, the letter could not be traced when demanded by this reporter. However, Mr Jyani denied having
willfully recommended for an arms licences to any outsider. He said, “I am not the final authority to decide who should be issued an arms licence”. Denying the charge of using political influence, he added, “If at all I have recommended so in an odd case during public gatherings, it is for the officials to examine the merits of the case”. In another controversial case, Mr Sahota is learnt to have allowed two Faridkot residents to dispose of their revolvers purchased from ordnance factories before the stipulated period of five years. The Faridkot District Magistrate, Mr A. Venu Prasad, has sought an explanation from Mr Sahota, charging him of misusing the position in a communication dated May 10, 2000. Citing ordnance rules in his communication, Mr Prasad has pointed out that these weapons cannot be disposed of before five years. Confirming this to TNS, Mr Prasad said the two residents had apparently sold their weapons on premium. When contacted, Mr Sahota, without answering any querry, banged the phone down. Enquiries revealed that these cases are interlinked and licences were managed by some Abohar-based touts with the connivance of officials. However, after the Ferozepore District Magistrate, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, assumed the office in November last, he took note of their activities and restricted their movement. Subsequently, these touts shifted their base to Faridkot, where too Mr A. Venu Prasad detected the racket. Mr Sidhu assured that the record of the arms licence branch was being thoroughly examined to fix responsibility. He said the law would take its own course and nobody would be spared. |
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MIMT scandal to be probed CHANDIGARH, May 25 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today ordered a high-level vigilance inquiry in the alleged multi-crore scandal in the construction of the Malout Institute of Management and Information Technology (MIMT). This follows a recommendation in a detailed report submitted by Mr Ranjit Singh Balian, State Minister for Urban Development, who had
inspected the building. Mr Balian today discussed in detail with Mr Badal what had gone wrong with the construction of Rs 10 crore
project. Informed sources said that Mr Badal had told the officials concerned to appoint one senior engineer along with the vigilance team to probe into the technical aspect of this scandal. Informed sources said that Mr Balian had recommended the suspension of Superintending Engineer, Mr
S.S. Swany, and other engineers including Sub Divisional Engineer, Malout, junior engineers and work supervisors associated with the construction of the building. He has also recommended to send back Mr Swany back to his parent department-PWD. Mr Swany is on deputation with the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) which was assigned the task of constructing the institute on deposit work basis. The construction work was reallotted by PUDA to the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) following the company to which work was originally allotted left the work halfway. The inspection of the building was made by Mr Balian in the presence of sub divisional magistrate and other officials. Informed sources said that Mr Balian found very serious lapses in the construction of the building, part of which may collapse within a period of six months. According to sources, inspection has already declared the MIMIT building and a club, which is a part of the project, as totally unsafe. The inspection team , according to sources, has found changes in the approved layout and orientation of the building without the consent of the competent authority. Cracks have been found in the RCC slabs and a major deflection in a RCC beam on the ground floor of computer room and library hall. The attempt was made to rectify the defect without consulting any competent authority. There is a poor mansion work in almost entire building. Sources said that engineers concerned refused to present relevant records before the minister. Engineers associated with the project came out with a plea that there was a defect in the structural design of the building and matter was referred to Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. The college authorities concluded that the reinforcement of steel was 35 per cent less than required quantity of steel. Though there were three consultants of national fame on the panel of PUDA, but they were never consulted for carrying out the construction work on such a prestigious project. The minister, according to sources, has requested the Chief Minister for identifying the officers who allotted the work without inviting the tenders to the NBCC. |
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DSGMC not to send jathas to Pak AMRITSAR, May 25 — The new management of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management
Committee (DSGMC) has reversed the decision of the old management and decided not to sponsor any Sikh jatha to Pakistan in future by following the directions of the SGPC in this respect in protest against the formation of the Pakistan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PGPC). Stating this, the new DSGMC president, Mr Avtar Singh Hit, said here today that the CBI was already holding an inquiry into the circumstances in which the former management of the DSGMC, headed by Mr Paramjit Singh Sarna, had given permission to send jathas to Pakistan on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in November last year. Mr Hit was talking to newsmen after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple and Akal Takht for seeking blessings for the new management. He was accompanied by about two dozen members of the DSGMC. The DSGMC, considered the SGPC as the parent body of the gurdwara managements and the Delhi committee could not go against its decision not to send jathas to Pakistan till the new body of Sikh gurdwara in Pakistan was disbanded. This new body had no right to manage the gurdwaras in Pakistan, he added. He demanded the arrest of Mr Sarna and his prosecution for his alleged “links” with the ISI of Pakistan and for according recognition to the new Pakistan body headed by a former ISI chief, Mr Javed Nasar. While condemning the actions of the former DSGMC president for shaking hands with the new PGPC, he said that the new DSGMC management would ask the CBI to fully inquire about the persons involved in the ‘conspiracy’ to recognise the PGPC after Mr Sarna and others met the former ISI chief in Pakistan. Mr Hit said that the Central Government had not accorded permission to the Sikh jatha which was sponsored by the former management, but Mr Sarna managed to get clearance from the Pakistan Embassy. Mr Hit said that the DSGMC would demand that the SGPC be given all rights for the management of the Sikh gurdwaras both in the country and abroad, including Pakistan. Meanwhile, Mr Hit wanted the Jathedar of Akal Takht to summon Mr Sarna at Akal Takht for his alleged activities against the Sikh interests. |
Mixed response to farmers’ stir CHANDIGARH, May 25 — There was negligible impact of the call for “traffic jam” given by five Punjab kisan unions — the Punjab Kisan Sabha (CPI) the Punjab Kisan Sabha (CPM), the Kirti Kisan Union, the Bharti Kisan Union (EKTA) and the Khet Mazdoor Union (CPM) for today, according to a police press note. Barring a case of violence at Singhewala village in Muktsar district, where a mob pelted stones on a bus and damaged a police vehicle, there was no untoward incident. The police also dispersed a mob at Main Chowk, Moga, where they had blocked traffic and at Golu-ka-Mor in Ferozepure. The national and state highways and main roads remained unaffected. SANGRUR: On a call given by kisan organisations, farmers on Thursday blocked the road for sometime near Badrukhan village on the Sangrur-Barnala road against the “anti-farmer policies” of the government and in support of their demands, including waiving off the farmers’ loans. The police diverted the vehicles bound for Barnala from Sangrur through another route. However, Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, SSP, claimed that the road was not blocked in any part of the district. The farmers protested alongside the road at some places, he added. PHAGWARA: About 50 agitating activists of Leftist kisan and khet mazdoor bodies were detained around 12.30 p.m. on Thursday and were released later. The activists, including Mr Lehmber Singh Taggar, general secretary, CPM-led Punjab Kisan Sabha, were taken into custody at the sugar mill crossing on the G.T. Road when they were trying to block traffic as part of their “traffic jam” agitation against the government. The DSP, Mr Satinder Singh, claimed that the traffic plied as usual. LUDHIANA: Farmers staged dharnas and blocked traffic at various places in the district on Thursday. Addressing the farmers at Rara Sahib, the CPI district secretary, Mr Kartar Singh Bowani, termed the SAD-BJP government led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal as anti-farmer. JALANDHAR: Five Leftist farmers’ organisations plan of “rasta roko” as part of their statewide agitation was foiled at most places in the Doaba region of Punjab comprising four districts of Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Nawanshahr. The police, in a pre-dawn crackdown on their activists, took many of their leaders and workers into preventive custody to foil their agitation. Some leaders and workers were taken into custody in Jalandhar district and eight in Nawanshahr district, according to police sources. Except for an hour-long blockade of the state highway to Chandigarh at Mahilpur new bus stand, no report of traffic disruption had been received from any part of the Doaba region so far, the sources said. Scores of activists, including a women group led by widow of CPI stalwart Darshan Singh, took part in the road blockade at Mahilpur new bus stand, disrupting traffic to and from Chandigarh. However, Hoshiarpur SSP R. P. Mittal said traffic was blocked for only about half an hour. But CPI state council members Joginder Singh and Manjit Singh Lalli, who led the protesters, claimed that their dharna continued for over an hour. CPI state Secretary Joginder Dayal claimed that the agitation received an overwhelming response in the Malwa region of Punjab because peasantry suffered the most in this region. He said it was in the Malwa region that farmers committed suicide because of indebtedness. The agitators pressed for waiving off farmers’ loan to the tune of Rs 5,700 crore, two-thirds of which they owed to private foodgrains commission agents and one-third to government institutions, according to Dr
Dayal. |
BJP leader Kaura resigns CHANDIGARH, May 25 — A storm is gathering in the Punjab BJP unit as the election of its state President is nearing. While the organising General Secretary of the state unit of the party, Mr Jagmohan Kaura today resigned from his office with a threat that he will not allow the party chief’s election on May 28. Earlier the Secretary of the state unit, Mr Saraswati Dass Maur Mandi, had resigned from the primary membership of the party. Alleging that the General Secretary of the RSS, Mr Devinder Parsad Gupta, who is a coordinator between the RSS and the state unit of the party, was out to ruin the party in the state, Mr Kaura said several other senior leaders of the BJP would join him on May 28 against Mr Gupta. The bone of contention is the selection of candidate for party chief. The RSS coordinator, according to Mr Kaura, wants to elect Mr Briz Lal Rinwa as president. However, Mr Kaura maintains that as per party norms, Mr Rinwa does not qualify to be elected as President of the party. He joined the BJP only four years ago while earlier he was with the RSS, according to Mr Kaura. To be a President of the state unit, one is required to be a primary member of the party for 10 years and three tenures — each of two years — as active member. Earlier, Mr Gupta’s appointee Mr Krishan Murari, RSS coordinator for Bathinda, Mansa and Muktsar districts, created a trouble in BJP ranks in that belt leading to Mr Saraswati Dass resignation, Mr Kaura further alleged. “How can Mr Rinwa be elected President when he was not eligible? Mr Kaura asked. Appealing to the senior party leaders, including Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon and the national leadership of the RSS, Mr Kaura said these leaders should come forward to save the party from people like Mr Gupta.
Rinwa likely to be Punjab BJP chief LUDHIANA, May 25 — Unanimous election of Professor Brij Lal Rinwa of Abohar as president of the Punjab state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in place of Mr Daya Singh Sodhi is almost certain. The delegate session of the state BJP slated to be held at Chandigarh on May 28 would formally elect Mr Rinwa as the new president, highly placed party sources told the Tribune here today. Since the process of ogranisational elections of the BJP started in April in Punjab, many names including those of Lala Lajpatrai, member of the Rajya Sabha and reelection of Mr Sodhi were doing rounds but the choice of the party high command now appears to have veered round to Mr Rinwa, the senior vice-president of the state unit. It was in this context only that earlier this week, Mr Rinwa, who was the chief election officer for organisational elections in the state was asked to resign from this post and Mr Narottam Das Ratti of Kapurthala was nominated in his place to see the elections through. The party sources pointed out that the obvious reason for Mr Rinwa to resign from the post of chief elections officer was that he himself was going to be the long candidate for the presidential election. An old Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) activist, Mr Rinwa has been sanghchalak of the organisation in Abohar for quite sometime before joining active politics through the BJP. Mr Rinwa’s candidature has the tacit support of RSS leadership, the sources
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Rift in Gurdaspur BJP comes to fore GURDASPUR, May 25 — The District BJP unit is a house divided and it came to surface when party workers raised protests in the presence of Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, president, State BJP, when he visited here yesterday and in front of Mr Om Parkash Kalia, state observer to hold elections of the party when he visited the town on Tuesday. Mr Kalia had to go back without holding elections for the president of Local Mandal of the party. Election for the Mandal president is being put off for the fourth time. Mr Kalia tried to pacify the protesters but all appeals by him were ignored by the party workers. The election had to be put off. Mr Sodhi suddenly arrived here yesterday at 5 p.m. and had a close-door meeting with Mrs Roop Rani
and Mr Ram Lal both MLAs, Mr Rakesh Jyoti President Local Municipal Committee, Mr Jatinder Pardesi and Mr Gurdeep Singh both local Municipal Commissioners and Mr B.K. Mittal, senior party leader. While the meeting was on the opposite group rushed to the place of meeting. The dissident leaders included Mr Ashok Sharma, Director, Punjab Forest Corporation, Mr Narinder Dogra former district’s general secretary, Mr Subhash Mahajan,
President Gurdaspur Mandal, Mr Ramesh Khosla and Mr Kewal Krishan Mahajan both local municipal commissioners. The dissidents objected to the ‘secret’ meeting held by Mr Sodhi and impressed upon him to listen to their grievances. They accused the president of various irregularities in the elections but Mr Sodhi ignored their protests. After this tempers of the dissident rose high and they started shouting anti-Sodhi slogans. The dissidents even blamed him for ruining the party in Punjab and demanded his resignation. Insiders said that Mr Sodhi had come to consult the MLAs of Dinanagar and Narot Mehra for nomination of Chairman for market committees of Dinanagar and Narot Jaimal Singh, but failed to arrive at consensus candidates. Mrs Roop Rani allegedly favoured somebody for appointment as Chairman Market Committee Dinanagar whereas the state president favoured Mr Janak Singh for appointment to the said post. Similarly Mr Ram Lal proposed the name of his son Mr Vinod Kumar for appointment as chairman Market Committee Narot Jaimal Singh. But Mr Sodhi did not oblige him and declined to forward the name of the son of a party MLA. Mr Sodhi also had come here to finalise the strategy for election to Gurdaspur Mandal Presidentship. Before he could discuss the strategy with his favourites he had to face an angry opposition and left the place of meeting without arriving at any conclusion. Meanwhile Mr Dashminder Noni, Mr Vijay Verma and Mr Ashok Sharma are aspirants for the post of presidentship of Gurdaspur
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SHSAD holds
anti-Badal march JALANDHAR, May 25 — The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra organised a “Badal bhajao, Punjab bachao” march today. The march, which took off from Gurdwara Sukhchainiana Sahib in Phagwara, concluded at the Kartarpur township near here. Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, General Secretary of the party, said Mr Tohra would take up the issue of the missing Sikh holy books and other historical articles from the Golden Temple library in Parliament. |
How come policemen on fast are not losing weight? PATIALA, May 25 — It is the same old story. Prisoners going on hunger strike and not losing weight. Last year TADA detainees at the high security Nabha jail had gone on hunger strike to focus attention on their plight in the tercentenary year of the Khalsa . This time it is the time of police officers lodged at the Central Jail here on murder charges to go on an indefinite fast to protest against a reported move to release TADA detainees. In both cases while prisoners have gone to the press to focus attention on themselves , they have apparently played it safe and managed not to lose weight during the hunger strike or become seriously ill . Seven police officials who are presently fasting in the Central Jail are on indefinite hunger strike since May 19, according to a press release issued by them. Jail officials, however, disclosed that the prisoners had started their hunger strike on May 23 only. According to the officials, the prisoners are being weighed twice a day since May 23 and had not lost any weight till now. The officials said a record of the weight of the policemen was being recorded in a register everyday. They said the policemen were presently absolutely normal. Jail Superintendent G S Sidhu when contacted said: “I cannot state how the policemen have managed not to lose any weight till now ‘’. He said though the prisoners had refused food being served by the jail, he could not say whether they were eating other stuff given to them during daily meetings with their relatives or not. He said the policemen were allowed a meeting with their relatives everyday. Mr Sidhu said the jail authorities had informed the Inspector General of Prisons, the concerned courts and the Patiala Deputy Commissioner about the strike started by the policemen. He said the physical condition of the cops was being monitored daily. He said, however, if any of the cops lost any weight during the strike period they would be force fed in accordance with the jail manual. It is not known till now as to how the jailed policemen have not allowed the hunger strike to affect their health. However sources said ‘parsad’ came to the rescue of TADA detainees on hunger strike at the Nabha jail last year. They said though the prisoners kept away from jail food, ‘parsad’ offered in the jail kept their health from sagging. The seven policemen comprise a Superintendent of Police, one Inspector, one Sub Inspector, two constables and two special police officers. The policemen have decided to go on strike following a statement attributed to Home Minister L K Advani which said the Central Government was considering releasing all detainees held under the TADA act. A statement bearing the signatures of the policemen surfaced after Assistant Sub Inspector Devinder Singh who was earlier in the Central Jail with them got bail on May 22 states that they were pained by the government decision to release anti national elements who had been detained for terrorist activities while they themselves, who had worked for maintaining the rule of law in Punjab, had been put behind bars. The statement said the case for their release should be taken alongwith that of release of TADA detainees if the latter demand was to be considered by the government. |
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Self-immolation threat by DRDA staff PATIALA,
May 25 — The All-India DRDA Staff Welfare Association Chairman, Mr Sadhu Ram Kusla, and its Punjab state unit General Secretary, Mr Sukhjeet Prashar, today said due to the step-motherly treatment being meted out by higher officers of the Rural Development and Panchayat Department (IRD branch), employees of the DRDA might commit self-immolation. The union leader said while the association was trying to stop the employees, from taking this extreme step the Punjab Government had also been informed that the situation was beyond their control and made all efforts to save the situation. If any such incident occurs, senior officers of the department would be responsible, they said. The leaders said district rural development agencies (DRDAs) were set up in 1974-75 and ever since, their employees were demanding the regularisation of their services which were still temporary and at the mercy of higher-ups. Several assurances have been given in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to various members, but the authorities concerned had not bothered so far to fulfil the assurance given by the union government or state Government. Even the Ministry of Rural Development issued instructions in 1981, and again in 1988 to adjust staff of DRDAs into state services but to no effect. The union leaders further alleged that the service rules of DRDA employees which were approved by the then Punjab Governor S.S. Ray in 1989 were later changed by IRD authorities of Punjab state. They added that the government should take necessary steps to inquire into it and implement those service rules immediately. They said the services of craft teachers had not been regularised despite the fact that they had been working in DRDAs for the past 20 years. Even these teachers were being paid Rs 1,200 per month which was much less than the minimum wages fixed by the Punjab Government. In the same department in panchayat samities, craft teachers were getting regular pay scales and all other benefits. They further pointed out that members of association were also agitated over the discriminatory attitude of the government towards them in the matter of promotions. He added that in 1995, it was promised that two posts of ADC (D) would be filled from APOs having 10 years’ experience, but no case had been moved so far. |
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PUDA concession for
riot-hit Sikhs CHANDIGARH, May 25 — The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) has decided to offer alternative sites to owners of 108 unauthorised
constructions in Sector 62 of SAS Nagar in front of Gurdwara Amb Sahib. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of PUDA held under the chairmanship of the Housing and Urban development Minister, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, here today. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Chief Administrator of PUDA, Mr KBS Sidhu, said there has been a prolonged litigation over the Sector 62 issue. As a result overall planned development of the Sector had been impeded. PUDA has now decided to offer a booth at a concessional rate of Rs 4 lakh to each person verified to be a riot affected Sikh migrant whereas the amount chargeable for the same booths from others would be Rs 6 lakh. The booths have also been constructed. Another decision taken was about the allotment of plots to 87 applicants for urban estate at Malout at a concessional rate of Rs 1200 per square yard against the original quota of 56 plots. It was also decided to offer another 100 plots at a marginal higher price of Rs 1250 per sq yard. The committee also authorised the Chief Administrator to formulate a scheme called “choose your neighbourhood” which would enable a group of applicants to select neighbours of their choice. This is a unique experiment and the details of it would be notified soon. In order to clear the unsold MIG houses at Bathinda, the committee offered a one-time discount of 15 per cent for 154 MIG flats. However, for 38 MIG flats which had remained under the occupation of the paramilitary forces, he discount would be 20 per cent. A special scheme in this regard would be announced soon. PUDA also decided to frame a policy waiving, in whole or in part, demand of extension fee in cases of extreme hardship. Illustrative categories that would be considered in this case would be war widows, next of kin of members of the police and para-military forces killed in action, persons suffering from serious diseases and cases of government employees who were required to serve outside the State in accordance with service conditions. The committee formally approved the allotment of land to associates of Medilink, USA for setting of a superspeciality hospital at SAS Nagar In order to rationalise the policy of allotment of petrol pump sites, it was decided to offer such sites to oil companies on freehold basis at three times the reserve price of residential sites. A site and loan scheme for providing housing to employees of PUDA was also formalised. The committee also deliberated upon the new proposed policy for allotment of sites to superspeciality hospitals but deferred the decision pending receipt of comments from the Local Government Department. Agenda items regarding regularisation of basements under open courtyards in SCOs and similar cases regarding coverage of these courtyards were also deferred, pending receipt of details of parallel schemes from the UT Administration and PUDA.
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Amritsar hottest in region CHANDIGARH, May 25 (UNI) — The whole of north-west region simmered under torrid, humid heat wave conditions with mercury rising again by two to four degrees above normal making Amritsar in Punjab with 43.2° Celsius as the hottest place while Hisar in Haryana was the other hottest place with the high of 43 Celsius. Weathermen here held out no hope of a respite from the sizzling heatwave conditions in Punjab and Haryana and adjoining Rajasthan over the next 24 hours. Mercury was likely to rise further in plains of the region. The upper air cyclonic circulation moving eastward from east Haryana and adjoining west Uttar Pradesh, however, could cause light to moderate rains in isolated areas of Himachal Pradesh and hills of west Uttar Pradesh during this period. Chandigarh and Ambala in Haryana and their surrounding area after experiencing 41.5° Celsius temperature, two degrees above normal and 73 per cent humidity in the maximum were lashed by strong dust raising winds in the evening. Certain pockets reported drizzle also. Patiala was the other hotter place in Punjab today even though the town received five mm of rain during the past 24 hours ended at 8.30 this morning. People in the entire national capital region including Delhi, sweated as mercury hovered around 41° Celsius. Shimla and Srinagar, state capitals of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, were also not much better. Shimla reported the high of 26.7° C and Srinagar 28.4° C, three and two degrees above normal respectively. |
Resistance Forum
to hold conference SANGRUR, May 25 — A two-day all-India conference will be organised by the All-India People’s Resistance Forum (AIPRF) on May 27 to 28 here. Addressing a joint press conference here yesterday, Dr Darshan Pal and Mr G.N. Saibaba, national president and general secretary, respectively, of the AIPRF, said a decision to initiate a mass campaign against imperialist forces would be taken as due to the dissemination of imperialist policies and forces in the country, the poor would suffer in the years to come. They said the AIPRF would make efforts to coordinate and build up all movements, launched by different groups against the imperialist forces. The AIPRF would also make efforts to bring together about 54 organisations, working against the imperialist forces, at one platform to fight imperialism in an effective way, they added. The leaders said that the forum would also concentrate on the anti-people policies of the ruling classes in the country in the larger interests of the downtrodden and the weaker sections of society. Mr Saibaba said about 300 delegates would take part in two-day conference. Well-known Punjabi dramatist, Gursharan Singh, would inaugurate the conference, he added. |
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Pension anomalies
removed LUDHIANA, May 25 — The Punjab Government has removed pension anomalies of those employees who retired between January 1, 1996, and September 30, 1996, according to a notification issued recently. The pensioners who had been suffering a loss of Rs 200 to Rs 800 per month due to these anomalies would benefit as a result of this notification, said Mr Yashpal Ghai, additional general secretary of the Government Pensioners Association in a press note here. Meanwhile, the association in a communication sent to the Chief Minister, Mr Prakash Singh Badal has decried the delay in releasing the DA instalment due from January. |
Complaints galore against cops PATIALA, May 25 — Complaints against the functioning of the police in the district dominated the sangat darshan held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today. A large number of people complained against the high-handedness of the police and alleged indifference towards their complaints due to pressure by influential persons . Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir has asked district police chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu to look into the complaints. Mr Santokh Singh of Guhla tehsil in Kaithal district of Haryana complained that his son was picked up by the personnel of the Julka police station on May 8 when he had gone to the nearby Karhali Sahib gurdwara to pay his obeisance there. The complainant alleged that the police personnel threatened that he would register a case under the drugs act if he was not given Rs 50,000 which was later given to the personnel on demand . Santokh Singh demanded that action be taken against the police personnel and Rs 50,000 be recovered and returned to him. Bholi, a resident of Kohala Majra in this block, alleged that the Julka police station authorities were not taking any action in the case involving a complaint filed by her against two influential persons of the village who were trying to make a general passageway through her land. Other villagers also urged the Deputy Commissioner to take action against harassment being faced by them on account of a few influential persons of the same village. There were also other complaints against policemen all which were forwarded to the District Police Chief for action. Among the other complaints Mr Des Raj and Mr Mahender Singh of Fatehpur Rajputan village in this tehsil complained that the water supply to their village and neighbouring villages had been disrupted due to negligence committed by the tubewell operator posted in their village. The Deputy Commissioner directed the Executive Engineer, Public Health, to restore the water supply immediately. There were also complaints regarding attempts made in several villages to encroach on government land . The Deputy Commissioner directed the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Nabha, to take action regarding a complaint in this regard from Dhanouri village in the block. There were also complaints that attempts were being made to encroach upon shamlat land at Behal and Raisal villages. Local residents of a colony near the Diesel Components Works (DCW ) complained that the DCW management had arbitrarily closed a gate near street number seven in Guru Nanak Nagar which was causing inconvenience to the employees as well as students of the area. |
Man shot at, robbed
of Rs 57,000 LUDHIANA, May 25 — A man was shot at and Rs 57,000 looted from him while he was on his way home after withdrawing the amount from a bank yesterday. Mr Amar Singh of Bilga village was returning home around 1.00 p.m. yesterday after withdrawing Rs 57,000 from Oriental Bank at Sahnewal. Instead of taking the main road, he took a short cut which was deserted. It is learnt that two scooter-borne youths came from behind and tried to snatch away the money. When he resisted he was shot at on his shoulder. The youths, one of whom was a Sikh, escaped with the money. Mr Amar Singh has been admitted to Christian Medical College and Hospital here. A case has been registered under Sections 307, 399 and 34 of the IPC and 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. |
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Woman murdered LUDHIANA, May 25 — A woman was found killed and naked in a tubewell room at Pirthipur village yesterday morning. According to the information available, the deceased Malti and her husband, Bablu Saran were employed as farmhands by Rajinder Singh and was allegedly done to death at the tubewell in the village on the night of May 23.According to an FIR registered under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC. complainant Rajinder Singh, has alleged that he had seen Malti’s husband and two-three other persons drinking at the tubewell around midnight. He has alleged that when he went to the tubewell again at 6 a.m. yesterday, he found the naked body of Malti in the tubewell room. There was an injury mark on her left temple, her face was swollen and pieces of her bangles and liquor bottles were scattered outside the tubewell room. |
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Booked for causing
worker’s death LUDHIANA, May 25 — A factory owner and a manager have been booked for causing the death of a worker and destruction of evidence. According to an FIR registered under Sections 304-A,201,506,511 and 34 of the IPC, it is alleged that un unknown factory worker died due to the negligence of owner, Mr Sunil Aggarwal and manager, V. Kaindu of Kalyan Agro-industry Corporation. It is learnt that ASI Avtar Singh of police station Focal Point, had received a tip-off of this matter. It is alleged that the two accused compelled the deceased
worker, who was in ill-health, to unload iron rods from a truck. The worker on being coerced complied with the instructions, an iron hit his abdomen and he died on the spot. It has also been alleged that the owner and manager of the factory then directed other workers to load the body in rickshaw and disposed it of. |
PMET test on June 18 AMRITSAR, May 25 — More than 8,600 candidates from all over Punjab will appear in the Punjab Medical Entrance Test
(PMET) being conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University on June 18 on behalf of Baba Frid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot. Stating this here yesterday, Dr
R.S. Bawa, Coordinator and Registrar of the university, added that four centres each had been set up at Chandigarh and Ludhiana, five at Amritsar, three each at Jalandhar, Bathinda and Patiala, two each at Faridkot and Hoshiarpur, one each at Gurdaspur, Abohar and Pathankot. |
Inter-state meeting at Shimla CHANDIGARH, May 25 — A team of Punjab bureaucrats will attend two meetings in Shimla on May 26 and 27 specially convened for inter-state cooperation and collaboration in specific areas. These meetings of the chief secretaries are related to the Inter-State Council and the PHD Chamber. The main thrust of the meetings’ agenda will be on power and tourism, say informed sources. Those participating will include the administrative secretaries concerned with tourism and power, Mr Naranjan Singh and Mr Bikramjit Singh, respectively, Mr DS Guru, Special Secretary, Industries and Mr SS Brar, Managing Director, Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation. The states will deliberate on generating power by tapping hydro sources, tariff on electricity, quality supply etc. In tourism Punjab’s thrust will be to develop the Anandpur Sahib belt as a tourist destination. Punjab wants Himachal Pradesh to jointly explore power and tourism potential and settle for net-working in these two sectors. |
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