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| Wednesday, June 21, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
CMs of northern states meet today Cops trap leopard skin smuggler Sarpanch poisoned family: report Preserving past for posterity PSEB body puts off strike Lecturers’ posts
to be filled by July
BJP working
panel named
Govt warned against privatising PRTC
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Where potable water is luxury They
blame it on a “curse” Plan to widen major Punjab roads SHSAD to hold
sangat darshan SDO, JE
suspended
False oath made
him murder friend Gang of Pardhis busted
Board to conduct exams in pvt schools
Aggarwal chief
of Punjab Oil Dealers Selection Board
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CMs of northern states meet today CHANDIGARH, June 20 — Chief Ministers of financially hard pressed northern states will meet in Jaipur House, Delhi tomorrow to evolve a joint strategy for pressing the Union Government to enhance financial assistance for various schemes and greater share from various taxes to the states. The initiative for holding such meeting has been taken by the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Gehlot. Punjab will be represented by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, as the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will be busy elsewhere. Participating states will be Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan. The meeting has an elaborate agenda carefully prepared by the Rajasthan Chief Minister after consulting the participating states. It has 22 items and almost all related directly or indirectly with the devolution of the various taxes and financial assistance. The objective behind tomorrow’s meeting is to make the Union Government clear that the responsibility of the all -round development of the states is with the state governments concerned. The Union Government has no direct role to play in this connection. Only state government concerned can objectively plan various schemes for the development and allocate funds for such schemes judiciously. And development schemes differ from region to region. For instance in southern states different schemes are required for the development of agriculture and in northen states different schemes required for this purpose. Hence the Union Government should not force any scheme on any state but allow states to evolve schemes at their own level and allocate the funds accordingly, of course, with the conditions for utilisation of such funds in a very transparent manner by the states concerned. As per the items on the agenda, the northern states wanted payment of arrears to states with effect from April 1, 1996 without any further delay in the light of the 89th amendment of the Constitution. Under this amendment the share of the states from the Central taxes was enhanced to 29 per cent. The amendment has been made on the recommendation of the 10th Finance Commission and a constant pressure from the states concerned. According to informed sources the Punjab’s arrears due against the Union Government is over Rs 200 crore. However, at least northern states are not satisfied with a 29 per cent share from the Central taxes. They wanted it to be enhanced to 33 per cent from 1998-99 onwards. Earlier, states had asked for 50 per cent share from Central taxes but now they have come to 33 per cent. The northern states wanted that the Central Government should share with states the collection of revenue from the Voluntary Disclosure Income Scheme (VDIS) for a fiscal year 1997-98. The Union Government has not kept the revenue from the VDIS scheme under the divisible pool. The states feel that it was totally unjustified on the part of the Union Government not to keep this money in the divisible pool. The northern states will also press the Union Government at tomorrow’s meeting to extend the period for the utilisation of upgradation grants recommended by the 10th Finance Commission. Under this scheme of grants, the states were told to utilise the grants for local bodies etc by 1999-2000. However, there was a delay in the allocation and release of such grants on the part of the Union Government. The states wanted that they should be given extension till the end of next financial year for utilising such grants. The limit of overdraft to states should be increased to 10 and 14 days, respectively, under RBI provisions. At present the limit is only for three days in certain cases and of 10 days under other categories. The states also wanted that the 90 per cent of the net collection of small savings should be passed on the states as loan against the existing 80 per cent. Non-Plan revenue deficit grant as recommended by the 11th Finance Commission for the current year should be distributed among the states immediately. Funds for the externally-aided projects like the World Bank should be passed on to the states on the same terms and conditions and the Union Government should not impose any conditions in this connection. The northern states want that all Centrally-sponsored schemes (CSSs) should be transferred to states. In fact, Capt Kanwaljit Singh says, “The Union Government should have nothing to do with as far as formulating of schemes is concerned. Its only concern should be to see if the states are properly and justly utilising the money given to them for implementing various schemes. He says that there were hundreds of schemes which could not be implemented in States like Punjab, Haryana as these are already advanced states in certain sectors while schemes are meant for poor and under developed states.” The states also want that there should be review of allocation of Central plan assistance. These also wanted the review of present twofold loan grant pattern of Central assistance. One significant item on the agenda is the payment of bonus to employees of the public sector enterprises. The northern states want that the Bonus Act should be amended making the payment of bonus discretionary for employees of PSUs incurring losses. The payment of bonus is mandatory for under the Bonus Act. It may be mentioned that the Union Government has already set up a high-level panel for disinvestment in the PSUs incurring losses and certain state governments have also followed the Union Government. The states want consensus on issue of revision of tariffs for drinking water, irrigation and revision of subsidies as also the concessions and incentives to the industrial sector. As enforcing the reforms has become a new mantra for the Union Government, there are states who cannot afford to enhance tariffs for drinking water and irrigation keeping in view the large number of people below the poverty line. The states want that their powers to levy sales tax on sugar, tobacco and textiles to be restored. Amendments should be made in the Constitution for enhancing professional tax. The Union Government should come out with a proposal for augmenting the resources by levying other taxes which have to be shared with the states after the 89th amendment. The states also want a standing consent to the states under Article 293 of the Constitution to raise funds from any domestic source to bridge temporary gap between receipts and payments or to raise funds by issue of bonds other than SLR for funding plans. State PSUs and Municipal Corporations should be allowed to issue tax-free bonds. Revision of stamp duties and duties of excise on medicinal and toilet preparations and revision of royalty rates of minerals, petroleum and natural gas are on the agenda of the meeting. |
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Cops trap leopard skin smuggler LUDHIANA, June 20 — The city police has nabbed a leopard skin smuggler by laying a trap for him and thus succeeded in busting a major racket of leopard poachers operating from Bani in district Kathua of Jammu and Kashmir. It is learnt that the police had received information a couple of days ago about a person hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, Jagdev Singh, alias Pappi, being in the city and inquiring about a prospective customer for leopard skins. It was decided that the police lay a trap and arrest the accused red-handed with the leopard skins so that more information could be gathered about the poaching business from Jammu and Kashmir that has of late spread its tentacles in various districts of Punjab such as Jalandhar and Amritsar. The Senior Superintendent Of Police, Mr. Kuldeep Singh, said, “A police team headed by the SHO of police station division No.3, ASP Shive Kumar Verma, got a person posing as a prospective customer in contact with the suspect and after the decoy customer had made an advance payment to the poacher in order to win his confidence, they asked him to come again with the skins at a pre-decided date and spot.” So when Jagdev Singh came to the spot here this evening along with four leopard skins for selling these to his customer, who led the police party headed by Mr Verma to the suspect, who was nabbed and booked under Sections 9, 39 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Mr Verma said Our investigations into this case have shown that a large number of leopard skins are being smuggled into the state from Bani and through the same racket led by a smuggler of the area who is operating under the garb of a leather dealer. He had allegedly hired Pappi to sell the skins here after the suspect had bought these from them at the rate of Rs 6,000 a piece and was supposed to sell it here at the rate of Rs10,000 a piece.’” Meanwhile, while talking to Tribune News Service here this evening after his arrest, Pappi said he had been involved in this business for only a few days and that this was his first trip. He also informed that the main person involved in this business was a businessman of Basoli village and that he had met him for the first time at a hardware shop that he had gone to in Kathua to buy wares for his furniture shop in Pareta village. “This person then introduced me to one of his aides and assured me that if I took up this business, it would prove to be very profitable and I agreed. The suspect also reveals that large scale poaching of leopard skins is being carried on in Bani as the area is inhabited by leopards.” The hunters in the area kill the leopards and take them to dealers like the one I contacted and they in turn sell these to gullible village people in need of money .These people then bring the skins for selling them here in Punjab and Delhi.” Interestingly, the suspect got all the leopard skins in a bag in a bus, but police at the Jammu-Kashmir and Punjab border failed to arrest him-in-spite of the “regular and stringent” checking at the sensitive border. The SSP also informed that a police party had been despatched to Bani to nab the main suspect. |
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Sarpanch poisoned family: report JALANDHAR, June 20 — Refusal by his sisters and brothers-in-law to return loans leading to stress had provoked Buddhanwal sarpanch Gurmit Singh to poison 10 members of his family to death before committing suicide in his house on March 24. The wiping out of almost the entire family of a well-to-do sarpanch had shocked residents of Doaba region. Speculations were rife regarding the incident as some were saying that Gurmit Singh was perturbed over his financial problems while others were linking it to his enmity with somebody. The investigation conducted by the police disclosed that three sisters of Gurmit Singh, who got rich within a short period of three years after his trip to the USA and had set up a cold storage at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore, had taken huge loans amounting to Rs 13 lakh from their brother. But they bluntly refused to pay it back, leading to tension in the family since Gurmit’s parents were also objecting to his request to his sisters to pay back the loan. The tension in the family and frequent fights over the issue had led Gurmit Singh to a state of depression and ultimately to put an end to his tensions forever, he poisoned his entire family before taking it himself. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said Gurmit’s three sisters Amarjit Kaur and her husband Rattan Singh, of Fattuwal village, Balwinder Kaur and her husband Karam Singh of Salecha village and Paramjit Kaur and her husband Bachittar Singh of Saddowal village in Kapurthala district had been arrested on charges of abetting suicide. Amarjit Kaur and her husband had taken a loan of Rs 9.5 lakh and Balwinder Kaur had taken a loan of Rs 2 lakh from Gurmit Singh, but they had refused to pay it back despite repeated requests. Gurmit Singh needed money because his cold storage was not showing any profits, the investigation report said. The investigation team had recorded statements of a number of neighbours and others. An LIC agent had disclosed to it that he had observed a friction in the family over the issue. Similarly, another neighbour said he had witnessed a fight in the family. All theories such as Gurmit’s financial problems, possibility of his links with a former terrorist, illicit relations, robbery and personal enmity were investigated by the team before coming to this conclusion, said Mr Yadav. A case under Section 306 of the IPC has been registered. |
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Preserving past for posterity CHANDIGARH, June 20 --The punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has started
district wise review of programmes started under the optimum utilisation of vacant government land policy. The land mapped out in various districts is to be given to the Punjab Urban Planning and Development agency (PUDA) . The purpose is to beautify cities and towns, remove unauthorised encroachments , raise money through auction for modern, commercial complexes , bring government offices under one roof by constructing administrative and judicial complexes , effect economy and involve private investment . It was the turn of Kapurthala on Monday . According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr V.K. Singh, the meeting approved , in principle , the suggested sites in Kapurthala and other towns for the intended purpose. The meeting also appreciated the concern of the district administration regarding several "heritage" buildings which need to be renovated. The Jagjit Palace now housing Sainik School is in dire need of comprehensive renovation which may mean a sum of Rs 1.5 crore. Due to government apathy the conservation cost (estimated at Rs 98 lakh by the PWD in 1995) has escalated. In the existing administrative complex, Mr Singh said in the Darbar Hall is located the Posts and Telegraph offices. Though these departments came as "guests," over a period of time these departments have "settled down" disfiguring the place. " These departments must be turned out of this impressive Darbar Hall ", he added. The conservation estimate prepared by the PWD to restore the pristine beauty of the Hall is Rs 80 lakh. The mosque also requires a facelift . It is being looked after by the State Archaeology and Culture department. The administration has suggested that the Government of Morocco may be approached for its conservation since architectural design is from there. The mosque needs only Rs 50 lakh. Another unique structure is of the Kamara Palace which has an impressive circular shape .Neglected over a period of time it is also in a dilapidated condition and is unsafe. The civil surgeon who once had his residence in this building has since abandoned it. By sparing just Rs 20 lakh the same can be made fit for housing a cultural museum . One non-government organisation is keen to take up the project. Mr Singh said the meeting discussed the projects site-wise and approved the same : Kapurthala will have an administrative complex . PUDA will focus , in phases, on the old Tehsil and Kotwali complex , District Institute of Educational Training, nearly eight acres of central government land in Mohalla Mehtabgarh, now encroached upon (suggested use :
building houses for economically weaker sections), old civil hospital and police station , Phagwara, old civil hospital at Sultanpur Lodhi, about five acres adjoining cantonment (recently freed from encroachments) and constructing building of hostel of NJSA Government College at Kapurthala . This hostel is unfit for living yet students are stay put in some "safe" rooms . The Chief Administrator, PUDA, Mr Karan Bir Singh Sidhu, told TNS that the OUVGL policy must be appreciated and understood in proper perspective. "It is not that in panic the government is selling its family silver". When PUDA refers to modern facilities at new sites it also wants the heritage buildings conserved and preserved. |
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PSEB body puts off strike PATIALA, June 20 — The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Employees Struggle Committee today postponed its proposed strike on June 21 following the acceptance of some of its major demands by the Board Management. Announcing this here today co-convener Joginder Singh Jindu said a decision to this effect was taken following a meeting with board chairman G.S. Sohal and other board
members . He said the struggle committee was represented by its conveners H.S. Minhas and Mukhwant Singh Sidhu . Mr Jindu said the board management had acceded to the demand of granting promotional increments to employees who had completed 23 years in service by July 31, 2000 . He said it was also decided that the benefit of ad hoc service would also be granted to all those who fulfilled requisite qualifications and were recruited by following proper procedure . He said it was decided to create 120 posts of draftsmen . He said it was conveyed to the management that category-wise scales had been announced unilaterally and should be considered by a high-powered committee constituted by the board . It was also decided to take up the matter with the Punjab Government to treat board employees at par with the Punjab Government employees for the purpose of medical facilities . It was decided that if the government did not agree to the proposal fixed medical allowance would be enhanced suitably . The committee leader said it was decided that two increments would be granted to cashiers and cash handling allowance would be enhanced as per the recommendations of the Wage Finalisation Committee (WFC ) . He said all daily wage earners who had completed 200 days of service would be paid bonus effective from April 1, 2000. He said cases of priority employment on compassionate grounds would be decided by giving relaxation in rules, shift allowance to thermal employees would be increased from Rs 100 to Rs 200 and from Rs 200 to Rs 300. |
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Lecturers’ posts
to be filled by July BATHINDA, June 20 — Punjab Higher Education Minister Mohan Lal today said all vacancies of the lecturers existing in the colleges of the state would be filled up by the end of July this year. The minister, who was here this evening to preside over a function organised by the Bharat Vikas Parishad, while talking to TNS, said at least 600 vacancies which existed in government colleges of the state, would be filled by recruiting lecturers on ad hoc basis. He said such lecturers would be paid salaries ranging from Rs 65,00 to Rs 8,000 per month. He added that an exercise in this regard would be started shortly. The Higher Education Minister also pointed out that hike in fees of the college made by the Punjab Government was being reviewed and it could be reduced to a considerable extend. He pointed out that no hike was made in the college fee structure since 1986 by the Punjab Government while there was increase of 350 per cent in price index during this period and it was the main reason behind the government decision to hike the fees of colleges. He disclosed that from the coming academic session, professional courses would be started in all government colleges of the state. He added that in the first phase, 35 professional courses, including fashion designing, journalism, computer and management courses would be introduced in the colleges. He said the Punjab Government had taken this decision because of the fact that students instead of getting the degree of Bachelor of Arts could get a professional degree in the colleges and could become able to fetch a job or start their on vocation. The minister said due to implementation of revised pay scales on the recommendation of the Pay Commission, the Punjab Higher Education Department had been facing financial burden. He, however, added that each and every college being run by the Punjab Government had been provided with all facilities for students and faculty members. |
BJP working
panel named CHANDIGARH, June 20 — The Punjab BJP President, Prof Brij Lal Rinwa, today released a list of 25 working committee members. They include Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, Mr Vinod Khanna, Lala Lajpat Rai, Mr Daya Singh Sodhi, Mr Manoranjan Kalia, Mr Hans Raj Gulati, Thakur Ganpat Rai, Mr Harjinder Singh Mohkampura, Pandit Uma Shanker, Mr Hira Lal Dheer, Mr Harbans Lal Malwa, Mr Balkrishan Hero, Mr Subash Bhateja, Mr Ashok Talwar, Mr Sardari Lal Aggarwal, Mr Surinder Sood, Mr Deewan Chand Singla, Dr Hans Raj Sood, Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, Mr Premji Balecha, Mr Ashwani Babi (B.C.), Mr Anup Gupta and Mr Sushri Raj Sharma. He also urged the party office-bearers to organise public meetings on June 23 to mark the sacrifice of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherji, founder president of the Bharatiya Jan
Sangh.
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Govt warned against privatising PRTC PATIALA, June 20 — The PRTC workers action committee has warned the State Government against privatising the roadways, which will ultimately lead to the total destruction of PRTC. In a press release of the action committee, its President, Mr Nirmal Singh Dhaliwal, said any such move on the part of the Government would be strongly resisted. He said the way for privatising the roadways had been paved as the sub-committee constituted by the Government had recommended that no new bus should be added to the existing fleet. Mr Dhaliwal said this was a strong indication that the Government was intent of finishing off PRTC, he added that the Government, under pressure of the private bus owners’ lobby, had formulated a new transport policy, which was sure to prove to be detrimental to the interests of PRTC employees. Mr Dhaliwal warned that if the Government went ahead with the move to privatise transport, the action committee would resort to holding gate rallies in front of all depots of the transport from June 23 to July 5. He added that the Chief Minister should directly hold a meeting with the action committee so that they could put forward their viewpoint. Mr Dhaliwal said a dharna would also be held at the PRTC head office main gate on July 12. |
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Where potable water is luxury BATHINDA, June 20 — Potable water seems to have become a luxury for the residents of Bathinda. They have to open sleepless night to collect a single bucket of water. The shortage of potable water here was proved to be a boon for companies selling bottled water. A number of these companies have come up in the to cater to the needs of the well-off section of the society. The residents belonging to lower strata of society have no other alternative but to drink sub-soil water which has been declared unfit for consumption due to high
fluoride contents. According to information gathered by this correspondent, the localities which are facing acute shortage of drinking water include Balla Ram Nagar, Ajit Road, Birla Mill Road, Minocha Colony, Poojan Wala Mohalia, Sirian Wala Mohalla, Jhunar Nagar, Telian Wala Mohala, trans railway colonies and the Nai Basti area. Apart from it, most of the localities get irodequak supply of water and residents to use the sub soil water for meeting their daily requirements. In certain localities, women have to pavel a long distance under blistering sun to get water as the taps installed in their houses have been delivering bottle water for the past many days. The
authorities concerned have failed to supply potable water in the newly developed colonies though underground pipes were laid more than five years ago. Official sources said at present only 32 lakh gallons of potable water was being supplied from the canal based and tubewell sources to the city against the demand of 60 lakh gallons. Water in some areas was being supplied at odd hours as the authorities concerned had been finding it difficult to supply water all areas in one go. Booster pumps installed on the municipal water taps have been playing havoc in the equal distribution of water to all parts of the city. Mr R.S. Gulati, Superintendent Engineer, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board (PWSSB), when contacted, said a project to cover the entire city with potable water had been prepared for which the municipal council would raise loan from HUDCO. He added with the execution of this project, adequate water supply to the projected population of 2015 would be ensured.
He added that at present water was being supplied for seven and half hour daily in the city. The department was bying to rationalise the distribution of water. The entire water supply scheme had been redesigned to make it more effective. They
blame it on a “curse” NAWANSHAHR: When cracks appeared in the walls even before the government school building in Kariyam village was completed, a controversy arose in the village over the causes of the damage. Many villagers raised their fingers at those in charge of the construction and alleged misappropriation, but the sarpanch, Mr Sat Pal, and his supporters blamed the mishap on an ancient curse on the land on which the building is being raised. The sarpanch points out that he had at the outset opposed the construction of the school building at this site but his objection was ignored. He maintains that even if the building is completed, not many villagers would like to send their children to this school. But there are not many takers for the “curse” theory. The villagers had themselves collected funds for the school building, apart from a grant sanctioned by the Chief Minister, who had also promised to upgrade it to the high school level. Mr Gurnek Singh, a resident of the village, has brought the alleged malpractices in the construction of the building to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner and also apprised Mr Nirmaljit Singh Kahlon, Rural Development and Panchayat Minister, of the situation. He alleges that even the foundations of the walls have not been properly laid and sub-standard material has been used in the construction. He has pointed out that the roof of one of the nine rooms has collapsed and cracks have appeared in many walls. Unimpressed by the “curse” theory, the Deputy Commissioner, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, has taken notice of the complaint of the villagers and ordered an enquiry. |
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Plan to widen major Punjab roads CHANDIGARH, June 20 — With a view to reducing congestion on national and state highways, the Punjab Government has drawn up an ambitious plan to widen various roads and railway overbridges in the State. A meeting of senior officers chaired by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, today gave a final shape to this project. The main projects to be undertaken include the four-laning of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana highway, four-laning of the Ludhiana-Moga highway, widening and strengthening of the Zirakpur-Patiala highway, the Ropar-Nawanshahr-Phagwara highway and the Khana-Samrala-Machhiwara-Rahon-Nawanshahr road. The Khanna-Machhiwara-Nawanshahr project includes construction of a high-level bridge over the Sutlej and eight other bridges. These projects would be funded by Nabard. A government spokesman said it was proposed to employ contractors of national repute to construct these bridges and approach roads. The consultants appointed for carrying out the study for the project had already submitted their report for the bridge portion and tenders for construction would be received soon. In the second phase the construction of high-level bridges over the Sutlej on the Jagraon-Nakodar section and over the Beas on the Gurdaspur-Mukerian section would be undertaken. A spokesman of the government said the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board planned to issue bonds to raise money for undertaking the massive infrastructure development programme drawn up by it. The overall cost of the projects is estimated to be around Rs 2,000 crore to be phased over in the next two and a half years. |
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SHSAD to hold
sangat darshan ROPAR, June 20— The SHSAD will organise its own sangat darshan programmes at districts level to listen to the problems of the people and will then plead their cases with the district administration. Mr Rajbir Singh, Vice- President of the SHSAD, stated this at a press conference held here today. Members of the SHSAD held a ‘sangat darshan’ at their local office today and took up three cases. They later also took up these cases at a sangat darshan held by the district administration. Nineteen cases were taken up at the ‘sangat darshan’. Mr Rajbir Singh later said common people generally hesitate to present their problems to the district administration and those do so also have a communication problem. Due to this, their party had decided to act as a via media between the people and the administration, he said. He added that though this programme had been started at Ropar, it would soon be extended to other districts. |
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SDO,
JE suspended CHANDIGARH , June 20 — The Punjab PWD Minister, Mr Sucha Singh Langah today ordered the suspension of a Sub Divisional Engineer (Electrical wing) , Mr Ajmer Singh and a Junior Engineer (Electrical wing), Mr Darmesh Sahota for not performing their duties efficiently. The Executive Engineer, Mr M.N. Goel, has been transferred to Faridkot. Speaking to mediapersons, Mr Langah said he had got several complaints from various ministers against these officials for not performing their duties “in a desired manner”. He said he would take action against other officials found wanting as far as their official duties concerned. He said there was a need to restore discipline in the department by taking some strict
steps. I-cards compulsory
in next poll JALANDHAR, June 20 — Photo identity cards issued by the Election Commission would be compulsory for every voter in the next Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections. This was disclosed here today by Dr Brajindra Singh, Chief Electoral Officer, at a meeting of Deputy Commissioners of districts of Jalandhar division. Dr Singh said this was the last opportunity for voters to get their identity cards made. He said voters should avail of the opportunity to be eligible for voting. He told Deputy Commissioners to pay more attention towards the urban areas. |
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Tension ends at
Hadiabad PHAGWARA, June 20 — The tension at Hadiabad following some controversial constructions ended last night with the constitution of an eight-member committee for the maintenance of the dry tank which had become the bone of contention between the two principal communities. While Jathedar Gurmukh Singh, Jathedar Gurmukh Singh, Sarwan Singh Kular, Sukhwinder Singh Kamboj, all senior Akali leaders, will represent the gurdwara side, Ram Murti Chaddha, Ram Kumar Chaddha and Ashok Uppal will represent the matth side. Councillor Balbhadar Sain Duggal and nambardar Ramesh Kumar Duggal will act as mediator-cum-arbiter. The matth activists had called off the dharna following an agreement. |
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ITI students donate blood PATIALA, June 20 — Patiala ITI students today donated blood at a camp organised in their institute, which was inaugurated by the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Mr Manjit Singh Narang. A total of 86 students donated blood on the occasion. Mr Ujjagar Singh, District Public Relations Officer, honoured the donors by pinning Red Cross badges on their chest. Mr Vijay Kumar Goyal, Honorary Vice-President, Red Cross, and Zonal Chairman, Lions Clubs, urged for more blood donation, saying there was acute shortage of blood. The ITI Principal, Mr J.S. Dhillon, and Mr Mansa Ram, Instructor, were honoured for their special contribution towards the suffering humanity. The Principal promised that three to four blood donation camps would be held in the ITI every year. |
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Seminar on review
of Constitution CHANDIGARH, June 20 — The Sikh Intellectual Council will organise a seminar here on June 24, on Constitution review. The council president, Mr Baldev Singh
Baluana, said Sikh scholars would present their papers at the seminar. The papers would be later sent to the SGPC, he added. |
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Journalist bereaved BALACHAUR, June 20 (TNS) — Mr Hukam Singh, brother of Mr Sham Singh, Deputy News Editor, Punjabi Tribune, died yesterday at Jhathiala Dhaha village, near
Balachaur. His cremation was attended by a large number of relatives and friends. |
False oath made
him murder friend LUDHIANA, June 20 — In order to get rid off the woes a man, who took a false oath in the name of the Ganga, killed his friend, for whom he had taken the oath. Ashok Kumar and Sant Ram were working as labourers in the Focal Point area. About six months back, while gambling Sant Ram was nabbed by the police and Ashok Kumar had fled. Somehow Ashok Kumar was asked to take an oath which could save his friend Sant Ram from the punishment, but he reportedly lied. However, his guilty conscience continued to haunt him for falsely swearing in the name of the Ganga. He went home to find that he had incurred losses with the death of several heads of cattle. To add to his misery some of his relatives and neighbours continuously reminded him of his false oath. He was told that he was bound to suffer the divine curse for the sin he had committed. His desperation took him to a baba, at whose instance he reportedly took the desperate and extreme step of killing his own friend. The baba reportedly suggested that his woes would continue as long as the person for whom he had lied continued to be alive. The only remedy was the death of Sant Ram. For Ashok Kumar it was a real ordeal. It was on June 18 that Ashok Kumar allegedly stabbed his friend Sant Ram to death in order to get rid of his troubles. The Police has registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC against Ashok Kumar. Ashok Kumar has been arrested by the police.  |
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Gang of Pardhis busted JALANDHAR, June 20 — Three members of an inter-state gang of Pardhis were arrested and a number of weapons seized from their possession by the CIA staff here today. The accused, Tunda Shah, a resident of Harnai in Bidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, Budhu, a resident of Gopal Pur village in Shivpuri district of Uttar Pradesh, and Matroo, a resident of Dabra in Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh, were camping in a peach orchard on the Wadala-Kot Sadiq road when they were arrested by the police on a tip-off. Two revolvers with six cartridges, handpump handles, iron rods and some looted items were seized from their possession. The arrested gang members, according to the police, had confessed of their involvement in two incidents of robbery wherein they had attacked a ‘dera’ of Balwinder Singh in Phirowal village and ‘deras’ of Baba Dum Shah and Gurdev Singh near Lambra on June 1. Five persons, including in charge of Baba Dum Shah ‘dera’, his gunman and his sevadar were injured in the two separate attacks. The gang used to monitor their targets during daytime in the guise of boot-polishwallas or balloon sellers. |
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Heat wave claims
one life BATHINDA, June 20 — A severe heat wave which has gripped the region claimed one life here today. Official sources said the deceased had been identified as Kailash Yadav, a rickshaw-puller. The deceased, hailing from Dabwali town in Haryana, suffered a sun stroke yesterday and was shifted to the local Civil Hospital by volunteers of the Sahara Welfare Club. He later died at the hospital. |
Board to conduct exams in pvt schools SAS NAGAR, June 20 — The Punjab School Education Board will be directly involved in conducting the examinations for Classes X and XI in private affiliated schools. At present these schools independently conduct the examinations. A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the academic council of the Board which met here today. The decision gains significance as it had been observed by the Board authorities that the private affiliated schools skipped the syllabi of the Class IX and XI for which the annual examinations were not conducted by the board. Instead of the prescribed syllabus the students were taught the syllabi of the next class. This means that the students of Class IX were taught syllabi of Class X and students of class XI were taught the syllabi of class XII. The Chairman of the Punjab School Education Board, Dr Kehar Singh, said the decision taken in principle in the council would be applicable during the current academic session. A sub-committee constituted by the board authorities would also inspect the affiliated schools to ensure that the students were taught the prescribed syllabi of the class. In case of government schools the students had to answer the examination papers set by the Board, but in case of private schools this practice was not being followed. “ Through this decision we want that the students to study the entire syllabus prescribed by the Board. The skipping of the syllabus led to discontinuity in the academic learning of the students”. It was also observed by the Board authorities that the syllabus books of Class IX approved by it had poor sale as compared to syllabi books of Class X. A similar trend was observed in case of students of Class XI and XII. A sub-committee has been constituted by the Board to monitor the sales of the syllabus books at its text book depots throughout the state. In another significant decision the academic council has agreed to revise the syllabi of English Class I and II. While these students would be taught the listening and speaking skills, the students from class third onwards would be taught the cursive writing and formation of alphabets. Dr Kehar Singh said teaching from class one to four as per the revised syllabi would be implemented during the current academic session. A revised syllabi of class five would be implemented from next academic session. Dr Satish Menon, Coordination Subject In charge in the board, said new syllabi had been approved. In another decision the academic council recommended that no money should be charged from the publishers who printed syllabi books of those subjects which had less than 2000 students. At today’s meeting at least 21 members participated. The Vice-Chairman and Secretary of the Board, Mr Gurdev Singh Sidhu and Mr Jagjit Singh were also present. |
Aggarwal chief
of Punjab Oil Dealers Selection Board CHANDIGARH, June 20 — Mr I.C. Aggarwal, a retired District and Sessions judge, has been appointed Chairman of the Oil Dealers Selection Board for Punjab. A notification issued by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gases has set the initial term for two years. The board will be headquartered at Chandigarh. Mr Aggarwal, who joined the Judicial Service in 1965, also served in Chandigarh as Additional District and Sessions Judge between 1992 and 1995. The board was dissolved in February, 1999, and had been defunct since then. |
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