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| Friday, June 23, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Punjab to spend 312 cr on SCs’
welfare: CM Farmers resent building of drain Importance of being CM’s son
Resentment among BJP workers Oppn threatened
us: MC chief
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SAD panel on anti-Sikh riots Arrest of Ludhiana student stayed Where buses fear to enter Court portion collapses, 2 hurt Pensioners allege harassment Report on
blindings at eye camp denied
MO held for taking bribe 2 cases of canal water theft registered
Improvement
of colleges stressed
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Punjab to spend
312 cr on SCs’ welfare: CM JALANDHAR, June 22 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today said that his government would spend Rs 312 crore for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes under the ‘Special Component Plan’ during the current year. Mr Badal, who was speaking at a state-level function in connection with 602nd birth anniversary of Saint Kabir at Bhargo camp here last night, said the amount earmarked for welfare of the Scheduled Castes was Rs 100 crore more than last year. He said Rs 30 crore would be spent on the education. Paying rich tributes to Saint Kabir, Mr Badal said it was Saint Kabir, who raised his voice against social evils like untouchability, due to which his holy “bani” was included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. He said it was sad to note that people were drifting away from the teachings of Saint Kabir. Mr Natha Singh Dalam, Minister for Information and Public Relations said state government had decided to celebrate birth anniversaries of all gurus to spread their teachings among people at the state level. He announced that no Dalit family would remain without a house the next two years. Mr Badal announced a grant of Rs 20 lakh for a community centre and of Rs 10 lakh for two schools in the Bhargo Camp area. Earlier, the Chief Minister was welcomed by Bhagat Chuni Lal, MLA and Chairman of the Bhagat Kabir Parkash Utsav Committee. |
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Farmers resent building of drain FAZILKA, June 22, — The recent notification of the Punjab Government issued on May 9 and published in newspapers on June 18 for acquiring about 400 acres of agricultural land in 13 villages in the border belt of the subdivision for digging the terminating track of the Aspal seepage drain has caused ripples among farmers whose land may be acquired and many others in the adjoining areas. The anxiety of the farmers stems from two major facts. Firstly, they will
lose their fertile land which they are unwilling although they will be compensated for it. Secondly, the farmers feel that due to constant seepage from the drain hundreds of acres of their fertile land adjacent to drain will turn marshy, waterlogged, thus becoming uncultivable. The state government had initiated the digging up of the Abul Khurana and Aspal seepage drains as part of its comprehensive plan to solve water-logging problems of farmers of Malout and Muktsar areas, which had played havoc with the standing cotton and paddy crops three years back. Whether the farmers of Malout and Muktsar areas would benefit from the plan or not, but the digging up of the drain may ruin the farmers there. The digging work of the Rs 300-crore project commenced in 1997. The drain has been completed up to Sabuana village, 10 km from here. The terminal point of the drain would be in the Sutlej in the Fazilka subdivision in the border village of Mohal Jamsher at a distance of about 20 km from Sabuana village. The problems arises from the Sabuana village because the level of drain here is 574 feet above sea level and the gradient from this point to the terminal point at Mohar Jamsher village is only 1 feet as the level there is 573 feet above sea level. It will be hazardous to build drain having such a small gradient. They feel that a total gradient of about 10 to 12 feet is required from Sabuana to Mohar Jamsher. Besides this, the track of the proposed drain is not in accordance with the normal practice of traversing from north to south as the geography of the area does not offer the desired gradient. Sources of the Irrigation Department maintain that due to such a small gradient the drain water will seep into the adjoining land, making it marshy and waterlogged. During the rains there will be a danger of the drain overflowing creating a flood-like situation. According to an estimate, about 20,000 acres in about 24 villages is likely to be affected. As per a notification the land for the drain is to be acquired in 13 villages comprising Dona Siakandry, Mauzam, Mohar Jamsher, Mohar Khiva, Alamshah, Awa, Wariampura, Kotha, Sureshwala, Karnikhera, Odinia, Sabuana and Kerian. The farmers here held an emergency meeting here today at the grain market. They stated that even as the government notification mentioned the direction of the drain from north to south, actually it was just the reverse. It was also in violation of the rules for digging canals and drains. The farmers have expressed their anguish over the Punjab Government’s efforts to redress the grievances of farmers in
Malout and Muktsar by giving them a step-motherly treatment. Farmers of the affected villages at the meeting resolved to oppose the government move to dig a drain. Pleading a change in the direction they sent a memorandum to Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Surjit Kumar Jyani, Forest Minister and MLA Fazilka; Secretary, Irrigation, Punjab; Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, Chief Engineer, Drainage and Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepore. According to army sources the army authorities are believed to be not in the favour of digging up of the drain along the proposed track as they maintain that it would be difficult for them to defend the marshy terrain in Fazilka sector. Mr Satish Kumar Dhingra, Convener of the Ruralites Rights Forum, here has warned the government of launching a massive agitation if the drain was dug on the proposed course. |
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Importance of being CM’s son ABOHAR, June 22 — Official position does not matter, when it comes to public functions like the ones held here today. And if a person happens to be the son of the Cheif Minister, niceties like the protocol can be thrown to the wind. With no official position Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, the son of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, inaugurated the link road here today. Two link roads — one at
Kikkar Khera and another at Giddranwali were inaugurated by Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, a former Union Minister of State with no official position. However, the massive security arrangement and the presence of senior police and administrative officials matched a Chief Minister’s function. While police officials right from the rank of DIG to a constable was there for the VIP’s security, the Deputy Commissioner shared the dais with Mr Badal at public meeting later held at Kikkar Khera Government Middle School. Surprisingly, the sarpanch of the village addressed to Mr Badal as a sitting Union Minister in his welcome speech. Not to be left behind, officials of the Public Relation Department too, also rushed
to the venue to provide the list of achievements of the Badal government. Interestingly, the DSP of sub-divisions were summoned to the villages which wore the look of police cantonments. While, a section of the police and the administration feels that this was against the protocol, the SP (Headquarters), Mr
N.P.S. Sidhu, justifying the security arrangements said, “Like the Chief Minister, he (Mr Sukhbir Singh
Babal) too is highly vulnerable to Punjab terrorists”. Mr Sukhbir Badal also tried to downplay the controversy. “A former MP is also a public figure. There is nothing controversial in my being invited to inaugurate the link roads,” he said. He denied influencing the district administration to make arrangements for the functions. This is not for the first time that Mr Sukhbir Badal was inaugurated government projects. Despite his having lost the last Lok Sabha poll, he has been inaugurating government projects in
Faridkot, Muktsar and Moga districts. Mr Sukhbir Badal’s action is being construed as preparation for the mid-term assembly elections at another level. He, however, claimed that there was no truth in these reports, “Akali Dal workers have always been in the field to redress public grievances. There is nothing unusual about the functions.” |
Resentment among BJP workers SANGRUR, June 22 — Resentment prevails in the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the Punjab Government for not giving proper representation to its workers and leaders in the newly formed five market committees of Sangrur, Dhanaula, Tapa, Sherpur and Malerkotla of the district. The resentment was expressed at a meeting of the district unit held under the presidentship of its district president Thakur Jagdish Rai, here yesterday. Mr Nanak Chand Kalra, a former president of the district unit of the BJP, said no person, except the Vice-Chairman of the Sangrur Market Committee, recommended by the district BJP unit, had been give representation in the five market committees, announced by the government, so far. The district BJP unit had demanded four posts of chairman, 11 posts of vice-chairman, besides members, in the 17 market committees of this district. At the meeting, almost all speakers lashed out at the government, saying that even as there is a SAD-BJP government in the state yet workers of the BJP have been ignored fully by not giving representation to them in the market committees. The meeting urged the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Local Government Minister Balramji Dass Tandon and President of the Punjab unit of the BJP, Mr Brij Lal Rinva, to ensure the proper representation of the BJP.  |
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Oppn threatened
us: MC chief KHARAR, The opposition members, including Ms Daljeet Kaur, MLA, Kharar, staged a dharna on the Kharar-Chandigarh road yesterday to protest against the alleged illegal postponement of the meeting of the committee, scheduled for June 21 to elect three subcommittees. Mr Kala claimed that the meeting was postponed as the observer appointed by the Deputy Commissioner did not reach the meeting and there was no pressure on the Executive Officer to postpone the meeting as only the President could postpone any meeting. He alleged that Ms Daljeet Kaur had joined hands with some members belonging to the Congress to remove him from the presidentship of the committee, but she could not succeed in it. He claimed that enough development works had been done in Kharar and assured that he would continue serving the people. |
SAD panel on anti-Sikh riots CHANDIGARH, June 22 — The Shiromani Akali Dal President, Mr
Parkash Singh Badal has constituted an experts committee to pursue the cases of the victims of the anti-Sikh massacre of 1984. It will represent the case before the commission set up by the Union Government for this purpose. The commission was constituted following protests and resentment against the inability of the Congress governments at the Centre to bring the guilty to the book. The members of the committee are Mr Avtar Singh Hit, President, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (convener), Mr Kuldip Nayyar, Mr R.S. Narula and Mr Rajinder Sachhar, both Chief Justice (Retd) Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Union Minister, Mr Bajinder Singh Hamdard, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, MP, Mrs Jaya Jaitely, President Samta Party, Delhi, Admiral Satyendra Singh, Mr H.S. Phulka, senior advocate, Ms Madhu Kishwar, eminent social activist, Mr Kulmohan Singh, Secretary, DSGMC, Dr Maheep Singh and Mr Mohinder Jit Singh Sethi, advocate. |
Arrest of Ludhiana student stayed CHANDIGARH, June 22 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed till the next date the arrest of a Ludhiana district student allegedly involved in a quarrel which broke out after his team defeated the rivals in a cricket match. Pronouncing the orders in the open court on a petition filed by Charanjit Singh of Samrala tehsil, Mr. Justice K.S. Garewal of the High Court observed: “According to the petitioner, an incident took place on June 15 between two groups engaged in the game of cricket but no case has been registered so far”. Mr Justice Garewal also observed: “According to the petitioners, some members of his group have been arrested by the police and were being harassed and for this reason the petitioner seeks anticipatory bail”. Adjourning the case to July 14, the Judge concluded: “Since no case has been registered so far, no direction can be given with regard to the grant of anticipatory bail. However, it directed that the petitioner shall not be arrested till the next date”. In his petition, Charanjit Singh had earlier contended that “the dispute took place after the other side faced a defeat”. His counsel had added on his behalf that the match was being played in Manupur village. Seeking the grant of anticipatory bail, he had stated that the respondents had abused and slapped Charanjit Singh before threatening him with implication in a false criminal case. Bankman asked
to surrender Directing a bank official, accused of being involved in “fraudulent withdrawal” of money, to surrender before the Investigating Officer by June 27, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday asked the Io to admit him to interim anticipatory bail “in the event of his arrest”. The official — Santosh Kumar — working as a daftri with State Bank of Patiala’s Dasuya branch was apprehending arrest in a cheating and a forgery case registered under Sections 465, 467, 471, 420, 120-B and 201 of the Indian Penal Code on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Branch Manager alleging “fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 62, 842”. Pronouncing the orders in the open court, Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the High Court observed: “The co-accused are Branch Manager, Assistant Manager and Head Cashier, who have all been admitted to interim anticipatory bail. Under these circumstances, the petitioner is also entitled to interim anticipatory bail”. In his detailed order, the Judge also directed the petitioner to “surrender before the Io latest by 5 p.m. on June 27 and in the event of his arrest, the Io shall admit him to interim anticipatory bail on his furnishing adequate surety.” The Judge added: “Petitioner is also directed to cooperate with the investigation and shall not tamper with the evidence and shall not try to win over the witness”. Dowry case The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed that a Gurdaspur doctor “shall be admitted to interim anticipatory bail in the event of his arrest” in an alleged dowry case. Pronouncing the orders on the petition filed by Dr Karan Sagar — Medical Officer posted in Gurdaspur district — Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the High Court also directed the petitioner “to surrender before the Investigating Officer latest by 5 p.m. on June 22 and in the event of his arrest, he shall be admitted to interim anticipatory bail on furnishing adequate surety to his satisfaction”. Mr Justice Garewal further directed the petitioner to “deposit all the ornaments and valuable articles belonging to his wife before the Investigating Officer”. The Judge also asked him to “fully cooperate with the investigation”. In his detailed order, the Judge directed that the petitioner “shall not try to win over the witnesses”. The Judge added: “It is also made clear that in the event of violation of the terms, the concession of anticipatory bail shall be liable to be withdrawn”. Complainant Ms Gurpinder Kaur had earlier alleged that her husband was harassing her for more dowry. Claiming to have been beaten up, the complainant had further alleged that she wasn’t given food for four to five days. |
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Where buses fear to enter RAMPURA PHUL: About 300 buses enter this sub-divisional town everyday. A large number of buses bound for Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala and other towns do not enter the bus stand. Their conductors prefer to pick the passengers from the GT road. The reason being that the 400-metre
-stretch linking the bus stand with the Bathinda-Barnala G.T. Road is full of potholes. There is no sitting arrangement at the bus stand. The schedule of buses has not been displayed. There is no passenger shelter. Dhabas, fruit and confectionery shops function in the open. Inside the bus stand one can spot heaps of garbage and clouds of dust. The drains remain choked. Sullage spills over the potholed yard. Hand pumps meant for drinking water seldom work. Moreover, ground water in this town is not fit for human consumption. Occasional Chhabeels come to passengers` rescue. In the absence of a boundary wall, stray animals keep roaming around the bus stand, littering it with dung , apart from hindering traffic and causing accidents. Even passengers can be seen urinating in the pen as the toilets remain choked most of the time. |
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Court portion collapses, 2 hurt KAPURTHALA, June 22 — A big portion of the district courts building collapsed this morning. The parapet and roofs of the eastern block on the first floor of the building collapsed and its debris fell on the porch which crumbled. Two sweepers received minor injuries. The district courts building is one of the finest in the northern part of the country and is a rare monument. It was built in 1882 during the regime of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh. The Punjab Government had decided to preserve it as heritage building at a meeting held two days ago under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister and a sum of Rs 80 lakh was sanctioned for its renovation. As the courts were closed due to summer vacation, a big tragedy had been averted. The first floor, a portion of which collapsed, houses the offices of the SSP, and the SP (Headquarters) and the ground floor the courts of the District and Sessions Judge, the Additional District and Sessions Judge and the Civil Judge (Senior Division). Mr V.K. Singh, Deputy Commissioner , told newsmen that the eastern portion of the building had been badly damaged. It had big cracks which led to seepage and its consequent collapse. He admitted that proper repair of the building was not carried out in the past and the PWD had declared a portion of the building as unsafe. The work to repair the collapsed portion would be started with the help of PUDA and its old glory restored. It would cost about Rs 20 lakh and the expenses would be borne by
PUDA. |
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Pensioners allege harassment AMRITSAR, June 22 — The district unit of the Punjab Pensioners Association (PPA) has alleged rampant corruption on the premises of the district courts here. In a press release here yesterday the association alleged that unlicenced and unauthorised middlemen were operating on the court premises were fleecing illiterate pensioners, particularly widows, for getting certain formalities completed. Several written complaints along with affidavits from the victims sent to the district administration had gone unnoticed. Last month, a widow was forced to part with half the arrears of pension amounting to Rs 5000 by these operators. Although the widow complained to the Treasury
Officer with supporting statements from her daughter and son-in-law, no action had been taken by the District Treasury Officer. On June 19 a pensioner was forced to pay Rs 380 for filing commutation payment by one of such agents on the pretext that Rs 350 was to be paid to the staff of Treasury Office. The aggrieved pensioner filed a written complaint but no action was taken. The PPA alleged that certain officials of the Treasury Office were hand in glove with these operators and a meeting of the PPA with the Treasury Officers on Monday has not yielded any result. |
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Report on
blindings at eye camp denied PATHRALA (Bathinda), June 22 — Mr Jabarjang Singh, owner of a petrol station at
Doomwali, where an eye check-up and operation camp was organised in March, has said that all eye operations performed by Dr Dhanwant Singh were successful. Reacting to a news item
published in The Tribune on June 13 under the heading “Go to eye camp, get blinded!”, he said he had been organising free eye camps for the past many years in the memory of his father. He added that the camp held in March was organised after taking permission from the Civil Surgeon,
Bathinda. The operating theatre and the venue of the camp was set up in accordance with the guidelines of the Health Department. Under the supervision of Dr Dhanwant Singh, a team of eye specialists examined hundreds of patients and about 80 of them were selected for undergoing operations. Mr Jabarjang Singh said about Rs 40,000 were spent by him on the camp. He said the news was false and was inspired by his rivals to harm his reputation. He pointed out that operations were performed by Dr Dhanwant Singh and added that two teams of eye specialists which were sent to
Pathrala, Doomwali, Chakruldusinghwala and Bandi villages by the Civil Surgeon,
Bathinda, could not find any patient who had gone blind after the
operations. |
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JEs serve notice on PSEB TARN
TARAN, June 22 — The Council of Junior Engineers, PSEB Border Zone),
Amritsar, has served a 15 days notice on the Chief Engineer (Border Zone) for meeting their long pending demands. They threatened to proceed on agitational path in case their demands were not met. Mr Balbir Singh
Pandher, zonal secretary of the council, in a press statement issued here yesterday said that the council in a memorandum to the Chief Engineer had taken a serious note of his alleged indifference to the demands. |
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DRDA staff
given assurance on demands BATHINDA, June 22 — Mr Sadhu Ram Kushla, president, DRDA Staff Welfare Association, said today that activists of the association were stopped from taking any extreme step, including self immolation, following the
assurance given by the joint development commissioner, Punjab Government, Mr R. Venkatratnam, regarding their long-pending demands. In a press note issued here, Mr Kushla said that Mr
Venkatratnam had told the delegation of the association that charter of their demands had been sent to the Secretary, Rural Development, Punjab Government, for necessary action. He pointed out that the main demands which were discussed with Mr
Venkatratnam at the meeting included regularisation of services of craft teachers provision of all facilities to gram sevaks and regularisation of their services and designation of assistant project officers of DRDA as project officers and regularisation of services of gram sewaks. |
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Free ambulance
service provided AMRITSAR, June 22 — There is now hope for people who land in an emergency due to a road accident or are stranded on the road without help for long periods. Free emergency ambulance services to all hospitals in this town is being provided for the first time. The ambulance service, equipped with mobile phones, can be contacted by any person in an emergency. The mobile number — 9814102020 — has been provided free of cost for the emergency service by Spice Telecom. |
MO held for taking bribe BATHINDA, June 22 — Dr Sat Pal Garg, Emergency Medical Officer at the local Civil Hospital, was today arrested by a team of the Vigilance Bureau for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1,000 from the relative of patient. Official sources said on the complaint of the victim, a trap was laid by the Vigilance Bureau team led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Vinod Kumar, today. Dr Garg, who is a forensic expert also, was caught red-handed while he was accepting the bribe from Mr Jagdish Rai, brother of a patient Dev Raj. Mr Vinod Kumar while talking to TNS said that Mr Dev Raj was undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital and his was a medico-legal case. Dr Garg allegedly demanded Rs 1,000 from the patient and his brother for giving his report on the injuries suffered by Mr Dev Raj and for readmitting him for treatment, said Mr Kumar. A case has been registered against Dr Garg under the Prevention of Corruption Act and further investigations are on. Dr Bawa Ram Gupta, Civil Surgeon, said he had not received any intimation from the Vigilance Bureau regarding the arrest of Dr Garg. He added that he had, however, informed the Director, Health Services, Punjab, regarding the incident. |
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2 cases of canal water theft registered ABOHAR, June 22 — Two cases of theft of canal water had been registered by the police here and at Fazilka, official sources said today. The sources said Mr Balwinder Singh, Subdivisional Engineer, Irrigation, on receiving information by Mr Faquir Chand, Sarpanch of Dharangwala village, visited the Muradwala minor (sub canal) near Ghuriana village on June 15 and reportedly found that a farmer Gurcharan Singh was allegedly using a six-inch diametre pipe to steal canal water for irrigating his fields. Gurcharan Singh claimed that he had been granted permission to put four-inch diametre pipe in the subcanal by “higher authorities”, but he could not produce letter of permission. The SDE had reported the matter to the Xen, but no action was taken, the sources said. The Sadar police has now registered a case against Gurcharan Singh under Sections 430, 379, 353, and 186 of the IPC. In another incident, a police party from the Sadar police station, Fazilka, conducted a raid at the subcanal near Dhippanwali village on June 18 following complaints regarding theft of canal water. Jagmohan Singh, Harinder Singh and six more farmers were reportedly found stealing water for irrigation by using pipes. The culprits, however, escaped and evaded arrest. The police had registered a case under Sections 430, 379, 431, 188, 148 and 149, IPC, the sources said. Farmers of Dharangwala and Muradwala villages had held a protest march here against theft of canal water by farmers of Ghuriana and Dhippanwali villages. They had also met the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to express resentment over the failure of the authorities to check the thefts in different
subcanals. |
Improvement
of colleges stressed PATIALA, June 22 — Punjabi University will make all out efforts to improve the academic and administrative functioning of the colleges under its jurisdiction. This was stated by Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor, who was presiding over the meeting of Punjabi University College Development Council held on the university campus here today. Addressing the Principals of various colleges and officials of the university, Dr Ahluwalia said for the smooth and effective functioning of colleges, active cooperation and interaction between the colleges and the university was essential. In this context, the university would help the colleges to take fullest possible benefit of the various schemes offered by the different funding bodies, he added. Dr Ahluwalia urged the Principals to come forward with concrete and pragmatic proposals so that the university could help them by getting their schemes approved and accepted by the UGC and other agencies. He stressed the need for updating the quality of education, teaching methodology and evaluation techniques. Earlier, Dr Jodh Singh, Dean, College Development Council, briefed the members about the problems being faced by the colleges and the role the council could play in solving these problems. Dr Singh said the issue of granting autonomy was discussed and the members felt that the situation was not ripe enough to grant autonomy to the colleges. The meeting decided to reserve seats for students participating in various cultural activities and to provide them with other necessary incentives. |
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BDS students seek grace marks PATIALA, June 22 — Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) examinees yesterday requested the Vice-Chancellor
of Baba Farid University of Health Services to grant grace marks to students of the BDS second professional course as their general pathology paper held on June 20 contained six questions which were out of syllabus. They alleged that three of the questions were microbiology related and others were from disciplines like biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology and dental anatomy. The examinees said it was justified that 15 marks should be given to accommodate the loss of 30 marks for the six unattempted questions. |
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