 |
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| Saturday, June 24, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Baba Farid University gets
affiliation Work begins on Science City Meeting on power tariff on Monday
PUDA
gets hospital land Demand to rename Chattiwind Gate Premarital pregnancies on the rise |
|
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Female foeticide
continues unchecked Benefits for Akali Morcha activist Order to surrender PSEB JEs launch relay fast Privatisation of octroi posts
opposed Cesspools in Bathinda Labourers’ registration made
easy
80 list grievances at sangat
darshan
Sarpanch held for misappropriation Reward for clue to preacher’s
murder
University staff holds rally Teachers’ meet on directorate
issue
|
Baba Farid University gets
affiliation PATIALA June 23 — Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, has been granted affiliation for awarding MBBS and various post graduate degrees by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the recommendation of the Medical Council of India ( MCI ). According to a Union Government notification received by the Punjab government, the university has been included in the first schedule of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, for awarding MBBS and various post graduate degrees on or after January, 2000. The notification clears the way for grant of degrees to more than 700 students who had already appeared for their final examination by January this year from medical colleges in Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot besides Ayurvedic and dental colleges which are affiliated to the university. These students are presently doing their internship which will continue till December 31. The future of these students had become uncertain as entrance tests in various medical institutes in the country are to start from next month and they could not have applied for admission to any post-graduate course in the country till their university was granted affiliation. They were also not eligible for doing any private practice outside the state. Even in Punjab they would have been treated on par with as quacks in any matter concerning negligence in the performance of their duty . There are around 150
students in Patiala and Amritsar medical colleges and 50
students in the Faridkot college who have benefited from
this move besides a few hundred more in Ayurvedic and
dental colleges. All the students had taken their first
and second professional courses examinations from the
Punjabi University here. They had been transferred to
Baba Farid University midway during their final year
course. Final year students currently doing internship
have been protesting for the past few months against the
government’s decision to transfer them to the new
university and had been demanding grant of speedy
affiliation to the university. |
Work begins on Science City JALANDHAR June 23—India’s second Science City, coming up near Wadala Kalan village on the Jalandhar-Kapurthala road will offer a wide range of experiences to visitors. The Central Government funded Science City project was cleared during the tenure of a former Prime Minister Mr Inder Kumar Gujral work has begun with the construction of a boundary wall and an amount of Rs 7 crore has been released by the Planning Commission towards the completion of the first phase of the project. The biggest attraction of the project will be a space theatre, a flight simulator and a section depicting all aspects of farming in Punjab. The newly appointed Director General of the Science City Mr P. K. Bhaumik, told TNS that a massive space theatre depicting almost all space effects will be set-up in the first phase. “Similarly, while watching a movie on expeditions to Mount Everest in the theatre with a capacity of 300, you will feel that you are a part of the expedition since specially created films, highly sophisticated sound systems, photography and projector, would create all sound and other effects sans high velocity winds,” said Mr Bhaumik. Films for such theatres are specially produced by a few Canada, Japan and US based companies. The Science City authorities have already placed an order for the projector to cost about Rs 6-7 crore. The flight simulator. a specially designed cockpit with a capacity of 30 persons will provide the visitors all the thrills of flights. The best part of the ‘flight’ comes when the ‘plane’ enters a volcano and you experience fire and lava all around you. Some people get so frightened that they start feeling nausea,” said Dr Bhaumik, who will supervise all aspects of the project including the construction. Asked when the project was likely to be completed, Mr Bhaumik said the science city which would be completed in phases would be opened to the public in the first half of 2002. Dr Satish Narula,
landscaping consultant for of the project, said
plantation of trees, herbs and other plants was expected
to start during the monsoons. |
Meeting on power tariff on
Monday CHANDIGARH, June 23 — The meeting convened by the Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, today regarding power tariff remained inconclusive. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the meeting would be again held on Monday. He said all officers concerned, including senior functionaries of the PSEB, participated in today’s meeting. It may be recalled that
at the last meeting, the Punjab Government had assured
the PSEB to extend a financial support of Rs 200 crore
and the industry was also asked to contribute this much
amount. The PSEB were told to raise Rs 175 crore from its
own resources and Rs 75 crore are to be raised from the
domestic and commercial sectors. |
PUDA gets hospital land AMRITSAR, June 23 — A notice board proclaiming “This land property belongs to the Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), Amritsar, with land in khasra numbers 2186, 2187, 2188, 2189, 2190, 2191 and 2193, the total land measuring 6.8 acres as ordered by the Estate Officer, PUDA, Amritsar” was hurriedly put up on Wednesday outside the local government hospital while the Medical Superintendent, Dr H.S. Gill, says that he has not received any information, verbal or written, from the Department of Medical Education and Research regarding this decision. The land has reportedly been transferred to PUDA in a bid to mobilise resources by the Punjab Government. It is learnt that PUDA is going to sell the surplus Government Hospital land as residential plots in lieu of a payment of Rs 8.66 crore towards building the seven-storeyed 200-bedded super speciality wing of the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. The super speciality wing, a project worth Rs 13.76 crore, has been hanging fire for the past three years. It started in 1992 and was to be completed in 1997 but lack of funds has stalled the project. Till now the project has received Rs 4.2 crore only from 1992 onwards while Rs 1.5 crore is the sanctioned amount budgeted for 2000 which has not been received so far. The decision regarding transferring the land to PUDA was taken at an “empowered committee” meeting on May 31 in Chandigarh headed by the Chief Secretary, Punjab, Mr R.S. Mann, while Mrs Surjeet Singh, Secretary, Medical Education, Punjab, represented the medical team. A decision to demolish the almost 100 years old Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, also called the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, has been kept in abeyance for the time being as it is a historical monument which could come under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The medical fraternity feels that the government property proposed to be sold could have been utilised for the future expansion of the ENT and TB hospital adjoining the property. The hospital is housed in dilapidated old structures which are ill-maintained. “The maintenance cost of old structures is so high that building these anew will be cheaper in the long term” says Dr Gill, Medical Superintendent. Meanwhile, Dr Baljit
Singh Dhillon, General Secretary, Punjab State Medical
and Dental Teachers Association, claimed that neither the
Principal of the medical college nor the Medical
Superintendent of their association had received any
formal orders. |
Demand to rename Chattiwind
Gate AMRITSAR, June 23 — The Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Federation, in a letter to Municipal Corporation Amritsar, has demanded the remaining of two of the twelve historical gates of the ancient city of Amritsar as “Ramgarhia gate” and “Ahluwalia gate”. Mr Onkar Singh Sandhu (patron) of the federation cited historical books including Anand Guaba’s Amritsar a Study in Urban History (English) Giani Gian Singh Tehrik Sri Amritsar (Punjabi) as well as evidence from maps of the ancient city in the Anand Guaba. According to the books present the Chhattiwind Gate was originally named “Ramgarhia Darwaza” and Ghee Mandi Gate as “Ahluwalia Darwaza” after Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia two great Sikh warriors and leaders of Sikh mists. A map of the year 1849 of ancient Amritsar printed by the municipal committee shows twelve historical darwaazas among them the Ramgarhia Darwaza and Ahluwalia Darwaza. A Guaba’s study also mentions the guru ki nagri as the city of “katras” ‘dhabs’ ‘galis’ ‘darwazas’ ‘baghs’ ‘bazaars’ ‘havelis ‘akharas’ etc. It reads — “from Lahori gate to Darwaza Gilwali the extreme south of the city was developed entirely during the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Four katras existed in that area. Between Darwaza Gilwali to Darwaza Doburji was situated the large katra of the Ramgarhias, founded in the 1760 by Jassa Singh Ramgarhia. Its shopping centre Bazaar Mangal Singh Ramgarhia and Bazar Lakshamsar were densely populated areas. The book further
mentions, except for Akhara Ganga Ram V. Yakrani and
Akhara Parmanand, all akharas were located between
Darwaza Ramgarhia and Darwaza Ahluwalia and
‘except’ the Ramgarhia gate all the gates built
during the time of Sikh rule were reconstructed.
Subsequently many of the original names were changed. |
Premarital pregnancies on the rise PATIALA, June 23 — “Tonight is the big night for me. Please tell me what sort of contraceptive I should use to avoid pregnancy,” she asks. “Her question baffled me, considering the fact that the question came from a homely looking girl from Patiala, not one of those big city yankee types,” reveals Dr Deepa Goel, a gynaecologist who runs a centre at Patiala. “This is only the tip of the iceberg. It is hard to believe how high is the percentage of adolescent girls who indulge in premarital sex that often leads to abortions,” says Dr Goel. Patiala — a sleepy town where even an innocent meeting of a boy and a girl never fails to create a commotion in the neighbourhood. But the frown of the elderly has not stopped the young blood from testing the forbidden fruit. “Though the abortion rate is not as such as in big metros, but it is not totally insignificant. During my service life we used to handle at least one abortion case of an unwed mother,” says Dr Ashi R Sarin, former head of the Gynaecology Department of Rajindra Hospital. A source from Mata Kaushalya Hospital says, “They basically belong to the poor class. The high income people prefer to go to the highly-paid gynaecologist.” Recalling a case a 10-year-old girl, Dr Sarin categorises the unwed mothers into two categories — one the poor innocent type and the other comprising those who live their lives on the fast track. “Maximum number of cases who had approached me were postgraduate students,” said Dr Goel. “Girls have lost their inhibition these days. They come out openly to buy condoms,” reveals a chemist whose shop is located near Thapar Engineering College. In response to the high incidence of illegal abortion in India, the government legalised abortions in 1971 through the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. But many gynaecologists still refuse to perform abortion, citing humanitarian grounds. “So where do the needy go? To the people who are ready to do anything for a quick buck and are mostly not even qualified,” says Dr Sarin. Unless the case gets complicated, nobody reports to the hospital, she adds. What is pushing these girls to take such risks? Girls have hardly any access to reproductive information and counselling and they are also excluded from free contraceptive services, says Dr S.P. Singh. On the one hand,
changing moral and social culture, media influence and
nuclear family system are making the adolescent girl more
and more sexually active, and on the other, sex education
still remains a taboo in society. This is causing serious
imbalances, leading towards unplanned and unwanted
pregnancy, says Dr Singh. It is high time we accept
reality and offer the teenagers proper counselling and
contraception services to reduce the incidence of unsafe
abortions, he adds. |
Female foeticide continues
unchecked PATIALA, June 23 — "I wanted to bear a male child even if it took my life," confessed a woman who would not reveal her identity. Ultimately, she did it, but, at the cost of eight unborn female children. Yes, she aborted eight female foetuses to get her baby boy. Female foeticide has become a growing concern among social activists. Though the Prenatal Diagnostic Technique Regulation and Prevention of Misuse Act was introduced by the Government of India in 1994, it is yet to be implemented effectively. After Maharashtra, Punjab was the second state to adopt this law. However, the decreasing male-female ratio (888 females per 1000 males now) which is lower than the national average, shows that the law has not been effective yet. Patiala, famous for it's educational institutions, presents no different picture. Education seems to have failed to curb the general insatiable desire for a male child among couples. "Our desire for a baby boy remained unfulfilled. After having four daughters, we lost all hopes of having a boy and thought that it was the wish of the Almighty," said Ms Gurmeet Kaur, a housewife. "I have no special preference for a baby boy, but, to satisfy my family and relatives, I would like to bear a male child, even if we have to break the family-planning norms," said Ms Paramjeet Kaur, a housewife and mother of a girl. "When I had a baby girl, the neighbourhood women openly taunted me for adding one more girl to the family of a large number of girl children. My husband is the seventh child, born after six daughters," she added. However, not everybody bows down to such pressure. "Though family, relatives and society try to put it in my head that I need a boy to make my family complete, I do not care if my next child is a girl. I will certainly not attempt for the third," said Ms Parneet Kaur, a teacher and mother of a girl. It the social conditioning which makes Patiala women desire a boy. "From her childhood, a girl is taught to consider man a superior being. When the girl turns into a woman, it gives her a sense of achievement to bear a male child," said Dr Ashi R. Sarin, a retired Head of the Gynaecology Department of Rajindra Hospital here. An easy access to ultrasound facility to conduct prenatal foetal sex examination has helped many couples in having male children. Female infanticide, a practice adopted prior to this technology, has become female foeticide now. Cashing on the frenzy for a male child, ultrasound centres where doctors are too happy to oblige desiring couples, are mushrooming in the town. "Pay Rs 500 now and save Rs 5 lakh" is the motto these centres use to lure couples. "Sex determination helps family planning indirectly. Since the desire for a boy is so deep-rooted, in the absence of this test, couples will go on producing babies till they get a boy," says an owner of an ultrasound clinic on the condition of anonymity. What measures have been
taken to stop such horrendous acts? "None,"
said an inside source in the Civil Surgeon Office at
Patiala on the condition of anonymity. Though the
Government of India has passed the law, it's
implementation is yet to be done. One effective measure
could be to give the powers for implementation to the
Civil Surgeons," he added. |
Benefits for Akali Morcha
activist PATIALA, June 23 — Akali activists who had been jailed during the 1955 and 1960 Akali Morcha will be suitably rewarded by the Punjab Government and benefits which accrue to freedom fighters at present will be extended to these activists. This was disclosed by Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, OSD to the Chief Minister, after inaugurating the office of the Shiromani Akali Dal (urban) at Twakli Mor here today. On the occasion, Mr Badungar said the government would leave no stone unturned to develop Patiala as a tourist spot. He said with the opening of the office, there would be better rapport between the common man and the SAD. Mr Manmohan Singh Bajaj,
Chairman, Improvement Trust, while speaking on the
occasion, said with the new office being at a centralised
location in the city and being near to the municipal
corporation, there would be better coordination between
workers of the party. He said there was a proposal, which
would be implemented shortly, that all offices of the
party should be at one place in the city. He added that a
park, Baba Zorawar Singh Park, was being planned at the
Sewa Singh Thikriwala Nagar at a cost of Rs 30 lakh. |
Order to surrender CHANDIGARH, June 23 — Directing a Jalandhar district resident, accused of receiving money for sending the complainants abroad, to surrender before the Investigating Officer by June 27, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday further directed that the accused “shall be released on interim anticipatory bail in the event of arrest”. Pronouncing the orders in the open court, Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the High Court also asked the petitioner to “fully cooperate with the investigation and not tamper with the evidence or try to win over the witness”. Mr Justice Garewal further asked the petitioner “not to leave the territorial jurisdiction of Jalandhar district and to surrender his passport before the Investigating Officer.” In his detailed order, Mr Justice Garewal observed: “In case the petitioner violates any of the conditions, the concession of anticipatory bail is liable to be withdrawn”. The accused, it may be recalled, was apprehending arrest in a cheating case registered by police station Noormahal in Jalandhar district under Sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code. The complainants — Mr Sardara Singh and Mr Kirpal Singh — had earlier alleged that the petitioner had received Rs 12 lakh from the complainants for sending them abroad but neither were they sent nor was the money returned. Permission to go abroad Allowing an application for going abroad filed by Chairman-cum-Managing Director of a Ludhiana based organisation Kimti Lal Jain, accused of being involved in a corruption case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked him to “intimate the Indian Embassy in which ever country he might visit with regard to his arrival and departure”. Pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice V.K. Bali observed: “From the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, the court is of the considered view that the permission, as asked for, needs to be granted to the petitioner”. Mr Justice Bali also observed: “However, the same shall be subject to the petitioner giving specimen signatures and joining the investigation on June 24 at 10 a.m. Further the petitioner shall furnish two sureties in the sum of Rs 10 lakh each before the Joint/Additional/ Assistant Registrar on duty in the High Court, undertaking therein that if he does not come back from abroad within 15 days, the amount shall stand forfeited”. In his detailed order, Mr Justice Bali observed: “I find sufficient merit in the contention of the counsel for the petitioner that if he was perhaps to evade the dragnet of law, despite orders passed in the bail application with regard to his seeking prior permission of the court to go abroad, he could have well gone abroad as did have a passport”. Seeking permission to go abroad, his counsel had added on his behalf, that negotiations with foreign buyers “for securing the orders for export of yarn” was required to be made personally by the petitioner. The petitioner, it may
be recalled, was earlier granted anticipatory bail in a
case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation at
Delhi. According to the prosecution, certain officials of
the Bongaigaon Refinery and Petro Chemical Limited
entered into a criminal conspiracy with the
petitioner’s firm allowing it “to lift
polyester staple fibre worth Rs 67 lac on the basis of
fake letters of credit and thereby causing pecuniary
loss”. |
PSEB JEs launch relay fast PATIALA, June 23 — A batch of five junior engineers from the Kapurthala circle of the Punjab State Electricity Board Council of Junior Engineers sat on a 24-hour relay fast in front of the board headquarters here for the second consecutive day today. Mr Sukhdev Singh and Mr P.K. Alipuria, President and General Secretary of the council, respectively, informed that junior engineers were holding democratic protests due to indifferent attitude of the board management towards their demands. The relay fast action would continue up to June 30. The leaders pointed out that junior engineers working in the power board deserved preferential treatment in the matter of pay scales as they had to work for longer hours and were attending to 24-hour emergency services. They said, besides maintaining the supply system, junior engineers were carrying our execution of various works departmentally which included improvement works and release of connections. The council demanded implementation of the agreement of March 14 which also included induction post benefit and various other demands agreed in principle. The council threatened
to extend the relay fast beyond June 30 in case the
management did not take effective steps for the
settlement of its demands by that time. |
Privatisation of octroi posts opposed FATEHGARH SAHIB, June 23 — Trade organisations of Sirhind have threatened to launch an agitation if the Municipal Council entrusted the work of octroi collection to private contractors. They urged the council president not to pass a resolution in this regard at a meeting to be held on Monday, June 26. Mr Surjit Singh Sahi and Mr Varinder Rattan, president and general secretary, respectively of the District Beopar Mandal, said that the government had declared that octroi collection would not be done by private contractors in future, but the newly appointed council president had called a meeting of the council on Monday regarding the auctioning of octroi posts. They appealed to all
councillors not to pass such a resolution. They said any
move of the council to privatise octroi in the town would
be opposed. |
Cesspools in Bathinda BATHINDA: This is a fifth largest town of Punjab. It is developing fast. Sewerage and drinking water facilities are inadequate for the population here. Since sanctioned funds for the development of the town have not been released for the past two years new colonies have come up without facilities of sewerage, drinking water, roads and street lights. Even site plans of new houses have not been sanctioned by the local municipal council. Moreover its income from octroi has decreased in the past many years. In low-lying residential colonies cesspools are a common sight. These cesspools are breeding grounds of disease-causing insects. The residents of ward number 5 of this town in a written request to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jaspal Singh, have urged him to take steps to fill the cesspools. The Municipal Council authorities have approached HUDCO for a loan of Rs 34 crore to provide drinking water and sewerage facilities to the town. The authorities have also been trying to collect arrears of house tax and water charges. It has sold a section of its commercial property. Stray dog, cows, pigs have become a major source of road accidents. For cleanliness of the city, the local council has engaged private persons. Main roads of the city are also being paved. Motor pumps have been installed to drain out rain water. However, the residents
feel the need of a master plan for the development of the
town. |
Labourers’ registration made
easy JALANDHAR, June 23 — To end harassment of migrant labourers at the hands of police officials, the district police authorities have launched, “sahayata”-aimed at the smooth and liberal registration of labourers at different points in the city. The step has been taken following complaints by some labour leaders that migrants were being harassed by the police officials and that a system should be devised to minimise the intricacies involved in the process of their registration at the local police stations. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said to ensure that migrant labourers did not face any problem five registration camps were organised in the industrial area, focal point, industrial estate and at the local railway station. At every camp, a register is maintained. Mr Yadav said all police
stations would maintain registers, wherein photos and
other personal details of labourers would be maintained.
Every police station in charge has been directed to
register anybody who comes to them, irrespective of area
where he is working or residing. |
Entry of trucks banned AMRITSAR, June 23 — The District Magistrate, Mr Narinderjit Singh, has imposed a ban on the entry of trucks, mini trucks and light transport vehicles into the municipal limits of the city from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Vehicles carrying milk, oil and gas cylinders have been excluded from the ban. The order comes into force with immediate effect. The ban order further prohibits the parking of trucks, mini trucks and light transport vehicles anywhere in the city. The District Magistrate
explained that the order had been imposed to prevent
increased danger to human life and public safety due to
an increase in the number of vehicles moving on the roads
and frequency of accidents and traffic jams. |
Drive against spurious drugs
units soon AMRITSAR, June 23 — The Punjab Government is contemplating legal action against firms making spurious drugs. A drive in this respect is being launched soon by the Health Department. The Punjab Health Minister, Dr Baldevraj Chawla, stated this here today while addressing the District Consumer Welfare Forum on the occasion of the World Consumers Day. He said the government was taking firm steps to educate consumers to procure bills for items purchased. The minister said a
library would be set up in the city where law books would
be kept for ready reference for the benefit of the
people. |
IG Bhatia to attend seminar
on security CHANDIGARH, June 23 — The Punjab Government has nominated Mr Lalit Bhatia, IG, Punjab police, for participating in a five-day seminar on national security at National Police Academy, Hyderabad. IAS and IPS officers from various states will participate in the seminar starting on May 26.
Chiranji Lal Garg CHANDIGARH, June 23
— The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal,
today added the name of Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Science and
Technology Minister, in the panel which is to present
state's case before the Constitution Review Commission
set up by the Government of India, says a government
press note. |
80 list grievances at sangat
darshan PATIALA, June 23 — More than 80 persons listed their grievances before the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Capt, R.S. Randhawa, at a sangat darshan held on the premises of the Deputy Commissioner office here yesterday. Most of the complaints were sent to the relevant departments for further action. Mr Karnail Singh of Pabri village in Rajpura tehsil complained that the lambardar of the village had illegally encroached upon the land belonging to a dharamshala. Captain, Randhawa referred the complaint to the Rajpura SDM. In another complaint, Ms Grumeet Kaur of Shatrana village in Samana tehsil alleged that Mr Surinder Singh had forged her thumb impression and taken a loan of Rs 1 lakh from the Patran Primary Cooperative Bank. The ADC asked the manager of the bank to look into the case and give a report immediately. The panchayat members of Bhootgarh village in Samana tehsil complained that the sarpanch of the village was committing irregularities. Captain, Randhawa Referred the complaint to the Block Development and Panchayat Officer of Patran to look into the case. A member of Dera Baba
Maour of Rajpura, Ms Kamaljit Kaur, alleged that two
persons were trying to forcibly encroach upon the land of
the dera. The complaint was referred to the Rajpura SDM. |
Sarpanch held for misappropriation GURDASPUR, June 23 — The police yesterday arrested Balkar Chand, Sarpanch of Bharial village, for cheating innocent persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes of his village and misappropriating government grant of Rs 34000 released to members of the Scheduled Castes for purchasing two marla plots and shops under government welfare scheme. His accomplice Joginder Pal panchyati member of the village is still absconding. Mr Varinder Kumar in a press release issued here, yesterday said that Manohar Lal, Enchal Singh, Joshi Ram and Prabodh Chander, all residents of the said village, complained to the police that in 1995-96 under Scheduled Castes welfare scheme, the government sanctioned them Rs 8500 each. These cheques had been issued by the Panjab Scheduled Castes Development and Finance Corporation. This amount was to be utilised through the Sarpanch who had to allot two-marla plots each to them in the village. The SSP said that the accused in 1996 got prepared fake registration certificates of two-marla plots in the name of the complainants. He neither showed them registration certificates nor gave them possession of the plots. The SSP said the complainants approached the tehsil office, Pathankot, to verify the authenticity of the said registration certificates and found that they were fake. The SSP said that the
police after inquiry registered a case against the
accused on Wednesday under Section 420 IPC. |
Reward for clue to preacher’s murder JALANDHAR, June 23 (UNI) — The Punjab police today announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information regarding the blind murder of Christian preacher Ashish Prabhash. An announcement to this effect was made by Mr G.S. Aujla, IGP (Jalandhar Zone) with a promise that the identity of the informant would be kept secret. The body of Ashish
Prabhash was found with multiple wounds from his room on
June 10 with no valuables, including his mobile phone,
missing, the police had questioned his Delhi-based sister
and his uncle, who was called to the city from Gurdaspur
district village Kala Afghana. |
One shot at over land
dispute TARN TARAN, June 23
— Mr Suba Singh, a resident of the border town
Valtoha, was shot at by five persons, Gurwinder Singh,
Gurdarshan Singh, Surjit Singh, Sardool Singh and
Balwinder Singh all residents of the same town. Police
sources said here today that land dispute was the cause
behind the incident and a case under Section 307 of the
IPC and Sections 25, 51 and 59 of the Arms Act has been
registered against the accused. |
University staff holds rally PATIALA, June 23 — The Punjabi University Karamchari Sangh (non- teaching) today held a rally in front of the university main gate to express solidarity with the striking employees of the Punjab School Education Board. The General Secretary of the sangh, Mr Rajinder Kumar, condemned the `no work no pay’ policy of the state government towards the striking employees. He also came down heavily on the government’s policy of not giving overtime to state transport employees The sangh also said the university management should listen to the grievances of its employees, otherwise the sangh would be forced to take the agitational path. Mr Sukhwant Singh, President of the sangh, said those who were at the helm of affairs of the board at one time were trade unionists and urged them to adopt a soft policy towards the striking employees. The sangh activists also
demanded that the unwarranted action taken against three
employees of the examination branch be reviewed. The
activists also urged the university management to sit
across the table with the sangh office-bearers and give a
patient hearing to their demands. |
Teachers’ meet on
directorate issue PHAGWARA, June 23 — The Government Primary Teachers Joint Action Committee, Punjab, today announced to hold a “primary directorate bachao and Education Minister hatao” convention on July 16 at Moga which is the constituency of Mr Tota Singh, Education Minister, in case the primary directorate was replaced with an elementary directorate from July 10. Mr Gian Chand Nayyar,
Secretary-General of the committee, in a press note
issued today said that as a goodwill gesture, the
committee would present a memorandum to the Punjab Chief
Minister at Chandigarh on June 28 against the proposed
move. Five thousand ‘satyagrahis’ would be
recruited for launching a stir after the July 16
convention, Mr Nayyar added. |
 |
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