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| Friday, July 7, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Centre’s attitude has changed: CM Punjab to oppose legislation on water Rinwa’s statements
“irresponsible” SI involved in contract killing Docs asked to probe drug racket Is Patiala ready to tackle floods? |
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Mann supports J&K
autonomy resolution No knowledge of
row, says Prof Manjit Singh Rinwa summons party meeting
Hope for accident victims Allottee gets interest, not plot Dairies refuse to budge SC officers meet Badal Plea on octroi
disposed of Chief Secretary to
meet pensioners Plea to declare hillock a
heritage zone Power cuts irk
residents
Revenue record missing
Meenu’s parents allege murder GURDASPUR, July 6 — The police has arrested Som Dutt and Prem Chand both residents of Awankha, Subhash Chander of Pathankot and Ravinder of Gurdaspur for cheating Tilak Raj of Hardobathwala village under police station Sadar Gurdaspur of Rs 26,000. 
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Centre’s attitude has changed: CM RABBON UCHHI (Ludhiana), July 6 — The Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today claimed that during the three years of SAD (B)-BJP rule in the State, there has been a positive change in the Union government’s attitude towards Punjab. Whereas in the past more than 45 years of the Congress rule or rather ‘misrule’ in the country, the State had been discriminated against, the present government had succeeded in bringing in massive investment in the shape of big projects, in addition to getting the clearance for an international airport and remission of a substantial part of Central loan. Addressing a state-level function to observe the martyrdom day of the founder of the freedom struggle Baba Maharaj Singh in his native village, about 50 km from Ludhiana city, the Chief Minister, while paying glowing tributes to the great martyr, observed that only those nations and communities go from strength to strength who, not only remember their martyrs and freedom fighters, but cherish the ideal and values, which were very dear to them. “It is only because the unparalleled
sacrifices made by great sons of India that we are enjoying the fruits of freedom”. Mr Badal, in his routine Congress bashing, charged the erstwhile ruling party with making a mess of the country’s economy. It is only because of the bad governance during more than four decades after Independence that majority of the population was still living below the poverty line and were deprived of the basic needs like two square meals and a place to live in. “Not only this”, the Chief Minister further alleged, “the then Congress government led by Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao had signed an agreement on global trade (GATT), which was virtually a death warrant for the country”. It was only because of his agreement that the Indian market was being flooded with foreign made dairy and farm products and industrial and consumer goods at the cost of domestic sector. Mr Badal remarked that developing countries like India were in no position to compete with advanced nations. The government had taken up the matter with the Centre and the process for imposition of duties on dumping of foreign goods had been initiated, he claimed. The Punjab Minister for Information and Public Relations, Mr Natha Singh Dalam, senior vice president of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, SAD (B) legislator Mr Sadhu Singh Ghudani, Akali Dal youth wing General Secretary, Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and SGPC member, Mr Kirpal Singh Kheernian also
spoke. |
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Punjab to oppose legislation on water CHANDIGARH, July 6 — At a crucial meeting of the National Water Resources Council in Delhi tomorrow, Punjab will strongly oppose the drafting of the national water policy legislation. The meeting will be held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. The Chief Ministers of all states are scheduled to participate in this significant meeting at which the draft of the national water policy will be discussed in detail. The Punjab Government, according to official sources, considers the legislating on the national water policy as an infringement on the powers of the state (Punjab) and interference in its functioning. While the entire country is discussing the issue of autonomy to the states, the formulation of the national water policy Act is being taken as a move against the devolution of more powers to the states. Punjab is already involved in a prolonged dispute with Haryana over the sharing of river waters. Drafting of the legislation, according to the sources, will hit Punjab. As the issue of river waters pertaining to Punjab and Haryana is pending before the Supreme Court, the Punjab Government wants that the Union Government should not interfere in such an issue by framing any legislation. In other words, Punjab is not prepared to obey the dictates of the Union Government in this connection. Informed official sources said the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had spent the past two days on formulating the state government’s stand on this issue. He had discussed this matter with top officers of the Irrigation Department, legal experts and also with his senior cabinet colleagues. Mr Badal will be accompanied by Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, a senior BJP minister, at the meeting, it is learnt. Punjab is firmly opposed to certain clauses in the draft policy which will be under discussion. Under the National Water Policy, the Union Government has proposed to set up a rivers basin organistion (RBO) with statutory powers related to the management of river waters for basin and sub-basin areas. Sources said Mr Badal was strongly opposed to this provision. As per Article 246 of the Constitution, water was a state subject and the Union Government had no right to interfere in this matter in any manner. However, with the framing of the national water policy Act, such rights would be transferred to the Union Government which would have all powers to decide on the sharing of river waters. This was not acceptable to Mr Badal, the sources said. In fact, the Punjab Government was of the view that such a provision would amount to usurping the powers of the state by the Centre. Sources said the state government was fully capable of developing and managing its water resources as per its needs. Another clause which went against Punjab was the distribution of water in basin states. This was also not acceptable to Punjab. The state government was of the view that there were well-established riparian laws and these should not be disturbed by bringing in new legislation. The Union Government, under the new policy, wanted that the states should charge at least operation and maintenance charges from the water users. The Punjab Government, according to the sources, was of the view that farmers had contributed a lot to providing foodgrains to millions of people in this country. They had no control over the price of various inputs while the prices of their produce were fixed by the Union Government. At least, they deserved some concessions and compensation in some form and giving them free water was not a big favour. The levying of charges should be left to the states. |
Rinwa’s statements
“irresponsible” CHANDIGARH, July 6 — Punjab minister Ranjit Singh Balian said today that the president of the state unit of the BJP, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, should not make irresponsible statements with regard to the functioning of the SAD-BJP coalition government in the state. He said the statements made by Mr Rinwa during the past few days had created misunderstanding among all concerned. Mr Balian belongs to the SAD. Mr Rinwa had stated that there was a lack of coordination between the coalition partners (the SAD and the BJP). Mr Balian said if Mr Rinwa had any complaint about the coordination, he should have taken up the matter with the Chief Minister or with his own party high command, but he should not discuss the issue through the media. While on the one hand the BJP was opposing free power to farmers on the other hand it was talking about making a party leader the Chief Minister after the next elections. Without the support of the farming community, no party could achieve such an ambition, he added. Mr Balian said Mr Rinwa had perhaps forgotten that Mr Parkash Singh Badal was the only regional leader in the country who had supported the BJP unconditionally when it wanted to form a Vajpayee-led government for the first time. He said there was need to strengthen Punjabi unity further. Statements made by BJP leaders were creating doubts among residents of urban areas. He said the Chief Minister had taken senior BJP leaders into his confidence on all important issues and the BJP had got more than its due share in the government. |
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SI involved in contract killing LUDHIANA, July 6 — The first ever case of contract killing in Punjab, allegedly arranged for by a Sub-Inspector has been proven by the Sangrur police. The sensational contract killing case of a Canadian woman, Jaswinder Kaur, alias Jassi, allegedly arranged by her own family who were angry over her love marriage to an Indian youth of a low socio-economic status, has reportedly been solved by the Sangrur police. Nine persons, including the maternal uncle of the deceased, four killers and the leader with whom the deal was struck, have been arrested. The Sub-Inspector, Mr Joginder Singh, who had allegedly arranged the deal for the family of the girl with the killers is, however, still at large. The body of Jaswinder Kaur was found lying in a distributary near Bulara villager, near here, on June 9. The sadar police led by Inspector Maninder Bedi had launched a massive exercise to identify the body and subsequently the Amargarh police had identified the body as that of Jassi. It was learnt that while the deceased and her husband, Sukhwinder Singh, were returning to Narike village from Malerkotla they were attacked by four unknown persons. While the assailants had left Sukhwinder Singh for dead, they had taken his wife along and later murdered her and thrown her body in the fields near Bulara village. Jaswinder Kaur, a resident of Canada, had tied the
nuptial knot with Sukhwinder Singh, alias Mithoo, a resident of Kaonke Khus village, where her maternal family was residing. She had met the boy, a kabaddi player and a taxi driver by profession, during her visit to the village two years ago. She had later gone back to Canada but love bloomed in the two hearts and when she came back to India during the last winter the two decided to get married. It was then that the two went to Baba Bakala and had a court marriage there. But as fate would have it, Jassi was allegedly forcibly sent back to Canada by her maternal family. Once in Canada, Jassi was allegedly kept in confinement in the house of her other maternal uncle there, Mr Surjeet Singh. Meanwhile, her maternal uncle here, Mr Barjinder Singh, lodged a complaint with the Jagraon police alleging that Sukhwinder Singh was falsely claiming his marriage to his niece. Sukhwinder was allegedly then rounded up by the police and kept in illegal custody. His friends then tried to contact Jassi in Canada but to no avail. They then managed to get in touch with her friend in Canada and this friend then took the help of the Canadian police and got Jassi released from the captivity of her maternal uncle. Once free, she faxed a letter to the Jagraon police and said she was indeed married to Sukhwinder. It was then that she came back to India against the wishes of her family and was staying at Narike with the maternal family of her husband. According to the information available from highly placed police sources, SI Joginder Singh, who was at that time incharge of the CIA staff at Ludhiana, was well known to a maternal uncle of the deceased. Mr Barjinder Singh then met up with the CIA incharge, Mr Joginder Singh, and asked him to get in touch with a few contract killers. Mr Joginder Singh ten introduced him to Anil Kumar, a financier, and a property dealer, and a deal was struck at Rs 14 lakh. Each of his six henchmen (including the four assailants) got Rs 1.50 lakhs for the job. It is learnt that Anil Kumar was then taken along with his henchmen to Narike and his men stayed there for around 10 days. Anil Kumar, Ashu, Soni, Toni, Komal, Ginda, Neelu and Barjinder Singh and they are presently in judicial remand. The police had also conducted raids at the residence of SI Joginder Singh yesterday, but he has so far evaded arrest. |
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Docs asked to probe drug racket AMRITSAR, July 6 — Taking serious note of the alleged drug racket in Amritsar Central Jail, the Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) at a recent meeting invited three high-ranking doctors from Amritsar to Chandigarh to take cognisance of the matter and prepare recommendations. The Amritsar team comprises Dr B.L. Goel, former Principal of Medical College, Dr Shiv Charan, epidomologist, and Dr H.S. Gill, Medical Superintendent, Amritsar. The meeting was presided over by Justice J.S. Sekhon (PHRO). The meeting discussed the complaint of Dr P.S. Sandhu, a postgraduate student, who was
alleged connivance of the jail superintendent and jail doctor in the drug and alcohol racket. The jail superintendent, Mr Jagjit Singh, has denied his involvement and also that of the jail doctor, Dr Ramesh Kumar in the drug trade of thriving into the jail. He has, however, admitted that drugs do find their way into the jail, mostly through visitors, especially women. Three women carrying smack were apprehended a few months ago in the jail, Mr Jagjit Singh claimed. Dr Ramesh Kumar was recently transferred to Baba Bakala, though the jail superintendent has denied that it has anything to do with the drug racket. However, the question of alcohol bottles entering the jail remains a mystery. These could not have entered the premises without the connivance of jail officials. There are approximately 1700 prisoners lodged in Amritsar Central Jail at present, out of which about 100 acre women, adds Mr Jagjit Singh. Dr Sandhu, in his report to the commission, had mentioned that drugs like opium, ganja and smack and McDowells whisky were freely
available to prison inmates for payment in cash or kind. He had alleged
the involvement of the jail superintendent and jail doctor in this racket, Dr Sandhu had based his report on the versions of two groups of people — one, a group of Guru Nanak Dev University students who had come to Government Hospital for deaddiction. The other was a group of factory workers working in a carpet manufacturing unit located near the Central Jail. In an earlier attempt to prevent drug
trafficking in jail, the PHRO, in its advisory capacity, had asked the jail authorities to identify drug addicts among its inmates. Out of the 1700 prisoners, 52 were shortlisted by the jail authorities. The PHRO had then suggested that they get treatment at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. The absence of expensive and sophisticated equipment like chromotograph and spectometer for checking the presence of drugs in urine and blood samples, respectively, had hampered the process. Consequently, in December last, out of the 52 suspected drug addicts, a batch of four was sent to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital for screening under strict observation. All four tested negative, claims Dr H.S. Gill, who supervised the process. It is alleged that the jail authorities had sent these four persons to save their skin and clear their name in the wake of reports on drug addiction. No cases were sent as a follow up, says Dr Gill. At the recent meeting, the PHRO advised the
government to take urgent steps to tone up the jail administration on the basis of reports of free flow of drugs into the jail premises. It also sought the government’s cooperation in making costly equipment available to hospitals and health authorities to screen, identify and test suspected drug addicts and
check the drug menace in jails. |
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Is Patiala ready to tackle floods? PATIALA, July 6 — While the local administration is making tall claims to have taken all the effective measures in view of the ensuing monsoon, the mere mention of the rains is enough to send the residents of local Hira Bagh colony and Chaura village into a state of depression. The colony got flooded after a pre-monsoon shower on June 4 this year and the water rose up to the level of four to five feet and remained collected for four days due to the lack of proper drainage system. After the efforts of residents alone the collected water was disposed of into the sewage pipes catering to Urban Estate. Now the condition of the colony can be well imagined. All the open plots and pieces of land in the colony and village are still flooded with stagnating rain water, thus creating perfect breeding grounds for germs of various diseases. What ails the water disposal system in these areas is that the drain bordering the Hira Bagh Colony and Chaura village being a natural course of water catering to the water disposal needs of eight villages, including Noorpur-Kheriyan, Budhanpur, Jalalpura, Samaspura, Raipur and Seal, has no outlet. So the water gets collected in Chaura and Hira Bagh as these are low-lying areas. During the earlier days this course used to make its way through the Hira Bagh Colony and drain its contents into the Badi Nadi. The other outlet made its way through an exit under the Rajpura Road to other side of Badi Nadi. But due to the construction of various buildings in the colony and a market alongside the Rajpura road the natural course has been disrupted thereby adding to the woes of residents. The Subdivisional Magistrate, Mr Manjeet Singh Narang, when contacted said: “As per our drainage records the drain in these colonies is not a regular drain in the true sense. It used to be a natural course of water that used to get drained in the Badi Nadi culminating through this colony as it was a low-lying area. Due to the unplanned constructions in the new colony the natural course got disrupted and the water started collecting there. The other exit also failed as a full-fledged market mushroomed on the other side thereby stopping the water course. We are planning a new drainage system for the effective disposal for these areas now.” Meanwhile, the residents of the Hira Bagh and Chaura have to suffer as the rain water gets collected in their area and enters into their houses. Moreover, they are cut off from the world for four to five days. They can not move out as their vehicles get stuck in the water. Moreover, the telephone and electricity connections go haywire. Mr Paramjeet Singh, a PPDO and a resident of Hira Bagh, constructed his house in this colony in 1998. Last year the boundary wall of his house collapsed due to the rain water. This year his wife lost her boxes used to rear honey bees, worth thousands of rupees as the flooded water went away with everything in her backyard. Mr Singh says: “This type of situation arises after a few showers of rain. Last time I was not able to go out of my house. I tried once and my car got stuck up in the water. Even the car of a BPDO, who had come to take the idea of the situation, broke down amidst the pool of water all around. You can well imagine the conditions under which we are living in the colony.” The water entered the house of Mrs Dasodha Tiwana, the sarpanch of Chaura village. She
said," I can do anything for the villagers as the Sarpanch of the village. A grant was provided sometime ago and we utilised the funds in constructing brick roads in the village. Now there is no grant. What can we do about it?” “The residents had pooled in some money earlier to raise the level of roads so that these could be used in the rainy season. But now we cannot collect as much funds required for a proper drainage system.” said Mr Naginder Singh, a retired Editor in Archives Department and a resident of Hira Bagh. A survey of these eight villages by this correspondent alongside the course of water revealed that water hyacinth growing wildly in the drain was obstructing the flow of water. Moreover, some houses had mushroomed in the drain itself adding to the gravity of the problem. The silt in the drain had not been removed for the years together. The SDM, Mr Narang said, “This drain is a private drain as it caters to a private colony. It is not our duty to clean it. And if we go ahead to remove the obstructions, many people start objecting to it.” |
Mann supports J&K
autonomy resolution CHANDIGARH, July 6 — The President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, has extended his full support to the autonomy resolution passed by the J and K Vidhan Sabha. He said the resolution was within the framework of the Indian Constitution. Mr Mann said by rejecting the resolution, the Union Government has missed an opportunity to find a peaceful solution to the problem of violence in J and K. It was an unfortunate development, he added. Criticising the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal for not supporting Dr Farooq Abdullah on the autonomy resolution issue, Mr Mann said Mr Badal had lost a chance for initiating the autonomy debate in the country. He said Mr Badal had invited leaders like Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mr Joyti Basu in 1978 to Chandigarh to seek autonomy for the states. But Mr Badal had now turned his back on the autonomy demand. He gave instances when earlier Mr Badal was a vocal supporter of autonomy. His support to the Anandpur Sahib resolution, tearing up of a copy of the Indian Constitution and the signing of a document sent to the UN were among the instances quoted by Mr Mann. He said Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, a union minister, was also a votary of the Anandpur Sahib resolution and his rejection of the autonomy resolution at a cabinet meeting was condemnable. Mr Mann said he would raise the issue of autonomy to J and K and the other states in the coming session of Parliament. He said the Union Government should only retain for main departments — Defence, Currency, External Affairs and Communications. |
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No knowledge of
row, says Prof Manjit Singh ROPAR, July 6 — “I have no knowledge about the hukamnama row between the Jathedar of Takht Shri Hazoor Sahib and the president of the Sachkhand Board. Nobody has contacted me to seek opinion on the issue”. This was stated by Prof Manjit Singh when asked to comment if the Jathedar of Takht Shri Hazoor Sahib could be removed from office by the board. Prof Manjit Singh, however, said it was unfortunate that such a controversy regarding one of the Takhts had erupted once again. He hoped the differences between the Jathedar of Takht Shri Hazoor Sahib and the president of the Sachkhand Board, Mr Sher Singh
Fauji, would be resolved through a discussions. Rinwa summons party meeting PHILLAUR, July 6 — The Punjab BJP President, Prof Brij Lal Rinwa, has summoned a two-day meeting of the state executive of the BJP at Dhanoula in Sangrur district on July 15 and 16. Stating this, Mr Tarun
Chugh, press secretary of the Punjab BJP, said here today that besides the latest political situation, organisational matters would also be discussed at the meeting. |
Hope for accident victims SANGRUR: Aastha, the brainchild of the Sangrur Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anirudh Tiwari, has been providing a useful service to the accident victims. It was launched on January 10 this year. Aastha, a joint venture of the District Red Cross Society, Sangrur, and the district police started its functioning from Phaguwala near Bhawanigarh with an ambulance. Now it has seven traffic first aid posts at Channo, Phaguwala, Kunran, Handhiaya, Tapa, Pakho Kanchia and Kup Kalan, all on the highway. Each traffic first aid post has an ambulance. Six ambulances have been provided by the district Red Cross Society and one ambulance has been given by the Sahara Club of Barnala. The Red Cross Society has provided drivers for the day duty and for the night duty drivers have been provided by the police. Mr Anirudh Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, said Aastha is the abbreviation for the Aid and Ambulance Services for Traffic on Highways. There was a proposal to set up more such posts at Khanauri, Dirba, Mehlan Chowk, Amargarh and Mahal Kalan to cover the entire highway in the district. All seven ambulances are presently parked at the police posts of the respective villages. All are connected with the police wireless network. The services of these ambulances, in case of any accident, can be obtained by dialling 102. All drivers of the ambulances belong to the nearby villages of their respective traffic first aid posts. These traffic first aid posts have so far saved the lives of more than 50 accident victims. Besides this, these posts have also helped in delivery, electrocution and leprosy-cases. |
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Allottee gets interest, not plot GURDASPUR, July 6 — Mr Amardeep Singh Shergill and Mrs Manisha Verma president and member, respectively, of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum have directed the Improvement Trust here to pay Mr Amarjit Singh, a resident of the Civil Lines area here interest at the rate of 18 per cent per annum on Rs 2,39,400, the amount he paid for buying a plot measuring 420 sq mtrs which was
allotted to him on December 24, 1991. Mr Amarjit Singh had deposited the total price of the plot through installment by May 3, 1994. The Forum has directed the Improvement Trust to pay him the interest with effect from January 1995. Mr Amarjit Singh lodged a complaint with the Forum on February 2, 2000 that he had not been given the possession of the plot which was
allotted to him in scheme No.1 through draw of lots on December 24, 1991. So much so the Improvement Trust called Mr Amarjit Singh for taking possession of the plot on February 21, 1992 at 10.30 a.m. but the Improvement Trust authorities did not turn up at the spot. The Improvement Trust held that the delay in giving the possession of plot, if any was due to 11-kv electricity line passing over the plot. The complainant had deliberately avoided to take possession of the plot for this reason. The Forum held the Improvement Trust authorities guilty of having failed to give possession of the plot to the complainant. The Forum said in its judgement that the Improvement Trust passed a resolution regarding depositing Rs 2,44,794 on November 22, 1999 with the PSEB and the same amount was deposited on January 12, 2000 which is a clear lapse on the part of Improvement Trust here and directed it to pay interest on the amount at the rate of 18 per cent from January 1995 and Rs 1000 litigation expenses. |
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Dairies refuse to budge PATIALA, July 6 — The milch animals in Patiala won’t budge. Neither from the inner city nor from the outer colonies. There have been numerous attempts to shift them outside the city limits, but none have borne fruit. The people in the city who have to live among dairies, big and small, and heaps of cow-dung see no respite from this woeful existence. “Come, see our street,” says Amarjeet Singh of Gurbaksh colony. The street in question is Number 8 which is a link road to old Bishan Nagar ‘bandh’. Mud can scarcely be seen on the street which is covered ankle deep in dung. It is not a question of streets alone. Dairies in the inner city and the outer colonies are forcing their neighbours to live in sub-human conditions. As the Municipal Corporation is not capable of lifting the dung produced from these dairies, the dairy owners have come up with
indigenous ideas to dispose off the waste. They start to work early. Before the corporation employee come on duty, the dairy owners use jet-pumps to dissolve the dung in water and flush it into the sewerage system. Often this leads to blockage in the sewers which results in filth spilling over into the lanes. Where sewerage does not exist they load the waste on small wheel barrows and dump it at the nearest open public place. Some don’t bother about these niceties too and dump the dung on the streets itself. Sanjeev Khanna of old Bishan Nagar said? “Besides causing sanitation problems the dairies have also become a health hazard”. He said the dung had polluted the ground water in the area and only deep bores brought out good water now. The rainy season is looked upon with dread by the residents of the colonies where dairies abound. The season brings with it various water-borne diseases in the area besides rendering the streets untroddable. Citizens also have to reckon with the permanent stench, mosquitoes and flies which come as a package with the dairies. The dairy owners have their own set of problems. Though the established ones say they are ready to shift out of the city provided they get land at “reasonable” rates, there are many who feel they would be unable to earn their livelihood if they are made to shift out. One such dairy owner Bikker Singh said shifting out would increase his over head costs manifold. “If I have to buy land for establishing a shed and undertake further expenditure on construction, I might as well invest in some other business”, he said. Others in the business feel the cost of milk would also increase if they are made to shift out. They say milk prices in the city would go up by a few rupees which would be to the disadvantage of the consumers. The Improvement Trust authorities have earmarked 32 acres of land in Ghalouri village near here since the last 2-3 years for the resettlement of dairies. Trust Executive Engineer Manmohan Singh said all dairies would be shifted out of the city by six months. He said the process of allotting land to the dairy owners would start after the entire matter was decided by the Financial Commissioner, Revenue. Mr Manmohan Singh said the trust had interacted with representatives of the dairies who had also requested that more sites should be allotted to them outside the city. He said the Trust was considering requests to ear-mark sites on the Sirhind and Nabha roads. Corporation Assistant Commissioner J.C. Goyal said steps were being taken to restrict the polluting effect of dairies in the city through constant challaning for any violations. Even a six-month time period for shifting out of the dairies is God-sent for the people of the city who have been promised this move since the last three years. Most feel the move would result in a cleaner inner city, would improve all round sanitary conditions and take a major burden off the Municipal Corporation’s shoulders. Till then the squelch has to be borne
with. |
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SC officers meet Badal CHANDIGARH, July 6 — Among today’s engagements of the Punjab Chief Minister was a meeting regarding the “promotion policy, reservation and implementation of the Janjua judgement”. The delegation included the Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Mr Gobind Singh Kanjla, Mr Gulzar Singh Ranike and Mr Swarna Ram, all ministers. There were also a couple of bureaucrats, both from the IAS and the PCS, belonging to the Scheduled Castes category. The main demand of the group was that Punjab should not implement the Supreme Court judgement in the Janjua II case. The judgement, inter alia, says that reservation can give accelerated promotion and not accelerated seniority. A Supreme Court three-member Bench gave the first judgement in the A.S. Janjua case in 1996. Later, another three-member bench gave a judgement in the Jagdish Lal case in 1998.This was at variance with the Januja I judgement. The state, thereafter, sought a clarification from the Supreme Court on the two judgements. A five-member constitution Bench thus gave the final judgement which is referred to as the Janjua II case. The delegation which met the Chief Minister pleaded that this final judgement — Januja II — should not be implemented as it would not be in the interest of the Scheduled Castes. Among the bureaucrats accompanying the ministers were Mr C.L. Bains, Mr Surjit Singh, Dr Swaran Singh, Mr B. Sarkar, and Mr S.R. Ladhar. The state Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, and the Principal Secretary, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, Mrs Satwant Reddy, were also present. At one stage, Mr Swarna Ram remarked that only a Scheduled Castes IAS officer should be appointed Secretary in the department of Social Welfare. “Fortunately, our bureaucrats are above caste considerations”. If posting was required only on the caste basis that could be done by appointing Mr Bains in place of Mrs Reddy, Mr Mann remarked. The delegation was told that not implementing the Supreme Court judgement would amount to contempt of court. But what intrigued the non-Scheduled Caste bureaucrats and general category officials was the presence of the SC officers who, reportedly, descended on the meeting uninvited. The general category officials felt this was not in the interest of high standards of absolute neutrality and impartiality expected of bureaucrats in such matters. |
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Plea on octroi
disposed of CHANDIGARH, July 6 — Taking into consideration the letter issued by the Punjab Government Local Bodies Department allowing the Municipal Committees to contract out the collection of octroi, a Division Bench of the High Court today disposed of as infructuous the writ petition challenging the earlier orders directing municipalities not to privatise octroi collection. When the writ petition was filed today by Mr Mathura Das — a three-time Municipal Councillor from Bathinda — came up for hearing before the Division Bench of Mr. Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr. Justice Nirmal Singh, counsel for the petitioner, placed on record the letter dated June 13 by which the government has allowed the collection of octroi through the contractors. Mr. Das had challenged the earlier government order dated March 14 by which the municipalities were ordered not to privatise the collection of octroi. He had submitted that the order was violative of Punjab Municipal Act which allowed the municipalities to collect through contractors. The Bench directed the municipalities to take expeditious steps on octroi collection since it formed the most important source of revenue of the municipalities. |
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Chief Secretary to
meet pensioners SAMRALA, July 6 — In a joint press note Mr Prem Sagar Sharma, president, and Mr Ajit Singh Bagri, general secretary of the Punjab State Pensioners Maha Sangh, respectively, said that the general secretary of the sangh held a meeting with the Chief Secretary of Punjab, Mr R.S. Man, at his office in Chandigarh in connection with the demands of the pensioners. Mr Man told Mr Bagri that the implementation committee had sent the list of the pensioners and employees’ demands to the Chief Minister of Punjab for approval. Mr Prem Sagar Sharma said that the Maha Sangh had been struggling for a long time to get its demand accepted. The Chief Secretary of Punjab, Mr R.S. Man, has invited the sangh leaders for discussions on other remaining demands. |
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Plea to declare hillock a
heritage zone ROPAR, July 6 — Members of the Punjab Environment and Heritage Society met the Deputy Commissioner, Mr G.S. Grewal here today. They demanded that a hillock on the Gharh Dollian-Nurpur Bedi road should be declared a heritage zone. They claimed that this hillock was the place where Maharaja Ranjit Singh had hoisted the “flag of freedom” in 1831 on the occasion of a summit between the Maharaja and Lord William Bentick. The deputation also brought to the notice of the district administration an ancestral well, about 3 km from Nurpur Bedi, which it claimed was the camping site of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. The society demanded that the area be converted into a tourist park. |
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Power cuts irk
residents PHILLAUR, July 6 — In spite of its previous announcement of lifting all power cuts in the state, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has again imposed a three-hour power cut in the urban areas of the state from today. PSEB sources told this correspondent here today that in heavy industry the peak load hours restrictions have been increased from three hours to 10 hours from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
Revenue record missing FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 6 — People as well as the government are suffering due to missing district revenue record. Sources revealed that revenue record since 1953 to 1990 is missing from
patwarkhanas. Taking a serious note of this, Mrs Shyama Mann, Financial Commissioner, has directed the Deputy Commissioner to make all efforts to trace the record. If the record is not traced, it will cause
irreparable loss to the government as well as the public. When contacted, Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, said on the directions of the FCR the exercise to locate the record was on, but field officers were unable to give the required information. It had been found that 98 jamabandis of 51 villages in Fatehgarh Sahib tehsil, jamabandis of 15 villages of Amloh tehsil and 49 jamabandis of 51 villages of Bassi Pathana tehsil from 1953-54 up to 1990 were missing. He said punishment would be awarded if the record was not traced by the
patwaris. He said as per the Punjab record manual, the patwaris were bound to maintain records. He said in some tehsils the missing record had been returned by delinquent
patwaris. All SDMs had been directed to provide complete information up to July 15 in this regard. Appreciating the efforts of the district administration in locating the missing record, the Financial Commissioner said all Deputy Commissioners had been directed to undertake the exercise on the pattern of Fatehgarh Sahib. |
Meenu’s parents allege murder MALERKOTLA, July 6 — Were the strained relations between Dinesh Kumar Singla, and his wife, Meenu, and the demand to bring more dowry the main reasons behind the death of Meenu under mysterious circumstances on the night of June 24 this year in the house of her in-laws at Barnala? This seems to be the case if one goes through the pages of a diary purported to have been written by Meenu between July and September, 1999, and the FIR lodged by Mr Bachan Lal Jain, the father of the deceased, and Bank Manager in the State Bank of Patiala, on June 25 last at Barnala. Meenu was a social studies teacher in a government school at Thikriwala village near Barnala. She was married to Dinesh Singla, a JE in the PSEB, on December 3, 1997, and gave birth to a girl on May 13 this year at Malerkotla. Her husband took her back to her in-laws’ house at Barnala from Malerkotla on June 23 and she died under mysterious circumstances the next day. A photocopy of the diary was made available to this correspondent by the mother of Meenu, Mrs Sudha Jain, a social studies teacher at the local S.S. Jain Girls High School. She said the diary had been recovered by the Barnala police from the house of Meenu’s in-laws after her death. In her diary, Meenu had mentioned that she felt that her life had not provided her anything except disappointment and sorrow. Besides, the person (her husband) whom she always worshipped and loved, in return hated her. She wished happiness for her husband even at the “cost of her life”. She desired death for herself on the plea that she had no one to care for her in this world. Meenu had also written in the diary that despite her profound love for her husband, he could not understand her, so life had no meaning for her. She also asked God what crime she had done for which she had been facing such punishment? She also prayed to God to give her strength to tolerate every kind of misery. Talking to TNS here yesterday, Meenu’s parents alleged that she had been killed by her in-laws for bringing inadequate dowry, for which the in-laws harassed her a lot in the past also. Alleging that their daughter was murdered, they claimed that even in the post-mortem examination report there was a mention of a 4 cm-wide ligature mark in front of her neck which showed that Meenu was strangulated. They also claimed that on June 23, when Meenu had been leaving Malerkotla for Barnala, she had apprehended that she might be killed there and refused to accompany her husband to Barnala. Later she agreed to go after her in-laws persuaded her. Her parents said after reaching Barnala on June 25 for the cremation ceremony of their daughter, they smelt foul play after seeing Meenu’s body and informed the police. Later, after a post-mortem examination, they cremated the body at Malerkotla. An FIR was lodged by Mr Bachan Lal Jain at Barnala accusing Dinesh Singla, husband of Meenu, Naresh Kumar and Rajesh Kumar, her brothers in-law, and Santosh Rani, mother-in-law of killing his daughter on the plea that they harassed her for bringing inadequate dowry. All four persons are now in judicial custody. |
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Four arrested for cheating GURDASPUR, July 6 — The police has arrested Som Dutt and Prem Chand both residents of Awankha, Subhash Chander of Pathankot and Ravinder of Gurdaspur for cheating Tilak Raj of Hardobathwala village under police station Sadar Gurdaspur of Rs 26,000. Tilak Raj told the police that on June 13 Ravinder Pal came to his Saloon shop and asked him to drop him at railway platform Military area here on a scooter. The remaining accused were already present at that place. Ravinder Pal then invited him to play with them a game of stones which he agreed to. They started the game and Tilak Raj was declared winner. SSP Varinder Kumar said all accused told Tilak Raj he had won Rs. 60,000 but according to the rule of the game he was to show the same amount there only. But Tilak Raj had not money. So the accused suggested him to bring the money on June 20 at the same place. Tilak Raj said he
brought Rs. 13000/- by pledging his scooter. Subhash, Som Dutt and Ravinder handed over Rs 45000/- to Tilak Raj, Prem Chand then took entire amount of Rs. 58000/- and said that the money was short of Rs. 2000/-. Prem Chand then again played the same game with Tilak Raj who was defeated this time. The accused then took the Rs 13,000
brought by Tilak Raj. The SSP said that Tilak Raj again played the game with Ravinder on June 27 with Rs 13000 and lost the amount. Meanwhile Tilak Raj came to know that he had been cheated by all four accused. He then reported the matter to the police which registered a case under Sections 420/120B, IPC, yesterday. |
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