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| Sunday, July 9, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Intervene, Badal urges PM SAD to advocate autonomy: Dhindsa Move to levy ST on lotteries HC accepts NRI’s plea Myanmar forms panel to study guru’s life |
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delegation to meet PM CHANDIGARH, July 8 — The President of the SGPC, Bibi Jagir Kaur said today that a high level deputation of the SGPC accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal would soon meet the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee with regard to Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan.
Mahila Cong chief opposes dress code Monkeys smell rat in govt tablet
Lawyer gets bail
Artists show maturity beyond years A helping hand to the poor Kiln owners begin sale of bricks Daler Mehndi’s
video draws flak I-cards for senior
citizens, disabled School to be renamed
after jawan
Inter-state gang of robbers busted
'Power hike will hit small-scale
units' Cane growers’ plea
to Commissioner
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Intervene, Badal urges PM CHANDIGARH, July 8 — Upset over the conduct of the Punjab leadership of the BJP in the past days, the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has sought the intervention of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to settle the issue. Informed sources said that immediately after the meeting of the National Water Resources Council in New Delhi yesterday, Mr Badal met Mr Vajpayee to bring to his notice certain critical statements made by the president of the Punjab unit of the BJP, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, and a senior minister, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon with regard to the functioning of the coalition government in the state and relations between the two coalition partners, the SAD and the BJP. Mr Badal has requested, according to sources, to the Prime Minister to tell the state leadership of the BJP to not discuss in media matters pertaining to the government’s functioning, relations between the two coalition partners and other important issues. Mr Rinwa has made several statements in the recent past saying that there was a lack of coordination in the SAD-BJP and the BJP ministers have not been taken in confidence on vital issues and decisions taken by the government. He has also talked about getting reversed the decision granting free power to farmers. Likewise Mr Tandon has blamed the Akali activists for the defeat of some BJP-supported candidates in the recently held nagar panchayat elections in the state. Mr Vajpayee has reportedly assured Mr Badal that he will take up the matter with the state leadership. |
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SAD to advocate autonomy: Dhindsa CHANDIGARH, July 8 — The Shiromani Akali Dal will continue to advocate for autonomy for states in accordance with the Anandpur Sahib resolution, says the Union Minister for Youth, Sports and Mines, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. He hastened to add that he did not oppose the autonomy resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly at the Union Cabinet meeting which rejected it. “Our stand before the Constitution Review Committee would be based on the Anandpur Sahib resolution. Once our plea is accepted by the Review Committee, most of our long-standing demands would be automatically met,” Mr Dhindsa said speaking at a Meet-the-Press programme held at Chandigarh Press Club today. He said the autonomy resolution adopted by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and autonomy demanded by the Shiromani Akali Dal on the basis of Anandpur Sahib resolution were two different things. “Our demand is within the framework of Indian Constitution which advocates devolution of all, but four subjects — Defence, External Affairs, Communications and Finance — to the States.” He said the decision to set up the Constitution Review Committee for devolution of powers to the States was a great satisfaction for the Shiromani Akali Dal. The appointment of a time-bound commission to look into the 1984 riots and levying 60 per cent duty on import of wheat so as to clear pending stocks of Punjab were other major decisions of the NDA government. Mr Dhindsa said the GATT agreement was signed by the Congress Government. Both the Centre and the States were reviewing it. We would make every effort to safeguard interests of our farmers and small sector units. Talking about the statements of the BJP chief of Punjab, Mr Dhindsa said as and when they (BJP) have any grievance or complaint, they take up those issues at meetings and not in public. “My appeal to the BJP is to exercise restraint. Instead of going to press, they should discuss all their problems they have with us at party forums or other available platforms. Mr Dhindsa said seat adjustment was an issue which had been settled at the time of forming the alliance. Ruling out the possibility of mid- term poll, Mr Dhindsa said the Punjab Chief Minister has already clarified more than once that he has more than 18 months to go in the State Assembly. Dal (D) decries
rejection of autonomy JALANDHAR, July 8 (PTI) —The Akali Dal (Democratic) today appealed to President
K.R. Narayanan to ask Parliament to discuss the autonomy resolution adopted by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. Reacting to the rejection of the resolution by the Union Cabinet, party president Kuldeep Singh Wadala said the issue was a legislative one and it should be discussed in Parliament. The cabinet has no power to reject it as it was not an executive issue, he told reporters here. UNI: The radical Akali leader criticised Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for having undone the entire Akali struggle towards autonomy. He said the Moga declaration of the Ruling Akali party, authored by Captain Kanwaljit Singh, had already sabotaged the prolonged Akali struggle and hence nothing was expected of the ruling Akali party now.
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Move to levy ST on lotteries CHANDIGARH, July 8 — The Punjab Excise and Taxation Department is for levying sales tax up to 20 per cent on lotteries with immediate effect. According to official sources, a proposal in this connection has been forwarded to the State Finance Department. The Directorate of Lotteries is part of the State Finance Department. The annual turnover from the sale of lotteries is near Rs 1000 crore. The Excise and Taxation Department authorities have estimated that with a 20 per cent sales tax on lotteries, Rs 200 crore will come as revenue to the State from this sector. The sources said the proposal was mooted two months back, but the issue remained pending as the Finance Department argued that the contract for the sale of lotteries for current year had been signed and it would not be possible to levy sales tax after signing the contract with parties concerned. However, the Excise and Taxation Department authorities maintain that the contractor should be allowed to increase the price of the lottery by 20 paise per ticket. The sources said the file was pending with the Finance Department. The final decision has to be taken by the Punjab Cabinet. |
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HC accepts NRI’s plea CHANDIGARH, July 8 — On a petition by a non-resident Indian settled in England alleging wrongful detention of his two sons by his wife and father-in-law, Mr Justice V. M. Jain of the Punjab and Haryana High Court here has directed the respondents to be present in the Court along with the children. Seeking the production, release and return of his two sons — five-year-old Deljeet Singh and three-year-old Dannijeet Singh — petitioner Kashmir Singh of Leicester had also asked for their return to England “for an appropriate decision by Court of competent jurisdiction regarding their custody and other rights”. Claiming the two to be detained at the father-in-law’s house in Mehsampur village (Jalandhar district), the petitioner had stated that force, pressure and illegal help of the Station House Officer of police station Bilga (Phillaur tehsil) was used “to unlawfully keep the children in control, care and custody”. Giving details, counsel for the petitioner had contended on their behalf that the two boys were whisked away after being brought to the police station. The SHO, he had claimed, had earlier told the petitioner’s mother that her other son, Mr Ranjit Singh, detained by the police, would not be released until the children were brought to the police station. The petitioner’s mother, he had stated, was also forced to hand over the passport and tickets of the two after the SHO visited her in the first week of May. He had added that the children had come to India along with the separately-living mother and paternal grandmother for attending the wedding of the petitioner’s brother. Pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice Jain observed: “After hearing counsel for the petitioners and perusing the allegations made in the petition, I am of the opinion that it is a fit case where the respondents be directed to be present in person in the Court along with the two children”. The petition will now come up for further hearing on July 10. Notice of motion
issued Issuing notice of motion for July 25 to Union of India’s standing counsel, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed him to “find the outcome of the investigation by Sub-Divisional Engineer (Vigilance)” in an alleged multi-crore scam concerning the installation of telephones. In his petition before Mr. Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr Justice K.C. Gupta, Comrade Tara Singh of Samana tehsil had earlier alleged that the contract for installing new telephones was given to private contractors in Patiala Telecom district only on papers”. He had added that the work was “got done by the linemen of the Telecom Department and bogus bills were prepared to take payment for the installation of new telephones”. Claiming the scam to be of Rs 50 crore, he had added that 30 percent of the telephone sets, G.T. wire, bundles of telephone wire and G.T. poles were also sold in the open market. The petitioner had also stated that no action was taken even though he had complained to the Prime Minister, besides Telecom Minister Ram Bilas Paswan. A Sub Divisional Engineer (Vigilance) had recorded his statement on September 7, 1999 and November 25, 1999”. |
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Myanmar forms panel to study guru’s life LUDHIANA, July 8 — The Myanmar Government has set up a three-member committee to study the life and disappearance of Namdhari Guru Satguru Ram Singhji who was imprisoned in that country for initiating the famous Kuka movement against the British rule in India in the 1870s. Efforts were also on to raise a memorial in the form of a public utility service like a hospital or a school in Myanmar in memory of the Namdhari guru. Announcing this at a press conference here today, Mr Surinder Singh Namdhari, Vice-President of the Trust, said a five-member delegation of the Kuka
Martyrs Memorial Trust which included Namdharis, research scholars and historians visited Myanmar from June 11 to 24 to study the life of their guru in different jails of the country and to find out the truth behind different versions of his death as claimed by the Britons. He said the team had found some vital clues and documents about the life spend by their guru in the jails. However, the mystery surrounding the Namdhari guru’s disappearance (the sect claims that their guru was destined to live life up to the age of 250) is yet to be solved. The team found evidence that their guru had not died because of dysentery in 1885 as claimed by the Britons since no prisoner was reported to have died of the ailment in the entire jail record of the country. The team, according to him, had found clues that their guru had somehow gone to Malaysia from Myanmar and the Namdhari Trust would now send a team of researchers to that country. Mr Surinder Singh said the visit would be scheduled after permission from the Centre. However, he said the research would continue in Myanmar and the sect had offered research scholarship to interested scholars there to study the life spent by their guru in the country. The research would be taken up in association with Yangoon University. Giving details about the delegation’s success, Mr Surinder Singh said the team brought a number of files pertaining to their guru along with maps of old jails and pictures of the places where there guru was kept. |
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SGPC
delegation to meet PM CHANDIGARH, July 8 — The President of the SGPC, Bibi Jagir Kaur said today that a high level deputation of the SGPC accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal would soon meet the Prime
Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee with regard to sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan. After presiding over a meeting of the religious affairs committee of the SGPC, Bibi Jagir Kaur told TNS that she had fixed an appointment with Mr Badal on July 10 to discuss this issue. She said as it was a panthic issue both the SGPC and party leaders would jointly meet the Prime Minister, to request him to take up the issue with Pakistan. She wanted control of gurdwaras in Pakistan to be restored to the SGPC. When her attention was drawn towards a statement given by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, the SGPC Chief said Mr Mann was a member of the SGPC and should support its decisions. The SGPC will launch its web site on July 15 to provide an opportunity to Sikhs in various countries to have a direct link with the
SGPC. |
Mahila Cong chief opposes dress code LUDHIANA, July 8 — The Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress President, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, today expressed disapproval of the dress code for women proposed by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) President, Mr Avtar Singh HIt. Talking to mediapersons at the District Congress Committee (DCC) office here, she said any move to impose a “proper maryada” inside the gurdwaras would be a welcome step, even deciding the school uniforms for the children was the prerogative of the respective managements, but in modern times, when women were equal to men in all respects, any particular dress code would be strongly resisted. Lambasting the state government for the alleged deteriorating law and order situation and alarmingly high rate of crime against women in the recent past, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, daughter of slain Punjab Chief Minister, Beant Singh, said the life and property of the citizens was not safe. The killings, robberies and kidnappings had become the order of the day and there was a growing sense of insecurity, particularly among women. She said criminal gangs were striking innocent citizens at will while the police was watching the situation helplessly like a mute spectator. She said instead of admitting its failure in tackling the growing lawlessness and taking remedial measures to streamline its working, the police top brass was trying to pass the buck and blaming migrant labour for a sudden spurt in the crime rate. Opposing any move to ban the entry of migrant workers to Punjab, she suggested that some rules and regulations for the proper registration and police verification of workers migrating to Punjab, should be framed. To a question, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur asserted that there was no factionalism in the Pradesh Mahila Congress and the PPCC. “The minor differences between the PPCC President and a former Punjab Chief Minister Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, have been sorted out and Captain Amarinder Singh is the undisputed leader of the Congress in state”, she said. The Mahila Congress chief, who was here to preside over a meeting of district and block-level office-bearers, said she had intensively toured the state to interact with party activists at the grassroots level in order to educate, motivate and activate them. Later, addressing a meeting of district and block-level office-bearers of the Mahila Congress, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur served an ultimatum upon the state government to seriously view the upswing in crime against women and gear up the law enforcement machinery to combat the criminal activities with an iron hand, failing which, the Mahila Congress would launch a statewide stir.
Monkeys smell rat in govt tablet CHANDIGARH, July 8 — Growing monkey menace in the State has become a problem for the Punjab Government . In the Malwa belt the Punjab Wild Life Department has sought the help of the State Veterinary Department to find a solution to the problem. Immediate task before the department is to control the population of monkeys in rural areas. There number has been estimated around 40,000. Earlier these primates were confined to various ‘birs’( forest areas) — Moti Bagh Bir, Bhunerheri Bir, Bir-Talab, Ashvan Bir (Sangrur) — but now they have come to forest areas of main roads and villages. Cases of monkey bites have gone up. Several villagers have complained that monkeys have made their life miserable. As children in rural area tease monkeys, they attack them. A number of violent monkeys have been “arrested” by Wildlife officials from various places in the State and put behind bars in a mini zoo in Moti Bagh Bir at Patiala. Now villagers have taken up the matter with the District Administration, Patiala, for confining monkeys to Moti Bagh Bir and Bhadson Bir. From these birs monkeys have moved out to nearby villages and created problems for inhabitants. Mr Surjit Kumar Jyani, Minister of Forests and Wildlife, has sought the help from Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, Animal Husbandry Minister, to spare some veterinary officers for sterlising the primates. He has directed the Principal Chief Conservator and Chief Wild Life Warden, Mr Virender Mohindera, to launch the sterlisation operation. Mr Jyani told TNS that there is no alternative except to sterlise the monkeys. These could not be killed as that would hurt religious beliefs of a large section of society. Mr Jyani said that he had discussed the matter with veterinary experts and they had suggested obstetric tablets monkeys. As an experiment these tablets were put before monkeys in a bir near Bhadson. However, cunning monkeys did not eat the tablets given in “gur”. Some time back Delhi faced the same problem .An NGO relocated monkeys in a forest near Mathura. The NGO had a special monkey trapping squad. A senior official of the Wildlife Department said it was not possible to catch 40,000 monkeys and to relocate them elsewhere. For their fierce nature and capacity to attack humans, it was very difficult to tackle them. There could also be a hue and cry from people if the department used harsh measures to catch and castrate them. Herds of neelgais, called “Roj”, cause a lot of damage to crops. One can notice several herds of neelgai in the Malwa belt roaming in fields. They nibble the top of plants. Mr Jyani said there was a provision in the Wildlife Protection Act to issue permits for killing these wild animals when they become a source of trouble for human beings. He said the department had issued over 10 permits for this purpose. But people by and large avoid killing them due to their religious and other beliefs . There are certain communities in rural areas which firmly oppose the killing of these animals.  |
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Lawyer gets bail
PATIALA, July 8 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Justice Inderjit Kaushik, has accepted the bail application filed by Mr Amarnath Bansal, a local lawyer named in an FIR regarding a suicide bid by a family of eight past month. The orders were passed by the court past evening. The judgement issued here today said the accused was already in the judicial custody and was not required for investigation. The Judge allowed Mr Bansal to be released on bail after furnishing bonds of Rs 25,000 with a surety of the like amount . Mr Bansal had filed this bail application under Section 439 of the CrPC after he had been arrested in a case under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC by the Sadar police station past month. Past month, Mr Bansal was arrested after his name appeared in a suicide note written by Manjit Kaur. She attempted suicide along with her husband, Anup Singh, and six minor children by jumping into the Bhakra Canal near here. Three children died, but, the couple and three other children were saved by villagers. In the suicide note, Manjit Kaur had alleged that the lawyer had moved court on the basis of some blank cheques and his behaviour had compelled the family to attempt suicide. |
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Artists show maturity beyond years PATIALA, July 8 — Maturity and sublime grace are the words to describe the paintings exhibited by Devinder Sapra, Kiran Kaushal and Rekha Deora in Banasar Art Gallery here. Inaugurating the week-long exhibition, Dr Gopal Singh, Vice-Principal of the local Government Mohindra College, said the contribution of these young artists towards Punjab’s art and culture was praiseworthy. Mr Arun Khetarpal, Under Secretary of the Department of Culture and Sports, who visited the exhibition today, said the Central Government had initiated a number of schemes to promote young talent in art. “Providing a platform to hold such exhibition through zonal cultural centres is one of these,” he said. Davinder Sapra who has exhibited more than 15 art works, said the essence of her paintings was colour. She uses different mediums like oil and pencil to capture various moods. Rekha Deora, who loves to capture sentimental moments, uses extensive amount of blue colour to depict the depth of human emotions. She has exhibited more than 20 paintings. Kiran Kaushal depicts social issues through her paintings. Her Freedom I and II series are outstanding artworks. Satyajit Shergill, a renowned artist said “Many young talented artists of Punjab are forced to leave for big cities elsewhere due to a lack of patronage here. Though the people of Punjab can well afford to buy art works, they lack the artistic zeal,” he said. Gurveen Kaur, who teaches fine arts in the GCG here, said the commercial aspect of art in Patiala was nil. “Artists here cannot hope to survive as a professional artists,” she said. Rajindra Pasricha, head of the Fine Arts Department in the GCG, said the government should give more incentives to budding artists in order to promote art. “As the Patiala artists lack proper exposure, exchange programmes and scholarship schemes will benefit them,” she said. Media has to play a significant role in generating awareness about our heritage,” said Mr A.N. Sachdeva, who works for the North Zone Cultural Centre. Mr R.T. Jindal, director of the centre was also present at the exhibition. |
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A helping hand to the poor NAWANSHAHR: The local unit of Sri Ram Sharnam (Gohana), though still in its infancy, has earned a name for itself in the field of social service in the town and adjoining villages. It has also set up its own bhavan here at Lal Chowk (now becoming known as “Ram Sharnam Chowk”) to carry out social work and organise satsang. Dr Jatinder Dev Verma and Prof Jyoti Verma, a dedicated couple belonging to the local unit of the organisation, say devotees are trying their best to spread the message of Bhagat Hans Raj (popularly known as Pitaji) that “seva and satsang” go hand in hand. “Satsang and Naam Jap” without seva is of no use and the best way to serve suffering humanity is to enable them to stand on their own feet. To put the teachings of Bhagat Hans Raj into practice, the organisation has been helping poor persons by giving them timely help during the weddings of their daughters supplying milk and medicines every day to patients at the local Civil Hospital, distributing blankets among needy persons and installing water coolers and water tanks at public places. It has also established a free sewing training centre for girls. Sewing machines are given to poor women for starting their own work. Besides, a “book bank”, a “cloth bank” and a “medicine bank” have been set up. The organisation also helps brilliant but indigent students by “adopting” them for the purpose of studies. It pays their fees and provides them with books and uniforms. |
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Kiln owners begin sale of bricks SANGRUR, July 8—Owners of more than 2500 brick-kilns in Punjab today began the sale of bricks after a gap of seven days. They had stopped the sale of bricks in protest against the imposition of royalty of Rs 45 per 1,000 bricks, 76 per cent increase in the sales tax in the past one-and-half-years, and the implementation of the Bonded Labour Act the Factory Act on the brick-kilns. Mr Kewal Krishan Longowalia,
president of the Sangrur District Brick -kiln Owners’ Association, however, said here today the brick-kiln owners would continue their indefinite strike with regard to the closure of brick-kilns till the acceptance of their demands. Mr Longowalia claimed that during the past seven days, no brick-kiln owner had sold even a single brick in the district which had about 275 brick-kilns,
the highest in the state. He thanked the brick-kiln owners for extending full cooperation and expressing complete solidarity during the ongoing strike. He regretted the inconvenience caused to the public because of the strike. He said nobody would be able to stop the hike in the prices of the bricks if the strike continued for long. Mr Longowalia alleged that the state government’s indifferent attitude towards them had come to the fore as it had not paid any attention towards their genuine demands. Due to this strike, about 1.25 lakh workers and other employees involved in this business have been affected. |
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Daler Mehndi’s
video draws flak JALANDHAR, July 8 — Activists of the Hindu United Front, the Shiromani Akali Dal, and the BJP held a dharna and burnt an effigy of Daler Mehndi at Maqsudan Chowk here today in protest against the “wrong” portrayal of children in one of his video clippings “ek dana”. The protesters demanded a ban on the video which they alleged depicted children, including girls, in a way which was against Indian values and culture. Dr Parvinder Bajaj, a BJP office-bearer, said they would not tolerate such
programmes. Mr Pritpal Singh, an Akali Dal activist, said it was unfortunate that an “Amritdhari” child had been shown indulging in eve-teasing in “ek dana”. |
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I-cards for senior
citizens, disabled FATEHGARH SAHIB, July 8 — Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, has ordered to conduct a special survey in the district before the rainy season to identify the “kacha” houses and homeless people to prevent any untoward incident and provide adequate help to them. Mr Sudan was addressing a sangat darshan programme at Damheri village in Bassi Pathana subdivision of the district yesterday. He said in order to provide relief and honour to senior citizens and handicapped persons, special identity cards would be issued by the district administration. Reacting to the demand of the people of the area about the poor condition of power supply, he said a power grid near Kheri Naudh Singh on 3-acre land was being constructed and with this 19 villages of the area would get 24-hour power supply. He said 300 posts of primary school teachers were vacant in the rural area of the district and efforts were being made to fill all these posts. He urged the district officials to sort out the problems of the public on priority basis and every visiting citizen should be given respect. The residents of Damheri complained that their village was being ignored as it was the last village of Khanna constituency. They demanded that their village should be included in Sirhind constituency as the village also falls in Fatehgarh Sahib. Deputy Commissioner assured to take up the matter with the government. |
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School to be renamed
after jawan JALANDHAR, July 8 — The body of Sukhwinder Ram, who had been killed while fighting militants near Chambh Jaurian in Jammu and Kashmir, was cremated with full military honours at Umarwal village near Nakodar today. Paying tributes to the jawan, Mr Praveen Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner, said the Punjab Government would extend all those facilities to his family which are given to martyrs’ families. He said in addition, an ex-gratia grant of Rs 2 lakh and an amount of Rs 5 lakh for house building and a government job would be provided to one family member. Mr Harminder Singh, SDM, Nakodar, said to perpetuate the memory of the brave soldier, the village school would be renamed after him. A Tricolour was presented by Mr Praveen Kumar to the father of Sukhwinder Ram (19), who is survived by his parents, two brothers and three sisters. |
Inter-state gang of robbers busted PATIALA, July 8 — The District Police today claimed to have solved the daylight murder and robbery case of a teacher, Inderjit Singla of Dera Bassi, besides numerous robberies, by arresting two gangsters belonging to a major gang active in the district for past one year. Giving the information to mediapersons, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Harpreet Singh Sidhu, said the police was able to nab Ram Sarup alias Sarup Fauji and Prabhsharanbir Singh alias Rinka, responsible for murdering Singla and fleeing with Rs 4.39 lakh in cash, while he was coming out of the State Bank of Patiala, in Dera Bassi. Both are members of an inter-state gang responsible for murders as well as robberies in the state. According to the SSP, the gang, led by Sukhpreet Singh alias Sukhi alias Raju, was connected to a hardcore militant, Harpreet Singh alias Happy, who had been active during militancy and was masterminding the robberies and murders for the gang. He also used to arrange for the hide-outs for the gangsters and was taking away a lion’s share of money. The gangsters have been remanded in police custody till July 14. After the interrogation, the gangsters confessed their hand in various incidents of robbery in Patiala,
Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Solan. They have confessed to having robbed a man of Rs 2.45 lakh in Himachal Pradesh in December last year, and another man of a Maruti car and Rs 20,000 in cash at gunpoint. They had also snatched three mobile phones from a shopkeeper in
Sangrur, robbed another man in Rajpura of Rs 1 lakh and looted Rs 95,000 from owner of a liquor shop. The police also claimed to have got clues in the dacoity of Satgur Appo Aap Jewellers and said the arrest of the dacoits concerned was expected soon. |
Power hike will hit small-scale units PATIALA,
July 8 — With the hike in power tariff, the small scale industries would be the worst hit. This was highlighted in a meeting organised by Patiala Chamber of Industries to flay the recent hike in power tariff by the Punjab State Electricity Board. Addressing a press conference organised after the meeting, Mr Dinesh Gupta, General Secretary, Patiala Chamber of Industries, said that out of the total percentage of the industries, 90% was formed by the small scale industries or units. Many units were already on the verge of closure and the hike in tariff would add to the problems of such units. He said that 18% hike in the tariffs for the industrial sector was unbearable for many units who were already suffering. He further said that the hike for large industrial houses or power intensive units amounted to a mere 21 paise and for the SSIs it was 42 paise, while maximum number of industries in Ludhiana, Patiala and other parts of the state was of that of SSIs. He said that resentment was prevailing among the owners of such houses and a rally would be organised at Ludhiana as a protest. He threatened that if more SSIs would close down, then the blame would be thrown on the government. Mr Sham Singla, President of the Samana Chamber of Industries, said these units were already affected with factors, including sales tax, excise duty, octroi, transportation and in many cases due to the reports of textile commissioners. He further demanded that the decision taken to provide power supply free of cost should be reverted and the farm sector supply should be transferred to SSIs. Mr Harnek Singh, Chairman of the Patiala Beopar Mandal, said that power supply in the state should be restored from hydel projects and the thermal plants should be shifted from the state to the capital of the country as the power supply to New Delhi was from the Bhakra hydel project. He further said that the state had to spend an extra amount to buy coal from other states to run the thermal plants and had to spend a princely sum on the maintenance and running of these plants. He further said that it was against the natural law of justice that the power was being used by the rural consumers while they had to pay the price of that consumption. Dr Harkirat Singh, President of SSIs and Vice President of Patiala Chamber of Industries, termed the hike as a blow to the SSIs. He said that these units were stated to be 20 KW units 25 years ago but the consumption level was not revised after so many years. Mr Avtar Singh, President of Combined Association Nabha, while speaking in the conference said that he could find the number of units consumed by different sectors in year 1997-98 said that 19.48% of the power was used by domestic sector, 3.96% by the commercial sector, 41.25% by industrial sector and a lion’s share of 35.31% was consumed by the agriculture sector. He said that Punjab was not an industrial state and it was with the efforts of the people that many industries had come up. Instead of helping the industries the Government was adding to their tale of woes. He called upon various commercial outlets and industries to stop their work for one day to protest against the policies of the Government. He added that the board was only concentrating on the hike in tariff or unannounced fuel surcharge and there was no concentration on efficiency of service. Many machines break down due to the low voltage and frequency. |
| Cane growers’ plea
to Commissioner PHAGWARA, July 8 — The Directors of three cane growers’ societies of
Phagwara, Phillaur and Garhshankar yesterday met the Cane Commissioner, Punjab, and demanded that the private sector firm, Oswal Agro Sugar mill,
Phagwara, should be taken over by the co-operative sector in case the mill management did not start cane crushing in time this year. A press note by the local cane growers co-operative society said the Commissioner was told that the cane growers were ready to be share holders in that eventuality. It was also claimed by them that about 70 lakh quintals cane on 14,100 hectares would be ready for crushing. |
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