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| Wednesday, July 26, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Fiscal crisis dries
water resources It’s 1973 vs 1978 resolution PUDA maintaining ghost trees and grass Bus blast victims’ kin wail Villagers near Chandpur syphon on alert Minister visits flood-hit areas |
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States should ‘get right to secede’ "Stop statements against Jagmeet"
Pay arrears to govt primary teachers PCS officers body denies split Byelection proves a boon Excelling in women’s work AIDS cases on the rise in villages Coal shortage hits power generation Rail, road traffic disrupted Police station develops cracks, probe on
Woman stabbed by
father-in-law Rape victim
moves court 3 killed in road
accident
Promotion policy
‘unfair’
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Fiscal crisis dries
water resources CHANDIGARH, July 25 — With its own coffers empty, the Punjab Government is looking elsewhere to arrange funds for providing safe drinking water for villages suffering from water scarcity. And, it has had a degree of success. By April next year, some 400 villages with no access to potable water, could get it. At present, according to the Public Health officials, as many as 1426 villagers have an acute drinking water problem. Either the water is saline or contains iron, flourides even toxins. Another set of 3,563 villages are categorised as non-problem villages — where ground water is safe, but not available. For these villages the categorisation means no proximate drinking water source and men, women even animals trudge several kilometres to fetch water. Although Punjab is the country’s number one state in terms of per capita the fiscal crisis has hit everywhere. "We realised that the government could give hardly anything. So we started knocking at the doors of some funding agencies. And NABARD has come to our help. Even the Government of India has promised some help thanks to the efforts of the Chief Minister", a senior Public Health official said. NABARD is providing Rs 30.70 crore and the state government another Rs 3.41 crore this year to bring water to parched throats in 150 villages. All these are in the Kandi areas of Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Ropar and Patiala. Another set of 200 villages would be taken up in the next phase. In Bathinda, another salinity affected area, 192 villages are being taken up this year at a cost of Rs 17 crore. In nearby Mansa district, the government plans to take up 170 villages provided the Government of India sanctions a Rs 29 crore grant. "We are positive after the visit of Union Rural Development Minister, Mr Sunder Lal Patwa," Secretary, Public Health , Mr Janak Raj Kundal told TNS. But the most ambitious plan is to provide drinking water to 5.6 lakh people in 488 border villages in the sixteen-km wide and 530 kms long border belt with Pakistan. These villages are in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepore. The files are with the Union Home Ministry and after the visit of the Home Minister, L.K. Advani, there is hope of an early resolution. The state will require Rs 35.10 crore at the present rate. "If money comes as planned from Government of India, NABARD and our own government, we can hope to provide water to at least 400 scarcity hit villages. Otherwise also, we are doing something substantial to provide water to roughly 2000 habitations", Mr Kundal said. Some credit must go to the Chief Minister who has been struggling hard to raise funds for the project. The plans are indeed ambitious. The Government of India had set a target to see that every village got drinking water by April 2002. But finding the target unachievable it was advanced to 2004. It could be advanced still further if problems like machines and skilled manpower are not for the coming. If Punjab is to provide water to all the 5,000 villages which still suffer, it alone needs Rs 200 crore from its own coffers and a matching sum of Rs 200 crore from the Centre. Ironically, the Centre is ready with funds provided matching funds are available. But Punjab just does not have that kind of money. A government which has eaten into funds from Rural Development, Municipal Corporations and Councils even from the Education Department, can hardly muster anything of such magnitude. Interestingly, out of 12,402
villages, Punjab has just 3,884 villages which in official parlance
are termed as non-problem villages. The number of problem villages is
8,518. In addition, Punjab has 1,047 other habitations. Of these 413
are covered by drinking water schemes. In total 634 other habitations
and 2,514 bastis are yet to get piped water to drink. This means that
until now over 100 lakh people have access to safe drinking water and
another 120 lakh do not. |
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It’s 1973 vs 1978 resolution AMRITSAR, July 25 — Even as Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister and president of the SAD, has announced that the recommendations to be presented before the constitutional review committee by his faction would be based on the controversial Anandpur Sahib resolution passed in 1978. His rival, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, is likely to embarrass him by emphasising on the original resolution passed in 1973. Both resolutions make an interesting reading. While the draft passed in 1973 at Anandpur Sahib includes some controversial clauses like “pre-eminence of the Khalsa”, the 1978 resolution passed at Ludhiana in the presence of Mr Chander Shekhar, a former Prime Minister, makes no mention of these. During the previous Assembly and parliamentary elections, the ruling SAD did not mention Anandpur Sahib resolution in its poll manifesto as it had a political alliance with the BJP. However, the SAD was forced to touch this issue after a long gap in order to pre-empt the move by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. The letter held a meeting with M r Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister, Jammu and Kashmir, recently where both leaders decided to launch a joint campaign to seek the support of other regional parties for “more autonomy”. It was the J and K Assembly which opened the Pandora’s box by passing a resolution on autonomy on June 26. The ruling SAD which was one of the first regional parties in the country to have raised the demand for more autonomy, found itself in a fix following the resolution. Since the political ally of the SAD (BJP) has been advocating for a strong Centre, Mr Badal had virtually dropped this demand, even before the Assembly elections. In order to embarrass Mr Badal, the SHSAD has clearly indicated that it is likely to table a resolution on more autonomy for states. In such a case, the ruling SAD would be in a fix. If it opposes the resolution, the Sikh masses will criticise the SAD for backtracking from the real issues. However, if the Akali Dal supports such a resolution, it will earn the wrath of the BJP. Meanwhile, Mr Kanwarpal Singh of the Dal Khalsa has come down heavily on Mr Badal for his stand on the Anandpur Sahib resolution. He has asked Mr Tohra to announce in public which draft resolution his party MLAs would table in the coming session, alleging that issues relating to Sikh identity were deleted in the 1978 draft. Taking a dig at those who had dubbed the Anandpur Sahib resolution as a sessionist document, he said here today that the resolution written by the late Kapoor Singh had been misinterpreted by vested interests. |
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PUDA maintaining ghost trees and grass PATIALA, July 25 — In the prestigious Urban Estate here money is being spent to maintain trees and shrubs which don't exist on the ground. Imaginary grass is being watered and cut. All this has been going on for several years. According to documents available with The Tribune, serious financial irregularities have been detected in the expenditure being incurred on the maintenance of horticulture works in Urban Estate. Sources said the irregularities were first detected when an informal test check was done regarding the quantities shown in the estimates for maintenance of Rose Garden Park in Phase One. The case had been placed for administrative approval of the office of the Additional Chief Administrator here by the Engineering Wing. The test check resulted in shocking revelations. As per the estimate there were 293 trees and 1200 shrubs of rose in the garden. However, on the ground there were only eight trees and 500 rose shrubs. Following this a committee was constituted to physically verify the number of trees and other horticulture works of the entire Urban Estate. The committee, which conducted a check on all parks in Urban Estate this month, reported a similar scenario
everywhere. At the Special Park in Phase One while 325 tree and shrubs were reported to being maintained, a check revealed that there were only 191 trees and shrubs being maintained by the wing with 162 trees and shrubs having been planted three days earlier only. Out here while 1.25 acres of good quality grass was claimed to being maintained, the committee found only the jungle variety of grass on the spot. In case of Phase One and Housing Colony a gross inflation had been done in case of trees being maintained by the department with there being 235 trees less than those said to be there on the spot. At Special Park in Phase Two while 508 trees were said to be there on the spot, the team found only 334. While good quality grass was claimed to have been planted in 4.65 acres, the team found large patches without any grass and the other area covered with the jungle variety. In Phase Three the trees planted were found to be of a very poor grade and in the park number nine there was no grass despite it being encircled by grills on all sides. It has been calculated that from 1997 to 2000 PUDA has suffered a loss of Rs 13.41 lakh on account of excess payments made due to inflated estimates.
The estimates prepared for the year 2000-2001 regarding maintenance of horticulture works in Urban Estate would have resulted in a loss of Rs 4.6 lakh if they had been approved . The inquiry into the whole episode has also revealed that excessive rates for maintenance of trees were being charged. It revealed that rates for maintenance of both the trees as well as superior quality grass were more than the rates approved by the State Public Works Department. It is learnt that the PUDA office here has urged that an accounts team be deputed to conduct a thorough inquiry and access the loss caused to the authority. PUDA Additional Chief Administrator Arunjit Singh Miglani, when contacted, said he had recommended stringent action against a horticulture wing Subdivisional Officer ( SDO ) in the case. He said disciplinary action had also been recommended against the Divisional Engineers concerned for lack of supervision for failing to detect the inflated estimates. |
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Villagers near Chandpur syphon on alert CHANDPUR (Mansa), July 25 — Apprehending danger to their properties and lives from the unruly waters of the Ghaggar, residents of 15 villages located near the Chandpur syphon falling in Mansa district have been put in a state of preparedness in case of an emergency. Though the Ghaggar has been flowing below the danger mark at this syphon, the district administration has prepared a plan to evacuate people from flood-prone areas within hours if need be. The residents of flood-prone villages of Mansa district have been saved from the Ghaggar’s devastation so far as its waters have spread towards Moonak instead of advancing towards the Chandpur syphon flowing at 14,000 cusecs against the discharge capacity of 22,000 cusses. Most residents of villages including Gorakhnath, Berewala, Reond Kalan, Reond Khurd, Chakka and Kulrian have packed their belongings and are awaiting a green signal from the administration to shift to safer places. Official sources say the fate of residents of these villages depends on the strength of the Khanewala bandh which has effectively stopped the waters of the Ghaggar from spreading into about 25 square km area so far. If this bandh is breached, it can harm the villages located near the Chandpur syphon. The district administration with the help of residents of these villages, who witnessed a huge devastation by the Ghaggar in 1993 and 1995, has been monitoring the situation continuously. Mrs Raji P. Srivastva, Deputy Commissioner, Mansa, when contacted, said an evacuation plan had been prepared in case of any emergency. She said the situation at the Chandpur syphon was ‘sensitive’ though it was flowing considerably below the danger mark. Filled and empty sand bags in thousands had been collected, vulnerable points strengthened and civil and police officials stationed at several points to monitor the situation continuously. People had been put on the alert, she added. She pointed out that the water level of the Ghaggar at a bridge located near Sardulgarh was rising, but the situation was not alarming. Residents of Mirpur Kalan, Mirpur Khurd, Bhunder, Ahlupur and Phusmandi villages had been advised to take precautionary steps. Mr S.K. Sabarwal, SDM, Sardulgarh, pointed out that the entire Sardulgarh subdivision had been divided into 10 sectors. Each sector was under a senior official. The flood-prone villages had also been divided into four sectors and 5000 sand bags had been placed in each such village. Interestingly, villages of Haryana located near the Ghaggar just ahead of the Chandpur syphon in a resolution passed by panchayats has urged the authorities to ensure Ghaggar waters into their fields as it was good for their paddy crop. Capt Shakti Singh, SDM, Tohana, told TNS that a number of panchayats in Haryana had made this demand in a resolution to the Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department,
Tohana. |
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Minister visits flood-hit areas PATIALA, July 25 — Punjab Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon today visited flood-affected areas in Patiala and Sangrur districts and took stock of the situation arising out of an attempt by the Sangrur district administration to lift the regulators of the Jhambowali choe at Khanewal in Patiala and later breach the choe at Banga in the district two days back. The presence of a large police force from Sangrur after a small force tried to get the regulators lifted yesterday morning had resulted in villagers of Patiala district who would have been affected by the action collecting in force at Khanewal. Later the villagers also collected at Banga and did not agree to the breaching of the canal near their village. Talking to newspersons in Patiala before proceeding to the flood-affected areas, the minister said no individual would be allowed to take any flood-protection measures without arriving at a consensus on the issue. Asked about the police force which had arrived in strength at Khanewal, he said the force was necessary as different villages in the area had different perceptions on the action needed to be taken by the administration to avert any crisis in the area. Later, the minister listened to officials of the Sangrur and Patiala administration regarding the incidents at Khanewal and Banga village. Mr Sekhon disclosed that the government would work towards finding a permanent solution to stop flooding of villages in Patiala and Sangrur by the Ghaggar during the rains. He said the Chief Minister was likely to take a decision in the matter following a meeting with experts from the Drainage and Irrigation Department. He said the Haryana Government would also be involved in the task. The minister said a special girdawari would be carried out in the affected villages in Patiala and Sangrur. He said an explanation had been called as to why work on lifting mud from the syphons at R D 460 was not done till the last minute. The syphons at Khanauri are the main hurdles and responsible for heading up of water in the area as they are incapable of discharging more than 15,000 cusecs of water from underneath the Bhakra main line to the other side. Mr Sekhon said the Congress government was responsible for not taking any initiative on canalising the Ghaggar during its terms in office. He said his government had already started the process of taking a loan from NABARD to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, the flood waters have started receding at several places in both districts. However, thousands of acres continue to be submerged. |
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Bus blast victims’ kin wail JALANDHAR, July
25 — While saying bye to Mandip Singh (8) Inderjit Singh, a resident
of Chaugitti, could have never imagined that the same evening he would
bring home his charred body. Mandip was among seven persons who lost
their lives in yesterday’s bomb blast in a bus near Ballan village
on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway. Inderjit Singh, an owner of a
flour mill, said there was a bone disorder in Mandip’s hand and he
was undergoing treatment at a Tanda hospital. Mandip accompanied by
his mother Sarbjit Kaur had left for a check up. “I could not
believe it till one of my cousins brought home the body at about 6.30
p.m. and told me Sarbjit had received serious burns and had been
shifted to the Civil Hospital,” said a shocked Inderjit Singh, while
attending to his wife in the Civil Hospital. Sarbjit Kaur, who is
still unconscious, is yet to know as to what had happened to one of
her two sons. Kewal Singh, a factory worker near Goraya, lost his
wife in the blast. Hailing from Sardiyal village in Kangra district of
Himachal Pradesh, Kewal had been married to Rekha Devi five six months
ago. The couple was returning from the hill state after celebrating
the birthday of a nephew of Kewal. Kewal said after the explosion, he
saw fire all around. He fell unconscious after extricating his wife
out of the bus. Kewal Singh, a brother of Mohinder Singh, an
ex-serviceman hailing from Bhatnura Lobana village near Bhogpur, said
hell broke loose when his family received the message from Bhogpur
police station at 7 p.m. that Mohinder Singh had died in the blast. He
had boarded the bus to go to Jalandhar Cantonment. He was to join the
night shift at the Military Engineering Service. Jagir Singh of
Bhaniar village in Gurdaspur village lost his relative Baljit Kaur, a
resident of New Amardass Nagar. He said Baljit Kaur was returning from
Uchhi Bassi in Hoshiarpur district after meeting her ailing mother.
Her younger sister Rimpi, who was also accompanying her, has sustained
serious injuries and might be shifted to Ludhiana for treatment.
Baljit Kaur, who is survived by two kids, was working as a staff nurse
at Kartarpur near here. “We got a call from a stranger, who had got
the phone number from Rimpi, said Jagir Singh. A number of lives were
saved by sewadars of a Damdami Taksal gurdwara near Sarmastpur. They
served water to terrified passengers and shifted the injured to
hospitals before police officials arrived. |
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Three SPs confer on
bus blast theories JALANDHAR, July 25 — In order to discuss the mode of investigation and to ponder over different theories pertaining to yesterday’s bomb blasts here, an emergency meeting of Superintendents of
Police (Operation) of Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur was held here this evening. The meeting was presided over by Mr Suresh
Arora, DIG (Jalandhar Range), who is also head of the inter-district team constituted by the DGP to look into different aspects of the blast. Mr Arora said the team was also looking for four suspect who might have travelled in the bus and placed the bomb in the overhead luggage rack. A woman passenger had reportedly said she had seen four persons whose behaviour aroused suspicion. |
States should ‘get right to secede’ CHANDIGARH, July 25 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) will urge the Commission for the Review of the Working of the Constitution ( CRWC) to provide the right to secede to all states. Addressing a press conference here today, the President of the party, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, said that a right should be given to the states to secede by using democratic means like the ballot. When asked to elaborate, Mr Mann said that the people of a state should have the right to decide whether they wanted to remain in the country or not. He said he would submit a representation to the CRWC in this connection. The NDA government at the Centre was all for further centralisation of powers and it was just “befooling” the people by talking about the devolution of powers. All its actions so far clearly indicated that it wanted a unitary character for the state. The proposal to have a new TADA, setting up of a federal law-enforcement agency and the move on the nationalisation of river waters were pointers to the centralisation of powers by the NDA government. He said Mr Parkash Singh Badal was trying to “misguide” people by supporting the Anandpur Sahib Resolution of 1978 which was, according to him, a whittled down version of the original resolution of 1973. He said the stand taken by Mr Badal was vague and confusing. He said the resolution of 1973 matched the demand for autonomy put forward by the J and K Government. He also criticised the J and K Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, for “dithering” on the autonomy issue. He said the “so-called secular parties” like the Congress, the CPI and the CPM were not raising their voice against the BJP and the RSS because of their vested interests. The Congress and the Left did not want to annoy the majority community in the country. Seeking a separate marriage Act for the Sikhs, Mr Mann said the community should not be covered under the Hindu Marriage Act. Mr Mann said there should be a special provision of time for the small political parties in the Lok Sabha. Representatives of small parties did not get time to speak on important issues, he added. It amounted to discrimination against such parties, he added. It was unfortunate that the late Syrian dictator was praised in the Parliament of a democratic country like India. Mr Mann said that he wanted to tell the Lok Sabha members that the late Syrian leader was responsible for executing thousands of people. He alleged the late Rajesh Pilot was responsible for getting a large number of Sikh youth killed when he was Internal Security Minister in the Union Government. Mr Mann opposed the holding of elections in the states under the supervision of Governors as proposed by the Chief Election Commissioner. He asked whether the Lok Sabha elections would be held under the supervision of the President of India. He urged the Chief Election Commission to enforce the Code of Conduct in the Sunam assembly constituency as a byelection was due to be held there. He said the Badal government had started resorting to “corrupt” practices to win the
byelection. |
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"Stop statements against Jagmeet" PATIALA, July 25 — A former Pradesh Congress Kisan Cell President, Mr Harinderpal Singh Mann, today urged the Pradesh Congress President, Capt Amarinder Singh, to maintain discipline in the party by restraining block-level leaders from issuing statements against senior Congress leader, Mr Jagmeet Brar. In a statement here, Mr Mann, also a former President of the District Rural Congress, said in case the PPCC chief did not stop his "henchmen" from issuing such statements, partymen would feel that the statements were being made with the consent of the PPCC President. He said in case this happened, partymen would appeal to the high command to intervene in the matter. He said state Congress leaders had been issuing statements for the last four days against Mr Brar, which looked as if these were orchestrated attempts. He said partymen knew which leader had been in the company of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for 14 years as well as the leader who had contested 7 elections against the Badal family and against family rule for 25 years. Mr Mann said Mr Jagmeet Brar was the new hope of the people of Punjab against the present Akali-BJP government. He said the people of Punjab were looking forward to a new generation leader who could fight for the cause of Punjab as well as that of Punjabis and lead them into the new century. He said Mr Brar had given enough proof of his leadership qualities and love for the people of the state, besides representing them in Parliament twice. He also urged that the high command should verify who all had come to the support of Mr Brar when he was fighting a battle against the Badal family in the last Lok Sabha elections. |
Pay arrears to govt primary teachers CHANDIGARH, July 25 — Allowing seven civil writ petitions filed by government primary school teachers seeking an advance increment on account of higher responsibility following their promotion as head teachers, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the respondents to comply with the court directions within three months of receiving a copy of the order. Pronouncing the orders Mr Justice J.S. Narang observed: “The arrears so calculated in each case shall be confined to three years and two months prior to date of filing of their respective petitions”. “In case no decision is given within the period specified, the officials concerned shall be liable to pay interest at the rate of 18 per cent for such delay and the same shall be recoverable from the salaries of the officials but the same shall not be reimbursable under any head whatsoever by the government”, the Judge ruled. Directive to Transport
Commissioner On a petition by the Adampur-based Daljit Bus Service Private Limited challenging the rejection of their plea for grant of regular stage carriage permit, a Division Bench of the High Court today directed the state’s Transport Commissioner to issue fresh notices to all the applicants by publication in the Motor Transport Gazette. The Bench, comprising Mr. Justice S.S. Sudhalkar and Mr. Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, also directed the respondent to pass speaking orders after hearing the applicants appearing on the date fixed by him. It also directed the respondent to complete the exercise within three months from receiving a certified copy of the order. In their detailed order, the Bench observed: “If on a fresh consideration, the competent authority comes to the conclusion that the non-official respondents (permit holders) are to be preferred over other applicants, then the permits already granted to them shall remain intact, or else they shall cease to operate the buses at the end of three month period and the persons in whose favour a fresh order is made shall become entitled to the grant of permit”. Show-cause notice to
tribunal ex-member Our Legal Correspondent adds: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice to Mr J.S. Korey, a former Punjab Transport Appellate Tribunal member, to explain why the court should not pass appropriate orders for initiation of action against him for alleged interpolation of the records during his tenure in which he decided 132 appeals concerning the grant of route permits to operators of state mini buses on Punjab routes. The Division Bench while allowing a bunch of writ petitions filed by Mr Lachman Singh and others, declared the orders passed by Mr Korey as illegal and remanding all the 132 cases for a fresh decision by the appellate tribunal. The Bench asked Mr Korey to submit his explanation with one month of the receipt of notice by him. The petitioners had challenged the grant of permits to the non-official respondents on the ground that these were issued by ignoring the statutory scheme published on February, 12, 1995. Under the scheme mini bus permits were to be given by Regional Transport Authority after determining the traffic requirements which had to be shared between the state transport undertaking and private operators. In the present case, permits were granted to private respondents without advertising and granting opportunity to those already operating on various routes. Even the state had conceded that the tribunal had no jurisdiction to entertain the appeals. Agriculture Director’s
selection contested On a writ petition challenging the promotion of Mr. Deep Singh Sahota as Punjab’s Director of Agriculture, a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice R.C. Kathuria, issued notice of motion to the state of Punjab and other respondents for August 1. The petitioner, Cane Commissioner Mewa Singh Sonar, submitted that he, being the senior-most Joint Director in the Agriculture Department, was given the current duty charge of the post of Director. He added that after the fertiliser scam came to light he was placed under suspension but on enquiry nothing was found and he was exonerated. He had added that for regular appointment, a departmental promotion committee was constituted and its meeting on June 8 was deferred. On July 18 also, no proceedings took place and appointment of Mr Sahota was made in a mysterious manner in violation of all norms. |
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PCS officers body denies split CHANDIGARH, July 25 — Mr Jaswant Singh, president of the PCS Officers Association, said here today the association had never discussed individual issues till date. The association was for discussing the common demands of the PCS cadre. He said this in context of the recent meeting of the PCS Officers Association where heated exchanges between two groups had led into a split. Mr Jaswant Singh said the main agenda of the meeting was pending issues and demands of the cadre and the elections of the office bearers. Some officers wanted a discussion on the seniority issue in accordance with the Supreme Court judgement. He said that the issues which affected the members among themselves were never discussed at the meeting. He said that on a minor issue at least 12 officers went out of the meeting though the officer concerned had apologised for an interruption caused by him. Mr Jaswant Singh said there was no question of ignoring any section. He said the meeting was held even after 12 officers left. He said the association still considered the officers who went out from the meeting as members of the association and hoped that they would attend the next meeting. |
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Byelection proves a boon NAWANSHAHR : The byelection had proved a boon for the district, especially the Nawanshahr assembly segment, as the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, not only cleared liberal grants for various development works but also sanctioned the construction of a bridge over the Sutlej at Machhiwara, which will boost industrial development. Besides the building of the bridge (714 metres), the project includes the upgradation of the Garhshankar- Khanna road measuring 61 km. Grants totalling Rs 4.10 crore were given for villages in the Nawanshahr assembly segment. Also Rs 2 crore was provided to the Nawanshahr and Rahon Municipal Councils for development work. A sum of Rs 75 lakh has been spent on the construction of the first phase of the Adarsh School complex. The site of the Museum of Shaheed Bhagat Singh has also been spruced up at a cost of Rs 10 lakh. The Deputy Commissioner, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, says Rs 121.83 lakh has been spent on providing of drains and streets in 107 villages, Rs 78 lakh on the repair of 119 primary school buildings and Rs 48 lakh on the construction of community centres and panchayat ghars. On public demand, a 12.53 km-long Banga-Rahon bypass is being constructed via Dharamkot, Hansron, Kariam, Amargarh, Kariha and Mallpur villages at a cost of Rs 1 crore. The administrative block of the Market Committee, Banga, is being built at a cost of Rs 52 lakh and the purchase centres at Majhoor, Bakhlaur, Dhangerpur, Kahma and Mukandpur, are being made pucca. He says work on the construction of a 50-bedded hospital (estimated cost Rs 1.54 crore) at Balachaur has also started. « « « Mr Chamkaur Singh Kauri, president of the local Municipal Council, says Rs 194.01 lakh has been spent in different wards for providing basic civic amenities like roads, streets, drains, sewerage and drinking water. As many as 577 new tubelights have been provided in various areas. Special attention has been given to the problems of drainage of rain water from the Kothi Road, Geeta Bhavan Road and Arya Samaj Road areas and the shortage of drinking water, especially during the summer. To help drain out rain water, the level of roads has been raised and drains connected to the main disposal system. Two tubewells at Vikas Nagar and Heeran Jattan Mohalla have been sunk to augment the water supply. « « « Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, plans to improve the functioning of the Police Department and ensure proper police-public coordination. Besides launching a drive against anti-social elements, drug traffickers and unauthorised travel agents in the district, he wants to encourage interaction between students and the police in schools and colleges. He has also started delivering lectures on the problem of drug addiction, traffic and road safety rules and environmental pollution in schools to create awareness among the young. |
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Excelling in women’s work PATIALA, July 25 — If you thought embroidery is exclusively a woman’s domain, a visit to the Darzianwali Gali at Adalat Bazar is bound to prove you wrong. Beautiful and exquisite motifs created on dress materials that lure your eyes are done by menfolk only. The Darzianwali gali, a narrow street fit only for pedestrians ,located in the midst of the bustling Adalat Bazar, is a major attraction for the Patialavis, where one can have a dress embroidered and stitched at a very reasonable price. Men who ventured into this profession after the partition are keeping the tradition alive through their offsprings. How does this generation feel about choosing this feminine work for a profession? “I do not have any qualms about choosing embroidery as my profession,” said Mr Harjeet Singh who runs a shop in this street”. “The business was handed to me by my father and no woman had ever been a part of it,” he said. “Embroidery is a very profitable business,” said Mr Attar Singh, who has been running his shop here for the past 20 years.” Cheap labour is readily available and orders never cease to
come. It takes a little bit of imagination and a feel for colour to attract the customer,” he said. As the machine embroidery suits continue to be a rage with fashion-conscious Patialavis, the Darzianwali Gali is doing brisk business. The emergence of a number of boutiques have made no dent here. “There are no proper boutiques in the city. The work we are doing is at par with the so-called designer works. The only difference is the price tag. For the same amount of work they charge more than double,” said Mr Harjeet Singh. Women, however, are conspicuous by their absence here. There is lot of skill among women artisans as far as operating a machine is
concerned. But what they lack is the will to come out of their houses and work at shops in the market. “Phulkari, the traditional hand embroidery is more of women’s, domain here,” said Ms Nandeep Kathuria, who teaches embroidery at NIFD, here. “Despite the fact that machine provides more intricacies and faster work, women would rather stick to their needles as machine embroidery is more laborious and requires one to go out of doors, she said. In Patiala, very few women have taken up machine embroidery, said Navneet Chopra, a fashion designer who runs a boutique near 22 No Phatak. Mrs Gurneet Kaur Sahani, who teaches both Phulkari and machine embroidery said only a small fraction of her students took up machine embroidery as a profession, that too catering to a limited clientele consisting of friends and
neighbours. |
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AIDS cases on the rise in villages NABHA, July 25 — AIDS is becoming an epidemic in the absence of awareness among villagers around here. This is contrary to the claims made by the health authorities that they have made people aware of this disease. Campaigns against AIDS are limited to cities only. Village folks are unaware of the causes, and modes of spread of AIDS. A number of villagers around Nabha have died of AIDS over the past few months. Several others who are suffering from this disease may spread it to other villages. Recently, a 25-year-old resident of Dhingi village, 10 km from here, died of AIDS. He had been suffering from AIDS for the past six months. According to the villagers, he didn’t know about AIDS till he got himself examined at the PGI, Chandigarh. He died a few days after coming from the PGI. The villagers told this correspondent that several other residents of this village were, suspected of having AIDS. They also said it was not an isolated case. In 1998, a man and his son died of AIDS after suffering from high fever and skin eruptions. Sadhoheri, another village 7 km from here, also witnessed a death from AIDS when a 20-year-old plus two student contracted it. At Jhenari village, near Sunam, a man, his brother, his wife and three children died of AIDS. There are also reported cases of AIDS from Borah, Kot Duladi, Paharpur, Gunika and other villages around Nabha. A 10-year boy of Rohta village is also suffering from AIDS. Dr Amarjit Singh Sahni, cardiologist from Escorts Hospital, New Delhi, presently working at the primary health centres of Bhalwaan village said: “The situation is alarming. I have attended five-six patients who are suffering from the complications of AIDS. But none of them have moved to the PGI though I referred them. Instead they are visiting local quacks. NGOs should help the government to trace HIV positive cases immediately. Dr H.P.S. Sandhu, SMO Civil Hospital, Nabha, said: “We are doing our best to educate people about AIDS. A state level survey was also conducted to detect HIV cases and other sexually transmitted diseases. Medicines were also provided to those suffering from venereal diseases.” Panchayats have demanded action and are planning to meet the Director, Punjab State AIDS Control Society, Chandigarh, to send a team to these villages so that the villagers could be educated about AIDS. |
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Coal shortage hits power generation ROPAR, July 25 — The shortage of coal has hit power generation in Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant (GGSSTP), Ropar. For the past one week the generation at the thermal plant has reduced to an average of about 255 lakh units per day. According to reliable sources only two to three turbines out of the total of six were being operated at a time by the thermal plant authorities for the past one week. This downfall in generation has led to an increase in power cuts across the state. In Ropar a three hour cut was imposed today and many areas like the Anaj Mandi remained without power after that too. At present GGSSTP is receiving just 116 metric tonnes of coal per day against the requirement of about 348 metric tonnes per day. Sources in the thermal plant blame the authorities for the problem. They allege that the shortage of coal for the thermal plant has been caused due to the forging of coal stock figures by the thermal plant authorities, in the past. In June this year in a stock verification, the thermal plant authorities had claimed to have 3,29,500 metric tonnes of coal, against the requirement of about 4.22 lakh metric tonnes. The PSEB authorities have sought a clarification from the thermal plant authorities in this regard. However, the sources in the thermal plant said even the figure of 3,29,500 metric tonnes stock was inflated. They said in this figure 70,000 metric tonne was the carpet coal, which could not be used for generation. |
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Rail, road traffic disrupted KAPURTHALA, July 25 — Rail and road traffic on the Kapurthala-Jalandhar road and the Kapurthala-Ferozepore rail track remained disrupted for more than six hours today when a trailer of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) carrying equipment weighing over 100 tonnes halted in the middle of the level crossing of Wadala Kalan village. Road traffic was diverted to Arjula and Wadala villages. According to railway officials, the movement of five trains, including a goods train, was affected. 4806 Jodhpur-Jammu train remained stranded at the local railway station for more than five hours. However, 4805 up Jammu-Jodhpur train was diverted via Nakodar. Mr Janinder Dania, SDO (PSEB) who was present at the site said the trailer was moved with the help of jacks. PSEB officials alleged that the trailer jammed between the railway line due to the high hump created due to the raising of the track. On the contrary, railway officials who refused to disclose their identity, held the PWD responsible for the repair of the hump. The rail and road traffic which remained suspended at 11.15 am was restored at 4 pm. |
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Police station develops cracks, probe on MALOUT, July 25 — After the prestigious Malout Institute of Management and Information Technology (MIMIT), now the city police station being constructed on modern architectural lines here has developed cracks in the roof and walks even before its completion. Following a complaint made in this regard by the SSP, Muktsar, Mr Kultar Singh, the Punjab Scheduled Caste and Backward Class Welfare Minister, Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, has ordered an inquiry into the matter. Mr Phillaur asked the SDM, Malout, and the XEN, rural development to submit a report to him within a week at a meeting of the District Planning Board here today. Sources said the building on which Rs 10 lakh was to be spent had developed cracks before construction of the first floor could be undertaken. The building was being constructed by the Building and Roads (B and R) wing of the PWD Department. Usually police houses and police stations are constructed by the Punjab Police Housing Corporation. Sources said the minister had asked the officials to fix responsibility for the poor construction. Earlier, the roof of the first floor of the building of the MIMIT comprising a computer room with 200 terminals being constructed by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) had developed cracks. |
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Mann asks for Sikh
detainees’ release CHANDIGARH, July 25 — The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, urged the Union Government today to release all Sikh detainees. He said that if the Russian pilots, who were sentenced to life imprisonment in the Purulia armsdrop case, could be released, there was no reason to keep Sikh detainees behind bars. He said the Russian pilots were tried for waging of war against the country and the same charges were levelled against certain Sikh youth and those arrested immediately after Operation Bluestar in the Golden Temple. |
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House tax without
penalty BATHINDA, July 25 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Bhullar, President of the Nagar Council, here, said that the government had decided to charge house tax without fine from those who had not deposited it so far. He said the people would have to deposit the tax within 30 days after it was passed by the Nagar Council. When asked about the proposal of octroi system to be given on contract he said there was no need for such a contract if all traders were willing to deposit their octroi properly. Punjab transfers CHANDIGARH, July
25 — The Punjab Government today posted Mr Satish Chandra, I.A.S, on repatriation from the Chandigarh Administration, as Special Secretary of the Revenue Department. Mr Sanjay Popli, Administrative Officer with the Director of the Agriculture Department, will take over as the Administrative Officer with the Director of Health and Family Welfare, while Mr Daljit Singh goes as S.D.M. at Roopnagar. Mr Ajmer Singh goes as Estate Officer with PUDA at Bathinda. |
Woman stabbed by
father-in-law AMRITSAR, July 25 — Ms Sarita Batra (38), resident of Shakti Nagar and wife of Mr Raj Kumar, an officer in Punjab National Bank, Naraingarh, was allegedly stabbed here today by her father-in-law Tara Chand when she took time to fetch him a glass of water. Sarita who was looking after her paralytic mother-in-law, Krishna was wiping the sweat off her face when she opened the refrigerator to fetch water then she was stabbed. The alleged incident took place around 11 a.m. Talking to this correspondent, Sarita said she was stabbed on the head first and as she raised her arm, she was stabbed on the arm. She ran to the main door but was repeatedly stabbed in the abdomen. In the third attempt, she managed to open the door as she was stabbed in the back. She ran from her Shakti Nagar house to her brother’s house (about 200 yards from her house). She fell unconscious near an electric pole. Her cousin living nearby saw her and informed her brother. A few residents accompanied her to the emergency ward of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. Mr Raj Kumar who arrived at the hospital when informed was shocked and angry. He said his father had premeditated the plan to kill her. He said his father always used to fight with him and his family on petty issues but he had never been violent. Seema, Sarita’s sister, said Tara Chand would often abuse whenever the mood struck him. Sarita’s cousin went to her house immediately and claimed that Tara Chand tried to attack him too with the same knife. He ran out and informed the police. He claimed that the police was also threatened by Tara Chand as he resisted arrest. A 10-inch blood-stained knife was recovered from him. According to latest reports, Tara Chand is in police custody and Sarita is undergoing treatment. She has seven-eight major stab wounds besides other injuries. An FIR has been lodged.  |
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Rape victim
moves court PATHANKOT, July 25 — Ms Sunita Devi, wife of Mr Sukhjit Singh of Khanpur Chowk here and a rape victim has approached the court for justice. According to the complainant, she was waiting for a three-wheeler to go to Sujanpur on July 18 when Bachan Singh, who is known to the complainant, passed on his scooter and offered her a lift. Near a poultry farm at Sujanpur, he allegedly stopped the scooter at a deserted place and raped her after gagging her. He also warned her against reporting the matter to the police, she alleged. The victim later approached the police but it reportedly refused to take any action against the suspect. Thereupon, she met the SDM, Mr K.K. Garg, and with his intervention she was medically examined. She said in her complaint that even after the medical examination the police refused to take any action. |
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3 killed in road
accident JALANDHAR, July 25 — Three persons were killed and four injured when a mini-truck overturned and rammed into another mini-truck parked along the road near Goraya today. According to the police, Jaspal Singh, Sukhdev Singh, both residents of Indira Colony in Machhiwara, and Fariyad, a Goraya-based ESI employee, who were standing on the road after alighting from their truck, were killed when another speeding mini-truck overturned and crushed them to
death. The injured were shifted to CMC and Hospital at Ludhiana. |
Promotion policy
‘unfair’ MALERKOTLA, July 25 — The Punjab School Education Department has placed the Principals and District Education Officers in the same pay scale on the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission. The Punjab Government has reportedly appointed many junior officers as District Education Officers ignoring the principle of seniority as recommended by the commission. The government has promoted some junior officers as Deputy Directors, sidelining some senior officers. Mr Joginder Singh Aulakh, president, Gazetted Education School Services Association, Punjab, has condemned the ‘‘pick and choose’’ promotion policy. He has said resentment prevails among senior officers and a race has started among junior officers to get promotions through “unfair” means. He has demanded the scraping of this “unjust” policy. As a solution, he has suggested a higher grade for District Education Officers, Deputy Directors and other equivalent posts. |
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Students wait
for results NAWANSHAHR, July 25 — Resentment prevails among students of plus II, who appeared in March, 2000 examination of the Punjab School Education Board. However, their results have not been declared so far. The board issued a gazette on July 16 which contained results of regular students of the humanities group. The board issued another gazette on July 24 which still did not declare their results. |
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BCA, BIT seats
increased AMRITSAR, July 25 — Guru Nanak Dev University has decided to increase the seats in BCA and BIT courses from 37 to 40. However, the number of payment seats will remain the same. Dr S. P. Singh, coordinator of the entrance test and Dean, College Development Council, said here today that counselling for filling the seats lying vacant in colleges after the first counselling would be in the first week of August at the university campus. He said the university had increased the seats for B Com (Professional), BSc (Computer) and B Com courses, in various colleges from 40 to 45 seats. |
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