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| Saturday, July 29, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
SAD may seek change in Preamble ‘Anandpur Sahib resolution stands’ Badal ‘shifts’ stand on US Nagar SGPC restrained from paying wages SAD (A) panel to probe demolition BJP adopts ‘forgive and forget’ strategy |
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3 SSPs on Cong ‘hit list’ Constitute Nangal
civic body: Cong
Giving a fillip to nursing education Brick-kiln owners threaten stir Seed farm in bad shape Two-hour strike by telecom workers Punjab transfers
11 police officers
24-hour vigil on
three rivers
Three fake women
pensioners held Mason beheaded Three booked
for murder
Vigilance staff seeks school
records Heavy rush at counters for
Plus 2 results Bungled marks card
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SAD may seek change in Preamble CHANDIGARH, July 28 — Inclusion of the words “Federation of the States” in place of “ Union” in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution, deletion of Article 356, appointment of the Governor from a panel of names submitted by the state government concerned and winding up of the IAS and the IPS are a few of the topics which will be under discussion at the two high-level meetings convened by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, in Delhi tomorrow. The meetings have been convened by Mr Badal to prepare the draft of the memorandum to be submitted to the Commission for the Review of the Working of the Constitution (CRWC). The first meeting will be of the committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) at Kapurthala House and the second meeting will be of the committee set up by Mr Badal for preparing the state government’s viewpoint on this issue. Informed sources said eminent former Sikh judges had been invited to express their opinions at the meeting of the SAD’s committee. Besides, Mr Badal, Mr H.S. Mattewal, Advocate-General, Punjab, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala and Mr Kirpal Singh Bandungar are members of the SAD’s panel. The state government panel includes senior ministers of the SAD and the BJP. Informed official sources said that Mr Badal had requested the CRWC authorities to extend the date for submitting the memorandum. The state government and the SAD had been asked to submit their viewpoints by July 31. However, the sources said that if the date was not extended, at least an interim memorandum on behalf of the government and the SAD would be submitted separately by the due date. The sources also said that Mr Mattewal, convener of one of the panels had also written to the CRWC authorities for separate panels to deal with matters relating to the minorities and the Scheduled Castes. The CRWC has set up 10 panels under eminent former judges to deal with different subjects like Centre-state relations and to obtain the views of states, experts and the political organisations. Meanwhile, according to sources, the paper prepared for discussion at tomorrow’s meeting of the committee of the state government says that there is no need for Article 356. It should be deleted. There are references to its misuse in the past against state governments for purely political reasons. The paper for discussion has been circulated among the members of the committee and they have been requested to formulate their opinions on all important points stated therein. The final draft will be prepared on the basis the consensus emerging on different points at tomorrow’s meeting, it is learnt. The paper with the main thrust on Centre-state relations has been prepared as per the spirit of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution passed at the SAD’s conference in Ludhiana in October, 1978. The memorandum submitted to the Sarkaria Commission has also been considered. It has been felt that the recommendations made by the Sarkaria panel failed to meet the aspirations and expectations of the states pressing for more powers. Another important point stated in the paper is with regard to changing the Preamble to the Constitution. It has been suggested that the word “Union” should be replaced with the “Federation of the States”. It has been made clear that there is no dispute as far as the unity and integrity of the country is concerned and it should be further strengthened by making the states strong and prosperous in the light of the emerging global scenario. There is also a proposal in the paper that the Governor should be appointed from the panel of three names submitted by the state government to the Union Government. The vast powers enjoyed by the Governors should be curtailed and they should not be allowed to use their powers arbitrarily against the elected state governments. In fact, one member of the committee, according to sources, has suggested the scrapping of the office of Governor. As it is a part of the colonial legacy, it should go, the member has suggested. There should be ratification of all amendments to the Constitution by at least half of the total number of states in the country. In fact, there should not be any amendment curtailing the powers of the state in any direct or indirect manner. Without ratification, no amendment should be enforced. There have been a large number of amendments to the Constitution in the past 50 years and most of these have been aimed at the centralisation of powers. As far as framing laws pertaining to the concurrent list is concerned, there should also be approval of half of the total number of states. The paper suggests that there is no need for the IAS and the IPS. States should be allowed to strengthen their own officer cadres for administrative and management purposes on modern lines. Services like the IAS and the IPS should be wound up gradually. The scrapping of several central organisations like the Finance Commission, the Prices Commission, the Planning Commission and the Food Corporation of India has also been suggested. It is felt that these bodies have been set up the Union Government to curtail the powers of the states. Such organisations interfere in the functioning of the states. The boundaries of the states should not be changed arbitrarily. While deciding the allocation of areas to the states, the criteria of linguistic contiguity and the village as unit should be followed. Acts like the Disturbed Areas Act should not be imposed without the approval of the state government concerned. There is a detailed mention of the devolution of financial powers and increasing the share of the states to 50 per cent from the central pool of taxes and the allocation of financial
assistance to the states by including new parameters in the Gadgil formula. The SAD’s panel also met here last evening to discuss the issues. |
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‘Anandpur Sahib resolution stands’ GURDASPUR, July 28 — Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, a senior Akali Dal leader, talking to newsmen at Gurdwara Sat Kartarian at Batala yesterday said the J&K resolution on autonomy was distinct in character. The 1973 Anandpur Sahib resolution seeking greater autonomy for states was totally different. Mr Barnala said the 1973 Anandpur Sahib resolution on autonomy was still there and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had started lobbying with other like-minded parties. The SAD was a staunch votary of the federal structure under which defence, railways, telecommunications, currency and foreign affairs should be with the Centre. Mr Barnala accused the Congress for diverting the country towards a unitary structure. Mr Barnala said by imposing federal structure with greater autonomy to the states, the share of the states in the collection of taxes would go up and would improve the economy of the states. Greater autonomy would also give independence to the states to set up industries in view of the availability of raw material in various parts of the states. This would end the unemployment and would make profitable use of the raw material available in the state. |
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Badal ‘shifts’ stand on US Nagar LUDHIANA, July 28 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, in an apparent shift in his earlier stand on the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in the proposed Uttaranchal Pradesh, today said he was not opposed to the creation of new states, in keeping with aspirations of the masses. But, at the same time, the reorganisation must respect the wishes of the people to be affected by the process. Talking to mediapersons here, the Chief Minister, who was to leave for Delhi in the evening for his scheduled visit to US Nagar along with the Union Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Ram Parkash Gupta on Saturday, disagreed that the visit of the three-member committee headed by Mr Fernandes would serve no purpose at this stage, since the Bill for creation of the hill state (Uttaranchal Pradesh) had already been introduced in the Lok Sabha. On the affairs of the Youth Akali Dal and the infighting in the party, Mr Badal said: “There are no differences and we shall set everything right very soon.” On the BJP, the alliance partner’s aspiration to have its Chief Minister in Punjab, he commented that every political party nursed such ambitions and wished to gain strength, but ultimately it was the people, who made final decisions. The Chief Minister, while presiding over a convention organised by the Sikh Students Federation (Mehta-Chawla) in Grain Market grounds on Gill Road dwelt on the long history of the Shiromani Akali Dal as a crusader for the cause of the Sikh Panth, the state of Punjab and the nation. The party had made valuable contribution in the freedom struggle and later, during emergency, took on the might of the then all powerful Congress government for the restoration of civil liberties. In his tirade against the Congress Mr Badal said his government would need some time to undo what had been done to the state during 45 years’ of Congress ‘misrule’. The Congress, he alleged, had sown the seeds of communal hatred for its political motives and further, had pushed the nation towards abject poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. The Chief Minister also charged the then Congress government, headed by Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, with entering into agreements like GATT and WTO, which had thrown the domestic industry, trade and agriculture out of gear. “The NDA government headed by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee could not back out from these agreements but as a damage repair exercise, import duties had been imposed to offset the adverse impacts of these global agreements.” Taking shots at the former SGPC chief and the president of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, he charged him with hobnobbing with the Congress, and termed the relationship as most ‘unholy and unprincipled’. The right thinking (sahi soch wale) Panthic activists were coming back to the mainstream
SAD (B), which he said, was a welcome sign. Mr Badal said the decision of senior leadership of the SSF, including its president, Mr Rajinder Singh Mehta and secretary general Mr Amarjit Singh Chawla, to formally join the
SAD (B) was ‘historic’. He exhorted the youth to remain cautious against the evil designs of ‘anti-Panth’ forces and to rally round the party to make it strong. The Chief Minister offered siropas to the Mehta-Chawla duo after they announced their decision to join the
SAD (B) and assured that the youth and student activists would be accorded proper status and place in the party. The function was attended by a number of senior
SAD (B) leaders and ministerial colleagues of Mr Badal. Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stones of two railway overbridges, to be constructed at Dhuri railway line on Link Road and Dhandari Kalan railway crossing at an estimated cost of Rs 24.51 crore. Speaking at this occasion, Mr Badal appreciated the work of the municipal corporation, particularly with respect to development projects and expansion of infrastructure in the city. |
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SGPC restrained from paying wages AMRITSAR, July 28 — The Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission today restrained the SGPC from paying salaries to 243 employees recruited “illegally” during the tenure of Bibi Jagir Kaur as SGPC chief. The commission comprising Mr Manmohan Singh Brar, Chairman, Mr Amrik Singh Randhawa and Mr Ajwant Singh Mann, accepting the application of Mr Hardev Singh, an activist of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, directed that the salaries of these employees be stopped “till further orders”. The affected staff include sewadars, helpers, clerks, granthis, ragis, drivers, supervisors, a junior engineer, proof readers, a dental doctor, chief legal advisor, officer on special duty, typists and “Panj Piaras”. The application was moved by Mr Hardev Singh on July 25 under Order 39 rules 1 and 2 read with Section 151 of the CPC seeking an ad interim injunction for restraining and respondents — Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC president, Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, secretary, Mr Harjit Singh, assistant secretary and in charge of establishment, from giving salaries to these appointees. The commission, however, did not pass any orders on the plea of the applicant that the amount by way of salaries already paid to the staff be recovered from the respondents. A hearing on the main petition of Mr Hardev Singh moved under Section 142 of the Sikh Gurdwara Act is slated for August 11. In the petition, the applicant has sought removal of the respondents from their appointments in the SGPC and removal of Bibi Jagir Kaur from the executive committee. The petition listed a total of 346 persons inducted in the SGPC “illegally”, flouting service rules. The petitioner has alleged that these persons have been employed without ascertaining their minimum age as required for services in gurdwaras under Section 85 of the Sikh Gurdwara Act and in violation of the rule that no person be taken into employment of the SGPC whose near and dear relatives are already in the service of the SGPC. SAD (A) panel to probe demolition AMRITSAR, July 28 — Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, member of Parliament and President of the SAD (Amritsar), has formed a three-member fact-finding committee to probe the demolition of the historic structure near Baba Atal during ‘kar seva’. Talking to TNS, Mr Mann said the committee would include Mr Jagdhir Singh Katro, Mr Baldev Singh Sehjra and Mr Jaswant Singh Rajindergarh, all SGPC members. It would file its report within a month on the destruction of historic gurdwaras during the presidentship of Bibi Jagir Kaur and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Mr Mann said his party would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Sikh Gurdwara Commission against the “vandalism” of religious places. Many Sikhs had been hurt due to the demolition of the ‘Barah dari’ near Baba Atal and damage to a portion of Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran. Mr Mann alleged the Chief Minister could not escape responsibility for the harm done to the rich heritage of the Sikhs as he headed the party which ran the SGPC. Mr Mann said as per the United Nations charter, those who destroyed heritage, religious places and monuments were to be treated as ‘criminals of war’. He said those responsible for the demolition of historic monuments should be tried in international courts. He alleged that bathroom tiles were being pasted on murals and frescos as the ruling SGPC was “unaware of the Sikh school of architecture”. He said Sikh architecture was different from the Muslim and Christian schools of architecture. He alleged a deep-rooted conspiracy to destroy the Sikh heritage at the behest of the BJP and the RSS. “While bullet marks were removed after Operation Bluestar during the presidentship of Mr Tohra, many Sikh structures have been destroyed during the presidentship of Bibi Jagir Kaur”, Mr Mann said. 
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BJP adopts ‘forgive and forget’ strategy CHANDIGARH, July 28 — For making a new beginning in its relations with SAD, the BJP today adopted the line of “forgive and forget” about what happened in the past days. A high-level meeting of the state unit of the BJP was held here today under the chairmanship of its President, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa. Almost all office-bearers of the state unit and senior party functionaries, MLAs and ministers of the party in the Punjab Government participated in the meeting. Mr Rinwa told mediapersons that the party had decided to forget what happened in the past days and was preparing a ground for a smooth relationship with its alliance partner SAD in the Punjab and the central governments. It may be mentioned that the BJP and SAD relations remained strained in the past weeks because of the differences over certain important policy matters and issues between the two, included free power to the farming sector. However, informed sources said the party would probably not rake up the issue of free power to farmers again. The impression making the round was that the BJP was deliberately raising the issue of free power to farmers to prick its partner SAD, in the government. Certain senior leaders, who belonged to a liberal camp within the BJP, have prevailed upon the BJP leadership to close this issue and make a new beginning. Liberal leaders feel that the farmer community in the state was hard pressed and passing through a bad phase and it was not time to put it under more financial burden by raising the issue of free power. In fact, the BJP has come out with an alternative agenda. It passed the resolution seeking the lowering the power tariff rates for the domestic consumers of all categories today. The copy of the resolution will be sent to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. The BJP will press the state government to implement what it wanted in connection with the lowering of the power tariff in case of the domestic sector. The BJP’s resolution pertaining to the reviewing of the domestic power tariff is clearly aimed at the next vidhan sabha elections. There are more than 50 lakh domestic consumers in the state and even a slight cut in the tariff will send a right message to the people in the state. The BJP has also demanded an increase in the compensation to Rs 2.5 lakh from Rs 1 for each victim of the Jalandhar bus bomb blast. It has also urged the state government to contribute Rs 100 per unit as premium for the insurance scheme announced by the Union Government for those below the poverty line. The Union Government will also contribute Rs 100 as premium for each unit in this connection. Mr Rinwa said the proposed coordination committees among the SAD-BJP activists at the district level would be set up within the next four days. An apex coordination committee would be set up at the State level in which senior members of the BJP and the SAD would be included. The party has decided to concentrate on all those constituencies which was allocated to it in the last vidhan sabha elections. |
3 SSPs on Cong ‘hit list’ KHEM KARAN, July 28 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) has prepared a ‘hit list’ of police officers, including three district police chiefs, for having committed excesses on Congress workers and implicating them in cases. Addressing a protest rally in this border town here today, Mr Amarinder Singh, president of the PPCC, alleged that his party would take action against these officers after coming into power in the next Assembly elections. Mr Amarinder Singh named Mr Jagdish Mittal, Mr Shard Chauhan and Mr Gurcharan Singh Pherurai, district police chiefs of Tarn Taran, Moga and Ferozepore, respectively, in this connection. He alleged they (the SSPs) had been functioning like workers of the ruling SAD. Mr Amarinder Singh alleged that as many as nine “false” cases were registered against Mr Tarlok Singh Chakwalia, a former chairman of the Block Samiti, Valtoha, at the behest of Mr Surinder Singh Kairon, a relative of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Replying to a question, Mr Amarinder Singh said his party was prepared for a “jail bharo” agitation in case police excesses continued. The PPCC chief denied there was any differences in the Congress. He, however, said any leader had the right to contest organisational elections. “Let Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar or any other leader contest elections. This is their democratic right.” Mr Amarinder Singh said his party was fully geared for mid-term Assembly elections as it was of the view that Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, was likely to announce the elections before the next Budget session as its popularity graph was going down. The PPCC chief said he had recommended to the party high command not to take any action against Mr Gurinder Singh Kairon, a senior Congress leader who was served with a show-cause notice for levelling serious charges against him (Mr Amarinder Singh). He said Mr Kairon had already explained his position to him during a private meeting. Mr Jasbir Singh, former minister and general secretary of the PPCC, said a number of protest rallies would be organised at various places in the state. The PPCC would launch an organised campaign against “police torture”. Mr Gurchet Singh Bhullar, a former Congress minister, alleged that Mr Gurinder Singh, a former Congress Member of Parliament and a relative of Mr Badal, had unleashed terror on the people of the Majha region with the help of the police. Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, a former Chief Minister, Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, vice-president, PPCC, Mr Gurinder Singh Kairon and their supporters were conspicuous by their absence. |
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Constitute Nangal
civic body: Cong ROPAR, July 28 — The newly elected municipal councillors of the Congress have demanded early constitution of the Nangal municipal council. In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, Mr G.S. Grewal, they alleged that the council was not being constituted by the authorities concerned despite the fact that the State Election Commission had already notified the election of the new councillors on June 19. They also alleged that the council functionaries were misusing the civic body’s funds by inviting tenders for execution of trivial works without the consent of the newly elected members. The motive behind this undue haste in spending council funds was to serve the ruling party’s interests, they further alleged. The Deputy Commissioner said he would try to make sure that the council gets constituted within a week. About the allegation of misuse of council funds, he said he had called for an explanation on the issue from the SDM, Anandpur Sahib, and the Executive Officer of the Nangal Council. |
Giving a fillip to nursing education NAWANSHAHAR: The nursing profession has a great potential in India. According to a survey, there are only 35,000 qualified nurses in the country against an estimated requirement of about 16 lakh nurses. The Guru Nanak College of Nursing, Dhahan Kaleran, was established in 1993 as a modest endeavour to bridge this gap in the field of nursing education. Another of its avowed aim was to promote the cause of women’s education, especially those belonging to the rural areas and enable them to get employment. Women from the Doaba region stand to gain greatly from this institution. The degree awarded by the college is recognised in foreign countries. The college has 28 per cent seats reserved for candidates from the rural areas. It is the only institution of nursing education in the country to have entered into a partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada, for educational and cultural exchange programmes. Recently, under one such programme, Prof Donalda Parker and Prof Lynne Esson from the School of Nursing, British Columbia, visited the college for curriculum planning. According to Mr Budh Singh Dhahan, founder of the Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust which runs the college, the partnership agreement with the UBC was signed in May last year. The agreement will facilitate exchange of curriculum, teachers and students and holding of workshops and seminars to foster the development of nursing education, practice and research in the country. The college has a spacious building and its classrooms are equipped with high-tech equipment such as overhead projectors, slide projectors, X-ray film viewing screens etc to impart training about the latest techniques in nursing to the students. The Guru Nanak Medical and Educational Society, British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, has sponsored the setting up of four laboratories on the campus of this college. These laboratories are equipped with the latest and the most sophisticated instruments to provide nursing education of international standards. The society is also assisting the trust in completing the construction of four guest houses at Dhahan Kaleran for the convenience of the visiting faculty members and students from the UBC. The college also has a four-storeyed hostel for the students. It was inaugurated by the SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, on International Nurses’ Day. She had announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh from the SGPC funds for the college on the occasion. The trust is also running a 250-bed hospital having 10 specialities and modern facilities which gives the students hands-on experience of nursing. It should come as no surprise then that the college was adjudged the best nursing college in the state in 1998. |
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Brick-kiln owners threaten stir NAWANSHAHR July 28 — The Punjab Brick-kiln Owners Association held a state-level conference here today that was attended by office-bearers and members of the district units of the
association. The conference resolved to go on an indefinite strike in protest against the imposition of “illogical” taxes and labour laws. Mr Sardool Singh Baroondi and Mr S.P. Bansal, president and general secretary, respectively, of the association, said the government had burdened them with the “irrational royalty tax (Rs 45 per thousand bricks) on the production of bricks and had increased the lumpsum sales tax to 52 per cent. They said in 1993 the government had divided the brickkilns into three categories and levied a lumpsum sales tax of Rs 1.06 lakh, Rs 85,000 and Rs 75,000 per annum on A, B and C categories, respectively. In 1998, the government had increased it to Rs 1.38 lakh, Rs 1.06 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Again in April, 2000, the government, had hiked the sales tax to Rs 2 lakh, Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 1.06 lakh, respectively and that too without taking the association into confidence. Moreover, though the brickkiln industry was a seasonal one, the government had been imposing “industry and labour laws” applicable to heavy industries on the brickkilns. As a result, the brickkiln owners had to face litigations and incur heavy losses in advance payments to the labour. The association, while demanding immediate withdrawal of the “royalty tax” and hike in the sales tax, pleaded that the government should convene a meeting of representatives of the association and labour unions to enact labour laws suitable to the brickkiln industry. |
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Seed farm in bad shape NABHA, July 28 — The seed farm on the Nabha-Bhawanigarh road has been in troubled waters since the day it was shifted from ‘Gram Udyog Training Centre of the Agriculture Department. There are two farms under the Chief Agriculture Officer, Patiala, and the condition of both is bad. One 50-acre farm is at Tran village and the other 110-acre farm is at Nabha. The Nabha farm has only two tubewells, one is powered by a 17.5 horsepower (hp) motor and the other is run by a 7 hp motor. The smaller tubewell is out of order and the other tubewell is inadequate for the needs of the farm. The farming equipment — cultivator, seed sowing machines and discs are also not in good working condition. The four tractors on the farm have been damaged beyond repair due to negligence of the Agriculture Department. Gurdial Singh, a beldar, was promoted Sub-Inspector and given charge of the tractors. He retired eight months ago after serving for 24 years but, as yet nobody is ready to take the charge from him as all the equipment, including the tractors, have been shown to be in working condition on papers. Mr Madan Chand Walia, in charge of the seed farm at Nabha, says the department does not have money either to buy seeds or to get the equipment repaired. At least five 10 hp motors and four 50 hp tractors are required to cultivate the farm. Drainage water was being used to water the paddy cultivated on the farm but this water could be used only for the first 30-35 days. After that tubewell water was required as otherwise the seeds were of poor quality. A large quantity of such seeds was lying useless at the farm. All the money earned from the sale of seeds was deposited in the treasury and no money was given for the maintenance of the farm. Mr Walia says the money received from the sale of seeds should be used for the maintenance of the farm and to clear the debts. The remaining money could be treated as profit and be deposited in the treasury. The Chief Agriculture Officer, Mr S.N.S. Dhillon, was not available for comments at his office in Patiala. The staff at Nabha farm demands funds and more staff to run the farm successfully. Two-hour strike by telecom workers PATIALA, July 28 — Adhering to the call of three federations of Telecom employees (NFTE, BTEF, FNTO), the telecom workers at Patiala observed a two-hour strike from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. today. Addressing the rally of employees, Mr Manohar Lal Sharma, Circle Secretary, All-India Telecom Employees Union Class-II Punjab, explained the reason for their opposition of entry of private operators in national long-distance services. Mr Sharma said DoT/Department of Telecom Services had been providing rural connections by incurring huge losses. Only one of the six private companies had provided such connections in only 12 villages, whereas they were committed for 58,000 villages, said a press release issued by Mr Sharma. Maintaining that the private companies were interested only in profit making, the press release said if they were allowed to take away about 40 per cent of the profit out of the Rs 12000 crore trunk revenue, DTS was sure to be declared sick and privatised after coporatisation, against which the three federations were determined to go on indefinite strike in fourth week of August. Others who addressed the rally were Mr Dev Dutt Sharma, Circle Secretary, BTEU, Mr Nirmal Prashad and Mr Jaswinderjit Singh.
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Punjab transfers
11 police officers CHANDIGARH, July 28 — The Punjab Government today ordered the transfer of 11 police officers. Mr Harish Kumar has been transferred to Majitha as SP (Operations) and Mr Surinder Kumar has been transferred as SP (Detective) to Tarn
Taran. Mr Mohinder Singh has been shifted to Barnala as SP (Headquarters) and Mr Pritpal Singh has been sent to Patiala as SP (CID). Ms Vibhu Raj has been shifted as SP (Operations), Tarn
Taran, and Mr Surinderpal Singh Parmar has been posted in PAP, Jalandhar. Mr Shiv Kumar has been sent to Moga as SP (Detective) and Mr Raj Balochan Singh as sent to PAP as Assistant Commandant of 27 Battalion. Mr Surinder Singh has been shifted to Hoshiarpur as SP (Operations) and Mr Kamal Kumar has been sent to PAP as SP
(RTC). Mr Hartej Singh has been sent to 9 Battalion of PAP.
PATIALA, July 28 — The Federation of Arhtiya Association of Punjab, today, accused the Government of India of not planning any effective policy to sell surplus stocks of wheat. A press note issued by the association secretary, Mr Bal Krishan Singla said due to lack of basic infrastructure the wheat cannot be to protected from the rain. Only about 95 lakh tonnes of wheat has been procured in Punjab during the current season when the country has a total stock of 265 lakh tonnes of wheat, it said. To recover the loss, the government needs to sell the surplus wheat in the foreign market, mainly to Pakistan, who is short of 20 lakh tonnes of wheat, the press note added. |
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Istri Sabha adopts
martyr’s family AMRITSAR, July 28 — The Punjab Istri Sabha has adopted the family of Kargil martyr Kamlesh of Hakla village near Jammu. The honorary secretary of the sabha, Mrs Vimla Dang, said today that on the first anniversary of the Kargil victory, a cheque of Rs 5,000 had been sent to the martyr’s wife. Her children would be given stipends and an allowance for purchasing books as soon as certificates about the classes in which they were studying were received. Kamlesh out of patriotic fervour had gone to Kargil with the Army as a porter. |
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Arhtiyas await payment PATIALA, July 28 — The Federation of Arhtiya Association of Punjab, today requested the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to release the long standing payments to the arhtiyas. The wheat purchased by the state government since June this year has not been paid for, said a press note issued by the association president, Mr Bal Krishan Singla, here today. The bill of the New Anaj Mandi, Patiala, itself is to the tune of Rs 1 crore, it said. |
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Interest rates
for farmers cut by 1.5 pc CHANDIGARH, July 28 — The Punjab Cooperation Minister, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, has announced a reduction in the rate of interest of up to 1.5 per cent on revolving cash credit limits meant for farmers. In a statement issued here today, a spokesman for the department said that under the cash credit limits scheme, the Central Cooperative Banks in the state were providing a loan facility of up to Rs 3 lakh to farmers for meeting their socio-economic needs depending upon their land holdings. With effect from June 1 this year, farmers would pay 15 per cent interest on a loan of up to Rs 1.50 lakh and 15.5 per cent interest on a loan above this limit. There will be a benefit of Rs 5 crore to Rs 7 crore to the farming community due to a cut in the interest rates, the spokesman said. |
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Haj applications
invited CHANDIGARH, July 28 — The Punjab Government has invited applications from pilgrims for the Haj pilgrimage up to August 5 to ensure adequate advance arrangements in this regard. Mr Nusrat Ali Khan, Chairman of the Punjab State Haj Committee, said here today that persons interested in undertaking Haj pilgrimage can send their applications in original directly to the Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur. |
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PMET candidate’s
plea admitted CHANDIGARH, July 28 — The High Court today admitted a petition filed by a candidate of the Punjab pre-medical entrance test challenging a notice under which an earlier order allowing candidates, residing in Punjab but having passed plus one and two from outside, to appear for the test was
withdrawn. The petition filed by Ms Akansha Sharma was taken up by a Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice N.K. Sud.
Udaan released PATIALA, July 28 — A book titled Udaan, comprising a collection of Hindipoems by Ms Alka Arora was released recently here on the premises of Yadavindra Public School. The book aims at imparting value-based education to the children. |
24-hour vigil on
three rivers AMRITSAR, July 28 — In view of apprehension of floods in the current monsoon season, the district administration today established a flood control room at the district headquarters here for a 24-hour vigil on the flow of the Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej. The ADC, Mr Baljit Singh, told a meeting of officials of different departments that places vulnerable to floods had been identified and the staff asked to remain alert in case of any emergency. He directed the Sub-Divisional Officers of Patti, Khadoor Sahib, Baba Bakala and Ajnala to identify places where relief camps could be established. Drainage department officials said certain drainage nullahs like Sakki and Kasur could cause a havoc in the area. |
Three fake women
pensioners held AMRITSAR, July 28 — In follow-up action on a report, “Staff embezzle pension money” published in The Tribune dated July 1, the police today arrested three “fake” women pensioners in the scam involving employees of the District Social Welfare Department (DSWD) and banking staff. Some fake accounts were opened in different banks for the purpose of drawing out money from another fake account of the DSWD, which was being operated by two clerks, and a chowkidar of the department — Vinod Kumar, Sukhwinder Singh and Rattan Singh — along with agent Sunder Singh and Gurinder Singh, who posed as another person to open a fake official DSWD account. The accused had opened about 27 accounts in Allahabad Bank, the Bank of Baroda and the State Bank of India in the name fictitious women pensioners to deposit money from pension drafts returned from all over the district. The three women arrested today were among the 27 fake account holders. Charno Kaur, Gurmeeto and Darshno, all belonging to Pandori Sidhwa village in the Chabal area, were arrested from their native place following photo identification from their bank accounts. Mr Lakha Singh Sandhu, DSP, CIA (Detective), informed that a woman, Kaushalaya, would also be arrested in this connection in a day or two. The fake women pensioners are reportedly neither old nor widows and are, therefore, not eligible for pension. An amount of Rs 7000, Rs 3200, etc has reportedly been drawn from their bank accounts by them. Photo identification parades are being conducted to arrest other fake pensioners allegedly involved in the scam. Meanwhile, it is learnt that clerk Sukhwinder Singh’s (DSWD) bail application has been rejected by the Magistrate and the accused has absconded. |
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Mason
beheaded ABOHAR, July 28 — Ranjit Singh, alias Ranjha (25), was beheaded at his residence on the outskirts of Koelkhera village by some unidentified persons on Wednesday night, the subdivision police said today. Sources said Ranjit Singh, son of Mahender Singh, had been living alone since 1998. The victim was a mason. His body was found lying in a cart under a tree in the house yesterday morning. The police rushed to the spot after being informed by the uncle of the victim. A case has been registered under Section 302, IPC, at Khuiyansarwer police station. The body was handed over to the parents today after a post-mortem examination at the local civil hospital. The
assailant (s) had beheaded Ranjha with a sharp-edged weapon. The police is trying to ascertain whether the victim was having a love affair with a girl of the same village. |
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Three booked
for murder JALANDHAR, July 28 — The Adampur police has booked three persons for suspected involvement in the murder of Jaswinder Singh (20), a resident of Ranjit Nagar of Adampur. Jaswinder Singh had been missing since July 20. His body was found by his father, Mr Harbhajan Singh, and one of his friends near Haripur village yesterday. Mr Harbhajan Singh has alleged that his son may have been killed by Lalli, Gabbar and Kaka Minhas, as they were not on good terms with the deceased. The police has registered a case. |
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Body found RAMPURA PHUL, (Bathinda) July 28 — Unidentified persons murdered Mr Jagdev Singh, a resident of Gandhi Basti, near the Maur road here this morning. Police sources said the body with a slit throat was found at 6 a.m. A case has been registered. |
Vigilance staff seeks school
records FEROZEPORE, July 28 — Suspecting large-scale irregularities in admissions to Jalalabad Central School, the Vigilance Bureau has sought the entrance test answer sheets from the Kendriya Vidyalaya authorities for investigation. This follows the arrest of the school principal, Om Praksh Poonia, on the charge of accepting bribe from a parent seeking admission of his wards on July 17. The Vigilance Bureau, after arresting the principal, had found that many entrance test answer sheets were unchecked, indicating ‘irregularities’ in admissions. The investigation officer of the case, the DSP (Vigilance), Mr Baljeet Singh, has now asked the Kendriya Vidyalaya authorities to furnish the entrance test record for further investigation. Confirming this to The Tribune, the Superintendent of Police (Vigilance), Mr Hardyal Singh Mann, said that the entrance test sheets would be scrutinised to ascertain the extent of irregularities committed during the admissions. The principal was allegedly caught while accepting Rs 4,000 as gratification from Gopi Ram of Fazilka. In his complaint to the Vigilance Bureau, Gopi Ram had accused the principal of demanding Rs 1,000 each for the admission of his three children and an equal amount for an ‘unidentified’ senior Kendriya Vidyalaya official. Later, the Bureau staff laid a trap on the school, which is a part of the Border Security Force (BSF) complex, and arrested the principal red handed. Initially, the BSF had resisted the raid, saying that it could not allow outsiders inside the campus, but later agreed to it. The principal was allegedly counting the money handed over to him by Gopi Ram, when the vigilance team swooped on the school campus. The entrance test answer sheets of the three children were immediately seized and found unchecked. During a quick scrutiny of the records, DSP Baljeet Singh also found some other answer sheets as unchecked, raising doubts of irregularities in admissions. This has prompted the Vigilance Bureau to thoroughly scrutinise the admission records for in-depth investigation of the matter. A primary teacher, Mr C.J. Ram, who claimed to be monitoring the school in the absence of a principal, admitted that no formality was observed at the time of the admission of Gopi Ram’s children. He, however, said that the school had not received any fresh communication from the Vigilance Bureau seeking submission of admission record until now, but assured that it would be handed over as and when required. |
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Heavy rush at counters for
Plus 2 results SAS NAGAR, July 28 — A heavy rush was witnessed at the special enquiry counters opened by the Punjab School Education Board authorities at its head office here today. Though the board authorities made an effort to streamline the process of redressing the complaints of the public, confusion prevailed among the seekers of 10+2 results of different streams. As per the instructions of the authorities the result seekers were issued slips on the basis they were asked to contact the enquiry counter in the afternoon. In some of the cases when the candidates and their parents returned to get their result they were told to go directly to the officials concerned in the examination branch. In the examination branch the candidates who had come from distant places like Amritsar, Bathinda, Ferozepore and Mansa had to trace the employee concerned to get their work done. The work at the enquiry counters was also affected due to farewell party being given to an employee. Yesterday, the board authorities had said that the result cards of a number of schools which had been shown as RLA in the result gazette had led to an increase in the cases of enquiry. The result card of such schools were being dispatched by special messengers. Sources by the board authorities revealed that in case of vocational stream, the result of the candidates of the schools who had appeared in ‘On the job’ subject been shown as RLA as the award sheet of the subject had not been received by the board. Meanwhile, for the convenience of the public all examination branches of the board will remain open. |
Bungled marks card NAWANSHAHR, July 28 — The Punjab School Education Board, Mohali, has sent the class 10th detailed marks card of Lakhvinder Singh, who has not even appeared for the examination. Mr Hans Raj Sharma, Principal of Doaba Arya Senior Secondary School, said the roll number slip of Lakhvinder Singh, was sent back to the board as the student’s name had been struck off the school register. Lakhvinder Singh’s roll number was 602655. Roll number 602656 was assigned to another student, Naresh Kumar. The board had issued the detailed marks card of this roll number in Lakhvinder Singh’s name, the Principal said. |
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