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| Friday, August 11, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Wooing
super-speciality medicare Include Pak in talks: Bhagwat SHSAD in league with Cong: Badal Cong preparations for manifesto Jagjit Singh seeks Advani’s resignation ‘Land grab’, govt style
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Sonia’s directive to Punjab
dissident leaders Tohra men not
allowed to stage dharna Youth
SHSAD stages dharna
Punjab to upgrade road network Joint checkpost to be ready by I-Day 3,000 welfare bodies blacklisted Encroachments change face of Baradari Gardens Now CCTVs for bus stand
9 Pak nationals released MP seeks action
against PWD officials AIDS Control Society funds ‘misutilised’ Jacob visits site of academy Court order set aside on ex-Director’s plea
80 list grievances at sangat darshan
PRO Chowhan held on graft charge Aman murder case unresolved Youth poisoned
to death ?
School board to be
decentralised
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Wooing
super-speciality medicare SAS NAGAR, Aug 10 — To woo super-speciality health care facilities the Punjab Government through its nodal development agency, Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) has finalised an attractive policy for the allotment of land to medical institutions. The policy was finalised at a high-level meeting chaired by the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister, Ms Upinderjit Kaur, in Chandigarh last evening. As per the policy at least 5 per cent of indoor patients and 10 per cent of outdoor patients from among the yellow card holders will be provided free medical treatment at these institutions The main incentive to the applicants will be land at concessional rates. The allotment rates for SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar, Phagwara and Bathinda were Rs 1700 per sq yard, Rs 2060 per sq yard, Rs 1620 per sq yard, Rs 1670 per sq yard, RS 1400 per sq yard and Rs 1350 per sq yard, respectively. While the 25 per cent of the allotment price will be payable up-front, the remaining 75 per cent of the allotment price will be divided in six equal instalments at a concessional rate of 9 per cent per annum, payable on reducing balance basis. In case of the allottees willing to pay the price in advance, a discount at a rate of 11 per cent on an annual basis will be provided on the amount paid in advance. The Minister said the super specialities considered for allotment of land were cardiology and cardiac surgery, neurology and neuro surgery, pulmonary medicine and chest surgery, nephrology, oncology, orthopaedic surgery, ENT, ophthalmology, gastroenterology, gynaecology, paediatrics, vascular surgery and physiotherapy rehabilitation. The minimum investment for the project has been fixed at Rs 15 crore and the area norm a maximum of one acre for every 15 crore worth of investment. The project will have to be completed within a period of four years and any default in completion of the project will attract normal rate of interest as well as penal interest. In addition to the above policy, an empowered committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary of Punjab is being set up to provide additional incentives for such projects wherein the investment exceeds Rs 100 crore. The committee will have jurisdiction over the matters pertaining to all government departments, including PUDA. While allotting the sites for super-speciality hospitals a screening committee of PUDA will see the background and experience of the promoters in medicare, quantum of investment proposed to be made within the country and abroad, level of technology and quality of service to be provided. The building plans will have to be in harmony with the environment and should not lead to traffic congestion. Besides, the Finance and Accounts Committee of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), which also met under the Chairmanship of the minister, has decided to regularise the coverage of open rear courtyard in different shop-cum-flats and offices in SAS Nagar. The offer of composition will be valid for three months subject to payment of composition fee at a rate of Rs 200 per sq feet of the excess area. Similarly the basements in commercial establishments had been allowed subject to payment of Rs 1500 per sq feet. The junior engineers and the supervisory staff will be personally responsible for any building violation in their respective area. To boost the industrial activity, specially in SAS Nagar, PUDA has decided to give time up to June 31, 2001, to the owners of industrial plots for completion of the building as per approved plans. The extension fee for such plots has been fixed at a rate of Rs 200 per sq yard. Other decisions taken at the finance and accounts committee meeting were dedicating an additional 2 per cent of the sale proceeds on the sale of land by PUDA for human resource development activities, special housing schemes for employees and fixing of reserve prices for built-up-booths and rehri sites in its urban estates throughout the state. |
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Include Pak in talks: Bhagwat LUDHIANA, Aug 10 — Close on the heels of the Hizbul Mujahideen’s withdrawal of ceasefire offer for the failure on the part of the Government of India to include Pakistan in the negotiations for solving the Kashmir problem, former Chief of Naval Staff Vishnu Bhagwat has favoured tripartite talks between the government of India, the Kashmiri militants and Pakistan to solve the problem. He said there was nothing wrong in involving Pakistan in the talks as it was already a defacto party to the dispute. In an exclusive interview with TNS here, Admiral Bhagwat, however, sought to emphasise and clarify that there could and should not be any doubt about Kashmir being an integral part of the country. “One thing should be clear that the accession of Jammu and Kashmir with India was final, irrevocable and non-negotiable”, he asserted. Explaining his stand on Kashmir, he said India had often been saying that all outstanding disputes between India and Pakistan, including Kashmir, could be solved within the purview of the Simla agreement. “Why should we refuse to acknowledge it now”, he asked, while referring to the latest Indian stand refusing any role to Pakistan in arriving at a solution to the Kashmir problem. Admiral Bhagwat known for his unorthodox and bold views, which led to his unceremonious exit from the Navy’s top job last year was critical of the handling of the Kashmir situation. Nor was he satisfied with the country’s defence management. Pointing out the incoherence in the Central Government’s approach to the Kashmir problem, he said on one hand it (the government) was not prepared to speak to the state government on the issue of
greater autonomy, while on the other it had opened its doors to the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Hurriyat Conference. “I am not opposed to talks with the Hurriyat or Hizbul, but why should the genuine representatives be ignored”, he said. The former Admiral was also opposed to enhancing the country’s defence budget. He said enhancing meant increasing the amount of money for ration and transportation. He further said there should be proper allocation of ‘capital budget’, meant for enhancing, augmenting and modernising the defence paraphernalia. He was critical of the Pokhran II experiment also. He asked, “What is the purpose of going for nuclear tests when you do not have delivery and striking capability”. He added that Pokhran II was “rushed through in haste” for petty partisan interests. He pointed out that India did not gain anything from it, instead lost the traditional strategic superiority over Pakistan. “Ambivalence on the nuclear issue was the best strategy and we lost it in haste”, he regretted. Elaborating further, he pointed out Pokhran II could not immunise India from Pakistani misadventure, which was evident from the Kargil war. In fact they (Pakistanis) got emboldened and they decided to launch an adventure in Kargil. He said Kargil was the greatest debacle of the government, however, it was being presented and projected otherwise. He claimed that the Subhramaniam committee report was an eyewash. “It was doctored report drafted to bail out the government”, he said, adding that the persons who drafted it must not be satisfied with their job. Admiral Bhagwat was here to address a lecture organised by the Ludhiana Chapter of the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development in memory of the victims of the atom bomb dropped 55 years ago on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. |
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SHSAD in league with Cong: Badal DHADHOGAL (Dhuri), Aug 10 — Lauding the sacrifices made by the Sikh martyrs during the freedom struggle of the country, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, today held the Congress responsible for tarnishing the dreams of the martyrs. He said the martyrs had sacrificed their lives to root out unemployment, illiteracy and poverty from the country and bring prosperity to the people. Mr Badal was here to attend a function held to pay tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh Dhadhogal, then president of the Punjab Riyasti Parja Mandal and Patiala Riyasat Parja Mandal, who had sacrificed his life in 1938 on this day. The martyr had been put in jail several times and had observed hunger fast during the freedom struggle. Lashing out at the Congress and the SHSAD, Mr Badal alleged that the SHSAD was now hand-in-glove with the Congress. He even said the leaders of the SHSAD could forget the recitation of the “Gurbani” but they never forgot to curse or abuse him. Mr Badal said the “wrong” policies of the Congress had pushed the country into dark and because of these about 50 per cent people of the country were living below poverty line. Mr Gobind Singh Longowal, Minister of State for Irrigation, Punjab, also paid tributes to the martyr. Mr Longowal claimed that the Badal government had fulfilled the promises made to the employees, workers and Dalits. Among others who also paid tributes to the martyr, included Mr Surinder Singh Dhuri, a former MLA Mr Rajinder Singh Kanjhla, a working committee member of the SAD and Mr Gurbachan Singh Fatehgarh, district president of the SAD. Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Minister for Social Security, Punjab, also paid tributes to the martyr. |
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Cong preparations for manifesto LUDHIANA, Aug 10 — The Punjab Congress has begun an elaborate exercise for preparing a comprehensive manifesto for the state Assembly elections which, it feels, are not very far away. The party is organising a series of meetings in different parts of the state to identify the basic inputs necessary for preparing a live document reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the people. The first meeting of the series was held at Jalandhar on July 30 which was attended by people belonging to all sections of the society. The second meeting will be held at Ludhiana on August 19 which will be addressed among others by the Punjab PCC chief, Capt Amarinder Singh. This will be followed by another one at Mohali to be held in the first week of September. “It is a serious exercise”, says Mr R.R. Bhardwaj, Chairman of the Economic and Planning Cell of the Punjab Congress. “The election manifesto symbolises the basic approach of the party towards various issues. The points being included in the manifesto have been identified during an interaction with various sections, including traders, teachers, professors, doctors etc.” In an interview with TNS here today, Mr Bhardwaj pointed out that a scientific approach had been adopted for preparing the manifesto. After the interaction at Jalandhar, a question and answer session was held which continued for well over two hours. “The questions put during this session helped us to identify the issues which will be highlighted in the manifesto”, he added. A similar exercise will be undertaken at the meeting to be held here next week. He was of the view that the techno-savvy approach adopted by the Congress party in preparing the poll manifesto would go down well with the people and would impress them during the next elections. “The Akalis, on the other hand, have no such approach and philosophy. Ad-hocism marks the functioning of the Badal government. There is a total lack of coordination in different wings of the government which is visible to all and sundry,” he added. As regards the possibility of mid-term elections to the Punjab Assembly, he said there were certain straws in the wind. The Badal government had stubbornly refused to withdraw subsidy to the farm sector because it could not be expected to annoy its vote bank on the eve of the elections. Even the advice of the World Bank and the state cabinet in this regard had been ignored. There had been a last-minute flurry of development activity in certain selected constituencies in the state. These development activities were a mere waste of money because it was just a cosmetic exercise and involved unplanned expenditure. Mr Bhardwaj noted the Badal government had begun placing “pliable” officers at the cutting edge level of the administration with the obvious intention of using them during the elections. He alleged that many of these officers had been told by the Akali government that “if you do well for us, we will do extremely well for you.” The Akalis had also resorted to heavy taxation on trade, commerce and industry in a desperate bid to balance the budget and improve the finances of the state. In the process, it had alienated to some extent its coalition partner, the BJP. He claimed that since the BJP had performed poorly in the zila parishad elections, it had become a liability for the Akali Dal which had quietly begun a search for a new ally for facing the next elections. |
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Jagjit Singh seeks Advani’s resignation LUDHIANA, AUG 10 — Mr Jagjit Singh, leader of the 14-member Congress group in the Punjab Assembly yesterday sought the resignation of the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, for his alleged failure to provide adequate security to the Amarnath pilgrims resulting in the death of more than 100 persons in militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. In a talk with TNS here, Mr Jagjit Singh said that the volatile situation in the neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir had a special significance for a sensitive border state like Punjab which passed through a serious law and order situation created by more than a decade-long militant violence. Neither the people nor the government of Punjab could afford to be lax on this issue. He said he failed to understand why the Jammu and Kashmir and the Central governments had not made adequate security arrangements for the Amarnath pilgrims when it was known that militants were looking for a chance to create trouble and sabotage every move to bring peace to the troubled state. The Congress leader said that the route of the Amarnath pilgrimage was well known, the programme for pilgrimage which was an yearly event was also no secret. Under the circumstances, why the government let down its guard along the Amarnath yatra route at Pahalgam was baffling. Only a judicial enquiry could bring out all the facts. Before such an enquiry was instituted, the Union Home Minister should resign to ensure that the enquiry was held in a free and fair manner without any pressure from any quarter. He asked the Vajpayee government not to stonewall on this issue because a probe into the security lapse was of special significance for the people of Punjab who had passed through a serious situation not very long ago. The Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly also criticised the Vajpayee government for its alleged allround failure on various fronts, including its inability to cash in on the ceasefire offer by Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir. He claimed that by allowing the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah to raise the demand for autonomy, the Vajpayee government had opened up a Pandora’s box with Akali leaders like Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder too making a similar demand for Punjab. “This is a dangerous trend. The Vajpayee government should have nipped the evil in the bud. Why should it encourage fissiparous tendencies in the country?” he asked. Turning to the Badal government in Punjab, Mr Jagjit Singh said that the Badal government had betrayed Punjab and the residents of Udham Singh Nagar district by agreeing to its inclusion in the proposed hill state. He pointed out that all along, the Chief Minister of Punjab had been shouting from rooftop that the Akalis would never allow the Udham Singh Nagar district to be included in the Uttaranchal state. They had also threatened to break off their relations with the BJP at the Centre and the state. But it was regrettable that the Badal government had done nothing of the sort now that the chips were down and the district had been included in the Uttaranachal state. “Mr Badal had gone back even on the promise of quitting the NDA government”, he said. On the corruption issue also, the Badal government seemed to be doing precious little. It was amazing to discover that coal worth Rs 3 crore was missing from the Ropar thermal plant but the government in Chandigarh was doing little to trace the culprits. The law and order situation was also on the downswing with gangs of “Kale Kachhewale” holding entire villages to ransom. He claimed that ministers in the Badal government had little say in the running of the administration with bureaucracy ruling the roost. Mr Jagjit Singh also said that a deputation of the Punjab
Congressmen visited the Election Commission in New Delhi the other day and brought to its notice the difficulties being experienced by the people in getting their identification cards made by the EC officials. He pointed out that there was only one station for a group of 25 villages with the result that those who did not have conveyance to travel to the station were deprived of the identity cards. Similarly, those who were working in factories or farms could not afford to lose a day’s wages to go to a station to get his identity card made. |
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‘Land grab’, govt style CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — When the government itself “grabs” land, who does one turn to and where to lodge a complaint? To this question at least the Punjab Minister of Rural Development and Panchayats, Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon, has no answer. His predicament is that when a decision was taken, in his presence, to hand over “free of cost”, 5 acres of Zila Parishad land in Hoshiarpur to the Punjab Planning and Urban Development Authority (PUDA) his protests were ignored and so were the views of the officers concerned. The land is to be used for the construction of the district administrative complex. This system of acquiring land and other property all over the state is under the “optimum utilisation of vacant government land” (OUVGL) scheme. The idea is to commercially exploit such land, as part of the additional resource mobilisation scheme, and also save government land from being encroached upon. Inventories of such property have been prepared districtwise. What is intriguing is that Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samitis are elected constitutional “local” bodies as per the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution. It is a different matter there are no elected representatives on these bodies since 1998-99. Administrators look after them. Being constitutional and legal entities, the responsibility to acquire, retain, manage and dispose of vests with the members; this cannot be left to the whims and fancies of the political executive or bureaucrats. Unless a “resolution” is passed, property belonging to these institutions cannot be interfered with. Even with administrators at least a proper “proposal” should have been obtained before the land was “grabbed” and offered on a platter to PUDA. Mr Kahlon is learnt to have protested to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. He even pointed to the constitutional and legal aspects. But then the Chief Minister is the “boss” who over ruled the objections. This precedent caught the fancy of the Sangrur administration. Mr Kahlon was not even present at the meeting when it was “decided”, towards the fag-end, to “immediately” hand over 7 acres of Zila Parishad land, within the limits of the Municipal Committee, to PUDA. This was for the second phase of the administrative complex as also for a senior secondary school building, etc. The argument advanced by the Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, for handing over the land was the “fear” of it being “encroached” upon. The land, at present, is leased out for agricultural purposes on a year-to-year basis. These decisions on Zila Parishad land transfer to PUDA were taken in May and June, much to the chagrin of the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayats. In both cases the Chief Minister chaired the meetings. The real apprehension and worry of Mr Kahlon is that this manner and style of “land grab” by the government itself will raise legal complications later and may cause political embarrassment. Moreover, the trend will rob the Zila Parishads of their legitimate rights on property belonging to the “people”. Other districts will now follow suit. Sources in the government told TNS that under the OUVGL scheme, so far, only Rs 9.76 crore (against the sale price of Rs 14.90 crore) had been received by PUDA from the sale of just two properties in Jalandhar and Ludhiana. In respect of Jalandhar, the site was the old bus stand. At 25 per cent price, the sale price comes to Rs 6.85 crore. PUDA received Rs 1.71 crore. For the government knitting institute hostel, Ludhiana, PUDA got the full price: Rs 8.05 crore. In fact, due to systems constraints, the OUVGL scheme has not made much headway. PUDA, in its memorandum, approved by the Cabinet as part of the strategy on fiscal management, had identified 12 properties in three districts — Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala — which were to be disposed of under the scheme. The potential was put at Rs 414 crore to accrue over a period of time. Ultimately, their estimated present value of Rs 174 crore was scaled down to Rs 125 crore due to “possible problems” in handing over the entire areas of some of the sites. PUDA, on its part, was to raise institutional finance to acquire and develop these sites and pay to the government Rs 125 crore. All realisations under the OUVGL scheme are to deposited in the Infrastructure Development Fund. The way Zila Parishad property has been grabbed, it is apparent the functioning of the government is far from transparent; it is opaque — all the way. This, sources attributed to either the “deepening financial crisis or political exigencies”. Here is a telling comment on the way the SAD-BJP government has functioned since February, 1997. The extract is from a memorandum prepared by the Department of Finance for the Cabinet on the “strategy of fiscal management”: “The government has been resorting to unsound and unusual, if not altogether illegal means, to discharge its basic responsibility of paying salaries, repayment of loans and interest thereon and for incurring expenditure for keeping the wheels of government moving. These include non-release of funds received from the Government of India and the World Bank and other financial institutions, overwithdrawal of the Food Account, outstanding LOC and work deposits, mobilising short-term deposits from PSUs (public sector undertakings) and preponing receipts and postponing payments”. Incidentally, PSUs put paid to Rs 263.57 crore as short-term interest bearing deposits. Mercifully, that money was not used for the payment of salaries and wages but for clearing debt and other liabilities to the tune of Rs 487.80 crore. This was the situation in October, 1999. Not much has changed since then.
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Sonia’s directive to Punjab
dissident leaders AMRITSAR, Aug 10 — Congress President Sonia Gandhi has directed leaders of various groups of the Punjab Pradesh Congress to come on a single platform on August 15 at Baba Bakala, 40 km from here to mark the Rakhar Punia festival. All political parties of Punjab would organise their respective conferences on this occasion. According to party sources, Mr Moti Lal Vora, General Secretary, AICC and in charge, Punjab Affairs, has been entrusted with the task to bring the warring Congress leaders on a single
platform. The party sources claim that Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, a former Chief Minister and Mr Jagmit Singh Brar, Vice-President, PPCC, who have been conspicuous by their absence from a number of political conferences organised by Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC chief, would address jointly on the occasion of Rakhar Punia. The Congress Party would announce the policy programmes on the political conference to be held on August 15. All political parties would pitch their pandals. The Lok Bhalai Manch, headed by Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, CPI, CPM, SAD (Amritsar), SHSAD and SAD (Badal) would also organise their respective political
conferences. |
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Tohra men not
allowed to stage dharna FATEHGARH SAHIB, Aug 10 — The district administration foiled an attempt by workers of the SHSAD to stage a dharna and to burn the effigy of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, against the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal here today. A few workers, led by Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli, state President of the youth wing of SHSAD, started their protest march from Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and an effigy of Mr Badal was placed in a gypsy. When the protesters reached the district administrative complex raising slogans against Mr Badal and his party, the police stopped them from organising a dharna. When the workers tried to bury the effigy, Mr Charanjit Singh, DSP, snatched the matchbox from them and some of them were rounded up. Heated exchanges were witnessed between the DSP and Mr Panjoli. The arrested workers were taken to the Khamanon police station. Talking to The Tribune at the police station, Mr Panjoli criticised the action of the police and its “high-handedness” with the workers, who, he said, wanted to organise a dharna in a peaceful manner. He alleged that all this had been done at the behest of Mr Badal. He said his party had organised protest dharnas all over the state against the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar in Uttaranchal. He said the Centre had deceived the Punjabis and the Sikhs settled there. He said Mr Badal should have withdrawn his party’s support to the BJP government if he was really sincere to the Sikhs of Udham Singh Nagar. Meanwhile, Mr Gursev Singh Harpalpur, a leader of the SHSAD, has condemned the action of the DSP for “mishandling” Mr Panjoli. |
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Youth SHSAD
stages dharna AMRITSAR, Aug 10 — The Sarb Hind Youth Akali Dal workers held a demonstration and staged a dharna outside Hall Gate here today in protest against the failure of the ruling Akali Dal to protect the interests of Punjabi settlers in Udham Singh Nagar. An effigy of the Punjab Chief Minister and SAD chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was burnt on this occasion. The demonstration was headed by the district president of the youth SHSAD, Mr Jaspal Singh Dhillon. The demonstrators later marched to the district secretariat where they handed over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. The memorandum sought fulfilment of the commitment made by the Political Affairs Committee of the ruling Akali Dal that the party would withdraw support to the BJP government in case Udham Singh Nagar was included in the new Uttaranchal hill
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Punjab to upgrade road network CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The process to upgrade Chandigarh-Ludhiana trunk road from two to four-lanes highway has been set in motion after the Public Works Department (PWD) initiated the land acquisition process today. Though the work on the Rs 355 crore project will be undertaken by the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), the PWD issued a notification today to acquire nearly 1,350 kanal of land at Rampur Mehrab and Mandouli Kalan villages, Morinda town, Mandauli Khurd (Mandouli Choti), Ramgarh urf Manda, Kanjla, Kajauli and Boothgarh villages. The notifications have been issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act and on grounds of urgency, provision of Section 5-A shall not apply in the acquisitions. A portion of the land to be acquired will be used for the construction of Morinda byepass while the other portion would be needed for the Kajauli to Mandauli Kalan section of the proposed four-lane highway. Though the Punjab Government made a budgetary provision for the four-laning of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana highway a few years back, paucity of funds delayed the work. Recently, the Punjab Government decided to take up 13 projects for integrated development of road network in the state. These projects include Chandigarh-Ludhiana highway, widening of Zirakpur-Patiala highway, Ludhiana-Moga highway, Khanna-Nawanshahr and Ropar-Nawanshahr-Phagwara highway besides others. Four-laning of Chandigarh-Ambala highway is also on the cards. The total cost of these projects comes to Rs 2,625 crore. With the initiation of the land acquisition work, the work on four-laning of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana road is expected to be completed by July, 2002. The project has been divided into three segments — Kharar-Khamanon; Morinda byepass with a rail overbridge at Morinda; and Khamanon-Samrala. Sources in the government maintain that the land acquisition notifications are ready for the entire highway from Kharar to municipal limits at Ludhiana. For the PIDB, this would be the first project which would be allotted on turn key basis by inviting leading national and international construction companies. Bids for the project are expected to be invited by middle of October. 
Joint checkpost to be ready by I-Day WAGAH (Amritsar), Aug 10 (UNI) — The first phase of beautification of this joint checkpost, the only official road link with Pakistan, will be completed on Independence Day when the national Tricolour will be hoisted at the newly-built quarter guard building, being guarded by jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF). Construction workers are giving finishing touches to the impressive building under the watchful eyes of the BSF and a private contractor, who has been allotted the project. Though the foundation stone of the project called Swaran Jayanti Gallery was laid by Union Home Minister L.K. Advani in 1998, the actual work started only in the middle of last year after the Centre released Rs 1 crore earmarked for the upgradation of the post, which assumed international importance when Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee undertook his historic peace journey to Pakistan through this checkpost in a bus in February, 1999. Amritsar sector BSF Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) H.S. Gill told UNI here yesterday that the project would be completed in two phases. The first phase involving the construction of the quarter guard building would be dedicated to the nation on August 15, he added. Giving further details, Mr Gill said the second phase would be completed by October 11, the day the post came into existence in 1947, after Partition. The second phase involved the construction of a viewers’ gallery, a museum and new pillars in place of old ones which supported the gate through which one entered or left the country, he added. He said a great deal of emphasis was being laid on the viewers’ gallery because after Mr Vajpayee’s bus trip to Pakistan, the number of tourists, who flocked here every evening for witnessing the retreat ceremony, had increased manifold. Once the gallery was completed the tourists would get a better view of the retreat ceremony conducted jointly by the BSF and their counterparts, Pakistan Rangers, he added. Mr Gill said the completion of the gallery was delayed as the old quarter guard building could only be demolished after the construction of a new one, which had now been done. A special ceremony would be held on the Independence Day to mark the handing over of the new quarter guard building of jawans who took part in the retreat ceremony. |
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3,000 welfare bodies blacklisted AMRITSAR, Aug 10 — Misutilisation of welfare funds has invited sanctions against 3,000 welfare organisations countrywide resulting in blacklisting of these organisations by the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB). This was revealed here today by Mrs Mridula Sinha, Chairperson of the CSWB, during her first tour of the city as part of a drive to promote welfare services in villages. A special thrust was being given to women-oriented organisations as the year 2001 was to be celebrated as a year of “women empowerment”. Family welfare programmes, too, were being updated to meet the challenges of changing social norms. The CSWB was sponsoring support to 400 family counselling centres countrywide with 25 marriage bureaus. “The rising rate of divorce and dowry deaths has resulted in a growing fear among the younger generation of the institution of marriage”, she said. Also, a special package was being prepared for young widows. At least 220 awareness camps, so far, had been held by the CSWB all over the country. Twelve welfare centres had recently been set up in the border belt of Ferozepore, Gurdaspur and Amritsar, the chairperson said. A carefully chartered plan to extend welfare activities to the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir had also been implemented. Encroachments change face of Baradari Gardens PATIALA, Aug 10 — The character of the historic Baradari Gardens here, which are virtually the lungs of the city and an example of visionary landscaping under which different climatic zones were created by Maharaja Rajindra Singh over a vast tract of land, is being constantly changed by encroachments. Encroaches have had a field day till now as the land of the Baradari Gardens belongs to various government departments, who have been able to neither clearly demarcate the land, nor stop encroachment. A visit to the Majri Dera on the outskirts of the gardens near the Punjab State Electricity Board office reveals that encroaches are having a field day, occupying government land, with no one to stop them. There are around a dozen P type quarters here, with all but one of these presently being occupied by retired government employees. As if this is not enough, all residents have encroached upon the vacant land in front of the quarters. In some cases, rooms have been built on the encroached land and in others, a boundary wall takes government land in the ambit of the quarter. Almost all residents have enclosed the encroached space with gates, due to which one commonly sees electricity and telephone poles in verandhas of houses. On the other side of the road, people have encroached upon the periphery of the orchard on land belonging to the Horticulture Department. Here also, electricity become a part of the houses. The Horticulture Department land and Forest Department land has also been encroached upon near the Regional Transport Authority Office. Shops have sprung up on both sides of the road on land belonging to both departments. Around 20 to 30 shops have been constructed. Shop owners did not even make a pretence of being legal owners of the shops, saying they had constructed these as they used to sit here earlier. Near these are four jhuggis of Sarwan Das, who is a retired government employee, who has been living here for the past 30 years or so. While Sarwan Das usually takes contract of mango and guava orchards from the Horticulture Department, his sons are engaged in other work. All of them prefer to live in the wooden makeshift houses constructed in the gardens, which have been given electricity connections and a meter, along with their milch animals and pigs. Making jhuggis and living in the orchards along with milch animals is a profitable business for many. The Charan Bagh Colony Welfare Association President, Mr Avtar Singh Brar, said many contractors allowed their kith and kin to make jhuggis in the orchards and keep milch animals or pigs. He said this was spreading pollution in the gardens and would become a problem later as people would refuse to leave after staying there for some years. He said jhuggis should be allowed only for a limited period during the fruit season. There are also clear cases of recent encroachments, like permission given for construction of a Shiv temple in the gardens along the Rajbaha Road. The ‘temple’ has been constructed on a small piece of land on which there was one ramshackle room earlier, in which a few idols had been installed. Adjoining the temple are rooms belonging to a former government employee. Public Works (Building and Roads) officials disclosed that many of the encroachments had been done in the name of dharamshalas and were encouraged by politicians during the time of elections. Department Estate Officer, Mr Mahinder Singh, said presently only one P type quarter behind the PSEB office was in the possession of the department. All others had been illegally occupied at various times, he added. He said his job was only to rent and lease empty buildings. A Horticulture Department official, Mr Amarjit Singh Aulakh, said jhuggis of only contractors were allowed, adding that forest land had been encroached upon while making shops near the RTA office.
Now CCTVs for bus stand JALANDHAR, Aug 10 — Keeping in view the July 23 bus bomb blast near Ballan village and to ensure the security of passengers by keeping a close watch on the movement of unscrupulous elements and detecting unclaimed suspicious looking articles as well, the Punjab Police has decided to install closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) and cameras at the local inter-state bus stand. It is for the first time in Punjab that the movement of suspected people and the presence of suspicious looking articles at a bus stand would be monitored with the help of CCTVs and cameras. For this purpose, a central control room is being set up at the bus stand itself. This would be fully operational within a week. The round-the-clock control room, where the camera-linked monitors would be installed, would be manned by an officer of the rank of Inspector who will also be responsible for the security of the bus stand and the passengers. The cameras would start functioning within one week since the installation process is on and at least three of the total eight cameras have already been installed at the place. At the same time, expressing their concern over the bomb blast in a private bus near Ballan village on the Jalandhar-Pathankot road in which seven passengers were killed and at least 24 were injured, some renowned private transporters have also come forward to pool their resources and bear the cost of the monitoring equipment being installed by the Punjab Police with an estimated cost of Rs 1 lakh. The police authorities were also contemplating undertaking a similar exercise at the local railway station at a later stage, it was learnt. Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said five of the eight closed-circuit cameras would be installed inside the main building of the bus stand while the rest would be installed at different places like the entrance, the backyard of the bus stand and one at the nearby octroi post. He said the decision to install the equipment had been taken to enhance surveillance of the movement of suspected people and keep a watch on the presence of any unclaimed suspicious looking article on the premises which could be a bomb. In addition to this, all buses would be checked before their parking at the counters and before their departure from the bus stand. Two companies of commandos, who have been sent here on the orders of the Director-General of the Police, have been deployed at the bus stand in addition to 110 Punjab Police officials, who have been deployed there for patrolling and working in three shifts to ensure better security of the passengers. Besides this, each of the 25 counters at the main bus stand would be manned round the clock by a constable and each bus entering the city from the Pathankot side would have to go through checking at Quereshian village on the outskirts of the city, where a permanent traffic aid post has been set up by the district police authorities.
AMRITSAR, Aug 10 — The authorities of the high-security Central Jail, which has been declared a “camp jail” for foreign nationals, today released nine more Pakistani nationals, including a woman and a child. While eight Pakistani nationals were repatriated to Pakistan through the Attari railway station on Monday, the nine released today were handed over to the Ministry of External Affairs. The ministry would handover them to the Pakistani Embassy in New Delhi. Fifty Pakistani nationals had been languishing in the local jail since the Pakistan authorities were not coming forward to accept them on one pretext or the other. The issue was first highlighted in these columns a few months ago. A justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had also visited Central Jail to see their plight. Mr Jagjit Singh, Jail Superintendent, confirmed the release of the nine Pakistani nationals. With this, 19 Pakistani nationals have been released within a month. Those released are Mohammad Khan, Shahid Maheudin, Anar Khan, Salaman Mausin, Shukkar Ahmed, Mohammad Sarbrah, Sazid Munir, Ravina Begum and her son Sabaz Khan. They were released following a teleprinter message from the ADGP (Intelligence), Punjab.
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MP seeks action
against PWD officials HOSHIARPUR, Aug 10 — Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, MP from Hoshiarpur parliamentary constituency, has demanded action against those officers of the PWD (B&R), Hoshiarpur, who had “intentionally” delayed the construction of the Dholbaha Bari Khad road. The road was to be constructed in 1994-95. As a result of the delay, the state government has to face a loss of Rs 30 lakh. In a press note issued here today, Mr Channi said construction of this road was sanctioned during the regime of the late Beant Singh, the then Chief Minister of Punjab, and an amount of Rs 55.79 lakh was released to the executing agency. But the construction had been delayed on purpose, he alleged. He said none of the officers concerned had got the work started during the past five years. He alleged that in view of the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections this project had been taken up now but in the meantime the cost of construction had increased to Rs 86 lakh. Mr Channi urged the people of the area to check the quality and quantity of the material being used for the construction of the
road. AIDS Control Society funds ‘misutilised’ CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The PCMS Association today expressed its unhappiness over the undue delay at the implementation of three time scale promotions at a meeting chaired by the Health Minister, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla. The officials concerned at the meeting discussed with the association that why time scale after four, nine and 14 years was being delayed. Dr M.S. Randhawa, Dr D.S. Gill and Dr Manjit Singh, Patron, President and General Secretary, respectively, of the association regretted that the Health Department had kept the implementation of notification pending for a long period. The Principal Secretary, Health, said the department had cleared 693 cases of time scale promotions. He would personally monitor the progress of such cases every week and clear all 4000 cases within a month. The PCMS Association also demanded an inquiry into the functioning of the Punjab AIDS Cell, alleging misutilisation in the State AIDS Control Society funds. The Association brought to the notice of the minister the alarming situation regarding spread of AIDS and alleged that crores of rupees meant to spread public awareness about the incurable disease either remained unutilised or were misutilised with negligible practical work in the field. The AIDS Control Society, the association said, should be headed by one of the Directors of Health Services on the pattern of Haryana, Rajasthan and other 19 states and Union Territories to make it effectively operational. It was alleged that at present the society was single handedly operated by a far junior person. A large number of posts were not being deliberately filled. The minister decided to hold an inquiry into the allegation of misuse of funds and assured members to consider appointing one of the Directors of Health Services as AIDS Project Director. He also agreed to get all vacant posts filled as per norms to make the society fully functional. The Association also brought to the notice of the Minister that because of ad-hocism due to non-filling of senior level post, most of the National Health Programmes were ‘headless’, thereby seriously affecting the effectiveness of these programmes in Punjab. The minister agreed to fill, without any delay, all senior level posts of Additional Director, Joint Director and Deputy Directors. A meeting of Departmental Promotional Committee (DPC) has been fixed for August 18 for filling up of these posts. Dr Jaspal Singh Gill, State Press Secretary, disclosed that on Association’s demand the Health Minister also agreed to form a rational transfer and posting policy in consultation with the association. |
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Jacob visits site of academy ROPAR, Aug 10 — The Governor of Punjab, Mr J.F.R. Jacob, today visited the proposed site of the Junior Leaders Academy (JLA) and the Army cantonment at Anandpur Sahib. He said he had come here to educate himself about the academy. “After gathering information, I will give advice to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, about the project,” he said. He, however, declined to disclose his observations about the project. The Junior Leaders Academy is proposed to be set up at Anandpur Sahib in 719 acres to be acquired from the five villages — Tarapur, Mindwan, Dhanera, Lakher and Samleh. The academy is being set up to hone the intellectual skills of Army officers below the rank of junior commissioned officers so that they can compete for promotions in the Army ranks, the commanding officer overseeing the work for the
academy said. He said infrastructure for about 20,000 army men and their families would be provided in the academy. Villagers are, however, protesting against the acquisition of their land for the academy. The Governor, when asked to comment on it, said he didn’t have any knowledge about it. The Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, Mr G.S. Grewal, who was also present on the occasion, said the land for the proposed academy had been demarcated. He said the land for the academy also included about 28 acres of forest land. Earlier, the Governor visited Sri Dashmesh Academy at Anandpur Sahib. Students of the academy presented him the guard of honour. The Governor showed keen interest in the academic and other activities of the institute. He also held discussions with the principal of the academy and district administrative officers. Later, talking to newspersons, the Governor said he was impressed with the infrastructure available in the academy, but the intake of students in the institute needed improvement. He said he would advise the Chief Minister to help the academy in increasing the intake of rural students. The Governor was presented with a siropa at Gurdwara Taragarh Sahib. |
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Court order set aside on ex-Director’s plea CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — Setting aside the orders of the Sessions court on a petition filed by a retired Director of Family Welfare Dr Puran Singh Jassi, Mr Justice V.M. Jain of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed a magistrate to decide afresh his application for summoning the record at the pre-charge stage. In his petition, Dr Jassi had sought directions for quashing the orders passed by the Ludhiana Sessions Judge upholding the orders of the Samrala Judicial Magistrate rejecting his plea for summoning the record. He had stated that the record was relevant at the time of chargeframing. Pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice Jain observed: ‘‘The petition is allowed and the orders passed by the courts below are set aside and the magistrate is directed to decide the application filed by the accused-petitioner afresh in accordance with the law’’. In his detailed order, Mr Justice Jain observed: ‘‘In my opinion, in view of the law laid down by their Lordships in the Supreme Court, the magistrate was required to summon the record at the behest of the accused and take the same into consideration while considering the question regarding the framing of charge’’. Concluding the ruling he said: ‘‘It was at that stage that the magistrate could have commented upon the worth of the evidence at the stage of framing of charge. However, the summoning of record could not be refused merely on the ground that the same was of no evidential value....’’ Dr Jassi was earlier booked by the Vigilance Bureau at Patiala in a cheating and a forgery case. According to the prosecution, Dr Jassi had purchased 10 acres of land in name of one Prabh Dayal Singh through an auction and had paid the instalments.
‘Punjab bandh’
on Aug 23 JALANDHAR, Aug 10 — To traders and industrialists affiliated with the Industry and the Trade Forum, Punjab, will observe a “Punjab bandh” on August 23 in protest against the tariff hike. Addressing a press conference here yesterday Mr Harish Khanna, president of the forum, said the hike in the tariff, ranging between 8 and 26 per cent for different categories of industrial units, was having an adverse effect on the trade and industry of the state. He said instead the Punjab State Electricity Board authorities should make for the transmission losses unmetered power supply, and free power supply to the agricultural sector.
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PSEB engineer’s
transfer resented BATHINDA, Aug 10 — The PSEB Engineers Association, Lehra Mohabbat, today alleged the transfer of Mr S.C. Chabba, Senior Executive Engineer, from the Ropar thermal plant to the thermal plant at Lehra Mohabbat was an attack on honesty by the management. In a press note issued here today, Mr D.S. Bhullar, regional secretary of the association, said an honest engineer had been victimised by the PSEB management on diktats of one influential individual. He added that Mr Chabba had been fighting against the prevailing corruption in the board tirelessly and had been exposing the deeds of corrupt officials in the
board. |
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Ministerial staff
hold rally FEROZEPORE, Aug 10 — A rally was organised by the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union against the non-implementation of its demands. In his address, the state president, Mr Kulbhushan
Kanwar, said the employees had no faith in this government. He demanded that the ministerial staff be granted promotional pay scale after 4-9-14 year, a revised pay scale of Rs 4550 for stenotypists and clerks, Rs 6400 to senior assistants and Rs 7220 and 8000 for superintendents (Grade II & I), respectively. |
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Finance panel on local bodies
constituted CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Punjab Government has decided to set up the second Finance Commission in the state to review the financial position of rural and urban local bodies, according to Mr Balramji Das Tandon, Local Government Minister. This decision was taken at a meeting presided over by the Chief Minister and attended by the Finance Minister and senior officials of the department. He said the commission had been set up under the Punjab Finance Commission Panchayats and Municipalities Act, 1994. The Minister said the commission had been entrusted with the task of reviewing the requirements of the local bodies, their financial constraints and their requirements so as to enable them to provide a satisfactory level of civic services.
CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Punjab Government yesterday drew up an ambitious programme to strengthen the economy of the state by improving the irrigation facilities. A Rs 370 crore proposal in this regard has been sent to NABARD for approval. The Punjab Minister for Irrigation, Mr Janmeja’s Singh Sekhon, said Rs 25 crore had been spent on checking waterlogging in Muktsar, Bathinda, Mansa, Dasuya, Mukerian and Ferozepore during the past three years. He also claimed that drains with a total length of 450 km had been constructed in western and eastern districts. The minister further said that the state government had sought financial assistance from the World Bank to enhance the canal water capacity, under which 1,3440 acres would be irrigated in Muktsar district with the construction of new channels. |
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Special Component
Plan revised CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Punjab Government has revised the size of the Special Component Plan (SCP) 1999-2000, thereby increasing it from 9.03 per cent to 11.34 per cent of the State Plan. Presiding over a meeting of the state-level Standing Tripartite Committee, Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, said the main concept of the component plan was to ensure adequate benefits to the Scheduled Castes and the Schedule Tribes by providing adequate funds under the SCP out of the main plan.
MOGA, Aug 10 (UNI) — Veteran Arya Samaj leader and social figure of the town Roshan Lal Sood (70) died in the early hours today at a Ludhiana hospital after a brief illness. He is survived by wife and two sons. Roshan Lal Sood was member of the managing committees of several Arya Samaj educational institutions in Punjab, including DM College, DM College of Education, Arya Senior Secondary School for Girls, Arya Senior Secondary School for Boys and Arya Model School. All educational institutions of Arya Samaj remained closed in the region today as a mark of respect after holding a condolence meetings by the respective institutions.
Haj applications CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The Punjab Government today extended the period for accepting applications from interested persons for Haj-2000. A government spokesman said that the applications would be accepted till August 14.
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80 list grievances at sangat darshan PATIALA, Aug 10 — More than 80 people listed their grievances at the district level sangat darshan organised by the Deputy Commissioner, Mr J. S. Bir, here on Thursday. Most of the complaints were referred to the relevant officers to dispose of the cases. Mr Mohinder Singh Walia, a representative of the Dedicated Brothers group alleged that the local Municipal Corporation was supplying unsafe and polluted drinking water to the city residents. He said the water being supplied by the corporation should be tested by the state chemical laboratory. The Deputy Commissioner deputed the civil surgeon to get the contents of the water being supplied at present to be tested. In an interesting case, a resident of Gobind Nagar locality was caught red handed while lying about his age to take the benefit of old-age pension. When asked by the medical officer concerned to tell his age, the man said that he was born during the days of Partition. This clearly proved that the man was just 53, while he had claimed on the form to be 66 years old. The sarpanch of Jalalpur village in Patran block, Mr Suba Singh alleged that the previous sarpanch, Mr Gurdev Singh, in connivance with some other persons had taken illegal possession of 120 acres of the shamlat land of the village. The District Development and Panchayat Officer was asked to look into the case. Balkar Singh of Atalan village in Samana Tehsil alleged that his son, Jagmel Singh, was killed by militants on May 9,1992 and the compensation due to him had been stopped by the state government since the last four months. The SDM of Samana was asked by the Deputy Commissioner to enquire into the matter. Residents of Gagrola in Patiala tehsil alleged that the previous sarpanch had misappropriated the government’s grant of Rs 4.25 lakh given for the development of the village. Mr J. S. Bir asked the District Development and Panchayat Officer to look into the matter. |
PRO Chowhan held on graft charge CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — Indicted by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, a Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Jagdeep Singh Chowhan was arrested today. He allegedly had a role in misappropriating funds earmarked for the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations. As a follow up of the findings of the Vigilance Bureau, a case, dated August 3, under Section 13(1)D, read with 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, and Section 420/120 of the IPC, was registered against him in Mohali. Mr Chowhan, was evading arrest by the Vigilance Bureau for the past few days, according to sources. Mr Chowhan was placed under suspension by the Public Relations Minister, Mr Natha Singh Dalam, in May and later reverted to the post of Joint Director. He was placed under suspension for the second time. Earlier, Mr Dalam had suspended him when he was a minister in the Barnala government. The probe has revealed that Mr Chowhan allegedly siphoned off funds between September and December, 1998, and during the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations by submitting bogus hotel bills for entertainment of journalists. During the probe the Public Relations Department failed to produce lists of journalists on the plea that the same could not be disclosed in public interest. However, the Vigilance Bureau, on its own contacted many journalists who denied having enjoyed the Public Relations Department’s hospitality during the said period. The bureau has also unearthed a racket, allegedly run by Mr Chowhan wherein inflated bills were submitted by him for hiring vehicles for journalists for the coverage of functions connected with the tercentenary celebrations. These vehicles were hired from Thakur Tools and Travels, Chandigarh. The Manager of the firm, Mr Bhaginder Singh, deposed before the bureau and said that he did send his vehicles on receiving phone calls, but no written directions from the Public Relations Department. The Vigilance Bureau has also held Mr Chowhan responsible for allegedly giving undue benefit to the producer, Mangal Dhillon, with whom he signed an agreement and incorporated certain controversial clauses in it. While the entire cost of production was met with by the state government, the exclusive rights for commercial exploitation of the film were vested in Dhillon. Due to inclusion of such clauses the latter earned lakhs by showing this film to the public by way of sponsorship etc. Not only this, Mangal Dhillon reportedly also got Rs 30 lakh from the Bank of Punjab for the film on Khalsa. This caused financial loss to the state exchequer.
KHANNA Aug 10 — The mystery surrounding the kidnapping and murder of Aman Sood remains unresolved, 10 days after the crime was committed. According to fresh reports, Aman Sood was thrown into a sugarcane field of Kalal Majra village, 9 km from here, on Saturday evening. It is learnt that pressure from local leaders and widespread criticism of the police led to the rounding up of many persons for interrogation. It is believed that all this unnerved the kidnappers, who took the child to a sugarcane field. According to police sources, the owner of the sugarcane field, Mr Kesar Singh told the police during interrogation, that he had heard the cries of a child emnating from his field on Saturday, August 5 at about 6.45 p.m. He admitted that he was overcome by fear and went home without telling anyone. The village Sarpanch, Mr Darshan Singh, also confessed during interrogation that he too had heard the cries of a child on Sunday morning from the field. On the other hand, a doctor who was a member of the post-mortem team, told mediapersons that the death was due to strangulation. This raises the question that if the boy was heard crying for two days in the field, then how and when was he strangulated. Mr Bachan Singh Cheema, local MLA, told The Tribune that he had told officials to expedite investigations into the case. The Khanna police is conducting raids in various parts of the town and nearby villages. The police has set up an interrogation centre at the office of the Criminal Investigation Authority. |
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Youth poisoned
to death? JALANDHAR, Aug 10 — Mohit Khanna (17), a resident of Model Town here, was allegedly poisoned to death by one of his friends last evening. According to the police, Mohit Khanna was taken away from his house by his friend Babla at around 6.45 p.m. Later, Babla left him outside his house after an hour. Soon thereafter, Mohit started developing signs of poisoning and died before he could be shifted to the hospital. His father, Mr Harikrishan, in a complaint to the police has said he suspects his son may have been poisoned by Babla. Babla has been booked by the police under Section 302 of the IPC. No arrest has been made so far. |
School board to be
decentralised ROPAR, Aug 10 — The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) will be decentralised to improve functioning. It will help in the early declaration of results of various exams. It would also help students verify their results, deposit their fee, and get admission forms at the district level, said Mr Tota Singh, Education Minister, while addressing a public gathering here today. Earlier, he lay the foundation stone of a text book depot. Mr Tota Singh said henceforth all board examinations would be completed in March. The papers would be checked at the district level. For this strong rooms would be established and halls constructed at district depots of the board. The trial for checking papers at the district level would be conducted during the September examinations. On the delay in the declaration of board results this year, he said this had occurred due to the first-time use of computers in the preparation of results and the strike of employees. Mr Tota Singh said Rs 40 crore would be spent on providing furniture and other necessary infrastructure in the 18,000 schools being run by the government in various parts of the state. He said though the Punjab Government spent Rs 3500 on each student in government schools, yet private investment in primary and secondary education was needed to meet the demands of the rural population in the state. The minister announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the building of Government Senior Secondary School here. The Chairman of the PSEB, Mr Kehar Singh, was among those present. |
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Punjabi
University results today PATIALA, Aug 10 — The results of M.Sc Zoology (part I and II), MA Hindi (part II) and Bachelor of Library Science examinations conducted by Punjabi University in April/May will be declared tomorrow. Giving this information, Mr Paramjit Singh Khaira, Controller, Examination, said the result gazettes would be available at the inquiry counter. |
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Teachers hold rally AMRITSAR, Aug 10 — The PCCTU unit of DAV College, Amritsar, held a rally in front of the Principal’s office in protest against the non-implementation of the action programme of the DAV Colleges Coordination Committee. A resolution was passed condemning the ‘‘autocratic and dictatorial’’ attitude of the managing committee in not accepting the demands of the teachers. Prof Bhusan Lal, zonal convener, DAV College Coordination Committee, announced that the struggle would be intensified by boycotting two classes each day in all DAV institutions of Punjab from August 11 to 19. |
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