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| Monday, August 14, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Badal’s Sikh identity demand alarms Rinwa Shadow of food politics on Punjab BKU flays farm policy Statues in DC’s office: CM orders probe Men in black
stripped, scribes manhandled
Three BJP councillors quit party
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Ranjit Sagar units
produce power Thermal plant soon at Goindwal: CM
Misuse of municipal land SAD panel on statute meets Release grant
for Rajasansi: manch General category govt staff seek justice New Patiala telecom GM takes over Akali leader
attacked Privatisation of
depts decried
School kids plant saplings
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Badal’s
Sikh identity demand alarms Rinwa BATHINDA, Aug 13 — The Punjab BJP chief, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, today cautioned that the demand for amendment of Article 25 of the Constitution to ensure Sikh identity by the SAD President and state Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, would prove a major set back to secularism in the country. Mr Rinwa was here to attend a function organised in connection with the oath-taking ceremony of chairman of the local Improvement Trust, Mr Mohan Lal. Talking to select mediapersons, Mr Rinwa said the Sikhs were already having separate identity, but a constitutional amendment in this connection would have serious ramifications. He pointed out that the BJP was not in favour of granting separate identity to the Sikhs through a constitutional amendment. He disclosed that construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya and scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution was still on the top of party’s agenda. He added that these items will be taken up whenever the BJP would be able to form government at the Centre of its own. He added that the BJP had deferred these items as its all coalition partners were not in its favour. He said the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir was bad due to Article 370. Mr Rinwa said for strengthening the party, booth level units were being set up. Factionalism in the party was being wiped out. Instructions had been given to ministers and other party functionaries to look after the workers. In order to widen its base, the party had decided to hold its executive meetings in rural areas. When asked how he claimed that the BJP would make its own man the Chief Minister of Punjab in the next elections, he said such slogans were being raised to motivate the workers. He added that the number of Assembly seats on which party candidates would contest in the next elections would be decided by the BJP and SAD leadership. The BJP president pointed out that irritants of the BJP and SAD leadership were being removed so that both party workers could work for the SAD-BJP alliance effectively. He added for this purpose, a seven-member committee (three members from the BJP and four members from the SAD) was being set up in each district. The BJP leadership had also submitted a list of members of each district to the SAD leadership, he added. When asked that why the BJP could not fulfil its promise of abolishing octroi made to the people on the eve of last general Assembly elections, he added that such a promise was a populist slogan. He added that if octroi was abolished, the cities of Punjab would suffer a lot and remain under developed. 
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Shadow of food politics on Punjab CHANDIGARH, Aug 13 — The proposal of Mr Shanta Kumar on the open sale of wheat has ended in a fiasco in Punjab even as doubts persist over the Food Corporation of India’s decision not to procure paddy in the coming season. With accumulated stocks of 193 lakh tonnes of wheat, paddy and rice and another 130 lakh tonnes of paddy expected this year, finding scientific storage space poses a big challenge to the state. As per Mr Shanta Kumar’s plan, the movement of wheat would have created vacant space for 50 lakh tonnes. This did not happen for a simple reason: lack of perspective, myopic vision and impracticable policies initiated by him. His vacillating stand on fixing the sale price of wheat speaks for itself. From Rs 900 per quintal he climbed down to Rs 650 in a span of five months. Yet there were no takers. No one approached the FCI. Unrealistic pricing has proved to be the undoing of the open sale scheme as Punjab reels under the heaviest accumulation of deteriorating foodgrains. Meanwhile, Mr Shanta Kumar has practically promoted the release of wheat from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The facts speak for themselves. These show the inconsistency in Mr Shanta Kumar’s policies on the pricing of wheat to create space: against the prevailing market price of Rs 580 to Rs 600 per quintal in April last, he put an unrealistic price tag of Rs 900 per quintal for open sale by the state agencies and the FCI. Having wasted some months, the price was revised to Rs 700 per quintal in July, Rs 750 per quintal in August and Rs 800 per quintal in September. The state procurement agencies have cried foul with the FCI. Despite assurances to the contrary by Mr Shanta Kumar to Mr Madan Mohan Mittal (Minister of Food and Supplies), the Punjab quota on wheat outgo has been further reduced. From 4.52 lakh tonnes in April to 1.39 lakh tonnes in May, 1.29 lakh tonnes in June, 0.05 lakh tonnes in July and zero in August. Officials of the Food and Supplies Department have virtually given up. “We have apprised the Chief Minister of the kind of food politics being played by the Centre”, a senior bureaucrat told TNS, on condition of anonymity. He also referred to the “blackmail” threat of the FCI not to procure paddy. “Without the tacit support of the Minister (Mr Shanta Kumar) and the FCI Chairman, Mr Bhure Lal, can a junior functionary write to the state on a major policy decision to procure or not to procure paddy?” he asked. An investigation by TNS reveals that Mr Shanta Kumar’s “politics of confrontation” has upset BJP circles in Punjab and also in Haryana. In his home state, Himachal Pradesh, internal factionalism and the running feud with Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal have cast a shadow on Punjab because of Mr Mittal’s proximity to the Himachal Chief Minister. The arm-twisting by Mr Shanta Kumar in Haryana, where relations between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Lok Dal are strained, is too obvious. The state government has already voiced its concern. Therefore, the political fortunes of the Shiromani Akali Dal government and Mr Parkash Singh Badal depend on the success or failure of paddy procurement by the state agencies and the performance of the FCI. All eyes are on Mr Badal as to how he protects the interests of farmers and rice millers in the backdrop of Mr Shanta Kumar’s brand of politics. Mr Badal stands bruised over the Uttaranchal issue. He is also faced with the crucial Sunam Vidhan Sabha byelection, which will also set the trend for the state Assembly poll. The approach and ad hoc policies of Mr Shanta Kumar have created ripples in Punjab. While politicians act as spoilsport, officials are hanged for all procurement blues and lapses and damage to foodgrains in storage. Besides apprehensions among paddy growers, rice millers are equally worried. They are cut up because of the denial of the “moisture loss discount”, non-payment of storage charges for paddy and rice on behalf of the procurement agencies and the “indifferent attitude” of Mr Shanta Kumar to their point of view. The millers have decided not to own responsibility for the safety of the stocks stored on their premises. Often they are hauled up for losses, though the connivance of millers and agency officials is seldom denied. The absence of space for new levy rice in time may prove a severe deterrent to rice millers to purchase paddy on their own.
BKU flays farm policy CHANDIGARH, Aug 13 — The Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) today rejected the draft agricultural policy announced by the Union Government. Talking to newsmen here this afternoon after a day-long seminar on the proposed Agricultural Policy, the president of the Punjab unit of the BKU, Mr Bhupinder Singh Mann, said the policy was “directionless”. India being an essentially agrarian country with about 85 per cent of its population directly or indirectly connected with the farm sector, the country had failed to make an agricultural policy since Independence, he said, maintaining that the policy announced by the present NDA government was nothing but a compilation of statements made by the political leadership from time to time. Mr Mann said farmers had been exploited for the past 50 years and all they got was lip sympathy. To protest against the draft policy, he said, farmers from all over the country would hold a demonstration outside Parliament in New Delhi on August 21. The BKU, he said, would also send copies of deliberations of the seminar held today to all Members of Parliament so that they can take up issues concerning farmers and farming as and when discussion on the draft policy takes place. The policy is silent on marketing of agricultural produce or supply of power to the farm sector. It also does not deal with the low prices of agriculture produce brought about by a revolution in both genetics and information technology. Earlier, speaking at the seminar, Mr Sharad Joshi, a farm leader from Maharashtra, said he was pleased with the large turnout at the seminar which was basically meant for farm scientists, economists, intellectuals and others to debate upon the national farm policy. “It means that the farmers movement is still alive and kicking.” Mr Sharad Joshi said what Indian agriculture needed was a Pokhran. Without a solid policy, the setting up of a task force would be meaningless. When Mr V.P. Singh was the Prime Minister, he tried to formulate an agricultural policy. But after he left, the policy too, was cold shouldered. The agricultural policy, he said, has to be in consonance with the economic policy of the country. Besides, it has to be drafted in accordance with the WTO so that the farm sector does not suffer. Mr Chandan Reddy of Andhra Pradesh said the political leadership was not interested in the farmers forcing them to commit suicide. Mr R.S. Ghuman of Punjabi University said that even the Green Revolution did not benefit Punjab. Of the 12 lakh educated unemployed in the state, nine lakh were connected with the farm sector. The WTO, he said, would benefit developed nations more than developing countries or their farm sector, he added. Mr Joginder Singh of Punjab Agricultural University said when GATT was signed, people were happy. “But results are all before us.” Agriculture, he said, was a state subject and it should have been left to states to formulate their policies. The subject of migrant labour had been totally neglected. He suggested that the system of farm loans be regulated and streamlined. Others who spoke at the seminar included Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal, Mr Bhupinder Singh Mann, Dr Sucha Singh Gill and Mr Bhim Singh Dahiya. |
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Statues in DC’s office: CM orders probe FEROZEPORE, Aug 13 — Following the persistent demand for probe into the circumstances leading to the appearance of statues of three national heroes from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the Punjab Government has decided to institute an inquiry into the matter. The Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, told mediapersons here yesterday the Secretary, Cultural Affairs, shall be assigned with the task to end the controversy sparked by the sudden surfacing of the statues in the DC’s office. There has been widespread criticism of the administration for keeping the statues of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev under lock and key for years. These statues were taken away by the Pakistan Army during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict from the National Martyrs Memorial, Hussainiwala. Thereafter the fate of these statues had remained unknown. For all these years, the people had believed that the authorities on the other side of the fence had not yet returned the statues but their sudden emergence at the office of the DC sparked a controversy. These statues were found dumped under a heap of files. The DC, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, denied any attempt to gain publicity as being alleged in several quarters. Explaining the issue to the Chief Minister, he said these statues were retrieved way back in 1973 by the then DC, Mr S.S. Boparai, through diplomatic channels. Although there was no official record to suggest these statues had been reclaimed by the Indian authorities, Mr Boparai had confirmed their authenticity to Mr Sidhu in a telephonic conversation. Mr Sidhu said he had tried to keep the matter under wraps as he did not want to do anything that could show his predecessors in a bad light. Gurpreet Singh adds: Despite having had egg on their faces on the Udham Singh Nagar issue, the Akalis seem in no mood to cross swords with the Centre and the SAD is determined to remain a part of the BJP-led NDA Government. The Chief Minister and Akali Dal President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said on Saturday that the party had resolved not to pull out of the NDA in the larger “national interest”. Visibly annoyed at the Centre’s decision to keep Udham Singh Nagar with the Uttaranchal state against the wishes of the Akali Dal, Mr Badal asked mediapersons not to take up the issue again and again. He virtually admitted that the party had to bow before the Centre’s decision, as a series of protests had failed to move the BJP. He pointed out that the Akali Dal had till the end tried to fight out the matter. “The party Lok Sabha member, Mr Zora Singh Mann, had staged a walkout from the House in protest against the move”, he explained. Instead of blaming the BJP, he criticised the Congress for not coming to the support of the Akali Dal in the Lok Sabha on the Udham Singh Nagar issue. Asked why his son, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is not holding any office, was being accorded a VIP treatment at various public functions, Mr Badal said there was no bar on inviting Sukhbir as a chief guest at public gatherings. He denied any attempt by his party to project him as the future Chief Minister, saying “CMs are not made overnight. To become a CM, one has to become a legislator and later muster support in the Assembly”. Referring to the delay in the constitution of the district SAD-BJP coordination committees to end fissures the alliance partners, he said he had received the names of leaders from all over the state and such committees shall be shortly formed. |
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Men in black
stripped, scribes manhandled JALANDHAR, Aug 13 — Has the Punjab police banned wearing of black clothes ? It would seem so if the action of the police officials on duty at the entry point of a function attended by the Union Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, at the Civil Lines here today is any indication. The police officials, besides manhandling a few journalists, humiliated and embarrassed almost all invitees who were wearing black clothes by not allowing them to enter the venue till they deposited their clothes, socks and handkerchiefs, with the security staff, resulting in piling up of these items at the gate. It was perhaps for the first time in the state that such a “strange security measure”, was taken to “avert” any mishap. Besides, some middle-rung police officials, particularly Mr Ranjit Singh, DSP-1, and Mr Nirmal Singh, SHO, Division No 4, allegedly misbehaved and manhandled some journalists in their bid to prevent them from meeting the Defence Minister and the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mr Chaman Lal Gupta. The police officials at the gate also gave preferential treatment to some people, including local politicians and reporters, who were allowed to enter the venue along with their mobile phones and electronic diaries, while others were not allowed to do so. A head constable at the gate allegedly scoffed at some correspondents when he suggested that they should display their identity cards on their shirts as was being done by constables on duty. When asked why people were made to deposit their socks and handkerchiefs at the gate, Mr Pawan Uppal, SP (city), just smiled and said, “Chhaddo ji, it is nothing.” |
Three BJP councillors quit party BATHINDA, Aug 13 — Even as the Punjab Local Bodies Minister, Mr Balramji Das Tandon, has entrusted the chairmanship of the local improvement trust to Mr Mohan Lal, Mrs Bimal Garg, vice-president of the BJP Mahila Mandal, Punjab, and municipal councillor along with Mr Chaman Lal and Mrs Sashi Datta (both municipal councillors have resigned from the primary membership of the party. In a letter to Mrs Gurcharan Kaur, Senior Vice-President, BJP, all three councillors have alleged that the BJP is no more a disciplined party and even its party leadership is not ready to follow the party constitution. They have said they had brought to the notice of the state BJP President instances of interference by the RSS in party affairs, but had been directed to obey the orders of the Mandal president. They said the state BJP President, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, had refused to listen to their problems hence, they had submitted their resignation from the primary membership of the party. A section of party functionaries did not attend the oath-taking ceremony of Mr Mohan Lal as Chairman, Improvement Trust. Mr Rinwa did not attend the press conference addressed by Mr Tandon at the local Circuit House. He remained in another room in the same complex. |
Ranjit Sagar units
produce power GURDASPUR, Aug 13 — The much-awaited power generation from the prestigious Ranjit Sagar Dam began on August 12, days before the August 15 deadline. The dam authorities, in spite of queries in this regard, are keeping the power generation a closely guarded secret. However, the authorities say that all four power houses, each of the capacity of 150 MW, would start generation during September. The Prime Minister is expected to visit the dam and dedicate the project to the nation then. Insiders admit that unit No. 1 generated 2 lakh units on August 12. It was a moment of rejoicing for the employees who had contributed a lot towards the completion of the dam. On August 12 afternoon, the unit generated 35 MW of electricity without fault with the spinning of the turbine. During the night the load of the turbine was increased and it generated 150 MW of electricity. The turbine was overloaded the following day and it generated 160 MW of electricity. The power house of unit No. 1 has been successfully tested and is ready to operate to its full capacity of 150 MW electricity per day. The sources say the spinning of the turbine was started on July 25 when the lake reservoir had reached a level of 487 metres. The spinning of turbine of unit No. 3 was started on July 27 and of unit No. 2 July 29. Mr Amrit Singh, General Manager (Hydel), PSEB and Mr D.K. Mahindra, Deputy Chief Engineer, PSEB (Hydel), are camping at the site to monitor the working. Mr N.S. Vasant, Adviser, Energy, Punjab Government, and Mr G.S. Sohal, Chairman, PSEB, have visited the site and are in touch with the dam authorities. Official sources say the power generated at Ranjit Sagar Dam will be connected with the Sarna grid substation of the PSEB and from there supplied to the rest of the state, giving respite to consumers from the shortage of power. Since the catchment area of the dam has had good rainfall, there is no shortage of water in the dam lake and its level till date is 502
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Thermal plant soon at Goindwal: CM HOSHIARPUR, Aug 13 — One more thermal plant of 1000 MW will soon be set up at Goindwal and work on it will start next month. This was stated by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister Punjab, after inaugurating round-the-clock power supply to 104 villages of the kandi area of Hoshiarpur district at Khanpur village yesterday. He hoped that Punjab would be able to provide extra power to the adjoining states. He said of the 12550 villages 2175 were getting electricity supply round-the-clock in the state under a special scheme of the PSEB and with the starting of the new scheme 871 villages of the kandi area in Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr districts would get round-the-clock power supply. Mr Badal strongly criticised the Congress for not providing even basic amenities like drinking water, electricity, roads to people during its rule. He said he had recently provided Rs 65.50 lakh for the development of bet area of Hoshiarpur district. To provide safe drinking water in the area, four deep tubewells had recently been installed. Three causeways on the Garhshankar Binewal road at a cost of Rs 20 lakh had been constructed. The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for Government Primary School and Rs 1 lakh for the dharamshala of the village. He also announced the upgradation of Government Primary School. Mr Kirpal Singh, member, Operations of the PSEB and Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, also addressed the gathering. |
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Rakhis bring little cheer for makers in Patiala PATIALA, Aug 13 —A rakhi tied to a brother’s wrist may bring a reward for the sister and strengthen the special bond between them, but for hundreds of workers of the city engaged in making
rakhis, the festival means labouring for a pittance. “It is a compulsion to make
rakhis as we have nothing else to do during the season”, say the workers. They are mostly women and children who work during the summer months preceding the festival. Interestingly, they are the same people who are engaged in making the famous
parandis and nalas for the rest of the year. Lakshmi Devi, a worker in Kacha Patiala, said there was less demand for
parandis now due to which most of the women shifted to making rakhis during the summer. Another reason is that there are few marriages during this season. The women do not have the resources to buy raw material, make the product and sell it in the market. So, they work for shopkeepers of Adalat Bazaar in the city, where the majority of
rakhis are sold. Sunita said they were working at abysmally low rates. She said shopkeepers usually paid a lump sum of Rs 8 to Rs 15 for 144
rakhis, which formed a gursh. Sunita said this meant that no single woman could earn more than Rs 15 per day and sometimes the revenue was even less. In the city only
doris are made, which are either decorated with threads or motis. She said the latter variety was a speciality of Patiala as
parandi workers are experts in this work. Since 500 to 700 persons make doris, the manufacturers get labour at low rates. Sunita added that as there is no woman cooperative in this line, even though this was a cottage industry, they were subject to the whims and fancies of the shopkeepers. The shopkeepers said that margins on
rakhis have come down in Punjab. Shyam Gupta of Shyam Paranda House says as
rakhi making is a cottage industry, it should be treated as such and be tax-free. He said at present, 8.8 per cent sales tax is charged on the product in the state, while there is no sales tax on
rakhis in the nieghbouring states. This put the city manufacturers here at a disadvantage. Neelam Kumar Khanne of Khanne di Hatti said manufacturers in Punjab also have to contend with the octroi that is levied on the product. He said there was no uniform policy on the issue, with some municipalities like those of Ludhiana and Rajpura taking a tax of Rs 50 per quintal and others, including Patiala, taxing the product at 2 per cent of its value. Others said intense competition among traders and also the mushrooming of
rehris and small shops during the rakhi season had affected the business and was mainly responsible for the workers getting paid less. Misuse of municipal land NABHA: Government land in Nabha has slipped into different hands on different pretexts. But such land is rarely used for the intended purpose. On a plot meant for a school for the deaf and dumb and a home for widows, stands a marriage palace which has been given on lease to a municipal employee. On another piece of land on which an old-age home should have been built, stands an English medium public school which serves the affluent sections of society. The Lions Club of Nabha had obtained 500 square yards of land from the municipality on a nominal lease of Rs 100 a year for the purpose of building a school for the deaf and dumb and a home for widows. But instead of the school and the home, it built a marriage palace. The original lease is believed to have been for 500 square yards, but the marriage palace occupies 4,500 square yards. Mr Satinder Kumar, Secretary of the Nabha Lions Club, who is also a member of the municipal council, when asked about this, expressed ignorance about the proposed school for the deaf and dumb or the home for widows. He maintains that the land was leased to the Lions Club as the municipality was unable to maintain it. He says nothing is charged for holding ‘Bhog’ or religious ceremonies in the hall, known as Lions Bhavan, and there is only a nominal charge for holding marriage ceremonies. The site for the old-age home was given to the Shiv Mandir Sudhar Committee, Dulladi Gate, where the committee is running an English medium public school which charges hefty fees from the students, and obviously serves the elite of the town. Another piece of government land is being used as the school’s playground. The construction of the school has a strange history. The Shiv Mandir Sudhar Committee came into existence in 1984, and requested the Municipal Committee to lease to it some land for developing a public park. In March, 1985, the municipality sanctioned to the Mandir Committee a lease of about six bighas of land including a pond. The Government of Punjab was duly informed about the lease. The municipality also permitted installation of street lights and a railing around the pond. The Mandir Committee still owes the municipality Rs 80,000 on this account. Later, The Punjab government asked the municipality to review the decision to grant the lease to the Mandir Committee. The municipality held a special meeting and upheld the decision with the stipulation that it would not allow anyone to make any profit from it. The Director, Local Bodies, however, rejected this resolution but the Mandir Committee remained in possession of the land. In 1993, the Mandir Committee decided to fill up a part of the pond and construct an old-age home there. The project was given wide publicity and funds were collected from the public. The then Chief Minister of Punjab, the late Beant Singh, laid the foundation on March 6, 1993. But the old-age home never came up and on April 5, 1996, Her Highness Usha Mataji (Agrewale) laid the foundation stone of a public school at the same site. Both foundation stones exist on two walls of the school. The chairman of the school committee is the same municipal employee who manages the Lions Club marriage palace in his wife’s name. Mr Shanti Chhabra, a member of the Mandir Committee, says that the land was indeed meant for an old-age home but such a project had no chance of succeeding in a small place like Nabha, so they decided to build a school instead. The old-age home project was still under serious consideration, he maintained. Surprisingly, no record of both these plots of land is now traceable. The stock reply of the municipal office to any enquiry is that the file has been lost. Recently, the municipal authorities wrote to the school as well as to the Mandir Committee to clarify the position regarding possession of the land. They have not yet presented any evidence to justify their claim. Certain NGOs, including the Senior Citizens Association, the Pensioners Welfare Association and the Progressive Thinkers, have urged the Punjab Government to take strict action against the officials and others involved in these land muddles.
SAD panel on statute meets CHANDIGARH, Aug 13 — The Constitution Review Committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal met here today under the chairmanship of the party President and state Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to prepare and present the party’s case before the National Commission to Review the Working of the Indian Constitution. The issue of bringing the national polity along truly federal lines dominated the proceedings, said a press release. It was generally felt that there was an urgent need to recast the Indian Constitution to ensure ‘‘greater fiscal, legislative and political devolution’’ of powers to the states. The committee also deliberated on the draft of the party’s case to be presented before the commission. This has been prepared in the light of the working of the Constitution in the past and the party’s own experience. Those who attended the meeting included Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, SAD secretary-general, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Mr Tota Singh, Mr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Mr H.S. Mattewal, Advocate-General, and Mr H.S. Phoolka, senior advocate at the Supreme Court.
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Release grant
for Rajasansi: manch AMRITSAR, Aug 13 — The local Vikas Manch has expressed concern at the inordinate delay in the release of Rs 80 crore for the upgradation of the Rajasansi airport, despite the grant having been approved by the Union Cabinet on April 13. The manch president, Mr Mohan Singh, in a statement here today, said while Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has stated that the Central Government had released Rs 76.26 crore for the project to the Airport Authority of India, the actual position was different. The project has not been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs whose approval was a must for the money to be released. The manch president alleged that the Punjab Government had not pursued the matter with the Central Government vigorously. As a result, the project was hanging fire for the past three years. He said expansion work at the Amritsar airport, especially the new terminal building, had become even more important with the increase in the number of international flights and the number of passengers. Turkmenistan Airlines, which had started flights twice a week, now ran four flights a week. Uzbekistan Airlines which was running flights twice a week was going to introduce four more flights a week from the last week of September. The total number of passengers who arrived at the airport in the month of April 2000, was 7058 — 84,000 passengers annually. The manch president urged the Chief Minister to get the project cleared from the CCEA at the earliest and pressurise the Central Government to release Rs 80 crore.
General category govt staff seek justice CHANDIGARH, Aug 13 — Reacting to the convention of Scheduled Castes officers here on Saturday, wherein the state government was blamed for not implementing the reservation policy sincerely, the Punjab State General Category Welfare Federation today condemned the stand of the Scheduled Castes officers. Mr Prabhjit Singh, senior vice-president of the federation, said in a press note that the government was not sincere in implementing the Supreme Court judgement in the Ajit Singh Janjua case. In fact, till date the seniority list in the Department of Health and Education had not been amended in compliance with the judgement. In the Education Department alone, more than 700 posts of Principal were lying vacant. Similarly, in the Health Department, Dr G.S. Preet, who was much junior to general category officers, was working as Director. Mr Prabhjit Singh further said that SC ministers were working only for the benefit of the Scheduled Castes. Promotions made in the Punjab Civil Secretariat were not according to the judgement of the Supreme Court. The government was not filling eight posts of IAS officer according to the new seniority list of PCS officers, he added. Mr Prabhjit Singh also said that the federation would approach the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to seek justice for general category employees and officers. He appealed to the Chief Minister to abolish reservation in Class I and II services in Punjab. There was no reservation in these services in Haryana, Himachal and in the Central Government. The federation would organise a rally in Chandigarh on September 14 to demand the implementation of the judgement. The Bharatiya Kisan Union, the Khatri Sabha and the Brahman Sabha will also participate in the rally.
New Patiala telecom GM takes over PATIALA, Aug 13 — Mr B. D. Garg has taken over as the General Manager of Patiala Telecom District. He had served as Telecom District Manager here in 1993. After taking over, Mr Garg said his priority would be to improve customer service. He said the Telecommunication Department would strive to retain its consumer base. Priority would be given to consumer complaints as well as providing them with more facilities. Mr Garg has been awarded a state award by the Punjab Government for the work done under his leadership during the devastating floods in Patiala in 1993. |
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Akali leader
attacked PHAGWARA, Aug 13 — A youth Akali leader, Baljit Singh, was attacked and injured on the Hoshiarpur road here late last night. He was later hospitalised. Baljit Singh was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon by scooter-borne assailants. When a police party headed by an ASI rushed to the spot, someone deflated the tyre of the ASI’s motor cycle parked on the road. Meanwhile, ASI Dilbagh Singh today recorded the statement of the hospitalised Baljit Singh and the police has registered a case. |
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Privatisation of
depts decried GURDASPUR, Aug 13 — Mr M.R. Appan, president, All-India State Government Employees Federation, addressing the sixth state conference of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation at Jugial yesterday criticised the privatisation and downsizing of departments by the Central as well as state governments. He said the governments were running away from providing basic services to the people. Mr Appan urged the delegates to fight the trend. Mr Chander Shekhar, general secretary, state unit of CITU, said anti-people and anti-national policies of the government could be fought only through a joint struggle. Mr Ramesh Sharma, general secretary, Punjab Subordinate Services Federation, presented a report detailing the efforts made by the federation to launch a united movement against the anti-employee policies of the state government. |
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900 disabled
appear in test SANGRUR, Aug 13 — More than 900 disabled and hadicapped appeared in a written test for 12 posts of patwari in the district on Friday. Giving this information yesterday, Mr Anirudh Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, said as the test ended late, interviews could not be held the same day. Mr Tiwari said administration had decided to call the toppers of the written test for interview next week. |
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6 IAS officers get
super-time scale CHANDIGARH, Aug 13 — The Punjab Government has promoted the following IAS officers, to the super-time scale. Mr Karan Bir Singh Sidhu, Mr Karan Avtar Singh, Mr N.S. Kalsi, Mr Mandeep Singh Sandhu and Mr Dharam Vir (all Punjab cadre) and Mr Davinder Kumar (Assam cadre). They all belong to the 1984 batch of the IAS. |
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Zoo closed
on I-Day CHANDIGARH, Aug 13 — Chhat Bir Zoo, Ludhiana Zoo, Deer Park, Bir Moti Bagh, Patiala, and Deer Park, Bir Talab, Bathinda, will remain closed on August 15 due to Independence Day, according to the Director of the MC Zoological Park, Chhat Bir, Punjab, Dr Vinod Sharma. |
School kids plant saplings PATIALA, Aug 13 — Kaintal Junior School has planted trees in the school surroundings in a phased manner since its inception in 1998. In a drive started today, the school planted trees across the road and in front of a neighbouring school . The Principal, Ms Neena
Dhundia, disclosed that this year, Classes III and IV students participated in the drive. Each student was encouraged to plant a tree and then see it grow along with him. Mrs Dhundia said environment consciousness was taught to children. They were also encouraged to plant trees and shrubs in their homes and discouraged from the use of plastic bags. |
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