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| Friday, September 1, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
PRTC accumulates losses of Rs 300
crore Advance paddy purchase: Punjab Bid to hush up scam probe
Badal launches
poll campaign Sunam: the sports-politics angle Govt violating
norms: Singla |
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Beant’s sacrifice recalled Beant
assassin unique martyr, says Bains Cops’ alertness
saves drowning man Health services
hit, Kanjhla’s effigy burnt Engineers oppose
consultancy services by BBMB Bar president
rescinds resolution Science panel
to hold training programmes Trust chairman’s
arrest sought
Badal’s directions
on cell phones Punjab shifts
4 IAS officers
Fake bail order lands
3 in police net Two murdered
Surjit Kohli’s sheller licence suspended 
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PRTC accumulates losses of Rs 300
crore PATIALA, Aug 31 — Despite several steps being taken to bring the Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) out of the red, losses continue to mount every year, with the corporation now reeling under a loss of Rs 300 crore.The corporation is expected to be burdened with a loss of Rs 25 crore in the current financial year. Last year was no better as the corporation suffered losses to the tune of Rs 26 crore. Affairs had come to such a pass that the corporation is at present accruing a loss of 87 paise on every kilometer covered by its buses, high level sources in the corporation disclosed here. Losses nearly equivalent to last year’s are expected this year too, despite the fact that the corporation had banned recruitment and even started a “kilometer scheme” where private buses are allowed to run on its routes for a fixed return. Around 142 private buses were allowed to run on corporation routes not being utilised by it due to an ageing fleet . The corporation has been charging a fixed amount of Rs 1 per km, from all private operators since November 1999. However, it seems even this scheme has not arrested the slide. The buses have covered 1.53 crore km till now. Corporation sources said the scheme had not reaped the desired benefits as under it conductors had to man the private buses. They said as there was a ban on recruitment, around 200 conductors had to be taken from regular duty and deputed to private buses. Due to this, around 150 to 200 buses of the corporation were left stranded. The sources said though the corporation had tried to rest only those buses which were overaged, some buses which could have been run had not been used since the start of the “kilometre scheme”. PRTC Chairman Manmohan Singh Sathiala, when asked about this, said he had met the Chief Minister in this regard and had been assured that the ban on recruitment would be lifted . Mr Sathiala said the PRTC would soon hire conductors and drivers on a contractual basis so that it could run its entire fleet of 1,024 buses in an efficient manner. He said, besides this, the corporation was going in for induction of 200 more buses into its fleet. He said the total number of buses in its fleet would go up to 1,074 after the induction of new buses. Sources in the PRTC attributed the growing losses in the corporation to the huge salary bill they were forced to pay vis-a-vis private operators, who hired staff at much cheaper rates. They said after the Fifth Pay Commission, around 60 per cent of the revenue of the corporation was spent on meeting salary bills. They said, besides this, it had to counter an ageing fleet with 500 of its over 1000. This resulted in more expenses on maintenance. Official sources said the corporation was running on uneconomical routes, especially those on which private operators did not want to ply. They said, besides this, the corporation was providing concessions to various categories, including police personnel, senior citizens and students. They said the corporation had given concessions worth Rs 80 crore under these categories which was owed to it by the state government. |
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Advance paddy purchase: Punjab CHANDIGARH, Aug 31— The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has gone to New Delhi to lobby for the procurement of paddy from September 15. He is scheduled to meet the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Mr Shanta Kumar, in this regard. His other key engagement in the Capital is to attend the Inter-State Council meeting. Officially, paddy procurement begins from October 1 every year. But the farmers who go in for early sowing take their produce to the mandis almost a month in advance. This is particularly so in the three border districts, namely Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ferozepore, besides Jalandhar and Kapurthala. There are reports of paddy heaped up in several mandis. With the new kharif procurement prices already announced, pressure groups are lobbying to seek the intervention of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the state procurement agencies to buy paddy to check distress sales. With the Sunam byelection scheduled for September 29, Punjab’s pro-farmer government can scarcely afford to ignore the interests of the paddy growers. What Mr Badal is seeking is quite contrary to what the Council of Ministers has approved on the recommendations of a Cabinet subcommittee comprising of five ministers. The very first recommendation, inter alia, says: “The farmers should also be educated not to sow paddy seedlings in advance or undertake the transplantation of paddy before June 10 every year, and it should also be made clear to the farmers that the procurement season would start only from October 1 every year and under no circumstances would be preponed”. The Punjab Food and Supplies Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, maintains that enough publicity was given to these decisions and the farmers repeatedly told of the government resolve to purchase paddy from October 1. The farmers were also told not to go in for “sathi” paddy. If they have not paid heed to this, should the government be held responsible? The government has an answer to this. Defending Mr Badal’s decision to go to Delhi, a minister said: “The government is the mother-guardian of farmers. If paddy has arrived in mandis like a premature baby, can the parent discard it? Paddy procurement will begin from the date the Central Government fixes.. Much will depend on the outcome of the meeting between Mr Badal and Mr Shanta Kumar. The latter, of late, has caused much political discomfort to the SAD-BJP government on several issues. He supports and prefers the “levy route” rather than direct paddy purchase by the FCI .The rate at which levy rice is to be purchased is yet to be announced. Rice mill owners want payment for the storage of paddy and rice on their premises. Space for the storage of the new harvest is another problem because the outflow of the existing wheat and rice stocks is slow. Experts maintain that the early arrival of paddy has its own disadvantages. Owning to a high moisture content, milling is adversely affected and so is the quantity and quality of the rice produced. If rice mill owners, notwithstanding the inbuilt disadvantages, buy paddy at distress prices the backlash will be evident on the ballot papers in Sunam. The Akalis cannot allow that to happen. Therefore, how Mr Badal persuades the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance to come to his rescue and bail out the farmers remains to be seen. Incidentally, the procurement arrangements have been reviewed by him with state and FCI officials. The FCI is expected to purchase 40 per cent of the total arrivals, the remaining going to the state agencies. Punjab will have 1,622 mandis and purchase centres for paddy. |
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Bid to hush up scam probe FEROZEPORE, Aug 31 — The fate of an inquiry into the illegal arms licence racket episode that rocked the district administration here some time ago remains unknown on account of silence maintained by the officials concerned. Even as the officers are tightlipped over the status of the probe, highly placed sources in the administration reveal a clandestine move is afoot to push the matter under the carpet. Although the authorities are learnt to have detected 30 cases in which fake addresses were used by the applicants to obtain arms licences, the department concerned has merely threatened to cancel these documents. The inquiry followed the arrest of several criminals possessing arms licences issued from here by the Delhi police. These criminals, who were otherwise residents of Rajasthan and Delhi, had their arms licences issued on fictitious addresses in the districts. Subsequently, the Delhi police had sounded the authorities in Ferozepore for further action. However, the Additional District Magistrate, Mr R.G. Sahota, who is handling the arms licence branch here, is unwilling to share any in- formation on the matter despite repeated attempts. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, had assured a thorough inquiry into the matter, but there is no official word on which way the probe is heading. Sources, however, revealed about 30 cases of illegal arms licences had been detected so far. Of these, 25 applicants were found to have used fictitious addresses in the district as notices served to them had returned undelivered. This only indicated the applicants were outsiders and had the licences issued either through political connections or middlemen active in Abohar subdivision. Despite the gravity of the matter the authorities have merely served notices to the applicants threatening to cancel their licences. Whether the middlemen and the staff suspected to be involved will be taken to task is not known. Besides, the authorities are silent on the role of the police, which is supposed to give its report on the antecedents of the applicants. Apparently, in these cases half-baked information was furnished by the police without verifying the facts. On being contacted for comments, the SSP, Mr Gurcharan Singh Pherurai, expressed ignorance over the matter and said only the Deputy Commissioner’s office could answer the query. Surprisingly, Rajinder Kumar, a licence passport clerk, who was shifted in May as part of general transfers following detection of irregularities in the arms licence branch during May, has come back under mysterious circumstances. Earlier, the Commissioner of the Ferozepore range had also detected several glaring defects and irregularities in the branch during an inspection. Even though he had directed the branch to set the records right the arms licence wing was further eclipsed by the controversy after the arrest of the criminals. |
Badal launches
poll campaign NAMOL (Sunam), Aug 31 — The Punjab Chief Minister and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today sought votes in this constituency for the SAD to defeat the Congress at public rallies organised in different villages, including Namol, Duggan and Sheron of the Sunam Assembly constituency. Earlier, Mr Badal was to hold Sangat darshan programmes in these villages today, but due to the enforcement of the model code of conduct these programmes to issue development grants to the panchayats and to resolve other problems of these villages on the spot could not be held. The officers, who otherwise remained present during ‘sangat darshans’, also could not accompany the Chief Minister. Mr Badal’s programmes at Namol and Sheron villages were organised in the government schools. The mediapersons found these schools closed. However, it could not be known whether these were declared officially closed or not. Though Mr Badal launched the election campaign today but the SAD was yet to decide its candidate for this constituency. However, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, son of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Sports, is being considered a prospective candidate for the Sunam seat. Mr Badal, while talking to newsmen at Namol village, said the political affairs committee (PAC) of the SAD would decide the candidate in three or four days. In a bizarre demand, a SAD worker, Rajinder Singh, from Namol village, urged the Chief Minister to open poppy husk and opium kiosks in the state to increase the revenue of the state. But Mr Badal, in his speech, rejected this demand and appealed the people not to consume these intoxicants. Addressing the gathering, Mr Badal said he had come to these villages as per his earlier scheduled programme of ‘sangat darshans’. However, he said he would not violate the model code but he would listen the problems of the people. These programmes today turned into poll rallies as various speakers talked much about the Sunam byelection and demanded votes for the SAD. Lashing out at the Congress, Mr Badal held the Congress responsible for attack on the Golden Temple and anti-Sikh riots in 1984. He said the Congress had not given any-thing to the Punjab when it had been in power at the Centre, rather it had snatched away the state’s water, capital and Punjabi-speaking areas. Mr Badal appealed to the people to ensure a record victory for the SAD candidate in the Sunam byelection to strengthen the party. He also criticised the AISAD leadership indirectly saying the AISAD leaders wanted to defeat the SAD and help the Congress. Mr Badal assured the people that their demands would be fulfilled after September 29 as he now could not issue grants for the development works in the villages. He also met panchayats and deputations. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, secretary general of the SAD, Mr Gobind Singh Longowal, Minister of State for Irrigation, Punjab, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Mr Rajinder Singh Kanjhla, a member of the SAD executive committee, also appealed to the people to ‘teach lesson’ to the Congress in the byelection for its injustices, to Punjab. They appealed to the people to repeat the Nawanshahr history in favour of the SAD. |
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Sunam: the sports-politics angle CHANDIGARH, Aug 31 — Sports and politics seem to be intertwined the Sunam byelection. The Union Sports Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa,who belongs to Sunam and had once represented this constituency in the state assembly, has already landed in his home town. This time he is campaigning for his son, a certain choice of the Shiromani Akali Dal. He will stay in Sunam until September 3. In 1997, Mr Dhindsa had lost by 2,460 votes to Mr Bhagwan Dass Arora, who had won the seat for two consecutive terms. In 1985, Mr Dhindsa had won the seat. In fact, the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and most of the members of his Council of Ministers left for Sunam immediately after a meeting of the Cabinet yesterday. The ministers are expected to stay put in the constituency for most of the time until polling is held on September 29. The announcement of this byelection must have come as a surprise to both the state government and Mr Dhindsa.The Union Sports Minister, otherwise, was planning a longer trip to Sydney to witness the Olympic Games. Though Mr Dhindsa may still go to Sydney, he would be left with no choice except to curtail his stay in the Olympic city. He is going there on September 13 and may return on September 17. He is now expected to attend the opening ceremony besides presiding over India Day at the Olympic village before returning to Sunam to campaign for the party nominee. Sunam, a nursery of boxers, has been sending its athletes to events like the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games besides other international sporting events. This time, a Sunam girl, Sunita Rani, a long-distance runner, will be representing the country in the Sydney Olympic Games. Sunita is a medallist of the last Asian Games also. Of late, Sunam has sent two pugilists as part of the Indian contingent to the Asian meet in Taiwan. The boxers are Ranjit Singh (flyweight) and Bahadur Singh (bantomweight). Some days ago when the investiture ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sunita Rani got the Arjuna Award. Mr Dhindsa also happens to be the president of the Cycling Federation of India as well as the president of the Punjab Olympics Association. Incidentally, one of the contenders for Congress ticket for this byelection is none other than Mr Arvind Khanna, who is the honorary secretary of the Punjab Olympic Association. In February, 1997, when the Shiromani Akali Dal — Bharatiya Janata Party government assumed office in Punjab, Mr Khanna was inducted into the Shiromani Youth Akali Dal as its secretary-general. Later he left the Dal to join the Congress. In case he gets the party ticket, he will be opposing Mr Parminder Singh, a son of Mr Dhindsa. Mr Khanna is also close to Mr Randhir Singh, secretary-general of the Indian Olympic Association. Except for the announcement of the candidature of Prof Sukhjinder Singh of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), no other party or alliance has so far come out with the name of its candidate. Another probable candidate of the Congress is the widow of Mr Bhagwan Dass Arora. In Sunam, electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used. The electorate has grown from 1,34,659 in 1997 to 1,39,085 now. As many as 75.54 per cent of the voters have photo identity cards. The Election Commission has made it clear that only those electors who have photo identity cards will be allowed to cast their votes using EVMs. For the rest, who still do not have photo identity cards, the commission will issue guidelines to facilitate the casting of votes. According to the schedule, after the notification of the election on September 4, the filing of nomination papers will continue until September 11. September 12 has been fixed for the scrutiny of nomination papers while September 14 will be the last date for withdrawals. The election process is to be completed by October 5. |
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Govt violating
norms: Singla PATIALA, Aug 31 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress today charged Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner
V.K. Singh with flouting all ethics and democratic norms while conducting elections to the Nagar Panchayat,
Dhiwan. Mr Sant Ram Singla, Vice-President, PPCC, stated here today that the Congress would not tolerate high-handedness on the part of government officials. He accused the Deputy Commissioner and the Presiding Officer of becoming a stooge in the hands of SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur by declaring her candidates as President and Vice-President of the Nagar Panchayat despite protests by six out of 11 members of the panchayat. Six members protesting against the partisan attitude of the Deputy Commissioner later submitted a memorandum to him. Mr Singla has demanded that the state government should declare this election as null and void and fresh election to these posts be ordered immediately. |
Beant’s sacrifice recalled PAYAL (Ludhiana), Aug 31 — Barring a few exceptions, most of the Pradesh Congress Committee leaders today converged here to pay homage to Beant Singh, former Punjab Chief Minister, who was assassinated in Chandigarh five years ago by a human bomb outside the civil secretariat. Led by the PPCC president, Capt Amarinder Singh, party leaders stressed the need for strengthening unity in the party in the national interest for which Beant Singh had laid down his life. The Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, Mrs Luxmi Kanta Chawla, and the state secretary of the Communist Party of India, Mr Joginder Dayal, joined the PCC leaders in paying homage to late Beant Singh. People from Kotli, the native village of Beant Singh, about 2 km from here, had come in large numbers to remember their leader. The people, who included women in good numbers, sat through the function, which lasted for about four hours despite the humid and sultry weather. The organisers of the programme had made sufficient arrangements for water and also fans. Paying tributes to the slain Chief Minister, the PCC president, Capt Amarinder Singh, lauded his “great sacrifice” in safeguarding the unity and integrity of the country. He said, the subsequent governments headed by both the Congress and the Akalis were the result of the sacrifice by Beant Singh. However, he regretted that none of the governments had renamed Kotli as Shaheed Beant Singh Nagar nor had the road between Doraha and Payal been named after Beant Singh. “It is a simple and symbolic gesture without any financial liability, yet nobody was prepared to do that”, he pointed out, adding “This only reflects our attitude towards our martyrs”. The PCC president expressed great concern over the “deteriorating law and order situation in the state”. He claimed that the forces inimical to peace were once again raising their head and the Chief Minister did not appear to be bothered about this. He alleged that Mr Badal was more concerned about his own survival rather than safeguarding the interests of the state. Capt Amarinder Singh accused Mr Badal of having supported militancy earlier. “He (Mr Badal) was the first to submit a memorandum to the then United Nations Secretary-General Mr Boutrous Ghali, on rights violation in Punjab when Beant Singh was fighting a war against terrorism and now he is enjoying the fruits of peace without caring for it”, he said. Capt Amarinder Singh also read out a special message from the AICC president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi. He claimed Mrs Gandhi had also been invited by the PCC to attend the function but she could not come as Priyanka was still indisposed on account of her delivery. In her message, the AICC president recalled the sacrifice of late Beant Singh. She said Beant Singh had saved Punjab for the country and also laid down his life for ameliorating the sufferings of the people on account of violence and bloodshed. Paying tributes to the late Chief Minister, Mrs Chawla said, Beant Singh retrieved the situation in Punjab when everyone appeared to have lost hope. She pointed out, “The martyrs do not belong to any particular party, religion or region. They belong to the nation and everybody should recall and remember the great sacrifice of late Beant Singh”. Mrs Jaswant Kaur, widow of Beant Singh said she was proud of her husband who had laid down his life for retrieving peace for Punjab. Recalling the days of terrorism in the state, she revealed her husband always felt pained about it and wanted peace at all costs. “And he paid for it with his life,” she pointed out with grief and pride. Mrs Chawla was highly critical of the policy of the government in dealing with terrorism. She criticised the government move to release the TADA accused. She also opposed the government move to declare all those who had deserted the Army in 1984 as “dharma fauji” and also any plan to rehabilitate them. “We must have the courage to call a spade a spade”, she asserted. The state secretary of the CPI also paid glowing tributes to Beant Singh. He said it demanded great courage of conviction to fight the forces of extremism and parochialism and Beant Singh did it all. Among others who paid tributes to Beant Singh included MPs Gurcharan Singh Ghalib, Shamsher Singh Dullo, leader of the Opposition in Punjab vidhan sabha Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, former PCC presidents Virender Kataria, Mohinder Singh Gill and Santokh Singh Randhawa, president of PCC Mahila wing and Beant Singh’s daughter Gurkanwal Kaur, DCC president Surinder Dabar, Mr Nahar Singh Gill, PYC president Devinder Singh Babbu, former minister and PYC president Pratap Singh Bajwa, youth Congress leaders Pawan Diwan, K.K. Bawa, Amarjeet Singh Tikka, Pankaj Prabhakar and others. CHANDIGARH: Rich tributes were paid to former Punjab chief Minister Beant Singh on his fifth death anniversary here on Thursday. Congress garlanded the portrait of late Beant Singh and pledged to protect the unity and integrity of the country. They also offered flowers on his samadhi. They also expressed solidarity with the family of Beant Singh. On the occasion, website — www.beantssingh.com — was launched by his family members. The website contains a life sketch of the leader. A religious congregation was also organised on the occasion. Ragis recited Gurbani. Among those who attended the prayer meeting were Mrs Jaswant Kaur, wife of late Beant Singh, Mr Tej Parkash Singh, Mrs Gurkanwal Kaur, Capt Amarinder Singh, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, Mr Gurcharan Singh Dadhahoor, Mr Santokh Singh Randhawa, Mr Avtar Singh Brar, Mr Amrik Singh Dhillon, Mr Kanwaljit Singh Lali, Mr Harmohinder Singh, Master Jagir Singh and Mr Mohinder Singh Gill and Mr Kewal Krishan. |
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Beant
assassin unique martyr, says Bains AMRITSAR, Aug 31 — For the first time, the death anniversary of Dilawar Singh the assassin of Beant Singh, a former Chief Minister, was observed in Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj, here today. Leaders of the Damdami Taksal, the Akhand Kirtani Jatha and the Punjab Human Rights Organisation were present on the occasion. Dilawar Singh was suspected to be the human bomb that killed Beant Singh, the then Chief Minister, outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat five years ago. Highly sophisticated RDX was reportedly used by the assassin. Justice Ajit Singh Bains, Human Rights Organisation chief, Bibi Parmjit Kaur Khalra, Bhai Mohkam Singh, spokesman of the Damdami Taksal, Bhai Baldev Singh, deputy chief, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Bhai Amolak Singh, Bhai Ajaib Singh Abhiasi, Bhai Ram Singh, general secretary, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Bhai Baldev Singh Sirsa, Bhai Daya Singh Kakkar and mother of Bhai Musibat Singh, praised the “martyrdom” of Dilawar Singh. The observing of the death anniversary of Dilawar Singh in Amritsar assumes significance in the wake of the Sunam byelection scheduled for September 29. Justice Bains said no “quam” (Nation) could survive without keeping alive the memories of their “martyrs”. Criticising Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Justice Bains said the Shiromani Akali Dal had failed to observe the “death anniversaries” of Sikh “martyrs”. Describing Beant Singh as a “ruthless ruler” responsible for the killing of hundreds of “innocent Sikhs” during his regime, they justified the act of Dilawar Singh. They alleged that the Badal government was helping “tyrant police officials” and their families “responsible for the killing of innocent Sikhs in fake encounters”. Justice Bains described Dilawar Singh as “unique martyr”. In all, 62 families including those of assassins of Gen A.S. Vaidya and Indira Gandhi, were honoured on the occasion. |
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Cops’ alertness
saves drowning man CHHATBIR (Patiala), Heavy downpour in the catchment area of Chandigarh for the past 72 hours had raised the water level in the Ghaggar . The water has washed away portions of the embankments all along the area. . The water level rose from 3 feet in the morning to 9 feet till 11 a.m. Besides endangering a bundh adjacent to the boundary wall of the lion safari of the Chhat Bir zoo, the roaring water threatened to submerge crops and houses along the river banks. Mr Mela Ram, a resident of Babua village, near Barwala, was washed away when he swam to catch some wooden logs floating downstream. Unaware of the intensity of the current, he was swept into the whirlpool and would have drowned, but for the cops who noticed him struggling to keep afloat. . The personnel, who were on duty at the police control room adjacent to the Bhankharpur bridge, flashed a message to the wireless operator in the flood control room at
Chhatbir, adjacent to the zoo lion safari, which resulted in the rescue. As news spread Dr Venod Sharma, and Mr Gurpal Singh, Director and Deputy Director, of the zoo respectively along with the zoo employees, rushed to the spot to help the cops and employees of the Punjab Drainage Department in the rescue operation. Mr
H.S.Sidhu, SDM, Dera Bassi, and Dr Sharma, along with their teams also rushed to the spot. Eyewitnesses reveal that constable Harpreet Singh and Mr Gian Singh, an employee of the Drainage Department, noticed the man being carried by the swift current near a spur of the Zoo protection wall and then subsequently laid a trap about 150 metres downstream. to bring him out. They swam up to him and brought him to the bank. He was then taken to the village civil dispensary for first aid. Since he was unconscious, the doctor referred him to Civil Hospital,
Banur. The Ghaggar has once again started threatening the residents and the crops along its bank since July 17 when the river flowed at a record two lakh cusecs and left a trail of destruction, damaging crops in more than 10 villages in this area. The Ghaggar had also washed away the protective spurs near the lion safari at the Chhat Bir zoo. |
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Health services
hit, Kanjhla’s effigy burnt SANGRUR, Aug 31 — On the call of the PCMS Association, Punjab, Health services in the district today remained paralysed. Protesting doctors, para-medical staff, ministerial staff and other trade unions activists burnt the effigy or Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Social Security Minister, Punjab, here. They also held a rally at the local Civil Hospital and took out a march in the town to protest against the alleged “misbehaviour” with four women doctors at Nadampur village at a special old age pension camp on August 16 by Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla. They were demanding immediate dismissal of Mr Kanjhla from the Punjab Council of Ministers. Meanwhile, a large number of Mr Kanjhla’s supporters also held a rally and took out a procession here today against the “corruption” among the doctors. They were demanding stern action against the “corrupt doctors” and those who were allegedly involved in selling medicines of the government hospitals.Tension gripped the town for some time due to holding of rallies and processions in the town by the doctors and the supporters of Mr Kanjhla. However, no untoward incident reportedly occurred. |
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Engineers oppose
consultancy services by BBMB CHANDIGARH, Aug 31 — The PSEB Engineers Association today expressed its concern over the consultancy services started by the BBMB. A press note issued by Mr Purshotam Lal Garg, regional secretary of the association, said the claims made by the BBMB, with the help of “concocted” figures and data, had failed to convince all concerned about the utility of the consultancy services. He said although these services were started about a year ago, no useful purpose had been served so far. The BBMB had not been able to generate any income out of it. Mr Garg said while the BBMB was boasting of having the competence to render the consultancy services, it was seeking help, consultancy and supervisory services of other departments and firms for normal jobs. The association urged the management of the BBMB to see reason and take the necessary steps to undo the wrong immediately to save the BBMB from financial paralysis. |
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Bar president
rescinds resolution AMRITSAR, Aug 31 — The president, Amritsar Bar Association, Mr Sarbjit Singh Sandhu, and two executive members, Mr J.S. Chawla and Mr Khushdevinder Singh, have rescinded the resolution passed by some executive members against the District and Sessions Judge. In a written statement issued here today, Mr Sandhu alleged that Mr V.P. Singh Bhatia, vice-president, had misled the press that the District Sessions Judge had “used taunting words” against him. He said he (Mr Sandhu) and two more executive members of the Bar Association had opposed the resolution moved by Mr Bhatia on August 24 as it was baseless . The president of the Bar Association said he was present at the monthly meeting of the Vigilance Committee and the Sessions Judge had only informed Mr Bhatia that the president and secretary of the Bar Association alone were authorised to attend the meeting. “The hon’ble District and Sessions Judge did not say anything against the respect of Mr V.P. Singh Bhatia, and, hence, it is wrong to say that he used taunting words against him (Mr Bhatia)”, the statement read. |
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Civic chief
removed KHANNA, Aug 31 — The Principal Secretary, Local Government, Punjab, Mr N.K. Arora, has removed the President, Municipal Council, Khanna, Mr Onkar Rai Mehta from his post. The orders to this effect were issued yesterday. A complaint was made by certain municipal councillors of Khanna that Mr Mehta had prepared an estimate of Rs 1.24 lakh for “construction” of a road which was already there. An inquiry was conducted which found the President guilty. The case was sent to the Chief Vigilance Officer. During the inquiry, new facts came to light. The President had prepared another estimate under the same nomenclature and the same amount in connivance with some municipal employees on the night of the inquiry and placed it on record, destroying the original estimate. It was also revealed during the inquiry that the signatures of the E.O., Mr J.C. Goel, had been forged. Mr Goel had stated in his statement that his signature on the estimate were “fictitious”. The Principal Secretary, Local Government, had ordered the removal of Mr Mehta on April 17 and debarred him from contesting elections for a period of two years. Mr Mehta moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court observed that full opportunity had not been given to the petitioner and the order was set aside. It was, however, left to the government to pass fresh order in accordance with law after affording a reasonable opportunity to the petitioner. Accordingly, he was allowed access to the material on record. He was also supplied the required documents. The hearing was completed on August 2. After hearing arguments, a fresh order removing him from the post of President was passed yesterday. However, no action has been taken against him in his capacity as
councillor. |
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Science panel
to hold training programmes ROPAR, Aug 31 — The Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) has decided to hold 41 training programmes, to train resource persons in the state for spreading scientific awareness among the masses. These resource persons would be teachers, college lecturers or other people who have done commendable works in their respective fields. They would be imparted the latest information on the subject ranging from environment, creative science learning, patent awareness and the solid waste management etc in these training programmes. The resource persons would then be asked to motivate the NGOs, government and the semi-government organisations, to hold seminars and training programmes to spread scientific awareness among the masses in their respective areas. The PSCST would finance the seminars and the training programmes to be organised by these NGOs, under the observation of the resource persons. Dr D.P. Singh, one of the resource persons of the PSCST, who is among the six persons selected by the council to represent the state in the national training programmes at Gandhinagar in Gujarat, says these programmes aimed at training resource persons to spread scientific awareness among the masses. Most of these training programmes are being organised in Chandigarh and its surrounding areas. |
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Trust chairman’s
arrest sought BARNALA, Aug 31 — Mr Radhe Sham Kaushik, secretary, Punjab Janata Dal, sought the immediate arrest of Rupinder Singh Sandhu, Chairman, Improvement Trust, here, who has been booked under various sections of the IPC following a clash between the trust officials and residents of the local Aabe Basti, on August 27 in which Pritam Singh, a Dalit was injured. He was talking to mediapersons here today. Mr Kaushik alleged that the police was deliberately soft-pedalling the issue regarding the arrest of Mr Sandhu. He expressed concern over the improvement trust move to uproot Dalit residents of Aabe Basti without offering them an alternative rehabilitation site. |
Badal’s directions
on cell phones CHANDIGARH, Aug 31 — Officers of various Punjab Government undertakings may face the music as the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has directed the executive heads to seek an explanation from the officers concerned in connection with the purchase of cell phones, pagers and other modem items with government money. A spokesman for the government said such items had been purchased violating government instructions. The government has sought full details regarding pagers and mobile phones and the money spent on providing such facilities to the officers within 10 days from the executive heads of the undertakings. Mr Badal has directed that the purchase of pagers and mobile phones, etc, should be stopped forthwith till a policy was formulated by the government in this regard. Mr Badal has reiterated that the austerity measures announced by the government from time to time must be implemented in view of the economic constraints faced by the state. |
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Punjab shifts
4 IAS officers CHANDIGARH, Aug 31 — The Punjab Government today transferred four IAS and one PCS officer. Mr Karan A. Singh has been posted Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development . He has also been given charge of Chief Administrator Anandpur Sahib Urban Planning and Development Authority and also of Chief Executive of Anandpur Sahib Foundation. Mrs Ravneet Kaur has been shifted to Finance Department as Special Secretary. Mr S.S. Rajput goes to Punsup as its Managing Director and Mr Anurag Verma has been transferred to Urban Development Department for posting as Additional Chief Administrator of Punjab Urban Development Authority( PUDA). Mr Ajeet Singh Pannu, a PCS officer, has been transferred to Department of Food and Supplies as a Joint Secretary. |
Fake bail order lands
3 in police net MANSA, Aug 31 — Three persons, namely Balwant Singh, Darshan Singh and Malkit Singh, of this district landed themselves in police custody when they were caught red-handed while trying to secure bail for an accused, Lakha Singh, by producing a fake bail order of the Supreme Court in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Mr Sukhdev Singh, here last evening. Official sources said when the three accused went into the court of the CJM in connection with the implementation of the fake order of the Supreme Court regarding the bail of accused Lakha Singh, the CJM became suspicious that the bail order was fake. Mr Sukhdev Singh then made his own inquiries and asked the three accused to sit in the courtroom. When Mr Sukhdev Singh became sure the three had produced a fake bail order of the Supreme Court, he summoned the police and handed over the accused to them. Sources said Lakha Singh, who was booked under the NDPS Act in 1996, was in judicial custody as he was facing trial. He contacted one of the accused, Malkit Singh, who was Lambardar of Dulowal village, for making arrangement for his bail by hook or by crook. Malkit Singh then approached Arun Madan, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, in this connection and a deal was struck with him to prepare a fake bail order of the Supreme Court for Rs 22,000. The fake bail order came in the court of the CJM here through courier. Darshan Singh and Balwant Singh also actively participated in facilitating the bail of accused Lakha Singh. A case in this connection has been registered in the city police station under Sections 468, 467, 471 and 129 of the IPC. Police sources said they were trying to secure the arrest warrant of advocate Arun Madan. |
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Two murdered JALANDHAR, Aug 31 — Gurvinder Singh, a resident of Dadoowal village, was allegedly killed by two persons with sharp-edged weapons. According to the police, Harvinder Singh and Prithipal Singh of the same village, had a property dispute with the deceased. They had absconded. A case had been registered. Rajesh Kumar of Pasala village in Noormahal was attacked when he was leaving for Goraya. He was admitted to the Jalandhar Civil Hospital where he died. The parents of Rajesh allege that he was murdered by Sucha and Pala due to an old rivalry. A case has been registered. |
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One killed PHAGWARA, Aug 31 — Gurinder Singh was murdered at nearby Dadoowal village, near here, today. The deceased was a Manager in the Markfed godowns here, but was currently under suspension. Enmity is said to be the reason behind the murder. In another case, a person was found hanging from a tree at Khera village, near here. |
Surjit Kohli’s sheller licence suspended PATIALA, Aug 31 — The District Food and Supplies Controller’s office today suspended the sheller licence of the former Punjab minister and the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal Chief G. S. Tohra’s confidant, Mr Surjit Singh Kohli, for being unable to show a record of the paddy stocked in his mill. A team, including the
DFSC, Jalandhar, and Punsup officials, had earlier made a verification of the stocks lying in the Kohli Rice and General Mills on the Sanaur road in the city owned by Mr Kohli and his father, Mr Sardara Singh Kohli, who is also a former minister. The DFSC sources here said, following a rechecking of the mill 73 quintals of rice were found to be short. Sources said the mill owners had not been able to show a record of the paddy stocked with it due to which their licence had been suspended. They said checking had been done in around 42 mills in the city following which around 15 mills which were unable to show proper records had had their licences suspended. Mr Surjit Singh Kohli has, however, called the move politically motivated. Mr Kohli said the action was taken deliberately at this juncture to harm his political interests. He said the department officials had also taken away the record of the mill. Protesting against the injustice being meted out to him, he said an impartial probe should be ordered in the matter and the government should desist from taking political vendetta in this manner. He also feared that the government may seize the sheller unlawfully in the future. |
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