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| Sunday, September 3, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
13 MPs urge PM to hold probe Rs 3-cr scam by engineers Revision of guidelines on gateways sought History favours Cong in Sunam SHSAD nominee by Sept 7 Steps to comply with UGC norms |
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Arrest Improvement Trust chief: JAC PSEB in financial bind Police ill-equipped to tackle cyber crime: DGP Tanker union not to go ahead with stir Dr Chawla: study
on iodine in soil must Govt ‘not
interested’ in purchasing paddy Register case against Bains, says Bitta PSEB
engineers seek compensation “Theatre promotion
a must” Dental teachers demand filling of vacant posts
Curbs on trade timings go 132 clerks’ posts
lying vacant
Captain
shot by robbers Neighbours beat up
dowry seekers
Union demands
ban on ragging
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13 MPs urge PM to hold probe BATHINDA, Sept 2 — Thirteen members of Parliament have urged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to order a CBI probe into a scam worth hundreds of crores in the Irrigation Department. The 13 MPs — Mr Bhan Singh Bhora, Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib, Mr Balu Singh, Mrs Parneet Kaur, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, Mr R.L. Bhatia, Mr Jagmeet Brar, Mr Charanjit Channi, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, Mr Ajoy Chakravarti, Mr Buta Singh, Mr Balwant and Mr V.V. Raghwan — in a representation have said that they had documentary evidence from which it was evident that more than hundreds of crores had been swindled by ruling party politicians, officials of the Irrigation Department and contractors of Punjab. They have pointed out that the amount had been released by Nabard and the World Bank for eradication of water logging in Muktsar district. They have further pointed out that even the Irrigation Minister, Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, had admitted that a sum of Rs 40-Rs 50 crore had been pocketed by engineers of the Irrigation Department. Similarly Rs 200 crore had been embezzled in case of the Ranjit Sagar Dam project. In a separate complaint to Mr Vajpayee, Mr Bhora has alleged that more than Rs 100 crore meant for the execution of various irrigation works had been swindled by a minister, officials of the Irrigation Department and a contractor. Mr Bhora talking to TNS, alleged that the Punjab Government was deliberately shielding those politicians, officials and contractors who had embezzled hundreds of crores of rupees given by Nabard and the World Bank for execution of various works. He alleged that the government had “punished” all those officials who had made efforts to expose various scams. He pointed out that Mr S.R. Ladhar, the then Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, who had exposed a Rs 2.5 crore irrigation scam in one of the wings was transferred without any valid reason. Mr Bhora said even a report of the crime investigation department (CID) wing of the Punjab Government had mentioned that a state minister was involved in a scam worth more than Rs 1.50 crore. He pointed out that hundreds of crores had been embezzled by officials in connivance with contractors with the patronage of ruling party politicians through bogus bills, use of sub-standard material and bogus estimates. He said the common man had lost faith in a section of bureaucracy and the police which had virtually become a puppet in the hands of politicians and the CBI alone could conduct a fair probe into the scams. He said if Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was serious about his anti-corruption drive, he should hold a probe into the assets of his Cabinet colleagues. |
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Rs 3-cr scam by engineers PATIALA, Sept 2 — Officials of the Patiala Drainage Department office here have been found by the Vigilance Department to have carried out flood protection works worth Rs 3 crore on paper only . The Patiala Vigilance Department, during a surprise raid on the office here in the last week of June, found that a number of engineers had connived to complete paper work on permanent flood works sanctioned by NABARD completed before the monsoon season. The engineers had planned to show various works to have been washed away during floods. At least five engineers have been named in the case. The department sent a preliminary report to the Principal Secretary, Irrigation, Mr Rajesh Chhabra, in mid-July who, when contacted by TNS, said he had received the report. Mr Chhabra said the department had agreed to a detailed inquiry into the matter by the Vigilance Department and further action would be taken only after the detailed report was submitted . According to sources, estimates of drainage works were prepared by the Patiala office in June without getting these approved by the competent authority, who is the Chief Engineer, Drainage . They said an Executive Engineer called a tender without the sanction of the approved authority and took refuge in the fact that he was authorised to call a tender below Rs 1.50 lakh. They said the Executive Engineer called tenders below this figure by splitting the estimates and gave work to 20 contractors. The sources said work was given to various contractors without the sanction of the higher authority. They were asked to start work without work orders which are mandatory under the law. The sources said even though no work orders were issued, contractors started to do work. The Patiala Drainage office submitted checking reports of various works to the higher authorities in the end of July. They said the progress reports said 70 to 80 per cent of the work had been completed whereas only 10 to 15 per cent of the work had been done. Surprisingly, none of the contractors who had been assigned work submitted any bill to the Drainage Department . The sources said following investigation by the Vigilance Department into the case, many contractors said they had not been given work allotted to them on paper only. The sources said once checking of records was done, some work orders were issued, even on holidays. Tender forms were also sold before the estimates were passed. The Vigilance Bureau has in its report to the government alleged that the engineers had not cooperated in the inquiry. According to the set procedure, after the estimates are approved by the competent authority, a tender is called by the authority concerned. Following this contractors are selected and work orders issued to them. The Principal Secretary, Irrigation, said the accused engineers had in a representation to him said that the Vigilance Bureau had not even “measured” the work conducted by the department. |
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Revision of guidelines on gateways sought CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab Government wants the Union Government to revise its guidelines of not allowing setting up of gateways by international service providers (ISPs) in the state and other border areas out of security considerations. A number of leading software companies, including Infosys, Tata Interactive Systems, HCL Perot Systems, Quark, Vickers Ballas Technologies, NYX Software, Future Computing Solutions, Sigma Interactive Technologies, ZenSar Technologies, who have already set up their units at SAS Nagar also want the Punjab Government to take up with the Union Government the issue of a larger band width in the region. Restrictions out of security considerations have put progressing states like Punjab at a disadvantage. Besides information technology, certain other areas, including electrification of rail tracks and upgradation of telecommunication networks in border areas, have been held up because of these restrictions. The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had a long meeting with the Union Communications Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, in New Delhi some days ago to demand a review of the departmental guidelines on setting up of International Gateways by ISPs. The problem coming in the way of development of information technology industry in the state, Mr Badal explained, was poor connectivity. Connectivity could improve only if Gateways were allowed and the existing band width was increased. Mr Badal has also taken up these two issues with the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, explaining to him how the geographical location of the state was coming in the way of advancement of information technology industry. Mr Badal wants immediate approval for installation of international gateways. Besides assuring the Punjab Chief Minister that the problems of band width as also that of frequent breakdowns in communications would be solved soon Mr Ram Vilas Paswan has also designated Mr D.R. Paul, a Deputy General Manager, as the Nodal Officer for Information Technology Industry in Punjab. The software units admit that the communication links have become more or less normal while problems relating to band width were also being looked into. To facilitate addition to band width capacity, on August 14 the Punjab Government issued guidelines for laying optic fibre cables through properties owned by the state government. No payment for the right of way (ROW) need to be paid within the state. All approvals shall be granted within two weeks by agencies like PUDA, the PSEB, Forest, the PWD, civic bodies and other such bodies. Certain basic infrastructural requirements, including better connectivity, sufficient band width and uninterrupted services are essential for areas like software parks, e-governance, e-commerce, tele-education, e-medicine etc, etc. Mr Ram Vilas Paswan has in a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister, promised total telecom solutions, including gateways, earth stations, submarine cable landing stations, telephones, ISDN, Intelligent Network(IN) Services and wiring of software technology parks with optic fibre cables as required. The department has also reportedly assured provision of lease line connections linking SAS Nagar to any location in India through its extensive network.On a request from Mr Paswan, the Punjab Chief Minister has nominated Mr Gurnihal Singh Pirzada, Managing Director, Electronics Corporation of Punjab as the nodal officer to interact with the Chief General Manager of the Punjab Telecom Circle in Chandigarh. Meanwhile, the Electronics Corporation of Punjab (ECP) and the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) have already signed a joint venture agreement (JVA) with Messers Spectra Net Limited to lay optic fibre cables in Punjab. |
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History favours Cong in Sunam PATIALA, Sept 2 — The Sunam assembly seat is perceived as an Akali bastion but history tells an entirely different tale. Congress candidates have won the Patiala parliamentary seat under which it falls eight times while the Akalis have wrested the Lok Sabha seat five times. In assembly polls, the honours have been evenly shared. In the recent past, the Congress has emerged triumphant with former Minister Bhagwan Das Arora, whose death has necessitated the present byelection, being victorious from Sunam twice in the assembly polls in 1992 and 1997. Most recently Mrs Praneet Kaur, wife of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President, Capt Amarinder Singh, had led from the assembly segment during the Lok Sabha elections. Though the Shiromani Akali Dal had wrested the Lok Sabha seat in 1996 and 1998, the then victor, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, is no longer in the Badal camp. Mr Chandumajra is at present a senior office-bearer of the All-India Shiromani Akali Dal led by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. He had also fought the previous parliamentary elections on the AISAD ticket which had led to the defeat of the Badal faction candidate. The Patiala parliamentary seat of which Sunam is a part and the Sunam assembly seat have both been Congress strongholds. Congress candidates have emerged victorious from it from 1952 to 1971 at a stretch during which time the seat was held by the Ram Pratap Garg, Lala Achint Ram, Mr Hukum Singh, Ms Mahinder Kaur and Mr Satpal Kapur. Veteran Akali leader Gurcharan Singh Tohra ended the Congress domination in 1977 following which it was again wrested by the Congress candidate, Capt Amarinder Singh, in 1980. During the phase of militancy the seat went to Mr Atinderpal Singh in 1985 and Mr Charanjit Singh Walia in 1989. In 1991 it was again wrested by the Congress with Mr Sant Ram Singla emerging victorious. The notion that the seat is an Akali stronghold emerged during the seventies and eighties when the Akalis literally ruled Sunam assembly constituency. The seat was won four times at a stretch by Mr Gurbachan Singh Lakhmirwala and the present Union Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. Mr Lakhmirwala was victorious in 1972 and 1980 while Mr Dhindsa won in 1977 and 1985. Earlier, Congress men had dominated in the area. Following the 1985 assembly elections, there was a long period of President ‘s rule in the state with the next elections coming in 1992. These elections were boycotted by the main Akali factions leading to the victory of Mr Bhagwan Das Arora. In the 1992 elections Mr Arora was successful again as a rebel Akali candidate, Mr Sanmukh Singh Mokha, was able to garner 20,000 votes leading to the defeat of Mr Dhindsa. Observers feel Sunam is perceived as an Akali seat due to the predominant rural vote bank besides the presence of charismatic Akali leaders like Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Mr Surjit Singh Barnala both of whom command a sizable following. Compared to this the Congress has not been able to throw up any popular leader who could make a mark for himself from the constituency for the Past 30 years. However, the bitter rivalry between the two major Akali leaders of the area stood the Congress in good stead in the previous assembly as well as parliamentary elections. Mrs Praneet Kaur of the Congress was able to win the Sunam assembly segment by a margin of 5,000 votes in the last parliamentary election held one year ago despite the area being touted as an Akali stronghold. |
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SHSAD nominee by Sept 7 SANGRUR, Sept 2 — The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) will announce its candidate for the Sunam Assembly byelections by September 7. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, General Secretary, SHSAD, said before announcing its candidate, the party would hold a meeting with leaders of the CPI, the CPM, the MCPI, the SAD (Panthic), the SAD (Amritsar), the SAD (Democratic), the Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Party and kisan unions over the issue to give a tough fight to the Congress and the SAD-BJP. Mr Chandumajra said after the meeting the SHSAD would decide whether it should contest the Sunam byelection on its own or support a consensus candidate of all parties. Mr Chandumajra said the SHSAD may offer unconditional support to the SAD for the byelection if Mr Parkash Singh Badal allotted the party ticket to a SAD worker who had made sacrifices for the Akali Dal. The SHSAD General Secretary alleged that the SAD was misusing official machinery and violating the code of conduct. He said his party would bring the matter to the notice of Election Commission. Mr Chandumajra said there was no possibility of Mr Surmukh Singh Mokha joining the Congress. The latter is a staunch supporter of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. He had got more than 20,000 votes in the 1997 Assembly poll when he contested the Sunam seat as an Independent. Mr Chandumajra alleged that Badal was encouraging ‘kakashahi’ and feudlism in politics. The proposed allotment of SAD ticket for the Sunam seat to the son of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa showed that Mr Badal was promoting ‘kakashahi’ in the SAD and there was no place in the party for those who had made sacrifices. Mr Chandumajra threatened that activists of the SHSAD would not allow Mr Badal and his cabinet colleauges in to villages if paddy procurement was not started by September 15 by government agencies. The General Secretary of the SHSAD described the Rs 20 per quintal increase in the support price of paddy as a “mockery on Punjab farmers” because the prices of agriculture inputs had been hiked manifold. |
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Steps to comply with UGC norms CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab Government has directed government and private colleges that the weekly ‘actual work’ report forwarded to the Education Department should not only show the presence of the staff but also the number of hours they discharge their duty. According to reliable sources, both the teaching and the non-teaching staff should sign attendance registers when they arrive on the campus and also when they leave. The order comes in the wake of a University Grants Commission circuler to educational institutes to ensure that the staff puts in least 40 work hours per week. Panjab University has formally asked the teaching departments on the campus to make proposals as to how the UGC recommendation could be complied with. There is difference in the nature of jobs between college and university teachers. Research forms an important part of the university curricula. Universities have only five teaching days a week, while colleges function for six days. There is a need to define clearly the quality and quantity of work. A section of teachers has reservations over acceptance of the 40-hour-work-week. This section is likely to raise the issue of non-implementation of the pension scheme, other financial demands and grievances of the part-time teachers. The college principal or his designate is expected to maintain and forward the attendance records. A serious issue related to the circular is the compliance of minimum work hours required per head failing which the college grant can be withheld. The component of expected finance for salaries in the ‘academic deal’ is another pressure point besides the changed time-table. Besides regular classes, the changed time-table is likely to have more “free hours” for teachers on the campus for helping students the classroom work. There are talks about regular surprise checks by the top officials of the Education department. |
Arrest Improvement Trust chief: JAC BARNALA, Sept 2 — The Joint Action Committee of the Congress, CPI, SAD (Amritsar), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and CPM activists, staged a protest march to press Barnala police to arrest Rupinder Singh Sandhu, Chairman. Improvement Trust, Barnala, for his alleged involvement in a clash between trust officials and residents of Aabe Basti on August, 27. Pritam Singh, a Dalit resident, had sustained burn injuries in the clash and later died at Government Medical College Hospital in Chandigarh on Friday. The activists of the JAC started their protest march today from Aabe Basti to press the police to arrest Sandhu as the deceased, Pritam Singh had stated in his dying declaration that Chairman of the Improvement Trust waas involved in the incident. The JAC march passed through bazars and turned into a protest rally at Bhagat Singh Chowk here. Addressing the rally, Malkiat Singh Keetu, MLA, Barnala, said the SAD must get rid of activists like Sandhu who were tarnishing image of the party. Bachan Singh
Pakho, former MLA and Patron of the JAC regretted the excesses and atrocities committed on Dalits. Pt Som Dutt, Secretary of the Punjab Congress said the party would not tolerate Akali Dal’s excesses on weaker sections especially on Dalits. Ujaggar Singh Bihla of the CPI and Mr Chand Singh Chopra, former MLA (CPM) also spoke on the occasion. Meanwhile, Mr Ajaib Singh
Kaleka, (SSP), Barnala, said Pritam Singh was cremated in Chandigarh
today. |
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PSEB in financial bind CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 —The PSEB is in a financial bind. The Punjab Government, by and large, is responsible for putting the PSEB in a financial crisis. Neither the state government has paid promised financial aid of Rs 300 nor it has withdrawn the facility of free power to farming sector. The amount was to be paid by the state government to the PSEB in lieu of providing free power to the farming sector. In fact, the financial reputation of the PSEB has suffered a serious set back in the past two months as it has defaulted in making timely payment to various financial institutions and to the Railways. Informed official sources told TheTribune that in August when the PSEB defaulted in making the payment of Rs 76 crore as freight charges, it paid Rs 10 crore as 15 per cent surcharge. The PSEB also failed to repay
instalment of Rs 25 crore to the Industrial Development Bank of India as per schedule recently and also did not make a payment of Rs 28 crore to the National Thermal Power Corporation, National Hydro Power Corporation, Nuclear Power Corporation and the Power Grid Corporation. Though The Tribune tried to contact PSEB’s Chairman and also Member Finance for getting official version with regard to worsening financial condition of the PSEB and default in making scheduled payments but both were not available. However, the PSEB Engineers Association headed by Mr M.S. Bajwa has sent an SOS to the Punjab Government for coming to the rescue of the PSEB to stall its financial destabilisation. Mr Anil Miglani, General Secretary of the Association, told TNS that an urgent memorandum had been given to the Minister of Power, Mr S.S. Maluka, urging him immediately compensate the PSEB in lieu of free power supplied to the agriculture sector to save the Board from a serious financial crash. He said that though the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had promised to compensate the Board but so far nothing had been done. For past three years out of compensation of Rs 938 crore, not a single rupee had been paid. The Board is managing to meet only salary of employees and coal bills of thermal stations while defaulting in payments of power purchase to national power generating organisations. The Association has urged the government to abide by the Electricity Supply Act, 1948 and allow PSEB to earn statutory 3 per cent surplus instead of driving it to the point of a total financial collapse. With the recent power tariff hike effective from July 1, the PSEB can expect an additional Rs 30 crore in a month. Even with an additional cash flow of Rs 30 crore per month, the losses ranging between Rs 83 to 143 crore per month would only come down to the range between Rs 53 crore to 113 crore per month. Such a heavy loss ranging from Rs 2 crore to Rs 4 crore cannot be sustained. Informed sources said the PSEB’s revenue during the past four months was in the range of Rs 350 crore to 400 crore per month and the expenditure was Rs 438 crore per month while in addition interest on loan to the extent of Rs 55 crore per month also had to be paid in hard cash. Even financial institutions, which were advancing loan to the PSEB, have started thinking twice before entering in any financial deal with it, source say. The Association said the financial crisis increased during the paddy season — June, July and August. It was during these months the maximum power was supplied to tubewells for which there was no revenue. |
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Police ill-equipped to tackle cyber crime: DGP PHILLAUR, Sept 2 — While computers are being increasingly used in both government and private organisations in the state, the Punjab Police is ill-equipped to tackle the menace of cyber crime. This frank admission was made by none other than Mr Sarabjit Singh, DGP, Punjab in an exclusive talk with The Tribune here last evening after participating in the valedictory function of the first inter-zonal police duty meet held at Punjab Police Academy 20 km from Ludhiana. Though no significant hacking case has been reported from the state so far, yet the growing use of computers and computerisation of government and even police working has increased chances of computer-related crime. A number of instances of ‘friendly hacking’ amounting to minor harassment had already been reported from the state, especially from Ludhiana. “Certain incidents have happened but none amounted to criminal offence”, admitted the DGP candidly, admitting that the expertise available with the police to takcle or detect such crimes was “rudimentary” to say the least. Seemingly worried at the chances of increase in cyber crime in future, the DGP said the Punjab Police was making efforts to keep pace with the latest developments in information technology, “We have made special recruitment of youngsters holding diplomas in various fields of computers. Besides, we are also encouraging other police personnel to get acquainted with computers,” he added. The DGP said with such an aim in mind the police had also initiated “computer awareness” competitions between the police personnel. While the DGP did not pointedly refer to the shortage of funds as a major hurdle in modernisation of computer skills of the Punjab Police, he gave a hint in this regard by detailing financial difficulties faced by the police. According to him, as much as 94 per cent of the police budget is spent on salaries and only less than 1 per cent on training or modernisation schemes. Talking about the crime scenario in the state, particularly after the recent cases of bomb blasts and a bank robbery, the DGP cautioned the public about getting panicky over such isolated cases. He said the terrorist outfit — Khalistan Zindabad Force, was active in Gurdaspur and the adjoining areas but the police was vigilant about its activities. Moreover, there was no grassroots terrorism active in the state, he claimed. He said though the crime rate had increased in the state but according to national figures Punjab was having one of the lowest incidence of crime. He said due to rampant urbanisation crime had increased. He was worried about the recent trend of use of violence by robbers as earlier the robbers used to flee when confronted. The DGP did not agree to the generally accepted plea that migrant labour was behind most of the crime in the state. He said no outsider could do a crime without support from the local people. He called on the people, especially industrialists, to get the labourers working them registered to help the police. Earlier, addressing the participants at the concluding ceremony of the four-day inter-zonal police duty meet held for the first time in the state, the DGP announced the meet would be an annual event from now onwards. As encouragement to the participants the DGP announced he was sending a proposal to the government for special reservation of the winners in promotion cases. The range comprising the PPA, the GRP, intelligence, wireless and computer branches bagged the maximum prizes and were adjudged overall champions. In the band competition, the PPA brass band was declared the winner. The championship trophy in the dog squad competition was won by the Jalandhar zone. |
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Tanker union not to go ahead with stir JALANDHAR, Sept 2 — The Punjab Petroleum Tanker Union has decided not to indefinitely boycott the transportation of oil products of three major oil companies in the state from Monday. The union is protesting against the “indifferent” attitude of the managements of Bharat Petroleum, Indo-Burma Petroleum Limited and Hindustan Petroleum, which, according to it, have failed to pay the revised transportation rates. Mr Davinder Singh Babbu, the president of the union, while addressing a press conference here today, said “though, according to an agreement between these companies and tanker owners, the companies had to pay according to revised rates from October 1, 1999, but they had failed to do so, resulting in arrears worth crores of rupees. He said, on the contrary, the Indian Oil was paying transportation charges according to the revised rates. He alleged that despite a number of representations, nothing had been done by these companies to honour the agreement, which had forced the union to resort to boycott of the transportation of oil products of these companies. He said none of 2,600 oil tankers would supply the products till the acceptance of the demands of the union by the three companies. Mr Dharminder Rana, the union’s district unit president, said oil tanker owners were being harassed owing to a new order of the state government, according to which they had to pay transit fee while entering every city or towns. Moreover, octroi staff was illegally overcharging truck drivers. “Instead of the prescribed Rs 10 as rahdaari fee, they are charging Rs 20,” alleged Mr Rana. |
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Dr
Chawla: study on iodine in soil must PHILLAUR, Sept 2 —Punjab Health Minister Baldev Chawla has urged the Union Government to constitute a committee of medical scientists, agriculturist and biologists to undertake a study of all districts in the country to determine the iodine content in soil. He has suggested that a notification may be modified or withdrawn or be left to individual states to decide on universal iodisation of salt. Till then the government should subsidise the prices of iodised salt (not exceeding Rs 1 per kg). Talking to this correspondent here today, Dr Chawla said the Union Government should make available iodised salt through the public distribution system. He said under the National Goitre Programme surveys conducted in Punjab showed three districts — Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Ropar — were goitre-endemic. He said iodine was essential for survival and development as it was a constituent of the thyroid hormone which was necessary for growth and its difficiency could lead to still birth and dwarfism. Dr Chawla said the state government had planned to start STD (sexually transmitted diseases clinics) in all 17 districts of the state and the National Aids Control Organisation had approved three voluntary blood testing centres for Government Medical Colleges of Amritsar, Faridkot and Patiala. The state had 83 licensed blood banks in the state. Dr Chawla said the state had launched campaigns against TB and Malaria through government and non-government agencies. It was also working on population control programmes. |
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Govt ‘not
interested’ in
purchasing paddy SAMRALA, Sept 2 — The government does not seem interested in purchasing paddy at all during this season. This was stated here today by Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal, national general secretary of the Bharti Kisan Union, and Giani Arjan Singh Litt, former MLA, while addressing workers. They said the Union Government had tightened the specifications for the procurement of the paddy. Mr Rajewal said the farmers had been demanding to increase the moisture contents from 18 per cent to 22 per cent in paddy. But this year the government had brought it down to 16 per cent. These tight specifications proved that the government would not purchase paddy this year. |
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Register case against Bains, says Bitta AMRITSAR, Sept 2 — The All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) has urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee to immediately take possession of such gurdwaras where families of the assassins of Indira Gandhi, Beant Singh and General Vaidya were honoured. Talking to the press here yesterday, Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, President, All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF), said criminal cases should be registered against Justice Ajit Singh Bains, Chairman, Punjab Human Rights Organisation, and other leaders who lauded the “sacrifice” or Dilawar Singh, a human bomb that killed Beant Singh in front of the Punjab Civil Secretariat. Mr Bitta advocated the policy of “bullet for bullet” so far as anti-national elements were concerned. He said cases should be registered against Gopalan, Editor, Nakkeeran, who had “links” with forest brigand Veerappan. The AIATF would launch a signature campaign next month for declaring Pakistan a “terrorist country”. This list would be sent to United Nations shortly. Time had come to scrap Article 370 which gave special status to the troubled Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Bitta alleged Dr Farooq Abdullah was hand in glove with terrorists who had bases in Pakistan. Mr Bitta said the AIATF would launch a “Bharat joro move” from next month. Answering, a question, he said that it was a matter of great concern that the Rs 3 crore released for development of Jallianwala Bagh during the Narasima Rao government was lying unused for so many years. He urged the Punjab Governor to intervene immediately for the overall development of Jallianwala Bagh. The Governor was hero of Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 and he was the person who could understand the importance of a national monument like Jallianwala
Bagh. |
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A clarification AMRITSAR, Sept 2 — In reaction to the report regarding the enquiry report against the District Tuberculosis Officer by Dr Lakhwir Singh, Senior Medical Officer (Ajnala) Dr Mitterpal Devgan has said that an enquiry is in progress and has not been completed. Therefore Dr Lakhwir Singh has no authority to submit any enquiry report because he in no longer a member of the enquiry committee. He said the CMO had deputed Dr Surinder Singh Bedi, Senior Medical Officer, Sursingh, in place of Dr Lakhwir Singh before the submission of the interim enquiry report. |
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Ranike’s
‘sop’ before poll AMRITSAR, Sept 2 — Mr Gulzar Singh Ranike, Minister of State for Agriculture, yesterday announced a 50 per cent subsidy on seeds of maize, sugarcane, grains and vegetables. A sum of Rs 200 crore was kept aside for the implementation of the subsidy scheme, he told mediapersons. Expressing anguish over the lowering of the water level, he said awareness camps to educate farmers regarding the crops’ sowing such as sugarcane, maize, grains and vegetables should be undertaken as they require less water than paddy. Even for afforestation programmes trees like poplar and eucalyptus should be avoided as they deplete the water level. Water level at present had fallen below 50 feet in the Majha belt and at an average of 35 feet in other areas. He favoured the adoption of primitive ways of canal irrigation. |
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11 colonisers
get licences CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab Government today decided to
issue licences to 11 private colonisers under the Punjab Apartment and
Property Regulations Act. An official spokesman said PUDA had invited
applications. These applications were approved at a meeting held under
the chairmanship of the Chief Administrator of PUDA. The spokesman
said PUDA was encouraging private colonisers at small stations like
Mansa, Malerkotla and Kharar. The cases decided included licences for
Mansa (8.88 acres), Malerkotla (9.30 acres) Kharar (7 acres),
Jalandhar (11.5 acres and Ludhiana (102 acres). |
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PSEB
engineers seek compensation PATIALA PSEB Engineers Association demanded that the Punjab Government should abide by the Act of Parliament and allow PSEB to earn a statutory 3 per cent surplus, instead of driving PSEB to financial collapse. The
financial crisis, which plagues PSEB throughout the year has now
worsened during the paddy season months of June, July and August since
it is during these very months that maximum power supply is made to
tubewells for which there is no revenue, while expenses shoot up. To
operate the thermal stations at 80 to 100 per cent capacity, coal
purchases, Railway freight expenses are maximum. Similarly the quantum
of power purchased from NTPC etc. is also the maximum during these
months.
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“Theatre promotion
a must” PATIALA, Sept 2 — “Voluntary organisations, especially Rotary International, must take up the theatre movement as one of their Public Service Projects to fight vulgarity on the stage in television and films and to keep Patiala on the theatre map of India”, said Mr Pran Sabharwal, a noted theatre personality here. Mr Sabharwal was speaking as Chief Guest at a special Fellowhip Function of the Rotary Club, Patiala, held at the Red Corss Bhavan in which Mr Sabharwal narrated his theatre experience and entertained the audience with anecdotes and histrionics in his own way. Mr Ranjit Khosla, President of the Rotary Club dwelt upon the contribution of the theatre couple Mr Pran Sabharwal and Mrs Sunita Sabharwal, in enriching the Punjabi Theatre Movement in India and abroad. He assured help for the promotion of theatre and arts.
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Dental teachers demand
filling of vacant posts PATIALA, Sept 2 — The Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association has demanded the immediate filling of vacant posts of medical and dental teachers in the state. In a press release the association has alleged that at present, more than a hundred faculty positions and an equal number of posts of senior residents were lying vacant in the state medical and dental colleges. Citing statistics, the association said that in the department of radiotherapy, all posts of lecturers were lying vacant. Similarly in radiology and anatomy seven out of nine posts and in the blood bank three out of a total of four posts were lying vacant. The Association alleged that some important departments were headless. These vacant faculty positions have adversely effected the teaching of undergraduate students and if such a situation persists, a time will come when all medical and dental colleges will face a threat of de-recognition. The Association appealed to the Medical Education minister to call a meeting to sort out the problem.
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3 DRI officials
suspended AMRITSAR, Sept 2 (UNI) — Three officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) of the Amritsar zone were suspended for allegedly “assisting” in the escape of a Ludhiana-based exporter, alleged to be involved in a multi-crore duty entitlement pass book scheme fraud. Senior customs officials when contacted here today confirmed the suspension of the three DRI officials and identified them as Senior Intelligence Officer Charanjit Singh and Intelligence Officers Jaswinder Singh and A.K. Chaudhary. |
Curbs on trade
timings go CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — The Punjab Government today announced that there would be no restrictions on the opening and closing hours and observing a particular day as closing day for the trade establishments in the state. The Punjab Labour and Employment Minister, Mr Balramji Das Tandon, said the state government was contemplating to exempt trade establishments from Section 9 and 10 (i) of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Act, 1958. Such exemption was proposed to be given to those establishments which did not employ any labour. The minister said the intention of the government was to provide relief to the trading community and also to protect them from undue harassment caused by the enforcement staff. |
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132 clerks’ posts
lying vacant CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 — Functioning of various branches of the Punjab Civil Secretariat has been affected because of a large number of vacant posts. Mr Oma Kant Tewari, President of the Punjab Civil Secretariate Employees Association, said out of 650 posts of clerk, 132 were lying vacant and out of 500 posts of class IV employees, 120 were vacant. Out of 117 posts of stenographers, 47 posts are also lying vacant. Mr Tewari said work in various branches had been suffering for the past several months because of the inadequate work force in various branches of the government offices. The issue was taken up with the authorities concerned but nothing had been done to fill the vacant posts. Even for filling the vacant posts, the Punjab Subordinate Selection Board had interviewed the aspirants and result was ready. He said the government should declare the result and give appointment letters to successful candidates. |
Captain
shot by robbers HOSHIARPUR, Sept 2 — Capt Swarn Singh was shot dead while his brother Shamsher Singh, his sister-in-law Balbir Kaur, nephews Darshan Singh and Kulwant Singh and niece Manju were seriously wounded by six to seven persons at Tooto Majara village on the Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh road. According to police sources, six to seven robbers went to the house of Mr Shamsher Singh at about 2.30 early this morning. They assaulted Shamsher Singh, his wife, Balbir Kaur, his two sons and daughter with sharp-edged weapons. After injuring them they locked all of them in a room and looted the house. After this they went to the adjoining house of Capt Swarn Singh, brother of Shamsher Singh, who switched on the light of his house on hearing noises. The robbers shot him. He died on the spot. After killing him they looted the house. They took away gold ornaments weighing about 30 tolas. Shamsher Singh and his family members were admitted to the civil dispensary at Mahilpur. Shamsher Singh and his wife were later shifted to DMC, Ludhiana, and his sons to the civil hospital at Hoshiarpur. Mr R.P. Mittal, SSP, Hoshiarpur, along with other senior police officers rushed to the village in the morning. Neighbours beat
up dowry seekers KAPURTHALA, Sept 2 — Residents of the nearby Lakhan Kalan village on Friday taught a lesson to dowry seekers who had come to the village to leave their daughter-in-law, Kamaljit Kaur (25), at her parents’ house. On coming to know that the husband of the girl and her in-laws had brought the girl to her parents’ house, villagers assembled there. On seeing the girl’s condition they reportedly beat up her husband Gurmit Singh, his elder brother Girdawar Singh, his wife Surjit Kaur and their son Rakesh and later handed them over to the police at Sadar police station. The grandmother of the girl told this correspondent that Kamaljit’s in-laws had brought her in a car and had tied her with a rope. She alleged that her granddaughter was married in Adhi village of Jalandhar district about five years back. She had not been allowed to visit her parents since then. She alleged that on Friday they had received a telephone call from Adhi village from a neighbour of Kamaljit’s in-laws asking them to save the girl as she was being taken somewhere in a car. The girl was in a bad condition and allegedly bore injury marks when she was brought to her parents’ house. She alleged that Kamaljit’s husband had been pressing her to bring cash from her parents to enable him to buy a new car. However, the in-laws of the girl denied that she had been harassed and said she had been brought there to meet her family members.
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Union demands
ban on ragging MALERKOTLA, Sept 2 — The Punjab Students Union has demanded a ban on ragging in professional and degree colleges. Mr Gurmukh Singh Mann, general secretary of the district working committee, Sangrur, in a press note here today alleged that neither the state government nor the Union Government had bothered about it. He regretted that students, especially those in professional colleges, were facing mental and physical harassment due to it. He said some students were forced to leave their studies for the fear of ragging. He stressed that the authorities should take strict measures in this regard. |
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