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| Wednesday, September 6, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Assembly to discuss paddy issue today CAG report on Punjab shows revenue losses Punjab to prefer SLP in SC Treasury Benches flay PUDA Resurrection of Bein on cards |
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No mid-term poll,
says Badal Jungle law in
Punjab, says Cong leader Gosain elected
Deputy Speaker
Straw partakes of langar Man breaks cordon to
give memo to Straw Cholera cases in
Jalandhar
Sunam voters
urged to get I-cards Poll arrangements
reviewed
Residents’ beating up: 3 cops suspended Six looted, hurt
Protests mark
Teachers’ Day 80 lakh sanctioned
for e-project: DC
Excise duty evasion
worth 1 cr detected Govt plan to improve
cattle breed
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Assembly to discuss paddy issue today CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 — Driven to the corner in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on the paddy issue, the Chief Minister and Leader of the House, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, agreed to a detailed discussion in the House tomorrow. While offering a open-ended discussion not only on paddy but also on other issues related to agriculture and farmers, Mr Badal took pot shots at the Opposition Benches especially the Congress. Mr Badal, who was in his element, in a brief statement made a telling comment on the “ new-found love of the Congress for farmers”. The issue will come up for discussion tomorrow at 10 a.m. Raising the issue during zero hour, Mr Ravi Inder Singh requested the Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, to consider the adjournment motion submitted by him on the paddy issue. It was a well-planned move of Mr Ravi Inder Singh and a number of other MLAs, who are identified with Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. They had submitted the adjournment motion on the paddy issue to the Speaker this morning about two hours before the commencement of the session. As Mr Ravi Inder Singh raised the issue, other MLAs, including Mr Mahesh Inder Singh, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Mr Hira Singh Gabrian, Mr Jagtar Singh Rajla and Mr Baldev Singh Khaiala, started shouting at the top of their voice to urge the Speaker to allow discussion on the paddy issue. Within no time, MLAs of all Opposition parties including the Congress, the CPI, the BSP and the SAD (Amritsar), were on their legs to demand a discussion on this issue. Mr Badal rose several times to make a statement on behalf of his government, but he was not allowed to do so. It was part of the overall strategy of the Opposition and certain MLAs led by Mr Ravi Inder Singh from the Treasury Benches not to allow Mr Badal to make the statement till the issue was fully highlighted. As Mr Ravi Inder Singh and other MLAs, including those from the Opposition Benches, were demanding a discussion on the paddy issue, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira along with Mr Jagtar Singh Kajla rushed to the well of the House and started raising slogans in support of farmers. The entire Opposition, including Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, Mr Avtar Singh Brar, Mr Romesh Dogra of the Congress, Mr Hardev Arshi and Mr Ajaib Singh Raunta(CPI), Mr Ajit Inder Singh Mofar ( SAD-A), Mr Shangara Ram Sahungra (BSP) and certain Akali MLAs , considered to be supporters of Mr Tohra also joined them in the well. Besides staging a brief dharna, they raised slogans against the government. Noisy scenes continued for about half an hour. As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes. However, it was a repeat of the same exercise when the proceedings resumed after a 10-minute adjournment. Discreetly, a competition was going on in the House among the Opposition parties as well as a group of MLAs led by Mr Ravi Inder Singh to draw the maximum political mileage out of the paddy issue. Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal dished out figures with regard to the distress sale of paddy in the past few days in Khanna Mandi. He said that farmers were being forced to resort to the distress sale of paddy. He urged the government to pass a resolution announcing Rs 50 per quintal of paddy as bonus in addition to the minimum support price announced by the Union Government. Mr Arshi said all outstanding loans totalling Rs 5,700 crore against farmers in Punjab should be waived, the interest on agricultural loans should be brought down to 4 per cent and the families of farmers who had committed suicide should be given Rs 5 lakh each as compensation. Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, Leader of the Opposition, said that the state government should respect the sentiments of those who had come in thousands from all parts of the state to hold a demonstration here to highlight the problems faced by them with regard to paddy. He said the government was misleading farmers on the paddy issue. The FCI would not enter the markets in Punjab, he added. He also said the Punjab had not returned Rs 1200 crore to banks. This was taken in connection with the procurement of paddy. After the Opposition parties had got an opportunity to speak on the paddy issue, Mr Badal rose to make a statement. He first attacked the Congress and then the CPI. Mr Badal said that it was a pleasant development that the Congress had cared to talk about the interests of farmers. He said he was thankful to the Congress for showing such concern for the farming community. But during its rule in the past several decades, the Congress did nothing to improve the lot of the farmers. Mr Badal said no state government in the country was giving free power and water for irrigation to farmers. Only the Punjab Government was doing so. The interest rate on loans to farmers, which was 16.5 per cent during Congress rule in the state, had been brought down to 14.5 per cent. The limit for loans had been raised to Rs 1 lakh per acre and the penal interest rate had been brought down from 3 per cent to 1.5 per cent. Talking about paddy, he said that during Congress rule procurement used to start after October 1. After the formation of the SAD-BJP government in Punjab, the procurement of paddy started on September 22 in 1997. In 1998 and 1999 it began on September 15. The issue this time also had been taken up with the Union Government to start procurement on September 15. He was hopeful that the Union Government would accept the state government’s plea in this connection. However, the Congress was not satisfied with the statement made by Mr Badal. Led by Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, all Congress party MLAs urged Mr Badal to make a categorical statement disclosing when the FCI and other government agencies would enter the market to procure paddy. As noisy scenes continued, the Congress MLAs staged a walkout from the House. The House today also passed three Bills — the Punjab Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2000, the Punjab State Legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2000, and the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Amendment Bill, 2000. Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Mr Baldev Singh Khaiala Mr Hira Singh Gabrian, Ms Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Mr Ajit Inder Singh Mofar and Mr Romesh Dogra opposed the passing of the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Amendment Bill. They demanded that this Bill should be referred to the Select Committee of the House as its passing could lead to serious consequences. |
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CAG report on Punjab shows revenue losses CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 — The report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General for the year ending March 31, 1999, (Commercial) on the Punjab Government depicted several instances of financial irregularities and glaring revenue losses involving Rs 4915.20 crore. The report placed before state legislature today said the state government had guaranteed the repayment of loans aggregating Rs 3057.35 crore during 1998-99 raised by 10 public sector undertakings (PSUs). As at the end of 1998-99, guarantees amounting to Rs 4909.20 crore against eight government companies (Rs 1646.84 crore) and four statutory corporations (Rs 3262.36 crore) were outstanding. Of the 48 companies and five corporations, four companies and two corporations had finalised their accounts for the year 1998-99 within the stipulated period. Accounts of other 44 companies and three corporations were in arrears for the period ranging from one to 25 years as on September 30, 1999, says the report. Of the 25 companies, which had accumulated losses as per their latest finalised accounts, in case of 17 companies accumulated losses aggregating Rs 11.77 crore had far exceeded their aggregate paid-up capital of Rs 24.28 crore. Two loss incurring corporations had accumulated loss aggregating Rs 394.62 crore which had far exceeded their aggregate paid-up capital of Rs 138.23 crore, says the report. The audit report (commercial) has revealed in respect of Punjab Agro Industries Corporation Limited that it was incorporated in February, 1996, and had been incurring losses since 1995-96 and its accumulated loss as on March 31, 1998, amounted to Rs 12.25 crore. The report further said in respect of the PSEB, the organisation issued 974 purchase orders for materials (excluding transformers) for Rs 381.97 crore during the five years ended March, 1998. The procurement operations suffered from various deficiencies resulting in an extra expenditure of Rs 4.58 crore. The procurement of weasel conductors in lieu of squirrel conductors at an extra cost of Rs 1.76 crore during 1995-96 only, without conducting a cost benefit analysis lacked justification. The additional expenditure of Rs 0.70 crore incurred by the board between October, 1995, and January, 1997, on thermocol packing of meters with a view to avoiding the recalibration of meters at a later stage, proved to be infructuous due to the fact that the number of meters recalibrated had not decreased. There was a lack of proper control on the utilisation of materials. The accounts of material drawn worth Rs 60.38 crore were not rendered within one month of the completion of the work. No disciplinary action was taken against JEs for the shortage of materials to the extent of Rs 12.76 crore in respect of 5,264 cases up to March, 1998, said the report. It also brought out irregularities in respect of Pepsu Road Transport Corporation. The delay in placement of orders and late receipt of supplies resulted in shortage of spare parts and tires and tubes causing potential loss of revenue of Rs 385.39 lakh due to the non-plying of buses during four years up to 1997-98. The report highlighted that the failure of the Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, while issuing paddy to two rice mills without obtaining bank guarantees, lack of control over milling operations and unauthorised storage of paddy resulted in the non-recovery of Rs 1.25 crore. The failure of the Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation Limited to sell a unit due to non-obtaining the approval of the board of directors resulted in loss of Rs 0.49 crore, adds the report. |
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Punjab to prefer SLP in SC CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 —The Punjab Government has decided to prefer an SLP in the Supreme Court against the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashing provisions of the Punjab Jail Manual dividing prisoners into A, B and C classes. In a significant order last month, the high court held that “there cannot be any classification of convicts on the basis of their social status, education or habit of living.” The court held paragraph 576-A of the jail manual to be unconstitutional. It held that there was no justification for the continuation of the prevailing system of classification of prisoners into classes A, B and C. At present, Punjab has nearly 12,000 inmates in various jails in the state. Sources reveal that nearly 11,800 of them belong to class C while those belonging to class B number fewer than 200. Punjab has seven central jails, four district jails, one jail for women, one security jail, one jail for juveniles, two open jails and 15 sub-jails. Jail officials maintain that during normal peace time hardly any person eligible for class A facilities is lodged in any prison in the state. Those who get B-class facilities are entitled to a cot, bedding, milk and a little higher quantity of ration, including milk, every day while those who get C-class facilities do not get these. Graduates, besides sarpanches, municipal councillors, MLAs, ministers — both present and former — and income tax payers, are entitled to B-class facilities under the state jail manual. The high court, in its nine-page order, held that “there cannot be any doubt that a convict is a convict, a murderer is a murderer. There cannot be any difference in the gravity of their offence. A person who is affluent and influential and has committed a murder has to be treated in the same manner as a poor person who has committed the same offence.” The high court had also quoted Section 14-A of the Constitution maintaining that state shall not deny any person equality before the law or equal protection of laws within the territory of India. “Article 15(1) provides that the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, or any of them. The Preamble seeks to secure to all its citizens, justice — social, economic and political — any equality of status to all,” the order said. Sources maintain that the SLP will be filed within the prescribed time. The grounds on which the SLP is to be filed were not disclosed. In the meanwhile, Punjab’s jails have stopped classifying inmates now. In the case of previous convicts and undertrials, the old classification is still there, the sources say. |
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Treasury Benches flay PUDA CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 — The Punjab Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, said in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today that the Anomalies Removal Committee had recommended a revised basic pay scale of Rs 3,330 against the earlier scale of Rs 3,120 recommended by the pay commission for constables in the state. He was replying to a question of Mr Ajit Inder Singh Mofar. Mr Mofar had asked whether there was a proposal to bring the scale of constables at par with JBT teachers. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the report of the committee had been handed over to an implementation committee for necessary action. The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) came under a sharp attack from Treasury Benches and the Opposition for various reasons during question hour. Capt Balbir Singh Bath, Mr Jagdish Sawhney and Mr Baldev Singh Khaiala said there was no plan to check the mushrooming of unplanned colonies in urban areas. Officials concerned of the department resorted to “pick and choose” policy as far as taking action against unauthorised constructions was concerned. Mr Sawhney said despite his approaching the minister concerned, no action had been taken against the violators of the PUDA rules and regulations. He gave several instances to press his point. Replying to questions raised in connection with PUDA, Mrs Upinderjit Kaur said the department was doing its best to improve urban areas and check the growth of unauthorised colonies. If there was any case pertaining to the violations of rules and regulations of PUDA, it should be brought to the notice of the department and action would be taken accordingly. During question hour, the functioning of the Health Department also came under attack. Mr Satya Pal Saini said he was not satisfied with the reply given by the minister, Dr Baldev Raj Chawla, pertaining to the posting of doctors in Pathankot tehsil of Gurdaspur district. He said the minister’s reply was misleading and a jugglery of statistics. Dr Chawla assured Mr Saini that he would try to fill the vacant posts of doctors in Pathankot tehsil and improve health services there. |
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Resurrection of Bein on cards KAPURTHALA, Sept 5 — The long cherished resurrection of the Kali Bein river will finally set-off with the proposed release of fresh water into it by the next month from the Mukerian Hydel Project through the Tarkiana Barrage in Hoshiarpur district. The Bein is revered by the Punjabis. Guru Nanak Dev had stayed on the banks of this river along with his sister at Sultanpur Lodhi for more than 14 years. Guru Nanak Dev had attained enlightenment during his three-day meditation in the river. Bein, which was known for its sparkling waters in the good old days, gradually turned into a stinking nullah due to the discharge of the industrial wastes and sewer water of various towns and villages into it. But, what had caused a perennial damage to the river was the construction of Dhussi bundh along the Beas by the Punjab Government in 1962. The bundh though proved effective in controlling flood and saved hundreds of villages along the Beas from inundation, it adversely affected the Bein by converting it into a seasonal rivulet. The indifferent attitude of the state government can be gauged from the fact that nothing had been done to restore the grandeur of the historical river. A sum of Rs 30 crore was envisaged by the Irrigation Department two years ago. The state government was “reluctant” to spend the amount of such a “non-viable” project. Later, another Rs 55 lakh project was envisaged, according to which fresh water of the Mukerian Hydel Project was to be released into the river through the Tarkiana Barrage, which was lying unutilised. Even though the project was cleared by the state government but not a single paisa was released by it for starting the work, which included the repair of old Tarkiana Barrage gates, and the construction of a 500-metre long channel to link the gates with the Bein. The apathy of the government towards the river prompted some residents of Kapurthala and an NGO-Kali Bein Restoration Committee to take the construction of the channel and repair of the gates into their hands. “The construction of the channel linking the Tarkiana Barrage gates and the Bein upstream near Mukerian is almost over. All we are waiting for is the repair of the gates, which had not been used for years together,” said the Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner, Mr V.K. Singh. He was actively involved with the ongoing Kali Bein restoration project. He said if all went well, water of Mukerian Hydel Project would start flowing into the Bein from the first week of October. The district administration had already taken up the case with the PSEB authorities to deploy the required staff for monitoring the flow of water into the Bein. “Actually, we require just two to three feet deep water in the river so that it keeps flushing out the waste all through the year,” said Mr V.K. Singh. The river gets flooded during monsoon when it gets enough water to take the sullage with it to a point near Harike where the Bein merge with the Beas. Due to this reason, no water will be released from the barrage into the river between June 15 to September 30, Mr Singh said the release of fresh water would automatically clean the Kanjli lake, another major tourist spot and a part of the river. The continuous flow of water will help prevent fall of water table in Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts, said officials associated with the project. Mr Singh said in the next phase flow of sullage of 150 villages and townships like Bholath, Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi would be stopped to make the Bein a pollution-free river. |
No mid-term poll,
says Badal CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today made it clear in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha that there would be no mid-term poll in the state. The SAD-BJP government would complete its full term. The rumours pertaining to a mid-term poll were being spread by Congress leaders, he added. The next government in the state would also be formed by the SAD-BJP combine, he asserted. Talking about the Sunam byelection, he said in a lighter vein that he would issue a whip asking all party MLAs to campaign for the SAD’s candidate. He said this while pointing towards the Akali MLAs considered close to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Mr Badal was hopeful that these MLAs would extend their support to the SAD’s candidate. “You extend your hand to help us”, Mr Badal jovially told the MLAs known as rebels within the SAD. He did not
elaborate. |
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Jungle law in
Punjab, says Cong leader FAZILKA, Sept 5 — Dr Mohinder Kumar Rinwa, Secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, today deplored the functioning of the Punjab Police which, he said, had been committing excesses on the common man. Describing the custodial death of Satbir Singh as “brutal killing”, Dr Rinwa said the police was not behaving like a law enforcing agency. He said if relatives of ministers were not secure, he shuddered to think about the plight of the common man and political adversaries of the government. He said the police was implicating Congress workers in fabricated cases. The PPCC Secretary alleged that due to the intervention of Mr Zora Singh Mann, M.P., Ferozepore, those responsible for the murder of Congress worker Kapil Saluja had been left scotfree. He described the inquiry report in the Saluja murder case as “politically motivated”. Commenting on the clash between two police officers over the arrest and release of accused due to “pressure” from ruling party leaders in the presence of Mr Surjit Kumar Jyani at a hotel here, he said it was clear that there was absolute jungle raj in Punjab. He alleged the government was not lifting wheat brought by farmers to the local Grain Market.
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Gosain elected
Deputy Speaker CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 — Mr Satpal Gosain, a BJP legislature from Ludhiana, was today unanimously elected Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Leader of the House, proposed the name of Mr Gosain while the BJP legislative party leader, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, seconded it. As there was no other candidate in the contest, Mr Gosain was declared elected by the Speaker, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal. Congress MLAs were not present in the house when the election of the Deputy Speaker was held.
Mr Badal, Mr Tandon, Mr Arshi, Chowdhry Jagjit Singh, Mr Mofar and other MLAs felicitated Mr Gosain. |
Straw partakes of langar AMRITSAR, Sept 5 — While the Sikhs settled in the West were divided over the issue of taking langar sitting on the floor, the British Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, made history of sorts by partaking of langar a traditional manner in Guru Ram Dass langar building in the Golden Temple complex. The SGPC served a special langar which included mixed vegetable, dal, roti, kheer, sevian and salad to the visiting dignitaries. He was escorted by the president of the SGPC, Bibi Jagir Kaur, the secretary of the Sikh body, Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, the British High Commissioner, Sir Bob Young, and members of the team. Mr Straw, an MP from the Sikh dominated constituency of Birmingham, had been elected for the past 22 years. He said he had been planning to visit the holiest shrine of Sikhs, the Golden Temple, for the past many years. The Home Secretary showed keen interest in the history of the temple and saw various places of interest around the parkarma. Dr Bachan explained to him details about the temple and its architecture. Later, Mr Straw paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum and listened to the Gurbani kirtan. In the visitors’ book Mr Straw wrote, “I have for many years wanted to visit Amritsar and the Golden Temple. My visit today was wonderful and was a daunting experience. I have many Sikh friends in the UK and I salute and honour the great contribution which they make to the economy, culture and spiritual life of the UK”. Mr Bachan narrated briefly the Army action during Operation Bluestar in 1984 to the Home Secretary. He also visited Akal Takht. Later, Bibi Jagir Kaur presented a siropa to the Home Secretary and also gave him photos of the Golden Temple. The SGPC secretary presented a set of Sikh religious books to the visiting dignitaries. After his visit to the Golden Temple, Mr Straw went to Jallianwala Bagh and laid a wreath at the martyrs memorial. He was welcomed there by former Minister for External Affairs R.L. Bhatia, local MP. The Home Secretary and his entourage witnessed the beating retreat ceremony at the Wagaha Indo-Pak border checkpost later in the evening. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Narinderjit Singh, and the SSP, Mr Parampal Singh Sidhu, accompanied the Home Secretary. Earlier, he was received by senior officers of the district administration at the railway station as he alighted from the Shatabdi Express from Delhi this afternoon. |
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Man
breaks cordon to give memo to Straw AMRITSAR, Sept 5 — A human rights activist and member of the Khalra Mission Committee (KMC) broke the security cordon to present a memorandum to the British Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, when the latter was about to enter the Golden Temple. The district police chief, Mr Parampal Singh Sidhu, himself caught him and asked the security personnel to bundle him off in a waiting Gypsy. The memorandum of the KMC sought immediate intervention of the British Government to curb alleged human rights violations in Punjab by security personnel. It urged for Straw to pressurise the Indian Government to end the alleged atrocities on Sikhs. It alleged that many innocent Sikhs were killed during Operation Blue Star and the Delhi riots. It demanded the arrest of Mr K.P.S. Gill, a former Director-General of Police, and other police officials allegedly responsible for the ‘massacre’ of Sikhs. The memorandum emphasised on granting permission to Amnesty International to probe the alleged excesses on Sikhs. The memorandum was signed by Mr Surinder Singh Ghariala, Mr Balwinder Singh and Mr Darshan Singh Manihala, chairman, general secretary and organising secretary, respectively, of the KMC. Mr Kirpal Singh Randhawa, Deputy Chairman of a human rights organisation, and Mr Surinder Singh Ghariala, Chairman, KMC, condemned the police action of rounding up Mr Rajiv Randhawa. |
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Cholera cases in
Jalandhar JALANDHAR, Sept 5 — A 12-year-old school girl died and five residents of Amrik Nagar locality were hospitalised here with symptoms of cholera yesterday. Sheetal, a class IV student fell ill yesterday and was admitted to a private hospital where she was declared dead. Kamla Devi, Gurmeet Kaur (45), Neelam (17) and Gurvinder Kaur (30), all residents of Amrik Nagar, showed symptoms of cholera were admitted to a private hospital. Nikku, a relative of Sheetal said muddy water was being supplied by the Municipal Corporation. “We have been complaining to the MC authorities for past 10 days but in vain.” He alleged that no senior officer of the administration or the Civil Surgeon had visited the area so far. Meanwhile the district administration has rushed a team of doctors to the area. Mr Shamsher Singh, the Medical Officer, confirmed that there were symptoms of cholera among people. He said the team had checked up and provided medicines to about 125 residents of the area. |
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Guru’s wedding anniversary BATALA, Sept 5 — A procession was held here today to commemorate the marriage anniversary of Guru Nanak. The procession started from Dera Sahib Gurdwara and culminated at Gurdwara Kandh Sahib. Thousands of villagers reached Batala to take part in the procession. |
Sunam voters urged to
get I-cards CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 — The Punjab Chief Electoral Officer, Dr Brajendra Singh, today appealed to voters of the Sunam Assembly constituency to get their identity cards prepared at the earliest to make themselves eligible for exercising their franchise. He said the Election Commission of India had decided to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the conduct of the byelection and voters must carry the I-cards issued by it while casting their votes. It was for the first time in the state that the use of I-cards had been made mandatory, he added. He said there were around 1,40,000 voters in the constituency out of which 75 per cent already had I-cards. A team of officials has been entrusted with the task of preparing I-cards for all those who were left out in the earlier exercise. It would remain in the constituency up to September 14 for this purpose.
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Poll arrangements
reviewed SUNAM, Sept 5 — Mrs Usha Sharma, Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab today reviewed the various election arrangements made by the local administration for the ensuing Sunam Assembly constituency by election scheduled to be held on September 29 this year. Mrs Sharma also held a meeting at the PWD rest house here today with the master trainers (election supervisors) to give them training on EVMs (election voting machine), which would be used in this by election. Giving demonstration of the EVM Mrs Sharma issued necessary directions to the election and how to impart necessary training to the presiding officers and alternative presiding officers. Among others who also attended the meeting Mr Anirudh Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner-cum District Election Officer and Mr Praneet Bhardwaj SDM-cum-Returning Officer for the Sunam by election. Mr Praneet Bhardwaj, SDM, Sunam, said the local administration had arranged 200 EVMs which would be reach here on tomorrow. Meanwhile, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Sports and Secretary General of the SAD (B), today opened the election office of his son, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, the SAD (B)-BJP alliance nominee for the Sunam Assembly constituency. |
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Clarification on employment office BATHINDA, Sep 3 — Mr Harpal Singh, District employment officer
Bathinda, said no new employment office for handicapped persons
had been opened in the employment exchange complex. In a press note issued here yesterday, he said the employment
office complex had only one floor. The names of the handicapped
persons were being registered at the ground floor of the employment office, he added. |
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24 Pak nationals
to be deported AMRITSAR, Sept 5 — India will deport 24 Pakistani nationals from
Wagah joint checkpost on September 7, it was officially informed. |
Residents’ beating up: 3 cops suspended FARIDKOT, Sept 5 — Dr Arun Kumar Araon, SSP, said here today that he had asked the Commandant, 5th Battalion, Bahadurgarh, to initiate action against 13 Punjab police commandos who were allegedly involved in beating up innocent persons of Kotkapura on the night of August 20 in the town. The issue was not under his purview hence he was unable to take action against them, he said. However, three district constables — Chamkaur Singh, Bikker Singh and Harvinder — who were allegedly involved in the incident had been put under suspension. Dr Araon was commenting on the four-members Association for Democrative Rights (AFDR) fact-finding committee’s report, published in a section of press today, which has accused the district police of failure to register a criminal case against the commandos. The SSP said that the District Magistrate-cum-Deputy Commissioner had been apprised of the situation and he had deputed the Faridkot SDO (Civil) to inquire into the matter in detail. Mr A. Venu Parsad, Deputy Commissioner, said the investigation was under progress and the report was expected shortly. Meanwhile, the AFDR report claims that on the night of the incident, three constables, allegedly under the influence of liquor, had a scuffle with some supporters of the Akali leader in which cop Chamkaur Singh was beaten up and the other two escaped. Later, the three policemen, accompanied by commandos, appeared on the scene again and allegedly beating up about 20 passersby near Phuwara Chowk. The report suspects that the accused retaliated against innocent city residents instead of tracing the persons who had allegedly beaten up the drunk policemen. |
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Six looted, hurt AMRITSAR, Sept 5 — In three separate incidents some unidentified persons, believed to be belonging to infamous Kale Kachhewale gang injured at least six persons, including women and children, Majitha last night. They first entered a ‘dera’ in Jethu Nangal village late at night and injured Hardev Singh, Surjit Kaur and her two sons Gurcharan Singh and Harcharn Singh. They were assaulted with iron rods and lathis when they tried to prevent them from taking their belongings. In yet another incident, some persons entered the houses of Amrik Singh and Mangal Singh in Majpura village and injured some family members before decamping with the looted money. |
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Two run over by train engine PHAGWARA, Sept 5 (PTI) — Two migrant workers were crushed to death under a railway engine here today, the police said.
They were identified as Awadh Bihari Singh and Brij Bihari Singh of Bihar and UP respectively. They were workers in local factory.
They were crossing the railway track near local Gobindpura mohalla. |
Protests mark
Teachers’ Day BATHINDA, Sept 5 — The district unit of the Punjab and Chandigarh Colleges Teachers Union has urged the Human Resources Development Minister, Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, to implement the agreement which was reached between AIFUCTO and the HRD Ministry after the 26-day strike throughout the country. GARHSHANKAR: Teachers of Khalsa College here and SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, observed Teachers Day as “betrayal day” and sat on dharna on a call given by the PCCTU. JALANDHAR: The countrywide strike call given by AIFUCTO evoked a lukewarm response with most college teachers preferring not to respond to the call to observe “betrayal day” on Teachers Day. AIFUCTO had decided to observe “betrayal day” on Tuesday to protest against the non-acceptance of various demands of college teachers. PHAGWARA:
The anti-teacher policy of the Punjab Government, particularly the DPI (Colleges), came in for severe criticism at a one-hour strike and dharna by private college teachers at various colleges, including the local Guru Nanak College, GNBL Ramgarhia College for Women, SBDSM Khalsa College, Domeli, GNNS College, Narur Panshat in observance of Teachers Day as “betrayal day” even as protestors boycotted functions related to Teachers Day celebrations.
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80 lakh sanctioned
for e-project: DC FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 5 — To review the implementation of the e-Governance Citizen Interface Project in the district a team comprising Mr Subir Hari Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology (MIT), Mr S.P. Singh, Director, NIC, Mr Kaul, Managing Director, NICSI, MIT, Mr Navneet Kukreja, Director, NIC, Punjab, and Mr N.S. Kalsi, Special Secretary Department of DISAR, Government of Punjab visited the district today. They held discussions with the district administration and took stock of the activities related to the project. Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commissioner, said the Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India, had sanctioned Rs 80 lakh for the project. He said the project would
provide speedy and efficient interface between the government and the public, besides ensuring transparency in the working of the government. Mr Navneet Kukreja, Director, NIC, Punjab, said the project would cover all municipalities, block, SDMs, tehsildars, Civil Surgeon’s offices and all branches of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. He said the project would become operational in six months as the software development work was in progress and the purchase order of the hardware had already been placed by the NICSI. He further said that a database would be created for on the spot, issuance of death and birth and domicile certificates. Mr N.S. Kalsi, Special Secretary, Department of DISAR, Government of Punjab, said the project was at the advance stage. Once implemented successfully at Fatehgarh Sahib, it would be replicated throughout the state. He said the 50 per cent staff of the Deputy Commissioner’s office had been trained and rest would soon be trained. The employees would be imported training at Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College, Fatehgarh Sahib. |
Excise duty evasion
worth 1 cr detected CHANDIGARH, Sept 5 — The preventive officers of the Central Excise Commissionerate, Chandigarh-I, have detected central excise duty evasion of more than Rs 1 crore by the manufacturer of an iron and steel products at Mandi Gobindgarh, a pipe-manufacturing unit at Rajpura and a paper products unit at Dera Bassi. Mr Inder Raj Soni, Commissioner, acting on an information, said the anti-evasion officers of the commissionerate visited the factory premises of a leading pipe manufacturer at Rajpura and found that it had executed the work of fabrication and installation and testing of mild steel pressure conduits and pipes at Guru Nanak Thermal Power Plant during 1995-96 and 1996-97 without paying central excise duty. The evasion of duty in this particular case was about Rs 75 lakh. The preventive staff also detected the evasion of central excise duty amounting to Rs 20 lakh against five paper and paper-board manufacturing units at Dera Bassi and Kala Amb, Mr Soni said. He further stated that at Mandi Gobindgarh, the preventive staff intercepted and seized six trucks carrying about 100 metric tonnes of iron and steel products removed clandestinely from various manufacturing units without an account in their records and without payment of any central
excises duty amounting to Rs 2 lakh. In the follow-up action, duty evasion of Rs 1 lakh was detected at these manufacturing units, Mr Soni added.
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Govt plan to improve
cattle breed FARIDKOT, Sept 5 — The Punjab Government has embarked upon an ambitious cattle breed project to increase the milk yield by importing, bulls, their semen and artificial insemination equipment from countries like Australia and Holland. More than 1500 dispensaries and centres will be opened to cure foot and mouth disease among cattle. To monitor the programme more effectively, two diagnostic and vaccine testing laboratories would be established at Jalandhar and Ludhiana, respectively, said Dr Gurcharan Singh Chahal, Director of Animal Husbandry, at a press conference here yesterday. The entire project sponsored by the Union Government will cost Rs 37 crore. The first instalment of Rs 3.92 crore has already been received in this regard. As many as 69 veterinary doctors and 244 pharmacists would be recruited soon. The Director further stated that the liquid nitrogen gas plants to preserve semen would start functioning at Bathinda, Kotkapura, Patiala, Kapurthala and Ropar in the near future. |
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Evasion of Rs 9 cr
market fee AMRITSAR, Sept 5 — A flying squad of the Punjab Mandi Board detected an evasion of market fee and rural development fee to the tune of Rs 9 crore during raids conducted in the district by Mr Jagtar Singh Sanghera, Joint Director of the Board.
A press note issued by Mr Bhupinder Singh Sandhu, a member of the Punjab Mandi Board, stated the board would recover Rs 54 lakh from the defaulters of market fee and rural
development fee. |
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