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| Saturday, September 9, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Dhindsa’s son files papers Assembly session a dry affair 550 cr for new roads in
Punjab Gurdwara panel stays SGPC resolutions |
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No leadership
change: Aliwal Sunam voters must prove identity
People unsafe in Punjab: MP Veerappan may be another Bhindranwale: Dang Pre-arrest bail plea dismissed PSEB to pay 11-cr surcharge FCI employees hold
rally Govt land to be auctioned Temple committee
members on fast Graft blamed for
terrorism, malnutrition
Spreading literacy by
candlelight MP to discuss
grants issue with Rly Minister
One arrested in
bank fraud case
Admission date extended
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Dhindsa’s son files papers SUNAM, Sept 8 — Name of Mr Sanmukh Singh Mokha, who had become instrumental in the defeat of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa in the February 1997 Assembly elections and was a staunch supporter of Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra till a few days ago, today dominated the proceedings at the election rally of the Shiromani Akali Dal here. Mr Mokha had joined the SAD a couple of days ago at Chandigarh. Giving him more weight, majority of the speakers today lauded the joining of the SAD by Mr Mokha. Even, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Chief Minister and president of the SAD, addressing the election rally stated that Mr Mokha had given a proof of foresightedness and “panthic” commitment by providing unconditional support to the SAD in the current byelection to the Sunam Assembly constituency. The election rally was organised before filing of the nomination papers for the Sunam Assembly byelection by Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, son of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister of Sports and secretary-general of the SAD. The Mokha factor not only dominated the proceedings at the SAD election rally, it was also noticed in a big way by the political observers here today as Mr Badal before the rally and after the rally was found at the residence of Mr Mokha. Even Mr Badal also addressed a press conference at Mr Mokha’s house where he admitted that with the support of Mr Mokha, the election scenario had completely changed in favour of the SAD candidate, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa. Addressing the rally, Mr Badal not only criticised the Congress but also lashed out at SHSAD leadership. He called upon the SHSAD leadership not to help the Congress in this byelection indirectly by fielding its candidate against the official candidate of the SAD. He said the SHSAD should work for strengthening the SAD as the Congress had “ruined” the country as well as the Sikhs in the past. Mr Badal also described Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa as his “political child”. He said the party had given him Parminder the responsibility to contest the election, so it was the duty of all party workers to work for his victory. Mr Badal also assured development of the Sunam Assembly Constituency after September 29, the polling day. He also exhorted the people to provide a record victory to Mr Parminder Dhindsa. However, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, a senior SAD leader, was not present at the election rally. In reply to a question in this regard, Mr Badal at the press conference said Mr Barnala would campaign for Mr Dhindsa, after a day or two. He also added that Mr Barnala was a party in the allotment of party ticket to Mr Parminder Dhindsa. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also appealed to the SHSAD to withdraw its
candidate from the poll fray to defeat the Congress and provide strength to the SAD. He also welcomed the return of Mr Mokha in SAD fold. Bibi Jagir Kaur, president of the SGPC, asked the voters to give strength to the SAD in this byelection as this election would prove the popularity of the SAD government and would give a path for another five-year-term for the SAD in the next general Assembly elections. |
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Assembly session a dry affair CHANDIGARH, Sept 8 — The monsoon session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha turned out be a dry affair with occasional rumblings in the Opposition which sent the Treasury Benches scurrying for cover. In fact, the thunder of the Opposition was stolen by dissident Akalis led by Mr Ravi Inder Singh. More than the official business, slogan shouting, sit-ins in the well of the House and routine walkouts constituted the highlights of the session. On two occasions the House was adjourned to restore order. In fact, incensed by the insensitivity of the Treasury Benches and repeated barbs from the Opposition, the Speaker admonished members, urging them to maintain the decorum of the House. In the same breath he also warned them to follow the rules and regulations of the House or he would be constrained to act. He also pulled up certain ministers a number of times for not submitting the replies to questions well in time. Dissident Akali leaders felt that they were not being allowed to speak. Mr Ravi Inder Singh pleaded their case. Mr Ravi Inder Singh, who himself was the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha a few years ago, was of the view that as per the rules the Speaker should give time to those members who “caught his (Speaker’s) eye”. Dissident Akali MLAs had to struggle a lot to get time to speak. The House also saw a competition between the dissident MLAs and the Opposition, mainly the Congress, to get the maximum from the three-day session. On the paddy and agrarian crisis, it was dissident MLAs led by Mr Ravi Inder Singh who put the government in a spot and made it agree to allocate special time to discuss it comprehensively. It is another matter that the debate on the agrarian crisis ended in a routine discussion and nothing worthwhile came out of it. In fact, while the dissident MLAs stole a march on the Opposition on this issue, it was the CPI which had planned a demonstration by major farmers’ organisations in Chandigarh to coincide with the discussion in the House. What are the implications of the implementation of the WTO agreement for the country, especially predominantly agricultural states like Punjab? For how long will political pressure continue to make the Union Government yield to protect the interests of the farming community in Punjab? What are the other options for the Punjab Government to save its agricultural economy and small-scale industry? These were the questions which should have been discussed seriously and extensively in the House. But unfortunately the discussion on the agrarian crisis ended in parties blaming each other. Mr Parkash Singh Badal said that the Congress was responsible for the signing of the WTO agreement and its implications. On the other side the Opposition said that though the Badal government considered itself a champion of the farmers’ cause, during its rule certain farmers, crushed by the burden of debt, even committed suicide. Members of the House need to be briefed on the implications of the WTO agreement in detail. The initiative for this should either come from the Speaker or the Leader of the House, Mr Badal. Punjab has a number of distinguished agricultural economists like Mr S.S. Johal and Mr Sucha Singh Gill who have studied the subject (WTO) in depth and can provide useful information to the members of the House. Before passing any important bill, there should be extensive discussion on it. This is another area which requires serious attention of the members. Though the Opposition Benches, and even certain MLAs from the Treasury Benches, opposed the passing of the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Amendment Bill, 2000, it was passed. Those opposing it said that it was discriminatory in nature and the benefit of temporary release to convicted persons should not be given by the House by passing the bill. Members warned the government that such a provision would have serious implications and could create a law and order problem in years to come. There could even be a threat to the lives of politicians. The Congress, as an Opposition party in the House, failed, by and large, to play its role effectively. So far, it has failed to put the ruling SAD- BJP alliance in a difficult situation on any issue in the House. The Congress has some MLAs who have the capacity to lambast the government in the House, but they did not take the initiative to make things hot for the Treasury Benches. In fact, only a small number of MLAs come prepared to discuss issues. On the Treasury Benches, most of the MLAs play the role of mere listeners. Certain members drew the attention of the Speaker to the brief duration of the monsoon session. Mr Ravi Inder Singh asked why the government was afraid of facing the elected representatives of people in the House. It was the duty of the government to provide them with full opportunity to discuss all important issues pertaining to the people. He said the four-day monsoon session had been called merely to fulfil the constitutional formality. It should have been at least of two weeks and all members should have got adequate time to speak. |
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Pre-arrest bail plea dismissed CHANDIGARH, Sept 8 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed anticipatory bail plea filed by Valtoha Block Samiti chairman Tarlok Singh, who had claimed implication in an attempt to murder case due to alleged “political rivalry” with a former MP, Mr S.S. Kairon. Claiming Mr Kairon to be a “close relative” of Chief Minister, the petitioner had stated that the first information report was registered to apprehend and humiliate him “in the eyes of the public” after the “opposite party failed to get him arrested in other cases”. Arguing before the court, counsel for the petitioner had contended on his behalf that six cases were registered against him at Mr Kairon’s behest since September 5, 1999. Describing the cases as a “result of political vendetta”, counsel had added that the petitioner’s arrest had been stayed in all of them. Denying the allegations regarding the petitioner’s involvement in firing, counsel had added that his rifle had been deposited with the police “way back in 1998”. After hearing arguments, Mr. Justice Amar Dutt observed: “Since in none of the cases registered against him, the petitioner has been able to bring on record material indicating that they were planted on him by Mr Surinder Singh Kairon, it would not be possible for the court to rely on the bare assertion that he had been involved in the present case by the police only with a view to harass him”. Tarlok Singh, belonging to the Congress, was apprehending arrest in an attempt to murder and a rioting case registered at Khemkaran police station in Amritsar district under Sections 307, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. According to the prosecution, Tarlok Singh had taken his pistol out of the holster and fired two shots at a police party on June 16 “with an intention to kill” after he, along with a few others, were stopped by the police. |
Gurdwara panel stays SGPC resolutions AMRITSAR, Sept 8 — The Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission (SGJC) has stayed the orders of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee with regard to Baba Jagtar Singh getting construction material to the tune of Rs 50 lakh and being allowed to keep a “golak” (money box) in the parkarma of Darbar Sahib and Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha. This order was pronounced by Mr Manmohan Singh Brar, Chairman, Mr Ajwant Singh Mann and Mr Amrik Singh Randhawa — members of the (SGJC) on the application moved by Mr Jaswinder Singh Jhabal, general secretary of the Human Rights Action Committee, here today. The application moved by Mr Jhabal alleged Bibi Jagir Kaur, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, and three other respondents had “misused” the funds of the SGPC by passing a resolution for giving material of Rs 50 lakh to Baba Jagtar Singh and permitting him to keep “golaks” in the gurdwaras. The petitioner had prayed to the judicial commission for an ad interim injunction restraining the respondents from functioning on their respective posts till the final decision of the petition. The resolution of the SGPC had given kar seva (voluntary service) to Baba Jagtar Singh for construction of Mata Ganga Niwas within the SGPC complex. He had also prayed for restraining the respondents from disbursing the payment of Rs 1.5 crore in any form till the decision of the petition was taken. He had also prayed that the “golak” be removed. He urged that Rs 50 lakh should be deposited with the SGPC which was given to Baba Jagtar Singh as an advance. Passing an ad interim order, the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission has fixed October 9 for hearing in this case. |
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No leadership
change: Aliwal BATHINDA, Sept 8 — Mr Amrik Singh
Aliwal, President, of the Youth Akali Dal, today said the party high command would not make any change in the leadership of the youth wing. Addressing a press conference here
today, he said in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections the SAD would emerge the biggest regional party, winning the maximum number of seats. Asked about the party defeat in the last Lok Sabha elections, he said last year the party workers stood divided. The situation today had changed. He said all over-aged members would remain in the youth wing till they were ‘adjusted’ in the SAD. He said he would demand from the party that ticket be given to those youth wing members who had worked hard for the party. He said environment was being polluted by smoke from industries and it was to stop this. He said the youth wing had planted 10 lakh saplings during this year. Efforts would be made to create awareness among the people on population control measures. To achieve this purpose, seminars would be held. He said schoolchildren were being involved in
population control and environment protection campaigns.
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Sunam voters must prove identity CHANDIGARH, Sept 8 — To check bogus voting and prevent impersonation, the Election Commission of India has stressed the use of voter I-cards in the Sunam byelection scheduled for September 29. The Punjab Chief Electoral Officer, Dr Brajendra Singh, said today that electors would have to produce these cards to exercise their franchise. Those who had not obtained their I-cards would also be allowed to vote provided their identity was otherwise established to the satisfaction of the presiding officers or such other polling officers as were authorised by the presiding officers in the behalf. For this purpose, the identity card could be the ration card, the driving licence, the passport, the identity card issued by the central or state government, a public sector undertaking, a local body or a private industrial house, property or tax documents, an electricity bill, a chula tax bill, an arms licence, the certificate of being physically handicapped, a student I-card, a railway/bus pass, a conductor licence, the freedom fighter I-card, the ex-serviceman’s pension book, etc. |
People unsafe in Punjab: MP BATHINDA, Sept 8 — Mr Bhan Singh Bhora, MP, today said as the law and order situation had worsened residents of the state were feeling unsafe under the rule of the SAD-BJP combine government led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Talking to mediapersons here, he alleged top bureaucrats and police functionaries had become virtually puppets in the hands of ruling politicians and it was the main reason for crime being on the ascendant in the state. He pointed out that instead of listening to the grievances of the public the bureaucrats and police functionaries had converted their offices as hospitality wing for the ruling politicians. These officials had been wasting their duty hours in the entertainment of activists of the ruling SAD-BJP combine. He demanded the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was answerable to the public about why his government had failed to check the activities of gangs who had been killing the people in the state. He added that even the residents of the Lambi Assembly segment, the home constituency of Mr Badal, had been feeling insecure. He said Mr Badal should also make it clear why his party members against whom criminal cases were registered on the directive of the Punjab and Haryana High Court were being given VIP treatment. He added that the criminals should be taken to task as no one was above law. He said to ensure the victory of Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, SAD-BJP alliance candidate from the Sunam Assembly segment, bureaucrats had descended on that town and ministers were roaming in their official cars to woo the voters by employing any means. He said that he had taken up the matter with the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr M.S. Gill and would urge him to implement election code of conduct in this segment strictly. He said if Mr Badal was claiming there was no corruption in his government he should write to the central government for ordering a CBI probe into the irrigation scam. He added that even the old associates of Mr Badal had been raising fingers of suspicion regarding the work related to irrigation and drainage executed in the past three years. |
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550 cr for new roads in
Punjab LALRU This was stated by Capt
Kanwaljit Singh, Finance and Planning Minister of Punjab,
after laying the foundation stone of the firni of Magra
village, which would come up at a cost of Rs 8.32 lakh,
near here today. He disclosed that Rs 1,737 crore would
be spent on the four-laning of the main roads and
construction of new bridges, while Rs 150 crore had been
kept for the repair of national highways. The repair work
would be completed in the next three months. The
government had decided to spend Rs 4,550 crore on various
development projects for village and cities in the state.
To bring about the second green revolution, Rs 200 crore
would be spent on agriculture, seeds, production of
vegetables and providing markets for farmers. Persons
interested in dairy farming projects would be given loans
on subsidy. He also announced the construction of a
causeway over the Jharmal river on the Lalru-Magra
village link road. The construction of the causeway would
fulfil an almost 50-year-old demand of residents of this
area and would benefit the residents of Magra, Jalalpur, Basi, Hasanpur and other nearby villages along the
river. The Lehli-Manauli-Surat-Banur road would be
widened upto 22 feet, which would reduce traffic
congestion of the Ambala-Chandigarh highway. He announced
grants of Rs 1 lakh each for the construction of a
government middle school at Magra and a dharamsala.
Another Rs 50,000 was also announced by the minister. |
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Veerappan may be another Bhindranwale: Dang AMRITSAR, Sept 8 — Will Veerappan emerge another Bhindranwale? who was used, abused and finally eliminated for the sake of power, is the significant question asked by veteran CPI leader Satya Pal Dang. Welcoming the ruling of the Supreme Court calling a halt to the ‘barter’ of actor Rajkumar’s release with the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments both prepared to meeting a long list of demands of Veerappan. He opined that it seemed that a bandit had become the real ruler of both states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. However, he laments that the apex court has failed to take note of the ‘failure of the state” to nab Veerappan and his gang. The situation, he said, was not different from when Bhindranwale was ‘wooed’ by the Congress for the sake of power to weaken the Akali rivals. “The AICC general secretary praised him (Bhindranwale) then as a noble religious personality. The Home Minister touched his feet and Akalis reckoned him as a power and allowed him to live at the Akal Takht.” There was no crime which was not committed by his (Bhindranwale’s) boys on the sacred premises of the Golden Temple while both the Congress and the Akalis believed that each of them was using Bhindranwale against the other. He alleged “even the conduct of some respected leaders of the Janata Dal who visited the Golden Temple was questionable and those who issued false certificates that there were no weapons inside the Golden Temple while weapons inside the Golden Temple were openly displayed on walls and other places for all to see during their visit.” Each of these instances were for vote bank politics as also the same reasons (power) too many instances to divide Hindus and Sikhs for instance cow-heads were thrown outside temples and cigarettes were thrown into gurdwaras in retaliation, triggering a communal divide between the two communities. A phobia regarding the safety of Sikhs and Sikhism was created. In this whole sordid affair a number of people lost their lives. Mr Dang claimed that only communists especially the CPI waged a consistent fight till the end of 1994. The same gameplan, which was made use of by Akalis and the Congress vis-a-vis Bhindranwale is now being “repeated” by the Congress and the BJP with the help of Veerappan, he said. The same way Bhindranwale was declared a saint as Veerappan is being ‘touted’ as a local “Robinhood” having casteist mass base and populist slogans to be ultimately used by the Congress and the BJP. His demands for the release of actor Rajkumar proves the point of his being used to create a godly, caring figure while the demands clearly endear him to a huge section of people. For instance his demands include of resolution of Cauvery issue, or adequate compensation for Tamil victims of 1991 Cauvery riots, Karnataka should pay Rs 10 lakh to rape victims and Rs 5 lakh to those killed during the task force excesses. Enquiries by the still undisclosed Sadashiva Commission report etc say that is Veerappan another puppet to be used by the powers that be like another Bhindranwale? |
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PSEB to pay 11-cr surcharge PATIALA, Sept 8 — The PSEB has been loaded with a surcharge of Rs 11 crore for failing to make a coal freight payment of Rs 76 crore for August to the Railways. Sources disclosed that under an agreement with the Railways, the PSEB maintained an advance which was equal to a month’s freight billing. This advance was recouped every month on the basis of which the Railways gave it a 15 per cent rebate. They said in August the PSEB defaulted on the freight payment. The situation this month was no better and the board might not be able to pay the first instalment of Rs 37 crore due to the Railways as freight charges for the first 10 days of the month. The freight charges are paid in three instalments in a month. A member of the board, Mr Suresh Gupta, however, denied that the board would suffer any loss for not being able to pay the freight charges for August in cash to the Railways. He said the Railways had a Rs 100-crore Letter of Credit of the board and it could withdraw their bill from the account. He said normally bills were paid in advance in cash as operation of the Letter of Credit entailed further expenses for the board. Sources in the board, however, claimed that the PSEB did not have any Letter of Credit with the Railways and there was no need for it when an arrangement was already working whereby the freight payment was made in advance. They said the normal freight bill of the Ropar, Bathinda and Lehra Mohabbat power stations was Rs 48 crore, Rs 17 crore and Rs 15, crore respectively. The sources said the board had defaulted once earlier in July, 1998, in paying the advance to the Railways following which it was billed a surcharge of Rs 9 crore. They said all attempts to waive the surcharge had proved futile and the board was forced to pay around Rs 9.5 crore to the Railways for failing to adhere to the scheme. They said the situation could not be different this time. August has been a difficult month financially for the PSEB. The sources said this was due to the fact that the receipts of the hike in tariff would only be received by the board in September. The board had also defaulted on making payments on power purchased by it from the Central Government generating companies. Here also a loss had been incurred by the board by failing to take rebate by making timely payments. The sources said in August the board failed to make payments to the tune of Rs 25 crore to the central companies due to which it lost a rebate of Rs 62 lakh. Similarly, in the first week of September the board had failed to make a payment of Rs 6 crore to the companies incurring a loss of Rs 15 lakh which would be been rebated otherwise. The situation had become such that the National Thermal Power Corporation might withdraw its dues from the Letter of Credit of the board in its possession. The central agencies usually did not withdraw money from the Letter of Credit of the state electricity corporations as they weakened them further financially, the sources added. The financial position of the board had been discussed at a board meeting and it was the general opinion that there were few cash inflows. Following this, the PSEB Chairman had written a demi-official letter to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urging him to release money to the board. The Chief Minister had promised publicly in June to release Rs 200 crore to the board to compensate it for the cost incurred in supplying electricity free of cost to the agriculture sector. |
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FCI employees hold
rally PATIALA The employee leaders, including Mr K. K.
Sharma and Raghbir Singh, conveners of the front alleged
that more than 10,000 employees had been charge-sheeted
on the pretext of alleged storage loss, destination
shortage and destination complaints. They said this was
being done despite the fact that no norms had been framed
to calculate the losses. They demanded that all charge
sheets and penalties imposed in the absence of norms
should be withdrawn. They said the union had been continuously demanding that norms be framed by taking the
advice of agriculture experts. The state committee of
the front also announced its demands, including stopping
storage of paddy on kutcha plinths and continuing policy
of joint inspection, implementing transfer policy in the
region as a whole and not only in the Punjab region. The
leaders announced that district-level rallies would be
held till October 5 under which all the important
districts would be covered. Front co-conveners Barjinder Bawa, S.P. Sood and
C.M. Bhardwaj alleged that the FCI
management was paving the way for the winding up of the
corporation by stopping appointments on compassionate
grounds and imposing harsh penalties on lower end
employees. They said there was a need for a permanent
food policy in the country. |
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Govt land
to be auctioned AMRITSAR, Sept 8 — After initial hiccups finally the much disputed government surplus land behind Ram Lal Eye and ENT Hospital is to be auctioned under the optimum utilisation of vacant government and scheme. The 6.8 acres of land recently transferred to PUDA saw many a battle in the form of court cases till the high court besides a tussle with the medical fraternity over possession. The demolition of quarters of class IV employees of the hospital witnessed angry demonstrations and rallies against the transfer of land to PUDA. More than 100 potential bidders had already deposited more than Rs 12 lakh in earnest money for the auction, informed Mr Harbaksh Singh Nanda, Additional Chief Administrator, PUDA, Jalandhar. The auction, which is to be held at Guru Nanak Dev Auditorium on Monday, has bidders from as far as Bhikhiwind, Khalra, Baba Bakala and Ajnala besides Amritsar. According to Mr Nanda, about Rs 10 crore is expected from the sale of multi-utility plots. The site, which is renamed as Sehaj Enclave, is offering 64 plots for residences, 10 shop-cum-flats and seven booths. Sale proceeds from the auction of 81 plots are to be used by the government towards the construction of the 200-bedded super speciality wing of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, a seven-storeyed project. The super speciality wing has been hanging fire since 1994 when the project was first started. A total amount of Rs 8 crore is to be given for the completion of the super speciality wing which is a Rs 13.6 crore project and has received only about Rs 5 crore till date. A four-member committee has been constituted for conducting the auction at the site which includes the Additional Chief Administrator, PUDA, Jalandhar, as Chairman and as members the Additional Chief Administrator (Project), PUDA, Chandigarh, the Estate Officer, PUDA, Amritsar, besides representatives of the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar. The committee will be assisted by officers of other wings to which comprise of the Senior Town Planner (STP) PUDA, Mohali, the STP, Amritsar, the STP, Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, and the Superintending Engineer, PUDA, Ludhiana. |
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Temple committee
members on fast SUNAM, Sept 8 —Relay fast by a group of five members of the local Shree Neel Kantheshwar Ram Mandir Sitasar Sarovar Committee entered second day at the Maharaja Aggarsain chowk here today. The fast has been started to press the authorities to remove hurdles being created by some miscreants from time to time whenever the Sitasar Sarovar Committee begins the ‘kar sewa’ of the historical sarovar here. Mr Mohan Lal Garg, Mr Gagandeep Bhagria, Mr Megh Raj Joshi, Mr Hari Ram Kansal and Mr Kishor Chand Sharma today observed fast. Earlier, this morning the committee members along with the local residents held protest march in the bazaars against the indifferent attitude of the local authorities towards the non-solving of the problem. Meanwhile, Mr Prem Sharma, president of the Sitasar Sarovar Mandir Committee, has declared that he would not hesitate to observe indefinite fast if the problem was not resolved in a
month. |
Graft blamed for
terrorism, malnutrition FEROZEPORE, Sept 8 — Terrorism and malnutrition are the fallouts of corruption, if the observations made by the Central Vigilance Commission
(CVC) in a communication sent to the Punjab Vigilance Bureau is same thing to go by. The communication, seeking suggestions for the countrywide Vigilance Awareness Week, slated to be held next month, was received here a few days ago. The CVC has observed in the communication that the 1993 Mumbai blasts were engineered after the terrorists smuggled RDX by bribing Customs officials. Besides, the CVC blamed corruption for malnutrition among the poor as 30 per cent of the foodgrain and sugar meant for the public distribution system was going into the back market. The CVC further attributed the low rate of foreign investment and domestic production in the country to corruption. Basing its observation on a UNDP report on human development in South Asia, the CVC hoped that foreign investment would shoot up by 12 per cent and the Gorss Domestic Production by 1.5 per cent if corruption was checked. The CVC has promised an address to the nation on corruption by the Prime Minister and President during the awareness week. |
Spreading literacy by
candlelight JALALABAD: The administration here has launched a mission for 100 per cent literacy under the state government’s literacy scheme . But how is it possible to succeed in such a programme when thousands of children cannot afford to go to school because they themselves are a source of livelihood for their parents. But hope is not yet lost. Volunteers like Rudal Ben, a migrant from Bihar, is keeping the spirit of the literacy mission alive. he lives in a jhuggi colony located on the banks of drain adjoining the railway station. There are about 250 people living in small mud huts. These huts are without basic amenities like sanitation, electricity and even sunlight does not enter these huts. They mainly earn their livelihood by collecting foodgrains that had dropped on the road from trucks heading towards the railway godowns. Their children help them . An under-matric, Rudal has devised a new way out to educate the slum children without disturbing their daytime priorities. Father of five children, Rudal initially started coaching his kids in the evening time under candlelight outside his hut. But later other children of the colony started taking interest in the “classes” taken by him. Now this has become routine and the “evening class” has attracted almost all children of jhuggi dwellers. To overcome the problem of light in the absence of any electricity, all the children bring with them either a candle or a kerosene lamp. He has been teaching children in this fashion for the past two years. When this correspondent visited the class, he found that all the children had basic knowledge of both Hindi and English , science, maths, etc according to their age. Moreover the children were equipped with books and writing material. When asked about the source of these stationery Rudal stated that a volunteer of a social organisation provided it. |
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MP to discuss
grants issue with Rly Minister JALANDHAR, Sept 8 — Mr Balbir Singh, local MP, has assured that he will take up the case regarding the release of Rs 70 lakh for the upgradation of the local railway station as a model railway station with the Railway Minister. The Railway Minister has planned to give a better look to railway stations at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Jammu and Shimla and envisaged to spend Rs 70 lakh for this purpose. But the amount has not been released so far even as the work has started at the local railway station, it is learnt. Besides, beautification, the length of platforms will be increased under the scheme. Mr Balbir Singh, who was talking to mediapersons after inspecting the railway station yesterday, said he would take up the case with the Railway Minister for the release of the amount. He also directed railway officials to ensure cleanliness at the railway station and to start a reorientation programme for the employees so as to ensure that they behaved with passengers in a decent manner. Mr Sham Sunder Sharma, Assistant Traffic Manager, apprised him of the measures being taken to ensure better maintenance of the station. |
One arrested in
bank fraud case GURDASPUR, Sept 8 (UNI) — The police has arrested Surjit Singh, an Accounts Officer of the Punjab and Sind Bank on the charge of withdrawing fraudulently nearly Rs 8.60 lakh from the bank’s fixed deposit (FD) interest head over a period of 28 months, when he worked in its local branch. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Mr Varinder Kumar, today said the fraud was detected during the audit of the branch. A case has been
registered under Sections 420, 568, 471 and 120-B, of the IPC on a complaint lodged by the bank’s manager on September 4. The SSP said the accused was arrested on September 6 and during interrogation he confessed to his crime. He had been withdrawing money in instalments varying between Rs 4000 and Rs 20,000 from September 1, 1997, to January 15 this year when he worked as Accounts Officer in the local branch. He hails from Verka near Amritsar, the SSP added. |
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Sarpanch among
two killed PHAGWARA, Sept 8 — Two persons, Pritpal Singh, sarpanch of Kaluwahar village, and Gurdip Singh, a resident of the same village, died on the spot when their Zen Maruti car rammed into a stationary truck near Cholang village yesterday. The truck was parked along the road as it was out of order. Wazir Singh, SHO, Bhogpur police station, said the bodies had been handed over to their families. |
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1 killed, 4 hurt
in road mishap KAPURTHALA, Sept 8 — Vijay Lakshmi Sharma (50), a resident of Mohabbat Nagar here and staff nurse at the local Civil Hospital, was killed while her husband Tribhuwan Sharma and three other occupants of a car were injured in a head-on collision between the car and a truck near Gadana village on the G.T. Road, 15 km from here, today. The injured have been admitted to the local Civil Hospital where the condition of Tribhuwan Sharma is stated to be serious. A case has been registered against truck driver Subash Chander. |
Admission date
extended PATIALA The date has
been extended to give another opportunity to those
candidates who could not avail of the opportunity
earlier, according to a press release issued here
today. |
Web
site launched CHANDIGARH, Sept 8 — The Punjab Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister, Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, yesterday launched a website of the department
(www.husbandrypunjab.org) The topics covered on the website, according to an official press release, included development activities relating to cattle, poultry, piggery and fodder, targets and achievements. |
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