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| Tuesday, September 19, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
CM sure of victory in Sunam
by-election Sunam: tough task ahead for
Badal Narco-terrorism establishes
foothold 32 cr scheme for Sultanpur
Lodhi Schemes for rural youth
launched
Qila Mubarak faces another threat
CPM to support Chandumajra |
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Parallel conferences by
Cong MLA walks out of
board meeting
Amarinder flays Dayal’s role
Pleas against ST on gunny bags
dismissed Sex tonics should be avoided:
expert Subedar cremated PWD staff hold rally Tributes paid to
Dharma Vira
Mystery shrouds
murder 6-year-old schoolgirl raped,
killed Hostel girl commits
suicide? Minor raped, 4
arrested
Fee hike: DMs to
check records Foreign students a harassed lot
Striking labourers face
action Conference
on transport today 
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CM sure of victory in Sunam
by-election GURU KI DHAB (Faridkot), Sept 18 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today said the SAD-BJP candidate, Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, would score emphatic victory in the Sunam
by-election to be held on September 29 due to anti-Punjab and anti-Punjabi policies of the previous Congress governments. Addressing a party conference here, Mr Badal said it was the Congress governments at the Centre and in Punjab which had deprived the state of its capital, Punjabi speaking areas and fair share in the river waters. He pointed out that victory of Mr Dhindsa in the Sunam
by-election would be a mandate of the people showing their appreciation for the development works done by the SAD-BJP combine government of Punjab. He, however, added the result of a
by-election never led to a state government being toppled or formed. He alleged that during the rule of the Congress party at the Centre and in Punjab stepmotherly treatment was given to Punjab. All resources which nature had bestowed on Punjab had been snatched away by these governments. He added that Congress governments always denied Punjab any major industrial project. He said during the past three years’ rule of the SAD-BJP combine government in Punjab a number of major projects, including an oil refinery, an international airport, cement plants and science city had come into being. Apart from it, a number of other projects were also in the pipe-line. He claimed Thein Dam had been completed and it would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. He added the date of inauguration would be fixed after Mr Vajpayee returned from the USA. He alleged that it was the Congress government at the Centre which had signed the GATT agreement, thus endangering the future of farmers of Punjab and other states of the country. The farmers of Punjab were already hard-pressed due to wrong policies of previous Congress governments. He pointed out that due to small size of land holdings of farmers they could not compete with their counterparts in the USA as the latter had very big land holdings. He added that to make farmer economically strong was the need of the hour. He said despite various odds Punjab with only 1.5 per cent area of the country had been contributing major share of foodgrains in the national pool. Besides, the percentage of Punjabis among those who had laid down their lives for the sake of their country was more than people from any other state. Earlier, Mr Badal laid down the foundation stone of Aggarwal community hall at Jaitu town and announced Rs 5 lakh grant for it. He also promised Rs 2 lakh for a gaushala at Jaitu mandi. Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, Agriculture Minister, and Mr Mantar Singh Brar, MLA, were present on the occasion.
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Sunam: tough task ahead for
Badal CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — The political cobweb which the former SGPC President, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has woven to ensure a win in the Sunam assembly byelection has indeed disturbed the rival ruling Akali Dal. The Nawanshahr experience taught the Tohra brand of Akalis that they had to do something serious to upset the applecart of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. ‘‘It is a matter of sheer existence for us as the rival Akali Dal’’, one senior leader and MLA from the Malwa belt confided. But Mr Tohra was more forthright. ‘‘We wish to put the real Akali agenda before the people. The agenda which Mr Badal, in sheer opportunism, has put aside. The issues that bothered the Akalis for a long time like a federal structure of the polity, the river waters, Chandigarh, the Punjabi language and the advancement of a healthy culture. And, much more important, an honest, good government. After all, this is what marked us out’’, he told TNS. But this could be dismissed as political blah, blah if Mr Tohra had not managed the support of different political parties, howsoever small these may be. The biggest feather in his turban is the support from the CPM. It is true that the CPM has not got a very large base, but the party has pushed in a good number of committed cadres. In addition are parties like the RJD, the Janata Party and other smaller outfits. But much more important again is the kind of hard campaign Mr Tohra himself is leading. ‘‘We are leaving nothing to chance. Our MLAs and other senior leaders are camping there. Right now, our campaign is the best’’, Mr Tohra claimed while talking to TNS last evening in his home village near Sirhind. Some reports do indicate this. His star supporters are former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and actor Raj Babbar. But perhaps, as Mr Tohra would also concede, the aim remains to see Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, son of the Union Sports Minister, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, defeated. And, the turf is not alien to Mr Tohra. It is closer to his own area. Mr Badal started this time, unlike in Nawanshahr with a handicap. One, he did not have that kind of time, say three months, to organise detailed village and streetwise development work, prepare a list of the ‘‘soft voters’’ to implement the Nawanshahr model and win at the hustings. Second, the young Mr Dhindsa faces a tough campaigner in Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a former minister and former Lok Sabha member. Sunam falls in his Lok Sabha constituency. In Nawanshahr, Mr Tohra’s candidate was not serious enough and there was hardly any campaign. Mr Tohra had a wishful feeling that mere presence would help the rivals gain over Mr Badal’s candidate. Mr Badal’s candidate, a local former MLA, Mr J.S. Kariha, was comparatively a clean political worker, Mr Tohra is now matching everything. Thirdly, the Congress candidate in Nawanshahr, though he belonged to the family of politically active people led by the late Dilbagh Singh, rarely lived there. Now here, Mrs Parameshwari Devi, widow of the late Mr Bhagwan Das, a sober, hard-working and honest MLA, has a distinct advantage. In addition to development work, Mr Bhagwan Das used his own financial resources to help the needy. He had created a special place for himself among Sikh peasants in all 49 villages. The network of roads and other facilities could be attributed to him and another Akali, former MLA Gurbachan Singh Lakhmirwala. So Mr Tohra and his campaigners are doing their best to make it a triangular affair. For Mr Badal, there is another piece of bad news. The Congress votebank, less vocal, is solid. This is noted by most observers. This does not mean that Mr Badal has lost the battle of the ballot. It only means a tough task ahead. Mr Badal despite ill-health these days is campaigning hard. Development work is showing in many areas, roads and dharmshalas for the Scheduled Castes being the special task. In addition, Mr Dhindsa, who lost the seat last time and thereby missed a ministership in Punjab, is leaving no stone unturned. Resourcewise, he is one up and knows the constituency like the palm of his hand. The only disadvantage is opposition from a former Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, whose supporters are actively opposing the young Mr Paraminder Singh Dhindsa. Mr Badal may not be able to implement his Nawanshahr model in total, but then his vast experience and resources in successfully managing electoral battles is his main strength. For the 1.49 lakh voters of Sunam, this is a gala time with leaders at their beck and call and campaigners calling them out every day. The result would have a significant bearing on the future political course in Punjab. The Congress, which had moved a bit divided, is now closing ranks and it has the CPI candidate playing the spoiler’s role. It has to face the CPI, an ally last time. If it could win this seat, it could lay the foundation for the battle in May, 2002. Also, Mr Tohra could rejoice. But if he is able to get this seat for Mr Chandumajra, he could throw a big challenge to Mr Badal. If Mr Badal’s candidate gets his candidate elected, that would mean more infighting in the Congress, thus weakening it from within, and demoralisation in the camp of Mr Tohra. That makes the byelection important.
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Narco-terrorism establishes
foothold CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — If militancy has waned in Punjab during the past some years, narco-terrorism has been able to establish a foothold in this border state. Tracking down of a major international gang engaged in narco-terrorism in Kapurthala district last week led to the seizure of 21 Mausers (.30 calibre), 41 magazines and 148 cartridges besides 500 gm of opium. It has been one of the major seizures by the police in recent months after it was able to arrest a gang of five Pakistani nationals in the Batala area last month. The most recent case has been the arrest of Dalip of Pandori village in Lopoke tehsil at the Dhilwan bridge after the recovery of a .30-calibre pistol, a magazine and eight cartridges from his possession on September 13. He could not produce any licence for the firearm or ammunition carried by him. His interrogation led to the recovery of 20 pistols of .30 calibre, 40 magazines and 140 cartridges from near the Bone Factory in Phagwara. Subsequently, two more cases were registered against him. Police sources maintain that Dalip Singh confessed his links with a Pakistani ISI agent and narco-smuggler, Bhola, of Thathian village. The arrest of five members of a gang of Pakistani nationals in the Batala sector on the eve of Independence Day, the police sources said, prevented a series of incidents of violence all over the state. Of these five Pakistanis, three were well trained in handling all types of firearms and explosives. It was perhaps for the first time in the past 20 years that a gang with only Pakistanis in it. This, the police sources maintain, may be an indication that the left- overs of militant gangs in Punjab were unable to make fresh recruitments of local youth. Let us have a look at the figures of the late 80s and early 90s when militancy was at its peak in Punjab. In 1988, there were 1,949 militant killings and 670 murders in routine in the state. In 1989, militant related violence claimed 1,168 lives while the number of general murders dropped to 625. Militancy was at its peak in 1990, 1991 and 1992. In 1991, 2,591 persons lost their lives in militant violence while general murders also rose to a record 1,810. In 1992, 1,518 persons lost their lives in militant violence while general murders dropped to 1,169. Militancy showed faint signs of revival in 1997 when in seven different incidents, 56 lives were lost. In 1999, there was not even a single incident of militant violence in Punjab while this year there have been three major bomb blasts — two in Jalandhar and one in Sirhind — leading to the death of 18 persons. On an average, there were 162.41 murders every month in militant violence in Punjab in 1988, which dropped to nil in 1998 and remained the same in 1999. This year, it has been 2.25 murders a month. The recovery of firearms has mostly remained the same during the past three years. Against 316 weapons recovered in 1998, the number increased to 342 in 1999 and has been 334 this year so far. In 1998, while 11 AK-47 rifles were recovered, the number of such weapons seized by the police in 1999 was five, and eight this year. As much as 87 kg of RDX, was recovered in 1998, in addition to 22.5 kg of PETN. The figures for 1999 are 106.77kg of RDX and 1.5 kg of PETN. This year 8 kg of PETN and 49.470 kg of RDX have been recovered so far. After a gap two years, two militants were killed by the police this year and two others surrendered against five who surrendered in 1998. The number of militants arrested this year has been 23 against 45 in 1999 and 49 in 1998. |
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32 cr scheme for Sultanpur
Lodhi CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — The Punjab Government has finalised an ambitious Rs 32 crore multi-pronged scheme for the development of historical town of Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district. The scheme was approved by the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister, Dr Upinderjit Kaur. While PUDA will be the nodal agency for the execution of this plan, it will be assisted by the Town and Country Planning Department. An official spokesman regretted that the historical and religious significance of Sultanpur Lodhi, which was closely associated with Guru Nanak Dev, was not much known within and outside the state. The objective of the scheme was not only to develop the town as a centre for religious and general tourists but also to prepare a perspective master plan for the overall development of the town. With a view to catering to the housing requirements PUDA will set up an ultra modern urban estate on an area of 67 acres on the Gobindwal Sahib road across the Bein Nadi with an investment of Rs 6.70 crore. The spokesman said a notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act had already been issued and PUDA would shortly issue a public notice inviting applications in shape of a demand survey-cum-request for allotment. A part of the Master Plan will also include creating an 80 feet wide ring road and an industrial focal point measuring 50 acres. The Punjab State Small Industries and Export Corporation is expected to make an investment of Rs 7.50 crore.The proposal also includes strengthening the Dhusi Bandh near Bein Nadi to protect the town during the rainy season, development of old hospital, setting up a truck stand on an area of 20 acres of land, revamping water supply and sewerage system, constructing an indoor auditorium, strengthening the existing grain market and constructing a bridge over the Bein Nadi near Gurdwara Ber Sahib. The project will be funded by the Punjab government, as also contributions from the local Municipal Council, Improvement Trust, grants by the Centre and PUDA. |
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Schemes for rural youth
launched JALANDHAR, Sept 18 — The Central Government, as part of nationwide campaign has decided to launch an awareness programme for non-government organisations (NGOs) working in the field of rural development in Punjab. The council for Advancement of People Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), a cell Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment, has introduced three integrated schemes — advancement of rural technology, public cooperation and organising the beneficiary with the help of NGO’s. Mr Lakhbir Singh, monltor of CAPART in the region, while talking to TNS said the objective of advancement of rural technology was to upgrade the technical and production skills of village youths artisans and women through demonstration and training centres set up by voluntary organisations and popularisation of new technologies up to the commercialisation stage. The public cooperation scheme was aimed to integrate rural-development activities through experimental and innovative efforts to involve the people in the planning, implementation and maintenance of activities envisaged and to raise financial status of the weaker sections of society, particularly those living below
the poverty line and women, he added. The objective of organising the
beneficiary scheme was to protect and support the interests of SC/ST, women, landless labourers, bonded labourers physically handicapped and fight legal battles to secure justice for the poor and exploited people. A senior official of CAPART admitted “though were are funding several rural development projects worth crores of rupees all over the country but Punjab did not get its due share.” He said projects for rural development prepared by the NGOs under these schemes would be sanctioned grants up to Rs 1 crore as per the recommendations of experts. |
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Qila Mubarak faces another threat PATIALA, Sept 18 — The Qila
Mubarak, a marvellous fort complex of the Patiala royal rulers spread over acres of land in the heart of the city which cannot be maintained in its original shape due to paucity of funds, has now been threatened by shopkeepers who want to add a storey to their existing shops built alongside its outer walls. The issue is likely to erupt into a major controversy with the local authorities sending an SOS to the Director, Archives, to stop the construction work. One shop had already been constructed despite objection to its construction by the Assistant Conservator here. Another 36 shop owners may start construction work on the second floor of their shops any moment as they have bought the shops from the Municipal Corporation and applied to be given sanction for the construction of the second storey by submitted the relevant site plans. This will mean a part of the fort’s facade will change for ever. Already part of its beauty has been blemished by the shops constructed along its wall. If further construction comes up on top of these shops a majority of the Qila exterior would not be visible. As it is the Qila comes into view suddenly as the area adjoining it constitute the oldest bazar of the city and all available space has been put to commercial purpose. Though most of the shops along the exterior walls of the Qila are owned by the Archives Department, there are around 35 shops which were owned by the Municipal Corporation which had rented them out after the Independence. As the corportation was not able to earn much revenue from the shops due to the low rents, it has sold them to the occupants who have got them registered in their name. Following this most of the shop owners want to construct the first floor on top of their shops and have submitted site plans so that they can be given sanction by the corporation. In case of Mr Sharan Singh, the site plan for construction was sanctioned few days earlier. He immediately started to do construction following which Archives Assistant Conservator Yograj took action and issued him a letter that this was violative of archaeological bylaws and that the construction activity should be stopped immediately. He also informed his superiors in Chandigarh about the construction activity. Mr Yograj told TNS today that though the cloth merchant had promised not to restart construction of the shop on the first floor, he constructed a toilet of the shop last night. Mr Yograj said he had again sent an SOS to the Director, Archives as he apprehended that other shop owners would also start building their first floors on the same pattern if this was allowed to go unchecked. He said the construction was violative of the Archaeological Act as it would pose a hinderance to viewing the fort and would also weaken its wall further. Shop owners, however, say they are within their legal rights to construct their shops as they had purchased them outright from the corporation which had allowed the construction activity. They said they had paid a sum of Rs 8,000 per square yard for the shops purchased by them and that the corporation should have seen the heritage angle before selling the shops to them. Corporation Commissioner
K.S. Kang said the corporation had not received any objection from the Archives Department regarding construction of the shops. He said the corportation was open to the idea of discussing the issue with the department if the heritage of the city would be effected. He however, said according to his information the shops would be constructed adjoining a side wall which was not beautified.
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Three killed in train mishap BATHINDA, Sept 18 -- Three persons died on the spot when a tractor, in which they were travelling, rammed into a speeding train at an unmanned level crossing near Sardargarh village, 15 km from here this evening.
The railway police has registered a case in this connection. Further details are awaited. |
CPM to support Chandumajra CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — As the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal ( SHSAD) has agreed to stick to the Anandpur Sahib Resolution passed in 1978, the CPM today extended its support to the SHSAD’s candidate, Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, in the Sunam byelection. It is, perhaps, for the first time in the past two decades or so that any Left party has extended support to an Akali candidate in an election. Though the CPI, an ally of the CPM in West Bengal , Kerala and certain other states, is also in the fray in the Sunam byelection, the CPM has preferred the SHSAD to the CPI. The CPM had laid down the condition that first the SHSAD, headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, should make its position clear vis-a-vis the Anandpur Sahib Resolution. There are two versions of the resolution. One is called the 1973 resolution and the other the 1978 resolution. The latter is a diluted version of the former. The CPM has no objection as far as the 1978 version of the resolution, which lays more emphasis on autonomy to the states, is concerned. Prof Balwant Singh, secretary of the Punjab unit of the CPM, said that Mr Chandumajra had stated that his party was all for the Anandpur Sahib Resolution of 1978. Prof Balwant Singh gave reasons for supporting Mr Chandumajra. ‘‘Our party’s main aim is to defeat the SAD-BJP, a communal combination, in the Sunam byelection. Only Mr Chandumajra can do this. Hence, the support for him’’, he added. Why did the CPM not choose CPI for support? Prof Balwant Singh said that the truth was that both the CPI and the CPM jointly could not win the Sunam seat. Moreover, the main objective was to defeat the SAD-BJP candidate and this could only be achieved by supporting the SHSAD’s candidate, he added. Will not this step of the CPM pose a threat to Left unity in Punjab? Prof Balwant Singh said that there would be no such threat. He said he would like the CPI to withdraw its candidate and join the CPM in extending support to Mr Chandumajra. ‘‘I will take up this matter with the CPI leadership’’, he added. The CPM would actively campaign in the Sunam constituency. Mr Chand Singh Chopra, a senior CPM leader from Sangrur, has been made in charge of the poll campaign. However, Prof Balwant Singh made it clear that the CPM would campaign independently in support of Mr Chandumajra and would not share the stage with any other party. When asked what his party’s reaction would be if Mr Tohra joined hands with Mr Parkash Singh Badal again, Prof Balwant Singh said that his party would then expose the SHSAD leadership. He said the decision to support Mr Chandumajra was taken at a meeting of the State Committee of the CPM. The opinion of the party cadres in Sangrur district was also sought before taking the decision, he added. Lashing out at the SAD-BJP government, Prof Balwant Singh said this Government was pursuing anti-peasant and anti-worker policies and indulging in corruption. All sections of society were fed up with the SAD-BJP government’s performance, he claimed. With the Sunam byelection, new political alignments have started taking shape in Punjab. Before the next elections to the Vidhan Sabha, which will be due in February, 2002, one can expect the emergence of a new political line-up in the state.
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Parallel conferences by
Cong KHADOOR SAHIB, Sept 18 — The animosity between two groups of the district Congress came to the fore when they organised parallel conferences to mark the “Gurgaddi divas” of Guru Angad Dev, the second Sikh Guru, here today. While one group is of Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC chief, another is loyal to Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, a former Chief Minister. Although Mr Gurinder Singh Kairon and Mr Lakha Sing, a former MLA and close confidant of Mrs Bhattal, claimed the Congress was united and would win the Sunam byelection unitedly, yet it was clear from the parallel stages that both the groups within the party had not sunk their differences so far. Talking to TNS, Mr Kairon, who had unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary elections from Tarn Taran twice, said it was a local leader who was instrumental in organising the “parallel stage”. He claimed that Mr Lakha Singh was “true representative” of the Majha region. On the other hand, Mr Mohinder Singh Gill, a former president for the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, and Mr Sukhbinder Singh, District Congress Committee (Rural) chief, said they would recommend to the party high command for taking disciplinary action against Mr Kairon and Mr Lakha Singh for holding a “parallel” conference. Mr Gill, Prof Darbari Lal, a former MLA, Mr Gurchet Singh Bhullar, a former minister and Mr M.S. Heera, a former Chairman of the Improvement Trust, were among those who addressed from the stage organised by Master Jagir Singh a former minister. However, Mrs Bhattal and Capt Amarinder Singh did not attend any conference for obvious reasons. Addressing people from the stage put up by the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Ravi Inder Singh, an MLA, announced the Badal government would be toppled shortly. He said a sufficient number of MLAs, which would be definitely more than the majority, would be united to replace Mr Badal as Chief Minister. Mr Ravi Inder Singh said the Badal government had surpassed all previous records of corruption. Mr Kuldip Singh Wadala, president of SAD (Democratic), Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, president of SAD (Panthic), Bhai Harminder Singh Gill, president of the All-India Sikh Students Federation, Mr Prem Singh Lalpura, MLA, and Mr Major Singh Uboke, a former MP, were among those who addressed people from the stage of the Sarbh Hind Shiromani Akali Dal. However, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra could not attent the conference. Mr Badal while speaking from the stage of the Shiromani Akali Dal, said his party would definitely win the Sunam byelection. He alleged the SHSAD and SAD (Amritsar) had been playing the Congress game by fielding their separate candidates. He said he would redress the grievances of the public, if any, by organising “sangat darshan” programmes at the grassroots level after the Sunam byelection. Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Minister for Cooperatives, Mr Manmohan Singh Sathiala and Mr Vir Singh, both MLAs, Mr Balbir Singh Pannu, senior vice-president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, and Mr Kirpal Singh, a former MP, were among those who addressed the conference of SAD. The Communist Party of India and the Bahujan Samaj party (Ambedkar) also
organised their conferences to mark the “Gurugaddi” divas of Guru Angad Dev. |
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MLA walks out of
board meeting GURDASPUR, Sept 18 — Mr Ram Lal, the MLA, from Narot Mehra Assembly constituency, walked out of the district planning board meeting today to protest against his not being allowed to raise a question regarding installation of deep tubewells in the Narot Mehra Assembly constituency. The Chairman of the Planning Board is Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, the leader of the BJP Legislature Party in the Punjab Assembly and Minister for Local Bodies. Mr Ram Lal later held a demonstration outside the hall. He accused the chairman for not allowing him to raise the question because he belonged to a Scheduled Caste. He also accused the superintending engineer and executive engineers of the department concerned for not repairing deep tubewells installed at Thakurpur and Gurdaspur Bhaian under Narot Mehra Assembly constituency which are lying unused for more than eight months. |
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Amarinder flays Dayal’s role PATIALA,
Sept 18 — Capt Amarinder Singh, president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), has said that CPI secretary Joginder Singh Dayal was hand in glove with the ruling SAD-BJP combine in its effort to help Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa to win the Sunam byelection election. Addressing a press conference, he said AICC general secretary Moti Lal Vora had deliberations with the CPI before the Congress leadership had announced the candidature of Ms Parmeshwari Devi, but Mr Dayal was playing into the hands of the SAD.
He said that if Mr Dayal continued with his efforts of helping the SAD candidate, the Congress would be left with no other option except to renew its association with the CPI.
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Cong not to sever ties with CPI: Brar MANSA, Sept 18 — Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, MP and Senior Vice- President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee ( PPCC), has said his party will continue to have an alliance with the Communist Party of India (CPI).
Speaking at a press conference here, he said the CPI had “betrayed” the Congress by putting forward its own candidate in the Sunam byelection but it would not affect the relations between the two parties. |
Pleas against ST on gunny bags
dismissed CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — In a judgment disposing of 51 writ petitions, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice R.C. Kathuria, today held that the Department of Food and Supplies was entitled to recover the sales tax on the gunny bags supplied to the rice millers under the Punjab Rice Procurement (levy) Order, 1983. The state will gain crores of rupees as tax. The writ petitions, which were dismissed, were filed by rice millers of Punjab. It was contended that the Department of Food and Supplies was not entitled to recover sales tax on the gunny bags supplied to millers along with the paddy for custom milling as it was not the first stage of sale within the state of Punjab. The petitioners were relying upon a judgment of this court in the Durga Rice Traders’ case. Another contention made by the petitioners was that the item “old jute gunny bags” was covered under schedule B of the Punjab General Sales Tax Act and therefore was exempt from sales tax. The Advocate-General for the state of Punjab argued that the custom milling of the paddy was under taken by millers on the terms and conditions contained in the agreement executed between the procuring agencies and millers. Under this agreement, the millers are to supply 40 per cent of the paddy milled into rice in 95 kg bags. These bags are supplied along with the paddy to the millers by the District Food and Supplies controller, a registered dealer under the Act. The miller being the purchasers of these bags for the first time within the state of Punjab, were liable to tax. On the other point in contention it was argued that the bags supplied to the millers were new and sold for the first time in the state. The Controller of Food Accounts, of Food and Supplies filed an affidavit in the court to the effect that 60 per cent of the price of the bags is recovered from the millers while 40 per cent was reimbursed by the Central Government. The Bench held that the Act taxes only the first sale made within the state of Punjab. The sale in favour of the petitioner being the first sale was liable to tax. The Bench also held that as 60 per cent of the price of these bags was recovered by way of concession and not because the bags were old.
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Sex tonics should be avoided:
expert JALANDHAR, Sept 18 — One may have seen sign boards pertaining to the treatment of sexual disorders near bus stands and railway stations in almost every city. Quacks have flourishing business, especially in rural areas, taking the advantage of ignorance about the psycho-sexual disorders among people there. Generally, there is anxiety oversexual problems, which led to shame, guilt and fear becoming part of any potency problem, Dr Parkash Kothari, member, Advisory Council of World Association for Sexology, told this correspondent. Dr Kothari said a number of myths and misconceptions existed and people hesitated to discuss the subject openly with the doctor. When asked about the “dhat synorme” he said urine and semen could never be mixed together. Ignorance about this important branch of medicine was leading to unnecessary human suffering and exploitation by quacks, he added. Dr Kothari was critical about the use of sex tonics prevailing in the market to tone up the sexual efficiency of a person. “Herbal sex tonics are nothing but exploitation of the desperate and ignorant people”, he said while claiming that the best sex tonic would be the understanding and affection among partners. |
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Subedar cremated MALERKOTLA, Sept 18 — The body of Sub Kulwant Singh (40) of 6 Battalion of Sikh Light Infantry, who was posted in Srinagar, was cremated at his native village Nathohedi, 5 km from here, with full military
honours. He is survived by his wife and two children. According to military officials, Kulwant Singh was killed in a mine blast while searching for militants on September 14.Mr Surinder Singh Saini, DSP, Mr G.L. Garg Tehsildar, Mr Abdul Qayoom Raja, president of the BJP Minority Morcha, Punjab, and hundreds of people paid tributes to the martyr. |
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PWD staff hold
rally BATHINDA, Sept 18 — PWD employees today organised a rally to express their dissatisfaction over the government attitude towards their demands. The call for the rally was given by the Public Works Department (PWD) Struggle Coordination Committee, Punjab. Mr Kewal Singh, General Secretary, PWD, Field and Workshop Union, Punjab, Bathinda zone, said the workers who had been working for 240 days should be regularised and given the technical scale. He demanded that workers should be given bonus and the field employees should be given the time period
scale. In a press note issued here today, Mr Satpal Singh, president, Technical and Mechanical Union, said all the members of the union of Bathinda zone would participate in the rally at Sunam on September 21. |
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Tributes paid to
Dharma Vira CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — The Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen JFR Jacob (retd), today expressed deep shock over the death of Mr Dharma Vira, a former Governor of Punjab, West Bengal and Karnataka, in New Delhi yesterday after a prolonged illness.
In a condolence message, the Governor said that in the death of Mr Dharma Vira the country had lost an experienced administrator who distinguished himself as a civil servant and later as Governor. He expressed his heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family.
The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has also expressed grief over the death of Mr Dharma
Vira. Describing Mr Dharma Vira as a distinguished statesman, able administrator and great intellectual, Mr Badal said that he made a significant contribution to the advancement of Punjab during his tenure as Governor.
He conveyed his heartfelt sympathies to the members of the bereaved family. |
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Badal felicitates
Vijay Chopra CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today congratulated Mr Vijay Chopra, Chief Editor, Hind Samachar group of newspapers, on his election as Chairman of the Indian Newspaper Society for the year 2000-2001. |
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Two policemen
suspended AMRITSAR, Sept 18 — Assistant Sub Inspector Kulwant Singh and Head Constable Baldev Singh have been placed under suspension for severely beating up Mohinder Singh Bhatia, president, Cloth Merchant Association (Partap Bazar) and general secretary, Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara and his son Satbir Singh Khalsa, general secretary, Shiromani Sewa Dal. Both father and son who sustained injuries had approached the district police chief, Mr Parmpal Singh Sidhu. Mr Sidhu ordered the suspension of police officials. Mr Bhatia alleged that his son who is a baptised Sikh was pulled from the hair and then taken to kotwali as they had inquired from the ASI and the head constable as to why they were beating the boy who was known to them. |
Injured jawan dies JALANDHAR, Sept 18 — Jaspal Singh, a sepoy, who was injured in an accident near Dharamkot on September 16, died at the local Military Hospital today. He was injured when the Army truck he was travelling in hit a tractor-trolley near Dharamkot village. Similarly, Constable Taranjit Singh of the Punjab police posted at Police Lines here, died after having been injured when his scooter got entangled with a tractor-trolley, near
Bhogpur. |
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The Economic Offences Wing of the district police has arrested two
Nakodar-based travel agents for allegedly defrauding a resident of Gura village and taking Rs 20,000 from him for sending his son abroad.
In a press note issued here, Mr Balkar Singh, in charge of the wing, said the accused, Joginder Pal and Sunil Kumar, had taken the money as advance from Makhan Singh and had promised that they would send his son Kuldip Singh to
England. However, when they failed to do so, they did not return the money. |
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300 take part in Sabhyacharak Mela PATIALA,
Sept 18 — On the occasion of Sabhyacharak Mela, a colorful function was organised by Bharat Vikas Parishad here yesterday.
Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Preneet Kaur, Member Parliament, promised to obtain a piece of land for keeping the town’s stray cattle. More than 300 students from 40 schools of the city participated in painting,
rangoli, mehendi, fancy dress, antakshri and dance competitions organised by the parishad.
Praising the competitive spirit of the students. She said such competitions would encourage the students to exhibit their performance.
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Mystery shrouds
murder GURDASPUR, Sept 18 — Mystery shrouds the murder of Mushtaq Masih, a resident of Munan Khurd in this district. The deceased had contested the Lok Sabha elections unsuccessfully in 1998 as an independent candidate. Mr Puran Masih, father of the deceased, has repeatedly met the police but the police has not so far registered any case in this connection. Mr Puran Masih said, the police was harassing them for the murder of his son. On August 12, Mr Puran Masih said their dog entered the village temple which is being managed by the local Rajputs. Hot words were exchanged between the members of the management and Mr Masih’s family on the issue. Mohan Masih, a relation of Puran Masih tried to intervene but was allegedly beaten up by the members of the management and later handed over to the Kahnuwan police. Mushtaq left the house to secure the release of Mohan Masih the next day. As ill luck would have it, he never returned. On September 15, the family of the deceased was told that a body had been found from Basant Garha drain in the Kahnuwan area but was cremated by the police as an unidentified body. When the family approached the police station to enquire about the cremation, the clothes of the deceased were shown to them. The family recognised the clothes as those of Mushtaq. The police said the body was found in the drain on August 30. |
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6-year-old schoolgirl raped,
killed DYALPUR, (Jalandhar) Sept 18 — A six-year-old schoolgirl was allegedly raped and later done to death by her 19-year-old neighbour who fled after huddling her body in a wooden trunk in his house at Dyalpur village late last evening. The victim, Prabhdip, was standing outside her house after paying obeisance at the village gurdwara when she was “called” by her “uncle” to his dilapidated house after which she went missing. When villagers launched a search operation for her they got suspicious and searched the house of Bhinda. Her blood-stained body was found from one of the trunks in a room. According to the father of the victim, Malkiat Singh, Bhinda, an idler, did not respond when they knocked at the door of his house at around 12.30 a.m. “The lone bulb was switched off and we had to enter the house from the backyard only to find that Bhinda was nowhere to be seen. When we entered the room, we found that Prabhdip was huddled in a thick layer of quilts in the trunk,” he said. Mr Niranjan Singh, Prabhdip’s uncle, said they got suspicious after 8.30 p.m. when she failed to turn up and launched a search in the village and the fields. He said some villagers had seen Bhinda consuming liquor since morning along with two friends who were also missing. The police has booked Bhinda under Sections 302 and 376 of the IPC and launched a manhunt to arrest him. |
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Hostel girl commits
suicide? JALANDHAR, Sept 18 — A girl student of Government Women Polytechnic, Ladowali road, committed suicide by allegedly hanging herself from a ceiling fan in her room in the institute hostel on Saturday. Shashi Sonia, a second-year student of the electronics and communication course, was watching TV along with other girls in the common room when she suddenly went to her room and bolted it from inside. Some of the hostlers tried to ascertain as to why she had left all of a sudden and rushed towards her room. As they did not get any response, they presumed that she was sleeping. The next day when the room was still found bolted, the students got suspicious and broke open the room to find Sonia hanging from the ceiling fan. According to the police, Sonia’s classmates stated that she was disturbed since she had got compartment in three subjects in her second-year exams, the result of which was declared recently. |
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Minor raped, 4
arrested KAPURTHALA, Sept 18 — Balwinder Kaur (15) of Kala Sanghian village falling under sadar police station was allegedly gang raped by four persons of the same village on September 14. According to the FIR Balwinder alleged that on September 14 at 5.30 p.m. her two neighbours — Harpreet Singh, alias Happy and Gurinder Singh, alias Chindda — took her on a motor cycle to a tubewell on the outskirts of the village. Balwinder was kept there for one day and two nights and raped. She alleged that two more persons — Rajwinder Singh and Harpreet Singh — also raped
her. On September 16 both the suspects dumped her in front of her house. The
mother and the girl reported the matter to police. A case under Section 376, 363, 366, 506, 323 and 342 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code has been
registered against the four suspects. |
Fee hike: DMs to
check records JALANDHAR, Sept 18 — The Punjab Government has issued instructions to all the district magistrates to check the official records of schools and colleges who were still charging the hiked fee even after the withdrawal of notification in this regard. Mr Subash Sharma, Secretary, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), addressing a press conference here today said a deputation of the ABVP met the Punjab Higher Education Minister, Master Mohan Lal, and presented him a charter of demands. Master Mohan Lal assured them the District Magistrates would inspect of official records of schools and colleges and submit their report fee charged after the withdrawal of fee hike notification. The minister also announced, in an effort to promote Sanskrit, the state government has introduced a scholarship of Rs 150 for students opting for the subject. Special examination fee charged for the subject has been withdrawn, said Subash Sharma. The ABVP has also demanded that the government should hold the organisational elections of the students bodies in the state. “The minister has assured that the matter would be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting,” he said. Concerning the issue of national security, he said the ABVP has decided to start a nationwide campaign to create awareness among students of national security. A week-long programme would be launched in Punjab from September 25 onwards. |
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Foreign students a harassed lot PATIALA, Sept 18 — Communication gaps between foreign students and residents here are creating problems in leading a normal life for students who have come from various countries of Africa in exchange programmes. The students, who need to communicate with the administrative staff of Punjabi University frequently, are at a loss to express themselves in Punjabi. There should be some institute to teach the local language to the foreign students, said Heeron Mwangi from Kenya. In a linguistically diversified country like India, knowing the local language will benefit the foreign students, he added. Talking about his notion about India before coming here, Kisut G. E. said he thought English would be the common language here. But Punjab presented a different scenario making it hard for him to communicate with shopkeepers, rickshaw-pullers and even most of the administrative staff, he said. The communication problem is one of the major reason for the foreign students to opt for the South Indian Universities these days, said another student Mwangi. Even the common people out there speak English, he said. Moreover, the fee structure of South Indian Universities is much less as compared to the North Indian universities, he said. The communication gap is not the only problem the foreign students are facing. The climatic conditions are also hindering these students in pursuing their career. Hassan Osman from Ethiopia said the small cubicles allotted to the foreign students became furnaces during the summer months. The hostel authorities forbid use of coolers in the rooms, he added. The students said similarly in winter they were not allowed use of room heaters. Due to such inflexible attitude many students were forced to leave the hostel and live in rented rooms outside the university campus, they added. Prof H.S. Walia, warden, boys hostel, said no students were allowed to keep coolers, heaters or music system in their rooms. Talking about the problems here, he said that it was the cold winter that bothers the Africans more. Coming from the tropical countries of Africa, they could easily adopt to the hot summer conditions without the aid of coolers, he said. The foreign students are yet to become used to Punjabi cuisine . Kisut says Punjabi food which is rich in spices and chillies does not suit most of them. Even those living in the hostel do not have ‘kari chaval’ which is otherwise a favourite among the hostellers . The foreign students also like a rich non-vegetarian food which is not available in the hostels. They say they also cannot have any other variation in the hostels as the canteens close at around 6 p.m. There are no eating joints available in the vicinity so one has to go to the city if one wants a snack a little late in the evening.
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Pathak elected
PTA chief PATIALA,
Sept 18 — Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of Government Girls Senior Secondary School unanonimously elected Mr Pushpinder Pathak as president and Mr Harsharan Singh as vice president at a meeting organised here yesterday. Seven executive members were also elected. The members decided to arrange rooms, furniture and cold water facilities for the children.
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Striking labourers face
action ROPAR, Sept 18 — The
Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd (GACL) has decided to initiate action
against the striking contract labourers. The Manager, Personnel, GACL,
Mr A.C. Verma, in a press conference held here today, said the company
was issuing notices to the contractors to dismiss the labourers who
tried to create hindrance in the operations of the company. The
reaction of the GACL management followed the publication of a news in
a leading English daily that certain workers were been illegally
detained by the GACL management to thwart the strike of the employees. The
management today produced the three persons named in the newspaper
before mediapersons. These persons — Gurmeet Singh, Ravinder Singh
and Gurmail Singh — said at the press conference that they were not
detained by anyone in the factory. Mr Verma said the strike of the
labourers was illegal. He said the GACL came under the public utility
services and any registered union had to give a six-week notice before
proceeding on an indefinite strike in such units. The labourers had
given just 15 days’ notice for the strike which was illegal and so
action would be initiated against them, Mr Verma added. When this correspondent visited the dharna site today, there were no women protesting against the detention of their kin. The labourers who have been sitting on a dharna since the past three months, however, alleged harassment at the hands of the police. The
conflict among the contract labourers and the management started about
three months ago when certain labourers owing allegiance to the GACL
Workers Union sat on a chain hunger strike. They are demanding the
implementation of the Cement Wage Board recommendations and the
re-employment of certain retrenched workers. The president of the
GACL Contract Labour Union, Mr Tiwari, alleged that a majority of the
contract labourers working in the GACL were getting just Rs 1800 a
month whereas according to the Cement Wage Board recommendations they
should get Rs 3,300. He demanded that all retrenched workers of Auto
Heir Transport Company should be absorbed back into the GACL and the
contract labourers be issued proper identity cards and proper wage
slips. About 200 workers of Auto Heir Transport Company, which was
floated by the GACL management allegedly to look after its
transportation operations, were retrenched a few months ago. According
to sources, the operations of the transport company were stopped by
the GACL under pressure from the Ropar Truck Union and the Himachal
Truck Operators Union. These unions, which are backed by politicians
of their respective areas, wanted that the transportation work should
be given to the local truck operators, However, when the work was
transferred to these unions, workers of Auto Heir Transport Company
were retrenched. The GACL management has, however, denied all these
charges. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr G.S. Grewal, said the strike
of the labourers had been declared illegal by the Labour Officer of
the district. The SSP, said the three striking union leaders of the
GACL had been arrested on the complaints of certain workers that they
were forcibly trying to stop them from going to work. |
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Conference
on transport today CHANDIGARH, Sept 18 — The inaugural session of the Transport Development Conference to be organised by Punjab as a special invitee state here tomorrow is likely to discuss various issues pertaining to uniformity in taxation in the transport sector. The Union Minister of State for Surface Transport, Mr Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, will preside over the meeting in which Transport Ministers and officials from Assam, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Delhi the Union Territory of Chandigarh and Punjab are expected to participate. The major issues to be discussed at the meeting include uniformity in composite tax on commercial vehicles. At present, there is variation in composite tax charged by different states on inter-state permits. The other issue is the introduction of a new system of one-time payment of road tax, while some states have already introduced one-time road tax on private vehicles, others are yet to do it. In the case of commercial vehicles, there has been no uniformity on the payment of road tax for obvious reasons. The third important issue to be discussed is the rationalisation of motor vehicles tax. While Punjab has revised motor vehicles tax by linking it to the value of the vehicle, others have different systems of charging this tax at the time of registration. |
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