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| Wednesday, September 27, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Paddy purchase: farmers suffer
losses 6 villages ready for acquisition for Anandgarh Plea against SAD MLA rejected SAD has fixed
EVMs: Cong Teachers’ mass casual
leave on Oct 18 Plea rejected after 17
yrs |
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Doubts over BJP’s
stand on Punjabi Govt doctor booked for
graft
Councillors’
suspension to be reviewed
Khatkar Kalan up in arms against Sachi
Sakhi 10 pc allocation for
health sector sought Utilise sugarcane byproducts:
VC Punjab to set up 130 hydel
projects IAS officers disown remarks Vedanti for use of string instruments
Boy
sodomised, killed by
servant New-born thrown into canal
Sant plans IT institute for Punjab
youth
8 finance
companies blacklisted
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Paddy purchase: farmers suffer
losses FAZILKA, Sept 26 — Rice millers and two government agencies purchased 1,08,700 quintal paddy from Fazilka grain market on Monday. Surprisingly, out of this purchase 90,000 quintal have been purchased by rice millers whereas a token purchase of about 20,000 quintal have been made by Punsup and Markfed while FCI, the third agency to which also the area has been allocated for procurement, is yet to commence its job. The rice millers have purchased the paddy at rates ranging from Rs 470 to 500 per quintal with an overall average of Rs 490, which is Rs 50 less than minimum support price of Rs 540 per quintal as declared by the government. As such the farmers who have sold their paddy to rice millers have incurred a total loss of about Rs 50 lakh in one day only. Majority of farmers, however, maintain that they have been compelled to sell their paddy to millers as government agencies have not commenced procurement in an appropriate manner. The agencies are moving at a snail’s pace and putting forth lame excuses. If the present stalemate continues then more farmers may be forced to sell their paddy to rice millers at a lower price and their total loss is likely to run into crores in Fazilka market only. Since Fazilka is one of the largest paddy producing belt of northern India, heavy paddy arrivals have been recorded in Fazilka market. According to sources due to bumper crop the paddy arrival this year is likely to be higher than last year. Huge losses to farmers are likely to further endanger the already shattered economy of the border belt. Almost all farmers and traders hold wrong policies of the government responsible for this unsavoury situation. On a cautious note they are offering a relatively low price as compared to that in the past years. With the prevailing situation there is resentment among farmers and commission agents. The officials say that if they make procurement under pressure then later on they are held responsible and made accountable for recoveries. On the other hand the rice millers maintain that uncertainty prevails as the government is yet to spell out its rice levy policy. Dr Rattan Lal Thakral, former president of the Rice Millers Association, Fazilka, said “if the millers have to sell their rice in open market they are likely to get around Rs 825 per quintal, whereas it cost them Rs 900 per quintal that too if the paddy is purchased at rate of Rs 500 per quintal. Hence the millers are set to lose Rs 75 per quintal. Mr Thakral is sore over the steep hike in power tariff and amendment in quality specification. According to revised specifications the government has decreased the discoloured and broken rice ratio from 4 to 2 per cent. He says that milling of rice according to these specifications is impracticable. FEROZEPORE: At least 1.35 lakh mt of paddy has been procured by various agencies in the district. An official release issued here this afternoon claimed that Food and Civil Supplies Department alone had lifted 1,050 mt of paddy while Markfed had procured 511 mt of the produce. Likewise Punsup and the Punjab Warehousing Corporation have lifted 4,758 and 9,735 mt of paddy, respectively. The FCI is stated to have procured 15,548 mt of paddy, compared to the Punjab Agro, which has lifted until now 2,491 mt of the produce. Besides, the rice millers have lifted a total of 10,140 mt of paddy, the release added. |
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Farmers block
traffic FATEHGARH SAHIB, Sept 26 — The farmers, commission agents and labourers today blocked traffic at Bassi Pathana town on the Fatehgarh Sahib-Chandigarh road, in protest against the failure of government agencies to purchase paddy. The traffic was diverted via link roads causing great inconvenience to the public. The farmers raised the slogans against the government. The police made mild lathi charge, but the farmers and commission agents continued the jam. Though yesterday Mr Madan Mohan Mittal visited the grain market only then the purchase was started. But today again none of the agencies made any purchase. Mr Rajesh Paul Singh Lalli, senior Akali leader alleged that though the paddy was very much up to specifications of the government, but the agencies did not purchase it. The procurement process was started from September 21 by the Punjab Government, but till today, according to an official spokesman of the government the Food and Supplies Department had purchased 800 quintal, FCI 700 quintal, Punsup 800 quintal, Warehousing Corporation 200 quintal and private traders purchased 2954 quintal of paddy during six days, only 5454 quintal of paddy was purchased by various government agencies, whereas more than 25,000 quintal of paddy was lying in the Sirhind grain market alone. Certain commission agents alleged that Mr Ramesh Satija, an inspector of the Civil Supplies Department declared that he would purchase the paddy from the shops of only those commission agents, who would store the purchased paddy in their rice mills. Meanwhile, Mr Harminder Singh a leader of the BKU, said, the farmers were being fleeced by private traders. On the other hand, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, while talking to reporters at Mandi Gobindgarh, claimed that the procurement process in the state was in full swing and was going on smoothly. He refuted the allegations that government agencies were not purchasing paddy. He said it was the Congress which was conspiring against the government and provoking farmers. He said the FCI was fully co-operating with the government. JALANDHAR: A string of protests greeted official agencies procuring paddy in different parts of the district. A group of farmers led by Mr Kulwant Singh staged a dharna in the grain market in Bhogpur township today. Similarly, farmers blocked traffic at the main road in Mehatpur. Another group of farmers organised a sit-in at Malliahn Kalan village on the Nakodar-Kapurthala road. Agitated farmers also organised a dharna at Shankar Mandi. |
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Showers add to farmers’
woes BATHINDA, Sept 26 — The two-hour moderate rain in this region late last night dashed hopes of farmers as their paddy lying uncovered in various grain markets has become unfit for procurement due to high moisture content. The farmers, who have been facing harassment in the grain markets for the past many days due to non-procurement of paddy by different agencies on one pretext or the other, today found it difficult to find a buyer for the wet crop. Earlier, the farmers, who unloaded their crop about a week or more ago, have been pinning hopes on the private traders and rice mill owners for purchasing their crop but the rain which lashed this region last night has forced the traders and rice mill owners to turn their face away from the paddy. The farmers alleged that they had been suffering losses on account of paddy getting wet by the rain as the authorities concerned could not provide adequate covered space in the grain markets. They added that apart from it due to sluggish procurement by the agencies, there was no vacant patch under the sheds where the farmers could unload paddy. Mr Harchand Singh, a farmer of Bathinda district, said that he unloaded 40 quintals of paddy in the grain market on September 20 but it was not procured by any agency so far. He added that now the crop had become wet due to last night’s rain. Similarly, Mr Gurcharan Singh, Mr Jaswant Singh and Mr Jagbir Singh, farmers of different villages of this district while talking to The Tribune alleged that they had suffered losses due to fact that procurement agencies did not purchase it despite the fact that they had unloaded it in the local grain market a week ago. Mr Amarjit Singh, Deputy Director, Food and Supply Department, said that all procurement agencies including central and state had entered almost all purchase centres and had been making bulk purchases. He pointed out that so far about 2,13,572 metric tonne of paddy had been procured by central and state agencies along with private rice millers in the six districts of Ferozepore division. He added the resentment of paddy growers had been redressed by Additional Director, Food and Supply, Mr Joginder Singh Gill, who toured various grain markets and purchase centres and met the farmers. He said that so far the food and supply department had purchased 9189 metric tonne of paddy, Markfed 6327 metric tonne, the Punsup 9267 metric tonne, Punjab Warehousing Corporation 16184 metric tonne, Punjab Agro 2836 metric tonne, the FCI 23652 metric tonne and private millers 1,46,117 metric tonne of paddy. Meanwhile, Mr Harminder Singh Jassi, MLA, has urged the authorities concerned to make suitable compensation to those farmers whose crop had been damaged due to untimely rains.
CHANDIGARH, Sept 26 — The Punjab Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, who reviewed the procurement of paddy here today, directed the officers concerned to ensure the prompt purchase of paddy without causing any hardship to the
farmers. He instructed the procurement agencies to submit a daily progress report with regard to paddy procurement to him. The Secretary and Director, Food and Supplies Department, the Senior Regional Manager, FCI (Punjab region), and senior officers of other government agencies were present at the
meeting. Mr Mann told the Deputy Commissioners to visit grain markets every day.
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6 villages ready for acquisition for Anandgarh
Notices under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, are expected to be issued during the first half of October. Highly placed sources in the Punjab Government said that the proposal to acquire six villages was ready and would be sent soon to the higher authorities for approval. The six villages to be acquired in the first phase are: Sangalan, Chahar Majra, Tira, Wasipur, Togan and Dhanauran. The combined population of these six villages is 4,024. The Punjab Government had already issued notices under Section 4 of the Act, in 29 villages which are scheduled to be acquired for the township. Sources in the Punjab Government point out that very soon, clearance is expected from the Housing and Urban Development, Punjab, regarding the notices under Section 6. ‘‘We will get clearance regarding the notices under Section 6 in the first week of October and in next one week the notices will be issued’’, claimed a senior Punjab official Mr R. K. Verma, Additional Chief Administrator of the ADA said, ‘‘Anandgarh is to be built in phases’’ and added, ‘‘ the authority might go for more villages in the first phase’’. He said that our motto was to make the new township economically and financially viable. It is learnt that the estimation of structures, fixtures and trees in the six villages has already been completed. The department is currently verifying the claims. The District Price Fixation Committee had fixed rates for the land to be acquired. But officials claims that the committee did not come up with prices of all types of lands. ‘‘ For example, the committee did not fix price for banjar land’’, said an official. Sources in the authority point out that the rate for the land will be fixed somewhere around Rs 10 lakh per acre. This includes the price of the land, 30 per cent solatium and 12 per cent interest from the date of issuance of the notification. Further sources point out that the reason behind going for six villages is mainly financial. The authorities are presently negotiating a deal with financial institutions like the ICICI and the HDFC for a loan to acquire the land. When asked about the pending court case, a source informed that notices can be issued even without a ‘no objection certificate’ from the court and added, though the actual acquisition of land will only start after obtaining an NOC from the court. The government will only acquire land outside the lal dora and has no immediate plans to disrupt the population. As far as the presence of religious places in the area is concerned, the authority may de-notify those places. A senior Punjab official said, ‘‘ We might later on talk to the people concerned about the acquisition of those religious places which are presently not in use”. The authorities claim that there is no forest land in these six villages. They point out that the government might de-notify those areas which fall under the forest land. As far the area which falls under the Land Preservation Act, the government will not do any construction activity without the prior approval of the Union Ministry of Environment, it is claimed.
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Plea against SAD MLA rejected NEW DELHI, Sept 26 — The Supreme Court while dismissing an appeal against the election of Mr Jameja Singh to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1997 from the Ferozepur Cantonment constituency has ruled that it was mandatory for the election petitioner, challenging the election on the ground of corrupt practices, to support his allegations by an
affidavit giving the full details. “In the absence of the requisite affidavit filed in support of the allegation of bribery under Section 123(I) of the Representation of People Act no issue could be raised for trial”, a two-judge Bench of the court comprising the Chief Justice, Dr A.S. Anand and Mr Justice N. Santosh Hegde said. Mr Jameja Singh won the election for SAD. Dismissing the appeal of the defeated Congress candidate, Mr Ravinder Singh, against a judgement of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the judges held that Section 83 of the Act not only required a concise statement of full facts of the alleged corrupt practice, but also an affidavit supporting it disclosing the source of information regarding the commission of corrupt practice. Delivering the judgement for the Bench, Mr Chief Justice Anand stated, “The reason for this insistence is obvious. It is necessary for an election petitioner to make such a charge with full responsibility.” The judges further held that the election petition had not been able to make out a case for the trial of corrupt practice under Article 123(4) of the Act as alleged. This section relates to any publication by the returning candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of the candidate regarding the personal
character or conduct of the other candidates. The judges said the high court’s order regarding the dismissal of the election petition without putting it to trial at the preliminary stage itself could not faulted with. “For our reasons which are somewhat different from the ones given by the high court, we find that the decision of the high court to non-suit the election petitioner by deciding the preliminary issue against him is well merited”, the judges
ruled
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SAD has fixed
EVMs: Cong NEW DELHI, Sept 26 — A Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
(PPCC) delegation today met the Election Commissioner, Mr J M. Lyngdoh, here and demanded that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and his ministers should be debarred from entering the Sunam Assembly constituency after the campaign ends tomorrow evening alleging “misuse of government machinery.” “There are certain areas where gross violations are taking place, particularly government machinery being misused on a massive scale and financial resources being used to bribe the voters of particular communities, the Scheduled Caste and Backward Class communities and other weaker sections, which vitiate a free and fair election,” the two-member delegation comprising former PPCC President, Mr Mohinder Singh Gill, and a former MP, Mr Surinder K.
Singla, told the Election Commissioner. Claiming that they had information that electronic voting machines
(EVMs) to be used in the ensuing polls are already “tampered with”, they demanded that the Election Commission should re-check them and if necessary, completely replace them with new machines. On the compulsory identification of the voters in Sunam through the photo identity cards or through any of the 21 identification documents listed by the Commission like showing of passport, license, etc, the delegation tried to impress upon the Commission that despite this relaxation several people would be “deprived” of their right to vote. The most serious problem they pointed out that in the Sunam Assembly segment, Food Department officials like the DFSO and the AFSO are taking away the ration cards of poor families, particularly of Scheduled Castes and backward classes. “This amounts to virtually taking away their right to vote. In such a situation, a three-member observer team is not adequate to take strong measures,” they said. They also alleged that the ruling Akali Dal was buying the identity cards of Scheduled Caste and backward class communities in a “wholesale manner, robbing them of their right to vote.” The Congress delegation also lodged its protest at ‘canvassing’ for the Akali Dal by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr S.S.
Thind. “From his demeanour, we apprehend a mischievous role from him in the coming days, particularly, on the polling day,” they alleged. When contacted Mr
Lyngdoh, with whom lies the overall supervision of the Sunam byepolls, told The Tribune that the Election Commission has taken adequate measures for a free and fair polls in the constituency. He totally dismissed the claim of the Congress delegation that the EVMs to be used in Sunam byelections have been tampered with. “There is no truth in their claim. The EVMs being used are tamper-proof and the Commission has taken adequate measures for its safe custody,” Mr Lyngdoh said. |
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Teachers’ mass casual
leave on Oct 18 LUDHIANA, Sept 26 — The teachers of Punjab and Chandigarh will go on mass casual leave on October 18 and hold a rally in front of the office of Director Public Instructions (DPI).
The teachers will also make mass representation to ministers and MLAs at Sunam where they will converge on the eve of the assembly byelection. These decisions were taken by the executive committee meeting of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union held here on Sunday evening under the chairmanship of Prof
K.B.S. Sodhi, president of the union. The members condemned the Punjab government for denying non-government college teachers the benefits of the UGC package and privileges of pension and gratiuty as provided by the Punjab government act of 1999 followed by its gazette notification on April 26 last year. Professor Sodhi accused the government of partisanship for issuing a notification on about 40 hours’ stay per week in the colleges and ignoring other provisions of the package, which included superannuation benefits, increments to PhDs, readers’ designation, introduction of career advancement scheme, housing and group insurance schemes. Urging the government to withdraw its notification on 40 hours’ stay immediately and to hold a dialogue with the office-bearers of the union on various issues, Prof C. Chawla, general secretary of the union, said, ‘‘the notification is being misused as a handle in many colleges to harass and humiliate a section of teachers by locking the gates of the college without providing necessary space and infrastructure to them as per the notification.’’ Professor Chawla also announced that rallies would be held in the constituencies of MLAs and ministers in November. Meanwhile, while condemning the ‘brutal attack’ made by the SAD candidate’s supporters on unemployed teachers, including women, at Sunam, Prof. Sodhi has demanded an inquiry into the incident.
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‘Education bandh’ on Oct
18 CHANDIGARH, Sept 26 — The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) has announced a series of protest programmes, including mass casual leave, by the teaching staff during the coming months. In a press release issued here today, Prof Charanjit Chawla, general secretary of the PCCTU, said teachers in all colleges would observe an “education bandh” on October 18 against the non-implementation of the pension and gratuity scheme. The union also planned mass casual leave by teachers and protests in front of the office of the DPI(C). According to the press release, protest processions would also be held at the district level. Ferozepore college teachers would observe the protest on October 30. Prof Sukhpal Singh had been chosen as the chief coordinator, assisted by Prof S.S. Hundal. Prof Amrinder Singh would be the chief coordinator of the protest at Bathinda on November 7. Barnala college teachers would observe the protest on November 14, with Prof R.S. Brar as the chief coordinator. The dates for the protest in other areas were: Amritsar November 20; Pathankot November 27; Jalandhar December 2; and Nawanshahr December 11. Rallies were also scheduled at Doraha, Banur and Gidderbaha. |
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Plea rejected after 17
yrs AMRITSAR, Sept 26 — After 17 years a plea of a head draftsman was rejected by the Irrigation Department of the Punjab Government. Mr B.K. Chopra retired as Circle Head Draftsman from the office of the Chief Engineer (Research)-cum-Director, Irrigation and Power Research, from 1982-83. Mr Chopra was denied promotion as SDO/ADE despite the fact that he was able to pass the prescribed departmental diploma examination in the stipulated period of two and a half years, according to the Punjab Government instructions conveyed vide the Finance Department letter No 5/14/79-2PP 13117 dated September 28, 1982. According to this letter, a promotee who failed to pass the mandatory diploma examination within a period of two and a half years from the date of promotion was to be reverted to the lower rank. He alleged that these instructions were violated and hence he was deprived of promotion due to him. Further, he said persons junior to him were promoted as SDO/ADE vide a letter by the Secretary, Irrigation, Punjab, dated February 2, 1983, and another dated April 19, 1982. He claimed that in 1984 another batch was promoted on February 17 but he was not considered. During this period Mr Chopra made several representations highlighting his grievances to the Secretary, Irrigation. He alleges these promotions (in 1984) were ordered in the absence of the requisite number of vacancies. He said he was not promoted on account of non-revision of the eligibility list. As per the state government communication dated February 1977 the list roster of eligible candidates for promotion should be revised/modified every year and also three months before ordering such promotions so that no eligible candidate is ignored. However, these instructions were not adhered to and promotions were done on the basis of data pertaining to the year 1983. “Consequently, persons like me were left out”, lamented Mr Chopra. Further, he said since 1983 he had been constantly representing his case and “now after 17 years on July 7, 2000, the Secretary, Irrigation, has informed me he cannot promote me as SDO since I do not possess a degree”. Whereas the Supreme Court had banned promotion of diploma holders on May 14, 1999, “this does not hold true for me as my case is not of a new promotion but of setting right an earlier omission going back to the year 1983”, Mr Chopra passionately stated. He demanded a corrigendum to be issued to the orders of 1983 wherein he was left out for promotion and set right the injustice meted out to him. He said the Supreme Court’s decision was always operative from the date of issuance and not retrospectively. As such, he has demanded promotion with retrospective effect from February 16, 1983, with all consequent benefits. |
Doubts over BJP’s
stand on Punjabi FEROZEPORE, Sept 26 — The BJP’s resolve to promote Punjabi as the mother tongue has turned out to be a non-starter as the state unit of the party continues to communicate with its office-bearers in Hindi. If a communication sent to the party office-bearers by the Punjab BJP President, Prof Brij Lal Rinwa, on September 12 is any indication, the BJP itself has failed to take an initiative, in the party on implementing its slogan of Punjabiat. The communication, a copy of which is available with TNS, was drafted in connection with the BJP’s proposed ‘aajeevan sahyog nidhi’ scheme to raise party funds from among the workers. Addressed to various district-level BJP leaders, the communication is drafted in Devnagri script of Hindi language. While Professor Rinwa’s name and designation, and the party’s introduction as a state unit are also printed in Gurmukhi script atop the communication, the entire message has been drafted in
Devnagri. The Ferozepore BJP’s General-Secretary, Mr Ashwini Dhingra, admitted having received the communication, he sought to play down the controversy, saying Hindi is a national language. Although the BJP was committed to persuading Hindus to declare Punjabi as their mother tongue, during the census in the state, Mr Dhingra said that the party could not isolate itself from its national stream by discarding Hindi language altogether. He clarified that since the communication was drafted in routine through a set format fed in the Hindi typewriter available at the Chandigarh party office, there was no question of a ‘volte face’ on Punjabi. |
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Govt doctor booked for
graft JALANDHAR, Sept 26 — A government doctor posted at Balachaur township of Hoshiarpur district has been booked by the Vigilance Bureau for accepting bribe of Rs 2,000 from a patient for carrying out the appendicitis operation on him. Ms Gurpreet Deo, Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Bureau, said Dr Paramjit Singh Mahi, posted as Medical Officer at Primary Health Centre Balachaur had demanded Rs 3500 from one Roshan Lal for a surgical operation of his son Dharambir, but the deal was struck for Rs 2000. Such operations are conducted in government-run hospitals free of cost or for a nominal fee. Meanwhile, Roshan Lal contacted the Vigilance Bureau, officials of which laid a trap and nabbed the doctor while accepting the bribe in the presence of two professors of the Government Polytechnic, Ladowali road. The bribe amount was recovered from the Medical Officer in the OPD room of the health centre in the presence of witnesses. A case under Sections 7 and 13 (1) D of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 has been registered against the doctor, said Ms Deo, without specifying whether he had been arrested or not. |
Councillors’ suspension to be
reviewed BATHINDA, Sept 26 — The ongoing factionalism in the district BJP took a new turn here today when Mr Narinder Mittal, president of the Bathinda mandal unit of the BJP, indicated that suspension of three municipal councillors from the primary membership of the party would be reviewed. Mr Mittal, who was appointed as president of the BJP’s Bathinda mandal unit in the recent past, said factionalism in the party, which was known for discipline, had no place and hence it should be nipped in the bud. Mr Mittal, while talking to TNS here today, said three municipal councillors, namely Mr Chiman Lal Garg, Mrs Shashi Datta and Mrs Vimla Garg, who had been suspended from the primary membership of the party for their alleged anti-party activities should be reviewed in the interest of the party. He said in the last assembly election the people of Punjab had given a huge mandate to the party candidates and now it had become the moral responsibility of every worker of the party to serve the masses in a better way instead of indulging in groupism or factionalism. Mr Garg, Mrs Datta and Mrs Garg resigned from the primary membership of the party on the day when the state party president, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, came here to entrust the chairmanship of the local Improvement Trust to Mr Mohan Lal. However, the state BJP leadership instead of accepting their resignation suspended them from the primary membership of the party. As a fallout of their resignatioin, the function organised in connection with entrusting the chairmanship of the Improvement Trust to Mr Mohan Lal could not enthuse the party workers. The state party leadership took serious note of the prevailing factionalism in the Bathinda district unit immediately and appointed Mr Guljar Singh as president of the unit. He was directed to make sincere efforts to make the party rank and file united. Highly placed party sources said Mr Mittal, who unsuccessfully contested the assembly election in 1992 during the heydays of militancy in Punjab, was chosen for the presidentship of the mandal unit for his exceptional organisational skills to undo the damage done to the party. The state party leadership was worried over the fact that a few months ago factionalism was ailing the party. Mr Mittal pointed out his main priority was to bring back all annoyed workers into the party’s fold. He added that ward-level units of the party would be set up shortly and efforts would be made to create party rank and file in the rural areas. |
Khatkar Kalan up in arms against Sachi
Sakhi NAWANSHAHR, Sept 26 —The Sachi Sakhi which has put a question mark on the martyrdom of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, has aroused anguish of the residents of nearby Khatkar Kalan, the native village of the martyr and the organisations associated with the name of martyr Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Sports Club Khatkar Kalan in collaboration with the Gram Panchayat Artists Association Punjab and other organisations associated with the martyr would burn copies of the book Sachi Sakhi on September 27 at village Khatkar Kalan on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Bhagat Singh. A two-day mela, Parnam Shaheedan Nu would be organised at the village on September 27 and 28 during which a seminar, revolutionary plays patriotic cultural programme by famous artistes would be organised. Actor-turned politician Raj Babbar would also attend the programme. The residents have also dared the writer and supporters of the views expressed regarding the martyrdom of Sardar Bhagat Singh in Sachi Sakhi to participate in the seminar.
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10 pc allocation for
health sector sought BATHINDA, Sept 26 — Dr Biswanath Paria, General Secretary of the Medical Service Centre (MSC) India, while talking to mediapersons here yesterday said the standard of health and medical education in the country was deteriorating and to check this trend at least 10 per cent of the Union Budget should be allocated to the health sector. He alleged that the medical ethics had become a thing of the past and if the government wished to provide proper health facilities to the citizens then ethical code of doctors should be implemented properly. The NRI and capitation fee seats in the medical colleges were being “sold” to the rich, he added and steep fee in medical colleges and the partial privatisation of health services was nothing but commercialisation of the profession by the government. Dr Tarun Mandal, Vice-President of the West Bengal unit of the MSC while speaking on the occasion said health should be made a fundamental right for the citizens. Dr Ajit Pal Singh, District President, PCMS, speaking on the occasion said private practice by government doctors should be strictly banned. Later, a seminar on ‘Commercialisation of Health Sector’ was organised by the Medical Service Centre in which health workers took part. |
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Utilise sugarcane byproducts:
VC BATHINDA, Sept 26 — Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, acting Vice-President, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), said that farmers of the country could become prosperous if the new technologies for processing different crops were adopted by private and government mills. Mr Aulakh, who was here to attend the Kisan Mela organised by the PAU at the Regional Research Centre, said the sugarcane crop in India was being used only to get sugar, but in other countries, alcohol and glucose were also being extracted from the molasses of sugarcane. He added that the mud of sugarcane could also be used for dairy and fish feed, and in this way the farmers of the country would benefit. He pointed out that the farmers of Punjab were spending money to purchase tractors, resulting in the problem of indebtedness. He added that the farmers were not making complete use of tractors and other machinery. He advised that the farmers should hire tractors and for this, unemployed rural youth could set up ‘custom hiring units’ to provide machinery to farmers who were unable to make heavy investments on tractors and other farm equipment. Farmers could not take to diversification of crops as the government had not fixed the prices of crops like oilseeds and vegetables. He clarified that every year the government fixed the prices of wheat, paddy and cotton but not other agriculture products. He said that the quality of products in India was not up to the mark compared to other countries and to face the challenges of the WTO, the farmers would have to improve the quality of their output and reduce the cost of production. He pointed out that the farmers of Australia and Cuba were using machinery to produce sugarcane and Indian farmers had to use their hands for sowing and harvesting the crop. He said that sugarcane producers were not being given their remuneration on time by cooperative mills, resulting in the decrease of sugarcane production. Efforts were being made to produce hybrid cotton seeds with the help of the National Seeds Corporation. |
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Punjab to set up 130 hydel
projects SUNAM, Sept 26 — The Punjab Government has chalked out a plan to set up 130 mini hydroelectric projects at the falls of canals in different parts of the state. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Minister for Science and Technology, Punjab, further said that the government had already given a contract for the setting up of 50 hydroelectric projects to fulfil the power needs of the state at the earliest. He also stated that the remaining contracts for installing hydroelectric projects would be given soon. The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) would purchase power from the contractors of hydro projects at the rate of Rs 3.01 per unit. He also said the PSEB would provide grids to the contractors while it would have the distribution charge in its own hands. He said the state government would provide land free of cost for setting up of hydroelectric projects. It would also not take even a single penny for the use of canal water by the contractors. Mr Garg also said the Punjab Government was going to introduce a solar tubewell scheme in the state. Under the scheme, about 500 tubewells would be installed.
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IAS officers disown remarks CHANDIGARH, Sept 26 — In reference to the news-item appearing in The Tribune “AG’s comments irk IAS officers”, the Punjab IAS Officers Association has informed the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, in writing that no such statement was issued by the spokesman of the association in this connection. Clarifying this, the Director of Public Relations, Punjab, Mr P.S. Aujla, in a signed demi-official letter said the President of the Association, Mr B.R.Bajaj had intimated the Chief Secretary that the issue was never discussed at any forum pertaining to the Advocate General’s comments. The letter says Mr R.S. Mann has elaborated that the government was aware of the various types of difficulties and problems faced in the defence of government cases before various courts. This matter has been deliberated in a number of meetings of the Administrative Secretaries regularly and appropriate steps have been taken to bring about improvement in the existing system. |
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Vedanti for use of
string instruments AMRITSAR, Sept 26 — Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akal Takht, has asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to direct “ragis” to recite Gurbani with traditional string instruments in the Golden Temple. Addressing a three-day workshop on ‘Traditional string instruments’ organised by the Gurmat Sangeet Study Circle, Jathedar Vedanti said recital of Gurbani with traditional string instruments should be made mandatory in the Golden Temple. “Ragis” at the Golden Temple had stopped singing Gurbani with traditional instruments 100 years ago. Jathedar Vedanti said Gurbani should only be recited as directed by the Gurus. |
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CM urged to declare
holiday on Sept 28 BATHINDA, Sept 26 — Mr Sadhu Ram Kusla, founder patron of the Aggarwal Sabha, has urged the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to declare the birth anniversary of Maharaja Aggarsen as an official holiday in government departments.
In a pressnote issued here yesterday, Mr Kusla said the Chief Minister had promised this while unveiling a statue of Maharaja Aggarsen here on December 5, 1999.
The sabha would celebrate the birth anniversary of Maharaja Aggarsen on September 28 all over the state. |
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Prof Chhabra’s
death mourned AMRITSAR, Sept 26 — The Law faculty and students of Guru Nanak Dev University here today mourned the death of the founder Head and former Professor of the department, Mr Kirpal Singh Chhabra. A condolence resolution was passed at the department. It stated Dr Chhabra had rendered valuable service to the department. |
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Ramlila begins on
September 28 PATIALA,
Sept 26 — The Shri Ramlila Committee, Ragho Majra, which is the only organisation in the city that has been staging Ramlila every year without a break since 1945, will begin this year’s edition from September 28.
The committee stages Ramlila at its own premises. The premises is also allowed to be used for social and religious functions free of charge by poor sections of society.
The following have been elected office-bearers of the committee for the current year: president —Mr Lal Chand Shukla; general secretary — Dr Anil Gautam; and secretary — Mr Anuj Trivedi |
Boy sodomised, killed by
servant ROPAR, Sept 26 — A Nepali servant, Bhagat Ram, has been arrested by the Kurali police, for sodomising and murdering the seven-year-old son of his employer Darshan Singh, of Khijrabad village. Giving this information, the SSP, Ropar, Mr GPS Bhullar, said Darshan Singh had lodged a complaint about his missing son, Ranjit Singh, at the Kurali police station. According to a complaint made by Darshan Singh, his son had gone to see the traditional wrestling matches in the village. When he did not return till late in the evening they launched a search for him. Unable to locate Ranjit Singh, his parents lodged a complaint with the police. Two days after the incident, certain persons from his village told Darshan Singh they had seen his servant carrying his son on the day he went missing. Apprehending that his servant, who was also untraceable after the incident, had kidnapped his son, Darshan Singh passed on this information to the local police. The local police launched a hunt for Bhagat Ram and on a tip-off arrested him from the Siswan T-point near Kurali. On interrogation, Bhagat Ram admitted he had kidnapped the teenaged Ranjit Singh and strangulated him to death after sodomising him. On the information gathered from the accused the police seized the body of the deceased boy from the Matarani rivulet. A case under Section 302 of the IPC has been registered against Bhagat Ram. Meanwhile, the Nurpur Bedi police has claimed to have busted a gang of dacoits who were planning a robbery at Khasi Majra village of the area. The SSP Ropar, said on a tip-off the SHO, Nurpur Bedi, arrested five dacoits, Kuldeep Kumar, son of Jit Ram, Paramjit Singh, son of Amritsaria of Hamirpur Jattan village in Nawashahar, Amrik son of Des Raj of Baddi village in Balachaur, Balwant Singh, son of Joginder in Rahon and Kulwant son of Balawa of Maipur Jattan village near Khasi Majra village. Two pistols, one country made .12 bore revolver, four cartridges and various types of sharp-edged weapons have been seized from the arrested dacoits. A case under Sections 399 and 402 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against those arrested. |
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New-born thrown into canal KHANNA, Sept 26 — A child born out of a relationship between a brother and a sister of Maqsoodaran village was allegedly thrown into a canal. According to Senior Superintendent of Police, Khanna, Rajinder Dhoke, the accused Manjit Kaur alias Bholi, had developed incestuous relationship with her brother, Mohinder Singh a few months back. A child was born to the couple on September 9. The SSP informed that the parents of the girl were also aware of the relation between the children. After the girl had labour pains, it was their father, Surjit Singh, who brought her to a private hospital in Doraha. There Manjit Kaur gave birth to a female child. Accused, Manjit Kaur, Surjit Singh and mother Harbans Kaur threw the baby into the Doraha canal near Gurthali village. The police has now registered a case under Sections 376, 302, 201 and 34 of the IPC against Surjit Singh, Harbans Kaur, Manjit Kaur and Mohinder Singh at the Payal Police Station. However, none of the accused have been arrested so far. |
Sant plans IT institute for Punjab
youth CHANDIGARH, Sept 26 — Sant Waryam Singh, founder-president of the Vishav Gurmat Ruhani Mission, has taken upon himself the onerous task of setting up an institute of information technology and computers to increase job avenues for the youth of Punjab. The institute, he says, will be comparable to the best in the country with an initial intake of 100. Sant Waryam Singh may soon meet the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, to know about the future of the proposed city of Anandgarh, before taking a final decision on the location of the institute. “During my last visit to the United States and other countries, I learnt that America needs more than 40,000 computer professionals from India. Why can’t we provide these trained boys? If Bangalore can do it, Hyderabad can do it, why not Punjab? “In fact, I have been impressing upon Sikh institutions in North America also to start institutes of information technology and train youngsters in this new emerging field of employment. Without computers and IT you are nowhere. Since we have the resources and the ability to do it, why deprive our younger generation of this opportunity?” asks Sant Waryam Singh, who has already set up a committee to work out the modalities. The Mission chief has already talked to Dr Yash Pal and Dr S.K. Mangal about the proposed institute. “In case the Punjab Government is determined to build Anandgarh, we will shift this institute to somewhere near Khanna. We will set up a team of experts which will visit the entire state, pick up the most talented youngsters for admission to the institute and provide free education and training to poor and deserving candidates. A lot of Punjabis settled abroad are willing to help and cooperate in this venture. We plan to get this institute affiliated to a reputed university of North America and make it a distant learning centre of that university. We also propose to set up a board of directors of eminent persons to run this institute,” he says. Besides propagating spirituality, the Mission has been undertaking a number of activities for the benefit of weaker and deserving sections and for improving the standard of living of the people. During his last visit to the USA, Sant Waryam Singh had gone to Stratford University to see its nuclear centre and interacted with some eminent scientists. Some, including Dr Ali Farvad of Iran, were so impressed by his views that they wanted to invite him again for an interaction programme. Later, Dr Ali sent some money to Sant Waryam Singh which he spent on the construction of a mosque at a nearby village. The mosque is now ready. Sant Waryam Singh, who basically comes from Dhamot village in Ludhiana district, recently got a new dispensary building constructed in place of the dilapidated one. The new building cost Rs 15 lakh. The Sant also got the boundary wall of the government school in his village repaired, got it a new gate and employed a full-time gardener for the dispensary and the school. Besides, he sends money for medicines to be given free to poor and needy patients. The Sant has now decided to fund the construction work on a girls’ wing of a co-educational college in Daudpur village in Khanna. The Mission had earlier constructed additional rooms in the existing school run by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. The Mission also runs a school at Rajpura and is constructing a new one in Faridkot. “When we came to our present location at Ratwara Sahib, the area was full of drug addicts. We persuaded people to give up drugs. Now, after 14 years, there is no problem of drug addiction in this area. We have now decided to concentrate on providing them with education and training in information technology to enhance their employment capability,” adds Sant Waryam Singh. Meanwhile, the Mission ashram at Ratwara Sahib is witnessing a beehive of activity for the ensuing samagam to be held from September 29 to October 2, in which more than 10 lakh devotees are expected to participate.”We are expecting about 100 delegates from abroad, including New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Canada and Europe. We will provide NRIs all modern facilities for their stay here,” says the Mission chief. A huge pandal measuring 600’x250’ is nearing completion. The entire pandal and the residential area will be provided with 150 closed-circuit TV sets.” The purpose of this samagam is not merry-making, but to give the participants some food for thought”, a spokesman for the Mission said. During the samagam, a free medical camp will be organised by the Himalaya Institute of Medical Science and Yoga, Rishikesh. |
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GND
University roll numbers despatched AMRITSAR, Sept 26 — Dr R.S. Bawa, Registrar, Guru Nanak Dev University, has despatched the roll numbers and date sheets to all eligible candidates for the supplementary examinations commencing from September 30.
Dr Bawa said in case any candidate does not receive the roll number till September 28 he should immediately contact Mr Chanchal Singh, Deputy Registrar (Examinations), along with relevant documents and his attested passport-size photograph. |
8 finance
companies blacklisted AMRITSAR, Sept 26 — Apprehending fraud and illegal business with public, eight finance companies have been blacklisted by District Magistrate Narinderjit Singh. These are Sazada Finance, Majitha Finance, Rahmat Finance, Hilton Finance, Dhanbir Finance, Vikas Deposits and Investment, P.S. Deposits and Investment and Prabhat Finance and Investment. The administration in preception of these companies anticipated withdrawal of security deposits of their employees and clients has passed these orders. As a large number of depositors and employees are involved with these companies the alleged default by these companies could lead to public unrest. “As a precautionary measure it becomes necessary to prohibit withdrawal from banks by these companies,” he said. The order says the companies can convert deposits of the security into payees bank draft in the name of depositors applying for refund of their security. |
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