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| Tuesday, October 17, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Auction of paddy picks up Punjab farmers
protest in Delhi Relief for farmers
eyewash: Cong Package only of 100 cr: PPCC Victory of farmers, says Ramoowalia Mandi records secured Cotton growers’ woes continue |
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| PSEB employees meet minister CHANDIGARH, Oct 16 — A deputation of the Punjab State Electricity board employees' Headquarters Coordination Committee met the Minister for Power, Mr Sikander Singh Maluka, here today.
Parallel Cong candidate for Mayor’s post CLP leader, Bhattal have verbal clash
Borrowing heavily to go abroad “Karva Chauth”:
Boys observe fast too! Minister finds 10 employees absent Ranjit Sagar
capacity may not be utilised Minister’s kin tries to harvest disputed crop Protest outside MC complex A rosary for President Non-SCs corner
loans meant for SCs Veteran athlete living in penury
Cars to MC officers withdrawn 9 water-testing labs to be set up
5 girls working in
brothel held MLA booked for
murder Fake currency:
2 priests held
Rationalise subsidy
system: ex-VC Meeting of VCs postponed
10-day workshop
for nurses begins A risky way to school ‘PTAs indifferent to
functioning of schools’
Traders feel betrayed by Punjab Govt
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Auction of
paddy picks up SUNAM, Oct 16 — The open auction of paddy at Sunam and at adjoining purchase centres, which had been closed since Friday over the controversy of new rates of paddy — Rs 515 and Rs 485 per quintal — and old rates — Rs 540 and Rs 510 per quintal — declared by the central government among officials of the procuring agencies and the market committee here resumed today as the Centre had announced a relief package for farmers of Punjab. Mr Harminder Singh Dhingra, secretary of the market committee, while talking to this correspondent here this evening said the five state and central government procuring agencies which included Punjab Markfed, Punjab Agro, Punsup, Punjab State Warehouse Corporation and the FCI again started procuring paddy in this area today. Mr Dhingra added that about 1,50,000 quintals of paddy had been purchased by these agencies today. Mr Dhingra further said these agencies had already purchased 4,87,600 quintals of paddy since yesterday and about 6,35,000 quintals had so far been purchased by these agencies till this evening. Mr Dhingra expressed hope there would be about 10 per cent increase in the arrival of paddy here this year as compared to the arrival of paddy last year. Meanwhile, rail traffic on the Dhuri-Jakhal track on the Ludhiana-Hisar section also resumed today as activists of the CPI, the CPM the Bharatia Kisan Union (Ekta) and paddy growers lifted blockade from Chhaji railway station, 6 km from here. BARNALA: So far 2.5 lakh bags of paddy have been procured whereas the same quantity is still lying in the grain market here. Ashok a mandi supervisor here, informed newspersons on Monday that Punjab procurement agencies were not making any paddy purchase because the state government was adamant that procurement of paddy at less than Rs 540 per quintal should not be done whereas the FCI in the wake of a letter was now buying paddy at Rs 515 per quintal. FARIDKOT: After a package deal signed between the central and state governments, the state agencies increased the purchase of paddy in 47 grain markets and centres in the district on Monday, said the Deputy Commissioner, Mr A. Venu Prasad, here. Directions have been issued to all heads of agencies to complete the entire process in the next three days. The Deputy Commissioner who personally visited various mandis, including Kotkapoora, Jaitu, Panjgrain and Faridkot, assured the farmers that their crop would be procured as per the relaxed specifications at the minimum support price of Rs 540 per quintal. MOGA: There is great resentment among farmers bringing their produce to almost all purchasing centres in this district over acute shortage of gunny bags. Farmers told mediapersons at Baghapurana town in this district on Monday their paddy stocks already purchased by the government agencies during last week had not so far been lifted due to an acute shortage of gunny bags since then and they were still guarding their paddy heaps lying in the grain market. MANSA: Paddy growers have postponed their agitation following the announcement of the Rs 350 crore relief package by the central government. Five kisan unions ended their agitation on Monday. The five-day old dharna at Budhlada rail track on the Bathinda-Jakhal section ended here. TARN TARAN: Lower ranked employees working in different procurement agencies like Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Department, Punsup, Markefed and Punjab Agro have condemned the pressure being built on them regarding the procurement of substandard foodgrains by politicians, higher authorities and farmers’ organisations. Talking to this correspondent, employees said here on Monday they had forced to procure substandard foodgrains from time to time by the state government and later the higher authorities served them show-cause notices. The employees said there was no scientific storage system in Punjab and tonnes of foodgrains were stored in the open. According to instructions of the Indian Grain Storage Management and Research Institute, foodgrains cannot be stored in the open beyond a period of six months whereas stock of foodgrains is stored in the open in Punjab for years together. The employees said there were two main problems in Punjab regarding stocking foodgrains — one was plenty of food and the second was no demand. The employees said since the past three to four years lakhs of rupees had been cut from their monthly salary. The employees said during 1983-84 and 1982-83 unprecedented rains badly affected the wheat lying in different grain markets and the state government forced them to procure the damaged wheat. The department had started serving show-cause notices on lower ranked employees after a gap of more that 17 years. |
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Punjab farmers
protest in Delhi NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — Harried by the paddy procurement policy of the Centre, farmers from Punjab demonstrated here today and urged the Centre to increase the damaged paddy percentage point from 8 to 15. Leading the farmers, Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, Faridkot MP, and Mr Bhan Singh Bouhra, Bathinda MP, said the government should compensate those farmers who had sold their produce before the announcement of the revised minimum support price. The MSP should be increased as the input costs have gone up, he said. The Centre has announced an MSP of Rs 540 per quintal for grade “A” paddy and Rs 510 per quintal for common paddy. It has also revised the damage paddy percentage by 1. “We want the Centre to compensate all farmers who had sold their produce. They should not be held responsible for the late reaction of the government,” Mr Jagmeet Singh said. He added, “The damaged paddy percentage should be increased to 15 per cent, otherwise farmers of the state would be at the receiving end.” After paddy, the farmers producing wheat would face a grave situation in Punjab as the Centre has failed to move the foodgrains stocked in the state for the past few years. “The state is expected to have a bumper wheat harvest and if the Centre fails to move the stock from the state, the farmers in the state face a gloomy future,” he said. As much as 101.53 lakh tonne wheat procured in 1997-98 has not yet been transferred to the FCI. |
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Relief for farmers
eyewash: Cong NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — The Punjab Congress Committee (PCC) has accused the Centre of purposely sabotaging the procurement process of paddy and termed the relief for the Punjab farmers as illusionary. In a statement issued here today, Mr Mohinder Singh Gill, former President of the Punjab Congress, Mr Surinder Singla, former Rajya Sabha MP and Mr Arvind Khanna, treasurer of the PCC said that the Centre had attempted to sabotage the minimum support price (MSP) policy by first bringing down the price and then rolling it back to the announced price. The Congress leaders from Punjab, who are also planning to gherao the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal,
tomorrow, wanted to know that if the prices were to be rolled back to the announced MSP, why a month was allowed to pass with pressure on the farmers. Why was the paddy allowed to rot in the mandis for this period? The Punjab Congress leaders alleged that the Centre had purposely resorted to these tactics and in the process, had intended to bypass the quality of paddy to be procured. They also termed the Rs 100 crore compensation for the Punjab farmers as inadequate, specially since the distress sale resorted to by the farmers was in the range of Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 1,300 crore. The Centre had grossly miscalculated the loss to the farmers, they said. While expressing apprehension over the even the distribution of the compensation amount, they said that putting pressure on the Punjab treasury was unjustified. They expressed fears that the common farmer from Punjab would actually not get the compensation and the entire amount would be distributed only among the rich and powerful farmers, close to the Akali Dal government in the state. |
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Victory of farmers, says Ramoowalia NEW DELHI, Oct 16 — Mr B. S. Ramoowalia, MP and President of the Lok Bhalai Party, has said that the Union Government’s package of Rs 350 crore for Punjab was a victory for the agitating farmers. In a statement, he said that though the amount was "quite low", it was achieved after an intense agitation by lakhs of farmers. Mr Ramoowalia said that lowering the minimum support price to Rs 540 per quintal was nothing short of a fraud with farmers. He said that a cell under the aegis of Members of Parliament of the United Parliament Group had been formed in Delhi to monitor the progress of the implementation of the decisions relating to paddy. Expressing doubts over a fair implementation of the package decision, he alleged that no reimbursement had been made despite the BJP government’s announcement of Rs 300 crore compensation for rotten paddy in October, 1998. He said that his party’s struggle would continue till the promised package fund was released and amounts disbursed. |
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Package only
of 100 cr: PPCC PATIALA, Oct 16 - The Punjab Pradesh Congress party today accused the state government of wrongly claiming to have secured a relief package of Rs 350 crore for the state farmers adding in effect a relief of only Rs 100 crore had been secured from the Centre which it termed as insufficient and a fraud on the farmers. Addressing a press conference here, the PPCC President Capt Amarinder Singh said the Punjab Government had tried to inflate the relief package of Rs 100 crore by wrongly calculating the benefit the farmers would get once their paddy crop would be procured at the original procurement price of Rs 540 and Rs 510 per quintal for fine and common varieties instead of the recently reduced prices of Rs 515 and Rs 485 for both varieties respectively. He said the government had no right to take the benefit of restoration of the original price into account as this was its bounden duty and was done under pressure from the farmers of the State. Capt Amarinder Singh said the government should not manipulate figures to show it had been able to get something substantial from the Centre when in effect it had been given a pittance. He said the government would not be able to compensate the farmers of the State at all for the loss suffered by them in selling their produce at cheaper prices as the farmers had suffered a collective loss of around Rs 500 crore. He said the government should also explain how it would compensate farmers who had sold their produce in Haryana. He said this had happened in a large scale in the border districts of the state. He said the compensation should also be from the time when the paddy arrived in the mandis of the state and not from September 21. The PPCC chief said the state agencies should also start procuring the coarse variety claiming it was not being done at all. Releasing figures which he claimed were government ones, he said till October 12 the state procurement agencies had purchased coarse variety of paddy amounting to only 0.575 per cent of the total purchase. He said the mandis in the state were presently filled with the coarse variety but nothing was being done to purchase it. Capt Amarinder Singh also announced that the party would go ahead with its dharna planned opposite the residence of the state Chief Minister in Chandigarh tomorrow. He announced that the Congress would continue with its dharnas all over the state till the farmers got their due. He also claimed that whatever little had been taken as relief from the Centre presently was done following pressure from the people of the state who had risen as one against the government. Speaking on the occasion party Vice-President Lal Singh said if the SAD-BJP government was concerned about the welfare of the farmers it should have taken these measures in advance so that such a situation did not develop. When questioned about the dharna being organised by party MP Jagmeet Brar in Delhi today, the PPCC chief said the dharna was being organised at Mr Brar ’s initiative and that it was not a PPCC programme nor had the leader consulted the PPCC before holding it. He said however efforts by all leaders on this issue were welcome. He said the PPCC was organising its programme at Chandigarh tomorrow. |
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Mandi records secured LUDHIANA, Oct 16 — At last there is good news for the Punjab farmers, who are faced with the paddy glut. While from now onwards all paddy will be purchased at the minimum support price (MSP), those farmers, who had sold it for less than the MSP since September 21, the day from when official procurement started, will be compensated suitably. This was disclosed by the Punjab Minister for Food and Supplies, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, at a crowded press conference here today. He said the recent package to the tune of Rs 350 crore announced by the central government was quite sufficient and would help in compensating the farmers and also paying them the MSP for their produce. The minister claimed the farmers were quite happy with the package and hectic activity had started in the mandis again. He disclosed the procurement process had picked up once again after getting slowed down due to some confusion over the earlier directive of the government that the paddy would be procured for not less than the MSP. Mr Mittal informed that all records from the market committees had been secured to verify the details about the farmers who had sold their paddy for less than the MSP. He claimed no government agency had procured paddy for less than the MSP and it was the private millers and commission agents only who had purchased paddy at a lesser cost. He announced the farmers who had sold their paddy to the private millers and commission agents for less than the MSP would be properly compensated by the government. He disclosed that of the Rs 350 crore Rs 100 crore had been set aside for the compensation only. The minister revealed 53,14, 353 tonnes of paddy had been procured throughout the state till October 15. He said, most of the paddy was purchased by the government agencies. He informed that the Food Corporation of India and various state agencies had purchased 38,39,736 tonnes of paddy, while the millers had purchased 14,74,617 tonnes only. Without naming the FCI Chairman, Mr Bhure Lal, the minister refuted the claims about the poor quality of paddy. However, he refused to comment saying, “I do not want to be dragged into any fresh controversy as the chapter should be deemed closed after a team of experts verified the quality of the paddy”. |
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Cotton growers’ woes continue KOTKAPURA, Oct 16 — Bad luck seems to have been persisting for the seventh consecutive year for the cotton growers of North India, including Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, as its prices have been low ever since the crop started arriving in the markets. In the past six years, the cotton growers suffered huge losses due to pests, indiscriminate use of pesticides and low yield. This year, the prices of cotton, both desi and the narma variety, have failed to lift the farmers’ spirits though on the production front the estimates are encouraging. In the past six years, cotton growers faced a bad time owing to the vagaries of nature. In this season, the liberal import of cottonseed oil and estimates of higher production of cotton have been keeping its prices low. The desi variety of cotton was sold at Rs 1575 to Rs 1600 per quintal last year, but this year, the same variety has been fetching only Rs 1425 per quintal. The prices of the Narma variety are slightly higher this year than last year in the corresponding period. Mr Davinder Singh, a cotton merchant, pointed out that last year, the price of cottonseed oil was Rs 2800 per quintal while it had come down to Rs 2100 per quintal this year. He added that price of cottonseed oil in 1998 was Rs 4300 per quintal. He said that if the prices of cottonseed oil kept on falling, the prices of cotton would come down automatically. He added that liberal import of cottonseed oil had created this situation, which had been affecting the economy of cotton growers adversely. According to information gathered by this correspondent, the second major factor which has depressed the prices was that outside buyers have not descended in the region’s so far in anticipation of a further fall in the prices of cotton in the
coming days as estimates of production are high. However, the arrival of cotton in the markets is yet to pick up. Most of the cotton growers have not been bringing their ‘white gold’ to the markets as these are already flooded with paddy crop and there is hardly any vacant space in the mandis of all seven cotton producing districts of Punjab. In this market, which is known as the ‘biggest cotton market of Asia’, only 150 bales of cotton have been arriving daily. For the past six years, the cotton arrival in this market remained low and last year, only 30,000 bales reached this market, which used to receive more than 4 lakh bales every season. Mr Ashok Kapur, Director, Export Panel, Northern India Cotton Association (NICA), said that outside buyers would come to Punjab after Divali. He claimed that as the quality and quantity of cotton in Punjab was better than in the previous years, the growers would be able to earn handsome money. Apart from it, the Central Government would be able to export the cotton to earn foreign currency. He pointed out that so far there was no parity between the domestic and international prices of cotton and once a parity was established, the export of Punjab cotton could be started any time. According to cotton association sources, the estimated production of cotton this year is expected to be around 32 lakh bales as compared to 27 lakh bales which were produced last year. The production of cotton in Punjab is expected to be 11 lakh bales as compared to seven lakh bales last year while in Haryana, the production is estimated at 11.5 lakh bales as compared to 9.86 lakh bales that were produced last year. The production of cotton in Rajasthan this year is expected to be less than the production last year. The production in Rajasthan is estimated around 9.84 lakh bales as compared to 10.96 lakh bales last year. Mr Kattar Singh Jeeda, President, North India Cotton Growers Association, said that the Central Government should make arrangements for providing better prices of cotton to the farmers so that their economy could improve. The Central Government should allocate export quota to different state agencies so that better prices of cotton could be maintained. Mr Amritpal Singh Brar, President, Punjab Young Farmers Federation, said that it was only cotton crop which could save farmers from taking any extreme step and the authorities concerned should arrange those prices of the crop for farmers so that they could come out of the debt trap. The agriculture experts were also of the view that only better prices could motivate the farmers to switch over to cotton crop from paddy. |
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PSEB employees meet minister CHANDIGARH, Oct 16 — A deputation of the Punjab State Electricity board employees' Headquarters Coordination Committee met the Minister for Power, Mr Sikander Singh Maluka, here today. The PSEB employees told the minister that the board management had gone back on its agreement with them regarding recruitment and promotion. According to a press note issued by Press Secretary Jaswant Singh, Mr Maluka assured them that he would ensure that the interest of the employees would not suffer. He said he would arrange a meeting of the staff with the management to sort out the matter. Regarding the PSEB move to revert their working from five-day week to six-day week, the minister reportedly gave an assurance that this would not be done. The employees were sore over the fact that while on one hand, the PSEB had decided on 10 per cent staff reduction, on the other hand, it had recently recruited more than 100 SDOs. Also, it was reducing staff only at the lower level and not at all levels in a discriminatory manner. They also questioned the policy of direct recruitment of superintendents even as clerical cadre supervisory staff stagnated without promotion. As far as the master scale of Rs 9100 to Rs 10350 was concerned, they demanded that it should be applicable to all categories of employees and not only to engineers. Among the deputationists were Mr Surinderjit S. Walia, Mr Maghar Singh, Mr Gobinder Mohi, Mrs Surinder Bains, Mrs Sarabjit Kaur, Mr Sarmukh S. Pannu, Mr Naresh Kumar and Mrs Harjit Walia. |
Parallel Cong candidate for Mayor’s post AMRITSAR, Oct 16 — The Congress party today received yet another jolt as total 15 councillors have fielded parallel candidate for mayor’s election, scheduled for October 18 despite the whip issued by Mr Amarinder Singh, President, PPCC. The PPCC chief, in a directive, faxed to District Congress Committee chief has informed that four Congress councillors, who had gone to the press despite the whip stand expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years. Mr Jugal Kishore Sharma, president, DCC has said that Mr Amarinder Singh had given him powers to take direct action against more councillors who would violate the whip issued by party chief in favour of Mr Sunil Datti. Those who were expelled from the Congress by the PPCC chief include Mr Dharmvir Sareen (who has been named as parallel candidate from the post of Mayor by the split group), Mr Ashok Soni, (brother of independent MLA Mr Om Parkash Soni), Mr Surinder Chhinda (Haripura) and Mr Salwinder Singh Chhinda (Chhehharta). Dr Raj Kumar, general secretary, PPCC said these councillors had also campaigned against Mr R.L. Bhatia the party candidate during the previous Lok Sabha elections. He said disciplinary action would be taken against some more councillors who used to meet Mr Parkash Singh Badal, secretly. Dr Raj Kumar alleged ‘horsetrading’ at the behest of Mr Badal. He appealed to the Congress councillors to report to the DCC president by tomorrow evening to evade party action. With this, groupism between Mr R.L. Bhatia, Congress, member Parliament and Mr Om Parkash Soni, has come to the fore once again. Though the Congress had claimed that the three CPI councillors had extended support to the party yet the Communist Party of India has not yet disclosed its cards. Perturbed at the open revolt by Deputy Mayor, Mr Lakha Singh who belongs to ruling Shiromani Akali Dal the BJP high command had reportedly urged Mr Parkash Singh Badal for his immediate intervention. Mr Lakha Singh had announced that the SAD councillors won’t support the BJP candidate for mayor’s election as it was the turn of the Akali Dal for holding this post. Mr Lakha Singh had claimed that he was chosen a candidate for the candidature of mayor by the SAD councillors. The SAD has eight councillors in the 60-member House of the Corporation. The election of the Mayor, Municipal Corporation, was necessitated after the resignation of Mr Subash Sharma — a senior BJP leader who was expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years. Sources say that Mr Sharma’s vote could be a crucial one at the time of the election of Mayor. However, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, state BJP chief, who had visited Amritsar along with Mr Balramji Dass Tandon a few days ago, had failed to announce any candidate of the party so far. The party president had admitted that there were at least five BJP councillors in the race for Mayor’s post. Apart from 60 councillors, six MLAs have voting rights. Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, an Akali MLA, who is close to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal is unlikely to support either the BJP or the Akali candidate during the elections of Mayor for obvious reasons. The BJP has 23 councillors while the Congress stand split. |
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CLP leader, Bhattal have verbal clash LUDHIANA, Oct 16 — Former Punjab Chief Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, and the Congress Legislature Party leader, Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, clashed with each other in presence of the All-India Congress Committee General Secretary, Mr Moti Lal Vora. However, timely intervention by Mr Vora saved the situation. It all happened during Mr Vora’s press conference, when a reporter asked a question about the complaints of some delegates that their membership forms for the forthcoming party elections were deliberately rejected. While the AICC general secretary was yet to respond to the question, the CLP leader intervened saying that there were no such complaints. This was strongly resented by Mrs Bhattal. She told Mr Jagjit Singh that he had no authority to speak on the subject as the complaints had been forwarded to Mr Vora and he alone was authorised to comment. The CLP leader took exception to Mrs Bhattal’s rebuttal and started arguing with her. However, Mr Vora diffused the situation and cooled down both the leaders. The two leaders stuck to their guns with respective positions. While Chaudhary Jagjit Singh like the PCC president Captain Amarinder Singh has been maintaining that no forms were rejected and nor there were any complaints, Mrs Bhattal has been claiming otherwise. Although Mrs Bhattal is not in the race for the PCC presidentship her position is already clear. Later talking to reporters she maintained that certain complaints about the rejection of delegates’ forms had been made to the AICC general secretary and he was looking into these complaints. While pointing out that the very fact that Mr Vora was verifying these complaints clearly proved that everything was not well on that count. The issue assumes significance in context of the forthcoming party elections which are scheduled to be held by the month end. Three candidates are in the race for the PCC presidentship. Besides the current incumbent Capt Amarinder Singh, others trying their luck are senior vice president of the PCC Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar and former minister Mr Brahm Mohindra. Capt Amarinder Singh has on record claimed that he would emerge victorious in the party elections as he had the support of over 58,000 active party workers. According to him there are only about 62,700 active members this time in the PCC. However, Mr Vora who is in charge of Punjab and is supervising the party election process in the state said, it was wrong on part of anyone to claim victory before the votes were cast. He said, in a democracy nobody can predict the result before the votes are cast. “And for choosing the PCC president it is the delegates who have the final authority”, Mr Vora remarked, while evading a direct reply on whether he approved of Capt Amarinder’s claim or not. Mr Vora claimed that election process in the state was going on smoothly. He said, everyone in the party wanted that the election to the post of PCC president should be unanimous one. This was supported by Mrs Bhattal also. However, he said, there was nothing wrong if the elections were to be held. The AICC general secretary disclosed that four member committee had been constituted under the leadership of Chaudhry Sultan Singh to finalise the formalities for the elections in the state, within next two days. While refusing a direct comment on the performance of Capt Amarinder Singh, in context of party’s defeat in Sunam assembly byelection, Mr Vora said, while it was the misuse of power by the ruling alliance, on the other hand it was the collective responsibility of the leadership. No particular person or leader can be targetted, he asserted. |
Borrowing heavily to go abroad BATHINDA, Oct 16 — Mangal Singh of Jandawala village of this district took Rs 1 lakh as loan from another person on an exorbitant rate of interest (24 per cent per annum) to make payments to a travel agent for going to Malaysia about nine months ago. Today, Mangal Singh, has been making rounds of local courts to recover his money from the travel agent, who has allegedly cheated him. The travel agent, Lakhvir Singh, took Mangal Singh and his cousin, Balkaran Singh, to Malaysia in lieu of Rs 2.75 lakh. The travel agent allegedly deserted both these youths in Malaysia and they returned to India after spending many days in jungles. Jagdeep Singh, a resident of Kangar village, has also been running from pillar to post to get his Rs 75,000 back from a travel agent, Inderjit Singh of Saidoke village in Moga district. Jagdeep Singh paid Rs 75,000 to Inderjit Singh on the promise that he would be taken to Malaysia. Instead of meeting a better fate in Malaysia, Jagdeep spent nine months and 11 days in jail and faced inhuman treatment and starvation. He came back to India with the help of some Indian living in Malaysia. For the past few years, unscrupulous travel agents have become active in the Malwa region as they find easy prey in this area. Every year, more and more innocent youths from the Malwa region have been falling into the trap of these unauthorised and unscrupulous travel agents. Earlier, the desire to go abroad in search of greener pastures was very strong among the residents of the Doaba region. Dr Jatinder Kumar Jain, SSP, said that in this year so far, the district police had registered 12 cases against unscrupulous travel agents who had cheated innocent youths mostly belonging to rural areas. He claimed that whenever a complaint against any travel agent was lodged with the police by any victim, the police swung into action immediately and tried its best to get the money of the victim back to him apart from ensuring conviction of the accused in a court of law. Official sources said that even women had been actively participating in the activity of illegal immigration and were acting as sub-agents for fetching customers from rural areas. The victims of this district told TNS that they had sold their land holdings and jewellery to pay travel agents to go abroad and after returning empty handed from there, they were now finding it difficult to earn enough money to make both ends meet. |
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“Karva Chauth”: Boys observe fast too! PHAGWARA, Oct 16 — Interestingly enough, several boys today also observed fast of “Karva Chauth” for the long-life and well-being of their would be brides! Karva Chauth is observed by “suhagins” (married women) for the long life of their husbands. This rather very harsh “vrata” (fast) was observed by most of the young unmarried girls for the long life of their would be bridegrooms and the “suhagins” naturally observed it. AMRITSAR: Fascinated by the custom of ‘Karva Chauth’ many Sikh women are increasingly adopting the Hindu custom of fasting on this day. Whereas for the typical Indian married women the western concept of Valentine’s Day as an “expressiion of love” has not really caught the imagination. Karva Chauth celebrated throughout the country has found the acceptance in other faiths too. Mrs Baljinder Kaur from Nagpur married in Amritsar explains that being from outside Punjab we were more influenced by the Hindu customs and as such even my mother in Nagpur started keeping the fast on ‘Karva Chauth’ the custom rubbed on to all my three sisters and me ever since I always observe the fast although my in-laws who are Sikhs are not very keen on it. While Minni Singh who was married 12 years ago and had kept the fast for the first time had received a beautiful watch from her husband Mr Bhavinder Singh and as Minni explained “he was moved by the gesture of his wife remaining on fast the whole day without a drop of water wishing for the long life of the husband. We both loved it, she added. Neena Batra a teacher says she was fascinated with the dressing up adorning herself with symbols of marriagehood the lovely bangles, the sindoor, the beautiful bindis, and of course any Indian women could never resist the temptation to let go a chance to put mehendi “even though I am a Sikh”. And further adds “its like you are a bride once again, this way you send a sweet signal to your husband that I care for you and that I am with you in marriage come what may”. It is interesting to note that the Hindu married women may have relaxed the conditions of the fast which does not allow a drop of water to be consumed before sighting and being drenched in the moonlight, by having a cup of tea or a glass of juice or lime cold coffee. Sikh women who voluntarily keep the fast out of no family compulsion are extremely staunch about the tradition. As Mita Chawla, a boutique owner points out “whats the use if you want to go only half the way, my personal thinking is” do a complete job “if ever you do one or don’t do at all”. What actually comes across in this whole scenario is that love conquers all, no barriers are strong enough to banish the one emotion of love. Even though Valentine’s Day may not have still found much following among other religions among married persons the Karva Chauth has the sole distinction of a reasonable following among married women of other faiths. |
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Minister finds 10 employees absent SANGRUR, Oct 16 — Ten employees of the office of District Manager, Punsup, Sangrur, were found “absent” by Mr Ranjit Singh
Balian, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Punjab, when he conducted a surprise raid at the Punsup office, here today. Mr
Balian, after visiting the office, checked the attendance of the staff and found that 10 employees were not present in the office during duty hours. Those who were reportedly found absent from duty by the minister are Mrs Ravi Kanta (auditor), Mrs Daljit Kaur (senior assistant), Mr Ramesh Kumar Garg (accountant), Mr Raj Kumar (cashier), Mrs Jaswinder Kaur (senior clerk), Mr Suresh Kumar (clerk), Mr Karam Singh (peon), Mr Nazar Singh
(chowkidar), Mr Ram Niwas and Mr Gurmail Singh (both chowkidars on daily wages). It is learnt that before paying a surprise visit to the Punsup office Mr Balian had made a telephone call to the office but the employees on duty reportedly did not give satisfactory reply to the minister about the presence of senior officials in the office. It is also learnt that Mr Balian had made the call to ask the Punsup officials of speed up the procurement of paddy in view of the relief given to Punjab by the Union Government. However, it is also learnt that the DM, Punsup, Sangrur, has submitted a report to the district administration giving different reasons about the absence of the employees. In his report, he has shown that no employee was “absent” from duty, but they were away from the office on one ground or the other. |
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Ranjit Sagar
capacity may not be utilised GURDASPUR, Oct 16 — Four power houses with 150 megawatt capacity each of Ranjit Sagar Dam (RSD) will never run to full capacity till Shahpur Kandi Dam project, which has not been started so far, becomes functional. To run the four power houses simultaneously flow of 24,000 cusecs of water is needed for which there are no takers and the water is likely to flow to Pakistan. Besides the completion of Shahpur Kandi Dam project paving of high-level Jammu and Kashmir Nahar from Shahpur Kandi to Jammu which will join river Tawi there is also essential to run four power houses to full capacity to generate 600 megawatt of power per day. According to official sources, the government at present has no intention of harnessing the Ranjit Sagar Dam to its full capacity. In fact the department will release water from the dam as per the requirements for irrigation purposes only. For irrigation at the maximum 10,000 cusecs of water has been utilised so far during peak summer. At present the water required for irrigation purposes about 3500 cusecs and the same capacity is being released from Chamera Dam which enables the Ranjit Sagar authorities to run one power house at a time to generate power. However, all four power houses of Ranjit Sagar Dam have been tested and found fit to generate power at the maximum capacity. The second power house became operational only on October 14. The first power house became operational on August 12, the third on August 20 and the fourth on September 15. The power generation at present per day is approximately 25 lakh units and so far 21 crore units of power approximately have been generated and are stored in the premises of the dam site only. There is a proposal to connect the power generated at Ranjit Sagar Dam to a hydel substation at Malakpur from where the power will be distributed to different parts of Punjab as per requirements. But this will be done only after the Ranjit Sagar Dam is dedicated to the nation. There is one section among the officials of Ranjit Sagar Dam who are of the opinion that the dam will be dedicated to the nation during the trip of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to Manali in Himachal Pradesh which starts on July 25 but there are other officials who think that Ranjit Sagar Dam will be dedicated to the nation when the reservoir of the dam has a water level of 518 metres. At present the water level of the reservoir is 506 metres. Meanwhile, two steamers (TUG) and one Bera of 120 tonnes capacity for carrying machinery etc and to know the silt deposit in the reservoir of the dam have started functioning in the reservoir with the help of Bera for carrying required repairs if any. |
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Minister’s kin tries to harvest disputed crop BHEDPURA (Samana), Oct 16 — Tension has engulfed this village following attempts by relatives of Punjab Public Works Minister Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur to harvest paddy in a 5 acre plot which they claim belongs to them and is in dispute with a local villager. Mr Mukhmailpur’s brother Mr Faujinder Singh and some others had brought a combine harvester to the land in dispute on October 13 and had started harvesting paddy on the plot. However, they were stopped by the local police on a complaint filed by the other party. Section 145 had earlier been promulgated in the area forbidding anyone’s entry into the plot. Agitated farmers of the village and others who had collected at the house of Mr Balwant Singh who claims relatives of the Public Works Minister had fraudulently got registries done of land belonging to his first wife, are demanding that action should be taken against those who had forcibly tried to harvest paddy in a plot in the village. They have also alleged that the police is not registering any complaint filed by them in this regard. Mr Balwant Singh told The Tribune that on Faujinder Singh and others came to the village on September 13 and started harvesting paddy on a plot of land belonging to him with a combine harvester. He alleged that earlier he had been taken to the Sadar police station along with Mr Jagdev Singh who tills his land and the latter’s brother Mohan Singh. He said while Mr Jagdev Singh and Mohan had been arrested, he was produced before the Subdivisional Magistrate. He alleged simultaneously the other party started harvesting paddy on his piece of land which had nothing to do with the disputed land in the name of his first wife. Mr Balwant Singh alleged that his second wife, Jal Kaur, informed the police about the entry of Faujinder and others into his agricultural land and that a police party which reached the spot stopped the relatives of the Minister from harvesting the crop. He said the police party however did not arrest the trespassers nor did it take the combine harvester, other vehicles and the harvested paddy into its possession. He said similarly a case was not registered against the trespassers when he approached the Sadar police station in this regard. Villagers who had collected on the spot, including Sarpanches of Churpurkalan — Amarjit Kaur, Barsat — Joginder Singh and Sultanpur Channa — Jarnail Singh besides several former sarpanches of neighbouring villages today demanded that a police case should be registered against those who had trespassed into the land and tried to harvest the paddy crop. Former Minister Jasjit Singh Randhawa and senior leader Harinderpal Singh Mann also visited the village to express sympathy with the family of Mr Balwant Singh. Mr Randhawa demanded that a judicial inquiry should be ordered into the incident. Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur when contacted said his brother Faujinder and others had gone to the village to harvest their crop as the land belonged to them and was registered in their name. He said the land had been bought from Bachhan Kaur, the first wife of Balwant Singh after following due procedure and that Balwant Singh and others were unjustly trying to stop them from harvesting their produce. He said when his relatives came to know that Section 145 was promulgated in the area they came back. He said he had learnt that paddy in the land had been harvested by Mr Balwant Singh and that action should be taken against him as this was a clear violation of Section 145. District police chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu disclosed that Section 145 had been promulgated in the area as a preventive measure when the district police received reports that there was apprehension of breach of peace. He said following this persons belonging to both sides had been arrested. He said he was yet to receive any report on whether paddy was harvested in the field in the village by relatives of Mr Mukhmailpur adding they had been stopped from doing so by a police force. |
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Protest outside MC complex ABOHAR, Oct 16 — Five citizens led by Mr Prem Kalra, President, Durgiana Market Association, today started an indefinite fast outside the municipal council complex as an agitation launched by the association entered the second month. A procession was taken out from Vaishnodevi Temple in Nai Abadi this morning. Senior functionaries of other trade unions and consumer forums joined the procession when it passed through the main bazaar. A rally was held, blocking traffic outside the council complex. Mr Rajesh Gupta, Chairman, Action Committee, Mr Brahm Parkash District President, Beopar Mandal, and Mr Rakesh Dhuria, President, Yuva Beopar Mandal, decried the BJP-led council for its alleged failure in maintaining roads, sanitation, supply of potable drinking water and for not shifting the cremation ground for animals. A large number of local organisations had extended support to the agitation. A massive demonstration was held by citizens today, paralysing administrative work in the council. |
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A rosary for President THE
American President, Mr Bill Clinton, has for the first time received a rosary from a Hindu saint. After delivering his address at the Millennium World Peace Summit at the United Nations in New York, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Ji Maharaj, the present head of the Bochasanwasi Shree Akashar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), visited Miami for participating in the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Shree Swaminarayan Temple early this month. President Clinton had arrived there due to heavy rain in the city he could not fly back. His meeting with the Swami was fixed for the next morning. According to Swami Vivek Sagar, who accompanied Pramukh Swami ji, the meeting took place at the Biltmore Hotel. Swami ji and President Clinton warmly greeted each other. The President was informed of Lord Swaminarayan’s life and work. An account of numerous humanitarian activities conducted worldwide by BAPS was narrated to the President. The President was impressed by the scope and depth of the activities. During their discussions about world peace, Swami ji said “Our body represents the whole world. If any part of our body is injured, it causes pain all over the body. Similarly if there is terrorist activity in any corner of the world, it causes pain everywhere. To prevent such unrest, we recite the rosary. If politicians and diplomats like you, meet to seek initiatives then peace will be established in the world. Swami Yogicharan, who was also present at the meeting, said with this Swami ji blessed the President wishing success to his attempts for restoring peace in the Middle East. Grateful for Swami ji’s blessings the President said, “I am deeply honoured and happy that your holiness has visited our country. I spend most of my time resolving differences between people. In this way our work is similar. I pray for your wisdom in guiding us towards peace and happiness.” Pramukh Swami ji was also accompanied by Swami Amrutnandan, Dr Nayan Shah, Mr Girish Patel and Mr Ghanshyam C. Pate. When they presented a copy of the brochure on the recent UNO summit and the Swaminarayan Temple at London, President Clinton said Mr Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of Britain had pointed at the temple during their joint flight over London. He was delighted to know that Pramukh Swami ji had been twice honoured by the publishers of Guinness Book of World Records, for raising highest number of Hindu temples and the largest marble temple in London. Mr Clinton expressed his desire to visit the London temple. Pramukh Swami ji presented the President with an “Amrut Kalash”, an auspicious urn and a rosary which the President touched to his heart. Swami ji showed the President how to say the rosary for personal and world peace. Before leaving, President Clinton bowed to Pramukh Swami ji and thanked him for the gifts and blessings. |
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Non-SCs corner
loans meant for SCs AMRITSAR, Oct 16 — The fact-finding committee of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has indicted the Punjab Scheduled Caste and Land Development and Financial Corporation
(PSCLDFC) for granting loans worth lakhs of rupees to many non-Scheduled Castes with the connivance of higher officials. The committee also indicted Punjab Vigilance Department officials for giving “clearance” to the cases of non-Scheduled Castes for the reasons known to officials. The six-page report prepared by Mr Raj Kumar and Mr Gurdip Singh
Gurwali, both district executive members of the party, was released to the Press by Mr Balwant Singh assistant secretary, CPI. The report includes 45 cases, most of them belonging to general categories or backward classes. |
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Veteran athlete living in penury PATIALA, Oct 16 — Our athletes may not have much to show from their Sydney sojourn but 109-year-old veteran athlete Joginder Singh continues to shine for India both at the national and international level. Joginder Singh is back in the city with a clutch of medals won at the National veteran athletic meet held in Bhopal recently. Joginder Singh, who has had a chequered career as a veteran athlete winning consistently at the state, national and international level regularly since the mid eighties, is relatively unknown in the city and is still to get due recognition for his tremendous achievements. He continues to take part in athletic activities despite having been part paralysed five years ago. However, sheer determination found him requesting for money for travel to Bhopal recently where he participated in the over 100-year category and was the winner in the discuss throw, hundred meters and shot put. The zeal to participate in future tournaments is still there in the veteran athlete even though he is full of bitterness for not being recognised for his unique achievements. Joginder Singh lives near the Dharampura bazar in the inner city. He lives in a rented room since 1962 and is paying a monthly rent of Rs 7. His landlord had asked him to increase the room rent to Rs 70 per month around four years ago due to which he has not taken the old rent since then. His worldly possessions include various trophies, medals and suitcases. As there is no one to look after him his room presents a pathetic sight. Unwashed clothes are scattered all over the lone bed and ledge in the room. The entire room is black by soot from a stove in one corner around which is situated a makeshift kitchen. One has to be careful while standing close to the fan as the new roof constructed after the old one caved in is low. The veteran athlete may be living in ignominy unrecognised by the general public but he has his own set of admirers. A Punjab police DIG Rajinder Singh has written a book on him which has been published by Punjabi University. Other good samaritans include a senior doctor of the Government Rajindra hospital who comes to give him medical aid off an on. The district administration and the Red Cross Society has helped him with money for participation in athletic meets as happened recently when money was given to him to him by Assistant Commissioner, Grievances Rahul Gupta for
participation in the Bhopal meet. Joginder Singh is a frustrated man these days. “I wanted to commit suicide last year but was stopped from doing so”, he says. The athlete said he thought he would have a regular means of income once a pension was announced for him. He however says he only got the promised amount of Rs 1,500 for one month and has not received it ever since. He said as he did not have any regular money at his disposal he had to depend on generous friends. “When I don’t have money I do not eat for days at a stretch”. He says he also has to spend money on buying an ointment for applying on one of his hands which had been burnt in an accident. The fingers of his feet have also become numb after running bare foot in a race. His fingers may be numb but his mind is not. He remembers all important dates in his life vividly from the time he was born in 1891, to when in 1910 he was kept as a Naib havaldar by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh who was impressed by his running skills, to 1922 when he went abroad with the Maharaja as part of a gatka team and also participated in long races, to his retirement from the Patiala armed forces in 1945 and subsequent employment in the police in which he first served as a drill inspector and finally as a Station House officer. The international dates of consequence include the 1990 Kaula Lampur Asian Veteran meet in which he bagged three gold medals and the 1991 World Veteran meet in Finland where he secured the all round trophy in his category besides five gold medals. It was in Finland he claimed that his age was verified to test his claims. Today at 109 he says he is the oldest veteran athlete still living. |
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Tampered power meters seized JALANDHAR, Oct 16 — In its ongoing drive against violations with respect to power connections, a special team of the Punjab State Electricity Board headed by Mr Rameshwaram Sharma, Senior Xen (Technical), raided the house of Bhupinder Singh Ahluwalia in the Model House locality at 10 p.m. and seized six power meters, meter seals and spare parts. Mr Sharma said the meters had been tampered with in order to slow down the speed and reverse the reading. |
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Cars to MC officers withdrawn AMRITSAR, Oct 16 — In a bid to affect austerity measures, the Department of Local Bodies of Punjab has ordered the withdrawal of all vehicles at the disposal of various senior officers of the four municipal corporations. The department issued a notification to this effect 10 days ago and directed all senior officers, superintending engineers and XENs to surrender their cars by October 15. According to information made available to TNS here today, over 12 vehicles being used by the officers have been handed over to the
corporation. The notification also said in lieu of these vehicles the officers would be offered conveyance allowance of Rs 5000 per month for their private vehicles. The worst affected would be the officers of the Engineering Department who have to cover area of 155 sq km of the holy city. It has been reliably learnt the government has exempted the Mayor and the Commissioner from this notification. The officers on deputation, including the Joint Commissioner and officers connected with octroi and other revenue, may be spared from this harsh decision. At present, the municipal corporation has about 12 Ambassador cars and some Gypsies which are being used by two superintending engineers, XENs, assistant commissioners, health officers and others. The corporation officers have rued the hasty step which would have serious ramifications on the efficiency of the working of the service-oriented corporations. A senior officer who has spend more than 35 years in service pointed out the withdrawal of a dozen cars would definitely affect their working as a majority of officers daily visit a number of places and oversee various projects going on throughout the
city. |
9 water-testing labs to be set up CHANDIGARH, Oct 16 —The Punjab Government has decided to set up nine water-testing laboratories at a cost of Rs 36 lakh at the district level for effective quality control of drinking water in all rural settlements. A spokesman for the Public Health Department said the Government of India had accorded approval to this project aimed at controlling water-borne diseases. The spokesman in a press note said the recurring cost was to be met by the Government of India in a ratio of 60:40. The non-recurring cost would be released by the Centre on a 100 per cent basis. The spokesman said four district-level laboratories, under the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission, were already functioning at Amritsar, Bathinda, Ferozepore and Patiala. |
5 girls working in
brothel held BATHINDA, Oct 16 — The district police claimed to have busted a racket of flesh trade in this city with the arrest of five girls yesterday. The five girls were caught red-handed while working in the brothel which was being run by a local woman in a two-room rented accommodation in a locality in the city. Dr Jatinder Kumar Jain, SSP, in a press note issued here today said two persons who had been identified as Raj Kumar, alias Raju, and Gurmit Singh were also arrested along with five girls belonging to the age group of 18 to 30 years. The woman who was running the brothel would supply the girls to customers in lieu of money. The girls were also sent to hotels. Most of the girls working in this brothel were also working as dancers in the music groups. Dr Jain pointed out that one girl hailing from Kotkapura told the police she was lured to this professional by a woman named Vakilini and after two months, she (Vakilini) sold her off to a man for Rs 20,000. She added that she came to the local brothel after running away from the person to whom she was sold off by Vakilini. |
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MLA booked for
murder MOGA, Oct 16 — The death of the son of an
Opposition Congress leader in a road accident has sparked a
controversy, with the victim’s father accusing an Akali Dal
legislator of conspiracy. The deceased, Rakesh Kumar (23) died in a road accident in Dharamkot near here on Friday. However, his father Mr Harmesh Kumar Mukhija, a Joint Secretary of the Punjab Congress has charged the Akali Dal MLA from Dharamkot, with crushing his son to death. Although a case of murder has been registered against the SAD legislator, Mr Sheetal Singh at the Dharamkot police station, no arrest has been made so far. While Mr Mukhija in his statement has accused the MLA of hitting his son with his official vehicle, the police has ruled out a conspiracy. Earlier,
in his statement Mr Mukhija alleged that his son was on way to
Kot-Isse-Khan, when the MLA hit his scooter from the rear and ran his
official vehicle over the victim’s body. The deceased was
accompanied by two others, when the mishap occurred. Talking to The
Tribune, Mr Mukhija charged the MLA with harbouring a grudge against
him on account of political tussle. He reminded that the police at the
MLA’s behest had earlier registered motivated criminal cases against
him to ensure victory during the last Municipal Council elections, “since
then our family is living under threat and at one point of time, the
MLA had threatened to eliminate my son”, he said. Mr Mukhija
further alleged that the police was dragging feet from arresting the
MLA and had also tried to prevent post-mortem examination of his son’s
body to hush up the case. However, Mr Sheetal Singh, MLA, denied the charge saying, the opposition party was giving political colour to the accident. Expressing his sympathy with Mr Mukhija, he claimed that he had actually taken the victim to a clinic for first aid, after he found him lying in a pool of blood on the road, while on way to Kot-Isse-Khan. He
further claimed that he did not even know that the victim was Mukhija’s
son and instead charged another jeep owner of hitting the boy.
Although he admitted political rivalry with Mr Mukhija, he said, “I
can not stoop to the level of killing his son”. Mr Sheetal Singh
said that he was ready to face an inquiry into the whole controversy. On
being contacted, the district police chief, Mr Sharad Satya Chauhan
categorically ruled out the possibility of arresting the MLA saying,
“the murder charge has been found as baseless”. He claimed that
the preliminary inquiry has established that the boy had died of
accident after his scooter was hit by another jeep. He added that the
MLA’s vehicle neither hit the boy nor ran over his body. If the
police version of the story is to be believed, the MLA’s presence on
the route was a co-incidence and Mr Sheetal Singh had actually helped
others in taking the boy to a clinic for first aid. Asked why a case
of murder was registered against the MLA, if at all he was not
involved in the crime, Mr Chauhan replied that the law demands that a
case has to be registered on the statement of the complainant. The
police is free to establish the facts at a later stage,” he
added. |
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Fake currency:
2 priests held KHANNA, Oct 16 — Two priests, one of Shiv Mandir Model Town Samrala Road Khanna and other of Shiv Mandir Maksudran village was arrested by the Kapurthala police late last night. According to information available 10 Gypsy-born persons armed with weapons and some of them in police uniform reached Shiv Mandir situated in the local Model Town. They broke the lock of the main gate and caught hold of priest Trivedi and sped away in the Gypsy. According to people of the area one person who later was identified as priest of Shiv Mandir of Maksudran village Mr Trivedi before being nabbed by Gypsy-born persons. The panic was created among residents of the area. As it was considered a case of kidnapping. SSP, Khanna said this is not a case of kidnapping. The priests have been detained by the Kapurthala police for involvement in some case. However he refused to tell what case was against them in Kapurthala. It is suspected that they may be involved in the fake currency racket. |
Rationalise subsidy
system: ex-VC FARIDKOT, Oct 16 — Dr S.S. Johal, former Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala, former Chairman, Agricultural Costs and Prices Commission and member of the governing body of the Reserve Bank of India, has underlined the need for making the country politically corruption-free to meet the challenge of globalisation in different sectors in the country. Anti-corruption committees headed by educationists should be formed to check this menace, he said while speaking at a seminar on globalisation, its impact on agriculture, industry and trade organised by the Faridkot Heritage Society here yesterday. Dr Johal advocated that the subsidy system should immediately be rationalised in the interests of the country. He expressed the hope that the competition in the market would create more opportunities and generate adequate sources of employment, protect the interests of the consumers and build up the economy. He cited instances of various countries which made tremendous progress due to universalisation of the market. Narrating the history of globalisation, he said India entered the global market in 1947 when 23 countries exchanged concessions on 5,000 commodities. Agreements were revised after every four to five years to bring the trade in order. Dr Johal said the USA lifted sanctions keeping in view the biggest marketing centre in India. Another educationist, Dr Sucha Singh Gill, Professor and Head, Department of Economics, Punjabi University, Patiala, said advanced technology, besides monitoring the education and health systems were one of the major requirements to work on globalisation of the market. He said priorities should be fixed to develop the agriculture sector through diversification in different fields to boost its export as 80 per cent population belonged to the agriculture community in India against 5 per cent in European countries. He also stressed the need for controlling population. However, Dr Gill expressed apprehensions that the globalisation may increase unemployment in the country. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr A. Venu Prasad, said India could not shield itself without entering the international market. Mr Kuldeep Singh and Mr Harjinder Singh, president and secretary, respectively, of the society and Mr Inderjeet Sharma, a social worker, also spoke on the occasion. The Commissioner, Income Tax Bathinda, presided over the function. 
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Meeting of VCs postponed CHANDIGARH, Oct 16 — A meeting of the Vice-Chancellors of Universities in Punjab, which was to be held here on October 19 to discuss important issues pertaining to higher education, had been postponed. The meeting has been convened by the Minister for Higher Education, Mr Mohan Lal. Mr Mohan Lal said the meeting would be now held on either October 30 or 31. He said as the BJP chief, Mr Laxman Bangaru, would be arriving in Pathankot on October 19 to address an important meeting of BJP activists, MLAs, MPs and ministers, he would have to attend that meeting. Therefore, the Vice-Chancellors’ meeting had to be put of. He said there were some important issues which required immediate attention. The issue of promotions of the Principals of Government Colleges had been hanging fire for the past nine months. He said he had written to the Punjab Chief Minister today to get the promotions ordered at the earliest. There were 38 college teachers to be promoted to the rank of Principal. Mr Mohan Lal said his department had already forwarded the cases of these college teachers to the authorities concerned in the state government. No one should be deprived of his or her right to be promoted, he added. The other issue pertained to the increase in the remuneration of part time lecturers appointed in Government Colleges. At present nearly 600 persons were working in the Government Colleges as part-time lecturers and they were paid Rs 4,000 per month. They remain in service only for six months in a year. Mr Mohan Lal said he was of the view that they should be given between Rs 6,500 and Rs 8,000. This issue would be discussed with the Vice-Chancellors. After calculating the financial implications, the case would be sent to the Cabinet for the necessary action, he added. At the proposed meeting of the Vice-Chancellors, the setting up of the regional centres of the universities in vacant buildings of 18 Industrial Training Institutes would also be taken up. The state Technical Education Department did not have the capacity to utilise these buildings immediately, the minister added. At the meeting, all aspects of the new professional courses started by the universities in colleges and on the campus would also be reviewed. The minister said he also wanted to discuss the issue of pensions for the lecturers of aided colleges with the Vice-Chancellors. He said he would like this issue to be resolved on top priority. He appealed to the teachers of the aided colleges to postpone their programme of agitation as he was already working on the implementation of the pension scheme in their case. |
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10-day workshop
for nurses begins NAWANSHAHR, Oct 16 — Dr J.S. Gujral, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, inaugurated a 10-day workshop on educational technology and management, organised by the Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), Punjab, at Guru Nanak College of Nursing, Dhahan Kaleran, 20 km from here, today. He called upon TNAI to organise workshops and seminars under its continuing education programme regularly to equip the nursing teachers with the latest trends in teaching technology and administration and to promote high standards of nursing education research and socio-economic programme for nurses. He said a government Nursing College and postgraduate nursing classes would soon be started. Dr K.J. Gill, vice-president, TNAI, Punjab and Dr Gurmail Singh, Director, GNM Hospital, Dhahan Kaleran, also spoke on the occasion. |
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A risky way to school PATIALA School children in the city have little choice. Most of the school authorities arrange transport for the children through auto-rickshaws and rickshaws engaged by them. Parents who wish to ensure the safety of their children are, therefore, left to fend for themselves. Since owners of auto-rickshaws and rickshaws want to maximise their profits, they pack their vehicles with children like sardines. The District Transport Officer (DTO), Mr Avtar Chand Sharma, says his department challans the overloaded vehicles. The amount of fine varies from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. According to the DTO, auto-rickshaws are not allowed to carry more than three persons. However, facts speak otherwise. The number of vehicles challaned for overloading is small. Amarjeet Singh, a resident of Yadavindra Colony, said checking was done rarely and things returned to square one soon. Vehicles packed with children with many of them hanging precariously is a common sight in the city. Ms H. Sandhu, Principal of Budha Dal Public School, says the district administration should keep a strict watch on overloading. An auto-rickshaw should not be allowed to carry more than five or six children, she adds. A teacher in Modern School said on condition of anonymity that the traffic police and the parents should be sensitized on this issue. Parents should get together and find a solution to this problem. The Parent-Teacher Associations of all schools should try to tackle this problem which was assuming alarming proportions with each passing day, she added. A doctor at Rajendra Hospital said a number of cases of fracture involving children travelling in overloaded rickshaws were reported at the hospital. Even though rickshaw owners are aware of the number of passengers they are allowed to carry, they say they have no alternative but to earn their livelihood by carrying as many school children as they can. “Since private buses have started plying on the Mall Road, the number of passengers using rickshaws has gone down drastically,” said Harjit Singh, who has been plying an auto-rickshaw for the past 20 years. “The fare within the city limits is only Rs 3 per passenger. With meagre income from a decreasing number of passengers, it is hard to survive,” says Pratap Tewari from Uttar Pradesh. Mr Harbhajan Singh of Mathura Colony says parents from a locality should take turns to ferry their children to school and back.
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‘PTAs indifferent
to functioning of schools’ PATIALA, Oct 16 — The role of the parent- school relationship in raising the standard of education was highlighted during the seminar on “Parent-Teachers Association’s Role in Children’s Education,” organised under the aegis of Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council, New Delhi, here in the Government In-Service Training Centre yesterday. The indifferent attitude of the parents towards their children’s school was largely responsible for the ill health of the schools and for the deteriorating standards of education, said Mr. Harnam Singh, District Educational Officer (Primary) while delivering the presidential address. The education of the child was the prime responsibility of the parents and share the school problems with the authority, a positive revolution in the field of education would set in, he said. Total dependence on government is neither fair nor desirable, he added. Chairing the session Dr T.R. Sharma, former Professor and Dean of Education , Punjabi University, emphasised the importance of strengthening parent-school relationship if standards of education were to be raised, absenteeism was to be curbed, truancy was to be checked, administration was to be revamped, school infrastructure to be upgraded and the problems of schools, educators and the students were to be solved quickly and amicably. The participants of the seminar pointed out that most of the government schools do not have adequate number of either class rooms teachers, school furniture, drinking water facility or proper toilets. The Parent-Teacher Association s (PTA) were also largely non functional as there was no proper constitution to guide them, said the participants. The teachers observed that most PTAs were indifferent towards the functioning of the schools, hardly paying visits to the school even during the PTA meets, they alleged.Dr Narula, president of the Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council announced that a branch office of the Council in Patiala and would be set up a project on streamlining primary education in the city would be initiated. Dr Narula also announced a plan to give financial help to 20 needy children in Patiala Block III. Talking about the future plan of the council, Dr Narula said very soon the Council would launch a plan to augment the school buildings and provide drinking water and toilet services in the schools of Patiala Block III. A survey has already been done by the Council for this purpose, he said. Dr Narula also disclosed that a scheme of providing 20 teachers for one full year at a cost of Rs. 4,80,000 was almost through and the teachers are likely to be appointed by December 2000.The Presidents and Secrataries of PTAs of 63 government schools of Patiala Education Block III attended the seminar. |
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College
staff to go on strike
today AMRITSAR, Oct 16 — The teaching and non-teaching staff of the local Shri Lakshmi Narain Ayurvedic College will go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow in pursuance of their long-pending demands. A press note issued by the Joint Action Committee of teaching and non-teaching staff said the call for strike had been given due to the non-payment of increments, additional dearness allowance and arrears to them. |
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Traders feel betrayed by Punjab Govt ABOHAR, Oct 16 — Mr Madan Lal Kapur, president, Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, Mr Onkar Chand Goyal, president, Punjab Retail Kiryana Merchants Association, Mr R.D. Gupta president, Punjab Chemists Association, criticised the Punjab Government allegedly for adopting anti-trader policies. Addressing a conference organised by the Yuva Beopar Mandal here on last night, the state presidents of the three associations said the SAD and the BJP had backed out from their assurances given to the trading community at the time of Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Trade had suffered a huge loss due to the tightening grip of bureaucracy and rampant corruption. Prices of essential goods and services like water, electricity, LPG and travel had been increased five times in past three years. Contrary to this, there was a steep fall in the income of traders but the Income Tax and Sales Tax authorities kept on increasing their revenue collection targets. Octroi contractors were allowed, besides the Enforcement Staff, to “loot” and “plunder” traders and humiliated them. Neither the state nor the Union Government ever offered any relief to the trading community which was the highest source of revenue for the government. Life of the common man had become miserable due to the ever-increasing cost of living. The conference presided over by Mr Rakesh Dhuria, president, Yuva Beopar Mandal, unanimously resolved to form an anti-corruption squad to expose officers allegedly indulging to corruption. Mr Madan Lal Kapur gave a call to all units of the mandal to prepare lists of officers who had amassed wealth disproportionate to their income so that “suitable” action could be taken to get an inquiry conducted into their wealth. The lists would be examined and processed by the enforcement squad of the organisation, he said. |
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