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| Thursday, October 19, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Farmers happy over Centre’s package FCI employees
hold rally Dispensaries the sick ‘avoid’ Bank’s report on fraud
sought PUDA moves court against 25 colonisers Manjit Bhattal
cremated |
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| Dowry case registered TARN TARAN, Oct 18 — On the complaint of Ms Inderdeep Kaur, a teacher of Government High school, Nagoke, and a resident of the same village, the police of Verowal police station has registered a case under Sections 498-A, 406, 506, 475 and 420 of the IPC against her husband Amarjit Singh, resident of Sathiala, falling under Beas Police Station, and four other members of her in-laws’ family for demanding more dowry and deceiving her.
Bathinda refinery: Badal thanks govt Rajindra hospital incinerator to become operational Notice to cops for
injuring old man Head priests can
use red lights on vehicles Lok Adalats on Nov 4 MD absent from office
Anti-drug centre to be set up Billa writes to CM
on pension cases
8 cops held for drug peddling Terrorist arrested by
Interpol? Cash, jewellery
stolen
Stop commercialisation
of education: AISF
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Farmers happy over Centre’s package FATEHGARH SAHIB, Oct 18 — Procurement of paddy which had been a bone of contention for the farmers and the district administration has now become a smooth affair with the
announcement of relief by the Centre. The farmers in various mandis celebrated the announcement today and at Amloh Mr Balwant Singh Sahpur, MLA, distributed sweets. The farmers who had earlier turned hostile to Mr Badal were seen raising slogans in his favour at Sirhind, Bassi Pathanan, Nandpur Kalaur, Baras, Chunni, and Amloh. The procurement of the paddy in the district has been carried out by the various agencies successfully as 87 per cent of the target has been achieved. Till today, 2,68,433 MT of paddy has been procured against the target of 3,09,000 MT. Mr Karnail Singh, a BKU activist, told Tribune that intervention by the Chief Minister saved the farmers. Similar views were expressed by various farmers and commission agents in various mandis. Mr B.S. Sudan, Deputy Commis-sioner, said the daily monitoring of paddy procurement by the district administration with various agencies and deputing of Executive Magistrate, SDMs, both the ADC’s in specific mandis ensured smooth purchase of paddy in the district. He said the exploitation of farmers in the district was negligible as only 5 per cent of paddy had been purchased by private traders whereas 95 per cent had been purchased by state agencies. BARNALA: According to a report, paddy procurement in 89 procurement centres of Barnala region will be completed within a week. So far 22 lakh quintals of paddy had been procured. This was informed by the SDM, Barnala. HOSHIARPUR: Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Food and Supplies Minister, Punjab, while addressing a press conference at Canal Rest House at Hoshiarpur this afternoon stated that 4,41,989 tonnes of paddy was procured in state yesterday. 61,23,036 tonnes of paddy had been procured up to last evening on government rates in the state out of which 31,50,550 tonnes had been purchased by the state government agencies, 14,18,583 tonnes by the FCI and 15,53,903 tonnes by the millers. During his visit to Asia’s biggest grain market at Sirhind today, Mr Mittal, urged the farmers to celebrate the announcement made by the government and raise slogans in favour of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. MOGA: The Punjab Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, in a fax message to the heads of the government procuring agencies, today, directed them to make immediate arrangement to supply gunny bags at Moga where an acute shortage of bags is being faced. Meanwhile, Mr Harmandar Singh Jassi, General Secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), at a dharna organised by the committee today criticised the government’s decision on the procurement of paddy and alleged that the Rs 350 crore package for the farmers was a farce. |
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FCI employees
hold rally CHANDIGARH, Oct 18 — Protesting against the policies of the Food Corporation of India, hundreds of employees of the corporation held a rally here today. The employees complained that the management was being unjust to them. Penalties of recovery were inflicted suo motu, without giving the employees the opportunity to defend themselves. They demanded a proper transfer policy and said charge sheets issued after delays be withdrawn. All checks should be made at the time of loading and responsibility not fixed in case of destination shortage. The employees also demanded the promotion of Class IV employees, cash payments for uniforms to them, and 40 employees, whose transfer orders were cancelled by the Zonal office be posted in their original place. Mr Raghbir Singh, Mr Sita Singh, and Mr Mangal Nath Bali, joint conveners of the organisation, feared that the FCI which is backbone of the Indian economy would be dismantled under the dictates of the
W.T.O, World Bank and I.M.F. |
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Dispensaries the sick ‘avoid’ HOSHIARPUR: Most of the rural government dispensaries in Dasuya subdivision are in bad shape and have failed to provide proper medical cover to the poor, according to a survey conducted by the Dasuya Vikas Manch. The president of the
manch, Mr Apar Singh Ghuman, said the average number of outdoor patients at the rural dispensaries every day was between five and 10.He said in the Dasuya area there was a 10-bedded Primary Health Centre at Mand
Pandhar, two mini health centres at Khun-Khun and Ghogra, eight rural dispensaries and about 20
sub-centres. Each rural dispensary was supposed to cover 10,000 persons. He said the manch team which conducted the survey visited the Primary Health Centre ,the mini health centres and the dispensaries at Jhingar
Kalan, Baje Chak, Devi Dass, Passi Kandi, Badla and Haler. It also went to three sub-centres. During the visit the team found that there was no patient at certain dispensaries and two sub-centres were found
locked. The sub-centre in Jand village was open, but the building was in poor
shape. Its roof leaked and the floor was kutcha. It was reported that senior officials of the department seldom visited the sub-centre. Mr Ghuman said the manch team was told that medicines for common ailments, not to speak of life-saving drugs, were usually not available at the
dispensaries. The last consignment of medicines was reported to have been received in February,2000.A few medical officers said they sometimes had to purchase
common, low-priced medicines from their own pocket to keep the dispensaries running. The team found that the ayurvedic dispensary at Haler had not received medicines for quite a long time. According to the
survey, villagers in general had little confidence in these dispensaries and preferred to take patients to either the Civil Hospital at Dasuya or to private clinics or hospitals. Mr Ghuman said except for the dispensary in Badla village the other dispensaries did not have their own
buildings. These buildings were also in a dilapidated condition. At the Devi Dass dispensary two of the three rooms of the building had caved
in. There was also no provision for drinking water and toilets for patients. He said residential quarters for staff members had been constructed at Mand Pandhar and
Khun-Khun. However, the buildings were deteriorating through disuse. He said the team also found that at one dispensary the
staff, including the medical officer, did not stay at their place of posting. Besides, save for a few
persons, the employees were often absent from duty. At another dispensary the medical officer had not attended duty there since July. |
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Bank’s report on fraud
sought FEROZEPORE, Oct 18 — The alleged involvement of the Punjab National Bank staff in the embezzlement of the border area grant of Rs 10 lakh detected here recently is being probed by the economic offences wing (EOW) of the Punjab police. Sources in the EOW revealed that since the bank staff had allowed the amount to be drawn through three forged cheques last year, the responsibility of those involved had to be fixed. To make this happen, a detailed report had been sought from the bank authorities. Disclosing this to TNS, the Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Mr N.P.S. Sidhu, said that the report was waited and he expected more arrests in the case. So far, the police has arrested Ramesh Kumar, the Assistant at Deputy Commissioner’s office for allegedly pocketing the grant money. Both the police and administrative investigations revealed that Ramesh Kumar had allegedly forged the signatures of a former Deputy Commissioner, Mr Gurdev Singh Sidhu, on three cheques to draw the amount from the bank. Surprisingly, the bank had cleared the payment despite these cheques bearing the “Self” title. Although the banks have the specimen of the Deputy Commissioner’s signatures, how the transaction was allowed is being investigated into. The sources pointed out that the signatures on these cheques did not tally with the original signatures of the Deputy Commissioner, indicating glaring negligence on the part of the bank officials. However, the opinion of hand-writing experts shall be sought to establish this fact, once the bank submits its report on the matter. As of now, the police was trying to ascertain the identity of the bank officials, who had allowed the clearance of payments. The payment was a part of the surplus money that was allocated to compensate the civilians, whose lands were acquired for security fencing along the Indo-Pakistan border to prevent infiltration. |
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PUDA moves court against 25 colonisers JALANDHAR, Oct 18 — To curb mushrooming of illegal colonies, the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) has initiated criminal proceedings against 25 colonisers who have developed illegal colonies in its Jalandhar zone, comprising of Jalandhar, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts. It is for the first time that such a large number of criminal complaints have been filed directly in different courts in one go unlike in the past when the PUDA used to get cases registered against defaulters with police station which often resulted in delay in action against the colonisers on account of different factors. The complainants have been filed under Section 38(1) and 36 of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act 1995 under which there is a provision according to which any unauthorised structures could be demolished and those found guilty could be fined up to Rs 10,000 or imprisoned up to three years or both. Mr H.S. Nanda, the Additional Chief Administrator of the PUDA, said before filing of criminal cases, people, particularly those intending to buy plots from the colonisers had been fore warned against purchase of property in colonies which have not been approved by the PUDA. He said as many as 174 complaints have directly been filed in different judicial courts and 117 FIRs registered against illegal colonisers, including the big ones like Jalandhar-based Mr Charanjit Singh Channi and Anil Chopra, said to be the owner of the Saint Soldiers Properties Group, in the entire zone so far. Meanwhile, it was learnt that the action of the PUDA might act as a deterrent for the colonisers in the long way, but for the time being they have devised ways to evade action by shifting the legal responsibility to the original land holders by making them sign a direct agreement with the purchasers. Using this way, no effective legal action can be taken against colonisers and to counter that the PUDA has started to take them in the legal ambit by getting them booked under Section 120-B of the IPC. Colonisers, against whom criminal complaints have been filed in different courts in the six districts included Harbans Lal, Davinder Kumar, Banwari Lal who are in the process of development of a 10-acre colony at Khambran village in the outskirts of Jalandhar, Surjit Singh and Gurbachan Singh of Alipur who have developed a six-acre colony in their village, Ved Parkash (three acres) at Variana village near Jalandhar, Balbir Singh (seven acres) at village Alipur in Jalandhar, Jagmohan Singh (seven acres) at village Salempur in Jalandhar, Makhan Singh (seven acres) at village Noorpur in Jalandhar, Harsavinder Singh (two acres) at village Barnala Kalan in Nawanshahr, Dalwara Singh (three acres) at village Satora in Nawanshahr, Saroj Kanta (six acres) at Banga-Garhshanker road in Phagwara, Harbans Kaur (three acres) in Phagwara, Kartar Singh (five acres) at village Dhoodianwal in Kapurthala, Subash Chander (three acres) at village Bhoolana in Kapurthala, Arun Krishan Puri (ten acres) at village Kainth in Dasuya, Chotu Lal (11 acres) at village Shergarh in
Hoshiarpur, Sanjey Kumar (three acres) at village Kotla in Hoshiarpur, Charan Singh (one acre) at Village Ghunupur in Amritsar, Gurdeep Singh (three acres) at village Gumtala in Amritsar, Kirpal Singh (five acres) at village Vallan in Amritsar, Krishna Rani (two acres) in Gurdaspur, Bhagwan Dass (three acres) at village Bhadroa in Pathankot, Varinder Nath (three acres) at Prem Nagar in Gurdaspur, Bimal Kumar (three acres) at village Faizapura in Batala, Babu Ram (three acres) at Sehjadpur Nangal in Gurdaspur, Daler Singh (10 acres) at Variana in Jalandhar, Piara Singh (seven acres) at Variana in Jalandhar. |
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Manjit Bhattal
cremated BHATTLAN (Dhanaula), Oct 18 — Manjit Singh
Bhattal, former MLA and brother of former Chief Minister of Punjab Rajinder Kaur
Bhattal, who had committed suicide yesterday was cremated with state honours today at the cremation ground here. After the performance of “ardas” by a
granthi, a contingent of the Punjab Police reversed its arms and fired five rounds in the air as a mark of respect. Mr Harpartap Singh Bhattal, son of the deceased, lit the funeral pyre. Before departing for the cremation ground from the residence of the deceased, Mr Gurcharan Singh
Dirba, MLA and President of the District Congress Committee, Sangrur, placed Congress party’s flag on the body. Several leaders, civil and police officials laid wreaths on the body of the deceased. Mr Gobind Singh Longowal, Minister of State for Irrigation, Punjab; Capt Amarinder Singh, President of the PPCC; Mr Malkeet Singh Keetu, MLA, Barnala; Mr R.S. Chaliah, IG, Punjab Police; Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang and Mr Surinder Kapoor, former Punjab ministers; Mr Anirudh Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner; Mr Surjit Singh Dukhi, DPRO, Sangrur, on behalf of Public Relations Department; and Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, younger sister of the deceased, were among those who paid floral tributes to the deceased. Besides hundreds of persons, a large number of Congress leaders from all parts of the state and some Akali leaders were also present at the funeral. The Congress and Akali leaders included Mr M.S. Gill, former PPCC president; Mr Harbans Singh Sidhu, Mr Tej Parkash Singh, Mr Dal Singh; Mr Jasbir Singh, advocate, all former Punjab ministers; Mr Brij Lal Goyal, a senior Congress leader; Mr Gurcharan Singh Dadahoor, former MP; Mr Balbir Singh Ghunas, MLA; and Mr Sanmukh Singh Mokha, an Akali leader. Earlier, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Sports, and Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Minister for Social Security, Punjab, visited the residence of the deceased in the morning and expressed their sympathies with Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and other members of the bereaved family. |
Dowry case registered TARN TARAN, Oct 18 — On the complaint of Ms Inderdeep Kaur, a teacher of Government High
school, Nagoke, and a resident of the same village, the police of Verowal police station has registered a case under Sections 498-A, 406, 506, 475 and 420 of the IPC against her husband Amarjit Singh, resident of Sathiala, falling under Beas Police Station, and four other members of her in-laws’ family for demanding more dowry and deceiving her. Ms Inderdeep Kaur alleged in her complaint yesterday that when she was married to Amarjit Singh of Sathiala on June 14, 1996, and soon after her husband and others started harassing her for bringing more dowry and cash. She alleged that her husband Amarjit
Singh, father-in-law Pargat Singh, mother-in-law Rachhpal Kaur, brother-in-law Arwinder Singh and his wife Kanwaljit Kaur used to torture her mentally and physically. She also blamed that before her marriage she was told Amarjit Singh was a bachelor whereas he had been married twice. Ms Inderdeep Kaur has put in a demand for security, saying that she feared for her life as her husband and his brother had come to her school and threatened to eliminate her. |
Bathinda refinery: Badal thanks govt NEW DELHI, Oct 18 — The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today thanked the Centre for providing final clearance to the Bathinda Refinery project of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). At a meeting with Petroleum Minister Ram Naik he said the project, once implemented, would prove a catalyst in ushering fast-paced industrial development in the region besides making available vital petroleum products to the people at their doorstep. Mr Ram Naik said it would be his endeavour to see that the 9 million tonne refinery project was implemented expeditiously in keeping with the new result-oriented working culture introduced by the government. It may be recalled that this project had earlier been approved by the government to be implemented by HPCL as a joint venture. However, now HPCL could start work on the refinery on their own and simultaneously look for the joint venture partner. |
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Rajindra hospital incinerator to become operational PATIALA, Oct 18 — The incinerator in Government Rajindra hospital, which has been non-functional ever since its installation 10 years ago, is set to start processing medical waste in one week’s time with the government having released funds for its operation. With the start of the incinerator medical waste will no longer be dumped in a corner in front of the hospital mortuary as is being done presently. The dumping of medical waste in the open, which was carted off by the municipal corporation, was a continuous source for the spread of infections. Sources said the State Human Rights Commission had also taken note of the dumping of medical waste and parts of the body, including placenta, in the open, and had pressed for the start of the hospital incinerator. It took up the case suo motu following the publication of a news item in this regard. The hospital was also under pressure from the State Pollution Control Board which had served notices to it for the non compliance of the Supreme Court orders stating that all hospitals should create their own medical waste disposal facilities. According to sources, the Government Rajindra Hospital has been given Rs 9 lakh for the operation of the incinerator. Sources said the diesel fired incinerator needed 200 litres of fuel every day amounting to an expenditure of Rs 3,000 per day and Rs 90,000 per month. They said as the hospital was earlier facing problems of funds due to which it did not even have sufficient funds for urgent medicines or even repair of costly diagnostic equipment running of the incinerator had taken a back seat. They said the government had been forced to move to release the funds due to pressure from the Pollution Control Board which was the nodal agency for implementation of pollution control norms for hospitals in the state. Hospital sources said an Amritsar-based company which had installed the incinerator, had been asked to make it functional within a week. They said a team from the company was expected soon to start operation of the incinerator. With the start of the incinerator, the hospital would also going to categorise its waste collection according to the Government of India norms. Plastic packets of different colour would be used to distinguish different waste categories and the manner in which they would be disposed off. The incinerator which was purchased in 1991 was never used. The sources said while earlier it could not be used due to a dispute between the private firm which had supplied it and the Public Works Department, the high cost of operation went against it later. The incinerator room, which is situated in the ground near the doctor ‘ s hostel presently has wild growth all around it as it has been lying unattended for years. The State Pollution Control Board had issued notices to Rajindra Hospital and other nursing homes in the city. While the Hospital had time till this year to fulfil the conditions, the other private hospitals and nursing homes still have one to two years to comply with the guidelines.  |
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Notice to cops for
injuring old man CHANDIGARH, Oct 18 — The Punjab Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu notice against the Kurali police for allegedly dragging and manhandling a 60-year-old man into a car and causing fracture in his hip bone. A Bench of the commission consisting of Justice V.K Khanna and Justice J. S Sekhon with members including Mr M.S Chahal and Mr T.S Cheema and Mr Maninder K Mattewal, issued notice to the police for October 24. The bench has taken the suo motu notice on the basis of a
report published in the Chandigarh Tribune under the headline “ Police brutality to the fore again” on September 29. The commission has sent a copy of the report item and suo motu notice to the Punjab’s Inspector-General of Police ( Litigation) to file its reply on or before October 24. |
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Head priests can
use red lights on vehicles CHANDIGARH, Oct 18 — The Sikh head priests can now use red lights atop their vehicles. This decision of the Punjab State Transport Department has flooded its office here with requests and representations from bureaucrats, politicians and others for similar permission. The Jathedars of Akal Takht, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib, Takht Sri Hazur Sahib and the Head Granthi of Harmandar Sahib have been permitted to use red lights on their vehicles. Following the directive of the high court, red lights atop the vehicles of a large number of VIPs were removed as they were not entitled to the same as per the rules. However, later under a notification, some influential persons were allowed to have red lights atop their official vehicles. |
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Lok Adalats on Nov 4 PATIALA, Oct 18 — To settle the pending cases in the courts, the Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, at a meeting here today said the Lok Adalats are going to be held in Patiala on November 4. Representatives of insurance companies and banks were requested to furnish the list of the pending cases. On December 16, Lok Adalats exclusively on bank cases will be organised in Patiala Sessions division. All concerned whose cases are pending in the courts can file their application to the District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman, District Legal Services Authority or to the Additional Civil Judge, Senior Division of the subdivision. |
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MD absent from office CHANDIGARH, Oct 18 — The Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Industries, Prof Jagir Singh Bhullar, today conducted a surprise check at the office of the Punjab State Industries Development Corporation at 9.10 a.m. An official press release said 80 out of 145 staff members including the MD and the AMD of the corporation, were absent. The MD, who reached the office at 10 a.m. could not give a satisfactory reply with regard to the absence of many of the
employees. Professor Bhullar directed the management to take the necessary disciplinary action. |
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Punjab postings CHANDIGARH, Oct 18— The following postings were ordered today in Punjab. Mr Krishan Kumar is the new Subdivisional Magistrate, Khadur Sahib, vice Mr Sucha Singh Mast, who goes as Subdivisional Magistrate, Shahkot, against a vacant post. Mr Parwinder Paul Singh will be the new Subdivisional Magistrate, Jalandhar II . Meanwhile, Mr Gurdip Singh has taken over as Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. Earlier he was Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister, according to a press release. |
Anti-drug centre to be set up HOSHIARPUR, Oct 18 — The district administration will take stern action against the persons selling intoxicant pills to youths in the district. This was stated by Mr Iqbal Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, here yesterday. He said effective steps were being taken to check illegal trade of intoxicants in the district. An anti-intoxicant centre would be set up in the district and a society would be constituted to motivate addicts to give up the habit of intoxication. The Deputy Commissioner appealed the voluntary organisations to cooperate with the administration in this regard. He assured them of full support from the district authorities. |
Billa writes to CM
on pension cases AMRITSAR, Oct 18 —In a communication to the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Surinder Kumar Billa, President, All India Hindu Shiv Sena, has alleged that the Social Security Department had been refusing old age pensions to genuine cases. Giving an example, Mr Billa alleged that Harnam Singh (Pla Number 86457) had not got pension for the past so many months. Mr Girdhari Lal Parwana (82) had not received pension as the department had raised objections in his case. Tarsem Rani, the widow of Charan Dass has not got pension for the past and one half years. |
8 cops held for drug peddling AMRITSAR, Oct 18 — Eight police personnel, including an ASI, were arrested for peddling drugs in the city, the superintendent of police, headquarters, Mr Nageshwar Rao, said here today that these policemen were not only addicts but also sold smack. Mr Rao added, working on tip-off Sunny Gill, a teenager addict of the Gwalmandi area, had led to the busting of the gang. During last week, ASI Sushil Kumar in charge Ranjit avenue chowki,
pilfered some amount from the stocks in police custody. According to Mr Rao the ASI sold some consignment of drugs to Sunny who later supplied it to the police officials. The constable who were arrested were Sandeep Singh, Kanwaljit Singh, Gurjit Singh, Harpal Singh, Mukhtiar Singh, Tejbir Singh and Sunny Gill. Three jawans of the police were absconding. A case has been registered. |
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Terrorist arrested
by Interpol? ROPAR, Oct 18— A Punjab terrorist suspected to be Jagtar Singh Panjola, a resident of this district, wanted in a number of cases, has been reportedly arrested by the Interpol in Australia. A youth allegedly carrying forged papers in the name of Jagtar Singh, son of Malkeet Singh of village Panjola in Ropar, was arrested by the Australian police on the charges of illegal migration on June 27 this year. He was handed over to the Interpol. The Interpol sent a photograph of the arrested youth to the Ministry of External Affairs, India, to ascertain whether he was listed terrorist Jagtar Singh. The ministry in turn asked the Ropar police to verify if the arrested youth was a terrorist. Sources said the Ropar police in its report provided all information regarding Jagtar Singh asked for by the Interpol. The sources, however, said it couldn’t be ascertained if the arrested youth was Jagtar Singh. They said though the address mentioned in the forged papers was that of Jagtar Singh, the names of certain relations did not match. Moreover the Xeroxed copy of the photograph of the youth sent for verification was not clear. |
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Cash, jewellery
stolen PHAGWARA, Oct 18 — In broad day light burglary, cash and gold ornaments worth Rs 1.5 lakh were today burgled from the house of Mr
S.K. Bhanot, a school teacher, from his residence at New Model Town here. The Bhanots had gone out of their house for just two hours when the house break took place. They had drawn Rs 8000 cash and 30 tolas of gold from a bank locker a few days ago in view of a marriage in the family. The police pressed into service dog squads to trace the culprits. |
Stop commercialisation of education: AISF JALANDHAR, Oct 18 (UNI) — The 25th national conference of All- India Students Federation (AISF) opened here this evening with a call to stop “saffronisation and commercialisation of education system” in the country. CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan, veteran Communist leader Jagjit Singh Anand and educationist J.S. Puar among others said which saffronisation of education was spreading the tentacles of “fascist and reactionary ideology of the RSS, commercialisation was dividing the country into India and Bharat”. Dr Puar, former Vice-Chancellor of Patiala’s Punjabi University, said the ruling elite comprising the political and bureaucratic class had “silently conspired in introducing two streams of school education” in which 20 per cent of the rich and middle classes, educated in public and private schools, have” alienated 80 per cent population” by condemning it to decrepit government school system. This division, the speakers warned, was creating a distinct
socio-cultural profile which was being reflected in Saturday and Sunday glossies of newspapers in the country. It was observed that this 20 per cent which was changing the socio-cultural profile of the nation through cultural invasion by electronic and print media. Dr Puar said rich regional linguistic, diversity of India was under cultural onslaught from the west and west-inspired ruling elite which has virtually finished the recruitment base of progressive students organisations like the AISF by introducing two streams of school education in the country in the past 15 to 20 years. The commercialisation of education driven by profit-motive, has virtually closed the doors of higher education to students who came from the 80 per cent mass of population, he said adding that this had led to decline of students organisations like the AISF. He said creeping illiteracy among the 80 per cent of population, denied fruits of higher education, has virtually dried up the recruitment base of progressive student activists and their organisation. Dr Puar said the more alarming situation was that almost all political parties, including the Communists, have virtually written off this 80 per cent mass of Indian population. Endorsing the inaugural address of Dr Puar, the CPI general secretary said the widening charm between the rich and poor because of two streams of education if not bridged, would lead to a mass of 50 crore illiterates in India by the year 2005. This would be half of the world’s total illiterates as per United Nations’ projection, he added. |
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