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| Tuesday, November 7, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
PPCC chief’s election may not be smooth Brar not to attend delegates lunch Clinton invites Punjabi to trip 3 lakh quintals of
seeds for farmers ‘Shift paddy to other states’ |
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University bar on BDS
students revoked Case filed against Telecom Dept
Sareen new Leader
of Opposition Channi lashes out at Cong leaders SAD working not democratic: Bhaur
1998 flood victims await relief Golden Temple kirtan
live on Gurpurb Govt jobs for kin of terrorism-hit ‘Match’ blood to avoid thalassemia in kids Another dengue
case detected Forum asks PSEB to pay compensation Decision on ShahpurKandi dam ‘soon’ GGN college strike called off
MC continues
demolition drive
Cop kills woman, himself Factory selling fake cement detected Burglars’ gang busted
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PPCC chief’s election may not be smooth AMRITSAR, Nov 6 — Even as the election authority of the Congress has called a meeting on November 7 to redress the grievances of the party workers of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, the dissident leaders who were ignored during the nomination of delegates in Delhi would demand a probe into the alleged hijacking of the election process of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee to New Delhi. Apart from displeasing the dissident leaders who are up in arms against the nomination of delegates in violation of the Constitution of the party and guidelines of the Central Congress authority, the nomination of delegates had astonished the workers. Mr Brahm Mohindra who had been contesting the election from Patiala has been made delegate from Bhargo camp (Jalandhar). He has been opposing the PPCC Chief, Mr Amrinder Singh. Similarly, Mr Birdevinder Singh, who is also a dissident leader from Patiala has been accommodated from “aur”
(Nawanshahr district). Mr Prem Gupta, a resident of Patiala, has been made delegate from Chohla Sahib (Amritsar). However, Mr Balbir Singh Brar, General Secretary, a resident of Mohali has been nominated for Bhikhiwind block (Amritsar), Mr Harbans Singh Sidhu, a former Minister and a Resident of Rampura Phul (Bathinda) was accommodated from Tarn Taran (Amritsar), While Mr Randip Singh Nabha, a resident of Nabha (Patiala) has been accommodated from Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), Mr Rajanbir Singh, son of late Akali Minister Balwant Singh, who belongs to Sultanpur Lodhi
(Lohia) has been accommodated from Ludhiana. Mr Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, son of Santokh Singh Randhawa, a resident of Dharowali (Gurdaspur) has been shifted to Chamkaur Sahib (Ropar) while Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal has been accommodated at Batala (Rural). Mr Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, son of former Akali Minister, Mr Satnam Singh Bajwa, has been accommodated at Sri
Hargobindpur. The dissident Congress leaders have also raised serious objections over the accommodation of Ms Ambika Sony, General secretary, AICC, and sitting Rajya Sabha member from Talwara (Hoshiarpur), Santosh Chaudhary, MP from Phillaur has been accommodated as delegate from Dhilwan (Kapurthala). Dr Manmohan Singh, former Union Finance Minister, a Rajya Sabha member from Assam has been made delegate from Golden Temple (Amritsar). Dissident leaders on condition of
anonymity have said they will highlight the violation of the guidelines of party
Constitution in the forthcoming meeting to be held in New Delhi on November 7. The meeting has been called by Mr R.N.
Mirdha, Chairman Central Election Authority, AICC. They alleged that the “muscle power” and “money power” had played a major role in the election and nomination of some delegates. This could lead to a division of votes at the time of the election of the Punjab Pradesh Congress. Though it is clear that it would be easy for Mr Amrinder Singh to win the election of the PPC Chief yet his opponents would create hurdles at the time of polling. Many leaders have also approached the central authority to postpone the election. Interestingly the congress had not kept in mind the 33 per cent reservation for women as out of total 209 delegate only 21 (10 per cent) were women. |
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Brar not to attend delegates lunch CHANDIGARH, Nov 6 — A senior Congress leader, Mr Jagmeet Singh Brar, said here today that he would not attend the luncheon meeting of delegates called by the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh, at his Motibagh Palace in Patiala tomorrow. Extending his full support to Mrs Sonia Gandhi in her fight for the presidentship of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) at a press conference here today, Mr Brar said it would have been better if Capt Amarinder Singh had called tomorrow’s meeting at the headquarter of the PPCC here. Mr Brar said although there were differences within the PPCC, the entire PPCC was united on the issue of Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Opposing Mr Jitendra Parsada as candidate for presidentship, Mr Brar said that Mrs Gandhi was the most accessible leader and allegations against her were baseless. On elections to the state unit of the PPCC, he said the issue of presidentship should be handed over to the party high command and whatever decision was taken by it should be accepted by all. When asked whether he himself was interested in contesting, Mr Brar said he was a candidate for presidentship but would only contest if the party high command allowed him. Talking about the differences over certain names in the list of party delegates pertaining to Punjab, Mr Brar said the party high command had handed over the issue to a three member committee comprising Mr Moti Lal Vora, Mrs Ambika Soni and Mr Oscar Fernandes to resolve the issue. He said certain leaders had been ignored who deserved to be included. The committee will meet tomorrow to dispose of complaints. He said while certain families had managed to get two or three berths, certain very senior leaders had been ignored. He said the defeat of the Congress in the two byelections, Sunam and Nawanshahr, was a cause for anxiety. While he would not say that only Capt Amarinder Singh was responsible for the defeat he added the party President should have taken the initiative at the appropriate time on the paddy issue. He said he would give a call attention motion on the issue of paddy procurement in Parliament on November 20 and also expose a big scandal with regard to paddy procurement. He said he had information that certain senior Akali leaders had made a fast buck from the paddy by buying it at cheap rate and later on selling the same paddy at the minimum support price. Mr Brar said that Mr Parkash Singh Badal had not learnt a lesson from his son’s defeat in the last Lok Sabha election. Commenting on the elevation of Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mr Manpreet Badal and Mr Adesh Partap Singh in the Shiromani Akali Dal’s hierarchy, Mr Brar said that Badal had taken nepotism to new heights. He said that promotion of sons, son-in-laws and other relatives in the political parties by top leaders was anti-people and leaders like Mr Badal were promoting feudalism. |
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Clinton invites Punjabi to trip CHANDIGARH, Nov 6 — "Mr President wants you to be part of the business delegation to Vietnam, if the opportunity arose", thus reads a fax message from the office of Mr Bill Clinton, President of the USA, to Mr Jessie Singh. One can understand from the message how important a person Jessie Singh will be. Mr Clinton plans to visit Vietnam shortly and his office is busy contacting eminent Americans, including businessmen, to be a part of his entourage. Mr Jessie Singh, who is here on a brief visit, got the message from Mari Beth Cahill, Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liaison, at Keharu village in Sangrur district where he was attending a marriage. This further reveals how much Clinton's office was eager to contact Mr Jessie Singh. One of the richest Sikhs in the world, with a turnover of $ 225 million, Mr Jessie Singh's story is very inspiring. He is 43 years old and his full name is Jaswinder Singh. He landed in the USA on January 19, 1986, as most Punjabi mundas land there following marriage. His pocket was empty and he was dependent on his in-laws. The first 15 days were good as all members of his new family made their parauna (husband of a daughter) feel at home. But soon things started changing and he had to face the reality of being self-dependent. He would daily walk a mile to visit the Sunnyvale Unemployment Department near the Silicon valley. As he persisted with this routine for about six months, the officer concerned in the department offered him a free-of-cost three-month computer course in a low income group category. In the meantime, he got a job at gas station for $ 600. The urge to enhance his academic qualification took him to Cogswell Engineering College, a private institution in Cupertino. As he entered the college for the first time, he saw one Sikh. He reluctantly said hello to him. And that hello changed his life. The Sikh man was Mr Nirmal Singh, Head of the Mathematics Department in the college. Mr Nirmal Singh got him the job of a "patient representative'' with a monthly salary of $ 2,500 in a hospital through his doctor wife. By chance, he came into contact with a person engaged in the import of electronic parts in Delhi from the USA. The man offered him a 10 per cent commission for sending the parts from the USA and this opportunity, marked the beginning for Jessie Singh's entry into the manufacturing of electronic parts to catapult him as a multi-millionaire industrialist of the USA. He is now the owner of three companies — BJS electronics, ABL Components and Nanobyte Software — which exports their wares world over. He has plans to diversify into other areas. He is also a member of SAP, one of the biggest software companies, having 11 shareholders. How did he come into contact with Clinton and Al Gore? In 1990-91, many Sikhs were attacked in the USA as most Americans thought that people with a turban on their heads and flowing beards were followers of Khomeini, a known Muslim fundamentalist. Following America's tussle with Iraq, the incidence of such attacks multiplied. Because of this mistaken identity, Sikhs were facing the wrath of certain American groups. Mr Jessie Singh decided to tackle this problem. He set up an Indo-Philippine-American Centre for interaction among the elders of these three communities. In due course, the centre emerged as a very powerful pressure group and in a local election, 13 candidates supported by it won the election. This performance attracted top politicians and Mr Jessie Singh and other eminent members of the centre became active supporters of Democratic party. Mr Al Gore visited Jessie's house on April 13 to convey Baisakhi greetings to the Sikhs in and Mr Clinton came to his house on September 23 this year. It was a big honour as Mr Clinton for the first time visited a Punjabi's house. Jessie also had the privilege to be with the President in his personal yacht. Born in Majra village near Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district, Mr Jessie Singh wants to set up a modern library and donate money to provide a bridge on the Nomani, an off-shoot of the Ravi river. After schooling in Gurdaspur, he did B. Tech from PAU, Ludhiana, after having his college education at DAV College, Jalandhar, where his father had shifted from Gurdaspur. He has two sons and one daughter. |
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3 lakh quintals of
seeds for farmers FARIDKOT, Nov 6 — The Punjab Government will supply three lakh quintals of certified seeds to farmers to produce quality wheat during the rabi season in the state. A subsidy of Rs 200 per quintal will be given in this regard. To make the scheme more effective, a zero till drill machine, which costs between Rs 14000 and Rs 20,000, will also be provided at a subsidy of Rs 5000 to the farmers. This was announced by Mr Deep Singh Sahota, Director of Agriculture Punjab, while addressing a district-level farmers’ training camp here today. More than 1000 agriculturists attended the camp. Mr Sahota said that to give better know-how to the farmers about the proper care and production of wheat, more than 300 district, block and village-level camps would be organised till the end of this month in the state. He said the government had already taken up the matter with the Central Government to give minimum support price to the farmers in the next season. He announced that the state farmers had earned an additional profit of Rs 290 crore from the sale of wheat last year. He exhorted the growers to lay more stress to improve the quality of wheat to meet the challenge of the WTO in the coming years. He also appealed to the farmers to diversify by cultivating other crops like pulses, grams and cottonseed to enhance their income. He said nearly 1.25 lakh hectares would be brought under cottonseed cultivation during this year. The state government had decreased the area under wheat from 33.38 lakh hectares to 33 lakh hectares keeping in view the problems faced by the farmers during the sale or paddy in the past two months. Experts from Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr A. Venu Prasad, were among those who spoke. |
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‘Shift paddy to other states’ FATEHGARH SAHIB, Nov 6 — Mr Tarsem Saini, president of the Punjab Rice Millers Association, has urged the Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, to shift paddy from the state to other states, otherwise the milling of this year’s paddy would be affected due to the unavailability of space. Paddy purchased by government agencies worth crores of rupees would be destroyed and the quality of the prepared rice would deteriorate, resulting in loss to the government as well as the millers. Mr Saini was addressing a dharna organised by the association in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in protest against the behaviour and high-handedness of the District Food and Civil Supplies Controller. While talking to The Tribune before the dharna, he said to please the farmers the Central Government raised the limit of damaged grain from 3 per cent to 8 per cent. The state procurement agencies purchased paddy beyond specification. Up to 14 per cent damaged paddy was purchased by indulging in unfair means. He said the association would knock the doors of the high court to order an inquiry into the purchase of paddy below specification by the state agencies. Addressing the dharna, he criticised Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies. He said the minister had miserably failed to advocate the cause of the rice millers of the state with the Centre. He said it was for the first time that the state government had failed to get any benefit from the Centre for the millers of the state. Rather dryage had been reduced from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The rate of milling had not been increased despite the increase in power tariff. The millers of the state were ready to deliver the pending rice to the FCI. It had became pending due to unavailability of space with the FCI. He said the government was demanding payment for rice which was not possible. The government had declared 400 to 500 rice mill owners as defaulters. The mills were facing closure due to the wrong policies of Mr Mittal. He said the government had not given any relaxation to the millers as given to farmers. Mr Saini said though the government had relaxed the yield from 64 per cent to 67 per cent but no relaxation in damaged rice had been given. He demanded that the Union Government should also raise the limit of damaged rice from 2 per cent to 4 per cent in view of the relaxation given in the purchase of paddy from 3 per cent to 8 per cent. He warned that if the state government continued to commit atrocities and exercise pressure tactics on the rice millers to sign the contract the residence of Mr Mittal would be gheraoed. He said the association would continue to struggle till their genuine demands were accepted. |
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High court CHANDIGARH, Nov 6 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed a revision petition filed by Baba Farid University, Faridkot, challenging the lower court order allowing Amandeep Kaur Gill and four other students to appear for the first, second and third semester of the BDS examinations. The trial court had issued mandatory injunction to the university as demanded by the petitioners and the university was restrained from debarring the students from appearing for the BDS examinations on a provisional basis. Going into the details of the case, Mr Justice Anand said: “The dental courses started in various states and those colleges were affiliated to Punjabi University, but were later linked with Baba Farid University”. Khalsa College, Mansa, with 60 seats for the 1995-96 academic session. The five students were selected after doing the PMT and counselling was conducted by Punjabi University for regular study in the college. On March 22, 1999 the Punjab Government through a notification notified that all affiliated colleges imparting health science education previously affiliated with either Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjabi University or Panjab University, Chandigarh, would stand affiliated with Baba Farid University. Baba Farid University conducted a special examination in February to bring about uniformity among the various colleges. The university demanded an examination fee, which the students said. The forms were neither rejected nor returned by the university yet it did not issue the roll numbers to students, Mr Justice Anand observed. During the pendency of the trial, an interim order was passed by the trial court on June 17, directing the then respondent-university to issue roll numbers to the petitioners for the three semesters of the BDS examination. It allowed them to appear provisionally at their own risk subject to eligibility. The trial court also directed the university to conduct those examinations which the petitioners missed within two months from the date of order and also ordered it to declare the results. Notice to Punjab on
promotion withholding Our Legal Correspondent adds: A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice R.C. Kathuria, issued notice of motion to the state of Punjab and others for March 1 on a writ petition filed by Ms Asha Rani, Senior Assistant in the office of Divisional Manager (Transport), Punjab. The petitioner had sought the quashing of the order passed by Director of State Transport dated February 16, under which her plea for antedating her promotion to the post of Senior Assistant. She claimed that she had passed the Assistants’ Grade examination held in June, 1991, but was promoted as Senior Assistant only in 1996. The petitioner also challenged the Punjab Government’s instructions dated June 28, 1991, vide which the Assistant Grade Rules, 1984, were amended and under Rule 5, 50 per cent marks were to be obtained for promotion instead of 40 per cent as provided under the rules. Counsel for the petitioner contended that the rules cannot be amended by executive instructions and therefore, the instructions were violative of the rules and illegal, on the basis of which the petitioner’s promotion was withheld. |
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Case filed against Telecom Dept BATHINDA, Nov 6 — The Muktsar unit of the National Consumer Awareness Group has filed a case against the Department of Telecommunications for not providing them the facilities it had promised. Mr Sham Lal Goyal, president of the district unit of the group, complained, the department had provided local dialling facilities for Bathinda and Abohar as they fall within 50 km range of Muktsar but the facility has not been given for Ferozepore. He said the STD PCOs in the city had the facility of fast dialling but the household consumers were not given this facility. The telephone directory had not been published since 1996. With more than 10,000 telephone connections subscribers had been facing problems. There was only one window for bill collection and long queue could be seen at the window, he added. Mr Goyal said the “Internet dhaba” facility as advertised in various newspapers had not been started in the city. The department was required to provide efficient service to the consumers under Section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, he added. |
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Sareen new Leader of Opposition AMRITSAR, Nov 6 — The newly elected Mayor, Mr Brij Mohan Kapoor, recognised Mr Dharamveer Sareen as the Leader of the Opposition in the House today. The Congress councillors who had formed a separate group claimed majority in the Opposition with a total count of 18. Meanwhile, Mr Satya Pal Dang, veteran CPI leader, in a letter to Mr Balramji Das Tandon, Local Bodies’ Minister, expressed concern over the “undemocratic” practices of the council. He took objection to the passing of agenda in a few minutes without discussion and to the debar on the media from the House proceedings. He said a minimum number of meetings should have been assured by the House under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act. The past five months had witnessed not a single corporation meeting. This had led to stalling of development works in the city, he lamented. |
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Channi lashes out at Cong leaders HOSHIARPUR, Nov 6 — Mr Charanjit Singh Channi, Congress MP from the district, in a press note issued here today lashed out at those Congress leaders who are bent upon spoiling the party’s image by accusing the leadership. He said that these leaders had taken help of Mrs Sonia Gandhi to join active politics. He questioned the validity of their criticism of the state president, Capt Amarinder Singh. He said under his leadership, party regained the lost image of 1997 Assembly elections. In 1999 the Congress won nine out of 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. Mr Channi called upon the party workers to beware of those leaders who have joined hands with the Opposition to weaken the party. |
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SAD working not democratic: Bhaur PHAGWARA, Nov 6 — Commenting upon the reorganisation of the SAD in which Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Party President, has made his son, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, one of the general secretaries, Mr Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, General Secretary, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, today said that the ruling SAD had now become a family fiefdom. Talking to newsmen here, Mr Bhaur further said the functioning of the SAD (B) was not democratic and the so-called reorganisation had been on expected lines. If Badal had included his son, nephew and son-in-law in the SAD, he had also including sons of ministers and his coterie in the Youth Akali Dal to keep the flock together, Mr Bhaur added. He took the name of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon and Mr Balwinder Singh Bhundar’s kin in this regard. Taking umbrage at retention of Bibi Jagir Kaur, SGPC President, as member of the Working Committee, Mr Bhaur, alleged that it proved beyond doubt that Mr Badal was shielding criminals. Mr Bhaur had returned yesterday from Hazur Sahib, Nanded in Maharashtra, after attending a nagar kirtan and celebrations organised by Sant Baba Man Singh of Pehowa to commemorate “Gurgaddi Divas and Jyoti Jot Samauna” of Guru Gobind Singh. |
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1998 flood victims await relief SANGRUR, Nov 6 — Farmers whose crops were damaged by floods in 1998 and 1999 in the Khanauri and Moonak areas of the district have not received compensation from the government so far. The district administration has prepared a case to seek funds from the government for farmers whose crops were damaged by floods in Ghaggar river in July this year. This case has been prepared on the basis of a special “girdawari” conducted in 24 villages of Moonak sub-division by the officials of the Revenue Department. Sources in the administration here said the district authorities had sent a case to the Revenue Department seeking funds amounting to Rs 1,33,36,150 to pay compensation to the farmers whose crops were damaged in 1998 floods. But the administration has not yet received the funds from the state authorities to compensate the affected farmers. Likewise, in 1999, six villages were affected from the floods in the Ghaggar river and the administration sought a grant of Rs 35,51,100 from the state government to pay compensation to the farmers. The government has not sent funds to the administration. The administration has prepared a case for seeking funds worth Rs 1.82 crore from the state government to distribute the same as compensation among the farmers of 20 villages of the Moonak subdivision whose crops were damaged during floods in July, 2000. |
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Govt jobs for kin of terrorism-hit GURDASPUR, Nov 6 — As many as 250 members of terrorism-affected families in the district have been found eligible for government jobs. Mr Husan Lal, Additional Deputy Commissioner, talking to this correspondent here today, said 300 families of terrorism victims attended a camp organised last week to ascertain their claims to government jobs. Mr Lal said the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the government to include new applications for posts meant for terrorism victims. He said many families, due to ignorance or due to migration to other states, had not applied for the jobs in this regard. The Punjab Government has issued directions to the district administration to include terrorism affected families for certain jobs if they apply under this scheme till February 24 next year. Mr Lal said 171 families from Batala, 37 from Gurdaspur 19 from Dera Baba Nanak, and 9 from Pathankot subdivision had been declared eligible to the posts. He said the state government had been intimated to recruit one person from each family. He added that the jobs would be given within 2 years. |
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‘Match’ blood to avoid thalassemia in kids LUDHIANA, Nov 6 — In order to ensure that the child does not suffer from thalassemia, haematologists suggest that instead of matching the horoscope of man and woman before marriage, their blood should be tested. According to Dr Deepika Mohanty, Director, Institute of Immunohaematology, Mumbai, Punjab is one of the few high risk states in the country for thalassemia disease. Therefore, couples here should always get their blood tested before marriage. She said it was essential for the couples to verify if they were thalassemiac so as to prevent the disease from being transferred to their children. Dr Mohanty said if both the parents were thalassemiac, they should ensure prenatal test of the foetus. It was, however, not necessary that if both the parents were careers of the disease, the child would also be thalassemiac. If the foetus was found to be thalassemiac, the couple was given the option of retaining or terminating the pregnancy. Most couples prefer abortion as the treatment of disease not simple and easy, she added. Dr Mohanty was here to attend the three-day international conference on haematology organised by the Pathology Department of the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital here. Besides thalassemia, there were other blood-related diseases like HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C which were transmitted through infected blood, she said. To prevent these diseases Dr Mohanty advised screening of blood before it was used. She said there were certain blood banks which do not follow the mandatory guidelines for testing the blood for further transfusion. She advised that the patients should never be transfused with fresh blood even if it was tested because certain viruses like those of HIV and hepatitis, need at least three months ‘‘window period’’ for detection. If such infected blood was transfused, the patient was bound to catch the infection. The latest technology has made it possible to bring down the ‘‘window period’’ to 14 days. However it was quite expensive. An ordinary test conducted on one unit of blood with the help of imported kit would cost about Rs 600. However kits were now made indigenously which would reduce the cost of the test by at least by Rs 400. But the Antigen test costs about Rs 2000 per unit and so it was usually avoided. The Antigen test was necessary for the detection of HIV virus. |
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Golden Temple kirtan
live on Gurpurb AMRITSAR, Nov 6 — This Gurpurb will bring many cheers to millions of devotees all over Asia as ETC Channel Punjabi is going to telecast live the Gurbani kirtan from Sri
Harimandir Sahib on November 11 for the first time. Revealing this Mr Rabindra Narayan, president of ETC Channel Punjabi, said, “This live transmission is another offering in our continued mission to spread the word of Gurus to the widest possible audience”. Mr Narayan is credited with bringing the Gurbani from Golden Temple to the television audiences in 1998. |
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Another dengue
case detected AMRITSAR, Nov 6 — Another confirmed case of dengue has been detected even as the health authorities affirmed that no such case had been reported till now. An inquiry is, however, still pending for the lone confirmed dengue case from Amritsar highlighted by The Tribune a few weeks back, said the Senior Medical Officer, Dr Raj Inder Singh. Despite claims of absence of any dengue cases another case, that of Mr Ashwani Passi (43), was confirmed by the Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, last evening. Interestingly, both the confirmed cases of dengue are from East Mohan Nagar. Earlier, Mr Kirti Kapoor (37), owner of Bearing Corporation of India, and now Mr Ashwani Passi of Prabhat Ayurvedic Pharmacy both have their industrial units in East Mohan Nagar. Mr Passi was rushed to CMC, Ludhiana, last evening after his platelet count fell from the mandatory 1.5 lakh to 30,000. Despite the earlier case of dengue Amritsar continues to be eluded of the vital blood separating machine which separates vital components of blood. A dengue patient exclusively needs platelets. Excessive loss of platelets can lead to bleeding of vital organs. Dengue, if untreated or misdiagnosed, has a high fatality rate, disclosed doctors. Significantly, the industrial area of East Mohan Nagar has a huge dirty pond with stagnant water that flows below that road connected to a sewer. Garbage and litter remain unlifted for months together whereas blocked sewage leads to consistent overflowing. Approximately, seven to eight large industrial units and 100 small units operate in the area with an approximate population of more than 10,000 employed and unemployed residents. Workers in the area lament that the fogging operations or DDT spray work to never undertaken in the area. Lifting garbage is a rare sight Dr Raj Inder Singh, however, denied this and said health teams were on the lookout for any such problem in all areas. |
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Forum asks PSEB to pay compensation ROPAR, Nov 6 — In a judgement, which may bring some relief to the electricity consumers against overbilling, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum here had directed the Punjab State Electricity Board authorities to pay compensation of Rs 1000 to Mr Surinder Kumar, for causing him undue harassment by giving erratic bills. Mr Surinder Kumar in his complaint before the forum has alleged the local PSEB authorities without any reasonable cause had been sending him bills on the basis of average reading charging him excess amounts. The defence, counsel of the PSEB, however, argued the complainant had not been overcharged. He said some earlier bills of Surinder Kumar were wrongly prepared by the computer of the PSEB and the balance amount for those was being charged from him through the flat bills. The Judge of the forum, Mr J.D. Gupta, in his judgement has said though the consumer had not been evercharged erratic charging of the bills by the PSEB showed deficiency in service on their part while preparing the bills. On account of the mental agony suffered by the consumer, the PSEB authorities were directed to pay compensation of Rs 1000 and another Rs 1000 as the cost incurred on the case of Mr Surinder Kumar. The forum in the judgement has also impressed on the Chairman of the PSEB to constitute a high-powered committee to work out the details as to how overbilling faced by consumers may be averted in future. It has also directed that necessary instructions should be passed to the functionaries of the board that the bills issued to the consumers should be transparent so that the consumers are not left in the doldrums. |
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Decision on ShahpurKandi dam ‘soon’ CHANDIGARH, Nov 6 — A decision to execute the Shahpur Kandi dam, located 11 km downstream of the Ranjit Sagar Dam on the Ravi, will be taken up soon by the Punjab Chief Minister, the Irrigation Minister, Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, said here today. The Minister assured Mr J.S. Randhawa, General Manager, Ranjit Sagar Project, in this regard when he called upon him to present a model of the dam. Mr Randhawa had requested that work on the dam should be taken up at the earliest to utilise men and the machinery that had been rendered surplus after the Ranjit Sagar Dam was completed almost two months ago, a press note issued by the dam authorities said today. |
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GGN college strike called off LUDHIANA, Nov 6 — Follow-ing a meeting of representatives of students of Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College, the Principal and the staff representatives, students’ strike over the fee hike issue has been called off. When the problem could not be resolved at two meetings held earlier, a third meeting was held today in which the college authorities could convince the students that the fee hike had been introduced by Panjab University and the state government and that they were helpless in that case. Students then called off the strike and classes were held though the attendance was thin as the students were told earlier that the college would remain closed. |
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MC continues demolition drive JALANDHAR, Nov 6 — The Jalandhar Municipal Corporation authorities today continued with its demolition drive against encroachments on the government land by removing temporary structures and kiosks at several places in the city. The corporation staff led by Mr D.P. Bhardwaj, Secretary, removed kiosks at the Old Sabzi Mandi Chowk. The kiosks had allegedly occupied a public street for the past 20 years and got a stay from the Punjab and Haryana High Court which was valid upto last year. The kiosk owners failed to produce any
relevant document to the municipal authorities during their meeting with Assistant Commissioner in the morning. Another civic team led by the Assistant Town Planner, Mr G.K. Garg, removed encroachments in the Chandan Nagar locality on the Sodal road where shopkeepers had allegedly grabbed three to five feet of the public road in front of their shops. The authorities demolished some of the encroachments when shopkeepers led by the area councillor Chaman Lal Dada asked the civic authorities to stop this demolition drive and assured that shopkeepers would themselves remove all encroachments till tomorrow. |
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Cop kills woman, himself BARNALA, Nov 6 — Inder Singh, a constable of Punjab Homeguards allegedly killed Gulab Kaur with a heavy rod on the night of November 4. After killing her Inder Singh committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance. According to reports, Inder Singh - a married person having kids had illicit relations with her, who was also married. |
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Factory selling fake cement detected BATHINDA, Nov 6 — The district police has detected a factory manufacturing fake cement in the city for the past one year. In a press note issued here today, Dr Jatinder Kumar Jain, SSP, said three accused, namely Parshotam Kumar, Birbal Dass and Varinder Gupta, used to sell fake cement under the brand name of Famour Cement Companies. He added that the accused used to purchase defective cement from the market and then crush it into powder. After that the accused used to fill it into bags. The accused were supplying such bags to Moga and Bathinda districts. He added that when the premises where the fake cement was being manufactured were raided, the police seized 214 bags of fake cement. Apart from this four to five quintals of cement which had not been put into bags were also seized. The accused were minting money by selling each bag at the rate of Rs 140 to the customers while they used to purchase the raw material at a rate of Rs 78 per bag. A case in this connection has been registered under Section 7
to the Essential Commodities Act and Section 420 of the IPC. |
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Burglars’ gang busted BARNALA, Nov 6 — The police has busted a nine-member gang of burglars hailing from various places of Ahmedabad district in Gujrat. They are allegedly responsible for 11 burglary incidents in Barnala, Ludhiana, Bathinda. Sirsa, Maur Mandi, Budhladha, Mansa, Sunam, and Dhuri. The Senior Superintendent Police here said Shankar had been arrested and other members of this gang had been identified as Jaggi, Raghu, Pitamber, Dhanna, Kalyan, Jiwan, Hira and Kishan. The modus operandi of this gang is that gang members carrying goats roam about in streets in day time detecting locked houses. |
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10 bags of poppy
husk seized MOGA, Nov 6 — A police party headed by Assistant Subinspector of police, Swarn Singh, posted at Baghapurana police station in this district yesterday intercepted a truck near a canal at Phulwala village, about 20 km from here, and seized 10 bags of poppy husk. The police party also overpowered the truck driver, and two other occupants, the report said. The accused are being interrogated and the vehicle has been impounded. |
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