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| Monday, November 13, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Unemployment: lessons from
Vienna BBMB staff threaten
stir 22 acquitted in firing
case
PAC to decide
on new SGPC chief: Sukhbir Kanshi meets Sukhjinder CM bypasses village
Hoshiarpur’s choes remain
unbridged |
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Army training for Home Guards Training course for
police officers Octroi on diesel
irks dealers Dang for panel on hospital
land Commissioner ignoring
MC: Mayor Drain breached once again Govt protecting
MNCs: CITU Conference on
hypertension Exclude vaids, hakims from
list: IMA 30 infected with TB daily Chaos at
railway station
Two arrested
in land
case Farmer shot Man seeks arrest of son-in-law Land illegally leased: DFO Suicide bid by industrialist
Hostel cries for
repairs
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Unemployment: lessons from
Vienna CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — The relationship between rising population and unemployment is a serious problem that poses a challenge of policy makers. Is there a relationship between the lack of employment and education? Should education be perceived to be employment oriented? What does it mean to be educated yet unemployed, more so if the person happens to be a woman? The question is not whether an individual is educated unemployed. The question is what does it mean to be educated yet unemployed. The answer perhaps is as vexed as the problem. Not many empirical studies are available to understand the problem of unemployment and its effects on an individual. Unemployment is the biggest problem in Punjab as well where the government has done little to create opportunities for those in the queue for a job. Everyone talks of women empowerment and education. Suggestions to reserve a percentage of the seats for them from panchayats to Parliament are often made. But seldom does one hear what effect unemployment has on women. Now a study, by Jyoti Rampal, on the “Effects of unemployment on educated women of Pathankot” is available at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Her case studies draw a parallel between a 1931-32 study by sociologists Jahoda, Lazarsfeld and Zeisel, of a small village, Marienthal, near Vienna, in Austria and Pathankot women. The story of Marienthal relates to its rise and fall, its inhabitants, the sociological and psychological impact of unemployment on them and how it changed the rhythm of time there. That model and methodology of collection of data, its classification and relating it to the real-life situation, perhaps, was kept in mind by Jyoti while working on her project submitted to the Sociology Department for her doctoral thesis. She has concluded: “Increase in employment opportunities is not commensurate with the expansion of educational opportunities”. Young women from middle class families continued to study till they realised they were unemployed. The women from the lower class were not unemployed but under-employed. Women, nevertheless, played a supportive role in their respective families. Paid work gave them self-esteem, a feeling of economic and psychological independence and, of course, improved their matrimonial prospects, meaning less financial burden on the parents at the time of marriage. These women willingly accepted jobs offering low salaries and status. Being unemployed did not mean they had nothing to do. Household chores kept them busy, their families taking care of their daily needs. The unemployed women perceived discrimination based on gender bias, caste and influence. Unemployment attacked their self-confidence, creativity, making them believe they were good for nothing. Anxieties turning into anger, a feeling of frustration creeping in as did frustration. What is the way out of the impasse? The study draws lessons from Marienthal. To keep unemployment under control it suggests the creation of additional jobs, unemployment insurance, sustainable employability by improving the quality of education, job-oriented courses and (above all) population control plus economic growth. The study also says if man does not live without bread, man also does not live on bread alone. Unemployment caused tension and conflict, broke individuals, families and homes, affected social norms, work-values and attitude towards life resulting in ill-health. Even modest aspirations and limited needs got a battering. In the Marienthal study, the hapless and jobless were placed in four categories, based on certain variables, namely upkeep of household, availability of money, food consumption, time-budget, verbal expressions and unobtrusive observation by researchers: 1. Unbroken — active and jovial, who showed initiative. They tried again and again to get jobs 2. Resigned — hopeless and plan-less, who restricted their needs 3. Confused — who did not understand, were depressed and had abandoned all hope, feeling all efforts were in vain and 4. Apathetic — reacted irrationally. Looked on, doing nothing, neglected their children, beat their wives, became quarrelsome, begged and stole. Similarities exist in Punjab’s case, too, where unemployment is a challenge. And idle mind and empty stomach make a deadly combination. Punjab should know better where youth went berserk when militancy struck. Yet there is no policy on reining in youth for reconstructing Punjab, enabling youth to re-invent itself. Chronic unemployment may become a contributory cause for future social tensions, posing a law and order problem. The solution to unemployment of the educated, says Jyoti, is in population control, economic development, industry, trade, commerce and cultural change. |
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BBMB staff threaten
stir ROPAR, Nov 12 — State employees working in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) have formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to protest against the alleged biased behaviour of the board management against them vis-a-vis the BBMB’s own cadre. The JAC, which was formed after a final meeting of Class-III and Class-IV state employee unions of the BBMB on November 3, includes representatives from the Punjab Clerical Union, the Punjab Draftsmen Union, the Haryana Clerical Union and the Haryana Draftsmen Union. The resentment in the state employees working in the BBMB has been growing since past one year due to certain decisions taken in the recent past by the board management to benefit its own cadre in alleged violation of the recruitment and promotion rules. Earlier, according to the promotion rules adopted by the BBMB for the clerical cadre only those employees who had worked for at least eight years as senior assistant, were eligible for promotion to the post of superintendents. However, in the recent past, the Chairman, allowing a special relaxation to the rule, has given ad hoc promotions to the junior clerks of the board elevating them to the posts of superintendents. Due to this many senior assistants of the state cadre who have been promoted by the parent states as superintendents have been deprived of their right to promotion and are being forced to work under colleagues much junior to him. The executive member of the JAC and the president of the Punjab Clerical Association have threatened stir of their demands were not accepted. The recent provocation for the state employees came when the BBMB management called for the date of the state employees who earlier, have been granted ad hoc promotions. The state employees are now apprehending that they would be reverted to accommodate the BBMB cadre. They are alleging double standards on the part of the BBMB. While out-of-turn ad hoc promotions were being granted to the BBMB cadre, the management was planning to revert their justified promotions, they alleged. The employee share of the partner states in BBMB has decreased dramatically over the years. As per the last annual administration report of the BBMB, out of a total of 15,631 employees serving here, 11656 are of the BBMB cadre and only 3975 of other partner states. According to the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 Rajasthan has a share of 15.22 per cent in the BBMB. Out of the remaining 60 per cent in electricity generation. The state employees are now demanding that the surplus Class II and IV state employees from the Ranjit Sagar Dam other projects should be shifted to the BBMB to fulfil the state quotas in these categories. They have also warned the BBMB management against reverting promotions of state employees and urged to strictly enforce the recruitment and promotion rules. |
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22 acquitted in firing
case SANGRUR, Nov 12 — Giving the benefit of the doubt, the Additional Judge, Designated Court, Sangrur, Mr R.P. Nagrath, has acquitted 22 accused of charges framed against them under Sections 307, 332, 333, 148 and 149 of the IPC and 3/4 of the TADA Act for allegedly attacking and injuring jail officials in Sangrur district jail on October 14, 1987. In this incident, three jail inmates, Jagdish Singh alias Bhola, Wasan Singh and Balwinder Singh, were killed when the jail guards opened fire allegedly to exercise the right of defence of life of jail officials. Basant Singh, another inmate who also received injuries, died later. In the firing incident, more than 20 jail inmates and several jail officials were also injured. The judge has observed that the charges against the accused do not stand proved by any incriminating circumstances against them. The accused are, therefore, given the benefit of the doubt and acquitted of the charges framed against them. As many as 48 accused were chargesheeted by the prosecution. Out of them, 22 faced the trial as the remaining accused were declared to be proclaimed offenders as they absented and absconded. Regarding proclaimed offenders, the judge has observed the proceedings against them are to be revived as and when they are arrested. In this case, almost all important witnesses could not identify the accused. According to the story of the prosecution on November 14, 1987, in the morning, some jail inmates raised the demand of meeting Bhai Gurdev Singh, who was detained in the jail, and refused to go back to the barracks unless this meeting was arranged. On their demand, the Deputy Superintendent of the Jail, Mr Jagrup Singh, was called who tried to pacify them, but they tried to grapple with him. Mr Jagrup Singh blew the whistle and the siren of the jail was sounded. Mr Gurcharan Singh Grewal, Superintendent of the Jail, also reached the spot. He was assaulted by three jail inmates namely Jagdish Singh alias Bhola, Wasan Singh and Balwinder Singh. Mr Grewal was also thrown on the ground. On this, Mr Jagrup Singh warned the inmates and directed the jail guards to fire in the air. Jagdish Singh, Wasan Singh and Balwinder Singh attacked the jail guards to snatch the weapons from them while the others used bricks and pipes to attack the jail officials, and injured them. In the exercise of right of private defence of the life of the Jail Superintendent and other jail officials, the jail guards fired towards the mob side to disperse it. Certain jail inmates received injuries on their person, and similarly injuries were received by various jail officials while Jagdish Singh, Wasan Singh and Balwinder Singh died in the firing incident, the prosecution added. |
PAC to decide
on new SGPC chief: Sukhbir AMRITSAR, Nov 12 — The newly appointed General Secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, today said the political affairs committee (PAC) of the party would decide on the new SGPC chief, the election of which were due on November 30. The committee would meet around the third week of this month, he said. Talking to newspersons on his visit here last evening, he said some names had cropped up for presidentship and it was for the PAC to decide on the final candidate after consulting the party chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Later, addressing a political conference of the All-India Sikh Student Federation (Boparai), he assured farmers that the state government would protect their interests and would never let them down. He pointed out that the SAD-BJP government would soon usher in a era of information technology, adding that the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had stressed on computer education so that the Punjabi youth could compete globally. |
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Kanshi meets Sukhjinder JALANDHAR, Nov 12 (UNI) — Bahujan Samaj Party President Kanshi Ram discussed the political situation in Punjab with senior Akali leader Sukhjinder Singh during a closed-door meeting held in Circut House here last night. Confirming his half an hour parleys with the Dalit supremo, Mr Sukhjinder Singh told UNI that they discussed the Punjab’s political scenario in context of the ruling Akali-BJP combine and the Congress. Reliable political sources said Mr Kanshi Ram had held similar discussions with Congress MP Jagmeet Singh Brar and Punjabi Bhalai Party President Balwant Singh Ramoowalia in the recent past to find out if they could contribute to bringing about certain political realignments in the state polity. |
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CM bypasses village MANSA, Nov 12 — In his recent visit to Bhupal village in the Joga constituency on November 3, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, distributed cheques worth Rs 83.55 lakh to 26 village panchayats of the area but did not give any grant to Malikpur Khiala village, where Mr Harbhajan Singh
Khiala, son of Mr Baldev Singh Khiala, former minister, Punjab, and present member of the Legislative Assembly, is the sarpanch. Ironically, the Chief Minister announced grants for Khiala Kalan and Khiala Khurd villages but Khiala Malikpur village left out. Mr Baldev Singh Khiala expressed surprise over Mr Badal’s visit to his constituency and grants given. Mr Sher Singh
Gagowal, former minister, Punjab, and a senior Congress leader, said Mr Badal is preparing ground to contest next Assembly election from this constituency. Mr Badal has said that he would visit this constituency again. |
Hoshiarpur’s choes remain
unbridged HOSHIARPUR: Many state government projects, the foundation stones of which were laid by VVIPs, remain on paper. Similarly residents of over 15 villages located on the Hoshiarpur-Una road are awaiting the construction of a bridge on the Jamanwala choe, whose foundation stone was laid by the Chief Minister about a year ago. The Hoshiarpur-Una road is the shortest link to Anandpur Sahib via Nangal. This road leads to Hamirpur, Una, Naina Devi, Kulu, Jahu, Bahota and holy shrine of Baba Balak Nath. There are five choes on the 12 km long portion in Punjab from Hoshiarpur to Chak Sadhu. Col. A.S. Gill, a resident of Jahan Khelan village, stated that it was a pity that this state highway, which connected Punjab with Himachal Pradesh, still remains neglected by the Punjab Government even 53 years after Independence. No bridge had been constructed on any of the five choes. However, causeways on Bajwara and Jahan Khelan choes had been constructed. He strongly criticised the PWD for not taking any interest to make this road all weather. It is worth mentioning here that Police Recruit Training Centre at Jahan Khelan and the BSF Subsidiary Training Centre at Kharkan are also located on this road. Vehicular traffic generally remains suspended due to floods in Jamanwala, Patiarian and Chak Sadhu choes, for days together causing great inconvenience to those luring in villages along this road. Keeping in view the constant demand of the public to make bridges on these choes, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, laid the foundation stone of five -span bridge on Jamanwala choe on November 3, 1999. Though a year has passed but the bridge to be constructed on this choe has still not be decided. Meanwhile some miscreants damaged the foundation stone as the PWD authorities failed to protect it (see photo). According to official sources, a former Chief Engineer of a PWD (B&R) had recommended the construction of high-level bridge on the Jamanwala choe. But the district authorities rejected his proposal and were stressing the need to construct a submersible bridge on the plea that a mini dam on the Patiarian choe catchment area would be constructed soon as a result of which Jamanwala choe would not be flooded. Moreover a high-level bridge would cost more and the construction of submersible bridge ( which is much cheaper) would serve the purpose. Sources said even drawings of the bridge had not been finalised so far. |
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Army training for Home Guards FEROZEPORE, Nov 12 — Punjab Home Guards personnel are receiving training from the Army for the past 10 days somewhere in this area. At least 100 volunteers of the border wing of the Home Guards are undergoing training for the protection of bridges, towers and other installations considered vulnerable during war. They are also being trained to handle weapons like LMG, SLR and SMC by the Army. Home Guards volunteers are normally equipped with the 303 rifles, which are considered outdated now. The Army has made all arrangements for the exercise as there are hardly any resources available with the Punjab Home Guards. Even the transportation is being provided by the Army to carry these volunteers. The ADGP-cum-Commandant General of the Punjab Home Guards and Civil Defence, Mr G.S. Bhullar, who visited the exercise area yesterday, was impressed with the standard of the training.
Training course for
police officers PHILLAUR, Nov 12 — A three-day specialised course on office procedure and accounts matters started at the Punjab Police Academy here yesterday. As many as 20 gazetted police officers from various districts participated in the course, which was inaugurated by Mr Chander Shekhar, Inspector-General of Police. In his inaugural address, he said police officers should acquaint them with the latest laws relating with the office procedure and accounts matters in addition to their duties of maintaining law and order. The participants had interaction with many senior police and civil officers and officers from the departments of the Accountant General (Audit) and the Treasury. The Academy Deputy Directors, Mrs Anita Punj and Mr Parveen Sinha, also addressed the participants |
Octroi on diesel
irks dealers MOGA, Nov 12 — The octroi policy and disparity of fuel prices inside and outside the municipal limits of various towns in the state have irked both the petroleum dealers and consumers alike. The fuel cost is generally high within various municipal limits, forcing the consumers to purchase diesel in bulk from outside the towns. This has hit hard the dealers having their fuel stations within the municipal limits. The difference is of 33 paise in diesel price. Dealers running their fuel stations outside some municipal limits have also been seen displaying boards indicating the price difference to attract consumers. Irate members of the Punjab Petroleum Dealers’ Association attribute it to the octroi policy imposed by the municipal councils and urged the state government to evolve some mechanism to bring uniformity in fuel prices. The association’s district general secretary, Mr Gurmeet Singh Khokhar, said despite assurances from the ruling party, a decision to check the disparity was awaited. He added that the association was pressing for the collection of octroi from the dealers from the depots. |
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Dang for panel on hospital
land AMRITSAR, Nov 12 — The controversy regarding the disposal of surplus land around Dr Vidya Sagar Government Mental Hospital here continues to dog the 2000 odd families living in the periphery of the hospital. Veteran CPI leader Mr Satya Pal Dang has alleged that a categorical assurance had been given by the Chief Minister in this regard that the status quo on the hospital would be maintained. He insisted that a panel comprising political parties and social organisations should be formed in this regard. According to information collected by TNS, after an initial survey conducted by the senior functionaries of PUDA in March three options were presented to the government which were not accepted, but instead an expert committee was constituted on the instructions of the Chief Minister for preparing a detailed report on the project for a final decision. Later, PUDA had suggested that the government should shift the present hospital to the Government Medical College complex and the whole land and building should be disposed of. The funds collected should be spent on the new complex. The second proposal was to sell off only the surplus land in the front and at the rear of the present hospital building without relocating the hospital. According to Mr Dang, the Punjab Health Systems Corporation got involved in the project which recently advertised in the leading newspapers seeking tenders for the construction of the new building. The Punjab Governor, Mr JFR Jacob, during his visit to the city last week had directed the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Narinderjit Singh, to look into the matter and not displace anybody. Mr Dang also alleged that with the connivance of a senior Akali leader, who owns some land at the back of the hospital, the government at his behest was trying to provide a connecting road.
Commissioner ignoring
MC: Mayor JALANDHAR, Nov 12 — The BJP Mayor, Mr Suresh Sehgal, has accused the Commissioner, Mr B.C. Thakur, of harassing the public while removing encroachments of government land. Mr Sehgal said he would seek an explanation from civic officials during the next meeting of the corporation House. Mr Thakur had recently stepped up the campaign against encroachments of government land in which several illegal shops, kiosks and temporary structures at several places in the city were demolished. Angered by the campaign, BJP councillors felt that the corporation should have been taken into confidence while removing illegal structures. Mr Sehgal also criticised the Commissioner for allotting such important departments as establishment, octroi, sanitation and parks to the Joint Commissioner, Mr Krishan Kumar, without consulting the MC. However, Mr Thakur refuted the allegation, saying that he was performing his duties as per the rules and regulations laid down by the state government. The Commissioner also said that he was the only authority to distribute work among his subordinate officers and he need not to consult the Mayor in this regard.
Drain breached once again JALANDHAR, Nov 12 — The Bashirpura drain was once again breached from the Church Gate end today, causing panic among residents of neighbouring localities. The contaminated water flowed in to the houses in Amrik Nagar, Upkar Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and Vivek Nagar colonies. The residents alleged that no senior official of the Municipal Corporation visited the site, but Mr Krishan Kumar, Joint Commissioner, said there had been a minor breach which was repaired by the civic authorities late in the evening. He also said a team of the Sanitation Department would clear out the water from the houses by tomorrow. |
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Govt protecting
MNCs: CITU NAWANSHAHR, Nov 12 — Prof Balwant Singh, President of the state unit of CITU, while inaugurating a conference of the coordination committee of para medical and health employees here today said the economic policies, pursued by the Centre Government under the pressure of the WTO, the IMF, and GATT since 1991, would push us towards slavery. Though the BJP, when in the opposition, had been clamouring of ‘swadeshi’ and opposing the economic policies of the then Rao government but after resuming power it had accelerated the pace of privatisation and had opened the doors for multinationals in almost all sectors. He called upon people to wage a war against these policies and press the government to reverse its policies of privatisation. He said though the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had announced that one crore more jobs would be created, but instead, the government had started imposing bans on new recruitment and moreover 25 per cent cut in the existing strength of employees was being imposed. |
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Conference on
hypertension AMRITSAR, Nov 12 — The Punjab Minister of Medical Education and Research, Mr Manoranjan Kalia, stressed the need for better management plans for the treatment of hypertension and called upon experts to find ways to tackle it at an affordable cost. Mr Kalia said this after inaugurating a national conference on hypertension here today which was organised by the Department of Cardiology, Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and Government Medical College. Experts from India and abroad participated in the conference. Dr Adarsh Kumar, head of Cardiology Department, said stress pollution, rapid industrialisation and dietary habits were responsible for hypertension. Dr M. Khalilullah, a cardiologist, spoke on the epidemiological aspects of hypertension. Dr Harbans Singh Wasir, another pioneer in the field of hypertension, dwelt upon the relation of hypertension with coronary arterary disease and diabetes. In his paper on “pregnancy and hypertension”, Dr Kumar said this disease accounted for almost one-fourths of the total maternal deaths. Dr O.P. Mahajan, Principal, Government Medical College, stressed on long-term treatment plans for the poor sections of society, including a vigorous national-level drive against smoking. Prof S.C. Manchanda, Head of cardiology department at AIIMS in New Delhi, dealt with the role of yoga and meditation in the control of
hypertension. Exclude vaids, hakims from
list: IMA PHAGWARA, Nov 12 — The Medical Action Committee-cum-legal cell of the Indian Medical Association, Punjab, today took strong exception to the November 9, letter of the state Director, Health and Family Welfare in which practitioners of ayurveda and unani system of medicines, hakims and vaids had been described as authorised persons practising allopathy. Dr Raman K. Aggarwal, cell’s state chairman, in a representation to the Director, welcomed the steps to curb quacks but urged him to exclude the aforesaid categories from allopathy since their inclusion was against a Supreme Court judgement of 1998 and in contravention to Section 12 (2) of the Medical Council of India Act, 1956. As per the apex court judgement, the practitioners of any system could practice allopathy only if their names existed on the Indian medical register under the Medical Council of India Act and on the state medical register maintained by the State Medical Council. Thus, the practitioners of ayurveda, hakims and vaids were not authorised practitioners of allopathy, he said. Copies of the representation had also been sent to the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab. The Director’s letter, addressed to all civil surgeons, ordered checking cases of unauthorised medical practice and warns of action against medical officer concerned if any unregistered medical practitioner was found practising in the MO’s jurisdiction.
30 infected with TB daily HOSHIARPUR, Nov 12 (PTI) — Every day, 30 persons are infected with tuberculosis in the state and about three lakh patients are carrying the disease in Punjab. Disclosing this here today, Minister of State Mahinder Kaur Josh said that about 73,000 persons have tested positive in sputum tests. She said a special drive would be launched from November 15 to eradicate the disease from the state. She added that 154 hospitals would be built this year at a cost of Rs 422 crore. Under a new scheme, it has been proposed to make at least one health sub-centre for every 5,000 persons, a dispensary for every 10,000 and a PHC for every 30,000. |
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Chaos at
railway station BATHINDA, Nov 12 — Chaos prevailed at the local railway station this evening following failure of power supply due to a defect in the electrical
panel. Official sources said the Railway authorities had been facing problems in permitting the movement of passengers and goods train as the signal system also stopped functioning due to power failure. Sources added that entire railway station plunged into dark and the commuters had to face many problems. The power failure was reported at about 6.15 pm. The generator also could not be put to use as electricity supplied by it was also routed through the same panel. The functioning of all the ticket windows also came to complete halt. Many passengers also missed their respective trains. However, the power supply was restored to the residential colony of railway employees within one hour. The electrical panel developed a fault after it caught fire due to unknown reasons. Mr Surma Singh, Deputy Station Superintendent, said they had no arrangements for emergency lights. He added that efforts were being made to restore the power supply. |
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Punjabi serial being shot in Patiala PATIALA,
Nov 12 — The shooting schedule of the pilot episode of a new Punjabi serial, titled ‘Apna Punjab’ by Indo-UK Films Incorporated, Bombay for Alpha Punjabi Television has been completed at Seona village, 5 km from here.
According to Mr Ashok Kumar Gupta, producer of the serial, who inaugurated the shooting by switching on the camera, said two young artistes — Ganan Shergill and Paramjit Kaur, were being introduced in the main lead to give a fresh look to the serial. Pran Sabharwal, a noted theatre and film personality, plays an important role of an affluent Punjabi farmer whose one son lives in England and the other with him in the village.
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Brick-kiln workers rendered jobless AMRITSAR, Nov 12 — Over 2.5 lakh brick-kiln workers have been rendered jobless with the imposition of cess by the Punjab Government while kiln owners are charging exhorbitant rates from consumers. The President of the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, Mr Dev Raj Sharma, in a pressnote here today blamed the Departments of Labour and the Food and Supplies for the impasse.
He said the government must intervene to save the industry and labourers. |
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Ahmadiyas to hold meeting from Nov 16 AMRITSAR, Nov 12 — The 109th annual convention of the Jamaat Ahmadiya International (JMI) will be held on November 16, 17 and 18 at Qadian in Gurdaspur district.
The speech of the head of the JMI will be telecast live from London through satellite, JMI sources said.
They claimed that about 50,000 Ahmadiya delegates from India and abroad, were expected to participate in the convention. Defaulters made
to pay loans BATHINDA, Nov 12 — Mr Harish Bansal, Manager, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Mansa, today said that management had recovered Rs 62 lakh from the loan defaulters in 12 cases in the recent past.
In a press note issued here he claimed that the bank management had achieved this distinction without using the RBI one-time settlement policy.
Panther enclosure at
Moti Bagh soon CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — The Deer Park at Moti Bagh in Patiala will soon have a panther enclosure. The foundation stone of the enclosure will be laid by the Punjab Forest Minister, Mr Surjit Kumar Jyani, on November 14 at 11 a.m.
Giving this information to Chandigarh Tribune, Dr Vinod Sharma, Chief Warden of Punjab Zoos, said competitions would be held in essay writing and painting. |
Two arrested
in land
case GURDASPUR, Nov 12 — The police today arrested Rattan Chand, Nambardar, and Mahinder Singh of Pakhowal Kothe village in connection with a land grab case on a complaint lodged by Anu Bala, alias Sarita, of Behrampur village. Babu Ram and Ravail Singh of the same village and Des Raj, Nambardar of Nadala village in the district, were also named in the complaint. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP, said Anu Bala had reported to the police that she had received the said piece of land as a heir to her mother, Darshna Devi, who had inherited it from her father. Anu Bala said her mother was married to Puran Chand of Behrampur in 1981 and she was born on July 30, 1982 at Behrampur. Her mother died on November 16, 1984. Anu Bala further said her maternal Grandfather owned 93 kanals 19 marlas of agricultural land. The share holders of the land, by inheritance, included her maternal grandmother, her two maternal uncles and her two aunts besides her mother. |
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Farmer shot FEROZEPORE, Nov 12 — A farmer was shot dead following an altercation over a land dispute at Baja Kotwal village under the Ghal Khurd police station, near here. Police sources revealed that Karnail Singh of Valtoha village was allegedly shot by Jugraj Singh near the canals. Land dispute is said to be the provocation behind the murder. Jugraj Singh allegedly fired at the farmer with his gun killing him on the spot. Although no arrest has been made so far, a case has been registered against Jugraj Singh and his father Mangal Singh at the Ghal Khurd police station, according to the DSP (Sub-division), Mr Joginder Sharma.
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Man seeks arrest of son-in-law JALANDHAR, Nov 12 — Mr Gurcharan Singh, a former tehsildar and a resident of Patiala, has alleged that the city police was not arresting his son-in-law and one of his relatives, who had allegedly forced his daughter to commit suicide. In a complaint to the Punjab Human Rights Commission, Mr Gurcharan Singh said his daughter Harpreet Kaur had been married to a local advocate, Mr Sarabjit Singh Cheema, in 1991, and her in-laws had been torturing her for not bringing adequate dowry. Harpreet committed suicide on October 15 and the police had booked five persons, including the girls in-laws and had arrested three of them, except Mr Sarabjit Singh Cheema, and Ms Ramanjit Kaur, sister-in-law of the deceased. Mr Gurcharan Singh alleged that in spite of a number of representations to senior police officers, the accused were not being arrested under the pressure of Harpreet’s in-laws. When contacted, Mr Rajpal Sandhu, DSP (City), said the police was trying its level best to nab the accused and raids were being conducted at different places for that. He assured that the accused would be arrested soon.
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Land illegally leased: DFO PATIALA, Nov 12 — Patiala Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) H.S. Grewal, whose office has been accused of having demanded a bribe for speeding the establishment of a cafe-cum-amusement park, near here, by state minister Ranjit Singh Balian and the project promoter, today while denying the allegations, said the promoter was trying to pressure his office into giving permission to set up the park on land which had been ‘’illegally’’ leased out from the Irrigation Department. In a statement here, the DFO claimed the promoter of the park, proposed to be built on the banks of the Bhakra main line canal on the Sangrur road near here, had secured an illegal lease from the Irrigation Department which was violative of the Forest Act and a recent Supreme Court ruling. He said according to the Forest Act all Irrigation Department lands had been declared as protected forests and formed part of the forest area. |
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Suicide bid by industrialist JALANDHAR, Nov 12 — An undertrial and a Nakodar based industrialist allegedly tried to commit suicide by consuming mosquito repellant in the Central Jail here early this morning. Bhupinder Singh, one of partners of D.S. Dhiman International, a toffee machine manufacturing unit at Nakodar, has been lodged in jail since May in a case of murder of one of his neighbours Balram Kapila. Mr Jagjit Singh, Jail Superintendent, was not available for comment. Police sources said Bhupinder Singh had consumed an aggarbatti-based mosquito repellant last night. Inmates came to know of it at around 8 a.m. today. He was admitted in the civil hospital where he was stated to be out of danger. A case has been registered under Section 309 of the IPC.
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Hostel cries for
repairs BATHINDA: Stinking toilets, dirty bathrooms, plaster cracking walls and roofs, loose electricity wiring, dusty rooms, damaged doors and windows — this is the sight that greets one at the boys hostel of Government Rajindra College. This college is one of the three government colleges belonging to the same category, other two being Government Barjindra College, Faridkot, and Government Mahindra College, Patiala. The condition of the hostel building is deteriorating day by day and some of the walls of the rooms have been constructed without cement. The hostelers call it a “bhoot bangla” though there are 99 rooms, the number of inmates is a few, perhaps due to the poor condition of the hostel. The inmates are not satisfied with the college management which has done nothing for the maintenance of the college hostel. The students are under constant fear of the hostel building collapsing. “We are living here only because we have to make our career”, said one of the hostelers, who hails from a village about 50 km from here. Most windows and doors of the rooms are broken and uncovered electricity connections could cause the death of students. Students have installed their own wires to get electricity. “Sometime, outsiders ‘misuse’ hostel as some of the rooms do not have doors and the boundary wall of the college is also small and anyone could jump over it easily”, said a senior student of the condition of anonymity. Mr Sukhdev Singh, one of the old students of the college who is now a teacher said that there had been no improvement in the college hostel since his college days in 1990. Even the condition of the mess is no better. The students say that the quality of food being provided to the hostelers was poor”, we will approach the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to get the food checked which is being provided by a private “thekedar”, pointed out one of the hostelers. Mr A.K. Kapoor, Principal of the college, claimed that he had initiated steps to improve the condition of the hostel building immediately after assuming office recently. He explained that it was the responsibility of the Public Works Department (PWD) to repair the hostel building, but the lack of adequate funds was the main hurdle. He added that the efforts would be made to repair the building by using the funds of the Parent-Teachers’ Association (PTA). Mr J.S. Nanda, Executive Engineer, Public Works Department on the phone admitted that the hostel building was not in a good condition and added that an estimate for repairs had been prepared after the Deputy Commissioner visited the hostel building but due to lack of funds, repairs could not be undertaken. He claimed that the government had not provided funds for maintenance since the inauguration of the hostel building. |
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Zone-B youth
festival begins AMRITSAR, Nov 12 — Information technology has become the basic need of modern education but we lack infrastructure, Dr G.S. Kalkat, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, said while inaugurating a four-day zone-B youth festival for women of the Guru Nanak Dev University (GND versity) here. Addressing participants, he congratulated them for the award of five star accreditation by the National Accreditation Assessment
Council. Earlier, he inaugurated the festival by lighting candles. Dr H.S. Soch, Vice-Chancellor, was present on the occasion. |
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