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News analysis Badal has killed two birds with one stone Ex-detractor is chosen one! Silence in Begowal, Kamaljit scared Will Giani Puran Singh
be reinstated? Rise and fall of Bibi Jagir Kaur Govt claim on paddy payments refuted |
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Labourers to move PHRC Suicides by AIDS patients on rise
Politicians fight over villagers’ demand MC chief’s poll put off amid unruly scenes
Nabha’s key road in bad shape
Minister: no move to trifurcate PSEB
PSEB to revise tariff schedule Harike Pattan to have amusement park Tax-payers honoured PUDA employees manhandled Forum holds Videocon dealer guilty Widows’ long wait
for pension Students unhappy with roadways crew Pensioners’ records being streamlined Morcha hails Pak offer on gurdwaras Check damage to
Punjabiat: AISSF 30 buffaloes
die in fire Shankar perfecting rope trick 3 killed as truck, tractor collide Bank retirees not paid dues
Fancy for cars
lands student in lock-up
Elementary education
plan prepared Computer education in govt schools soon 
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News analysis CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 — After remaining in the political wilderness for about two decades, the veteran Akali leader, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, is back on the Akali religio-politico centrestage. By sheer hard-work behind the scenes, Mr Talwandi today secured the presidentship of the SGPC. He floated his own name for this post at a function held in Punjab Raj Bhavan on November 4 when Mr Amarjit Singh Chawla took the oath as a member of the Punjab Public Service Commission. Mr Talwandi was frank enough to tell The Tribune on that day that he was very much willing to be the President of the SGPC and Mr Badal should recognise his political contribution over the past several decades. Without making any direct comment against Bibi Jagir
Kaur, ousted President of the SGPC, Mr Talwandi had made it clear that it was the right time to remove her from office. Mr Talwandi pursued his agenda to be in the SGPC saddle and missed no opportunity to knock at the door of Mr Badal for achieving his goal. At the last meeting of the Political Affairs Committee held on November 21 at Mr Badal’s residence, Mr Talwandi got up with folded hands to request all present to accept his plea on the SGPC post. This step at the PAC meeting made him a very serious contender for the post, putting Mr Badal in a dilemma. Mr Badal has taken a calculated political risk by making Mr Talwandi President. At this stage Mr Badal was not in a position to annoy Mr Talwandi as other senior Akali leaders, including Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Mr Kuldeep Singh Wadala and Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, are against him. If Mr Badal had not selected Mr Talwandi, there were chances of Mr Talwandi turning against Mr Badal. Moreover, Mr Badal has saved the SGPC and the SAD from a further split by doing so. It was clear to Mr Badal that the party’s rank and file, besides senior leaders, desperately wanted to replace Bibi Jagir Kaur. Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Capt Kanwaljit Singh had made their views public on this issue. There were several other leaders who were upset over Bibi Jagir Kaur’s continuation as President of the SGPC. So, the SAD chief was left with no alternative but to make Bibi Jagir Kaur go to keep the SGPC and the SAD united. What clinched the issue in favour of Mr
Talwandi, according to Akali sources, is that other senior Akali leaders, including Mr
Tohra, Mr Mann and Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, were backing him as candidate for the post. Even the Ranjit Singh Brahmpura group, which earlier wanted Mr Balbir Singh Pannu as President, had extended its support to Mr Talwandi when it came to know that Mr Badal would not agree to the name of Mr
Pannu. That is why Mr Talwandi was elected by voice vote and no faction opposed his name. Though as the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the SAD, Mr Talwandi had stood with Mr Badal during his (Mr Badal) fight against Mr Tohra, Mr Ravi Inder Singh and others, Mr Talwandi is a politician with an “independent and unpredictable nature”. He cannot be and will not be Mr Badal’s rubber stamp. If his track record is any indication, he is very outspoken and uses the harshest possible language to attack his opponents. In Mr Talwandi, Mr Badal has got a person to be his (Mr Badal) shield against the political onslaught of leaders like Mr Tohra. Mr Badal has also got a chance to tell all that he has not chosen a loyalist like Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar for the SGPC post. If he had put some identified loyalist in the SGPC saddle, he certainly would have been made a target for keeping both the SGPC and the SAD under his thumb. However, it will not be possible for Mr Talwandi to defy Mr Badal on important political and religious issues. |
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Badal has killed two birds with one stone AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — With the appointment of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi as SGPC chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal has killed two birds with one stone. First, he has silenced his detractors that he
(Mr Badal) had not bothered about senior party leaders. Secondly, he has given due representation to the Talwandi group. Earlier, Mr Badal had pleased the Barnala group with the appointment of Mr Surjit Singh Barnala as Governor of the newly created Uttaranchal state. Mr Talwandi was born on February 15, 1929. He belongs to the family of traditional Akalis of Raikot (Ludhiana district), who went to jail many a times for the Sikh
Panth. Apart from being President of the Akali Dal in 1977, he had a stint as a Minister of State, Department of Animal Husbandry, in 1969. He went to jail in connection with the Punjabi Suba Morcha in 1955 and 1960. He was elected leader of the Akali assembly party after the 1967 general election. He had started his political career as a panchayat member and sarpanch of a village. Mr Talwandi studied up to matriculation. He also remained a Member of Parliament. After his removal as President of the Shiromani Akali Dal in the late seventies, he remained in political wilderness for more than two decades. Though he had formed his own Akali faction, he joined the Badal Akali Dal at a later stage. |
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Ex-detractor is chosen one! AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — Interestingly, on November 17, 1979, then president of the Akali Dal Jagdev Singh Talwandi had commented on the then Badal Government, ‘‘Political corruption had reached a new high. The ministerial faction had tried to influence the Panj Piaras (five beloved ones) to get the decision of declaring him tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct). Amid slogans of ‘‘bole so nihal’’, Talwandi had announced at Moga that ‘‘horse trading among politicians was an accepted norm, but the harm done to the Akali Dal by the faction led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal was inexcusable. The Panth has been made a laughing stock by those who had selfish interest and wanted to obtain personal benefits. By aligning with the Janata Party the
ministerialists were not serving the community’’. |
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Talwandi’s
election hailed CHANDIGARH, Nov 30 — Senior ministers, including Capt Kanwaljit Singh and Mr Natha Singh Dalam, and a former Administrative member of the PSEB, Mr Surinder Pal Singh Mann, in separate statements today hailed the election of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi as President of the SGPC. They said Mr Talwandi was a seasoned Akali leader and would play an effective role in further improving the functioning of the religious body and uphold its values and traditions. Mr
Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister of Haryana, congratulated Mr
Talwandi on his being chosen the President. |
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Silence in Begowal, Kamaljit scared JALANDHAR, Nov 30 — An eerie silence prevailed in Begowal, the ancestral village of Bibi Jagir Kaur, following her failure to be the SGPC chief for the third time and the election of her successor, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi. Bibi’s supporters who had gone to Amritsar to boost her morale in the morning with enthusiasm returned to Begowal visibly upset. Having got the news of replacement of Bibi, a number of her supporters even did not boarded the same bus from Amritsar to reach home and preferred to come back by boarding different buses. Though the news regarding the Bibi’s replacement had started doing rounds of the village much before the arrival of Bibi’s supporters thanks to media seemingly there was no reaction in the village, except for the curiosity of residents, who kept themselves glued to the TV or radio for most of the time to know Bibi’s fate. “Earlier, having seen the confident postures of Bibi and Mr Badal, we were sure that she was going to be the SGPC President for once again. But we are surprised at the development,” said a resident. On the other hand, the family of Kamaljit, the alleged husband of Bibi’s deceased daughter Harpreet, was apprehensive of “something bad” in view of the development, though they did not pinpoint anything in particular. |
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Will Giani Puran Singh
be reinstated? AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — After the appointment of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, chances of reinstating Giani Puran Singh as the priest of Golden Temple has become brighter. Before sacking of Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar, Mr Talwandi had played a vital role in ironing out differences with Bibi Jagir
Kaur. Baba Mangal Singh, acting president, Sant Samaj, who is a strong critic of Bibi Jagir
Kaur, hoped that Giani Puran Singh would be reinstated as priest. He said the action against Giani Puran Singh was part of the vindictive attitude of Bibi Jagir
Kaur. Mr Harminder Singh Gill, president, AISSF, Mr Jasbir Singh Ghuman, general secretary, SHSAD, also hailed the removal of Bibi Jagir
Kaur. Mr Manjit Singh Bhoma, president, AISSF (Bhoma), Akhand Kirtani Jatha chief Bhai Baldev Singh and Mr Karnail Singh president, AISSF (Pirmohammad), also congratulated Mr Parkash Singh Badal on the selection of Mr
Talwandi. |
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Rise and fall of Bibi Jagir Kaur AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — Bibi Jagir Kaur who was appointed amid fanfare in March 1999 as the first-ever woman SGPC chief was removed from the post unceremoniously after one and half years. Bibi Jagir Kaur started as a mathematics teacher. To humble his detractors, Mr Badal gave her SGPC and Assembly tickets from Kapurthala district. She won the elections with a comfortable margin and got a ministerial berth. On November 10, 1999, Bibi Jagir Kaur was re-elected as President Shiromani committee with a margin of 79 votes by defeating her rival Mr Surjit Singh Cheema, an SGPC member of the SHSAD. However, ever since her appointment as President
(SGPC), she was embroiled in one controversy or the other. Bibi Jagir Kaur was the first SGPC President against whom a criminal case was registered by the CBI. She was the first SGPC chief who was “excommunicated” from the Sikh Panth by a controversial Hukmnama issued by the then Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Puran Singh, which she never accepted. She was responsible for the unsavoury controversy over the implementation of the Nanakshahi calendar which virtually divided the Sikh community. She took the decision of boycotting the jathas to Pakistan in protest against the formation of the Paksitan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. A number of cases were still pending against her in the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission. She recruited “surplus staff” in the SGPC and the Gurdwara commission stopped the salaries of about 270 such employees. Another case was filed against her in the judicial commission for drawing Rs 10 lakh from the accounts of the Golden Temple for attending a world religion conference in South Africa. She was also accused of excessive telephone and mobile billing. Charges of excess petrol expenses were also levelled against her. The ruling party member, Mr Puran Singh Josh, had also levelled charges of “disappearance” of valuable stones/jewellery from the store house of the Golden Temple. |
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Govt claim on paddy payments refuted ROPAR, Nov 30 — Despite the government claim that immediate payments were made for the purchase in the state, local farmers are still awaiting payments. As per the data available here, the procurement agencies owe about Rs 8.9 crore to the farmers in the district even after one month of the completion of the procurement process. Of the total paddy procured in the district, the Food and Civil Supplies Department procured 22,609 metric tonnes, Markfed procured 31,498 metric tonnes, PUNSUP 43,996 metric tonnes, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 26,387 tonnes and the FCI 23,000 metric tonnes during the season. Only the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Punjab, has made the full payment of Rs 12.99 crore for the paddy procured in the district. All other agencies still have to pay Rs 8.9 crore for the paddy procured. Markfed owes the maximum of Rs 3.93 crore to the farmers, while other agencies like PUNSUP owes Rs 1.75 crore, the Punjab Warehousing Corporation Rs 75 lakh and the FCI Rs 2.47 crore. The affected farmers allege that they are not being payed their dues by these agencies despite the fact that they had submitted the bills in time. The District Food and Civil Supplies Controller when contacted admitted that the funds from the said agencies had not yet arrived. He, however, said the funds might have been delayed due to improper bills submitted by certain farmers. |
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Labourers to move PHRC JALANDHAR, Nov 30 — They worked day and night for years to pay their meagre loans. As if that was not enough they were driven out of their ancestral villages by landlords who expected them to work for them and pay back the loans alongwith a monthly rent at the rate of an unheard five per cent. This is the sordid tale of a large number of farm labourers working in southern districts of Punjab and adjoining Haryana, who are treated badly by the landlords, who don’t even spare their children and force them to come and work in place of their ailing fathers. After years of hard labour by them and their families, they get a rude shock when they are told that they still owed large amounts to the landlords. Fed up with the treatment meted out to him, Madan Singh of Khara Vehra locality of Nangal Kalan village in Mansa district, and others like him have decided to seek help from the Punjab Human Rights Commission (PHRC) with support from a Phillaur-based NGO. Madan Singh’s fault was that his son-in-law, who had fallen ill, had taken a loan of Rs 10,000 from a landlord of Ghurangana village in Mansa three years ago. The interest was worked out at 5 per cent. As his son-in-law could not work, Madan Singh was summoned by the landlord and made to work for over a year and was later told that he still owed Rs 10,000 as balance. “Not me alone, but my daughter had been working for the landlord’s family. Moreover, the landlord has taken away our buffalo,” he alleged. When his son-in-law joined work in April, he was reportedly made to drive a tractor continuously for two days. When he complained of back-ache, he was let-off by the landlord only after he agreed to give his thumb impression on a plain paper in the presence of the sarpanch. Fortyfive-year-old Bhola Singh of Mahmad Ka village in Fatehabad had taken a loan of Rs 5,000 from a landlord five years ago. He worked along with his wife, daughter and two sons aged 10 and eight for the landlord’s family only to be told two months back that if he wanted freedom, he had to pay the balance amount of Rs 30,000 in place of the original loan of Rs 5,000. The story of Karambir of Kathwar village, near Cheeka in Haryana, is not different. He had taken advance of Rs 20,000 from a landlord in 1995. According to him, the landlord has been demanding Rs 40,000 from him, even though he and his family had worked for the landlord for over five years. “I had taken the loan for the treatment of my wife who passed away in April. My six children also died. I had left my village due to fear of the landlords who chase me in their jeep whenever I go to my village. They have even threatened to kill me,” he alleged, adding that he could not go to the police for fear of the influential landlords. Ms Poonam, an office-bearer of the NGO, said such cases were increasing in southern Punjab. However, the victims had started coming forward with their complaints. |
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Suicides by AIDS patients on rise BATHINDA, Nov 30 — The tendency to commit suicide among the AIDS patients has been going up unprecedently high. There was 209 per cent increase in a number of suicides committed by AIDS/STD patients in 1998 as compared to the previous year 1997. In 1998, 544 AIDS/STD patients ended their lives in unnatural manner while the number of such persons was 176 in 1997. In 1996, 161 persons who were suffering from AIDS/STD committed suicide. Ms Raj Gupta, Chairperson, District AIDS Control Organisation, said the main reason for the rise in suicidal tendencies among the AIDS/STD victims was that they always felt isolated because of the social stigma. She said the Central Government should open counsellling centres all over the country so that the high rate of suicides among the AIDS/STD patients could be arrested. HOSHIARPUR: A function was organised by the District Health Department to celebrate World AIDS Day at the local ITI on Thursday. Ms Mohinder Kaur Josh, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, said there were 16,002 AIDS patients in India in 1992 which had increased to 85,008 in March 1999. AMRITSAR: On the occasion of the World AIDS Day on Friday a seminar was organised at Bhatia Neuropsychiatric Hospital on Thursday. The topic of the discussion was “Men make a difference”. Some participants were AIDS patients themselves. |
Politicians fight over villagers’ demand TARN TARAN, Nov 30 — The demand to attach 13 villages of the area with Sarhali police station instead of Harike has led to a tug-of-war between two politicians. The villages include Karmuwala, Dhun, Chamba, Kambo, Kirian, Marhana, Nathupur, Jaunake, Gandiwind, Rooriwala, Dhattal, Thatha and Dadehar Sahib. The Harike police station is under Patti subdivision whereas the Sarhali police station is the part of Tarn Taran subdivision. Residents are of the opinion that they should be attached with Tarn Taran subdivision as Patti was not easily accessible. The people brought the matter to the notice of Mr Ranjit Singh Brahampura, Minister for Cooperatives, Punjab. Due to the efforts of the minister, the Punjab Government issued a notification accepting villagers’ demand in September. For a month or so no issue was raised regarding lodging of an FIR for a criminal case with the Sarhali police station but a dispute has surfaced now. A few days ago, Mr Brahampura alleged that an IPS officer had torn out the pages of the roznamcha only to appease his political rival who wanted the villages to be attached with the Harike police station. |
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MC chief’s poll put off amid unruly scenes FAZILKA, Nov 30 — The election of the president of the municipal council here, which was to be held yesterday, was postponed amid unruly scenes in the presence of Mr Surjit Kumar Jyani, MLA, here and election observer S.K. Singla, SDM. They left the municipal council office saying that the law and order situation was not conducive hence the election had been postponed. The election of the president of the council, where the BJP had a majority, was necessitated due to factionalism within the BJP. After a political drama the meeting for election was convened to elect the official nominee, Mr Mohinder Pratap Dhingra, leader of one of the factions. About three years back Mr Dhingra was elected the president of the BJP unit here. However, he had to resign following a directive from the party high command. After that Mr Bajrang Lal Gupta was unanimously elected president. However, at the time of election of Mr Gupta a compromise formula had been worked out according to which Mr Dhingra would be elected president of the council for the second half of the term. Mr Gupta unwillingly relinquished the office at the instance of the BJP high command some days back and the meeting where Mr Dhingra was to be elected the president was held yesterday. Mr Avinash Jaiswal, general secretary, BJP Punjab unit, had camped here for monitoring the smooth election of Mr Dhingra and had issued a whip to all councillors in this regard. However, Mr Gupta, Mr Dev Raj Monga and Mrs Ramesh Baghala reportedly refused to sign the directive. Instead Mr Monga announced his candidature. On the very onset of the meeting the issue of resignation of Mr Gupta was ratified by all 21 members. Soon after Mr Gupta, Mr Rakesh Dhuria and Mrs Ramesh Baghla, all BJP councillors, left the meeting. Mr Jaiswal through a press note expelled rebel BJP municipal councillor Dev Raj Monga for a period of six years for defying party whip with regard to the election of president of municipal council. Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, President, BJP, Punjab unit, when contacted on telephone said disciplinary action would be taken against all other BJP municipal councillors who had defied the party whip. |
Nabha’s key road in bad shape NABHA: The Circular Road, which is under the jurisdiction of PWD (B&R), is damaged to such an extent that it is impossible to walk on it, leave alone driving a vehicle. The road, a part of the
Patiala-Nabha road, passes through the town’s four main gates — Patiala Gate, Mehr Gate, Boran Gate and Dulladi Gate. The condition of the road starts deteriorating as one approaches from Rohti Bridge, 4 km from
Nabha. The road has two big potholes. But on reaching Patiala Gate, the road ‘‘disappears’’ and a 800-metre stretch up to the Improvement Trust Shopping Complex is turned into a deep drain. The situation is worst around the three petrol pumps. During rains the road turns into a lake and if the rain is inadequate the same stretch gets converted into marshy land. All vehicles coming from Patiala, Khanna, Gobindgarh or Chandigarh have to cross this stretch to reach the town. Patiala Gate also has a bus stop and people residing around this stretch have to cross this road to reach this stop. They have to go through lanes to reach the bus stop. A lot of accidents have occurred on this road and vehicles often break down on the way causing traffic chaos. Heavy vehicles such as LPG tankers face a risk of overturning. With the setting up of the Indian Oil bottling plant on the Nabha-Sangrur road, hundreds of LPG tankers pass through this road daily. People fear that once a tanker overturns it would spell catastrophe for the whole town as four petrol pumps lie within 200 metres of the plant. Moreover, the Municipal Council does not have any fire brigade. The town has to depend on Patiala, Sangrur,
Gobindgarh, Khanna for this facility and all these towns are half an hour’s drive from
Nabha. The condition of the Circular Road beyond Patiala Gate is pathetic especially near Bir Niwas, Bharat Palace, Paul Nursing Home, PWD rest house, Milan Palace and Boran Gate. These places turn into a pond when rain water flows from shops and residences around this road. There are no nullahs to drain water from the Circular Road. Beyond Dulladi Gate, the road becomes ‘‘kutcha’’ with the movement of trucks and
tractor-trollies as the grain market is situated on this stretch. Farmers have to face tough time. Besides, the Circular Road is of uneven level. Town residents have brought these problems to the notice of PWD officials. As no action had been taken, they held several demonstrations and jammed traffic for several hours. The SDM gave an assurance that their problem would be looked into but nothing has happened. Shopkeepers said their business was on the verge of closure due to the plight of the road. They alleged that the funds sanctioned for the road were diverted owing to the Nawanshahr byelection and this time too the money was spent elsewhere owing to the Sunam byelection. Whenever any high official or any Sessions or High Court judge visits this town, they are taken via Radhasoami Road, thus avoiding Patiala Gate. The Radhasoami Road is used for light vehicles only. A PWD official pleading anonymity, said the sanctioned amount was never spent and the department had not received any money for the construction of this road. The department had no money to even repair this road. He suggested that as an alternative, the municipal authorities should construct drains along the Circular Road. In addition, Radhasoami Road should be widened so that heavy vehicles could run on this road which would reduce traffic at Patiala Gate by up to 60 per cent. The municipality’s Executive Officer, Mr Surjit Singh, when contacted, said that constructing drains around Circular Road was not a part of the Municipal Council’s job but their job was to keep the drains clear. The council had taken a few roads of the town under their jurisdiction from B & R and the metalling of those roads would be started in a week or so. He said the council was ready to take charge of Circular Road also. Meanwhile, the Patiala Gate Petrol Pump Owners Association, Trade Union Council and Senior Citizens’ Welfare Council demanded the immediate construction of this road so that residents could move about more freely. |
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Minister: no move
to trifurcate PSEB PATIALA, Nov 30 — Punjab Power Minister Sikander Singh Maluka today said there was no move to trifurcate the PSEB. In a statement here, the minister said it was not obligatory for the state government to do so under the Electricity Bill, 2000. He, however, said serious thought was being given to undertake reforms in the present framework and steps had been taken to carry out reforms and make the board financially viable . He said the steps included introduction of electronic meters. Besides this, all important functions of the management, including billing and energy accounting, would be computerised in a phased manner. Mr Maluka said special efforts were also being made to check power theft. The Power Minister said various profit centres had also been identified and officers concerned had been given the task to improve productivity. He said the concept of business engineering was also being introduced to improve the efficiency of the organisation . The minister said the board had been asked to reduce its administrative expenses and deploy officers on actual requirement basis. He said directions had been given to curtail staff at all levels from top to bottom. He appealed to employees of the board not to resort to the path of agitation and ensure no inconvenience is caused to people. |
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PSEB to revise tariff schedule PATIALA, Nov 30 — The Punjab State Electricity Board ( PSEB ) has decided to revise its tariff schedule for minimum monthly charges for the supply of electricity to its consumers for various categories. An official note here today said the revised minimum monthly charges would be effective from August and the excess minimum monthly charges amount would be recovered from the consumers in equal instalments in future bills issued up to March next year. The press note said the charges for August would be divided on pro-rata basis for applying the revised and pre-revised tariff schedule. |
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Harike Pattan to have amusement park PATIALA, Nov 30 — The Punjab Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister, Mr Swarna Ram said today that the government had cleared the decks for the setting up of an ultra modern amusement complex, which would focus on water games, at Harike Pattan in Ferozepore district of Punjab . Talking to TNS here after visiting the Quila Mubarak complex and the Sheesh Mahal along with the Principal Secretary, Culture Mr G S Cheema, and the Principal Secretary, Tourism, Mr Niranjan Singh , the minister said the government would encourage building of more amusement parks in the state to give boost to its tourism industry. He said currently anyone going in for an amusement park would be able to avail exemption from income tax and sales tax for a period of five years . The minister added that the Tourism Department was back on the rails now after incurring losses during a 12-year period of militancy in the state . He said the stress now was on improving the management of various tourism complexes in the state and bringing in accountability . He said due to surprise checking conducted at some places the revenue had already started picking up. Mr Swarna Ram ruled out privatising any of the tourism complexes or hotels owned by the government in the state. He said a change in the management styles had now resulted in the tourism complexes at Ropar, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Kartarpur now churning out profits. He also announced that a yatri nivas was proposed to be built in Patiala by the department . He said the department had identified a site near the railway station and the modalities for getting the land transferred for the construction of the tourist facility would start soon. He added that under a central scheme Rs 75 lakh had been earmarked for the creation of tourism facilities at Sheesh Mahal and Quila Mubarak . He said under the scheme the empty reservoir at Sheesh Mahal would be lined with concrete and filled with water. There was also a plan to introduce water sports in the reservoir. He further said besides tourism-related facilities, including the establishment of a cafetaria and toilets would be provided both at Sheesh Mahal and Quila Mubarak. The minister said he would frame a plan for the restoration of various sites in the Quila Mubarak complex . He said the department expected to have around Rs 1.50 crore available for various conservation projects this year and that the government planned to give them priority. He said among the works taken up by the government this year there was restoration work of Ram Bagh Palace in Amritsar and an old mosque in Kapurthala . He said the department was also in the process of repairing the Anglo-Sikh War Memorial in Ferozepore, besides the houses of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and Kartar Singh
Sarabha. |
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Tax-payers honoured BARNALA, Nov 30 — Mr H.S. Attri, Principal, S.D. College, and Dr Narottam Singh Sandhu, a surgeon, were among prominent personalities who received income tax honours at the “Aayakar Samman Samaroh” hosted by the local Income Tax Department at Kapil Palace Auditorium here yesterday. Mr B.S. Rattan, Additional Commissioner, Income Tax, Patiala region, honoured Mr Attri as the best income tax-payer with a certificate of honour in the salaried class category. Dr Sandhu was adjudged the best income tax-payer in the professional category. Sudarshan Lal Garg was bestowed with this honour posthumously in the traders class category. Mr Rajeev Kumar received this honour on behalf of his late father. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Mr Rattan said best tax-payer would be honoured at Mandi Gobindgarh on December 5, Sangrur on December 7, Sirhind on December 8 and Nabha on December 12.
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PUDA employees manhandled BATHINDA, Nov 30 — A criminal case registered against residents of Indira Awas Colony today on the complaint of Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) has created a controversy. The case was registered against migrant labourers, who have been residing in the colony for the past several years, on the complaint of Mr Lachman Singh Kang, junior engineer, PUDA. Mr Kang alleged that last night when he along with others was performing his official duty in the colony, about 25 persons misbehaved with him and manhandled him. He said he was taken to a house from where he was released after the intervention of the district administration. The residents of the colony, however, alleged that Mr Kang misbehaved with some women and harassed the other residents under the influence of liquor. They said when he did not stop his activities, they came out of their houses and tried to stop him. They said the police was also called and Mr Kang was handed over to them. They pointed out that after this incident Mr Kang tendered a written apology to them in which he said he would not repeat the mistake again. Mr Vivek Aggarwal, Additional Chief Administrator, PUDA, said some residents of the colony who wanted to ensure the implementation of the Punjab Government’s site and services scheme had done the mischief and manhandled PUDA employees. He said Mr Kang, Mr Bachittar Singh, clerk, and Mr Sukhdev Singh, peon, were on official duty and were identifying those residents who had been allotted 25 square yards of plots by the Punjab Government. Mr Jatinder Kumar Jain, SSP, said the police had registered a case on the recommendation of the PUDA authorities. He said a fair inquiry would be conducted into the allegations. |
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Forum holds
Videocon dealer guilty PATHANKOT, Nov 30 — The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Gurdaspur, on the complaint filed on behalf of Mr Ajay Mahajan of Sujanpur directed the local Videocon dealer to pay Rs 2,500 for poor service and mental harassment and Rs 500 as the cost of litigation and also directed the dealer to replace the compressor of the refrigerator. Mr Mahajan has alleged that he had purchased a Videocon refrigerator and a voltage stabilizer from the dealer in November, 1996. Its warranty period was five years. The refrigerator started troubling from the first month of its purchase as its compressor did not cool properly. After repeated requests, the agent of the dealer took away the compressor for replacement but it was not replaced. Mr Mahajan then filed the complaint under Section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The forum directed the dealer to replace the defective compressor and to remove all other defects in other parts of the refrigerator and make it functional. He also directed to ensure that a product with warranty could be replaced within warranty period. |
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Widows’ long wait
for pension MOGA, Nov 30 — A large number of infirm senior citizens, particularly widows, in the district have not been given their sanctioned monthly pension for the past several years. A deputation of these persons said here yesterday that they had been demanding the distribution of their pension and alleged that officials of the department concerned had to be bribed if the pension were to be cleared. The deputation said the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh
Badal, had earlier assured that the pensions would be distributed without any delay but the promise had not been fulfilled. According to reports a large number of Dalit families have not received Rs 5,000 each for the marriages of their daughters which the Chief Minister had assured before the Assembly elections. |
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Students unhappy with roadways crew PHAGWARA, Nov 30 — Students of the local Guru Nanak College are sore over bus crew refusing to pick up and drop them at their destinations. Things came to a head today when a student was roughed up by crew of roadways bus while another was treated badly by busmen. When both students reported it to their college mates, enraged students trooped out of classes and started proceeding to Banga road for blocking traffic. However, they were dissuaded by college Principal Inderjit Singh from blocking traffic and sent back to their classes. However, the Principal sent a written complaint to local SDM Pritam Singh and DSP Satinder Singh seeking intervention for resolving problem of bus pass holder students lest the issue should snowball into a law and order problem. The Principal told the administration that even though General Manager, Punjab Roadways, Nawanshahr Depot, had issued written orders for lifting and dropping the pass holder students, the crew of buses did not follow these orders. Students complained that if they were lifted at all, they were dropped at a great distance from college and they had to trudge on foot leading to missing of classes. Acting on the Principal’s complaint, both the SDM and the DSP dispatched Inspector Harbhajan
Swaroop, SHO, City Police station to college for resolving the problem. The SHO met the Principal and students concerned and assured effective steps.
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Pensioners’ records being streamlined JALANDHAR, Nov 30 — The district administration has initiated the streamlining of the computerisation of records pertaining to at least 50,000 pensioners of the district. A number of poor pensioners had been alleging that they were being harassed as they were not getting their pensions amounts for months together. Some were yet to get their last year pensions. Though, a major factor responsible for the delays has been the non-availability of funds, pensioners faced hassles at 390 branches of banks or in the Social Welfare Department office. “We have computerised records and accounts of nearly 45,000 pensioners of the district”, said Mr K. Shiva Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, adding that the process would be over by December 15. Mr Shiva Prasad said it would result in instant monitoring of records in case somebody drops in with a complaint that he or she had not got the pension. Mr Shiva Prasad said pensions up to September had been deposited in accounts of most of the pensioners. He, however, admitted that there could be some problems owing to the large number of people drawing pensions in the district. The Deputy Commissioner said he had directed all bank branches to ensure that there should be no delay on their part. |
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Morcha hails Pak offer on gurdwaras JALANDHAR, Nov 30 (PTI) — The Punjab Janata Morcha yesterday hailed the decision of the Pakistani military regime to allow Indians free passage to visit nearby gurdwaras at Kartarpur, now in Pakistan. The general secretary of the
morcha, Mr Gian Chand, in a press note issued here said the morcha was of view that the Indian Government should come forward to give a practical shape to the decision and take up the matter with the Pakistan Government on a priority basis.
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Check damage to
Punjabiat: AISSF JALANDHAR, Nov 30 — The All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF-Pir Mohammed) has criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bhartiya Janata Party combine led Punjab Government for not containing the ‘filmi culture’ which was fast damaging the “Punjabi culture” by making inroads into lives of people of the Northern region. In a resolution passed at a meeting of the breakaway group of the AISSF here yesterday, office-bearers of the organisation, including president Karnail Singh Pir Mohammed expressed deep concern over the growing influence of Western culture among people of the region, particularly Punjab, which was known as land of saints and Gurus. Mr Pir Mohammed said the Akali government, which had been claiming to be the guardian of “Punjabiat” had become a mute spectator to the whole development and was doing nothing to contain increasing vices like vulgarity, crime and drug addiction in the society, particularly in rural areas.
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30 buffaloes
die in fire TALLAN (Jalandhar), Nov 30 — Nearly 30 full grown buffaloes perished in a devastating fire which completely ravaged a make-shift “dera” of Gujjars in this village near Jalandhar this evening. There was, however, no loss of human live, for the timely arrival of neighbours and the fire-brigade officials, who did their best to put out the fire. A total of 43 animals got affected and received burn injuries, while 30 of the buffaloes, some of them pregnant, died soon after the “dera” caught fire. The dera belonged to Munna Ahmed and Ahmed. Though exact cause of fire could not be ascertained, people around and veterinary officials, and officials of the Animal Helpline (Pashu Palika) of the Punjab Police, engaged in rescue work, said fire broke after a Gujjar child, who had gone inside to see animals, lost his balance and accidentally threw the
earthen lamp in his hand on paddy straw stores in a corner. A small child sleeping inside was also rescued by the parents. |
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Shankar perfecting rope trick PHAGWARA, Nov 30 — National awardee, magician Shankar Samrat is perfecting the rope trick to present it before the US-based International Brotherhood of Magicians for claiming entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. Talking to The Tribune today on the concluding day of his 21-day programme of magic shows here, Samrat Shankar said he had been trying to master the rope trick for over a decade. “I have achieved 75 per cent success and can make a rope stand erect in air up to 450 feet but my aim is to enhance the distance to 600 feet, disclosed Shankar in an exclusive interview. Having over 15,000 shows to his credit, Samart Shankar said magic should be included in “lalit kala” and funded by the government.
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3 killed as truck, tractor collide MOGA, Nov 30 — A truck driver and two occupants of a tractor trailer were killed on the spot and four seriously injured when the truck collided head-on with the trailer on Moga bypass, 4 km from here, late last night. It is stated that the driver of the tractor could not avoid for accident due to floodlights of the truck which was coming from the opposite direction. The police rushed to the spot and recovered bodies. The injured have been admitted to hospital where their condition is stated to be serious. |
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Bank retirees not paid dues BARNALA, Nov 30 — Resentment prevails among retired officers of Sangrur Central Cooperative Bank Ltd over the non-payment of retirement benefits and leave salary even after about a year of their retirement. Mr Tejinder Singh who retired as senior accountant of the bank alleged here yesterday that Central Co-operative Bank Punjab, Chandigarh, had not given him his gratuity and leave salary to the tune of about Rs 7 lakh. Mr Sham Lal Sharma and Mr Gurdev Singh
Sidhu, who too retired as senior accountants, said the Chandigarh Co-operative Bank was delaying payment of retirement benefits due to them. |
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Jallianwala Bagh money “unutilised” AMRITSAR, Nov 30 — Dr Raj Kumar, general secretary, of the Punjab Pradesh Congress party alleged that money procured with the efforts of Mr R.L. Bhatia, Congress MP, for the maintenance and beautification of historic Jallianwala Bagh had remained unused. In a press note Dr Kumar disclosed that Rs 2.5 crore had been sanctioned by the Centre for the bagh but the money had been lying with the Deputy Commissioner since. |
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RMPs stage rally MANSA, Nov 30 — More than 500 registered medical practitioners (RMPs) of this district organised a rally today, demanding that RMPs of other states be allowed to work in Punjab. Among others, the rally was addressed by Mr Balbir Singh Bareta, and Mr Darshan Kumar, Senior Vice-President and district president, respectively, of medical practitioners’ association. |
Fancy for cars
lands student in lock-up JALANDHAR, Nov 30 — Tejinder Kumar, son of a widow working at brick-kiln in Khanora village of Hoshiarpur district has been booked for the theft of six cars. Tejinder Kumar, a class X student, would use an old key to start the car and would drive it for two-three days before abandoning it at some secluded place, only to repeat it again. He would then return to his village. Mr Gaurav Yadav , SSP, said Tejinder had stolen a Maruti car from Lajpat Nagar market on November 22 and it was found abandoned in the city. Similarly, another Maruti car was stolen by him from the same market. Two such cars were recovered from Nikku park and Ladowall road and two cars from the cantonment area. Tejinder was presented before the Ilaqa Magistrate who sent him to police lock-up. |
Elementary education
plan prepared BATHINDA, Nov 30 — The government has chalked out an ambitious plan to provide elementary education to all children in the age group of six to 14 by 2010. This was stated by Mr Jaswant Singh Dani, District Education Officer (Primary)-cum-district coordinator of the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, while speaking at a function organised here yesterday to chalk out the details of the plan. The function was attended by block primary education officers and centre head teachers of the district. Mr Dani said the task needed a missionary zeal and added that every child in the age group of six to 14 would be covered under the plan. He said Rs 91 lakh had been given to Punjab and in the first phase six districts would be covered. A grant of Rs 100 per month would be offered to each disabled child who joined the school and free dresses would be provided to every girl student under the scheme. |
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Computer education in govt schools soon ROPAR, Nov 30 — The Punjab Government has decided to start computer education in 5000 government schools in the state. To start with 30 government schools would be provided with the facility next month. Within a year the number of such schools was expected to reach at least 700. This information was given by the Secretary, Education, Punjab Mr Ravinder Singh
Sidhu. He was at Anandpur Sahib yesterday to supervise the 29th state level science exhibition, organised by the State Institute of Science Education Punjab at Government Girls Senior Secondary School. Mr Sidhu said there was no shortage of science teachers or laboratory equipment in government schools of the state. Unfortunately, there were not enough students opting for the science subjects in the rural areas of the state. There are 13,000 high or senior secondary level schools in the state. Out of these 500 schools hardly have any science student, he said. In the coming session the government would encourage students to take up science subject. The introduction of the computer courses was one such step taken in this direction. Computer education would be offered to students from sixth standard onwards at the minimum possible fee. Students belonging to the Schedule Caste categories would be given free computer education. The four-day, exhibition’s theme was “Science and technology for development”. A special exhibition for Spreading awareness regarding AIDS was organised by the Population Education Project at the function. At least 253 schools including 164 government schools, 60 private and 29 aided schools participated in the exhibition. In quiz contest Holy Heart Public School of Amritsar remained first, Government Girls Senior Secondary School Chamkaur Sahib, second and Government Senior Secondary School, Patiala third. In chart making, Nehru Garden School, Jalandhar, stood first, Public School, Mohali second and Government High School, Muktsar, third.
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