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| Monday,
December 4, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
Redefinition of ‘Sikh’
may annoy Sindhis 7 trains delayed, three
cancelled Forest staff await
weapons Robbers strike at
4 places, kill 2 Malta tragedy probe
team to visit Pak Five killed in road mishap |
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Rinwa for Khanna in Union Cabinet Shiv Sena: sack Farooq govt Govt preparing for snap poll: Cong
Lok Adalats help banks recover
loans PSEB to
accept bills through banks Engineers
to resume stir over pay today Fast over ‘failure’
to arrest doctor Ophthalmology
conference Spotlight on aspiring
dancers Ramdasia sect seeks SC status Waste treatment units to be set up Takeover by VSNL upsets employees Solar tubewells in Punjab
soon
Polo grounds
proposed Bar association elects panel
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Redefinition of ‘Sikh’
may annoy Sindhis AMRITSAR, Dec 3 — Even as the general
house of the SGPC has decided to refer the issue of making amendment
in the definition of “Sikh” to the executive committee, the move
is likely to annoy Sindhis’ who have a lot of faith in Guru Granth
Sahib. The move to amend the definition is based on the draft
notification regarding essential amendments to the Sikh Gurdwara Act,
1925, forwarded to the Government of India wherein the word “Sehajdhari”
stands omitted. The draft notification was forwarded by Justice Harbans Singh (Retd), Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara Elections, to the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, last year. However, Bibi Jagir Kaur, the then President of the SGPC, had written to the Government of India not to implement the draft notification following criticism from certain quarters. The
draft notification reads: “This was experienced by me while acting
Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara Elections, in 1978-79 and again in the
recent elections in 1996 that there were many complaints with regard
to habitual smokers and even some Muslims being included in the
electoral list by filing false declarations under the Gurdwara Act. In
order to deter such persons from filing false declarations this has
been made an offence punishable with imprisonment and fine”. “There
is complete consensus on the point that the definition of Sikh should
be the same as given in the Delhi Gurdwara Act, 1971, and hence only a
“Sikh” should have the right to vote.” Interestingly, the
draft notification had raised serious objections over SC status to
certain categories, of Sikhs. “There is general consensus that as
all candidates for election to the board (SGPC) have to be Amritdhari
(baptised), it is against the fundamental tenets of the Sikh faith to
designate one person as Scheduled Caste and another as non-Scheduled
Caste as all Amritdharis are equal under Section 44. Out of 120
constituencies, 20 are plural and in these constituencies one person
belonging to a Scheduled Caste has to be elected and the second seat
goes to a person not belonging to a Scheduled Caste.” However, the
draft notification had suggested women should be elected on merit. It
reads. “Reservation for women was introduced only a few days before
the process of election in 1966 by creating 30 more double-member
constituencies without consulting the SGPC. This reservation is not
generally favoured. There is a feeling that ticket should be allotted
to deserving women candidates. In the Delhi Act there is no
reservation either for Scheduled Caste or women.” However, the
draft notification had favoured a longer term for the President. It
had suggested that term should be extended from one year to five
years. The main argument for demanding deletion of the “Sehajdhari”
word from the voter list was that those who were ‘non-Sikhs’
succeeded themselves in being enlisted in the voters list. After taking over as President, SGPC, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi has given clear signals that the Gurdwara Act will be amended on the pattern of the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee which does not allow any Sehajdhari the right to vote. Earlier,
Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal,
had said it was the need of the hour to amend the definition of “Sikh”
on the pattern of the Delhi Gurdwara Act which was passed by
Parliament in 1971. The move to amend the definition of “Sikh”
assumes significance in the wake of the general elections of the SGPC
scheduled for next year. |
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AMRITSAR, Dec 3 — Seven trains were delayed by more than seven hours today following the collision of the Howrah-Amritsar Express with a goods train yesterday. The Dehradun Express, Shane-Punjab and Flying Mail were cancelled. The only track clear was for the Jaipur Express. Thousands of passengers booked on the Flying Mail complained that they were informed only a few minutes before the departure about the train’s cancellation even as tickets continued to be sold till the departure time of the train at 11.30 hours. A request was made to Ferozepore for a special train for Ludhiana following the cancellation as passengers lined up demanding refund for their tickets. Mr Ashok Khanna and Mr Manjit Singh Bhatia, passengers, disclosed that the Railway authorities did not cooperate in giving refund to the stranded passengers. Instead, the passengers were told to go back to the counters in the city from where the tickets were purchased and claim reimbursement. However, the Deputy Station Superintendent, Mr R.K. Mehta, attending to passengers and complaints in the absence of the Station Superintendent called up Ferozepore to arrange for a special train for the Ludhiana-bound passengers. Regarding the refund, he said, “Full refund will be given to all”. A two-day special emergency phone has been set up to answer queries regarding the accident victims. Railway guard Mast Ram who had gone on leave to attend his mother’s cremation was informed in Kangra late at night about his son Gurcharan Singh sustaining major injuries in yesterday’s accident. Gurcharan Singh is in the Border Security Force and was coming on leave to Amritsar. Meanwhile, despite numerous calls on the emergency number 225087 operational for answering queries about accident victims, the Railway authorities consistently failed to answer the phone, informed several angry people wishing to get news about their near and dear ones. FATEHGARH SAHIB, Dec 3 — A mother entangled in a mangled bogey of the ill fated Howrah Express continued to hold on to the hand of her son whom she could not see for hours before she was extricated yesterday evening. Kulwinder Kaur, who was unfortunate to be entangled in the mangled general class sleeper compartment whose passengers suffered the most as it was literally sliced in half by the parcel van of the same train which bounced and fell on it after the collision at a right angle, held on to the hand of her son for eight hours before she was extricated by relief workers. Kulwinder held on to the hand of her son for hours together despite a dead body hanging close to her shoulder from the upper berth. All this time she kept on encouraging her son to maintain his courage and assured him that he would be extricated soon. The gutsy woman, however, was unaware all along that both her brothers, who had been accompanying her from Pistora in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh, had been killed in the accident. Rescue worker Amarjit Singh said all volunteers decided not to tell her about the loss of her brothers in spite of her repeated queries about them. ‘‘We first assured her that they were safe but as her captivity in the bogey increased we had to tell her that they had been injured in the accident. However, none of the rescuers dared to break the news to her. Ironically, her brothers Tasveer Singh (24) and Shavinder Singh (40) had died close to her in the same bogey. Rescue workers said Kulwinder remained worried about the welfare of her son and would not leave his hand even though she had been injured in the accident and was also being administered glucose. Kulwinder was admitted to the APJ Hospital at Rajpura yesterday. Recalling those horrible hours she said she thought her end had come. ‘‘But, the cries of my son put back life in me and I was determined to survive’’. Meanwhile, other relatives of Kulwinder who reached the accident site today to claim the bodies of her brothers were sobbing uncontrollably Bakshish Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, both cousins of Kulwinder, said she and her family members were coming to attend at wedding at Majitha town in Amritsar district. They, however, had nothing but praise for the manner in which Kulwinder had borne with the circumstances. But Kulwinder may not see the faces of her brothers for the last time as it will be some time before she is released from the hospital. Her cousin Bakshish, however, is not worried about that as he said, ‘‘At least she will continue to hold the hand of her son which she never let go during the hours of crisis’’.
Trains restored partially
SARAI BANJARA (Punjab), Dec 3 (PTI) — Traffic on the rail track that was damaged following the mishap of Howrah-Amritsar Express with derailed wagons of a goods train yesterday, was partially restored this evening. A railway spokesman said the down track (Ludhiana to Ambala) was restored for traffic as a goods train with a caution speed of 20 km per hour passed on the track.
“After a few initial temporary runs by the goods train, the normal functioning of the track will begin,” he said.
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FEROZEPORE, Dec 3 — A defenceless forest and wildlife staff are grappling with the security threat posed by the influential encroachers and poachers in various sanctuaries and reserved forest zones in the region. Despite assurances by the Punjab Forest Ministry to provide them with weapons and vehicles for self-defence and effective patrolling, the staff are working under threat in Harike, Abohar and other reserved forest zones of Moga district. Frequent reports of intimidation and assaults on the officials pour in from these areas. The officials attribute these incidents to the inordinate delay in providing them with revolvers and guns. Promise by the Forest Minister, Mr Surjit Jayani, during a recent visit here to provide weapons to his field staff has not enthused many because such assurances are made every year. Enquiries at the Harike and Abohar wildlife sanctuaries reveal that the field officials have only been provided with wireless sets. Unlike the poachers, the staff in the two sanctuaries do not have motor bikes and jeeps or weapons for self-defence. The Divisional Forest Officer at Harike, Mr Jagdeep Singh, said that they have an added responsibility of guarding the wetland lake from fishermen. “At times, we receive threats from the tresspassers,” he said reiterating the demand for arms and more boats. Likewise, the Wildlife Inspector at Abohar, Mr Natha Singh, disclosed that his staff rely on jeeps and weapons provided by the animal loving Bishnoi community in laying trap to nab the poachers. “The government is yet to fulfil its promise of providing us a jeep,” he told. It being the winter season, the staff have to be extra vigilant to prevent poachers from targeting wild boars and birds. “The incidents of poaching rise alarmingly during winters,” Mr Natha Singh cautioned. He, however, hastened to add that they are fully prepared to meet the challenge. The inordinate delay in the provision of weapons has irked members of the Punjab Non-Gazetted Forest Officer’s Union. Their resentment stems from successive attempts on the lives of the forest officials by the timber mafia in various parts of the state. The recent assault on the lives of several forest officials in the Baghapurana area of Moga by Kirpal Singh, a “dera” leader and his supporters has fuelled the resentment. Kirpal Singh and his men allegedly axed kikkar trees from near a drain and stole the wood. A few forest officials were assaulted by his men, when they tried to prevent the theft. Three forest officials were assaulted in Dharamkot earlier in September by encroachers in a reserved area. The Union Press Secretary, Mr Mohinder Singh, had demanded that apart from providing them with weapons, special environment courts also be constituted to try the offenders more effectively. |
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ROPAR, Dec 3 — A gang of robbers suspected to be ‘Kale Kacchhewale simultaneously struck at four places in Ropar and Una (Himachal Pradesh) districts killing two persons and injuring three seriously. The robbers struck in the early hours and attacked the inmates of the house at Basdehra village in the Una district. Two members of the family, including mother and son, died on the spot. The other two have been admitted to the hospital. In Surewal village in Ropar, the robbers broke into the house of Prem Kumar and Satish Kumar. They hit Satish Kumar on his head with iron rods before looting cash and jewellery from his house. He has been admitted in a serious condition in the BBMB Canal hospital. Police sources told that about Rs 85,000 was robbed from Prem Kumar’s, house. The robbers struck another house in Malokpur village in Himachal Pradesh. Members of Satish Kumar’s family alleged that they had informed by a phone call to the police at Santoshgarh chowki which was located nearby. But the policemen asked them to inform the Punjab police because their village was not under the jurisdiction of Himachal Pradesh police. However, before they could inform the Punjab police, the robbers snapped the telephone lines, they said. |
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HOSHIARPUR, Dec 3 — A team of the Malta Boat Tragedy Probe Mission headed by Mr Balwant Singh Khera will leave for Pakistan tomorrow morning to meet eyewitnesses of the tragedy and Gen Pervez Musharraf. The other members of the team are Mr Harbhajan Singh, Mr Arjan Singh and Mr Mohinder Singh. Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Khera said the main aim of their 15-day visit was to persuade the Pakistani Government to follow up the legal proceedings being carried out by the Governments of Italy and Greece in their respective countries against the accused. As many as 290 persons were drowned in the Sicily sea area on December 25, 1996. Of them 15 were from Pakistan. The team would meet Home and Foreign Secretaries in Islamabad. It would also meet Mr Zabinullah, father of a victim, who got registered an FIR in the case in Italy and eyewitnesses Mr Shakur Ahmad, Mr Sher Khan and Mr Abdul Karim, who escaped the accident. It would also show a documentary on the tragedy to the family members of the victims, he added.
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BARNALA, Dec 3 — Five persons were killed today morning near Badbar village, 20 km from here, whereas two persons sustained injuries in a road accident. Those killed in the accident have been identified as Sukhdev Singh, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Tapa, Hardeep Singh, lecturer, Government Senior Secondary School, Pakho Kalan, Hardev Singh, teacher, Government High School, Handiaya, Baldev Singh, nambardar of the same village and the conductor of the truck. Karnail Singh, who sustained injuries was rushed to the local Civil Hospital. He was later on referred to DMC Hospital, Ludhiana. Driver of the car Jagdev Singh is undergoing treatment at the local Civil Hospital. According to reports reaching here, Sukhdev, Hardeep, Hardev and Baldev who were coming back after attending a marriage at Patiala were returning to their native places. When their car crossed Badbar village it rammed into a truck parked on the road. The conductor who was changing punctured tyre of the truck was crushed to death. |
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Rinwa for Khanna in Union Cabinet ROPAR, Dec 3 — The Punjab BJP has demanded from the Central leaders of the party that Mr Vinod Khanna, the lone BJP MP from the state, be given due representation in the Union Cabinet or the party organisation. This was stated by the President of the Punjab BJP, Mr Brij Lal Rinwa, last evening. He said the matter had already been taken up with the national President of the BJP, Mr Bangaru Laxman. Mr Rinwa was at Nangal to attend a function in the constituency of Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, held in connection with the upgradation of Government High School, Kathera. Mr Rinwa, speaking on the occasion, said the English system of education was responsible for the decay in moral values in the Indian society. Hence, the NDA government had decided to stress on value-based education in schools. On the BJP plan to expand the party base in rural areas, Mr Rinwa said meetings were being organised in rural areas and villagers being given important posts. He said the BJP would demand 35-40 seats from the SAD in the next Assembly elections. The exercise to identifying the seats that the BJP would claim in the next elections had been started. Mr Mittal, who was present on the occasion, announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the school repair. He said nine more schools in the Nangal constituency would be upgraded.
He said the 30-bed hospital in Barari village would be operational soon.
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Shiv Sena: sack Farooq govt LUDHIANA, Dec 3 (PTI) — The local unit of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) burnt the effigy of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, a Pakistan sponsored militant outfit active in Jammu and Kashmir, at Clock Tower Chowk here today. About 200 activists of the Shiv Sena led by the president of its district unit, Mr Sandip Mittal, marched in procession before burning the effigy. They were protesting against the Lashkar hand in the recent killing of Sikh truck drivers and Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Pawan Sharma and Mr Ravinder Arora, secretaries of the sena, demanded that the Farooq Abdullah government should be dismissed and martial law be clamped on the state. They said the government had failed to control the anti-India forces in that state. The leaders also called upon Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to withdraw his goodwill offer of ceasefire. |
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PHAGWARA, Dec 3 — Punjab Vidhan Sabha Opposition leader Jagjit Singh today predicted mid-term poll in the state before it was time for wheat to reach mandis. He said he had confirmed information of the poll. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had already started making preparations for it and directions were being given to MLAs and officers, he claimed. The Opposition leader said Mr Badal wanted to go in for a snap poll before the impending withdrawal of free power to farmers. Mr Badal himself headed the Cabinet subcommittee which was in favour of charging farmers for the power supplied to them, said Mr Jagjit Singh. The Congress was prepared for the poll, he said. Everybody, particularly farmers, was disillusioned with the government, he alleged. Law and order had collapsed, he said. ‘Commission culture’ was rampant, with the rate of commissions skyrocketing to 40 per cent, alleged Mr Jagjit Singh. About the Akalis’ refrain about the WTO, he claimed there were several protectionist clauses in the WTO and the Akalis could have invoked them.
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Lok Adalats help banks recover
loans ROPAR, Dec 3 — The Lok Adalats held at Anandpur Sahib yesterday helped the banks recover their outstanding loans worth Rs 29.16 lakh in 127 cases. The three banks, Punjab National Bank, UCO Bank and Indian Overseas Bank, had earlier requested the authorities to settle their cases through Lok Adalats. On the request of the banks, two Lok Adalats under the chairmanship of the Civil Judge (Senior Division) Anandpur Sahib, Mr Ravinder Singh, and the Civil Judge (Junior Division), Mr K.S. Sullar, were held yesterday to settle the cases pertaining to the unpaid loans of the banks. Bank officials were also present. Eightyfour cases came up for hearing in the court of the Additional Judge, Mr Ravinder Singh. Out of these, 64 cases were of the bank loans disputes and 19 of general nature. Fiftysix cases were settled in the court. Four cases involving two matrimonial disputes, a criminal and a land dispute were settled through mutual agreements. In the second Lok Adalat held under the chairmanship of Mr K.S. Sullar, 128 cases came up for hearing. Out of these, 71 cases were settled and an amount of Rs 4.90 lakh was recovered. |
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BATHINDA, Dec 3 — The Punjab State
Electricity Board (PSEB) authorities have decided to accept
electricity bills through banks. Official sources said a decision in this regard had been taken by the PSEB on the demand of consumers who had been facing problems in depositing their bills in time. Sources said the PSEB authorities had decided to revive the system of distribution of power bills through private parties. This decision had been taken to ensure the delivery of power bills to consumers in time. These private parties engaged for the task would be given commission for distribution of power bills. The PSEB authorities would engage adequate number of persons in rural and urban areas for the purpose. Sources said in the initial phase, the PSEB authorities had authorised branches of the State Bank of Patiala (SBOP) and the Central Cooperative Banks for accepting the bills from consumers. To meet the ever-increasing demand for power, the PSEB authorities had been making efforts to check power theft and to set up additional power units. Official sources pointed out that the PSEB authorities had been striving to set coal-based thermal plants in Bathinda and Amritsar districts in association with private parties. The authorities were also trying to set up an atomic power plant of 500 mw capacity in the state. The PSEB authorities, through the Punjab Government had been holding talks with the Himachal Pradesh and Haryana Governments to set up hydro-electric projects in the joint sector in Himachal Pradesh. In Himachal Pradesh, 13,000 mw power from hydro-electric projects was yet to be tapped. ROPAR,
Dec 3 — The PSEB Engineers Association, Guru Gobind Singh Super
Thermal Plant (GGSSTP) region, at an emergency meeting held here, has
rejected the newly announced pay scales by the board. The engineers
alleged that the assistant engineer and the senior executive engineer
had been downgraded vis-a-vis their counterparts in the general and
the accounts cadre. The board management had entered into an
agreement with the association in March, 1998, according to which the
assistant engineer was to be given parity in pay scale with the
accounts officer and similarly the Senior executive engineer was to
have scale equivalent to that of the deputy chief accounts officer and
the deputy secretary. However, the management had not honoured the
agreement, they alleged. The engineers decided to resume their
agitation from tomorrow and participate in the nation-wide strike on
December 12. The GGSSTP engineers have also been observing one-hour
rally everyday for the past one week to protest against the alleged
unprincipled transfer policy of the board.
SANGRUR, Dec 3(PTI) — The SAD (Duggan circle) and a local Social and Cultural Organisation Tarinjan Club President, Bibi Surinder Kaur Duggan declared here today that she would go on fast unto death from tomorrow in support of their demand for the arrest of Dr Pratibha Bansal, a gynaecologist of the Civil Hospital. She said five women would accompany her to the Civil Hospital to observe a chain fast every day to mobilise the public opinion for the arrest of the gynaecologist against whom an FIR was registered in Sangrur police station on November 22, under Section 304-A (Causing Death by Rash or Negligent
Act) of the IPC. The FIR was lodged due to the alleged negligence on the part of the gynaecological which led to the death of Sukhwinder Kaur and her new-born baby. Jagdish Kaur mother-in-law Sukhwinder Kaur alleged on November 24 that the child was alive after birth and said the stool soaked cloth was in their
possession. She spread shock waves by disclosing that the doctors in the Civil Hospital even refused to conduct the post-mortem of the new born child and they had to go to Rajindra Hospital Patiala, for the post-mortem. |
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Ophthalmology
conference PATIALA, Dec 3 — The 4th annual conference of the Punjab Ophthalmological Society, held under the aegis of the Patiala Academy of Ophthalmology, concluded at the Punjabi University here today. More than 250 delegates from all over the country attended the two-day conference. Discussion was held on ‘Ocular Trauma’ which is an important cause of visual loss among the youth in developing and developed countries. The main speakers who took part in the symposium were: Dr M.S. Boparai from Delhi, Dr Daljit Singh from Amritsar and Dr M.R. Dogra of the PGI, Chandigarh. The need for utilising advanced treatment options was stressed and it was emphasised that the early recognition and management of complications arising out of eye injuries was important to prevent irreversible damage to eye sight of the patient. Retired Air Marshal Dr M.S. Boparai was honoured with Dr Daljit Singh award by the Patiala Ophthalmological society for dedicating his life to ophthalmology. Dr P.S. Sandhu, Professor and Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Faridkot, was elected president of the Punjab Ophthalmological Society for the academic year 2000-2001.
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BATHINDA: A competition, “Boogie-Boogie,” was organised here by the Apna NGR cable network for the promotion of dance in the city, Mansa, Sangrur and other areas. As many as 127 young dancers took part in it. Babloo, spokesperson for the channel, said a competition of this kind had been held here for the first time and arrangements were made to telecast the show live. The aim of the competition was not to earn a profit but to encourage aspiring dancers. “That is why we organised this contest on a no-profit-no-loss basis”, he added. The competition was inaugurated by Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Minister of Science and Technology, Punjab. The minister said such competitions helped aspiring dancers gain recognition. The competition was divided into category A (5 to 10 years), category B (10 to 15 years), category C (15 years and above) and the group dance. The panel of judges comprised Tony Batish, theatre actor, Ms Paramjit Devta of the Devta Yaadgari Manch and Shaminder Bicky, TV artiste. Mr Kamaljeet Mehta, patron, Apna NGR channel, and Mr Baljit Singh, Managing Director, Bathinda Central Cooperative Bank, gave away the prizes. The performance of Harpreet Sonu, who was one of the youngest dancers, was highly appreciated by the audience. Sanjeev Kumar and party won the first prize in the group dance category. The performance of Sumit Gupta of Jammu also drew applause. Those placed first in the competition included Harpreet Sonu (category A), Priya Sahota (category B) and Jatinder Sharma (category C). They were given mementos and trophies by representatives of the channel. PHAGWARA, Dec 3 — A state-level meeting of Ramdasia Sikhs held here yesterday with Jathedar Kundan Singh in the chair demanded SC status for the “Ramdasia” sect and deletion of the word “Ramdasi” through an Act. An 11-member committee was constituted for pursuing the matter with the Centre, according to a press note by Jatinder Singh Khalsa, spokesman of the community. He maintained that the recent ruling by the Punjab and Haryana High Court that “Ramdasia” Sikhs were not SCs had hurt the feelings of the community. Representatives of the sect had held a meeting in the wake of the November 23 ruling of Justice Amar Dutt setting aside the election of Chamkaur Sahib MLA and Minister, Printing and Stationery. |
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FARIDKOT, Dec 3 — The Punjab Government has decided to set up waste treatment units in Jalandhar, Bathinda, Rajpura and Pathankot to produce fertilisers by collecting garbage and other wastes from different stations in the state. The first unit would start functioning in Jalandhar within three months, said Mr J.B. Goel, Director, Local Bodies, at a press conference here yesterday. It has also been decided to collect outstanding dues amounting to Rs 40 crore from municipal councils. Mr Goel said the municipal councils would earn Rs 550 crore through the auction of octroi posts during the current financial year. He said a special code of conduct had been formulated for the contractors of the octrois to avoid any harassment to the people during the collection of octroi from them. If any contractor was found guilty of violating the code, he would be fined Rs 50,000, and his contract cancelled, Mr Goel added. He said district-level committees had been constituted to finalise the proposals regarding the sale of the council property in the towns. Mr H.L. Kumar and Mr Pirthi Lal, Deputy Directors, Local Bodies, Ferozepore and Bathinda, respectively, and Mr Mohinderjeet Singh Ojla, Chief Town Planner, Punjab, were also present on the occasion. Later, presiding over a meeting of officials of the municipal councils of the Faridkot and Bathinda regions, he stressed the need to take all necessary steps to remove encroachments in their respective areas. He also asked them to utilise more than 60 per cent of their annual budget for development purposes. Mr Goel, accompanied by Mr A. Venu Prasad, Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot, laid the foundation stone of a road linking the Circular road to the Faridkot-Sadiq road. Takeover by VSNL upsets employees GURDASPUR, Dec 3 — As many as 11 employees of the local telephone exchange are a harassed lot due to the closure of the telephone exchange takeover by Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL). All these employees feel uprooted as they now have been posted in Pathankot. Mr Narinder Singh, secretary of the Telephone Operators Union, yesterday said the closure of the exchange would adversely affect the functioning of the district administration. Since government officials had not been provided with the STD facility in their offices, these officers had to book calls at the local telephone exchange. Now they would be unable to make calls outside Gurdaspur. He said 23 mini telephone exchanges operating in rural areas in the district had also been rendered redundant due to the closure of the exchange. These exchanges routed their calls through the telephone exchange here. |
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Solar tubewells in Punjab
soon SANGRUR, Dec 3 — As many as 500 solar tubewells will be installed in Punjab in the next six months work for which has already been allotted to Central Electric Limited and Tata. Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Science and Technology Minister, Punjab, said in the first phase solar tubewells would be installed in 17 blocks of Mansa, Sangrur, Bathinda, Amritsar, Muktsar and Gurdaspur districts. Applications from farmers of these blocks had already been procured to
install solar tubewells at their farms. Mr Garg said the government had got conducted a water survey to determine whether water was fit for irrigating land in these 17 blocks. He said a farmer should have at least five acres to have a solar tubewell and the water-table in his land should not be more than 30 feet deep. The Science and Technology Minister said the companies had been given a stipulated period to
install the tubewells. If any company did not accomplish the job in that period, it would have to bear the additional costs. Mr Garg said the project had been allocated to Punjab for the first time by the Union Government. The cost of each solar tubewell was Rs 4.96 lakh, of which the farmer had to pay only Rs 35,000 and the state government would contribute Rs 60,000. The remaining amount would be provided by the Central Government in the shape of subsidy. The minister said a waste material-based plant would be set up in Bathinda to produce cooking gas and fertilisers in the near future. He said the setting up of this plant had already been decided while its modalities were yet to be finalised.
PHAGWARA, Dec 3 — The Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister, Chaudhary Swarna Ram, today disclosed that there was a proposal to develop polo grounds in the Kandi area. Talking to reporters here, the minister declared that fast food joints would come up on the Chandigarh-Ropar-Phagwara, Chandigarh-Nangal and Chandigarh-Ambala roads after their four-laning. To attract foreign tourists, a modern Rs 67.50 lakh complex with water sports and boating facilities was coming up at Harike, he informed. A three-star hotel would soon start functioning at Anandpur Sahib for boosting pilgrim tourism. Bar association elects panel SANGRUR, Dec 3 — The Sangrur District Bar Association has adopted a resolution not to hold its annual election scheduled to be held on December 20 next. It also elected a five-member committee to run the affairs of the association till December 20, 2001. The names of the elected members are Mr Harjit Singh Jeji, Mr Gian Inder Garg, Mr Kiranjit Singh Sekhon, Mr Gurpreet Singh Nandpuri and Mr Baljit Sharma, all advocates. The resolutions were passed at the meeting of the association held under the presidentship of Mr Rattan Singh Mehal here on Friday. Mr N.K. Rai has been made an adviser and special invitee to give suggestions and advice in all meetings of the newly elected committee. Another resolution passed by the association stated that the committee would elect its own president as and when required. The committee has also been authorised to finalise the list of members of the association. It was also decided that the next election would be held on December 20, 2001, by the committee. The association also decided that its present office-bearers would stand superseded by the newly elected committee from December 1 and they would hand over the charge to the committee within a week. |
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Kirpal Singh heads Chief Khalsa Diwan AMRITSAR, Dec 3 — Mr Kirpal Singh, former Member Parliament and senior Akali leader, has been re-elected president of the Chief Khalsa Diwan for two years.
The name of Mr Kirpal Singh was proposed by Mr Mohinder Singh Dhillon, Principal, Khalsa College and was endorsed by Mr Mohinder Singh and Mr Ajit Singh.
BATALA, Dec 3 — Mr Taranjit Singh, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Gurdaspur, said today that the serve liquor at weddings and other functions, marriage palace owners would have to obtain a licence from the Punjab Government for 2000-2001 under the Excise Act.
He said the licence fee would be Rs 1,000 for 24 hours. Mr Taranjit Singh said marriage palace owners who failed to get the licence would be fined or arrested.
Cultural council planned NAWANSHAHR, Dec 3 — Chaudhary Swarna Ram, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister, presided over the Sabhayacharak Mela organised in the memory of Baba Ram Chand by the Baba Ram Chand Samaj Bhalai Manch at Mukandpur village, about 20 km from here, on Saturday.
He said the state government would constitute a cultural council in which representatives of all districts would be included. The main aim of the council would be to preserve and promote the Punjabi culture. He also announced a grant of Rs 31,000 for the manch. Mr Mohan Lal, MLA Banga, Mr Harindar Singh Beesla, Mr Mohinder Singh Dosanjh and Prof B.S. Balli also spoke on the occasion. Lok Adalat settles 310 cases AMRITSAR, Dec 3 — A Lok Adalat was organised by the Legal Services Authority, Amritsar, under the supervision of Mr V.B. Handa, District and Sessions Judge, Amritsar. Fifteen Benches were constituted to dispose of civil, matrimonial, rent, motor accident claims, criminal cases and other disputes, through compromise.
A total of 439 cases were taken up, out of which as many as 310 cases were disposed of through compromise.
MOGA, Dec 3 (PTI) — Veteran freedom fighter and Communist leader Pritam Singh died at his native village Daudhar after a brief illness yesterday, his family said here today.
He was 80 and a bachelor. Pritam Singh had taken part in various freedom and kisan movements launched by the Communist Party of India.
He spent more than eight years in various jails. Hundreds of people attended his funeral today. He was cremated with full state honour.
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