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| Tuesday, December 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India    |
25 PCS officers reshuffled All’s not well with Badal Cabinet Rajasansi airport: Ramoowalia blames CM Immolation bid
thwarted Militants in Pak ‘a divided lot’ |
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Tubectomy case Badal announces
sops Govt concealing facts on detainees: Tohra
CPI to hold meeting from Dec
15 Talwandi urged to
resolve major Sikh issues
Demographic imbalance worrisome: PHRC
chief Stay on minister’s unseating
refused Postal employees hold rally Equating Sikhs with
Hindus decried ‘Make laws on organ donation
liberal’ Fog signal posts set up VHP to decide on
temple construction Fan or fanatic?
Murder solved Dealer’s escape puts cops in
spot
‘No zero year for ETT course’ College teachers to
observe strike today Circulate seniority
list, dept told Folklore museum
for GND varsity UGC-NET roll nos.
with coordinator
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25 PCS officers reshuffled CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — The Punjab Government today ordered the reshuffle of 25 PCS officers. According to a press note issued by the government, Mrs Hargunjit Kaur, Extra Assistant Commissioner, would be the new Executive Magistrate of Roopnagar, while Mr Bikramjit Singh Shergill, Extra Assistant Commissioner would be the new Executive Magistrate of Sangrur. Mr Jiwan Kaur Garg, Executive Assistant Commissioner, would be the new Estate Officer of PUDA at Patiala, while Mr Deepak Arora, Assistant Commissioner, would be the new Executive Magistrate of Tarn Taran. Mr Bharat Bhushan, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Ludhiana, would take over as Executive Magistrate of Ludhiana. Similarly, Mr Kamal Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Bathinda, would take over as Assistant Commissioner (General), Bathinda. Mr Rahul Gupta, Extra Assistant Commissioner of Patiala, would take over as Assistant Commissioner of Patiala. Mr Harauhinder Paol Singh, Extra Assistant Commissioner of Ludhiana, would take over as Assistant Commissioner (General), Ludhiana. Similarly, Mr Randeep Singh, Extra Assistant Commissioner, would be the new Executive Magistrate, Amritsar, while Mr Rubinderjit Singh Brar, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Fatehgarh, would be the new Assistant Commissioner (Grievances) at Fatehgarh Sahib. Miss Surinder Kaur would take over as Assistant Commissioner (General) Nawanshahr, while Mr Amit Talwar would be the new Assistant Commissioner (General), Muktsar. Mr Sukhpreet Singh Sidhu would take over as Executive Magistrate, Patiala while Mr Jagjit Singh would be the new Executive Magistrate of Kapurthala. Mr Sukhinder Singh Brar would be the new
Assistant Commissioner (General), Jalandhar. Mrs Anita Darshi had been posted Assistant Commissioner, Ludhiana. Mr Amarjit Singh had been ordered to take over as Assistant Commissioner (Grievances) Kapurthala. Mr Muneesh Kaur had been transferred to the post of Executive Magistrate of Jalandhar. Mr Rishipal Singh, Mr Gurjit Singh and Mr Jaspal Singh Gill, would be new Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Amritsar, Executive Magistrate, Batala and the Executive Magistrate of Faridkot. Mr Rajesh Dhiman had been transferred as Assistant Commissioner (Grievances) at Sangrur, while Mr Paramjit Singh, Mr Harcharan Singh and Mr Rajdeep Singh Brar, had been ordered to take over as Assistant Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, as Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Hoshiarpur and Executive Magistrate, Ferozepore, in addition to Assistant Commissioner (General), Ferozepore. All’s not well with Badal Cabinet CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — Political problems and controversies continue to bedevil the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. The latest one is the bombshell dropped by a senior Minister, Raja Narinder Singh, today in the form of a reported statement against his senior Cabinet colleague, Capt Kanwaljit Singh. The statement has caused a flutter in political circles. The issue may be resolved between the two Ministers with the intervention of Mr Badal in the days to come but a lot of political damage has already been done. The statement clearly indicates that there is no cohesiveness in the Cabinet. Secondly, there is also lack of discipline in the party’s top echelons. Only a few days ago, Mr Badal was facing a crisis pertaining to the presidentship of the SGPC following the registration of the case against Bibi Jagir Kaur. Raja Narinder Singh has not only made a personal attack on Capt Kanwaljit Singh by dubbing him “arrogant”, but also found fault with the functioning of the Finance Department, branding it “non-transparent”. It is now an open secret that all is not well with Mr Badal’s Cabinet. There are differences among Ministers and Mr Badal has failed to resolve these. In fact, Raja Narinder Singh has stated that he had raised the issue pertaining to Capt Kanwaljit Singh at Cabinet meetings a number of times but Mr Badal did not act. In other words, Mr Badal preferred to keep the matter pending which ultimately burst into open today. It is not the first time that one Minister has made a statement against another. Several reports on the ongoing cold war among Cabinet Ministers and their juniors have been reported by the print media. A few weeks ago, people read a lot in the print media about the differences between Dr Upinderjit Kaur and Mr Ranjit Singh Balian, Minister of State for Urban Development and Housing. The differences between the Agriculture Minister, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, and his deputy, Mr Gulzar Singh Ranike, have been openly discussed in the Agriculture Department. When contacted, Capt Kanwaljit Singh refused to comment on the reported statement made against him by Raja Narinder Singh. He was visibly upset. “It is up to the Chief Minister to oversee the conduct of his Ministers”, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said. “I am not inclined to joining issue with Raja Narinder Singh”, he added. Quizzed about the points raised by Raja Narinder Singh, a senior official of the Finance Department said: “The revenue collected from lotteries was deposited in the Consolidated Fund of the state through the treasury. There was no scope of its misuse in any form”. The discretionary grants were given from budgeted funds and there were set rules with regard to this. Talking about the liberal allotment of funds to Sainik School, Kapurthala, the official said the school was located in a heritage building which was in a dilapidated condition. A request had come from the Union Government to save the building from collapse. Hence, the grant of Rs 50 lakh for carrying out the necessary repairs. The official further said that there was complete transparency in the Finance Department as it had to account for every single penny coming to the state treasury. Political observers say that the confrontation between Raja Narinder Singh and Capt Kanwaljit Singh has a political background. Following the removal of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra from the Shiromani Akali Dal, Capt Kanwaljit Singh has become a dominating political figure in Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib districts. Raja Narinder Singh’s hometown, Nabha, falls in Patiala district. Frequent visits by Capt Kanwaljit Singh to this district seems to have become a cause of political concern for Raja Narinder Singh. There were also differences between them over the organisational elections at the district level. |
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Rajasansi airport: Ramoowalia blames CM CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 —Piqued at slow progress on the upgradation of Rajasansi airport to the level of an international airport, Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, MP and President of the Lok Bhalai Party, has in a letter to the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, accused him of “disinterestedness and a weak approach” on the project. Mr Ramoowalia, who is also the leader of the 13-member United Parliamentary Group in the Rajya Sabha, has also blamed the Punjab Government’s “lackadaisical attitude” for very little or no progress on the project which was “initially approved, at my (Mr Ramoowalia’s) behest, by the United Front government in March, 1997.” He urged the Punjab Chief Minister “to ensure speedy action” in this regard. The way this project has so far been badly bruised and botched, let me say, might get referred to in Punjab’s history as your responsibility,” Mr Ramoowalia said in his letter, a copy of which is available to The Tribune. Mr Ramoowalia said that in reply to his question on November 20 this year, the Minister of Civil Aviation said that so far only a boundary wall and a perimeter security road had been constructed by the Airports Authority of India. The Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Ramoowalia said, specifically mentioned that “no other construction was in progress.” The Lok Bhalai Party MP said that it was ironic that since the re-sanctioning of the project, no other infrastructural construction had taken place at all. He said it was with a deep sense or urgency that he wanted to draw the attention of the Punjab Chief Minister to the utter neglect with which the Amritsar International Airport project was being handled. This had given rise to speculation among people that “such lethargic action is seemingly due to non-serious approach of the Punjab Government and also the Shiromani Akali Dal led airport by you, which, being a partner of the NDA, has never pressed Punjab issues the way other constituents of the NDA do with regard to the issues of their respective states,” wrote Mr Ramoowalia. After initial approval by the United Front government in 1997, the project was turned down by the Project Investment Board in August, 1999. “With the support of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport and Tourism, a memorandum signed by 75 MPs from all parties, save the Shiromani Akali Dal, was submitted to the Prime Minister. The Lok Bhalai Party also submitted statistics from the official records of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to show that although Rs 1078.4 crore was sanctioned for the upgradation of 26 airports elsewhere in the country, the Amritsar airport project never figured in the list and no money was earmarked for its upgradation. “During all this time you showed indifference towards this issue, but it was ultimately my stand that was proved correct when the Union Government at its specially convened Cabinet meeting on April 1 this year reapproved the Amritsar International Airport Project by downsizing it from Rs 105 cr to Rs 79.28 cr,” Mr Ramoowalia said maintaining that the project remained in limbo for three years and it might take three more years for completion. Rajasansi airport in Amritsar was originally granted the status of an international airport in 1980 when international flights to several destinations in Pakistan, Afghanistan, the then Soviet Union and England were introduced. Air-India had introduced its “Balle Balle Birmingham” flight by bringing this airport on the international aviation map. The flight used to operate on the Bombay-Delhi-Amritsar-Moscow-Birmingham sector but was discontinued in the early 80s after the problem of militancy aggravated in the state. Ariana, the Afghan airline, however, continued to operate its cargo flights on the Kabul-Amritsar sector until the late 90s. Though after the 1997 decision of the Union Government to re-confer international airport status on Raja sansi airport, Indian Airlines introduced the Amritsar-Sharjah flight from Amritsar while Air-India unsuccessfully experimented with hub and spoke services for international passengers. The hub-and-spoke services for Air-India, however, met with limited success as a similar earlier attempt had failed to enthuse international air travellers from Punjab. Some months ago, two international air carriers — Uzbekistan and Turkemenistan — introduced international flights touching Amritsar providing onward connections to various destinations in Europe and elsewhere. While international flights have been re-introduced, work on the upgradation of the facilities at the airport has been virtually a non-starter though the Punjab Government acquired additional land and made it available to the Airports Authority. |
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Immolation bid
thwarted BUDHLADA, Dec 11 — The district administration today managed to persuade Mr Beant Singh Kainth, President of the Save Budhlada Cooperative Sugar Mill Action Committee, not to immolate
himself in protest against the government’s proposal to sell it off. The district administration and police authorities which remained on tenterhooks for the past many days after the self-immolation threat by Mr Kainth succeeded in pacifying him after the assurance given to the mill workers that their problems would be solved on priority. Mr Kainth, who went underground after holding out the threat of self-immolation in protest against the closure and subsequent proposal to sell it off to private parties, today appeared at 2 p.m. at one of the gates of the sugar mill where the other workers were holding a rally. Mr Kainth was immediately overpowered by police personnel and later handed over to leaders of the union. The union leaders announced their decision of postponement of agitation following the assurance given by the district administration regarding solving their problems. Mr S.K. Sabarwal, SDM, Budhalada, also addressed the workers and urged them to withdraw their agitation as the administration would help them. The mill workers alleged the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who opposed the closure and the subsequent sale of the sugar mill to a private party when he was in the opposition was now instrumental in giving the same mill into private hands. They added that the Punjab Government did not bother about the plight of workers whose land was acquired for setting up the mill despite the fact that relay fasts and rallies were organised at various places in the past three years. They alleged the state government acquired their land at very cheap rates on the promise that they would be given permanent jobs at the mill. But now the Punjab Government had decided to sell it off without taking care of their future. Mr Kainth, who also addressed the agitators, said if the state government did nothing for the workers of the mill he would immolate himself after the expiry of that period during which the district administration had promised to solve their problems. Mrs Raji P. Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner, when contacted, said she had arranged a meeting of union leaders with the liquidator of the mill, Mr M.P. Singh, and the problems of the workers had been discussed at the meeting in detail. She added the mill workers had been given assurance that the state government would do what was necessary for their rehabilitation and many of them would be given loans for self-employment. She said applications of mill workers had been sent to the Financial Commissioner (Cooperation) and the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, for considering the same on compassionate grounds. She added that a committee comprising the ADC (D), the Employment Officer and bank managers would hold a meeting on December 16 for giving loans to mill workers. |
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Militants in Pak ‘a divided lot’ AMRITSAR: The leaders of various militant outfits, who have taken “illegal shelter in Pakistan are divided. This impression was gathered by this correspondent during the recent visit to Pakistan. Gajinder Singh, chairman of Dal Khalsa, who had already completed his 14 years sentence in a Pakistan jail for hijacking an Indian Airline plane en route from Delhi to Srinagar in 1981, while talking to TNS at Nankana Sahib, said his organisation had no ideological equation with other pro-’Khalistani’ groups who believed in violence. “Since we have been endeavouring to get ‘azadi’ (independence) through democratic means, the Dal Khalsa is diametrically opposite (from ideological point of view) to those wanting to get independence through violence”, he says. The leaders of various militant outfits have been leading an isolated life in Pakistan as the government has not declared openly that they (the militants) had taken shelter there. It depends from government to government as far as treatment, given to them is concerned. Sometimes they get VIP treatment but the next government could mete out shabby treatment. Whatever may be the case, the militants always live under the watchful eye of the intelligence agencies, especially the ISI. Talking to Gajinder Singh and other pro-’Khalistan’ leaders from other countries, it was felt that they were feeling homesick and wanted to return to their motherland. To a question, Gajinder Singh said he was planning to go to India at an “appropriate” time. His colleague, Satnam Singh of Paonta Sahib, who had also undergone 14 years’ sentence, had entered India on August 8, 1999, through Nepal by hoodwinking the Indian intelligence and security agencies. Replying to another question, Gajinder Singh said the Dal Khalsa would contest the forthcoming SGPC elections, scheduled for next year. A leaflet, distributed on behalf of Gajinder Singh, read: “Since the situation in Punjab has drastically altered, the Dal Khalsa has revised its policy programmes such as agreeing to opt for political struggle to
fulfill the religio-political aspirations of Sikhs, taking the initiative to launch an awareness campaign among the Sikh masses and developing its relationship with like-minded Sikh political groups based on an equal footing.” When asked about the killing of innocents and bloodshed in Punjab, Gajinder Singh stated that though Dal Khalsa was not responsible for such acts, “yet, to be fair, we are ready to share the blame of the past and own responsibility”. Interestingly, Gajinder Singh said he could not admit that he was taking shelter in Pakistan though it was an ‘open secret’. His message, published by a Pakistan daily, reported that it was faxed from Germany. It is pertinent to mention here that Gajinder made his debut as a revolutionary poet in 1973 with a collection of poems entitled “Panj Tir Hor” followed by ‘Vasihatnama’ and “Gangu di Ruh”. During his 14-year jail term in Pakistan, he penned “Suraj Ate Khalistan” while his autographical book is under print. He had joined politics as a student under the guidance of ex-ICS officer Kapur Singh, who authored the original Anandpur Sahib resolution. |
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Tubectomy case SANGRUR, Dec 11—Two women who were operated upon on December 4 for tubectomy at a family planning camp in the mini primary health centre (PHC) at Khanauri in this district developed some complications and a surgeon at the Civil Hospital here this morning recommended to the higher authorities that both these women should be referred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. The patients are Kapoori of Andana village and Bimla of Gulzarpura village of Moonak subdivision in this district. These women were operated upon along with nine other women and were brought here from their respective villages by the district health authorities on December 8 as a precautionary measure. Out of total 11 women operated at the camp two died on December 5 and December 6 while six women were admitted to the local Civil Hospital on December 7 in a serious condition. Three women were admitted on December 8 here. Despite the recommendation of the surgeon, the two women patients had not been shifted to Rajindra Hospital till this afternoon. They could not be shifted as the senior officers had different opinions and were allegedly not interested in shifting the patients. Meanwhile, late this afternoon the surgeon also recommended to shift the third patient, Tejo of Banarsi village, to Rajindra Hospital. Five women were today under treatment at the local Civil Hospital while four women were being treated at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Inquiries are being held by the district administration, the PGMSA and the fact-finding committee, formed by the Civil Surgeon, Sangrur. Mr Navtej Singh, SDM, Moonak, is holding an inquiry, ordered by the district administration whose report is still awaited while the PGMSA’s fact-finding committee comprising Dr Darshan Pal, Dr Ravinder Kaur Klair and Dr Sanjiv Jindal, will submit its report on December 15. On the other hand, the three-member fact-finding committee, formed by the Civil Surgeon had not completed its inquiry so far, though it was given a deadline of three days to submit the report. Earlier, this morning Dr V.P. Goyal, SMO, Malerkotla, Dr Narpal Singh, a gynaecologist, Dr Ravinder Kaur Klair, surgeon, along with Dr Anup Kad, SMO at the local Civil Hospital, visited the patients and examined them. Meanwhile, Mr Udai Partap Singh, Chairman of Population Control Committee, Punjab, in a press note here today, demanded compensation for the families of women who died or were in serious condition after tubectomy operations performed at the family planning camp. |
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Badal announces sops BHOGPUR (Jalandhar), Dec 11 (PTI) — Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today virtually launched the Shiromani Akali Dal’s poll campaign by announcing several sops for the rural and urban areas of the state during a “sangat darshan” at local grain market today. The sops included creation of infrastructure in rural areas like roads, bridges, dharamshalas and in urban areas. Grants were released for more drinking water facilities, construction of new sewage system, a new bus stand and modernisation and expansion of Bhogpur Sugar Mill. Addressing a gathering, Mr Badal said keeping in mind the problems of rural people, our government had decided to build a vast network of link roads in rural areas and every Assembly constituency would get at least 20 km of new roads. While distributing cheques of grants for various development works worth Rs 1 crore among the sarpanches of 50 villages of the Bhogpur area Mr Badal said that “sangat darshan” was a good method of governance since he came to know about several problems of the people, who were virtually forced to face hardships, due to non-availability of drinking water, dharamshalas and bad condition of link roads for the last 40 to 50 years. “The remaining 28 villages of the Bhogpur area will be sanctioned the development grant of Rs 50 lakh within a week during the next “sangat darshan”, Mr Badal said. Mr Badal further claimed that the construction work of three bridges at Mukerian, Bahon and Sannwa would be started by the year 2001. He said equal attention was being paid towards the development of urban areas. A grant of Rs 20 lakh for construction of new sewage system, Rs 10 lakh for the provision of drinking water facilities and allotment of a 10 kanal plot for the construction of a new bus stand in the town were announced by the Chief Minister . The long pending demand of modernisation of the ailing Bhogpur Sugar Mill, which covers 410 villages of Bhogpur, Bholath, Tanda, Adampur, Kishangarh, Kartarpur and Bullewal, was met today with Chief Minister announcing that the Punjab Government will spend Rs 70 crore for the modernisation and expansion of the sugar mill and work will be completed by April 2001. “Since the farmers have been virtually forced to cover long distances to sell their produce to the other sugar mills in the state due to small crushing capacity of the mill, the government has decided to install a new plant having a capacity of 2500 ton per day at a cost of Rs 70 crore,’’ Mr Badal said. “Efforts will be made to solve 90 per cent problems of the people on the spot during the “sangat darhsan” programmes” he said while denying that such programmes were organised keeping an eye on reported mid-term elections in the state. He promised the residents to cover the local Janata Girls College under the government control. Mr Badal said former SGPC Chief Bibi Jagir Kaur was already suitably adjusted and there were no plans to allocate a new duty to her. Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was sitting by the side of the Chief Minister, said “why you scribes are so concerned about me. I am totally satisfied with my present position.” Mr Badal, however, gave a clean chit to his Cabinet colleague and Agriculture Minister Gurdev Singh Badal and his son, who had reportedly attended a religious function organised by an excommunicated Sikh near Ludhiana, by saying that he has enquired into the matter and they had not addressed the gathering during the function. |
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Govt concealing facts on detainees: Tohra PATIALA, Dec 11 — Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal President Gurcharan Singh Tohra accused the Union Home Ministry of concealing facts on the status of Sikh youths languishing in various prisons in the country for acts of violence during the period of militancy in the state. Addressing a dharna on the issue in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here, Mr Tohra said despite repeated requests to the Home Ministry to give details on the number of Sikh youths in various jails as well as their legal status, no information had been forthcoming. Mr Tohra said he had reports that Sikh youths in Delhi were being continuously shifted from one place to other and were being treated shabbily. He said some youths had not been tried by any court of law till date while others who had been put on trial and had completed their sentence terms were still in jail. The Akali leader criticised Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for failing to take action against police officers who had committed atrocities against young during the period of the militancy in the state. He claimed that the Chief Minister had assured him before taking over power in the state that police officials guilty of committing atrocities would be punished. Mr Tohra ruled out a patch up with the Badal faction of the Akali Dal. He said even if the Chief Minister acceded to their earlier demand of restoring the ‘maryada’ of the Akal Takht a patch up was not possible now as many other issues, including that of rampant corruption in day-to-day affairs, had cropped up. He declined to give any comment on the reappointment of former Akal Takht Jathedar Puran Singh as Head Granthi of the Golden Temple. He said considering the fact that Giani Puran Singh had been involved in a controversy earlier, it was up to SGPC President Jagdev Singh Talwandi to take a decision on the matter. |
CPI to hold meeting from Dec 15 JALANDHAR, Dec 11 (UNI) — The Punjab unit of the Communist Party of India has convened its council and executive for three-day brainstorming session from December 15 to hold preliminary discussion for chalking out election strategy in the state. The decision has been taken after the state Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh stated that the party will enter the poll arena of Assembly election in alliance with the CPI. CPI state secretary Dr Joginder Dayal today welcomed the statement of Captain Amarinder Singh but said the offer for alliance with the Congress would be taken up for discussion at the party’s state council and executive meetings. The two parties had fielded separate candidates in the Sunam Assembly byelection and both had lost. Dr Dayal said CPI remained firm in its belief that only a broad secular front could effectively take on the “communal Akali-BJP alliance in Punjab” and Captain Amarinder’s offer to the CPI was a right step in the direction of building a secular front in the state. The party’s strategic session will hold discussions in the light of the statement of the Congress leader, in which he had described the CPI as a traditional ally of the Congress for the last three decades and had said Sunam was an aberration and hence must be forgotten. The Communist leader said the council and executive would also discuss various issues, particularly the impact of WTO on Punjab agriculture. The party has been opposing the policy of liberalisation and globalisation, contending that it would lead to more unemployment.
Talwandi urged to
resolve major Sikh issues CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — The Sikh Core Group at a meeting held here today expressed anguish over the indifferent attitude exhibited by prime Panthic bodies to resolve the major issues concerning
Sikhs. The group has urged the newly appointed President of the SGPC, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, to pay due attention to the issues which include a need for solidarity and Panthic orientation among the organisations serving the cause of Sikhism, setting up of an expert committee to formulate views on Dasam Granth, sincere efforts for the enactment of the All-India Gurdwara Act and to counter the ‘‘RSS campaign aimed at diminishing the dignity and distinct identity of Sikhs. ’’Brig Gurdip Singh (retd), in a statement issued on behalf of the group, appealed to the Dharam Parchar Committee of the SGPC to host an international Internet conference to formulate a time-bound project to make ‘‘Gurmukhi’’ script a viable language not only in the information technology but also for use in the United Nations by the end of next year. He said interested computer professionals and ‘‘sevaks’’ such as Dr Kulbir Singh Thind should be invited to extend moral, technical and financial help for the
project. Among those who attended the meeting were Mr Mahanbir Singh, Mr Amar Singh Chattwal, Principal Gurbax Singh Shergill, Mr Gurdev Singh, Dr Gurmit Singh, Dr Jaswant Singh, Dr Kharak Singh, Dr Kirpal Singh, Dr M.S.Rahi and Mr Parminder Singh. |
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Demographic imbalance worrisome: PHRC
chief PHAGWARA, Dec 11 — The Punjab State Human Rights Commission Chairman, Mr Justice V.K. Khanna, has expressed concern over the demographic imbalance in Punjab. Talking to The Tribune last evening after,
conclusion of his two-day visit to this area, Mr Justice Khanna said the lop sided male-female ratio was disturbing and according to figures there were just 721 females for every 1000 males. He attributed this to female foeticide and infanticide. He called it a social stigma and violation of human rights. Bride burning was also symptomatic of social degradation, he quipped. Dowry deaths and child abuse were excesses done by society and not by the police, he said. However, he admitted the largest number of complaints received by the commission were against the police that needed to be sensitised. Accompanied by Mr A.P. Bhatnagar, Additional DGP, PSHRC, Mr Justice Khanna declared adoption of nearby Palahi village by commission as a model village. He also honoured Mr Jagat Singh Palahi, the driving force behind village development. |
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Stay on minister’s unseating
refused CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — Mr Justice Amar Dutt of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed two applications, filed by Punjab Printing and Stationery Minister Satwant Kaur
Sandhu, seeking stay on her unseating from the Chamkaur Sahib (reserve ) Assembly constituency in Ropar district . Handing down four-page order, on application filed by the petitioner under Section 112 of the Representation of People’s Act
(RPA) and another application under Section 116-B of the RPA seeking stay on the operation of the judgement delivered by the court on November 23, Mr Justice Dutt turned down her appeal stating ‘‘once a view has been taken about the status of the applicant/respondent about his/ her eligibility to contest election it would not be proper for the court to stay the operation of the
judgement’’. On another application Mr Justice Dutt observed, there shall be no abatement and even if the petitioner died on December 27, 1999, between the conclusion of the hearing and pronouncement of
judgement, Order 22, Rule 6 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) the application filed by the petitioner has to be dismissed. The petitioner has sought stay on the operation of the judgement delivered on November 23 to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court order. Postal employees hold rally MALERKOTLA, Dec 11 — A gate rally was organised by the postal employees unions in front of the main post office here today. About 200 employees from the district participated in the rally. Addressing the employees, Mr Tarsem Chand, district president, All-India Postal Employees Union, criticised the government for its apathy towards the demands of the employees. He said the employees demanding implementation of the proposal signed on December 18, 1998 and upgradation of 10 per cent of HSG-II posts to HSG-I in all cadre viz postman, mail guard and group D. Among, others who addressed the rally were Mr Paramjit Singh Grewal, state vice-president, National Employees Postal Union, Mr Darshan Singh Dardi, secretary, All-India Telecom Employees Union, Mr Dalip Singh Chohan, secretary, All-India Postal Employees Union, Sangrur and Mr Angad Singh Chohan, district acting secretary, National Union. |
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Equating Sikhs with
Hindus decried AMRITSAR, Dec 11 — The Bajrang Dal, the BJP and the RSS were criticised for equating Sikhs with Hindus at a convention held on the occasion of International Human Rights Day by the Khalra Mission Committee (KMC). The convention addressed other issues, including migrant labour and the release of Sikh detainees from jails. Mr Surinder Singh Ghariala, chairman of the KMC resolved to help the release of TADA accused in jails. Justice Ajit Singh Bains, chairman of the Human Rights Committee demanded to curb the powers of the police and the release of innocents languishing in jails. Bibi Parmjit Kaur Khalra said the Sikhs had failed to get justice in the case of the alleged killing of over 25,000 Sikhs who were allegedly secretly cremated by the police. She blamed the RSS for the propaganda against Sikhs. |
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‘Make laws on organ donation
liberal’ BATHINDA, Dec 11 — Mr Rakesh Narula, president, Divine Eye Research Foundation (DERF), addressed a meeting of school heads here today. Referring to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, he said, the rules provided for strict regulations for the removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs, but the law rather than helping created hindrance for the same. Giving examples of the laws in some countries, he said the country needed liberal laws on the lines of the Presumed Consent Law prevalent in Singapore, under which, if a person during his life time had not objected in writing for the removal of his organs after his death, then it was presumed that he had given his consent for organ donation. Similarly, in the USA, there was a law known as the Required Consent Law, under which the doctor incharge was required to ask the next of kin of the deceased that whether the deceased had given his consent for organ donation or not. The relatives of the deceased could also give their consent for organ donation, he said. Laws on similar lines could help curb the activities of gangs involved in illegal organ transplantation, he added. |
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Fog signal posts set up PHILLAUR, Dec 11 — Northern Railway has set up fog signal posts near all stations to ensure smooth rail traffic. Sources told this correspondent here today that Railway employees would give the green signal to drivers of trains entering stations by bursting crackers near the posts during foggy weather. Meanwhile, most of the mail, express and passenger trains are running one to five hours behind schedule due to poor visibility caused by dense fog. |
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VHP to decide on
temple construction PHILLAUR, Dec 11 — The dharam sansad of the VHP will meet from January 19 to January 21 at Paryag in Allahabad during mahakumbh next year to decide its future programme on the construction of Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya. This announcement was made by the national organisational secretary of the VHP, Mr Deshpandey, while talking to mediapersons here today. He said the VHP considered Shri Ram Temple like Somnath Temple and both were demolished by Muslim rulers. When asked to comment upon Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s proposal to make a mosque also in Ayodhya, the VHP secretary said the VHP would decide the issue in its dharam sansad. |
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Fan or
fanatic? PATIALA Tony has been an ardent fan of the film actor since he was just a seven-year-old kid and has been so besotted with Dharmendras looks, that he himself has never celebrated his own birthday and this year he distributed
woollens and utensils to the poor at the Kali Mata temple on the occasion of the film stars birthday, in the process spending his monthly pay packet. Tony is a
class IV employee of the State Bank of Patiala. In several letters written in his own hand over the years, Dharminder has acknowledged the zeal with which Tony admires him and has on numerous occasions invited Tony to his Bandra residence. According to Tony, recently, when the film star was threatened by the Mumbai underworld, he called neither his Punjab based relatives nor his friends, but Tony to help him out. A single phone call from Dharmendra was enough to make Tony undertake the journey to Mumbai — all at Dharmendras cost. Whenever Tony is at Mumbai, he is a guest of the veteran actor who always sees to it that he is treated with special care, says Tony. |
Murder solved AMRITSAR, Dec 11 — The Majitha Police claimed to have solved the murder of Satnam Singh of Kohala village whose body was found near a farm house in Chogawan village. Three persons have been arrested in this connection. Satnam’s wife Daljit Kaur had said that her husband had obtained an arms
licence. Investigations revealed the deceased Satnam Singh had gone to Amritsar to buy a weapon with Balwinder, alias Binda, of the same village. After purchasing a .12 bore gun Binda took Satnam to two of his friends Sakattar Singh and Pishora Singh who were involved in a land dispute. The three accused killed Satnam during a scuffle and took his weapon. Later, they threw his body near the farm house. |
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Dealer’s escape puts cops in spot JALANDHAR, Dec 11 (UNI) — The sensational escape of a foreign exchange dealer from the custody of the city police yesterday has put the police on spot with the fugitive, arrested on the request of the Mumbai police, still elusive, police sources said today. Jaswinder Singh, a licensed money exchanger, was arrested from his shop at Saidan Gate in the city on Saturday and before taking him to court for police remand two cops took him to the civil hospital for medical examination. In what appears to be premeditated plan, Jaswinder Singh, whose handcuffs had been removed during his medical examination, beat Constable Davinder Singh on his arm and escaped. The attempt by the cop and Head Constable Arjun Singh to capture him failed as the accused scuffled free from their custody and rode on the pillion of a waiting scooterist who drove him out of the hospital to the road outside in Udham Singh Nagar where Jaswinder Singh escaped in a car which was already waiting for him, the sources added. The police said his brothers, a brother-in-law and a servant at his shop helped in the escape and a case under Sections 224,225,353, 186 332 and 120-B of the IPC was registered against the fugitive, his brothers Joginder Singh and Jagjit Singh, the unnamed brother-in-law who drove him out of the hospital and servant Sanjiv Kumar. Jagjit Singh was arrested but was today set free on bail by a local court. The Mumbai police had asked for the arrest of Jaswinder Singh following the arrest of city resident Raj Kumar Raji with foreign exchange. Raji claimed he worked for Jaswinder Singh against whom the Mumbai police had reportedly issued arrest warrant under Section 3(1) of COFEPOSA. |
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‘No zero year for ETT course’ BATHINDA, Dec 11 — “The current academic year will not be declared as zero year for the Elementary Teachers Training (ETT) students. Only one semester has lapsed and it can be covered in the coming semesters,” Mr Tota Singh, Minister for Education, Punjab, said. Mr Tota Singh, speaking at a press conference here today, said there was no shortage of master-cadre staff and the shortage in ETT cadre would be fulfilled soon. “The advertisement for the 7,230 posts of ETT teachers was challenged and the matter is under review in court. As soon as any decision is taken the posts will be filled,” he added. Answering a question on the unemployment of the trained graduate teachers (TGTs) having B.Ed. degrees, Mr Tota Singh remarked that the B.Ed. course should be discontinued for at least three years so as to accommodate the presently unemployed TGTs. But the students manage to get the degrees from other states. So a joint decision by states would have to be taken. He had conveyed his feelings to the Punjab Chief Minister in this regard, he added. Giving details of the budgetary provisions for education, Mr Tota Singh said the state government was spending about Rs 50 crore annually, including the income from the cess on liquor, on the 18,000 schools in the state. New schemes for infrastructure development for the schools had been introduced, under which, one could construct a room, hall, etc at the school premises and the building developed by the person could be named after him, he said. The various religious sects have contributed significantly in this regard, he added. Answering a question on the state of education in government-owned and managed schools vis-a-vis government aided and privately managed schools, he said the poor state of education in government schools was not only due to staff and equipment shortage but the teaching spirit and whole-hearted efforts were also lacking in the teachers. The state government gave a 95 per cent aid to certain schools but did not interfere in the management of such schools in the interest of education, he added. Referring to the upgradation of the primary, middle and high schools and the staff there in, he said new vacancies had been recommended to the Finance Department for approval and would be advertised after the approval. He gave hints of the change in the syllabus and the introduction of moral science education in the schools, but added that no unnecessary burden would be put on students. Referring to the election and Census duties of the teaching staff, he remarked that only the proportionate share in the duty should be asked for by the government and he was taking steps in this regard. The services of teachers of music drawing, physical education, etc can be taken instead of science and mathematics teachers, he said. |
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College teachers to
observe strike today NAWANSHAHR, Dec 11 — A total strike was observed in the privately-aided colleges of Nawanshahr, Banga, Phagwara, Garhshankar, Mahilpur, Bullowal, Hoshiarpur, teachers of these colleges took out a protest march from R.K. Arya College to the office of Deputy Commissioner here today to protest against the callous attitude of SAD-BJP government in implementing the pension-cum-gratuity Act, 1999. Addressing the rally, Mr Charanjit Chawla, general secretary, Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union, Mr N.P. Manocha, chief coordinator and Mr G.S. Sandhu, joint coordinator, Nawanshahr Action Committee, Mr Jaswant Singh Gandham (Phagwara), Mr Jaswant Singh (Hariana) Mr Swatantar Kumar, general secretary, local Trade Union Council, among others, criticised the state government for not honouring its election promise though the Punjab Vidhan Sabha had unanimously passed the pension-cum-gratuity Act on March 30, 1999 and it had already been notified. Despite this, Mr K.R. Lakhanpal, Principal Secretary (Finance), had said in his statement that the pension-cum-gratuity Act could not be implemented as it was not financially viable, they alleged. They demanded that the Chief Minister should make his stand clear on it. They also criticised the state government for “shirking away’ from its responsibilities even in the health and education sectors. |
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Circulate seniority
list, dept told CHANDIGARH, Dec 11 — Mr Justice J.S. Khehar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Education Department to implement the decision of the apex court rendered in the Ajit Singh Janjua case and ordered the circulation of the final seniority list of headmasters/lecturers on or before 28.12.2000. This order was passed by Mr Justice Khehar on a contempt petition filed by Hardarshan Singh and others belonging to the general category who had claimed the benefit of promotion in accordance with the law laid down by the Supreme Court in the Ajit Singh Janjua case. It was contended by counsel for the petitioner that they had filed a petition seeking direction to the respondents to consider and promote them to the Class II post of Principals on the basis of their seniority as per the law laid down in the Ajit Singh Janjua case and the respondents in their written statement gave an undertaking that the cases of the petitioners for promotion to PSE Class II were being considered in view of the judgement of the apex court. It was submitted that the Division Bench on January 27, 1997, had directed the respondents to do the entire exercise as undertaken by them within two months but even after the expiry of about four years the respondents had not implemented the judgement and consequently had not promoted the petitioners on one or the other pretext which was not only illegal and arbitrary but also unjust and unfair. |
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Folklore museum for GND varsity AMRITSAR, Dec 11 (UNI) — The 21st Indian Folklore Congress which opened here today called for preserving our cultural heritage and folklore traditions by creating an awareness among the general public. The president of the congress, Dr Jawaharlal Handoo said in his inaugural address the study of folklore and oral traditions was becoming a pressing concern for the social scientists all over the globe. The ignorance which led to its neglect was gradually being replaced by concern, curiosity and serious inquiry of the folklore of the Indian sub-continent, he said. Dr Handoo said oral traditions were not treated with seriousness and academic respect, and many scholars had already begun looking at folklore and oral tradition as an alternative source of knowledge. In his opinion this was a very important paradigm shift which would also make their methods of investigation more scientific. Talking about the oral discourse, Dr Handoo said it had brought political and social freedom to many countries. Oral discourse, as an alternative knowledge, had ended political and social exploitation at many places in the world and its serious analysis had generated knowledge about gender inequalities and the resultant ruthless exploitation of our own humankind. Dr H.S. Soch, Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, outlined the importance of folk traditions in restructuring and preserving our culture. He announced a grant of Rs 7.5 lakh for establishment of a folk museum on the campus. He said this building would be a unique building in this region in which a huge collection of folklore material would be preserved. |
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UGC-NET roll nos.
with coordinator AMRITSAR, Dec 11 — Due to continuing postal strike, candidates appearing in the UGC test for Junior Research Fellow
(JRF) and eligibility for lectureship scheduled for December 24, are required to contact Prof
B.L. Chakoo, coordinator UGC (NET) immediately, at Guru Nanak Bhavan, ground floor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, to receive their roll numbers. They are also advised to bring along their recent photographs. The
test coordinator, Professior Chakoo said five centres at university
campus, two at Khalsa college for women, one each at Sri Guru
Harkishan Public School (Chief Khalsa Diwan), and S R
Government College for women, here had been set up for the smooth
conduct of this test. |
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