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| Sunday, December 17, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Graft rampant in Punjab: Amarinder
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CM gives Rs 98 lakh
to panchayats Govt move sparks off land
disputes Regiments celebrate Vijay
Divas
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Mayor launches Rs 10-cr project Man alleges torture by cops Goods train derails near
Kurali
Kanwaljit: alliance not
opportunist Rebels
misleading partymen: DCC Clarify stand on mosque, PM
asked
‘No help as I’m not Kamaljit’ Road pileups cause
mishaps HC notice to Industries
Secy 2001 to be Employment
Year in Punjab Govt to spend more on health
care Girl education must
for ‘human rights’ Care-free ducks perform “roadshow” RPI rally in Delhi on January
27 ‘Sterilised’ woman
delivers baby Bar Association poll on Dec 20 YAD demands apology
from daily
Two teenagers kidnapped Bid to kidnap child
foiled
Punjab to promote
3,000 teachers New DPI assures college teachers Hold exams, say ETT
students GND
University to honour
Dosanjh
Angora wool project
for Hoshiarpur
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Graft rampant in Punjab: Amarinder CHANDIGARH, Dec 15 — Capt Amarinder Singh, who formally took over as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief today, hopes that his party would form the next government in Punjab, which is expected to go in for a mid-term poll early next year. Talking to newsmen, he said that farmers in the state were “greatly disillusioned with the SAD-BJP Government in the state”. “There are bright chances of our alliance with like-minded secular parties in the ensuing Assembly elections, including the Leftists. It is too early to talk about seat adjustments as the Congress would like to contest the maximum Assembly seats in the 177-member Hosue,” the Punjab Congress chief said, maintaining that the law and order machinery in the state had broken down and corruption was rampant. He demanded a White Paper on paddy procurement in the state as the present government had failed miserably in protecting the interests of farmers of the state. The promised compensation was yet to be disbursed to the affected farmers who were forced to undertake distress sale of paddy. The PPCC chief denied that there was any dissension or infighting in the Punjab Congress and maintained that the party was united and everybody would participate in the election campaign as a member of a unified family,” he added. The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee has also asked farmers in the state to submit affidavits about the distress sale of paddy. Meanwhile, the following are the other office-bearers: Leader of the Legislature Congress Party — Mr Jagjit Singh; vice-president — Mr Lal Singh; general secretary — Mr Ramesh Singla; secretaries — Mr Krishan Kumar Bawa, Ms Roop Kaur and Mr Rajinder Singh Basant; and president of the Punjab Youth Congress Committee — Mr Devinder Singh Baboo. |
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CM gives Rs 98 lakh
to panchayats MOONAK (Sangrur), Dec 16 — At this village in the Assembly constituency of the former Punjab Chief Minister, Ms Rajinder Kaur
Bhattal, the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, held a ‘sangat
darshan’ programme today. Mr Badal gave away cheques worth Rs 98 lakh to the panchayats as grants for various development works in their respective
villages. Mr Badal also announced that an amount of Rs 1.82 crore would be sent to the district administration in a week to distribute the same as compensation among those farmers of 20 villages of this subdivision whose standing crops had been damaged in July by
floods. Mr Badal announced that the farmers, whose crops got damaged by the Ghaggar in the district, would be paid compensation to the tune of Rs 3,000 per acre annually for the next five years. The Chief Minister announced that an amount of Rs 1 crore would be sent to the Deputy Commissioner soon for the construction of a regulator at the junction point of the Jhambowali choe’s outfall into the Ghaggar to check the back flow of the Ghaggar while in spate and save the cultivable land of villages on the left and the right sides of the
choe. Mr Badal asked the PSEB authorities to release connections on priority basis in the villages affected by the
Ghaggar. Three Punjab ministers — Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Mr Gobind Singh Longowal and Mr Nusrat Ali Khan — accompanied the Chief
Minister. Mr Badal laid the foundation stone of the Tehsil Complex of the Moonak subdivision and unveiled the bust of a Sikh scholar
G.S. Talib at a chowk here. |
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Govt move sparks off land
disputes FEROZEPORE, Dec 16 — The Central Government’s decision to compensate farmers having agricultural land along the Indo-Pak border near here has sparked off disputes over the rights of possession of fields in several frontier villages. The government’s decision to pay Rs 2,500 per acre as compensation to the farmers having land near the border has prompted many to stake claims and counter-claims to the agricultural fields, fuelling disputes in the area. In the district, which alone shares a 100-km-long border stretch with Pakistan, over 14,000 acres of agricultural land falls in the buffer strip between the Zero-line and the security fencing raised here to check infiltration from across the border. Since farmers faced extraordinary difficulties in cultivating their land across the fencing, the government had announced a compensation package for them. Highly placed sources in the BSF revealed that soldiers manning the border were also facing problems when disputing parties approached them for permission to gain access to the land across the fencing with claims and counter-claims. The controversy pertains to the possession of over 7,000 acres of land that either belongs to the Centre or the state government. Since the land has largely been encroached upon by local tillers, who do not possess ownership rights, complaints alleging dispossession and tampering of revenue records or “girdawris” continue to pour in. Sources in the BSF and the district revenue office confirmed that such complaints were frequently made by local tillers, who had been cultivating government land for years. They felt that this was primarily due to the Central Government’s compensation package, which had attracted even outsiders to stake claim to the land. Although the tillers will not benefit from the compensation solely meant for the owners, the encroaches are hoping that the land will “ultimately be transferred” to them at concessional rates. Since most tillers are illiterate, they do not understand the necessity of getting the “girdawris” or temporary possession certificates revalidated after six months. As a result, politically well-connected persons allegedly tamper with land records by conniving with revenue officials to take possession of the land. Although the District Revenue Officer, Mr D.R. Vermani, admitted that such complaints have been received from Gatti, Kilcha and Mamdot areas, he did not elaborate on the matter, citing rules. Even the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kulbir Singh Sidhu, believed that the temptation to pocket compensation money could be a reason for such disputes. He, however, assured that no tiller would be allowed to be evicted illegally and said that their cases for transfer of ownership rights were pending with the government. It is estimated that 2,500 families of poverty-stricken tillers rely on the lands for a living. They were encouraged to bring the area under cultivation way back in 1961, with the aim of clearing the border of wild growth for strategic reasons. However, in the absence of any policy to transfer these lands to the tillers, their future continues to hang in the balance. |
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Regiments celebrate Vijay
Divas SOMEWHERE IN THE WESTERN SECTOR, Dec 16 — The 128, Air Defence Regiment, in continuation of its yeoman service towards the nation, organised a blood donation camp today to commemorate the Vijay Divas in which 180 units of blood were donated by all ranks and their families. The camp was inaugurated by Mrs Lagan Tiwari, First Lady of the Golden Arrow Division, who set the ball rolling by donating blood. The regiment, into its fiftieth year, had performed creditably in the 1965 and 1971 wars winning various gallantry awards, including Vir Chakra. The unit had excellent record during Operation Rakshak. The unit had earlier also organised blood donation camps in wake of the Kargil conflict. Today, Col. S.P. Kabra, CO of the regiment followed by all officers, JCO and 150 jawans donated blood. The families of officers, JCOs and jawans also joined in. SHIMLA: The Army Training Command (ARTRAC) celebrated Vijay Divas here today to commemorate the India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. Lt Gen H.B. Kala, Commander, ARTRAC, said it was the most spectacular victory of the Indian Army which took 93,000 Pakistani officers and jawans as prisoners of war. The Army, which had been engaged in counter insurgency operations during peace time, again proved its mettle by winning the Kargil war, he added. He said it was a day to remember the sacrifices to those who laid down their lives for the nation. Homage was paid to the brave martyrs on the occasion. The Army Commander asked all ranks to rededicate themselves to the service of the nation. JALANDHAR: The Vijay Divas was celebrated by 11 Corps somewhere in the Western Sector. Floral tributes were paid to those killed during the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971. Lieut-Gen Kamal Davar, GOC, 11 Corps, speaking on the occasion, said it was the primary task of the security forces to take care of the families of the martyrs. He emphasised on the need to be vigilant at all times to thwart the designs of the enemy. BATHINDA: The Vijay Divas was celebrated at the Bathinda military station here on Saturday. It is celebrated to commorate the victory of the Indian forces in the 1971 war. The war veterans of the 1971 was living in and around Bathinda were honoured at the function. A wreath laying ceremony was organised at the Nand Singh Chowk i the cantonment. After the welcome speech by the chief guest followed by the interaction with the 1971 heroes, a traditional ‘bara khana’ was organised at the equipment display, the arms and ammunition used by the three forces were displayed. The occasion was also utilised to understand the post-retirement problems of the ex-servicemen with an intention to resolve them expeditiously. Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner and Mr Jatinder Jain, SSP, also attended the function. |
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Mayor launches Rs 10-cr project JALANDHAR, Dec 16 — Factionalism in the Punjab unit of the BJP came to the fore today, with the Mayor of the local Municipal Corporation, Mr Suresh Sehgal, who is a confidant of Punjab Local Bodies Minister Balramji Dass Tandon, going ahead with the launching of the Rs 10 crore Bashirpura sewerage disposal project and in the process ignoring senior BJP leader and Punjab Health Education Minister Manoranjan Kalia, belonging to the Mr Madan Mohan Mittal group of the Punjab BJP. The first phase of the Bashirpura project, launched by the Mayor today, will provide relief to nearly 50,000 residents of Bashirpura, Santoshl Nagar and Amrik Nagar, as it will lead to draining out of the stinking sewerage water of the 80-acre Bashirpura sewerage disposal pond into the main sewer line in the Graha locality. The disposal pond has been a source of problems for residents of the localities due to frequent breaches since 1982, when the local Municipal Corporation had constructed the disposal tank to provide a temporary solution to the disposal problem of the city’s sewerage. The corporation has made elaborate arrangements for draining out of the sewerage water from the pond and has installed two diesel-run 150 hp pump sets at the site. Today’s developments might result in deepening of the fissures in the Punjab BJP. Sources said that in spite of the efforts of Mr Manoranjan Kalia to persuade Mr Sehgal to postpone the launching of the project to ensure participation of senior party leaders at the function, the latter did not budge from his stand and launched the project as per the schedule, leading to a boycott of the function by Mr Kalia and the president of the district unit of the BJP, Mr Naval Kishore. Informed sources said Mr Kalia was keen to highlight the project as a united effort of the district unit of the BJP and had a meeting with the Mayor in the presence of the Commissioner of the corporation last evening so as to ensure postponement of the function, but the latter flatly refused to do so. Mr Kalia was not available for comments as he was busy “attending” a function. Mr Sehgal dubbed the project as a big achievement of the corporation and admitted that Mr Kalia was not invited to attend the function.” It was a common function. If Mr Kalia did not attend it, please ask him about the reason. In my view he should have come on his own like all Councillors of the area who participated in the function irrespective of their group affiliations,” Mr Sehgal said. It is not for the first time that the group rivalry in the district and state units of the BJP had gone public. Earlier too, the Mayor had humbled Mr Kalia by demolishing public toilets in front of the latter’s house in the name of setting up a shopping complex there. The toilets were allegedly used exclusively by the security staff of Mr Kalia. |
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Man alleges torture by cops KHANNA, Dec 16— The four-year-old Aman Sood murder case took yet another turn with the local police rounding up a person, Asminder Singh Rana, and allegedly torturing him in order to get information about the case. While talking to The Tribune, Asminder Singh, who was admitted to a local hospital here, alleged he was rounded up by an Inspector and an ASI who wanted him to name his relative Ranbir Singh Raikhy in the murder case. He said he was going home on Thursday night at around 9.30 when the cops allegedly pushed him forcibly into a car and took him to some unknown place where they allegedly tortured him. The SSP, Mr Rajinder Namdeoke, refuted the allegations and said the police was just doing its duty and investigating the case. He said the man was not tortured and the police had only quizzed him about certain facts. According to Asminder Singh, the two allegedly tortured him by putting ice on his head and beating him up. The victim was then brought to the CIA staff by two constables. Then he was taken to the hospital as his condition was stated to be serious. The hospital authorities did not admit him saying that written orders from the SDM were required. He was later admitted after the orders of the SDM Dr N.P.S. Virk examined him and recommended him for an X-ray examination. |
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Goods train derails near
Kurali FATEHGARH SAHIB, Dec 16 (UNI) — Railway traffic was disrupted on the Sirhind-Nangal dam section of the Northern Railway following derailment of a goods train near Kurali station in Ropar district this morning, railway sources here said. There was no report of casualty in the accident which resulted in derailment of three to four coaches of the goods train, the sources said. Rail officials had rushed to the site and efforts are on to restore normal traffic. Meanwhile, the Northern Railway has decided to reduce the speed of all trains, including Shatabdi and Rajdhani Express, in the wake of the accident of 3005 UP Howrah Express near Sirhind on December 2 in which 46 passengers were killed. The speed of Shatabdi has been reduced from 100-105 kmph to 90 kmph. The speed of Rajdhani earlier fixed at 100-120 kmph will now be 100 kmph. All other express trains will run at 90 kmph. Similarly, the speed of passenger and goods trains has been reduced. Orders have been issued to reduce the speed of all trains between 0200 and 0600 hours due to fog. |
Kanwaljit: alliance not
opportunist HOSHIARPUR, Dec 16 — Capt Kanwaljit Singh, Finance Minister, Punjab, said here today that the SAD-BJP alliance was not an opportunist one formed to lure electorates in the elections. This alliance was formed on the national-level to strengthen the Hindu-Sikh unity which was shattered during the Congress regime due to its divide and rule policy, he said. Referring to the recent remarks of Mr B.L. Rinwa, state chief of the BJP, regarding the prevailing corruption in the state government, Capt Kanwaljit Singh said corruption was an issue which should be firmly tackled by the government. By giving statements only it could not be eradicated, he said. Replying to a question about the claim of BJP for the Chief Ministership of Punjab, he said the Chief Ministership would go to that party which had the largest number of its MLAs in the forthcoming elections of the state assembly. The Finance Minister claimed that the financial position of the state had improved to a greater extent during the past two years and hoped that it would become normal within the next two years. He said there had been annual increase of 45 per cent in the income of the state government during the past two years. The Sale Tax revenue had increased to Rs 1,950 crore during 1999-2000 which was Rs 1,400 crore in 1996-97. In the current financial year, it had increased to Rs 2,800 crore. The sale tax revenue collection target of Rs 3,500 crore had been fixed for 2001-2002. He said the government had also succeeded in reducing its expenditure from 3 per cent to 4 per cent and had provided record funds for development purposes. He said Rs 32 crore had been given for rural sanitation, Rs 150 crore for state roads, Rs 52 crore for drinking water supply schemes, Rs 75 crore for irrigation and drainage and Rs 22 crore to improve the existing infrastructure in Education Department within the current financial year. Besides, it had also provided Rs 20 crore for the diversification of agriculture in state. The state government had cleared Rs 1100 crore projects for the construction of UDBC and Dasmesh canals and five fly-over bridges on railway crossings in the state. He said construction of the second phase of Kandi canal from Hoshiarpur to Balachaur would be started in the next year. Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the number of pensioners had increased from 1.25 lakh to 6.50 lakh. Rs 200 crore was being spent annually to provide pensions to all categories in the state. Referring to the Health Department, he said the state government had approved the provision of mobile dispensaries in rural areas to provide basic health facilities to the poor and Rs 3 crore granted for this project. |
Rebels
misleading partymen: DCC AMRITSAR, Dec 16 — The District Congress Committee
(DCC) in a press note has stated that the four Councillors who were suspended from the Congress party following anti-party activities are misleading other Congress
Councillors. It stated that the 10 Councillors who had publicly declared their solidarity ‘outside the party’ had neither submitted their resignations formally nor been suspended from the party membership. Hence, they belonged to the party. |
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Clarify stand on mosque, PM
asked CHANDIGARH, Dec 16 — The Prime Minister must clarify his stand whether Babri Masjid will be constructed at its original site or it will be shifted elsewhere to pave the way for the construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Making this demand, the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who is also a Member of the Rajya Sabha, said though he supported the construction of the Ram temple but at the same time Babri Masjid must be built at its original site. He said the recent statement of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had hurt the secular forces and created insecurity among the minorities. The SHSAD, welcomed the decision of the SGPC to send jathas to Pakistan. He said the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee should be named as the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Committee and all its members should be Sikhs. Mr Tohra also wanted that India should agree to a corridor to Nankana Sahib. A campus of Guru Nanak Dev University should also be set up at Nankana Sahib, he added. The SHSAD, which met today, also adopted a resolution urging the RSS not to interfere in the religious affairs of others. The SHSAD will organise conferences at various places in the next month to highlight the failures of the SAD-BJP government in Punjab. |
‘No help as I’m not Kamaljit’ LUDHIANA, Dec 15 — “It would have been better had I also died with my wife”, says a shattered Sukhwinder Singh, alias Mithu, whose spouse, Jassi, an NRI, was murdered in June. It is suspected that Jaswinder Kaur was murdered by contract killers. Sukhwinder himself was left almost dead in the attack. He had been attacked twice since and lives virtually in hiding. In an interview with TNS here today, a bitter Mithu lamented: “So many agencies and persons have come up in support of Kamaljit Singh, ‘husband’ of the late daughter of former SGPC President Jagir Kaur. But none is bothered about the fate of a common man like me”. He says his only hope has been a Ludhiana-based immigration lawyer who is fighting his case free of cost. The Jagraon police has yet to catch the persons who allegedly attacked his mother and uncle. Adding insult to injury, the Sangrur police has not registered a case on Mithu’s complaint that he was attacked in Barnala in October this year. His repeated pleas for police security and arms to defend himself have fallen on deaf ears. His representations to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the DGP, Punjab, Mr Sarbjit Singh, and other police officers have borne no fruit. None has responded to his pleas. Desperately seeking migration from the country in order to protect himself, he has got a sympathetic reply only from Mr Ujjal Dosanjh, Premier of British Columbia, Canada, whose help he had sought in getting immigration to that country. In his reply, Mr Dosanjh has expressed sympathy for him but advised him to come through the proper channels for seeking immigration. An NRI, Jaswinder Kaur had come to India from Canada in 1995 to visit her relatives. She fell in love with Sukhwinder, taxi driver, and got married to him in secrecy in 1999. Soon after she left for Canada. She came back this year to live with her husband. The couple was attacked by contract killers near Malerkotla in June this year. While Jaswinder Kaur died in the attack, Mithu was seriously injured. The police later found evidence of the involvement of a Sub-Inspector of the Punjab Police and arrested him. Nine more were also held.
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Road pileups cause
mishaps BATHINDA: Bad roads, stray animals, faulty vehicles, driving at break-neck speeds, etc. are considered to be the main reasons behind the spurt in road accidents. But there are other factors, generally taken for granted, which take their toll silently. The city’s population is on the rise and so are the vehicles on the road. Narrow congested roads and streets are obvious but the authorities seem little concerned for the well-being of the public. Officials are in a habit of delaying things with the evergreen excuse of lack of funds. But they seem unaware of the fact that most accidents are preventable and that too without putting any financial burden on the department. One of the glaring examples of official apathy is the storage of materials like iron rods (sariya), crushed stone (bajri), sand (bareti) and in certain cases, planks, drums, girders, and shuttering material, etc. on the roads, including the GT Road. Narrow streets and bazars bear testimony to the phenomenon where the shopkeepers use the footpath as a rent-free extension of the shop. Shopkeepers have built “permanent” storehouses on roads outside their shops and they leave these articles on the road even during the night! Generally there is no arrangement for chowkidars at night. Perhaps they take pilferage for granted and have built in profit margins to compensate for it. The entire stock of sariya is generally bound by an iron chain and left in the open without any fear of public criticism or penalty by the departments concerned throughout the year. Mr Jatinder Sharma, a city resident who had a narrow escape in an accident recently, said encroachments were a common thing and nobody was concerned about it. “Bajri and bareti on roads make vehicles skid like roller skates and, worse, the bus stop makes the place even more dangerous”, he pointed out. Tractor-trailers parked there create bottlenecks for the smooth flow of the traffic, he added. Ms Neenu, another resident, remarked that “bareti” kept on roads was not even wettened to prevent it from flying in the air. It invariably flies when there is heavy traffic and ends up in the eyes of commuters. The “bajri” is not confined to a small area and covers more than half the road, making driving difficult. The administration would take action only after there was an accident, she lamented. The shopkeepers, on the other hand, have their own version of things. One shopkeeper said due to space constraints, and reasons of economy, it was not possible for them to store the materials in their shops or in large godowns outside town limits. When contacted Mr S.K. Mittal, Executive Officer of the Municipal Council, Bathinda, said they had launched a campaign against such people. The culprits were being challaned regularly, he added. Commenting on the situation of the G.T. Road, he said his office had no jurisdiction over the area, and it fell within the domain of the PWD (B&R). None of the PWD officers concerned was available for comment. An officer of the department, pleading anonymity, said most of the officers were on leave as it was the last month of the year.  |
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HC notice to Industries
Secy CHANDIGARH, Dec 16 — On a public interest litigation plea filed by the Punjab Civil and Consumer Welfare Front, Banur, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Mr Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr Justice K.C. Gupta has issued a notice of motion to the Punjab State Electronics Production and Development Corporation and Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Punjab , the Chief Administrator, Punjab Urban Development Authority, the Managing Director, Punjab State Industrial Export Corporation and the Country Club Limited, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad for February 12, 2001. The petitioner has stated that the land on which the Country Club is being set up is public land reserved for high-tension wire and green belt. It is alleged that more than three acres of land worth crores of rupees, has been illegally leased out to the Country Club by the Punjab State Electronics Production and Development Corporation at a meagre rent of Rs 20,000 per month for a period of 99 years. The petitioner has stated that it is only the PUDA, which is competent to allot land for such purposes at commercial rates. It is further alleged that the agreement between the MD, Punjab State Electronics Production and Development Corporation, Mr G.S. Pirzada ( an IAS presently on deputation to Punjab ) and the President of the Country Club Limited has been assailed by the petitioner as being potentially illegal and an act of corruption. |
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2001 to be Employment
Year in Punjab ROPAR, Dec 16 — The year 2001 would be observed as Employment Year in Punjab as maximum recruitments would be done in the teaching, health and other government departments of the state. This was stated by Mr Sujan Singh, Minister for Panchayats and Rural Development, while talking to newspersons at Anandpur Sahib yesterday. Mr Sujan Singh was here to attend the prize distribution function of the annual inter-house athletic meet of Shri Dashmesh Academy, Anandpur Sahib. He announced a grant of Rs 50,000 for the academy. When asked about the dismissal of 11 BDOs by the Supreme Court, Mr Sujan Singh said that the government had not received any written communication from the Punjab Public Service Commission about the case. However, the Advocate-General of Punjab had been made aware of the matter and asked to help the BDOs who are likely to lose their jobs after five years of service, he said. Giving information about the agenda of the meeting of all Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes ministers and MLAs of the SAD and the BJP, Mr Sujan Singh said both parties had decided to nominate separate office-bearers of the Dalits at district-levels. The final decision on this issue would be taken after another meeting, he added. The meeting was held recently at Anandpur Sahib. Though the SC/ST members of the SAD and the BJP were present at the meeting, the members of the third ruling alliance partner Bahujan Samaj Morcha (BSM) were absent. Mr Sujan Singh said that the members of the BSM were not present at the meeting because the party had not yet made its mind about jointly contesting the next Assembly election with the
SAD. |
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Govt to spend more on health
care BATHINDA, Dec 16 — Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Science and Technology Minister, Punjab, said that Rs 422 crore were being spent on 150 hospitals in the state to provided better health facilities to people of the state. Mr Garg, who was here to inaugurate the OPD and Physiotherapy ward at the Civil Hospital, said that Rs 1.28 crore would be spent to construct a new children’s wing at the Civil Hospital and added that the construction of the new overbridge at the ‘khooni phatak’ would start in the new year and Rs 20 crore would be spent on this railway overbridge. He further said that to solve the traffic problem of the city, a ring road would be constructed around the Bathinda-Mansa and Bathinda Barnala roads. He said a dairy complex and transport nagar were being constructed by the Improvement Trust. Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner, who was also present, said that a hospital of 50 beds was being constructed at Talwandi Saboo. The total cost of the hospital would be Rs 1.35 crore. He added that Rs 1.50 crore would be spent on a new hospital at Bhagta Bhai Ka, Rs 75 lakh would be spent for the construction of a new hospital at Maur Mandi, Rs 85 lakh would be spent at Nathan, Rs 40 lakh would be spent at Sangat Mandi and Rs 30 lakh would be spent at Raman Mandi and Rs 90 lakh would be spent at Bhuchu Mandi for the construction of new hospitals. He added that the construction work of all these hospitals would be completed by the next six months. He said the Punjab Health Services Corporation was spending Rs 11 crore on all projects to provide better health services to people. |
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Girl education must
for ‘human rights’ AMRITSAR, Dec 16 — Justice M.N. Venktachaliah, former Chief Justice of India and Chairman, National Commission to Review the Constitution, while speaking on “key issues in the human rights discourse’ here at the conference hall of Guru Nanak Dev University remarked that the education of the girl child was the right solution to all problems regarding human rights. He also highlighted the role played by various national and international organisations in the area of human rights. Justice Venktachaliah was addressing participants at the refresher course in human rights and general orientation course organised by the Academic Staff College of Guru Nanak Deve University. Justice
V.K. Khanna, Chairman, Punjab State Human Rights Commission also spoke on the occasion. Dr
H.S. Soch, Vice-Chancellor, presided over. Justice Venktachaliah pointed out the individual and collective dimensions of human rights and highlighted the key issues pertaining to the human rights like infant mortality, AIDS, hepatitis B, universal
immunisation, education of girl child, inadequate economic infrastructure and human survival. Justice Khanna said one of the alarming problems pertaining to human rights was female infanticide as a result of which the male-female ratio was coming down. He concluded that child education specially that of the girl child was a must for the protection of human rights. Dr
H.S. Soch said the issue of human rights started right from the conception of the child and continued till death. “Proper environment at home is basic for protection of human rights specially the rights of the children. If the proper environment is not given at home the human rights of the child stands violated”, he stressed. The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted one of the alarming issues relating to human rights — the shortage of water which was basic for human survival. |
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Care-free ducks perform “roadshow” JALANDHAR, Dec 16 — They got confused, yet kept moving, waddling across the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway, without caring about hundreds of honking vehicles. This road crossing resulted in a half-an-hour traffic jam with speeding vehicles coming to a screeching bumper-to-bumper halt yesterday afternoon. They were not a slogan-shouting group of agitated people, nor were they schoolchildren out on the road in the shape of some awareness rally, but a pack of three care-free ducks, who preferred to have a stroll on the busiest roads of the northern region after straying out of their master’s place. This threesome, I am told, is in the habit of enjoying such occasional outings. Interestingly, none of the amused vehicle drivers went rash. They stopped their vehicles and allowed the ducks to waddle in the middle of the road, refusing to budge for a good 15 minutes. The drivers stopped blaring the horns of their vehicles. Finally, the three moved to the side of the road after performing their “roadshow” for 30 minutes. “It was a lovely sight to see the arrogant ducks suddenly coming in the middle of the road standing there and staring at people around in a casual manner. I have never been a spectator to such an event on the road”, said a vehicle owner heading for
Amritsar. During the 30-minute “roadshow”, the ducks moved about and danced on the road in unison, popping their yellow beaks and saying “quack, quack quack” giving the impression as if they were trying to air their grievances by holding a “dharna” on the road. Their action was so swift that they hardly allowed the photographer to seal their movements in his camera. He had to do a lot of exercise to click the pictures of the unruly birds, before finally being successful in his mission. Bystanders told this correspondent that this group of ducks had recently been acquired by
Surinder, a resident of the area. These birds had developed a habit of straying out on the road. |
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RPI rally in Delhi on January
27 FARIDKOT, Dec 16 — The Republican Party of India (RPI) will hold a national-level rally at Ram Lila grounds in New Delhi on January 27 to protest against the proposal of the Central Government to review the Indian Constitution. More than 10 lakh persons from different sections will participate in the rally. This was stated by Mr
R.S. Gawai, member of Parliament and president of the party, at a press conference here today. He demanded immediate abolition of the review commission formed in this connection to safeguard the interests of minority communities in the country. He said the Constitution of the country was the supreme law and it should be saved from any distortion which could threaten unity of the nation. He made it clear that his party would oppose any move to change the basic structure of the
Constitution. Mr Gawai charged the BJP with pursuing a “hidden” agenda. He said a motion to review the Constitution would be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on December 18. The RPI President accused the BJP of not spelling out its position regarding the review of the Constitution. He demanded a suitable memorial to Dr
B.R. Ambedkar, founder of the Constitution, at 26 Alipur Road, New Delhi. Effective steps should also be taken to hand over the Bodh Gaya temple to the Buddhists in Bihar, he said. Mr Mohan
Lal, Mr R.S. Diwakar and Mr Madan Lal, General Secretaries of the party, were also present. |
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‘Sterilised’ woman
delivers baby MALERKOTLA, Dec 16 — Believe it or not but it is true that even after getting herself operated upon for tubectomy on March 14 a Dalit woman Ms Paramjit Kaur of Meemsa village, 18 km from here, gave birth to a baby boy a few days
ago. Mr Preet Singh, her husband, told this correspondent here today that he had got his wife operated for tubectomy at Amargarh village in a tubectomy operation camp organised by the Health Department. After some time his wife felt uneasy and was taken to doctors but they took it lightly. He said they were unaware of the pregnancy. He showed a certificate issued by the Health Department authorities regarding tubectomy operation of his wife. In view of the birth of a child even after the operation, he is demanding compensation from the
government. |
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Bar Association poll on Dec 20 SANGRUR, Dec 16 — Both factions of the District Bar Association on the intervention of the District and Sessions Judge yesterday agreed to contest the elections of the bar association on December 20 for maintaining unity among the lawyers. Giving this information here yesterday evening, Mr Baljit Singh, Secretary of the association, said that fresh nomination papers for all posts of the office-bearers of the association could now be filed on December 16 till 2 pm, while scrutiny and withdrawal of the papers would be held from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm, respectively, on the same day. The elections for all posts would take place on December 20. Earlier, a faction led by Mr Ram
Sarup, had declared elected five office-bearers, including the president of the bar association on December 14, while the other faction was firm to hold the DBA’s election on December 20. |
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YAD demands apology
from daily JALANDHAR, Dec 16 — The Youth Akali Dal has threatened to launch an agitation if the management of “Amar Ujala” fails to give an apology within two days for showing the Sikh community in bad light by publishing a joke on Sikhs in its December 15 issue. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Parminder Pal Singh Khalsa, district president of the YAD, and Mr Kuldip Singh Mithoo, general secretary said the joke was an attack on the religious belief of the Sikhs for it depicted that the Sikhs had a desire to smoke. Mr Mithoo said a copy of the issue of the paper has been sent to the Akal Takht Jathedar for necessary action. The YAD leaders threatened to gherao the local office of the daily if its management did not publish an apology in this connection within two days. |
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Punjab civic poll in February AMRITSAR, Dec 16 — The Punjab Government has taken a decision to conduct block samiti and district parishad poll in February next year, Mr Nirmal Singh
Kahlon, Development and Panchayat Minister, Punjab, said while inaugurating a focal point at the border village of Ratokey in Patti subdivision. |
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More quizzed in Harpreet case phagwara, Dec 16 (pti) — Associates of a confidant of former
sgpc Chief Bibi Jagir Kaur and a local Akali Dal leader were interrogated by the
cbi in connection with the mysterious death of her daughter, Harpreet
Kaur. A cbi team headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police S.K. Dev yesterday questioned associates of Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi and his brother-in-law Paramjit Singh
Raipur, both in judicial custody in connection with the case, official sources here said. |
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Woman dies in road mishap BATHINDA, Dec 16 — Dilip Kaur was killed while her husband Jagroop Singh, was injured in a road accident on the Bathinda-Barnala road near Bhucho Khurd village. According to hospital sources, while Dilip Kaur died on the spot, the condition of the injured was serious. Jagroop Singh, an SDO posted at Ludhiana
(PWD), and his wife, Dalip Kaur, were travelling in a car when it dashed head-on with a jeep. The injured was admitted to the Civil Hospital here, the sources added. |
Two teenagers kidnapped PATIALA, Dec 16 — A case of a father kidnapping his son who is the prime witness in the case of alleged death of his mother in a dowry related case has come to light with a case having been registered in this regard in the Civil Lines police station. Complainant Gurbhajan Singh
Sanyasi, a resident of Raghomajra , has alleged that his grandson, Manpreet Singh, alias Bunny, had been kidnapped yesterday along with another boy Gagandeep Singh, on the instance of Manpreet ‘ s father. The complaint registered by the police states that Manpreet is already deposing in the case involving the death of his mother following demands of dowry before the court of the Additional Sessions Judge . The complaint says that Manpreet has already testified against his father in the court and had been kidnapped to ensure he did not continue in this vein in the court of law . According to the complaint, Manpreet and his three friends were accosted by kidnappers astride a Maruti van near the National Institute of Sports . It is alleged that some persons got down from the van and dragged Manpreet in. It said when Gagan raised a hue and cry he was also dragged into the car. It said the third boy Ashish , managed to escape from the spot and informed his parents of the kidnapping. The complaint also named two other persons , besides Manpreet’s father, in the FIR. A case has been registered under Sections 363 , 364 of the
IPC.
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Bid to kidnap child
foiled LUDHIANA, Dec 16 — The alertness shown by a school principal and a driver of the school bus of Kuhara village near Sahnewal, foiled a child kidnap attempt by a ‘disgruntled’ migrant labourer hailing from Bihar, here on Friday. According to a case of kidnapping registered against the labourer, Babu Lal, aged about 25 years, by the Sahnewal Police Station here today, the incident took place around afternoon yesterday. Six-year-old Gurvinder Singh, alias Honey, son of Mr Gurmukh Singh of Lakhowal village, was seen taking away the child just after school, Popular English School, closed for the day. The Principal, Ravi Sharma and a driver of the school bus questioned the labourer, who tried to run away when confronted. Later, the labourer was handed over to the police. According to the Sahnewal police officials, the labourer worked as a domestic help in the child’s house and admitted that he planned to kidnap the child for ransom. Talking to this correspondent, he said he was angry at the parents of the child who had expelled him from work and had rebuked him
also. |
Opium seized JALANDHAR, Dec 16 — The district police has recovered seven kg of opium since last night. According to the police, 5 kg of opium was recovered from the house of Dalbir Singh in Sadha Nagar Patti near
Malslan. Opium weighing 2 kg was recovered from occupants of a Tata Sumo, stopped during routine checking at
Nakodar. |
Punjab to promote
3,000 teachers FARIDKOT, Dec 16 — The Punjab Government has decided to promote 3,000 JBT, ETT and other junior teachers in the state during the current financial year. The promotees will be appointed against the vacant posts. As many as 694 such teachers had already been promoted, Mr Tota Singh, Minister for Education, said today at Ratti Rori Dago Romana village, 10 km from here. He said 5,500 teachers were also required in 1,053 recently upgraded schools in the state. He said to improve the education system the Class V examination had also been made compulsory under the SCRT scheme. He said a sum of Rs 20 lakh would also be spent to renovate senior secondary schools in each Assembly segment before the end of March next year. A sum of Rs 93 crore has already been spent in this regard during the past nine months, he added. He claimed that the introduction of English from Class I had produced good results and the Haryana Government had also adopted the same pattern. He disclosed that directions had been issued to all teachers in high and higher secondary schools to spare extra time for students. The minister announced the upgradation of the village high school and inaugurated a newly constructed 5 room-complex of the institution. |
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New DPI assures college teachers CHANDIGARH, Dec 16 — Mr Gulzar Singh has been appointed as Director, Public Instruction (Colleges), Punjab, replacing Mr
H.S. Deol who retired sometime back. A graduate from Government College,
Ropar, he did his MA in Philosophy from Kurukshetra University. He served as a lecturer for 11 years and as Principal for 11 years before he was made the Deputy DPI, Colleges, eight years back. While the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union
(PCCTU) has welcomed the new DPI, here are excerpts from a conversation with the DPI in waiting of how he is going to handle the crisis college education is going through. Q: What are your plans for education in colleges? A: The first thing to be taken care of is to defuse the situation created by the current statewide protest by the teachers of the private colleges of the state. In fact, I want to take this opportunity and state that I am a teacher myself and I feel that the teachers’ demands have not been projected properly as a result these are not looked into. As Deputy DPI, I am acquainted with the situation and will try my best to look into each demand carefully and then see what can be done about it. Q: What about the implementation of pension and gratuity scheme which the teachers have been demanding for years? A: The scheme has been okayed and it did reach a point of almost being implemented but some calculations are pending at the level of the colleges. It is certainly under active consideration and I assure that some decision will be taken on it very soon. Regarding the other demands which include arrears of the strike period and some other backlog, these demands are totally acceptable and the case is with the Finance Department. They have not raised any objection to these and the letter to this effect will be with us any day now. Q: The teachers have been on dharna for nine times in the last two months. Don’t you think that it is harming the students of these colleges? A: Our minister and the administration are very serious about the protest of the teachers as they realise that students are suffering. I believe that solutions will be found soon. Dharnas are bad but have to be taken a note of as some of the demands are genuine too. But then there have been no dharnas against the Education Department. Q: How do you propose to meet the financial demands of colleges? A: The financial position of the government is now improving and we feel that the arrears of college teachers will be here any day. So far the issue of annual grants are concerned the teachers are satisfied. And I have a proposal with which the crunch will not be able to effect the teachers. With me in the chair now the teachers should feel secure and will have less of problems. Q: What about the age of retirement difference between teachers working in private colleges and government colleges? A: There is no doubt that those teachers working in government colleges do feel bad that they retire two years earlier than the private college teachers but then the logic which the government is giving that if they increase the age of retirement of government teachers then the other employees of the state will demand the same. And I think this is a valid logic too. Q: What about the UGC directives in this regard? A: The UGC guidelines are recommendatory in nature and not mandatory and in fact a large number of states have not followed the UGC guidelines regarding this. All I wish is that the college teachers cooperate with me to help bring the education system back on its track. |
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Hold exams, say ETT
students BATHINDA, Dec 16 — Students of the elementary teachers training (ETT) course at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Bathinda, have demanded that the fourth semester examinations of the 1998-2000 session and those of the first semester of the 1999-2000 session should be conducted immediately. Mr Balbir Singh Sidhu, All-India Secretary, Dalit Students Federation, and a DIET, Bathinda, student, said in a press note here yesterday that the students were suffering due to the apathy of the Education Department. The undue delay in the examinations had resulted in delay in the start of the academic year and the students were suffering for no fault of theirs. The moving of the
high court in this regard was unfortunate and the fault, if any, lay with the policy makers and the interview committee, he alleged. The government had also not fulfilled the promise to grant the complementary pass facility on PRTC’s km scheme buses to the students, he lamented. “The academic session for the year 1999 was supposed to begin in the month of December, 1999, but it actually began in late October, 2000,” he
lamented. |
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GND
University to honour
Dosanjh AMRITSAR, Dec 16 — Guru Nanak Dev University in a special convocation being held on December 22 will honour Mr Ujjal Singh
Dosanjh, first Indo-Canadian premier of British Columbia, Canada, with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
(Honoris Causa) under the Faculty of Law. The convocation will be held at Dasmesh Auditorium of the university at 11 a.m. This was disclosed here yesterday by Dr
R.S. Bawa, Registrar of the university. Lt Gen J.F.R. Jacob, PVSM (retd), Governor, and Chancellor of the university, will preside over the convocation and confer the
degree. Mr Parkash Singh Badal will also grace the occasion and welcome Mr
Dosanjh. While the Governor of Punjab will deliver the presidential address, Mr Mohan
Lal, Minister for Higher Education, will present a vote of thanks. Mr Dosanjh will inaugurate the newly constructed building of Khalsa Heritage Centre built at a cost of Rs 80 lakh on the university campus. |
Angora wool project
for Hoshiarpur HOSHIARPUR, Dec 16 — To promote angora wool production and to generate employment opportunities, the state government has recently introduced Integrated Angora Rabbit Development Project in the district. Dr H.S. Sandha, Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, said here yesterday that this project was first of its kind in the state being sponsored by the Wool Board of India for which 100 per cent subsidy would be provided to the beneficiaries. He said 50 units were proposed for the district, out of these 30 had already been set up and the remaining would be established shortly. Five rabbits alongwith their cages and feed had been given to each beneficiary for a single unit. He said within a span of two years, each unit would have at least 40 rabbits with it. Each rabbit would produce about 800 gm to 900 gm wool annually. The present rate of angora wool is Rs 1000 per kg in the market. He said within a span of 2 years, each beneficiary would start earning Rs 3,5000 to Rs 40,000 annually. Dr Sandha said a cooperative society would be constituted for all beneficiaries for the marketing of wool. He said the government would also provide Rs 100 each to all the units every month for medical treatment of
rabbits. |
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