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| Friday, January 5, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Punjab farm economy faces crisis Govt to raise tax evasion issue Pvt octroi collection to go: Kanwaljit Punjab staff in BBMB denied dues Club revival aims to boost IT sector: MD |
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| Relief eludes border farmers INDO-Pak Border, Jan 4 — Farmers having cultivated land beyond the fence on the Indo-Pakistan border have yet to get compensation promised by the government. They have not been paid the second instalment since the past two years.
RSS meddling in Sikh affairs: Tohra Amarinder sees poll in April CPI frowns on police holding Akhand Paths CPM plans third front in Punjab
Still waiting for British help Police-public meeting or a PR exercise? Action plan to prevent rail accidents IG’s visit ‘delays’ post-mortem HC acquits convict of murder charge Campaign against drunken driving Govt lecturers to meet on Jan 7 Eye surgeons’ body warns members Bank staff to boycott clearing work Lawyers against Ferozepore’s division
Traffic cops warned Move on encroachers ‘mockery of law’ Nod to prosecute Jagdeep Chohan
2.5 cr heroin seized from border village Golden Forest CMD remanded in police custody Murders put police in tight spot Man strangles brother
Punjab to open more schools for girls
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| Punjab farm economy faces crisis CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The “future problems and prospects of Punjab agriculture” have been repeatedly diagnosed. There is near-unanimity among economists and farm scientists on possible solutions to rejuvenate it. Various options have also been suggested for sustainable agriculture. These include policy changes, diversification, protection of the environment and ecology, marketing strategies, input and output pricing, scientific storage to ward off post-harvest loss and wastage, processing, transportation and distribution, etc. This issue of the “future of agriculture” was also the theme of a two-day seminar-cum-workshop inaugurated at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development here today. It is being coordinated by a former Chairman of the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Pricing, Dr S.S. Johl, who presented the theme paper. The Chairman, Public Enterprises Selection Board, Mr T.K.A. Nair, chaired the session and the Punjab Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, presided. Dr Johl talked of ground realities, the frigid policy approach of the government to problems, prospects and challenges ahead. He delineated on the impact and implications of the World Trade Organisation regime, the prevalent system of subsidies to the agricultural sector and the immense harm the wheat-paddy rotation had done to Punjab’s ecology and economy, soil health and the depleted watertable, adversely affecting total factor productivity. It was, however, left to Mr Mann to respond to the grim scenario presented by Dr Johl and endorsed by Mr Nair. Within the constraints of his position as the Chief Secretary, Mr Mann, nevertheless, did some plain speaking. Future problems and prospects of Punjab agriculture, he said, were well-enunciated and documented, as revealed by Dr S.K. Ray, who gave a resume of what all had been done in the recent past to “educate” policy-makers in New Delhi and Chandigarh regarding the grim situation evolving in the region. Mr Mann saw no difference of opinion on diagnosis and approach to the problems or policies required to be pursued. There might also be repetition. Therefore, without pointing to what was wrong with the solutions or why there was no application of these, he said: “All players are equally responsible. The blame should start from the top. Politicians, administrators, universities, research workers, technocrats must be apportioned the blame. If there is lack of political will, there is also lack of bureaucratic commitment and lack of vision in planning. “The national policies cannot be applied uniformly in the country even in diversification because political parties’ interests have dictated such policies. In the present scenario inflexibilities have hurt Punjab. Its clout at the Centre is dwindling. Today, Mr Parkash Singh Badal commands respect in New Delhi. He could move the Centre to tide over the last paddy crisis. It is only a one-time measure. Punjab may not benefit in the same way in future”. Mr Mann went on to say that Punjab was at the receiving end when it came to input and output pricing, exports of farm produce and products. It was time Punjab learnt to stand on its own feet. The criticism and adverse media reports that the next Assembly elections would be determined by how the paddy crisis was handled next year had an element of truth. Media reports also helped the government to get its voice heard. The Chief Secretary regretted that political and administrative support to the poor was dwindling due to the lack of commitment. Only lobbying and pressure groups mattered. Mr Badal was right when he said that rural people were neglected. Therefore, the administration had to concentrate more on rural development to revive the commitment to the people. Had those people been cared for, the agitation during the paddy crisis, last marketing season, and the growing frustration would not have been there. He hoped seminars like the present one would go a long way in making politicians and administrators more responsive and sensitive to the people’s problems. Even on the WTO it was yet to be known who was right or wrong. It was a reality. The WTO existed. Its presence was good for farmers. The administration must work to educate the farmers towards that end. The seminar is being attended by several progressive farmers and members of panchayats to know at first hand what exactly they need and what their problems are rather than only academics, economists and scientists deliberating and coming up with recommendations. Some of the farmers did speak up at the second session. Mr P.C. Bansal of the Techno Economic Research Limited, New Delhi, mainly confined himself to three issues — the present scene, required improvements and diversification and integrated economic development — rather than discussing agriculture in isolation. His presentation on Punjab cast a dark shadow. He said unless correctives were applied, social transformation would remain a distant dream and laid emphasis on education, human resource development, generation of rural employment and reduction in the pressure on land. He expressed concern over the growing influence of drugs and alcohol, ostentation at social functions, indebtedness, etc. Mr Khushwant Singh, a progressive kinnow grower from Hoshiarpur, who is selling his orchard produce online now, suggested that the seminar should devote time and attention to suggesting concrete steps to make farming cost-effective. The need was to improve the economy as a whole. The participants repeatedly referred to Dr Johl’s report on diversification submitted to the government in the mid-eighties that was still relevant. Surplus foodgrain was showing signs of “back pressure” because while production kept going up following the need to feed millions who went hungry every night, the public distribution channels got choked due to a systems failure. To this Mr Nair added that people must have buying power that was as important as the availability of food. The participants agreed that Punjab was being penalised for producing more. This green basket of the country should not be punished now, even if several deficit states had also improved their production. Mr Badal and Capt Kanwaljit Singh will speak tomorrow. |
| Govt to raise tax evasion issue CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — Upset over the large-scale evasion of taxes through the Railways, the Punjab Government has decided to raise the issue at a meeting of the high-powered committee of Chief Ministers on January 8. The meeting will be held in Delhi. Important issues pertaining to sales tax, value added tax (VAT), central sales tax and the C-form will be taken up at the meeting to be attended by the Union Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, all Chief Ministers, and the Finance and Taxation Ministers of the states, among others. The Union Government had set up the high-powered committee a few months ago to initiate tax reforms in the country and to bring about uniformity in the floor rate of various taxes in the states. The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, will be accompanied by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, the Excise and Taxation Minister, Mr Adesh Partap Singh and the Minister of State, Mr Tikshan Sud, at the meeting. As this meeting is being held before the Union Budget, due to be presented within the next few weeks, the states are expected to raise several other important issues pertaining to tax reforms and to making of the budgetary provisions more state-oriented by enhancing the share for development work. For the past two years or so, the states have been pressing the Union Government to enhance their allocation from the Central pool of taxes to 50 per cent, but this has not been done so far. Punjab may also press for the allocation of funds in bulk for the schemes to be decided by the state at its own level. Informed sources in the Punjab Government told TNS today that goods from important towns and cities in the state are booked through the Railways on bogus names without paying tax. When the state Excise and Taxation authorities try to undertake the inspection of such goods, the Railway Authorities concerned disallow this. They take the plea that as the Railway Department is under the Union Government, it is beyond the purview of the state officials to undertake checking of any sort. A big scandal involving of tax evasion through the Railways was exposed recently when on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, officials of the CBI and the Excise and Taxation department conducted a joint raid in Ludhiana. The officials seized about 2,500 containers having goods, including hosiery items, worth Rs 6 crore. Most of these containers were booked on bogus names. When the officials called the parties for the verification of the goods and to get the seized material released after paying the penalty, only a few parties responded. Only 35 or so containers were verified. A senior official of the Excise and Taxation Department said that the remaining containers were still in the possession of the department. The state Excise and Taxation Department had asked for the setting up of checkposts at the railway station yards at important places in the state, but the Railway authorities refused to entertain the request. The Railway authorities, according to Excise and Taxation Department officials, took the plea that the booking of goods would come down following the setting up of the checkposts. Confirming that this issue would be taken up at the meeting of the high-powered committee, Mr Tikshan Sud said that the state government could not allow the transportation of goods without paying tax. According to an estimate, tax evasion through the Railways amounts to several crores of rupees in Punjab. He said the state government would press for the setting up of checkposts and also the interception of all goods suspected to be transported without the payment of tax or on the basis of fraudulent booking. Another important issue pertains to VAT. The Union Government wanted that VAT should be implemented from April next year. But there are several states which have not created infrastructure for implementing the VAT system. It is expected that the Union Government will allow one more year to the state government to implement this system. Earlier, the Centre had asked the states to set up a VAT implementation department at the state government level. However, the officials concerned say that there was need for inter-state coordination and without the assistance of the Union Government this was not possible. The issue of bringing about uniformity in central sales tax in states will also come up at the meeting. Earlier, there was an agreement to reduce 1 per cent CST every year in those states where its slab was higher to bring it on a par with the lower tax structure in certain states. The Union Government had agreed to compensate the affected states. Punjab’s collection from CST is nearby Rs 600 crore. The C-form will be made compulsory for all states and there will be no exemption in this connection in any state. The C- form is given by the buying party to the seller for inter-state trade in goods for the adjustment of sales tax. Earlier, some states had given exemption in this connection. Pvt octroi collection to go: Kanwaljit LUDHIANA, Jan 4 — The Punjab Government is all set to abolish private octroi collection. The system is in operation in selected towns and cities. This was disclosed by the Finance Minister, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, while talking to The Tribune after addressing a seminar on political economy of the WTO and its impact on Punjab agriculture. The minister said the privatisation of octroi posts had led to bullying and harassment of traders by octroi contractors. He said, the government was seized of the matter and it was “the sentiment of the cabinet” to abolish privatise octroi. During the past one year several cases of harassment and manhandling of traders were reported allegedly at the hands of octroi contractors. Traders had been complaining that they were being forced to make extra payment. The octroi contractors had allegedly hired goons to collect revenue from the traders. It is about a year since privatisation was introduced for octroi collection at various places. However, at some places like Ludhiana, due to the high stakes no bidders came forward. Tenders were floated three times for offering octroi contracts in the city but all three times no contractor came forward. The Finance Minister said the issue was almost settled and a final decision may be announced very soon. Capt Kanwaljit, who was targeted by Mr Madan Mohan Mittal yesterday and blamed for not providing funds to local bodies, refused to be drawn into any argument on the issue. At the same time, significance is being attached to Capt Kanwaljit’s comment on an issue that does not concern his ministry, particularly in the backdrop of yesterday’s outburst by Minister for Local Bodies, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, against him. Whether it was a deliberate statement by Capt Kanwaljit or a routine reply to a question is debatable. Capt Kanwaljit Singh hinted at a soft Budget this year. To a question on the nature of Budget to be presented this year, the minister remarked: “You are aware that this is an election year. The Budget is bound to be people-friendly”. |
| Punjab staff in BBMB denied dues ROPAR, Jan 4 — Mr Harjit Singh, an accounts officer of the Punjab cadre, who served a long tenure in the BBMB, died without getting his pension or retirement dues. Besides him about eleven other employees of the Finance department, Punjab, who served in the BBMB and retired during the period ranging from 1994 to 2000, were either involved in litigation or were making mercy appeals to get their retirement dues from their parent department. Officials of the Finance department, Punjab, had stopped the retirement dues of these employees on the plea that they had been withdrawing salary based on higher pay scales during the period of their service in the BBMB. They alleged that the money paid extra to them by the BBMB should be recovered before their retirement dues were cleared. The BBMB is a managing authority on behalf of the partner states viz. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Most of the employees working here used to come from the partner states. However, since there were different pay scales for the employees from different partner states, it created a situation where the employees working on similar posts had different pay scales. To remove this disparity, in 1974, the BBMB working out a formula to bring parity to the pay scales of the board. As per the formula employees working in the irrigation wing of the BBMB were given an option to opt for scales drawn by any other state employee working on a designation similar to them. Similarly the employees of the power wing also had the right to opt for scales equal to any other employee working on a similar designation. In July, 1981 at the 143rd meeting of the board, the disparity between the irrigation and the power wing employees was also removed. It was decided that any employee working in the BBMB, irrespective of his parent state, had the right to opt for a scale equal to any other person working on a designation similar to him. The present Chief Secretary Punjab, Mr Mann, who was the Secretary Irrigation, Punjab, at that time, was present at the meeting that approved this decision of the board. After this decision most of the employees of the BBMB opted for the PSEB scales, since they were better than most of the scales of partner states or departments. However, in 1994, the Finance Department Punjab, suddenly took a decision that its employees in the BBMB had no right to draw salaries on the PSEB scales. The irony of the decision was, while Finance Department officials of Punjab had no right to tell the BBMB that what pay scales should be given to the employees working in the board, they asked for an explanation from their employees about their augmented salaries only when they retired. Moreover, Punjab paid about 55 per cent of the expenditure to the BBMB. Out of it about 12,000 BBMB employees were also given the PSEB pay scales, but the Finance Department had the objection about it’s eight employees drawing these scales. In the recently concluded 172nd meeting of the Bhakra Beas Management Board, the Chairman of BBMB impressed upon the members from states that board had the statutory status in which the states were being represented through the members nominated by them. The board did not deal with the various departments of the partner states. The matters pertaining to the BBMB could only be decided in the board, he said. The member representing Punjab also expressed the view that the stand taken by the Finance Department, Punjab, was not justified as the decision taken by the board in the matter had been taken after due consideration, he said the board’s decision to allow PSEB pay scales to all BBMB employees during their service here was taken keeping in consideration the Supreme Court decision, in same work same pay rule and it should be fully implemented. However, these decisions of the BBMB did not seem to have any effect on the officials of the Finance Department, Punjab, as they seemed in no mood to release the pensionary benefits of their employees. The suffering employees had now written to the Chief Secretary, Punjab, who was a party to the controversial decision, to help end their woes. |
| Club revival aims to boost IT sector: MD CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The revival of the club in the ELTOP complex at SAS Nagar is meant to foster the growth of information technology industry, says Mr G.S. Pirzada, Managing Director of the Punjab State Electronics Development and Production Corporation. The Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, had asked the Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Mann, to look into allegations made by the Minister for Cooperation, Mr Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, about allotment of land to the Country Club in the ELTOP Complex at SAS Nagar during the Cabinet meeting yesterday. According to sources, Mr Pirzada has sent a detailed note to Mr Mann explaining to him the background of the ELTOP Club and subsequent allotment of land to the Country Club for reviving the club at SAS Nagar. Mr Pirzada is believed to have mentioned in his note that a majority of industrial properties at SAS Nagar have been lying vacant. A large number of companies with excellent infrastructure, including Incomnet, Manufacturing Technology India Limited, Mitgart Ltd and Modi Business Machines have been lying closed for 10 to 15 years. The Mohali Industries Association and others had for a long time been demanding establishment of a club, as envisaged in the Memorandum of Articles of ELTOP. The issue of lack of recreational facilities for IT professionals at SAS Nagar was also raised at a dinner meeting the Chief Minister had with registered software companies on June 26 this year. Some of the companies even made formal representations complaining against lack of such recreational facilities in the Software Park and the Industrial Area of SAS Nagar. ELTOP wanted to set up a worldclass club and after advertising in newspapers, the matter came up before the ELTOP Board of Directors on September 18, 2000, where it was decided to advertise again as only one offer had been received in response to the first advertisement in a national business daily. Since there was no response from any company of repute because of apprehension of poor commercial activity at SAS Nagar, the proposal of Country Club was considered. After negotiations, it was decided to rent out the existing Club building to Country Club at a rent of Rs 20,000 per month for first two years with the rent going up to Rs 80,000 per month from the third year onwards with a provision of 5 per cent annual increase. On the other hand, those opposing the allotment of land maintain that the Club, if any, was to be built for industrialists only but the Country Club management was making it a commercial venture charging heavy admission fee. Further, they argued, because high-tension power wires criss-crossed the land allotted to the Country Club, it was in violation of the All-India Electricity Act to use this land for construction of a Club or public utility. Their other allegation was that rent was too nominal for a property which was being commercially exploited. Even senior functionaries of the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) were critical of the project though they never wanted to make any comment in public. They maintained that the Country Club would make a quick buck out of the whole game and provide skeleton services here by spending only a portion of total money collected from prospective members. The Country Club management took possession of the land, restored its power connection and started taking steps for establishing membership. It offered initial membership at Rs 35,000 each against its advertised price of Rs 50,000. A PIL was also filed in the case which has been listed for hearing on February 12 in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Some of the software companies, including Infosys, want to expand their operations in SAS Nagar and any setback to improvement of infrastructure and recreational facilities would provide a serious setback to such efforts. Mr Pirzada is believed to have written to Mr Mann that he had no personal interest in renting out this property to Country Club, which, if the state government wanted, could be cancelled any time but implications of this step must be considered. The efforts to market Punjab were not easy and some credibility had been established after a lot of hard work ad labour, Mr Pirzada was believed to have said in his note maintaining that tremendous interest has been generated both nationally and internationally about Punjab being one of the best IT destinations. | |
| Relief eludes border farmers INDO-Pak Border, Jan 4 — Farmers having cultivated land beyond the fence on the Indo-Pakistan border have yet to get compensation promised by the government. They have not been paid the second instalment since the past two years. As many as 17,000 acres of land in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepore districts had gone beyond the wire fence when it was erected about a decade ago to check anti-national elements, smuggling and nefarious activities from the Pakistan side. The fence ranges from 50 metres to 150 metres from the border but in certain cases it is about 3 km inside the Indian land. In Amritsar alone about 6,350 acres had gone beyond the fence, affecting about 11,500 farmers. A visit to certain border villages revealed that the government had done nothing to shift the fence close to the border in order to restore fertile land. Farmers said kisan organisations had originally demanded compensation at the rate of Rs 6,600 per acre and certain government teams had recommended a compensation at the rate of Rs 5,000 per acre. The government had paid compensation after eight years and that, too, at the rate of Rs 2,500 per acre. The government had promised to pay the second instalment long ago but it was yet to come. The farmers claimed that for the payment of the second instalment even the formalities of approaching them for preparing lists had not been done so far. They complained that nothing had been paid to them of the compensation of Rs 1 crore. Out of this, Rs 68 lakh had to be paid in Amritsar district alone. At Kakkarkalan village, Manjinder Singh said about 43 acres of fertile land belonging to him and his two brothers had gone beyond the fence, across the Ravi. He said the BSF had not allowed them to visit their land since the fence came up in 1991. Although all relevant papers had been provided to the government for compensation, the government was still asking for records, he said. In another case, a farmer of this village had sowed his land across the fence but the BSF did not allow him to harvest it. The farmers said out of about 2,500 acres belonging to the village about 2,000 acres had gone across the fence, affecting about 200 families. If the fence had been erected 500 yards from the border, the situation could have been different. Mulakot village in the Lopoke sector is the closest village to the fence, being only 50 metres away. A former sarpanch Dhyan Singh stated that the government had maintained silence after paying only one instalment whereas the farmers should have been given compensation for the past eight years. He said out of the 204 acres of the village land, about 150 acres was beyond the fence. The border farmers were also sore over the lack of development activities in the villages. Several complaints to the Union Home Minister, the Chief Minister and the Director-General of the BSF have yielded no results, they added. |
RSS meddling in Sikh affairs: Tohra FEROZEPORE, Jan 4 — Accusing the RSS of meddling in Sikh religious affairs, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) leaders today warned against balkanisation and disturbances in Punjab. Holding the ruling Akali Dal president, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for giving a free run to the RSS at a public meeting held at Bhago Ke village near here, the leaders called for all-out efforts to save the Sikh minority from being assimilated by the Hindu fundamentalists. The SHSAD president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, categorically alleged the RSS was trying to make inroads in Sikh politics through wrong propaganda of the Sikh philosophy. He pointed out that the RSS was not only equating Guru Gobind Singh with other national heroes, but trying to assimilate the Sikh community in the Hindu mainstream. Mr Tohra lamented that his meeting with the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, to apprise him of the dangers of the RSS designs had not yielded the desired results. The RSS continues to give a wrong perspective on Sikhism. He warned that the RSS was trying to come into confrontation with the minorities which may spark balkanisation of the country. Criticising the Chief Minister for these developments he said that the ruling Akali Dal which claimed to be the representative of the Sikhs had failed to protect the interests of the minority community. Earlier, talking to mediapersons former Higher Education Minister Manjeet Singh Calcutta said Mr Badal had virtually made the Akali Dal a B team of the BJP and mortgaged all party interests before the might of the RSS. He made it clear that Sikh prayers could not be held inside the temples as Sikh philosophy was opposed to idol worship. In his address, the All-India Sikh Student Federation president, Mr Harminder Singh Gill, charged that the RSS was deliberately meddling in Sikh affairs, which may give rise to social tension in the state. Others present on the occasion were the former Lok Sabha member, Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, the former Jails Minister, Inderjit Singh Zira, and the SHSAD Ferozepore unit president, Mr Karnail Singh Bhawra. |
Amarinder sees poll in April PHAGWARA, Jan 4 — The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President, Capt Amarinder Singh today predicted that the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, would dissolve the state Assembly before April to hold mid-term poll in Punjab along with general elections of four other states. The Congress would go to court against the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the ensuing poll in the state as the party preferred the ballot system, he added. Capt Amarinder Singh made these observations at a press conference held at residence of Mr Harjit Singh Parmar, PPCC member. The Opposition leader in the state Vidhan Sabha, Mr Jagjit Singh and the AICC member, Mr Joginder Singh Mann, were also present. Capt Amarinder Singh claimed Mr Badal had already launched the election campaign by doling out sops in yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. He had legalised encroachments and land-grabbing to please Akali land sharks and appease BJP urbanites, he asserted. Dismissing it as an electoral gimmick, the PPCC chief said Mr Badal’s sangat darshan programmes were indication of his (Mr Badal’s) desperation for completing the tour of all constituencies within two months so that he could declare snap polls. On the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M.S. Gill’s, claim that the EVMs would be used in coming elections, Capt Amarinder Singh alleged the EVM system had failed not only in India but in most developed countries like the USA, the UK, France, Germany. These machines had been misused in the Sunam and Nawanshahr bypolls to manipulate results in favour of the ruling party, he alleged. The party’s legal cell would study the issue and would go to court against the use of the EVMs in coming polls, he further said. Claiming the Congress would soon give a positive development-oriented programme to Punjabis, the PPCC chief said the party’s economic cell had given its report to rejuvenate health of state. A high-powered committee would be constituted within four weeks for studying and adopting the report. The party would base its poll manifesto on the report. On the WTO issue, Capt Amarinder Singh alleged the SAD-BJP government was not making use of the anti-dumping law and protective tariff provisions. Mr Badal was busy blaming the Congress even though he knew that GATT was useful for Punjab, he said. As much as 300 per cent tax could be imposed on foreign goods under protective tariff, he added. Diversification of crops and 25 per cent cultivation of high value cash crops were the only answer to problems of Punjab farmers, the PPCC chief added. The Johal Committee report, prepared by economist S.S. Johal 15 years ago, should be implemented, demanded Capt Amarinder Singh. On return to power, the Congress would constitute a commission for probing corruption cases against the SAD-BJP leaders right from top, he added. Response to the party rallies against misrule of Mr Badal was massive and indicative of a pro-Congress wave, he claimed. The AICC chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, would address a kisan rally in Punjab in February-March, he informed. Meanwhile, the PPCC chief attended the Barsi of slain party leader Jagat Ram at Soondhi village. While talking to reporters later he denied that there was any factionalism in the Congress. He said it won the Akalis who were plagued by factionalism and fissures had appeared in the SAD-BJP alliance as had been shown by the row between Mr Balramji Das Tandon and Mr Kanwaljit Singh. He supported party MP Santosh Chaudhary’s and flayed the administration for having created hurdles in her way for laying the foundation stone of a dispensary at Bhogpur for which she had given a grant of Rs 10 lakh from the MP local area development fund. This was happening in Patiala also and Congress MPs’ projects were being hijacked by the Akalis, he alleged. |
| CPI frowns on police holding Akhand Paths FEROZEPORE, Jan 4 — The “akhand path” of Guru Granth Sahib being held at various stations of Moga district has sparked off a controversy, with the Communists terming it as an attempt to “communalise” the state police by the ruling SAD. The “paths” have been held at Samalsar and Baghapurana areas to make the beginning of the New Year. The function that was held at Samalsar on January 1 was even attended by the members of the SGPC and a SAD minister, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal. While the police claims that this exercise was aimed at bringing the public and the policemen closer, the CPI has described the incident as a bid to communalise the official machinery. A member of the Punjab CPI council, Mr Randhir Gill, disclosed that his party would also submit a detailed complaint to the Home Department to restrain the police force from becoming a “tool” in the hands of SAD. He pointed out that these are not the isolated incidents, as such “paths” are being held frequently ever since SAD assumed power in Punjab. He wanted that this would not only set a bad precedent, but also prompt the officers to please politically well connected saints and religious leaders to corner plum posts. He added that the BJP-ruled states would follow this and may try to impose Hindu religion in a similar fashion. On being contacted for comment, the Moga district police chief, Mr Sharad Satya Chauhan, denied that the police force was being communalised and claimed that such functions would strengthen the communal harmony. Making it clear that these functions were not being held at the behest of the SAD, he claimed that the police force on its own volunteered to organise community kitchens and prayers. “Those raking up the issue are trying to communalise the situation,” he added. |
| CPM plans third front in Punjab CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — A third front of secular and like minded democratic political parties will be set up in Punjab. This was announced here today by Prof Balwant Singh, Secretary of the state unit of the CPM. Addressing a press conference, Prof Balwant Singh said the CPI, the Janata Dal will be members of the third front. Besides, eminent persons including certain former vice chancellors would be part of it, he added. The CPM would start a political campaign against the “anti-people” policies of the Punjab Government. Police excesses, nepotism and corruption had crossed all limits in the state, Prof Balwant Singh said. A programme had been chalked out to organise 100 political conferences in the state this month, he said. On January 24, demonstrations would be held at all district headquarters in the state against the anti-people economic policies of the State Government. On February 5 to 7, the CPM would actively support the action programme announced by farmers and farm labourers . He said the raise in the minimum wages for labourers announced by the state Government was inadequate. |
Still waiting for British help HOSHIARPUR: The British Government recently advertised in the print media that it would provide financial help to those who served with the Royal British Army during World War II and were taken prisoner by the Japanese but did not desert. One of the survivors is 92-year-old Banta Singh, who lives in Bassi Daulat Khan village in Hoshiarpur district, and expects to get such assistance. Mr Banta Singh, who retired as Lance Naik, was in the Royal Army from 1931 to 1946 and fought in the Second World War. He along with six jawans of his unit, Bombay Sappers & Miners Group IE 17 Company of Kirkee, remained prisoners of the Japanese army for about five years. They were kept at various prisoners’ camps in Malaya and Singapore. They were tortured during the imprisonment and told to desert the army, but they refused. Mr Banta Singh said the oath taken by him before the army flag compelled him and the others to remain loyal to the Royal Army. He said it was only in 1946, when he retired from the army, that he switched over to activities relating to the freedom struggle. He said after coming home, he received a letter from the General concerned, recognising his services during World War II. Lance Naik Banta Singh has kept the letter with him carefully and showed it to this correspondent. He said he received an offer that he could settle in England, but he preferred to remain in his country. Mr Banta Singh originally belonged to Chak No 8, Anandgarh, Nankana Sahib tehsil, which is now in Pakistan. After Partition he along with his family came to Karnal and finally settled in Bassi Daulat Khan. He has five sons. Two of them served in the Indian Army, two with the Punjab Government and one with the Central Government. Mr Banta Singh is in good health even at the age of 92. He said he led a simple and carefree life and generally took milk, butter and lassi. He is a God-fearing person and spends most of his time serving suffering humanity. Mr Banta Singh is disgusted with the prevailing conditions, including corruption , in the country. |
| Police-public meeting or a PR exercise? FEROZEPORE, Jan 4 — The police-public meeting held here yesterday turned out to be public relation show, with most of the prominent speakers either skirting the inconvenient issues or touching them ambivalently. The show that was organised as pact of the visit of the IG (Border) Mr A.P. Pande remained a poor crowdpuller, while many of the participants were brought to the venue by the cops themselves. A section of the officers, however, justified this saying, it was necessary to bring the public close to the police and give them an opportunity to share their grievances. Only a select few participants spoke and did not touch upon any specific complaint against the police. Most speakers either appreciated the police or ambivalently touched upon inconvenient issues, like corruption and political interference. Thus, despite the fact, that the Ferozepore range DIG Mr Hardeep Singh Dhillon categorically asked the speakers to restrain from praising the cops and bring to the fore their difficulties and complaints. While Mrs Usha Chopra, a social worker, said the police needed patting and not criticism, the Beopar Mandal president, Mr Ashwini Mehta, said the relation between the public and the local police was cordial. He even recommended that “good” officers posted in the district should not be transferred. Even the son of an opposition Congress leader, Mr Rajinder Sharma, appreciated the police saying all their requests were entertained by the local cops. The Ferozepore BJP president Mr D.P. Chandan, declined to go into any individual complaint against any of the police officer and instead asked the IG to remove the difficulties of the cops, like low salaries, inadequate staff and vehicles. However, two journalists — Mr Satyapal Baghi and Mr M.L. Tewari, ambivalently touched upon corruption and political interference in the police working Mr Tewari charged that the police was indulging in corruption and certain cops were associated with bad elements. Later, referring to these allegations, the district police chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Pherurai said that it was easier to find faults with the police, but no civilian was willing to render a volunteer support to fight against crime. He added that the police was forced to rely on certain bad elements to knock out crime from the society. “The bad elements often help us in breaking information about bigger criminals”, he explained. However, Mr Pande asked the police to maintain a distance with the bad elements. He added that low salary was no justification for corruption and anyone willing to make more money was free to leave the force and join some other profession. |
| Action plan to prevent rail accidents LUDHIANA, Jan 4 — While the inquiry to ascertain the cause of the railway accident at a village near Fatehgarh Sahib last month is still on, the Northern Railways has chalked out an action plan to prevent such incidents in future. The Northern Railways, has sent the plan to all divisions, particularly Ferozepore. Though the factors responsible for the accident have not been stated so far, the action plan suggesting special attention towards the ‘‘flat wheels’’, stating that the main reasons leading to the accidents were flat wheels and the fractures in tracks caused by these. A copy of the action plan, procured by The Tribune, requires all drivers of trains, staff deputed for rolling in of carriages, train passing staff and gatemen to look out for the “hammering” sound while performing their duties and take necessary action if need be or report the matter to the authorities concerned. They are also supposed to send the feedback of the exercise for detecting the flats wheel on a daily basis to the authorities. The copy of the action plan sent to all divisions asks for detection of flats wheel in detail. It states, ‘‘Duties are entrusted to each and everyone concerned with examination of locos, DMUs, coaches and wagons with a list of guidelines for Loco Inspectors and CDOs for strict compliance.” The guidelines include rolling in and rolling out examinations of coach and freight trains and concentration on “flats” to be detected by knocking in the absence of light. It also requires that the drivers of locos should be able to detect “flat” places and be clear on the restricted speed after detection. An official said ‘‘wheel flats’’ was a technical term used for wheels of goods train when these got flattened at a specific point, mainly due to overloading. These “flats” hammered the track strongly when the train ran at a speed and caused fractures in the track. During the accident near Fatehgarh Sahib, the tragedy reportedly took place due to derailment caused by fractured tracks. Although no official spoke on record, as the inquiry report is awaited, pictures of parts of the fractured tracks taken extensively hint at the fault in the track. | |
| IG’s visit ‘delays’ post-mortem FAZILKA, Jan 4 — The visit of Mr A.P. Panday, I.G., Border Range, Punjab police, to enhance cooperation between the police and the public here yesterday virtually turned out to be a non-starter for the common man. It was evident from the fact that due to the visit police officials were reportedly busy in preparations. This led to delay in the post-mortem examination of an accident victim, Mangal Singh (50), due to absence of inquest papers. According to information available, Mangal Singh of Samewali village was seriously injured in an accident and was admitted to the local Civil Hospital on yesterday, where he succumbed to his injuries. The death report was immediately sent to the police post, Roranwali under Fazilka Sadar police station. The hospital authorities were not able to conduct the examination despite pleas of his relations as the police had not submitted the inquest papers. The post-mortem examination was conducted after 24 hours of the death. CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Mr Justice A.S. Garg and Mr Justice H.S. Bedi today allowed the appeal of Satnam Singh, a resident of Rooriwala village in Amritsar district, and acquitted him of the murder charge against him. The prosecution had charged Satnam Singh, along with two others, with the murder of Mukhtiar Singh and Ajit Singh, fellow villagers, on June 17, 1992. The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Amritsar, convicted him to life imprisonment on September 12, 1995. The Bench observed: “The statements of the witnesses are materially discrepant and are countrary to what they had stated before the police and there appears to be an error in appreciating the same against the appellant and the benefit of such statements must go to the appellant. His conviction and sentence cannot be sustained.” |
| Campaign against drunken driving ROPAR, Jan 4 — The police has launched a campaign against drunken driving in the district. Teams comprising a doctor, a DTO and the ASP (Traffic) have been formed. These teams would conduct raids and the doctors would on the spot, certify if the driver of any vehicle was under the influence of alcohol. The accused would be booked for violation of traffic rules. The SSP Mr G.P.S Bhullar, gave this information while addressing a press conference here yesterday. He said in order to curb the crime against women, special cells were being formed in this district. These cells would function under the control of the ASP and would be operated with the help of women social workers in the urban areas and Mahila mandals in the rural areas. Govt lecturers to meet on Jan 7 AMRITSAR, Jan 4 — The Government School Lecturers Union, Punjab, has convened a crucial state body meeting on January 7 in Ludhiana to chalk out the future course of action in the wake of the dilly-dallying attitude of the state government towards their demands. Talking to TNS, the recently elected president of the state unit of the association, Mr Kashmir Singh Gill, has said the school lecturers will resort to intensifying their peaceful agitation if their demands are not accepted at the forthcoming meeting. He said the state body could serve an ultimatum for accepting the charter of demands. |
| Eye surgeons’ body warns members AMRITSAR, Jan 4 — The state executive body of the Punjab Opthalmic Officers Association (POOA), at a meeting held here yesterday took strong exception to some alleged disgruntled and corrupt eye surgeons’ activities against the interest of cadre. A press note issued by Mr Rakesh Sharma, senior vice-president of the association, said some self-styled representatives of the eye surgeons had been inciting other eye surgeons to raise objection against the resignation of opthalmic officers. The association has warned these surgeons to desist from such activities. |
| Bank staff to boycott clearing work FEROZEPORE, Jan 4 — Bank employees have decided to boycott the clearing work tomorrow in protest against the arrest of a branch manager of the State Bank of Patiala. The branch manager, Mr Sarvshrestha Gupta, was reportedly held along with a middleman for accepting a bribe to sanction a loan for the setting up of a flour mill. While Rs 5,000 as bribe was recovered from Mohinder Singh, the middleman, Mr Gupta was later arrested following an information from him. The executive member of the State Bank of Patiala Officers Association, Mr Devinder Kumar Dhawan, said since the money was actually recovered from Mohinder Singh, it was wrong to arrest Mr Gupta. |
| Lawyers against Ferozepore’s division FEROZEPORE, Jan 4 — The local Bar Association will continue to oppose the proposed merger of Abohar subdivision with Muktsar district and the dissolution of the Ferozepore division by the state government. This was stated by the newly elected Bar Association President, Mr Darshan Singh Sandhu. Mr Sandhu, who bagged 134 votes, defeating his rival, Mr O.P. Kamboj, said that the two issues would remain on the agenda of the Bar. He further said that since the two moves would affect the clientele of local lawyers, the Bar was determined to prevent this from happening. He pointed out that since Ferozepore had suffered heavily due to the transfer of the Dharamkot area to Moga, any further division of the district would harm the professional interests of the lawyers. |
| 1 killed, 3 hurt as crucible bursts JALANDHAR, Jan 4 — One labourer was killed and three received severe burn injuries when a crucible filled with hot aluminium fluid bursted in an utensils manufacturing unit at Amar Garden locality yesterday. According to the police, Surinder Kumar (30), a migrant labourer from Bihar, died on the spot, while Shiv Ram (26), Anil Kumar (28), both residents of Bihar and Baljinder Singh (29), resident of Rajewala village in Gurdaspur, were admitted to local Janata Hospital with severe burn injuries. A case has been registered against owner of the factory, Kewal Krishan. |
| Demolished temple reconstructed PHAGWARA, Jan 4 — The reconstruction of front portion of the Shiv Temple near Chachoki Canal on the GT Road began with impunity today. The nagar council authorities led by Chairman of the council, Mr K.L. Gabha, had demolished this structure on Monday declaring it an encroachment. Interestingly, two councillors were present at the site when the reconstruction began today. Of late, land-grabbing and illegal construction in the name of religion has become a fashion here. CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The IPS Officers Association of Punjab today expressed its deep shock over the demise of Mr K.K. Sharma, a former Director-General of Police, Home Guards, Punjab. The association expressed its condolence to the members of the bereaved family. Mr Sharma, 60, died yesterday after a prolonged illness.
AMRITSAR, Jan 4 — The Punjab Pradesh Stamp Vendors Union has urged the Punjab Government to raise the limit of selling court fee stamps and papers from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 per sale deed. The union, which held its meeting at Ludhiana last week, argued that this limit was much more in many states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra where as no limit was fixed in states like Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Describing it as a discrimination with the stamp vendors of Punjab, the union meeting decided to send a 12-member deputation to meet the Governor, Chief Minister, Finance Minister and Financial Commissioner to stress upon them to find out an amicable solution to their long-standing demands. |
Traffic cops warned JALANDHAR, Jan 4 — The district police today called its traffic wing inefficient and issued strict instructions to cops to be vigilant and active while regulating traffic in the city and warned disciplinary action, including suspension against the erring cops. Mr M.F. Farooqi SP, while addressing a press conference here today, admitted that during a week-long round of the city, it was found, that the traffic wing had not been performing its duty properly. It was found that most of the time, the policemen remained idle at traffic police posts and were least concerned about traffic regulations. Mr Farooqi further said strict instructions had been issued to the traffic wing to improve its functioning. He also criticised the local municipal corporation authorities for their failure to properly maintain traffic lights. |
| Move on encroachers ‘mockery of law’ BATHINDA, Jan 4 — The recent move by the state government to regularise unauthorised constructions in urban areas is “unfortunate, shameful and unjust”. This was stated by Dr Vineeta Gupta, general secretary, Insaaf International, here today. She said the government had no right to “sell” public property occupied illegally and the decision of the government was “frustrating for the law abiding citizens.” If the government did not want tedious legal procedures, wished to provide basic facilities in civic areas and was serious on ensuring development in the state, then the encroachers should be punished as per the law. The government move would only encourage the land mafia, she alleged. The state had adequate machinery to prevent encroachment, but municipal inspectors and PUDA officials were also involved in many cases of land grab, she alleged. The recent move would “promote un-authorised colonies and the land mafia and make a mockery of rules against these persons”, she said. “If the government itself gives such reasons as tedious and frustrating legal procedures for its inability to take legal action against the encroachers, then it is promoting hopelessness among the common people in getting justice in courts. The government should reconsider its decision in the larger interests of law abiding citizens,” she added. |
| Nod to prosecute Jagdeep Chohan CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The Punjab Government has accorded sanction to prosecute Jagdeep Singh Chohan, Additional Director, Public Relations, under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act and in terms of Section 197 of the CrPC for the offences under Section 420 and 120-B of the IPC. In an order the authorities concerned have stated that an FIR was registered against Jagdeep Singh on August 3 last year for allegedly using illegal means and abusing his position in connection with tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth. The case against him was investigated by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab. It was prima facie found that Jagdeep Singh, had misused his position and obtained undue benefits for himself . Main allegation against Jagdeep Singh is pertaining to the production of a film named as ‘‘Khalsa’’. This was produced to commemorate the tercentenary of the birth of Khalsa. The Administrative Department had authorised Jagdeep Singh to execute the agreement for the production of film. He, however, did not bother to take into account the legal opinion and the advice of the Legal Remembrance and executed the agreement with the film producer. The duration of the film was fixed 180 minutes. An amount of Rs 24 lakh was given in instalments on the completion of the film against its budget of Rs 30 lakh. Mr Jagdeep Singh did not fix the rate of the film. The rate of another film ‘‘Khalsa Heritage’’, was fixed Rs 10,000 per minute. |
2.5 cr heroin seized from border village DAOKE (Amritsar) Jan 4 — The strategically located Daoke village touching Pakistani territory on three sides is being used by international smugglers for smuggling heroin and other contrabands into the Indian territory. This fact came to light with the recovery of pure heroin worth Rs 2.5 crore in the international market by custom officials with the help of the BSF. Daoke, which faces Pakistani village, Lalloke, on three sides, in front of the border outpost number 8 was infamous before the installation of fencing. However, after the border fencing, the smugglers had stopped using this route. Since Daoke is connected with India by a single route, it was easy to smuggle the contrabands. Mr T.H.K. Ghauri, Commissioner, Customs, said 2.5 kg of heroin was recovered from the northern edge of Daoke nullah near the boundary pillar opposite the Pakistani village located at a distance of 20 metres inside the Indian territory and about 400 metres beyond the border fencing towards the International Border in front of the border outpost at Daoke. The drugs were buried near the border and across the fence. The seizure was effected on specific intelligence information gathered by the customs authorities. However, nobody has been arrested in this connection. The Commissioner pointed out that the department was trying to put together intelligence inputs to nab those who received the consignment. Talking about the possibility of the involvement of residents of Daoke and its adjoining areas, the Commissioner said it was premature to comment on anything so far. Mr Ghauri said due to intensive patrol on the border in Jammu and Kashmir, there was hardly any report about narcotic smuggling from across Pakistan. Last year, as many as 36 seizures worth Rs 29.5 crore were made. A major consignment from across the border was recovered by railway customs officers at Attari. |
| Golden Forest CMD remanded in police custody PATIALA, Jan 4 — Chief Judicial Magistrate Sanjeev Berry today remanded Golden Forest Chief Managing Director R.K. Syal to police remand till January 7 in the “duping” case registered against him and other officials of the Company. The Judge yesterday passed an order that Mr Syal be produced in his court today. The Vigilance Department officials pleaded that the police remand of Mr Syal was crucial to carry out further investigation in the case. The Vigilance Department was in the process of identifying the benami assets of the company besides checking personal bank accounts and lockers of the accused . The officials also claimed that the company, in which Mr Syal was the top shot, had duped investors by neither giving any returns to them on their investments nor giving them any land. The company had also inflated its assents by getting land registered in its name at rates which were much higher than the market price. Counsel of the accused pleaded that the company CMD had been falsely implicated in the case and that there was no evidence against him. He also highlighted the fact that Mr Syal was a tuberculosis patient and needed constant medical attention. |
| Murders put police in tight spot TARN TARAN, Jan 4 — The district police here has taken a serious note of the alleged negligence of the police at Doburji (Sultanwind), which has put it in a difficult position regarding two cases of murder. Sources told this correspondent yesterday that Gursewak Singh, (18) a taxi driver of Lalpur village who was hired on December 18 from Khadoor Sahib at 8.30 am by two persons along with his Tata Sumo, was found dead near Sultanwind village by the police the same day. Residents of nearby villages told the police that the body was dumped there by certain persons, who had come there in a Tata Sumo. A post-mortem examination was conducted the next day. When a news item was published in some newspapers in this regard on December 21, the body was handed over to the parents by the Verowal police. The district police asked the Doburji police why it had failed to follow the departmental instructions in this case. Had the police passed this message in time it would have been easy to apprehend the culprits. The sources said that a case under Section 174, CRPC was registered in this regard and a delay of three days had created certain technical problems. The Verowal police had lodged a case under Section 364 IPC (abduction), which was later changed into Section 302 IPC(murder) on December 21. The local district police has decided to write to the higher authorities in this regard. In another case the local district police has initiated an enquiry into the role played by the Doburji police in a case in which a headless body of a pregnant girl was found by the Chabal police on December 17. The body was found from a rivulet near Pandori Ran Singh village. The local district police had collected information that two persons in police uniform had brought the body from Amritsar. A DSP is investigating the matter and in this case the SHO of Doburji police station has been summoned. Man strangles brother PATIALA, Jan 4 — A man strangled his brother while another person committed suicide in two separate incidents in this district last night. According to sources Karnail Singh of Rurki Sakatar village in this subdivision n strangled his brother Jarnail Singh to death under the influence of alcohol last night. According to the FIR registered by a neighbour Dalip Singh, both the brothers used to sell illicit liquor. In another case, Isher Singh of Julkan committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree with his turban last night. A case has been registered at the Julkan police station in this regard. |
Punjab to open more schools for girls NEW DELHI, Jan 4 — To encourage education among girls, the Punjab Government has decided to open two plus two schools for girls in each Assembly constituency. According to Mr Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Punjab Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Welfare, an amount of Rs 45 crore will be spent on various development schemes for women this year. Mr Kanjhla, who was here to attend a function where selected women were honoured, announced that the Punjab Government would dedicate this year to the empowerment of women. According to a press note, women will be given preference in technical education and steps taken to remove problems faced by widows in getting pension. |
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