The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Pak VVIP visits native village
Gives Rs 2.50 lakh for school building
From Rashmi Talwar
From Our Correspondent

AJAIBWALI (Amritsar), Jan 19 — Pakistan’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and former Chief Justice Abdul Qadir Chaudhary, today evaded all queries on the likelihood of elections in Pakistan.

He felt so harassed over the question’s from mediapersons, that he put down his teacup and walked out in a huff.

Mr Qadir was on a visit to his ancestral village, 22 km from Amritsar. In his brief chat with the media, he expressed helplessness in cementing the bonds of friendship between the two nations.

Yesterday too, the Pakistan CEC had declined to talk on the issue at the Indian Election Commission’s golden jubilee seminar at Delhi, where he was a special invitee.

However, during his visit to this village, tears welled up in his eyes on hearing an improvised Punjabi ‘ghori’ sung by eight-year-old Gurleen Kaur, “Jadon chariya veer ghori ve, tere naal-sarkar-di jodi ve”. The original word ‘barat’ was replaced by ‘sarkar’. Overcome by emotions, the CEC made Gurleen sit beside him and gave her Rs 100 in appreciation.

At the hurriedly arranged village reception, Mr Abdul embraced and shook hands with Ruliya, a 90-year-old labourer who recognised Qadir by name, despite his poor eyesight. He recalled he had worked for his brother Abdul Haq.

During his interaction with villagers, the CEC recalled his visit to the village 53 years ago. He later, led by village sarpanch Sukhwinder Kaur and SDM Gurpreet Sapra planted a “sagwan” sapling.

The entire village accompanied the VVIP as he tried to locate his three-storeyed haveli. Ultimately, Balwant Singh’s home was recognised as the CEC’s former haveli.

The CEC presented Rs 2.50 lakh towards the construction of a school building and a momento to the village’s only gold medalist in kabaddi, Rajvinder Kaur.

The village presented him with a bag of ‘his’ village soil, a citation in Urdu by the village panchayat, Sri Sahib (a kirpan), a photograph of the Golden Temple, two shawls and the famous ‘papar’ and ‘warian’of Amritsar.

The Pakistani guest was presented a siropa and a shawl by information officer, Golden Temple, Mr Bachan Singh.

IT wing begins probe into irrigation scam
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, Jan 19 — The multi-crore irrigation scam involving officials and contractors has taken a new turn with the income tax (investigations) authorities beginning a probe into it.

Official sources said that income tax authorities had procured documents relating to the scam from various quarters to examine allegations of the evasion of income tax by the officials and contractors. The authorities were likely to probe the immovable and moveable assets acquired by the officials, contractors and ruling politicians who are allegedly involved into it.

The income tax authorities had to step in when the Punjab Government allegedly failed to take the irrigation scam to its logical end. The income tax authorities would also procure copies of affidavits submitted to various organisations by the irrigation officials.

The multi-crore irrigation scam came to light when the then Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, Mr S.R. Ladhar, ordered a probe on a complaint made by Mr Tirath Singh Brar, junior engineer. Mr Brar alleged that bunglings had been made in the preparation of estimates and payment of works executed, and material facts had been concealed.

The probe held by the then Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Mr Alok Shekhar, established a scam worth Rs 2.5 crore. Then allegedly due to “pressure”, from certain quarters, the Punjab Government conducted a series of inquiries and booked five irrigation officials in criminal cases registered in various police stations of Bathinda and Muktsar districts.

After that, 11 IAS, IPS and PCS officials of Bathinda district in a resolution passed on December 9, 1999, condemned the alleged misbehaviour of the then Punjab Irrigation Minister, Mr Sikander Singh Malooka. They alleged that Mr Malooka had tried his best to get the inquiry ordered into the irrigation works embezzlement case, hushed up ordered by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Most of the officers who signed the resolution including Mr Ladhar and the then SSP, Mr Harnek Singh Sran, were transferred out of this district even though the irrigation scam was unearthed by the district administration under the ‘anti-corruption’ campaign launched by Mr Badal from Malout during those days.

Sources said that the Punjab Government never bothered to hand over the irrigation scam to the CBI to bring more bunglings to light despite the fact that every party demanded it. Apart from it, 13 Members of Parliament, including Mr Bhan Singh Bhora, had written to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, to order a CBI probe into this scam which ran into hundreds of crores of rupees.

Recently, Congress workers also handed over documents related to the irrigation scam to the state party president, Mr Amarinder Singh at Rampuraphul, for him to pursue the matter.

SAD to woo back workers
From Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Jan 19 — The Shiromani Akali Dal high command has directed its district unit chiefs to start a campaign to bring back Akali leaders and grassroots workers who have left the party due to factionalism. The drive will also focus on posts for genuine workers in the party structure, irrespective of the wishes of the minister of the area.

The two-pronged strategy — to bring back leaders and workers who have dissociated themselves from the party and joined the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal led by Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra and to appoint office-bearers rooted in the traditional Akali mould — was finalised at a meeting of the district jathedars with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and other senior party leadership at Chandigarh last week.

The strategy has been formulated with an eye on the coming elections to block samitis and zila parishads, sources told TNS today.

According to the sources, the current political situation was discussed in detail with the district jathedars recommending that the party needed to woo back those who had left it to join the Tohra Dal. They said this was imperative in case the party wanted to put up a good show in the zila parishad elections as also the Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.

The party high command directed the district jathedars to specially reach out to the Akali electorate in the rural areas and give a patient hearing to their problems. He said the block presidents should establish interaction at the village level and report problems being faced by the people to the circle jathedar. If the circle jathedar could not solve the problem, he should report it to the district president who could take the help of the minister concerned. The high command felt wherever ministers showed disinterest in solving the problems, the issue could be referred to the Chief Minister himself.

Following complaints of district presidents, it was decided that they need not listen entirely to the recommendations of the concerned area ministers while appointing office-bearers.

In order to gear the party mechanism for the block samiti and zila parishad elections, it was decided that constituency-wise meetings should be started. In the first phase it was felt that meetings should be held at the village level following which a constituency meeting could be arranged. The constituency meetings, which would be held by the district presidents, would be organised in association with the SGPC member concerned and area mp or former mp. Following this, district- level meetings are to be organised which will be attended by the Chief Minister.

Patiala (Urban) Akali president Jathedar Manmohan Singh Bazaz, when contacted, on the issue said he was in the process of appointing a full-fledged team of the unit. He said the party office had been activated. He had already visited most areas under him to start preparations for the zila parishad elections. His unit would organise a rally in this regard in the last week of February.

Transferred for exposing scam?
From Our Correspondent

ROPAR, Jan 19 — The date of birth scandal in the National Fertilizers Ltd. (NFL) unit at Nangal, took its first toll with Mr R.D. Gahrana, the Chief Manager Personnel and Administration, who played a vital role in exposing the scandal, being shifted to an unimportant portfolio. The date of birth scandal came to the fore when on an anonymous complaint against the Principal of a school run by the company, the corporate office ordered a scrutiny in to the service records of all employees working here. Though the Principal was reinstated after the inquiry by the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the company, 97 more cases of tampering with service records were detected in the inquiry ordered after the Principal’s case.

It was found that most of the accused employees had either served beyond their due retirement age or were likely to do so. Taking a soft stance in the case, the management decided to retire the guilty employees with immediate effect. It was also decided that the date of birth declared by any employee at the time of his recruitment would be considered final and no alteration would be accepted.

Mr Gahrana in a complaint to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Mr N. Vittal, has alleged mala fide in his transfer. He has alleged that he has been transferred for insisting upon the management to take a similar stance in all the tampering cases. While the NFL management has compulsorily retired 12 employees as per their declaration at the time of recruitment, it has taken a different stand in the case of Principal, he has alleged.

The DGM (PR), Mr Nagpal, when asked to comment on the transfer of Mr Gahrana, however, said that Mr Gahrana had been transferred because he was to retire in July this year.

However, Mr Nagpal, refused to comment on the case of Principal in which as an exception, the company had accepted the changed date of birth while in all other cases, it had accepted the age as originally declared in the attestation form.

5-fold hike proposed in ‘malba’ fee
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, Jan 19 — Builders and owners are likely to feel the “pinch” as the local government authorities have proposed a five-fold hike in “malba” charges.

The proposal that had been pending since 1999 has been recently approved by the Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala corporations. Besides, the regional directors of Bathinda and Ferozepore have also been informed of the proposed order.

The proposal will place an added burden of Rs 500 for a 100 sq ft plot, Rs 1,000 uptil 1,000 sq ft, Rs 1,500 will be charged towards malba, debris and material stacking for building purposes for a plot size of up to 1,500 sq ft while Rs 2,000 for a site measuring 2,000 sq ft while for a site measuring more than 2,000 sq ft a fee of 50 paise for every square feet of covered area will be charged.

Earlier, the rates were almost five times less.

The decision was taken recently at a review meeting to find ways and means to supplement the fund crunch in the Local Government Department which was affecting development and maintenance in the state.

People carrying out construction work in Punjab earlier paid a one-time malba fee to dump material and debris on the adjoining roads. The debris created traffic problems and damaged roads. Earlier, there was no time restrictions regarding dumping the malba and some constructions carried on for more than five years.

The new proposal, keeping in view the drawback of the earlier policy, seeks to plug the loopholes and make the constructor answerable to the corporation. Consequently, the one-time payment has been given a mandatory clause of “renewal every six months” from the time of the start of the construction. The policy will also include the ongoing constructions for the renewal of malba fee.

Besides, the government has decided to impose restrictions on the area that would be covered by the material or debris. The proposal is awaiting the signature of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Narinderjit Singh, who is holding the dual charge of Commissioner, Municipal Corporation.

Zoology teacher for botany
Irregularities in vocational course
By Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 19 — Malwa College, Bondli, Samrala, seems to be taking the inter-disciplinary approach towards education rather seriously. Here a zoology post-graduate has been employed to teach Botany to students of the agro-service vocational course. And this fact is just one of the many irregularities this ill-fated course has been subjected to in the college.

The UGC sponsored three-year vocational course in agro service was started in the college in July, 1998, the only one of its kind in the state. The Panjab University inspection committee first inspected the college in November that year and recommended that the college should appoint a lecturer in botany, procure books and establish lab facilities. The Principal reportedly hired a lecturer and relieved him by the end of March, 1999. The on-job-training (OJT) which is mandatory in such vocational courses was not done during the summer vacations. In the final university examination only one of the 30 students admitted in first year passed, the rest failed.

In June the same year, the college advertised the post of lecturer and the applicants were interviewed by a duly constituted selection committee who selected Dr Rajinder Singla as a full-time lecturer. In October 1999, the university committee inspected the college again and reiterated its earlier recommendations adding that the lecturer employed should be paid in accordance with the UGC recommendations. The said lecturer was relieved by the end of March, 2000, and reemployed for the summer OJT.

Though the college Principal, Mr Jasbir Singh Dhillon, states that the said lecturer was re-employed but did not join, the lecturer states that he was going to the college regularly but one day he was simply replaced by another person.

The next inspection committee visited the college in October, 2000, almost a year late than scheduled. While sources at the PU Colleges branch blame the Registrar’s office for the delay in movement of files in the office regarding colleges, the DR(Colleges), Mr Harbhajan Singh ,prefers not to comment on the matter.

The inspection committee stated in its report that the committee members were astonished to see that a lecturer appointed to teach the course was not qualified for the subject. The Principal stated that the lecturer appointed, Mr Major Singh, was duly qualified to teach as he was a gold medalist in MSc “Biology”. The committee also stated that the lecturer was appointed without any interview whatsoever and the OJT facts too seemed concocted.

Although the inspection committee recommended that affiliation to the college for the said course not be granted, it is already too late. The college has been running the courses for two years on provisional affiliation and used the money UGC had given for the purpose. While the fate of those students who had taken this course remains bleak, the college continues to run the course with one student in third year, four students in second year and nine in the first year.

Flats to be repaired before next auction
From Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Jan 19 — With four auctions in the last five years failing to find any buyers for ten flats in the high income group, medium income group and low income group in the Sewa Singh Thikriwala Nagar, the local Improvement Trust has now decided to change its strategy to off load them. It will carry out repairs in the flats which have not been occupied since they were constructed six years back before putting them back on the auction block.

In the last auction of the flats held on January 17, there were virtually no buyers. Only one HIG flat could be sold by the Improvement Trust at a reserve price of Rs 7.50 lakh. Five HIG, two MIG and four LIG flats had been put up for auction.

The trust is taking the latest setback quite seriously. This time it has decided to auction the flats only after carrying out needed repairs. The trust Chairman, Jathedar Manmohan Singh Bazaz, said the trust had failed to sell the flats as their present condition did not justify their cost.

He said a close scrutiny of the flats had revealed that sub-standard material had apparently been used in their construction. He said the situation was such that a HIG flat in the complex was virtually on the verge of collapse.

Mr Bazaz disclosed that he had formed a committee which would make an estimate of the money required for refurbishing of the flats. He said once this was done the flats would be auctioned off alongwith other upcoming properties of the trust in the same area.

The trust may be successful in auctioning of the flats after due repair, but the atmosphere is not exactly congenial for the proposed owners to set up residence in the area. Mr Gian Chand Gupta, who owns a MIG flat in Thikriwala Nagar, said the Improvement Trust had done nothing to improve the sanitary conditions in the area by raising the low lying area adjoining the flats. He said due to this water accumulated around the flats during the monsoon season and created unhygienic conditions. He said sewerage also overflowed in the area during the monsoons which had put off many people from residing in it.

Mr Gupta said, besides, this till recently water did not reach the second floor of the flats as the necessary tubewell had not been dug by the trust. He said besides this, other attending problems in the flats, particularly bad quality of construction including uneven floors, inadequate plastering and poor quality of fittings had put off likely residents. ‘’I bought my flat for Rs 4.50 lakh and had to spend nearly Rs 2.50 lakh on finishing which I never expected while going in for the scheme,” he added.

Residents feel while the HIG and MIG flats could be disposed of following repairs, it would be difficult to dispose of the LIG flats which are situated right next to Old Bishen Nagar locality in the city. They said the area around the flats has become one of the most unhygienic areas to live in due to an open sewerage drain which is seldom cleaned. Pradeep Walia, a resident of a HIG flat, said flat culture was still to seep in the city due to which there was always lukewarm response to any scheme offering flats for sale.

The Improvement Trust Chairman, however, refuted this theory saying the trust had been able to sell off all the flats auctioned recently by it on the Bhupindra road. He said this had been possible due to complete transparency in the entire construction process with a committee of flat owner now being in complete charge of the entire exercise.

COMMUNITY

PSEB employees hold rally
From Our Correspondent

BATHINDA, Jan 19 — Thousands of activists of various unions of the employees of the PSEB held a rally here today at the court complex. The police had turned the city into a police cantonment to avoid any untoward incident.

The activists had reached here from different cities of this region. The call for the rally was given by the Joint Action Committee of the PSEB employees.

The police personnel were deployed in large numbers at various entry points on the outskirts of the city. They had sealed the road to the office of the Chief Engineer, Bathinda region.

On January 11, the agitating employees had clashed with the police in the office of the Chief Engineer where they were holding a rally in which senior officials of the police had received severe injuries.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the union complained that they were prevented by the police to enter in city. They were made to abandon their vehicles outside the city from where they went on foot in a procession towards the venue of the rally. A large number of policemen went alongside the procession. The activists from different sides of city assembled in the park in the court complex where they held a rally.

‘SGPC must follow in footsteps of RSS’
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, Jan 19 — The controversial organising secretary of the RSS, Mr Sudarshan Chauhan, who had raised a lot of dust by announcing that his organisation planned to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Tenth Guru in temples, today suggested that the SGPC should follow in the footsteps of the RSS, which had launched a “jana jagran” to create awareness among the people on the message of “Gurbani” and the drug menace.

Explaining the role of his organisation in a signed statement here today, Mr Sudarshan said the RSS objective was to take the glory of the “Sikh Panth” to new heights and to strengthen Hindu-Sikh ties as the country could not afford to forget the sacrifices by the Sikh Gurus.

“The SGPC should launch a campaign against the drug menace and make efforts to make arrangements for spreading the Gurus’ message to every home.”

On the other hand a number of Singh Sabhas, religious bodies and Sikh scholars have alleged that the “anti-Sikh” resolution on the amendment of the definition of ‘Sikh’ passed by the SGPC general house on November 30, 1999, is “unnecessary and uncalled for”.

Representatives of the Singh Sabhas and Sikh scholars, at a meeting at Central Town Gurdwara here today, rejected the proposed Gurdwara Bill by the Sikh Gurdwara Election Commission and advised the commission to confine itself to conducting of elections of gurdwaras.

Role of Speaker comes under fire
Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, Jan 19 — The role of the Punjab Speaker has come under fire as he disallowed three unstarred questions of the CPI MLA, Mr Hardev Arshi, who wanted to know the names of IAS and IPS officers who indulged in power theft.

A veteran CPI leader, Mr Satya Pal Dang, has alleged that now assembly Speakers have become partisan and toe the line of the party to which they belong. Speakers even indulge in election propaganda, he further alleged.

He cited the recent order of the Punjab Speaker, disallowing unstarred questions by Mr Arshi for the coming budget session.

In one of these disallowed questions, Mr Arshi wanted to know the names of such IAS, IPS and PCS officers against whom the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) had requested for action as they had allegedly been indulging in power theft. Mr Arshi also wanted to know what action, if any, had been taken on the recommendation.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Mr Arshi’s question was admissible, especially because the state government should be concerned about such IAS, IPS and PCS officers,” Mr Dang said. However, the Speaker disallowed the question on the ground that the PSEB “itself has the power to initiate action against any of its consumers who is found to be indulging in power theft.”

Another of Mr Arshi’s disallowed questions sought district and year-wise information regarding “incidents of crimes against Christians or their places of worship” from 1997 onwards. Information was also sought regarding the number of cases “in which culprits have been booked and sent for trial”.

This question was disallowed on the ground that “it is a sensitive matter.”

In case of the third disallowed question, no reason was given. The information sought related to buildings which had been exempted from the East Punjab Rent Restriction Act, 1949.

The strength of parliamentary democracy in Punjab has been decreasing, Mr Dang claimed, adding that it was time to take steps to reverse the trend.

Doc reinstated during trial
From Our Correspondent

MOGA, Jan 19 — The reinstatement of a government orthopaedic doctor, who was arrested on bribery charges in 1998 by the Vigilance Bureau at the Civil Hospital here, has evoked controversy.

The accused, Dr Rajneesh Jindal, was caught for allegedly accepting a bribe from Mr Kapur Singh of Kaleke village in lieu of a handicap certificate. While the trial continues, Dr Jindal has been reinstated raising many eyebrows.

Although the Civil Surgeon, Dr C.L. Goyal, justifies Dr Jindal’s reinstatement citing rules, a section of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association cry foul and allege that political connections of Dr Jindal helped him.

Pleading anonymity, the agitated members of the association said the “rehabilitation” of Dr Jindal would send wrong signals and may encourage corrupt doctors to work with impunity.

They contended that Dr Jindal could have been allowed to assume the same office only after the end of the trial.

In fact, Dr Jindal after being reinstated was posted in the Ferozepore district. However, he was later transferred back to his previous post, sparking controversy.

Inquiries from the Vigilance Bureau also revealed that the trial still continues. However, the Superintendent of Police (Vigilance), Mr Hardayal Singh Mann, sought to play down the controversy saying that the accused doctor could not influence the complainant even while working in the same office. He explained that since the complainant is not a subordinate of the doctor, there was no possibility of the witness being influenced.

While Dr Jindal was out of station and could not be contacted for comment, the Civil Surgeon, Dr Goyal, justified his reinstatement saying that the government favoured suspended employees to work instead of drawing suspension allowance without any output.

He, however, failed to explain that under what circumstances Dr Jindal was transferred back to Moga from Ferozepore.

Pensioners seek package in Budget
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, Jan 19 — Punjab pensioners have demanded a package of financial relief from the state government before the ensuing assembly elections and urged that provision be made for them in the budget for 2001-2002.

The relief demanded includes implementation of recommendations made by the Punjab Fourth Pay Commission in favour of pensioners, all benefits granted by the Central Government to its pensioners and enhancement of fixed medical allowance from Rs 250 to Rs 500 per month and grant of city and village allowance on working employee pattern.

In a press note, Mr Avtar Singh Afat, Patron of the Punjab State Pensioners Confederation, has criticised the ‘delay tactics' of the government with regard to pensioners demands. He asked, when the Punjab Government has announced relief to some sections of society why was it ignoring the pensioners.

Mr Avtar Singh further urged the Finance Department to extend by another six months the date for pre-1996 pensioners for revision of their unoperative family pension.

He said that only 30 per cent of the pre-1996 pensioners could submit their options to their respective DDOs and in case of no extension is granted, the remaining would lose benefit of the government order.

Allow Hindu jathas to Pak: sabha
Tribune News Service

FEROZEPORE, Jan 19 — The demand for allowing Hindus access to their shrines in Pakistan is gaining ground after the military regime on the other side of the border announced its plan to enable the Sikhs to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib through corridor.

The city-based Sri Ramayan Parcharini Sabha has vowed to campaign for pilgrimages by Hindus to Pakistan, where the holy Katasraj temple is built. A communication addressed to the Prime Minister has been submitted before the Deputy Commissioner’s office in this regard.

The sabha has pointed out that till 1998, Hindus had been visiting Pakistan and their pilgrimage was suspended after the Kargil intrusion.

The sabha charged that while Pakistan was offering visas to the Sikhs, Hindus were being discriminated against.

The secretary of the sabha, Mr Jagdeep Rai Kantore, told TNS that the condition of Katasraj temple was deplorable due to the apathy of the Pakistan Government and negligible population of Hindus in that country.

Waive off interest on loans: council
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, Jan 19 — The Consumer Welfare Council here has urged the Punjab Government to waive off the interest on the loans of those industrialists who have already paid the principle amount before the issuance of the notification in this connection.

Mr Mulkh Raj Madan, press secretary, Consumer Welfare Council, said the Punjab Government had given this facility on the loans taken from the Punjab Government to the defaulters under one-time settlement, according to the notification issued on November 8, last year. But the state government had made those industrialists liable to pay the interest who had already paid the principle amounts of the loans before the issuance of notifications.

He added that the state government should not punish those industrialists who had already been paying the instalments of government loans.

Mann opposes move on fixed term of govt
Tribune News Service

JALANDHAR, Jan 19 — Dubbing the suggestion of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for a fixed term of the government as nothing but a “fascist” approach, the Shriomani Akali Dal (Amritsar) has alleged that it is a part of the hidden “Hindutva” agenda of the RSS.

Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, SAD (A) chief, addressing a press conference here today, alleged that the suggestion was against the spirit of the Indian Constitution which is broadly based on the Britain model. “The British model says that no government could stay in power the moment it ceased to have majority. But Mr Vajpayee’s suggestion was contrary to that,” said Mr Mann.

Welcoming the step of the RSS leadership for recognising the separate identity of the Sikhs, Mr Mann questioned why the RSS was now talking about the “larger Hindu culture”.

Supporting the cause of the Hurriyat Conference, Mr Mann criticised Union Home Minister Lal Krishan Advani and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah for creating hurdles in the Hurriyat leaders’ way by making “baseless and uncalled for” statements on the developments.

DYFI seeks jobs for all
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, Jan 19 — The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) today took out a procession protesting against the economic policies of the government. Passing through the main bazars of the city, the DYFI demanded education and employment for all.

The rally was headed by several leaders, including Mr Major Singh Bhikhiwind, district president of the DYFI, Mr Kishan Singh of the CITU, Mr Kewal Singh, president of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation and Mr Sucha Singh, Government Teachers Union.

They gave a call for an agitation on this issue in a rally on January 24 against the policies “detrimental” to government employees.

‘Punjab Bachao’ drive from today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 19 — The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal (SHSAD) has decided to launch “Panthic Chetna Jagao, Punjab Bachao” campaign from tomorrow throughout the state.

According to Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, general secretary of the SHSAD, a large number of Akali workers, disillusioned by the working of the Shiromani Akali Dal and its chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, would join the SHSAD at Shaheed Sewa Singh Thikriwala in Sangrur tomorrow when the campaign formally gets under way.

Mr Chandumajra said disillusionment was mainly because of unemployment, increase in tuition fee of both schools and colleges, increase in power tariff and levying of new taxes and heavy penalties. The present SAD-BJP government was taking loans from banks at high rates of interest to run the day to day administration.

Mayor misusing powers: CPM
From Our Correspondent

AMRITSAR, Jan 19 — Alleging that not a single train was started from Amritsar to Chandigarh even though this city was the ‘historical’ capital of Sikhs, Dr Raj Kumar, general secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Party, said most of Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s promises had remained ‘unfulfilled’.

Meanwhile, Mr Tarsem Singh Bhola, CPM councillor, has alleged partiality and misuse of powers by the mayor and the municipal corporation for neglecting the STs and SCs, 95 per cent of whom reside in the Maqboolpur area of ward 57. He alleged that the stinking nullah through the ward was never cleaned. Dirty water entered people’s homes yet nothing had been done to stop this, he added.

Ex-minister bereaved
Tribune News Service

BATHINDA, Jan 19 — Kartara Devi, widow of late Sat Pal Kapoor, a freedom fighter and mother of former minister, Mr Surinder Kapoor, died here late last evening. She was 87. She is survived by two sons and five daughters.

Those who attended the funeral included Punjab Science and Technology Minister, Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, Mr Harbans Singh Sidhu and Mr Guljar Singh (former ministers), Mr Jagroop Singh Gill, former president of municipal council, and DCC (I) president, Dr Bhagat Singh Dhaliwal.

Wheat procurement shares fixed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Jan 19 — The Punjab Food and Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, today reviewed the wheat procurement arrangements with the agencies concerned.

According to a press note, out of the total arrival of wheat, the department will procure 10 per cent, Markfed 20 per cent, Punsup 18 per cent, the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 10 per cent, the Punjab Agro-Industries Corporation (Punjab Agro) 9 per cent and the FCI 33 per cent.

The district-level mandi allotment committees were directed to allot mandis by February 15.

One more appointed ‘Aadhar’ member
From Our Correspondent

BATHINDA, Jan 19 — Mr Narinder Kumar of Paras Ram Nagar has been appointed the member of ‘Aadhar’, a social organisation of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Government of India. This was stated in a press note issued here today by Mr Humanshu Rath, coordinator of the organisation.

CRIME

Cop held in Jassi murder case
Tribune News Service

SANGRUR, Jan 19 — The Sangrur police today arrested Head Constable Joginder Singh allegedly involved in the murder of an NRI girl, Jaswinder Kaur, alias Jassi. Earlier, on January 13, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had denied anticipatory bail to Joginder Singh.

Disclosing this in a press note here today, Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, SSP, Sangrur, said Jaswinder Kaur, alias Jassi (25), a resident of Mapleridge, Surrey, Canada, fell in love with Sukhwinder Singh, alias Mithoo, a boy fron her native village, Kaunkey near Jagraon.

They got married in a court against the wishes of Jassi’s family. The marriage had also been strongly opposed by Jassi’s mother, Malkiat Kaur, and her maternal uncle, Surjit Singh, who had a strong hold over Jassi’s family in Canada, the SSP added.

As the marriage of Jaswinder and Sukhwinder had not been approved by Jassi’s family, the mother and maternal uncle of Jassi hatched a conspiracy in connivance with Joginder Singh to kill Jassi.

Later, they got her killed while her husband was seriously injured in the attack. A case had been registered by the Amargarh police on June 9, 2000, under Sections 302, 364, 307, 326, 148, 149 and 120-B of the IPC.

Four killed, 9 hurt in road mishap
From Our Correspondent

BARETA (Mansa), Jan 19 — Four persons were killed and nine others injured, some of them critically, when a Mahindra jeep collided with a tractor-trailer near the local Shivam Flour Mill on Wednesday night.

The jeep, carrying nine passengers (baraatis), was on way to Moonak in Sangrur district from Kularian village in Mansa district after the marriage. All four deceased belonged to the marriage party.

According to the information, the marriage party had come from Moonak to Kularian village in Mansa district. On its way back in late hours, while it was proceeding towards Jakhal from Bareta, a police party signalled the vehicle to stop for checking near the Bareta-Kainchian (crossing).

However, the driver of the jeep did not stop the vehicle. The police party then chased the jeep. Nearly 3 km away on the Jakhal road when the jeep was overtaking a tractor-trailer, it collided with another tractor-trailer coming from the opposite direction. Apart from the driver of the jeep, Ajaib Singh (30), the three others who died are Bahadur (25), Balwinder, alias Midha (23), Kewal (18). Kewal was from Kularian village and was the brother of the bride, while the remaining three belonged to Moonak.

According to Mr Jagnandan Singh, SHO, Bareta, the police has registered a case under Sections 304-A, 279, 337 and 338 of the IPC. Mehma Singh of Hakam Singh Wala village, driver of the tractor-trailer, has been arrested.

Chemist held for showing adult movies
From Our Correspondent

BATHINDA, Jan 19 — The district police has arrested Raj Kumar, owner of National Medical Store, near bus stand of Bhuchho Mandi, for allegedly screening adult movies for children.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Jatinder Kumar Jain, SSP, said that during the campaign against the antisocial elements, the district police caught Raj Kumar when he was showing an adult movie in a room behind his shop.

He added that the accused had confessed to selling Corex and other narcotics earlier. He added that the police had seized two VCRs, two TV sets and four VCR cassettes.

A case under Section 292/293/294 of the IPC and Section 7 of Cinematography Act, 1952, has been registered.

In another case the police arrested Pawan Kumar of Rampura and Baljinder Singh of Hazura Kapura Basti in Bathinda for gambling. A case has been registered.