 |
|
| Friday, February
23, 2001, Chandigarh, India |
|
|
Chandigarh,
February 22 NABARD, he said, has already provided nearly Rs 450 crore to the state as crop loans, Rs 500 crore for capital formation and more than Rs 200 crore for infrastructural development this year. The expenditure on infrastructural development will also exceed the amount sanctioned this year owing to the aggressive developmental plans of the government. “For the next year, the focus will be on rural infrastructural development. The farmers will be prepared to meet the challenges of the WTO for which we will also carry several awareness programmes”, he stated . In order to improve the performance of the state economy, much of which is agrarian, he feels steps like bringing crop diversification within as well as outside the sector, development of rural infrastructure and an effective ground water management system is required. “Growth pattern being followed by the farmers is leading to a glut in produce resulting in losses to the farmers and the economy as a whole. We will have to lay stress on not only improving the quality of our produce but also making the farmers cultivate other crops”, he opines. The best of the varieties that are market savvy have to be sown and farming methods too need to be improved, he added. He impressed upon the need for clearing the confusion arising in the minds of the farmers especially regarding WTO. The banks and the government departments should play a pro-active role in guiding the farmers regarding this. On the problem of ground water depletion being faced in the state, Mr Ramanathan felt that a proper system of water management, including storage and transportation of water, had to be emphasised upon. Regarding loans to farmers in the state, he said after the introduction of the Kisan Credit Cards, the situation had improved and loans were being properly utilised. “The recovery percentage in the state is also far better when compared to other states”, he said. NABARD has been successful in generating Rs 1200 crore through bonds which were issued by the bank. Of this, Rs 22 crore had been generated from Punjab alone, he said. |
|
|
BJP chief changes stand on free power Phillaur February 22 In an interview with this correspondent, Mr Rinwa said the
cancer of corruption had polluted the environment and value-based
education system was the need of the hour to remove it. Changing his
stand on free power and water to farmers, the BJP president said the
facility should continue till the condition of the peasantry in the
state improved. He claimed that the BJP was not anti-farmers, but
stood for the prosperity of the farmers. Answering another question
about BJP’s claim on the Rajya Sabha seat the BJP president said the
BJP would demand one seat of the Rajya Sabha which would fall vacant
after the victory of Akali candidate Rajmahinder Singh in Majitha. He
said he would meet the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for
this on February 24 or 25 at Chandigarh, for this claim. On Jagmohan
Kaura, ex-general secretary of the state BJP, Mr Rinwa said the
displinary committee of the BJP headed by Mr Om Parkash Bhardwaj had
summoned him on February 23 at party office and if Mr Kaura did not
appear before the panel he could be expelled from the primary
membership of the party for six years. |
|
|
Singla’s anti-Chief Minister ‘outburst’ flayed Mr Zora Singh Mann, MP, has criticised Mr Surinder Singla’s “outburst” against the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, saying that it “betrays his scant knowledge” about the prevailing socio-economic development scenario. “Mr Surinder Singla has never successfully contested either Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha election from Punjab and is never known to have the true feeling of the pulse of the common people,” said Mr Mann, who represents the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the Lok Sabha. He was reacting to a story by Mr Singla in these columns last month. “Living in his make-believe world of a rootless leader, Mr Singla has cast aspersions on the working of the tallest political leader of Punjab, who has been elected as MLA seven times, Chief Minister thrice, Union Minister once and has undergone jail terms in independent India for about 17 years in his fight for human rights, the rule of the law, civil liberties and freedom of the Press,” Mr Mann said. “Mr Singla’s description of statesmanship as “day-dreaming” is nothing but political mud-slinging. It is surprising that he has made an open admission of his ignorance of the all-round development in Punjab over the past four years. So coloured is his commentary that he frowns even at the sagacious vision and hard-working nature of Mr Badal, the two elementary qualities of a successful leader,” he added. Reacting to Mr Singla’s charge that Mr Badal’s rule had brought sufferings for farmers, Mr Mann said Mr Singla needed to refresh his memory that it was Mr Badal who had provided electricity and irrigation water free of cost to the farmers, abolished land revenue and “abiana”, liberalised cooperative credit, solved the problem of waterlogging, brought a massive relief package for the farmers cultivating land across the border fence, caused the construction of an unprecedented length of 2,300 km of link roads in the rural Punjab and got heavy import duties imposed from the Government of India in respect of various foodgrains and other allied agricultural sector products to ward off the flooding of Indian markets as a result of the Congress having betrayed the country by succumbing to the WTO guidelines. Mr Mann said Mr Badal had secured high minimum support prices for wheat and paddy, besides providing a fillip to the process of diversification by concentrating on citrus and reviving cotton cultivation. “I am really surprised that armchair Congress idealists like Mr Singla are living in a make-believe world, which explains the plight of their party. There is already a divide within their party between ivory-tower aristocrats and some of their own leaders who are revolting against intellectual suffocation” Mr Mann said. He said Mr Singla had passed a judgement on the administrative skills of the Chief Minister declaring these as “vulnerable”. He said Mr Badal would certainly not like to carry out the Congress agenda on population control. “Mr Badal is known to be a man of the masses, which Mr Singla cannot dispute. Mr Badal’s thrust in implementing poverty alleviation programmes, vocational education schemes, liberalisation of institutional cooperative credit and infrastructural support to marginal and small farmers are yielding positive results. It is indeed strange that the ideologue of the very party which is known to be the root cause of these maladies because of its misrule in the formative years of independent India is now pointing a finger at Mr Badal,” he said. “It is very amusing to find the aristocratic leadership within the Congress becoming spokespersons for the World Trade Organisation, of rash globalisation and of unequal competition between the rich and the poor and between the equipped and the ill-equipped,” Mr Mann said. Mr Badal has brought to Punjab central projects such as the oil refinery, Science City, Institute of Renewal Energy, international airport, Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail-link, urea-ammonia plant, cement plant, four-laned highways, railway overbridges etc. Completion of Ranjit Sagar Dam is another achievement of Mr Badal. Mr Badal has utilised his alliance partnership at the Centre to the advantage of Punjab,” he said. “Congress Chief Ministers were made to wait for weeks and fortnights before they could meet the Prime Minister from their own party. Mr Badal’s leadership has provided dignity and respect to Punjab and the Punjabis. Mr Badal is the strongest pillar of secular thought in the modern times,” Mr Mann added. “Mr Singla has accused Mr Badal of not finally resolving the inter-state matters over the past three-four years without having the courage to admit who is responsible for the injustice which has been done to Punjab. While he himself declares his party as ‘holier than the cow, it has caused injustice to Punjab by depriving the state of its capital, river waters, and Punjabi-speaking areas. It had also launched an attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib and played a dubious role in the massacre of Sikhs in 1984”, he said. |
|
Bibi Jagir Kaur files plea for recall of order Patiala, February 22 The application was moved by the counsel of the former SGPC chief at the CBI courts situated in the Chhoti Baradari commercial complex. Special CBI Magistrate Jaspinder Singh Heyer while admitting the application, issued notice to the investigating agency for February 24. The former SGPC Chief was earlier on February 13 asked to furnish bail bonds of Rs 25,000 in the CBI court and given time till February 24 to take regular bail from the trial court. Bibi Jagir Kaur has been charged with the death of her daughter Harpreet Kaur by the CBI. The charge sheet accused the former SGPC Chief of conspiring to eliminate her daughter after she failed to persuade the latter to give up the idea of marrying Kamaljit Singh with whom she was romantically inclined. She is also charged with destroying evidence in the case. Besides the former SGPC Chief, the other accused in the case are her associate Dalwinder Kaur, Personal Security Officer Nishan Singh, landlord Paramjit Singh, maid Satya Devi and two servants Harwinder Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar. |
SJP to organise rally on February 27 Bathinda, February 22 Mr Jeeda while talking to mediapersons here today said the rally would be addressed by the party president and a former Prime Minister, Mr Chandra Shekhar. Apart from it, three former Prime Ministers, including Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, Mr I.K. Gujral, and Mr V.P. Singh would also address the rally. |
Badal to visit California Chandigarh, February 22 The Senate Rules Committee of California had passed a resolution on February 14 establishing a “friendship state relationship between the State of California and the State of Punjab”. A copy of the resolution was handed over to the Chief Minister in his office today by Mr Jessie Singh, a US-based industrialist, who was the brain behind the launching of the California-Punjab Friendship Society. Mr Jessie Singh, who was accompanied by Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, met the Chief Minister for an hour. |
||
|
Evil
effects of WTO discussed Sangrur, February 22 Delivering his address, Dr Ghuman said the WTO had been formed for the benefits of the developed countries as the developing and poor countries would not be able to get benefits under the WTO more than 5 to 10 per cent. Dr Ghuman said the WTO had replaced GATT which had been drafted in December, 1990, and finalised in December, 1993. Later in 1994, about 115 countries signed it while now there were 141 countries which had signed it. He criticised the Indian Government for busying itself in implementing the policies of the WTO
though the WTO was to be implemented fully in December 2004. He asked the government to initiate steps to compete with the multi-national companies
(MNCs) in place of bowing to the pressures of the WTO. Dr Darshan Pal, national president of the AIPRF, said his organisation would not only oppose the imperialistic policies of the Indian Government, it would also expose the anti-people rulers of the country. Dr Pal said implementation of the WTO in India would prove to be a “death warrant” for the masses, freedom and sovereignty of the country. Among others who took part in the discussion included Prof Sukhpal Singh, Mr Karam
Barsat, Mr Amrik Singh, Mr Hardev Rathi. |
||
|
VHP against relief work by missionaries Ropar, February 22 This was stated by Mr Vinayak Rao Deshmukh, organising secretary of the central committee of the VHP, while talking to mediapersons at Nangal yesterday evening. He was here to hold a meeting with the local units of the VHP. Justifying the tough stand of the VHP, Mr Deshmukh alleged that Christian missionaries aim was to convert people in the guise of the relief work. Earlier, after carrying out the relief work in the quake hit areas of Latur the missionaries started distributing propaganda material among the people which led to the communal tensions. Thus, the VHP has now decided to stop missionaries from directly distributing the relief among the victims. The VHP was carrying out the relief operations on large scale and there was no need for help from the Christian missionaries, he said. He also refuted the allegations that the VHP was neglecting certain communities during its relief operations in Gujarat. Answering a query on the Ram temple issue, he said that the decision regarding it had already been taken in the “dhram
sansad” held on January 19-20. A phased programme has been formed to spread awareness and motivate the people for the construction of the temple. The government would also be pressurised to hand over the 70 acres disputed land to the Ram Janmabhumi trust. If the government fails to do so the VHP would start the construction of the temple from March 2002, he said. He also told that the VHP was planning to expand its base throughout the country. |
||
|
Hospital issue Bathinda, February 22 The members, in a press note, issued here, alleged that Deputy Commissioner Jaspal Singh detained them for two hours in his office and pressurised them to make a statement against one of the member of the committee. The committee members headed by Mr Prem Bhatia Convener, went to meet the Deputy Commissioner 11.30 a.m. and started discussing the issue of shifting of general and children hospital from its present location to premises of civil hospital. The Deputy Commissioner was being made aware of the fact the shifting of hospital located in the heart of city would affect the interests of thousands of poor people. The members alleged that after some time Dr Vineeta who was member of the committee entered the office of the Deputy Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner then said that “you people have been incited by some individuals”. The things started deteriorating at this moment as Dr Vineeta retorted, “Deputy Commissioner, it is ‘khalal’ (delusion) of your mind”. Then heated exchange took place between them and Deputy Commissioner threatened to arrest her (Dr Vineeta) and even called in the district attorney for legal consultation. Dr Vineeta dared the Deputy Commissioner to arrest her and a scene was created. Members of the committee tried to pacify both the parties but without any success and an issue affecting the general public turned into “personal animosity”. The members refused to come under the pressure of the Deputy Commissioner for making statement against Dr Vineeta and condemned the entire episode in writing jointly. Meanwhile, Dr Vineeta while addressing a press conference alleged that the Deputy Commissioner held out threat to arrest her and she was detained for 45 minutes in his office. She alleged that the Deputy Commissioner ordered his security guards to arrest her and after 45 minutes she was allowed to move from his office. She added that telegrams in this connection had been sent to various human rights commission. Mr Jaspal Singh, Deputy Commissioner, when contacted, said that matter of shifting of hospital was being discussed with the members of committee and Dr Vineeta Gupta entered his office late. He added that when there were some difference between him and the committee members. Dr Vineeta used derogatory remarks against him. He added that he pointed out to the committee members that Dr Vineeta had used derogatory remarks against him and on this Dr Vineeta Gupta repeated her words again. On this she was asked to leave his office. Instead of leaving his office, Dr Vineeta asked him to arrest her and sat in the office. He added that then district attorney was called to take his legal opinion. He said that then the members of the committee were asked to give their statement against Dr Vineeta as she had used derogatory remarks. The committee members gave their statement in the presence of a pressperson and later they consulted each other and changed their statement which was also issued to him in black and white. He said that no case was registered against any body as the offence committed by Dr Vineeta was not cognizable. He said that no body was detained. |
|
Family found HIV positive Jalandhar, February 22 Those struck with the deadly virus are a truck driver, his wife and his three-year-old kid. Their identity has been withheld by the department. The detection of these cases has put a question mark on the utility of the programme. The number of HIV positive and AIDS patients has been on the rise in the district for past about one year and has reportedly touched the 76 mark, while the district health authorities have been silent over it. The Civil Surgeon, Dr
D. P. S. Sandhu, refusing to give names of the patients confirmed that the family had been found to be HIV positive. |
|
|
HIGH COURT Chandigarh, February 22 Going into the background, the petitioner had stated that he was initially charge-sheeted after some officials were noticed to be responsible for selection of low quality Maharashtra cotton because of which there was no production. Claiming to have been implicated in the case, counsel for the petitioner had added on his behalf that the (IO) initially appointed, had exonerated Mr Garg. Quashing the order, Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill observed that the respondents were at liberty to restart the inquiry from the stage when the findings were submitted by the IO. Show-cause notice to Principal Secy Mr Justice J. S. Khehar of the High Court today asked the Principal Secretary (Home), Mr Bikramjit Singh, to show cause why proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act should not be initiated against him for alleged failure to decide the petitioner’s claim for promotion. Mr Justice Khehar, however, granted the respondent exemption from personal appearance. The case will now come up on July 16.In his petition, a former company commander Amarjit Singh of Punjab had earlier contended that a Division Bench had directed the state to consider his claim for promotion to the post of District Commander within three months of receiving the order’s copy. He had added that final decision had still not been taken. Directive to decide poll petition Directing the Deputy Commissioner-cum-chief election officer for Ludhiana district to expeditiously dispose of an election petition, the High Court today asked him to complete the process within six months. The directions were issued by Mr Justice V.S. Aggarwal and Mr Justice R.L. Anand on a petition filed by Ms Balwinder Kaur of Mansooran village. She had challenged the election of Ms Promila as sarpanch of the village. Suspension stayed Our Legal Correspondent adds: A Division Bench of the High Court today stayed the operation of the order passed by the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Collector, Amritsar suspending Mr Ravinder Pal Singh, a Patwari posted at Sultan Mahal circle in Amritsar for his having remained in Jail for more than 48 hours in a criminal case. The Bench, comprising Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice R.C. Kathuria, issued notice of motion to the respondents for July 19.The petitioner had been arrested in connection with the two wills, registered on September 13, 1994, in Patwar circle, Sultan Mahal, one by Mr Sewa Singh and another by Mr Swaran Singh. The petitioner submitted that when the wills were registered he was not posted at the Sultan Mahal circle but was posted at Pahuwind circle. The wills were registered while the petitioner joined Sultan Mahal circle on January 18, 1995. He submitted that the petitioner had been discharged by the Collector, Amritsar, who found him innocent and dropped the proceedings initiated against him. |
|
Conclave plans to promote Sikh scriptures Patiala, February 22 The conclave, besides being attended by a galaxy of scholars from India, was attended by a delegation of eminent scholars from the United States, led by Dr Harbans Lal. The declaration, seconded by Dr Harbans Lal, was moved by the university Vice-Chancellor, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, who stressed that mankind today faced an unprecedented ecological crisis due to mindless exploitation of nature by capitalistic industrialisation, urbanisation and globalisation. He said what was needed to avert the disaster was an attitudinal change for envisioning an integral sacred bond between man and nature and between ecology and spirituality, as stressed in the Sikh scriptures. For commemorating the coming event, the university planned three international conferences to highlight the message and significance of Guru Granth Sahib for the third millennium. The first international conclave, in collaboration with the United Kingdom based World Congress of Faith starting on February 3, 2002, would focus on the scriptures of major world religions, with spotlight on the uniqueness of the Sikh scripture. The second international conference in 2003 would be devoted to musical modes and measures of the Sikh scripture, while the third international meet would be dedicated to the theme of ecology and spirituality. The University also planned translation and publication of selections from Guru Granth Sahib in some of the major world languages as well as in Tamil and Bengali. Computer digitalisation of the sacred Sikh literature of the last 500 years was another project that the university launched in collaboration with the International Institute of Gurmat Studies, California. A 100-page book on Guru Granth Sahib for non-Sikh readers would also be undertaken by the university. Earlier, delivering a lecture on Inter-faith dialogue, the Sikh perspective at the Senate Hall of the university, Dr Harbans Lal, said the modern society needed the religion more than at any other time in human history. He said instead of spreading reason and good sense, these movements were spreading hatred and ill will. Dr Lal added that economic prosperity had not made the human race happy because the spiritual aspects of the human behaviour had become weak and the value system has collapsed. He urged the scholars, teachers and students to study Guru Granth Sahib. Ms Elizabeth
Esperson, a consultant on inter-religious and multicultural Aaffairs, also spoke. In his presidential address, Dr Jasbir Singh
Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, highlighted the need for the inter-faith dialogue and chalked out a programme of seminars at national and international levels. |
|
|
Moorish mosque cries for care KAPURTHALA: One of the just two
Moroccon-style mosques in the world, the beautiful Moorish mosque here has been losing its sheen for the past two decades because of lack of proper upkeep by successive state governments. Considered a jewel of architecture, the
Moroccon-style mosque depicts the secular thought of the maharajas of the earstwhile princely state of Kapurthala, otherwise known for liberal use of the French-style of architecture in most of the royal buildings. The mosque took four years to be completed following an order by the then Maharaja of Kapurthala, Jagat Jit Singh, in 1926 that a beautiful place of worship should be built for his Muslim subjects. The mosque was inaugurated by His Highness on March 14, 1930, in the presence of Nawab Sadiq Mohammad Khan Bahadur, the then ruler of Bahawalpur state. The foundation stone of the mosque depicts the secular approach of the Maharaja. It says, “The existence of the mosque will be an enduring testimony to His Highness’ broadminded tolerance and solicititude for the welfare of his subjects.” The beauty of the mosque structure has been enhanced by the fine carving on the red and sand stone, which has been extensively used by the Moroccon architects, who had been especially brought from Morocco, to design and construct the place after the Maharaja had seen a similar structure in Morocco. On one side of the mosque is a tower with 158 steps. And lending beauty to the place are three one-piece huge marble saucer-shaped fountains. But what dims the spirits of the devotees who gather here on Fridays to offer “Namaaz” and tourists visiting the unique mosque, is years of indifference, which stands out in many forms — seepage of rain water from the main dome for broken tiles, stinking toilets for fountains, which have been lying non-functional for the post more than three decades. So much so that, that those visiting the place on Fridays, don’t get any water for their
“Wuzu”, a Muslim ritual. “The fountains have never worked for the past two decades and the building has had no whitewash after 1994, since the government had no money,” said an official of the Punjab Cultural Affairs Department, responsible for the upkeep of the mosque. During a visit to the place, this correspondent found that cement plaster and whitewash on most of the walls had got pealed off in the absence of timely repairs. Similarly, the two beautiful lamp posts in the premises have been without lamps and glasses for years together. “The building has been sans water connection so how can we operate the fountains,” said Mr Sukhjit Singh Walia, the pump operator of the mosque, which otherwise has been declared a “protected” monument by the state government. At one time, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had toyed with the idea of taking over the place, but it developed cold feet on realising that the building had lesser historical value as it was less than 100 years old, it is learnt. Mr
V.K. Singh, Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner, said though there was no plan for a complete resurrection of the building but still, the district administration would certainly do something to save it from further deterioration. |
|
|
Lok Adalats rescheduled Abohar, February 22 According to a letter addressed to the District and Sessions Judges at Faridkot, Ferozepur and Jalandhar, the member secretary of the Authority had said that the Special Lok Adalat at Ferozepore will now be held on March 24 instead of March 25. Bank loan cases pertaining to Ferozepore, Abohar, Fazilka and Zira sub-divisions would be taken up. According to revised plan the lok adalat to be held at Faridkot on March 24 would be only a quarterly Lok adalat for Faridkot sub- division. According to the letter a special Lok adalat would also be held at Jalandhar on March 25, Sunday for taking up bank loan cases pertaining to Jalandhar, Phillaur and Nakodar sub divisions. The Authority has advised the Chairman of District Legal Services Authority to call a meeting of the nationalised banks operating in their respective areas to apprise them of the special features and benefits of settlements through Lok adalats and exhort them to put maximum number of claims of their banks at pre litigative stage. Such claims may be
entertained by the judicial officers who would have jurisdiction to entertain the cases as per provisions of Regulation 21 (2) of the Punjab Legal Services Authority regulations 1998. For convenience of parties and maximum disposal efforts would be made, as far as possible to place cases of a particular bank before one bench instead of different benches of the Lok Adalat. While the legal fraternity too was appreciating the efforts to settle bank loan cases, Mr Des Raj Kamboj, legal adviser, local Municipal Council was among those lawyers who empahasised the need of organizing special Lok adalats exclusively for criminal cases in each district. They were of the view that many undertrials had been languishing in the jails for petty crimes. Some of them had reportedly exceeded the term in imprisonment for which they could be punished if the case was decided against them. |
|
|
Morinda SHO’s remand extended Ropar, February 22 The investigation into the case is being held by the SP (detective) Ropar, Mr J.S. Kahlon. The Magisterial inquiry is being held by the SDM, Ropar, Mr Daljit Singh. |
|
Coop societies donate 60.75 lakh Chandigarh, February 22 Meanwhile, the Punjab Employment Officers Association and the Punjab Ministerial Class III Association today decided to donate one day’s salary towards the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and presented a cheque for Rs 1.07 lakh to the Labour and Employment Minister, Mr Balramji Dass Tandon, here. Mr Sardara Singh, president, Haryana Civil Secretariat Class IV Staff Association, presented a cheque for Rs 39,600 to the state Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, for the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. |
|
|
Dangs seek maintenance for Army man’s wife Tarn Taran, February 22 Mr and Mrs Dang in a press note today here issued from Ekta Bhawan Chheharta said that Ms Kusam Lata, the victim, is the wife of an Army man and is living with her two minor children in Chheharta. Her husband is a naib-subedar of 14 Rajput serving with the Rajput Regiment Centre Fatehgarh (UP). The Dang couple told that whenever the husband of Mr Kusum Lata comes to Amritsar he allegedly lives with a woman of ill-repute and spends all his money on her. He has not been giving anything to his legally wedded wife for her maintenance and that of their two children. Kusum Lata is forced to live in a house without doors, her father-in-law and her brother, who live in Jammu help her off and on. But that is far from adequate. Shopkeepers have started refusing to sell her anything on credit and her children may be forced to discontinue education. The Dang couple further told that after efforts of mohalla people and the Istri Sabha failed to reform the naib subedar, Mrs Dang wrote a letter to Commandant Rajput Regiment Kendra on January 13, 2000 on the basis of which “strongly recommended with immediate effect” action was taken. Neither Kusum Lata has been sanctioned maintenance allowance nor has Mrs Dang received reply. Now the Dang couple have sought the help of a former Chief of the Army Staff for the help of Ms Kusum Lata hoping that his intervention will prove
effective. |
|
|
Shivratri celebrated Bathinda, February 22 A “Parbhat pheri” was taken out last morning and in the evening “Shiv dhavajarohan” was organised at their centre. The function was also attended by Mr Vivek Aggarwal, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development). |
|
|
Private practice: a clarification Ferozepore, February 22 |
108 procurement centres
for Muktsar, Faridkot dists Faridkot, February 22 However, three new centres have been opened at Chaina, Behbulpur and Arayainwala villages in the district. This was stated by Mr Sukhdev Singh Aulakh, District Food and Supply Controller, here today. Mr Aulakh added that tenders regarding the labour and transporation of the crop are under process and the work in this connection would be completed in the next 10 days. |
A Tribune follow-up Bathinda, February 22 The market has been in bad shape for the past many years and after a news story, “Collapse of market feared” published in The Tribune on February 9, the authorities swung into action and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jaspal Singh, visited the market. Shopkeepers of the market had attempted to remove the garbage from the market earlier but all attempts had failed. Now the shopkeepers are using basements for dumping litter. Waste water and even toilets have been given outlets in the market. None of the 160 shopkeepers is ready to cooperate to save the market, a shopkeeper, said. He said the administration had served notices to all shopkeepers including tenants. Although all shopkeepers were suffering on the account of garbage, but not every one was aware of the legal implications, and when they were served notices, they were taken by surprise, he added. In the notices served to the shopkeepers the SDM had ordered that the shops be closed within 10 days and if the shopkeepers has any objection to the notice they may file application till March 1. The executive officer of the municipal council has also been directed to ensure that action is taken on the orders of the court. |
Attempt to loot SBI
branch Abohar, February 22 Sources said two persons entered the Khubban branch of the SBI after lunch hours. The Manager along with the cashier and other employees had reportedly gone in the field to process applications for loan as well as for recovery of old loans. The bank authorities had been continuing this practice on every Thursday and avoided cash transactions. According to preliminary report, only Field Officer Rakesh Chanchal was present in the branch office when the culprits entered. They reportedly asked Mr Chanchal whether the SDM had come to disburse cheques to physically handicapped persons. The Field Officer replied in the negative. Then both the culprits sat inside the bank, saying that they were waiting for two friends who were expected to visit the branch office for encashing cheques as they were handicapped. As Mr Chanchal was busy in completing some bank records the intruders reportedly hit him with a heavy iron rod which they were hiding in their bag. The officer raised the alarm for help. He was then hit again on the head and shoulders. Sources said as a few villagers rushed to the branch office on hearing Mr Chanchal’s cries, the culprits ran away. Mr Chanchal was rushed to the Community Health Centre, Seetogunno, near Khubban village. Dr Vineet Loona said there was fracture in his right arm. Mr Chanchal was later taken to Sriganganagar for a CT scan. |
||
|
7 held for theft Bathinda, February 22 Amardeep Singh, a resident of Guru ki Nagari, Charanjeet Singh, a resident of Jughar Singh Nagar, and Raghveer Singh, a resident of the Naruana road, who on February 17, 2001, stole a Maruti car (DL-2CD-3681) of Mr Amrik Singh, a resident of Siwian village of the district, from a marriage palace on the Bibiwala road, are also in police custody. Teja Singh and Gurjant Singh, both residents of Aklian Kalan village of the district, who transferred Rs 40,000 from the account of Mr Teja Singh, a resident of the same village, has also been arrested. All persons have been arrested during the campaign launched against the anti-social elements. During this campaign the police has also seized two duplicate wine producing still from Bie Talab village of the district where the spurious wine was being produced and sold. |
|
Escaped undertrial rearrested Muktsar, February 22 After the arrest of Sonu, preliminary investigations revealed nothing against the employees who were on the duty when the accused escaped. Police sources said a phone call from Deputy Superintendent Jail (DSJ), Mr Raj Mohinder Singh was received by Mr Waryam Singh, ASI, in the city police station in which Mr Raj Mohinder Singh informed that Sonu was roaming in the local grain market. The police took action and a party went to the grain market. Sonu, who came to Muktsar town to meet his mother, ran from the grain market after seeing the police party. He however was overpowered by two constables of wireless wing of the Punjab police with the help of two citizens Mr Mange Singh and Mr Dev Singh. Police sources said that after escaping from the sub jail here, Sonu spent one night at Malout while two nights in grain market of Abohar. Mr Kultar Singh, SSP, said that during preliminary investigations it came to light that Sonu managed to get the blade while the construction of a block was going in the jail premises few weeks ago. The accused stole the blade which belonged to the masons who were constructing the building. The accused carried out the cutting of iron rods of the gate of his barrack very secretly. He used to cut the rod with blade when all other inmates of his barrack used to go outside for taking food and other works. The accused managed to cut the iron rod within 25 days. |
Punjabi University to go techno-savvy Chandigarh, February 22 Dr Jasbir Singh
Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor of the university, in a talk with TNS here today said that the university had adopted a three-pronged action plan to achieve this objective. First, in a tie-up with an information technology company of international repute, additional postgraduate courses, with the most modern syllabus content and related to industry and business, were being started from the next academic session. A faculty of international standard and the latest IT equipment would be provided by the collaborating company, which would share revenue with the university, to implement this scheme. An autonomous institute was being set up in the university to be headed by the Vice-Chancellor. All academic matters, including the courses to be started, syllabus content, admission and the conduct of examinations, would be within the purview of the institute. Ten per cent of the seats in the university and college courses would be reserved for poor but brilliant students who had passed the 10+2 stage, particularly in the rural areas. These additional seats would be created in each course at the graduate and postgraduate levels and those admitted would be imparted education with no charges or fee of any kind. Each of them would instead be given financial assistance upto Rs 1100. The College Development Council of the university and the Syndicate had decided to implement this decision from the new academic session in pursuance of a scheme conceived by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, under which all Deputy Commissioners had been asked to conduct a survey of poor but brilliant students and to send the lists to the university for admission. Special certificate courses would also be introduced for those students who, instead of pursuing academic courses, wanted to go into industry and business straightaway. Secondly, certain augmental, specialised courses would be introduced for students present doing traditional postgraduate computer courses. Thirdly, the Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo) Regional Centre of the university would be raised to the level of a global institute of information technology through the mode of distant education, including online teaching through a network of over 800 centres throughout India to be provided by the collaborating company. The firm would also instal all IT equipment and provide the faculty at Damdama Sahib, where an information technology bhavan was under construction, to be completed well before the coming academic session. Apart from the above campus programmes, the university had also decided to set up computer institutions for diploma courses in select blocks of the state in the next academic session. |
|
Education system overhaul sought Amritsar, February 22 Dr Sanyal pointed that the state should play a key role in the spread of IT at all levels in rural and urban segments. Cautioning the government and the educational institutions of the country he felt that in case the vast majority was left without getting the benefit of IT. It would prove to be disastrous. The other distinguished speakers included the representative of Canadian High Commission Dr S C Nuna and Dr C M George from the US embassy pointed out that the funding of education should be done through involving the industrial and business houses. |
|
|
Poverty forces them to miss school Ferozepore, February 22 Enquiries at several rural primary schools falling in Moga, the Assembly constituency of the Punjab Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, revealed that a number of poor children continue to miss classes and work as labourers elsewhere. Most of these students, who fall in the age group of 6 to 14 are either working at the brick-kilns or the road construction sites. A few others reportedly are helping their parents by looking after infant siblings at the brickkilns. The teachers at Nathuwala and Bughipura primary schools pointed out that these children miss classes frequently even during the paddy sowing season to help their parents working as farm hands or bonded labourers. The Nathuwala Primary School is learnt to have sent the names of at least six such students to the Education Department for necessary action. While two of these students — Amarjit Kaur (7) and Ranjit Singh (13) are reportedly working at the brickkilns, two others — Gurpreet Kaur (8) and Kirandeep Kaur (9) are said to be helping their parents in looking after the infant siblings. While Sogh Kaur (8) is said to be helping her parents at a road construction site, Balwinder Singh (12) is allegedly working as a bonded-labourer. The former president of the Punjab Government Teachers’ Union, Mr Randhir Gill, pointed out that the poor students even were forced to work as waiters at the marriage parties. He demanded the provision of note books and uniforms free of cost to such students to relieve their parents of the burden of spending extra money on education. Apparently, the government’s policy of paying stipend to the wards of Scheduled Caste students has failed to deter the parents from engaging their children in manual work to supplement incomes. However, the school authorities take a lenient view of the problem and their names are not struck off. On being contacted, the Moga District Education Officer, Mr Darshan Singh Brar, admitted that the problem had been persisting in the rural schools that largely cater to the poor students. He however failed to divulge the level of absenteeism in all rural primary schools, but said that the problem was of the socio-economic nature and its solution lay in mass awareness. He also assured to launch such campaign in the next session. |
|
ITI students observed strike Bathinda, February 22 In a statement issued here today, Mr Roop Singh, convener, Student Coordination Committee, alleged that Mr Sukhpal Singh, an ITI student, was beaten up by the union activists. He further alleged to use that the students were not being allowed to use their bus passes which were issued by the authorities concerned. He pointed out that the students were allowed to use the passes in a meeting between the Deputy Commissioner and the students but the bus conductors were charging total fare from them. He urged the authorities to take necessary action against the activists. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
