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| Saturday,
March 3, 2001, Chandigarh, India |
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Only regular service for seniority: SC Chandigarh, March 2 A Division Bench of the apex court, comprising Mr Justice D.P. Mohapatra and Mr Justice Doraiswamy Raju, said in their order that the judgment or orders passed by the high court holding that ad-hoc service was to be included in calculating the period of service for giving the higher scale of pay were unsustainable and had to be vacated. “Accordingly, the appeals are allowed and the judgments/orders of the high court under challenge are set aside,” they said in their order. This landmark judgment of the apex court would become applicable to hundreds of cases of teachers, doctors, technocrats, veterinary doctors and others who had been benefited by the earlier orders/judgments of the high court in allowing ad-hoc service to be counted for calculating the period of eight to 18 years of service for giving a higher pay scale under the proficiency step-up scheme. It all started a couple of years ago when the high court in the Harjinder Kaur and others vs Punjab Education Department case held that ad-hoc service was to be counted. A similar verdict was passed in the case of Dr G.K. Uppal vs Punjab Health Department. Subsequently, several orders were passed in allowing counting of ad-hoc service rendered by the respondents. The Supreme Court observed that the issue had been considered by a three-Judges Bench of the apex court in the State of Haryana vs Haryana Veterinary and AHTS Association and others case wherein the court took the view that for calculating eight to 18 years service required for giving a higher scale of pay and for the determination of seniority, only regular service rendered by the employee was to be counted and not ad-hoc service. In the Dr G.K. Uppal case, counsel strenuously contended that the respondents who were doctors serving under the state of Punjab were governed by a set of rules and circulars different from those which were considered in the decided case and, therefore, the ratio in that case would not be applicable to these cases. “We have carefully considered the said contention. We have also considered a circular of December, 1981, where it is clear that the instructions contained therein were based on the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court taking the view that ad-hoc service should be taken into account for the purpose. This circular in our view can no longer form the basis of the contention in view of the recent decision in the Haryana veterinary &AHTS Association and others case,” the order said. The apex court also allowed that financial benefits already passed should not be recovered. “However, we make it clear that if any of the respondents has drawn any amount on the basis of the higher scale of pay granted to him taking into account the ad -hoc service then such amount already drawn by the employee shall not be recovered, though his cadre seniority and other consequential benefits will be governed by the decision rendered herein,” the order said.
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Dam workers serve
ultimatum Gurdaspur, March 2 The representatives of various unions who briefed the mediapersons today in this regard include those of the Ranjit Sagar Dam Employees Federation, CITU Draughtmen Association SC/BC Federation, Heavy Earth Mover Mechanics Union, Punjab Employees Federation and Shahpur Kandi Barrage Workers Union. Mr Gian Chand Loomba of INTUC said the demands of the employees had been faxed to the Chief Minister. Their demands include the taking up of the Shahpur Kandi Dam project on a department level immediately after allocating adequate funds, lifting of ban on recruitment on compassionate grounds for dependents of the employees killed during the construction of the
RSD, grant of one year’s bonus as incentive to all employees of RSD, grant of exemption of electricity duty on a par with PSEB employees. Stoppage of various types of recoveries from retired employees and grant of TA to employees regularised since March 13, 1996. The management of the Ranjit Sagar dam has invited the Joint Action Committee to consider their demands. The committee will meet tomorrow to decide on the offer. Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee has condemned the Chief Engineer of the Ranjit Sagar Dam who said that most of the workers who died during construction of the RSD died because of excessive use of alcohol.
CHANDIGARH: The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, dedicates the multipurpose Ranjit Sagar Dam project, popularly known as the Thein Dam, to the nation tomorrow. For Punjab it is a big occasion given the long gestation period for the project to complete. It will help the state in general, and the region in particular, in ways more than one. If, on the one hand, the project will generate 2,100 million units of power annually, and enable an additional 3.48 lakh hectares get irrigated, on the other hand, it will operate the wheels of the economy enhancing industrial and agricultural production worth around Rs 550 crore per annum. The sale of power will fetch about Rs 500 crore. Moreover, the project is also an embodiment of inter-state relations and cooperation among Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. An agreement among them in 1979 gave the green light for the launch of the project. But is the Thein Dam today complete? The answer is in the affirmative if one goes by the chronology of events culminating in the generation of power in August, 2000. The dam was completed in December, 1998, ponding of the reservoir was done in February, 1999 and powerhouses and spillways were ready in March 1999. The first allocation of funds was made in 1977-78, while construction on the diversion channels started in October, 1982, and April, 1985, and power tunnels in April, 1982, and June, 1982. The project was included in the Seventh Five Year Plan in November, 1985, with the diversion of the Ravi and start of the coffer dam in November, 1993. Yet, the Thein Dam today is “incomplete”. This is the correct answer to the question because unless three projects, too, are completed, the dedication ceremony of the Ranjit Sagar Dam project to the nation tomorrow will remain “incomplete”. These three projects are the Shahpur Kandi Dam (168 MW), the Upper Bari Doab project stage III (57 MW) and the Shahpur Kandi extension hydel project (75 MW). Expectedly, the dam will check the “free” flow of the Ravi, on which it is built 24 km upstream of the Madhopur headworks, near Pathankot, to Pakistan. The long gestation period, coupled with foul play by Nature and man on several occasions made it look as if the project in Thein village was jinxed. Not only this. The workforce, including engineers, organised into unions—50-odd— often stalled and delayed important phases of the work. There were reports relating to slippage, pilferage, substandard machinery and material, misappropriation of funds, corruption, lawlessness, inefficiency, and mismanagement. All this necessitated the induction of more than 300 security men from the Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation, imposing an additional financial burden of Rs 1 crore. Engineers faced stagnation. Occasionally, there were tales of “deals” in the procurement of spares and equipment. The devastating flood of 1988 brought 8.5 lakh cusecs of water due to unprecedented rain in the catchment area, giving a major setback to the project, leaving many a scar at the dam site with machinery worth crores of rupees rendered unfit for uses. At later stages defects in tunnels added to the woes. Soon politics creeped in leading to the usual enquiries and passing of the buck. While it took a long time to raise the actual dam and later fill up reservoir, the process of land acquisition got stuck in the usual quagmire of political and bureaucratic wrangling. A total of 26,296 acres has been acquired. The “human” factor also cast its shadow requiring the payment of not only adequate compensation but also jobs of members of the identified families of oustees, provision of relief and rehabilitation of the uprooted. Their settlement posed a challenge because the affected persons of 63-odd villages could not be left high and dry with their land submerged or acquired. The reservoir or the lake is spread over 90 sq km. Thus, the “completion” of the project will require a second push. Unless the three subsidiary projects get executed, the overall project will not become cost-effective. But if executed, one hopes the Prime Minister will give commitment on the Centre’s financial involvement, the optimum use of the available manpower (experienced and technical) and the utilisation of the machinery. What is being dedicated tomorrow dates back to the 1926-27 Willey Committee Report that suggested a “mono-purpose storage dam” across the Ravi at Thein. Modified and brushed up, it was submitted by the Punjab Irrigation Department for approval in 1957. After the signing of the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan in 1960, a multipurpose scheme, envisaging the generation of 420 MW, was prepared in 1964. It was during the earlier term, 1977, of the present Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, that a decision to start work at Thein was taken. And it took New Delhi five years to approve it in 1982. In the intervening period, several technical parameters were changed, inlcuding increasing the power generation from 420 MW to 600 MW by installing four units of 150 MW each. Thein, as such, is part of a comprehensive plan to utilise water of the three eastern rivers, the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi of the erstwhile Punjab, for irrigation and power production. The dam is located in the gorge section of the Ravi in Jammu and Kashmir, a seismically active zone in the Himalayas. The rock formation alternates between bands of sand stone and silt-clay shale in the downstream direction. The General Manager, Mr J.S. Randhawa, tells TNS the dam is 160 metres high. It is an earth core-gravel-shell dam. It is the highest dam of its type in India. Another unique feature of the dam is the presence of 6 km of galleries under its foundation, spillways and left and right abutments. The foundation gallery under the earth dam has been provided for the first time in India. The power plant has the second biggest hydro-turbine in India. The lake of the dam is named after Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Despite the complicated topography and difficult geological terrain encountered during tunnelling, shafting and other works the staff have finally commissioned the project, marking yet another milestone in Punjab’s economy after the Bhakra and Pong Dam projects. Due to the long gestation period and delays, the project cost escalated. It has cost Rs 3,800 crore at the June, 2000, price level. But the real worth of this staggering amount will be realised only when work gets started on the other three projects as well. Chandigarh, March 2 “No case is pending with the Administration. However, families of those who died natural death could not be accommodated. So far over 300 persons have been employed on the compassionate grounds because of the death of their parents due to working conditions on the dam,” the spokesman said. The spokesman further said that as many as 1395 families out of total 2029 affected due to construction of Dam have already been provided employment falling in 63 villages whose land measuring 26,296 acres was acquired.The remaining families either did not apply for employment or were not eligible, he said maintaining that there was a distinction between martyrs who sacrificed their lives while working on the Dam and those who died a natural death. He also clarified that invitations had been extended to the families of the martyrs at their known addresses for the March 4 dedication ceremony where the Prime Minister would be the chief guest. Their kith and kin working on the project had also been given invitation cards on priority basis, he added. |
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Many not counted by census
staff Bathinda, March 2 Mr Ravinder Kumar, a businessman and a resident of Poojanwala Mohalla also kept waiting for those on census duty. Yet another resident of Naruana road, who did not want to be named, also remained uncounted for the sixth census as nobody approached him for the same. Some localities of the city remained untouched by the employees appointed for the census work, despite the fact that the district administration had claimed that all necessary preparations were made for the census. Residents of Multania road, Barnala road, Hazi Rattan locality, Poojanwala Mohalla and Naruana road have remained uncounted. Mr Ravinder Kumar, who runs his business near MSD School here and is a resident of Poojanwala Mohalla, said that the census exercise on the basis of which the government was to form its policies, was meanigless for him as he was not counted. He pointed out that the officials had left out those houses which they had found locked. As most couples these days were employed they had not been included in the census. Mr Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Additional Deputy Commissioner, when contacted, noted down the areas which had eportedly remained untouched by the officials concerned. He said the left-out citizens would be counted in the “revisional” round. |
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US doctors to attend Sohana
workshop Chandigarh, March 2 A US team from Atlanta, (Georgia) comprising Dr Harinderjit Singh, a vitreo-retinal specialist, ad Dr Alan Stocks, an expert in phaco-emulsification and refractive surgery, and their assistants, Ms Mary Attaway and Ms Shanon Gibson, have come to the SGHS (C) Eye Hospital on their annual trip to perform surgeries and teach local ophthalmologists about recent trends in ophthalmic surgery. Both doctors are associate clinical professors from the Department of Ophthamology, Medical College of Georgia. They have been specially invited by SGHS Phaco Training and Research Institute for teaching purposes. This institute was started last February to train eye doctors in the latest techniques of cataract surgery. The technical support to the institute is being provided by Dr Harinderjit Singh, Dr Allan Stocks and Dr Baldev Singh Brar from the University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey. These doctors visit the hospital every year. This team will be examining patients and performing surgeries during their week-long stay. These doctors will be inaugurating one of the world’s best machines, Accurus, for vitreo-retinal surgery and legacy for phaco-emulsification or stitchless cataract surgery. The workshop will be inaugurated by Mr J.S. Ahluwalia, Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, on March 3, and the award-giving ceremony will be presided over by Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, DC, Patiala, on March 4. About 150 doctors from in and around Chandigarh are expected to participate in the workshop. The main focus during the vitreo-retinal workshop to be held on March 3, will be on treatable macular disorders, or the diseases affecting the central part of the retina. Guest faculty include doctors from S. Sohan Singh Eye Hospital, Amritsar, Dr Daljit Singh Eye Hospital, Amritsar, and PGI Chandigarh. On March 4 workshop on phaco-emulsification techniques will be held to discuss the latest trends in cataract surgery. The doctors will perform surgery that will be shown live to the participating eye surgeons. |
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MoU on community policing
likely Chandigarh, March 2 Talking to newsmen here at the Punjab Police Headquarters this morning, Mr Layton said that the West Midlands police could be of help to the Punjab police in community policing, road safety and traffic management and even in areas like human rights. Talking about the possibility of the MoU, the Punjab police chief, Mr Sarabjit Singh, said that if approved, it would enhance cooperation between the two forces and both would benefit. Regarding attachments, Mr Sarabjit Singh said that it was the Government of India which regulated training, both in the country and outside, of its police officers. Accompanied by two other officers from his force, including Mr Jagdev Singh Mavi, Principal Officer, HM Prison Office, Mr Layton said that for the past five days they had been visiting Punjab and interacting with police officials at different levels. Mr Mavi belongs to a village in Ropar district and had migrated to the UK when he was just six years old. “We were impressed by the innovative helpline started by the Khanna police. We also visited the Punjab Police Academy at Phillaur. Yesterday, we visited the Golden Temple complex. It was a humble experience which none of us would forget all our lives,” Mr Layton said. Talking about the areas of interest of the visiting police team, he said that “domestic violence” was one area on which they had started a two-year project. “In domestic violence, it is more concerning forced marriages than anything else. We understand arranged marriages and they are perfectly fine,” he said, maintaining that “forced marriages were the ones where one of the parties is forced into a matrimonial alliance without his or her consent. This is not confined to any particular religion or community. We are in India and a team may be visiting Bangladesh and Pakistan also.” Talking about violence in the Midlands involving the South Asian community, he said that this “community was as law abiding as any other community. As far as racial violence is concerned, there was nearly 60 per cent rise in reported cases last year. We have had a success rate of nearly 70 per cent. The cases were there earlier also but were not being reported. If more cases are being reported, it is indicative that people have more faith and confidence that the police could help them and solve their cases. “Similarly there has been an increase in the incidence of domestic violence. It is expected to go up further,” he said. Mr Layton and the other members of the visiting team said that since they had no specialisation in terrorism, they were unable to comment on it. They also talked about the possibility of a regular exchange of visits between officers of the Punjab police and the West Midlands police. Mr Layton said that he expected to return with another team in November. Similarly, a team from the Punjab Police Academy was expected to visit the UK soon. The visiting team also interacted with senior officials of the Chandigarh police. Earlier, they had spent a week in Delhi. One of them may go back and stay with the Delhi police, especially with its investigation cell, for a week or so. |
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Dutch experts offer tips to potato
growers Ludhiana, March 2 Pushed to the wall because of distress sale, growers had to recently dump thousands of tonnes of potato in cold stores or throw these out on roadsides and elsewhere. Media all over the country had highlighted this problem faced by potato growers. The Punjab Government had rushed its senior officers to Sri Lanka to probe the possibility of exporting potato to that country, where its retail price is over Rs 30 per Kg. In a chat with the Tribune, experts said that the problem of potato growers mainly pertained to post-harvest management. The non-scientific storage of potato in cold stores was, by and large, responsible for some of the problems. The experts said the temperature management in the cold stores, where potato or other vegetables and fruits are stacked, is can important aspect. In Punjab and other parts of the country, cold stores are operated at a temperature varying between 0°C to 2°C to preserve potato. The sugar level in the potatoes goes up at this low temperature. Owing to the increase in the sugar content, they become unfit for making potato chips and even for domestic consumption. Mr S.P.Schouten, Adviser of the Netherlands Management Cooperation Programme (NMCP), said that potato, to be used for food purposes like making chips, should not be stored at a temperature between 7 and 10°C. At low temperature — between 0 to 6°C — potatoes had the tendency to develop a high sugar level during the storage period, affecting their marketability. But the potatoes stored at between 7 and 10°C start sprouting in the cold stores. This also creates marketability problem. Experts in The Netherland have developed technology to tackle this problem. Mr Schouten said tha a chemical, known as CIPC, was available the world over, including India, which was used in his country to stop the sprouting or potatoes during storage. Another herb-based chemical-Curvone-which is widely acceptable and also used to preserve bakery items, has emerged as an alternative to the CIPC in The Netherlands and it could be applied in India also. It was effective in prohibiting sprouting of potatoes, says Mr Schouten. When asked how these chemical arre applied, Mr Schouten said that in his country, the cold stores had been designed in such a way that the entire stock was fogged with these chemicals through the tunnels constructed under the floor of the store for fogging these chemicals on the stacked material in cold stores. By maintaining a low leve of sugar and avoiding engaged in preparing potato chips. Mr Schouten said that the technology developed by Indian scientists for preserving kinnow (citrus frit) for a longer period was working well. He said that in the Netherlands, a particular film was used to prolong the shelf life of citrus fruit. This technology might be transferred to India after negotiations at an appropriate level. |
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Defeat anti-farmer forces:
Gowda Barnala, March 2 Mr Deve Gowda was addressing a farmers’ conference, organised by the Lok Bhalai Party led by Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, its national president, here. Thousands of farmers from all over the state attended the conference. The former Prime Minister extended his party’s support to Mr Ramoowalia in building a third front in Punjab to fight the government of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. He said the Badal government had miserably “failed” to protect the interests of farmers, forcing them to commit suicides. He appealed to the farmers to stand by Mr Ramoowalia. Mr Deve Gowda also criticised the union Budget, dubbing it as “anti-farmer” and “anti-poor.” He also criticised the Union Government for its proposals in the Budget with regard to dismantling of the FCI, abolition of the minimum support price (MSP) for crops and permission to traders to purchase wheat and paddy in the open market from the farmers. Mr Deve Gowda asked Mr Badal to leave the NDA if he was a friend of the farmers. He also asked Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, to accept his defeat for not defending the interests of the farmers. Mr Deve Gowda said in view of the anti-farmer policies of the government, the farmers had been committing suicide for the past couple of years as they were not able to repay their loans. He claimed that no farmer had committed suicide during his stint as Prime Minister. Mr Deve Gowda stated that there was no difference between the Congress and the BJP. He said the Congress signed Dunkel proposals while theBJP was implementing them. Mr Deve Gowda also termed the Congress and the BJP as anti-minorities. He said the Congress played a key role in the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots while the BJP had done the same in the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya. Mr Ramoowalia, who was projected as a prospective candidate for chief ministership of Punjab got a nod from the gathering to form a third front as the political alternative to the Congress and the BJP. Mr Ramoowalia announced that the Lok Bhalai Party would contest 90 assembly seats in Punjab in the next general assembly election. LALRU (Patiala) In a press statement, the Deputy Superintendent of Dera Bassi police stated that the gangster used to lift vehicles in a planned way and then sell them in different car bazaars after making fake computerised documents. The accused, Sunil from Hisar, Dalbir Singh alias Monti from Kurukshetra, Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukhi from Budlada and Ajit Kumar from Ambala, used to get the vehicles financed from finance companies and after preparing fake sale-letters the vehicles were being insuranced with insurance companies, said Mr H.S. Bhullar, DSP. After selling the ‘‘stolen’’ vehicles the accused used to dupe the insurance companies claiming that these have been stolen, he added. The accused had even prepared forged computerised sale-letters of various automobile companies based at Sirsa, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, New Delhi, Rohtak, Jalandhar and Chandigarh for the stolen vehicles. Using fictitious registration numbers they used to sell the vehicles. The police has claimed to have recovered three Maruti cars, two jeeps, one Tata Sumo, a truck, a Maruti Zen and an Esteem car. Mr Bhullar informed that the accused have also disclosed that about 15 other members of the gang were active in Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Mumbai. Some of their partners have already been arrested by the Bathinda police. |
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Giani memorial being
raised SANDHWAN (Faridkot): A memorial tower depicting the various stages of the life of former President Zail Singh is being erected at his native village, Sandhwan. The memorial, for which the foundation stone was laid exactly six years after the death of seventh President, is being erected at the spot where Giani was born by a memorial trust set up in his name. Giani Zail Singh, who went to the President’s house from a mud house, was a renowned freedom fighter and remained imprisoned for many years fighting the autocratic rule in the princely states. He was greatly influenced by the sacrifices of Bhagat Singh and Sewa Singh Thikriwala. From freedom struggle to politics and then to Chief Ministership and then to Presidentship, Giani achieved important positions during his lifetime and breathed his last on December 25, 1994,while undergoing treatment after a road accident. The memorial tower would be pentagonal at its lower portion and five water bodies would be there in planter form signifying the Sutlej, Ravi, Beas, Chenab and Jehlum. Water and soil would be brought from these rivers of old Punjab and would be installed in these five water bodies. The 78-ft-high tower will symbolise the towering personality and rise of Giani Zail Singh from soil of this village to that of first citizen. The ground level of the tower will represent the event of his birth at that very spot on May 5, 1916, the next level will represent his initiation into struggle and association with Praja Mandal. The third would signify setting up of Congress committee in Faridkot, the fourth as Revenue Minister of PEPSU, the fifth as Irrigation, Power and PWD Minister in Punjab. Each step of Giani’s life has been carved out of the pentagonal memorial through an angled plane fitted with a glass roof. This glass window would be lighted at night to serve as a beacon or inspiration to new generations. Finally it will culminate in an inclined roof with star window atop, symbolising his demise on December 25, 1994. Mr Joginder Singh, Giani’s son, has been trying his best to complete the memorial at the earliest for which Punjab Government has allocated funds. |
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Cops come to women’s
care Bathinda, March 2 The district police launched ‘CARE’ last year with the objective to check the increasing trend of crime against women, dowry and related problems, eve-teasing, extra-marital affairs, illegal separation, outraging the modesty of women etc. CARE has been equipped with a wireless room, counselling room, waiting room, telephone connection and vehicles, it also enjoys the services of a consultative committee of nine social workers from different walks of life who assist the police resolve disputes. Mr Jatinder Kumar Jain, told The Tribune, that the response of the public to CARE was encouraging and women from all walks of life were coming for help. He painted out that the couses of a majority of cases related to matrimonial disputes and illegal separation were minor differences, misunderstanding and psychological maladjustment. These could be resolved by counselling and motivation. This was basically, a ‘give and take’ policy, both husband and wife go for bargaining and reach at a compromise which help them lead a happy life, he said. The cases not solved by counselling, arbitration and rehabilitation were looked into from the legal point of view and cases were registered, investigated and followed up till their conclusion, he said. A woman from Goniana, on the condition of anonymity, said that she had registered the case against her husband last year for beating her after drinking. “I had decided to go in for the divorce, but when my case was put up in CARE, our misunderstandings were dissolved and now we were living happily,” she said. “Now I am here with my friend who has a similar problem and I am hopeful that her case would be solved too,” she added. Last year, of the total 230 cases put up, 76 were dissolved at the pre-litigation stages. About 27 are still pending at various stages. Dr Jain lamented that last year 12 false cases were registered under CARE, which were later dismissed after an inquiry. |
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‘Women development
must in society’ Patiala,
March 2 The Block Development Panchayat Officer, Mr Naresh Kumar talked of the development brought about only by giving women the necessary facilities and rights that they were entitled for. Mr Kumar stressed that education for women was imperative and the main source for their overall development. |
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Painted
chambers thrown open to public Patiala,
March
2 The chambers, which
form part of Quila Androon (inner quila), have been opened to the
public following a restoration and beautification exercise conducted
by the Department of Archaeology and Cultural Affairs under which the
facade of the Quila Androon has been repainted and the inner courtyard
leading to the painted chambers spruced. While one of them is an
extensively painted chamber, the other is adorned with small pieces of
glasses and is called the Sheesh Mahal. Both can now be viewed with
the department putting up a grilled pathway in them. The piece de
resistance is the first chamber itself called the masnad as the king
used to once sit on the raised platform in it. Apparently the earlier
kings of the Phulkian dynasty used this masnad as it is a very small
rook with two pillaried ante chambers on both sides. The entire room
has been painted in a blend of Mughal and Rajasthani style in
exquisite colours which still retain their sheen. Most of the
paintings are from Hindu mythology with the ‘Raas Lila’ figuring
prominently. Other influences include Sikh ones and also a few Moorish
influences which have been painted in a completely different style.
The paintings on the raised platform are breathtaking with a portrait
of a maharaja in the centre occupying pride of place. This first
chamber is also the most interesting as this is the only chamber in
the quila which has been least ravaged by the passage of time. Also
paintings in half of the chamber have been restored to the original
beauty by staff members of the National Research Laboratory for
Conservation, Lucknow. This is clear when one visits the second
painted chamber. The Sheesh Mahal is a shadow of its past self. The
small pieces of glass which cover it have turned blue with the passage
of time. Dampness has also apparently taken its toll on the glass. The
original paintings, which were once kept in small brackets in the
chamber, have now been replaced by replicas. The people of the city,
however, seem to be having a field day. “This is a treat”, says
Master Sohan Lal, adding the people of Patiala had been kept away from
the chambers for far too long. He said proper lighting facility needed
to be created in the chambers so that they could be viewed properly.
Other people while appreciating the step taken by the government,
however, feel other parts of Quila Androon should also be opened to
the public.
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Confusion over medicos’
test Faridkot, March 2 Though only one day is left for the test to be held on March 4 by the Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, the controversy regarding the minimum qualifying marks for the same is not be clear. According to the MCI, those candidates are eligible to get admission in the courses who get at least 50 per cent marks in the test. On other hand, the Punjab Government in a notification issued on January 5, 2001, laid that candidates securing at least 40 per cent marks in the competitive examination would be eligible for admission in postgraduate medical courses. For admission to such basic subjects as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, forensic medicine and social and preventive medicines, there is no condition of minimum marks. The notification also mentioned that for admission to postgraduate course for session 2001 in the Government Medical Colleges, at Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot, Dyanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Government Dental Colleges of Amritsar and Patiala and Government Ayurvedic College, Patiala, a competitive examination would be conducted by Baba Farid University on behalf of the Punjab Government as per the schedule to be prescribed by the university. The guidelines of the MCI state that wherever an entrance test for admission is held by the state government or a university or any other authorised examining body, the minimum percentage of marks for eligibility for admission to post graduate medical courses should be 50 per cent for all candidates. Sources said the Baba Farid University authorities were conducting the test as per the directions given in the notification issued by Punjab Government as the university was a subject of State government. However, a section of students who talked to TNS pointed out that if the university violated the guidelines of the MCI, their degrees of postgraduate courses after three years would not be recognised by it. Sources said the university authorities would conduct the test as scheduled on March 4 but declare the results only after the confusion was cleared.
More than 1,700 candidates have applied for taking the competitive examination. |
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‘Fast track’ courts
to clear pending cases Patiala,
March 2 The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 8.29 crore for 2000-2005 for the setting up of 29 courts all over the state. At present, as many as 2,939 cases are pending in sessions courts in the state since the past three years. The scheme has been formulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the recommendations of the Eleventh Finance Commission with respect to special problems and upgradation grant for the judicial administration. Senior officials of the district met today to review the progress of the scheme and to expedite the disposal of the pending cases. The scheme for the clearance of the backlog of pending sessions court cases includes appointment of ad hoc judges from amongst the retired session judges and additional session judges or judges through promotions, who will be posted in these courts and consequential vacancies shall be filled in, so that further pendency is not accumulated in the courts of magistrates or civil judges. These “fast track” courts, as the name suggests, will be required to dispose of 14 session trial cases in a month or 20-25 criminal cases per month. Besides other things, these courts will entail saving of expenses over the undertrials languishing in jails. At present throughout India there are about 1.8 lakh such undertrials on whose maintenance the governments state are spending about Rs 361 crore per annum at the rate of Rs. 55 per day per person in jail. A meeting of senior district officials was held here today in this regard. Presiding over the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, said these courts would give priority to sessions court cases pending for two years or more and to all cases involving undertrials. These courts” are likely to start their work from April 1 and continue till March 31, 2005. Besides, the Deputy Commissioner, the District and Sessions Judge, Mr
S.N.Aggarwal, and the SSP, Mr H.S.Sidhu, were also present at the meeting. |
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DIG granted regular
bail Chandigarh, March 2 District and Sessions Judge S.N. Aggarwal today granted bail to the DIG after asking him to furnish a bail bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety of the like amount in the court of the Special CBI Magistrate. The Judge, however, ruled that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could move an application for cancellation of the bail in case if the accused was trying to pressurise the witnesses. The DIG has been granted bail in the case today after his bail plea was turned down by the Special CBI court here as well as the court of the Additional Sessions Judge. However, the Additional Sessions Judge while turning down the bail plea of the DIG had given him time till March 4 to apply for regular bail in the case. The DIG had applied for regular bail in the court of the Sessions Judge on February 28 under Section 493, CrPC. The DIG and three other police officers, including a superintendent of police and two deputy superintendents of police, have been accused by the CBI of keeping BKI activist Sukhdev Singh Sukha in illegal custody in the CIA interrogation cell at Ropar and causing his disappearance in July, 1993. The CBI has accused the officers, including the DIG, who was then posted as Senior Superintendent of Police at Ropar, of hatching a conspiracy to eliminate Sukha. Counsel of the accused R.S. Cheema said there was nothing secret in the detention of the BKI activist who was allowed to meet his family members during the entire period of his detention from February 2, 1993 to July 7 the same year. He said relatives, including his met brother, Sukha during this period and he even spoke to his children from the Sohana police station on telephone. The defence counsel said in this scenario it was not possible to imagine that the BKI activist would be eliminated by the police. He also brought it to the notice of the court that though the DIG had been made the main accused in the case, another police officer who had allegedly tortured the BKI activist, had been kept in column two by the CBI. He said this was clear from the writ petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Sukha’s wife. The CBI counsel, Mr J.S. Sidhu, while opposing the bail, said the accused was using his official position to pressurise the witnesses and also the widow of Sukha, to withdraw the case. He said the investigating agency had documentary prove that Mr Sanjeev Gupta visited the Sohana police station and also the CIA interrogation centre at Ropar. |
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HIGH COURT Chandigarh, March 2 Mr Justice M.L. Singhal also directed the Deputy Advocate-General appearing for the State of Punjab to inform the authorities that “they shall strain every nerve to see that they were deported to their respective countries as early as possible —in nay even before April 2.” Seeking two months time, the DAG had earlier stated that the process of deporting the foreign nationals would be completed as and when the orders for their repatriation were received from Ministry of External Affairs at New Delhi. He had added that out of 25 Pakistanis lodged here, Gulam Nabi was sent back to his country through Samjhautha Express on October 12 last year. The process for sending the others had been initiated with the Pakistan High Commission at New Delhi, he had claimed. Over 120 foreign nationals — 54 Pakistanis, 50 Bangladeshis, 13 Burmese, two Iranis and one Afghan —were initially ordered by Mr Justice V.K. Jhanji to be deported to their “respective nations”. The directions were passed after they were ordered to be released by the Chief Judicial Magistrate while holding a camp court at the jail. Mr, Justice Jhanji had observed: “To avoid delay in the deportation of foreign nationals and also to safe-guard human rights, I think it proper to treat their representations as civil writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution for issuance of writ to the Union of India to take up their matter with their respective governments for their early deportation”. |
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Directing Sangrur’s Chief Judicial Magistrate to inquire into the facts and circumstances under which two Bahadurpur village residents were detained at the CIA staff, Mr Justice S.S. Nijjar of the High Court today asked him to proceed in accordance with the law if satisfied about the requirement of registering criminal cases against police officials concerned. Giving a ruling, Mr Nijjar observed that the case, prima facie, appeared to be that of illegal detention and he was not satisfied with the explanation submitted by the police officials. In a habeas corpus petition, Sukhbir Singh of Faridkot district had earlier sought directions to the Station House officer of CIA staff at Sangrur and two other cops to produce Ripudaman Singh and Binder Singh illegally detained by the officials since December 1 last year. He had added that the two, along with Ranjit Singh, were initially picked up by SHO of Sadar Police Station in Sangrur on November 20 last year in connection with the murder of one Jarnail Singh. They were released after about six days but Ripudaman Singh and Binder Singh were again picked up. Expressing apprehension regarding their being implicated in a false case, the petitioner had added that the two might even be subjected to third degree torture by the cops. During the proceedings, the warrant officer, appointed by the court, stated in his report that Ripudaman Singh was found cleaning a table in the courtyard of CIA staff. Binder Singh could, however, not be traced.
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Lok Adalat for
criminal cases Patiala, March 2 Eight judicial magistrates should also hold courts in accepting the cancellation/untraced reports on that day. In all, 2,421 cases have been taken up for disposal (1,086 Patiala, 659 Rajpura, 332 Samana and 311 Nabha). The Judicial Magistrates of Samana, Nabha and Rajpura will also hold Lok Adalat benches in city. Mr
H.S. Bedi, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh and Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority will supervise the performance of Lok Adalat benches. Summons have been issued and served against persons concerned in all the criminal cases scheduled to be taken up by the Lok Adalat.
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Fossil exhibits
evoke interest Patiala,
March 2 The exhibition, which opened in Mohindra College
today, evoked a good response from students of the college and other
people interested in the field. Dr Soni gave details of the finds
excavated by him and their importance in understanding pre-historic
life. He gave a brief summary of how he had been able to find various fossils, tusks and bone joints. The collection, which also included pre-historic stone tools, was made during a 20-year period in the Shivalik foothills of the state. The
collection includes a huge seven-foot long tusk of a variant of today’s
elephant. Dr Soni said he had been able to excavate nine generations
of elephants during the course of his excavations which throw light on
the development of this species. He said the tusk was around 2 million
years old. Other exhibits include the upper jaw of a buffalo, which is also 2 million years old and fossils contained in both pieces of wood and stone. There is also an exhibit of a tortoise, which is estimated to be around 8 million years old. He
also delivered a lecture on the “Story of life’’ as part of the
National Science Day celebrations held under the aegis of the faculty
of sciences. With the help of slides and transparencies, Dr Soni
explained how life started on the planet millions of years ago.
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Punjab moots power
plan Patiala, March 2 Punjab apparently wants the Uttaranchal Governor, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, to help push hydel projects in the newly formed state. A high-level team of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has already met Mr Barnala in this regard. The team led by board Chairman G.S. Sohal stressed that both Punjab and Haryana were on the lookout for hydel power as they are unable to meet their electricity commitments on their own during the summer season. Though Punjab is likely to be a little more comfortably placed once the 600 Mega Watt Ranjit Sagar project goes on steam, the future power requirements may still see it buying costly power from central agencies. This summer also, the PSEB will buy power from its share in central nuclear projects. The team was of the view that each of the three states could contribute equally for starting the hydel projects. The team has identified three projects which it feels can come up at Srinagar, Manari Bhali and Lakhwar Vyasi. Mr Sohal said the three projects would give a combined hydel energy generation of 1,000 MW. |
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Protest held against
Budget Amritsar, March 2 Condemning the policies of the Central Government which largely favoured big industrialists, privatisation, globalisation and multinational companies, the demonstrators raised slogans against the government. Earlier, a huge rally was taken out in important bazaars and areas of the city. The rally that started from Mustafabad and passed through the Batala road, Vijay Nagar and Company Bagh was addressed by Mr Vijay Mishra, senior vice-president of the CITU, Mr Sucha Singh, general secretary of Government Teachers Union, and Mr Kewal Singh, president, Punjab Subordinate Services Federation. The speakers demanded to withdraw proposals that were against the interest of people in general and employees in particular. The policy that came under strong objection was the proposal for disinvestment of public sector units (PSUs). The demonstrators demanded that the cut of 1.5 per cent on interest on small savings and Provident Funds be revoked. They also protested against the 2 per cent cut in the posts of government employees as also the labour laws that would be enforced in an industry with the capacity of 1,000 workers as against an earlier number of 100 workers. Meanwhile, the Bank Employees Federation of India and All-India Punjab and Sind Bank Staff Federation’s General Secretary, Mr Jagir Singh, said the Budget proposal had not increased the income tax slab for employees in the past 3 years. Fatehgarh Sahib, March 2 The members in a press note issued here today alleged that the president had lost the confidence of majority of the members. Only 10 members attended the meeting called by him. The members when confronted the Executive Officer in the office of the ADC(G) and asked him how many members attended the meeting, he could not give a satisfactory reply though he had also attended the meeting. When contacted the Executive Officer said the budget had been passed as 16 members of the 28 attended the meeting. |
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Mann flays hike in defence
budget Jalandhar, March 2 Talking to The Tribune the SAD (A) chief, Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, alleged that the hike in the defence budget was nothing but a conspiracy hatched by the BJP and RSS to “bully” the south-eastern part of the globe and the minorities within the country as well. Our Correspondent from Amritsar adds:
The Finance Minister has dealt a death blow to the powerloom and small-scale textile sector. A spokesman of the Amritsar Small-Scale Woollen Manufacturers Association, Mr Gunbir Singh, said here on Friday that the Finance Minister by equating the small-scale sector with the large-scale industry, thereby leving 16 per cent excise duty slab. He added that the minister under the garb of rationalisation had mroe than doubled the tax on the powerloom sector as the majority of the units were in the small sector. The textile industry was already facing competition from cheap imports and the new levy had come as a rude shock for them. The association was also critical of the shifting of the chamber-wise duty.
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Punjab’s
print order to NBT lowest Chandigarh, March 2 The focus is now on reversing the trend. At least that is what the Chairman of National Book Trust, Dr Sitakant Mahapatra, informed The Tribune today, during his visit to the city. Mr Mahapatra was in town to preside over the crucial meeting of the Punjabi Language Advisory Panel which decides upon the yearly publication programme in the language. For this financial year, the NBT has decided to promote Children’s Punjabi literature in its original form. During the meeting held at the UT Guest House yesterday, the Trust decided to publish books of Punjabi children literature writers — Dalip Kaur Tiwana and Jasbir Bhullar. “We will publish 420 titles in Punjabi this year. But to tell you the truth, the number of books printed in Punjabi is not more than 30 per year.” The Trust is also trying to hold book exhibitions in Pakistan with a view to promoting the language. As the official talked as to why Punjabi had not been able to pick up in the region as expected, a very disheartening fact came to light — that the book print order from Punjab is among the lowest in the country. According to statistics available with the NBT, while the print orders from West Bengal and Kerala governments for this financial year was Rs 86 lakh and Rs 44 lakh, respectively, the order from the Punjab government was nil, as of date. “Earlier also, the print orders from the Punjab government have not been encouraging. This diminishes the chances of the language being propagated in the region. All the success in this field which the NBT has achieved till date is through its own book fairs and workshops. We spend from our annual publication budget of Rs 3 crore,” informed Mr Mahaparta. To counter the situation, the Trust is planning to target children. For this, it will come up with Bal Kavya Sangraha featuring poems by Ram Rattan, Manmohan Dau, Gurbachan Bhullar and Darshan Singh, among others. Adding to this, Dr. Baldev Singh Baddan, Punjabi Editor for the NBT, said that another proposal was to compile the songs by Punjabi writers under the title of Punjabi geetan da sangraha. This will be edited by Santokh Singh Shaharyaar. The Trust will also compile Kafiyaan Bulleshah with help from Dr Harjinder Singh Dhillon, Reader, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. “The latest plan is to revive Punjabi language in the region by conducting workshops on the neo literates. We already have about 65 titles ready in this category,” informed Mr Mahapatra. Accompanying Mr Mahapatra was Director, NBT, Dr Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharji, who talked about other measures being adopted by the Trust to promote Punjabi. “We have decided to identify the status of Punjabi novels and stories and help in advancing the same,” he said. For this purpose, the Trust will publish five novels this year — Jaswant Singh Kanwal’s Pooranmashi, N.S. Tasneem’s Talash khoi sadi di, K.S. Duggal’s Kispa kholun gali, S. Soz’s Pattar Vipattar and Joginder Singh Kairon’s Nag Bind. Another news is that the NBT, in collaboration with the Punjab Arts Council, will shortly come up with a book shop on the Punjab Kala Bhawan’s premises in Sector 16. There will also be a showroom of books on Punjabi in the Kala Bhawan withing the coming six months. Mayor’s removal:
notice to Punjab Chandigarh, March 2 The petitioners, claiming that a no-confidence motion had been passed against the Mayor on January 30, 20001, sought the withdrawal of all facilities and restraining Mr Sehgal from functioning as the Mayor.
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Bishnoi sabha to spread green
mission Ferozepore, March 2 This was disclosed by the sabha president, Mr Hanuman Parshad, in an interview with The Tribune after being appointed as Wildlife Warden (honorary) by the Punjab Government. Already, a few Sikhs have lent their support to the Bishnoi community that is guided by 29 commandments prohibiting hunting and felling of trees. Mr Parshad said the sabha would shortly have block and districtwise units across the state to take the mission beyond the Bishnoi-dominated pockets of Abohar and Balluana areas. His immediate priority was to make the pro-environment revolution a success in Punjab, where society largely approved of hunting. He said police needed to be sensitised against the crime, like poaching and tree felling. As of now, the community is grappling with such challenges in a cluster of 13 Bishnoi-dominated villages that forms the part of the Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary. The community is highly opposed to hunting and provide their jeeps and guns to the ill-equipped wildlife staff for night patrolling. Mr Parshad said the sabha was pursuing a case of hunting against the film star, Salman Khan and would never shy from its responsibility of deposing before the courts against any poacher, howsoever big he may be. Another priority of the sabha would be to press for a challaning authority to its members to contain poaching in the sanctuary. He also expressed his concern over several Bishnois falling prey of the temptation of intoxicants, although this was prohibited as per the tenets of their faith. He demanded that special awareness camps be organised to prevent the menace from assuming alarming proportion and sought the closure of poppy shops in Rajasthan functioning close to the Punjab border. Jalandhar, March 2 Mr Bhagwan Dass Bawa, senior vice-president of the federation, in a press note issued here today, alleged that the Punjab Government was pursuing anti-Dalit policies. He demanded that a roster system pertaining to reservation in promotions for Scheduled Caste and Backward Class employees be reintroduced. He also criticised the state government’s decision to hike school and college fees and threatended to launch a state-wide agitation if their demands were not met. |
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2 promoted as
Under Secys Chandigarh, March 2 The order clarified that as and when Mrs Kirpal Kaur resumes her position, Mr Karam Singh Khatra, unless adjusted against an available post of Under Secretary, would stand reverted as Superintendent (Grade I).
CHANDIGARH, March 2 The award was presented by Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, Minister for Animal Husbandry, at the function attended, among others, by Mr Sat Pal Gosain, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, and Mr Manpreet Singh Badal, MLA. |
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IFS officers
promoted Chandigarh,
March 2 Mr H.S. Gujral, a 1978 batch officers, has been promoted as Chief Conservator of Forests, Shivalik Circle. Mr Rajinder Singh has also been promoted as Chief Conservator and appointed Managing Director of Forest Corporation, Punjab. |
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SP told to probe mandir
case Amritsar, March 2 The president of the mandir society, Mr Harish Mohan Sharma, had taken objection to the alleged use of abusive language for the deity by Mr Sarpal who was acompanying priest Ram Sharan on February 24.
7 killed as car, truck collide Pathankot, March 2 The deceased have been identified as Urvinder Singh Bittoo (28), Sandeep Kaur (23), Raman (4), Asit Munshi (40), Kuldip Kaur (34), Lovish (4) and Dolly (6). Priya (10) was seriously injured and referred to Jalandhar Hospital. The bodies of the deceased have been handed over to their relatives after post-mortem. The police has registered a case.
Jalandhar, March 2 According to the police, the driver of the Tata Sumo died on the spot and Chanu Ram of Daler village in Pathankot succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital. The injured, identified as Darshan Singh (60), Balraj Singh (40), Rajni (30) and Swaran Singh (22) of Daler village in Pathankot, were admitted to the local Civil Hospital. The
victims were coming from Hardwar and were on their way to Pathankot,
the police said.
IT raids on 3 goldsmith shops Kapurthala, March 2 More than 100 shops of goldsmiths remained closed due to the raids. The officials also raided the residential premises of these shops. The raids continued till late in the night.
12,500
file IT returns Patiala, March 2
Amritsar, March 2 |
GND varsity convocation
today Amritsar, March 2 |
PSUs’ sell-off
in two
years Amritsar, March 2 Addressing a meeting of the industrialists here last evening Mr Kathiriya added that the disinvestment provisions of Rs 12,000 crore made in this year’s Budget would be fulfilled and out of this amount Rs 7,000 crore will be used in rehabilitating some viable industrial undertakings, re-structuring some other sick units and also paying off under the VRS scheme. The balance amount of Rs 5,000 crore will be spent on building up the infrastructure. Mr Kathiriya advised the business community to set up agro-based industries with latest technology to compete with the global market as Punjab is the granary of the counry and can emerge as a major exporting state in the agriculture products. Welcoming the Union Minister, The Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Prof Jagir Singh Bhullar said the government was all committed to provide better infrastructure and other facilities to the small scale and medium segments. |
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