Farmers turn to cane, maize Area under paddy may shrink by 10-20 pc Sangrur, June 11 After repeated setback on the paddy front year after year, the farming community in Punjab has turned to other crops. The area under the paddy crop is expected to be reduced by 10 to 20 per cent this year compared to last year’s 26.11 lakh hectares. The area thus spared is being diverted to cotton, sugarcane, chillies, maize and groundnut. Though there are several reasons for this diversification, the most significant among these are apprehension among farmers that they may face problems in paddy procurement.

Labourers transplant paddy near Makronpur village in Fatehgarh Sahib district on Monday. — Tribune photo by Karam Singh

Detainee sends substitute to jail
Ferozepore, June 11
A detainee arrested under the NDPS Act has managed to escape from the Central Jail here by sending in his fake substitute. The police has registered a case against fake detainee Jasbir Singh and the court has issued warrants to arrest real detainee Angrej Singh. Both hail from Raniwala village and Jasbir Singh is believed to be an employee of Angrej Singh.

Scheme creates problems for panchayats
Free distribution of land to Dalits
Bathinda, June 11
The decision of the Punjab Government to give five marlas free of cost to each Dalit family in villages could lead to a controversy. Sources said the state government had issued orders to the Panchayat and Rural Development Department to give a piece of land to the Dalits from the land owned by the panchayats.

POLITICS

Akali leader issued show-cause notice
Faridkot, June 11
The local unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal has served a show-cause notice to Mr Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, former General Secretary, Youth Akali Dal, Punjab, and son of Bibi Jagdish Kaur Dhillon, for anti-party activities in the district. In a show-cause notice sent to him, Jathedar Lakhbir Singh Arayianwala, president of the district unit, charged Mr Dhillon with holding a parallel meeting at Milap Palace when the district party meeting was being held at Gurdwara Singh Sabha here yesterday, which was unconstitutional.

Congress leader meets warring groups
Mansa, June 11
Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, who has been deputed by PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh to assess the party position in this district, a section of which has revolted against the district Congress chief Mr Ram Paul Dhaipi, visited Mansa yesterday to take stock of the situation.

Amarinder’s son chairs YC meeting
Bathinda, June 11
Mr Raninder Singh, son of Mr Amarinder Singh, president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, chaired a meeting of workers of the Youth Congress here late last night.

• SAD conference postponed

COMMUNITY

Cheema is minister in Canada
Chandigarh, June 11
Dr Gulzar Singh Cheema has been appointed Minister of State for Mental Health in British Columbia, a province of Canada. Born at Bariar village in Gurdaspur district in 1953, he migrated to Canada in 1979. He practised in rural Monitoba and Winnipeg and interned at the University of Newfoundland. He was resident at Saskatoon’s University Hospital. His hospital experience includes neonatology, psychiatry, psycho-geriatrics and geriatrics.

Keeping ‘dhadi’ tradition alive
Nawanshahr
The increasing impact of Indi-pop and other music notwithstanding, Kuljit Singh Dilwar, a resident of Nawanshahr and president of the Sri Guru Hargobind Dhadi Sabha, Punjab, is determined to save the during tradition of dhadis — singers of traditional ballads extolling the deeds of the Gurus and Sikh heroes to inspire Sikhs.

Police pressured to hush up eve-teasing case
Barnala, June 11
Some SAD leaders, including a minister, an MLA and a woman SAD activist have been exerting pressure on the police to husk up a case regarding an eve-teasing case. According to sources, following a tip-off the police rounded up six persons, including a STD-PCO owner, a tea stall owner and two railway employees this morning in this connection.

Dharnas against move to privatise FCI
Bathinda, June 11
Members of the FCI and the Punjab Food Agency Paledar Azad Union have decided to hold dharnas in front of various FCI offices against the move of the government to privatise the FCI. These would be held from July 13 to August 2.

Demand for more booking counters
Bathinda, June 11
The local unit of the BJP has urged the authorities to open more ticket booking windows at the local railway station. In a press note issued here today, Mr Ramesh Garg, general secretary of the BJP unit said the booking windows did not meet the requirement as the number of passengers who boarded trains was large. He said sometimes passengers had to travel even without ticket.

Trust ‘forced’ to withdraw plot auction
Amritsar, June 11
“Lobbying” and “pooling” by the land mafia has “forced” the Improvement Trust to withdraw auction of a prime hotel site in Ranjit Avenue today. Months of preparation by trust authorities came to a naught when only three parties appeared for the bidding of the 4,000 sq yards hotel plot adjoining another well known hotel.

Demand to implement Mandal report
Chandigarh, June 11
The All-India Vishwakarma/ Ramgarhia Federation today demanded implementation of the Mandal Commission report in toto. In a memorandum presented to the Punjab State Backward Classes Mission, Mr Rabinder Singh Sohil, president of the federation, said though the apex court had given a verdict for 27.5 per cent reservation in government and public sector appointments, admission in academic institutions and representation in civic and other elected bodies, yet the orders had not been implemented. The federation demanded immediate clearance of backlog.

Pilot’s death anniversary
Patiala, June 11
Capt Amarinder Singh, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, today addressed a gathering at a function held at the Shambagh palace here to mark the first death anniversary of former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Rajesh Pilot.

Front to oppose Musharraf’s visit
Amritsar, June 11
All-India Anti-Terrorist Front members will meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to oppose the proposed visit of Gen Pervez Musharraf, Chief Executive Pakistan, unless that country releases 52 prisoners of war languishing in various jails of Pakistan.

Minister condemns attack on photo journalist
Pathankot, June 11
Mr Sat Pal Saini, Punjab Information and Technology Minister, has condemned the attack on Amit Mahi, photo journalist, by some anti-social elements. Mr Saini met a deputation of journalist at PWD Rest House, yesterday.

MC employees, dhobis clash
Pathankot, June 11
The dispute between the local Dhobi Mahasabha and municipal council employees came to the fore today, when members of the mahasabha allegedly manhandled and beat up some employees of the council on Sunday following which the council employees went on a strike.

Closure of illegal factories sought
Pathankot, June 11
Resentment prevails among residents of the Bharat Nagar area over the mushrooming of illegal factories there. These factories have flouted rules and are accident-prone, putting the lives of people living there in danger.

ADMINISTRATION

Govt’s achievements to be highlighted
Fatehgarh Sahib, June 11
Complete unity was witnessed among various warring factions of the SAD in the district, when leaders of all factions of the party attended a meeting of youth workers at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib today.

Weekly power-off system revived
Patiala, June 11
Power demand outstripped supply today, forcing the PSEB to impose cuts in both industrial and urban sectors, besides announcing peak load restrictions and mandatory weekly offs for industry.

• Punjab Police team leaves for UK

EDUCATION

MIDDLE EXAM OF PSEB
Jagraon, Mansa students share top position
SAS NAGAR, June 11
Securing 98.5 per cent marks, Sanchit Ankur Garg of Sanmati Vimal Jain Senior Secondary School, Jagraon (Ludhiana) and Mohit Garg of Chetan Singh Sarav Hitkari Senior Secondary School Vidyamandir, Mansa, shared the top position in the middle-level examination of the Punjab School Education Board, the results of which were declared here today.

Complaint against ‘threats’ to lecturers
Ludhiana, June 11
The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union has sent a complaint to the Chairperson, Punjab State Women Commission, against alleged intimidation and mental torture of four women lecturers of the college by the Principal of Dev Samaj College for Women, Ferozepore.