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| Saturday,
June 23, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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TRIBUNE IMPACT Chandigarh, June 22 Informed official sources said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, after reading a newsitem in The Tribune with regard to the emerging explosive unemployment situation in the country contacted, Mr A.S. Oberai,
Director, South Asia Mutlidisciplinary Advisory Team ( SAAT) in Delhi. Sources said that Mr Badal held discussions with Mr Oberai for about two hours and was impressed by the suggestions made by him. Mr Badal informed about the nature and volume of unemployment in the state and other problems being faced on this front by the government at various levels. The state government has made a written submission to Mr Oberai to take up Muktsar district as a pilot project immediately to study the unemployment problem faced by youth in that area . As Muktsar is a part of a backward belt of the state, the problem of unemployment is extremely acute in that belt. Moreover, Muktsar is the home district of the Punjab Chief Minister, it got the top priority because of this reason also. Mr Oberai has been told that subsequently the project can be extended to other districts , based on the experiences gained from this experiment. When contacted, Mr Oberai said that he had suggested the setting up of a youth employment board at the state level as a single window agency for manpower planning, human resource development and promotion of the self employment opportunities with linkages at the district level and also with the organisations and industrial units having the potential to providing training and employment to the youth. Certain other suggestions were also made by him. He said Mr Badal liked the suggestions made by him and asked for assistance to tackle the problem. When asked what would be the function of the board, Mr Oberai said he would prepare a detailed note in this connection soon elaborating all points including the purpose and functions of the board. The employment exchanges, which have been functioning in the state for the past several years under the Labour Department of the state government, have failed to serve the desired purpose. These have a very limited role to play. In fact, these have been reduced to offices merely registering names of unemployed persons to keep the record of volume and nature of unemployment in the state. The other factor for growing unemployment is that the state government takes no interest for selection of its youth in the Central services. There are departments like the Railways having a vast capacity to provide employment, Human Resources Development, Health, Banks, etc, where a lot of youth could be accommodated. But without making the Union Government to fix a quota of jobs for Punjab’s youth in such departments, the authorities concerned are not going to offer the jobs on a platter. The government should set up a cell to keep the account of number of youths getting employment in the Central Government departments on a yearly basis. |
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CM’s Chandigarh visits — few but hectic Chandigarh, June 22 Within minutes of his landing here this morning at about 7 , he was closeted with senior functionaries, including the Food and Supplies Minister, for a meeting on export of wheat. And until late in the evening, he had another 11 meetings to preside over of which one — Chamkaur Sahib Development Board — was postponed. And one of the meetings this morning was about his “sangat darshan programmes” with the Chief Secretary and his Principal Secretary besides others. He probably wanted to review the cases and demands made before him during his interaction with people. Eversince the start of the new financial year, Mr Parkash Singh Badal has been travelling extensively to every nook and corner of the state for his “sangat darshan” programmes. As such he has been finding little time to attend to his routine official chores in Chandigarh. In the past 80 days, he may not have spent more than a fortnight here. Interestingly, he spends almost the same time in the Union Capital as in Chandigarh. This time, too, before coming here he was in the Union Capital for two nights. His schedule in New Delhi is generally hectic as on an average he meets four to six Union Ministers during one trip. Invariably a meeting with the Prime Minister is always on his agenda during his visits to the Union Capital. Yesterday, he accompanied by his Haryana counterpart, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, made a courtesy call on Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to enquire about his knee operation. The two Chief Ministers also used the opportunity to talk their hearts out on the new proposal of the Union Agriculture Ministry on procuring only coarse variety of rice. After two meetings with senior officials of the state, Mr Badal met a deputation of the State Services Federation where a number of important decisions about recruitment of next of kin of deceased employees or employees forced to take retirement on medical grounds wee taken. It was followed by a couple of meetings with senior functionaries of the State on issues like constitution of Appellate Authority under the Water and Air Pollution Act and availability of funds for roads. Since April 1, during each of his days in Chandigarh, the Chief Minister presides over eight to 12 meetings a day. At times, these include meetings of the Council of Ministers and even Political Affairs Committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal which he heads. Though the “sangat darshhan” programme has been generally evoking good public response but his continuous absence does slow down the work at the Civil Secretariat here. Some of the cases remain pending for want of discussion with him. For example, an important issue would be the appointment of a new Director of Agriculture as the present Director is due for retirement on attaining superannuation. There is a lot of litigation among senior functionaries in the Department and it may not be easy to appoint a successor to Mr Mewa Singh Sonar. There is one line in the government that the present Director may be given extension before his successor is appointed. The case of extension may figure in the Cabinet meeting scheduled for tomorrow. Because of the heavy schedule, he spends more time in Punjab Bhavan than in the Civil Secretariat. As such , people who come from different parts of the state to meet him for redressal of their grievances and problems have to wait for a “sangat darshan” programme either in their own area or at a nearby place. Tailpiece : And the best way to ascertain his presence in Chandigarh is to visit the Punjab Civil Secretariat canteen. If the soup is available, the Chief Minister is in town. |
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Dhuri DSP booked for graft Sangrur, June 22 Mr Gurpreet Singh Toor, SP (D), Sangrur, has been made investigating officer in this case. Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, SSP, Sangrur, giving this information here this afternoon, said the DSP had been booked for allegedly receiving Rs 1 lakh from Panjab Singh to help him in getting possession of a piece of land in the Nidampur area. The SSP said Panjab Singh’s sister, Inderjit Kaur, had been married to Mohinder Singh at Nidampur village under Bhawanigarh police station. Mohinder Singh and Inderjit Kaur had died but their six-year-old son was now living with Panjab Singh. As the deceased had land so Panjab Singh some time ago met the Dhuri DSP, for getting possession of the land as he knew the DSP since the time he was posted at Samana, he added. The SSP further said the DSP asked Panjab Singh to arrange Rs 1 lakh for getting this work done. The latter sold one acre of his land for Rs 1.60 lakh and handed over Rs 1 lakh to the DSP on February 25, 2000. After receiving the amount, the DSP asked Panjab Singh to take possession of the land at Nidampur. Getting support from the DSP, Panjab Singh and others went to Nidampur on May 24, 2000 to take possession of the land but they had been booked by the Bhawanigarh police on the complaint of Ms Narinder Kaur, the SSP added. Mr Aulakh further said after the registration of a case against them Panjab Singh came to the DSP and demanded Rs 1 lakh from him. But the DSP had not returned the amount to Panjab Singh, he added. The SSP said after his failure in getting Rs 1 lakh back from the DSP, Panjab Singh made a complaint against the DSP in this regard to him. Mr Aulakh said he immediately acted upon the complaint (an affidavit) and directed the Dhuri police to register a case so that the complainant could get justice. |
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Vedanti
holds meeting
with Kewal Singh Amritsar, June 22 Though the jathedars and their confidants refused to divulge the details about what transpired at the meeting, it was understood the Sikh clergy discussed at length the “burning issue” of alleged violation of Sikh maryada for which Giani Man Singh, Head Granthi, Takht Damdama Sahib, had to resign. The SGPC executive, which met at Patiala yesterday, had accepted the resignation of Giani Man Singh on the pretext that he had rushed to the Press. However, Sikh scholars feel that if action could be initiated against Giani Man Singh for rushing to the Press then what action should be taken against Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, SGPC president, for criticising the Sikh clergy on giving “mild tankhah” to M/s Jeewan Singh-Chattar Singh for violating the hukamnama. Though Mr Talwandi had said he held the Sikh clergy in high esteem yet he did not withdraw his comments on the “tankhah” pronounced by the Sikh clergy. Sources say the confrontation between the Sikh clergy and the SGPC chief may take a serious turn if Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal president, failed to intervene immediately. The Jathedar of Akal Takht is reportedly waiting for Prof Manjit Singh, Jathedar of Kesgarh Sahib, who is expected to return from the USA within a few days. The Sikh clergy is also reportedly perturbed over the decision of the SGPC executive in which the dharam Parchar Committee was directed to conduct an inquiry against Giani Kewal Singh in connection with the suicide committed by his daughter-in-law. It is the second committee
constituted by the SGPC to probe against Giani Kewal Singh in less than three years. |
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Bhai Mall Singh takes over as Head Granthi Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), June 22 Bhai Man Singh had resigned from the post to show his protest over his transfer to Gurdwara Gandha Singh , Barnala, by the SGPC authorities. Bhai Mall Singh was presented siropas by Jathedar Gurtej Singh, member SGPC, Sant Veer Singh Ji member Dharam Parchar Committee, SGPC the function was largely attended. The leaders addressing the gathering said the SGPC shall continue to promote the Sikh religion and would extend its full support to the newly appointed Head Granthi. A big ceremony would be organised on June 28, on occasion of the conclusion of the ‘path bodh’ ceremony, which was started at the Takht a few weeks ago. |
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No sign of work despite CM’s grants Jalandhar, June 22 Mr Badal had distributed cheques of grants worth Rs 52 lakh for development projects to the civic body, including Rs 2.17 lakh for laying water supply lines in Gujrati Colony and Rose Park Colony, Rs 8.4 lakh for laying sewer lines in Kamal Vihar Colony and New Raj Nagar, Rs 1.5 lakh for laying water supply and sewer lines in Santoshi Nagar, Rs 9.6 lakh for the development of parks in Central Town, J.P. Nagar and Gopal Nagar, Rs 9.59 lakh for construction of roads in Avtar Nagar and Rose Park colonies and Rs 20 lakh for the construction of a tubewell in Madhuban Colony and Kathehra Mohalla. During a round of these localities by the TNS team on completion of the promised deadline, it was found that no boards were put up by the civic authorities providing project details. Mr Badal had instructed the commissioner to fix special boards in these localities for providing detailed information to the residents regarding the scope and cost of the project, time frame, name of the contractor etc. “We are forced to live in miserable conditions due to accumulation of sullage on roads in the absence of proper sewerage in our locality. It is very difficult to reach our home during the rainy season. You can easily judge how these MC officials redress grievances of a common man pertaining to civic amenities, if they are not ready to implement the orders of the Chief Minister”, Mr Ram Singh, a resident of New Raj Nagar, alleged. Mrs Neelam, a housewife in Rose Park, locality, said the politicians, including the Chief Minister were in the habit of making false promises to get votes, particularly when the assembly elections are due. Not only the residents but the Mayor, Mr Suresh Sehgal, has also blamed the commissioner for not getting the promised work kick-started within the stipulated period. Mr Sehgal has already levelled serious allegations against the MC chief, saying,” He is indifferent towards the betterment of the city as he is yearning for another plum post.” On the other hand, the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board has started work on projects in Guru Nanak Pura (West), Hitler Colony, Bajwa Colony, Ekta Nagar, Kailash Nagar, Basti Pirdad and Kot Ramdas for laying of water supply and sewerage lines. The Commissioner of the MC, Dr Sunkaria, was however, not
available for comments as his staff said, “He is busy.” |
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Another
DA slab for Punjab pensioners Chandigarh, June 22 It was also decided to extend the benefit of employment to the next kin of the employees who were declared medically unfit to carry out their official obligations and had retired due to ill health. A high level meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, took these decisions here today. Earlier, a deputation of the Punjab State Services Federation led by its President, Mr Charanjit Singh Walia, met the Chief Minister and senior officers of the state. The Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to the deputation. The Chief Minister also agreed to release D.A. instalment to pensioners. He also constituted a high level committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Mr N.K. Arora, to examine the demand for restoration of the next promotional scale to all government employees without any discrimination. He also directed the Chief Secretary to favourably consider the other demands regarding enhancement of fixed medical allowance, uniform scale to all semi-government corporations university and board employees. |
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Open Wagah border, pleads artiste Amritsar, June 22 She was addressing theatre artistes at the ongoing month-long theatre festival-cum-workshop at Guru Nanak Dev University here yesterday. Ms Gauhar, the wife of actor and producer Shaheed Nadeem, said theatre in Pakistan was limited. Plays with double entendre find much appeal among the people. Clean theatre cannot financially sustain itself. Besides, permission for performance has to be obtained from the Pakistan Art Council which effects such severe cuts that the script becomes almost meaningless. Ms Gauhar, an M.A in English, got training in theatre from London. During the martial law regime she had to undergo a jail sentence and received threatening calls. Theatre in Pakistan is either in Urdu or in Punjabi. However, the audiences really love the mixture of the two languages. Ms Gauhar’s troupe Ajoka includes 14 children which performed at Chandigarh a play titled “Border-Border”. Her itinerary includes Jalandhar and Patiala. |
Mand is SAD (A) candidate for Ferozepore city Ferozepore, June 22 Bhai Dhyan Singh Mand, who had successfully contested the Ferozepore Parliamentary seat, has been nominated as candidate for the city constituency. Later, while interacting with the mediapersons, Mr Mand said there was no difference, whatsoever, between the Congress and the Akali-BJP regime as none bothered about the welfare of the poor. About the residents of the border area, he said they had always suffered, whether due to the Indo-Pak conflicts or the floods which played havoc with their lives. He announced the formation of “panthic morcha”, which will provide a platform for the like-minded parties to come together and launch an agitation against the corrupt, unjust and inefficient governance. |
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Kamal Chowdhary not to join any party Chandigarh, June 22 “The Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP are defamed political outfits and there is no question of joining such parties,” he said. He said that the Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, was holding the Sangat Darshan to purchase votes. The Congress party, bedevilled by internal strife, had failed to play the role of responsible opposition and the BJP had committed several political blunders at the national and state level. Elected to the Lok Sabha four times, thrice on the Congress ticket and once as a BJP candidate, Mr Chowdhary said he would put up 25 to 30 honest, upright and dynamic persons as candidate in the state Assembly elections to give a new direction to state politics. He said he had held discussion with leaders of various political parties, including Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, with regard to the ensuing elections. Mr Chowdhary said that Babu Kanshi Ram, Chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party ( BSP) had also come to this residence thrice in recent past to hold political talks and to assess the emerging political scenario in the state. Mr Chowdhary, who also worked as Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence Affairs for about two years, said that during the Kargil limited war he in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee had urged Mr Vajpayee to cross the Line of Control ( LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir to counter the Pakistan’s well-planned attack. Wilful default in handling the Kargil limited war on the part of the BJP led the Union Government made the country pay a heavy
price, he asserted. |
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Cong training camp from June 26 Patiala, June 22 Addressing a press conference here yesterday Punjab Pradesh
Congress General Secretary Sant Ram Singla said the training camp
would be attended by experts in various fields, including Chhattisgarh
Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who would speak on the disinvestment of
BALCO, former Naval Chief of Staff Vishnu Bhagwat and MP Girija Vyas,
who would speak on scams affecting national security, Priya Ranjan
Dasmunshi, who would speak on the telecom scam and Mohan Guruswamy,
who would speak on corruption under the National Democratic Alliance
(NDA) rule. Mr Singla said the camp was being held under aegis of the
Political Training Department of the AICC headed by Mr Mani Shankar
Aiyar, who would also preside over the inaugural day deliberations
after the camp was inaugurated by the PPCC President, Capt Amarinder
Singh. He said participants would inform about the four major scams,
including Tehelka and national security seams, stock market scams,
telecom scams and foreign investment and disinvestment scams. The
Congress leader said each participating state would send 30
participants, out of which, 15 would be from the main Congress party
and five each from the Youth Congress, Mahila Congress and the Sewa
Dal. He said an endeavour had been made to select participants who had
potential and were acquainted with current political developments and
were able to articulate their ideas. |
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Shiv Sena to contest 30 Assembly seats Ludhiana, June 22 Addressing a news conference here today, the party president, Mr Pawan Kumar Gupta, said the Shiv Sena would put up its nominees on Assembly seats of Pathankot, Dina Nagar, Sujanpur, Narot Mehra and Batala in Gurdaspur district, Mukerian, Garhshankar, Dasuya, Hoshiarpur, Nangal, Jalandhar (Central), Jalandhar (North), Jalandhar (East), Nakodar, Phagwara, Kapurthala, Amritsar (Central),
Amritsar (East), Amritsar (West), Ludhiana (North), Ludhiana (East), Ludhiana (Rural), Rajpura, Sirhind, Ferozepore city, Fazilka, Abohar, Bathinda, Barnala and Lehragaga. Mr Jagmohan Kaura, organising secretary, Mr Ravinder Arora, general secretary, Mr Pawan Sharma, party spokesman, Mr Pawan Parbhakar, Mr Vinay Jalandhari, Mr Sandeep Mittal, Mr Shiv Murti Sharma, Mr Parkash Khatri and Mr Jai Ram Chawla were also present on the occasion. The party chief said Mr Jagdish Sharma would be the party observer for Sangrur and Patiala, Mr Amit Jhanji for Fatehgarh Sahib and Ropar, Mr Pawan Parbhakar for Nawanshahr and Kapurthala, Mr Pawan Sharma for Amritsar and Moga, Mr Ravinder Arora for Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur, Mr Vinay Jalandhari for Jalandhar and Gurdaspur, Mr Parmod Babla for Bathinda and Mansa while Mr Jagmohan Kaur would be in charge of Faridkot, Ferozepore and Muktsar districts. According to Mr Gupta, the party has decided in principle to set up Bhartiya Mahila Sena, Hind Kisan Kamgar Sena and Vidyarthi Sena to have active involvement of women, workers, farmers and students. A deputation of the party activists, he added, would soon meet the national president of the party, Mr Bal Thackery, to discuss organisational matters and strategy for coming elections in Punjab. |
HIGH COURT Chandigarh, June 22 Pronouncing the orders, Mr Justice Anand also fixed July 31 as the next date of hearing in the case. Earlier during the proceedings, the Assistant Station House Officer of Police Station City in Moga assured the court that the mother and the daughter would not be harassed by the police and their “lives and liberty would be protected at any costs”. Mr Justice Anand on Thursday had ordered the Station House Officers of Police Station Moga and Samalsar to be personally present in the court for explaining “as to why they were failing in their duties to protect the lives and liberty of the applicants”. Taking up an application moved by Ms Satvir Kaur of Samalsar village in Moga district and her mother Ms Charanjit Kaur, Mr Justice Anand had observed that protection was not being granted to the two despite orders by the High Court. Seeking the registration of the case, Ms Satvir had earlier alleged that her brother Lucky was beaten to death by the respondents and the incident was given the shape of an accident. In fact, a news item appeared the next day stating that Lucky had died in a road accident, she had added. The father, the petitioners had claimed, was staying separately after developing illicit relationship with someone else and was against the children staying with their mother. Notice issued to SGPC Admitting an appeal filed by former Minister Manjit Singh Calcutta and another appellant against the orders of a single Judge dismissing their petition for quashing a public notice regarding the alleged dissolution of the Amritsar-based Sri Guru Nanak Dass Charitable Hospital Trust, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday issued notice to the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee and others. Challenging the orders in their appeal taken up by the Bench, comprising Mr Justice S.S. Sudhalkar and Mr Justice K.S. Garewal, the appellants had earlier stated that after the trustees were appointed, the SGPC had no authority to induct new ones as there were no vacancies. They had added that the single Judge had erred in ignoring this aspect. Going into the background, the appellants had stated that they had approached the High Court after, according to a news item, Mr Kulwant Singh and others were appointed as trustees by the then SGPC chief, Bibi Jagir Kaur, and a resolution to operate the accounts of the trust was passed. Their petition was later dismissed by the single Judge, counsel for the appellants had added. Recovery order stayed Issuing notice of motion for October 4, Mr Justice S.S. Sudhalkar and Mr Justice K.S. Garewal of the High Court on Friday stayed the operation of the orders issued by the Defence Pension Disbursing Officer at Bathinda for the recovery of Rs 1,64,803 from the widow of an Havaldar in the Indian Army. Seeking the quashing of the orders, 78-year-old Ms Gurdial Kaur in her petition had earlier stated that the same were passed without giving her an opportunity of being heard. She had also asked for directions to the respondents to release ordinary family pension. Her counsel had alleged that the pension was illegally stopped by the respondent on the ground that she was not entitled to it from “defence source” as she was drawing “second family pension from a treasury on account of service rendered by her husband in the Punjab Police”. |
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Cops accused of inaction Bathinda, June 22 Mr Mohinder Singh said in an affidavit that Hardayal Singh along with 10 persons came to their farmhouse at Kararwala and started manhandling his brother Ajaib Singh and two of his (Mohinder’s) daughters. He said they destroyed the cotton crop and ploughed the land with the tractors they had brought with them. He alleged that one of his brothers was also with Hardayal Singh who supported them in beating up Ajaib Singh. He alleged that they wanted to kill his brother Ajaib Singh . He further alleged that his brother Mall Singh wanted to grab the land of Ajaib Singh after his death because he was not married. He further alleged the condition of Ajaib Singh was so serious that he had to be admitted to hospital. He said the condition of Ajaib Singh was so serious that he was not able to record his statement with the police. Mr Mohinder Singh said although the police had registered an FIR under various sections it was not taking any action against the alleged culprits. He alleged that those who had beaten his brother were threatening him. He urged the police to arrest the alleged culprits immediately. The police authorities when contacted said so far no arrest had been made. They said there was no pressure on them for not arresting the accused. They further said the police was doing its best to nab the culprits. Mr Baldev Singh, in-charge of the chowki at Gill Kalan, was handling the case. The police authorities said every effort would be made to nab the culprits as soon as possible. |
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ASI, 4 others suspended Gurdaspur, June 22 When the SP (Operations) reached the spot for checking he found the naka party misbehaving with the driver. He reported the matter to the SSP who acted in the matter. The SSP warned the policemen against undue harassment to the Public during checking. |
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SSP directed to file report Bathinda, June 22 Mr Singh had filed a report with the rights commission that the owner of the house, who is an Xen with a government department entered his rented accommodation, abused him and tried to get him out of the building. |
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Lack of staff ails Civil Hospital Bathinda, June 22 Mr D.L. Jindal, president of the VCF, alleged in the civil hospital basic facilities like ICCU, air-conditioner, ventilators and other basic amenities are non-functional. He further alleged the hospital authorities had not made any attempt to make the available machinery functional. The emergency ward is also in a bad condition. There is no proper arrangement for attending to who are in a serious condition. They have to go to private hospitals in case of an emergency which proves very heavy on the pocket. He also alleged the number of doctors and other paramedical staff was less then required. There was a need to appoint more doctors and other paramedical staff to cater to the needs of patients. Mr Jindal further said the Ultrasound facility was also available in the hospital but had not been working for a long
time. The patients were forced to go to private practitioners for the tests. A small effort by the hospital authorities to get the Ultrasound machine repaired could help the poor and needy patients. The condition of the laboratory, X-ray machines and other testing machines was also more or less the same. Mr Jindal further alleged a gate facing the newly created OPD wing of the hospital was kept closed by the hospital authorities. People had to walk a long way through the lone gate being used. He alleged that due to some vested interests the hospital authorities were against opening this gate. He demanded that for public convenience the gate should be opened on a regular basis at least during OPD hours. The only chemist shop was being run by the Red Cross. Patients frequently complained of being overcharged at this shop. People running the shop were selling cheaper and substandard medicines, Mr Jindal further alleged. Mr Jindal demanded that complete transparency should be there in the purchase, utilisation and availability of the medicines in the hospital store. Dr Sekhon when contacted said the repair of machinery costing above Rs 40,000 or more was not under his jurisdiction. It was under the control of the Health Corporation, Punjab, and the Hospital Authorities had sent them an application regarding this with a status report of the machineries. The response of the authorities was awaited. Dr Sekhon further said a new ultrasound machine had arrived and would be installed in a few days after the arrival of the engineer appointed to install it. He said the X-ray machines were working properly and the
Emergency ward was also functional. Emergency cases were also being attended to in the hospital. Dr Sekhon agreed that the number of doctors and other paramedical staff was less as compared to the need of the hospital and patients were facing problems due to lack of staff. The hospital authorities had written regarding this to higher authorities. On asking why the gate facing the OPD wing was not opened for the public use, Dr Sekhon said it was not under his jurisdiction. Dr Bawa Ram, Civil Surgeon when contacted said the gate was closed to stop stray animals from entering the hospital and for security reasons. |
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Basic amenities elude Bamial residents Gurdaspur, June 22 The blocks has a total of 24 villages which lack all amenities of life even after 54 years of Independence. No government has done anything for the uplift of the villagers. Basic amenities like potable water eludes residents. There is plenty of water in the area but it contains chemicals which make water unfit for consumption. The only remedy lies in providing deep tubewells. One deep tubewell dug at Bamial has not been handed over to the residents for use. Official sources said a scheme to provide deep tubewells was pending for clearance for more than a year. The infrastructure for primary education and secondary education is far from satisfactory. There are a number of vacancies in schools and absentism is a routine practice with the teachers. Buildings are mostly
dilapidated and leak during monsoon. The condition of the roads too is woeful. A major portion of the main road has been washed away due to rain. Roads from
Narot Jaimal Singh to Bamial and Taragarh to Bamial need immediate attention of the authorities. The bus service is far from satisfactory. Health services are almost negligible. dispensaries don’t have proper buildings and doctors posted in the area either get themselves transferred or don’t come for duty. |
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Bhatia
sees US
pressure for talks Amritsar, June 22 He said Kashmir was a “ticklish” question. Moreover, both countries hold contradictory stands on it. Hence nothing much could be expected from the proposed talks. In addition to this he said since President Musharraf was facing opposition in his own country how far could the implementation of treaty or assurances given by him be trusted. The USA was more interested in countering the growing power of China than bringing two nuclear powers of South East to the negotiating table, Mr Bhatia asserted. Any agenda on Kashmir should be deferred for 10 years, he said. In the meantime trade, cultural exchange between both countries should be strengthened to create an atmosphere for talks. The USA interest in South Asia stems from its interest in increasing its interference in the internal affairs of both countries. India was only bowing to the US pressure to stall sanctions against it and to get the promised trade investment, he added. |
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MLAs’ disqualification: hearing adjourned Chandigarh, June 22 |
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Consumer
body’s memo to DC Abohar, June 22 The memorandum said power supply was quite erratic and indiscriminate cuts were imposed regularly. The maintenance was extremely poor. Consumers were never informed in advance about power cuts. The complaint centre lacked staff to attend to complaints and inquiries. Technical staff was generally not available for redressing problems of consumers. The building of the Subdivision No 1 of the PSEB was in critical condition. It could pose threat to the lives of employees working there. Senior officers had been informed by the SDE but no remedial measures were taken. Mr Khariwal said the erection for installing a transformer in street No 5 of the Circular road had been completed last year but the transformer was still awaited. This caused problems in ensuring proper voltage to consumers in the area. Criticising the local Municipal Council, Mr Khariwal and other members of the organisation said the council had failed miserably in providing basic amenities like sanitation, sewerage, impure drinking water, street lights. The authorities had totally lost control over sanitation staff. Garbage had accumulated in the majority of streets, thus making the town highly polluted. The urinals were seldom cleaned. Sewerage manholes were overflowing at many points not only in the localities but also on the main roads. Efforts were not made to put street lights in order. The Executive Officer was seldom found in his office. The memorandum expressed concern over poor traffic control system Mr Khariwal said certain roads were declared one-way roads “and “No entry” boards were put up there but staff was seldom found to check violation of the orders of the authorities there. Efforts needed to be augmented to regulate traffic on the College road, the Old Tehsil road and the Truck Union road to check accidents. The organisation requested the Deputy Commissioner to ask the Civil Surgeon to ensure the presence of doctors at the local Civil Hospital as per their duty hours. |
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Discrimination
in promotions alleged Bathinda, June 22 In a press note issued here yesterday, Mr Hans Singh said the Education Department was ignoring teachers of the SC and BC categories while considering the cases of promotion even when they fulfilled all conditions required. He further alleged that the federation of general category teachers was pressuring the Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, to change the rules and guidelines of promotion in the favour of the teachers of general category. |
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Residents
sore over water shortage Mansa, June 22 Residents of Mansa too are sore over the insanitary conditions in and around their localities. They allege that sweepers assigned by the contractor or the municipal council turn up only during festivals to get “nazranas”, but never bother to clean the streets. The matter has been brought to the notice of the authorities concerned and the president of the council, but in vain. |
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56 Lok Adalats chalked out Chandigarh, June 22 A spokesman of the PLSA said as many as 56 Lok Adalats, including six labour courts, will be held at various places in the state. He said the Lok Adalats would be held at Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Khanna, Amloh and Samrala on July 28, Nabha, Malerkotla, Phul and Malout on August 4, Mansa, Talwandi Sabo and Samana on August 11, Ferozepore, Faridkot, Muktsar, Barnala, Dhuri and Rajpura on August 25, Moga, Gurdaspur, Jagraon, Zira, Patti, Tarn Taran and Ajnala on September 1, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Baba Bakala, Sultanpur Lodhi, Phagwara, Phillaur and Batala on September 15, Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda, Gidderbaha, Abohar, Ropar Nawanshahr, Nakodar, Balachaur and Kharar on September 22 and Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Dasuya, Pathankot, Garhshankar, Anandpur Sahib, Sunam and Fazilka on September 29. Six labour courts will be held in Ludhiana and Gurdaspur on August 31, Amritsar on September 14, Patiala and Bathinda on September 21 and Jalandhar on September 28. |
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Minister
escapes unhurt in accident Hoshiarpur, June 22 The injured guards have been admitted to the local Civil Hospital. They have been identified as Manphool Singh, head constable, Surinder Kumar, Sukhwinder Singh and Harjit Singh, all constables. The Sadar police, Hoshiarpur, has registered a case against Jagtar Singh, driver of the tractor-trailer. |
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5 SGPC Assistant
Secys demoted Amritsar, June 22 Those reverted have been given new assignments, Mr Joginder Singh has been made in charge SGPC trusts, Mr Sukhchain Singh, is in charge 85 sections, Mr Nirmal Singh, is in charge, purchases, Mr Balwant Singh Patti,
supervisor secretary and Mr Mohinder Singh is in charge flying. |
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Sant Ravidas postage
stamp on June 24 Chandigarh, June 22 Sant Ravidas was one of the brightest luminaries of the Bhakti Movement which was a religious renaissance in India. He upheld the equality of mankind, giving the call that ‘‘deed not creed makes man high or low’’. |
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Call to end encroachments Chandigarh, June 22 The sanstha noted that there were a lot of shamlat land scattered in big and small pieces within the village revenue area. The gram panchayat, had failed to remove these
encroachments and as such did not get a single paisa as a lease. In case, this shamlat land was identified and demarcated, the gram panchayat would have a source of earning. |
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Woman crushed
to death Phagwara, June 22 She was working at a
brick-kiln. |
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Foundation
stone
damaged Moga, June 22 Resentment against the failure of the government to get it constructed was reported to be the reason behind the incident. It is reported that several complexes, the foundation stones of which had been laid by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurdev Singh Badal and also former Minister of State for Industry Sukhbir Singh Badal at various villages in the district during the past three years had also been damaged some time ago in protest against the failure of the three ministers to get the projects completed. |
Supply of seeds to be probed Mansa, June 22 Mrs Srivastava has asked the Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Societies, to conduct the probe. Talking to TNS, she said at a meeting of the Agriculture Produce Committee, there was a feeling among the farmers that substandard seeds were being supplied to them. She added that as the district administration was committed to protecting the interests of farmers, a probe had been ordered. She said a task force of the district administration would be constituted to conduct raids at the shops of pesticide, fertiliser and seed dealers and any dealer found indulging in any malpractice would be dealt with as per law. She pointed out that so far 92 samples of seed, 120 samples of fertiliser and 195 samples of pesticide had been taken. The dealers, whose samples failed were being prosecuted. She added that the farmers had been requested to purchase seeds, fertilisers and pesticides from registered dealers only. Officials of the
Agriculture Department present at the meeting pointed out that the area under cotton crop had witnessed an upward trend in the district while the area under paddy could fall as compared to last year. The farmers demanded at the meeting they should be given subsidy on spray pumps at the earliest. They also demanded that they should be supplied basmati seeds. |
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Wheat stocks rendered unfit Moga, June 22 According to sources, foodgrain worth crores of rupees is still lying in the open in Moga, Ferozepore, Muktsar and Faridkot districts. |
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Farmers
told about friendly insects Nathana (Bathinda), June 22 Dr Satwant Singh Brar, Block Agriculture Officer, Nathana, said blind use of insecticides had done more harm than good. Uncontrolled use of pesticides, chemicals and DDT had resulted in accumulation of these substances in the biological cycle and reduction in the population of friendly insects. Harmful insects could be easily controlled by judicious use of chemicals and with the help of friendly insects, he added. |
Flood control steps in Mansa Mansa, June 22 In a meeting of district officials, the Deputy Commissioner, Ms Raji P. Srivastva, issued directions that all officials should take her prior permission before leaving station headquarters. She said control rooms had been set up at district and subdivisional level. Officials had been directed to set up flood control room information centres in the municipal councils and special stress be given on cleanliness of the area, she said. She said of the 312-km-long drainage system in the district, at least 62 km had been strengthened and 50,000 sandbags collected at Chandpur Bundh located on the border of Punjab and Haryana. A link road from Gorknath village to Chandpur Bundh would be made. She added that a list of those youths, who know swimming, had been prepared so that their services could be sued in case of an emergency. Dr S.S. Sharma, Civil Surgeon, said teams of medical and para-medical staff had been constituted to immunise people. He added that samples of water from the waterworks would be taken and chlorine tablets would be distributed among the people. Mr S.K. Sabarwal, SDM, Budhlada, said the subdivision had been divided into three sectors and a senior official had been made in charge of each sector. He added that arrangements for disposal of dirty water had also been made.  |
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District
admn gears up for flood control Gurdaspur, June 22 He said control rooms at the district head-quarters and sub divisional-level have been opened in the office of DRO and tehsils, respectively. The Deputy Commissioner said the Drainage Department had been instructed to step up patrolling along Dhusi bundhs. About 1,500 villages had been identified as sensitive areas. The district administration was in touch with the Army, the Deputy Commissioner added. |
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Postal Dept told to vacate building Kapurthala, June 22 Mr Vivek Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, told mediapersons here today that in order to get it vacated he, exercising the powers of a District Magistrate, had issued notices to the deputy directors of the department on June 20 to vacate the building within 15 days from the receipt of the notices. He said the building, which was more than 100-year-old, was to be preserved as a heritage building by the Punjab Government, and if its repair was not carried out at this juncture the building might collapse. Mr Aggarwal said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had been requisitioned for the repair of the hall and the District Courts complex. He added that Rs 15 lakh had been given to the ASI in this regard. Mr Aggarwal stated that the district administration was ready to provide an alternative accommodation to the department in the event of it vacating the building. He further said after the expiry of the notice period if the department failed to vacate the building then coercive measures would be adopted. When contacted, Mr K.R. Madan, Deputy Director (Postal), told newspersons that they had received notices and they had brought it to the notices of the higher authorities. |
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Panel for mentally
challenged Patiala, June 22 The DC advised the doctors and members of the committee to make a survey of such disabled persons and initiate every possible method to spread the knowledge and awareness regarding the cause of such diseases. The doctors must also devise different methods to deal with such patients and help them in curing the problem, he added. Mr Bir requested the members of the committee to motivate people to approach the Central Government for donating funds so that some assistance can be provided to such patients. In the committee formed, Mr L. N. Aggarwal, Manager of the SBOP, is the patron, while the Assistant Commissioner (General) is the secretary of the committee. Dr Satwant Sachdeva, Dr
R. L. Mittal, Dr S. S. Sandhu and Dr Harbir Kaur Rao are the medical advisers while Mr Mohan Lal Gupta and Mr Vijay Kumar will be the co-ordinators. |
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Samundari
promoted Chandigarh, June 22 |
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8 trespassers arrested Barnala, June 22 According
to reports, these persons carrying a board on which was written Punjab Human Rights Jathebandi Barnala Police District trespassed into the office of the advocate who had been maintaining his office in the local Pharwahi Bazar for the past about four years. The alleged culprits started throwing the table, chairs, law books and files etc. Mr Ajaib Singh Kalekar Senior Superintendent Police (SSP), Barnala. when contacted disclosed eight persons had been apprehended in this connection. A case has been registered against these persons at Barnala Kotwali police under Sections 380, 457, 506 and 120, B of the IPC. |
AIFUCTO to intensify stir Phagwara, June 22 The decision was taken in an executive meeting held at Bhubaneswar (Orissa) on June 17 and 18, according to Prof K.B.S. Sodhi, President, Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union and an executive member of the AIFUCTO, here today. Disclosing the mode of the agitation, Prof K.B.S. Sodhi said a relay protest dharna would be held at Delhi in front of the UGC office from August 6 to 10 with a view to drawing attention of members of in-session Parliament to the failure of the HRD Minister in honouring, his commitment made to the AIFUCTO on September 5, 1998, when the 26-day nation-wide indefinite strike by teachers was withdrawn following the minister’s assurance. The schedule of various states joining the dharna would be decided by Mr B. Vijaya Kumar, General Secretary of the AIFUCTO, Professor Sodhi said. In a significant decision, the AIFUCTO executive committee resolved to support the proposed strike of Central Government employees on July 25, in a manner to be decided by its secretariat, disclosed Professor Sodhi. The federation demands included parity to DPEs and Librarians with lecturers, implementation of the Career Advancement Scheme with effect from January 1, 1996, relaxation to senior teachers in eligibility condition for the post of Principal etc, Professor Sodhi said. Meanwhile, the executive committee of the PCCTU would meet tomorrow at Ferozepore to take decision about stepping up stir against the suspension of Prof Harbans Kaur of Dev Samaj College, Ferozepore, as well as the non-implementation of state-level demands, including pension and gratuity, Professor Sodhi said. |
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NCC girls
camp concludes Patiala, June 22 Speaking on the occasion, Mr
S. S. Narang, SDM, Patiala, said the girls must be given guidance about different welfare projects so that they could achieve higher status in life. Lieut-Col Baljit Singh, in charge of the camp, said that apart from Patiala, school and college girls from various other places, including Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala, Sangrur, Nangal, Sandhwa, Ropar, Mohali and Dera Bassi, had also participated in the camp. He said that the camp comprised activities such as drill, firing, providing first aid to the injured, home nursing, map reading, rifle training and civil defence. Gurpreet from Sangrur stood first in firing, Meenakshi from Patiala in drill under the senior wing, while Baljinder Kaur stood first in the same category in the junior wing. Similarly, Sandeep Inder and Ranjit from Sangrur and Reetinder Dhaliwal from Patiala were credited by attaining position in home nursing activity. In the volleyball competition, the first position was bagged by the Jalandhar team, while Ludhiana stood second. |
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PWD, dist admn lock
horns over school land Ropar, June 22 Shivalik Public School was started here in 1973 by the Child Welfare Society. However, the PWD after 25 years has taken notice of the fact that the school is being run on their land. They have asked the school management to either purchase the land from it or pay the lease amount for the past 25 years for the alleged illegal occupation of the land. The PWD authorities, when asked why had they taken up the matter of encroachment after 25 years, said they had taken up the matter with the officials concerned earlier also. It was only now that the department had approached the judicial authorities in the case. The PWD had acquired the land on which the school was being run from the residents of Haveli village for constructing staff quarters. The authorities while admitting the fact that the school was being run on the PWD land said there was nothing illegal in it. The school was started on the vacant PWD land in public interest. Even now the school was being managed by
the administration through self-generated sources and nobody had any personal interest in it, they said. |
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GND varsity
admissions Amritsar, June 22 |
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