The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SGPC, govt heading for confrontation
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
The Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra has decided to send a delegation to Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani to urge him not to delay elections to the general house of the SGPC at the “instance” of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. This was stated by the SGPC President, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, here today. He said the Congress government headed by Capt Amarinder Singh was out to capture the “SGPC” through Mr Tohra.

On the other hand, Mr Badal has called a meeting here tomorrow of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), to discuss the political developments vis a vis the party defeat in the DSGMC elections, developments related to the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission (SGJC) in Amritsar and other party affairs.

Reacting to the rescinding of the order regarding the appointment of members of the SGJC replacing incumbent members with earlier ones, Mr Badungar said the government action was illegal as it had no authority to appoint members on its own. The government had the power to appoint one member of its choice and two more had to be appointed from a panel submitted to it by the SGPC. He said two thirds of the pay of the members of the commission was given by the SGPC.

The government had “humiliated” the SGPC by rescinding the order.

He alleged the government provided police force to break open the lock of the office of the commission in Amritsar to enable Mr Kashmir Singh Patti and Mr Dara Singh, two members, to take charge late last evening.

Following the rescinding of the order, Mr Patti, Mr Dara and Mr Raghbir Singh have become members of the commission. They replace Mr Ajwant Singh Mann, Mr Amrik Singh and Mr Manmohan Singh, who were appointed by the Badal government in January, 1999.

Mr Patti had filed a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding his removal in 1999. Since the government was a party in that case, it should not have taken action till the judgment was delivered by the court.

Apprehending that the Tohra faction now would get the pro-Badal SGPC members disqualified to capture the SGPC, he said the Congress government was playing a political game, the consequence of which would be very dangerous for the state. He said the government motive was clear. It wanted to create a confrontation between factions of Akalis for vested interests.

It’s brazen interference: Badal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
The Shiromani Akali Dal President, Mr Parkash Singh Badal today described the Punjab Government’s order on the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission as an act of “grave political immorality and constitutional impropriety” and said it amounted to brazen interference by the Congress into the religious affairs of Sikhs.

In a statement Mr Badal said the decision was a manifestation of the Tohra-Amarinder nexus to destabilise democratic Sikh institutions. “It is clearly an act of repayment of the debt of gratitude that Capt Amarinder Singh owes to Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra for the open help rendered to the Congress during the Assembly poll in February. For all practical purposes, the Congress is using Tohra to fulfil its designs of interference in the religious affairs of the Sikhs.

“The vulgar haste in taking the decision while the issue is pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court shows the utter contempt with which the present government has been treating the judiciary,” said Mr Badal.

A five-member Bench of the High Court has gone into the issue of appointments to the Judicial Commission. It is due to announce its verdict anyday now. ”Ironically, the issue was taken to the court by none other than Mr Kashmir Singh Patti, who has now been sought to be restored as Chairman of the panel. Mr Patti’s family ties with the present Congress are only too well-known,” the Akali Dal President said. He clarified that when the Punjab Government constituted the new team of the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission on January 9, 1999, it was done as part of constitutional requirement and strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Sikh Gurdwara Act.

As such there no parallels could be drawn between the government decision now and the one taken by the Akali government then Mr Badal said the SAD would challenge this decision at all appropriate platforms, including the “Sikh sangat.”

‘Sangat darshan’ grants: raids on 60 villages
Our Correspondent

Ropar, July 6
The Punjab Government has initiated a probe into the use of the ‘sangat darshan’ grants doled out by the Badal government during the last few months of its stint in power. On directions from the Punjab Government, the local ADC (General), Mr Vikas Garg, yesterday raided 60 villages of the Kharar subdivision of the district and collected data regarding the use of the ‘sangat darshan’ grants.

The Kharar subdivision enjoyed special benevolence of a former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, as he organised special ‘sangat darshan’ programmes in the area near the elections to project Mr Ujjagar Singh Wadali against his bete noire, Mr Ravi Inder Singh. In the process of projecting Mr Wadali from the area, who joined the SAD after parting ways with the SHSAD, Mr Badal doled out grants worth crores in the area. The grants were given to the panchayats, youth clubs and other voluntary organisations of the area.

The ADC, during his checking in the area, found a large amount of grants lying unused with the panchayats or other voluntary organisations. Cases were also detected in which grants given for specific purposes were used for other works, the sources said.

The ADC when asked to comment on the checking said he would submit his report to the Deputy Commissioner by July 10. The sources further said that the government was planning to withdraw the unused grants from the panchayats and voluntary organisations.

Many of the organisations have either not used their grants or were using these for unspecified purposes. The government, after processing the data, would withdraw unused grants from the erring panchayats and voluntary organisations.

Earlier also the government had stopped the payments of grants to the panchayats where these were already lying unused. The panchayats through the BDOs were directed to reimburse the unused grants to the government in view of the tight financial position of the state. Since most of the unused grants were lying in the accounts of the panchayats and voluntary organisations, the BDOs were directed to collect cheques in favour of the government from the sarpanches.

Many of the sarpanches and voluntary organisations, however, did not oblige the government and resisted having to return their grants. They also did not reveal the amount of unused grants lying with them. Due to it, the government has now initiated a drive to get the use of grants verified through the district administration so that unused grants could be released into the government treasury.

After checkings in the Kharar subdivision, the district administration will also inspect other parts of the district, the sources said.

‘Ban on use of sangat darshan grants to go’
Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, July 6
The ban imposed on the use of grants issued by the previous SAD government, led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, during ‘sangat darshan’ programmes will be lifted soon and the stalled development works will be restarted shortly in this religious town.

This was stated by Prof Darbari Lal, Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, who was here today to attend a ceremony organised in his honour by the local Sewa Devi S.D. College on his assuming the office of the Deputy Speaker. Talking to reporters, Prof Lal sharply condemned the economic policies adopted by Mr Badal, former Chief Minister, and said that the policy of free power supply to the farmers used to cause a loss Rs 2,000 crore annually to the state exchequer. He said the unwanted grants issued to the villages, too, caused more loss to the state’s finances.

Naib Tehsildar, 8 deed writers held
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau today released the details of money and documents seized from various tehsil offices following statewide raids by its teams yesterday.

In a raid conducted on the Tehsil Complex at Sunam, an amount of Rs 1,497.50 was found in excess in the official chest of the Naib Tehsildar. Thereafter, the house of the Naib Tehsildar was searched and 27 bottles of whisky were seized. The Naib Tehsildar has been arrested.

During a search of the table drawer of the Naib Tehsildar’s Reader, Rajiv Kumar, an amount of Rs 2,400 was found. However, on seeing the officials, Rajiv Kumar took to his heels. Meanwhile, one Mr Ram Sarup has given an affidavit that Rajiv Kumar had demanded and taken Rs 1,000 as bribe from him. A case under the Anti-Corruption Act has been registered against the Naib Tehsildar, Tarsem Singh Mittal, and Rajiv Kumar.

At Nabha, following a raid, an amount of Rs 8,850 was seized from the pocket of Harinder Kumar, Naib Tehsildar, while Rs 2,321 was seized from the pocket of registration clerk Gurmukh Singh. They were not able to give a satisfactory reply when questioned about the amount, according to a statement issued by the bureau.

Our correspondent adds from Jalandhar: In Jalandhar the Vigilance Bureau has booked three Naib Tehsildars and arrested eight deed writers under the Prevention of Corruption Act and criminal conspiracy.

The Vigilance staff, during a series of raids at different tehsils in Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts on Friday, found prime facie involvement of the Naib Tehsildars and the deed writers in acts of corruption and were allegedly charging money for execution of registration deeds from the public.

The Vigilance staff on Saturday conducted a raid on the residence of deed writer Shivdev, who was away to Delhi and seized some documents. While the three Naib Tehsildars — Harpal Singh, Manjeet Singh and Pardeep Kumar — were booked under charges of criminal conspiracy, the eight deed writers — Prahlad Singh Chadha, Shiv Kumar, Sant Ram, Sardari Lal, Ashok Kumar, Somnath, Ashok Kumar Moga and Pawan Kumar — were arrested.

Raids were also conducted at Jaitu, Gidderbaha, Moga and certain other places. No major irregularity has been detected during the raids at these places, according to the bureau.

Rs 3,857 ‘found’ in excess in Vigilance raid
Our Correspondent

Pathankot, July 6
Yesterday’s raid on the local tehsil office by the Vigilance Bureau put the employees as well as the public to great inconvenience as the tehsil office remained closed for more than three hours. The vigilance raid, part of a “corruption education campaign,” started at about 4 pm and concluded at about 7 pm.

A large number of litigants and others, who had gathered at the tehsil office for various official tasks, returned after three hours without getting any results. Though officials at the tehsil complex are silent, sources say that Vigilance sleuths found Rs 3,857 in excess in registration fee. The amount was lying near the table of the registration clerk.

Mr Rachhpal Singh, DSP, Vigilance, recorded the statements of the officials concerned and also seized photocopies of the sale deeds executed yesterday.

When contacted, officials of the local Vigilance Bureau said no incriminating document had been found in yesterday’s raid. Mr Subash Padam, Tehsildar-cum-Sub-Registrar, was not available for comments despite repeated attempts.

Schools fail to pay house tax
No auction held despite notices
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 6
Many schools here figure among the list of defaulters who have failed to deposit their house tax (in lakhs) despite repeated reminders. Moreover, officials of the municipal corporation who issued notices of attaching and auctioning of the properties of the defaulters failed to take any action.

It is learnt that such “auction notices” are issued from time to time but are hardly implemented for reasons best known to the authorities concerned.

Interestingly, Mr D.P. Gupta, Assistant Commissioner, municipal corporation, had directed as many as 50 defaulters to deposit the due amount within a week after the issuance of the notice. The public auction of the properties of the defaulters was fixed as June 17 and 18, but it did not take place.

Mr Gupta, when contacted, failed to give a satisfactory reply for not holding the auction of the attached buildings. He said, “We are not getting sufficient bidders, and moreover, certain defaulters have deposited the required amount.

However, Mr Ravinder Kumar Sultanwind, president, All-India Youth Congress, alleged that the properties of the defaulters were not attached or auctioned in alleged connivance with certain officials of the corporation.

Mr Jasbir Singh Bir, Commissioner, however, directed Mr Gupta that the properties of the defaulters must be auctioned as per the notices issued to them.

Among those who figure in the list of defaulters include Hindu College, Dhab Khatikan (Rs 1.3 lakh), Hindu School (Rs 1.56 lakh), Hindu Sabha College (Rs 3.77 lakh), DAV Higher Secondary School, Katra Parja (Rs 36,632), Shehjanda College for Women, Green Avenue (Rs 1.47 lakh), Ram Ashram High School, Mall Road (Rs 5.85 lakh), Pt. Pran Nath PBN School, Daya Nand Nagar (Rs 28,970), Amritsar Bishop Trust (Rs 1.21 lakh), Secretary, Badminton Hall (Rs 2.60 lakh), Muni Lal Brij Lal Vora Marriage Palace (Rs 1.45 lakh), Hindu Mahasabha Trust, Dhab Basti Ram (Rs 2.21 lakh), Mahant Manjit Singh Chela (1.95 lakh),Harjinder Kaur, Bazaar Karmo Dori (Rs 1.29 lakh), Ramgarhia Public School (Rs 1.18 lakh), Mahant Akhara Brahm Buta (Rs 1.07 lakh).

COMMUNITY

AITUC leader’s call to ‘serve public sector’
Our Correspondent

Nawanshahr, July 6
Mr Gurudass Dasgupta, general secretary, the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) addressing the two-day state conference organised by the Punjab Government Transport Workers Union (AITUC), which concluded here today, appealed the workers to unite to launch stir against “anti- worker” and “pro-capitalist ” policies of the Centre, force it to set up a “new economic system” in which rights of workers and public sector could be safeguarded for the development and welfare of the public. He said that privatisation being pursued blindly by the NDA government under pressure from capitalist countries was not in the interest of workers and the country.

Lambasting the NDA government Mr Gurudass Dasgupta said that employees were being ‘terrorised’ by adopting disinvestment, forced ‘VRS’, retrenchment and proposed amendment in the Industrial Dispute Act. The NDA had been benefitting capitalists at the cost of employees. It had cut interest rates on GPF and other savings of employees to provide cheaper finance to capitalists. On various bank scams he said that big industrial houses owed crores of rupees to banks.

He alleged that unemployment was on the rise and more than three lakh small scale industrial units had closed down. He wanted a war on unemployment and poverty.

He called upon workers to participate in “Workers Parliament” to be held at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on July 15 to oppose wrong economic policies of the NDA government.

Dr Joginder Dyal, secretary, CPI, Punjab, exhorted the workers to save the public sector to safeguard “economic sovereignty” of the country. Policy of privatisation had failed to provide better alternative to public sector, said Dr Dyal citing example of Enron Power Project.

Shortage of docs in medical colleges
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 6
A severe shortage has occurred in the teaching departments of all three Government Medical Colleges in the state with a large number of senior faculty members retiring or putting in their papers to go into private practice.

The situation has come to such a pass that a few of the departments in the colleges do not have a single person on the rolls while few others would not have any professor on the rolls after a few months. Important departments like surgery are expected to be unmanned in the Medical Colleges in the near future.

Giving details the sources said the situation was precarious in important departments like surgery and medicine, both here and in Amritsar. They said two posts of professor of surgery were vacant at both places. They said the medicine department was also undermanned at both places, adding there had been a virtual exodus recently with Professor M.M. Gupta and O.P. Goel retiring and Assistant Professor, Dr Harbans Lal, putting in his papers recently.

The sources said the situation was worse in some of the other departments in the Government Medical College here. They said there had been no staff in the Nephrology Department since long. In case of the Cardiology department they said there had been only one professor in Dr Manmohan Singh who retired recently. They said the situation in the Orthopaedics Department was no better with the sole Professor (Dr R.K. Mittal scheduled to retire on July 31.

The Directorate of Research and Medical Education (DRME) had identified as many as 533 posts, including 230 doctors and 300 other staff, including nurses and technicians which need to be filled up in all the three Medical Colleges. The Director, Research and Medical Education, Dr Ravinder Singh, when contacted said filling up these posts was necessary to fulfill Medical Council of India (MC) norms, adding the Chief Minister had already given his assent to the requirement and that the proposal had been sent to the government.

Sources, however, said that as the government had banned all recruitment except for that which was need-based and approved by it, okaying the recruitment could take some time. They said the process could take as long as one year with the file being proceeded by the department. Finance department and even the Council of Ministers before the recruitment were allowed. The DRME office has, meanwhile, decided to go in for the Department of Promotion Committees which would move juniors to controlling positions in many departments to ensure their smooth functioning. But sources said only further recruitment would solve the problem of shortage of doctors in the colleges as presently promotions meant dissolution of the earlier posts which would not increase the strength of the Medical College.

Presently doctors identify the fear of being caught doing private practice as the main factor why doctors were going in for premature retirement. They said use of the Vigilance Department had further fuelled the worry of the doctors.

Tragically sources said the doctors who had resigned mostly included key persons who had been playing pivotal roles both in the college and the hospital attached to it.

Few doctors have advocated having erstwhile senior doctors of the Medical Colleges who have quit to join private practice for one reason or another, as visiting professors in the Medical College.

The sources said this would not only give a fillip to the teaching process with students getting the best minds to teach them, but would serve as a reprieve to the Medical Colleges who were hard pressed for staff.

They said such a thing was already being done on a regular basis in Mumbai and that it could be replicated in Punjab also.

‘Cong choosy in opening corruption cases’
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, July 6
“The proposed visit of an NDA team to Punjab is only political in nature and does not amount to any sort of interference by the Central Government. If the working of the Congress Government is transparent, why is it fearing the visit of the NDA team to the state”.

These views were expressed by Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, former Food and Supplies Minister, Punjab, while talking to mediapersons here today. He said since the SAD was a part of the NDA, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, former Punjab Chief Minister, had approached the head of the NDA to request him to send a team to the state. He had not approached the Central Government in this regard.

Mr Mittal alleged that the Congress government in the state was “selective” in the matter of opening cases related to corruption. He said the BJP has always been against corruption and wanted the government to open all cases in this regard since 1992 and punish the guilty. There should be transparency in the system and government’s action should not show signs of being vindictive.

He said corruption was still rampant in the state. At most places DTOs, sales tax inspectors, patwaris etc were doing work only after accepting illegal gratification. Problems of the common man had not been sorted out. In fact, the Congress had institutionalised corruption, he added.

He said the Congress had not fulfilled the promises it had made to the people through its election manifesto. It had promised that more employment would be generated, but at present a ban had been imposed on recruitment. The agriculture sector would also not be able to get free water and power for long. Government employees had turned anti-government and come out on the roads and soon traders would also launch protests against the government. “We fear that law and order problem might arise in the state,” added Mr Mittal.

Mr Lachman Dass, in charge of political affairs of the BJP at the Ropar district level, said the Congress government had freezed medical allowances, TA, DA etc of employees saying that the state was bankrupt. But every government had to face a similar situation as the coffers had always been empty. Revenue always came from taxes and was spent on development projects. But the Budget presented now was unplanned as it focussed only on revenue generation and not on development of the state.

PSEB to extend VDS up to July 15
Our Correspondent

Patiala, July 6
A delegation of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) headed by Mr Balbir Singh Rajewal held a meeting with members of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) to discuss the power supply to tubewells and villages.

The BKU representatives expressed resentment against the delay in replacing damaged distribution transformers. Member (operations), PSEB, S.K Anand said control rooms had been set up at circle-level throughout the state and any report pertaining to damaged distribution transformers should be recorded in a complaint register or at the control rooms it was the responsibility of the SE (op) to ensure that each complaint was attended and rectified within 48 hours, he added.

Requesting for extension of the VDS launched by the PSEB, the BKU delegation stressed that in the wake of the declining water table, the farmers had no option but to increase the horsepower of their tubewell motors and therefore the scheme be extended up to July 15 as they are already running high capacity motors.

The PSEB management stated that the electricity board had agreed to the demand of the farmers and necessary instructions pertaining to the extension of VDS upto July 15 would be immediately issued.

MC chief’s bail plea rejected
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 6
Mr Jaspal Singh, Additional Sessions Judge, today dismissed bail application of Bhupinder Singh Bhullar, president, Municipal Council, Bathinda, and Dr Raj Kumar Garg, municipal councillor, in connection with a criminal case registered against them for their alleged involvement in bunglings in the action of a milk booth site located in the heart of the city.

Bhullar had moved a bail application in the court after he along-with a former Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Bohar Singh, and a former Tehsildar, Anil Garg were booked in a criminal case, including for corruption. They were allegedly found guilty of fraud in an inquiry conducted by the SP (H), Mr L.K. Yadav.

Dr Garg was booked under Section 3 of the Benami Transaction (Prevention) Act yesterday as one of the shops had been purchased in the name of his kin. Moreover, he had been given the site reserved for bathrooms for the construction of multi-storey shops.

Police sources said that Bhupinder, Bohar Singh and Anil Garg, had been booked under various sections of the IPC though the initial FIR was registered under Sections 427 and 447, IPC, against bidders only.

They said that the trio had been booked along with the bidders for using fabricated documents for the auction. After the auction Mr N.K. Garg, an advocate, filed a writ petition stating that the council had auctioned the property belonging to the PWD at throwaway price.

On the direction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, a case under Sections 427 and 447 of the IPC was registered against the bidders for demolishing the wall of a government school adjacent to the milk bazaar, where the site auctioned is situated.

After the inquiry the police moved an application in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate for the concellation of the FIR registered under Sections 427 and 447 of the IPC. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, while not agreeing with the application, ordered the police to reinvestigate the matter. Following the court order Mr Yadav, SP, conducted the inquiry and found the trio guilty of fraud.

Inmates allege malpractices, fear retribution
Tribune Reporters

Bathinda, July 6
Even as some of the inmates of the local Central Jail alleged that malpractices were going on in the jail, the ADGP (Jails), Mohammad Izhar Alam, showed his satisfaction regarding the functioning of the jail during his visit today.

Mr Alam interacted with inmates and listened to their grievances. He said there was no flaw in the working or conduct of jail officials. He added that no complaint was received against any official.

However, some of the inmates alleged that how could they make any complaint against the jail authorities as the same officials were present there. These inmates requested the mediapersons to urge Mr Alam to listen to their problems. They added that if the jail authorities came to know that certain inmates had made a complaint against any of the official he would be in trouble.

Meanwhile, the jail authorities said the allegations were baseless. They said if an inmate did not want to come forward he could send anonymous complaint to the higher authorities. They added that complaint boxes had been placed at various places in the jail.

While accepting that in certain jails there had been irregularities in the purchase of medicines, etc. Mr Alam added that their regularity was less.

During the function Helping Hand, an NGO, distributed artificial limbs among seven inmates free of cost.

Interestingly, barely two hours after the ADGP advised the local central jail authorities to constitute an anti-drug addiction committee of inmates during the visit, Jagsir Singh Seera, who has been facing a trial in a criminal case registered against him for making an attempt to murder, was caught red-handed while trying to smuggle opium into the jail premises on his return from the district court complex after attending a hearing.

For the past two years, the jail authorities have been facing the menace of smuggling of narcotics by inmates while returning after attending their court cases. In certain instances drugs and narcotics were supplied to them by those who came to meet them in the jail. So far in the past two years about five cases pertaining to smuggling of drugs into jail have been registered.

Mr Iqbal Singh Brar, Deputy Superintendent, Jails, when contacted, said to overcome the menace a separate ward for addicts had been set up on the jail premises.

Mr Brar admitted that a few grams of opium had been seized from Seera and a formal report in this connection had been sent to the Civil Lines police station.

Implement amendment: SC officers
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, July 6
A state-level conference of the PSEB SC Power Engineers and Officers Association Punjab today adopted 11 resolutions demanding the implementation of 85th constitutional amendment which had undone Supreme Court judgement to provide consequential seniority in the promoted cadres. Mr S.J. Pal, President of the Association, said the inclusion of reservation policy in the ninth schedule of the constitution, provision of reservation in senior residency posts in government colleges and in high courts, Supreme Court, judicial services and in government aided institutions was also demanded.

Mr Pal submitted a memorandum to state ministers Chaudhary Jagjit Singh and Chaudhary Santokh Singh regarding their demands. The ministers warned that a class with in class was emerging among the Scheduled Castes. The nouveau-rich among the Dalits were reluctant to mix up with the poor Dalits, regretted ministers.

Campaign to check bonded labour
Tribune News Service

Ropar, July 6
No case of bonded labour has been found in the district during a special campaign launched by the district administration. This was stated here yesterday by Ms Seema Jain, Deputy Commissioner.

The Deputy Commissioner also urged the people to provide information, with regard to the bonded labour to the district administration. She also stated, whosoever, forced anyone or promoted bonded labour, he or she could be imprisoned up to three years of fined Rs 2,000, or both, under the Bonded Labour (Prevention) Act 1976.

The Deputy Commissioner also asked the people to eliminate the evil of bonded labour from the society.

The Deputy Commissioner said a district vigilance committee, headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, had been setup to keep a close watch and detect the bonded labour cases in the district. Other members of the committee were the DDPO, District Agriculture Officer, a representative of the District Lead Bank (UCO Bank), and Labour Officer. This committee would hold its meetings bi-monthly, she added.

NRI Sabha formed
Our Correspondent

Faridkot, July 6
On the direction of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, the district administration has formed an NRI Sabha to sort out their problems.

Disclosing their this here yesterday, Mr A. Venue Prasad Deputy Commissioner, said the state government had been receiving numerous complaints from Indians, particularly Punjabis living abroad, who faced hardship during their visits to the state. The Deputy Commissioner said the Tehsildar and the executive officers of the nagar councils of the respective areas had been directed to prepare a list of the NRIs of this district at the earlietst. He appealed to the NRIs to become life members as the Sabha by paying a fee of Rs 5000 in cash or through cheques drafts payable at the NRI Sabha, Faridkot.

The enrolment forms could be had from the office of the District Red Cross Society, Faridkot.

Plan to beautify Moga town
Tribune News Service

Moga, July 6
Efforts have been initiated to beautify Moga town by developing green belts and removing encroachments from all main roads.

A decision regarding this was taken at a meeting of senior officials of various departments and representatives of the Municipal Committee, Nestle India Limited and NGOs held here under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ramesh Kumar.

After discussions, the Deputy Commissioner ordered the removal of encroachments from the main roads to pave the way for developing green belts. A draft proposal, “People’s project for the beautification of Moga”, was also drawn up.

It was unanimously decided to begin the project from next week.

According to the draft proposal, four major roundabouts of the town will be considered for beautification under the Phase I. These include the main roundabout of the town and the Barnala, Jalandhar and Kot-Ise-Khan roundabouts. The work will be executed by the Municipal Committee under the supervision of Mr H.L. Kumar, ADC (Development). Under Phase II it has been planned to construct four welcome gates at entry points to the town on the Ferozepore road, the Ludhiana road, the Jalandhar-Amritsar road and the Muktsar road. The committee and Nestle India will fund these gates jointly. The coordinator of NGOs, Mr S.K. Bansal, told TNS that it was essential to develop green belts, in the town as it was losing its natural beauty. “Plantation of saplings will begin in the first week of August,”, said Mr Bansal.

Check revenue theft, councillors told
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 6
An orientation-cum-training programme for the newly elected Mayors, Senior Deputy Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Councillors, including Women Councillors of Municipal Corporations and senior officers of the Local Government Department, Punjab, was inaugurated by Minister for Local Government Chaudhary Jagjit Singh yesterday at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID).

Among the participants were Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, Secretary, Local Government Mr B.R. Banga, Director, Local Bodies and Mr Khushi Ram, Additional Secretary, Local Government.

Chaudhary Jagjit Singh said cities deserved greater attention on matters of clean drinking water, sewerage sanitation, roads, bridges and streetlights. “These services are inadequate. Only 71 per cent of the urban population is covered under water supply and 52 per cent have sewerage facilities. The income of urban local bodies for providing these services can substantially increase if proper enforcement measures are taken and leakage and theft of revenue eliminated. Property tax should emerge as the main source of income.

“It is necessary to recover operation and maintenance costs. The expenditure on establishment is high. It is about 43 per cent against the prescribed norm of 35 per cent of the revenue. Economy should be enforced so that the financial position of the local bodies improves. There is enough money available from financial institutions for water supply and sewerage, roads, bridges and streetlights,” he said.

Heavy responsibility lay on mayors and councillors to appreciate and understand the complaints of people who had voted them to power. Genuine problems should be solved sympathetically, particularly of poorer and deprived sections of society. Slums in the urban areas deserved special attention, he said.

Mr Rashpal Malhotra, Founder-Director, CRRID, welcoming the participants, said the CRRID as a national-level institute had been holding training programmes.

Experts and professionals in the field of local government administration addressed the participants. Among them were Mr JP Gupta, former Chairman, Punjab Finance Commission, Mr Aswajit Singh of Infrastructure Professional Enterprises, New Delhi; Prof Gangadhar Jha of the National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi, Mr Pradeep Singh, Chief Executive IL & FS, New Delhi, and Dr NB Mazumdar of HUDCO, New Delhi.

Ferozepore gears up for floods
Tribune News Service

Ferozepore, July 6
All flood control measures have been completed in the border district in view of the monsoon. The district administration has ensured that all sensitive areas remain safe.

According to Mr D.K. Tiwari, Deputy Commissioner, officers have been deputed to supervise flood control measures being taken in the area. Control rooms have been established at the district and subdivisional levels to meet any eventuality in the case of floods.

The DC has ensured that the services of the Army, paramilitary forces and Home Guards would be considered for emergency relief works, if needed. Officials of the Revenue Department have been asked to make flood control equipments such as boats, OBMs, life jackets available for any kind of situation.

The control rooms set up at the offices of SDMs of Abohar, Fazilka, Jalalabad, Guru Har Sahia, Ferozepore and Zira would remain in constant touch with the district control room.

Three mobile medical teams have been established apart from five reserve ones. The Animal Husbandry Department has been asked to establish 20 teams of veterinary staff for medical aid to livestock.

Two labourers die in accident
Our Correspondent

Phagwara, July 6
Two Nepalese labourers Tapeswar Paswan (40) and Guru (20) were killed and eight others injured and hospitalised when their three-wheeler was hit from behind by a Haryana Roadways bus on the JCT railway fly-over here yesterday.

While Guru died on spot, Tapeshwar succumbed to his injuries at the local Civil Hospital. The injured have been identified as Banehi Mandal, Tapsey, Kari, Dev Narain, Sita Ram, Sat Narayan, Jogi Mohanto (all Nepali workers and Ashwani Kumar, driver of the three-wheeler. All of them were hailing from Mohta district of Nepal. The farm labourers were returning after transplanting paddy in Moran village. They were to board the Janseva train for Darbhanga on way to Nepal.

Their driver halted for asking the way to the local railway station. The private bus had stopped behind the overturned truck after its brakes failed. While the driver of the three-wheeler was enquiring the way from the bus driver, the Haryana Roadways bus of Rewari depot ploughed into them.

A case has been registered.

Registration ‘must’ for ultrasound centres
Our Correspondent

Barnala, July 6
The Punjab Government has accepted the Punjab unit of the Indian Medical Association’s plea that ultrasound centres instead of machines or instruments should be registered under the PNDT Act.

Dr R.C. Garg, president, Punjab unit of the IMA, said here yesterday that he had received a communication from Mr Rajan Kashyap, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department that the Health and Family Welfare Department had conceded IMA’s demand in this regard. He said the ultrasound centres would have to get themselves registered by depositing the registration fee of Rs 3000 per machine. Dr Garg made it clear that Dr Sandhu Director, Health Services, Punjab, had asked the IMA to send Dr Kuldeep Singh, IMA representative, for parleys on the MTP Act.

Steps to protect ‘heritage well’ sought
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, July 6
Giving a call for the protection of heritage buildings the Youth Welfare Organisation, Punjab, has demanded immediate steps to check the misuse of a “heritage well” established by Guru Arjun Dev on premises of Darbar Sahib, Tarn Taran.

The organisation resolved to take up the issue with Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar, Akal Takht, Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar, SGPC chief, and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.S. Puri.

A memorandum on the protection of heritage buildings, especially the “heritage well”, would also be presented to Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab, stated the president, Joji Bhinder.

CRIME

6.50 lakh looted from Kapurthala bank

Kapurthala, July 6
Three armed intruders shot dead Harbhajan Singh, gunman of the State Bank of Patiala, and decamped with cash worth Rs 6.50 lakh from the bank at Lakhan ke Padda village falling under Subhanpur police station here today.

Ashok Kumar, cashier, told mediapersons that three armed persons entered the bank at about 12 noon and shot dead the gunman. Two of the intruders asked the bank employees to stand quietly in one corner of the bank while the third looted the cash.

The intruders before fleeing cut the telephone wires of the bank and locked its outer gate. The gate was opened by the outsiders when employees raised an alarm. PTI

ABVP threatens to intensify stir
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, July 6
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Vidhyarthi Struggle Samiti today threatened to intensify their agitation and go on a hunger strike if the government failed to reopen the only Government College for boys here.

Student leaders said with the government decision to close the college the future of 580 students was in the balance.

Mr Suraj Bhardwaj, secretary, ABVP, said that only after a struggle the ABVP forced the Akali-BJP government to start the college in a rented building belonging to the Red Cross. A building in the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital was earmarked for shifting the college and 15 acres were allotted in New Amritsar, he said. However, now the government said it did not have funds for the building.