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| Monday,
October 21, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Now CPM speaks for Indian youth in Italy Chandigarh, October 20 The stand taken by the CPM, which has 45 MPs, will give much-needed support to the beleaguered youth who have been running from pillar to post to complete the documentation required for the “regularisation of their status as legal immigrants in Italy” within the prescribed deadline. Mr Harkishan Singh Surjeet has written a letter to Mr Sinha pointing out that much against the promises made by Indian Missions in Rome and Milan that the necessary documents before issuance of passports to these Indian youth would be sent to the Regional Passport Offices at Chandigarh and Jalandhar for verification, no such requests have been registered at any of these offices so far. “Any delay could jeopardise their chances of regularisation and further it will result in these illegal immigrants landing up either in jails in Italy or being deported to India,” said Mr
Surjeet. Mr Surjeet wrote that according to his information hundreds of Indian youth, doing petty jobs, are required to submit their completed documents to the Italian authorities by the middle of November. More than two lakh illegal immigrants in Italy are expected to be regularised by year-end. “May I, therefore., request you to issue the necessary directions to the authorities concerned that all such cases requiring clearance be referred to the RPOs concerned who, in turn, should expedite clearances. The matter needs to be treated with utmost urgency,” wrote Mr Surjeet. Incidentally, no political party other than the Lok Bhalai Party and now the CPM has supported the cause of these Indian youth. Exploited by human smugglers in the garb of travel agents, a majority of these outbound youth land up either in jails or face deportation because of either “incomplete or inadequate travel documents” or while trying to enter a country “illegally, without any travel documents on their person”. Those who managed to evade detection and continued to live in one country or the other “illegally by doing petty jobs, including those of low paid workers in Circuses, hotels and restaurants and farm houses” get opportunities once in life time when the government of the country concerned, requiring young manpower declares “general amnesty for all illegal immigrants there.” And Italy has been the latest case where more than two lakh illegal immigrants are expected to be regularised before the end of this year. |
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NEWS ANALYSIS Chandigarh, October 20 Now the SAD, its ally, the BJP and their new-found partner, the CPI, seven kisan unions and factions of the BKU and the SAD have taken a strident stand on stopping free power and are gearing up for agitations. The ruling Congress is silent. Except for a press note on behalf of three ministers and big advertisements in newspapers justifying why the free power facility has been withdrawn, no Congress minister or MLA or even the PPCC President has spoken in support of the October 16 decision, leaving Capt Amarinder Singh to fight a lonely political battle. On the free power issue, a look into The Tribune archives showed that the then SAD-BJP Government had realised the ‘’futility’’ of its February, 1997, decision on free power by mid-1999. The news clippings of that period show that by then farmers were protesting against the non-availability of power and were inclined to pay for it rather than suffer. No BKU faction had then welcomed free power and, on the contrary, had demanded assured power. There is no economic feasibility of continuing with free power. Two opinions merit attention. Dr Joginder Singh, PAU’s Head of Economics and Sociology Department, says: “The decision to withdraw free power is justified. It will check overuse of electricity and water resource, the social cost of which is enormous. The fast declining water table, as a result of increasing area under water-using crops, early transplantation of paddy, providing excessive irrigation etc. can be minimised by water pricing. Similarly, losses of the PSEB and financial constraints of the state government to take up development programmes are matters of serious concern. The internationally recognised rice scientist, Dr G.S. Khush, now settled in the USA, told TNS: ‘’I reached India on October 17. The best news I read that day was the decision of the Punjab Government to start billing the agricultural sector for power. It is a very wise and commendable decision. This will stop the misuse of electricity and overuse of water. It will generate revenue for the state, which can be used for development of infrastructure, such as rural roads and markets etc. However, farmers may be compensated in some other way by providing incentive prices for farm produce. What the farmer needs is regular supply of electricity.” Old clippings also show that on April 1, 1999, while participating in a discussion on infrastructure development, top economists — Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Dr Rakesh Mohan and Dr Ashok Lahiri — had suggested to Mr Badal to adopt a user charges mechanism to finance basic infrastructure and had opposed the policy of providing free power and water. They had agreed that “people are willing to pay for better services’’. On April, 28, 1999, Mr N.S. Vasant, Adviser, Power, and a former PSEB Chairman, said: ‘’Even farmers did not want free power. In fact, what they preferred was continuous supply of power even on payment instead of erratic supply, which may even be free of cost”. On October 18, 1999 even the SAD-BJP Cabinet sub-committee on fiscal measures recommended withdrawing the free power facility to farmers. At least two ministers had then said: ‘’Though it is a tough decision but we are moving in this direction’’, concluding that the decision on free power has done more harm than good to the state, as it had stopped all financial credit to Punjab by the World Bank, the IMF and the Asian Development Bank. In fact, on March 31, 2000, Akali MLAs clashed on the issue of free power in the Vidhan Sabha’s afternoon session where, Mr Ajit Inder Singh Mofar had moved a resolution seeking the same facility for the Scheduled Castes, backward classes and the poor. Several Treasury benches MLAs disfavoured free power. Again, on June 9, 2000, the Union Minister for Fertilisers and Chemicals, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, a member of the SAD Political Affairs Committee, had admitted in Patiala that ‘’the decision to give power free of cost to farmers was taken in haste. A nominal charge should be taken from farmers for power supplied to their tubewell connections’’. On June 15, 2000, the then Power Minister, Mr Sikandar Singh Maluka, said he was in favour of farmers owning more than 10 acres paying for power. In this backdrop, politicians are expected to be serious about the Punjab economy and take hard decisions in the state’s interest rather than opt for soft options and populist policies. |
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Farmers to get sufficient power supply: minister Fatehgarh Sahib, October 20 In a joint statement these leaders said the decision taken by the government would prove to be beneficial for the farmers in the long run as the free power supply scheme for the farmers was a nothing but a farce. Actually the farmers required sufficient power supply for their tubewells but they were getting poor power supply in the name of free power. Due to frequent interruptions and very low voltage the electric motors of the tubewells were often damaged three or four times during the paddy season. The farmers also had to use the diesel pump sets due to the shortage of water supply to save their paddy crop. The former Akali-BJP government had taken this decision and assured the PSEB that the state government would fulfill the revenue loss due to supply of power free of cost to the farmers but it had made no effort in this regard and the financial position of the PSEB had become pitiable. Dr Harbans Lal said the state government was committed to protect the interests of the farmers and at least eight-hour power supply would be ensured to the farmers in the forthcoming wheat season. The minister further hoped that the farmers of the state would co-operate with the government by paying the electricity bills now, which may be less than the cost of 20 litres of diesel. |
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Farmers to display black flags Mansa, October 20 This was stated by Mr Sukhwinder Singh Aulakh, a former SAD MLA from Mansa, while launching an agitation at Bappiana village, near Mansa, today by displaying black flags on tubewells in the village. Mr Aulakh described the present Congress government as anti-farmer. Mr Aulakh said the state government would shortly raise the power charges on agriculture sector from Rs 60 per hp to Rs 240 hp as recommended by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission. He said, according to experts of Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, the cost of producing one quintal of paddy was Rs 649
where as the farmer in the state was selling his produce at Rs 560 per quintal. Whereas in Haryana the paddy was being sold at a higher rate. Mr Aulakh accused Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President,
SHSAD, of supporting the anti-farmers policies of the present government and shedding crocodile tears to win sympathy of the farmers. |
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BKU to stage dharna on Oct 23 Kharar, October 20 Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, Mr Shamsher Singh, president of the Ropar unit of the
BKU, and Mr Sarabjit Singh, executive member of the Ropar unit of the
BKU, said Mr Gurcheit Singh Bhullar and Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang had promised that all payments would be made before
Dasehra. |
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Punjabi Week celebrations postponed Patiala, October 20 Sources said the disconnection of power supply to the department’s State Headquarter building, in which a few hundred employees work, as well as some of the district-level offices of the department had forced it to postpone the Punjabi Week celebrations. They said another reason for the postponement was the lack of receipt of any funds to celebrate the week. However, officially, the department claimed the celebrations had been postponed because there were a number of holidays in the first week of November with Divali also falling in the first week. The State Language Department, which has been entrusted with the duty to propogate Punjabi in the state by publishing works of Punjabi authors, bringing out magazines in Punjabi, awarding 13 Shiromani awards annually of Rs 1 lakh each besides keeping a check on the usage of Punjabi in official government working besides other areas is at present hampered in the working due to lack of release of funds to the department. The situation can be gauged from the way in which the Punjabi Week celebrations have declined from their earlier status. While as much as Rs 10 lakh used to be spent on holding seminars, book fairs and other intellectual activities throughout the state to mark the Punjabi Week about seven to eight years ago, funds for the purpose have kept reducing with the Board getting only Rs 3 lakh for this purpose in 2000. The department has come to a standstill after the PSEB disconnected its power supply on October 3 due to non-payment of dues. The department has defaulted on bills of Rs 3.23 lakh, which include bills of the department headquarter building, the Writers Home situated in the same complex and bills of its district offices. The department Director, Dr M.L. Hasija, told TNS the department had asked the government to allocate it Rs 6 lakh annually for paying power bills. He said he had been informed that the case had been cleared by the Secretary concerned and sent to the Finance Department with whom the department was pursuing the matter. He said the PSEB authorities had been informed of the delay but they had insisted that dues must be paid before the connection is revived. As it has been more than a fortnight since the power connection was disconnected, the work of the department, especially that related with composing of books which have to be sent to the publishers as well as copying of religious manuscripts in its possession on compact discs, has come to a standstill. The department has even shifted the employees working in these sections to other sections. Meanwhile, it is not only the department which is suffering due to lack of release of adequate funds. Writers, too, are being denied use of the facilities created for them. The connection of the sprawling Writers Home which has more than 10 rooms, including dormitories for the stay of writers, has been disconnected since August this year due to which writers are not able to stay at the home. The department has also not posted any staff at the home due to which it has become entirely unusable. Writers, who had earlier been complaining of lack of maintenance of facilities in the home, now do not even have the option of staying there. |
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Oil tankers go off road today Jalandhar, October 20 There are about 2,200 oil tankers which transport various petroleum products, including petrol and diesel, from three oil terminals at Jalandhar, Bathinda and Sangrur and one oil depot at Pathankot to hundreds of petrol pumps and other establishments across the state on a daily basis. Tanker operators are mainly up in arms against the oil companies’ decision of not to allow more than 15-year-old vehicles to carry petroleum products and oil companies’ alleged effort to effect an about 10 per cent decrease in the transportation charges by using various methods. Talking to The Tribune, Mr Davinder Singh Babbu, the president of the Punjab Petroleum Tankers’ Union, said the truckers had decided not to ply their tankers till the companies accepted their demands, which included allowing more than 15-year-old vehicles to carry petro products and a hike in the transportation charges. “Have you ever heard about a situation where on one hand prices of everything, ranging from diesel to salaries of drivers and cleaners, are going up and on the other truckers are being told to cut their rates from Rs 1.12 to 90 paisa per km for carriage of 1,000 litre of petro products. It is absolutely not fair and we have decided not to come back till a hike is effected,” he said. Mr Dharminder Rana, the vice-president of the union, said it was only in Punjab where the companies had decided to disallow vehicles which were more than 15-year-old.” Elsewhere, no such order has been implemented,” said Mr Rana. |
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Patients cough up more for medicines Ferozepore, October 20 While there have been allegations galore, The Tribune’s investigations into the rates of a few specific medicines bring out how the patients are made to cough up more than the actual cost of the medicines. It has come to light that the government hospitals owned by the Indian Railways purchase medicines at low rates but the rates of these medicines go up many times at the chemist shops. According to sources in the divisional office of the Indian Railways here, Nicip medicine (nimsulide salt) manufactured by Cipla is purchased by them at a net price of Rs 2.70 (10 tablets) but their print rate in the open market is Rs 24 plus local tax for the same quantity. This medicine is used as anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic drug. The difference in rates clearly indicates that patients referred by physicians to the chemist shops to purchase this medicine are being looted as chemists charge nine times more than the rates charged from government hospitals. Similarly, for Fcn 150 mg (flucona salt), used for fungal infection and manufactured by Intas, the rates charged are Rs 7.75 net price for each tablet whereas the MRP printed on the cover of the medicine is Rs 31 plus local tax. For Piracet 10 mg, containing cetrizene hydrochloride salt used as an anti-allergic drug, the manufacturing company RPI Ltd. charges Rs 5.60 as net price for 10 tablets from the Railways while in the open market, the MRP is Rs 25.20 plus local tax for the same quantity. Mymox 250mg antibiotic drug (amoxycillin trihydrate capsules IP) manufactured by Unichem Laboratories Ltd. is supplied at the rate of Rs 14.50 (net price) for 10 tablets to the Railways while the MRP is Rs 35 plus local tax. Rofex 250mg also an antibiotic drug (cephalexin capsules IP) manufactured by RPI company is supplied to the Railways at the rate of Rs 22.90 (net price) for 10 capsules while the MRP is Rs 62.66 in the open market. Ultra cystine 100 mg (doxycykine hydrochloride capsules) manufactured by Concept Pharmaceuticals (Nepal) Ltd. is supplied at the rate of Rs 11.70 (net price) to the Railways while the MRP in open market is Rs 20.90 for 10 capsules. Another aspect of the story is that patients often allege that they are specifically asked to purchase medicines from particular chemist shops that charge the maximum price as mentioned on the cover for the medicines purchased. Even doctors posted in government hospitals adopt the common practice of referring the patients to chemist shops to purchase medicines. Patients are mostly at the mercy of the doctor-chemist nexus in such conditions. The simple reason behind the racket is that the drug manufacturing companies through their medical representatives contact doctors and present them with gifts and sometimes commission from sales. This is the reason for the difference of rates between government supplies and private retailers, as they have to oblige the doctors to achieve their sales targets. There is a need to frame a transparent policy of equal rates for the same medicines to save the patients from being looted. |
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Lord Paul attributes success to luck Jalandhar, October 20 Lord Paul, who is heading the British Commercial Team, which will meet industrialists of Punjab during its two-day visit, said during an interview with The Tribune, “Almost all landmarks are the way I had left them”. He observed that it was luck which played the most important in making a person a success or a failure. About his priorities during his trip, Lord Paul said the objective behind his visit was to bring industrialists and businessmen of India and the UK closer and to provide an opportunity to Punjab businessmen for having good business ties with their counterparts in the UK. Lord Paul arrived by the
Shatabdi Express and was accompanied by Mr John Dennis, Director of Trade and Investment Promotion in India British Commission. |
Non-aligned SGPC men to perform ardas Amritsar, October 20 Mr Hardip Singh, senior member of the 7-member committee, constituted by the non-aligned group, alleged that the posts of Sikh high priest had been politicised. He appealed to Jathedars to play an impartial role. He claimed that during the meeting of the committee, Jathedar Jagdev Singh Talwandi and many other SGPC members had given their support to the cause taken up by the non-aligned group. He, however, said the members had taken a stand that none of them would accept any post in the SGPC. Mr Hardip Singh appealed to the SGPC members who had gone underground to come forward for holding of free and fair elections for the SGPC chief. PATIALA:
The SHSAD has decided to take part in the Punjab bandh called by various kisan unions on October 29. Stating this in a press release, the General Secretary of the party, Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, said under instructions of the party chief, Mr G.S. Tohra, the state had been divided into five regions for better coordination and efficient mobilisation of workers. |
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SGPC meeting ‘inconsequential’ Chandigarh, October 20 Talking to newsmen at his residence, Mr Badal said he had not given any authorisation to Mr Mal Singh Ghuman to hold such a meeting. Mr Badal ridiculed the meeting, saying that on the one hand Mr Ghuman called him to be a Badal loyalist and on the other hand had convened a meeting. Those who attended the meeting were coerced by the police into doing so at the behest of the Gurcharan Singh Tohra and company, obviously, at the bidding of Capt. Amarinder Singh. Commenting on the election of a non-political person as SGPC President, Mr Badal said it was wrong to think so as all members of the SGPC contested their elections on the party symbol and they were active members of the SAD and the likes. |
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Cong workers join NCP Amritsar, October 20 On the occasion, Ms. Ripudaman Kaur Sandhu and Mr Paramjit Sharma were nominated Presidents of the District Women Congress (Urban) and the District Youth Congress. Mr Swaran Singh, President, Punjab Pradesh Nationalist Congress Party and Dr Balwant Singh, Chairman, of the farmers wing were also present. |
MC authorities demolish authorised structure Bathinda, October 20 Apart from it, the owner of house claimed that the District Judge had decreed a civil suit in connection with the location of street through his plot, on which the construction was done, in his favour. The municipal council authorities then sanctioned the site plan on April 16. Though the President of municipal council, Mr Bhupinder Singh Bhullar, and the Executive Officer, Mr Kamal Kant, could not be contacted for their comments, despite repeated efforts, Mr Chabbra, Assistant Town Planner (ATP), municipal council, when contacted said he was under “pressure” to demolish the portion of the house. He claimed that he had done so after checking the record and verifying the fact that a street passed through the plot as per town planning scheme. A resolution to make that street was passed by the municipal council about one and a half months ago. When asked why the owner of the plot was not informed about the resolution, he kept mum. He said resolution could be passed even after sanctioning the site plan. However, Ms Kusum Goyal, wife of Mr G.C. Goyal, owner of the house, in a complaint to SHO, Bathinda police station, alleged that Mr Chabbra along with a constable and five to six labourers without her consent entered the plot and completely demolished the gate and kitchen and damaged the roof of a room. She added that they had received no notice from the municipal council authorities regarding the proposed demolition of their building. She pointed out that when Mr Chabbra and others were demolishing the portion of the house, she tried to show them the copy of duly sanctioned site plan and judgement but they refused to recognise them. She said when she sent a man to arrange a photographer so that the activities of municipal officials and others could be caught in the camera, Mr Chabbra left the place immediately. She demanded that a case should be registered against Mr Chabbra and others. She added that she had suffered a huge loss on account of illegal demolition of the portion of the house. She said she along with her husband had met the district police authorities and the district administration in this connection. |
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Plan to stop illegal colonies Amritsar, October 20 Consequently, the local municipal corporation is losing crores of rupees in recovery of various charges for illegal construction, which has hindered planned growth in the city suburbs. Various pre and post construction charges were blatantly evaded by all these constructions undertaken illegally. Almost all these constructions failed to pay development charges, which are Rs 30, 40 and 50 per sq yard for the construction of 100, 100-200 and above 200 sq yard plots, respectively. These charges roughly work out to be Rs 13,000, Rs 26,000 and about Rs 50,000, respectively, for these categories. Other than that the corporation is also losing out on application fee, layout plan charges, compositions penalties, etc amounting to crores of rupees. Interestingly, 90 per cent of the colonies surveyed are private while some have even occupied Army land, mol land wakf land and government land for illegal construction. While the Additional Commissioner of the corporation, Mr Kirpal Singh, blames the private colonisers and builders of using political and bureaucratic clout for mushrooming illegal colonies, he is convinced of ‘connivance’ of officers and employees of the Municipal Town Planning (MTP) Department of the corporation with the private colonisers. “The corporation is ready to take action against these constructions under Section 272 of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 wherein notices would be issued three days prior to demolition,” he said. At least 25 of these colonies had been constructed in slum areas. Not only had political stalwarts tried to stall action against illegal construction in its initial stages by “request or by threat”, but also in many cases they actually indulged in corruption, revealed some corporation officers. In many such cases the role of municipal councillors too was reported to be “questionable”, they said. According to reports, a certain “deal” was recently effected in the bifurcating road of the Lawrence road area, amongst corporation officials and a construction party. Surprisingly, in these illegal colonies, connections such as sewerage, street lighting, drainage and water have been made and paving done, despite none of these colonies paying for the development charges. Meanwhile, Mr Raghunath Sahai Puri, Housing and Urban Development Minister, addressed a high-level meeting comprising PUDA officers of Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts in the presence of Deputy Commissioners, Mr S.S. Puri and Mr K.A.P. Sinha, of Amritsar and Gurdaspur, respectively, Mr J.P. Reddy, Chief Administrator, PUDA, Mr Parveen Kumar, Additional Chief Administrator, PUDA, and Ms Gurpreet Sapra, Assistant Officer, PUDA. Mr Puri said while the contingency plan envisaged providing basic amenities and organised residential colonies to residents, it would endeavour to authorise old illegal colonies and warned that if anybody tried to construct illegal colony now he would be fined Rs 10,000, besides punishment. Mr Puri said the Deputy Commissioners had been instructed to acquire shamlat land to construct residential colonies and office complexes on them. |
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Drugs wreak havoc on Maqboolpura Amritsar The Nasha Virodhi Squad (NVS), headed by Master Ajit Singh, a resident of the same colony, has already identified 136 widows who have lost their bread-earners in less than a decade. Drugs are easily available in Maqboolpura as law enforcement agencies have failed to check the menace. Drug peddlers can be seen selling drugs, including smack, openly. Jathedar Raghbir Singh Sahota, a senior member of the NVS who is also a resident of this colony, said the data was collected after a door-to-door survey conducted recently. A visit by a TNS team to the locality on the outskirts of the holy city reveals that the widows have to work as maids to earn their livelihood. The surviving drug addicts are unable to support their families, with the result that their wives and children are forced to work in shops, tea stalls or industrial units as unskilled workers. The TNS team caught many drug addicts administering injections of morphine etc in secluded places. Even migrants who had come from far-flung places to earn their livelihood leaving their families behind are rapidly taking to drugs. Jasbir Singh, a resident of Maqboolpura, was seen administering an injection to a migrant, Udhay Bhan, a resident of Gaziabad (Banaras) in a house under construction. Udhay Bhan had come to Punjab in search of greener pastures leaving his four children, including three daughters, wife and old parents in his native place. Both Jasbir Singh and Udhay Bhan tried to run away when the TNS team caught them administering injections to each other. Udhay Bhan sought help for getting rid of the habit as he was worried about his daughters and old parents. He said he was an expert in embroidery work and was hooked to drugs out of curiosity when his partner, a local resident, asked him to do so. “When I don’t get drugs, my entire body starts aching,” he said. What is worse is that the injections are administered to many addicts using one needle which could play havoc. It could be disastrous if injections are administered to other persons with a needle already used by an AIDS patient. Earlier, Mr Brij Bedi, convener, Citizen’s Forum, had adopted many fatherless children for imparting good education. He said unless the sale of drugs was checked more deaths could not be ruled out in coming days. He lamented that Maqboolpura was losing its men to drugs due to apathy of the
administrations.
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Another Maiserkhana probe Bathinda, October 20 It will be a second inquiry into the incident. The first inquiry, conducted by the DIG (Crime), Punjab, was rejected by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta). The BKU (E) has alleged that the report of the DIG (Crime) was false, misleading and contrary to the facts of the incident. The inquiry by the ADGP of the PSHRC was ordered as the BKU (E) approached the commission and urged it to conduct a fresh inquiry. Mr N.K. Arora, acting Chairman of the commission, in an order passed by October 1, a copy of which was procured by The Tribune today, said the inquiry should be completed within two months. Mr Shingara Singh Mann, general secretary of the BKU (E), has lodged a complaint with the commission and filed affidavits by Mr Malkit Singh, Ms Gurdip Kaur, Mr Bahadur Singh, Mr Gurcharan Singh, Ms Chatin Kaur, Ms Karamjit Kaur and Mr Labh Singh along with the medico-legal report of Mr Bahadur Singh and clippings of media reports about the incident. Activists of the BKU (E) had staged a dharna last year near Maiserkhana village on the Bathinda-Mansa road in the district to show resentment against the alleged inaction of the authorities into an incident of suicide by a farmer of Sandoha. The dharna continued for many days and vehicular traffic on the road was diverted through link roads. On July 24, 2001, a bloody clash erupted between the activists of the BKU (E) sitting in dharna and the police personnel when the police tried to disrupt the dharna. The police allegedly beat up not only the activists of the union but also residents of Maiserkhana. Many persons, including women, were injured in the scuffle. |
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Children’s Park begs attention Abohar The second major project, which was almost dead is Children Park adjacent to the old water works. Film star Raj Babbar had specially visited this town to inaugurate the park. For a few months it emerged as a star attraction for children and their parents. Mr Kataria had provided Rs 15 lakh for the project. The Municipal Council was handed over the responsibility for maintaining the park. It was first given on a contract basis to a local resident, considered close to the council President, who belonged to the BJP. This sparked a major controversy as the power charges were paid by the council. Later another contractor entered the fray from Ludhiana. The situation at present is that only one of the 10 “compartments” of the toy train was left in the park, with the others missing. Other games had also been damaged. Miscreants had removed iron grills from the boundary wall. The council authorities had never deputed any watchman or gardeners for the park. It wears a deserted look now. Shrubs have grown up in all its corners. The condition of other parks in the city was no better as the council had failed in maintaining them. Mr Kataria said all his dreams had been shattered due to criminal negligence of the civil and civic authorities. Contrary to these major projects buildings funded in educational institutions were safe and sound. He was equally concerned over the community hall sponsored by him at
Fazilka. The condition of Children Park at Fazilka was also bad, Mr Kataria resented. |
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Civilians banned from wearing olive green dress Bathinda, October 20 The District Magistrate said mischiefmongers and could use the olive green dresses, commonly used by military personnel, to create trouble. In separate orders, the Magistrate said all those undertaking deepening of wells or digging up of new ones would have to take prior permission from the Executive Engineer, Public Health, Bathinda or the Executive Engineer, the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Bathinda. |
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Ardas by jawans Amritsar, October 20 Jubiliation was visible in Army personnel, fatigued by the vigilance on the border since the December 2001 attack on Parliament. Most of them looked home sick and longing for the warmth of home. Many of them were those whose holidays had been curtailed and leave cancelled following the attack on Parliament. The de-escalation comes as a much-needed relief for many who were keen on going on leave for
Divali. “The announcement couldn’t have come at a better time,
Divali is round the corner and “Bhai Dooj” (tikka) would subsequently follow”, said two Sikh Army men. |
Tributes paid to police hero Karam Singh On this day Chinese opened unprovoked firing on Indian police patrol at Hot Springs on the Indian border with China. The patrol led by Karam Singh, though outnumbered, yet returned the fire and responded valiantly. Nine police personnel of the patrol parts lost their lives fighting the enemy. Others, along with Karam Singh, were captured as their ammunition was exhausted. Moreover, the high terrain was also to the advantage of the enemy. Karam Singh, after the release from Chinese captivity was awarded the Police Medal by Jawaharlal Nehru. |
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Police resources centre opened Moga, October 20 |
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Mann: book Badal, Dhindsa Faridkot, October 20 |
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Manmohan Singh’s ‘Nimit’ released Amritsar, October 20 Dr Rawel Singh, Secretary of the academy, said after releasing a book on Punjabi poetry, “Nimit” authored by Dr Manmohan Singh here today. Mr Parminderjit Singh, Editor, ‘Akhar’, a monthly magazine, and Ms J. Kakria, Principal, BBK DAV College, honoured Dr Manmohan Singh for his contribution to Punjabi literature. |
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PWD union rally Amritsar, October 20 |
Farmer information centres to be set up Jalandhar, October 20 The centres, for which money has already been sent by the Union Government, will be run by the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), which is the nodal agency for the implementation of the Union Government projects on the technical empowerment of farmers in 24 selected districts of the country and four districts of Punjab — Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Sangrur and Faridkot. The agency has already been running FIACs at some places as part of its pilot projects across the country and, encouraged by the results, it has decided to open more such centres to provide an opportunity to farmers at grass-roots level to share information and their research in the field of agriculture with other farmers of the world. “The project envisages a situation where individual research of a farmer should not go waste. A farmer will just have to drop in at a FIAC at the block level to share such information with others,” said Mr K. Siva Prasad, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the governing body of the ATMA here. He said Rs 25 lakh had already been received towards the setting-up of 10 such centres at block level in Jalandhar district. Each centre, to be set up in the Punjab Agriculture Department buildings, will be equipped with computers and the Internet facility and farmers, who intend to use these facilities, will be trained by the Block-Level Technical Teams (BTTs). ATMA officials maintained that all departments like Horticulture, Dairy Development and Fisheries, related with rural upliftment, would be involved in the project so that the farmers could get the maximum benefit and technical knowhow at one place. The centres were likely to be operational within a year. |
Ex-BDPO booked for embezzling funds Batala, October 20 The district police chief, Dr Naresh Kumar, said a case under Sections 420 and 409 of the IPC, had been registered on the complaint of the BDPO, Fatehgarh Churian. The former BDPO had displayed the details of the “development” works on signboards put up at the entry points of the respective villages. Before registering a case, an inquiry was ordered by the Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur, in which the former BDPO was allegedly found “guilty” for embezzling government funds. Interestingly, the former BDPO had issued two cheques to different panchayats namely Babahali and Hardewal Khurd with same number (343311) which bounced. Similarly, the cheques issued to village panchayat Kala Afghana and Jhajian Khurd could not be encashed. After the thorough probe conducted by the District Development and Panchayat Officer, legal opinion was sought from district attorney who recommended the registration of a criminal case against Cheema. Despite a number of departmental reminders Cheema had failed to give a satisfactory reply. Meanwhile, the Batala police has constituted a “special squad”, headed by the SP (Detective), Mr Surjit Singh, to trace the sensational snatching of Rs 4 lakh from officials of the Excise and Taxation Department. The police has also announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for providing a clue to the snatching. |
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Four caught in raid on hotel Amritsar, October 20 The raid was conduced on Hotel Maharaja, said Mr Vijay Partap Singh, Superintendent of Police. The arrested include Vijay Kumar, owner of the hotel, Sharnjit Singh, Baldev Singh and a Navjot Kaur. All have been booked under Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Immoral Trafficking Act. |
Robbery cases
solved Patiala Mr Kuldeep Singh, SP (City), led a police party which nabbed one Kishen Singh from the Dharampura bazar market and took into possession the stolen property that included 10 tolas of gold. A case under Section 380, IPC, has been made out against the accused who has been sent to police custody. In another development, the police nabbed Vijay Kumar from the Raghomajra area of the city in a case pertaining to the robbery which took place in the city kotwali. A case under Section 380, IPC, has been registered against the accused who has been sent in the police remand. |
Mid-day meal launched Ropar, October 20 Mr Ramesh Dutt Sharma said the scheme had been introduced in 84 primary schools of the block. He also said the government had provided Rs 37 lakh for this purpose. Mr Sharma also said the mid-day meal scheme would help in increasing the attendance of the students in schools, besides improving their health. He also appealed to the teachers and social workers to contribute in the success of this scheme. Ms Seema Jain, Deputy Commissioner, said the administration had made arrangements to prepare the food in the schools. She said members of the Education Development Committees, Mahila Mandals and social organisations would be involved in this scheme. These bodies would check the meal. Mr Vikas Garg, ADC; Mr Daljit Singh, SDM, Ropar; and Dr Malti
Batra, District Education Officer (Primary), Ropar; and Ms Shubh Lata, Principal, Senior Secondary School, Sirsa
Nangal, were also present. |
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Patiala, October 20