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| Wednesday,
September 10, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Cops fail to arrest 3 named in ex-MLA’s ‘suicide’
note Jalandhar, September 9 Though police parties raided a number of places, the raids failed to yield the arrest of Prem Singh (60), Avtaar Singh and Kuldip Singh, whose names figured in the suicide note. A police party raided the Gehlran village residence of Prem Singh. Another police party sent to Jalandhar by the Bhogpur police to arrest Kuldip Singh returned empty-handed as it could not locate the house of Kuldip Singh. Preliminary investigation has revealed that Prem Singh left Amritsar for London on August 23 for his treatment. Meanwhile, Mr Jaspal Singh Bhogal and his three sisters have come back from the UK after learning that their father committed “suicide” yesterday. |
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No details on spending, no Central grant for Baba Farid festival Faridkot, September 9 Official sources said the Central Government had stopped giving the grant to Punjab as it had failed to furnish the accounts and utilisation certificate to the Ministry of Tourism in connection with the grant used by it on the Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purb organised in September, 2001. The Central Government had again denied any grant for this festival in 2002 and 2003. The sources said the Central Government had declared Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purb a national festival in 1998. After that, the Central Government gave a grant for Rs 1.5 lakh to the Punjab Government celebrate it in 1998-99, Rs 67,000 in 1999-2000 and Rs 1.25 lakh in 2000-2001. As the Punjab Government failed to furnish the accounts of the grant used in 2000-2001, the Central Government had stopped its release. Since then, Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purb was being celebrated with any Central grant. The other melas of Punjab which had been accorded the status of national festival included Harbhallab Mela in Jalandhar, Qila Raipur Rural Sports, Hola Mohalla in Anandpur Sahib and Baisakhi in Talwandi Sabo. Mr Hussan Lal, Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot, when contacted, pointed out that Baba Sheikh Farid Aagman Purb, which was a nine-day festival, was being celebrated every year by the Faridkot District Cultural Society with the help of public contributions and grants, which were being announced by the chief guests of various events at the festival. Sources in the Department of Tourism, Punjab, pointed out that the utilisation certificate of the grant given by the Central Government for spending on the five national festivals had been furnished to the authorities concerned in time. The sources claimed that now the Central Government had discontinued giving grants to various states for organising national festivals. |
School bags gather dust with
govt Jalandhar, September 9 Initially 38,461 school bags had to be purchased by the department before March 31 as a part of the pilot project of the ambitious Providing Satchels to School-going Children Scheme. It was to be launched in Jalandhar district from April 1. About one lakh students who belonged to the Backward Classes or Scheduled Castes and whose families were not income tax payees and possessed less than five acres of agricultural land, were to be given bags so that they could carry their books easily. Despite the withdrawal of Rs 50 lakh, sanctioned by the Punjab State Planning Board, and the order for purchase of 38,461 school bags in the first week of June, the department has failed to deliver the goods. The department purchased about 5,000 school bags in July. But they were gathering dust with the department. Each bag had to purchased at a pre-determined price of Rs 130. Though Mr Charan Dass, the District Welfare Officer, was not available despite repeated efforts, highly placed sources in the department maintained that lack of initiative led to lapse of the sanction of the Finance Department on March 31. The sanction was sought for revival of the scheme, which, however, was granted with a condition that the money would be spent on purchase of bags before August 16. This time, too, the purchase process was not completed. The special sanction of the Finance Department was sought again. It was granted with a condition that the purchase should be made before September 6. Sources maintained that even if the disbursal process of the 5,000 bags with the department, and another 23,000 bags, which have been lying with the Weavco, the state government organisation with which order was placed for the supply of the bags, started on August 31, 2003, it could take at least 20 or 30 days as they had to be routed through the District Education Officer. Earlier, the district-level committee headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, had given powers to the District Welfare Officer and the District Programme Officer to complete the purchase process by inviting fresh bids from private parties for the remaining 11,000 bags. |
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Staff smile as NFL selloff process
stumbles Nangal (Ropar), September 9 In the news, a copy of which was provided to this correspondent, it has been stated that the offer prices of all three bidders —
Kribco, Indo Gulf and Chambal — have been found to be lower than the reserve price set by the government for the sale. The reserve price of the NFL was pegged between Rs 800 and Rs 900 crore. The government has now two options. It can either ask the highest bidder to match the reserve price or call for fresh bids. However, since the bids are not negotiable, the government has no option but to call for fresh bids. The disinvestment process of the company has been delayed. Workers held a gate rally and expressed gratitude to residents of Nangal town, who supported their agitation against the proposed disinvestment. Meanwhile, the NFL management has transferred the president of the officers association of the company and chairman of the NFL Bachao Samiti, Dr K.R. Arya, from the Nangal plants to the Vijaypur plant in Madhya Pradesh. Dr Arya, who is the Chief Medical Officer at the Nangal unit of the NFL, alleged that he was being victimised for leading Nangal residents and workers against the proposed disinvestment of the company. |
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Hope for weak
hearts Amritsar, September 9 The trials on terminally ill heart patients using the new drug are going on in the Cardiology Department of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here, which has been chosen as the first centre in India out of 12 centres worldwide to monitor the effect of the new drug claiming to improve quality of life and reduce suffering of such patients. The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is the second centre chosen in India for these trials. Prof Svend Aage Mortensen, Chief Cardiologist, Copenhagen University, Denmark, and Prof Christian Dan Sindberg, Scientist of Pharma Nord, USA, were here today to monitor the investigations on patients on the invitation of Chief Investigator, Dr Adarsh Kumar, Head of the Cardiology Department of the hospital. Speaking to The Tribune, they said the largest sample of 164 heart patients were derived from Amritsar out of total of 550 persons on trial all over the world and the results were encouraging. Each patient is being given oral dose of co-enzyme Q10 and other drugs in combination for 15 weeks free of cost. The two scientists said it was amazing to see so many patients with ‘rheumatic heart disease’ which was rare condition in developed countries. Similar trials were being carried out in Canada, Slovakia, Russia, Lithonia, Australia, Denmark, etc. Gurdial Singh (70), a retired Tehsildar, undergoing the treatment here, said he almost died but was resuscitated and put on the mediation which made him more energetic. A 75-year-old Mahinder Kaur said breathlessness almost killed her but the medication helped her feel better. According to the experts, the drug works to infuse energy in weak and lethargic heart cells besides other beneficial effects. The break-up of the survey sample reveals that 70 per cent of patients undergoing treatment are from poor strata, 20 from middle class and 10 from upper middle class. About 70 per cent are from rural background and 60 per cent have already suffered from high blood pressure. The programme has been extended to 54 weeks from originally planned 15 weeks. The two professors also proposed to take up the issue of setting up of the infrastructure here for BNP test currently being done in Italy. |
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Sarna claims
majority Ludhiana, September 9 Mr Sarna said that as he enjoyed the support of the majority of members the election of office-bearers would be smooth affair. The meeting convened by him on September 24 was legal one and the meeting summoned by the rival group on September 4 was illegal, he asserted. Mr Sarna, who is heading the Delhi Akali Dal also, said that the Sikhs of the Delhi had given the verdict against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (Badal) in the general election to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. Asked if he would disband the Delhi Akali Dal after the merger between the SAD and Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra’s, party Mr Sarna maintained that he would discuss the matter with the party and could not take a decision single handed. “I am not a dictator and the party will decide the next course of action,” he said. Asked if Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra had met him in this regard, he replied in the negative. |
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Chauhan to challenge
Constitution Jalandhar, September 9 Meanwhile, it accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of forgetting the sacrifice made by Shahid Darshan Singh Pheruman, who went on an indefinite fast and died on October 27, 1968, after observing a fast for 74 days for genuine demands of Punjabis. The Khalsa Raj Party had also decided to undertake the Darshan Singh Pheruman Shaheedi March to Chandigarh on October 21 and install his portrait there. Addressing a press conference here today, Dr Jagjit Singh Chauhan and Principal Baldev Singh, the president and general secretary of the Khalsa Raj Party respectively, said a “fraud” had been committed with Sikhs during the process of transfer of power by the British regime by top leaders of the country who did not fulfill their promises of granting adequate safeguards for minorities. They said promises with Sikhs were not fulfilled and two Sikh members of the Constituent Assembly Mr Bhupinder Singh Maan and Mr Hukum Singh walked out of the meeting in protest Dr Chauhan said for the perusal of the Supreme Court, his party had compiled exhaustive document, “Betrayal of the Sikhs, with the people,” comprising entire documentary evidence to prove their point. |
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BJP activists on relay fast Gurdaspur, September 9 BJP sources said if five activists of the SAD-BJP alliance lodged in Central Jail here, were not released, the BJP would be forced to launch a state-level agitation.
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Man alleges police atrocity Pathankot, September 9 Gobind Sarup, a local resident, was reportedly beaten up by the police for refusing to indulge in narcotic trade. In his complaint to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the D.G.P., the IG. Border Range, and the SSP, Gurdaspur, the victim alleged that he had been falsely implicated in an NDPS case in which he had been acquitted on August 28 this year. The victim stated that on September 7, head constable Jarnail Singh, constable Jatinder, alias Jeeto, Pardeep Kumar and Sham Singh, posted as CIA staff here, searched his residence without any search warrant. However, nothing incriminating was recovered from the house. The cops took Rs 12,000 and a gold ring. The victim alleged that the policemen took him to the CIA office here where Inspector Chhajju Ram, in charge of the office, started beating him up without any reason or provocation after handcuffing him without any inquiry. He said the CIA staff tried to compel him to sell charas and opium, but he refused. Constable Jatinder, alias Jeetu, was already facting trial in an NDPS case, sources said. Following the intervention of some persons, the victim was set free. He was later examined at the Civil Hospital here. Seeking action against the culprits, the victim said today that as he had not agreed to the proposal of the police to sell narcotics, that was why he was beaten up. Gurdaspur district police chief R.P.S. Brar, said he had not received any complaint. However, Mr Manminder Singh, SP, said the police had called the complainant for inquiry as he was a history-sheeter. He refuted all allegations against the police. |
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Girls prefer marrying into joint families:
study Amritsar, September 9 A study on 297 unmarried girls living in hostels in the age group of 20 to 25 years in Guru Nanak Dev University have favoured joint family living. Despite choice of authority in family decisions, 64 per cent girls felt that there was more love and affection in big families and does not create difficulties in bringing up children and their education. Most of the young women though not in favour of dowry liked “ostentatious, elaborate and glamorous weddings” to a boy ideally in a love-cum-arranged match. The study by Preeti Mehra of Guru Nanak Dev University’s Sociology Department had 60 per cent Sikh girls and the rest were Hindus. Most of these girls favoured the two-child norm with one male child. Most of the girls preferred marriage within caste, and religion. They preferred to live in joint families but wanted a role in decision-making. |
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Two dead, 40 hurt in mishap Patiala, September 9 According to Sub-Divsional Magistrate T P S Phulka, the incident occurred at around 3.30 a.m. Mukhtiar Singh was bringing this mother to a hospital in Patiala along with two others from Fatehgarh Sahib when his car collided with a Tata (407) truck which was carrying devotees who were returning to their home in Ropar after paying obesienace at a temple in Rajasthan. The deceased have been identified as Mukhtiar Singh, driver of the car, a resident of Hardaspur village in Fatehgarh Sahib, and one of the passengers of the Tata truck, Jaspal Singh, a resident of Fatehpur in Ropar district. A number of
persons travelling in the truck, which turned truck were injured after colliding with the car. Sources said the truck was returning from Bangarh in Rajasthan when it met with the accident. Immediately after, the villagers of Hassanpur village rushed the injured to the Government Rajindra hospital on their own. Twenty of the injured were taken to the hospital half of them were discharged after first aid. Eleven seriously injured had head injuries. The sources said even though Rajindra Hospital, is supposed to be a referral hospital, it could not cope with the rush of patients.
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Three market panel workers suspended Mansa, September 9 Mandi supervisor Suchha Singh, clerk Sukhchain Singh and storekeeper Dharam Paul are said to be involved in the scam. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against them. According to information, 35 halogen lamps were reported to be missing from the store of the committee. This fact came to light when certain employees went to the store for taking halogen lamps for fixing these in the grain market. The three employees were found guilty in an inquiry conducted by the secretary of the committee. |
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Tribune employees donate blood Bathinda, September 9 About 150 saplings were planted by members of The Tribune Trust on the premises of the printing centre on the occasion. Those who have donated blood for more than 10 times included Mr Jagtar Singh Sidhu (24), Mr Ravinder Sharma (21), Mr Gurinderjit Singh (19), Mr Raj Kumar Kashyap (24), Mr Kulbir Beera (10), Mr P.S. Mitha (16) and Mr Shekhar Garg (18). Dr Indu Bhushan Aggarwal, in charge of Blood Bank, Civil Hospital, Bathinda, along with other staff members collected the blood units. |
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Temple panel serves notices on 2 ex-officials Amritsar, September 9 The notices, issued by the officiating president of the committee, Mr Surinder Arjun, threatened them of civil proceedings failing the deposition of all belongings of the temple acquired while they were holding offices in the temple committee. The notices were addressed to Mr Nand Lal Nagpal, former general secretary, and Mr Ramesh Kapoor, former finance secretary. |
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Lok Darbar held Mansa, September 9 The Deputy Commissioner listened to public grievances and redressed 25 of them on the spot and asked officials of various departments to redress the rest. The common problems of the villagers were poor supply of potable and irrigation water and irregular supply of electricity. —
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Trekkers’ team arrives Jalandhar, September 9 The team met a number of local residents of far-flung settlements in the Garhwal region and educated them on local issues. |
HIGH COURT Chandigarh, September
9 The former minister was apprehending arrest in a case registered under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, besides the Prevention of Corruption Act, by the Vigilance Bureau at Ludhiana. According to the prosecution, the petitioner had assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Seeking the grant of bail, his counsel had contended that a false case had been registered against the petitioner. He had further submitted that the Congress government was framing cases against its opponents due to political reasons. Forged documents A Division Bench of the High Court today asked the state of Punjab to inform the court whether the government had intentions of launching criminal proceedings against those involved in the issuance of forged medical certificates on the basis of which parole was given to the prisoners. Appearing before the Bench, comprising the Chief Justice, Mr Justice B.K. Roy, and Mr Justice Hemant Gupta, counsel informed that a committee, comprising the Civil Surgeon, the Senior Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate, had been formed to check the genuineness of the certificates. |
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Undertrial escapes from police
custody Bathinda, September 9 Jagminder Singh, who along with eight other accused in the case pertaining to smuggling of narcotics, possession of fire arms and theft of vehicles was produced in the court of the CJM, escaped in a car which was waiting outside the court’s premises. Jagminder Singh, a resident of Ludhiana, was an active member of an inter-state gang of criminals. He was in custody of the Delhi police as he has been facing trial in a murder case at Delhi. Police sources said the persons who had helped Jagminder Singh in escaping from the police custody had been identified. A case under Sections 224 and 225 of the IPC had been registered against Jagminder Singh, Chamkaur Singh, Gurpal Singh, Harwinder Singh, Sukhjit Singh and others in this connection. Meanwhile, unconfirmed report said a few accused who had helped Jagminder Singh in escaping, had been arrested near Rampura town of this district. Mr Ishwar Singh, SSP, said action against the Delhi police personnel would be taken if they were found guilty. |
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7 fined for crossing
railway line Patiala, September 9 A local court has fined seven such person Rs 500 each after they were caught while crossing the railway line at the Railway Crossing number 22 along with their two-wheelers by the Railway Protection Force two days ago. They were released when they presented a personal security bond of Rs 1,000 to the Railway Police. The Railway Police has taken this action on the initiative of local police station in charge Inspector K.P. Singh. A complaint had been submitted to the force by Pepsu Road Transport Corporation officer Prem Sharma. The complainant had said he had witnessed a near tragedy at the Railway Crossing number 22 a few days ago when a person who was trying to cross the railway line had to abandon his scooter at the last minute which led was crushed by the approaching train.
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Clear sugarcane dues or face stir, says
BKU Chandigarh, September 9 Today, the Bharti Kisan Union led by Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, held a massive dharna and rally here in support of their demands. Mr Lakhowal warned the state government to clear the pending dues of sugarcane by September 30 or face the agitation. He said after September 30, farmers would block the state highway at Harike Pattan bridge. About Rs 126 crore is supposed to be paid by the various cooperative sugarmills to farmers in the state. Even last year, the union had to resort to prolonged agitation to get the dues cleared from such mills. The Union Government had offered Rs 600 crore as loan to various states for clearing the pending payment of sugarcane to farmers. Punjab was offered Rs 30 crore. However, informed sources said the Punjab Government had refused to take this money as the conditions of this loan were very tough. The union has demanded that four meat factories should be installed in the state to provide employment to youth. The union has also urged the government to tackle the problem of stray cattle. Mr Lakhowal said farmers were paying a heavy price because of stray cattle menace in the state. Making another significant demand, the union said that after marriage, the daughter should be entitled to a share in the landed property of her in-laws and not from the property of her parents. The Act in this connection should be amended accordingly. The farmers should be allowed to sow BT cotton in the state like southern states. For trade purpose, the Wagah border should be immediately opened. It would help Punjab farmers to send vegetables and other goods to Pakistan, Afghanistan and other neighbouring countries. He said if all the pending power connections to the tubewells were not released by April 15 by the PSEB, farmers would resort to illegal power connections to run their tubewells. The union has urged the government to start the procurement of paddy from September 15. It also sought the advancing of loans at the rate of 4 per cent interest instead of the existing 9 per cent interest. Farmers from Punjab, who sold paddy in Chandigarh last year, should be given Rs 20 as bonus on the Punjab and Haryana pattern. The union has demanded that the land ceiling act should be abolished. Among those who addressed the rally were Mr Manjit Singh Kadian, Mr Puran Singh Shahkot and Mr Bhupinder Singh
Maheshwari. |
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SDMs told to hold seminars on paddy
procurement Ferozepore, September 9 Mr Vikas was addressing officials at a meeting of various district officials and procurement agencies convened to review the arrangements being made for the purchase of paddy. He directed the officials concerned to complete all arrangements before September 15 in all 141 purchase centres of the district. He revealed that in the coming season the expected arrival of paddy was 13.12 lakhs MT as compared to 13.10 lakh MT last year. He directed the Mandi Board officials to check the arrangements like provision of power cleaners, generators, and polythene covers. He said the weighing machines should also be properly checked and stamped by the department concerned. He directed all SDMs and DMs of the procurement agencies to supervise the procurement process after proper cleaning. |
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Youth kidnapped, beaten up,
freed Sangrur, September 9 He was returning with his father after appearing in the court of the SDM here. A complaint against Raghwinder Singh had been lodged by the Principal of Akal Degree College, Mastuana Sahib, alleging that he had been interfering in the affairs of the college though he was not a student. A quarrel between Raghwinder Singh and certain college students had taken place some time back, which had led to the initiation of proceedings under Sections 107 and 151 of the Cr PC. The police said all accused had been identified. The victim had also been beaten up by the kidnappers at Bhaini Mehraj village and later released at Badbar village. |
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Rs 4 lakh looted from LIC
official Malerkotla, September 9 The LIC assistant branch manager, Mr Bhan Singh, was going to the local branch of the Punjab National Bank to deposit the cash which was collected from the customers. Accompanied by a peon, Mr Bikar Singh, he was coming out of the LIC office when two unidentified youths stopped their Zen car and on pistol-point, demanded the cash. After looting the money, they fled towards the Delhi Gate on their scooter. The police said it had got clues about the robbers and they would be apprehended soon. |
Undertrial hangs himself Gurdaspur, September 9 Official sources said Sarabjit was lodged in a room in the jail along with two other criminals, who were not present in the room when Sarabjit Singh committed suicide. The body has been sent to Amritsar for post-mortem examination. The official sources said Sarabjit Singh was suffering from depression and was undergoing treatment by a neurologist in Amritsar. |
Union flays attack on teacher Amritsar, September 9 The Professor suffered injuries in the attack. The union president, Mr Sukhwant Singh, demanded that the district administration book the guilty. |
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