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September 14, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Agencies ready to buy paddy Ludhiana, September 13 They were speaking at a meeting called by Mr Verma for reviewing arrangement for procurement of paddy beginning on October 1. Mr Verma directed the officers to make final checks of arrangements by September 20. Mrs Simranjot Kaur DFSC, Ludhiana, on behalf of all the procurement agencies assured the procurement staff would reach the mandis positively by September 20 and claimed all the agencies were fully equipped with gunny bags and storage space to make the procurement on a short notice. Mr Verma said of 15.8 lakh metric tonnes expected production of paddy, 14.75 lakh metric tonnes was expected to be purchased by the procurement agencies. The Deputy
Commissioner further said that the Centre government has fixed the procurement prices for the paddy for season 2003-2004 at Rs 580 for “A” grade and Rs 550 for “B” grade , which were Rs 20 higher than the last year. He said that the allocation of the mandi between the different procurement agencies have already been completed this year. He said that the FCI has been allotted the maximum number of 35 mandis, followed by 14 PUNSUP, 13 MARKFED, eight PUNGRAIN, three Punjab Agro, two Punjab Warehousing Corporation and in remaining 25 mandis more than one agencies would make the procurement. He said that Food and Supply Department would work as a nodal agency to ensure the proper arrangements of purchase and lifting of paddy in all the mandis. The Deputy Commissioner informed that during this season out of the total expected arrival, the FCI would purchase 3.59 lakh MT, PUNSUP 2.90 lakh MT, MARKFED 2.49 lakh MT, PUNGRAIN 1.72 lakh MT, Punjab Agro 1.60 lakh MT and Warehousing Corporation 1.06 lakh MT and the private millers are expected to purchase 1.53 lakh metric tonnes of paddy. The Deputy
Commissioner asked the District Mandi Officer to make arrangements for the proper cleanliness, lights, drinking water, moisture meter etc. at the earliest , so that, the farmers should not face any kind of problem in selling their produce in the mandis. He also directed the chief agriculture officer to depute all the 60 agriculture development officers and other staff to educate the farmers to harvest the ripped crop and bring in the mandis after proper cleaning, so that their produce could be procured without any delay. He told Mr Vipan Kapoor District Mandi Officer, and the DFSC to ensure the sufficient number of electric cleaners and tarpaulin sheets with the ahrtiyas in all mandis, so that, the arrived produce could be immediately cleared and protected in case of rain etc. Giving the details about the specifications for the procurement. Mr Verma informed that the maximum moisture limit would be 17 per cent, admixture of lower class 10 per cent, foreign matter inorganic 1 per cent, foreign matter organic 1per cent, damaged, discoloured, sporuted and weevilled grains is 3 per cent, immature, shrunken and shrivelled grains 3 per cent. |
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Security
beefed up at Thein dam Ludhiana, September 13 Categorically stating that there were no reports of any revival of militancy in the state, the DGP said no militant outfit was active and the rumours doing rounds were the handiwork of some vested interests. Mr Siddiqui was in the city today to attend the inaugural session of Roshni, an NGO, floated for protecting women from domestic violence. The state police chief said the state government had started the procedure for amending the Police Act for adopting the commisionerate system. He said the police department had already prepared a proposal and forwarded it to the government for further action. Commenting on the increase in the trafficking of narcotics, he said due to the proximity of the state with the border, ammunition and narcotics were being smuggled into Punjab. The police was also reviewing the case of police officers who were given promotions under the ORP scheme during militancy days in Punjab, stated the DGP. Terming the Riverpool summit between officials of Punjab and the UK police a success, he said various issues affecting both countries were discussed. |
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Railways
revokes suspension of union members Ludhiana, September 13 Following the truce, suspension orders affecting three NRMU members were also revoked by the higher railway authorities. According to sources, the agitating NRMU members were pacified as a new formula was evolved according to which drivers of Ferozepore Division could take goods trains into the territory under the Ambala Division and vice-versa. NRMU sources said the railway administration had relented in the face of a ‘chakka-jam’ threat by the agitating NRMU members who had also threatened to paralyse work at various reservation counters of the local railway station if their demands were not accepted. According to conditions of the truce, the NRMU members would not stage any demonstration in future regarding the running of electric goods trains between Ambala and Jalandhar. Before the truce was arrived at, high-level meetings were held at Delhi and Ferozepore between NRMU leaders and higher railway officials. Meanwhile, a gate rally was also organised by the NRMU members yesterday outside the Parcel Office to protest against privatisation of the Railways. Such rallies would be held till September 18, according to NRMU sources. |
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Gang of narcotic smugglers busted Ludhiana, September 13 Giving details, the SSP Jagraon district Mr Mukhwinder Singh Chhina said in a press release that on a tip off, a police party headed by ASI Satnam Singh, SHO, city police station, conducted a raid and arrested seven persons and recovered 25 bags of poppy husk stacked on the road side and covered with tarpaulin from near a drain on main Ludhiana-Jagraon road on Friday. The arrested persons were identified as Imran, Raju Sriniwas and Sajid, all from Muzaffar Nagar district in U.P, Bhajan Singh alias Bhajji, Karamdin Gujjar, residents of village Dalla, Surjit Singh resident of Kothe Rahlan and Kamaljit Singh, resident of Malla in Jagraon. According to Mr Chhina, the three accused persons belonging to Muzaffarnagar district used to bring the contraband through transport companies on the basis of fabricated documents and it was handed over to their local accomplices for sale in and around Jagraon. The racket was continuing for more than a year, the accused persons disclosed. Going by the selling price of around Rs 15,000 for each bag of poppy husk, the seized material was estimated to be worth almost Rs 3.75 lakh.
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Baring hearts through
love letters Ludhiana, September 13 The intimacy of letter writing, the power of the written word and its poetic expression evoked a feeling of nostalgia, as this powerful means of communication seems to have been replaced by SMS and e-mail. The play examines a complex relationship between two diversely opposite individuals who are linked with the bond of love. Unlike other productions of the same script, Rahul Da Cunha allows limited action to accompany a script dominated by the word. The audience gets involved in the characters’ lives, their disappointments, their falling in love with different people, their careers and their tragedies, which they convey through letters. The audience
sympathises with Melissa, whose health deteriorates due to alcoholism. She has a bad marriage, too, and her ex-husband does not allow her to meet her daughters. When she feels low, she turns to her old friend, Andy. While her decline continues, straight-laced Andy rises in his career graph and becomes a suave politician. Andy says, “Through letters one can tell innermost thoughts to others. Letters are better than telephonic talks as they last.” The two characters were played brilliantly by Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel. They used wooden boxes, painted in different colours, as props to convey their feelings. The colours of the boxes reflected their changing moods. With their powerful performances, perfect timing and superb voice modulation, the actors took the audience on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Though love remains pivotal in the lives of Melissa and Andy, it remains elusive in the maze of the fast-changing tracks of their lives. When they ultimately discover the truth about themselves, it is too late. The male and female perspectives of love was explored in depth and with understanding by the actors. The heart-warming play never failed to move the audience. The play came to the city residents courtesy Spice Telecom, Punjab and was supported by The Durga Das Foundation and The Tribune Group of Newspapers.
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Motorcyclist
killed Ludhiana, September 13 After the accident, vehicular traffic was held up from all sides at the intersection of five major roads, including Chandigarh-Ludhiana Road and Ludhiana-Jalandhar section of G.T. Road, which led to long queues of vehicles on all sides. The traffic could be restored only after the police had removed the vehicle and the body from the site. The police said apparently, the motor cycle driver had jumped the red light and was hit by a truck coming from the other side. The truck driver abandoned his vehicle and fled from the scene. The police said a hit-and-run case had been registered. |
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SGPC misleading Home
Ministry: Sehajdharis Ludhiana, September 13 Talking to TNS, Dr P S Ranu, national president of the federation, said while Sikh leaders were against granting voting right to Sehajdhari Sikhs, they themselves were enrolling non-Keshdharis (Sehajdharis) for their vested interests. This has been exposed by a survey conducted by a Special Votes Survey Committee (SVSC), constituted by the National Council of the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation, which surveyed male voters of the native villages of 10 SGPC members, including SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra, two former SGPC presidents Jagdev Singh Talwandi and Kirpal Singh Badungar, besides other executive and ordinary members of the committee. He said the report had put a question mark on the functioning of the Gurdwara Election Commission and created ripples in Sikh circles when it was found by the SVSC that in these villages, especially in Tohra, Talwandi and Badungar, no Sehajdhari Sikh had been enrolled in the list and the columns for the sub part-B (Sehajdhari) were marked “nil”. The real position, as per the committee report, is that more than half of the total voters registered as Keshdharis were in fact Sehajdharis. In Tohra village, 259 out of 706 voters were Sehajdharis but had been registered as Keshdharis, in Talwandi 404 out of 770, Badungar 15 out of 33, Purain 322 out of 493, Baliewal 78 out of 188, Sukhana 172 out of 253, Dewanee 416 out of 489, Kothe-Rahla 172 out of 374, Mehlon 20 out of 47 and Sehjra 140 out of 412. The committee found out that the voters had shorn hair, cut their beards and some were even clean-shaven, he added. Dr Ranu alleged that this had exposed the agenda of the Akali leaders who spared no opportunity of taking on Sehajdharis but connived to register them as Keshdharis and Amritdharis. This was being done to capture coveted SGPC posts. He said the leaders were loath to admit their shortcomings in bringing them to the fold and shied away from admitting that Sehajdharis comprised 80 per cent of the world Sikh population. The report has also challenged the claim of the Gurdwara Election Commission wherein the Sehajdharis are said to be only 8 lakh while Keshdharis are over 50 lakh. Actually, the figures are reverse, he pointed out. Dr Ranu said the federation was a platform for the adjudication of the controversy and felt that it was a deep-rooted conspiracy to drive a wedge between the already fragmented minority community, besides denying representation to more than 80 per cent of the Sikhs in the world. If any body has any objection, he can file an objection against the inclusion of the name of any Sehajdhari in the voter list on the basis of disqualifications prescribed under the law, he said. The federation has requested Mr Advani to restrain from issuing any notification regarding disenfranchising the constitutional voting right of Sehajdhari Sikhs and the matter should not be merely pushed through in a covert manner. |
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Move to privatise park maintenance opposed Ludhiana, September 13 Making an appeal to the MC to settle pending bills of the PMCs, some of which are still continuing the work of maintenance on borrowed funds, the Federation of Park Management Committees has demanded the implementation of directions of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission. The PSHRC, in its orders issued on August 7, had asked the Local Self-Government Department, Punjab, to make payment to PMCs at the rate of Rs 1 per sq yard as was provided for in the agreements signed with them. Opposing the move to hand over the work of maintenance of parks and green belts to contractors, the federation termed it as an ill-advised decision. Mr H. K. L. Verma, convener of the federation, said the parks being maintained by PMCs should be videographed before handing these over to the contractors so that the present condition of the parks and green belts was retained. “The videos of such parks ought to be taken as a benchmark for the contractors,” he said. The federation apprehended that in the hands of contractors, the parks would not get proper attention as they were working for the motive of profit, whereas PMCs were functioning for the improvement of the green belts. |
| Sub-station without machinery for one year Machhiwara, September 13 The 66 KVA Grid Sub-Station of Hedon Bet, whose foundation stone was laid by the then speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, is now awaiting the
machinery. The building of this Rs 4-crore project is ready for the past year and a half. Its construction was started on August 20, 2001. Due to long-distance electricity cables , the people of the Bet area have to suffer long cuts and voltage drop due to heavy load . With the completion of this grid, the present voltage drop would be decreased to six-seven per cent. When this correspondent visited the grid’s building with the Sarpanch Surinder Singh and Panch Amar Singh, it wore a deserted look . Bushes and grass have covered the building. It seems as if no one is taking this project seriously. The local officials of PSEB, when contacted in this connection, expressed ignorance regarding having any information about the grid. They told the project had been launched under the supervision of senior officials of PSEB. They further added that senior officials could tell better about the completion of grid. The people of the area have appealed to the PSEB and the state government to complete the grid at the earliest possible in spite of making the people suffer due to change of the government.
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Accidents
on rise despite traffic lights Sahnewal, September 13 However, the traffic lights have not helped in decreasing the number of accidents. According to those manning the first-aid post, “We are busy dealing with accident cases and the majority are reported from the Kaddon chowk. The people flew all rules and expect others to obey them. They seem to be least bothered about the fact that they are causing a havoc by not obeying traffic rules. Residents of the area have said all this was happening due to the absence of traffic personnel at the place. “Many precious lives can be saved and accidents averted if the traffic police is deployed at the place,” they added. Mr Darshan Singh, in charge of the Doraha police, when contacted said, “I will talk to the SP (Headquarter) about the issue and see that two traffic constables are deployed regularly at the place so that such tragedies are averted and inconvenience caused to commuters and residents avoided.” |
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Bar body’s plea forwarded to CM Ludhiana, September 13 IHRO chairperson D.S. Gill, in his forwarding letter to the CM has written, “On behalf of 43 members of the local District Bar Association, I beseech your compassionate attention towards the plight of the lawyers who have been ditched by the erstwhile state administration with the offer of lawyers’ chamber scheme to accommodate them in the New Judicial complex.” “The Lawyers’ Chamber scheme to accommodate some 540 members of the Bar, is ill conceived, an untrained, midwife has delivered it, and it is detrimental to the health and safe working of the lawyers. This illegal trafficking will certainly undermine the necessary health and environment requirements for human living,” said Mr Gill, adding that all this had happened during the previous regime. The lawyers, Mr Gill claimed had forwarded their representation to the IHRO to be taken up with the CM. The IHRO secretary — general, Mr Mohinder Singh Grewal, has said “largely, members of the Bar remained in the dark about the site-plan, etc. In this modern era, no one can think of a building without ventilation, natural light and sufficient space for other facilities,” he said. The lawyers have expressed their resentment to the CM by saying in their letter to the IHRO that reads, “A look at the Dark chambers (now actually smaller than promised), which are being given final touches, has stunned the lawyers to find that they would be required to occupy these almost three-wall closed and suffocating dark and dingy chambers which may severally affect general health and shorten their lives.” “We were given to understand,” they said, “that such chambers should have the previously mentioned size, with good ventilation, with air and day-light passing through them throughout the year, with a healthy atmosphere for human dwelling, with safe and tolerable approaches for members of all ages or having any disability etc. But the chambers are worse than condemned cells.” Cautioning the CM, Mr Gill said in the letter, “I am afraid; the plunder done by the erstwhile administration will lead to loss of faith in the integrity of those who now exercise political power in the state, if the necessary steps to undo the wrongs earlier
done, were not taken right now. "Soliciting justice, the IHRO has urged the CM to take suitable and effective remedial measures to save the lawyers and to order a high-level inquiry into the scam. |
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Honour
for scribe Ludhiana, September 13 He worked for Indian Expresses, national news agencies UNI and PTI, US new-agency United Press International (UPI), BBC (London) radio and The
Tribune. He also worked as Media Director, SGPC. He has six books in Punjabi to his credit. |
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Wall breached to ‘take over’ shop Sahnewal, September 13 Ravinder Singh of Kohara village has complained to the Sahnewal police that Avtar Singh, son of Mohinder Singh of Paharowal village, breached the wall to take illegal possession of his shop in Kohara town. He alleged that when he tried to talk to Avtar Singh about it, the latter started abusing him and threatened him. A case has been registered at the Sahnewal police station while the suspect has absconded. |
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PFA rescues injured bull Ludhiana, September 13 The bull was treated and taken to the PFA hospital at Khwake on Rahon Road.
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Dal (Ravi Inder) rally on Sept 20 Amloh, September 13
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Two crushed by Shatabdi Express Khanna, September 13
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Cheating case registered
on NRI’s plea Ludhiana, September 13 Another case of fraud was registered on Thursday under Section 420 of the IPC at the division No. 2 police station on the complaint of Mr Bharat Bhushan, a resident of Prem Nagar, against Pawan Kumar of Vivek Vihar, Jassian Road Haibowal. The complainant had alleged that he had paid some cash to the suspect on the pretext of sending him abroad. But the accused neither sent him abroad nor returned the money. Driver booked: The Model Town police on Thursday registered a case under various sections of the IPC on the statement of Mr Rattan Singh of New Janta Nagar, against Baljinder Singh of Mundian village. The complainant had stated that Baljinder, who was driving a truck, hit his brother Sukhdev Kumar on Thursday and sped away from the scene. Sukhdev Kumar died on the spot, the complainant added. Car damaged:
The Sadar police station on yesterday registered a case under various sections of the IPC on the statement of Mr Dalwinder Singh of Mandiani village against Ganga Ram of Bhagwan chowk area. The complainant had stated that the suspect, who was driving a tractor, hit his car, which got damaged. Liquor seized:
The division No 7 police arrested Sonu and of Swatantar Nagar , and seized 12 bottles of illicit liquor from him and booked him under the Excise Act on Thursday. |
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Shopkeeper
attacked,
cash stolen Ludhiana, September 13 The youths, who were riding a car, a motorcycle and a scooter , arrived at the shop at around 10.45 p.m. and attacked the shopkeeper, Mr Darshan Singh. The youths also started throwing around soda water bottles kept in the shop. A three-wheeler parked outside the shop was also damaged. When the shopkeeper yelled for help neighbours reached the spot but failed to catch any of the assailants. However, in their hurry the youths left behind their scooter and motorcycle. |
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Scooterist
dies in road mishap Machhiwara, September 13 The police has registered a case under Section 174 of the CrPC. His body was handed over to his family today. The Shopkeepers’ Welfare Sabha, Rahon road, has demanded financial help from the administration for his family. |
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Shahnawaz to visit hosiery units Ludhiana, September 13 Mr Hussain reportedly expressed his inability to the hosiery manufacturers to have a detailed meeting with them as he was supposed to return to Delhi the same day. However, according to Mr Vinod Thapar, president of the Knitwear Club, Ludhiana, the Minister assured them he would be coming in the last week and listen to all their problems. Mr Thapar said that the hosiery manufacturers brought to the notice of the minister the problems arising out of the restructuring of the textile industry by the government, which has “ignored the interests of the small scale sector”. He disclosed that other issues were also raised during the brief interaction with the minister. The hosiery manufacturers told the minister that they had been placed in a piquant situation after the Union government announced so many tax holidays for the neighbouring states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Jammu and Kashmir. This, they pointed out, had led to the exodus of industry from Punjab to those places. The manufacturers demanded immediate remedial measures lest the industry collapses in Punjab. Mr Hussain reportedly assured the manufacturers that he would take up the issue with the Prime Minister as it involved the Union Finance Ministry also. He also agreed with the industrialists that it was a serious issue and needed serious concern and care. The minister told them that such a serious issue could not be rushed through and he would like to come again and discuss it threadbare with the industry. The minister offered to come again to listen to them on their own convenience and told them that he was available in the last week of this month. He reportedly told them, since he had not come here as a minister, but only as a leader of the National Democratic Alliance to attend a political conference of the Shiromani Akali Dal, which is a part of the BJP, he could not make any commitments on behalf of his ministry. Mr Thapar disclosed that the minister and the manufacturers mutually agreed to his suggestion to come here again in the last week of this month. |
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Industry
hails cut in TCS rates Ludhiana, September 12 Timber obtained by modes other than forest lease would be taxed at the rate of 2.5 per cent instead of 5 per cent. Timber obtained under a forest lease and other forest products would be taxed at the rate of 2.5 per cent instead of 15 per cent. The rate of income tax deduction at source for tendu leaves has been halved from 10 to 5 per cent. This was stated by Mr Ashok Juneja, Member of the Regional Direct Tax Advisory Committee. He said the industry, members of the Bar and others concerned had hailed the decision of the government. He said the provisions of the TCS under Section 206 C of the Income Tax Act would not be applicable if the buyers of these items were public sector companies, Central or state government, or embassies of missions of foreign countries and clubs. Mr Juneja said the Income Tax Department had also reduced the rate of interest on delayed refund from 8 per cent to 6 per cent while the assessees would also pay a lower interest at the rate of 12 per cent on delayed tax payments against the earlier rate of 15 per cent.
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