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Punjabi music industry in doldrums Jalandhar, October 29 The situation, which has forced about 25 north India -based music companies to wash their hands off the new projects, is said to have come to such a pass that from 50 per cent to 70 per cent of the total sales of audio and video numbers is based on pirated material mainly ‘home copied’ versions of CDs and VCDs — which can be purchased at about one third the price of the original product. If the VCD or an audio CD of a good number and company is priced at say Rs 75 or Rs 90, the buyer can buy the pirated version of the same after paying just between Rs 15 and Rs 20. The speed and capability of unscrupulous elements to produce and pump the pirated material in the market is such that they can flood the Punjab markets with their cheap material within three to five hours of the release of new audio and video album. While a majority of buyers don’t mind buying pirated material for small price tags the phenomena has started giving owners of music companies and others related with the music industry sleepless nights and a number of them have set up their own “raiding teams”, to track down those selling pirated CDs and VCDs in view of the alleged lax attitude of the police and other authorities towards the fast growing menace. “At present, almost none of big companies is bringing out any fresh audio or video number for piracy and for heavy financial losses incurred on this account Mr Deepak Bali, Managing Director, Plasma Records and a spokesman for the MAI (Music Association of India), a body representing about 25 music companies of northern India and Mumbai. Investigations by The Tribune revealed that pirates, having their forts mainly in Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar, buy a copy of the original CD, VCD or the DVD within hours of its release, churn out huge number of copies with the help of CDRs and computers and then introduce these into the market in connivance with some retailers at cheaper prices. A blank CD cost them just Rs 9 and if the cost of reprinted wrapper is added the total cost of a pirated CD and VCD is between Rs 10 and Rs 11, but this is sold between Rs 15 and Rs 20 while a pirated DVD is sold for Rs 30-40. On an average, 25 Punjabi audio and video numbers are released by these companies every month. “If this is not enough, MP3s have done the rest. Songs of 10 singers are being clubbed in a single MP3 disc and it is being sold for Rs 20. Why anybody would purchase a genuine CD or VCD?” questions Mr Rupinder Rubi, MD, Fine Touch Music company. “Though it does not hit a singer as far as the publicity is concerned, but, piracy hits below his belt as his royalty get diminished. Due to piracy a number of even established singers had to set up their own music companies,” said Dr Sukhnain, a Punjabi pop and folk singer. He said the only way our of the situation was more stringent laws and their enforcement. Mr Manmohan Waris, another Punjabi singer, said it was a matter of concern for all associated with the world of music. “Now even bigger music companies, who were ever ready to come out with Punjabi numbers, are reluctant to come forward for fear of losses,” said Waris. |
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Daler fails to keep date with DIG Patiala, October 29 Mr Sahota told newsmen here today, that the pop singer was scheduled to give evidence in the case today as a notice had been served on him in this regard two days ago. He said he had received a call from Daler’s lawyer today asking that the meeting be put off for tomorrow. He said Daler was expected to report in his office tomorrow. Mr Sahota when questioned said he had taken the statement of DSP Rajinderpal Singh Anand who was accused of having demanded bribe from Daler as well as SP Kuldeep Singh who was also mentioned in the complaint. He however, said he had not taken the statement of SSP Paramraj Singh Umranangal whose name was also mentioned in the complaint. He said Daler had given a clarification with regard to the SSP in a statement given on a private television channel adding the statement of the SSP would also be taken in necessary. The DIG disclosed that an ex-parte decision would be taken in the matter in case the pop singer did not come to give his evidence in the case. Meanwhile Daler’s lawyer Ravinder Kumar when questioned said Daler had fever yesterday following exertion caused by two days of sustained questioning by the Patiala police. He said his client would come to Patiala tomorrow only if his condition improved. Meanwhile sources said the Patiala police had raided the premises of a Punjabi singer Sukha Dilliwala in Delhi to nab the singer. The police had registered a case against the singer some time ago following a complaint that he had duped the applicant of Rs 8 lakh on the pretext of sending him abroad. The singer could not be nabbed. The police is also looking into the activities of a “ragi” who is accused of taking some persons abroad under a human trafficking racket. The sources said the “ragi” would be targeted once he returned. The police has also started investigations into the activities of Mehta Brothers of Mumbai who are show organisers following a tip off against them, the sources said. |
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Protest against
Daler: SSP asked to explain Patiala, October 29 Sources told TNS that the DIG had asked for an explanation on the issue following reports in a section of the press quoting some of the protesters who claimed they had been brought to the protest rally by various Station House Officers and other police staff of the district. Protesters had ‘gheraoed’ Daler’s car while it was negotiating the road to the police station and had also entered the Police station to hold an agitation against him. The letter has not specified the timeframe for submitting the explanation. Meanwhile Akali Dal (Amritsar) President Simranjit Singh Mann has also criticised the alleged police role in ‘’stage managing’’ a protest against Daler Mehndi. The Akali leader while talking to newsmen here, said the government should take a serious view of the manner in which people were brought to the Sadar Police station by the police. He alleged that “langar” was also distributed amongst the protesters by police officials. The Akali leader also claimed that responsibility should be fixed on police officials for the damage to Daler’s bulletproof Mercedes Benz adding the guilty should be asked to pay for the repairs. The Akali leader also disclosed that he had written to the Punjab Governor Justice O.P. Verma (retd) in protest against the “barbaric treatment” meted out to Daler Mehndi during his questioning. Mr Mann said the police force was not competent to ask Daler to take off his trousers nor could it ask him to sing songs for their entertainment when he had been called to the police station ostensibly for questioning with regard to allegations of human trafficking. He said the police force had through such an action not interrogated Daler Mehndi but humiliated him. |
Court favours study of human trafficking cases Chandigarh, October 29 Issuing directions in an open court, Mr Justice Goel ruled: “It is expected that a case study will be carried out after collecting the necessary data in such a manner as may appear to be necessary.... The studies already carried out will also be taken into consideration.” The judge added: “Since it involves a matter of public interest, the policy framed may be placed before the court”. In his detailed order passed after hearing Punjab’s Deputy Advocate-General (DAG) Mansur Ali, the judge added: “Counsel for the state agrees that there is a menace of taking money for sending people abroad unauthorisedly resulting in cheating.” The judge added: “He further agrees that the state has to evolve a mechanism to tackle the situation and the attention of the higher authorities has to be drawn to the facts. He also stated that with inputs received with the help of experts, some action plan is to be drawn up. The DAG further added that he would get instructions from Punjab’s Home Secretary in this regard before the next date of hearing. It is expected that a case study will be carried out....” The judge fixed December 1 as the next date of hearing in the case. The directions are significant as several cases of human trafficking, some allegedly involving theatre and film artistes, even pop stars, had recently surfaced. In a petition filed before the High Court, a Nayagaon resident has sought directions to the states of Punjab and Haryana, besides other respondents, to quash Rule 6 (b) of the Punjab Civil Services (Executive Branch) Rules of 1930. He also sought directions for setting aside the appointment of six HCS officers Describing it as arbitrary, discriminatory and against the principles of natural justice, petitioner Dr B.Singh asserted that the rule placed Class III candidates with Class II candidates for appointment in the Haryana and Punjab Civil Services. The petitioner added that placing Class II and Class III candidates on equal footing was bad in law and as such the appointments of certain HCS officers were liable to be set aside. |
Not fleeing, asserts Badal Chandigarh, October 29 Mr Badal also hinted that he might approach the Union Government to instruct its agencies to be watchful of the activities of the Chief Minister and his associates, for their alleged acts of omission and commission. Reacting to a report published in The tribune today that the Vigilance Bureau was sounding a red alert to prevent him and his family from leaving the country, Mr Badal said he and his family members would be available to the people of the state at all times. “Any time they want us, they will only have to come and contact us in one or the other village of Punjab. Everyone in the state know who will flee this country once the protective shield of official security is removed from around him,” he said. |
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SGPC poll on Nov 20 Amritsar, October 29 This has been confirmed by Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, honorary secretary of the Shiromani committee. According to sources, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra is not keen on his re-election as SGPC chief on health grounds and certain other reasons. But SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal would request him to continue for another term. Earlier, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar had to step down as SGPC chief to pave the way for Mr Tohra about three months ago following the unity between SAD and Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal. |
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SP’s family shielded
in forgery case? Barnala, October 29 Mrs Manpreet Kant, a resident of Gurgaon in Haryana, has charged the local police with not arresting the accused, including the SP’s mother Surinder Kaur, wife Deepinder Kaur Sandhu, maternal uncle Gurtej Singh Gill and cousin Hareet Singh. When TNS today contacted Mr Gurinder Singh Dhillon, SSP, Barnala, he refuted the allegation and said the investigations were going on in this case of economic offence. He said a case on the similar ground was pending in a civil court and the police was awaiting its verdict. If it went in favour of Mrs Kant, the police would not hesitate to arresting the accused, he added. Mrs Manpreet Kant has claimed that though the Forensic Laboratory at Chandigarh had stated that her signatures had been forged, the police had neither arrested the accused nor presented challans against them in the court. In the FIR, Mrs Kant has stated that she and accused Hareet Singh are sister and brother. She said Narinder Kaur was their mother who died on May 5, 2001 and left properties worth crores of rupees to be shared equally by her and her brother on account of natural succession. However, her brother allegedly hatched a criminal conspiracy with Gurtej Singh, Surinder Kaur Sandhu, Deepinder Kaur and Satinder Sharma to grab her share of the property. They allegedly forged and fabricated a will purportedly executed by her mother giving the entire property to her brother. She further alleged in the FIR that Mr Satinder Sharma, an advocate from Moga, appeared in the court of the SDM, Barnala, and filed a forged and fabricated power of attorney purporting to be given by her (Mrs Kant) in his favour. On the basis of this misinformation, the mutation had been sanctioned by the Barnala SDM, she added. |
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Punjab to have India’s first Internet exchange SAS Nagar, October 29 Although the final decision on the location of the exchange is awaited, tentatively the exchange will be located at Puncom here, which is one of the first three ISPs to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Punjab Infotech Limited for the purpose. The Internet exchange will be the first such venture by any individual state in the country. The Government of India, through the Ministry of Information Technology, had recently announced the establishment of four such exchanges across the country, one of which had been planned for NOIDA. Talking to TNS, Mr N.S. Kalsi, Managing Director, Punjab Infotech Limited, stated that the cost of Internet connection would come down between five and 10 times once the Internet exchange was established. Punjab Infotech will be facilitating the various ISPs to come together, form a joint non-profit society which will then establish the exchange. “A similar exchange is functional at Amsterdam. In fact, most of the technical knowhow in establishing the exchange here will come from there,” said Mr Kalsi. According to sources, the move to establish the exchange was mooted by the Scientific Advisor to the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajan, who had visited Amsterdam, following which a three-member team from there visited Punjab and gave a presentation before the various ISPs here. The cost of the project will be borne by the group of ISPs. Till now three ISPs, the HFCL, Puncom and Glide, have signed the MoU. “Some other companies, including BSNL and Spice, will also be joining the group”, Mr Kalsi added. |
Breakaway group to oppose SAD candidate Patiala, October 29 Addressing a press conference here, Mr Seona, whose wife Jaswinder Kaur is an SGPC member from Samana and who has also been expelled from the primary membership of the SAD, said a number of SGPC members were angry at the manner in which the SGPC and Sikh affairs were being run by the SAD. He said these SGPC members were making a strategy and could put up their own candidate for presidentship of the SGPC. Mr Seona reiterated that there was a need to ensure that the Sikh high priests did not function as “stooges” of the SGPC and the Akali leadership. He said at the sammelan he and others had put across the view that the Jathedar of Akal Takht should be elected by Sarbat Khalsa and should not be a paid employee of the SGPC. The Akali leader, who was till now Secretary-General of the district unit, also levelled allegations against SGPC President Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta. He said both leaders had ties with RSS chief K C Sudershan since 1975. Speaking about his own as well as the expulsion of his wife from the party, he said being an Akali was part of an ‘’ideology’’ and there was no way anyone could be excluded from that. |
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I-D cards for SAD workers Jalandhar, October 29 “We have decided to ensure maximum participation of the
youth party activities,” he said, adding that they would soon launch a campaign against social evils throughout the state. He said the wing had decided to hold a “chetna” rally at Lothian on December 8 to coincide with the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Commenting the recent Sikh sammelan held at SAS Nagar, he alleged that some anti-Sikh forces were trying to undermine the authority of Akal Takht. |
Mann to meet World Bank team Chandigarh, October 29 One such leader who has been invited by the World Bank for interaction is Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). “I have been invited by the World Bank and not by the State Government for interaction regarding the state’s financial scenario,” said Mr Mann when contacted by TNS. Mr Mann said that the state’s economy was turning from bad to worse for the past one decade because of the failure of the ruling political leadership. Earlier, as Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, did nothing to save the state from sinking into a financial crisis. And the present Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, had also failed to do justice with the state’s economy, he added. “I am really worried about the way Punjab, known for its prosperity a few years ago, was lagging behind other states in the modern age of information technology,” said Mr Mann. “I have many things in mind to suggest to the World Bank to put the state back on the path of economic recovery,” said Mr Mann. “But my approach will be positive at the meeting with the World Bank and I will hand over a list of the remedial measure that can be taken to improve Punjab’s financial health,” he added. “I have written several letters to Capt Amarinder Singh but he never acknowledges the same”. |
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Apprehending threat to life, he writes to DGP Zirakpur, October 29 Mr Bedi also complained that he brought the matter to the notice of the Zirakpur police who ignored it saying that the issue was a political one.The DG had marked an inquiry to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Patiala in this case on October 24. In his complaint to the DGP, Mr Bedi had alleged that Puneet Bhardwaj, a resident of Sector 8 in Panchkula, visited to the service station and threatened him and his employees of dire consequences. He was accompanied by a police personnel from Zirakpur police post and some men when he came to the station on October 22, Mr Bedi alleged. The complaint also stated that Bhardwaj pointed a pistol towards Mr Bedi directing him to close the service station since he had purchased the property. |
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Hotel site fetches Rs 7.11 cr Amritsar, October 29 The Chairperson of the trust, Mrs Ratna, told newsmen here that Rs 16,100 per sq yard was offered for a plot of 4275 sq yards in the Ranjit Avenue District Shopping Centre by the highest bidder, Mr Vijay Sharma. Mrs Ratna said the trust had received a tremendous response from a number of hoteliers who had offered to purchase the plot adjacent to M.K. Resort. The reserve price was kept at Rs 10,000 per sq yard. Mrs Ratna said it was an encouraging sign as the hotel would give a boost to travel and tourism in the holy city of Amritsar. |
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Abida Parveen returns to Pak Amritsar, October 29 The delegation had come to participate in a programme organised by the “Sufi Foundation of India” in Chandigarh. The delegation comprised Kamal Hasan, Sidhu Hasan, Himmat Ali, Najir Khan and Manjoor Hussain. Abida Parveen, talking to mediapersons, said Sufi Sangeet was an old tradition and the heartbeat of people of India and Pakistan. People knew the depth of the sangeet, she said. India and Pakistan should allow Sufi singers to perform in both countries which would not only bring the two sides together, but also benefit Sufi music. She said both governments should provide visa to Sufi singers on a priority basis. She said music had no boundaries and it should not be linked with politics. She said it was like a prayer. Mujjafar Ali, director of “Umrao Jaan”, had come to see off the delegation. |
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Pak urged to take up Sikhs’ issues Jalandhar, October 29 “Although the demands of the Sikhs, including safe corridor for religious shrine in Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan and increase in the number of Sikh devotees in jathas, are pending the Prime Minister did not include them in the offer” he told reporters here yesterday, alleging that in spite of being a border state, Punjabis had been ignored to strengthen people-to-people contact. He said if government could allow Muslims to go on Haj, why were restrictions imposed on the Sikhs. |
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Foreign lure proves costly Kharar, October 29 In his complaint, he has said instead of sending him to Italy on January 22, 2002, he was sent to Kyrgyzstan where he was detained for nine months. He was accompanied by two other persons to
Kyrgyzstan. Then they appeared before the Embassy of India and they were instructed to deposit money in India. After the required amount was deposited in India, they returned back on October 4, 2002. He has demanded that the amount paid to the agent should be returned back to him and action should be taken against the cheat. |
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‘Mela Gadhri Babian Da’ opens
Jalandhar, October 29 Rajni Bala from Nawanshahr said the spurt in widespread communalism under the garb of threat to religion was a dangerous trend witnessed during the past decade. “There is a need to inculcate the spirit of nationalism in the younger generation,” she observed. Reena Sehajpal of Doaba Arya Senior Secondary School, Noormahal, advocated holding of dialogue among representatives of different religions to understand the ethics on which a religion was based. “It will help in removing misunderstandings among the people. Besides, it will strengthen secularism,” she said. Reena Sehajpal was adjudged the best speaker while Ruminder Kaur of Government College, Hoshiarpur and Vijeta Mahajan of Government College of Education, Jalandhar, got the second and third positions respectively. Meanwhile, the team of Government College, Jalandhar, comprising Gurminder Singh, Jarnail Singh and Baljit Singh, won the first position in quiz competition. The team of Sikh National College, Banga, comprising Kiran Kumar, Vikrant Nayyar and Jagdeep Sharma, was second and the team of the District
Institute of Education and Training, Shekhupura, comprising Harinder Singh, Ravi Arora and Jaspreet Singh, was third. |
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Mineral Award for Nangal resident Nangal, October 29 Dr Bains who was on a visit to his native town said the award was being conferred upon him for the development of relational technique in rare earth metals exploration and significant finds in petrogenesis (the geological study of formation of petrol) after a seven-year research. In his study, Dr Bains created a data base of the rare metals using the neutron activation analysis technique. A software had been developed by him that could be used to determine the probability of finding diamonds in an area by analysing the metals present there. The study on petrogenesis in relation with the metals would help in the deeper understanding of Carlsberg Ridge, Indian Ocean, Bole beds in Deccan Traps and the mining of diamonds. Dr Bains did his M.Sc. in chemistry from Kurukshetra University and joined the Geological Survey of India in 1980. |
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Suspected dengue case in Bathinda Bathinda, October 29 Dr S.K. Goyal, Civil Surgeon, said Mohan had been running temperature but his condition was improving. He said in another case, Rajinder Singh of Maur Mandi of this district, who was admitted to a Ludhiana-based hospital following temperature, was also being kept under observation. He said tests had been conducted today and reports were awaited. |
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Wedding bells for 25 poor girls Bathinda, October 29 Items of daily use, including sewing machines, beddings, cycles and utensils, were given to the couples. According to a press note here today, Mr Bal Mukand Sharma, vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Municipal Corporation Commissioner, D.K. Tiwari, president of the Public Library, Mr Bachhan Dass, among others, attended the function. Mr Brij Lal Gupta, president, of Peerkhana, gave Rs 11,000 to the couples. Prizes were given to those students who had excelled in the zonal youth festival that was held in the school and concluded yesterday. |
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Photo journalist wins
laurels Patiala, October 29 Rajesh Arora, having worked as a photo journalist for almost a decade was invited to the international exhibition in England and had returned recently after spending six weeks there. He has also been invited by some organisations in Canada to participate in an exhibition. Earlier, he had visited Dubai to participate in the international shopping festival held in February this year. Rajesh had also held an exhibition on folk dances of India at Banasar Art Gallery in Sheesh Mahal here. Prominent among there who visited the exhibition included Bollywood Star Raj Babbar. |
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Railway stations inspected Phillaur, October 29 |
Trade unionists wear
black badges in court Jalandhar, October 29 Mr Ram Singh, the general secretary of the Democratic Trade Union, and Mr Brij Lal, the vice-president of the INTUC, Punjab, who were wearing black badges along with about 20 other activists, alleged that the officer had adopted an “anti-worker” attitude and was flouting the established norms by forcing labourers to pay processing fee. They alleged that the officer had shifted 371 cases of a particular union to Gurdaspur without giving any reason. When asked whether they could wear black badges in a court, the activists said they did not consider it a court as it was a tribunal. They asserted that they had every right to lodge their protest by wearing black badges. Mr Kuldip Singh, the Presiding Officer, said he was being pressurised by a section of trade unionists to deliver judgements favouring “their people”. Mr Kuldip Singh said the Labour Court was a proper court to deal with labour specific cases and had been established under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. He said it was not tribunal as a tribunal was always set up at the state level. He further said there was no provision under the law that the processing fee would not be charged from complaints. The Labour Court issued an order on October 24, restraining people from appearing in the court with black badges. |
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Five arhtiyas sentenced to jail Abohar, October 29 The award was passed by the forum with Mr Amarjit Singh Katari in chair and two members S.K. Gupta and Praveenjit Kaur. A complaint filed by Mrs Santosh Sachdeva resident of Fazilka under Section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, said she had given a deposit to the firm relying on its high reputation in the field of business and society. But the partners of the firm allegedly refused to refund the principal amount of deposit along with interest as agreed upon on the day of deposit. The forum in orders dated May 29, 2001 had directed the partners of the firm Messers Tek Chand Daulat Rai, to refund Rs 3,21,955 along with interest at 18 per cent per annum to the complainant and Rs 1,000 as costs of litigation within one month of the receipt of the orders. The appeal filed by the partners against this order was dismissed by the State Commission on Consumer Disputes. The revision petition was also dismissed by the apex commission. Then they filed a special leave petition before the apex court, but no stay had been granted so far, the forum observed. The forum ordered that non-bailable warrants be issued against them for their arrest and detention in imprisonment by November 11, 2003. Mr Sarvmittar Ahuja, a resident of Chandigarh, was proceeded ex parte, others were represented by their counsel during hearing of the case. |
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Paddy allotment unfair, allege millers Sangrur, October 29 They have alleged that they had gone to the FCI’s district office several times to get offer forms and sign agreement for milling, but they had been told that the forms had still to be printed. However, about 6,000 metric tonnes of paddy had been allotted to five to seven millers. The millers also alleged that an FCI officer had demanded Rs 50,000 for allotting every 1,000 metric tonnes of paddy. They alleged that when they refused to give the money, they were not only deprived from milling the paddy, but also not permitted to dump levy rice/custom milling rice of any other state agency at the food storage depot here. They had raised the issue with the Executive Director, Vigilance, (FCI), New Delhi, Senior Regional Manager, FCI, Punjab, and other FCI authorities by way of representations. Mr H.S. Dhaliwal, District Manager, of the FCI, refuted the allegations, saying that the paddy had been allotted to the millers on the first come, first served basis. He said the paddy had been allotted for milling to about 12 millers so far. He said all millers could not be accommodated. |
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Farm pumpsets to get
8-hour power supply Chandigarh, October 29 In a statement issued here today, Mr Ratra said the instructions for giving eight-hour power to agriculture pumpsets had already been issued. He assured the members of the delegation that the farmers would now have no difficulty in sowing the kharif crops and meeting the irrigation requirement of the late variety of paddy and basmati crop. The instructions had already been issued to provide uninterrupted supply of power for eight hours to the paddy growing areas also, he said. Mr Behru had while apprising him of the adverse affect of irregular power supply on the crops had sought 10-hour supply for the tubewells during the ensuing kharif season. Mr Ratra further assured thee delegation that the target of releasing 25,000 tubewell connections would be achieved by March 2004 and 35,000 new connections would be released in the next financial year. The voluntary disclosure scheme (VDS) has also been extended up to December 31, 2003. |
2 done to death in 2 days Bathinda, October 29 Police sources said Sukhminder Singh, who was an agent of a lawyer was murdered after being hammered with iron rods by three persons, including two brothers, while he was going home, Gurjant Singh, who was working as a farm assistant was murdered by a father and his son in the fields on Monday. The sources revealed that two brothers namely Sarbjit Singh and Makhan Singh and another person identified as Nazam Singh were involved in the murder of Sukhminder Singh while Mithu Singh and his son Gurdarshan Singh were involved in the murder of Gurjant Singh. The sources said two criminal cases had been registered. |
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VB arrests four govt employees Kharar, October 29 They are Mr S.K. Mittal, the then Deputy Controller, Finance and Accounts with the board now posted at the State Institute, Nabha, Mr Madan Gopal and Mr Mukhtiar Singh, both cashiers, and Mr Jaga Singh, owner of an allegedly non-existent electrical goods supplying firm in Chandigarh. The accused had during 1998-2001 allegedly made purchases and undertaken repair worth Rs 5.5 lakh on the basis of forged bills procured through a non-existent company and caused a loss of Rs 1.33 lakh to the government undertaking in the process. According to the Vigilance Bureau they have been arrested on charges of corruption, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. |
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Couple killed Gurdaspur, October 29 The driver of the truck has been arrested and the truck impounded. |
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Man killed in road mishap Bathinda, October 29 |
Panel recommends discontinuance of colleges’ contract Patiala, October 29 The committee was constituted to prepare a fresh report regarding Maharaja Ranjit Singh Institute of Information Technology on the campus here and Guru Gobind Singh Institute of Information Technology (GGSIIT) Damdama Sahib. The Dean Research, Mr T.R. Sarma, convener of the committee, after listening to the parties presented a report before the Syndicate. According to the report, both the colleges and study centres opened by the GGSIIT are violating university rules and basic agreements. Besides this, the study centres had not adopted a fee criterion. In addition to this, there was no inspection of the study centres. The report of the committee will be submitted to the high court on whose direction the committee was reconstituted. Earlier Prof U.C. Singh, who was Head of the Joint Action Committee against the former Vice-Chancellor, had been the convener of the committee. Meanwhile, the Syndicate adopted new guidelines regarding promotion under the Career Advancement Scheme as per the UGC recommendations. According to these guidelines, research work to be assessed for promotion must pertain between the date of eligibility for next promotion and date of the present designation. |
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4 teachers for seven students! Faridkot, October 29 The Commissioner later asked the District Education Officer to take disciplinary action against Ms Jotinder Kaur, a teacher of Punjabi language at the Golewala school, Mr Sukhmander Singh, in charge of Pipli village school and Ms Kushalpal Kaur, Ms Promila Devi and Ms Sudarshana of the Bargari school. |
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