CM rules out early Vidhan Sabha session
New DGP, Lok Pal to be named soon
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29
Punjab will have a Lok Pal again, says the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, maintaining that the process of appointing a new Lok Pal is in the final stages of approval.

The office of the Lok Pal has been lying vacant ever since the death of the previous incumbent, Justice D.V. Sehgal, in December, 2002.

In 2005, besides a Lok Pal, Punjab will also have a new Director-General of Police. “We will not wait till the present incumbent, Dr A.A. Siddiqui, superannuates on January 31. Last time we had announced the appointment of Dr Siddiqui a few months in advance. This time, too, we will name his successor well in time,” said the Chief Minister.

Talking to The Tribune here this evening, Capt Amarinder Singh ruled out an early session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. “We will now have the Budget session sometime in February or March,” he said, maintaining that as far as the Nehra Commission report was concerned “I have to table it in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha because I also happen to be the Home Minister. Till then, this report cannot be released to the media.”

Looking back at 2004, he said it was a “satisfying year” as the state wobbled back to near normalcy.

“Our exports have touched a new high. This year we exported goods worth Rs 12,000 crore against Rs 4,000 crore during the first year of our government in the state. Exports last year were worth about Rs 6,500 crore.

“Besides, there has been an increased agricultural production of Rs 5,000 crore. This growth in economy is reflected in the steep hike in real the estate prices. It means people have money to buy real estate,” said the Chief Minister.

Talking about agriculture, the Chief Minister hoped that the Union Government would accept the Johl Committee report soon. “Land holdings in Punjab are shrinking. In another 10 years, agriculture will become unremunerative and we will have to gradually switch from an agriculture economy to an industrial economy.

“This year we expect new investments of Rs 10,000 crore as by the end of this month, we will have Rs 8,000 crore invested in the state. Our continued emphasis on industrialisation with focus on information technology as well as bio-technology would help us to meet our target of 8 per cent of employment. We have already sent a proposal for a national biotechnology park to the Centre.

“My main area of concern has been hydel generation. Glaciers are gone and there is very little snow in the catchment areas of our water reservoirs. We have to focus on power generation,” the Chief Minister said.

Lehra Mohabbat Phase II and Shahpur Kandi Dam are the two major projects which are on the priority list. The Punjab Government also hopes for early clearance for gas pipeline for the Doraha project.

Talking about infrastructure, Capt Amarinder Singh said global tenders for four of 18 corridors would be floated in January. The remaining would be done before the end of March.

Two World Bank-funded projects — Rs 800 crore on roads and Rs 1,800 crore on public health — water supply and sewage disposal — have started as the government would now concentrate on development.

“We are also hopeful that improved relations with Pakistan will help us to start bilateral trade with West Punjab. This will open vistas for growth and development for both Punjabs,” he said, adding that next month he may lead a trade delegation to Pakistan.

No privatisation of PSEB

“There is no move to privatise the PSEB,” says the Chief Minister after presiding over a meeting with senior functionaries of the Department of Power, Punjab State Electricity Board and other senior officials here this evening.

“We have assured the employees the state, besides watching its own interests, will also watch the interests of employees and consumers. “I do not know how the impression has gone about privatisation. The only thing we are open to is entry of private sector in power generation. As far as distribution and transmission is concerned, they will remain with the PSEB. We may go for trifurcation of the board to introduce healthy competition among generation, transmission and distribution.

“But there would be no private sector in either distribution or transmission. Interests of all 80,000 employees of the board will remain secure,” he added. The meeting was attended among others by the Power Minister, Mr Lal Singh, Chief Secretary, Mr Jai Singh Gill, and the Chairman of the Board, Mr Y.S. Ratra, besides the Secretary, Power, Ms Kusumjit Sidhu.

Shiromani Akali Dal to back INLD
Details yet to be worked out
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29
Though the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today announced to support Mr Om Prakash Chautala’s party, the Indian National Lok Dal ( INLD), in the Haryana Assembly election, Mr Badal is not clear yet that what sort of political arrangements should be made with Mr Chautala to contest the elections.

When quizzed on this today, Mr Badal failed to give any definite reply. He was not certain whether Mr Chautala would be asked to allocate certain number of seats in Haryana to enable the SAD to put up its nominees or whether the SAD candidates should contest on the election symbol of Mr Chautala’s party.

There are at least 20 seats in the Sirsa-Hisar- Ambala belt of Haryana where Sikh voters are likely to determine the outcome of the elections. Mr Badal said he would discuss the election- related issues with Mr Chautala shortly and only after that the matter would become clear. However, it was certain from his talk that the party had not chalked out a clear strategy with regard to the Haryana Assembly election except for making a unilateral announcement about extending support to Mr Chautala’s party in the elections.

Mr Badal had called a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee of his party here to discuss the Haryana elections and other political issues.

Other leaders of the SAD say that Mr Badal can not afford to go against Mr Chautala in Haryana. When Mr Badal was facing a big crisis on all fronts in Punjab two years ago, it was Mr Chautala who stood by him and extended all support to his family.

At that time, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau had made things difficult for the Badals, who had to shift the SGPC members to Haryana to win the SGPC elections.

Interestingly, while the SAD would be supporting Mr Chautala’s party in Haryana, the BJP would be opposing. Clearly exhibiting his failure in making the BJP agree to join hands with Mr Chautala’s party in Haryana, Mr Badal said today that he had tried hard but there was no positive outcome in this regard.

When asked that a strong section of the BJP in Punjab wanted to break political alliance with the SAD, Mr Badal said he would not sever political ties with the BJP on his own. If the BJP leaders wanted to walk out from the alliance, it was up to them.

Asked how would he get over the contradiction in his party’s stand vis-a -vis Mr Chautala’s party on the issue of the SYL, Mr Badal said even after taking an opposite stand on this issue, both parties could jointly contest the elections in Haryana.

SAD rejects Nehra panel report
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29
Rejecting the report of Nehra Commission in Raninder Singh’ case, the SAD said today that it would file a case in the court in this regard. Speaking to mediapersons today, the President of the SAD, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said the SAD would move the court against Mr Raninder Singh, son of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh.

Mr Badal said the Nehra Commission’s inquiry report was biased, one-sided and far from the truth. He said the commission was set up by the Chief Minister, whose son was involved in the scandal. Mr Badal said that the commission did not make any effort to record the evidence of Mr Freeke, an important person in the entire case.

Mr Badal said the Directorate of Revenue Enforcement should probe into the matter. When asked why the previous BJP-led government in the Centre failed to handover this case to the Directorate, Mr Badal, said one senior minister of the BJP in the Centre was under the influence of, Capt Amarinder Singh, and he created hurdles in handing over the case to the Directorate.

Meanwhile, the SAD has urged the government to withdraw the 5 per cent hike made recently in the electricity duty and 3 per cent hike in the stamp duty. The SAD had reduced the stamp duty from 12 per cent to 6 per cent whereas the present government has increased it from 6 to 9 per cent.

Mr Badal said on the one hand the state government was levying new taxes and on the other hand, it was giving exemption worth Rs 190 crore to liquor contractors on excise duty. He said the excise duty should be recovered from liquor contractors and it should be used to pay pension to old-age persons.

The SAD has decided to stage dharnas in Jalandhar and Amritsar on January 17 and 20, respectively, against the Capt Amarinder Singh’s government on the Raninder’s issue and other related matters.

Fissures develop in Ajnala Congress
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 29
The District Congress Committee (Rural) president, Mr Inderjit Singh Baserke, has recommended suspension of Mr Jatinderjit Singh, president of Harsha Chhina block, on the charge of creating indiscipline in the party, even as Major Rajbir Singh, chairman, Punjab Livestock Development Board (PLDB), today threatened to contest as a rebel candidate if the party ticket was denied to him for the Ajnala byelection likely to be held in February next year.

The PLDB chairman said he would have to bow to the decision of the voters of the Ajnala constituency who wanted him to contest. He said if the Congress ticket was given to his younger brother Harpartap Singh or anybody else then he won’t have any choice but to contest as an Independent candidate.

He, however, said Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, was his leader but he won’t have any option but to accept the verdict of his supporters in case the ticket was denied to him. He claimed that of the total 13 municipal councillors of the Ajnala committee, six, including its president were with him.

Similarly, Ramdass MC and Panchayat Samiti would support him. He said the top leadership of the Ajnala constituency at a meeting had openly stated that they won’t accept any candidate other than him, Major Rajbir Singh added.

According to sources, the emergency meeting of the DCC (R) was held here following directions from Mr H.S.Hanspal, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, who had conveyed his displeasure over the meeting of certain Congress leaders of Ajnala for projecting Major Rajbir Singh as the next candidate even before the decision of party high command.

Mr Hanspal had reportedly directed Mr Baserke to take strict action against those who wanted to create indiscipline in the party. Mr Jatinder Singh was among those who had attended the meeting presided over by Major Rajbir Singh.

While Mr Milkha Singh, Ajnala block chief, who was among those whose explanation was sought, gave in writing that he would support any candidate fielded by the high command, Mr Jatinder Singh refused to compromise on this.

It has been the history of the Ajnala constituency that many senior leaders who were denied the Congress ticket in the past had turned rebel during the Assembly elections. When Mr Harpartap Singh, younger brother of Major Rajbir Singh was denied the ticket, he had contested as rebel Congress candidate during the 2002 Assembly elections. Earlier, disciplinary action was taken against Mr Ravi Randhawa, who had later unsuccessfully contested the previous Assembly election from Ajnala. Now, this is the turn of Major Rajbir Singh to adopt a rigid stand.

DC urges NGOs, staff to donate for tsunami-hit
Tribune News Service

Punjab to set up ITIs at 10 places
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29
The Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab, has decided to establish Industrial Training Institutes at 10 locations namely Mukerian, Kanowal, Khadoor Sahib, Partabpura, Shahkot, Jalalabad, Abohar, Nathana, Burar and Banarsi during the 8th and 9th five-year plan. This was stated by Mr Rakesh Pandey, Minister of State for Science and Technology and Industrial Training, here today.

With the buildings in most of these places almost complete, the department would now be handing over these buildings to private promoters on lease for 33 years to start training in vocational and other technical trades by early 2005, he said.

Punjab Infrastructure Development Board ( PIDB) has been assigned the task as it has the expertise to operationalise the government provided facilities through the participation of private sector. Feedback Ventures Pvt Ltd, on behalf of PIDB, invited the bids from the private promoters for taking these buildings on lease and the highest bidders were shortlisted. PIDB issued Notice of Ward to these promoters with a request that those who were willing to take these buildings on lease should submit the requisite bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh. Those who signed the requisite bank guarantee signed the concession agreement today.

Mr Pandey said the department had also formulated a new project for imparting vocational training in the food processing sector. The Central Government is committed to providing a grant of Rs 50 lakh per institution. One institution per district is selected for the purpose.

Mr K.K. Bhatnagar, Principal Secretary, Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab, said the government would earn a minimum revenue of Rs 37.5 lakh in the form of fee concession by leasing out these buildings.

No PoW in Pak, claims Rangers
Pawan Kumar

Wagah, December 29
A 10-member delegation of the Rangers, led by Brig Sakhi Marjan, Deputy Director-General, arrived here today for the quarterly meeting with BSF officials.

Addressing mediapersons before the commencement of the meeting, Brigadier Marjan claimed that there was no prisoner of war in Pakistan as claimed by families of soldiers. However, he added that certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Pakistan were trying to find out such prisoners, if any, in the jails. He said various border related issues, including smuggling and construction near the border, would be taken up at the meeting.

When asked about the illegal constructions near the border on the Pakistani side, he said they were adhering to the international border ground rules, which have given clear instructions on types of construction within 150 yard, 300 yard and 1,000 yard of the border.

However, Mr Hemant Purohit, DIG, BSF, later on said these ground rules had not been operational since 1971 war. He said the BSF would discuss various issues, including increase in accidental crossings, trans-border crime and repatriation. He said the BSF had arrested 147 criminals in this year.

Brigadier Marjan refuted the allegations of smuggling from their side. He said they had killed six smugglers and arrested 11 persons. He said the Rangers had organised special campaigns, courses and workshops to counter the smugglers using modern techniques. He said narcotics were being smuggled by tribesmen living near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The other members of the Pakistani team are Col Ahmad Najib Khan, Col M. Qaisar Khan Tareen, Col Azhar Manzoor, all commandants, Col Syed Khushneed Hussain, senior staff officer, Lieut-Col M. Tayyab Azam, Maj Rehan Yusuf, Maj Saad Saeed Naik, all staff officer, and Maj Shaukat Hayat Siddiqui, a representative of the anti-narcotics force.

The members of the Indian team include Mr M.K. Chhabra and Mr M.K. Rajdan, both DIGs.

2004: IN RETROSPECT
A year of setbacks for Punjab Police
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Historical gurdwara seeks importance
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Khanuwan (Gurdaspur), December 29
An ordinary looking gurdwara located about 20 km from Gurdaspur depicts an important historical event in the history of Punjab. It commemorates “chhotta galughara” (massacre) of Sikhs at the hands of the Mughal army.

The mass massacre of Sikh warriors at the hand of the Mughal army took place in the district in 1846.

Mr Raj Kumar, president of the History Society of Gurdaspur and a retired Principal told The Tribune that the massacre occurred when Yahiya Khan was the Mughal Governor of Punjab.

As the Mughal empire had weakened, the Sikhs took advantage and resorted to guerrilla warfare against the Mughal army and cities. In an incident preceding the massacre in this district, a band of Sikh youths Entered Lahore, loaded their horses with bounty and slew those who had been instrumental in awarding punishments to Sikh captives.

The annoyed Governor of Punjab, Yahiya Khan, ordered immediate military action. Jaspat Rai, brother of the then Dewan of Punjab, Lakhpat Rai, led the offensive against the Sikh youths who had raided Lahore. Jaspat Rai was killed in an encounter at Rori Baba Nanak near Lahore.

This led to the beginning of military action against the Sikhs in April, 1846. Yahiya Khan and Lakhpat Rai personally led the offensive against the Sikhs. Thus began the military campaign spreading over a vast stretch of land from the hills of Basholi across the Ravi up to the Beas in Amritsar district.

Several skirmishes took place but the Sikhs were helpless against the artillery. Hundreds of women and children were accompanying them. At last they advanced towards Kanuhwan on the right bank of the Beas 10 miles south of Gurdaspur, where there was a thick forest.

The Sikhs faced many hardships there as they were surrounded by the Mughal forces. A mass massacre of Sikhs took place in villages near Kanhuwan as they were outnumbered by the Mughal artillery. The main massacre took place in Nangal, Karal, Lameon, Chawa, Kotli, and Sainain villages of Gurdaspur. All these villages now form a part of the Tibberi village cantonment.

Every year a mela is organised to commemorate the martyrs. Historians demand that the place should be given more importance by the SGPC and the government as it depicts an important event in the history of Punjab.

Gianiji’s village in a state of neglect
Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Kotkapura, December 29
The native village of late President, Giani Zail Singh, Sandhwan, is a picture of neglect today. While his memorial is lying incomplete, a couple of factories, which provided employment to local youth, have been shut down.

According to sources, in 1997, the then Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal, had declared in Sandhwa that a 78 feet long memorial would be erected in memory of the former President. He had also announced a grant of Rs 15 lakh for it whereas as per an estimate Rs 35 lakh were required for it. Though the Public Works Department had built the memorial, still it hadn’t acquired the planned shape.

A memorial trust, which was set up following his death, is looking after the memorial at present. His son, Joginder Singh, heads the trust, while Mr Ved Prakash Goel, is the general secretary.

Highlighting the present state of affairs, Goel said that though the government took an initiative to keep Gianiji’s memories alive, but it was no longer serious in maintaining it. He said that erecting memorials was not the only job of the government, but they should be properly maintained. He said the state government was yet to allot funds for the boundary wall, a gate, a library, and a big portrait of Gianiji.

Basant Singh, a retired teacher of the village, said that at the time of the death anniversary of Gianiji, the then Punjab CM, Beant Singh, had announced that a nursing and an engineering college would also be opened at the village, but nothing had happened. On the contrary, a spinning mill and an oil mill, which provided employment opportunities to thousands of youth, were shut after Gianiji’s death.

Even the scenario of rail and bus services is grim in the village. No bus or train stops at the village and the people have to walk some distance to catch a bus.

Meanwhile, a jail barrack in Faridkot, where Gianiji had been lodged for years during the freedom struggle, is also in a dilapidated state and hardly any efforts are being made to preserve it.

However, no district administration official is willing to comment on the issue.

Galaxy of stars to be part of DD’s New Year bash
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 29
A galaxy of stars including the Mumbai-based singers, Bhupinder-Mitali, Sonu Nigam and Sonu Kakkar, will be performing for the Doordarshan’s New Year programme, “Nachiye gayiye shagun manaiye”, which will be telecast on December 31 evening.

The one-hour cultural extravaganza will be simultaneously telecast on DD(Punjabi) satellite channel and can be viewed from 8.30 pm onwards in as many as 36 countries. All singers will be performing for the DD in Punjabi language. While Sonu Nigam and Sonu Kakkar of “Babuji zara dheere chalo” fame will be a part of the DD show for the first time, the couple singers Bhupinder and Mitali will be seen on the channel after more than a decade.

Giving details, Mr Jaswant Deed, Assistant Station Director, said Bhupinder-Mitali would be singing the title song of the show, “Nachiye gayiye shagun manaiye” to formally start the show in a traditional backdrop. Sonu Nigam would perform on the scintillating tunes of his latest Punjabi number “Dil vee tera ho gaya” while Sonu Kakkar will appear differently in her song “Mein kothe char ke nachi, nachi ve sari raat”, said Mr Deed who is the producer and director of the programme.

The heartthrob of Punjabis, Gurdas Mann, has used his typical style to depict the Punjabi culture and tradition through his new number “Manke...gal chandi de rupaye vaag tanke”. Sirdool Sikander will perform on his latest song “Bach jao mundiyo haan deyo”. Malkiat Singh will also be seen with his new number “Melan sap vargi” and Amar Noori will be singing “Mele ch nachdi da haasa”. Harbhajan Mann will enthrall the viewers with his “charkha”.

There will definitely be some light moments interspersed in the show with renowned comedians Bhagwant Mann and Gurpreet Ghuggi who will share some jokes and give satirical remarks on the present socio-political structure of society.

Celebrity faces bad days
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 29
Yash Sharma (71), who has the honour to work with Amitabh Bachchan, Dharminder and many other stars in more than 100 Hindi and Punjabi films, is bed-ridden these days. Though he had suffered paralytic attack three years ago , neither the state government nor any artiste had visited his house to know his well being.

He is the one who had introduced bhangra in Khalsa College here and was captain of the team for many years. There was a time when no Punjabi film was considered complete without his role. He is the first actor who had worked continuously for four decades while remaining in Amritsar. While many other artistes from Amritsar: Rajesh Khanna, Dara Singh and Dipti Naval, shifted their headquarters to Mumbai, Yash Sharma preferred to stay back as he loves the city.

Yash Sharma suffered a major emotional set back when Varinder, most popular hero of Punjabi films in those days, was shot dead at Ludhiana about 10 years ago . He said after the death of his ‘most trusted friend’ he stopped visiting Mumbai. The second set back was when he suffered a paralytic attack three years ago.

Vedic chetna shivir concludes
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, December 29
The six-day long Vedic chetna shivir concluded at DAV College for Boys here today.

As many as 1,200 students from DAV institutions of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan participated in it.

Mr Dhani Ram, Principal of the college, said that the shivir (camp) was an attempt to inculcate moral values and the guru-shishya tradition and to teach yoga and vedic values.

Dr C. Prakash, and Justice R. S. Mittal, vice-president and secretary of DAV Managing Committee, Delhi, respectively, chaired the final day functions.

CRIME

Rs 3 lakh looted from plant employee
Tribune News Service

Three boys run over by train, killed
Our Correspondent

Abohar, December 29
Three boys were crushed to death by a train near Kalian village on the Abohar-Sriganganagar section last night.

According to information, the bodies were located in the morning after a night-long futile search by the parents.

A bottle of country liquor, steel glasses, packet of fried groundnuts, gur and a packet of cigarettes were found on the spot.

Family sources said Rajinder Sharma (15), Jagdish Meghwal (16) and Viram Meghwal (14) had told their families last evening that they were going to attend a party at their friend’s residence. When none of them returned till midnight, the parents got worried and initiated search, but could not locate them. all belonged to the same locality.

Rajinder’s father, Mr Madan Lal Sharma, was running an embroidery shop, Jagdish’s father, Mr Moti Lal Meghwa, had lost both arms in an explosion during service in the Army, and Vikram’s father, Mr Atma Ram, is a small farmer.

Probe ordered into molestation of minor
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 29
Taking a serious notice of an incident in which a Class IV employee had reportedly molested a minor girl at Inservice Training Centre, the district administration has ordered a probe into the matter.

According to sources, the incident took place at a recently held seminar at the training centre. Mr Baldev Singh, Mr Bhupinder Singh, and other teachers, who had attended the seminar, have lodged a complaint with the centre's principal, SSP, DC, and the DEO.

In their complaint they stated that a woman teacher had brought a 10-year-old girl along with her to look after her child at the seminar. Soon after the first session started, the teachers heard screams from the bathroom. When they reached there they found the girl crying and the Class IV employee ran away, they alleged.

She told them that the employee had "molested" her. These teachers have demanded a strict action against the accused.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Teachers Front, Faridkot, has also sought stern action against the alleged culprit.

The front warned that if the district administration failed to act against the employee, they would be compelled to act tough on the matter.

The District Education Officer, Ms Sukhmandar Kaur Brar, said the Deputy DEO, Ms Mahender Kaur, had already been asked to probe into the matter.

EDUCATION

Efforts afoot to revive PFUTA
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 29
Efforts are underway to revive the Punjab Federation of University Teachers Association (PFUTA) with a view to safeguard the autonomy of universities. The office-bearers of the Guru Nanak Dev University Teachers Association (GNDUTA) have rushed to Chandigarh to hold discussions to revive PFUTA which has been non-functional for the past few years.

This was disclosed by Dr Kuldip Singh, general secretary of the Guru Nanak Dev University Teachers Association, while talking to The Tribune before leaving for Chandigarh, here today. He said the teaching community was disturbed following claims,made by the Guru Nanak Dev University Vice-Chancellor that the Governor in his capacity as Chancellor of the university was likely to issue a directive regarding headship of the Department of the Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy.

He said Dr Raunki Ram, president, Panjab University Teachers Association, had already given his support to the GNDUTA. He said Dr Raunki Ram would also send communication to the Punjab Governor against issuing any directive amounting to violation of the university statute/calendar.

Dr Kuldip Singh said during the meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, the latter had assured that Dr G.S. Kang would be elevated as head of the Department of Physiotherapy in case no directive was issued in this regard. He said if Dr Kang was not given a chance to become next head, the GNDUTA would resort to agitation.

However, the Association of Physiotherapy Department challenged the claim of GNDUTA that the Governor could not intervene in the headship row. In a press release, the students and their parents appreciated the role of the Governor who had summoned the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar to sort out the matter.

Teachers stage dharna
Our Correspondent

Bathinda, December 29
Hundreds of teachers belonging to different unions today joined a dharna staged by the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) in front of the office of the District Education Officer (DEO) here to lodge their protest against the non-payment of salaries since November, 2004, to them by the state government.

In a press note issued here, Major Basant Kumar, secretary, DTF, Bathinda unit, said that on the one hand, the state government had not been paying salaries to the teachers regularly and on the other, the teachers were being put on different jobs which were entirely different than their profession of teaching.

He added that in the dharna, the teachers also lodged their protest against putting teachers on other duties, including the management of the mid-day meal scheme, making of voters’ identity cards, census and issuance of birth certificates.

He added that the teachers were also lodging their protest to press the state government to withdraw its anti-teacher Act-2004.

He pointed out that the state government had not been paying salaries to teachers on flimsy grounds as the Finance Department had put a condition that salaries would be paid to teachers only when they would be able to disclose their status that whether they were working on a planned category post or non-planned category post.

He said that the state government had been making the teachers suffer despite the fact that no such record was available with the authorities.

Later, the DTF submitted a memorandum to the state education authorities in connection with the demands.

ETT teachers’ dharna today

Bathinda, December 29
All the necessary arrangements have been made by the Unemployed Elementary Teachers Union to hold a dharna on December 30 at the district headquarters to lodge its protest against the temporary appointment of ETT teachers by the state government.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Jagsir Singh Sahota, senior vice-president of the union, said that the number of teams of unemployed teachers had played a significant role in making the necessary arrangements for holding a dharna. Banners and posters for the protest had already been distributed.

He said that the teachers had again decided to launch a struggle against the Punjab Government as it was promised by the government to start their (ETT teachers) recruitment process by October 18, but the same had not been done so far.

Mr Sahota added that to remind the government of their promise for the regular appointment of ETT teachers, massive rallies and dharnas would be organised. He said that non-acceptance of the demands would make them intensify the struggle.