The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Settlers seek ownership of Forest Dept land
Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 30
Hundreds of settlers living on the land which the government had transferred to the Forest Department a few years ago have been continuing with the protest dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here, demanding that they should be granted ownership rights. They are being supported by various Leftist organisations. They staged a massive demonstration today and also blocked the traffic for sometime.

They started their dharna in front of the DC’s office on May 23 and are continuing with it. They said they would continue with the protest as long as the government did not grant them the ownership rights. They claimed that they had been living on the land for about 50 years when they migrated from Pakistan. A few years ago the government reportedly transferred the land to the Forest Department which has now started the process of evicting them.

The settlers who have been protesting under the banner of the Abaddkar Sangarh Samiti claimed that the land was not the forest land as it was being made out to be. It was barren land and not claimed by anyone. “We cultivated and tended it all these years and recently the government transferred the land to the Forest Department and started harassing us”, said Mr Mukhtiar Singh.

Some of the protesters have also fallen sick as the temperature keeps on soaring. They asserted that they would prefer to die while staging the dharna than going away as long as the government did not grant them ownership rights. They said they were prepared to pay a reasonable price to the government for the ownership rights and did not want it free of cost.

Another protester said, “Earlier it used to be barren and unclaimed land and nobody was bothered about it...once we settled there and tended it, everybody started claiming it and ultimately the Forest Department managed to get it transferred to itself”. He said, they would not let themselves to be forced out of the land which they had nourished all these years.

PAU Dean Tiwana resigns
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 30
Dean, College of Agriculture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Dr Malvinder Singh Tiwana, has resigned from the post. Dr Tiwana’s term as Dean was to end tomorrow. Although Dr Tiwana could not be contacted for his comments, it was learnt that he had sought extension till October 31, when he was to retire from the university, but it had not been granted.

Dr Tiwana has been the senior most Dean and the senior most professor in the university right now. After his term as Dean would have expired on May 31, he was supposed to work as a professor in the same department again. Since PAU had a precedent of two terms for deans directors and other senior positions, he had made a representation to the authorities, which was declined.

Dr Tiwana has remained an outstanding scientist throughout his career. He has several research publications to his credit, besides having occupied several administrative and academic posts in the university. He has also written a book on the 100 years of the College of Agriculture, right from the day it was set up in Lyallpur, now in Pakistan.

He is credited with having planned, programmed and remodelled course curriculum as per the modern-day needs after analyzing the inputs from various sources, including farmers, students, alumni, constituent departments and agribusiness enterprises. It was during his tenure that the post-graduate courses of the college were revised as per ICAR guidelines.

It was with his initiative that the university worked out a collaboration on agricultural education with national and international universities and colleges of agriculture. The collaboration between the College of Agriculture of PAU with the University of British Columbia, Canada, was also the result of this initiative The main feature of this agreement is exemption of tuition fee that amounts to about 15,000 Canadian dollars. Two students from the College of Agriculture have already joined the third year course at the University of British Columbia.

Dr Tiwana was instrumental in establishing the counselling and placement cell which has been providing counselling to students aspiring for higher studies abroad to pass GRE, TOEFL and GMAT. For the first time in PAU he also got all the lecture rooms in the college equipped with overhead projectors and LCDs for improved teaching.

8 booked for taking possession of land
Our Correspondent

Khanna, May 30
The Payal police has registered a case against eight residents of Sihan Daud village on the charges of taking illegal possession of two bighas of land of Mukhtiar Singh. Complainant Mukhtiar Singh of Dallanwal village had reported to the police that he was owner of the land in the village but it was acquired for the focal point of the village and the panchayat transferred another piece of land of same measurement in the village against that.

In the meantime a new panchayat took charge. Members of the new panchayat tried to dispossess him of the land. He filed a case in the civil court, Khanna, and got stay orders against the panchayat. But latter someone informed him that certain persons were taking possession of his land. When he reached the spot he noticed eight to 10 armed persons ploughing his land. He came back and informed the police.

Following the complaint, the police registered a case against Mr Gurbax Singh, Mr Jasbir Singh, Doctor, Baldev Singh, Mr Bachittar Singh, Mr Joga Singh, Mr Sadhu Singh and Mr Balwinder Singh under Sections 447, 511, and 148-149 at Payal police station.

Search Within
What is the best that we can do for others?

His holiness Baba Virsa Singh is a towering spiritual figure heading the Gobind Sadan (house of God), a sprawling ashram-type abode frequented by people from all over the world. Around 90 minutes drive from Delhi, the sadan’s tranquil atmosphere far removed from the din and tumult of the city makes it an ideal retreat centre. On occasions, often after dinner, the guests are allowed an audience with Maharaj Ji (as he is called by his disciples) who dwells on spiritually edifying subjects.

On a recent visit to the sadan, this reporter had the privilege of listening to him. The topic was: “What is the best help one man can render to another?”

In his gentle soft voice, the spiritual leader who teaches the truths as brought out by God’s various messengers, began by saying that it is a great blessing to have good thoughts and share them with others. The greatest blessing is to bring people to God.

Guru Gobind Singh was once asked how best to help people. He said that clothes handed down to the poor get worn out. Food, as it is eaten, soon gets exhausted. Even if they are provided houses, they do not last for ever. Further, there may be other unmet needs. To really help them, their inner selves need to be inspired so that they do not need to depend on others.

In essence, he meant that people should be taught to help themselves, whether it is in the mundane matter of earning a livelihood or on the spiritual plane: searching for the meaning of life. We are all familiar with the maxim that it is better to teach a man fishing rather than doling out a fish every time he is hungry.

Those whom we call messiahs or prophets are messengers from God. They link people with God. God is most happy with those who link others with Him. That’s the greatest charity we can do, Baba Virsa Singh continued.

Jesus, Maharaj ji said, had taught that those who are compassionate and loving, who bring peace, and who strive to unite people, are all blessed.

Religions lay down different ways of approaching God. But there is not one religion that tells its followers to hate, steal, or view with indifference the suffering of others or to be intolerant of those holding contrary views. What is more, they have many things in common.

For instance, few will disagree with Nelson Mandela’s avowal during a speech in 1994. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

A Chinese proverb pictures the route to peace in any nation through God’s touch on individual souls. If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”

Man has to meet his basic needs that are obvious to everyone. But then for happiness and fulfillment man needs much more. Spiritual leaders of all hues, regions and times have acknowledged this truth about human nature. Mother Teresa, for instance, used to maintain that the “least of my brethren” are the hungry and the lonely, not only for food, but for the Word of God; the thirsty and the ignorant not only for water, but also for knowledge, peace, truth, justice and love; the naked and the unloved, not only for clothes but also for human dignity; the unwanted; the unborn child; the racially discriminated against; the homeless and abandoned, not only for a shelter made of bricks, but for a heart that understands, that covers, that loves There are the sick, the dying destitutes, and the captives, not only in body, but also in mind and spirit; all those who have lost all hope and faith in life; the alcoholics and dying addicts and all those who have lost God and who have lost all hope in the power of the Spirit.

Whoever could rekindle the flame of hope in them should be considered extraordinary. Baba Virsa Singh is in the line of those who seek to throw light on the troubled man’s pathway. Through his impartation of inner strength to seekers and emphasis on hard work, he is promoting righteousness, justice and harmony in society. His influence is spreading to nations like the Soviet Union drawing many under his influence.

— MPK Kutty

‘Chakarviyu’ released
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 30
The maiden book by Ms Paramjit Kaur Nijjar was released here today at Punjabi Bhavan. Mr Trilochan Singh Virk, president of Punjabi Listeners’ Club, UK, presided over the function.

Punjabi Culture Study Circle International (PCSCI) organisers of the function, honoured Trilochan Singh for his successful effort in promotion of Punjabi and Punjabiyat in the UK. Mr Jagtar Dhiman, organiser of the function, said due to sincere efforts of Trilochan Singh, nine hours of Punjabi programmes were being broadcast on the BBC which was aired for merely half an hour earlier. Dr Dhiman said Trilochan Singh had always strived for upholding high moral values and standards.

The PCSCI also released a newly published novel ‘Chakarviyu’ authored by Ms Paramjit Kaur Nijjar. Ms Paramjit has written in a very sensitive way the dilemma faced by women in modern times.

Woman commits suicide
Our Correspondent

Khanna, May 30
A married woman committed suicide by jumping in front of a train on Monday morning. The body of the victim identified as Parmjit Kaur (32), a resident of Rattanheri village, was noticed lying at the railway track by some gangmen on duty. The cause behind the suicide might be depression due to illness, the police said. The body of the victim was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination was conducted at the Civil Hospital, Khanna.

2 held with tyre tubes
Our Correspondent

Khanna, May 30
The Khanna police arrested two thieves and recovered truck tyre tubes from them yesterday. According to the police, ASI Mohinder Singh raided a house at Mandiala Kalan village on secret information and arrested two thieves and recovered 135 tubes of truck tyres worth Rs 19,000. The thieves were identified as Jammu Ram and Sat Pal, both residents of Mandiala Kalan. A case under Section 379 and 411, IPC, has been registered at the Sadar police station, Khanna.

Motor parts industry rues power cuts
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 30
The Ludhiana Motor Parts Manufacturers Association has condemned frequent power cuts introduced by the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). The association said the unscheduled power cuts for seven to eight hours a day had badly disturbed the industrial activity in the state.

Mr G.S. Kahlon, president, and Mr Charan Singh Kohli, general secretary of the association, said the PSEB had not learnt any lesson during the past three years.

Mr Kohli said, the small-scale industry was badly affected by the power cuts. Prior to it, trade and industry in the state had remained adversely affected due to steep hike in steel prices and then due to introducing of VAT system. Although these two problems had subsided, the power crisis in the state had again hit the industry hard, he added.

Mr Kahlon feared, “This time, the situation is serious as most of the power plants have been closed and it will take at least one month to bring these in order”.

He demanded that in spite of putting unnecessary and undesirable fiscal burden on the industry and public by way of increasing the tariff, the PSEB should make necessary arrangements to remove its own anomalies especially to reduce transmission and distribution losses, remove corrupt practices, bring down extra expenses and recover bills outstanding against various government departments that were around 105 crore.