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Lovely Institute students continue strike
Licensed colonisers’ list on PUDA website
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‘NRIs to modernise 20 villages of Punjab’
Blue berry all set to have ‘roots’ in Punjab
RCF unions demand CBI probe into purchases of components
Khushi does not suffer from polio
Liquor smugglers’ gang busted
MPLAD funds should be increased, says Atwal
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Lovely Institute students continue strike
Jalandhar, February 10 The suspension orders were passed by the authorities concerned on Wednesday. The students from all batches joined the strike in support of the five boys and no classes were held today in the institute. The students raised slogans against the authorities, alleging that they were adopting dictatorial attitude towards the students. The students claimed that the charges of “indiscipline” slapped on the five students were false. Despite the persistent demand of the students to revoke the suspension orders against the five students, the authorities did not relent. Mr Ashok Mittal, president of the institute, said that an inquiry would be conducted into the matter. He added that the institute “could not tolerate nuisance” on the campus. He urged the students to rejoin the classes. |
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Licensed colonisers’ list on PUDA website
Phagwara, February 10 The step has also enabled the police to take action against the unauthorised persons who dupe the people by developing illegal colonies in different parts of the state. The Chief Administrator of PUDA issues licenses to colonisers developing colonies in the area of more than 10 acres, while the Chief Town Planner and District Town Planners are the licensing authority for the colonies to be developed on less than 10 acres of land. Notably, the Punjab Government in mid-October had implemented the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act, 1995, to regulate the sale and purchase of properties and development of colonies and to check unauthorised and haphazard growth of construction in the state. Under this Act, no person can convert land measuring more than 1,000 sq mt into a colony after dividing it into residential or commercial or industrial plots without obtaining a license from the competent authority declared by the Punjab government under the Act. The violators of the provisions of the Act would be liable to be punished with three years’ imprisonment or Rs 10,000 fine or both. Despite this, unauthorised colonisers are still running their business in the state. Mr M.S. Sidhu, Additional Chief Administrator, PUDA, told The Tribune that more than 600 cases had been registered during the last two years in Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Patiala and Sangrur districts. Mr Sidhu disclosed that PUDA had made it mandatory for the developers to get a clearance of the layout plans before advertising the sale of apartments or plots. |
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‘NRIs to modernise 20 villages of Punjab’
Phagwara, February 10 “Hygiene, underground sewers, landscaping, cleanliness, treatment plant will be taken care of under the modernisation project.” Mr Dhaliwal would inaugurate a sewerage project in his ancestral village Deengrian tomorrow. The project would cost $ 1 lakh. He also talked about the need for a direct flight between Vancouver and Amritsar for attracting NRI investors, especially those from Canada. When asked why NRIs did not invest in Punjab, even though many Punjabis were settled abroad, he attributed it to inadequate infrastructure, insecurity pertaining to investment and old bureaucratic mindset. He predicted that that there might be another mid-term poll in Canada within the next two years. Talking to this correspondent here, Mr Dhaliwal, a three-time MP and former Cabinet Minister who had held three portfolios, including Fisheries and Oceans, Revenue and Natural Resources, called the new Harper government “a weak minority government”. He said that even though the Martin government was also in minority, the Harper government was even weaker. “Polls might again be held after one and a half years and then a majority government could come to power. Stephen Harper, the new Canadian Prime Minister, is being watched by people,” he said. When asked why no South Asian had been inducted into the new Conservative Cabinet, Mr Dhaliwal, who remained senior Political Minister in-charge of British Columbia during the Jean Chretien government, said that it had sent a clear message to the South Asian community that they were not on Harper’s priority list. “There were capable and experienced MPs from the community, but their non-inclusion in the 27-member new Cabinet is a big loss to the community.” He brushed aside a suggestion that victory of the Conservatives pointed to the weaning away of immigrants from the Liberals. “Many Liberals had won from Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Surry and this showed that the Liberals still are the favourites of immigrants.” Though he shared his concern over the approach of the party on the Same Sex Marriage Bill, he did not agree with the reasoning that traditional immigrants, especially Sikhs, had not liked it and had voted against the Liberals. |
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Blue berry all set to have ‘roots’ in Punjab
Jalandhar, February 10 The vitamin-rich blue berry has been gaining popularity among health-conscious people, particularly in Japan, where people vouch for its efficacy in helping fight a host of diseases. The fruit is said to be good for the eyesight, and is also said to be a good appetiser. It is also said to have anti-cancerous properties. For its qualities, the fruit is abundantly used in ice-creams, jams and yoghurt across the world. The Purewal brothers — Gurjit Singh, Malkit Singh and Charan Singh — who had migrated to British Columbia in Canada in 1979 and started the cultivation of blue berry in partnership with one Nihal Singh Brar in 1981, now own a 1000-acre “blue farm” at Pittmeadows in British Columbia. Apart from this biggest blue berry farm in Canada, the Purewal brothers are also running a huge blue berry processing unit. According to Gurjit Singh Purewal, most of the processed fruit is exported to other countries, including Japan. “Japan is the biggest importer of blue berry. Our share in the import is roughly about 10 per cent,” said Gurjit Singh Purewal, who hails from Purewal village near Nawanshahr and is currently in India to organise an annual mega-tournament in the memory of his father at his native village. According to Gurjit Singh Purewal, India, particularly the upper areas of Punjab falling in Doaba region, could be suitable for growing the blue berry crop. “In fact, it needs a porous soil and cold climatic conditions, which are available for some months in Doaba region. The crop can pay rich dividends to farmers who are fed up with the highly non-viable paddy-wheat crop cycle,” he said. He said he had experimented with some blue berry plants, which he had grown in his native village, and their growth was satisfactory. “Now I am planning to bring more plants and will plant them in Punjab and parts of Himachal Pradesh in the second phase of my experiment. If everything goes well, we will start a full-scale blue berry cultivation in Punjab. People across the globe value the fruit so much that it has been adjudged the ‘fruit of the year’ for the past five years,” he added. |
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RCF unions demand CBI probe into purchases of components
Kapurthala, February 10 The leaders alleged that 331 types of coach components amounting to Rs 11.11 crore procured last year were not issued for use resulting in the piling up of unused stock and the blockade of capital. Last week, the union leaders alleged of injudicious purchases worth Rs 40 crore made by the management in the past several years also. The agitated employees urged Mr R.R. Bhandari, Member Mechanical, Railway Board, for the reinstatement of Ram Rattan Singh, a former Staff Council member. The irate employees started raising slogans against the management. All the union leaders including Staff Council members apprised Mr Bhandari of the ongoing agitation of the employees and their demands. The union leaders told him about the alleged malpractices in the purchases in the factory. Member Mechanical after listening to the union leaders asked them to meet him in the evening to discuss their problems. |
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Khushi does not suffer from polio
Phagwara, February 10 Khushi had been initially treated for Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), but now she was being treated for Gullen Barre Syndrome (GBS), a form of brain fever, said the health authorities. Khushi’s case that had been in media glare had sent the health authorities into a tizzy. She had been referred to the CMCH, Ludhiana, on December 27 last year. Meanwhile, the health authorities said another polio mop-up drive would be launched in the area on February 26. |
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Liquor smugglers’ gang busted
Phagwara, February 10 Giving this information here today, ASP Sukhchain Singh Gill disclosed that during a surprise search operation at a police naka yesterday, a truck was searched by the police party and the liqour was found hidden in a specially-made cabin. The police also arrested one Amarjit Singh, a resident of Bhagowal village in Ropar district, whereas his accomplice, Harjinder Singh, a resident of Pehowa in Haryana, succeeded in taking to his heels. The ASP said the gang used to smuggle liquor from Himachal Pradesh and used to supply it around Phagwara, Jalandhar and other neighbouring areas. A case has been registered under Sections 61/1/14 of the Excise Act. “Police parities have been dispatched to Himachal, Haryana and other neighbouring districts to nab the other accused,” the ASP said. |
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MPLAD funds should be increased, says Atwal
Phagwara, February 10 On the misuse of MPLAD funds by some MPs, he said that its misuse by a few persons did not mean that it should be discontinued. “It should rather be increased further so that the MPs can play a bigger role in the development of their constituencies. The idea behind the fund has been to promote public welfare.” Mr Atwal had come here to attend a function of the local Bar Association and DAV College. |
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