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30 taken ill after consuming ‘poisonous seed’
Bathinda, April 2 According to sources, most of them were women and children. Minutes after consuming the seeds, they started vomiting and six of them fell unconscious, sources said. A team of doctors was trying to ascertain as to what exactly they had consumed. Sources said the incident occurred while these migrant labourers from Bihar were working in a potato field near Goniana Mandi. Their children started eating seeds of a plant growing nearby. They also gave some seeds to their mothers who too consumed these. All of them fell sick. Their associates took them to a nearby locality where they were given primary medical aid. Later, they were taken to the Bathinda Civil Hospital. Mansi Devi, a migrant labourer from Bihar, said her family was engaged in picking potatoes in Faridkot and Kotkapura areas. She said some children had persuaded their mothers to consume some seeds after these tasted good to them. Those admitted to the
hospital were reportedly responding well to the treatment.
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Elevated road to be a bane for city, say experts
Amritsar, April 2 Heritage lovers and experts say that the proposed project may pose a threat to the city. They say, no such action had been taken in any historic and ancient city of the world. Mr Balvinder Singh, a reader, Guru Ramdas School of Planning, Guru Nanak Dev University, and heritage expert feels this will disturb character and aesthetics of the area and may cause damage to Sri Harmandar Sahib since fumes from vehicles are bound to damage the environs and gold-covered shrine. No Environment Impact assessment study has been conducted before the announcement of the Prime Minister. The wind direction of the city is north west south east. The proposed parking lot will be in the north west of Sri Harmandar Sahib and vehicles at speed will land there. Public participation is another ignored area. This will disturb not only the character and aesthetics of the area but also may cause damage to Sri Harmandar Sahib. He said wind direction of the city is north west south east. The proposed parking lot will be in the north west of the Golden Temple. “Can’t we find other alternatives? There are solutions both long-term and short-term, he said. Mr Balvinder Singh added the latest threat to the city was by elevated road especially the one, to be constructed in the walled city. He said the period of Sikh Misls and Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1765-1849) was considered the golden period for the development of this city. During the British period i.e. from 1849-1947, the wall was demolished, one moat was filled up and gates dismantled. The only gate left is Rambagh gate, — a dilapidated condition. The layout of Rambagh garden and Gobindgarh fort was disturbed. During the period from 1947-2005, the name of re-development many areas were demolished. A major project “Approach Road to Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh” was prepared. Access to both these places widened. At that time no body thought of involving conservation professionals due to their unavailability in the country. Today conservation professionals are available, guidelines are there but they were not being consulted, he said. He suggested one short-term solution was to start battery-operated buses from different points outside the walled city and long-term introduction of metro. There are guidelines which must be referred before starting the elevated road inside the walled city. He urged the Prime Minister to look into the above suggestions and the proposal of elevated road in the walled city should be given rethinking. It would help conserve the character of this city founded by great Guru. Mr Brij Bedi, another heritage lover said that instead of constructing elevated roads, the administration should first improve the infrastructure already available in the city.
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Tohra group boycotts Badal function
Ludhiana, April 2 Prominent among those who boycotted the function included the district president of the party, Mr Hira Singh Gabria, the party general secretary, Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal (both Tohra loyalists but now with SAD) and senior vice-president Amarjit Singh Bhatia. The party is already faction-ridden in the district with a vertical split between the two. It was Mr Parkash Singh Badal himself who appeared to take serious note of the situation. Although it was not a party function but a religious one organised by Mr Amarjit Singh Chawla, a former president of the All India Sikh Students’ Federation and member of the Public Service Commission, Punjab, at his residence, but Mr Badal’s disappointment was obvious. He made it emphatically clear to leaders and workers that they would have to fight the elections unitedly. An upset Badal revealed: “People come to me saying that they will make me the Chief Minister, but they will not let so and so win”.
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Services of 42 physically challenged terminated
Mandi Ahmedgarh, April 2 Jagjit Singh, a clerk in the office of the Executive Officer, Panchayat Samiti, Mehal Kalan, with 60 per cent
disability has been sustaining his family, including old and ailing parents, with the meager salary, he was drawing on account of the job provided by the SAD government in 2001. "Instead of continuing us in service the Congress
government, terminated our services in 2002 and we had to seek justice from the High Court," rued Jagjit. Referring to the February 1, 2005, orders Jagjit Singh claimed that the High Court had directed the authorities to reinstate all employees and pay them back wages within three months from the date of the orders. "Though we were absorbed by the government and paid the dues as directed by the court, the authorities terminated our services, once again arbitrarily on March 27," said Jagjit. He said he along with some of affected employees would challenge the government's decision in the court. Tired of the legal battle and bogus assurances by leaders of the Congress, including National President, AICC, Ms Sonia Gandhi, Avtar Singh, a veterinary pharmacist in the office of Chief Executive Officer, Zila Parishad, Ludhiana, said: "Now we have understood that, any action, legal or organisational taken at this juncture will be futile, but we will certainly make those leaders realise their folly who have been making a mockery of law and helplessness of the handicapped and their dependents. We will strike the iron during the elections," warned Avtar Singh.
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Kirpal’s death sentence reprieved
Amritsar, April 2 The Lahore High Court has reportedly withdrawn the case against him. Claiming this, Mr Harpal Singh Bhullar, president, International Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society, said he had confirmed this from Mr Irfan Khan, Superintendent, Kot Lakhpat Jail, where Kirpal has been lodged for the past 15 years. Kirpal hails from Musafabad village, 10 km from Gurdaspur. He went missing from his native village in 1992 and was found lodged in a Pakistan jail two and a half years later. Mr Bhullar said the society had submitted resolutions through councils of advocates from more than 30 cities to the Pakistan Government, the Lahore High Court and the Pakistan Supreme Court for the reprieve of Kirpal’s sentence. He said now Kirpal had only one case left against him. He said the society would appeal to the Bar Association of the Supreme Court there, as he had already completed his sentence. He said they would also file a mercy plea for Sarabjit Singh to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Meanwhile, Mr Bhullar claimed that about nine more Punjabi youths were likely to be released by the Pakistan Government this April as their identification process had been completed.
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Three Chief Engineers shifted in 45 days
Gurdaspur, April 2 The way officers have been posted and transferred from the post in the past one and half months signifies its importance. Initially the PSEB vide order number 122/BEG of February 17 posted Mr B.D. Bansal, Chief Engineer Technical Audit and Planning (CE TA&I). A month later on March 30 Mr B.D. Bansal was posted back to planning and Mr Ashok Kumar Singal was posted to the post. The very next day on March 31 Mr P.K. Nayyar was posted as CE TA & I and Mr Ashok Kumar Singal was shifted out. Sources in the PSEB say that the officers connected with top bureaucracy are jostling with each other to get the coveted post. However, the way the officers are being shifted, it has been hitting work of the department. A large number of officers work under the Chief Engineer Technical Audit and Inspection. The Superintendent Engineer (Materials) working under the Chief Engineer controls 13 senior executive engineers who carry out inspection of material before dispatch at the facilities of manufacturers. Four executive engineers carry out inspection of repair works of transformers. The Director, Technical Audit (Electrical), working under the post has six senior executive engineers who can check any work or material. The Director, Technical Audit (Civil), of the department also has two executive engineers, who can check any civil work of the PSEB. The post has been in controversy as most of its occupants were caught by the Punjab Vigilance on graft charges. The officers posted in the department are responsible for the quality of material purchased and major repairs carried out by the PSEB. Former DGP PSEB (Vigilance), Lalit Bhatia had exposed irregularities in the material purchased by the PSEB from single suppliers. Even the simple material was purchased from single manufacturer at supplier’s rates. Even repairs of heavy motors was carried out at higher rates quoted by single firm. Due to it engineers of the PSEB have demanded that instead of shifting officers an officer of integrity be appointed to the post of Chief Engineer Technical Audit and Inspection to ensure quality in works.
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Recalling Jallianwala Bagh trauma
Amritsar, April 2 Travelling down memory lane, Mr Bharpur Singh told The Tribune yesterday that he along with his grandfather and an uncle had gone to Jallianwala Bagh where many people had gathered to celebrate the Baisakhi festival and to pay obeisance at the Darbar Sahib. He said the Congress had announced to hold a political meeting and the authorities were opposed to it and with this in view General Dyer, with a posse of men blocked the main entry to the ground , which was surrounded on all sides by houses. On the southern side there were small mud huts. He said when General Dyer asked his men to open fire , being a child he was unaware of what was happening. He said he had only a hazy idea that there was gun fire and shrieks and cries of people who started running helter-skelter. He said his grandfather took him in his arms and ran towards the mud huts. His uncle broke his arm while jumping on the other side from the roof on one of the huts. They were lucky to reach their ancestral house nearby. Further recounting the incident he said his uncle in the absence of any medical aid could only get his arm bandaged by a quack. Though the fracture got healed but he could not straighten his arm from his elbow throughout his life. He said whenever he visits Amritsar he bows his head in front of the statue of martyr Udham Singh who must have been moved by the tyranny perpetrated by Gen. Dyer and took the revenge 21 years later in 1940.
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SAD will come to power: Badal
Vallah (Amritsar), April 2 Addressing a public rally here, Mr Badal said according to reports reaching, the Congress would retain only 15 seats in the next Vidhan Sabha. He said the state government was spending crores on advertisements in the media. The SAD president said the state government had spent Rs 4.5 crore on the services selection board during the past four years but not even single person was given employment through it. He accused the central government of importing one million tonnes of wheat at a cost of Rs 900 per quintal but was not ready to enhance the minimum support price thus forcing farmers to commit suicide. Earlier, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, general secretary, SAD, said Capt Amarinder Singh had filed corruption cases against his family but could not prove them in court. He said the CM had virtually sold the state to liquor and land mafia. The SAD general secretary further said that if their party came to power, they would enhance the shagun scheme to Dalit girls to Rs 7,500 and would give 300 units of free electricity to Dalits.
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Councillors protest in front of ministers
Phillaur, April 2 Though Phillaur SDM Surinder Mohan Sharma, DSP Gursharandeep Singh Grewal tried to disuade them, the demonstrators went on raising anti-government slogans near a police barricade. They alleged that there was no need to lay the foundation stone for the sewerage system as the system was already in place in several areas of Goraya.
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Rs 1.20 crore irregularity in MC funds alleged
Amritsar, April 2 At a press conference here, Mr Bhatia alleged that the authorities of the MC gave contract for the maintenance of streetlights in the city to three companies — namely Linko Electrical Flower decorations, Karachi Engineers and Tarn Taran Electric Company, against rules as these did not fulfil conditions given in the tender. He alleged that the corporation issued work orders of Rs 1.79 crore, more set by the corporation. He also alleged that even the extension was granted to these companies in violations of norms, which resulted in loss to the corporation of Rs 35 lakh. He said the youth Congress would bring the matter to the knowledge of the Chief Minister and urge him to take action. Meanwhile, Mr Kulbir Singh Kang, Commissioner, MC rubbished the allegations and said the contract was given as per rules through the Finance and Contract Committee of the corporation besides all payments were audited before clearing the bills. He said people went to the press without going into the depth of the case. He alleged some people were trying to tarnish the image of the government and the corporation. He said that he was ready to face a probe.
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Army exhibition organised
Pathankot, April 2 A large number of students and youth from Gurdaspur district, Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining areas of Himachal witnessed the exhibition. On display were machine guns, missile launchers, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, radars and surveillance equipment. Army men answered queries of youth regarding the equipment on display. The dare-devil motor cycles riders of the Signal regiment entertained visitors with death-defying feats. A spokesperson of the Army told visitors that the dare-devils of the Army first performed in 1935 at Shimla under the leadership of Lt H.K. Ranjni. The dare-devils have many national and international records in their names. A few records of the dare-devils found mention in Guinnes book of records include 40 men on seven motor cycles in 1991, 81 men on nine motor cycles in 1994, 140 men on 11 motor cycles in 1996 and 201 men on 10 motor cycles in 2001. Display of Army dogs also enthralled the audience. Earlier in the day Lt Gen P.K. Rampal, GOC, Rising Stars Corps, inaugurated the exhibition. Talking to newsmen the General said that Army still was the most rewarding profession. Such exhibitions make youth aware about challenging career that awaits them in case they joined the services.
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Lt-Gen Brar takes over command of Chetak Corps
Bathinda, April 2 A veteran of 1971 war, he has commanded an Artillery Regiment North Sikkim, Brigade in counter-insurgency operations in Manipur and Nagaland and a division of Punjab. He was Chief of Staff of a corps in Ladakh with Kargil and Siachen under its ambit before moving here.
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Protest by health staff on April 5
Nabha, April 2 The march will start from Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, and end at Moti Mahal, residence of the Chief Minister. This decision was taken here at a meeting attended by PCMSA president Hardip Singh, Punjab State Pharmacist Association president Sham Lal Sharma, Mr Baljinder Singh Joshan and Mr Karnail Singh of the Para Medical Association, Hem Raj of the Class IV association, Punjab Radiographer Union president Harvilas and Mr Sikander Singh and Mr Amarjit Singh of the Laboratory Technician Union.
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Markfed to provide storage facility to farmers
Chandigarh, April 2 Farmers will be able to stock their produce with Markfed which will preserve and maintain quality in a scientific manner, said Mr S.S
Channy, Managing Director, Markfed, in a statement here today. He said Markfed shall arrange the advance equivalent to 70 per cent of the stock calculated at MSP for the
farmers. A receipt for the storage of wheat shall be issued. The farmers shall have to pay interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum. Wheat shall be available to them at any point of time they desire. By storing their wheat in warehouses of Markfed, farmers can avail the opportunity to sell their crop at anytime at the prevailing market prices or future market prices, as are being traded in the National Commodity Exchange (NCDEX) and the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), and get the profit of their produce at best prices available. The maximum period of storage will be nine months and Markfed will charge storage and maintenance, including insurance at Rs 3.25 per quintal. Farmers will have to bring Fare Average Quality (FAQ) wheat, already cleaned and filled in standard gunny bags, which can also be provided by Markfed. Markfed can settle the advance taken by the farmers from the bank at the time of settlement of the transaction. The final payment shall be given to the farmers on the day of settlement of the transaction. In case a farmer wishes to take the physical delivery of the produce at his own level in order to take the advantage of the local market price, he can get the warehouse receipts released from the bank in case of bank loan and Markfed shall release the stocks after claiming its dues. In case the farmer does not come forward to get his stock released within nine months or the period opted by the farmer and recorded on the warehouse receipts, then Markfed shall dispose of the stocks and settle the account.
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BKU (Ekta) opposes wheat import
Chandigarh, April 2 Mr Joginder Singh and Mr Sukhdev Singh, president and general secretary of the union, respectively said the decision was anti-farmer.
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Travel agency dupes youths of Rs 2 cr
Ludhiana, April 2 After making several rounds of the company, Kenya Export Company having its office in AC Market Calibre Plaza, Bhadaur House, here, in vain for the past several weeks to get their money back the youths today took the matter to the Kotwali police. The police raided the company office and detained a woman employee for questioning. The 130-odd youths also took out a march through the old city raising slogans against the directors of the company and the Punjab government, which had not taken any action against such travel agents. While the youths had every reason to cry foul, they have to share the blame too. They were taken for a ride despite the general awareness against the modus operandi of such travel agents. Case of youths duped in similar manner were being reported widely in the media too. None of the youths had met the accused company chief, Tony Desuza. The youths today realised they should have checked the authenticity of the travel company before paying him Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.30 lakh each. “The company officials promised so much and their advertisements claiming authenticity were being published widely in various newspapers. No government agency checked the credentials of the company,” said a victim Mr Parminder Singh. The youths had arranged the money by either pawning jewellery or mortgaging their small land holdings after taking loan on huge interest. The company had
assured them of lucrative jobs of truck drivers, carpenters, labourers, petrol pump employees and others in Kenya, Singapore, Doha, Qatar and neighboring countries. The Kotwali police was questioning the woman employee of the company. Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia and Mr Avtar Singh Mullanpuri, leaders of the Lok Bhalai Party, blamed the Congress government for the misfortune of the youths. They alleged that the Congress government was turning a deaf ear to the menace of the travel agents and it was left for other political parties to come to the aid of the victim families. He said the government needed to crush the menace with an iron hand.
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One killed, 11 hurt in bus mishap
Hoshiarpur, April 2 According to police sources, the deceased has been identified as Mukesh Kumar, son of Kuldip Chand of Doher (Talwara). The seriously injured — Gurbax Ram and Pawan Kumar, both of Beh Doshala — were referred to the DMC, Ludhiana, and Civil Hospital, Dasuya, respectively. The other injured were identified as Balwinder Singh, Anil Kumar, Palwinder Singh, Tarlochan Singh, all of Beh Lakha, Jagan Nath of Beh
Doshala, Sanjiv Kumar, Satish Kumar and Varinder Kumar, all of Beh
Vidhyian, and Lakhwinder of Rehru Patti. Sources further said the passengers were going from Talwara to Hoshiarpur to attend a BJP rally. The driver lost control of the bus while overtaking, which led to the accident. The Hajipur police has registered a case under Sections 279, 337, 338 and 304 A, IPC, against the bus driver, Natho Ram.
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Kidnapping accused held
Rajpura, April 2 According to the police, the accused was arrested on specific information from near Gagan Chowk. He, along with his parents, have been missing for the past several days. The accused had allegedly kidnapped a Class VIII student of a school run by his mother Rajwant Kaur. A case has been registered.
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Demand for dowry puts jawan behind bars
Gurdaspur, April 2 Army jawan Gurnihal Singh, allegedly demanded a car in dowry from the parents of bride at the time when his marriage was about to be solemnised at a marriage palace here, sources said. However, the parents of the bride reported the matter to the police which reached the venue and after registering a case under the Dowry Act arrested the jawan.
— PTI
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Chitkara college holds first convocation
Rajpura, April 2 As many as 200 B.Ed. students received degrees from the chief guest, Mr S.K. Sharma, Inspector General of Police, Patiala. Dr R.S. Ghuman, Dean, College Development Council, Punjabi University, Patiala, delivered the convocation address . He advised the students to live up to their responsibilities. "A teacher's task is supreme and cannot be compared to any other profession. A society that does not care for its teachers can not progress as the teachers are the builders of the nation," he added. Two students— Rajni Sharma and Meenu Jain— were declared the best students and awarded the college colours.
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NCC gets Rs 1.52 cr for training programmes
Abohar, April 2 Brig Katoch was received here during an inspection at the 2nd Punjab Independent Company of the NCC on the DA Campus this afternoon.
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