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Amarinder defends wheat import, seeks MSP hike
Ludhiana, April 16 The Chief Minister, who was here today to attend an Easter function, pointed out, it was the duty of the government of India to ensure food supply across the country at reasonable prices. He maintained that the import of wheat from abroad would in no way bring down the prices of wheat in Punjab. Referring to the issue of the boycott of mandis by various farmers’ organisations, the Chief Minister said he agreed with their demand for increasing the minimum support price for wheat since the cost of production had increased considerably. He observed that the MSP should be increased to commensurate to the increase in the production cost. The Chief Minister agreed that the power situation in the state was grim, particularly due to the increased demand, after various mega projects would be set up in the state. He said while the state government was focussing on increased generation it also proposed to buy power from Mr Anil Ambani’s Reliance Energy power plant at Ghaziabad. He disclosed that the Reliance Energy had a generation capacity of 3000 MWs. Of this Mr Ambani had committed 1000 MWs to Uttar Pradesh Government and 500MWs to Haryana Government. “We would like to buy 1000MW for Punjab,” he said. Replying to another question about the alleged high handedness of the CBI during the raids on two senior IAS Officers of Punjab, the Chief Minister said that he would soon take up the matter with the Ministry of Personnel, Government Of India, about the way in which the officials of the CBI had conducted raids on the premises of these officers there by exceeding their brief in arbitrary manner. He observed it would have been better, if they had approached the state government to ascertain the factual position of the Forest Hill Country Club through examining the revenue records pertaining to the land whether it was forest land or not. Absolutely ruling out the possibility of any poll alliance with the CPI in the forth-coming Assembly elections in the state, Captain Singh said that last time the party had committed a mistake and this would not be repeated now. He said that PPCC President Shamsher Singh Dullo had also made his views publicly known that Congress would go all alone in the Assembly elections slated in February 2007 and they were confident of party’s better prospects without CPI. Asked about any alliance CPM, Capt. Singh said that till now there was no such indication from them and declined to make any comment in this regard. Replying to another question weather he would recommend Mr Brar’s case for seeking any disciplinary action to AICC high command, Captain Singh said he had already brought it to the notice of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, because what Mr Brar was doing amounted to grave indiscipline within the party and she (Ms Gandhi) was fully aware of the situation.
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PSCST helps in patenting of innovations
Chandigarh, April 16 The PSCST, after a lengthy process, has got patented an earthquake alarm, a bio-sensor for patients of diabetes, teaching aids in mathematics and bio-sensors to check concentration of heavy metal in affluents. Now the inventors have asked the council to help them find commercial tie-ups and enable technology transfer. The council will act as a facilitator to help in working out a licence agreement. Apart from such inventions, the council has applied for patents for new formulations for the pharma industry. Dr Neelima Jerath, who deals with the matter, says it is a slow process and making an applications after screening comprises a major part of the process. The council has procured data bases of Indian, European and US patents at a high price and a thorough “patent search” is run for the applicants before applying. In case there is doubt that the equipment has been already patented, the researcher is told about it. This is followed by a patent attorney filing an application. These services are free for Government institutions and educational institutions, besides Government employees. The fee is borne by the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) that works under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. However, a small fee is charged from private parties. “Word is slowly spreading about the work being done by the council”, says Dr Jerath. Experts from the council had gone to give a lecture at a children’s science exhibition where a mathematics teacher of a government school in Kapurthala approached them with a unique teaching aid”. This resulted in the product being patented”. Now researchers from Punjabi University, Patiala, Regional Engineering College, Jalandhar, said Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, had approached the council too, she said.
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200 farmers released from jails
Sangrur, April 16 Talking to The Tribune over the phone this evening, Mr Joginder Singh Ugrahan, state president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), said about 245 farmers had been released by the government “unconditionally”, succumbing to the pressure of the farmers’ organisations. He said only nine farmers were now in the Sangrur district jail. Mr Ugrahan said the release of almost all farmers from the jails was a big victory of the farmers’ organisations as these had compelled the government to release them by building a pressure on the government at their conference held on April 14 at Talwandi Sabo. He said the organisations would now hold a meeting on April 20 to chalk out an action plan to compel the government to scrap the notification issued regarding the acquisition of 376 acres. Mr Ugrahan said the farmers’ organisation would also take out “flag mare” on April 24 to April 26 in Dhaula, Sangherra and Chhanna villages to mobilise the people against the acquisition of 376 acres.
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Cong unhappy over Durgiana panel’s action
Amritsar, April 16 According to highly placed sources, the top brass of the local unit of the Congress was offended by the way allegations were levelled against each other by the new committee members and its former president, Mr Surinder Arjun. Two senior members of the Congress party had met Mr Arjun and had detailed discussion in this regard on last Friday. Mr Arjun had been able to convince the top brass that he was not involved in the embezzlement and had been singled out by a particular group in the DMC due to personal vendetta. The high command had assured him that they had understood the main problem and would try to resolve the issue. The senior leaders of the party were offended by the press conference held by new committee members yesterday who had appealed to the police to register a case of embezzlement worth Rs 1 crore against Mr Arjun. Despite the fact that they had sent an emissary with instructions to refrain from accusing its former head yet the committee went ahead with the conference thus forcing the leaders to rethink on the constitution of the new executive committee. It is pertinent to mention here that the Congress had forcibly taken over the management by appointing its own men headed by Mr Arjun in October 2000 when it came to power in the state. In the same way on March 28 this year, disturbed with the working style of Mr Arjun, senior leaders of the party had constituted another committee, which included members from the Congress, BJP and other Hindu organisations. Going by the past records of the ruling party it may reconstitute the committee again in the next few weeks if this committee did not refrain from levelling allegations against Mr
Arjun.
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Circuit House converted into police rest house
Gurdaspur, April 16 The Circuit House was to be taken over by the Hospitality Department headed by the Chief Secretary, Punjab. The Public Works Department, after completion of the building had written to the Chief Secretary to take over the building. For running the Circuit House the government was to provide personnel from the Hospitality Department of the state. However, sources here revealed that the Hospitality Department failed to spare personnel for posting at Gurdaspur. The Department of Hospitality also did not show much interest in operating a Circuit House in a remote place like Gurdaspur. Due to failure of the Hospitality Department to take over the building, the district administration mooted a proposal to convert the place into a rest house. The district police also moved a request for setting up an officers mess in the building. The PWD Minister, Punjab, Mr Pratap Singh Bajwa, when contacted said after the Hospitality Department failed to take over they decided to convert the building into a PWD rest house. Now the ground floor of the building has been converted into a PWD rest house. The place at which the present rest house of the PWD is located would be converted into a department office. The first floor of the building has been handed over to the Police Department for the officer’s mess-cum-rest house, he said. The move has, however, been flayed by SAD and BJP leaders. They alleged that the Circuit House at Gurdaspur was planned keeping in view the remoteness of the area. There was no place to house officers and teams coming from the Centre at the district headquarters.
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CPI, CPM differ on approach to SAD-BJP
Chandigarh, April 16 Differing with the latest political line of the CPI in Punjab, the CPM today said its main aim would be to defeat the SAD-BJP in the state. “My party considers the SAD-BJP alliance as communal and its first objective would be to defeat it in the coming Assembly elections, said Mr Balwant Singh,” Secretary of the CPM here yesterday. Mr Balwant Singh said his party fully supported forming a secular third front but do not agree with the CPI’s political line of keeping equi-distance from the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress in the state. Mr Balwant Singh said the CPI should revise its political approach and make it synonymous with the political line adopted by the CPI at the national level. At the national level, both the CPI and the CPM have extended support from outside to the Congress-led Government at the Centre. Mr Balwant Singh said the revision in the political line of the CPI would help in raising a secular third front in the state. He said this while reacting to a statement made by Mr Jagroop Singh, Secretary of the Punjab unit of the CPI, at Jalandhar yesterday. Mr Jagroop Singh had stated that his party would maintain equal political distance from the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress.
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Health staff gheraoes minister
Patiala, April 16 The protesters were demanding the withdrawal of the Punjab Government’s decision to hand over the 1,193 rural dispensaries across the state to the Zila Parishads. Health employees of all categories, including Para Medical and Health Employees Union Punjab, Punjab State Pharmacists Association, Punjab Medical Laboratory Technicians Union, Punjab State Radiographers, Punjab Nurses Association gathered under the banner of the ‘Save Health Services Struggle Committee’ and asked the government not to take ‘‘controversial’’ decisions under the pressure of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The leaders added that the proposed decision of the government would deteriorate the health services in the state. Today’s action was part of the decision taken by the SHSSC to gherao ministers in public and was organised under the leadership of Mr Narinder Mohan Sharma, Mr Gurmeet Singh, Mr Deep Chand Hans and other office-bearers of the district committee. Dogra agrees to mediate The P.C.M.S Association, Punjab, today claimed that Mr R.C Dogra, Health Minister, Punjab, had agreed to mediate between it and the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, to get a meeting fixed with the Chief Minister to resolve the issue of contract recruitment of doctors by Zila Parishads and to end adverse publicity and unrest in the health department. Dr M.S Randhawa and Dr Manjit Singh, Patron and General Secretary of the association, respectively, said in a joint press note issued here today that a delegation of PCMSA met Mr Dogra today and requested him to make arrangements for ending the communication gap between the association and the Chief Minister to amicably resolve the issue on merit. They added that the association urged upon the state government to review the decision of recruitment of doctors on contract basis by the Zila Parishads as it was bound to adversely affect various National Health Programmes and compromise the impartiality of the medico-legal work there by jeopardising the system of justice in the state.
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European legislators to oppose turban ban
Amritsar, April 16 She was talking to the media at the Golden Temple here. Ms Gill, leading a 13-member delegation of European parliamentarians, said she had met certain groups and legal experts in France who were initiating legal battle against the French law. She said many Sikh youths in France were unable to attend school due to the turban ban. She said they were also explaining the position to various parliamentarians of the world so that pressure could be put on the French Government to reverse its order. When the media asked one of the delegates representing France, Mr Jean Marilbeauple, about the turban issue, he feigned ignorance about the issue and said he didn’t know about it as it was probably confined to a particular part of the country.
— TNS
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Wheat crop destroyed in 100 acres
Nawanshahr, April 16 Mr Krishan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Kulbir
Singh, SDM, reached the site and took stock of the damage caused to the standing wheat crop.
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Ex-serviceman commits suicide
Kharar, April 16 The victim Rajan Mittal, a resident of Ranjit Colony, in his suicide note wrote that he had failed at getting a job or starting his own business due to which he was depressed. He added that he had failed to carry out his responsibilities towards his family. The victim committed suicide when no one was at home. The body was found by his wife, who works as a school teacher, when she came back from school in the afternoon. Police sources said that Rajan had taken premature retirement from the Army and had come to Kharar to settle in Punjab. He tried his hand at starting small businesses and getting jobs but could not succeed. The police has started proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. The body was handed over to the family today following the postmortem examination.
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Three killed in van-truck collision
Pathankot, April 16 According to police sources, the van was coming from Gurdaspur. The driver of the truck fled from the scene.
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700 delegates attend seminar on female foeticide
Patiala, April 16 She inaugurated "Umeed"—a conference on female foeticide— jointly organised by the office of civil surgeon in collaboration with the India Medical Association (IMA) unit of Patiala and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Government Medical College, Patiala, at the college auditorium. About 700 delegates were present on the occasion. A galaxy of medical specialists, social workers and people belonging to different sections of the society participated in the conference. She said a change of mindset was the need of hour. People should be educated about the serious consequences of this evil,
she added. Presiding over the function, Punjab Health Minister Ramesh Chander Dogra said the state government was serious about checking the heinous crime and was taking strict action against those who were violating the PNDT Act, 1994. He also appealed to the ultrasonologists and gynaecologists to identify the black sheep involved in the crime. Mr
D.S. Guru, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, said licences of 160 ultrasound centres in the state had been cancelled for violation of the provision of the PNDT Act. Dr Ravinder Singh, Vice- Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, said medical professionals should discipline themselves against the crime of female foeticide. Dr Sanjiv Malik, national president, IMA and president of SAARC, Medical Associations, highlighted the role of the IMA in the fight against female foeticide. Dr Manmohan Singh, President of Punjab Medical Council, said Punjab was the first state in the country to initiate action against a medical professional under the Punjab Medical Council Act (code of medical ethics) for indulging in the unethical practice of female foeticide. Dr
R.C. Garg, President, IMA, Punjab, said IMA would not give shelter to the doctors who were involved in the crime against unborn daughters. Dr Rana Harinder, Director, Family Welfare, Punjab, and Dr O.P.S. Kande, patron, IMA, Patiala, also spoke on the occasion. Dr Virinder Singh Mohi, a civil surgeon, exhorted medical professionals for introspection. Ms Amanpreet Kaur, a student of the local Government Girls College, recited a poem on the practice female foeticide. A multi-dimensional exhibition on female foeticide was held in the venue by Dr
N.S. Bawa, a veteran of the IMA from Fatehgarh Sahib.
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Put in more effort, teachers exhorted
Nawanshahr, April 16 Mr Krishan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, while addressing the seminar, called upon the teachers, panchayats and VEDCs to put in a concerted effort to bring in qualitative improvement in the functioning of the schools. The teachers should come forward to regain their “glorious status of nation builder”, he said, adding that there might be difficulties, but with determination the these could be overcome. He said he had fixed a target of bringing all children under the umbrella of school education by March 2007 and formulated a comprehensive plan for the purpose. However, if the panchayats, VEDCs and teachers joined hands with dedication, the target could be achieved in just a month. By bringing in qualitative improvement in the education structure, social evils like drug addiction and female foeticide could be curbed, he said. He stressed the need of providing moral education to students. Mr Gurmail Singh Sahlon, District Education Officer, Dr Darshan Singh Bedi, Principal, Shivalik Public School, and Mr Dinesh Kumar, District Coordinator, Vocational Education, also addressed the seminar.
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SC panel order on ETT recruitment
Chandigarh, April 16 In a petition filed before the commission, the candidates had stated that their application had not been entertained by the department on the ground that they had not aggregate of 100 marks which was required as a part of the eligibility criteria. However, the Welfare Department had conveyed to the Director of the Rural Development and Panchayats that no condition of aggregate numbers could be imposed in case of candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and backward classes. They were required to fulfil only basic educational qualification meant for recruitment.
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NRI comes to aid of needy students
Amritsar, April 16 BJP state vice-president Lakshmi Kanta Chawla said the aid would go a long way in helping the needy students, who studied besides doing menial jobs to eke out a living. She rued that for the past one year no grant had been released by the government for over 100 students studying in the schools. She said they last drew their salaries for the months of April, May and half of June, 2005, which too was issued in September.
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