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Publishers barred from bringing out Guru Granth Sahib
Amritsar, April 22 SGPC chief Avtar Singh, while taking serious note of the “unholy acts” of private publishers by publishing “birs” in violation of an Akal Takht directive, said the committee had sole rights for publishing Guru Granth Sahib as per the Sikh
“maryada”. The SGPC said a CD, which is in possession of the SGPC, showed a publisher selling Guru Granth Sahib to a muslim seer even though Akal Takht had banned performing “path” of Guru Granth Sahib at
“samadhs”. The “malpractice” of the publisher was highlighted through a sting operation. The publisher was shown accusing the SGPC of having failed to supply good quality “birs” as per the demand of the Sikh “sangat”. The SGPC chief also accused the state government of having failed to take legal action against such publishers. The five Sikh high priests had summoned the descendants of Bhai Jeewan Singh and Chattar Singh at Akal Takht on May 14, 2001 for publishing Guru Granth Sahib in violation of the “hukamnama” (edict). The edict, issued by the then Jathedar, Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, on May 9, 1998, had directed that the SGPC had sole rights for printing “birs” of Guru Granth Sahib in order to prevent “blasphemous” acts of private publishers. The SGPC chief, however, alleged that despite repeated warnings, Jeewan Singh Chattar Singh & Sons continued to violate the directives of Akal Takht and for this they were declared “tankhayia” (guilty of religious misconduct) and had to undergo the religious punishment in the past. He said the SGPC was pained at publishers’ violation of the edict. The edict issued by Akal Takht made it clear that only the SGPC, the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee or any other publisher, with the permission of Akal Takht, could publish the holy book. The SGPC chief further alleged that Jeewan Singh and Chattar Singh had ferried “birs” of Guru Granth Sahib through a goods train in gross violation of the edict.
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Centre processing spurious Bt cotton seed unearthed
Abohar, April 22 Thousands of fake labels, plastic bottles and packets were seized in a raid on a complex in the Gobind Nagari locality. Interestingly, only a few Home Guards and police constables laid the trap, seniors joined later. According to information, Mohan Lal Munna, a driver, was arrested this afternoon outside his house in the Thakur Abadi area on a tip-off. The police seized 375 packets of spurious Bt cotton seed and 10,000 wrappers from his vehicle. During interrogation, he reportedly revealed that someone had hired the car to deliver the consignment at Kundal village, near here. Munna led the team to a complex in the Gobind Nagari locality. The owner of the complex reportedly told the police that a progressive farmer, husband of a sarpanch, who had gained prominence for good yield by Bt cotton cultivation last year had hired one of the rooms in the complex for storing some material. The squad sought permission from SDM Jaskiran Singh to break the locks of the store. The store was opened in the presence of Naib Tehsildar Jagmail Singh Gill. The officials seized a large quantity of packaging material of acid, reportedly used for processing spurious Bt cotton seed by purifying ordinary cottonseed, wrappers of “Powerzyme” bearing 2004 as year of packing and a large number of plastic bottles. “Powerzyme” is a product of Indo Israel Agri Products Ltd, Mumbai. Other labels bore the name of Green Agro High-tech Seeds, Hyderabad. The wrappers of some other leading seed manufacturers were also seized, besides 200 cartons, 97 bill books and other manufacturing/packaging material. The squad found 1,250 bags of ordinary cottonseed in the adjoining room but the owner of the complex said the same had been rented to some other trader. The police loaded the material in a vehicle and took the driver of the car in custody. The squad also carried a raid on a shop at Bazidpur Kattianwali village to catch a fertiliser and pesticide seller Ved Parkash. But he managed to flee. A case under Sections 353, 186, 332 and 427, IPC; 7, EC Act; and 3, 8 and 18, Seed Control Act has been registered at the Khuikhera police station.
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Delay in MSP hike costs farmers crores
Bathinda, April 22 The local grain market witnessed wheat purchase by private players at the rate of over Rs 711 as compared to earlier rate of around Rs 660. About 6,000 quintals of wheat arrived in the market today. Sources said the farmers had suffered massive losses in the recent days, which was indicated in the procurement figures that suggested more private purchase. As per the figures available, out of the total of 68,560 quintals of wheat arrival in the local market, traders had purchased 39,200 quintals. On the other hand, except for Punjab Agro, which procured 16,000 quintal wheat, other procurement agencies purchased a small quantity of wheat. These included Punsup — 2,650 quintals, warehouse — 2,250 quintals, Markfed — 3,200 quintals and Nafed — 1,000 quintals. The sources said wheat arrival in the local market was feared to be 40 per cent less as compared to last year’s figure of 1,83,350 quintals. They attributed their apprehension to production loss due to vagaries of weather, besides a section of farmers holding back their stock anticipating further increase in the prices. However, commission agents opined that after the hike of Rs 50, a number of farmers would now bring their stock to the market. Meanwhile, various farmer bodies had urged the government to make sure that the farmers, who had sold their wheat prior to the Centre’s announcement, should be extended the MSP hike. They rued that while the private parties struck gold at the beginning of the season, the farmers who sold off their produce to them were feeling cheated now. Gurnam Singh, one such farmer from Naruana village, said he sold off half of his wheat 10 days back to a private party at the rate of Rs 650 and brought the remaining half to the market today which was fetching him an impressive price of Rs 711.
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Farmer dies in hospital
Barnala, April 22 The police has registered a case u/s 306, 148 and 149 the IPC against eight persons, including a commission agent Prem Kumar. The other accused are Bancit Singh, Karnail Singh, Jagraj Singh, Laali Singh,
Jantasingh, Ujjagar Singh and Laali Singh of Aspal Kurd village. No arrest has been made so far. As per the information available, Balbeer Dass Mahant was having a dispute with the commission agent Prem Kumar of Barnala. Other farmers of the Aspal Kurd village were guarantor to the loan money which Balbeer Dass took from Prem Kumar. The whole transaction was over but there still was some clash over a sum of Rs 1 lakh due to which there was infighting between the two groups at Aspal Kaln village on April 16. Persons from both the parties got injuries.
Balber Dass Mahan along with his son Buta Ram was hospitalized at civil hospital
Dhanula, while the persons from the second party were under medical treatment at civil hospital at Barnala. Balbeer was found dead in the hospital today. According to police, Balbeer Dass died after inhaling some intoxicant. The body of the deceased has been sent to civil hospital Barnala for post-mortem examination. Sister of the deceased allegedly held one doctor of the civil hospital Dhanula responsible who, she said, in connivance with the rival party killed his brother. Mr S. P. Parmar,
SP(H) , Barnala, however, termed it a case of suicide, prima facie denying any involvement of hospital staff.
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16 pc fall in wheat arrivals in Sangrur
Sangrur, April 21 The district had been topping in the procurement of wheat for the past six consecutive years in the state. Talking to The Tribune here today, Dr Bakhshish Singh Chahal, Chief Agriculture Officer, Sangrur, attributed the decline in the arrival of wheat in the grain markets and procurement centres this year to the expected rise in its prices in the coming days. Big farmers have started stocking wheat. According to an official information, government procurement agencies and private traders have purchased 9,02,200 MT of wheat till April 20 as compared to the 10,76,184 MT during the corresponding period last year. Out of the total of 9,02,200 MT of the procured wheat, the private traders have purchased 85,136 MT while Markfed,
Punsup, the FCI and Pungrain have procured 2,07,182 MT, 1,54,360 MT, 1,38,168 MTand 1,36,639 MT. Mr Chahal attributed the decline in the per hectare wheat yield in the district to three main reasons, a sudden rise in temperature in February this year, speedy winds in March and insufficient rain during the rabi season. According to experiments done in the field by the Sangrur district office of the Agriculture Department, per hectare average wheat yield in the district this year (rabi 2005-06) has gone down by more than 6 per cent.
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Sukhbir for probe into CM’s role in Forest Hill case
Chandigarh, April 22 Addressing a Press conference here today, Mr Badal alleged that the owner of the resort had spent lakhs of rupees on financing the election campaign of Capt Amarinder Singh in the last Assembly elections in the state. He said there was evidence to prove it and the CBI could easily collect this evidence from the office of Director-General of Civil Aviation. Mr Badal said Capt Amarinder Singh was provided with a helicopter for campaigning during the last Assembly elections in Punjab. He said the CBI could find out who made the payment to the company for hiring the helicopter and who flew in that helicopter during the election campaign days. “A record of those who fly in any aircraft or helicopter is always maintained”, he added. Besides that when Capt Amarinder Singh visited Canada last time, dinner was hosted for him there by a close relative of the owner of the resort. Mr Badal said the CBI should take possession the log book of the helicopter used by Capt Amarinder Singh in the election campaign. He said Capt Amarinder Singh, his wife, Mrs Preneet Kaur and his son Raninder Singh got free membership of the club. He said the reason why Capt Amarinder Singh was speaking against the CBI for raiding two senior officers was that
he (Capt Amarinder Singh) had extended favours to the resort owners as quid pro quo for free membership and using the helicopter. Mr Badal said the Court had given directions to the CBI to investigate the reason for free membership of the club given to those who were involved in decision making in the Punjab Government. He said the Court had ordered the CBI to inquire whether the resort had come up on forest land any violation of laws under the Forest Conservation Act, connivance of PUDA, Revenue and Forest Department officials, if any, illegal help to resort owners from government functionaries as a quid pro quo for free or discounted membership etc. The CBI was doing its job and Capt Amarinder Singh was trying to impede the inquiry, he added. Mr Badal said the previous SAD-BJP government had filed seven cases against Col
B.S. Sandhu (retired), owner of the resort. One of the cases was for violation of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. Capt Amarinder Singh was fully aware of these cases but even then he went ahead and secured honorary membership for himself and his family members. He said there was also a big scandal behind approving certain mega projects. He said Haryana, Delhi and other governments give approval only to those colonisers who owned land. However, the Punjab Government had approved mega projects for those owning no land in the state. He said certain colonisers had been given license to loot people. And there was no programme and plan to provide houses at affordable price to the poor in these projects, he added. He said concessions given to colonisers were mind boggling.
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Bomb scare keeps GRP on its toes
Phagwara, April 22 The letter carried a threat of bomb blasts at Ambala, Phagwara, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Amritsar and Chandigarh railway stations. Passengers apparently took the threats lightly, as they boarded and alighted trains as usual. The GRP and the local police along with railway staff took precautionary measures in and around the railway station and other areas of the city, including bus stand. An area of around 1 km around he station was searched by security forces. “We are taking no chances. Each train is being searched and till now we have searched as many as 40 up and down trains, including Shatabdi Express, Frontier Mail and Amarnath Express, running between New Delhi and Jammu,” claimed GRP ASI Taranjit Singh. When this reporter reached the railway station this morning, Railways Magistrate Rajinder Aggarwal, who was on a special duty to check ticketless travelling, along with other GRP personnel was seen camping and supervising the search operations. Earlier, anti-sabotage personnel and a dog squad were pressed into service to find explosives on the railway track. Mr Aggarwal told The Tribune that high alert had been sounded at all railway stations after the Ambala railway authorities received a similar letter. “It seemed to be the handiwork of some Kashmiri militant outfit. Security forces have not taken the threat lightly. It may cause harm to the lives of thousands of innocent passengers,” said Taranjit Singh. According to reports received here today, a similar letter was received two weeks back by CID personnel which threatened to blow up a temple here. Mr Aggarwal said 50 passengers were found travelling without ticket during the search. They were let off with a fine. “Balwinder Singh, a resident of Ambala City, was also penalised as he tried to pull the chain of the Amarnath Express,” he added. Search operations were on till the filing of the report.
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4 women hurt in land grab bid
Abohar, April 22 According to information a clash was averted as more than 100 persons, some of them carrying firearms, tried to grab the 15-acre agriculture farm owned by Surjit Singh. The police took some miscreants in custody besides the combine hired to harvest the wheat crop forcibly. Unconfirmed reports said the miscreants had fired some shots in the air to scare away the owners. More than 50 persons allegedly assaulted Mukhtiar Kaur (70) and her daughters-in-law Kuldeep Kaur, Lavdeep Kaur and Amandeep Kaur in a land grab bid at Killianwali village, 5 km from here. The assailants reportedly succeeded in harvesting the wheat crop and took away the same using
tractor-trailers. The injured women were held captive. The police got them freed later but did not confirm having made any arrest. Mukhtiar Kaur, wife of Kala Singh, told reporters at Nehru Memorial Civil Hospital here last night that her family had purchased 12-acre of land from a farmer who later migrated to Canada. His relatives, who had been eyeing the land, reportedly got the mutation transferred in their names in connivance with employees of the Revenue Department.
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Rally against female foeticide
Nawanshahr, April 22 Mr Krishan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, flagged off the rally at Shiv Chand Yadhgari School, Skohpur. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner exhorted the all sections of the society to put in relentless efforts to convert the drive against female foeticide into a virtual mass movement. The NGOs should make inroads into villages to spread the message, with a view to educating the people against the social evil. Terming female foeticide more inhuman than the ‘sati pratha’, he warned that if the rapid decline in sex ratio was not checked, it would have serious repercussion on the society.
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Bill-collection centre to be shifted back
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 22 He said somehow he had managed to operate one computer and it would be difficult for one man to accept the bills of so many consumers, so the consumers had to bear with till other arrangements were made.
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Rs 10 lakh given as relief
Kharar, April 22 Mr Kang said after the murder he had met the Chief Minister, Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh, and had appealed to him to give maximum financial relief and support to the bereaved family of the victims and had also requested to provide a government job to at least one member of the family. The family pleaded that justice should be rendered to them and at the same time the perpetrators of this heinous crime should not go scot free and be awarded exemplary punishment. Mr Kang also gave Rs 51,000 to the mother of three murdered brothers, Ms Amarjit Kaur.
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BJYM holds march to Wagah for Sarbjit
Amritsar, April 22 Mr Avinash Rai Khanna, BJP state president, and Mr Ashwani Sharma, BJYM state president, were leading the march when it began from the local BJP office.
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Arhtiyas’ strike continues
Mansa, April 22
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Probe ordered into functioning of ITI
Abohar, April 22 According to complaints made by some students to the district authorities and Minister for Industrial Education Punjab, the ITI was set up in 1995 following persuasion by a former minister Mr Sajjan Kumar Jakhar on the nine-acre land donated by the village panchayat. But the project could not be completed due to assassination of the then Chief Minister Beant Singh. The SAD-BJP government put the project in cold storage. The present Congress-led government resolved to complete all such abandoned projects but preferred to privatise the institutes by giving the same to private management on contract basis. The students said that the management of the local ITI while offering admission for a variety of courses, including sanitation and health inspectors, plumbers, assistant architects, fitters etc had claimed that the same were recognised and approved by the state government. As many as 85 students had secured admission by paying heavy amount in November last year. The management had not equipped the labs/workshops for imparting training in some streams, the students alleged. The infrastructure was not in accordance with the specifications laid down by the government for such institutes. Some rooms earmarked for labs were filled with junk. The management had sub-let some rooms in residential quarters developed in the ITI complex also, the complainants said. After four months, the students were now told that as the government had not accorded sanction for some courses, trainees will have to go to Bathinda for appearing in the annual/biannual exams in another training institute with which the local management was also commercially attached. The students demanded that the members of the management be booked for cheating and playing with the future of the students. Interestingly, a member of the management, who responded to queries from the newsmen, was working as a lecturer at the government-run industrial training institute at Ferozepore also. His relatives were part of the management here. The students, however, named him as the de facto incharge of the local ITI, sources added. He claimed that the letter of approval had not been received from the directorate so far due to red tape and corruption. The SDM has directed the management to produce the record, including letter of recognition by next week.
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HC judge inspects district courts
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 22 He inspected the working of all courts and expressed satisfaction. Later, the District Bar Association organised a reception in his honour in the Bar room, where he was accorded a warm welcome by the Bar. Speaking on the occasion Mr Amardeep Singh Dharni, president of the District Bar Association, highlighted the problems being faced by the lawyers. He demanded that there should be uniformity between the High Court and the subordinate courts; he said if the subordinate courts work on Saturday, then High Court should also have Saturdays as working days. He demanded that Civil Judge, Senior Division, can hear the cases valued up to Rs 1 crore but the District and Sessions Judge doesn’t have such powers and the appeal is made only in the High Court, so the Sessions Judges should be given powers to entertain the appeal. He demanded that certain courts had excessive work and their work should be transferred to those adjoining courts where work pressure was very less. Mr Hardev Singh and Mr R.N Goyal, both senior lawyers, raised the issues related to various judgements given recently by different courts. They raised the misuse of SC, ST Act and said this Act was mostly misused and ‘‘its provision is very stringent as there is no provision for anticipatory bail and moreover, the complainant can’t withdraw his complaint’’. Speaking on the occasion Mr Justice Hemant Gupta conceded to the demands of the lawyers regarding powers to the Sessions Court in appeal in cases more than the value of five lakh, said the High Court had already recommended to the state government to amend the provisions and to allow the Session Courts to entertain such cases. He urged the lawyers to take up the matter with the Chief Minister as in Haryana it had already been implemented.
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34 employees found absent from duty
Sangrur, April 22 As many as 34 employees of six government offices were found absent from duty. Eleven employees of the Punjab School Text Book Depot were found absent from duty when the SDM conducted surprise checking. Besides this, 10 employees of the local municipal council were also found absent from duty. Seven employees of the District Public Relations Office were found absent from duty. Four employees of the local Tehsil office, one employee each of the District Agriculture office and the Horticulture office were also found absent. The SDM also checked some local schools, including Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Khalsa Girls High School, Government Primary School in Dhebar Nagar, the Prem Sabha School. However, he found no teacher or employee absent from duty in these schools. It is learnt that the SDM has sent his report to the Deputy Commissioner for action. Talking to The Tribune, Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, said he had ordered the surprise checking of the government offices and the schools to ensure attendance of the employees and to maintain discipline and punctuality in government offices and schools.
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Husband held for murder of woman
Hoshiarpur, April 22 Mr Darshan Singh, sarpanch of Kot village, informed the Garhshankar police that a body was lying in the fields behind Barapur bus stand. The police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. A young woman, along with a constable and two persons, was seen in Indica car (No PB-10BG-4077) in the area on the day of the crime. Makha Ram, father of Shabnam, who had been missing from her in-laws house since April 18, identified the body. Makha Ram told the police that his son-in-law Samson Masih and Shabnam had strained relations due to the former's illicit relations with a woman. The police arrested Samson Masih, Ram Sarup alias Bittu and Romesh Kumar alias Ashu, both residents of Ludhiana. The car used in the crime has also been seized.
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Goldsmith shot
Amritsar, April 22 The goldsmiths were returning home when the incident occurred. They were immediately rushed to hospital.
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“Professional colleges must improve quality of education”
(Bhaddal) Ropar, April 22 There is no need to blame the college for any deficiency but the AICTE and the IMC should be made responsible for their duties. Both profession councils should take actions against colleges violating any rules in connection with poor infrastructure and education standard he added. Giving details the former VC, Dr Amrik Singh, said the lapse has been on part of the professional councils. Things are difficult in respect of medical education. About one quarter of the jobs cannot be filled up because duly qualified teachers are not found. The Indian Medical Council is equally to blame for what is happening in that field of activity he added. Commenting on the education policy, he said there was nothing wrong with the education policy of the state, but there was a need to implement it. It was not justified to increase the strength of colleges in any state without checking the required infrastructure and availablity of teachers. Citing examples of the effort put in by the people to raise the standards of education he said that if the Kasturba Medical College located at Manipal ranked among the first three to four medical colleges in the country. It was a tribute to both the founder’s vision, resourcefulness and the sense of commitment of those who took over after him. The hospital attached to the college was not only the biggest in India, it was the second biggest in Asia.
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Farewell given to MCA students
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 22 The Director-Principal, Dr Gurmohan Singh Walia, was the chief guest on the occasion. A colourful cultural show, bhangra, solo songs, monoacting, games and activities marked the function. Dr Walia highlighted the importance of working in the corporate world. He advised the students not to adopt Western culture, but to respect and adopt their rich heritage and culture. He told them to get ready for the tough competition ahead and said only those who had excellence would
survive. Prof Bikramjit Singh Sandhu, press and publicity officer of the college, declared Preetinder Singh Mr Farewell, Jagpuneet Bajwa Miss Farewell, Sundeep Singh Mr Ramp, Ramanjit Kaur Miss Catwalk, Ripandeep Singh Mr Personality and Jyotsana Thakur Miss Personality.
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Fun, frolic at PTU fest
Banur, April 22 Dances, mono-acting, skits and comedy were the highlights of the day. In the evening, “traditional pehrawa pradarshini”, a cultural contest based on Punjabi dresses, drew crowds.
TNS
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