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Bajwa, Chahal, Calcutta hold secret parleys
Amritsar, June 18 The issue is likely to be taken up at the meeting of PAC of Shiromani Akali Dal, proposed to be held on June 19. The meeting was held at the Aviation Club here in which Mr Harwinder Singh Sarna, president, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, was also present. They made attempts to rope in Mr Calcutta to address the ‘shaheedi samaroh’, organised by the state government. However, Mr Calcutta had declined the offer and said that he could not address from the Congress stage since he had been an Akali throughout his life. He also told them that it was his training in Sikh Students Federation that could not allow him to speak from the stage, organised by Congress Party. When contacted Mr Calcutta confirmed the meeting. However, it is reliably learnt that Mr Calcutta helped the Public Works Minister and the CM’s Media Adviser draft the advertisement, using ‘Panthic idiom’, inserted in various newspapers regarding the state government’s function. It was on the suggestion of Mr Calcutta that Mr Harminder Singh Gill , a member of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board, was picked for conducting the Congress stage who is well versed with the Panthic idiom. With the sole efforts of the Sarna brothers did Prof Darshan Singh, a former Jathedar Akal Takht, reach Tarn Taran from Canada to address from the Congress stage. He used hard-hitting words to criticise SAD for its alliance with the BJP. Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, picked up Mr Prem Singh Lalpura, a former SGPC Chief from his house on the request of Mr Jaswant Singh Mann, president, All-India Shiromani Akali Dal. Mr Lalpura also criticised the SAD leadership for using the name of Panth to gain political mileage. Earlier, Mr Calcutta held a closed-door meeting with Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Sriparkash in Patiala.
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MC, MLA at loggerheads
Pathankot, June 18 The tiff started when the MLA recently handed over a cheque for Rs 1.03 crore from the Punjab Nirman fund to the Improvement Trust for carrying out development works within the municipal limits. While the council has already issued tenders worth Rs 10 lakh and got the dispensary at the Gandhi crossing demolished, the trust has once again issued tenders for the same work. The council authorities have, however, alleged that being an elected body it is their duty to carry out the work in the municipal areas. The trust that is a nominated body has no jurisdiction over their areas. Moreover, the council is better equipped for such projects. It has four junior engineers and two engineers to carry out the works. On the other hand, the trust does not have even one permanent technical staff. The only junior engineer with the trust is the council employee, who is holding the additional charge of the trust. The president of the council, Mr Shravan Kumar, when contacted, said most of the development projects had either been completed or in the process of completion. The trust authorities or the MLA had not consulted the elected council before carrying out the works. The MLA, when contacted, however, said he had distributed the projects among various agencies, including the council, the trust and the PWD, so that the projects could be executed speedily. When asked that the trust did not have staff to carry out the work at a rapid pace, he said there was no such problem. He also added that the council had failed to execute the works worth Rs 90 lakh. He wanted to execute the works with next one and a half months due to which the money had been divided among various agencies.
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Tercentenary celebrations begin
Bathinda, June 18 As part of the celebrations, a seminar on the “Life and philosophy of Guru Gobind Singh” was organised at the Government Rajindra College here today. The seminar was inaugurated by Mr Surinder Singla, Finance Minister of Punjab. Addressing the seminar, Mr Singla announced that the Punjab Government would issue a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the book on the life and philosophy of Sri Guru Gobind Singh. He said Guru Gobind Singh played a major role in disseminating the message of mankind among all sections of society. He asked the gathering to follow the path, shown by the Guru. Mr Singla also talked about the education system of the state. He said the state government was initiating steps to improve the education system for imparting international standard education to the youths. He also announced that the government would recruit regular teachers for imparting quality education to the students. On the occasion, Mr Rahul Bhandari, Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, and Mr L.R. Nayyar, Commissioner, Income Tax, presented a ‘siropa’ and a ‘Sri Sahib’ to the Mr Singla. Dr S.P. Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, said such seminars removed illusions from the minds of the people. Padma Shri Prof Gurdial Singh said due to the fighting spirit of Guru Gobind Singh, Punjabis had been able to give a befitting reply to the enemy attacks in the past. Among others, who participated in the seminar included Mr Rahul Bhandari, Deputy Commissioner, Prof Harpal Singh Pannu, Giani Balwant Singh Kotha Guru, Mr L.R. Nayyar, Prof Karam Singh Bhandari, Dr Darshan Singh, Dr Nazar Singh and Mr Harwinder Singh Khalsa. The manuscripts, utensils, clothes etc which belonged to Guru Gobind Singh and other Gurus were displayed at an exhibition organised at the Kila Mubarak here. The exhibits were brought to the exhibition by several families from all over the state.
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Cong leader asks govt to pay income tax of staff
Patiala, June 18 He said besides making the employees feel that they were not being discriminated against, the move would also generate goodwill for the Congress at the time when the assembly elections were drawing near. Talking to Chandigarh Tribune here this evening, he said such an action on the part of state government would also bring a feeling among the employees that it had brought a parity between them and the MLAs, including ministers. Mr Gupta said he had planned to build a movement on the issue so that all employees, who had been getting their wages directly and indirectly from the state treasury, could be given the facility that was being enjoyed by only few people. He said if the state government could no pay the income tax of its employees, it should urge the Centre Government to give the employees an exemption from the payment of the same. He said he would approach the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the Union Finance Minister, Mr P.
Chidambram, and the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, on the issue and would urge them if the Centre and state government could give a number of monetary benefits and concessions to other sections of society, why the state government could not pay the income tax of its employees. Apart from it, he said, he would make arrangements for educating the state government employees to ask the government concerned that why they were being discriminated against in this regard. They would be urged to ask the state government that when MLAs were entitled to get certain facilities, why there was a disparity for them.
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Pak woman awaits reunion with sons for 56 years
Gurdaspur June 18 The tragedy in life of Lajwanti, then resident of village Ramdass, started in 1947 the year of Partition. She had gone to visit her kin at Samtota village in Fasilabad district knowing little that the boundaries of the country are being redrawn. Soon after, the Partition took place and Lajwanti got trapped in land that was designated as Pakistan. She was separated from her three sons who were now in Ramdass village, 100 km apart, but now in a different country. Illiterate Lajwanti did not know how to return to her children in India. For survival, a few sympathisers changed her name to Bashira. For next 54 years she continued to survive in Pakistan as Bashira, hoping to cross over to India to meet her family in India. She worked as maid to make her both ends meet as the years flew by. In 2001 she narrated her story to some sympathisers in Pakistan. They managed a visa for her to visit India. However, here again fate eluded her. She wanted to visit Punjab but the immigration authorities gave her tourist visa of Himachal. She crossed the borders to India her native country in 2001 but has still not been able to unite with her family. Initially she was sent to Palampur where she put up for a few years. However, she came in contact with her family. Her three sons whom she had left as children now have their own children. The sons of Lajwanti managed to bring her to Damtal a town of Himachal Pradesh located on the border of Punjab. However, the authorities of Himachal did not allow her to enter Punjab as she did not have the relevant documents. Since then her sons have rented out a room for her at Damtal where she has been putting up. The Himachal police officials visit her daily to ensure that she has not left the area. Weeping, the 80-year-old narrates her last wish of her life. “I am over 80 years old now. I just want to spend the last days of my life with my children. I won’t go to Pakistan. Kill me rather than sending me to Pakistan again.” Her son Swaran Dass who is elected representative in Ramdass while talking to The Tribune said that his mother has been staying in India for the past five years. She has not created any problem for the authorities. They will plea before the Indian Government to grant her citizenship of the country so that she can visit her native village. Though all the authorities at Damtal are sympathetic towards Lajwanti, nobody knows how long her 59-year waits to join her family would stretch.
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Indo-Pakistan peace process has
Amritsar, June 18 He was talking to media persons after a meeting of Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, Folklore Research Academy, Punarjot organisations and various intellectuals with regard to conducting a candle light vigil programme at the Indo-Pak border. He said there was a lack of political will on part of both governments, especially on the other side of border, which has resulted in the stagnancy. The recent spurt in terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country were attempts to sabotage the ongoing peace process. He said Kashmir was not the problem but a symptom of mistrust and prejudice between the people of two countries. The veteran journalist advocated voluntary and unilateral visa relaxation on both sides of the border. He said as per the authorities, visas were issued to 500 persons per month on average. He said the number should be increased to 5,000 or 15,000 persons to boost more and more people-to-people contact. Further, he said the visa should not be confined only to two or three cities. Instead, he added, there should be national visa on lines of European countries. He also backed the establishment of visa centre in Amritsar. Mr Satnam Manak, general secretary, Hind-Pak Dosti Manch said that the constant fear of increased terrorism in Kashmir and agencies-counter agencies operations had sabotaged the interests of common man who wanted peace between the two countries. He said the role of the people had become more significant now. “We had come so far solely with our determination and commitment and the help of people. Now it is high time for the participation of a huge number of people in this process to pressurise the two governments,” he added. Meanwhile, Mr Nayar said they were planning to send a delegation to Pakistan to participate in their Independence Day celebrations which would perhaps be unprecedented in the 59-year history of India and Pakistan.
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Pak Sikh pilgrims honoured
Fatehgarh Sahib, June 18 The jatha is led by Mr Harmesh Singh, president of the Sikh Naujwan Sabha, Karachi. The members will pay obeisance at various gurdwaras here. Dr Lal presented siropas to the members of the jatha. Mr Amarjeet Singh, manager of the local gurdwara, also welcomed the members of the jatha. Dr Lal said the initiatives taken by the Pakistan and the Indian Governments to strengthen relations between the two countries had yielded good results. Members of various religious, educational, professional and sports bodies had been frequently visiting each other’s territory now. The leader of the Jatha, Mr Harmesh Singh, said they were feeling like at home. He said the people in Pakistan also wanted peace and good relations. He said they got mental peace after paying obeisance at historical gurdwaras. He said the Indian Government should open a visa centre at Karachi for the convenience of Sikhs and others who wanted to visit India. He appreciated the SGPC for providing all facilities to the jatha. Mr Amarjeet Singh gave detailed information about the history of the Fatehgarh Sahib gurdwara, where two younger sons of Guru Gobind. Singh were bricked alive. He also distributed literature related to the history of gurdwara among the jatha members.
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Sikh Jatha to leave for Pak on June 26
Amritsar, June 18 Mr Harbeant Singh, Secretary, SGPC, said here today that the jatha was earlier to go to Pakistan on June 21. However, owing to some technical reasons it had been postponed. He said the devotees could collect their passports on June 25 from the SGPC office.
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Plea to buy wheat from domestic market
Chandigarh, June 18 This plea has been made by a former director of the Food Corporation of India(FCI), Mr Kanhaiyalal Gidwani, to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh ,and others concerned in the Union Ministry. In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister and others, Mr Gidwani has stated that about 70 lakh tonne of stock was lying with farmers and private parties in the country.Tenders should be floated to at least buy about one million tonne from them at a prevailing market rate, he added. The government had floated tenders in the international market to buy 3.5 million tonne of wheat. Instead it could have explored the domestic market where wheat stock was available . By buying wheat from the domestic market through tender system, the Union Government would be able to save at least Rs 200 per quintal.While the government was buying wheat from the international market at Rs 1,100 per quintal,from the domestic market it would possibly get the same for Rs 900 per quintal. The immediate action as suggested could bring about great relief to consumers, who are currently facing great hardships because of the soaring price of wheat. Without adequate stock of wheat in its hands,the Union Government would not be able to control the price of wheat, he added. The government had not been able to cover the required quantities of wheat for buffer stock and the 160 lakh tonne required for the PDS in spite of the fact that wheat had been imported. The prevailing price of wheat in the open market for the current period of May–June in comparison to the past periods was the highest,he added.
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Bonus on pvt wheat purchase not paid
Patiala, June 18 In a press note issued here, Mr Singla said the authorities concerned had paid bonus on the wheat procured by the government agencies. But the bonus, which was to be paid by the state government on the wheat purchased by private tradershad not yet been paid. He pointed out that farmers, who were yet to get bonus, were making rounds to the commission agents daily and demanding payment of bonus. At some places, there farmers and the commission agents had indulged in heated exchanges in that connection. He said that bonus on private purchase of wheat should be paid immediately.
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Demonstration by BJP, BSP activists
Phillaur, June 18 The demonstrators led by BSP state general secretary M.P. Singh Goraya and BJYM (Rural) president Ashutosh Kalia alleged that the police had failed to arrest the culprits who attacked and wounded Kamal of Atta village even after one week of the incident. Kamal was admitted in a Ludhiana hospital. They alleged that the assailants attacked Kamal with sharpedged weapons after hatching a conspiracy with panchayat member Bholi and Karnail Singh last Sunday. When SHO Rajinder Kumar assured the demonstrators to arrest the assailants and conspirators within two days, the blockade was lifted. Meanwhile, more than 2-km-long lines of vehicles were seen on both sides of the national highway.
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Irrigation Dept sleeps as level rises in Sutlej
Ropar, June 18 Sources said the BBMB was discharging 35,000 cusec water from Bhakra Dam to meet the rise in the demand of water of the consumer state. Due to the rise in the water level in the Sutlej at Ropar headworks, total 12,160 cusec water was being released for the past many days. Besides, 9300 cusec water was diverted into the Sirhind canal and 1400 cusec in Bist Doab to meet the agriculture demand of parts of Punjab increased due to paddy plantation. Water released in downstream from the headworks was considered to be extra water in the river. But the condition of the Ropar headworks that regulate the river water is much worse. The maintenance of gates that used to divert the river water had not been done for the past many years. All 36 gates including 12 floodgates required maintenance so that if floodlike condition prevailed, all gates should be opened without any hindrance and water could be released in the downstream. One gate on other side of headworks that released water into Sirhind canal from Sutlej also not opened for the past one year due to non-functional of the machine that unlock it. Besides it, the arrangements of the boats in the area situated along the river had also not been made in Nurpurbedi, Ropar and Bella. However, Deputy Commissioner Alok Sekhar recently convened the meeting of the official of the all the concerned department and directed them to make all possible arrangements to cope with floodlike situation in the river during monsoon. But all department do not appear to take up the matter seriously.
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Illiteracy behind human rights violations
Patiala, June 18 Mr Ahluwalia, who presided over a function organised by the All India Human Right Association added that one should know the fact that if a person wanted to enjoy the freedom of human rights he or she should perform his or her duties diligently. He added that those who were sitting on various governmental posts should provide justice to people who approached them for getting their work done to minimise human rights violations. Mr M.U Dua, president of the All India Human Rights Association, said the association had started a yatra from Red Fort, Delhi, on January 26 to bring about awareness among people pertaining to human rights. He added that the yatra would come to an end on August 6 after covering all parts of the country. He added that he had come to know that illiteracy was one of the main reasons for violation of human rights and there was a great need to make people aware of their rights. Brig (Retd) D.S Grewal said politicians and bureaucrats should play a positive role to create an atmosphere where people’s human rights could be protected. Col (Retd) Bishan Dass, president, Patiala unit of the All India Human Rights Association also spoke on the occasion.
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Khadi board to disburse loans worth 40 crore
Ropar, June 18 Giving details, he said: “We are giving subsidy on loans for various project funded by the board. For the loan up to Rs 10 lakh there is a subsidy of 10 per cent for the people belonging to the general category, while 30 per cent for those belonging to reserved categories. We have decided to organise camps in each district to popularise various loan schemes,” he added.
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Lending voice to unemployed
Patiala, June 18 Mr Harmohan Singh Sakrali, who presided over a meeting of the dal held here, said unemployment in Punjab had crossed all limits. He added that instead of fulfilling its poll promises, the present Congress set-up had been using all types of coercive measures to curb voices which were being raised against unemployment. While condemning the lathicharge by the local police on peacefully protesting unemployed teachers, Mr Sakrali alleged that instead of protecting the human rights of the people, the government was trying to crush the same with the use of bullets and lathis. He added that the dal would organise a seminar to mark the first anniversary of its installation on June 25.
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Self-defence camp for girls
Abohar, June 18 Ms Brij Lata Sharma, state convener, Ms Kavita Rani, joint convener, and Ms Malti Sharma, regional organiser, imparted training and inculcated moral values among the participants. The training was not confined to the use of judo and karate but spirituality, yoga, study in Indian history and rich cultural heritage were also part of the day-to-day activities. Mr Champat Rai, national secretary, VHP, also visited the camp. The participants were given moral and material support by Ms Suman Goyal, wife of former BJP MLA Ram Kumar Goyal, Ms Geeta Chaudhary and Dr Saroj Miglani, a social activist.
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Truck operators’ show of
strength today
Ropar, June 18 As the two factions of the truck operators did not reach any compromise, one group led by Bhag Singh, who claimed to be the president of the Cooperative Truck Operator Union, Ropar, is operating its office in Nangal Chowk here. On June 16, Bhag Singh, with the help of the police, took the possession of the truck operator office in Nangal Chowk. The police and administration was supporting the claim of Bhag Singh as president of the truck operator union. The police also deployed outside the office of the office to avoid any clash.
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Tributes paid to Surinder Kaur
Patiala, June 18 The forum passed a resolution in which the efforts of Surinder Kaur to take Punjabi singing to new heights were lauded. In a press statement, Mr Madan Lal Hasija, secretary of the forum, said the forum had the honour to bestow upon Surinder Kaur, who had lent her voice to nearly 200 folk songs of Punjab, the Punjab Rattan award in 2001.
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Rs 1.75 lakh looted from petrol station
Tarn Taran, June 18 Police sources said here today that two of the three looters entered a room of the petrol station where the employees were taking their meals, the third was having a close look on the surroundings on his motorbike. The two looters demanded the amount from the employees. On their refusal to do so, the looters hit one of the employees, Lakhwinder Singh, with the pistol on his head. The second worker, Harjinder Singh, gave the keys of the safe. The looters took away the amount and fled on the motorbike.
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Supari assailant held
Hoshiarpur, June 18 An FIR under Sections 326, 324 and 34 of the IPC was registered on July 3, 2005. An inquiry reconstituted to the CIA staff, Hoshiarpur revealed that Sukhdial Singh who was working as a teacher at Dehriwal gave a supari of Rs 40,000 to Jaswinder Singh and his accomplice Avtar Singh for assaulting Hardial Singh for seeking revenge as the latter had got released 2.5 acre land of Balbir Singh from him and got transferred the same to Jarnail Singh. Mr Dhoke said the police was searching for Avtar Singh.
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Remove DPI or face stir: union
Fatehgarh Sahib, June 18 Baldev Singh Saroya, president of the presidium, said it was unfortunate that the government had appointed the Deputy Director of SCERT as DPI without verifying her record. He said in February, 2006, a criminal case of breach of trust and cheating was registered at Faridkot in which it was alleged that the files of the department related to recognition to 48 private schools had gone missing. The police conducted the investigation and recommended to register a case against six officials of the department and now she was on bail. He warned that if the government did not change her, they would launch an agitation.
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Punjabi parbodh results
Patiala, June 18 The list of roll numbers of successful candidates is as follows: 13187, 13188, 13189, 13190, 13202. The result of roll number 13203 has been withheld by the department.
TNS
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Office-bearers elected
Patiala, June 18 Other office-bearers are: secretary — Mr Ravinder Gupta; joint secretary — Mr Sanjiv Goyal; finance secretary — Mr Paramjit Singh; adviser — Wazir Chand Garg; and executive committee members — Mr Dev Anand, Mr Gurpreet Singh, Mr Kuldeep Puri, Mr J.S Sachdeva, Mr
L.N. Chabbra, Mr Narayan Nath, Mr Rajesh Gupta, Mr Rajinder Gupta, Mr Subash Arora, Mr Sunil Sood and Mr M.P.S Dhillon.
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