Sangrur, September 17
With a view to reduce the transmission and distribution losses to zero level in the case of agriculture power (AP) connections in the rural areas, the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) is heading towards to convert the existing low-tension rural distribution system (RDS) into high-voltage distribution system (HVDS) by covering the purely rural feeders throughout the state.

Sources told The Tribune that on the instructions of the PSEB the Sangrur circle (distribution) of the board, consisting of eight divisions, had sent a plan, amounting to Rs 350 crore, to the board to cover the purely AP feeders under the conversion of existing low tension RDS into HVDS scheme in its divisions.

The entire expenditure (Rs 350 crore) on the implementation of the scheme in the Sangrur circle (eight divisions) would be funded by the Union Government.

According to an information, out of the eight divisions of the Sangrur circle of the board, the Sangrur division (distribution) has sent its plan, amounting to Rs 47.67 crore, to cover its existing 46 purely AP feeders under the conversion of existing low-tension RDS into HVDS scheme.

Under the proposed scheme, against the existing about 2,725 transformers of 25 KVA, 63 KVA and 100 KVA in the Sangrur PSEB division, as many as 10,246 new distribution transformers of lower capacity (6.3 KVA transformer for 5 horsepower motor, 10 KVA for 7.50 HP to 10 HP motor and 16 KVA for 12.50 HP to 15 HP motor, etc) will be installed with metering equipment in the fields of the farmers for their tube-well motors.

Thus every farmer will have a separate transformer as per the horsepower capacity of the motor for his tube-well motor to draw stable voltage for the motor.

On the other hand, the financial benefits to the PSEB only in the Sangrur division will be about Rs 13 crore in a year due to reduction in distribution losses and reduction in damage to distribution transformers. Besides this, the theft of the agriculture power will also be reduced to zero level.

The sources said under the new scheme there would be no low-tension lines of 440 volts. Only 11 KV high-tension lines would be there due to which nobody would be able to tap lines for the purpose of theft, and voltage would remain stable as voltage drop would be the minimum possible.

Sangrur, September 17
Mr Varinder Sharma, whose name was recommended for the post of lower division clerk (LDC) by the Vidyalaya Appointment Sub-Committee for appointment in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Teona Pujarian village in Bathinda district, has been running from pillar to post to get his appointment letter for the past several months, but of no avail so far.

Mr Varinder Sharma along with some other candidates appeared in a type test on January 4 at the ITI, Bathinda, for the post of LDC in JNV, Teona Pujarian village (Bathinda). He and one more candidate Nan Pal qualified the test.

After the test, the Vidyalaya Appointment Sub-Committee prepared the merit list, according to which Mr Varinder Sharma with 6.78 points topped the list while Mr Nan Pal with 6.47 points secured the second place. On the basis of the merit list, the sub-committee recommended the name of Mr Varinder Sharma for the post of LDC.

After the selection of Mr Varinder Sharma for the post of LDC, the Principal of the JNV, Teona Pujarian village, wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Regional Office, Chandigarh, on January 28 to seek approval for the post of LDC stating that the vidyalaya had selected candidate for the post of LDC, which had been lying vacant since December, 2004.

“Complete record is hereby forwarded with this proposal. You are requested to please accord the approval to appoint LDC as per recommendation of the Appointment Committee, the Principal stated in the letter.

Talking to The Tribune here today, Mr Kashmira Singh, father of Mr Varinder Sharma, said he had approached the authorities of the JNV of Teona Pujarian village and the Deputy Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Regional Office, Chandigarh, several times during the past more than seven months for securing appointment letter for his son. But every time he had got unsatisfactory reply from the authorities. Sometime he had been told that the case of his son’s appointment was in process while the other time he had been informed that the case of his son’s appointment had been rejected.

But till today no information, regarding his son’s appointment, had been provided to his son in writing by the authorities, he added.

Mr Kashmira Singh said his son had now written a letter to Mr Arjun Singh, Union Minister for Human Resources Development, urging him to direct the authorities concerned to issue him the appointment letter.

Amritsar, September 17
Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, chairman, Second Gurdwara Surdhar Lehar Panthic Committee, has urged the Akal Takht Jathedaar, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, for taking action against the Shiromani Akali Dal supremo, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, for violating the Sikh tenets by accepting Rs 8 lakh from a tobacco company.

Mr Calcutta in a press release issued here today said that Mr Badal has no moral right to continue to hold the party chief’s post and should resign immediately.

He said Mr Badal had been exposed in the public as he had been running the party affairs by donation money offered by the tobacco company.

He said Mr Badal had no right to be known as the supreme leader of the community as he had lost the status of a true Sikh.

He said that when Mr Badal was in power in 1999 he had urged him to ban smoking of cigarettes in public places as had been done by various states by bringing in legislation in the Assembly. He said he did not know then that the Akali Dal supremo was taking money from tobacco business houses for running the party affairs.

He said Mr Badal had no right to use the platform of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to fulfil his political aspirations as he had violated the Sikh tenets.

Sangrur, September 17
A magisterial inquiry was today ordered into the alleged custodial death of a 20-year-old Dalit boy, Balwinder Singh, of Chathe Sekhwan village, near here.

Mr S.R. Ladhar, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur, said he had marked the inquiry to Mr Gurtej Singh, SDM, Sangrur. He would submit his report within seven days.

The Deputy Commissioner further said he had also promised a job to a member of the family of the deceased and financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh. Besides, a cheque for Rs 50,000 from the Red Cross Society was also handed over to the family, the Deputy Commissioner added.

Meanwhile, the body was cremated at his native village. Besides Mr Ladhar, Mr Harinder Singh Chahal, SSP, Sangrur, Mr Gurtej Singh, SDM, Sangrur, Mr Surjit Singh Grewal, SP (D), Sangrur, Mr Dharam Singh, SP (H), Sangrur, and Mr Gursharan Singh Bedi, DSP, Sangrur, also attended the cremation.

He said the police had also entered the name of ASI Kashmira Singh in the list of the accused on the statement of Gurpal Singh, brother of the deceased. He said now there were seven accused, including the ASI.

Mr Gurpal Singh had stated that his brother had died in police custody while the latter claimed that he had fled from the fields of Chathe Sekhwan village where he had been taken for the recovery of the money stolen from the shop of a person of the same village.

A team of three doctors had conducted the post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital here yesterday. Dr Baljit Singh, a member of the team, had stated that the viscera, lungs and heart had been sent to Patiala for chemical examination.

Nabha, September 17
More than 500 persons staged dharna yesterday for three hours at local Boran Gate Chowk to press their demand for the immediate arrest of Harbhajan Singh, Labh Singh, Babli Singh and one other unidentified person, owners of Dharni Khad and Pesticide Store of Bhadson, 20 km from here.

The protesters also demanded registration of a case under Section 302 of the IPC instead of Section 306 of the IPC. The situation was saved for turning hostile by SHO Kotwali Nabha, who convinced the agitators that culprits wouldn't be allowed to scot-free.

The accused allegedly compelled a Dalit youth Baljinder Singh (30) to commit suicide. He is survived by his mother, wife, two sons and a mentally retarded brother. Baljinder was the sole bread earner of the family.

According to family of Baljinder Singh, he had been working as a labourer at Dharni Khad Store Bhadson for the last two years. They alleged he was severely beaten up by the accused on Friday on the charges of stealing and selling pesticides from their shop.

They said the accused also searched their house and when they found nothing, they took Baljinder to the shop where he was beaten up again. Feeling humiliated, he consumed some poison and collapsed at shop. Fearing danger the accused took him to a private hospital at Nabha where he breathed his last. The accused fled from the hospital leaving his body there.

SHO Bhadson, when contacted, disclosed that Baljinder had consumed two celphos tablets. Previously a case was registered under 306 of the IPC against Harbhajan Singh, Labh Singh, Babli Singh and one unidentified person which was then registered under Section 302 of the IPC.

Chandigarh, September 17
Resentment prevails among dental doctors working on contract basis with the Punjab Health Systems Corporation. They allege that they get only a 10 per cent incentive increment while those on regular staff get a fixed hike.

In 2004, the corporation made a policy that if the dental doctors (on contract), generated Rs 10,000 a month, they would have to deposit Rs 2,000 with the hospital where they were working, thereby practically reducing their salaries. At present, the salaries of the contractual doctors are dependent upon the money they generate by charging the fee fixed by the government.

A doctor working in the ex-servicemen’s contributory health scheme draws a monthly salary of Rs 15,000. With an increase in the prices of all commodities, the doctors have urged upon the authorities that salaries be hiked and the Chairman of the corporation has been informed about the same.

Patiala, September 17
A demonstration was held by people of all faiths in the local Chotti Baradari here today to lodge their protest against the denial of right to Sikh boys to tie turbans in France.

After the demonstration, the participants made an appeal to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and leader of Opposition Parkash Singh Badal to pass an appropriate resolution in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to convey their strong resentment to the government of France.

Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa, president, Sikh Nation Organization, at a press conference here today said the organisation had urged Capt Amarinder Singh and Mr Badal to defend the honour of the turban in France.

He said it was shameful that even after struggling for more than two years for their rights, Sikh boys were going to their classes bareheaded by making ponytails in France. The Sikh boys who refused to abandon their turbans were not allowed inside regular classes and were put in isolated rooms. 

Amritsar, September 17
The retrieval of three ancient idols of Mahatma Buddha from the tank of Kotla Vasawa Singh, a few kilometres from the Pakistani border, and the 315-year-old idol of Lord Mahavira, besides rare manuscripts in Prakrit script, establishes that Amritsar and its adjoining areas have been flocked by Jain and Budh monks for generations.

The city has seen Jain missionary activities for more than three centuries.

Shockingly, two idols of Lord Buddha have been lost while the third has been kept outside a religious shrine at Kotla Vasawa Singh village without any protection. The tank is near the mound from where archaeologists have found traces of various civilisations.

The state’s former senior vice- president of the Jain Sabha, Mr Amrit Lal Jain, says that there is a large following of Jainism in Punjab, especially Ludhiana, Jandiala Guru and Patiala. More than 400 Jain families live in this city.

A large number of Jains migrated to Amritsar after Partition but moved to other places during militancy.

Jains are among the city’s prominent industrialists and political leaders. The essence of Jainism is palpable in temples and manuscripts preserved at a local Jain temple near Harmandar Sahib.

The place was visited by Jain saints and scholars. The library of the temple has about 50 scriptures, out of which five are handwritten in Prakrit. The 32 Aagms written by Lord Mahavira are also in Prakrit. It was the spoken language of the people and had developed from Sanskrit.

Shri Arnath Jain Shwetambra Mandir here has a 315-year-old idol of Lord Sheetal Nath, the 10th Tiranthankar.

Abohar, September 17
Eightyone devotees donated blood during the closing ceremony of an 81-hour akhand kirtan organised by the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Sangathan, Punjab, as part of Sathya Sai Baba’s 81st birthday celebrations.

Thousands of devotees from different districts and Chandigarh participated in the kirtan and other activities. A team of the District Red Cross Society, Ludhiana, arrived here to collect blood as the local blood bank, Mr Kamlesh Dawar, district president, said.

Mr V.K. Kapur, state president of the organisation, said the construction of 200-km canal emanating from Kandleru in Andhra Pradesh to supply water to six million people around Poondi in Tamil Nadu was the major service project completed by the organisation. — OC

Patiala, September 17
The Army’s Kharga Corps Band competition, which attracted 11 bands of infantry and mechanised infantry units, concluded here today amidst a colourful ceremony. Lieut-Gen V.K Singh, General Officer Commanding of the Kharga Corps, was the chief guest in the competition which attracted bands of Guards, Gorkha Rifles, Sikh Regiment, Garhwal Rifles, Kumaon Regiment and Mechanised Infantry Regiment.

Patiala, September 17
To provide better transport services in the Patiala region, the Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) authorities have launched the tele-booking facility for advance booking in the super-deluxe air conditioned bus service, plying on the Patiala-Delhi route, as per a press note issued here by Mr Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon, Managing Director, PRTC. — TNS

CRIME

SHO held for taking bribe
Our Correspondent

Abohar, September 17
Gamdoor Singh, SHO at the city police station here, has been booked by the Vigilance Bureau for allegedly accepting Rs 25,000 as illegal gratification. He had been shifted from here three months back to Zira police station.

According to the information provided to the media by DSP Vinod Chaudhary of the Vigilance Bureau, Balwinder Singh, a son of Ajit Singh of Suba Jadid village in this district, had complained that Gamdoor Singh had been harassing a contractor and his staff over issuing slips for extracting sand from the area auctioned to them.

The SHO allegedly demanded Rs 25,000 as illegal gratification to “facilitate” undisturbed activities to the contractor. The chemically treated-signed currency notes were yesterday offered to the SHO at his house but he asked security guard Gurdev Singh to accept the same.

The Vigilance team swung into action and nabbed the SHO along with the security guard. The team led by Sub-Inspector Bhinderjit Singh reportedly recovered Rs 25,000 from the guard and seized Rs 40,000 during a search of the house, besides 17 bottles of whisky, two packets of poppy husk.

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against them, sources added.

Rajpura, September 17
Burglars allegedly broke into a house in New Defence Colony last night and decamped with cash and valuables worth several lakhs of rupees.

According to the police, the burglars entered the house of two brothers—Ashok Kumar and Rajesh Kumar—through a store and ransacked the house when the families were asleep.

When the families woke up around 5.30 am. today they found the house ransacked and the valuables and cash missing.

About 20 tolas of gold, 2 kg silver and Rs 1 lakh in cash were taken away by the burglars.

A case has been registered.

Patiala, September 17
Mr Gurdish Singh, press secretary, Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Progressive Front, Punjab, today said that the committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal had assured the front that its demands would be approved by it.

In a press note issued here today, Mr Gurdish Singh said that this assurance was given when, under the leadership of the state president of the front, Mr Upjit Singh Brar, a state-level delegation of the front met Ms Bhattal on a special invitation at Punjab Bhavan Chandigarh yesterday.

He said that the front leaders put facts and figures clearly regarding their demands before the committee. The demands included the commencement of old pension scheme for retirees, who retired after May 31, 2003, time- bound promotion scales after the completion of four, nine and 14 years of service, as was being given to the state government employees, approval of rural allowance for the employees working in rural areas, practical allowance for science teachers, lifting of the ban imposed on recruitment and adoption of aided school employees as per their seniority to government school.

He informed that Mr Lal Singh and Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, both ministers, were present at the meeting.