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Staff flay govt on medical allowance
Sangrur, October 27 They also termed the hike of Rs 100 in the monthly medical allowance of the employees a “cruel joke” with them by saying that Rs 100 is a meagre hike in the light of costly treatment nowadays and unprecedented hike in the prices of medicines during the past couple of years. Addressing a meeting of the district unit of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU) here today, Mr Raj Kumar Arora, state chairman of the union, said the Amarinder government should remember its manifesto as it had promised in the manifesto that employees would be given promotional scale after four, nine and 14 years of service from January 1, 1996. But it had now announced promotional scales after four, nine and 14 years of service for employees prospectively on the basis of the assured career progression (ACP) scheme, which was not accepted to the employees. He said the meagre hike of Rs 100 in the monthly medical allowance was also not acceptable to the employees. They would not tolerate any type of injustice done to them by the government. Mr Nathu Lal Dhingra, state president of the Cooperative Department Employees Union, criticised the state government for its alleged anti-employee policies and demanded promotional scale after four, nine and 14 years of service from January 1, 1996. The meeting adopted a resolution that in case Mr Vijay Syal, Personal Assistant to Deputy Commissioner, contested the next Assembly elections on any seat, the ministerial staff would extend full support to him as Mr Syal felt that the state government had not been doing justice to him in a case.
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Kidnapped businessman rescued
Ferozepore, October 27 According to the police, Babu Ram, son of Gian Chand, a resident of Mandi Guruharsahai, who also owns a Hero Honda agency, was on his way from Guruharsahai to Faridkot yesterday afternoon when three unidentified miscreants blocked his way and asked for lift and later kidnapped him at gunpoint. At the time of kidnapping, Babu Ram was travelling in his car along with his driver Pawan Kumar. The kidnappers forced the driver to take the car towards Aarifke village in the Mallanwala area and took Babu Ram to a secluded residential place in the village which belonged to one Bakshish Singh. The kidnappers then demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore from Babu Ram for his release. After negotiations, a deal was settled for Rs 30 lakh. The kidnappers dispatched the driver, Pawan Kumar , to Babu Ram's place to collect the ransom money. At the time the deal was being finalised, the police was informed about the happening by Babu Ram's family. The SSP here said the police acted swiftly and rounded up a few people, including the driver, Pawan Kumar. Mr K.S. Gill, SP (Detective) said that during investigations, Pawan Kumar broke down and admitted to having hatched the entire kidnapping drama along with his three other accomplices in order to fleece money from Babu Ram. Police teams were dispatched to recover Babu Ram, who was later traced from the Mallanwala area. Another three culprits were identified as Maluk Singh, son of Falak Singh, Balwinder Singh, alias Chinder, and Bakshish Singh, alias, Sheesha, son of Sujja Singh. Maluk Singh has been arrested along with Pawan Kumar, whereas other two kidnappers are on the run. The police has recovered the toy pistol used in the kidnapping along with a .12 bore single-barrel gun.
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CEC monitoring voter card preparation
Chandigarh, October 27 The observers will be overseeing the process of making photo identity cards. The CEC wants the coverage of voters’ identity cards to improve and has cited the case of Bihar. In Punjab, January 1, 2007, is the qualifying date. The draft poll rolls had been published on October 23. Filing of claims and objections can be done till November 10. The final rolls will be published on January 3. The publication of the final rolls is not related to the notification that is to be issued by the CEC for conducting the elections in the state. Those who are 18 years of age as on January, 1, 2007, can apply to get their names included in the rolls by filling the requisite forms.
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Ammunition found in Sutlej bed
Ferozepore, October 27 According to the information, 81-mm live mortar shells and 14.6-mm KPVT shells were recovered from the Sutlej bed close to zero line along the border. The ammunition dump was spotted as the water in the Sutlej had receded after closure of the sluice gates of Hussainiwala barrage for maintenance. Mr Arpit Shukla, SSP, said that according to the information which has reached the police, eight 81-mm mortar shells and 30 KPVT 14.6-mm shells had been recovered so far from the dry river bed. He added that more ammunition was likely to be recovered. About the origin of this ammunition, he said though it was not still certain, but it might have been dumped there during 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict. Sources suggest that the quantity of the recovered ammunition was much more than the official version. Officials told besides a large quantity of heavy machinegun (HMG) cartridges had also been found. Officials said that a team of Army experts from Core Headquarters, Jalandhar, had arrived to establish the origin of the dumped explosives.
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Heritage Festival begins
Jalandhar, October 27 Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, in whose name the Heritage Festival is being organised, himself used to recite Gurbani. The audience was taken into another time frame in the gracious backdrop of nearly a century old pink Jagatjit palace as melodious notes of kirtan floated in the air. Talking to The Tribune earlier in the day, Bhai Mansa Singh said he had got training in all the 31 ragas from well known classical singer the late Sohan Singh. Every year, the festival opens with recitation of kirtan and last year it was inaugurated with shabad rendition by legendary Bhai Avtar Singh, representing the 14th generation of Kapurthala, who performs kirtan in compositions which were in vogue during the period of the Gurus. Dr Atamjit’s light and sound play ‘Tatti Tavi Da Sach’ followed the kirtan on the first day. The play focused on the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev. Earlier in the day, a heritage walk was organised at the initiative of Deputy Commissioner Raminder Singh, secretary of the Kapurthala Heritage Trust. Prominent citizens, members of social and voluntary organisations, district officers, municipal councillors, advocates, mediapersons besides a large number of college and school students participated in the walk. The heritage walk started from local Shalimar Bagh and culminated at Jagatjit Palace.
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Ban on film “Baghi”
Patiala, October 27 In a press note issued here, Mr Verma said resentment was prevailing among people belonging to the Dalit community over derogatory remarks against the community in the movie and many objectionable scenes showing people belonging to the reserved categories in bad taste. He said some organisation of the Dalit were learnt to have hold meetings in this regard to prepare a strategy for launching protests and demonstrations againsts the screening of this movie. Possibility of violent clashes at some places over this issue could not be ruled out. To maintain communal harmony, the government observed and decided to impose a ban on the movie.
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high court Road show by Chief Minister Our High Court Correspondent
Chandigarh, October 27 The petitioner, Mr R.S. Bhalla, general secretary, Punjab Khatri Sabha, Malerkotla, has also challenged the decision of the state government to exempt the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and all MLAs from payment of income tax on salaries, allowances etc received by them. In his petition, Mr Bhalla has stated that the government has pegged the budget for the road shows at Rs 14 crore, which also includes the cost of the specially-prepared bus which would ferry the Chief Minister and his contingent during the road shows. Saying that the road shows, the stated purpose of which is to highlight the achievements of the state government under the Congress regime headed by Capt Amarinder Singh, are a sheer waste of public money, energy and time, the petitioner has prayed for directions to put an end to the same. He has stated that for highlighting its achievements, the state government already has many means, including a full-fledged Department of Public Relations. It is also placing advertisements highlighting the achievements of the government in newspapers. Incidentally, the petitioner has also pointed to a specific private news channel, which regularly sings in praise of the Chief Minister. He has also stated that the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee is also embarking on a similar road show from October 30 onwards for the same purpose. The road show of the Chief Minister and his troupe, if allowed, the petitioner has claimed, would severely affect the working of the government offices as also cause security problems across the state. As for the plea against exempting the Chief Minister, ministers and MLAs from the payment of income tax on salaries, allowances etc received by them, the petitioner has stated that nowhere in the world is such a privilege given to politicians. Incidentally, a Division Bench of this High Court had on August 28 dismissed a PIL challenging the decision of the government with regard to exemption to MLAs etc from payment of income tax on salaries, allowances etc. The Bench had ruled that there was no merit in the PIL filed by advocate H.C. Arora and therefore dismissed it. However, today, the Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice S.S. Nijjar and Mr Justice S.S. Saron issued notice of motion for November 30.
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Firm’s partners refused bail
Muktsar, October 27 The police registered a case against the five partners of Brightway Education Network and National Group under sections 465, 467, 468, 471, 419, 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code on September 26, and also arrested managing director of the company, Sanjeev Kumar, later who was granted bail by the court. In the meantime, Gurcharan Singh Sandhu, a resident of Green Park Colony, and three other partners of the firm went underground. While Sandhu committed suicide at one of his relative’s home in Bathinda district, the other partners namely Udeek Chand, Gurmeet Singh and Manjeet Singh remained at large and applied for bail. Meanwhile, a large number of people, duped by the company have formed a body to initiate separate legal action against its partners. Jagsir Singh, a representative of the outfit, rued that they were cheated of hard-earned money by the firm, but the police had failed to arrest its partners till now.
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Chahal told to be present in court on Nov 3
Chandigarh, October 27 It may be recalled that Mr Chahal had been ordered to explain his conduct during hearing of the petitions challenging the selection of the kin of some high and mighty as DSPs by the Punjab Government in 2004. Mr Chahal’s son was among those whose illegal and arbitrary appointments had been set aside by the court. Criminal contempt proceedings had been ordered to be initiated against him for his controversial role during the hearings of the case pertaining to selection of DSPs. On October 15, 2004, a Full Bench comprising then Chief Justice Mr Justice B.K. Roy, Mr Justice Rajive Bhalla and Mr Justice Surya Kant had ordered Mr Chahal to explain his conduct in the case. During hearing, the Bench had taken strong exception to the alleged attempt of some persons, including Mr Chahal, for interference in the proceedings of the bunch of petitions challenging irregularities in the selection of DSPs. Apart from the fact that his son was one of those selected, Mr Chahal’s name was also mentioned during the controversy over the missing file of the Punjab Sports Department, which had been summoned by the court. On December 16, 2004, Mr Chahal had been given exemption from personal appearance in the matter. However, the Bench had also ordered that the exemption would not be applicable if the court required his presence on further hearings. Since then, the contempt case has not been heard on a regular basis. Today, when the matter came up for hearing, Mr Chahal’s counsel informed the court that his client had been granted exemption, a stand that was turned down by the court, which said it could seek Mr Chahal’s presence whenever required.
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No ADA appointed in Patiala yet
Patiala, October 27 In a press statement issued here today, he said about 60 lawyers applied for five posts for assistant district attorneys allotted to district Patiala. He added that it was surprising that no appointment or interview call had been received by any of the applicant so far despite the fact that Patiala was home district of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. He said no attention had been paid to this important cause as the courts in Patiala were suffering due to inadequate number of ADA and the litigants were suffering on this account also.
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Ahir seeks voluntary retirement
Sarbjit Dhaliwal Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 27 “I am fully satisfied with my 20 years of service as PCS officer. Especially, I have enjoyed my stint as Deputy Principal Secretary for four and a half years because it was a new experience for me to work at such a level”, said Mr Ahir while talking to The Tribune here yesterday. “However, now I have decided to quit service because I want to fully engage myself in the uplift of the poor and marginalised sections for whom I have been working for the past few years by associating with certain non-government organisations”, he added. Mr Ahir has been running a non-government organisation named the “Samaj Bhalai Manch for the past three years. This NGO has been working to financially help bright students among the poor sections of society and to arrange tuitions and other help in the form of books, etc, for them. “As soon as my case for voluntary retirement is approved, I will join social activities as a full-time activist”, he said. However, there is speculation in political circles that Mr Ahir will join politics after leaving service. He belongs to a family of politicians. Two of his close relations are senior leaders of the Congress. Political circles say that Mr Ahir has served for some time in Hoshiarpur district and may start his political career from that area.
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Delhi youth rescued from kidnappers
Gurdaspur, October 27 Suddenly a youth jumped out of the vehicle and told policemen that he had been kidnapped. The occupants of the vehicle fled the site in vehicle that had uttar Pradesh registration number.
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ITI staff, students block traffic
Bathinda, October 27 Addressing the protesters, the union’s secretary, Mr Malkit Singh, flayed the state government’s proposed move to hand over ITIs and polytechnic colleges to societies. The vice-president, Mr Sukhdev Singh Kang, exhorted the students to organise and intensify their agitation against the privatisation of their institutions. Punjab Students Union (Randhawa) leader Sukhwinder Singh said their agitation would gain momentum with a strike on October 31 and their stir would continue till the government withdrew its anti-education decisions. He said the ruling party had promised education and employment to the youth at the time of elections, but now it was duping them by resorting to privatisation. The state president of the employees’ joint action committee, Mr Harmander Singh Dhillon, also addressed the agitators.
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Banur, October 27
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