The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

	Dullo wants landless labourers under ambit of loan waiver Amarjit Thind Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 7 Former PPCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo has demanded loan waiver for landless and unskilled labourers on the pattern of indebted farmers in the budget. Welcoming the loan waiver for farmers, he said the government had somehow overlooked the poor landless labourers and petty artisans in the country who were living a sub-human existence. Apart from peasantry, the condition of landless labourers was pitiable and the centre government should have extended some relief to them. “I would soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue. In any case, the loans to this category would not be more than Rs 10,000-15,000 crore at the national level, he added. “While extending any benefit to the farmers, we should not forget the role of these labourers without whom the Green Revolution was not possible. I will also meet the party MPs to persuade them to raise the issue in the current budget session,” he added. Expressing concern over the price rise, Dullo said immediate steps should be taken to control the price rise, which had broken all records. “What to talk of the poor, even the well off are feeling the pinch,” he said. Making a scathing attack on the ruling combine, the former MP said after the financial help to the ailing farmers, it was the turn of the state government to come forward to waive all agriculture loans taken from the commission agents (arhtiyas). Answering a query on Badal’s demand for waiver of loans taken from commission agents from the union government since the centre was getting more than 75 per cent of revenue collected from the state in the form of central sales tax (CST) and other taxes, Dullo said, “The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has already contributed a lot to the development works being initiated in the state, what else the state government want? Such largesse was never shown to us during the NDA government.” On the principle of “One man-one post,” especially with regard to state Congress chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, who also holds the post of the leader of ppposition in the assembly, Dullo said the condition could be relaxed in exceptional circumstances. Taking a dig at former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, the former minister said those who enjoyed power for five years should now stand by Congress workers who were fighting against the ruling combine. He said he was willing to contest from anywhere in case he was asked to do so by the party high command. “Otherwise, I will be happy to contribute my bit in securing victory for the party candidates,” he added.
	Skyrocketing grocery bills put aam aadmi on mat Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, March 7 The recent increase in the rates of petrol and diesel after the presentation of the annual Budget by the UPA government for 2008-09, has led to a sharp increase in the prices of almost all the essential commodities, including mustard and refined oils, vegetable ghee, rice, pulses, wheat flour, etc. It is learnt that there is no shortage of any commodity in the market, but some of the wholesalers have restricted the supply of these commodities in the hope that their rates could further increase. Grocery dealer of the local Sheesh Mahal Bazaar Surinder Ohri told The Tribune on Friday that mustard oil was selling at Rs 60 per litre before the presentation of the Union Budget, but its price had gone up by Rs 15 per litre. Similarly, the rates of refined oil had increased from Rs 60 to Rs 80 per litre, vegetable ghee from Rs 55 to Rs 75 per litre, moong dal (whole) from Rs 40 to Rs 46 per kg, basmati rice from Rs 40 to Rs 65 per kg, sharbati rice from Rs 20 to Rs 35 per kg, parmal rice from Rs 13 to Rs 18 per kg, white gram from Rs 40 to Rs 50 per kg and dal gram from Rs 35 to Rs 40 per kg. The rate of wheat flour had also increased from Rs 12.50 per kg to Rs 14 per kg. A housewife, Neelam Khanna, and her husband Satish of the local Una Road, said the price gouging of essential commodities had hit them hard. They pointed out that none of the leaders of any political party had ever raised voice against the skyrocketing prices. There was not only an increase in the prices of essential commodities, but also in the rates of fruits and vegetables, which had broken all the previous records, they lamented. The couple said at least food, being the basic need of all human beings, should be easily available to them. Bringing down the prices of cars, air-conditioners, etc. had no meaning for them, they said. A social activist, Harish Saini, said on account of spiralling prices of edible oils, pulses, milk products, etc., the dairymen and halwais had also increased the rates of milk, its by-products and other sweets by 20 to 30 per cent. There was a time when social and political persons raised a hue and cry even on an minor increase in the rates of essential commodities, but none had raised voice against the recent increase in the rates. Government officers had also turned a blind eye to the present unwanted price hike, he alleged.
	Shop shock: Pay up, improvement trust told Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, March 7 Accepting the complaint of Arun Jain of Sector 35-A, Chandigarh, against the improvement trust, Hoshiarpur, the district consumers forum, headed by president P.D. Goel, directed the latter to pay Rs 41,454 on account of the cracks appearing on the walls of his shop, with further directions to pay Rs 54,918 on account of the price of less area given to the complainant, with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of filing the complaint till realisation. The consumers forum further directed the improvement trust to pay Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses. Arun Jain stated in his complaint that he purchased one shop measuring 35.86 sq yds for Rs 6,08,000 from the Hoshiarpur improvement trust. The walls of the shop developed cracks and the area of the shop provided was only 32.62 sq yards. The authorities of the improvement trust pleaded that the shops were checked and seen by the bidders, including the complainant, when it was taken into possession by them. After going through evidence and expert opinion, the consumers forum held that the promised area of the shop was 35.86 sq yds and only 32.62 sq yds were put in Jain’s possession, leading to a difference of 3.24 sq yds. The forum held that the material used for constructing the shop was inferior and the quality of construction was not good.
	Efficiency test for Kapurthala cops Kapurthala, March 7 To improve the functioning of police stations and posts in the district, the district police organised a competition of all the police stations and posts after giving them six months’ time to improve their working. Talking to mediapersons here today, SSP Rakesh Aggarwal said he had formed a seven-member committee, headed by DSP Sukhdev Singh Chinna, to inspect all the police stations and posts on 25 different points to adjudge the best police station of the district. He said the members of the committee inspected the police stations and police posts from February 28 to March 4. On the recommendations of the committee, Sultanpur Lodhi police station won the first position. Kotwali police station bagged the second position, while the third spot went to Sadar police station, Phagwara. The police post at Science City was adjudged as the best police post. The SSP announced cash awards of Rs 1 lakh to Sultanpur Lodhi police station for securing the first position, Rs 10,000 to Kotwali police station and Rs 5000 to Sadar police station, Phagwara. He also announced Rs 10,000 to the police post at Science City. He disclosed that the competition of police stations and police posts would be held every year. — UNI
	Right Track Railways to install 646 more UTS in northern division Jalandhar, March 7 To facilitate the passengers and provide them better facilities, chief commercial manager (CCS) of the Northern Railways H.C. Punia today revealed that the department would soon install as many as 646 more unreserved ticketing systems (UTSs) in the various cities of the northern division. Punia, who was here to inspect the facilities provided to the passengers, told reporters that the Railways had already opened a large number of UTSs but in order to facilitate its passengers more, it had been decided that its number would be increased by October next year. He also said around 200 automatic ticket wending machines (ATWM) would also be installed at a number of stations for the facility of the passengers in the Northern Railways, of which 60 would be installed in Ferozepore division only. On a query about the budget required for installing UTSs and ATWMs, Punia said around Rs 5.5 crore had already been allocated for the purpose. He admitted that cleanliness in important trains, including Shatabdi, was not up to the mark, but said action would taken against the staff concerned after conducting an inquiry into it. “Earlier the work of cleanliness was given to an outsourcing agency but now it has been shifted to the mechanical department of the Railways itself and the process to upgrade the cleanliness has been initiated,” he revealed. — PTI
	This SPIN SUPERNOVA SHINES Kusum Arora Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 7 Refuting all charges of racial hatred levelled by all-rounder Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds, turbunator Harbhajan Singh categorically said the allegations were baseless and shocking. “I was rather surprised with the allegations. If I had made any such remarks I would have been held accountable but the truth came to the fore and the result is in front of the entire world,” he said. The turbunator said this during a press meet here on Friday at Hansraj Stadium. “What happened in Australia has already come to an end and I am looking forward to good cricket in the upcoming ICL and IPL matches,” Bhajji said, adding that both Symonds and Mathew Hayden were playing a very tough game during the match when I took the decisive wicket of Symonds. Extremely overjoyed over the performance of Team India at the recently concluded one-day triangular series and the on the support extended by the Australian media over the issue, he said, “As the end result was good, therefore, I was supported by the Australian media as well. Moreover, Team India dominated Australians and made the game tough and interesting. After all it was ‘Hindustan ki jeet’ and we outperformed the world champions.” He thanked the Indian spectators who did not lose their faith in him despite the controversial issue. He emphasised on the fact that whether it was the Indians in Australia or back home, it was due to their kind support at the time of crisis that he was able to pass the litmus test. On being asked about the historic win of the U-19 Cricket World Cup the same day, Harbhajan said, “Definitely Sunday was a memorable day for India as India won the U-19 Cricket World Cup after a gap of eight years. It is excellent that these young boys made a name for themselves in the international arena. I specially congratulated the entire team on their momentous victory”. Answering a query pertaining to the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) in which the turbunator would be playing from Bombay team, he said, “The IPL will be a major hit as it is based on the Twenty20 format. I am quite excited about the game as I would be playing against the most professional of the cricketers of the world. “This will give me a chance to check the batting abilities of fellow team mates,” he said smilingly. And on being asked about his marriage, the off spinner said, “No comments! Next question, please.”