Amritsar, April 1
Punjab’s crop diversification project to wean farmers off growing water guzzling IR and parmal paddy varieties has hit a roadblock with the Central government banning export of superfine varieties, including sharbati and 1121 PUSA basmati.

The Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association in collaboration with the Agriculture Department of the state, along with administrations of various districts, had evolved a public-private participation module to encourage farmers in the basmati-growing belts to cultivate 1121 and sharbati varieties which have been in markets abroad and brought lucrative price to peasants of this region.

A senior functionary of the association K.R.S. Sobti and Arvinderpal Singh Manchanda in a missive to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had urged him to take up the issue of Punjab farmers who had taken up cultivation of 1121 PUSA in a big way as Punjab Agricultural University had already approved these varieties and recommended for sowing in large areas of the state. He said these varieties were transplanted in June and around monsoon, thus requiring far less water.

Sobti said basmati varieties were being encouraged through the PPP mechanism to arrest declining water table which had caused serious concern to environmentalists wanting measures to stop cultivation of IR and parmal varieties to protect water resources of the state.

Deputy commissioner K.S. Pannu has already issued an order under Section 144, CrPC, banning paddy sowing in April-May. He said this had been done to dissuade farmers from planting normal paddy varieties and to encourage them to take to cultivating basmati varieties.

Sobti said in two years prices of basmati and similar varieties had shot up at least by about 100 per cent and the farming community had earned Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per acre more than previous years. He said the price of Indian rice had also shot up in international markets.

Enthused by the bright economic scenario on the agriculture front the Agricultural Department in this region expected larger acreage under sharbati and 1121 varieties, but the present decision of the Union Cabinet Committee on Pricing to ban export of these varieties may dampen and cause loss to the farmers.

Quoting statistics from the All-India Rice Exporters Association, Sobti said out of the total rice production of 92 million tonnes, basmati rice constituted only 1.5 million tonnes barely 1.63 per cent of total production out of which 60 per cent was exported. He said over three lakh farmers in the country depended on premium rice exports besides thousands of youths directly or indirectly employed in the rice trade in the country.

Arvinderpal Singh Manchanda said PUSA 1121 had been a spectacular success in Iran and commanded price on a par with basmati in some pockets of the world.

Chandigarh, April 1
The Union government has sanctioned Rs 151.74 crore for augmenting drinking water supply and sewerage facilities in six Punjab towns. The funds have been sanctioned from the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme.

This development took place yesterday, the last working day of the previous financial year, in which 80 per cent of the cost of the project will be borne by the Central government, the state and the local body and the remaining by the municipal committee, municipal corporation or notified area committee.

If Bathinda and Majitha will benefit from a special Central government package for augmenting their drinking water supply, Jalandhar, Malout, Pathankot and Zirakpur will have plenty of Central funds for improving their sewerage networks.

Many Punjab towns have major problems with their sewerage that are either defective or inadequate. Not many towns have sewage treatment plants and the entire waste is released into natural water channels, including rivers and canals, thus making the drinking water supplied through conventional channels unfit for human consumption.

In fact, the Punjab government had prepared development plans for 28 small and medium towns and cities under the Urban Infrastructure Development Programme.

Naresh Gujral, Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, had been pursuing the case of various Punjab towns for release of grants. Last week, accompanied by the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal and Punjab Local Bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, Gujral met the union minister for urban development for clearance of the pending Punjab projects before the closure of the 2007-2008 financial year.

“Only yesterday, we were informed that Rs 151.8 crore has been finally sanctioned for six Punjab towns,” said Gujral.

Gujral told The Tribune that Bathinda would get Rs 21.13 crore for augmenting its drinking water supply while Majitha would get Central assistance of Rs 96.80 lakh. The state government would contribute the remaining 20 per cent of the water supply projects in Bathinda and Majitha.

“The state government has given an undertaking that it would pay the share of the beneficiary local body for both drinking water and sewerage schemes,” Naresh Gujral added.

For augmentation of sewerage facilities, Zirakpur will get Central assistance of Rs 33.58 crore out of a total project cost of Rs 41.97 crore. Similarly, Jalandhar, Malout and Pathankot will get Central assistance of Rs 39.64 crore, Rs 18.28 crore and Rs 38.12 crore, respectively.

Chandigarh, April 1
More women are dying from cancer than men in Punjab. This is contrary to the global trend where more men die from cancer than women. This is the finding of a study by Bajinder Pal Singh in a recently concluded project, “Cancer deaths in agricultural heartland: a study in alwa region of Indian Punjab”.

The study says the results are surprising and shocking. These are significant as women have adverse sex ratio not only in Punjab, but also the entire country.

Releasing operative part of the study to the media, Bajinder Pal Singh revealed: “The data from WHO indicated that all across the globe, 33 per cent more men die of cancer than women. According to the WHO report, this is true not just of the entire world, but also in South Asian region as well”.

However, in rural Punjab, cancer deaths reveal a very different picture where 25 per cent more women are dying than men.

Since gender studies in cancer deaths in India have been few, it is possible the trend is not restricted to Punjab, but could be true of other states as well, Bajinder remarked.

The study covered eight districts of the Malwa region, namely Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Sangrur, Barnala and Moga.

Thirty villages were selected from among the eight districts on random basis and data regarding cancer deaths for five years (2002-2006) was gathered. Among other aspects, statistical analysis was done on cancer mortality and patterns were ascertained with demographic parameters like gender, occupation and time

The results indicated correlation between cancer mortality and gender. The study did not ascertain causes, but investigated possible correlations. Some explanations have been offered in the study. Primarily, non- smoking in Punjab could be the reason behind lesser cancer mortality among men. Globally lung cancer is a major killer among men.

Punjab, primarily because of the influence of Sikhism which forbids smoking and consumption of tobacco, has the lowest smoking rate in the country. This could be a reason for lesser cancer deaths among men, which could imply cancer mortality among women is more than men. Other possible factors could be differential literacy rates, gender bias, lack of medical facilities and difference between rates of incidence and mortality.

The study also revealed more homemakers are dying than farmers. This again is very surprising since it is expected cancer mortality among those in agriculture is greater. The third conclusion was that cancer mortality was increasing every year.

The project was submitted at the International Institute of Geo Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), The Netherlands in March 2008. Conducted under the guidance of Prof Peter Atkinson, head, school of geography, University of Southampton (UK) and Prof Dr Ir Alfred Stein, chairman, department of earth information science, ITC, The Netherlands. The study was funded by the European Commission. He said the yongest cancer victim was three-year-old boy at Bhuttiwala village in Muktsar district. Two four- year- old girls were also among cancer victims -from Aklian village in Bathinda and Jiwanarian in Ferozepur .

Tohra (Patiala), April 1
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal dubbed late Akali stalwart Gurcharan Singh Tohra as one of the most powerful pillars of the Sikh Panth, while the SAD chief Sukhbir Badal exhorted the youth to follow the ideology of simple living and high thinking propogated by Tohra.

The Chief Minister and other senior Akali leaders were here to pay homage to Tohra at a state-level function organised on the occasion of his fourth death anniversary. Reliving the time spent by him with Tohra, Badal said, “He was a visionary of rare intellect and was one of my best companions. He was a multi-facet personality who ruled the hearts of millions.”

The Chief Minister inaugurated a Rs 60 lakh shed set up by the Punjab Mandi Board in the grain market here.

If Badal announced an Adarsh School and upgrading of the village hospital in memory of Tohra at his native village, Sukhbir outlined an array of ambitious plans and asserted that the SAD-BJP would observe the current year as development year. He also indicated that the party structure would be reorganised by April 14. He flayed the alleged attempt to sell relics of Guru Gobind Singh in the UK and said the SAD would be taking it up with the Prime Minister.

Asked whether his government would go to the higher court against the absolving of Bhattal in the embezzlement case, the Chief Minister, “We are not going to make any appeal against the orders. The previous government had initiated process for putting an end to the case,” he retorted. Referring to the poll of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee, the term of which had expired on February 8, he said the poll were being delayed as the Sarna group was making all out efforts to retain control over the body.

Former SGPC chief Jagdev Singh Talwandi presented Sukhbir with a sword on this occasion.

President of the SGPC Avtar Singh also paid homage to Jathedar Tohra. Tohra’s widow Bibi Joginder Kaur Tohra also participated. Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, Charanjit Singh Atwal, cooperation minister Kanwaljit Singh, local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, jail & tourism minister Hira Singh Gabria, revenue minister Ajit Singh Kohar, secretary-general of SAD Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and Prem Singh Chandumajra, both SAD general secretaries. 

Amritsar, April 1
Akali Dal MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha is in a fix following seizure of “secessionist material” including a handwritten and signed letter written to the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi from the office of his close confidant Varinder Pal Sharma, the suspended finance and development officer (FDO) of Guru Nanak Dev University.

Valtoha had written the forwarding letter of the open letter to Rajiv Gandhi in his capacity as secretary of the AISSF. The open letter was authored by late Harminder Singh Sandhu, secretary general of the federation.

The Akali MLA, who is also a member of the Senate and Syndicate of GND varsity, has been spearheading a campaign against vice-chancellor Jai Rup Singh.

Interestingly, the chargesheet served on Sharma seems to be aimed at establishing links between Valtoha and him since the days of militancy. The chargesheet was served two days after Valtoha sought an inquiry against the VC on the floor of the Punjab Assembly.

Education minister Upinderjit Kaur had announced that the state government was ready to order an inquiry against the VC if it was given in writing by the MLA.

The fresh chargesheet, served by registrar R.S. Bawa on the suspended FDO, stated that the committee constituted by the vice-chancellor seized a huge number of files and documents after it opened the sealed office of Sharma in his presence.

Another committee constituted by the VC scrutinised the material and files unauthorisedly kept in his office pertaining to various areas, papers/letters and communication with political leaders in connection with the terrorist movement in Punjab in violation of various conduct rules, university statutes and service rules. The suspended FDO has been directed to reply within 15 days of the receipt of the memorandum.

A handwritten letter by Valtoha in Punjabi, who was detained in the Central Jail, Tihar, at that time, and a personal letter written by him to Sharma from the high-security Amritsar jail were seized from Sharma’s office.

Rough handwritten notes in Punjabi and English related to the Sarbat Khalsa and movements of Sikh hardliners were also seized. It may be mentioned here that in the Sarbat Khalsa on January 26, 1986, the proclamation for Khalistan was made.

The university registrar said Sharma had kept such documents in gross violation of conduct rules.

He described the fresh chargesheet against his friend Sharma as a “mala fide act” since it was served two days after he had sought an inquiry against the VC.

Meanwhile, Sharma said, “I don’t deny having family and emotional bonds with both Valtoha and Harminder Singh Sandhu. The charges levelled against me are slanderous and I shall drag Bawa and Jai Rup Singh to court.”

Gurdaspur, April 1
With the suspension of Air Deccan flights from the Pathankot civil airport, job insecurity prevails among the employees of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other supporting staff deployed here.

Over 45 employees who had been earning their livelihood by extending their services here since the introduction of the first airlines on November 21, 2006, are in a quandary. These employees, who were hired by the airlines from a Bhopal-based ground handling agency, Om Sai Service, today packed up after clearing their dues.

The suspension of the flights has not only affected the employees posted here but also forced many other traders associated with the airport to wind up their business establishment.

According to sources in the airlines in Delhi, the company had been earning a monthly profit of Rs 60 lakh from the airport on an average basis. Apprehending less profit in future, the management preferred to take other profitable air routes in South India.

While the flight from Dharamsala to Pathankot had been suspended from March 29, flights from Delhi to Dharmasala and then back to Delhi are still on. Only 10 to 15 passengers, majority of them Army men, was the occupancy rate everyday at the airport.

Amit Gupta, who was running a goods shop at the airport said, “I was allotted a shop inside the airport building, besides contracts of parking area and airport entry fee five months ago. I preferred the contracts here, apprehending that the airport would get more flights and my business would flourish. I do not know what to do next.”

Union minister of state for industry Ashwani Kumar said the airport would shortly be made functional with the introduction of flights of certain other airlines. 

Kila Raipur, (Ludhiana), April 1
Villagers here have joined hands and given new life to the dilapidated building of Government Senior Secondary School. Crumbling walls, broken windows, rusted iron grills and worn-out floors marked more than the 75-year-old school, once a glorious institution which met the educational needs of more than 24 villages near here.

Wanting to restore the glory of the school spread over 5 acres, 40 former students got together and began reconstructing the fading nursery that produced leading lights in various fields.

Bhagwan Singh, school principal, said, “We have been able to restore most part of the collapsed school building following contributions backed with good intentions of former students, a majority of whom passed decades ago”.

Bhagwan Singh is also a former student of the school. Certain prominent names who have worked for the project to restore the lost glory of the alma mater include Kuldip Singh, a former sarpanch, Prof Kanwar Ranbir, Satish Chander Dhawan, Government College, Ludhiana, Mastan Singh, an engineer, late Gamdoor Singh, an engineer, and Jagdev Singh, a former superintending engineer, besides several others.

Principal Bhagwan Singh said iron rods in a majority of the classrooms were rotting, the structure had collapsed at several places and classrooms leaked during monsoon. Windowpanes in the school were broken and the building had not been whitewashed for several decades. Thanks to the enthusiasm of the old boys who got together for a common cause, the school has been able to repair at least its building.

Kuldip Singh said while villagers could get together for funding the upkeep of the buildings, the government could not close its eyes to filling posts of teacher. “Our school here too needs some teachers,” he said.

Another meeting of the core group is scheduled later this month. The key areas under consideration include restoring the green cover on the playfields, planting more trees and finishing the project. The panchayat does contribute a little towards the maintenance, however, the contributions are negligible.

Giving a background of the institution, Kuldip Singh said the school was started as Khalsa High School in 1933 and catered to the entire neighbourhood. The premises even had a hostel, which still exists. Today, the building is vacant for want of residents. At that point of time, the hostel housed children from as far as Bathinda, Ferozepur, Amritsar and other parts of Punjab, he said. In 1963, the school was re-christened Government Senior Secondary School.

The school wall has plaques on personalities who contributed for the emergence and maintenance of the institution. A few important names include Kishan Singh, Sardarni Mann Kaur, Dalip Singh and Inder Singh.

Tejinder to head IAS officers  body
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1
Tejinder Kaur, an IAS officer of 1973 batch, has been elected president of the IAS Officers Association. She got 17 votes and becomes the first woman officer to head the body.

The seat of president had fallen vacant following the retirement of B.R. Bajaj in January.

S.C. Aggarwal and Sarvesh Kaushal have been elected senior vice-president and vice-president of the association respectively.

IAS officers elect their president through preference ballot system. The ballot paper is sent to all IAS officers of the state cadre. They are supposed to indicate their preference for the officer they want to head the association.

Usually, the president is elected from among the principal secretary and financial commissioner level officers.

Chandigarh, April 1
Issuing notice of motion on a petition by Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) chairman Sanjit Kumar Sinha, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the state against initiating steps to arrest him without intimating the court till the next date of hearing.

The petition has been filed against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, son Sukhbir Singh Badal and four others.

Pronouncing the directions on Sinha’s petition, Justice Mahesh Grover ruled: “H.S. Shergill, advocate for the petitioner, contends the petitioner is sought to be victimised on account of political vendetta with the change of guard in the state.

“A case more than a decade old is being put under a scanner to implicate him; and reportedly the Vigilance Bureau, acting on the behest of the Chief Minister, is determined to implicate the petitioner.”

Fixing the case for July 22, the Judge concluded: “In the meantime, if any case is registered against the petitioner, the respondents shall not initiate any steps to arrest him without informing the court.”

Apprehending arrest due to political and personal vendetta, Sinha had earlier sought blanket bail.

Amritsar, April 1
Guru Nanak Dev University has extended the term of Dr Raghbir Singh, dean, Academic Affairs, and Dr A.K. Thukral, dean, Students' Welfare, on the university campus here for one year.

In a press note here today, Dr R.S. Bawa, registrar, said the university had also extended the term of Dr Baljit Kaur, present associate dean, Academic Affairs and Students' Welfare, at university’s regional campus, Jalandhar, for one year, while Dr Sujan Singh, currently associate dean, Academic Affairs and Students' Welfare, at the university regional campus, Gurdaspur, would continue till December 31.

Dr Bawa said the terms of Dr Pamarjit Singh as coordinator of the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusion Policy; Dr G.S. Virk as in charge, guest house; Dr Harbhajan Singh Bhatia as director, Academic Staff College; and Dr Gurupdesh Singh as director, All-India Services (AIS) Centre of the university, have also been extended till March 31, 2009.

Meanwhile, Dr Amarjit Singh Bhanwar, professor, Department of Human Genetics, has been assigned the duties of the dean, Alumni of the University, by the vice-chancellor.

He said Dr Jagrup Singh (Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Hostel), Dr Harbir Singh Mankoo (Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Hostel), Dr Rajesh Kumari (Mata Nanaki Girls Hostel No.1), Dr Balwinder Arora (Mata Nanaki Girls Hostel No.2), Dr Kanwaljit Kaur Jassal (Mata Nanaki Girls Hostel No.3) and Dr Raghbir Kaur (GN University Hostel, Regional campus, Jalandhar) have been appointed wardens till March 31, 2009.