Patiala, April 22
The fresh “patch-up” between warring Congress groups led by PPCC chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh notwithstanding, the latter and his staunch supporters were nowhere to be seen around the PPCC-organised chakka jam on the Rajpura road here today.

The hour-long protest drew a large number of Congress workers led by former ministers Lal Singh, Surinder Singla, Brahm Mohindra, PPCC spokesman Bir Devinder Singh, PPCC general secretary Parminder Singh, Harchand Singh Barsat and former Patiala Mayor Vishnu Sharma. The programme was aimed at highlighting the plight of farmers.

Holding the SAD-BJP responsible for non-lifting of the wheat crop from Punjab mandis, Bhattal, Bir Devinder, Singla, Lal Singh and other leaders blasted the state government. They said the state government was a big failure on all fronts.

Bhattal virtually sought to stun the Amarinder camp by visiting the Patiala-based residence of Punjab State Employees Federation chief Harchand Singh Barsat, who was considered to be a close aide of Amarinder during the previous Congress regime, along with top leadership of the PPCC.

Bhattal asserted that she and Amarinder would be working unitedly for the party in the state. “We have no differences as of now. If there were any, these have become a thing of past. Both of us had met the party high command and have resolved that we would not speak against each other,” she said.

In response to a question Bhattal admitted that she had met Sohan Singh, brother of slain Babbar Khalsa International militant Madha Singh, for the release of her nephew Harpartap Singh. “I took his help. But he was never a militant supporter and was a Gursikh.

Bhattal also indicated that the chakka jam programme was chalked out after discussions with Amarinder and other senior leaders of the PPCC.

She said Amarinder and certain other leaders, including Patiala DCC chief Tarsem Bansal, had informed her in advance about their inability to attend the event due to their prior engagements.

But what raised eyebrows was the absence of a number of close supporters of Amarinder. Others who remained absent were Punjab Youth Congress chief Vijay Inder Singla and district PYC chief Sharanjit Singh Jogipur.

Commuters were a harassed lot as Bhattal arrived about two hours late and Congress workers had to wait in the scorching heat for her. The traffic had to be diverted to the Sirhind bypass.

New Delhi, April 22
The Congress high command last night virtually put Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal on trial of sorts.

The duo have been told in clear terms that not a “wrong word” should be uttered by either of them till May 31, elections to Zila Parishad, the panchayat samitis and the panchayats, are over in Punjab.

In the so called “truce” enforced on the orders of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, it remains to be seen who out of the two former Chief Ministers of Punjab breaks this “code of silence” or walks out of this “forced friendship”.

Consequences of any outburst will be suicidal at this stage as of militancy in Punjab could needlessly give a handle to the Shiromani Akali Dal, said a senior member of the Congress party.

Already in Chandigarh SAD leader Sukhbir Badal yesterday demanded Sonia Gandhi to clear the air over allegations levelled by Amarinder and Bhattal while Prem Singh Chandumajra has claimed role of the Congress was dubious during the dark days.

The other issue was the two had to climb down from their stated stance. The party leaders who met Amarinder Singh and Bhattal at the late night’s meeting yesterday, included external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, defence minister A.K. Antony, central in charge for Punjab Congress Margaret Alva and AICC member Ahmed Patel.

Meanwhile the party has hinted composition of the coordination committee that was contested by Amarinder may be reviewed. However, the new members, if any, will not be specifically Amarinder or Bhattal loyalists.

Any senior member who may have been left out may be considered however, these issues will be considered only after the May 31. Notably by then elections in Karnataka will also be over and Alva will be busy with that.

Ludhiana, April 22
Tension prevailed in Mahavir Colony and Tajpur road areas as the police resorted to lathi charge, injuring six protesting labourers here this evening.

The police resorted to the lathi charge to disperse the protesting labourers, who started pelting stones on a police vehicle.

The situation remained tense since last evening after four labourers were injured, two of them seriously, when a bolier exploded at the dyeing unit of Veer Garment.

Representatives of various labour units who were sitting on a dharna since morning alleged that the police was hand in glove with the dyeing owners.

They alleged that the police was purposely delaying the removal of debris, as more labourers were expected to be buried under the debris.

The representatives of various labour unions were demanding a probe into
the matter.

Union leader Darshan Khari said the dyeing unit was being run illegally, as the owners of the unit had flouted rules, which had led to the mishap.

In the evening, the police arrested some agitating union leaders, which in turn instigated the agitating labourers, who started pelting stones at police vehicles and broke the windowpanes of some cars.

According to Sajjan Singh Cheema, SP (City III) a case had been registered against Suresh Verma, and the boiler operator under Sections 285, 287 of the IPC for holding fire or combustible matter with negligence as it endangers human life."

Four persons, accused of instigating the mob have also been booked along with 60 unidentified persons.

Industrial plot allotment policy revised
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 22
The Punjab government has revised policy for allotment of industrial plots. The new policy notified recently overrides the earlier one framed in September 2005.

The new policy will regulate allotment of plots in industrial focal points and allotment of semi-developed and developed land under the off-the-shelf scheme.

The new policy has widened range of plots available in the off-the-shelf scheme. As many as 15 per cent of the plots measuring 500 square yards and above but less than 2500 sq yards have been reserved to be allotted through off- the- shelf scheme.

Earlier the smallest size of plot available under this scheme was 1000 square yards and above.

All plots or sheds in urban industrial estates or industrial development colonies will now be exclusively available to applicants only in the off-the-shelf scheme.

Allotment of land to industrial focal point associations, chamber of commerce and industry up to the size of 250 sq yards for setting up office, will also be available only under this scheme.

The policy will be applicable to all existing areas and the new areas for industrial purposes and focal points, growth centres industrial area, industrial estates etc.

The new policy has also tightened conditions of extension in period for coming into production. The new rules will be applicable to the old allottees as well.

In case the allottee fails to bring the industrial unit into production on the industrial land allotted under this policy within three years, he would have to seek extension in time period failing which allotment would be deemed to have been cancelled.

However extension in time period for another two years on request from the allottee giving valid reasons for inability to bring up the unit into production would be granted on payment of an extension fee at the rate of 1 per cent one year of the current reserved price of land fixed by the developing agency.

In case of allotments made under the previous policies the additional time period of one year would be allowed from the expiry of the last permissible or extended time period or five years whichever is later on payment of extension fee at the same rate.

Factoring in the large number of vacant plots available in various focal points across the state the new policy states where more than 50 per cent of the plots on an industrial focal point or industrial estate which was developed more than five years back have remain unsold the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) can carve chunk of land of five acres or more by clubbing unsold plots along with the non-saleable area to be offered for off-the-shelf scheme.

The deputy commissioners and the SDMs had been asked to file daily reports
in this regard.

Patiala, April 22
Monkeys in Nabha, Bhadson townships and 12 surrounding villages have become a source of nuisance to residents and villagers.

In certain areas, herds of monkeys enter homes and attack people in frustration when unable to get at eatables.

Kakrala villagers were so fed up with the monkey nuisance that they had to seek ‘professional’ help from an Agra- based person for catching monkeys from their area two years ago.

The Agra-based professional was to lend his ‘knowhow’ and help villagers catch monkeys. Afterwards, villagers were to trap troublesome simians in netted trolleys used for wheat husk post-harvesting, and release them forests adjoining the Rohti bridge.

Monkey population, it is learnt, has witnessed an alarming rise not only in Nabha and Bhadson, but also in nearby villages like Lope Bhode, Lope Ghode, Ghaniawal.

The monkey menace has allegedly affected lives of people of the area to such an extent that a village, Bandar Walian Channan, was named due to the burgeoning simian presence in the area.

Residents said the problem had been becoming complex with the shrinking forest cover in the area.

“Moreover, people from nearby villages release monkeys in the forest in the Rohti area. Monkeys have made it their home and they come out of the forest and head to villages in search of food. One can see groups of monkeys ‘begging’ for food from passersby on the road to the forest from the Rohti bridge,” said farmer Nirmal Singh.

Dhir Singh, a Nabha-based pharmacist, rued that monkeys had upset the life
of the people.

“At times, people, particularly children, cannot venture out of houses without supervision fearing monkey attack. They just bite and run away leaving the victims nursing their wounds. The problem aggravates as treatment for rabies is costly and largely unaffordable for most people as one has to spend a minimum of Rs 2,000 on the treatment of monkey bites,” said Dhir Singh.

He said monkey population had multiplied very fast during four-five years, particularly due to lack of attention of the authorities and absence of remedial measures.

Impounding of Poohla’s passport sought
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 22
The police should immediately impound the passport of Nihang Ajit Singh Poohla allegedly involved in the murder case.

Besides it should also withdraw his security and issue a red alert for his immediate arrest, stated Col G.S. Sandhu (retd), chairman, Majha Ex-servicemen Human Rights Front (MEHRF).

Talking to the media here yesterday, he alleged that Nihang Poohla and his accomplice Nihang Joga Singh were seen moving about with guards and supporters in Chandigarh by the general public. Yet, the police failed to locate him.

Dilawari has also written two books, “A Systematic Approach on Software Engineering” and “A Systematic Approach on Computer Architecture”.

Chandigarh, April 22
Nearly a year after Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann was booked for raising pro-“Khalistan” slogans while opposing the installation of former Chief Minister Beant Singh’s statue in Jalandhar, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed the FIR.

The case number 185 was initially registered at police station, division number four, Jalandhar, under Section 107 and 151 of the Cr PC on May 18, 2007.

It was alleged that Mann and his supporters were protesting against the installation of the statue on the ground that the former Chief Minister was responsible for the killings of Sikhs in Punjab.

Subsequently, the offence was converted into that of sedition under Section 124-A of the IPC on the ground that pro- “Khalistan” slogans were raised.

Seeking the quashing of the FIR, counsel for the petitioner, Ranjan Lahkanpal, had contended before Justice Vinod Kumar Sharma of the High Court that the allegations of sedition were incorporated at a later stage and were not mentioned in the initial report.

In an attempt to substantiate his contentions, he had relied upon two judgements of the Supreme Court and the High Court.

Quoting the judgement in Balwant Singh’s case and Col Partap Singh’s matter, he added the court had laid that demand for “Khalistan” or raising slogans did not constitute an offence under Section 124-A of the IPC.

Muktsar, April 22
While environmentalists were observing the Earth Day today, a group of teachers held a corner meeting here and expressed concern over the future of environmental education in Punjab, with only 59 geography lecturers left in the plus II level schools run by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB).

Pointing out that there were only 162 posts of lecturer of geography across the existing 10,590 senior secondary schools in the state, the Geography Post-Graduate Teachers Union, Punjab, has expressed concern that 103 of these 162 posts are vacant.

Submitting a memorandum to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and state's education minister Upinderjit Kaur in this regard, on the occasion of Earth Day today, the teachers' body demanded not only filling of posts of geography teacher, but also increase in the number of geography teachers on a par with lecturers of history, political science and economics, the three other subjects for students of humanities.

The memorandum was handed over by the teachers body delegation to Faridkot ADC Mohan Lal. They regretted that no new post of a geography lecturer had been created from 1986 to 2005, as a result of which the subject was ignored on a large scale.

In 2006, the Education Department created 1,764 new posts of lecturer, allocating only 87 posts for teaching geography, notwithstanding a 2004 survey revealing a demand of geography subject at the plus II-level in at least 400 more schools, union president Sukhminder Singh Sukhi told The Tribune.

The geography teachers’ body had been pressing the government to regulate the recruitment system as per the demand of the subjects for five years but in vain, he added.

Academic campus building of the Baba Farid university will be constructed at the cost of Rs 11.20 crore, whereas Senate campus building of the university at cost of Rs 12.60 crore.

Nehianawala (Bathinda), April 22
In a gruesome double murder, a man killed his father and mother after attacking them repeatedly with a sharp-edged agricultural tool at Nehianawala village in the district during the wee hours of today.

Gurtej Singh, who is in his 30s, killed his father Gian Singh (65) and mother Mukhtiar Kaur (60) last night at 2 am when they were sleeping in the house.

Wife of the accused Gurveer Kaur said, “He killed his father by hitting him repeatedly on the head with the tool. He then grabbed his mother and threw her on the floor and hit her on the head at least 10 times. I was inside the room but after seeing this I shouted for help. Getting irritated, he ran towards me with the intention of killing me. My son and daughter fled from the house to save their lives,” she said.

“Hearing my cries, relatives and neighbours rushed to our house and pinned him down and tied him to the bed. They then informed the police,” she added.

About the motive for such a brutal step, she said, “He was mentally upset and was undergoing some treatment. He had entered into disputes many times earlier too.”

Nidhan Singh, paternal uncle of the accused, said 11 years ago Gurtej had consumed poison with the intention of committing suicide. He had 7 acres, which had now been reduced to just 2.

Admitting that he had committed the crime, Gurtej, when asked in custody at the police station at Nehianawala, said, “I am mentally sick. I am also facing debt, which provoked me to do this unpardonable act. I am ready to face any punishment.”

Investigation officer P.K. Yadav said, “The accused had said he had a quarrel with his father, which led to the crime. His mother intervened and she was also killed. He had been sent to judicial custody till May 6.”

Patiala, April 22
As follow-up of the complaint of six post-graduate students of the local Government Medical College, who had alleged sexual harassment against Anaesthesia Department head Dr T.S. Punia, the Punjab State Women’s Commission has ordered Patiala deputy commissioner D.S. Grewal to probe the episode.

Five women and one male student of the department had alleged sexual and other forms of harassment by Dr Punia.

The Tribune had highlighted the issue on March 28 and subsequent issues even as Dr Punia was shifted to Chandigarh on the basis of the allegations by the students and after the intervention of Punjab medical education minister Tikshan Sud and principal secretary of the department Jagjit Puri.

Students had also met SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and were assured justice. The departmental probe against Dr Punia was on.

Acting on the basis of the news item, Punjab State Women’s Commission member-secretary-cum-Punjab principal secretary Sarvesh Kaushal has asked the Patiala DC to probe the issue under Section 12 of the Punjab State Women Commission Act, 2001.

Gurdaspur, April 22
The Vigilance Bureau (VB) has initiated a probe against a tehsildar here who allegedly amassed property beyond his known sources of income. Probe against Yesh Paul Sharma followed a complaint by Rajeshwar Singh of Dhaki village.

Superintendent of police (VB), Amritsar, Sukhdev Singh has been told to probe and submit a report to head office at Chandigarh.

Rajeshwar alleged that Sharma had been serving at Pathankot for over 20 years and used to purchase disputed land on throwaway prices in the name of his family members, including wife, mother, brother-in-law and other relatives, he alleged.

Sharma has immovable property in his own name and in the name of his wife Sudesh Kumari, son Rajinder Kumar and mother late Malavi Devi in Pathankot and Gurdaspur.

He was was also involved in real estate business as a partner with Vinod Saraf and Yesh Gupta.

Sharma has been registering records of this 'grabbed or purchased' land in his capacity of a tehsildar. Apart from this, he has been serving in Pathankot as naib tehsildar and then tehsildar. He gets transferred to nearby station only during election times, alleged Rajeshwar.

Politician-land mafia being reportedly active in the area here, the revenue officer had been 'grabbing' agriculture and commercial land by luring illiterate farmers who often approach him pertaining to land disputes.

The complainant has also sent a list of property (a copy with The Tribune) the tehsildar has owned to the bureau.

Joint director, VB, Harcharan Singh Bhullar said the department had been dealing with several such cases everyday. "I will be able to confirm to you in a day or two," he added.

However, SP Sukhdev Singh said inquiry against Sharma had been marked to him from the headquarters.

"We has started preliminary investigation against the tehsildar on the complaint of Rejeshwar Singh," he admitted.

Chandigarh, April 22
Punjab has been severely affected due to the Union government’s decision to withdraw incentives given under various schemes for the export of skimmed and other dairy products.

The state had consolidated its position in the international market with regard to the export of milk products such as ghee and milk powder.

The Union government has issued an order to withdraw benefits provided under the Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana for the export of various value-added milk products.

Interestingly, the Union government had extended for another year the giving of incentives on the export of value-added milk products on April 11 and issued orders to withdraw the same after one week with the obvious objective of bringing down the prices of milk products in the domestic market.

“We will certainly lodge a strong protest to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against the withdrawal of incentives on April 29 when Punjab was to be given award (bronze medal) for performing well in the field of exports of value-added milk products, especially ghee,” said Capt Kanwaljit Singh, cooperation minister.

Punjab has emerged as the third best state in the country as far as export of dairy products is concerned.

Last year, when the Union government had banned the export of ghee, Amul, in protest, had refused to accept gold medal that was awarded to it for topping in the country for the export of dairy products, it is learnt.

Punjab had exported about 800 tonnes of ghee, besides milk powder, to countries such as the Phillppines, Malayisa, Australia, Middle East and Dubai.

For export of each kg of ghee, the Union government was giving incentive of Rs 7. Same was true in case of milk powder.

“Not only we will lose the incentive money from the Union government, our position in the international market will also become a little sensitive because of the agreement we signed with certain countries after the extension of incentives for a year on April 11,” said a senior officer.

While signing the agreement, the incentive money was kept in mind, but with the withdrawal of the same, it will hit our profit margin gravely, the officer added.

“Profit being earned from the export of dairy products was being passed on to farmers in the form of offering them better price of milk, raw material for milk products,” the officer added.

Capt Kanwaljit Singh asked why was only the agricultural sector, especially farmers who were producers of wheat, rice and milk products, being targeted by the Union government to bring down prices.

“Farmers were being squeezed, while other sectors were being offered additional incentives on exports keeping in view the appreciation in the value of rupee vis-à-vis dollar,” said Capt Kanwaljit Singh.

Several types of restrictions such an unofficial ban on the entry of corporate houses in wheat markets and ban on loading wheat in goods trains had been imposed by the Union government to deny farmers competitive price of wheat in the national market.

Farmers were being forced to sell wheat on the MSP, he said. Now dairy products had been targeted.