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PSEB tops in purchase of costly power
Chandigarh, July 2 According to data available with the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), the board had to purchase power to avoid cuts in past few years. The board’s power purchase has increased from three to four times since 2004-05. The board purchased power worth Rs 6,000 crore in 2007-08 compared to power purchases of Rs 2,230 crore in 2004-05. According to figures, it is short-term power purchases in a market-driven atmosphere decided by suppliers, which is responsible for the board’s woes. The PSEB has also chosen to ignore guidelines of the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) for massive short-term power purchases. In the tariff order for 2007-08, the PSERC allowed only 1256 million units (Mus) of power purchase through traders at the cost of Rs 712.49 crore. According to the CERC in 2007-08, the PSEB purchased 3730.88 Mus from traders at a cost of over Rs 2,100 crore. In doing so it purchased 17.8 per cent of the total traded power available in the country next to Bengal which purchased 1785 MUs, Andhra Pradesh with 1392 MUs and Madhya Pradesh with 1357 MUs. All these states are three to four times bigger than Punjab. Figures available with the CERC state during three years the volume of the traded power purchased by the PSEB has increased by 162 per cent whereas the volume of total electricity traded in the country rose by only 90 per cent during this period. As per the data on the PSERC site, the PSEB has spent Rs 382 crore (at the rate of Rs 2.69 paise per unit) during 2004-05, Rs 555 crore (at the rate of Rs 3.13 per unit) during 2005-06 and Rs 1778 crore (at the rate of Rs 5.23 per unit) in 2006-07. The board is likely to spend Rs 2,100 crore (at the rate of Rs 5.75 per unit) in 2007-08. According to board sources in case the transmission and distribution losses (22 per cent) are taken into consideration the average cost of the power at the consumer end is over Rs 7 per unit. The maximum domestic tariff in 2007-08 was Rs 4.16 per unit and industrial tariff Rs 3.98 per unit. Even if it is assumed that whole of this power is supplied to the highest tariff consumers even then te PSEB is losing over Rs 3 per unit. This could be more as the board is restricting the supply on the paying sector and giving supply to the non-paying sectors like agriculture and rural areas.
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Bhattal for President’s rule in state
Patiala, July 2 Pointing out that there was a complete lawlessness during the recently held Municipal Council and Panchayati Raj elections, Bhattal said the law enforcing agencies had acted as a custodian to safeguard the interests of the ruling SAD-BJP alliance. The PPCC chief told mediapersons that the Congress would move
the National Human Rights Commission to seek its intervention as Congressmen had been wronged in the recent elections. She alleged that there was a blatant use of force, and the SAD-BJP alliance had intimidated the Congressmen. She added that there was large-scale rigging in these elections. Bhattal announced that with a view to protect the interests of the party workers against the atrocities by the SAD-BJP alliance, the Punjab Congress would set up a self-protection group at the state level and the district level. She underlined that the
party workers would be mobilised to counter highhandedness by the Akalis, and the group would play a pivotal role in this. The state Congress chief further said the PPCC had sent a list of 32 police officers, who had acted as agents of the SAD-BJP alliance to the Union government for action. She said with the change of guard in the state, the Congress would make these police officers face the music. Bhattal announced that those who had lost their lives in the civic elections would be accorded status of martyrs by the state Congress and the party would give due pension to their family members. A large numbers of Congress workers, who were injured in the poll violence in Sanaur, Nabha, Rajpura, Samana and Sunam, met Rajinder Kaur Bhattal at the Circuit House. She also visited some of the injured in Rajindra Hospital. Bhattal said the thanksgiving of people by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was meaningless. She said Badal should thank the state police, which had gone out of its way to ensure victory of Akali candidates. Seeks change in Youth Cong leadership Meanwhile, Bhattal demanded a change in the leadership of the Youth Congress in Punjab saying that this frontal organisation of the party had done little in the recently held civic elections. Bhattal said she would take up this matter with the Central party leadership. Incidentally, Vijayinder Singla, Punjab Youth Congress chief, is a Capt Amarinder loyalist and was hand-picked by him for this post.
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‘Disappearance’ of MC Candidate’s Husband
Amritsar, July 2 Congress activists today gheraoed the DSP’s office, Jandiala Guru, for two hours demanding the registration of an FIR against certain leaders, who enjoy support of the SAD-BJP alliance. They alleged that Mosha was kidnapped on June 30 by Akali-supported leaders, after half an hour of the starting of polling. His scooter was found from the Beas yesterday, but the police does not have a clue to the alleged kidnapping. They also raised slogans against the government and the police which failed to register an FIR till today. Hardip Singh Boparai, DSP, claimed that nobody had come to lodge it. He said a preliminary report had been registered on the basis of the report submitted by the brother of the “disappeared person”. The victim’s brother Jattan Singh alleged that the police knew the whereabouts of his brother. Former Congress minister Sardool Singh Bandala and other senior leaders of the party also met district police chief Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh and sought the arrest of the persons involved in the alleged kidnapping. The SSP claimed that the investigations were in progress. Congress candidate Manjit Kaur was seeking re-election to the MC for the third time. She also had a stint as vice-president of the MC, Jandiala Guru. Sources close to the winning candidate alleged that Mosha had deliberately gone underground when he learnt his wife had lost the election by two votes.
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Tribune Impact
Amritsar, July 2 This was after reading the news in the local edition of The Tribune regarding the inability of Om’s father to meet expenses of highter education. Om has secured 483rd rank in the combined entrance test conducted by the Punjab Technical University B.Pharmacy stream for which counselling is to be held tomorrow at Jalandhar. His father needed to deposit Rs 2,500 as counselling fee before he could participate. Reporters had been receiving queries regarding the whereabouts and funding of Om’s education. The first call came from Manveen Sandhu, principal, Springdale Senior School, who offered to fund for his B.Pharmacy course. News of this offer spread in the school and Vinod Bhatia, an employee, offered to give Rs 7,500 as the initial counselling fee and other expenses. Meanwhile, friends of Sandhu also decided to contribute towards the fees and other expenses for the three-year course and assured more funds if needed. Even employees of private FM channel Meow collected Rs 3,000 for Om. Vice-chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Dr Jai Rup Singh has offered to provide free scholarship to Om provided he qualifies for the entrance test for the any of the bachelor streams in science subjects. The boy visited the office of dean, Academic Affairs, Dr Raghbir Singh and discussed possibilities of admission in one of the university courses. However, the boy showed determination to pursue higher studies in pharmacy or physiotherapy. Om also contacted BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, who while blessing the brilliant son of a rickshawpuller, said he would totally fund his education and also give separate funds for his accommodation near the educational institute so that he could concentrate on his studies. He appreciated the role of the media to highlight such social issues and bring to the fore the plight of poor bright students.
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Truckers-minister meeting a fiasco
Chandigarh, July 2 President of the All-India Motor Transport Congress Charan Singh Lohara said on the phone this evening from Delhi that he had led a delegation of representatives of truckers to meet the minister. However, the minister virtually cold-shouldered the delegation and dismissed everything lightly. There were three main demands of the truckers -- toll tax, diesel price and services tax. Lohara said about toll tax, Balu said as the toll Act had been enacted, nothing could be done in this regard. On diesel price, Balu said it was a demand that is to be dealt by the Petroleum ministry. Regarding services tax, the minister said it pertained to the Finance ministry. Lohara, who had warned the Union government regarding agitation by truckers three months ago, said toll had been become the biggest source of harassment for truckers. “Each truck owner had go to give Rs 20,000 as toll per month,” said Lohara. Lohara said the truckers were already paying road tax, cess on diesel and several other taxes for the construction and maintenance of roads. “Why should they pay toll when they have been already paying road tax and cell on diesel?” he asked. Moreover, with increase in the volume of road traffic, the rate of toll should come down every year. Every six months, truckers were made to pay enhanced rate of toll on various routes. Moreover, there was no fixed distance for the payment of toll. Some times one had to pay toll twice even in distance of 60 km. He said the government had earlier assured that toll would be charged only once in a distance of over 200 km. Lohara said as far as the diesel price was concerned, the Union government was cheating people in this connection. He said the government had imposed various taxes and duties on the price of diesel. “In fact, taxes and duties should be on the quantity of diesel, for instance the government should fix duties and tax on 1 litre of diesel and not on the price of 1 litre of diesel. Whenever the price of diesel is increased, the various taxes and duties also go up on it ”. About services tax, he said the Union government had signed an agreement with truckers first in 1997 and then in 2004 regarding services tax, but it backed out from that agreement. He said, “We were insisting that the Union government should stick to those agreements and implement same and not harass truckers, backbone of supply line of mechandise and other goods in the country, on the issue of services tax etc”.
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Govt has no role in truckers’ strike: CM
Chandigarh, July 2 Talking to newsmen here, Badal said most of the demands of the truckers, including opposition to service tax, were within the ambit of the Union government only. He said he had directed the state transport officials to negotiate with the truckers. On toll being charged, he said the previous govt had imposed it. He said his government would be constrained to impose toll on the Chandigarh-Phagwara stretch due to huge maintenance costs.
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Sardulgarh MC Poll Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 2 They said apathy of the administration had failed to deploy adequate security though it was told about booth-capturing and rigging by the Akalis. They alleged that at 1 pm Gurpreet Singh Bananwali and Bohar Singh of Jhanda Kalan entered booth No. 9 of Sardulgarh Nagar Panchayat and captured the booth and damaged the electronic voting machine. MLA Ajit Inder Singh Mofar rushed to the spot, along with the candidate, and challenged them. Both took out pistols and allegedly started firing at Mofar. “One of the policemen there saved me. A large number of people gathered there on hearing this news and cordoned off the booth. Both persons, apprehending people’s ire, locked themselves inside the room and came out only when the police came and gave them protection,” said Mofar. “After 10 minutes, SP(D) Brar arrived on the spot and requested me to let these people go. People had demanded the arrest of culprits, registration of case for attacking the MLA and confiscation of their arms as a pre-condition for their release. The SP(D) promised to register the case. However, it was known later that the FIR has been registered against unknown persons, whereas I had given a complaint in police station Sardulgarh No. 590 giving identity of the culprits”, said Mofar. The MLAs condemned similar incidents of rigging at Maur Mandi and Ram Pura Phul where the police fired on the public gathered to protest against rigging by certain Akali leaders. The Congress MLAs have demanded an inquiry into these incidents by an ADGP- rank officer. They have warned if any harm is caused to the Congress MLA, the responsibility shall lie on the Chief Minister and the government.
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Silent march held
Sushil Goyal Tribune News Service
Sangrur, July 2 Deepa said the protesters were demanding the cancellation of the elections and conducting these in a free and fair manner. He said everyone knew what had happened on June 30 when supporters of the ruling party had forced candidates and their supporters to flee from polling booths to rig the polls. He said everyone felt that the state government wanted to “snatch” the right to speech and vote from people in the state. He said this attitude of the government had compelled them to tie black strips on their mouths. He also said he, along with Congress candidates, would meet Punjab State Election Commissioner A.K. Dubey at Chandigarh soon to get the elections cancelled. If they failed to get justice, they would file a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he added. Meanwhile, organising secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Aman Arora, along with the five Congress workers, today left for Patiala to meet Punjab Congress president Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
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Badal reviews development projects
Chandigarh, July 2 The makeover would be a part of the Guru-Gaddi anniversary programmes. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today presided over a meeting, which gave a final shape to various infrastructure projects to be executed in the two cities. He impressed upon officers of the departments concerned to ensure the timely completion of these development projects, besides its proper and strict monitoring. He said Union home minister Shivraj Patil had already written a letter to him conveying that work be immediately commenced on these projects in anticipation of the release of funds so that these were completed without any delay. The communiqué also mentioned that the requisite funds of Rs 9,974.77 lakh and Rs 7,984 lakh approved by the Central government for Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo could not be included in the Budget estimate for the year 2008-09. Badal specifically asked the officers to invite tenders from the executing agencies by July 15 and work must be completed by the first week of October. He also asked technical adviser to the state government Lt-Gen B.S. Dhaliwal (retd) to monitor the terms and references of the tenders. Dhaliwal assured the Chief Minister that the quality of construction would not be compromised at any cost and the projects would be completed within the timeframe.
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No function to mark Akal Takht’s foundation day
Amritsar, July 2 Though jathedar, Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti arrived here from long foreign tour today, yet he failed to address the Sikh masses on the occasion. SGPC president Avtar Singh while passing the buck said it was for the jathedar to take the initiative to organise the function. The SGPC president, who was incidentally in Amritsar, said he was not aware that he (Jathedar Vedanti) had come back from abroad. To complete the formality, Jathedar Vedanti issued a routine press statement giving a brief background regarding the foundation of Akal Takht. However, in his message in the name of Sikh Panth, and without naming Giani Iqbal Singh, Jathedar, Patna Sahib, Jathedar Vedanti said certain “anti-Panthic” forces were creating confusion in the Sikh Panth by challenging the authority of Akal Takht. He said Akal Takht would continue to remain supreme temporal authority of the Sikhs.
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No separate line to check water stagnation yet
Chandigarh, July 2 The deputy commissioner had given the assurance after a complaint was filed by Rajesh Kumar of Basti Guzan in the Punjab State Human Rights Commission
(PSHRC). Thereafter, the deputy commissioner assured that a separate line would be laid to check stagnation of water during monsoons and the complaint was disposed of in 2003. The assurance seems to be a mere eye wash as no action has been taken by the authorities concerned and the road is again clogged due to heavy rains. Complaining about the roads flooded with water, Rakesh said: “The authorities have not developed the green belt. Every year, during monsoons, the main road is filled with water due to which residents suffer.” Taking note of the complaint, the PSHRC on September 2003 stated that “The commission is of the considered view that prima facie case for violation of human rights is made out and the case is registered.”In the report, the then deputy commissioner confirmed that measures would be taken to check the stagnation of water on the roads during
monsoons. Rakesh added that “The drainage system in city is not good and overflowing water is a common site, especially, during monsoons. This water also poses threat to the buildings in the residential area. Though the issue has been raised several times, no action has been taken as yet.” Jalandhar deputy commissioner Ajit Singh Pannu said: “The drainage and overflowing water is of the concern of the Municipal Corporation so I cannot comment on it.” When contacted, officials of the Municipal Corporation were not available for comments.
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Kesgarh Sahib jathedar to probe Akalis’ unruly conduct
Anandpur Sahib, July 2 Giani Tarlochan Singh told The Tribune that he would conduct a probe. “We will look at the larger picture tracing out people responsible for the mess. No one will be spared,” he said. Jathedar Tarlochan Singh was among the witnesses of the incident
that took place at the sacred place. On July 1, tempers ran high in the porch of the residence of Sri Kesgarh jathedar, when SAD leaders fought among themselves. Akali workers spared nothing from turban-dislodging to beard-pulling over a petty issue of getting their photographs clicked. The incident started with a verbal duel and within minutes got graduated to Akali leaders being dragged by hair. Senior Akali leaders and seven party winners of the Municipal Council elections at Ropar had come to pay obeisance at Sri Kesgrah Sahib Gurdwara. When the group came towards porch of Takht Jathedar Tarlochan Singh, local press photographers asked them to strike a pose for a group photo. Akali leader from Ropar Satwant Singh Gill terming the incident as unfortunate said the
party high command had been apprised about the incident.
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‘Farmers being punished by Centre’
Chandigarh, July 2 In a letter written to the Prime Minister, BKU president Balbir Singh Rajewal yesterday said the farmers had been virtually “punished” by the Centre as far as waiving of loan is concerned. They had the highest per capita debt, but only 1 per cent of the loan was waived across the country by the Centre. Had the state failed to increase the foodgrain production this time, the country would have been left with no alternative except to place order for import of wheat and rice. The price of foodgrains, especially wheat and rice, would have become unmanageable for the Centre once the word spread that wheat and rice would have to be imported, said Rajewal. The government had saved Rs 2,700 crore by not ordering import of wheat. While a huge package had been offered to farmers of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, no such package was offered to Punjab.
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Export of Non-basmati Rice
Chandigarh, July 2 He said the Union government should not harm the interest of farmers. In the Indian market, non-basmati rice was being sold at $ 350 per tonne, whereas its price in the international market was about $ 1,000 per tonne, he said. Why should rice-producing farmers be denied $ 1,000 per tonne as price? Mann urged the Prime Minister to let farmers be at liberty to sell their products where they could get better price and there should be no restriction on them. He said farmers had suffered a big loss because of the several restrictions imposed on the movement of wheat to enhance its procurement for the Central pool. The ban on the export of non-basmati rice would further hit them hard, he added. When the time had come for farmers to make money by selling their product at a competitive price in the national and international market, the Union government had imposed restrictions on them, he added. Mann said whereas the Union government was feeling concerned about the consumer, it should also take care of the interest of farmers. They should not be denied the market price just to safeguard the interest of the consumer, he added.
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Anganwari workers, helpers a ‘discontented lot’
Sangrur, July 2 Usha Rani said the state government was paying a monthly honorarium of Rs 400 only to an anganwari worker, whereas the Uttarakhand government was paying Rs 1,500 per month. She said besides Rs 400 or Rs 1,500, the Centre also paid Rs 1,000 per month to every anganwari worker. Thus, while an anganwari worker in the state gets Rs 1,400 per month, she gets Rs 2,500 per month in Uttarakhand. She also claimed that in Pondicherry an anganwari worker gets Rs 6,000 per month and in Tamil Nadu Rs 3,300 per month. Usha also asked the Chief Minister to announce an amount of Rs 1 lakh as ex gratia grant for every anganwari worker and Rs 50,000 for every helper on her retirement. She also demanded recruitment of supervisors from among the anganwari workers only on the basis of seniority. She also demanded fixed TADA for them. Meanwhile, a deputation of the anganwari workers met local SDM Amandeep Bansal here and submitted a memorandum to him to forward the same to the Chief Minister.
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Amritsar gets state’s first trauma centre
Amritsar, July 2 She stated this to the media after inaugurating the first trauma centre in the state at Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital here on Monday. She said two other trauma centres were also coming up in Pathankot and Jalandhar at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 4.5 crore, respectively. She said another trauma centre would be constructed at the Civil Hospital in Khanna at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore. Chawla said two vans with world-class facilities would be provided to each of the trauma centres. With the establishing of these centres, patients would not be required to be shifted to major hospitals in the state as these had been equipped with state-of-the-art machinery for the treatment of trauma patients. She said one specialist doctor would always be available at these centres. The minister said the government had also decided to provide 20 mobile vans equipped with laboratory, ECG, X-ray machines with developer machines, radiographer, nurse and a helper so that proper first-aid treatment could be provided to trauma patients till they arrived at the hospital. Already one such van had been provided to the Civil Hospital in Mansa and the state government was likely to provide another 15 vans by August 15. She said the government had short-listed for appointment 147 specialists and 100 MBBS doctors to meet the shortage of doctors in various government hospitals.
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Legislator refutes mother’s charge
Chandigarh, July 2 Talking to mediapersons here today, Randeep said it was unfortunate and regrettable that a family dispute had been dragged into the public. He alleged that the entire exercise was politically motivated. Randeep said both he and his brother Gurdeep Singh, who was also accused by
their mother Satinder Kaur, still respect and love their family members.
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Rs 24 lakh for memorial
Chandigarh, July 2 The information on the release of funds was conveyed to the division Bench of Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahesh Grover during the resumed hearing on a petition by advocate H.C. Arora. He was seeking directions to the authorities concerned in Punjab to complete the construction of the memorial in Sarabha’s ancestral village in a specified time frame.
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High Court
Chandigarh, July 2 The petitioner, a resident of Chhat village, has arrayed the union health and family welfare ministry, Punjab chief secretary and others as party. The petitioner claimed that she had undergone bilateral tubectomy on June 13, 2006, and conceived the child on October 1, 2007. After preliminary hearing, the division Bench of Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Mahsh Grover issued notices to the respondents for September 15.
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Suicide case: 7 accused still free
Sangrur, July 2 According to Daljit, he has also asked the SSP to entrust the inquiry of the case to another senior police officer by withdrawing the same from the Moonak DSP. As per the FIR got registered by Balbir Kaur, mother of the deceased, the Khanauri police had registered a case under Section 306, IPC, on June 18 against seven persons, including Ritu, in connection with the death of Ajit due to suicide. Balbir had alleged that her son had committed suicide due to harassment and threats by the accused persons. The Khanauri SHO said the Moonak DSP was conducting an inquiry into the matter. He also said as far as the matter of arrest of Ritu and Baljit was concerned, the police had conducted raids on their respective houses, but they were not there.
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