Amritsar, August 11
Differences between Giani Iqbal Singh, Jathedar of Patna Sahib, and SGPC president Avtar Singh have been resolved following their meeting in the presence of Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, chief of the Damdami Taksal, and Giani Partap Singh, Head Granthi, Hazur Sahib.

This was disclosed by the SGPC president while talking to The Tribune here today. He said Giani Iqbal Singh had agreed in principle to accept the supremacy of Akal Takht. He said the issues like uniformity of maryada among all five Takhts would be taken after completion of the tercentenary celebrations of the “Gurta Gaddi”.

Earlier, the ban imposed by the Sikh clergy on the entry of Giani Iqbal Singh in the meetings of Akal Takht on June 6 had created an unprecedented crisis among the Sikh clerics of five Takhts. Both Takht Patna Sahib and Hazur Sahib had rejected the Nanakshahi Calendar approved by the SGPC and Akal Takht.

Meanwhile, the SGPC president handed over the request letter to the former Jathedar, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, for fixing the date for a programme to honour him at Akal Takht for his “great services” as Akal Takht Jathedar and priest of the Golden Temple.

He told The Tribune that no relative of the former Jathedar would be expelled from the SGPC. He said Vedanti would continue to enjoy the facilities including official vehicle, security and accommodation. His services would be utilised by the SGPC.

The SGPC president said the foundation stone of Sikh University at Fatehgarh would be laid by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on September 1 to mark the beginning of the “Gurta Gaddi” celebrations.

However, a former Jathedar Akal Takht, Bhai Ranjit Singh, criticised the SGPC and the former Jathedars, including Vedanti and Giani Puran Singh, who had accepted the post of the Jathedar Akal Takht appointed in violation of the age-old Sikh 
Maryada. “Giani Gurbachan Singh, the current Jathedar, should understand that he would be used like his predecessors by the SGPC and ruling Akali Dal”, he said.

Chandigarh, August 11
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's dream project of providing free technical education to the poor and not-so-poor brilliant students with a family income of Rs 2.5 lakh per annum, seems to be stuck in the official rigmarole.

Over a month after the scheme was conceptualised, the notification is yet to be issued, sending thousands of students in a tizzy. With the counselling for the engineering, management, pharmacy and architecture courses of colleges affiliated to Punjab Technical University (PTU), Jalandhar, well underway, officials' "delaying tactics" threaten to deprive the students of the benefits of the scheme if it was not implemented from this academic session.

A consensus on the scheme was hammered out at a meeting between Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Punjab Unaided Technical Institutions Association (PUTIA), an apex body of the 142 private institutions in Punjab, recently.

In fact, guidelines of the AICTE already make provisions for the tuition fee waiver for certain categories, including the economically backward students in the technical institutions in the country.

An MoU among PUTIA, PTU and the Punjab government was to be signed to pave way for the implementation of the scheme which was touted to be a boon for the not-so-privileged students.

In fact, Naresh Nagpal, director, technical education, Punjab, had gone on record saying that the scheme would be implemented from the current academic session. However, time seem to be running out for the Punjab government as the counselling for various courses was already midway.

In the backdrop of the dilly-dallying attitude of the authorities concerned, the colleges are at their wits' end about the proposed scheme. "For a long time the government had been dubbing the private colleges as money-minting institutions. However, when these colleges are ready to implement the free education scheme as part of their social responsibility, the government seems to have developed cold feet on the issue,” a PUTIA office-bearer told The Tribune on condition of anonymity.

Amritsar, August 11
Paksitan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chief Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan foreign minister Qureshi, minister for information Sherry Rehman and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif will participate on the Indian side for candlelight vigil to celebrate Independence Day functions of India and Pakistan on the midnight of August 14/15 at the Attari-Wagah joint check-post here.

General secretary of the Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, Satnam Manak said this boosted ties between the two neighbours .

The manch, headed by veteran journalist Kuldip Nayyar, has invited the senior PPP leader, along with other ministers, to join the Indian side for candleight vigil at the Attari-Wagah post here.

Nayyar said it was people-to-people contact which had been the foundation to build cordial relations between the two nations which fought three wars and lost many people in six decades. Nayyar said senior ministers and Zardari had confirmed participation.

Chandigarh, August 11
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is looking at making Punjab a major hub for producing non-conventional energy, equating Punjab with Uttar Pradesh, where BPCL has launched a pilot project to produce biodiesel from Jatropha.

In Punjab the company is looking at harnessing solar power. To explore ground waters, the company has announced setting up of a 1-MW power plant at Lalru, taking the total solar production to 18 MW in the state.

A.K. Bansal, executive director, Corporate Affairs, said initially BPCL would build the 1-MW power plant with an investment of Rs 24 crore in a 7-acre area on a build, operate and own (BOO) basis in a time-bound period of three months.

BPCL signed an MoU with the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) recently with minister, science, technology and environment, Bikramjit Singh Majithia assuring all help. Majithia said this plant at Lalru would be first of its kind in the country that was being implemented by the petroleum company.

After the government made it mandatory for petroleum companies to spend a part of their earning on development of non-conventional sources of energy, PEDA had been in touch with the companies like Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum to set up similar plants based on solar energy in the state, Majithia said.

This Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant is being set up under the NRSE Policy-2006 of the state government. A Power Purchase Agreement for 30 years shall be signed with the PSEB. Similarly, HPCL is being persuaded to set up a plant in Bathinda.

T.P.S. Sidhu, CEO, PEDA, disclosed that 17-MW capacity projects had already been allocated to private companies viz M/s MoserBear-5 MW (Fazilka), M/s PQES Incm-5 MW (Sangrur), M/s India Bulls-5 MW (Rajpura) and M/s Azure Power-2 MW (Ajnala).

Majithia disclosed that the government was trying to develop other renewable energy power projects too that include solar, biomass and hydro. He further disclosed that 68-MW capacity cogeneration projects in the industry were at the advance stage of completion and these would start generating power in October.

A.S. Chhatwal, secretary, Science and Technology, further disclosed that 140-MW capacity projects using biomass through combustion technology and biomethanation technology with German collaboration would be set up in the state through public-private partnership mode.

Amritsar, August 11
PPCC working president Mohinder Singh Kaypee, who was given a rousing reception here today, met expelled party leaders, including Harjinder Singh Thekedar, former MLA. His action has indications of bringing all party rebels on a single platform to defeat the ruling SAD-BJP alliance in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

However, some senior Congress leaders, who pleaded anonymity, said Kaypee should not give any importance to the local leaders who had contested the previous Assembly elections against party candidates.

The PPCC working president predicted that his party would win all Lok Sabha seats under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh, who had been made chairman of the campaign committee. The former Chief Minister would infuse new spirit in the party in the coming days.

Replying to a question, Kaypee said the PPCC would request the party high command to field Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar. “Every Punjabi wants that Dr Manmohan Singh should contest from the Holy City”, he said.

He rubbished the charges that he was a “rubber stamp” of the party high command.

Answering a question, Kaypee claimed that the PPCC was united and minor differences between Capt Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, if any, would be resolved shortly.

When asked that 29 MLAs were with Capt Amarinder Singh, he quipped that “every Congress man is with him”. 

Chandigarh, August 11
The Punjab government has set up another committee to look into the problem of pollution in the Sutlej and the Sirhind canal.

The latest committee will be headed by special secretary, irrigation, Alok Shekhar. The committee has been asked to undertake a survey of the entire reach of Sutlej and Sirhind canal system to identify various sources of pollution and recommend remedial measures.

The other members of the panel will be chief engineer (canals), chief engineer (drainage), chief engineer (water and sanitation) and member secretary (Punjab Pollution Control Board).

The panel has been asked to submit its report within a fortnight.

The panel has also been asked to undertake a survey to identify the unauthorised discharge of effluents into the rivers and canals on one hand and the treated effluents being discharged in the rivers which did not comply the prescribed pollution norms as well as the municipal/domestic waste on the other.

Earlier, a few days ago, a committee headed by Bikram Singh Majithia, environment minister, Punjab, had done a similar exercise that was only confined to Ludhiana city. Most of the electroplating and dyeing industry in Ludhiana is main sources of pollution for various water bodies in Punjab. Besides, some industries located at Naya Nangal are also responsible for causing pollution in the Sutlej.

Sources said the Majithia committee, which had already submitted its report to the Chief Minister, had been told to collect proper data with regard to the volume of industrial effluents flowing into the main sewer and how many industries were involved in the toxic pollution. Interestingly, while the state government has set up a panel to find out the sources of pollution into the Sutlej, the Punjab Pollution Control Board has a complete case study of this river. In fact, the Board had many years ago prepared a Sutlej action plan under which the Union government was to release funds for setting up treatment plants to treat the sewage before letting it into the Sutlej. Likewise, the Board has complete details with regard to the various sources of pollution for the Sirhind canal.

“Instead of setting up committees again and again, the state government should announce drastic steps to check it. Officials concerned should be given clear instructions that they would be held responsible in case anyone was found polluting various water bodies”, said an environmentalist.

“Committees are always set up to postpone the issue and not to resolve it,” he added.

Chandigarh, August 11
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today assured the Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) that foodgrains would not be taxed to generate funds for Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

After a meeting with Badal, BKU leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said they had made it clear to the Chief Minister that any tax or fee to raise funds for PAU would be opposed. Rajewal said there was a proposal from some agricultural economists to impose 50 paise per quintal as tax on foodgrains to generate funds for PAU. The tax was to be collected from farmers.

The BKU leader said if the tax was imposed, farmers would have to shell out Rs 125 crore for rabi crops and almost an equal amount for kharif crops.

To the demand of the BKU for clearing dues of sugarcane growers, who had supplied sugarcane to mills, Badal said he would talk to cooperation minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh in this regard.

Rajewal said as demanded by the BKU, Badal had directed the SSP of Mansa district to hold a fresh inquiry into the damage caused to a grid near Bareta Mandi. Rajewal said he had urged Badal to direct police officials of Mansa district to identify culprits who damaged the grid.

He said some BKU activists had been arrested by the Mansa police. “A case against them had been registered on the basis of wrong information,” said Rajewal. 

Panch kills family, himself
Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, August 11
A panchayat member of Chak Dana village under Sadar police station committed suicide after killing his wife and two daughters at his house today evening.

Panchayat member Avtar Singh shot dead his wife Sukhwinder Kaur,  two daughters Rajwinder Kaur  and Balwinder Kaur. Later he shot himself dead also.

Senior police officials reached the spot for probe. Two minor sons of the panchayat member reportedly saved themselves by fleeing the house when they heard gun shots.

Chandigarh, August 11
The Punjab and Haryana High Court wants to convert into a public interest litigation a petition against continuation of tainted police officers on key positions. Taking up the issue, a Division Bench of the High Court, headed by Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, ruled the petition pertained to the implementation of Section 13 and 15 of the Punjab Police Act, which mandated the removal of charge-sheeted officers.

The Bench added that the matter was of great public importance. As such, the petition should be treated as a public interest litigation, after taking appropriate orders from the Chief Justice, the Bench asserted.

Taking a serious view of the continuation of tainted police officers on plum postings in alleged violation of the Police Act, 2007, the Bench had earlier ruled propriety demanded their removal or transfer. An officer not below the rank of an Additional Director-General of Police was asked to clarify the state's stand in the matter.

The ruling came on a petition filed by Punjab's Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Rajinder Singh. In fact, what started as a promotion matter turned out to be a major headache for the government, and the tainted cops, right from station house officers (SHO) to directors-general of police (DGP).

Section 15 of the Punjab Police Act, 2007, pertains to the term of office of key police functionaries. The Section says officers posted as IGP of a zone, DIG of a range, SSP, SP, ASP, DSP and SHO of a police station in a district shall have a minimum assured tenure of one year, against posts extendable to maximum period of three years.

Patiala, August 11
The California-based San Jose State University is exploring possibilities of forming a tie-up with the Punjabi University, Patiala, in the fields of electrical and computer engineering, besides holding of bilateral and regular student and faculty exchange programmes.

Though the San Jose State University was buoyed over the success of the Punjabi University in different fields of education which encouraged the former to form a long-term academic relationship with the lattter, yet the formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is likely to be signed by the two varsities in December this year.

A San Jose State University delegation comprising professor and head of computer engineering department Siguard Meldal and head of the department of electrical engineering Dr. Avtar Singh, held parleys with the Punjabi University vice-chancellor Dr. Jaspal Singh and exchanged views about establishment of long-term relationships between the two varsities. The discussion, it was learnt, was held in the presence of the head of the Guru Teg Bahadur National Integration head Prof. B.S. Maan.

While Siguard Meldal is a world-renowned software expert whose work has fetched him a special recognition from the US House of Representatives and the California State Assembly in 2000, Dr. Avtaar Singh, an alumnus of the Chandigarh-based Punjab Engineering College (PEC), is known for development of several electrical engineering courses in areas like digital design, communications and systems, digital signal processing and microprocessors.

“We have talked about a number of mutual issues and common interests have to be watched. Techies are still needed in the US and India has a good possibility to produce good engineers,” said Siguard Meldal, adding that the two universities were working on possibilities of forming a tie-up.

Dr. Avtar Singh observed it was ironical that engineers were being churned out in large numbers in India while basic education was lagging behind in the ongoing race to produce engineers. “I don’t understand why humanities are getting eliminated from the educational scene,” said Avtar Singh. He emphasised that only quality of education was what mattered in the US and not the quantity as was being churned out by a large number of private colleges in the state.

“The San Jose State University has 70 per cent foreign-based students out of which nearly 10 per cent are Indians, particularly from Punjab. We, at the university, are credited with cent per cent placement of our students due to stringent quality controls,” said Dr. Avtar Singh.

Anandpur Sahib, August 11
The panchayat administrator of 23 villages in Kiratpur Sahib, junior engineer Naresh Kumar, has been accused of selling off village Dehni’s panchayat land to 495 persons for commercial ventures illegally.

Inquiry officer, BDPO, Ranjit Singh Bains, has been transferred to Bathinda after he exposed the scam.

In their complaint to deputy commissioner, Ropar, B. Purushartha, residents of Dehni village have alleged that Naresh Kumar, in connivance with leaders of the SAD from Anandpur Sahib, have sold away plots on panchayat land. This land is protected under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). The piece of land lies just 500 m away from upcoming plant of JP Cement Factory in Himachal Pradesh.

Former sarpanch of the village Jasbir Singh said on August 4, he started getting calls from people eager to buy plots in the area. “We were surprised at the development and immediately tried to find the fact. We approached the DC, Ropar, and apprised him of the matter,” he said.

The DC marked the inquiry to Bains. In his report to the ADC and the DDPO, Ropar, Bains has stated that Naresh did not have right to sell the land to anybody. The JE had misused his official position and even got an agenda passed from the panchayat regarding the sale of the land. But, Bains had refused to endorse the agenda.

Sources said SAD leaders from Anandpur Sahib were also involved in this. One of the political leaders had been involved in a clash at Takht Kesgarh Sahib last month.

Villagers alleged that Naresh had got an account opened in the name of panchayat secretary Jagtar Singh at the State Bank of Patiala branch at Kiratpur Sahib, but was operating it on his own. An account of the panchayat was already functional in Co-Operative Bank, Kiratpur Sahib.

The new account has Rs 22,70,000 lakh, collected through the sale of plots. Bank transactions show that 495 persons have been sold plots. Bank accounts of all 23 panchayats managed by Naresh Kumar have been sealed.

DDPO Sanjiv Garg said the DC entrusted the inquiry to the BDPO as he (Garg) was on leave. “I am yet to verify from forest department officials if the land really lies under the PLPA Act. Also any panchayat can have two accounts in different banks. As of now, I have barred Naresh from carrying out functioning of Dehni village,” he added.

Meanwhile, as per the forest department sources, they have not got any correspondence regarding this. Establishing any colony on this land is illegal and department has been keeping a close watch on it for the past two months.

CRIME

ASI run over by protesters dies
P.K. Jaiswar

Amritsar, August 11
ASI Gurvail Singh, who was run over by a vehicle of agitators protesting the release of “Singh Is Kinng” on Friday evening, died in the hospital here today.

The police has converted the earlier charge of attempt to murder in the case to murder against 10-15 persons, including members of the Sikh Students Federation, Jatha Bhindra and Damdami Taksal Ajnala.

Gurvail Singh and head constable Ashwani Kumar were injured when they tried to stop the fleeing protesters at a police naka at the Rajasansi T-point. As they signalled the speeding car to stop, the agitators, armed with sharp-edged weapons, ran them over. One of the agitators, Bhupinder Singh, fell off the vehicle and was caught by the policemen.

Bhupinder Singh revealed the names of the other agitators, including Heera Singh, Bikram Singh, Parminder Singh, Gurdev Singhm Lakhwinder Singh, Dhumma Singh, Daler Singh and Gurmeet Singh.

Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, district police chief, said the deceased cop would be accorded full state funeral and given all benefits applied in the case of death in harness. He said six of the culprits had been arrested and raids to arrest the remaining were on. Baldev Singh, Piara Singh, Mitta Singh of Ratta Khaira (Mukatsar), Mehtab Singh, Ajnala, Gurjant Singh and Gurbhej Singh Lopoke, all belonging to the Sikh Student Federation, Jatha Bhindra, had been arrested.

The police had also booked national president of the Sikh Youth Federation Gurjinder Singh, its general secretary Sharanjit Singh Rataul, Tarn Taran president Sukhjinder Singh and Baldev Singh of the Damdami Taksal for rioting and attacking the police party at the Aanam cinema during the agitation. They had been remanded in judicial custody.