Chandigarh, February 13
The state government has finalised a Rs 60-crore booster for the “sick” medical colleges of Patiala and Amritsar besides ordering immediate recruitment of 613 nurses and 14 technical staff there. This would be apart from the central assistance approved for the Amritsar Medical College by the union cabinet recently.

The decision was taken at a meeting held late last night in which Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, certain ministers and officials from the Department of Medical Education, Health and PWD (B&R) held a candid discussion to improve health services. The Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences was also present.

The brief, it is learnt, came from the Chief Minister, who was quite disturbed over the recent incident in Patiala where six infants were killed in an incubator fire. A senior official said Badal had asked the official machinery to study the prevailing infrastructure in Patiala and Amritsar and recommend an appropriate action plan.

It was proposed that the Punjab State Infrastructure Development Board be asked to allocate money to upgrade medical infrastructure in these two colleges. The board it is learnt has given an approval to the proposal and asked the medical colleges to specify the areas they would want to be overhauled.

Though the amount may not be adequate for a complete overhaul, Chief Minister’s approval to spend Rs 60 for “sick” medical colleges in Patiala and Amritsar would perhaps bring them out of the complete neglect they are facing at present with a total collapse of civil and medical infrastructure, besides exodus of a large section of demoralised faculty and technical staff.

Officials told the Chief Minister that the money spent on medical education in the past two years was much more than the total budget earmarked for medical education in five-year tenure of the previous government. It was also decided to sanction Rs 30 crore to PWD (B&R) so that it could immediately start work on upgrading civil and engineering infrastructure in two medical colleges.

Badal sanctioned Rs 10 crore each for the next three years to be spent on upgrading medical equipment in these two colleges.

Informed about contractual staff of medical colleges getting less payment then the staff employed by the Health Department, the Chief Minister ordered to ensure parity in two departments.

It was also decided to send the doctors of these two medical colleges on training in various reputed institutes located in India and abroad so that they can upgrade their clinical skills.

Chandigarh, February 13
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today affected a major reshuffle in the police department by transferring 10 Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs). He reposed faith in the IGs of Vigilance and Intelligence wings by elevating them to the post of ADGPs.

Other important postings include that of IPS Sahota and GS Sahota, both IGs, who have been made IG, Border Range and IG Zonal-1, Patiala, respectively. SSP, Patiala, SK Asthana becomes DIG, Patiala Range, while Kuldeep Singh is new DIG, Jalandhar Range. Also, RS Khatra makes a comeback, who is new SSP, Amritsar.

ADGP Anil Kaushik has been placed as under study with DGP, Prisons, Mohammad Izhar Alam, who retires on April 1. Yesterday, the government claimed the Departmental Promotion Committee of ADGPs had been postponed for one week. However, there is no word on ADGP Shashikant, whose case was taken up in the DPC yesterday along with Kaushik’s.

Among the ADGPs transferred today, ADGP, Administration, HR Chadha becomes ADGP, Armed Battalion Jalandhar Cantonment, Rajan Gupta becomes ADGP, Armed Battalions Jalandhar Cantonment. ADGP, IVC-cum-Human Rights Chander Shekhar becomes ADGP, Railways. ADGP, Training, GD Pandey becomes ADGP, Security.

IG, Vigilance, Sumedh Singh Saini and IG, Intelligence, Suresh Arora have been promoted to ADGPs in their same departments. This is a clear move that the government does not want to disturb the Vigilance Wing, which is engaged in crucial cases against former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, or the Intelligence Wing that has been ably manned by Suresh Arora.

IG Sanjeev Gupta has been promoted as ADGP, Administration. IG Rajinder Singh who is available for posting will look after the work of ADGP, Rules, in the same post for the present.

Among other transfers of IG rank officers, RP Meena, IG, Border, Amritsar, goes as IG, IRB Patiala and in addition IG, Anti Narcotics Task Force, Patiala. CSR Reddy, IG Zonal, Patiala has been transferred as IG, Security, Punjab and in addition IG, Community Policing. HS Dhillon, IG, Traffic has been transferred as IG, Vigilance. VK Bhawra, IG, Security, has been made IG, Intelligence, Prabodh Kumar, IG Crime has been made IG, Computer and Telecommunication and in addition IG, Provisioning and Modernisation. RP Singh, IG, Rules, becomes IG,Traffic.

Four DIGs, whose promotions had been approved yesterday but sealed due to a high court order, have been given the work of IGs but will continue to draw the pay of DIGs. BK Uppal, DIG, Crime, will look after the work of IG, Crime, PS Sarao, DIG, Administration, will look after the work of IG, GRP. PS Gill, DIG, Litigation, will look after the work of IG, PAP, Jalandhar Cantonment while DIG Tehal Singh Dhaliwal will take care of IG, Commandos, Bahadurgarh. Among the other DIGs, SS Chauhan, DIG, Vigilance becomes DIG, Faridkot Range, Bathinda, vice Jatinder Jain becomes DIG, Vigilance Bureau Bathinda. PS Gill, DIG Training becomes DIG, Litigation, Gaurav Yadav, DIG Intelligence and STF, Chandigarh, becomes DIG, Counter Intelligence, Jagdish Mittal, DIG, Counter Intelligence becomes DIG, Crime Chandigarh, DIG Jalandhar Range Narinder Pal Singh becomes DIG, Computer and Telecommunication, Punjab, Chandigarh.

Among the SSPs promoted are SSP, Ropar RN Dhoke as DIG, Intelligence-2 and STF, Punjab, Chandigarh. SSP, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar Shashi Prabha Diwedi becomes DIG Training.

Among those made SSPs or whose districts have been changed are Arpit Shukla, SP, Special Branch, Intelligence, becomes SSP, Patiala, Sukhwinder Singh Mann (PPS), SP City Amritsar is SSP, Khanna, RK Jaisawal, SSP, Ludhiana has been shifted as SSP, Jalandhar, Sukhchain Singh Gill, SSP Hoshiarpur has been shifted as SSP, Ludhiana (City), Pramod Ban, Commandant, 3 IRB, Ludhiana has been shifted as SSP, Hoshiarpur, LK Yadav, Commandant Is IRB, Patiala has been shifted as SSP, Ropar, Ram Singh Commandant 27 Battalion PAP, Jalandhar becomes SSP, Kapurthala, Surinder Singh Sodhi, Commandant 80 Battalion, PAP, Jalandhar is the new SSP, Faridkot and Rakesh Aggarwal, SSP Kapurthala is the new SSP, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.

PK Rai, SSP, Jalandhar becomes Commandant, 27th Battalion PAP Jalandhar with additional charge of SP, CID Amritsar. SSP Faridkot Paramraj Singh Umranangal has been posted as Commandant 80th Battalion, Jalandhar. SSP Khanna Arun Pal Singh becomes Commandant Ist IRB, Patiala and in addition SSP Anti Narcotic Task Force. SSP, Amritsar Iqbal Singh has been made AIG, Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar. Parveen Kumar SSP, Special Narcotic Cell, Amritsar and in addition SP, CID Amritsar becomes SP, Special Branch, Intelligence, Chandigarh. Kartar Singh, Commandant, 75 Battalion, PAP, Chandigarh will look after the work of DIG, Administration, IRB Patiala. 

Chandigarh, February 13
No tainted police officer is key functionary in any of 24 police districts of Punjab, claims the state government, maintaining that none of the 289 SHOs, 136 Deputy Superintendents, 55 Superintendents and 24 Senior Superintendents have any criminal case or conviction against them.

Besides, Inspectors-General and Deputy Inspectors-General, who also hold key field positions, also have no case or conviction against them.

The minimum tenure of posting for these key police functionaries shall be one year that is extendable to a maximum of three years.

In its revised policy regarding postings and transfers of police officers, the state government has not only fixed minimum tenure of posting but also made it mandatory not to post any officer as key functionary in a police district if he or she is convicted or against whom charges have been framed by a court of law or had been suspended from service in accordance with the rules or has been served a charge sheet in a vigilance inquiry.

Interestingly, the government submitted a copy of its revised policy before the Punjab and Haryana High Court today. And less than 48 hours before the submission of the revised policy, it ordered the transfer of six “tainted” DSPs to claim that its “police administration is taint free”.

Those officers who had been transferred before finalising the revised policy are Rajinder Singh (Ferozepore), Balwant Singh (Khamano), Jagdeep Singh (Amritsar), Tilak Raj (Ajnala), Rajinder Singh Sohal (Phillaur) and Manjit Singh (Jalandhar).

The only exception, the government says, are six SPs, Dilbagh Singh (Amritsar Rural), Surinder Singh (Amritsar City), Pritam Singh (Ludhiana Rural), Gurmit Singh (Ludhiana), Ravinder Kumar Bakshi (Mohali) and Bhupinderjit Singh (Sangrur), who are facing criminal prosecutions for offences committed during the period of militancy in the state.

The new policy has come within a few weeks of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal assuming the charge of the Home Department. Under the new Punjab Police Act (2007), Rule 13(2) says that a police station shall be headed by a station house officer not below the rank of sub-inspector provided he or she is not facing any prosecution in a criminal case or has not been served a charge sheet in a departmental inquiry concerning serious misconduct involving moral turpitude.

In the new policy, the government has, however, made an exception for posting of those police officers as key functionary in a police district who face a criminal prosecution for an offence committed during the period of militancy in the state or have been convicted by a court for such offences but the conviction has been stayed by the appellate court.

Mandi Ahmedgarh/ Raikot, February 13
Even as the special CBI court of Judge Rama Jain in the national capital today awarded the capital punishment to Moninder Singh Pandher and Surinder Koli in the infamous Nithari sexual abuse and killing case, residents of Lohatbaddi, the native village of Pandher, seemed to be least interested in the verdict.

Vouching high esteem for his parents, elderly people maintained that living away from his roots led to Moninder’s downfall. None of the villagers admitted having met the convict. Majority didn’t have any information about the death penalty awarded to him. The residents of Lohatbaddi and other villages inhabited by members of Pandher clan had no interest whatsoever in his fate.

“Moninder and his kin had never stayed here. We do not have any sympathy for him as he has been found guilty of committing heinous crime of raping and murdering innocent girls,” reacted Devki Nandan, a social leader of the village.

Jarnail Singh, another villager, said the villagers had shown little interest in sequence of events leading to prosecution of Moninder Singh Pandher. Rather they (villagers) felt the incident had brought bad name to the village and the clan.

Office bearers of civic body, including leaders of main political parties, evaded questions on the issue. An only attendant at the parental house of Pandher showed ignorance about the case.

Earlier, Pandher fraternity felt so disgraced by Moninder’s association in the Nithari killings that the Baba Sidh Pandher Committee, which has its headquarters at Roshiana village in Ludhiana district, had called upon the members settled in India and abroad to socially boycott his family. According to the committee, he had brought a bad name to the otherwise noble clan believing in teachings of Guru Granth Sahib.

The 55-year-old Pandher originally hails from Lohatbaddi village, about 10 km from Raikot. He owns 30 acres of agricultural land here, besides a palatial mansion being looked after by one of his relatives. Several villagers on the condition of anonymity said Pandher had been brought to justice. They said the judgement today proved that none could prevail over law. 

Chandigarh, February 13
Will KK Attri be the new Director-General of Police (DGP) of Punjab? Belonging to the 1971 batch of the IPS, Kamal K Attri is already in the grade of a DGP and is senior to the present incumbent, NPS Aulakh.

Aulakh was special DGP in the Border Security Force before he was recalled from the central deputation for appointment as DGP, Punjab, in 2007 by the present SAD-BJP regime.

Now Aulakh is keen to return to the Centre eyeing the post of Director-General, National Security Guard. With a neat track record and good standing in Central Police Organisations, Aulakh stands a good chance of replacing Jyoti Krishan Dutt, his batch mate from West Bengal. Dutt is due for superannuation on February 28.

Aulakh already stands empanelled for appointment as DGP. His other batch mate, AS Gill belonging to the Rajasthan cadre has already been appointed Director-General, Central Reserve Police Force. Gill, like Aulakh, also served as the state police chief before reverting to central deputation.

Since Punjab has five officers of the rank of DGP and plans to promote a few more, the chances are that it may give the charge to Attri, who is otherwise senior most and due for retirement on in June this year. That way he can see the state through the general elections.

Even in the last elections, the then incumbent, SS Virk, was shifted at the instance of the Election Commission and Rajdeep Singh Gill, now Director-General of Police-cum-Director, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, was given the charge.

KK Attri is considered a competent officer as he held key positions, including ADGP, Crime, before his elevation as DGP some years ago.

For NPS Aulakh, if he gets the coveted NSG post, he may get extension in service. He is otherwise due for superannuation in August next year. In case he makes it, he would be taking over his new assignment on March 1 this year. Thus, he will join the select band of Punjab officers who headed CPOs. Others included PS Bawa, Gurbachan Jagat and Sarabjit Singh. Incidentally, he will be the second officer to head the state police during the SAD-BJP regime and then get a top position in the CPO after Sarabjit Singh.

As of now, there are 18 other officers belonging to the 1973 and 1974 batches who are also empanelled for the appointment as DGP or equivalent post in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. 

Chandigarh, February 13
Ten sub-divisions will have new SDMs while six districts will get new ADCs as the state government ordered a major administrative reshuffle today.

The new SDMs are Amit Dhaka (Abohar), Sukhwinder Singh Gill (Samana), Ashwani Kumar (Khanna), AS Prabhakar (Patti), Bhupinder Singh-II (Taran Tarn), Amandeep Bansal (Barnala), Neeru Katyal (Payal), Rahul Chaba (Batala), Paramjit Singh-II (Amritsar-II), Rahul Gupta, (Dasuya) and Gurjit Singh (Ferozpore).

The new ADCs are Varun Roozam, (Muktsar), Malwinder Singh Jaggi (Mansa), Kanwalpreet Brar (Jalandhar), Pardeep Kumar (Taran Taran), Kuldip Singh (Ludhiana) and Jaskiran Singh (Muktsar).

Meanwhile, Babita is new DTO, Kapurthala. Harkesh Singh Sidhu is new ACA, PUDA, Patiala; Shiv Ram Kaler becomes Additional MD, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation; Manjit Singh Narang goes as Additional MD, PRTC, Patiala. Indu Malhotra has been posted as ACA, PUDA, Ludhiana.

Shivdular Singh Dhillon has been posted as Additional Secretary, Peronnel, and will also hold additional charge of MD, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board. Surinder Kaur Riar has been posted as Deputy Director, Urban Local Bodies, Patiala.

Daljit Singh is new Joint Secretary, Sports and Youth Services. He will also hold additional charge of Joint Director (Administration), Punjab Mandi Board. HS Kandhola becomes Joint Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation.

Jasdeep Singh Aulakh will be new Deputy Secretary, Agriculture. Anupam Kaler has been posted as AC (general), Kapurthala and MP Singh will be new Deputy 
Secretary, Education.

Chandigarh, February 13
Employees working in government schools across the state would have to spend less time in schools. Following a demand put up by the ‘Mulazam Wing’ of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal agreed to restore the old timings in schools here today.

The school timings being followed in the state are: 8 am to 2.25 pm in summers and 9 am to 2.35 pm in winters. These timings have been reduced and now schools would run from 8 am to 2 pm in summers and 9 am to 3 pm in winters. The school timings restored today were followed for over 13 years till 2005 when the timings were increased.

As a result of the new timings, each period would be reduced from the current 45 minutes to 40 minutes. The new timings would apply only after the government issues formal orders in this regard in the coming days.

President of the wing Surinder Singh Pehalwan said the members of their association met the Chief Minister this evening and a host of their demands - besides the reduction in school timing - had been agreed to.

Pehalwan said the Chief Minister had agreed to absorb 3,500 daily wagers within a fortnight into regular service of the government. “He has also agreed to make alternative placement arrangements for the 1,000 employees who would have to give up their jobs due to the closure of five sugar mills in the state or offer them VRS,” said Pehalwan.

Advisor to the Chief Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, who was also present in the meeting, said the Chief Minister had agreed to change the designation of veterinary pharmacists to veterinary inspectors as demanded by the employees but this change would not have any bearing on the salary scales.

Chandigarh, February 13
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today accepted demands of the Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (PFUCTO) — a body representing teachers of all universities, government colleges and non-government colleges of the state, to implement the notification of Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, dated December 31, 2008, in universities and colleges of the state.

An 11-member delegation of PFUCTO led by its president Dr SS Dhillon and general secretary Dr Jagwant Singh called on Badal here this morning to discuss their demands.

Badal directed KBS Sidhu, secretary, higher education, to bring a detailed memorandum in this regard in the next Cabinet meeting slated to be held on February 20.

The Chief Minister also sought suggestions from the representatives of PFUCTO for improving the standards of education in the state. The members of the deputation gave their frank views with regard to prevailing education system from school level to university level, particularly rural schools, setting up of Adarsh schools, introduction of new subjects of bio-technology, information technology, genome, human biology, biophysics, biochemistry, micro-biology, MBA in hospital management, industrial security and tourism in the curriculum.

They also suggested the Chief Minister to bring in changes in school-level education.

Patiala, February 13
Twentynine-year-old Samina Khan, a science teacher at Michele Clarke Academy Preparatory Magnet School, Chicago, has been awarded the Golden Apple Foundation Award for excellence in teaching. Samina hails from Malerkotla, near Patiala, and teaches African-American students of Classes VI to VIII. Daughter of Malerkotla-based educationist Prof MH Khan, who retired as a professor of education at PPS Nabha, Samina is glad that she has done her parents and the country proud.

The award, one of the highest US honours in education, is given to educators of various schools across America. It is for the first time in 22 years -ever since its inception- that the honour has been bestowed upon an Indian.

Samina is in India to visit her parents and was in the city yesterday to enjoy her leave. She is planning to visit a few schools here to learn a bit more about the Indian system of education. On being questioned about her reaction on receiving this award, she said it was like a dream come true. It was an exhilarating moment for Samina Khan when a group of 100 persons, including her ex-principals, students and colleagues, entered her classroom in Chicago and announced that she had won the coveted Golden Apple Foundation Award for excellence in teaching.

“I could not believe it at all. Though I have been confident of my teaching methods and the way it involved kids but getting Golden Apple was far from mind. I don’t have words for the feelings I had when I received the award. I wore a traditional lehnga for the award function that caught everyone’s fancy.” 

Chandigarh, February 13
There is need for developing a conducive ecosystem that can help entrepreneurial growth. If you can dream it, you can do it and one does not need any entrepreneurial gene to do that. This was stated by Kanwal Rekhi, managing partner of Inventus Capital Partners, a Siicon Valley-based cross border venture capital fund, while addressing a seminar on “Entrepreneurial Punjab: Building on strengths”, organised by The Indus Entrepreneurs here today.

He stressed the need for Punjab to encourage entrepreneurship and capitalise on its inherent strengths, as the people of this region are historically entrepreneurial. “Entrepreneurship flourishes in hard times as it brings economic discipline,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, SS Channy, principal secretary, Industries and Commerce, said Punjab had taken several initiatives for developing entrepreneurship-friendly environment, including establishment of 24-hour helpline, and setting up six industrial promotion boards.

Malerkotla, February 13
Three persons were killed on the spot while five were injured seriously late last night when the tractor-trailer in which they were travelling was hit by a truck coming from the opposite side at Bardwal village near here.

Balvir Singh of Sikandar Pura village and Siraj Deen and Sumel Khan, both residents of Takhar Khurd were killed in the accident while Jasmail Singh, Amanat Ali, Kalu Khan, Gani Mohd and Sadiq Khan, all residents of Takhar Khurd, suffered injuries. They were admitted to the local civil hospital where doctors referred Sadiq Khan to a Patiala hospital.

The impact of the collision was so intense that the tractor broke into two parts.

A case has been registered under Sections 279, 304 A , 427, 337 and 338 of the IPC against the driver of the truck and the vehicle impounded. The driver of the truck has absconded.

Meanwhile, the bodies were handed over to relatives after post-mortem examinations today. 

Ferozepur, February 13
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has summoned record from the SSPs of Amritsar and Ferozepur districts on March 25 with regard to a petition filed by Sukhwinder Singh, alias Sukha, alias Shinda, of Khaneke village, Ferozepur district, who was arrested along with two other persons on November 6.

Earlier, DGP NPS Aulakh had claimed that the police had seized arms and ammunition in Amritsar and Ferozepur districts from the accused and his accomplices them and unearthed their plot to kill Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of Dera Sacha Sauda, Sirsa.

However, Sukhwinder, in his petition that came up for hearing before Justice MMS Bedi, has alleged that he was falsely implicated in the case. He demanded from the High Court to hand over the case to the CBI.

The total recoveries made by the police included 25 packets of heroin, five AK-56 rifles with seven magazines and 750 cartridges, 10 .30 bore pistols of Chinese make with 21 magazines and 140 cartridges and fake currency of Rs 21 lakh.

The DGP had claimed that the arms and ammunition were smuggled into the Indian Territory from Pakistan through the Hussainiwala sector and was specifically meant to assassinate the dera head.

The other two persons arrested by the police were Gursagar Singh of Gumtala village of Amritsar district and Kuldip Singh, alias Billa, of Muthianwali, Ferozepur district.

Chandigarh, February 13
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal can heave a sigh of relief. The Punjab and Haryana High Court today refused to interfere in the trial court’s orders, allowing the withdrawal of prosecution against the former Chief Minister in a corruption case.

At the same time, Justice Mohinder Pal made it clear the complainant in the matter, advocate Balwant Singh Dhillon, could file a private complaint, if he was aggrieved by the withdrawal of prosecution.

“However, certainly he will be at the risk of initiation of proceedings for malicious proceedings at the instance of the aggrieved party, if the complaint is bereft of any basis”.

An FIR was registered against Bhattal on May 22, 2001, under Section 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 409 of IPC by the Vigilance Bureau at Ferozepur.

Dhillon had alleged Bhattal withdrew Rs 20 lakh from the Chief Minister’s relief fund on December 30, 1996, for giving it to needy persons and institutions. But the money was not put to the intended use.

During the proceedings before the trial court, the special public prosecutor moved an application for the withdrawal of prosecution on the ground that no cognizable offence was found to have been committed on the basis of the evidence collected.

Taking up the matter, Justice Mohinder Pal asserted: “As per the facts on record, the case pertains to 1996. In early 1997, the accused had demitted the office. Therefore, she had no access to the Chief Minister’s office. In 2001, the instant case was registered against the accused and the challan was presented in December 2002. Five years have elapsed in between….

“The Chief Minister cannot remember the receipts as to whom and who had issued the same … It cannot be said the accused manipulated everyone at every step…. The trial court was right in holding that the application for the withdrawal from prosecution has been filed in good faith.”

Dismissing the revision petition filed by Dhillon, the Judge concluded: “No case for interference has been made out”. 

Chandigarh, February 13
Justice Rajan Gupta today dismissed the bail plea of Joga Singh, an accused in the Beas killing case.

The prosecution story is that on June 1, 1991, in Kanpur village area, Joga Singh and his co-accused Ajit Singh Phoola had committed the murder of Bachan Singh, Yadvinder Singh, Darshan Kaur, Madanjit Kaur, Rajbir Kaur and Gurvinder Kaur. They had also tried to set afire the dwelling of the victims, the prosecution had added.