Chandigarh, February 18
With an eye on the Lok Sabha elections, the Punjab government today announced an amnesty scheme waiving interest as well as the penalty on house tax, water supply and sewerage dues to the tune of Rs 69 crore.

The SAD-BJP government, which is taking this step for the second time since coming to power after waiving the same dues in 2007, claims it will be able to mop up the much-needed money for the purchase of machinery to make the operations of municipal corporations and committees more efficient.

Announcing the measure at a press conference here, Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia said total arrears on account of house tax, water supply and sewerage dues amounted to Rs 280 crore.

He said earlier in 2007 when the government had waived interest and penalties on these, the department had been able to mop up Rs 93 crore, which had been spent on purchasing machinery. He said money had also been reserved for purchasing fire tenders and hydraulic ladders.

The minister also claimed that as compared to the previous Congress regime, the SAD-BJP government had spent Rs 1,094 crore on corporations and committees in the past two years. He said the Congress had spent only Rs 125 crore in the first two years of its government.

He said similarly in the case of water supply and sewerage, the Congress had spent Rs 584 crore during its five-year tenure while the SAD-BJP government proposed to spend Rs 2,180 crore under this head.

Local Bodies secretary DS Bains said the government had time till 2012 to bring in reforms to qualify for National Renewal Urban Mission (NRUM) schemes.

He said money was being claimed regularly by the state under this scheme and that Rs 154 crore had been claimed in January.

He also announced that the first phase of the Rs 150-crore elevated road project at Amritsar would be completed by June this year.

Chandigarh, February 18
Despite Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal’s intervention in last Vidhan Sabha session to get bureaucrat D S Kalha off the hook for his alleged delay in clearing the file pertaining to Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon’s foreign visit, Kahlon has decided to refer the case to the Previleges Committee of the House for decision.

Earlier Kalha, who was Principal Secretary, Finance at the time of the case and is at present on deputation to the Centre as adviser, Planning Commission, had been summoned by the Speaker to explain why clearance for the latter’s trip to Malaysia to attend the Commonwealth Parliaments conference in first week of August last year had not been given in time. The Speaker could not attend the conference due to delay in clearance of the file.

Sources said now the Privileges Committee,, headed by BJP MLA Surjit Jyani, would take up the case and submit recommendations to the Assembly.

The 13-member committee has eight members from the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and five from the Congress.

The Congress seized the issue in last Vidhan Sabha session and demanded the “erring” bureaucrat be summoned to the House and censured for alleged misconduct.

The Finance Minister had tried to defuse the issue by owning responsibility for the delay and said some “technical” snag was responsible for late clearance. However even then the Speaker had retorted there was no technical snag in this case.

Sources said the Speaker, who had summoned Kalha and asked him to give explanation in writing, as he was not satisfied with oral explanation of the officer. It seems he is not satisfied with the written explanation also.

The sources said the Speaker had given indication in the last Aassembly sitting he was not satisfied with the explanation of Manpreet Badal and he would take up the matter in the next session if needed.

Jalandhar, February 18
Punjab government will send about 80 junior engineers on deputation to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to fill posts of state quota in the organisation.

Bowing to protest by Punjab government against the recruitment of junior engineers, the BBMB had sent demand of junior engineers to fill vacant slots.

The state government had opposed BBMB move on recruitment of 40 junior engineers without informing it.

In fact the government had told the BBMB about boycotting all meetings if the process to recruit junior engineers by the board was not stopped.

The BBMB has suspended recruitment drive, it is learnt. For several years, many post of engineer and other staff are vacant in the BBMB.

As Punjab, Haryana and some other states are partner in the projects managed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board, engineering and other staff to it is provided by these states on deputation.

Sources said the state governments concerned have sought information on vacant posts in the BBMB.

Earlier, Punjab had an issue with the BBMB and the Union Ministry of Water Resources over the appointment of member (Irrigation). Punjab had asked the Union Ministry its senior engineer be taken as member (Irrigation) on deputation instead of from Haryana, which had been sendin its senior engineer for that post since the setting up of the BBMB.

However, the Union Ministry did not c accept Punjab government’s plea and now ember (Irrigation) has been appointed from Haryana in the BBMB.

Post of the member (Irrigation) is very crucial and has remained with Haryana whereas Punjab has been given the slot of member( Power) in the BBMB.

Last year, first time, Punjab urged the Union government that slot of member (Irrigation) be given to Punjab and member (Power) to Haryana.

Earlier extension expired on November 30 and since then the PSEB’s legal status had become untenable and owing to this the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory commission had refused to entertain the PSEB’s petition for tariff hike.

Besides Punjab, state Himachal, Chhattisgarh and J and K are also awaiting further extension to unbundle respective state electricity boards. Punjab had been given extension eight times earlier and it has sought ninth extension.

Patiala, February 18
Attributing the Shiromani Akali Dal’s s success in last Vidhan Sabha elections to th youths, Deputy Chief Minister and party president Sukhbir Singh Badal today sought to focus on the ‘young brigade’ by calling on them to channel their energy for decimating the Congress from electoral scene of Punjab.

Addressing gathering of the youth organised by the SAD’s student wing - Student Organisation Of India (SOI) - at Polo Grounds here today, Badal said the SAD owed its gratitude to the youth power that had brought it in power in Assembly elections.

“The enthusiasm and response of Punjab youth in today’s rally has made it clear the Congress is going to bite the dust in Lok Sabha polls. I am always thankful to the youth power for its faith in my vision for prosperous Punjab,” said Sukhbir.

Targeting Amarinder Singh, he said the “Maharaja” was responsible for ruining lives of youth by being spectator to drug-trafficking in Punjab.

“ I have set up the Directorate of Anti-narcotics to wage war against drugs and their abuse. The “Non-resident Maharaja” had hardly spent a month in the country. It is strange the “Maharaja of Patiala” despite being the Chief Minister spent just Rs 26 crore whereas, the SAD-BJP combine had already spent Rs 100 crore in the very first year for development of city,” said the Deputy CM.

Unveiling his agenda for youth, he said to provide the world-class higher education facilities, Rs 2,000-crore central university was being set-up in Bathinda.

He said the Ambani Group had agreed to set up Dhirubhai Ambani University of Information Technology at Ropar.

Badal said three Punjab Institutes of Sports on the lines of NIS, Patiala, would be set-up in the Majha, Malwa and Doaba regions for world-class training to youth.

The World Kabaddi Tournament was being organised in the state with teams from various countries participating, where the winning team would get a prize money of Rs 1 crore.

Announcing the constitution of the youth development board under the chairmanship of SOI chief Gurpreet Singh Raju Khana, Badal said the board had been authorised to consolidate demands and aspirations of youth in a report for early implementation.

Former Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra, Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal, former ministers Surjit Singh Kohli, Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur and former SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar were among the speakers.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal laid the foundation stone of the Rs 200 crore state-of-art bus terminus here to ensure “airport like” facilities to ordinary bus commuters of Punjab.

He said the common man was the focus of the SAD-BJP government and it was going to provide world-class facilities to the common man at the bus stand.

Badal also laid the foundation stones of Rs 6 crore projects, including a community centre at Ranjit Nagar and Siuna-Hasanpur link road.

Amritsar, February 18
The Punjab Students Union (PSU) and the Naujwan Bharat Sabha (NBS) will organise protests at district and tehsil levels against the alleged tampering with the design of Jallianwala Bagh.

the PSU and the NBS will also burn effigies of Punjab government at various places in protest against registration of cases against their activists.

In a press note here today, Dharminder Patran, state general secretary, Sandip Kaur and Watan Sharma, both district leaders said they won’t allow any change in the design of Jallianwala Bagh.

They said their peaceful struggle would continue till acceptance of demands.

Patran said it could not be allowed to be converted into entertainment park because many innocent Indians were martyred for the sake of freedom.

The police had lathicharged PSU and NBS activists and chased them up to SGPC complex on February 12.

The DGP , NPS Aulakh has submitted his report regarding the Jallianwala Bagh episode to the Chief Minister.

However, the magisterial inquiry, being conducted by Sandip Rishi, SDM is likely to be completed in a couple of days even as the deadline for submitting the report would end tomorrow.

Two DSPs and an SHO had already been transferred following inquiry conducted by the DGP. A meeting of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Committee, presided over by Bihar Governor, R.L.Bhatia had imposed ban on the public rallies.

However, the PSU leader said the protest rally would start from Hall Gate tomorrow and effigy of the state government would be burnt in front of Jallianwala Bagh.

The police has made security arrangements around Jallianwala Bagh.

Nabha, February 18
A Dalit family house of which was bulldozed one and half years ago allegedly by SAD activists, has been on dharna near SDM’s office in the town.

Ajaib Singh and his minor daughter of nearby Ageti village started dharna seeking registration of a case against villagers Mukhtiar Singh, Jangir Singh, Tara Singh, Balvinder Singh, Darshan singh and others for beating him and family members and demolishing his house in the village.

Ajaib, who belongs to Bazigar community, claimed purchasing the land for Rs 60,000 from his brother Darshan on which he built the house .

He claimed after the Akali government came to power, these persons from upper caste started harassing his family and on September 4, 2007, he and his family was beaten up.

He alleged police officers in the subdivision at that time even refused to listen to him allegedly under political pressure.

Ajaib said clothes of my daughters and wife were also torn. He said his house was also demolished and they took away all belongings, bricks, girders and other material used for the construction of the house.

His requests and visits to police officials and higher-ups failed move them to action.

SDM Balraj Singh said the matter had been brought to his notice for the first time.

He said Ajaib could not present documents to substantiate his claim of ownership of the disputed piece of land.

However he had summoned other party. On the criminal aspect of the case, he said the police should have verified the facts.

It is learnt the SDM’s office provided Ajaib and her daughter with food and blankets in the evening.

MLA Nabha Randeep Singh condemned the episode. He said people had been forced to stage dharnas to get justice.

Kulwant Singh, general secretary Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan threatened stir, if the victim family was not given justice.

BSP state general secretary and party candidate from Patiala Lok Sabha constituency Joga Singh and block president Rajinder Singh Sadhoheri gave two- day ultimatum to the administration for impart justice to the aggrieved family.

The police and civil administration initiated acton after the matter was brought to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’ notice at a press conference in Patiala.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, February 18
A Dalit girl of nearby Maksudra village in Payal sub-division refused to accompany marry an addict from Amargarh village in Sangrur district.

The ceremony of her wedding had been over. Though the bride’s family had complained against the groom’s family at the Payal police station, it was withdrawn on the intervention of social leaders and relatives of both families.

Manpreet Kaur (name changed) refused to accept the boy as her husband with whom her Anand Karaj was performed at a function sponsored by an NRI at her village on Monday.

She decided after she came to know the groom was an addict and a divorcee.

According to Davinder Singh panchayat headman, a Dalit family had arranged marriage of its daughter with a boy from Amargarh.

Everything went normal on the wedding day. The marriage party comprising 70 persons was received by friends and relatives of the bride’s family. An NRI had sponsored the marriage.

The bride and her parents were shocked when an anonymous caller warned them the groom was an addict and had been divorced.. He had also tried to marry another girl but it failed too.

Though relatives of the bride insisted on continuing the ceremony, Manpreet Kaur preferred to remain unmarried to be with an addict.

The groom was reportedly examined medically. The groom persuaded the doctor not to disclose the result to parents of the bride.

Similarly, investment was being made in technology with a Rs 5 crore machine being installed in Ludhiana to ensure superior German wrapping for Verka butter, he said.

Chandigarh, February 18
The last of administrative anomalies arising out of the days of terrorism has been set right. Principal Secretary Home Punjab Sudhir Mital has ordered matching of the police boundary of Sangrur with its revenue boundary.

The order gives relief to residents of 35 villages in the jurisdiction of the Sherpur police station which was governed administratively as part of Sangrur but came under Barnala’s police district’s jurisdiction.

Residents of these villages used to report crime to the Barnala police but had to deal with the rest of the associated formalities in Sangrur, at times travelling over 50 Km a day to and fro.

The Sherpur police station was left in Barnala’s jurisdiction when Sangrur district was carved in 2006.

The villagers had been demanding the police station be included in Sangrur as for everything else they had to go to Sangrur.

“If an arrest was made for police cases registered in Sherpur in district Barnala, the accused would be presented before a court in Sangrur.

Similarly the SDM Sangrur would have to deal with cases registered in Barnala.

The residents were the most harassed,” said Gurmeet Singh, sarpanch of Mehmadpur, falling within the Sherpur police station.

“For bail petition under 107/151 of CrPc also we have to shuttle from Sangrur to Barnala. Similarly the judges sit in Sangrur and the SSP and DSP sit in Barnala. This was our demand that we should be included in Sangrur,” added Gurmeet who is also president of the group of sarpanchs of the 35 affected villages.

The police districts were carved from revenue districts in the 1990s during terrorism to have a better control of the law and order situation.

The Barnala revenue district was divided into Barnala and Sangrur police districts in 1992. In 2006, Sangrur became a revenue district.

However while redefining boundaries a single police station was left out.

Since creation of the new district of Sangrur in 2006 the residents of these villages had been trying to get the anomaly sorted out.

SSP Sangrur Naunihal Singh also reportedly wrote to the Home Department requesting for the shifting of the Sherpur police station to Sangrur.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal cleared the request last month following which executive orders were passed by Mital last evening.

Chandigarh, February 18
Punjab government today transferred four IAS and 19 PCS officers. The 12 subdivisions will have new SDMs while four districts ADCs.

J.M. Balamurugan is new Joint Development Commissioner, IRD; Raj Kamal Chaudhuri becomes DC, Kapurthala and Rahul Bhandari goes as Executive Director, Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development, and Finance Corporation and will also hold additional charge of Director, Welfare of SCs and BCs.

The new ADCs are H.S. Pabla (Development; Patiala), Darshan Singh (Patiala), Amar Pal Singh (Ferozepur) and Ajmer Singh (Gurdaspur).

The new SDMs are Tanu Kashyap (Jalandhar-II), Tejinder Singh Dhaliwal (Patran), Jaspal Singh (Raikot), Mukand Singh Sandhu (Jagraon), Sunil Bhatia (Mukerian), Ravinder Kumar (Nihalsingh Wala), Gurpreet Singh Thind (Baghapurana) and will also hold additional charge of DTO, Moga, Anupam Kaler (Kapurthala), Dalwinderjit Singh (Bathinda), Kuljit Pal Singh Mahi (Sardulgarh), Balbir Singh (Phillaur) and Jagdish Chander Bhatia (Jaito) and will also hold additional charge of DTO, Faridkot.

Meanwhile, Inder Yash Bhatti is new Deputy Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jalandhar. M.P. Arora has been posted Deputy Director, Urban Local Bodies, Amritsar; Tarlochan Singh Bhatti becomes Assistant Commissioner (grievances), Tarn Taran and Daljit Kaur will be new Assistant Commissioner (grievances), Amritsar.

Chandigarh, February 18
Justice Surya Kant of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has paved the way for the victims of militancy in Punjab to seek effective relief from the state government.

While taking up a petition against the state and others filed by one such victim, Pargat Singh, Justice Kant directed the respondents to “grant necessary relief” to him, if he was found entitled to the same.

Pargat Singh was just six when the militants gunned down his father and brother. Nearly 20 years after the incident, his case would now receive the state’s attention.

The development is significant as the directions in Pargat Singh’s case are expected to now serve as a precedent for similarly-placed persons in Punjab, who are seeking relief from the state government.

Pargat Singh of Tarn Taran has all along been seeking directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents to take him in government service.

In his detailed order, Justice Surya Kant asserted: “Having heard counsel for the petitioner at some length and keeping in view the nature of relief sought in this writ petition, without expressing any views on the merits thereof, I deem it appropriate to dispose of this writ petition with a direction to respondents to consider the petitioner's claim in the light of the government policy/instructions.”

The petitioner had sought a direction for appointment on priority basis in terms of government instructions dated December 30, 1996, as amended from time to time.

His counsel had asserted on petitioner’s behalf before the court that Pargat’s mother represented to the authorities concerned to consider claim for appointment.

PIDB steers clear of septic tank row
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 18
The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) today steered clear of the septic tank controversy.

In an affidavit before the Bench of Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur and Justice Hemant Gupta, PIDB chief legal advisor said it had no role in execution of schemes.

He said PIDB was primarily involved in planning, designing and calling of tenders for the award of work.

The Bench was also informed that investigations in the matter were on.

In all, as many as 9,000 tanks were installed in 36 villages across the state at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore.

Of the total, an estimated 67 per cent of the tanks reportedly developed cracks and other defects soon after installation.