Chandigarh, February 27
As Punjab steps up vigil along the Bhakra Main Line (BML), Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has rubbished Punjab government’s apprehension about the “possible puncture in the BML”, somewhere in Patiala district. “The Punjab government has nothing constructive to offer to people, so it is now making baseless and ill-founded allegations to divert people’s attention”.

Speaking to The Tribune, Hooda said: “I am appalled at the apprehension. Why should Haryana puncture the BML when the water flowing through it belongs to Haryana and is going to Haryana? I want to tell all those indulging in such activity of spreading misnomers that I am a nationalist and my government will never do anything that is anti-national or not in the interest of the country”.

Hooda, while recollecting the contribution of his father late Chaudhary Ranbir Singh in the construction of the Bhakra Dam said: “The Bhakra Dam was built when my father was the minister concerned and I have very deep sentiments attached with the irrigation system. People who spread such misnomers are perhaps not aware of my father’s contribution in building dams and irrigation projects for joint Punjab”.

When pointed out that the Punjab government had deployed a platoon of the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) alongside the newly built Hansi-Bhutana canal, which would take waters of the BML to the southern districts of Haryana, Hooda said: “These are gimmicks to divert attention from poor governance”. Sources said the PAP had been deployed on the Punjab territory adjoining Haryana’s Azimgarh in Patiala district.

Police sources confirmed that a platoon had been asked to patrol the area and keep a vigil on any unnatural activity in Haryana. The Punjab government fears that the “mischief” if any may occur in the Narwana branch of the BML, so that water gets released into the Hansi-Bhutana canal. Haryana has spent Rs 300 crore on the construction of Hansi-Bhutana canal, but it continues to be dry.

It may be recalled that on February 26, Punjab’s Irrigation Department had written a letter (PAPSIP/1859) to the state police chief showing apprehensions about a breech in the canal and had asked for enhanced patrolling.

The letter asked the police to ensure “no illegitimate effort of Haryana is allowed to succeed in clear violation of the Supreme Court orders”.

Chandigarh, February 27
Over 400 disgruntled Punjab government-aided schoolteachers courted arrest in Sector 17 here this afternoon, protesting against the refusal of the state government to release pension benefits as promised in the SAD manifesto. The protesting teachers from across Punjab faced water canons and mild cane-charge when the police dispersed them, as they were insisting to march towards the Punjab Assembly.

Traffic on road in front of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) came to standstill for quite sometime. The police stopped them near RBI, where heated arguments ensued. ASP (central) Madur Verma failed to convince the teachers to hand over their memorandum to the representatives of the government. The teachers remained adamant to move ahead, saying that they had enough talks with the government earlier.

The police used force to disperse the protestors using water canons and mild cane charge. Some of the teachers sustained minor injuries in the process. In the end, taking preventive measures, the police arrested 423 protestors, including a number of women, under Section 107 and 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code. They were released later in the evening.

The protest was the upshot of the denial of any pension benefits to the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and other employees union recently. To register their protest against the “backtracking” of the SAD-led state government, the union asked its members to take mass casual leave to gherao the state assembly. The protestors began assembling outside the director public instructions office (secondary) in Sector 17 and staged a rally there before proceeding towards assembly.

The representatives of the protestors said the government had stopped pension benefits to aided schoolteachers in 2003. The decision affected 2,000 out of the 5,000 retired teachers depriving them of these benefits. Moreover, 8,000 schoolteachers working in aided schools also lost the pension benefits.

Gurcharan Singh, president of the union, told TNS that on March 2 the staff of the aided schools would court arrest at their respective district headquarters. From March 3, they would gherao Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, wherever he go in Punjab. Five male and five female teachers would sit on fast-unto-death in further course of action.

A veteran teacher Manohar Lal Chopra condemned the police action and said they would launch a political battle against the government and would not support SAD-BJP alliance in the coming elections.

Chandigarh, February 27
The SAD-BJP-led Punjab government has refused to spare its home secretary Sudhir Mital for the Liberhan Commission probing the Babri Masjid demolition.

Mital was the secretary to the commission for the past over two years. However, the Punjab government told the Union Ministry of Home yesterday that Mital being the home secretary of the state is needed full time here.

Mital was appointed secretary to the commission when he was on deputation to the Centre as secretary, Environment. Now following his return to the state, the Centre had asked Punjab to allow him to continue in the post. Mital confirmed that the state government had turned down the request.

Mital’s exclusion from the commission is likely to be seen as a move by the SAD-BJP coalition in the state to delay the submission of the commission’s report. The commission constituted in 1992 was to submit its report within three months of the demolition, but is running into its 47th extension. However, highly placed sources said the report was now ready and ran into over 800 pages to be submitted before March 31, the end of this commission’s current extension period.

Since the report is likely to be submitted before the elections, it becomes extremely important for the BJP going to the polls with LK Advani as its prime ministerial candidate. Justice MS Liberhan said he had nothing to say on the issue and for any comments the commission’s lawyer Anupam Gupta should be contacted.

Gupta said he had absolutely no idea about the report or as to when it was going to be submitted. He had reportedly disassociated himself from the report following differences with Justice Liberhan with regard to Advani’s role in the incident. Justice Liberhan, however, insisted that the report would not be submitted without Gupta’s help. “Anupam will continue to be associated with the commission as long as I am with it,” he said.

The single-member Liberhan Commission has become the longest running inquiry in India’s history. Over a 100 witnesses have been cross-examined by Gupta, including PV Narasimha Rao, VP Singh, LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh, KS Sudarshan and Vinay Katiyar.

Amritsar, February 27
Akal Takht, to mark Hola Mohalla festival at Anandpur Sahib on March 10, will organise a blood donation camp. The Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda collected 17,921 units of blood on October 10, 2004, at Bapuji village in Sriganganagar.

Sikh organisations under the aegis of the Akal Purkh Ki Fauj joined hands to hold a blood camp on the premises of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College, Anandpur Sahib.

Jathedar, Akal Takht, Giani Gurbachan Singh has said after the blood camp, Sikh organisations would mobilise devotees to fill forms to pledge eyes after death.

Fauj chief Jaswinder Singh Advocate hoped to collect 25,000 units of blood since 10 lakh devotees reach Anandpur Sahib to celebrate Hola Mohalla.

SGPC president Avtar Singh has extended cooperation to this task. Baba Harnam Singh, head, Damdami Taksal, Bhai Guriqbal Singh, Mata Kaulan Trust, Sikh Missionary College and Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, both based in Ludhiana, confirmed to contribute to the task.

A committee for the event has been constituted under Bikram Singh Majithia, former minister. Giani Tarlochan Singh, Jathedar, Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Harbhajan Singh, chairman, Shaheed Sikh Missionary College, Kiranbir Singh Kang, president, Youth Akali Dal, Rajinder Singh Mehta, interim committee member, SGPC and Charanjit Singh Chadda, president, Chief Khalsa Diwan, are members of the committee. 

Anandpur Sahib, February 27
The Hola Mohalla celebrations will be held in Anandpur Sahib from March 6 to 11. A meeting of all districts officials was conducted today pertaining to arrangements for the week-long fest at the SDM office.

Deputy Commissioner Priyank Bharti directed his subordinates to work and coordinate as a team to make Hola Mohalla celebrations a success. He said a control room would be established for helping pilgrims. 

Also four telephone lines would be set up for the public. Officers have been directed to make adequate arrangements for light, drinking water, health facilities, cleanliness and toilets by March 4, before the onset of function.

Newly appointed DC Bharti and SSP LK Yadav paid obeisance at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. They also visited Kiratpur Sahib area. Head granthi of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Sukhwinder Singh honoured the two with siropas. SSP Yadav directed that all security arrangements should be up to the mark.

Chandigarh, February 27
Journalists today staged a dharna in front of the Vidhan Sabha here in protest against the Secretariat that failed to issue alternative as well as temporary passes to them to cover assembly proceedings. The Opposition Congress also joined the dharna briefly.

However, Chandigarh Press Club president Sarabjit Singh Pandher said the issue was not of entry passes alone, but of self-esteem of newspapers and their journalists. He called for immediate constitution of a press gallery committee.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh-Punjab Union of Journalists’ president Vinod Kohli also condemned the non-issue of entry passes to journalists.

Meanwhile, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon told TNS that he had suspended Assistant Information Officer Mulk Raj for “mishandling” the situation. “I never issued any instructions on distribution of entry passes as was told to the media today,” he said adding that he regretted the “unfortunate” incident. 

Chandigarh, February 27
The Punjab police is not used to being powerless, but it seems they have no option! With electricity cuts across the state lasting six to eight hours, the paperless, computerised police stations in the state are feeling the pinch.

Since January 1, 2009, police stations in the state are working on computers. FIRs are lodged on computers and their computer printouts have to be taken to the magistrates. But, with no electricity for a large part of the day, police personnel have to delay the entire process for hours.

Magistrates are flooded with requests from personnel to hold on for a few more hours while the FIR is being typed. The moment the electricity is back, it’s a rush for the computer. 

Hurried FIRs are then punched in with hours of gap between the time when the crime was reported to the police station and the FIR finally lodged. “Time is very important for any crime investigation. And we are not just solving a murder case, but have to also ensure that the criminal gets convicted in a court of law,” said an SHO.

Several district police heads have ordered invertors and even generators to sort out the problem. “The computers came with UPS systems, but these last for only about an hour. We have written to the government of India to make generators available at all police stations in Punjab,” said ADGP SM Sharma, in charge of the project in the state.

The computerisation of police functioning in the state is part of a national modernisation programme of the Ministry of Home Affairs. “The Centre has made Common Integrated Police Application (CIPA) available to the state that currently can handle the crime-criminal inputs. In due course, however, CIPA will be extended to inventories and deployment etc looking after the police management as well,” said Sharma.

Sources said other than the electricity problem, which could be sorted out, the computerised system was being seen as an insecure system.

“Anyone can break into the system, change the FIRs or even remove it. In a paper system, overwriting or cutting is also avoided. But, here even days after the FIR is lodged, it is possible to change anything you want. The roznamcha or daily diary is still filled by hand, but before this too is computerised we will need an uninterrupted electricity supply system first,” said an SSP.

Jalandhar, February 27
In a meeting held in New Delhi yesterday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has given green signal to Mohinder Singh Kaypee to continue as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief. A section of the media was speculating change in the PPCC chairmanship before the Lok Sabha elections.

Kaypee has announced a massive Congress rally at Dharamkot in Moga on February 28. Union minister Mani Shanker Aiyer and Punjab Congress in charge Mohsina Kidwai would also address the rally, he added.

Earlier in the day, Kaypee also met Punjab Congress in charge Mohsina Kidwai and discussed several key issues pertaining to the upcoming elections.

Meanwhile, Kaypee said the meeting of Punjab election committee would was likely to be held on March 3. He said most of the members of the Punjab Congress co-ordination committee would be included in the state election committee.

The minister also stated that talks with Balwant Singh Ramoowalia led the Lok Bhalai Party and Satnam Singh Kainth led the Bahujan Samaj Morcha were still on for forging a state-level alliance in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Sangrur, February 27
Sangrur town today witnessed protests in different forms by advocates, unemployed linesmen, brick-kiln workers, health employees and Mann Colony residents.

Activists and members of the Lal Jhanda Punjab Bhatha Mazdoor Union (AICCTU), the Mazdoor Mukti Morcha and the CPI (ML) Liberation gheraoed the office of the Deputy Commissioner and started an indefinite dharna in the district administrative complex here for the acceptance of their demands.

Members of the Sangrur District Bar Association (DBA), under the leadership of DBA president Gurtej Singh Grewal, abstained from work in protest against the atrocities committed on members of the Bar Association of the Madras High Court by the Tamil Nadu police.

Members of the Berojgar Linemen Union, Punjab (PSEB), gheraoed the residence of local MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa here and staged a dharna there for several hours, demanding recruitment of the unemployed linesmen in the PSEB without any further delay.

Health employees, under the banner of the Sehat Mulazam Sanghrash Committee of the Sangrur district, staged a dharna in the district administrative complex here.

Residents of the local Mann Colony, situated near Government Ranbir College, blocked the main road near Ranbir College alleging that the local Municipal Council had diverted the funds earmarked to make the streets of their colony pucca, to another ward.

Chandigarh, February 27
The man, who was instrumental in building various dams in Punjab, is no more. Naranjan Singh Gill spent four decades of his life in the construction of some of India’s largest dam projects starting from Bhakra Dam, then Beas Project and thereafter Ranjit Sagar Dam in various capacities, including as Chief Engineer and later on as the first General Manager of Ranjit Sagar Dam. Naranjan died at a local hospital here today after protracted illness.

He was a recipient of National/Republic Day awards from the President for indigenous development and import substitution of a number of items of heavy construction equipment.

He pioneered the concept of mass concrete placement at Beas Dam by multi-direction conveyor system for which he was awarded a Gold Medal by the Central Board of Irrigation and Power.

He is survived by wife and three daughters. His cremation will take place tomorrow in Sector 25. Rachhpal Singh Buttar, general secretary, Punjab Irrigation Engineers Class-I Association, mourned his death on behalf of the association.

During his tenure as Chief Engineer, Ranjit Sagar Dam Project, the dam suffered extensive devastation as a result of unprecedented floods of September 1988 and was considered a gone case at one stage. But, the whole project staff rose to the occasion as one man to put it back on the rails.

Chandigarh, February 27
Former Dhuri MLA Gaganjit Singh Barnala heaved a sigh of relief today after the court of additional district and sessions judge Ravi Kumar Sondhi acquitted him on charges of raping a 55-year-old woman who used to work as a masseur at his place.

The UT police had registered a case against the MLA after a woman employed at his house alleged him of raping her while she was performing her job in August 2006.

The son of Tamil Nadu Governor Surjeet Singh Barnala, Gaganjit was arrested on August 12, 2006.

The matter surfaced after the maid was rushed to Government Hospital, Sector 16, as she was bleeding profusely from her private parts.