Pathankot, March 8
The matter of the transfer of Harpreet Singh as the superintendent of police, after the regulation of the model code of conduct, has irked the Election Commission. Kusumjeet Sidhu, chief electoral officer, has vehemently said the officer could not be transferred once the model code of conduct came into force.

Harpreet Singh has been transferred to 9th battalion PAP, Amritsar as Assistant Commandant vise Sawinder Singh Assistant Commandant, 9th Battalion PAP, Amritsar who had been posted as SP here.

The orders of both the officers, swapping posts had been reportedly issued on March 2, the day when the code of conduct was forced for the parliamentary elections by the Election Commission of India. The orders of only these two police officers were issued by the office of the principal secretary home and justice on March 2.

Further endorsed by the office of the DGP, Punjab, dated March 5, nearly four days after the code was imposed. These orders were sent to the office of the SSP, Gurdaspur to be delivered to Harpreet Singh only yesterday on March 7.

When contacted on telephone, Sidhu said her department would look into the matter as the transfer of the officers after the code had been enforced was a matter of 
serious concern besides utter violation of the code. The government cannot transfer the officer, she said.

Hoshiarpur, March 8
Elaborate arrangements have been made to conduct fair and peaceful election in the Hoshiarpur constituency (reserved). This was stated by District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner N.K. Wadhawan here today. As many as 272 polling stations in the district had been identified as sensitive and 55 as most sensitive.

Any of the candidates seeking to contest elections could file his nomination papers from April 17 to 24. Scrutiny of the nomination papers would be held on April 25 and withdrawals could be made on April 27. The polling would be held on May 13.

There were 10,29,071 electorate in all the seven assembly segments in the district. The Mukerian, Dasuya, Urmur, Shamchaurasi, Hoshiarpur and Chabewal segments fall under the Hoshiarpur parliamentary seat.

Phagwara and Bhulath of Kapurthala district and Sri Hargobindpur of Gurdaspur district were the other assembly segments which come under it. Wadhawan said more than 7,500 employees of the state government would perform poll duty in the district. — OC

Jalandhar, March 8
The Centre has erred by omitting to declare Punjab as a special potato seed-producing area since the land is ideal for producing the crop.

The Jalandhar Potato Growers Association (JPGA), which has spearheaded the movement to deal with the potato glut in the state, on Friday flagged off the first of the 101 containers of potato that would be exported to the Gulf, besides Sri Lanka.

At present, the seed is being prepared by the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, and is being distributed in the country on the instructions of the Union Agriculture Ministry.

Sadly, Punjab, which develops the seed and supplies it all over the country is in the middle of a crisis since the seed is being wasted, says JPGA general secretary Jaswinder Singh Sangha.

“If Punjab is declared as a potato seed-producing area, then it will get a major chunk of the foundation seed from the CPRI for developing it in bulk for further supply all over the country.” During the recent world potato conference held in New Delhi, a resolution for the purpose was passed and the Centre’s representative had agreed on it in principle, he pointed out.

The JPGA demanded that potato should be included in the “food category” on the pattern of other food items like wheat and paddy at the international level.

JPGA chief Raghbir Singh said the first instalment of global gap - certified potato export to Sri Lanka and Dubai - was dispatched yesterday. “In the next couple of weeks, 101 containers of potato will be exported from Punjab,” he said.

Chief manager of Markfed M.B.S. Sandhu said last year 98 potato farmers applied for global gap certification of their crop and this year 93 more farmers had applied for it.

The motive behind the certification was to make the crop viable for export in European Union for which the process had already been started, he said.

He said last year 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes of potato was sent to Pakistan but to protect its own farmers, our neighbour recently slapped a 25 per cent import duty after which the export was stopped.

Jalandhar, March 8
While the entire world celebrated International Women’s Day today, scores of Anganwari workers and helpers from across Punjab gathered at the local Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall and held a protest rally demanding economic equality and women’s rights.

State president of the union Usha Rani said even after 62 years of independence women were fighting for equality with their male counterparts in the society.

“The anganwari workers in the state are getting Rs 600 and Rs 300 per month whereas the Haryana government is providing Rs 1,500 as monthly pay,” she said.

Condemning the inefficient role of the union government, the union members maintained that instead of providing relief to the anganwari workers the government had increased the duration of their working hours.

The women blocked the vehicular traffic for more than one-hour and raised slogans against the state government.

Jalandhar, March 8
Acting on a complaint filed by Lt-Col S.S. Sohi (retd), the State Information Commission, Punjab, issued a notice to the public information officer (PIO) of divisional commissioner S.R. Ladhar to explain why he was not a public authority in connection with Jullundhur Gymkhana Club under section 2 (h) of the RTI Act.

State information commissioner Lt-Gen P.K. Grover (retd) directed the commissioner’s PIO to come prepared with the copies of necessary documents on the next date of hearing fixed for March 19.

The PIO was directed to bring the copies of financial statement of the last two years that is 2006-07 and 2007-08, relevant documents pertaining to the ownership of the structure and land where Jullundhur Gymkhana Club has been housed and details of concession given by the state government amounting to indirect funding. Earlier on last date of hearing on February 19, applicant S.S. Sohi stated that the respondent PIO was a public authority in terms of section 2 (h) of the RTI Act as the club was housed on a government land and as per the constitution of the club, the Jalandhar divisional commissioner was ex-officio president and Jalandhar DC was ex-officio vice-president of Gymkhana Club.

Therefore it was totally controlled by the functionaries of the state.

In support of his arguments, Sohi submitted a copy of the constitution, memorandum of association and bylaws and photocopies of newspapers.

Col Sohi lodged the complaint against the president of Jullundur Gymkhana Club-cum-commissioner, Jalandhar division, before the State Information Commission on November 26, last year after he was denied the information he had asked for under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on September 4.

While Col Sohi claimed that the club falls in the ambit of the RTI Act, the legal committee of the club opined that it was not covered under the prescribed definition of public authority.

However, in his complaint Sohi stated certain points to validate his claim. “The club president is the divisional commissioner who is a government official. He has the power to offer membership to anyone at a discount of 50 per cent. Whenever an inquiry is to be conducted, the divisional commissioner marks an inquiry to any government official. In case of dissolution of the elected management committee, it is the divisional commissioner again who appoints a temporary administrator till the resumption of a new elected management committee. Club offers temporary membership to government officials at a token fee.”

Jalandhar, March 8
Alleging police inaction, relatives of Kavita (26), who committed suicide after alleged harassment by her-in-laws, protested in front of Sadar police station here today.

The irate relatives were demanding the arrest of Kavita’s husband Vijay Kumar, his father Raj Kumar and mother Kanta Devi, all residents of Dhina village. Gurpreet Verma, father of the deceased, said Kavita was married to Vijay Kumar in 2002 and the couple had three children. He alleged that Kavita’s in-laws used to harass her for dowry and often thrash her up. She took the extreme step following pressure from her in-laws, he alleged. SHO Lakhwinder Singh, said a case under section 304-B of the IPC had been registered against the in-laws. — TNS

Batala, March 8
A man and his first wife were thrashed by the second wife, her relatives and public outside the court complex here yesterday.

Meenakshi Sharma, daugther of Prem Sagar Sharma, was married to Sunil Sharma of Old Madhopuri, Ludhiana, about seven years ago. She alleged that her husband never disclosed to her that he was already married to Kanika, alias Parbhot Kiran, and had two children.

Meenakshi disclosed to mediapersons that Sunil had told her that he had divorced Kanika, and she had started living with him.

On learning that Sunil was again getting involved with his first wife, Meenakshi came back to her parental house here and lodged a criminal case against him.

Sunil and Kanika came to Batala for a compromise with Meenakshi, at which her relatives and neighbourers thrashed them and took them to the police station in injured condition.

The police arrested Sunil and Kanika under sections 107 and 151, CrPC, and produced them before the executive court here today.

SHO Kapil Kaushal had no answer regarding the injuries to Sunil and Kanika.

Amritsar, March 8
The Special Narcotics Cell in a joint operation with the 130 Battalion of the Border Security Force today seized six kg of heroin, worth Rs 30 crore in the international market, near the Indo-Pak border in Khemkaran sector in Tarn Taran.

According to sources, some Pakistan-based smugglers hid six packets of the heroin under the ground in Mehndipur village (Khemkaran sector), meant for Indian-based smugglers living in the village adjoining the barbed fence.

The sources in the SNC said a raid was conducted after a tip-off and a case under relevant sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered at Narcotics Cell police station here. — TNS