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Nanakshahi calendar may spark row
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Badal trying to foil march to dera: Bittu
SAD (A) plans drive against liquor distribution during polls
Row over organic
farming
AISAD to field Indira assasin’s kin
Inside Babudom
Probe ordered into society bungling
Land Acquisition
Without heads, consumer forums remain paralysed
Abide by EC orders: Kapur
‘Mammography can be harmful’
Badal blames Cong for farmers’ debt
Sanitation staff hold march
Army men’s role under scanner
School loses affiliation for 6 months
High Court
10-day police remand for ‘ISI agents’
Punjab education director summoned
Amritsar DC on notice
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Nanakshahi calendar may spark row
Amritsar, March 19 The calendar was released by SGPC president Avtar Singh here today. The caption of the damaged Akal Takht picture gives broad hints that the ruling Akali Dal wants to take political mileage in view of the coming elections. The silver jubilee of Operation Bluestar falls in June this year. The calendar has mentioned the assassins of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Gen AS Vadiya, former Army chief, as “shaheeds” (martyrs). The caption has most derogatory remarks against the Indian Army. The SGPC president also condemned the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. Though the then SGPC had received flak from the Sikh community world over for not preserving the damaged Akal Takht on the pattern of Jallianwala Bagh, the latest provocative picture on the calendar may antagonise the BJP, the coalition partner of SAD in Punjab. However, sources say the SGPC wanted to pre-empt the move of the radical Sikhs, who had announced to organise elaborate programmes on the 25th anniversary of the operation. Earlier, the SGPC had withdrawn its own resolution passed by the general house to raise a memorial of Operation Blue Star in the Golden Temple due to pressure by the BJP. The Nanakshahi calendar, authored by a Canada-based Sikh, Paul Singh Purewal, is basically a solar calendar and makes a complete departure from the lunar calendar. The dates of the Hindu festivals have been fixed on the basis of the lunar calendar. Earlier, the calendar issue had also divided the Sant Samaj and the controversy had also polarised the Sikh panth. While a section of the panth was for its immediate implementation, the other had supported Giani Puran Singh, then Jathedar of Akal Takht, for imposing a ban on its implementation. Earlier, many BJP leaders had taken serious note when a portrait of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was installed in the Sikh Museum in the Golden Temple. Many Hindu organisations had threatened to remove the portrait.
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SGPC bid to defuse dera row
Amritsar, March 19 Daljit Singh Bittu, convener of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pradhani), supported by Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, Jathedar of Damdama Sahib, and other Sikh outfits had announced a protest march towards Salabatpura (Bathinda) on March 22. The Damdami Taksal and the Khalsa Action Committee had convened a meeting at Gurdwara Haji Rattan (Bathinda) on March 24 to decide the next course of action regarding the arrest of Sant Baljit Singh Daduwal and his followers, who had spearheaded a campaign against Dera Sacha Sauda. In yet another significant development, the SGPC president also tried to contact Jathedar Nandgarh on phone with a view to persuading him to withdraw his support to the SAD, led by Bittu. Since Jathedar Nandgarh had switched off his mobile to make himself unavailable, the SGPC president had a tough time contacting him. It is learnt that Jathedar Nandgarh is determined to present siropas (robe of honour) to the participants of the protest march. He has taken a strong step to get the directive of the Sikh clergy implemented, closing down the deras of Sacha Sauda in Punjab. However, in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections, the ruling Akali Dal has been endeavouring to maintain peace in the state, at least on the Dera Sacha Sauda issue. Mishandling of the issue would hamper the prospects of the SAD candidate from the Bathinda constituency. Meanwhile, Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa denied that he had given any “no-objection certificate” or commitment to the Congress that the Taksal won’t oppose the party if ticket was given to Harminder Singh Jassi, a close relative of Dera Sacha Sauda chief.
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Badal trying to foil march to dera: Bittu
Talwandi Sabo, March 19 Bittu, chairman of the Panch Pradhani group, has taken shelter in the Takht Damdama Sahib complex here to avoid arrest before March 22 when Sikh “jathas” would proceed to the dera headquarters at Salabatpura to seek its closure. He alleged the reign of terror had been unleashed to pressure the Sikh leadership to foil march to the dera to be repeated every Sunday. He stressed SGPC chief Avtar Singh should not try to shield the Badal government, but condemn the repression let loose on Sikh leaders. Interacting with media persons in Lekhansar gurdwara complex Bittu accused Badal of having become “puppet” in the hands of the anti-Sikh forces. He said the police was raiding houses of the Sikhs supporting the “hukamnama” of Akal Takht and their family members were being harassed. Many Sikh leaders had been arrested at various places in Punjab. Bittu warned Badal would have to face “serious consequences” for harassing innocent Sikhs and providing VIP treatment to Gurmeet Ram Rahim, chief of the Dera, who was facing charges of rape and murder. The jathedars should take note of the fact instead of implementing the “hukamnama” of shutting the deras, Badal was facilitating opening thereof under police protection, he said. Bittu alleged this was being done by Badal to secure votes of the Dera followers for his family members in Lok Sabha election, as he was “power hungry”. He accused the police of having arrested Baljeet Singh Daduwal and other Sikh
leaders by fabricating cases against them. Mohkam Singh convener of the Khalsa Action Committee (KAC) and Kanwarpal Singh, spokesman of the Dal Khalsa, accused Badal of being hand in glove with the Dera chief. They alleged with an eye on Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, Badal had resorted to “cheap tactics” to influence Dera followers. They demanded release of Daduwal and his supporters and action against the officers who manhandled them at Baja Khana in Faridkot. Meanwhile, in a crackdown on the radicals, the police has detained several persons here and at other places in the district.
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SAD (A) plans drive against liquor distribution during polls
Sangrur, March 19 Talking to this reporter here, general secretary of the party Jeet Singh Alloarkh said the SAD (A) would also write to the EC to disqualify the candidates in whose election camps liquor, poppy husk or other intoxicants were seized by the police. He said the party would also ask the EC to make it mandatory for liquor venders to display lists of the stock and the sale at their vends daily. Alloarkh said the party also wanted that the liquor should be sold at vends by entering the names and addresses of purchasers in registers, so that no liquor vender could sell liquor in bulk to one person. Besides this, the excise authorities should be ordered by the EC to collect data of the daily sale and stock of the liquor from vends to submit the same to the state EC daily. He also asked the EC if any discrepancy was found in the records of any liquor vender then his licence should be cancelled without any delay. Holding the Punjab police and the state government responsible for the on-going confrontation between Sikhs and followers of Dera Sacha Sauda, Alloarkh said the police was playing a partisan role on the directions of the state government while tackling the Sikh-Dera row. He said the police seemed to be lenient towards the dera followers while it was initiating stern action against the Sikhs. He asked the EC to intervene to save Punjab from burning during the elections.
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Row over organic
farming
Jalandhar, March 19 Commission chairman G.S. Kalkat has written to PAU Vice- Chancellor N S Kang to prepare a project for field evaluation of the research by different universities, NGOs and other private organisations in three years to find answer to questions posed by the commission on this issue. The commission has offered to provide funds to meet immediate needs of the proposed project. Kalkat has also written to Punjab government in this regard and has asked for funds to PAU to take up this project. Kalkat has proposed the information on innovative techniques developed by various universities and other organisations be collected and tested scientifically at PAU for making further recommendations to farmers on organic farming. In its report, that drew flak from pro-organic farming groups, the commission had specifically recommended indiscriminate and injudicious use of chemical fertilisers and plant protection material harmed soil, environment, human and animal health. It also observed current assessment indicated the organic sources were not adequate to meet nutrient demand of the area under crop to get potential yield. Total organic sources are hardly sufficient for 15 per cent of wheat and 20 per cent for rice area in Punjab. In remaining area, without using chemical fertilisers, yield drop could be 25 per cent in case of rice and 60 per cent in case of wheat. Even if we assume fall of 20 per cent in production for the country the estimated reduction of food grains will be about 25 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes and that will jeopardise national food security. Presuming the commission is opposed to organic farming, the groups supporting the organic farming criticised the commission. For several days, the issue remained hot topic. Keeping the controversy in view, the commission thought it better to get effectiveness of alternative sources of nutrients studied for achieving high yield and viability of their use to farmers in terms of return from crops. The commission, in its letter to the government, says use of alternative sources should be encouraged if it was proved its use ensured same high yield and viability in farming.
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AISAD to field Indira assasin’s kin
Chandigarh, March 19 Stating this here today, AISAD President Jaswant Singh Mann said its candidate, Shamsher Singh Maloya, was also a general secretary of the party. He said Maloya was being fielded as he was an ideologue and a successful lawyer and had made a contribution to society. Mann also announced that Maloya would be the joint candidate of the AISAD as well as the Bahujan Vikas Party, which is headed by former BSP supremo Kanshi Ram’s nephew, Charanjit Singh. He also announced that the party would field its Haryana unit president Jatinder Singh Virk from Kurukshetra. He said the party would announce its candidates for all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in a few days, adding that it might also contest seats in other states where Sikhs have a significant presence.
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Inside Babudom Prabhjot Singh Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 19 The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has not only ratified promotion of seven SPs as Deputy Inspector-Generals but also cleared central deputation of three IPS officers. Besides, the deputation tenure of two other officers has been extended in an exercise to strengthen the premier agency of the Home Ministry. All those given term promotions as DIGs for varying periods belong to the 1994 batch. In fact, the Intelligence Bureau had promoted 1994 batch officers as DIGs a few months ago. Aggarwal, who belongs to the 1994 batch of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, and Gillani, also of the same batch but belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, have been given term promotions in the CBI. While Rakesh Aggarwal will continue as DIG till July 10 this year, Gillani will hold the higher rank till March 20 next year. Other SPs promoted DIGs include Heimoniang Nongpluh (Assam), Vineet Aggarwal (Maharashtra), Anurag (MT), Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal (Tamil Nadu), and Dhruva Kant Thakur (Uttar Pradesh). Among three new SPs taken on the central deputation are Nilabh Kishore, a 1998 batch officer of the Punjab cadre, Vidya Kulkarni of 1998 batch of the Tamil Nadu cadre and Deepak M Domar, a 2001 batch officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre. The central deputation period of Piyush Anand (Uttar Pradesh, 1991 batch) and NN Komar (Gujarat, 1996 batch) have been extended by two or more years. After the Mumbai terrorist strikes, new Home Minister P Chidamabaram decided to restructure and strengthen three of country’s prime crime and intelligence agencies. After choosing RV Raju of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre as the first chief of the National Investigating Agency, the Home Minister had personally cleared the appointment of AP Singh, a 1974 IPS officer of the Jharkhand cadre and SC Sinha, 1975 batch belonging to Haryana, as new Special Director and Additional Director in the CBI. Formal appointment orders of both AP Singh and SC Sinha were issued last week.
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Probe ordered into society bungling
Moga, March 19 Talking to The Tribune, DM Satwant Singh Johal said he had asked Additional Deputy Commissioner Mahinder Singh Kainth to enquire into the alleged misappropriations in the drug store and submit the report to him within 15 days. The Tribune had highlighted Red Cross Society, which is not a commercial organisation, had been running a drug store in the local civil hospital without a valid drug licence for the past over two years and also purchased a luxury car worth Rs 7 lakh and a piece of land for an employee of the store out of its earnings. The licence of the drug store had expired on January 24, 2007, after which the secretary of the society had applied for its renewal, which was still pending in the office of the licensing authority. Meanwhile, drug inspector Balram Luthra said he had served a notice on the society through its secretary to submit fresh permission of the Health Department to run the drug store on their premises in the civil hospital so that their case of renewal of the licence could be decided accordingly. Taking a suo motu notice of the news item, Drug Controller Bhag Singh had also summoned all relevant records pertaining to the drug store from the licensing authority.
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SDM’s office gheraoed
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, March 19 Farmers have been on an indefinite dharna since March 16 at the office of the SDM. The demands of the protesters include compensation for tube-well bores, trees, fruit trees and kothas on the land and the completion of the project before the coming rainy season. State president of the BKU (Ugrahan) Joginder Singh Ugrahan said though the state government had already admitted in principle to give market rate to the farmers for their acquired land, it was adopting dilly-dallying tactics on the pretext of the Lok Sabha elections. He also demanded a government job and compensation to the tune of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of those debt-ridden farmers and agriculture workers who had committed suicide. Lehragaga block president of the BKU (Ugrahan) Balbir Singh Jhaloor said the farmers would not lift the siege at the SDM’s office till the state government accepted their demand. District president of the BKU (Ugrahan) Janak Singh Bhutal also spoke.
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Without heads, consumer forums remain paralysed
Chandigarh, March 19 Other than the posts of presidents lying vacant, members have not been appointed in some forums. Under Section 14 (2-A) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, it has been mandated that “Every order made by the district forum under sub-section (1) shall be signed by its president and the member or the members who conduct the proceedings.” The consumer disputes redressal forum at Barnala, Bathinda and Fatehgarh Sahib have the posts of presidents vacant at present. While posts of eight members, including five female members, are lying vacant at district forums in Mohali, Barnala, Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Ferozepur. Advocate HC Arora under the RTI Act sought this information. To keep the show running, at least for a few days in a week, ad hoc arrangements are being made in some of the district forums. For instance, after retirement of Gurdev Singh, president of Fatehgarh Saheb district forum, MR Batra, president of district forum, Ropar visits Fatehgarh Saheb two days in a week. Likewise, at the forum in Mohali, Veena Chahal has been deputed from the forum in Fatehgarh Saheb.
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Abide by EC orders: Kapur
Ropar, March 19 Kapur told them to abide by Election Commission and the state Election Commission (EC) notifications and complaints of violations of the election code of conduct be videographed and solved. He asked the police to identify anti-social elements and sure all kinds of arms were collected before polls. Deputy Commissioner Ropar-cum-returning officer Priyank Bharti told Kapur about the poll arrangements made in all Vidhan Sabha constituencies — Garhshankar, Banga, Balachaur, Nawanshahr, Anandpur Sahib, Ropar, Kharar, Chamkaur Sahib and SAS Nagar. He said he had directed all officials to complete arrangements for 1,585 polling booths. Photo I-cards of voters were being made. Seven counting centres had been set up in the entire Lok Sabha constituency. The counting centres of constituencies of Anandpur Sahib, Ropar and Chamkaur Sahib will be set up at Ropar; the counting centre at SAS Nagar will cater to SAS Nagar and Kharar. The counting centre at Nawanshahr will cater to Balachaur, Banga, Nawanshahr and Garhshankar.
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‘Mammography can be harmful’
Patiala, March 19 On the other hand, maximum number of women in their thirties get afflicted with benign lesions (non-cancerous tumours) while malignant breast tumours were found to be most common among Indian women in their fifties, suggests a study conducted jointly by Dr Manjit Singh Bal, Professor and Head of Department of Pathology and Dr Ankita of Department of Pathology of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Interestingly, the study found that the common mammography test could do more harm than good by falsely diagnosing cancer or missing it when it was actually present in case the expensive test lacked the much required expertise at the level of doctors or technicians involved.
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Badal blames Cong for farmers’ debt
Mansa, March , 19 It had biased policies of water, electricity and capital against the state the Chief Minister said. Badal added. Due to this farmers of Punjab came under burden of debt, he clarified On contaminated water in the Malwa region which was spreading diseases like cancer and jaundice, he said canals and other rivers were being polluted and this was affecting the drinking water. He assured to provide safe drinking water in the villages through RO system and other means. On increasing educational qualification for jobs, he said it was necessary according to time. He ruled out any effect on the party with Sukhdev Singh Libra joining the Congress. He addressed meetings in
Rarh, Aklian, Joga, Ralla, Makha Chehlan, Bhupal, Atla, Khiala Kalan, Khiala Khurd and Barnala villages.
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Sanitation staff hold march
Sangrur, March 19 The protesters were led by Bal Krishan Chauhan and Natha Atwal, chairman and president of the union, respectively. The protesters were also demanding an equal-pay-equal-work policy, abolition of contractual system in municipal councils, recruitment of more sanitation workers and other employees, interest-free loan up to Rs 50,000 for daughter’s marriage, promotions, minimum wages of Rs 6,500 per month and an immediate release of the Fifth Pay Commission report.
— TNS
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Army men’s role under scanner
Amritsar, March 19
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School loses affiliation for 6 months
Nangal, March 19 In its letter to the school principal, Pushpa Mittal, the board authorities have stated that the affiliation has been revoked for six months. Within this period, the school authorities have been directed to submit documentary evidences of renewal of lease of land or registry of land . This has been done, after the school management submitted an affidavit before the board, demanding some time to fulfil the terms and conditions to comply with the affiliation norms.
— TNS
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High Court Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 19 The prosecution story was that the duo was sitting on bags of poppy husk placed on government land. Speaking for the Bench, Justice Gill ruled: “The bags were lying on government land. “If they had been lying on land of which the ownership was of a private person, the argument of counsel for the appellant would have some weight that the investigating officer should have investigated further to find out how the bags were lying on land of a private person. Maintaining the conviction of the two, the Bench ruled the sentence and the fine were on the higher side. The sentence has now been reduced from 12 years rigorous imprisonment to 10 years. The fine too has been reduced by Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
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10-day police remand for ‘ISI agents’
Faridkot, March 19 The police produced the arrested persons , Naib Singh, Baldev Singh, Sukhdev Singh and Randhir Singh, in the court seeking police remand for 10 days, which the court allowed. The police claimed before in the court ISI officials had given SIM card of ‘Jaga’, a Pakistani mobile company, to Naib Singh that was yet to be recovered from him. The DSP also told the court ISI officials had sent money to their agents through Western Union on 10 occasions, record of which was yet to be procured from them. Meanwhile, family members of Naib Singh and Baldev Singh, who were present in the court, alleged false cases of spying had been registered against them. They were involved in militant activities during militancy, but after the state government granted them amnesty, they lived peaceful lives.
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Punjab education director summoned
Chandigarh, March 19 Taking up a contempt of court petition filed by joint-director, medical education and research, Dr Parampal Singh Coonar, Justice TPS Mann of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked him to remain present in person. Justice Mann also issued notice of motion for April 4. In his petition against Dr Gargi and Principal Secretary, medical education, Rakesh Singh, Dr Coonar had earlier contended he was being restrained from performing his duties. Even his salary since January 1 had been withheld. This was despite an order passed by a Division Bench of the high court on February 17. Issuing notice of motion on his plea, the Bench had then stayed the operation of an order dated January 30, vide which he was retired from service on the ground that he was holding an administrative post. Dr Coonar was retired by the Punjab government on attaining 58 years, whereas the retirement age of medical teachers had been raised to 60.
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Amritsar DC on notice
Chandigarh, March 19 The PIL has been filed by Daljeet Singh of
Mohali. A reference has been made to the death of minors of Amarjeet and Mamta in the blast that occurred in the fireworks manufacturing unit.
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