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Change in wheat yield phenomenon
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It is Manmohan vs Badal
Never seen a weak Sikh in life: Rahul
Patiala-Jakhal rail link is poll issue
Basic amenities in Kandi in shambles
Cultural centre in Batalvi’s memory remains incomplete
Inside Babudom
Improve medical facilities in jails, panel tells govt
Exercise Hind Shakti concludes
More Central forces sent to Bathinda
Sikh panel dismisses plea against SGPC secy
Bathinda boy clears civil services
Don’t be hyper-technical, HC to quasi judicial bodies
Selection of anganwari workers
Poohla Murder
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Change in wheat yield phenomenon
Jalandhar, May 5 However, the state has witnessed a strange phenomenon with regard to the wheat yield. Whereas the wheat yield this year is more than that of the last year in southern part and in a part of the central Punjab, it is less in other areas of the state. Till today, more than 105.37 lakh tonne of wheat has arrived in grain markets. Last year’s figure on that day was 93 lakh tonne. Last year, the total arrival of the wheat was 106.16 lakh tonne till May 30. However, that figure might be surpassed this year. Traders have procured only 0.21 lakh tonne of wheat and remaining has been procured by government agencies. Though Punjab had fixed the target to procure 105 lakh tonne of wheat, as a contingency step it had made arrangements to procure 115 lakh tonne to avoid any embarrassment during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. There were reports that some dealers brought wheat from Uttar Pradesh at a bit cheap rate and sold it at Rs 1,080, that was minimum support price. It may have happened but not at a very large scale. Districts like Mansa, Bathinda, Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Ferozepur, Sangrur, Mohali, Patiala and Barnala have witnessed more production of wheat this year. Though the wheat procurement season has not ended yet, the procurement has already surpassed targeted figures in those districts. In Patiala district, till the end of procurement season of May 30, 2008, 8,10,971 tonne of was procured, while 8,54,427 tonne has been procured till date this year. Likewise in Mansa, 4.87 lakh tonne of wheat has been procured against last year’s total procurement of 4.46 lakh tonne and in Muktsar 7.22 lakh tonne has been procured against the figure of 6.75 lakh tonne during the corresponding period last year. But in Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Nawanshahr, Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, the arrival of wheat is less compared to that of last year. Even till the end of procurement season, many of these districts will not be able to cross the last year’s figures. In Jalandhar, till last evening 4,42,277 tonne of wheat has been procured against the last year’s figure of 4,88,203 tonne till the end of season. Daily arrival of wheat in grain markets of Jalandhar has come down to only 2,000 tonne. In Kapurthala, till last evening 3.27 lakh tonne of wheat has been procured and daily arrivals have come down to just a few hundred tonne. Last year, 3.61 lakh tonne of wheat was procured in Kapurthala district. In Gurdaspur, 5.08 lakh tonne was procured till last evening against the arrival of 6.05 lakh tonne last year till the end of season. However, there is a substantial fall in wheat production in Nawanshahr district where only 1,30,560 lakh tonne wheat arrived till last evening against last year’s figure of 1,80,034 lakh tonne. Asked in this regard, Director (Agriculture) Balwinder Singh Sidhu said wheat crop in some parts of the Majha and Doaba belts was hit by yellow rust, a disease, and that caused a fall in wheat yield. He said farmers in some districts of Malwa had reported wheat yield up to 26 quintals per acre. However, wheat in some areas of Doaba and Majha had come down to 15-16 per acre.
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Farmers block rail traffic again
Bathinda, May 5 The protesters were demanding that their debt be waived, Rs 2 lakh be granted as compensation to the families of farmers who had committed suicide and government jobs for their kin. The BKU district president said the BKU had submitted a list of 682 farmers, who had committed suicide from 2003 to 2007, to Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda, Rahul Tewari.The state cabinet had already approved a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of the kin of the farmers/farm labourers who had committed suicide in the state. The leaders said most of the schemes launched or promised for the betterment of peasants could not serve their purpose as the main motive of the politicians was just to lure them for votes. “The entry of multinational companies and the encouragement given to them by the government to attract investment has broken the backbone of the poor peasants,” they alleged. Meanwhile, Sher Singh, assistant traffic manager, Northern Railways (Ambala division), said 2RF (Rewari-Fazilka), 1RF (Fazilka-Rewari) and 3FB (Bathinda-Ferozepur) trains had been cancelled. The 336 Ganganagar-Ambala passenger train was running late by two hours. Sangrur/Barnala: Members and activists of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) blocked rail traffic from noon to 4 pm on the rail track at Lehragaga in Sangrur district in protest against the non-implementation of farmers’ demands. At Lehragaga, the protesters were led by Sangrur district president of the union Janak Singh Bhutal. At Barnala, the rail traffic was blocked under the leadership of Barnala district president of the BKU (Ugrahan) Bukan Singh
Saddowal.
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It is Manmohan vs Badal
Chandigarh, May 5 While Dr Manmohan Singh, belonging to a minority community, has become the first non-Hindu to complete a full five-year term in the office, Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister for the fourth time, is known as a relentless campaigner whose strength lies in his politics at the grassroot level. In fact, before the electioneering picked up momentum last week, it looked more of a bitter fight for political supremacy between the two Chief Ministers, the incumbent Badal and his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh. It got magnified with Amarinder’s son Raninder Singh getting pitted against Harsimrat Kaur Badal, daughter-in-law of Badal. Though Bathinda will continue to be a battle of prestige for both Badal and Amarinder, the bigger battle has assumed a new colour. One does not have to see deep into the colour of the turban the Prime Minister wore on his visit to Jalalabad, to feel the changing colour of the battle. His dark sky blue turban was apparently different from the deep navy blue Akalis sport. Poll strategists would do anything that could help Congress leadership establish an emotional chord with the Sikh peasantry that had been till now a stronghold of the Akalis. And Manmohan Singh in a blue turban speaking chaste Punjabi was definitely indicative of his attempt to woo the audience on his side. Interestingly, in the 2009 elections, the Akalis have shed their traditional “Panthic” robe. It is why the SAD candidates are now known more as Badal Dal candidates than Panthic candidates. Intriguingly, none of the 10 SAD candidates carries this “Panthic” tag anymore. Till the start of the new millennium, the main strength of the Akali Dal lay in it being “Panthic”. How much it gains or loses by shedding the “Panthic” tag will be known on May 16 when the results start pouring in. The Dal leadership explains this switchover from “Panthic” to Badal Dal to be part of “secularisation” of the party that came into being in 1927 as a political wing of the Sikh peasantry of the undivided state. Subsequently, it assumed the role of being the sole political representative of the Sikhs. Turning secular from Panthic may not be an issue, but Dr Manmohan Singh as a Sikh Prime Minister will definitely be a decisive factor in the ensuing elections. It was evident from the manner the border district of Ferozepur responded to the rally addressed by him on Saturday last. Elated at the response, most of other Congress candidates wanted the party high command to organise more rallies of Dr Manmohan Singh in the state. If he is coming to Amritsar later this week, it is in response to the increased demand for him. True, Dr Manmohan Singh may not be a decisive factor in Haryana. This could be one explanation for the poor turnout at Faridabad where he had to cancel his rally because of the failing weather in which his chopper could not land. But Faridabad was a contrast to Ferozepur (Jalalabad). Needless to say, many in Punjab want to cut across party lines to make sure that Dr Manmohan Singh, who got the Sikhs the world over an acceptable and respectable identity, gets another term in office. He not only continues to be an acknowledged intellectual economist, but has also added to his stature as a man of integrity, commitment and dedication for selfless service. Though Badal remains one of the tallest politicians Punjab has produced, he is up against a sentiment that over ride political affiliations. Whatever be the compulsions, the 2009 elections will be fought in Punjab where Badal vs Manmohan will be a decisive factor. Now the ball is in the court of the electors of the state.
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Never seen a weak Sikh in life: Rahul
Barnala, May 5 Rahul also said no leader could be stronger than Manmohan, who had signed the nuclear deal in the larger interest of the country even by putting his Prime Ministership and government at stake. On the other hand, strongmen of the BJP in the NDA government had not only released three militants, but also one of them accompanied the militants to a safer place, he added. Rahul was addressing a huge rally of Congress candidate from the Sangrur parliamentary constituency Vijay Inder Singla at the new grain market here. Seeking votes for Singla, Rahul said this Lok Sabha election was not Singla’s election, but an election of Manmohan, who had done Punjab as well as the country proud in the world. Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab assembly Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, acting president of the Punjab unit of the Congress Lal Singh, MLA from Barnala Kewal Singh Dhillon and Singla also addressed the rally. However, chairman of the Congress election campaign committee Amarinder Singh was not present at the rally. As a mark of honour, Singla presented a sword to Rahul. Haryana minister Randip Singh Surjewala and MLAs from Sangrur and Barnala districts were also present.
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Campaign Trail
Khanna/Payal, May 5 Hundreds of party flags dotting the grain market bear testimony of the support extended to the leader. “Khanna mandi decides the fate of candidates, whether it’s an MC election, MLA or MP elections,” said Libra. Scorching sun fails to deter this 77-year-old leader whose Innova shuttles between Payal, Koom Kalan, Raikot and Khanna villages everyday. It’s Sikh Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s initiatives in Punjab that remains the highlight of Libra’s address. Having chosen not to vote against nuclear deal in Parliament and leaving his party to join the Congress, he continues to seek votes over issue and make villagers aware of good deeds of the Sikh PM. Today, he visited villages of Payal constituency which includes Rampur, Begowal, Chhadina, Ghunderi, Dhamot, Rauni, Jarag and some others. Libra urged people to take revenge on the ruling party which bullied masses in the recent MC elections and even got fake cases registered against Congress workers. “Now it’s your turn to take revenge and this is the right time to show your strength. This time, it’s the wave of the Congress and it will not be surprising if the party sweeps all 13 seats of Punjab,” he said.
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‘Water, power remain vital issues’
Fatehgarh Sahib/Khanna, May 5 “I want the schedule to run as planned. Postponing it will serve no purpose,” Atwal, former Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha said. His motorcade of campaign vehicle ran in Koom Kalan constituency today. Entering into Bore village, he addressed a group of supporters. He called upon people to bring the NDA government to power for all round development of state. Banking upon SAD-BJP’s manifesto promise of distributing ration on subsidised rates on coming to power, Atwal said the Congress did not have the capability to make such an attempt. While travelling, Atwal makes it a point to keep himself hydrated with plenty of liquid and starts his day with yoga to ensure peace of mind and heart. Beverages with artificial sweeteners do not figure on his list. “At the age of 70, one has to keep an eye on everything eaten,” he said. Phone calls from various quarters keep him busy as he tries to listen what his workers have to say about the next village he is supposed to visit. “Water and electricity still remain the most important issues for our people. My emphasis is on improving the quality of life and minimising problems at every village level,” he said.
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Patiala-Jakhal rail link is poll issue
Patran (Patiala), May 5 The two main contenders in the Patiala Parliamentary election arena, sitting MP Preneet Kaur of the Congress and former MP and Akali candidate Prof Prem Singh Chandumjara, have been facing anxious queries on the railway-link issue from voters in this belt. The project of laying a railway line from Patiala-Jakhal through Samana, Patran and Ghagga was first promised in 1999 by the then MP Chandumajra. In 2006, after Patran became a sub-division, sitting MP Preneet Kaur promised the residents of Patran and Samana that she would vigorously follow up the issue of laying of the railway line with the Ministry of Railways, agreeing that the new rail link would give an impetus to the development of the region. But the rail link has remained elusive which has left the residents of the three towns piqued.
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Basic amenities in Kandi in shambles
Garhshankar, May 5 A part of this area falling in Garhshankar segment of the Anandpur Sahib constituency is replete with all sorts of problems ranging from acute water scarcity, lack of irrigation facilities, bad roads and unemployment in the absence of any industry around the area. Women folk in the area are the most dissatisfied lot. “We hardly get any water supply through the day to do our household chores. Water trickles through the common tap in the village for only half an hour around noon. We get a proper supply in this tap only at night from 11 pm to 3 am. While everyone prepares to sleep at that time, we stand in a queue here filling our earthen pots and plastic containers for the next day,” said Amar Kaur of Nainwan village. “With soaring temperature, water consumption increases and supply reduces. At times, our storage containers go completely dry leaving us with no water to quench the thirst of the family and animals,” said Geeta of Kanewal village. Villagers of uphill areas have evolved a way out in case there is no water supply in taps on some days. “The families pool Rs 600 per day to pay the rent of a water tanker that fetches them water from low-lying villages,” said Gurdas Ram of adjoining Kakowal Majari village. He added that over the years, the problem had amplified. “All ponds in the entire Kandi belt, where animals used to drink water and women used to wash clothes, now remain dry always. There has been no rain for the past five years and crops have only withered in the absence of proper irrigation facilities,” he rued. Ex-Havildar Pheru Ram of Nainwan village said, “I had sown wheat in a few acres of land that I own downhill. In return, I have not got even a handful of grains. One tubewell is used to irrigate 50 acres through underground pipes. The supply remained erratic and the crop in this parched land failed to give any yield.” There is no industry around. Men in this poverty-struck belt only have an option to work as labourers or daily wagers in nearby areas, the villagers added.
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Cultural centre in Batalvi’s memory remains incomplete
Batala, May 5 He had died on May 6, 1973, at the age of 36. Even 29 years after the laying of the foundation stone of the cultural centre in his memory, it is yet t to functionl smoothly. In its 29-year existence, it remained functional only for a couple of years. The building is locked. The garden around it is a picture of neglect. It has become a favourite haunting place for animals and anti-social elements. Garbage is littered all over the place. Absence of regular cleaning and repair has caused deterioration of the building. Sukhwant Singh Gill, president, Citizen Welfare Forum, Batala, said about Rs 52 lakh had been spent for the construction of the centre, but it was yet to be completed. He lamented that such a treatment was being meted out to Shiv, known as John Keats of Punjabi poetry. The then Governor of Punjab Aminudin Ahmad had laid the foundation stone for the Centre at the Batala-Jalandhar road. A Shiv Kumar Batalvi Memorial Trust was also constituted of which the Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur was made chairman and SDM, Batala, Rahul Chabba its ex-officio secretary. Former national president, Bhartiya Kisan Union, Bhupinder Singh Maan said he had given Rs 10 lakh out of the MPLAD fund to repair the centre which made it functional in 1995. However, it remained operational only for two years. Blaming political interference and bureaucratic hassles responsible, he alleged it marred its functioning.
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Inside Babudom
Chandigarh, May 5 Though he came from Junagarh, Gujarat, he made Punjab his home. “He was more Punjabi than most of us,” recalls his two-batch junior Manohar Singh Gill, a former Chief Election Commissioner and currently Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports. PH Vaishnav was the first Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul and Spiti and Gill followed him there. “He was completely immersed in the culture of Punjab and Punjabi language. While we spoke Punjabi, he used to speak Gurmukhi. It is why I used to call him Jathedar Vaishnav,” recalls Gill. He remained single and decided to dedicate his life to the service of society after retiring from civil service in 1990. He was a shining star of Punjab bureaucracy for whom office and position did not matter. Though he rose to be Chief Secretary, he was easily accessible and ready to help any one in distress. “My interaction with him started in 1982 when he was Financial Commissioner Development. He was also one of those public servants who would not hold back anything that was in the interest of society. Of late, he used to talk about problems senior citizens face. It was at his instance that former Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Dr AS Khaira, organised Mohali chapter of the Senior Citizens Association a couple of years ago,” Gill states. Till he was admitted to the PGI some days after he complained of cardio-vascular congestion, he had been attending office in Karuna Sadan regularly. He never accepted any remuneration for his voluntary work. He had undergone bypass surgery some years ago. In fact, it was Vaishnav who was a source of inspiration from other public servants of the Punjab cadre who took to public service after retirement. Hardial Singh, a 1962 batch officer, for example, has been propagating the cause of healthy living through the recitation of the Gurbani. He heads Sarb Rog ka Aukhad Naam Society that finds cure for many chronic ailments through the recitation of slokas.
Promoting tennis
Rajan Kashyap of the 1965 batch, who recently completed his stint as Chief Information Commissioner of Punjab, has taken to promotion of tennis in a big way. Every year, his experts traverse rural areas in Punjab to look for talented boys and girls for training at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association complex in Chandigarh. And his efforts have shown results as the CLTA has been able to send a Davis Cupper in the past couple of years.
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Improve medical facilities in jails, panel tells govt
Chandigarh, May 5 In a recent order issued by the commission for the Central Jail, Patiala, its members have recommended the setting up of a laboratory for conducting basic tests, installation of X-ray and ECG machines and an increase in the financial limit of superintendent jail to purchase medicines from the current Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 per year. The members said these recommendations should be implemented in other jails of Punjab in due course of time. The commission’s decision comes in the wake of a news report that highlighted a poor state of medical facilities in the Patiala jail. It was reported that due to the shortage of medical officers and related staff and a lack of medical facilities, 11 inmates had lost their lives within one year. There were only two doctors working in the jail at that time. The commission ordered its secretary B. Sarkar to conduct a surprise check in the jail on behalf of the commission and examine the living conditions/medical facilities being provided to the inmates. Sarkar’s report of December, 2007, stated there were 1,437 inmates in the jail and there was a 40-bedded jail hospital with two doctors. There was no lab, no X-ray facility and no oxygen cylinders in the hospital. There was a shortage of costly medicines and there was no ambulance either. TB patients were being given only milk and regular food whereas they needed high protein diet, which was not available in the jail. According to the report, 20 deaths took place in this jail in 2006 and another 17 in 2007. A majority of them were those convicts who came from other jails
for treatment. The commission called for a detailed report from the DGP (Prisons) who reported that though several shortcomings had been taken care of, some problems remained unsorted. The commission has now stated that since the cost of medicines has gone up considerably, the financial limit of the jail superintendents be increased and facilities for basic tests, X rays and ECG be made available within the jail premises. A copy of the commission’s order has also been sent to the Principal Secretary, Home, and the DGP (Prisons) for compliance and the matter has been adjourned to June 1 for awaiting the action
taken report.
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Exercise Hind Shakti concludes
Chandigarh, May 5 Chief of the Army Staff Gen Deepak Kapoor and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command Lt Gen TK Sapru visited the exercise area yesterday and reviewed the manoeuvres. The Army Chief expressed his satisfaction on the operational preparedness and commended the event as another step in the Army’s continued endeavour to fine-tune its proactive strategy. He also complimented the Kharga Corps for its operational readiness, which he said was of an exceptionally high order. The exercise saw participation by Mechanised as well as Reorganised Plains Infantry Division (RAPID) in a blitzkrieg-style armoured incursion, emphasising rapid penetration into enemy territory. The exercise included effective offensive support by air power and artillery. Units of Kharga Corps were also tested for their ability to undertake and sustain operational manoeuvres against intensive electronic and information warfare. Being a net-enabled Corps, they had continuous situational awareness, which was instrumental in decision making. The Army successfully validated the capability of the Kharga Corps in the network-centric warfare, as also in a nuclear-biological-chemical warfare environment.
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More Central forces sent to Bathinda
Bathinda, May 5 Six more companies of Central security forces have been rushed here to increase their number to 18 in the Bathinda parliamentary constituency. Returning officer Rahul Tiwari said 11 companies of Central security forces had been earmarked for deployment in Bathinda district against five made available earlier. Nine companies would be put on static duty at the polling booths, while two companies would do patrolling. He said para-military forces would be deployed at all polling booths in urban area and also at hypersensitive booths in rural areas. As many as 610 micro-observers have been appointed for the district where 408 cameras will installed for capturing activities in and around the polling booths. The decision of the EC to rush more Central security forces here was aimed at instilling confidence among the electorate and also provide more coverage to the polling booths. The authorities had earlier decided to deploy men of the Punjab Armed Police even at the leftover sensitive booths because of shortage of Central manpower.
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Sikh panel dismisses plea against SGPC secy
Amritsar, May 5 During the preliminary hearing, the SGJC, comprising Manmohan Singh Brar (president), Ajwant Singh Mann and AS Randhawa (both members), dismissed the petition on the basis that it did not come under the purview of the Act (Section 142) which relates to the embezzlement of gurdwara funds or misuse of gurdwara premises, etc. Meanwhile, Dalmegh claimed that the Gurdwara Act and service rules were silent in this regard. Similarly, SGPC president Avtar Singh has been openly campaigning in favour of ruling Akali Dal. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has been participating in the election campaign in favour of the UPA. Dalmegh claimed that Constitution of India allowed him to canvass in the elections without misusing the official infrastructure. He said he had visited his village on Sunday, which was holiday as per the calendar of the SGPC.
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Bathinda boy clears civil services
Bathinda, May 5 Nitin, an MBBS doctor, had last year cleared the exam for IPS and was presently undergoing training in Hyderabad. He has done his father, Dr BP Bansal, a famous dentist here, and mother Kusum proud. They say Nitin has always been a meritorious and hardworking student from his school days at St Joseph’s. He says one should be target-oriented, dedicated and hardworking if one wants to get through the civil services examination. There is need to strike a balance between “hard work and smart work”, he adds. Sharanjit Kaur Brar, a girl from a Bathinda village, has also passed the
civil service examination this time.
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Don’t be hyper-technical, HC to quasi judicial bodies
Chandigarh, May 5 Justice Surya has also emphasised that the PSEB was duty-bound to ensure the transfer of all appeals pending before the dispute- settlement committee to the newly constituted appellate authority. The ruling came on a petition filed by Darshan Singh against the board and other respondents. He was aggrieved by the order dated January 9, 2008, passed by Bathinda-based appellate authority-cum-subdivisional magistrate, whereby his appeal against an order issued in 2006 was dismissed, being time barred. A demand order, asking the petitioner to deposit a sum of Rs 65, 540, was passed by the board’s assistant engineer. One third of the amount was deposited under protest and an appeal was filed before the dispute- settlement committee, within the prescribed period of limitation. While the matter was pending before the committee, the state issued a notification dated October 17, 2006, constituting a new redressal forum. “Normally, the petitioner’s appeal pending before the dispute settlement committee ought to have been transferred to the new appellate authority for decision on merits,” Justice Kant observed. But “it appears the chief engineer, PSEB, issued a circular dated May 4, 2007, informing the constitution of the new appellate authority and pursuant thereto, the petitioner filed a fresh appeal on September 12, 2007, which was dismissed by the appellate authority being barred by limitation. Taking up the matter, Justice Kant ruled: “It would be far fetched to say the petitioner failed to avail the remedy of appeal within the stipulated time or that he has been negligent in pursuing the same. Contrary to it, the respondents were obligated to ensure the transfer of all the appeals pending before the dispute settlement committee to the newly constituted appellate authority. “Be that as it may, it should be the endeavour of every quasi judicial authority to decide a lis on merits instead of rejecting it on hyper-technical grounds. The writ petition is allowed; the impugned order is set aside and the matter is remitted to the appellate authority-cum-sub divisional magistrate, Bathinda, to decide the petitioner’s appeal on merits as early as possible and preferably within four months.”
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Selection of anganwari workers
Chandigarh, May 5 Taking a serious view of the matter, Justice Permod Kohli had directed Sunam development and project officer to appear in person. As the case came up for resumed hearing, the officer said the signatures seem to be hers. For proper verification, Justice Kohli called for the record and fixed May 14 as the next date of hearing. Justice Kohli had earlier observed since there were two documents on record regarding the same selection, allegedly signed by the same officer, it was appropriate to find out the truth. The officer, a signatory to the two documents, shall appear in person. Petitioner Ranjit Kaur of Sunam, in her petition against the state of Punjab and six others, had sought the quashing of an order issued by the officer, vide which less meritorious candidates had been selected for Kohrian village.
Farmers’ suicide
Punjab today claimed inclusion of the state in the category of “suicide-affected states” would have serious social implications. In an affidavit submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Anita Bhalla, under secretary to government of Punjab, department of agriculture, said a survey on farmers’ suicide due to indebtedness being conducted by the Punjab Agriculture University “would help to decide whether such a step was warranted”. Bhalla said decision on quantum of financial and other forms of assistance to the affected families shall be taken on the completion of survey. “However, it has been decided in principle that financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh per family be given to the families of the farmers and farm labourers who committed suicide on account of indebtedness since January 2000.”
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Poohla Murder
Amritsar, May 5 Eyewitness Gurdial Singh, a resident of Waryama village under the Ghuman police station, who was a follower of Poohla, said in the court that he could not recognise them (alleged culprits Navtej Singh and Harchand Singh). The next date of hearing in this case has been fixed for May 27. Earlier, only two days after the attack on Poohla, another undertrial attacked Gurdial in the same jail. He had sustained minor injuries in the attack by Ranjit Singh, who was jailed under the NDPS Act. Gurdial, who was arrested under Sections 107 and 151, IPC, was later released. Poohla had been lodged in the Amritsar Central Jail following the cancellation of his bail by the High Court in a murder case. He was arrested during the Amarinder regime following an agitation by the Majha Ex-Servicemen’s League, led by Col GS
Sandhu.
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