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Bihar minister urges migrants to return home
Tackling water, air pollution not on govt agenda
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PAU demands Rs 1,500 cr
Ludhiana, June 7 Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Vice-Chancellor Manjit Singh Kang has sought a special provision of Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 1,500 crore as one-time corpus fund for the university to tide over the financial crisis being faced by PAU. Tributes paid to Baba Bilga
BKU to stage rally at Lopoke today
Mian Meer Foundation on a mission
Delay in sangat darshan projects
Administration gears up to tackle cholera
PSEB underlines benefits of CFLs
Goindwal Thermal Plant construction begins tomorrow
Gang wars have come to stay
Acid Attack Case
Mortuary freezer in Moga hospital out of order
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Bihar minister urges migrants to return home
Ludhiana, June 7 The local Baba Farid Foundation conferred the minister with the Baba Farid Award today. Addressing a gathering, Giri Raj said as per the new state policy of Bihar, unemployed people were being provided with jobs. “Those unemployed are being issued yellow cards and paid Rs 3,600 per month till they get a job,” he added. He claimed that the Nitish Kumar government had sent nearly 15 lakh children to schools. The state had earmarked a sum of Rs 55 crore under the educational head only, he added. The minister exhorted the migrants to go back home and help in the development of the state with their hard work and labour. ‘‘We people are known for hard work. Together we can build a developed state,” he said, adding that Bihar had witnessed a seven-time rise in the chalked-out budget at Rs 16,000 crore for the current fiscal year compared to two years ago. Punjab is already reeling under an acute shortage of labour and with more job avenues in Bihar, the call of the minister will multiply the problem. Farmers have been already citing the problem that labourers are demanding a huge sum as labour charges, forcing them to consider the option of working in the fields themselves.
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Tackling water, air pollution not on govt agenda
Jalandhar, June 7 The state has three major rivers, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. The Sutlej is the most polluted. A large number of migratory birds come to Ropar, besides the Harike barrage. But due to pollution, only some birds can be seen at the barrage. The Ghaggar is a major water body that causes havoc in the Malwa belt. It is also highly polluted because of effluents discharged by units and untreated sewage from cities and towns situated along its banks. Environment experts are unanimous that saving the rivers has not been on the agenda of the regimes. Holding seminars in air-conditioned rooms without actual action is meaningless, they point out. The Sutlej being acknowledged as the most polluted river of Punjab by the National River Conservation, the Directorate of the Ministry of Environment, the Sutlej Action Plan was launched in October 1996. It called for having main sewers, sewerage treatment plants (STPs), effluent distribution channels, pumping stations, capping of open drains, low-cost sanitation, afforestation, construction of crematoria and creating public awareness. The plan estimate was Rs 22,937.61 lakh, with Rs 16,422.14 lakh for Ludhiana alone. But after 13 years, only one STP has been built and there is no word about the remaining two plants. The Buddha Nullah, which flows through Ludhiana and once was a clear stream, is a virtual drain of sorrow for Ludhianavis. It is sans aquatic life due to the presence of heavy metals and harmful chemicals and material. In this case too, the state has done nothing with the Punjab and Haryana High Court taking took suo motu notice of pollution reports in the media and forming a committee to suggest measures to undo the damage. The city being an industrial hub, the industrialists’ lobby became active and action on the report, which reportedly recommended shifting of all polluting units elsewhere, was scuttled. Polluting units in Patiala, Amritsar and Mandi Gobindgarh have not been shifted. Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh are said to be the most polluted towns. Industry is the main cause of water and air pollution in the case of Mandi Gobindgarh. Units are responsible for air pollution. The Ravi flows in the border belt and is largely free from pollution as there are no units in the area. The Beas too is free from pollution as it too flows in areas free from polluting units. It becomes highly polluted after meeting the Sutlej at the Harike barrage. Air and ground water pollution in Punjab is on the high side. Subsoil water of 108 blocks has been declared grey, meaning more ground water was being pumped than was replenished. In the Malwa belt there is the problem of plenty and many areas are waterlogged due to seepage from the canals in the area. No steps have been taken to address the problem. Burning of paddy straw and wheat stubble is another threat to ecology. Every kharif and rabi season, lakhs of hectares with stubble are set ablaze to clear fields polluting air and harming the health of soil. Also 25 lakh to 30 lakh vehicles in the state add to air pollution. Scooters, motorcycles and two-stroke engine vehicles comprise more than 80 per cent of vehicles in the state. Cars and jeeps account for 8 per cent pollution and trucks and buses 4 per cent. Mostly vehicles are not fuel-efficient and source of harmful emissions. Use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides for farming also adds to water and air pollution. The situation needs remedy before the point of no return.
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PAU demands Rs 1,500 cr
Ludhiana, June 7 “This will not only help PAU and the state agriculture, but also the nation in its mission of sustaining food security for the ever-increasing population,” said the VC. Dr Kang, who was invited by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for pre-Budget discussion in his presentation, has said, “The state's contribution towards addressing the national food security has been exemplary. For many consecutive years, Punjab with only 1.5 per cent area of India, has been contributing to the national foodgrains pool around 50 to 60 per cent wheat and 40 per cent rice. The credit for this goes to the development and adoption of improved technologies developed by
PAU, favourable government policies and hard-working peasantry”. This year’s additional procurement of 31 lakh tonnes of wheat from the state has saved the Central government from importing wheat at much higher import price than the 2008 MSP of Rs 1,000 per quintal paid for wheat procured from the state. Further, the total savings this year on account of this price differential from the entire stocks procured from the state amounts to Rs 5,000
crore, with a saving of Rs 1,500 crore to the government of India for one wheat crop season (2007-08 rabi crop). The VC told The Tribune today that PAU had been in the forefront of the scientific development of new crop varieties and matching production technologies in India. A total of 87 per cent of the cultivated wheat area in the state in 2008 was under varieties developed by
PAU, which reflected well on PAU’s research and development efforts and contributions. Dr Kang has told the Finance Minister, “However, presently PAU is going through an acute resource crunch, which if allowed to continue will seriously and adversely affect the research and development programmes for the future development of the state agriculture as well as the food security
of the nation”. The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies developed by PAU for cotton and sugarcane, on a limited scale, need to be extended to other crops. There are plans to establish a bio-agent production laboratory to boost the
IPM.
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Tributes paid to Baba Bilga
Jalandhar, June 7 “We should not forget people like Baba Bilga who were the first to launch a struggle to bring an end to racial attacks and discrimination in some of the European countries, including the UK, several decades ago,” said Manpreet Brar. Recalling his association with the Indian Workers Association, a body of Indian workers patronised by Baba Bilga in the UK, Manpreet said the icons of the Indian freedom movement such as Baba Bilga had a tremendous influence on him when he was a student. “I also worked for a publication that was the official organ of the association,” said Manpreet. Expressing grief over the loss of a visionary leader, he said, “I have come here as a family member and not as a politician. It was indeed an experience to have been closely associated with Baba Bilga”. Besides Manpreet, the condolence ceremony was attended by Revenue Minister Ajeet Singh Kohar, Congress candidate Gurbinder Singh Atwal and family members of Baba Bilga. The ceremony was organised by the Shradhanjali Samaroh Committee from Bilga village. The Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall (DBYH) will organise another tribute ceremony on June 21. Highlighting the role of the revolutionary, comrade Gandharv Sen Kochhar said as a person Baba always remained the voice of the masses. Baba Bilga was the name of an institution whose true ideology will remain forever. The light of knowledge taught by Baba Bilga will inspire and enlighten the generations to come, said Amolak Singh, assistant secretary, DBYH. Amanbir Sangehera, elder grandson of Baba Bilga, said, “Babaji always used to say that besides the two eyes given by the Almighty we have been endowed with the third eye of wisdom, which teaches us that every caste, creed, colour and religion is equal. Nothing is eternal, only knowledge remains forever”. Other speakers present on the occasion were Mangat Ram Pasla of CPM, Punjab, Surinder Kumari Kochhar, Kulbir Singh Sangehera, CPI (ML) New Democracy, Punjab secretary Darshan Khatkar, CPM, Punjab secretary, Charan Singh Virdi and Prithipal Singh Marhimegha, CPI. Earlier, on June 5 the ashes of Baba Bilga was immersed in the Sutlej, near the Hussainiwala border, as per his wish. Members of the DBYH were also present.
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BKU to stage rally at Lopoke today
Amritsar, June 7 At a press conference held here today, the BKU, led by president Joginder Singh Ugrahan and other leaders, alleged that land mafias backed by political leaders were forcibly vacating their lands. The union said it would hold a rally at Lopoke tomorrow in which thousands of farmers from all over the state would participate. The president of the union said farmers would gather at the Golden Temple and then proceed towards various villages situated on the borders of Amritsar, including Bhitewid, Manawala and Chougawan, and reach Lopoke. Ugrahan said after a lot of protests, the state government in 2000 had given an assurance to transfer about 40,000 acres of land all over the state to the names of farmers who were doing farming there for the past many decades. He said though nine years had been passed, no step had been taken in this regard. He maintained that the BKU had decided to take this action after the Chaugwan village incident in which a senior Akali leader, along with a large number of goons, dispossessed farmer Bikram Singh of his land. However, later the farmer was again given the possession of the land as the elections were round the corner and the administration had to give decision in the favour of the farmer, he added. Union leaders asked farmers to join hands with them and urged the government to implement the decision and take action against the alleged land mafias active in the region.
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Mian Meer Foundation on a mission
Jalandhar, June 7 The Sain Mian Meer Foundation, an NGO set up four years ago, has been helping these Partition ‘victims’ to unite since 2005. Talking to The Tribune, president of the foundation Harbhajan Singh Brar claimed that the NGO had helped about 5,000 persons, left either in India or Pakistan, to meet their families settled at other places in the past four years. Brar said of these persons, about 20 were those women who were
separated from their families during Partition. “These Hindu-Sikh women left in Pakistan had to adopt the Muslim religion and Muslim women separated from their families and left in India had to adopt Hindu or Sikh
religion,” he added. Brar said he had established the NGO to help unite separated persons, as his family had also migrated from 107 Chak Kacha Khuh village, Tehsil Khanewal, in Multan district of Pakistan in 1947. Now settled in Amritsar, Brar said the Pakistan unit of the foundation was also helping get united
separated persons. Brar has also written Punjabi book “Sanjha Aar Paar Diya” in which he has mentioned stories of some of those women who had separated from their families. The book has two parts, one regarding the true stories of separated women during Partition and other regarding the writer’s travelogue. The 142-page book was released by former Rajya Sabha member Iqbal Singh at the Press Club here today. Several intellectuals were also present on the occasion.
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Delay in sangat darshan projects Varinder Singh Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 7 Badal had held a month long sangat darshan programme in Patiala in his party’s apparent bid to woo city residents in the citadel of his arch rival Capt Amarinder Singh. The Chief Minister, who had resolved to lift the face of Patiala-the city of gardens-by intending to spend over Rs 450 crore on various development projects during his over 60 whirlwind “Sangat Darshan” programmes, had also given strict instructions to ensure completion of all projects within the stipulated time frame. But a large number of these projects, including the ones pertaining to providing potable water to residents, sewerage facilities, changing of power lines and construction of roads, had either failed to take off properly or were going ahead on a very slow pace, a fact that had irked the Chief Minister also. The CM, it was learnt, had already conveyed his displeasure over slow progress of these works to senior officials, as the defeat of the SAD candidate from Patiala Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra was partly attributed to delay or non-execution of certain major promised development works in Patiala. The Divisional Commissioner has also pulled up the local MC authorities for complaints of delay in execution of works and for alleged use of inferior materials in projects like construction of roads in certain areas. Bir has also directed senior officials of different departments to deposit the utilisation certificates in respect of utilization of funds under the MPLAD scheme. “Failure in submission of utilisation certificates leads to delay in release of Central grants. I have instructed the officials to adhere to deadlines or face action in case of slow progress of works. They will have to pay enhanced budget amounts from their pockets in case there was any increase in cost of a project owing to delay due to laxity on part of the officials concerned. Any delay on part of an official in respect of any work would be recorded in his or her ACR,” said Bir.
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Upgrading Kajauli water plant top priority, says Bittu
Mohali, June 7 Besides this, the project of Dasmesh canal for irrigation purpose will also be taken up shortly. To execute the project and arrange the finances for a long-lasting solution to the water problem, coordination between the Centre and the state would be improved, said the MP from Anandpur Sahib. After addressing a gathering at the office of the district Congress committee here, he told mediapersons that another important project — to speed up the work of four laning the remaining part of Kharar-Mohali — was also being taken up. He thanked the voters for giving him a chance to serve them. Referring to the announcement made by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal regarding a grant of Rs 5 crore, the MP said the Congress would fulfil the poll promises made by the Akalis. The issue would be raised in Parliament. Raising another significant issue of the cable network in the state being controlled by the Akalis, he said a number of MPs, while raising the issue with Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, had sought the enactment of certain laws that restricted control of the cable network with a particular person or a political party. Kharar MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu said the Akalis would not be allowed to discriminate with the Congress workers.
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Administration gears up to tackle cholera
Patiala, June 7 It has been normally seen that the district administration often makes tall claims to check the outbreak of an epidemic but this time things seem to be a bit different with the administration taking preventive steps at the right time. A couple of months ago, when there was an outbreak of dengue, there was open sale of unhygienic food items that were being kept in the open by vendors across the town and the same posed a grave health hazard to the residents of this town. However, this time, among the anti-cholera steps being initiated by the government, the most prominent relates to the prohibition of sale and storage of overripe and all types of cut fruits kept in the open. Other things whose sale has been prohibited by Deputy Commissioner Deepinder Singh are cut vegetables, parched grains, bread, poultry products and other eatables that have not been covered with a plastic sheet. The Deputy Commissioner has also prohibited manufacture of ice candy ice creams, all types of mineral water and aerated water unless it is declared fit for human consumption. Sugarcane products have also been brought under the axe with the administration banning such products unless they are covered with a wire gauze or a sheet of glass. In an attempt to check the practice of selling unhygienic food in the open, the Deputy Commissioner has asked officials of her department to be on alert. He has also instructed his staff to be extra vigilant against rehriwallas and roadside dhaba owners. The Deputy Commissioner has authorised the civil surgeon and other officials of the health department, including all senior medical officers, to dispose of any such food product whose quality is not found upto the mark by inspecting officials. However, a health department source disclosed that despite the best efforts of the Deputy Commissioner, it was a bit difficult to challan rehriwallas and other vendors in the absence of a proper permanent address. In such an eventuality, prosecution became difficult, he added.
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PSEB underlines benefits of CFLs
Patiala, June 7 SC Sabharwal, member (Transmission) and KD Chaudhry, member (Distriution), PSEB, planted saplings in Power Colony No.1 at Patiala to commemorate the day. Speaking on the occasion Sabharwal said the board was taking several measures to protect the environment. He said ash utilisation at all three thermal plants in Punjab was more than the target fixed by the Ministry of Environment and Forest. He said 100 per cent dry fly ash utilisation in cement plants and brick kilns had been achieved due to constant efforts of the board management. KD Choudhry said global warming had resulted in fast changing environment and it was the responsibility of every person to protect it. He appealed all to use CFLs in place of ordinary bulbs which could help in checking global warming.
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Goindwal Thermal Plant construction begins tomorrow
Tarn Taran, June 7 The state government has given this assignment to GVK Power Limited, a Hyderabad-based company, and an MoU has also been signed between it and
the GVK group. A party of the group, headed by director P Reddy, reached Goindwal Sahib today. Executive coordinator of the project Harjit Pal Singh Devgan told mediapersons here today that the plant had a capacity of 2x270 MW and coal for the project would be sourced from Captive Mine at Tokisud and the Saregarha block of Jharkhand. The setting up of the plant was announced by former Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1992. Earlier, an MoU in this regard was also signed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in his
previous term (1997) and was later approved in toto by the Congress government, led by Capt Amarinder Singh, in 2004. With the setting up of the plant, entrepreneurs of the country’s first Nucleus Industrialist Complex were likely to see a ray of hope as most of the units installed here have either been closed down or facing an acute financial and power problem.
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Gang wars have come to stay
Ludhiana, June 7 Lehember is another big name in the gang wars on the streets of Jagraon. Besides small names, police circles in the adjoining town of Raikot are abuzz with the name of the Binderjita gang and another one by the name of Raja gang. In Mullanpur, there are frequent street clashes between Shamma and Baldebi gangs. The major work profile of the gangs is possession of disputed lands, shady business deals and showcasing muscle power. Sources said different gangs had picked one or two youths from adjoining villages and made them a part of their group. None of the political parties claim affiliation with the street warlords. However, police sources said once arrested the gangsters flaunted their “political connections”. “We have authentic information of certain gangsters mingling in political circles, which was visible during the recent elections,” a senior police officer added. SSP Gurpreet Bhullar confirmed the presence of certain gangs in the area. “We have approached the court, seeking cancellation of bails of habitual offenders. None of the existing cases will be left unattended and we should have positive results shortly”. Another senior officer, requesting anonymity, said, “It is not easy to get hold of these culprits these days. A majority of them manage easy bails as they hire services of good lawyers”. Many of them are booked under Section 307. A large number can be seen roaming freely on the streets. On Tuesday, Jaily had taken more than 30 accomplices to the house of one Tara Singh. He had challenged Tara to reach a particular point along the canal to settle a score. His nephew Darshan Singh is said to have shot at Jaily in self-defence when he was about to shoot Tara and set his house ablaze. A shopkeeper said, “In case the police is aware of the presence of gangs, a strict action plan should be formulated by taking higher-ups into confidence. The gangsters need to be given a clear message that nobody is above the law”.
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Acid Attack Case
Moga, June 7 They visited her in the hospital and heard her grievances. The Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes had formed a sub-committee to hear grievances of the victim and provide financial and legal help to her. Sheetal has been appointed chairman while Satwant and SSP Ashok Bath are members of the committee. The victim had suffered sexual exploitation followed by an acid attack and recently kidnapped by police personnel. Also an attempt was made to kidnap her teenaged daughter by assaulting her in the district hospital. The CPS andthe DM had promised free treatment to her, provide a grant of Rs 2,000 per month to her daughter for study for one year and take up her issue with the Chief Minister for financial help and rehabilitation. The DM ordered a magisterial probe into the incident of alleged torture and kidnapping the Dalit woman by policemen on May 2. Dalip Singh Pandhi, member, SC Commission, said the rights panel was determined to provide justice to the victim and her daughter, besides taking action against the guilty officials who adopted an insensitive attitude towards the atrocities committed on her. The Dalit woman carried out a semi-nude march on May 19, 2008, in the heart of the town to get a case registered against the culprits who had abused her sexually. On October 13, 2008, the culprits after coming out on bail again attacked her with acid leaving her seriously injured.
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Mortuary freezer in Moga hospital out of order
Moga, June 7 An unidentified dead body of a youth that was kept in the freezer three days back has started decaying creating foul smell in the surrounding areas. It has also started being infested with maggots and flies swarming over it pose a threat to patients in the hospital. It is learnt that the freezer of the mortuary has stopped working, as a result the body has started rotting. Dr Adarsh Sood, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), admitted that the compressor of the freezer had stopped working since last evening. “I have asked the senior medical officer to get the freezer repaired as soon as possible and ensure that the bodies are handled and preserved properly,” she said. The CMO revealed that the unidentified body was brought to the hospital by the Baghapurana police three days back for a post-mortem examination. It was recovered from a roadside near Nathuke village by
the police. “We have not been able to conduct the post-mortem examination as the police has not sent the required documents and request letter mandatory for conducting such an examination, otherwise, after post-mortem we could have shifted the body to another mortuary,” she added. Meanwhile, the hospital authorities brought slabs of ice on Sunday evening and kept these on the body to prevent it from further decay in the sweltering heatwave conditions. Local residents also feel, “To allow a body to rot is an act of deep inhumanity and to allow mortuary refrigerators to collapse is not just a technical matter, but a serious violation of human rights”. According to religious customs, rituals for the body are sacred, which family and friends venerate by keeping it clean and ensuring that it is disposed of with due care. Therefore, a body kept in a mortuary before being handed over to family members should be handled respectfully. On the other hand, for legal purposes, a body is the last and best evidence when foul play is suspected in an unnatural death case. The loss of evidence due to decay can dramatically affect the outcome of a court case. If a doctor fails in this duty, it may mean that a criminal investigation can not proceed further.
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