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Day I
Now, lobbying on for post of Chief Secretary
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Golden Temple’s Lookalike
Haunted by loan sharks, woman poisons kids, herself
PPSC interviews draw flak
Govt Docs ‘working’ in South
JEs up in arms against PSEB
Oz makes $15 bn from 95,000 foreign students
Govt to announce new agro-industrial policy
Sale of Girls
Tribune Impact
High Court stays further protection against arrest of Chahal’s son
SP denied bail
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Day I
Chandigarh, June 10 More migrant labour is expected to arrive in Punjab this year due to the likely high transplantation rate, which reached up to Rs 2,000 per acre last year. Farmers in the state are finding it difficult to convince labour from Bihar to accept anything less than this. Two seasons back paddy was being transplanted on charges between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000 per acre. Local labour has also decided to jack up the paddy transplantation rate. In certain villages of Sangrur, ‘khet mazdoors’ have got united to pressurise farmers for higher rates. Attempts are being made to defuse the situation with announcements made from gurdwaras. Around 500 mechanised transplanters have arrived in the state and another 200 are expected to reach in the coming days. However, most of the trasnplanters are of low capacity (doing three or four acres per day) and cost Rs 1.70 lakh. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu says it will take another year for mechanised transplantation to take root with companies manufacturing high-capacity transplanters set to giving demonstrations this year. According to BKU (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal, agents were demanding last year’s rates to call in labour from Bihar. He said the situation was likely to be grim in Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala where the local labour did not indulge in paddy transplantation. However, districts known for their own labour force like Sangrur, Bathinda and Mansa may also face problems with Punjabi labour asking for charges as high as Rs 2,000 per acre. BKU (Ekta) Sangrur unit leader Darbara Singh Chaajla says local labour was citing high procurement as well as straw rates to demand a better price for labour. Meanwhile, most parts of the state planted little paddy today. Lakhbir Singh, a paddy farmer of Mansuran village near Ludhiana, said: “I had to delay the process of plantation because of labour scarcity. Ludhiana chief agriculture officer YS Cheena confirmed that very few farmers in the district had started the paddy transplantation. The story was the same elsewhere with Malwa farmers also not taking to transplantation enthusiastically. In Bathinda, farmers cited hot weather and also lack of clarity on power supply as reasons for a delayed start. Joginder Singh and Naib Singh of village Chauke said they would rather wait for mild showers.
(With inputs from Charu Chhibber and Rajay Deep)
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Now, lobbying on for post of Chief Secretary
Chandigarh, June 10 Though, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has given out his mind to appoint Kashmir cadre IPS officer PS Gill as the next DGP of Punjab after KK Attri retires, various administrative, political and industrial lobbies are trying to have an incumbent of their choice take over as the state’s Chief Secretary. A panel of three names that include SC Aggarwal, Shavinder Brar and BC Gupta is under active consideration of the political masters and a decision on this is likely to be taken anytime after the Nurmahal bye-poll. Aggarwal was Secretary, Industries, during the Congress regime and is considered to be the most eligible for giving a fillip to industrial and infrastructure development in the state. At the same time certain lobby from Bathinda region has also prevailed upon the Badals to go for Aggarwal. The BJP too is happy with his name because of his having worked closely with the industrialists of Punjab when he was Principal Secretary, Industries. As of now the SAD leadership says it is keeping all options open, but Aggarwal appears to be the most formidable candidate. Brar, who has till now been considered as the frontrunner is said to be close to Sukhbir. He also has the backing of certain politicians considered to be close to the Badal family. Besides, Brar and outgoing Chief Secretary RI Singh are the two IAS officers who bore the brunt of Congress ire and remained out of Punjab during the Congress regime. There is therefore “loyalty factor” attached to his name that had initially put him ahead of others. The third name on the list of that of Gupta, who has served as the Home Secretary during the current SAD-BJP government. He is considered to be close to the Captain Kanwaljit faction within the SAD and draws his support from several quarters, many of which are not really in a position today to push his name through. Sources in the government said the name of Singh’s successor was likely to be announced soon, but as things stand at present, the Bathinda lobby backing Aggarwal was most likely to succeed.
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Golden Temple’s Lookalike
Amritsar, June 10 After consulting the Jathedar, Akal Takht, SGPC president Avtar Singh has called a meeting of all Sikh organisations on June 20 here to chalk out the next course of action. After inspecting the controversial building at Mastuana, the SGPC’s fact-finding committee, led by general-secretary of the SGPC Sukhdev Singh Bhaaur, said raising of the Golden Temple’s look-alike at Mastuana on the Barnala-Sangrur road was highly objectionable and hence, its construction should be stopped herewith. The SGPC president said, “It was factually incorrect and misleading that Sant Attar Singh Mastuana, who was dedicated to Sikhism, had ever dreamt of creating replica of the Golden Temple throughout his life. Attempt to replicate it was an attempt to belittle the great Sant, who had done a lot for Sikhism during his lifetime”. He said, “There is no place equal to the Golden Temple for Sikhs in the world and construction of its replica would amount to hurting the community’s sentiments the world over”. The SGPC president said any attempt to denigrate the Sikh institutions by any sect under “deep-rooted conspiracy” could not be tolerated by the Sikh community.
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Haunted by loan sharks, woman poisons kids, herself
Amritsar, June 10 The tragedy has been attributed to the harassment by relatives and loan sharks, who had advanced Rs 5 lakh to her husband for the construction of a church in the Kot Khalsa area. Sunaina’s husband, Youns Masih, had committed suicide about six months ago under threat from the people who had advanced him the money, as he was unable to pay back the amount for the construction of the church. However, the relatives started pressurising Sunaina to pay back the amount and registered a case of fraud against her and her husband at the police station, Batala. She had reportedly remained in judicial custody for more than two months and was released on bail recently. But the relatives again started threatening and demanding the amount. Unable to meet their demands, she decided to end her life along with her two sons. Her husband, who had been working for a Christian mission, was given the task to build a church, for which he was given Rs 5 lakh, but later it turned out that the project’s cost exceeded the amount sanctioned for which he had borrowed the money from his relatives. However, the balance amount was not received from the mission and he was unable to pay back the borrowed money. He had committed suicide and reportedly written on the walls the reason behind ending his life. Suniana had bought celphos from a shop in Hall Bazaar and mixed it in a kulcha. The matter came to light when she started crying as her condition deteriorated. She was rushed to hospital along with her children where doctors declared the children dead. SHO Harminder Singh said a case had been registered under Sections 302, 309 and 511, IPC, at the Islamabad police station here.
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PPSC interviews draw flak
Ludhiana, June 10 The interviews, which commenced three months ago, are still going on. What has further irked a large number of doctors across the state are the “absurd” questions asked from some doctors during the interviews. Dr Sonia, one of the candidates, alleged she was asked: “How do you define ‘furlough’? How many furloughs will you have in a month?” Another woman doctor was asked: “How many children do you have?” When she replied, “Two”, one of the members on the interview board said: “Why didn’t you have a third child?” Subjecting another doctor to humiliation during the interview, one of the board members allegedly even made a remark on the status of her doctor husband doing his postgraduation. Dr Jagpreet Singh has filed a PIL against the PPSC in the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding “no transparency” in the interviews. “If deserving candidates are not given preference, undeserving candidates will be appointed, giving a blow to the public health sector in Punjab,” he said. Dr Deepak had written to the public information officer of the PPSC on March 3 under the RTI, asking for information on ‘criteria/steps’ taken by the commission for the selection process in the appointment of 100 medical officers. The doctor had asked about the measures taken by the commission to maintain transparency in the selection process. The public information officer stated there was no provision of conducting screening tests under the service rules. At the same time the PPSC refused to give information about the “criteria of selection” as the letter stated: “The criteria of selection are confidential and can’t be disclosed till the results of the interviews are declared.” As many as 2,000 doctors had applied against 100 posts.
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Govt Docs ‘working’ in South
Chandigarh, June 10 Inquiry officer Dr JP Singh, in his report submitted to the principal secretary health services AR Talwar, stated that the doctors concerned were called to give an explanation, which were found to be unsatisfactory. “It is, therefore, recommended that a larger inquiry be done in the case involving the medical council of India and the medical colleges of Andhra Pradesh, where these doctors were allegedly working,” the inquiry report stated. Talwar said the doctors would be charge sheeted before the regular inquiry is started. “I have gone through the report and we have decided to charge sheet the doctors. The regular inquiry would begin only after their replies are received,” Talwar added. On March 5, The Tribune had reported that a section of the Punjab government doctors working for over 10 years are performing the role of assistant and associate professors in the medical colleges in South India. The Tribune had found a list of six such doctors, mainly specialising in forensic medicine, pharmacology and physiology, who were working as medical officers in Talwara, Ropar, Hoshiarpur, Dhuri and Patiala, but were also present at Karim Nagar, Khannam and Guntur in South Indian states on the day of the inspection by the Medical Council of India. In their reply, filed before the inquiry officer, three of these doctors have stated that they did try for a job in a college in Andhra Pradesh and as part of that exercise handed over a copy of their certificates to the college authorities. The doctors claimed that their certificates had been misused by the college and their details were posted on the MCI website showing them as faculty members of the college.
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Tragedy at School Trip
Naushera Pattan (Hoshiarpur), June 10 Other family members, however, are inconsolable in their home at Adarsh Nagar Colony in Mukerian, where relatives and neighbours have been consoling the family for this irreparable loss. Vikrant’s body could not be traced in the river, even though the government had deployed Army jawans along the banks of the river downstreams. The students, who are eyewitnesses of the tragedy, are still in a state of shock. Holding back tears, Mohan Lal said the family was not aware if the school had organised any picnic trip. “Moreover, the decision to take students on a river bank and that too beneath a bridge on the furious Beas, where water current is very high, was a sheer negligence on the part of the school authorities,” claimed Mohan with a choked throat. Sonali, a Class X student of the school, who had a miraculous escape in the tragedy, claims that she will not forget the scene when her best friend Nidhi Pathania, along with Sehnaz and Shilpa Thakur were engulfed by the river in front of her eyes. “I rushed up to Nidhi after hearing their shrieks and extended my hand for help, but I also slipped. Shilpa and Sehnaz also tried to help us, but we all five were trapped in the swirling water of the Beas,” she recalled. “I suddenly found a big stone adjacent to me and clung to it and managed to come out,” she recollected. Himani, younger sister of Sonali, who was an eyewitness to the scene, claimed that the girls and boys were busy in splash in knee-deep water when the tragedy occurred. Talking to The Tribune, Rakesh Kumar, a constable of the police deployed at a post on the river bank, claimed the teachers ignored his directions and went down the river bank saying that they had been
to the same place last year too. Officials, including Subdivisional Magistrate and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mukerian, had been camping at the riverbed since last night.
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Once pride of Chouke, villagers now curse Arjuna awardee
Chouke (Bathinda), June 10 His spontaneous reaction was: “First Bhola did the village proud when he was presented Arjuna Award by the then President KR Narayanan, but now he has brought shame on us by turning to narcotic trade”. Bhola is a household name in this village, about 50 km from Bathinda. But, elderly residents, who were sitting under the shed of an under-construction bus stop, cursed him for having fallen in greed of making quick money by dubious means. Bhola was recruited in the police in 1993 in Bathinda district and later for his achievements in wrestling he became an inspector. He came into limelight when he was named for the Arjuna Award and also won the title of Rustum-e-Hind. Another villager Sukhwinder Singh recalled that he himself used to feed Bhola with “desi ghee” so that he became a successful wrestler. Bhola was brought up in the village by his maternal uncle and sarpanch late Harnek Singh. Sukhwinder said the Baba Maha Singh Sports Club of the village had honoured Bhola and his guru Major Singh with golden rings when he visited the village after receiving the Arjuna Award. Naib Singh said he was not surprised at the arrest of Bhola who was first booked for smuggling of contraband in 2001 when he was in the police. He was declared a proclaimed offender. Bhola and his accomplices used to smuggle truckloads of poppy husk from Rajasthan to Punjab to sell it in Bathinda
and Barnala.
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JEs up in arms against PSEB
Patiala, June 10 The Central Working Committee of the Council of Junior Engineers, PSEB, has decided to go on strike in case the government decides to unbundled the power board as present extention granted to it will expire on June 15. This was announced here by Davinder Singh, general secretary of the council. Swaran Lal and Davinder Singh, president and general secretary of the council, respectively, said the board management was maintaining indifferent attitude towards the demands of the junior engineers. They said more than 1,000 posts were lying vacant in the operation wing of the PSEB but no effort was being made to fill them up. Even clearance granted to the board for filling up about 225 posts through direct recruitment is not being taken seriously by the PSEB management. As such, date for inviting applications against these posts is being extended repeatedly for no valid reason. This is in spite of the fact that the board had already paid requisite money to the outer agency to initiate the recruitment process. Resultantly, work load has increased manifold on the existing JEs. There is an acute shortage of material required for maintenance works and the JEs are experiencing much difficulties in maintaining the continuity of supply. Further, the field authorities have started violating the instructions whereby charge of the JEs are to be given to assistant JEs. The council has also condemned inordinate delay in issuing promotion orders. On one hand, many
field offices are without regular SDOs while on the other the JEs are awaiting their first effective
promotion. The Central Working Committee has, therefore, decided to hold protest at all circle headquarters on June 18 where a memorandum regarding their demands will be submitted to the respective superintending engineers. The council has urged the management to settle the pending demands of the JEs failing which agitation would be intensified
further.
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Oz makes $15 bn from 95,000 foreign students
Ludhiana, June 10 Most of these students are from India who belong to villages and middleclass families. Though the exact number will be found out after preparing the data bank, rough estimates have revealed that nearly 80 per cent of the total number are from Punjab and contributing a lot to the Australian economy. The NRI cell will be ready with the exact number by June 12 as Deputy Commissioners of the entire state have been asked to provide details of students who are on study visa to Australia. NRI Cell Commissioner JS Bir, while talking to The Tribune, said as per the information from the Australian government, an amount of $ 15 billion was collected by the country from the education industry.
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Govt to announce new agro-industrial policy
Chandigarh, June 10 Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson said, “The proposed Punjab industrial policy envisages a component of interest subsidy to agro-industrial units, making fixed capital investment from Rs 10 crore to less than Rs 25 crore at the rate of 5 per cent back ended interest subsidy i.e. Rs 20 lakh per unit per year, not more than Rs 1 crore in five years for 5 units per year, totalling Rs 25 crore for 9 years on specified conditions”. Likewise, agri-infrastructure projects and small or medium agro-industrial units for modernisation and technology upgradation would also be entitled for the same interest subsidy as in the case of agro-industrial units, he added.
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Sale of Girls
Chandigarh, June 10 It may be pointed out that DGP had three days ago directed the SSP, Bathinda, to thoroughly probe the issue. Disclosing this here today, Attri said the district police had recovered a girl, but keeping in view the sensitivity of the issue it required a thorough investigation so that the whole network engaged in this racket could be unearthed.
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Tribune Impact
Chandigarh, June 10 Taking cognisance of the article, which appeared from
Bathinda, the PSHRC has directed the director health services to look into the matter and submit a report on it. In the research by Guru Nanak Dev University, it was found that various foodstuffs being consumed in many villages of Bathinda district were found containing alarming levels of uranium. It is also reported that the disabled children of the region were tested and found with large amounts of uranium. The news article stated that the daily intake of uranium from foodstuffs, excluding water, was found highest at village Giana with 41.09 microgram per day. However, the total intake of uranium, including water, for the village was 138.41 microgram a day. This is much higher than the worldwide dietary intake of 5 microgram per day. Health hazards posed by the heavy
intake of uranium have been highlighted in the report.
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High Court stays further protection against arrest of Chahal’s son
Chandigarh, June 10 Son of Punjab’s former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s media adviser, Chahal is seeking grant of blanket anticipatory bail; or 14 days prior notice in any case likely to be registered by any wing of the Punjab police. As the case came up for hearing, the state informed the Vacation Bench of Justice Tewari that as of now no FIR was registered against him; and he was not required. Chahal, currently in Scotland, has asserted he left the country after his father BIS Chahal was arrested on June 10, 2007, and has been out of the country for almost two
years now. Chahal added he has now landed up with a job with New Delhi-based Punjab Stainless Steel Industry and has been asked to report for duty on June 8. But, in light of the conduct of the police in his father’s case, his apprehension is he too would be implicated as soon as he steps on the Indian soil.
Plea to fix criminal
culpability of govt employee
Can action be initiated against a government employee to fix criminal culpability, even though
he has been exonerated in the departmental proceedings that stand confirmed by the competent authority? The Punjab and Haryana High Court will answer the vital question of law, while taking up for consideration a writ petition filed by Vijay Kumar of Jalandhar. Issuing notice of motion, Justice Parmod Kohli stayed the action of the authorities, whereby criminal culpability of the employee was sought to be fixed. In the petition filed through RS Bajaj, it was alleged by the petitioner that on the basis of anonymous complaint, preliminary inquiry was held which
exonerated him. It was followed by a regular departmental inquiry. That also exonerated him. The competent authority agreed with the report and the matter was treated as closed. However, without any justification and authority of law, the higher authorities reopened the
matter and awarded him punishment of forfeiture of two years approved service for the purpose
of promotion. The additional DGP (Armed Battalion), Jalandhar Cantt, has directed the Commandant, 80th Battalion PAP, Jalandhar Cantt, to fix the criminal culpability of the petitioner and take necessary action even though there was no charge against him.
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SP denied bail
Ludhiana, June 10 Bhinder, along with Harjit Singh, alias Lakha, were summoned by the court of Judicial Magistrate GS Tiwana for July 18, 2009, in a complaint filed by Harbans Singh of Panjrukha village, Khanna. The complaint was filed with the accusations that Pritpal Singh of Bija village was abducted and later killed by the accused in a conspiracy with each other on April 30, 2006. Kashmir Singh was posted as DSP (D), Khanna, at the time of alleged commission of offence. Seeking bail, the applicant had submitted that Pritpal Singh (since deceased) had committed suicide and his father Gurbax Singh had informed the police on May 2, 2006. Thereafter, only DDR No. 32 was entered. But later, he was falsely implicated in the case. He also submitted that earlier several higher police officers had conducted inquiries and found him innocent.
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