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Yuva Drishti from tomorrow
15-ft breach in Ghaggar at Moonak, plugged
LeT militants behind rocket attack: BSF
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Non-Practising allowance
Move to revamp Forest Department
Agro-economist Dr Johl mourns Borlaug’s death
SAD conclave ‘futile’ exercise
Tribune Impact
Powerhouses at Kotla, Nakkian remain shut
Industrialists want power tariff hike rolled back
Despite CM’s assurance, border area tube wells sans power
Kurukshetra Gurdwara Row
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Yuva Drishti from tomorrow
Ludhiana, September 13 It is for the first time a ruling party leader is asking youth to act as ‘‘whistle-blowers’’ by using the Right to Information Act and save government money from going into private pockets. Besides Rahul, 40 trainers will train youth at Whistling Woods resort here on September 15 to inform 2,900 delegates from 210 blocks for three days, who in turn would train youth in 12,500 villages of Punjab to act as ‘‘Aam Aadmi Ka Sipahi’’ (AAKS). Talking about Rahul's dream project, Punjab Youth Congress president, Ravneet Singh Bittu said initially pilot project was being launched in Punjab and following its response it will be implemented in other parts of the country. There were reports funds under the National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (NREGS) and the Sarv Sikhiya Abhiyaan (SSA) were being misutilised in Punjab, Rahul would ask AAKSs to report the matter to the Centre if they came across any irregularity, said Bittu, who is camping in city to supervise arrangements. He said besides Rahul, AICC secretary, Jitender Singh, MP, Sirsa, Ashok Kanwar and MP Manik Tagore would also make the youth aware of ethics and ideology of the Congress . They will be inspired to use the RTI Act as weapon against corrupt practices, work at grassroot level and act as watchmen of Central government funds. They would also be encouraged to use resources like cell phones to take pictures of scams and send these to the government for action. Rahul will be in city from 8 am to 2pm on Tuesday. For the rest three days, master trainers would impart knowledge to trainees. Congress observers have arrived from New Delhi and will stay till the training is over.
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15-ft breach in Ghaggar at Moonak, plugged
Sangrur, September 13 The water entered standing crops of paddy and fodder in the nearby area. However, with the help of farmers, the breach was plugged by the administration with sand bags. Farmers remained busy in strengthening sensitive points along the Ghaggar near Mandvi and Makror Sahib villages so that no breach could occur there. Moonak SDM RPS Walia said the breach was plugged immediately and there was no report of any loss in that area. The SDM said the level in the Ghaggar had risen this evening to 748-ft mark as compared to last night’s level, 746.4-ft mark, at the RD 460 at Khanauri. He said the level was still below the danger mark (752 ft) at the RD 460.
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LeT militants behind rocket attack: BSF
Amritsar, September 13 Meanwhile, the BSF has handed over the splinters of rockets, collected from Dhanoe Khurd, Modhe, Rattanpur and other villages to the Punjab police for forensic examination to ascertain their origin. The BSF officials have detected some numbers from which the BSF experts have presumed in the first place the rockets were probably of 107-mm calibration. The type of ammunition used in incidents has made the security agencies believe the act of firing of rockets might have been undertaken by the LeT. The BSF, it was learnt, has laid hands on five rockets so far even as most of residents apprehended more rockets might have been fired from the Pakistani side on Friday night, leading to cracks in a couple of houses.
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Non-Practising allowance
Patiala, September 13 The doctors threatened to hold protest in Chandigarh on September 16 . Seeking Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s intervention in this regard,Dr YC Markan and Dr DC Sharma, president and general secretary of the association, respectively, said though Health Secretary Satish Chandra had assured representatives of the doctors on September 1 to get clarification on the NPA issued in a day or two, but to no avail. The deputation had given to the Health Secretary copy of the Punjab Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2009, notified by the government on May 27 which stated doctors will get the NPA at existing rates on the revised basic pay till new rates are notified .But the accounts wing of the Health Department in certain offices is creating controversy by “wrongly interpreting the said notification”. DC Sharma said the association had directed its members to go by the revised pay rules and calculate the NPA at existing rates on the revised basic pay.
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Move to revamp Forest Department
Chandigarh, September 13 Forest Minister Tikshan Sud said yesterday computerisation of the department, installation of high-tech mist chambers, restructuring of the cadre and improvement in the Punjab State Forest Development Corporation, , were the government’s priorities. To ensure transparency the minister said new policy was incorporated from July 1, auction/tendering were done by a committee of additional PCCF, managing director PSFDC, and a representative of the financial commissioner, Forests. Revenue of Rs 7 crore has been generated in two months and Rs 3 crore more was received than the amount which would have been received under the old system.
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Agro-economist Dr Johl mourns Borlaug’s death
Jalandhar, September 13 He was suffering from cancer. Dr Johl said Borlaug had special love for Punjab farmers, wheat-growing state. Wheat was his cherished area of research .Though Borlaug was plant pathologist and not plant breeder, his work on dwarf varieties of wheat in Mexico revolutionised food production in Asia, especially in India, and many other parts of the world. “The Man Who Fed the World” was recent book on him. Owing to Borlaug’s love for Punjab, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, conferred on him honorary degree of Doctor of Sciences in 1969. Later, other Indian universities and several of the world honoured him with honorary degrees. Padma Vibushan, second highest civilian award, was also presented to him. Dr Johl said Borlaug would remain an unforgettable person.
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SAD conclave ‘futile’ exercise
Chandigarh, September 13 Describing it “ A pre-planned and motivated bid build sagging image of Sukhbir Badal by a group of sycophant Akalis”, the Congress has said no issue of the state has been resolved conclusively. A statement by party spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira said decision to review the atta-dal and pension schemes taken on the first day were nominal issues that could be taken at the administrative secretary level in Chandigarh. Similarly, the second day concluded with routine centre bashing, political agenda of the father-son to cover up their failures, the statement added. The statement said no serious issue concerning Punjab like power shortage, poor fiscal situation leading to public debt of Rs 63,000 crore, farmers; suicides, poor education and health system and above vendetta on political opponents in Punjab was debated . Further, the Congress demanded Finance Minister Manpreet Badal’s resignation for having failed to raise the issue of subsidies at the party forum. The party demanded instead of wasting time of the government on such gimmicks, the SAD must get down to redress grievances of people.
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Appointment of UT Chief Commissioner
Mohali, September 13 Seeing a political motive behind the decision, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said he would take up the issue with the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during a function at Delhi tomorrow. Raking up the issue of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, the CM said the Centre has been ignoring the interests of Punjab, which has been feeding the country. From time to time, various issues of Punjab’s interest have been sidelined. The move to set up separate SGPC for Haryana is also being seen as a political move to ignore Punjab’s interest. The CM, who was speaking at a public function after inaugurating ‘Vikas Bhavan’ and State Institute of Rural Development of the Rural Development and Panchayats Department built at a cost of Rs 27 crore in sector 62 here, said: “Undoubtedly, Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and this arbitrary decision on the part of Centre would dilute the state’s claim over it. I would urge Dr Manmohan Singh not to take any decision in this regard without taking Punjab into confidence. Such a move could hurt the sentiments of peace-loving Punjabis and Centre should rather act prudently in this regard,” he added. Earlier, addressing a gathering, Badal said the state-of-the-art complex would house all the scattered offices of the department at various places in Chandigarh and Mohali. This would not only enable officers of the department to usher in efficiency in its day-to-day functioning but also lessen the inconvenience caused to people, thereby saving their time, energy and money. He said the state government was exploring a scheme to rent out shops having commercial value on the panchayati land to generate revenue income on one hand and to make the village panchayats self-sustaining and financially viable on The Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura said the Vikas Bhawan and State Institute of Rural Development would prove to be a milestone for the overall progress of the rural sector. He said he had already issued detailed instructions to all the Additional Deputy Commissioners (Development) to immediately fill up the vacancies of doctors and teachers under Zila Prishads and Block Samitis after they left the job, strictly in accordance with the already existing merit list.
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Tribune Impact
Jalandhar, September 13 On the initiative of Akali leader Bir Devinder Singh, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today directed DC Ajit Singh Pannu to inform the private hospital that the state government would pay the entire bill. Pannu visited the ailing scholar and assured him of arrangements to provide him the best medical facilities. After reading the report published in these columns on Mehboob’s illnes Bir Devinder Singh spoke to Badal and Education Minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur. Badal asked the DC to inform the hospital authorities that the scholar be given the best treatment. Meanwhile, Bir Devinder Singh urged SGPC chief Avtar Singh to take care of the Sikh scholar.
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Powerhouses at Kotla, Nakkian remain shut
Nangal, September 13 Taking advantage of the dip in mercury and incessant rains in some parts of state, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has decided to retain water in Gobind Sagar dam by cutting off releases. Sources said no water supply to Anandpur Sahib hydel channel was a part of this strategy. Power generation is expected to remain closed for the next two days as well. Today, the level of water in the Bhakra dam was 1629.50 feet, which is 45.5 feet less as compared to the same day last year. With filling season of the dam coming to an end on September 21 and monsoon expected to last for another one week, the BBMB is making all efforts to retain water level of the dam mainly for the rabi season. With the rains, demand for power has dipped considerably. According to data available with the Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre, the demand for power in the state slipped from 799 MW on September 9 to 453 MW on September 12. Similarly, the water release from Bhakra for irrigation purposes has been reduced from 21,324 cusecs on September 9 to a mere 10,049 cusecs on September 13. Experts opined that these figures meant that power crisis in state would continue. They added that in wake of this power cuts would also continue. “Even if it rains heavily for another week, water will not be able to reach last year’s level. With the possibility of very late revival of monsoon, the Board hopes that the move to economise water release will help meet the future requirements,” said BBMB officials.
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Industrialists want power tariff hike rolled back
Sangrur, September 13 A spokesman of the SDIC also said if the government failed to withdraw power tariff hike the industrialists might think of closing units in protest. The industrialists wanted in the light of the provisions of the Central Electricity Act-2003 the units should be provided electricity equal to per unit production cost of the electricity. He said the state government was providing only Rs 2.80 per unit to the PSEB against the free electricity, being provided to farmers, so the industrialists should also be given electricity at the rate of Rs 2.80 per unit to save industry from closure.
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Despite CM’s assurance, border area tube wells sans power
Naushehra Dhala (Indo-Pak border), September 13 Worse, most of the farmers , having fields bet ween the fence and the so-called zero line have not been given power connections in 15 years though promises were made by parties and governments. Even bribing officials has apparently not worked for most of the farmers, particularly those in certain pockets of Ferozepur, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. They are waiting for power connection even after depositing Rs 27,500 with the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) apart from greasing the palm of officials. Paddy in over 1,000 acres has been damaged due to deficient rain and lack of tube well connections. Farmers of Havelian, Chhinna Bidhi Chand, Bharobhal, Dauke, Raja Tal and Bhadana villages remain the worst affected, having lost hope of assistance from politicians or the administration . “Though we deposited Rs 30,000 with the PSEB in March we are turned away every time we go to them, saying they cannot give power connections as required equipment was not available . Some farmers with land across the fence had applied for tube well connections in 1990 but had not got these,” said Harbhajan Singh, a farmer in Naushehra Dhalla village who has three acres on the other side of the fence . “ The farmers’ limited access to fields beyond the fence too adds to their woes due to night curfew and restrictions by the BSF. At times we are not allowed to engage more than 10 to 15 labourers in fields. We don’t have power and we can’t go to our fields at night. How can we work in fields for reasonable time?” he rued . Farmer Sukhdev Singh accused the government of bias in allotting tube well connections and claimed some border area farmers had obtained tube well connections on priority.. “Our 40 acres across the fence , could not be cultivated this year as we did not have means of irrigation. Other farmers face the same predicament. The SAD had promised us power connections on priority ,” he rued. Manjit Singh, a farmer in Dauke village, said leakage in high tension wire supplying power to fence lamp posts passes through his fields. “Nobody has bothered to rectify the fault despite complaints to the BSF,” he stated. Farmers living in cluster of villages near the border said they had met the PSEB chief engineer last month regarding not given power connections to fields across the fence . Sarvan Singh, farmer of Dauke village, said even bribe had failed to yield results. A senior PSEB official confirmed the Chief Minister had told the board to provide power connections to all farmers owning land on the other side of the border. “We’ll look into the matter,” he said .
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All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, Rahul Gandhi will train youth to pick holes in the disbursement of grants under central government schemes, at special
session.
Appointment
of UT Chief Commissioner
