Bathinda, September 14
Protest by lawyers here against the hike in stamp fee turned nasty when two private buses were damaged and drivers and conductors besides some advocates sustained injuries after a clash took place between them outside the main gate of the bus stand today.

According to details, the agitating lawyers assembled at the main gate of the bus stand at 11 am to protest against the hike. When they started their dharna, a minibus driver tried to take his bus out. The advocates asked him to stop the bus. However, the driver entered into a verbal duel and his colleagues also assembled there. Someone from among them also allegedly manhandled the lawyers.

Following this, the lawyers started damaging private buses. They smashed the windowpanes of two buses belonging to the Fateh Transport and Hemkund Bus Service.

In retaliation, the transporters hurled stones at the lawyers, injuring three.

The lawyers then staged a dharna on the road outside the bus stand and raised slogans. Three advocates, Major Singh, Rajan Jain and Vikas Singla, sustained injuries in the clash.

The transport staff also staged a dharna at the main gate of the bus stand, saying, “It has become a routine affair that whenever anyone has a grievance against the government, they block the bus stand and leave us to bear the losses.”

However, the buses started plying after one-and-a half hour when officials assured the transporters of not allowing anyone to block the main gate of the bus stand in the future.

SP (D) Ajay Maluja said, “Both parties have been blaming each other. A case will be registered after the medical examination of the injured.”

SANGRUR: Members of the District Bar Association, led by president Gurtej Singh Grewal, today held a rally at the district courts complex in protest against the hike in court fee. They blocked the traffic at Red Lights Chowk.

They raised slogans against the state government and sought withdrawal of the notification issued regarding the hike. They also abstained from the court work. Local MLA and district president of the Congress Committee Surinder Pal Singh Sibia also took joined the dharna staged by the lawyers.

Association president Gurtej Singh Grewal said members of the Core Committee would meet the Chief Minister in Chandigarh tomorrow in this regard. 

Ludhiana, September 14
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will lay the foundation stone on September 18 of the 100-acre colony being developed by Singla Enclave Developers at Lalton Kalan on the Pakhowal Road on the periphery of the city. Advertisements of the function in newspapers of the region also appeared today.

But the developer has not obtained mandatory approval from the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) required under provisions of Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act (PAPRA), say GLADA officials.

The advertisement by the coloniser says an application had been submitted to GLADA and approval was awaited. But the developer has submitted no application to GLADA for the colony project violating provisions of PAPRA in offering residential and commercial property .

Sources in GLADA said as work commenced on the colony site started a few weeks ago, GLADA wrote to the Senior Superintendent of Police on August 28, against the developer for commencing work on the colony in violation of the Act.

Additional Chief Administrator, GLADA Indu Malhotra said taking notice of the advertisement of the coloniser, show- cause notice was was being issued to the firm Crown Plaza to explain why action should not be taken for the violation of provisions of PAPRA and placing advertisement, offering property for sale in the colony without fulfilling conditions laid down in Section 4 of the Act.

"The notice being issued to the coloniser says no application for development of 100- acre colony is on record and no licence the colony has been issued by GLADA which is also issuing c notice in newspapers to caution public about factual position of the colony," the ACA added.

AK Sinha, chief administrator, GLADA said action, per law, would be taken for selling property in an unapproved colony .

The coloniser could not be contacted for comments.

Chandigarh, September 14
The BJP core committee today conveyed to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that the recent hike in the power tariff for the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors was unacceptable to it.

The core committee, which met for over four hours under the chairmanship of state party president Rajinder Bhandari, also told its coalition partner that the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors in Punjab were suffering because of the huge release of agricultural connections to the farm sector which does not pay for power.

According to sources, Bhandari told the Chief Minister that the people of Punjab should not be burdened with a power hike at a time when they were ill-equipped to pay the present rates. The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) had recently effected a 17.5 per cent hike in domestic power rates besides a 9.5 per cent increase in industrial power rates.

The sources say though the BJP line on not burdening the domestic consumers, who the party feels are getting a sore deal vis-a-vis the agricultural sector, is well known, it is for the first time that the party has raised the issue of “suffering” due to the huge release of tubewell power connections in the past two years.

The sources said senior Minister Manoranjan Kalia, who was entrusted with the task of collecting the data on the issue, laid the same before the committee. According to the data while only 11,058 tubewell connections had been released in 2007-08, the figure rose to 50,803 in 2008-09 and was over 60,000 in the current financial year. The data revealed that power to the agricultural sector had increased by 52 million units (mu) in 2007-08 to 283 mu in 2008-09 and to 333 mu in the current year.

In direct contrast the data revealed that the industrial sector had got 350 mu less of power this year as compared to earlier figures. Similarly, it showed that the domestic and commercial sectors had to face cuts due to the increasing load of the agricultural sector. The core committee has demanded a solution to this “crisis”.

Manoranjan Kalia, when questioned on the likely solution to the request, said it was for the government to find a solution. He likewise said no time frame had been given to the Chief Mminister “as of now”, adding the “ball is in the CM’s court”.

Earlier on Friday, while the SAD was in an idea exchange mode in Shimla, the BJP legislative group met to discuss the power hike and its implications on domestic consumers, many of whom are considered to be its voters. The legislators had also urged that the SAD should be asked to give relief to domestic as well as industrial consumers immediately. 

Chandigarh, September 14
The Punjab Government has decided to oppose the Centre’s move to divest the Punjab Governor of powers of Administrator of Chandigarh. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow in this regard.

Sources said besides seeking review of the decision, the Chief Minister will also submit copy of the resolution passed by SAD at “Vichar Sammelan” in Shimla.

Party President Sukhbir Singh Badal said, the Chief Minister had been asked by the party to take up the matter with the Centre. Besides raising the issue of Punjab’s control over Chandigarh having been diluted, the Chief Minister is also likely to convey to the Centre that Punjab wants the Centre to vacate Chandigarh, which it claims is its capital.

Badal will also take up the issue of what the SAD calls the “unfortunate and deliberate intervention of the Congress in the running of gurdwaras in Haryana”. He will convey resentment over takeover of the SGPC-run gurdwara in Kurukshetra. Badal is also likely to take up other issues like terming Punjab as a Special Agriculture Zone and allowing it subsidies, given to special economic zones.

Jalandhar, September 14
Border Security Force (BSF) officials today warned the Pakistan Rangers of a stern action in case of any harm to the lives of Indians across the International Border.

A meeting in this regard was held at the Joint Check Post (JCP), Attari, this morning.

Mohammed Aquil, DIG, BSF, met Sector Commander Brigadier Kamran from the Pakistan side and apprised him of the situation post the rocket attacks in border villages.

Addressing a press conference at the BSF Headquarters, Punjab Frontier, BSF Inspector General (IG) Himmat Singh said it was impressed upon the Pakistan Rangers to prevent such incidents in the future.

“We will be forced to take a strict action against the Pakistan Rangers in case of any such incident in the future”, he said.

Himmat Singh said though initially the Pakistan Rangers had refuted the allegation and said the rocket firing was the fallout of firing by some miscreants from the Indian Territory towards the Karewala Post at the Pakistan side.

“We proved it to Sector Commander Aquil that rockets came from the Pakistan side by showing them the splinters of the rockets fired,” he added.

He said the Sector Commander assured us that they would get the matter probed.

“We made them aware of the sensitivity of the issue and took an assurance of security from them”, he said.

Ludhiana, September 14
Trainers and resource persons today had discussion with 43 youths from across the country training them to prepare youths as ‘aam aadmi ka sipahi (AAKS), to make them act as watchdog to curtail corruption.

The youths, including educationists, entrepreneurs and professionals-who would be turned into master trainers after five- day training under Yuva Drishti-2009 of the Congress here, came from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

On the first day of training they listened to trainer Dr G K Jayaram, founder-director of the Institute of Leadership and Institutional Development (ILID), Bangalore, Dr Vijay Mahajan, social entrepreneur, Dr Suresh Sharma and Dr Somnath Ghosh.

Besides attending lectures, they learnt lessons in leadership qualities and were trained to prepare leaders, who could work for the Congress party at grass-root level. They were also made to work on small- group exercise as a trainer.

‘‘On the first day they learnt lessons so that they could go back as strong leaders. It is AICC general secretary, Rahul Gandhi’s dream to send able Congress leaders in every village. He has said there should be no dearth of real leaders, ’’ said Ravneet Singh Bittu, PYC president, who is organising the show.

The training went on under the surveillance and security by the Special Protection Group. Nobody except the resource persons and trainers were allowed inside the hall that was cordoned off for security reasons. The participants were not allowed to meet the media persons also.

Sangrur, September 14
Owing to a 100-foot-wide breach in the Ghaggar river, which occurred last night near Makror Sahib village (near Moonak), water entered standing crops on about 2,000 acres in several villages, including Moonak, Fulad, Salemgarh, Bhunder Bhaini and Surjan Bhaini, while crops on about 1,000 acres have been almost submerged.

Later the width of the breach reportedly increased to more than 150 feet. However, efforts were being made to plug the breach. A large number of farmers were helping plug the breach with the materials being provided by the administration for the purpose.

It is a matter of concern that the breach in the Ghaggar this time also occurred at the same place where a breach had occurred twice last year.

Talking to The Tribune Moonak SDM R.P.S. Walia said the administration started plugging work this morning. He said a major part of the breach had already been plugged. The administration had provided sandbags, wire and nets to the farmers for plugging the breach.

Walia claimed that the Gaggar water had entered standing crops on only 1,200 acres in five villages.Farmers might suffer damage to their standing crops on many acres as the crops had been submerged. There was no loss of life.

He said it seemed the breach site was a vulnerable point.The bandh of the Ghaggar had been breached twice at the same site last year by flood water.

The river was flowing below the danger mark (752 ft), touching the 748-foot mark at RD-460 at Khanauri this evening. 

Chandigarh, September 14
The Punjab government’s “local rank” promotions have come under the Punjab and Haryana High Court scanner.

A Division Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Jaswant Singh today directed the state DGP to appear in person and explain how police officials were continuing to hold local rank in the absence of any specific order.

The directions follow a petition by Head Constables Baljinder Singh and seven others. The petitioners had sought the quashing of an order directing only persons with first three positions in the university were entitled to “promotion of local rank to the next rank”. Directions had also been sought for promoting the petitioners to the next rank in accordance with the Chief Minister’s instructions, “vide which many persons were promoted”.

During the pendency of the petition, it transpired local rank could not be granted for more than six months, which may extend from time to time after recording reasons for each extension. Some of the officials were granted extension on December 12, 2003, but the requirement of recording the reason was not complied with.

The Bench observed there was no extension granted till September 6, 2005. How could these persons continue. The Bench also observed that all promotions purported to have been made were questionable as to how the CM has made the statement, which has not even matured into the amendment in rule 13.1 of the 1934 rules.

Amritsar, September 14
Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC) leader Jagdish Singh Jhinda and his five associates-most of whom are also members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)- have been summoned at Akal Takht on September 19 by Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and the high Sikh priests with direction to explain violation of the Sikh “Maryada” by them for “attack” on gurdwara in Kurukshetra .

Akal Takht Jathedar and Sikh high priests have made it clear Akal Takht has nothing to do with the demand for separate SGPC for Haryana gurdwaras asserting Takht was concerned with Sikh “Maryada”.

Giving new twist to the demand for separate SGPC for Haryana , Giani Gurbachan Singh indicated any such demand could, however, be discussed and considered at Akal Takht if the highest Sikh institution was approached by some organisation in this respect.

Akal Takht Jathedar has asked the Government of India to take up the issue with Haryana government to avoid repetition of the incident.

“ If Sikhs of Haryana come to Akal Takht a discussion can be initiated. But no organisation, except the SGPC, has the right to implement “Sewa Sambhal” of gurdwaras. Referring to the Kurukshetra incident, Akal Takht Jathedar said Jhinda and his associates-Kanwaljit Singh Ajnala, Bibi Ravinder Kaur, Avtaar Singh Cheeka, Hazoor Singh Nambardar, and Joginder Singh Yamunanagar- have been directed to appear before Akal Takht to explain why they had indulged in “acts of violence” and why they “hurt” the Sikh sentiments apart from “violating the Sikh Maryada. “ we are keen to learn what forced Jhinda and others to take such a step”, said Giani Gurbachan Singh and four high Sikh priests- Tarlochan Singh, Balwant Singh, Jagtar Singh and Mal Singh. They justified booking of Jhinda and others by the police adding Jhinda and others could be given fresh chance to appear at Akal Takht in case they were detained by the police.

“Jhinda and others made brazen effort by barging into the gurdwara premises with arms, forcing the “Granthi Singh” to leave “Hazoori” of Guru Granth Sahib and banning the entry of the devotees into the gurdwara. It is the duty of the Haryana government, to ensure prevalence of rule of law,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh who, had criticised Bhupinder Singh Hooda- led Haryana government for “instigating” Jhinda and his associates.

Ludhiana, September 14
With the death of renowned American agricultural scientist and humanitarian Norman Borlaug, called the ‘father of the green revolution’, Punjab Agricultural University as well as farmers in the state have lost a true friend. Paying rich tributes to the Nobel laureate, PAU vice-chancellor Manjit Singh Kang said that Dr Borlaug had visited the university on a number of occasions and that its scientists and students drew great motivation from him.

Faculty members remember he would visit the Ludhiana campus at the very first opportunity. Several PAU scientists including former vice chancellors Khem Singh Gill and KS Aulakh as well as GS Nanda worked with the scientist.

The varsity was the first to confer the degree of doctor of science (honoris causa) on him in recognition of his contributions to high-yielding crop varieties and ushering agricultural innovations in the developing world. Later, he was awarded the Nobel Prize.

Borlaug’s association with PAU began when he sent specimens of his Mexican wheat varieties to Ludhiana for development. Later, DS Atwal, who was then senior wheat breeder at the varsity, developed the Kalyan wheat variety that was sown in Punjab and laid the foundation of what became known as the green revolution of Punjab. Gill, who headed the varsity’s wheat breeding programme, enjoyed a close rapport with Borlaug. In 1978 he went to the CIMMYT Institute in Mexico where Borlaug was head of the wheat programme and they worked together. Gill brought material from Mexico which was developed at PAU.

Another former vice chancellor, KS Aulakh said “The last time Dr Borlaug visited PAU was in March 2005 when I was vice chancellor and he was impressed with the research at the varsity. He was a very humble man and down to earth”.

Vice chancellor Kang noted he had the privilege of receiving his BSc (agriculture) degree at the same convocation at which Borlaug was conferred the DSc degree in 1969. “The green revolution would not have happened if Borlaug had not developed high-yielding wheat varieties. He was known as the ‘father of Mexican wheat’ and later as the ‘father of the green revolution’. It will be difficult to fill the void caused by his death,” he said.

Chandigarh, September 14
The Punjab Finance Department today agreed to allow 25 per cent non-practising allowance (NPA) to doctors and issued written instructions in this regard.

This was disclosed by Principal Secretary, Health, Satish Chandra to PCMS Association patron Manjit Singh Randhawa after an inter-departmental meeting on the issue, claimed a press note of the PCMSA here.

Sangrur, September 14
President of Lehragaga block of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) Balbir Singh Jhaloor today said Pal Singh Ugrahan, president of Ugrahan village unit of the union, and Teja Singh Khokhar, a worker of BKU (Ugrahan), were arrested from their respective villages, here today.

Wth these arrests, the total number of leaders and farmers held from Sangrur district has risen to seven.

Jhaloor informed that earlier district general secretary of the Union Darbara Singh Chhajla, Gurbhagat Singh Shahpur, Gurmail Singh Shahpur, Ajaib Singh Jakhepal and Darshan Singh Jakhepal were arrested.

All of them have reportedly been arrested in connection with the September 8 clash between farmers and the police at Chandigarh, when the former were protesting against the unbundling of the Punjab State Electricity Board.

Chandigarh: The BKU (Ekta) claimed that the Punjab Police today made two arrests in Faridkot and Muktsar, besides conducting raids at the houses of district-level leaders of the party in both the districts.