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PIMS deal in public interest, says Badal
Operational crises plague state police
Chopper carrying Sukhbir was ‘not airworthy’
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BSF not to tone town ‘aggressive’ border drill
Industrialists seek changes in labour
laws
SPIC MACAY north zone fest ends
Amarinder’s book on history to be out soon
Focus on performance, Bittu tells party workers
Change of Land Use Cases
Arhtiyas not to pay farmers in advance
BSc maths paper a shocker for students
Sirhind Flyover
Moga police ‘hand in glove with coloniser’
Punjab police launches ‘Employee of month’ scheme
Paddy procurement picks up
Rs 300-crore loan for development schemes
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PIMS deal in public interest, says Badal
Jalandhar, October 4 Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had briefed the media here yesterday on the loss to the exchequer in case the deal with a private consortium was not cancelled. Badal, who was in the city to attend a function on the eve of Ramnaumi Shoba Yatra, told mediapersons that the govt had gone by the book and the deal would be in the interests of the people of the state. Reacting to the resolve of Amrinder to move court in this context, he said let him do so if he desired. It seems that the latter is just raking up a controversy unnecessarily, he added. The CM, who has not been giving much time to the media in his past few visits to the city, stopped his cavalcade twice and walked back to the waiting reporters to settle the dust on this issue. He was at great pains to explain that only certain changes had been made in the expression of interest while signing the deal but it was not a cause of worry. What is wrong if certain changes have been made so long as they were in the interests of the state, he questioned. Taking a dig at the former Chief Minister, Badal said Amarinder conveniently forgotten that they had only struck the deal at the terms settled by his predecessor. Moreover, we had talked to top experts in this field who had given the go ahead. He also rubbished claims that the bureaucrats had misled him into clearing the deal. No one can pull the wool over my eyes, he asserted. Commenting on the poor procurement and distress sale of paddy across the state, he said he had instructed the DCs to monitor the situation on a day-to-day basis and ensure that the procurement and transportation of the crop is smooth. On the ongoing strike by rice shellers, he said the Food and Supplies Minster was on the job and the matter would be resolved soon. Others present on the occasion included MLA SS Makkar, parliamentary secretary Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Paramjit Singh Raipur.
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Operational crises plague state police
Chandigarh, October 4 While the government has shown its penchant for appointing the most ever number of state police cadre (PPS) officers as Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), what is surprising is that the post of Station House Officer (SHO) is also being handed out to those not eligible for it. Though there is an order from the state police chief that only Sub-Inspectors (SIs) should be posted as SHOs, it is being ignored with impunity. This despite the fact that the state government has constituted an Administrative Reforms Committee and the Chief Minister in-waiting, Sukhbir Badal, is looking after the Home portfolio. There is an unwritten law that SAD legislators or “illaqa” in charge, in case there is no party legislator in a particular constituency, will be responsible for the posting of SHOs and also DSPs. This diktat has not been changed even after a new DGP joined a few months ago. It has resulted in indiscipline and backbiting in the force even as legislators are changing SHOs constantly in case they are not “satisfied” with the police officers chosen by them, in some cases only a few months ago. This situation has resulted in Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) working as SHOs in some police stations even as SIs senior to them work as investigating officers in the same police station. This has been done through a novel method. There are many police stations where no SHO is posted. In such stations, an ASI is attached to the station to function as
the SHO. With the wrong kind of officers working as SHOs in most police stations, impartial policing has been thrown to the winds. Bigwigs at the police headquarters here are, meanwhile, introducing community policing in select police stations and aim to extend the scheme further, not realising it will only serve as a cosmetic measure in the present scheme of things.
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Chopper carrying Sukhbir was ‘not airworthy’
Chandigarh, October 4 Highly placed sources have confirmed that the DGCA records indicate that the helicopter belonging to Heli Trans LLC, a Nevada-based company in the US and operated in India by Prem Air (a unit of AFIMAC Associates) was issued a certificate of airworthiness on December 18, 2006, by the DGCA, but the same had expired on February 28, 2009, and as per DGCA records this has not been renewed. If the DGCA records and their online records are to be accepted at their face value, then the helicopter on which the deputy Chief Minister was travelling from Delhi to Jalalabad on August 30 was not airworthy. According to records available with The Tribune, the helicopter was originally registered with the DGCA on March 8, 2004, and was issued a certificate of airworthiness bearing serial number 2567. The helicopter had flown 238 hours after the certificate was issued to it and another check was due in February 2009, six months before it made an emergency landing in the end of August 2009. The chopper had reportedly developed a technical snag, leading to a providential escape for Sukhbir Badal and other occupants. Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, SR Ladhar is investigating both aspects of the snag - the technical as well as the possibility of a conspiracy. With the helicopter being flown without being certified as “fit to fly”, the “technical snag” theory is beginning to gain credence. It may be recalled that the helicopter flown by Col Vishnu Rawal and co-pilot Padma had made an emergency landing in the open fields of Gobind Nagar, around 700 metres short of the Border Security Force (BSF) helipad, where it was actually supposed to land. The Commission of inquiry setup by the by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is headed by Ladhar, while NS Dhillon, DIG CM Security is assisting him. The scope of the inquiry is to go into all aspect possible, to determine the cause of the emergency landing. The state government has already made up its mind to file a criminal case against whoever is found guilty by the inquiry. It ordered the inquiry after the DGCA failed to respond to its request to look into various aspects of the “emergency landing” including the possibility of a conspiracy to harm the deputy Chief Minister since he is secured by “Z plus” security. Interestingly, BS Sudan, Commissioner, Ferozepur Division, under whose jurisdiction the site of the landing falls, is not a part of the probe. This has been done because Sudan was an eyewitness to the emergency landing and the government wants the inquiry to be conducted “impartially”.
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Lankan airlines pilot cremated
Jalandhar, October 4 The body that was airlifted to Delhi Airport from Colombo and was received by his father Jagan Nath Joshi, last night. The family members brought the body to his hometown by road, today. After obtaining formal permission from the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner, the body was straightway taken to the local civil hospital and a autopsy was conducted. The body was taken to his home in Basti Nau locality and last rites were performed. Raman’s wife Ranjna, daughter Kosa and other members of the family were present. The traumatized father of the pilot, Joshi, lit the pyre and saluted him at the last post. “Raman was receiving frequent threatening calls from his Sri Lankan pilot colleagues, including women, on his mobile and landline phones for the past over five months. Last we talked on the phone was on September 24 evening when he failed to get his air ticket confirmed for Canada at Colombo airport,” claimed Ranjna. Raman was on leave from September 24 till October 1 and was to be with his family in Canada. She said that she would write to President of India to take up the issue with the Sri Lankan government for providing her justice. Varinder Parbhakar, a maternal uncle of the deceased, said the Srilankan police had destroyed the evidence by cleaning his blood-stained accommodation without informing the Indian High Commissioner at Sri Lanka so that the family could not proceed for further investigations in the case. Moreover, the Srilankan government after packing up his household belongings has deposited it with the Indian High Commissioner at Sri Lanka without informing his family members, he claimed.
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BSF not to tone town ‘aggressive’ border drill
Amritsar, October 4 At the same time, the border post presents a chaotic picture with virtually no arrangements for parking and drinking water. This invariably causes great inconvenience to the visitors, who find no place to park their vehicles in absence of any traffic management. However, what irks the visitors on this side the most is the treatment meted out to them by overzealous BSF officials, who are often seen herding them from one place to another in the visitors’ gallery in the name of security. A couple of visitors alleged they were repeatedly made to move from one place to another by “unfriendly cops” whenever some guests of some top BSF officials arrived at the pace “This stiffness and often even hostile behaviour betrays a medieval mindset on both sides, particularly when the leaders of the two countries talk about improving bilateral ties. Besides, the heaving stomping of feet during the parade by both the Pakistani Rangers and
BSF guards can harm the soldiers”, said Kumud, 25, who had come all the way from Gujarat to see
the ceremony. “I’m not at all impressed with the hostility displayed through these postures of the Pak Rangers and BSF guards. They should at least shake hands before the ceremony concludes with the lowering of flags of both two countries”, said Jagtar Singh, another visitor. Visitors said the parade, and particularly the soldiers’ postures, were so hostile that at times they could easily be mistaken for gestures openly challenging
each other. They said the gates on both sides are flung open and shut with such force that these seemingly would require frequent repairs. The passions of several thousand visitors on both the sides are apparently whipped up by the BSF and Pak Rangers, who ask them through loudspeakers to raise patriotic slogans,
they added. When contacted, BSF DIG Jagir Singh said there were no immediate plans to tone down their posturing as an earlier attempt to do so had evoked no positive response from the other side. Admitting parking facilities were absent despite thousands of visitors every day, he said: “The Punjab government should do something about the limited parking space”.
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Industrialists seek changes in labour
laws
Bathinda, October 4 The industrialists, in a letter to the Chief Minister, claimed that labour laws were almost archaic in nature and these needed to be changed for the very survival of industry in the state. They said majority of the Acts comprising the Labour law had actually long outlived their utility. They were of the view that the labour laws were largely meant for large companies establishing themselves away from cities. The Factory Act and the Shop and Commercial Establishment Act have also come under fire from the industrialists. It was claimed these acts had no meaning in the government-developed industrial areas, estates and focal points of the state. On corruption, they claimed that corruption was reaching unmanageable heights in the excise and income tax departments. Voicing concerns against the working of the PSEB, the industrialists claimed that even if electricity meters installed on the premises of SSI were working properly, the flying squad staff of the board were in the habit of wrongly calculating the load. Terming their SSIs as the government’s “milching cows rather the growth engines of the state,” the industrialists called for drastic steps to revive the units. Sarv Daman Bharat, general secretary of the state unit, emphasised on upgrading infrastructure in industrial areas. He added the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) had “miserably failed on all fronts” as it was more interested in extorting money from people than industries welfare. “He claimed that other government departments like the Punjab Financial Corporation (PFC) and the Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC) had almost become defunct. Bharat demanded that no minimum user charged should be imposed by the PSEB where it was unavailable to provide power round-the-clock to the SSIs. Speaking on the importance of creating a brand image for state-based industries, Bharat touted the setting up of the Punjab Trade Fair Authority (PTFA) on the lines of the India International Trade Fair Authority (IITFA). He said the PTFA should be entrusted with the responsibility of holding trade fairs at district level where exhibitions promoting SSI units are held regularly. Bharat also advocated the need to scarp Value Added Tax (VAT) on industries like steel mills and paper mills as it was not possible to get bills for scrap they use from the market. He also urged the state government to go ahead with the proposal of buying land near the sea in Gujarat and develop its own sea port to boost import and export of Punjab-based goods. He claimed that the Gujarat government was offering land to the state, which shouldn’t be let go by.
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SPIC MACAY north zone fest ends
Patiala, October 4 The event, from October 1-4, was dedicated to Gangubai Hangal. Eminent artists who performed in the convention included Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt, Pt. Channulal Mishra, Pt. Ronu Majumdar, Wassiffuddin Dagar, Rani Khanam and the Wadali brothers. The students witnessed folk performances of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir and a play “Buhe Baarian” directed by renowned thespian MK Raina. Lecture demonstrations by famous puppeteer Dadi Pudumjee and photographer Raghu Rai were conducted, along with the screening of Akira Kurosawi-directed Japanese film “Seven Samurai”. “I liked the last day’s concert the most. Though I am quite new to classical music and do not understand its nuances, still I got hooked and felt elated,” says Ankit Babbar, participant from Delhi College of Engineering. Director of Thapar University Abhijeet Mukherjee too was delighted with the event’s response. He said, “It was a multi-sensory and memorable experience for all participants that will be cherished for long. The combination of diverse music and dance forms, colourful folk performances and yoga were rejuvenating and delightful.” The convention also had a conceptual session where members gathered and to plan the upcoming events of the VIRASAT series. The north zone “VIRASAT” series will have performances by maestros such as Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt, Dhrupad exponent Ustad Fahimuddin Dagar and renowned Kathak dancer Rani
Khanam.
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Amarinder’s book on history to be out soon
Jalandhar, October 4 His earlier two books - Lest We Forget and A Ridge too Far - were well received. “The draft of the new book has been sent to the publisher. I am hopeful that the book will be released in the first week of December”, said Amarinder. “I have worked very hard on this book. It is a result of my 10 years of research on a particular period of history of this region”, said he. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who has a prominent place in Sikh history, died in 1839. The sprawling kingdom he painstakingly built collapsed in a few years after his death. Many of close relations of Maharaja Ranjit Singh were assassinated. The British annexed Punjab in 1849 and made it a part of their Indian territories. However, there were some glaring missing links in events happened between 1839 and 1849. The former Chief Minister had visited Nepal where Maharani
Jinda, wife Ranjit Singh, was kept in jail. “I have gone through huge stacks of documents available in various archives, libraries and other places as part of my research to write the book”, he said.
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Focus on performance, Bittu tells party workers
Patiala, October 4 Addressing the youth activists here, Bittu directed the Youth Congress rank and file to start working for the state Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in 2012. “The SAD-BJP government has proved to be an utter failure. All the development work being carried out in the state right now are from the Central government schemes. What to talk about development projects, the state government doesn’t have the money to pay the salaries of the employees,” he said, while adding that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was misleading the masses by claiming that the government was committed for the progress of the state. Bittu also said in order to make the masses aware about the wrong policies of the Akali government, youth Congress activists would be holding awareness camps in the entire state. “We have directed the youth leaders to spread the achievements of the UPA government at village level. At the same time, the party will highlight the failures of the state government as well”, he told the reporters. Bittu also announced that Youth Congress leaders, office bearers and activists working hard for the party, will be given the opportunity to lead from the front. He added the party would give responsibilities to its members on the basis of performance. “As announced by AICC general secretary and incharge of Youth Congress Rahul Gandhi, one thing is very clear that party activists, who will work for the party will be brought forward”, said the young MP. Bittu also attended a meeting of the party office bearers organised by the Patiala District Youth Congress (Urban) president and general secretary Vikramjit Chawla and Sonu Sangar, respectively.
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Mayors seek Badal’s
intervention
Umesh Dewan Tribune News Service
Patiala, October 4 Strongly criticising the decision, Mayor of Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Bathinda said that it was extremely sad that rather than empowering the Mayor’s with more powers, the government is doing otherwise. Notably, earlier cases of the land use change were tabled in the Change of Land Use (CLU) Committee headed by Mayor’s. But last week, Department of Local Self Government issued orders authorising commissioners of the respective Municipal Corporations to deal with the land use change cases. The said move of the state government has lead to great resentment among the Mayor’s. “Though Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal has categorically said he is in favour of decentralisation of powers, but it is a harsh reality that as per the orders, Mayors had been stripped of the powers,” rued Bathinda Mayor Baljit Singh, while speaking to The Tribune. He further said the CLU committees comprises of Mayor, Municipal Town Planner, senior officials and elected representatives. “After the approval of the general house of MC, the cases cleared by the committee were sent to the Punjab government for necessary approval. It is beyond my understanding, why this system has been discontinued,” he asserted. Expressing similar views, Jalandhar Mayor Rakesh Rathour said it was really disheartening that instead of giving more powers to Mayors, the government has withdrawn the power by abolishing CLU committees. “The said decision is not acceptable to us, but we will take up the matter in a proper manner with party leadership and the CM,” he disclosed. Patiala Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said, “Being elected representatives, we are answerable to the masses. The said decision will lead to unnecessary delay in clearance of the land use cases and hence, there is immediate need to review this decision.” Ludhiana Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura and Amritsar Mayor Shwait Malik also expressed similar views. Now, all five Mayors’ have decided to meet both senior and junior Badal to convey their sentiment to them.
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Arhtiyas not to pay farmers in advance
Kapurthala, October 4 The decision was taken in a meeting of the commission agents held here today in which more than 150 Arthiyas (commission agents) from all over the state participated to express their resentment against the issuance of September 27 notification. Kutcha Arthiya District Association president Om Parkash Behal told mediapersons after the meeting that the association demanded seeking of the farmers opinion whether they want payments through cheques or cash and the commission agents would abide their opinion. Under the notification issued by the government, the commission agents have been directed to make the payments through cheques to the farmers and they could make a cash payment of Rs 10,000 only to a farmer once in a month. The notification further says that commission agent can recover the advance payment made to the farmers through cheque. Behal said the government had given verbal orders to the commission agents to recover the advance payments from the farmers during this paddy season and government would not strictly implement the notification to facilitate the commission agents to recover the advance made to the farmers.
— PTI
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BSc maths paper a shocker for students
Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 4 The Algebra part that comprised the third paper of the subject was included in paper I held on Saturday. Depending only on the university website for any clarification, students are now confused about next two papers scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Thursday. Parents of affected students have urged the authorities to clarify syllabus for next papers and allow grace marks in the first paper. Students availing special mercy chance for clearing compartment in Mathematics paper of BSc I alleged that the authorities had failed to set the question papers according to prescribed syllabus. “We were shocked when we found that questions from Algebra part had been included in first paper of mathematics where these were to be asked in paper III according to the current syllabus. We brought the anomaly to the notice of invigilators in the examination, who showed their helplessness in the matter and advised us to solve the paper,” said a student of Government College, Karamsar. Apprehending complications in next two papers the students regretted there was nobody to guide them on the issue. “What worried us most is that at least eight chapters are different in case of current and old syllabi for second paper. With only one day at our hand we can not prepare these chapters according to old syllabus now,” grieved the students. The Panjab University had granted one special chance to students of all the courses, against the payment of Rs 6,000 for one paper and Rs 800 for each extra paper.
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Encroachers try to hoodwink authorities
Gurdeep Singh Mann Tribune News Service
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 4 Whenever, the officials go to remove the encroachments, they take plea over one issue or the other. Earlier, they took plea of Dussehra, and now they have urged the railway authorities to put off the anti-encroachment drive till Diwali. The construction of the Sirhind flyover started in January this year, however, owners of temporary sheds adjoining railway lines have been refusing to vacate their sheds on government land. The railway officials, who reached the spot today, said the encroachers were given a week’s time on November 16, but most of them urged the authorities that they would remove their sheds at their own after Dussehra. “Now that we have come to remove their encroachments, they want us to withhold it till Diwali,” said an official. People have erected sheds on government land adjoining the railway lines, which they use as tuck shops to sell things. The railway officials informed that encroachments had to be removed at any cost in a day or two. “flyover construction is not concerned with any festival. We have given ample time to these encroachers, but now they want us to wait till Diwali,” they said. Around 10 temporary sheds, which were closed last week, were removed with the help of the police. Fresh warnings to the others was also issued in this regard.
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Moga police ‘hand in glove with coloniser’
Ludhiana, October 4 They alleged that the Moga police picked up city-based father-son duo from their residence and forced them to sign on property documents. They said the police arrested Veer Malhotra (50) and his father Baldev Malhotra (78) from their residence in the Civil line on September 22. Dhanda alleged that the police detained and tortured both for
three days. Gosain said all this was done “on the behest of an influential coloniser”, who was allegedly trying to usurp the property of the father-son duo. He said both were allegedly made captive in a store owned by the coloniser, where the latter forced them to sign on property documents worth crores. Both were let off after three days. Dhanda alleged that an Amritsar-based MLA was also involved in the conspiracy. However, Moga SSP Ashok Bath termed the allegation as “baseless”.
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Punjab police launches ‘Employee of month’ scheme
Chandigarh, October 4 Such employees would be declared employees of the month and would be awarded with the certificate by the DGP himself. An official spokesman said here today this scheme is the brainchild of DGP PS Gill, as he felt that it would increase motivation level of the “performer” and recognise their contribution, besides inspiring others to follow the role model.
— PTI
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Paddy procurement picks up
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 4 A huge difference is witnessed this time in paddy procurement as compared to previous year as 2,863 tonne of paddy was purchased last year in Khanna grain market. However, this time it is just 810 tonne in last week. Nearly, 6,712 tonne paddy was purchased by government and private traders at Khanna grain market till today.
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Rs 300-crore loan for development schemes
Chandigarh, October 4 The government notified the sale of Punjab government stock (securities) of 10-year tenure for an aggregate amount of Rs 300 crore (nominal), an official spokesman said. Consent of the Centre has already been obtained in this regard. He said the government stock would be sold through RBI by auction on October 6. The application form duly filled in with the bids should be submitted to the RBI on October 6 by 12.30 pm. The result would be displayed on the same day and successful bidders would make payment the next day.
— PTI
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The Commission of Inquiry, which is probing into the emergency landing of the helicopter carrying Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, is yet to complete its investigations, but sources have confirmed that as per the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) records, the 1993 manufactured Bell 230 helicopter did not have a valid licence of airworthiness.
Amritsar, October 4
Jalandhar, October 4
