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DG visits Attari
‘Sale’ of Sikh shrine lands in Pak criticised
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Over 250 ‘back-door entries’ in PTU
Amended Coop Society Act to be implemented soon
Sidhu: ‘Failed’ leaders should not
get plum posts
Special courts sought for drug abuse cases
PIMS deal: Amarinder vows to expose govt
Govt working to get fair deal for rice millers
Docs in rural areas await contract renewal
Health activists hold protest
Doctors up in arms over Bhatia’s transfer
Hearing in Chahal case adjourned to January 4
Chhina takes charge as PSIEC chief
Cops not protecting dera followers, says Tandon
Two die in mishap
BKU seeks special girdwari, compensation
Cabinet likely to give nod to industrial policy today
Anticipatory bail plea
Minor gang-raped in Moga village
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DG visits Attari
Attari, October 5 The gesture symbolically restored the respect to a nautch girl - Moran, a contemporary of legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The then prevalent societal taboos abhorred her profession and the place drew the derogatory name Kanjari. However, the village still is known with the same name Pull Kanjari. The DG in a firm message to Pakistan said his force was ready to tackle any rocket strike from across the international border. He announced that 29 more battalions would be added to the present strength. Srivastava said following rocket launcher attacks from across the border they had registered the protest with the Pakistan Rangers. However, the Pak Rangers has not yet come out with any satisfactory reply. He said, however, the BSF had fired following the second rocket launcher strike and added that the instructions had been given that any misadventure in future would elicit the same kind of reaction. He said with the gradual induction of sophisticated equipments and deployment of adequate force along the fencing on the international border had wrecked the nefarious designs of the anti-national persons. Consequently, the supply of contraband had come down drastically. He said more battalions of the BSF would be pressed into curb the activities of Naxalites in the states grappling with the menace. Keeping in view the services being rendered by the frontier force, he demanded pay scale for its officials at par with the Army. The DG handed over a basket containing fruit and sweets to an official of the Pakistan Rangers, Akbar Ali Bhutt. He also witnessed the retreat ceremony at the WJCP.
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‘Sale’ of Sikh shrine lands in Pak criticised
Amritsar, October 5 The PETB, it is learnt, allegedly sold prime property measuring over 310 kanals and belonging to a Sikh, Mota Singh, adjacent to the Lahore-based posh Defence Colony at a throwaway price recently. Similarly, another piece of land of about 510 kanals owned by the management of the Lahore-based Samadh Bhai Mann Singh and Gurdwara Deh Sahib was also sold for peanuts by the PETPB, evoking a strong reaction from Sikhs all over the world. “The issue is very serious particularly when it pertains to the minority community of Sikhs living in Pakistan. We have already raised such issues, particularly with PETB chairman Asif Hashmi, ealier also but it seems it has failed to yield any result. Hashmi had assured us that no land belonging to any Sikh or Sikh shrine would be sold without the consent of Pakistan-based Sikhs, who could go to the apex court of the country to claim the land back,” Dr Pritpal Singh, convener of the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, said while talking to The Tribune from the USA. Similarly, California-based Dr Satpal Multani said the sale of gurdwara lands was unacceptable to the Sikhs. The PETPB, it was learnt, had recently sold pieces of land owned by Gurdwara Bebe Nanki and by the management of the Chuna Mandi gurdwara in Lahore, but had to cancel the deal as the Sikhs over there had lodged a protest with the government of Pakistan. Referring to the issue of sale of lands belonging to Sikh shrines, Peshawar-based Darshan Singh said the gurdwara Chuna Mandi sale deed was cancelled only after the court issued directions in this respect. Although there are over 170 Sikh shrines in Pakistan, the government of the neighbouring country has been allowing Sikh devotees to visit just six of these.
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Over 250 ‘back-door entries’ in PTU
Chandigarh, October 5 These employees have been continuing on contract or daily-wage basis for years together and no attempt has been made to fill posts on regular basis through the open competition. According to information gathered by Harnek Singh, Chairman, Global Institute of Dalit Studies, Patiala, from the university under the Right to Information Act, some of these appointments were made on the basis of “recommendatory” letters from Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Mohinder Singh Kaypee, both Congress leaders. The information adds that the PTU has more than 120 employees on an ad hoc basis and over 115 as daily-wage workers besides several senior officers on contract. An assistant registrar was for instance handpicked in 2001 under orders of the then Vice-Chancellor. No advertisement was released by the PTU for inviting applications for the same. No attempt has so far been made to make a regular appointment to this post even though initially he was employed on a one-year contract. Some other officers who were appointed on contract basis in 2006 were kept only after inviting applications and later interview. However, appointments to clerical and class-IV posts have been uniformly made on contract or ad-hoc basis without any advertisements or applications. These include several clerks, attendants, drivers and carpenters, sweepers, electricians and watchmen. Interestingly, applications of two aspirants for the post of an attendant and a computer clerk were recommended by Mohinder Singh Kaypee, the then Minister of Technology, Education under his own signatures and stamp in early 2004 with the remarks reading “forwarded to adjust”. The Dean, examinations, also recommended an attendant with the remarks, “recommended as a special case on the basis of personal knowledge.” “The PTU regulations that lay down the procedure of appointments to grade B and C post are clearly violated while making these appointments,” says advocate HC Arora, also convener of the RTI Users Association. The PTU regulations lay down that the registrar shall get posts advertised with such qualifications as may be prescribed by the board. After advertising the post and receiving applications, the VC shall appoint a Selection Committee to make recommendations for interviews. After interviewing candidates, the panel shall recommend at least three persons for each post in order of merit, one of which will be then selected. Arora said hundreds of employees were treated as “back-door entries”, and their services could not be regularised even if they acquired any number of years of service as such.
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Amended Coop Society Act to be implemented soon
Chandigarh, October 5 An assurance to this effect was given by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a meeting held here late last evening under his chairmanship to address various issues related to Milkfed, Punjab, in general and Milk Plant, Mohali, in particular. Responding to the demands put forth by the management of the Milkfed, the Chief Minister also gave go-ahead to recruit various categories of employees against 253 vacant posts in different milk plants in the state. He directed the MD, Milkfed, to immediately initiate the process of recruitment by filling about 50 per cent vacancies of technical staff and veterinary doctors in
Milkfed, Mohali, in the first phase after completing various formalities within the next one-and-a-half month. Badal asked all co-operative societies to set up agro centres for which the state government would extend its support and cooperation. He asked the Board of Directors of all milk plants to equip themselves with veterinary mobile vans for providing veterinary services to the dairy farmers at their doorsteps.
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Sidhu: ‘Failed’ leaders should not
get plum posts
Jalandhar, October 5 Talking about his absence from his constituency for over three months in protest against the appointment of his bete noire Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina as chairman of the Amritsar Improvement Trust, he said “failed” leaders should not be given prime positions in the government. Though he did not mention Chhina’s name in his conversation, he said the appointment of the Chairman of the Punjab State Small Scale Industry and Export Corporation was “not in his jurisdiction.” “However, I will raise voice when someone will be appointed as the functionary of an important public post in my constituency,” he said. Sidhu said he would canvass for BJP candidates in Maharashtra and Haryana. “I will address 66 rallies in both states,” he added.
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Special courts sought for drug abuse cases
Sangrur, October 5 This was stated by president of Samaj Sewa Manch, Punjab, Prof Uday Partap Singh, while addressing a seminar on “Female foeticide and drugs” at Gharachon village, near Bhawanigarh, today. Uday Partap further said the society should initiate steps to provide security and equal status to women. He said the
society should also fight against social evils, like dowry, to check female foeticide in a big way. A former director of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Puran Singh Jassi, appealed to the NGOs to come forward to fight against the female foeticide and drugs in their respective areas. He said the Samaj Sewa Manch would also provide assistance to them in
this regard. On the occasion, the Sarpanch of Gharachon village Darshan Singh said in 2007, 107 babies were born in the village and only 36 were girls. Whereas in 2008 out of total 96 newborn babies there were only 32 girls. In 2009, out of the 71 newborn babies there are only 26 girls so far,
he added. Among others who also addressed the gathering included Barnala Naib Tehsildar Kanwalpreet Puri, an employees’ leader Raj Kumar Arora, Gharachon Medical Officer Gurcharan Singh Mann.
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PIMS deal: Amarinder vows to expose govt
Mohali, October 5 Reacting to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s statement that the former CM was interested in moving the courts unnecessarily, Amarinder said his interest was to expose corruption in the Akali government. Singh was in the Mohali court in connection with the hearing of the Amritsar Improvement Trust case registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. Earlier, the former Chief Minister along with former minister Jagjit Singh along with others named in the case appeared before the court. Their counsels told the court that they had got interim relief from the Supreme Court. In light of the application moved by the counsels of the accused, the court fixed the next date of hearing on October 21.
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Govt working to get fair deal for rice millers
Chandigarh, October 5 Food and Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon has rushed again to Delhi after millers refused to end their strike even though Kairon’s meeting with Food Minister Sharad Pawar two days back resulted in an increase in relaxation for damage content from the previous 3 to 4 per cent. The millers want an increase in the concession for discoloration, which is 3 per cent presently besides relaxations for paddy milled last year but still lying with them as it has not been accepted by the FCI. According to sources, the Punjab government has given an assurance to the rice millers that it would sympathetically consider its demand for ending 4 per cent VAT on rice bran and husk besides bearing the value cut on rice. State Rice Millers Association President Tarsem Saini said these issues were also part of the promises made by the SAD-BJP government in its election manifesto and that the millers were hopeful the government would abide with them. “In case they agree to address the issues pertaining to them we will also think positively”, he said but added that he had not got any word till now that the demands had been accepted. “We are also demanding that a new policy on storage with targets being fixed for each month along with provision of penalty should also be revised”, he added. As regards issues of relaxation in damage content and discoloration, Saini said the millers were ready for a survey by a central team. As much as 7 lakh tonne of rice stored with millers of the state is not being accepted by FCI and millers want a relaxation of 5 per cent for both damage content and discoloration. The FCI has fixed a relaxation of 3.5 per cent for both categories. The government has taken emergency measures by lifting paddy from alternate mandis in Muktsar and Faridkot, which have reported the highest arrivals. However, Food and Civil Supplies Director DS Grewal admits that mandis could choke in case the millers do not end their strike in the next few days. Low arrivals seem to have saved the situation as of now. Fewer paddy has arrived in mandis compared to the same period last year. This is because of late transplantation and rain in September which delayed ripening. However, paddy arrivals are picking up in areas like Khanna and Moga, which had reported few arrivals during the first few days of procurement.
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Docs in rural areas await contract renewal
Ludhiana, October 5 These doctors, working under the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, have been waiting to get their contracts renewed for four months. As many as 1,193 doctors were appointed in 2006 on a three-year contract basis, which ended on May 31. Dr Rajesh Sharma, a spokesperson for the Rural Medical Services Organisation, said their present pay package was in contradiction to a policy formulated by the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayats. He said the salary of doctors working in rural areas was fixed at Rs 21,000 per month according to the appointment letters given in 2006, which was more than that of Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) doctors. However, PCMS doctors got their due increments in the past three years and were at present drawing Rs 37,000 per month. No hike had been given to RMOs, he added. The association is demanding the salary on a par with the PCMS doctors, along with three-year increments. The general secretary of the association, Dr Rishi Bhardwaj, said these doctors were planning to give mass resignations if the government failed to give them salary on a par with that of the PCMS doctors.
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Health activists hold protest
Sangrur, October 5 Earlier, these workers (all women) gathered on the premises of the local civil hospital, from where they took out a protest march, carrying effigy of the government, through the town. They also raised slogans against the government and the state Health Minister. After burning the effigy, they went to the district administrative complex where they held a rally in front of the DC office. Gurmeet Kaur (Bardwal) and Saroj Rani (Gujran), vice-president and general secretary, respectively, of the district unit of the union, said their demands include regularisation of services of the ASHA workers, release of arrears of the honorarium from April for the works, done by them, eight-hour duty norm, uniform and leave facilities for them.
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Doctors up in arms over Bhatia’s transfer
Patiala, October 5 MS Randhawa, patron of PCMS Association and convener of Punjab Doctors Co-ordination Committee, said here today that Dr Bhatia as the president of the Government Medical College Teachers Association, earned the ill will of Medical Education and Research Minister Tikshan Sood who felt offended from doctor’s honesty and truthfulness. Dr Randhawa appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene to save the situation since the “biased and unreasonable” attitude of minister concerned is likely to result in serious embarrassment to the state government. The State Government Medical Teachers Association, PCMS and junior doctors’ associations have warned the government of statewide stir in case it failed to rescind the unjust transfer immediately.
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Hearing in Chahal case adjourned to January 4
Patiala, October 5 He was here in connection with a case registered by the Patiala Vigilance Bureau against him on July 11, 2007. The Vigilance Bureau had registered a case against Chahal, Jaswinder, Vikramjit, a close associate Gurmit Singh and others. The court today issued summons to Gurmit Singh, who is said to be in the USA presently and supplied copies of challans to Jaswinder Kaur and Vikramjit Singh to appear in the court on the next date of hearing on January 4, 2010. Chahal had been arrested in this case on July 13, 2007 and granted bail on August 30, 2007.
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Chhina takes charge as PSIEC chief
Chandigarh, October 5 After taking over the charge, Chhina said that setting up of small-scale industrial units in the state and providing adequate opportunities to the youth to become economically independent would be one of his top most priorities. He said he would ensure the effective implementation of programmes and policies of the government in accordance with the New Industrial Policy to be announced in the state. Punjab would be developed as a major export centre of India. Agro-based industrial units would be given preference in the state, he said. Manoranjan Kalia, Industries Minister Punjab while congratulating Chhina said the state government would revamp the infrastructure of all focal points set up in the year 1997. An amount of Rs 41 crore would be spent on setting up of new focal points and maintaining the existing ones. The new industrial policy benefiting Punjab in general and Industrialists in particular was on anvil, Kalia said.
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Cops not protecting dera followers, says Tandon
Chandigarh, October 5 Condemning the Punjab Police for failing to stop an attack on followers of the dera while they were peacefully conducting a ‘naam charcha’ function at Mehraj village in Bathinda district two days back, the BJP leader said the moot point was whether the police had been directed not to intervene in such cases. Tandon said the ‘naam charcha’ function was disturbed after organizations, including the Ek Noor Khalsa Force and the SAD (Panch Pardhani), called upon the Sikh sangat through loud speakers to reach the function site in strength. He said following this the dera followers were stoned and their property damaged. The senior BJP leader said already some persons belonging to terrorist organisations and having links with radical Sikh organisations had claimed to have killed two important persons, including a dera follower and Rashtriya Sikh Sangat President Rulda Singh. “If such things are not nipped in the bud and clear instructions are not issued in this regard to the state police, the law the order situation could go out of hand”, he said while appealing to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to take remedial measures immediately. Besides demanding issuing of instructions in this regard, Tandon said strict action should be taken against SSPs, who fail to take timely action to avert such incidents. The BJP leader also requested the Chief Minister to diffuse the situation at the political level by using his influence with the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
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Two die in mishap
Sangrur, October 5 According to information, safai sewak Shammi (40) and his friend Kuldip Kumar (40), both residents of local Dhebar basti, were sitting on the ground at the petrol station here when the bus almost crushed them. As both sustained serious injuries they were taken to the local civil hospital. The hospital authorities reportedly referred them to Government Hospital, Patiala. SHO (City) Randhir Singh said they died on the way to the hospital. He added that the police had registered a case under Section 304-A, IPC, against the bus driver.
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BKU seeks special girdwari, compensation
Chandigarh, October 5 The BKU also condemned the Union government for not fixing Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Cotton till date. “In absence of MSP, farmers are compelled to sell their cotton crop by Rs 500 per quintal lesser than last year,” Punjab BKU president Balbir Singh Rajewal said here. Rajewal said on one hand, the farmers are being exploited with low MSP of paddy and on the other bureaucracy is threatening them with dire consequences if they burn the paddy stubble. “Cutting and clearance of paddy straw costs the farmers by about Rs 2,000 per acre, which is never accounted for, while fixing MSP of any crop," he said adding, farmers were therefore compelled to burn it. “If the government wants them to avoid it, farmers must be compensated with Rs 2,000 per acre grant. If still the farmers are harassed, they will gherao the Pollution Control Board,” he said. Paddy has started coming to the markets and the Centre is silent on the issue, he said adding if the Centre does not increase the MSP of paddy, farmers of Punjab will protest wherever the Prime Minister and Congress president Sonia Gandhi come to address election rallies. — PTI
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Cabinet likely to give nod to industrial policy today
Chandigarh, October 5 Highly placed sources, both in the Industries Department and the Industries Minister’s office, confirmed that the draft of the policy would be placed before the Cabinet. But which parts are accepted and which rejected will become clear only after the policy is put to debate by Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia. Although there are eight or nine issues on the agenda for the Cabinet meeting, the industrial policy and the issue pertaining to the government stand and decision on “land pooling” in Mohali are expected to take up most of the Cabinet’s time. There is a sharp division between the Cabinet (read politicians) and the bureaucrats on whether to accept the demand of the farmers whose land now constitutes Sectors 76 to 80 in Mohali of including them in the “land pooling” policy of the government. In an interaction with mediapersons last month, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had indicated that the matter would be resolved at the next Cabinet meeting. The Chief Minister is personally keen to accept the farmers’ demand as former Cooperation Minister Kanwaljit Singh had made a promise to the farmers which Badal wants to fulfil. If the government accepts the demand, it would mean an additional liability on the government of Rs 45,000 crore in terms of additional compensation. Sources in the Industries Department indicated that the new industrial policy would mainly focus on promoting agro-based industries in the state, besides laying considerable emphasis on bringing in the information technology industry here. There is, however, some reservation among Cabinet Ministers who feel that for the agro-based industry to survive, Punjab must push crop diversification hard, something that has not happened. Also, for industries like IT there is a need for uninterrupted and good quality power, which is not available as yet in the state. Punjab has been seeking tax exemption from the Centre on the same pattern as has been granted to neighbouring states. The industrial policy is also expected to deal with the problem of checking industrial units moving base to Himachal Pradesh. The draft of the new industrial policy was ready almost two years ago, but it has taken the government more than the normal time to get it approved from the Cabinet before it can be notified.
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‘Dead’ Woman Case
Chandigarh, October 5 The cops, allegedly involved in the incident, have not replied to the petition before the high court despite the issuance of notice. Also, some of the “respondents” named by “murdered” wife Charanjit Kaur are allegedly being pressurised by the two officials to give fake affidavits in their favour. Counsel for Raghbir Singh has even sought time from the court for moving “necessary application” on his being pressurised. As the case came up before Justice LN Mittal, ex-sarpanch-cum-respondent Raghbir Singh and another said SHO Bhupinder Kaur and DSP Gurdarshan Singh were pressurising them to furnish false affidavits in their favour. Justice Mittal was also critical of their failure to file the reply. Before parting with the orders, Justice Mittal gave them a last opportunity to file reply while fixing October 20 as the next date of hearing. The state, in the meantime, “strongly denied” the body had been planted by the ASI or the DSP; and claimed it was found in a canal in Zira of Ferozepur district by Charanjit Kaur’s father and others, who were looking for her. The body was recognized from the clothes the deceased was wearing. Less than a fortnight after her husband was booked for her murder, “deceased” Charanjit Kaur of Jalalabad had appeared before the high court. Charanjit Kaur and her father-in-law Jora Singh had asserted Chamkaur Singh was tortured after being picked up by the police a day before the Independence Day. SHO Bhupinder Kaur and DSP Gurdarshan Singh demanded Rs 4 lakh for his release, and threatened he would be implicated in case of non-payment. A warrant officer appointed by the high court found him detained illegally on August 20. After being discovered, Bhupinder Kaur claimed an FIR for murder had been registered against Chamkaur Singh for his wife’s murder.
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Anticipatory bail plea
Taking up an anticipatory bail plea filed by Ludhiana-based Sumit Sofat, Justice RK Jain today issued notice of motion to the Panchkula police and the State of Haryana for October 15, asking them to file their replies.
In his petition, Sofat had earlier claimed innocence and implication by the police. Elaborating, Sofat said he was the complainant, but the police implicated him in an attempt to murder case, as they were acting on the behest of Simmi Pashan of
Ludhiana, organising secretary of the Congress. Sofat was booked on August 8 following investigations into his complaint of robbery and shootout at Morni Hills on July 19. The police had claimed the incident was planned by Sofat himself to implicate Ramesh Pashan and his two sons in a criminal case. Earlier, On July 19 Sofat had alleged that Ramesh Pashan and his sons Vinayak and Abhinav with the help of their driver Ranjit and two other unidentified persons attacked him injuring his driver Nelson.
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Minor gang-raped in Moga village
Moga, October 5 The police after recording her statement today sent her to the district hospital for conducting medical examination. An FIR under Sections 376, 366 and 120-B has been registered against three youths - Thana Singh, son of Surinder Singh; Sandip Singh, son of Sukhchain Singh and Satnam Singh, son of Hardev Singh, all residents of the same village.
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Director-General, BSF, Raman Srivastava changed the name of Pull Kanjri Border Out Post (BOP) to Moran BOP in Attari sector during his first visit to the Attari-Wagah Joint Checkpost (JCP) after assuming the charge, here today.
Mohali, October 5
‘Dead’ Woman Case