Jalandhar, November 23
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the state was all set to produce 400 MW of power from 28 mini plants with an installed capacity of 10 to 15 MW each. The plants would be commissioned by 2010.

He also said that besides the completion of three thermal plants at Goindwal Sahib, Talwandi Sabo and Rajpura, the Punjab Government was exploring non-renewable sectors to tap power.

He said that apart from providing value for agricultural residue to farmers, these plants would help generate power for the state.

This was stated by the Deputy Chief Minister during the inauguration of the 55th National School Games at the local Guru Gobind Singh Stadium. He said three plants had been commissioned in the Malwa region while the remaining 25 would start generation by the end of next year.

Sukhbir Badal said the bid of Larsen and Tourbo for the Rajpura thermal plant had been finalised. “With the coming up of the Rajpura plant, the state will be power surplus”, he added.

Answering a query pertaining to the seniority of PPS officers, the Deputy CM said the Home Department had sought the opinion of the Advocate General in this regard. Talking about the sports policy, he said, “We have already finalised the sports policy and after objections from the public, it will be announced next month”.

Chandigarh, November 23
Having shown dismal performance in the implementation of various projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the state government has now asked the Central government to sanction a drinking water project for Amritsar.

The project, worth about Rs 50 crore, has been approved but on the condition that the state would first deposit its share of the project cost. It is only after that the Centre will release its portion of the grant.

According to sources in the Department of Urban Development, the department had recently held a meeting of the officials from various states and Punjab had cut a sorry picture in reporting the use of funds already released by the Centre under the scheme.

“Punjab has not been able to shell out its share of the project amount in many cases and we have learnt that the amounts we had released for various specific purposes have been diverted to pay salaries etc. Smaller states like Uttarakhand are doing much better,” said an official with the department.

The state, however, is learnt to have convinced the department that it would be able to deposit its 50 per cent share of the total cost of the project at Amritsar.

The project report states that while there is an adequate quantum of bulk water available to meet the immediate need, due to inadequate and unplanned distribution network some areas are getting excess water and many others receiving less than the required amounts.

The report also points out that almost 53 per cent of the drinking water remained unbilled or unaccounted for.

The project, which would be implemented by the Amritsar municipal corporation through the state sewerage board, would also entail providing meters for un-metered house connections and, thus, add to the revenue.

The existing average of piped water supply system in Amritsar is about 90 per cent. However, the walled city area is fully covered with the piped water supply system. Remaining 10 per cent of the population is being served through hand pumps and bore wells.

Following the implementation of the project, the city is expected to be covered with piped water supply benefiting over 2.08 lakh people, besides saving a considerable amount of drinking water.

Sangrur, November 23
If you are in Sangrur and have to consume meat, think twice. In the absence of any slaughterhouse as well as no proper checking of animals before slaughter by meat shop owners there is every possibility that one is consuming meat of a diseased or under-aged animal.

Sources said, “Neither is there any slaughterhouse in Sangrur where the live animal could be checked by a veterinary doctor of the municipal committee (MC) nor do individual meat sellers monitor the animal for being healthy.There is every chance that one is consuming unhygienic meat of a diseased or under-aged animal”.

They added that leave aside the checking of live animals, there is no veterinary doctor arranged by the authorities from the Animal Husbandry Department for checking the animal. The municipal authorities were evading their duties as they have even failed to maintain a check on sanitation in meat shops, the sources said. “They are not sure whether meat shop owners have licences issued by the municipal committee in Sangrur to sell meat,” they added.

“The municipal committee authorities depute a veterinary doctor for examining the live animal before slaughter who puts a stamp on the animal. After the animal is slaughtered, the MC authorities check the meat and pass it for sale by putting a stamp. None of the procedures is being followed in Sangrur. Since people are being made to eat unhygienic meat, they are exposed to various gastro-intestinal diseases”, said a source.

Executive officer (EO), Sangrur municipal committee, Surjeet Singh, told The Tribune that there was a slaughterhouse in Sangrur few years ago but as of now there is none.

“We don’t have a veterinary officer in the municipal committee. I am also not sure that live animals are checked by individual meat shop owners before slaughter”. When asked about the matter, the EO said: “Nothing will happen to people by consuming meat”.

Sanitary officer, Sangrur municipal committee, Jasbir Singh, said: “I don’t know much about it since there is no slaughterhouse in Sangrur. We don’t check the meat at meat shops either”.

Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Sangrur, Gurbachan Singh Dhillon, said the MC should have asked them to arrange a veterinary doctor for checking the live animals before slaughter but they never did so.

Khadoor Sahib (Tarn Taran), November 23
Two decades ago, this region was frequently in news. As it was a most dreadful area, no one had the courage to move out in the open in the afternoon. The region was under the sway of militancy. However, now it appears to be the most peaceful place in the state.

One person who is bringing about a constructive change in this rural belt blessed with rich Sikh heritage is Baba Sewa Singh Khadoor Sahib. At first glance, he appears to be a Baba engaged in “kar sewa” to build religious places. Simple to the core and religious, Baba Sewa Singh is a visionary with a progressive outlook and commitment to society. He is making a remarkable contribution to human development in the region.

Sounds incredible but it is true that about 75 girls from this region have joined the Border Security Force (BSF) and Chandigarh police after preparatory training at the Sri Guru Angad Dev Institute of Careers and Courses, set up by Baba Sewa Singh.

Besides, 31 girls from the institute have qualified for recruitment in the Punjab police.

The Baba has handed over the task of preparing the girls for recruitment in various security forces to a team of retired military officers under the command of Brig

Trilok Singh Aulakh (retd). Physical and academic training is imparted to the girls to prepare them for recruitment. “So far 250 girls have come for training to the institute and of these more than a 100 have already been either selected or qualified to join the security forces,” says Baba Sewa Singh.

The Baba has been instrumental in the setting up of a multi-media Sikh museum, the first of its kind in the world. It’s adjacent to Gurdwara Angitha Sahib. The museum has been built under the guidance of a Canada-based expert in setting up museums, Dr Raghbir Singh Bains. “It is a significant resource treasure for students, teachers, preachers, scholars and common people and a storehouse of educational and historical information about how people and societies behaved through ages,” said Bains.

Named after Baba Gurmukh Singh and Uttam Singh, a senior secondary school run under the guidance of Baba Sewa Singh is perhaps the only rural school in the country having eight ‘smart’ rooms fitted with big screens and computers and other visual aids. A tie-up has been made with a Delhi-based educom company to secure software to impart education to nearly 1,800 students though visual mechanism. The Gian Sewa Kendra has been set up to prepare students for entrance tests for admission in medical, engineering and other courses.

However, perhaps the most visionary act of Baba Sewa Singh is setting up of an eight-storeyed Nishan-e-Sikhi Tower that is near completion. It will house eight directorates, each equipped with modern technology. The multi-media museum will also be shifted to the tower. 

Amritsar, November 23
Following the decades-old tradition, the SGPC members are likely to accord “all rights” to the SAD chief Sukhbir Badal during their meeting on Tuesday. The SGPC is all set to gear up for its November 25 general house meeting in which SGPC chief Avtar Singh is likely to be re-elected to head the SGPC for another year.

The SAD, it is learnt, has already directed all of its SGPC members to remain present at the November 24 meeting and also at the November 25 general house meeting.

Meanwhile, a number of members of other Akali Dal factions, it was learnt, were extending their support to Avtar Singh, who has claimed that his party has over 160 members in the 170-member house. He also said that there was no factionalism in the SAD. “There are no factions or camps. I am a committed party worker. Whatever the party decides will be accepted and implemented by me,” asserted Avtar Singh, while talking to The Tribune.

In fact, the election will be like nomination of the SGPC chief as there was unlikely to be any lengthy discussion at Tuesday’s meeting when the name of the ‘new president’ will be scribbled on a slip that will be sealed in an envelope. It will be opened as per the tradition in the general house meeting of the SGPC to be held at Teja Singh Samundri Hall on November 25.

“Come what may, the SAD chief’s indication and direction will be final even as there was likely to be some discussion over the issue at the Tuesday meeting. Since Avtar Singh’s tenure has been without any major controversy and since he is known as the trusted aide of Badals for long, there was no likelihood of any change at least for now,” said an SGPC official. The strong grip of the SAD chief, Sukhbir Badal, on the SGPC is particularly well known. His party enjoys a vast and clear majority in the 170-member house of one of the most powerful bodies in the country.

Makkar has already been saying that he was ready to serve the institution if given another chance for doing so by the SGPC members.

Former SGPC general secretary Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur and the SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur were also said to be in the race, but their claim to the top SGPC slot is far from being strong. It is presumed that they are already in line with the mood of the top SAD leadership. 

Jalandhar, November 23
The issue of transfer of land to the NRI Academy of Sciences Consortium by the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Jalandhar, still hangs fire as the PIMS Society failed to finalise any decision regarding the lease deed today.

It is learnt that the issue was one of the important subjects that came up for discussion during the meeting the governing body of the society, which is headed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

It is pertinent to mention here that the consortium, which is termed as Concessionaire according to the Request for Proposal document, can take charge of a PIMS building only after signing of a lease deed. Therefore, PIMS land will be transferred to consortium in revenue records only after a lease deed is inked.

Final decision regarding in the matter will be taken in the next meeting that is likely to take place in a week or two.

On the other hand, Surjit Singh Rakhra, president of the PIMS Charitable Society, says the consortium is all set take over the building. According to him, as many as 30 containers of medical and surgical equipments will reach Mumbai port in a day or two and will be transferred to Jalandhar thereafter.

It is also learnt that offer letters have been dispatched to nearly 40 shortlisted professionals to run the OPD services.

Barring a few exceptions, work of nearly six private firms, including L&T, Blue Star, Johnsons Lifts, and the companies that would install equipments for supply of medical gases and sewerage treatment plant, is near completion.

Patiala, November 23
The Municipal Corporation has demolished three unauthorised colonies that were coming up on the periphery of the city.

Sources in the Municipal Corporation told The Tribune here today that the Commissioner of the corporation had issued written orders to the building branch of the corporation that all illegal constructions and unauthorised colonies should be dealt with sternly and be pulled down.

Acting on the instructions, the enforcement staff of the corporation pulled down the illegal structures coming up near Kohinoor Palace on the Patiala-Rajpura road. The colony was spread over an area of around one acre. Roads laid in the unauthorised colony were dug up using JCB machines.

The next on the target was a colony coming up in over three acres in the vicinity of Gurdwara Angidha Sahib on the Rajpura road. The promoter of the colony had no legal sanction to develop it as a residential colony. The enforcement cell pulled down illegal structure and electricity poles, besides digging up roads laid in the colony.

The staff then reached Sunny Enclave coming up near DMW Colony. The general house of the corporation had passed a resolution granting approval to this colony, but it had not yet been cleared by the Punjab Government. In view of the non-receipt of approval from the government, the corporation took a stern view as the promoter had laid concrete roads in the locality.

The enforcement staff used its machines to dig up roads and pulled down some minor encroachments.

On the Sirhind road, the enforcement staff came across an encroachment by a private individual, who had illegally occupied and made unauthorised construction on a municipal road. The staff removed the encroachment and also issued a warning to the encroacher.

Manjit Singh Narang, MC Commissioner, told The Tribune that the corporation had decided to firmly deal with unauthorised constructions in the city. As a consequence thereof, it had issued directions to the building branch to pull down all illegal constructions.

Narang said the status of illegal and unauthorised constructions would be reviewed from time to time and strict action would be ensured even before a colony was unauthorisedly developed. He warned promoters of such colonies to desist from any such attempt asserting that the municipal corporation would deal with the violators with a heavy hand.

Ludhiana, November 23
Gill village near here is all set to become the first village in the state to be digitally mapped, courtesy students of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC).

In a unique endeavour, the Department of Civil Engineering of the college, in collaboration with the Association of Civil Engineering Students (ACES), Linux Users' Group (LUG) and NSS unit, have undertaken to create a digital map of Gill village with the use of GPS (global positioning system) units, the data of which will be owned by the public. A digital mapping event was also held in the college yesterday.

Discussing the advantages and benefits of digital maps, Prof HS Rai, head of the Department of Civil Engineering, GNDEC, said, "The project is called Open Street Map. Open street maps are free editable maps made with the help of the GPS by anyone at anytime. These maps allows us to view, edit and use geographical data in a collaborative way from anywhere on the globe. Through unrestricted access to data, such digital maps empower the citizens, ultimately resulting in numerous innovations."

Giving further details on the project, Dr Rai said, "A team comprising 32 students selected from ACES, LUG and NSS unit were sent to the village, each having a GPS device to capture the ground realities, land marks and other related attributes."

He said the main objective of the project was to help the government and NGOs in their social welfare schemes, to provide them geographical information for their projects. "The quality data so produced will also facilitate easy navigation for commuters. The idea behind this project is to promote road safety and use of GPS among students. The institution further plans to extend this project to the whole of Ludhiana," Dr Rai said.

Interestingly, all data generated will be available in public domain, which may be used by anybody, the way one likes, without bearing the burden of any charge. The information will be available on the website: openstreetmap.org.

Dr Rai further said India boasts of hundreds of active mappers today. "The concept, though fairly new to India, is fast catching up”, he said.

Chandigarh, November 23
Ludhiana is apparently not a safe place for children, with the “beggar mafia” growing bigger in the industrial hub.

Information provided by the police suggests 276 persons went missing in Ludhiana in 2007. Out of them, 72 were boys and 18 girls. So far, only 46 of the total missing persons have been traced, while there is still no clue to the remaining 230 persons.

The figures have been brought under judicial scanner by a social organisation, World Human Rights Protection, and Ludhiana resident Pawan Kumar.

In a petition filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, they have contended that the missing children were landing in the trap of gangs backed by the “beggar mafia”.

The petition filed through advocate Ranjan Lakhanpal said directions be issued to the state of Punjab, the Director-General of Police and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana, to trace the missing persons and register FIRs. He added Pawan Kuma’s son had also been missing since October 28.

Rs 51 cr for court complexes

In an affidavit filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Deputy Secretary in Punjab Department of Home Affairs and Justice Bharat Bhushan has said that the government has released Rs 51 crore for the construction of judicial court complexes in the state.

The affidavit placed before the Bench of acting Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal says the work of constructing judicial complexes can be completed on the availability of funds to be released by the Government of India as its share of Rs 92.66 crore.

Patiala, November 23
Counsel for Himachal Pradesh IPS officer BS Thind here today raised the issue of Patiala CBI court’s jurisdiction in undertaking trial in the case.

Appearing in the court of Harbhajan Das, Additional District and Sessions Judge, defence counsel Puneet K Sekhon said the Central Government employees could be tried in CBI courts located in Union Territories. In this case, the concurrence of the Punjab Government had not been obtained for the trial of BS Thind in the Patiala CBI court.

She said the officer had made available all documents proving his innocence in the case. She further said the CBI counsel had failed to be present in the court on six out of eight hearings.

Thind pleaded innocence in the case and said he had been framed. He was arrested by the CBI for obtaining loans worth Rs 3.45 crore allegedly on forged documents from various banks. Thind, a 1974-batch IPS officer from Himachal cadre, was arrested along with two other persons for allegedly duping 15 banks of Rs 3.45 crore by showing the same property for the sanctioning of housing loans.

The agency alleged Thind had entered into a criminal conspiracy and allegedly defrauded 15 banks by showing the same property for obtaining loans. A case of fraud was registered against bank branch manager and others on a written complaint from the Vigilance Department of the State Bank of India, which alleged that loans were sanctioned to 32 borrowers. The CBI alleged the loans had been provided on the basis of fake and forged documents, without conducting any prior or post-sanction surveys.

During the investigation, it came to light that Thind had also obtained 15 housing loans aggregating to Rs 3.45 crore from various banks by allegedly submitting forged documents and misrepresenting facts.