Awan (Amritsar), December 15
The sun virtually rose in the border belt of Punjab with Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah inaugurating India’s first-ever 2-MW solar power plant here today.

The plant, set up by US company Azure Power in the independent power producers (IPP) mode in this sleepy village, started functioning as Dr Abdullah switched on its button in presence of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and local MP Navjot Singh Sidhu. The 2MW plant will subsequently be expanded to enable it to produce 5 MW of power.

Lauding the role of the state government, Dr Abdullah said it was the first important step taken by the Punjab Government in fulfilling the Centre’s target of producing 20,000 MW solar power by 2020 under its solar mission.

Speaking about the seriousness of rising pollution and worldwide outcry on cutting emissions, as being proposed in Copenhagen Summit, Dr Abdullah said this plant showcased the seriousness of the government to produce clean and emission-free power.

Abdullah said the task of the independent power producers was being facilitated by single window service in the ministry.

He said his ministry was targeting to produce 1,300 MW power from the energy sector within the next three years. He assured positive response to the demand of Badal to enhance subsidy on solar tube-wells for Punjab.

Badal assured him that the experiment of Awan would soon be replicated in the border belt of Punjab with three solar power plants of 10 MW in each border district.

Demanding restoration of enhanced subsidy on solar tubewells to the previous rate of Rs 1.80 lakh instead of the present rate of Rs 50,000, Badal said farmers of Punjab, despite 50 per cent deficient rains in the state, had produced a record 150 lakh tonne paddy for the national pool, spending over additional Rs 3,000 crores on diesel.

Earlier, Vishavjit Khanna, secretary, Science Technology and Enviroment, said PEDA was performing a pioneering role in attracting entrepreneurs in the clean power sector. He said PEDA had come out with zero-cost models to provide efficient streetlights in all urban areas of Punjab.

Ludhiana, December 15
Left leaders from Bihar today demanded a judicial probe into violence incidents against migrants in Ludhiana besides deciding to take up the matter with the NHRC.

A delegation comprising former MP from Bihar Rameshwar Prasad; Vidyanand Vikal, Babban Paswan, all from the CPI (ML) Liberation, and former local MLA Tarsem Jodhan met the victims of violence at five different colonies in the Dhandari area and listened to their ordeal.

After listening to them, the delegation held that their rights were violated allegedly in the presence of the police and administration officials. Moreover, their houses were also burnt.

Prasad said they would move the NHRC seeking a direction for compensation to the migrants, who had suffered in the violence incidents.

He said they would prompt the government to ensure the safety of migrants and also demand an action against those who had allegedly robbed the migrants.

Chandigarh, December 15
The mystery is turning murkier. The woman, who had accused former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of rape, has disappeared.

A DSP, looking into the matter, today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the “complainant” was not traceable, but he had recorded her sister’s statement.

The assertion came less than a week after Justice Ranjit Singh had asked SSP concerned to track down the complainant. The judge was hearing arguments on a petition for protection filed by Shamsher Singh Jagera, who had held the press conference where allegations of rape were levelled.

As the matter came up before Justice Ranjit Singh, the state counsel sought time to come out with the entire story - to find out what was the purpose and the motive behind making such allegations, and what was Jagera’s interest in highlighting the matter. The judge also asked the DSP if the investigating agency was under any pressure, before fixing January 8, 2010, as the next date of hearing.

Capt Amarinder Singh had earlier claimed before the media that Jagera had been booked for rape in 2003. The former Chief Minister had also claimed the woman had earlier also made a similar accusation against a sitting judge.

The judge too had earlier observed: “Some time ago, allegations of this nature were made against a judicial officer. These allegations were subsequently found to be false. The lady who made the allegations was later not traceable.

“Perhaps, the same lady has been made to stand to make these allegations, which the petitioner is wanting to highlight through the media. He is now abusing the process of law by filing the petition. These modes and methods need to be discouraged.”

Describing himself as chief of organisation for protection of human rights, Jagera had initially moved the high court expressing apprehension regarding his personal safety on the grounds of being attacked by former Chief Minister’s supporters for holding the press conference.

Chandigarh, December 15
The Union Power Ministry has been accused of delaying the appointment of chairman of the BBMB with the post remaining unfilled since the retirement of the last incumbent on July 31 this year.

Though the chairman of the BBMB will be finalised by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, the process has to be initiated by the Power Ministry.

This, sources said, should have been started earlier as the entire process would take eight to 10 months.

Even the shortlisting of candidates had led to problems and possible delays with one of the two persons short-listed claiming his rival had less than two years left in service.

Meanwhile, the delay in the appointment has left the Centre open for criticism from Punjab that has protested against handing over the charge of the post to Haryana representative M K Gupta, who is also the member, irrigation.

Chairman of the BBMB has traditionally been someone, who is not from either of the major partner states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had earlier gone on record, saying that the member, irrigation, should be from Punjab instead of giving the post of member, power, to it. The Power Ministry, however, stuck to the tradition of giving the post of member, irrigation, to Haryana recently. Punjab is now doubly aggrieved that the post of member, irrigation, went to a Haryana appointee and that now the appointee has also been given the charge of the chairman’s post.

Chandigarh, December 15
Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today hit out at his detractors in the Pradesh Congress who had objected to his statement on supporting the Sarna group in elections to the Shiromani committee, by saying he did require anybody’s advise on the issue. Congress Legislature Party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Pradesh Congress President Mohinder Singh Kaypee both claimed that the party would not support any one group in the SGPC polls.

In a statement issued here, Amarinder said he was well aware of the party’s stand on the issue as SGPC elections were held when he was the president of the Pradesh Congress and Chief Minister of the state. “I do not require anybody’s advice on it,” he said, adding: “Nevertheless I have every right to express my individual opinion.”

The former CM also alleged that ever since Parkash Singh Badal had taken over the SGPC, it had become a den of corruption. “It is the moral duty of the Sikhs to get rid of such a corrupt organisation,” he said, adding: “When the SGPC elections are announced, I will be appealing to all Sikhs regardless of their allegiance to any party to vote for a group who takes it on to cleanse and defeat the Badal-led conglomerate”.

Amarinder also had a dig at his detractors, saying: “It seems obvious that the people who are raising this issue want Badal to remain in control of the SGPC for their own vested interests.”

Bathinda/Ferozpur, December 15
In protest against the disaffiliation of 187 schools by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), most of the private schools of the state remained closed today.

The school authorities are adamant to hold the strike for second consecutive day too. There are reports that the core committee of the protesters will hold a meeting tomorrow to decide further strategy.

Addressing a gathering at Bathinda, office bearers of the Recognised and Affiliated Schools’ Association (RASA), Punjab, termed the first day of the strike a success. They claimed that out of the total 2,880 schools recognised and affiliated under the PSEB, over 90 per cent of the schools were closed today.

They added that their move got a shot in the arm as the representatives of another association of private schools - Punjab Private Schools’ Association - had also assured lending support in their protest.

“The strike is in protest of the “high handedness” of the PSEB officials, who have recently withdrawn the affiliation of 187 schools, without even considering their helplessness in the alleged salary distribution anomaly,” said Ravinder Singh Mann, president of the RASA.

He also stated: “The government has not yet come up but we are still ready to have table talk to resolve the matter.”

“According to previous communication, the government wanted us to pay the teachers’ salaries as per the fixed grades, which are so high. However, we are ready to pay the salaries according to some fixed percentage out of the income to the societies running such schools. If the matter is not solved amicably, we are ready to go to any extent to get our demand fulfilled,” Mann added.

Ravinder Sharma, general secretary of the association (Ferozpur district), stated that due to erroneous policies of the board more schools were inclined towards their affiliation with CBSE rather than the state education board. He lamented that even Adarsh Schools and the schools being run by the SGPC were opting for CBSE. It clearly indicated that the state government was not serious on the issue.

Jasminder Singh, Ferozpur district president of the RASA, stated that there were about 2,880 private schools with the strength of 18 lakh students that were affiliated to the PSEB. With these moves, the state government was out to jeopardise the career of these students. He said while CBSE was trying to reduce the burden on the students, the PSEB was adding more subjects for board exams.

Chandigarh, December 15
Candidates aspiring to appear for the forthcoming PCS examination, for which the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has sent a requisition to the state government, are agitated over the changes made in the examination format.

The new format has drawn flak with candidates claiming that the aim to model the examination on the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) pattern was not appropriate at a time when the administrative reforms committee has suggested changes in the format of the examination held for the central administrative services.

The candidates claim that other states do not exempt ex-servicemen from appearing in subject papers in examinations for state services. According to them, exemption is not logical especially when even sports persons are expected to appear in all papers. Ex-servicemen will have to appear in only five of the nine papers if this exemption goes through.

According to them, following a piece meal approach while adopting the UPSC pattern will not happen as such a deviation might lead to annulment of the very objectives.

The candidates are also demanding that the PPSC give a clear timetable as to the time frame in which it will conduct the examination. They also want that the PPSC chairman should wait for the government to clarify these issues and urged the government to withdraw its requisition in the meantime. There are also demands that upper age limit be raised to 40 years on the pattern of Haryana as it has been 11 years since the last PCS examination was conducted in the state.

The PPSC, which is still to come out with a schedule for the examination, has advertised December 28 as the last date for filing applications. In all, the commission aims to fill 143 posts, including 38 posts of PCS Executive.

Jalandhar, December 15
Screening of people visiting India and using land and air route to Punjab is likely to be discontinued in coming days.

Presently, screening was being done by the health authorities at Rajasansi International Airport, Amritsar, and Attari railway station - sole rail link of the country to Pakistan.

According to sources, a meeting of a team of Integrated Disease Surveillance Project was held in New Delhi to discuss whether the screening at all entry points should be discontinued or not. Nodal officers from each state have submitted data pertaining to the total number of screened persons, suspected and confirmed cases.

As far as Punjab is concerned, teams of health professionals have screened nearly 1,50,000 persons at Rajasansi airport but found only three positive cases till today. Similarly, of the nearly 15,000 persons, who came to Punjab from Pakistan, no positive case has come to light.

Although there will be a huge rush of NRIs visiting the country in the coming days, screening at Rajasansi and Attari railway station would be discontinued next month, informed a senior health official.

Health professionals have established that the current expression of swine flu is due to prevalence of infection in the local community. Chances of infected persons from abroad contributing to the spread of the disease has significantly reduced, he added.

Patiala, December 15
The Patiala Municipal Corporation has set an example. Not in terms of development works, but in the transfer of municipal commissioners.

Ever since the SAD-BJP government came to power in Punjab in February, 2007, Patiala has seen six municipal commissioners in just around two years. Though the state government has never come out with any specific reason for frequent transfers of municipal commissioner’s, sources said it was sheer “political pressure” that led to the ouster of majority of municipal commissioners.

As per information gathered by The Tribune, within a week after taking over the reins of power in the state, the SAD-BJP government replaced Patiala Municipal Commissioner Jaswant Singh with SK Ahluwalia on March 6, 2007.

After a brief tenure of four months, Ahluwalia was also removed and MP Arora got the hot seat on July 17, 2007. He was the only commissioner, who stayed for more than six months. On July 25, 2008, SK Ahluwalia was appointed as the new head of the Patiala MC. Within just three months, he was replaced with HS Sidhu. Sidhu was also shifted after three months and KS Saran became the municipal commissioner on February 11, 2009. After four months, on June 30, 2009, Saran was replaced with the present incumbent, Manjit Narang.

Highly placed sources said the main reason behind the frequent transfers was political pressure. “As per the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, all administrative powers are vested with the municipal commissioner. Hence, refusal of the commissioner to concede to the unjust demands of politicians, particularly elected representatives of the ruling party, often leads to his transfer,” disclosed a senior civic official.

Notably, everyone in Patiala was aware about the tussle between Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli and some of the municipal commissioners, including SK Ahluwalia, MP Arora and HS Sidhu.

“The corporation is such a big department that it takes at least six months for its commissioner to understand the functioning of the civic body and problems of the city. But in Patiala, the commissioner is transferred every four months. This unhealthy practice has really taken a toll on the development of the city,” rued Akash Malhotra, Satinderpal Singh and Jaspal Singh, residents of the city.

Moga, December 15
Additional District and Sessions Judge, Moga, Amarjot Kaur Bhatti, today dismissed the application of the prosecution to cancel the bail of India-born Canadian citizen Jagdev Singh. The court also declined permission to the NRI to go back to Canada for a few weeks.

He has been facing a charge of allegedly murdering former MLA Nachattar Singh Gill, father of DGP Paramdip Singh Gill.

Earlier, Chief Judicial Magistrate Karunesh Kumar Kakkar and Additional Sessions Judge SK Aggarwal had also declined permission to him to visit Canada, as there were two other cases of fake passport and the Prevention of Corruption Act pending against him in their courts, respectively.

The prosecution had filed an application last week before the sessions court requesting to cancel his bail on the ground that the police had found more evidence of his involvement in the murder.

However, Ramesh Grover, counsel of the NRI, alleged the police was trying to harass his client by creating false and frivolous evidences 18 years after the incident. He argued that his client could face the same fate in police custody as it happened to three other accused, who died under mysterious circumstances.

The Judge agreed to the plea of the defence counsel and dismissed the application of the police, thereby confirming the bail of the Canadian citizen.

Meanwhile, the NRI has flashed telegrams to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the High Court, demanding a CBI probe into the whole episode.

Chandigarh, December 15
The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s plea against a Single Judge’s order on the appointment of three advocates as judicial officers has failed to find favour with the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal.

Just over a year after Justice Ajay Tewari directed the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) to forward the name of the petitioner advocates “in the order of merit for selection made in 2006 as per the advertisement”, the Bench has upheld the judgment and dismissed the high court’s plea

The Bench, comprising Chief Justice Mudgal and Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal, also directed the appointment of Deepika, Rana Kanwar Deep Kaur and Hargurjit Kaur in eight weeks.

The HC, in its appeal, had claimed that the Single Judge order was erroneous and against the law. The Single Judge, Justice Ajay Tewari, had earlier observed that the petitioners had challenged the PPSC’s action of holding them unsuitable for appointment as members of the PCS (judicial) for not obtaining necessary marks in the viva voce.

The petitioners’ case was the commission “had no jurisdiction to import something, which cannot be supported by the statutory rules”.

Counsel for the petitioners had asserted the issue was covered by two judgments. In the case of K. Manju Sree versus the State of Andhra Pradesh, the Apex Court had held that in the absence of a statutory provision of any minimum marks having been obtained in viva voce, the commission could not import the same.

In the Division Bench case of Anshul Kakkar and others versus Punjab, the court had held that in the absence of any statutory sanction, the commission did not have the jurisdiction to declare any candidate unsuitable.

Allowing the petition, Justice Tewari had directed that the needful be done within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the order. Justice Tewari had also directed considering the matter and passing appropriate order in terms of the two judgments.

Chandigarh, December 15
Just over a fortnight after the Punjab and Haryana High Court summoned the record of cases allegedly registered by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau without the prior approval of an administrative committee, the Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal today issued notice of motion for December 18.

The notices were directed to be issued to the city-based petitioner-cum-Punjab’s former law commission member Sukhdev Singh Dhillon and two others. The petitioners had earlier questioned whether the Vigilance Bureau could register cases without the prior approval of an administrative committee? The vital question of law affects the fate of criminal cases against Punjab’s former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, the state’s ex-police chief S.S. Virk and other bigwigs.

If the court eventually comes to the conclusion that the guidelines are mandatory in nature, the Vigilance Bureau may find itself toothless and the trials continuing against Capt Amarinder Singh and others may be rendered “bad in law” in the absence of proper procedure.

Khanna, December 15
Eight head of cattle got suffocated to death while being transported in a truck container this evening. The truck (HR-38-L-1446) was on its way from Moga to a slaughter house in Haryana. The truck driver and four unidentified men have been booked by the Khanna (Sadar) police in this connection. The truck was stopped at a special naka near Daheru village following a tip-off.

While the truck was impounded, its occupants, including driver and four others, fled the spot. The truck driver has been identified as Aftab, a resident of Gurgaon. A case has been registered under various sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Police officials said eight animals were found dead due to suffocation in the closed container and 21 were being treated at a veterinary hospital at Payal.