Amritsar, December 24
Six persons were killed while one other received serious injuries in two road accidents that took place today due to poor visibility.

Five Ajnala-based persons, between the age group of 22 and 28, were killed when their Zen (PB-02-AH-7301) reportedly rammed into a stationary truck-trailer due to poor visibility at Khalchia, near Tangra, around 5.30 am today. The deceased have been identified as Gagandeep Singh, Pradeep Kumar, Riptan Kumar, Baljit Singh Saini and Jatinderpal. They were on their way to Beas.

Sources said parking lights and blinkers of the truck-trailer were not working at the time of the incident.

The SHO of the Khalchia Police Post said a case had been registered against the truck driver, who was still absconding. The bodies were handed over to their families after postmortem.

In another incident, Harpreet Singh (19) of Butari village was killed while his friend sustained serious injuries when a truck-trailer reportedly hit their motorcycle at Rayya, 26 km from here, today. Harpreet was the only son of his parents. Truck driver Sukhdev Singh of Madhopur village has been arrested. The police has also impounded the truck.

Ferozepur, December 24
The Punjab Government has handed over the case pertaining to the alleged siphoning off of paddy worth Rs 7 crore by the owner of the local Noor Rice Mill, his associates, truck operators and labourers to the state Vigilance Bureau for investigation.

A case was registered against Satwinder Singh, owner of the mill, and his associates at the local police station on December 8, 2009, on the complaint of Sukhdev Singh, District Food and Supplies Controller (DFSC), in connection with the alleged siphoning off of paddy belonging to Pungrain.

Interestingly, Sukhdev Singh, who “unveiled the scam”, was placed under suspension by the department despite the fact that he succeeded in tracing a part of the missing paddy in the presence of police officials. Six other officials of the department posted in Ferozepur district have also been suspended along with the DFSC.

Highly placed sources said the government had handed over the investigation to the Vigilance Bureau to scuttle the move of some Congress leaders who were planning to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court through a writ petition to get a CBI probe ordered into the case, as they alleged that a section of the ruling political bigwigs was involved in the“scam”.

S. P. Singh, Secretary, Food and Supplies Department, Punjab, when contacted, confirmed that the case had been handed over to the Vigilance Bureau.

Sukhdev Singh alleged that a section of the police officials of Ferozepur district had played into the hands of those who had siphoned off the paddy and left the state government poorer by Rs 7 crore. He added that the police officials did not seize the paddy which was traced by him in the presence of a police party in the Satupura area of Zira subdivision and the Kasubegu area of Ferozepur subdivision.

Harjeet Singh Pannu, SP(D),said the recovery of the missing paddy could not be made till the accused were arrested. He said Sukhdev Singh neither traced the missing paddy nor informed the police party about the same.

Fazilka, December 24
Purchase of popular fine paddy (Basmati) variety PUSA-1121 by the government procuring agency Markfed here has raised a controversy. Following alleged irregularities in procurement and variation in pricing of the purchased paddy, samples of the paddy have been seized by two member of the Markfed probe panel from Chandigarh.

According to the information gathered by this correspondent, the Markfed had entered an agreement to purchase 1121-paddy variety from 523 farmers of this area, who had planted paddy in about 6600 acres of their land.

The Markfed was to offer them minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,350 per quintal. The price could be enhanced according to quality of the paddy.

According to an estimate, the Markfed was to purchase about 1.25 lakh quintals of paddy from these farmers. However, so far the Markfed has procured about 34,000 quintals of paddy cultivated by the farmers in about 1,475 acres.

The agency has offered maximum of Rs 2,400 per quintal of paddy to the farmers. There are reports of irregularities and embezzlement to the tune of several lakhs of rupees in this purchase as it is alleged that inferior quality of paddy has been purchased from the farmers at a lower rate and the same has been shown as procured at higher rates. This has been done with connivance of some commission agents. The affected farmers feel that they have been fleeced by the Markfed officials, who have allegedly misappropriated the premium amount at the cost of the government.

The issue was brought to the notice of the Market Committee chairman Ashok Jairath, who fined three commission agents for this irregularity. Following complaint to the senior officers of the Markfed, a two-member team was sent by the Chandigarh office to probe into the matter. The team has taken samples and the record concerning the purchase.

Another aspect is that the Markfed has entered an agreement with the farmers to procure 1121 variety of paddy. Even as the Markfed is bound to purchase the paddy from these farmers, the farmers are at liberty to sell or not to sell their produce to the Markfed.

Moreover, the payment of the procured paddy is released to the farmers through commission agents. Due to this reason, the farmers feel that they are deceived and exploited. Markfed, Fazilka branch in-charge, Charanjit Singh, has claimed that the paddy procurement is being done in orderly manner. He said the procurement is done only after completing all relevant documents and there is total transparency. 

Chandigarh, December 24
The Punjab Police has its hands full for the coming year. It has to be watchful about the designs of Pakistan’s ISI which it claims is again looking to create trouble in Punjab, prevent Naxalism from taking ground, implement modernisation plans, create a commissioner system in the major cities, be better prepared to deal with law and order issues and, above all, improve its image.

The year 2009 was eventful in a number of ways for the state police but it did not exactly come out with shining colours with its reputation being muddied by slow reaction to violence erupting out of religious issues. There seemed to be a disconnect between the top brass in Chandigarh and field officers be it attacks on followers of Dera Sachha Sauda, violence allegedly let loose by followers of Dera Ballan or the year-end twin incidents of violence when migrants flared up to protest against discrimination as well as protests by hardline Sikh factions against religious preacher Ashutosh Maharaj, both in Ludhiana.

While the state police was constrained by a vacillating state leadership, it had no excuse for letting followers of Dera Ballan run loose for a complete day before stepping in to take action. Similarly, the police did not react quickly in Ludhiana and was also found wanting in taking swift action in the Maj G. S. Benipal case, in which the Tehsildar was attacked and wounded in full public view by Shiromani Akali Dal workers.

There were sparks indicating a revival in the sagging fortunes of the force with Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal coming out with some innovative action plans which have already started bearing fruit. Sukhbir has placed the war against drugs as a top priority for the force and the results are already showing. The anti- narcotics cell has been given a free hand leading to a record seizure of 163 kg of heroin till October this year. A similar drive has been started against music and film piracy, which will be intensified in the coming year.

An effort was also made by the Deputy CM to provide employment to village youth with a fillip being given to the training of youth for security guard duties. The scheme has met with a good response and now a special academy is also being established to train youth for recruitment in the Army and the Navy. A similar capsule course has been planned to enable Punjab youth to join major auto manufacturing companies.

Next year is also likely to see the establishment of a special weapons and tactics team (SWAT) in each of the six police ranges which will be trained to perform high-risk operations besides the establishment of a team of women commandos. The Punjab Police Academy (PPA) will start a special training programme for police personnel so that they can deal with riots in an effective manner. The force will also get the needed equipment for effective riot control.

While all these are issues which the force is equipped to handle, providing good governance is one of the major challenges with SAD constituency leaders and legislators appointing and removing SHOs at will. While Sukhbir Badal has made out a list of “tainted” officers who are not to be given field postings, more will need to be done to ensure police functioning is above board and for the public good only. 

Jalandhar, December 24
In what may be termed as a Christmas gift to Congress leader Tarlok Singh Chackwalia and his two private gunmen, director of Sacred Heart Convent School, Takarpura in Patti of Tarn Taran district, Father Lawrence has decided to forgive him and withdraw his complaint lodged with the Tarn Taran police as a goodwill gesture.

Talking to The Tribune, Father Lawrence said: “He has decided to forgive Chackwalia and his two private gunmen as the holy Bible teaches us to love our enemies also.”

Wishing Merry Christmas to all, Bishop of Diocese of Jalandhar Anil Joseph Thomas Couto said: “This festival gives us the message of strengthening brotherhood after ending enmity.”

All three accused are at present in judicial remand. Chackwalia had surrendered before a Patti court and his two private gunmen, Rashpal Singh and Bachittar Singh, were rounded up on Tuesday after the registration of an FIR against them under the Arms Act.

The FIR was registered after protest by Christians, as they had allegedly thrashed Father Lawrence after their forcible entry into the school.

However, Tarn Taran SSP Sukhdev Singh Brar said the police had nothing to do with the announcement of the forgiveness and they would act according to law.

Meanwhile, Father Lawrence said: Chackwalia’s granddaughter is studying in our school and she is dear to us like other students.”

Over 150 schools in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh connected with the Diocese of Jalandhar also remained closed on Tuesday in protest against the alleged misconduct by the Congress leader.

Patiala, December 24
A Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting scheduled to be held yesterday for promotion to posts of senior medical officer in the Health Department was postponed for the second time this month because the representative of the Personnel Department of the Punjab Government did not attend the meeting.

This time the Personnel Department allegedly raised some objections to stall the DPC meeting and preferred to stay away. Earlier, a DPC meeting for the same purpose was called on December 7 but was postponed due to the absence of the Personnel Department representative.

The Punjab Civil Medical Service (Class I) Association has criticised the Department of Personnel for blocking the promotion of doctors by raising “flimsy” objections and by keeping away from DPC meetings.

Dr D. C. Sharma, general secretary of the association, said here that whenever a DPC meeting was convened by the Health Department, the representative of the Personnel Department raised “irrelevant” objections and the proceedings were not finalised. As a result, half of the districts in the state, including the home district of the Chief Minister, would be without regular civil surgeons-cum-deputy directors and half of the 40 promotional posts of deputy director, joint director, additional director and director would be vacant by the end of this month.

Dr Sharma said the government should finalise the proceedings of the March 25 DPC meeting held for promotion to posts of deputy director and immediately post regular civil surgeons in the districts.

Chandigarh, December 24
A consensus on the withdrawal of the recent power hike on all categories of consumers in Punjab seems difficult to achieve with the SAD-BJP alliance partners discussing the issue threadbare during a seven-hour marathon meeting, which continued till midnight without any result. The alliance partners will now meet again on December 27 on the same issue.

The bone of contention is the demand of the BJP to withdraw nearly 12 per cent hike levelled on domestic, commercial and industrial consumers, which it claims is a commitment of the government.

The SAD, which had earlier agreed to withdrawal, is now trying to wriggle out of the issue by deciding to review all subsidies, including the agriculture subsidy. However, the BJP has now staked its prestige on getting the power hike withdrawn before the issue of all other subsidies is discussed.

In such a scenario, leaders of both parties could find a little common ground. An effort was made in the day to reach a consensus with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia having a one-to-one meeting. Later, at the alliance party meeting held at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s residence, the recommendations of a two-member committee, constituted to review the entire gamut of subsidies as well as mobilise resources, were discussed.

The recommendations include tax on goods and services as well as subsidising small and marginal farmers only with the difference that the farmers will have to pay power bills for tubewells, which will be reimbursed.

Various avenues to mobilise resources were also identified. However, with the SAD not keen for a complete rollback of the power hike, the meeting remained inconclusive.

Both alliance partners called it a day by reiterating that they were concerned about both farmers and the need to extend help to them as well as addressing the concerns of the trading and industrial community.

Ludhiana, December 24
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University has made rapid strides within a short period of three years and has justified its establishment.

GADVASU came into being in April 2006 with one College of Veterinary Sciences, which was one of the five constituent colleges of Punjab Agricultural University. But GADVASU has established two new colleges--- College of Dairy Sciences and Technology and College of Fishery--- and an important Department of Animal Biotecnology. Besides, it has set up a regional station at Kaljharni in Bathinda district which has become functional. Two more such regional stations are being set up at Talwara in Hoshiarpur district and Tarn Taran.

Dr V. K. Taneja, Vice-Chancellor, told The Tribune in an interview today that the establishment of the Department of Animal Biotechnology was a landmark in the history of the university as it was needed badly in order to develop and improve the dairy sector in the state.

Another important wing of the university is the teaching veterinary complex which has a referral hospital where animals of different species with varied diseases are treated. On an average 20,000 animals from all over the state are treated in this complex annually. Dr Taneja says that a state-of-the-art clinical diagnostic laboratory has been set up which has advanced automatic equipment for the testing of the complete blood cell count and ESR , complete biochemistry profile and acid base and gas analysis. Facilities for computerised radiography for digital x-rays, ultrasound scan and echo cardiography have also been installed. Besides, a laparoscopy and endoscopy unit has been installed in the small animal hospital.

Regarding the financial needs of the university Dr Taneja said it required Rs 100 crore for the enhancement of the infrastructure. This amount was needed only for essentially required infrastructure. The state government has increased the grant in aid to Rs 25 crore from Rs 15 crore. But this was meagre as compared to the requirements of meeting the salary component, which had risen to Rs 58 crore during 2008-09. “Our requirement of funds towards salary and contingencies for 2010-11 will be around Rs 70 crore”, said the Vice-Chancellor.

Dr Taneja said the ICAR had sanctioned a project relating to the livelihood of farmers in Hoshiarpur district worth Rs 4 crore. This project would cover four blocks of the district with 800 families. PAU was also being involved in this district.

The Vice-Chancellor said three Krishi Vigyan Kendras had also been sanctioned for GADVASU which would be set up at Tarn Taran, Mohali and Barnala.

Dr Taneja said they had developed technologies for carrot lassi, masala lassi, low-fat paneer, chicken meat products, goat meat products, low-priced turkey products, fish products, low-fat buffalo meat patties and quail egg pickle.A new strain of the white quail variety had also been released.

GADVASU has one of the best maintained herd of crossbred cows and buffaloes in the country. There are 200 crossbred cows and 270 buffaloes and their milk yield has gone up by 20 per cent. The lactation yield for cows was 5,600 kg of milk while for buffaloes it was 2,200 kg per lactation.

The Vice-Chancellor says that mission 2010 included transferring technology for three value- added products, dairy, fish and meat, cleaning village ponds using bioremediation technology, strengthening regional stations and starting farmers’ training programmes. 

Bathinda, December 24
Though this town has emerged as a major destination for health services, it lacks infrastructure for scientific disposal of the bio-medical waste generated by the mushrooming hospitals and clinics. The hazardous waste is transported to Ludhiana for being destroyed.

A cluster of government hospitals within the complex of the Civil Hospital is also without an incinerator and the hazardous medical waste is dumped in the open.

Health institutions in the district are estimated to generate more than 40 tonnes of hazardous waste annually and a considerable quantity is disposed of unscientifically. However, no survey has been conducted either by the health authorities or the pollution control board to assess the quantity of bio-medical waste being generated here.

No check has been kept whether the collected hazardous waste is being transported and destroyed by a private organisation, said a former president of the local chapter of the Indian Medical Association.

There are 80 private hospitals and more than 30 clinics in the town where patients from adjoining areas and also the neighbouring states of Haryana and Rajasthan come. What is alarming is that the bio-medical waste is being allowed to get mixed with solid waste of the town that is generally disposed of in or near drinking water sources. Senior Deputy Mayor Tarsem Goyal said it was leading to spread of disease in the town.

Ragpickers at dumping sites of hospitals, while salvaging discarded material, are exposed to the risk of injuries from contaminated needles and other sharp objects and contracting infectious diseases.

Most of the government and private hospitals and clinics here have entered into a contract with the Ludhiana-based private organisation that carries bio-medical waste from here for being destroyed. Officials of the company were reluctant to disclose the quantity of medical waste they picked up from here.

A health department functionary said there was no plan to install an incinerator in the Civil Hospital complex as the private contractor was doing the job.

Besides the main hospital, the complex had a children hospital and a cancer hospital is under construction. Figures indicate that about 315 kgs of infectious and about 4,500 litres of hazardous liquid waste is generated per month by two government hospitals.

New Delhi, December 24
The pollution level in 10 major industrial hubs in the country, including Ludhiana in Punjab, Ghaziabad and Singrauli in Uttar Pradesh and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, have reached a “very alarming” level, says a study prepared by the IIT-Delhi along with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The top 10 list of highly polluted industrial hubs include Ankleshwar and Vapi in Gujarat, Ghaziabad and Singrauli (Uttar Pradesh), Korba (Chhattisgarh), Chandrapur (Maharashtra) and Ludhiana in Punjab, Vellore in Tamil Nadu, Bhiwadi in Rajasthan and Angul Telcher in Orissa.

Batala , Mandi Gobindgarh and Jalandhar in Punjab and Panipat in Haryana also figure in the list of 88 industrial clusters taken up by the study, “Comprehensive Environmental Assessment of Industrial Clusters”.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, who released the report, said many of these areas had already exhausted their capacity. Recommending a freeze on any new units in the top 43 highly polluted industrial areas in the country, he said, “We need to take some tough decisions.... We might put on hold new approvals in these polluted hotspots till their environmental health is restored.”

The study, ranking the 88 industrial clusters across the country on the Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) on the basis of water, land and air pollution, has listed clusters on a scale of 0-100 based on their sensitivity towards the environment.

The top 10 have scored above 80, thereby indicating a high level of metals and effluents discharged by them in the nearby rivers and region. Ludhiana with a score of 81.66 on the CEPI is among the “very alarming” category and ranked 10th in the list. Other industrial hubs located in north India include Panipat in Haryana (score 71.91, ranked 37), Mandi Gobindgarh (score 78.05, ranked 25), Batala ( score 68.59, ranked 50) and Jalandhar (score 64.98, ranked 68).

As many as 33 industrial hubs have scored between 70 and 80 and categorised as "critically" polluted. Thirtytwo others with a score between 60 and 70 are among the "seriously" polluted clusters while the remaining 10, with a score between 50 and 60, are in the "warning" zones. The scientists have assessed all available data on issues like water and air pollution, biodiversity conservation, land degradation, ecological damage and waste management.

Ramesh said the idea was to identify critically polluted areas and take concerted action to monitor them at the national level in order to improve their current environmental status. He said the CPCB along with the state PCBs had been asked to prepare an action plan for the 43 industrial clusters, which include the 10 "very alarmingly" and 33 "most severely" polluted areas within the next three months.

He said since these areas had already exhausted their capacity and were in acute ecological distress, the government could explore the option that any further projects in these 43 clusters should not be approved till the situation improved.“We need to take some tough decisions and we should put on hold new approvals in these areas until the situation is brought under control,” he said.

Ramesh said he would approach the Finance Commission for funds for clean-up programmes in these clusters, adding that efforts were also on to study the health impact from such critically polluted clusters. Assuring the states that the Centre was willing to extend financial and organisational help for pollution control, he said the states should come up with action plans to bring the situation back to normal, citing the example of Gujarat that had started taking remedial measures in Vapi and Ankleshwar. 

Chandigarh, December 24
Farmers who fail to repay the scheduled instalments of loans taken for farming, dairy and poultry will not be arrested. Also, the deadline for the voluntary disclosure scheme relating to an increase in the tubewell power load has been extended till January 31 next year. The unpaid paddy bonus of last year and also of this year will be disbursed without further delay.

These are among the important decisions taken at a meeting of senior representatives of the Bharti Kisan Union had with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here today. Senior civil servants, including almost all financial commissioners, also attended the meeting.

Expressing their concern over the arrest of defaulting farmers, the BKU representatives, including its President Balbir Singh Rajewal, wanted an immediate end to this “retrograde measure” and instead wanted the government to get the rate of interest on farm loans stabilised at 4 per cent.

But those from trade and industry would, however, continue to face police and other legal action for their failure to repay the loans.

Since the farmers’ leaders also expressed their concern over the swine flu pandemic in the state, it was decided to set up testing laboratories in Patiala and Amritsar. Besides, a special campaign would be launched to issue a health card to all villagers based on the reports of cardiac, diabetes, cancer, kidney, eye and other important tests conducted on each one of them.

The BKU representatives also wanted the school education system to be streamlined by improving the quality of education imparted in government schools. Facilities under the National Horticulture Mission would also be extended to the left-over villages. It was also decided that the ownership of trees grown along village link roads would remain with the villagers.

Another important decision taken at the meeting was the procurement of basmati variety 1121 by Markfed. All those farmers whose land has been acquired for the completion of the Morinda-Ludhiana stretch of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link will be exempt from the payment of shift charges of their tubewell or power connections.

Since encroachments are becoming a serious problem, it was decided that a three-member committee comprising the station house officer of the police station concerned, the block development officer and the tehsildar would take action to clear their areas of all encroachments. Failure to do so would make them liable to disciplinary and departmental action.

Fatehgarh Sahib, December 24
Lakhs of devotees today paid obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib and Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup on the first day of the Jor Mela, which is held every year in the memory of the younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh.

Path of Guru Granth Sahib was organised at Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup wherein ardas was performed by head priest Bhai Harpal.

The SGPC has organised 400 langars on all roads leading to Fatehgarh Sahib for three days.

Students of Akal Academy, Baru Sahib, Himachal Pardesh, held a rally to create awareness among the public about the drug menace on the occasion of the Jor Mela.

Fatehgarh Sahib Deputy Commissioner Yashvir Mahajan said: “This awareness rally was true homage to the great martyrs to raise awareness over the issue,” he added.

Zila parishad chairman Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal also inaugurated an exhibition to show case developmental works in the district on the district administration complex.

The DC also released a souvenir “Shahadt”. In the evening, a play “Sirhind Di Diwar” was staged at Aam Khas Bagh. Political conferences would be held tomorrow wherein all state political parties would participate.

Meanwhile, temporary barricading put up by villagers to stop commuters for langar at roadsides created traffic bottlenecks.

Around 15 temporary barriers were erected by local residents on the Chunni-Landran, Morinda-Bassi roads and near the GT Road in Sirhind wherein commuters were forced to wade through the dusty bumps, haphazard zigzags and wooden barricades.