 |
|
|
Ruchika Case
Nanakshahi Calendar
Year Ahead BSF |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Report calls for following TN model
Kinnow glut leads to price crash
Canadian Punjabis have two hearts, says British Columbia legislator
Guv stresses on improving quality of education
44 tonne of iron bars recovered, 5 arrested
PAU releases five new varieties
PSEB chief gets extension
Speaker’s son is tube well corpn head
HC issues notice of motion to state
|
Ruchika Case
Jalandhar, December 29 Bhatia said corrective measures should be taken to ensure that no high up could make a mockery of law again as Rathore did the Ruchika case. The RTI activist said an FIR under section 305 (abetting a minor to commit suicide) against Rathore should be registered immediately. Bhatia further said special courts should be set up across the nation for the speedy trial of criminal cases filed against politicians, bureaucrats and police officials. A time frame should also be fixed for the early disposal of such cases for restoring faith of the masses in the system, he added.
|
|
Nanakshahi Calendar
Amritsar, December 29 The Dal Khalsa, the Akhand Kirtani Jatha International, the DSGMC, the Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), the Sikh Students Federation, the Sikh Youth of Punjab, the Akal Federation and the Shiromani Panthic Council in a joint statement said the calendar was a valuable asset of the community. It would send the wrong message to the Sikh masses if it was unilaterally amended at this stage. Leaders of these groups, including Paramjit Singh Sarna, Manjit Singh Calcutta, Satnam Singh, Kanwarpal Singh, Harpal Singh Cheema, Parmjit Singh Gazi, Rajinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Mann and Baldev Singh claimed that SGPC chief Avtar Singh was playing a “partisan role” and accused him of being a puppet in the hands of his political masters. They said the SAD leadership was hell bent on hurting the sentiments of the Sikhs in order to gain votes. They said amendments to the calendar were uncalled for and against the wishes and aspirations They emphasised that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the Sikh Youth of America, the Sikh Federation of Germany, Switzerland, Australia and Canada, the Dashmesh Darbar, Surrey, the Voices for Freedom and the Khalistan Affairs Centre had also voiced their concern over the proposed changes. Chandigarh: The Institute of Sikh Studies here has written to the Akal Takht Jathedar to refer whatever proposals on the modification of the calendar he has received to the institute for its opinion, a press note issued by the institute on Tuesday stated.
|
|
Year Ahead BSF
Jalandhar, December 29 Confirming the trend, BSF DIG Jagir Singh Sran said the BSF had seized the FICN worth Rs 64 lakh this year compared to Rs 20 lakh last year. The seizures were made from Amritsar and Ferozepur, he said. The seizure at Ferozepur alone was worth Rs 30 lakh this year. There was also a spurt in heroin smuggling from across the border. And the seizures, claimed the DIG, were the highest this year during the last one decade. Nearly 117 kg heroin was seized by the BSF. It was a stressful and challenging year for the BSF, which is gearing up for another year of intense activity. The priority is to replacing the damaged fencing at many places along the Indo-Pak international border and foiling bids of infiltration. Counter-insurgency, internal security drills and more effective border patrolling are some areas that will attain BSF’s attention in the new year, the DIG told The Tribune. Infiltrators were using Sehjra village of Pakistan in the Khemkaran sector repeatedly as a base. The riverine area provided easier access to India for Pakistan-based infiltrators. But, a strict vigil seems to have paid off when the BSF nabbed four infiltrators with heroin, weapons and night vision goggles in Khemkaran on August 15 this year. The DIG said since then, there had been a pronounced lull in infiltration. Two smugglers, namely Allah Basaya Masih and Mohammad Ikhlakh, believed to be prominent criminals in Pakistan, are in judicial custody on this side of the border and lodged in Ferozepur jail. Besides, the BSF effectively responded to rocket firing by Pakistan-based militants in September this year at Attari on the Indo-Pak border, which led to panic among the residents there. The swift action by the BSF pertaining to this incident brought the situation under control. The deployment of women battalion on Punjab border changed the concept of patrolling and helped in bringing the civilians close to the BSF working at the border villages. The women constables made a breakthrough on November 7, when they apprehended Sepoy Ali Abbas of 7 Wing Pak Rangers at BOP (Border Out Post) Bissno Ke in broad daylight. “The Sepoy was apprehended by the women constables at the international border,” added DIG Sran.
|
|
Report calls for following TN model
Chandigarh, December 29 Giving details of the report, Prof J.S. Bajaj said the main objective was to enhance the quality of healthcare at the secondary level so as to provide effective referral and linkage with primary healthcare institutions and service providers. The committee had focused on issues related to manpower and human resource development, infrastructure, management and support facilities and ways and means to improve emergency care in hospitals. It has made certain recommendations of systematic improvements using a well-designed health management information system. The Chief Minister had constituted the review committee in 2007. Appreciating some revelations made in the report, the Chief Minister asked the Principal Secretary, Health, to implement the recommendations and examine the feasibility of adopting the Tamil Nadu Government model, which had come to be recognised at the national level as a successful and sustainable model, as recommended by the review committee. It was stated in the report that Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Ltd supported the government by arranging timely high quality drugs, medicines, surgical and suture items for around 11,000 institutions, which included all medical teaching institutions, secondary-level hospitals, primary health institutions, ESI hospitals, panchayat union dispensaries, prisons, maternity institutions and local body medical facilities. Besides, the committee observed that there was a need for monitoring the upkeep and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure and their utilisation in a result-oriented manner. The committee was of the view that the health corporation might like to consider the need to provide essential medicines free of cost to all BPL patients.
|
|
Kinnow glut leads to price crash
Abohar, December 29 Known for its anti-cancer properties, the fruit has not been fetching expected prices, as its demand has come down drastically in the past one week due to various reasons. Growers have warned that if the state government did not come to their help, the prices could go down further. Parshant Bishnoi, a trader, said absence of buyers from Bangladesh, glut of oranges from Nagpur region hitting markets of Southern India and unloading of the fruit from markets by contractors led to the kinnow glut in the local markets. He added that the best-quality kinnow, which fetched between Rs 20 and Rs 22 per kg in wholesale markets, was now fetching only between Rs 9 and Rs 12 per kg. He said growers, orchard contractors and traders had been finding it difficult to earn enough to meet their input costs. It is learnt that the kinnow cultivation attracted a large number of farmers and became a best tool for them to come out of a “vicious cycle of wheat-paddy cultivation”. The area under this crop had been witnessing an increase of about 3,000 acres to 4,000 acres every year. As the current season has been witnessing bumper crop, the total production of kinnow in Punjab is expected to touch about seven lakh tonnes. Sanjeev Godara, a kinnow grower of the region, said the state government would have to develop various kinds of mechanism so that all those, who were connected with the kinnow crop, could reap good benefits. He said the government must start a juice plant set up in Abohar, as it would boost up the demand of kinnow and would help in stabilising the lowering prices of the crop. A cross section of growers, belonging to different villages of the Abohar subdivision, said if the state government did not maintain the prices at respectable level, the amount of contracting of a orchard would also come down next year. Amit Kumar, a waxing plant owner, said, processing, grading, waxing and packing units, which had come up in a large number in the area in the past few years and had given employment to thousands of persons, would become unviable and close down if the prices were not stabilised. He urged the state government to start fixing MSP of this crop, which had been playing a significant role in the diversification of agriculture.
|
|
Canadian Punjabis have two hearts, says British Columbia legislator
Chandigarh, December 29 Representing the New Democratic Party, the main Opposition party, he says a vast majority of Punjabi immigrants who reached Canada in the early 70s and have either retired or are about to retire now want to come back so that their motherland could benefit from their experiences and expertise they attained during their lifetime. “But the apprehension that their return or investments back home may not be secure is keeping them undecided. I did not know till I met some senior civil officials here that under a new law, NRIs can get back at least one of their properties for their personal use within six months of moving the court. “If such securities are ensured, I am sure many would like to return with their life savings,” claims Jagrup Brar, who had to quit as Assistant Director in the Department of Youth Services, Punjab, before immigrating to Canada in 1991. A national-level basketball player, Jagrup had the distinction of representing the 1984 Punjab men’s basketball team that wrested back the national title in 1984. While Canadian Punjabis are ready, Punjab is perhaps still not ready for them. There is now an urgent need for building bridges between Punjabis of Canada and here, suggests Jagrup Brar, holding that “our community has been a great success everywhere because of its hard work, dedication and commitment. Now it is for us to assimilate Canadian Punjabis back in our system.” Other than the security of their investments, including property in Punjab, Punjab needs to invest in a responsive and effective healthcare system that can look after the sick on the lines of the Canadian healthcare system. Talking to The Tribune here, Jagrup Brar says that since the focus on immigration has shifted from family-oriented policies to a skill-based point system, India in general and Punjab in particular would do well if the youth is trained in areas of requirement of employers in Canada. India and Punjab’s biggest resource is youth power. By 2011, 50 per cent of the population of India will be below 25. This gives them a great potential of meeting the world’s workforce requirements. Instead of getting cheated by travel agents, the youth should use IT tools to know how and where they can go legally by using the skills they have acquired during their training and education. He says the evaluation of credentials is one area where a lot of work has been continuously done. It will be prudent for those planning to immigrate to Canada to go through self-help guides that are printed in English and different languages for the benefit of new immigrants.
|
|
Guv stresses on improving quality of education
Patiala, December 29 continuously learn, improve and upgrade their knowledge to face the emerging challenges of globalisation. Congratulating the students who received their degrees today, General Rodrigues said convocation was an important milestone in the educational journey of a student. To many, it marks the end of their formal educational career and the beginning of their working life. To others, it is just a stepping stone to pursue higher studies. He wished all of them success in their chosen paths. The Governor called upon academicians, educationists and intellectuals to develop action-oriented and progressive programmes, to encourage youth to achieve academic brilliance and take the state forward on the fast track of growth and development. “Our emphasis must be on encouraging children to go to our roots and take joy in our rich traditions and heritage,” he said. He exhorted the students to face the challenges of the outside world with a positive attitude. He said that in this competitive age, focus should be on enhancing capabilities and confidence of the students to achieve excellence through commitment, vision, determination and hard work. On the scourge of drugs in the Malwa belt, he said he had urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to fight the menace at all costs and with every wherewithal at the state’s disposal. He expressed his deep concern over the growing menace of drug addiction and the unethical practices of female foeticide in rural and urban areas, and said awareness was the only weapon to fight against social evils and the universities have a special role to play by organising seminars, workshop and interactive sessions and by motivating the students and faculty to take this challenge as a personal crusade. Earlier, after declaring the convocation open, General Rodrigues awarded the degrees of PhD. He also presented Honoris Causa degrees to famous poet, lyric and film Director Gulzar, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa and former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral. Gujral was not present on the occasion. PA Sangma, former Speaker Lok Sabha, appreciated the role of teachers and said that it is very noble and pious profession. Gulzar said he had won many awards and degrees in foreign lands but the Dlitt degree conferred upon him today will remain special to him.
|
|
|
44 tonne of iron bars recovered, 5 arrested
Ropar, December 29 Acting on a secret information, the police arrested Veeru Kumar Gupta, a native of Bihar, Narinder Singh from Chhoti Jhakkian Bharatgarh village, Hasan Sardar, alias Vicky, Liaqat Ali, alias Babbu, and Jatinder Singh all three from Bharatgarh. Two of the accused are absconding. The police has also recovered the truck and iron rods from their possession. The accused revealed that they had sold the stolen iron bars to some industry in the Golthai industrial area on the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border near Nangal. The gang had fixed a deal at around Rs 16 lakh and had already taken Rs 2.60 lakh. The iron rods were further fraudulently sold to Baba Gurjant Singh of Manji Sahib Gurdwara, Bharatgarh. He was going to use it in building some parts of the gurdwara. The police have registered a case and efforts are on to arrest other two absconding accused.
|
|
|
PAU releases five new varieties
Ludhiana, December 29 The varieties are Punjab kareli-1 of bitter gourd, Punjab ratta of tomato, Punjab pink of guava, star ruby of grapefruit and shitake mushroom. Clearance for their release for general cultivation was given at a state variety approval committee meeting held recently at PAU under the chairmanship of Dr Baldev Singh, Director of Horticulture, Punjab. Punjab kareli-1 has green, smooth and serrated leaves. Its vines are long and fruits long thin, green and ridged. It takes 66 days for first harvest. One fruit weighs about 50g and the average yield is 70 q per acre. Punjab pink guava is an apple colour hybrid. The trees of this variety are vigorous with drooping branches. The fruit is medium to large with attractive red skin in summer and golden yellow in winter. The flesh is red with a pleasant flavour. The TSS ranges from 10.5 to 12.0 per cent. It is a prolific bearer and the average yield is 53 kg per tree. The grape variety star ruby has medium-sized trees, its fruit size is small to medium and is oblate-roundish in shape. The peel is smooth, glossy yellow having a distinctly bright red blush. The flesh colour of the fruit is deep red, the fruit is seedless (1-2 seeds), juicy, rich in vitamin C and has a high TSS well blended with acidity. It is an early variety which ripens during the last week of November and yields 53 kg/ tree. Shitake mushroom is also known as Lentinus edodes and has an attractive buff to brown colour, large-sized fruit bodies having a characteristic aroma and a good shelf life. It has good nutritive value (about 58-60 per cent carbohydrates, 20-23 per cent proteins, 9-10 per cent fibre, 3-4 per cent fat and 4-5 per cent ash). This variety is known for its medicinal value. It can be cultivated during October to the end of February in Punjab and the plains of north India and yields about 50 kg fresh mushroom/ 100 kg dry straw. The plants of Punjab ratta are determinate, the foliage cover is dense and dark green. It takes 125 days from transplanting to first picking when transplanted during the last week of November. The fruits are oval, medium-sized, very firm and deep red (the average lycopene content is 8mg/ 100g). It is suitable for processing and the average yield is 225 quintals per acre. Dr M.S.Gill, Director of Extension Education, said the cultivation of these varieties would enhance farmers' profitability besides fitting into the agricultural diversification programme.
|
|
PSEB chief gets extension
Chandigarh, December 29 According to sources, a copy of the extension order was received by the PSEB today. Brar’s sons, Deepinder Singh and Amaninder Singh, were in the news recently when they were arrested for allegedly thrashing police officials who dared to question them for parking their vehicle wrongly. They were also accused of snatching video cameras of a few photojournalists. A few months ago an attempt was made to recruit one of the Chairman’s sons as subdivisional officer (SDO) in the board with an agenda item being included at a meeting of the board for giving a job to Brar’s son on compassionate grounds. The plea given was that the family’s land had been acquired more than 20 years ago and that a member of the family deserved a job on compassionate grounds. The item could not be passed due to objections from other members of the board who claimed that the issue should be decided by the state Cabinet as it was the Cooperation Department which was responsible for the land acquisition and not the PSEB. Recently, the Chairman had through a circular infringed on the powers of both the board secretary as well as the Member, Finance. In a recent order, the Chairman has directed that since both officers were holding additional charges, in the case of important time-bound files, the same should be put forward to him for decision through the Director, Personnel. The Secretary is the chief executive officer of the board who serves as a link between the board and the government and is also responsible for the implementation of government policies. Brar has seen a swift rise to the top, which is credited to the “political patronage” enjoyed by him. He had retired as Chief Engineer in February 2008 following which he remained on contract as officer on special duty (OSD) for some months. He was appointed Member, Distribution, in May 2008 and then made Chairman of the board in January this year. However, like the earlier order the government, which is yet to make up its mind on the unbundling of the PSEB, has stipulated that Brar’s term as Chairman would be one year or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
|
|
Speaker’s son is tube well corpn head
Chandigarh, December 29 Government spokesperson Gagandeep Singh Brar said the decision was taken during a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here.
|
|
Tehsildar Assault Case
Ludhiana, December 29 The Judge, Justice MS Sullar, issued the notice of motion following a petition by Tehsildar GS Benipal questioning the second special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the police. He claimed that the SIT was working at the behest of a lobby that was all out to save the accused and SAD councillor, Simarjit Singh Bains, and his aide Kamaljit Singh Karwal. Benipal argued the case in the HC himself. He had filed the petition in HC yesterday alleging that he was not satisfied with the police action.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
people from different walks of life today gathered outside Nehru Garden at the initiation of an RTI activist, Advocate Rajendra Bhatia, to raise their voice for justice to
Ruchika.
University, Punjab Governor and Chancellor of Punjabi University General SF Rodrigues
(retd) here today underlined the need to improve the quality of higher education in the university by creating an atmosphere of discipline, dedication, hard work and relentless pursuit of academic excellence.
