Ludhiana, December 31
Lt Governor of New Delhi Tejinder Khanna today permitted the presentation of challans in four cases of homicide registered against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar for the 1984 riots.

Terming it to be a milestone in the journey of fight for riot victims, human rights activist and Delhi High Court lawyer HS Phoolka said the move had rekindled hope among the victims.

‘‘We have evidences against Sajjan Kumar. We will not allow him to go scot free,’’ said Phoolka.

He said two cases of murder were registered in Sultanpuri police station, another one at Mangolpur and yet another in Delhi cantonment in 2005 following the recommendations of the Nanavati Commission.

Accusing the CBI of adopting delay tactics, Phoolka said the investigation agency had included Section 153A (used where enmity is promoted between different groups on the grounds of religion) with Section 302 of the IPC in the FIRs. As per the rules, a permission was required from the government to present the challan.

Phoolka said as the case would reach court, relatives of atleast 80 victims would get justice. ‘‘We are satisfied that the cases are being taken to a logical conclusion,’’ he said, adding they would continue with their struggle to get justice.

Claiming that they succeeded in getting the permission only after the issue was taken up in Lok Sabha recently, Phoolka said not only the Opposition but other political parties also prompted the government to consider the cases sympathetically.

‘‘This is only the first step. We have to go a long way. Our energies are now concentrated on getting other accused convicted,’’ he said. 

Moga, December 31
Hailing from Bir Raoke village in Moga district, 50-year-old Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, presently settled in the UK, has raised the prominence of the Punjabi community there by raising a sum of £1,00,000 for supporting St Rocco’s charitable hospice that takes care of terminally ill cancer patients.

A couple of months ago, Dhaliwal started a campaign to walk 200 miles per month to raise funds. He got a massive response and in a few weeks, Dhaliwal managed to collect £1,00,000.

According to Dhaliwal: “The daily expense of a patient in this hospice is around £5,500 that is funded by charitable means and through volunteers only.”

Becoming a role model for the Punjabi community in the UK, he now plans to raise more money in future for charity.

Talking to The Tribune over telephone, Dhaliwal said he had pledged to continue walking for the rest of his life for the treatment of cancer patients. “It is a big challenge in this country where the daily schedule of the people do not permit them to carry out such activities,” he said.

In his native village, Dhaliwal’s efforts have proved successful in improving the sex ratio that stands out with 107 females to every 100 males during the past few years.

He has adopted female children of his village. He meets costs of their education and clothes for the past many years. He also provides financial help to the poor to marry off their daughters.

Dhaliwal is also chairman of the British government’s committee for funding to minority communities and director of a sports funding board for the past five years. He has also been donating money for research in the treatment of cancer. 

Jalandhar, December 31
After the Sikh clergy referred the issue of the Nanakshahi Calendar to the SGPC executive committee for discussion, various Sikh bodies at home and among the diaspora today shot a letter to all executive committee members urging them to reject the “draft” of proposed changes that would come up for deliberations in their January 3 emergency meeting.

Upping their ante against those who are pushing for changes in the calendar, the DSGMC, Dal Khalsa, Akand Kirtani Jatha, SAD (Panch Pardani), Sikh Students Federation, Sikh Youth of Punjab, Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat, Akal Federation, Sikh Watch Group categorically stated that the mixing of Nanakshahi Calendar with the Bikrami Calendar was unacceptable and uncalled.

Urging the SGPC executive members not to buckle under pressure from any quarter, the leaders, including Parmjit Singh Sarna, Manjit Singh Calcutta, Kanwarpal Singh, Rajinder Singh, Giani Baldev Singh, Harpal Singh Cheema, Parmjit Singh Gazi, Gurpreet Singh Mann and Naraian Singh, said the calendar had been accepted by the community at large. Making an appeal to all of them, the letter states, “Don’t mess up the Nanakshahi Calendar with the Bikrami Calendar, as it will hurt sentiments of the community.”

The leaders posed three questions to the presidents of the SAD and the SGPC. If gurpurb and ‘sangrands’ are to be observed as per the Bikrami Calendar, then where was the need for the Nanakshahi Calendar? Are you not putting the Sikhs in a ridiculous and awkward situation by mixing the Bikrami and Nanakshahi Calendars? Will you like to see yourself as sinners of the panth and history?

Groups from the diaspora that have voiced their concern on the issue includes the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sikh Youth of America, Dasmesh Darbar Surrey, United Khalsa Dal, UK, International Sikh Council Belgium, Voices For Freedom, Sikh Federation of Germany, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, KAC (Washington, DC). 

Jalandhar, December 31
SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur said today that any decision with regard to the Nanakshahi Calendar should be taken keeping in view interests of the Sikh community.

He said a permanent solution to the issue should be found. “Today one section was pressing for changes and tomorrow other section could ask for the same,” said Bhaur.

He said there was no expert on the calendar in the SGPC’s executive committee to which the issue had been referred by the five Sikh High priests yesterday.

It is learnt that in absence of consensus to bring about the proposed changes in the calendar, the high priests referred the issue stating that they would discuss the changes only after the approval of the panel. A crucial meeting of the executive committee will be held on January 3 in this regard.

Sources said all members of the executive panel had been asked to remain present at the meeting.

A section of SAD leaders, who call the shots as far as the SGPC affairs are concerned, is also “supporting” the changes in the calendar, as it reportedly wanted to win the support of pro-changes section in the general elections of the SGPC likely to be held in mid-2010.

It is learnt that they have been “pressing” the executive panel to approve the proposed changes. There are reports that some members of the executive panel would reportedly press for handing over the issue to a committee of experts that had earlier approved the calendar in 2003.

The Institute of Sikh Studies, an organisation of Sikh scholars, had played a vital role in getting the Nanakshahi calendar implemented in 2003. On its request then, the calendar was first examined at the Dharm Parchar committee level and later an expert committee was set up to approve it. After it was approved by the committee, the executive and general house of the SGPC and the Sikh high priests, before its implementation, had also approved the calendar.

Chandigarh, December 31
If the promises doled out by the Punjab Government to unemployed youth of the state have an iota of credibility and sincerity, there will be plenty of jobs, including those of the PCS (Executive Branch), teachers, doctors, paramedical staff and in the Police Department, for grabbing in the coming year.

While the process has been set in motion for the recruitment of 180 PCS (Executive and Allied Services) officers, the Police Department has announced the filling of 2,900 posts of various levels in the organisation.

The Department of Family Welfare and Health has come out with a road map of recruiting 142 specialist medical officers, 212 medical officers and 100 medical officers under the National Rural Health Mission, 780 staff nurses and 200 ANMs. Besides, the Education Department will continue to recruit new teachers to clear the backlog of vacancies in the schools and colleges of the state. The department also proposes to recruit 48 dentists by September, 2010.

The department also plans to set up Jan Aushadi Stores in the Nabha, Abohar and Pathankot subdivisional hospitals, a 20-bedded trauma centre at Khanna besides upgrading the civil hospitals at Sangrur, Bathinda and Abohar. All district hospitals by the end of 2010 will have dialysis units. New blood banks will also be commissioned in the coming year in Mohali and Amritsar.

Tormented by the low sex ratio, the state has started encouraging those gram panchayats where parity has been restored in the skewed sex ratio.Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will felicitate 30 such gram panchayats on January 25.

Among other new projects the Health Department hopes to commission in the coming year a 20-bedded drug de-addiction centre in Talwandi Sabo while 10 other civil hospitals will have such centres by the end of 2010.The department is set to start a population-based cancer registry in Bathinda. An advanced dental implant centre is being set up in Mohali.

The Police Department plans to fill 2,900 vacant posts, including those of Inspector (200), Sub-Inspector and Assistant Sub- Inspector (400 each), head constable (600) and constable (1,300) to accelerate promotional prospects.It also plans to absorb the remaining eligible SPOs.

The process of recruitment of 180 PCS officers has been set in motion by the Punjab Public Service Commission as the last date for submitting completed applications has just passed. A special examination of Punjabi Prabodh for those who have not studied Punjabi at the matriculation level has been conducted by the Languages Department.

The Punjab Police Recruits Training Centre at Jahan Khelan will continue to train eligible youth as security guards for the public and private sectors. Various public and private companies have already employed the first batch of 5,000 youth. Punjab DGP P.S.Gill today, while greeting the force on the eve of New Year, said the state police would expedite promotions. 

Bathinda, December 31
The Centre today cleared a long-pending proposal of the state government to develop district landmarks here as tourist destinations. After sanctioning Rs 344 lakh for four destinations, the Centre also released Rs 275 lakh (80 per cent) for the purpose.

Out of the total sanctioned amount, Rs 134 lakh will be spent on Qila Mubarak (Bathinda Fort). A sum of Rs 87 lakh has been sanctioned for the historical temple at Maesar Khana, Rs 50 lakh for an artificially developed village, Jaipal Garh, located in the city and Rs 72 lakh for the development of the Bir Talab zoo.

The state Tourism Department will spend the grant through the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board. As per the terms, once the renovation of the selected destinations is completed, maintenance will be the responsibility of the district administration as well as the trusts which earn revenue from such places.

According to the proposal,the authorities will set up a tourist facilitation centre at the Bathinda Fort along with carrying out landscaping. Further, the renovation of the approach road, the parking facility, landscaping, drinking water and public conveniences at the Maesar Khana temple are included in the plan.

Jaipal Garh village, located behind the sports stadium in Bathinda, will also be upgraded. Confirming the details on the phone, Deputy Director, Tourism Department, Punjab, Surinder Bajaj said the Union Ministry had released about 80 per cent of the total sanctioned funds as a New Year bonanza for Bathinda.

When questioned about the crumbling structure of the fort, the Deputy Director said the conservation of the fort had not been covered under the project as it was the duty of the ASI. He added that the light and sound shows at the fort, which were earlier included in the plan, were also omitted after the ASI objected to these.

He said the development of Gurdwara Qila Mubarak and Hazi Rattan were also proposed to be considered in the actual plan but due to the disapproval of the SGPC, it was excluded.

Abohar, December 31
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Punjab branch, has decided to erect fencing around the ancient Mud Fort, a protected monument in the town, so that its vacant space cannot be encroached upon by unscrupulous elements.

According to official sources, the ASI, Punjab, had sanctioned Rs 22.5 lakh for the purpose and the work is expected to start soon. The fencing will be erected on the edges of the Mud Fort and the vacant space will be covered with barbed wire fencing. It is believed that the Mud Fort (a mound), which existed at that time, was once held by Abram Chand, one of the Rajput kings. The mound seems to be a Harappan site situated on the dry bed of the river Ghaggar.

Excellent flat mud bricks of large sizes were also found at the site. The Mud Fort at Abohar and the other forts at Sirsa, Bhatnair and Bathinda, situated at the angles of a figure nearly square with a side of about 50 miles long, were built of the same dimensions, thus forming a sort of quadrilateral in the path of invaders from the north-west.

Abohar was founded by Abheraj Bhatti in the 12th century and it was known as Abhegarh at that time. Till the end of the 15th century, the town was known as the Abha Nagri and was a part of the erstwhile states of Jodhpur and Bikaner.

The ASI authorities had been toiling to get the encroachers evicted from the premises.A number of people have encroached on the fort area by constructing their houses.

A senior functionary of the ASI said about 55 per cent of the area of the protected fort had been vacated so far while in the case of the remaining area, litigation is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. A section of the MPs had raised the issue in Parliament as well, he said.

Patiala, December 31
The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has generated Rs 41.2 crore as revenue from its Voluntary Disclosure Scheme (VDS) launched to declare actual load and get unauthorised load regularised.

PSEB officials said since the scheme ended today, the exact figure of the total revenue generation from the fee being charged from beneficiaries would be available in a couple of days.

Upbeat over the success of the scheme, senior officials said it received an overwhelming response, as a large number of consumers disclosed their actual load and paid the fee for the regularisation of the same.

PSEB Chairman HS Brar said a total of 92,903 agricultural consumers and 5,062 domestic/non-residential category consumers opted for the scheme. “After opting for the scheme, the authorised load increased by 30,659-KW for domestic/non-residential category and 33,5044-BHP (horsepower) for agricultural category. The PSEB generated Rs 41.2 crore as revenue in way of the requisite fee charged for sanctioning the unauthorised load”, the Chairman added.

For agricultural and domestic/non-residential category consumers, the board had introduced this scheme on November 1 and December 1, respectively. It provided the opportunity to consumers to assess their load and declare actual load till December 31.

The board management appealed domestic/non-residential category consumers to declare unauthorised loads, as it would help the board in augmenting the system to meet with increased demand in the summers.

Meanwhile, to improve an overall working of the board, the Chairman today convened a meeting with PSEB zonal chief engineers and laid emphasis on reduction of transmission and distribution losses. He directed officers to spearhead an anti-theft drive, provide UPS supply to water supply works, segregate agricultural load from domestic load and augment transmission system to meet with increased power demand.

The PSEB Chairman also instructed all zonal chief engineers to daily monitor power supply of their area and take steps against theft of power, so that transmission and distribution losses could be reduced.

Brar also directed them to identify high-loss area and take steps to reduce losses in their respective zones.

Chandigarh, December 31
Labour and Employment Minister Tikshan Sud today emphasised on the need to evolve a multi-sectoral and multi-pronged approach for generating employment opportunities. He said focus on agricultural productivity and employment growth was important for the economy.

In a statement issued on the eve of New Year, the minister said the Labour Department had achieved great heights in fulfilling the aspirations of both workers and employers. While highlighting the major steps taken for the welfare of the labour class, he said the government had taken initiatives in holding lok adalts exclusively for labour cases and it had settled about 2,750 cases and total compensation of Rs 25.81 crore has been given to workers.

The Labour Welfare Board had implemented many schemes for the welfare of industrial workers. These include Rs 30,000 interest free loan for the marriage of a daughter of a worker, ex-gratia grant of Rs 40,000 to the family of a deceased worker, Rs 5,100 shagun on marriage of a daughter of a worker and many other interest free loan schemes for purchasing items of daily use.

He added that due to the amendment of the Industrial Dispute Act - 1947, sales promotion employees have been covered within the definition of workmen. The state Assembly has also passed the Industrial Dispute Act (Punjab Amendment Bill) - 2009. According to it, a worker can approach the Industrial Tribunal directly in case of termination of services if the conciliation machinery is not able to settle the dispute within 90days.

To rehabilitate the children withdrawn from hazardous occupations, three National Child Projects at Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar are functioning. These projects cover education, health and nutrition of the child labour.

Meanwhile, the Industrial Tribunal at Chandigarh has been abolished and powers of Section 2(K) of the Industrial Disputes Act have been given to the labour courts, now reconstituted as Industrial Tribunals. The exemption has been granted to IT industry and non-employee shops and commercial establishments in the state under Section 9 and Section 10(1) of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act - 1958. They can now open their shops for 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.

Patiala, December 31
Funds amounting to Rs 58.73 crore would be utilised under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in the district during the 2010-11 fiscal.

A zila parishad meeting, which was presided over by chairman Mohinder Singh Lalwa, held at Mini Secretariat here today unanimously cleared the budget.

ADC (Development) HS Pabla said the zila parishad meeting was called in view of the fact that it was mandatory to pass NREGA budget by December 31.

Notably, Patiala administration had already issued instructions for the proper implementation of NREGA.

Deputy Commissioner Deepinder Singh has announced that he himself would be reviewing the NREGA project every week and strict action would be initiated against the officials found guilty of not paying attention towards the implementation of the scheme.

Singh said officials who failed to achieve the targets pertaining to NREGA scheme would face action.

Patiala, December 31
Dr Agyajit Singh, retired head of department of psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala, was conferred with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in sports psychology for the year 2008-2009 during the International Congress of Sports Psychology held at Gwalior.

Dr Agyajit Singh was among the first persons to teach sports psychology in India in 1978. His most important contribution to the sports is the 20-minute training package that greatly helps in relaxation, visualisation and generating mental toughness. He has written five books in sports psychology and published many research papers and articles in different journals of repute.

The ace sports psychologist has attended many national and international conferences, seminars and workshop, where he has contributed research papers and presented key-note addresses. Dr Agyajit Singh has worked as the team psychologist of the Indian Women Hockey squad in 2002 before Busan Asian Games.

Recently, he wrote two books, “Athletic Behavior” and “Sports Personology” which would be published son. He is at present the vice-president of the Sports Psychology Association of India.