Fallout of Ruchika Case
HC order to affect 8 IAS officers
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 4
The Punjab and Haryana High Court order, directing to put on the fast track “high-profile” cases, following Ruchika’s molestation case is likely to cut delay in litigation not just against the present and the former Chief Ministers of Punjab, but against eight IAS officers as well.

The Punjab government had informed the high court during the hearing of petition that vigilance enquiries and departmental proceedings were pending against 18 IAS officers. Another eight had criminal cases pending against them.

Nearly 10 IPS officers, including three serving and retired Directors-General of Police and an additional DGP, were facing court and criminal cases, besides disciplinary action and investigation. Punjab’s Additional Advocate-General in compliance with the orders passed by Justice HS Bhalla in the Bhadaur Gurdwara controversy case placed the list of names before the high court.

The list has not been updated in the high court records. The officers named then in the list were: Sarvesh Kaushal, Jagjit Puri, Mandeep Singh, B Sarkar, GS Pirzada, CS Srivastava, HIS. Grewal, Khushi Ram, JS Maini, Dr Swarn Singh, RN Gupta, Dharam Vir, Harjit Singh, Kirpa Shanker Saroj, Shruti Singh and DS Grewal. Another list of IAS officers with criminal cases had then asserted: KBS Sidhu, SC Agrawal and GS Grewal are facing proceedings in CBI case on establishment and development of forest hill resort at Karoran village in SAS Nagar.

It was then added that IAS officer K Siva Prasad was also facing a CBI case registered against him. R Venkatratnam then had a case of cheating and forgery pending against him under Sections 420, 409, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC, read with the Prevention of Corruption Act. SS Dhillon also had a Prevention of Corruption Act case against him when the list was submitted. Tejinder Kaur’s name had also appeared in the list.

In the list of IPS officers facing court and criminal cases, along with disciplinary actions and investigations then were: SS Virk, SS Saini, KK Attri, Mohd. Izhar Alam, GD Pandey, RP Singh, SS Sodhi, Paramraj Singh, Rajinder Singh and Devinder Singh Garcha. The politicians facing cases include ex-Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and present Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon.

Nanakshahi Calendar
Changes will unite Sikhs, says Takht Jathedar
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 4
Defending the controversial approval of changes in the Nanakshahi calendar by the SGPC executive, the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, has expressed the hope that the changed calendar will work as a “catalyst for unity among the Sikhs. These changes will be implemented from March 14, he added.

The direct fallout of the changes in the hitherto widely accepted calendar will be that from March 14 onwards, the dates of important days will hardly remain fixed as was the case in the widely accepted Nanakshahi calendar, based on the solar system and calculations.

A large number of Sikh bodies were opposing the changes in the calendar on the plea that these changes would make the calendar resemble the Bikrami calendar and that the Nanakshahi calendar in its original form was a symbol of the separate Sikh identity. They were also pleading that the changes were being effected under a conspiracy and without adoption of a proper laid-down procedure and under pressure of the orthodox Sikh organisations particularly the Damdami Taksal.

Giani Gurbachan Singh, who was flanked by the Head Granthi, Jaswinder Singh, and four Granthis, Jagtar Singh, Giani Mal Singh, Ravel Singh and Giani Sukhjinder Singh, said the changed Nanakshahi calendar would bring about unity among the Sikhs and various sects that were divided over the calendar issue.

“The changed calendar will put an end to the prevailing confusion among Sikhs over the observation of important Sikh events in the light of the Nanakshahi calendar. For example, Takht Patna Sahib and Takht Hazoor Sahib were not adhering to the Nanakshahi calendar, which was also being opposed by the Sant Samaj. But now there will be no confusion particularly after the recommendation of changes by the two- member panel comprising the SGPC chief, Avatar Singh, and the Damdami Taksal chief, Harnam Singh, and their approval by the SGPC executive,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh.

Giani Gurbachan Singh said it was not the end of changes as more changes could be effected in the calendar in future.

As per the Nanakshahi calendar, which was approved by the SGPC and Akal Takht and was implemented in 2003, the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh was celebrated on January 5, his martyrdom day was observed on October 21 and the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev was observed on June 16. Almost all dates were fixed in the existing Nanakshahi calendar, but it may not be so in the case of a changed Nanakshahi calendar.

Chandigarh, January 4
Though dissent is the strength of any democratic body, it is the bane of the Sikh community as is evident from the polarisation within the community over proposed amendments to the Nanakshahi Calendar.

While the executive committee of the SGPC not only endorsed the amendments but also got the approval of Akal Takht, various Sikh organisations, including the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and the Institute of Sikh Studies, continue to oppose any changes in the calendar.

Besides the Institute of Sikh Studies (IOSS), the International Sikh Confederation (ISC) and the Kendriya Sri Guru Singh Sabha (KSGSS) have also expressed their deep disappointment over the decision of the SGPC executive committee.

“These amendments have totally changed the concept and character of the calendar,” a joint communiqué of the IOSS, ISC and the KSGSS said. They held that the Nanakshahi Calendar had been framed after a thorough research and deliberations in which a large segment of Sikhs from across the globe took part. Learned persons, irrespective of their religious beliefs were consulted. Every aspect was thoughtfully studied and unanimously approved by the general house of the SGPC and jathedars of all the five Takhts.

Making major modifications without consulting all sections of the Sikh community, they held, are totally unjustified. There was no urgency to take this decision in such a hurry. The IOSS, ISC and the KSGSS also appealed to the jathedars not to issue any edict on the amended calendar so as to preserve unity in the panth.

Meanwhile, DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said the general house of the Delhi committee had at its general house meeting of December 28 unanimously resolved that any changes or modifications made in the calendar on the recommendation of a 11-member panel would not be acceptable to them

Only the general house of the SGPC was empowered to endorse these amendments. Further, Sarna accused the Chief Minister and chief patron of the SAD Parkash Singh Badal for the alleged safforinastion of the Sikh panth and held that getting these amendments endorsed in the calendar was a corroboration of the saffornisation.

Sarna also maintained that even the executive committee of the SGPC was divided and as such there was no justification for according approval to an amendment that had a fractured consent.

He said if Akal Takht also endorsed the amendments, it would clearly indicate that even the temporal seat of the Sikhs was opting to “play the employee card” than assert its moral and ethical responsibility towards the Sikh panth. Instead Akal Takht should have sought views of all Sikh organisations before arriving at its final decision.

Chandigarh, January 4
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has ordered the chargesheeting of senior IAS officer CS Srivastva for having “directly” employed a naib tehsildar in violation of the appointment rules.

In a three-page order issued yesterday, it has been pointed out that Chander Shekhar Srivastva had as Divisional Commissioner, Patiala, in 2005 appointed the son of a Punjab police cop as naib tehsildar on the basis of a mere application.

The application was given by the cop to the then Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, requesting him to employ his son who he said was qualified for the post and could be adjusted in the sports quota. The cop had in the application highlighted that he had served the state well in the days of terrorism and his son should be adjusted in the government on those grounds.

Srivastava noted on the application “discussed the matter with the Chief Minister and the media adviser to the Chief Minister who have directed me to appoint the applicant’s son as naib tehsildar.”

The Chief Minister’s chargesheet orders state that Srivastava could not have appointed someone as a naib tehsildar on the basis of a mere application. “In case there is a vacant post under the sports category, this should have been filled in accordance with the appointment rules,” state the orders, adding that in this case no other applications were called for or examined.

In 2006, the appointment was also questioned by revenue department officials and they termed this appointment “irregular” and “illegal”. The revenue department officials pointed out that in 2003 all divisional commissioners had been forbidden from making any direct appointments without the prior permission of the government. They added that this appointment also did not fall in the category of a “compassionate” appointment.

CS Srivastava is a 1979 batch officer of the state and is currently posted as secretary, Lok Pal. Sources add that the Vigilance Bureau is also investigating the role he played as divisional commissioner Patiala in the alleged “distribution” of shamlat land in Chandigarh’s periphery among private persons. Srivastava has already been chargesheeted by the revenue department and following a departmental inquiry two increments of his have been withheld. His representation in that case has been put up to the Chief Minister and is pending with him.

Chandigarh, January 4
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has refuted all reports about any difference having crept up between the SAD and its coalition partner, the BJP. In a statement issued here today, the Chief Minister said the relations between the two parties were very “cordial and constructive” and every issue between them had been discussed with the BJP leaders, both at the national and the state levels.

Quite contrary to the claim made by the Chief Minister, the BJP leadership today claimed that its relationship with the SAD was under strain due to difference on issues of governance. While the BJP leaders, who met here today, were candid about differences over certain issues, the Chief Minister has maintained that talk about differences among alliance partners was merely “speculative and without substance.”

The statement reads “as mature parties, the SAD and the BJP have always functioned like a family with consensus on all issues through mutual and healthy discussions, keeping in view the overall interests of the people of the state and the country. These discussions always focus on the welfare and prosperity of the people and on finding ways to serve them in the best possible way”.

He added, “We are greatly appreciative of each other’s concerns and have always addressed these concerns constructively. I have repeatedly said that the SAD-BJP alliance represents the social harmony of Punjab. It is much more than a political arrangement. We are together because we symbolise Punjabi unity. That is why this alliance has been here for nearly five decades now and has survived the greatest challenges and lived through the most difficult periods of post-Independence history.”

While referring to the reported differences between the alliance partners on the issue of power subsidy, Badal’s statement said, “We always function like a family and seek solutions to issues concerning the people through discussions and debate.” The Chief Minister re-iterated that “relations between the SAD and the BJP are and have always been most healthy and cordial”. 

Chandigarh, January 4
The souring of relations between the SAD-BJP coalition partners over the issue of rollback of the recent power hike is threatening to snowball into a major crisis for the coalition government with the BJP legislature group today calling for redefining of the saffron party’s relationship in governance.

The BJP legislature group’s meeting here, which was also attended by the party’s Punjab affairs in charge Balbir Punj and senior state leaders, reiterated that the state unit should stand firm on its demand for a rollback of the recent power hike which affects domestic, commercial and industrial consumers in the state.

The meeting, however, also witnessed legislators complaining that they were feeling “suppressed” in the coalition government. Legislators called for a fresh delineation of responsibilities in the government besides raking up earlier injustices meted out to the party, including denial of the Deputy Chief Minister’s post to it. Some legislators also called for withdrawing ministers from the state Cabinet.

The state BJP leadership seemed buoyant after the legislators upheld its stand and is going to Delhi to convey the sentiments of the legislature group to party President Nitin Gadkari. Senior leaders, including state unit President Rajinder Bhandari, Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia and veteran leader Balramji Dass Tandon, will meet Gadkari tomorrow.

Though BJP leaders maintained in private that they wanted to settle the issue once and for all, state President Rajinder Bhandari made it clear that the party did not want the government to fall. “This government will complete its full term and Parkash Singh Badal is our undisputed leader,” Bhandari said. He, however, qualified this remark by adding in the same breath “it is our responsibility to ensure the government comes up to the expectations of the people”.

Manoranjan Kalia when questioned on the same issue said, “Difference of opinion is there on some issues but the dialogue with the SAD will continue.” This, however, was in stark contrast to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s reaction today. Badal, in a release here, claimed that reports of differences among alliance partners were “speculative and without substance”.

Interestingly after months of debate with its coalition partners, the SAD has chosen to take the issue of power rollback to the BJP central leadership for adjudication. Unlike previous times, when the SAD was able to have its say with the BJP high command, this time the central leadership is also listening to appeals by its state unit to protect its existence in the state. The state unit has expressed the need to revive the fortunes of the BJP by addressing its core constituency in Punjab after the humiliation in the parliamentary poll in which it lost in 16 of the 19 Assembly segments won by it in the last Assembly elections. 

Chandigarh, January 4
In response to the article “PU’s exam system needs a revamp” published in the Open House column of the Chandigarh Tribune today, Prof RC Sobti, the Vice- Chancellor, constituted a 10-member high-level committee on “revamping the crippled examination system”. The time-bound committee will submit its report by January 24.

The decision will impact the examination and evaluation process for more than 110 affiliated colleges of the university in different parts of the state and 70 teaching departments on the university campus.

The committee headed by Prof BS Brar includes Principal AC Vaid, Principal BC Josan, Principal HS Sohi, Dr IS Sandhu, Prof RK Kohli and Naval Kishore, Dean Student Welfare. The committee will also include the Controller of Examination, AK Bhandari, as the convener and Amit Bhatia, the president of the Student Council.

The Open House has called for a public debate on the lacunae in the existing system of the university. It has been argued that probably conducting the examination only has become the biggest responsibility of the university, going by the increased number of candidates in the affiliated colleges and on the campus. Response has been sought on the issue at openhouse@tribunemail.com as to whether the university should do away with examination for the first and second year classes of the undergraduate classes and ask colleges to complete the formalities, independently.

Talking to The Tribune, Professor Sobti said, “I read the report concerning the lacunae in the examination system on the internet at 3.30 am and immediately constituted the committee.” 

Ludhiana, January 4
The municipal corporation today disconnected the sewerage connection of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for non-payment of water supply and sewerage bills.

Manjeet Singh, XEN, O&M cell of MC, said the university had failed to pay the bills in time. He said out of the three connections of PAU, only one was cut as the university had failed to pay an outstanding amount of Rs 7 lakh.

The XEN said for the time being only sewerage connections were snapped. The water connections were, however, not touched. “We will have to take strong action if the departments still fail to pay up,” he said.

Besides the connections of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust and XEN, PWD were also disconnected. The LIT had not paid Rs 83,000 and the PWD failed to pay Rs 80,000, according to Manjeet Singh. The MC took action in order to generate revenue.

It is for the first time that the sewerage connection of a university has been disconnected. The PAU is already suffering from a financial crunch.

The authorities have been sending SOS calls to the state government. Instead the MC today disconnected the line.

Estate officer of PAU Dr Gurkirpal Singh said they would not be affected by the disconnection as the university has its own water supply and sewerage treatment plant.

“But we do not know where the bill has been generated from. We have asked them a number of times about the break-up of the bill but they have not responded. They can cut any number of lines, we are not bothered,” he said. 

Bathinda, January 4
Lodging resentment against the alleged sop discrimination of the state government, activists of the Punjab Cotton Factories & Ginners’ Association, held a state-level protest rally, here today.

Later, the agitators submitted a memorandum to the assistant commissioner (UT), Bathinda, as a representative of the state government.

It may be mentioned that alleging the state government for discriminating between small and mega projects, while allowing exemptions in the market fee and rural development fund (RDF), the association had been observing indefinite boycott of the cotton auctions throughout the state mandis since January 1, this year.

Addressing the gathering, leaders of the association accused the state government for chalking policies against the interest of small scale industrialists and showing biased role in granting exemption to only big ginning and spinning mills, which resulted in putting the future of majority of cotton ginners at stake.

They alleged SAD leaders for breaching their manifesto promise of developing Malwa as textile zone and accused them to take steps for killing the cotton industry.

Speakers claimed that the state government exempted seven-odd ginning and spinning mills from paying the market fees and RDF, under the Industrial policy 2003, in the name of mega projects.

Members of the association said despite their units were running in deficit, they kept on paying fees and taxes (four per cent of the purchase rate) to the state government. They mentioned that the difference amounts Rs 130-140 per quintal of cotton, which makes them unable to compete with Mega projects.

“If the discrimination continues, about 300 ginning mills will be closed throughout the state, as a result, at one side about 35,000 labourers will be left in lurch, the other hand, the cotton corporation of India would stop purchasing the crop as there would be no ginning mill for the processing purpose. Under such circumstance, the minimum support price (MSP) policy of the state government will also not be applicable,” the leaders said.

Bhagwan Bansal, president of the association, said, “We demand the uniformed policy of the state government in giving tax relaxation, otherwise, we are firm to continue our strike”. “At one side the Prime Minister of the country is signing the agreement with the Asian countries for free trade zone, on the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister is killing the industry already set up in the state,” Bansal added.

Abohar, January 4
The processing of kinnow in the local fruit and vegetable plant is likely to start after January 15, 2010, as all arrangements in this connection have been made by the authorities concerned.

Official sources said Markfed would run the plant for processing kinnows to extract juice and other items for a multi-national company. Markfed would take over the plant on January 15 and would start operations any time after that.

While the kinnow growers of this region along with Sanjeev Godara, a senior functionary of the SAD, had been pressing the Punjab government to run the plant at the earliest so that they could get remunerative prices for their crop, Sunil Jakhar, local MLA, also raised the matter in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Set up at the cost of about Rs 40 crore in 34 acres by former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, the plant could not run continuously since 2007. The SAD-BJP combine, after coming to power, also initiated a move to sell off the plant under its disinvestment plan.

Due to decrease in the demand of kinnows with the advent of traditional month of ‘poh’ when marriage ceremonies are not performed, markets started witnessing the glut of crop and its prices came down drastically and thus made growers suffer heavy losses.

KG Sharma, chief executive officer (CEO), Punjab Agro Industrial Corporation (PAIC), said negotiations with Markfed for running the plant on commercial scale had been held and an agreement in this connection could be penned down any moment. He added that in the past two years, the plant had processed tomatoes and other vegetables on commercial lines.

Subash Kumar, plant manager, said the plant machinery had been readied so that it could put to use for processing of kinnows. The plant would process 20 tonne kinnows per hour and hundreds of tonnes of the fruit would be required every day to run the plant to its full capacity.

He pointed out that the level of the brix acidity ratio (BAR) in kinnows was around 13 to 14 per cent while the BAR requirement for the processing kinnows must be around 18 per cent to 22 per cent.

This level of BAR was expected to be achieved by January 15 as intensive winters had been making kinnows more sweet, he added.

Patiala, January 4
A group of 37 youth had left the country in search of greener pastures in 2004. Their destination was Spain. However, today, five years later, all that family members of the 37 youth know is that they are languishing in a Morocco jail and are desperate to come back to their homeland.

The plight of these 37 youth from different parts of Punjab came to light, when on December 31 one of them, Jaswant Singh, called up his uncle Sukhdev Singh in Nangal, Hoshiarpur, and told him that they had been duped by a travel agent.

Jaswant told his uncle that for the past five years, they are in a jail in Morocco.

It is learnt that nine of the missing youth are from Bholath, whereas the rest are from the areas of Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and some other regions of the Doaba belt. Though, India had issued a yellow corner notice to trace the missing youth, to no avail.

Congress MLA from Bholath Sukhpal Khaira, who is in touch with the families of many of these missing youth, alleged that: “The 37 boys, aged between 18-25 years, had left Punjab in 2004 through a travel agent, who had promised them a safe passage to Spain in Europe. However, instead of taking them to Spain, the agent took them to Mali in Africa in November 2004. The last call that the parents of Arun Kumar, one of the boys, received was on December 24, 2004, who disclosed that the said agent had promised to take them from Mali to Spain in a boat.”

Khaira further said after December 24, 2004, the parents of these 37 youths lost contact with the boys. He further revealed that they got a ray of hope on December 31, 2009, when one of the missing youth Jaswant Singh, called up his uncle.

“Immediately after the call from Jaswant, the families of the missing youth got together and today we met Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur in Patiala and handed over to her a memorandum for the release of the 37 youth”, Khaira said.

He claimed that Preneet had directed her office in New Delhi to take up the matter immediately with the Indian High Commission in Morocco. “We have been assured of a thorough probe and appropriate action to get the boys released from the Moroccan jail”, Khaira added.

Patiala, January 4
With a view to further intensifying its drive against power theft and making its officials accountable, Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) chairman HS Brar has decided to monitor the power theft drive himself.

Sources of the Punjab State Electricity Board have confirmed that from now on, the Annual Confidential Reports (ACR) of the board officials would have a special mention about the performance of the officers concerned, with regard to the targets assigned and achieved by them.

The chairman told the staff that he would firmly stand behind them, in case anyone tries to put “pressure” on them to adopt a soft approach towards those indulging in power theft.

The sources added that Brar had decided to take the command in his direct control and he himself would be reviewing the progress of the action being taken against those involved in power theft.

When contacted, Punjab State Electricity Board chairman confirmed the developments and said power theft puts an unnecessary load on the grid besides causing huge financial loss to the board.

“Besides making the officials accountable, we would also ensure that no PSEB official faces any problem for detecting the power theft cases,” Brar said.

Notably, some board employees were found to be hand in glove with the defaulters. “Following the directions of the board chairman, senior officials have been deputed to keep a check on the field officers and ensure that they are not involved with the defaulters,” senior officials of the Board said.

One of the officials, on condition of anonymity, said following a meeting with the chairman, the Chief Systems Operation and Member Distribution had been asked to identify the clusters witnessing power theft.

“After assessing the transmission and losses of these clusters, the loses incurred to the board would be calculated. Subsequently, raids by the PSEB would be a regular feature in these clusters,” a senior official said.

Since June 2009, the PSEB had imposed fines worth Rs 130 crore on the power theft defaulters across the state. And penalty of Rs 16 crore was slapped on the defaulters in the last two months.

Patiala, January 4
Government Mohindra College, Patiala, is one of the oldest institutions in north India. Established in 1875, the college owes its existence to the humanitarian zeal of Maharaja Mohinder Singh of Patiala.With this institute, Patiala became famous on the educational map of India.

But, the construction of a three-storey library in the heart of both buildings of the college has initiated a conflict between the College Old Students’ Association (OSA) and college principal Dr Sudeep Bhangoo.

While the OSA is for the library, which according to it was most-needed, it is also upset about its location. The students opposed the construction in the middle of both heritage buildings.

Punjab PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa had laid the foundation stone of the library on December 16. The budget worth Rs 2 crore and 10 lakh has been allocated for the construction.

Retd Prof Shukla is strongly against the building, for he feels it would mar the beauty of the college. “Nine long years saw the building of the college taking shape with its imposing towers built in the Gothic style, deep and pillared verandahs and sprawling campus grounds,” he said.

He said: “I agree that this library is a must, as there is no suitable place for students to study. But, there are numerous locations on the campus where it could be constructed, as it would not spoil the grandeur of the college. I don’t understand why the principal is so adamant about this despite objections from the OSA besides others.”

Prof Bhag Singh Sandhu (retd) principal and OSA financier said:

“We have spoken to the principal many times, but she is not paying attention. We have also suggested alternate sites to her, but to no avail. This building will not only occupy the only good lawn, but will spoil the beauty too.”

“Once the construction is done, we will realise that we have done an irreversible loss to the heritage structure of the college,” another member added.

Whereas the principal said development is always done at the cost of something. “Only a part of the lawn has been occupied and I can ensure that the aura of the building will be maintained. I have consulted various architects; XENs and they suggested that it would be the most suitable location due to proper ventilation. Moreover, the library should be built in the centre of the college. 

Patiala, January 4
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur has expressed shock over the alleged killing of Indian youth Nitin Garg (21) in Melbourne. “We strongly denounce the killing and express deep condolences to the bereaved family,” she said.

She said the Indian Consulate General at Melbourne was in touch with the family of the deceased in Jagraon.

She said she had also instructed officials in her ministry to facilitate visas for some of the family members of the deceased. “I have spoken to the mother of the deceased and have promised all possible help,” Preneet added. — TNS