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Harike Sanctuary
War Against Drugs
‘Register moneylenders to farm sector’
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Rural Economy In State
Rs 2.28 cr for vets under zila parishads
’84 Riots
Change image of police: Sukhbir
Bajwa asks PM to send all-party panel to Australia
Computerised weighbridges in grain markets
Advocate plans to fight drug abuse
Be active partner in state economy: Sukhbir to NRIs
Gurdaspur police emerges No.1
Tribune Impact
PSERC member’s appointment hailed
CM to lay stone of polytech college
PSHRC orders pollution board to check uranium
Deficiency in Service
ATMs churning out fake notes?
Suspected spy held
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Harike Sanctuary Chander Parkash Tribune News Service
Ferozepur, January 23 Though wildlife officials are not coming forward with all the information connected to arrested culprits. The arrested have been sent to jail after they were remanded into judicial custody by the judicial magistrate after they were produced before him on the evening of January 21. The information gathered by The Tribune revealed that this incident had triggered a wave of fear among the authorities concerned. A senior functionary of the department pointed out that what had become a major source of worry for them was the fact that how the poachers managed to enter into the sanctuary area, when absolute security arrangements had been made in and around the wetland. The other factor, which had also been causing worry to the authorities concerned, was the fact that these poachers could also kill the Indus dolphins, which was spotted in this area about two years ago and fetched the sanctuary an international status. He added that poachers had also become a major source of threat for thousands of migratory birds, which had been coming here for the past two months. District wildlife officer, Ferozepur, Harbans Singh Dhillon said patrolling had been intensified in and around the sanctuary after five members of fishing mafia were arrested. He added that engaging more hands on the daily-wage system was also strengthening checkposts that had been set up in and around the wetland. He said efforts were on to find out persons living in the surrounding villages of wetland, who had been keeping boats in their respective dwellings so that their intentions could be verified. Those arrested included Jaspal Singh, Gurbachan Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Bikkar Singh and Prem Singh. All the accused belonged to Harike village. A case under Sections 9, 27, 29 and 39 of the Wildlife Protection Act had been registered against them in the police station concerned. Official sources said during preliminary questioning, the accused revealed that they were landless farmers and had been earning their livelihood by indulging in illegal fishing and by disposing off the same in nearby markets.
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Performance-appraisal system spurred drive?
Prabhjot Singh Tribune News Service
Chandigarh January 23 Recoveries have only been a tip of the iceberg as the malaise has penetrated the state much deeper. How many of those arrested with contrabands are convicted will depend upon judicial scrutiny of all these seizure cases. Interestingly, spurt in seizures followed announcement of a performance-appraisal system by the Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, a couple of months ago. And many of the enterprising district police chiefs were quick to get on the bandwagon of those trying to impress the new Home Minister with huge seizures that till a few months ago were a rarity. Otherwise, not many of serious cases of heinous crime have been solved that expeditiously as have been the narcotics smuggling cases. Though aberrations and wrongful projections of performances may not be ruled out in the race to capture special cash prizes given to outstanding performers, there has been a considerable change in the attitude of the police towards drug peddlers. Some district police chiefs have even announced “zero tolerance”. The quantum of the problem of drugs is mind boggling as different surveys and studies paint a grim picture of the affliction level in the state. Today Sukhbir Singh Badal had a review meeting of the performance of the police department. He presented Rs 1 lakh to the staff of Samrala police station for overall performance. PK Rai and GS Bhullar, SSPs of Amritsar and SAS Nagar, got special awards for their extraordinary operational performance. Crime detection, scientific and thorough investigations to improve the conviction rate and living up to expectations of a common man, he said, were expected of the police. It was during the Beant Singh government in Punjab that the idea of introducing the police commissionerate system was almost given a green signal. The subsequent Akali and Congress governments did at time make a half-hearted attempt to revive it but quickly discarded it on stiff opposition from both the political and bureaucratic lobbies. Now, a slightly diluted Police Commissionerate system will be in place in the three corporation cities on the lines Haryana has it in Gurgaon. Advising the district SSPs to involve religious personalities in educating the public to desist from narcotics, Sukhbir Badal insisted that the war against drugs could not be won unless and until drug addicts were rehabilitated. The police must work in tandem with NGOs, the Health Department and various religious groups to keep a track on the behaviour of rehabilitated drug addicts to ensure that they didn’t go back to old ways. Expressing concern over the growing traffic problem in the big cities of Punjab, he wanted that the police must work out a traffic management plan, as harassment of the public due to traffic jams was not acceptable. Sukhbir Badal said the constitution of a Special Security Group on the pattern of NSG, SWAT teams and commission grade system besides checking the overlapping of tasks would also streamline the functioning of the police department.
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‘Register moneylenders to farm sector’
Jalandhar, January 23 Official sources said that an apex committee had been set up under the chairmanship of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) to deal with the issue of loans advanced to farmers by private organisations such as money lenders, commission agents and other agencies. The Chairman has set up further four subcommittees. The committee headed by a Joint Secretary, Department of Financial Services of Union Finance Ministry, KV Eapen, has been given the task to study the issue of private loans in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and some other states. Likewise, committees have been set up to study the problem in other parts of the country. “We interacted yesterday with officials, academicians and others concerned in this regard in Chandigarh,” said Eapen. Asked whether there was any proposal to regularise the system of advancing loans by private agencies, Eapen said he was not in a position to say anything in this regard at this stage. Asked whether the Union Government would also consider providing any relief to farmers with regard to the private loans as was done by waiving loans worth Rs 60,000 of the banking sector, Eapen said this issue would also be decided by the apex committee. A professor from Punjab Agricultural University, Sukhpal Singh, told the committee that there was a need for registration of all the private moneylenders to the farm sector. “Without doing so, the exploitation of farmers could not be stopped.” Ravinder Singh Cheema, president of the Punjab Arhtiyas Association, told the committee that farmers turned to private moneylenders because they found many flaws in the advancing of the loans by the government institutions and banks, etc. He said instead of finding fault with the money lent by private agencies, the government should reform its own agencies, which advance loans. Umesh Dewan adds from Patiala: Members of one of the four subcommittees, constituted by Nabard for looking into the issue where a large number of farmers who had taken loans from private moneylenders and are not being covered under the loan- waiver scheme, today held deliberations with the arhtiyas and representatives of the Bharti Kisan Union Punjab (Regd). The committee members, including NS Kang, DS Mishra, Daljit Singh and Gobind Banerjee, also consulted Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and held discussions that mainly focused on finding a “viable” way out to bail out the Punjab farmers from the financial liabilities pending towards them in form of loans, amounting to thousands of
crores.
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Rural Economy In State Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 23 In the inaugural address, Dr GS Kalkat, Chairman of the Punjab State Farmers Commission, explained that the agricultural yield in the state was among the highest in the world and it might not be possible to increase it further using current technology. “Even though income per acre has increased a lot, the income per household had gone down due to breakdown of the joint family system and fragmentation of agricultural holdings,” he said. He pointed out that the wheat-paddy cycle of cultivation was being promoted by the Government of India by providing marketing support for the produce to ensure food security of the country. “However, for protecting the ecological balance of the state, it was incumbent to start cultivating alternative crops like maize,” he said. He also felt that due to faulty qualifying criteria, agricultural loans were being advanced to farmers with small and marginal holdings. These holdings are economically unviable and the loans taken are often misused. He also stressed upon the need for social reform and the need to cut down ostentatious expenditure. Dr Sukhpal Singh, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, highlighted the various social and financial reasons for suicides by the farmers in Punjab. According to a survey in two districts of the Punjab from 2000 to 2008, it was found that out of 2,890 suicides in Punjab during this period, 1,751 were farmers. Dr Sukhwinder Singh, Professor of economics, Punjabi University, Patiala, highlighted the fact that Punjab spent a mere 1 per cent of its budget on rural health schemes, which is far less than other states which average about 3 per cent of their total public expenditure. Dr Ranjit Singh Ghuman, Professor and Head, Department of Economics, Punjabi University, Patiala, said in 1980, about 22 per cent of the Punjab budget was allocated to education which had now shrunk to about 12 per cent. Karam Singh, former director of the agro economics centre, PAU, Ludhiana, talked about the over exploitation and depletion of ground water resources in the state. He said even though some steps had been taken through the Punjab Preservation of Sub-soil Water Act, 2009, these were still insufficient to tackle the problem. Dr Amarjit Singh Khehra, former Vice- Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, presided over the same while Pritam Singh Kohli, President, IOSS, welcomed the speakers.
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NFL to switch over to gas
Bathinda, January 23 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given the green light for conversion of the three units of NFL at
Bathinda, Nangal and Panipat into the gas-based type. It is learnt the conversion will reduce the annual production cost of each of the three units by about Rs 40
crore. The Bathinda plant produces 5,11,500 lakh tonnes of urea annually. The conversion will reduce the emission level as well as pollution because the ammonia plant of the unit will be replaced. It will take nearly 36 months for the switchover once the work begins. The unit of NFL set up in 1974 is at present being run on load sulphur heavy stock
(LSHS) which is costlier than gas. Moreover, gas will make the unit more efficient. The plant has four coal-fired boilers, three in the steam generation plant and one in the captive power plant. It is learnt that conversion of the Panipat plant into the gas type will cost Rs 1296.94
crore, whereas that of the Nangal-based plant will cost more than Rs 1,400
crore.
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Rs 2.28 cr for vets under zila parishads
Bathinda, January 23 As per the allotment of the budget, Rs 17.68 lakh has been allotted to Amritsar district for 34 veterinary doctors. Likewise, Rs 14.56 lakh has been allotted to Bathinda district for 28 veterinary doctors. The amount of budget allotted to other districts is- Rs 16.34 lakh for 32 veterinary doctors of Gurdaspur district, Rs 10.12 lakh for 21 veterinary doctors of Patiala district, Rs 15.39 lakh for 24 veterinary doctors of Shaheed Bhagat Singh
Nagar, Rs 8.32 lakh for 16 veterinary doctors of Moga district, Rs 16.64 lakh for 32 veterinary doctors of Sangrur district, Rs 14.04 lakh for 27 veterinary doctors of Ludhiana district, Rs 5.72 lakh for 11 veterinary doctors of Faridkot district, Rs 3.64 lakh for seven veterinary doctors of Barnala district and Rs 19.24 lakh for 22 veterinary doctors of Tarn Taran district. A budget of Rs 3.12 lakh has been allotted to Mohali district for six veterinary doctors, Rs 10.92 lakh for 21 veterinary doctors of Mansa district, Rs 8.32 lakh for 16 veterinary doctors of Kapurthala district, Rs 11.44 lakh for 22 veterinary doctors of Jalandhar district, Rs 6.24 lakh for 12 veterinary doctors of Muktsar district, Rs 9.36 lakh for 18 veterinary doctors of Ropar district, Rs 11.96 lakh for 23 veterinary doctors of Ferozepur district, Rs 17.68 lakh for 34 veterinary doctors of Hoshiarpur district and Rs 6.76 lakh for 13 doctors of Fatehgarh Sahib district. The Director-cum-Secretary of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has told the additional deputy commissioners (development) of the state that this amount will be used only for the purpose of giving a package to the rural veterinary medical officers and will not be diverted for using the same for any other purpose. The ADCs (D) have also been told to ensure payment of the package to the rural veterinary medical officers on the first or second date of every month.
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Phoolka: Govts failed to rehabilitate victims
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 23 The SC advocate also said the November ‘84 Carnage Justice Committee filed public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court requesting it to constitute a monitoring committee for the anti-Sikh riots on the pattern of the same by the SC for the Gujarat riots. Accompanied by advocate Navkiran Singh and Peer Mohammad, Phoolka said 80 per cent of the anti-Sikh riot victims who stayed back in Delhi were back on their feet through hard work, whereas the case of those who had migrated to Punjab was totally reverse. The SC advocate said only 20 per cent of the riot victims who migrated to Punjab were properly rehabilitated. Responding to a query, he said every government, including the present SAD-BJP government, was responsible for not taking adequate measures to properly rehabilitate the victims. Phoolka said several anti-Sikh riot victims had not been allotted houses in their names and many of them had not even been provided with red cards, a proof of 1984-riot affected families. “A PIL has been filed to constitute a monitoring committee for the anti-Sikh riots,” he added.
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Change image of police: Sukhbir
Chandigarh, January 23
“Our image is on stake and we must be conscious of this fact,” he said. Appreciating the Police Department for conducting the first-ever performance appraisal of all district SSPs on the broad parameters of crime detection, services to the public from the police and in-house administration, he said the implementation and recoveries under the NDPS Act and solving the cases of theft and snatchings should get priority in the broad parameters set up by the department. Asking the DGP to change the parameters for issuing different commendation certificates, Sukhbir Badal said that not going by the routine ACRs, we should focus on real work done by the officials. Sukhbir Badal said that commendation certificates should not be restricted to officers but percolate to the level of constables to boost their morale.
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Bajwa asks PM to send all-party panel to Australia
Amritsar, January 23 Bajwa has also asked the Australian Government to take the necessary steps to check the “unbridled violence” against Indian students who had opted to go to that country after spending billions of dollars and had given a big boost to the economy of Australia with their efforts and money. “The PM should give personal attention to the issue. A large number of Indian students have gone to Australia after spending huge amounts and with very high hopes and ambitions. But their dreams have gone sour with increasing attacks against them. The Australian Government should also realise its duty to ensure the safety and security of Indians and to protect them against violence which has become a blot on an otherwise safe, secure and developed country,” said Bajwa.
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Computerised weighbridges in grain markets
Moga, January 23 The produce coming to the grain markets will be weighed before it is allowed entry into the market for sale. The weighbridges will be installed at the entry points of the grain markets. Each computerised weighbridge will cost at least Rs 8.5 lakh. The installation in 50 selected grain markets will be completed within six months and the remaining markets of the state will be covered in the second phase, he said.
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Advocate plans to fight drug abuse
Amritsar, January 23 Named as Kirat Lehar, this movement, the objective of which is to encourage people of the state to shun idleness, social vices, raise education standards, would commence on Baisakhi Day on April 14 from Anandpur Sahib. Before that, a pre-launch march has been scheduled from Khadur Sahib on March 31 which will reaching Anandpur Sahib on April 14. The concept focusing especially on the farming community would offer a programme to educate them about the modern techniques of farming.
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Be active partner in state economy: Sukhbir to NRIs Chandigarh, January 23 Inaugurating a conference “Making Punjab The Skill Capital of the World” organised by the International Punjabi Chamber for Service Industries (IPCSI) in collaboration with the Institute of Technology and Future Management Trends (ITFT) here today, Sukhbir said with Punjab emerging the main centre of the world to train and export skilled human resource to the world, time has come for NRIs to exploit this strength of Punjab by investing in the state. Presiding over the conference, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Minister for NRI Affairs, explored Punjabi NRIs to rejuvenate their inherent strengths of hard work, entrepreneurial qualities and dedication. Sukhbir said Punjab was investing in developing human resource according to the changing needs of the industry. He said to provide quality human resource back up to the upcoming industry, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, had already started classes. Moreover, Indian Institute of Information & Technology (IIIT) would be set up soon. The Deputy Chief Minister said with the setting up of World Class Indian School of Business (ISB), second of the country, Punjab was all set for education revolution in the state. He said the setting up of the Central University at Bathinda and World-Class University at Amritsar and record investment of Rs 104 crore on 13 new degree colleges show the focus and sincerity of the government. Describing NRIs as ambassadors of peace and goodwill, he added that the time had come when sun would actually rise in the east with India emerging as No 1 economic power of the World. Inviting NRIs to invest in renewable energy ventures, Sukhbir said Punjab was targeting to produce 140 MW from mini hydel plants, 500 MW from 28 upcoming baggase-based power plants, 200 MW from solar power plants, 208 MW from co-generation plants, besides saving 1,850 MW power by replacing traditional bulbs of 48 lakh households with CFL bulbs. Punjab has emerged as pioneer state in implementation of non-conventional energy projects and had unique distinction of commissioning country’s first solar power plant in the state, he added.
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Gurdaspur police emerges No.1 Patiala, January 23 The performance of all 24 police districts of Punjab during September, October and November last year was assessed by the Punjab police. As per the data tabulated by the state police, Gurdaspur was on the top in terms of tracing murder cases, recovery of case property in theft cases, seizure of narcotics and action taken against proclaimed offenders. Gurdaspur is followed by Ferozepur and Hoshiarpur police. Patiala failed to make it to the top 10, as it stood 11th. The district police of the industrial hub of Punjab - Ludhiana (rural) and Ludhiana (urban) were ranked at number 23 and 20, respectively. The report has been sent to the respective SSPs. A letter, written by Punjab DGP PS Gill to the police heads of all districts, mentioned, “Those districts, which had minimum pendency scored high. I expect that the SSPs of the districts lagging behind would examine their weaknesses and take remedial measures in order to improve their performance in future.” Meanwhile, the copy of the data available with The Tribune shows that Batala stood at number four, whereas Amritsar (urban) and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar have managed the 5th and 6th position, respectively. The seventh slot has been grabbed by Taran Taran, followed by Sangrur and Moga at the 8th and 9th place. Highly placed sources in the police department said state police officials would monitor the performance of the district police in the next comparative performance chart also, and will also check whether the districts that fared poorly took any remedial measures.
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Tribune Impact Patiala, January 23 According to the information available, civic officials did a survey of the entire city and all illegal advertisement boards
and hoardings being spotted were removed. Speaking to The Tribune, Patiala Municipal Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang
said they would not allow anyone to deface the city by putting up hoardings at unapproved sites,
adding that violators would be challaned as well.
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PSERC member’s appointment hailed Patiala, January 23 In a release issued here, association president HS Bedi and general secretary Bhupinder Singh said the appointment of Virinder would strengthen the professional edge of the PSERC, which not only decide the electricity tariff but also the important issues concerning the power sector, which is passing through a critical phase at the moment. “Earlier, when technocrats like SK Sharma and LS Deol were members of the PSERC, the PSEB had registered a record profit during the fiscal year 2003-04. Virinder is known for his technical competence and hence the state government has taken a right decision to appoint him as the
member of the PSERC,” they added.
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CM to lay stone of polytech college Ranwan (Fatehgarh Sahib), January 23 However, the site of the proposed college has been covered with heaps of rotten paddy for many years. Efforts are being made by the administration to remove the paddy heaps at the earliest. Sources said it seemed unlikely that the paddy would be removed from the site before Wednesday, and an alternative arrangement would have to be made for the inauguration ceremony. “The paddy at the foundation stone-laying site will be removed and the rest of the function might be held at an adjoining school in the village,” said an official on condition of anonymity. Additional director of technical education, Punjab, Naresh Nagpal said seven districts have been chosen in the state, where polytechnic colleges would be set up with the help of aid provided by the Centre. Four, including Behram in Nawashehar, Badbar in Sangrur, Baretta in Mansa and Ranwan in Fatehgarh Sahib, will be inaugurated in the next few days. Approximately Rs 12.30 crore will be spent by the Centre for the construction of each college, which would be built on eight to nine acres of land. The same amount has been allocated by the Punjab government for deployment of teachers and staff in the college. Initially, five courses will be introduced in these co-ed colleges. These courses include electronics, computer, IT and mechanics. The construction work would start immediately after the laying of foundation stone and admission would commence in June-July, 2011. Fatehgarh Sahib Deputy Commissioner Yashvir Mahajan could not be contacted for comments, despite repeated attempts.
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PSHRC orders pollution board to check uranium Bathinda, January 23 In its order, dated January 14, the PSHRC has told the PSEB to take steps to reduce the uranium content within prescribed limits, in case it was found beyond the permissible limit. Taking cognizance of reports published in The Tribune regarding air pollution being caused in Bathinda due to fly ash emanating from the coal-based thermal plant and also high quantity of uranium in the groundwater, the PSHRC had earlier issued notices to the Punjab government, PSEB and Pollution Control Board. PSHRC chairperson Justice RS Mongia and other members have ordered that tests may be done at some other thermal plant to verify whether the ash pond here was causing presence of uranium in the ground water. The PSHRC suggested another test of groundwater from some place away from the ash pond to compare the uranium content. Chief engineer of the thermal plant Kamaljit Singh informed the commission that modernisation of Unit number III has been started and the work would be completed in nine months.
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Deficiency in Service Shariq Majeed Tribune News Service
Sangrur, January 23 The forum also directed the CMO-cum-registrar (births and deaths), Sangrur, to issue the birth certificate of Jagtar Singh on the basis of the certificate of the Punjab School Education Board. Member of DCDRF Harvinder Sharma said the complainant Gurcharan Singh had averred that he applied in the CMO office to issue birth certificate of Jagtar Singh depositing Rs 7 as the requisite fee on May 4, 2009. He said repeated visits of the complainant to secure birth certificate turned the exercise futile, despite its dire need. Ultimately, the complainant learnt that the relevant page of entry of birth of Jagtar had been torn. He added that even the educational certificate submitted in the CMO office to prove date of birth, besides in writing by village panchayat failed to yield any result.
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ATMs churning out fake notes?
Amritsar, January 23 And once the currency notes are withdrawn from the ATMs, there is hardly any remedy for getting a replacement for fake notes. This was what was happening with a number of ATM card holders of different banks across the state, resulting in a high degree of inconvenience to them for none of their fault. “I was stunned to discover that I had got three Rs 500 fake notes in my withdrawal of just Rs 5,000, which means that around 35 per cent of currency notes were fake. The cash was withdrawn on January 14 from the Cool road ATM of the State Bank of Patiala’s ATM. When I went to the State Bank of India branch the next day, they changed two of the notes and refused to change the third one saying it was “too fake.” I don’t know where to dump this fake note or how to determine what was my fault in this,” rued a
Jalandhar-based housewife. Rajan, a local resident, said he had withdrawn some cash from the Queen’s Road ATM of a bank and was surprised to detect a fake Rs 500 note among the notes. “I had to rush to the bank where the staff changed the note after their initial reluctance. Who has the time to waste on such an exercise?” he
questioned. Ashwani Gupta, Director of the State Bank of Patiala, assured that he would look into such complaints. “People coming across such notes should lodge a written complaint with the bank concerned citing their transaction details.”
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Suspected spy held
Bathinda, January 23 According to sources, the man, appearing to be in thirties, had long grown hair and beard. He was sitting outside a fuel station located outside the HP oil depot on the Bathinda-Mansa road. Getting suspicious over his regular visit there, some people searched his bag and found a diary with folded pages and currency notes. They found that the numbers of the currency notes were mentioned in the diary along with some messages. “The diary was also having round seal (stamp) over some pages mentioning messages with dates. The words written in Hindi, Punjabi and English were read as if hinting about the location, direction, city and name of a lady. All this was enough to suspect him for being a foreign spy, so we called the police and handed him over to them,” said a truck driver standing on the spot. SHO Cantonment police station Jagdish Kumar said, “We could not ascertain his identity as the man speaks in a language, which is tough to understand for us. He appears to be mentally retired but we have been trying to interrogate him to ascertain the fact.”
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