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Sukhbir declares war on drug peddling
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State fails to implement M’rashtra model for Dalits
Industrial Packages for HP, J&K
Online land records in all tehsils by Dec
PAP sub-inspectors protest against ‘injustice’
Punjabi Tribune Editor honoured
Districts told to form biodiversity management panels
CM promises relief from power cuts
Guv’s Hindi confounds audience
Bomb found in border village
Amarinder gets clean chit in rape case
Remission to Rapists
3 cops held for manhandling HC warrant officer
3 of family among five killed in mishap
Former DSP held in murder case
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Sukhbir declares war on drug peddling
Amritsar, January 27 Speaking at the Republic Day function here on Tuesday, the Deputy Chief Minister said the drug menace had reached such an alarming proportion that an estimated 60 per cent of the Rs 1,500 crore-worth drug seizures made in the country were seized from Punjab during last year. “The Punjab police has not only made record drug seizures but has also arrested a large number of smugglers.” “To deal with the smugglers in a stern way, the Punjab police was seeking the permission of the court to seize the properties and other assets of absconding smugglers and putting them to auction,” said Sukhbir. Speaking about the development initiatives being taken in Punjab, Badal said besides ensuring the completion of the Rs 18,991 crore Guru Gobind Singh Refinery by March 2011, Punjab was all set to become a power surplus state in next two years. Badal said Punjab was all set to emerge as the highest air-connected state with the setting up of a Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport at Mohali and Rs 17,000 crore Greenfield Airport to be set up near Ludhiana. Earlier, Badal unfurled the National Flag and inspected the parade before taking salute from an impressive march past. A captivating cultural programme enthralled the audience. Tableaus of different departments showcased the overall development besides giving social messages. Widows were givn sewing machines, whereas physically challenged persons got a gift of tri-cycles. The Deputy Chief Minister also distributed commendation certificates to sportsmen, social workers and talented children. Others who were present on the occasion included MP Navjot Sidhu, MP Raj Mohinder Singh, Bikram Singh Majithia, Inderbir Singh Bularia, Anil Joshi, Dalbir Singh Verka, Malkit Singh AR, Harmit Singh Sandhu, Virsa Singh Valtoha (all MLAs) and mayor Shwait
Malik.
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Punjabis’ role in social change pivotal: Patil
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 27 In his R-Day address for the state, Patil urged people to resolve to re-dedicate themselves to the task of building a new India, envisioned by the stalwarts of the freedom struggle. A collective and committed endeavour focused on adherence to democratic values and ideals of secularism is vital to meet our cherished objective, he said. The Governor inspected the parade and took salute at the march past led by ASP Inderbeer Singh with second in command. The contingent of the PAP, district police, Punjab Home Guards, NCC (boys and girls) and the band contingent participated. Patriotic songs and cultural programmes by schoolchildren were also performed. Lauding the sacrifices made by innumerable known and unknown freedom fighters, Patil said that jawans of the Army, police, and paramilitary forces had laid down their lives to protect the unity and integrity of our country in different operations. The real tribute to these valiant patriots would be to realise their dream of making the nation strong and vibrant, he added. Lauding the efforts put in by the Punjabis for the overall development of the country, Patil said today there was complete peace, harmony and prosperity in Punjab. “Punjabis will continue to play a pivotal role in the national reconstruction work and furthering the process of social change through their commitment and dedicated
endeavours,” he said. Expressing concern over problems confronting society like drug addiction, female foeticide and illiteracy, Patil said these problems affect the vitals of our social system and called for a crusade at all levels for their eradication. The Governor also gave awards to freedom fighters, people who had done commendable jobs in their spheres and distributed sewing machines and tri-cycles to the
needy. Patil paid obeisance at the historic gurdwara at Fatehgarh Sahib and described the martyrdom of the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji as a unique sacrifice in the annals of world history. Prominent among others who were present on the occasion included Punjab chief secretary SC
Agrawal, DGP Punjab PS Gill, deputy commissioner Fatehgarh Sahib Yashvir
Mahajan, SSP Kaustubh Sharma, local MLA Didar Singh Bhatti and senior civil and police officers.
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State fails to implement M’rashtra model for Dalits
Chandigarh, January 27 The Maharashtra model advocates allocating funds in proportion to the population of SCs and BCs to the state’s Welfare Department which then coordinates with other departments to make special programmes for these communities and release funds for the same. Punjab has been toying with the idea of implementing the Maharashtra model for years with a Cabinet meeting in 2003 also giving its approval for the implementation of the model in the state. In March 2009 a joint team of the Welfare and Planning Departments also visited Maharashtra to study the model. The model, however, could not be implemented with the Planning Department maintaining at its meeting last year that due to the financial crunch it was not possible to take out 29 per cent of the total funds and transfer the same to the Welfare Department. Instead it recommended that in the first year the Welfare Department could be given 10 per cent of the total funds with the aim of increasing this figure every year until the 29 per cent target was achieved. However, it seems a 10 per cent target is also a dream for the Welfare Department. Against an allocation of Rs 297 crore, the department has received only Rs 70 crore. Out of this Rs 70 crore figure as much as Rs 42 crore has been released to implement the Shagun scheme. Irregularities in the distribution of money under the Shagun scheme are already under the scanner with widespread irregularities having been detected in Faridkot district recently. As much as 90 per cent of the schemes earmarked for SC and BC welfare are currently stalled. These include schemes that can give the cutting edge advantage to Dalit students and others where the state has to pay only a minor amount with the Centre already having released funds for the same. State Welfare of SCs and BCs Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said he had requested the Chief Minister to consider the implementation of the Maharashtra model in Punjab so that funds meant for marginalised communities were put to optimum use. He said a lot of time was wasted in the transfer of funds to the Welfare Department. “We have our own department for planning and can devise our own schemes depending on the priority”. Notwithstanding the minister’s demand, the state seems to be putting off a decision on the issue.
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Industrial Packages for HP, J&K
Ranwan (Fatehgarh Sahib), January 27 Badal was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a polytechnic college. He said six similar hi-tech polytechnic colleges would be constructed at Baretta in Mansa, Fatuhikhera in Muktsar, Kotkapura in Faridkot, Badbar in Barnala, Behram in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Begowal in Kapurthala. Skill development training centres would also be constructed to generate employment, he added. He further said a training institute to provide hi-tech training in private security services for the youth would also be set up in each district on the pattern of training institute at Jahan Khelan in Hoshiarpur. The CM said a world-class university at Amritsar, Central University at Bathinda and Guru Granth Sahib World University were being set up at Fatehgarh Sahib besides 13 degree colleges and 21 model schools. He added that the upcoming government polytechnic college would be named after Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib. Technical Education Minister Swarna Ram said new diploma courses like computer engineering, electrical engineering, pharmacy and civil engineering would be introduced in the newly constructed polytechnic colleges. Badal said the Chief Ministers of other states, including Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, would also be persuaded to raise the issue with the PM. Blaming the Centre for spiraling prices, the CM said despite checking practices of hoarding and black marketeering of essential commodities by his government, the Centre failed to reduce sky-rocketing prices.
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Online land records in all tehsils by Dec
Majitha (Amritsar), January 27 The mammoth task that was resented by a section of the revenue staff since it decreased their importance was being undertaken at a cost of Rs 115 crore. All tehsils will be interlinked with the Wide Area Network programme by the state government under its ongoing land reform programme. This was stated by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal who was here to inaugurate the first fully computerised fard kendra (computerised land record kiosk) on Tuesday. He was accompanied by local MLA Bikram Singh Majithia and MPs Navjot Sidhu and Rajmohinder Singh Majithia. He also inaugurated a series of projects worth Rs 21 crore including two power grids at Majitha and at Nagkalan. Sukhbir regretted that farmers since ages had been suffering at the hands of some corrupt revenue officials due to lack of transparency in land records. He said he had initiated computerisation of land records as a mission to free farmers from the clutches of bureaucratic hassles and empower them by bringing land record information on the website. “This was a gigantic task and had met inherent opposition from some quarters, but we have been able to complete 75 per cent of this work and the total land record would be on the web by December 2010,” said Sukhbir. Sukhbir said the administrative reform commission would submit its report to him on February 5 and the report would be implemented by December 31. The Deputy Chief Minister said that besides this, new air-conditioned Suvidha Kendra for a cluster of every six villages and in urban areas would provide easy access to services to citizens in a single window within six months. Earlier, MP Navjot Singh Sidhu announced a Rs 2-crore grant for development works in the Majitha Assembly constituency. Bikram Singh Majithia also spoke.
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Punjab gets first e-governance centre
Kharar, January 27 Dr Pramod said e-governance remains a priority of the state government. Unfortunately, this governance could not be effectively implemented in Punjab unlike other states. In a bid to replicate a successful mode, the government had now decided to involve students and educational institutes of Punjab in the project. An initiative had been made by starting the first e-governance centre. He added that technical institutes equipped with good infrastructure could make significant contribution. He said: “Teachers and students of the college will work together in this centre for computerisation of various departments of the state,” he added. Dr Pramod said e-governance would play a key role in providing efficient and transparent administration in the state. The programme would cover Punjab, including its villages. Talking about the report on administrative reforms charted by the commission, he said the report had been submitted and it was up to government to implement it. Chief secretary SC Aggrawal said the government had earmarked Rs 10 crore for implementing recommendations of the Administration Reforms Commission. He said at district levels, Suvidha centres had been opened and the government was committed to provide this facility to each village of the state in the next two to three years. Satnam Singh Sandhu, chairman of the college, president Rashpal Singh Dhaliwal, RK Verma managing director, Punjab Infotech, PS Mand, Deputy Commissioner Mohali, RPS Walia SDM Mohali and Mohali SP Sarabjeet Singh were also present.
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PAP sub-inspectors protest against ‘injustice’
Chandigarh, January 27 The SIs, who petitioned DGP P S Gill and also met other senior police officers, claimed they had been bypassed for promotion recently and that promotions had been “unjustly” given to SIs posted in the districts. According to sources, the root cause of this issue also harks back to the times of militancy like that of the PPS seniority. During the period of militancy, assault posts were created and the first commando battalion was also formed in 1988. Following the successful raising of this battalion five more commando battalions were raised. After the advent of a popular government it was felt that a state force could be raised to tackle the situation arising out of militancy. New constabulary was recruited and rankers stepped up to head this force. Those who benefited from this process say they had never opted to join the PAP then and that they had been made to fill forms under pressure. Nearly 230 such rankers are now SIs. The PAP SIs claim now when things are normal, 204 SIs posted in the districts, out of which 197 are junior to them, were promoted to the rank of inspector at the beginning of this year. The PAP SIs say while they did the requisite courses in 1995, those doing duty in the field and had been promoted recently did them in 2001. The police officers also claimed that the relevant rules had not been followed while making the recent promotions. They said while earlier promotions were done under the Punjab Police Rules, whereby seniority was ascertained after making one consolidated list, the state force had now relied on the new Police Act while going in for the promotions. Meanwhile, the affected SIs have also brought it to the notice of senior officials that SIs against whom criminal cases
have been registered have also been promoted. They have also brought to their notice
that 17 out-of- turn promotions have been given to SIs working with senior
officers at the headquarters here as well as in the districts.
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Tribune Impact
Jalandhar, January 27 While SSP RK Jaiswal could not be contacted despite repeated attempts, the DIG said the matter would be thoroughly probed and appropriate action would be taken against the erring police officials. A report in this regard was published in these columns on January 25. The Sadar SHO, Inspector Harjinder Singh, had admitted that both were kept at the police station for the entire night. Meanwhile, the rape victim’s mother accompanied by activists of the Pendu Mazdoor Union handed over a memorandum to DC Ajit Singh Pannu, demanding an immediate arrest of the accused. Earlier, the union took out a protest march during Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal’s presence in the city in this regard.
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Punjabi Tribune Editor honoured
Patiala, January 27 Walia, while addressing the students, said one should always lay stress on learning their mother tongue and must use it in order to save it from extinction. He admitted that present day standard of language in journalism is not what it used to be and focused on the proper learning of literature before joining this field. The vice-chancellor exhorted the students to learn the language for better expression of the facts in the news and write-ups. They should not forget that better grip over any language is a vehicle of the writing in print and script in television, he added.
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Districts told to form biodiversity management panels
Bathinda, January 27 Issuing a date-bound direction, the state government has asked all Deputy Commissioners to take up the matter with their subordinates and facilitate the constitution of BMCs and TSGs by March 31. According to information available, the BMCs will be responsible for regulating access to biological resources within respective jurisdictions for commercial purposes, charges collection fee (wherever required) and maintaining register of such accesses granted by it. Further, it will be responsible for promoting conservation and ensuring sustainable utilisation and equitable sharing of benefits from the local biodiversity. The BMCs will initially be set-up at the district level (zila parishad) with representatives from areas of biological importance within every district. These will be guided by TSGs, which are also to be set up at the district level, comprising district level officers from the Departments of Agriculture, Forest, Education and health. It has also been informed that since ADCs (Development) were the CEO of the zila parishads, hence the BMCs and TSGs will be constituted under the chairmanship of the ADCs. Laying stress on the date, the Secretary, Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Viswajeet Khanna, in his recent letter to the DCs, mentioned that the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) had already released Rs 8 lakh as a one-time grant-in-aid to the BMCs for preparation
of PBRs in 16 districts at the rate of Rs 50,000 per district, which were to be released and utilised before March 31.
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CM promises relief from power cuts
Ludhiana, January 27 He was talking to the media after the Republic Day celebrations here. Listing achievements of the SAD-BJP alliance in the past three years, Badal said Punjab would soon become a surplus state with the commissioning of three new thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Goindwal Sahib and Rajpura with an additional generation capacity of 3,840 MW. He said the project of Guru Gobind Singh Refinery would be completed before March 2011. Asked about unrest in lower populace following violence incidents in December, the Chief Minister said the DGP had been asked to look into the matter and make efforts to restore faith of the people in the state police.
— TNS
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Guv’s Hindi confounds audience
Fatehgarh Sahib, January 27 “I failed to understand most of the sentences out of the nearly 20-minute speech of the newly appointed Governor. Though we understand Hindi but not the typical language and heavy words,” said a senior citizen from Sirhind. This was the first-ever public function of the newly appointed Governor who reached Fatehgarh Sahib amidst dense fog. Sporting a Rajasthan-style red turban, the Governor honoured the freedom fighters and distributed tricycles and mementos.
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Bomb found in border village
Ferozepur, January 27 A bomb disposal squad was pressed into service by the Army authorities. The area, where the bomb was found, was cordoned off and the bomb as was defused by yesterday evening. It is learnt that Amar Singh has a piece of land near the old Hussainiwala workshop. Yesterday, he started levelling the fields and at the depth of about four feet, found a bomb-like object. It was found that it was an old bomb, which could have been used in the 1965 or 1971 Indo-Pak war and could not explode at that time. The year of manufacture and mark on the bomb could not be found as its shell had got rusted. Sarbjit Singh, SHO, Sadar police station, Ferozepur, said a report had been written into the Daily Dairy Register.
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Amarinder gets clean chit in rape case
Chandigarh, January 27 Before the petition was finally disposed of, counsel for the state of Punjab Arshvinder Singh told the court that the alleged complainant was still untraceable. He also read out her mother’s statement asserting that the complainant had informed her over the phone that the statement was made under influence. Arshvinder Singh also told the court that press conference organiser Shamsher Singh Jagera’s previous track record was not too clean; and he had faced similar allegations earlier also, besides being involved in another matter. Taking on record the contentions, Justice Bedi directed the dismissal of the petition with costs. Describing himself as president of organisation for protection of human rights, Jagera had moved the high court expressing apprehension regarding his personal safety on the ground of being attacked by the ex-chief minister’s supporters for holding the press conference. Capt Amarinder Singh, on the other hand, had earlier claimed before the media that Jagera had been booked for rape in 2003. The former chief minister had also claimed the woman had made a similar accusation against a sitting judge. Justice Ranjit Singh had initially ordered a probe in the matter, while observing: “Some time ago, allegations of this nature were made against a judicial officer, who was dealing with some case. These allegations were subsequently found to be false. The woman, who made the allegations, was later not available and was not traceable. “Perhaps, the same woman has been made to stand to make these allegations, which the petitioner is wanting to highlight through the Press. He is now abusing the process of the court by filing the petition. These modes and methods need to be discouraged….”
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Remission to Rapists
Chandigarh, January 27 Taking cognizance of the casual manner surrounding the grant of remission to a child rapist, Justice HS Bhalla of the Punjab and Haryana High Court also asked Punjab principal secretary, department of home affairs and justice, to appear before the court with the relevant record. The directions came on an appeal filed in the rape case by a Jharkhand resident, Supan Murmu. In an apparent move to prevent miscarriage of justice due to cutback in the sentence of rapists, Justice Bhalla asserted: “The deputy Advocate-General for the state of Punjab has placed on record a copy of order dated August 14, 2008, by the virtue of which
remission was granted to the appellant, who was convicted and sentenced under
Section 376 of the IPC for committing rape on a minor girl, aged about three-and-a-half-years only. “The record clearly spells out that the appellant was involved in the ghastly act and the order is silent as to under what circumstances the remission was granted to such a convict, who has committed an offence against the society”. In his detailed two-page order, Justice Bhalla asserted: “In the instant matter, it is admitted case of the prosecution that the rape was committed on a child, but even then remission was granted to such a convict in a casual manner. In view of this, counsel appearing for the state of Punjab is directed to find out under what circumstances the decision was taken for the remission and who had passed the necessary order in this regard.” The court also directed the counsel to produce the entire file of remission pertaining to the present convict and also file an affidavit of the officer concerned furnishing the list of all the cases in
which remission was granted under Section 376 of the IPC. “The principal secretary, department of home affairs and justice, is directed to appear in person before the
court on February 5, along with the relevant record”.
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3 cops held for manhandling HC warrant officer
Abohar, January 27 On basis of a complaint of the warrant officer, Gyaninder Alahawat, the alleged accused- police post in charge Sohan Lal, constable Balwinder Singh, and Punjab Home Guard jawan Darshan Singh - have been arrested and a case has also been registered against them. Sources said the
accused “forced” him to write a report in a Daily Dairy Register (DDR) in their favour. Alahawat was appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on a habeas corpus petition filed by Devi Lal, a resident of the area, in connection with the illegal
detention of his two associates at the police post. When the warrant officer reached the police post in the wee hours of yesterday, he found both persons, identified as Mahant Chetan and Mahant Bhram of Dera Chak
Radhe Wali of this area, in the lock-up. However, when the warrant officer wrote a report against the trio for their alleged involvement in illegally keeping two persons in confinement, Sohan Lal started manhandling the warrant officer. The accused torn apart the page on which the report was written against them from the DDR and forced the warrant officer to write a report in their favour. Alahawat, after getting himself freed from the custody of the accused, managed to meet the Ferozepur SSP, SPS Parmar, and lodged a written complaint against
the accused. The accused were arrested today and a case was registered against them under Sections 353, 186, 342, 506, 467, 468 and 471, IPC, at the Sadar police station. They have been remanded in judicial custody till February 10. Terming the incident unfortunate, Parmar said the accused would be dealt strictly.
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3 of family among five killed in mishap
Muktsar, January 27 If the passengers of the bus, who witnessed the incident, are to be believed, it was the fault of the bus driver as he was rash and negligent in driving. The accident took place at about 8.40 am yesterday. Soon after receiving the information, some volunteers and police officials reached the spot. After pulling the car out of the bus, all five persons commuting in the car were taken to the Civil Hospital, Muktsar, where doctors declared them brought dead. The deceased were later identified as Lakhwinder Singh (23), Jaspreet Singh (22), his wife Sukhpreet Kaur (21) and son Lovely (six months old), all belonging to Thandewala, and their kin Iqbal Singh (30) of Chauntra village. They were returning to their village after attending a marriage. Immediately after the accident, the bus driver Mehar Singh fled from the spot but acting upon a complaint, the police booked him under Sections 304, 427, 279 of the IPC.
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Former DSP held in murder case
Ropar, January 27 Didar Singh has retired as the DSP from Ropar and was currently living at his farmhouse at Dadauli village under the Mullapur police station, Mohali. Police officials investigating the case said during the course of investigation it was found that Didar was actively involved with three accused arrested for killing Netra Singh. He has been booked under Section 120-B of the IPC. Earlier, on January 25, Netra Singh’s family kept his body on the road and blocked traffic at Nangal Chowk. Irate family members, wife of the deceased and agitators were demanding that the keys of a Hyundai showroom owned by deceased Netra Singh be given to them. Netra’s uncle Jagir Singh Padol and his relatives from Akbarpur threatened that they would not cremate the body until they were given the keys. They were pacified only after the police handed them the keys of the showroom. Netra was later cremated in the evening. Netra (36) was stabbed to death in broad daylight at the district administrative secretariat on January 25. The incident took place near the canteen around 12.15 pm. Visitors to the complex and as police personnel reportedly remained mute spectators to the entire episode. Eyewitnesses said a policeman tried to intervene and stop the accused, but when Harinder Singh threatened to kill him, he also moved away. Accused Harinder Singh is related to Amritpal Singh of Akbarpur village in Ropar. Amritpal and deceased Netra Singh had a dispute over share in a car agency situated along the Ropar-Chandigarh road. The Ropar police had already arrested Sandeep Singh, Amritpal Singh and Harinder Singh under Sections 302, 34 and 120-B of the
IPC.
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