Jalandhar, February 18
With the approval of the new fertiliser policy, which replaces product-based subsidy with nutrition- based subsidy, by the Union Government there will be an immediate burden of Rs 170 crore on Punjab’s farmers. The Centre has decided to increase the urea price by 10 per cent and de-control the prices of other fertilisers such as DAP from April 1.

The 10 per cent hike in the price of urea will straightaway put a burden of Rs 122 crore on the state’s farmers. Use of urea in Punjab is in the range of 25 lakh tonnes per annum. Its existing price of Rs 4,830 per tonne will go up to Rs 5,320 per tonne.

As the Union Government has decided to de-control the prices of DAP and other fertilisers except urea, there is likely to be increase of 30 per cent in the prices of such fertilisers. It will put a burden of about Rs 48 crore on Punjab’s farmers. The Centre has told the companies dealing in such fertilisers not to increase the prices beyond 30 per cent in any case during the next fiscal year, it is learnt. That means farmers should be ready for an increase of at least 30 per cent in the prices of fertilizers other than urea, said a senior official of the state government.

When questioned in this regard, Director, Agriculture, Punjab, Balwinder Singh Sidhu said, “ I have estimated there will be an immediate burden of about Rs 170 crore on Punjab’s farmers because of the new fertiliser policy announced today”.

“As the retail price of fertilisers except urea has been linked to the international price lifting control over it, in due course the farmers will have to bear most of the financial burden caused by the increase in the price in the international market”, he said. Besides, farmers would have to face problems as the subsidy had been linked to nutrients in the soil. Farmers would have to get their soil tested.

A high-level committee has been set up by the Union Government to determine the criteria for nutrition-based subsidy on various fertilisers.

Experts say with the introduction of the new fertiliser policy, the subsidy burden on the Union Government will come down by Rs 97,000 crore to Rs 53,000 crore. Obviously, the Union Government has shifted almost 50 per cent of its subsidy burden on the farmers, experts assert.

The new policy will be opposed by the predominantly agricultural states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Amritsar, February 18
While Punjab is expecting the arrival of 115 lakh metric tonnes of wheat in state markets in the ensuing rabi season, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has directed all deputy commissioners to ensure proper coordination between various agencies and monitor procurement process at personal levels.

This was said by Darbara Singh Guru, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. Guru reviewed wheat procurement arrangements made by Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts here today. He also held a meeting with the DCs and the district heads of various procurement agencies of the three districts and made it clear that the state government would not bear any mismanagement in the grain markets in the rabi season.

Looking into the miniscule statistical details of expected arrival of wheat in small and big grain markets, storage capacity of each agency and their plans to store the grains in excess of the present storage facility available with them, Guru expressed satisfaction over the grain storage planning for Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur.

He directed officers concerned to ensure the extension of plinths, repair of ware-houses, tying-up with godown owners or millers before March 31 so that all planned storage areas are virtually transformed into actually available storage spaces before the official procurement of wheat commenced. He also directed officers to make suitable arrangements for timely purchase of grains and its lifting within 48 hours of purchase.

Guru said providing storage places for nearly 115 lakh MT of grains at a point of time when the godowns in the state were spilling with nearly 150 lakh MTs of old wheat and paddy crop was a Herculean task.

He said storage arrangements for just about 60,000 MT of grains needed to be looked into including, 36,000 MTs in Sangrur, 9,000 MTs in Barnala, 5,000 MTs in SAS Nagar and 10,000 MTs in Ropar and added that it would be catered within a fortnight. He added that the CM as well as the Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Punjab, have requested the Centre to ensure speedy lifting and distribution of grains form the godowns of Punjab.

Talwandi Sabo, February 18
Water entered several areas of this holy town early this morning following a breach in a canal distributary.

Though there was no casualty, life was thrown out of gear. Dozens of vehicles, including some heavy ones, got stuck in the mess as the soil beneath recently laid sewer pipes caved in, following which some roads also got sunk.

The canal distributary was breached at a point near Dashmesh Public School under which sewerage board officials had recently laid a sewer pipe.

Adding insult to injury, senior officials reached the spot only when the situation had turned difficult and people were themselves putting in efforts to cope with it.

People termed the incident as a fallout of the hurry shown by sewerage board officials to bring the whole town under a sewer system (a project worth Rs 17 crore) before the Baisakhi Mela to be held here in April.

The district administration has sought a detailed report regarding the breach from the officials concerned.

It is reported that an employee of the Punjab State Electricity Board was the first to notice the breach in the early hours. He immediately called up the police. Some other passersby initiated efforts to plug the breach. They also sought help from nearby villages.

Later, on receiving information that water had gushed into fields adjacent to Takht Damdama Sahib, the administration launched rescue work. With the help of cranes, big vehicles were pulled out.

Officials of the Irrigation Department said the canal distributary was dry when the sewerage board officials laid the sewer pipe beneath it. As per the schedule, they released the water supply in the distributary on Wednesday evening after which the incident took place. They put the blame for the breach on the contractor assigned the job as well as the sewerage board officials concerned who allegedly failed to take proper care to check the joints after laying the pipe.

MS Kang, SDM, Talwandi Sabo, said: “Immediately after receiving information, operations were initiated. All vehicles stuck in the mess were pulled out and traffic was managed”. Replying to a query about the action to be initiated against the guilty persons, the SDM said: “I have sought a report from sewerage board officials, who will submit it by Friday”.

Jalandhar, February 18
Led by Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, people will block the Kala Sanghian drain, which is a big source of pollution of the Sutlej and various canals flowing to the Malwa region and Rajasthan, on February 22, near here. The drain that travels 45 km through the Doaba belt, before falling into the Chitti Bein, a choe, will be blocked at at least three places.

Talking to The Tribune, Sant Seechewal said here today that he had given two years to the government authorities to take measures to stop the flow of toxic effluents of various industries into the drain.

The ultimatum in this connection was given to the district administration on February 22, 2008. Afterwards, a meeting with officials of the local municipal corporation, the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Industry Development Board, industrialists and others was also held to request them not to release toxic effluents into the drain. However, as nothing was done in this regard for the past two years, there was no alternative left except to block the drain.

“I want to make it clear that I am not against any industry. I am all for the expansion of the industry in this area. But I am opposed to the flow of toxic substances into drains and rivers. Flow of such substances had been causing cancer in the Malwa belt,” he said. From Harike headworks, the Sutlej water flows to some parts of the Malwa belt and Rajasthan, he added.

Harike was on the best wetlands in the world. Flow of toxic water into that wetland had adversely affected the growth of fish. Even arrival of migratory birds in the Harike Sanctuary had been affected.

Seechewal said, “I gave several reminders to them to stop the flow of industrial and municipal waste into the drain, but all that failed to move the authorities concerned.” Keeping in view the grave situation, the decision had been taken to block the drain to save innocent people from the ill effects of the polluted water.

Jalandhar, February 18
Another male bastion has crumbled in the face of indomitable spirit of women although this change has come about due to shortage of labour in Punjab.

Women are today not only guarding borders and doing jobs unthinkable half a century ago, they can also be seen operating heavy machinery. A select band of women has been employed by entrepreneurs of this city to operate power presses that require skill, strength and a lot of precision.

The credit for this effort goes to NK Sehgal, MD, Kapsons Industries, which specialises in moulding parts and manufacturing electrical gadgets.

Talking to TNS at the Suranussi plant here today, Laxmi, Manjit, Sangita and Paramjit Kaur, who were operating heavy duty notching power presses, said they lived in surrounding areas and were on the lookout for supplementing their family income.

“While we were first recruited to do odd jobs like packaging, our employers saw potential in us and trained us in smaller presses before shifting us to heavier ones. Initially, our male colleagues were skeptical, but now they also treat us as equals,” they added.

Sehgal said: “In comparison to their male counterparts, the women workers are more focused and concentrated on the work floor. At present, there are over 50 women working in the unit.”

On need to employ women on a high-voltage job, he said they had been facing an acute labour shortage for the past many years. Migrants left for their native places in the peak season between April - June. The shortage varied between 20- 40per cent during this period, he added “We then decided to employ women from surrounding areas to augment our regular work force round the year. Besides, we also wanted to do something for the destitute and the needy women of the area since many such women had approached us in the past,” he said.

“Initially, we employed them to do odd jobs but their dedication moved us and we decided to promote them to small presses since that would mean more wages. Eventually, they proved their mettle and are now working on heavy machines,” Sehgal added.

Meanwhile, the district administration will hold a job fair in association with the Jalandhar Chamber of Industries and Commerce and the District Industries Centre tomorrow at the DIC Centre, Focal Point, in which deserving candidates, including women, will be recruited on the spot.

Chandigarh, February 18
Why leave Sikhs out of the initiative of bringing misguided youth back into the mainstream? The issue has been raised not only by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, but also by Rajya Sabha Member Tarlochan Singh. They all want that the amnesty scheme announced for the Kashmiri youth should be widened to allow Sikh youth, blacklisted since 1984, to return to the mainstream.

They were reacting to a statement by Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in which the latter had ruled out the possibility of allowing the affected Sikh youth to return to the country in the same manner as the Kashmiri youth would be allowed. He reportedly said he had not applied his mind to the issue of the Sikh youth.

The Badals and Tarlochan assailed the Centre for its “double standards”. “Are Sikhs not a part of the nation? Why this discrimination? There are hundreds of Sikhs who have been refused entry to India for over 25 years now. They can visit historic shrines in Pakistan but not in their own country,” rues Tarlochan Singh.

The CM says: “We must have one national policy on one issue and not make it selectively applicable. We welcome the Kashmir initiative, as it is healthy and positive and want that the same be widened to include other similar cases, including the Sikh youth.

The CM said the state government had repeatedly asked the Union Government to review the lists of the wanted Sikh youth settled abroad and to facilitate their return, a general amnesty be declared for those who wanted to rejoin the national mainstream. “We welcome this initiative on Kashmir as a positive step towards normalisation of the situation in that state. All we want is that the Sikh youth who have had to leave the country under some kind of duress, repression or implication in false cases should also be considered for a similar opportunity,” he said. Meanwhile, Sukhbir also wanted the Union Government to apply uniform standards and policy on misguided youth from anywhere in the country and not leave the Sikh youth out of the parameters of its fresh initiative.

Describing as “unfortunate” the statement of the Union Home Minister, Sukhbir has sought the intervention of the Prime Minister to ensure that the Center’s declared policy on misguided youth is extended to Punjab also.

“There is a large number of Sikh youth who had nothing to do with militancy but who had to flee the state because of police repression. Such persons should be allowed to lead normal lives. This would only strengthen the forces of peace and communal harmony in the country,” he said.

TNS adds from Jalandhar: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said he would lodge his resentment formally with Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on the issue during his proposed visit to Amritsar on Saturday. The CM said he would ask him to make amendments in the policy.

Patiala, February 18
In what could be a significant political development ahead of the announcement of the new Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief, the former Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, will be attending “Shanti Divas”, the birth anniversary of slain Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh at Beant Singh Memorial in Sector 42, Chandigarh, on February 19.

Confirming this, Gurkirat Singh, secretary, PPCC and grandson of Beant Singh told The Tribune, “Capt Amarinder had conveyed to us that he would be attending the “Shanti Divas” programme to commemorate the birth anniversary of my late grandfather.”

A close aide of Capt Amarinder Singh has also confirmed that Capt Amarinder Singh will be attending the “Shanti Divas” programme on Friday.

Interestingly, a big hoarding to commemorate the birth anniversary of Beant Singh has also been put up outside New Moti Bagh Palace, the residence of Capt Amarinder Singh, here in Patiala.

The development assumes significance in the wake of the fact that during his stint as the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh had skipped a majority of the events organised in remembrance of Beant Singh.

Insiders in the Punjab Congress are of the opinion that support of the Beant Singh family is “crucial” to Capt Amarinder Singh for getting the post of the PPCC president. Though associates of Capt Amarinder Singh confirm that he would be attending the “Shanti Divas” programme, they are not willing to comment on the reasons behind the move. However, party insiders are asserting that if Capt Amarinder Singh participates in Beant Singh’s birth anniversary programme, it will be an attempt to garner support of his family for the post of the PPCC President. Notably, Beant Singh’s son, Tej Parkash Singh, is MLA from Payal, whereas his grandson Ravneet Singh Bittu is MP from Anandpur Sahib. Another grandson of his, Gurkirat Singh, is secretary, PPCC.

When asked whether Capt Amarinder Singh will be attending the programme, Gurkirat said, “Our family has sent the invitations to the Punjab and Haryana Governors, all leaders of the Congress, including senior AICC functionaries, party legislators and MPs from Punjab, senior Congress leaders from Punjab and PPCC members to attend the programme.” He added they have got the confirmation that Capt Amarinder Singh would be attending the programme.

Banur, February 18
The constituency may have been a VIP one for long, but for the predominant Dalits settled here life is a constant struggle with high land costs and commercialisation making space for dwelling harder to come by. They also claim they are yet to get full benefit of the old age pension scheme and also find it difficult to renew their yellow cards, which qualifies them for subsidised flour and pulses.

A visit to various villages in the district gives an idea of how Dalits continue to be marginalised as far as getting their dues are concerned. Even though there is reservation for them in panchayats, they do not carry much weight. Even Dalit sarpanches are often accused of being pro-farmer in many cases.

Nirmal Singh, a Dalit panch of Mukandpur village, says in many cases the work of Dalits was not done because the required quorum was not achieved. He said they were yet to get plots from shamlat land even though there was a provision for the same.

Shiv Ram, sarpanch of Mukandpur village, said there were issues of rivalries among Dalit groups themselves that sometimes led to lop-sided development. Claiming that he was proceeding in the right manner, he said he was ready to carve out five marla plots for the needy Dalit families in case of a consensus.

Congress Economic Cell chairman RR Bhardwaj, who has conducted an economic survey of the Dalits in this constituency and is now working on a state level survey, said housing had become a serious problem for Dalit families with land becoming increasingly scarce.

Bhardwaj said two bedroom houses could be made for them on the shamlat land by taking seed money from the beneficiaries in the form of labour. He said a rural development authority could be instituted in Punjab on the pattern of the one constituted in Haryana.

Chandigarh, February 18
It’s official. The Punjab government exploits.

It’s continuous exploitation of a worker for 16 years today earned it wrath of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Justice Ranjit Singh not only held the state of Punjab in the wrong for not giving the daily wager “the minimum in the pay scale”, but also for attempting to throw a “scare” on the court.

The scathing observations came on a petition filed by the state against Mangu Ram, a cook in the Nabha maximum-security jail lines. Justice Ranjit Singh asserted: “The case is of unfortunate Mangu Ram, who is serving the state. A poor person is made to work in the langar of the jail and cooking food for the inmates to earn food for himself and his family.”

“The state, a model employer, would not tolerate his cry for minimum of pay. The state would pay him daily wages and would plead to treat him as such, on the ground that there is no post sanctioned. He is working for last 16 years without a post, but is not held entitled to receive due reward for his labour. If this is not exploitation by the state, what is it? Where can he go and what can he do? His poverty seems to keep him in the jail job.”

In his detailed order, Justice Ranjit Singh added: “The state must ask itself the question, whether one can reasonably subsist with Rs 2,000 per month, which is the sum paid by the respondents. He has prayed for being paid the minimum in the pay scale, which concededly would work out to be Rs 2,600”.

Before parting with the orders, Justice Ranjit Singh upheld the decree passed by the court below, directing the state to pay minimum in the pay scale of cooks, along with the dearness allowance.

Chandigarh, February 18
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed the criteria laid down while appointing two subdivisional engineers with the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority after holding it was “laid down during the process of selection”. The appointments of two SDOs were also quashed. Taking up the petition filed by Santi Saroop and others, Justice Permod Kohli asserted the appointments of Amar Singh Randhawa and Lal Chand are hereby quashed.

Justice Kohli also asserted that the criterion laid down was liable to be set aside for two reasons; firstly it has been laid down during the process of selection that too after the interviews were conducted; and secondly it has not been framed in consonance of regulation nine, which inter alia requires consultation of the government.

Patiala, February 18
The Special Court of the CBI, Patiala, has sentenced Chief Engineer (East/West Circle), Railway Coach Factory JK Singla , to three years’ imprisonment in a corruption case. A penalty of Rs 25,000 has also been imposed on him.

Notably, in 2008, Singla had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 7 lakh from a Greater Noida-based company for passing a particular device manufactured by the company. The complainant, Atul Garg, had lodged a complaint in this regard and Singla was caught red-handed accepting bribe of Rs 2 lakh last year.