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Beheading of Sikhs by Taliban
Indian visas, citizenship for Pak Sikhs sought |
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Curfew relaxed for 4 hours in Batala
Batala, February 22 Situation in this industrial township is returning to normalcy with the district administration relaxing the curfew for a total of four hours today-10 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 6pm- giving a much-needed respite to the locals.
Communal Violence
Murder of Kisan Leader Takhtupura
PSEB suspends ‘delinquent’ officials
Show-cause notice to Sekhri withdrawn
Most hospitals in state ill-equipped: Report
A first: AC, double-decker prototype rail coach
Tribune Impact
Tension in Rajpura ahead of Badal’s visit
On world peace mission
Promotion of 22 SMOs cleared
Two-day police remand for Ghandy
KLF ultras remanded
Order on increment recovery quashed
HC: Vehicle owner to be questioned in drugs haul case
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Beheading of Sikhs by Taliban
Chandigarh, February 22 It has been less than a year that the issue of harassment of Sikhs, a minute minority in Pakistan, was forcefully taken up by various Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, when the Taliban resorted to kidnapping them besides burning their houses to demand the payment of “jazia, alien tax,” from them. But events have taken a serious turn with the beheading of two Sikhs of Peshawar and sending their bodies to the historic Gurdwara Joga Singh in Peshawar. Two other Sikhs are still in the captivity of the Taliban, reports said. In fact, the problem started long ago when Sikhs settled in areas around the North West Frontier Province or in Afghanistan after the Taliban trouble started more than a decade ago. Hundreds of Sikhs from Afghanistan moved to India and have been trying to relocate themselves. As the pressure on Sikhs in Pakistan, especially in and around Peshawar and the Swat valley mounted, many Sikh families felt unsafe and moved to Sikh historic gurdwaras in Hassan Abdal (Panja Sahib), Nankana Sahib (Sheikhupura) and Lahore. On being promised security for their life and property, some of them moved back to their homes to be confronted again by the Taliban. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the Dal would raise the issue in Parliament and, if necessary, also move a special call-attention motion on the ongoing problem that had been aggravating day by day. When the forcible collection of “jazia” from Sikhs was reported in the media, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had taken up the issue with his Pakistan counterpart demanding the “protection of life and property of the Sikhs who are a minute minority in Pakistan.” Meanwhile, Sukhbir Badal wanted Manmohan Singh to take the country into confidence as to how he intended to confront Pakistan on this issue during the coming talks between the two countries. “Pakistan should be clearly told that the talks would be meaningless so long as such barbaric acts continued." The gravity of the recent developments demanded that Parliament should not only condemn the incident in one voice but also send a strong signal to the world community that it expected the international fraternity to use all its diplomatic channels and political pressure to put an end to such brutalities. Varinder Singh and Neeraj Bagga add from Amritsar: Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take all diplomatic steps to force Pakistan to save the lives of Sikhs in captivity of the Taliban and punish those guilty of a gruesome killing of innocent Sikhs in Peshawar. Sukhbir strongly condemned the beheading of the Sikhs in the North West Frontier region of Pakistan and said the attack on Sikhs was an attack on Indians. “The Center should build-up international pressure on Pakistan to force it to take immediate steps to ensure punitive action against the culprits. It should not sleep in this matter. Life of Sikhs should be protected,” the Deputy CM said.
BJP protests at Wagah
Members of the BJP, including its women wing, led by MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, burnt effigy of Taliban at Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post today for brutally killing two Sikhs in captivity. Sidhu along with Health Minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, chairman Punjab sewerage board Baldev Raj Chawla, president of the district unit of the BJP Amrik Singh wore black colour cloaks and went up to Swarn Jayanti Dwar to voice their protest against the killing. Hundreds of activists of the BJP raised slogans against Taliban and asked the Pakistan government and international community to take stern action against Taliban and curb its inhuman activities.
SGPC seeks to send delegation to Pak
Amritsar, February 22 The SGPC has also urged the Pakistan government to ensure safety and security of Pakistan-based Sikhs in the wake of increasing Taliban threats to them. “It is a matter of great concern that miniscule minority of the Pakistan-based Sikhs was being subjected to threats and atrocities by Taliban for a long time. Their properties were being usurped and they were being asked to pay “jazia” in the tribal areas. But the Pakistan government was virtually sleeping over the serious matter and has done nothing in practical to save Sikhs from Taliban,” said the SGPC chief Avtar Singh. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the SGPC chief has urged him to ensure that the issue of atrocities on the Pakistani Sikhs should be taken up in the forthcoming bilateral talks.
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Indian visas, citizenship for Pak Sikhs sought
Amritsar, February 22 This was stated by Taranjit Singh and Kirpal Singh, two relatives of Jaspal Singh (31), one of the two Peshawar-based Sikhs, who were beheaded by the Taliban after keeping them in month-long captivity. Interestingly, Lahore-based Taranjit Singh, is the lone Sikh anchor of the Pakistan TV (PTV). “Sikhs of Pakistan, particularly, of the rebel-controlled areas of Peshwara, yearn to live a peaceful life, but they are not being allowed to do so. The Taliban about a month back kidnapped Jaspal and other Sikhs. The families were unable to pay huge amounts of money sought as ransom for their release by the Taliban. Right from the beginning, we were apprehending that something bad was going to happen this time,” rued a sobbing Taranjit Singh, who left Attari for Pakistan today, along with Kirpal Singh. Taranjit and Kirpal Singh were part of a Sikh jatha that was on a pilgrimage to India and left for Pakistan today. Taranjit, who was a cousin of Jaspal Singh said, “Minorities, particularly Sikhs are not safe in Peshawar and hence, they should be granted citizenship or at least visas by the Indian government, so that they could come here and start their life afresh. Taranjit said most of the Sikhs in Peshawar were poor and they could not even think of extending such huge amounts running into crores to the Taliban for safety of their lives.”
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Curfew relaxed for 4 hours in Batala
Batala, February 22 No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in this police district. In the morning, local MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Excise and Taxation) Jagdeesh Raj Sawhney presided over a meeting of Hindu organisations, including Shiv Sena (Hindustan), Bajrang Dal, VHP and RSS, held at Quila Mandi during the curfew hours. Hundreds of Hindu activists managed to reach the venue of the meeting. Tempers ran high at the gathering where Sawhney was questioned by members of some Hindu organisations over his “role” in the violence. Some members asked the BJP MLA to clarify whether he was with the ruling SAD or with Hindu organisations. Later, when a relaxation was announced by the district administration in the morning, some Hindu organisations took out a protest march, which was, however, was stopped at Nehru Gate by the police. Batala SDM Rahul Chaba was also present at the spot, where the protesters asked him to provide a compensation to shopkeepers whose shops were damaged in the violence. They also urged the SDM to book Christian leaders involved in ransacking shops on Saturday. A meeting was also held at MLA Jagdeesh Sawhney’s residence in the morning which was attended among others by Commissioner (Jalandhar Division) SR Ladher, IG (Border Range) Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota, SDM Rahul Chaba, Batala Municipal Council President Ambika Khanna and BJP district chief Naresh Mahajan. Sources said the meeting was convened at insistence of JN Sharma, a senior official of the Punjab VHP, apparently to diffuse the situation. Later, the Commissioner (Jalandhar division) addressed a press conference at the Batala SSP office, where he said he and other officials were talking to senior Hindu and Christian leaders to diffuse the situation. He expressed hope that both the warring groups would arrive at a truce by today evening. However, he added that there were some people in the Hindu community “who possessed a different mindset and had some ego problems”. He refused to name these people. At Gurdaspur, fearing a backlash by Christian organisations, shopkeepers downed shutters throughout the day. A protest rally was also taken out by Christians, which culminated at St Francis Catholic Church. Father Micheal Ani and Salamat Masih, convenor of the minorities cell of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, addressed the rally. The district administration had requisitioned two companies from the BSF, which were deployed at strategic locations in Gurdaspur town. Chander Parkash adds from Ferozepur: About 1,000 members of the Christian community blocked traffic on the main crossing on the Ferozepur-Moga road today to lodge their protest against the printing of photo of Jesus Christ in an objectionable manner and damaging of churches across the country by anti-social elements in the recent past. Though the protesters caused a partial damage to a few vehicles, the situation was brought under control by the community leaders. Elvin Bhatti, a leader of the community, said they wanted that stern action must be taken against those who had published and printed the photo of Jesus Christ in an objectionable manner. The another demand, which was forwarded to the state government by them through a memorandum submitted to the DC, was that all those churches, which had been damaged in Punjab in the past few days, must be rebuilt.
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Communal Violence
Patto Hira Singh (Moga), February 22 This was announced by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in response to certain attempts made by unscrupulous elements in the recent past to flare up communal violence in the state, while addressing a public gathering at Patto Hira Singh village in the Nihalsinghwala sub-division of Moga district today. He came here in the native village of Jathedar Tota Singh, senior party leader, to lay the foundation stone of a centrally sponsored degree college that would be constructed at a cost of Rs 8.50 crore on 15 acre of land donated by the village panchayat. Assuring that his government would not allow anyone to disturb peace and harmony, he said the police had arrested the persons responsible for publishing the controversial advertisement and investigations were in progress. “We respect all religions and pray for complete communal harmony in the state,” he said. With regard to the brutal murder of BKU leader Sadhu Singh Takhtupura, he said his government would not spare the culprits at any cost. The CM said this college building would be completed within a year and it would have all three wings- science, computer and arts. Presently, this remote village has a government school constructed in the year 1923 by the erstwhile British government. It may be mentioned that this upcoming college would be the first government degree college in the Nihalsinghwala sub-division, the area that has unfortunately lagged behind, as compared to other parts of the state on the education front, during the past six decades after the Independence. Meanwhile, the CM also laid the foundation stone of a Rs 12.50 crore upcoming government polytechnic at Kotkapura and announced that his government would focus on employment generation aimed at giving job opportunities in various streams to the unemployed and less educated youth of the semi-urban and rural areas. Reacting to the killing of Sikhs by Taliban in Pakistan, Badal urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene immediately and take up the issue with the Pakistan government immediately, so as to secure the release of remaining Sikhs, who had been held hostage by the militants.
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Murder of Kisan Leader Takhtupura
Chandigarh, February 22 These organisations, mostly with Leftist leanings, have given a call for holding on February 24 daylong demonstrations outside the offices of deputy commissioners in the state. Leaders of various organisations, including the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta), the Bharti Kisan Union (Revolutionary), the Bharti Kisan Union, the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, the Kirti Kisan Sabha, the Democratic Kisan Sabha, the Punjab Kisan Sabha, the Khetibari Kisan Vikas Front, the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union and the All-India Khet Mazdoor Union, held a meeting in Ludhiana yesterday to finalise details of the agitation. Talking to The Tribune, Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Sukhdev Singh Kokri of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) said all participant organisations paid tributes to Sadhu Singh Takhtupura and declared him a martyr of the kisan movement. Tributes were also paid to Zora Singh Chakar who died during the Gurdaspur agitation. Holding an Akali MLA, considered close to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, besides a few others responsible for the murder of Sadhu Singh Takhtupura, the leaders of these organisations held that the actual culprits were being shielded and efforts were being made to get them a clean chit. Eyewitnesses had named 12 persons in their statements to the police. Instead of taking action against these 12 persons, the state government had transferred the SSP (Rural) of Amritsar while the sarpanch of Sorrian village, though in safe custody of the police, was yet to be arrested in the case. By setting up a special investigating team, they alleged, efforts were on to keep the Akali MLA out of the case. All these actions, they held, were indicative of the government’s support to the culprits. Both Ugrahan and Kokri held that Sadhu Singh Takhtupura was murdered when he was going from village to village to mobilise support for the farmers’ agitation against the recommendations of the Badal-Kalia committee. The agitation would continue with vigour and a statewide rally against the Badal-Kalia committee report would be held at Jagraon on March 15.
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PSEB suspends ‘delinquent’ officials
Patiala, February 22 In a letter to board chairman HS Brar, PSEB DGP (Vigilance and Security) AP Pandey had stated that based on findings of the inquiry conducted by PSEB SP (Vigilance and Security), suspension of the “delinquent” officials followed by a departmental action was recommended. Notably, on the intervening night of February 2-3, the PSEB enforcement wing had conducted raids at M/s RK Welds and board officials had found that power transmitter was tampered with, A penalty of Rs 2.09 crore had been imposed on it. Subsequently, after getting the matter inquired from the Vigilance Directorate, the board suspended Senior Executive (Engineer) of Rajpura Unit Rajinder Singh Sarao, Senior Executive Engineer (Meter Mobile Testing Squad) Vinod Gulati, SDO Lakhwinder Singh and JE Amrik Singh. Some officials were chargesheeted. The report holds Senior XEN Rajinder Singh Sarao, SDO Lakhwinder Singh and JE Amrik Singh responsible in case of power theft. The report also mentioned that SDO Lakhwinder had confessed that the night the raid was conducted, he had left his sealer in his car. “Senior Executive Engineer Vinod Gulati did not checked the dial of the meter at the erring factory during the checking conducted by him,” the report further mentioned. According to PSEB Engineers’ Association president HS Bedi and general secretary Bhupinder Singh, the Vigilance Directorate was not the competent authority to investigate such cases. However, Brar has reiterated that action would be taken against any officials found conniving with power thieves.
Board fails to complete recruitment process
Chandigarh: More than a year after it first advertised for posts of Assistant Engineers, JEs and Substation Attendants, the PSEB is still to complete the process of recruitment. It had advertised for the posts of 125 Assistant Engineers, 225 JEs and 200 posts of SSA in December 2008 and last date for receipt of applications was fixed in January 2009. However, the date was extended to February 27 and further to March 31.
The last date for submission of applications was extended again to May 2009 and then to August 2009. The exams were held on September 13 and result declared in October. But even after four months, letters of appointment have not been issued to successful candidates. Sources claim that now new candidates were being called for verification of documents at this belated stage causing concern amongst shortlisted candidates, who fear they might be discriminated against.
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Show-cause notice to Sekhri withdrawn
Chandigarh, February 22 In a statement here, Kaypee said Sekhri had explained to him that his remarks, which appeared in the Press regarding the appointment of Fatehjang Singh Bajwa as spokesman of the party, were “casual” in nature. Kaypee said Sekhri had also informed him that he did not want to undermine the jurisdiction of the PPCC president and that he was satisfied with the former Minister’s version.
— TNS
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Most hospitals in state ill-equipped: Report
Jalandhar, February 22 The committee, which submitted the report to the state recently, had in its ranks, Dr JS Bajaj, vice-chairman of the Planning Board, Dr KK Talwar, director, PGI, Dr PK Dave, ex-director, AIIMS, Dr Deoki Nandan, director, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), Dr Shakti Gupta, medical superintendent, AIIMS and some state officials. According to report, the buildings and general infrastructure for the health care facilities was well constructed. However, most of the hospitals were not found to be well-equipped. The report said almost all hospitals under study had vacant posts, including that of doctors and other supporting staff. There were no separate cadres for general duty medical officers and specialists. As a result, particularly in the CHCs and sub-divisional hospitals, the specialists were also doing night and emergency duties and, hence, were not available for regular OPDs. There was acute shortage of radiologists, anesthetists, pediatricians and gynaecologists in almost all these hospitals. Regarding availability of medicines, it was observed that most of the medicines were not available in these hospitals. As far as diagnostic services were concerned, though the laboratory and diagnostic services were available in all the hospitals assessed, the functioning of the labs was not up to the mark. The x-ray units were found to be non-functional due to erratic electric supply and non-availability of films. Emergency and maternity services were found to be the worst affected, mainly in sub-divisional hospitals and the CHCs. The main reason for this was non-availability of doctors round the clock for emergency duties and maternity services. Five district hospitals out of 10, which were surveyed, possessed an intensive care unit (ICU). However, ICUs were available only at four sub-divisional hospitals. As far as maintaining of medical records, stores and other facilities, such as regular diet to indoor patients are concerned, less said is better.
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A first: AC, double-decker prototype rail coach
Kapurthala, February 22 The RCF started preparing such coaches after announcement by Union Rail Minister Mamta Banerjee in her budget speech last year to run AC double decker trains to cope heavy rush of commuters. RCF general-manager Pardeep Kumar disclosed that double decker prototype coach would be rolled out next month for the trials. The coach is ready for paint, as the railway board is to decide on its colour scheme. Pardeep said after the successful completion of the oscillation trails by the RDSO on the selected routes, which would be completed within next three months, the RCF would start manufacturing the double decker coaches. The RCF management is awaiting the railway budget, which would be presented by Mamta Banerjee on February 24, for announcements on the manufacturing of double decker coaches. According to railway sources, the first double decker train would run on the rail track during this year and the Railways has proposed to introduce these coaches on the yuva trains. The GM congratulated the engineers and the RDSO for working in tandem to develop a totally new coach shell design capable of running at a speed of 160 kmph. This new design was extensively validated through FEM analysis and proved physically by rigorous squeeze tests conducted internally by the RCF engineers. Narrating the various features of double decker, the GM said the coach is foot and half higher than the normal coach with a seating capacity of more than 130 seats. The RCF engineers faced many challenges in designing the prototype in respect of its height, but overcame it by taking the advantage of its earlier experiment of developing a garib rath coach with three side berths. The railways later abandoned the garib rath with three side berths. The AC coaches require a battery tank that eats away lot of space underneath the coach. The engineers decided to overcome this problem by using end-on generation configuration, where the power for train lighting and air conditioning is to be supplied by two power cars attached at both end of the train equipped with 2DA sets of 500 KVA capacity each. The other major under slung items like water tanks, air brake system, electrical transformers etc. were squeezed in a limited space below the over hang of the toilets. Ducting for air conditioning of both upper and lower deck that, too, without compromising the luggage space was another formidable challenge faced by the engineers, which was overcome by raising the height of the coach shoulders by making the roof flatter, unlike the sloping design of existing stainless-steel coaches. The railway plans to run double decker day and night trains to provide cheaper air conditioned facility to the commuters.
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Tribune Impact
Patiala, February 22 PSHRC chairman Justice RS Mongia (retd) has issued orders to this effect and has fixed June 2 as the next date of hearing. The PSHRC chairman observed, “A copy of the orders, along with a copy of the news item, should be sent to the MD of the state Sugar Federation for information and strict compliance. The report must be submitted by the next date of hearing.”
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MLA’s ‘highhandedness’ puts widow in trouble
Hoshiarpur, February 22 The elderly woman Shama Sharma, a next door neighbour of MLA Mohinder Kaur Josh, and her family are allegedly being harassed by the MLA due to political vendetta for the past a couple of months. Visually impaired, Shama, a resident of Piplanwala town, was left with no other options, but to move to the Punjab Human Right Commission, besides making complaints to the Governor, the Chief Minister and the Education Minster, against the MLA. In her complaint, Sharma alleged that the MLA, who is also Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Education), has been harassing her son, Deepak Kumar Vasisath, a primary teacher posted at Ajram, to settle scores over the family. Vasisath, district coordinator of ‘Padho Punjab’- a pilot project launched by Kishan Kumar, director-general school education and Project director Sarav Sikya Abhian- was transferred to Nawanshahar on her recommendations. Moreover, ‘vague’ enquiries were also initiated against her son on behalf of the MLA, so that he would be framed in false cases, she alleged. Interestingly, he was transferred to other, while as per the service rules, a primary of district cadre could not be transferred out from his present district of posting. Moreover, the transfer recommended against a report submitted by Kishan Kumar in his favour, she claimed. Shama has also alleged that the family members have come under depression and financial burden, since after the MLA has started mounting pressure on officers of the Education Department to harass Deepak in one pretext or another. Apprehending, fear to lives and property, Shama Sharma said the government would be responsible for the loss and Mohinder Kaur Josh be held responsible in case of any untoward incident. While, Mohinder Kaur Josh said, “Being a Chief Parliamentary Secretary of the department, it is my duty to take work from the teachers. If any teacher was transferred, he might not be performing his duty sincerely.” She, however, denied to be known to Shama Sharma, but claimed that Deepak Vasisath has filed a case in a court in this regards and refused to comment on it.
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Tension in Rajpura ahead of Badal’s visit
Rajpura, February 22 Some villagers have decided to welcome the CM on March 2 with black flags, as they rue that they have not been granted tubewell connections by the electricity board in spite of assurances. The government had acquired their land for the construction of the thermal plant. The plant will be contructed on the land of seven villages- Sural Khurd (262.98 acres), Sural Kalan (330.12 acres),, Rangian (23.78 acres), Nalas Kalan (37.60 acres), Nalas Khurd (221.58 acres), Sadhraur (174.84 acres) and Raimajra (27.26 acres). The farmers were already feeling disgruntled due to the ‘low’ price that was offered by the government in lieu of the fertile land. They claim that their land is so fertile that they have got eight quintals yield of wheat per acre for the past many years. A seasonal rivulet flowing down from Chandigarh would also be closed with the construction of boundary wall of the plant. The rivulet had proved very fruitful in making the land fertile here. The village has 174 acres, wherein large number of tubewells are also installed for irrigation. “With the sale of agricultural land, the tubewell connections will be of no use for us. Now we need new connections at other places but the electricity board is dilly dallying over the issue,” said the farmers. Senior police officials from Patiala today visited the venue of thermal plant and met the farmers. A meeting between electricity board officials and farmers was assured within a day or two, wherein they would be given tubewell connections after preparing a list of the beneficiaries.
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On world peace mission
Patiala, February 22 Biswas, who belongs to Kolkata, began the journey on April 21, 1982, with a dollar in his pocket, the capacity to speak only his mother tongue Bengali and a bike. But no amount of hardships could deviate him from his mission. Biswas learnt 10 languages along the way and paid for his globe cycling by using his talents as a magician and telling stories of his adventures. His gesture was so widely appreciated that that four countries — America, Germany, Sweden and France — have given him their citizenships. The 57-year-old has shared his presence with the huge mountains of Kilimanjaro, touched the burning desert of Kalahari, camped at the frozen plains of Antarctica, walked through the ancient ruins in Peru and travelled through the darkwaters of Amazon. Biswas, who has travelled 156 countries and 2298 cities, has 44 countries left on his itinerary that he hopes to visit by 2014. Displaying his 139-feet-long passport stamped with visas, Biswas says he has never been refused entry to any country. “During all these years, my bike has allowed me to deliver my message of peace while learning and partaking in the customs of people all around the world. Whenever I have left a city, people waved me off with tears in their eyes. I have always found shelter and someone to feed me. I was nearly killed by the cold in Alaska and the heat of Kalahari Desert, but each time someone saved me, reinforcing my faith in mankind,” he says showing photographs of his meetings with the Dalai Lama, Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa. The only possessions on this voyage have been thick files containing photos taken with personalities he has met as well as certificates from officials in the countries and towns he has visited as proof of his travels. Biswas cites among his unforgettable experiences cycling to the Arctic Circle and seeing the midnight sun and being present whenhistory was made as the Berlin Wall fell.
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Promotion of 22 SMOs cleared
Jalandhar, February 22 Official sources said a meeting of the department’s promotion committee (DPC), was convened today by principal secretary, Health, Satish Chandra. However, representatives of the personnel department did not take part in the meeting, it is said. Another meeting of the DPC would be held soon to promote 280 medical officers as senior medical officers. Though those promoted today were already working as the SMOs, but they were not promoted earlier as per the service rules. They would now be entitled for an increment on promotion that was not being given to them since 1989.
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Two-day police remand for Ghandy
Patiala, February 22 Ghandy, who was lodged at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi, has been brought to Patiala on transit remand and produced at a local court, which remanded him in two-day police custody. Patiala SSP Ranbir Singh Khattra said SP (Operation) RK Bakshi would supervise investigations related to Ghandy. He said Ghandy would be questioned regarding his stay in Patiala and his activities during that period. Ghandy is a Politbureau and Central Committee member of the banned CPM and was arrested by the special cell of the Delhi Police in September 2009. The police is learnt to have drafted a detailed questionnaire for Ghandy’s interrogation. The main focus of the investigations will be to find out that whether Ghandy’s visit to Punjab was aimed at sowing seeds of Naxalism in the state. Though the Punjabi University authorities have expressed ignorance over the matter so far, the Patiala police is sure that Ghandy stayed in the university under a fake identity of Professor Kishore. The police is trying to ascertain whether Ghandy was alone or was accompanied by someone else during his movement in Punjab.
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KLF ultras remanded
Patiala, February 22 After arresting the duo on Saturday evening from Nabha, the Patiala police produced both of them in a Nabha court yesterday evening. Confirming this, Patiala SSP Ranbir Singh Khattra said they would try to get vital information from them. “We would try to extract as much information as possible from the duo,” he told The Tribune, while adding that Jasvir and Harjant may reveal nefarious plans made by their bosses Bakhshish Singh, alias Baba, and Harminder Singh, alias Mintu. Reliable sources in the police have said Bakhshish has managed to flee Punjab. Stating that though Bakhshish is still in India, police sources told that the police has some reliable inputs that in order to evade his arrest, Bakhshish left Punjab. Khattra said based on the specific information, the police had conducted raids at Rajpura, Ambala and other areas, but could not trace Bakhshish. Senior police officials said in coordination with the Intelligence Wing, the Patiala police has been making efforts to nab Bakhshish and his accomplice Pargat Singh, who is also absconding.
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Order on increment recovery quashed
Chandigarh, February 22 For, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed the orders to the extent that these directed the recovery of the benefit from the employees working in several departments in different categories. The directions came on a bunch of about 100 petitions. The Department of Finance had in January 1981 issued instructions for the revision of the pay scales for the officers possessing better qualifications. In case of engineers, it was BE (civil) or equivalent degree. They were directed to be granted the benefits of two increments, but the orders were subsequently withdrawn. Partially allowing all petitions on a single day, Justice Surya Kant asserted the recovery, if any already made, be refunded to the petitioners within three weeks of receiving the order’s certified copy. At the same time, Justice Surya Kant upheld the re-fixation of the pay. In one of the petitions, Sukhjinder Singh Kalsi of had sought the quashing of an order issued in December 2008. In his petition, the subdivisional engineer had asserted his pay vide the order was reduced and re-fixed. In the plea against the State of Punjab, the chief engineer with Drainage and Irrigation Works Department, along with an executive engineer, the petitioner had added recovery too was ordered after withdrawing the benefits of the two increments granted to him on attaining the qualification of BE (Civil). As the cases came up for hearing, the counsel made it clear they were relying on the judgment delivered by the Full Bench of the HC in the case of Budh Ram and others against the State of Haryana decided on May 22, 2009. The counsel said no recovery could be affected from the petitioners as they had never misled the authorities concerned to gain any service benefit. Former cop gets bail in drugs case
Former CAT commando Gurinder Singh has received relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Justice MMS Bedi today granted interim bail to the former cop booked in a drugs case. The first information report (FIR) under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was registered at a police station in Patiala on January 15. Claiming implication, Gurinder Singh had asserted that the police wanted him to continue as an informer. Denial resulted in his being picked up by the police and implicated him in cases. Taking up his petition, Justice Bedi issued notice of motion for April 6 on his anticipatory bail plea to the State of Punjab and other respondents, while issuing directions for interim bail.
Notice to Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker
Division Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Jasbir Singh has issued notices to Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon and four other legislators in the PIL against the payment of income tax from the state exchequer to members of the state legislature. The notices were issued as the earlier ones could not be served to some MLAs. The matter is now listed for March 20.
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HC: Vehicle owner to be questioned in drugs haul case
Chandigarh, February 22 The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued instructions in this regard to the sessions judges, police and other authorities of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. The instructions came on an appeal filed by Pali Ram and Kashmir Singh against the state of Punjab. They had challenged the April 2003 orders sentencing them to 10-year rigorous imprisonment in a case registered under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The prosecution had claimed Pali Ram was driving a Maruti 800 and Kashmir Singh was in the passenger seat when they were intercepted by the police. About six bags of poppy husk were seized from them. Justice Harbans Lal asserted: “As proffered by the prosecution, the alleged recovery has been effected from the Maruti 800. The prosecution has not cared to produce and prove the certificate of registration of his car…. On the day of the alleged recovery, Bansi Lal of Fatehabad was the registered owner of the vehicle. On studying the evidence by investigation officer Badan Singh, it emanates that he did not take the pains to question the registered owner of the vehicle in the investigation. “If it has been found that the registered owner had knowingly permitted the accused to use his car for the commission of an offence, in view of Section 25 of the Act, he ought to have been challaned”. Justice Lal asserted: “Henceforth, where in such cases, the person other than the owner is found transporting the contraband in a vehicle, the investigator shall elicit from the owner of the vehicle - by joining him/her in the investigation - as to whether the vehicle has been permitted to be used knowingly for the commission of the offence. “If it turns out to be affirmative, the owner shall be challaned under Section 25 of the Act. If the investigator fails to direct himself/herself in this direction, presumption would be that for some consideration he has eschewed to swing into such action. In such a situation, the court would initiate action as deemed appropriate against the investigator.”
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Amritsar, February 22
