Chandigarh, March 8
The SAD-BJP combine chose former minister Bikramjit Singh Majithia to initiate a debate on the Governor’s speech in the Vidhan Sabha today. Bikramjit chose to rely on rhetoric for the most part of his speech before making a mid-term correction and demanding the Congress to cooperate with it to call for the return of Chandigarh to Punjab besides redressal of other “wrongs”.

However, Bikramjit, who had clearly come prepared for over one-hour speech and even spiced it with earthy quotes, relied on the Congress bashing rather than speaking on the Governor’s address. Towards the end of the speech, he read out a list of demands, which he said, could be taken up with the Centre jointly with the Congress.

The demands include transfer of Chandigarh as well as Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab, justice for the victims of the 1984 riots, reduction in prices of both petrol and diesel, ensuring the principle of riparian rights is upheld, calling for a Rs 1,000 crore central grant to Punjab Agriculture University for agriculture development, giving subsidy to farmers where due and an end to the “black list” of Sikhs banned from entering the country.

Bikramjit apparently wanted to cover a number of documents and had files at his command but he could talk only about the Education, Irrigation, Water Supply and Sanitation and Excise and Taxation Departments. In all these departments, he read out figures stating the SAD-BJP government had spent more on development and had also recovered more revenue by way of excise collections.

Citing the case of the Education Department, he said the government during the past three years had appointed 32,000 teachers and caretakers. He said Rs 352 crore had been spent on irrigation works in the past three years while the earlier Congress regime had spent only Rs 125 crore on irrigation. He appreciated the work of both ministers Upinderjit Kaur and Janmeja Singh Sekhon in this regard.

Bikramjit led an all-out attack on the Congress claiming it should apologise for walking out on the Governor’s address. He said action should be taken against party workers under the Rules of Conduct of the Assembly. The SAD leader also claimed that the Congress had started a propaganda that all development in the state was due to central largesse while it was a fact that the state like others was contributing to central taxes.

BJP leader Surjit Kumar Jyani also spoke on the Governor’s address saying the government had gone in for all-round development.

Chandigarh, March 8
There was no proposal under consideration of the government for enhancing financial assistance under the Shagun scheme, said Social Security and Women and Child Development Minister Chaudhary Swarna Ram while making a statement on the floor of the House.

The minister was replying to a question on enhancement in the pensions and Shagun scheme amount by BJP MLA Amarjit Singh Sahi, who had asked, “Whether there was any proposal under consideration of the government to enhance the amount of old-age pension, widows pension, pension given to destitute children and amount given under Shagun scheme? If there is the time by which it is likely to be done?”

Swarna Ram in his reply said the proposal regarding the increase in amount of old-age pension, widow pension and pension to dependent children was under active consideration and a decision is expected to be taken in the near future. But he added that there was no proposal for enhancing assistance under the Shagun scheme.

At this juncture, Rana Sodhi of the Congress intervened to remind the minister that the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had in its election manifesto promised to raise financial assistance under the Shagun scheme. Legislator Ajit Singh Shant pointed out that there were 34,000 cases pending with the government, where money under the Shagun scheme had not been released and wanted to know by what time this backlog would be cleared. The minister did not have a specific date, but added that it would be done soon.

In a supplementary to another question on funds distributed under NREGA, Balbir Singh Sidhu of the Congress wanted to know the exact amount of funds under NREGA earmarked for his constituency and village wise details of funds release at the village level. While, the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Ranjit Singh Brahmpura gave the details, legislators from the opposition benches pointed out what they called “gross irregularities” in the distribution of NREGA funds. 

Bathinda, March 8
Creating awareness on spread of AIDS, negative effects of female foeticide and women empowerment were the highlights of a programme organised by district health authorities here to mark International Women’s Day.

According to the District Health Officer (DHO), Dr Dharam Pal Singh Sekhon, there are 24.70 lakh HIV positive patients in the country and of them 9.3 lakh (37.7 per cent) are women and 70,000 (2.9 per cent) are children. In Bathinda district, more than 15,000 persons had been tested for HIV till June 2009. Of them 311 tested HIV positive, the DHO added.

Bathinda ADC Sharuti Singh exhorted women to come forward in every field.

The Bathinda Civil Surgeon, Dr Neelam Bajaj, lay emphasis on women empowerment.

MOGA: International Women’s Day was celebrated at Dr Shyam Lal Thapar College of Nursing here today. Presiding over the function, the former Health and Medical Education Minister and chairperson of the institution, Dr Malti Thapar, gave a brief account of the importance of the day to nursing students. She also thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for bringing the Women Reservation Bill in this session of Parliament.

Ludhiana, March 8
Making inroads into the citadel of Parkash Singh Badal to capture the upcoming SGPC elections, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGPC) today announced office-bearers of the SAD (Delhi), a parallel outfit that will contest the poll.

After taking control of the gurdwaras in Delhi, the DSGMC supremo, Paramjit Singh Sarna, who had announced recently the SAD (Delhi) outfit, announced the office- bearers of the body and stated that they would virtually take over the SGPC and those close to Badal would be forced to take a back seat. He announced that he would take the support of SAD (Barnala) and SAD (1920).

Sarna had named Jaswinder Singh Baliewal as the president of SAD(D) recently and today named a dozen office-bearers, including three vice-presidents and three general secretaries. He named Sadhu Singh Chambal, Purshottam Singh Phaguwal, Gurbhej Singh Fazilka as vice-presidents and Satwant Singh Talwandi, Balwant Singh and Gurpreet Singh as general secretaries of the body.

Gurdeep Singh Gosha, who recently quit Sikh Students Federation (Mehta), a body stated to be close to Badal, was named the state president of the youth wing of the SAD (D) and Gurmeet Singh Mundian as the all- India president.

Sarna said they would contest the SGPC poll for all seats and show the Badals what the Sikhs in Punjab wanted. Taking a dig at Badal, Sarna said he should be held responsible for the ‘blacklisting’ of Sikhs that was continuing for the past many years. Had he wanted, many names would have been deleted from the list by now. But the state never showed the interest, he said.

He said to take up Sikh issues in a major way, the DSGMC would organise a World Sikh Sammelan in Gurdwara Rakaab Ganj in New Delhi on April 11.

Sikh scholars from the world over would participate and deliberate on the current Sikh issues, he said.

Chandigarh, March 8
Even as Punjab is still unclear about the number of farmer suicides, following indebtedness, agricultural scientists today claimed most of the deceased were drug addicts, who had not taken loans for agricultural purposes.

Ironically, the issue came up after the screening of a documentary film “Harvest of Grief” sponsored by social activist Inderjit Singh Jaijee. The film while claiming that around 40,000 farmers had committed suicide in Punjab in the last two decades, also surmised that the agrarian crisis was a product of the green revolution and that the high agricultural inputs had led to suicides in the state.

Punjab State Farmers Commission chairman GS Kalkat said as much as 86 per cent of the farmers, who had committed suicide in the state, had been drug addicts. He said 71 per cent of these farmers did not go to school and most of them had smallholdings only.

Kalkat said the study was done into 106 cases of suicide, which found that cost of agricultural inputs had never been a factor in suicides. “Input cost for various high-yielding varieties is never more than Rs 1,000 per acre,” he said, adding that the farmers had ended their lives after taking on loans for unproductive expenditure. Farmers ordinarily took loans from cooperatives and returned them in time, adding in the case of suicide victims, however, loans had been taken from non-institutional sources.

“The makers of this film should make part two in this series and explain why the farmers, who had committed suicide had taken loans and for what,” Kalkat said.

Meanwhile, Farmers Commission Consultant PS Rangi said it was not right to claim as had been done in the documentary that the green revolution was responsible for the agrarian crisis in Punjab. He said farm business income in the 1960s was Rs 960 per acre, while right now it was Rs 40,000 per acre. He said even in real terms farm income had increased to Rs 2,500 per acre from Rs 960 before the green revolution.

Rangi said wheat and paddy would continue to remain the staple crops for the Punjabi farmers, as other alternatives were not popular enough. He said the farmers, however, must set aside some space for farming of vegetables, besides going in for dairy farming. 

Chandigarh, March 8
A documentary film, ‘Harvest of Grief’, capturing the agrarian crisis which has emerged in Punjab’s Sangrur district where a large number of farmers have committed suicide in the last two decades, struck an emotional chord during its screening at the Chandigarh Press Club.

The movie, directed by Anwar Jamal and sponsored by the Rescue and Revival Mission of social activist Inderjit Singh Jaijee, focuses on the women with nothing to take care of their children after their husbands committing suicide following indebtedness. It was formally released today by Punjab State Farmers Commission Chairman Dr GS Kalkat. Director Anwar Jamal said, “Our effort is to build a movement” in this regard. The film also tries to tell viewers how the crisis unfolded and what could be done for the forlorn families.

It has noted activist Vandana Shiva claiming that the agrarian crisis was a by-product of the green revolution. Dr Pramod Kumar of Institute of Development and Communication (IDC) claims that though Punjab has the least poverty levels, but among the Dalits levels were quite high in the state. He said similarly the social development index was poor and that there was no linkage between agriculture and industry.

Inderjit Jaijee, who is the main spirit behind the film, said there had been 40 to 80 suicides in most villages in Moonak and Lehra blocks in Sangrur. Jaijee advocated implementing a pension scheme to stop suicides as well as rejuvenate livelihoods of those who have lost their husbands.

Prof K Gopal Iyer claims debt has accumulated since the last 10 to 15 years as the pay back capacity of farmers has reduced. It also has the magistrate of Moonak claiming that not a single case of suicide was reported to him during the two years he served in the block. The film advocates giving land ownership titles to women, pensions to the widows, acknowledging the reasons for the suicides by the government. 

Bathinda, March 8
On one hand the whole state will be observing March 23 as the Martyrdom Day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, while on other the authorities of the Punjab Excise And Taxation Department have selected the day to hold a statewide draw for the allotment of liquor vends.

According to the recently issued public notice, the excise and taxation commissioner, Punjab, has announced that the first draw of lots would be held on March 19 and the second draw after regrouping of the vends would be held on March 23.

The scheduled allotment of liquor vends on this day has created a flutter among social activists, thinkers and leaders of farmer unions, who have been terming it as a well planned move by the government to hurt popular sentiments.

“Delivering long speeches with the promise of promoting the ideology of martyrs, our political leaders would garland their statues on that day. And on the same day, bureaucrats are all set to hold a statewide allotment of liquor vends, which sounds unjustified,” rued general secretary of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) Sukdev Singh Kokri Kalan.

Expressing anguish, a social thinker Jagdish Ghai, an executive member of the Public Library here, said, “Opting for this sacred day for liquor vend allotment is a clear insult to the martyrs and we strongly condemn it.”

“Respecting the sanctity of the day and the feelings of the people attached with it, the government should change the day, otherwise it can create fresh controversy,” said a social activist Parkash Bansal.

“The allotment of liquor vends on a large scale throughout the state on the same day has upset us. We humbly urge the government to change the date,” said Rakesh Narula of the Bathinda Vikas Manch, a social organisation.

When the matter was brought to the notice of the joint commissioner, Excise and Taxation department, Punjab, HMS Rosha said, “We respect the public sentiments. As you have apprised us, we will surely have a departmental meeting tomorrow and if possible, try to change the date.” 

Ferozepur, March 8
The 112 Infantry Battalion of Territorial Army (DOGRA) will organise a recruitment rally for soldier general duty and soldier tradesmen (barber & chef mess) categories at the BRO ground, Ferozepur cantonment, from March 12.

According to a press note issued here today by the Army authorities, candidates belonging to Punjab can appear in the rally on March 12, and those from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh can appear on March 13.

Screening of documents and a medical examination of the candidates will be held on the same day. Candidates appearing for the soldier general duty category should have passed matric with 45 per cent marks in aggregate and 32 per cent in each subject. Candidates appearing for the barber/chef mess should be matriculates. — TNS

Chandigarh, March 8
JBT teachers in Punjab, granted the benefit of three increments after acquiring Giani or Parbhakar qualifications, will not have to pay back the enhanced amount.

For, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today accepted their plea against the orders directing the recovery of the benefit from the teachers.

Justice Surya Kant also asserted the recovery, if any already made, be refunded to the petitioners. Direction was also issued by Justice Surya Kant to refer the matter to a committee constituted earlier for deciding the cases on merit. The directions came on a bunch of approximately 100 petitions.

In one of the petitions by Dalbir Singh of Amritsar along with 51 serving and retired teachers, directions were sought to the state of Punjab, the Director Public Instructions (Primary Education) and the Accountant-General for quashing the letters dated October 31, 2008, and April 21 last.

The petitioners had contended the authorities concerned, vide the orders, had withdrawn the benefit of three increments granted to them with effect from the date of acquiring the higher qualifications. The action, the petitioners claimed, was illegal and arbitrary.

Seeking directions to the respondents against withdrawing the benefits given to them in the pay scale of classical and vernacular teachers, the petitioners had added it had not been taken back from a large number of already-retired teachers. Directions were also sought for the release of the death-cum-retiral gratuity.

Elaborating, the petitioners had added: “The impugned action of respondents re-fixing the pay of the petitioners retrospectively w.e.f the date of their acquiring Giani or Parbhakar qualifications; and thereafter calculating the pension and other pensionary benefits at the lower rate; and also withholding the death-cum-retiral benefits to effect the recovery of salary already paid to them; is illegal, arbitrary and against the principles of natural justice”. It was also violative of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution, they had asserted.

As the cases came up before Justice Kant, the counsel made it clear they were relying on the judgement delivered by the Full bench of the high court in the case of Budh Ram and others against Haryana decided on May 22, 2009.

The counsel said no recovery could be effected from the petitioners, as they had never misled the authorities concerned to gain any service benefit.

Phagwara, March 8
The police seems to have accepted the challenge of 72 hours’ ultimatum to crack the murder case of BJP leader Sudarshan Dhillon. The assurance about the arrest of the killers within 72 hours was given by Jalandhar Range DIG Sharad Satya Chahaun. Ultimately, the police today arrested the three main accused allegedly involved in the killing of Dhillon.

Sources told The Tribune today that the case was found to be one of deep personal enmity and supari killing. It was learnt that a police party headed by Phagwara DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh arrested the three main accused, including shooter Sukhwinder Singh, alias Sukha, of Kahlawan village, Kartarpur police station and two assailants, Jatinder Kumar, alias Bobby, of Phagwara and Ajay Joshi, alias Binda Pehalwan, of Hadiabad, when they were standing in a queue before the UK embassy for a correction in Bobby’s visa, which was detected at the International Airport Delhi on Monday morning as the main accused, Bobby, residing in UK, was trying to fly back to the UK after the murder. All three arrested were first taken to the Chankyapuri police station in the capital and then brought to Phagwara. SSP Ram Singh confirmed the developments to The Tribune on Monday night. The SSP hesitated to give details of further investigations and arrest of the other accused, but it was reliably learnt that the police had taken into custody three more suspects. A few more arrests were expected. Sources said the police had recovered a Scorpio vehicle used by the killers with two fake number plates of Punjab and Madhya Pardesh.

Moga, March 8
In its ongoing drive against drug smugglers, the police has attached properties worth Rs 2.78 crore of nearly 24 drug smugglers to exert pressure on them to get out of this illegal trade.

SSP Ashok Bath said they had sent 25 cases of property attachment to the state government, of which orders of 24 cases had been issued. One such recommendation was withdrawn following the acquittal of a smuggler from a court, he said.

He said in 2009, 31.22 kg of opium, 262.59 quintals of poppy husk, 162 gm smack, 1 kg charas, 13,724 psychotropic injections, 2.68 crore psychotropic tablets, 71,665 bottles of illegally stored cough syrup, 19 kg powder of psychotropic drugs and 25 gm heroin were seized from drug peddlers. Nearly 164 persons were arrested after registering 131 cases under the NDPS Act against them, he said.

The SSP said: “Injections with intoxicant liquid, psychotropic tablets and syrups are illegally stored without proper documents and being sold by chemists without the prescription of qualified doctors, which has made the situation worst in the area.”

Chandigarh, March 8
There has been a marked increase in amount of opium and poppy husk seized by the Punjab police in the state last year. However, the recoveries of smack, heroin and cocaine have reduced.

In response to a question asked by MLA Balbir Singh Batth in the Vidhan Sabha, it was pointed out that the amount of poppy husk recovered in 2008 was 60,092 kg, while in 2009 this had increased to 62,659 kg. Similarly, the amount of opium recovered had increased from 563 kg in 2008 to 689 kg in 2009.

The amount of other drugs recovered had decreased. Charas recovered in 2008 was 107 kg, while in 2009 it was 98 kg in 2009. In 2008, the heroin recovered was 269 kg, while in 2009 it was 155 kg. The amount of cocain recovered in 2008 was over 7 kg and in 2009, this was only 5 kg.

In response to another question asked by Balbir, it was revealed by the Jails Minister that in the past one year, 26 accused have escaped with the help of criminals, while being taken for court attendance.

The highest number of such incidents has taken place in Ludhiana, where 10 accused escaped in one year. In Patiala, five such incidents took place.