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Baisakhi Conferences
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Board ready for any eventuality: Chairman
New power schedule
Pak Sikhs for original Nanakshahi calendar
Kang: Cong will stage comeback in UP
Women’s Reservation Bill
Polluted Sutlej drives them away
Wheat Procurement
Tough time for Dera Bassi farmers
Pharmacists stage sit-in outside Vikas Bhawan
‘Khanpur to be developed as tourism belt’
15 involved in 10 robberies held
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Baisakhi Conferences SP Sharma & Rajay Deep Tribune News Service
Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), April 14 Badal, who was addressing a political conference of the SAD at the Baisakhi Mela here, clarified that the government would seek public opinion on the issue of replacing distribution of grains with cash payment to the eligible families. The Chief Minister urged the Centre to give royalty to Punjab for depletion of its ground water that was being utilised for production of food grains, especially paddy, for feeding the country. Badal warned the Congress not to interfere in the religious affairs of Sikhs keeping an eye on the forthcoming SGPC elections. He said he had taken up the matter with the Centre of the rejuvenation and strengthening of the canal system to save 25 per cent irrigation water that was going waste due to seepage. Referring to the cleaning of rivers in the state, Badal said the government had envisaged a massive plan at a cost of Rs 1,388 crore to make the rivers and canals free from pollution. Badal said several steps were being taken to meet the electricity shortage by setting up four new thermal power plants in the state. Equipment worth Rs 1,000 crore had already been ordered for the Talwandi Sabo Thermal Plant. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal blamed the Congress for shielding the culprits responsible for the 1984 riots and dared the Congress leadership to bring the guilty to the book. He urged the Centre to compensate the loss of yield of wheat that the farmers in Punjab have this time suffered because of climatic change. The conference unanimously adopted a resolution urging the central government to vigorously pursue the case of the 17 Indians facing death sentence in UAE. In another resolution, the conference demanded a special package of drought relief for the loss of paddy crop. Anticipating 30 per cent fall in the production of wheat due to an early summer, the conference passed a resolution demanding a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal on the wheat. Prominent among others present on the occasion were President SGPC Avtar Singh, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Tota Singh, Jagdip Singh Nakai, Balwinder singh Bhunder , Prem Singh Chandumajra and Gurdev Singh Badal.
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CM, Sukhbir mum over IAS quitting Talwandi Sabo, April 14 When asked for their comments on the issue, the CM and Sukhbir Badal initially refused to say anything. However, the CM said, “I am aware of the reason behind Bir taking this step shortly before his retirement, but I don't want to be dragged in this controversy.” Bir is due to retire in September, he said. Badal said that Bir should have talked to “me” in case he had any problem. “I will ask the chief secretary to enquire into the circumstances under which Bir has sought premature retirement.” The CM said the allegations of humiliation were incorrect as “we are not against any government employee or any individual officer.” Sukhbir Badal remained silent when his comments were sought on the issue. “The CM has already given his point of view,” he added. — TNS
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Capt, Bhattal, Kaypee fail to turn up
Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), April 14 Besides, three Congress MLAs from the district, Gurpreet Singh Kangar (Rampuraphul), Ajaib Singh Bhatti (Nathana) and Harminder Singh Jassi (Bathinda), were conspicuous by their absence. However, three MLAs from Moga and Mansa districts, Darshan Singh Brar (Baghapurana), Mangat Rai Bansal (Budhlada) and Ajit Inder Singh Mofar (Sardoolgarh), attended the conference. Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu (Talwandi Sabo) and Makhan Singh (Pucca Kalan) were only two Congress MLAs from Bathinda district, who participated in the conference. The organisers of this political conference of the Congress at a press conference on April 10 had informed the media that the Baisakhi conference of the party at Talwandi Sabo would be attended by the Captain, Bhattal and Kaypee, but today the main organiser of the conference Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu could not give a reply as to why these three leaders failed to attend the conference. A Congress leader on condition of anonymity told TNS that the absence of MLAs and others showed that “all is not well” in the district Congress. Almost all speakers at the conference criticised Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and the SAD-BJP government on different counts. The speakers flayed Badals for getting “false” cases registered against Congress workers and committing “atrocities” on them. They also predicted a win for the Congress in the next Assembly election. Among others who attended or addressed the conference included district president of the Congress (Rural) Narinder Singh Bhuleria, vice-president of the PPCC KK Sharma, district president of the Youth Congress Lakhwinder Singh Lakha and district press secretary of the party Rupinder Singh
Bindra.
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PSEB Unbundling What to
expect The strike may be peaceful and no major disruption in the power supply is expected. However, blackouts could happen in some areas in case of a breakdown as no personnel may be available to fix problems. Also, do not expect staff members at counters to accept your bills. Complaint centres may also not function with the PSEB deputing skeletal staff at its disposal to run essential services
Chandigarh, April 14 The employees have promised to strike work only and not disrupt power, but the government is not taking chances and had sounded off the Army to be ready to help the state at short notice. The Army help has also been sought to maintain eight grid stations that supply power to Army cantonments. Similarly, the state has asked the Railways to depute its employees at another seven grid stations. Flag marches are also being conducted by the police in villages in Malwa region to ensure the chakka jam call given by the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) for April 16 does not get response in the hinterland. The state, on its own, will depute nine companies of paramilitary forces at sensitive points. It has also gone in for static round-the-clock deployment of 55 companies of 6,500 Punjab Armed Police (PAP) personnel at all grid stations. District police chiefs have mobilised forces under their command to patrol sensitive power lines. The PSEB has hired personnel on contract and also called in power experts from other states to man its transmission system. Special attention is also being made to guard important offices to ensure there is no law and order problem. The PSEB head office in Patiala has been made impregnable. Similarly personnel have been posted to guard all Executive Engineer offices at the district level. The state government has also decided not to go in for pre-emptive arrests. Highly placed officials disclosed that striking employee unions had assured that they would strike in a democratic fashion only. However, anyone trying to disrupt power supply will be booked under the Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESMA). Meanwhile, nearly 85 per cent of the 6,50,000 PSEB employees are going on strike. They are spearheaded by the PSEB Joint Forum of Employees Unions and include technical services union, junior engineers and thermal plant workers. An Akali faction in the employees - Engineers Association and substation staff union - will not go on strike. Ropar: Police lines, Ropar, has been converted to temporary jail so that protestors could be lodged here. Confirming this, SSP LK Yadav said all arrangements had been made for the same.
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Board ready for any eventuality: Chairman
Patiala, April 14 Brar said: “We are all prepared to deal with the strike call for April 15-16. We have taken enough measures and will not allow the protesting employees to disrupt the functioning.” Meanwhile, sources in the Police Department have confirmed that top brass have already communicated to the heads of various police districts to maintain law and order at any cost. Special emphasis is being laid on ensuring preparednesses of the cops at Patiala as it is the board headquarters . Amidst claims by the administration and PSEB management that they will not allow protesters to create any hindrance in the board functioning, agitating employees and representatives of various associations have reiterated that they would not buckle under government pressure and would oppose the unbundling tooth and nail.
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New power schedule
Power cut hours For main cities Mohali: 11 am to 1 pm, 3 pm to 5 pm Amritsar: 9 am to 11 am, 1 pm to 3 pm Jalandhar, Patiala and Bathinda: 10 am to 12 noon, 2.30 pm to 4.30
pm For district headquarters Hoshiarpur, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mansa, Kapurthala, Muktsar and Ferozepur: 10 am to 12 noon, 2 pm to 4 pm Gurdaspur, Ropar, Moga, Faridkot, TarnTaran, Barnala and Nawanshahr: 10 am to 12 noon, 3 pm to 5 pm
Patiala, April 14 As per the new scheduled, there would be four hour power cut in all the main cities, district headquarters and urban industrial category-I. Besides, the industrial units in the category-II industrial feeders (except arc/induction furnaces and rolling mills) would have to observe two weekly off days. The category-III industrial feeders that include arc/induction furnaces and rolling mills would observe two weekly off days from end of peak load restrictions (PLR) hours of the day before weekly off day to end of PLR hours of the third day. For agricultural consumers, the power board has decided to provide two hours daytime power supply to the feeders in the border areas.
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Pak Sikhs for original Nanakshahi calendar
Amritsar, April 14 Meanwhile, Harnek Singh, a Sikh pilgrim in his seventies and hailing from Ghawaddi village in Ludhiana district, died after suffering cardiac arrest at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Pakistan. The PSGPC authorities extended all emergency facilities to the victim, but he failed to respond to the treatment. There were more than 25,000 Sikhs putting up in Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Nankana Sahib and other parts of the country and they were represented by the 11-member PSGPC headed by Sham Singh, who has announced the decision to stick to the old Nanakshahi calendar. The rejection of the amendments in the Nanakshahi calendar assumed significance as certain Sikh festivals and important days like the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev are celebrated in PSGPC-managed Sikh shrines. “We will be sticking to the old Nanakshahi calendar and there is no possibility of a change in our stance,” said senior PSGPC member Ramesh Singh, while talking to The Tribune over the phone from Gurdwara Punja Sahib. “The Sikhs in most of the countries, including the US, have already rejected the amendments in the calendar. The PSGPC had also taken a decision to reject the amended calendar at its executive body meeting held at Punja Sahib on March 30,” said Dr Pritpal Singh, a senior office-bearer of the American Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. He is currently on a pilgrimage to Pakistan along with other Sikh pilgrims from the US. “We will make no compromise on the issue unless it was discussed by a panel of Sikh scholars,” said Ramesh Singh. Dr Pritpal Singh said arrangements were being made to send the body of Harnek Singh to India by the PSGPC and by the Pakistan Government.
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Kang: Cong will stage comeback in UP
Chandigarh, April 14 Party general secretary Rahul Gandhi started his "Congress yatra" of UP today to mark the 125th anniversary of the Indian National Congress on the occasion of Ambedkar Jyanti to invigorate the rank and file of the Congress, Kang said.
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Women’s Reservation Bill
Jalandhar, April 14 The Bill has also overlooked giving representation to the poor women among the upper castes in the country, thereby sending a signal that the UPA government was deliberately trying not to empower the sections identified by them. Addressing a statewide rally here this afternoon, Narinder Kashyap, national general secretary, and Avtar Singh Karimpuri, state chief of the outfit, said they had sought the personal intervention of President Pratibha Patil to set the anomalies right so that the poor womenfolk of the country would be grateful to her. “Our party was not against reservation. In fact, our leader is such a woman that she was ever ready to protect the rights of all communities and was dedicated to the fulfilment of the mission of BR Ambedkar,” they pointed out. “Our party strongly feels that the reservation should be raised to 50 per cent to accommodate all those who have been left out by the Bill in its present form,” they added.
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Rush of devotees at Golden Temple
Amritsar, April 14 The festival - also known as Khalsa Saajna Divas - was also celebrated with religious zeal at Gurdwara Panja Sahib (Hasan Abdal) in Pakistan even as the number of Sikh devotees from India trickled down this time apparently owing to strained relations between the two countries. Baisakhi was also celebrated at other Sikh shrines in Lahore and Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. More than 10,000 Sikhs from all over the world paid their obeisance at Gurdwara Panja Sahib today. In comparison to usual turnout of 3,000 Sikhs from India, about 1,800 visited the shrine this time. Spirituality engulfed the air as a sea of devotees started thronging the Golden Temple. Swayed away by spiritual emotions, the devotees were overawed by the breathtaking beauty of the shrine lit up with lights. They also relished colourful fireworks. The city witnessed a deluge of pilgrims, who also visited other important shrines like Gurdwara Shahid Baba Deep Singh and Durgiana Temple.
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Kin of UAE convicts draw crowds Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda), April 14 The pandal of the Lok Bhalai Party (LBP) where they shared the dais with the party's chief Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, was thronged by a large number of men, women and children who came apparently to sympathize with the family members of the victims and express their solidarity. The womenfolk carrying photographs of their convicted relatives sat on the dais. The small farmers and farm labourers, who were participants at the political conference of the party, within minutes offered a sum of Rs 26,700 out of their savings for these families as Ramoowalia made an appeal for donations. A boy carrying Rs 20 in his pocket offered Rs 10 for them and kept the remaining money to pay for the bus fare to return home. Ramoowalia told this correspondent that he would go to Dubai on April 17 to search for some contact that could initiate an agreement between the victim's family and the 17 convicts according to the Shariat law. He said that he has initiated a five-pronged strategy to save the convicts from the gallows. The UAE court would hear the appeal of the Government of India in the case on May 19, but efforts were being made to hammer out a solution according to the Shariat law. On the other hand, the ruling SAD, in its political conference, adopted a resolution asking the central government to vigorously pursue the case of the 17 Indians facing death sentence in
UAE. Deputy CM and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said that certain political parties were trying to gain mileage out of the issue. Only the central government was competent to take up the matter with UAE, he added. Meanwhile, Ranjeet Kaur, wife of Dharampal Singh, who is among the convicts in UAE, said that her husband had gone to UAE about two years ago on the assurance of a private contractor who assured job to him abroad. The family was in a state of shock after receiving the news about the death sentence to Dharampal. Ramjeet Kaur, maternal aunt of another convict Sukhjinder Singh of Taran Taran, carried his photograph on the dais with moist eyes. Among other aggrieved parents and family members, Jagdev Singh of Sanghera village in Barnala, lamented that his 23 years old son Sukhjot Singh was a trained carpenter and claimed that he had nothing to do with the crime but was facing death sentence.
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Polluted Sutlej drives them away
Hussainiwala (Ferozepur), April 14 The pilgrims, who came from the near and far-away places, could not take a dip in the river as it was stinking. The Sutlej water has turned black and has started emitting a foul smell due to pollution caused by the sewage of Ludhiana, Ferozepur city, chemical wastes of tanneries running in Jalandhar and Kasur town of Pakistan. Thousands of people reached the bank of the Sutlej by various modes of transportation. Even the district administration pressed a special train into service for taking the pilgrims from Ferozepur station to Hussainiwala. Special buses were also plied for the convenience of the pilgrims. “This is for the first time ever since the country was partitioned in 1947 that I along with my grandson will go back without taking a bath in the Sutlej on Baisakhi,” said Nachhattar Singh, who came from Moga district especially for taking a dip in the river. Though a special place was made many years ago for the people who come here on Baisakhi and other festivals to take a dip in the Sutlej, it was made “out of bounds” for the pilgrims by the authorities. The BSF authorities also prevented the entry of pilgrims into the river on the pretext that they could get entangled into the thick growth of hyacinths, which has grown in the river in the past few years. KK Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, while denying the fact that the pilgrims were prevented from taking a dip in the Sutlej, said the district administration had arranged for divers to save anyone from drowning. PS Sidhu, Superintendent Engineer, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), admitted that the Sutlej was heavily polluted near
Hussainiwala.
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Jaypee encroaches NH 21, axes trees at will
Anandpur Sahib, April 13 While the cement plant is situated in adjacent Bagheri village of Nalagarh tehsil, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, the company is using Punjab’s protected area under forest to dump its clinker. Spread over an area of around 8,500 sq m, the clinker yard of the Jaypee cement has come over land preserved under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900, that does not permit any planned or organised construction over the land. While a poor farmer has been banned from even cultivating the land under the PLPA, this industry has been successfully running the clinker yard, has installed huge weighing bridge and even constructed permanent ramps for loading and de-loading of heavy trucks carrying clinker. Despite the clear ban, Jaypee cement officials cleared the entire green cover on this land in connivance with lower forest officials. As per the revenue record of Anandpur Sahib, the hadbast (unique identification number allotted to every village) 338 of Dehni village has six khasra numbers under the PLPA, covering 22 canal 14 marlas of land equivalent to 8,500 sq m. The clinker yard is situated on National Highway 21, which also violates the PUDA Act. As per the Government of India, Ministry of Road and Surface Transport, access to the PWD roads cannot be blocked. As per XEN central works division Karnail Singh under the Punjab Regional and Town Planning Act-1993, Section 143 (1), no construction could be done in 30 m of the area along the national highway. “The Jaypee cement plant authorities have completely violated this norm. Also, a civil writ petition, 4559-2007, has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the chief justice is himself monitoring all violations under the petition,” he said. Karnail Singh revealed that around 12 days ago, the Jaypee cement authorities applied for permission to build clinker yard (that now already exists). “But we promptly refused to give any permission. Around 3 to 4 months ago, we videographed other encroachments at the site, but did not come across clinker dumping ground. I will check the present status,” he assured. Clinker site also adds to traffic chaos in area. It’s situated just few metres ahead of a bridge running over seasonal rivulet. Many speeding vehicles on road have to suddenly apply brakes to give way for huge trucks bound for the clinker yard. Meanwhile, vice-president of the Jaiprakash Associates Ltd Brig KK Talwar said his company had bought the land. When questioned that the land was under the PLPA, Brig Talwar said he was not aware of the clinker yard, as his Solan office manages the same. He refused to divulge further details of the authorities concerned at the Solan plant. District forest officer K Kannan said he was not aware of the problem, but would inquire into it.
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Wheat Procurement
Fatehgarh Sahib, April 14 Process of lifting wheat from various grain markets got delayed due to the shortage of labourers as well as godowns. Various procuring agencies do not have enough space to store the wheat grain and this season a tie-up is likely to come up between the flour mills and government. District Food and Supply Controller, HS Mokha in Fatehgarh Sahib said the government had offered a good price of 78 paisa per sack per day to the farmers in lieu of storing wheat, procured from grain markets, but no farmer turned up to store wheat in his land. He said no farmer turned up in adjoining Patiala and Ludhiana districts as well. The district food and supply department has made arrangements for storage of 2.15 lakh metric tonne wheat in Fatehgarh Sahib this season and last year the quantity was 2.07 lakh metric tonne. Senior officials said this season the government had to depend upon the sheller owners and flour mill owners to get the wheat stored. They said it was easier for the sheller and flour mills to store wheat since they already store their own wheat in shellers and mills. Earlier wheat was stored in open godowns of Fatehgarh Sahib and it got damaged with time. Wheat arrival is at full swing in all 33 grain markets of Fatehgarh Sahib except three grain markets of Machharai Kalan, Nabipur and Gandolian. Farmers adjoining these three grain markets have sowed the wheat late in their fields and the grain is likely to arrive in these markets after April 15. So far 35,990 metric tonne wheat has already arrived in the grain markets of Fatehgarh Sahib and 6,191 metric tonne wheat has been lifted by various procuring agencies. About 7,386 metric tonne wheat was purchased in Sirhind Grain Market, 9,042 metric tonne in Amloh, 2,335 metric tonne in Khamano, 3,187 in Mandi Gobindgarh and 3,032 metric tonne in Chanarthal grain market. Rs 2.61 crore out of the total Rs 11.27 crore has already been given to the farmer and the cheques for rest of their amount would be given in coming few days. Five state government agencies, including Markfed, Punsup, Pungrain, Punjab Agro and Punjab Warehouse and central agency FCI are procuring wheat from various grain markets of the state.
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Tough time for Dera Bassi farmers
Dera Bassi, April 14 On one hand, farmers have been facing harassment due to lack storage space for crops while, on the other hand, the residents are also being harassed because of air pollution due to the dust from wheat. Elaborating on the various plans pending for improving the present situation retired mandi officer Gurbaksh Singh said proposals were made a number of times to shift this market to a new place but nothing materialised. Meanwhile, chairman Punjab Mandi Board Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, said process was on to shift and construct a the Grain Market of Dera Bassi at another place at Dhanouni village where panchayat had promised to provide 10 acre land at government rate.
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Pharmacists stage sit-in outside Vikas Bhawan
Patiala, April 14 The Rural Health Pharmacist Association, Punjab, under the leadership of president Satpal Cheema and vice-president Sukhbir Moga, gathered in large numbers and raised slogans against the Punjab Government and the director. Later, these pharmacists were called for a meeting but to no avail. Since the department could not give any assurance, they staged a sit-in outside Vikas Bhawan here and began a chain hunger strike. Pharmacists from all over the state participated in the dharna. The first day of the hunger strike was carried out by Sangrur and Mohali pharmacist union presidents. Giving information in this regard, Ram Singh, an association member, informed that after a long struggle by pharmacists, the Punjab Government had issued a letter on January 28, 2010, stating that all dispensaries must appoint qualified pharmacists, as according to the Pharmacy Act 1948, the upkeep and distribution of the medicines must be done by qualified registered pharmacists. But after protests by unqualified workers in order to save their jobs, the government succumbed to their demands. “Ignoring their own decision and the Pharmacy Act, the government stopped the expulsion of these pharmacists in order to save their vote bank. The government didn’t realise that this decision is totally against the qualified pharmacists who deserve to get jobs,” he added. “These unqualified workers do not possess proper knowledge of medicines and the wrong medicines could be deadly for the people. But no one cares about the rural people,” he said. Moga informed the TNS that qualified pharmacists were suffering because of lack of separate contracts for them. The government should frame separate contracts for them.
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‘Khanpur to be developed as tourism belt’
Kharar, April 14 The park has come up near the point where the fatal accident took place. At the same place Captain Kanwaljit had delivered his last public address. This Captain Kanwaljit Singh Modern Park has come up at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. Remembering Captain Kanwaljit Singh, Gabria said his death has left behind a void that could never be filled.
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15 involved in 10 robberies held
Khanna, April 14 Even Pradeep (26), son of kingpin Balwinder, was a part of this gang that has youngsters from the 18 to 27 years age group. Fifteen of the 17 gang members are from Maanki village. Police officials from Samrala, Machhiwara and the CIA staff of Khanna conducted a joint operation and arrested all accused. Three .32-bore pistols with 12 cartridges, a .12-bore pistol with two cartridges, a .12- bore rifle with four cartridges (snatched from a bank guard during robbery), seven knives, two daggers, one car, four bikes and Rs 4.50 lakh cash were recovered from them. Khanna SSP Sukhminder Singh Mann said most of the arrested accused were drug addicts who had been active in robbing banks, government offices, petrol pumps and other private financial institutes in Khanna and the adjoining Ludhiana for the past around one year. The arrested have been identified as Pradeep, Kuldip, Hardip, Joginder, Satnam, Sandeep, Harpreet, Paramjit, Mandeep, Gurinder, Manga, Amandeep, alias Tony, Sarabjit- all residents of Maanki village, Gurnam of Mandi Gobindgarh and Mika from Bardhana village near Samrala. They all are involved in looting three banks, including the infamous bank robbery in the State Bank of Patiala in Kohara from where they looted Rs 3.11 lakh, Rs 1.7 lakh looted from Ajit Mills in Kohara, Rs 70,000 from Western Union Money, Samrala, Rs 2,500 looted from post office Chamkaur Sahib, Rs 3.5 lakh from the State Bank of Patiala in Shamaspur near Amloh, Rs 6.29 lakh from the State Bank of Patiala, Dhamot, Rs 1.30 lakh from the PSEB office,
Samrala.
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