Bikkon (Kiratpur Sahib), May 7
Following The Tribune’s disclosure in its report ‘Clinker chokes villagers’ dated May 6, 2010, on Jaypee Cement, a unit of Jaiprakash Associates, clinker yard being run without permission from the Ropar administration, SDM Anindita Mitra visited here today.

She told the TNS that the clinker yard had come over private land that company took from people. “It is neither forest land nor government or shyamlat (common village land),” she said.

She added that no injustice would be done with their right to live in a clean environment. Villagers complained her of developing breathing problems after the clinker dump came into being.

“Prima facie it seems that air is laden with heavy particulate matter suspended in air. Dust was even found settled over the standing crop,” she added.

Mitra said traffic of heavy vehicles at clinker site posed a major challenge for the residents. Thus, the District Transport Officer and Assistant Superintendent of Police had been directed to set up a naka and ease the congestion.

“The joint naka will continue till issuance of the Jaypee’s permissions from the administration is not settled,” she said. She would be handing over her report to the Ropar DC tomorrow.

Meanwhile, District Forest Officer K Kannan said the department had lodged a complaint with the police. “We have sanctioned the legal prosecution against the company for blatant violation of forest laws,” he said.

Fatehgarh Sahib, May 7
The deadly curve on Sirhind railway overbridge (ROB) continues to snuff out lives even as administration and police officials remain busy for the preparations of Sirhind Fateh Diwas celebrations. Despite the fact that hundreds of commuters will ply through the route for the event, officials says they would see into ROB problem only after the Fateh Diwas.

Traffic police officials and officials of the PWD department say they will install reflectors and look into the issue only after the completion of the Fateh Diwas.

Many accidents have taken place as vehicles plying on Bhatti road and Chandigarh bypass, adjoining ROB, collide with speeding vehicles coming from the flyover.

“It is difficult to overtake on this road. Also, driver can’t see vehicle coming from the opposite direction after reaching at the top of the ROB,” Rohit, a daily commuter, said, adding that the commuters fail to ascertain the width of ROB due to raised platforms adjacent to the railing as there are no reflectors installed there.

The number of accidents increases when trucks parked near the ROB wait for their turn during unloading at the railway yard.

According to traffic police officials, cops were deployed at both sides of the ROB during VIP visits. A resident of Ambala was killed when his car collided with a bus in April last. They added that four vehicles collided in a row on January 6. Again on March 15, a couple and their two children were injured in a mishap on the flyover. Another person was killed in an accident on October 19 last on the same stretch.

SSP Fatehgarh Sahib GS Gill has assured to look into the matter and stated that reflectors would be installed, besides yellow lining over the ROB. 

Chandigarh, May 7
“Bureaucrats have failed India as much as politicians have. When India is voted as one of the most corrupt nations in the world, you should hang your heads in shame,” said NN Vohra, Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, today. Vohra, a former Punjab-cadre IAS officer, was addressing the state’s IAS officers at the Park View hotel here this afternoon at the invitation of the Punjab IAS Officers Association.

“It is easy to blame the political system for various failures, but we, too, must accept the blame and work towards reviving public faith in the bureaucracy,” said Vohra.

Recalling his days of service in Punjab, Vohra said he joined the service in 1959 and his wife Usha joined the service the next year. They both served Punjab for over two decades, followed by service in the Union Government.

“In the years following Independence, commitment and integrity among both the politicians and public servants was very high. They were incorruptible, so to say. But this unfortunately is not the case now,” he rued.

Underlining the cause of degradation, Vohra said, “Indiscipline has crept in the administrative system which, in turn, leads to unaccountability, corruption, insensitivity and finally the alienation of the people from the system.”

Moved by a quote from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s speech on the Indian Administrative Service delivered in April 1947, Vohra who was to speak on ‘Governance and National Security’ decided to talk about the state of Indian bureaucracy. He pointed out that the minutes of the constituent assembly debates show that there were many constitution-makers who did not want an all-India civil service. “Some of them had had unforgiving experiences with civil servants and advocated that independent India should completely cut away this British legacy. It was Patel who vociferously spoke in favour of a civil services in the constituent assembly debates,” he said.

Answering a plethora of questions posed by the officers, Vohra said, “We need to look within to know what has gone wrong and also to find out how things can improve. The IAS remains the best service in India and with 25 per cent of India’s population still below the poverty line there is a lot for the civil servants to do,” he said.

In his presidential remarks, Punjab chief secretary SC Aggarwal said that despite the shortcomings in the administrative services, India had done exceedingly well economically.

Earlier the President of the Association, Sarvesh Kaushal, welcomed the guests. Prominent among those present were RC Nayyar, NS Kang, Satish Chandra, SK Sandhu, VK Singh, Rajinder Singh, Parag Jain, Seema Jain and Manjit Brar.

Chandigarh, May 7
The controversy erupting over allegations made by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagdish Sahni against Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla after raids were conducted on diagnostic centres associated with his relatives today saw Sahni coming up with documents “to substantiate” his case.

“The documents” were presented to the two-member committee of state BJP president Ashwani Sharma and Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu that has been formed to look into the issue.

The committee, which held its first meeting here, has meanwhile directed both leaders not to air their differences in public any more. Anyone doing so will face expulsion from the party.

The committee is likely to present its report to party President Nitin Gadkari only after the completion of the latter’s visit to Punjab from May 12 to 14. It may co-opt a third technical member so that the allegations levelled against Chawla can be appropriately examined. There is no proposal to hand over the inquiry to any outside agency.

Party sources confirmed that both leaders had put their faith in the committee and that there was no pressure from the Health Minister to take a decision on the issue immediately. However, no attempt was made to effect a patch-up between the two leaders.

Sahni has submitted various documents to the committee. These include “proofs” claiming that the Health Department had purchased 180 generators at a cost of more than Rs 1.25 lakh each whereas their market rate was only Rs 30,000 per generator.

The Batala legislator has also claimed wrongdoing in the appointment of the Director, Ayurveda, besides claiming that the department has been “lenient” to officers found guilty of wrongdoing. Documents have been submitted in this regard. He has also claimed that the bulk of the opium received by the Health Ministry has been given to one particular company.

Both Sahni and Laxmi Kanta met the committee members separately. Laxmi Kanta was first in and remained closeted with them for nearly one hour. The Health Minister came prepared with documents showing how the three diagnostic centres run by Sahni’s relatives had not been following the laid down procedures mandatory while conducting sex determination tests on pregnant women.

The Health Minister denied all allegations levelled against her by Sahni. She claimed that she had only one 48 sq yd house in Amritsar and that if she was building any “ashram” in Haridwar, as claimed by Sahni, she should at least be told where it was. She denied that any favouritism was shown in appointments or transfers and that all work related to tenders for equipment had been conducted according to the laid down procedures.

Jalandhar, May 7
Anticipating that it will not be able to supply potable water to the targeted 3,000 villages under the largely World Bank-funded project in a stipulated period, the state government has approached the World Bank (WB) authorities to extend the project implementation period by two years.

Under the project, the state was to provide potable water to 3,161 villages till the end of 2012. However, the state government has asked to extend the project period till 2014. The project commenced in 2007. However, till today, only 146 villages have been covered across the state. The figure also includes those 90 villages in which the scheme has been partially implemented.

The delay in the execution of the project is due to the failure of the authorities to persuade people in the villages to contribute their share of funds.

The total project, which is being implemented by the State Programme Management Cell of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department, is worth Rs 1,280 crore and in it World Bank’s share is 59 per cent and the Centre’s 16 per cent and the state government’s 19 per cent. The beneficiary villages are to contribute 6 per cent.

Jalandhar, May 7
There is resentment among the civil engineers of the newly created Punjab State Power Corporation (Powercom) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation (Transco) as no slot has been kept for them in the board of directors of both companies.“There is no slot of Director (Civil) on the boards of Powercom and Transco. The basic qualification to be on the board of directors of both companies has been fixed in such a way that those holding a degree in civil engineering will be not be eligible to be director,” said a spokesman of the Civil Engineers Forum.

“The qualifications for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director and Directors notified by the Punjab government don’t include a degree in civil engineering as the basic qualification,” he added. “A degree in electrical/mechanical/electronics/computer engineering or even a CA/ICWA/MBA has been included but not civil engineering,” he further said.

Asked in this regard, the PSEB Engineers Association president HS Bedi said “the issue was in our notice and it would be taken up with the government authorities concerned.” He was hopeful that civil engineering would be included in qualification to be on the board of directors of the two companies.

Chandigarh, May 7
Ludhiana is all set to be connected by air to the rest of the country and will be just a hop away from global air-linkage as commercial flights from and to the industrial hub will start from May 13.

A Punjab Government spokesperson said here today that Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, would land its maiden flight at Sahnewal airport on May 13.

The spokesperson further said that the airlines would initially operate ATR-42 aircraft with a seating capacity of 40 on the Delhi-Ludhiana-Delhi route, which would be replaced by a bigger aircraft as passenger traffic picked up. Initially, the airlines would have flights every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

The flights would take off from Delhi at 11 am and touch Sahnewal airport in an hour and 15 minutes. The Delhi-bound flight would depart at 12.35 in the afternoon and arrive in Delhi at 1.50 pm.

Another flight, the Delhi-Ludhiana-Pathankot-Ludhiana-Delhi flight, would also be made operational soon on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 

Kapurthala, May 7
The management of Pushpa Gujral Science City (PGSC) is going to instal six telescopes for inculcating interest in astronomy among visitors, especially students. One computerised and five manual telescopes will be installed on Saturday.

The activity may be new to Punjab but is quite popular in South India where people plan an “astronomy vacation” for sky gazing on clear nights.

The computerised telescope will be installed with a remote control.One just has to input the name of the star, planet or celestial object and the telescope will automatically track and focus on the object in question.The visitor will have to focus the telescope to see the object while using any of the five manual telescopes.

PGSC Director-General RS Khandpur said all this would provide an amazing experience to visitors. He said the telescopes would be the first in North India which would be open to use by the public.

Chandigarh, May 7
Government agencies and private millers had procured more than 100.88 lakh metric tonnes of wheat till last evening, compared to 104.25 lakh metric tonnes during the same period last year, an official spokesman said here today. Out of the total procurement of wheat, government agencies lifted 100.43 lakh metric tonnes.Private traders had bought 45,204 tonnes.

Among state-run agencies, Pungrain procured 16.76 lakh metric tonnes while Markfed procured 23.40 lakh metric tonnes. — PTI

Ludhiana, May 7
Soybean cultivation is the best substitute to paddy crop in Punjab with reference to receding water table and enhancing farmer’s income, Dr PS Minhas, director Research, at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

Dr Minhas addressed the All-India Scientists Meet on Soybean organised by PAU in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), New Delhi.

“Soybean can be cultivated as the summer crop as the produce is good and consumes less water as compared to paddy, Dr Minhas said. He added that Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were the potential areas for soybean production.

Pointing towards the fatty acid composition in soy oil, which is consumed by a large populace in Punjab and India at large, Dr Minhas said removal of non-required contents was required with precision.

Dr VD Patil, (ADG) Indian Council of Agriculture Research, pointed towards the need for coordination between the government agencies and farmers to enhance cultivation of soybean in India to overcome the oilseed deficit. He further said India was producing just 55 per cent of the required oilseed and the rest was imported from other countries.

“We need to fortify our efforts to bring more area under cultivation of soybean to meet the projected demand of 55 million tonnes of oilseed in India by 2020,” said Dr Patil.

Delving into the details of declining cultivation of groundnut in India, which has become a major concern for the food scientists, the experts termed soybean cultivation the only viable alternative.

Kapurthala, May 7
Members of an inquiry team today visited the site where Capt Anand N. of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles was charred to death while Major Sudhir Parmar had sustained serious burn injuries. The team collected samples for investigations.

The tragedy has raised doubts if a mosquito repellent, Kachhua Chhap, could be the cause of such a major fire that claimed the life of a young Captain. The Army officer died in an accidental fire that broke out in their tent on Thursday night.

The samples collected from the site will be examined by forensic and other experts to find out the exact cause of the fire. The Army is not ruling out any foul play behind the tragedy. Hailing from the Sri Hari Priyadarshani Putoor area in Palghat district of Kerala, Capt Anand N. and Major Parmar were asleep in their plastic tent after a mock drill in the War Exercise Area located in Miani Bhagupurian village in the Mand area when the tragedy struck.

Defence spokesperson Naresh Vig, however, claimed that an inquiry was in progress and nothing could be said before the outcome of the investigations.

He claimed that the body of Capt Anand N. was lifted from Amritsar to Delhi last night after a post-mortem examination at the Kapurthala Civil Hospital. The body would reach his native place by this night. His mother, Geeta Pillai, had also been informed about the tragedy.

Major Parmar, who was taken to the Military Hospital, Tibri cantonment in Gurdaspur district, is said to be out of danger.

Kotkapura/Barnala, May 7
Dr Kanwar Vishal Singh, a 27-year-old young anesthesia specialist, posted in the Baba Dayal Singh Government Civil Hopsital at Kotkapura, has come in the merit list of the Indian Police Service (IPS), clearing the civil services examination conducted by the UPSC, the results of which were declared yesterday. He was born in his parental town in Amritsar district and did his MBBS getting a gold medal from the Government Medical College, Amritsar. He did specialisation in anaesthesia from Mumbai.

In the 2008 PCMS test, he got first position in the merit list and joined as anaesthesia specialist in the Baba Dayal Singh Government Civil Hopsital at Kotkapura. It may be mentioned that he made it to the IPS in the civil services examination in the first attempt.

Meanwhile, Balwinder Singh, a physically challenged person from Barnala, has fulfilled his dream of cracking civil services examination, the result of which was declared recently. Balwinder Singh of Daraaj village in Barnala has brought laurels to his small village, as he secured 627th rank in the examination.

Talking to mediapersons, Balwinder said he was borne on September 1, 1981 and was plagued by polio when he was just 10-years-old, but he did not lose courage. He studied in the government senior secondary school, Tappa, at plus-two level and did his graduation from Rajindra College, Bathinda, in 2002.

“Since I am physically challenged, my parents inspired me a lot,” said Balwinder. “Before qualifying this time, I appeared for the examination three times,” he added.

He said the State Health Department had given him a certificate for being 90 per cent physically challenged, whereas in medical test conducted by the UPSC, he was declared as 63 per cent challenged. 

Chandigarh, May 7
“It is disgusting that this Court has to exercise contempt jurisdiction for enforcement of statutory provisions of the Right to Information Act,” Justice Rajive Bhalla of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held. He also directed the state to put up within two days all rules, regulations, policies, instructions and manuals on the Internet.

Justice Bhalla issued the directions during the hearing of contempt to court proceedings filed by advocate HC Arora, against the chief secretary for non-compliance of high court orders.

Arora, in his petition alleging contempt of court, had stated that the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary to Punjab Government, Department of Information and Technology, had not complied with directions issued by a Division Bench on August 10, 2009, directing the Punjab authorities to put all information on rules, regulations and policies on the official website of the state government within six months.

On the last hearing on April 20, Chief Secretary Aggarwal had claimed that out of 46 departments, barring six departments, all others had given a certificate that all rules, regulations, policies, instructions and manuals had been uploaded on the official website.

Remaining six departments would also do the same in two weeks, Aggarwal had stated. 

Chandigarh, May 7
Nearly 15 years after Punjab’s former Chief Minister Beant Singh was killed, along with 12 others, in an explosion outside the Punjab civil secretariat, the CBI today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that assassin Jagtar Singh Hawara had prepared a sketch of the area.

As the appeals filed by the assassin and other convicts through senior advocate Baldev Singh came up for hearing before the Division Bench of Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Justice Arvind Kumar this morning, CBI counsel SK Saxena and RK Handa said the sketch was recovered from Ghaziabad on Hawara’s disclosure statement.

They said Hawara took the CBI team to a house where he was staying in the Nand Gram area on Meerut road. The rolled-up sketch was recovered along with a “bomb belt”. The premier investigating agency claimed Hawara had prepared the sketch. Handwriting expert MA Ali’s report strongly suggested the writing on the sketch was Hawara’s, after comparing it with his specimen signatures. The sketch was of the civil secretariat’s porch area - the site of the blast.

Hawara and Balwant Singh face the gallows. Three other convicts, Shamsher Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, have been sentenced to life imprisonment.

The CBI also told the court that Balwant Singh had picked up nuts, bolts and ball bearing from Patiala’s scrap market for stuffing these in the belt, along with the explosive, for causing maximum damage. A search of his room in Patiala’s Rattan Nagar area revealed some papers “pertaining to Dilawar Singh”, which were taken into possession. A letterhead pad of Babbar Khalsa International was also seized.

On September 12, 1995, as many as 90 photographs of human bomb Dilawar Singh and Balwant Singh, along with police uniform, were taken into possession from his foster father’s house in Rajuana village in Ludhiana district. It is believed close friend Dilawar Singh had initiated Balwant Singh into militancy, though he himself was a victim of terrorism.

The CBI also told the Bench that a bag containing over 30 kg of explosive was taken into custody from a cattle shed in another accused Nasib Singh’s house in Jhingran Kalan village in Ropar district on September 18, 1995. 

Chandigarh, May 7
Seventy six years after the joint government of Punjab issued the Punjab Police Rules, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today held that a part of rule 3.21 was ultra vires the Constitution. The rule places a cap on the number of police officials who can avail themselves of house rent allowance.

Taking up a petition filed by head constable Manohar Lal and another against the state of Punjab and other respondents, a Division Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Alok Singh held that “there is no basis for restricting the benefit only to 25 per cent of the employees….”

Challenging the vires of the rule of the 1934 rules, the petitioners had contended house rent allowance could be granted to a police official under the rule, if family quarter was not available around the place of his duty, provided it was within the sanctioned number of allowances.

The maximum number of house rent allowance sanctioned in each district was “25 per cent of the number of head constables and constables stationed at the headquarters, excluding the reserve and the provision for escort”, they said.

The state counsel, on the other hand, said the Punjab Police Commission had recommended house rent allowance be allowed to the extent of 100 per cent to the head constables, and 60 per cent to the constables. Later in 2004, the Director-General of Police recommended the constables also be given 100 per cent house rent allowance. But the decision was pending at the government’s level. The Bench was also told the sixth pay commission too had recommended the payment of the allowance to all constables.

The Bench ruled: “It is clear that the state itself is not able to justify the denial of house rent allowance to all constables and head constables.

“We, accordingly, hold rule 3.21 of the rules --- to the extent it denies equality in the matter of grant of house rent allowance by limiting the benefit to 25 per cent of head constables or constables without indicating any basis --- is ultra vires Article 14 of the Constitution. “All the head constables and constables to be treated at par in the matter of house rent allowance, except where rational basis exists for different treatment. The effect of this judgment will be prospective”. — TNS