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Allegations Against Chawla
Grand reception for Capt in Amritsar
Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is given a warm welcome by Congress leaders during his visit to Amritsar on Sunday. Photo: Vishal Kumar |
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Fateh March National vice-president of the SAD Onkar Singh Thapar.
Black bucks migrating to Rajasthan
Once again, fish found dead in Sutlej
Dead fish float on water surface in the Sutlej at Nangal
on Saturday. Photo by writer
Power board gears up for paddy transplantation season
National bird loses habitat to humans
The reason:
Large-scale cutting of trees to make way for
residential colonies. Moreover, the local Badha lake, where they used to
breed and grow, has turned dry due to the apathetic attitude of the
authorities
Hunt on to nab terror accused
Rs 134-cr water project on anvil
Check ID proofs before selling SIM card, SSP tells retailers
SAD leader accuses MC of illegal land sale
Saronwala medal ceremony held
No chemical examination of explosive material as yet
Move to impose user charges on urban poor opposed
Badal to return from US this week
Wheat husk prices dip
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Allegations Against Chawla Jangveer Singh Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 9 While none of the issues raised by Sahni were even put up before Chawla, the Health Minister can, however, be accused of not acting immediately against those responsible for the herbal plantation subsidy scam in the state Ayurveda Department. The issue is still being probed one and a half years after the minister ordered an inquiry into it. The minister, however, has stopped disbursement of cheques under the scheme. As much as Rs 43 lakh was first released in May 2005 during the earlier Congress rule for disbursement to 14 persons as subsidy for planting herbal plants. Since all addresses were found to be fictitious, the cheque was sent back. However, the Ayurveda Department filed an undertaking that the money had been disbursed and utilised and asked for the second instalment. The Union Government then again sent the money in February 2007. This money was deposited in fictitious names and taken out on 29-3-07 when the SAD-BJP government had just come to power in the state. Following this in 2007-08, Rs 3.50 crore more was received under the same scheme for 171 farmers. The scam relating to 14 farmers was unearthed during the verification process. As far as the 171 farmers who received subsidy later are concerned, an ongoing inquiry has revealed that out of the 70 addresses verified, 60 persons have admitted to having got the subsidy. Four addresses have been found to be fictitious and six persons have not got the subsidy. Out of the remaining 101 addresses left, some are likely to be fictitious as they have vague addresses. Regarding irregularities in the purchase of generators for primary health centres, sources said only 126 generators had been purchased against the figure of 180 claimed by Sahni. Moreover, proper procedure was followed with 101 generators being purchased in December 2007 after tenders were floated and three bids were received. The bid of Atul Gensets was the lowest at Rs 1.52 lakh for a 5 KVA generator. Subsequently next year 25 more generators were purchased. The bid conditions were made even more stringent and only five reputed companies were allowed to take part in the bidding process. Mahindra and Mahindra won the bid at the rate of Rs 2.06 lakh per generator. As far as allegations regarding distribution of opium received for use in preparation of ayurvedic medicines from the Centre are concerned, one company did get a major share of opium but then it is also the biggest ayurvedic drugs manufacturer in the state. Ayurveda firm Dhanwanthry got a majority 105 kg of the 165 kg of opium received in 2009 and has been getting a similar share for the past five years. But then Dhanwanthry has a Rs 17 crore turnover compared to other ayurveda companies getting opium that have turnovers between Rs 25 lakh to Rs 95 lakh. A three-member committee, including a representative of the district administration, which is present when the opium packet is opened for use, regulates use of opium in manufacture of medicines.
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Grand reception for Capt in Amritsar
Amritsar May 9 More than 50,000 party workers today lined-up on the 14-km- long stretch from Rajasansi International Airport to the Golden Temple to facilitate Amarinder. Amidst showering of flower petals, teams of dancers and bands showcased their talent en-route to the Golden Temple, where, Amarinder, his son Raninder and OSD Major Amardip, paid obeisances. The former CM was also presented with a Siropa. Elated over the “show of strength” meticulously planned by his staunch supporters - Jasbir Singh Dimpa, MLA OP Soni and Lalli Majithia - Amarinder said he had never seen extension of such a “grand response” to any leader in Amritsar in his political career. “There is a massive pro-Congress wave sweeping through Punjab. It has initiated the downfall of the inefficient SAD-BJP government that has failed on all fronts - be it agriculture or industry, electricity or irrigation. It is a government which is running like a rudderless ship,” quipped Amarinder. “The Opposition (Congress) needs to play a more aggressive role. We are ready for Assembly elections. We will not contest the forthcoming SGPC polls being a secular party, but will support those opposing Badal and his junta. Menace of Naxalism is on the rise and I am sure the Prime Minister will do the needful to change the lot of deprived tribals,” he stated. Amarinder, who had just returned from Dubai, said he had met the 17 boys facing death sentence. “They are getting food and other facilities. They suffered as they were left un-defended by their employers for 16 months. Their next date of hearing is May 19 in the Appellate Court,” Amarinder said. Senior party leaders and Amarinder’s supporters, who were present on the occasion included Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, Jasbir Singh Dimpa, OP Soni, Lalli Majithia, MP Vijay Inder Singla, Darbari Lal, Amarjit Tikka, former minister Tej Parkash, Ravnit Bittu, MP, Ashwani Sekhri, Sukhdev Singh Shahbazpuri, Tejinder Bittu, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, GS Kang, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, former minister Surinder Singla, former minister Avtar Brar, Sukh Sarkaria, Shavinder Singh Kathunangal, Jugal Kishore Sharma and Monty Sehgal. PPCC president Mohinder Singh Kaypee, former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, MP Partap Singh Bajwa and senior Congress leader Jagmit Brar were conspicuous by their absence even as Amarinder sought to downplay the issue claiming there were no differences in the party.
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SAD: Sarna brothers showed disrespect to Guru Granth Sahib
Manav Mander Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, May 9 Accusing them of showing highhandedness during the occasion, national vice-president of the SAD Onkar Singh Thapar alleged that the management of the DSGMC showed disrespect to Guru Granth Sahib when Fateh March reached New Delhi on April 28. “While the public welcomed the march wholeheartedly when it reached Gurdwara Moti Bagh, Gurdwara Rakab Ganj and Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla, neither DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna nor his brother DS Sarna came to pay obeisance to Guru Granth Sahib or welcome Panj Piyaras. He alleged that even the floor outside Gurdwara Mehroli, the martyrdom place of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, was dismantled to not let the public go inside the gurdwara. “The most shameful moment was when the palanquin kept standing outside Gurdwara Rakab Ganj for at least one hour. When Panj Piyaras went inside the gurdwara, they were not even accorded a welcome. Neither a siropa was presented to them nor did the Sarna brothers presented Rumala Sahib to Guru Granth Sahib,” said Onkar Singh. He said even when Fateh March reached Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla, its main doors were locked and the daily evening prayer was performed much before the scheduled time. “But the determined youth performed sukhasan of Guru Granth Sahib inside the gurdwara only as the people of a task force failed to control them,” he said.
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Black bucks migrating to Rajasthan
Abohar, May 9 A sizeable number of black bucks have already shifted their abode to different villages of Rajasthan, which are located just adjacent to 13 villages of this subdivision falling in Asia’s biggest black buck sanctuary. Official sources said during the last census of black bucks in 1998, there number was around 3,300. The next census was due in 2008, but it couldn’t be conducted due to reasons best known to the authorities concerned. “Though the exact number of black bucks is not known, it is certain that their number is decreasing
in the sanctuary area,” said one of the officials manning the sanctuary. “If the migration continues and required steps were not taken in this regard, it will pose a serious threat to the status of Asia’s biggest black buck sanctuary,” said Gur Amrit Singh, an animal lover of the area. The sanctuary having an area of 180.5 sq km is spread over a cluster of 13 villages. The Punjab Government has initiated a move to make the area falling in five more villages as the protected area so that habitat could be extended for black bucks. “The Abohar sanctuary will lose its status due to depleting population of black bucks,” pointed out a senior functionary of the state Wildlife Department. The existence of the sanctuary had also been threatened by intensive cultivation of land in the area, as it had left a little land for their habitat. Sanjeev Godara, a member of the Punjab State Wildlife Board said the contamination of food stuff comprising green plants and crops residuals due to rampant use of pesticides and their killing by stray dogs were other factors that had forced them to migrate to safer places. “What will black bucks do without the availability of drinking water as water tanks constructed for them in about five villages many years ago are filled with debris and hence they have dried up,” said Kulwant Singh, a wildlife guard. District wildlife officer Harbans Singh Dhillon said an official team from New Delhi, which visited this sanctuary to work out its better management, was of view that the area of habitat for black bucks in the sanctuary was less as compared to their population. He said without carrying out fresh census, it could not be said whether black bucks were migrating from the sanctuary to other places or not.
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Once again, fish found dead in Sutlej
Nangal, May 9 A large number of fish and prawns were found floating downstream the Nangal Dam towards Dadauli village near the effluent discharge area of National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) yesterday. Today, SDM Nangal Lakhmir Singh and NFL officials visited the site that emitted foul smell, and met villagers who apprised them of the issue. A team of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) led by SDO Ramji Dass collected the samples of water from the place. The SDM directed the NFL officials to submit report of the last two days’ discharge from its factory as well as the composition of the samples. Unfortunately, most of the dead fish has found its way into the market. “With industrial pollution being held responsible for the deaths, the dead fish might be saturated with chemicals that would be dangerous for consumption,” residents said. Senior environmental engineer Karunesh Garg, too, visited the place. Talking to TNS, he said, “The NFL has just completed its annual maintenance work and re-commissioned its plant on Friday. It is likely that it might have released its effluents into the Sutlej waters causing fish deaths.” He added that vide the Water Act, the NFL had been issued clear guidelines to stop emptying even its treated water into the Sutlej. Responding to the directions, the NFL had raised plan of utilising the treated water to carry ash to ponds. For this, the NFL has also constructed new ash ponds with an impetus to re-circulate treated water in its system. However, NFL spokesperson Shashipal Singh said no effluent had been discharged into the river. “Discharge into the river happens accidentally, but that too once in almost 20 years. Fish mortality is not due to our water,” he claimed. It is pertinent to mention here that for the past five years, a number of incidences of fish deaths have being reported from the Sutlej as well as Sarsa rivulet. The prime suspect behind such incidences is the release of industrial wastes from Himachal Pradesh and Punjab industry as well as the untreated sewage waste finding its way into the Sutlej.
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Power board gears up for paddy transplantation season
Ludhiana, May 9 In order to meet demands during the peak paddy transplantation season starting June 10 to October 15, the corporation has contracted power worth Rs 1,800-1,900 crore with various states and private power suppliers. It will buy about 1,200 MW power for this purpose, says VK Gupta, member (transmission) of the Punjab State Power Corporation. Gupta said efforts would be made to ensure eight-hour power supply to tubewells during the paddy transplantation period. The corporation has also contracted power supply at the rate of Rs 5.75 per unit at the Punjab periphery, he added. Besides, the corporation also has banking power arrangements with some states. Private companies that have been contracted include JSW, Laico and TATA Power Corporation. With the rise in temperature, inflow in the hydel reservoirs has also increased, except for Pong Dam. Bhakra reservoir is having 25,000 cusecs of water a day and Ranjit Sagar reservoir is also receiving 9,000 cusecs daily. In view of the rise in the inflows, hydel projects of Shannan, Anandpur Sahib and Bhakra are generating adequate power. But because of low level of water of Pong Dam reservoir, Mukerian hydel project has not gone into full steam. According to Gupta, power supply to tubewells in the cotton belt is being maintained at 5-6 hours daily. The coal supply position to the thermal plants is also sufficient and all three plants have one month coal reserve at present, says KD Chaudhry, member (generation) of the corporation. However, two units of Bathinda thermal plant and one unit each of Lehra Mohabbat and Ropar are out of function due to annual maintenance and fault in a boiler in one unit of Bathinda plant. According to sources, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has instructed the power authorities to ensure that people of the state did not face any difficulties in the power supply during the next two years as the Vidhan Sabha elections would be held in February 2012. He has also directed all departments to redress the grievances of the people, it is learnt.
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Plan to shift jumbos from cities
Jalandhar, May 9 The Central Zoo Authority has directed all zoos in the country to shift elephants to elephant camps, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves. Following the guidelines, the Punjab Wildlife Department has also initiated the proceedings. The department has also constituted a 4-member committee to regulate and accelerate the move in a systemic way. Wildlife officers revealed that the move was going to affect people of states like Assam, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttaranchal and some states in the North-East with the highest population of elephants. Elephants are the main source to earn their livelihood. Punjab has nearly a dozen elephants that are owned by mahouts. Authorities of the elephant project have inserted micro-chips for their identification. State governments have been issuing certificates of possession, the sources revealed. The mahouts, to earn their livelihood, use the elephants exploit the religious sentiments of the public. Additional Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab, Gurmeet Singh, who is also the chairman of the 4-member committee, said, “There is no doubt that the population of elephants in the state is very low. Yet elephants are used
in marriages and other functions frequently.” To avoid any untoward
incident, in case a jumbo goes berserk during any function, the department has roped in the administration
of every district, so that the guidelines can be implemented effectively.
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National bird loses habitat to humans
Fazilka, May 9 Fazilka, once headquarters of one of the biggest subdivisions of undivided India and Punjab, was famous for having a respectable population of peacocks. But nearly seven peahens and peacocks died in one go in 2000 here after consuming eatables sprayed with pesticides and the death toll kept on increasing. A section of residents while talking to the Tribune alleged that though peacocks started disappearing from this town for various reasons, the wildlife authorities did nothing to protect them against environmental degradation. SP (CID), Bathinda, Ajay Maluja, who remained the DSP of this subdivision for four years - from 1997 to 2001-said dozens of peacocks were permanent residents of official residences of the DSP, SDM and others during that period and people used to roam in the civil lines area to have their glimpse. On the other hand, Karamjit Singh, present DSP of the town who has been living in one of the same houses, said since he joined here on June 19, 2009, he had not seen any peacock so far. Ferozepur district wildlife officer Harbans Singh Dhillon said the wildlife department was not aware of the fact that Fazilka town was having a good population of peacocks and hence no census was ever carried out. Dhillon added that even he was surprised that why peacocks had disappeared from the town. He said that peacocks were present in the neighbouring Abohar subdivision also. Navdeep Asija, secretary (administration), Graduate Welfare Association Fazilka (GWAF), said the organisation was trying to bring back peacocks in this town by reviving the lake and creating a huge green cover by planting shady, fruit bearing and other trees in the area.
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Hunt on to nab terror accused
Patiala, May 9 While Bakhshish Singh is the main accused in an attack on the convoy of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Karnal and planting explosives in various parts of the state, Harminder Singh is the mastermind of the bomb blast in the Shingar cinema hall, Ludhiana, on October 14, 2007. After remaining underground for almost two years, Harminder again surfaced when the police confirmed his presence in Punjab recently. Now, with the seizure of explosives from Amritsar, the police is learnt to have further intensified its efforts to arrest Harminder and Bakhshish at the earliest. Though state police officials are tight-lipped over the matter, sources said the possibility of Bakhshish’s involvement in planting explosives in a car in Amritsar could not be ruled out. IG, Patiala Range, Paramjit Singh Gill said, “We have put our sources on alert and will leave no stone unturned in apprehending them.” When questioned whether Harminder and Bakhshish are still in Punjab, Gill said they had no specific information about their present whereabouts.
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Rs 134-cr water project on anvil
Patiala, May 9 District Planning Committee chairman Surjit Singh Rakhra said the project would end water scarcity woes of city residents. He added once the land for this project was identified, the project would be sent to the state government for the necessary approval.
Rakhra said he had directed the officials of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board to start the process of the
identification of the land at the earliest. “In case we are not able to find 75-acre land, the project would be split into two parts. Under the project, pipelines would be laid for water
accumulation in water works, where it would be treated and subsequently be supplied to residents,” he said, while adding that such a project
was the need of hour in the wake of depleting groundwater level. He also announced that sewerage treatment plants would also be set up soon. “Work for laying down the 241-km sewerage line and 41-km main sewerage in Patiala is already underway and sewerage treatment plants will be set up in village Sher Majra and
Ablowal. The treated water will be utilised for irrigation purposes,” he said.
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Check ID proofs before selling SIM card, SSP tells retailers
Ropar, May 9 SSP Ropar LK Yadav said this while addressing a meeting of SIM card retailers, distributors and telecom
companies here. “In order to gain any short-term benefit, the sellers should avoid selling SIM cards on fake or doubtful ID documents,” Yadav said. He added that the police had arrested many people involved in drug trafficking and had come across fact that most of these traffickers used SIM cards procured on fake identities to execute their crimes. “In many cases, the name, photo ID proof and documents provided do not match with the actual person. This has posed major challenge to police investigation,” he said. The sellers and distributors were directed to provide SIM cards only after verifying the antecedents of the buyer as per rules and regulations of related telecom company. They were also directed to ensure that entire record is made available till the
retailer level. “Any gazetted police officer (DSP) and senior officials of the company concerned can check these ID proofs any time,” he said. It was reiterated that if a company’s SIM card procured on fake documents was recovered, the telecom department can impose penalty of Rs 50,000 on the company concerned. Yadav said the company would be equally held responsible if a crime is committed using its SIM card procured on fake identities. During discussion, retailers told SSP that they were wrongly framed in
certain incidents. They added that many cases of genuine SIM card users misusing the number has also come up. The SSP asserted to investigate into such cases and directed that doubtful cases be immediately informed to police.
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SAD leader accuses MC of illegal land sale
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 9 In his complaint to Fatehgarh Sahib Deputy Commissioner, SAD leader Devinder Singh demanded a thorough high-level probe into allegations and said stringent action must be initiated against erring MC officials. Devinder Singh alleged that the EO had processed registry of two acres of prime land using power of an attorney who died later. “The police registered a case against EO in this connection, which was later on cancelled due to political pressure,” he alleged. He added that nearly Rs 1 crore was spent upon Sirhind Community Center wherein inferior construction material was used few years ago and now building stands dilapidated. Most of the material installed inside the building has been stolen and cracks have developed. “I have written letters and given representations in this regard to the Punjab Government umpteen times but to no avail,” he said. However, EO Charanjit Singh said the matter lies pending in civil court and accordingly its registry would be cancelled. MC president Gurvinder Singh Bhatti said Devinder Singh, being a senior SAD leader and district general secretary, had been levelling allegations against the MC due to an old political rivalry. Enquiries of most of his complaints had been completed, Bhatti claimed. He claimed that the prime land has been legally sold off and there was nothing wrong in it as the money earned through it would be spent on developmental works. Deputy Commissioner Yashvir
Mahajan, however, said detail report in this regard had been forwarded to the Punjab Government after completion of the enquiry.
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Saronwala medal ceremony held
Patiala, May 9 Director of PGI Chandigarh Dr KK Talwar was the keynote speaker at the Continuing Medical Education
(CME) Programme on “Heart Failure - Drugs and Devices”, organised as a part of the ceremony. Dr Talwar said over five lakh new cases of heart failure were being reported in the US annually and the situation was not better in our country. “Heart failure due to many reasons is today a leading cause of mortality in our country”, he said, while highlighting new concepts in the treatment of heart failure. Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Daljit Singh
Cheema, who was the chief guest at the oration, appreciated the efforts of the Saronwala family and the IMA for keeping alive the memories of late Dr KC
Saronwala, who was a great academician and dedicated medical teacher. Deserving medical students were awarded gold and silver medals, which were sponsored by the Saronwala Charitable Trust headed by Dr Naveen
Saronwala.
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No chemical examination of explosive material as yet
Amritsar, May 9 The special investigating team constituted to probe the matter visited the spot to find more clues into the case. Meanwhile, the Punjab police has issued an appeal to the general public to immediately inform their nearby police station if they find any abandoned or suspicious object in their area. The Police Commissioner said the people should not touch any abandoned or suspicious objects, including vehicles, bags, camera, mobile or any electronic appliances. However, he added that there was no need to panic and the police was fully prepared to counter any eventuality.
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Move to impose user charges on urban poor opposed
Chandigarh, May 9 In a statement issued here yesterday, he said the state government proposed to levy user charges on water and sewerage even on urban poor owning five marla houses, which was not acceptable to the Congress. He said it was ironic that the state government had decided to sell even drinking water while not sparing poorer sections
in the state. He said the poor in both urban and rural areas rather needed support from the government even to maintain bare minimum level of sustenance. These sections lacked paying capacity. The state government should subsidise their share in urban renewal mission programmes rather than taxing the sections, which were not in a position to pay. He said now, farmers were also being issued bills for running tube wells.
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Badal to return from US this week
Chandigarh, May 9 Mattewal who returned to India from the US two days ago said Surinder Kaur was recovering well. “The doctors are satisfied with her response to the treatment, but she will have to stay there for the next few months,” he said. During Sukhbir’s visit to the US in the third week of April, he had held meetings to organise the US factions of the SAD and also met NRIs and entrepreneurs to persuade them to invest in the state. Badal will return as the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the state later this month to participate in tercentenary celebrations of Fateh Diwas to be held from May 12-14. — TNS
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Wheat husk prices dip
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 9 Officials of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra here said every year prices of wheat husk decreases immediately after the harvesting season and again increases after a couple of months. They said the price reduces because of increase in quantity of wheat husk in the market.
— TNS
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The “unprecedented” outpouring of supporters and Congress leaders from far and wide to welcome former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here has once again established that he is one of the few leaders with crowd- pulling capabilities within the state Congress.
The nearby National Fertilizers Limited might have
released its effluents into the river
Peacocks, which used to be a major attraction for residents and outsiders a few years ago, have said “goodbye” to this town bordering Pakistan. The reason: large-scale cutting of trees to make the way for residential colonies. Moreover, the local Badha lake, where they used to breed and grow, has turned dry due to the apathetic attitude of the authorities concerned.
