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Power, water shortage force farmers to keep land fallow
A year on, Rlys yet to remove torched train
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Mohali, Bathinda airports a priority
 Chandigarh, May 24
After a successful resumption of air traffic on the Ludhiana-Delhi route, the state government has stepped up efforts to make functioning of the Mohali International Airport and Bathinda Domestic Airport a reality. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has sought the intervention of Union Aviation Minister Praful Patil to ensure that the two airports are functional flights by the end of the year.
Brick-kiln owners’ strike from June 10
Sekhwan denied permission to visit UAE
Chawla: Give morning meal to school kids
‘Substandard Pills’
Suicide by Couple
Unauthorised school vehicles to be impounded
They risk their lives for just Rs 200!
Posters, graffiti dot Patiala
National-level monitor to inspect Central schemes
‘Jaypee power plant will pollute Punjab waters’
HC notice to PPSC on docs’ selection
Contempt of Court: Punjab Principal Secy tenders apology
22 kg of heroin seized, 2 held
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Power, water shortage force farmers to keep land fallow
Chandigarh, May 24 “Fields have been allowed to lie fallow ever since the harvesting of wheat and other crops several weeks ago,” says Satnam Singh, a farmer of Hoshiarpur, saying “Only a small percentage of farmers have opted for maize and other fodder crops.” Though the Doab region has taken the lead in crop diversification with many taking sunflower cultivation successfully, another group of farmers continue to grow sugarcane, giving the wheat-paddy cycle a break. It has been only in parts of Muktsar district that some farmers have gone for advanced and early maturing varieties of paddy. A Tribune team undertook an extensive tour of the Malwa, Doab and Majha regions to ascertain how effective government agencies had been in persuading farmers not to go for advanced varieties of paddy, especially the “saatha”, a rice crop that becomes ready for harvesting in a little over 60 days. Interestingly, large stretches of agricultural lands have been allowed to lie fallow. Another significant and noticeable factor has been a steep fall in number of fields, where stubble and wheat husk were burnt after the harvesting of the last crop. Fast depleting underground water coupled with an acute shortage of power may have been factors that corroborate decision of farmers to exercise restraint. At several places in Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur and parts of Gurdaspur district, a good crop of sunflower is nearing maturity. Intriguingly, not many farmers have gone for growing vegetables. Water scarcity is attributed as one major reason for staying away from vegetables. Many farmers rue an acute shortage of water. Even canals and irrigation channels are virtually dry. Also, this has been an unprecedented start to summer where there had been no thundershowers or squalls. “If you look back at the records of previous several years, farmers suffer huge losses because of thundershowers and squalls that hit the region sometime in March, April and May. In a way, it is good that there have been no such natural calamities this time but at the same time weather has been too hostile and too dry to allow us to experiment anything new,” adds Sikandar Singh, a farmer of Mukerian. He himself has gone for some sugarcane cultivation. To meet demand of his own dairy farm, he has gone for maize in a couple of acres. “Green fodder is very costly this year,” adds Sikander Singh.
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A year on, Rlys yet to remove torched train
Jalandhar, May 24 On May 25 last year, followers of the Dera Sachkhand Ballan at Jalandhar had set afire three coaches of the train after evacuating it at Jalandhar Cantt railway station. However, fire damaged 19 coaches of the same train, which are lying stranded at the station. No casualty was reported in this incident. The torched train, apart from reminding the local people about the violence, has also turned out to be an easy source of theft for petty criminals. “The coaches should be removed at the earliest as it reminds us of the widespread violence that erupted due to this incident. Moreover, petty criminals also keep on stealing iron parts of the coaches,” said a local dweller. Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Ferozepur DRM Vishvesh Chaubey said: “We have apprised the Ferozepur Chief Judicial Magistrate of the torched train parked at the railway station. It will be shifted soon.” He also said recently a team of the Railway Protection Force, Ferozepur, had also visited the railway station to urge upon the authorities to shift the torched train at the earliest. Last year, violence broke out in Jalandhar and later across the state following the attack on Sant Ramanand, the deputy chief of this dera, by six armed men during a religious proceeding at Guru Ravidass Gurdwara in Vienna. He had succumbed to his injuries on May 25. Sant Niranjan Dass, the chief of the dera, was also injured in this incident. Public property worth crores was ransacked and burnt to ashes while curfew was imposed for a week.
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Mohali, Bathinda airports a priority
Chandigarh, May 24 Though the farmers have been given compensation for their land, work on the project will take some time. However, given the success of the Ludhiana-Delhi flight, the SAD has decided to tout air and road connectivity as one of its major achievements during the next general elections. Sukhbir said he had taken up the matter with the Central Government and was hopeful that the flights would start in September or by the end of the year. He said he was monitoring the development and was in touch with the Centre on the issue. The Airport Authority of India has hired a consultant to prepare a blueprint, but the work on the ground is yet to start. According to government sources, around 305 acres has already been acquired for Mohali International Airport. But till the time the terminals are constructed, upgraded terminal at Chandigarh will be used to operate international flights that will start operation before December end, though the construction of the airport at Mohali will take some time. Sources said the state government’s move to start international flights from Mohali by the end of the year may be “being over ambitious” as international flights could only be started after the completion of new terminal and other associated facilities like provisions for night landing, besides setting-up of customs and immigration facilities. Sukhbir, however, said despite all skepticism, he would push for starting of flights within this year. Similarly, around 40 acres has been acquired near the Air Force station, Bathinda. Though the government has fixed September 30 as the deadline for the airport to be operational, it is unlikely that the deadline would be met. But since Bathinda is the home constituency of the Deputy Chief Minister, he is keen that the flight should become operational at the earliest.
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Brick-kiln owners’ strike from June 10
Ludhiana, May 24 Kuldip Singh Makkar, president of the association, said the government wants them to use fly ash and pond ash while making bricks. “It is not possible to use fly and pond ash while manufacturing bricks as these are allergic to humans. It can cause skin allergy to labourers. In addition to this, pond ash has big pebbles and stones in it due to which it is impossible to use it while making bricks,” he said.
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Sekhwan denied permission to visit UAE
Chandigarh, May 24 Sekhwan had requested permission from the Centre to lead a delegation ,including NRI sabha president Kamaljit Singh Hayre and State NRI affairs commissioner Vikas Pratap, to visit the Punjabi youths in UAE.
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Chawla: Give morning meal to school kids
Ferozepur, May 24 “I will write a letter to Sibbal tomorrow to bring this change in the midday meal scheme so that it could serve its purpose,” said Chawla while talking to TNS here this evening. Chawla, who paid a surprise visit to the local central jail here, said she had met the schoolchildren, who had fallen ill after consuming iron pills in Amritsar and Batala towns in the recent past. Most of these children fell ill after they consumed iron pills as they went to school on an empty stomach. “A major section of children do come to schools on an empty stomach as breakfast is rarely available to them due to their poor economic condition. For such children, the midday meal scheme does not hold any relevance and, hence, they must be served with morning meal instead of midday meal,” said the minister. Apart from it, the state Education Department must make arrangements to deploy additional persons who could monitor every children must be served meal and iron pills in schools in a proper manner. At present, the teachers, who were put on this job, could not do justice with the same as they were already burdened with other tasks. She said the state Health Department had decided that in future, any medicine, supplied by the Centre, would not be supplied to schools for distribution among students before the same were tested in state-run laboratory through random sampling. She said after the two incidents of children falling ill after consuming iron pills, the supply of all kinds of tablets had been stopped in schools. The fresh supply in schools would be made in July 2010 after carrying out necessary tests. Earlier, Chawla met the women inmates of the local central jail and enquired about their problems. A medical check up camp was also organised for them.
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‘Substandard Pills’
Jalandhar, May 24 Students were taken ill after consuming iron and deworming pills in Amritsar belt. The medicines were procured from Indore. The incident not only created scare among parents but also raised questions regarding the medicines procurement policy. According to sources, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has told the department to procure medicines either from government pharmaceutical companies or companies having good standing. They stated that samples distributed among students in Amritsar belt had been sent for testing. However, no formal inquiry has been order as yet. The department has also not revealed how many samples failed or what action had been taken against those involved in procuring of those medicines. It is also not clear whether any case has been registered against those companies whose samples failed to clear the test. The old stock has by and large been exhausted and the new one would be procured from July for distribution among students. “We are going to tighten the medicine procurement policy soon,” said a senior official. Medicines worth Rs 15 crore are procured by the Punjab Health Systems Corporation and amounting to Rs 10 crore by Director (Health Services). Of it, the Director (Health Services) have empowered the civil surgeons to buy medicines worth Rs 2.5 crore. Besides it, medicines worth Rs 10 crore are procured at senior medical officers (SMO) level from the user charges. Every year, the department earns about Rs 18 crore from the user charges and about 40 per cent of that money is procured at the SMO level. Sources said the medicines procured at the SMO level were mostly purchased from local chemists on quotation basis. “We are going to change that system,” the official said, adding: “We will procure most medicines from government pharmaceutical companies.” Haryana has made a policy not to procure medicine from the company having a turnover of less than Rs 35 crore. Punjab has raised this limit from Rs 5 crore to Rs 15 crore.
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Suicide by Couple
Amritsar, May 24 Belonging to separate castes, the deceased had expected disapproval of their marriage from their families. Hence, they decided to take the extreme step, railway police sources said. Malkiat was staying in Italy for the past three years. Sarbjit of Mustapur village in Kurukshetra district used to learn computer in Pehowa. Last year, when Malkiat visited India, the two met and developed a liking for each other. He arrived in India on May 19 this year. On May 22, he and Sarbjit left Kurukshetra for Amritsar where they ended their lives.
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Unauthorised school vehicles to be impounded
Ferozepur, May 24 A few days ago, a school van had crushed a school-going child in this town and injuring another in Abohar town. “The campaign will start in July after the summer vacation. Unscrupulous transporters will not be allowed to play with the lives of schoolchildren,” said state transport commissioner R Venkat Ratnam, Last year, a large number of vehicles were got registered with the state Transport Department after checking their road worthiness. He said now, all vehicles would have to pay road tax. About 80 per cent of the vehicles being used in transportation of school and college-going children were either over 15 years old or did not possess required permit. Most of those, who were involved in the transport business, had purchased old and unfit vehicles from various parts of country except Punjab at cheaper rates. After giving a face lift to such vehicles, they had been plying the same for transportation. A section of transports in this region had taken more risk as they had been running their vehicles on LPG to save money. Ferozepur DTO Gurcharan Singh Sandhu said he had to face resistance from some unscrupulous transporters when he started challaning those vehicles, which were found unfit.
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They risk their lives for just Rs 200!
Chhat (Banur), May 24 The Government gives these keepers Rs 200 per month as risk allowance, which does not even cover medical expenses of minor injuries. Besides physical danger, employees also suffer from different infections that the wild animals pass on to them. Incidences of germ infestation and bacterial infections are common amongst zookeepers. Sharing their experiences, zookeepers said one of them lost three front teeth when an elephant swayed his tail too swiftly and hit the zookeeper’s teeth. In yet another incidence, a zookeeper lost his life while cleaning the tiger’s enclosure. “Handling a pregnant animal or that which has laid eggs is very difficult. It is necessary that these animals’ enclosures be cleaned daily. Presently, crocodile is busy hatching her eggs and does not budge to allow us to clean her enclosure. Such irritated animals tend to attack and inflict injuries,” added another zookeeper. Field Director, Tushar Kanti Bahera said medical reimbursement was also been given to the injured zookeepers but it depended upon the nature of injuries inflicted. There are carnivorous animals in the zoo, including 11 tigers, 9 leopards, herbivorous animals like niel gai, sambhar and hundreds of birds and other wild animals. “Our basic salary starts from Rs 5,200 and with stipends it reaches up to Rs 10,000 a month” said the zookeepers. Zoo officials said though keepers are perfect in their work but at times they fail to judge mood of animal and receive injuries. The Central Zoo Authority, Government of India, has been conducting trainings for keepers. However, there is always a risk of life while working with these animals. Three of the zookeepers were sent for animal-handling training in Lucknow last year and four others would undergo training to handle poisonous snakes this year.
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Posters, graffiti dot Patiala
Patiala, May 24 Establishments, including private and government buildings, shopping complexes, educational institutes and walls of some police stations in the city, are covered with posters and graffiti, yet the authority concerned remains a mute spectator. Even residential buildings are not spared. According to the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1997, nobody could deface any public or private property by pasting posters, writing on the walls, wall paintings or putting up banners etc, without the prior written permission from the owner of the property concerned. But contrary to this, almost all city areas, particularly Mall Road, Model Town, Rajpura Colony, Bupindra Road and Passey Road, present a shabby look because of the defacement. “Defacement of properties, as specified in the Act, includes interfering with the appearance or beauty, damaging, disfiguring, spoiling or injuring in any other way whatsoever, and the property includes any land, building, hut structure, wall, tree, fence, post, pole or any other erections. Pasting of posters on electric and telephone poles, too, is also not permissible,” said an engineering graduate Rohil Bansal. Leave alone private companies, even the ruling SAD-BJP government seems to be exploiting the situation, as banners and posters of the party could be spotted at many prominent places in the city. DC Deepinder Singh said the administration had already issued notices to 20 violators. “We have also asked the Patiala MCauthorities to check this unhealthy practice and impose fine on those defacing the public property,” he added.
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National-level monitor to inspect Central schemes
Patiala, May 24 On his arrival, NLM Prabhakar convened a meeting with district administration officials, including ADC (Development) Jaswant Singh and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Zila Parishad Mohinder Singh. Mohinder Singh said Prabhakar would be visiting Sakrali, Kalihana villages and Rohti Basta Singh Block Nabha on May 25. Schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee, Swaranjyanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna, Indira Awaas Yojna are currently underway in the district. On May 26, Prabhakar would inspect various schemes in Mardaheri, Kheri Jattan villages and Kallar Bheni Block Sanour. On May 27, he would visit Lang village and Sidhuwal Block Patiala.
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‘Jaypee power plant will pollute Punjab waters’
Kiratpur Sahib, May 24 Activists of NGOs Himparivesh and Himalaya Niti Abhiyaan said the Himachal government should immediately cancel the proposed thermal plant, which would be first ever thermal power plant of the state. The NGOs held a public meeting today at Bagheri, including people from panchayats of Punjab and HP villages that would be affected with the upcoming thermal power plant. Activists Jagjeet Dukhia and Guman Singh claimed that the role of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is under scanner for giving a nod to this project. “During earlier two public hearings on the issue of 30-MW power plant held in 2007 and 2009, the locales have rejected setting up of this power plant,” they said. Vice-president of cement plant at Bagheri, Brig (retd) JS Thind, however, said the plant was sanctioned two months ago. “We are following all norms of environmental clearance,” he said. The gathering demanded that environment clearance for thermal plant by MoEF be cancelled. It also talked about the issue of non-allotable common land (shamlat) given on lease to Jaypee Cement and demanded that lease be cancelled and encroachment be evoked.
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HC notice to PPSC on docs’ selection
Chandigarh, May 24 Taking up the writ petitions filed by 59 doctors, Justice Surya Kant also asked Punjab director (Health and Family Welfare) to ensure service of notices on all 65 respondent-doctors. Justice Kant also fixed September 28 as the next date of hearing. In the petitions it is alleged that the chairman and members had evolved a criteria that was kept secret from the candidates. PPSC’s information officer, in letter dated March 25 sent to candidate Deepak Goyal, stated that the criteria for selection of medical officers (general) was being kept a secret and it could not be made public before declaration of selections results. A similar response was received by Dr Poonam Rani through a June 5 letter. The petitioners alleged that on the basis of the scrutiny of documents received by them under the RTI Act, they came to know that as many as 20 candidates in the first selection of 100 doctors were able to lay their hands on the “secret criteria”. They were able to produce certificates for social service before the PPSC during interview and got marks for those certificates as per the “secret criteria”. They further alleged that the chairman and other members leaked out the “secret criteria” to some of the candidates they were interested in. Likewise, in the second round of selections of 212 medical officers (general), the “secret criteria” was leaked to as many as 101 candidates so they succeeded in placing relevant certificates for social service on record.
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Contempt of Court: Punjab Principal Secy tenders apology
Chandigarh, May 24 The application has been taken on record, but
the decision would be taken on May 26, when the main petition comes up
for hearing. The case pertains to non-release of pension arrears. The Bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel
and Justice Alok Singh had held Sandhu guilty of contempt following his failure to appear
before the court despite repeated directions.
Quota for visually challenged
A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the State of Punjab to keep 3 per cent quota for promotion to the visually impaired in government jobs. The directions came after the Bench accepted the plea of the Youth Welfare Association of Visually Handicapped and Disabled. The Bench earlier issued similar directions to the Haryana government on a petition filed by Viklang Sangh. During the arguments, counsel Anju Arora had argued though there was a provision of reservation for other categories like SC and ST, disabled were not getting the benefit of reservation for promotion. Subsequently, the Bench issued directions for providing reservation for disabled in promotion in the government
jobs.
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22 kg of heroin seized, 2 held
Tarn Taran, May 24 According to SSP Preetpal Singh Virk, it is the biggest ever haul from this border area during the past more than 10 years. The SSP, while addressing media persons here today, said a police party led by DSP Bhikhiwind Harwinder Singh had an interaction with three persons at a naka in Khemkaran sector, about 45 km from here, last late evening. As soon as the police party signalled the motorcycle-borne smugglers to stop, they fired at the DSP. The SSP added that the police succeeded in catching two of the three gang members, who were later identified as Gagandeep Singh of Naushehra Havelian village (Sarai Amanat Khan) and Sardool Singh of Chheena Bidhi Chand (Chabal). The third, who managed to escape in the cover of darkness, has been identified as Jaspal Singh of Ghumra village (Ramdas). A 30-bore revolver along with six cartridges have been recovered from Gagandeep, disclosed the SSP. A case under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act has been registered. The accused were produced in a Patti court today from where they were sent to police custody till May 28. Police parties have been dispatched to arrest Jaspal Singh, the SSP added.
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A year after the coaches of the Jammu Tawi-Kanyakumari Express were torched at Jalandhar Cantt railway station post-Vienna violence, the Railway authorities are yet to remove it from the railway station.
Ferozepur, May 24
Risk allowance to zookeepers does not even cover medical expenses on minor injuries
Patiala, May 24
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion to Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) chairman Sanjit Sinha and five members on writ petitions challenging the selection of 312 medical officers in the general category. Notices were also issued to 65 selected doctors in “representative capacity”.
There are around 150 zookeepers assigned with tasks of looking after animals or birds on regular basis in different shifts.