Chandigarh, June 23
Each situation warrants its own tactics. In Punjab, “peoples” organisations of farmers and labourers are giving the jitters to the police force through a mixture of long stakeouts and dangerous protests that put pressure on the authorities rather than the agitators.

The 16-strong association of farm and labourer unions, which has entrenched itself in the Malwa region through mass agitations, including one against the unbundling of the state electricity utility, and measures like winning Rs 2 lakh compensation for families of suicide victims and five marla plots for Dalits, is now involved in multiple agitations, many of which have nothing to do with their core constituents.

Agitations led by ETT (Elementary Teacher Training) candidates, teachers, nurses and even linemen are becoming bolder due to support from this conglomeration. Deputy Commissioners have purchased circus nets and often stand below water tanks entreating agitators to come down. Last week agitators comprising women and children blocked traffic on the Ropar-Nawanshahr road on top of a canal bridge. The state police was understandably powerless to take action.

There are enigmatic leaders leading the struggle, with many of them being former teachers who are familiar with technology and know how to use it to their advantage. Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, a former teacher who looks and plays the part, says the SAD-BJP government does not have any solutions for the marginal farmers and Dalits, indicating Akalis as well as their frontal organisations have not paid much attention to this section of society.

Zora Singh Nasrali of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, who has roamed the countryside with dramatist Gurasharan Singh for a decade before taking on farm labour issues, says the Left coalition will now fight for proper implementation of the land ceiling Act in the state.

Nasrali says contrary to popular belief, land in excess of ceiling limits exists in Bathinda (1.35 lakh acres) and Muktsar (1.75 lakh acres). The ruling SAD elite comes from these districts.

Eminent Punjabi University economist Dr Ranjit Singh Ghumman says economic distress among marginal farmers and farm labourers in the Malwa region has led to the present situation. He says the distress has occurred due to repeated cotton crop failure in the 1990s, lack of educational opportunities as well as failure of people from the region to migrate elsewhere.

“Employability of rural youth will have to be increased to make the shift less painful,” he added.

Dr Chaman Lal of JNU University, Delhi, who has followed the earlier Naxal movement in Punjab between 1967-72, says he does not think there is any scope of any of the farmer organisations getting violent. “The movement for creation of Khalistan is still fresh in the minds of the people and they will not respond to the call of violence.”

The state police, however, feels that Naxal ideology is on the increase in the state and this has got a boost following visits of prominent Naxals Parmod Mishra (mid-2008), Jai Prakash Dubey (end 2008) and Kobad Gandhi in 2009.

(Concluded)

Chandigarh, June 23
Activists of 17 farmer and labourer organisations burnt power bills received by farmers following the reintroduction of tariff on agricultural supply at various places in the state today.

According to reports reaching here, the farmer and labourer organisations included the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta, Ugrahan and Dakaunda factions), the Kisan Sangharsh Committee and the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha. The organisations burnt power bills at around 50 places throughout the state although the agitation was more effective in Ferozepur, Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar, Bathinda, Mansa and Sangrur districts.

Giving details BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said the organisations held protests in front of offices of Executive Engineers and Superintending Enginers at various places in all districts. He said four or five protests each were held in front of suburban and city offices of Powercom in Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Sangrur, Barnala and Ludhiana.

A report said in Sangrur hundreds of activists of farmer and labour organisations burnt power bills at Sangrur, Sunam and Dirba areas during protests outside XEN offices. Kirti Kisan Union leader Dhanna Singh Bhatiwaala said that the government’s failure to fulfil its promise of supplying free power to farmers and its anti-farmer policies had forced them to launch the agitation.

BKU (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan demanded that the Sukhbir Kalia report should not be implemented and that the cost of crops should be linked with the price index, and the prices of diesel, fertilisers and other inputs used in farming.

In Patiala a protest was held outside the office of the SE. BKU (Dakaunda) head Shingara Singh Dakaunda demanded that the government also withdraw the cess imposed on canal water which was earlier being supplied free of cost to farmers. He appealed to farmers and farm labourers not to pay their electricity bills even as he said the ongoing agitation would be intensified in the coming days.

In Bathinda BKU (Ugrahan) leader Shingara Singh, while leading the protest during which power bills were also burnt, demanded that the government fufil its election promise to provide 100 units free to below poverty line families in the state. He said this facility had been arbitrarily withdrawn.

In Amritsar the Kisan Sangharsh Committee (KSC) held a dharna in front of the office of the Amritsar West division. Addressing the gathering KSC leader Satnam Singh Pannu urged the government to annul the decision on bifurcating the former Punjab State Electricity Board.

(Inputs from Shariq Majeed, Gagan K Teja, Rajay Deep and Pawan Jaiswal)

Jalandhar, June 23
A meeting between a three-member committee constituted by the BJP and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will be held tomorrow where two important issues, including adjusting power bills to the tune of Rs 560 crore, will be taken up. Sources said the BJP team, led by MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, would meet Badal at his official residence in the evening. Sidhu would be accompanied by two other members - Manoranjan Kalia and Balramji Dass Tandon - of the committee.

The chief of the state unit of the BJP, Ashwani Sharma, had set up the committee here yesterday keeping in view sentiments expressed by various members of the party executive and other senior leaders at a meeting of the party’s core committee and office- bearers.

Following the BJP pressure, power tariff hike was rolled back last year and the state had promised that increased tariff recovered from power consumers would be adjusted against their future power bills. However, it has not been done so far. Other issue is of passing on revenue collected from surcharge on VAT to the Local Bodies Department for the development of urban areas.

The BJP wanted that about Rs 200 crore collected as surcharge on VAT from January to March this year should be given to the local bodies as per the decision of the Sukhbir-Kalia committee and estimated Rs 1,100 crore to be collected as surcharge on VAT during the current fiscal year should also be passed on to the Local Bodies Department on monthly basis.

Sources said BJP MLAs and senior leaders held an exclusive meeting this evening. MLAs told the committee that their political existence, survival and credibility had been damaged severely in the past three months, as funds had not been given to BJP- represented constituencies during the past three months. Even a MLAs have given a free hand to the committee for negotiating with Badal and they conveyed that there should be no compromise as far as funds allocation for BJP constituencies to get approved from the Chief Minister.

Amritsar, June 23
The Pakistan Government today released 17 Indian prisoners as a goodwill gesture, a day ahead of Foreign Secretary-level talks to be held in Islamabad.

A majority of them belonging to Punjab, Rajasthan, UP and Tamil Nadu had inadvertently crossed over to the neighbouring country. However, some to them claimed that they had gone there for spying. They revealed a horrifying experience of the alleged torture in different jails, but they also expressed hope to start their life afresh.

They appealed to the Governments of India and Pakistan to take steps for ensuring the return of prisoners who have completed their terms but are still languishing in various jails in two countries due to the indifferent attitude of their governments.

Mohammad Anwar of Rajasthan, who had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan in 2000, said: “I want to forget all bad things of the past and want to start my life afresh.”

Echoing similar views, Darshan Lal of Jammu and Kashmir said he was not in touch with his family for the past 13 years. “I will first look for my family. It’s a new beginning for me.”

“I have seen about 20 Indians who have lost their mental balance due to their prolonged stay in jails and uncertainty of their future. The governments of both countries should take immediate steps to secure their release,” said Raju Singh of Ajnala, who has returned after serving over two-year term in the Kot Lakhpat Jail.

For Vijay Kumar of Hoshiarpur, four-month term granted for inadvertent crossing prolonged to four years. He alleged, “We used to get a brutal thrashing by the jail authorities whenever we urged them for making a phone call or writing a letter to our family.”

Earlier, it was emotional return for all prisoners who kissed and salute the motherland just after crossing over to this side of border. They thanked both governments for securing their release.

Amritsar, June 23
Various Akali factions came together here today to lodge protest with the Home Ministry to remove discrepancies in the voter forms being distributed for the SGPC election.

The President, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DSGPC), Paramjit Singh Sarna, said a joint delegation of these Akali groups would submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in this regard.

He said certain terms in the forms were objectionable to the Sikh community and amounted to violation of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of conduct) and the Sikh Gurdwara Act. He mentioned that voter forms said that a person in the habit of smoking could not qualify to be issued right of voting whereas in Sikhism consumption of tobacco was prohibited altogether.

Sarna reiterated that various Akali factions would unitedly contest the elections against the SAD (Badal).

Various Akali parties, including the SAD (Longowal), SAD (Delhi), All-India Shiromani Akali Dal, Khalsa Action Committee (KAC), Dal Khalsa and SAD (Panch Pradhani), were present at the meeting held today. Their leaders, Jaswant Singh Maan, Baldev Singh Maan, Mohkam Singh and Kanwarpal Singh, discussed these discrepancies to find a suitable way to remove them.

Replying to a question, Sarna said “efforts would be made to bring SAD (Amritsar) and SAD (1920) on a common platform to vanquish the Badal family-run Akali Dal in the SGPC election”.

The Chairman, Shiromani Panthic Council, Manjit Singh Calcutta, said if their demand for removing discrepancies from voter forms was not met, then they would knock the doors of the court.

Chandigarh, June 23
The state of Punjab has been held at fault by the Punjab and Haryana High Court for “treating harshly” landowners in Muktsar district. They were not only deprived of their land in the acquisition process, compensation was also not paid to them for a decade. In fact, notifications for land acquisition were allowed to lapse.

Coming down heavily on the state and other functionaries on a petition filed by Hardeep Kaur and others, the Division Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Jitendra Chauhan asserted: “Having heard the counsel for the parties, we are of the considered view that the petitioners have been treated harshly by the respondents - the state of Punjab and another.”

“Firstly, they were deprived of their land and then no compensation was paid for their land for the past about 10 years. Notifications issued on November 26 and November 27, 1998, under Sections 4 and 6 read with Section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act have been permitted to lapse….”, the Bench observed. Earlier, the petitioners had earlier the issuance of “directions” to the respondents to pass the award and make the payment of compensation, along with interest in accordance with law, for the land belonging to them.

The Bench observed: “It is conceded position that a notification under Section 4 read with Section 17 of the Act was issued on November 26, 1998 by the respondent state proposing to acquire land for a public purpose in tehsil and Muktsar district. On November 27, 1998, a declaration under Section 6 read with Section 17 of the Act was made. The land belonging to the petitioners was also acquired in the acquisition. It is conceded position that the notifications have lapsed because award in respect of the acquired land has not been passed….”

In its detailed orders, the Bench added: “On an earlier occasion, a similar petition titled as Gurdeep Singh and others versus the state of Punjab and others decided on May 17 came up for our consideration and we directed - `In these circumstances, we accept the prayer made by the counsel for the petitioner and deem it just and appropriate to direct two of the respondents to assess the damages in respect of the land of the petitioners….”

The Bench concluded: “We direct the respondents to assess the damages in respect of the land of the petitioners utilised by them at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre per annum from the date of taking possession till May 31 and pay them the amount so calculated along with 9 per cent interest. The needful shall be done within two months…. Damages beyond May 31 shall be calculated and paid till the date of the issuance of notification under Section 4 of the Act….”

Subhanpur (Kapurthala), June 23
Four members of a family were burnt alive in an accidental fire while lying asleep in their house at Dayalpur village, falling under Subhanpur police station of Kapurthala district in the wee hours today.

The deceased have been identified as Paramjit Kaur (35), her son Ajay Kumar (11), and two daughters Preeti (9) and Muskan (6).Deceased Paramjit Kaur’s husband Kashmiri Lal is working in a factory at Hamira and was doing the night shift in the factory.

Paramjit Kaur’s father-in-law Jeet Ram told mediapersons that his daughter-in-law along with her children was sleeping in their room whereas he along with other members of the family was sleeping on the roof due to the heat.

Jeet Ram further stated that when he had come downstairs to take water, he heard Paramjit Kaur and her children’s cries. At this, he also shouted for help as he saw smoke emanating from their room.

Meanwhile other members of the family and villagers gathered there in an attempt to save them.

SP (Detective) Lakhwinder Pal Singh Khera, Bholath DSP Mohinder Singh and SHO Balkar Singh visited the spot to inquire into the incident.

Talking to The Tribune, the DSP ruled out any possibility of foul play behind these deaths. He said all four victims were sleeping in a room when their wooden cots and other material caught fire prima facie due to short circuit of the electric fan resulting in the death of Paramjit Kaur and Ajay Kumar on the spot. The deceased, Preeti and Muskan, succumbed to their burn injuries on their way to hospital.

The incident occurred around 2.30 am. Meanwhile, the district police initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC in this regard.

Later in the day, the bodies were cremated after their postmortem at the Kapurthala Civil Hospital.

Chandigarh, June 23
A delegation of residents of the Naya Gaon area in the vicinity of Chandigarh met Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil yesterday and submitted a memorandum seeking a direction to the Punjab Government to exclude the areas of Notified Area Committee (NAC), Naya Gaon, from the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) and to provide basic civic amenities to residents of the NAC.

Led by the former Punjab Minister, Jagmohan Singh, Kang, the delegation pointed out that 42,000 persons were living in the Notified Area Committee that falls under the Kharar Vidhan Sabha Constituency and as a representative of the people of that area he had in 2006 made a representation to the then Union Environment Minister A Raja seeking removal of the areas listed in the PLPA.

Kang told the Governor that even as the Union Environment Ministry had given a clearance in principle, the present Punjab Government was not excluding the area for some vested interest.

Kang said even the Advocate General’s office had already submitted a detailed opinion in May 2007 that was endorsed by Advocate General HS Mattewal, saying that the Forest Conservation Act 1980 did not apply to the said land.

He further suggested that the PLPA should be repealed in this area and in other areas as it had lost its significance, but the state government was yet to take any action in this regard.

The delegation told the Governor that the people of the area were agitating and holding protests in various forms for the removal of the PLPA.

They appealed to the Governor to take up the matter with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal immediately and further ask the state government to provide basic civic amenities to residents.

Kharar, June 23
Notwithstanding the tall claims of the civic authorities of good performance, the dilapidated roads in areas lying under the municipal limits of Kharar clearly speak volumes of its poor performance and at the receiving end are commuters.

The roads in some areas are potholed, thus making the commuters vulnerable to accidents. But the civic authorities appear completely unconcerned about the problem, as repeated requests for their repair have gone unheard.

A visit to various areas, including Harlalpur, Jandpur, Jhungian, Chandon, Rurki, Palheri, Mullapur villages, says it’s all about the dilapidated roads. And once one enters the inside lanes in Dashmesh Nagar, NRI Enclave and Janta Nagar, potholes are more visible than the metalled patches.

“With no option left, the villagers have to take this route,” said Subinder, a resident of Harlalpur village. “Many matrimonial proposals were turned down by girls’ family members due to such condition of the roads. Despite repeated pleas to the authorities, nothing has been done in this regard,” Subinderadded.

While officials of the municipal coouncil said they were not supposed to get the road repaired, as the Punjab Mandi Board would do the repair work. The area residents said they had been chalking out a programme to launch an agitation in the coming days and would sit on a dharna for indefinite time if the condition of the roads was not improved.

Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Dashmesh Nagar, said he had purchased a car recently and its chassis got damaged due to the deep potholes on this road.

Municipal Councillor of ward number one Darshan Shivjot said the matter had been brought into the notice of the senior bureaucrats and the senior SAD leaders as well.

Darshan Shivjot added that the work on the broken road from the Jhungian road to Dashmesh Nagar would begin in two-and-a-half months and re-carpeting of the Jhungian road would also begin soon.

“We have taken up the matter with B&Rofficials of the Public Works Department, who have assured to get the road constructed in next three months.”