High tax on fuel irks petro dealers
Jalandhar, July 3
The recent hike in fuel prices has caused a big hole in the common man’s pocket across the country and the decision has led to an increase in the inter-state smuggling of petroleum and diesel in the state.

Phagwara, July 3
Down line rail traffic between Amritsar and Phagwara remained disrupted for more than three and a half hours today, following a technical snag in the engine of the Delhi-bound 2014 Down Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi Express train near Kartarpur railway station at 5.45 am.

While confirming it, railway sources said here today that a gear box of the engine of the Shatabdi suddenly detached from the engine and was found hanging. It was noticed by the train driver, who immediately stopped the train near Kartarpur railway station and informed the railway authorities.

Meanwhile seven trains were detained at different railway stations between Amritsar and Kartarpur due to the technical snag in the Shatabdi Express. Later the train could proceed for Delhi three hours and 40 minutes behind the schedule with a new engine.

Thousands of passengers remained stranded at Jalandhar, Phagwara, Ludhiana and Ambala railway stations.

Meanwhile, though the Indian Railways has introduced its own website to enable the railway pasengers to get the latest information about the trains’ status besides other facilities like reservations, etc, thousands of railway commuters were disappointed as they were detained at several railway stations, waiting for seven different trains. The Shatabdi Express could proceed after three hours and 40 minutes, but interestingly the train enquiry website of the Indian Railways went on showing the train as late by only one minute till 9.42 am today. The train arrived at Phagwara railway station at 10.25 am instead of its scheduled time of 6.32 am.

Khasa village (Amritsar), July 3
In a major recovery, a Border Security Force (BSF) squad, deputed in the Ajnala sector bordering Pakistan, today seized 31 kg of heroin near Chhana Pattan village.

The heroin stock, believed to be worth over Rs 155 crore in the international market, was hidden on the bank of the Ravi that flows along the border of India and Pakistan.

Though the EX-131 BN/C and 65 BN squads, with the help of the boat force on both sides of the river, managed to foil the transaction of the consignment towards this side of the border, no arrest could be made in this connection.

The DIG, BSF, Mohammad Aquil, confirmed that the miscreants could not cross the border fencing and apparently had turned back towards Pakistan.

“This is the biggest consignment seized after four years in this belt. Some mysterious activities were observed during the wee hours today along the banks of the Ravi, but it was only at about 6 am that this illegal consignment was spotted by the BSF battalion,” he said.

The contraband, put in envelopes bearing Pakistan addresses, was found to be wrapped in clothes. Officials said that as many as 18 packets containing the contraband were wrapped in a kurta and 13 other packets in a lungi-like cloth.

“The envelopes that contained four packets each bore names such as “Moin Plastic Store, Lahore” and “Md Movement Area 555 and 888”, said Company Commandant, BSF, Sukhwinder Singh, who led the squad on today’s vigil.

“Punjab has emerged as a major transit point for these illegal activities carried out from the other side of the border through Afghanistan and the 550-km barbed-wire fenced border between India and Pakistan. We also enhanced our vigilance, terming it as Operation Sukha.

Meanwhile, the BSF also honoured the BSF Assistant Commandant, S Bor Singh, Havildar BS Rathore and Hawildar HB Chhatri for their attentiveness during the search operation.

Chandigarh, July 3
Legendary cricketer Kapil Dev today met members of the family of Pooran Singh, who died in Australia in 1947, and assured them that he would help them in getting his ashes back home. Pooran Singh had died in Australia in 1947 and the Gyett's Funerals in Warrnambool has preserved his ashes till date.

Moved by the fact that Pooran Singh’s family was unable to fulfil the last wish of the departed soul due to financial constraints, Kapil Dev made a commitment that he would bring back the ashes. Pooran Singh had expressed a wish that his ashes be immersed in the holy Ganga.

Talking to The Tribune at the function to welcome the Queen’s Baton in the City Beautiful, the ace cricketer said, “I met the grandchildren and the great grandchildren of the brother of Pooran Singh this morning. I am not certain about the departure date, but I will go to Australia very soon. I am likely to fly by the end of this month.”

He said, “I heard about Pooran Singh’s case when I was being interviewed by an Australian channel recently. The interviewer asked me in case I had heard about Pooran Singh’s story. I denied any knowledge about the case, but I decided that I would get back Pooran Singh’s body to India. I was very moved by the fact that a family in Australia had saved the ashes for the past 63 years.”

Kapil Dev said the government should, in fact, be making efforts on behalf of the people who were unable to fly back the ashes to the country, in case they so demanded.

Pooran Singh, who belonged to Uppal-Bhopa village in Jalandhar district, had migrated to Australia in 1899 and died a bachelor there on June 8, 1947.

Jalandhar, July 3
The recent hike in fuel prices has caused a big hole in the common man’s pocket across the country and the decision has led to an increase in the inter-state smuggling of petroleum and diesel in the state.

This was stated by JP Khanna, president of the Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA), while talking to the Tribune today.

The rampant smuggling of petroleum products from neighboring states had virtually ruined over 700 petrol stations in bordering districts - Mohali, Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala and Bathinda besides parts of Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur.

He said because of high petrol price in the state as compared to Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal, sales are shifting to these states, thus causing huge losses to the exchequer. This has also hit owners of petrol stations located on the Punjab border hard.

Khanna claimed that Punjab was the only state that had been charging maximum tax, 33.25 per cent and 11.68 per cent, on petrol and diesel, respectively. While tax on petrol in Haryana was 20.5 per cent, Himachal 24 per cent, Chandigarh 22 per cent and Delhi 20 per cent, on diesel the states were charging 11.68 per cent, 8.2 per cent, 14 per cent, 12.1 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively.

He said Punjab was the only state that had been charging surcharge on VAT, cess and octrio on petrol and diesel while these products were being sold with only VAT across the country.

SS Sehgal, an office-bearer of the PPDA, claimed that over 2,000 petrol-run vehicles from Punjab visit Chandigarh daily for official work. The owners of these vehicles prefered to refill their fuel tanks in Chandigarh as petrol is cheaper by Rs 6 per litre there.

The association has demanded the abolition of octroi on petrol and diesel as promised in the poll manifesto by the ruling party, the imposition of the Local Area Development Tax (LADT) by the Local Civic Bodies, VAT on a par with the neighbouring states besides the grant of percentage-based commission to dealers instead of volume-based commission.

Meanwhile, the association has decided to close their establishments across the state on June 13. It will further close down their filling stations once a week if their demands were not accepted.

Ludhiana, July 3
Former state Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said here today that the elections to the post of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) president were likely to be delayed for the want of the completion of the poll process in all states, including Punjab.

He was in the city in connection with the court hearing on the alleged multi-crore City Centre scam. The case was adjourned till July 31 after hearing arguments of the defence lawyer of the ex-Trustee of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust, Kala Navkar Jain, on framing charges against him.

Amarinder Singh said in Punjab also, a number of formalities were yet to be completed, which might delay the poll process.

On the river waters issue, he said they must wait for the decision of the Supreme Court. The matter was likely to come up for hearing before the constitutional Bench of the apex court on July 13, he added.

Moga, July 3
The Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes has asked the district administration of Moga to add relevant sections of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act in the criminal case registered against those allegedly responsible for the murder of a Dalit labourer in Saddasinghwala village on Friday.

Taking suo motu notice of the report, “Murder of Labourer: Dalits protest against Moga police”, Dalip Singh Pandhi, a member of the commission, has asked the district administration to provide immediate monetary relief and security to family members of the victim, besides making efforts to rehabilitate them.

He has also asked the authorities of the state police to arrest the alleged culprits, who have been named in the FIR, and present a challan in a court.

Pandhi said he had called a meeting of the commission on Monday to review this case of atrocity against the Dalit labourer. “I will also examine all pending cases of atrocities against Dalits of Moga district at the meeting and call upon the state government to take stringent measures to curb atrocities against Dalits,” he added.

Ludhiana, July 3
Weakening the campaign against HIV/AIDS, the National Aids Control Organisation(NACO) has failed to reinstate the 15 outreach workers who were ousted from their contractual jobs on March 31.

The outreach workers from across the country had given a memorandum to the Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on June 17 but nothing has been done to safeguard their interests so far.

"We will observe a fast if the government fails to give us a positive answer for re-instating us in the service," said Mehar Singh, an outreach worker working previously at the ICTC centre in Jagraon.

These outreach workers, who belong to the affected community, had been employed under the programme undertaken by NACO to discourage "prejudice" against the HIV+ patients in terms of employment.

The 15 outreach workers were working at the integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTC) of Ludhiana, Samrala, Khanna, Payal and Jagraon against a monthly remuneration of Rs 2,500 and a conveyance allowance of Rs 500.

Alleging that NACO was maintaining double standards, Jagjit Singh Mann, the founder-chairman of the Punjab Networking of Positive People's Society, an NGO working for HIV/AIDS patients, stated that a majority of the outreach workers were "widows".

"The outreach workers had set an example for the other HIV/AIDS patients in society and were a source of inspiration for them as they successfully motivated the affected persons to come forward for the tests, treatment and to fight for their rights in every sphere.

But the government's stand is shocking as the ousted outreach workers have no income to support themselves and can't even afford two meals a day," Mann went on to add.

Harjinder (name changed), another outreach worker, said, "When the government is apathetic to our problems and is discriminatory towards us then how can we expect any justice from society at large?"

The additional project director of the Punjab State Aids Control Society (PSACS), Dr NM Sharma, said, "NACO is already framing a new policy to reinstate the outreach workers. There will be a positive outcome soon.” 

Bathinda, July 3
The Punjabi University Neighbourhood Campus at Maur Mandi on the Bathinda-Mansa road has been proving to be a boon for students of rural areas of this backward region.

The campus, which is spread over 11.2 acres of land, completed one year of its academic functioning on June 30.

During the previous academic session, it started MBA, MCA, M.Sc (IT), PGDCA, BCA and MBA (integrated) courses and it managed to attract 147 students. According to information, the results of MBA, MCA, M.Sc. (IT) and MBA (integrated) courses were 100 per cent while the results of PGDCA and BCA courses are still awaited.

Talking to TNS today, Principal Dr DK Madaan said they received good response for admissions to PGDCA, BCA and MBA (Integrated) courses this year, as against 140 total seats for these three courses, they had received 100 admission forms so far though the counseling for admission to these courses would be held on July 12. He expressed hope the total strength of students in all courses during the current academic session would cross the figure of 400 students.

He further said a computer laboratory, library with e-journals and database and a seminar hall would be developed on the campus during the current academic year - 2010-11.

He said the university had already established a high-tech computer laboratory with 31 computers, library and a seminar hall with modern facilities.

It is learnt that in December 2009, the university established its permanent examination centre on the campus at Maur to benefit students of this region while the website (www.punjabiuniversity.ac.in/maur) was launched in December 2009 by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr Jaspal Singh.

The campus has also been providing various other facilities to the students. Financial assistance is also provided to the poor students by the university.

Patiala, July 3
The Patiala Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) has urged the district administration to take strict action against those running illegal slaughterhouses.

Society president Ravee Singh Ahluwalia said since animals were illegally slaughtered in unhygienic conditions it posed threat to the health of consumers. The society had decided to take cudgels against the unhealthy practice and bring it to the notice of the district administration and the municipal corporation, he added.

PSPCA representatives, including its president Ravee Singh Ahluwalia, vice-president and former Divisional Forest Officer Karamjit Singh Jattana, adviser Dr Parampal Singh, held a meeting with Patiala ADC (General) Dr Jaswant Singh and other officials of district administration at the Forest Guest House here yesterday.

The society urged officials to ensure strict enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and take stern action against the violators. “The slaughterhouses in Patiala have to be checked regularly, so that animals are not subjected to cruelty. Action should also be initiated against illegal slaughterhouses,” asserted Ahluwalia.

“There is need to make the violations under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, non-bailable offences,” said Dr Parampal. The PSPCA representatives also announced that they would themselves check that no one indulged in cruelty to animals. They would extend all support to the district administration for animal protection.

“There is no need to kill a snake or leave an injured bird on the road. We will soon set up a call centre where anyone can and inform us, so that our society team could visit the spot and take the animal with it, which would be then kept as per the prescribed procedures of animal protection,” PSPCA vice-president Karamjit Singh Jattana said. ADC (General) Dr Jaswant Singh assured the society that the administration would also take steps on all the issues discussed in the meeting.

Fatehgarh Sahib, July 3
Widening of National Highway-1 in Punjab has lead to sudden rise in the number of accidents.

Stating this Kamaljeet Soi, member of the Punjab State Road Safety Council and vice-chairman of the Punjab Police State Apex Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Management, said a meeting in this regard was held recently at New Delhi.

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath and Joint Secretary of Road Transport and Highways SK Dash were apprised of the problem. Khalid Bin Jamal, OSD to the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, also attended the meeting.

The agenda of meeting was to discuss the sudden rise of accidents in Punjab that has now become the second most fatal state as far as road accidental deaths are concerned with 90% fatality rate after Nagaland. Kamaljeet said the Joint Secretary of Road Transport and Highways promised to support Punjab in its road safety efforts.

He stated that the sudden rise in number of accidents during six-laning of national highway from Panipat to Jalandar is due to poor and non-existent safety measures on this stretch by the construction company Soma Isolax.

He stated that the proofs of non-existence of required road safety gadgets was given to the joint secretary who agreed that various conditions of the concessioner’s agreement signed with Soma Isolex have been flouted.

Kamaljeet sought support for road safety efforts in Punjab and demanded 50 ambulances and 50 recovery vans to provide fast medical aid to the accident victims so that precious human lives could be saved.

He also demanded that 15% of the toll collected should be given to Punjab or should be spent on road safety efforts.

Bad toll management, accidents and non-uniformity in the toll fare was also brought to the notice of the minister besides lack of highway patrolling, non-functional recovery vans and ambulances. 

Chandigarh, July 3
A Germany-based NRI family today alleged that their kin colluded with revenue officials and fraudulently sold prime land belonging to them in Lalru village to a third party.

NRI’s relative Atul Vashist said his uncle had given general power of attorney (GPA) to his elder brother while immigrating to Germany in 1979.

However, in 2008 Bal Krishan revoked the GPA given to his brother. This was done after Bal Krishan, who was issueless earlier, was blessed with a daughter, said Atul Vashist, who now holds the GPA.

Atul said he had recently come to know that Bal Krishan’s brother first transferred the land measuring five bighas and five biswas on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway to his son and later sold it to a third party. He said despite complaining about the matter to the Mohali SSP and even the state DGP, no action had been taken in that regard till now.

Bal Krishan, who was here recently, has now urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, seeking his intervention in getting the “illegal registration” of the land sale deed cancelled. Atul said it was strange that the state government, which professed that it was committed to protecting the interests of NRIs, had not given his family “justice” in the matter.

Chandigarh, July 3
More than 60 years after they were displaced during Partition, Davinder Pal Singh and many others settled along the Sirhind canal will be rehabilitated again. Davinder Pal Singh and at least 20 others were uprooted from Pakistan during Partition. Just when he and so many others were striking their roots again along the Sirhind canal, the government decided to get the land vacated for widening the national highway.

Aggrieved at the move to displace them again, they moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Coming to their rescue, the high court issued directions to the state for providing them with alternative sites. But the directions remained unimplemented, compelling them to move the high court again.

Coming down heavily on the state, Justice Surya Kant of the high court has now asked the state in no uncertain terms to act. In a stern judgment, Justice Surya Kant has asked the state to rehabilitate them within three months.

Justice Surya Kant, in a previous order, had ruled the “inordinate delay” in allotting alternative sites to those uprooted during Partition was wholly unfortunate and unwarranted.

Justice Kant had added there was nothing per se illegal in asking the petitioners to vacate the sites for widening purposes, but their claim to the allotment of alternative sites, as directed by the high court, had to be taken care of and implemented.

In their petition, Davinder Pal Singh and others had asserted that they had constructed houses and shops on government land after migrating from Pakistan.

They were settled on a leasehold basis, but the state government on March 24, 1990, took a decision against renewing the lease for getting the land vacated.

Their petition against the move was disposed of by the high court with directions to the state to provide alternative sites to the petitioners. Directions for granting compensation for the superstructures raised by them were also issued. The high court had added national highway number 10 could not be widened at the cost of the petitioners.

Davinder Pal and other petitioners added again in 1995 an effort was made to dispossess them, without paying compensation for the superstructures. Their petition was this time disposed of on the basis of an undertaking that the petitioners would not be dispossessed till they were allotted alternative sites.

Appearing before the high court for the third time, the petitioners said they were being asked to demolish the structures for widening the national highway without alternative sites being provided.