 |
|
|
Ludhiana boy killed in Oz
Khalsa Heritage Centre |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Relatives of Satpal Singh hold a protest on a railway line near Mallanwala town on Saturday.
A Tribune photograph
Friendly Face of Police
Dignitaries from India light candles at the zero line of the Attari-Wagah checkpost on the occasion of the 64th Independence Day. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar
Papaya, banana farming becomes popular
Reappointment of Retd Docs
Punjab postal dept to offer global service
Admn waits for Sukhbir to spare time to open ROB
Solar power substations for border dists
Stone of Sufi centre laid
Docs hold meet, seek better perks
State-level I-Day function in Ferozepur
High Court
Harpreet Case
|
|
Ludhiana boy killed in Oz
Ludhiana, August 14 Kulwant Singh, father of Rajveer, tried to establish contact with his son but there was no response. After two hours of frantic calls, someone identifying himself to be an employee of a private hospital, responded to the call and told Kulwant that his son was on a ventilator and that chances of his survival were thin. Last night, around 8:30 pm, friends of Rajveer broke the tragic news to his family that their son fell victim to the hate crime. “My son had died on August 8, but the Australian authorities deliberately put him on a ventilator to cover up the issue,” said Rajveer’s father.
Kulwant, who runs a grocery shop, had spent all his savings to send him abroad. He had gone to Australia in December 2007, completed his hotel management course from an institute in Melbourne and later settled in Brisbane. At present, he was working in a
restaurant. Rajveer’s mother Manjit Kaur said he was planning to return to India. He had told that he would celebrate the Independence Day with them.
Kulwant Singh said, “Since these hate crime cases started taking place in Australia, I kept on asking him to return. But he insisted that such cases were taking place only in Melbourne. He used to say that Australia was a safe country. But he had to pay a heavy price for his error of judgment.” His younger brother Harprabhjit Singh and sister Dolma Singh are still in a shock. Now another trouble is staring at the family as it does not have enough financial resources to pay the hospital expenses where Rajveer was admitted. The family has demanded the Indian Government’s intervention in the matter.
|
|
|
Father of missing girl commits suicide
Mallanwala (Ferozepur), August 14 Satpal’s body, which was found in a canal in the Mamdot area yesterday, was brought to this town and then kept on a railway line. The protestors did not allow the rail traffic to run for over three hours. Following this, the Jammu Tawi-Ahmedabad Express and a passenger train remained standard on the outskirts of Mallanwala and Makhu railway stations for over two hours. SHO (RPF) Sukhjinder Singh said a case against those who were involved in disrupting the rail traffic, had been registered. But no one had been arrested so far. Meanwhile, a case under Section 306, IPC, has been registered against Jaswant Singh, Kulwant Singh, Harbans Singh, Reshmo and Jasvir Kaur, all family members of Rano in-laws, Satpal’s body was found. Rano, who got married about two years ago, went missing under mysterious circumstances over a year ago from her in-laws’ house. In a complaint to the police a few months ago, Satpal had alleged that members of her in-laws’ family had killed his daughter. Meanwhile, Harbans Singh, Rano’s father-in-law, in a complaint to the police, alleged that his daughter-in-law had run away from the house. Jaswinder Kaur, Satpal’s widow, alleged that Rano had been killed by her in-laws, as they failed to fulfil their demand of dowry. The inaction of the police to give justice to them had forced her husband to commit suicide, she added.
|
|
|
Khalsa Heritage Centre
Chandigarh, August 14 Taking up his petition against the Anandpur Sahib Foundation and other respondents, Justice Surya Kant also directed that the petitioner would continue to enjoy perks, including vehicle and accommodation facilities. Justice Surya Kant has also called for details of foreign nationals appointed in major projects. In his petition filed through counsel Puneet Bali, Jacob has sought the quashing of the order terminating his services issued on August 2, 2010, by the chief executive officer of the Anandpur Sahib Foundation. Directions have also been sought to allow him to continue as the director till the completion of five years’ contract period. Jacob said he was shocked and aghast “when the chief executive officer called him to his office and told him his services would be no longer required”, adding that “he has always been applauded for the kind of work he has been putting up for setting up the Khalsa Heritage Centre”. He also “saved a lot of money for the Foundation”, as he “would always put his foot down whenever he felt there was excess spending of funds”. He claimed the termination order was “illegal, arbitrary, in violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India”. The executive committee never met to discuss his service termination; and the termination letter was issued suo motu by the chief executive officer. It was without jurisdiction, as it has no competence to issue it. Jacob added after burning his “boats and bridges in the United States of America, where he was employed as vice-president and director Project, he came to his motherland with the goal in mind that he is going to help setting up of a project in relation to museums of national importance. “He has satisfactorily completed his period of probation. Once after a period of three months, if nothing has been given in writing in relation to his period of probation, it would be deemed he has completed the same satisfactorily. Now, without any reason or without calling any explanation, in a most arbitrary and illegal manner, his services have been terminated”.
|
|
‘Civilian’ cadre to man front offices
Chitleen K Sethi Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 14 The idea taken from the various recommendations of the governance reforms is being worked on assiduously with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal personally monitoring its implementation. Media adviser to the CM Harcharan Singh Bains says that Sukhbir wants these “outreach” offices functioning by the end of this year when residents will be able to walk into a plush air-conditioned office of a police station for their various works. “These offices will be the face of the police station. Those who will man these will be dressed in civilian clothes. They will be trained in public dealing. The aim is to make the person coming to a police station for his work feel comfortable,” said ADGP Training SK Sharma, who is supervising the change over. More importantly, however, these offices are going to be networked through computers with all other such offices, the districts and the headquarters. “In case a resident of one sub-division wants to give a complaint that relates to another district, he will be able to do it at the police station near him. He does not have to travel to the police station in the other district to file a complaint. Our office will send the complaint to that police station and monitor its movement and keep the complainant informed about its status,” said Sharma. Other than these outreach offices, the police is also opening its own form of Suvidha centres to be named “Sanjhedari” at all district headquarters which will take up requests related to verifications, complaints regarding crimes relating to women and children, civil cases, arms licences, passport verification etc. “As many as 16 services will be offered at the Sanjhedaari centres and these will work much like the Suvidha centres at the Deputy Commissioner offices. All applications will be received online as well since these centres, too, will be networked and also connected to the headquarters here,” added Sharma. The total project is expected to cost the state about Rs 25 crore. “We have already received the first lot of Rs15 crore for the construction of the outreach front offices and the development of the software. The work is beginning immediately and we should be able to see the result before the end of this year,” said Sharma.
|
|
Indo-Pak candlelight bonhomie at Wagah Amritsar, August 14 These were the issues highlighted by NGOs from both sides of the border during the traditional candlelight vigil held at the zero line to mark the 64th Independence Day celebrations at the Attari-Wagah check post today. The only discordant note in this candlelight vigil bonhomie was that enthusiasts from the Pakistan side could not reach the zero line due to disturbed situation, apparently due to prevailing flood-like situation. Satnam Singh Manak, general secretary of the Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, said according to a communication received from their side, they would precede till the point they had been allowed but definitely they had lit the candles at SAFMA Secretariat in Lahore. Prominent artistes, including Diljaan, Lakhwinder Wadali, Satinder Bitti, Satwinder Satti from the Indian side and Zafar Alla Lok from Pakistan, enthralled the mammoth audience in the evening. Earlier in the morning, border guards of Pakistan presented sweets to their Indian counterparts to mark their Independence Day anniversary. The Pakistan Rangers delegation, led by its director-gerneral Mohammad Yakub, offered sweets to the BSF squad led by Sumir Singh, Commandant, Attari-Wagah post. “We appeal to the people on both sides to live in peace and help developing cordial relationship. We accept your greetings and also wish you on your Independence Day tomorrow," Yakub said. In the afternoon, a 15-member Indo-Pak delegation conducted a peace march named as “aman caravan”, before heading towards the Border. Various dignitaries include noted senior journalist Kuldeep Nayyar, president, Hind-Pak Dosti Manch; Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Award-winning social activist; Ramesh Yadav, president, Folklore Academy, SAFMA. Pakistan representatives, include SAFMA Pakistan spokesperson Farah Waraich, South Asia Partnership member Saida Deep. Delegates carried with them two peepal tree saplings to be planted at the zero line. They also paid floral tributes at the memorial of 10 lakh persons at the zero line, who lost their lives in the wake of the 1947 partition row. Nevertheless, with a view to ease friction between the two nations, the peaceniks drafted a peaceful resolution, of all contentious issues through dialogue, later to be submitted to their respective governments for implementation. Dignitaries from India light candles at the zero line of the Attari-Wagah checkpost on the occasion of the 64th Independence Day. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar
|
|||||
|
|
Papaya, banana farming becomes popular
Amritsar, August 14 Papaya is a quick-growing plant that could start bearing fruit within eight to 10 months of its transplantation. It is said to be a rich source of vitamins A & C, minerals and it contains a valuable protein-rich food digestion triggering papain enzyme. Similarly, banana has a high demand for its medicinal values. Banana farming was at present spread over 500 to 700 acres in the state with the area under it growing rapidly. The popularity of papaya among consumers could be gauged from the fact that over 2,000 MTs of the fruit was sold every year in the Amritsar fruit market alone and the demand was pushing ahead at an annual rate of 10 per cent. Interestingly, the popularity of both banana and papaya and recommendation of certain varieties by PAU notwithstanding, the banana and papaya cultivation had hitherto failed to pick up in Punjab as these crops were highly vulnerable to frost bite during the peak of the winter season. Amritsar DC KS Pannu has studied the consumption pattern of papaya in Amritsar. He has found that Taiwanese papaya variety, 786 Red Lady, was being grown on commercial scale around Sholapur district of Maharashtra, the Bijapur area of Karnataka and some areas of Tamil Nadu. “Taiwanese is most suitable for variety which does not need plantation of 10 per cent male plants as the variety is hermaphrodite in nature. One acre of field can have 900 plants and the plantation takes off in September-October, whereas their fruiting starts in May, which lasts till December,” said Pannu, who has also roped in the Horticulture Department in the trial project. After studying traits of the variety, it has been decided to give a trial to it in the district on 11 acres of land with various progressive farmers who were found more than willing to take up the challenge. Innovative farmers like Karmjeet Singh of Wadala Virum village have proved that the “culture” variety of banana could withstand fog and frosty weather conditions. ‘Grand Naine’ was considered to be the most suitable banana variety for frost-prone areas like the border belt of Punjab, farm experts said.
|
|
Lathi charge on ETT activists at CM’s rally
Ferozepur, August 14 The protesters managed to enter the venue of the function at the grain market of the cantonment despite its fortification by cops and raised slogans against Badal. However, the police resorted to lathi charge and rounded up a large number of protesters. Earlier, they remained sitting quietly in the pandal while Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon, CPS Sukhpal Singh Nannu and MP Sher Singh Ghubhaya addressed the rally and welcomed Badal. Alleging that the protesters had been instigated by the Congress to disturb SAD-BJP functions, the CM said all of them were welcome to talk with the government on any issue by shunning the path of an agitation. Unmindful of sloganeering against him, Badal while continuing his speech said the next one-and-a-half-year had been dedicated to the development. Claiming that all state rivers would become pollution free before the Assembly poll by setting up sewerage treatment plants in areas of 44 cities, Badal said every village would get potable water within a year or so. “Three thermal power stations are being set up to make the state power surplus. An amount of Rs 340 crore is being spent to upgrade health centres and 200 doctors are being recruited with the help of experts of the PGI, Chandigarh,” he said. Earlier, he laid the foundation stones of the district administrative complex and a maternity ward in the Civil Hospital, inaugurated the Circuit House, Rai Sikh Bhawan, a railway overbridge and a model school in Ghudar Dhandi village.
Volunteers of the Alternative Innovative Education also lodged their protest against the government in connection with their unfulfilled demands by climbing atop water tanks of this area. Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons at the residence of the Irrigation Minister, Badal accused the Centre of “encroaching” upon the autonomy of the state and advocated that a strong federal structure was the need of the hour to solve all problems being faced by the country.
|
|
Interviews to be held on Aug 31
Chitleen K Sethi/TNS
Chandigarh, August 14 Early this week, Principal Secretary Satish Chandra, in a note to the Health Minister, aired his apprehension that rural doctors working in the state under the Zila Parishads were likely to hinder the process of reappointment of retired doctors. Members of the Rural Medical Service Association had last month gheraoed the director, health office, in Sector 34 here on the day the first set of appointments of retired doctors were to be conducted. Following the day-long dharna, the interviews were postponed indefinitely. Urging the minister to discuss the issue with the CM, Satish Chandra informed the minister that these interviews had now been fixed for August 31 and it was likely that the rural doctors would stage a dharna again. His note further states these doctors were demanding regularisation as also a benefit of three years of service as rural medical officers to make them eligible for the 60 per cent reserve quota in medical colleges. He, however, pointed out that these doctors were employed by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat and their demands are to be considered by the department that employed them. “This view is wrong. We are only getting our salaries from the Rural Development Department. We are working for the Health Department and any change in policy in recruitment of doctors affects us directly. We are implementing all health schemes of the state in rural areas. The Health Department cannot shirk its responsibility like this,” said Dr Aslam Parvez, President of the RMSA.
|
|
Punjab postal dept to offer global service
Chandigarh, August 14
Christened as World Net Express (WNX), the trial service, which has been successfully tried in Delhi and Mumbai, but put on hold for now and awaits a national launch, will be available with a reduced rate from Monday at six centres in Punjab, three each in UT and Ludhiana. Being a government sponsored venture, the Postal Department has been able to strike a customer-friendly deal with the DHL and the cost of couriers sent through WNX will be much lower, 50 per cent or even more, than what is being charged by other players in the field. According to chief postmaster general, KL Khanna, while post offices in the six centres will be collecting the couriers, the deliveries of the same, including customs clearance and other formalities, will be handled by the DHL. Sending a 500-gm parcel to the US, for which even the Postal Department used to charge Rs 1,600 earlier, will now cost only Rs 900, says Khanna. He said, the department was currently offering WNX with a maximum transit time of four days. However, the response hadn't been very encouraging as only 170 articles were booked during the past one year. "Through this venture, we are aiming at strengthening our global business operations," says Khanna. The trial run will be available from August 16 to September 30 at three centres in the UT, including GPO, Sector 14 and Sector 22 post office. In Ludhiana, this service will be available in head office, central post office and speed post centre. The parcel cost would be little higher than the document cost. Khanna said this initiative was started in 2008 and since then successfully tried in Mumbai and Delhi. He said the off take of couriers through WNX increased 10 times both in Delhi and Mumbai. "Punjab is the third state where we are putting WNX for trial and if we repeat the earlier successes the services will be launched fully," Khanna said. Talking to the Tribune, Rajeev Ranjan, coordinator of All India World Net Express, says, once implemented completely this service will revolutionise the courier industry. People only need to bring the delivery material to the centre. Our workers will pack these with weather-proof and tamper-proof packing material in boxes. The parcels will not be checked by Custom officials. One can even keep a track on the delivery status through the Internet, he added.
|
||
|
Admn waits for Sukhbir to spare time to open ROB
Bathinda, August 14 The construction work on the ROB was started on November 17, 2006, during the previous Congress regime. Later, with the change of the government, the work got stuck amid political and administrative issues. Though the work under the PWD was resumed, the portion above the railway track, which was a job of the railway authorities, kept on getting delayed. The main reason was non-completion of their tendering process. However, after wading through all hurdles, the flyover got completed on July 31 this year. Despite knowing that the alternative route (diverted from Hazi Rattan chowk) was creating problems for all, the district administration preferred to wait for Sukhbir Badal to spare time to dedicate it to the public. Receiving information about the officials’ strategy, people from all sections started condemning the administration for harassing them by causing delay. A few days back, some activists of the Congress attempted to open it for the public with tractors and JCB machines, but the police stopped their move. The total cost of the project is Rs 36.70 crore, including an amount of about Rs 3.40 crore borne by the railway authorities.
|
|
Solar power substations for border dists
Jalandhar, August 14 Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, Manjit Singh, chairman of PEDA, claimed that in the first phase of the project, the agency had taken up Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Taran Tarn and Ferozepur districts by selecting 15 villages in each district. He claimed that solar power substations of 5 KW, 10 KW and 15 KW capacity would be installed in the villages, depending upon consumption. PEDA would provide 90 per cent subsidy while the village panchayat would have to bear the rest of the expense. PEDA has also mooted a plan to cover government schools under this scheme. The municipal corporations, municipal councils, and other civic bodies across the state will also be installing solar light systems.
|
|
Stone of Sufi centre laid
Patiala, August 14 Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jaspal said the centre would be devoted to carry out various tasks related to academics and scholarship, in addition to holding seminars, conferences and workshops, related to various aspects of Sheikh Farid’s life and his contribution in the field of religion and spiritualism. “The centre will carry forward Baba Farid’s legacy of spreading the message of love and stamping out the menace of hatred all around the globe,” Dr Jaspal said.
|
|
Docs hold meet, seek better perks
Patiala, August 14 Addressing the meeting, general secretary of the senior PCMS Association Dr DC Sharma said the government was doing injustice to doctors in respect of their financial demands. He said, “Firstly, the salary of Punjab doctors is not fixed according to the proposed formula on the central pattern resulting in loss in their monthly salary from Rs 4,000 to 8,000. Then some allowances being already given on the non-practice allowance (NPA) have been withdrawn despite the fact that the NPA is a part of the pay of doctors for the calculation of allowances, including pensioner benefits”.
|
|
State-level I-Day function in Ferozepur
Chandigarh, August 14 Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal will hoist the Flag in Bathinda and Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, in Ludhiana, according to a state government spokesman.
|
|
High Court Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 14 The directions were issued after the State of Punjab failed to file a reply to the petition. On the previous date of hearing, the high court had directed the state to file a reply within two weeks, or else costs amounting to Rs 5,000 would be imposed. Despite the orders, a reply was not placed before the court. The directions came on a petition by Baldev Raj of Ferozepur city. In his petition filed through counsel Charan Jit Sharma, he had sought directions to the state and other respondents to immediately release the salary and allowances from March 1, 2008, to February 27, 2009. An inspector with Punjab Roadways, he was deputed at tax collection centres before retirement on February 28, 2009. His salary and allowances for almost a year were not granted even though there was no irregularity on his part, Sharma argued.
|
|
Next hearing on Aug 21
Tribune News Service
Patiala, August 14 As the hearing in the case resumed in the Court of Special Judge (CBI cases) Balbir Singh, Jagir Singh of Kapurthala, said he never told the CBI that he had spotted anyone disposing of the foetus. Bibi Jagir Kaur was also present during the court proceedings today. The next date of the hearing in the case has been fixed for August 21.
|
|
Kidnapped boy rescued, 4 held
Jalandhar, August 14 Stating this, DIG, Jalandhar, Sarad Satya Chohan said the kidnapped boy had been recovered from Daroli Kalan village on the Hoshiarpur district border. Gagandeep Singh was kidnapped from Jawahar Nagar in Aadampur on Tuesday. Subsequently, his family received a ransom demand of Rs 51 lakh for his safe release. However, the police rescued him and arrested the four accused without their getting the ranson amount, the DIG added. Chohan said the police tried to ascertain the location of the kidnappers through the surveillance of mobile towers. Based on the inputs, they laid a trap near the Bist-Doab canal in Daroli Kalan village on Friday night. On suspicion, a motorcycle on which three persons were riding was intercepted. Two of them tried to flee in the adjoining fields but were overpowered by the policemen after a brief chase, Chohan said, adding that Gagandeep Singh was rescued safely. The two kidnappers were taking Gagandeep with them to change their location. The arrested accused were identified as Sunil Kumar, alias Sheela, and Amit Kumar, alias Sunny. On their questioning, the police later arrested the other two kidnappers, Mahavir Singh, alias Koka, and Rupinder Singh. During preliminary interrogation, it came to light that Mahavir was known to Gagandeep and had hatched the conspiracy to kidnap him for ransom. As Mahavir knew that Gagandeep’s mother Santosh Kaur was a US Citizen and got 50,0000 US dollars as damages for the death of her husband in an accident in the US, he hatched a conspiracy to kidnap Gagndeep. Gagandeep’s family received several calls from the kidnappers about the delivery of money. His aunt said they kept on travelling from one place to another as the kidnappers were frequently changing their locations for the delivery of money.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
