Nangal, August 17
The water level in the Bhakra reservoir is just 18 ft below the danger mark of 1,680 ft today. With incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh as well as the catchment area of the reservoir, it is increasing at an average of 4 ft everyday.

At this rate, it is expected that the Bhakra reservoir will fill to its capacity of 1,680 ft, much before the filling season of the reservoir comes to an end on September 21.

Today, the water level in the Bhakra reservoir is 1662.14 ft while the same was a mere 1600.67 ft last year on the corresponding day. In the past three days, the water level has risen by over 5 ft.

On August 15, the water level was 1657.12 ft and on August 16, it was 1659.43 ft. Also the heavy inflow of water has been registered. The inflow of water in the reservoir was 87,999 cusecs today while the outflow was 36,404 cusecs. Nearly 12,024 cusecs was released in Anandpur Sahib hydel channel and 11,200 cusecs in Nangal hydel channel.

Even the Pong dam has registered an increased water level as compared to the last year. Last year, the water level was at 1316.09 ft, but this year it has already exceeded 1,355 ft by today.

Member (Irrigation) of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) MK Gupta said at a recent meeting with the partner states, it was decided that once the level of water reached 1,670 ft, it would be made sure that it did not increase be a foot a day.

Once the water reaches 1,670 ft mark, the BBMB will start siphoning it off accordingly to maintain the level. The partner states of Haryana, Haryana,Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan had agreed to this arrangement, Gupta added.

Already, the Swan rivulet has witnessed a high influx of water. As against normal 795 cusecs of water running in the rivulet, the water level in it was recorded at 18,316 cusecs till 1 pm today.

The rivulet empties into the Sutlej. An increased level in it is an alarm for villages situated along the Sutlej in the areas of Nangal and Anandpur Sahib.

SDM, Anandpur Sahib, APS Sandhu said the water level in the Sutlej had increased by one-and-a-half ft due to Swan waters. The administration had already directed 10 to 12 villages of Anandpur Sahib and five villages of Nangal to remain cautious.

Hoshiarpur, August 17
Five forest officials, who were placed under suspension for their alleged connivance with a politician-forest official mafia for levelling forest land in Puhari village in Dasuya subdivision, received yet another blow when Deputy Divisional Forest Officer, Garshankar, Harjinder Singh was directed to investigate why they charged “compound money” from a violator.

Conservator of Forests (Shivalik Circle), Punjab, Preveen Kumar said Harjinder Singh had been asked to submit a comprehensive report within two days.

Sources in the department said earlier, a damage report was filed by the officer concerned and a compensation of Rs 2.50 lakh was charged from the violator, Dalip Singh of Begowal, after measuring the destruction that he caused to the forest land. The forest officials even deposited the amount in the government’s account on August 14.

He further said the Union Forest Ministry was the competent authority for permitting such activity on the forest area and the state Forest Department was just a custodian and an enforcement agency.

Sources in the department, however, claimed that the department enjoyed the right, as it was a case of the violation of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA).

However, expressing unawareness about the PLPA, Dalip Singh said he had purchased the land from Baldev Singh of the same village four months ago. He also claimed to have paid a penalty to the forest officials. “Had I been aware of the enforcement of such law in the area, I would not have purchased the land,” he added.

Amritsar, August 17
Bilateral trade between India and Pakistan is likely to see a quantum jump in 2011 as the construction of the Rs 150-crore Integrated Checkpost (ICP) at Attari is fast heading towards completion, well before the stipulated deadline of April 18.

With a functional ICP next year, the trade between the two countries was likely to get at least doubled owing to the screening counters.

At present, just about 150 trucks loaded with vegetables, fruit and meat products crossed over to Pakistan daily and just about 10 trucks of dry fruits were coming to India through the Attari-Wagah border check post. The slow pace of the bilateral trade was partially attributed to few checking counters and ultra-modern scanners.

The Attari ICP project, being set up on a piece of 130 acres of land acquired by the Punjab government, was the first such ultra-modern checkpost in a series of as many as 13 ICPs mooted at different points on India’s borders along with its neighbours.

“Since the capacity of the upcoming ICP was much more than the existing set up, the import, export was likely to get a huge boost in 2011. More than 500 trucks will be able to cross over to Pakistan daily. More than 30 per cent part of the project has already been completed,” said Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu, adding that enhanced trade would contribute to the prosperity of Punjab in more than one way. He said the ICP project was likely to take off even before its stipulated deadline.

Pakistan, it was learnt, was also reciprocating. A number of warehousing facilities have already come up on the Wagah side. The cargo terminal on the other side has also got completed.

Ultra-modern scanners and other equipment will be installed at the ICP. Loaded trucks will be made to undergo the automatic scanning process after alighting of drivers to save them from any radiation risks,” sources said.

Chandigarh, August 17
The State Information Commission today ordered that public information officers (PIOs) are required to provide only that information which is available with the office and need not “generate” or cull bits of information from files.

Taking up a complaint given by KC Singal of Patiala against the PIO in the office of the Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Punjab, Chief Information Commissioner Ramesh Inder Singh stated in his orders that: “The law is well-settled on the scope of the legal obligation of PIOs to furnish information. A PIO is statutorily bound to furnish, on a request from an information seeker, information as defined in Section 2 (f) of the RTI Act, as held by or under the control of the public authority concerned … The law, however, does not impose any legal obligation to create, rearrange, restructure or even tabulate information or data from record; ‘information’ is to be supplied, as it exists with the public authority concerned. The provisions of Section 7 (9) of the Act must be interpreted to mean that information is to be supplied in the form in which it is sought by an information seeker, provided, in the first instance, it exists.”

Taking up another point raised by the complainant, Ramesh Inder Singh upheld that the an information seeker need not exhaust the remedy of first appeal to the departmental appellate authority before approaching the information commission.

“The legislature, in its wisdom, has incorporated two independent remedies and routes for citizens, who may feel let down by a PIO. Section 18 of the RTI Act confers an original jurisdiction on the commission, whereas Section 19 is an appellate jurisdiction, exercisable only after the remedy of first appeal has been exhausted. It is an established principle of interpretation of law that provisions of a statute are to be so construed as not to render any part of the statute redundant. So construed, Section 19 of the Right to Information Act confers a specific right on an information seeker to evoke the appellate authority, first at the level of departmental officials and thereafter a second appeal to the commission. Section 18 of the Act confers a right on the information seeker to directly complain to the commission, bypassing first appellate authority, subject to satisfaction of the conditions mentioned therein,” state the orders.

“Section 18 is an enabling general provision to initiate an inquiry, if there is a reasonable ground to enquire, on a request made by an information seeker. 
The right to complain under Section 18 is not contingent or conditional on first exhausting the remedy of an appeal under Section 19. The scope and the ambit of the remedies conferred by Section 18 and Section 19 are independent of each other,” conclude the orders.

Chandigarh, August 17
The State of Punjab has come under fire for delaying the release of retirement benefits to an employee due to a gap in “intra-department communications”.

When Thana Singh retired after putting in 34 years of service in the Prison Department, little did he realise the state would arrest retiral benefits without any fault of his. He only came to know later the Punjab Accountant-General had raised certain objections, as he had been “posted at various places”.

Allowing his petition against the state and other respondents, Justice Ajai Lamba ruled: “The respondents have been enjoying the fruits of the money that was due to be paid to the petitioner by way of pensionary benefits.

“In any case, it is very harsh and hard for a person to survive without any income/pension. The petitioner has earned the pension, having served the respondent-department with effect from 1974 till 2008.

“The respondents without caring for the hardship faced by the petitioner, delayed release of retirement benefits on account of arbitrary action and in total disregard to the rightful and timely claim of the petitioner”

Going into the background, Justice Lamba asserted: “It transpires that the petitioner joined the respondent-jail department on October 17, 1974, as a warden…. He sought voluntary retirement from service on March 31, 2008, while serving as a head warden in the office of Superintendent, Central Jail, Amritsar. Since retirement benefits were not paid, the petitioner approached this Court.”

During the proceedings, his counsel asserted pensionary benefits were released only after a reply was filed by the respondents to the petition; “and in the circumstances of the case, he is entitled to payment of interest on delayed payment”.

Directing the payment of interest at nine per cent per annum on delayed payment with effect from October 1, 2008, Justice Lamba asserted: “The reply does not indicate as to under what circumstances petitioner can be held liable and responsible for delay in release of retirement benefits….. In my considered opinion, the petitioner cannot be held responsible for delay on account of intra-department communications and requirements”. — TNS

Rajpura, August 17
Miscreants have continuously been stealing the pistol from statue of Shaheed Udham Singh for the last one-year, but no action has been initiated in this regard. Area residents and workers of Shaheed Ram Mohammad Singh Azad Foundation said it was disrespect to the great martyr, who laid his life for the nation after avenging the deaths of Jallianwala Bagh massacre victims.

“Despite repeated verbal and written requests to junior level officials and even the DGP and Punjab CM, nothing has been done in this regard,” said president of Mohammad Singh Azad Foundation Karnail Singh.

Karnail was instrumental in installing the statue of Shaheed in 2006 at the Rajpura bus stand.

This statue is a complete picture of neglect, despite the fact that a round the clock watchman has been deployed by the municipal council in the bus stand, he said.

He pointed out that some miscreants had removed the pistol, which seems to be original, thrice from the statue. But even then we took pains to restore the pistol from Ludhiana. Rs 2.5 lakh were spent on the statue and Rs 25,000 were spent for its repairs.

The 71st death anniversary of Shaheed Udham Singh was observed a few days back on July 31.

Karnail alleged that many ministers of the state, police functionaries and Deputy Commissioners and the CM urged masses to always keep in mind the sacrifice by Shaheed Udham Singh, but actually nothing has been done here to show respect to the statue.

Municipal Council president Kulbhushan Malhotra, admitting the disrespect, said he had already written to the executive officer of the Municipal Council in this regard and they would soon find a permanent solution to the problem.

Patiala, August 17
In wake of increasing incidents of kids falling in the bore wells, the district administration has made it mandatory for the private companies to intimate the authorities concerned at least two weeks prior to the start of the work on any new bore well.

Besides, the instructions issued by Patiala Deputy Commissioner Dipinder Singh further mentioned that people, who initiate exercise of installation of bore well, have to inform in writing to the District Magistrate and officials of the Urban Local Bodies, 15 days prior to the start of the work.

Dipinder has also instructed that when the installation work of the bore well is in progress, a temporary fencing should be done, so that life of no kid comes under any sort of risk.

“In case, the work of the repair on any bore well is in progress, utmost care should be taken to ensure that the portion of the bore is covered properly,” he stated, while adding that in villages, the sarpanch or respective villages and officials of the Agriculture Department would keep a check whether the directions issued were being complied with.

The DC added that in the city areas, officials of the Municipal Corporation and Department of Public Health would be checking that there is no defiance of the directions by anyone. 

Chandigarh, August 17
The general elections to the SGPC are likely to be held in February next year.

Highly placed sources in the Gurdwara Election Commission and the Union Home Ministry say the task of completing the voter lists is almost complete and the list with the names of over 55 lakh Keshdhari Sikhs will be finalised before mid-December.

This is the first time in the history of the SGPC that Sahajdhari Sikhs will not be part of the voter list. In the last SGPC elections Sahajdhari Sikhs formed part of the voter list but they were not allowed to vote. Sources said that on August 16 --- the last date for the registration of voters for the elections--- 52,36,475 Sikhs in Punjab had applied to be voters. But taking the voter application forms from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh into account the number of total voters exceeds 55 lakh.

Sources said the initial publication of the electoral rolls would be on September 6. Claims and objections would be received from September 6 to 30, which would be disposed of between October 4 and 28. The final publication of the electoral rolls would be done on December 13, 2010.

The elections to the SGPC are conducted by the Gurdwara Election Commission as per the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, but the date for holding the poll is decided by the Union Government in consultation with various Sikh bodies and the Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara Election Commission. Justice HS Brar, Chief Commissioner, Gurdwara Election Commission, told The Tribune that the commission favoured elections in February, 2011.

After the voter lists are prepared and displayed, the deputy commissioner concerned will be empowered to hear any objections and rectify discrepancies. Even the names of people mistakenly or deliberately left out by patwaris can be included in the voter list. In other words, the appeal lies with the deputy commissioners.

The present SGPC has 170 elected members --- 120 from the general category, 30 seats reserved for women and 20 for Scheduled Castes candidates. Another 15 members are nominated by the SGPC itself with the head priest of Darbar Sahib in Amritsar and the heads of the five Takhts also being its members. 

Jalandhar, August 17
Punjab Technical University (PTU) has tied up with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for its campus training programme, according to which all trainees will have to get themselves registered for the purpose well in advance.

“The registration will be on line. The students will be able to fill their choices. The CII will accordingly allot the industry to the students,” the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Rajneesh Arora, said during an interaction with the media today.

“The students will also get Rs 4,000 as stipend from the industry on the completion of the training. It, however, had become the other way round of late,” Dr Arora said.

The Vice-Chancellor added that the training would now be conducted for 28 weeks rather than the previous system of having it for 26 weeks. He said a similar tie-up was also being planned with the PhD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In a similar effort, the university has decided to activate its placement cell further. “Any student who has passed out and who feels that he is underpaid where he is currently employed and can get better perks and salary in some other company will be able to get himself registered on line. The placement cell in charge, Navdeepak Sandhu, will ensure that he gets a better offer in a month’s time,” the Vice-Chancellor claimed.

Claiming to have achieved yet another milestone, Dr Arora said as many as 16 affiliated colleges of the PTU were likely to get a Ministry of Human Resource and Development grant under the Technical Education for Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP). 

Chandigarh, August 17
The Punjab Education Development Board has handed over 10 school sites to Educomp Solutions Limited, a Delhi-based private company for the setting up of Adarsh schools.

This takes the total number of Adarsh schools being set up in Punjab to 67. A pet project of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, an Adarsh school envisages using state-of-the-art infrastructure to provide quality education to intelligent but poor rural students. These schools are from pre-nursery to Class XII and are to be opened in all community development blocks in the state.

As many as 118 school sites have thus been identified in all blocks of the state for the setting up of at least one Adarsh school. Out of these, 52 sites have been allotted to private companies who will establish the school and run it on a fund-sharing model with the state government. As many as nine sites have been allotted to the Punjab School Education Board while six sites have been allotted to the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan Authority (RMSA).

The state government had offered these sites to reputed private players when the present Akali government came to power in 2007. The cost of establishing the school and running it was to be shared by the state government and the private player. However, education to the students was to be given free of cost. Initially, the response to the scheme was lukewarm with only 12 sites being taken by private players.

Patiala, August 17
As the trial in the case, pertaining to the irregularities in the recruitment of 909 Panchayat Secretaries during the SAD-BJP government (1997-2002), started today, the Punjab Assembly Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon today appeared in the Court of Special Judge (CBI Cases) Balbir Singh at the District Courts Complex, here today.

The CBI court granted Kahlon interim bail till August 26, after he furnished a bail bond of Rs 50,000. Notably, the bail to Kahlon has been granted till August 26, in the wake of the fact that yesterday the high court, in its orders, had given interim protection to Kahlon from arrest, while fixing August 26 as the next date of hearing.

The court, however, granted regular bail to the three other accused in the case, JS Kesar, the then Financial Commissioner, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, who later retired, Vikas Sharma and PS Sodhi, who appeared before the court today.

The court has fixed the next date of hearing in the case for October 5, 2010. The court also ordered issuing of fresh summons to CL Premy, the then Deputy Director (Panchayats), who did not appear before the court today.

Meanwhile, following the high court directions to appear before the court of the Special Judge (CBI Cases), Patiala, on August 17, Kahlon, accompanied by his lawyer, SS Kler, arrived in the court at 10 am. After completing the necessary formalities and furnishing the bail bond, he was granted interim bail till August 26.

Speaking to mediapersons, Kahlon asserted that he had full faith in the judicial system. “The case against me is politically motivated and a result of the vendetta politics played by the previous Congress regime. Hence there is no reason to resign from the post of the Speaker,” he told the mediapersons.