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SAD, BJP on warpath again
Rakhar Punia Fair |
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‘Neighbouring states should share loss’
32 Nawanshahr villages evacuated
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan offer land on lease to Punjabi farmers
No-confidence motion passed against Sangrur MC chief
Rice for Central Pool
BSF women recruits tie rakhis
Forensics to help control animal skin trade
Runaway couples
Heroin worth Rs 10 crore seized in Patiala
3 held for killing four of family
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SAD, BJP on warpath again
Chandigarh, August 24 BJP leaders feel that these funds, raised by the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) and the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), are being used to develop only the Akali constituencies, while the BJP constituencies are being ignored. While this is the major bone of contention between the leaders of the two parties for the past one year, the flash point came at the last Cabinet meeting when the Cabinet wanted a clearance for the implementation of certain taxes worth Rs 400 crore in the state. Sources state that Manoranjan Kalia put his foot down about imposing any further taxes, pointing out that the taxes were going to affect the BJP constituencies the most. At one point, sources add, that Kalia even lost his cool with the Badal duo and got up to walk out of the meeting. Finally it was decided that the decision regarding the imposition of these taxes be kept in abeyance. The sources add that since Kalia is also the Minister for Local Government, there is an added edginess over the distribution of Rs 733 crore to various towns. The money, the sources point out, has essentially been raised by various bodies through sale of urban properties and this fund should have been handed over to the Local Government Department and then distributed evenly among various municipal bodies. Almost Rs 100 crore has been set aside for Khanna while another Rs 70 crore will be given to Sahnewal, Rs 60 crore will be given to Jagraon and another Rs 50 crore to Ropar primarily through PIDB, GLADA and GMADA. Kalia has been vocal about his objection in the past also that rural areas in the state are benefiting at the cost of the urban areas. Kalia reportedly told the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister that the BJP was feeling peeved at the fact that the 10 per cent surcharge on VAT, which was to be paid to the Local Government Department in lieu of octroi, had also not been given. Kalia, however, was tight-lipped about the whole thing. “There is nothing I have to say in this matter,” he said. The media adviser to the Chief Minister, HS Bains, denied any looming crisis. “The daggers drawn are the wishful contraptions of those who see no other political opportunity or space for them in Punjab. No two other political parties have ever functioned with greater smoothness than the SAD and BJP for the past so many decades,” he said.
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Rakhar Punia Fair
Baba Bakala, August 24 “The state government has failed to implement any of its promise during its three-year misrule in Punjab,” alleged Congress leaders at a rally organised by former MLA Jasbir Singh Dimpa. Former CM Capt Amarinder Singh could not attend the party rally as he was said to be busy in Delhi in respect of the ensuing party organisational elections. “The Congress has been inimical to interests of the state from day one. Excesses of the party towards the people of Punjab even surpassed ones inflicted by the British regime,” said Badal while lashing out at the Congress at a rally organised by party MLA Manjinder Singh Kang. Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal sought to play the development card by enlisting works being undertaken by his government. He also urged people to give a befitting reply to “anti-panthic” forces that were bent upon to destabilise the government at the behest of the Congress in the ensuing SGPC poll. State Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, MP Rattan Singh Ajnala and state minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura also spoke on the occasion. “Our priority is to ensure allround development of the state. We are making Punjab self-reliant by coming out with four thermal plants. The government has already filled 25,000 of the 35,000 vacant posts of teacher,” said Sukhbir, adding that the state would soon announce its sports policy. However, the PPCC chief accused Badal of being an irresponsible politician. Senior party leaders-Sukhjinder Raj Singh Majithia, KK Sharma, Bibi Ratna, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Ranjit Singh Chajjalwaddi and Harminder Singh Gill were also present. The Kisan Sangharsh Committee and the SAD (Amritsar) also organised two rallies. The committee rally was addressed by its state president Satnam Singh Pannu while the SAD (A) rally was addressed by party President Simranjit Singh Maan’s son Imaan Singh Maan and former MP Dhian Singh Mand.
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Bundh washed away, village flooded
The breach, which started from five feet, had grown 300 feet wide by the evening. On the request of the district administration, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has decreased the flow of water in the Sutlej by 10,000 cusecs. Several acres of fields of Lodhipur and the standing crop got inundated in flood water. Water entered into few houses of the village as well. As per the Drainage Department officials, the breach cannot be repaired unless and until the flow of water stops. Built last year, the bundh was erected at a cost of Rs 45 lakh. There was an additional budgetary provision of Rs 23 lakh to install studs (stones held together with net), which was never done. Sources said even tenders for the work had been passed, but caught in red tape and corruption, the project failed to get completed in time. In a press statement issued here today, even the SDM, Anandpur Sahib, APS Sandhu, had stated that the bundh was temporary and did not have any stones or a permanent lining that could help the bundh withstand strong currents of water. “The bundh was technically weak,” he added. At the onset of the monsoon, when people raised the alarm, the Deputy Commissioner released Rs 23 lakh expeditiously for repairs. “Had the money not been siphoned off as part of a corrupt system, the bundh and villages could have been saved,” said Gurmukh Singh, a villager. This morning 40,000 cusecs of water was flowing in the river. In the meantime, the water of Charan Ganga rivulet, too, started pouring into the river, leading to a damaged bundh. All villages situated along the river, including Gajpur, Hariwal, Burj, Balowal, Mehndli Kalan, Chandpur, Nikkuwal, Bela and Lodhipur, have got inundated. The district administration has been repeatedly asking people living on the banks of the Sutlej to leave their homes in view of the floods, but none of the families have left their homes. “When the bundh got washed away in water, what can we expect at relief camps? We are sending our family members to relatives now,” said a distraught Heera Singh from
Gajpur.
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Low floods in Makhu, Harike areas
Makhu (Ferozepur), August 24 The rail and road traffic on the Makhu-Jalandhar road came to a complete halt as the Gidder Pindi common bridge over the Sutlej for rail and road traffic came under threat after the water level in this pocket crossed the danger mark and cracks started appearing in Dussi bandh. As the water level in the Sutlej has been increasing continuously, the people living in the low-lying and other areas have started camping on Dussi Bandh. Almost all 14 notches, which were constructed near Rukne Wala village to restrict the flow of water and keep the course of the Sutlej intact, came under deep water and could give in any time. The other point where the embankments were being hit by the fast-flowing water of the Sutlej was Muradpur Chak Khanna Sanghera bundh and residents feared that the bandh could collapse any time as it was not strengthened by the authorities concerned despite their repeated pleas. “The flood protection measures were started belatedly about a week ago when the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) started releasing water in a large quantity from the Bhakra Nangal dam,” alleged a section of residents of the area. The residents, however, tried to save the bandh by filling the weak spots with more sand. “There is about 45,000 cusecs of water flowing in the Sutlej in both upstream and downstream of Hari Ke headworks. We have declared it as low floods,” pointed out Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav. Vishwas Chobey, divisional railway manager (DRM), Ferozepur, said flow of rail traffic had been stopped on Gidder Pindi bridge. Meanwhile, the protesters lifted the traffic blockade after the police force arrived in the late evening.
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‘Neighbouring states should share loss’
Chandigarh, August 24 Raising this demand, Jagjit Singh Ghungrana, a senior Akali leader, former Chairman of Punjab Agro Corporation and former member, Agro Price Commission, has said that the Punjab government should demand from the Centre that all states that benefit in any manner from the Bhakra dam should also be made to share the loss caused by the release of water that caused floods. Several political leaders in Punjab have supported the argument saying that to protect the Bhakra dam from crossing the 1,680-foot danger mark results in release of water. This is not a natural calamity and the flood is man-made. “So, if other states want a share from the Bhakra water and electricity produced there, they must also share the cost towards the damaged caused. But it is the Punjabi farmer who gets only Rs 5,000 per acre for complete loss of crop when his fields are inundated,” Ghungrana has argued. The water from the Bhakra is shared by Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and even Delhi, while every day around 1,000 mega watts of electricity goes to the national grid. Punjab receives around 35,000 cusecs of water from the Bhakra, while Haryana and Rajasthan get around 20,000 cusecs each. This summer Rajasthan received 25,000 cusecs due to shortage of drinking water, more than the water available to Punjab and Haryana. Besides Bhakra water released from Pong Dam and Ranjit Sagar Dam also directly affects the farmers of Punjab. Besides flooding of 20,8615 acres of fields, Punjab has suffered a loss of 32 human lives and 79 cattle and livestock, directly or indirectly from floods and rains.
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32 Nawanshahr villages evacuated Amritsar, August 24 Top police and civil administration officials were monitoring the situation till late in the night. The swelling of the Sutlej could turn perilous and pose a threat to residents of these villages as soon as water started spilling over the bundh. While life jackets have been dispatched for villagers of affected areas from the PAP and other resources of the police, a team of the ITBP’s specialised flood rescue company based in Bathinda has been ordered to be sent to the area immediately. “We are sending over 800 troops from different parts of the state and from the PAP to help villages falling in the Rahon area,” said IG (Jalandhar zone) Ishwar Chander and Nawanshahr SSP Narinder Bhargava. “We have deputed jawans to take care of locked homes of residents so that any unscrupulous element could not take an advantage of the situation in absence of owners,” said the IG. According to the Nawanshahr SSP, PAP buses have already left for the affected area to help people.
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Paddy crop submerged
Fazilka, August 24 According to information, the water entered in the old Sutlej creeks of villages and ‘dhanis’ of Natha Singhwala, Khanapir Ke, Phula Singhwala, Parbhat Singhwala, Dhandi Kadim, Shabaz Ke, Dhandi Khurd and other villages of Jalalabad subdivision.
— OC
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Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan offer land on lease to Punjabi farmers
Chandigarh, August 24 African countries have wooed Punjabi farmers in the last four or five months with the ambassadors of several countries visiting Punjab to appeal to farmers as well as corporates to take up land in their countries. The Union Government is also facilitating land tie-ups in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal is accompanying Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on a visit to these countries from September 3 to 13. The Punjab Government is also set to explore land leasing opportunities for its farmers in Central Asian countries. Punjab Agro will take a delegation of seven or eight progressive farmers to a visit these countries in October. Giving details Punjab Agro Managing Director S K Sandhu told TNS that Uzbekistan and Kazakistan, which were offering land to Punjabi farmers, were only two or three hours away by plane. “This is a unique advantage for Punjabi farmers,” he said, adding it would open up trade in fruit and vegetables also, an aspect that would also be explored by the delegation, which will be led by Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal. Sandhu said the delegation would visit Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. He said the team would explore the market for the export of fruit, vegetables, potato seed and basmati rice. He said it was felt that Punjabi farmers should try to bag a portion of the fruit and vegetable trade keeping in view the immense possibilities in the case of opening of the land route to these countries. Sandhu said in the meantime even airlifting could work out economically due to the short flight distance to these countries. Confederation of Potato and Seed Farmers Association representative Jang Bahadur Singh Sangha, who is also on the list of farmers scheduled to visit Central Asia, said government-backed initiatives to settle Punjabi farmers had a big chance of success. He said there was scope for selling potato seed also and that a market for the same could be established in the Central Asian countries. Sangha said his association members had already visited Ethiopia on the invitation of its government and evaluated the land on offer in the country. He said field research had also been conducted with the help of an agri- scientist and that now professional help was being taken to isolate the land to be taken up for cultivation. Sangha said Ethiopia was a good option for Punjabi farmers due to its good climate and corruption-free regime but that Latin American as well as Central Asian countries could also be good bets.
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No-confidence motion passed against Sangrur MC chief
Sangrur, August 24 The differences in the local unit of the Congress came to the fore today after two Congress councillors, Ravi Chawla and Darshan Kangra, voted for the no-confidence motion brought by the SAD-BJP councillors. The Congress had to pay dearly as two of its councillors, including Senior Vice-President of the municipal council Deepak Aggarwal and former municipal council President Parvinder Bajaj who were expelled from the Congress for anti-party activities a few months ago, supported the motion. To compound the sufferings of the municipal council President, a group of six Congress councillors, including MLA Surinderpal Singh Sibia, “abstained” from the crucial meeting. Sources claimed that even as the two Congress councillors openly supported the no-confidence motion, the abstention of other five Congress councillors from the crucial meeting on various grounds may be a “deliberate” attempt to topple the municipal council President. Responding to the support extended by two Congress councillors to the motion, Sibia, who is also the District Congress Committee president, said it was like backstabbing the party. He added that this would not be tolerated and disciplinary proceedings would be started against them as both of them had entered the municipal council on Congress ticket.
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Cong activists detained for showing black flags to Sukhbir
Jalandhar, August 24 Meanwhile, the DYC (R) wound up its week-long relay fast today after getting an assurance from Union Minister for Rural Development CP Joshi for an appropriate action against those responsible for not doing justice with the MGNREGS. The relay fast was organised by the DYC to protest against not giving jobs and proper wages to workers under the MGNREGS. Vikramjit told TNS that the Union minister had asked him to come to Delhi next week with records and a copy of the memorandum submitted to the Punjab Governor. He said the minister assured him that necessary action would be taken in this regard and an inquiry would be conducted. If required, a CBI probe would also be ordered, Joshi assured him. Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) President and Anandpur Sahib MP Ravneet Singh Bittu also visited the site of the relay fast outside the DC office here today. In the meantime, CLP leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal also accused the state government of not properly implementing the
prestigious scheme of the Centre.
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Rice for Central Pool
Jalandhar, August 24 The millers, who held a meeting , said last year the Union Government had given relaxation in the specifications in the case of damaged rice for Ferozepur and Patiala divisions ignoring the Majha and Doaba areas. While in the case of Majha and Doaba rice with damage up to 4 per cent was accepted, in Ferozepur and Patiala divisions rice up to a damage level of 4.75 per cent was accepted for the central pool by the Food Corporation of India. This was because the Union Government had given relaxation in specificiations for the millers of these two divisions. Jai Pal Goyal, a spokesman of the millers of the region, said the state government should insist on a uniform policy with regard to the specifications such as damage percentage for the entire state. By the end of next month, the arrival of paddy would start in various grain markets. The government agencies and millers would start procurement from October 1. The Union Government was urged to exempt rice with pin-point black spots from the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act because the PAU 201 variety with such spots was fit for consumption. This had been proved by tests conducted in various labs. The millers also urged the state government to allow the use of gunny bags lying with millers. He said the bags were in good condition and should be utilised during the coming paddy procurement season. " By allowing the use of such bags, the government will save several crores of rupees", he said. Meanwhile, about 20 lakh tonnes of the existing stock of paddy is yet to be converted into rice in the entire state. Of this, about 4 lakh tonnes is lying with various millers in Majha and Doaba.
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Staff crunch hits hospital functioning
Chandigarh, August 24 The report, released here today, also came down heavily on the functioning of the institution saying the hospital could not even make use of the “meagre” amount of Rs 8.96 crore allocated to it between 2001 and 2010 for purchase of medicines. It said around 33 per cent of this amount remained unspent. The report also claimed, as much as 48 per cent of the user charges collected from patients remained unspent by the hospital authorities. AFDR president and Punjabi University economist Dr Ranjit Singh Ghuman claimed that a number of posts of medical teachers as well as resident doctors remained vacant. He said the Medical Council of India (MCI) had pointed out a shortage of 41 medical teachers and 19 resident doctors in 2009. Dr Ghuman said the government tried to meet this shortage by promoting 21 lecturers but the MCI did not give recognition to this move and again repeated its threat to derecognise the institution. Speaking about the nursing staff, Dr Ghuman said as per MCI norms the hospital and college should have five nursing superintendents, 177 nursing sisters and 767 staff nurses. He said, however, at present there was no nursing superintendent and 137 posts of nursing sister and 611 posts of staff nurse were vacant in the hospital and college. Even few departments in the medical college and hospital are not functioning. Vidhu Sekher Bhardwaj of the AFDR said the Neurology Department was non-functional due to lack of house surgeon as well as senior resident. He said the Endocrinology Department had a specialist but did not have a ward and laboratory. Bhardwaj claimed the AIDS department did not have its own laboratory or operation theatre. He, however, on questioning admitted that the Emergency wing had been modernised and that chemotherapy treatment restarted following efforts of the state government. Meanwhile, the report claimed that the number of OPD patients as well as bed occupancy was on the decline since. It said the bed occupancy had declined from 80 per cent in 1999 to 63 per cent in 2008. Listing its recommendations for the government, the report said all posts of medical teachers; nurses and paramedical staff should be filled as per MCI norms to save derecognition of the institution. It also urged for establishment of two “jan aushadi” shops on the hospital premises, besides demanding a complete revamp of the security and sanitation systems in the hospital and an increased budget for the medical education sector.
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BSF women recruits tie rakhis
Attari, August 24 Attired in traditional clothes, girls from schools, colleges and outside the district also came to tie rakhis to jawans. “Tying of rakhis underlines the message of protecting the honour of motherland and sisters from nefarious designs of invaders and enemies,” said Chawla. Earlier, the minister visited the Dograi War Memorial raised in memory of gallant soldiers of 3 JAT Battalion and tied rakhis to Army men there.
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Forensics to help control animal skin trade
Patiala, August 24 The research will be beneficial in controlling illegal export of dead animal skin and also keep a check of the poachers. In the research, the department will determine the species of an animal with the help of a single hair and will also help in finding out the area from where it has been illegally brought. Also, it will provide all details regarding the history of the animal like what was its age, sex, when and where it was killed etc. Giving information in this regard, Dr Mukesh Thakkar of the Forensic Science Department, said often the Wildlife Department caught poachers selling tiger skin. On getting caught, they claim that this was buffalo skin that was painted as tiger skin. This research will help in nabbing the exporters who befool people and sell fake skins of animals. He further said in most of the cases involving illegal export of animals, if we do not find the body of the dead animal at least a hair of the animal is found on the site. Vivek Mahajan, a student of the department, who did this research on various species of deer, said under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, 129 species come under schedule-1. There is an imprisonment of 3 to 5 years on the export of these species. He said: “Out of these, I have done research on 21 species. The benefit of joining the Wildlife Department was that I could find so many species at a single place. With the help of this research it gets easy to find out the exact species of the deer and also to where it belongs.”
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Runaway couples
Chandigarh, August 24 Appreciating the state’s prompt action, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked it to advertise the existence of protection centres all over the state by placing ads in English and vernacular newspapers. The Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ajay Tewari also directed the state legal services authority of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to “depute a counsel to visit the centre at least thrice a week so as to render legal assistance/ counsel to such couples”. The Bench asked all counsel assisting the court in protecting the life and liberty of runaway couples to put their heads together for devising a mechanism for giving “effect to the directions of the court”. The state of Haryana was also asked to emulate the steps initiated by the state of Punjab “as early as possible”. As the case came up for hearing, the state of Punjab in an affidavit filed by the Punjab Secretary, Home Affairs and Justice, Samir Kumar, said the centres had been set up at Barnala, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Muktsar and Mansa. The centres have also been set up in Mohali, Amritsar, Bathinda, Patiala, Faridkot, Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Jalandhar, Moga, Ropar and Fathegarh Sahib. Punjab has already unveiled its security policy. In the “10 commandments”, the state asserted it would provide protection “to the newly-wed couples, where they fear that their life and property is in danger. Security in such cases may be provided at reasonable cost”. The police has been told not to register false rape and kidnapping cases, and “arrest should be normally deferred till absolutely necessary in such cases. Criminal force should be avoided”. But the police should “strictly deal with cases involving minors”. Taking suo motu cognizance, Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia had earlier made it clear that the high court wanted the state to evolve a "compassionate" mechanism to redress the grievances of the couples, and the parents, and reduce backlog....
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Heroin worth Rs 10 crore seized in Patiala
Patiala, August 24 Talking to TNS, Patiala SSP Ranbir Singh Khatra said around 11.30 am, a special naka was set up on the bridge of Badi Nadi. During checking, Gurnam, who was passing from there on foot, appeared to be suspicious. During a search, cops spotted a bag in Gurnam’s possession containing
the contraband and arrested him. A case under Section 21/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against him at the Patiala Sadar Police Station. Accompanied by SP (Detective) Gurdeep Singh Pannu, DSP (City-II) Satbir Singh Atwal and CIA Incharge Jassa Singh, the SSP said, “From the past sometime, we are receiving reports of narcotic smuggling
in the area and efforts are on to apprehend the accused.” Meanwhile, data procured by TNS from the Punjab Police shows that from January 1 till May 31 this year, recoveries under the NDPS Act stands at Rs 772 crore (approximately). Though state IG (ANTF) RP Meena expressed ignorance about this, sources in the police have given detailed figures that clearly shows that during the above mentioned period of five months, from various narcotics, especially charas, ganja and opium, the seizure of heroin tops
the list. The information also shows that from January up to May end, 2,308 cases were registered under the NDPS Act, which 1,479 cases had been decided. In the cases that have been decided, the conviction rate stood at 72.28 per cent.
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4 hurt as trucks collide
Rajpura, August 24 Both vehicles collided head on near Ganda Kheri village and the cylinders spilled over the road that had lead to chaos and a few minor accidents on the road. The injured were rushed to Rajpura civil hospital from where they were referred to Chandigarh. The driver of the truck loaded with cylinders has been identified as Harvinder Singh of Gopalpura village in Rajpura and the occupants of another truck are Bohar Singh, his son Kirpal Singh residents of Samana and Preetam Singh of Moga. The father son duo said they were going to Zirakpur to buy some construction material. The onlookers said accident could have lead to more casualties in case of cylinder explosion. Traffic got disrupted from 7 am to 1 pm as the accidental trucks lying over the road could not be removed. The police said a case in this regard would be registered after recording statements of the injured and eyewitnesses.
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3 held for killing four of family
Khanna, August 24 As per Khanna SSP Sukhminder Singh Mann, the accused entered the house of Charanjit Kaur, residing in the Satnam Nagar area of Doraha. Besides killing Charanjit, the accused killed her daughter Karamjit Kaur (12), stepson Navdeep (4) and nephew Jassa (16). The SSP said the accused also raped Charanjit and her daughter before killing them. The SSP added that earlier also the accused had murdered Sukhdev Singh (20) over personal enmity. The accused admitted to thrown away the body of Sukhdev on railway tracks. A case has been registered in this regard.
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Top leadership of the SAD and the state Congress have a dig at each other at their respective political conferences organised on the occasion of the historic annual Rakhar Punia fair here today.
Anandpur Sahib, August 24