Honour Killing?
Man found dead on railway line
Sangrur, August 30
A man in his mid-20s was found dead on the rail tracks in Dhuri area here late yesterday evening. The police today said that it suspected the case to be an honour killing after the deceased’s family alleged that the kin of the girl he married last month had killed him.

COMMUNITY

18 grenades found in Fazilka village
Fazilka, August 30
As many as 18 live grenades were found when a farmer, Surinder Singh, was digging up the watercourse passing through his fields in Rampura village on the Fazilka-Abohar road yesterday.

Chandigarh, August 30
The ongoing tussle within the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party alliance seems to have been resolved much to the satisfaction of the BJP.Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has assured the BJP high command of releasing adequate funds for development of urban constituencies with BJP political interests. BJP’s Punjab in charge Yashwant Sinha, who met Badal over dinner last night, announced, “The issue has been resolved to the satisfaction of the BJP.

” The CM has assured release of Rs 800 crore over two years, but said that the grant would be part of a development package for the state being prepared by the government.

Sinha’s visit to the state became imperative after the BJP state leadership voiced its disillusionment with its alliance partner and accused it of “ignoring the BJP vote bank and diverting all developmental funds to rural areas”. The BJP had termed the lopsided distribution of developmental funds as “betrayal of trust” and accused the SAD of not fulfilling its “coalition dharma”.

Party insiders, however, say that Badal was initially reluctant to accede to the BJP’s demand but relented on Sinha’s persuasion. Sinha while commenting on what transpired between him and Badal said, “The SAD has fulfilled its coalition dharma and we are satisfied with it. The finer details about grants are being worked out and will be known over the next few days.”

Sinha, however, hinted that the BJP would accept the development package for the whole state as a solution since “the BJP was for development of the entire states and it had an obligation for all people of Punjab, irrespective of urban or rural habitation”. The bureaucrat-turned-politician wriggled out of the situation saying he was yet to go into details of issues since he was made BJP’s Punjab in-charge only recently.

Sensing the mood of the SAD leadership, Sinha said that the SAD had agreed to their demand but desisted from making an immediate announcement. “The SAD-BJP alliance is a durable alliance. We value this alliance that extends to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the national level. Both parties understand each other’s importance and are working to further strengthen it (the alliance). The situation should not be taken as a defeat or victory for any side as in an alliance both win or both lose.”

Sangrur, August 30
A man in his mid-20s was found dead on the rail tracks in Dhuri area here late yesterday evening. The police today said that it suspected the case to be an honour killing after the deceased’s family alleged that the kin of the girl he married last month had killed him.

A police official investigating the death said that Raja Ram and Manjeet Kour were neighbours in Ubhewaal village. They fell in love but belonged to different castes -- she was from the Ramdasia sect while Raja Ram was a Majhbi Sikh. Last month, Raja Ram married Manjeet against the wishes of her family. After the wedding, the couple moved into rented accommodation here. On August 27, Raja Ram went to the market to buy vegetables but never returned.

Fearing that Raja Ram may have been kidnapped by Manjeet’s uncle and others, his father, Hari Ram, reported the matter to the police. The police registered a case of kidnapping against Manjeet’s uncle, Satpal, and his accomplices Zora Singh and Gagandeep Singh and began investigations.

In the meantime, the Dhuri Railway Police found Raja Ram’s body on the tracks. Initial investigations revealed that his body was thrown on the tracks after he was killed. Further investigations are on and a case of murder and kidnapping has been registered.

Meanwhile, Manjeet Kour today sought police protection fearing a threat to her life before leaving for Ubhewaal village to perform Raja Ram’s last rites. 

Rajpura, August 30
Raids conducted by the Health Department on drug stores turned ugly this evening when medical store owners started beating up Additional Drug Controller (ADC), Chandigarh, Pradeep Mattu.

Mattu was taken to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, with multiple injuries. He lodged a complaint with the police against four persons, namely Lajpat Rai Chappu, Jagdish Kumar, Ramesh Chander and Naveen Kumar, owners of medical stores.

Chapu is also a municipal councillor of ward No. 25 in Rajpura and is a chemist in Jawahar Market. Mattu alleged that the accused druggists had beaten him up in one of their shops situated in the trunk market area when he, along with other drug inspectors, was conducting raids.

He alleged that the accused first manhandled him and later attacked with fists and kicks. He received injuries on his nose, arms and other body parts.

He said they seized many habit-forming drugs from Jagdish Medical Hall situated in Trunk Market when suddenly the store owner attacked him without any provocation.

Alleging bias, the chemists, whose stores were raided, tried to block the Patiala-Rajpura road. Drug inspectors from Ropar, Jalandhar, Mohali, Faridkot and member of Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance DIG Paramjjit Singh Gill (retd) were also present.

Drugs worth ` 2.5 lakh from two unlicensed premises and 35 types of allopathic drugs were seized. The Jagdish Medical Hall and Naveen Medical Hall were raided and their unauthorised go-downs were unearthed.

Director Punjab Health Services, Chandigarh, Dr JP Singh said a strict legal action would be taken against culprits and a drive against the illegal sale of drugs would not be deterred by such mischievous attempts.

Dr JP Singh and civil surgeon, Patiala, Dr Sham Lal Mahajan and assistant civil surgeon Dr Parshotam Dass Goyal met Mattu in the hospital.

Rajpura SHO Bikramjeet Singh Brar said the statement of the victims had been recorded and a case would be registered against the accused.

Chandigarh, August 30
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who publicly calls the alliance between Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party as one between husband and wife, has once again shown that the SAD always has the last word.

Though the BJP has claimed that the differences between the two had been resolved to its satisfaction, Badal, by withholding details of the settlement, has succeeded in conveying that SAD won’t be bullied by its alliance partner.

On the other hand, the BJP rank and file is disappointed as nothing tangible has come out of the meeting between Yashwant Sinha, BJP’s in-charge for Punjab, and PS Badal. Other than verbal assurances, there is little to help soothe the bruised ego of the BJP leadership, which feels that they are not being given equal share in running the affairs of the state.

The senior BJP leadership feels that SAD is unwilling to accept the fact that “without the support of the BJP, the SAD would have had to sit on the Opposition benches”. This, BJP claims, is not only true for the current Punjab Vidhan Sabha, but a likely scenario for the future as well.

The SAD leadership, on the other hand, is trying to emphasise the point that the BJP had absolutely no chance of being on the Treasury Benches but for this alliance. Some SAD leaders also feel that the BJP already has a greater share in state affairs than its electoral strength permits.

After the initial honeymoon following the 2007 General Election, the SAD has been viewing the BJP as an “obstacle” in running state affairs. This is apparent from the fact that despite being in the government, the BJP has had to struggle for over three years to force a commitment out of the SAD leadership.

Large amounts of funds from the local bodies department, headed by a BJP leader, have been diverted for the development of SAD constituencies without the BJP leader’s knowledge. When the BJP protested, they were initially ignored. Even when the SAD relented, it did not want to show that it had succumbed to pressure. So, funds would now be released for the BJP constituencies as part of a developmental package for the state.

Fazilka, August 30
As many as 18 live grenades were found when a farmer, Surinder Singh, was digging up the watercourse passing through his fields in Rampura village on the Fazilka-Abohar road yesterday.

Sources said three grenades were found when he was deepening the watercourse and 15 were found in the presence of BSF officials, who reached the spot after getting information in this regard.

Earlier, a live bomb was found in fields of Amar Singh, a resident of Hussainiwala village of Ferozepur district, on January 26 when he along with labourers was levelling 
the same.

GL Meena, Commandant (51 Battalion of the BSF), said from the physical examination of these grenades, it was suspected that these belonged to the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. The box in which these grenades were packed was also found but it was damaged beyond recognition.

He said the explosive material had been handed over to the police and as it was a police case, there was no need of conducting a probe into it by the BSF authorities.

Fazilka DSP Karamjit Singh said the grenades had been taken into possession and a case under the Explosive Act had been registered at the Sadar police station.

Bathinda, August 30
In violation of the land laws, vast stretches of agricultural land are being converted into concrete jungles in Bathinda and Mansa districts by setting up residential colonies for labourers who have been engaged for constructing large-scale industrial and other units.

The change in land use is mostly being done without obtaining permission from the state government. Ironically, the revenue authorities have failed to take action against those violating the law.

These places in the Malwa belt have become a hub of migrant labour as industrial houses are stepping into this so far untapped area to set up their units.

About 45,000 skilled and unskilled labourers are at present engaged in constructing two major units, the refinery of LN Mittal near Rama Mandi and the thermal power plant of the Vedanta group at Banawala. These units will cost more than Rs 28,000 crore.

Although the construction activity related to the two units has brought prosperity in the surrounding villages, the residential colonies and shopping complexes that are mushrooming around have eaten up green fields.

Several colonies and shops have sprung up on agricultural land at Banawala where property prices have suddenly risen. Agricultural land owners were now permitting the building of colonies and shops on a lease basis. An acre that was earlier available for seasonal cropping for around Rs 5,000 per acre can now be had for building concrete structures on a lease of over Rs 3 lakh per annum after a good deal of negotiations.

The influx of labour has led to other problems.Two incidents of violence and arson by labourers were recently witnessed in the refinery.

There has also been a significant increase in vehicular traffic as hundreds of trucks carrying building material, machinery and equipment come to these units every day.

Jalandhar, August 30
Farmers today accused actor-producer Aamir Khan of rubbing salt into their wounds by trivialising the issue of farmer suicides in his recently released film, ‘Peepli Live’.“Suicides in the farm sector are a very serious issue, but handling of the issue in the film has hurt the farm community. 

The film has nothing with regard to farmer suicides,” said Bharti Kisan Union president Balbir Singh Rajewal. “I have watched the film and was shocked to find that Aamir Khan has tried to make fun of farmer suicides,” he said.

Rajewal said that the film’s main protagonist Natha, a poor farmer, is shown to be acting out his own suicide. The film shows politicians and TV channels cashing in on Natha’s condition to suit themselves and boost TRPs.

“Farmer suicides are a sad reality and not a drama, as shown in the film. Aamir Khan apparently wanted to show the electronic media, politicians and bureaucrats in bad light but he should not have used the sensitive issue of farmer suicides to do so,” said Rajewal. “Aamir should have visited families of farmers who committed suicides in Sangrur, Vidarbha and Andhra’s cotton belt,” he added.

Rajewal said that the film appeared to show both the farmers and media in poor light. “In the days to come, we will be making fun of ‘Peepli Live’ at all our rallies,” he said.

Chandigarh, August 30
The state government has decided to replace all streetlights in large municipal areas across the state with less energy consuming lamps. Sources in the Department of Local Government said the project would involve the installation, running and maintenance of low energy streetlights by a private company in areas that were under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporations.

The company would also pay the electricity bill that it would then raise from the corporations. Since the electricity consumption of energy-efficient bulbs is almost 50 per cent of the installed streetlights, the company intends to earn profit from the differential saving and then give a share of the profit to the corporation.

For instance, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation spends about Rs 10 crore per billing cycle for streetlighting. When sodium vapour lights that are currently under use are replaced with energy- efficient LED bulbs, the bill is expected to go down by 50 per cent. Whatever is saved as the electricity bill is to be shared by the corporation and the company in a 20: 80 ratio.

The private company will have to pay for all hardware and software required to run the system and it will have to ensure 100 per cent illumination.

Sources add that the company would be chosen through a process of competitive biding from among those empanelled as energy saving companies (ESCOs) by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India.

“These companies are supposed to not just install and maintain streetlights but also run them intelligently. Since the system is computerised, the lighting and its intensity can also be managed by the installer company. To save energy, the company can, for instance, light up every second streetlight in the evening when the sun has still not set and then shift to an all lights mode for the night. Also these companies ensure that there are very few losses in transmission,” said an official in the Local Government Department.

The pilot project is expected to be launched soon in Jalandhar, the constituency of Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia.

Ludhiana, August 30
Unemployed students of agriculture from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Ludhiana, Brijindra College, Faridkot, and Khalsa College, Amritsar, have decided to launch a statewide agitation against the state government for its alleged failure to absorb them in government departments against vacant posts.

Representing 2,000 unemployed graduates and postgraduates in agriculture from PAU and the colleges in Faridkot and Amritsar, a delegation of the PAU Students’ Association (PAUSA) today gave a memorandum to state Agricultural Minister SS Langah.

The delegation, led by PAUSA president Ravinder Randhawa, met the minister during his visit to PAU today and demanded to fill vacant posts in the Agriculture, Horticulture and Soil Conservation Departments.

Randhawa said, “Posts in the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture and Soil Conservation are lying vacant since 1999. We will launch the agitation by September 15 if the government failed to ensure jobs for them.”

“We will also meet the Deputy CM and the Finance Minister on September 1,” PAUSA’s media adviser Vivek Pal Singh said. Langah after listening to the delegation said 150 posts of agriculture development officer in the state would soon be advertised. — TNS

Ropar, August 30
The Transport Department has cancelled the proposal of setting up a bus stand at Transport Nagar here. Instead, the department has given a nod for constructing the new bus stand at the place where the old one exists.

In June, a meeting was convened under Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal. Lal formed a committee under transport director Mandeep Singh to hunt for possible sites for the new bus stand. It was proposed that the bus stand be constructed in the Transport Nagar area, however, the committee turned down the proposal.

According to the committee, the transport nagar site has many flaws. High-tension wires pass overhead the site and simultaneously, it is situated about five km away from the main city.

Even the level of transport nagar is lower than that of the main Chandigarh-Ropar road. The site is also situated quite far from the roadways’ workshop situated opposite to Nehru Stadium.

“This would mean losses to the roadways department as buses will have to cover a long distance to reach the workshop,” an employee said.

Furthermore, the sites allotted to the present shopkeepers are owned on commercial pattern. For setting up a bus stand at Transport Nagar, the government would have ended up giving a large amount as compensation to these shopkeepers.

Sources said the work on the bus stand was expected to begin soon at the present site, opposite to Nehru Stadium, at a cost of about ` 8 crore.

Patiala, August 30
The Sikh Students’ Federation (SSF) today observed the “International Day of the Disappeared” and voiced its concern about the plight of those who had gone missing in Punjab during mid 80s to 90s.

SSF leaders alleged that in Punjab, thousands of young Sikhs who were picked up by the police during militancy were still missing. “The records available with various cremation grounds of Punjab show that the bodies of thousands, mostly young Sikhs, were burnt as unclaimed or unidentified,” SSF president Paramjit Singh Gazi said. He claimed that the Supreme Court had directed the National Human Rights Commission to award compensation to families of 2,097 persons, illegally cremated in Amritsar district. 

Chandigarh, August 30
More than two years after the Punjab and Haryana High Court reversed its own committees' recommendations and placed at least 31 PCS (Judicial) officers back in the judgement seat, the Supreme Court has refused to interfere in the matter.

A three-judge Bench of the High Court had ordered the reinstatement of the petitioner-officers belonging to the 1998, 1999 and 2000 batches. Soon after the passing of the orders on the judicial side, the high court on the administrative side decided to move the apex court against the directions.

Deciding on March 18 the special leave petition filed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, the three-judge Bench of Justice Deepak Verma, Justice B.S. Chauhan and Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan refused to overturn the orders. In response, the high court again moved the apex court for review.

Taking up the review petitions, the same Bench of the Supreme Court asserted: “Having gone through the review petitions and the connected papers, we do not find any ground to review the order. The review petitions are accordingly dismissed”.

Nearly six years after the "first committee" recommended the termination of officers belonging to 1998-2001 batches subsequent to the unearthing of the alleged Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) scam, the three-judge Bench of the High Court on May 27, 2008, ordered the reinstatement of the petitioners before it. All appointments were made during the tenure of the then PPSC Chairman, Ravinderinder Singh Sidhu.
The Bench, comprising Chief Justice Vijender Jain, Justice H.S. Bhalla and Justice Rajesh Bindal, had ruled: "The petitioners in respect of 1998, 1999 and 2000 batches are ordered to be reinstated".

Going into the background of the matter, the Bench had observed that the Full Court, at a meeting held on May 25, 2002, passed a resolution, constituting a committee of four judges "in light of the disturbing reports appearing in the Press and the electronic media, containing allegations against certain judges of this court and their wards". The committee observed that the awards given to them could not be justified. On August 12, 2002, the Full Court accepted the committee's report and recommended the termination of the officers belonging to all four batches. Speaking for the Bench, Justice Bhalla had ruled: “There is nothing on record which could spell out that the entire selection process of the 1998 batch was vitiated on account of mala fides of biasness…

It is ipso facto clear that even after boarding a sinking ship, the petitioners have been able to sail through the stormy winds raised by the committee of Judges of this court on the administrative side on the platform of suspicion. As such, the bread of the petitioners is required to be revived on the judicial side.”