Chandigarh, August 31
The State Information Commissioner has directed a public information officer (PIO) to get an FIR lodged against his own department for the “destruction” of records.

Taking up an appeal filed by ex-superintending engineer KK Vashisht, State Information Commissioner Jaspal Kaur ordered that the PIO in the office of the Secretary PWD (B&R) not just initiate proceedings for lodging of an FIR for the destroyed records but also provide details to the commission as to who was responsible. Vashisht had filed an appeal on July 23 stating that an incomplete information had been provided to him by the PIO and the first appellant authority. The PIO denied information to Vashisht on the grounds that the file related to his case was not with the secretary’s office and had been destroyed, as the record was 18-year-old.

Vashisth, however, alleged that he was ignored when he was due for promotion and information related to his case had been withheld intentionally and some of it even destroyed.

Stating that a “major objective of the RTI Act, 2005, has been to promote good governance so as to ensure a reasonable degree of accountability and performance in the working of the public authorities,” Jaspal Kaur pointed out that in the course of hearing, it had clearly emerged that the PIO had withheld the record for malafide reasons or “there may be other form of mischief leading to the destruction of records.”

She ordered that the PIO would identify and furnish the details of officials responsible for this on the basis of which action would be initiated against them. She ordered that the PIO fix responsibility and register an FIR and also file an affidavit regarding the non-existence of the record, failing which penal proceedings will be initiated against all those who will be responsible for non-compliance. Roping in the first appellate authority also for not passing any order within 30 days, she directed them to file an explanation to this effect before the next date of hearing.” The case has been adjourned to September 29.

Chandigarh, August 31
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau wants from the PPSC, among other things, original award sheets containing marks awarded by each member and medical specialists to the candidates appearing for medical officers’ selection.

In all, the VB has asked for 18 types of documents from the PPSC. The list of documents was handed over this morning to PPSC counsel, Bar at Law Himmat Singh Shergill, by Punjab Additional Advocate-General Rupinder Singh Khosla.

The list was furnished in pursuance to directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 27. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ajay Tewari had asserted that there was some dispute on the quantum of documents handed over by the petitioner to the VB. As such, the Bench had asked Khosla to hand over a list of documents required by the Vigilance Bureau to the counsel for the petitioner. The state government was also asked to furnish a status report on the inquiry -- interim or final -- after perusing all documents before the next date of hearing -- November 9.

The development is significant, as the HC orders have made it clear that the inquiry into the selection of medical officers is being monitored by it; and has brought the probe directly under its scanner. The orders make it clear that the report has to be based on the documents perused by the agency carrying out the probe.

PPSC chairman Sanjit Kumar Sinha, otherwise also, has been asking for an independent probe by the CBI or a HC judge. The other documents asked by the inspector-general of police-cum-director VB are: “Record pertaining to the requisition by the Health and Family Welfare Department, Punjab, for filling 100 posts of medical officer (general) in 2008” and for filling 212 posts in 2009; copy of rules governing recruitment and the criteria adopted by the PPSC.

The Vigilance also wants record “regarding the constitution of the interview panels, and the criteria for selection of members to the panels and medical specialists.”

New Delhi, August 31
Members of the SAD today stormed the Lok Sabha over the government’s failure to lift from Punjab godowns 40 lakh tonnes of PAU-201. It has 11 per cent higher yield and consumes 20 per cent less water.

Calling the attention of Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to the recommendations of the Food Safety and Standards Association (FSSA) which termed this paddy variety as “damaged”, SAD’s Bathinda MP Harsimrat Badal slammed the government for rejecting the grain which could have fed 50 lakh hungry for a year.

“This is an A grade variety tested by the ICAR which attributed its blackened portion to high iron content. It said the grain was not susceptible to fungal infection. However, the FSSA rejected it saying it was 1 per cent more damaged than what the norms permit. In a country where 70 per cent women are anaemic, PAU-201 could have been a solution,” Harsimrat said, as Akalis and BJP’s Navjot Sidhu stormed the well twice asking the government to lift the grain. Later Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee informally assured action on the front. The SAD told the House that 140 lakh tonne of fresh crop was expected in three weeks and the same would also rot as state godowns were full of PAU-201.

While the Akalis argued that the ICAR gave due clearance to PAU-201 after assessing its benefits, Azad said the samples were under testing at the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad and results were expected by the second week of September.

“About 35 samples have been collected from Barnala, Muktsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Mansa and Moga and sent to the Hyderabad lab for test of toxicity,” he said.

“FCI took 95 samples which were tested as per Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) standards. Nine were not found conforming,” Azad admitted. He said the Indian Council for Medical Research and ICAR were now conducting additional toxicity tests on the variety. Akalis for their part alleged discrimination against SAD-BJP ruled Punjab, saying the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to distribute rotting food grain to the hungry.

Jalandhar, August 31
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa that the Union Agriculture Ministry would examine the issues related to the PAU-201 variety of paddy soon. “I took up this issue with the Prime Minister early this morning,” said Bajwa on phone from Delhi.

There are many issues related to the PAU-201 variety. “I briefed the Prime Minister regarding the problems faced by all, including rice millers, procurement agencies, etc because of this variety,” said Bajwa.

The Food Corporation of the India (FCI) had refused to accept the rice prepared from this variety because it had a high percentage of damaged rice and grains were affected by pin-point sized black spots. On the Punjab government’s insistence, the government procurement agencies and millers had procured the PAU-201 variety last year. Of it about 15 lakh tonne paddy is lying with mills, mostly in the Mansa-Bathinda belt. Besides, five lakh tonne rice prepared from it is also lying with mills.

Bajwa said the Prime Minister was keen to resolve the issue. Recently, a Central team had got samples of this variety from various places to get it re-tested from recognised labs.

Jalandhar, August 31
With barely five days to go before the first-semester examination, thousands of students of Class XII of the Open School category are still waiting to get books, which were to be delivered by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) to students for the preparation of their exams, beginning from September 6.

The authorities of the schools are struggling to get the study material from the depots of the board in the respective districts.

Confirming the delay, MD Sabharwal, President, PSEB Affiliated Schools Association, said not only the books of plus two students, but even the books of a few subjects for the Class X students had yet to be received by the schools.

“We have been reporting the matter to the authorities for the past few days. However, nobody has paid any heed to our requests,” he added.

The board official requesting anonymity also confirmed that the distribution had been held up due to the delay in the publication of the books.

Refuting such claims, DS Dhillon, Chairman, PSEB, said the books had been dispatched to the board’s district depots in time and the school managements were making an unnecessary hue and cry. “There was no delay in printing and distribution. It was rather a fault of the school managements as they hardly collect the books from the district depots,” he claimed.

Ferozepur, August 31
Now, glass pieces have been found in midday meal. The glass pieces were found in the midday meal, which was being served to students of a government primary school, Khalchian Kadim village of this border district, by its Class IV employee. When the glass pieces were found, the food was not served to the students.

Earlier, complaints regarding the presence of other impurities in the mid-day meal in different schools were also witnessed in this district in the past few years.

It is learnt that the matter connected with the presence of glass pieces in the midday meal was raised by the Principal of the school, Gurmeet Kaur, with ADC Basant Garg yesterday. On receiving the complaint, Garg asked Gurmeet Singh Dhillon, Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Ferozepur, to conduct a probe into the complaint.

It is learnt that Dhillon, in his inquiry report, had written that the midday meal, which was being supplied to students, was not hygienic. Garg said though glass pieces were found in the sample of midday meal, which was shown to him by Gurmeet Kaur and other residents of village yesterday, Dhillon in his inquiry report had not clearly mentioned that glass pieces were present in the remaining stock of the midday meal.

He said the supplier of the mid-day meal, which was an NGO was not given an opportunity to explain his position by the inquiry officer. He added that the inquiry report had been sent to the DC.

Attari, August 31
The Pakistan Government repatriated 100 Indian fishermen, including two minors, through the Attari-Wagah joint checkpost (JCP) this evening.

Most of the released fishermen had been languishing in prisons in Pakistan for “illegally” venturing into its territorial waters. Almost all of them were held off the coast of Gujarat.

The authorities released Indian fishermen after its Supreme Court held their detention as unlawful. Subsequently, the Pakistan Government issued orders for the release and repatriation of 442 Indian fishermen. The remaining 342 fishermen are expected to be released soon.

An Indian fisherman, Shamji, said it was difficult to distinguish between Indian and Pakistan waters in the Arabian Sea. He said: “He and other fishermen have undergone sentence for no fault of theirs.”

Majority of the fishermen were of the view that they did not deliberately violate the territorial border of the neighbouring country. They maintained that both nations must evolve a bilateral strategy to swiftly deport fishermen who inadvertently crossed each other’s waters.

Deputy Commander (Pakistan Rangers) Munir Ahmad Khan handed over the fishermen to BSF officials at the JCP.

Chandigarh, August 31
The Punjab government has proposed to change rules in the Punjab Mandi Board Act to ensure that farmers are paid for their produce within seven days of its being sold in the mandis. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has cleared the proposal which is expected to be implemented for the paddy procurement season.

The Financial Commissioner (Development), NS Kang, has called a meeting of commission agents and farmers on September 3 to discuss the modalities and seek their inputs before modifying the rules.

At the meeting, the government functionaries will speak to representatives of various farmer bodies, including the BKU (Lakhowal) and BKU (Rajewal). Representatives of various commission agents’ unions will also be asked for their suggestions.

The matter pertaining to the direct payment to farmers by the procurement agencies has gone to the courts several times with the farmers demanding direct and quick payment, while the commission agents want it otherwise. Punjab expects to procure about 142 lakh tonnes of paddy this season that starts in October.

Though the state government has already announced that it will be unable to implement its move of direct disbursement of cheques towards payment for crops this Kharif season, the focus is now on making quick payments.

As per the proposal to be discussed, the commission agents are expected to forward the forms indicating purchase from the farmers to the procurement agencies the same day of the procurement. The agencies will forward a cheque to the commission agent within two days and the commission agent, in turn, will make the payment to the farmers within the next three days, completing the entire process in seven days. The direct payment to farmers for their crop through cheques is not expected to start before the next Rabi crop.

Patiala, August 31
In order to avoid delay in the clearance of medical bills, the Education Department has come up with a special online software to facilitate its employees. This software will work separately in the primary and secondary wing.

Deputy District Education Officer, Patiala, Harvinder Kaur informed that this system would be functional from September 1. She informed that earlier they used to collect the bills in the office and maintain manual records for each bill, which was really hectic. But, now they would directly make the entries on the computer. Earlier, the DEO had the power to clear a medical bill of less than Rs 5,000 that had now been increased to Rs 50,000.

“It will not only make the process faster, but will certainly reduce work load of both, the office and the teachers,” she added. It is pertinent to mention here that this new software would work on the website of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan. — TNS

Chandigarh, August 31
In a major reshuffle in the Police Department, the state government has ordered transfer and posting of 56 police officials, including 18 district police chiefs, besides posting new Deputy Inspectors in all ranges. Several promotions have also been ordered. Hardeep Singh Dhillon and RP Singh have been promoted Additional Director-General of Police. RP Singh will look after traffic while Hardeep Dhillon will look after the administration.

Among ADGPs, Sanjeev Gupta (Crime), Mohammed Mustafa (Internal Vigilance Cell), Narinder Sharma (Human Rights Commission) and Rajan Gupta (law and order) have been given new postings. RPS Brar (Traffic), Rohit Chaudhary (Operations), Kuldip Singh (Special Narcotics) have been posted as Inspector-Generals.

Yurinder Singh (Ludhiana), Arun Pal Singh (Jalandhar) and AS Chahal (Amritsar) will be the new Deputy Commissioners of Police.

New district police chiefs are Jatinder Singh Aulakh (Ropar), Gursharan Singh (Ludhiana- Rural), GS Randhawa (Faridkot), HS Bhullar (Sangrur), Gurpreet Singh Gill (Patiala), Varinderpal Singh (Gurdaspur), Dinesh Partap Singh (Khanna), Gurdeep Singh (Batala), Gurpreet Singh Toor (Barnala), RS Rakhra (Fatehgarh Sahib), SS Mann (Kapurthala) and K Sharma (Ferozepur).

RP Mittal will be the new Commissioner of the Amritsar police while the present incumbent Varinder Kumar has been made Deputy Inspector-General of the Jalandhar Range.

Rajpura, August 31
While the Rajpura police today booked four people, including BJP Municipal Councillor for inflicting injuries on Additional Drug Controller, Punjab, on Monday, it has failed to take action in the instance of irate chemists blocking the Patiala-Rajpura road and holding traffic on ransom.

However, neither any arrests have been made nor the police have initiated action against those unscrupulous elements who blocked road for nearly three hours trying to hamper ongoing raids. A team of four drug inspectors headed by Additional Drug Controller from Chandigarh Pradeep Mattu raided these shops on a tip off yesterday.

Mattu said the shops of accused brothers were raided last year also and illegal material worth lakhs was seized. “The accused have continued their malpractices unabated and instead try to pressurise officials using cheap tactics. We will not allow this trade of selling abused drugs causing harm to common man,” he said.

Drugs worth Rs 2.5 lakh were recovered from two unlicensed go-downs and 35 types of allopathic drugs were also seized from shops yesterday.

Alleging bias, the ‘influential’ chemist shop owners beat up the official and also blocked the Rajpura-Patiala road at Tahli Wala Chowk. The agitators raised slogans against Controller and Drug Inspectors and also burnt tyres to block traffic on this busy stretch.

Harried commuters cursing the agitators have to take longer routes to reach their desired destinations. “Its hooliganism and nobody stops them. Such incidents are reported every third day, but nobody dares to stop them. Even the police and SDM remain mute spectators to such illegal acts,” said Sudesh Kumar, a resident of Bhung Mohalla.

“Agitators took commuters at ransom and disrupted business activities in market, but officials did not dare to initiate any action due to fear of political bosses, as agitators have always been associated with one political party or the other. Most of the times, they have links with the ruling parties,” said Anil Kumar, a shopkeeper in the city.

Rajpura SDM Gurtej Singh claimed that a case would be registered against the agitators soon. Rajpura city SHO Bikramjeet Singh Brar said Municipal Councillor Lajpat Rai Chappu, his brothers Jagdish Kumar, Ramesh Chander and Naveen Kumar, all owners of different chemist shops in the city, have been booked for attacking Mattu under various Sections of the IPC.