FROM ONE SADHU TO ANOTHER: A sadhu pays tributes to Mahatma Gandhi in Jalandhar on Saturday. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Pollution board raids 6 factories
Patiala, October 2
Giving momentum to its surprise checking campaign, two teams of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) raided six large industrial units in Dera Bassi. After receiving complaints that industrial units were creating pollution and not adhering to the prescribed pollution norms, the raids were conducted by the Board yesterday. Under the supervision of the Senior Environmental Engineer Pardeep Gupta, the PPCB teams, headed by environmental engineers Nazar Singh Manshahia and Rakesh Nayar, raided three industrial units each. During checking, it came to light that M/s M.K.

Dasuya (Hoshiarpur), October 2
It has been 17 years since the Kandi canal has been taking water from the foothills of Talwara to the sub- mountainous terrain in this area, which is bereft of ground water. Farmers living along the 60-km stretch of the canal, built at a cost of Rs 145 crore, got water for irrigating their fields for around one year after the project became fully operational in 1993. They have been waiting for water since then.

This is because of two reasons. One, the Kandi canal is not able to take even the designated 500 cusecs of water allocated to it. In fact only 100 cusecs of water is flowing in the canal despite plentiful of it being available in the Pong dam. Large-scale destruction of canal lining and its bed means that filling it with any more water will result in an overflow and instant breaches.

The second reason why farmers are not getting any water is the fact that all the 661 km of watercourses, which were laid to take water from the canal heads to the fields of the farmers, have fallen into disrepair.

Only a small number of farmers whose fields lie along the canal during its first 3-km stretch are able to draw some water. Most of the water of the canal goes waste forming marshes in some areas and causing seepage in houses in villages situated close to it. However, all farmers have to pay abiyana (water cess) for the water they never consume.

It’s a living hell, says Ranjit Singh of Biso chak village. Ranjit says their village, which is 1.5 km from the canal, never got any water despite the fact that watercourses were laid to all their fields. The Tribune team saw water overflowing and forming a marsh in the Panwan distributory of the canal. The adjoining fields were parched. At Badla village, Paramjit Singh showed water gushing out from the floors of houses in the village. This, he said, was due to large-scale leaking of water from the canal.

Dasuya BJP legislator Amarjit Singh Sahi said water was seeping into houses along the canal due to the fact that gravel had been used as filling at many places instead of good earth. He said similarly watercourses, which were supposed to take water to the fields of farmers, were not built according to the contour of the land besides the extremely poor quality of construction.

Sahi has another problem on his hands. Some farmers whose lands are close to the canal lift water from it using pipes. This is considered as theft and Irrigation Department officials cut pipes of such farmers during checks. Sahi says farmers have no option, as the government is not able to provide them water. “I will always side with the farmers on this issue,” he says, adding that the government had failed in its duty towards farmers.

Irrigation Superintending Engineer DS Kohli, when questioned, admitted that the canal bed and lining needed rehabilitation and that silting had clogged its siphons. The SE said all the water courses were in a state of disrepair.

Kandi canal chief engineer Hussan Lal says a scheme is being made to rehabilitate the first 20 km of the canal falling in Dasuya constituency as well as water courses along this stretch at a cost of around Rs 25 crore.

However, even if this comes about, it will leave another 40 km left to cover. This is essential as the government is on the verge of completing stage two of the project, which will extend the canal from the present 60 km length to 190 km. How the canal will feed the second phase unless it is completely rehabilitated is anybody’s guess.

Jalandhar, October 2
It is not dengue but viral fever of a particular type that is creating trouble for the state Health Department. As many as 206 cases in this city and 138 in other parts of the state were confirmed suffering from this fever till yesterday.

Viral fever has become an enigma for the medical fraternity. Nearly 4,000 cases of it have been reported to the local Civil Hospital in the past five weeks. The medical fraternity has no clear answer whether virus causing this fever is transmitted through some vector bite or some airborne virus causes it. The reason: Virus causing such type of fever during which platelet count goes down tremendously has not been isolated, identified and named so far.

“We are worried on its spread,” said Dr Devinder Singh, a pathologist, who is dealing with such cases. About dengue, all doctors are clear, as it is caused due to mosquito bite that means it is transmitted through a vector bite and platelet count of dengue patients goes downs because the virus in such cases attacks blood cells and bone morrow.

But no one is certain about viral fever. What puzzles doctors is that platelet count also goes down in non-confirmed dengue patients, who are called as viral fever cases. Of the 4,000 patients, the platelet count of 2,000 was found very low though only 206 cases of them have been confirmed as dengue cases.

Many non-dengue cases were also administered platelets but in case of some other patients, platelet count went up in due course. After Jalandhar, Ludhiana is the worst hit.

Doctors said they had also posed questions regarding this fever to experts in the PGI. “But we did not get any definite answer from them,” said a senior doctor here.

The other major concern is to find out that this fever is contagious or not. Doctors here have discussed the proposal that non-dengue cases should be sent back to reduce rush in hospitals.

Meanwhile, Director (Health Services) Dr JP Singh yesterday confirmed that five persons had died of suspected dengue so far in the state. He said the government would consider the proposal to provide free treatment to dengue patients at it is a costly treatment and the poor could not afford it.

Chandigarh, October 2
The Centre is willing to absorb almost half of Punjab’s debt burden of Rs 71,000 crore if the state levies fresh taxes and cuts subsidies.

The state pays out Rs 8,000 crore annually as interest on the debt.

The conditions, which run contrary to the politics of populism played by the ruling Akali Dal-BJP combine as well as the Congress, are aimed at introducing fiscal discipline in the state.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal read out only one condition of capping the power subsidy in the Assembly yesterday and it met with silence in the House. The MLAs were not enthused.

The Centre wants the state to phase out the power subsidy -- which came to Rs 3,100 crore before the power board was unbundled recently -- in the next five years.

It also requires the state to hike the irrigation water charges so that the state losses on this count are erased. The state at present loses Rs 700 crore for subsidising irrigation water.

Another Central condition bars premature withdrawals from the provident fund. The state employees are allowed access to their PF money for a ward’s marriage or buying a house. Such withdrawals currently amount to about Rs 1,000 crore.

Reading out the fourth condition to TNS on the telephone today, Manpreet Badal said the Centre had suggested the introduction of property tax in Punjab.

The auditing of the local bodies, he said, was currently done at the local level. The Centre says it should be done by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

There is a condition that the state must introduce change-in-land-use (CLU) charges to boost income from urban development. The state government must raise at least Rs 100 crore from this tax in the next five years. Given the realty boom in the state, this is possible.

The Centre has also suggested reforms in the road transport, which means additional burden on the travelling public. This is necessary to restore the financial health of Punjab Roadways and the PRTC.

The state government has been asked to bring various collections made by boards and other government agencies under the Consolidated Fund. This will streamline the state revenue and curb impulsive or politically motivated handouts.

There are some other smaller conditions. But all these, says an enthusiastic Manpreet Badal, are reasonable and can get the state a debt relief of Rs 30,000 crore to 35,000 crore.

“For such a sum, the Punjab MLAs should be willing to sign on the dotted line. The Centre will not take away the money to be raised by new measures. And it is not an open-ended offer. We will have to act fast,” said Manpreet Badal.

Patiala, October 2
Giving momentum to its surprise checking campaign, two teams of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) raided six large industrial units in Dera Bassi. After receiving complaints that industrial units were creating pollution and not adhering to the prescribed pollution norms, the raids were conducted by the Board yesterday. Under the supervision of the Senior Environmental Engineer Pardeep Gupta, the PPCB teams, headed by environmental engineers Nazar Singh Manshahia and Rakesh Nayar, raided three industrial units each. During checking, it came to light that M/s M.K. Overseas was complying with the pollution norms of the Board.

The effluent treatment plant and air pollution control devices at the unit were found operational”, said PPCB member secretary Dr. Babu Ram.

Though Board officials did not divulge the name of other industrial units that were raided but Dr Ram stated that sample of the other five industrial units have been collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis. “In case the sample report goes against the pollution norms of the Board, we will not only make the names of these units public but would also initiate action against the erring industries”, he said, while appealing to the industrialists of Punjab to cooperate with the PPCB and adhere to all the pollution norms. “The industries should understand that it is very important to make the rivers, drains and other water bodies of Punjab pollution free in order to build a green, healthy and nature-friendly Punjab for future generations. Hence, all the industrial units of Punjab must comply with the guidelines laid by the PPCB with respect to various types of pollution”, he added.

Phagwara, October 2
Tension prevailed in the town when agitating ITI teachers belonging to the ITI Instructors Union, who were demonstrating in support of their demands in Phagwara Town Hall, attempted to proceed towards the local residence of Technical Education Minister Swarana Ram and the police prevented them in town hall this afternoon.

The tug of war between the civil administration and the agitating ITI teachers continued for more than three hours. While Phagwara SDM Amarjit Pal and SP Kamaljit Singh Dhillon kept on trying to persuade the teachers to hold a peaceful rally and submit their memorandum, the agitators remained adamant on marching towards the minister’s residence.

After a long altercation, the protesters were allowed to submit their memorandum to the local authorities in the local rest house, but the protesters led by ITI Instructors Union, Punjab, president Jarnail Singh and general secretary Kanwar Naunihal Singh, went to the national highway and first burnt the effigy of the state government and then went to the rest house.

SDM Pal later talked to the media adviser, Daljit Singh Cheema, who assured the agitators of inviting them for talks with the CM on Monday. Their demands include regularisation of services of 580 ad hoc ITI teachers.

Fatehgarh Sahib, October 2
Rice millers of Fatehgarh Sahib have unanimously decided not to purchase paddy from the open market this season.

Press secretary of the association Nakesh Jindal said in a press note that a meeting of millers was organised at Bassi Pathana under the chairmanship of Inderjeet Singh Sandhu.

More than 80 rice millers from Amloh, Mandi Gobindgarh, Charnarthal Kalan, Sirhind, Chunni Kalan, Badali Kalan and Bassi Pathana participated in the meeting.

Besides rejecting the purchase of paddy, millers also decided not to store custom milled paddy till the government did not accept their genuine demands, including creation of more storage space, Jindal said.

Godowns hired by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) faced acute shortage of space at Fatehgarh Sahib, where rice was supposed to be delivered by rice millers.

In view of increase in electricity charges, labour and other production costs, the rice millers have also demanded increase in milling price from Rs 15 to Rs 50 per quintal.

Mohali, October 2
The Punjab Government Pensioners Association has expressed resentment over the notification issued by the Punjab Government, wherein it has promised to pay the arrears of 43 months in three years. At its meeting held here, the association demanded that the government should review the notification and pay the arrears by November.

It also thanked MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu for taking up the problems being faced by pensioners in the Vidhan Sabha.

The meeting was attended by association chairman Raghbir Singh Sidhu, president Karam Singh Dhanoa, general secretary Mohan Singh, senior vice-president Sudagar Singh Garewal and finance secretary Santokh Singh.

Later, the general secretary said a meeting of the pensioners had been convened on October 7 at Rose Garden, Phase 3B1, Mohali, at 4 pm to discuss future course of action.

Patiala, October 2
After a gap of over four years, Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne Prince Charles and his wife Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles will visit Patiala on October 4.

Earlier, the British royals had visited Patiala on March 27, 2006, when Capt Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister of the state. However, this time they would be on a private visit to the New Moti Bagh Palace, the residence of Capt Amarinder Singh and his wife Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs. Capt Amarinder Singh, who himself is from the erstwhile royal family of Patiala, would host a dinner for the royal couple.

The British royal couple will be the state guest. While Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles will reach Patiala by air at 3.30 pm, Prince Charles will arrive at 5.30 pm. Information and Public Relations Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, along with Patiala Divisional Commissioner GS Grewal, IG PS Gill, DIG Jatinder Jain, Deputy Commissioner Dipinder Singh, SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill and Patiala Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli will receive Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles at the Patiala aerodrome. After being accorded formal welcome by these dignitaries, the Duchess will head straightaway to the New Moti Bagh Palace.

“It is completely a private visit. As per schedule, Prince Charles would reach Patiala at 5.30 pm. The dignitaries, who will receive Duchess of Cornwall, would be there to welcome Prince Charles as well,” said Patiala DC Dipinder Singh.

Capt Amarinder Singh’s family is not willing to share any details about the visit of Prince Charles. However, hectic preparations are reportedly on at the New Moti Bagh Palace for the royal couple’s visit and selected guests have been invited for the dinner.

Meanwhile, the Patiala police has already made elaborate security arrangements for the visit of the British royal couple. SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill said elaborate security arrangements were in place. “Quick response teams have been constituted and would be deployed at important points along the route to be adopted for taking the guests to the New Moti Bagh Palace. The teams will also be deputed along an alternative route. The security has also been tightened at sensitive places in the city,” he added.

Naroor (Phagwara), October 2
This is the village worth emulating for others in the state. Having a population of 6,000, this village was in celebration mode the other day. It got what it was trying hard for over the past some years. The State Bank of Patiala opened its branch in the village.

“We had all facilities - civil dispensary, government school, college, post office - but there was no bank, which we needed most because about 800 persons from the village are settled in the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, who used to send money to their relatives in the village,” said Kamaljit Kaur, sarpanch of the village.

But these are not the only achievements of the village where people have been constantly making collective efforts to improve the standard of living. Its most admirable achievements include the pooling of Rs 85 lakh, to better the living conditions.

“We have prepared a project worth Rs 3.12 crore for drinking water, sewer, pavements of streets and cremation ground.

Residents of the village would contribute Rs 85 lakh and the remaining amount would be provided by the state government,” said Rashpal Singh, a nambardar of the village.

“We have already given Rs 50 lakh to the Village Life Infrastructure Foundation, an organisation that has prepared the project and is handling the task of laying sewer etc,” he added. The government has so far contributed Rs 55 lakh.

“Keeping in view the environmental factors, we have spent Rs 15.41 lakh to built a gas-based cremation ground. In due course, use of wood would be stopped and gas be used to cremate bodies as it would be less polluting,” said Avtar Singh, who is overseeing the implementation of various phases of the project. Sewer has been laid and pavement of streets has begun.

“We are not using bricks but modern concrete tiles for the pavement of streets. We have also brought a machine from Delhi for the proper compaction of streets before pavement,” he claimed.

The village would spend Rs 34.90 lakh to provide quality drinking water to its inhabitants.

Motivation for bettering the living conditions came from Brig Joginnder Singh Jaswal (retd), who belongs to the village. Though he lives at Jalandhar, his love for the native village is intact. Other person is Shiv Singh, who lives in Calgary. Of the Rs 85 lakh pooled by inhabitants of the village, its NRI sons and daughters have contributed Rs 75 lakh. Shiv Singh has been collecting money from NRIs and passing on to the village panchayat. “We salute him for his spirit to serve his native village,” said Avtar Singh.

Samadh Bhai (Moga), October 2
A day after having got a clean chit by the Mohali court in the disproportionate case registered against him and his family, Chief Minister Parkash Singh paid obeisance at Nanaksar Thath Gurdwara at Samadh Bhai here today and vowed to end vendetta politics in the state.

The CM, who came here early in the morning, attended the prayer ceremony organised on the eve of the 45th death anniversary of Sant Ishar Singh and held a meeting with Sant Gurdev Singh, the head of the gurdwara.

Talking to mediapersons, Badal vowed to end vendetta politics in the state. “It’s my long experience in the political life that nothing comes out of such cases,” he said.

Appealing to his political opponents without naming former CM Captain Amarinder Singh to cooperate in ending politics of vendetta, Badal said politicians of all parties should come out of personal issues and put in joint efforts to cleanse the politics, which was the need of the hour.

The CM reiterated that he and his family would withdraw all cases of defamation registered against Capt Amarinder Singh but skipped from saying anything whether criminal cases filed by the Vigilance Bureau under his tenure against the former CM would also be withdrawn or not.

He further said his government was committed to provide jobs to the unemployed youth. “We have provided jobs to over 50,000 persons so far in our tenure and will continue to fill up the backlog of jobs in various departments”, he said.

Chandigarh, October 2
The just concluded session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha was short and devoid of anything that can be termed as exceptional. Yet the four sessions that saw legislative and non-official business were very significant for Punjab in many ways. Unfortunately, the overall fall in the standard of debate should come as a cause for concern to all Punjabis.

Clearly, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has not only emerged as the “man of the match” on account of his handling of the Opposition and presenting his government’s achievements but his performance on the floor should put all speculation about his succession to rest - at least for the time being.

The Congress, which had initially put the SAD-BJP alliance to worry by forcing a debate on issues concerning the state, could not corner the government on any issue. On the contrary, Badal showing political acumen managed to document all his government has done in the past three-and-a-half years in the Vidhan Sabha records for posterity.

The only time the Congress showed some guts was in the form of walkout when it came to passing the Punjab Special Security Group Bill, 2010. This was one of the 22 Bills that was passed, without much debate, in about two hours spread across two sessions on different days. The Bill, now an Act, gives sweeping powers to the police to arrest or detain people without recourse to law. Adopted from similar legislation from the other states, but in drafting the Act, important safeguards to prevent misuse have been omitted.

Some significant resolutions that were adopted by the House include impressing upon the Centre to take up with Pakistan the issue of building a corridor between Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district and Kartarpur (Pakistan). The House also saw the tabling of what has jokingly come to be known as the “Scotch Committee Report”. As was expected, the report has nothing significant to offer.

This was the first time that former CM Captain Amarinder Singh was present in the House after his expulsion from the House was set aside by the Supreme Court. He had been expelled from the House two years ago on the recommendation of a House committee, but it did not stand legal scrutiny. Though Amarinder tried to display his “charm” in the House and he did succeed to a point, his presence in the House was best summed up by the CM by saying, “Like a sportsperson who has not played for a while, Captain Sahib has also got out of touch”.

It was very surprising to see that there was no political attack by the Opposition on either the government or any issue, except the accusation levied during the debate on issues concerning Punjab. In that, too, the CM rebutted almost every allegation with facts and figures, leaving the Opposition speechless. Though the latter claimed that the CM only juggled with figures, unlike in the past session, there was only one walkout, that too, at the very end of the session and was more symbolic.

Finance Minister Manpreet Badal once again drew the attention of the House to the need for formulating an “economic roadmap for Punjab”. He disclosed that the Centre was willing to help the state provided all three political parties jointly drafted and signed a long-term economic policy that did not cater to subsidies and doles. But as the state is going for poll soon, his plea ended with good oratory sans any takers.

Jalandhar, October 2
A day after the acquittal of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his wife Surinder Kaur and their son, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, and seven other accused persons, Akali Dal 1920 has said that either the Supreme Court or the Punjab and Haryana High Court should order re-investigation of the high-profile disproportionate assets case.

The accused persons were acquitted as the Special Judge at Mohali, Rajinder Aggarwal, did not find any incriminating evidence against them.

The president of the Akali Dal 1920, Ravi Inder Singh, stated here today that the re-investigation of the case should be handed over to any agency which was not being controlled by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Ravi Inder Singh also flayed the SAD-BJP government for passing the Punjab Special Security Group Bill, 2010. Terming it a draconian law, Ravi Inder Singh said, “This law prohibits holding public meetings, without getting permission from the district magistrate. The SHO of the police division concerned may put behind bars for three years those persons who will hold public meetings without any permission from the district magistrate.”

Abohar, October 2
The state government has deployed only one security guard for the Asia’s largest open wildlife sanctuary spread over 46,000 acres in this region, resented the All-India Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha at a meeting here yesterday, which was presided over by recently elected national president Ramesh Bishnoi.

The sanctuary is globally known for having the highest number of black bucks.

At the meeting, it was observed that the guard, who had been assigned the task to prevent hunting in the sanctuary area, had not been even equipped with any firearm.

It was resolved that the sabha should fix a meeting of its senior office-bearers with the Chief Minister to apprise him of sentiments of the Bishnoi community over the issue, which is known for having made sacrifices while protecting animals and trees. Sabha patron Hanuman Dass Bishnoi, state president Ram Kumar Delu, vice-president Viplesh Bhadoo and district president Lokesh Godara said the community and certainly not the state was concerned over unchecked killings of protected species in the sanctuary area.

The state had not utilised the funds that were provided by the Centre.

Patiala, October 2
Residents of the Sukhdaspura locality are facing inconvenience due to a non-functional tubewell in the area. Though a new tubewell was installed in the area at a cost of Rs 10 lakhs around two years ago, it was yet to be made operational.

Notwithstanding the fact that the tubewell is non-functional, the Patiala MC has made a payment of Rs 8 lakh to the private contractor, who installed the tubewell. Though the area residents are getting water supply from tubewells of other areas, it is not sufficient and the people have to face water shortage often.

The said tubewell was installed in 2008. A power connection was taken, but when the tubewell was put on trial run, a technical snag was noticed. “Without caring that tubewell is functional or not, civic functionaries cleared the bills of the contractor, who installed the tubewell,” rued area resident Rajdeep Singh.

Though the tubewell is not functional, the civic body gets bill for minimum electricity charges for the power connection to the tubewell. “And the MC is paying the power bills, thereby causing loss to the corporation exchequer,” rued another area resident Suraj Bhasin.

Patiala Municipal Commissioner Manjit Singh Narang said the matter was already in his knowledge and he had already issued a notice to the contractor concerned, asking him to make the tubewell functional. “We have also withheld payment of Rs 25 lakh, which was to be made to the contractor for installation of other tubewells,” he said, while claiming the tubewell would be operational soon.

Rajpura, October 2
The Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC), Mobile Wing, Patiala, has accused a Rajpura-based transporter of threatening to eliminate him following the registration of a criminal case against the transporter.

SS Bangar, AETC, Patiala, has submitted a complaint to the Patiala SSP in this regard.

He has alleged that Sandeep Kumar of Rajpura, his brother Vishwanath, alias sarpanch, their business partner Ranjeet, alias Gogi Sood, Mohan Singh, Lakhwinder Singh and drivers Lakhwi-nder and Najar Khan were booked for evading tax at the Rajpura Sadar police station on Thursday.

“After the registration of the case, accused Vishwanath, who was booked in a similar case at Ghanaur a few months ago, threatened me of dire consequences,” said the AETC. Vishwanath also threatened to implicate him in a false case, saying his brother was a senior officer in the Vigilance Department, Patiala, he said.

“I was sitting in my office with other officers when I received a phone call. I immediately informed the Excise and Taxation Commissioner, who asked me to lodge a formal complaint with the police,” Bangar said.

He said earlier also there had been incidents of heated arguments, quarrels and firing of gunshots on excise officials, whenever they detected tax evasions.

He said traders, in connivance with transporters, evaded entry tax by taking routes through villages. Trucks were usually escorted by persons in SUVs and cars. These persons would generally accelerate the vehicles as soon as they spotted any naka on an escape route.

This time, there were two trucks in which iron material worth Rs 12 or 13 lakh was loaded. The trucks were going towards Delhi from Mandi Gobindgarh.

Commandant of the first IRB excise battalion Mandeep Singh Sidhu, who got the case registered against transporters for evading tax, said the accused were habitual offenders.

Besides registering a criminal case against the accused transporters, unidentified truck owners and factory owners, whose goods were being transported, have also been booked under Sections 420, 465, 467, 471 and 120-B of the IPC. An FIR has been registered on the complaint of ETO Major Singh Dhillon.