Patiala, October 18
Former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal today outrightly rejected the possibility of a patch-up with the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Reiterating his stand, Manpreet said there was no question of looking back and he would not seek an apology from anyone in the SAD, arguing that neither did he violate any party discipline, nor he had done anything detrimental to the interests of the SAD.

On the offer made by SAD secretary- general and Member, Rajya Sabha, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, advising Manpreet to tender an apology to the Chief Minister, Manpreet said, “If speaking about the interests of the Punjab tantamounts to anti-party activity -- and I had been suspended for no fault of mine -- then there is no reason to be a part of such a political outfit.”

Speaking to mediapersons after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Dukhnivaran Sahib here this morning, Manpreet ruled out any reconciliation with Sukhbir. Reacting sharply to Sukhbir’s statements that no one is above the party and the party is supreme, the former Finance Minister said it was a case of an individual, the party was supreme but when the matter came to the interest of the state (Punjab), then interests of the party came at secondary stage. “I come from a village background and if someone is under debt, he/she can’t talk with his/her head upright. So, if the people of Punjab have to live with pride with their heads up, the state must be debt free,” said a visibly cool and composed MLA from Gidderbaha.

Referring to a report that appeared in The Tribune today, Manpreet said his stand was vindicated with the state government giving a statement that talks with the Centre would continue on the debt-waiver issue. “What I was doing was also the same,” he asserted, while claiming that ever since his suspension from the Akali Dal, he had been receiving a tremendous response from the people of Punjab. He said he was not in the manifesto committee and had not played any role in preparation of the party’s election manifesto.

He said that he still had high regard for Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. “Since Badal sustained injuries after he slipped at his residence, I would personally go to meet him to know his well being,” he said.

Earlier, Manpreet was presented a Siropa by the priest at Gurdwara Dukhnivaran Sahib. He was accompanied by MLAs Jagbir Singh Brar and Charanjit Singh Channi during his Patiala visit. Supporters of Manpreet were present in large numbers when he visited the gurdwara. Interestingly, few of the close confidantes of late Capt Kanwaljit Singh and Akali leader Harmel Singh Tohra were there at the gurdwara and welcomed Manpreet on his Patiala visit.

Chandigarh, October 18
Former Finance Minister Surinder Singla has termed Manpreet Singh Badal as the worst ever Finance Minister in the state. Addressing a press conference, Singla said the state had fallen into its worst economic period during the years when Manpreet was the Finance Minister.

“I am not levelling false allegations. The figures speak for themselves,” said Singla. He said the state’s revenue deficit, fiscal deficit and the debt had sharply increased during the past three years ever since he became the FM.

Quoting Sushma Nath, the chairman of the committee, which had been constituted to consider waiving off the loan of Punjab, West Bengal and Kerala, Singla said there was no concrete offer from the Centre regarding the waiver. “The committee has been formed to look into the possibility of waiving the loan. There is no offer as such,” he insisted.

Singla added that Manpreet’s calculation of the Rs 35,000 crore figure was a mere joke and a result of “creative accounting” as was done by those running the show in Satyam. “How does Manpreet imagine that the Centre will pay Punjab Rs 10,000 crore for the Rs 2,100 crore pre-payment of the special term loan of the militancy period? Is the Centre going to give interest on the loan paid by the state?” said Singla.

Ferozepur, October 18
In a significant development, which will improve the irrigation system, the state government has sanctioned funds to the tune of Rs 23 crore for cleanling up all canals and distributaries crisscrossing the state.

Due to choking of canals and its distributaries in absence of cleanliness, the breach in their banks has become a common occurrence in different parts of Malwa region.

Official sources said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal decided to sanction the required funds after he was apprised of the fact that a number of canals in the state had been carrying less water than their respective capacities due to their choking in absence of regular cleanliness and hence, the farmers had been suffering on this account.

The sources said there were certain pockets in the state, especially in Bathinda, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Faridkot and Mansa districts, where the water had been failing to reach at the tail end of distributaries and farmers, who were owners of the fields located in close vicinity of irrigation minor, had been remained deprived of canal water every crop season.

The sources added Badal had issued orders in connection with the sanction of funds late last evening. As per the directions of the state government, Rs 10 crore out of Rs 23.51 crore would be released to the Irrigation Department within a day or so and rest of the amount would be released on November 15, 2010.

Chief Engineer, Irrigation, Punjab, Amarjit Singh Dullet said cleanliness of canals and distributaries would be carried out in phases. Every canal or distributary, which would be taken up for cleanliness, would be cleaned within 15 days from the start of the work.

The cleanliness operation of the coming Kharif season would be completed by the end of this year. Fresh cleaning operation of canals and distributaries for the Rabi season, which would start in April 2011, would also be executed. He added that Rs 23.51 would be used for the cleanliness of perennial canals. Different projects worth Rs 32 crore connected with cleanliness of non-perennial canals had already been submitted under MNREGA scheme.

He disclosed that now Abohar canal, which could not be cleaned since 1990 and which was the most chocked irrigation channel of the state, would also be cleaned. A special committee, comprising senior functionaries of the vigilance cell of the Irrigation Department, had been constituted to ensure the quality work.

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 18
While Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal disappointed thousands of activists of the SAD by not laying the foundation stone of the 12-crore Ghallu Ghara Memorial at Rohira, where 35,000 Sikhs were massacred by armed forces of Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1762, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal tried to appease the farmers and the poor by reiterating his earlier stand to continue all subsidies and facilities for them.

Paying tributes to Sikh martyrs, who were killed during the holocaust at Rohira, Sukhbir said communities ignoring sacrifice of their forefathers cannot survive for long. Evading vital questions about sequence of events leading to present situation in connection with sacked Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, Sukhbir tried to justify his stand by arguing that his cousin was misguiding masses by exaggerating facts and figures.

Sukhbir announced setting up of a girls college at Kup, where nine Akali workers had died in 1983 during rasta roko andolan. He also announced a Girls School for Kup Rahira to be set up on the land owned by the SGPC.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, SAD Secretary General and Rajya Sabha Member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa regretted the indiscipline by former Finance Minister.

Prominent among others who spoke on the occasion included Hira Singh Gabria, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, SGPC President Jathedar Avtar Singh Makkar and head, Damdami Taksal, Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa.

Chandigarh, October 18
Seventeen Indian boys facing death sentence in the Sharjah murder and bootlegging case got some reprieve as the Appeal Court was informed that no blood samples of the convicts were taken at the time of their arrest and subsequent detention in police custody.

Mishri Khan, a Pakistani boy, was murdered and three of his accomplices were seriously injured in an alleged clash with the 17 Indian boys in Sharjah in 2009. All 17 boys, including 16 from Punjab and one from Haryana, were convicted in the murder-cum-bootlegging case and were sentenced to death by a Sharia Court early this year.

Indian Consulate in Dubai engaged a battery of lawyers to defend the boys and filed an appeal against the order of the Sharia Court in April this year.

The case, which was adjourned last week because the police investigating officer could not attend the court, came up today in the Sharjah Appeal Court under a new Judge Abdullah Yusuf Al-Shamshi.

The hearing that lasted about 90 minutes saw statements of the medical analyst and the investigating officer from the Sharjah Police being recorded today, says SP Singh Oberoi, a Dubai-based businessman who has been pursuing the case along with a team of lawyers hired by the Indian Consulate in Dubai.

Unlike the previous couple of hearings when relatives of some of the convicts were present in the court, there were only some members of the Indian community present when the hearing resumed this morning.

The most significant in the proceedings today were the revelations made by the medical analyst, Ahmed Mehmood, who informed the court that bloodstains and samples from the jeep in which injured were carried to the hospital, the clothes of the victims and the spot were analysed.

When questioned by the defence team whether blood samples of the convicts were taken for matching them with the bloodstains taken from the spot and the vehicle allegedly used in the crime, he answered in the negative.

The Investigating Officer, Major Abdul Razzaq, informed the court that the police had recorded the entire evidence on a compact disc. When the defence asked for a copy of the compact disc, the Investigating Officer said that he did not bring it with him in the court. The defence wanted a copy of the compact disc for studying it before cross-examining the investigating officer.

Mohammed Ramzan, who appeared on behalf of the deceased Mishri Khan at the time of last hearing, could not be examined today, as he was yet to get the duly certified power of attorney.

Jalandhar, October 18
Punjab has got back the state electoral rolls updating and preparation work worth Rs 5 crore from Haryana. Earlier, this work was done by HARTRON, a Haryana government undertaking for the past many years.

However, now the task would be performed by the Punjab State E-Governance Society (PSEGS) under the Department of Information Technology. The HARTRON was doing the job on payment basis.

The state-level committee headed by Punjab Chief Secretary SC Agrawal and having Kusumjit Sidhu, Chief Election Officer (CE0), Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary, Information Technology, SS Channy, Principal Secretary, Industries, and others, took a decision in this regard.

Following the meeting, the Chief Election Officer (CEO), Punjab, assigned the task for the preparation of computerised electoral rolls and electoral photo ID cards to the PSEGS under the Department of Information Technology.

It has taken long and elaborate deliberations on the part of Punjab Information Technology Minister Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon and Principal Secretary, IT, Sarvesh Kaushal, with officers of the Election Commission and Punjab CEO to bring the work back to Punjab after almost a decade. Electoral rolls are revised every year. However, before the state Assembly or Parliament elections, an extensive exercise is carried out for their updating and revision.

Sarvesh Kaushal said the PSEGS would be implementing the Electoral Roll Management System (ERMS) software in the state as per the guidelines of the EC. The ERMS enables the CEO, Punjab to maintain the complete electoral rolls of state. The intensive summary revisions i.e. updating, additions and deletions required in the electoral roll can be easily managed and also the time and expense on the information storing, sharing and publishing would be reduced. The application software would reduce the manual work, streamline the operation and hence increase efficiency, transparency and the productivity. It would also facilitate in publishing of accurate and timely electoral roll.

London, October 18
Indian Olympic Association vice-president Tarlochan Singh has been conferred with “The Jewel of Punjab Award” - a life-time achievement award - for his services to the Punjabi community.

Singh, former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, received the coveted award from Minister of State for External Affairs Preenet Kaur at the 10th Anniversary Gala Celebrations of the World Punjabi Organisation (European Division) at the Inter-Continental Hotel here last night. Previous recipients of the award included Bollywood star Dev Anand and leading NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul. The Arora brothers, Subash and Surinder, leading London hoteliers, received special award for excellence in business and charitable activities.

Receiving the award, Tarlochan Singh emphasised the need for teaching “our children not only about the rich culture and traditions of India but also about rich Indo-British relations.”

He said the new generation should know that we Punjabi Sikhs gave our blood to this country during World War I and II. 90,000 Sikhs died for this country. The children should know that their forefathers gave blood to this country and fought for its democracy.

Britain's the secretary of state for business, innovation and skills Dr Vince Cable, who was the chief guest, said, “India has made staggering progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the British Government wants to develop proper relations with India.” — PTI

Chandigarh, October 18
For the first time ever, the constabulary in the state is set be become fully empowered. Constables are not only being provided with better attire, but also world-class equipment, soft skills and even being given the power to investigate minor cases.

This is part of the Punjab Police’ drive to make this year the year of the constable. The constables will be issued lightweight jackets for the winters this year and imported shoes made of breathable material with ankle protection, which can be worn for 24 hours at a stretch if needed.

Disclosing this here to TNS, the state police chief PS Gill said the aim of the ongoing drive was not only to equip constables with better personal attire, but also to improve their operational capability. “We are issuing them new belts with pouches that can hold American style handcuffs, besides a torch and a baton.”

The DGP said tenders for the equipment had been accepted and the same would be distributed in all major towns and cities in the state soon.

The DGP said the force was in the process of buying non-lethal equipment, which would include modern shields, helmets, pepper balls, shot guns and water cannons. “These will give confidence to the constables to handle riots without any fear,” he added.

Te constables are also being empowered at the police station level. Now, the constables with eight to nine years of service will be designated as senior constables and will be allowed to investigate minor cases. Gill said the purpose was twofold- one to train the constables to take on more professional duties and two to ensure immediate redressal of grievances of people coming to the police station.

The constabulary is also being taught the soft skills. These include the need to use the words ‘Sat Sri Akal’ or ‘Namaskar’ and even how to ask people to come out of their vehicles in case they need to be checked. For this, they were being advised to use the word please and ensure professional bearing at all times.

On the welfare front, all constables have been provided with free life insurance facility. Their families will now be entitled to receive Rs 2 lakh in case of unnatural death, besides Rs one lakh in case of death due to illness.

Chandigarh, October 18
The Gidderbaha Assembly segment, represented by former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been in the news for many reasons. There is now one more reason that seeks to focus the government’s attention on Gidderbaha. The government’s own staff comprising electricity engineers have questioned the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the state and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for the 2,640 MW Gidderbaha project and sought the Chief Minister’s intervention in the matter.

The argument put forth by the Punjab State Electricity Engineers’ Association is that the state has a direct control over only 52 per cent of power generated in Punjab. The Punjab government generates 3,620 MW out of the total generation of 6,900 MW and if the Gidderbaha Thermal Project is commissioned by the NTPC, the state’s own power generation share will be reduced to only 19 per cent.

Besides the MoU with the NTPC, Punjab has already allotted power-generation work to the tune of 6,510 MW to private companies and another 2,000 MW will soon be outsourced, according to highly placed sources in the state government. The SAD-BJP government has made a commitment to make Punjab power surplus over the next few years, but the opposition from the engineers’ association is that this will reduce government control and also raise the cost of power to the end user.

To keep the cost of power under control and pass on the benefit of low cost of production to the consumer, the engineers feel that it is necessary to retain maximum generation with the government itself. Only government control can lead to what they call “optimum grid operation and achieve economic load dispatch”.

They have accused the state of passing on the interest of the people to private companies, saying that all other states that are expanding their power- generation capacities are doing most of the work themselves. Maharasthra, they point out, has planned an expansion of 7,800 MW, Andhra Pradesh over 11,000 MW, Rajasthan over 8,000 MW, Haryana will generate an additional 1,780 MW, Gujarat another 1,700 MW and Karnataka will have an additional power generation of 5,900 MW, but, on the other hand, Punjab is not keeping any of the additional power it is adding, in its own hand.

Further questioning the logic of handing over the project to the NTPC when the Punjab Finance Corporation (PFC) was funding up to 90 per cent of the project, the engineers have said that there was no logic in handing over the project to an agency outside the state.

The logic in signing an MoU has also been questioned saying that the NTPC had still not resolved the issue of allocation of 1,500 MW power allocated to Punjab out of the 4,000 MW Lara pithead thermal station in Chhattisgarh.

This has caused a set back to the Punjab government as without settling the old issue, Punjab has surrendered its claim on this 1,500 MW, which in money terms means that it will cost the government an additional liability of Rs 450 crore per year for the next 25 years (projected life of the project).

Amritsar, October 18
With over four lakh people living in an area of 3.5 km, divided into 13 wards, around the Golden Temple, the implementation of Punjab and Haryana High Court directions to make the area pollution-free and streamline the traffic has become a Herculean task for the Amritsar administration.

Crisscrossing network of narrow roads, the passages constantly vexed by temporary and permanent encroachments add to the colossal chaos in the area.

Complying to the earlier orders of the high court on April 20, the Amritsar administration’s decision of creating a 410-metre area from Dharam Singh Market to the Golden Temple, as ‘no-vehicle zone’ from 8 am to 8 pm, implementing paid parking rule in the Hall Bazaar, too, invited strong opposition from residents as well as traders.

Consequently, the implementation of decisions was temporarily stalled. The traders, too, moved the court and have filed affidavits, in anticipation of hampering their decades-old businesses in the wake of declaring the area around as ‘no-vehicle zone’ and implementing paid parking for their customers.

Nevertheless, the high court, on October 15, has directed the administration to come out with a ‘fair and final’ traffic proposal, to be made while taking the traders into confidence by November 16.

“By declaring the area as ‘no-vehicle zone’, we will have to face hardships in reaching our offices, getting our children to school, transporting essential goods to our homes or taking ailing patients to hospitals etc,” rued the residents.

President, Punjab Beopar Mandal, Amrit Lal Jain argued that there have been over 10 bazaars around the Golden Temple, the economy of the city is dependent on them. “We proposed for making a 15-foot corridor for vehicles like rickshaws and rehris, which both administration and the police agreed to, after observing its feasibility. But later on, the whole area was declared as vehicle-free zone. This is not acceptable,” he said.

President of the Hall Bazar Dealers and Traders’ Association Sunil Sharma argued that the HC has just ordered them to regulate the traffic. “Nowhere has there been any mention of making paid-parking zones,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu, “All issues had been discussed before the Bench. We have been directed to amicably make need-based changes, keeping in mind the interests of the residents and traders. The decisions of no-vehicle zone, paid parking or one-way traffic, too, can be reviewed.”

Kalyan Malka (Bathinda), October 18
The nearly 250-year-old Shiva temple in this remote village having a Kashmir connection is threatened with encroachments as the authorities have failed to protect the property despite orders of the court.

The temple land comprising more than 61 acres was gifted to the learned Pandit Harjish Rai Vedanti by Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir (1830-1885). Vedanti’s eighth generation is now looking after the temple.

Dr Dharampal Sharma, senior vice-president of the Brahmin Sabha, led a deputation to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal when he visited here yesterday and demanded implementation of the court orders to protect the temple land that was allegedly being encroached.

They also brought to the notice of Sukhbir Singh that the holy tank of the temple was threatened with seepage of filthy water as the local panchayat was getting constructed a channel to carry waste water of the village for being dumped near the ‘sarovar’. The district court has ordered a stay on further construction of the channel, but the directions of the court were being violated, said Jatinder Sharma, who is a descendant of Vedanti.

He alleged that certain influential persons were trying to encroach upon the temple land with the backing of some panchayat members.

Sharma said Vedanti came into contact with the then ruler of J&K when the former was proceeding on pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine. The Maharaja was so impressed with his knowledge of religion that he gifted the land near Bathinda to him after purchasing it from the British rulers.

Sharma said that the ‘sarovar’ was constructed during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh who succeeded Ranbir Singh. The official gift deed of the land was signed during the reign of Pratap Singh.

Ludhiana, October 18
Several families that were on the verge of collapse have been given a new lease of life by mediation and reconciliation centres set up across Punjab and Haryana to resolve the disputes amongst litigants.

Claiming this here today, Justice MM Kumar, chairman of the Mediation and Conciliation Committee of Punjab and Haryana, said smiles were restored on the faces of estranged couples by 20 different centres set up across the two states.

He said the stress was not on the number game of settling cases, but on ending bitterness amongst litigants.

“We appointed around 100 lawyers at these centres, replacing judges, five months ago. Since then, we are getting good results. Earlier, the judges were heading these mediation centres. It was quite difficult for them as they were already burdened with huge pendency of cases,” added Justice Kumar.

“Now, we are getting good response from the people, too. The Punjab and Haryana High Court was the third in the country to set up mediation and reconciliation centres in its districts. Till now, there were six states where such centres have been set up,” he added.

Judicial mediators were playing good role in breaking deadlock between parties and resolving disputes amicably. “They have been instructed not to share details of dialogues exchanged by parties during the mediation proceedings,” he added.

Earlier, he was accorded warm welcome on his arrival at the local circuit house by District and Sessions Judge SP Bangarh, District Bar Association president Naval Kishore Chhibber, Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari and Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh. A contingent of the Punjab Police presented guard of honour to him.

Additional Sessions Judges Karamjit Singh Kang, Munish Singal, JS Chouhan, Arunvir Vashisht, Mohd. Gulzar, Raj Kumar Garg, Mandeep Pannu, Harveen Bhardwaj, CJM Jatinder Kaur, ACJM J P S Wehniwal, Additonal Civil Judge Senior Division Lukhvinder Kaur were also present on the occasion.

Ropar, October 18
A detailed report on encroachments over government land in the entire district has been sought within a week. Deputy Commissioner AS Miglani today directed head of all departments, the sub divisional magistrates and the municipal councils to conduct the survey and prepare this report.

Miglani has directed that all those religious institutions, which had encroached upon government land, should be surveyed. Also details of each encroachment should be mentioned in the report. Special mention of encroachments standing for past more than 10 years as well as obstacles responsible in its removal.

He added that the Punjab Government had ordered such survey on the orders of the Supreme Court so that a detailed report could be sent to the government. The officers present in the meeting said, “There are 23 different kinds of encroachments on the land of the municipal councils, whose matter lies subjudiced in different courts.” These include two encroachments each at Chamkaur Sahib and Anandpur Sahib and three encroachments at Morinda.

Officials of the Forest Department said, “There are 37 encroachments on its land and cases in court are pending for all these encroachments.”

Patiala, October 18
One of the unidentified youth aged around 25 years died after drowning in Gurdwara Dukhnivaran Sahib’s sarovar yesterday. The incident occurred around 11 am when a youth came to gurdwara and started taking bath in the sarovar. Despite being stopped by the sevadars on duty, he went towards the deeper side and later drowned.

The sevadars began the rescue process with the help of four divers who managed to recover the body after almost half an hour. ASI of Tripri police station Sohan Singh informed that they recovered three notes of Rs 500 along with a screwdriver, an old railway ticket and a visiting card that is from Amritsar, which indicate that the boy might be from Amritsar. The boy wore a white check shirt with chocolate-coloured trousers.

He further informed that the body was kept at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, as the body could not be identified.

Patiala, October 18
To provide immediate help to residents in cases of emergency, the police department has signed a deal with telecom companies that will help in maintaining record of all those persons who made calls on police helpline numbers.

Now, when someone calls the helpline number, the control room will immediately get all details regarding the caller, including his name, number, address etc. so that the police personnel can find out the exact location of the caller.

The call will also be recorded by the control room so that complete information can be transmitted to the nearest PCR personnel on duty and he can reach the destination within no time.

Inspector Paramjit Singh said it would help the department reaching the needy in time, besides being effective in checking prank calls. “There have been instances when people dial “100” just for fun and report about fictitious instances due to which the police faces a lot of problem,” he added.

He said all duty vehicles had been fitted with the global positioning system so that their exact location could be ascertained immediately. Latest equipment had been fitted in six Tavera vehicles, besides upgrading 22 PCR motorcycles, he added.