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Bandh call evokes mixed response
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No cash award to 104 National Games winners
DISTRICT STATUS FOR FAZILKA
Amritsar airport fails to comply with safety norms
Allowances of cops, teachers revised
Suicide by Cong Leader Former FM: Took no benefit from state exchequer Panel to probe complaints against controller of examination 3 killed in mishap
SBS Nagar best e-governed district
Insurance firm to pay Rs 1 lakh
102 govt schools raided
State survives on NRI remittances: CPM
HC notice to state in custodial death case
Solar power heating system in Golden Temple complex
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Bandh call evokes mixed response
Amritsar, November 3 The police action came after the KAC activists led by its Chairman, Bhai Mohkam Singh, and Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh were trying to stop the Amritsar-Delhi Swarn Shatabdi at Shivala Bhaiyan railway crossing. Kanwar Pal claimed that they were peacefully squatting on the railway track near the Amritsar railway station when the police “forcibly removed them” from the spot. He accused the police of forcing the shopkeepers, who voluntarily joined the bandh, to open their shops, a charge denied by the police. The KAC claimed that their 336 activists were arrested in the entire state. All of them were released in the evening. The bandh call evoked a mixed response in Amritsar though a majority of schools and colleges were shut while shops in and around the walled city remained closed till afternoon. State transport bus services were also partially hit till afternoon, particularly on the Amritsar-Chandigarh route. However, train services ran normally except for a little delay in the running of Amritsar-Delhi Swarn Shatabdi. Interestingly, the SGPC-run schools and colleges remained open, though ardas was performed to mark the day in the morning assembly in these institutions. Meanwhile, ‘ardas divas’ was observed in the holy city with ardas being performed in the Golden Temple complex to pay homage to the 1984 riots victims in the presence of SGPC chief Avtar Singh. On this occasion, the SGPC president announced that in the next year’s SGPC budget Rs 1 crore will be allocated for facilitating higher education to the children of the riot-affected families. FEROZEPUR: The Punjab bandh call given by certain Sikh organisations evoked a poor response in the town as a majority of commercial establishments, including shops, banks and offices, remained open today. With Divali round the corner, people thronged the markets as usual and the shopkeepers did not close their shops despite the call for the bandh. Kaustabh Sharma, SSP, said several persons were temporarily detained in the morning, including those who were planning to close shops and business establishments forcibly. A majority of private schools and colleges remained closed today. PATIALA: The Punjab bandh call given by some panthic organisations had no effect in the city with all shops and commercial establishments functioning normally. With Divali round the corner, most of the markets were abuzz with activity. According to police officials, no untoward incident was reported and the bandh went off peacefully. The educational and health institutions also functioned normally. Meanwhile, on a call given by the Punjab Students Union, students of various local women’s colleges observed a strike today. BATHINDA/MUKTSAR: The call for Punjab bandh given by various Sikh organisations evoked a mixed response in Bathinda and Muktsar districts on Wednesday. Though the response varied from city to city, by and large the day remained peaceful as no untoward incident was reported from any part of the two districts. The Dal Khalsa, Khalsa Action Committee and other groups termed the riots as ‘genocide’ of Sikhs. MOHALI: The SAD will not rest till those guilty of the 1984 riots are punished and the victims are given justice, said Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab, while speaking in connection with the ‘ardas divas’ here on Wednesday even as a call for Punjab bandh failed to evoke any response. When asked in what way the Punjab government would be helping the riot-affected, the Deputy Chief Minister said the main focus at present was to get the guilty punished. Sukhwinder Singh Bhatia, president of the 1984 Sikh Massacre Affected Welfare Society, alleged that the programme of riot-affected persons was hijacked by the Deputy Chief Minister. The bandh call failed to evoke any response. The markets functioned normally and rush of people making purchases for Divali could be seen. JALANDHAR:
The bandh call evoked almost no response in Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur districts of the Doaba region on Wednesday. The Dhanteras festival overshadowed the bandh call. All business establishmens, shops and other commercial places remained open except for a few shops in some areas which were closed for some time in the morning. However, managements of various educational institutions decided to close their schools and colleges.
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No cash award to 104 National Games winners
Jalandhar, November 3 Further investigation made by the TNS today has revealed the state government is in denial mode for long as far as giving the prize money to sportspersons is concerned. It has not paid cash award even to those 104 sportspersons, who had won medals in National Games held at Guwahati in 2007. It appears that saddled with poor fiscal situation, the state government is unable to give prize money even to its talented youth. However, it has no dearth of money to fly its VIPs around in aircrafts and helicopters. For the last four years, it has not even presented Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award, which carries a cash award of Rs 2 lakh, a scroll and a metal statuette of Maharaja Ranjit Singh for distinguished sportspersons. Every year, the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award is to be presented to 15 such sportspersons of the state. Last time the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award was given to sportspersons in 2006, that also after eight years. The Council of Ministers, which met on November 17, 2006, under the chairmanship of then Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, had announced the cash award policy for the sportspersons. However, the gazette notification approving the prize money in 29 sports disciplines under the policy was issued on June 25, 2007, about four months after the formation of the SAD-BJP Government under the command of Parkash Singh Badal. As per the notification, the cash prize money for the gold medal winner in the National Games, Afro-Asian Games and SAF Games was Rs 3 lakh and for silver medal and bronze medal winners Rs 2 and Rs 1 lakh respectively. However, the prize money for winners of medal in Olympics, World Cup, Asian and Commonwealth Games etc was kept substantially higher than for the winners of medals in National Games etc. In the 33rd National Games held at Guwahati (Assam) in 2007, Punjab sportspersons won 104 medals. Of these, 25 were gold medals, 39 silver medals and 40 bronze medals. However, till date, the medal winners of Guwahati games have not been given the prize money, which, calculated roughly, is in the range of Rs 1.93 crore. Punjab had won two gold medals in athletics, five in cycling, five in fencing, four in weightlifting, besides other disciplines. Among those waiting for the cash award include Avneet Kaur Sidhu (Rs 4.33 lakh), Heena Sidhu (Rs 4.33 lakh) and Amanpreet Singh (Rs 5 lakh). Asked about not paying prize money to winners of medals at the National Games, state Sports Director Pargat Singh said an ad-hoc committee was constituted under the 2007 policy to give the cash awards. However, as a concrete sports policy has been put in place now, the function would be held in December to clear all backlog with regard to the giving of the cash awards.
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DISTRICT STATUS FOR FAZILKA
Fazilka, November 3 The pepole of the town, a section of whom represented different political parties, including the SAD-BJP alliance and Congress, have been observing a relay fast in the town under the banner of the Sanjha Morcha for the past about 80 days for pressing the Punjab government to accord district status to the town. During British rule, Fazilka was chosen as one of the strategically important places by East India Company to keep a watch on the activities of political rulers of Bhawalpur, Bikaner, Mamdot, Faridkot and other states. Till 1974, Fazilka remained one of the parliamentary seats of Punjab. It was one of the biggest controlling stations of East India Company and Sirsa district of Haryana was carved out of it. The population of the city was around 67,000, according to the 2001 census. Sushil Gumber, convener, Sanjha Morcha and president, local Bar Association, while talking to TNS said that Badal offered to them that the Punjab government could appoint an Additional Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police in the town, but could not accord it district status. Only the Cabinet could take a decision in the matter. Gumber said the Sanjha Morcha would not settle down for anything less than the district status for Fazilka town. The status had been denied to the town by successive governments of Punjab. Surjit Jiyani, MLA, Fazilka, who was also a part of the delegation, said, “I will meet Deputy CM along with members of Sanjha Morcha in connection with our demand. I will also meet the national and state leadership of the BJP.” FEROZEPUR: Members of the local District Bar Association observed a strike today to press the Punjab government not to initiate any move to bifurcate the district in future. Kanwar Deep Singh Syal, president, District Bar Association, said the Bar was of the opinion that the government could bifurcate or, for that matter, trifurcate this district as different organisations of some towns had started demanding district status for their respective towns.
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Amritsar airport fails to comply with safety norms
Chandigarh, November 3 Though Amritsar has been on international air map since early 80s, it still faces uncertain future for it does not comply with the minimum flight safety norms prescribed for foggy weather conditions. While all major international airports, including Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is fitted with the category III of the instrument landing system (ILS); Amritsar International Airport has still outdated and antiquated category-I ILS The category-I ILS is useful only in normal weather conditions. In the absence of the prescribed category of the ILS, Amritsar faces severe weather-related problems in winter months in general and fog periods in particular. While the ILS category-III facilitates specially trained pilots to land and take off in low fog visibility conditions, aircraft have to be diverted to other airports in the vicinity, as they cannot land in Amritsar for inadequate landing facilities. Union Sports Minister Manohar Singh Gill has now taken up the issue of making the Amritsar airport operational even during winter months with Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel. Manohar Singh Gill has also taken up the issue of naming of Amritsar International Airport after fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Dass. About a month ago, he said, the proposal of naming the airport after Guru Ram Dass, and Chandigarh airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, came up before the Union Cabinet. The issue will come up before the Union Cabinet tomorrow.
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Allowances of cops, teachers revised
Chandigarh, November 3 All allowances have been revised from October 1, 2010, and notifications have been issued in this regard. Revealing this here today, a spokesperson of the state Government said assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors, inspectors would now be entitled to scooter/motorcycle allowance of Rs 180 per month, whereas head constables and constables would get cycle allowance for Rs 40. Special allowance admissible to drivers working in departments other than secretariat offices now would get Rs 600. Special allowance admissible to certain posts has also been revised. Head teacher, centre head teacher and headmaster middle school of education (elementary) would get the special allowance of Rs 200, Rs 300 and Rs 400 per month respectively, whereas science master/mistresses of education (schools) would get Rs 400. Nurse (working in special unit like major operation theatre ICU/CCU/ dialysis unit etc.) of Health and Family Welfare Department would get the special allowance Rs 240 per month, whereas head signallers and canal signallers of the Irrigation and Power Department would get special allowance of Rs 400 per month. Likewise professor (holding the charge of the posts of principal of medical colleges) of research and medical education would get Rs 1200 per month, whereas district Kanungo and inspector registration of the Revenue Department would get special allowance Rs 400, Rs 240 per month respectively. Watch and ward staff of the Social Security Women and Children Department would special allowance Rs 400 per month, added the spokesperson.
— TNS
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Police intimidating my supporters, alleges Manpreet
Patiala, November 3 Addressing a rally at Bhadso Road here today, Manpreet said, “I was denied entry in Gurdwara Dukhnivaran Sahib and Moti Sahib in Patiala. Marriage Palace owners are being threatened not to do bookings for my rally.” Terming the attempt to dissaude people against attending his rallies, Manpreet said, “If I am such a big threat that so much effort are being made just to keep me out of reach of the masses, it is better to arrest me. It is extremely unfortunate that I was allowed to speak the truth, when I was part of the SAD. Now, when I am out of the party, all attempts are on to ensure that the voice, I raised for the betterment of Punjab and its people, doesn’t transform into a mass movement.” Manpreet accused the government of taking services of CID and the police to make sure his meetings and rallies were not successful. “But I am happy to see that despite all this, people in large numbers have turned up at the Patiala rally”, he said. Taking a dig at Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal without naming him, Manpreet said, “The person, who aspires to be the CM, has to speak the truth before the people of Punjab.” Reacting to the media reports about the government paying a whopping Rs 3.03 crore for the airfare of Sukhbir during 19-month period, Manpreet said during his tenure as Finance Minister, he attended about 150 official meetings outside Punjab but paid air, train, hotel expenses from his own pocket.
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Suicide by Cong Leader The relatives of the deceased and Congress activists placed the body on the road to pressurise the authorities to take action against the suspects. Finally, considering a suicide note recovered from the pocket of the deceased, Gautam Tanwar (45), and the statement of his widow Sushma Devi, the police booked then DSP (Gidderbaha) Jagjit Singh Bhagtana, SHO (Gidderbaha) Devinder Singh, OSD Charanjit Singh Fakkarsar, municipal councillor Rajesh Gandhi and a journalist under Sections 306 and 34 of the IPC for threatening him to implicate in false cases. Receiving the information, police reached the spot and ordered that the body be taken to the civil hospital for conducting postmortem. Speaking over the phone, Manpreet Badal said, “It is a move purely based on political vendetta by the SAD-led government under which they have started implicating my close associates. Soon, they will even book me in some false case, while they are taking back cases against Amarinder Singh,” claimed
Manpreet.
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Former FM: Took no benefit from state exchequer
Sangrur, November 3 Manpreet was addressing a gathering here this evening at a function organised by Baba Banda Singh Bahadur International Foundation, a NGO working against drug menace. “I can claim with pride that I didn’t fill even a single litre of petrol in my vehicle from state exchequer”, Manpreet said. “It was my compulsion as dreams were not being fulfilled. Dreams of a prosperous Punjab. I was always true to my nation and worked honestly for it”. “Ironically I was meted such treatment for being loyal to my nation. They threw me out of party and even divested of ministry”, Manpreet said while striking emotional chord with people at the function. However he added that one should always fight bad things in the society irrespective of personal gains. — TNS
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Panel to probe complaints against controller of examination
Mohali, November 3 According to reports, Saroya was removed from the post of controller of examinations after a decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Board held here today. However, the chairman of the board Dalbir Singh Dhillon has not confirmed the removal of Saroya. He said a committee, comprising vice-chairman of the board Suresh Tandon, special secretary (education) Krishan Kumar, and board member Harpal Singh Pannu, was formed to look into the complaints. The committee had been asked to submit its report in a month’s time. Saroya said she was made controller of examinations on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. She was not aware whether she had been removed from the post. In case any such decision was taken, she would again be approaching the court.
— TNS
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3 killed in mishap
Sangrur, November 3 According to information, Sanjeev Duggal (43), a resident of Model Town, Narvana, his wife Ishu (40), daughter Nishu (18) and son Aryan (16) were returning from Amloh towards their native place in their car (HR 32C-5055). Sanjeev lost control over the vehicle near Dirba on the Sangrur Patran road here this morning and the car hit the tree killing Sanjeev’s wifea and daughter on the spot, whereas he died on the way to Patiala hospital. Sources added that son of Sanjeev is out of danger now.
— TNS
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SBS Nagar best e-governed district
Chandigarh, November 3 According to Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Sarvesh Kaushal, what has
been recognised today is the culmination of dedicated efforts over the past few years. The SUVIDHA Centre at SBS Nagar is undoubtedly the best in the state where a large number of services are being delivered under one roof. Apart from the SUVIDHA centre there are other multiple areas of e-governance in the district.
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Insurance firm to pay Rs 1 lakh
Sangrur, November 3 The forumalso directed the insurance company to pay the widow Rs 5,000 as litigation expenses. Sukhwinder, a resident of Chahar village under Sunam tehsil, in her complaint before the forum alleged that the insurance company failed to settle her claim filed on October 26, 2009. She averred that she had lodged a DDR on September 29, 2009, at Sunam Sadar police station about the death of her husband, Hamir Singh, on September 3 due to a snake bite. She contended that her husband was insured under the Sehkari Bank Bima Yojna Scheme through the Sangrur Central Co-operative Bank Kaurian and sought relief as per the scheme.
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102 govt schools raided
Ropar, November 3 Krishan Kumar said the quality of education imparted in government schools was found to be very poor. Ten teachers were found absent, while 12 reported late on duty. The latecomers were served show-cause notices. The teams entered schools before morning assembly. Officials examined the way morning assemblies were conducted, besides going through notebooks of students, checking cleanliness in schools, laboratories etc. Krishan Kumar said district manager mid-day meals scheme Hazara Singh had been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty.
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State survives on NRI remittances: CPM
“The farmers are taking loans from non-institutional sources and they have to pay exorbitant rates of interest. About 42,000 farmers committed suicide across the country in recent months,” said Pillai, who had come here to take part in the conference of the Punjab Kisan Sabha, a farmer wing of the CPM. The Union Government should announce special debt relief measures for the state farmers to free them from the burden of debt on urgent basis. “We will organise protest marches in January and February here to press the government to give relief to the farmers,” he said. Contribution of the agrarian sector in the state’s GDP had come down, paddy and wheat production had stagnated and soil health deteriorated owing to over exploitation. He demanded Rs 1,500-1,600 per quintal as MSP for paddy and Rs 1,600-1,800 per quintal for wheat. “Anti-farmer policies of the Centre had affected farm sector the most and the criteria to fix MSP of various crops was flawed,” he said.
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HC notice to state in custodial death case
Chandigarh, November 3 Roor Singh of Nurpur Jattan had died in Dhilwan police station of Kapurthala district allegedly due to poisoning during his illegal detention on September 4-5, 2009. After the incident, the irate villagers had blocked the national highway No 1 demanding immediate action against the guilty police officials. The arrest was made allegedly for possessing Rs 92,000 in fake currency. Congress legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira had alleged the accused were being shielded by the administration at the behest of the ruling SAD. In his petition before the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ajay Tewari, ASI Ajit Singh had sought bail in the event of his arrest or surrender in FIR dated December 1, 2009, registered at Dhilwan police station.
— TNS
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Solar power heating system in Golden Temple complex
Amritsar, November 3 “It is eco-friendly and will conserve electricity, as no firewood will be required for preparation of langar. The 4,000 litre solar water system will provide around 500 litre of warm water,” he added. The pilot power project, with the capacity of 18 KW has been installed at Guru Arjun Dev Niwas. Punjab Energy Development Agency has designed the project.
— TNS
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Gidderbaha,
November 3
Jalandhar, November 3