Bathinda, November 28
With the recovery of about 250 bags of subsidised wheat seeds from a flour mill here today, the Agriculture Department is expecting the probe would lead to the unearthing of a scam going on with the connivance of some officials of state procurement agencies.

It was some passerby who saw that a trolley-load of wheat seed bags were being unloaded at Hukam Flour Mill here early this morning. As it was printed on the bags that the seeds were not for food, feed and oil purposes, he smelt rat and informed media, health and agricultural authorities.

However, before mediapersons could reach the spot, the stock was unloaded and the trolley driver had disappeared.

Soon, a team of health officials led by the district health officer RS Randhawa reached the flour mill. Finding the owner was absent, they asked the employees who admitted that the stock was brought to the mill to make it flour.

Seeing that the bags were clearly indicated that the seeds were not for human consumption, the health officials collected samples of the seeds and the flour already stored there for testing.

Meanwhile, agriculture department staff also reached there and finding subsidised seed in huge quantity, collected the samples and took the stock in their custody.

Speaking to The Tribune, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Paramjit Singh Sandhu said: “Storage of seeds in the mill is illegal. We have seized the stock and initiated a probe in the matter. The whole thing may lead us to a scam of illegal sale of subsidised wheat seeds.”

“Though the actual position will be cleared only after a detailed investigation, we are suspecting a scam in the matter. The supplier might have showed the names of the farmers, but sold the produce in the market. This way he would avail subsidy in addition to the market price of wheat,” he shared. Replying to queries, the CAO said: “We are getting the formalities completed after which a case against the flour mill owner and the supplier would be recommended under the Essential Commodities Act as well as the IPC. Besides, the officials of the state agency, with which the supplier is attached, would also have to justify their position, failing which they too would land in trouble.”

However, despite repeated attempts neither the employees of the flour mill nor the kin of the owner agreed to divulge details to the media.

Amritsar, November 28
A nine-member delegation of Sikh leaders yesterday met Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Lahore and urged him to simplify the visa process so that more Sikh pilgrims could visit historic gurdwaras there.

The delegation, led by SGPC member Sawinder Singh Dobalia, also requested Gilani to set up a university at Nankana Sahib besides throwing open gates of more historic gurdwaras in Pakistan to Indian pilgrims. There are 172 historic gurdwaras there, but the Pakistan Government allows pilgrims to only visit about 12 of them.

They also sought the allocation of land for the construction of a ‘sarai’ (inn) for Sikh pilgrims at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib, Lahore.This demand also holds significance in light of the recent incident in which tents of Sikh pilgrims had caught fire in Pakistan.

The Pakistan PM responded positively to the demand and asked the Waqf Board chairman to look into the matter. During the meeting, the issue of handing over the maintenance of Pakistan gurdwaras to the SGPC also came up. The delegation sought the Pakistan Government’s permission to refurbish those gurdwaras whose buildings are in a dilapidated condition.

They also raised the issue of the illegal encroachment of land of Gurdwara Guru Ram Das and Gurdwara Bhai Taru Singh in Lahore, after which the Pakistan PM asked the Evacuee Trust Property Board to retrieve the land from the encroachers at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the American Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief, Dr Pritpal Singh, urged the Pakistan PM to activate the International Advisory Board, Lahore, so that joint efforts could be made to sort out issues concerning the Sikh community. He also sought the easing of visa restrictions to facilitate visit of more pilgrims to Pakistan.

The Pak PM lent a patient ear to the Sikh leaders and assured that he would look into all issues seriously. “The visits of religious pilgrims help in developing people-to-people contact and better understanding among communities,” Gilani said. Pakistan Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti and Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Sham Singh were also present at the meeting, which lasted for half an hour.

Chandigarh, November 28
Has Manpreet Singh Badal been the instigator for both the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress to be in the election mode more than a year before the 2012 Assembly poll?

Though it may be too early for the consolidation and polarisation of political forces for the next elections, Jago Punjab Yatra by Manpreet from Faridkot last week has put both the ruling SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress on the alert.

An important factor for the early start to the electioneering for the 2012 Assembly poll may be the coming elections to the apex body of Sikhs - the SGPC.

According to indications available, the general house elections of the SGPC might be completed by the end of the first quarter of the New Year. The results of the SGPC poll will have a long bearing on the 2012 Assembly poll. Now even Manpreet has started indicating that he and his men would challenge the SAD supremacy in the SGPC also.

The battle for the 2012 Assembly poll will once again veer around two major political stalwarts - Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh. They will be joined among others by Sukhbir Singh Badal and Manpreet Singh Badal.

Though many expect Sukhbir to play a bigger role in the next elections, he will find himself mainly confined in countering his cousin, Manpreet.

Whatever be the factors, the state is all set to witness some fierce political activity in the coming months before the actual or formal start to electioneering.

The Congress has a reason to plan a series of roadshows for its new president Capt Amarinder Singh to be face to face with workers at the grassroots level, the ruling SAD-BJP alliance plans rallies and roadshows for projecting the “developmental works” it has undertaken since coming to power in early 2007.

While Manpreet plans to cover 71 Assembly constituencies in 110 days with 11-day break in January, it may not be easy for any political party to sustain a campaign for that long and that too so long before the poll.

The ruling alliance plans some joint rallies in different parts of the state to showcase its achievements. Manpreet will no longer be required to spend days and nights in January and February with the Finance and Planning teams to give finishing touches to the budgetary proposals. Instead, he will be spending this time touring length and breadth of the state, for awakening people about putting Punjab’s fiscal health and ways and means to put the economy back on the track.

On the other hand, the new Finance Minister Upinderjit Kaur will have to orchestrate the 2011-2012 crucial Budget not only to “nullify Manpreet factor” but also to keep the next elections in mind. The Budget session will also give the Opposition, Congress, an opportunity to put across agenda for the state for the next five years by picking failures of the present regime.

It is not for the first time that the state has been witnessing beehive in electioneering long before the actual poll. Even last time, Akalis had taken the lead in naming the candidates long before the election process was set in motion. The only difference was that at that time it was in the Opposition.

For the Opposition to sustain a long election campaign is easier than for the ruling alliance or the party. The Opposition remains on look out for opportunities it could accuse the ruling party of misusing its official machinery so as to keep it on the defensive. 

Chandigarh, November 28
PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh has opposed any move to handover the historic Maharaja Ranjit Singh Fort at Phillaur to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

He said the Punjab Police had been maintaining the fort well and any move to hand it over to the ASI would not be in anyway helpful or beneficial to preserve this monument.

In a statement issued here today, he said the past experience with the ASI was quite disappointing. He pointed out that several monumental sites which had been taken over by the ASI in the past had gone from bad to worse.

“Most of the monuments under their possession are in a dilapidated condition”, he said, claiming that compared to that, the fort at Phillaur was being managed, maintained and preserved so well by the Punjab Police.

He pointed out the condition of the historic Bathinda Fort, where Razia Sultana was imprisoned and which was with the ASI, was quite pitiable, thanks to the carelessness of the ASI.

“The Bathinda Fort is collapsing and we do not want same thing to happen to the Phillaur fort”, he said. — TNS

Patiala, November 28
With the meeting of State Executive of BJP and a rally of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, scheduled for Patiala on November 29, the city is all set to witness a major political activity on Monday.

According to senior leaders of both the parties, the meeting would be held to discuss the present political scenario in Punjab and start the process of chalking out strategies for the next Assembly elections.

According to the information, several Akali workers from all over Patiala district are expected to attend the rally.

According to party insiders, after the appointment of Capt Amarinder Singh as the PPCC president, the SAD and the BJP leaders have swung into action and want to consolidate their base in Patiala, which is considered to be Amarinder’s bastion.

Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma will chair the meeting of the State Executive of the BJP. The meeting will be attended by all ministers of Punjab BJP, legislatures, chairmen of various boards and corporations, all District BJP presidents, and co-incharge of party affairs in Punjab, Capt Abhimanyu.

President of the District Urban BJP unit Arun Gupta said all preparations were complete and about 258 senior party leaders would be attending the meet. The meet is likely to continue for three to four hours.

“The agenda of the meeting is to discuss the current political scenario in the state and to get feedback from the party leaders on Punjab based issues which need to be taken up against the Congress led UPA government,” he said, while adding that it was for the first time in the history that meeting of State Executive of BJP was being held in Patiala.

According to the Akali leaders, Sukhbir would meet all the party activists and would also convene deliberations with the Patiala SAD leaders regarding party’s strategy for the next Assembly elections. “The main objective of the rally is to expose the corrupt face of the Congress led UPA government on the issues of various scams unearthed in the recent past. Also, Sukhbir’s visit will help mobilise party rank and file,” Chandumajra said.

Chandigarh, November 28
Dr Kailash Chand, an alumnus of Government Medical College, Patiala, was last week conferred with the prestigious Order of British Empire at an investiture ceremony held at Buckingham Palace in London on Friday.

A General Practitioner in Ashton-U-Lyne, Lancashire, Dr Kailash is an active member of the British Medical Association (BMA) and is represented on its various committees, including the General Practitioners Committee, the Equal Opportunities Committee, Communication group of GPC and the International Committee.

After doing his BSc from Kurukshetra University, he did his MBBS from Government Medical College, Patiala. In 1978, he decided to make the UK his adopted home. Keenly involved in the activities of the Indian diaspora, he dedicates himself to organising Indian music and cultural events. Among some of his best friends are ghazalgo Jagjit Singh, Bollywood stars-turned politicians Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha besides cricketers Kapil Dev and Wasim Akram.

He writes extensively not only on medical politics but also on community health matters, drug misuse, racism, and development of efficient primary care at both local and national levels. He was named runners-up in the 'Doctor of the Year' award in 2001; he was invited to Queen's garden party more than once.

Dr Kailash Chand has been Vice-Chairman of the International Council of Indian Languages and Culture; he has been promoting integration and understanding in multiracial Britain besides being Vice-Chairman, Indian Medical Association; honorary treasurer, Patiala Medical Graduates Association; and Chairman, BMA Tameside & Glossop Division for seven years. 

Bathinda, November 28
For the first time, the Punjab government has prepared a master plan to promote tourism activities in the state.

Minister for Tourism and Cultural Affairs Hira Singh Gabria today said the government had hired an agency to prepare the master plan and it had researched and identified important places of tourism in the state.

The minister said the master plan would be implemented by giving work to private as well as government agencies. He said historical gurdwaras, temples, havelis and inns, villages of renowned freedom fighters and martyrs had been included in the plan for promotion of tourism activities in the state.

The minister was chief guest at the annual prize distribution function of Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School here. On the occasion, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Harish Rai Dhandha and chairman of the school Mahant Kahan Singh Ji ‘Sewa Panthi’ gave away prizes to the students. The children also presented a colourful cultural programme.

Gabria further said the government was going to lay ropeway from Anandpur Sahib to Sri Naina Devi Ji Temple in Himachal Pradesh. With regards to connecting the five Takhts of Sikhs through rail link, he said the state government had again written to the Railway Ministry in this regard and the Union government had agreed to the proposal.

Chandigarh, November 28
Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike has stated that the state will host the national zone livestock show at Muktsar during Maghi Mela from January 8-12.

He said that state government had released Rs 4 crore for various competitions at district level, zonal level and national level to promote livestock breading, horse breeding, equestrian sports, sale and tourism in Punjab in a big way.

These competitions would also motivate livestock farmers to opt for high milk yielding buffaloes, cows, crossbreeds cows, goat, sheep, pig and poultry.

Ranika said the state must introduce registration of its productive livestock so that it could monitor the growth of livestock sector in a planned way and come out with schemes to help farmers concerned.

Livestock Registration Authority, after registering the animals, would issue a certificate to its owner stating the age, breed, estimated value, and vaccination details of the conceived animals.

This certificate would be acceptable by the loaning authorities while doing the valuation of animals. Medical assistance would be provided at the camp site and competition areas.

Bathinda, November 28
Members and activists of the Unemployed ETT Teachers Front and the Unemployed BEd Teachers Front, Punjab, along with members of the BKU(Ekta), today took out a protest march and burnt two effigies of the state government in support of their demands in front of the main gates of the bus stand here. They also blocked traffic there for some time and raised slogans against the government.

Unemployed ETT teachers, who have passed their course from the states of Jammu and Punjab, were led by state convener of the front Jagpreet Singh while jobless BEd teachers were led by district president of the front Pavittar Singh. Earlier, they held meetings at the Teachers Home here.

Jagpreet Singh said their main demand was the issuance of an advertisement for the recruitment of 12,000 ETT teachers on a regular basis. Besides, the government should recruit those ETT teachers, who had passed ETT course from Punjab on a priority basis. He said another demand was the transfer of elementary schools from the Zila Parishads to the state Education Department.

He said if their demands were not fulfilled, they would gherao the residence of state Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan on any day from November 29 to December 15 in his Kahnuwan Assembly constituency in Gurdaspur district.

Spokesman for the Unemployed BEd Teachers Front Harjit Singh Jeeda said their main demands were the issuance of an advertisement for the recruitment of 35,000 unemployed BEd teachers and enhancement in the age limit from 37 years to 42 years at the time of recruitment.

He said the government had advertised 3,725 posts of BEd teachers with unnecessary conditions that were not acceptable to them. He said their agitation would continue till the government accepted their demands.

Sangrur, November 28
Despite the directions of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the District Grievance Committee, the district administration has failed to act against the dog menace in the Officers Colony here.

The SHRC and the grievance panel had directed the administration to check the menace in the colony as a septuagenarian had filed a complaint with the two bodies after he was bitten twice by dogs.

“Last year, I had lodged a complaint with the SHRC in this regard, which asked the administration to check the dog menace in our colony. Even I filed a complaint with the District Grievance Committee, which about one-and-a-half months ago also asked the administration to act against the menace. However, the administration has failed to take action,” said the complainant, Krishan Kumar Bansal (75). He alleged that he was bitten twice by pet dogs on July 5, 2005, and July 16, 2009.

DC Harkesh Singh Sidhu confirmed the dog menace in the colony. “I am aware of the problem. However, we don’t have funds to castrate dogs so that their number is brought down. We are trying to rope in some NGOs for the purpose. We cannot kill these dogs as there are strict laws preventing the killing of dogs,” he added.

Chandigarh, November 28
The state government has said it will ask for financial compensation of Rs 2,400 crore from the Centre in the upcoming meeting of state finance ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST) in return of subsuming of a host of state taxes in GST.

“We are going to ask for full compensation of Rs 2,400 crore from the Centre for subsuming of taxes like purchase tax on foodgrain and rural development fund etc,” state Finance Minister Upinderjit Kaur to said here yesterday.

Asserting that Punjab supports the rolling out of GST, the minister said the state would also ask the centre to ensure that the compensation be given on permanent basis.

She said Punjab annually earns Rs 2,400 crore from levying purchase tax on foodgrain and rural development fund and infrastructure cess collections. State Finance Ministers would meet on December 6 and try to break the deadlock with Centre on GST, which will subsume various taxes at the Central as well as state levels. — PTI

Amritsar, November 28
Two SGPC employees were caught with counterfeit currency here today. They have been identified as Surinder Singh, a store keeper with the building branch of the SGPC, and Amandeep Singh, an ad-hoc employee in the same wing.

As soon as the news of their arrest came to light, the with SGPC committee swung into action. Giving a statement SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said: “It is shameful on their part for getting involved in such a heinous crime. We have suspended Surinder Singh and terminated the services of Amandeep Singh with immediate effect,” he said.

Both were arrested last evening and a case under Section 489 B and C of the IPC has been registered against them. The police has obtained a four-day remand of both accused for further interrogation.

Acting on a tip off, a Amritsar police team had kept a constant watch on the activities of the two suspects for the last over one month.

Yesterday both were nabbed from the Bhagtanwala Gate area with fake currency amounting to Rs 15,400 in the denomination of 100s.

Moga, November 28
A 28-year-old woman has allegedly been killed for dowry by her husband and in-laws in the new town area of Moga today.

Parents of the deceased, identified as Anu of Jagraon, were informed about her death three hours after the incident. The body kept lying in the house for more than seven hours before it was taken to the district hospital by the police for a post-mortem examination.

Congress MLA from Baghapurana Darshan Singh Brar also reached the spot. The parents and relatives of the deceased alleged that the husband and in-laws had killed her.

Keeping in view of the situation, DSP Satpal Singh also reached the spot.

The girl’s father in a statement to the police alleged that his daughter was married to Ritesh Bansal about seven years ago and since then her in-laws were demanding dowry from them. “We have fulfilled their wishes many a times after the marriage even then they have killed my daughter,” he stated.

The police had registered a criminal case against the deceased’s husband, his father Subash Bansal, mother Savita Bansal and brother. Savita is absconding while Subash and his sons have been taken into custody, stated SHO, city police station (south).

Meanwhile, Ritesh has claimed that his wife had died of electrocution following which they had called private doctor, who declared her dead.

Refuting these claims, Anu’s father alleged that there were no marks of any external injury or burns on her body that leads to the doubt that they had killed her. “I am sure that she has been murdered by her husband and in-laws,” he alleged. — TNS

Fatehgarh Sahib, Nov 28
Following snowfall and closure of schools in many parts of Jammu & Kashmir, a large number of children are working as waiters in various marriage palaces in the state. Taking advantage of winters, contractors of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir bring children from Kashmir and other high altitude areas to be used as cheap labour.

Catering groups in and around Patiala have brought minor children on the pretext of providing them employment, entertainment and work experience during their winter vacations. These groups remain in touch with their counterparts in J&K and bring children as soon as marriage season begins. Conveniently, the marriage season coincides with winter vacation of these kids.

“Our schools will resume in the end of February and till then we will work here as waiters to earn money besides work experience and entertainment,” said a child-waiter, Mansoor Ahmed (name changed).

A student of Class VII in Anantnag, Shabbir said there were more than 50 children from Kashmir between the age group of 10 to 15 years that work as labourers during the marriage season in the state.

Many of them work in marriage palaces and even in hotels wherein they serve food and liquor to the guests during late night parties.

“I reached here with the help of a Kashmiri labour contractor. The contractor offered work in marriage parties in Punjab. My parents agreed to work till we take up studies again in February,” said another Class VI student Mohammad Kaif (name changed) of Shahbanas village in Jammu & Kashmir. He said though he was promised Rs 250 a day, however, they are actually paid only Rs 150 and the contractor pockets rest of amount as his commission.

“We were told to wear a tie with gloves and enjoy marriage parties by serving liquor and food,” said Nasir Sheikh (name changed), a Class VII student from Aramdah village in J&K.

Patiala, November 28
The Rural Veterinary Officer’s (RVO’s) have launched harsh attacks on the state government for not paying attention towards their demand of regularising the services of the 434 veterinary officials in the state.

State president of the Rural Veterinary Officer Association (RVOA) Regd Dr Navdeep Singh Khinda said November 24 was a black day in the history of Punjab as all the officials, including females were allegedly beaten up by the state government in Bathinda.

After convening a meeting of the association the officials working on contractual basis under the zila parishads, expressed anguish over the policy adopted by the state government towards their demands. Dr Khinda said in case government continued to stick to its anti-veterinarians policy, they would be compelled to intensify their agitation.

“If the Punjab government can regularise 14,000 teachers, 7,000 computer teachers and other employees just after two to three years of service, then why only 434 officials working from past four years were being given meager salaries and deprived of other government facilities,” claimed Dr Jiwan Gupta, state vice-president of the association. He further said they had been working on contractual basis for the past four years under the zila parishad, as the Punjab government had not made any regular recruitments had been made for the past 12 years.

The association members said they would continue to protest and also boycott the coming zonal pashu mela from November 29 to December 1 at Moga. “It is really sad that nothing has been done to redress our grievances,” said, Dr Gagandeep Singh Dhillon, association press secretary.

He further said government was spending crores in the form of salaries for regularisation of thousands of teachers and other employees. He further added,“If government regularises all 434 officials, their salaries would add about just Rs 6 crore, which is far less as compared to the financial burden involved in the regularisation of teachers.” 

Kharar, November 28
The placement drive of David and Morgan India Limited to be held at Rayat-Bahra Institute Sahauran was postponed today owing to death of two employees of the company in a road accident.

The employees, including Surender Kumar and Vittal Deshpande were killed in an accident while coming from Kolkata to Delhi. Owing to the accident, officials were unable to reach for the placement drive, resulting in utter chaos.

Students, who had come from various parts of North India like Delhi, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, parts of Punjab, Himachal, Jammu & Kashmir alleged of harassment. Irritated because of waiting for the company officials, students alleged the drive as fake.

However, on receiving a word from David and Morgan, the authorities at the institute told students about mishap and consequently postponed the drive.

The drive has been rescheduled from December 3 to December 5 at the institute campus itself. The candidates have been given e-mail addresses and phone numbers of the authorities at David and Morgan group.

Director career development and placements cell, Rayat-Bahra institutes, Rashmi said 427 candidates had cleared the round of group discussions and were scheduled to undergo further recruit procedure today.

“The senior HR officials of the company told us that Surender Kumar and Vittal Deshpande along with their three-member team coming from Kolkata met with an accident on last Friday in Delhi and got injured. They were admitted to Apollo Hospitals for treatment but they succumbed to injuries late at night yesterday,” she said.

David and Morgan was to hold a two-day placement drive for B. Tech and MBA 2010 and 2011 batches, pass out students in all streams for post of junior engineer for B. Tech and students and junior managers for MBA students for 650 vacancies.