Immigration agents will need to get licences
Chandigarh, December 7
The Punjab Government is set to crack the whip against the mushrooming of unscrupulous immigration agents with a view to checking human trafficking from the state.

Amritsar airport still not ready for foggy weather'
Amritsar, December 7
Passengers would continue to be harassed as the commissioning of CAT-II Instrument Landing System has once again been deferred during this winter season at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport at Rajasansi here.

Sikligars, Banjaras in Other States
SGPC to set up panel to identify Sikhs from these sections
Amritsar, December 7
In a move aimed at the uplift of Sikhs belonging to the Sikligar and Banjara categories in states like MP,Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar today announced that a committee would be set up to identify such people so that the required measures for their betterment could be initiated.

Chandigarh, December 7
Youngsters in the state owing their alliance to the SAD today gave a clarion call to re-infuse fresh blood in the Youth Akali Dal to strengthen the SAD in its run up to the next general elections.

Several former Youth Akali Dal (YAD) leaders and supporters asked the SAD leadership to hand over the command of the youth wing to Bikram Singh Majithia, who they said was the right candidate to take on the Youth Congress and other anti-Akali forces in the state.

In what could be described as a large gathering of state youths, the SAD party office here saw fire in the belly with party workers, cadres and supporters coming out openly in their Manpreet Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh bashing.

Talking to The Tribune, Majithia, a former minister and MLA from Majithia said: “The popular sentiment at the youth conclave has been that I should head the youth wing of the party, if the party wants me in this slot, I will be honoured. I am delighted by the enthusiasm in the youth to take on the non-Akali forces in the state and I would be happy to lead them.”

Majithia, who is currently the patron of the YAD, received the support of the most young MLAs of the party who shared the dais with him. Four former YAD presidents also supported Majithia as the sole candidate to be the next youth wing chief.

Speaking to delegates, Majithia announced a social reform programme and asked those present to go back and help marry off a poor girl in every village, plant 10 saplings, give talks against dowry and in favour of simple marriages and help at least one youth in every village give up drugs.

He said the fight against drug addiction in the state was more important for the YAD than launching political battles.

He said he would personally supervise this campaign and from village level committees to district committees he would workout a detailed campaign against social evils.

He said the YAD was planning an interactive website that would give the details of the campaign, besides upload the videos of drug de-addiction functions across the state.

Launching the campaign of the YAD, Majithia said the campaign would be focussed on two slogans - “Punjab, Punjabi ate Punjabiat Kushal, Youth Akali Dal de Naal” and “Youth Akali Dal da eho Nara Khushal hove Punjab Sara”.

Talking about the Jaago Punjab Yatra started by Manpreet Badal, he said this was not required for the state as people were already awakened and knew every politician in the state.

He announced the schedule of the district-level meeting to be started from December 11 to take the YAD agenda further.

He further announced that the organisational set up of the YAD would be put in place by January next.

The YAD would soon launch an enrolment drive and would fight for 33 per cent reservation of party tickets for youth in the next general elections.

Patiala, December 7
Thousands of non-gazetted employees working with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) will go on a two-day strike across the state from midnight tonight.

Since engineers have announced that they will not do the duty of their subordinates, consumers may have to face trouble in case there develops any technical snag.

Sources said to ensure that power services were not paralysed in the state during the strike, the management of the PSPCL convened a meeting with representatives of various employees unions, particularly the Employees Joint Forum, at Mohali this afternoon.

Union leader Surinder Pehalwan said: “These meetings are nothing but dilly-dallying tactics.” Besides the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the PSPCL, KD Chaudhri, other senior officers of the PSPCL were also present at the meeting. “Though deliberations were held on all issues, the meeting ended inconclusive,” said one of the members present at the meeting.

However, in an attempt to prevent employees of the power corporation from going on the strike, Chaudhri and whole-time Directors of the PSPCL held another meeting with the PSEB Employees Joint Forum, the Council of JEs and the PSEB Engineers Association, at Mohali in the evening. It was announced that pending demands regarding the pay and allowances of the employees have been accepted by the government. “Orders in this regard will be issued soon after the receipt of the formal communication from the government”, reads a statement issued by the PSPCL management.

Employees Joint Forum leaders, however, reiterated their stand and announced that the strike would be held as per the schedule. “Our agitation will continue till our demands are accepted in writing by the competent authority,” said Karamchand Bhardwaj, a joint forum leader. 

Ferozepur, December 7
A new system has been evolved for making the 553-km-long Indo-Pak border in Punjab impregnable for anti-national elements, who would try to push men, explosives, weapons, fake Indian currency notes and narcotics from across the Radcliffe line to foment trouble in India by taking advantage of the foggy season, which has descended in the state.

The new system, which has been devised at individual level by each sector of the BSF and collectively by the Punjab Frontiers authorities, has been kept secret so that the anti-national elements across the border could be denied any chance to breach the same by devising their strategies.

Information gathered by The Tribune said the BSF authorities had given more stress on foolproof security arrangements this time due to the fact that cobra fencing, which was erected on the Indo-Pak border about two decades ago to check infiltration, had been washed away at many places due to low floods during the monsoon season in Ravi and Sutlej rivers, which ran parallel to the border in Gurdaspur and Ferozepur districts, respectively.

Apart from it, all riverine gaps, which have been created by Ravi, Sutlej, Ujh, Tarnah and Jalalia rivers in Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ferozepur districts on the Indo-Pak border, had been sanitised and new checkpoints had been set up.

“We have erected multi-layer security system and it has been further strengthened by creating security layers within security layers so that nothing can be left to chance. We can expect anything from the anti-national elements operating from Pakistan and, hence, we have to be vigilant always,” pointed out a senior functionary of the BSF while pleading anonymity.

Quick reaction teams (QRTs) had already been deployed on the border. The vehicular, mounted and foot-patrolling men had been equipped with latest weapons and electronic gadgets. The strength of troops manning the border had been increased, he said, adding that intelligence inputs had indicated that anti-national elements could indulge in mischief at anytime.

All officers of the BSF, including the DIG-level officers, had been asked to be the part of patrolling at regular intervals and jawans manning the border in extreme cold and foggy condition would be taken care of.

Chandigarh, December 7
The Punjab Government is set to crack the whip against the mushrooming of unscrupulous immigration agents with a view to checking human trafficking from the state.

The Punjab Cabinet has already approved the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Bill, 2010, to check cases of human trafficking which have assumed alarming proportions, Punjab PWD Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said at the investiture ceremony of World Wide Immigration Consultancy Services here yesterday.

Alluring people for permanent emigration, educational consultancy, work permits, tourist trips, medical treatment, cultural shows, preaching religion, sports events and illegal matrimonial alliances in a wrongful way would constitute an offence.

The punishment would be rigorous imprisonment of three to 10 years with a fine, depending on the nature of the offence, the Bill says.

The minister said the need for proper legislation envisaging strict legal action against unauthorised travel agents had been felt due to a variety of reasons.

It had been observed that unscrupulous travel agents charged a hefty amount of money and took into possession documents like the passport from gullible people for preparing visas.

While visas were not provided, the fly-by-night operators duped visa seekers by fake visas and pocketed huge money.

According to the new Bill, every immigration agent would have to obtain a licence from the competent authority.

The agents should have a minimum qualification of matriculation or its equivalent from a recognised university or institution.

And the licence of a person convicted by the court will be cancelled, the Bill warns.

The Bill, which will go a long way in regulating the hitherto-unregulated immigration business, also makes it mandatory to seek permission from the competent authority before issuing an advertisement or holding a seminar.

Amritsar, December 7
Passengers would continue to be harassed as the commissioning of CAT-II Instrument Landing System has once again been deferred during this winter season at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport at Rajasansi here.

Presiding over the Airport Advisory Committee meeting, Navjot Singh Sidhu, MP, said today that he would personally take up the matter with the Ministry of Defence for the immediate removal of Air force bunker causing obstructions to the pathway of the landing aircraft during foggy days.

He said although the CAT-II system had been installed for the past two years, due to these obstructions the system could not be operationalised, adding that similar other hurdles like the removal of electricity poles and the pruning of certain trees would be taken up on war footing so that all flights land and take off without diversion of delay due to fog.

Sunil Dutt, director of the airport, said the Airport Authority of India have already taken up the matter with different authorities to avoid inconvenience to large number of travellers.

On the issue of high VAT tax on aviation turbine fuel in the state which had become a major cost viability issue with several airlines flying into Amritsar, Sidhu said Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had assured him that the government would soon reduce the tax to attract more airlines to make Amritsar its destination.

Complementing the Union Government for renaming the name of the airport to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport as per the wishes and aspirations of the Punjabi community, Sidhu said the airport would be formally designated at a special ceremony soon.

To enhance the foreign trade from the international airport, Sidhu said the Electronic Data Interface facility would further be expanded to cover all kinds of shipping bills, pink, blue and white so that the exporters get the benefit for instant credit of duty drawback claims and other export benefits.

Air India international flights to London and Toronto, which had been discontinued last month, would start soon with the assurance of Civil Aviation Minister Prafull Patel.

Amritsar, December 7
In a move aimed at the uplift of Sikhs belonging to the Sikligar and Banjara categories in states like MP,Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar today announced that a committee would be set up to identify such people so that the required measures for their betterment could be initiated.

The pathetic state of these sections of the Sikh community in other states came to the fore when a member of the Madhya Pradesh Minorities Commission, Kulwant Singh, handed over a charter of demands to the SGPC President in this regard. He told Makkar that a number of persons belonging to the Sikligar and Banjara sections were living in pitiable conditions in these states. He said they got no reservation in admissions nor jobs in the government sector. Besides, the state governments concerned were not taking any measures for their uplift. In his representation, he urged the SGPC to take appropriate measures for their welfare.

Makkar said the SGPC would soon set up a committee which would identify such people after visiting these states, following which steps would be taken for improving their lot socially, economically and educationally. He said he would also put forth a proposal to extend economic aid to them in the SGPC budget. According to him, the SGPC would also set up gurdwaras and prachar kendars in the areas having a population of Sikligars and Banjaras. Apart from that, he said they would contact the state governments concerned and urge them to raise the standard of living of the Sikhs belonging to these categories.

Meanwhile, protesting against the move of not allowing Sikh students to tie turbans in French schools, Makkar said an SGPC delegation would soon meet officials at the French Embassy in New Delhi and make it clear that the turban was an inseparable part of the Sikh identity. 

Jalandhar, December 7
Senior Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar today said he would extend full support to Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Amarinder Singh to remove the SAD-BJP coalition government from power in the state.

“Our main objective is to remove the SAD-BJP coalition from the saddle to bring the Congres back to power.To achieve it, I will extend support wholeheartedly to Amarinder Singh”, said Jagmeet Singh talking to The Tribune on the phone.

“The political conference at the Maghi Mela at Muktsar will be most crucial for the Congress. As Muktsar is part of the Ferozepur parliamentary constituency, from where I contested last time, I will go all out to ensure a record turnout at the conference”, he asserted. “ In fact,I will hold a meeting at Gidderbaha on December 15 to mobilise people for the Maghi conference. Gidderbaha is a Vidhan Sabha segment from where I had taken a lead twice in two Lok Sabha elections. And that also when Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Manpreet Singh Badal comprised a united family”, said Jagmeet Singh.

Aware of the importance of the Maghi conference, Amarinder Singh has made Avtar Singh Brar, Congress MLA from Faridkot, in charge of the arrangements for the conference. Asked about giving charge of the conference to Avtar Singh Brar in his politicial territory,Jagmeet Singh said “ the collective objective of all of us is to make the Maghi conference a big success and set the ball rolling for the next Vidhan Sabha elections. I will work with full devotion to mobilise people for the conference as I have no ill-will against anyone”.

On the other hand, former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has also announced to hold a political conference at the Maghi Mela. It will be his showdown with the ruling SAD and the Congress.

Bathinda, December 7
The Punjab Government will soon recruit 133 ayurvedic medical officers. Stating this here today, state Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla said they had already received applications from candidates in this regard and the written test would be conducted by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.

Earlier, the minister laid the foundation stone of a block of District Ayurvedic Hospital, which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 37 lakh. The Director, Ayurvedic Department (Punjab), Dr Rakesh Sharma, was also present on the occasion.

The minister also honoured Som Nath Garg and Kaplash Garg, sons of a former minister, Kasturi Lal, who had donated land for the hospital in 1977 in his father Lala Tilak Ram’s memory. The new block would have three OPDs; a preparation room, an operation theatre, a sterilisation room and a 12-bedded ward. It would be completed in six months.

The minister further said she favoured non-practicing allowance (NPA) on the pattern of PCMS doctors for other systems of medicines like ayurveda and homoeopathy, adding that said she had written to the state Finance Department in this regard, besides taking up the matter with the CM to give the NPA to ayurvedic doctors.

Patiala, December 7
With the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) coming up with an ambitious e-governance plan, the Punjab industrialists will now be able to check the status of the consent of industry/project proponents online.

In order to make the process hassle free, the officials deliberated upon the matter and devised that the board’s website www.ppcb.gov.in would be enough for the streamlining of the system for checking the status of the consent of industry. The online status check will be functional from December 15.

Speaking to The Tribune, board member secretary Dr Babu Ram said, “Whenever an application regarding consent to establish/consent to operate/renewal of consent, will be filed with the concerned Regional Office of the Board, it will be entered into the database by the evening. As and when the application is processed, its status will be updated. Industries can use the application form number (AFN) for checking the online status of its application.”

Elaborating the matter further, Dr Ram said, “Once the system is functional, the PPCB homepage will open up and a flickering Online Status link will appear on the screen. This link will provide the status of application of an industry by single click on For Industrial User.”

It is user-friendly with drop-down menus available at almost every step. Industry will be required to key in its AFN to get access to its online status. After putting the application number, the status of its application will be displayed immediately. It will state whether the application has been disposed off or the stage at which it is pending and reasons for which it is pending

PPCB Chairman Rajat Aggarwal said the computer section was developed this software in-house without any cost to the board. “The board only invested in replacing the outdated computer hardware from the offices of the board,” he said.

Discussing about future plans, he told that the PPCB was actively involved in developing software with NIC, Delhi, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Central Pollution Control Board. 

Chandigarh, December 7
Age has not mellowed the indomitable spirit of the Indian soldier. At 99, Balaur Singh, a Sapper hailing from Roopnagar, still maintained a dignified posture and threw up a crisp salute to greet the Punjab Governor at a special function to commemorate Flag Day here today.

Balaur Singh was among the 20-odd veterans from various districts of the state, all in their eighties and nineties, who were honoured by Governor Shivraj Patil at a function organised at Raj Bhawan.They were presented a cheque and a robe of honour as a mark of recognition for the services they rendered in their youth.

Armed Forces Flag Day is observed on December 7 each year, when flags are pinned on the lapels of citizens and donations are made for the welfare of soldiers. This practice goes back to the post-World War I days, when it was known as Poppy Day because donations were sought in return for poppy flowers. Post-Independence, it came to be known as Armed Forces Flag Day and the funds so collected nationwide are utilised for the welfare of ex-servicemen, their widows and wards.

Also honoured on the occasion was Maj Harmeet Singh Samra from the Rajput Regiment who was decorated with the Shaurya Chakra earlier this year for gallantry during counter-terrorist operations in Kashmir. In May 2008, during operations in Doda, he detected a militant hideout. His party came under fire and his buddy was injured. With disregard to his own safety, he evacuated his buddy and then charged the hideout, killing two militants.

The families of two veteran soldiers were also felicitated by the Governor. This includes the Vains family comprising Lt-Col Mohinder Singh Vains, an Artillery officer who is now 98 years old, his son, Maj-Gen S.P.S. Vains (retd) of the Dogra Regiment, and grandson, Col Manpreet Singh, a highly decorated officer serving in the Special Forces. The other family includes 95-year-old Col Shamsher Singh and his son, Maj-Gen C.S. Panag (retd), both from the Sikh Regiment, and grandson, Col Vikramjit Singh, now in the Mechanised Infantry. 

Abohar, December 7
Veteran Indian National Army (INA) freedom fighter Hanuman Dass Karagwal (aged 101 years as per his service record), who breathed his last late last night, was cremated with full military honours this evening in his native Dangarkhera village, near here.

Army officers and other ranks were joined by Sohan Lal, former chairman of the Market Committee, and Davinder Dhundhara, chairman of the Panchayat Samiti, in laying wreaths as the 15-member Army contingent offered salute to the former INA soldier.

Quoting official documents and photos, his grandson Brij Lal informed the visiting army officials and mediapersons that the deceased had told the family that he was initially recruited by the imperialists’ government in the Army as ambulance driver and dispatched to Singapore to crush the freedom movement. During that period, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose while addressing a rally there made a clarion call to all Indians - “Karo sab nichhawar bano sab fakir” (sacrifice all and be penniless mendicants for the sake of the motherland). Swayed by the call, Dass deserted the British service and joined the INA. He occasionally remembered having shook hands with Netaji and had also travelled with him by sea route. Thereafter, he participated in tough missions to expand the INA.

Patiala, December 7
The Rural Veterinary Officers Association withheld the agitation regarding the regularisation issue after the Punjab Rural Development and Panchyats Minister Ranjit Singh Brahampura’s reassurance. The association, under the leadership of Dr Navdeep Singh Khinda, met Brahampura, who has promised to put forward the regularisation issue in the up coming cabinet meeting.

“We were set to stage a massive demonstration at the Moga Pashu mela but after assurance from Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, we decided to postpone the agitation,” said Dr Khinda. He said in case the demand of regularisation of all 434 RVO’s was not accepted soon, association would intensify the agitation. State vice-president of the association Jiwan Kumar Gupta said from past four years, the state government was deliberating the issues. It ignored the facts that officials and their families have suffered.

Chandigarh, December 7
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has acquitted a dowry death case accused after making it clear that allegations of ill-treatment are not enough for convicting an accused in a dowry case. A link between ill- treatment and dowry demand has to be established.

The assertion came on an appeal filed by Gurcharan Singh, convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in a dowry death case under Section 304-B, IPC ,after his wife Balwinder Kaur’s death.

Taking up the appeal, Justice M. Jeyapaul asserted: “There might have been some ill-treatment at the hands of the accused”. But such “an ill- treatment should have a connection with the demand of dowry, as rightly pointed out by the senior counsel APS Deol, appearing for the accused-appellant.

“The gap between the alleged ill-treatment and demand of dowry which culminated in the death of Balwinder Kaur was not established by the prosecution”.

Appearing as prosecution witnesses, Balwinder Kaur’s parents, Waryam Singh and Laxmi Devi, had told the court their daughter married the accused about three years prior to her death. Gurcharan Singh, unhappy with the dowry, started demanding Rs 70,000 for opening a television shop. Relative Dara Singh later came with the information Balwinder Kaur had been set on fire by Gurcharan Singh.

The trial court concluded the prosecution has established the case beyond reasonable doubt that Balwinder Kaur committed suicide due to cruelty by the dowry demanding accused.

Justice Jeyapaul asserted: “To establish an offence under Section 304-B, IPC, the victim should have been subjected to cruelty and harassment. That harassment or cruelty should be in connection with the demand of dowry. Such cruelty or harassment (by) demanding dowry should have taken place soon before the death of victim….

“The wide gap between the alleged cruelty committed by the accused, who had a grievance that Balwinder Kaur brought lesser dowry and the death of Balwinder Kaur was not bridged by the prosecution….

“There is lack of evidence to establish that there was ill-treatment or harassment or cruelty just before the death of Balwinder Kaur. The nexus between the death of Balwinder Kaur and demand of dowry in connection with the marriage was not established by the prosecution”.

Nurpur Bedi, December 7
Sarpanch of Ganuran village was murdered for dowry. In his complaint to the Nurpur Bedi police, victim’s father Manjit Singh, said he had married his 27-year-old daughter, Maninder Kaur, to Amrik Singh three years ago. The couple has a two-year-old daughter, Ravneet Kaur, from the wedlock.

Manjit alleged that Amrik and his parents had been troubling his daughter for dowry.

Maninder had repeatedly told her father regarding the treatment meted out at her in-laws place.

Manjit received a call, on Sunday night, from his daughter’s father-in-law, Jarnail Singh, that Maninder had fallen seriously ill. When Manjit and his family members reached Jarnail’s place, they found marks on Maninder’s neck. He alleged that his daughter was strangulated for dowry.

Police has registered a case against Amrik Singh, father-in-law Jarnail Singh and mother-in-law, Kulwinder Kaur and Amrik Singh has been arrested.