Mohali, January 25
As many as 75 panchayats, who achieved a sex ratio of 1,000 and above, were honoured at a state-level function held in Phase VI here today. Female athletes who had won medals in the Commonwealth and the Asian Games were also honoured.

Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, who inaugurated the function, congratulated the Punjab Health Minister and those associated with the movement to improve the sex ratio.

He said the Health Department had taken steps to check the skewed sex ratio, but a lot was still to be done to improve the situation. He said regular checks were needed at the ultrasound centres to ensure they did not indulge in female foeticide, enforcement of pre-conceiving and the PNDT Act.

The Governor further said female foeticide was spreading its tentacles in our society and the society had to work together to eradicate the evil.

The increase in cases of female foeticide has caused an imbalance in the male and female sex ratio. It is important that educational institutions, NGOs, religious and community leaders play a pivotal role in inculcating moral values among the youth regarding the practise. This is a fight against the social system, tradition and rituals to change the mindset of the public. Educating women is an influential investment.

Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla, health minister, said the panchayats, which were honoured would get a Rs 1.5 lakh each. She appealed to other panchayats that they should play a positive role in improving the sex ratio. This was the third such function as the earlier functions were held at Amritsar and Fatehgarh Sahib where 83 panchayats were awarded with Rs 1.5 lakh.

B Purushartha, mission director of the National Rural Health Mission of Punjab, said toll free phone service had been started to prevent female foeticide and any person who would provide information on the ultrasound centre, which carried out sex determination test, would be awarded. 

75 Panchyats honoured for achieving sex ratio of 1,000, awarded Rs 1.5 lakh 
Female athletes honoured for winning medals at Commonwealth, Asian Games 
National Rural Health Mission announces toll free phone service as an attempt to curb foeticide

Chandigarh, January 25
Apparently not satisfied with a notification issued by the Punjab Government on the installation of speed governors in goods and passenger vehicles, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the state to re-issue the notification.

The state has been asked to come out with a fresh notification in accordance with the mandate contained in the Supreme Court’s directions dated August 25 last year.

Taking up a petition filed in the public interest on the issue, the Division Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ajay Tewari directed the state to issue a proper notification before January 31, to ensure good quality speed governors are installed in the vehicles.

The state, in its notification dated January 21, had asserted that the transport authority shall not register goods and passenger vehicles unless the same are fitted with speed governors.

Appearing for petitioner Suraksha Foundation, advocate Puneet Bali said as per the High Court directions of December 10, 2010, Haryana should have initiated the process of inviting tenders not later than January 25. But, till date the state has done precious little in this regard.

Counsel for the State of Haryana, on the other hand, assured the Bench that a meeting of the officials would be convened today itself for inviting the tenders. Taking note of the contention, the Bench asked the state to complete the process of inviting tenders for speed governors before January 31.

Bahawala (Ferozepur), January 25
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today accused Manpreet Badal of causing damage to the people of the state by opposing facilities being extended to them by the Punjab Government. He said Manpreet’s aim was to implement “a secret agenda of the Congress”.

Addressing a rally after laying the foundation stones of five irrigation and seven other projects to make water available to parched lands of the Abohar, Balluana and Fazilka Assembly segments here today, he categorically said Manpreet had “connived with a section of Congress leaders and hence had adopted an “anti-poor people” approach.

“Why Manpreet has been opposing subsidies being given to various sections of society by the government when he himself has been taking subsidy running into lakhs of rupees?” he asked.

The rally, which witnessed a huge turnout, was attended by Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Sewa Singh Sekhwan (ministers), MP Sher Singh Ghubhaya, Balluana MLA Gurtej Singh Ghuriana and political adviser to the SAD Sanjeev Godara. A section of leaders who are close to Manpreet’s father Gurdas Badal were also seen sitting on the dais.

Earlier, while addressing a series of public rallies in different parts of Ferozepur district, Sukhbir announced that the government might extend the benefits of the Shagun scheme being given to members of the Scheduled Caste to members of all backward classes.

Maintaining that he had no personal grudge against Manpreet, Sukhbir said one should not play politics at the cost of the poor. He claimed that the government could make any sacrifice for providing subsidies to commoners.

Rejecting a proposal made by Union Finance Minister Parnab Mukharjee for making an Act to bring out black money and money stashed away in Swiss banks by describing the same as complete eyewash, he alleged that the proposal was being made to save Congress leaders, who had been holding money in Swiss banks.

“What the Congress Government has given to the country is unprecedented price rise, scams, communalism and anti-people policies,” he alleged. He further said “anti-people attitude” of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had also been exposed as he had urged the Prime Minister to stop giving grants to Punjab.

Jalandhar, January 25
In an apparent retaliation against the BJYM-led Rashtriya Ekta Yatra, the Punjab Youth Congress today hoisted the National Flag at the residence of Anurag Thakur situated on the Jalandhar-Ludhiana highway.

Anandpur Sahib MP and Punjab Youth Congress chief Ravneet Singh Bittu said: “To instigate a feeling of communal hatred in J&K, the BJP leadership is heading towards the state to unfurl the Tricolour. However, there own houses are not flagged with the Tricolour. Therefore, we came here to hoist it.”

“The yatra aims at giving an impression that the people of J&K are no more Indians and it is only the BJP which is in the vanguard of patriotism in the state. Otherwise, what is the need of such political adventure when the Tricolour will be unfurled at all district headquarters of J&K,” he added.

Meanwhile, a sense of confusion prevailed during the entire exercise as none of the Youth Congress workers were able to locate Thakur’s house. By mistake, they spotted the house of Amarjit Singh Tutt as Thakur’s residence. When it was all set to unfurl the Tricolour there, the house owner made them aware of the fact.

Chandigarh, January 25
Several villages in Punjab are not proud of having been named as villages of cats, dogs, rats, jackals, crows and even frogs, but are unable to get rid of them.

Sample this; Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s constituency of Lambi has a village named Kutteyanwali (village of dogs) and Kattayanwali (village of male calf). Both villages have failed to get their names changed over a period of ten years despite the Chief Minister espousing their cause.

In case of Kuttayanwali village, its resident Lakhwinder Singh says the village had an even worse name under the British rule-Suranwali (village of pigs).

Ferozepur district has villages named Gidderanwali (village of jackals), Billimaar (village of cat killers), Bhedanwala (village of sheep), Dangar Khera (abode of animals), Kaanwali (village of crows), Sapaanwali (village of snakes) and even Keeranwala (village of ants).

During a recent visit of Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the stage speaker while calling out to a panchayat of Giddaranwali said “Giddaran di panchayat aa jaave” (let the panchayat of jackals come forward).

Mansa, which also has its fair share of such names, even has a village called Thutiyanwali (a thutha is begging bowl) and an Andaanwali (village of eggs). Same is the case with Keeri (ant) village sarpanch Shingara Singh who says the village may be named Keeri but the progress made by its residents is more in the nature of gallops of horses.

Among other names, which have villagers cringing, include Bandar (monkey) and Landa (animal without tail) villages in Moga district, ‘Bomb’ village in Ludhiana, Kaala Bakra (black goat), Kukar (cock), Makhi (fly) and Billi (cat) villages in Jalandhar. There’s also a Dud (frog) village in Kapurthala and Chuhewal village (village of rats) in Gurdaspur.

Punjabi writer Kirpal Kazak said villages having awkward names were earlier part of small habitants, which were extremely backward and infested with various kinds of animals.

Director, Rural Development and Panchayats Gurdev Singh Sidhu says his department can only keep the names of panchayats and that village names are dealt with the Revenue department. Sidhu said since changing names would have an impact on revenue records, the move had to be approved by the centre.

Chandigarh, January 25
Three Punjab Police officers have been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service on the eve of Republic Day.

They are Bathinda Inspector-General of Police Nirmal Singh Dhillon, who had earlier served as DIG, Chief Minister’s Security; Ropar Senior Superintendent of Police Jatinder Singh Aulakh; and Jalandhar Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Satinder Singh.

While SSP Aulakh had earlier this year been awarded the DGP Commendation Disc for excellence in service besides winning the best district award in policing for Ropar district, Satinder Singh had earlier been awarded the Prime Minister’s Police Medal for Life Saving. 

Bathinda, January 25
Exercising his power of granting a special remission of 30 days to prisoners, Superintendent of the Bathinda Central Jail Sukhdev Singh Saggu released six prisoners on the eve of Republic Day.

The prisoners, who were released today, are Gurtej Singh, Navtej Singh (both from Laleana village (Bathinda), Satpal Singh from Mandhali village (Mansa), Jatinder Kumar from Nairo village (Mansa), Sarbjit Singh and Gurpreet Singh from Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda). All these prisoners were undergoing imprisonment under different Sections of the IPC. Deputy Superintendent of Jail Kaur Singh was also present. — TNS

Chandigarh, January 25
The State of Punjab’s plea for extending by six months the present contracts for mining minor minerals has failed to find favour with the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

A Division Bench headed by Justice MM Kumar turned down the plea while taking up an application moved by the state.

The application was placed before the Bench hearing a petition filed by Pratap Singh Sandhu of Tarn Taran district.

In his petition, Sandhu had sought directions that the mining of minor minerals be carried only after taking prior environment clearance in terms of Central Government notification dated September 14, 2006, issued under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. 

Patiala, January 25
The Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA) cleared the name of Chief Flying Instructor (CFI), Capt Malkeat Singh.

Sources said the DGCA summoned Capt Malkeat to New Delhi for an interview. The interview was essential for the official clearance, after he was appointed as the CFI by the state government. Flying academies are operating in Sahnewal and Amritsar, in addition to Patiala.

The Punjab Government had recently appointed Capt Malkeat as the CFI at the club following the transfer of GS Mangat to Sahnewal. Capt. Malkeat was earlier flying for the Birmi Flying Club in Patiala. “I have been cleared by a team headed by Joint Director-General Civil Aviation and was also told that any CFI shifting from one club will have to go through this routine process,” Capt said. “We will soon resume the flying classes.” Since the Chief Flight Instructor and a Cesna aircraft were transferred to the Sahnewal Aviation Club in November, 2010, the activities at the Patiala Aviation Club (PAC) had come to a halt. The move had affected the students undergoing training at the PAC.

Patiala, January 25
The police investigations are continuing in the murder of the 53-year-old woman, who was found murdered. The police are awaiting the postmortem report to ascertain the cause of death.

Lakhvinder Kaur, a power board employee, was murdered at her house in Delight Colony, after unidentified persons stabbed her to death and later set her room on fire in the wee hours of Monday.

Police officials have ruled out robbery as a motive but claim that a laptop was missing from the room where the crime had taken place. “However more evidence will be available after a detailed probe into the matter,” they said. SHO Civil Lines Sukhminder Chauhan said, “We are working on many theories on the possible cause of the murder,” he added.

SSP Patiala Gurpreet Singh Gill said though a laptop was missing from the house, the fire in the room had destroyed crucial evidence. “The heat inside the room has melted the furniture, leaving us with minimum evidence,” Gill said. — TNS

Chandigarh, January 25
Just about six months after a Single Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that the Punjab Government was the biggest litigant, a Division Bench yesterday directed the Additional Advocates-General of Punjab and Haryana to inform the court about the contents and the finalisation of the litigation policies.

The Bench of acting Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Augustine George Masih heard that the litigation policy pursuant to the award of the 13th Finance Commission had been finalised by the Haryana Government. In the case of Punjab, it was nearing finalisation. On July 7, 2010, Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia had observed that Punjab had not formulated a litigation policy. The order had gone on to say that Punjab was the largest litigant and state functionaries were shying in performance of their duties to resolve disputes.

Justice Ahluwalia had also issued a show-cause notice to the state Chief Secretary as to why exemplary cost be not imposed on the state for placing before the courts avoidable litigation. — TNS