Gidderbaha (Muktsar), March 12
The Muktsar police resorted to a lathi charge on hundreds of agitating sikhya karmis , who were adamant to visit Badal village to gherao the residence of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to put pressure on the state government to regularise their services.

The agitators were led by the state president of the Sikhya Karmi Adhyapak Union, Ajmer Singh Aulakh. They had planned to gherao Badal’s house by coming from various parts of the state through different routes.

Earlier, the Mansa police stopped the agitators on the Mansa-Bathinda road when they were on their way to Badal village. On this, they blocked the Mansa-Bathinda road. The police detained some of the agitators, but later released them. Similarly, the police also detained sikhya karmis at Malout and Gidderbaha and later released them.

Talking to TNS, Aulakh said when the police did not allow them to head towards Badal village at Gidderbaha, they blocked the Gidderbaha-Bathinda road here. Following this, the police resorted to a lathi charge on them, leaving 15 to 20 sikhya karmis injured. He alleged that the police did not allow them to get themselves admitted to a Gidderbaha hospital. However, two-three of them managed to get themselves admitted to the hospital, he added.

Aulakh said there were 7,740 sikhya karmis in Punjab who were demanding the regularisation of their services. He said their agitation would continue till their demand was 
fulfilled.

Muktsar SSP Inder Mohan Singh said there were 500 to 600 sikhya karmis at Gidderbaha, who were adamant to go to Badal village to gherao the CM’s residence. He said when the police stopped them, they started pelting stones at policemen, leaving three cops, including Jasbir Singh and Om Parkash, injured. They had been admitted to a hospital, he said, claiming that it was a mild lathi charge and only two-three sikhiya karmis had sustained injuries.

The SSP said a meeting of sikhya karmis had been fixed with the Director-General (School Education) on March 18 for holding talks. He said no FIR had been registered against anyone so far.

Patiala, March 12
Notwithstanding the fact that agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy, more and more farmers of Punjab, considered to be the food bowl of India, are leaving the farm sector.

 So far, as many as 22 per cent of the farmers in Punjab, have already left farming and are working as labourers, whereas about 41 per cent of farmers are seriously contemplating to leave the farm sector. Expressing these views during a seminar on the topic of problems of agriculture sector and the co-operative movement, held at Kala Bhawan, Punjabi University, here yesterday, the Chairman of the Punjab State Farmers Commission, Dr GS Kalkat, said that over the years, the input cost in the agriculture sector had increased tremendously, whereas the income had reduced considerably.

He said, “In case, the problems being faced by the farmers are not addressed, the day is not far when the farmers will start opting for occupation in the other sectors, in order to manage their household expenses.” He said already 1,000 Agro Service Centres (ASCs) had been opened by the State Farmers Commission in Punjab and 400 more such centres would be started soon. Notably, the scheme of the ASCs is a brainchild of Dr Kalkat and is among the various measures that the state government proposes to take in order to reduce costs and increase profits for the small and marginal farmers.

“In wake of the fact that agriculture is no more remunerative, the small and marginal farmers in Punjab are compelled to take loans from the moneylenders at a high rate of interest, in order to manage their day-to-day basic needs. And because of the debt trap and inability to repay the loan, the farmers are compelled to commit suicide,” he said.

Anandpur Sahib, March 12
The Hola Mohalla celebrations this year are all set to go environment friendly and clean.Langar organisers have been directed to place at least two mega-sized dustbins for the disposal of plates and other materials on which food will be served to pilgrims. The idea is to keep the place, which swarms with thousands of devotees making beeline for the Hola Mohalla celebrations to be held from March 14.

The district administration has also made an appeal to the langar organisers and other shopkeepers to minimise the usage of plastic to maintain the sanctity of the festival. An international Sikh Group, EcoSikh, has appealed to Giani Tarlochan Singh, Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, to persuade the authorities and pilgrims coming to Anandpur Sahib not to use plastic bags and plastic products.

Project director Ravneet Singh said the Hola Mohalla was celebrated as the Gurta Gaddi Divas (enthronement day) of Guru Har Rai. He had special sensitivity towards nature preservation and well-being of animals.

He said, “Sikhs all over the world are celebrating March 14 as Sikh Environment Day.

The jathedar of Akal Takht has already declared March 14 as Sikh Environment Day. The EcoSikh called upon all political parties to emphatically persuade clean up mess 
after their political conventions.”

Group activists said, “Plastic, styrofoam and chemicals leaching out of these petroleum-based products are detrimental to ecosystem of sacred location.” The district administration too has appealed for minimum usage of plastic.

Deputy Commissioner Arunjit Singh Miglani said the SGPC had been appealed to display quotes from Gurbani that promote healthy and green environment. He has imposed ban on pressure horns and those who violate it shall be challaned. Also a ban has been imposed on usage of gulal and fireworks.

Nabha, March 12
Former Finance Minister, Punjab, Manpreet Badal, today expressed his anguish over the remarks made by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, accusing him (Manpreet) of separating him (Badal) from his brother, Gurdas Badal.

Manpreet was in the town today to address a rally of the workers during his ongoing ‘Jago Punjab’ yatra. He was accompanied, among others, by the MLA, Jagbir Brar.

While talking to mediapersons, Manpreet said, “I would like to tell the Chief Minister that I am aggrieved as I was expelled from the party. I didn’t leave it. I was sidelined from the very beginning and that was an open secret for the people of Punjab." Replying to the charges levelled by the Chief Minister that Manpreet snatched away his brother Guradas from him, he said that the Chief Minister should recall how a Cabinet minister was ousted in only three days from the SAD-BJP government without any allegation.

He added that for him loyalty to the state comes before that of party and family but unfortunately things were in reverse order in SAD. He said that his fault was that he was more loyal to the state rather than party and family.

Ludhiana, March 12
The anti-incumbency factor has ruled the Indian political scene for a long time; as a result every election in the country is fought on negative vote without which no political party can dream of winning the elections, said PPCC president and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Speaking to The Tribune at the house of the senior Congress leader, Pawan Dewan, the PPCC president said his party along with getting the benefit of the negative votes of the SAD would release a comprehensive election manifesto based upon fiscal, agricultural, commercial, educational and health policies. "But we will not announce it before the right time as we do not want to give the SAD the chance to pick them up and make claims on the policies," said Amarinder Singh.

When asked about the delay in restructuring the PPCC and the district units, Amarinder Singh stated that he had already submitted the list to the party general secretary and in a month's time, the party would declare the names of the office-bearers of the PPCC working committee.

However, Amarinder Singh denied reports on the internal strife in the Congress units, adding, "The difference of opinion is healthy and is taken in good spirit in the Congress. But there is no indiscipline and nobody is working against the interests of the party."

Amarinder Singh while answering the query on the impact of scams at the national level on the Punjab politics observed that corrupt elements were being taken to task and the Union Government was extending support for the same. 

Amritsar, March 12
Congress leaders and activists today jostled with each other in the full media glare to share the dais with the newly appointed in charge of Punjab Congress affairs, Gulchain Singh Charak, prior to his press conference here.

Party leader Harpal Bhatia also had an altercation with an aide of former Mayor Sunil Datti after the former tried to take a seat on the dais. Bhatia thwarted the bid of the former Mayor’s aide to stop him and got seated along with other leaders. Minutes after the incident, when Charak arrived at the venue, party leaders and workers again made a beeline for sharing the dais with him, leading to an utter chaos and giving the new in charge some embarrassing moments before the media.

Finally, Charak had to intervene to calm down party workers. He then regretted inconvenience caused to the media and assured that his next meeting with the media in the city will be “well-organised”. There were also reports of former MLA Ashwani Sekhri and Congress Councillor Navdeep Goldy having an argument at the Circuit House, where Charak was accorded welcome on reaching the city.

Later, responding to a query during his press conference, Charak claimed that the party was absolutely united in Punjab. “Our party observes inner policy democracy and everybody is entitled to his opinion and there is nothing wrong in it,” he said, adding that to describe it as factionalism is absolutely wrong.

Meanwhile, in a significant move, Charak announced that the Congress will go it alone in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Punjab as it was in a comfortable position to win the elections on its own. He said, “We don’t need to forge an alliance with any party in Punjab as we are going very strong.”

Replying to a query on the possible emergence of a third front under former state Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, he said it would have no impact on the Congress. On the criterion for ticket distribution in the coming elections, he said the people with clean image would be allotted party ticket after taking into confidence party workers of the particular constituency.

Prominent among those present were DCC (Urban) President Jagjit Singh Sehdev, Rural President Lali Majithia, Sukh Sarkaria, Harpratap Ajnala, Fateh Jang Bajwa, Raman Balla and others.

Earlier, Charak paid obeisance at the Golden Temple, the Durgiana Temple and Jallianwala Bagh. The SGPC felicitated him during his visit to the Golden Temple.

Chandigarh, March 12
Water may be the top-most priority of the SAD-BJP government but the performance of its premier Water Resources Management and Development Corporation has been lacklustre with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) holding it responsible for delaying the completion of tube wells, installing tube wells in over- exploited zones and failing to recover dues.

The corporation has also been castigated for failing to promote schemes for execution and management for recharge of groundwater and anti-water logging measures.

CAG has looked into the functioning of the corporation between 2004-2009 because the figures, both operational and financial for 2009-10, were not compiled by the organisation till August 2010. Punjab Assembly Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon’s son, Ravi Kiran Singh Kahlon, has been the chairman of the corporation since December 2009.

The report states that against a norm of five months for installation of a tube well, there was a delay ranging from one to 36 months in case of 217 out of the 239 tube wells installed during 2004-09.

The report also mentions that despite the need to regulate sustainable withdrawal of ground water, the corporation had installed 24 tube wells in over-exploited districts.

The report said 174 out of the 295 tube wells dug up during 2004-09 had 25 per cent less discharge than that anticipated. Due to this, against the targeted irrigation of 23,959 acres, actual irrigation was possible only in 17,988 acres.

The CAG report also states that the present system of collection of water charges by the lambardars authorised by the Revenue Department was prone to corruption. It said due to this the outstanding water charges had increased from Rs 1.42 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 5.35 crore by 2009.

The report also holds that the corporation has not involved the beneficiaries in the installation, operation and maintenance of tube wells as envisaged in the National Water Policy. It has recommended that in order to create a sense of ownership and controlled use of water by farmers, the corporation should actively involve the beneficiaries by charging a token contribution of 10 per cent of the cost of installation from them. It has also recommended that these tube wells should be handed over for operation and maintenance to the Water Users Associations. 

Chandigarh, March 12
To preserve and promote traditional games, the state government has announced the inclusion of sports like gatka in schools and colleges’ curriculum. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has announced sports to be a priority area in the SAD-BJP’s agenda for the governance.

Encouraged by the state government’s decision, the Punjab Gatka Association (PGA) has requested Sukhbir to include gatka and other traditional games in the gradation list of the state Sports Department.

PGA general secretary Harjeet Singh Grewal, also the DPRO (Rupnagar), said the state Education Department had already initiated steps to incorporate gatka in the schools, colleges and universities' sports calendars and would also soon organise inter-district Gatka competitions. Besides, universities from the state were also organising their inter-college gatka competitions.

Grewal said the PGA had recently organised the first Punjab State Open Gatka Championship at Mohali and the National Gatka Championship was now scheduled to be held in May at Sangrur. 

Chandigarh, March 12
Congress legislator from Bholath Sukhpal Singh Khaira has drawn the state’s immediate attention to the report of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) highlighting the fiscal state of Punjab.

Speaking on behalf of the party, he has demanded that immediate financial emergency be declared because the state has borrowed in excess of the Planning Commission sanctions. Quoting from the report, he has said that Punjab’s annual plan for 2009-10 had been limited by the Planning Commission to net market borrowing of Rs 6,538 crore and nil against small savings. But the state government raised open market borrowings (OMB) of Rs 4,985 crore besides a loan of Rs 1,567 crore against small savings during the current year, which is in excess of the Centre’s ceiling by Rs 361 crore.

He said the CAG had also criticised the SAD-BJP government for the poor quality of expenditure meaning thereby that development expenditure seemed to be low priority of the government. Similarly, low priority was given to the social sector mainly education and health services. The CAG report states that while other states spent 37.5 per cent on the social sector, Punjab merely spent 23.3 per cent.

While its spending on education stood at 12.9 per cent, the national average was 16.2 per cent. Punjab also fared poorly on capital expenditure (7.3 pc) which lead to asset creation, necessary for higher growth, Khaira stated.

The state had also violated the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act which stated that all loans and guarantees should be capped at 80 per cent of the total revenue receipts of the previous year, but in the case of Punjab, it was as high as 161 per cent of the revenue receipts.

Batala, March 12
The followers of legendary Punjabi litterateur Shiv Kumar Batalvi have reason to smile as the Punjab Government has decided to grant Rs 1.80 crore for the reconstruction of the dilapidated auditorium that was built in memory of the late writer three decades ago.

A function to mark the 75th birth anniversary of the late poet was held in July last year and, keeping in mind the dilapidated building, the venue was changed at the eleventh hour, a decision that invited flak from Batalvi’s followers. The auditorium boasts of broken tiles and doors, a roof ready to fall any time and plaster peeling off from walls.

It resembles more of a haunted house rather than a building constructed in remembrance of the writer who, in 1967, became the youngest recipient of the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award.

Meanwhile, Punjab Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan has been appointed Patron-in-Chief of the Shiv Kumar Batalvi Arts and Cultural Society. The society has four patrons, including the writer’s wife, Aruna Batalvi. The society’s affairs will be governed by a managing committee whose chairman is the Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner, Pirthi Chand. The Batala SDM is the ex-officio secretary of the society.

The Deputy Commissioner has convened a meeting on March 14 at the Batala club to finalise the next course of action. An Amritsar-based architect has also been invited to the meeting.

Meanwhile, the state government’s decision to release a hefty grant for the reconstruction of the auditorium has been praised by connoisseurs of Punjab literature. Cutting across party lines, Qadian MLA LS Lodhinangal, senior BJP leader Swaran Salaria and former Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri have also praised the government’s decision.

Chandigarh, March 12
Less than two years after a judicial inquiry into the death of a Bathinda jail inmate indicted prison authorities, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the payment of Rs 3 lakh as compensation to his kin. The amount is to be paid within three months.

An inquiry was ordered after Justice SD Anand of the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo motu cognisance of media reports on Jaskaran Singh alias Jassa’s death. A resident of Bhagi Vandar village in Bathinda district, Jassa was serving a 10-year sentence in an attempt to murder case.

Disposing of the petition, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Augustine George Masih asserted: “In the present matter, it is the case of the state itself that death of Jaskaran Singh alias Jassa was due to organo-phosphorous poisoning. Even if it is taken into account that such poisoning can be on account of intake of fruits and vegetables having high content of pesticide, in the present case such a hypothesis has to be excluded as in such an event there would have been other victims of pesticide among the jail inmates, the fact which has not been established.”

“It, therefore, follows that a conclusion holding the state to be liable can reasonably be reached by us. Such liability on the part of the state can only be discharged by payment of compensation for the death,” the Bench asserted.