Chandigarh, April 2
The detailed census for Punjab conducted during 2011 will be released officially sometimes next week. Some trends are, however, available and the provisional population data released for the 2011 census suggests a 13.73 per cent growth in population figures over the last decade. This has raised the density of population in Punjab to 550 persons per square kilometre that makes it the 13th most congested state in the country.

Sources in the Department of Census said that the data for the state was being tabulated and was expected to be complete sometimes in this coming week. It would be put out only after thorough verification. However, some details are already known that include the total head count in the state. Punjab that has a total population of 2, 77, 04, 236, including 14, 634, 819 men, 13, 069, 417 women and 2,941,570 children.

In percentage terms, Punjab is 2 percent of the national population that has been put at 1.21 billion. Though the density of population of Haryana (573) is slightly higher than Punjab (550), the density of population in neighbouring hill states of Himachal Pradesh (123) and Jammu and Kashmir (124) is nearly one-fourth, perhaps on account of terrain. Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and UP fall in the second highest populated zones of the country.

Punjab’s Child Sex Ratio (CSR) has actually improved from 2001. In the last 10 years, the CSR has risen to 846 females born for 1,000 male infants born in the state. This is far better that the 798 figure of the 2001 census, but still much lower than the national average of 914. The national average in 2001 was higher at 927. The male to female sex ratio in Punjab stands higher at 893, which means more the survival male child is higher than the female child.

Literacy in Punjab has actually gone up and the current census puts the average literacy in the state at 76.68. The average is higher among men and put at 81.48 per cent, while the average among women is 71.34 per cent.

Ludhiana, April 2
Repetition of words by a defence lawyer during arguments on framing charges against accused persons today irked the court of Sessions Judge SP Bangarh. The court snubbed the defence lawyer.

The Sessions Judge asked the defence lawyer, representing one of the accused, SAH Naqvi, manager, marketing, of Today Homes Company not to waste the time of the court by repeating things.

When the court asked the defence lawyer not to repeat words, the defence lawyer reacted. Seeing the annoyance of the court over the reaction of the defence lawyer, two senior lawyers representing different accused stood and intervened.

Thereafter the case was adjourned for hearing the remaining arguments

of the defence lawyer on April 9. The defence lawyer wanted some another date but the Sessions Judge stated that the court would not work at the whims of the accused persons.

PPCC president Amarinder Singh was not present during the hearing. His personal presence was exempted for today. Amarinder’s lawyer Trilok Singh Sood had filed an application with the plea that his client was unable to attend the court, as he was occupied in meetings in New Delhi for finalising the list of district presidents of the Congress and other office-bearers.

Amarinder's son, Raninder Singh, ex-Local Bodies Minister Chowdhary Jagjit Singh, ex-additional advocate-general Harpreet

Sandhu, Today Homes company's managing director G K Gambhir attended the court hearing.

Amritsar, April 2
The district court today fixed April 8 as the next date of hearing in the case filed by the teachers belonging to Khalsa College and Punjab, Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU). In the case they have sought anticipatory bail after the registration of a case against them.

It is evident to mention here that Dr Daljit Singh and Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, Principals of Khalsa College and Khalsa College of Education, respectively, have lodged complaints against the agitating teachers for trespassing their official residences, raising slogans and using offensive language against them on March 16-17.

They were protesting against the ‘elevation’ of historic Khalsa College into a private university.

Meanwhile, the PCCTU has called an emergency executive meeting on April 3 in this connection and is likely to take some stern decision, including boycotting the ongoing graduate and undergraduate examinations.

Those who were booked by the police include Prof SS Rangi, Prof Daljit Singh, Prof Avtar Singh, Prof Malknder Singh, Prof Parminder Singh, Prof Gurdev Singh, Prof Sukhbir Singh, Manjit Singh and Prof HS Walia, secretary, PCCTU. They feared that as the court has fixed the next date of hearing on April 8, the police might arrest them in order to weaken their agitation.

AS Chahal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said that he would comment only after going through the court orders.

HS Walia, Secretary, said the union was forced to intensify the agitation following the registration of cases against the teachers. He said the union would chalk out its next course of action only after tomorrow’s meeting to be held at BBK DAV College.

Meanwhile, Dr Daljit Singh in a statement to the Press, clarified that all charges given in the FIR were true as the agitating teachers tried to detain him besides resorting to use abusive language and misbehaving with him.

He said he had the photographs of the protesting teachers with him.

Chandigarh, April 2
Derailed after the withdrawal of funds from the Centre, fast-track courts in Punjab are functioning again.

The Punjab Government has issued a notification extending the term of all fast-track courts in the state by three months, up to June 30. The development is significant, as the courts will continue to function as they were on March 31, before the Central grant came to an end.

Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily had recently announced that the Centre was unlikely to continue funding the fast-track courts across the country beyond March 31 and the state governments could assume the financial burden, if they so desired. The Tribune was the first to report the impending derailment of the fast-track project.

Principal Secretary (Home) DS Bains, indicated the notification extending the term of the courts following a call from the Punjab and Haryana High Court Registrar-General, urging the state government to extend the tenure of the fast-track courts and release the required funds April 1 onwards.

Bains said the matter was placed before the Council of Ministers at its meeting on March 29 .After considering the matter at that level, it was finally decided to extend the term of fast-track courts.

Giving details, Bains said there were 15 fast-track courts functioning in the state. As many as 46,347 cases had been disposed of till date. In the state, as on February 1, a total of 86,093 cases were pending disposal at the District or Additional District and Sessions Judges level.

With the Centre going slow on releasing funds for fast-track courts, as many as 14 Additional District and Sessions Judges in the state were “repatriated” to their substantive ranks on March 31.

The orders issued by the high court said consequent upon the non-extension of the fast-track courts beyond March 31 in the State of Punjab and on the repatriation of the officers to their substantive ranks, the Chief Justice and the Judges were issuing orders for transfers and postings. In all, the existence of the 1,562 fast-track courts across the country has come under threat, despite an impressive track record in disposal of cases.

Constituted in 2001, the courts were working on a modest budgetary support. Together, the courts had disposed of over 60 lakh cases till last year.

Chandigarh, April 2
In Punjab, which is traditionally known to be hostile to unborn or even newborn female infants, there are villages that care for the girl child. Some of these villages outperformed the national average child sex ratio (CSR) of 914 and have a much higher number of girls than boys who are born here. Irrespective of the pressure to have a male child, some of these villages have launched campaigns through their panchayats to ostracise female foeticide.

Even though the official release of census data on Punjab is still a week or 10 days away, but several of these villages like Jalahmajra, Bijlipur and Khothran will continue to serve as a ray of hope for the girl child. According to a study conducted by British medical journal Lancet, around 10 million unborn girls have been killed in India during the last decade. Officials, however, put the figures to about half. That makes these villages even more unique and important. Punjab schemes to give a village Rs 3 lakh if it reports more girls than boys has helped.

Jalahmajra village in Nawanshehar district has achieved the distinction of reporting 1,020 girls per 1,000 boys. The village that had a low CSR saw a turnaround when Krishan Kumar was the Deputy Commissioner there. He just created awareness and ordered strict implementation of the PNDT Act. Once the word spread that determining the sex of an unborn child would not go unpunished, people fell in line, says Satnam Singh, a local resident.

Jalamajra is not the only village in the district; there are many other villages that had shown a turnaround. The census data will reveal how many have been able to maintain their high CSR.

Bijlipur village, situated at a short distance from Samrala on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana highway, too, has more girls than boys. On a tabulation of per thousand basis, the population of girls was nearly twice as much as that of the boys some years ago. The census could put this village as the one with the highest CSR in the state once the state is out. According to village panchayat member, Charanjit Singh, some years ago the village counted a ratio of 1,880 girls per 1,000 boys.

The Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network story of Khothran village, also in Nawanshahar, is also no different. In 2005 the village reported the birth of 44 girls against 33 boys, if tabulated it threw up a ratio of 1,334 girls for every 1,000 boys. A village resident Sardul Singh says, besides other factors influence of non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the area has also helped change people’s mind in curbing female foeticide.

These villages have managed to achieve that most of the 12,500-odd villages in Punjab need to follow. Once the census data is out, it could throw light on several other villages that have been part of this silent transition, but are yet to be acknowledged.

Ludhiana, April 2
Farmers from Punjab keen to explore agricultural opportunities in Latin American countries will be allowed relaxation in taxes and land would be given to them on lease and on nominal payment, said Juan Alfredo Pinto Saavedra, the Ambassador of Columbia to India.

The Columbian ambassador was leading a group of diplomats from Latin American and Caribbean countries (GRULAC) who visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today to interact with farm scientists and explore the feasibility of a MoU on exchange of experts.

Referring to the availability of abundant natural resources, the Ambassador said that they were here to identify new areas of economic integration between the region and the public and the private sectors in Punjab and closer ties would benefit agriculturists interested in owning big land holdings.

Julie de la Guardia, Ambassador of Panama, Javier Paulinich, Ambassador of Peru, Cesar Ferrer, Ambassador of Uruguay, Cristian Barros, Ambassador of Chile, Miguel Angel Ramirez Ramos, Ambassador of Cuba and Chandradath Singh, High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago shared the strengths of their respective countries and the specific areas where potential collaboration is possible with PAU.

Peru, known for its horticulture, is a producer of paprika, mango and potato, said the ambassador, who added that 3500 varieties of potato and mango were exported to Japan. Similarly Guardia said that Panama had just about three million people but with strong agriculture based on coffee, water melon and pineapple.

Discussing the facets of Cuban agriculture, Ramos pointed towards the all inclusive sugar technology, bio-fuel crops, urban agriculture and organic farming, which he said could be the potential areas for collaboration.

Technology for growing rice in dry areas, agriculture for industry, climate change studies, scientific storage of food grains and issues about strong agrarian sustainability were other areas discussed. The High Commissioner for Trinidad, Chandradath Singh lauded the PAU and said it was the best institution for dissemination of knowledge on efficient use of natural resources and inputs.

The delegates were informed about the university’s notable contributions towards the green revolution and took keen interest in learning about the facilities of research and education in biotechnology.

Amritsar, April 2
A dispute among members of the 83-year-old Indian Academy of Fine Arts (IAFA) over changes in its constitution has hurt the artists and citizens of the city.

It forced the district administration to intervene. Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu, also Chairman of the IAFA, constituted a five-member committee to review and amend the constitution in a democratic spirit.

The members of the committee are President Avtar Singh, Secretary AS Chamak, Neeta Mohindra, Mohinderjit Singh, JS Brar and Dr PS Grover.

A section of members of the academy alleged that amendments in the constitution provided sweeping powers to Patron Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, who is also honorary secretary of Khalsa College.

However, Chhina is already in the eye of the storm over the proposed transformation of Khalsa College into a university.

Chhina claimed that the constitution was passed one and a half years ago and the issue was being raked up now. He said there was no plan to set up a college in the academy.

Mohindra, who is also a Governing Council member, said Patron was made a lifelong member, who would act as the Chief Election Commissioner during election. She said the power to nominate the governing council and adjudicate differences also vested with the Patron.

Upon delay in raising the issue, Mohindra said the constitution was passed hurriedly and members were asked to shell out Rs 300 for a hard-bound copy of the constitution. She said normally the members were given copies free of cost.

Mohindra said the amended constitution of the academy had increased the endowment fund from 15 per cent to 50 per cent of the total income of the academy. She said it would drastically reduce the spending on proliferation of art, artistic activities and on artists.

Mala Chawla, an active painter for the past three decades, felt let down with the move. Mala said she applied for the membership of the academy umpteen times but was denied the membership. She alleged “without proper publication and announcement non-artists were made members which enraged the artist community”.

The academy has 140 members and 18-member Governing Council to run its affairs. The constitution of the body is as old as the academy, which was established to promote art and culture by Master Gurdit Singh, an eminent artist of that time, in 1928. Later internationally acclaimed artists like Sobha Singh, SG Thakar Singh, Master Gurdit Singh, GS Sohan Singh and Hari Singh slogged to make it one of the greatest art galleries in the country.

Amritsar, April 2
The much awaited free ambulance service 108 will become operational after a formal inauguration by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal tomorrow here.

According to statistics, over 30,000 persons had lost their lives in road mishaps in the state in the past decade while it witnessed nearly 550 accidents per month in 2010. As many as 6,641 road mishaps were reported in the state in which 3,424 persons lost their lives in 2010.

The Punjab Government had collaborated with Mumbai- based Ziqitza Health Care Limited which would provide as many as 240 ambulances to the state in a phased manner, said P Razi Vastva, Director, Punjab Health System Corporation.

“In the first phase, 90 ambulances will be provided by the company while 64 more ambulances will be supplied in the second phase by June,” said Vastva, adding that the remaining 86 ambulances would be provided in the third phase by October.

Emergency vehicles fitted with the global positioning system have been equipped with life-saving equipment. It will provide services in case of roadside traumas, suicide, medical exigencies, maternal emergencies, animal bite, burns etc. Ambulances will reach the spot within 15-20 minutes in urban areas and within 30 minutes in rural areas, said Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla.

Patiala, April 2
Kamaljit Singh, the main complainant in the murder case of Harpreet Kaur, daughter of a former SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur, has pleaded before the Court of Special Judge (CBI Cases), Patiala, Balbir Singh for the re-examination of his statements.

As the hearing in the case resumed this morning, Kamaljit’s counsel, Arun Singla, told the court that as per the court instructions, Kamaljit had come personally to sign applications requesting for the re-examination of his statements.

On March 21, Kamaljit had moved an application in the court pleading for the re-examination of his statements given during the case trial. In his application, Kamaljit had alleged that the accused wielded political influence and were powerful people with connections with the ruling party in the state and hence he could not depose truthfully before the trial court. Thereafter, the court had issued instructions that an application for the re-examination of the statements of Kamaljit would come up for arguments only if Kamaljit himself appeared in the court. Singla said: “Kamaljit submitted in the court that the application, affidavit and the power of attorney submitted by me for the re-examination of his statements are authentic and duly signed by him.

He said all the contents of the application are true to the best of his knowledge. Subsequently, the court directed Kamaljit to again sign the application in English and Punjabi, which he did.” Now, the CBI counsel and Satnam Singh Kler, the defence counsel for Bibi Jagir Kaur, have sought time for filing a reply pertaining to the request made by Kamaljit for the re-examination of his statements.

The next date of the hearing in the case has been fixed for April 8.

Chandigarh, April 2
Surinder Kumar is asking for justice before it is too late. Retired, but still fighting for what he says is his due, the 70-year-old has sought Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi’s intervention in his promotion matter pending for the past 24 years.

It may be one of the 2 lakh pending cases, but Surinder says it’s vital as his “fundamental rights have been violated”.

PSEB’s former employee, he says initially the high court had decided the matter in his favour and he was deemed to be promoted as the divisional head draftsman from 1963.

But the PSEB gave him notional promotion benefits from the date of the decision and monetary benefits were not paid with effect from 1963, for which he filed a petition.

In the letter to the Chief Justice, he has asserted: ‘I request for the early decision of my case RSA 291 of 1987 and CWP 17073 of 1997. I am 70-plus now. I have already waited for 24 years of my life for justice….”