Jalandhar, April 15
The city and surrounding areas today had mild rain and hail, much to the dismay of farmers busy with wheat harvesting.The rain resulted in a dip in the temperature.

Dip in mercury may  further delay ripening of the wheat crop Harvested crop likely to suffer greater damage as the grain could be hit by fungus Another spell of rain or cloudy weather might spell doom

Farmers are apprehensive that the dip in the mercury may further delay ripening of the wheat crop, already hit by intermittent rains.

Karnail Singh of Dhadhe village on the outskirts of the city, said :“The rain has resulted in damage to the crop. Those farmers who have harvested the crop are likely to suffer greater damage as the grain could be affected by fungus.”

Sukhwinder Singh from Jandu Singha village said he apprehended that another spell of rain or cloudy weather might spell doom for the farmers in the district and surrounding areas.

Agriculture experts, however, said since the rainfall had been mild, it was unlikely to damage the crop. “The damage would have been more if large quantities of the crop had reached the mandis.”

The Met department at the Adampur Air Force Station has predicted rain and hailstorm in the region with overcast skies in the next 24 hours. “The rain was triggered by western disturbances in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. A cyclone in the upper air led to a thunderstorm across Jalandhar,” the Met officials explained.

Amritsar, April 15
The Khalsa College row took a serious turn today with the management committee placing three teachers under suspension for ‘misconduct’ with immediate effect.

The teachers who have been suspended are — Prof Daljit Singh, physical education teacher and secretary of the Khalsa College Teachers Union (KCTU), Dr JS Arora, Vice-President of KCTU, and Dr HB Singh, the teachers’ representative in the management.

There are reports that the management’s decision to suspend these teachers faced opposition from some members of the governing council, but it chose to go ahead with it.

PCCTU secretary HS Walia, who is spearheading the agitation, said they would boycott the evaluation work of the Guru Nanak Dev University from Monday. A PCCTU release issued here said, “We warn the state government that if the suspension orders of these teachers are not immediately withdrawn, we would boycott the ongoing exams in Punjab and Chandigarh."

Interestingly, after suspending the teachers, the management also resolved to make all efforts to build the consensus among the Sikh community over the issue.

The resolution came in a meeting of the management committee which was held after Khalsa College Governing Council Chancellor Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha shot off a missive to council chairman Satyajit Singh Majithia and honorary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina seeking a clarification over the private university proposal.

However, a council member said the meeting was already scheduled and it had nothing to do with the Chancellor's letter.

Amritsar, April 15
Already facing the heat from different quarters, the Khalsa College management received another blow when the Chancellor of the college’s governing council, Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha, today sought clarification from the chairman and the honorary secretary of the council regarding the proposal to convert the iconic institution into a private university.

In a strong-worded letter issued to Chairman Satyajit Singh Majithia and honorary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, the Chancellor has asked the duo to come clean on the following points within a week: “(a) Under which resolution the Khalsa College has been disaffiliated from the Guru Nanak Dev University? (b) Under which resolution it was decided to end the existence of the college and utilise its entire building for making a private university? Furnish copies 
of both the resolutions along with the names of the members present. (c) When was the blueprint of the private university distributed among 100 members of the council?”

“Provide me their views on the proposal in writing,” the Chancellor wrote.

Satyajit Singh Majithia said, “The Chancellor is not a part of our day-to-day affairs and we send him the minutes of all our meetings. What else does he expect us to do?”

He clarified that the Khalsa College will not be shut. “It will remain as it is.”

Bhaini Mian Khan (Gurdaspur), April 15
Gopal Das, who returned from Pakistan after languishing in various jails for 27 years on espionage charges, today sounded the election bugle, declaring that he would contest the next assembly elections from Qadian.

In an interview with TNS, Gopal Das, who claims to have been was pushed into spying by an intelligence agency making as many as 185 trips across the border in seven years, claimed that his handlers, including an SP-rank officer, were based in Pathankot.

Gopal Das was caught on the intervening night of July 26 and 27, 1984, at Sialkot by the 325th unit of the Field Intelligence Investigative Agency (FIIA). His prime duty was to take photographs of ammunition dumps and collect details of the petrol supply to army cantonments in Lahore and Sialkot.

Gopal Das said his prime reason for jumping into the election arena was to educate the youth on the severe repercussions of being a spy.

He said he would study the ideologies of both the SAD and the Congress and meet the People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal to take a decision on his future plans.

He was particularly harsh on Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Avinash Rai Khanna. Accompanied by his elder brother Anand Vir, Gopal Das said he would visit Delhi shortly and get in touch with lawyers for filing a case against the intelligence agency.

Chandigarh April 15
The Punjab Government today decided to strictly implement the Punjab Plastic Bags (Manufacture, Usage and Disposal) Control Act, prohibiting the manufacture, disposal and use of polythene bags from May 1. Polythene bags are banned by New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.

The DCs and the Director, Panchayat, have been told to issue instructions to panchayats and zila parishads to implement the ban. The violation of the Act by the manufacturer/ carrier/user will attract imprisonment for up to three months.

The civic bodies had been complaining of sewers being repeatedly choked by non-biodegradable polythene. Similarly, the Animal Husbandry Department had been complaining that stray cattle were dying after consuming waste polythene less than 30 micron lying in the dumping pits. Soil fertility was also getting affected with indiscriminate disposal of polythene in an unscientific manner.

According to the Act, non-biodegradable plastics have been listed as polyethylene terephthalat, high-density polyethylene, poly vinyl chlorine, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polybutadiene trephthalate, acrilonitrile butadiene styrene and acrylic.

Chamkaur Sahib, April 15
A Liquor vend, situated alongside the gate built in memory of elder Sahibzadas (sons) of Guru Gobind Singh, was shifted today. From the past four days, residents had been opposing the opening of liquor vend in Chamkaur Sahib. Residents, including politicians, religious leaders and NGOs staged a dharna outside the vend demanding its closure.

Deputy Commissioner of Ropar GK Singh reached ordered that the vend be immediately shifted to Neelon road.

Earlier, residents had raised slogans against the Excise and Taxation Department for allowing the vend near the Memorial Gate. The Municipal Council had also decided to pass a resolution against the opening of vend.

The elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh had lost their lives in the battle of Chamkaur Saib here following which, gurdwaras have been established in the city. Liquor vends are also banned in Anandpur Sahib.

Talwandi Sabo, April 15
The four-day Baisakhi Mela, which attracted lakhs of devotees from all over the country and abroad, came to an end here this evening with impressive processions by Takht Sri Damdama Sahib and the Budha Dal.

The procession of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib culminated at Gurdwara Malha Sahib. Another procession by the Nihangs of 96 Crori Budha Dal, that started from Gurdwara Ber Sahib ended there after visiting various shrines.The display of martial arts like gatka and horsemanship by the Nihangs attracted a large number of people.

More than 300 police personnel provided security to the Budha Dal procession held under Balbir Singh.This was done in view of the fact that a group belonging to another faction headed by Surjeet Singh was camping at a close distance from the Baba Budha Dal headquarters in the town. There were apprehensions of a clash between these groups.

The Jathedar of Nandgarh said more than 2,000 Sikhs had been baptised on the occasion. For the first time, the Baisakhi festival had attracted a large number of social and religious bodies for organising community kitchen, he said.

Sukhchain Singh Gill, SSP, Bathinda, said no untoward incident was reported during the mela.

Meanwhile, more than 35,000 devotees descended on Takht Sri Damdama Sahib today to pay obeisance at the gurdwara there.

Talwandi Sabo, April 15
As many as 319 activists of the Berozgar Lineman Union, including its state and district-level leaders were arrested by for allegedly hindering the police from discharging its duty at the political conference of the ruling SAD on the occasion of Baisakhi here yesterday.

The activists, who were rounded up yesterday, were arrested after two cases were registered against them at the local police station under Sections 323, 353, 186, 148 and 149 of the IPC.

The activists were charged with manhandling policemen. Among the arrested are Jagtar Singh, state general secretary, Rajinder Singh, senior vice-president, Bhola Singh, treasurer, Soma Singh, chief adviser, Nirmal, state press secretary of the union and Lakhbir Singh, president of the Bathinda district unit.

Hundreds of activists of the union had sneaked into the pandal of the SAD before it started its conference. Though officials led by Nirmal Singh Dhillon, IG, Bathinda zone, nabbed many of them, yet some sitting in the audience began raising slogans when Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal was addressing the gathering. They were overpowered and taken away.

Nevertheless, another section of activists began raising slogans against the government while Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was addressing the conference.These activists were whisked away too. Some were thrashed, thrown into a police vehicle and put in the police lockup.

All the activists were remanded into judicial custody till April 29 when produced before the local court of a judicial magistrate today.They continued to raise slogans against the Punjab government today too.

Amritsar, April 15
The overall development of Punjab with emphasis on its border districts would be on top of the Planning Commission’s agenda, said Union Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs Ashwani Kumar here today.

The minister said the annual plan size for Punjab is around Rs 11,500 crore for the current session (2011-12) against the last year’s Rs 9,170 crore. He added that the border districts’ share of allocation has been increased from Rs 22.25 crore (2010-11) to Rs 32.95 crore in 2011-12.

“The Centre will fully support Punjab to ensure all-round inclusive development which includes fields of health and education. We will make sure that the border areas also develops in these two aspects.

“A special team of the Planning Commission has already been sent to the border districts to ensure proper utilisation of funds,” he said.

The Planning Commission has assured ready support to the state government for two urban mega projects - the introduction of metro in Ludhiana and the water recharge and commissioning programme in the state.

“The Ludhiana metro project, at Rs 6,000 crore, can be taken care of in the PPP mode. We can assist in the funding through various multilateral institutions like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank agencies.

“It is necessary for a city like Ludhiana to have this project for environmental reasons and to ease congestion and pollution.

“Secondly, the commission has given its approval in principle for a water recharge and commissioning project and has sanctioned Rs 1,150 crore. The project will be executed along with Himachal and Haryana and will be put under the national planning agenda.”

Chandigarh, April 15
The Punjab Government has notified the implementation of the Punjab Civil Services (Rationalisation of Certain Conditions of Services) Act, 2011. According to the Act, any person who joins government service will receive a fixed pay for the first three years.

Named as the induction period, service of the employees in all categories from Group A to D will be reviewed after a three-year period, which can be extended to five years before the employee is regularised or discharged.

The Act was passed in the Budget Session of the Vidhan Sabha and the same has been notified now. It has clarified that the Act will be applicable to even those employees who have been issued appointment letters, but are yet to join services.

Though, it is not a contractual employment in the real sense, but the terms and conditions make all government appointments appear as contractual, at least for the first three years. The Act is, however, not applicable to members of the All-India Services, persons appointed under the Punjab Civil Service Executive and Judicial Branches, persons not in the whole-time employment of the state government, those paid out of contingency fund and those appointed to service before the commencement of this Act.

The notification states that a person appointed by direct recruitment shall remain on a period of induction for three years from the date of appointment. For this period, the employee will receive a fixed pay and will not be entitled to any other allowances for benefits. There will be no annual increment or dearness allowance either.

Chandigarh, April 15
SAD president and Deputy CM Punjab Sukhbir Badal today petitioned President Pratibha Patil seeking protection of all witnesses of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases under the “Witnesses Protection Programme” as they were being “threatened by Congress leaders”.

He also sought her intervention for ordering custodial detention of all accused, including Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler. In a communiqué, the SAD president referred to the revelations by a sting operation of an electronic channel in which senior Congress leader was seen threatening a witness, Nirpreet Kaur, to retract from her statement that she had seen Sajjan Kumar leading a crowd during anti-sikh riots.

Sukhbir said when the Hond Chhillar killings were exposed by a Gurgaon-based Sikh employed with a multination company, an “embarrassed” Congress CM of that state had arm-twisted that company to sack him on flimsy grounds.

Amritsar, April 15
Reciprocating the goodwill gesture of their Indian counterparts, the Pakistan Government today released 89 fishermen from the Karachi jail. They crossed over to India from the Attari-Wagah joint check post. They had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan’s territorial waters while fishing in the Arabian Sea.

After the talks on bilateral issues resumed before the Indo-Pak cricket semifinal of World Cup, the Indian Government had released 39 Pakistani prisoners who had completed their jail terms.

Talking to mediapersons, Nazire, Rana and Bheem, residents of Gujarat, said they were caught fishing in January 2010 and were imprisoned for six months. They said Indian and Pakistan should release the prisoners who have completed their jails terms.

Ramesh, another fisherman, said despite the completion of the jail term, 250 fishermen were still languishing in the Karachi jail. Ramesh was caught in December 2009 and was released after spending a 16-month jail term.

It is believed that the two countries used to exchange lists of prisoners after every six months. However, this was stopped after the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai. Following the resumption talks, the governments had handed over the list of prisoners during the secretary-level talks in New Delhi recently.

Hari Ke (Ferozepore), April 15
A massive exercise has been undertaken by the district wildlife authorities to make improvements at the Hari Ke wildlife sanctuary with the help of funds given by the Centre and state government under different schemes.

Sanjeev Tiwari, District Forest Officer (Wildlife), Ferozepore, said that under the habitat improvement exercise, over 20,000 saplings of different varieties of trees would be planted and the bunds formation, bank stabilisation and enrichment would be done at the islands in the wetland.

Though a large quantity of hyacinths, which grow in the wetland and the Hari Ke pond, had already been removed in the last rainy season. Efforts are under way to remove the remaining hyacinths to provide safe shelter to domestic and migratory birds.

“A detailed eco-tourism project has already been sent to the Department of Tourism to get funds, which will be made available from the Asian Development Bank, to develop this wetland into a major tourist attraction,” said Tiwari.

Enumeration of trees was being been done so that any cutting of trees in the sanctuary area could be noticed without delay by the staff of the Wildlife Department.

Ropar, April 15
Out of the seven members of the Ropar District Health Advisory Committee, who were issued notices for remaining absent in more than two meetings, only one turned up for the meeting today.

On March 13, seven members of the committee, including Kulvir Singh Chitamla, Jhujhar Singh from Samana Kalan, Palinder Singh Bath from Chamkaur Sahib, Jagmohan Narang from Chamkaur Sahib, Arvinder Singh Mintu from Chamkaur Sahib, Telu Ram Paharpur and Bakhtawar Singh Jaswal from Nangal were served notice for remaining absent from two consecutive meetings.

Only Kulvir Singh Chitamla turned up for the meeting. Members of the committees are nominated by area MLAs and politicians. They members are known to be public representatives. “The committee members are supposed to be the voice of people, especially in the health sector, which ails from many inadequacies,” said a committee member.

Meanwhile, presiding over the meeting of the committee, Deputy Commissioner GK Singh said the Ropar district was third on the literary graph with Hoshiarpur and SAS Nagar occupying the first and second positions respectively.

During the meeting of the Health Department, GK Singh said in absence of an ultra sound machine at the Civil Hospital in Chamkaur Sahib, people should be provided the facility at subsidised rates from private practitioners.

During meeting of the education committee, he said the need of hour was to achieve 100 per cent literacy rate and ensure that everyone had access to the right kind of education.

Out of 6, 83, 349 people in the district, only 5, 11, 149 are literate. Out of the literates, 2, 84,428 were males, 2, 26, 112 were females and 9 others. Stress was laid on promoting good handwriting in children of primary schools.

Organising handwriting contests was also suggested by the members of the education committee.

District Food and Supplies Controller Rupinder Kaur said anyone could contact her regarding the shortage of LPG gas cylinders.

Patiala, April 15
A year after the Punjab government bifurcated the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), the non-gazetted employees working with the two power utilities of the state - Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) - have announced the launch of a state-level agitation from May 11.

According to the employees, despite giving assurance that all the demands of the employees would be accepted within a month after unbundling, the state government has not fulfilled its promise. President of the Council of Junior Engineers PSEB Swaran Lal decried the state government for the non-implementation of the recommendations of the Wage Formulation Committee (WFC).

“The rate of increment had been kept as 3 per cent instead of 3.5 per cent as mentioned in the WFC report,” he rued. Swaran added that as many as 20,000 posts of linemen, assistant linemen and sub-station attendants are lying vacant, but the government is not initiating the recruitment drive.

The employees further stated that prior to the unbundling of the PSEB, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had assured the employees that all their pending demands would be accepted within one month after the division of the PSEB.

“It is really unfortunate that the government has failed to fulfil its promise. Now, we have decided to start a state-level agitation by holding a massive demonstration at Patiala on May 11,” said Manjit Singh Chahal, spokesman of the PSEB Employees Joint Forum.

Chahal added that as per the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations, the arrears of the employees, with effect from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2009, amounted to Rs 2,000 crore and hence the state government must clear the arrears in one go and that too in cash. “But in the Punjab budget 2011, it has been announced that the arrears will be cleared in three instalments,” he added.

Representatives of the various other employees unions condemned the decision to outsource the work of shifting of electricity meters outside the premises of the consumers. “We will not allow the managements of PSPCL and PSTCL to award different works pertaining to the power sector on contract basis,” announced leaders of the PSEB Employees Joint Forum.

Mohali, April 15
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has received 179 entries for its logo designing contest. Designers from various parts of the country have submitted their designs for the GMADA logo.

Today was the last day to submit entries for the contest. The response was overwhelming. Budding designers were called to design the logo, which matched with the vision and mission of the development authority. The best designer will be given a prize of Rs 2.5 lakh.

While most of the entries were from Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, designs from Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala were also received.

Designs for the logo were also received from the department of fine arts, Panjab University, and Arts College, Chandigarh. — OC

Chandigarh, April 15
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that government employees facing allegations of committing heinous crime cannot take advantage of exemption in passport rules, which allow them to get travel documents even during the pendency of the criminal case. The ruling came on a petition filed by a former PPS officer.

Taking up Surinder Singh Sidhu’s petition for renewal of passport on the basis of the exemption provided in the Passport Act, Justice Ranjit Singh asserted that it is operational only in cases where the allegations are of committing an offence related to the discharge of public duties.

The offence of murder cannot fall in the category warranting exemption, ruled Justice Ranjit Singh.

In his detailed order, Justice Ranjit Singh ruled that the petitioner has filed this writ petition seeking direction to the Regional Passport Officer to renew his passport. “In response to the notice, reply is filed showing that the petitioner is facing a criminal trial for an offence under Sections 364, 302 and 34 of the IPC, dated February 27, 1997. The petitioner was serving as a PPS officer and a case was registered against him on the direction of the Supreme Court. Pendency of the case is the reason to deny this request made by the petitioner.”

Interpreting the law, Justice Ranjit Singh ruled: “There is a specific provision made in the form of Section 6(f) of the Passports Act, 1967, that the travel documents in case of a person who is facing criminal charge shall be refused.”