Amritsar, April 17
Alleging gross misappropriation of funds, activists of the district council of the Communist Party of India (CPI) claimed to have been denied any information they sought under the Right to Information Act (RTI) by the competent authorities managing Virsa Vihar here.

It is to mention that Balwinder Singh, a CPI activist, through an application had asked the district administration to furnish details of the expenditure on Virasat Melas being organised by the society and grant incurred from 2007 till date.

The questionnaire sent to the office of Deputy Commissioner K.S. Pannu, who also happens to be the Chairman of the Virsa Vihar society, was marked to the president of the society Kewal Dhaliwal.

“Recently, I got a communication from the president of the society that no information can be given to me, as the society does not come under the purview of RTI Act. How can it be possible when the society which is being looked after by an IAS and PCS-rank officers doesn’t fall in the purview of the RTI Act?” he said.

Pannu confirmed that the letter received under the RTI Act was forwarded to the authorities concerned of the society. “It is for the competent authorities of the society to see. Yet, if the applicant is not satisfied with the reply he has all rights to go to the State Information Commission,” he said

The agents neither send them abroad, nor returned the money.

Tarn Taran, April 17
The traffic police of the district has a very poor knowledge of traffic rules as only six, out of the total 47, officials could pass the test regarding traffic rules recently.According to information from the department here yesterday, the test was held after a one-day refresher course, which was attended by officials of the traffic police.

In the course, traffic experts from the Police Department as well as from other associate institutions as road safety missionaries, officials of the Driving Training Institutions, officials of the vehicle agencies, etc, addressed the employees participating the course and spoke regarding the traffic rules and safe driving.

A total number of 47, including 16 women, officials appeared in the test. Five out of seven questions were to be attempted in the test as each question was of 10 marks. The candidate securing 20 marks was to be declared pass in the test.

Only six out of 47 candidates could pass the test. The copy of the results is with The Tribune.

The six pass candidates include two ASIs and four women constables, whereas 12 women constables and 29 other officials of the department could not pass the test.

Sandeep Kaur (No 1472) and Sandeep Kaur (No 1015), both women constables, with 26 and 24 marks were declared first and second, respectively, in the test.

The nine-member traffic committee in its report has suggested to the department to take action against the candidates/officials who failed to get pass marks.

Nakodar, April 17
Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, Chairman, Mandi Board, Punjab, today visited the Shahkot mandi to take stock of the wheat procurement. He contradicted the statement of Vice-Chairman of the Mandi Board Ravinder Singh Cheema and issued strict instructions to the arhtiyas’ associations to put signboards in front of the each heap of crop and even warned them of cancelling their licences, in case the authorities found any crop without signboard.

Cheema had visited Shahkot on Saturday and instructed arhtiyas not to follow the state government’s notification, which demanded putting up of a signboard at each heap of crop containing minute details like name of the farmer, moisture, date of arrival and its expected date of auction.

The Vice-Chairman had even instructed arhtias to boycott the purchase of wheat if government did not pay heed to their demands. The Arhtiays Association had also submitted a memorandum to Cheema in this regard.

Lakhowal said instead of favouring arhtiyas, Cheema should have respected the decision of the state government. He said the decision was not taken against the arhtiyas, bur to create a disciple in the mandis and would surely benefit farmers.

While declaring the bonus of Rs 50 as minimal, he asked government to increase the bonus for the benefit of farmers. He said the Central Government should decide the price of wheat only after paying heed to the recommendations of the Ashok Gulati Committee.

Batala, April 17
A war of words has erupted between sitting Batala MLA Jagdeesh Sahni and former legislator Ashwani Sekhri over the former’s decision to call for a Batala bandh against the Punjab Government’s “indecisiveness” to convert Batala tehsil into a full-fledged district.

It is pertinent to mention here that Sahni is being backed by several social and religious organisations in his fight to convert the tehsil into a district.

Sahni had earlier asserted that he would be going on a fast-unto-death from April 14 if his demands were not met. However, for reasons not known to anybody, the MLA has deferred his decision sparking off a debate on Sahni’s loyalty towards Batala residents.

Ashwani Sekhri, former MLA and for long Sahni’s bete-noire, said, “Sahni has never taken up the district issue in the Punjab Assembly. All he has done is to settle personal scores with Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla. Leave alone the district issue, the MLA has never taken up any issue relating to the problems faced by the border town in the Assembly.”

Political observers feel that it will Sahni’s acid test on April 22. “If he manages even a partial bandh, we will think he is successful. The MLA has been on the back foot ever since the last Lok Sabha elections were held in May 2009 when Congress candidate Partap Singh Bajwa notched up a lead of more than 17,000 votes from Sahni’s backyard. Even in the last assembly elections, the MLA just about managed to win with a wafer thin margin of 86 votes against Sekhri. Sahni is clearly on the back foot and it will be a big deal if he motivates shopkeepers to close their establishments on April 22,” disclosed a senior Congress leader on conditions of anonymity.

Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference Sekhri said if Sahni was so serious in getting district status he should resign from the Assembly and sit on a hunger strike.

“I will sit on a fast unto death with the MLA but first he should quit his Assembly seat,” said Sekhri.

Meanwhile, despite Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s repeated assertions that Batala and Pathankot will not be given the district status, some shrill voices still exist in Pathankot. Rakesh Sharma, President of the ‘Pathankot Zila Banao Sangarsh Committee’ said he would be leading a scooter rally on April 22. “We also intend to gherao BJP president Ashwani Sharma’s house if Pathankot is not given district status by April 30,” Sharma said.

Jalandhar, April 17
As many as 443 jawans passed out from the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) Training Centre, Jalandhar Cantonment, on Friday. Out of 443 jawans, 247 were from the PAP and 196 from the Indian Reserve Battalions (IRB).

Inspector-General of IRB Dr Jatinder Kumar Jain took salute from the jawans during the passing-out parade.