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Haryana wall along Hansi Butana alarms government
Amarinder Singh has his way
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SC notice to Centre on Sarabjit’s plea
Power corp to auction thermal plant land to repay debt
Cong men throw chairs, exchange blows at party meeting
Plenty of water in Bhakra brings cheer
Forcible
Removal Of Turban
Railway police holds written test to promote talent
Industry seeks rollback of power tariff hike
ASI faces suspension for insulting panch
Unemployed BEd teachers block traffic
Media training meet begins
HC refuses plea on Gurbani telecast rights
Swarna Ram’s Personal Secretary remanded in judicial custody
Sangat
darshan
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Haryana wall along Hansi Butana alarms government
Ferozepore, May 11 Punjab has already approached the Supreme Court against the construction of the Hansi-Butana canal, which it says has been constructed against the natural flow of rainwater, causing floods every monsoon. Claiming that the concrete wall along the canal, from RD 45000 to RD 57000, would stop the natural flow of the Ghaggar and trigger floods in major parts of Patiala and Sangrur districts, Punjab Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon said this move by the Haryana Government would be opposed tooth and nail. Talking to TNS, he said the foundation stone of the project had already been laid down by one of the ministers of Haryana. “This is another instance of injustice being done to Punjab by the Haryana Government, with tacit support of the Centre,” alleged Sekhon. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would take up this matter with the Ministry of Water Resources and the Central Water Commission shortly, he said. The Haryana Government plans to raise the wall in the area falling between Ram Nagar and Gulha Cheeka road. Sekhon said Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh must break his silence on this issue. Aman Sood adds from Patiala: Sources in the Irrigation Department say that the Haryana Cabinet Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala has announced crores for the completion of the project. “Haryana has completed almost 30 per cent of the work to tame water entering Haryana villages during floods in the Ghaggar”, the sources said. Highly placed sources said with Haryana starting work on the project, it had already breached the status quo ordered by the Supreme Court. Raising technical objection,Chief Eengineer, Irrigation (Canals), Amarjit Singh Dullet, said: “Hundreds of villages in Punjab would be at risk as the concrete wall would not allow the water to flow as sheet spread.” Box Haryana has started building a concrete wall in the shape of a dam that would restrict water from the overflowing Ghaggar during floods. The water would accumulate along the wall and flow back into Punjab villages . The wall is reportedly being constructed in an area prone to being breached BOX In an earlier communique to the Centre, Punjab had demanded inspection by a Central Water Commission team to check the damage caused by the Hansi Butana canal, which it said was obstructing the natural flow of the Ghaggar.
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Amarinder Singh has his way
Balancing act Middle-rung leaders who have been made vice-presidents include Barnala legislator Kewal Dhillon, Ashwani Sekhri and Rana KP Singh MLAS Sukhpal Khaira and Jassi Khangura, who have been vocal critics of the SAD-BJP government, and Jagmohan S Kang. Abohar legislator Sunil Jakhar has been placed on executive committee only Bathinda legislator Harminder Jassi, a relative of Dera Sachha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, has been made general secretary. Dera support had led to a Congress sweep in the Malwa belt in 2007
Chandigarh, May 11 Barring the districts of Sangrur and Muktsar, Amarinder has his men on all other 23 district units. Although Punjab has only 20 revenue districts, at five places there are both rural and urban presidents. All seven vice-presidents and six of the eight general secretaries are Amarinder loyalists, clearly indicating that the high command has gone along with him with an eye on the assembly elections. The newly appointed in charge of Punjab party affairs Gulchain Singh Charak has done a near-perfect balancing act. Muktsar district Congress presidentship has been given to a Jagmeet Brar loyalist whereas in Sangrur Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s loyalist has been accommodated. In Ludhiana Pawan Dewan’s appointment has been made at the behest of Manish Tewari, MP from Ludhiana, who is also Congress general secretary and spokesperson. The list indicates the rise of former minister Lal Singh and Sangrur legislator Arvind Khanna in state politics. Lal Singh is set to become a pivotal figure with Amarinder Singh announcing today that he would be given charge of the Pradesh Congress office here. Arvind, who has been made general secretary and member of the party manifesto committee, has also been appointed general secretary attached to the party office with Lal Singh. The new list throws open a new and younger leadership. Middle-rung leaders who have been made vice-presidents include Barnala legislator Kewal Dhillon, Ashwani Sekhri and Rana KP Singh. However, it is disappointing that the party has ignored legislators Sukhpal Khaira and Jassi Khangura, who have been vocal critics of the SAD-BJP government in the past four years, as well as senior leader Jagmohan Singh Kang. Abohar legislator Sunil Jakhar, who was the face of the Congress in the assembly, has been placed on the executive committee only. Amarinder detractors, particularly Bhattal and Partap Bajwa, will have a lot to answer to their supporters as they have chosen kin over party cadre. Bhattal has been successful in getting her son-in-law Vikram Bajwa, who is relatively unknown, appointed as general secretary. Similarly, Partap Bajwa has ensured his brother Fateh Jung Bajwa’s elevation as general secretary. Jagmeet Brar has got his brother and Kotkapura legislator Ripjit Brar on the executive committee. Others include Vijay Sathi and Manjit Jhalbuti. The dera factor, which led to a Congress sweep in the Malwa belt in the 2007 elections, has also been factored in with Bathinda legislator Harminder Jassi, a relative of Dera Sachha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, elevated as general secretary.
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Capt to speak up for leaders not on PCC list
Jalandhar May 11 The PPCC chief said he would take up the case of senior leaders, whose names did not figure in the PPCC office-bearers’ list released yesterday, with the party president. Family members of the late Chief Minister Beant Singh are among those whose names do not figure in the list. “Some very senior leaders have been left out. I will talk to party high command Sonia Gandhi about the matter,” he said. He said no MLA had been made district president as all would be busy in their constituencies preparing for the assmbly polls. Amarinder Singh was here to interact with party workers. He was accompanied by his confidant hotelier Gautam Kapoor and senior party leaders MS Kaypee, Lal Singh, Avtar Henry, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Tejinder Bittu. Kapoor is a strong contender for the party ticket from the Jalandhar Central constituency. So is Bittu and others like Anil Datta and former MLA Raj Kumar Gupta. “Winability will be the only criterion and not friendship,” emphasised Amarinder Singh. On cases against him and former minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, he said these were an outcome of political vendetta. He said he planned to meet the Prime Miniser to apprise him of the “breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state.”
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SC notice to Centre on Sarabjit’s plea
New Delhi, May 11 A Bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar also sought the response of the Union Home Ministry to the pleadings of Sarabjit, a native of Bhikhiwind in Tarn Taran district of Punjab. Sarabjit, languishing in a Pakistani jail for 21 years, had failed to receive a response to his representations to the authorities in both India and Pakistan, the PIL said. “It is respectfully submitted that no steps have been taken or are going to be taken by the Government of India regarding the release of the petitioner as well as other prisoners illegally detained in Pakistani jails for several years on frivolous charges. These prisoners are being made a scapegoat,” the PIL contends. Sarabjit’s petition comes in the wake of the release of Gopal Dass, who had been sentenced to life in Pakistan on the charge of spying. He recently returned to Punjab after spending 27 years in jail following an appeal by the Supreme Court. Sarabjit was arrested in Pakistan on August 28, 1990, for his alleged involvement in a bomb blast in Lahore on May 18, 1990. He, however, said he was not even present in Pakistan on the day of the blast and this was evident from his arrest more than three months after the incident. Further, his arrest and conviction was based on mistaken identity, he said. After being sentenced to death by a trial court in October 1991, he has lost all his appeals in the higher courts, including the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He also filed several mercy petitions with the President of Pakistan, upon which his execution was stayed on April 30, 2008.
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Power corp to auction thermal plant land to repay debt
Bathinda, May 11 As per documents available with The Tribune, the PSPCL has dropped the plan to set up two units of 250 MW each at the GNDTP and a decision to sell its property measuring about 130 acres in the recent past. Though PSPCL authorities claimed that plan to set up two 250 MW units in GNDTP was dropped due to fact that it was not feasible, eyebrows are being raised by a large section of its employees that this action had been taken to extend favours to some real estate businessmen who was trying to grab the land at throwaway prices. The plan to set up the two units was approved on June 23, 2008. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and senior functionaries of the erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) had issued press statements in connection with the approval of the plan under the capacity addition programme of the GNDTP. The PSPCL functionaries have identified three pieces of land measuring 50 acres, 50 acres and 30 acres respectively situated in the plant area, C-compound area and D-block of residential colony of the GNDTP. The two pieces of land that measure 50 acres each are situated on the Bathinda-Malout national highway. HS Bedi, President, PSEB Engineers Association, said that instead of disposing of the lands, the PSPCL authorities must set up thermal plants over the same by using latest technology. KD Chaudhary, Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD), PSPCL, said that decision to sell the land was taken after PSPCL came to know that the Ministry of Environment might not give permission to set up the units as GNDTP had already come into the municipal limits of the city. When asked whether the PSPCL had approached the Ministry of Environment before shelving the plan, he said that there had been precedents where such proposals had been declined by the ministry and hence, there was no need to approach the ministry in connection with this project. He said that the land would be sold in a public auction to earn maximum money which would be used to reduce the debt of PSPCL, which was around Rs 20,000 crore. He said that the PSPCL was in the process of identifying more such unused properties.
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Cong men throw chairs, exchange blows at party meeting
Ferozepur, May 11 The meeting was presided over by Harminder Singh Jassi, general secretary, PPCC, and coordinator, Ferozepur district. Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, vice-president, PPCC, and Anoop Singh, president, district Congress committee, and scores of other leaders attended the meeting. Though Sodhi and Jassi claimed the clash took place outside the banquet hall and the meeting inside remained a smooth affair, information gathered by The Tribune revealed that a sizable section of workers, having allegiance to different leaders within the party, clashed and threw chairs on one another, apart from exchanging blows. Ravinder Singh Babbal, former MLA, said that the clash started when a section of workers passed caste-based remarks against a particular leader. He added that Congress leader Gurwinder Singh was hit by a chair and had to be hospitalised. Jassi said that he had asked Anoop Singh, district president, to make a report on today’s incident and submit it to the state party president so that disciplinary action could be taken against the guilty.
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Plenty of water in Bhakra brings cheer
Jalandhar, May 11 This will not only ensure uninterrupted supply of water for irrigation, but also adequate power. Official sources said the level of water at the Bhakra Dam was recorded at 1,579 ft last evening compared to 1,520 ft the same date last year. The inflow into the Bhakra Dam has started to rise with the snow melting at the higher reaches. The inflow recorded yesterday was 3,500 cusecs. With the temperature set to rise in the second half of May, the melting snow will lead to an increase in the water flow from the catchment area. Last year, the management of water in the reservoir had become a most difficult task for the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) because of the excessive rain in the catchment area during the monsoon. The BBMB had to open the flood gates to keep the water level at the reservoir at 1,680 ft, which is the maximum prescribed level. In Gobind Sagar, the level of water cannot be brought down from 1,462 ft. The level of water in the Pong Dam was 50 ft higher last evening compared to the corresponding period last year. The level yesterday at the dam was 1348.75 ft compared to the last year’s figure of 1,297 ft. The inflow at the Pong Dam yesterday was 4,500 cusecs, the minimal prescribed level is 1,260 ft. Even the level at the Ranjit Sagar Dam is far higher this year. It was recorded 510 metres yesterday. The Malwa region, where ground water is not suitable for irrigation, and vast parts of Haryana and Rajasthan depend on canal irrigation for which the Gobind Sagar reservoir is one of the main feeding sources.
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Forcible
Removal Of Turban Aman Sood Tribune News Service
Patiala, May 11 Sources confirmed that following widespread agitation by the Sikhs, the DGP had forwarded the probe to the Patiala IG Paramjit Gill to ascertain the role of two police officers involved in the case. The incident, which had hurt the religious sentiments of the entire Sikh community, took place on March 28, near the PCA stadium, Mohali. Jagjit Singh, a Sikh youth, who was participating in a peaceful dharna by the rural veterinary pharmacists, was pulled aside by the police officials and his turban was allegedly forcibly removed. The police officials that were later suspended by the state government were the then Mohali Phase VIII SHO, Sub-Inspector Kulbhushan, and Mohali SP Pritam Singh. In a statement to the IG Patiala, the victim, Jagjit Singh, had said he had heard SP Pritam Singh ordering SHO Kulbhushan to remove his turban and tie him before taking him to the police vehicle. “However, there was nothing that was said by the police officers against my religion at any point of the incident and they had returned my turban,” said Jagjit. Meanwhile, the police is also trying to establish the video recording of the incident, which had added fuel to the fire and was available on the Internet. “We will get technical help to ascertain the veracity of the video recording as the victim has said that he was unaware if the media was filming the incident,” the police claimed. The IG confirmed that the statements of the two police officers have been recorded under Section 161 of the CrPC and statement of the ADC Mohali MS Kainth would also be recorded shortly. Kainth had conducted a magisterial probe into the incident. “The report is to be submitted within three months and I assure you that the case would be probed on merit and would be dealt as per the law,” Gill told TNS.
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Railway police holds written test to promote talent
Patiala, May 11 Sources confirmed that following the recent appointment of IPS officer Rohit Choudhary as IG (Railways), he adopted this methodology to find talent in its own department by conducting test for probable candidates for their appointment to the post of SHO. “Instead of posting Station House Officer (SHO) on the basis of their areas and their clout in the department, a test was held at the railway headquarters in Patiala, where all the interested officers were called for the examination,” they said. Interestingly, the willingness of officers who wanted to qualify for the post of SHO was first asked and those who applied were called for the test. “This helps in getting only those officers in the field who are willing to take trouble and work in the field with interest,” claimed one such applicant who gave the test. “We had prepared for almost a week and the test was based on something that we have to do in our everyday duty,” he added. As per the records, the test was undertaken by 13 applicants who were later interviewed to know their credentials off and on the field. While some would be given instant postings on the basis of their test, the others would be posted whenever there is an opening. The whole record of their performance would be kept and would help seniors to fall back on them in case of emergency postings following law-and-order situation. Brainchild of IG Rohit Choudhary, the whole project is aimed to promote merit in the department. The written test consisted of questions based on general knowledge, law, police procedure rules, situation tackling and response to different law and order situations. The 40 mark test was followed by an interview conducted by a committee headed by Choudhary. The GRP is further holding a test for munshis to be posted in various police stations in the railway wing and the candidates have been asked to report on May 24.
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Industry seeks rollback of power tariff hike
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 11 While the furnace industry will have to bear approximately Rs 5 lakh per month extra charges, there will be an extra burden of Rs 2.5 lakh every month on rolling mills in view of the rise in electricity expenses. Furnace Association president Mahinder Gupta said there was a difference of 40 paise in new and old electricity prices. As much as 80 per cent input cost in a furnace unit is of electricity and there will be a burden of Rs 370 per tonne due to the hike. Now, industrialists will have to shell out Rs 37,000 more to manufacture 100 tonne ingot. This would further increase the prices of goods made by iron material. Expressing helplessness, the businessmen said they would not be able to compete with the industry of neighbouring states, which have been provided more benefits by their respective state governments. The industrialists said the goods prepared in Punjab would suffer due to price rise and its demand was also likely to affect in view of low prices in the neighbouring states.
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ASI faces suspension for insulting panch
Faridkot, May 11 The panch and his associates brought the matter to the notice of the SSP. — TNS
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Unemployed BEd teachers block traffic
Rampura, May 11 The blockade lasted for about five hours and was lifted when the protesters were assured that a delegation of the front could meet the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal tomorrow.
— TNS
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Experts interact with farmers
Patiala, May 11 The Quinquennial Review Team (QRT) comprised Dr KM Bujarbaruah, Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, as chairperson, Dr TS Sohal, former principal scientist and head, dairy extension division, NDRI, Karnal, as member and Dr AM Narula, zonal project director, Zone-I, as member secretary. The team visited various laboratories and demonstration units at the KVK farm, including Soil and Water Testing Lab, Home Science Lab, Food Technology Lab, Information Hub Unit and Technology Park.
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Media training meet begins
Chandigarh, May 11 While interacting with mediapersons, Col BM Sabhlok, senior consultant and an expert of Management Development Cell, exhorted them to keep national interest and service to the society uppermost in their mind while carrying out their professional duties. He stressed that the role of media was of paramount importance in influencing public opinion and bringing about positive change in the society through their healthy and meaningful writings in the columns of newspapers. He also highlighted the strategies for sharpening professional skills through effective communication.
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HC refuses plea on Gurbani telecast rights
Chandigarh, May 11 In his petition before Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice AK Mittal, advocate Pritam Singh Swaich asserted: “Contrary to the basic concept of Sikhism, something strange happened on September 15, 200, when ETC Networks Limited approached the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for granting and assigning in its favour all rights to record, broadcast, telecast, webcast, stream or reproduce live or recorded recitation of Gurbani kirtan programmes from the Golden Temple”. The petitioner added: “The SGPC without making the offer public, without inviting offers from other broadcasting companies, without inviting any tenders and without working on the basics, specifics and future scope of expansion of viewers, agreed to grant to the company the rights mentioned in the agreement dated September 15, 2009”. He said the term of agreement was expiring in September and another agreement was likely to be executed. The petitioner felt that granting the telecast rights without inviting bids, tenders, global advertisements or without taking other measures as required by present-day global contracts may prove to be another 2-G.
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Swarna Ram’s Personal Secretary remanded in judicial custody
Chandigarh, May 11 The CBI court sent Bhag Singh to judicial custody till May 24. The CBI had arrested Bhag Singh in connection with a corruption case involving Chief Parliamentary Secretary Raj Khurana and Devinder Singh, an accomplice of Khurana as the accused. The CBI had taken Bhag Singh to one-day police remand yesterday to interrogate him as to why he failed to dispatch a xerox copy of an official note recommending action in a fraudulent land deal against Manpreet Singh, complainant in the case. While the note was dispatched on April 7 and was meant to be forwarded to Cabinet Minister Manoranjan Kalia, Bhag Singh allegedly failed to forward it. The CBI has alleged that it was for closing this complaint that a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore was being demanded by Devinder at the behest of Raj Khurana and thus Bhag Singh is also accused as he kept the note with himself for 30 days.
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Sangat darshan Chander Parkash Tribune News Service
Zira, May 11 The others who have also been booked included Sukhwinder Singh Shejada (another leader of PPP), Punjab Police personnel Gurdeep Singh and Kharak Singh (gunmen of former minister Inderjit Singh Zeera) and head constable Jaswinder Singh, gunman of Naresh Kataria. The accused, along with 150 unidentified persons, were also charged with attacking policemen on duty and hindering public movement by blocking a road in the town yesterday. Police sources said that the case was registered on the complaint by Palwinder Singh, SHO, police station, Zira. The two policemen who suffered injuries in the attack were identified as Parsan Singh, sub-inspector and Jhirmil Singh, constable. Palwinder Singh said that a case was registered under Sections 323, 353, 186, 283 and 149 of the IPC. He said that no arrest had been made so far. Narinder Mohan Kataria, who had suffered multiple injuries and was bleeding profusely, was under treatment at the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot.
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Setting an example and to do away with the established ‘sifarish’ culture prevalent in the Police Department for the posting of
SHOs, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has lead by an example. The GRP today held a written test-cum-interview session for all its officers in the rank of sub inspectors and inspectors to promote talent.
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Younger leadership
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Those ignored 
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Dera factor
