Missing youths: 2-member panel to hold investigation
Chandigarh, May 26
A two-member team will investigate not just the mystery of missing 37 youngsters, but also collect information on the Indians languishing in foreign jails.

Chandigarh, May 26
 three-year-long initiative to mechanise paddy transplantation in Punjab has all but flopped. Most farmers will have no alternative but to go in for manual transplantation this season in 15 days from now. Farmers have given a short shrift to the new technology with the Agriculture Department receiving only 74 applications for new transplanters this season.

The lacklustre response, despite the fact that the machines are being heavily subsidised, could well be the death knell of the programme that was to give a new lease of life to paddy transplantation in the state.

Transplantation is becoming increasingly costly with a steady decrease in the labour force from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, responsible for transplanting paddy on 30 lakh hectares of land every year. Agriculture director Dr BS Sidhu says imposition of the election code in April 2009 came in the way of training programmes and the special nursery grown on plastic sheets could not be reared properly.

Last year the government changed gear and decided to import heavy-duty Japanese transplanters after several farmers reported inconsistent results from the 449 small machines, most of them of Chinese origin, which were imported in 2009. However, only three big machines could be imported with farmers not prepared to commit to spending Rs 10 lakh on the machine despite a Rs 3 lakh subsidy quotient. As many as 71 small machines costing Rs 2 lakh with a subsidy quotient of Rs 70,000 were also imported last year.

This year the situation is dismal with the Agriculture Department receiving only 74 applications for import of machines. Only three farmers have elicited interest in the big machines.

Experts say unless big self-driven machines, which can transplant paddy on eight acres per day, are imported the mechanisation drive will have little effect. The small machines can transplant paddy on only 2 to 3 acres per day.

Meanwhile, the state has yet to come out with an incentive for farmers who grow the special nursery for mechanised transplanters. State Agriculture Commission consultant Dr PS Rangi said the commission had recommended an incentive of Rs 5,000 per acre to such farmers. Time is running out for the special nurseries that will be needed by June 10 when the paddy transplantation starts.

Even as the state grapples with ways and means to reduce dependence on outside labour, which has decreased due to the success of employment schemes like NREGA in UP and Bihar, a proposal to encourage the local agriculture implements industry to duplicate the machines has also not achieved the desired results.

The Agriculture Director says duplication would happen in due time and that district agriculture officers were continuing demonstrations showcasing the new technology so that it was eventually taken up in a big way in Punjab.

Chandigarh, May 26
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today gave the CBI another three months for completing the probe into the Roor Singh custodial death case.

The deadline was extended by Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice AK Mittal after the CBI filed a status report in a sealed cover. The CBI said the earlier deadline of May 16 had ended, but more time was required to complete the probe.

Finding the police version to be dishonest in the case, the High Court had earlier handed over the probe to the CBI. Already, the High Court has directed payment of Rs 1 lakh as interim compensation to the victim’s his kin. A resident of Nurpur Jattan village, Roor Singh had died at the Dhilwan police station in Kapurthala district. He was arrested for allegedly possessing over Rs 92,000 in fake currency.

Congress legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira had alleged that the accused were being shielded by the district administration at the behest of the ruling party. The Bench had ruled: “The police personnel on duty have not given a truthful and acceptable version. Their stand of arrest on September 5, 2009, instead of September 4, 2009, has been found to be false.

“Their version of sudden fall in blood pressure and giving of injection and taking the victim to hospital where oxygen was administered has been found to be false. “Death has been held to be in police custody on account of poison. To close the topic by merely presuming that there could be possibility of suicide, will not, in our view, be fair…

“The suggestion for CBI investigation has to be accepted. It is necessary to ascertain whether it was a case of suicide or homicide and what was the role of concerned police officers….”

Chandigarh, May 26
A two-member team will investigate not just the mystery of missing 37 youngsters, but also collect information on the Indians languishing in foreign jails.

Nearly seven years after the youngsters in search of greener pastures across the seas lost their way, the Punjab and High Court directed “the Ministry of External Affairs, the Central Bureau of Investigation and Punjab Additional Advocate-General to suggest names of officers who would constitute the committee for investigating and finding the whereabouts of the missing persons as well as collect further information with regard to the Indians languishing in jails in countries like Mali, Morocco and Spain”.

The Bench asked the State of Punjab to find out the status of the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2010, stated to have been sent for the President’s assent on October 1, 2010. The Bench also fixed May 31 as the next date of hearing.

The directions were issued after the Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Gurdev Singh perused a report submitted by amicus curiae Anil Malhotra.

The All-India Forum for National Reconciliation has filed a PIL on the disappearance of Spain-bound youngsters in November 2004. In its petition against the Union Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home, the State of Punjab, the CBI and other respondents, the forum has sought directions for ascertaining the whereabouts of the missing youths. It has alleged that the youths had fallen a prey to unapproved, self-proclaimed travel agents who had defrauded them by promising them greener pastures abroad.

Jalandhar May 26
Hope of an out-of-court settlement between families of 17 Punjabi youths facing the death sentence in a Sharjah jail and the family of Pakistani national Mishri Khan, allegedly killed in a group clash last year, appears to be diminishing with Mishri’s cousin Ramzaan backing out of a compromise.

Family members of the youths, at a press conference here today, blamed Dubai-based businessman Baljit Singh Khalsa for scuttling the compromise efforts.

When contacted on the phone, Baljit Singh refuted the charge, claiming that he had rather been striving to strike a compromise by offering to pay hefty money

(blood money) to Mishri Khan’s kin. “What is their problem? I want to help the boys out. I have offered to dole out Rs 12 crore as blood money. I still stand by my offer. But Mishri Khan’s family is demanding Rs 20 crore. I am even ready to pay that amount,” said Baljit Singh.

Led by Ranjit Kaur, wife of Dharampal, one of the convicted youths, the family members of the other youths said that Mishri Khan’s family, particularly, Ramzaan, representing the family of the deceased in court, was ready to accept two lakh dirhams (an estimated Rs 25 lakh) as blood money but Baljit Singh was dissuading them from doing so. Baljit Singh, they alleged, who wanted to earn hefty donations from abroad under the pretext of fighting for their cause, was advising Ramzaan against a compromise.

“On the other hand, they said, Dubai-based businessman SP Singh Oberoi had extended unconditional support to the youths. He has offered to pay Rs 1 crore as blood money, from his pocket,” said Ranjit Kaur.

“Besides Oberoi, Congress leader Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi has been helping the boys through his personal contacts in Dubai and Pakistan”, she said.

She cautioned Baljit Singh against undermining the ongoing compromise process, saying he would be solely responsible if any harm was caused to the jailed youths.

Jalandhar, May 26
The Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board, Rajat Aggarwal, and the Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, SR Ladhar, has made it clear that industrial units will not be allowed to release toxic effluents into the Kala Sanghia drain, come what may.

The administration’s resolve was made clear to representatives of various industrialists’ associations at a meeting today. Miffed, the industrialists walked out midway after heated arguments with Ladhar and officials of the PPCB and the Municipal Corporation.

The industrialists are opposing the surprise checks on their units by special teams constituted after Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal and thousands of villagers blocked the drain on May 18. The angry industrialists said they would close down their units if the checking continued. Ladhar retorted: “The administration will not go soft on the erring units. The special teams will continue to conduct checking. It is your up to you to close down your units or make the treatment plants for effluents functional.”At this all representatives walked and announced that the units would remain closed tomorrow.

Patiala, May 26
The Punjabi University’s claims of promoting Punjabi language fell flat today when the Theatre and Television Department’s Punjabi medium students got their question paper in English.

A student of the department informed that 14 out of 16 students had opted Punjabi as a medium for the examination. “We were shocked to see the question paper in English. Many of us faced difficulty in comprehending the questions and when we brought the matter to the notice of the superintendent, he refused to do anything in the matter,” he said.

Other students informed that they had simply asked the superintendent to get the paper translated for their convenience, but he misbehaved with them. “He asked us to take the examination or walk out. We requested him to allow us to talk to higher authorities, but he refused and stating that if we walked out of the room, he will not let us in again. I did the paper according to my understanding of the English language,” he added.

Controller of Examination Pawan Kumar Singla said no such matter had been brought to his notice, but he would certainly look into the matter.

Rajpura, May 26
The Rajpura residents have raised objections over inconsistency in the proposed Rajpura Master Plan 2011-2031. While 200-feet-wide proposed road from the Chandigarh Airport to Rajpura figures in the regional plan of the GMADA (Greater Mohali Area Development Authority), the same is missing from the Rajpura master plan.

Gaurav Goyal, a resident of Patiala, in his objection letter filed to the senior town planner, Patiala, has stated that the proposed 200-feet road-PR (Planned Road)-9, which starts from the international airport, Chandigarh, and enters the Banur Local Planning Area figures in the regional plan of the GMADA, but is missing from the Rajpura master plan. The road, proposed to reach Patiala, will enter through Rajpura.

Gaurav said, “The proposed road to reach Patiala runs parallel to the National Highway-64 and is crucial for the proposed IT Park’s development.” He pointed out that some planned roads of the town were already encroached upon by some private colonies (legal and illegal), which had reduced its width at many places.

The Regional Town Planning Department, Punjab, has prepared the proposed master plan covering 166 villages. Besides planning of all the major roads, main focus of the plan would be to give impetus to the industrial sector.

District Town Planner (DTP) Mandeep Kaur, admitting variation in the proposed road, said she had discussed the issue with the senior town planner and efforts were on to sort it out. Gaurav pointed out that there were some important areas, which would not be properly connected after the proposed plan of Rajpura and changes should be made accordingly for better connectivity. It is suggested that illegal colonies of Rajpura, if any, should be marked separately in the master plan and steps should be initiated to curb encroachment menace by private developers.

Plan does not cite the outer ring road, which may prove crucial for the overall development and there is only one road for the proposed industrial zone from the NH-64, which may put extra burden of the vehicular traffic in future. In view of the rise in number of the heavy vehicles on the road, at least one more road should be planned to connect the industrial area from the NH-64. A new bus terminus should also be proposed in view of almost defunct bus stand on the NH-1.

Jalandhar, May 26
Aimed at checking the level of toxicity, a team of officials of the Rajasthan’s Irrigation Department today collected samples of water from various drains and other water bodies that flow into the Sutlej at various points in Punjab.

The high level of the pollution, especially the presence of toxic substances such as lead, chromium and nickel in water, is said to be the main cause behind the growing number of cancer-related deaths in about nine districts of Rajasthan and in the cotton belt of Punjab.

Sources said that the team headed by Superintending Engineer Kuldeep Bishnoi collected samples from the Budha Nullah at a point near Walipur (Ludhiana) and from the Chitti Bein, a rivulet, near Malsian in Jalandhar district.

Several thousand people from Rajasthan had recently come to Jalandhar to join the agitation launched by Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal to prevent the release of industrial toxic effluents into various water bodies.

Amritsar, May 26
The Pakistan High Commission today granted one-month visa to Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit Singh, the Indian prisoner languishing in a Pakistan jail on death row.

It has been learnt that though Sarabjit’s wife, his two daughters and Dalbir Kaur’s husband too had applied for the visa, it was denied to them. Dalbir Kaur has been conveyed to avail this opportunity within two months.

Dalbir Kaur said she would be visiting her brother next week. She will travel through road. “Finally, I will get to see him. I have plans to see Rehman Malik, Pakistan Home Minister who has assured me over the phone to help procuring some relief against Sarabjit’s death sentence. I will also meet former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and human rights activist Asma Jahangir,” she said. 

Chandigarh, May 26
After including Tim Uppal and Bal Gosal in his Council of Ministers last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has named Deepak Obhrai as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Obhrai is the only Indo-Canadian to be included in a list of 28 Parliamentary Secretaries released by the Prime Minister’s Office in Ottawa last evening. The inclusion of Obhrai as Parliamentary Secretary gives the Indo-Canadian community the largest ever representation in top government positions.

Of the six Indo-Canadians on the treasury benches, three form part of the federal government. Uppal and Gosal are also members of the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs. This Committee considers healthcare, justice, public safety, culture and immigration policy issues. There was speculation that Stephen Harper would name four-time MP from Fleetwood-Port Kells Nina Grewal as Parliamentary Secretary.

Obhrai, who immigrated to Canada from Africa, has been elected to the House of Commons from Calgary East for the sixth time in a row. He was first elected in 1997. In February 2006 he was named Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Subsequently, he remained Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation.

Obhrai is the past president of the Indo-Canada Association, the Monterey Committee Association and the Hindu Society of Calgary. He had been vice-president of the National Indo-Canadian Council.

Amritsar, May 26
PAU scientists today suggested that arrangements should be made to facilitate proper air and sunlight for ancient Athsath Teerathwali Ber, located near Dukh Bhanjani Ber, in the Golden Temple complex.

The suggestion came during a visit of a five-member team of scientists from the university. The delegation comprised of Dr Jagtar Singh Bal, Dr Des Raj Sharma, Dr Narinderpal, apart from Dr Sukhdev Singh and Dr Paramjit Singh from the Agriculture Department of the Khalsa College, Amritsar. The team pruned the dry branches of Ber Baba Budha Jee, Dukh Bhanjani Ber, Lachi Ber and Athsath Teerathwali Ber to ensure better maintenance of these ancient trees.

A pest attack was detected on Athsath Teerathwali Ber, to deal with which a spray would be done soon. A major part of this tree’s trunk has got covered due to construction of two rooms close to it, where akhand path is on. Cement has also been applied on a part of the trunk. The experts opine that there should be no tampering with its skin to ensure its long life. The tree’s trunk should get proper air and sunlight, they said. This matter has also been brought to the notice of SGPC Secretary Dalmegh Singh.

The PAU team said the condition of the Ber Baba Budha Jee and Lachi Ber was better. Ber Baba Budha Jee is one of the oldest 'ber' trees in the country. Its condition had deteriorated over the period of time, but the PAU came to its rescue and revived it. Now, it is even bearing fruits. Dalmegh Singh said the PAU scientists have acquainted him with the condition of ancient ‘ber’ trees in the complex. He said they would make all the arrangements as per the advice of the experts for prolonging the life of Athsath Teerathwali Ber.

Patiala, May 26
Local Akali leaders are miffed over the transfer of an SHO Guriqbal Singh Sikand following allegations that he harassed the Congress supporters while they were preparing for a rally.

The SHO has been transferred to the Police Lines after the Congress supporters threatened to hold a dharna. However, the senior officers have termed it as a “routine transfer”, even as Akalis allege that the move would send a wrong signal to the city electorate.

The incident happened when the Congress supporters were putting up hoardings on Tuesday night in support of the recently elected Congress leader for a function, which was to be held on the next day in the city.

“During night, I received a call that a truck was parked in the middle of the road near Fountain Chowk. When I reached there, I told the truck driver to park the truck at the right place as the road was near a hospital and ambulances ply on that road frequently. The truck driver misbehaved and told me that he was carrying the Congress hoardings and refused to move and threatened me of dire consequences,” said SHO of the ISO-certified Civil Lines Police Station Guriqbal.

“Even the Congress leader concerned called me up and misbehaved with me for harassing his workers, despite the fact that I tried to explain him the episode”, he added.

Sources said that the truck driver briefed the matter to his Congress leader who spoke in detail to SP (City) Patiala asking him to call back the SHO from the spot.

Meanwhile some Congress supporters gathered at the spot and raised slogans against the concerned SHO and alleged that the SHO was trying to create hindrance in their proposed rally.

“I asked the concerned SHO to return back from the spot after some Congress leaders brought the matter into my notice following which I asked the SHO to leave the matter there and then and later I briefed the SSP”, said Narinder Kaushal, SP City.

“I even ordered him to release the truck to pacify the agitators who threatened a dharna at the spot to avoid a situation”, he told TNS, refusing that it was a politically motivated move.

Perturbed over the incident, district Shiromani Akali Dal, president Indermohan Singh Bajaj said that the issue could have been solved amicably and the transfer of the SHO on the behest of Congress leaders was shameful. “It is our government and the Congress is trying to play games through this incident,” he alleged.

Chairman, District Planning Committee and senior SAD leader Surjit Singh Rakhra told TNS, that he would take up the matter with the high command as the SHO was doing his duty and his transfer is unjustified.

“Just because the Congress leaders used pressure tactics, the policeman should have been given a chance to explain his stance,” said Rakhra.

SSP Patiala Gurpreet Singh Gill denied that the transfer was done in connection with the incident. “His transfer is a routine affair and has nothing to do with the Congress leaders,” he told The Tribune.

Patiala, May 26
The first witness in the infamous human trafficking case, in which Punjabi Pop icon Daler Mehndi is the main accused, today appeared before court of the Judicial Magistrate, First Class, BS Romana.

The counsel for Daler Mehndi, Brijinder Singh Sodhi, said the first witness Bakhshish Singh today appeared before the court. “The examination of the witnesses will start from July 16, the next date of hearing in the case,” he added. Sodhi further said there were 30 witnesses in the case that dates back to 2003.

Notably, the Patiala police had registered a case under various Sections of the IPC and the Indian Passport Act on September 19, 2003, at the Sadar police station here on the complaint of Bakhshish Singh of Balbehra village.

Bakhshish, along with other 24 complainants, had blamed Daler Mehndi and his brother Shamsher Mehndi for allegedly taking money and promised inclusion in his troupe during their foreign trips. The complainant had also alleged that the Mehndi brothers failed to return their money and threatened them to keep quiet about the issue.