‘Insulted’ MLAs look to Bhattal for help
Chandigarh, June 13
The Punjab Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting today witnessed internal wrangling with Congress legislators Sukhpal Khaira and Surinderpal Sibia claiming they had been “humiliated” by Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh.

Chandigarh, June 13
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Bhagat Chunni Lal was today elected Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha at a special one-day session here today amidst a walkout by Congress legislators.

Bhagat Chunni Lal’s name was proposed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and seconded by BJP Legislature Party chief Tikshan Sud. CongressLegislature Party (CLP) leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal took umbrage to restricting the session’s agenda to the election of the Deputy Speaker. She claimed the Deputy Speaker could have been elected at the regular assembly session due to be held in September.

She said not giving the Opposition time to discuss issues of public interest, including that of bonus, was tantamount to throttling the voice of democracy.

When the CLP leaders demand for discussing the need for bonus on the paddy MSP and on the sale of government properties went unheeded by the Speaker, the party decided to boycott the session. Meanwhile, SAD President and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal claimed the Congress was “running away and conceding defeat even before the elections.” He said the Congress had boycotted the Budget session too as it could not find fault with the “dream Budget”. He said the SAD-BJP was ready to convene as many assembly sessions as possible but there was no guarantee that the Congress would not boycott these.

Earlier, the House passed obituary references with regard to Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of the Chief Minister, former Haryana CM Bhajan Lal, former MP IS Dhillon, former legislator Arjun Singh Litt and freedom fighter Satish Kakkar.

Chandigarh, June 13
The Punjab Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting today witnessed internal wrangling with Congress legislators Sukhpal Khaira and Surinderpal Sibia claiming they had been “humiliated” by Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh.

The legislators claimed Capt Amarinder had at a press conference claimed the legislators had escaped disciplinary action because they had tendered an unconditional apology. They claimed this was not so and that they had only given their explanation to the show-cause notice issued to them on their remarks about the constitution of the PPCC.

The legislators appealed to Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to take up the issue with the incharge of party affairs Gulchain Singh Charak. Bhattal reportedly agreed to do so.

Khaira claimed they would write separate letters to Charak to demand action against party vice-president Lal Singh for “leaking” the notice issued to them to the media.

Meanwhile, Punjab Congress sources said both legislators had regretted their action in writing and that no apology could be conditional. Charak, when contacted, said both the leaders had in a written statement claimed that the media had distorted their statements and had regretted the same.

“The fact is that they have realised their mistake and agreed not to air their differences before the media again,” he said.

Patiala, June 13
Finally, accepting the long-pending demand of technocrats working with the power corporation, the Board of Directors of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited have given the nod for the setting up of a 1320 MW thermal plant in the public sector.

In a U-turn from its earlier stand, the PSPCL management now says that a thermal plant in the public sector is of paramount importance and in the overall interest of the state and the PSPCL.

The minutes of the meeting between the Whole-Time Directors (WTD) of the PSPCL and representatives of the PSEB Engineers’ Association held on June 11, the corporation has already sent a proposal for the new thermal plant to the state government for approval. The site selection committee has inspected two sites in Mukerian, Hoshiarpur. A request for coal allocation has been sent to the Union Government.

PSEB Engineers’ Association president HS Bedi said: “Since 90 per cent of the cost will be borne by the Power Finance Corporation and the rest by the PSPCL, the state government should have no hesitation in giving approval to the plant.”

Ever since the announcement of the new power generation policy last year, thermal plants were being awarded to private players on the basis of memorandum of understanding (MoU). Since the PSPCL has agreed to set up a thermal plant in the public sector, the PSEB Engineers’ Association has decided to defer its statewide agitation scheduled for June 14.

“In case of delay by the government in giving approval to the proposed plant, we will resume our protest”, said Association general secretary Bhupinder Singh.

Moga, June 13
Former Chief Minister and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh today said his party would soon bring out a chargesheet against the SAD-BJP government listing its alleged failures and atrocities committed on the Congress workers during the past four and a half years of their rule in the state.

Talking to mediapersons after holding an interaction with the party workers of four assembly segments, Moga, Nihal Singh Wala, Dharamkot and Bhaghapurana here, Amarinder Singh said that a special team of the party was currently preparing the chargesheet and it would be completed in the next couple of weeks.

Though he refused to share the details of the chargesheet saying it was still under preparation, the PPCC chief claimed that it would focus on the “failures” of the state government on socio-economic issues, agriculture, environment, law and order, unemployment and other issues concerning the common people. He said the “atrocities committed on the Congress workers” would also be listed.

Meanwhile, Amarinder has asked all the district presidents of the party to document the cases of alleged atrocities and police cases fabricated against the party workers.

At the time of Lok Sabha elections, he claimed, there were about 30,000 such fabricated cases and now the number had gone up substantially. He said “after assuming power in the state next year”, he would constitute a commission of inquiry, to be headed by a High Court judge, which would probe such cases of “atrocities”. “Those found guilty will be punished as per law.”

On Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal visiting yoga guru Ramdev at a Dehradun hospital to offer support against “anti-corruption drive”, Amarinder remarked, “Badal and Chautala supporting anti-corruption drive is a big joke because everyone knows that they themselves are among the corrupt politicians of the country.”

About whether corruption would be an issue in the coming Punjab elections, the PPCC president said, “Yes, it will be a big issue as the electorate has become more educated and aware of what is going on in the political circles of the ruling parties and they are in a better position to judge their performance.”

He reiterated that the SAD-BJP government was lying on financial position of the state as the debts were mounting and the state does not have enough money even to clear the debts. “As per our calculations, by the end of the term of the present government there will be a total debt of about Rs 1,70,000 crore on Punjab,” he added.

Among those accompanying the PPCC chief were Congress leaders Lal Singh, Arvind Khanna, Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, district president Jagdarshan Kaur and local MLAs.

Amritsar, June 13
Power tussle at the century-old apolitical Sikh institution, Chief Khalsa Diwan, has sparked a fresh controversy after its honorary secretary Bhag Singh Ankhi challenged the general body meeting conducted by president Charanjit Singh Chadha in Kanpur yesterday.

Chadha had dismissed Ankhi from the post of member in charge of Central Khalsa Orphanage, a subsidiary of the Chief Khalsa Diwan.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Ankhi, who claims he has the backing of at least 16 members, alleged that Chadha had violated the Chief Khalsa Diwan constitution.

Ankhi alleged that Chadha had misappropriated funds and inducted 108 new members during the Kanpur meeting to ensure his majority in an unauthorised manner. Also, he said Chadha had raised the general body term from three to five years.

Chadha, however, denied the allegations. “The allegations are frivolous and have no base as every resolution was passed with the approval of the house. Still, the matter is sub judice,” he said.

Meanwhile, two other Chief Khalsa Diwan members, Manjit Singh Tarn Tarani and GS Chawla, who attended the Kanpur meeting, said the new members were inducted after seeking the approval of over 70 members present in the general house. “The house also criticised the uncooperative and negative attitude of Ankhi and the issue of his dismissal from the charge of orphanage was passed because of his ineptitude behaviour.”

For his part, Ankhi alleged that he was removed from the post because he had raised queries about the withdrawal of Rs 70 lakh from the orphanage’s funds. “Though Rs 40 lakh was deposited back, the remaining amount remains unaccountable till now, which I objected to,” he said.

Supporting Ankhi, former Rajya Sabha member Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha said the matter would be brought to the notice of the Akal Takht Jathedar. 

Jalandhar, June 13
The Border Security Force (BSF) is all set to raise additional battalions and border outposts (BOPs) at sensitive frontiers and has started training recruits at its eight Subsidiary Training Centers (STCs) across the country.

The BSF has set up three new frontiers at Malda (West Bengal), Guwahati (Assam) and Bangalore (Special Operations). According to BSF officials, the mass recruiting programme would continue for the next five years. During this period 80,000 recruits would be trained at different STCs.

At present 1,260 additional recruits, all from Bihar, are undergoing training at the STC in Kharkan which falls under the Punjab frontier. Seven companies comprising 180 recruits each are being trained at the STC, Kharkan.

Talking to The Tribune, Commandant DIG Dilbagh Singh Sidhu said: “We will train 20,000 recruits during the next five years. As many as 2,000 recruits will be trained by next year.”

The Inspector General of Punjab Frontier, BSF Himmat Singh, said: “The BSF expansion of this magnitude was last undertaken in 1989.”

Sources maintained that the additional recruits, after training, would also be deployed at the Myanmar border. “A decision in this regard is pending with the Ministry of Home Affairs. AS of now, the Assam Rifles is manning the Myanmar border”, IG Himmat Singh said.

The BSF had decided to raise 29 additional battalions and 500 BOPs in 2009 primarily for extra vigil in the North East.

Amritsar, June 13
In order to press the government to formulate a policy pertaining to setting up of modern storage facilities for foodgrains, the Indian Farmers Association activists had started a signature campaign recently.

As part of the campaign, a farmers’ delegation yesterday met Amritsar Member of Parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu and Khadoor Sahib MP Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala to get their signatures on a memorandum. The delegation was led by association president (Punjab) Satnam Singh Behru. Meanwhile, both the MPS have given assurance of their support for the cause.

So far, Foreign Minister Perneet Kaur, MP Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, Dr Ravneet Bittu and Vijay Inder Singla have signed the campaign.

Later, the memorandum would be submitted to Prime Minster Manmohan Singh. Satnam Singh said, “Punjab needs storage capacity of at least 75 lakh metric tonnes keeping in mind the bumper crop of wheat and paddy.”

According to information, an ultra-modern steel silo project with a capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes for the grain storage came up at Mulechuk village near here under the government’s PPP scheme, but has been lying unused due to official apathy.

Satnam said, “The association will meet the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food to apprise him about this project. The minister, during his recent visit to Amritsar, was apprised of the apathy and he had assured to expedite the matter, but no step has been taken so far,” he said. 

Chandigarh June 13
The Punjab Government will soon launch a special campaign to transfer tube well connections to the next of kin of the deceased within a month. These connections will be transferred in the name of eligible heirs, subject to the completion of formalities.

A decision to this effect was taken by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a meeting with a five-member delegation of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) at his residence this evening.

Emphasising the need to initiate a statewide campaign to streamline the revenue record, the Chief Minister directed the department to chalk out an action plan for regular and compulsory updating of land records to resolve mutation cases and to avoid undue harassment to the public on one hand.

Badal also asked the Financial Commissioner, Revenue, to review Section 12 of the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953, to ensure adequate returns from the land given for cultivation on a contract basis as per the market rate.

Referring to the issue of de-silting drains across the state, Badal asked the Chief Engineer, Drainage, to strictly monitor such cases and in case of any lapse.

He ordered cleaning of distributaries and minors to ensure sufficient supply of irrigation water at the tail-ends, especially in far-flung areas, besides checking damage to life and property in flash floods.

The Chief Minister assured the delegation that the disbursement of the secong installment of bonus would be released shortly. All other demands related to the power sector, including the de-loading of grids/transformers besides maintenance and repair of transmission lines, were conceded by the CMD, PSPCL.

Badal asked the Home Department to examine cases registered against BKU activists by the Railway Protection Force.

Ropar, June 13
The district administration and Labour Department failed to observe the first day of the Anti-Child Labour Week that started on June 12. The day is also observed as the World Anti-Child Labour Day.

However, an awareness campaign was held at Anandpur Sahib today. Deputy Commissioner GK Singh said anyone could call at his office number 01881-221150 to give information on child labour. Assistant Labour Commissioner SS Randhawa said no activity could be held at Ropar due to staff shortage yesterday. Randhawa has charge of Ropar as well as Mohali. “I had only one labour inspector at Ropar who has the additional charge of Abohar. The new labour inspector joined today. From tomorrow, we will conduct checks against child labour in Ropar district,” he said.

As per the rules, no child under the age of 14 years could be employed anywhere. Anyone found disobeying this rule would be subjected to Rs 10, 000 penalty or one year imprisonment.

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 13
Kerosene supply to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family of Dadheri village in Amloh was snapped for nearly eight months after a gas agency wrongly included its name in the list of LPG connection holders.

As per rules, BPL families having LPG connection are not entitled for kerosene. In its complaint to the forum, 53-year-old Kuldeep Singh alleged that he was forced to make rounds of various gas agencies and district food supply controller’s office for almost 10 months to prove that his family belonged to the BPL category.

At last quorum of forum president Shashi Prabha Aggarwal and members Sher Singh Sidhu and Veena Chahal penalised the Singh Gas Service, Amloh, for wrongly declaring the said BPL family as the LPG connection holder. A fine of Rs 20,000 and Rs 5,000 as litigation charges have been imposed upon the gas agency.

Kuldeep’s counsel advocate AS Dharni said in August 2010 the family was accused of having an LPG connection obtained from the Singh Gas Service, Amloh. It was later cleared that the agency officials wrongly included the name and admitted their mistake. Kerosene oil supply was resumed in January, but it was again discontinued after two months. This time the depot holder claimed that the family members have got the LPG connection from another agency, Surabhi Gas Agency, Mandi Gobindgarh.

The Surabhi Gas Agency was directed to present its records. It was found that a gas connection was issued on a ration card, which bears a photograph of the complainant Kuldeep Singh, but with different name and father’s name. The forum said it had no jurisdiction to decide the genuineness of the ration card and competent court of law may be approached.

Advocate Dharni said they have lodged a complaint with Fatehgarh Sahib SSP in this regard and demanded that the records of both the gas agencies should be scrutinised as there might be more gas connections issued on the fake ration cards. Office of the SSP has assigned the enquiry to economic offences wing (EOW) for further verification.

In urban areas a family having a ration card without a gas connection, is entitled to get 10-litre kerosene oil per month, while in the rural areas, the ration card holders get 7 litres per month. Government gives kerosene oil at a subsidised price of Rs 12.40 per litre, cost of which in black market is between Rs 25 to Rs 35 per litre.

Engineer-in-chief PWD RP Singh said the structure would be constructed under the guidance of an expert from Delhi. — TNS

Chandigarh, June 13
Five years after the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) was launched for providing protection to children, the Punjab and Haryana High Court heard that both the states had signed memoranda of understanding with the Centre for implementing the system.

The information was furnished to the High Court by way of affidavits filed by the two states. The affidavits came during the hearing of a petition filed by city-based advocate-cum-social activist Pankaj Chandgothia.

The development is significant as the scheme is directed to bring under one roof all programmes aimed at providing protection to children against trafficking and other “social ills”. It envisages centre-state liaisoning to achieve the desired results.

As the petition came up for hearing, the Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal asserted the petition had been rendered infructuous in view of the stand taken on behalf of the respondents.

In his petition, Chandgothia had said the Centre had framed the scheme in 2006. It was approved 2009 by the Union Cabinet. Under the scheme, the states and union territories are required to sign an MoU with the Central Government to come under the ICPS umbrella. Only after the signing of the MoU, social welfare scheme could be fully implemented.

Chandigarh, June 13
In a significant judgment, a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the Northern Railways’ decision to have 24 hours working at eight of its sheds for carrying out the harvest to different parts of the country each year from April to October. Some of the sheds are in Ambala and Ferozepur divisions.

The judgment came on an appeal filed by the Punjab State Handling and Transporter’s Association against the Union of India and other respondents. Dismissing the appeal, the Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Gurdev Singh made it clear that the decision was in the larger public interest. The Bench asserted: “The State of Punjab is considered to be granary of the country. The impugned orders (on round the clock functioning at the sheds) have been passed by the Northern Railways keeping in view that the huge crop is to be carried to different parts of the country during the period from April to October.”

Quoting an example, the Bench added: “If the working hours are kept from 6 am to 10 pm or 6 am to 12 am at Ambala division or Ferozepur division, as it was the situation before, the movement of huge foodgrains which is to be carried to different parts of the country would be hampered. We do not see any good reason for admission of the appeal.”

The association, in its appeal, had challenged the judgment dated April 7 by a Single Judge of the High Court. The association’s request for quashing the orders dated May 1, 2008, and May 10, 2008, were rejected by the Single Judge vide his judgment.

The association had challenged the orders on the ground of non-availability of labour at the railway stations at the odd hours. The plea of improper infrastructure, too, was taken during the hearing.

The Single Judge, in the order under challenge, had held the association had not placed any material before the court, “which may lead to a conclusion that there was any difficulty experienced in implementation of the policy reflected in those two impugned orders.”

Patiala, June 13
The city police has recovered 2-kg opium in two separate cases and registered cases against two drug peddlers in Nabha here yesterday.

The police arrested Sham Sharma, a resident of Haryana, from Nabha and recovered 1-kg opium from his possession yesterday. “We are yet to ascertain from where this contraband was procured,” said the police.

In an another recovery in Nabha yesterday, the cops recovered 1-kg opium, while the accused Rajesh Sharma managed to flee. “We are conducting raids to nab the accused,” said the police.

In the past five months, the city police has confiscated 139-kg opium and over 2.5-kg smack, including 60-kg opium that has been seized in the past one month.

Senior officers said they were trying to establish the links of both the peddlers and the recoveries. “We are trying to verify if the drugs were bought from the same source,” said the cops.