Chandigarh, June 19
An extraordinary increase in the prices of cotton during the last season as well as the success of new generation BT cottonseeds has been able to dethrone paddy as the most valuable crop in Punjab, apparently for the first time ever. The development not only has been able to give a push to agriculture in south Punjab but also has succeeded in reducing debts of farmers in a belt infamous for suicides.

Thousands of farmers in south Punjab region of Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar, Ferozepur and Faridkot districts, who were reeling under debt only four to five years back due to repeated crop failures, are witnessing huge profits. Commission agents in these belts claim the friction caused between them as well as farmers due to non-payment of debts has reduced sharply.

The profits from last year have jacked up the land lease rates in the cotton belt by around Rs 7,000 per acre. The land has been leased out for this season at rates varying between Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 per acre, slightly higher than the rates for paddy and wheat.

It's a case of simple economics, says Officer on Special Duty (Cotton) Vinod Kumar. He said farmers had earned an average of Rs 45,000 per acre for the cotton crop last year, which was far beyond the paddy average of around Rs 32,000. Farmers received a rate between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000 per quintal against a rate of Rs 2,800 per quintal the year before last.

And as far as BT seed is concerned, farmers are sowing only this seed. According to sources, the demand is such that farmers are not able to get the approved seed on time, forcing them to purchase unapproved seed from Gujarat. Of the total around 30 lakh packets used in Punjab, as many as 8 to 9 lakh packets were of unapproved seed.

The success of last year's crop has resulted in a 25 per cent increase in cotton sowing in March-April this year. Against 4.80 lakh hectares sown last year, around 6 lakh hectares have been sown this year. Reports from southern Punjab claim that the recent rains have helped germination and that this year too the state was looking forward to a bumper crop. Sources say this could be in the range of around 23 lakh bales, an increase of nearly 5 lakh bales.

The government, which had been trying to diversify from paddy but had failed, has now decided to establish 25 cotton 'mandis' in the state. It claims 19 will be provided with world-class infrastructure under "Technology Mission of Cotton". Cotton-grading laboratories are also on the anvil along with modern weighing machines. Besides, the spokesman said the government had approved a textile park in Bathinda and Handloom Industry Park at Kapurthala to ensure a ready market for cotton farmers.

Chandigarh, June 19
A powerful road transport lobby backed by the ruling SAD-BJP alliance has been working hard behind the scenes to delay the start of the Amritsar-Chandigarh-Duronto train, says CPI state leader Joginder Dyal. "Otherwise what explanation Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal could offer for not uttering even a word for the non-introduction of this superfast point-to-point train service," quips Joginder Dyal holding that the SAD-BJP seldom misses an opportunity in bashing the Centre for its anti-Punjab bias.

Parkash Singh Badal has not said even a word about the failure of Ministry of Railways to honour its commitment of starting this service from April 1. Former Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced introduction of Duronto Trains in her 2009 and 2011 Railway Budget speeches. Amritsar was chosen as it is not only an important religious centre for Sikhs the world over but also because of its importance in the freedom struggle (Jallianwala Bagh massacre) and its importance as a major trade centre.

Duronto train was to be introduced from April 1 this year. Starting from Amritsar at 6 in the morning, it would reach Chandigarh by 10 and depart for Amritsar at 7 p.m. The fare fixed for second AC works out at Rs 67 that is less than half the bus fare. Duronto would run non-stop from Amritsar via Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Sirhind and Morinda to Chandigarh.

Joginder Dyal said after the June 14 rail roko, he said 44 senior leaders of the party were taken in custody and sent to jail, he being one of them. Family of CM Badal is in road transport business in a big way so are several other senior political leaders of the state. Since Amritsar-Chandigarh is a lucrative route, the lobby has been opposing the introduction of the train as it would take away its business, he alleges.

Patiala, June 19
Ahead of monsoon, the construction of a 4-km concrete wall along the Hansi-Butana canal by Haryana has left the villagers residing along the Punjab-Haryana border worried. Inhabitants of the villages, situated near the Punjab-Haryana border, fear flash floods in case of heavy rainfall.

Residents of Dharmheri village on Golu Cheeka Road, Mehal Singh, Niranjan Singh and Hardeep Singh, said that this monsoon may not pass peacefully.

“How can the Haryana Government justify saving their villages by diverting devastation to Punjab,” they said asserting that the construction of the wall should be stopped immediately.

Punjab Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon stated that an expert team headed by the Irrigation Department Technical Consultant MR Goyal has already prepared a detailed report about the danger to several Punjab villages because of the construction of the wall.

He said that the state government has already taken up the issue at the highest possible level and the matter is now pending in the Supreme Court.

Former MP and SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra, who has been approached by residents of as many as a dozen villages, said that it was extremely sad that the Congress-led UPA government was ignoring the interests of the people of Punjab.

“First of all, the construction of the Hansi-Butana canal was unconstitutional. Now, when the Ghaggar river was declared as a national project, the Haryana Government initiated the construction of a wall along the Hansi-Butana canal. This is nothing, but gross injustice to the people of Punjab,” he rued.

“Hopefully, Punjab will get relief from the Supreme Court,” Chandumajra added.

Meanwhile, highly placed sources in the Drainage Department, Punjab, confirmed that a detailed report to substantiate the claims of Punjab to stop the construction of the wall was being prepared.

Patiala, June 19
Taking a lesson from the last year flood fury in Patiala, the district administration, the Drainage Department and the Patiala Municipal Corporation are busy making flood protection arrangements, ahead of the monsoon season.

As per information, vulnerable villages have been identified, disaster management control room has been set up and work to cleanse the drains is in full swing.

Dipinder Singh, Patiala, DC, has already issued instructions to the Drainage Department and the MC to make sure that work to cleanse all the seasonal rivulets, drains and other water channels in Patiala is complete by June 30. In no mood to take any change this time, the DC himself is monitoring the work of de-silting the drains and seasonal rivulets.

Speaking to The Tribune, Dipinder, who inspected the de-silting work today, said 79 villages, which were vulnerable to floods, had been identified.

He said four-member special teams, comprising one doctor, teacher, veterinarian and an official of Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, had been set up.

“In case of any emergency, these teams would reach the affected village at a notice of maximum of one to two hour,” he said.

“Furthermore, in case of any exigency, the arrangements for the evacuation of villagers have been made and 20 odd places have been identified, where the evacuated villagers could be shifted,” he added.

The district administration is also making prior arrangements for the foodstuff, animal feed and medicines. “De-silting of as many as nine drains in the district is on. Out of the four drains - Jacob Drain, Choti Nadi, Badi Nadi and Model Town Drain, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Patiala MC, the Jacob Drain has been cleansed, whereas rest of the drains would be cleaned by June 30,” said BPS Brar, XEN, Drainage.

Brar said regular monitoring of the water level in the seasonal rivulets was being done on a daily basis.

District revenue officer Jatinder Singh said: “From June 8 onwards, we are sending the daily report, pertaining to the rainfall and the water level in the seasonal rivulets and other water channels to the district administration as well as the government functionaries.”

“At present, our control room is working from 9 am to 5 pm but from July 1, the control room would be working round the clock,” he added.

Bathinda, June 19
Traders of Punjab have decided to launch a campaign to protest the alleged harassment by the state excise and taxation authorities, who were issuing them notices for reopening their sales tax cases pertaining to the 2006-07 fiscal.

At a meeting held here today, top functionaries of the Punjab Pardesh Beopar Mandal said they would submit memorandums to deputy commissioners of different districts and if the state government failed to withdraw such orders, they would start an agitation.

The meeting was attended by Mandal president Madan Lal Kapoor, vice president Mehnga Ram and other district and city units heads of the organisation. The traders claimed that it was not possible for them to produce documents in connection with the transactions made by them in the 2006-07 fiscal. And moreover, they said, all the traders had filed the returns of their transactions for the period.

Also, they criticised the government’s decision that information regarding every purchase worth Rs 20,000 or more should be given in advance to the Excise department.

Jalandhar, June 19
The Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) was set up with an aim to provide quality treatment in the Doaba region, but the institute has been turning away hundreds of Below Poverty Line (BPL) patients every month. The reason: the PIMS lacks a BPL cell whose job is to identify beneficiaries falling under the category.

Not only are the BPL-category patients suffering, the PIMS Concession Agreement 2009 — as per which providing free treatment to such beneficiaries is mandatory — is being violated.

Notably, the Punjab Government had raised Rs 350 crore from the sale of 100 acres of prime land of the erstwhile Sugarcane Research Farm to set up the PIMS. The institute is run by two entities — the PIMS Society with the chief minister as its ex-officio chairman and the PIMS Medical Education and Charitable Society as its private arm.

After its formal inauguration in June last, the people in the Doaba region got their first medical college-cum-hospital. The institute fast gained popularity, mainly because of the cost-effective treatment that was on a par with the PGI, Chandigarh. While about 500 outdoor patients used to visit the hospital daily about three months ago, their present count has shot up to 1,100. Over two lakh patients have sought treatment here post its opening while the count of surgeries performed is 11,000.

But even after a year, there is not treatment for those willing to get treated under the BPL (yellow card) quota — about 50 such patients come here daily. Sources in the PIMS revealed that such patients were turned away by the authorities concerned on the plea that no one was present from the government side to verify their BPL or yellow cards for free treatment facility.

“I had heard a lot about the institute, so I had gone there to seek free treatment for my ailing wife. But, officials present there told me that I could not avail of the facility as they don’t have any yellow card cell to verify the cards,” complained Charan Dass, a 76-year-old villager.

Rajshekhar K, Chief Operating Officer of the PIMS Medical Education Charitable Society, admitted that BPL category and poor patients were not being offered free treatment at the hospital. “They need to be identified first. For this purpose, the government should set up the cell in the hospital immediately,” he said.

Amritsar, June 19
Those affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots today announced the formation of a trust for the welfare of the victims who were still struggling for their rehabilitation.

Bibi Jagdish Kaur, who is a prime witness in a case against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, was nominated as the chairperson of the trust, named as the 1984 Shaheed Parivar Sahayak Trust.

She was also handed over the responsibility to get about four and a half acres of land situated adjacent to the Shaheed Parivar Colony on Tarn Taran Road from the occupation of a dera head.

Ropar, June 19
The Nalagarh mound of the Indus Valley civilisation, situated in the heart of the city, has become a problem for the locals. As per the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) guidelines, people are prohibited from carrying out alterations or temporary constructions in their houses.

People living in the vicinity of the ancient mound have sought the intervention of Punjab Chief Minister for the redressal of the problems being faced due to the implementation of stringent provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010. They have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister’s adviser Dr Daljit Singh Cheema today in this regard during his visit to the area.

Cheema assured that he would apprise the CM about the hardships being faced by the people due to the implementation of the Act and urge him to take up the matter with the Centre.

The Nalagarh mound, popularly known as “Tibbi”, was declared monument of national importance in 1954. It is under the control of the ASI following excavations carried out in mound, which revealed that the town was seat of the well-developed Indus civilisation.

The Centre had amended the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, last year introducing the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010.

It states that no construction could be made within the prohibited area of 100 m from the limit of national monuments or sites. Any violation attracts imprisonment of up to two years and fine.

People are facing problems due to restrictions imposed on them regarding constructions in the 300-m area around the site.

Area resident and advocate Charanjit Singh Ghai said permission of competent authority on recommendation of the National Monuments Authority was required for any construction or repair of buildings in the regulated area, which is 200 m beyond the limit of 100-m “prohibited area”.

“The ASI has been issuing notices to locals, who construct or undertake repairs of buildings in the area and has even got registered cases against some residents,” he said.

Municipal councillor Ved Prakash said existing residential buildings and vacant areas around the mound, which had already been fenced, do not pose any threat to the mound in any manner. “Value of land and property in the area has decreased after implementation of the Amendment Act as nobody is willing to purchase property. Land owners are suffering diminution of profits from such property or land,” he added.

The residents have demanded that relaxation must be given for construction within prohibited or regulated area of the mound or the government should acquire their land and houses and provide them compensation and alternative sites to live in as per the provisions of the Act.

Patiala, June 19
During the past four years, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has taken several steps in order to ensure the compliance of the pollution norms by the industries and urban local bodies of the state.

While stating this before relinquishing his charge as PPCB chairman on June 16, Rajat Agarwal, in an interview with The Tribune, spoke at length about the functioning of the PPCB. He said 13 industries located in the catchment area of the Ghaggar have been identified.

“These industries were discharging 5.36 million litres a day (MLD) of waste in the river, which has now been stopped,” he said. Agarwal further said waste water of the Leather Complex, Jalandhar, was being discharged into the Kala Sanghia drain.

He said the old Common Effluent Treatment Plan (CETP) of capacity 1.5 MLD was there. “But the required capacity of the CETP was more. Hence, the second module of the CETP having capacity of 5 MLD at a cost of Rs 18.50 crore has been installed.”

Agarwal stated sullage of four villages, Dholaran and Bassi Gujran in Ropar, Garhi Tarkhana in Ludhiana and Jandiali Khurd in Sangrur, as well as the sullage of the colonies of the Ropar town, which was being discharged into the Sirhind canal has also been stopped.

He said electroplating industry in Ludhiana was a major cause of worry, as its effluents carry heavy metals like chrome and nickel. “With efforts of the PPCB, seven large and medium scale electroplating units have now installed the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology,” he added.

Patiala, June 19
DEO Parmod Kumar conducted surprise checks at various government schools yesterday and found several clerical staff members absent from duty.

According to information, only clerical staff and the watchman remain on duty in the government schools during the summer vacations. Kumar, while speaking to The Tribune, said at the Government High School (GHS), Balera Khurd, both the clerk and the watchman were found absent.

“At GHS Throli, clerk Sandeep Kansal and the watchman were missing from the school. At the Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Nabha, clerk Jaskaran Singh was found absent.,” he said.

Parmod added that “departmental action will be initiated against all the employees found absent from the duty. — TNS

Ludhiana, June 19
After rural medical officers, rural health pharmacists are now up in arms against the state government. The pharmacists have demanded that their services be regularised on the lines of rural medical officers.

The pharmacists have decided to hold a protest rally at Mohali on June 21. Talking to the Tribune, Kulraj Singh Haans, District President of Rural Health Pharmacist Association, said, “The state government had appointed 1,186 rural medical officers in 2006 on contract and authorised them to appoint the required staff for the subsidiary health centres.

“Following these instructions, the RMO appointed 1,186 pharmacists and 1,186 class IV employees.