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Standoff between transporters hits Indo-Pak trade at Attari
Ticket allotment |
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Senior government officials get zero power bills!
Punjab Bhawan crockery bears national emblem
Mullanpur-Siswan road widening gets green signal
Nothing wrong in seeking Dera Sacha Sauda votes: SAD
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to identify villages hit by uranium
Health dept bans transfers
Petrol dealers’ stir from tomorrow
No member of library assn on government panel
Khurana’s aide granted bail as CBI fails to frame chargesheet against him
HC notice to Punjab on liquor vend timings
Class XII student kills 8-yr-old
Samana resident commits suicide
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Standoff between transporters hits Indo-Pak trade at Attari
Attari, July 5 RK Duggal, Deputy Commissioner (Customs), said about 60 trucks of gypsum and dry fruits had arrived from Pakistan in the last two days. But due to the tussle between the transporters and the Attari truck union, he said, the material had not been transported from the checkpost. Besides, truck drivers, coolies and traders were also suffering, he said. “We will not import the material from Pakistan from tomorrow if the tussle remains unresolved by then. We have no more storage capacity at Attari,” Duggal said. Attari Truck Union president Subeg Singh claimed that as per an agreement, the Holy City Tour Company was bound to hire truck from Attari for transporting imported material. But recently, he averred, the company had started hiring trucks from Amritsar itself due to which about 300 trucks owned by those residing near the border had gone without work. The union, he claimed, would not allow trucks from Amritsar or any other part of the country to enter the checkpost. Holy City Tour Company owner Dilbagh Singh, for his part, blamed the Attari union for charging exorbitantly for transporting the material. As a result, traders were incurring huge losses, he claimed, adding there was no union at any other dry port of the country. Speaking over the phone, Sanjay Chandna of Ram Nath International Company from Bikaner said, “Transporters have increased their charges by more than 60 per cent, thus making the trade unviable from Attari border. If the situation remains the same, the traders will be forced to shift the import to Kandla border (in Gujarat).”
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PCC list my prerogative: Capt
Chandigarh, July 5 Amarinder said he did not need to consult anyone on the matter of PCC expansion. All senior party leaders had the right to be on the PCC and he would ensure that seniority alone was considered while finalising the PCC list. Irked at the statements of Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Partap Singh Bajwa and Jagmeet Brar that they were not taken into confidence while revising the list, Amarinder retorted: “When I took people into confidence, quite a number of juniors got in while seniors were left out”. He said Bajwa had got five of his men included in the first list. Capt Amarinder said he had ensured that this time only senior leaders, irrespective of their affiliations, were included in the PCC list. “There are many senior and deserving leaders who do not belong to any faction. That does not mean that they should be left out,” he maintained. Meanwhile, Punjab affairs incharge Gulchain Singh Charak has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi pointing out that Bhattal, Bajwa and Brar had gone to the media on the issue, thereby damaging the image of the party.
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Ticket allotment
Ropar, July 5 He was here to meet party workers of three assembly segments — Anandpur Sahib, Ropar and Chamkaur Sahib. He said his visit was aimed at listening to the workers’ grievances and not to screen ticket aspirants. On the revised PCC list, Amarinder said he had written to the Congress president, recommending names of senior leaders left out of the original list. To a question on inflation, the PCC chief said the state government must share responsibility with the Centre on economic matters. He said the lukewarm response to the
SAD-BJP bandh call showed the common man had no faith in the government. On corruption, he said that the Congress-led UPA government had taken corrective measures and many booked and put behind bars. Asked if his government would investigate corruption charges against the
Badals, he said, specific complaints could be investigated. Also said there were reports of massive corruption in the municipal committees. The Congress workers raised the issue of upgrading Morinda to a subdivision, setting up a professional college, including more districts in the Ropar division, supply of drinking water and development of Chamkaur Sahib.
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Senior government officials get zero power bills!
Bathinda, July 5
The fact that makes these numbers interesting is that the state government pays the office bill while the officer has to pay for power consumption at his official residence. The office bill of the DIG, paid by the government, is Rs 25,000 on average. The bill details of SSP (Ferozepur) are not different. The consumption of electricity at his official residence from September 2010 has consistently been zero. His daily expenditure on power works out to be less than Rs 2 on average. The power consumption for May-June 2010 for the SSP residence was only six units. His bill has not exceeded Rs 130 in the recent past. Information sought under RTI from the Powercom (West Zone) has revealed that there was no one to question the arbitrary behaviour of senior officers. The camp office of the SSP has paid for only eight units in March-April. The official residences of SDM, Buddhlada, and SDM, Malout, do not have any electricity meters. A government official said, “It seems that my colleagues are burning lamps and candles at their residences. The power connection of the common man is cut for not paying the bill, but these officers can avail power for an indefinite period without settling their accounts.” The Talwandi Sabo SDM’s average usage per day is less than half a unit during April-May. His bill showed a consumption of only 30 units during these two months. During January-February, 2010, he ‘consumed’ only 28 units for which he paid Rs 149. The load at his residence is only 1 kw. The bill for the residence of SDM (Rampura) during May was only Rs 490. Interestingly, the residences of most officers under question have more than one air-conditioner. Meanwhile, Powercom has cut the power connection in the office of Inspector, Moga, for non-payment of previous bills worth Rs 31,724. The official residence of Deputy Commissioner (Faridkot) owes Rs 1,21,344 while that of SDM (Faridkot) owes Rs 20,827.
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Punjab Bhawan crockery bears national emblem
Patiala, July 5
A recent communiqué of the central government had warned that the incomplete or wrong display of the emblem is in violation of the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act 2005 and the State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Rules 2007. Punjab Bhawan is a luxury government guest house in New Delhi and is mostly used by ministers, officers and Members of Parliament for stay during their visit to the national capital. An employee of the Punjab Bhawan stated that such utensils have been in use for the past over three decades and all guests are served eatables in these. “While the consumption of liquor is prohibited, officers and guests do the same inside their rooms and in these glasses,” he said. Another Shiromani Akali Dal leader, who brought one such glass from Delhi and gave it to the Tribune team, said that the emblem should not have been used in this manner. Vimmi Bhullar, General Manager at the Punjab Bhawan, said that she would definitely write for a replacement as the matter has been brought to her notice. She accepted that the crockery was in use. Punjab Chief Secretary SC Aggarwal also promised to sort out the matter. Resident Commissioner, Punjab Bhawan, K Siva Prasad said that crockery items with the national emblem were in use for the past many years and there is no prescribed rule that prohibits its use. “I will take up the matter with the authorities. However, we cannot do moral policing to check guests drinking liquor in these glasses inside the rooms,” he stated.
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Mullanpur-Siswan road widening gets green signal
Mohali, July 5 The ministry has observed that since the state government had diverted the ‘de-listed’ land from the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA)-1900 for non-forestry purpose, it had to compensate by giving back an equally chunk of land to the forest department. The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), the nodal agency behind the road widening, has been asked to bear the cost of the forestation on the land. In January last, the ministry had raised objections after the state government had given a go-ahead to the road widening. But after Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal personally took up the case with the Union Environment Minister, the case was taken up in the high-empowered committee headed by the Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh. For widening 8 km-long stretch from the Chandigarh-Mullanpur border (near PGI, Chandigarh) to Siswan T-junction, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), an agency of the Housing and Urban Development Department, has given the contract to Omaxe, a private builder, that was also coming up with a mega project in the area. Sources in the Punjab Forest Department said the primary objection raised by the ministry was regarding the change in the alignment of the existing road. The private agency entrusted with the road construction had started work near its own mega project, even as the clearance had not been taken from the ministry by the GMADA. “Though certain areas falling in the road alignment, which were locked under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA)-1900, had been de-listed last year. Even if a part of the land has been de-listed under the PLPA, the permission has to be taken from the ministry regarding the nature of the land use for which the land was being used,” said officials of the Punjab Forest Department. About 150 acres of the Mullanpur Garib Dass, Ferozepur Bungar, Parol, Pharongian, Hoshiarpur, Majra and Sultanpur had been acquired for the purpose. As per the alignment in the master plan, the new road passes near the commercial strip of the mega project being developed by the Omaxe.
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Cong, Akali Dal in secret pact: PPP
Jalandhar, July 5 “Shaken by the emergence of new regional parties as an alternative to established parties in various states, the Congress and the SAD have reached a ‘secret’ understanding to keep the reins of power between them on a rotational basis,” he claimed. He was here to honour former Congress men Satar Bhatti, OP Chhabra and Ashwani Sharma who have joined the PPP. On rumours that some senior police officials and bureaucrats may contest the elections, Manpreet said his party would appeal to the Chief Election Commission (CEC) and the Union Home Ministry that officials be allowed to contest post- retirement only. “We are of the view that the same criteria be followed in case of appointments to quasi-judicial bodies and state boards,” Manpreet said. He said the PPP would contest all the 117 constituencies on its own. “However, we are open to an alliance with like- minded parties.” The PPP would announce its organisational set-up by August 15, he added.
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Nothing wrong in seeking Dera Sacha Sauda votes: SAD
Anandpur Sahib, July 5 This was stated by senior vice-president of SAD Gurdev Badal, while talking to mediapersons at the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, here today. He said, “At the Dera Sacha Sauda, the lessons in divinity begin from verses of Sri Guru Granth Sahib itself. As the dera follows this ritual, it duly respects the Guru Granth Sahib.” He said the party was only against those deras and godmen, who indulge in malpractices such as black magic.
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Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to identify villages hit by uranium
Baghapurana (Moga), July 5 Speaking to mediapersons after holding a Sangat Darshan programme here, the SAD chief said the government would be installing RO systems in all affected villages to provide clean potable water. He said 100 RO system plants had already been installed in Moga district and more than 2,600 would get operational by September-end. Earlier, he dedicated two water works and one 66-KV power sub-station with a combined cost of Rs 5.25 crore to the public. Meanwhile, Sukhbir has termed the constitution of a Special Investigation Team of judicial officers by the Supreme Court to probe stashing of “black money” in Swiss and other foreign banks as a “reflection of lack of faith of the apex court in the seriousness of the Congress-led UPA Government in tackling the menace”.
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Back with Sarabjit’s handmade gifts
Attari, July 5 Back from Pakistan after meeting her brother, political leaders and advocates to garner support for his early release, Dalbir brought along ‘parandis’, bangles and greeting cards made by Sarabjit for his wife Sukhpreet and daughters Poonam and Swapandeep, who were present on the border to welcome her. Dalbir appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Union Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take up her brother’s case with Pakistan. If the matter was raised early, she averred, the Pakistani Government may repatriate Sarabjit by next month. Dalbir was on a one-month visa to Pakistan. “I noticed a wave in favour of Sarabjit’s release in Pakistan. And I believe that if the Indian Government reacts instantly, my brother’s release is possible,” she said. Notably, Sarabjit was sentenced to death by a Pakistan court for his alleged involvement in bomb blasts in 1990 that claimed 14 lives. He has been languishing in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, for the past around two decades. Also, she pointed out that the early release of prisoners, especially those who had completed their terms, languishing in various jails in both the neighbouring countries would not only help their families but also help improve bilateral ties. Dalbir also appealed to the Pakistan Government to re-investigate the case. Sarabjit was to be hanged in 2008, but his execution was put off indefinitely following the intervention of (Pakistan) Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
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Health dept bans transfers
Chandigarh, July 5 The Medical Education and Research Minister Arunesh Shakir had yesterday issued directions to all principals and staff of government and private medical, dental, ayurvedic, homoeopathy and nursing colleges to immediately suspend students found indulging in ragging. — TNS
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Petrol dealers’ stir from tomorrow
Chandigarh, July 5
“We do not want to inconvenience the public. We will continue to sell fuel till the stocks last at the retail outlets. But we will not refurbish our stocks as a mark of protest,” said J P Khanna, president of Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association. These dealers want the state government to lower the VAT slabs on auto fuels. Punjab has one of highest taxes on fuel in the country. As a result, retail outlets along the border districts of the state are losing business to neighbouring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Petrol is cheaper by Rs 7.30 per litre in Haryana, Rs 6.20 per litre in Chandigarh, and by Rs 5 in Himachal, while diesel is cheaper by Rs 0.70 per litre in Haryana. “With Haryana announcing to lower the VAT on diesel from 8.8 per cent to 4.4 per cent, diesel in Haryana will be cheaper by another Re 1 per litre. This will mean that we will lose much of the business to petrol stations in Haryana,” said Khanna. Punjab charges VAT at the rate of 8.8 per cent on diesel (and 10 per cent surcharge and octroi) and at 27.5 per cent (plus surcharge of 10 per cent, Re 1 per litre cess and octroi) on petrol. Though the Punjab Government decided not to charge any VAT on the recent diesel price hike, the dealers are demanding that the state government should either lower the VAT or withdraw the cess and surcharge on the fuels.
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Enactment of Public Library Act
Patiala, July 5 Speaking to The Tribune, PLA general secretary Dr HPS Kalra said announcement made by Sekhwan regarding the enactment of the Public Library Act was a welcome step, but since their association had been demanding the same since a long time, one of the association representatives should have been inducted in the panel. With a view to inculcate the interest of reading quality literature among youngsters and encouraging the writers to continue their passion for writing, Sekhwan had announced in the last week of June that the government has decided to enact the Punjab Library Act.
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Khurana’s aide granted bail as CBI fails to frame chargesheet against him
Chandigarh, July 5 Gill’s counsel Ravindra Pandit said that Gill was booked under corruption charges and he was arrested on May 4. In the Sections under which Gill was booked, there was 60-day time with the CBI to submit the chargesheet before the court. As the investigation agency failed to submit the chargesheet, they have filed a bail application under Section 167 (2) of CrPC, Pandit added. In this case, the court had already granted bail to prime accused Raj Khurana and co-accused Bhag Singh. Gill was arrested by the CBI along with Raj Khurana. The duo were arrested by the CBI after a complaint was received by the investigative agency from Manpreet, general secretary of Punjab Automobile Mechanics Association. The complainant had accused Gill of demanding a Rs 2 crore bribe, allegedly to be given to BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia, through CPS Raj Khurana “for closing the complaint” received against the office-bearers of the association.
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HC notice to Punjab on liquor vend timings
Chandigarh, July 5 The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Goel and Justice AK Mittal issued the notice for October 4 on the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate HC Arora. The petitioner contended that the liquor vends were allowed to open at 7 am, facilitating the purchase of the liquor even before the breakfast time. On the other hand, all the commercial establishments in the state open at 10 am. As such, the state government was showing favour to the liquor vends’ owners and was defeating the campaign for drug de-addiction carried out by the NGOs in the state. He also said, “Liquor vends are allowed to open at 11 am in Chandigarh. In Haryana too, the liquor vends open with other shops and commercial establishments.” — TNS
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Class XII student kills 8-yr-old
Jalandhar, July 5 As per preliminary investigations, the murder was allegedly committed by Sharanjit Singh (16), the son of a neighbour, the sources added. Both the victim and the accused used to study at Police DAV School. Bearing multiple stab wounds, the body was first spotted in the gallery of the house by his parents when they returned from a nearby market at about 3 pm. The weapon, a kitchen knife, was also recovered from the crime scene. Aman's parents rushed their son to a private hospital nearby, but doctors there declared him brought dead, police sources said. Mohan Lal, the father of the victim, is deputed with the CM's security wing. The police was yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder even as the accused, a student of Class XII, was at large. Aman's parents reportedly told the police that they saw Sharanjit running from the house when arrived outside. Rajpal Sandhu, ADCP, Crime, said the accused's family members were being questioned. "Since there appears no enmity between the families and the kids, the police is looking at all angles. But, the real cause behind the murder may only be known after the accused is arrested," SHO Barjinder Singh said. A case has been registered under Section 302 of the IPC.
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Samana resident commits suicide
Patiala, July 5 The police said victim Joti Verma’s wife Baljit Kaur had illicit relations with Nirmal Singh, following which Joti was under tension as the duo refused to part ways despite Verma’s requests. “The victim consumed some poisonous tablets on Sunday night and was referred to the Government Rajindra Hospital in
Patiala, where he died,” said the police. The accused were yet to be arrested, added the police.
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A pall of gloom descended over Punjab Armed Police Complex here as soon as the shocking news of the murder of an eight-year-old boy, Aman Kumar, reached here in the afternoon.
As per preliminary investigations, the murder was allegedly committed by Sharanjit Singh (16), the son of a
neighbour, the sources added. Both the victim and the accused used to study at Police DAV School.
Earlier, trade remained suspended for about a week due to incessant rain on the other side of the border. Attari truck union members have been staging a dharna near the defence drain here for the last two days, thereby not allowing any trucks to enter the checkpost. 
The bill for November-December 2010 showed a usage of half a unit daily. Interestingly, during peak load in summer last year, the (May-June) bill showed a daily usage of only 28 units which worked out to be Rs 390. The DIG’s bill, on average, was less than Rs 600.
A senior government functionary, who recently visited the Punjab Bhawan in New Delhi, said that it was astonishing to see guests being served non-vegetarian food and drinks in these utensils. “I tried to raise the matter with the officials, but nobody was willing to listen,” he said.
This means that while they will sell the existing stocks to consumers, they will not add more stock for three days till July 9.