Rioting post-Ramanand’s death
HC pulls up state for no headway in two years
Chandigarh, July 11
Two years after the fatal shooting of a visiting guru at a Sikh temple in Vienna resulted in rioting across north India, the State of Punjab is in the line of fire.

SC issues notice to Centre, Delhi govt on Navneet Bhullar's plea
New Delhi, July 11
The Supreme Court today sought the response of the Centre and the Delhi Government on a plea for quashing the death sentence of terrorist Devinder Pal Singh Singh Bhullar, who is said to be suffering from mental imbalance.

POLITICS

No pact with any Akali faction, Manpreet tells CPI
Jalaandhar, July 11
The CPI has formally begun talks with Punjab People’s Party chief Manpreet Badal for forming a joint front against the SAD-BJP combine and the Congress in the state.

Amritsar, July 11
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the SAD was open to an alliance with “like-minded parties” to defeat the Congress in Punjab and would keep the BJP in the loop while making any such move.

Talking to mediapersons after inaugurating a Rs 443-crore sewerage project for the holy city, Badal said the BJP was an old and trusted ally and would remain so

On his remark regarding a tie-up with the BSP, which is a political rival of the BJP in UP, he said any decision on forging an alliance would be taken in consultation with the BJP.

On the project to tame the Ghaggar, Badal denied that Punjab was not keen on the project. He sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct the Haryana Government to stop construction on a wall along the Hansi-Butana canal which could cause floods in Punjab.

He urged the PM to depute a team of senior government officials to visit the site. He said he has already written to the PM in this regard, but no action had been taken so far.

The Chief Minister claimed that the SAD-BJP government had carried out development works worth Rs 6,378 crore in various cities across the state to ensure all-round development.

The work on revamping the Industrial Focal Points would be initiated soon. A Rs 2,150-crore project for cleaning the Satluj, Beas and Ghaggar and to set up sewage treatment plants in 45 towns was underway. Amritsar would be developed as a world-class city equipped with ultra-modern infrastructure at a cost of Rs 1,457 crore in the near future, he said.

Badal handed over a cheque for Rs 1 crore to the Durgiana Mandir Management Committee for setting up a water treatment plant at the shrine. He also gave Rs 3 crore for the ongoing works at the Ram Bagh. He laid the foundation stone for the extension of the langar hall at the Golden Temple Complex.

Local Bodies Minister Tikshan Sud, MP Navjot Sidhu, Youth Akali Dal chief Bikram Singh Majithia, Mayor Shwait Malik and MLA Anil Joshi were among those present on the occasion.

In a bid to win back his support ahead of the assembly polls, Badal paid a visit to the Basant Avenue residence of rebel SAD legislator Manjinder Singh Kang. The meeting lasted an hour. Kang came out to see off the Chief Minister . Later at a press conference, Badal said he had met Kang to inquire about the well-being of his mother who was unwell. Asked if Kang was back in the party fold, Badal said: “He had never left the party. He was always with us.” Kang could not be contacted for comment despite repeated attempts.

Kang, along with Jalandhar Cant MLA Jagbir Singh Brar, had stood by Manpreet Badal after his ouster from the government and the SAD. — TNS

Kapurthala, July 11
The UPA government will take stringent action against corrupt officials in the armed forces. Union Minister of State for Defence Dr MM Pallam Raju stated this while talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function held to mark the golden jubilee of Sainik School Kapurthala here today. Admitting that there were some black sheep in the armed forces, the minister said there number was negligible.

To a query about the flood-like situation in some border villages of Punjab and inundation of some frontier BSF check-posts as Pakistan has reportedly changed the course of the Ravi, he said he was not aware of the matter. He said, “There is already a proper mechanism to tackle these issues.”

Dr Raju asked the school staff to suggest changes in the Sainik School curriculum to make it more technology friendly as technology has nowadays become part and parcel of warfare.

Dr Raju said he had written to all Rajya Sabha members to provide financial aid to Sainik Schools in their areas to uplift their infrastructure. He said that he had granted Rs 2 crore to Sainik School Kapurthala after his visit to the school four years ago.

Earlier, addressing the gathering during the function, he urged the Punjab Government to do the same.

Punjab Minister for Defence Services Welfare Capt Balbir Singh Bath announced Rs 5 lakh as financial aid to the school. Speaking on the occasion, Bath requested Dr Raju to arrange central funds for the school.

Dr Raju released the golden jubilee magazine “Saikapian” and gave away prizes to meritorious cadets, mementos to old boys and honoured families of three martyrs - Major Sikander Singh, Flight Lieutenant Ranbir Singh and Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Kamboj.

Earlier, the dignitaries were received by the Chairman, Local Board of Administration, Major General SK Agarwal, Principal Colonel Satbir Singh and headmaster Commander (Indian Navy) Rakesh Dhall.

A large number of alumni including Air Marshal Anil Chopra, Lieutenant General AC Soneja, Brigadier MPS Bajwa (retd) and Brigadier AS Minhas were present.

Representatives of the All-India Sainik School Parents Forum submitted a memorandum to Dr Raju suggesting several changes in the functioning of the school.

Later, Union Minister of State for Defence Dr MM Pallam Raju paid obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Chandigarh, July 11
Two years after the fatal shooting of a visiting guru at a Sikh temple in Vienna resulted in rioting across north India, the State of Punjab is in the line of fire.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has not only expressed dissatisfaction with an affidavit filed by the State, but has also made it clear that the investigation being carried out by the police reflects a “sorry state of affairs”.

Asking the State to file a fresh affidavit in the matter, the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Adarsh Goel and Justice AK Mittal has also made it clear that the state Home Secretary and the Director-General of Police must be present before the court on the next date of hearing as well.

The Bench has already asserted that the ongoing investigations “show a sorry state of affairs on the part of the State of Punjab, particularly the investigating machinery”.

The Bench added: “When the crime of such magnitude has taken place, the failure on the part of the state for almost two years to identify and deal with the persons involved therein is an intolerable lapse. The state has, thus, completely failed in its duty”.

As the case came up for hearing this morning, the Bench was told that 75 cases were registered in the entire state; 34 in the erstwhile police district of Jalandhar. An affidavit filed by Principal Secretary DS Bains also made it clear that some cases were registered against unidentified persons.

The Bench also heard that the state government has sanctioned over Rs 2.38 crore as compensation to persons who had suffered loss to property during the incident.

Guru Sant Ramanand was attacked by six men armed with knives and a pistol during clashes at a religious ceremony at a temple in Vienna. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

Soon after his death in May 2009, the government had to call in the Army to help cops restore order after at least two people were killed and four injured in police firing on rioters in Jalandhar.

Thousands of angry protesters had taken to the streets damaging public property and setting trains afire after the guru was killed by a rival group in Austria.

New Delhi, July 11
The Supreme Court today sought the response of the Centre and the Delhi Government on a plea for quashing the death sentence of terrorist Devinder Pal Singh Singh Bhullar, who is said to be suffering from mental imbalance.

A Bench of Justices GS Singhvi and HL Dattu issued a notice to the government on a fresh petition filed by Bhullar's wife Navaneet Kaur, pleading that the death penalty be commuted ed to life term as it would be "inhuman and violative of Article 21 of the Constitution" to carry out his execution.

Though senior counsel KTS Tulsi, appearing for Navneet Kaur, urged the court to obtain a report directly from the National Institute of Mental Health on Bhullar's mental condition, the court refrained from doing so. Instead, it asked the government to respond within two weeks. At the last hearing, the apex court had issued a notice to the CEntre on Bhullar’s plea for commuting the death sentence to that of life term.The Solicitor General did not turn up in the court

Bhullar was sentenced to death by a TADA court on August 25, 2001, for his role in the September 10, 1993, bomb blast in Delhi targeting the cavalcade of the then Youth Congress president Maninderjit Singh Bitta who escaped with serious injuries, though nine security personnel were killed.The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed his appeal, review and also the curative petition on March 12, 2003.

President Pratibha Patil had on May 25 rejected Bhullar's mercy plea.In her latest petition through counsel Raj Kamal, Navneet Kaur has said the May 25 order of the President ought to be quashed as "the same suffers from lack of application of mind, non-consideration of relevant circumstances and presumably having being made on extraneous grounds ".

Bathinda, July 11
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, celebrating his 80th birthday in December 2007 at Bathinda, had made a promise to the people of Punjab that the whole canal system in the state would soon be revamped.

However, even after more than three years, a majority of canals which have become highly breach-prone, including the 90-mile-long Bathinda branch of the Sirhind canal that caters to a large chunk of Malwa, are still crying for attention.

Thanks to the apathetic attitude of the government, the menace of breaches is giving sleepless nights to all except the officials concerned.

The Bathinda branch of Sirhind canal that off takes from the head works near Doraha, reportedly carries nearly 2,200 cusecs of water. On reaching Bathinda, the level becomes 800 cusecs at the Bibiwala head works.

During the rains, when the state government is making big claims about its preparedness to tackle the flood threat, residents of the Bathinda region find themselves left at the mercy of God.

Repeated pleas to repair the damaged banks of the canal have failed to attract the attention of the officials concerned.

On walking a few miles along the canal, The Tribune team today found the situation to be precarious as long patches of the banks were badly damaged due to soil erosion. At many points, the water was level with its banks.

A baildar (caretaker of the canal) informed that the banks had become so weak that cracks could take place at any time. He claimed that discharging his duty, he had brought the situation in the notice of his seniors.

A group of farmers at Poohli village, worried over the pathetic condition of the canal, fear that if a breach occurs, their crops would be damaged.

The stretch of the canal that crosses Bathinda city is also in bad shape. Despite undergoing a harrowing experience in 2007, when a wide breach in the canal had created a deluge in many localities, no preventive measures have been taken till now.

Terming the canal a ticking bomb, a former official of the Irrigation Department informed that the canal banks had been weakened due to rat holes and roots of trees. If not repaired immediately, it would lead to a blast, he said.

Nirmal Singh Brar, executive engineer, Irrigation Department, admitted the canal needed immediate repair. He informed that a detailed project worth Rs 231 crore for the entire canal had been approved, but funds had not been allocated.

However, Brar claimed that perceiving the breach threat, the irrigation staff had been directed to intensify monitoring.

Bathinda, July 11
The revenue, rehabilitation and disaster management departments of the state, besides making arrangements on their own, have sought the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to deal with floods.

The NDRF authorities have been instructed to train groups of volunteers (minimum 30) in each flood-prone district of the state for the immediate launch of a flood rescue operation, if the need arises.

The 7th Battalion of the NDRF that is stationed at Bathinda has initiated the task. Beginning with two districts, Ropar and Sangrur, the officials of the NDRF have started a seven-day flood rescue training course since Saturday.

The state government has selected 17 districts and has directed the Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Magistrates to make arrangements for the training programme.

According to the statewide plan, the teams from districts Ferozepur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Moga, Fatehgarh Sahib and Faridkot will be imparted training at Harike, while the team from Hoshiarpur will get training at the Beas river. For the volunteers from Kapurthala, the government has selected the Kanjli wetlands.

Bathinda lakes have been selected for teams from Bathinda and Muktsar and volunteers of Barnala, Mansa and Sangrur will get training at Sangrur.

The department has selected the Sutlej river at Phillaur for Jalandhar and Ludhiana teams and the Sutlej (head works) for Roop Nagar and SBS Nagar.

Commandant, 7th Battalion of the NDRF, RK Verma said, “Trained volunteers can provide much help in the rescue operation.”

Speaking about the seven-day programme, the commandant informed that it included aqua code, different techniques of swimming, rescue, tow and lifting.

He also informed that the whole battalion, comprising 18 teams of 45 experts each with well-equipped infrastructure including 72 boats, is also on alert.

Jalaandhar, July 11
The CPI has formally begun talks with Punjab People’s Party chief Manpreet Badal for forming a joint front against the SAD-BJP combine and the Congress in the state.

However, secretary of the state Unit of the CPI Nirmal Singh Dhaliwal denied holding any meeting with Manpreet. There are reports that Nirmal Singh held a meeting with Manpreet here last week. He has briefed his party top brass in the state about the meeting.

Sources said Manpreet had told the CPI leadership that he had no hesitation in forming an alliance with like-minded parties committed to removing corruption. He had also told the CPI that he would not enter into an alliance with any Akali faction and would adhere to his secular agenda.

He has made it clear that he would not accept “rejected” political leaders of any other party in his organisation and would put up new faces with a clean image for the coming assembly elections.

Besides the CPI, the CPM has also announced that it has no hesitation in joining hands with Manpreet. The Left parties, an influential political force in the state in 1970s, still have pockets of influence in some parts of the state.

Manpreet is scheduled to leave for the US and Canada in the last week of this month. He would return in the second week of August. After that, he would hold party’s organisational electionsy.

The party has already enrolled 25 lakh members. Manpreet said he would hold his first meeting in the US on July 29 in memory of Gadri Babas who had organised Indians abroad for the freedom of the country.

Chandigarh, July 11
On August 31, Punjab will become the first state in the country to start an integrated solid waste management programme in the entire state.

Local Bodies and Industries Minister Tikshan Sud said that this multipurpose project would be first of its kind in India where all towns and cities would be covered under MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) management in a scientific manner.

He said that the Punjab Government was committed to making cities free of solid waste. Under the project, the state has been divided into eight mega clusters that included Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Patiala, Amritsar, Pathankot and GMADA. He said that each cluster would cover 15 to 30 cities.

The minister said that 137 cities of Punjab produce 4,300 tonnes of solid waste per day that would be utilised for producing power, compost or other useful products.

Finally, the disposal of the remaining residual material would be done in a landfill site in a scientific manner. He said that this project would be operated and maintained by public-private partnership for 25 years.

Jalandhar, July 11
The public outcry against corruption seems to have had an impact on the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). At its preliminary exams held recently, the aspiring candidates were asked as to how they would tackle charges of embezzlement of relief fund hurled at them.

The candidates were given four options:1) Let an inquiry be set up to look into the matter 2) Ask a senior to appoint a person in your place 3) Not pay attention to the allegations 4) Stop undertaking any initiative till the matter is resolved.

The question was an obvious attempt to test the mindset of the candidates towards the burning issue of corruption. There were other questions on dealing with pressure from elected representatives and the land mafia.

The candidates were asked as to how they would deal with a local thug who starts illegal construction and refuses to vacate the land despite repeated pleas.

Those who appeared in the test told The Tribune that it was, perhaps, for the first time that candidates were asked questions on important issues facing the nation and society and there was no negative marking for the same.

Barnala, July 11
Lack of adequate staff and infrastructure to handle the large rush of patients is hampering the working of the civil hospital here.

Sources say the hospital has 13 doctors (mostly specialists) against the required strength of at least 20 for the 100-bed hospital that caters to lakhs of people in the district.

Since there are no emergency medical officers (EMOs), the specialists have to attend to the patients instead. “We receive at least 500 patients at the OPD daily.There are no emergency medical officers so the pressure is on us. We also have to attend to patients at our speciality departments, which results in extra pressure. “Under these circumstances, patients coming from far-off places have to bear the brunt,” said a senior doctor.

“There has been a more than 20 per cent increase in the population of Barnala. Also, with Barnala declared a district a few years ago, more areas have been included in the new district. The present infrastructure is too meagre to cope with the rush. We need at least 200 beds, more facilities and at least 36 doctors to deal with the huge volume of patients. However, Dr Raj Kumar, Senior Medical Officer (SMO) had litte to say on the matter.

Amritsar, July 11
High intake of liquor, unsafe sex and use of unsafe syringes is making the Punjab populace vulnerable to Hepatitis B(HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV), which can lead to liver failure.

An estimated 5-7 per cent of the population in the state is believed to be infected by the virus.The infection is rampant among personnel of the Punjab Police and their kin, according to Dr BS Bal, Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here. Most patients who came for treatment at the hospital hailed from Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Mohali and Moga, he said.

He said an estimated 350 Punjab Police personnel had been admitted and cured at the hospital in 2009. Almost an equal number were treated in 2010. “Most policemen who come for treatment have been infected because of unsafe sex and consumption of prohibitive drugs,” said Dr Bal.

The virus can also be contracted through drip, multi-dose injection vials, improperly sterilised invasion medical devices like tongue depressors, thermometers, surgical and dental equipment, unscreened blood transfusion or from an infected mother to the child during birth.

The situation is dismal in rural areas because of the quacks. According to a study by a team of hospital doctors, three groups of population in Amritsar are at a high risk of being infected - habitual drug users (IDUs), truckers, and those suffering from sexually transmitted diseases. As many as 16.6 per cent drug addicts were found infected by HIV and Hepatitis B. At least 19 per cent truckers were HIV positive and 6 per cent carried the Hapatitis B virus. At least 4.3 per cent attending STD clinics were HIV positive and 3.7per cent suffered from Hepatitis B.

Patiala, July 11
The Patiala MC will take over the Chhoti Baradari, Gurdwara Dukhnivaran Sahib and Sai Market schemes from the Patiala Improvement Trust (PIT).

Patiala Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said a resolution to takeover the above-mentioned schemes was passed by the Patiala MC general house last month and is awaiting the final approval from the state government. The decision has brought smiles on the faces of hundreds of shopkeepers whose shops are located in these three schemes.

Meanwhile, with a view to provide planned shops and proper parking space, the Patiala Improvement Trust had developed these three commercial schemes around 25 years ago. Hundreds of shops and shop-cum-offices (SCOs) were sold off in the auctions. The PIT was responsible for the maintenance of these schemes and providing basic amenities in the commercial area.

The shopkeepers in these schemes have been facing a lot of difficulties on account of the lack of civic amenities, including proper sewerage system, streetlights and roads, due to the apathy of the PIT. The shopkeepers are now expecting that the Patiala MC will take necessary steps for the upkeep of the schemes. These three market schemes are among the most important shopping centres in the city.

Kohli further said once the state government gives a go-ahead, the municipal authorities would conduct a survey of all the three schemes, in order to make a detailed report about the civic problems being faced by the shopkeepers.

“All the necessary steps, including the proper de-silting of the sewerage, re-carpeting of the roads and repair of the streetlights will be undertaken to make sure that the shopkeepers and the commercial establishments do not have to face any problem of overflowing sewerage and non-functional streetlights. After the monsoon season, the work for re-carpeting the roads that have developed potholes will be initiated,” he asserted.

“Once, the government gives a nod to the Patiala MC resolution, the trust will immediately handover all the three schemes to the civic body,” said Patiala Improvement Trust chairman Inder Mohan Singh Bajaj.

Meanwhile, president of the Chhoti Baradari Welfare Association Hardev Singh said, “It is really good to know that the Patiala MC will now be responsible for the upkeep of these schemes.”

Patiala, July 11
School buses and other vehicles, including autorickshaws ferrying schoolchildren, operating in blatant violation of traffic norms and guidelines, have posed a serious hazard to the safety of the kids in the city.

Most of these school buses violate bylaws, including maximum carrying capacity, proper security, proper staff, fire extinguisher, smoke emissions etc, thereby adding to the possible threat in case of any eventuality.

Traffic in-charge, Patiala, HS Badoongar said, “The school authorities are time to time issued letters for ensuring safety of their students and proper uniform for the drivers and conductors. But to no avail.”

The auturickshaws carrying schoolchildren are openly flouting restrictions imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court against ferrying children in excess of 1.5 times of their sanctioned seat capacity. As a result, the vehicles are overloaded and could lead to serious accidents. The court’s directions have gone unnoticed.

“There is no check on such vehicles as autorickshaws, buses and taxis load as many children as possible for profits. The police is stationed at every roundabout to ensure smooth traffic for VIPs and challan helmet-less drivers, but they fail to take action against such defaulters,” said advocate in District Courts Devinder Singh.

Moreover, the school authorities have also failed to arrange parking of school buses inside its premises, risking the safety of the schoolchildren. No regular bus stops have been fixed and no zebra crossings have been marked. No action has been taken by the authorities so far to start refresher courses for drivers of these vehicles.

“We will launch a drive in the city to make the drivers, parents of the children and the various school authorities aware of the problem. Though we challan the drivers at regular intervals, we will specifically check such violations in the future as well,” said Badoongar. 

Fatehgarh Sahib, July 11
The members of the Punjab Non-Gazetted Forest Officers Union here today said the tree plantation work in the state was getting affected due to non-availability of labourers and the low wages being given to them under the Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MGNREGA).

“We have written a letter to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Punjab Chief Minister for an appointment and discuss the problem,” said state president of the union Jagdeep Singh Kumbhra.

“The labourers refuse to work for mere Rs 123 per day and those who accept the work fail to complete it competently. The labourers, who fail to complete their task properly, fail to get wages and enter into heated arguments with the officials,” said Kumbhra.

“The senior officials have also not forwarded their proposal to the anomaly committee in connection with the wages of the labourers,” he said.

“Moreover, our seniority list is also not released since last six years, while the same list of the daily wagers has been released,” the state president pointed out.

Meanwhile, the union members also sought round-the-clock police protection and special protection while removal of the encroachments from the forest land.

Incidents of attack on the forest officials have been reported in the past, while they tried to remove encroachments. “We will resort to protests if our demands are not met soon,” he added. 

Sangrur, July 11
At least 24 hired goons mercilessly thrashed a farmer, his wife, son and two daughters, as they ran for safety from the fields to their home in Kuthala village near Malerkotla late last night. The family was beaten up in front of the villagers too terrified to intervene. The victims were hospitalised with severe injuries.

Parminder Singh, SHO of Sandorh, said the incident took place following a feud between brothers Karnail Singh and Darbara Singh over a piece of land. Karnail Singh, he said, had given the land on lease to one Jaspreet Singh, alias Jassa, for five years but Darbara refused to hand over the land to Jassa. To forcibly take possession of the land, Jassa and his hired goons attacked Darbara’s family late last night.

SSP of Sangrur Harcharan Singh Bhullar said the guilty would not be spared. A case has been registered.

Some panchayats have reportedly decided to take up the matter with the Chief Minister during Sangat Darshan.