The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	PPP manifesto in Nov: Manpreet Chander Parkash Tribune News Service Bathinda, July 15 The People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) will come out with its election manifesto in November this year. Disclosing this here today, PPP chief Manpreet Badal said the PPP was not averse to entering into electoral alliance with any party— except for the SAD (Badal) and the Congress — to bring about a change in the political system of the state. “However, before entering into an alliance, all the issues will be discussed with that party,” he pointed out, adding that the CPI and the CPM had expressed a desire to join hands with the PPP. The PPP would not entertain opportunist leaders and persons, he added. The former finance minister who inaugurated the district-level office of his party in the town today, said both the SAD (B) and the Congress had joined hands and were working on the common agenda of keeping the PPP away from forming the next government in Punjab. The SAD (B) leadership had abandoned its old ideology connected with the welfare of people of Punjab as it had gone into the hands of the leaders, who were running its affairs with business in mind. Activists of the PPP were being victimised due to political vendetta adopted by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Even Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was aware of the fact that false criminal cases were registered against those extending support to the PPP. Making a scathing attack on the move initiated by the CM to spend night in the village where he would hold Sangat Darshan during the day, Manpreet said it had been putting unbearable financial burden on the state, which had been confronting various problems on account of its empty coffers. Manpreet also clarified that he never stopped Chief Minister Badal from visiting people in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment when he was the finance minister. He said the CM was making such statements to make political gains in the segment by misleading the electorate. “How can an MLA stop a chief minister from meeting people in any part of Punjab,” he asked. Bhagwant Mann, a comedian-turned politician, who accompanied Manpreet, said the PPP was the only relevant political organisation, which would fulfil the aspirations of the people. Mann added that the people of Punjab would give a befitting reply to those leaders, who had been wasting crores of rupees of the state exchequer, by flying here and there in a chopper.
	SSA conducts survey again Rajay Deep Tribune News Service Bathinda, July 15 In a statewide survey conducted for the proper implementation of education schemes in 2011-12, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Authority, Punjab, traced as many as 30,939 children in the age-group of 6-14 years, who had either left the studies mid-way or were never enrolled in the schools. However, the whole exercise, carried for at least two months (November and December in 2010), proved to be more or less futile as the staff assigned the task, failed to perform it in a proper way. As the flaws in the survey report surfaced, contradicting the data collected, the SSA Authority, Punjab, was left with no other option but to conduct the survey again. To cover the blunder, the SSA Authority has launched the operation again, terming it as a special survey to check the figures of the children in the age-group 6-14 years who were either drop-outs or had not enrolled for school. However, directing the deputy commissioners and district education officers (secondary as well as elementary education) not to allow any inaccuracy in the details, the state project director, the SSA Authority, Punjab, B. Purushartha has set different levels of activities to fix the responsibility of officials for the irregularities if detected this time. The project director has also made the sample checking of the data collected compulsory for the school heads and other officials. Besides, each official, after the completion of the task, would have to give a certificate that no child in his respective area was left unnoticed. The special survey, which is primarily focused on correcting the previous figures, is to be completed this month. Finding the SSA Authority to be strict this time, the staff at all levels has geared up and the teachers assigned the duties as inspectors have started door-to-door visits to collect the data. Besides visiting all the towns, villages and even the colonies located on the outskirts, they are also collecting information about migrant labourers working at brick kilns, railway stations and also at the under-construction buildings. Filling up 29-point proforma, the inspectors are mentioning the details about the reasons for the children staying away from schools. Confirming the details, senior officials in the state education department informed that the exercise was being performed in compliance of the Right to Education Act under which the state was bound to bring each child (6-14 years) to school and educate them up to class VIII.
	Consumer Forum stays MC’s controversial orders in Fazilka Our Correspondent Fazilka, July 15 The District Consumer Forum (Ferozepur) has stayed the alleged ‘controversial’ orders of the Municipal Council (Fazilka) on Wednesday. The MC had instructed the buyers to deposit the remaining installments of the purchased plot till July 13. Otherwise, their auction was to be cancelled and the already deposited earnest money and installments would be forfeited. The Municipal Council, Fazilka, had carved out colonies at different places in the town including Dhobi Ghat locality, Madan Gopal Road and MC colony near Sacred Heart Convent School. The buyers had deposited the earnest money and a few installments along with the development charges out of the total four installments. However, the Council failed to carry out the desired development works in the proposed colonies. Hence, the buyers refused to pay the remaining installments. Now, the Council issued instructions that the allotment of those who have not deposited the auctioned amount till July 13, would be cancelled. There is great resentment amongst the buyers over the orders. The buyers, Subhash Chander, Rohit Kumar and Vikrant Kumar, approached the Consumer Forum on July 13. They stated that some of purchasers have deposited half or more amount of the total value along with the development charges. The buyers have alleged that the required development was not carried by the Council. Hence, the Council should be directed to withdraw its orders. Taking cognisance of the matter, the Forum has stayed the orders of the Council and directed it to present its view before the Consumer Forum on August 24, this year. President of Fazilka Municipal Council Anit Sethi said the notices of cancellation of the plots have been issued as per the norms. The MC chief has stated that the Forum has listened to merely one side of the case and the Council would inform the Forum that the cancellation orders were as per the norms mentioned in the letter of auction/allotment.
	Anganwari workers seek hike in honorarium Tribune News Service Bathinda, July 15 In support of their demands, a large number of Anganwari workers and helpers from the Bathinda and Sangat blocks today staged a dharna and held a protest rally outside the Mini-secretariat here. They were led by senior vice-president of the All Punjab Anganwari Mulazam Union Shinder Pal Kaur Bhagta. The protesters raised slogans against the state government and in favour of their demands. Their main demand was honorarium to workers and helpers on the pattern of Haryana, which is Rs 5,000 per month to the worker (in place of present Rs 800) and Rs 2,500 to the helper (in place of Rs 400). Their other demands were recruitment of Anganwari supervisors soon, supply of LPG stoves in all Anganwari centres, recruitment of eligible Anganwari workers as ETT teachers and hiring the workers and the helpers to fill the posts of Class IV and Class III employees lying vacant.
	Central Jail inmate dead Tribune News Service Ferozepur, July 15 Balbir Singh (56), an under trial in a murder case, who was lodged in the Central Jail here, died suddenly at the local Civil Hospital here late last night. He was lodged in the Central Jail for over two years. LS Jakhar, jail superintendent, said Balbir Singh's blood pressure started fluctuating last evening. He was immediately given medical care. It was controlled once but as it fluctuated again, the patient was referred to the Civil Hospital. Despite all efforts, he died within a few hours, Jakhar said. Balbir Singh was one of the 13 accused in a murder case over a property dispute. All the accused were lodged together in the jail. The postmortem was done by a panel of doctors as per the norms. The district magistrate had also instituted a magisterial probe into the matter. The National Human Rights Commission and other agencies had been informed about the death of the inmate.