Amritsar, July 28
Fungus-infested daal (pulses), live insects in red chillies, stinky mould-ridden spices, presence of weevil in the flour, stale and inedible gur (jaggery): These were ingredients being used to prepare food for the 2,800 inmates, which includes 150 women and 26 children, lodged in the Amritsar Central Jail. This startling fact was revealed in the report of the office of the Amritsar civil surgeon today after examining the food samples collected by its team from the jail a few weeks ago.

The extent of unhygienic food articles being served in the jail, which was once projected as a model jail, could be gauged from the fact that out of the 11 samples collected, eight were found to be ‘not fit for human consumption’.

Civil Surgeon Dr Avtar Singh has prepared a detailed report which would now be submitted before the CJM’s bench soon. Meanwhile, a case under the Food Adulteration Act, 1954 has been registered in this regard.

“On July 7, when we raided the jail kitchen, we found 58 kg inedible gur and got it destroyed after procuring its samples. Similarly, we came across spurious brands of spices. After examining them in the laboratory, we found live insects crawling in them. Sabat moong and flour were also found to be infested with weevil”, said Dr Singh.

Nevertheless, the raiding team had also observed that the food was being prepared under the most unhygienic conditions in the jail kitchen. Flies, lizards and cockroaches had free access to the cooking area as the window of the kitchen was broken and no precautionary measure was taken to keep these harmful insects away. Food items were lying exposed.

While denying that they had received the report, the Jail Superintendent Makhan Singh and Deputy Superintendent Manjit Singh Kalra said, “Food articles are purchased through the office of the DGP (prisons), Chandigarh, and we have no role in it. Moreover, the food is prepared by the inmates themselves, they too should be vigilant and maintain hygiene.”

Sangrur, July 28
The Sangrur police today arrested Director Public Instructions (Elementary Wing), Education Department, Sadhu Singh Randhawa, from Chandigarh for his alleged involvement in the infamous Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) scam. Cash amounting to Rs 4.29 lakh, apart from 1,520 US and 100 Canadian dollars, was also recovered from Randhawa’s possession.

Sangrur SSP Harcharan Singh Bhullar claimed that Unemployed ETT Union state president Jagtar Singh Jhabbar had, during his interrogation, revealed that he was in touch with Director Public Instructions (DPI) Sadhu Singh Randhawa to get the candidates passed. The test was held on July 3.

Notably, the scam came to light following the arrest of union vice-president Pawan Kumar. Over Rs 40 lakh in cash was seized from his possession, which he had allegedly charged at the rate of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per candidate. After Pawan, Jagtar and other senior office-bearers of the union were also arrested.

The SSP claimed that Jagtar and Pawan met Randhawa several times between July 5 and July 7 in connection with the test. Pawan, it is alleged, submitted a list of 31 candidates (from whom he had collected the money) to the DPI.

During preliminary investigation, the SSP claimed, Randhawa confessed to have met the union office-bearers in connection with the test. He is also said to have revealed that the collected amount was to be distributed between him and the other accused in the case.

Meanwhile, 150 gram opium was also seized from Randhawa’s house at his native Kothe Guru village in Bathinda. Two police parties had simultaneously raided the DPI’s Chandigarh and Bathinda houses to arrest him. After Randhawa, the number of arrests in the case has gone up to five and the recovered amount stands at Rs 56.98 lakh. 

Patiala, July 28
Continuing its tirade against the hospitals and the healthcare centres allegedly violating the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules-1998, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) teams inspected 10 hospitals in the district today.

During the inspection, M/s Agarsain Charitable Hospital, Patiala and M/s Nitin Hospital, Leela Bhawan, were found flouting the Bio-Medical Waste Rules.

PPCB Environmental Engineer Pawan Kumar Garg said two teams of the PPCB Regional Office, Patiala, headed by Environmental Engineers, conducted the surprise inspection of the hospitals/ health-care centres.

Giving details about the action to be initiated against the erring hospitals, Garg said, “We have issued the orders for revoking the authorisation granted to these hospitals by the PPCB, following which these hospitals will not be able to operate.”

PPCB chairman KS Pannu said as per the provisions of the Bio-Medical Waste Rules, the hospitals/health-care centres are required to segregate the bio-medical waste into different containers/bags, as per the colour code prescribed in the rules.

“The bio-medical waste generated from the hospitals has to be transported to common bio-medical waste treatment plant located at Ludhiana. On the contrary, it was found that M/s Agarsain Charitable Hospital and M/s Nitin Hospital, Leela Bhawan, were not segregating the bio-medical waste at the source and were also found violating the provisions of the Bio-Medical Waste Rules,” he added.

Notably, from the last one month, the PPCB has intensified its campaign against the industries, hospitals and other institutions, which indulge in the violation of the water and air pollution norms laid by the board. The PPCB teams had recently conducted surprise raids at the industrial units, hospitals, health-care centres, brick kilns and distilleries (for details, see box).

Asserting that the PPCB would be adopting zero-tolerance policy with respect to the violations of the water and air pollution norms, board chairman KS Pannu said the PPCB would be taking every industry/ hospital/ health-care centre/ distillery etc. to task, in case of the non-compliance of the PPCB norms. 

June 29: 105 brick kilns raided. 19 of these units found guilty of using rubber tyres as fuel

July 21: Closure notice issued to 20 dyeing units of Ludhiana for failing to initiate installation of effluent treatment plant

July 2: 54 out of 108 hospitals and health-care centres raided were found violating Bio-Medical Waste Rules

July 23 and July 25: Surprise raids on 12 distilleries across the state. Samples taken, report awaited

Moga, July 28
The Punjab DGP, PS Gill, seems to have changed tack after Chief Electoral Officer Kusumjit Sidhu issued an advisory asking the District Magistrate of Moga to keep a vigil on his political activities.

His relatives have reportedly put up hoardings, in violation of the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, with photographs of the Chief Minister and the Deputy CM thanking them for upgrading the local municipal council.

These, however, do not bear the name of either the DGP or any member of his family, probably to avoid trouble with the Election Commission.

A relative of the DGP said the hoardings had been put up across the town by the Gill community and there was no “hidden agenda”. But local Congress leaders think otherwise. “The people of this town know only too well that the hoardings have been put up by the relatives of the DGP. This indicates the DGP’s eagerness to join politics after retirement from service on September 30,” maintained Vijay Sathi, member of the working committee of the Congress.

He said he had approached the District Magistrate for a video-film of these hoardings to be sent to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer. When contacted, the Executive Officer of the municipal corporation, KS Brar, said he did not remember his office giving anybody the permission to put up the hoardings.

Chandigarh, July 28
After sparring over the role of Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala in the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today levelled allegations at each other about their respective roles during the turbulent militancy era. Punjab politics was taken back to the era of militancy in Punjab. The Chief Minister reacted to Capt Amarinder's statement calling him a moral coward by claiming that the Pradesh Congress President was a mole who had been planted in the SAD by the Congress. Badal alleged Amarinder had conspired with the late Rajiv Gandhi to scuttle the Punjab accord by ensuring Chandigarh was not transferred to Punjab.

The Chief Minister also continued his tirade against the Tamil Nadu Governor and sought to club Barnala and Amarinder as ‘traitors’. Claiming that everyone knew Barnala was a weak and greedy man willing to sell his conscience, the Chief Minister said Amarinder did not even protest when the Centre cancelled the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab in 1986.

Badal also accused Amarinder of being the key adviser of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when the Army assaulted Darbar Sahib and dubbed the latter's resignation, following the attack, as a "drama". He claimed this was proven when Amarinder was rewarded by being appointed the Punjab Pradesh Congress president. Capt Amarinder, while sticking to his allegations calling Badal a moral coward, claimed that the Chief Minister had held secret talks with the then Prime Minister as well as other ministers before and after Operation Bluestar. He said this was a matter of record and denials indicated the Chief Minister had either lost his memory or was an outright liar.

Amarinder said Badal’s memory was also selective. He said when the latter broke away from the SAD and formed his own party he had chosen him for the post of legislature party leader. “If he had such feelings towards me why did he make me the legislature party leader of his party?”, the former Chief Minister added. The Congress leader claimed he had on his part tried to prevent the attack on the Darbar Sahib and his role after Operation Bluestar was part of recorded history.

He said Badal on the other hand had always bartered away the interests of the state and had even accepted Rs 2 crore from the Haryana government in 1977 to build the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

Amarinder was a mole who had been planted in the SAD by the Congress. He had conspired with the late Rajiv Gandhi to scuttle the Punjab accord by ensuring Chandigarh was not transferred to Punjab

— Parkash Singh Badal, CM

Badal held secret talks with the then PM as well as other ministers before and after Operation Bluestar. Denials by him indicate that he has either lost his memory or is an outright liar. 

— Amarinder Singh, PCC

Sanghowal (Jalandhar), July 28
After spending sleepless nights for months together, the parents of 22-year-old Baljit Singh, a resident of Sanghowal village on the Jalandhar-Pathankot road here who along with 16 other Indian youths has been spared the gallows in Dubai, are a relaxed lot now.

And the gloomy silence, which engulfed the village soon after capital punishment was announced to Baljit, has been replaced by an atmosphere of cheerfulness, with relatives and friends thronging the youth’s house to congratulate his parents. The joy of Baljit’s mother Balbir Kaur, father Balkinder Singh and three brothers knows no bounds.

Notably, the 17 youths, including 16 from Punjab and one from Haryana, had been sentenced to death by a Sharjah court in the murder case of a Pakistani resident, Mishri Khan. However, a blood money deal was recently finalised after hectic parleys with the victim’s family -- the youths are likely to be released on September 20.

A friend and a neighbour who is Baljit’s namesake says: “He called up to say that he will be returning soon…. We are overjoyed; we had lost all hope.”

Says Balbir Kaur: “Baljit told us how they were arrested by the police and the first time when they were informed about the crime and the sentence they were going to serve, they didn’t even get to know about it as they couldn’t understand the local language.”

He had gone to Dubai to work there as a carpenter, but he didn’t get any such job there and had to do all kinds of menial jobs, says she. “He used to say he will be approaching a firm that will hire him for carpentry…. But he had not even completed 40 days in Dubai when he and the 16 other boys were picked up by the police one night from their dormitory and booked in the murder case.”

Hailing Dubai hotelier SP Oberoi for the “tireless” efforts put in by him for their release, Balbir Kaur said: “He (Oberoi) took up the task of ensuring the freedom of our boys. We didn’t even have the resources to pursue their case.” 

Chandigarh, July 28
The Congress legislator from Bholath, Sukhpal Singh Khaira has asked the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab Kusumjit Sidhu to seek a status report of various types of drugs and liquor seized by the Punjab Police under the NDPS (National drug and Psychotropic substances) Act and the Punjab Excise Act from all police stations of the state as these may be misused during the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Khaira, in a letter to the CEO, said large quantities of various types of drugs such as poppy husk, opium, smack, cocaine as well as illicit liquor are seized by the Punjab Police in order to curb such illegal activities in the state. In cases where the trial has been completed, these illegitimate and dangerous drugs are supposed to be destroyed in accordance with the law.

Often, the police in connivance with various types of mafia including politicians, does not destroy these drugs for ulterior motives. 

Patiala, July 28
With a view to curb ragging at educational institutes, the Government Medical College, Patiala, has demanded affidavits from the first year students and their parents, stating that they would not be involved in any ragging activity and if found involved in any such activity, they could be expelled from the college.

During an anti-ragging committee meeting held under the chairmanship of college Principal Dr KD Singh here today, the committee had formed sub-committees to check this practice.

“We have formed separate sub-committees for boys and girls hostels, college campus and hospital campus, which will conduct raids even at night to ensure that students do not indulge in ragging,” said Dr KD Singh.

He further informed that the affidavits would be collected beforehand so as to send a clear message that no such activity would be tolerated in the college. In case, any of them was found indulging in ragging, strict disciplinary action would be taken against them.

“We have also asked the police patrolling wing to do routine patrolling in the college,” he added. Representatives of district administration, media and various social organisations also took part in the meeting. — TNS

Chandigarh, July 28
Four years after the CBI moved an application before the Trial Court for the initiation of proceedings against one of the alleged victims, who turned hostile in the Amritsar sex scam, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed its disposal.

Acting on an application by Punjab Human Rights Organisation chairman Justice Ajit Singh Bains, Justice TPS Mann issued notice of motion and directed the Trial Court to dispose of the application filed on January 1, 2007.

The High Court in 2003 had directed probe by the CBI soon after the reports appeared in newspapers regarding sexual exploitation of three girls by "influential persons", including politicians and judicial officials at Amritsar.

Alleging "half-hearted" investigations by the CBI into the sex scandal, the PHRO had also appealed earlier to the CBI to protect the key witnesses.

The request was made in 2009 as the witnesses, one after another, started to turn hostile. In a three-page letter to the CBI Director, PHRO head Justice Bains had alleged that the Amritsar police and the CBI have failed to protect key witnesses, who were being threatened by the influential accused.

He alleged that top political leaders of the ruling party were controlling the cable network in Punjab and had joined hands with the accused.

Ludhiana, July 28
The new notification by the Ministry of Environment and Forests on banning the performance by bulls has put the future of rural olympics at Kila Raipur games in the doldrums. The bullock-cart race has remained a major crowed-puller in the 75-year-old rural sports event. It is popular not only locally but also draws numerous foreign tourists to the sleepy village. The new notification under Section 22 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, specifies that the following animals shall not be exhibited or trained as performing animals, namely, bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, lions and bulls.

While thanking former Environment and Forest Minister, Jairam Ramesh for banning performance by bulls, Dr Sandeep K Jain, Chief Coordinator for Care of Animals and Protection of Environment-India (CAPE-India), said the new notification would save bulls as “the animal was being subjected to atrocities by human beings in rural games, including Jallikattu of Tamil Nadu and bullock races in the name of rural sports.”

The member of Kila Raipur rural sports committee, Jagbir Grewal, said he was not aware about the new notification. “We would take a further course of action only after reading the new notification,” said Grewal.

Rajpura, July 28
A 38-year-old Rajpura man was found murdered in his apartment at New Jersy, US, on July 17. His body was brought to India last night and was cremated in Rajpura.

Deceased Satnam Singh, of Focal Point, Rajpura, went to the US around three-and-a-half years ago along with a group of hymn singers. The elder brother of the deceased, Jagir Singh, said the body of his brother was found lying in a pool of blood along with that of another Punjabi man from Jalandhar.

“Satnam was working at a gas station for the last few months and was stabbed by some unidentified people. The reason behind his death is yet to be ascertained as police officials in the US are still to ascertain the reason behind the murders,” said Jagir.

He said the eldest brother, living in England, informed him about the incident after the gas station owner called him up on the intervening night of July 17 and 18. Satnam had been working at different gas stations for the past sometime and had been putting up in New Jersey. He was sharing accommodation with another man from Jalandhar.

Satnam is survived by his wife and a seven-year-old son, who had been staying with other family members in Rajpura. The family members said Satnam was supposed to come back on July 31 along with his brother-in-law, who too is in the US, and both had even purchased air tickets to return to India.