Gobindpura (Mansa), August 6
Despite round-the-clock patrolling by a posse of policemen in this village, nearly 100 women residents today uprooted the pillars erected to support the barbed wire fencing around the 166-acre land acquired to set up a private powerproject. They entered the fields, saying it was their land.

The police foiled their first attempt to enter the fields in the morning. After failing in their first attempt, they gathered in a house in the village and held a meeting with the BKU leader Ram Singh Bhainibagha, who had secretly reached there. He had reportedly motivated villagers to make another attempt to enter the fields. However, Bhainibagha was not a part of the protest.

Immediately after the meeting, a women brigade of nearly 100 members holding sticks in their hands uprooted some pillars around the acquired land and started a number of tubewells, which were lying unused after this controversy erupted. Without any fear on their faces, these women uprooted a police tent pitched along the roadside.

They also shouted anti-establishment slogans. Though a police party was present there, no one dared to stop the protesters as the women were equipped with sticks, batons and not ready to listen to anyone.

“No one from the authorities can stop us from entering our fields. This land belongs to us and we will die but not accept any cheque or amount to sell this land. We will sacrifice our lives but not leave this land and the village,” said a woman protester.

Meanwhile, a police party led by a DSP reached the spot and dispersed the crowd after chasing them in the fields.

Nahar Singh, the DSP heading the police party, said, “We have to follow the directions of higher-ups, as already some untoward incidents have taken place here. Those taking the law into their hands will not be spared.”

Later, the policemen, who had already sealed all roads leading to the village, reviewed the security scenario and told the Intelligence officials to strengthen their network, so that similar activities could be prevented.

While touring the village, The Tribune team observed that the village had been converted into a fortress and no outsider, either a relative or an acquaintance, was allowed to enter. Public transport was kept away from the village so that no leader from the 17 farmer-labour unions could reach there. 

Patiala, August 6
Eleven months after the Punjab Government awarded the 1320 MW coal-based power plant to Indiabulls Power Limited through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the company is yet to get the mandatory clearance from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) pertaining to the size and the site of the project.

Besides, contrary to clause 9 and 10 of the MoU, Indiabulls has failed to submit a detailed project report (DPR) to the power corporation on generation technology, fuel, water and the cost and the spread sheet indicating tariff within the stipulated six-month period.

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had signed an MoU with Indiabulls on August 20 last year. As per the initial MoU, the proposed thermal plant was to be of the capacity of 1350-MW (five plants of 270 MW each). But in April 2011, this was changed to 1320 MW (two units of 660-MW each). “In case, the CEA rejects the proposed plant site, the project will definitely get delayed”, said a senior PSPCL official.

Sources said that as per the policy, a power purchase agreement (PPA) between any developer and the PSPCL is mandatory. “But the signing of the agreement had to be put on hold in December 2010 as the developer had not met all the requisite terms and conditions. Till the time the PPA is signed, there is no way that Punjab can know as to how much power from the Mansa thermal plant will go into the state kitty”, observed a senior power corporation official. He said the manner in which the project was awarded to Indiabulls was certainly questionable.

The PSPCL Director, Generation, GS Chhabra, after some hesitation, admitted that the PSPCL had yet to receive the DPR from the developer.

Despite repeated attempts, Indiabulls representatives refused to speak on the matter.

Chandigarh, August 6
A large number of officers of the Punjab Government heading revenue and police districts in the state have come under the scanner of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for their allegedly biased role during previous Vidhan Sabha or Parliamentary elections. Several of these officials from the 22 revenue and 26 police districts of Punjab face an uncertain future, with the ECI making it clear that it would like all officer with a “politically tainted past” to have nothing with the election process.

Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kusumjit Singh Sidhu has already asked the Punjab Government to replace Mansa Deputy Commissioner Ravinder Singh, a PCS officer who was recently appointed despite protests from the IAS Officers’ Association and senior bureaucrats. Ravinder Singh is believed to have helped the Shiromani Akali Dal while he was a returning officer at Lambi (Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s constituency). He was suspended by the ECI in 2002 for his allegedly partisan role.

Highly placed sources said that a list his been prepared at the behest of the ECI that contains names of all those officers against whom there is an adverse remark for their partisan role in either the 2007 Vidhan Sabha election or the 2009 Parliamentary elections.

Some names have even been included from previous elections. The list has been circulated to various departments, including Home and that of the Chief Secretary, asking the government not to appoint these officers to any post that has anything to do with the polls.

Interestingly, the Punjab Government has recently appointed a large number of Punjab Police Service (PPS) officers as Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP). Out of the 26 police districts in Punjab, only Bathinda and Hoshiarpur have Indian Police Service (IPS) officers as SSPs, the remaining 24 districts have PPS officers heading the police force. The ECI has passed special instructions to verify the antecedents of all these officers and is even preparing to seek their removal, if warranted.

Similarly, the appointments of all deputy commissioners, subdivisional magistrates and those who will be directly handling election work are being scanned and clear instructions are being passed to ensure that re-employed and “politically tainted” officers should be removed.

A team of the ECI will be visiting Chandigarh on August 9 to assess the situation. The team will comprise of all the three Election Commissioners, including the Chief Election Commissioner of India Dr. SY. Quraishi. The team has summoned all the Deputy Commissioners and is expected to talk to the Director General of Punjab Police P.S Gill. It is expected that the Punjab Government may on its own change some officers to avoid action by the ECI.

According to sources in the state administration, the SAD-BJP Government has already started shifting officers who have completed three years at one place and others who they may find “un-helpful” during the polls. Before the mass appointment of SSPs, a meeting was reportedly summoned by the Deputy Chief Minister, who also has the charge of the Home Department to interview 15 young and very junior PPS officers.

These officers who attended the interview were being considered for appointment as district heads on the condition that they would “be loyal to the political leadership”. But this list was not cleared by the Chief Minister saying it would cause great resentment in the uniformed forces where senior officers will have to become subordinate to their juniors. With the Congress sending a lot of complaints to the ECI on the matter of appointments, many changes are expected in the near future.

ECI has passed special instructions to verify antecedents of all these officers and is even preparing to seek their removal, if warranted.

Ramnagar (Patiala), August 6
Terming Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as “intellectually bankrupt”, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh today said the issue of the construction of the 3.75-km concrete wall along the Hansi-Butana canal embankment by Haryana was very much under the purview of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the SAD-BJP government should approach the HC to seek a stay against the its construction. He said that the wall row was not an inter-state water dispute.

The former Chief Minister earlier made an aerial survey of the wall site and the Hansi-Butana canal stretch, near village Dharmheri.

Answering a query that the SAD-BJP government was arguing that inter-state water disputes could not be taken up in the High Court, Amarinder clarified, “The Hansi-Butana canal and the concrete wall are entirely two different issues. One is about the construction of the Hansi-Butana canal, which has been clubbed with the Presidential reference on the water dispute issue between the two states (Punjab and Haryana) and the other is construction of the concrete wall, along the embankment of the canal, which will block the Ghaggar water and push it back into Punjab areas”.

He made it clear that the Punjab government needs to clearly distinguish between the matter of the Hansi-Butana canal and the wall, as these are two distinctly separate issues.

“During the survey of the canal and the wall today, it became obvious that there is a strong apprehension of floods in three districts - Patiala, Sangrur and Mansa - because of the canal and the wall,” said Amarinder adding that the inhabitants of these areas were really scared.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Government has also got into an aggressive mode to counter the claims made by the Punjab politicians on the issue. Tomorrow, Haryana Cabinet Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala will address a rally, being organised by the farmers wing of the Haryana Congress, at Cheeka village in Kaithal. The objective behind the rally is to nullify the claims made by Punjab in this regard.

Amritsar, August 6
Even as the ruling SAD and the Sant Samaj are holding talks for forging an alliance in the SGPC elections, there are reports of differences cropping up between the two over candidature of some seats. According to sources, the Sant Samaj, a body of saints belonging to different sects, has reportedly sought the seats of Sirhind and Banga from where SGPC executive member Karnail Singh Panjoli and SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur respectively got elected in the last elections.

Both Panjoli and Bhaur are loyalists of former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra. However, the SAD is averse to the idea as it would send a message to the Tohra loyalists that they are not being taken care of after their leader is gone. Sources said the Sant Samaj intends to field its general secretary Paramjit Singh Maalpur from Banga and its vice-president Baba Hari Singh Randhawa from Sirhind. Sources said Panjoli and Bhaur are being targeted as both of them had opposed the amendments in the Nanakshahi Calendar which were made on the insistence of the Sant Samaj.

The duo had walked out of the SGPC executive meeting after writing a dissenting note against the amendments. Talking to The Tribune, Jasbir Singh Rode, who is holding parleys with the SAD on behalf of the Sant Samaj, said they have demanded 30 seats from the ruling party and have twice met the SAD leadership over the last couple of days. He said they have already got Valtoha seat for their candidate Baba Avtar Singh. He, however, denied that they have sought both Sirhind and Banga seats. “We have only demanded Sirhind seat for Baba Hari Singh Randhawa,” he said. Among the other seats sought by the Sant Samaj are Budhlada for Baba Sukhchain Singh, Longowal for Baba Buta Singh and Garshshankar for Baba Charanjeet Singh. He said there are bound to be issues with some seats and they have handed over their list to the SAD. SAD Secretary Daljeet Singh Cheema also denied reports of any rift.

Hoshiarpur (Mohali), August 6
The Punjab Forest Department has sought clarification from the Revenue Department on the nature of the land in Hoshiapur village that has been recently de-listed from the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA)-1900.

The move follows the felling of trees by an individual on 25 acres of land in the village located along a seasonal rivulet flowing close to the Chandigarh-Baddi road about 15 km from the Union Territory.

In the last two weeks, around 300 trees of different varieties have not only been felled, but their stumps have also been uprooted. Meanwhile, the owner of the land, while citing the revenue record, claims that he had the right to fell the trees as the land had been de-listed and de-notified by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. A contractor engaged for felling of the trees was seen loading the logs into tractor trolleys.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Mohali, Vishal Chauhan said the forest officials after visiting the site twice stopped the felling of the trees. He said the Revenue Department had been requested to carry out demarcation of the land to ascertain the exact khasra number so that the claim of the landowner, that his land had been de-listed could be verified. The forest officials were bewildered as to how the land abutting a seasonal rivulet (gar mumkin choe) had been taken out from the provisions of the PLPA-1900.

Forest Range Officer, Jyanti Majri range, Guraman Singh said the nature of land could not be changed to commercial as per the condition of de-listing. “If the land is de-listed the owner had the right to fell the trees and put it for use subservient to agriculture. We are getting the land demarcated to leave any doubt.” Interestingly, the shamlat land of Parol village, located near the land in question, is closed under the PLPA.

I have the right to fell the trees as the land has been de-listed and de-notified by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests
— Owner of the land

The forest officials after visiting the site twice stopped the felling of the trees. The Revenue Department has been requested to ascertain the exact khasra number so that the claim of the landowner could be verified
— Vishal Chauhan, DFO, Mohali

Patiala, August 6
The high-powered committee of the Health and Family Welfare Department that was investigating into the alleged medicinal herb scam has completed its inquiry.

The committee headed by Director Dr JP Singh took samples of the remaining medicines and sent them to drug testing laboratory for quality testing.

Sources in the department said the committee had already filed its preliminary investigation report and was waiting for the laboratory test results in order to substantiate their investigation. It had also videographed the statements of all the officials concerned.

Refusing to disclose their report, committee members asserted that they had presented their report with the department and official report would be out only after the laboratory results.

Patiala, August 6
Keeping in mind the large number of students that are waiting to get themselves registered in PhD courses after clearing their entrance tests, Punjabi University has increased the validity of the entrance test to two years.

Earlier, the entrance test was valid just for one year and in case, they were not enrolled due to lack of seats during that period, they had to take the test again. Now, the students who have cleared their entrance test can get themselves enrolled within two years.

Dean Research Dr Chandan Sharma said, “This has been done keeping in mind the repeated requests of students in this regard. Moreover, two years is a long time and there were chances that more seats will get vacant.”

It is worth mentioning that as per the UGC guidelines, no teacher can guide more than 8 students at a time and that is the reason there were dearth of seats with the university. Earlier, the university authorities had even requested the college teachers to take PhD students, but the response was not good.

Meanwhile, the university has also decided to form a panel of students, who have cleared their entrance tests, so that the entire process of selecting the students for PhD becomes simple. The authorities will select top 20 students who cleared their test in each subject and once any seat is vacant, the students will be selected by the panel, so that there was complete transparency. The students, who cleared their test last year, will also be considered for this panel.

Students feel that it was a good decision, but they were yet to see as to how the things work out. “The decision of constituting a panel is certainly good, as we have time and again noticed that the teachers pick up the students with their own choice. It becomes a problem for the students who come from other universities. They are not acquainted with Punjabi University teachers and therefore, find it a little difficult to convince the teachers to guide them,” said a student who did his MA from Panjab University, Chandigarh. 

Ludhiana, August 6
Food security of the country is once again in the hands of the Punjab farmer. Most parts of the nation have experienced 10 per cent less precipitation this monsoon and agricultural experts opined that foodgrain production would be affected as a result.

Under such circumstances, Punjab will fill in the gap as 97 per cent of the land in the state is under regular irrigation using tubewells and canals.

BS Rangi, consultant, Punjab State Farmers Commission, said that less monsoon rain in other food-producing states will adversely affect foodgrain production this year. In drought year 2009-10 in India, there was a decline of 16 million tonnes in foodgrain production as compared to the previous year. Similarly in 2002-03, the country’s yield went down by 38 million tonnes due to drought.

"In these circumstances, Punjab remains the only hope for the country. Out of the total net area irrigated in the state, 73 per cent irrigation is done through 13 lakh tubewells in Punjab and 27 per cent of irrigation is done through canal water. In fact, we expect to have surplus foodgrain," said Rangi.

Dr MS Sidhu, agricultural economist at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), said that the farmers in Punjab will produce about 30-35 per cent of the total rice in India. For wheat, the percentage will increase to 55 per cent in the crop year 2011-12," said Dr Sidhu. 

Patiala, August 6
Former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar has come up with a set of four books on Sikhism. The books are on philosophical, religious, social and political facts pertaining to Sikhs. The four books took almost five years to be completed.

Badungar, in his fourth book in Punjabi, has elaborated the concept of Sikhism. In his book ‘Jinna Sach Pehchaniya’ (Those who recognised truth), Badungar has gone into the life history of the Sikh gurus, explaining the basic tenets of Sikhism.

In his recent book completed a couple of weeks back, Badungar speaks highly of the Sikh warriors, gurus and the Shri Guru Granth Sahib. “I have tried to philosophically and practically explain the Sikh culture, symbols and even went back to the older times when the Hindu gods and demons fought for the holy water,” he said.

The author, in his collection of four books, talks about the vast heritage of the Sikh religion, culture, historical facts and also the problems faced by the Sikh community in modern times.

“I have tried to explain the meaning of corruption in practical life, menace of drugs, female foeticide, rising unemployment and impact of these social issues on the Sikhs,” elaborates Badungar, who says that his books were written based on the facts to highlight the Sikhs and all those who got in touch with Sikhism.

The present book further talks about four saints, including Sant Namdev, Sant Kabir, Bhagat Ravidas and Bhagat Sain, who played a vital role in teaching humanity to masses. His writings highlight the role of each Sikh guru from Guru Nanak Dev ji to Shri Guru Granth Sahib.

“I am pained to see the deteriorating Sikh values among the youth,” said Badungar, adding that he has tried to be very simple in his writings so as to raise all the issues related to the Sikhs. “My writings are for the Sikhs. Though I am not a professional writer, I want that the Sikhs should go through their rich history and understand the true meaning of being a Sikh,” said Badungar.

Chandigarh, August 6
The Punjab and Haryana HC yesterday issued notice of motion on a petition filed in public interest for quashing the appointments of Bidhi Chand and Chander Parkash as Punjab State Information Commissioners. The Division Bench issued notices for December 1 to the States of Punjab and Haryana on a PIL filed by advocate HC Arora.

He was also seeking appropriate directions to the two states to lay down procedure for selection and appointment of State Information Commissioners, which should contain provision for advertisement of vacancies, setting up of an empanelment committee, and calling for intelligence reports about antecedents of candidates before clearing their appointments. The petitioner alleged that the states were not advertising posts of State Information Commissioners; applications sent by interested and eligible persons for appointment as Information Commissioners were not put up before the Selection Committee, comprising the CM, a minister and the leader of opposition. Empanelment committees had not been set up, and intelligence reports on the antecedents of selected candidates were not sought before giving them appointment. — TNS

Ludhiana, August 6
The Court of Sessions Judge today adjourned the hearing in the alleged multi-crore city centre scam involving ex-CM Punjab Capt Amarinder Singh till September 3.

The court heard the arguments advanced by defence lawyer representing accused Anil Narula, relating to Today Homes company, against framing charges. The defence lawyer concluded his arguments and prayed before the court for discharging his client with the plea that no case was made out against him.— OC