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All entry roads to Mansa sealed
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Power plants to be functional only after Nov 2012
Flood situation grave, Badal
to hold meeting today
BSF lends a helping hand
Light flickers out for Gurdaspur lad Lt Navdeep’s parents
SAD’s policy of co-option expected to pay rich dividends, say experts
Capt terms SAD as the only enemy of Punjab, dares CM to a debate
SGPC ELECTION
40 pc rise in institutional deliveries in two months
Delay in allotting parking contract leads to chaos
Dharna against meat plant
Rally held in support of Anna
NRI held for duping relative of
Rs 22 lakh
Man killed over minor dispute
SGPC candidate booked for molestation bid
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All entry roads to Mansa sealed
Mansa, August 21 The farmers will stage dharnas outside the offices of DCs at Mansa, Jalandhar and Amritsar. All entry routes to Mansa have been virtually sealed to prevent the march of farmers to Gobindpura. Inspector-General of Police NS Dhillon and other senior officers tried to persuade the farmers to put off their agitation but in vain. Police contingents have been rushed here from other districts of the state to maintain law and order. Owners of the disputed 171 acres of land warned that they would defy the prohibitory orders and enter their fields. The Congress is trying to keep the pot boiling and PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh has announced that the Congress would launch a morcha from September 2 against the acquisition. The Congress has announced that the acquisition would be scrapped and the property returned to the owners if the Congress comes to power after the assembly elections. Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal has denied that the land was acquired forcibly for the thermal plant. “Most farmers had volunteered to offer their land as against the market value of about Rs 5 lakh per acre, they were paid around Rs 24 lakh per acre”, he said. Sukhbir accused the Congress of playing politics and creating hurdles in the path of development of Punjab by harping on the Gobindpura issue. Sukhdev Singh, general secretary of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), said the acquisition of fertile land was a matter of life and death for the farmers. He accused Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Badal of trying to mislead the people on the issue. Gurdeep Singh Mann adds from Bathinda: Leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Ugraha, have decided to support the family members of those whose land was "forcibly" acquired by the government to build the Urban Estate, Phases IV and V. Various farmer unions, including the Ugraha group, are already protesting against the land acquisition at Gobindpura village in Mansa district. BKU leaders held a meeting with the affected families and it was decided that the family members will participate in the agitation to be held at Mansa tomorrow. Workers and leaders of 17 farmer unions will reach Mansa wherein farmers will oppose the forceful acquisition of land for the BDA Enclave, Bathinda, and a thermal plant at Gobindpura. Senior vice-president of the Ugraha group Jhanda Singh Jethuke addressed the affected family members and raised slogans against the Punjab Government, the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) and the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA). Jethuke alleged that the government took possession of the land using police force and other gimmicks. "We will die here if our agricultural land is snatched from us," he said. He added that the government had acquired the land of even those who had not agreed to accept cheques. "The family members of the farmers are quite upset after the police torture and need succour. We are here to help them and are ready to sacrifice our lives to bail them out of the crisis," he said.
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Land acquisition for thermal plant costs Dalit families dear
Bathinda, August 21 The members of the state committee of the Democratic Front Against Operation Green Hunt, Punjab, stated this in their fact-finding report released here today. Emphasising the need for a policy at the state or Centre level for the land acquisition, Prof Parminder Singh from GNDU Amritsar said 14 Dalit families in the village have no where to go. “These families were living on the land owned by the farmers they worked for. The land was not in their name. Consequently, they haven’t got any compensation either. Situation is so bad that people have literally come on road,” he added. Besides, 62 families have becomes landless and another 123 families have now got smaller land holdings. “Out of 1,458 acres of the village land, the government acquired 806 acres, leaving behind mere 652 acres. Of these 652 acres, 140 acres has no canal water irrigation facility as one side is surrounded by proposed thermal plant and other has railway line,” added noted dramatist Ajmer Singh Aulakh. Demanding relief and rehabilitation package for farmers, NK Jeet said while the farmers have lost their land, the Akali leaders, banks, agriculture service societies, commission agents, automobile and arms dealers were minting money. Members of the committee pointed alleged out that there had been corruption and nepotism in awarding this project without calling open tenders and giving work to Poena. Work was awarded through MoU route, whereas the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) had warned the state government against the MoU route saying that it was aimed at encouraging private investment in the power generation sector, which would result in higher power rates to consumers.
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Power plants to be functional only after Nov 2012
Bathinda, August 21 The Union Ministry of Power gave this information in a reply to a query by Lok Sabha MP Ravneet Singh
Bittu. Union Minister of State for Power, KC Venugopal has stated that as per the Central Electricity Authority
(CEA), the first unit of the 3660 MW thermal plant at Talwandi Sabo will be commissioned on November 18 next year, the second unit on February 8, 2013, and the third unit on June 10, 2013. Similarly, the first unit of the 2270 MW thermal plant at Goindwal Sahib will be commissioned on January 31, 2013, and the second unit on April 30, 2013. The Rajpura thermal power plant of a 2700 MW capacity will have its first unit commissioned on January 17, 2014, and the second on May 17, 2014. “These figures means that Punjab cannot be a power surplus state. As all these plants are being set up on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis, neither the state government nor the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited has spent a penny on these projects,” Bittu said. Challenging Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to an open debate on the power scenario in Punjab, Bittu said the government was befooling the people of Punjab on the issue with an eye on the assembly elections. “The
SAD-BJP election manifesto claims that Punjab would be a surplus state within three years while none of the plants can be commissioned before the state government’s term ends,” he said. Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited
(BHEL) has been allotted the Goindwal Sahib plant, SEPCO Electric Power Construction Corporation, China, has been allotted work at the Talwandi Sabo plant while Larsen & Toubro is working for the Rajpura thermal plant.
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Flood situation grave, Badal
to hold meeting today
Chandigarh, August 21 Owing to the release of excess water from the Pong dam, which is filled to the brim, some areas of the state have been flooded. The meeting tomorrow would discuss the important issue of release of water from the Harike head works. Upinderjit Kaur has been demanding that more water from the Harike head works be released to decrease the level of flood waters in villages in Kapurthala district and adjoining areas.The minister represents the flood-hit Sultanpur Lodhi area of Kapurthala. The affected families in Kapurthala have been complaining to her that the insufficient release of water from Harike had resulted in the rise in the water level upstream Beas. This had caused floods in some more areas. However, Irrigation Minister Sekhon is of the view that the release of more water from Harike would severely hit villages in Fazilka and Ferozepur districts downstream Beas, the area that he represents.Upinderjit Kaur today met people of the flood-affected villages, including Bharoana, Baguana, Desal, Sherpur Dogran, Passan Kadim, Ali Khurad and Baupur. She told people that a special girdawari had been ordered to assess the damage caused to the crops. The compensation would be paid accordingly. As many as 94 villages have been affected by floods in Kapurthala district alone. Crops on 40,000 acres have been almost wiped out. Deputy Commissioner HS Sidhu said the road connectivity to 24 villages had been cut off. “We have been reaching to these villages through boats”, he said. Sidhu said nine teams of doctors and para-medical staff were busy providing medical facilities to the affected people. To avoid the outbreak of malaria and other diseases, the officials concerned had been told to take the necessary steps. Adequate supply of cattlefeed had been arranged for. Life jackets, tents, cooking gas and essential items had been provided to the people. There had been no loss to life so far.Seepage in dhussi bundh Gurbaxpuri adds from Tarn Taran: Seepages at two points in the dhussi bundh at the banks of the Beas created a panic. Residents of the area came out in large numbers with their tractor-trailers to repair the breaches at the two points. The water volume in the Beas was recorded at 1.25 cusecs, It was 1.10 cusecs yesterday. Kuldeep Singh Chandi, SDM, Khadoor Sahib, said the administration was monitoring the situation round the clock. He said crop on 12,000 acres of land had been damaged by the overflowing Beas waters in the Mand area. Damage had also been caused in 12 villages of Tarn Taran. More than 15 villages in the Khadoor Sahib subdivision were already under the Beas waters.
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BSF lends a helping hand
Fazilka, August 21 “Boat nakas have been laid at strategic points. Also, more temporary observation posts have been set up to check intrusion as the water has spread to some fields along the international border,said DIG,
BSF, Vimal Satyarthi. The BSF personnel are lending a helping hand to the flood victims in the border village of Mohar
Jamsher. Meanwhile, despite persuasion by the civil administration, Mohar Jamsher residents are reluctant to shift to a safer place. “We cannot move out, leaving behind our cattle and belongings,” said Balbir Singh.
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Light flickers out for Gurdaspur lad Lt Navdeep’s parents
Gurdaspur, August 21 Official sources said Navdeep‘s body would reach the Tibri cantonment late tonight and his mortal remains would be consigned to flames at the Batala road cremation ground tomorrow morning. The parents of the deceased, who had joined the Army just last year, were in a state of shock and so were his other relatives. Navdeep’s father Joginder Singh and mother Jagtinder Kaur fainted on hearing the news yesterday afternoon. Emotions ran high as neighbours started gathering at Navdeep’s residence. “Though Navdeep called us on Friday night, we could not make out much what he was saying because of poor signal on his side. He told us that he will call us on Sunday. However, we never received a call from him and rather we got a call from the Army that our son had been killed in an encounter,” said Joginder. A bright student and an equally good sportsperson, Navdeep did his matriculation from the Army School, Tibri Cantonment, and later cleared his NDA before being commissioned as a Lieutenant. Not only was he good in studies, but also adept in playing football and would sometimes, as his friends said, dream of playing for his country as a striker. He also completed his degree from the local Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, in 2006. “Creativity was his forte. I used to tell other students to match up with Navdeep’s creative skills. I am shocked at the news of his death,” said former principal in-charge Navdeep Sharma. Meanwhile, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh today expressed grief over the death of Lieutenant Navdeep Singh. In a condolence message to his parents, Capt Amarinder said, “Navdeep has not only done his parents proud, but also the entire state “I salute his courage and martyrdom,” he said while paying tribute to the young martyr.
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Harsimrat spent more in urban Bathinda
Bathinda, August 21 It reveals that the MP gave funds to 12 villages of Bathinda out of over 280 from the MPLAD (Member of Parliament-Local Area Development) fund. And the amount of funds released for urban areas is more than the rural areas. The funds were released between May 2009 and 2011. The information reveals that the highest amount, Rs 20 lakh, was issued to Goniana water works in July last year for uninterrupted power supply. The MP released Rs 48.5 lakh for the construction or repairs of ‘dharamshalas’. The information also reveals that Rs 37.8 lakh was issued in 2009-10, Rs 50.4 lakh in 2010-11 and Rs 44 lakh for various developmental works for the current year. It reveals that more funds were given for urban area (Rs 82 lakh) as compared to rural areas. Bathinda city got Rs 24 lakh, Goniana Mandi Rs 20.15 lakh, Talwandi Sabo Rs 15 lakh, Maur Mandi got Rs 9 lakh, Raman Mandi got Rs 8.75 lakh and Sangat Mandi got Rs 5 lakh. The information reveals that most of the funds were for the construction or repair works of dharamshalas, besides installation of tube wells, drainage of rain water, health clubs, construction of panchayat house and drains. The villages falling under assembly area Bhucho Mandi got most of these funds while other villages remained bereft of the money for development from this fund. Last funds allocated by Harsimrat in Bathinda were during a Sangat Darshan programme wherein she released a grant of Rs 8.5 crore from the coffers of Punjab Government.
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SAD’s policy of co-option expected to pay rich dividends, say experts
Chandigarh, August 21 The SAD has used the SGPC as a dress rehearsal for the assembly elections. It is claimed that it is for the first time that the SAD has been successful in bringing diverse factions such as the Damdami Taksal and various dera heads from the Sant Samaj under one umbrella. The party has won over SAD (Amritsar) general secretary Bhai Ram Singh. Former MP Varinder Singh Bajwa has been brought back from the PPP and Manpreet Badal aide Charanjit Brar has also deserted his mentor.Sources say the induction of leaders from the Mann group will help consolidate votes, which would have otherwise gone to the Congress. The holding of SGPC elections five months prior to the assembly elections has helped the SAD quell rebellion. It has allotted the party ticket to several candidates who were claimants to the ticket for the assembly poll. The SAD is undertaking a massive exercise to consolidate the rural votes prior to the assembly elections in the name of development done in the field of education by the SGPC in the past more than six years. Party spokesman Prem Singh Chandumajra said Guru Granth Sahib World Sikh University had been established at Fatehgarh Sahib and a medical college had come up in Shahbad in Haryana. A Directorate of Education had been formed to manage 110 public schools and 37 arts colleges being run by the SGPC. More than 10,000 ‘modern’ rooms had been added to gurdwaras in the past six years for the pilgrims. By focusing on development, the SAD wants to corner other Akali factions who are going in for emotional appeals or fighting elections on the slogan of Khalistan. SAD sources claim these factions will find it difficult to raise another front in the assembly elections in case the people vote for the SAD in the SGPC elections in the name of development.
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Capt terms SAD as the only enemy of Punjab, dares CM to a debate
Chandigarh, August 21 He expressed confidence that the process would be taken to its logical conclusion and the two officers would be removed from the important posts. The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president challenged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to an open debate to settle once for all as to who was the real enemy of Punjab. Reacting to Badal’s allegations at Longowal on Saturday where he accused the Congress of being the “enemy of Punjab”, the PPCC president said the Akalis were, in fact, the “only enemies”. He said it were the Akalis who fragmented Punjab into small parts and pieces with the sole motive to form a government in Punjab. Amarinder Singh alleged that the SAD, for its narrow partisan interests, broke Punjab into three states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. In the process, he alleged, they surrendered over two-thirds of land and resources to these two states. “We lost precious forest wealth, huge hydro-electric potential, industrial cities and also the proximity to the National Capital,” he pointed out.
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SGPC ELECTION
Patiala, August 21 He informed that a network was being established in all constituencies and if any candidate was found distributing liquor or drugs during the campaign, then the candidate would be blacklisted and a call would be given to boycott him. “In order to check this, we are forming a district monitoring committee which would take care of all constituencies within that district. This committee would be assisted by a team of lawyers," he added. Patiala District Monitoring Committee was also formed on the occasion. Advocate BS Sodhi has been chosen convener and Dr Gurdeep Singh, Dr Sarabjeet Singh from Rajpura, social activist Surinder Singh from Samana, Bhag Singh from Sikh Missionary College, Damanjit Singh from Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle, Patiala, Naunihal Singh, Col BS Arora, Dr Sarabjeet Singh, advocate John Pal Singh and Devinder Singh Mehtaare among its members. He said, "If any complaint is received regarding distribution of intoxicants, the police authorities and the Gurdwara Election Commission will be approached. If need be, petitions would be filed in the high court and the Supreme Court. Any organisation or individual who wants to be a part of this movement can send an SMS typing the words SGPC at 9230002323 and he would be registered as a volunteer with us. We will communicate with him regularly".
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40 pc rise in institutional deliveries in two months
Ludhiana, August 21 Disclosing this to The Tribune, Principal Secretary (Health), Punjab, Satish Chandra said, “Under the yojna, the deliveries are conducted free of cost and transport is also free. Besides, we give Rs 1,000 to each mother in the hospital itself. The very aim to promote the institutional deliveries seems to be fulfilling with great success. We expect 50 per cent increase in deliveries in the government hospitals, primary health centres and community health centres by December this year.” “Ever since 2008 when the Health Department stopped charging user charges, we have been observing 30 per cent increase in institutional deliveries every year. This year till June, the increase in state was about 22 per cent which was normal. But the data July of selected hospitals reveals increase of more than 40 per cent in institutional deliveries as compared to June,” he said. On being asked if the Infant Mortality Rate and Mother Mortality rate has come down, Satish Chandra said, “This survey will be done after some time, but I think there must be significant decrease in the MMR and IMR rate.”
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Finally, wheat variety resistant to rust
Chandigarh, August 21 Sources said the Variety Approval Committee would formally approve the new variety, which had been given the go-ahead by the PAU, next week. The PBW 343 has been the recommended wheat variety in Punjab for more than 15 years. Though the variety has given a good yield, there was a clamour to replace it since more than four to five years due to its susceptibility to the wheat rust disease. Farmers had started refusing to sow this variety despite subsidy for this reason and had started opting for other varieties. The state also witnessed a subsidy scam with certified wheatseed being diverted to grain mills. The Director, Research, Dr SS Gosal, said the variety had shown resistance to the yellow rust during field trials. The claim was backed by the Director, Agriculture, Dr Balwinder Singh Sidhu. Dr Sidhu is the chairman of the Variety Approval Committee. The PAU, while recommending HD 2967 as the best variety to replace PBW 343, has also approved PBW 621 as the second choice for sowing in Punjab. It states that while HD 2967 has an average yield of 21.3 quintals per acre, PBW 621 has an average yield of 21.1 quintals per acre. Both varieties take 157 or 158 days to ripen. The State Agriculture Department has fixed a production target of 157 lakh tonnes of wheat for the next season. The department has predicted land availability of 35 lakh hectares for this season’s wheat crop against cropping in 35.72 lakh hectares in the last season and a production of 164 lakh
tonnes.
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Delay in allotting parking contract leads to chaos
Bathinda, August 21 An open space adjacent to the railway road was converted into a parking lot for two and four wheelers a few months back. However, the delay in awarding the contract for parking has left the place redundant. While chaos prevails outside the railway station every evening due to space crunch, the parking space is lying useless. “We witness heated arguments among visitors who scramble for space to park their vehicles. Thousands of rupees have been spent on constructing the parking lot, but it is lying useless,” said a shopkeeper on the railway road. “Situation goes out of control after dusk when thousands of passengers enter and exit the railway junction. Many eating joints are situated outside the railway station,” said Sumit Kumar, another shopkeeper. People enter into scuffle in inebriated condition and the police has to take charge many a time, he added. Station Superintendent SN Rai said the parking contract got delayed as bidders failed to turn up and efforts were on to hand over the parking lot on contract basis at the earliest. CMI (Commercial Inspector) of the Railways MR Khan said one bidder turned up to take the contract of one of the two parking lots and in few days, people would be able to park their vehicles there. He said, “Two newly-constructed parking lots for bicycles, scooters and four wheelers will also start at the railway station soon.”
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Dharna against meat plant
Dera Bassi, August 21 The dharna was addressed by leaders of various political parties, including Deepinder Singh Dhillon, Jaspal Singh Zirakpur, Amritpal Singh, Bhagwant Singh Bartana and Balihar Singh Bally, among others. They said chemical units and meat plants were being set up in this area and people were facing problems of dirty drinking water and foul smell. They demanded strict action against the industrial units which were spreading pollution. They further stated that all drains of the area were polluted by the chemical units and meat plants.
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Rally held in support of Anna
Lalra, August 21 Addressing the protesters, leaders of the SAD-BJP combine and social organisations said a law should be implemented to curb the corruption. They said the Central government was deliberately ignoring implementation of the Lokpal Bill in its original form in order to save corrupt leaders. It was impossible to stop the corruption without the implementation of stringent Lokpal Bill, they added. The rally was addressed by Dev Raj, Sushil Rana, Jagdeep Nagla and Kartar Singh Tasimbli, among others. They said lawmakers should be clean and not have any criminal and corrupt background.
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NRI held for duping relative of
Rs 22 lakh
Patiala, August 21 According to the cops, NRI Jarnail Singh was arrested from New Delhi airport on Friday. The police said Jarnail was declared a PO by a local court in 2010 following a case registered against him on March 23, 2009, at Sirhind police station. According to complainant Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Attapur village of district Fatehgarh Sahib, he and one of his relatives Balwant Singh, a resident of Sanserwal (Patiala) had given Rs 22 lakh to Jarnail Singh, who is also their relative. The complainants had stated that Jarnail Singh was a resident of, Himayupur (Sirhind) and was settled in Italy. “Jarnail Singh visited Punjab in February 2006 and allegedly demanded Rs 22 lakh for taking their sons to Italy”, the cops said. As per the complaint, the victims had given him Rs 12 lakh in February, 2006, and the accused assured them that he would prepare the documents after visiting Italy. Sukhdev Singh said he invited Jarnail Singh to his daughter’s wedding, who reassured them to take their sons to Italy and further demanded remaining Rs 10 lakh. “We paid him the pending money but he never kept his words and instead returned to
Italy”, they alleged in their complaint. Later, Jarnail Singh started avoiding the victims on one pretext or the other and refused to return the money as well. On getting information that the NRI was visiting India, a police team comprising
ASI Gurmeet Singh arrested the accused from a Delhi airport.
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Man killed over minor dispute
Patiala, August 21 According to the police, the accused and the victim, along with some other villagers had gone to a nearby Ablowal village for some work in a tractor trolley. In the wee hours of Saturday, the accused and the victim, who were sleeping together, had a minor scuffle. Following this, the victim Sukhwinder Singh, son of Gulzar Singh, was hit by a table fan lying nearby, the cops added.
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SGPC candidate booked for molestation bid
Patiala, August 21 He is the Panthic Morcha candidate from the Sanaur constituency. “The accused, who is a property dealer, took a women from the local Bank Colony, and her friend to show a house under construction in Manit Nagar late in the evening. There, he tried to molest one of them,” the SHO said. Sharma said the victim ran out of the house and raised the alarm following which some neighbours gathered at the spot. In the meantime, Sukhdev Singh escaped, leaving his vehicle behind. A patrol party searched for him but in vain. The police has registered an FIR under Sections 341, 354 and 506, IPC. The SSP of Patiala, Gurpreet Singh Gill, said the offender would be arrested soon. Sukhdev Singh’s supporters assembled outside the police station and raised slogans.
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The district headquarters and areas in its vicinity have been turned into police cantonments in preparation for the indefinite dharna by 17 farmers’ unions
tomorrow against the “forcible” acquisition of land in Gobindpura
village for setting up a thermal power plant in the private sector.
Chandigarh, August 21
Gurdaspur, August 21
Chandigarh, August 21
Farmers to stage dharnas outside the offices of DCs at Mansa, Jalandhar and Amritsar
Guarding territories
