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Marching on tricycles to Badal’s house
Capt warns govt against appointing Dhanda again
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Train-jeep collision kills 2 in Tarn Taran
Farmers allege harassment by PSTCL officials
This Mann’s campaign draws crowds
SAD or Cong, Ramoowalia undecided
Sanjha Morcha to launch poll campaign today
ADGP for strict implementation of traffic laws
Special Sikh pilgrimage train in January
Choice postings for Forest Dept officers facing criminal cases
Amarinder promises fiscal responsibility Act
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Won’t serve any purpose: SAD
Govt amends ACP policy
Ferozepur village girl makes it to KBC
As Rly police probes Maoist angle, Patiala cop’s kin plead innocence
HC relief for CRPF constable’s widow
Jalandhar trader’s hotel raided, cars impounded
6,000 sedative capsules seized
Sub-Inspector shot at in encounter
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Marching on tricycles to Badal’s house
Nawanshahr, November 5 Seated on wheelchairs and tricycles, the union members plan to culminate their march at Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh on Monday and submit a memorandum of their demands to him. “The dilly-dallying approach of the government in implementing the Persons With Disability (PWD) Act is responsible for our miseries. The Department of Social Security has been apathetic towards the welfare of the physically challenged," said Kashmir Sanawa, association chairman.
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Capt warns govt against appointing Dhanda again
Speaking to mediapersons outside the District Court Complex here, Amarinder said the state government should not repeat the same mistake. On what his party would do in case the government re-appointed the same person (read Harish Rai Dhanda) as the PPSC chairman, he said, "You can't circumvent the High Court order regarding the appointment, a ruling that has been endorsed by the Supreme Court." Asked about Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal's accusations regarding the use of unparliamentary language, the PPCC president reiterated that he "had only spoken the truth and could not do anything if the Badals did not like it". Regarding Izhar Alam, Amarinder said Badal had been claiming that he had not given him a clean chit. "But for the last four years, Badal has appointed him (Alam) as the chairman of the Waqf Board and is projecting him as SAD candidate from Malerkotla. If this is not a clean chit, what else is it?" he asked. About SAD president Sukhbir Badal saying that the Congress too had, during its rule, spent several crores on the India-Pakistan Punjab Games and that a few guests were even provided state hospitality, the former Chief Minister said "the issue was an entirely different one". "What is happening today in the name of kabaddi is a semi-nude dance aimed at luring crowds to seek cheap publicity for the
Badals." Khanna to coordinate with industry on capt’s behalf Chandigarh: PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh on saturday authorised party general secretary Arvind Khanna to interact with various trade, business, industrial and urban organisations and communities on his behalf. According to an office order issued in this regard here, copies of which have been sent to all the district presidents across the State, Khanna will be interacting with the representatives of these bodies and will be apprising the PCC chief of the same. He had earlier been appointed as general secretary incharge of the party office. — TNS Ludhiana City centre case adjourned till December 3 Ludhiana: The Court of Sessions Judge SP Bangarh on Saturday adjourned the hearing in the alleged multi-crore City Centre scam case till December 5. The court heard the arguments advanced by defence lawyers representing Today Homes Company's vice-president Vinay Subhiki and its general manager Sunil Sharma. Their lawyers condluded the arguments against the framing of charges. Former CM Captain Amarinder Singh, former minister Choudhary Jagjit Singh and former MLA Arvind Khanna were present in the court. — TNS
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Train-jeep collision kills 2 in Tarn Taran
Tarn Taran, November 5 The deceased have been identified as Harcharan Singh (52) and his wife Harjit Kaur (50) of Brahampura village. Those injured were Mandeep Kaur (15), a domestic servant, and Puneet Kaur (8), deceased’s granddaughter. They were going to Bakipur village on their Bolero (PB 10 CB 9857) when it was hit by a train (diesel multiple unit No. 74683 Up). The train was going to Amritsar from Khemkaran. Harcharan, who was driving the vehicle, died on the spot while his wife Harjit Kaur was declared brought dead by doctors at Escorts Multiple Hospital, Amritsar. The bodies have been sent to the local Civil Hospital for post-mortem. The injured girls have been admitted to the local Sukhman Hospital where their condition was stated to be out of danger. Khazan Singh, sarpanch of Jandoke village, said the panchayat had requested the Railways a number of times to depute staff to man the level crossing, but it had taken no interest. Devinder Singh, Sub Inspector, GRP, said a report under section 174 CrPC had been registered at the local post.
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Farmers allege harassment by PSTCL officials
Faridkot, November 5 In a complaint to the higher PSTCL authorities, district administration and the state government, farmers Rakesh Kumar and Mangat Arora alleged that as an act of reprisal, the PSTCL officials ‘intentionally’ diverted a straight power supply line to cover their field so that it caused an adverse impact on the market value of the property. The farmers alleged that the diversion in the high-voltage power-supply line divided their land into two parts, thereby lowering the market value of the property. The act of the PSTCL officials also caused a loss of over Rs 4 lakh to the corporation itself as an ‘unnecessary’ curve in the supply line increased its length by 200 metre. Further, the curved supply line would cause a recurring transmission loss due to the increased length. Dalbir Singh, SDO, PSTCL, declined that there was any intentional or targeted diversion in the laying of electric line. He said the work was done as per the norms. Faridkot Deputy Commissioner has already asked the Faridkot Tehsildar to visit the area for inspection and submit a report about the alleged intentional curve in the power supply line.
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This Mann’s campaign draws crowds
Faridkot, November 5 Doing intense canvassing for the PPP and exhorting the people to reach Dhudike village in Moga for the Sanjha Morcha rally on Sunday, Mann is on a whirlwind tour of villages in the area. Proving to a be good crowdpuller in the village-level meetings and discussing “truths, half-truths and outright lies,” being used by the Akalis and Congress leaders to dig up the dirt on the each other, Mann’s focus is on real issues a common man faces in daily life. While addressing the rural gathering in Kameana, Golewala, Moran Wali, Nawan Killan, Pipli, Chandbaja and many other villages of Faridkot, Mann speaks out on the prevalence of cancer, water-borne diseases, Punjab becoming a dreamland for drug peddlers, high consumption of liquor, all-pervasive unemployment and the financial crunch in the state. A stand-up comic who has so far been parodying politicians in his VCDs and audio cassettes, Bhagwant Mann refrained from making any personal comment or diatribe against any leader but his target was the Congress and the SAD-BJP alliance. He maintains that instead of using derogatory language against each other, it is better that the Akalis and Congress leaders pay some attention to Punjab problems. “All that happens is exchanging threats and posturings, in the Akali and Congress political rallies there is no mention of real issues concerning a common man”, said Bhagwant Mann, speaking at Kameana village. He adds, “In all areas Punjab is lagging behind in development, except in the growth of the liquor industry.” He tells the people that the daily sale of liquor in Punjab is over Rs 8 crore. The liquor business is a big revenue-generating source for the government and this business is increasing in leaps and bounds every passing year and is yardstick of development in Punjab under Congress and Akalis’ rule. The Malwa belt faces the scourge of many water-related problems and has a high number of cancer cases but the priority of the state government is more and more liquor distilleries. In Punjab villages these days, there is only one shop that starts early in the morning and closes late in the evening-and that is the liquor vend, says Mann.
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SAD or Cong, Ramoowalia undecided
Chandigarh, November 5 “So far, I have not made up my mind to join hands with any of the two parties, the SAD and the Congress. Decision in this regard will be taken on November 7, the day my party delegates will meet at Jalandhar to discuss issues related to the assembly elections,” said Ramoowalia. He said for him both options, either to be a coalition partner of the Congress or of the SAD, were open. But that alliance would be issue-based. He said it was clear to him and his party delegates that there was no scope for any third front to be successful in the state’s politics. “My party was a member of a third front in the 2002 assembly elections, 2004 Lok Sabha elections, 2007 assembly elections and again in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in the state. But my party was unable to win any seat,” he said. “The political reality of the state is that there are two main political parties, the SAD and the Congress. Without having an alliance with any of these, the smaller parties could not think to be in the power,” he said. The BJP had come to power a number of times by becoming an ally of the SAD. The left parties had won seats in the past by becoming a coalition partner of the Congress, he added.
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Sanjha Morcha to launch poll campaign today
Chandigarh, November 5 The leadership of the Morcha, which wants to give the message of secularism and is also keen to reach the urbanites, has purposely selected Dhudike for the launch of its election campaign. Moreover, Dhudike is almost in the heart of Malwa, which will be main battle-ground for various political parties during the assembly elections. “We will announce some of our flagship programmes pertaining to health, education, employment, youth, revival of economy, women’s empowerment and equal partnership to marginalised section of society in the state apparatus”, said Manpreet Singh Badal, chairman of the Morcha. Joginder Dayal, a senior leader of the Morcha, said: “We will also announce our common minimum programme tomorrow. Education, health, employment, agriculture, women empowerment, corruption etc are among our major concerns”.
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ADGP for strict implementation of traffic laws
Patiala, November 5
Over 2,000 deaths have already been reported in road accidents till October this year and according to the Police Department, in 3,042 road accidents that took place in the state from January 1 to June 30 this year, as many as 2,561 people were injured. The maximum number of accidents took place on the roads located in the Amritsar police range. Topping the death chart, Patiala reported the maximum of 171 deaths in road mishaps, followed by 132 in Ludhiana and 103 in Roopnagar in the same period. The communiqué further asked for special drives against drunken driving, over-speeding, identification of killer stretches and efforts to make them safe. “Further, lists of divers should be prepared who can help fish out people who fall in water bodies after a mishap.” Sources confirmed that the state assembly recently submitted a report to look into the lapses that led to such high number of accidents. However, the absence of requisite infrastructure, including speed governors, staff, and alcometers, had hampered the working of the traffic police.
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Special Sikh pilgrimage train in January
The train is being launched by the IRCTC in association with the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) to woo Sikhs living across the globe who aspire to visit the historic five Takhts. IRCTC's Chief Regional Manager RK Sondh said the train would start from Amritsar and would take the devotees to Anandpur Sahib, Takht Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda District, Hazoor Sahib, Nanded in Maharashtra, and Patna Sahib in Bihar. It is to be mentioned that the people of Punjab have been demanding a train to connect the historical Takhts. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had sent a proposal to the Union government a few years ago for a similar trip and even deposited the state's share, but the Centre did not respond. Sondh said the nine-day tour had been specially designed to woo the Sikhs living abroad and who visit the country during winters and aspired to visit their religious places. “The tour will offer free meals, accommodation and other facilities during the trip. The passengers will also be insured during the trip,” he added. He said the fully air-conditioned train would have first AC, II-Tier AC and III-tier AC and the passengers would be taken in air-conditioned buses to all religious places from the respective railway stations. He said dates were being finalised with officials of the PHTPB and hoped that train would be a success. He said boarding and lodging would be provided by the
IRCTC.
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Choice postings for Forest Dept officers facing criminal cases
Mohali, November 5 The issue came under the spotlight after Gurbaaz Singh, the Punjab Chief Wildlife Warden, was transferred to an insignificant post of CCF (Information and Extension) and was replaced by an IFS officer Dhirendra Singh, who is facing trial in a criminal case under the Prevention of Atrocities on Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989, in a Mohali Court. The previous Forest Minister Tiksan Sud had held back the officers’ promotion due to the criminal case. Justifying the “adjustment” of the official, the State Minister for Forests and Wildlife, Arunesh Shakar, said since no other suitable officer was available so Dhirendra Singh has been posted on CDC. “We have not promoted him but given him just CDC”, the minister said, while being apparently unaware that certain senior CCFs, R K Luna, Jatinder Sharma and M S Dhillon were certainly not loaded with work. A few months ago, HS Gujral, who has been elevated to the post of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Development, while a criminal complaint filed against him by another IFS officer, Harsh Kumar, was pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. While claiming that he was unaware about a criminal case pending against Gujral, the minister said promotion could be denied only when any official is held guilty. Incidentally, Harsh Kumar, Harinder Singh and JS Samundri, against whom the state government had denied the prosecution, have not been promoted to the rank of CCF. According to sources in the Department, while posting IFS officers, the top brass had not only violated the All-India Service Manual but has also created a lot of heartburn among the officials.
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Amarinder promises fiscal responsibility Act
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Ludhiana, November 5 Making a comprehensive presentation on "Developing Vision Punjab" during a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry at Ludhiana today, Capt Amarinder also promised to bring in a special legislation to ensure transparency in awarding the contracts, besides introducing the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Announcing that the Congress government will introduce the self-certification process to cut red tape, he stated that the government's role should be facilitative. Responding to the demands of the industry representatives, who apprised him that 14 clearances were required to start a project, he said the government would be there only to facilitate and assist, and not to interfere or impede. Expressing concern over the fiscal health of the state, with the total debt crossing Rs 1.72 lakh crore, he announced that the Fiscal Responsibility Act would be brought in to restrict the government power on borrowing. "We cannot go on borrowing wantonly and push the state to bankruptcy," he added.
Won’t serve any purpose: SAD
Chandigarh, November 5 In a statement issued here today, party secretary and spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema emphasised that the only corrective way to help the states was to review the Centre-state relations for which SAD had struggled for a long time. He said by issuing such hollow and meaningless statements Capt Amarinder Singh was trying to divert the blame from Centre to state governments whereas in reality the “discriminatory” policies of the Union Government were forcing the states to borrow to meet their basic needs. .
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Govt amends ACP policy
Patiala, November 5 Earlier, the government had replaced the ACP Policy (4-9-14 years) on 1.1.96, according to which a person could get only three benefits throughout his service. Before this, a teacher was eligible for increment on account of the service of 8-16-24-32 years and even if he was promoted after availing three increments, he could still get an increment if he had a few years of service according to the same progression scheme. But after the government changed this policy, the government employees were unhappy because there were no financial benefits after 14 years of service whereas a teacher generally served for around 25 to 30 years. Meanwhile, the government also accepted the demand of increasing the salary of 1,186 health and 582 rural dispensary pharmacists from 6250 to 7,000.
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Ferozepur village girl makes it to KBC
Ferozepur, November 5 Sukhpreet, who belongs to Jhariwala village, is a student of Class IX at Government High School, Saiyanwala. She has been selected for the “fastest finger first” round and if luck continued to smile on her, she would be the first girl child from Punjab sitting in the hot seat facing Amitabh on the sets of KBC. Pargat Singh Brar, principal of the government school, said Sukhpreet had already become a celebrity for her classmates. Brar said the recording for the Children’s Day special would be held in Mumbai on November 8, adding that Sukhpreet along with her mother Gurpreet Kaur and schoolteacher Jyoti Nagpal would go to Mumbai. Sukhpreet said “If I win there, I will give half of the amount to my school for its development,” she added.
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As Rly police probes Maoist angle, Patiala cop’s kin plead innocence
Patiala, November 5 Sukhdev’s son Kanwaldeep Singh, an inspector with the Railway Protection Special Force, was arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) on Thursday after the seizure of illegal arms from his possession. Ever since they received a call from Guwahati (1,600 km from Patiala), Sukhdev Singh and his wife Sarabjeet Kaur have been swinging between despair and incredulity. Sarabjeet Kaur claims Kanwaldeep had been framed as “he, being a devoted Sikh, can never do such a thing”. “I believe he has been targeted for his honesty. He can do anything but for something anti-national,” she said with tears rolling down her cheeks. Sources in the RPF said Kanwaldeep was being questioned by the GRP and the Intelligence in Guwahati. Speaking over the phone from Guwahati, RPF inspector AG Farooq said Kanwaldeep was caught with three 9 mm pistols, a magazine of an AK-47 rifle, 70 AK-47 cartridges and 50 cartridges of .303 rifles. “Kanwaldeep could not explain the source of the weapons during preliminary investigations…we assume they were meant for the Maoists. His original posting was in Kolkata and he could not explain what he was doing at the Guwahati Railway station with the arms and ammunition,” Farooq added.
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HC relief for CRPF constable’s widow
Chandigarh, November 5 Accepting her plea, Justice Mahesh Grover held that she was entitled to the benefits of extraordinary family pension and other allied benefits. Justice Grover also directed the Union of India and other respondents to do the “needful as expeditiously as possible, preferably within four months”. Taking up Promila Devi’s petition, Justice Grover asserted: “The husband of the petitioner, constable Suresh Kumar, was enlisted in the CRPF. He was posted in Assam and involved in anti-insurgency operations. “During the period when he was undergoing pre-induction training to the anti-Naxalite operation, he died on account of myocardial infarction. “The petitioner, who is his widow, made a prayer for extraordinary pension on account of the fact that he had died due to an act which was attributable to government service. Justice Grover asserted: “On due consideration of the matter, I am of the opinion that the benefit has wrongly been denied to the petitioner. There is indeed no doubt about the fact which stands admitted, that the petitioner had died on account of myocardial infarction, but the same occurred when the petitioner was undergoing pre-induction training for
anti-Naxalite operation.
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Jalandhar trader’s hotel raided, cars impounded
Jalandhar, November 5 Two DRI teams from Amritsar and Ludhiana reached Hotel Radisson in the afternoon and seized five luxury cars, a crate of whiskey, personal computer and certain other documents. Hotel employees said over 20 members of the DRI team raided the hotel and drove away the vehicles after conducting the search operation. The vehicles that have been impounded include a Toyota Fortuner (PB08BT-8880), a BMW L1 (PB08BK-8880), an Audi (PB08BL-8880), BMW X3 (PB08BF-8880) and a Nova (PB08BN-8880). Interestingly, the last four digits of Kapoor’s mobile phone number are also 8880. Though the leader of the raiding team refused to answer media queries, a DRI official said the raids were conducted in connection with the vehicles that were imported by Kapoor. Kapoor, who claimed to be in Delhi when the raids were conducted, said over the phone that the raids were a result of “political rivalry”. “I have nothing to hide as all my cars have been imported in a transparent manner. It is a conspiracy against me as the political scene hots up in Jalandhar,” he said. Notably, Kapoor is a Congress ticket aspirant from Jalandhar (Central) assembly constituency and is considered close to Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Capt Amarinder Singh. The hotelier, it is said, also enjoys cordial relations with Shiromani Akali Dal president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir
Badal.
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6,000 sedative capsules seized
Patiala, November 5 Additional Superintendent, Central Jail, Patiala, Rajan Kapoor said they had started a special patrol for the past 10 days around the jail and on Thursday night their team found these things packed in a packet. “We have passed the case to the local police for registration of a case and are conducting in-house search”, Kapoor added.
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Sub-Inspector shot at in encounter
Jalandhar, November 5 Sources said Sub-Inspector Shiv Kumar sustained a gunshot on his head while Manoj Kumar, a robber, sustained three bullet injuries. The injured were rushed to Johal Hospital in Rama Mandi. Dr Baljit Singh, the doctor attending the patients, revealed that Shiv Kumar was out of danger while the condition of Manoj was critical. The police had brought the injured to the hospital at 8.30 pm, he added. The sources said the CIA staff of the rural police had laid a naka on the highway near Talhan Gurdwara road and intercepted a Scorpio on a tip-off. The Scorpio occupants sped away and took the Rama Mandi-Hoshiarpur road. Following this, the police party, led by CIA in-charge Inderjit Singh, started chasing the vehicle. On reaching at a T-point in Jaitowala village, the robbers resorted to firing. In the encounter, the SI and a gang member sustained gunshots. Some police personnel also sustained minor injuries. Both parties exchanged fire for almost 15 minutes. The police managed to nab three robbers while some escaped. The police has also recovered three pistols from their possession. The arrested gangsters could make some more revelations, a senior police officer said.
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Faridkot, November 5
Patiala, November 5
Jalandhar, November 5
Ludhiana, November 5
In a communiqué sent to all SSPs and commissioners, RP Singh, ADGP (Traffic), has said the matter pertaining to accidents was recently discussed in the Vidhan Sabha. “There are ample steps that are required to be taken. Eight to 10 per cent accidents take place due to wrong parking of vehicles,” he said.
Chandigarh, November 5