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‘Regulator must for foreign retailers’
SGPC meeting on Dec 5; HC refuses stay
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Dera succession war turns ugly
Wailing followers of Sant Pyara Singh block road in Amritsar. Photo: Sameer Sehgal Harsimrat writes to Italian envoy on turban issue
Dinner diplomacy on for SAD ticket
Panth Rattan for CM
Panchayat officers may step up stir
PSEB
associate schools
PPCB to issue green certificates to schools
Flood-hit border village awaits aid
Strike paralyses services in Rajindra Hospital
Placards placed by the protesters on the closed doors of an OPD in Rajindra Hospital in Patiala on Friday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar
Bathinda gets 4 more institutes
CM Parkash Singh Badal being shown a model of a warship during the inauguration of a naval unit of the NCC, in Bathinda on Friday. Major-General MS Virk, additional director general of NCC, is also seen in the picture. A Tribune photograph
Drop Sud as minister, says Capt
Senior Addl AG Bhinder resigns
Saving agents hold protest
SDM cremated
Smuggling drugs
Witness in Harpreet case quizzed
Cop injured in brawl
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SGPC meeting on Dec 5; HC refuses stay
At the same time, the Bench issued a notice to the Centre, the Gurdwara Commission and the Amritsar DC to respond to the issues raised in the petition. The case will now come up for hearing on December 16. The notice came on a plea filed by Tek Singh Dhanaula and others seeking a stay on convening the meeting. The petitioners contended the meeting should not be allowed to be convened till the outcome of the petition seeking voting rights for Sehajdhari Sikhs. The orders on the petition have already been reserved by a Full Bench of the HC. The counsel for the petitioner argued that the Centre could not convene the meeting of the newly elected members of the SGPC till the time the matter was resolved by the courts. He also sought directions for allowing the elected members of the outgoing body to continue till the court verdict. Earlier, the petition came up for hearing before the Bench of the Chief Justice. It was referred to the Full Bench of Justice Surya Kant, Justice MMS Bedi and Justice Muttaci Jeyapaul, that is hearing the main case. As the petition came up for hearing before the Full Bench this morning, Justice Surya Kant observed in the open court that the Bench had reservations on the petitioner’s locus standi to file the petition as a PIL. Refusing to stay the December 5 meeting, Justice Surya Kant asserted the Supreme Court had already held the SGPC elections would be subject to the outcome of the Full Bench order on the Sehajdhari issue.
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Dera succession war turns ugly
Amritsar, December 2 Among those booked on the charges of abetment to suicide include head of the rival faction of the dera, Sant Subash Chander. The Tarsikka police has registered a case under Sections 306, 506 and 120-B of the IPC on the statement of Jagtar Singh, chief sewadar of Sant Pyara Singh. Tight security arrangements have been made in and around the dera at Saidpur to check any untoward incident. Jagtar Singh, in his complaint to the police, has alleged that since the demise of Sant Raseela Ram, former head of the dera, a war of succession was going on between Sant Pyara Singh and Sant Subash Chander. “The accused used to harass Sant (Pyara Singh) and even threatened to kill him. On Thursday night, Pyara Singh went to sleep in his room. However, he did not open his room in the morning despite repeated knocks at the door of his room,” he stated. The door was broken open in the presence of SDM Baba Bakala and the police. Pyara Singh’s body was found hanging with a ceiling fan with his turban. Meanwhile, tension prevailed outside post-mortem room here where huge number of followers of Sant Pyara gathered to pay their last respects. They resorted to block the traffic on the busy road as rumours spread that Sant Pyara was killed. They raised slogans against a reputed Akali leader of the area while holding him responsible for the incident. Dera Saidpur, around 30 km from here, has virtually turned into a police cantonment. Huge contingent of the police has been deployed in and around the dera while Deputy Commissioner Rajat Agarwal, besides SSP Amritsar (rural police district), Gurmeet Chauhan, camped at the dera. The Deputy Commissioner has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident to SDM Baba Bakala.SSP Chauhan said preliminary investigations pointed towards suicide. “It is premature to say anything at this stage. We have lodged a complaint on the allegations by several followers and further investigations are going on,” he said. Later, Sant Pyara Singh was cremated at his dera. Among those who were booked include Basant Seth, Sweety Bala, Amrik Singh, Pyara Lal, Des Raj, Brij Kumar, Dyal Singh, Sikander Singh, Pal Singh, Ram Pyari, Satpal, Baldev Singh, Mohinder Singh, Bachitar Singh UK and Dyal Singh.
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Harsimrat writes to Italian envoy on turban issue
“If celebrities like Golfer Jeev Milkha Singh’s coach Amritinder Singh and Ravijodh Singh Dhupia, Commander of Jet Airways, could be ridiculed in the presence of thousands of commuters (by asking them to remove their turban), one can well understand the fate of ordinary Sikhs in Italy,” she said. In another communiqué to the Italy’s Ambassador, Harsimrat reminded him of the SAD memorandum on the humiliation meted out to Amritinder Singh and his assurance that such incidents would not reccur. She also criticised the Congress-led UPA Government for doing little to safeguard the dignity of the Sikhs travelling abroad. She said that on the one hand, the Congress claimed to be a votary of Sikhs and on the other, despite assurances by the Union Exteranl Affairs Ministry and the Prime Minister, the Sikhs were being targeted abroad. — TNS
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Manak laid to rest
Jalal (Bathinda), December 2 Manak’s body was brought from Ludhiana in a funeral van fitted with loudspeakers playing music. More than 100 vehicles of politicians, singers and Manak’s admirers accompanied the van. His body was kept in the grain market for around two hours from where it was taken to the village graveyard. An inconsolable Manak’s wife, Sarabjit Kaur and daughter Shakti kept sitting near the body while Manak’s son Yudhvir, who has not been keeping well since long, stayed in his car. He was taken to the graveyard for few minutes where he performed his father’s last rites. A police contingent fired gunshots in the air to pay tributes to the departed soul. Singers Hans Raj Hans, Harbhajan Mann, comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann, Nachhattar Gill, Mohammad Sadique, Sardul Sikandar, Jazzy B, Jaswant Sandila, Jasdev Singh Jasowal, Sarabjeet Cheema, Buta Mohammad and Manak’s nephew Kewal Jalal were present. Local politicians Sikandar Maluka, Gurpreet Kangar, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Balwant Singh Ramoowalia and MP Paramjit Kaur Gulshan also paid tributes to the legendary singer.
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Dinner diplomacy on for SAD ticket
Moga, December 2 Another strong claimant Moga MC president Barjinder Singh Brar, popularly known as Makhan Brar, has also began dinner diplomacy by inviting councillors, other personalities and supporters. Makhan hosted a dinner this evening in which many councillors and local politicians were present to demonstrate their “unity in diversity” within the party. The announcement by Sukhbir Singh Badal to begin the poll campaign from Moga by organising a rally on December 18 has raised the anxiety level among both contenders, who are looking forward to making the most of the opportunity. Gill and Brar are the only main aspirants for SAD ticket from Moga and there seems to be no scope for any dissident activity within the party. Rather, the dinner diplomacy appears to be a show of strength and an effort to sort out differences with supporters. “It helps in planning for a better political approach by inviting suggestions from supporters,” said Makhan Brar, who “demonstrated his strength” by hosting a dinner here today. A similar dinner was hosted by the former DGP on November 26 at his residence
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Panth Rattan for CM
Amritsar, December 2 In his letter to the Jathedar, former SGPC secretary and Shiromani Panthic Council Chairman MS Calcutta said the announcement of the award was in violation of Sikh principles and Panthic traditions and the Jathedar should not bestow the award on the CM as planned. He said the Akal Takht had never given this award to a living person. “Former SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra and Giani Sant Singh Maskin were given this award posthumously.” He said it would be appropriate if this decision was withdrawn. Similarly, Punjab unit chief of SAD (Delhi) Jaswinder Singh Baliyewal also submitted a letter to the Jathedar in which the party alleged that the SAD had forged an alliance with the BJP for personal interests. “This is the same BJP whose leader LK Advani brags in his autobiography that it was their party which influenced the Centre to launch Operation Bluestar in 1984,” they said, urging the Jathedar not to go ahead with this decision. On the other hand, radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa has gone a step ahead and written a letter to CM Badal, urging him to turn down the award. “Realising that the Akal Takht Jathedar can’t be of any help to end the crisis, the Dal Khalsa has decided to take up the matter with you. As you happen to be the leader of the party that nominates the president of the SGPC and appoints Jathedar Akal Takht, you are in a position to bring the community out of crisis by voluntarily refusing to accept the title of Panth Rattan,” said Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh in his letter to the CM.
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Panchayat officers may step up stir
Mohali, December 2 After their meeting with the principal secretary to the Chief Minister on November 30, which did not yield any result, the officers expressed their anguish by wearing black badges. Narinder Singh, president, Rural Development Officers' Association, Punjab, said the administrative department had moved a draft memorandum for the approval of the council of ministers. "But even after a month, it is gathering dust in the finance department and the government has not taken any action to accept our justified demands," he said. The association, in its representation to the cabinet sub-committee, had pointed out that the junior engineers (JEs) working under the Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) were getting higher pay than the BDPO and after 10 years of service, the pay of JEs would be equal to the pay of deputy director, rural development. "The pay of ETT teachers working in BDPO office has been raised almost equal to the pay of BDPO. The qualification of ETT teacher is 10+2 and for the post of JE, it is the diploma and Zila Parishad and Departmental Committee appoint them, respectively. In Comparison to this, the BDPO is Group "A" officer and is appointed by the Punjab Public Service Commission," he said.
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PSEB
associate schools
Mohali, December
2 Even as the PSEB authorities have been writing to the
government in this regard, it failed to evoke any response. While the
first semester of classes X and XII for 2011-12 has already been held
in September, the process is on for the conduct of the second semester
in March. As per the regulations, the inspection is mandatory prior
to the conduct of the exams. The school had been given the
certification on the basis of certain parameters as regulations for
such schools have not been framed by the PSEB so far. Since the
board staff is busy conducting semester exams twice a year and
carrying out inspection of schools applying for affiliation annually,
it does not have requisite manpower to deal with associate
schools. The PSEB had charged Rs 13,200 as the affiliation fee and Rs
5,000 as the continuation fee. The populist decision to give associate
certification to the schools was taken after the government decided to
ban private students, but it had ignored several parameters. Sukhwinder
Kaur Saroya, controller of examination, PSEB, said the government had
been again requested for the inspection. The one-time certification
was granted on a set of conditions agreed to between the PSEB and
representatives of the private schools’ association, she added. Dr
Dalbir Singh Dhillon, chairman, PSEB, was not available for comments.
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PPCB to issue green certificates to schools
Patiala, December 2 Confirming this to The Tribune, PPCB chairman Kahan Singh Pannu said, "One of the major responsibilities of the board is to ensure that all possible steps should be taken for enhancing the green cover in the state and to prevent environmental degradation on account of violation of the pollution control norms." "After having lot of deliberations with board officers, academicians, general public and people from all sections of the society, it was decided to exhort the students community to expedite the process of spreading awareness regarding importance of complying with all the pollution control norms, besides plantation of maximum number of trees to increase the green cover", said Pannu, while adding that all government as well as public schools would be graded by the PPCB for the gold, silver and bronze, after assessing the contribution made by them in spreading the message of environmental protection. Pannu further said that the grading had been introduced with a view to prompt the institutions to take positive steps for environmental upgradation, as a continuous process, for which a detailed performa has been devised. He further said, "At the regional offices, PPCB officers will contact the authorities of the schools falling under their respective jurisdiction and would acquaint them with the concept of green schools. The performa would be given to all the school, which would be having a detailed programme as how to involve the students in the above-mentioned process", he said. Pannu also said that a committee of the board officers at the headquarters level would examine the cases on merit and subsequently recommend the schools for issuing grades based on their performance. "It will be a continuous process and there will be no restriction on the number of schools, aspiring to apply for the Green Schools Certificate", he added.
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Flood-hit border village awaits aid
Fazilka, December 2 Not to speak of any government help, not a single promise made to them has been kept. Compensation for crop damage on about 800 acres has yet to come, even after three months of the flood fury. Senior leaders and bureaucrats had promised the moon to residents of Muhar Jamsher, surrounded by Pakistan on three sides. Its only link to the mainland is through the Sutlej. The Chief Minister had announced Rs 10 crore for a bridge over the Sutlej during his visit to the village on September 27. He had also directed the district administration to install an RO system in the village on a priority basis to mitigate the drinking water problem. “The old pontoon bridge has been relaid by the BSF. No steps have been initiated to construct a concrete bridge over the Sutlej and no compensation for the damaged crops and houses has arrived so far,” said sarpanch Kulwant Singh. The government had also announced to construct 100 toilets for better sanitation, he said. The villagers demanded that the damaged panchayat ghar be repaired and the shed at the cremation ground be reconstructed. They feared that once the poll code came into effect, they would be left high and dry. Fazilka DC Basant Garg said the district administration had received Rs 13 crore as relief money which would be disbursed soon. “As far as Rs 10 crore announced by the Chief Minister during his visit to Muhar Jamsher is concerned, the case is pending with the technical department for clearance,” he said.
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Strike paralyses services in Rajindra Hospital
Patiala, December 2 In absence of Class IV employees, the emergency services were also hit badly and the wards were full of medical waste. Four-hour token strike by junior doctors also made the situation worst. Kahan Singh, a resident of Mandor village, who came to hospital with his wife, said that he had to take his wife to a private hospital, as there was no one to attend patients. "The employees were raising slogans against the government and asked me to go to a private doctor for treatment. Though private doctors charge a lot, but I had no other option," he added. Protesting nurses and employees said that they would not resume work till their demands, including filling up of 300 vacant posts of Class IV employees, making contractual staff nurses and Class IV employees regular, based on three years of service, and appointment of technical staff and initiating proper nursing allowance and promotions, were met. Dr KD Singh, principal, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, expressed his helplessness in this regard. Dr Singh said, "I called a meeting of the protesting employees and requested them to wait till December 6, as there is a meeting of sub-committee on this issue, and they have assured to restore emergency services." As far as acceptance of their demands is concerned, it is not under my jurisdiction and I cannot comment on this," he added. Meanwhile, the junior doctors, who were on token strike today, said that they would also boycott work if their demands were not met during December 6 meeting.
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Bathinda gets 4 more institutes
Ghudda (Bathinda),
December 2 The R&V squadron will provide opportunity to 200 senior division cadets in horsemanship training. The infrastructure consisting of offices, accommodation, stores and stables has been constructed. Besides military training, the cadets will be trained in horsemanship. The CM also inaugurated a naval unit of the NCC at the lake of the thermal project.
Maj-Gen MS Virk, additional director-general of the NCC, and Dr VK
Taneja, vice-chancellor, GADVASU, were present on the occasion. Badal said the sports school had been built for Rs 36
crore. Students selected from various parts of the state would be imparted education and trained in sports. Each student would be provided a daily diet worth Rs 200 and no fee would be charged from them, he said. The CM said the university college had been built for Rs 12 crore to provide higher education to the students of this hinterland. The polytechnic would impart scientific training to 52 students annually. Campaign panel Chandigarh:
Senior Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Chief Minister's media adviser Harcharan Bains were today named chairman and deputy chairman-cum-member secretary of the SAD campaign committee for the forthcoming assembly elections.
— TNS
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Drop Sud as minister, says Capt
Chandigarh, December 2 Referring to a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the charges made against Sud by a senior forest official earlier, the PCC president said Sud should have resigned on moral grounds. The former Chief Minister said even from the BJP’s own standards, Sud did not deserve to be in the state Cabinet. He said only a few months back the BJP had dropped Swarna Ram, Manoranjan Kalia and Master Mohan Lal from the Cabinet following allegations of corruption against them. He said he failed to understand the compulsion behind retaining a minister who was facing serious charges and had cases pending against him in the High Court. “It is strange that only a couple of weeks ago, senior BJP leader LK Advani led a yatra against corruption through Punjab where most of the ministers and leaders of his party are tainted”. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on Wednesday asked the CBI whether it could suo motu probe into the issue following a petition seeking HC directions to the CBI to probe the charges against
Sud.
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Senior Addl AG Bhinder resigns
Bhinder, who hails from Bathinda, was appointed Additional Advocate-General by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal immediately after the formation of the SAD-BJP government in 2007. He had earlier resigned in 2009 to campaign for Harsimrat Kaur Badal for the Lok Sabha elections and was re-appointed as Senior Additional Advocate-General. Bhinder, who remained in the Ludhiana jail with Badal in the early 1980s, is considered close to Manpreet Singh Badal, Sanjha Morcha chief. Confirming the resignation, Bhinder said he had quit due to personal reasons.
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Saving agents hold protest
Patiala, December 2 Following a decrease in the commission, earlier allowed by the central government, perturbed agents have started a weeklong strike. They said that they had staged a dharna in New Delhi last week to press for their demands and would continue with their protests. Society member Pappi Bansal said that reducing of charges would surely affect several agents, who were solely dependent on this commission as their source of livelihood. Harjeet Singh, chairman of the society, said, "We will not keep quiet. We have decided to observe no-deposit week from December 1."
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SDM cremated
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 2 Wreaths were laid by Yashveer Mahajan, DC, on behalf of
the CM, Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon, on behalf of Chief Secretary, Preet Dev Singh Shergill, president, PCS Officer's Association, RS Khatra, SSP, and other officers. —
OC
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Smuggling drugs
Faridkot, December 2 The fake case was registered to settle a financial dispute with the father of the victim youths, the DIG said in the court today. The youths, Sanjeev Kumar, Manoj Kumar and Gaurav Bansal, were allegedly kidnapped when they were on their way to Hanumangarh (Rajasthan) after attending a court case in Bathinda on February 19, 2008. the youths were then allegedly implicated by ASI Sukhpal Singh in a drugs smuggling case. But for many flaws in this case, the then SSP Mansa, MF Farooqui, was asked to conduct an inquiry into the case. On the basis of the inquiry, ASI Sukhpal Singh and property dealer Sahib Ram were booked.
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Witness in Harpreet case quizzed
Patiala, December 2 As the hearing in the case resumed, the CBI counsels asked questions to Chauhan, who was the then in-charge of the SGPC sub-office in Chandigarh. Defence counsel SS Kler had already completed the questioning of Chauhan. Now, the next date of hearing has been fixed for January 16. Apart from Bibi Jagir Kaur, other accused Sanjeev Kumar, Paramjit Singh Raipur, Satya and Harminder Singh were present in the court, whereas Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi and Nishan Singh had taken exemption from personal appearance in the case.
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Cop injured in brawl
Patiala, December 2 According to the police, Ashok Kumar, a clerk with the district police, had gone to Sirhind road to deposit his electricity bill and he was allegedly stopped from parking his vehicle near the Patwari office. "One person, who identified himself as a local patwari, suddenly pounced upon me and stopped me from parking my vehicle there. When I resisted and told him that I was doing nothing wrong, he suddenly started beating me up", he said. Meanwhile, the accused patwari denied the charges and instead blamed Ashok Kumar of beating him up. Tripuri police said that they were investigating the matter and register a case after a probe.
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Amritsar, December 2
Moga, December 2
With a view to involve the students community in spreading awareness for controlling, preventing and abating the environmental pollution, the Punjab Pollution Control Board
(PPCB) has decided to grade schools of the state as gold, silver and bronze on the basis of their efforts taken for protection of the environment.
Patiala, December 2
Ghudda (Bathinda),
December 2
Chandigarh, December 2
Chandigarh, December 2
Chandigarh, December 2
Chandigarh, December 2