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Poll Malpractices
Litmus test for two-time MLA Sandhu
Sukhbir Badal admits to having
major shareholdings in firms
Six IAS officers transferred
Robberies: Panicky petrol dealers write to DGP
Benchmark for medical specialists
Patiala MC’s key projects hang fire
Punjabi varsity teachers demand release of arrears
Institutions to share labs with govt schools
PEDA gets award for energy conservation
Action against convicted police officials
Now, theft at four shops
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Black flags greet Sukhbir in Patiala
Though the protesters were not allowed to reach the Circuit House where Sukhbir was to hold a meeting of Akali leaders regarding the party's preparations for the December 18 Moga rally, they staged a dharna outside Government Rajindra Hospital and later held a march in the city.
It is learnt there was a verbal dual between certain Akali leaders before the start of the meeting. Presiding over the meeting of Akali leaders from six districts, Sukhbir said the Moga rally would be one of the largest ever held. "More than five lakh people from all over the state would attend the Moga rally. Over 250 acres of land has been identified for the venue, out of which 130 acres would be used for parking and over 100 acres for seating arrangements", he told mediapersons. Sukhbir said nodal organisers in each constituency would facilitate the movement of the party cadres. "The SAD has always launched its victory march from Moga and this time too it will begin from there. The rally will mark the beginning of the decimation of the Congress and it will be wiped out in the elections", he claimed. On finalising candidates, Sukhbir said the Political Affairs Committee would meet soon. Talks with the BJP were on to swap a few seats, he said. Meanwhile, chaos prevailed inside the walled city as traffic on several roads was diverted on account of the VIP movement. The traffic cops miserably failed to make proper arrangements to regulate the traffic.
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Moga dist: 36 apply for Cong ticket
A senior party functionary said for the Moga constituency, besides sitting Congress MLA Joginder Pal Jain, former MLA Vijay Sathi, youth leaders Harjot Singh Kamal and Gursharanveer Singh ‘Paggy’, trade union leader advocate Vijay Dhir, local businessman Ramesh Kukku, veteran party leader Pandit Sham Lal, Vijay Kumar Sharma, Ashok Kalia and Inderjit Singh Bir Charik had aplied for the ticket. Jain faces a stiff competition from Sathi and Kamal who are serious contenders for the party ticket. Sathi is close to CWC member Jagmeet Singh Brar while Kamal is banking on the youth quota. Prominent aspirants for the Dharamkot constituency are former minister and president of the Punjab Mahila Congress Dr Malti Thapar, Harpreet Singh Hero, Ravinder Garewal, advocate Vijay Dhir, former district president Dr Tara Singh Sandhu, Daler Singh, former minister Inderjit Singh Zira, Gurinder Singh, Baldev Khosa, Devinder Singh Bhullar and Manjit Singh Mann. Dr Thapar is eying the women’s quota while Zira is close to PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh. From Baghapurana, besides sitting Congress MLA Darshan Singh Brar, among those in the ticket race are Amarjit Singh Brar, Amarnath Bansal, Jasveer Kaur, Gurbachan Singh Brar and Harjit Bhutto. Brar is the strongest aspirant for the seat being the sitting MLA but off late has run into controversies with his son Kamaljit Singh Brar recently booked in two cases of looting, assault and attempt to murder prior to the Youth Congress elections. Amarjit Brar who is backed by Jagmeet Brar is another serious contender. From the Nihal Singh Wala (reserve) constituency, the sitting Independent MLA, Ajit Singh Shant, is on top of the list.
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Poll Malpractices
Chandigarh, December 14 Kusumjit Sidhu, Chief Electoral Officer, said that all District Magistrates had been told to make a detailed assessment (in accordance with the prevalent state laws) of all licensed arms-holders immediately after the announcement of elections.She said it was a must to tighten strictness in day-to-day administration. The CEO said the police had been instructed to compile a list of persons reported to have indulged in electoral offences like booth-capturing, intimidation and impersonation during the past at least two elections and a list thus compiled of each constituency made available to the District Election Officer and the Returning Officer concerned of each parliamentary / assembly constituency to be forwarded to the commission if and when asked for. She said a special drive should be launched to update the lists of history sheeters, declared absconders, fugitive criminals in each police station falling in every constituency and the record of such updated list be handed over to the District Election Officers and RO concerned. The CEO also sought information on unserved warrants. She said a special drive should be launched to unearth factories making illicit liquor and information on seizures be made available to the concerned RO. She said no arms licence was to be issued once the election dates were announced. This ban would continue till the completion of the elections.“While unearthing and seizure of unlicensed weapons is a normal responsibility of the police, it shall be vigorously intensified during the election period,” she said. Inter-state and intra-state movements of trucks and commercial vehicles would be strictly checked with a view to preventing smuggling of arms and ammunition. “Raids should be carried out regularly and intensively for underground arms factories,” she added.
— TNS
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Litmus test for two-time MLA Sandhu
For the two-time Akali MLA, Harmeet Singh Sandhu, the ensuing elections will be a litmus test as he faces a threat not only from his political opponents, the Congress and the PPP, but also from the party’s ally, the BJP. He has had strained ties with the latter all through. In the 2002 assembly elections, Sandhu was elected as an Independent as he was denied the SAD ticket. However, in 2007 he was the party’s choice and he defeated Congress candidate Manjit Singh Ghasitpur. PROMISES AND PROJECTS: At present a number of development works are underway such as construction of roads and pavements in rural areasand laying pf sewerage pipelines and storm water channels in the city. However, Sandhu could not bring any major project to this border constituency while several other major works in the city were initiated by the Rural Development and Panchayat Minister. He claims to have spent Rs 150 crore on various projects in the city and Rs 20 crore-30 crore in the rural areas. Though a number of government schools were upgraded, no new school, college or professional institute, especially in the rural belt has been established in the past five years. The education and health sector has remained ignored. Being a border district, Tarn Taran is badly hit by drug addiction which has assumed alarming proportions. Even during the previous assembly elections, distribution of drugs to woo the voters by various leaders, especially those of the ruling party, was a major issue. Though Sandhu claims to have opened new drug de-addiction centres in the constituency, inhabitants of the area are not impressed. They say these centres are lying defunct due to want of specialists. VOX POPULI : Opposition leaders claim thatmost of the development projects in the area were carried out with Central funds. They allege that Central funds were diverted for even setting up the storm water disposal system. However, Sandhu dubs these charges as “politically motivated”. Several city residents are happy with the work done in the urban areas of the constituency. In contrast, people in the the rural areas are critical about the MLA’s performance and accuse him of ignoring them. They claim that several villages don’t have proper drinking water. “A de-addiction centre was opened in Jhabal during the Congress government time, but have been defunct for a long time now,” said a resident of Jhabal village. LOOKING BACK: Traditionally, this constituency has been the SAD’s pocket borough, with the party winning the seat every time since 1985. In 1985 and 1997 the constituency was represented by Prem Singh Lalpura while in 2002 Harmeet Singh Sandhu won the seat as an Independent ( Akali rebel). In 2007, it was again won by Sandhu but as the SAD candidate, defeating Manjit Singh Ghasitpur of the Congress. HRD BAROMETER: No major initiatives have been taken to end the menace of drug addiction and wean the youth away from drugs. The MLA also has failed to take any major initiative for generating employment avenues for the youth.
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Sukhbir Badal admits to having
major shareholdings in firms
In a reply submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in connection with a PIL filed by Barrister-at-Law Himmat Singh Shergill, Sukhbir added from 2007 to 2009, PTC channel was given advertisements worth about Rs 78 lakh through Punjab Public Relations Department, out of Rs 6.32 crore paid to electronic channels. The assertions assume significance as Shergill has all along been contending that Gur-Baz Media Private Limited is a subsidiary company of Orbit Resorts Private Limited. And, G-Next Media Private Limited is a subsidiary company of Gurbaz Media Private Limited while PTC channels are under the aegis of G-Next Media Private Limited. Elaborating, Shergill had asserted: "It is pertinent to bring to the notice of the court that the Government of Punjab gives advertisements to PTC channel worth huge amounts of money, which is under aegis of G-Next Media Private Limited; and further G-Next Media Private Limited is a subsidiary company of Gur-Baz Media Private Limited, which is further a subsidiary company of Orbit Resorts Pvt. Limited". As the case came up for gearing this morning, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Surya Kant reserved the verdict on a PIL. Farmers’ plea on compensation Acting on a petition alleging loss due to release of excess water to the farmers of villages adjoining Punjab Chief Minister's Parkash Singh Badal's constituency Lambi, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked Ferozepur deputy commissioner and Abohar subdivisional officer to decide the matter within a month of being brought into the loop. The development is significant as the petitioner had contended that the "excessive discharge of water was intentional and done to save the residents of Lambi, which is the Chief Minister's constituency". Taking up the petition filed in public interest by Dharamvir, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Surya Kant asserted: "What were the circumstances in which the release of excess water took place; what is the extent of damage, if any, that has been caused; and what is the loss that has been suffered by each individual concerned are questions of fact that should be decided by the appropriate authority and not by the writ court and that too in exercise of the public interest litigation jurisdiction. The Bench added: "The resolution of such matters on the basis of the affidavit evidence is not always a sound basis for the grant of compensation. We are, therefore, of the view that in the present case, relief to the writ petitioner should be declined at this stage and instead, the deputy commissioner, Ferozepur, and the SDO (civil), Abohar, should be presented a fresh copy of the representation dated September 13, ostensibly submitted on behalf of the villagers. "The same will be decided by the said authorities within a period of four weeks from date of the receipt of such copy. The petitioner, undoubtedly, will be at liberty to approach this court once again in case he continues to feel aggrieved by such orders that may be passed by the deputy commissioner and SDO (civil) concerned". In his petition, Dharamvir had earlier sought directions for the payment of compensation to the farmers for damage caused due to the discharge of excess water from
Lambi.
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Six IAS officers transferred
Chandigarh, December 14 Anurag Agarwal posted as Secretary, Sports and Youth Services, and in addition Chairman-cum-MD, Punjab State Transmission Corporation Ltd. R. Venkat Ratnam posted as Secretary, Elections, and in addition Secretary, Social Security, Development of Women and Child. Raminder Singh posted as Secretary, Local Government, and in addition Secretary, Transport, and Commissioner, Ferozepur Division, and Commissioner Faridkot, and Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs. Ajoy Kumar Sinha posted as Director, Local Government. Parveen Kumar has been posted as Chief Administrator, Jalandhar Development Authority, and in addition Registrar, UID Project, and Special Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, and Chief Administrator, Amritsar Development Authority. Malwinder Singh Jaggi, Additional Commissioner, MC Ludhiana, would also work as Commissioner, MC, Ludhiana.
— TNS
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Robberies: Panicky petrol dealers write to DGP
Ludhiana, December 14 Ashok Sachdeva, general secretary of the association, said it was disturbing that six petrol stations had been targeted between Ludhiana and Phagwara in the past 24 hours and about Rs 2 lakh was robbed. “Such incidents used to take place during the years of militancy. Now again some anti-social elements have started attacking filling stations on the outskirts. If these incidents are not controlled immediately, we will be forced to shut the stations during night hours, which will cause inconvenience to commuters,” he said. In a letter to the state DGP and the Home Secretary, the association president JP Khanna said 34 petrol stations had already been targeted in the last six months. Also, the employees of the outlets were attacked. The employees engaged at the stations were migrant labourers who were performing duty against a threat to their life. “Special permission must be given by the respective District Magistrates to sanction arms licences to petrol dealers who applied. The licenced weapon will boost the morale of the employees and equip them to face attackers,” he added.
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Benchmark for medical specialists
Patiala, December 14 Sources said that the department had fixed the number of patients that should be checked and treated by each doctor throughout the state per month. "The first benchmark is for the OPD that every doctor needs to see a particular number of patients. Then there is a benchmark for procedures and diagnosis, which includes a particular number of patients to be treated for minor surgeries and diagnosis of a particular disease in a month. Though the benchmark for every disease differs but still the doctors have to meet the certain fixed target every month. Also, there are fixed number of patients that have to be admitted to health centres and surgeries to be carried out by the doctors." Talking to The Tribune, one of the doctors argued that one could still justify fixing the number of patients to be seen in the OPD, but fixing the number of admissions, surgeries and procedures was totally unjustified. "In case the doctors fail to meet the targets, our ACPs are withheld. This not only forces us to work under pressure, but also promotes corporate style management rather than the social service. In order to meet the target, sometimes we admit patients with minor illness or start unnecessary medication to the patients. Also, it's a waste of department's resources," he added. Criticising the policy, Dr OPS Kanda, former president of the IMA (Punjab), and member of the Punjab Medical Council, said that it was highly unethical on the part of the government to set such benchmarks. "This is absolutely wrong procedure to follow. When you fix targets, there are 100 per cent chances of cooking figures. How is it possible for the doctors to achieve a set target, as the decision of getting the surgeries done or getting admitted in hospital is in the hand of patients alone? In case the doctor does not meet the target, he would always work under stress, which might lead to medical negligence in other cases. Lack of quality in providing health services is a crime and fixing benchmarks is forcing doctors to compromise on quality services," added Dr Kanda. When contacted, Patiala Civil Surgeon Varinder Singh Mohi said fixing accountability helped in improving the functioning of the department. If the department would not set accountability, there were many doctors who would not work. The government had considered all the factors before fixing benchmarks, including the geographical considerations and seasonal variations, so there was no question of being under pressure. "The benchmarks act as indicator of their performance and help in pulling up non-performing doctors. We observe their performance and then based on that we issue warning or initiate suitable action.
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Patiala MC’s key projects hang fire
Patiala, December 12 Notwithstanding the fact that authorities of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had written one-dozen letters to the Patiala civic authorities for setting up of the solid waste management plant, but the municipal body has failed to initiate work of the project. Presently, 240-MT waste per day is being generated in Patiala only and dumped at an open dumping ground on Sanaur Road from the past five decades. From the past four years, the civic functionaries had been claiming that the waste management plant would be set up, but nothing concrete has been done. Another non-starter project is shifting of all the dairies from the city to outskirts of the Patiala district. Because of the dairies, operating from the residential areas, the problem of choking of sewerage, due to animal dung being thrown by the dairy owners in the sewerage, has aggravated a lot. "Every second day, our sewerage system gets choked just because of the cow dung being thrown by the dairy owners", rued Satnam Kaur, a resident of Ragho Majra. There are many other residential areas of Patiala from where the dairies are operating. The project pertaining to the setting up of the canal-based water treatment plant has also failed to see the light of day. The project was conceived in view of the fact that underground water level in the district was witnessing constant decline and civic body had to spend huge amount of funds for installation of new tubewells. "It is beyond understanding as why the SAD-BJP house in the MC has failed to provide any new project to the people of Patiala in four years. The situation on ground clearly reflects that being the stronghold of the Congress, the SAD-BJP regime deliberately ignored Patiala as far as developmental issues are concerned", said former Patiala Mayor Vishnu Sharma. Defending himself, Patiala Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said that the civic body had finalised the site at village Dhudhar, some 22-km away from Patiala, where the solid waster management plant would be set up and work on the project would be started soon. "The project to shift the dairies could not materialise because of the scarcity of requisite funds. But now, we have the funds and this project would also be started soon", he said, while claiming that the civic body had recently submitted the detailed project report about the canal-based water treatment plant to the state government.
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Punjabi varsity teachers demand release of arrears
Patiala, December 14 Giving information, Jaswinder Singh Brar, Convener, Democratic Teachers' Front, said that the VC gave a positive response regarding holding of the PUTA elections as well. "Since PUTA is a statutory body of the university teachers and by not holding the elections to this body is, in fact, a deep violation of the university calendar as well as the democratic rights of the teachers," Brar said.
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Institutions to share labs with govt schools
Mohali, December 14 An MoU was signed between Education, Technical Education and Punjab Un-aided Technical Institutions Association (PUTIA) in presence of Punjab Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan at the Punjab School Education Board here. Sekhwan said under this project, 98 technical institutions would play an important role in providing quality science education from Classes 9th to 12th in 672 government senior secondary schools falling in their neighborhood. He said these institutions would contribute in providing required infrastructure, sharing of their well equipped laboratories, besides arranging better qualified faculty to prepare school students for future competitions. He said the students belonging to rural and border areas generally did not have career awareness and as such talented students often failed in excelling academically. Similarly, on the other hand these institutions despite having high quality infrastructure could not get required number of students from the state and they had to make efforts for bringing students from other states. With this initiative, the dual purpose of quality science education in government schools and availability of talented students for these technical institutions would be met, he added.—OC
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PEDA gets award for energy conservation
Chandigarh, December 14 Viswajeet Khanna, Principal Secretary, Science, Technology, Environment and NCES, today received this award from Union Minister of Power Sushil Kumar Shinde during the National Energy Conservation Day celebrations in New Delhi. TPS Sidhu, Chief Executive, PEDA, said that PEDA had initiated various energy efficiency demonstration projects in the municipal street lightings, government buildings and industry to promote energy efficiency in the State. "LED streetlights and home lights have also been promoted to get maximum energy efficiency in lighting sector," he said.
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Action against convicted police officials
Chandigarh, December 14 The verbal assertion came in reaction to the persistent demand by state's senior Additional Advocate-General Rupinder Khosla for the grant of additional time till mid-February next year for initiating action against convicted police officials. Speaking for the Bench, Justice MM Kumar orally observed in the open court: "We know why you are asking for additional time…. The elections in the state have been (tentatively) announced". Mincing no words, the Bench warned: "You are an officer of the court…. Don't play games with the court". Khosla had initially sought an additional time of three months from the court for taking action against the convicted police officials. Declining the request, the Bench observed that three years had already passed; and the matter did not require more than a month as the particulars of all convicted police officials were already on the record. The Bench also gave the state government last opportunity to take action against the convicted police officials by January 31 next; and directed the listing of the matter the next day. It was then Khosla
persistently asked the court to give 15 days more to the State, resulting in the
backlash of sorts by the Bench of Justice Kumar and Justice Rajiv Narain Raina. The State also informed the Bench that the services of four convicted DSPs During the post-lunch session, the law officer produced an order passed by the government today itself, placing under suspension the services of the four DSPs, Bhupinder Singh Khatra, Parminder Singh, Arinderbir Singh, and Sukhdev Singh Chheena. The High Court then directed that the PPSC through its secretary be made a party and directed it to take a decision within two weeks of receiving the communication.
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Now, theft at four shops
Phagwara, December 14 Ashish of Satguru Medicos, claimed that the burglars took away Rs 47,000, besides valuables worth Rs 5,000. Sumit of Handa Provision Store said mobile pre-paid cards worth Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 were stolen. Vinay of Bajaj Communications claimed that the burglars took away one computer, one LCD and mobile phones, besides Rs 5,000. Jagmohan of Jyoti Confectioners said Rs 10,000 had been stolen. Phagwara DSP Sandeep Sharma said the police had registered separate cases. Meanwhile, no headway could be made in the looting of six petrol stations by a gang of armed robbers late Monday night. However, the police has claimed that the investigation is on and the accused will be nabbed soon.
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Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was greeted with black flags by protesting Patiala pharmacists, demanding revision of pay scales and promotions this afternoon.
Patiala, December 12
Patiala, December 14
On a call given by the Punjab State Pharmacists Associations, the pharmacists gathered in the morning and staged a massive demonstration. With black strips on their mouths, the protesters, men and women, carried placards and black flags, demanding strict implementation of the Pharmacy Act. They raised anti-government slogans to express their anger against the Deputy CM. District convener of the association Harinder Singh Chahal said the pharmacists in the district were on casual leave en masse (December 12 to 17). “If the government does not accept our demands, including revision of pay grades, change of designation to pharmacy officers and a separate directorate of pharmacy, we will intensify our agitation. The Punjab Government is acting in an autocratic manner but we will not succumb to pressure," he said.
Moga, December 14
The Tarn Taran constituency, once a hotbed of militancy, is a traditional seat of the Akalis where no other party has scored a victory since 1985. The only exception was in 1992 when the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) boycotted the elections and the Congress candidate was elected unopposed.
Chandigarh, December 14
Chandigarh: PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab. He said Punjab roads were no longer safe and people were scared to move out, particularly during late hours as criminals were having a field day, looting and robbing anybody at their own discretion. Quoting newspapers reports, he said about 30 incidents of serious crimes were reported during the past 48 hours across the state which included a series of thefts, robberies and murders. These were only those which had been reported and registered by the police as there were several other incidents where police either failed to or preferred not to take any cognisance, he claimed.
— TNS