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High priests skip Big B issue again
Research takes back seat at PAU
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Mafia eyes canal land near border
Proposed water policy anti-state: Farm experts
CEO wants 44 engineers for counting
‘Fortuner
gang’ case
Central funds to boost health sector
Technology to stimulate bone healing discussed
Farmers to hold protest in Delhi
417 students get degrees
HC rap for Beas legislator
20 years on, notification on tax quashed
NGO moves court against drugs in jails
Human
Trafficking Case
Harpreet murder case adjourned
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High priests skip Big B issue again
Amritsar, February 25 However, the All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) handed over “evidence” against Bachchan to the Sikh clergy. AISSF chief Karnail Singh Peermohammed said the “evidence”, including an affidavit and a CD, had been sent to them by California-based Manjit Singh Saini. He claims himself to be an “eyewitness” to the alleged incident in which Bachchan, also known as Big B, was reportedly instigating the crowd against the Sikhs outside the AIIMS in New Delhi on October 31, 1984, the day the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Then, Saini used to live at Kalu Sarai in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, along with his parents and siblings. Peermohammed claimed Saini had sent them the “evidence” in a sealed envelope, which they submitted to the Sikh clergy as it is. In his affidavit, Saini explained the entire sequence of events as he claimed to have witnessed on and after October 31, 1984. Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said they had received some documents from Peermohammed and Bibi Jagdish Kaur, a key witness in Sajjan Kumar case, pertaining to the Bachchan issue and they would look into the matter during their next meeting. Meanwhile, the Sikh clergy pronounced “tankhah” (punishment for religious misconduct) against Prof Sarabjit Singh Dhunda for his objectionable remarks regarding the recitation of "Gurbani" at the Golden Temple. The “tankhah” was pronounced after Dhunda appeared before the clergy to clarify his stand on the controversy. He had also tendered a written apology. The situation was tense when Prof Dhunda arrived at the meeting venue as a large number of Sikh Students Federation (Mehta) activists were present outside. Had he not apologised before the Sikh clergy, the situation could have taken an ugly turn. There was heavy presence of the SGPC task force, besides cops in civvies, to deal with any untoward situation. In another move, the Sikh high priests have instructed all gurdwara committees to ensure that only baptised Sikhs should be engaged as “raagis” and “paathis”. The Sikh clergy has also recommended to the SGPC to felicitate marathon man Fauja Singh and Sikh intellectual Saroop Singh Alag. Earlier, the high priests released the amended Nanakshahi (New Year) calendar.
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Research takes back seat at PAU
Ludhiana, February 25 The cold shoulder can be gauged from the fact that not even 10 per cent of the grants received by the Punjab Agricultural University are used for research. The lion's share goes as employees' salaries. In 2011, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) received a grant of Rs 115 crore from the state government. Of this, just Rs 10 crore was made available for research despite the demand being much higher. Officials say projects pertaining to issues like depleting water table, stable burning and other local matters concerning Punjab have to be funded by the state government. Grants are also received from the Union Government, but they can only be used for projects initiated by various central bodies or schemes, including those initiated under the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, National Agriculture Implementation Project and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, they say. PAU Director (Research) SS Gosal says, "Not much is being spent on research by the state. In such circumstances, meeting the demand for the Food Security Bill, which will require 9 million tonnes extra foodgrain, may become tough." However, Punjab Director (Agriculture) Mangal Singh Sandhu claims, "The university has a sufficient budget for everything and there is no dearth of funds. Grants are given from time to time." The PAU requires a monthly grant of Rs 11.50 crore to pay the salaries to its teaching and non-teaching staff. However, it has only been receiving Rs 7.30 crore from the state government. For the rest, the university has to beg the state for additional grants. Besides, funds are also required to be paid as pension to the PAU's former employees. Due to the paucity of funds, no fresh regular appointments are being made, which is again a matter of concern for the PAU authorities. Of the 1,405 sanctioned posts of teaching staff, 547 are vacant. In the non-teaching section, 1,386 of the sanctioned 4,462 posts lie unfilled.
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NCTC: Amarinder hits out at SAD, BJP
Chandigarh, February 25 Amarinder said the ruling coalition was not authorised to take policy decisions as it was only a caretaker government. He said fighting terrorism was a collective responsibility of both the Centre as well as the states. “If the Congress wins, we will review the SAD-BJP alliance decision while keeping in view the national interests and the challenges posed by terrorism. The decision should be taken by an elected and not a caretaker government,” he said. The PPCC chief said such a decision should have been left to the next government. Amarinder criticised the SAD-BJP leadership, particularly CM Parkash Singh Badal, for "blindly toeing" the BJP line on the issue.
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Mafia eyes canal land near border
Faridkot, February 25 While Punjab parted with over two lakh acres of agricultural land for the Rajasthan Feeder Canal, the ownership rights continue to be with the farmers. Taking advantage of the anomaly, property dealers have been targeting gullible customers. While the illegalities were exposed in a few cases, the accused were let off the hook in most others, especially where beneficiaries were known to politicians. As a result, thousands of acres of Rajasthan Government land in this part of the state continues to be under illegal possession. Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat recently raised the matter with the Revenue and Canal departments. He has sought transfer of ownership rights so that illegal land deals could be put to an end. Starting from Harike Barrage, the confluence of Sutlej and Beas, in Ferozepur district, the Rajasthan Feeder Canal's construction started in the 1960s. Traversing through Ferozepur, Faridkot and Muktsar districts, the first 167-km stretch of the canal lies in Punjab. The land was acquired, but the entire portion could not be used for the canal. In the absence of mutation (transfer of ownership) deeds, the area from Harike Barrage to Lohgarh gradually became a hotbed of fraudulent deals. "There are ample chances of land deal frauds taking place on this 167-km stretch. The need of the hour is to make proper entries in revenue record," said Bhagat. Besides shady deals, there have been cases of misuse of power by Canal Department officials who allotted big chunks of the land to those connected to politicians, marriage palace owners or private colonisers. One such allotment was cancelled by a local court last year.
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Proposed water policy anti-state: Farm experts
Once implemented, the policy
will make it tough for the farmers to get tube wells installed, say experts in the field of agriculture Punjab farmers, they
say, would be the most affected as 70 per cent of them depend on tube wells for irrigation
Chandigarh, February 25 The Union Government had sought comments on the draft from those concerned by the month-end. Speaking at a debate organised by the Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) and the Internationalist Democratic Party to discuss the issue, former Chief Engineer GS Dhillon alleged that by means of the proposed policy, the Centre, among other things, wanted to ration the use of groundwater. So much so that the policy would make it tough for the farmers to even get tube wells installed, especially in a state like Punjab where 70 per cent of the farmers used the medium for irrigation, said Dhillon. Another expert, Pritam Singh Kumedan, alleged that the Centre had earlier as well given Punjab’s river water to other states. “The new proposed policy will further erode Punjab's claim over river waters. In the absence of river water, Punjab has to depend on ground water for irrigation, which too is depleting fast due to overexploitation.” Social activist Hamir Singh claimed the water policy was a step against the federal spirit of the country. BKU leader Pishaura Singh Sidhupur said his organisation would start an indefinite strike in Delhi next month against the proposed policy.
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Prepare for LS polls: Manpreet to party men
Jalandhar, February 25 Addressing PPP party candidates from Doaba here today, Manpreet advised them to forget the poll results immediately after March 6 and start working for the parliamentary elections. Manpreet said there was no possibility of the SAD-BJP combine coming to power in Punjab. The party would take consent of the public if it got a chance of supporting a party at the time of formation of the next government, he added. The PPP chief alleged that both the SAD and the Congress had spent crores for “buying” votes. He said the sole objective of the two parties was to gain power for making money by all possible means.
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CEO wants 44 engineers for counting
Moga, February 25 In a letter to the Electronic Corporation of India Limited in Hyderabad, she also sought display units and other tools for the exercise. The CEO asked Syed Shakeel Uddin, senior manager (marketing) at the corporation, to tell the engineers to report to Punjab district magistrates-cum-district electoral officers on March 5 so that arrangements could be made for the counting process. The demand of five engineers has been made for Ludhiana district, followed by four for Amritsar. Three engineers each have been sought for Patiala, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur and two each for Sangrur, Bathinda, Muktsar, Mohali, Moga, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran and Fazilka districts. One engineer each has been demanded for the remaining districts.
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Spoilers may hold the key
Chandigarh, February 25 There are 52 assembly segments, of the 117 that went to polls on January 30, that may have seen a significant dent in the vote bank of the Congress and the SAD-BJP alliance. These spoilers include both the rebel candidates from either parties and the formidable ones from the Sanjha Morcha. It is expected that the votes polled in favour of the "spoilers" could alter the calculation of major players. With nearly two dozen or more seats expected to throw up victory margins of less than 2,000 votes, a slight swing in voting would lead to different results from the conventional line of thinking. A major factor that needs to be taken into account is that there are 60 segments that have been altered post-delimitation. Even as the battle of ballot in Malwa region (with 68 seats) could be the deciding factor, there are indications that the SAD-BJP alliance could fare well and defend its position in the region as opposed to its performance in the Doaba and Majha regions that the coalition had swept in the 2007 polls. The position of the SAD-BJP alliance is predicted to suffer a major dent in Doaba (with 25 seats) and Majha (with 24 seats). After adjusting the polling percentage of the 2009 parliamentary polls, based on the delimitation exercise, the SAD position improved from 19 to 32 in the Malwa region. But it is difficult to say if the alliance would be able to retain such major gains this time round. Both the Congress and the SAD-BJP alliance have been making tall claims, but in the absence of any exit polls, uncertainty about the outcome is paramount among the candidates and other leaders. One major shift that has been seen in these elections is the social engineering model adopted by all political parties. Of the 94 candidates fielded by the SAD, 11 were Hindus. The BJP, on the other hand, fielded three Sikhs and five Scheduled Caste candidates. Every party had to field a substantial number of Dalits on account of 34 reserved seats. Punjab has 29 per cent Dalit population, the highest in the country. Twenty-five per cent of the 1,131 MLAs in the state from 1967 to 2007 have been Dalits. The results of the 2009 parliamentary elections could give an indication, but that too cannot be called very reliable as the voting trend saw a major change. In the 2009 elections, Dr Manmohan Singh was the Congress's star campaigner. But this time round, the Gandhi family replaced him. Sonia and Rahul both endorsed Capt Amarinder Singh as the party’s chief ministerial candidate. After the interpolation of the 2009 parliamentary elections, the results would be something like this if the current elections were held then: In Doaba, the Congress would have got 18 seats, BJP two and SAD three. In Majha, Congress 11, BJP nil and SAD 14. In Malwa, Congress 36, BJP one and SAD 32, giving the Congress a total of 65 seats, BJP three and the SAD 49. But if the impact of delimitation is considered, the results could largely be in the hands of the spoilers that include the independents and candidates of the Sanjha
Morcha.
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Education through technology a non-starter
Muktsar, February 25 As many as 100 government middle, high and secondary schools were covered under this scheme in Muktsar district, but hardly any school is using these gadgets. With the current academic session coming to an end, the project proved a mere wastage of government funds as in almost all schools these gadgets are lying dumped in storerooms. After visiting a number of government schools, TNS found that principals were not happy over the apathetic attitude of the authorities as after sending them the devices, they forgot to send CDs/DVDs. "About four months ago, the department sent us a flat screen colour television and a DVD player. But, we are still awaiting a CD or a DVD containing education material," said, teachers of Government Senior Secondary School, Doda. They said, "We have packed the television set in its box so that it does not gather dust while the DVD player has been kept in an almirah". Similarly, a teacher of Government Senior Secondary School, Bhullar, said, "On official instructions, we had placed the television and DVD player in the Edusat room of the school about two months ago. But, so far we have not used these”. He said it made no sense to provide these devices without any education material. Meanwhile, Devinder Kumar, officiating District Education Officer (DEO) Muktsar, said, "I am not aware of the status of television sets and DVD players provided to the schools". However, Gurmukh Singh, district incharge, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, said nearly 100 schools were provided with televisions and DVD players in Muktsar district four months ago. "At that time, all the schools were also provided with two DVDs containing exercises in English and Science. May be the school authorities placed the televisions in storerooms to protect these from naughty students," added Gurmukh Singh. He, however, assured that he would look into the matter.
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‘Fortuner
gang’ case
Patiala/Ludhiana, February 25 These policemen, accused of harbouring the accused arrested on the charges of robberies and snatching vehicles at gunpoint, were summoned by police officials in Fatehgarh Sahib, but they failed to respond. Following this act of defiance of verbal orders, the investigating agency has decided to write to the respective district SSPs and the Commissioner of Police. Sources confirmed that an inspector from Ludhiana, another from Amritsar, two assistant sub-inspectors and three head constables were summoned to join investigations to corroborate the claims that came up during the questioning of the all-sportsmen “Fortuner gang” members, who are at present in custody of the Sirhind Crime Investigating Agency (CIA). The Fatehgarh Sahib police has written to the Ludhiana commissioner to look into the role of its inspector and a head constable in "providing escort" to the robbers who were being chased by a police team after a car snatching incident. The accused cops had allegedly arranged for a safe passage for the gang members who later stayed in Agra for some time. The sources confirmed that the role of a Ludhiana policeman, who had earlier faced a departmental inquiry for gifting case property luxury vehicles to his beloved, is also under the scanner. "His role is not clear as calls were made from PCO booths, but he will be summoned soon to clear his stance", they added. The accused have told the police that only their kingpin Jatinder knew the Ludhiana-based inspector who had taken Rs 12 lakh from them after a robbery at a unit of Kitty Bread on December 12. The police is also working on the theory that the inspector might be an imaginary figure created by Jatinder to dupe his accomplices. Meanwhile, the police has identified the then Amritsar CIA in-charge who instead of laying a trap to bust the gang allegedly accepted bribe from the accused after recovering a Honda Civic car robbed by them from Ludhiana. MF Farooqui, DIG, Ludhiana Range, has already stated that all guilty would be brought to book. "We will now officially summon them through written orders, besides writing to their seniors," he told
TNS.
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Central funds to boost health sector
Bathinda, February 25 Under the DIF, the Central government would provide Rs 1 crore to Bathinda over a period of five years (2010-15), in five instalments of Rs 20 lakh each. Bathinda district has already received the first instalment, which is being utilised to strengthen the data keeping system. "Under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, it has become mandatory to keep all kind of records that could be assessed on time. We are utilising the first instalment towards digitisation of the entire essential data. The basic aim is to manage the data scientifically, making it useful for the common man. This would enable us to respond to RTI queries in lesser time and more efficiently," said Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav, who is the chairperson of the district level authority meant for execution of these funds. The district level authority is also studying the possibility of infusing new lease of life into the projects in health sector that have come to a halt owing to lack of funds. "We have studied the civil hospitals and dispensaries where inflow of funds could work wonders.
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Technology to stimulate bone healing discussed
Patiala, February 25 Dr Dhillon spoke on various modifications in the technique that have been done in the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) collection at the PGI, Chandigarh and said that the PGI has just finished the first prospective trial on the role of PRP in early knee arthritis. Addressing the delegates, Dr Dhillon said an international team had been invited by him from the UK for this congress and after interacting with them he was enthusiastic about the possibilities of future institute-level interactions between the UK-based group and north zone doctors so that there is transfer of know-how and technology to improve healing potential in injuries, especially in Indian sportsmen. The PRP therapy has been made famous by its use by golfer Tiger Woods in his knee last year, and many sportspersons are using this emerging technology to heal overuse and traumatic injuries. The PGI has four research projects ongoing, which are focused on different aspects of the same regenerative technology, but for different areas of the body. A detailed presentation was presented by Prof David Marsh of the UK, who spoke on how stem cells taken from patients' own body could be either cultured outside the body or concentrated by machines and then injected into areas where there was injury or if healing was delayed. Dr Marsh is part of the PACINO study, involving multiple surgeons who are using the latest stem cell and regenerative technology at various centers in the UK. Dr Marsh is a renowned clinician with extensive work on osteoporosis and fractures. Hyun On, MD Regen Global, and Dr Ajay, consultant surgeon from London, also took part in the deliberations. On informed that the cost of stem cell and PRP application was much less than expected.
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Farmers to hold protest in Delhi
Chandigarh, February 25 Their demands include waiver of the institutional and non-institutional debt of farmers and rural workers, hike in the daily wages under NREGA to Rs 250 a day and long-term loans at simple interest rate of 3% per annum through government and cooperative
banks. — TNS
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Patiala, February 25 He cautioned the students against wasting their precious time. He motivated them to inculcate the habit of reading which will make them attain
success.— TNS
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HC rap for Beas legislator
Chandigarh, February 25 Eighteen years after alleged militant Nishan Singh of Amritsar district was killed, World Human Rights Council through chairman Ranjan Lakhanpal had filed the case for an independent probe into his alleged murder. The plea was filed about a month after Punjab MLA Kang allegedly claimed killing Nishan Singh during an interview on a television channel. In its petition against the State of Punjab, the Director General of Police, Amritsar Senior Superintendent of Police, the MLA and two others, said Kang claimed on a TV channel that he killed Nishan Singh during the days of militancy and his family was awarded "Shaurya Chakra". After his statement led to hue and cry, Kang retracted and claimed that his father had killed Nishan Singh. "Kang stated so as his father is no more; and as such no action could have been taken against him", Lakhanpal said. He added: "Nishan Singh went missing during the days of terrorism and it was only during the proceedings of Khera commission that it came to be known that he had been killed on September 21, 1992. Lakhanpal said the FIR in the matter gave out a totally different story. "The fact remains that one person was extra-judicially killed and no action was taken in the matter by the police. All this clearly shows that there was a lot of hanky panky going on at that point of time".
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20 years on, notification on tax quashed
Chandigarh, February 25 Allowing a petition filed by Birla Tyres, the Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal ruled: "The notification cannot be held to be valid and is hereby quashed. The respondents, State of Punjab and others, cannot be held entitled to charge sales tax at 12 paise in a rupee on motor tyres and tubes and at 8 paise in a rupee on tractor tyres and tubes from April 1, 1992 to August 20, 1992". Prior to November 9, 1990, the rate of sales tax on motor tyres/tubes was 12 paise in a rupee and 8 paise in a rupee on tractor tyres and tubes. With effect from November 9, 1990, the Punjab government amended the notification dated December 2, 1982, and introduced a clause providing rate of tax on motor tyres and tubes at nine paise in a rupee till March 31, 1992. The Bench asserted: "The respondents vide notification dated November 9, 1990, had amended the notification dated December 2, 1982, reducing the rate from 12 paise to 9 paise in a rupee on motor tyres and tubes up to March 31, 1992, and vide notification dated December 28, 1990, the rate of sales tax on tractor tyres and tubes was reduced from 8 per cent to 6 per cent up to March 31, 1992, which was later on continued up to March 31, 1994, vide notification dated August 20, 1992. "But, vide notification dated December 1, 1992, the rate of 9 paise in a rupee on motor tyres and tubes and 6 paise in a rupee on tractor tyres and tubes has been made effective from August 20, 1992, instead of April 1, 1992, without giving any reasonable ground for adopting such date…." "In view of the above, the writ petitions are allowed. It is held that the petitioners shall be liable to pay sales tax for the period from 1.4.1992 to 20.8.1992 in accordance with the notification dated August 20, 1992, and the assessing authority shall determine the liability, if any, accordingly".
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NGO moves court against drugs in jails
Chandigarh, February 25 In its petition, Lawyers for Human Rights International, through its president Tejinder Singh Sudan, have asked for a direction to the State of Punjab "to formulate an action plan jointly by police department, prison department, health department and NGOs working in the field of containing drug menace. Describing the jails as "safe haven for narcotic traders and consumers", counsel Navkiran Singh said: The present DGP (Jails) Shashi Kant has faced many impediments in his way, while trying to make his campaign to make jails drug free. "Even he has disclosed he has been facing threats from the drug mafia and only recent news about withdrawal of part of his security cover also shows that the office of the DGP, Punjab Police, is not too happy with the campaign having started by Shashi Kant."
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Human
Trafficking Case
Patiala, February 25 As the hearing in the human trafficking case started today, the counsel for the complainant prayed that Shamsher, who is accused in the case, has again failed to turn up in the court. Brijinder Singh Sodhi, counsel for Daler Mehndi, said, "The documents pertaining to the matter, which are with the Patiala police, and personal appearance of Shamsher are of vital importance for the case trial. The court has ordered that on next date of hearing Shamsher has to be present in the court.” The Patiala police had registered a case under various sections of the IPC and the Indian Passport Act on September 19, 2003 at the Sadar Police Station here on the complaint of Bakhshish Singh of Balbehra village. Bakhshish, along with many other complainants, had accused Daler Mehndi and his brother Shamsher Mehndi of allegedly taking money and promised their inclusion in thier troupe during foreign trips.
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Harpreet murder case adjourned
Patiala, February 25 As the hearing in the case resumed today, defence counsel SS Kler said the cell numbers of the accused, as claimed by the CBI, belong to some other persons. Kler said, "The prosecuting agency has given a cell number claiming it to be Jagir Kaur's number during the days when Harpreet was allegedly murdered. However, as per the records that number was with Kirpal Singh, office in-charge of the SGPC in Chandigarh. Likewise, the claims of the CBI about the cell number of one of the accused in the case of Nishan, the number was with some Satpal Gosain. The CBI has no evidence to contradict our facts." During court proceedings, main accused in the case Bibi Jagir Kaur and co-accused Paramjit Singh Raipur, Harminder Singh and Sanjeev Kumar were present. Two other accused Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi and Nishan had got exemption from personal appearance.
— TNS
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