|
|
|
|
|
CAG finds state’s healthcare ailing
DEFERMENT OF HANGING
Jathedar : Check communal forces
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Acquisition policy lands govt in Rs 43-crore loss
Capt Amarinder must go, says Ferozepur MLA
MC polls will be held before time, says Chunni Lal
Choice postings for teachers with a rider: Maluka
A first: Assembly opening session saw no walkout
Punjabis against capital punishment: Wadala
Bathinda refinery to start in April
Jewellers to continue stir against excise duty
PSEB panel to look into bar code discrepancies
Demolition of house takes political hue
3 heroin smugglers shot
KAC chief arrested
|
CAG finds state’s healthcare ailing
Chandigarh, March 29 In its audit report (civil) for the year ending March 2011, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said 36 per cent posts of medical professionals lies unfilled. Also, the report said despite announcements by the government, hospital buildings had failed to come up at Fatehgarh Sahib and Nangal. A super-specialty hospital was announced by former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in December 2004 at Peerjain in Fatehgarh Sahib. However, it was yet to be completed. The CAG noted that Amarinder proposed the setting up of a hospital in Nangal at a public meeting, following which the construction work was entrusted to the Health Systems Corporation. It said a tender of Rs 5.48 crore was awarded, but only Rs 1 crore was released, which led to the stoppage of work on the project in September 2007. It said the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) was directed to hire a consultant to assess the feasibility of the project on public private partnership mode. It said the consultant declared the project non-feasible in May 2005. Thereafter, an alternative proposal was put up in May 2005 to construct a secondary level mother and child specialty hospital. The report noted that Rs 2.50 crore was released for the project in November 2006 even though the total cost was pegged at Rs 6.78 crore. As no more money was released, the project lies incomplete. It held that neither seats for graduates and postgraduate courses were adequate nor were the super-specialty courses that were on offer. The report said despite being premier tertiary care hospitals of the state, no trauma care centre existed in any of the medical colleges in Patiala, Amritsar or Faridkot. It said due to this, trauma patients had to seek medical treatment at distant places. The CAG report also noted that equipment costing Rs 3.92 crore required for specialised health care was lying unutilised for want of required infrastructure, accessories and qualified staff. This included an X-ray machine, pneumatic drill, ICU ventilator and two anesthesia machines supplied to the civil hospital at Pathankot and one ICU ventilator to the trauma centre at Amritsar. These machines remained idle from a period ranging from 12 to 25 months (June 2011) for want of skilled staff to operate them. It said other shortcomings included inability to acquire a mammography unit at Patiala for the last 11 years while the cobalt therapy unit at Amritsar could not be utilised despite installation. In need of treatment n
Hospital buildings at Fatehgarh Sahib and Nangal failed to come up despite an announcement by the govt n
There is need for more seats in graduate and postgraduate medical courses; more super-specialty courses need to be introduced n
Equipment costing Rs 3.92 crore required for specialised health care lying unused for want of skilled professionals n
No trauma care centre existed in any of the medical colleges in Patiala, Amritsar or Faridkot n
The government has failed to acquire a mammography unit for Patiala hospital for the last 11 years
|
|
DEFERMENT OF HANGING
New Delhi, March 29 Rajoana, convicted for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, was scheduled to be hanged to death on March 31. The MHA clarified its position on the mercy petition, saying “the mercy petition will be examined in accordance with law and instructions … However, it may not be construed that MHA has expressed any opinion on the merits of the mercy petition”. The MHA said: “As per the guidelines/instructions in force, if a mercy petition is submitted on behalf of the sentenced prisoner, the execution of the sentence shall be postponed pending receipt of orders on the petition”. In a carefully worded statement, it said the final decision was that of the President. Meanwhile, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has shot off a protest letter to Union Home Minister P Chidamabaram, saying the ministry had wrongly given credit to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee even though the DSGMC was the first to petition the President on clemency for Rajoana. It has demanded that a ‘rectified’ order be issued to acknowledge the efforts of the DSGMC in this regard. The MHA made a minor amendment today, saying “the President’s Secretariat forwarded a memorandum by the SGPC and the DSGMC for commuting the death sentence .”
|
||
|
Jathedar : Check communal forces
Amritsar, March 29 Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC chief, asked the Shiv Sena not to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state. He said the March 28 bandh was not against any community. “Therefore, it is imperative for the Shiv Sainiks to exercise restraint and maintain calm.” He urged the CM to order a probe into the events leading to the death of a youth in police firing in Gurdaspur. Coming down heavily on the SAD-BJP government for “not disciplining the police force”, Dal Khalsa leaders HS Dhami and Kanwarpal Singh claimed that the police firing in Gurdaspur was “unprovoked”. — TNS
SC slams Punjab Government
New Delhi: A Supreme Court Bench on Thursday regretted the recent developments in Punjab after a Chandigarh trial court ordered that Balwant Singh Rajoana be hanged on March 31. Without naming Punjab or Rajoana, the Bench noted that a person convicted for killing a Chief Minister and committing terror was getting support from political parties. Parties had received support from such persons and how could they leave him now, the judges noted. — TNS
|
||
|
Acquisition policy lands govt in Rs 43-crore loss
Chandigarh, March 29 Pointing out the anomaly in the land acquisition proceedings in 2010 and 2011 by the Land Acquisition Collector, the Comptroller and Auditor General, in its annual audit report, pointed out that no responsibility had been fixed by the authority concerned. A major anomaly was noticed in the 386 acres of land acquired for Aerocity road connecting Sector 66-A with the Zirakpur-Patiala national highway. As per the land acquisition policy, declaration under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act has to be issued within four months of the declaration of the section 4, failing which the acquisition proceedings would lapse. In addition to the market value of land, an amount calculated at a rate of 12 per cent annum on such market value has to be paid from the date of publication to the date of taking possession of the land. But for acquiring land for the 200-ft wide road, the compensation was announced after a delay ranging from two months to six months, resulting in excess payment of Rs 22.03 crore. Similarly, for acquiring 357 acres of land, the Housing and Urban Development Department, through its agency Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, paid an excess amount of Rs 21.78 crore to the landowners.
|
||
Capt Amarinder must go, says Ferozepur MLA
In a statement here, he said the new PCC president should be accessible to the people and workers. He said this was necessary to confront the ruling Akali Dal-BJP alliance in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The MLA said the Punjab Congress was in a peculiar situation. It was not that the people had ditched the party but the other way round. "The people wanted change but we failed them by being complacent". Parminder said now senior leaders were keeping away from the Vidhan Sabha and had failed to learn lessons from the defeat.
|
||
|
MC polls will be held before time, says Chunni Lal
Patiala, March 29 He said the government was focused about its development agenda and wanted that the elections be held soon so that they could initiate various development projects. About lack of funds with MCs, he said he would propose a special package for local bodies with CM Parkash Singh Badal so that the money crisis could be resolved at the earliest. — TNS
|
|
Choice postings for teachers with a rider: Maluka
Talking to mediapersons, Maluka said the transfer process would be completed by May-end. “After that, no transfer application will be entertained. The postings will be done in a rational manner. Schools that have surplus staff will see employees getting shifted to places where their services are required. The teachers who were on deputation to government schools will be sent back to their original place of posting,” he said. In another significant announcement, the Education Minister said no teacher would be given ex-India leave beyond three months for visiting a foreign country. “In case any teacher wants to go on ex-India leave for years together, he will have to resign. The state cannot afford long leaves at the cost of education.” Maluka said there were 15 per cent vacant posts of teacher in government schools. “The government had selected 8,000 teachers, but they could not be appointed due to a court stay. In future too, the government will continue recruiting teachers on a regular basis,” he said. He said the state government would open one Adarsh School in every Assembly constituency. He said the government would also introduce one period in a week for Class XI and Class XII students to educate them about the ill-effects of drugs. Besides, a policy was being made for private schools so that they could not “loot students”, he said. Maluka said the government would give recognition to those ETT institutions that fulfill the government’s conditions, including 60 per cent admissions on merit. He said emphasis would also be laid on improving infrastructure. He said, “The Centre has provided only Rs 1,100 crore under the Sarva Sikhiya Abhiyan (SSA) to Punjab even though the state government had demanded Rs 1,600 crore. The amount is insufficient to meet the requirements.” In the pipeline n
A period to educate the Class XI and Class XII students about the ill-effects of drugs to be introduced n
A policy to keep a check on private schools so that they cannot "loot students" n
Plan to open at least one Adarsh School in each Assembly constituency in the state
|
|
|
A first: Assembly opening session saw no walkout
Addressing almost every question that was raised on the floor of the House, Badal made it clear that it was he whose writ ran in the government. He indulged in Congress bashing to the core, taking on all those who had challenged the performance of his previous term in office or the programmes and policies of the SAD-BJP government. The House saw the suave and well-informed Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Kumar Jakhar defending the Opposition and taking on the government almost by himself. A majority of the other senior Congress legislators chose either to remain out of the Vidhan Sabha or remained mute. The younger ones and the new entrants found themselves adjusting to their new role as legislators, making the Assembly session pass off peacefully without a single walkout or protest. The session started with oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MLAs and the election of Charanjit Atwal as the Speaker. The House, through the Governor’s address, provided enough opportunity for the government to elaborate on what it proposed to do over the next five years. All but one MLA, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, took the oath even though a large number of MLAs chose to stay out of the House after the ceremony. Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh also attended the House only once. After the Congress promised to be a constructive and effective Opposition, it decided to stay put in the Vidhan Sabha all through the session. Unlike earlier opening sessions, there was no walkout or boycott even during the Governor’s address. The House also passed a resolution that Punjabi will be the language for all work in the House. The Balwant Singh Rajoana issue that surfaced during the ongoing Vidan Sabha session was handled very well by the ruling alliance even though the SAD and its alliance partner BJP have divergent views on the issue. The credit again goes to Badal, who made a carefully worded statement blaming legal infirmities and constitutional obligations for seeking clemency for Rajoana. Despite the Congress asking the BJP repeatedly to clarify its stand on the issue, the BJP remained unprovoked. To a comment about SAD-BJP being lucky to form the government again, Badal analysed the entire election and said, “We have not defeated the Congress, it is the Congress that has defeated itself.” It is the inaccessibility of the Congress leaders, their haughty and arrogant style of functioning and corruption in the party (suggesting that the Congress leaders had to pay for getting the party ticket too) that led to their defeat.
|
|
|
Judgment in Harpreet murder case today
Patiala, March 29 Apart from Bibi Jagir Kaur, other accused in the case include Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi, Paramjit Singh Raipur, Nishan, Harminder Singh and Satya. One accused Sanjeev had died during the course of trial. It was intervening night of April 20 and 21 in 2000 when en route from Phagwara to Ludhiana's Christian Medical College and Hospital, Bibi’s teenage daughter Harpreet Kaur (19) had died under mysterious circumstances. Citing that there was “no foul play” and Harpreet’s death was natural due to fever, vomiting and severe dehydration, Harpreet’s post-mortem was not conducted and she was cremated in a hurried manner on April 21 at the Bibi’s home village Begowal (Kapurthala). A few days after Harpreet’s death, Kamaljit Singh, a resident of Begowal claimed that he was Harpreet’s husband and father of the Harpreet’s stillborn child. On April 27, 2000 Kamaljit approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On June 9, 2000, the HC directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry into the matter. During the course of investigations, Kamaljit produced videotape images of his engagement ceremony with Harpreet. After conducting a probe, on October 3, 2000, the CBI registered an FIR under various sections of IPC against Bibi Jagir Kaur and six others. On October 4 and 5, 2000, the CBI arrested Phagwara-based relatives Dalwinder Kaur Dhesi (close to Bibi Jagir Kaur) and Paramjit Singh Raipur, on charges of forcing Harpreet Kaur to have an abortion against her will, conspiring to murder the young woman and destruction of evidence besides some other sections of the IPC. The couple's driver Harminder Singh and their domestic helpers Satya and Sanjeev were also arrested on similar charges. During the investigations, Sub-Inspector Nishan Singh, who was on the personal security of Jagir Kaur, when the incident happened, was also booked by the CBI. Though the CBI had filed the chargesheet against Bibi Jagir Kaur, accusing her of murdering her pregnant daughter Harpreet and six other accused in the last week of January 2001, but the case trial continued for eleven years. During the trial, more than hundred witnesses were cross-examined and about ten witnesses died during the trial. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS April 20, 2000: Harpreet Kaur alias Rosy found dead under mysterious circumstances April 21, 2000: Harpreet’s family hurriedly cremates her at Bibi jagir Kaur’s ancestral Begowal village in Kapurthala April 27, 2000: Main complainant Kamaljit moves Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking CBI inquiry into the matter June 9, 2000: The High Court directs the CBI to conduct an inquiry into the matter January 31, 2001: CBI files chargesheet in the court February 25, 2010: Kamaljit turns hostile in the court March 21, 2011: Kamaljit again backtracked from his February 25 statement Twists and turns in the complainant’s version The murder case trial of Harpreet Kaur witnessed several twists and turns, but what was most important was that main complainant in the case Kamaljit Singh changed his statements a number of times. Almost after a decade of the case trial, suddenly on February 25, 2010, Kamaljit turned hostile. He backtracked from his previous statements, wherein he had accused Bibi Jagir Kaur and others of conspiring and murdering Harpreet. Kamaljit had also demanded protection, while claiming that he had serious threat from the CBI. The very next day, on February 26, 2010, Kamaljit alleged that he was having threat to his life from some senior leaders of the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal. Interestingly, on March 21, 2011, Kamaljit moved another application in the court for the re-examination of his statements given during the court trial. “The accused wield immense political influence and are powerful people with connections with the ruling party in Punjab. Hence, I could not depose truthfully before the court.”
|
|
|
Punjabis against capital punishment: Wadala
“It is for the first time that irrespective of their religious or social affiliations, people belonging to all communities have come forward to oppose capital punishment. The success of the bandh clearly indicates that the Punjabis are united on the issue of capital punishment,” Wadala said while addressing mediapersons here today. He said he was thankful to the Akal Takht Jathedar, the CM, the Deputy CM, the PPCC chief and Beant Singh’s kin for opposing the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana. “Even the BJP did not oppose it. I am specially thankful to the Home Minister,” Wadala added.
|
|
|
Bathinda refinery to start in April
Chandigarh, March 29 Prabh Das, Managing Director-cum-Chief Executive Officer of the company, today called on Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and thanked him for the Punjab Government’s cooperation in completing the Rs 21,500 crore mega project in a record time. The Managing Director-cum-Chief Executive Officer said this was the largest investment in Punjab since Independence. The refinery, set up in 2008, had started refining mineral oil in August 2011, in less than 48 months. He said with the cooperation of the government, the company could construct a crude oil terminal and a 1017 km cross-country pipeline in just 27 months. Sukhbir said with the full operationalisation of the refinery, the government would attract tertiary industry that could use the refinery byproducts as raw material. For this purpose he had asked the Industry Department to set up an Industrial Park on 200 acres in the vicinity of the refinery. The Deputy Chief Minister said that this refinery, tertiary industry and service sector would provide employment to thousands of youths. About the project n
Claimed to be the largest investment in the state since Independence n
Rs 21,500 crore mega project, that was started in 2008, has come up in record time n
Crude oil terminal and a 1,017 km cross-country pipeline built in just 27 months n
Bathinda refinery, tertiary industry and service sector will provide employment to thousands
|
|
|
Jewellers to continue stir against excise duty
Ludhiana, March 29 The agitated jewellers also took out a protest rally, which started from the Fountain Chowk and after passing through the Mall Road, Ghumar Mandi and Aarti Chowk culminated at the Fountain Chowk. The protesting jewellers carried placards and raised slogans against the Central Government and the Union Finance Minister. Anand Sikri, president of the Ludhiana Jewellers' Association, said jewellers from across the country have been protesting against the budgetary provision to levy excise duty of 1 per cent on 30 per cent of the transaction value. The strike began a day after the Budget presentation in Parliament. Jewellers today met Punjab PWD Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, who assured them that he would fix their meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal so that they can put forward their problems with him. "Once the meeting is fixed we will ask the Chief Minister to meet the Union Finance Minister for the rollback of excise duty and consumer tax," added Sikri. "We don't want to come under the excise net as it would be difficult for small jewellers to comply with the complexities of this duty," said Vaneet Dhanda, secretary of the Ludhiana
Jewellers' Association.
|
|
|
PSEB panel to look into bar code discrepancies
Mohali, March 29 Board chairman Dr Dalbir Singh Dhillon said that the committee had been empowered to go deep into the issues. He reiterated that there were always chances of improvement in any system. "But there is no room for any type of laxity in case of failure in performing official duty," he said. On multiple bar codes, he said codes might be identical, but various other codes, subjects and identities might be different. He claimed that different bar codes could be issued to the same roll number if the particular candidate appeared in different semesters under the same roll number in two sittings on the same day for two different exams. There was no lapses in the funding for bar code system, he said.
|
|
|
Demolition of house takes political hue
Muktsar, March 29 The matter took a political hue with Congress and Akalis workers reaching there. Local Congress MLA Amarinder Singh Warring "Raja" alleged that the house had been demolished merely because its occupants had supported him in the Assembly poll. Akali sarpanch Gurvinder Singh alleged that Raja Warring had opened fire into the air to intimidate him and others raising the wall. Raja Warring termed the allegations as baseless. A few Congress activists were booked following which the MLA staged a dharna outside the Kot Bhai police station.
|
|
|
3 heroin smugglers shot
Ramtirath (Amritsar), March 29 Aditya Mishra, BSF Inspector General, said they had stepped up vigil following inputs regarding a smuggling attempt near New Sundergarh border post. “The night surveillance devices noticed the movement of three Pakistani smugglers who were holding a long plastic pipe stuffed with heroin packets. Only two of them came near the barbed fence while their third accomplice remained a few metres away to give them cover. Their Indian counterpart was on the Indian side of the fence. Our jawans challenged them when they pushed the pipe into the Indian territory,” he said. Mishra said three persons, including two Pakistanis and an Indian, were killed in the crossfire that ensued. During the search, the BSF recovered a 14-foot-long plastic pipe of six inch diameter, which was stuffed with 10 packets of heroin. They also recovered a pistol, torch and two mobiles phones having Pakistani SIM cards. On the intervening night of March 18/19 too, the BSF had gunned down three Pakistani smugglers at Dharma border post near here and recovered 22 packets of heroin. Around 14 kg of the contraband was also seized from Rajatal outpost on March 26.
|
|
|
KAC chief arrested
Amritsar, March 29 Former Sikh Youth Federation (Bhindranwala) chief Balwant Singh Gopala and his seven aides were held outside the Golden Temple today. The Shiv Sena (Punjab) voiced concern at the “panic created by some youths brandishing swords during the bandh yesterday”. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rashpal Singh said 12 persons had been arrested as a preventive measure. Meanwhile, DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna and Shiromani Panthic Council chairman Manjit Singh Calcutta blamed the CM for the arrest of Panthic leaders and demanded their release. 6 held in Patiala
The Patiala police arrested six persons for attacking residents in Arya Samaj area of the town yesterday. The role of some Akali workers is also under the scanner for fomenting trouble. Sources said ADGP (Intelligence) HS Dhillon visited Patiala and held a meeting with senior officers. He also visited the Arya Samaj area. Later, SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill, IG Paramjit Gill and Cabinet Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra held a meeting and decided that all those who had tried to spread violence would be arrested, irrespective of their political affiliations. Phagwara normal
In Phagwara, hundreds of Shiv Sainiks assembled at Shri Hanuman Garhi where they held a protest rally. Jalandhar DIG Lok Nath, SSP Sukhminder Singh Maan, DC Paramjit Singh, SDM Mandeep Singh, Naib Tehsildar Raj Kumar Nanda, Markfed chairman JS Wahid Advocate and Phagwara MLA Som Parkash held a meeting with representatives of both Hindu and Sikh groups to restore peace in the town, which saw a partial shutdown today. Sarwan Singh Bal, SHO, said the police had registered three cases against more than 50 persons.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
Chandigarh, March 29
Bathinda, March 29
Chandigarh, March 29
Jalandhar, March 29