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Cabinet amends law to check canal water theft
Govt decides on minimum transfers
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29,000 tonnes of wheat lying in Khanna mandi
Ensure speedy lifting, Badal tells FCI
SAD opposes decontrol of diesel
Govt building pressure for fiscal package
Release grant sans conditions: Badal
Traders stop gypsum import from Pak
jalandhar tragedy
While in police custody, Vij had ‘access’ to phone
Bihar team fears toll may be more
Probe into social scheme fraud
Non-payment of arrears: Teachers to hold protest
No toilets for 19% population of Punjab: Survey
8 IAS, 41 PCS officers shifted
Basmati production set to dip in Punjab, Haryana
Misappropriation of Central subsidy
Explain parole to murder convicts: HC
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Cabinet amends law to check canal water theft
Chandigarh, April 23 A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. A spokesperson said that under the amended Act, the amount of fine for canal water theft had been enhanced from the earlier Rs 1,000 to a minimum Rs 5,000 and maximum Rs 50,000 or imprisonment up to six months or both. The guilty would be deprived of the facility of canal water for two rounds for first time offence, for a season in case of second offence and for two years for third offence. The government would also issue an Ordinance to make it effective with immediate effect. In another significant decision, the Cabinet approved a proposal of making recruitment to PCS and allied services every year compulsory. The recruitment process would start every year in September and end next year in August. The decision would improve the quality of administration and ensure regular intake of PCS officers every year. The Cabinet also approved the additional cost incurred on the construction of rural toilets through NGOs, over and above the cost fixed by the state government, from the funds raised through other sources. As many as 12,02,249 households in rural areas were still bereft of toilets, as per a survey conducted by Water Supply & Sanitation Department in 2009. An approval was granted to fill 150 vacant posts of junior engineers of direct quota in the Irrigation Department by taking these out of the purview of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board in public interest so that the irrigation and drainage works were carried out without any further delay. In yet another decision, the disqualification provisions under the Punjab State Elections Commission have been brought in conformity with the provisions of the subject in the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911. The Cabinet approved exemption to the SGPC, Durgiana Temple and Devi Talab Temple, Jalandhar, from external development charges, change in land use and licence fee for setting up schools, colleges, hospitals. It also approved the draft of the Punjab Right to Service Rules, 201 Other Key Decisions n Approval to additional cost incurred on the construction of toilets by NGOs in rural areas n
Nod to filling of 150 vacant posts of junior engineers (direct quota) in the Irrigation Department n
Clearance to the Punjab Right to Service Rules, 2012, draft for implementation of Right to Service Act
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Govt decides on minimum transfers
Chandigarh, April 23 An official spokesman said the transfers, which would be done in June, would be kept to the barest minimum and made against vacant post except where the transfers were justified on administrative or compassionate grounds. He said the employees whether gazetted or non-gazetted due to retire in the next two years would be allowed to continue in the same district or at the same station of postings till retirement. He said where husband and wife both were serving the government, it was desirable to keep them at one station for a period of not more than five years, thereafter they would be transferred as per the policy. Even in the cases where the wife was in government service and the husband was working in a private undertaking, the same policy would be adopted. However, efforts would be made to post unmarried girls and widows at stations suitable to them as far as possible, he added. The spokesman further said to mitigate the suffering of the handicapped and visually impaired employees, the government would be considerate in posting and transferring them. Sympathetic attitude would be adopted while posting or transferring a government employee or officers whose child was mentally challenged and efforts would be made to post them at the place of their choice. He said a stay of three years and five years would be treated as the minimum and maximum period, respectively, at a particular place. Similarly, for employees transferable within the state particularly Group 'A' and Group 'B' officers, no employee would be allowed to serve in one district beyond a period of seven years. Seats having sensitive nature of work such as extensive public dealings, establishment, monetary sanctions etc. would be clearly defined and the maximum stay would be kept at two years. The employees posted in the border areas, bet areas and kandi areas would remain there for a minimum period of two years. He said generally mid-term transfers would be banned, but the posts vacated due to suspension, resign, dismissal, deputation, promotion, death of employee, would be filled by the administrative department on its own. He said to transfer the employees working under corporations and boards and autonomous bodies, approval of administrative secretary would be needed. n Transfers will be made against vacant posts except where these are justified on administrativeor compassionate grounds n
The employees due to retire in the next two years will be allowed to continue at the posting till retirement n
No employee will be allowed to serve in a district beyond a period of seven 7 years n
Efforts will be made to post unmarried girls and widows at stations convenient to them n
Employees on posts requiring public dealing/monetary sanctions to stay for a maximum two years
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29,000 tonnes of wheat lying in Khanna mandi
Khanna, April 23 Nachhatar Singh, a farmer of a nearby village, said he was here to sell his crop, but when he found a glut of wheat in the market he was disappointed. "Who will be responsible if rains come?," he asked. Commission agent Iqbal Singh said the system was full of drawbacks. In some cases, procurement agencies lifted the crop within time, but in other cases there was no lifting even after more than 10 days, he added. He alleged, “The Market Committee, which is the surveillance body of the grain market, is not bothered about the delay.” A farmer said the committee could issue a notice to a procurement agency if it failed to lift the purchased crop within 72 hours and also a fine could be imposed on the erring agency. Harbans Singh Rosha, former chairman of the Khanna Market Committee, expressed his unhappiness over slow lifting of food grains. He alleged that contractors and labourers often blackmail commission agents by demanding extra charges for quick lifting of the crop. Malkit Singh, secretary, Market Committee, said all was going well in the
mandi. On slow lifting of wheat crop, the secretary said that till now nobody had come to him with a complaint against slow lifting of food grains. However, the secretary accepted that 50 per cent of the total arrival was yet to be lifted. He said nearly 58,000 tonne wheat had arrived in the market while more than 29,000 tonne was yet to be lifted. He, however, said lifting would gain momentum in coming days.
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Ensure speedy lifting, Badal tells FCI
Chandigarh, April 23 In a meeting here, the Chief Minister asked Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon to work out standby arrangements by involving two or more agencies in those mandis where ongoing procurement operations were being hampered due to some official or technical snag in order to maintain the tempo of wheat procurement. Expressing concern over inclement weather, Badal asked the officers to make elaborate arrangements in the mandis to save the wheat crop from any damage to avoid undue harassment to the farmers. DS
Grewal, Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, told Badal that about 26 lakh metric tonnes of wheat had been procured and 90% of this had been lifted till date.— TNS
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SAD opposes decontrol of diesel
Chandigarh, April 23 Sukhbir Singh Badal , SAD president, took exception to the suggestion of Kaushik Basu, Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, that the Union Government was contemplating to decontrol diesel in the near future. He said his party would not allow this to happen till the Centre accepted the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission linking Minimum Support Price of agriculture produce with the price index. He alleged the Centre was initiating several measures to stifle the agriculture sector by giving a free hand to industry in raising the price of agricultural inputs but denying remunerative prices to farmers for their produce. He said after the decontrol of the fertiliser industry, there had been a cent per cent increase in the price of fertilisers but the government was only suggesting 12% to 16% rise in the MSP for Paddy. Cautioning the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre against the move to decontrol diesel, Sukhbir said any rise in the diesel price would have a deadly impact on the agriculture sector and the transport industry and the SAD would not allow this. n Deputy CM says it will have a negative impact on agriculture sector and the transport industry n Says decontrol of fertiliser industry had already resulted in a 100% increase in the price of fertilisers n Says Centre should first accept Swaminathan Commission recommendations linking MSP with the price index.
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Govt building pressure for fiscal package
Chandigarh, April 23 The Union Government had set up a committee in 2010 under the chairmanship of the Expenditure Secretary to announce a fiscal bailout for Punjab, West Bengal and Kerala. However, the committee is sitting on the issue. Badal has told the Centre that Punjab being a border state had remained industrially under-developed and had only a limited scope for generating revenue. Moreover, the state was doing well till 1980 and had no debt burden. However, owing to turmoil in the state post-1980, it had suffered on several fronts. He said a fiscal package for the hill states had hit industrial growth in Punjab. Also, Punjab has been helping farmers in raising foodgrain production by providing them free power. Keeping these factors in view, the Centre should extend a helping hand to the state. Punjab has been demanding waiving of a part of loan, freezing payment of interest on loans for some years and rescheduling of the remaining loans. Punjab’s debt burden increased to Rs 78,278 crore by the end of the last fiscal year and it may go beyond Rs 90,000 crore by the end of the current fiscal year. The state’s per capita debt burden is more than Rs 27200. The state’s projected revenue deficit is likely to Rs 9200 crore by the end of this fiscal year. Freezing interest payment for a few years can prove to be a big help for the state. Plan panel meeting Led by Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh, senior officials of the state government will discuss Punjab’s Annual Plan for the current fiscal year with the Planning Commission in Delhi tomorrow. Punjab has pegged its Plan size at Rs 12,800
crore.
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Release grant sans conditions: Badal
Chandigarh, April 23 In a letter to the Prime Minister, Badal said the amount, being part of the state’s share in Central taxes, was not only Punjab’s legitimate right but was also required by the state for maintenance of infrastructure in the water sector. The Chief Minister drew the PM’s attention to the Centre’s insistence on the setting up of an autonomous and statutory water regulatory authority in states as recommended by the 13th Finance Commission. Badal said this authority was envisaged to regulate tariff for various categories of water users. He said since water was a state subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, states should be left to take their own decision regarding the regulation, distribution and control of their water resources, including the determination of the water tariff system.The Chief Minister further said that the state government fully appreciated concerns on the optimum utilisation of surface and ground water resources and the matter was under active consideration of the government for taking remedial measures. A number of pro-active measures were already under implementation. — TNS
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Traders stop gypsum import from Pak
Amritsar, April 23 Prompted by “excessive handling charges” at the ICP, the Indian traders today decided to stop gypsum import via the Attari-Wagah land route till the issue was resolved to their satisfaction. They have also served an ultimatum on the authorities to settle the matter before Friday, failing which they will stop the import and export of all goods through the land route. This means that if the government didn’t wake up to their grievances in time, the entire bilateral trade with Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah border would come to a halt after Friday. The decision was reached at in a meeting of importers, exporters and clearing agents held today. Iqbal Singh Bedi, a leading importer who has received 500 trucks of gypsum since the opening of the ICP on April 13, said the trade had become economically unviable in view of “exorbitant charges” being levied on them at the ICP. “They are charging Rs 200 per truck as entry fee, be it a truck loaded with goods from Pakistan or an empty Indian truck meant for lifting goods. They are also charging Rs 200 as parking fee from trucks. This, despite the fact that there is no arrangement of platform and shed for unloading gypsum,” he said. According to him, they are not being given adequate time to lift the stock and were being imposed storage charges, which increase every 24 hours. Amritsar Exporters Chambers of Commerce vice-president Rajdeep Uppal said they would not place any further import orders for gypsum while the trucks loaded with gypsum standing on the other side would be cleared by tomorrow. He said they have sought an appointment with Central Warehousing Corporation managing director BB Pattnaik to discuss the matter. The dry fruit importers are also a harried lot. A prominent dry fruit importer, BK Bajaj said they (CWC) want more charges for everything from unloading to storage to lifting, which was “unfair”. “This facility has been created for promoting trade and not minting money. What is happening today is defeating the very purpose of constructing the ICP,” he said. Sources said if a truck loaded with dry fruits contains a consignment of three different parties, then the entry fee of Rs 200 per truck is being charged from each of them, making it a total of Rs 600. Jaspal Singh, a leading clearing agent, said the handling and operational charges at the new ICP, had gone up by 40 to 45 per cent as compared to the old check post. He said against the normal labour charges of Rs 2.50 to Rs 3 per bag of cement, it is costing a trader anywhere between Rs 6.50 and Rs 7.50 per bag at the ICP. On the other hand, CWC Manager at ICP, Rameshwar Meena, said he was unaware of the decision reached by the traders. He, however, said the traders were given an opportunity to resolve the issue and the CWC was charging what was decided in the meeting with them. “They had agreed to pay these charges earlier. I don’t know what has happened now,” he added. Volume of trade up Initial hiccups not withstanding, the volume of trade has certainly increased with the coming of the ICP at Attari. Sources said the infrastructure is allowing the authorities to handle over 250 trucks daily as against around 90 to 100 trucks, including import and export. They said over 140 trucks loaded with gypsum arrived from Pakistan today and as many were expected to cross over tomorrow.
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jalandhar tragedy
Jalandhar, April 23 Hailing from Jharkhand, life has always been tough for Niyamat. He lost his mother when he was 10. He had to join the factory six months back after his father Anwar was declared unfit for work after an electrocution mishap. The family has no other source of income. His foot had got entangled in the chain of a machine when the mishap occurred. The doctors at the local Civil Hospital would be conducting a surgery on him tomorrow. The very thought of losing a leg has been giving jitters to Niyamat who kept on murmuring: "It will take at least six months for me to move on my own and that too with support. I don't know whether I will be able to work after that. I used to work on a blanket weaving machine, but I will never be able to do any such work again….I have a younger sister and father to look after." Three more labourers lost their lower limbs. Mala Devi, wife of Manoj (35) from Bihar, who lost his right leg, said: "My husband is tense about our future. We have a small piece of land in our village on which I cultivate vegetables. But, the return is meagre. We have two children who are in school," she said. Amarjit and Surinder, both admitted to Devi Talab Hospital, too had to undergo amputation of their foot.
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While in police custody, Vij had ‘access’ to phone
Jalandhar, April 23 CPI national executive member Jogendra Dayal said: “Shital Vij called me on my cell phone number 9814663136 between 11 and 11.30 am on Friday when I was travelling from Chandigarh to Nurpur Bedi”. “Learning about the announcement of a state-level protest against him in Jalandhar on Monday, Vij asked me to take care of him,” the CPI leader alleged. Dr Dayal said: “This belies the claims of the city police of not providing VIP treatment to Shital. How was an accused in police remand was allowed to use mobile phone?” ADCP (HQ) Navjot Mahal said: “The question of providing VIP treatment to Vij or allowing him to use a mobile phone does not arise. He might have talked to the CPI leader using some visitor’s phone”. Vij was admitted to the Civil Hospital here today after he complained of chest pain. Earlier, he was remanded to 14-day judicial custody. Instead of being taken to the prisoners’ ward on the third floor of the hospital, Shital was resting in an operation theatre near the emergency ward on the ground floor when The Tribune team reached there at 8 pm. ACP NK Dogra, who was present there, claimed the doctors were examining him. Medical Superintendent Iqbal Singh said: “Shital complained of chest pain with sweating. Besides being a diabetic, he has been found suffering from ulcerative colitis. Initial examination revealed that his sugar and blood pressure levels are high.” He said Vij would be shifted to the prisoners’ ward after his medical check-up.
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Bihar team fears toll may be more
Jalandhar, April 23 In their report, the team has claimed that the number of the deceased could rise as a majority of the labourers were working on the ground floor when the mishap occurred. The team has requested the Bihar CM to announce a separate grant for the injured and for those whose limbs had to be amputated after the Shital Fibres building collapsed. An ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh had already been announced to the next of the deceased. Submitted to the Resident Commissioner at Bihar Bhawan in Delhi, Alok Vardhan Chaturvedi, the report would be forwarded to Nitish Kumar. The visiting team comprised Deputy Resident Commissioner from Bihar Bhawan in Delhi Amar Chatterjee, Manager Bihar-I Jagmohan Mishra and Labour Inspector
Kaushlendra.
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Won’t let Sarabjit be hanged: Burney
Amritsar, April 23 Talking to mediapersons before returning to Pakistan, Burney said: “I feel anybody should not be punished twice for the same crime. He had been sentenced to 14 years in jail and then his term was extended to 25 years. Now, only three years of his sentence are left”. He demanded that death penalty be abolished in both countries. “In a legal system where witnesses can be bought in lieu of cash, there should be no death penalty”. He said a fresh clemency petition had already been filed before the Pakistan President in Sarabjit’s case and he was hopeful of a positive outcome. On the issue of Pakistan virologist Dr Khalil Chishti, Burney said the former was around 80 years of age and suffering from various ailments and therefore, he should be allowed to return to his country alive. “I guarantee that I will produce him whenever the Indian court wants him to appear for any hearing,” he said, adding that repatriating him to Pakistan would send a good message. He said there were a large number of prisoners on both the sides who had completed their jail term, but were still languishing in prisons. “Both the countries are treating them less as prisoners and more as enemies,” he said, demanding that they should be released immediately.
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Probe into social scheme fraud
Patiala, April 23 The probe will determine if such a thing happened in other districts as well. Sources say the intelligence wing of the police has shot off a communiqué to all police district heads and CID units asking them to remain vigilant. “Two firms in Jaito and Faridkot were raided and it was found that these were selling forms illegally,” the communiqué read. — TNS
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Non-payment of arrears: Teachers to hold protest
Patiala, April 23 The salary arrears of university teachers for 43 months (January 1, 2006 to July 31, 2009) are still pending whereas the state government has already released 40 per cent of the pay arrears to its employees in 2011. In the current budget session, it has further announced that the next installment of 30 per cent would be released in June this year. The PUTCC leadership asked that when the state government was giving arrears to its employees, then why were university teachers being ignored. Jaswinder Singh Brar, convener of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, said releasing arrears to the university teachers would in no way put additional financial burden on the state government, as 80 per cent of the arrears would be reimbursed by the Central Government. The coordination committee has been protesting against the non-payment of arrears for the past many years. The PUTCC leadership has urged the Vice Chancellor to take up the matter with the Chief Minister on priority basis.
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No toilets for 19% population of Punjab: Survey
Ludhiana, April 23 Data available with the Census Department states that Ludhiana district is on top where maximum percentage of population has an access to close-toilets. An official in the Census department disclosed that 94 per cent of the population in Ludhiana district use close-toilets to answer nature's call while just 6 per cent were forced to go in the open. The worst condition is in Gurdaspur district where 39 per cent of the population continue to go in the open. The state government gets funds from the Centre to construct toilets through different schemes. But that amount is too less as compared to the cost of construction of a toilet in Punjab. Through the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Toilet Scheme, the state government gets an amount of Rs 60,000 to construct toilets. But the amount, being too small, was returned without being utilised. NABARD sanctions Rs 10,000 per toilet, while the cost of construction of a toilet in Punjab is about Rs 14,000 (including the labour). Through the Rural Development Department, Punjab, panchayats were provided Rs 10,000 for each toilet and under the scheme, about 20,000 toilets have been constructed in the state so far. Besides, two agencies including the PWD and the Mandi Board were given Rs 60 lakh per constituency for construction of toilets by the state government, under which 400 toilets have been constructed so far in Punjab.
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8 IAS, 41 PCS officers shifted
Chandigarh, April 23 An official spokesman here said Ravinder Kumar Kaushik, IAS, had been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Defence Services Welfare, Mohammad Tayyab, IAS, transferred and posted as ADC (D), Bathinda, Parveen Kumar Thind, IAS, transferred and posted as ADC (G), Fatehgarh Sahib, Surpreet Singh Gulati, IAS, transferred and posted as ADC (G), Amritsar, Neelima, IAS, transferred and posted as ADC, Sangrur, Vipul Ujwal, IAS, transferred and posted as SDM, Jalalabad, Rambir, IAS, transferred and posted as SDM, Bathinda, and Sonali Giri, IAS, transferred and posted as
SDM, Abohar.
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Basmati production set to dip in Punjab, Haryana Chandigarh, April 23 Though rice exporters and traders feel prices of basmati will go up this year with the opening of the Chinese market, farmers are not so enthused. This is because they feel exporters are manipulating prices. The price of 1121 evolved basmati, which now forms 80 per cent of the entire Rs 11,000-crore export market, was Rs 1,700 to Rs 1,800 per quintal during the harvesting season last year. Right now, it is selling at Rs 2,900 per quintal. This manipulation is the main reason for the low enthusiasm among farmers to sow basmati this season. Rice exporter Vijay Setia, however, feels the basmati market will improve with addition of China to the exports list. He said the market, however, might take some time to grow as most Chinese eat sticky rice and there were only some areas where fluffy rice is eaten. When questioned about low prices being given to farmers, he said the government could form rules stating that only the basmati for which farmers had been given above Rs 2,000 per quintal could be exported. He said the Punjab Government, which had waived tax on mega milling units, had also created part of the problem. Punjab Farmers Commission consultant Dr PS Rangi said Farmers Commission Chairman Dr GS Kalkat had recommended to the government to allow big firms to purchase basmati directly from farmers through collection centres in rural areas. He said this would create competition and ensure that exporters could not exploit farmers by forming cartels. Farmers on their part claim while demand for basmati seed was at an all-time low till last month, it had picked up slightly due to the present high rates. Fragrant Rice The basmati variety of rice was first produced at Kala Shah Kaku farm in Faislabad in 1933. The original variety is known as basmati 370. The most famous subsequent derivatives include basmati 386, Taravari basmati and Pakistani basmati. At present, Pusa 1121 variety is the most predominant due to its high yield, long grain and reduced aroma, which is a favourite abroad.
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Misappropriation of Central subsidy
Chandigarh, April 23 The request comes just about nine months after the premier investigating agency carried out surprise checks and sent samples for analysis. In its status report, the CBI said through inspector Ravinder Kush: “The High Court may issue necessary directions for the registration of preliminary inquiry by the CBI against unknown officials of the procurement agencies of the Government of Punjab and unknown officials of district food and supply controller, Bathinda. Role of owners of various rice shellers and unknown officials of the FCI is proposed to be looked into during the course of open inquiry”. Giving details, the CBI asserted compensation of Rs 200 per quintal was to be awarded by the Government of India “only on the basis of the certificate given by the district food and supply controller concerned and the procurement agencies of the Government of Punjab to the effect that the rice millers have actually spent the amount on upgrading PAU-201 rice”. “In order to inquire as to whether the compensation has been awarded correctly and the certificate provided by the Punjab Government officials is genuine and correct, an open inquiry is required to be conducted for collecting documents from the agencies concerned and examining various officials of the central and the state agencies”. The report came during the resumed hearing of the petition by Manpreet Singh and six other rice millers from the Punjab through counsel Sartej Singh Narula and APS Shergill. It was submitted that the Union government sanctioned Rs 190 crore to compensate rice shellers for upgradation of damaged crop. The rice millers had, in fact, suffered great losses due to PAU-201 crop in 2009-2010. The court was informed that many persons, rice millers and FCI officials placed PAU 201 of 2009-10 with other rice varieties produced in subsequent years to cheat Central Government and dishonestly claim the amount payable under its scheme.
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Explain parole to murder convicts: HC
Chandigarh, April 23 The High Court has fixed a weeklong deadline for the state to file an affidavit on the issues. The directions are significant as convicts were allegedly given more than four paroles of six weeks each. The petitioner, Gurmeet Singh Dhariwal, whose younger brother was murdered, had earlier alleged that the duo was released on parole just after 15 days of conviction as they enjoyed political influence. The directions for filing a “specific affidavit” came after a Bench of Acting Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Alok Singh observed that two affidavits filed by Ferozepur Central Jail Superintendent Lakhwinder Singh Jakhar were vague. “Both the affidavits fail to disclose the reason for releasing convicts Kanwar Sain and Kulwant Rai and to explain which clauses of the Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Amendment Bill, 2000, were relied upon while releasing them on parole. “Accordingly, a specific affidavit explaining the reasons and the provisions under which parole was given shall be submitted within a week. The member-secretary, High Court Legal Services Committee, is directed to depute a counsel from the panel to assist the court in the instant petition,” the Bench said. Dhariwal, in his petition filed about a decade back, had said he was making an attempt to “highlight as to how hardcore criminals were being given privileges by the State of Punjab and other respondents”. The petitioner said the duo was held guilty of killing his younger brother on March 15, 1997, and awarded a life sentence on April 24, 2000. During the course of hearing, Punjab told the High Court that Rai had got a parole of six weeks each four times and another of six months. Sain had been granted a parole of six weeks each four times, an emergency parole of two weeks and another of six months.
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Prime witness detained
Jalandhar, April 23 Four police personnel reportedly picked up the owner of Baba Rasoi from his residence at Mota Singh Nagar. He was not even allowed to wear shoes or change clothes. As soon as news of Gumber’s detention spread in the town, Gurkirat’s father Rajbir Singh Sekhon, father-in-law Iqbal Singh Chatha, friends and mediapersons, reached the police post at the local bus stand where Gumber was being kept in a lockup. Sekhon and Chatha said Gumber had been picked up in an attempt to intimidate him as his statement in the murder case was to be recorded in a Gurdaspur court on May 1. All this had been done at Makkar’s behest, they alleged. But ACP, Model Town, Jasbir Singh Rai, claimed this was not the case. He said Gumber was “merely asked to join investigations in an attempt to murder case registered at Division No 7 on the night of April 21 - 22 under Sections 307, 452 and 34, IPC, concerning a Brunei resident, Yonik Nikki, studying in a local education institution.” As Gurkirat’s relatives and friends threatened to hold a dharna outside the post, Gumber was released within minutes without questioning. He was not even produced before Nikki for identification. A visibly shaken Gumber claimed he felt insecure as he had been threatened by Makkar several times. Sekhon said had not the media reached the police post on time, “Gumber would have been implicated in a criminal case.” When contacted, Makkar said : “We don’t even know who Varun Gumber is. We have nothing to do with him.” Young Gurkirat was allegedly shot dead by Makkar’s nephew Prince and his associates outside Baba Rasoi on the night of April 20 last year following an altercation. This had send shock waves in the region.
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Chandigarh, April 23
Amritsar, April 23
Most teenagers of his age lead a carefree life. But, 15-year-old Niyamat has a lot to think about his family's future. The sole earner in his house, he received serious injuries in the Shital Fibres building collapse. So much so that his right leg developed gangrene and now needs to be amputated.
Rice exporters are agog with excitement over the opening up of the Chinese market for basmati exports. Its prices have also climbed up. But basmati production is likely to go down in the country with farmers in Punjab and Haryana set to cut down on its cultivation this year.
Though rice exporters and traders feel prices of basmati will go up this year with the opening of the Chinese market, farmers are not so enthused. This is because they feel exporters are manipulating prices.
