The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Probe indicts forest officials
Gurdeep Singh Mann
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 6
The inquiry report by three senior government functionaries on the death of 31 blackbucks in the Bir Talab mini zoo has been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Bathinda.

The report is learnt to have held the forest department officials responsible for the large-scale deaths. The panel of three officials is also learnt to have blamed the lack of basic infrastructure on zoo premises for the tragedy.

Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav has forwarded the findings of the inquiry to the Principal Secretary, Department of Forests, Government of Punjab, wherein he has recommended disciplinary action against the
erring forest officials. The DC is also believed to have laid down a list of suggestions to mitigate such disasters in future.

The inquiry report suggests the formulation of standard operative procedure (SOP) for any kind of eventuality. “The SOP would serve as a manual telling people how to react and operate in such exigencies,” Yadav has said.

He has recommended the setting up of a dispensary on the deer park premises that should be operative round-the-clock. Besides, the DC has advocated an increase in the number of forest guards and imparting of training to the existing employees to sensitise them on realizing the gravity of the situation.

“One of the major reasons for this huge toll was the time that the lower-rung officials took in informing their seniors. Had the seniors been informed on time, the death toll could have been much less,” the Deputy Commissioner has pointed out.

The report also lays emphasis on strictly following of guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India with respect to the upkeep and maintenance of animal enclosures and their care. The report strongly advocates the construction of watch towers for stricter vigil.

None of the three officials in the inquiry committee— SDM Rambir, ASP Vikrampal Bhatti and deputy director, Animal Husbandry, Pardeep Bansal — commented on the issue. They termed the report as confidential and said they have submitted their findings to the Deputy Commissioner who would recommend action.

Sources, however, said the committee has explored all the possibilities behind the death of the blackbucks. The report suspects the role of those involved in stealing wood from the forest area of Bir Talab, drug addicts and the labourers involved in the construction work of the boundary wall of the zoo.

It is said that the forest officials failed to take stock of the situation immediately after the attack by the stray dogs in the cages. Had they been able to inform the senior functionaries on time, many deaths could have been averted.

The possibility of dogs gaining entry into the enclosures with the help of drug addicts or someone with a motive has also not been ruled out in the report.

VAT collection in Moga up by 21%
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, May 6
The sales and excise tax collections in Moga district have registered a significant increase over the past one year. The revenue collection from the value added tax (VAT) has increased by 21 per cent in the last fiscal while the excise duty collections are likely to register a growth of 12 per cent during the current fiscal in the district.

Revealing this to The Tribune, Hardeep Bhamra, Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC), said in the financial year 2010-11 the VAT collection was `151.17 crore, which had increased to `182 crore in the last financial year, registering an increase of `31.17 crore.

Similarly, liquor vends in the district were auctioned for `79.86 crore in the year 2011-12, which would now fetch `89 crore in the current fiscal, registering a growth of 12 per cent, she said.

Bhamra said there was a sum of `47 lakh pending against a liquor contractor of Samalsar village and the excise and taxation department had managed to get the properties of this defaulter attached for recovering the amount.

Adding that the department has also directed its officials to keep a strict vigil on the local traders and firms, she said they had been asked to take stern legal action against those who try to evade tax.

“We had detected many cases of tax evasion in the last financial year and added lakhs of rupees to the state exchequer by recovering tax as well as penalty,” she added.

She warned that legal action would be taken against those found defaulting on tax payments.

Contractors told to sell liquor at prescribed rates

Moga AETC Hardeep Bhamra has asked the liquor contractors to follow the guidelines set in the state excise policy and sell liquor and beer at the prescribed rates failing which action will be taken against them. There were reports that the liquor contractors were charging Rs 25 to Rs 50 more on the sale of light and strong beer. The rate fixed by the government for light beer is Rs 70 and for strong beer Rs 75. But these were being sold between Rs 100 and Rs 120, as per the reports. — TNS

Promotions endless chapter for teachers
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, May 6
Though nearly five months have passed since the SAD-BJP had announced a pre-poll bonanza of promoting 4,342 teachers, nothing has been done yet. On December 19, the then education minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan had announced to promote a record 4,342 teachers after their names were duly cleared by the respective departmental promotion committees.

It was announced that 3,822 master cadre employees, including those of science, math and social studies, would be promoted as lecturers after their cases were found fit for promotion. Similarly, it was decided that 208 lecturers would be promoted as principals and 312 master cadre teachers as headmasters.

It was also announced that the newly-promoted teachers would be allotted their new places of postings in the coming days.

However, almost five months have passed since the announcement was made but only a few masters have been promoted as headmasters and lecturers as principals. Hardly any master has been promoted as lecturer across the state. This even as the SAD-BJP alliance returned to power.

Kulwinder Singh, vice-president of the Government Teachers’ Union (Punjab) and Muktsar district president of the Union, said, “The same SAD-led government had announced to promote 4,342 teachers before the assembly elections, but except for few masters and lecturers, nobody has been promoted.”

He added, “We have spoken to the secretary, Education Department, Punjab, to promote the teachers as announced by the then Akali minister.”

When contacted, Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka said, “The promotions of teachers as announced by the former minister are in my knowledge and we are committed to promoting them. The decision and announcement in this regard will be made within a week. A few of them have been promoted and I assure that the remaining teachers would also be promoted.”

He attributed the delay to complicated process and a number of cases being discussed by the departmental promotion committees again.

Expired drugs for animals recovered in Faridkot
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, May 6
The differences between a deputy director and a veterinary doctor in animal husbandry department in Faridkot led to recovery of some drugs that have passed their expiration date.

Dr PC Mittal, joint director of the department, reached Faridkot yesterday to investigate the allegations of negligence on the part of veterinary doctors and the stockists for the inordinate delay in the distribution of medicines in rural areas.

These medicines were meant for milch animals and were to be distributed free of cost through various civil veterinary dispensaries in rural areas.

Three days ago, Dr Avtar Singh, a veterinary doctor at Arianwala village of Faridkot, had accused the animal husbandry department in Faridkot of supplying him medicines that had passed their expiry dates, for further distribution to the dairy farm owners.

But earlier, Dr Avtar Singh himself was under attack for not distributing food supplements and holding the stock in the hospital store for over one month.

The stock of food supplements for milch animals was sent to the veterinary dispensary at Arianwala over one month back, but it was not distributed for unknown reasons and its expiry date was very close. So, deputy director Parminder Singh reached Arianwala last month to distribute the supplements.

The distribution of the food supplements led to a verbal duel between Dr Avtar Singh and the deputy director with the former accusing the latter of using casteist remarks against him. While the police was still investigating the accusation, Avtar Singh on Wednesday accused the deputy director and the store keeper of supplying him expired medicines.

Now, Dr PC Mittal, the joint director, has reached from Chandigarh to investigate the allegations. He said there were only two packets of medicines that had passed their expiration dates and the issue was being blown out of proportion.

“Still, I am investigating who is responsible for the expired medicines and what were the reasons for the inordinate delay in distribution of the medicines and the food supplements,” Mittal said.

5 killed as four vehicles collide near Jagraon
Our Correspondent

Jagraon, May 6
Five women passengers were killed while 12 others were injured in a road accident involving four vehicles near Shekhupura village, 15 km from here, on the Ludhiana-Moga highway this morning.

The accident took place at 9 am when a Mahindra Jeep going towards Ludhiana from Moga collided head-on with a Mahindra Scorpio SUV. Two other vehicles coming from behind also collided with them.

A highway patrol rushed the victims to the Civil Hospital Jagraon where three victims were declared brought dead while two succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.

The deceased, all belonging to Bhona village in Moga, have been identified as Kulwinder Kaur (45), Veerpal Kaur (22), Harpal Kaur (55) Parwinder Kaur (60) and Paramjit Kaur (55).

The victims along with other persons from the village were on their way to attend a religious function near Baddowal in a jeep.

Three other persons, including two women, who were travelling in a Mahindra Scorpio were critically injured. They have been identified as Bhinda (40), Amarjit Kaur (55) and Kiranjeet Kaur (22) of Hans Kalan village, near Jagraon. The doctors referred them to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana.

A case has been registered at Mullanpur Dakha police station. Mohammad Jamil, SHO, Dakha, said the police had recorded the statements of the injured and started investigation. The exact cause of the accident was not known yet, he added.

Conviction of ministers unfortunate: Ramoowalia
Tribune News Service

SAD leader Balwant Singh Ramoowalia interacts with mediapersons in Bathinda on Sunday. Tribune photo: Pawan Sharma

Bathinda, May 6
Claiming that the overall development in Punjab was due to the sheer hard work of the Badals and the SAD (B), a core committee member of the party, Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, today said the SAD (B) had fulfilled the dreams of Punjabis.

Addressing mediapersons, Ramoowalia said the atmosphere of peace and tranquility was due to the proactive approach of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his ministers.

He termed the conviction of cabinet ministers Bibi Jagir Kaur and Tota Singh as unfortunate and refused to comment further.

Ramoowalia claimed that the development works were being carried out in the state at full pace and apart from providing the road infrastructure, medical facilities and education, the state government was trying its best to reduce the crime rate and check the menace of drug addiction.

Rural houses to get toilets: Rakhra
Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 6
To provide clean and hygienic environment in rural areas, Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra has announced that proper toilets would be built in all the houses that do not have this facility.

While interacting with inhabitants of more than a dozen villages of the Samana assembly segment, Rakhra said they had entered into an agreement with reputed company, Sulabh International, which would build the toilets in villages.

Rakhra said construction of a toilet would cost Rs 18,500. "After completing the construction work, maintenance of these toilets will also be undertaken of by the Sulabh International for a year," he announced.

Meanwhile, speaking to mediapersons, Rakhra said funds for the Shagun scheme would be disbursed within two months.