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Patiala MC’s income doubles
in five years
APS Kohli
Low prices take sheen off basmati
Wheat export to spell boon: Badal
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Congress, not SAD, leader main accused in Kapurthala clashKapurthala, May 19 
Contrary to what was being said by former Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, the main accused in Monday's bloody clash over land near Nadala, Daljit Singh, has claimed that “he was not a SAD, but a Congress worker”.
Sukhpal Khaira with accused Daljit Singh (L) in a file photo
Power panel rationalises charges
Illegal slaughterhouses mushroom in Malerkotla
India emerging as medical tourism hub in Afghanistan
Amarjit Singh Consul general
Cycle parts manufacturers shut units
Bathinda ayurvedic centres short of medicines, fail to treat patients
Encroachments on link roads to go: Dhillon
Sikh groups divided over Op Bluestar memorial
The memorial site in Amritsar
Forensic clean chit to SGPC member
Over 90,000 appear in JET
HC relief for Pojewal college facing closure
Chorus grows for turning martyr Dhingra’s house into memorial
City centre case adjourned
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Patiala MC’s income doubles
in five years
Patiala, May 19 The data procured by The Tribune states that during the past five years, there has been considerable increase in the income of the MC from most of the account heads. In 2009-10, the civic body generated revenue of Rs 48.3 crore, the figure went up to Rs 56.89 crore in 2010-11 and for 2011-12, the corporation witnessed further increase with total income generation of Rs 74.33 crore. The income from the water supply and sewerage in 2006-07 was Rs 3.63 crore, which went up to Rs 10.66 crore in the fiscal ending March 31, 2012. The earnings of the MC from other account heads, including octroi/share of VAT, advertisement tax, building fee and sale of property, have also gone up considerably. The house tax collection in 2006-07 was Rs 5.81 crore that got almost doubled in 2011-12. The revenue receipts from the building fee were of Rs 3.41 crore five years back, whereas for the fiscal 2011-12, the civic body’s building fee collection touched the figure of Rs 8.67 crore. Speaking to The Tribune, Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said the MC income had gone up through deft financial management without imposing any new taxes/levies and cutting of wasteful expenditure. “Goal to increase revenue is the major factor behind civic body’s success in generating more revenue. I attribute the credit for the increase in revenue collection to the dedicated and sincere approach of entire municipal administration and staff of the civic body,” he said.
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Low prices take sheen off basmati
Fazilka, May 19 Farmers keen to grow 1121 variety apprehend exploitation at the hands of exporters, private traders and rice mill owners who had been purchasing the produce at the "prices of their choice". "The prices were non-remunerative last season as compared to previous years. The paddy growers were 'compelled' to sell their fine variety for as low as Rs 1,575 per quintal last year," said Chaudhary Kewal Krishan of Chack Banwala village. Last year, the price of 1121 variety was around Rs 1,600 per quintal. Now at the time of paddy transplantation, it is learnt that traders have raised the prices to Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,200 per quintal to "lure" the farmers to sow the fine variety. During 2009-10, the average price of the fine variety was Rs 3,700 per quintal; it was Rs 2,250 during 2010-11 and during 2011-12, the average price was Rs 1,800 per quintal. "The falling price every year indicates a nexus between private traders, millers and exporters," alleged farmers. "Last year, the MSP of parmal was Rs 1,110 per quintal which was considered remunerative as the yield of this variety is considerable high at 28 to 32 quintal per acre as compared to 16 to 18 quintal per acre of 1121 variety," said Nishan Singh of Nawan Rana village whose family used to sow paddy in over 31 acres. Farmers are waiting for the declaration of MSP of paddy (parmal variety). "If the MSP is increased up to around Rs 1,300 per quintal, more farmers will opt for parmal variety," said Gurnam Singh, a farmer. Agriculture Development Officer GS Cheema told The Tribune that farmers had purchased seed of parmal variety for nearly one-third of the total area of 29,490 hectares under paddy cultivation in Fazilka block. Last year, basmati was sown over 22,650 hectares and parmal over 6,840 hectares. Cheema has appealed to the farmers to sow both varieties to maintain a balance and to make full use of water. Cheema suggests that the optimum period for sowing parmal is after June 10 and the right time for basmati transplantation is from the last week of June to the first week of July. "The farmers are still keen to grow the fine variety if the government assures that the private traders will not exploit them. The trend of diversification of coarse variety of parmal (which requires flood irrigation) to fine 1121 variety (which consumes less water) can be successful only if the government declares a separate MSP for the fine variety," said agriculture expert Satish
Dhingra. In dilemma Farmers keen to grow 1121 variety apprehend exploitation at the hands of exporters, traders and millers who had been purchasing the produce at the "price of their choice" Last year, the MSP of
parmal variety was Rs 1,110 per quintal which was considered remunerative as the yield of this variety is considerable high The Agriculture Department has appealed to the farmers to sow both varieties to maintain a balance and to make full use of water
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Wheat export to spell boon: Badal
Rakhra (Patiala), May 19 Speaking to mediapersons after attending a function organised to mark the fourth death anniversary of Jaswant Kaur, mother of Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, the Chief Minister said he had raised the issue of wheat export with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on a number of occasions, but to no avail. "Punjab is the main contributor whenever there is a shortage of foodgrain in the country. But when there is a bumper crop, as is the case of wheat this time, the Centre pays no heed to our requests for export, which speaks of discrimination against us," he said. On Union Minister Jairam Ramesh's statement that Punjab too could get a fiscal bailout on the pattern on West Bengal provided the state government made concerted efforts, Badal said he had been raising the issue since long with the Centre. “We have a lot of respect for (West Bengal CM) Mamata (Banerjee), but she succeeded only because she is an alliance partner of the UPA government," he said. About Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh's statement that the Akali Dal "will resort to illegitimate exercises during the forthcoming civic body polls", Badal said, "The polling for Punjab Assembly election was held in free and fair manner in January. The Congress is in a habit of issuing illogical statements… 'Amarinder khuda nahi hai ki oh jo whi bolega oh sach hovega (Amarinder is not Almighty that whatever he speaks will come true." Advising the Congress leadership to be wary of blatant criticism on each and every issue, the Chief Minister said in a lighter vein: "Even Congress high command Sonia Gandhi had recently said that criticism has become a fashion these days." About frequent meetings with his estranged younger brother Gurdas Badal, the Chief Minister said the media should not be skeptical about good relations. "I and Gurdas are known as Ram Lakshman." Badal also went to see screening of a play, "Mein Tera Banda", dedicated to Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Harpal Tiwana Academy.
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Congress, not SAD, leader main accused in Kapurthala clash
Kapurthala, May 19 Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Daljit Singh, who is absconding after being booked in the case, said he had even filed papers to contest the Bholath Youth Congress president elections. But Khaira, he alleged, got his papers rejected as the former MLA wanted his son Mehtab Khaira to win the elections. For his part, Khaira claimed that Daljit Singh was a “pseudo Congress worker who had been planted in the party by his rival and Bholath MLA Bibi Jagir Kaur”. “I did not get his papers rejected. In fact, the party discarded his candidature in view of his criminal past. Several criminal cases are pending against Daljit,” he said. Khaira had alleged that Daljit Singh and other SAD workers had fired at Congress worker Ajit Singh and his sons over a land dispute. An FIR under Section 307 of the IPC was also registered against Daljit Singh, Jai Jagat Joshi and Kuldeep Singh. Kapurthala SSP SS Mann said the matter was under investigation and raids were being conducted to arrest Daljit and the other accused. Claiming innocence, Daljit said he was not even present at the clash site. He said he would soon meet Jalandhar DIG Lok Nath Aangra to request him for a re-investigation into the matter. He said he would also write against Khaira to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh and CLP leader Sunil Jakhar. A group allegedly led by Jai Jagat had attacked Ajit Singh and his sons after he started ploughing a three-kanal disputed plot at Rawa village near Nadala in Kapurthala.
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Power panel rationalises charges
Patiala, May 19 On a petition filed by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) with the PSERC on this matter, the regulatory commission amended the open access (OA) regulations through its order dated May 4. “The decision will save the power corporation from suffering loss to the tune of Rs 411 crore. Now, the industrial power consumers, who were earlier being levied less transmission and wheeling charges than the normal consumers, will have to pay the same amount, as was being paid by rest of the categories. The amendment to rationalise the charges is likely to provide a relief of 17 paise per unit to normal power consumers”, said a spokesman of the power corporation. The order stipulates that now all the power consumers, who have got connected load of 1-MW and above, are eligible for the OA and same transmission and wheeling charges will be levied on all the categories of the power consumers. The transmission and wheeling charges for the year 2011-12 for normal consumer was 127 paise per unit, with transmission charges accounting for 11 paise per unit and wheeling charges 116 paise per unit. While for the normal power consumers, these charges were levied in the tariff itself, whereas for the OA consumers, these charges were to be paid separately. As per the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), presently there are no wheeling charges for OA consumers at 132KV/220-KV, whereas for OA consumers at 33/66-KV, the wheeling charges are 15 per cent of the normal consumers that is 17.4 paise per unit. Furthermore, the wheeling charges for OA consumers at 11-KV are only just 30 per cent of the normal wheeling charges that is 34.8 paise per unit. Henceforth, the 132/220-KV, 33/66-KV and 11-KV OA consumers are paying 116 paise per unit, 98.6 paise per unit and 81.2 paise per unit, respectively less transmission and wheeling charges than the normal consumers despite the fact that both of them are using the same network.
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Illegal slaughterhouses mushroom in Malerkotla
Malerkotal, May 19 Nearly a dozen illegal slaughterhouses are operational from rehris, behind the bus stand. “Chicken and goats are butchered in unhygienic conditions and the waste is being dumped in the open vacant areas. Foul smell keeps emanating from these illegal slaughterhouses. It is high time that the administration should take stock of the situation”, demanded Sanjeev Agnihotri and Satinder Singh, both shopkeepers near the bus stand. Due to dumping of domestic waste and leftover of the slaughterhouses, a large vacant area near the bus stand has virtually turned into a dumping ground and the threat of epidemic looms large. “It is really shocking that no action has been taken against the unauthorised slaughterhouses. The authorities must take appropriate steps to end the menace of illegal slaughterhouses,” said Jatin Arora, a resident of the town. When contacted, Malerkotla SDM Rajesh Tripathi feigned ignorance on the matter and said so far no body had sent any complaint in this regard to him. He further said, “I will look into the matter and will also get a detailed field survey done to verify the facts and in case any illegal slaughterhouse is found operating in Malerkotla, necessary action will be initiated.”
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India emerging as medical tourism hub in Afghanistan
Jalandhar, May 19 In north India, Punjab is fast becoming favoured destination for rich Afghan nationals, who, like Punjabi NRIs from Canada, USA, UK Italy and Australia, find medical treatment much cheaper and a lot easier here. "India has emerged as the most preferred destination for Afghans. They are not only attracted to tourist destinations, but also finding it easy to get themselves treated in top hospitals in Delhi and other bigger cities due to inexpensive and world-class treatment available here," said Amarjit Singh, Consul General, Counsulate General of India, Heart, Afghanistan. Amarjit, who was on a visit to Jalandhar on Friday, said, "The increase in inflow of Afghan nationals is also due to liberal visa policy adopted by India. We grant visa to almost anyone in Herat after usual checks." "Afghanistan is also developing stronger business ties with India and is encouraging its businessmen to export hand-woven and other carpets and dry fruits and at the same time import heavy machinery, medicines, clothes and food items. India, which is treated as the most-friendlier country there, is helping in re-building of Afghanistan. The Salma Dam in Herat province, which is 100 per cent funded by India, is likely to be completed within a year. The dam will produce power for the northwestern Herat region bordering Iran," said he said. He said after Kabul, Herat province too would be connected with New Delhi as the Herat International Airport would be made operational within a couple of months. Dr Vijay Mahajan, owner of Tagore Hospital, said more and more NRIs and foreigners were coming to India for treatment. "A heart surgery costs around Rs 8 lakh in Canada, but it is done for nearly Rs 2 lakh here," said Dr
Mahajan.
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Cycle parts manufacturers shut units
Malerkotla, May 19 “The main reason behind closure of industrial units is heavy ups and downs in the rates of iron and no demand,” said Munish Kumar, an industrialist. Cycle stands and carriers manufactured from here were supplied big cycle manufactures in India, including Hero, Atlas and Avon. “We were forced to close our units in 2004 as there was no demand for our products. But when some state governments started free distribution of cycles to students, a sudden boom came in this industry. Again there is a downfall as no state governments have floated any tenders for supply of cycles for the past more than six months,” said Sunil Kumar, a local industrialist. The domestic market in the country could not lift the total production of cycle parts from Malerkotla, he said, adding that industrialists decided to close their units instead of waiting in vain for state governments to float tenders.
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Bathinda ayurvedic centres short of medicines, fail to treat patients
Bathinda, May 19 Besides the hospital, there is an ayurvedic health centre at Maur, six such dispensaries in urban areas and 20 in rural areas of the district. Though these medical centres have recently received some medicines from the Health Department, these are sufficient only for a month or two. The medicines have been supplied to these centres after a gap of more than one year. It is learnt that earlier, 22 to 25 types of medicines were provided, but now just 10 to 12 types of medicines are supplied. No medicine for hypertension, skin disorders, diabetes, obesity, gastritis, piles, uric acid, joint pain, arthritis and other ailments is available at the local ayurvedic hospital. Under such circumstances, the patients have to purchase medicines from the market. Besides, the quota of medicine for the hospital is equal to that of a dispensary, although it should be three to four times more. Sources said ayurvedic doctors had been demanding that the government should provide funds at the district level so that the medical centres could buy medicines on their own.
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Encroachments on link roads to go: Dhillon
Ludhiana, May 19 The drive also aims at clearing national highways, state highways and city roads from encroachments. The minister said link roads had become narrow due to encroachments by farmers. He claimed that encroachments on more than 10,000 km of state roads out of the total 50,000 km had been reported while on the national highways, there were more than 7,722 encroachments. The state government has given instructions to all deputy commissioners to get the encroachments removed from all roads till May 30. Earlier, the district administration had issued notices to farmers to raise the level of the encroached land to that of adjacent roads at their own expense. Dhillon said: "I started this drive from my constituency to clear the fact that rules are same for all. No laxity will be tolerated. Farmers have been earning from encroached land for years. So they must cooperate with the government". Encroachments on link roads is a common problem in the state. Most of the farmers whose land touches with the link roads often encroach upon the roads for agricultural purpose. At many places, farmers have been occupying such land from generations. Now, they say it would be tough for them to maintain the road level in a few days.
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Sikh groups divided over Op Bluestar memorial
Amritsar, May 19 A section of radical and Panthic groups are supporting the Damdami Taksal, which has been entrusted by the SGPC with the task of raising the memorial. These groups include Khalsa Action Committee, Dal Khalsa, Panthak Sewa Lehar and SAD (Panch Pardhani). Dal Khalsa chief HS Dhami said, “We support handing of ‘kar sewa’ to Damdami Taksal. Though the leadership of Taksal has changed with the times and with it the perception has also changed, still we are in favour of friendly relations with its present leadership to address Panthic issues.” He said they fairly give credit to Baba Harnam Singh for “preparing and prevailing upon the SAD leadership and the SGPC to decide in favour of the memorial; otherwise, left to Badals, the project would not have seen the light of the day”. On the other hand, SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjeet Singh Mann opposed the SGPC move to hand over the “kar sewa” to Damdami Taksal while stating that the responsibility should have been given to a “neutral group”. He said the onus of constructing the memorial should have been given to an outfit or an individual who had nothing to do with the government. He said the Sikhs should reject this move as they had done when the government had handed over “kar sewa” of the Akal Takht to Baba Santa Singh in 1984. SAD (1920) senior vice-president Raghubir Singh Rajasansi also demanded that the “kar sewa” of the memorial should have been given to a “non-controversial personality”. He alleged that Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh had been assigned the job by the SGPC at the behest of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He said they will not approve the “government-sponsored” “kar sewa”. Ram Singh, who heads the rival faction of Damdami Taksal, said, “Baba Harnam Singh is neither an architect nor he has constructed any gurdwara or memorial. He said a meeting of all Sikh outfits should have been called and “kar sewa” handed over to someone known for his work in this field. Akhand Kirtani Jatha chief Bhai Bakhshish Singh said the SGPC prepared the blueprint of the memorial and gave its “kar sewa” to Taksal “under the influence of a political party”. Apart from the issue of “kar sewa”, there are also differences among the Panthic groups regarding the form and the design of the memorial. Meanwhile, political observers here feel that the SAD leadership was under obligation to give “kar sewa” to Damdami Taksal as the latter had openly supported the SAD during the SGPC polls and also the state Assembly elections. Memorial to be octagonal SGPC Chief Avtar Singh Makkar has said the memorial building will be octagonal in shape with an area of 31.5 X 31.5 ft and its height will be 18-ft It has been ensured that the memorial's area is less than that of the sanctum sanctorum at the Golden Temple (41-ft X 41-ft) The memorial's height will be less than the adjoining Gurdwara Thara Sahib and the verandah of the building will be kept intact
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Forensic clean chit to SGPC member
Muktsar, May 19 A raid, conducted jointly by Income Tax sleuths, Election Commission officials and paramilitary personnel, at Kolianwali house on the Malout-Sitto Gunno road had led to the seizure of 30 packets of the powder (then though to be a narcotic substance), cash amounting to Rs 1.6 lakh and 35 tolas of gold. The raiding officials had handed over the powder to the police. Kabarwala police station SHO Gursewak Singh said, "The CFSL report has come negative about the 30 packets of powder sent to the laboratory for testing." The SHO said the CFSL authorities had, in a report, cleared that there was nothing objectionable in those packets. CFSL report comes negative in seizure made from house of SGPC member Dyal Singh Kolianwali SGPC member Dyal Singh Kolianwali on the night of January 25, five days before the Assembly polls |
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Over 90,000 appear in JET
Chandigarh, May 19 An official spokesperson said more than 90,000 candidates appeared in the test. He said students from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh had shown a great interest in the JET as the Board had reduced the examination and tution fees. He said the result would be declared in the first week of June. More than 60,000 seats would be available in 130 polytechnic colleges affiliated with the board in the state. He said the board had offered more than 29 diploma courses and after that students would be able to get admission in the second year of B.Tech through lateral entry. The official said 2,500 seats had been reserved under fee waiver scheme (Rs 22,000 exempted from Rs 27,625 annual fee) for students belonging to economically weaker sections. He said those SC students whose family income was less than Rs 2.5 lakh had to pay Rs 1,100 only for three years as tution fee.
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HC relief for Pojewal college facing closure
Chandigarh, May 19 Justice Rajiv Narain Raina also issued notice of motion on the petition for May 24. As the petition came up for hearing, counsel for the petitioner asserted that the petitioner was running the institute since 1998. It was added that the approval accorded to the petitioner-college was sought to be withdrawn vide letter dated June 6, 2011, annexed along with the petition. But, it was served on the institute for the first time on January 24. The response was filed the very next day. “No coercive action be taken against the petitioner under the colour of the annexure,” Justice Raina asserted before parting with the case. In its petition filed against the All-India Council for Technical Education, the State of Punjab, Punjab Technical University and other respondents, the institute had earlier sought directions for setting aside the order dated June 6, 2011, and also the show-cause notice issued subsequently on April 27. 2011. — TNS
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Chorus grows for turning martyr Dhingra’s house into memorial
Amritsar, May 19 Talking to The Tribune, former Punjab Social Welfare Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla, who has formed the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Smarak Samiti, said the state government should acquire his house and grant funds to develop it as a memorial. "Some of Dhingra's photographs are available in Amritsar while efforts should be made to get his photographs and other items associated with him from London where he spent last days of his life before being hanged". She opined that his life sketch in the form of paintings should be showcased in the memorial so that the coming generations could know about their glorious past. Sarab Bharat Naujawan Sabha leader Prithipal Singh Marimega said they had already written to the government to convert the martyr's house into a memorial. He said the pistol with which Dhingra killed Sir William Curzon Wyllie and his write-ups should be exhibited at the memorial. He felt that those associated with Dhingra during the freedom movement should also be given space. He said the government should constitute a committee for constructing the memorial and the panel should also include representatives of social organisations which had been fighting for the cause. He said the government should also issue an appeal to all, urging them to hand over items related to Dhingra to it so that they could be displayed at the memorial. He said they would soon hold a meeting to deliberate on the issue. The Sarab Bharat Naujawan Sabha, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha, Janwadi Naujawan Sabha, Punjab Students Union and the Naujawan Bharat Sabha have already submitted a charter of demands to the Deputy Commissioner in this regard. The issue came to the fore when Dhingra's ancestral house at Katra Sher Singh locality here was being demolished early this year. Today, it is almost demolished except for a few shops in its front portion and the common walls that the house shared with adjacent buildings. The house was owned by Dhingra's kin till a few years ago, but they reportedly sold it off amid demand from various organisations to convert it into the martyr's memorial. About the martyr An unforgotten hero of the freedom movement, Madan Lal Dhingra was perhaps the first Indian to have been executed in London during the freedom struggle. Sahib Ditta Mal was his father while one of his brothers was a barrister. He acquired his basic qualification from Amritsar and went to England to pursue higher education in engineering. There, he came in contact with Shyamji Krishna Verma and Veer Savarkar, the two freedom stalwarts. Having a strong desire to see his country liberated, he gunned down Sir William Curzon Wyllie on July 1, 1909. Dhingra was executed on August 17, 1909, at the age of 26. However, his father, known for his proximity to the British government, had refused to accept his body. Dhingra's remains were accidentally found while the authorities searched for the remains of Shaheed Udham Singh and sent to India on December 13, 1976.
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City centre case adjourned
Ludhiana, May 19 No effective proceedings took place today as majority of the accused were not present during the court hearing. Defence lawyers pleaded no objection for conducting case proceedings by this court while replying to a query put by the court. The Judge told the defence lawyers that the accused need not come to the court on the coming date for hearing arguments on framing charges so as to void rush in the court. However, if any accused wanted to hear the arguments, he could come, the Judge said.
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With efficient financial management, the Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) has doubled its income in the past five years. In 2006-07, the MC’s income was Rs 35.72 crore, while the revenue generation for 2011-12 stood at Rs 74.33 crore.
With transpla- ntation of paddy set to commence, farmers are in dilemma over the selection of cultivating either fine 1121 basmati paddy variety or the conventional parmal variety.
With authorities of the Malerkotla administration turning a blind eye towards illegal slaughterhouses, slaughtering of animals in an unhygienic manner is on. Because of the casual approach of the Malerkotla administration, illegal slaughterhouses are mushrooming, particularly in the area behind the bus stand.
Jalandhar, May 19
An anti-encroachment drive has been started by PWD Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon to free link roads of encroachments by farmers across the state. The drive was initiated by Dhillon from Raaian village in his Sahnewal constituency.
Even as the stage is set for the foundation stone laying ceremony of Operation Bluestar Memorial here tomorrow, the issue seems to have divided radical Sikh outfits and Panthic
organisations. A section of radical and Panthic groups are supporting the Damdami
Taksal, which has been entrusted by the SGPC with the task of raising the memorial. These groups include Khalsa Action Committee, Dal
Khalsa, Panthak Sewa Lehar and SAD (Panch Pardhani).
With the Punjab and Haryana High Court banning the sale of ancestral house of noted freedom fighter Madan Lal
Dhingra, various social organisations here have hailed the order and appealed to the government that house should now be turned into a memorial.
It wasn’t contraband