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Demand up, power cuts from today
Rs 5,000 cr tax fraud detected in Punjab
1,320-MW thermal plant proposed at Mukerian
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‘Ensure hurdle-free landing of VIPs’ choppers’
Water level in reservoirs falls
BJP workers court arrest statewide
Badal defends memorial
Harmful pesticides still on sale
Poor result: Maluka cracks whip on teachers
Experts to study waterlogging, submit report by Nov 30
SpiceJet to fly on Amritsar-Delhi route
Three cops suspended
HC relief for JBT teachers after 20 yrs
10 booked for illegal mining in
Ferozepur
Heroin seized
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Demand up, power cuts from today
Confirming this, senior officials of the Power Corporation said since the unrestricted power demand has touched the figure of 9,400 MW, they were in a helpless situation on account of power transfer capacity of Punjab, as scheduling of the Northern Regional Load Despatch Centre (NRLDC) is 5,400 MW and they cannot draw more than that from the northern grid. Unrestricted demand is the one which includes actual power demand without the imposition of a power cut on any category of consumer. Speaking to The Tribune, PSPCL Director (Distribution) Arun Verma said after the imposition of weekly offs on industry, power demand in the state was about 8,700-8,800 MW. “We can provide uninterrupted power to the people but the problem is Power Corporation cannot go beyond the drawl limit fixed by the NRLDC. Hence, for the time being, we have decided to impose scheduled short-duration cuts, so that at least the people are aware about the power availability”, he said. As per figures, after the imposition of regulatory measures on the industry, the power shortfall was about 190 lakh units (LU) on Thursday, because of which unscheduled cuts were imposed on the domestic sector. According to a fresh circular issued by the PSPCL, apart from two-day weekly off imposed on the arc/induction furnace and rolling mills, now the weekly off on general industrial consumers has also been increased from one to two days. By the time of filing this story, the circular pertaining to the scheduled cuts on other category of consumers was being prepared. Sources in the PSPCL said though the demand for power had gone up steeply this summer, one major flaw which had come to light is that the grid substations and the power distribution system was overloaded and enough attention was not being paid to de-load them. However, some of the officers, preferring anonymity, said unauthorised load, mainly in the domestic sector, was one of the major reasons behind the overloading of the distribution system. “It would be injustice to put the entire blame for power crisis on the Power Corporation. Unauthorised load contributes significantly in breakdowns and snags in the transformers. Power consumers must get unauthorised load regularised”, said a senior Power Corporation officer. The PSPCL officials claimed that due to high demand in most of the areas, voltage level reduces, which necessitates the imposition of power cuts in order to avoid grid collapse. "Today, PSPCL has tied up around 400 MW of power but it could not flow to Punjab due to transmission constraints. Due to these factors, the PSPCL is left with no other option but to impose power cuts on domestic and commercial consumers", said the press release issued by PSPCL. As per the power cut schedule finalised by the PSPCL, there will be around two-hour cut in most of the cities and three-hour cut in the districts, where the demand is high. "After the annual maintenance, the 210-MW thermal plant unit number 1 of Ropar Thermal Plant is unable to perform up to satisfactory level. The power situation will improve once this unit stabilises", said PSPCL officials. Meanwhile, power sector experts feel that in the wake of severe crisis, the Power Corporation should approach the state government with a proposal that air-conditioners in government offices should not be allowed till the power situation improves. "Such kind of steps had been taken in the past also", said a Power Corporation officer, while preferring anonymity. Experts have also pointed out that since the four grids (Northern, Eastern, Western and North-Eastern) are inter-connected, once the monsoon reaches east and west, load on these grids would reduce and subsequently, the load on northern grid would decrease thereby leading to better power scenario.
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Rs 5,000 cr tax fraud detected in Punjab
Mandi Gobindgarh/Patiala, June 22 Sources said bogus firms had been operating in the state for the past three years through Hawala transactions. “The total amount could be over Rs 10,000 crore. But initial assessment points towards a fraud of nearly Rs 5,000 crore,” they stated. “The department will soon open all such cases for scrutiny and summon these dealers and firms. The fraud is considered to be one of the biggest detected in the past many years,” they said. Officials stated that the modus operandi of the dealers was also very precise, wherein Hawala dealers, majority of them operating from Mandi Gobindgarh and Ludhiana, would start fake firms dealing in iron and steel, yarns and other items and then issue fake bills and make unaccounted transactions. “Later, these firms in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and some other parts of the state would defraud the state government revenue through incorrect VAT claim of Input Tax Credit by their beneficiaries,” said a senior officer attached with the case. Hawala entails making bogus invoices to allow a trader to claim tax credits. In this racket, a hawala operator, posing as a ‘seller’, exists only on paper and gets a cut in return. A document of one such firm revealed while the firm was registered for iron and steel, all its past one-year billings were made in plastic scrap and acrylic. The same firm had issued cheques above Rs 25 lakh per cheque to unknown beneficiaries. An officer of the department said earlier Punjab industrialists used this practice to compete with other states, which enjoyed the tax benefits. “Of late, this has become a flourishing trade where bogus firms are minting money and the government is losing precious taxable income,” he said. “We conducted surveys and over 100 firms are under our lens. These firms will soon be summoned to explain their deals. As the tax amount is high, the case file will soon be sent to the Excise and Taxation Commissioner for necessary action,” said KVS Sidhu, head of the Economic Intelligence Unit. “The fake firms have been operating for the past few years and have been changing names often”, he stated. An officer said the defaulters were mainly dealing in fake iron and steel firms, dyes and chemicals, yarn trade, sanitary and plastic goods, food grains with private dealers and electrical goods.
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1,320-MW thermal plant proposed at Mukerian
One of the Power Corporation officials said, “The land required for setting up the proposed plant is about 1,000 acres, which means land from various villages will have to be acquired for setting up the proposed plant.” Speaking to The Tribune, PSPCL Director (Generation) GS Chhabra said, “The CEA team is expected to submit its report soon.” It is learnt that the CEA report would mainly cover the site selection, water linkage and rail connectivity besides some other aspects. It was a long-pending demand of the PSEB Engineers’ Association and the power sector experts that the Punjab Government should set up a thermal power plant under the state sector. In the first quarter of 2011, the state government had in-principle committed that 1,320-MW plant would be set up under the state sector at Mukerian. However, in June 2011, the state government referred the proposal to the Power Corporation, asking it to clarify certain queries pertaining to financial aspects of the project. Subsequently, there was a communiqué between the government and the PSPCL, wherein it was brought to the notice of the state government that 90 per cent of the project cost would be borne by the Power Finance Corporation and the rest by the PSPCL. Thereafter, the PSEB Engineers’ Association again took up the matter with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Finally, during the annual general body meeting of the Association held in April this year, the CM had announced that the state government would soon initiate the process for the proposed plant.
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‘Ensure hurdle-free landing of VIPs’ choppers’
Patiala, June 22 In a recent order shot to all SSPs and Police Commissioners, the Chief Minister’s security wing directed the police officers to make foolproof security arrangements around the landing area where a chopper carrying VIPs would land. Stray cattle menace has astonished many officers. “The police manning the security of the chopper landing area should ensure that no stray cattle enter the area and the area is clear before the helicopter lands,” reads the letter written to all district police heads. Sources said the order has beeen issued following an incident when the chopper carrying VIPs faced technical problems while landing and the landing spot was prepared a day before the visit. “Moreover, the rising cattle menace in the state is worrying everyone as it can any day be life threatening”, they added. The recent order further makes it clear that 245-metre area around the landing spot should be completely cordoned off and should be completely cleared off. “The instructions are for the helicopter carrying Punjab Governor, Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister,” reads the order. Already overburdened with various duties ranging from general law and order to high profile security arrangements during VIP visits, the police has now been asked to shoo away stray animals. “While our women commandos will guard the VIPs from terror threats, the government wants policemen to guard them from stray cattle. These seniors add everything to our duty while the same should be looked after by the local municipal corporations and councils,” said a DSP who received a copy of the letter to protect VIP choppers from stray cattle.
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Water level in reservoirs falls
Chandigarh, June 22 The water level in the Bhakra Dam this morning was recorded at 1527.88 ft compared to 1579.80 ft on June 22 last year. The water inflow was recorded at 32,025 cusecs compared to 38, 608 cusecs on this day last year. The water level recorded in the Pong Dam this morning was 1297.82 ft compared to 1349.67 ft on June 22 last year. The inflow was 4,708 cusecs compared to 9,193 cusecs on the same day last year. The water level in the Ranjit Sagar Dam was recorded at 499.50 metres today as against last year’s level of 510.51 metres. Officials are particularly worried at the water level in the Pong Dam. For the past few days, it has been declining by almost a foot everyday and has gone down by 15 ft since the beginning of June. Water released from the Pong Dam feeds the Harike lake. Power generation has been affected in the region because of the low water level in the reservoirs. “The situation in various reservoirs is becoming critical by the day. We are keeping a watch and preparing to take the necessary steps at the appropriate time”, said Amarjit Singh Dulat, Chief Engineer, Irrigation Department. “If there is no rain in the next few days and the heat wave continues, we will have to decrease the release of water into various canals. We may have to resort to a weekly closure of canals by rotation to deal with the situation”, he said. The Bhakra Beas Management Board has convened a meeting here on June 25 to discuss the issue with the partner states, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. “As it is a critical time for paddy transplantation as also cotton, we will urge the BBMB not to decrease the outflow of water from various reservoirs”, Amarjit Singh said. What is worrying the officials is that the monsoon is nowhere in sight.
Pong Dam
Ranjit Sagar Dam
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BJP workers court arrest statewide
Chandigarh, June 22 Reports from different parts of the state said the protests were massive, but peaceful. Senior state BJP leaders courted arrest in different parts of the state. According to BJP’s state media in charge, Vineet Joshi, party’s national vice-president and former Union Minister Shanta Kumar courted arrest in Jalandhar with party’s spokesman Manoranjan Kalia, 19 municipal councillors and thousands of party workers. Similarly, BJPs national leader and MP Balbir Punj courted arrest with MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, district president Anand Sharma, 24 municipal councillors, Yuva Morcha’s state president Rajesh Honey and workers at Amritsar, while BJP’s state president Ashwani Sharma was arrested with about 5,000 workers at Pathankot. Joshi stated that before the arrest, while addressing the workers, Shanta Kumar said the Central government was claiming that fuel hike was due to hike in crude oil prices globally. “India is not the only country which imports crude oil. Rather, all countries in the world get crude oil supply. Despite this, petrol costs Rs 59 per litre in Pakistan, Rs 61.70 in Sri Lanka, Rs 43.40 in Bangladesh, Rs 53.70 in the USA and Rs 50.20 in Russia. In such a situation, only India is the country where petrol is priced at Rs 76.53. This means the fuel prices are not dependent on international market,” he said. In Amritsar, Balbir Punj said after petrol, the Union government was planning to increase the prices of diesel, LPG and kerosene. Addressing the workers before courting arrest, state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma said, “It is true that prices of crude oil have increased in the international market. However, the burden can be reduced by adjusting import duty and excise duty. Instead of doing this, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee appears to be interested in getting more revenue because of the price hike in crude oil. The government can adopt a 'revenue-neutral' policy and pass on the additional revenue to consumers by reducing the prices. We had done accordingly during the regime of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee." Others who courted arrested included state general secretary Kamal Sharma in Ludhiana, state general secretary Manjit Singh Rai in Bathinda, Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna in Sangrur, former minister Balramji Dass Tandon in Patiala, former minister Tikshan Sud in Hoshiarpur, former state president Prof Brij Lal Rinwa in Ferozepur, former minister Arunesh Shakar in Gurdaspur and former minister Master Mohan Lal in Kapurthala.
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Badal defends memorial
Chandigarh, June 22 In a statement in the House yesterday, Badal said the demand to raise theOperation Bluestar Memorial had been a long-pending one. His government had only given tacit approval to something which the Sikh community and the SGPC had finalised between themselves. The fact that the CM placed a letter from the SGPC president on the floor of the House, stating what kind of memorial would be built in the Golden Temple complex, indicates he could have been instrumental in giving the final shape to the Bluestar Memorial. The middle path followed by the CM (the memorial will come up in the form of a gurdwara and not a museum or gallery) has been grudgingly accepted by the BJP which understands the SAD’s compulsions. The memorial controversy might die down, but on the issue of honouring Beant Singh’s assassin, Balwant Singh Rajoana, the SAD will have to do a tightrope walking. The BJP has made its clear that it will not recognise a murderer as a martyr. The Congress too is targeting the government on the issue although some Sikh legislators in the Congress do not want the party to make it a political issue. Badal has in a deft political move capitalised on this sentiment. In his statement to the House yesterday, he said he was “deeply pained” by the dangerous controversy created by the Congress over a religious monument and accused the party of trying to disturb the hard-won peace and communal harmony in the state. The statement said “most painfully and shockingly, the Congress government at the Centre in 1984 ordered and carried out a brutal Army assault on this house of God.” Badal said it was felt that this “saka” needed to be commemorated through a symbol to carry forward the Gurus’ message of peace and harmony. He said it was after deliberations with eminent scholars that it was decided that the memorial should come up in the form of a gurdwara. Badal said: “The period of SAD-BJP governments in Punjab has been one of peace and harmony. I am proud to say that even today, when the rest of the country is afflicted with violence and anarchy, Punjab remains the most peaceful state and an oasis of human brotherhood.” The Chief Minister said he considered restoration of peace and communal harmony in Punjab as his greatest achievement. “Its preservation in future also is my most cherished goal and mission. Peace and harmony in Punjab is a matter of sacred faith for me and I am committed to defend it with my life. “Even if I have to shed the last drop of my blood for peace and communal harmony in Punjab, I will consider that to be a part of my religious duty and will be proud of it. This is my sacred commitment to the people of Punjab”, the Chief Minister added. Meanwhile, BJP vice-president Shanta Kumar, who is incharge of Punjab affairs, told mediapersons in Jalandhar on Friday that his party was opposed to a memorial at the Golden Temple.
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Harmful pesticides still on sale
Faridkot, June 22 Harmful pesticides banned or restricted in several countries are doing roaring business in Punjab. In an official communiqué on April 20, the NHRC had said that following its directions on comprehensive action- banning carcinogenic pesticides, controlled use of less hazardous pesticides and educating farmers on judicious use of pesticides- it had been informed by the Health and Family Welfare Department that it had “banned the manufacture, import and use of pesticides which are very injurious to health, withdrawn registration of some such pesticides and restricted the use of other hazardous pesticides.” However, Dr JP Singh, Director, Health and Family Welfare, pleaded ignorance about any such undertaking to the NHRC. “I have no information of any such any directions from the NHRC. I need to go through the record before making a comment,” he said. Similarly, the Director, Agriculture, MS Sandhu, claimed that the department had not received any such communication from the Health Department. The NHRC’s orders notwithstanding, nothing seems to have changed on the ground. The NHRC orders had come after it took suo motu cognizance of media reports on the rising cancer deaths in Punjab, blaming excessive use of pesticides for the same.
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Poor result: Maluka cracks whip on teachers
Chandigarh, June 22 The minister directed the District Education Officer (Secondary), Mohali, to seek an explanation from each school head or teacher where performance of students in Class X and XII examinations has been below par. The DEO has been asked to submit his report within 15 days. He has also directed the DEO to seek explanation from students where results are satisfactory but students have performed below par in some subjects. Reiterating his commitment to ensure quality education in government schools, the minister categorically said there was no room for non-performing and non-serious teachers and complacency in this regard would not be tolerated.
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Experts to study waterlogging, submit report by Nov 30
Chandigarh, June 22 A spokesperson for the Chief Minister’s Office said the panel chaired by Dr Mihir Shah, member, Water Resources and Rural Development, Planning Commission, would include Dr A Vaidyanathan, Senior Fellow, International Water Management Institute, Anand (Gujarat), Dr Tushar Shah, Dr Himanshu Kulkarni from Pune, and Dr Karam Singh, PAU. Avinash Mishra, Water Resources Division, Planning Commission, would be member-secretary. The experts would study the issue of waterlogging and recommend the way forward and submit a report by November 30 this year. The group would suggest innovative globally accepted remedial measures suited to local conditions and also study measures like water-shed management and crop diversification to address the issue.
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SpiceJet to fly on Amritsar-Delhi route
Amritsar, June 22 Amritsar Airport Director Sunil Dutt said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) held a number of meetings with officials of the SpiceJet about the availability of this lucrative route. Cash-strapped Kingfisher’s exit was a gain for the hapless Air India and Jet Airways as they recorded a rise of about 10 per cent in their occupancy. SpiceJet supervisor Dhiraj Dua said though no date had been fixed, flights on the Amritsar-Delhi route would begin from next month. He said office space had been acquired at the Amritsar Airport. At present, the national carrier is running two daily flights to Delhi besides four days a week Amritsar - Sharjah service with a halt in Delhi. Jet Airways is running two flights daily except Sunday.
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Three cops suspended
Amritsar, June 22 The policemen have been suspended for negligence.They failed to act with haste and send wireless messages about the kidnapping to various police stations and adjoining police districts. Sushant (11) was kidnapped from a locality in the walled city of Amritsar. He was killed on June 12. Dinesh Partap Singh, district police chief, said: “These policemen should have informed their seniors about the incident besides flashing a wireless message to various police stations and neighbouring police districts. Also, the policemen on their own decided to cremate the boy’s decomposed body after post-mortem.”
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HC relief for JBT teachers after 20 yrs
Chandigarh, June 22 The circular came with a rider - ad hoc appointment should have been regularised subsequently without a break in the service. The benefit was to be given from the date of acquiring higher qualification, irrespective of the fact that the teachers were only in ad hoc service. As the case came up for hearing before Justice K. Kannan of the High Court, the State of Punjab admitted in its written statement the issuance of the notification providing such benefit from the date of ad hoc service, provided they had been regularised on or after February 19, 1979. It was added the petitioners' cases were under “active consideration”. But, the contention failed to find favour with Justice Kannan. “Evidently the consideration has not been done till now, notwithstanding a lofty claim that it was under active consideration,” Justice Kannan added. In his detailed order, Justice Kannan asserted: “There shall be a mandate that the petitioners' claim for higher grade is admitted from the respective dates when the petitioners acquired higher qualification, irrespective of the fact that they were ad hoc appointees, so long as the ad hoc appointment became regular without any break in service. Before parting with the case, Justice Kannan asserted the calculation and release of the benefit to the petitioners within eight weeks from the receiving the order’s copy, “with interest at 6 per cent from the date of filing the petition till date of payment”. “The additional benefit will be worked out notionally and their entitlement will be issued for 38 months prior to the filing of the writ petition,” Justice Kannan concluded.
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10 booked for illegal mining in
Ferozepur
Ferozepur, June 22 Raju said there were specific instructions from the Chief Minister to check illegal mining of minerals and sand. Hence, 10 persons had been booked following raids at various sites. The DC said there were 57 authorised sand mines in the district. He instructed officials to provide basic facilities like shelter and drinking water to labourers working at places where mining was permitted. He asked locals to pay contractors only at the rates approved by the government. “Fleecing will not be tolerated,” he warned.
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Heroin seized
Fazilka, June 22 Inspector-General of Intelligence JK Jain said the recovery of heroin, which was smuggled from Pakistan was in the run up of the yesterday’s seizure of about 9 kg of narcotics worth Rs 43 crore. He said the two arrested farmers, Gurmaiz Singh and Sulakhan Singh, had allegedly got a cavity fabricated in their tractor to conceal and smuggle the heroin from across the border fencing by hoodwinking the BSF personnel guarding the entry gates at the border. Jain said two Pakistani SIM cards have also been recovered from the arrested farmers. He said during interrogation the accused revealed that the heroin was to be supplied to some persons in Amritsar district. The police is trying to trace these persons. Jain said the intelligence personnel recovered the contraband with the help of BSF authorities. BSF DIG AK Sharma was also presnt during the media briefing. Jain said Gurmail Singh had during the past sometime smuggled 150 kg of heroin worth Rs 750 crore from Pakistan.
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Patiala, June 22
Chandigarh, June 22
Patiala, June 22
Patiala, June 22
Higher grade for higher qualification was originally granted only to regular appointees on the basis of a government notification dated July 23, 1957. Subsequently, a circular was issued on October 11, 1991, clarifying that even those in ad hoc service obtaining higher qualification would also be entitled to the benefit.