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2 thermal units shut, power supply hit
Milk prices to go up from today
Attack On Milwaukee Gurdwara in US |
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Badal leaves for US, to visit affected families
Patiala family awaits justice
Install CCTV cameras at Bhakra: HC
Sukhbir's Muktsar visit today
Dy CM to open bridge to Badal village
Ahluwalia challenges suspension orders
SSP’s
transfer
Centre refuses to pay enhanced VAT, cess on procured grain
Industrial plots to come with lock-in period
Fate of city buses hangs in balance
Teenager claims to be newborn’s mother
Health dept puts its house in order to check cholera
No bus passes, students protest against PRTC
Varsity teachers to hold protest today
Brar wants Parliament to observe two-minute silence
Patiala jail official seeks time to file reply
Riot victims wrangle for flats, move High Court
One more held in contract killing case
Amritsar trader shot dead, Rs 10 lakh looted
15 kg opium seized, two arrested
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2 thermal units shut, power supply hit
After conductors of the 220-KV Malerkotla-Dhuri and Moga-Sadik transmission lines snapped at noon today, the thermal units at the Lehra Mohabbat and Bathinda thermal plants tripped. An official of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) said as of now, one unit of 110 MW capacity at the Bathinda thermal plant and one unit of 250 MW capacity at the Lehra Mohabbat thermal plant were not operational. He said the units had been shut down for necessary repairs. Speaking to The Tribune, PSPCL Director, Distribution, Arun Verma, said apart from the non-functional thermal units and a snag in the 220 KV transmission system, the power corporation was not getting supply from Adani Power.
The power demand in the state was recorded at 2,088 lakh units (LU) on Monday, whereas the availability was a mere 1,768 LU. Meanwhile, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said Punjab had so far not received any positive response from the Centre on its request for additional power.
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Milk prices to go up from today
Chandigarh, August 7 The price of double toned milk will be increased from Rs 26 to Rs 27 per litre, of single toned milk from Rs 29 to Rs 30 per litre and that of standard milk from Rs 32 to Rs 33 per litre. The new prices will be effective from August 9. However, Milkfed has decided not to increase the price of full cream and skimmed milk. BS
Sidhu, Managing Director, Milkfed, said they had also increased the milk procurement rate by Rs 20 per kg fat. At present, the cooperative is paying farmers a price of Rs 395-Rs 405 per kg fat. "We held a meeting with representatives of the Progressive Dairy Farmers Association today. Since the prices of cattle feed have gone up substantially, we have decided to increase the procurement price to Rs 415-Rs 425 per kg fat”.
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Attack On Milwaukee Gurdwara in US
New Delhi, August 7 Raghuvinder Singh tried to get a visa for the US to get back his father Punjab Singh, who sustained bullet injuries in the attack. But the US Embassy asked him to fulfill certain
formalities. Raghuvinder said that he had been informed that his father’s condition was critical. Gursharan Singh wants to bring back the body of his father, Sita Singh, for the last rites. The DSGMC has assured him of all help. He says he will approach the US Embassy for visa tomorrow. Gurpreet, whose uncle Santokh Singh was injured in the attack, says neither the DSGMC nor any government official has approached the family so far. Meanwhile, an SGPC delegation, led by its president Avtar Singh Makkar, today submitted a memorandum to the US Embassy and External Affairs Minister SM Krishna. The SGPC memorandum appealed to the US Ambassador to convey the anguish of the Sikh community over the incident to the US Government.
Badal leaves for US, to visit affected families
Chandigarh, August 7 The Chief Minister will be attending the wedding of NRI magnate Darshan Singh Dhaliwal’s daughter on August 11. Sources said the Chief Minister has chosen to take his personal staff as well as two security personnel for the tour. The Union Government has asked the US to provide appropriate security to the Chief Minister in view of the gurdwara shootout. Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra said the family would now opt for a quiet wedding. “The family is in a state of shock because of the death of my brother-in-law Satwant Singh Kaleka in the shootout,” he said. Among the VIPs who are already in the US for the wedding are Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, Transport Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and Chief Parliamentary Secretary NK Sharma. Sources said Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal was scheduled to leave for London tomorrow for the Olympics. Sources said Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal was scheduled to leave for London tomorrow for the Olympics. He would be there till August 13.
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Patiala family awaits justice
Patiala, August 7 Gurbachan Kaur died of shock a month after the bodies of her sons Paramjit (42) and Ravinder (30) were brought home in Patiala. Family members say the Richmond police is yet to identify the assailants.
“The Indian Government has failed to take up the case with the US authorities,” says Balwinder Singh Kalsi, elder brother of the victims. He wants the case to be handed over to the FBI. Khushdeep Kaur is unable to fight back her tears at the mention of her dead brothers. “We want the Indian Government to pressurise the US authorities into handing over the case to the FBI,” she says, as she looks at a framed picture of her brothers, tears rolling down her cheeks. The Kalsi brothers, who shifted to the US in 1997, bought a restaurant in South Richmond in 2002. They were shot inside their restaurant.
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Install CCTV cameras at Bhakra: HC
Initially, the installation of a camera each on both the sides was being mulled. But keeping in view the size and the depth of the water body, it was decided to double the number. The directions are significant as attempts by criminals to dispose of bodies in canals after killing their victims would now be caught in the cameras. Referring to the news report, counsel Navkiran Singh said: "The news item reported this is the place where water from the channel flows from Haryana and jurisdiction of Punjab ends…. In many cases, even criminals kill their victims and throw them into the canal as they are so sure the body would not be fished out by the police and the crimes committed by them will be going undetected…. "The organisation feels there is an easy solution to the problem and in case the same is implemented in Punjab, many unsolved crimes can be solved…. Immediate intention is required at the Bhakra mainline at Khanauri, which is the last point in the jurisdiction of Punjab and effective steps can be taken by the Sangrur police officials in collaboration with some NGOs to ensure that dead bodies are not allowed to cross into
Haryana".
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Sukhbir's Muktsar visit today
Muktsar, August 7 The construction work of this 2.05-km-long stretch, being done by the Punjab Mandi Board, was going at a snail's pace for the past about one-and-a-half year. Shopkeepers and residents of localities along the road had a harrowing time all this while. However, they were in for a surprise today when they saw a large number of labourers equipped with heavy machinery working on the road. Senior Board officials, including its Superintending Engineer HS Randhawa, were also present to inspect the construction work. Randhawa denied that they had expedited the work due to Deputy Chief Minister's scheduled visit, but failed to give a satisfactory reply regarding the delay in the past. "We were facing a number of hurdles, but now we are sure to complete it by tomorrow morning," he said. Sources said the construction gathered pace only after the interference of some senior SAD leaders, who were aware that during Sukhbir's visit, locals would raise this issue. Four-laning project Sukhbir is scheduled to lay a foundation stone of the four-laning of nearly 30-km-long Muktsar-Kotkapura road. The work is likely to be completed in 18 months with an approximate amount of Rs 66.21 crore. A toll plaza will also be set up at Warring village. Meanwhile, the Government College here has announced a non-teaching day for tomorrow in view of the foundation laying ceremony. College staff said the parking lot had been converted into a "pandal" and the ground would be used for parking of VIPs' vehicles and for landing of Sukhbir's helicopter.
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Dy CM to open bridge to Badal village
Badal (Muktsar) August 7 Termed as the “VVIP Bridge” it will be opened to the general public tomorrow after its inauguration by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Built at a cost of Rs 30 crore, the bridge has been built especially for the Badals. Waiting at the railway barrier would irritate the VIPs. Also, the barrier was seen as a potential security threat, explained officials. The bridge mainly connects Bathinda city to Badal village. Though there is invariably a long queue of vehicles at railway barrier No 184, a few hundred metres from the “VVIP Bridge”, the powers that be have preferred an overbridge to Badal village instead. Another bridge, just 400 metres from railway barrier No 184, provides direct connectivity to Ganpati Enclave, a residential-cum-commercial colony owned by a powerful politician-cum businessman. Adesh Gupta, XEN, said the bridge to Badal village had been built at a cost of Rs 30 crore. “It was started in March 2009. The bridge had to be given an almost 90 degree curve to allow it to pan over two railway lines and a ring road.”
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Ahluwalia challenges suspension orders
Chandigarh, August 7 He has challenged the orders of July 31, whereby his services as Vice Chancellor were placed under suspension. Ahluwalia, in his petition, has made Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president and university Chancellor Avtar Singh Makkar a party in the case. Acting on his petition, Rajesh Bindal of the High Court today issued a notice of motion to the SGPC, Makkar and other respondents. The case will come up for further hearing on Monday. Ahluwalia has all along been saying that Makkar had asked him to justify 92 “illegal” appointments made by the
SGPC-run university before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He claims that 32 of the appointees are Makkar’s acquaintances or relatives, including his grandson Amanpreet Singh, who was acting as the "super VC" of the Sikh university at Fatehgarh Sahib.
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SSP’s
transfer
Gurdaspur, August 7 The police had made elaborate arrangements to avoid any untoward incident. Anti-riot control vehicles were stationed at various strategic points. Though banks, schools and government offices reported normal attendance, shopkeepers of Hanuman chowk, Bata chowk, Geeta Mandir road, Civil Lines and Tibri road kept their establishments closed. Prominent social and trade organisations that took part in the bandh were the Gurdaspur Beopar Mandal, Lions Club, District Chemists Association and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Gurdaspur. A "sangharsh" committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Jatinder Pal Singh..
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Centre refuses to pay enhanced VAT, cess on procured grain
Chandigarh, August 7 Some years ago, Punjab had enhanced the infrastructure development cess on procured foodgrain from 2 per cent to 3 per cent and raised VAT from 4 per cent to 5 per cent. However, the Centre has refused to pay the the additional cess. Foodgrain worth Rs 40,000 crore is annually procured for the central pool in Punjab. Official sources said a sum of Rs 1,800 crore was due against the Centre. “We have written to the Union Food Ministry in this regard,” said a senior official. The Centre had, in a letter to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal recently, pointed out that the taxes, which comprised 14.5 per cent of the foodgrain cost, 5 per cent VAT, 2 per cent market fee, 2.5 per cent arhtiya commission, 2 per cent rural development cess and 3 per cent infrastructure development cess, were the highest in the country. With the Centre refusing to pay additional VAT and cess, what has alarmed the officials is the Centre’s directive to the state government to freeze the commission to arhtiyas at 2.5 per cent of the minimum support price (for both wheat and paddy). This means with the annual increase in the MSP, the commission will not increase automatically. Officials say the Centre may deny paying commission beyond the fixed limit in future.
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Industrial plots to come with lock-in period
Chandigarh, August 7 The new policy, which is being given final shape by the Industries Department, will be applicable to all new focal points being established by the state as well as new industrial leather and textile clusters at Jalandhar and Bathinda, respectively. The proposed policy will also be applicable for all industry established by way of grant by the state under its land bank scheme. Industries Minister Anil Joshi said the aim of the new policy was to take industrial plots out of the ambit of real estate speculators. He said there were complaints that all focal points and industrial pockets created by the state had fallen into the hands of real estate agents who had artificially raised the value of land. Joshi said people who had no intention of setting up any industry had purchased industrial plots. He said with genuine industrialists forced to cough up more for land, the state was the loser and many industrialists opted out because of high land costs. Under the new proposed policy, plots would be given only to genuine industrialists. This meant the promoters would have to construct the building and initiate production within a given timeframe. The purchasers would be able to sell the plots only after a period of six years. Joshi said the Industry Department was determined to increase the land pool available with it in order to be able to offer affordable land to investors. He said directions had been given to the officials concerned in Ludhiana and Amritsar to identify land which could be purchased at a reasonable price by the state. Sources said there was some amount of resistance to the proposed policy. There was a feeling that the new policy would encourage new investors who were not able to purchase land in focal points or industrial clusters would be forced to buy the same from private colonisers who were creating industrial parks. Joshi denied that the policy would harm the interests of industrialists. "Once we come out with the policy, the land rates will stabilise and could also go down as only genuine persons interested in creating manufacturing plants will come forward to purchase industrial plots", he added.
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Fate of city buses hangs in balance
Ludhiana, August 7 Ludhiana City Bus Corporation manager Baljit Singh said, “There is no possibility of CNG in Punjab as the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has not laid pipes for the gas.” “We have got a relaxation from the High Court that we can bring more diesel-run buses on roads. But at the same time we have to tell the court when these buses will be converted into CNG, which seems to be a distant dream,”
he said. So far, 20 city buses are plying in Ludhiana and as per the original plan and the JNNURM scheme, a total of 300 buses were to be added in two districts, 120 buses in Amritsar and 180 buses in Ludhiana. A senior officer in the Transport Department, Chandigarh, said a writ petition was filed in the High Court following which the court had ordered that no new diesel auto would be purchased or run on roads. In addition to this, the court had also ordered that CNG buses should be purchased in place of diesel buses. Since Ludhiana City Bus Corporation had already placed an order for diesel buses (both AC and non-AC), it filed an application in the High Court for the relaxation of this “The court gave the relaxation. At the same time, we have been asked to provide road maps and the time untill these diesel buses can be converted into CNG,” said the manager of the Ludhiana City Bus Corporation.
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Teenager claims to be newborn’s mother
Patiala, August 7 Hospital authorities said the girl came to the hospital today morning and complained of excessive bleeding. “We admitted her and now her condition is stable. She claimed that she was the mother of the baby boy, who was found dead yesterday. She is currently undergoing treatment in the hospital and the police has already recorded her statement,” said Medical Superintendent Dr VK Sarda. Patiala Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurpreet Singh Gill said the girl was the mother of the child. “The girl is from Bassi Pathana and she had physical relations with a boy from the same area. Her mother said she was unaware of her daughter’s pregnancy and also that she had never informed her about the boy.” “Her mother said she had a cyst in her stomach and had come to hospital yesterday for a check up. She went to use the bathroom and suddenly delivered the child there. She came out in a poor health condition and was admitted in the emergency,” added the SSP. Gill further said though the parents had not informed the police about the incident yesterday, but today they had admitted that their daughter was pregnant. “If they come up with a complaint now, we will take action against the boy,” he said.
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Health dept puts its house in order to check cholera
Ludhiana, August 7 Seventeen outbreaks of cholera have been reported in different districts in the last two months affecting more than 500 people. The areas with high incidence are Gannaur, Sanjay Colony, Madanpur and Badungarh areas of Patiala district, Mukeriyan, Dasuha and Chak Mehra of Hoshiarpiur district. Balaungi and Fatehpur Sayalva villages near Mohali, Badoli and Tiwana villages near Dera Bassi are other areas that were affected by the disease." Different departments have now come together with the state health department to curb the menace as soon as possible. Dr Bhatia said, "Now when we go for surveillance in any area of outbreak, we also take along employees of other departments including Water Supply and Sanitation, Sewerage Board and Local Bodies, so that we may rectify any problem related to these departments. For instance if water is contaminated somewhere due to leaking sewerage pipes, the concerned department may rectify it then and there." He further said that till last year the health department conducted its own independent surveillance and then communicated with the concerned departments. It was a time consuming exercise. “Apart from this we are also making people aware through education programmes,” he added.
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No bus passes, students protest against PRTC
Patiala, August 7 Students from Punjabi University, ITI, Patiala, ITI, Nabha, and ITI, Rajpura boycotted their classes and participated in the protest. PRTC authorities have assured them that passes would be
issued soon.
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Varsity teachers to hold protest today
Patiala, August 7 The salary arrears of university teachers from January 1, 2006 to July 31, 2009 are still pending. The PUTCC criticised the university authorities for creating a feeling of financial insecurity among teachers. The committee demanded the release of a white paper on the current status of university finances. Rajesh Kumar Sharma, convener of the Teachers for Intervention in Education (TIE), said the university had enough money to spend on other things which might not be more important than paying arrears to teachers. “The university can easily pay the arrears as it had collected huge amount of fees and funds in July this year besides getting grant from the state government,” said Prof Kesar Singh Bhangu.
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Brar wants Parliament to observe two-minute silence
Chandigarh, August 7 He has sent letters to the Lok Sabha Speaker, leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha, the chairperson of the UPA, the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister in this regard. Appreciating the Obama Administration’s gesture to have the US flag flown at half mast as a tribute to the Milwaukee victims, Brar said Parliament should also express solidarity with the victims’ families.
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Patiala jail official seeks time to file reply
Chandigarh, August 7 As the case came up for resumed hearing this morning, state counsel appearing on Jhakhar's behalf sought additional time to file reply. Taking a note of the plea, the High Court fixed September 21 as the next date of hearing. Balwant Singh was sentenced to death for his role in the former Chief Minister's assassination; and it was upheld by the Division bench headed by Justice Mehtab Singh Gill after he refused to contest the same. Jhakhar, on the previous date of hearing, was asked by the Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice RP Nagrath to show cause why contempt of court proceedings be not initiated against him under the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act on a reference by UT Additional Sessions Judge Shalini Singh Nagpal. In this reference, Nagpal had sought action against Jhakhar. She had submitted that the warrants of execution of Balwant Singh's death sentence were sent to the Jail Superintendent on March 5. But, these were received unexecuted with the plea that the Patiala jail had no territorial jurisdiction to execute the same. The plea was declined and the warrants were returned. On March 24, the warrants were again returned. Just about three days later, on March 27, the superintendent was directed to execute the warrants. Simultaneously, a show-cause notice under the provisions of the Contempt of Court Act too was issued. The superintendent, present in the court, was also directed to receive the death warrants. Despite the directions, the death warrants were not received and the superintendent left the court. The reference added the court then directed the death warrants be sent through special messenger. But, he reported back that the jail sentry refused to receive the warrants and even disclose his name.
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Riot victims wrangle for flats, move High Court
Chandigarh, August 7 Their plight has prompted the Punjab and Haryana High Court to rule: “No one, including the riot victims, is above law, nor any other person, whosoever he may be, can be allowed to take law in his hands”. A Division Bench of the High Court has directed the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner and the Commissioner of Police “to proceed in the matter in accordance with law forthwith and ensure that the vacant flats are delivered to those found eligible for allotment as per the government policies”. Setting a two-month deadline for the purpose, a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice RP Nagrath made it clear to the authorities concerned that the law must take its own course, “in case of any resistance shown by any unauthorised occupant”. At the same time, the Bench said the directions in no way would cause prejudice or affect the rights of the unauthorised occupants, “in case their claim as victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots is found to be genuine”. The Bench said “If it is found that they too are genuine riot victims, suitable steps for their rehabilitation, including allotment of dwelling units, other than the flats in dispute, should be taken at the earliest”. Giving the government four months for determining the status of victims for the grant of necessary benefits, the Bench warned that any delay by GLADA or the district administration would be viewed seriously. The directions came on a petition by Satpal Singh and others.
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One more held in contract killing case
Sangrur, August 7 The police has claimed that Manpreet had given a contract to five persons to kill her parents and brother as they were against her plan to marry Gurmeet of Kanjhli village, who was already married. Sangrur SSP Harcharan Singh Bhullar said so far seven persons had been arrested in this case. Manpreet Kaur and five other accused were produced in a local court which remanded them to police custody till August 9. The police claimed the contract killers had gone to the house of Manpreet to kill her family members. They, however, killed Jarnail Singh who was sleeping near the gate of the house and fled. —
TNS
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Amritsar trader shot dead, Rs 10 lakh looted
Amritsar, August 7 The Sadar police has registered a case under Sections 302 and 394 of the IPC and Sections 34, 25 and 59 of the Arms Act. It is learnt that Manish was returning home after collecting payments from Saharanpur. He returned to Amritsar by a train at 11.50 pm on Monday. He took his scooter parked at the parking lot of the railway station and drove towards his house. When he was just a few yards from his house, he was reportedly intercepted by two robbers on a motorcycle. They asked him to part with his bag containing the cash, but he refused. This led to a scuffle. The robbers took out a revolver and shot at him. The bullet pierced his chest. Thereafter, robbers snatched his bag and fled the scene. Varinder Mahajan, in charge, Sadar police station, said the victim was taken to a nearby private hospital by his family members who came out after hearing the noise of gunshots outside their house. “But he died at the hospital last night before we could register his statement. We have found a cue which would lead us to the criminals. It appears that the accused were known to the victim and were well aware of his routine of collecting cash on Mondays,” he said. Though the exact amount of cash he was carrying could not be ascertained, family members claimed that the amount must have been between Rs 10-12 lakh. “A case has been registered and we are on the lookout for the victims. The exact amount could not be ascertained, it’s only the estimated amount which the family members had described,” said
Varinder.
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15 kg opium seized, two arrested
Sangrur, August 7 The police intercepted a truck and during checking, recovered 15 kg opium from Amandeep Singh and Sukhchain Singh. Both occupants of the vehicle were arrested, said
the SSP. The SSP said during police interrogation, the accused confessed that they had bought the consignment from a roadside eatery in Madhya Pradesh at a price of Rs 20,000 per kg to sell Ludhiana at a rate of Rs 50,000 per kg. The market price of the seized opium is about Rs 7.5 lakh, he added.
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Families of Sikhs killed in the gurdwara attack in the US have so far not received any help from either the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) or the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
(SGPC).
On December 27, 2007, the Kalsis living in Model Town here received news that their two sons in the US had been shot dead.
Five years after the tragic incident, the family is waiting for justice.The killers of the Kalsi brothers are still at large. With the US Administration promising a high-level probe, the family is hopeful that the culprits will be caught some day.
Badal (Muktsar) August 7
Patiala, August 7
“About 200 MW of power, which Punjab was to get from banking, is also not available due to some technical problems. All these factors have affected the overall power supply”, he said.
Chandigarh, August 7
The directions came on a petition for installing wire mesh barricades. In its petition, the Lawyers for Human Rights International said the State of Punjab should ensure installation of wire mesh barricades at various places in the canals of Punjab to allow fishing out of bodies, "so that the relatives of the deceased can perform the last rites".