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96,000 trees face axe for four-laning project
PNDT Act: None convicted in state last year
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President’s Police Medal for 2 officers
Adarsh schoolteachers allege exploitation
Another addition to Udham Singh memorabilia
Badal meets traders hit by sealing
Administrative functioning hit as key posts lie vacant in Gurdaspur
Bandh evokes mixed response
Bid to arrest criminal leaves ACP, five other cops injured
Class IV employee held for fraud
2 held while trying to smuggle gold
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96,000 trees face axe for four-laning project
Bathinda, August 14 The project, aiming at ensuring fast flow of traffic from Bathinda to Chandigarh and minimising accidents on the stretch, would be completed at an estimated Rs 2,500 crore. Claiming it to be a milestone achieved by his government, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had laid the stone of the project a week ago. He had said the four-hour journey would be reduced to two-and-a-half hours. Work on the project will start soon with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests giving a green signal to it from Zirakpur to Patiala. The approval for the remaining stretch (from Patiala to Bathinda) seems to be a mere formality. Principal Conservator of Forests HS Gujral said: “The state Forest Department has recommended approval for the remaining stretch as well. Around 1,000 acres of forestland will be cleared.” Though almost a lakh trees are to be axed, no environmentalist has so far stood up to save the green cover. Half of these trees were planted a decade ago under a Rs 450 crore afforestation project. The Union Government had taken the money as loan from Japan, with a promise that the country would work towards improving the depleting forest cover. Gujral said: “Such projects are planned by the state government and forest officials merely give recommendations when it is provided with alternate land and money for planting new trees.” He, however, said the department was committed to afforestation and double the number of trees axed for this road project would be planted. Chief Conservator of Forests Kuldip Kumar said: “The trees that will be cut are of Sheesham, Neem, Arjuna, Brahma Drek, Melia, Keekar and Eucalyptus.” Earlier, over a lakh trees along the National Highway-1 from Shambu to Jalandhar were cut to pave way for the widening of the stretch.
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PNDT Act: None convicted in state last year
New Delhi, August 14 Whatever is the reason, the fact was recorded by the Centre today in response to a query in the Rajya Sabha on the number of convictions under the Act in the past three years in different states. Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad admitted the fact that the gender ratio at birth, or SRB as it is called, continued to be disturbingly low. It reflected that the Act had not been implemented as effectively as was desirable. Punjab recorded zero case, Haryana seven, Madhya Pradesh 11 and Kerala one case under the PC and PNDT Act, taking the total of conviction cases in 2011 to 19. As per the information given by Azad to nominated member HK Dua, the rest of the 31 states in the country drew a big wide blank. Haryana, another rogue state as far as intolerance toward the girl child is concerned, recorded a more heartening seven cases of conviction. It shows that the enforcement agencies there have perhaps been more successful in building cases against culprits. However, there has been an improvement in the number of registered cases under the Act by the states. As many as 436 cases were registered against the violation of the Act in the past two years as against only 789 cases between 1995 and 2010. The countrywide rate of conviction also increased from four in 2009 to seven in 2010 to 19 in 2011. But the fact that only 19 cases of conviction were recorded perhaps means that a majority of culprits got away despite the strengthening of the Act enacted for prohibiting sex selection before or after conception, regulation of pre-natal diagnostic techniques and prevention of their misuse for sex determination leading to female foeticide. The continued preference for boys saw the gender ratio in India dropping to 914 females against 1,000 males, the lowest since Independence, in the 2011 Census. Punjab and Haryana, which have traditionally seen low sex ratio, recorded an increasing trend, but still remain at the bottom of the dubious list with 846 and 830 female children, respectively, against per 1000 male child. Sources say even though there have been claims of improvement in the gender ratio profile in the two states, there is this new unsavoury trend emerging of couples not going in for a second child once they have a son. Azad said recent initiatives undertaken by the government to strengthen effective implementation of the Act include amendment of Rule 11 (2) of the PC and PNDT Rules, 1996, which provide for confiscation of unregistered machines and further punishment to organisations which fail to register themselves under the Act.
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President’s Police Medal for 2 officers
Chandigarh, August 14 An official spokesman said 14 other Punjab Police officials will get Police Medal for their meritorious service. These are Neeraja Voruvuru, DIG, Economic Offences Wing, Vigilance Bureau; Rajpal Singh Sandhu, SSP, Batala; Gurpreet Singh Gill, SSP, Patiala; Daljit Singh, SP, Patiala City; Harjit Singh Pannu, SP/D, Ludhiana (Rural); Rakesh Kumar Kaushal, AIG, SSG, Chandigarh and Commandant 4th Commando Battalion, Mohali; Sulakhan Singh, DSP (D), Ferozepur; Amarjit Singh Ghuman, DSP, Payal, Police District Khanna; Darshan Singh Sandhu, DSP (D), Bathinda; Ajit Singh, Inspector, SO to DGP, Prisons; Dilbagh Singh, Honorary Inspector, MRS, PPA, Phillaur; Shamsher Singh, SI, Intelligence Headquarters; Paramjit Singh, SI, Reader to Commissioner Police, Ludhiana; and Resham Singh, SI, Security Wing. Similarly, Garib Dass, DSP, Head Constable (HC) Gursharan Singh, Ct. Thaman Singh, Ct. Satnam Singh, HC Sawinder Singh (posthumously) and Ct. Narinder Singh (posthumously) will get Police Medal for gallantry. Building collapse hero to be honoured Jalandhar: Commanding officer of 103 Engineer Regiment Col Simerjeet Singh will receive the State Award for saving precious lives in the tragic Shital Fibres factory collapse incident on the Independence Day function in Patiala. The officer will get the award in recognition of his instrumental and timely role in saving the trapped labourers under the huge mesh of concrete.
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Vendor’s heroic act goes unsung
Ludhiana, August 14 Santosh had caught hold of Bhootna when he was trying to escape from Ludhiana Railway Station on August 25, 2009. In a bid to free himself, the terrorist shot dead Santosh. Documentary evidence with The Tribune reveals that while Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had hailed Santosh’s feat, the Police Department refused compensation to the family, saying Santosh did not die in a terrorism-related incident. The officials concerned have even ignored orders of the Chief Minister to provide pension and job to Santosh’s wife Parvati. “I have been shuttling from one government office to another seeking a job or pension as the money I received after the death of my husband is getting exhausted," said Parvati. "An official recently informed me that my case for a government job and pension has been rejected. The government has played a cruel joke with me. Bhootna had shot at two cops. My husband had overpowered the armed terrorist without caring for his life. Had he not nabbed Bhootna, he would have fled," she claimed. “For the last three years, I am surviving on Rs 75,000 I got after Santosh’s death. Another Rs 2.4 lakh was deposited in the account of my three children, which they would get when they attain the age of 18,” said Parvati, who lives in a dingy room in Singpura area near Jagraon bridge.
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‘Ensure safety of minorities’
Amritsar, August 14 They exhorted the two nations to ensure protection of democratic rights of the minorities, women and children in their respective countries. This appeal was part of the 11-point resolution passed by the Hind Pak Dosti Manch, Folklore Research Academy from India and SAFMA from Pakistan. The members welcomed the Indian government's decision of permitting FDI from Pakistan. They requested both the governments to bring terrorist activities under control and refrain from appeasing communal forces. The two nations must resolve all bilateral issues, including Kashmir with talks and should sincerely help each other in nailing the communal forces, they said. The resolution also sought opening of visa centres in Amritsar and Lahore for felicitating smooth movement across the international border. It also appealed to the governments to ensure implementation of resolutions passed by SAARC. Later, "Aman Karavan" began from the Jallianwala Bagh with CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy carrying flame from the historical venue to the International Border (IB) for a candlelight procession at the Attari-Wagah border to mark the 66th Independence Day celebrations of India and Pakistan on the intervening night of August 14 and 15. Reddy said harmonious relations between the neighbours would pave the way for a bright future for the generations to come. Khaled Ahmad, SAFMA group leader from Pakistan, said continuous holding of the vigil was bringing the two nations closer. He said leaders and bureaucrats from two nations were again holding discussions on various matters and they were expected to break new grounds. Former MP Shahid Siddique said the Jallianwala Bagh incident had abolished the practice of providing separate earthen pot for drinking water of Hindus and Muslims way back in 1919. Similarly, he hoped that the efforts of peaceniks to light candles at the IB with the motive of bringing peace would one day dilute the significance of the border and there would be easy exchange between people of the two nations. Samajwadi Party leader from Uttar Pradesh Ambika Chaudhary appreciated efforts of the peaceniks from the two countries.
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Adarsh schoolteachers allege exploitation
Moga, August 14 A group of teachers has complained to KS Pannu, Director-General of School Education, in this regard. Nachattar Singh, a teacher, said they got pay cheques of Rs 16,500 each as salary every month, but the managements took back Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 in cash from them by "threatening to terminate their services". "It amounts to exploitation of teachers and violation of the labour laws," alleged Sharan Kaur, a teacher working in Adarsh School at Daulatpura village of the district. The teachers have also alleged that the school managements have been charging money from the students for providing them dress, books/stationary and bus fare even as the government provides free education to the children studying in these schools. JS Dhaliwal, Chairman, BIS Group of Institutes, which runs these schools, claimed they had been deducting money from the salary of the teachers to provide them laptops and modern training. He said as many as 150 trainee teachers were recruited in April 2011. "We have initiated smart classes in all these schools. So we need well-trained staff," he said, adding that he had invested Rs 7 crore to create infrastructure as more than 6,000 students had been enrolled in these schools. Dhaliwal said the management had laid down criteria of three tests and the trainee teacher who qualified these tests got regularised. "We are ready to give more than the government grades to the deserving teachers, but will never compromise on the quality of education," he added. Sources said Dhaliwal was a relative of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and he had recently opened Guru Kashi University at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district, which was yet to fulfill UGC norms. On the other hand, the teachers alleged that the management had not given laptops to all teachers even as the money was being deducted for the past over one year. "No special training is being given to the teachers to upgrade their skills. Instead, regular seminars are organised as per the norms," they said, adding that they would launch an agitation if the deductions were not stopped.
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Another addition to Udham Singh memorabilia
Amritsar, August 14 The orphanage has got this significant document from Prof Sikander Singh, the Head of the Department of History at a government college at Patran in Patiala district. The FIR was lodged against the martyr at A-Division police station in Amritsar regarding his arrest with a revolver dating back to 1927. The FIR, which was written in Urdu, states that Udham Singh was arrested from Katra Sher Singh area at 7 pm on August 30, 1927. The FIR also mentions about recovery of a revolver, five live cartridges, a suitcase and a wallet having his six photographs from his possession. Subsequently, he was prosecuted under Section 20 of the Arms Act and was sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment. The action in the case was initiated against him by Sub-Inspector Murad Ali while he was sentenced by the court of SDM Bishan Singh on October 2, 1927, reveals the document. The Chief Khalsa Diwan, which runs the orphanage, has put the FIR on the display in Udham Singh’s room where his old photographs and other documents related to his lifetime have been exhibited. Orphanage Superintendent Balbir Singh Saini said they are trying to collect memorabilia relating to the martyr from all possible sources and they have already got his various photographs and other documents associated with him. He said the memorabilia has been kept in the room where Udham Singh used to live during the period he spent at the orphanage. He revealed that the room has been reconstructed, though its location remains the same. He said they have also got the record register, which shows his admission into the orphanage by the name of Sher Singh on August 24, 1907. Prof Sikander Singh claimed that Shaheed Udham Singh was married and also had two sons. Talking about his extensive research work on the martyr, he said he wrote a book on Udham Singh in 1998 in which he made various revelations regarding him. He said he penned this book after a research of over a decade. He also got the opportunity to see four files related to the martyr in 1992 and during this period, he contacted Public Record Office, London, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London, and Panton Villa Jail Governor. He said his research on the martyr is on and he plans to pen another book on his life.
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Badal meets traders hit by sealing
Patiala, August 14 Badal said such sensitive and crucial court matters usually took time. “When I was in the US, I had briefed the government functionaries to explore legal options to solve the problem. We have to ensure that hundreds of shopkeepers do not lose their livelihood but at the same time abide by the court’s orders.” The medical fraternity was led by Punjab Medical Council president Dr Manmohan Singh. Several private hospitals and clinics that are situated in residential areas are also getting affected by the sealing drive. “On August 16, the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary of Local Government, legal experts and lawyers will hold a meeting to find out a workable solution to the problem,” he said. The delegation expressed its satisfaction over the assurances given by the CM. The meeting was attended by Punjab Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh, Principal Secretary to CM SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary (Department of Local Government) Suresh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner GK Singh, Municipal Commissioner GS Sidhu, Mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli and Senior Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh Gill. Nirmal Malhotra, vice-president of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal and Rakesh Gupta, who represented the affected shopkeepers, were also present at the meeting. The Patiala MC has stopped issuing notices to violators for now as the court had issued some fresh instructions on the sealing today. A list of over 2,835 violators was prepared by the Municipal Corporation (MC) but since the high court had issued some fresh instructions today, the authorities have decided to wait for the copy of the new order before dispatching the notices, said an MC official. Following the instructions of the high court, illegal commercial buildings under the 36 Town Planning Schemes developed by the Improvement Trust and the Punjab Urban Development Authority were to be sealed by the MC and the compliance report was to be filed in the court by August 22. The affected shopkeepers and traders had since then been protesting against the government.
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Administrative functioning hit as key posts lie vacant in Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur, August 14 The state government had shifted Batala Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Rahul Chaba to Dasuya before the assembly byelections there on July 11. The post has been lying vacant since then. Similarly, the post of SDM, Dera Baba Nanak, has also been lying vacant for the last two years. Local MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had even written a letter to the Chief Minister asking him why the post had not been filled for so long. Besides, the posts of tehsildar at both Batala and Dera Baba Nanak are lying vacant. In the wake of manpower crunch, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhinav Trikha has not relieved the Batala Tehsildar, who has been transferred. “He was asked to stay back in view of the hooch tragedy that took place in the subdivision. Now, he will have to wait for a little longer till Independence Day,” the DC said. The situation at the district headquarters of Gurdaspur is no better. The Deputy Commissioner, who has been working without some key aides, has urged the government to fill the posts. A senior officer revealed that the posts of Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), General Assistant (GA) to the DC and District Revenue Officer had been lying vacant. “Without the help of these officials, the DC’s job becomes difficult.” Even the Gurdaspur District Transport Office is short of staff as the District Transport Officer JS Grewal had been transferred to Chandigarh as Deputy Secretary (Information Technology). The Batala Municipal Council, which is without a president, has been unable to carry out developmental works. Even as former Qadian MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal, who has been designated as ‘Halqa incharge’ of Batala, managed to get a grant of Rs 8.56 crore, the money is lying unutilised. “Funds for all developmental works in the town have to be sanctioned by the Municipal Council president. All such activities have come to a halt,” said a Municipal Council official. The Batala Municipal Council is controlled by the BJP as it has 20 councillors in the House of 33. The district administration had thrice convened a meeting to appoint a new president, but the BJP failed twice to arrive at a consensus on the candidate. On the third occasion, ADC Baljit Singh fell sick just before the meeting was to be held in the first week of August.
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SGPC signs MoUs with 2 international varsities
Fatehgarh Sahib. August 14 An international education division has been established under the SGPC’s Directorate of Education for the purpose. It has signed an MoU with the University of Cambridge so that five Sikh scholars could study M.Phil and PhD at the university. Newly appointed acting Vice-Chancellor of Guru Granth Sahib World University Dr Gurmohan Singh Walia, who took charge today, said the SGPC had also signed an MoU with Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning Toronto, Canada. Both Sheridan and SGPC have decided to have joint academic programmes in Advanced Diploma in Business Administration, Advanced Diploma in Electronics Engineering Technician and Bachelor in Applied Information Sciences. He said that a four member delegation from Sheridan comprising Andrew F Ness, Director International, Howard Scott Slaney, International Admissions Co-coordinator, Rob Giberson, Associate Dean, Sheridan College Toronto, Canada along with Anuraj Bajwa was visiting the different SGPC institutions in this regard.
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Patiala, August 14 The protesting shopkeepers gathered at the Sheranwala Gate at 8 am and took out a protest march through several parts of the city. However, after 2 pm most of the drug stores, bakeries, and general stores were open. The shopkeepers claimed that shutting down their business for the entire day cost them dear as they had to pay daily wages to the labourers. “They shouldn’t give a bandh call so frequently. We can’t afford to shut down our businesses every now and then,” the shopkeepers complained. — TNS
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Bid to arrest criminal leaves ACP, five other cops injured
Amritsar, August 14 The incident occurred when a police party led by SHO Manjit Singh went to Gujjarpura after being tipped off that a few miscreants were creating nuisance in the area. The police there spotted Bhupinder and tried to arrest him. Within no time, a large number of area residents gathered on the spot, allegedly on a call by Bhupinder’s mother Dalbir Kaur, who is an Independent municipal councillor. The ACP also arrived on the spot later. When the police again tried to arrest him, the mob attacked the policemen and damaged their official vehicle. The ACP, the SHO and four other policemen received minor injuries. The policemen had to rush back to save their lives. Both Bhupinder and his mother managed to flee managed to flee by then. The police has served a lookout notice for the mother-son duo and registered a case against them and their supporters.
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Class IV employee held for fraud
Moga, August 14 A Class IV employee working in the District Magistrate's office here has been taken into custody along with one of his associates. Inspector Satpal Singh said Harish Kumar of the DM's office and Gurdev Singh of Takhanwad village of the district had been arrested. The investigating officer claimed it could be a major scam spread across several districts. "The Jalandhar police had recently arrested their associates who had links in Ludhiana, Ferozepur and other districts," he said. He said the police had recovered many fake documents, including certificates of school education board, appointment letters etc. "Investigations are in progress and anyone found having links with the accused will be taken into custody for questioning", he said. However, he denied that some police personnel were also involved in the scam.
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2 held while trying to smuggle gold
Patiala, August 14 A police team at a naka searched the car in which Rajesh Kumar and Rajesh Verma were travelling. The duo, hailing from Delhi, had kept the ornaments in a bag on the rear seat. — TNS
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Patiala, August 14
Patiala, August 14
PWD engineer-in-chief RP Singh said expanding the road without removing the trees would not have been possible. “Development comes at a cost, mostly of the environment. But, we have tried to minimise the loss. We are giving land in Kandi area along the Shivalik hills for planting double the number of trees,” he said. On “faulty” planning as the project had affected the afforestation scheme funded by Japan, he said the four-laning project was planned only two years ago