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sorry State of higher education
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High Court judge inspects Faridkot Modern Jail
Breach in nullah; more than 100 acres of land inundated
No discrimination against Punjab: Ashwani Kumar
Frame rules to check drug abuse, HC directs Punjab
Fake Case
Retd BSF inspector’s murder
Nepalese woman’s killing
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sorry State of higher education
Pojewal (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar), August 19 Officiating Principal Bikar Singh said: “We have to make do with five classrooms. But, it gets tough to accommodate students when it rains." The college was also to get an auditorium and its foundation stone was laid by former Chief Minister Beant Singh 18 years ago. The building, however, lies incomplete. As such, no academic functions are organised. Despite this, the college is the reigning zonal champion in quiz competition for the last eight years in a row. Infrastructure set aside, the college does not even have the facility of round-the-clock clean drinking water. Twentysix years seems to be an insufficient period for the local administration to ensure continuous water supply to the college. Questioned on the issue, an official said: "Our college and a neighbouring settlement get water from the same overhead tank. But as our college is situated at a higher ground level, the water pressure always remains low. We have been demanding that the college should be connected to a separate source, but to no avail." The college does have storage tanks on the campus, but they serve no purpose in the absence of regular supply. With taps running dry almost all the time, students either have to carry drinking water along or purchase bottled water from the college's canteen. Alike a majority of government colleges in the state, it is also facing an acute staff crunch. Against the sanctioned strength of 12 lecturers and a principal, the college just has four lecturers and an officiating principal, though two part-time teachers have been employed as a stopgap arrangement. Several vacancies in other wings too lie unfilled. The list of courses is also not that long. Several requests by the locals to the authorities concerned for introducing new courses have fallen on deaf ears. Payal Kirpal, a BA-III student, said: "The strength of female students has been increasing in the college. But, they can't pursue choice subjects as psychology, sociology, philosophy and music are yet to be introduced." From less than 50 a decade ago, the percentage of girl students has risen to more than 200 at present. The library too is in a shambles. "We neither have a librarian nor a restorer. Therefore, students face difficulty in issuing books." Another issue of concern is the growth of wild grass next to the campus. As there is no boundary wall, wild animals and reptiles venture at will into the college's territory.
in a shambles
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State to soon have Fire Prevention, Safety Act
Chandigarh, August 19 Confirming the development, Suresh Kumar, Secretary, Local Government, said: “The rules in the draft have been given the green signal and the Act will come into being after a formal ordinance shortly. The legislation has been vetted and sent to the Legal Remembrance Cell.” Formed on the lines of the one existing in Delhi, the Act has reportedly been prepared keeping in mind the changing urban scenario, particularly multi-storeyed buildings and shopping malls like in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Bathinda. Jalandhar Commissioner BS Dhaliwal said: “A lot of groundwork will have to be done before the Act is implemented. Apart from high-rise buildings and malls, a sizable number of government buildings too lack basic fire-fighting machinery. The civic authorities, particularly municipal corporations, need to take the lead by disallowing any such buildings to be opened for public until they possess a safety certificate.” A Bathinda resident, Baljinder Singh, said: “In our country, the focus shifts to safety rules only after a tragedy occurs. Whenever such incidents, including the 2003 Kud Mohalla fire in Ludhiana that killed 20 and the 1997 Uphaar Cinema tragedy in New Delhi that left 59 dead, happen, the administration makes big announcements, only to be forgotten till the next one occurs.”
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Communal amity paramount: J&K Guv
Jalandhar, August 19 The Governor gave away cheques to 145 terrorist victims and flagged off a truck carrying relief material for 300 J&K migrants. "We need to protect the hard-earned peace and maintain the country's unity and integrity at all costs. Everything else becomes redundant if we are not able to do so. We should come up with solutions rather than getting ruffled by problems," Governor Vohra said. The Shaheed Parivar Fund, he said, had already achieved a big feat by helping more than 8,200 needy persons and kin of victims of terrorism. Recalling Punjab's dark days of terrorism, he said: "I still recall those sombre days when it had become difficult for citizens to walk on this very road. Militants had tried to force the closure of certain newspapers, particularly the ones published by the Punjab Kesari Group." Talking about his association with Jalandhar, the Governor said he felt at home here even though he had returned to the city after 27 years. "In 1970, I was posted as Additional Commissioner here. The city is Punjab's media hub. People still remember media veterans such as Lala Jagat Narain, Varinder ji and Yash ji. I congratulate the Hind Samachar Group of Newspapers' Managing Editor Vijay Chopra for the group's initiative to reach out to families hit by terrorism and natural calamities in various parts of the country," he said. Addressing the gathering, Ashwani Kumar, Union Minister of State for Planning, Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, said the Shaheed Parivar Fund and the Hind Samachar family was doing a yeoman's service by coming to the help of the needy. Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said terrorism had nothing to do with any religion. "Nobody knows the identity of a terrorist," he observed. Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Sunil Jakhar said those killing innocent persons should be firmly dealt with. He appreciated the US gesture of flying its national flag half mast as a mark of respect to those killed in the Wisconsin gurdwara shootout. Among others who spoke were ministers Bhagat Chunni Lal, Parminder Dhindsa and Madan Mohan Mittal, senior Congress leader Gulchain Singh Charak, Navjot Sidhu, MP, Dr Joginder Dyal, CPI, Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh, Udhampur MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia, Avinash Chopra, Joint Editor, Hind Samachar Group of Newspapers, BJP leader Swaran Salaria, National Conference (NC) leader NC Gupta and Vijay Laxmi Datta, president of the NC's women's wing.
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No request for asylum by Pak Hindus: Preneet
Patiala, August 19 "The issue of granting asylum is considered on a case-to-case basis. If the Ministry of External Affairs receives any such request from Pak Hindus, it will be given due thought," she said. She said the security and rights of minorities should be safeguarded by every country. Reports say more than 200 Hindus from Pakistan, who are on a pilgrimage to India, have expressed their desire to stay back. On the allegation of death row convict Sarabjit Singh, lodged in Pakistan's Kot Lakhpat Jail, that he was being subjected to slow poisoning, Preneet said: "The Indian Embassy in Pakistan will use consular access to meet Sarabjit." On the recent killing of Sikhs in a US gurdwara, the minister said: "The diplomats of both India and the US are in touch with each other. All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the security of Sikhs in America." Preneet refused to comment on the CAG report.
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trouble behind bars
Ropar, August 19 While the jail authorities have refuted the allegations, Ropar Deputy Commissioner Pradip Kumar Agrawal has asked Ropar SDM to conduct an inquiry into the incident. Tarsem Singh, Jagtar’s brother, alleged Arora had been harassing his brother for long. “I had even met IG (Prisons) Jagjit Singh recently. The IG had assured me that he would look into the matter. But despite that, my brother was attacked by three inmates, Jagjeet, Sukhwinder, and Kesar Singh, at the instance of jail officials,” he alleged. Tarsem, however, failed to not specify any reason behind the alleged role of jail officials in the assault. Refuting the allegations, Arora said during a search on August 16, two mobile phones and a charger were found from Jagtar. “He was lodged in a separate ward and his relatives had been pressurising me to spare him,” he claimed. “When Jagtar and three others inmates were released for having a meal yesterday, they had a scuffle in which Jagtar suffered injuries,” said the Deputy Superintendent.
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High Court judge inspects Faridkot Modern Jail
Faridkot, August 19 He also heard the grievances of the prisoners and undertrials and inaugurated a free legal aid clinic on the jail premises. Rakesh Kumar Mittal, district legal services authority in Faridkot, said legal aid clinics had been opened in 12 villages of the district and villagers with income less than a lakh could avail free legal aid.
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Campaign against Bluestar memorial
Bathinda, August 19 He said the state government was going ahead with its “panthic” agenda by supporting such memorials. He flayed the BJP for not raising the issue despite being part of the government. Pawan Gupta said copies of the signatures would be sent to the President and the Prime Minister to seek their intervention.
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Breach in nullah; more than 100 acres of land inundated
Ropar, August 19 Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ravinder Chaudhary and Deputy Superintendent of Police HS Atwal, accompanied by officials, rushed to the site. With incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh in the past few days, the water flow in the nullah had increased, the SDM said. He said the breach would be repaired in a few days. The drainage department would desilt the nullah, he added.
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No discrimination against Punjab: Ashwani Kumar Jalandhar, August 19 "There is not an iota of truth in what they (SAD leaders) keep trumpeting every now and then. The fact is that this time (2012-13) the Centre has approved Punjab's annual plan worth Rs 14,000 crore as against the last year's plan of Rs 11,560 crore," he said. He also rapped the BJP for raising a “hue and cry” over the CAG report. He said the report had no validity till it was discussed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Parliament.
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Frame rules to check drug abuse, HC directs Punjab
Chandigarh, August 19 Justice Paramjeet Singh also directed the drug controllers and drug inspectors of the State of Punjab to take appropriate measures "for controlling the misuse of manufactured and prescription drugs". Justice Paramjeet Singh issued the directions after observing that the State of Punjab has failed to show to the court that "any rules have been framed under Section 10 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act". Section 10 lists activities state governments can regulate. In his detailed order, Justice Paramjeet Singh asserted: "Keeping in view the present scenario in the State of Punjab with regard to drugs of abuse, specifically prescription drugs, the State of Punjab is directed to frame rules under Section 10 of the NDPS Act to permit, control and regulate the possession of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act, especially with regard to possession by licence holders, their agents and employees under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940." Quoting a news report, he said, "75 per cent of the youth, every third student, and 65 per cent of all families in Punjab were affected by drug addiction, with little or no hope in sight." Almost every third family had at least one addict, he said.
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Fake Case
Sangrur, August 19 The former SHO, posted at the Sangrur Police Lines, was produced in the court of Duty Magistrate, Sunam. He was remanded to police custody for a day. Following an inquiry by the SP (D), a case was registered against Sukhchain Singh, Head Constables Major Singh, Avtar Singh, Amrik Singh and Gurbhej Singh and one Gurpreet Singh from Shatrana, Dirba Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sharanjit Singh said.The SP (D) had indicted the former SHO for registering a "false case" under the NDPS Act against a local resident at the Dharamgarh police station in February 2011. He had recommended action against the four Head Constables too. The DSP said the police had conducted a raid on the residence of witness Gurpreet Singh, but he was away. The four Head Constables had been absent from duty ever since they were named in the case, he added. They would be nabbed soon.
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Retd BSF inspector’s murder
Jalandhar, August 19 Even though the Superintendent of Police Rajinder Singh on Saturday, had claimed to have nearly solved the crime, nothing concrete has come to the fore yet. The police has conducted raids at various hideouts in Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and other neighbouring districts and has rounded up certain suspects, sources said. Sources disclosed that the assailants procured the SIM card of the mobile phone used on a fake identity, from Dhariwal in Gurdaspur district. Jaimal Singh, station house officer, Maqsudan, who is also investigating the case, claimed, “We are dealing with the case on a priority basis but as of now we have nothing that we can share.” A senior officer pointed out that investigations have suffered a blow today as police has remained on VIP duty at a media house function throughout the day. This has given the assailants enough time to escape,
he said. Meanwhile, a team of doctors on Sunday conducted a postmortem on the deceased and found two wounds in the chest. Daljit Singh Multani’s body was later handed over to family members and
the cremation was held in Jalandhar on Sunday evening.
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Nepalese woman’s killing
Fatehgarh Sahib, August 19 According to sources the police had been working on various leads and had recently taken the fingerprints of the employees and customers who regularly visited the dhaba. Station House Officer (SHO) Devinderpal Singh said that the police had got vital clues and was hoping to crack the case as soon as possible. He said they had already launched a manhunt to nab the accused. The police has not taken any action against local businessmen who had not provided any information on the migrant labourers working in the area. Even the dhaba owner, who had employed the woman to clean utensils, had feigned ignorance about the identity of the victim. He also did not identify another employee that worked for him. Senior Superintendent of Police HS Mann said they would soon take action against the dhaba owner and hotel owners who have not identified the employees working with them. He said they had already registered an FIR against the dhaba owner under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
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