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New apparatus grounds bird problem at Amritsar airport
Eyeing LS poll, Amarinder visits Nurmahal dera
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Badal accepts Bansal’s offer
for rly industry
Tall claims, but fate of three power projects uncertain
Nepal PM promises to help restore historic gurdwara
State to get more grain storage space
Real estate policy by mid-Dec
Postal dept launches mobile money transfer scheme
Won’t allow pvt practice by govt doctors: Minister
Hospital in a shambles
3 arrested for killing meat seller
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New apparatus grounds bird problem at Amritsar airport
Amritsar, November 18 Hardly any bird-hits have been reported at the airport ever since the apparatus was installed about three months ago. The apparatus comprises a six-shot launcher device imported from Germany, a laser gun-cum-torch brought from Canada and a LPG cylinder-fired 10 zone guns procured from the Netherlands. When fired, the six-shot launcher blasts at a certain height in the sky, without leaving any residues on the ground beneath. The laser gun-cum-torch has a range of 2 km and it scares away nocturnal birds. The zone guns have been placed at a distance of 200 feet from each other along the runway and gas from the cylinder causes a loud explosion to keep the birds away from the airport complex in general and operational area in particular. Airport director Suneel Dutt said ever since the gadgets were installed in mid-August, no bird-hit had been reported even though the area is home to a large number of birds. He said four bird-hits had been reported prior to the installation of these gadgets. Dutt said it was a non-lethal system to scare birds away from the airport complex. The Airport Authority of India supervises the mechanism while a private company has been contracted to operate the system to scare birds away. A 10-member team handles the system and swings into action minutes before any flight is to take off or land. Though the problem of bird-hits appears to have been solved, snags due to stray dogs and rodents continue to pose a headache to the airport authorities. A number of flights have been either grounded or delayed due to these two problems in the past. In September 2009, a rat managed to enter an Air India (Boeing 777) plane, thereby delaying the Toronto-bound flight by 11 hours. In a similar case last year, a flight was delayed after dogs were spotted on the tarmac. Authorities say agricultural fields and dense bushes located in the vicinity of the airport were a safe haven for dogs and rodents. Dutt said it was the duty of the district administration or the Amritsar Municipal Corporation to ensure that the source of the problem was tackled. He said a pest control company had been hired to keep rodents away from operational area. About canine menace, he said the issue had been taken up with the district administration officials at a recent Airport Environment Management meeting. "The district administration has assured us of initiating appropriate action," he said.
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Eyeing LS poll, Amarinder visits Nurmahal dera
Nurmahal (Jalandhar), November 18 Amarinder and his team spent at least 30 minutes with the followers of sansthan head Ashutosh Maharaj and attended his pravachan (sermons). Amarinder garlanded the dera head as a mark of respect. The visit was arranged by PYC president Vikramjit Jit. This was Amarinder's second visit to the dera. He had earlier visiteded the dera during the Adampur byelection. To a query, he claimed that the visit had nothing to do with the coming parliamentary elections. To another question, he said: "We respect all the deras." Talking to mediapersons at a temporary helipad here, Amarinder accused the Parkash Singh Badal-led Akali government for "unleashing terror on Congress workers" to coerce them into joining the Shiromani Akali Dal, threatening them with action under the land ceiling Act or registering false cases against them. Amarinder alleged that Punjab had become bankrupt and the Badal government was imposing new taxes, including property tax, on persons with two-marla houses. "There is a need for declaring financial emergency in the state," he said, adding that people had begun to realise that they had committed a mistake in re-electing the Akalis. Nawanshahr: Reiterating that the appointment of Justice Jai Singh Sekhon as Lokpal was against the spirit of the institution, Amarinder Singh said that the Akalis had hijacked the institution.Talking to mediapersons after attending a function to mark the death anniversary of Congress leader Parkash Singh, he alleged that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was trying to meddle in the affairs of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee (DSGMC), which was an elected body. The former Chief Minister said the Akalis did not have any vision for Punjab. He alleged that the Central Government had sanctioned three medical centres for drug de-addiction and cancer treatment. "Instead of setting these up in the affected areas, particularly the Malwa region, Badal has taken one of the centres to Mullanpur near Chandigarh, only to ensure that the value of land owned by his kin there increased appreciated considerably." On alliance with other parties, he said, nothing had been decided as yet. Paying tributes to Parkash Singh, the Pradesh Congress president said he was instrumental in accelerating development in Nawanshahr during his tenure as MLA. He expressed all support for his widow Guriqbal Kaur Babli, MLA, and son Angad Singh, a PYC leader.
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Badal accepts Bansal’s offer
for rly industry
Chandigarh, November 18 “We are keen on any such proposals from various central ministries. In fact, we have been begging for such offers,” he said while responding to a statement by Union Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Bansal had yesterday said that the Union Government was ready to set up railway industries in Punjab or any other state if the state government facilitated land for the purpose. Badal said, “We will follow the proposal. I will personally write to and meet Bansal.” The Chief Minister said the state government had been pressing for more central projects in the state for a long time, “but all their pleas had gone unheard in the past”. He said he believed that with four Punjab Ministers in the Union Cabinet, apart from the Prime Minister himself, Punjabis had a right to expect that the past would change and that the present government would usher in an industrial bonanza for the state. “Unfortunately, our experience has been very disappointing so far. But I am willing to look beyond that,” he said. Badal said there was an urgent need for setting up agro-based industries as well in the state. “With the prospects of expansion in international trade with Pakistan and the rest of the world through the Attari-Wagha border land route, we will certainly need more units to diversify our economy. We want the Centre to give a push to agri-value addition so that Punjab farmers can break away from the paddy-wheat rotation and the state’s economy can branch out into fresh business zones,” he added.
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Two years on, no clue to missing I-T Assistant Commissioner
Ludhiana, November 18 Chandra, a 1989 batch IRS officer, reportedly went for a walk on September 7, 2010, on the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) campus late in the evening, but did not return home. Soon after Chandra went for a walk, his mobile phone was switched off. His servants had informed the family members, who then lived in Chandigarh, about the incident the next morning. It was not for the first time that Chandra had gone missing. Sources in the IT Department said he had disappeared for a day earlier also. The sources said Chandra was suffering from depression. He had undergone treatment at the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital. A special investigation team (SIT) was formed to locate Chandra, but even after two years, the team failed to yield any result. Police sources said Chandra was carrying a wallet containing credit and ATM cards at the time of his disappearance. The police had found his empty wallet from his official residence. Gurveer Singh, Station House Officer (SHO), PAU police station, said a case of kidnapping was registered against unidentified persons on the complaint of Chandra’s wife. There was no development in the case so far, he said. The sources said a few months after Chandra’s disappearance, his family shifted back to West Bengal. After a prolonged investigation, the police had closed the file, they added. Hope fades as SIT fails to make headway
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Tall claims, but fate of three power projects uncertain
While the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Lanco Infratech Ltd, Hyderabad, for the coal-based plant at Kot Shamir in Bathinda lapsed early this year, work on the much-publicised Rs 15,000-crore Gidderbaha project and the Gobindpura plant is yet to take off. For the 2,640-MW Gidderbaha Thermal Plant, an MoU was signed between the PSPCL and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in October 2010. Later in year 2011, the NTPC sent a letter to the power corporation, stating that it wanted to set up only two units of 660-MW capacity each and not four units as mentioned in the MoU. To this, the PSPCL replied that it could not deviate from the terms and condition of the MoU. Speaking to The Tribune, PSPCL Director (Generation) GS Chhabra said: "In a recent communiqué, the NTPC has stated that it will invest only after getting coal linkage." A senior PSPCL official, requesting anonymity, said: "The NTPC communiqué is ambiguous whether or not it will comply with the terms and conditions of the MoU. Considering the prevailing coal crisis in the country, it is unlikely that the NTPC will get coal linkage for the Gidderbaha plant by 2015." Work on the 1320-MW Gobindpura Thermal Plant in Mansa district is also yet to start. The power corporation had signed an MoU with Indiabulls Power on August 20, 2010, for the project that hit a controversy following an agitation by farmers whose land was acquired for the project. The MoU has been extended for a year. Though officially coal linkage is being cited as the main reason behind the non-initiation of work, confidential documents in possession of The Tribune show that a committee of power corporation technocrats had recommended that the corporation would require power from this project for just four months in a year. The matter was discussed at the PSPCL Board of Directors (BOD) meeting. "The developer will obviously not be interested in setting up the plant if the PSPCL is to procure power from the plant for just four months a year", said another PSPCL officer. Pending Projects Kot Shamir Thermal Power Plant Capacity: 1,320-MW (Two units each of 660 MW) Location: Kot Shamir village, Bathinda Developer: Lanco Infratech, Hyderabad Status: MoU Expired
Gobindpura Thermal Power Plant Capacity: 1,320-MW (Two units each of 660 MW) Location: Gobindpura Developer: Poena Power Supply Limited Status: Work yet to begin Gidderbaha Thermal Power Plant Capacity: 2,640 MW (Four units each of 660 MW) Location: Gidderbaha, Muktsar district Developer: National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Status: Not a brick laid
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Nepal PM promises to help restore historic gurdwara
Chandigarh, November 18 Guru Nanak Math, on the banks of the Vishnu Mati river, is a part of the 200-acres of land donated by the King of Nepal, Jaya Prakash Malla, to Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism, during his month-long stay in Kathmandu in 1516. Though most of the land, registered in the name of Guru Nanak Dev, has been developed for commercial and residential purposes, a piece of five acres still remains in possession of the gurdwara run by a mahant. The immediate need is to post a granthi (priest) there and restore Rehat Maryada. "There are three volumes of Guru Granth Sahib at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Math. One of is handwritten and has 1,565 aangs (pages). It is in good shape," claims Oberoi. Accompanied by Indian Ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad, Oberoi told Dr Baburam Bhattarai, an alumnus of the Chandigarh College of Architecture, about the historic Guru Nanak Math. He carried with him the relevant documents, including the original land transfer and registration deed with signatures of crown prince Jaya Jagat Malla as witness. Oberoi told the Nepalese Prime Minister of plans for a new gurdwara building, a langar hall and a 100-room serai that would be run by a committee with a nominee from the Nepalese Government besides representatives of the Sikh community from Nepal and outside. The Nepalese Prime Minister reportedly assured Oberoi and Jayant Prasad that the Nepalese Government would do whatever required to stop the auction/allotment of land that belonged to the Sikh shrine. The Nepalese Government had given a public notice for auctioning the Sikh shrine land last month before Oberoi and Pritam Singh, president of the Gurdwara Management Committee of Nepal, moved the Supreme Court in Kathmandu and got an interim injunction. The n ext date of hearing is December 8. There are three gurdwaras in Nepal, all in Kathmandu and run by mahants, mostly from Varanasi or Punjab. But the Sikh Rehat Maryada is not being followed in any of the Sikh shrines. For Oberoi, the discovery of the shrine during his visit to Nepal, to oversee the formation of Nepalese Gatka Federation, was accidental. "At one of the gurdwaras is a well with hymns in Gurmukhi inscribed on its walls. We have started work on cleaning the well and restoring this historic monument to its original shape," said Oberoi, who is also managing trustee of the Sarbat Da Bhala Trust that has been working for the release of several Indian youths languishing in various UAE jails. Guru Nanak Dev is believed to have visited Kathmandu in 1516 AD. The gurdwara was earlier known as Charbaksh Sthan, Sangat Bari and Sankha Bari and Guru. Oberoi took up the matter the Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur who evinced a keen interest in the restoration of the gurdwara. She spoke with the Indian Ambassador. About the shrine...
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Schools in appalling state as dept holds back funds
Faridkot, November 18 Housing in decades old and crumbling buildings, the schools are waiting to be pulled down before these cave in on their own. The schools are Government Primary School, Sadiq Road; Government Primary School, Police Lines; Government Elementary School, Gandhi Basti, Kotkapura; and Government Primary School, Lajpat Nagar, Kotkapura. The ownership of these buildings rests with the Jail Department, the Punjab Police, the Railways and the Municipal Committee, Kotkapura, respectively. The total student strength of these schools is over 700. The schools have been functioning from dilapidated structures for the last many years. “No one complains when a brick comes off the walls or plaster falls from the ceiling as such incidents are routine,” said a teacher. These schools have no toilets due to which the teachers and students have to face a harrowing time. There is no kitchen as well. The mid-day meal is cooked in the open. Teachers of Government Primary School, Police Lines, had raised a tin shed by contributing money for cooking mid-day meal, but the Police Department removed the shed. There are several central-sponsored schemes and grants under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for the renovation of government schools. But these schools have not even received a single penny for renovation for the last many years. Sources said since these school buildings were not owned by the Education Department, the SSA could not allow spending money for renovation purposes. In the last 11 months, Faridkot district received Rs 3.5 crore under the SSA for the construction of 65 rooms and 13 toilets in various government schools. But not even a single paisa was allotted to any of these schools. Dharamveer Singh, SSA district in charge, said SSA funds could not be allotted to a building which was not the property of the Education Department. “We are pursuing the matter with the police and jail authorities for the transfer of ownership of these buildings to the Education Department,” he said. Despite complaints by the school authorities, teachers, parents and children, nothing concrete has been done so far. All they got is shallow promises. Grim scenario
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Police in dock for using stolen vehicle
Faridkot, November 18 The Innova, bearing registration number PB 3K 1717, was reportedly recovered from thieves by the Faridkot police four months ago. But instead of tracing its owner, the CIA staff allegedly used the vehicle after altering its registration number. To change the original registration number of the vehicle, the police officials allegedly scribbled on the original number plate by altering digit 3 to 8 and 1 to 4. This scrawl in a hurried and careless manner was visible on the number plate, which attracted the public attention at the court complex on Friday when the police brought the accused in the Shruti kidnapping case to the court. The officials later removed the altered number plate, but forget to replace the wrong number plate with the original one. Mangat Arora, an advocate, said though it was the duty of the police to ensure justice to victims whose vehicle was recovered from the gang of vehicle thieves but contravening the legal provisions, the police were using this vehicle for its own use. Faridkot Senior Superintendent of Police GS Toor, said he was not aware of the misuse of any such vehicle. “I will check the factsbefore making a comment,” he said.
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State to get more grain storage space
Chandigarh, November 18 "Under the Private Entrepreneur Godown Scheme, construction of about 5 million tonnes of storage capacity has been sanctioned for Punjab. Of this, 9,20,000 tonnes capacity has been handed over to the FCI. Another 3,00,000 tonnes is under the completion stage," FCI deputy general manager AS Arunachalam said during a field visit to its godowns. With creation of new space, the total storage capacity in the state will touch 25.5 million tonnes under the FCI's supervision. Currently, the state has a storage capacity of 20.5 million tonnes, of which 9.7 million tonnes is in covered godowns and the rest is in open plinths. The entire new space sanctioned under the PEG Scheme will be ready by March 2013, Arunachalam said, adding that efforts were underway to ensure adequate storage was available for wheat in the coming season. — TNS
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Pilfered wheat recovered from Rajpura mill, probe on
Patiala, November 18 The police has registered an FIR pertaining to fraud against the main accused Vijay Mittal who pilfered the wheat after conniving with government officials.
Rajpura Station House Officer Bikramjit Singh Brar said, “Mittal posed as a Food and Civil Supply Inspector and took the wheat from PUNGRAIN godowns and sent it to private mills.We will probe the hand of food and
supply officials in the crime,” said the police.
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Real estate policy by mid-Dec
New Delhi:
With land resources shrinking and property prices shooting, Punjab is all set to subsidise high-rise and energy-efficient buildings in the state. The state government plans to attract skyscrapers in its cities through its new real estate policy to be unveiled by mid-December.
Sources said the state was keen to promote high-rise buildings to make optimal use of urban spaces. — PTI
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Postal dept launches mobile money transfer scheme
The commission charged on the transfer of any amount ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 1,500 will be Rs 45; from Rs 1,501 to Rs 5,000, it will be Rs 79 and from Rs 5,001 to Rs 10,000, it will be Rs 102, said an official at the Postal Department. Both the sender and the receiver of the money will need a mobile phone. The sender will be issued a code on filling out a form at a post office. He or she can share the code with the receiver who can then show the code at a post office while confirming his identity. "This is a quick and effective method of transferring money. The commission charged for the service is lower than that charged for other services at a post office," said Narinder Singh, Senior Postmaster, General Post Office, Chandigarh. The pilot project has been launched in four postal circles, including Punjab, Delhi, Bihar and Kerala, an official said. It will be effective in 72 post offices with 13 of them in Punjab. Some of these are at Miller Ganj, Focal Point, Dhandari Kala in Ludhiana; Mandi Gobindgarh, Rajpura, Ropar, Sectors 20 and 36 in Chandigarh, Malerkotla, Samana and Sector 55 in Mohali. Ram Krishan, Sub-Post Master at Miller Ganj Sub Post office, Ludhiana, said the project would benefit migrants as many of them didn't have saving bank accounts. Officials at the Postal Department said the project would be implemented across India after observing the success of the pilot project.
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Won’t allow pvt practice by govt doctors: Minister
Ludhiana, November 18 He said doctors were highly qualified professionals and should work fearlessly and independently. However, no government doctor should be allowed to run a private practice. Those govt doctors working in private institutions would be punished as per the law, he said. Mittal said, “The department has selected 50 experts through walk-in interviews in the month of October. We will send their appointment letters soon. The walk-in interviews are scheduled on the 16th of every month.”On holding campus placement, he said, "The drive is proving to be fruitful."
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Hospital in a shambles
Fatehgarh Sahib, November 18 Doctors, requesting anonymity, said class IV employees were operating the ECG machine and worked as lab technicians. Earlier this year, Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal had declared that he would modernise the local civil hospital with the state-of-the-art facilities. He had sanctioned 16 posts for doctors, 35 for nurses, seven for radiographers, seven for drivers, 16 for safai sewaks, 30 for class IV employees, three for security guards, one for a cook, one for an epidemiologist and one for an audio technician. Civil Surgeon Dr Jaswant Singh said he had taken up the matter with higher officials.
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3 arrested for killing meat seller
Mandi
Gobindgarh, November 18 Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hardial Singh Mann said victim’s brother Mohammad Imtiaz had informed the police that his brother’s business rival Kameshwar Mukhia along with his son Satish Mukhia and friend Upinder Sahni forcibly took the victim to the Bhakra canal. They allegedly hit his head with a stone and strangled him to death. The accused them tied a big stone to the victim’s body and threw it into the canal. The SSP said following the complaint, a team of police officials was formed to investigate the matter. Divers were pressed into service and the victim’s body was recovered about 1 km away from Soda Head Works. Mann said the accused were arrested from the local bus stand on November 17. “The police has also recovered the Scorpio vehicle used in the crime.
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An apparatus set in place at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport to keep birds away has started delivering the desired results.
Hardly any bird-hits have been reported at the airport ever since the apparatus was installed about three months
ago.
Nurmahal (Jalandhar), November 18
Patiala, November 18
Ludhiana, November 18