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TRADE IN JEOPARDY
Penalty under RTS Act a
warning for erring staff
Jharkhand agitation may hit coal supply to state’s power plants
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Patiala Rajindra hospital without paediatrics ICU equipment
SAD, BJP leaders iron out differences
36 officers promoted to IAS, IPS cadre
Kiln owners protest new eco norms
Panel seeks report on killer disease
Badal announces
another memorial for martyrs
Admn takes stock of farmers’ demands
Sangrur college students hold protest rally
Shingar blast: BKI activist convicted
Border Area Fund Scam
Anticipatory bail plea of Garg rejected
No objection to shifting case to another Mohali court: State
HC upholds extension of tenure for pharmacists
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TRADE IN JEOPARDY
Amritsar, November 23 This is the second time this year that cement import has been stopped. Earlier in August, Indian traders had suspended cement import for the same reason. They had resumed it a month later after the Pakistani authorities started using metallic seals on wagons. Talking to The Tribune, All-India Cement Importers president MPS Chatha said there had been no cement import from Pakistan for the past three weeks. He said the Pakistani traders had clearly told their authorities that they would not be exporting cement to India through the rail route until they were given a guarantee that no contraband would be found in the rail cargo. He said a section of Indian importers were still importing cement via the Attari-Wagah land route but had suffered losses. “Around 10 to 12 trucks of cement are arriving daily from Pakistan by the road route,” he said. On the impact on cement prices in the domestic market, cement importer Rajan Bedi said there had been no effect on the proces whatsoever as construction activity had already touched a nadir due to non-availability of sand. “Had the supply of sand in the market been regular, the cement prices would have shot up considerably by now,” he said. He claimed that he used to import 1.25 lakh bags of cement per month from Pakistan and was now importing merely 30,000 cement bags per month via the road route. The suspension of cement import from Pakistan has taken a toll on the export of Indian goods via the rail route as no goods train is arriving from Pakistan and traders allege that the Indian Railways has failed to provide any wagons. Prominent exporter Rajesh Setia said Indian goods worth Rs 600 crore were waiting to be exported to Pakistan by the rail route. “We’ve strongly taken up the matter with the Divisional Railway Manager. He has assured us that wagons will be available for exports on a regular basis.” Jaspal Singh, a clearing agent, said: “There are 2,400 wagonloads of goods, including 1,600 wagonloads of soyabean, which are to be exported to the neighbouring country. Also, Indian polymers and chemicals are lying in the cargo facility here.”
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Penalty under RTS Act a
warning for erring staff
Ferozepur, November 23 While other states in the country are in various phases of implementing the Act, it is in force in 10 states, including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, in some form or the other. The erring officials, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Jasbir Kaur and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) GS Pannu, have been fined Rs 500 each and departmental action has also been initiated against both of them. The maximum penalty under the Act is Rs 5,000. Local cantonment resident Maya Devi had approached the district Social Welfare Department for seeking old age pension. She had submitted her application on May 5, 2012, and the final decision had to be taken within a month under the provisions of the Act. Deputy Commissioner S Karuna Raju decided on the matter by virtue of the Second Appellate Authority after the application was sent to him for action by the Right to Services (RTS) Commission. Raju said the applicant was a widow who had filed her application, which was to be decided as per norms by the Social Welfare Department. But it was not done, following which she moved an application before the SDM, who is also the First Appellate Authority. Since nothing came out of if, she sent her grievance to the RTS Commission in Chandigarh, which, in turn, asked her to take up the matter with the Deputy Commissioner. Both the officials were sent notices asking for their explanation for the delay and when none was received, he took action as per the provisions of the Act. Action was taken under Section 20-11, Para 9 (1) a, and Para 9 (3) of the Act against the CDPO and she was fined Rs 500. A similar fine was imposed on the SDM for not deciding on the case within the stipulated time. That a strong message has gone down the line was evident as panic-stricken officials arrived at the district administrative complex voluntarily to disclose the pendency/status of such applications in their departments. An official said they were under the impression that the state was serious in strict implementation of the Act. He cited staff shortage for not processing such applications in addition to the replies they had to give under the RTI Act. Pannu said he was yet to receive any notice in this context and would be able to comment only after checking with his office about the latest position. “I am on duty in a neighbouring district and will reach Ferozepur by evening,” he said.
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Jharkhand agitation may hit coal supply to state’s power plants
New Delhi, November 23 Panem Coal Mines Ltd, a joint venture of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) and EMTA Group of Companies which mines about 7 million tonnes of coal from the Pachwara mines in Jharkhand for the state's power plants, has warned of supplies stopping due to the agitation. "The situation has now become extremely critical and we are afraid if the issue is not resolved immediately, the supply of coal to the power stations of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) shall be affected very badly for days to come," company director Bikash Mukherjee wrote to the PSPCL this week. Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) chief Babulal Marandi is on a dharna in Pakur district of Jharkhand demanding rehabilitation of people affected by the Panem Coal Mines. "They have blocked the approach road to the mines, resulting in total disruption of transportation from mines to the railway siding at Pakur (since November 16)," Mukherjee wrote on November 21. "The movement of all required items inward and outward from the mine has come to a grinding halt." The distance from the mines to the railway siding, which ships the coal to power plants in Punjab, is 55 km, he said. So far, the company had been managing from the buffer stock it maintains, he said. Marandi along with his supporters has been on a dharna demanding a tripartite agreement between the Jharkhand Government, Panem Coal Mines and the Raj Mahal Pahar Bacchao Samiti to complete all welfare projects promised by the company within a given time frame. Mukherjee said Marandi has not responded to efforts made for a dialogue to explain the company's position. He wanted Punjab Chief Minister to take up the issue with his Jharkhand counterpart so as to resolve the it immediately. —
PTI
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Patiala Rajindra hospital without paediatrics ICU equipment
Patiala, November 23 The NICU and the PICU were set up one and a half years ago but still are yet to be fitted with essential equipment such as neonatal ventilators, paediatrics ventilators and pulse oximeters. In January, 2009, six infants had died in their incubators at the phototherapy unit. A case was registered against three accused, including the head of the Paediatrics Department at the time. Even the tubes fitted in the phototherapy units have expired and are thus ineffective. The authorities have not purchased new tubes even though the doctors at the Paediatrics Department have time and again informed them of the issue. Government employee Ravi Kumar said his wife had a premature delivery at a local hospital. His wife had delivered the baby just after only six months of pregnancy. “The doctors told me that I would have to keep my son on a ventilator for about one and a half months and the daily charges would be around Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000. I then went to Rajindra Hospital but the authorities told me they did not have the facility there. So, I got my son admitted to Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana,” he said. Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr VK Sharda admitted the ventilators were not functioning Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Harshinder Kaur said they did not have paediatric and neonatal ventilators in the NICU and the PICU ward. So, in case of emergency, they didn’t have any option but to refer the patient elsewhere, she added.
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SAD, BJP leaders iron out differences
Chandigarh, November 23 Insiders said one of the major issues taken up was appointment of Law Officers in the office of the Advocate-General (AG). The BJP leadership was unhappy at only a few persons recommended by the party being appointed as Law Officers. Sources said the CM assured the BJP leaders that he would accommodate more names. The issue of allowing change of land use in municipal areas was also taken up. Sources said the BJP demanded that the earlier system in this respect be restored and money deposited with the municipal committees. It was decided to set up committees comprising SAD and BJP leaders in all districts for better coordination. The task was given to Daljit Singh Cheema of the SAD and Kamal Sharma of the BJP. The CM proposed that the parties met at least once a month to discuss various issues. Among the BJP leaders who attended the meeting were state unit president Ashwani Sharma, BJP ministers Bhagat Chunni Lal, Madan Mohan Mittal and Surjit Jiyani and senior leaders Kamal Sharma, Balramji Dass Tandon and Ajay Jamwal.
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36 officers promoted to IAS, IPS cadre
Chandigarh, November 23 Those promoted to the IAS cadre are Tejinder Pal Singh, Chander Gaind, Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Dharam Pal, Gagandeep Singh Brar, Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, D.S. Mangat, Arun Shekhari, Manjit Singh Narang, Jawinder Kaur, Indu Malhotra, Gur Loveleen Singh, Ashwani Sharma, Gurpreet Sapra, APS. Virk, PS Shergill, Ravinder Sharma and Ritu Aggarwal. Promotions have been made on the basis of seniority in the PCS cadre. Gagandeep Singh Brar is posted as Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. Manvesh Singh Sidhu is Special Principal Secretary to the Deputy CM. The officers promoted to the IPS cadre are Balkar Singh Sidhu, Gurinder Singh Dhillon, Mohnish Chawla, Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, AS Chahal, Jatinder Singh Aulakh, Mukhwinder Singh Chhina, Jaskaran Singh, Varinder Singh, Rajinder Singh, AK Mittal, Gursharan Singh, Kanwar Bahadur Singh, Surinder Kumar Kalia, Ranbir Singh Khatra, Tulsi Ram and Sukhdev Singh Bhatti. Paramdeep Singh Sandhu has been offered provisional promotion, subject to his exoneration in two separate cases.
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Kiln owners protest new eco norms
Chandigarh, November 23 Addressing mediapersons here today, association patron Sarabjit Singh Makkar along with national brick kiln association leader KK Khanduja said kilns had been categorised in the minor minerals category. He said under this category, environment clearance could take even up to a year. Makkar appreciated the Punjab Government for approaching the Centre to seek relief for the industry. Khanduja said a nationwide agitation would be launched from December 19 in case the Centre did not accede to the demands of the association.
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Panel seeks report on killer disease
Chandigarh, November 23 The news was considered by the Full Commission, following which it was registered as a complaint. “A report under Section 17 of the Protection of Human Rights Act be called for from the Director, Health and Family Welfare Punjab, specifically stating what medical treatment/aid is given to the patients of cancer in such cases,” the Commission ordered. The case will now be taken up on January 31, 2013. — TNS
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Badal announces
another memorial for martyrs
Anandpur Sahib, November 23 The concept and design of the monument would be finalised in consultation with Sikh scholars, intellectuals and religious personalities, he said. Addressing a religious congregation comprising a large number of Brahmins at Gurdwara Sri Bhora Sahib here organised as part of a ‘Rin Utaar Yatan Yatra’ (a journey aimed at repaying the debt of Sikh Gurus), Badal said it was a historic day when the Brahmin community had visited Sri Anandpur Sahib. From here, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib launched his journey to save the Hindu community from the tyranny and oppression unleashed by the then Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1675. In 1675, Pandit Kirpa Ram Dutt had called on Guru Teg Bahadur along with a delegation of 500 Brahmins from Kashmir, urging him to protect them and their religion from the oppression of the Mughals. Badal said the journey should be made an annual feature to ensure participation of more people. On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured five members of the Brahmin Sabha, including its president, with the portrait of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur and a
siropa.
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Admn takes stock of farmers’ demands
Fatehgarh Sahib, November 23 The farmers complained that the earth filling the company had been carrying out to lay the rail track had affected the drainage of rain water. It was causing floods.
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Sangrur college students hold protest rally
Sangrur, November 23 District president of the PSU Kulwinder Singh Sekha said the authorities were asking the students to deposit university examination fee again even though they had deposited it at the time of admission. Besides, the authorities were also charging SC students who were exempted from paying tuition fee, he added. College Principal Onkar Singh said the PSU leaders were misguiding the students as it was mentioned in the college prospectus that the students would have to pay the university examination fee separately. — TNS
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Shingar blast: BKI activist convicted
Ludhiana, November 23 Six persons were killed and 25 injured in the blast that occurred here on October 14, 2007. Delivering the verdict, Additional Sessions Judge Sarabjit Singh Panesar said that the prosecution had successfully proved the guilt of the accused. Apart from the RDX, an iron rod, a detonator, a battery and a .315 bore pistol was recovered from the accused at a police check point near the Sidhwan canal.
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Chandigarh, November 23 Already, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has summoned the record in the case. As the case came up for hearing, the High Court today directed the Punjab Advocate-General to file a challan. He, on the other hand, told the Bench the challan was ready and would be presented in the trial court tomorrow. Petitioner Hari Singh Nagra of Dera Bassi had expressed doubts regarding a fair probe by the Vigilance Bureau. Senior Akali leader Ranike had on September 16 resigned from the Cabinet on "moral grounds". He alleged that there was a huge embezzlement of grants in the Departments of Animal Husbandry and Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes, the portfolios held by Ranike. He said that a scam running into lakhs of rupees in the execution of border area development programme had taken place during Ranike's tenure as minister in 2007-08. But an FIR was registered on May 22, 2011. No investigation had taken place since then. Another FIR was registered on June 25 for the alleged embezzlement of rural development funds involving Rs 1.15 crore. "Ranike has not been interrogated despite the FIRs which were registered in Amritsar," the petitioner said.
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Anticipatory bail plea of Garg rejected
Patiala, November 23 The bail application of Ravideep Singh, who holds the general power of attorney of the land, was also rejected. Batra said the officials had executed the sale deed for a mere Rs 6.3 crore whereas the Divisional Commissioner had pegged the price at Rs 250 crore. “It is amply clear that the accused extended undue consideration to the buyer... Hence, there is a need for the custodial interrogation of the accused to ascertain as to who had got the money and how much,” he said. The hearing on the bail application of the other two accused, Yash Pal and Devinder Singh, was adjourned till Monday.
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No objection to shifting case to another Mohali court: State
Chandigarh, November 23 As a petition filed by the former Chief Minister came up for hearing this morning, counsel for the State of Punjab, Additional Advocate-General Anupinder Singh Grewal, told the Bench that the case could be shifted. The averment came in response to a specific query by the Bench of Justice KC Puri in this regard. Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocates RS Cheema and APS Deol asked the court to record the statement and said they would seek instructions in this regard from Capt Amarinder Singh. The petitioner had earlier expressed reservations about the case being heard by the Mohali court. After hearing both the sides, Justice Puri fixed December 6 as the next date of hearing. The former Chief Minister-cum-Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief is seeking the transfer of the Amritsar Improvement Trust case from Mohali to any court outside Punjab. The petitioner has levelled allegations of bias against the state government, the prosecuting agency as well as the presiding officer. The Bench was told that investigating officer in the case, Surinder Pal Singh, being prosecuted for perjury, was also a prime witness in the case. He was still serving with the Vigilance Bureau after being given extension in service and was not expected to depose independently. In his petition, Capt Amarinder Singh stated he was booked in a corruption case for allegedly releasing 32 acres belonging to the Amritsar Improvement Trust. The proceedings in the case (registered on September 11, 2008) were going on before the Mohali Special Judge (Vigilance).
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HC upholds extension of tenure for pharmacists
Chandigarh, November 23 The directions came on a petition filed by Shashi Kant and six other chief pharmacists. In their petition placed before Justice Dhindsa, the petitioners contended that the Punjab Governor accorded approval to extend the services of Group A, B, C and D employees of the State Government by a year on October 8, 2012. The decision followed an amendment of Punjab Civil Services Rules. The employees were asked to submit their options for grant of the requisite extension; and the decision was made applicable for the government employees retiring upon attaining the age of superannuation on October 31, 2012, or thereafter. But the Director of Health and Family Welfare, on October 31, issued another letter, declining to grant the benefit of extension in service. The ground taken for declining the benefit was that the cadre of pharmacists was declared a diminishing cadre and accordingly the benefit of extension of service could not be granted to them. It was vehemently contended by counsel for the petitioners Kapil Kakkar and Hema Kakkar that such decision of the director would not be applicable upon the petitioners. This was on account of the fact that the petitioners were not holding the post of pharmacists and factually were working as chief pharmacists in the urban civil hospitals. Elaborating, they contended that the cadre of pharmacists and chief pharmacists were separate, having separate seniority lists. Moreover, no such distinction was ever made by the government, while granting the benefit of extension of one year in service after completion of 58 years of age by the employees. As such, the action was totally illegal and arbitrary.
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Cement import from Pakistan via the rail route has come to a halt once again. Traders in Pakistan have stopped sending consignments to India in view of repeated instances of heroin seizure in rail cargo.
Patiala, November 23
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced that the state government would soon erect a monument in the memory of martyrs Bhai Mati
Dass, Bhai Sati Dass and Bhai Dyal Dass, who were executed by the Mughals at Chandni Chowk in Delhi along with Guru Teg
Bahadur.