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MURDER of a policeman
Employees circumventing RTS Act to avoid penalty
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Cash-strapped Ludhiana MC to auction its properties again
Cong to move adjournment motion on law and order
Cong MPs seeks President’s rule
Pact with PPP a must for Cong to win LS elections: Jagmeet
Govt to set up permanent trade centres in two cities
A reversal of brain drain at Bathinda’s Central varsity
Recognition for engineer 54 yrs after death
SGPC president meets Uttarakhand CM over gurdwara reconstruction
Soon, Bell 429 ’copter for Badals
Punjabi University to have daily wagers on contracts
Police fails to identify sarpanch’s murderer
Illegal detention: Court summons SAD dist chief
Land grab bid by Akali leader’s kin
2 held for pilfering steel
Dharmendra’s land grabber faced charges of honour killing
Akali sarpanch booked for murder
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MURDER of a policeman
Rampura (Amritsar), December 10 He sought the names of policemen who had fled the crime site as also those present at the Chheharta police station when the crime was committed. The names are to be given by tomorrow morning. Sukhbir said the "erring" cops would be dismissed from service. He asked the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident. The Deputy CM issued these instructions after listening to the sequence of events narrated by the deceased ASI’s daughter Robinjeet Kaur. The latter alleged that she was deliberately targeted by the prime accused, Ranjit Singh Rana, as her father was a policeman. She alleged that Rana repeatedly called her “thanedar's daughter," first on December 1 when he had stopped her scooter and then again on December 5 when he shot her father. Sukhbir said the Punjab Government firmly stood by the ASI's family in their hour of grief. He said the government had already decided to enlist Robinjeet Kaur as a Sub-Inspector with the Punjab Police in view of the exemplary courage shown by her in trying to save her father. He said he had issued orders to permanently attach two security guards with the family. On the Gurdaspur incident in which a policeman on traffic duty was allegedly thrashed by an Akali leader, he said a probe was on. Hence, it was not appropriate to comment. Orders to dist SAD chief Sukhbir Badal said he had issued instructions to the district SAD president to probe as to who had recommended the induction of Rana into the party fold. Appropriate action would be initiated against those who had recommended Rana's name, he said. Special grievance cell The Deputy Chief Minister said he had ordered the constitution of a Deputy Chief Minister's complaint cell that would be headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector-General of Police Demand for call details The slain Assistant Sub-Inspector’s family members have demanded that the police department should obtain the details of all calls made by the prime accused, Rana, just before and after the crime. “This will reveal the role played by dismissed Station House officer (SHO) Ashwani Kumar besides exposing political bigwigs shielding the accused,” said a family member
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Employees circumventing RTS Act to avoid penalty
Faridkot, December 10 Under the RTS Act, officials found guilty of delay have to cough up a penalty ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000. As a result, employees have devised new methodologies to circumvent the Act. In one such trick, employees have stopped mentioning the date on receipts issued to applicants after the latter apply for any service under the Act. In the absence of date on the receipt from government officials, it becomes tough for an applicant to challenge the delay in service delivery. A local resident, Col Manna Singh Virk (retd), had applied for registration of a new vehicle at the Faridkot District Transport Office sometime back. As per the RTS Act, the registration certificate was to be provided within a week. But, Virk was made to wait for over a month. When he though of complaining to the higher authorities, he found that the receipt issued to him did not have date mentioned on it. "If an educated person can be hoodwinked, what treatment do you expect for a villager," asks Virk. Another resident, Shagun Kataria, had applied to the same office for a driving licence on September 14, but he got one on November 29. Officially, the service should have been provided within a week. Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat, the appellant authority under the Act, says only five complaints have been received against government employees for delay in services. "These can be termed as teething problems, mainly due to staff shortage,” he says. But, applicants claim that whenever there is a complaint under the RTS Act for delay in service, the Deputy Commissioner mostly takes a lenient view towards employee concerned, giving him or her the benefit of staff shortage. When contacted, District Transport Officer Sukhmander Singh said the act of 'missing date' on a receipt could be an inadvertent mistake. "Otherwise, every receipt and dispatch in the office is duly taken care of," he claims. The Right to Service Act was implemented over a year ago in Punjab The Act guarantees time-bound delivery of 67 services to the people It makes state government officials accountable for delay, if any Guilty officials can face a penalty ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 Major staff shortage The shortage of staff in government offices is said to be the main reason for poor implementation of the RTS Act. Against the sanctioned nine posts of clerical staff in District Transport Office, Faridkot, only two clerks are coping with the huge workload where over 1.5 lakh vehicles are registered. In neighbouring Bathinda district, there are only three clerks against the eight sanctioned posts. In Bathinda, the number of registered vehicles is over 2.8 lakh. Rising applications "In 1982, staff inspection cell of the Finance Department had recommended that there should be three clerks for every 10,000 registered vehicles. But, we only have two persons for 1.5 lakh vehicles in the district. No recruitment has been done in the last 15 years," says Manmohan Luthra, a retired District Transport Officer. Moreover, government officers have been burdened with additional charge. Faridkot transport officer also has the charge of SDM. The Bathinda transport officer is also catering to Muktsar district.
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Cash-strapped Ludhiana MC to auction its properties again
Ludhiana, December 10 These three properties were put to auction last month also, but it had failed to attract any buyers. However, in one of the properties that comprised 30 shop-cum-offices (SCO), the corporation had managed to sell 21 of the 30 SCOs. The Ludhiana MC is in dire need of funds as it owes close to Rs 100 crore to contractors and the government. Due to such acute shortage of funds, many of the ongoing development projects have stalled. Many of the contractors have stopped working on the projects as their dues have not been cleared by the corporation. Such is the state of affairs that the MC is now planning to mortgage its offices to get a bank loan. The civic body is already in talks with the Bank of India to get a bank loan of Rs 100 crore. If the MC is able to secure the loan, it will be able to pay the contractors. One of the properties that will be auctioned, include a 5,917-sq-yard commercial site near the Tehsil office on Hambran Road. The reserve price for this property has been fixed at Rs 40,000 per sq yard and it will be auctioned on December 21. The second property is a 9,820-sq-yard residential site near the Dairy Complex on Hambran Road and it will be auctioned on December 24. The reserve price for the property has been fixed at Rs 10,000 per sq yard. In the third auction, the remaining nine SCOs located opposite Keys Hotel near Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar will be put under the hammer on December 26. Its reserve price has been fixed at Rs 1.5 lakh per sq yard and each SCO is 100 sq Municipal Corporation Commissioner-cum- chairman of the Ludhiana City Bus Services Limited Rakesh Kumar Verma confirmed that the corporation was seeking a loan and would auction the three sites. “The process of securing the bank loan is underway and we might keep our offices as collateral security,” claimed
Verma. Desperate times The three properties to be auctioned were put under the hammer last month also but failed to attract buyers The MC is in dire need of funds as it owes close to Rs 100 crore to contractors and the government It is now planning to mortgage its offices to get a bank loan of Rs 100 crore Present Budget (2012-13): Rs 741.25 crore Loan Liability: Rs 300-400 crore Main sources Water supply and sewer of revenue: age charges, VAT, House Tax, Octroi on electricity, Advertisement Tax and
Tehbazaari.
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Cong to move adjournment motion on law and order
Chandigarh, December 10 Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar said the party had decided to give due notice to the Speaker on the adjournment motion. “We feel the deteriorating law and order situation in the state following the subjugation of the police by Akali jathedars is the most pressing problem facing the people of the state and needs to the discussed in detail”. The Congress has drawn up a strategy under which it will primarily target Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who holds the Home portfolio. Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh, who will also attend the session, said the party would take up the issue of "criminalisation of the SAD". The Congress is keen to put the SAD-BJP alliance on the mat on key issues. Jakhar said the Congress would highlight the manner in which people had been "bribed" by the SAD prior to the assembly elections. He said money diverted from various government schemes was given to beneficiaries (between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000). He said a sum of Rs 45 crore had been given to various beneficiaries in the Chief Minister's Lambi constituency. Out of this, Rs 10 crore had been released prior to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. Jakhar said the Congress would try to expose the anti-urban bias of the SAD which had imposed property tax in the state and now wanted to lease out urban utilities to private parties. It would highlight SAD's double-speak on the FDI issue and demand a white paper on the "irregularities" in the distribution of the border area development fund. Assembly Session Dec 17 Obituary references Dec 18 Financial business Dec 19 Legislative business Dec 20 Non-official business Dec 21 Legislative business
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Cong MPs seeks President’s rule
New Delhi, December 10 Anandpur Sahib MP Ravneet Singh Bittu raised the matter in the Lok Sabha during zero hour. Referring to the murder of Assistant Sub-Inspector Ravinderpal Singh in Amritsar allegedly by Akali leader Ranjit Singh Rana, he slammed the Akali Dal-BJP Government for “failing to protect police personnel”. Ludhiana: The Home Ministry is planning to issue directions to make it mandatory for police personnel, irrespective of their rank, to be in uniform while on duty, said Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at Punjab Agricultural University here. — TNS
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Pact with PPP a must for Cong to win LS elections: Jagmeet
Muktsar, December 10 Addressing mediapersons here today, Jagmeet said, “The Congress can easily win if the fight is against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alone. But, things get tough when it comes to contesting against the SAD-BJP alliance…. The Congress should also join hands with like-minded parties.” Asked whether the Congress would gain from an alliance with the PPP, he said, “For sure. Manpreet has the potential to win against any member of the Badal family from Bathinda parliamentary constituency.” On where would he contest from, Jagmeet said he was open to being fielded from anywhere in the state. He also made a veiled attack on Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh, saying the party leadership had allegedly committed some mistakes in recent past. Criticising the state government for the “deteriorating” law and order situation, he said he would soon submit a report to Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on the issue. Jagmeet also sought a probe about fake arms licences issued in Punjab. He said, “A majority of SAD leaders, including its jathedars, would have to face legal action if the government orders a thorough probe.”
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Govt to set up permanent trade centres in two cities
Amritsar, December 10 Talking to mediapersons after presiding over the concluding ceremony of Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX-2012) here today, Sukhbir said setting up of such trade centres had become imperative to provide the platform to industrialists, traders and manufacturers to showcase their products. Citing the examples of Dubai and Singapore, he pointed out that the economy of these world-class cities revolved around the trade promotion activities there. He said with the permission of trading of 6,000 items through Attari border likely to come by the end of this month, the border district of Amritsar would become a hub of large-scale trade activities between South Asian countries. "For smooth trading activities, we have to further upgrade our present infrastructure at ICP, Attari." Sukhbir said the Punjab Government had already requested the Union Government to set up a container depot to boost the export of vegetables, fruits and flowers as these were perishable items, which needed air-conditioned containers. Earlier, addressing a gathering of traders, the Deputy Chief Minister said the state government was determined to attract investment and for the purpose, the overall infrastructure of the state was being upgraded. He appreciated the initiative taken by PHD Chamber towards the successful organisation of the event in Amritsar consecutively for seven years. Fake address: Case against Namdhari Sukhbir said he had already ordered registration of a case against Sukhdev Singh Namdhari, key accused in Ponty Chadha murder case, for getting a weapon licence by filling wrong declaration and the police would seek his production remand after filling a case in Mohali police station. The Deputy CM categorically said the law and order situation was under total control and nobody would be allowed to vitiate the atmosphere in the state. He said the Punjab Police was vigilant against any mischief by anti-social elements and instructions had been issued to strictly handle them. Pak-Punjab CM coming on Dec 14 Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has said that Pakistan-Punjab Chief Minister-led delegation comprising members of his Cabinet, besides prominent traders and industrialists, would visit Punjab on December 14-16.
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A reversal of brain drain at Bathinda’s Central varsity
Bathinda, December 10 These foreign-returned individuals are currently working on various research projects, besides teaching students in the Central University here, at 10-20 per cent of their income abroad. They are armed with not just a Ph.D, but a post-doctoral research experience too from Western countries. Anil K Mantha from Andhra Pradesh and his wife Monisha Dhiman from Shimla are one of them. Says Monisha, "Our decision to return to India after bidding goodbye to a well-settled life abroad shocked our near and dear ones. They would often say that usually Indians sell all they have to settle on foreign shores and we both were doing the opposite of it." Even their daughter was a green card holder in the US, but the couple wanted to raise her in India. Both had successfully completed a post-doctoral research project in the University of Texas, after which they were offered a job with an annual return of Rs 30-40 lakh each. "Money was not important to us. We only wanted to return,” says Anil, who is doing research on Alzheimer's disease. Monisha is working on immunology and oxidation stress. Sandeep Singh, from the Centre for Human Genetics, is another example of a rural youth struggling to study abroad and then returning to serve in his own region. Born in Mansa, one of the most under-developed areas of the state, Sandeep says, "The call of the motherland proved too strong for me to resist." He was offered a five-year contract by a US university with a hefty pay package, but he chose "job satisfaction at home". He is researching damage to human cells due to metal-laced underground water. Vice-Chancellor Dr Jai Rup Singh credited the state and the Union Government for providing a platform like the Central University to such Indian-origin foreign scientists who wanted to return home.
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Recognition for engineer 54 yrs after death
Ludhiana, December 10 Gill and his team comprising overseer Gobind Ram, road inspector Gurdial Gupta and surveyor Daya Ram, trekked 500 km in trying conductions for over a year in the mid- 50s to prepare a survey and a detailed estimate report on the highway. Later, the Manali-Leh highway was constructed on the basis of Gill’s report. Gill was later deputed to conduct a survey for a road at Gyantsee (Tibet). He stayed there for nearly a year and prepared a report on a road link. He fell ill and breathed his last at Gyantsee on May 5, 1958, at the age of 27. His death has remained a mystery. His younger brother Jagdev Singh claims that he was on a secret mission to survey the terrain for Leh-Lhasa (Tibet) road link. “ I want to tell the world that it was an engineer from Ludhiana who designed the Manali-Leh-road. He was a true patriot. He died in Gyantsee near Lhasa while surveying the Tibet-Leh highway that was of strategic importance,” said Jagdev Singh (61), a retired a bank employee. It was back in 2002 that Jagdev Singh first wrote to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the then Himachal Chief Minister PK Dhumal, informing them about his brother’s contribution. The occasion was the laying of the foundation stone for the Rohtang Tunnel at Bahang near Manali. “My brother had mentioned in his survey report submitted in 1956 that if a tunnel was created through the mountain, it would reduce distance upto 80 km. He also mentioned that the country could ill-afford to spend such a huge amount on the tunnel. I was pained to see that while the survey prepared by me brother was being implemented, his contribution was not being recognised,” said Jagdev Singh. Jagdev Singh wrote another letter on January 3, 2012. The letter bore fruit and the Himachal Government installed Gill’s memory stone on the Manali-Leh highway in honour of his contribution.
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SGPC president meets Uttarakhand CM over gurdwara reconstruction
Amritsar, December 10 SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar made this appeal during a meeting with the Uttarakhand CM in Dehradun today. Makkar led an SGPC delegation comprising senior vice-president Raghujit Singh Virk, general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, executive member Rajinder Singh and two senior SGPC officials. Later, Bahuguna assured Makkar that they will soon take a decision on rebuilding the shrine in wake of its historical importance.
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Soon, Bell 429 ’copter for Badals
Chandigarh, December 10 The Adviser, Aviation, Abhey Chandra, took the delivery of the Rs 37-crore consignment which arrived in a container from Canada today. The helicopter will be first assembled, test-flown in Delhi and then be approved for flying by the Director-General, Civil Aviation. The Punjab Government has initiated the process to recruit three pilots to fly the helicopter. At pesent, the government is using a Eurocopter EC 135 for VIP hired from Global Vectra. The government is spending Rs 15 crore annually on VIP travel. The purchase at a time when the state is passing through a financial crisis and the Finance Department has initiated an austerity drive raises questions as to whether the government could have done without this luxury.
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Punjabi University to have daily wagers on contracts
Patiala, December 10 However, the workers will be signed up only after being screened. Earlier, the Vice Chancellor proposed to put employees, working for over three years on contract basis, on regular pay scale. The proposal to hire these employees on an ad hoc basis was approved by the syndicate. The syndicate raised the cash prizes for gold, silver and bronze medal winners in priority games to Rs 15,000, 12,000 and 9,000 to promote sports activities among the students. The prizes for other games were raised to Rs 9,000, 6,000 and 3,000. Similarly the amount to buy sports kit for inter-university competition participants has been increased from Rs. 2,000 to 3,000. The syndicate approved the MoU signed between Wilkes University, USA and Punjabi University to promote the five-year integrated BTech-MS Programme, Faculty and Student Exchange activities and short term educational programmes. — TNS
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Police fails to identify sarpanch’s murderer
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 10 Sources said the police was working on various theories. The police said that the victim Tilak Raj Mehta had appeared as a witness in a murder case in 2005 and they believed the person convicted in the case could be one of the suspects. He was convicted by the lower courts and had got out on bail from the High Court, sources said. — TNS
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Illegal detention: Court summons SAD dist chief
Moga, December 10 Jagsir Singh has filed a case, alleging that the former SHO, acting at Mahla’s instance had in 2009 picked him from his residence and kept him in illegal custody on several occasions. On December 12, 2009, he was picked from his residence and kept under illegal detention at the Baghapurana police station for two days until a warrant officer of the Punjab and Haryana High Court got him released. The applicant has alleged that he is again being harassed by the police at the behest of ruling party leaders. Therefore, criminal proceedings should be initiated against them. The court has asked the Akali leader, the former SHO and three others to file a reply.
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Land grab bid by Akali leader’s kin
Doda (Muktsar), December 10 An elderly couple, Harbans Singh and Gian Kaur, living in a house adjoining house the automobile spare parts shop of the accused, said: “Gurbhej had been threatening us for the past almost two years. He had his eye on our house located on the Muktsar-Bathinda highway. He had made some forged documents to take possession of the house." Sadhu Singh, also a neighbour of the accused, alleged that Gurbhej had tried to take possession of his land through fake documents in this regard. Narinder Singh, brother of Tejvinder Singh, on whose complaint the case against Gurbhej was registered, alleged: “Gurbhej and his accomplices have illegally taken possession of the land adjoining our house, which was bought by us in March 2005. Last Friday, he grabbed the land in the presence of senior revenue officials when we were away to attend a wedding.” He produced some documents to back his claim. When contacted, Brar refused to comment. “I am out of my constituency and will come out with vital facts at a press conference tomorrow,” he claimed. The accused is yet to be arrested.
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2 held for pilfering steel
Sirhind, December 10 The arrested accused have been identified as truck owner-cum-driver Balwinder Singh alias Billa, a resident of Sirhind and workshop owner Lachman Singh, a resident of Khanna. The police has also recovered Rs 90,000 from Lachman’s son Gurpreet Singh, who is absconding. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hardial Singh Mann said Kirandeep Khatra, owner of Akash Steel Corporation at Mandi Gobindgarh had complained to the police that one of his consignments had not reached its destination. Khatra said he had loaded 14.46 tonnes of steel on a truck owned by Balwinder Singh alias Billa and the consignment was to be dispatched to a construction company based in Mohali. However, the purchaser informed him that he had not received the consignment. He then searched for the truck and found the same parked near Tarkhan Majra. He had alleged that he found over three tonnes of steel missing from the truck. Mann said that after being arrested, Balwinder revealed that he had sold 3.1 tonnes of steel to a scrap dealer Neela, a resident of Morinda. He said Billa had further revealed that he had equipped his vehicle with a special box which they would fill with sand and gravel after taking out steel of the same weight from the truck. They would then sell the steel in the market. The accused would earn over Rs 1 lakh per trip, the SSP added. The SSP said Billa revealed that Lachman and his son Gurpreet would charge Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh to install the box. He said the search operation had been intensified to nab the other accused. Modus operandi After taking out steel from the truck, the accused would fill the box with sand and gravel of the same weight They would then sell the steel in the market and earn over Rs 1 lakh per trip Accused Lachman Singh would charge Rs 1.5 lakh to fit the box on the trucks
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Dharmendra’s land grabber faced charges of honour killing
Ludhiana, December 10 The Vigilance Bureau is probing how Jaswant, who has a tainted past, managed to obtain an arms license. “This is a serious matter. We will find out how Jaswant got the licence and managed to get a police clearance,” said Satinder Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Vigilance. Another man identified as Rajesh Nanchahal has been nabbed by the vigilance sleuths. He worked for criminals Rohit Kapila and Jaswant Singh, who are already in the police net. Nanchahal was arrested from the city following a raid here this morning. It was Nanchahal, who first formulated the fake power of attorney for Dharmendra’s property and later transferred it in Rohit Kapila’s name. Jassi Murder case
Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu, also known as Jassi, a resident of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, was killed on June 8, 2000. It was allegedly an honor killing. She was kidnapped, tortured, and killed allegedly on the orders of her mother, Malkiat Kaur Sidhu and her uncle, Surjit Singh Badesha, near Kaonke Khosa in Jagraon. Thirteen persons were booked following the complaint of Jassi’s husband Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu. While eight persons were acquitted, Ashwani Kumar, Anil Kumar and Inspector Joginder Singh are facing life imprisonment.
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Akali sarpanch booked for murder
Amritsar, December 10 Amarjit Singh, the accused sarpanch, is reportedly also an office-bearer of the Youth Akali
Dal. The other accused in the case are Swarn Singh, Pargat Singh, Narinder Singh, Amritpal Singh, Ranjodh Singh, Sumitar Singh, Gurnam Singh, Balraj Singh, Gurpal Singh and Bikramjit Singh.
The police said one of the accused, Swarn Singh, used to suspect the deceased, Gurpreet Singh (20), of having illicit relations with his sister-in-law.
In her complaint, Gurpreet’s mother Sukhraj Kaur alleged that the accused kidnapped his son on Sunday and later beat him to death.
She alleged that when her family followed the kidnappers, the Akali sarpanch fired at them.
She claimed that her family members had a narrow escape in the firing.
Sukhraj Kaur said her son was found unconscious in the morning at the house of one of the accused.
He was taken to a private hospital where he succumbed to his
injuries. Amritsar (rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Preet Paul Singh Virk said a case under sections 302, 364, 326 of the IPC and 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against the accused. He said the accused were on the run.
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Ravinderpal Singh, here today, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today directed the Amritsar police top brass to probe the conspiracy angle to the policeman's murder.
About the RTS Act
"Politicisation of the police force in the state is complete. Of late, there have been several attacks on the police, from Jalandhar to Amritsar. Police stations have been reduced to Akali Dal citadels from where drugs are being distributed outside. The state is in a dire need of police reforms," Bittu said, amidst strong opposition from Akali MPs Ratan Singh Ajnala and Sher Singh Gubaya. Bittu sought immediate implementation of police reforms to de-politicise the forces, adding that “the need of the hour is to impose President's rule in Punjab." A group of Congress MPs led by Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa alleged that the state government was busy hosting Kabaddi World Cup matches even as law and order in the state was deteriorating.