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DSGMC poll: SAD (B) manifesto
out, tall promises to community
Polls nearing, focus back on riot victims
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Gateman’s laxity claims 4 lives at Pathankot railway crossing
Elevating Sukhbir SAD's internal matter: Kamal
65 lakh tonnes of wheat may be stacked in open
Lawyer says Sarabjit a victim of cross-border politics
Rainfall hits trade with Pak through
Attari
Farmers to protest odd power supply hours
‘Demolition’ of memorial leads to tension in village
A clarification
Improvement Trust scam: Capt skips court hearing
Student caught with pistol in school
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DSGMC poll: SAD (B) manifesto
out, tall promises to community
New Delhi, January 19 Among the main promises are clean and transparent management, judicial commission for Sikh shrines, Guru Teg Bahadur University for professional education, free education for girls and books to boys securing over 75 per cent marks in Class X and Rs 51,000 as marriage allowance for the daughters of DSGMC employees. Focusing mainly on the youth, the manifesto promises establishment of Guru Angad Dev sports institute, five academies for Sikh students to help them prepare for medical, engineering and administrative examinations and a placement cell. The party has also assured of replacing books of private publishers with that of the NCERT in DSGMC-run schools and 50 per cent concession in fee for one child in cases where two or more siblings were studying in same school. SAD (Badal) president Sukhbir Badal, accompanied by several senior leaders, released the 24-page election manifesto written in Punjabi language. The manifesto also speaks about setting up a legal council for helping the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the community members uprooted from Afghanistan and Pakistan. It promises similar councils in the fields of education, health and finance. Sukhbir said the party would establish a ‘Sikh Heritage Centre’ (a multi-media museum) in Delhi and facilitate free bus service to the community members for visiting historic gurdwaras in Delhi. The manifesto promises celebration of gurpurbs and other historic days as per the Nanakshahi calendar. The party also assured of canceling the “unlawful” agreement signed by the incumbent committee with a private group to run Guru Harkishan Hospital at Bala Sahib gurdwara. The party also promised a ‘Senior Sikh Citizen Card’ to the community members above 60 years of age to provide them free or on-concession health services and other facilities.
Document highlights
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Polls nearing, focus back on riot victims
New Delhi, January 19 While releasing the SAD (B) manifesto today, party chief Sukhbir Badal hit out at the the Sarna brothers — Paramjit Singh and Harvinder Singh — for allegedly ignoring the riot victims. Over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the riots that followed the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. There have been two commissions of inquiry and eight committees to probe the riots. In more than 28 years, the government’s efforts to bring the guilty to book have just meandered through paper work and setting up of inquiry commissions. For his part, DSGMC president Paramjit Sarna, had, in June last year, announced the setting up of a memorial for the victims. He claimed that the DSGMC had spent huge sums of money in getting the best lawyers to represent the Sikhs in the GT Nanavati Commission of inquiry while “Badals only used the victims”. Sukbir said: “Sarnas, being close to Congress leaders, have always conspired and acted against the 1984 Sikh victims, witnesses and their lawyers on the directions of the Congress party since most of the accused are senior leaders of the party, including Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.” “We can never forget the dark episode,” a statement from the DSGMC had said last week. While compensation was distributed in Delhi, the Punjab Government, led by Parkash Singh Badal, had failed to distribute the relief amount, Sarna had claimed. Jarnail Singh, author of “I Accuse... the Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984”, said: “Instead of making allegations against each other, the Badals and the Sarnas should unite and get justice for the riot victims.” Ironically, in June 2004, the DSGMC had honoured Tytler with a siropa, which led to global protests from the community. A year later, the GT Nanavati Commission indicted Tytler, who had to resign as the Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs. The government had then asked the CBI to reinvestigate the cases. Tyler along with Sajjan Kumar, HKL Bhagat, Lalit Maken and Arjun Das were blamed for the riots by the Sikh community. Maken and Das were shot dead by terrorists while Bhagat had died a natural death. The last time the 1984 riots dominated the political firmament was before the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. When Tytler and Sajjan were given the Congress ticket, Jarnail Singh, a journalist, had hurled a shoe at the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.
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Burglars break into Jalandhar bank, empty 40 lockers
Jalandhar, January 19 Since a number of locker holders are NRIs, important documents like passports, green cards and property papers were also lying in the lockers. Interestingly, the cash safe in the strong room was left untouched. The thieves gained access to the strong room by breaking open its door with a gas cutter. The lockers were also damaged by using the gas cutter. While the bank authorities have not yet released any estimate of the loss, reports from the claimants hint at a staggering
loss. Ashok Kapoor, General Manager of the bank, said he was in Chandigarh last night. He learnt about the theft at about 10 am today, he said. A bank sweeper was the first to report
the crime. The minutely planned theft seems to be the work of seasoned criminals who had inside information about the bank. The lax security arrangements aided them as no security person was deployed at the bank last night. Besides, there is no CCTV camera installed at the premises. The bank's alarm system also failed
to work. Malkiat Singh Multani, PRO of the bank, said: "The bank had an alarm system which goes off in case anyone tries to open the shutter. The thieves must have dismantled the mechanism due to which the alarm didn't
ring". ADCP Navjot Singh Mahal said: "The police has begun investigations into the case. We have not found any clue so far. We are expecting to nab the thieves soon." He said: "The police has been issuing instructions to all banks to ensure proper security at their premises. The latest were issued about a month ago. There should have been guards and CCTV cameras at the bank". Meanwhile, many locker holders alleged rude behavior by the bank authorities. They said since their passports were safe, the bank authorities were not handing these over to them. Some said they had flights scheduled in the coming days. They also rued lax security arrangements at the bank. SS
Kalra, Zonal Head, Punjab and Sind Bank, denied these allegations. He said passports of all the claimants were being returned to them.
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Gateman’s laxity claims 4 lives at Pathankot railway crossing
Pathankot, January 19 Among the deceased were three members of a family: Keshav Katoch, a retired executive engineer, his grandchildren Aarushi (10) and Shivam (6). The car driver, Sham Lal, was the fourth person killed in the mishap. The victims were on their way from Pathankot to their native Indupur village in Indora tehsil of Himachal Pradesh. The incident occurred on the Pathankot-Jalandhar road, 7 km from here. Such was the impact of the accident that the 12492 Down Jammu-Barauni Express, which runs once a week, dragged the car up to a distance of 150 metres before the vehicle was thrown off the track. The car was damaged beyond recognition. The bodies of the deceased, all of whom died on the spot, were taken to Nurpur Civil Hospital, 30 km from here, for a post-mortem examination. Eyewitnesses claimed that the gateman, Sanjay Kumar, failed to close the entry to the railway crossing, which led to the accident. He is absconding and the police has launched a manhunt after registering a case against him at the Indora police station. Ferozepur Divisional Railway Manager Naresh Kumar Goel also visited the mishap site. The Railways have decided to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 each to the next of the deceased.
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Elevating Sukhbir SAD's internal matter: Kamal
Ferozepur, January 19 Sharma, who is the third state BJP president from the Malwa region, told TNS that no such proposal had come to the BJP, but it was for the SAD to decide who should be their leader. The BJP would react only after it was formally consulted on the issue, he said. Sharma today received a rousing welcome on his first visit to his home town after being elected as the party chief. He said he would focus on making BJP ministers more responsive to the grievances of the people and telling them to give due importance to the party rank and file that was the strength of the organisation. Sharma said among his priorities was to prepare the BJP for the Lok Sabla elections next year. "BJP ministers will be asked to coordinate with the workers at the grass-roots level and be available at the party headquarters in Chandigarh at least once a week for listening to the grievances of the people. They will be asked to frequently tour the districts where the BJP does not have representation in the Cabinet". The SAD that has already appointed its leaders as chairpersons of various boards and corporations would be asked to give such posts to BJP leaders, he said.
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65 lakh tonnes of wheat may be stacked in open
Chandigarh, January 19 About 100 lakh tonnes of wheat is lying in the state. Besides, 93 lakh tonnes of rice will be available for stacking in the coming months as the shelling of paddy is currently on. "We have 12 lakh tonnes of rice belonging to 2011-12. Another 81 lakh tonnes of rice of the current year is expected to be available for stacking", said a senior government official. Therefore, adequate space will not be available to stack the fresh stock of wheat the harvesting of which will start in about 11 weeks from now. "Though some more covered space will be available this year, it will be utilised to stack a part of rice", the official added. Meanwhile, the state government has urged the Centre to clear its dues to the tune of Rs 7,500 crore related to incidental and other charges incurred on stacking and managing of foodgrain procured for the central pool during the past some years. The government has urged the Centre to pay it incidental charges at the rate of Rs 824 per
tonne. However, the Centre has offered Rs 786 per tonne. "We have submitted all the documents justifying our claim with regard to pending dues", said DS
Grewal, Secretary, Food and Supplies Department, Punjab. Besides, there were dues with regard to 1 per cent VAT and 1 per cent infrastructure development charges. The Centre was paying VAT at the rate of 4 per cent on the foodgrain procured for the central pool whereas the government has been seeking 5 per cent VAT. Likewise, the government has asked the Centre to pay infrastructure development (ID) charges at the rate of 3 per cent whereas the latter was paying it at the rate of 2 per cent. The Centre has already refused to pay 1 per cent difference in both the VAT and ID charges. Problem of plenty
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9 months on, Burundi national on way to recovery
Patiala, January 19 Yannick Nihangaza, a 23-year-old Burundi national, had gone into coma after he was brutally attacked in Jalandhar nine months ago. Since then he has been battling for his life at Columbia Asia Hospital. It seems that he is finally on the road to recovery. His father Nestor Ntibateganya hopes to see Yannick get back on his feet one day. He has been fighting with the state government for his son’s proper treatment and justice. "I thank the doctors and management at the hospital for their efforts to save
Yannick," says Nestor. Yannick's elder sister Fiona, who arrived in the city a couple of days ago, is keeping her fingers crossed. "This is great news! It has been a tough year. I hope he regains complete consciousness soon. I urge the government to give an exemplary punishment to the attackers so that no one dares to commit such a crime in the future," says Fiona.
Ashim Kumar, general manager of the hospital, said they were in touch with the hospital in Burundi where Yannick would be shifted.
Patiala Deputy Commissioner GK Singh said the district administration would purchase a portable ventilator and a suction machine worth Rs 9
lakh. "As soon as his father gives us a go-ahead, we will shift him to Burundi. We are already in talks with the Civil Aviation Department and will airlift him with his family's consent," said GK Singh. The Punjab government has already paid Rs 5 lakh to the hospital authorities. The government has offered to bear Yannick’s entire treatment expenses. Recently, the hospital administration sent a bill of around Rs 30 lakh to the government.
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Customs helpless after loss of 3 sniffer dogs
Amritsar, January 19 The officials now have little option but to make do with a single dog, though the job for the canine is much strenuous. It has to rummage through goods at four strategic locations: the India-Pakistan Integrated Check Post at Attari, Amritsar and Attari railway stations and the local airport, which also operates international flights. The most sensitive of these points is the Attari-Wagah border. Over 150 kg of heroin, besides fake Indian currency, has been recovered in rail cargo arriving from the neighbouring nation between May and October (2012) alone. Customs Commissioner KK Sharma said it was a coincidence that all the three dogs — Romeo died on January 24, Marshal on July 12 and Monty on September 3 — had died within a nine-month period. He said the dogs had served the Customs from five to six years. The currently serving canine Ferry is stationed at the Attari railway station. On an average, the government expenditure on a sniffer dog is Rs 6,000 per month. Not only canines, the Customs is also short of trained dog handlers. The local Customs department currently has only one such official. Sharma said two sniffer dogs and as many handlers were undergoing training at the National Training Centre for Dogs at Tikanpur near Gwalior. They were likely to join in another six months. Assistant Commissioner (Customs) PK Tikku said they had sent a proposal to induct two more dogs in view of the increase in cross-border smuggling incidents in the recent past. Sniffing trouble
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Lawyer says Sarabjit a victim of cross-border politics
Chandigarh, January 19 “Sarabjit has been unjustifiably jailed for over 22 years for a crime that he did not commit. He was mistakenly held in the name of another person, Manjit Singh. It is Manjit's name that features in the FIR in a case of bombings in Pakistan in 1990,” Sheikh said here. Sheikh has written a book on his client, ‘A Case of Mistaken Identity’, which “gives documentary evidence... reading which one can come to the conclusion that Sarabjit is a victim of mistaken identity”. The lawyer said that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari can exercise his powers under Section 45 of the Pakistani constitution which, “empowers him to reduce, alter, change or amend” the decision and commute Sarabjit's death sentence to life imprisonment. Since Sarabjit has already completed 22 years in prison, Sheikh said his client could walk free if his sentence were commuted. Sarabjit is on death row for the last 20 years following his conviction for alleged involvement in a series of bombings in Pakistan in 1990. — PTI
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Rainfall hits trade with Pak through
Attari
Amritsar, January 19 Sources at the Integrated Check Post
(ICP) in Attari said, “Only 35 Indian trucks crossed over to Pakistan yesterday while around 40 to 50 crossed over today. The Pakistani authorities are only unloading trucks loaded with perishable goods.” Around 250 to 300 trucks usually cross over to Pakistan everyday. Jaspal Singh, a clearing agent, confirmed that the trade was affected by the rainfall. While the ICP in India is built over 120 acres, Pakistan’s check post is built in an area of only 9 acres and doesn’t have concrete flooring and proper sheds to protect the goods from the vagaries of the weather.
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Bathinda thermal plant succeeds in lowering pollution
Bathinda, January 19 With renovation and modernisation of the third unit of the plant now complete, its pollution level has come down drastically. The life of the plant too has increased by 20 years. Power officials claim the unit emits suspended particles below 100 mg per metric cube, which is lower than 150 mg per metric cube as approved by the Punjab Pollution Control Board. The capacity of the unit has also been increased to 120 MW from 110 MW earlier. "The third unit, which was under renovation for almost two years, has been
commercialised. It is a quantum jump in technology. The thermal plant having four units is one of the oldest in the country. It had pollution related issues. We have brought the pollution emission level well below the prescribed limits," said KD
Chowdhry, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd
(PSPCL). "The emission of the most modern third unit is below 100 mg. The first two units emit up to 150 mg," said HP Singh, Chief Engineer (Operation and Maintenance), Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant. Pollution caused by the plant in the form of fly ash had become a major environment and health hazard for the city residents. The low height of its chimneys (75 m) had compounded the matter as the Indian Air Force had not allowed to raise their height for security reasons in the 1970s. The renovation of the fourth unit of the thermal plant is expected to be over by June this year. The first and second units were renovated a few years ago. The third and fourth units had been causing high
pollution. "BHEL is undertaking the renovation project. We are trying our best to make it functional before the paddy season this year." said HP Singh. He said the combined cost of the renovation of the third and fourth unit was Rs 465 crore. The renovation was behind schedule as BHEL faced some unforeseen problems in the project. Welcome change Power officials claim the unit emits suspended particles below 100 mg per metric cube, which is lower than 150 mg per metric cube as approved by the Punjab Pollution Control Board
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Farmers to protest odd power supply hours
Chandigarh, January 19 The farmers alleged the department had been supplying power from 2 am to 8 am when it was unviable to water the fields due to intense cold. Paramjit Singh Bains, a resident of Bassi Jalal Khan in Hoshiarpur district, said: "It was difficult to even venture out of the house in middle of the night. Even if we dared to take a chance and open the water channel, the fields got overflooded. Though the timings have changed to day, it is stretched till late in the evening". Maninder Singh Gurm, a resident of Jhabewal village in Ludhiana district, said: "We were told that the department would balance the supply with the industrial sector. We had pointed out that the factories could work during the night. But there has been no change". Balbir Rajewal, BKU president, said: "We are left with no choice but to protest the impractical supply timings. We have sent numerous representations to the power authorities, but no one seems to bother. Now that the peak winter season is almost over, we will seek better supply timings for the remaining days". Arun Verma, Director (Distribution), Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), said: "We understand the problem. But the department has to manage with the available resources. After listening to the farmers, we have changed most of the timings to the day. There are six slots available. All cannot be worked out during the same time. So farmers will have to adjust accordingly".
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‘Demolition’ of memorial leads to tension in village
Payal, January 19 The tension was diffused when religious and social leaders, led by Raghbir Singh Saharanmajra, a member of the SGPC, assured the villagers to reconstruct the memorial. A majority of local residents are the followers of Baba Sihan Ji Gill Jhalla. They were shocked when they found that SGPC officials had started a path of Guru Granth Sahib at a seven-storey building after "demolishing" historic installations related with the Baba. The villagers, led by Lakhvir Singh Lakha and Inder Preet Singh Mangewal, alleged the SGPC had hurt the sentiments of thousands of Sikhs of Jhalla sub-caste by damaging the memorial of their forefather. Raghbir Singh Saharanmajra, a member of the SGPC, said: "There was a dispute regarding the ownership of the land. The SGPC took possession of the land after a court verdict. The SGPC wanted to hold an akhand path here, so the structure was demolished. The issue will be resolved soon”.
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Improvement Trust scam: Capt skips court hearing
Mohali, January 19 When the court was about to issue non-bailable arrest warrants against Amarinder in the last hearing on January 2, his defence counsel Ramdeep Singh had assured the court that the Punjab Congress Committee president would attend the next (today’s) hearing. Ramdeep Singh today told the court that his client had gone to Jaipur to attend the Congress’ ‘Chintan Shivir’. On the other hand, other accused in the case, including former minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma, former chairman of Amritsar Improvement Trust, were present along with their counsels. The court adjourned the case to February 16.
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Student caught with pistol in school
Amritsar, January 19 The incident took place at DAV Public School when the student, son of head constable Balram Singh, was showing the pistol to other students who were terrified and raised an alarm. — TNS
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The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) today released its manifesto for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections.
Among the main promises are clean and transparent management, judicial commission for Sikh shrines, Guru Teg Bahadur University for professional education, free education for girls and books to boys.
Four persons were killed after the car they were travelling in was hit by a train at Mohtliramp railway crossing on Friday night.
Among the deceased were three members of a family: Keshav Katoch, a retired executive engineer, his grandchildren Aarushi (10) and Shivam (6).
Unscientific stacking means storing wheat bags at some unpaved open place which often results in damage to the
foodgrain.