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Faridkot
prison violence
Drug addiction among inmates poses a challenge
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Porters’ strike at ICP brings Indo-Pak trade to near halt
Eyeing LS poll, govt loosens purse strings
Govt declares Jains a minority community
Bajwa meets EC official, wants poll postponed
CM not helping Punjabi farmers in Gujarat: Bhattal
Farmer unions oppose draft agriculture policy
Books delayed, PSHRC seeks report from Punjab
Pension commutation brought down to 20%
PCMS doctors protest disparity in pay structure
Sarovar wall repaired amid tight security
Row
over Sadda Haq
Badals cite security reasons for not appearing in court
Four-year-old raped by cousin in Sangrur
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Faridkot prison violence
Chandigarh, April 23 The matter was earlier highlighted in a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which was submitted in the state assembly in March. The problem has become acute in the wake of an ongoing police drive to nab drug addicts. The state police claimed to have arrested at least 875 drug addicts from different parts of the state during the past fortnight alone. They have only contributed to the congestion in jails. There are more than 25,000 prisoners against the ideal strength of 18,000 in 23 jails of the state. The report pointed out that as many as 1,09,134 undertrials and 45,201 convicts imprisoned during 2010-12 were not segregated on grounds of age, sex, behaviour and mental health. As many as 142 tuberculosis (TB) patients and 386 mentally unstable inmates were lodged with other inmates. On account of poor connectivity, only 1,700 (7 per cent) of the total 24,200 court appearances could be managed through videoconferencing available in 10 jails connected to 32 courts. As many as 51 prisoners escaped during movement outside the jail premises for court hearings. The report said the department did not adhere to the dates fixed by the Finance Department for submitting original as well as revised estimates of its budget. The delay led to unrealistic and "inflated" figures. For example, against the revised estimate of Rs 61.27 crore in 2011-12, the department incurred an expenditure of only Rs 40.90 crore. The DGP also did not submit the unutilised budget of Rs 26.07 crore. The jails were facing at least 66 per cent shortage of doctors. There was also a significant shortage of medicines. Against the requirement of 359 allopathic and 275 other medicines, the department was short of 120 allopathic and 182 others. The jails were found to be providing untreated water to prisoners. The jails were short of 84 warders and head warders. The audit pointed out that the available training facility had remained unutilised by 92 per cent of its capacity in 2011-12. The jail staff was found to be using antiquated musket guns. There was also a shortage of ammunition.
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Drug addiction among inmates poses a challenge
Patiala, April 23 Sources said preliminary findings suggested that the tightening of noose around habitual drug addicts and peddlers lodged inside prisons was one of the main reasons behind the violence. "We need to make sure that there are ample psychological and medical treatment facilities available inside prisons," said a senior police official. As per records, Punjab jails have 2,429 male and 86 female convicts under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act. Besides, there are 4,283 male and 203 female undertrials awaiting their fate under the Act. "Many of these are habitual offenders, which is a disturbing trend," said a senior jail official DS Bains, Principal Secretary, Home Department, said they would now prepare a comprehensive plan to keep tabs on habitual drug addicts lodged inside jails. "We will surely find lapses that led to violence in the Faridkot jail. But we need to have a broader perspective and make sure that such incidents are not repeated," said Bains. Sources said with the government acting tough against senior jail officials in cases of fleeing of jail inmates, most senior officers were now reluctant to take prisoners out of jails for medical treatment. "Similar is the case in Faridkot. The morale of the jail staff is at an all time low and no one is willing to serve in prisons," said a senior jail official. Recently, despite being promised a promotion, four senior PPS officers had refused to join the Jail Department due to heavy pressure and strict working conditions. Additional DGP (Prisons) Rajpal Meena said jail officials were working hard but sometimes drug addicts created lots of problems. "Habitual offenders have no fear of law. They can go to any extent to get drugs," Meena said. As per the latest notification issued in March by the Department of Home Affairs and Justice, Head Warders and Head Matrons were armed with powers to act under the NDPS Act within their jurisdiction. The move is aimed at checking smuggling of narcotics inside Punjab prisons as earlier the cases registered by the department could not find enough ground in the court leading to acquittal of the accused.
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Porters’ strike at ICP brings Indo-Pak trade to near halt
Amritsar, April 23 Confederation of International Chambers of Commerce and Industry spokesman Rajdeep Uppal said each porter earned an average of Rs 25,000 a month. He claimed the traders were being charged even for mechanical work in which no manual labour was involved. He said the import of gypsum from Pakistan was handled mechanically and there was no involvement of porters, but charges were still being collected from traders. Uppal said the ICP working had been “bogged down by the involvement of self-styled leaders” of the union. On the other hand, the porters claimed their demand was justified. They also demanded that they be provided medical insurance as they faced various health risks while handling all sorts of goods, including chemicals, that were imported from Pakistan. Sources said the porters at the ICP had been engaged under a contract between the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and a contractor. The traders said it was for the contractor to execute the work “irrespective of the market forces and that the demand for a hike in the labour charges was uncalled for”. Sources said the porters proceeded on strike late last evening and 22 trucks from Pakistan returned loaded as there was no porter available to unload them. However, the transaction of goods that could be unloaded mechanically was on as usual, they said. Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia today issued directions that the illegal truck union operating at Attari, which had been reportedly levying illegal charges on traders, be disbanded. He announced this after holding a meeting with traders, officials of the district administration and the police.
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Eyeing LS poll, govt loosens purse strings
Chandigarh, April 23 Sources said Rs 35 crore has been allocated to Jalandhar city where the BJP had performed well in the last assembly elections. They said amenities such as sewer system and drinking water facilities would be provided even in illegal colonies within the municipal limits in urban areas. During the Budget session, the state government had passed a Bill to pave the way for regularisation of illegal colonies. However, the process is yet to begin. Eager to start work on infrastructure projects in urban areas, the Local Bodies Department today approached the State Election Commission to ask whether the code of conduct enforced with regard to the panchayat elections was also applicable in cities and towns. "Though it should not be applicable in urban areas, we have sought a clarification from the commission", said an official of the department, which is under BJP Minister Bhagat Chunni Lal. A close confident of the minister said in Jalandhar, Rs 10 crore would be given to each constituency from where BJP candidates were elected during the assembly elections last year. Likewise, money would be distributed in various constituencies represented by Akali or BJP MLAs. Meanwhile, the department is busy in giving a final shape to the proposals with regard to the property tax. The sources said the proposals on the tax might be diluted further. A board has been constituted to finalise the proposals, which are likely to be taken in the next cabinet meeting.
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Govt declares Jains a minority community
Ludhiana, April 23 Announcing this at a function held to mark Mahavir Jayanti, Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal had pursued the issue with all departments to fulfill the long pending demand of the community. On the occasion, Majithia also hit out at the Congress: “During its regime from 2002 to 2007, the Congress even cancelled the public holiday on Mahavir Jayanti. Parkash Singh Badal, after assuming power in 2007, restored the holiday.” Majithia called upon the people to follow the philosophy and teachings of Lord Mahavir.
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Bajwa meets EC official, wants poll postponed
Chandigarh, April 23 While submitting a memorandum to Brar, Bajwa claimed notifications for the formation of new blocks and re-delimitation of certain other areas were issued as late as April 16 and April 18 and that the “voters were not even aware of it”. He also contended that currently the entire countryside was engaged in harvesting wheat crop, an exercise that was likely to continue another 15 days.
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CM not helping Punjabi farmers in Gujarat: Bhattal
Chandigarh, April 23 Addressing a press conference after meeting a delegation of farmers from Gujarat, Bhattal said there were around 3,000 Punjabi families which were affected by "unconstitutional" policies of the Modi government. — TNS
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Farmer unions oppose draft agriculture policy
Amritsar, April 23 Addressing a press conference here today, Jamhuri Kisan Sabha state chief Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala and vice-president Rattan Singh Randhawa claimed that the 58-page document supported lease/contract system in irrigation and private partnership in the marketing of farm produce. "It talks about contract farming and roping in national/foreign firms in agriculture, which will be disastrous for the farmers." —TNS
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Books delayed, PSHRC seeks report from Punjab
Faridkot, April 23, 2013 The commission has sought a report from the state government through the Director General School Education (DGSE), Punjab, said Rohit Chatrath, a PSHRC official. The DGSE has been told to submit the report before May 23. The PSHRC has taken this step after the commission, headed by chairman Justice Jagdish Bhalla, took note of the news item. A report under Section 17 (i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, has been sought. The PSHRC will take necessary action after receiving the report. The Tribune report had highlighted that the books, provided free of cost, weren’t supplied to the students. The students of Classes VI and VII have to appear for continuous comprehensive evaluation tests every two months under the Right to Education. With their latest tests due in May third week, students were forced to study without books. Tejinder Kaur Dhaliwal, chairperson, Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), admitted to the delay in providing books to the students. “We are hopeful of supplying the books to all the students by the end of this month. There was a delay in the printing of books this year,” she said. Sources said the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’s Punjab unit had sent the demand for the books to the PSEB in December 2012, but the latter was not prompt in placing the orders for their printing. There was an inordinate delay in purchasing the paper for these books. She declined to fix the responsibility for the delay in purchasing the paper, stating that she was not the PSEB chairman then.
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Pension commutation brought down to 20%
Chandigarh, April 23 The instructions were issued today, but they will be operational with retrospective effect from April 1 this year. Though the state government claimed the step had been taken in view of the enhancement of pensionary benefits after the implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission, sources said the decision was taken to tide over the fiscal crisis. Even the employees, who are on a one-year extension post retirement, will be affected by the decision. Under the earlier provision pertaining to the commutation of the pension, an employee on retirement was entitled to withdraw a lump sum payment of 40 per cent of his or her total pension amount for 12 years. However, the amount withdrawn was to be recovered from the employee concerned in the 15 years with a simple interest on it. For instance, earlier a Class C category employee opting for commutation of pension on retirement got between Rs 4 and Rs 6 lakh as a lump sum payment but now he will get between Rs 2 to Rs 4
lakh.
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PCMS doctors protest disparity in pay structure
Patiala, April 23 The doctors demanded that the new eligibility criteria of having worked for six years in rural areas for admission to postgraduate courses be rolled back. They also demanded that more doctors be recruited for the posts of specialists and Emergency Medical Officers (EMOs) at every hospital. While addressing the rally, Dr Hardeep Singh, state president of the association, condemned the Punjab Government for not heeding to their demands. He alleged that the shortage of manpower in health services had lowered the morale of the doctors. Singh said their agitation would continue until their 21 demands were
accepted. — TNS
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Former Minister Dogra dies at 75
Hoshiarpur, April 23 Dogra is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. His last rites will be performed at the local crematorium around noon tomorrow. Supporters and Congress activists, including local MLA Sunder Sham Arora, thronged Dogra’s house to express their condolences. He had represented the Dasuya assembly segment four times: 1985 (Independent); 1992, 1997 and 2002 (Congress). He also remained the Deputy Speaker.
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Sarovar wall repaired amid tight security
Sunam (Sangrur), April 23 After the repair work on the wall began, the Sitasar Sarovar Temple Committee ended their dharna. They had been on a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Sunam, since Saturday, demanding that the wall be repaired. Sumer Garg, former president of the temple committee, said at a meeting with the top civil and police officials of the district on Monday night, it was decided that the wall would be constructed on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, people opposing the repair of the boundary wall staged a dharna near the temple. Rajinder Singh Kaifee, president of the Gurdwara Patshahi Pehli, alleged the administration had not heard their side of the story and taken a biased decision. On Monday night, over 20 persons, including five policemen, had sustained injuries when the police lathicharged the protesters, demanding the wall be repaired.
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Row over Sadda Haq
New Delhi, April 23 In the affidavit filed through Additional Advocate General Ajay Bansal, the state government said it had banned the movie on the recommendations of a three-member committee which had seen it. The committee comprised Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, the Principal Secretary (Home and Justice) and the Chief Secretary. Two Shiv Sena activists had also approached a district court in Chandigarh seeking a ban on the movie. The movie had sought to project the assassins of Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995 as heroes of the militant movement, it was contended. The state government filed the affidavit in response to the April 11 Supreme Court notice on a petition filed by the producers, Vital Media. A three-member Bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir had asked Punjab, Delhi and Chandigarh to specify as to why they had banned the screening of the movie when it had been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification.
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Badals cite security reasons for not appearing in court
Chandigarh, April 23 The father-son duo has sought recording of statements outside the court. The court had adjourned the case to May 28 in wake of an appeal pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. In his appeal moved today, Badal sought adjournment of the recovery suit saying an appeal challenging dismissal of the plea of recording of statements outside the district courts through the local commissioner was pending in the High Court. Former Additional Director of Punjab Information and Public Relations Department Jagdip Singh Chowhan had filed a recovery suit against the Badals way back in 2001. Chowhan had moved the court in November 2001 alleging he had spent Rs 2.32 lakh on his own during the two Lok Sabha elections in 1998 and 1999 and a by-election in 1999 after being directed by Badal, who was the Chief Minister then, to do so. He said he was asked to spend the money for various activities like hospitality for mediapersons and putting advertisements on behalf of the SAD to help Sukhbir Badal, who fought the two elections from Faridkot. However, keeping the constraints of court fee in mind, Chowhan had filed the suit for recovery of only Rs 82,032. The statements in the case are yet to be recorded and thus the Badals were directed to appear in person in the court.
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Four-year-old raped by cousin in Sangrur
Sangrur, April 23 The police has registered a case against the 14-year-old accused. Hailing from Bathinda, the accused, who is yet to be nabbed, is the son of the victim’s paternal aunt. The complainant alleged that the accused lured her daughter to the rooftop of their house and committed the crime. — TNS
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Amritsar, April 23
