B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

33 pc seat in Fazilka reserved for women
Fazilka, June 14
As many as 33 per cent seats have been reserved for women candidates in Fazilka district for panchayat elections scheduled to be held on July 3. Out of the total 399 panchayats, 133, including 104 (general category), and 29 SC (Women) category, have been reserved for them in Fazilka district in the coming panchayat elections announced yesterday.

 Moga CAO shifted, agri officials call off stir
Moga, June 14
The Punjab Government today transferred the Chief Agricultural Officer (CAO) of Moga, Dr Darshan Singh Sandhu, to Bathinda as the Deputy Director (pulses) following allegations of corruption and dereliction of duty against him.

Two held guilty under Official Secrets Act
Faridkot, June 14
About 20 months after a plumber and a carpenter working in the MES wing of the cantonment here were held for allegedly having links with the Pakistan’s Inter-services Intelligence (ISI), the court of the District and Sessions Judge today sentenced them to five years in jail.

Two Pungrain officials among 3 booked
Ferozepur, June 14
The Ferozepur police has booked three persons - a rice mill owner and two Pungrain officials - for allegedly siphoning off paddy weighing 21,089 quintals worth Rs 3.45 crore.

 Panchayat Poll
33 pc seat in Fazilka reserved for women
Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, June 14
As many as 33 per cent seats have been reserved for women candidates in Fazilka district for panchayat elections scheduled to be held on July 3. Out of the total 399 panchayats, 133, including 104 (general category), and 29 SC (Women) category, have been reserved for them in Fazilka district in the coming panchayat elections announced yesterday.

A notification was issued by Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka, In this regard on May 28, 2013, which would now be implemented after the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee challenging the delimitation of panchayats.

“Off the 399 panchayats, besides the seats reserved for women, 209 panchayats have been kept in the general category, while 57 have been reserved for the Schedule Caste category”, said District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu.

Sources said elections were held for 373 panchayats during the previous elections but 26 new panchayats had been added, increasing the total number to 399.

Fazilka district has been divided into five blocks for panchayat elections. These include Fazilka, Abohar, Jalalabad, Khuian Sarvar and Arniwala Sheikh Subhan.

Arniwala Sheikh Subhan, a part of the Fazilka block, was upgraded as an Independent block some time ago. After the delimitation, the Arniwala Sheikh Subhan block was attached to the Jalalabad Assembly constituency that is being represented by Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. 

 Moga CAO shifted, agri officials call off stir
Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service

Moga, June 14
The Punjab Government today transferred the Chief Agricultural Officer (CAO) of Moga, Dr Darshan Singh Sandhu, to Bathinda as the Deputy Director (pulses) following allegations of corruption and dereliction of duty against him.

The agriculture development officers of the district had been campaigning against him for the past about one month. They sought that the state government should transfer the CAO and take departmental action against him.

The Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department, Suresh Kumar, asked a joint director of the department, Dr Gurdial Singh, to inquire into the allegations. He camped at Moga for two days, recorded the statements of agricultural officers, checked the accounts of the department and found some financial irregularities.

There were allegations that Dr Sandhu had made a ‘bogus’ payment of Rs 1.5 lakh with regard to subsidy given on laser land-leveller to a local farmer without inviting open applications.

According to the rules, applications should be invited and later, farmers should be selected by a draw of lottery for release of subsidy. However, the CAO maintained that the general assistant to District Magistrate Jyoti Bala had sanctioned the release of payment.

The agricultural officers alleged that without inviting tenders or quotations, the Chief Agricultural Officer released an advance payment of Rs 1,37,450 to purchase bio-fertiliser from the Sai Bio Organics, a local firm. They alleged that money was released without issuing any supply order.

After the Joint Director’s inquiry, the Sai Bio Organics returned the money to the department.

Meanwhile, protesting agricultural officers of the district today called off their month-long agitation and returned to work.

Further, the transfer orders of Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar from Moga to Zira were cancelled by 
the government with an immediate effect after a delegation of the scientists met the Chief Minister in the presence of local MLA and former minister Jathedar Tota Singh. 

 Two held guilty under Official Secrets Act
Balwant Garg/TNS

Faridkot, June 14
About 20 months after a plumber and a carpenter working in the MES wing of the cantonment here were held for allegedly having links with the Pakistan’s Inter-services Intelligence (ISI), the court of the District and Sessions Judge today sentenced them to five years in jail.

The court held Lilu Ram and Bhola Ram guilty under the Official Secrets Act 1932.

The Faridkot police had arrested the plumber, Lila Ram (45), and the carpenter, Bhola Ram, in October 2011 following a tip-off from the Intelligence Bureau and military officials. The police investigation had revealed that they were passing on sensitive information inimical to the country’s security, to Pakistan.

The interrogation of the duo helped the police in recovering some ‘top secret’ documents and two mobile SIMs. 

 Two Pungrain officials among 3 booked
Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, June 14
The Ferozepur police has booked three persons - a rice mill owner and two Pungrain officials - for allegedly siphoning off paddy weighing 21,089 quintals worth Rs 3.45 crore.

Sources in the Police Department said the manager of Pungrain had lodged a compliant with the police on June 7 following which action was taken in the matter.

The persons, who are reportedly absconding, against whom a case has been registered have been identified as Sandeep Narula of Guruharsahai, Satnam Singh and Sanjeev Kumar Narang. No arrest has been made yet.

Earlier, the procurement agency had reportedly found shortage of 60,253 paddy bags during the checking of the premises of the erring rice mill located in Jiwa Arai under the Guruharsahai sub-division.