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Early rains catch govt off guard, bandhs yet to be strengthened
Govt hires helicopter to rescue stranded pilgrims
Plan to relocate occupants of unsafe buildings on anvil
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Declare POWs as martyrs: Shiv Sena chief
Bajwa’s statement thoughtless: Mittal
Sops to hill states may nullify industrial policy effect
Centre continues to dither on diversification
Panchayat poll symbols tickle the funny bone
Cyanide traces in bottled drinking water
Illegal sale of 155 acres
Ex-serviceman
shoots dead mother, daughter
Suspended DEO had ‘favoured’ 37 pvt schools
Treatment at Patiala hospital an ordeal for cancer patients
Dharna against Sangrur MC for leaving nullah uncovered
SGPC to celebrate 350 years of Anandpur Sahib
Punjabi varsity students seek fee hike rollback
Man axes father’s killer after 37 yrs
Heroin worth Rs 12.5 crore seized, 5 held
Man, paramour held for murder
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Early rains catch govt off guard, bandhs yet to be strengthened
Nawanshahr, June 19 The dhussi bandhs at Tajowal and Burj Tehal Dass villages have been partially damaged due to the rising water level of the river. Kirandeep Kaur, Sub Divisional Officer (SDO), Drainage, said the dhussi bands are expected to be strengthened by June 30 to reduce the risk of a breach in case of heavy rain. She said Rs 85 lakh was being spent on the work. If it doesn’t rain too heavily then the safety measures along the river would be set firmly in place to avoid the risk of floods. The region had witnessed floods in 1988 and 1993. In 2010, the timely intervention of the district administration prevented the area from being flooded. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had then paid a spcial visit to Tajowal- Manadala to recognise the efforts of the district administration. He had promised to come up with a comprehensive plan to strengthen the dhussi bandhs but nothing concrete has been done so far. Deputy Commissioner Tanu Kahyap said that Rs 2.10 crore was being spent on strengthening sensitive sites at Tajowal, Burj Tehal Dass, Dugri, Rail Mazra, Paragpur and Auliapur. Flood control rooms at Nawanshahr (Ph No 01823-505824, 01823-20016) and Balachaur (01885-220075) have been constituted. The administration has devised a plan to rescue and rehabilitate people in case of floods. Various departments of the administration have been alerted to make arrangements in case of any emergency.
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Govt hires helicopter to rescue stranded pilgrims
Chandigarh, June 19 Disclosing this here today, an official spokesman said the helicopter had been hired following the directions of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He said the Chief Minister had constituted a team comprising Special Secretary KS Pannu and DIG Khubi Ram among others, which had already left for Dehradun to monitor the ongoing rescue operations. The spokesman said the team had been asked to ensure the safe return of Sikh pilgrims who had been trapped at Hemkunt Sahib due to inclement weather followed by flash floods causing road blockades at several places. The team would also visit Joshimath and Hemkunt Sahib to observe and coordinate the rescue operations. It said Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh was also keeping a constant liaison with the Uttarakhand administration to provide help and support for the rescue operation. Meanwhile, a separate release disclosed that Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur today urged Defence Minister AK Antony to send Indian Air Force helicopters for rescuing stranded pilgrims in Uttarakhand. "I have urged the Defence Minister to send air force choppers for rescue operation as these have more space," Preneet said. The minister informed that as many as 12 helicopters of the Army had been pressed into service for rescue operations.
She added the minster informed her that about 500 pilgrims had been evacuated from Govind Dham
gurdwara.
Two Hoshiarpur youths missing
Hoshiarpur:
Two local youths, Vikrant alias Vicky and Raju, both of Mohalla Fatehgarh, went missing from Gaurikund area on June 17. Both were part of a group of pilgrims who had gone to pay obeisance at various religious places in Uttarakhand.
They had halted their car near Gaurikund when the road where the car was parked sank into the adjoining river.
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Plan to relocate occupants of unsafe buildings on anvil
Amritsar, June 19 Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said the walled city residents were reluctant to move out of the area as they were accustomed to the lifestyle here. Which is why, in the preliminary stage, the residents will be asked to move to a site located near the walled city, he said. Aggarwal said, “We have planned to build multi-storey flats which will be offered to the displaced residents at lucrative rates.” A survey to identify the old unsafe buildings, and those living in these buildings is underway. Till date, 136 unsafe buildings have been identified. “We will know exactly how many flats do we need to build once the survey is complete. We need to know how people residing is theses buildings are owners or tenants,” Aggarwal said. Even as the proposal is yet not finalised, the administration has initiated proceedings to provide alternative accommodation to some on a priority basis. A portion of Old Karam Singh ward and another building of the MC has been vacated for the purpose. The administration has also approached the SGPC and the Durgiana Temple Committee to provide accommodation to some of the residents who will be relocated.
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With Brar back on scene, state politics may heat up
Chandigarh, June 19 Brar today set the tone for state politics by giving the impression that he alone could take on the Badal family and by offering to contest against Harsimrat Badal from Bathinda. Brar may have had a run of bad luck during the last several years, losing three Lok Sabha elections on the trot, but that does not seem to have dampened his spirits. Claiming that he was the only Congress leader to contest six parliamentary elections, two of which he won against the Badals, Brar said he would set his sight on the Vidhan Sabha now. This assertion indicates that Brar wants to be rehabilitated in the state Congress so that he could realise his dream of occupying the Chief Minister's chair, which he claims he lost out on twice because he was not a legislator. The Congress leader's return to state is set to make the fight for supremacy a three-cornered contest now. PCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa has the upper hand at present while Capt Amarinder still has a strong group in the state unit. Brar, in direct contrast, has a limited group in the state unit, but he is a charismatic leader and can cause trouble for Bajwa in the coming days. Brar, when questioned on this, denied the same and said Bajwa was his classmate at Punjab Public School, Nabha, for eight years. He maintained there was space for everyone in the party and that he would create his own space through hard work. He said he did not need any office to start working in the state but that he was hopeful the party would give him a due position if it was to counter communal forces in Punjab. Brar denied he had been sidelined for any "wrong" committed by him. He said the party lost Goa under his tutelage, but it was the party high command which took the final decision on issuing tickets and distribution of resources. He said he had been told that his presence was needed in Punjab.
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Declare POWs as martyrs: Shiv Sena chief
Amritsar, June 19 He said over four decades had lapsed since the conclusion of the last war, but there was no relief for the families of prisoners of war (POWs). He said the Centre claimed that there were 74 POWs in Pakistan. “The Pakistan government denies the presence of any POW on its land. The matter was never taken up at the relevant international forum,” he said. He showed a list of POWs he obtained through the RTI from the Ministry of External Affairs. Besides, 20 defence personnel were captured by the Pakistan army between 1996 and 2010 from the frontiers in Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat. He said the government must expedite efforts to secure their release. He said the Union Government maintained that 224 civilian were lodged in Pakistan prisons, but the latter acknowledged the presence of only 55 Indians.
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Bajwa’s statement thoughtless: Mittal
Phagwara, June 19 He claimed that it is a matter of pride that Modi had chosen a place where Late Shyma Parshad Mukherji sacrificed his life for the good of the country. Mittal thanked Shiromani Akali Dal and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for openly supporting the BJP and claimed that the NDA would stand strong despite the fact that the JD(U) had parted ways with it. Mittal said Modi would provide good governance and give hope to people. When asked about the steps being taken by the Health Department to prevent waterborne diseases from spreading, he said he had instructed the officers of the Local Bodies and the Public Health and Sewerage Board to take necessary preventive steps.
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Sops to hill states may nullify industrial policy effect
Punjab is witnessing a phase of low growth. Industrial investment has been on the decline. The contribution of the manufacturing sector to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is 6.8 per cent now as compared to 11.99 per cent in 2009-10. In the past two years, the state’s industrial growth has remained stagnant. This slow growth in the secondary sector, coupled with a negative growth in the primary sector (agriculture and allied activities, mining and quarrying) has also led to a sharp decline in the state’s overall growth rate, which is 6.3 per cent. Realising that the road ahead to attain growth is through rapid industrial investment, the SAD-BJP government, ever since it assumed power for the second term last year, had been busy preparing a new industrial policy to offer fiscal incentives to potential investors. But less than a week after the state government announced its package of fiscal incentives, the Central Government extended tax concessions to Jammu and Kashmir for a period of five years. These concessions include a capital investment subsidy of 15 per cent (subject to a ceiling of Rs 30 lakh), a central interest subsidy, a comprehensive insurance subsidy, excise duty exemption and income tax exemptions. But for Punjab, the real worry is the extension of tax concessions to Himachal Pradesh. It is reliably learnt that both the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Union Ministry of Finance have given their consent to extend incentives to Himachal Pradesh, although an announcement in this regard will be made only after the Mandi bypoll. Initially, the Ministry of Finance was not keen on extending the area-based exemptions to the north east states and hill states as the revenue foregone because of these exemptions was Rs 18,500 crore in 2012-13. The total subsidy received by Himachal Pradesh till March 2013 was Rs 156.27 crore while the subsidy received by Jammu and Kashmir was Rs 106.54 crore. Though the industrial package to Himachal Pradesh expired in January 2013, the extension would mean that new investors in Himachal Pradesh would get a capital investment subsidy, exemption from income tax for five years and thereafter 30 per cent exemption for another five years, a 100 per cent central excise exemption and a freight subsidy (earlier it was called transport subsidy). “This would make Himachal a far better investment destination. The major thing that attracts investors is the complete exemption from central excise. The only hope and saving grace for the Punjab industry seems to be the roll out of the goods and services tax (GST) and the hope that the tax exempt states are not granted exemptions from it,” says R S Sachdeva, co-chairman of Punjab committee of PHD Chamber. He said the Centre should not create regional economic disparity and should rather extend these tax sops to at least the border districts of Punjab. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court of India, wherein the Punjab Government has challenged the granting of tax sops to the hill states, the government said 274 industrial units, involving an investment of Rs 3679.79 crore, moved out of the state because of tax concessions in neighbouring states. Ludhiana was the worst hit with investment worth Rs 2027.34 crore shifting to the tax exempt states while Malerkotla lost investment of Rs 742.50 crore and Gurdaspur/Batala suffered a loss of Rs 461.11 crore. The total investment that shifted out of Amritsar was Rs 188.50 crore. The units that moved out of Punjab dealt with the textile, steel and pharmaceutical sectors. The state government has also maintained that because of the flight of industry, there has been a considerable decline in central excise contribution from Punjab. From Rs 2786.46 crore in 2003-04, this collection fell to just Rs 661.83 crore in 2010-11. Information accessed from the approved annual plan of Himachal Pradesh reveals that since the industrial package was announced for the state in 2003-04, the state received investment worth Rs 13,509.77 crore with setting up of over 3,800 industrial units in hill state. The contribution of industry to the GSDP in Himachal Pradesh is 16 per cent as against 6.8 per cent in Punjab and the per capita annual investment has risen from Rs 2,196.45 to Rs 4,442.25. This shows that the hill state has been growing rapidly ever since the industrial package was announced. A separate study by industry body ASSOCHAM shows that the total investment in Himachal Pradesh was Rs 84,062 crore while that in Punjab was Rs 2.16 lakh crore and in Haryana, 4.98 lakh crore. Arun Rawat, vice chairman of the Himachal unit of the CII, said there was an urgent need to extend the tax incentives as sustainability of the industry that invested in the hill state by availing concessions was a challenge. “The continuity of tax sops will alone provide sustainability in industrial growth and help provide job opportunities to the growing tribe of educated youth. It is very important for the steady GSDP growth of the state,” he said. Low growth
Measures taken Realising that the road ahead to attain growth is through rapid industrial investment, the SAD-BJP government has formulated a new industrial policy to offer fiscal incentives to potential investors Challenges ahead
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Centre continues to dither on diversification
Chandigarh, June 19 Of Rs 500 crore allocated in the Union Budget for diversification in agriculture in the original green revolution states, the Centre had allocated Rs 224 crore to Punjab, but later reduced it to Rs 210 crore. In fact, Punjab was the only state which had originally submitted the plan for diversification after holding several meetings with the Centre. In the original plan, Punjab had sought Rs 5,000 crore for diversification for the five years. However, this figure was revised to Rs 7,921 crore when the Centre asked the state to submit a more detailed report. Now, the Centre has told the state government to submit a report as to how it wanted to spend Rs 210 crore, which was earlier Rs 224 crore, allocated to it for diversification for this fiscal year. Sources said the state government would insist that the allocation of Rs 224 crore should not only be restored but it should also be revised to Rs 300 crore. During the current fiscal year, the state government has planned to shift 1.60 lakh hectares of land from paddy to other crops such as basmati (50,000 hectares), cotton (50,000 hectares), maize (40,000 hectares) and agro forestry (20,000 hectares). Sources said the Centre had approved a direct assistance of Rs 10,000 per hectare or say Rs 4,000 per acre to farmers keen to move away from paddy to other crops. Of this fiscal assistance, some part would be in form of cash subsidy. The Centre has made a provision to pay Rs 4,500 per hectare as direct assistance to farmers for critical inputs such as seed and micronutrients, Rs 2,500 per hectare for the development of land and an equal amount for market support. Not enough funds
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Panchayat poll symbols tickle the funny bone
Muktsar, June 19 The elections will be held on July 3 on a non-party basis, which means there will be no party symbols. To attract the voters, the Election Commission’s list has something for everyone. Household items like gas cylinder, almirah, ceiling fan, bucket, torch, cup and saucer, frying pan, glass tumbler, kettle, pressure cooker, stool etc also figure in the list. “There are 85 free election symbols available on the list. The candidates can choose any one of these,” said Ramvir Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Muktsar. He said: “Earlier, there were 87 symbols, apart from the symbols reserved for the national and state parties. But, two symbols, crown and water tap,
were removed from the list three years ago”. “In case, there is a conflict between two candidates over a particular election symbol, the returning officer will take the final decision,” added Ramvir. Meanwhile, an aspirant said: “The choice of symbol is very important for the candidate because it becomes his identity. The Election Commission must remove some odd symbols from the list and introduce those which convey a good message”. Similarly, another candidate said: “When I contested the local civic body elections 10 years ago, I had chosen pigeon as my symbol. It is still my identity and people remember that symbol. Sometimes, I feel offended when someone calls me pigeon. It is thus important that the candidates choose good symbols”. Some of the other symbols available are carrot, carpet, carrom board, letter box, harmonium, flute, whistle, helmet, ice cream, tent, television, telephone and window. Myriad symbols
‘Kite’ up for grabs Kite, which is the “party symbol” of the People’s Party of Punjab (PPP), is also available at serial No. 54 in the list approved by the Election Commission. It has not yet been officially allotted to the PPP.
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Cyanide traces in bottled drinking water
Sangrur, June 19 In light of this, Commissioner, Food Safety, Punjab, has directed designated officer (Food Safety) of Sangrur district to initiate proceeding against the manufacturer in court. The sample of Naina Packaged Drinking Water has been declared unsafe and misbranded under Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA)-2006 by Referral Food Laboratory, Government of India, Ghaziabad. The sample was collected by the Health Department in December 2012 from the premises of Shri Sai Mineral Corporation, Sunam. The report states there is cyanide in the sample and iron is above the maximum prescribed limits. When contacted, Dr Surinder Singla, District Health Officer (DHO)-cum-Designated Officer (Food Safety), Sangrur, said they would take action against the manufacturer as soon as they received sanction from Commissioner, Food Safety, Punjab.
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Illegal sale of 155 acres
Jalandhar, June 19 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shahkot, who had inquired into the matter, has given a clean chit to the accused Naib Tehsildar Inderjit Singh Dhanoa. Another accused, Angrej Singh, a sales clerk, is absconding. Moreover, the Financial Commissioner Revenue NS Kang has not sent an auditing team to the district to inquire into the case. The police has also failed to act against the 31 alleged fake beneficiaries, who had been allotted 5 acres of agricultural land each. The 31 files pertained to transfer of lands in Pipli, Miani, Mandala, Fatehpur Bhangwan and Mundi Kallu villages of sub-tehsil Lohian. The administration had found that instead of allotting land to deserving landless tillers, the accused Naib Tehsildar misused the Punjab Package Deal Properties (Disposal) Amendment Act 2009 and illegally sold land to people who did not meet the eligibility criteria. The accused had also allegedly forged the signatures of incumbent Naib Tehsildar Amarjit Singh and made fake intkals in Paralliwal village in Moga district that did not fall in his jurisdiction. When contacted, SR Ladhar, Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, said he had sent the case report to the Financial Commissioner Revenue NS Kang so he could take appropriate action on the matter. Kang said, “When the commissioner is competent enough to take action, I wonder why he is forwarding the report to me”.
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Ex-serviceman shoots dead mother, daughter
Sangrur, June 19 Sewa Singh
Malhi, DSP, Dirba, said ex-serviceman Rai (42) shot the two with his
.32 bore revolver. — TNS
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Suspended DEO had ‘favoured’ 37 pvt schools
Mohali, June 19 The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) had sought a report from the official that whether the schools in question fulfilled the mandatory conditions as mentioned in the RTE Act. On the basis of the official’s report, the board decides on the continuation of the "associate" status of these schools. "The survey reports by the official were found incomplete as certain columns of the proforma, given by the board for the purpose, were found blank in the copies sent to the board. With this, certain vital information about the schools was concealed intentionally," alleged a senior official of the board. PSEB chairperson Tajinder Kaur Dhaliwal has asked the Punjab Education Department to conduct a fresh survey of these schools so that a decision on their "associate" status can be taken without any further delay. She admitted that the board had received incomplete information, which resulted in a delay in deciding on the matter. Despite repeated attempts, Vinod Sharma could not be contacted for his comments.
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Treatment at Patiala hospital an ordeal for cancer patients
Patiala, June 19 Cancer patients and their attendants at the Government Rajindra Hospital here are being made to slog for days just for getting their routine injections and medicines on one pretext or another. Despite their best efforts, there is no guarantee whether they would be given free medicines, because of which, many patients are compelled to purchase all medicines with money from their own pockets. Speaking to The Tribune, a resident of Kheri Barna village near Dakala, whose wife is suffering from breast cancer and is a registered patient at the hospital, said after waiting for medicines from the hospital for more than 10 days, he purchased all injections from chemist shops outside for the medical treatment to start. “Despite visiting the office of the Medical Superintendent and doctors concerned several times, my wife’s file has not yet been approved for free treatment under the Chief Minister’s Cancer Relief Scheme. I could not get any free medicines for my wife from the hospital,” he said. He further stated, “When I spoke to one of the doctors about it, he said I could go to Amritsar or Faridkot for treatment. But since I could not afford to take her that far, I somehow managed to collect money and purchased injections from chemist shops outside. Finally, the treatment started. Now, I have been asked to visit the hospital with the second kit after a few days.” Patients coming from far-off places like Patran and Sangrur often have to visit the hospital just to get medicines that cost hardly Rs 3 per tablet, but since these are not available in the market, they are not left with any option but to spend manifold on travelling. And they get the medicines for 10 days at a time. After that, the tedious procedure for issuance of medicines has to be undergone all over again. A retired employee of the hospital, whose sister is suffering from breast cancer and is getting her treatment done here, said the procedure for getting medicines sanctioned was very complex and caused extreme inconvenience to patients. “Tamoxifen is prescribed for treatment of breast cancer and most of the times, this medicine is not even available in the market. I visited almost all the chemist shops in Patiala and found a substitute for it so that the treatment could be continued. People come here from remote villages and these medicines are not available in towns near their place of residence. They come here all the way only to be disappointed,” she said. An 86-year-old man from Patran said this was his third visit to the hospital for medicines and the hospital staff had asked him to come there again since the Medical Superintendent was not available for sanctioning medicines. Sources said the Medical Superintendent was the only sanctioning authority for medicines and without his signatures, the medicines could not be supplied. “The Medical Superintendent is busy in the Out Patient Department and operation theatre on four working days out of five in the week. Hence, the patients are left with no choice but to return without medicines in case they visit the hospital on other days. Nobody else has been given the additional charge to enable needy patients to receive medicines,” he added. Head of the Pathology Department Dr MS Bal said the department was only concerned with the investigations and prescribing medicines. “I have nothing to do as far as issuing medicines is concerned as it is done by senior authorities,” he added. Meanwhile, Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr VK Sharda refuted all allegations, saying the hospital currently has 150 to 200 registered cancer patients and they are being issued medicines and injections on a timely basis.
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Dharna against Sangrur MC for leaving nullah uncovered
Sangrur, June 19 They were protesting against the local municipal council for not covering an 800-feet-long stretch of the open nullah in the Partap Nagar locality outside the Sunami Gate here, due to which, residents have been living amid stink. — TNS
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SGPC to celebrate 350 years of Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib, June 19 Makkar, while addressing a congregation on the Foundation Day of Anandpur Sahib at Gurdwara Bhora Sahib, said a book detailing the city's history will be released. — TNS
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Punjabi varsity students seek fee hike rollback
Patiala, June 19 They met various officials of the university, seeking rollback in the hike. They threatened a protest dharna against the university authorities. Talking to mediapersons, Jagjit Singh Panjoli and Gagandeep Diva said the university had increased the prospectus charge from Rs 700 to Rs 900, re-appear fee from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500, correction fee from Rs 250 to 350 and other form fee from Rs 100 to Rs 200 without intimating the students about this in advance, saying this would hit their pockets hard. The university authorities feel it is totally unjustified on part of the students to protest the "meagre" hike as the university had not increased the fee at all in the past three years. "What the university is charging is very less as compared to other varsities in Punjab. It has not increased the fee at all in the past three years, while the expenditure has been climbing due to pay scale revision and release of DA and other incentives. In fact, this hike does not affect the students at all but some political groups are deliberately making an issue out of it," said a university professor. Dr Pawan Kumar Singla, controller of examinations, said, "The cost of conducting the exam has been increasing by 20 to 25 per cent each year. I feel increasing the fee by 10 per cent, that too after more than three years, should not really matter to the students, keeping in mind the liabilities we have and the facilities we are providing."
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Man axes father’s killer after 37 yrs
Bathinda, June 19 Senior Superintendent of Police Narinder Bhargav said Chotta Singh had spent several years in prison for murdering Jarnail’s father Harmel Singh. Jarnail attacked Chotta Singh with an axe while he was returning home with one of his nephews after working in his fields. The accused fled from the spot but was later arrested. The SSP claimed the accused has confessed to his crime.
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Heroin worth Rs 12.5 crore seized, 5 held
Tarn Taran, June 19 Those arrested were identified as Jassa Singh, his mother Jasbir Kaur, Gurwinder Singh Gindu, Karam Singh Karma and Tarsem Singh. Senior Superintendent of Police Raj Jit Singh Hundal said the accused were arrested at a naka at Bhusse village on the Chabal-Attari road. He said each person was carrying 500 gm of heroin. The SSP said the number of gang members might be more than 10 and police teams had been dispatched to arrest the remaining accused.
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Fatehgarh Sahib, June 19 The police has arrested the duo and recovered a gold bracelet, gold ring, ATM card and Zen car belonging to their manager Gurdeep Singh, who was murdered. SSP GS Chauhan said the duo had confessed to the crime and the body of the deceased had been found at a canal. — OC
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Early arrival of the monsoon and lack of preparedness on the part of the district administration to tackle any eventuality have put the lives of thousands of people at risk.
Amritsar, June 19
The Central Government’s move to extend tax sops to the neighbouring hill states of Punjab will nullify the fiscal incentives announced by the Punjab Government as part of its new industrial policy. It will also erode the competitiveness of the existing industry in Punjab, which has been reeling under a sharp slowdown in production.
Punjab is witnessing a phase of low growth. Industrial investment has been on the decline.
Sangrur, June 19
Chandigarh, June 19