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Heritage makeover for corridor to Golden Temple: Sukhbir
No specific guidelines for appointment of law officers
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Serve in govt hospitals for 5 yrs or pay fine, docs told
Faridkot MP denied grant for not using development funds
Ramoowalia meets Rajnath, raises concern over DU order
Govt reluctant to implement food security scheme: Bajwa
CM to honour those who did time with him
Taipei delegation calls on CM
Martyrs’ memorial to come up in Amritsar
Not looking for replacement
for Amritsar LS seat: Kamal
State Cong executive list delayed
Acid attack
New plan for Patiala to
ease traffic congestion
Noted surgeon Dr Dhanwant Grewal passes away
May 6 violence cost us
Rs 10 crore: SLIET
Kabaddi World Cup from Nov 9
HC: Only court can penalise those evading octroi
3 accused flee lock-up; 4 cops suspended
Cong activist held with 10-kg opium
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Heritage makeover for corridor to Golden Temple: Sukhbir
Amritsar, July 12 In the city to review development projects, Sukhbir walked through the lanes leading to the Golden Temple. He ordered the officials to ensure that the entire stretch from the Hall Gate to the shrine be given heritage look in line with the Sikh tradition. He said all shops and houses along the stretch be painted in same colour, besides installing identical signages. He also directed them to use Nanakshahi bricks to construct bus shelters across the city. Sukhbir said a joint committee of the Public Works and Cultural Affairs departments had been formed to review the list of 140 old structures identified by the municipal corporation for demolition in the city. The committee would identify buildings with rare architecture for preservation and recommend only those with little heritage value for demolition. Sukhbir also issued directions to install statues of martyrs from the Majha region in the city. While reviewing work on the Golden Temple Entrance Plaza and other projects, Sukhbir asked the officials to complete the work within three months as he wanted to dedicate the plaza to the pilgrims before Diwali. He also asked officials to engage tourist guides with multilingual skills to promote tourism and generate employment. On the Personal Rapid Transit System (PRTS) project, he asked the PWD officials to prepare a plan to widen the Bhandari Bridge as it connected both sides of the city. He also approved the eight-laning of the Bhandari Bridge-Guru Nanak Dev University road, six-laning of the Airport road and four-laning of the Circular road. Besides, service lanes along the Amritsar-Ajnala road, Fatehgarh Churrian road and Amritsar-Batala road had been sanctioned. He further ordered the construction of a railway overbridge on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran road to ease traffic congestion. He was accompanied by Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Animal Husbandry Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike and Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Navjot Kaur Sidhu and Inderbir Singh Bolaria. Sidhu, who represents the Amritsar East Assembly constituency, termed the meeting with Sukhbir Badal “very good and productive”. She said the Deputy CM had promised generous funds to her constituency. She had earlier stated that she would take out a “pad yatra” from Amritsar to Chandigarh to remind Sukhbir of his promise to give Rs 100 crore grant to her constituency. The plan
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No specific guidelines for appointment of law officers
Chandigarh, July 12 The law officer's job is, perhaps, the only "sarkari naukri" for which requisite experience have not been specified. But the unwritten code conventionally followed by the states says an experience between seven and 10 years is required for occupying an Additional Advocate-General's post. While the state of Punjab has followed the 10-year experience regime, Haryana has adopted the seven-year pattern. In both the states, room for exception is there for officers possessing special qualifications. But the conventional code has conveniently been given a go-by while appointing law officers. In Haryana, at least three Additional Advocates-General related to sitting Punjab and Haryana High Court Judges were enrolled between 2005 and 2009. It clearly indicates that their experience was just not enough at the time of their appointment, considering the fact that they have been working as law officers for quite some time now. In Punjab, the situation is relatively better with just one relative of a sitting Judge appointed as Additional Advocate-General and that too with an experience of more than a decade. Old timers remember the demand for formulating a criterion for the appointment of law officers is as old as the High Court itself. A former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge recalls the issue was raised with much force during the 1990s in Punjab. Appointed Assistant Advocate-General of Punjab in 1990, a law officer resigned the very next year to resume private practice after an advocate much junior to him was appointed to a higher post. The issue snowballed into a major controversy and ultimately led to the resignation of the then Punjab Advocate-General. Tough decisions followed the controversy, including carrying out of appointments through a selection committee, comprising Punjab Advocate-General and the Home Secretary among others. For several years, the system remained in force. But, it was gradually pushed into oblivion by the winds of change blowing across the Advocate-General's office. As of now, the criterion for the appointment of law officers in both Punjab and Haryana is not in place; and the appointments are carried out on a contractual basis without any policy. No wonder, 70 per cent of Haryana law officers are relatives of VIPs. In Punjab, barring a few, most law officers are well connected. The Chairman of the SAD’s legal cell is also an Additional Advocate-General. Relatives of MLAs, retired High Court and Supreme Court Judges, and a former chief secretary, too, have been appointed in the office. ‘Uncle Judges’ in Punjab & Haryana HC The Law Ministry's move to take an undertaking from judges at the time of their elevation that they will not function in courts where their relatives are practising has proved to be a lost cause. The Tribune has been highlighting the issue time and again Advocates write to president The Punjab and Haryana High Court lawyers, in a memorandum to the President, have said: "For assisting the High Court properly, we feel that there should be at least five years' experience for appointment as Assistant AG, 10 years' experience for Deputy AG, and 20 years' experience for appointment as Additional AG. There must be a written test for the post of Advocate-General of Punjab and
Haryana".
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Serve in govt hospitals for 5 yrs or pay fine, docs told
Chandigarh, July 12 This number does not include doctors who did their PG under the 60 per cent quota for serving government doctors. Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, said: “Students as part of the admission bond agree to serve in government hospitals for five years after completing their courses. They are also given a stipend after joining service. The condition of imposing Rs 10 lakh fine was never exercised. The laxity allowed the students to leave the department conveniently for greener pastures”. Sources said the move to get services of all doctors who did their PG courses in government hospitals had been initiated in view of the government’s move to increase the staff strength in as many as 100 government hospitals across the state. More than 125 doctors out of the at least 523 transferred to secure the minimum staff strength at these hospitals have managed to get their orders stalled. Vini Mahajan said: “I cannot comment on the exact number of doctors who have got their transfers cancelled or postponed. Certain transfers have been withheld on genuine requests of the doctors. We have given a reasonable hearing to all the doctors”. Hussan Lal, MD, Punjab Health Services Corporation, said: “The bond condition of minimum five-year service was never invoked in the last 25 years. For improving services in government hospitals, the department has merely quoted an existing provision asking doctors to pay back for their education”. Replying to a question on relevance of the new offer letters to the old students, Hussan Lal said: “Under the rules, it was provided that doctors who were not offered any posts for six months after they passed out were free from any commitment on a department posting”. Dr Hardeep Singh, president, PCMS Association, said the decision to ensure doctors in government service for five years after their PG course was a welcome move. “Doctors who complete their specialised education in government institutions owe at least five years of their service to the public,” he said. In a related development, at least 500 nurses have completed their induction programme following a training session, a senior officer said. The biggest beneficiaries will be the specially identified hospitals. A special walk-in interview session for specialist doctors with priority in their posting is scheduled for July 22. Students as part of the admission bond agree to serve in government hospitals for five years after completing their courses. The condition of imposing Rs 10 lakh fine was never exercised. The laxity allowed the students to leave the department conveniently for greener pastures
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Faridkot MP denied grant for not using development funds
Moga, July 12 A sum of Rs 1.82 crore was released by the MP to Moga district from the MPLAD fund of Rs 5 crore in 2012-13 for carrying out 75 development works. But, only 21 works had begun as on July 10, 2013. Perturbed over the failure of various departments to complete the works on time, the MP called a meeting at Moga on Wednesday and pulled up officials of various departments who had not yet submitted the utilisation certificates. She said: "The Lok Sabha elections are drawing near and you (the officials) should carry out the works on a priority and send utilisation certificates in time so that fresh grant could be released". It came to light that the then sarpanch of Kamalke village was issued a cheque of Rs 1 lakh on April 17 which has not been deposited in the panchayat's account so far due to which the work of setting up a gym could not be started. Similarly, Rs 1 lakh was released for a community centre at Ladhaike village on May 7 last year, but the payment was stopped after it was revealed that the land belonged to an NRI. The work on a community centre at Kishanpura Kalan has not been started even as Rs 1 lakh was issued on November 11, 2011. Similarly, more than 50 utilisation certificates were pending. Most of the officials present in the meeting maintained that due to the Moga assembly byelection and the panchayat elections, the works could not be started. Gulshan directed the officials that they should submit at least 80 per cent utilisation certificates by the end of this month.
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Ramoowalia meets Rajnath, raises concern over DU order
New Delhi, July 12 Earlier, 18 colleges under the DU were allowed to teach Punjabi language but their number had now been reduced to three. A similar reduction had been ordered for Urdu. Both languages are spoken by minorities hence there was a need for a re-look, he said. The SAD is an old ally of the BJP and is part of the NDA. Ramoowalia also raised concern over the Gujarat Government move to dispossess Punjabi farmers settled in the Kutch and Bhuj areas of their land. The farmers were settled there in an attempt to help in agricultural growth.
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Govt reluctant to implement food security scheme: Bajwa
Chandigarh, July 12 In a statement here, Bajwa ridiculed the claim of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that the Food Security Act was a “carbon copy” of the atta-dal scheme. He alleged the SAD-BJP government was running the atta-dal scheme by diverting funds from the central government’s above poverty line food programme as was highlighted in the CAG report. He said the atta-dal scheme had proved failure due to mismanagement and corruption. It covered only a fraction of eligible beneficiaries in the state, he said. He claimed the Food Security Act was the only solution to cater to the needs of poor people. He said at present, about 14.50 lakh BPL families were listed under the atta-dal scheme, but the cash-strapped government had failed to fulfill its commitment and the scheme was non-functional for over a year now.
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CM to honour those who did time with him
Muktsar, July 12 The district administration has prepared a list of around 500 individuals who had spent time in jail with Badal during various agitations. The head of the families of those who have died will be honoured. The Chief Minister will visit 24 Gidderbaha villages from July 15 and listen to the problems of locals besides disbursing grants for development works. This is his first sangat darshan programme since his estranged nephew Manpreet Badal lost the Assembly elections, said Hardeep Singh Dhillon, Gidderbaha constituency in-charge of the SAD. Congress MLA from Gidderbaha Raja Warring, said: “The SAD leadership had realised that they were getting weak in the Gidderbaha assembly segment. This is Chief Minister’s attempt to boost the morale of his party workers.”
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Taipei delegation calls on CM
Chandigarh, July 12 A spokesperson said Tien informed the Chief Minister that Taiwan had a well-knit network of food processing and IT industry and the entrepreneurs there could replicate their success stories in Punjab as there was a huge potential of growth in both IT as well as agro-processing industry. The Chief Minister assured the visiting delegation that the government would provide all possible assistance and cooperation in setting up joint
ventures, especially in food processing.
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Martyrs’ memorial to come up in Amritsar
Rabbon Uchi (Ludhiana), July 12 Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced this while paying tributes to Baba Maharaj Singh, the first martyr of the national freedom struggle at a state-level function held here today. The government has also decided to construct a memorial of Baba Maharaj Singh at a prominent chowk in Ludhiana. Moreover, it has been urging the Union Government to install a statue of the martyr at Parliament House in New Delhi. Badal asked the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation chief to initiate the process for erecting the proposed memorial. Reiterating that the state government was committed to preserving Punjab's rich heritage, Badal said work on Jang-e-Azaadi Memorial near Jalandhar would begin soon. The Chief Minister granted Rs 10 lakh for the construction of Baba Maharaj Singh Bhawan at the village. Charanjit Singh Atwal, Punjab Assembly Speaker, Jathedar Santa Singh Umedpuri, Chairman, Punjab State Subordinate Services Board and former minister Jagdish Singh Garcha were among those present at the gathering.
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Not looking for replacement
for Amritsar LS seat: Kamal
Chandigarh, July 12 Replying to questions on the MP missing important party activities like the recent Madhopur rally and the visit of party national president Rajnath Singh, Kamal said: "He had his prior commitments with television channels. Certain party programmes were made very recently which possibly did not allow him time to come". He said: "Navjot Sidhu never expressed his difference of opinion with the party. The party had been given the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat as part of the SAD-BJP understanding and there are no plans for any change, at least for the moment". Yuva Morcha team Earlier at a ceremony, Mohit Gupta took over as president of the Yuva Morcha. Other office-bearers included: vice-presidents: Anuj Charia, Rahul Maheshwari, Malwinder Singh Kang, Kamaljeet Singh and Gagan Batra; general secretaries: Amit Gosain and Shiv Veer Singh Rajan; and secretaries: Dipanshu Ghai, Balwinder Singh Mann, Amit Sampla and Yadwinder Singh Shunty. Navjot Sidhu never expressed his difference of opinion with the party. For the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, there are no plans for any change.
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State Cong executive list delayed
Chandigarh, July 12 Replacing Capt Amarinder Singh, the Congress high command had appointed Partap Singh Bajwa as president of the PPCC early this year. Bajwa formally took over the charge in March. Usually, after the appointment of president, new office-bearers are also appointed. Party insiders said owing to intense groupism in the Congress party in the state, the high command is finding it difficult to finalise the names of the office-bearers. Group leaders are engaged in lobbying to get their supporters accommodated in the list, it is learnt. PPCC spokesman Sukhpal Singh Khaira said Bajwa had already forwarded the list of office-bearers to the high command for its approval. "It would take some more days to finalise it as the high command has to go through the set procedure", he said. Party sources said it was suggested to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi that he should finalise names of office-bearers by convening a meeting of senior leaders of the state. However, Rahul Gandhi, sources said, told senior leaders that they could send the list of names of the leaders to whom they wanted to be in PPCC executive body. In fact, some senior leaders have already sent their list to Rahul Gandhi. There are reports that a senior leader from the state had told the party high command that it would not be in the interest of the party to appoint new office-bearers at this stage in view of the Lok Sabha elections because it would create a lot of bad blood in the party. The better course would be to continue with the present office-bearers and some more office-bearers of PPCC president Bajwa's choice could be added to adjust his loyalists. However, the sources said the party high command was keen to keep the number of party office-bearers within the laid down norms in the party setup.
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Acid attack
Moga, July 12 Showing the copies of two representations given by the victim to the Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), counsel Chamkaur Singh Brar revealed that her husband had been threatening to pour acid on her for some time. She met the SSP on March 20 and May 10 and urged him to register a criminal case against her husband. The SSP marked the inquiry as a routine matter to Balwinder Singh SP (D), Mohali, who did not inquire into the allegations nor did he recommend registration of a criminal case. Mandeep is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in
Ludhiana.
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New plan for Patiala to
ease traffic congestion
Patiala, July 12 Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hardyal Singh Mann and Mayor Amrinder Singh Bazaz discussed the modalities of the new plan and appointed 60 new traffic marshals. The move is aimed at helping commuters from Chandigarh and Sangrur get through the city without getting caught in traffic jams. Bazaz said the illegal encroachments on busy streets would be removed and strict action would be taken against encroachers. “We will also allot a new area for vendors so that they stay away from footpaths,” he said. Mann said the police would work with corporation officials to repair dividers on main roads, traffic lights and to mark new zebra crossings. “A yellow line will be marked on all main roads and vehicles parked outside it will be pasted with sticker challans,” he said. Mann said CCTV cameras would also be installed in key areas of the city. “We have recruited 10 female and 15 male constables in the traffic wing,” he said. HS Badungar, Traffic in-charge, said they had bought three new alcho-meters to keep a check on people driving under the influence of alcohol. The design
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Noted surgeon Dr Dhanwant Grewal passes away
Patiala, July 12 The 88-year-old eye surgeon passed away yesterday evening. He was a noted surgeon who was famous in
the region. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and other members of his
cabinet expressed grief over Dr Dhanwant Grewal’s death.
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May 6 violence cost us Rs 10 crore: SLIET
Longowal (Sangrur), July 12 A detailed report in this regard was today presented by the SLIET authorities at a meeting of the SLIET Board of Management (BoM). Chairman SP Oswal presided over the meeting. — TNS
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Kabaddi World Cup from Nov 9
Chandigarh, July 12 The winning women’s team would get Rs 1 crore while in the mens’ winning team would get Rs 2 crore. — TNS
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HC: Only court can penalise those evading octroi
Chandigarh, July 12 The ruling came on a petition filed in 1991 by Venu Gopal Engineering Pvt Ltd against the Mohali notified area committee and another respondent. Referring to the Punjab Municipal Act, Justice Paramjeet Singh asserted: “A perusal of the provisions makes it clear that any person who brings articles within the municipal limits without payment of octroi, any goods on which octroi is chargeable, is liable to be punished with fine which may extend to twenty times the value of the octroi payable on the same…. “If the notified area committee wants to prosecute the petitioner for having taken within the limits of NAC the goods without payment of octroi which was payable thereon, it is open to it to lodge a criminal complaint in a competent court which alone has the power to punish the petitioner for violation of the Act. “If thereafter the petitioner is found guilty of the offence then the fine could be imposed. Thus, the power of imposing fine/penalty vests only in criminal court and this power cannot be assumed by the NAC or by any of its officers. Only the composition fee is payable with the consent of the parties. In his petition, the company had challenged the NAC's action of penalising it to the tune of more than Rs 1.27 lakh for non-payment of octroi duty. The penalty was imposed after a truck loaded with television components, on which octroi duty was to be levied, was found within the area of NAC in March 1990. The petitioner’s stand was that the driver requested the employee at the octroi post to allow him to go to the factory for getting money as he was not carrying it. The staff deployed at the octroi post agreed. But, when he reached the factory, Octroi Inspector too reached the spot and took the truck into custody. He said the NAC or any of its officers were not authorised to impose penalty under Section 78 of the Act. “All that could be done by the NAC in such a case was to launch a prosecution against the erring person who has tried to evade the payment of octroi duty,” the petitioner contended.
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3 accused flee lock-up; 4 cops suspended
Kapurthala, July 12 The accused - Vikramjit Singh Vicky, Sahib Singh Saba and Paramjit Singh Pamma - had been brought on a two-day production warrant from Tarn Taran. The district police wanted them in connection with two robbery cases registered against them at the Talwandi Chaudhriya police station early this year. SSP Inderbir Singh suspended four policemen, including Talwandi Chaudhriya SHO SI Narinder Kumar, duty officer ASI Jarnail Singh, night munshi HC Surjit Singh and home guard Jaswinder Singh, and transferred them to the Police Lines. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against the erring policemen, he added. The roof of the lock-up was made of wooden slabs and bricks with little concrete. The guard noticed some bricks lying on the floor in the morning and raised the alarm. The SSP said teams had been dispatched to the possible hideouts of the accused and Amritsar rural and Tarn Taran SSPs had been informed about the escape. The escapees were residents of areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Amritsar rural police. While Saba was facing 12 cases of robbery, loot and snatching, Vicky and Pamma had 10 and five cases, respectively, registered against them at various police stations. The policemen have been booked under Sections 222 (intentional omission to apprehend on the part of public servant) and 223 (escape from confinement or custody due to negligence of public servant) of the
IPC.
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Cong activist held with 10-kg opium
Patiala, July 12 The District Congress Committee (Patiala) has alleged frame-up by the Sangrur police, which caught the accused red-handed with opium in Sangrur. The accused, Nirmal Singh Pannu, from Patran along with three others was arrested for possessing 10 kg opium in a special operation by the Sangrur police. The contraband was hidden in a Scorpio vehicle. Pannu shares close proximity to senior Congress leaders. “They have admitted to having been involved in selling drugs,” a police officer claimed. Pannu’s wife Rajwant Kaur had recently contested the Zila Parisad elections from Patiala on a Congress ticket. She had lost by a thin margin to the SAD candidate. Patiala District Congress Committee (rural) head Hardyal Singh Kambhoj alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal was misusing the police by targeting political opponents. “The Akalis are trying to fix him before the parliamentary elections scheduled next year as Pannu is closely associated with a top Patiala political leader,” he said. SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said: “We have recovered 10 kg opium meant for commercial use. The accused is being interrogated.” Sources claimed senior Congress leaders had tried to bail Pannu out by exerting pressure on the police. “Calls from senior officers and top-rung politicians failed to seek a bailout for Pannu who was booked under the NDPS Act”, a source said. It’s a frame-up
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New Delhi, July 12
Chandigarh, July 12
