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Ravi ruins crops in border belt
BSF rescues 12 persons trapped in river waters
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I-Day celebrations
Airport security official nabbed with 7 kg heroin
Function in memory of martyr turns into political battleground
Cong to gherao Tarn Taran Civil Surgeon’s office
I-Day award for Director, Sainik Welfare
Despite rain, crowds gather at Fazilka border checkpost
Balmikis, Sikhs clash in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar
Inside Babudom
28 SLIET students to appear before disciplinary panel
Rice millers threaten stir if FCI doesn't lift rice
Graft Case
Two get life for murder
Seed subsidy scam: HC notice to Director
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Ravi ruins crops in border belt
Amritsar, August 16 Talking to The Tribune, Major (rtd) Manmohan Singh Verka, who owns more than 50 acres across the river, lamented that the government had not provided any boat to the farmers ever since the one available had been rendered defunct more than a half ago. He said the farmers were now dependent on a small boat owned by a private party to cultivate their crop across the river. " But it is risky to use this boat when the water level is high," he said. Though there was a pontoon bridge at Dharamkot Randhawa village in adjoining Gurdaspu that provided connectivity to their farms, it was dismantled in July every year. He claimed that the paddy crop over 4,000 acres in these villages had been washed away. Kala Masih, who operates the lone boat, said tractors of most farmers had been submerged in the riverwaters. “We tied the tractors with ropes so as to secure them. I also brought along eight persons from the other side today,” he said. Jaswant Singh said his paddy crop had been ruined. Reports from Ajnala suggested erosion of the dhussi bandh near the Shahpur BSF post. Deputy Commissioner Rajat Aggarwal said 14 persons stranded across the Ravi had been rescued. He said they had placed an order for two boats. He said the farmers had been alerted not to go across the river. BSF posts face threat The rising water level in the Ravi owing to the incessant rains is posinh a threat to the BSF posts though the situation was under control as of now.
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BSF rescues 12 persons trapped in river waters
Dera Baba Nanak
(Gurdaspur), August 16 Officials were informed that 12 persons were trapped in the gushing waters. Deputy Commissioner Abhinav Trikha, accompanied by Gurdaspur Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Tejinder Pal Singh Sandhu, rushed to the site, 35 km from Gurdaspur. He immediately informed the BSF Deputy Inspector General (DIG). So strong was the current that low-speed boats failed to do the job. Hence, high-speed boats were pressed into service. Officials said they were keeping a watch on the rising waters in the Ravi. "Schools near the banks of the Ravi have been asked to make arrangements in case the situation does not improve in the next 48 hours. Huge tracts of land have been inundated, destroying paddy worth lakhs of rupees. I have ordered a girdwari to assess the damage. The sugarcane crop too has been damaged. At least eight low-lying villages have been flooded,” the DC said. Former Cabinet Minister and halqa chief of the Dera Baba Nanak Vidhan Sabha seat SS Langah, accompanied by his supporters, lent a helping hand to the villagers. On August 5, at least 50 residents of 12 villages near the Bamiyal sector were rescued from being drowned in the Ravi waters. These villages in the Bamiyal sector are hemmed in by the Ravi and Ujh on one side and the India-Pakistan border on the other. At Makkoran Pattan, where the two rivers meet, damage to the crops has been the maximum. In the worst-affected villages of Lasian, Bhaiyal, Toor, Chibe, Mumychakranja and Jianpur, the strong current has washed away sugarcane and maize crops.
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I-Day celebrations
Ludhiana, August 16 The Chief Minister, who unfurled the Tricolor at Guru Nanak Stadium here, said the need of the hour was that politicians should rise above political affiliations and join hands to do something for the country. “Today, India is being threatened by our immediate neighbours China and Pakistan, which is unfortunate,” he said. Hitting out at the Centre for adopting a “step-motherly” treatment against Punjab, Badal said this despite the fact that the state had contributed immensely for the country’s progress. “The contributions, however, have been never recognised. Whether it is right over Chandigarh or distribution of water, a biased approach has been adopted by the Union Government against Punjab… If central grants are being allowed for Punjab, it is not an obligation but the state’s right, something that all other states too have been getting,” he said. The Chief Minister called upon people to fight for eradicating various social evils, including drug addiction, female foeticide and dowry, and checking environmental degradation. Accompanied by Director General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini and Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Rahul Tiwari, Badal also inspected the parade and took the salute of the march past. Right from “snatching” of Chandigarh to the dark days of militancy, he criticised his political rivals for doing grave injustice with the state. He tried to strike an emotional chord with the people by reminding them of the old days of ‘Punjabi Suba’ agitation and merger of Punjabi-speaking areas with other the state “deliberately” by the Union Government. He even blamed the Centre for the terrorism period due to which the state’s development was derailed. Patiala: Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia has criticised the Congress MPs from Punjab, claiming they had "failed to bag anything from the Centre for the state". Majithia alleged that Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa was following the party's "double speak" policy, "thus desperately trying to misguide the state people by raising non-issues". Sangrur: The Independence Day was celebrated with fervour at the War Heroes Stadium here. Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra unfurled the Tricolour to mark the occasion. Pigeons and balloons were also released. The minister inspected the parade and took the salute from the contingents of Punjab Police, Home Guards and NCC cadets.
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Airport security official nabbed with 7 kg heroin
Amritsar, August 16 Simratpal Singh was nabbed with 7 kg of heroin following a tipoff. The remaining contraband was confiscated from his two accomplices, both cross-border smugglers identified as Hargobind Singh of Ranjit Vihar, Loharka road, and Surjit Singh of Preet Vihar. Both had fled following a raid at the plush Ranjit Avenue market but were nabbed in Taragarh, Pathankot, after a long chase. Policemen opened fire at the fleeing smugglers as they tried to mow them down under their car (DL1C-AN-0101). An alert was sounded at Amritsar, Batala, Gurdaspur and Pathankot. They were finally nabbed in Taragarh area. Two cases of seizure of heroin from Amritsar and Pathankot have been registered under Sections 21/24/29/61/85 of the NDPS act. Police sources said Hargobind alias Sodhi and Surjit Singh alias Baba, who had been earlier convicted under the NDPS Act, had served a sentence of nine years and five years, respectively. The arrest of officer Simratpal has raised a question mark on the security arrangements at the Amritsar airport. It is believed that he helped smuggle narcotics to America and to European countries. Police sources said he was on duty at the scanning unit. The accused are in police remand for further investigation on the source of the contraband. Meanwhile, alert BSF jawans seized about 1 kg of heroin worth Rs 5 crore from a smuggler at the border outpost of Rajatal in Amritsar sector.
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Giani Mal Singh Takht Kesgarh Sahib chief
Amritsar, August 16 The post fell vacant after the demise of Giani Tarlochan Singh earlier this month. The SGPC executive, at a meeting in Chandigarh yesterday, decided to appoint Giani Jagtar Singh as Head Granthi of the Golden Temple. He was earlier additional head granthi of the holy shrine. The executive decided to build a memorial as a tribute to the 1984 riot victims at Hondh-Chillar in Haryana. Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC chief, said the Central Sikh Museum would be renovated soon. "The stairs will be widened and three of its halls air-conditioned," he said. A committee had been formed to take a decision on whether or not to display rare artefacts at the Golden Temple "parkarma". He said colourful lights would be installed at the Golden Temple and guides recruited for the benefit of tourists. The executive sanctioned Rs 4 crore for a linear accelerator machine for cancer treatment at Guru Ram Das Charitable Hospital Trust, Amritsar. It gave its approval to building a library and a lab at Khalsa English Medium School, Chhittisinghpura, J & K. SGPC decides...
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Bajwa blames state for ‘anti-industry’ policies
Hoshiarpur, August 16 PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa also criticised Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for supporting Gujarat CM Narendra Modi even though he was trying to oust Punjabi farmers from the state. Bajwa, while addressing a Mass Contact Programme of the Congress, said major industrial houses of Punjab including, the Hero Group, Nestle and Sonalika tractors were shifting their base to other states such as Bihar. “I have learnt that the Hero Group was asked to shell out Rs 50 per cycle which accounted for Rs 10 lakh a day. They are now moving to Bihar. Nestle, which is based in Moga, is also being harassed in a similar way. They are planning to shift to Rajasthan. Amritsar-based Khanna Paper Mills are moving to Gujarat while most of the knitwear industry of Ludhiana is shifting to Baddi in Himachal Pradesh,” Bajwa said. He further said that 70 per cent of industrial furnaces in Mandi Gobindgarh had already closed. “Punjab is the only state in the country where the industry is facing power cuts for three days a week. The industrialists have no option but to run their machines on generators at a cost of Rs 15-16 per unit which otherwise cost them Rs 7,” he said. Bajwa said no industry could survive in such hostile conditions. Among other leaders who attended the event were: Union Minister of State for Health Santosh Chaudhary, Tarlochan Soondh, Kamal Chaudhary, Love Kumar Goldy, Dharam Pal Sabhrwala and Gurbinder Singh Atwal. Losing industry
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Function in memory of martyr turns into political battleground
Ludhiana/Issru, August 16 During their respective functions at Issru, leaders of both the parties blamed their opponents of indulging in “anti-people” policies. While the Congress hit out at the SAD-BJP state government, the ruling coalition hit out at the Centre. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal criticised the Congress for allegedly vitiating the atmosphere in the state whereas Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Partap Singh Bajwa accused the Akali Dal of “playing the communal card”. Bajwa also launched a scathing attack on Badal’s Sangat Darshan programme. The issue of the Centre-State relations was also a part of the political rhetoric. The Chief Minister asked the Congress-led UPA Government to desist from “meddling” in the social, political, economic and religious affairs of the state”. He accused the Congress leadership for making “unwarranted hype” over central grants for the state government projects and schemes. He said the Union Government was not doing any special favour as it was every state’s right. “The Centre is repaying merely 30 per cent of what it has been collecting through taxes from Punjab,” he claimed. Bajwa, on the other hand, highlighted the achievements of the Union Government, claiming Punjab was being given “liberal” funds, under various schemes, by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “But, the SAD-BJP government has failed to utilise most of the funds due to its shortsightedness and lack of planning,” he said. Even as the Congress took credit for various development programmes financed by the Union Government, the Akali Dal seized the occasion to remind the Punjab peasantry of power subsidy provided by the state government. The state government’s atta-dal scheme also generated political heat. While Badal announced that the number of beneficiaries of the scheme would double from the existing 16 lakh to 32 lakh, Bajwa lashed out at the Chief Minister for “grossly misleading” the people on the issue. He claimed 15 lakh people enrolled for the scheme had not been given any food items for the last six months. Earlier, the leaders paid floral tributes at martyr Karnail Singh Issru’s statue in the village. Badal also honoured the martyr’s widow Charanjeet Kaur. Among the Akali leaders present on the occasion were Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali and senior leader Ranjit Singh Talwandi. At the Congress function, the key speakers included Union Minister Manish Tewari, Union Minister of State Santosh Chaudhary, MP Sukhdev Singh Libra and Congress spokesman Raj Babbar. Senior Congress leaders and former Chief Ministers Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Capt Amarinder Singh were conspicuous by their absence. Union Minister alleges harassment
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Cong to gherao Tarn Taran Civil Surgeon’s office Tarn Taran, August 16 Harminder Singh Gill, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) secretary and Kulbir Singh Zira, in charge of the Khadur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, in a statement issued here today, said the Congress had decided to hold a blood donation camp in memory of its slain leader Sukhraj Singh Bhagupur. As many as 152 workers had registered their names for donating blood. Gill and Zira alleged that much to the disappointment of party workers, Health Department teams failed to reach the camp. They alleged that this was done on the instructions of senior ruling party leaders. Civil Surgeon Tejwant Singh said the Congress had not taken permission for the camp. Besides, health department teams were busy elsewhere.
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I-Day award for Director, Sainik Welfare
Chandigarh, August 16 Brig Manjit Singh ensured that all the projects of the department were completed in a time-bound manner and brought about a sea change in the quality of sainik rest houses in the state. He has also ensured cordial relations with military authorities, serving soldiers, ex-servicemen and the civil authorities of the state to achieve the targets laid down by the department. The staff of the department has also conveyed their felicitations to the Director on receiving the award.
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Despite rain, crowds gather at Fazilka border checkpost
Fazilka, August 16 The Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), BSF, AK Sharma, said visitors from far-flung areas arrived at the checkpost in the hope of having a glimpse of their beloved ones across the Zero Line. A middle-aged Zia-ul-Haq and his family members from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan had come to meet his cousin living in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. They waved to each other and communicated through gestures amid tight security arrangements. “A cross-border meeting between families living across the border was not allowed due to security reasons,” said official sources. Another visitor from Rajasthan, Hazi Qadim, said it was sad that the authorities had discontinued with the practice. A colourful cultural programme was presented by members of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Club members. Social worker Lila Dhar Sharma, senior vice-president, Border Area Vikas Front, demanded an evening bus service from Fazilka to the JCP en route the 1971 war memorial at Asafwala village.
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Balmikis, Sikhs clash in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar
New Delhi, August 16 The police has registered a case of rioting and damage to public property. No arrest has been made so far. A number of vehicles, including a PCR van and motor cycles, were damaged. Nikhil, a resident of Harijan Colony in Tilak Vihar, said the trouble began when women and children sitting outside their houses objected to some Sikh youths driving their bikes rashly. The bikers allegedly abused the women who belonged to the Balmiki community and a clash ensued. Police vehicles were pelted with stones and private vehicles set ablaze. As the situation got out of control, the police fired into the air and lobbed tear gas shells. Raja Harpreet Singh alleged that the police acted in a partisan manner, detaining several Sikh youths. However, the police denied this charge. A delegation of the SAD led by its national vice-president Balwant Singh Ramoowalia today met the Lt-Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, condemning the attack on the Sikhs in Tilak Vihar. The delegation alleged that the incident was pre-planned to create hatred for the Delhi Sikhs. It requested the Lt-Governor to intervene so that such incidents did not recur. Amritsar: The SGPC today slammed the Delhi Police for resorting to a lathi charge on the Sikhs at Tilak Vihar in New Delhi on Thursday. Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president, said the “one-sided action” of the police in “targeting the Sikhs” during a clash with Balmikis was condemnable. He alleged that injured Sikh youths were refused admission in Deen Dayal Government Hospital after which they were taken to a private hospital. “Three of them are in the ICU,” he said. He alleged the mediapersons were not allowed to cover the incident. Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa blamed the Delhi Administration and the Delhi Police for “siding with the rioters.” —
TNS
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Inside Babudom
Chandigarh, August 16 Dr GS Aujla, who retired as a Director-General of Police, Punjab, in 2007, is now ready with his third book. This time he has chosen to write about his illustrious father Suchet Singh Aujla, one of the founding fathers of the Indian Constitution. Dr GS Aujla’s academic background - he started his career as a college lecturer in English - may be one reason why he engages in literary pursuits. Interestingly, he has taken to writing on subjects of historic value and importance. His first book was primarily on the history of the Punjab Police. Titled “Second to None”, it provides an insight into growth of the Punjab Police. His latest venture is a book on his father, Suchet Singh Aujla, who after unsuccessfully attempting to get into the then elite Indian Civil Service, served erstwhile Kapurthala State as a Deputy Superintendent of Police. He later rose to the rank of Inspector-General before opting out of civil services and joined the Praja Mandal Movement. Suchet Singh Aujla was elected a member of the Constituent Assembly of India as a representative of PEPSU. An erudite and articulate member of the Constituent Assembly and Indian Parliament, he delivered momentous speeches on the floor of the House. Dr GS Aujla, while writing about his father, did extensive research, scanning through all historic documents that led to the formation of the Indian Constitution. He also included in the book a story published in The Tribune on November 24, 1949, where he had stated that “Sikhs are not a Backward Class”. Belonging to the 1970 batch of the Indian Police Service, Dr GS Aujla did his MPhil and PhD in Public Administration. Among various stints in the Punjab Police, he remained Director-Principal of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Police Academy at Phillaur. He has been a recipient of the President’s Police Medal, both for Distinguished and Meritorious service. Since he had the distinction of training with the Lancashire Police in UK, he distinguished himself as a police trainer and wrote a book - Police training: A profile - that is considered a must for all those who are associated with training men in khaki.
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28 SLIET students to appear before disciplinary panel
Sangrur, August 16 Sources said these students would appear before the committee from August 22 to August 29. Sources said of the 28 students, between five and 10 students were facing serious charges while the remaining 129 students facing minor charges were likely to be exonerated. A mob of several hundred students had gone on the rampage on May 6 on the campus when top SLIET authorities had reportedly declined to hear their grievances. Property worth around Rs 10 crore was damaged.
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Rice millers threaten stir if FCI doesn't lift rice
Fatehgarh Sahib, August 16 Punjab Rice Millers Association (PRMA) president Tarsem Soni has threatened to launch an agitation if the FCI fails to lift the rice in time. He said since the mills were already full, rice millers had to stock the paddy in the open, thereby damaging the rice. Soni said the millers in the state had been suffering heavy losses for the last 4 years due to the faulty policies of the government. Soni said since the milling season for the last paddy crop had ended on July 31, most mills in the state had closed. He said as most rice still needed to be milled; the central government needed to extend the milling season. He said the government had to take action urgently as the new paddy season was going to start in the next two months.
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Graft Case
Chandigarh, August 16 Khurana was an MLA from Rajpura when he was arrested on May 4, 2011, from his house here for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore from a member of the Punjab Automobile Mechanics Association for closing a complaint case against the association. The CBI had recovered from Khurana’s house Rs 15 lakh in cash and nine cheques for Rs 15 lakh each from Davinder Singh Gill, one of the accused. The CBI had claimed that Gill was working with the Registrar, Firms and Societies. Khurana and Gill were arrested on a complaint by Manpreet, association general secretary. The latter had accused Davinder of demanding the bribe allegedly to be given to senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia, then a minister, through Khurana “for closing” the complaint against office-bearers of the association. During investigation, it was found that Bhag Singh (the third accused), personal secretary to Swarna Ram, then Minister for Technical Education, too had a role. The public prosecutor argued that Bhag Singh had allegedly got a note approved from Swarna Ram for action against the association regarding a piece of land and handed over a copy of the note to Davinder. The latter allegedly used the note to extract money from the complainant in connivance with Khurana. They reportedly used the name of then Local Bodies and Industries Minister.
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Two get life for murder
Patiala, August 16 The two accused Ravi Ranjan Kumar Singh and his accomplice Sonu Kumar Singh had later murdered the boy to destroy evidence after failing to get ransom. The victim Aryan was kidnapped from his house in Dera Bassi on July 23, 2009.
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Seed subsidy scam: HC notice to Director
Chandigarh, August 16 The notice was issued after Shalinder Singh and another petitioner sought initiation of contempt proceedings against the respondent for allegedly disobeying the order dated July 26, 2012. — TNS
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With the water level in the Ravi rising, farmers in the Ramdas sector of the Ajnala subdivision fear that their entire crop on the other side of the river may have been completely submerged.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said the country had never appeared as “helpless” and “toothless” as it was under the present Union Government. Addressing the state-level function to mark the 67th Independence Day here yesterday, Badal said the current phase was the “worst” that the country had witnessed in its history post-freedom.
The state's Special Operations Cell, a counter-intelligence wing of the Punjab Police, arrested an assistant security officer at Guru Ram Dass International Airport,
Amritsar, and two others after it found 14 kg of heroin, worth Rs 70 crore in the international market, in their possession.
The Punjab Congress today alleged that most of the major industrial houses of Punjab were shifting base to other states due to the “anti-industry” policies of the state government.
Despite inclement weather, a crowd of about 15,000 gathered at the Sadiqi joint check post
(JCP), Fazilka, on Independence Day. The Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), BSF, AK Sharma, said visitors from far-flung areas arrived at the checkpost in the hope of having a glimpse of their beloved ones across the Zero Line.
Union Minister of State for Health Santosh Chaudhary has alleged that she had to face harassment at various check points on her way to the Congress’ function to honour martyr Karnail Singh Issru. She claimed she had to walk 5 km to reach the venue. Rain had forced both the SAd and the Congress to change their venues at the last moment.