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THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

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TOP STORIES

Sidhu to go on indefinite fast beginning today
Amritsar, September 27
Navjot Singh Sidhu, Member of Parliament, arrives at his Amritsar residence on Friday. In what is being seen as the last resort to get his demands met, sulking Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu today announced that he would go on an indefinite fast against the ruling alliance at Hall Gate tomorrow morning. The MP landed here in the afternoon, but chose not to speak to waiting mediapersons at his residence.

Navjot Singh Sidhu, Member of Parliament, arrives at his Amritsar residence on Friday. Photo: Sameer Sehgal

Faceoff between Sidhu, government reaches flash point
Amritsar, September 27
With Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu deciding to go on an indefinite fast to lodge his protest against the SAD-BJP Government's move to "scuttle" his pet projects, the confrontation between him and the state regime has reached a flash point. A sulking Sidhu had been keeping away from his constituency since October 2012.


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Amritsar
Chandigarh


EARLIER STORIES



Had replied to Amritsar MP’s queries: CM
Mohali, September 27
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal inaugurates the hockey stadium in Mohali on Friday. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has dubbed cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu's announcement of sitting on a fast-unto-death as “unwarranted” and “unfortunate”. Sidhu, a BJP MP from Amritsar, has been on protest since long over the alleged stalling of his pet projects in the holy city by the state government. Badal, who was here today to inaugurate a state-of-the-art sports complex-cum-hockey stadium and the Common Facility Centre for the Sanitary and Bath Fittings Manufacturers, said such issues should be resolved through talks.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal inaugurates the hockey stadium in Mohali on Friday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

SAD-BJP govt in damage-control mode
Sukhbir fixes cutoff dates for projects
Chandigarh September 27
Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal inaugurates a sub-station in Dera Bassi on Friday. Immediately after MP Navjot Singh Sidhu announced his decision to go on a fast from tomorrow, the top brass in the state government went into a huddle. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh fixed cutoff dates for the completion of all ongoing as well as new development projects in Amritsar city. An official spokesman said the CM had already replied to a letter by Sidhu, giving details of the status of various projects.

Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal inaugurates a sub-station in Dera Bassi on Friday. Tribune photo: Nitin Mittal

HC quashes plea by visually impaired for benefits
Chandigarh, September 27
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has bowled out a petition seeking benefits under the disabilities Act for persons with vision in one eye after quoting the example of cricketer-cum-former captain of Team India Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.

MLAs meddling in working of gram sabhas: Ramesh
Chandigarh, September 27
Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh today warned Punjab of strict action if gram sabhas were not allowed to function normally. Addressing a press conference on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013, he said he was aware that gram sabhas in Punjab were being run by powerful MLAs.

Union Minister Jairam Ramesh at a press meet in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Gurdaspur cops arrest another KLF operative
Gurdaspur, September 27
After rounding up three Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorists in a high-end operation on September 14, the police tasted more success when it rounded up another operative from Tibri village here today.






COMMUNITY

Seventh pay panel
SAD-BJP Govt may have to follow suit
Chandigarh, September 27
With the Central Government announcing the Seventh Pay Commission, the Punjab Government will be under much pressure from its employees to follow suit. However, the state government is yet to clear arrears of salaries revised by the Fifth Pay Commission. The recommendations of the commission were implemented with effect from January 1, 2006, in case of state government employees/pensioners.

Environment clearance
PPCB makes one-time fee must for small enterprises
Patiala, September 27
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to give small-scale industries in the state a golden chance to get environment consent for running their businesses by depositing a minimum fee. The move is aimed at helping hundreds of industrialists who have been running their green category industries in Punjab for the past two decades without paying the consent fee to the PPCB. After a nod from the board, the government is expected to give it a formal approval.

Cement importers decide to stop consignments from Pak. Traders want hike in storage tariff at ICP withdrawn
Amritsar, September 27
The Confederation of International Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CICCI) today flayed the “steep hike” in storage tariff and weighment charges enforced by the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) through their custodian Central Warehouse Corporation at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Attari from next month.

Cement importers decide to stop consignments from Pak.

Rape victim escapes from captivity
Mandi Gobindgarh, September 27
A minor girl from Mandi Gobindgarh has alleged that her neighbour kidnapped and raped her for about a year. The police has arrested the accused. The 15-year-old complainant, a resident of Dashmesh Colony, said she was kidnapped by Sanjeev Mandal, who took her to a rented accommodation in Nasrali village and indulged in sexual activities with her. He also assured her that he would marry her and later threatened that if she reported the matter to anyone, he would eliminate her and her parents.

Jassi Honour Killing
Hear me too, deceased’s husband to Canadian court
Bathinda, September 27
The absence of key conspirators at the crime site in the Jassi honour killing case should not help them escape punishment, Jassi's husband Sukhwinder Singh Mithu has said. He was responding to proceedings in a Canadian court which is reportedly verifying from Indian police officials if Jassi's mother Malkiat Kaur and Uncle Surjit Singh Badesha were present at the murder site near Malerkotla on June 8, 2000.

Give priority to clients, RBI official tells banks
Badwa (Ropar), September 27
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Executive Director P Vijaya Bhaskar has advised public sector bank officials to be cordial with clients and give them priority. Bhaskar was here to inaugurate an outreach programme of the RBI at Badwa village today. Before the inauguration, a women’s self-help group complained to Bhaskar that they were ill-treated by bank officials. Terming the bank officials’ behaviour inappropriate, he said no scheme could be implemented by banks until clients were not given priority.

Seminar on spiritualism held at Desh Bhagat University
Amloh, September 27
A two-day international seminar on ‘Spiritualism in education’ was organised at Desh Bhagat University here today. Various learned persons from different states of India and countries like Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Nepal, Yemen, Nigeria, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand, Japan, USA and Canada expressed their views.

Harsimrat Badal slams Singla
Chandigarh, September 27
Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal today said former Finance Minister Surinder Singla stalled the establishment of the Rs 20,000-crore Bathinda refinery for five years. She rubbished Singla’s claims of having worked for the betterment of the city and blamed him of delaying the project during the regime of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Harsimrat said, “Singla visits Bathinda only during polls to make tall claims.” — TNS

Heritage walk inaugurated
Patiala, September 27
The Patiala Heritage Walk was inaugurated by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board on the occasion of World Tourism Day here today. The initiative aims at creating awareness on the royal heritage of Patiala. They walk started from Shahi Samadha and culminated at Quila Mubarak in the city. — TNS

CRIME

9 kg opium seized in Sangrur, four arrested
Sangrur, September 27
In three separate cases, the district police seized more than 9 kg opium from three women and a man here today. The retail market price of the seized opium is said to be Rs 9 lakh. Sangrur SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the police had seized 9 kg and 300 gm opium from Sangrur, Ranike (Dhuri) and Mangwal (Sangrur).

Detained farmers clash with prison officials in Nabha
Nabha, September 27
Farmers protest the death of a Mansa farmer outside Civil Hospital in Nabha on Friday. More than 10 farmers were hurt in a clash with the jail staff here today. Three prison employees too sustained injuries in the fight, learnt to have broken out after the death of a farmer inside the jail. Hailing from Mansa, the deceased, Bhoora Singh (75), was arrested during a protest in Mansa on September 20.

Farmers protest the death of a Mansa farmer outside Civil Hospital in Nabha on Friday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

SAD leader booked for assault
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 27
District president of the migrants wing of the SAD (B) Kaushal Mishra, along with six others, has been booked for allegedly attacking and seriously injuring Jatinder Singh, a resident of Ram Nagar, Mandi Gobindgarh. A case in this regard has been registered under Sections 341, 323, 324, 506, 148, 149 of the IPC.



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TOP STORIES

Sidhu to go on indefinite fast beginning today
Tribune News Service

Sidhu represents Amritsar, the city of Golden Temple
Sidhu represents Amritsar, the city of Golden Temple

Amritsar, September 27
In what is being seen as the last resort to get his demands met, sulking Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu today announced that he would go on an indefinite fast against the ruling alliance at Hall Gate tomorrow morning. The MP landed here in the afternoon, but chose not to speak to waiting mediapersons at his residence. Subsequently, he issued a press note on a paper sans his signatures, announcing his decision to go on a fast.

"Everybody knows why I have taken this extreme step and how my dream projects were scuttled. Those in authority I could not convince of the need for development in the holy city may realise the same after my death," he said.

He said as directed by the party high command, he had decided to keep mum, but he could not turn his back on the 15 lakh residents of Amritsar who had elected him.

"A disciplined soldier of the party, I will not say anything against anybody. But none can stop me from laying down my life for the cause of Guru ki Nagri," claimed the BJP leader.

He reiterated that of the Rs 160 crore available with the Amritsar Improvement Trust for the past five years, "not a paise was utilised on the city." Talking to The Tribune, Sidhu said: “I cannot break the trust of my constituents. Politics for me is a mission, not profession."

Asked whether going on a fast was tantamount to anti-party activities, he said Amritsar, being the spiritual and cultural capital of Punjab, was above politics.

"My projects were scuttled. Our candidates were defeated in the MC poll. My wife has been boycotted. Are not all these actions anti-alliance," he asked.

He said he was in touch with the party leadership.

"I met senior BJP leader JP Nadda before leaving for Amritsar and told him about my decision. He asked me to wait till tomorrow and I have followed his directions," he said.

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Faceoff between Sidhu, government reaches flash point
Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 27
With Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu deciding to go on an indefinite fast to lodge his protest against the SAD-BJP Government's move to "scuttle" his pet projects, the confrontation between him and the state regime has reached a flash point. A sulking Sidhu had been keeping away from his constituency since October 2012. It was last year that Sidhu had entered into a war of words with Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, accusing the latter of breaching the ‘coalition dharma’ during the MC poll. The MP had then accused the SAD of fielding parallel candidates, leading to the defeat of BJP candidates, including then Mayor Shwait Malik, his confidant.

It was his wife, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who first hinted at his 'disillusionment with politics' in April this year, claiming that her husband had been “sidelined” because of his honest ways.

The controversy subsided with the cricketer-turned-politician getting busy with IPL and Champions Trophy assignments. However, tensions resurfaced last month with CPS Sidhu voicing her protest against the "diversion" of Amritsar Improvement Trust funds and "denial" of grants to her Amritsar East constituency. She met BJP president Rajnath Singh to express her grievances.

Soon after, Amritsar was dotted with 'missing MP Sidhu' posters on August 26. These were put up by a Congress leader. This apparently prompted Sidhu to announce his return to the constituency after several months. Sidhu returned to the city on September 4 only to find himself being cold-shouldered by party leaders.

A day later, he fired his first salvo at the state government, saying he felt like "an Opposition MP". He also alleged that his projects were being scuttled. Subsequently, he wrote to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, seeking a judicial probe into the "diversion" of Amritsar Improvement Trust funds.

He also shot back at Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal for terming the issues raised by him as BJP's "internal matter". Sidhu then met Punjab affairs in charge Shanta Kumar. He accompanied BJP president Rajnath Singh to Chandigarh during the BJP’s core committee meeting on September 23. But the issues raised by him could not be addressed to his satisfaction.

The Badals seem to be peeved with Sidhu as neither the CM nor the Deputy CM has held a meeting with him to resolve the differences.

Sidhu also accused the government of ignoring him while inaugurating developmental works and holding meetings in this regard.

MP’s grievances

  • Waste Management project ‘stalled’ by the state government
  • Formalities completed for expansion of Bhandari Bridge, but project scuttled at the eleventh hour
  • Multiple Sports Complex project scuttled despite Rs 20 crore being released for it
  • City Bus Service, CCTV cameras, flyovers scuttled
  • Diversion of Rs 60 crore from Amritsar Improvement Trust to other civic bodies
  • BJP candidates ‘deliberately’ defeated by SAD by fielding parallel candidates
  • Deputy CM announced Rs 20 crore projects, completely ignored him
  • SAD councillors ‘boycotting’ his wife, CPS Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu

How things turned sour

  • April 10: Sidhu’s wife hints that he may quit politics
  • May 9: Sidhu makes a short visit to Amritsar, admits he is upset over some issues
  • June 23: Sidhu conspicuous by his absence at Narendra Modi's rally in Madhopur
  • July 7: Sidhu skips state BJP executive meeting in Amritsar
  • Aug 19: Sidhu’s wife and CPS Dr Navjot says govt lacks vision
  • Aug 24: Meets Rajnath Singh and airs her concerns
  • Aug 26: Amritsar dotted with ‘missing Sidhu’ posters put up by a Congress leader
  • Sept 4: Sidhu returns to Amritsar, cold-shouldered by his own party leaders
  • Sept 5: Sidhu fires salvo against govt, says he feels like an Opposition MP
  • Sept 8: Sidhu accuses govt of building castles in the air
  • Sept 14: Sidhu writes to CM, seeks judicial probe into “diversion” of funds
  • Sept 15: Deputy CM calls it BJP's “internal matter”
  • Sept 16: Sidhu asks Sukhbir to learn to own up discredits too
  • Sept 18: CM says Sidhu’s outburst won’t hurt alliance in Lok Sabha poll
  • Sept 19: Sidhu meets Punjab affairs in charge Shanta Kumar in Delhi
  • Sept 23: Sidhu accompanies Rajnath to BJP's core committee meeting in Chandigarh

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Had replied to Amritsar MP’s queries: CM
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 27
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has dubbed cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu's announcement of sitting on a fast-unto-death as “unwarranted” and “unfortunate”. Sidhu, a BJP MP from Amritsar, has been on protest since long over the alleged stalling of his pet projects in the holy city by the state government.

Badal, who was here today to inaugurate a state-of-the-art sports complex-cum-hockey stadium and the Common Facility Centre for the Sanitary and Bath Fittings Manufacturers, said such issues should be resolved through talks.

“I have always held the MP in high esteem. It is not a right step... I have given detailed replies to all his queries,” said Badal.

The Chief Minister said he too was concerned about Amritsar's development and was “determined to make it one of the most modern cities of the world” and a religious tourist destination.

On diversion of Amritsar Improvement Trust funds to other local government municipalities (an allegation by Sidhu), Badal said there was nothing wrong or illegal in it. “The practice of diverting funds is in vogue since 1981 as an internal arrangement of the Local Bodies Department to give funds to those civic bodies that face financial crunch. I had asked the Local Bodies Minister to furnish entire details in the matter and also send these to Sidhu,” he said.

Terming Punjab as one of the best states in the country, Badal said the Reserve Bank of India had put it among the top three investment destinations. “This is an answer to all those who have been trying to defame the state government,” said Badal, accusing the Union Government of doing injustice to Punjab in one way or the other.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who was also present on the occasion, said time had come to give chance to leaders like Narendra Modi (BJP prime ministerial candidate).

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SAD-BJP govt in damage-control mode
Sukhbir fixes cutoff dates for projects
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh September 27
Immediately after MP Navjot Singh Sidhu announced his decision to go on a fast from tomorrow, the top brass in the state government went into a huddle. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh fixed cutoff dates for the completion of all ongoing as well as new development projects in Amritsar city. An official spokesman said the CM had already replied to a letter by Sidhu, giving details of the status of various projects. The CM said that being a global destination, Amrtisar would always be given special attention.

The spokesman said wherever there has been a delay, it had been owing to litigation or lack of clearance by the departments concerned, such as the Railways in case of the Bhandari bridge and the Archaeological Survey of India in case of the project near Ram Bagh.

Even for these, the state government had found alternatives and work was being pursued with "utmost promptness.” On lending Amritsar Improvement Trust funds to other bodies, the spokesman claimed there been no political “bias” in lending money to other muncipal committees. Out of the money given as loan, Rs 25 crore had been given for projects in Amritsar itself. Of the remaining 26 crore given as loan, Rs 12 crore had already been received with interest. Sukhbir, who held a meeting with senior officials, BJP president Kamal Sharma and Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, decided to introduce the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) by February 15, 2014, at a cost of Rs 469.54 crore.

Ensure helpline is effective, SSPs told

Chandigarh: Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday said the Commissioners of Police and SSPs would be held responsible for any laxity in implementing the services of '181 police helpline', launched recently to curb crime against women. The performance of every SSP would be under scanner, the Deputy Chief Minister said. Reviewing the functioning of '181 police helpline', he said districts Tarn Tarn, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ludhiana police districts were lagging behind in this regard, which would not be accepted. He asked Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Dinkar Gupta to personally look into the matter and take appropriate action, an official release said here. — TNS

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HC quashes plea by visually impaired for benefits
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 27
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has bowled out a petition seeking benefits under the disabilities Act for persons with vision in one eye after quoting the example of cricketer-cum-former captain of Team India Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.

Dismissing the petition filed by Mukul Ahlawat against the Union of India and other respondents, a Division Bench of the High Court asserted: “We have pointed out to the counsel for the petitioner that there are numerous examples of one-eyed persons who performed the full task from late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who captained the Indian Cricket Team, to General Tapishwar Narain Raina, who was the General in-charge of the Army, both one-eyed persons. In view of the aforesaid, we are not inclined to exercise jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.”

In his petition placed before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih, Ahlawat had earlier challenged the “Appendix-III” to the guidelines for disabilities issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

The petitioner had told the court that in terms of the addendum, a one-eyed person having six-by-six vision in one eye was to be assessed as 30 per cent impaired. But in order to be eligible under the category of persons with visual disability, the minimum requirement under The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, was 40 per cent disability. His counsel had contended that the petitioner despite being one-eyed person was not being given the benefit under the said Act.

After taking on record the assertions, the Bench observed in its detailed order: “In our view, the aforesaid can be no reason itself to challenge either the guidelines or the provisions of the Act. Undoubtedly, it is a beneficial piece of legislation and as per international norms, the criteria have been laid down under the said Act. The guidelines have been made as per experts in the field. It will not be appropriate for the court to substitute its opinion with that of the experts.”

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MLAs meddling in working of gram sabhas: Ramesh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 27
Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh today warned Punjab of strict action if gram sabhas were not allowed to function normally. Addressing a press conference on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013, he said he was aware that gram sabhas in Punjab were being run by powerful MLAs.

This was against the law that gave gram sabhas the powers to allow land acquisition in their territory. Gram sabhas were required to meet four times a year on August 15, January 26, October 2 and April 13.

"However, the Centre is aware that no meetings are being held in Punjab," the Union Minister said.

To a question on the process for acquiring 3,245 acres in nine villages of Ludhiana district, seven of Mohali and one each in Gurdaspur, Patiala and Amritsar, he said: " As there has been no physical possession of the land and the farmers have not accepted the compensation offered, the latter will be paid four times the average sale deed in the adjoining areas during the past three years as per the new law."

If land was acquired under the old law but compensation was yet to be announced, the farmers would be paid as prescribed under the new law, Ramesh explained.

If more than five years had eclipsed since land compensation was announced but land was yet to be acquired, the farmers would be paid compensation under the new law.

Also, if land had been acquired more than five years ago under the old law and a majority farmers had not accepted the compensation amount, they would be compensated as per the new law.

Speaking in the context of land acquisition in states like Punjab and Haryana where there was a clause on non-acquisition of land under multiple cropping, the Union Minister said: "These states have also sought land for industrialisation. So, we will allow acquisition of un-irrigated and non-productive land. Acquisition of fertile land will be allowed only as a "demonstrable last resort."

Henceforth, land for Special Economic Zones would be acquired only with the permission of gram sabhas.

He said land acquisition was on the concurrent list but in case of difference of opinion, the central law would prevail.

No state could pay compensation below that prescribed by the Centre.

The new law ensured that no land was acquired forcibly, the minister added.

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Gurdaspur cops arrest another KLF operative
Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, September 27
After rounding up three Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorists in a high-end operation on September 14, the police tasted more success when it rounded up another operative from Tibri village here today.

Addressing mediapersons, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sukhwant Singh Gill claimed the police was hot on the trail of Harpreet Singh Saini for the last few days and after receiving inputs about his whereabouts from various intelligence agencies, the police finally managed to arrest him today.

Gill, however, admitted that the main accused, Gurpreet Singh, who had links with terrorists abroad, was still at large.

He said all the four operatives arrested to date had revealed that Gurpreet was the kingpin around whom all their activities revolved in Punjab.

A fortnight ago, a high-level meeting of intelligence officers, presided over by DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, was held in Chandigarh in which 77 Hindu leaders had been identified who were on the hot list of the KLF. The security of all these leaders was beefed up in all districts of Punjab.

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COMMUNITY
 

Seventh pay panel
SAD-BJP Govt may have to follow suit
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 27
With the Central Government announcing the Seventh Pay Commission, the Punjab Government will be under much pressure from its employees to follow suit. However, the state government is yet to clear arrears of salaries revised by the Fifth Pay Commission. The recommendations of the commission were implemented with effect from January 1, 2006, in case of state government employees/pensioners

Apparently, the Centre has set up the pay commission well before the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Though its final report will be implemented with effect from January 1, 2016, it is believed that the commission would submit an interim report for the merger of DA with the basic pay before the elections. The cascading effect of the merger is certain to bring cheer to central government employees. The Centre's annual salary and pension liability because of the Sixth Pay Commission had gone up by about Rs 26,000 crore.

As the SAD-BJP Government has high stakes in the Lok Sabha elections, it will have to follow the Centre and set up a pay commission for its employees. in Punjab, the assembly elections are due in February 2017. Hence, it will be the SAD-BJP Government's endeavour to revise the pay scales of its employees before that to garner their votes.

Employees' salary is revised by most state governments and the Centre after 10 years. The Sixth Pay Commission’s report was implemented by the Centre in January 2006 when the state government implemented its Fifth Pay Commission report.

Following the implementation of the Fifth Pay Commission’s report, the Punjab Government's annual salary, allowances and pension bill had gone up by Rs 2,700 crore.

For the period January 1, 2006 to March 31, 2009, the state government was to pay Rs 4,800 crore in arrears - Rs 3,450 crore towards salary revision and Rs 1,350 crore towards pension.

The state government, facing a financial crunch, has promised to clear the arrears in three installments. It has cleared the arrears of pensioners but an installment of arrears related to revised salaries is still pending.

The state government is also to pay two installments of DA totalling 18 per cent on the Central Government pattern for this fiscal year. Because of the precarious fiscal situation, it is negotiating with its employees in this regard.

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Environment clearance
PPCB makes one-time fee must for small enterprises
Aman Sood
Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 27
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to give small-scale industries in the state a golden chance to get environment consent for running their businesses by depositing a minimum fee. The move is aimed at helping hundreds of industrialists who have been running their green category industries in Punjab for the past two decades without paying the consent fee to the PPCB. After a nod from the board, the government is expected to give it a formal approval.

Sources said the decision was taken at the last board meeting held on September 25, where the PPCB decided to clear the proposal and send it to the government for clearance.

As per the recent decision, the green category industries that do not require a PPCB certificate but still need consent for running their industries will have to deposit a one-time fee applicable from 2009-10 onwards, when the last fee structure for such industries was revised. Therefore, the industries established in 1992 or thereafter will have to pay the fees from 2009-10 till 2013 to get the consent.

Elaborating further, PPCB Chairperson Ravinder Singh told The Tribune that the one-time chance had been granted to the industrialists as they were not able to bear the burden of paying the fee when their industries were established.

“To lessen the burden on them and ensure that all such industries get consent from the PPCB, a one-time scheme has been launched,” he stated.

As per the policy, industries interested in benefiting from the scheme will have to clear the pending dues before December 31 to get a one-time consent from the PPCB. “It means that all industries in this category will pay a four-year fee to us to get the consent,” said a senior official. “It is much better to accept a four-year fee instead of not getting the industries registered at all,” he said.

The policy is expected to help non-polluting industry like flourmills, plywood, cotton and many other units that do not release chemicals and pollutants.

Golden chance

  • The green category industries that do not require a PPCB certificate but still need consent for running their industries will have to deposit a one-time fee applicable from 2009-10 onwards
  • The one-time mandate will lessen the financial burden on industrialists
  • Industries will have to clear the pending dues before December 31 to get PPCB’s consent

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Traders want hike in storage tariff at ICP withdrawn
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 27
The Confederation of International Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CICCI) today flayed the “steep hike” in storage tariff and weighment charges enforced by the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) through their custodian Central Warehouse Corporation at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Attari from next month.

In a letter to the LPAI chairman, the CICCI urged him to immediately withdraw the enhanced tariff, which is “totally unwarranted without consulting the trade and industry, a major stakeholder”.

A meeting of CICCI members was held today and it was decided not to pay the higher charges as it would impact the costing of the international trade. A CICCI spokesperson said the LPAI had failed to provide proper platforms and covered sheds for all season import of gypsum, cement, loose cargo, rock salt, dry fruits, onions etc. "The unloading of gypsum in the open during rains this year had resulted in huge losses to the importers and the LPAI had failed to compensate the damages.”

The cement importers have henceforth decided to immediately stop the consignments from Pakistan in view of the big increase in storage charges, which would make the trade completely unviable. “We once again emphasise that the LPAI must reconsider its dictatorial approach and should brief the chamber before fixing the charges. We request the authority to reduce the charges as it was already the highest in the country and to upgrade the existing facilities for smooth trade,” said a statement issued by the CICCI.

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Rape victim escapes from captivity
Tribune News Service

Mandi Gobindgarh, September 27
A minor girl from Mandi Gobindgarh has alleged that her neighbour kidnapped and raped her for about a year. The police has arrested the accused. The 15-year-old complainant, a resident of Dashmesh Colony, said she was kidnapped by Sanjeev Mandal, who took her to a rented accommodation in Nasrali village and indulged in sexual activities with her. He also assured her that he would marry her and later threatened that if she reported the matter to anyone, he would eliminate her and her parents.

Mandi Gobindgarh SHO Raj Pal Gill said the victim had alleged that earlier the accused had told her that he was earning Rs 20,000 per month and would keep her happy after marriage. But after shifting to his accommodation, she came to know that the accused was unemployed. She said the accused kept indulging in physical activities with her. They had recently shifted to Sanjeev's parents' house. She said she attempted to escape many times.

Gill said the victim finally managed to escape from the accused's house on September 25 and narrated the whole incident to her parents, who immediately informed the police. A case under Sections 363, 366A, 376, 450 and 505 of the IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, has been registered against the accused. The police has also asked the victim to produce age proof to ascertain that she is a minor.

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Jassi Honour Killing
Hear me too, deceased’s husband to Canadian court
Jupinderjit Singh/TNS

Bathinda, September 27
The absence of key conspirators at the crime site in the Jassi honour killing case should not help them escape punishment, Jassi's husband Sukhwinder Singh Mithu has said.

He was responding to proceedings in a Canadian court which is reportedly verifying from Indian police officials if Jassi's mother Malkiat Kaur and Uncle Surjit Singh Badesha were present at the murder site near Malerkotla on June 8, 2000. Mithu has requested the court to allow him to depose before it for giving details of phone calls from his wife before she was murdered. “They gave money to contract killers and left me for dead on that fateful evening,” he said.

Surprised that the Canadian court had not called him as a witness, Mithu said it was on police records that Jassi's mother had spoken to her on the phone of one of the killers.

A broken Mithu, who frequently changes residence fearing for on his life, said: “I am waiting for the day when Jassi's mother and uncle are extradited to India to face trial here. I wonder if it will happen during my life time.”

“A false impression has been made that my motive in marrying Jassi was to migrate to Canada. I have had several marriage proposals from Canada after Jassi's death. But I am wedded to Jassi even after her death,” said Mithu.

As per the extradition papers moved by the Indian Government, Canada- born Jassi was killed by contract killers at the behest of her mother and uncle in June 2008 for marrying a youth of Kaunke Kalan village, the native village of Jassi's mother. The youth was a kabaddi player at that time.

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Give priority to clients, RBI official tells banks

Badwa (Ropar), September 27
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Executive Director P Vijaya Bhaskar has advised public sector bank officials to be cordial with clients and give them priority. Bhaskar was here to inaugurate an outreach programme of the RBI at Badwa village today. Before the inauguration, a women’s self-help group complained to Bhaskar that they were ill-treated by bank officials. Terming the bank officials’ behaviour inappropriate, he said no scheme could be implemented by banks until clients were not given priority.

Bhaskar said upon reaching Delhi, he would write a letter in this regard to the chairmen of all the banks. — TNS

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Seminar on spiritualism held at Desh Bhagat University
Tribune News Service

Amloh, September 27
A two-day international seminar on ‘Spiritualism in education’ was organised at Desh Bhagat University here today. Various learned persons from different states of India and countries like Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Nepal, Yemen, Nigeria, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand, Japan, USA and Canada expressed their views.

They said there was a need for inculcating spiritual values among youth for the emancipation of mankind. Only money could not bring happiness and peace of mind could be achieved by practicing yoga and meditation, they said.

In his keynote address, speaker Swami Anupamanand, head, Ram Krishan Mission, Chandigarh, advised the students to devote at least half-an-hour to meditation everyday.

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CRIME
 

9 kg opium seized in Sangrur, four arrested
Tribune News Service

Sangrur, September 27
In three separate cases, the district police seized more than 9 kg opium from three women and a man here today. The retail market price of the seized opium is said to be Rs 9 lakh. Sangrur SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the police had seized 9 kg and 300 gm opium from Sangrur, Ranike (Dhuri) and Mangwal (Sangrur).

The SSP said the main supply line of the opium to Sangrur district was Rajasthan. He said the accused also told the police that they bought opium for Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 per kg while they sold the same for Rs 1 lakh. The supply link from Rajasthan was being detected by the police, he said.

Sidhu further said during interception at the Harerri road, the Sangrur police seized 4 kg opium from Kamal Singh and Durga Bai, both residents of Partapgarh district of Rajasthan. The driver of their car, Dalwinder Singh, resident of Nabha, managed to flee the spot, he said.

He said during checking, the chowki in charge of the Ranike police post arrested Manjit Kaur, resident of Barnala, and seized two kilograms and 700 gm opium from her possession. A case has been registered against her at the sadar police station, Dhuri.

The sadar police, Sangrur, also arrested Rani Kaur, resident of Mangwal, and seized two kg and 600 gm opium from her possession in the Mangwal area today. During investigation, it came to light that her husband was already in the Sangrur jail in an opium case.

The SSP said Kamal Singh was the main accused and had been supplying opium to the buyers for the past six to seven years.

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Detained farmers clash with prison officials in Nabha
Aman Sood
Tribune News Service

Nabha, September 27
More than 10 farmers were hurt in a clash with the jail staff here today. Three prison employees too sustained injuries in the fight, learnt to have broken out after the death of a farmer inside the jail.

Hailing from Mansa, the deceased, Bhoora Singh (75), was arrested during a protest in Mansa on September 20. The police said Bhoora Singh was ill and his condition deteriorated late Thursday evening. The farmers alleged that instead of shifting the deceased to a hospital, the jail officials gave him medicines inside the barrack. His condition reportedly worsened and he died after some time.

As the jail officials tried to take the body to the hospital for a post-mortem, the farmers objected and a bloody clash ensued. It was only after a struggle lasting a few hours that the jail staff succeeded in the wee hours. The body was shifted to the Nabha Civil Hospital.

As the word spread, a large number of farmers gathered outside the hospital. Tension prevailed as the injured farmers alleged that the jail officials launched an orchestrated attack on them under the supervision of their seniors.

Bharti Kissan Union (Dakaunda) senior leader Ram Singh said, “The farmers were ruthlessly beaten with sticks.”

While the state government has announced a relief of Rs 5 lakh for the deceased’s family, protesting farmers have also demanded a job for the next of kin.

Though the police higher-ups refused to comment and did not take repeated calls on their phones, Deputy Commissioner Gopal Krishan Singh said, “A judicial probe has been ordered into the incident. Those found responsible (for the death) will not be spared.”

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SAD leader booked for assault
Our Correspondent

Fatehgarh Sahib, September 27
District president of the migrants wing of the SAD (B) Kaushal Mishra, along with six others, has been booked for allegedly attacking and seriously injuring Jatinder Singh, a resident of Ram Nagar, Mandi Gobindgarh. A case in this regard has been registered under Sections 341, 323, 324, 506, 148, 149 of the IPC.

All accused are at large. The victim has been referred to the PGI.

Sub Inspector Balwinder Singh said Jatinder Singh had lodged a complaint with the police that last night, Mishra came to his house and asked him to settle his dispute with someone. While he was on his way to settle the issue, a group of youths attacked him with sharp-edged weapons and rods. He became unconscious and a passerby took him to the civil hospital from where he was referred to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, and then to the PGI.

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