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Sidhu to go on indefinite fast beginning
today
Navjot Singh Sidhu, Member of Parliament, arrives at his Amritsar residence on Friday. Photo: Sameer Sehgal
Faceoff between Sidhu, government reaches flash point
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Had replied to Amritsar MP’s queries: CM
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal inaugurates the hockey stadium in Mohali on Friday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu
SAD-BJP govt in damage-control mode
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
MLAs meddling in working of gram sabhas: Ramesh
Union Minister Jairam Ramesh at a press meet in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan
Gurdaspur cops arrest another KLF operative
Seventh pay panel
Environment
clearance
Cement importers decide to stop consignments from Pak.
Rape victim escapes from captivity
Jassi Honour
Killing
Give priority to clients, RBI official tells banks
Seminar on spiritualism held at Desh Bhagat University
Harsimrat Badal slams Singla
Heritage walk inaugurated
9 kg opium seized in Sangrur, four
arrested
Detained farmers clash with prison officials in
Nabha
Farmers protest the death of a Mansa farmer outside Civil Hospital in Nabha on Friday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar
SAD leader booked for assault
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Faceoff between Sidhu, government reaches flash point
Amritsar, September 27 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
How things turned sour
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Had replied to Amritsar MP’s queries: CM
Mohali, September 27 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
Chandigarh September 27 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
Chandigarh, September 27 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
Chandigarh, September 27 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
Gurdaspur, September 27 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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Seventh pay panel
Chandigarh, September 27 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
Patiala, September 27 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
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Traders want hike in storage tariff at ICP withdrawn
Amritsar, September 27 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
Mandi Gobindgarh, September 27 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
Bathinda, September 27 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 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
Amloh, September 27 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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9 kg opium seized in Sangrur, four
arrested
Sangrur, September 27 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
Nabha, September 27 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
Fatehgarh Sahib, September 27 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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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.
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.
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.
Chandigarh, 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.
