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Centre’s technical teams to assess paddy damage
Special investigation wing in
police stations by Dec: DGP
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Check on student fee by pvt institutions
CM to skip Bhakra dam jubilee function
UK drive to get Sikhs on organ donor list
No differences with Bajwa, claims Capt
 Kapurthala/Phagwara,
October 21Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, while denying he had differences with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa, today said they both had separate roles to play, he as a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and Bajwa as PPCC chief. Amarinder Singh interacts with farmers at the Kapurthala grain market on Monday. Tribune photo
SAD to contest 4 Delhi seats, says Sukhbir
BJP warring factions unite at Sri Sri’s event
Mukerian hyrdo project misses deadline again
Central grants lying unspent: Chaudhary
Villagers lock school gate
More trouble brewing for NK Sharma
Beant murder convict for Diwali boycott
TADA accused Sukhi produced in court
State govt given a month to probe Zirakpur allotment
Industrialist held for tax evasion
15 injured as overloaded bus overturns at crossing
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Centre’s technical teams to assess paddy damage
Chandigarh, October 21 Owing to discolouration, procurement agencies have refused to lift damaged paddy at certain place, triggering protests by the farmers. Immediately after meeting top officials of various government procurement agencies, Food and Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon reportedly contacted Union Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs KV Thomas on the phone. He briefed him about the problems being encountered for paddy procurement. Kairon urged the Union Minister to allow relaxation in the specifications for procurement in view of the unusual weather conditions, such as rains and storm, affecting the paddy at the ripening stage across the state, particularly in central Punjab. Kairon told the Union Minister that under the existing norms, it had become difficult to procure paddy in the Ludhiana-Morinda-Fatehgarh and Nawanshahr areas where hostile weather conditions had led to discolouration and shrivelling of the grain. Under the specifications laid for procurement, the percentage of discoloured grain should not be more than 4 per cent and the moisture content not more than 17 per cent. However, in certain heaps in the Khanna and adjoining markets, the percentage of discoloured grain is up to 30 per cent. The state government is worried over the lack of interest being shown by the FCI in procurement. Of the 40 lakh tonnes of paddy procured so far, the FCI has procured a little over 2 lakh tonnes, only 5 per cent against its quota of 10 per cent of the total arrivals. Pungrain and Markfed have procured 29 per cent and 23 per cent of the total arrivals, respectively. A little over 3 lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured by private traders. Next week will be crucial for the state government when paddy arrival will be at its peak, crossing 6 lakh tonnes daily. Meanwhile, the proposed amendments in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act has been put on hold. Sources said the issue was not discussed by the Cabinet that met here today.
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Special investigation wing in
police stations by Dec: DGP
Jalandhar, October 21 Accompanied by ADGP (administration) MK Tiwari, Saini said all criminal cases would be thoroughly investigated by the special unit while the regular team would take care of day-to-day crime. The DGP said a separate investigation cell was set up in February 2008 in Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur and Bathinda but it could not take off properly. “We will now do it in an appropriate manner. We already have Superintendents of Police (Detective) for the job, but now it will be a team functioning with more precision and strategy,” he said. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal too had announced a plan to have a separate investigation wing during a function at the armed police headquarters two months ago. Regarding drug smuggling, Saini said 100 kg of heroin had been recovered in 2011, 277 kg in 2012 and nearly 300 kg to date this year. He said the pattern of supply and delivery had been tracked with smugglers largely in the police net. “We are now zeroing in on the peddlers,” he said. The DGP said the police was also keeping tabs on elements uploading pro-Khalistan information on internet. “The youngsters who have actually not been through the terrorism phase that ended in mid-nineties are being exposed to information, which may not be partly correct. Watching it on web, they tend to believe things as these appear and can get carried away, which can prove disastrous.” Defending Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police Rajjit Singh who allegedly tried seeking his daughter’s admission in martyr’s children quota, the DGP said it was “in no way a case of fraud, as was being projected”. Saini along with other officials and family members of the martyred police personnel laid wreaths at the memorial. He said 576 police officers had lost their lives this year across the country, 12 of whom were Punjabis. Nawanshahr: Senior Superintendent of Police Dhanpreet Kaur, Deputy Commissioner Anandita Mitra, former MLA Mohan Singh Banga, District Planning Committee chairman Dr SK Sukhi were among those who paid tributes to the police martyrs during a function at ITI Grounds here.
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Check on student fee by pvt institutions
Chandigarh, October 21 To impart quality education to medical students and to provide quality healthcare and diagnostic facilities to the people, the Cabinet decided to create 665 posts of the teaching faculty in government medical colleges in Patiala and Amritsar and hospitals associated with the two. The Cabinet also gave its approval to raising the number of posts of medical teachers and the creation of new posts in various cadres in these institutions. These newly created posts would be filled within three years to boost medical education and research. The Cabinet decided to enhance the supersession period of market committees for another year till November 20, 2014 and to introduce a Bill to replace the Punjab Mechanical Vehicles (Bridges and Roads Tolls Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 to rationalise toll charges and to ensure smooth implementation of road projects.
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CM to skip Bhakra dam jubilee function
Ropar, October 21 The organisers were informed today that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would not be able to attend the function. The Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan have already expressed their inability to attend the function. Sources said the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) had a few months ago written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting him to be the chief guest. It, however, did not get any reply. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited the dam 13 times. After him, none of the Prime Ministers have visited the site.
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UK drive to get Sikhs on organ donor list
London, October 21 Members of the Asian community are more likely to need a transplant but wait longer than the general population in Britain for a match. According to official figures, only around two per cent of organ donors each year are Asian but the community makes up nearly a fifth of those needing a transplant. The National Health Service (NHS) has kicked off a targeted campaign across the country, starting with the Sikh community, to urge them to join its Organ Donor Register. A series of TV programmes titled "Organ Donation Let’s Make a Difference" will air from next week in collaboration with Sikh community channel Sangat TV and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust's organ donation committee. "We believe organ donation fits with the Sikh faith and that there is a real need in this community for more donors. If more people register, more lives can be saved and members of the community might not face waiting longer than others when they need a transplant," said John Bleasdale, clinical lead for organ donation at the NHS Trust. The TV shows, in a mix of Punjabi and English, feature a man, Satnam Kang, who is waiting for a kidney transplant and talks about the difficulties of being on dialysis at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The same hospital was recently in the news when Pakistani teenage rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai underwent marathon life-saving surgeries there after being shot in the head by a Taliban fighter. Kang, 53, who lives in Birmingham, has needed a transplant since 2006. "I urge people to join the Organ Donor Register, you could give somebody their life back. And it is not just that person you would be helping, but his family and friends too." Local organ recipients Anju Kaur, Pritpal Singh Sanghera and Jaswinder Dhaliwal talk about their lives before their transplants and how they have been transformed since they received a new kidney. Manjinder Kaur Jagdev, from Norwich, explains her family’s decision to donate her mother’s organs and the comfort this brought them. Clinicians from Birmingham's City Hospital and medics, plus experts in organ donation and the Asian community, also feature in the shows. Joga Singh, Sikh chaplain at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The aim of the filming was not only to explore Sikh perspectives towards organ donation, but also to harness the potential of the Sikh community to address this important social issue. — PTI
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No differences with Bajwa, claims Capt
Kapurthala/Phagwara,
October 21 He was talking to mediapersons at the residence of District Congress Committee (DCC) president Harjit Singh Parmar in Phagwara. He admitted that wrong selection of candidates had led to the defeat of the Congress in the last assembly elections. He was hesitant to reply on the possibility of an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party for the coming Lok Sabha elections. The party high command would decide on the matter, he said. Regarding the controversy on regularising illegal colonies, he said during the Congress regime he himself had regularised several colonies without charging money. He alleged that the drugs menace was on the rise owing to the "wrong, corrupt and selfish policies" of the Badal Government which had failed to create jobs for the state's youth. He alleged that law and order had collapsed because of "politicisation" of the police. Congress leaders Rana Gurjit Singh, Sukhjit Singh Parmar and Inder Duggal were present on the occasion. In Kapurthala, Amarinder was virtually mobbed as people queued up for hours to have a glimpse of their leader. As his cavalcade moved through Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Phagwara, it was showered with flowers by supporters. At the Kapurthala grain market, Amarinder interacted with locals. The programme was organised by Congress leader Rana Gurjit Singh. “I will not interfere in the functioning of the PPCC. One cannot be president of the PPCC all the time. Partap Bajwa is the president now and he will be carrying out the duty assigned to him by the party high command. I am a man of the masses. So, I will work amid the common people. " I am ot going anywhere. I have no ambition to be Governor or Ambassador. Such speculation has no basis,” Amarinder announced. Surprising one and all, he asked his supporters to attend PPCC functions and rallies to make these a success. Amarinder was virtually mobbed by farmers at the grain market who alleged that they were forced to sell paddy up to Rs 300 per quintal below the MSP. He held the Badal Gocvernment responsible for the same.
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SAD to contest 4 Delhi seats, says Sukhbir
Chandigarh, October 21 Denying reports suggesting that all was not well between the SAD and the BJP and that the SAD was planning to go all alone in Delhi, he said they were holding talks with the BJP for contesting four seats in Delhi. A decision in this regard was expected in the next 10 days, Sukhbir said. On allegations by Navjot Singh Sidhu and now BJP legislator Ashwani Sharma, that illegal mining was being carried out with the support of the government, the deputy CM said he had instructed all SSPs to register cases against those involved in illegal mining. “The SIT has registered a large number of cases against those involved in illegal mining. There is no government patronage to those involved in illegal mining or those collecting ‘goonda tax’. Anybody found doing so will be prosecuted,” he said. He said he would be leaving for Mumbai tomorrow to urge captains of industry to invest in Punjab. The Infosys team has already visited Punjab and seen a site in Mohali. We expect huge investment by them soon,” he said.
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BJP warring factions unite at Sri Sri’s event
Pathankot, October 21 On his part, Ravi Shankar did what no senior BJP leader could do. He brought together all the warring factions of the district BJP on one stage. Party contenders for the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat were seen sharing space on the stage, listening to Ravi Shankar’s discourse dutifully. Three-time MP and Union Minister Vinod Khanna had arrived in the city four days in advance to oversee preparations for the event. His wife Kavita Khanna, who was on the BJP's National Executive till last year, too flew in from Mumbai. The other ticket aspirant Swaran Salaria, chairman of the Punjab State Child Rights Commission, too was on the stage. Other senior leaders who otherwise are at loggerheads with each other were also seen sharing the same space. Anil Vasudeva, former chairman of the Pathankot Improvement Trust, said it was not a political event, which only aimed at spiritual enlightenment. Former state BJP president and Pathankot MLA Ashwani Sharma, Bhoa BJP legislator Seema Devi, former Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal and party leader SK Punj were present, giving the event a political touch. Congress leaders of the district, however, kept away from the event. Dr Samrendra Sharma, a loyalist of Vinod Khanna and principal of the college which hosted the event, took opportunity to dispel rumours that Khanna would be shifted to the neighbouring seat of Amritsar. "The party high command has already promised the Gurdaspur ticket to Khanna. He did a lot of work in the constituency in his previous three terms as MP,” he claimed.
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Mukerian hyrdo project misses deadline again
Terkiana (Hoshiarpur), Oct 21 Two construction companies had left the project midway. The companies were “forced” to leave the project due to the problem of excess underground water at the site. After the foundation stone laying ceremony in 2002 by the then Chief Engineer of the erstwhile Punjab State Electricity Board, the construction work was started in 2003. The board (now Punjab State Power Corporation Limited) allocated the work to Parmar Construction Company, Chandigarh, for its completion in three years. During deep digging (about 75 ft) to lay the foundation of the project, excess underground water filled the areas and workers of both the company and the department had to flush it out with the help of at least 100 pumps. In the process, electricity worth crores was spent, sources said. Later, Shring Construction Company of Dehradun was given the project. The company solved the problem of water accumulation and completed almost 90 per cent work of laying concrete foundations. But, because of certain other technical reasons, the company could not carry out the work following which the department not only cancelled the contract but also forfeited its machinery and other equipment worth Rs 2 crore, a senior official of the department said. The PSPCL then allocated the work to Chandigarh-based P&R Infra Projects in 2011. The electro mechanical works are being executed by Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL). Though the PSPCL had decided to commission the project costing Rs 140 crore by March 2013, seven months are already over and just 60 per cent of the work is complete as of now. Experts are of the view that the project could take another year for completion. SD Malaika, Chief Engineer, PSPCL, said there were certain technical problems, but experts from the BHEL and P&R Infra were handling them efficiently. VK Jain, Chief Engineer, Civil, Designing and Construction, PSPCL, said: “The construction work had slowed down due to certain technical reasons. We are back on the track now. The project will be completed shortly.”
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Central grants lying unspent: Chaudhary
"Grants of Rs 12,000 crore were either left unspent or diverted for other purposes... As many as 100 hospitals are yet to be upgraded while no new hospital staff has been recruited. Poor patients are suffering and private hospitals are mushrooming,” she alleged while talking to mediapersons at the local Civil Hospital. Chaudhary said Rs 50 crore was given for providing free medicines to poor patients, but the state hospitals still lacked such medicines. The minister said an MoU had been signed between the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Human Resources of Hungary for cooperation in the field of traditional systems of medicine. She said the pact would give a boost to ties between the two countries in the field of traditional systems of medicine.
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Villagers lock school gate
Fazilka, October 21 The protesters raised slogans against the Education Department and demanded revocation of the transfer orders. It was only after the District Education Officer and the local administration officials intervened that the villagers agreed to lift their dharnas. Sarpanch Ved Parkash and school managing committee chairperson Gurinder Kaur said, “Khanagwal was shifted to the school two years ago. During his tenure, he took significant steps for educational reforms. At the same time, he acted tough on mischievous students, which resulting in his transfer.” The protesters have also submitted a memorandum to Ferozepur Member of Parliament Sher Singh Ghubaya and the Principal Secretary, Education, though the local officials.
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More trouble brewing for NK Sharma
PPCB’s
visit
Chandigarh, October 21 Only three days ago, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had filed a criminal case against Sharma’s M/s VN Sharma Builders Private Limited in a Dera Bassi court for violating the Act by starting construction on his project, Savitry Greens-I in Bishanpura village. It seems his second project too is in trouble with the State-level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) in its recent meeting on September 25 deciding to recommend credible action against the developers under the EPA for starting construction without environment clearance on Savitry Greens-II project. It has been decided to make the recommendation to the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) (empowered to grant environmental clearance) to send the case to Government of Punjab, Department of Science, Technology and Environment. In the proceedings of the meeting, a copy of which is with The Tribune, SEAC has mentioned the PPCB report dated September 24, 2013 wherein it has been mentioned that during the visit to the project site on May 28, 2013 it was found that the project proponent had completed the construction work of 30 blocks consisting two BHK flats in each block. The representative of the promoter company, who was available at the site, informed that
the construction was started in year 2012. Later, the promoter company vide letter number NK-2221 dated May 23, 2013 informed the PPCB that the entire construction done at the site, was carried out prior to December 2012. It said the company was not aware about the prerequisite requirement of environmental clearance. The SEAC has asked for issuance of directions under Section 5 of the EPA to restrain the promoter company from carrying out any further construction activity of the project till environment clearance. Chairman SEIAA, AN Dogra said he does not remember whether or not he had sent the case to the Government of Punjab. “I cannot remember whether I wrote to them,” he said. NK Sharma said, “I am not aware of any such issue. My companies are being run by a number of people who take care of such issues. We will fulfil all the requirements on this account.”
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Explosion in Nabha police station, three cops hurt
Nabha, October 21 While the police stated that the blast occurred due to fire crackers, sources said confiscated explosives in the malkhana triggered the blast. Head Munshi Bhuma Singh, Punjab Home Guard Vikram Singh and a head constable were admitted to the local civil hospital. Two others also sustained minor injuries and four escaped unhurt. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hardyal Singh said, “The condition of Bhuma Singh was serious as he felt the full impact of the explosion.” The blast rocked the police station at around 11.15 am and shattered one of the walls of the malkhana. “The blast occurred when the head munshi, who is in charge of the upkeep of records, opened the maalkhana. I do not remember anything after that,” said Vikram Singh, admitted to the hospital with injuries. A senior officer requesting anonymity said a team of forensic experts was formed to collect samples and ascertain the reasons behind the explosion. “We are not ruling out foul play as some important case properties are stored in the malkhana,” he said. Sources said usually the goods confiscated from the accused were stored in the police station until the case was settled in the court. A range of items, including fuel, tyres, vehicles, explosives and valuables are stored in the maalkhanas. “I remember we had to store drums full of diesel in the malkhana for over a year,” said a munshi at an ISO certified police station. Mann said, “Prima facie it appears that fire crackers in the malkhana caught fire, but we are probing the matter.”
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Beant murder convict for Diwali boycott
Amritsar, October 21 Rajoana has appealed to the Sikhs not to celebrate Diwali (November 3) with crackers on the plea that it was in the first week of November that Sikhs were massacred after the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi in 1984. He appealed to the Sikhs to utilise the money thus saved in extending help to the riot victims. He urged the Jathedar to issue directions to the Sikh community in this regard. He also said there should be no fireworks at the Golden Temple. He appealed to the Sikhs to light candles on Diwali in memory of those killed in 1984. Amritsar: All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) chief Karnail Singh Peermohammad on Monday met Akal Takht chief Jathedar Gurbachan Singh and told him that over a million signatures had been collected for the 'Sikh Genocide Petition'. He said the Jathedar had asked the Sikh groups to submit the petition to the UN in Geneva on November 1, coinciding with the 29th anniversary of the 1984 riots. He said the petition would be handed over to Navi Pillay, UN Human Rights chief, by a delegation of Sikh NGOs. He said Sikh groups would hold a rally outside the UN in Geneva on November 1. More than 10,000 Sikhs from across Europe and North America were expected to participate. — TNS
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TADA accused Sukhi produced in court
Jalandhar, October 21 Sukhi (46), who was declared a proclaimed offender in a case of murder and under the TADA Act on November 26, 1986, was brought from Tihar Jail this morning and sent back on a judicial remand. In the FIR number 198, his namesake complainant Sukhwinder Singh Soma of Model House had alleged that Kala Ram Havildar was gunned down by Sukhi and his accomplice Dharminder Singh outside Steel Industries on the Nakodar Road. Once a hardcore terrorist, Sukhi had been living a comfortable life under an assumed name with the patronage of the Punjab Police and the then DGP SS Virk. Shown dead in police records, a media report on February 16, 2006, brought to light that Sukhi was alive. — TNS
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State govt given a month to probe Zirakpur allotment
Chandigarh, October 21 Taking up the matter, the High Court asked the state government to submit a status report by November 29. The directions came after the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih took up for resumed hearing a petition filed by a Mohali resident Harshinder Singh. Alleging illegal lease of shamlat deh of a gram panchayat in Sanauli village of Mohali district to an educational trust, the High Court had earlier stayed the construction of a school coming up on the land. A Division Bench had also directed the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) concerned to ensure that the construction activity was not carried out till further orders. Also, notices were issued to JTL Educational Foundation Trust, Sector 28, Chandigarh and the gram panchayat of Sanauli village. In his petition, Harshinder Singh of Phase-IX, Mohali, through Counsel Navkiran Singh had demanded the quashing of a resolution dated July 6, 2010, passed by the gram panchayat, the approval order dated October 21, 2010, issued by Financial Commissioner, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, and lease deed dated December 3, 2010, executed by the sarpanch. Vide these orders, 21.26 acres were leased out to JTL Educational Foundation Trust. The development is significant as the trust is allegedly run by relatives of former Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Earlier, referring to shamlat land in Sanauli village, Justice Kuldip Singh panel had asserted that jamabandi for year 2010-11 showed that 102 bigha and 18 biswa was given on 33-year lease to JTL Education Foundation by the gram panchayat. The panel added the trustees were Mithan Lal Singla, Sandeep Gupta and Chetan Singla. It observed the matter had already been given publicity in the newspapers, as the members of the trust “had been linked as close relations” of former Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. “It, prima facie, seems that there is a deliberate attempt to create a forged document in the shape of a lease deed, which is in the register of the Sub Registrar… It is obvious that two separate independent copies were prepared. In one, the top of the document says 33 years, but in the other 99 years,” the panel observed. It did not go deep into the issue as the High Court was already seized of the matter. The panel observed the matter was sub
judice.
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Industrialist held for tax evasion
Ludhiana, October 21 Sources said Goyal had been held for export duty and tax evasion to the tune of around Rs 150 crore. Harpal Singh Grewal, Station House Officer (SHO) of Sarabha Nagar said Goyal had been booked under the Cofeposa Act (Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act,1974). He is the second businessmen to have been arrested in the past one week. Earlier on October 16, Rajesh Mehra, one of the directors of Rajit Paints, was arrested by the Delhi Police in a multi-crore embezzlement case. Goyal's counsel Harpreet Sandhu has moved a petition before the authorities concerned for "illegal detention" without following the prescribed procedure under the Cofeposa Act. "The detention order and the grounds of detention were not provided to Goyal at the time of his arrest. Goyal's wife has also moved an application for providing medical facilities to the industrialist suffering from chest pain," he said.
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15 injured as overloaded bus overturns at crossing
Fatehgarh Sahib, October 21 The bus overturned when the bus driver swerved the vehicle to cross the railway crossing from the wrong side. Those seriously injured were taken to the local civil hospital while the others were administered first aid. Some of the injured have been identified as Gurdev Singh and his wife Daljit Kaur, residents of Nandpur Kalaur, Asha of Mohan Majra, Gagandeep Kaur and her sister Amanpreet Kaur, residents of Dhundha village, Rajiv Kumar, Harish Kumar, Babli and Kala Ram, residents of Bassi Pathana, Jaspreet Kaur of Mohan Majra, Ram
Singh of Mustaffabad, Rajinder Singh of Suhavi, Rajinder Kaur of Barma and Sandeep. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hardevender Singh said the private minibus was overloaded with 60 passengers on board. The bus was plying from Khamano to Fatehgarh Sahib via Kheri Naudh Singh village. The DSP said a case had been registered against bus driver Gurpal Singh of Batha Khurd and conductor Rajinder Singh of Rattangarh who fled from the spot. He further said an inquiry into the case was on. Today’s accident has highlighted the fact that private transporters were openly flouting the traffic norms.
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separate investigation wing other than the routine law and order unit in the next two months. Saini, who was here at Punjab Armed Police headquarters for the state Police Commemoration Day, said he was positive the wing would take shape by December.
Phagwara, October 21
I am not aware of any such development. My companies are being run by a number of people who take care of such issues. We will fulfil all the requirements on this
account