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‘False’ promises raise heat as thermal unit’s opening nears
PUDA officials run from pillar to post to get pension, plots
171 villages selected for better sanitation
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Investor Summit to be annual affair: Sukhbir
Cong pursuing divide and rule policy: Badal
Bajwa gives lion’s share of MPLAD
Dowry deaths on decline in state: RTI
Spurious bio-fertiliser
racket busted in Moga
TV cast booked for hurting Sikh sentiments
Drugs in jails: Minister hits out at
ex-DGP
After years, spotlight back on Sikh detainees
Art gallery on Sikh Gurus inaugurated
Truck falls off bridge, rail traffic hit
Probe in 5,000 NDPS cases hampered
Investment Potential-Part III Agro processing
Body found in UK suspected to be of Sikh woman
168 sewage plants on anvil, HC told
5 members of gang held with arms
In depression, convict ends life
Ex-CPS, wife booked
for liquor smuggling
Prisoner ends life, kin protest
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‘False’ promises raise heat as thermal unit’s opening nears
(Mirzapur) Patiala, Dec 6 While the state government is busy making arrangements to host over two lakh people at the inauguration function of the thermal plant in Rajpura on Sunday, poor villagers whose land was acquired for the project have decided to boycott the function. Villagers rue that the promises made by the state government during the acquisition of land about provision of jobs to local youth, too, turned out to be an eyewash. They said officials of the thermal plant said they required only technically qualified persons. A majority of the farmers from four villages of Rajpura, who had parted with their land for the thermal plant, are up in arms against the government for meagre amounts they received and disparity in compensation. Four FIRs have been registered in these villages for quarrels, which according to villagers were nothing but anger over disparity in compensation. Jeet Khan from Sadror village alleged that the government had promised to give Rs 5 lakh on the day the foundation stone was laid but till date, they had not been given any money. Another villager, Gurmail Singh, said there was a lot of disparity in the compensation amount received by villagers. He said many villagers, who never visited a police station, were now fighting court cases for more compensation. “We are spending lakhs of rupees on litigation,” he said. Sukhwinder Singh, whose five-acre land was acquired for Rs 1.86 crore said while he was paid Rs 37 lakh per acre, the ones who had given their land almost two years ago were paid much better, which had created hatred among many village families. “Even the payment for the shamlat land over 500 acres acquired for the project was given for panchayat funds, but the state government is yet to initiate any development project with that money,” he stated. “The government even failed to repair roads which were damaged by heavy machinery that moved on them for setting up the thermal plant,” said a villager. Meanwhile, state cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra said the government would fulfill all the promises made to the affected farmers. Rajpura MLA Hardyal Kambhoj said the government should give adequate compensation to farmers as many of them have lost their only means of livelihood. "There is a lot of resentment among villagers against the state authorities. The government should not ignore the plight of poor farmers," he said. 2 lakh people to attend inauguration ceremony The state government on Friday said all the preparations for the inauguration of the first unit of the 1400-MW thermal plant had been made. The plant would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday, the day he celebrates his birthday. Rakhra said over two lakh people were expected to attend the mega rally that would be held near the thermal plant. The plant is facing some problems as the rail line to the plant has not been fully completed and the thermal plant manufacturers, Larsen & Toubro, will bring coal via road from near Mandi
Gobindgarh. Farmers’ woes *
A large number of Rajpura farmers are up in arms against the government for meagre amounts they received and disparity in compensation *
Villagers rue that the promises made by the state government during the acquisition of land about provision of jobs to local youth, too, turned out to be an eyewash *
They alleged that the government had promised to give Rs 5 lakh on the day the foundation stone was laid but it had not been done so far
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PUDA officials run from pillar to post to get pension, plots
Jalandhar, December 6 These employees have locked horns with the management and have been observing hunger strikes and rallies in front of various PUDA offices across the state. They allege that the authorities are implementing two different sets of rules for employees of the same organisation. The PUDA management had passed a resolution in 2009 that the employees would be allotted residential plots in different PUDA schemes in the state at market prices but sans any auction. Subsequently, applications were invited from them. As many as 534 out of around 1,600 employees got plots under various schemes in Mohali or other places. A large number of the remaining employees remain bereft of the one-time benefit. More than 1,000 employees had even deposited the booking amount of Rs 30,000 with the authorities in 2011 after the applications were invited from remaining employees for the second time. However, they were allegedly left out of the residential plot allotment scheme. Moreover, over 1,200 PUDA employees are allegedly not getting any pension benefits. “Most of employees who are not getting pension benefits are the ones who were absorbed in PUDA after the merger of the erstwhile Directorate of Housing and Urban Development and the Punjab Housing Board in 1995. We don’t understand why the management could not extend pension benefits to all employees of PUDA and why they are not being treated at par?” questioned Ram Niranjan Singh, an office-bearer of the Joint Action Committee, PUDA. On the other hand, Manvesh Sidhu, Chief Administrator of PUDA, said a large number of employees had availed the residential plot scheme till it was quashed by the court. “As far as pension is concerned, the state government employees who are on deputation to PUDA are getting pension whereas those who are not government employees are not getting it,” he said. He said PUDA was seeking legal opinion on whether a scheme for reservation of residential plots for government employees could be initiated. “We have not seen such variation of rules when it comes to implementation of a scheme for employees of the same organisation. We are going to organise a state-level rally in front of the PUDA head office on December 17,” said Jarnail Singh, convenor of the PUDA Joint Action Committee.
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171 villages selected for better sanitation
Chandigarh, December 6 An official press release stated that the move would benefit around 33,000 households in these Nirmal Gram villages. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said under the scheme, which is a comprehensive program to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas with a broader goal to eradicate the practice of open defecation, the Union government has allotted Rs 17.09 crore to these 171 villages, under the annual action plan for the financial year 2013-14. Under the project, 4,248 households in 24 villages of Amritsar; 7,372 households in 20 villages of Bathinda; 476 households in nine villages of Fatehgarh Sahib; 717 households in 11 villages of Ferozepur; 573 households in eight villages of Gurdaspur; 256 households in three villages of Hoshiarpur; 1,464 households in eight villages of Jalandhar; 1,287 households in 11 villages of Kapurthala; 3,856 households in eight villages of Ludhiana; 1,600 households in seven villages of Mansa; 741 households in four villages of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr); 5,201 households of 19 villages in Patiala; 1,874 households in 19 villages of Rupnagar; 2,211 households in 10 villages of SAS Nagar (Mohali) and 1,578 households in 10 villages of Sangrur district will be benefited.
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Investor Summit to be annual affair: Sukhbir
Amritsar, December 6 Addressing the media here, he said the summit would help boost the state economy as more than 30 big companies from abroad had sent proposals worth Rs 50,000 crore to the government. He said Punjab had identified housing, infrastructure, renewable energy, bio-sciences and healthcare, information technology, agro and food processing and textiles for investment. Inaugurating the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX), the Deputy CM said it would give a further push to trade with Pakistan. He said the state government had allotted 10 acres of land near the Rajasansi international airport for PITEX and other international trade expos.
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Cong pursuing divide and rule policy: Badal
Muktsar, December 6 “The Congress has remained at the helm of affairs for a long period since Independence, but it did not formulate a single welfare scheme for the well-being of disadvantaged sections,” he said during his ‘sangat darshan’ programme at Lambi in the district. The Chief Minister said people were demanding basic civic amenities after more than six decades of freedom. “The slogans such as ‘Garibi hatao’ have proved to be hollow, as many people are finding it tough to manage two square meals a day,” he said, adding that the only solution to all problems was to defeat the Congress at the Centre. Badal reiterated that the state was being discriminated against. “The state has been deprived of its capital, legitimate share in river water and Punjabi-speaking areas. Not only this, the Congress has dealt a blow to the Sikh community by attacking Sri Darbar Sahib in 1984,” he said. The Chief Minister announced that the government would give 50 per cent subsidy to the women dairy farmers for setting up their units in the state. “As the agriculture is no longer profitable, the farmers must adopt allied farming activities to supplement their income.” Expressing grief over the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela, Badal said, “Nelson Mandela was a great leader who will be ever remembered for his unparalleled struggle to emancipate the weaker section of society.” Meanwhile, in some villages, including Dhaula Kingra and Lalbai, activists of the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
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Bajwa gives lion’s share of MPLAD
Gurdaspur, December 6 The same school was given a grant of Rs 5 lakh in 2010-11 as well, in what is an example how the MP is allegedly distributing funds to his aides in his chosen seat of Qadian while ignoring the claims of residents in other eight segments of his parliamentary seat. Though Bajwa is quick to deny it, statistics show he has been doling out financial favours in and around his stronghold of Qadian from where his wife won by 16,000 votes. Political observers see this as an attempt by him to “fortify” the seat for his wife and his progeny. Elected in 2009, the MP has so far recommended 671 developmental projects worth Rs 11.76 crore. As many as 463 works have been completed at a cost of Rs 8.31 crore -- he was allocated Rs 14 crore. The fund does not elapse and is carried over to the next year. For the years 2009-10 and 2010-11, there was a limit of Rs 2 crore per year while from 2011-12, the fund was increased to Rs 5 crore a year. In 2009-10, he disbursed Rs 57.88 lakh for 52 works, a majority of these in the blocks of Qadian, Dhariwal and Kahunwan, all part of Qadian Vidhan Sabha seat. Funds were also allocated to Sujanpur segment allegedly at the insistence of his aide Vinay Mahajan, who contested on the Congress ticket. Bajwa claims he has distributed grants impartially, though figures speak otherwise. In case of Fatehgarh Churian seat, represented by the MP’s political rival Tripit Rajinder Bajwa, a mere Rs 50,000 was released in 2010-11 for a youth club. In 2012-13, 285 works were sanctioned, of which 108 were completed at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore. Of these, nearly 50 per cent were in Qadian, Kahnuwan and Dhariwal blocks, all three of which fall in Qadian Vidhan Sabha seat. Likewise in 2011-12, out of the 176 projects completed at a cost of Rs 3.52 crore, again more than 50 per cent of the works were done in
Qadian.
Extending largesse 2009-10: Disbursed Rs 57.88 lakh for 52 works, mostly in Qadian, Dhariwal and Kahunwan blocks, all part of Qadian assembly segment, represented by Bajwa's wife Charanjit Kaur 2011-12: Of the 176 projects completed at a cost of Rs 3.52 crore, over 50% were done in Qadian 2012-13: 285 works sanctioned at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore; again nearly half sanctioned for Qadian, Kahnuwan and Dhariwal blocks Elected in 2009, the MP has so far recommended 671 developmental projects worth Rs 11.76 crore
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Dowry deaths on decline in state: RTI
Bathinda, December 6 An RTI query by Pardeep Gola of Parasram Nagar here brought out that 143 dowry deaths were reported in 2011. The number went down to 118 in 2012, while 22 deaths were reported in the first three months of this year. The information is available till March of this year. Every district reported dowry deaths in 2011, while no such incidents were recorded in Ropar and Nawanshahr next year. Police say the reason behind the decline is stringent measures taken by the law-enforcing agencies and the judiciary. In Sangrur, the dowry deaths halved from 14 in 2011 to seven in 2012. No case was reported from the district till March this year. Patiala recorded a fall from 13 deaths in 2011 to four in 2012, while three incidents were reported this year. Ropar showed a decline from five deaths in 2011 to none in 2012. There has been a slight decline in Jalandhar from 10 deaths in 2011 to nine the next year. Ludhiana witnessed a fall from 18 deaths in 2011 to 14 in 2012. In Muktsar, the deaths came down from seven in 2011 to three in 2012. No deaths have been recorded this year. In all, five women were killed for dowry in Moga in 2011. The number went down to three in 2012 and one till March. In Mansa, the deaths declined from four in 2011 to three in 2012 and none till March this year. Though the overall number declined, some districts showed increase in dowry cases. The deaths in Amritsar shot up to 13 in 2012 from five deaths in 2011. In Bathinda, five women were killed for dowry in 2011, while six in 2012 and two till this March. This year, Jalandhar tops with four deaths, while Patiala and Mohali reported three deaths each.
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Spurious bio-fertiliser
racket busted in Moga
Moga, December 6 Agriculture Development Officer (Enforcement) Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar said he along with another officer Dr Rashpal Singh Khosa intercepted a canter (PB-03Z-9845) on the national highway near Badhni Kalan from which 1,500 kg of sub-standard bio-fertilisers were seized. The preliminary inquiry has shown that Thakur Chemicals Limited, Haryana (brand name -'karishma'), and Siska Chromin Limited, Mumbai (brand name - 'parmanu') manufactured the sub-standard bio-fertilisers. It was meant for sale in the state. Dr Brar said the government had not permitted the two companies to sell their products in the state. The company did not print the content of the bio-fertilisers on the bags. The officers collected the samples of the fertilizers for testing. "We have issued showcause notices to the manufacturing companies and sought a reply from them,” he said. Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Sukhdev Singh Brar said the department had banned the sale of bio-fertlisers till further order.
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Yet another NRI shot in Philippines
Phagwara, December 6 Running a finance business, Bahadur Singh is survived by his wife Rajwinder Kaur, two sons Harjit and Gurjit and his parents, all of whom reside here. The victim’s father, Mohan Singh, said he received a call from Manila yesterday informing him about the tragedy. He said as the family could not afford to fly in the body to India, he had asked his son’s friends to perform the cremation in Manila. Bahadur Singh had moved to Manila in 2000, six years after his marriage. He was scheduled to visit his native village this month-end. Mohan Singh said his younger son was in Spain and the latter’s wife and his two children were also residing with them in the village. Several Punjabis, mostly into money-lending, have been killed in Philippines in recent past.
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TV cast booked for hurting Sikh sentiments
Amritsar, December 6 Cmplainant advocate Jaswinder Singh said: “In an episode (on November 25), Parmeet threw ‘karah parshad’ in anger when Baani offered it to him. The ‘parshad’ is distributed on the occasion of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary after offering ardas for him at gurudwaras, so throwing it is objectionable.” He also complained that the female protagonist was distributing the sacred ‘parshad’ to the family members who did not cover their heads. A controversy had also erupted over the serial name, which was changed from ‘Gurbani’ to ‘Bani’.
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Drugs in jails: Minister hits out at
ex-DGP
Ludhiana, December 6 Shashi Kant had created ripples across political circles by blaming “politician-police” nexus for the supply of drugs in jails. While presiding over the concluding function of Punjab Prison Games organised at the Ludhiana Central Jail, Phillaur said, “I too condemn such links but Shashi Kant’s allegations are deplorable. He should have shown similar enthusiasm to stamp out the drug menace from jails when he was the in charge."
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After years, spotlight back on Sikh detainees
Chandigarh, December 6 Their stay behind bars for offences allegedly committed decades ago may not be legal, after all. Available information suggests life imprisonment in Punjab has been interpreted as 14 years (counting both day and night). The stay of a convict in jail beyond the specified period can be taken as illegal detention, unless the courts have specifically mentioned that life imprisonment in case of a convict signifies natural life. The background Whisked away by the police from Amb Sahib Gurdwara in Mohali after 20 days of fasting late last night, Gurbaksh Singh was seeking the release of six former militants, including Lakhwinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh and Shamsher Singh, sentenced to life for their hand in the assassination of then CM Beant Singh. Their conviction and sentence was upheld by a Division Bench of the High Court on October 12, 2010. Illegal custody Justice Mehtab Singh Gill, heading the Bench that upheld the orders, says the three, on completion of sentence, are in “illegal custody”. He says they have been locked up for no less than 18 years though life imprisonment in Punjab means 14 years. Justice Gill recalls that the CBI did not even seek the enhancement of their jail sentence, indicating that imprisonment for life was not sought for them. Former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Rajinder Sachar also says life imprisonment means the entire life of a convict. “Life imprisonment does not mean 14 years, which includes remissions. It means the natural life of a convict,” he asserts. Forthwith release Punjab’s former Director-General of Police (Prisons) Shashi Kant says a prisoner has to be released forthwith on completion of sentence. “They have not been sentenced to imprisonment for their entire life. If there is any legal hurdle, it should be explained to the common man, instead of bundling a protesting man in a police vehicle and taking him away,” he says. Prerogative of executive Human rights activist-cum-lawyer Amar Singh Chahal says they have made several representations for the release of former militants, but in vain. Describing the release of convicts as the “prerogative of the executive”, he says there have been instances where convicts have been released even before the completion of life sentence. Courts to decide A former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Sham Sunder, says its for the courts to decide whether a prisoner has undergone more than the prescribed sentence. “The law relating to the release of convicts has been differently interpreted in different judgments. One of the Supreme Court judgments says it means the natural life of a lifer. Under these circumstances, the aggrieved convict can move the court,” he says. The reasons A close examination of judicial files reveals that Patiala District Magistrate in 2008 did not recommend the release of convict Shamsher Singh on parole. The order said: “The statements of some well-known persons in the village have been recorded, who have submitted that convict Shamsher Singh was involved in the assassination of Beant Singh... If released on parole, he may again join a terrorist group.” What the law says * In the Swamy Shraddananda alias Murali Manohar Mishra versus the State of Karnataka case, the Supreme Court has asserted that sentence of life imprisonment, subject to remission, normally works out to a term of 14 years *
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in the case of foreign nationals too,has asserted that no one can be kept in jail after the completion of sentence, not even as internee. *
The court in World Human Rights Protection Council's case has asserted keeping a person as internee in jail on completion of sentence is not legally acceptable and may tend to deprive the person of his life and liberty in violation of the procedure established by law
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Art gallery on Sikh Gurus inaugurated
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 6 Addressing mediapersons, Makkar said at a later stage, the gallery would also include the portraits of prominent Sikh martyrs and saints, whose verses appear in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, prominent Sikh scholars, businessmen, sportsmen, scientists, economists and achievers in different walks of life besides paintings on Sikh traditions and culture. He said the foundation stone of one more academic block of the university, to be built at a cost of Rs 30 crore, would be laid in the first week of January by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He also released the second volume of the Journal of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Studies. Vice Chancellor Dr Gurmohan Singh said the journal, which is a refereed and indexed biannual publication of the university which contained articles by renowned national and international scholars on the theme “Truth and Moral Values” as laid down in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
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Truck falls off bridge, rail traffic hit
Amritsar, December 6 The accident occurred at 6 am after the departure of Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi. The truck fell off the bridge as the driver took the vehicle to a narrow stretch meant for two-wheelers and autos. Subsequently, the departure of Amritsar-Saharsa, Amritsar-Delhi, Amritsar-Brownie, Amritsar-Jalpaiguri, Amritsar-Bandra, Amritsar-Dadar, Amritsar-Jainagar, Amritsar-Pathankot and other trains was delayed. The arrival of Tata Moori, Chattisgarh Express, Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi and Chandigarh-Amritsar Inter-City Express was also delayed. Traffic on these lines was restored for a few hours after 2 pm. Work to restore normal traffic was underway till the filing of this report. Hundreds of commuters were seen stranded at the railway station. The error by the truck driver is bound to cost the state dear.
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Probe in 5,000 NDPS cases hampered
Patiala, December 6 It is suspected that drug peddlers, government officials and policemen may have worked in tandem to tamper with lab reports on the seized contraband. Highly placed sources in the Vigilance Bureau said the probe into this nexus might take another two months. As the entire staff at the Kharar laboratory is busy assisting VB officials, investigations into other cases have come to a halt. “We have conducted chemical examination of some samples on priority but thousands of others are yet to be examined,” said a lab employee. Official records show that apart from 3,500 samples, hundreds of viscera reports sent to the Kharar lab by various police stations across the state are yet to be examined. “There is a backlog of over six months as our analysts are busy assisting the VB probe,” said state hemical examiner Dr Rakesh Kashyap. A senior IPS officer said there had been no breakthrough in several murder, suicide and accident cases with the police awaiting lab reports. Patiala Superintendent of Police (D) Jaskiran Singh said they had urged haste in the analysis of drug samples recovered from notorious international peddler Jagdish Singh Bhola but in vain. The Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur police, In October 2013, succeeded in tracing the drug route. It claimed it had proof to establish the involvement of a doctor and his subordinates working at the Kharar lab. When contacted, Principal Secretary, Health, Vini Mahajan, while acknowledging the huge backlog of cases, said the government had already increased the posts of chemical analyser to three. Also, more staff had been deputed. “We are open to providing more staff at the laboratory as it is handling important cases,” she said. Looking back *
In October, Inspector-General, Border Range, Ishwar Chandra, had revealed that the Kharar lab employees had tempered with the chemical analysis reports of seized drugs, labelling these as ‘failed samples’ for a hefty bribe More seizures * Police officials investigating the Delhi-based multi-crore international drug racket on Friday seized 50 kg of precursor chemical pseudoephedrine worth Rs 50 crore in the international market. * They were tipped off by arrested drug lord Dev Behl and his accomplices Rakesh Tinku, Mohinder
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Investment Potential-Part III Agro processing The Punjab Government, in its endeavour to attract investors, is organising a two-day mega event, Progressive Punjab Investors Summit, on December 9 and 10. With focus on Information Technology, textile, agro processing and health and education, the government is hoping to catch up with its neighbours Himachal Pradesh and Haryana on industrialisation. In the third part of the series, The Tribune takes a look at the investment potential in agro processing sector Chandigarh, December 6 Food processing companies have long been eyeing Punjab for “farm-to-fork” projects. But government apathy, lack of will to create the necessary cold chain infrastructure and make changes in the Agriculture Produce and Marketing Act have come in the way. However, over the years, the political leadership and policy-makers have realised that the agro processing sector has a great potential in the state. Punjab has now come up with a policy for promoting agro processing, offering a plethora of incentives under its earlier policy on mega projects. Though the government received project proposals worth Rs 5,500 crore in the past seven years, projects worth only Rs 1,700 crore actually took off. And the majority of projects that took off were either distilleries (investing Rs 700 crore) or rice shellers (set up with an investment of Rs 650 crore). The government did not have the eco system such as controlled atmosphere storages, refrigerated vans for transportation and sorting and grading houses. Nor did it declare the fields as open market yards. But this sector is now set to get a boost. Distilleries, canning and bottling units and rice shellers with less than Rs 10 crore investment have been excluded from units that can avail of concessions offered in the New Industrial Policy. The government is encouraging more integrated food units/food parks that will procure foods, sort, grade, process and sell these. The rationale is that these integrated units will also buy the best quality produce by offering a higher market rates for the produce. Such units in the border districts will also get a concession limit of 125 per cent of fixed capial investment besides incentives on VAT, CST and electricity duty. Global and Indian food giants like the ITC ,Cargill India, and Mahindra and Mahindra are now showing a keen interest to set up base in the state. Figures say it all *
Projects worth Rs 5,500 crore cleared in the food processing sector since 2007 *
Actual investment in the sector is Rs 1,700 crore * Of this sum, 700 crore has been invested in distilleries and Rs 650 crore in rice
shellers. * Only Rs 100 crore invested in frozen foods units
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Body found in UK suspected to be of Sikh woman
London, December 6 The body was found from the Aire river and is suspected to be that of Seemberjeet
Kaur, the Telegraph and Argus reported. Seemberjeet (35) was a resident of Wibsey and a mother of a three-year-old girl. She was last seen at Roberts Park in Saltaire on October 23. She was reportedly under medication for depression. She was supposed to pick her daughter from a school but did not turn up. Her husband raised an alarm when the school contacted him to inform that no one had picked up their child. — IANS
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168 sewage plants on anvil, HC told
Chandigarh, December 6 The information in this regard was given to the Punjab and Haryana high Court this afternoon during the hearing of a petition on the flow of toxic water in Bathinda's 225-km-long Lasara drain. Taking suo motu cognisance of a news-report appearing in these columns on Bathinda facing toxic water threat, the High Court had in May 2011 issued notice to the State of Punjab. The Bench had asserted: “The news-item, Bathinda faces toxic water threat, appearing in The Tribune dated May 27, 2011, highlights that Lasara drain was built 45 years ago. It originates from Dhamot in Ludhiana and passes through Sangrur, Barnala and cancer-hit Talwandi Sabo. “The drain is around 225 km in length and carries toxic water, effluents of the factories and raw sewage, which is used by the farmers for irrigation as the water facility is missing. “Civic bodies in Tapa and Rampura Phul, Kot Fatta, Mor Mandi, Sangat Mandi and Talwandi Sabo are discharging raw sewage into the drain, as there are no sewerage treatment plants in the area. Farm scientists say the irrigation of vegetables and crops with toxic water is highly harmful. “If the facts appearing in the news-item are correct, the matter deserves to be looked at in the PIL jurisdiction of this court”.
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5 members of gang held with arms
Hoshiarpur, December 6 On a tip-off, the police arrested the accused, Vinod Kumar, Bikram Kumar, Inderjit Singh, Sanjiv Kumar and Lekh Raj - all resident of Mukerian - from a deserted place among shrubs on the banks of Bassi Gulam Hussain drain. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Narinder Bhargav said a country-made pistol, two toy pistols, sharp-edged weapons and black clothes were seized from their car. Police have registered a case against the accused under Sections 399 and 402 of the IPC. Lekh Raj was also booked under Section 25 of the Arms Act for possessing a country-made pistol.
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In depression, convict ends life
Hoshiarpur, December 6 Balwinder and his brother were convicted in a criminal case and sentenced for three years in jail. They were lodged in jail on December 2. He was in depression since coming to jail. On Friday morning, when prisoners were set loose in the inner courtyard, Balwinder went in the under-construction building of canteen and hanged himself from a noose. Later, head warden Satnam Singh and other inmates found Balwinder hanging. Police have recorded the proceedings under Section 174 of the
CrPC. Harassed over dowry, woman commits suicide Tarn Taran:
Harassed for not bringing enough dowry, a woman committed suicide at her parents’ home in Rajoke village, 45 km from here, on Thursday.The victim has been identified as Jaspal Kaur (24). Her husband Sujan Singh, father-in-law Baj Singh, mother-in-law Gurnam Kaur, brother-in-law Nishan Singh and sister-in-law Sarabjit Kaur have been booked under Section 306 of the IPC. Jaspal Kaur was married to Sujan of Dhollan village two years ago. The accused had been harassing the victim over dowry and was told to leave her in-laws’ house.
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Ex-CPS, wife booked
for liquor smuggling
Sangrur, December 6 Deputy Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Panthey said on a tip-off, they stopped a tempo, which was ferrying 108 bottles of liquor allegedly brought from Dhuri’s house. Two persons, Jaspreet Singh and Manpreet Singh, were arrested from the vehicle. The police said both the arrested persons had confessed to having brought the liquor from the house of former MLA. He said the duo was produced before the court of SDJM, who remanded them in police custody.
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Prisoner ends life, kin protest
Hoshiarpur, December 6 Balwinder and his brother were convicted in a criminal case and sentenced to three years in jail. They were lodged in jail on December 2. He was in depression since coming to jail. On Friday morning, when prisoners were brought to the inner courtyard, Balwinder went in the under-construction building of canteen and hanged himself from a noose. Later, head warden Satnam Singh and other inmates found Balwinder hanging. Police have recorded the proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC. Harassed over dowry, woman commits suicide Tarn Taran: Harassed for not bringing enough dowry, a woman committed suicide at her parents’ home in Rajoke village, 45 km from here, on Thursday.The victim has been identified as Jaspal Kaur (24). Her husband Sujan Singh, father-in-law Baj Singh, mother-in-law Gurnam Kaur, brother-in-law Nishan Singh and sister-in-law Sarabjit Kaur have been booked under Section 306 of the IPC. Jaspal Kaur was married to Sujan of Dhollan village two years ago. The accused had been harassing the victim over dowry and was told to leave her in-laws’ house.
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the 1,400-MW Rajpura thermal plant evokes hard feelings in 29-year-old Darshan Singh, a resident of Sural Kalan. Darshan’s family got Rs 45 lakh for their land that was acquired for the thermal plant.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the Investor Summit would be an annual feature.
Addressing the media here, he said the summit would help boost the state economy as more than 30 big companies from abroad had sent proposals worth Rs 50,000 crore to the government.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that the Congress had always pursued the policy of divide and rule for its vested interests.
Gurbaksh Singh’s indefinite fast for the release of former militants on “completion” of their jail sentence has brought to the fore legal issues, including legitimacy of their incarceration.
A truck loaded with sand fell off the Bhandari Bridge and landed on the rail track early this morning, damaging power lines and disrupting rail traffic to and from
Amritsar. As many 14 trains were reportedly delayed.
If an Right To Information (RTI) query is to be believed, Punjab has seen a decline in dowry deaths over the past three years.