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Cong list imbroglio may cast
shadow over Maghi Mela rally
Pillars being erected for a ‘pandal’ at the SAD rally venue in Muktsar on Thursday.
Tribune photo
Congress leaders seek President’s rule
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PPP: Probe minister’s role
Investigate Bhola’s charges against
Majithia: AAP
Kamaldeep Singh (left), media adviser to AAP, at a press meet in Jalandhar on Thursday. A Tribune photograph
PIMS docs call off stir, paramedics adamant
open school exam
The work on a railway underbridge in progress at Chak Badal village in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan. Tribune photo
68 contractual staff relieved by Punjabi varsity
SGPC no to computerised Granth Sahib record
Sukhbir Singh from Australia (right) explains the functioning of a software to Akal Takht Jathedar Gurbachan Singh and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar in Amritsar on Thursday. Photo: Vishal Kumar
Youth organisations seek employment policy, meet Guv
‘Land to landless’ rent the air at farm workers’ meet
Farmers and agricultural workers at a state-level conference of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union in Barnala on Thursday. Tribune photo
decked up: Virasat-e-Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib where the inaugural session of the NRI Sammelan is to be held on Friday. A Tribune photograph
Despite direction, govt fails to form probe panel
Will set up football league at my village: Canadian MP
Invest in health sector: Chowdhary
Complaint centre not set up, Chief Secy gets contempt notice
drug trafficking case
HC sets aside performance review report of PSPCL
On HC order, Legal Literacy Clubs to be set up in Fazilka
Patiala ex-Mayor’s son booked for attacking man
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Cong list imbroglio may cast
shadow over Maghi Mela rally
Muktsar, January 9 Even as the event is to be held in another five days, enthusiasm is lacking among the Congress cadres. Unlike previous years, the party is yet to begin preparations for setting up its ‘pandal’. The Tribune team visited the rally sites of the three main political parties and found no activity at the Congress venue, located on the Malout road near Rajpal Cinema. On the other hand, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and the People’s Party of Punjab workers have started erecting ‘pandals’. Former Muktsar District Congress Committee chief Gurdas Girdhar was opposed to holding the political conference. He had even written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Former MP and senior leader Jagmeet Brar and his ex-MLA brother Ripjit Brar, too, do not seem that keen on the event, both are miffed over the new PPCC. The trio had absented themselves from the party meeting held to discuss the conference. Some other senior Congress leaders of nearby areas, including Malout, Bathinda, Moga, Fazilka and Jalalabad, are also upset over the PPCC. It were these leaders who would every year bring a huge crowd to the rally. Sources said the Congress was aware of the disgruntlement, and may accordingly alter the size of its ‘pandal’. They said some state-level leaders too may keep away. But, newly appointed District Congress Committee president Gurmeet Singh Khudian said: “We are mobilising our supporters in villages and the work on preparing a pandal and stage will begin tomorrow. The area of the conference will not be less than three-and-a-half acres.” Khudian said though some leaders were annoyed, the party was trying to make it an impressive show. Akali Dal venue abuzz with activity Pillars for the 'pandal' were found erected at the Akali Dal political conference site (on the Malout road near the bypass) in Muktsar. A few workers were found giving directions to the labourers. The People’s Party of Punjab’s venue on the Bathinda road opposite the Police Lines too was being cleaned and levelled.
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Congress leaders seek President’s rule
Chandigarh, January 9 The PPCC president, Partap Singh Bajwa, and senior leaders Charanjit Singh Channi, Kewal Singh Dhillon, vice-presidents, Fatehjung Singh Bajwa, Aruna Chaudhary, Jasbir Singh Gill Dimpa, Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha, Rampal Dhaipie and general secretary Balbir Singh Sidhu called on Governor Shiv Raj Patil and submitted a memorandum on the allegation by arrested druglord Jagdish Bhola that Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was involved in the drug trade in Punjab. Bajwa said the Governor assured the PPCC delegation that he would consider the points raised in the memorandum. The memorandum read: “This is to bring to your attention that the already deteriorating rule of law has reached a flash point. With regard to the total failure of the Punjab Government and the state police machinery, we seek your kind intervention in this matter”. Bajwa told the Governor that Bhola had alleged that senior Punjab Police officials and senior state ministers were involved in drug trafficking. "There is a complete breakdown of the state machinery as the caretakers of the state are themselves involved in perpetrating such heinous crimes," the PPCC chief said. Meanwhile, senior Youth Akali Dal (YAD) leaders have urged the Punjab Government to order an inquiry into the nexus between the PPCC chief and druglord Bhola. Claiming that Bajwa had conspired to "shield" the drug don, Baljeet Singh Neelamahal, Parambans Singh Romana, Ravi Karan Kahlon, Barjinder Singh Brar, Jodh Singh Samra and Iqbal Sandh said a law and order issue had been given a "political twist" as part of an attempt to win reprieve for Bhola. “The Congress is waging a war on the government’s drive against drug peddlers. This is a war between the people and the state government on the one side and druglords and their sympathisers on the other. Bajwa and some loudmouth in his party are the key lieutenants in this counter-war. This war has to be won for the people of the state,” the leaders said.
Tarn Taran, January 9 The leaders held the ruling leadership responsible for pushing the state youth towards drug addiction. Protest demonstrations were held throughout Hoshiarpur district by various parties demanding a CBI probe into the drug racket. At Hoshiarpur, BSP workers lead by party leader Bhagwan Singh Chauhan held a demonstration at Naloyian Chowk and burnt Majithia's effigy. PPP workers demanded Majithia's expulsion from the Cabinet. They handed over a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner. At Tanda, Congress workers lead by MLA Sangat Singh Gilzian burnt an effigy of
Majithia.
Protests in Ropar, Phagwara, Sangrur Workers of the Congress and the Sanjha Morcha burnt effigies of the minister in Ropar on Thursday. Congress workers gathered near Bhatta Sahib and raised slogans against the minister. Sanjha Morcha leaders gathered at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Bagh and took out a protest march up to Deputy Commissioner's office. Hundreds of Congress activists led by PPCC spokesperson Nimisha Mehta held a protest in Phagwara. Congress men burnt Majithia’s effigy in Sangrur. —— TNS
Attack and counter-attack
"The Congress is waging a war against government’s anti-drug drive... Bajwa and some loudmouth in his party are its key lieutenants in this counter-war"—Youth Akali Dal leaders
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Investigate Bhola’s charges against
Majithia: AAP
Jalandhar, January 9 Talking to the media, AAP district secretary Himanshu Pathak said: “The Deputy CM has given a clean chit to Majithia without conducting an inquiry. Names of those surfacing in the drug racket, such as Bittu Aulakh and Devinder Dev, are known to be close to the SAD. “All the Chief Minister does is call for a police inquiry. How can a servant inquire into the conduct of his master?” He said the SAD’s alliance partner
(BJP) had been mum on the matter and should clear its stand on the issue. To strengthen the party’s executive and devise a poll strategy for the Lok Sabha poll, national convener Sanjay Singh will be holding a meeting of the state executive at Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here tomorrow. “At a meeting tomorrow, we will decide on the seats from where we will be fielding our candidates,” said party media adviser Kamaldeep Singh. The party would also set up a committee to screen nominations. Water and electricity bills, garbage disposal and bad roads top AAP's poll agenda.
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AAP begins campaign with Pathankot rally
Pathankot, January 9 At a rally here, they said the party’s political affairs committee (PAC) would take a final decision on the number of seats to be contested.They did not rule out an alliance with like-minded parties. The rally at Ram Leela
Maidan, organised by dissident Congress leader Davinder Darshi and Kunal
Baghi, grandson of former MLA Ram Sarup Baghi, saw an impressive turnout.
Darshi, who recently resigned from the newly constituted PPCC, joined AAP today in the presence of AAP National Council members Ramesh Mohan
Srivastva, Harsh Kalra and Punjab affairs in charge Harinder Singh. Senior Supreme Court advocate HS Phoolka said he would formally enrol himself as AAP member after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple. Most of the workers came to the rally brooms in hand. “We will cleanse the system of corruption with the broom,” said Ramesh Mohan
Srivastva, much to the delight of workers. The impressive turnout at AAP's rally has had the main parties in the state- SAD, BJP and Congress, worried, say sources. Chandigarh: Kultar Singh, grandson of the late President Giani Zail Singh, will join AAP at Jalandhar on Friday. Kultar Singh was sarpanch of his native village Sandhawa from 2003-2008.
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Chatrath to head Cong disciplinary panel
New Delhi, January 9 Chatrath, former Advocate-General of Punjab, was chosen head after consultations with all factions of the state Congress, party sources said. Also on the committee is Gurkanwal Kaur, daughter of assassinated CM Beant Singh. A former minister, she was not been included in the reconstituted PPCC. Her nephew Ravneet Bittu, Lok Sabha MP from Anandpur Sahib, is a permanent invitee. Gurkanwal Kaur had objected to rebels from the Akali Dal, CPI and the People's Party of Punjab (PPP) finding place on the new PPCC list. She had termed it as an "all-party list rather than a Punjab Congress list". She had also complained against the "poor" representation of women in the PPCC, pointing out that of the 111 office-bearers, only nine were women whereas the Congress had been promising 33 per cent reservation to women. The other three members on the committee are former Deputy Speaker Jaswant Singh, former MLA Bhag Singh and former state youth Congress president Rana Varinder Singh.
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PIMS docs call off stir, paramedics adamant
Jalandhar, January 9 Dr SS Sidhu, who was leading the protesting doctors, said Kapoor had accepted their demands. “The doctors will take classes, both theoretical and clinical, from tomorrow and we hope an early solution to the paramedical staff problems too,” said Dr Sidhu. But, efforts of the PIMS Charitable Society to pacify protesting nurses and paramedical staff failed to yield any result even as Kapoor held various rounds of meetings with them today. Though the PIMS management assured them of releasing their two-month’s due salary, they were not ready to give in writing, which irked the paramedical staff and they decided to continue their protest. The paramedical staff claimed they would call off their strike only after the management came out with a concrete solution to their problems. Sources said MLA Pargat Singh was in touch with the striking paramedical staff and probably there would be a way out by late tonight.
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open school exam
Faridkot, January 9 The decision has not gone down well with the private schools, which run study centers under the open school system. A delegation of private schools yesterday met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Education Minister Sikander Singh
Maluka, demanding their intervention in the matter, said Rajinder Sharma, president, Punjab Unaided Private Affiliated Schools’ Association. The basis of its opposition is that girl students would suffer the most as they would have to travel the extra mile to appear in the examination. The PSEB chairperson, however, said the examination centres would be in schools near to the study
centres. “The reason for changing the examination centres is to check cheating cases,”
she said. “The PSEB should have informed the study centres about the decision at the beginning of the academic session. At a juncture when examinations are close, the PSEB’s move will cause a problem for students,” Sharma said. It is alleged that some private schools collect up to ~10,000 from every student for giving tuitions and assure that students would clear exams.
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Work on rail bridges picks up pace
Abohar, January 9 Northern Railway assistant engineer Ashok Kumar Bansal along with Public Works Department executive engineer Sushil Kumar Bishnoi inspected the ongoing work to fix pre-manufactured blocks for the
RuBs. Bansal said the RuBs were being constructed at Chak Badal, Chak
Aboharvi, Budhranwali, Takhat Hazara, Hathianwali and Hiranwali villages. The RuBs will help to start trains on the new track. It is believed that Punjab’s ruling politicians own land in Chak Badal village in Sadulshehar tehsil of Sriganganagar district.
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68 contractual staff relieved by Punjabi varsity
Patiala, January 9 The High Court had sent a contempt notice to Vice-Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh and registrar Dr AS Chawla for not following the court's directions on regularisation of all 414 non-teaching posts and also asked the university to submit a reply before January 31. In an undertaking to the court on May 28, 2009, the university had assured they would fill the posts by May 2010. — TNS
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SGPC no to computerised Granth Sahib record
Amritsar, January 9 To give a distinct identity to every manuscript of Guru Granth Sahib, an Australian team today demonstrated a software before Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar. After viewing the project, it was discovered that some technical difficulties may arise in giving individual identification to each holy script issued by the SGPC as these have identical designs. The project is a technique of devising a computerised data base on the basis of a code generated as per the design of the holy script. At present, no such record is being maintained by the SGPC. Around 25,000 NRI Sikhs had signed and submitted a petition last year with the SGPC in support of the project. SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar said though it was an appreciable move by the overseas Sikhs to secure the sanctity of Guru Granth Sahib, it needed some modifications. Among those who designed this software are Prof Sukhbir Singh, Lakhwinder Singh, Gurbinder Singh, Inderjit Singh and Jaswinder Singh.
Kauni in trouble? Muktsar: SGPC member Navtej Singh Kauni is in trouble again, this time for wearing shoes while performing ‘ardaas’ during the foundation stone ceremony of a new gurdwara at Doda village in Gidderbaha. Kauni had earlier committed religious misconduct twice and flouted the Akal Takht diktat by attending Dera Sacha Sauda “naam charcha”. Kauni admitted he was wearing shoes as the ceremony “was held early morning when it was very cold”.
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Patiala, January 9 PPSC Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) MS Buttar said while over 33,000 applicants had applied for 120 posts, only 25,000 candidates submitted their fee. Among the posts are 23 of Executive Magistrate, 10 of Deputy Superintendent of Police, 16 of Deputy Superintendent of Jail, 52 of excise and taxation officer and six of tehsildar, 11 block development and panchayat officers and two labour and conciliation officers. He said the PPSC had introduced changes in the examination system in line with the UPSC. “We have done away with the optional subjects and now candidates will have to appear in four general studies papers. The mains examination will comprise seven papers, including languages and essays,” he said. The Chairman said they had also increased the aggregate marks from 1,000 to 1,500. “Earlier, any candidate could sit in the interview if he had scored 33 per cent marks in Punjabi. But now, we have made it mandatory to score 33 per cent marks in all the subjects. The total qualifying marks for SC/ST candidates have been reduced to 40 per cent whereas it continues to be 45 per cent for general category students,” he said. — TNS
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Youth organisations seek employment policy, meet Guv
Chandigarh, January 9 He said unemployed youth had to resort to various agitations to be heard. For the past several months, thousands of unemployed persons with a diploma to qualify for the job of linemen had been agitating for jobs. But the state government had turned a deaf ear to their demands. He said there were thousands of young persons with B.Ed but without a job despite vacancies in government schools. The unemployment allowance was a meagre Rs 150 for undergraduates and Rs 200 for graduates and postgraduates, Chadha said. If the state government did not frame an unemployment policy before the coming Budget session, the unemployed youth would take to the streets, he warned.
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‘Land to landless’ rent the air at farm workers’ meet
Barnala, January 9 BKU (Ugrahan) state president Joginder Singh Ugrahan announced this at a state-level conference. He said as the state government had failed to honour its promise of accepting the demands of farmers and agricultural workers, both organisations would hold a three-day state level dharna in front of the Bathinda deputy commissioner’s office starting from February 5. The demands include distribution of surplus land (more than 17.5 acres as per the Land Ceiling Act) among landless farmers and agricultural workers, writing off farmers’ debt, appropriate compensation and a government job to the next of kin of farmers and agricultural workers who had committed suicide due to debt, issuance of licenses to money lenders, plots and grants to needy people for constructing houses, and enactment of new Debt Law to stop arrests of debt-ridden farmers. BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said they wanted that state government should not acquire land of any farmer for any purpose in future. If the government did so they would oppose it, he added. Several speakers said liberalisation policies of the Centre were responsible for all ills faced by the farmers and agricultural workers. They said due to such policies, debt on farmers and agricultural workers, inflation, unemployment, drug abuse, and exploitation of women were increasing by the day. They said overall development in the country was only possible by implementing land reforms. The speakers further said that during the SAD-BJP regime, law and order had deteriorated, drug mafia flourished and incidents of rape and kidnapping increased as leaders of the ruling party had been found involved in several such cases. They announced that the agitation would continue till their demands are accepted. Among others who addressed the conference included state president of the BKU (Ugrahan) Joginder Singh Ugrahan, vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke, general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, Shingara Singh Mann, state president of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union Jora Singh Nasrali and general secretary Lachhman Singh
Sewewala.
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Punjab Diaspora Special
Chandigarh, January 9 While speaking to The Tribune on the eve of the two-day NRI Sammelan, Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director, North American Punjabi Association, said it was too early to comment on the success of the NRI police stations and the NRI Commission. Chahal suggested a narco test on all complainants to find out the truth. He claimed that not just Indian brides were fooled but NRI bridegrooms were also bein tricked into marriage. “In most cases, it was found that the girl's family had sent her abroad with an ulterior motive,” he said. Dr Gurdeep Singh Buttar of Houston, Texas, welcomed the efforts to provide the right environment for investment to NRIs. “But, we can only comment after seeing the results. As of now, several NRIs have their properties stuck up in litigation here,” he said. Sukhwinder Singh Kelley, President of the Sikh American Chamber of Commerce, said that 80 per cent of NRIs felt insecure about their land back home due to land sharks. Kelley, who now stays in New Jersey, belongs to Jalandhar and is willing to set up an IT unit in Mohali. But he is waiting for a business friendly environment. Jasbir Singh, a gas dealer in America, said there was a need to change the functioning of the police. Daljit Singh Dulku, Vice-President, International Punjabi Foundation in Canada, said, “If my dispute remains unresolved, then this might be my last trip to India. However, I want to tell the public, that none of the big proposals of the state government were implemented.” He alleged his relatives had usurped his
property in Bhin village, near Nawanshahr. Dulku’s case has been pending with the NRI Commission. Jaswir Kaur from Singapore too has a similar story to tell. She hopes to take possession of her property this time around. Another NRI, Daljit S Tatla from North Carolina, USA, said, “The element of truth is missing from the glamorous NRI sammellans.” Tatla said he was afraid of going back to his native village, Gorsian Makhan in Ludhiana district, due to a family dispute involving his ancestral property. "I don't know which agency can get me justice," he said. Some NRIs also feel that government initiatives needed to be advertised in a big way so that
the NRIs were aware of these facilities.
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philippines murders
Jalandhar, January 9 Justice Arvind Kumar had also asked the state government to submit a report on the killings to the commission by September 5. The state government has not taken any step in ensuring the safety of Punabi NRIs in the Philippines and not submitted the report to the commission. On January 6, Kulwant Singh, a 42-year-old NRI from Maheshwari Sandhuan village of Moga district, was shot dead at his office in Manila. Justice Kumar confirmed that no committee had been formed so far. DS Bains, Principal Secretary, admitted no committee had been constituted. “However, discussions are on to form the same,” he said.
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Will set up football league at my village: Canadian MP
Jalandhar, January 9 “When I used to play on these grounds, there was no professional coach to train us. The boys had the potential but didn’t have the requisite infrastructure. The club now has its own stadium with a Spanish coach,” he said. Sandhu further said the trainees were now provided with food, lodging and education here. “In the future, we are looking at installing flood lights at the stadium. We also plan to set up a football league this Sunday as the club has branches in surrounding villages,” said the football enthusiast. Apart from Sandhu, there are several NRI families in the village, who have been chipping in to promote football here. “Together, we are pooling in to meet the Rs 72 lakh annual budget of the club along with developing the infrastructure,” said club manager Gurmangal, who is also an engineer. The club has a boys’ hostel, a gym and a computer room. Sandhu further highlighted the role the club had played in helping drug addicts and children from poor families. “Most of the boys here are from downtrodden families. Had they not got this opportunity, they may have taken to drugs and crime,” he said. He claimed that India’s highest paid footballer Anwar Ali was from the village and had trained here. There were about 15 national and international players, who have emerged from Rurka Kalan, he said. Son of an ex-sarpanch of the village, Sandhu had moved to Canada in his early teens and did an MBA from there. He got into community service during his youth. “Since I have always taken part in the annual Gadri Babein da Mela to champion the cause of the victims of Kamagata Maru mishap, I made it to the House of Commons in Canada,” said a contented
Sandhu.
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Invest in health sector: Chowdhary Hoshiarpur: At the NRI Sammelan, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Santosh Chowdhary, today urged NRIs to invest in healthcare services in the country. She said the 80 billion dollar healthcare industry in the country, was expected to be worth 160 billion dollars by 2017. Chowdhary blamed the lack of regulation for the slow growth in the sector. “However, the recent introduction of the Clinical Establishments Act and its adoption by an increasing number of states will hopefully build a favourable climate for the private sector to invest,” she said. Chowdhary claimed there was immense potential for the health sector to grow and called upon the NRIs to invest. — Sanjiv Bakshi No LPG subsidy, NRIs unhappy Jalandhar: The decision to withdraw subsidy on cooking gas for NRIs in India has not gone down too well with them. They allege that the Centre was merely paying lip service to strengthening bonds with the NRI community. The Ministry of Petroleum has withdrawn the LPG subsidy extended to foreign nationals and embassies, NRIs, overseas citizens of India (OCI) in order to reduce the Rs 38,000 crore annual subsidy on LPG. Now, instead of Rs 433, an NRI would have to shell out Rs 1,313.50 for an LPG cylinder. US-based NRI Charanjit Singh said, “Where was the need to withdraw the subsidy when only a few NRIs availed it.” State NRI Sabha chief Jasbir Gill said, “Instead of taking such actions, the government should take steps to strengthen its relationship with the NRI community. I will take up the matter at the forthcoming NRI general house meeting in Jalandhar next week.” — Varinder Singh
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Complaint centre not set up, Chief Secy gets contempt notice
Chandigarh, January 9 Notice was also issued to Haryana Chief Secretary SC Chaudhary and Home Secretary PK Gupta for April 4. Appearing in person, petitioner-advocate HC Arora stated in the contempt petition that a Division Bench passed orders on September 18 to both the states of Punjab and Haryana to set up police complaints authorities in each district within three months from that date. But the respondent-states have so far not set up such district-level authorities. He told the court that separate legal notices were
also sent to the Chief Secretaries and Home Secretaries of both the states on December 24 demanding compliance of High Court orders. Arora said he received an email from Rakesh Singh on December 27 to the effect that he had called an urgent report from the Home Department. But thereafter, Rakesh Singh did not furnish further response.
Cracking the whip * The High Court has issued contempt notice to Punjab Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh and Principal Secretary (Home) DS Bains *
Punjab was told to set up police complaint authorities in each district *
The notice came on two petitions alleging willful disobedience of the High Court orders
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drug trafficking case
Chandigarh, January 9 In his petition placed before Justice Ritu Bahri this morning, Chahal said media reports and sensational claims of the investigating agency exposed “the unholy nexus among drug traffickers and persons occupying key positions in the political hierarchy in Punjab”. Chahal said a CBI probe was required in view of the “urgent need to unearth the unholy nexus involving officials, ministers, bureaucrats, leaders of political parties and other such persons occupying positions in the higher echelons of power." Taking up the matter, Justice Bahri issued a notice of motion to the state for January 10. The petition comes about three days after alleged international drug peddler Jagdish Singh Bhola claimed that Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia too was involved in the multi-crore drug racket. Chahal claimed the investigations being conducted were “merely aimed at sensationalising the issue without any real intent to reach at the truth”. He said the police, in the garb of investigations, had unleashed a reign of terror. His counsel Vikram Chaudhri said the petitioner was earlier running a transport company from Amritsar. “On account of serious disputes with a known politician and a former MLA of the area, the petitioner was subjected to various atrocities, including implication in false cases”.
Pressure mounts * The accused says a CBI probe is must to unearth the nexus involving officials, ministers and bureaucrats *
The petition comes a few days after alleged druglord Bhola claimed that minister Bikram Majithia was involved in the drug racket *
PPCC chief Partap Bajwa has announced an indefinite fast beginning January 21 if the government fails to order a CBI probe
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HC sets aside performance review report of PSPCL
Chandigarh, January 9 The warning by Justice Mahesh Grover to the authorities concerned to pass well-reasoned orders came in connection with remarks in the annual confidential report of an employee with the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL). It came on a petition filed by engineer Mohinder Partap Singh Dhillon against PSPCL and other respondents. Working as Additional Superintending Engineer, he had challenged the order containing remarks on his performance for 2010-11. Referring to his annual confidential report, Dhillon’s counsel had asserted that the immediate assessing authority had rated him “very good”. But the Director of Distribution and the final accepting authority did not accept the report. His performance was then assessed as “average” by the Director before the accepting authority agreed with it. The counsel said the petitioner’s grievance was twofold. Once the assessing authority had categorised him as “very good”, the authorities through whom the report was to be routed could not have differed with it; and in the event of a difference in opinion, they were required to give reasons. He also drew the court’s attention to a note appended to the assessment form, which said: “In case of difference of opinion reasons must be recorded by the accepting authority.” The respondents, on the other hand, justified their action by stating that the authorities were well within their rights to differ with the assessment made by the immediate superior and the petitioner
could not raise a grievance against it. Taking up the matter, Justice Grover asserted: “The remarks made by the Director Distribution, as also the accepting authority, are totally unsustainable. Once the instructions prescribe a particular authority to be the assessing authority competent to record the performance of an officer, the authorities empowered to accept such a report would necessarily have to give reasons in the event of their having a difference, which is in conflict with the perception of the assessing authority…. “In case there is a difference of opinion and the result of such a difference is prejudicial to the cause of the employee, certainly he is entitled to know
the reasons which weighed with the competent authority to record its differences. “An executive authority must not yield to the temptation of wielding the pen without displaying a mind of reason. A decision of an authority must contain reasons which can stand judicial scrutiny…. “The remarks inserted by the authorities prejudicially condemning the performance of the petitioner are unsustainable in the eyes of Law. They are accordingly set aside”.
The case * PSPCL engineer Mohinder Partap Singh Dhillon's immediate assessing authority had rated him
‘very good’. * But, the Director, Distribution, and the final authority did not accept the report and assessed his performance as ‘average’.an They also failed to give reasons for the decision.
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On HC order, Legal Literacy Clubs to be set up in Fazilka
Fazilka, January 9 During a meeting with principals and staff of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and B Ed and other colleges of the district, Chief Judicial Magistrate Vikrant Garg asked them to set up Legal Literacy Clubs and sent a report to him in this regard in 15 days. He said the strength of each club should not exceed 25 students. Garg, who is also the secretary of the Punjab Legal Services Authority, Fazilka, said the idea behind constituting the clubs was to develop awareness among the students about law and social evils. He further said the District Legal Services Authority would organise painting, slogan-writing, poster-making and paper-reading competitions.
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Patiala ex-Mayor’s son booked for attacking man
Patiala, January 9 The victim said he was attacked since he had been supporting the family of Parampreet Kaur, who died under mysterious circumstances in February last year following which an FIR was registered against the then Mayor Jaspal Pardhan. The police have booked Capt Preetinder Singh, his uncle Jaswinder Singh Pumpy, cousin Ekamjot, Ravinderpal Singh Bunny, Amarjeet Singh Anand and few other unidentified persons. No one has been arrested so far. The victim alleged that he along with Parampreet’s uncle Tejinder Singh Sodhi was coming from Anardana chowk when the accused attacked them. Claiming that the attack was directed at him, Sodhi alleged: “Capt Preetinder Singh has been pressuring us for a compromise. We had met Patiala SSP to apprise him of the matter. We had also written to the Deputy Chief Minister and other senior police officials, but to no avail. Today, while I managed to escape, the assailants thrashed my friend who often accompanied us while pursuing the case”. Talking to The Tribune, Capt Preetinder Singh refuted the allegations. “They had a fight with some other party. We were nowhere in the scene. Earlier, Parampreet’s family members had tried to implicate my father. Now they are trying to frame me. None of my family members or friends is involved,” he claimed. Doctors confirmed that Tarwinder Singh had suffered a fracture and got 14 stitches in his skull.
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The differences within the state Congress over the newly constituted Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) may affect the party’s Maghi Mela rally to be held here on January 14.
The SGPC has expressed its inability to adopt an innovative technique to keep the computerised record of Guru Granth Sahib script.
To give a distinct identity to every manuscript of Guru Granth Sahib, an Australian team today demonstrated a software before Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and SGPC president Avtar Singh
Makkar.
Representatives of various organisations comprising unemployed youth today submitted a memorandum to Governor Shivraj Patil urging him to direct the state government to put an employment policy in place. Dinesh
Chadha, RTI activist, who led the delegation, sought a “right to employment” policy.
To put pressure on the Punjab Government to accept their long-pending demands thousands of members, including women, of the Bharatiya Kisan Union
(Ugrahan) and Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (PKMU) today called for a three-day state-level agitation.
Punjab Diaspora Special
Canadian MP Jasbir Sandhu, who is here to attend the forthcoming NRI Sammelan in Jalandhar, wants to contribute in developing his native village, Rurka Kalan. He has been providing financial support to popular Youth Football Club at the village, where he spent the first 12 years of his life.
“For instance, the Rent Control Act has made little difference. Fed up with the long procedural delays here, some of the NRIs have returned to their countries of choice. It is not easy to get anyone evicted from your land. In some cases, local relatives of the NRIs moved court against them. Some give up the fight in order to save themselves from any legal tangle,” he said.