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Purchase tax on cotton likely to be reduced
Potato prices may zoom as rain damages crop
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Experts oppose stacking of wheat in the open
Balbir Sidhu
Cong grievance panel told to hold parleys, forge unity
Amarinder’s stand on CBI probe unfortunate: Hanspal
Capt dares Bajwa to take action against him
Capt, Bajwa let me down: Khaira
State of Industry Amritsar
Gurmeet back in Burail Jail
Prisoner dies in hospital, Malerkotla residents protest
Villagers detain cops for raiding house without approval
Bogus entries: 10 more tax inspectors indicted
Police: Chemicals used for making ICE seized
Gurdaspur cop designs
police website
Repair work on Batalvi’s auditorium halts, once again
181 helpline receives 1.17 lakh calls in 5 months
Akal Takht chief must keep his word: Khalsa
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose remembered
Asst Commissioner hurt in accident
Five-year jail for former bank MD
UK Sikh woman charged with theft of £1,20,000
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Purchase tax on cotton likely to be reduced
Chandigarh, January 23 The issue on reducing purchase tax by 0.5 per cent will be taken up in the next meeting of the state Cabinet. With this, the total tax on cotton in Punjab will be 10.5 per cent, which will include purchase tax of 4 percent, infrastructure fee of two per cent, arhtiya commission of 2.5 per cent and market fee and rural development fund of 1 per cent each. The issue of reducing purchase tax on cotton could not be taken up in the Cabinet meeting held earlier this week, as the agenda for the meeting was already prepared and circulated by the time this issue was discussed and finally decided on. The idea, say officials, is to ensure that the high quality cotton produced in the state is made available to the local ginning industry, rather than being sold in the mandis of Haryana and Rajasthan, bordering the cotton growing belt of southern Punjab. Though several cotton growers in the state often sell their produce to commission agents in Ratia, Sirsa, Kalanwali in Haryana and in Ganganagar, Sangria and Motilu in Rajasthan because of a tie-up they have with commission agents there, the issue becomes serious in a low production year like the current one. Because of heavy rains and water-logging in Muktsar and Fazilka (cotton growing areas of Punjab) this year, the cotton production has been hit badly. Officials in Punjab Mandi Board told The Tribune that the cotton arrivals in the state till date was 5.54 lakh bales, as against 8.41 lakh bales last year. “A number of growers are selling their produce in mandis of neighbouring states, which has led to a shortfall in cotton availability to the ginning industry here. Our estimate is that over 5 lakh bales of cotton have been sold in neighbouring states by cotton growers in the state. The problem this year has compounded with the low cotton production and the ginning industry that is on the verge of collapse is being forced to buy cotton at very high rates. As against prices of Rs 1,800 - Rs 3,500 per quintal last year, prices have remained at Rs 4,800- Rs 5,200 per quintal now,” said Bhagwan Bansal, a leading cotton ginning industrialist. He said that rationalisation of taxes and a similar tax structure in all cotton producing states was the way to go. Cotton shortage *
Because of heavy rains and water-logging in cotton growing areas of the state this year, the cotton production has been hit badly *
The cotton arrivals in the state till date has been 5.54 lakh bales, as against 8.41 lakh bales last year *
As against prices of Rs 1,800 - Rs 3,500 per quintal last year, prices are between Rs 4,800- Rs 5,200 per quintal now
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Potato prices may zoom as rain damages crop
Farmers put loss at 25% of cultivable area, experts claim it’s 5-10%
Jalandhar, January 23 Farmers claim the damage is in the range of 20 to 25 per cent, but experts put the crop loss at 5 to 10 per cent. Potato is grown over 83,000 hectares in the state with nearly 80 per cent of the area in Doaba region. The average yield of the crop is 24 tonnes per hectare. The average annual production is 21 lakh tonnes. Even if the damage is counted on the marginal side, it could be up to 2 lakh tonnes, a huge loss which could escalate its prices. The concentration of the crop is in Jalandhar, Kapurthala and parts of Hoshiarpur in the Doaba region and Jagraon in the Malwa region. In Doaba, potato is cultivated not only for domestic consumption but also for seed. Dr JS
Minhas, Head, Central Potato Research Centre, Badshahpur, said: “Since the crop was ready to harvest, the damage was more where farmers had irrigated their fields. Heavy rainfall of 45 mm in Jalandhar and surrounding areas has damaged the crop in areas prone to
waterlogging. The current weather conditions might also lead to a widespread attack of blight”. Parmjit Singh, Horticulture Development Officer, said: “The damage is more where farmers had resorted to haulms cutting (cutting of stems) to trigger its growth and maturity. In any case, damage at this stage will not be more than 5-10 per cent.” Farmers in some areas have already harvested their crop owing to high potato prices. Jaswinder Singh
Sangha, secretary, Potato Growers’ Association, claimed that over 20 per cent of the standing potato crop had been damaged.
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Experts oppose stacking of wheat in the open
Our Correspondent
Abohar, January 23 Speaking at an entrepreneur awareness programme on the Rural Godown Scheme here today, the experts said government agencies had pocketed crores of rupees as rent for allowing farmers to stack their produce in the open. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Union Agriculture Ministry organised the programme. “Tonnes of foodgrains have perished due to stacking in the open,” said PC Sharma, in-charge, Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering Technology. He suggested that foodgrains and other cereals must be stacked in scientifically maintained warehouses. Ministry’s representative SS Saggu said the scheme was launched to create scientific storage capacity with allied facilities in rural areas to meet farmers’ requirement for storing produce, consumer articles and agricultural inputs. NABARD district manager Rajesh Kumar’s address centered on the issues facing farmers in the context of traditional cropping pattern, dependency on monsoon, irregular flow of credit, stocking infrastructure and marketing. He asked the farmers to construct storage structures. North India Technical Consultancy Organisation (NITCON) Regional Manager Prince Gandhi highlighted the importance of the scheme and asked the farmers to construct warehouses in villages. He stressed on scientific storage of produce, and preventing post-harvest losses and distress sale.
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Mohali MLA let off in murder case
Patiala, January 23 The CBI submitted its report in the court of Special Judicial Magistrate Jaapinder Singh here today.The Mohali MLA was reportedly found to be in Delhi when the murder took place. As per the CBI report, the four accused will face charges under Sections 302 (for murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326, 324 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons/means), 201 (disappearance of evidence) and the Arms Act. “The CBI court has issued arrest warrants for Amarjit Singh and Jatinder Singh,” said counsel for the complainant Charanjit Singh Bakhshi. During investigation, Kulwant Singh and Amarjit Singh claimed they were at a wedding reception in Zirakpur when the murder took place. “ But polygraph tests and statements by witnesses proved that the accused were at the crime scene," said Bakhshi. Complainant Harjinder Singh had alleged that his father Rattan Singh was “brutally” done to death by Amarjit Singh. He alleged that the Mohali police was coercing him into reaching a compromise with the local MLA and his brother. The Punjab Police’s Special Investigating Team (SIT), constituted by the Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), had given a clean chit to Kulwant Singh and Amarjit Singh during case hearings by filing supplementary challans. In December 2012, the CBI registered a fresh FIR, on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, naming the Mohali MLA as one of the accused. The High Court transferred the case to the CBI. Rattan Singh was murdered on December 18, 2010.
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Cong grievance panel told to hold parleys, forge unity
New Delhi, January 23 Shakeel Ahmed, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, today conveyed this message to the committee members. The central leadership had on January 7 set up the committee in the face of a rebellion over the constitution of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC). Sources in the AICC said the committee members were told to hold talks with all senior leaders in the state and elicit their views. “The committee has been asked to talk to everyone, especially the disgruntled leaders. We want no heartburning at this juncture,” an AICC functionary told The Tribune. The panel is expected to submit its report within a month. Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Lok Sabha MP from Jalandhar (Reserved), who heads the panel, said: “We do not yet know what our brief is. Clarity is essential so that we can deliver what is desired of us." He was accompanied by senior legislator Lal Singh, also on the panel. The other members are KL Sharma, AICC secretary, and Malti Thapar, Punjab Mahila Congress president. Congress sources said the grievance panel's role would be vital in the runup to the elections as factionalism in the Punjab Congress was worrisome and a solution to the problem was necessary to send out a message of unity to the voters. Recently, at a meeting of district Congress committee presidents and Punjab AICC delegates, Rahul Gandhi had clearly said that accountability of members would be fixed. "The issues of rebellion are teething troubles which can be overcome with unity of purpose, which is to perform well in the Lok Sabha poll where the Congress holds eight of the 13 seats,” he had said. Crucial role *
The grievance panel's role will be vital in the runup to the elections * Factionalism in the Punjab Congress is worrying the party *
The immediate task for the party leadership is to end dissidence
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Amarinder’s stand on CBI probe unfortunate: Hanspal
Chandigarh, January 23 Addressing party members on the fifth day of the party relay fast, he said, “It is unfortunate that the former CM is opposing the party demand for a CBI probe into the drug racket in Punjab even though arrested druglord Jagdish Bhola had named Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia as one of those involved in the racket.” Among those leaders who joined the protest today were Fatehjung Bajwa, Sukjinder Randhawa, Balwinder Singh Ladi and Raman Kumar.
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Capt dares Bajwa to take action against him
Chandigarh, January 23 "Let us hear and see what he intends to do. Bajwa seems to be unaware that the PPCC comes under the CWC and not the other way around," Amarinder Singh said. He accused Bajwa of removing certain district presidents only to accommodate favourites in the PPCC executive.The former Chief Minister said there was a need for a comprehensive drug policy "as any one state cannot confront the problem alone and in isolation." Amarinder Singh alleged that the ongoing investigation into the drug racket in Punjab was concentrated on just one group, and "this group is only a cog in the wheel. The effort must be to clean up the entire network."
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Capt, Bajwa let me down: Khaira
Chandigarh, January 23 Addressing the media here today, he claimed that the Chief Minister, Deputy CM and state police chief had been consistently trying to nail him down on one pretext or the other. "Six cases were registered against me. A case in which I was accused of stealing tarpaulin was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.Three cases ended in a compromise. Of the alleged 30,000 cases against Congress workers, all at the behest of the SAD, not one has been taken to its logical conclusion," Khaira said. He said during the assembly elections, an FIR under Sections 341, 323, 148, 149 and 506 (for bailable offences) was registered against him. "As an afterthought, offences under the SC\ST Act were slapped on me to ensure I was not given bail." Khaira said despite representations to the Inspector-General, the police did not call him to record his version before preparing a case against him.
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State of Industry Amritsar
Amritsar, January 23 Also called Bukhara style (a place in Iran where the art is quite popular), the art is on the verge of extinction. Till 1995, Rajasansi used to export 1.5 lakh square feet of carpets in a month to European countries and Russia. The industry used to employ hundreds of skilled weavers from the town and its surrounding villages. From a full-fledged industry attracting investment from big business, it has now become a cottage industry. Some families have kept the art alive but prefer weaving carpets at their houses itself. Survey comes to naught
Ten months ago, a state government agency, Punjab State Cooperative Handloom Federation Limited, announced it would conduct a survey to look into the problems facing the industry. It also was to suggest remedial measures. But, nothing has been done so far. Those associated with the industry blame the government’s alleged apathy for the crisis. “The art is dying a slow death and the production has declined drastically… I once used to weave carpets. Now I work as a middleman for export houses,” laments Joginder Singh, an artisan. The art was reportedly introduced in Rajasansi by one Ahmed Butt in 1940. He refused to divulge the minutes of the trade initially. He kept the designs a secret. But, a handful of artisans managed to master the skill. Mohinder Singh was one of them. He further trained 10 families, all of them his relatives. As demand grew, the likes of Mohinder Singh were forced to train more workers. “By 1965, 250 families had learnt the art,” says Joginder. Loss follows profit
For several years, artisans did brisk business. Their carpets were in demand not only in the country but even abroad. But to meet the ever-growing demand, some artisans reportedly started compromising with quality. Weavers claim middlemen made artisans weave inferior carpets so as to increase their profit margin. “The practice did not go down well with foreign buyers. They slowly shifted orders to Gwalior, Agra and Mughalsarai carpet units,” rues an artisan. Paucity of buyers
He says a day when they had a huge stock but no buyer. “The Russians backed out on orders and defaulted on payments. Other countries followed suit," says Joginder. Says Kewal Krishan, an employee of a once-leading store: “No one can understand the loss better than me. The closure of our unit a decade ago rendered me jobless. I had no option but to change my profession at the peak of my career. Now I work in a jewellery shop.” Kamaljeet, the owner of another unit, now runs a crockery shop. He recalls he had engaged over 50 artisans by supplying them cotton, wool and other raw material. He used to market them in Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka and Rajasthan. Looking for other avenues
Another manufacturer, Harminder Pal Singh, says he used to supply carpets to Amritsar-based exporters. His artisans mainly comprised women of villages in Amritsar, Ajnala and Gurdaspur. He says with the generation of new employment avenues, his workers refused to work on handlooms, a job that requires precision of eyes and hands. He says on the domestic circuit, Jaipur and Delhi, which are frequented by foreigners, are the main markets. Daniel B Dass, coordinator of Social Economic Development Programme, an NGO that undertook "Endogenous Tourism Project" in Rajasansi in 2007, says, "In the 90s, a world view against child labour was taking shape. As child labour was rampant in the carpet-weaving industry, foreign buyers refused to buy carpets from here.” Exploitation of artisans
A 2001 study conducted by Ramanjit Kaur Bajwa, Associate Professor at Government Home Science College, Chandigarh, suggests that there were several other factors, including exploitation of artisans by middlemen, to be blamed for the crisis. She says artisans to date do not have direct access to the market to sell their carpets. She claims artisans earn even less than a daily wager. Artisan Sucha Singh says for weaving a 56 sq-ft carpet, two skilled craftsmen have to work 12 hours daily for a month. The carpet fetches around Rs 7,000. Of this, a major portion goes as wages to the artisans, thus leaving hardly anything for the unit owner. “The industry can flourish if the government runs the sector in an organised manner. Weavers should be given better wages. The government should also ensure the participation of weavers in handicraft fairs so that they can reach out to a wider section of buyers,” says Sucha Singh. (To be concluded) Glorious past *
The Persian-style carpet weaving was introduced in Rajasansi in 1940 *
Till 1995, Rajasansi used to export 1.5 lakh square feet of carpets in a month *
Apart from domestic buyers, carpets were supplied to European countries and Russia *
But as the demand grew, some middlemen started compromising with quality *
Foreign buyers have shifted orders to Gwalior, Agra and Mughalsarai Key problems *
Exploitation of artisans by middlemen * To date, artisans do not have direct access to the market *
Though skilled, artisans earn even less than a daily wager The way out *
The state government needs to manage the sector in an organised manner *
It must ensure the participation of weavers in handicraft fairs * The practice will ensure that the carpets are available to a wider section of buyers *
It should also ensure that artisans are not exploited and the quality products they manufacture is maintained Official take "Our (Industry Department) office has not received any complaint from the carpet industry so far. But, the Punjab Government is supporting all dying industries as per the provisions of the new industrial policy
" Surjit Singh, District Industries Centre General Manager
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Gurmeet back in Burail Jail
Mohali, January 23 Sikh activists Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, Harpal Singh Cheema, RP Singh and Satnam Singh Paonta Sahib met Gurmeet Singh outside the jail. The latter stepped inside the jail in the presence of the AIG, prisons, Chandigarh, Balbir Singh Dhol, at 4.30 pm. Talking to The Tribune, Gurmeet Singh said he wanted to return to the mainstream. “I am looking forward to my premature release. Except for paying obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, I remained at my house in Patiala. I did not violate any terms of the parole,” he said. Gurmeet Singh’s mother said the family was hopeful of his premature release. Dhol said they would first seek a report on Gurmeet Singh’s conduct during parole from the District Magistrate, Patiala. The report would be sent by the IG, Prisons, Chandigarh, to the Governor. If the report is positive, we will certainly ask for his premature release”, he said. Gurmeet Singh was released on parole on December 25, 2013, for the first time since his conviction in 2007.
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Prisoner dies in hospital, Malerkotla residents protest
Sangrur, January 23 With the victim’s body placed on the road, they alleged Jahid died due to negligence on the part of jail administration that was supervising his treatment. The protesters lifted the dharna at 7.30 pm after Rajya Sabha Member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa assured them of giving a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to family of the deceased. Dhindsa further said he would recommend a judicial inquiry into the case. Earlier, the protesters began their protest at Satta Chowk before moving to Madevi Road railway crossing. They were reportedly demanding strict action against jail officials and compensation for the family of the deceased. Gurjit Singh Brar, Deputy Superintendent of sub jail, Malerkotla, said Jahid was lodged in the sub jail on November 2, 2013 and a case had been registered against him on November 1, 2013 under the NDPS Act. Brar said Jahid, who had been ill, was taken to Malerkotla Civil Hospital on January 18 when he was prescribed medicines and sent back. On January 20, the victim was again taken to the hospital, from where the doctors referred him to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. He died there on Wednesday, he added.
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Villagers detain cops for raiding house without approval
Jalandhar, January 23 As per rule, police need to inform the village sarpanch before conducting a raid. Patara police post in-charge Bikram Singh confirmed that the police did not have the permission to raid the house. The police conducted the raid to arrest Balvir Singh, Avtar Singh, Charanjit and Amanpreet of Nauli village. They were booked under Section 452, 323 and 324 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in October last year. All are cousin brothers and living in the same house. According to reports, the incident occurred around 5.45 pm when the police party headed by Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Sulakhan Singh, along with two cops, raided the house. Noticing that the door was locked from inside, the policemen entered the house by scaling the wall. They, however, did not find the accused in the house. Instead, women present in the house locked one of the policemen in a room and held another captive for one-and-a-half hours.
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Bogus entries: 10 more tax inspectors indicted
Bathinda, January 23 This was disclosed in a departmental enquiry. The inspectors deployed to check tax evasion allegedly generated bogus entries in connivance with traders at inter-state checkpoints. The inspectors facilitated entries regarding frivolous sale and purchase of non-existent material to help traders claim Central Sales Tax (CST). “These inspectors connived with traders of Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib and Amritsar to show trade with non-existent dealers and firms in Himachal Pradesh and adjoining states to evade entry tax and VAT,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. A scrap dealer of Mandi Gobindgarh claimed to have purchased diesel generator sets, electrical appliances, including air conditioners, and machinery parts. During scrutiny, it was found that the inspectors had made an entry of three trucks to import material worth Rs 2.90 crore. The report states that it is not possible to transport all these goods in three trucks. The accused have pleaded that somebody had hacked their computer passwords and generated bogus transactions on their behalf. The officials, however, ruled out the possibility of hacking and stated the inspectors should have reported the matter to the police. The scam *
The inspectors deployed to check tax evasion allegedly generated bogus entries in connivance with traders at inter-state checkpoints *
They generated fake transactions worth Rs 4 cr to evade tax.
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Police: Chemicals used for making ICE seized
Chandigarh, January 23 He said a Punjab Police team had seized 42 litres of monomethyl amine (raw material for methamphetamine), an extremely potent raw material used for manufacturing ICE, 881kg of diphenoxylate hydrochloride, used for making lomotil, phenotil, momotil and 3,500 kg of O-chlorophely cyclopentyl ketone. — TNS
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Gurdaspur cop designs
police website
Gurdaspur, January 23 Inspector General (Boder Range) Ishwar Chander launched the web portal, www.gurdaspurpolice.com, at the Police Lines here today and lauded head constable Kamalbir Singh’s effort. DIG (Border) Lok Nath Nagra, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) SS Gill and other police officers were present. The IG and the DIG asked police personnel to become more computer savvy “in view the rising incidences of cyber crime”. Meanwhile, the Women Armed Security Protection Squad, comprising 21 woman constables, was introduced in the town. The squad was given nine Activas. Local businessmen had donated money, amounting to Rs 5.8 lakh, for the vehicles. “The squad has been divided into teams equipped with wireless sets controlled from the city police station,” SSP Gill said.
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Repair work on Batalvi’s auditorium halts, once again
Batala, January 23 This time, two Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders are locking horns to get their loyalists in the managing society entrusted with the auditorium’s construction. Former Cabinet Minister and society chief patron SS Sekhwan and SAD area in-charge LS Lodhinangal are eyeing a share in the pie. The Punjab Government has released Rs 1.8-crore grant for the reconstruction. To settle the matter, society president Dr SS Nijjar offered the post of society patron to Lodhinangal. He, however, refused, following which the construction was stopped. The official line differs from this. The construction was stopped following a row over the price of air conditioners (ACs). Dr Nijjar objected when price for ACs was quoted to be Rs 34 lakh. “The ACs are available for Rs 24 lakh from a private contractor. To spend Rs 10 lakh more is wastage of public money,” he said. The museum’s construction stopped in July last year and the 400 chairs are biting dust. Three decades after the foundation stone was laid, the structure is still incomplete, proving poet’s words true: “Eh lohe da shehar te, pittal de dilan de wasde ne lok aithe (This is a city of the wicked, heartless people live here).” In March 2010, on Batalvi’s 75th birth anniversary, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had promised to “re-construct the auditorium and provide it with state-of-the-art facilities”. Badal’s dream remains a pipe dream as red-tapism and political wrangling holding the auditorium to ransom. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhinav Trikha, who is also the Society Chairperson, rubbished the allegations that politics was at play. “I have called a meeting on January 27 to resolve the issue,” he added.
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181 helpline receives 1.17 lakh calls in 5 months
Chandigarh, January 23 Reviewing the status of the helpline, Sukhbir claimed he himself had checked the satisfaction level of a number of complainants. Dinkar Gupta, Additional Director General of Police (Security), said of the 1.17 lakh calls, about 38,000 were related to police inquiries and suggestions, and about 54,000 were feedback and follow-up calls. Gupta said about 42 per cent of the complainants were women.
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Akal Takht chief must keep his word: Khalsa
Amritsar, January 23 Khalsa said: “I ended my fast after the Jathedar promised me he would initiate measures for the permanent release of the detainees. He should not betray the trust placed in him. The responsibility for the release of the detainees lies with him.” The Sikh activist invited suggestions from the Sikh Sangat as to what he should do if the promise made to him was broken. While Gurmeet Singh returned to the Burail Jail today, two more will be back in prison on Saturday when their parole period ends. He claimed that a detainee in a Karnataka jail was being shifted to a Punjab prison. Lakhwinder Singh paid obeisance at the Golden Temple today before returning to the Burail Jail. He chose not to speak much to the media. Lakhwinder Singh, Shamsher Singh and Gurmeet Singh, convicted in the Beant Singh assassination case, were freed on parole last month. Lal Singh, another Sikh detainee, was released on parole in December last .
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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose remembered
Sangrur, January 23 Dhindsa also announced a grant of Rs 3 lakh from his MPLAD fund to build a memorial for freedom fighters. District president of the organisation, Harinderpal Singh Khalsa demanded a chowk in the city be named after Neta Ji Subhas Chandra Bose; and sons, daughters and grandchildren of freedom fighters be given exemption from toll tax in the state. Dhindsa assured them of taking up their demands with the district administration. Abohar: Various organisations celebrated legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary here today. Punjabi Sabhyachar Manch held the event at Government Primary School on College Road in Suraj
Nagari.
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Asst Commissioner hurt in accident
Hoshiarpur, January 23 Two persons were killed in as many accidents. A shop owner, Manjit Singh, died after being hit by a vehicle on Tanda-Hoshiarpur road. Surjit Singh of Sarhala Mandi near Goraya was killed when his motorcycle was hit by a school bus. — OC
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Five-year jail for former bank MD
Amritsar, January 23 The court had pronounced him guilty of the charges and had acquitted his wife on January 20. In a case registered against him in 2002, the court has sentenced him to five years under the Prevention of Corruption Act along with a fine of Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000. In another case, he was sentenced to four years along with a fine of Rs 10,000. Public prosecutor Ashok Kumar said all the sentences would run concurrently. Cane officer held for graft
Chandigarh: The Vigilance Bureau has arrested the Chief Cane Development Officer of Fazilka Co-operative Sugar Mill for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh for favouring an accused in a year-old case. Jarmej Singh Rara was arrested on the complaint of Jaspinder Singh. A Vigilance spokesperson said Jaspinder had lodged a complaint alleging that Jarmej demanded Rs 1.5 lakh for registering a statement in his favour. The case was registered during last year’s panchayat elections. But, the deal was finalised at Rs 1 lakh. The amount was recovered during a raid on Jarmej’s house.
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UK Sikh woman charged with theft of £1,20,000
London, January 23 Satnam Kaur is alleged to have stolen the cash from two accounts at the bank on Albyn Place, Aberdeen between October 20 to November 21, 2011. She will go on trial in June, with a pre-trial hearing in May, Evening Express reported yesterday. Kaur withdrew money in euros and deposited a 1,20,000 pounds cheque into her own account. She was sacked from her job after the allegations came to light, a BBC report earlier said. — PTI
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Potato crop over hundreds of acres has been damaged by waterlogging in fields caused by heavy rain in the past two days in the region.
A Punjab Government policy of stacking wheat on open plinths has not found favour with experts.
Speaking at an entrepreneur awareness programme on the Rural Godown Scheme here today, the experts said government agencies had pocketed crores of rupees as rent for allowing farmers to stack their produce in the open.
Former president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee HS Hanspal today advised Capt Amarinder Singh not to undo the good work he had done for the party in the past by opposing the PPCC in its fight against the drug mafia in the state.
Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira today accused Punjab Pradesh Congress (PPCC) chief Partap Singh Bajwa and former president Capt Amarinder Singh for not standing by him in his crusade against "corrupt" Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, especially Bholath MLA Bibi Jagir
Kaur.
Currently known for the state’s only international airport, Rajasansi, 15 km from here, once used to be famous for the exclusive hand-made Persian-style carpets.
Also called Bukhara style (a place in Iran where the art is quite popular), the art is on the verge of extinction.
On completion of his 28-day parole period, Sikh detainee Gurmeet Singh returned to the Burail Model Jail,
Chandigarh, this evening. An accused in the Beant Singh assassination case, he reached the jail at 3 pm. He was accompanied by his mother Surjit
Kaur, sisters Manjit Kaur and Varinder Kaur and brother-in-law Bhupinder Singh.
A large number of people today staged a dharna in Malerkotla when an
undertrial, Mohammad Jahid (32), resident of Malerkotla, died at Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala yesterday.