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assembly in session
land grab cases in ut’s periphery |
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To storm SAD’s Bathinda bastion, Cong, PPP banking on statistics
A year on, no end to threats,
says police assault victim
Now, Brar sees CM’s hand behind PPP-Cong pact
Bhagwant quits PPP, to join AAP
Fazilka hospital gets CT scan unit
Food scheme: Questions being raised over quality of pulses
Sikh youth reunites with uncle after 20 yrs
PSEB engineers hold dharna
Cops thrash conductor of pvt bus
Cheated by Facebook
friend, girl ends life
On fast for 6 days, nurse hospitalised
vienna violence
Govt extends last date to deposit house tax
Capt blames Badal Govt for denial of OBC status to Jats
Body found in canal
NRI police station set up in Sangrur
pseb class X exams
NCB submits report on its
infra in HC
4 killed, 1 hurt in accident
Principal’s body found;
suicide note blames ‘MLA’
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assembly in session
Chandigarh, March 3 The Governor said unlike other states, industry in Punjab had not been given tax concessions. He said Chandigarh had not been given to Punjab "as per the proposed government deadline of January 26, 1986.” The Centre must follow the Riparian principal on utilisation of river waters, he said. Mentioning the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Patil said the "wounds of thousands of innocents, targets of cruelty in Delhi and several other parts of the country, cry for justice." He said those responsible for the inhuman carnage were well-known faces. Yet 30 years after the tragedy, they had not been nabbed. "Innocent victims need to be provided credible relief and the guilty need to be punished," he emphasised. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said the Congress should not boycott the House proceedings. "They should discuss the issues rather than running away." The SAD-BJP legislators thumped their desks in appreciation as it was announced that the government would continue to provide free power to the agriculture sector, 200 units per month to the SCs and other weaker sections, cashless treatment up to Rs 1.50 lakh to cancer patients and bring an additional 16 lakh people under its Atta-Dal Scheme. The Governor claimed that Punjab today was the most peaceful state in the country. It had declared a war on drugs and had made substantial recoveries. He said the state needed Centre’s active support in tackling the drug menace in the state. The Governor made a special mention of the state government’s initiative to help meritorious students from poor families. Governor’s address
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land grab cases in ut’s periphery
Chandigarh, March 3 As the issue came up for deliberation this afternoon, the Division Bench of Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Fateh Deep Singh also made it clear to the state that the two interim reports by the Justice Kuldip Singh panel would be taken on record. The development is significant as it indicates the continuation of investigation earlier ordered by the High Court, though by a commissioner-level officer. It also indicates that the officer would take into consideration the interim reports and proceed further on the basis of the findings recorded by the panel. The Bench also referred to a three-judge judgment in Parkash Singh’s case on the powers of the authorities to deal with land grab cases. The three-judge Bench had earlier asserted that the state or its delegate exercising power under Section 42 of the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948, and other authorities under the Consolidation Act were tribunals of limited jurisdiction. The Bench of Justice SS Saron, Justice Rajive Bhalla and Justice SP Bangarh had added that the consolidation authorities “have no power to decide disputed questions of title in respect of lands, or any right, title or interest therein”. It was added that the state or its delegate may, in the exercise of power under Section 42, order correction of errors in accordance with law. While exercising the powers, if it was held that the land in dispute vested or did not vest in a gram panchayat “such an order would be construed to be an opinion recorded by a tribunal of limited jurisdiction”. The order so passed would not operate as res judictaa or a matter already judged to be binding upon parties or the collector. State counsel Reeta Kohli, on a previous date of hearing, had told the High Court that the she wished to examine whether the state was ready to confer power of the collector on a senior functionary of the state government to exercise jurisdiction under the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961, treating the report of the Tribunal as prima facie evidence of encroachment on panchayat land. Kohli also told the court that she would further examine the category of cases, which could be examined by the collector. This morning, Kohli placed before the Bench a panel of three officers for the purpose of appointment. The case will now come up on March 19. The directive
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To storm SAD’s Bathinda bastion, Cong, PPP banking on statistics
Bathinda, March 3 If one goes by the votes polled by the PPP and the Congress in eight of the nine assembly segments of the Bathinda parliamentary seat, the move to field Manpreet is a smart one. The nine segments are Bathinda-Urban, Bathinda-Rural, Talwandi Sabo, Maur, Mansa, Sardulgarh, Budhlada, Bhucho and Lambi. If the two parties retain their vote bank in these segments, they could have a lead over the SAD in Bathinda-Urban (4,110 votes), in Bathinda-Rural (12,347 votes), in Maur (25,011 votes), in Mansa (29,182 votes) and in Budhlada (22,937 votes). But the SAD will win in Lambi by 19,387 votes. Lambi is represented by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Manpreet has started closed-door meetings with heads of various communities in Mansa and Bathinda. He had lost the Maur assembly seat, securing 26,398 votes. The seat was won by SAD candidate Janmeja Singh Sekhon, who secured 45,349 votes. The Congress had got 43,962 votes. Gurpreet Maluka, Bathinda Zila Parishad Chairman and vice-president of the Youth Akali Dal, is unruffled by the statistics. “It is mere wishful thinking by the Congress and the PPP. Their vote bank has dwindled. The anti-incumbency votes, if any, will be divided between the Congrees-PPP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). This will benefit the SAD,” he contends. Congress leaders of the region are a demoralised lot. They fear the Congress may suffer its worst-ever defeat in the constituency. This indicates that Manpreet may not get the support of the Congress cadre despite the high command's diktat. Manpreet, it appears, would have to bank on his own ability to convince voters to vote for him. Sitting MP Harsimrat Badal had won the seat in 2009 with a margin of 1.20 lakh votes over her nearest rival Raninder Singh of the Congress.
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A year on, no end to threats,
says police assault victim
Jalandhar, March 3 Harbarinder alleged that she being harassed by bureaucrats, and that “her life had turned a virtual hell”. “Because of mental harassment and repeated threats, I am finding it tough to prepare for my Class XII examination, which started on March 1,” she said while speaking to the media here. “A day before the last court hearing on February 28, I got threat call from an unknown number to withdraw the case… My cousin Jagjit Singh who had recorded a 12-second video on his mobile phone has already succumbed to pressure and given up the fight. I have been struggling for justice alone,” said the Dalit girl, a resident of Usma village. Harbarinder claimed a vehicle provided to her for commuting had also been withdrawn as it was in a bad condition. “Whereas I use public transport, the CRPF personnel provided for my security follow me in their Gypsy. How can they protect me in such circumstances?” she said. The victim said she reported the matter to Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner BS Dhaliwal but to no avail. However, Dhaliwal denied that Harbarinder had approached him: “If she comes to me and gives me in writing, I will look into her problems.” Congress spokesperson Nimisha Mehta said she had even approached Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal seeking help for the victim. In April last, the Supreme Court had rejected the District Magistrate’s report and ordered a re-inquiry by then Commissioner (Jalandhar division) SR
Ladhar. Vehicle withdrawn Harbarinder Kaur has claimed that the vehicle provided to her for commuting had been withdrawn as it was in a bad condition. "Whereas I use public transport, the CRPF personnel provided for my security follow me in their Gypsy. How can they protect me in such circumstances?" she said. The victim said she reported the matter to Tarn Taran Deputy Commissioner BS Dhaliwal but to no avail. A day before the last court hearing on February 28, I got a threat call from an unknown number to withdraw the case… My cousin Jagjit Singh who had recorded a 12-second video on his mobile phone has already succumbed to pressure and given up the fight. I have been struggling alone for
justice
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Now, Brar sees CM’s hand behind PPP-Cong pact
Chandigarh, March 3 Questioning Congress' alliance with PPP chief Manpreet Badal, he said: "Parkash Singh Badal will ensure his son heads the Shiromani Akali Dal and his nephew walks into the Congress fold and slowly, but surely, heads the Congress. In a way, the entire state will be their family's possession". "PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa has not taken party leaders from the area into confidence before going ahead with the move. Leaders who have been serving the party for generations have been ignored," Brar said. He said: "I have already spoken to a number of MLAs, district presidents and senior leaders. They are feeling cheated. I will meet leaders of Ferozepur, Faridkot and Bathinda districts tomorrow. We will then communicate our resentment over the development to the party high command." Brar also said he was ready to contest the Lok Sabha elections against Harsimrat Kaur and claimed that he would defeat her by at least one lakh votes. PPP leader lashes out at Bhagwant
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Bhagwant quits PPP, to join AAP
Chandigarh, March 3 In a brief letter to PPP chief Manpreet Badal, he stated that he had resigned in protest against the electoral alliance with the Congress. “I worked hard for the success of the PPP and sacrificed my professional career. I stood with you like a rock,” Bhagwant, who wanted the PPP to join hands with AAP, wrote. Bhagwant, said to be close to senior AAP leaders, is likely to be declared candidate for the Sangrur parliamentary constituency. “I will shoulder whatever responsibility is given to me by the AAP leadership,” he told The Tribune. Bhagwant had contested against former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from the Lehra assembly constituency and had secured 27,000 votes.
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Fazilka hospital gets CT scan unit
Fazilka, March 3 Besides this, New Born Stabilisation Unit (NBSU), Digital X-Ray Plant, Modern Dental Chair and C-Arm Imaging Unit and a washroom block for patients were also thrown open for use in Fazilka, which is represented by state Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani. The total cost of the projects is around 4.5 crore. Jyani, who was instrumental in getting the projects approved, could not attend the programme due to the Assembly Session. His wife Nirmala Jyani participated in the event on his behalf. Addressing the gathering, State Surveillance Officer Dr Deepak Bhatia said this was the second CT scan unit in the state, the other one being at the district hospital of Jalandhar. He said special schemes related to free treatment for Below Poverty Line families — Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojna and Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojna — had been launched by the government. Under these schemes, beneficiary families were being provided free treatment up to Rs 30,000, he said. Nirmla Jyani distributed fruits to patients.
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Food scheme: Questions being raised over quality of pulses
Muktsar, March 3 Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Adaish Partap Singh Kairon and senior officers of the department launched the scheme on Saturday in Muktsar district. However, the distributed “chana dal”, with batch number CD-12, was packed in December 2013. It has been mentioned on the packets that the dal was “best before three months from the month of packing”. Moreover, the exact date of packing has not been mentioned. A large number of beneficiaries, who are Below Poverty Line and Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration card holders, are in a fix as to whether they should consume the subsidised dal. "I have a family of four persons and I got 4 kg dal for two months after paying Rs 80 (Rs 20/kg). However, as per the packet, it is not clear if is suitable for consumption (as the exact date of packaging has not been written)," said Kala, a blue card holder. District Food and Civil Supplies Controller Pravin Vij said, "I am not aware about the exact date of packaging of the chana dal. It is being distributed by PUNSUP." Satwant Singh Johal, Commissioner, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, said, "We deal with the distribution of wheat only and chana dal is being distributed by PUNSUP. However, if the dal being distributed among beneficiaries waspacked in December 2013 and is ‘best for consumption for three months after packing’, then it is a matter of concern." PUNSUP Managing Director PS Shergill claimed, "The subsidised dal distributed among the beneficiaries is fit for consumption. We have spoken to the company which packed and supplied it. The company had mentioned “best before three months after packing” but it can be consumed till six months after its packing. There is nothing to worry about and in the next supply of dal, the packets would be changed." Meanwhile, locals appealed to the state government to take the issue seriously as the matter was related to the health of a large number of people. Beneficiaries in a fix over dal’s expiry The scheme was launched on Saturday in Muktsar district. However, the distributed “chana dal”, with batch number CD-12, was packed in December 2013 and according to the packet, it is “best before three months from the month of packing”. The exact date of packing has not been mentioned.
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Sikh youth reunites with uncle after 20 yrs
Vadodara, March 3 Vir, the youngest of the three siblings, was left at children’s remand home “Balgokulam” here by his father Biyant Singh when he was about one-and-a-half years old since his mother had passed away and his father was finding it difficult to take care of him. Thereafter, his father went to Chandigarh along with his two elder sons and never got in touch with the remand home. After Vir turned 18, the remand home’s rules did not permit him to stay there any further, superintendent of Balgokulam Seemaben Yadav said. However, the authorities employed him as a guard. In the meantime, Vir’s uncle Santok Singh Tonk, a resident of Khodiyarnagar locality on Waghodiya road here, last week referred to his neighbour about his elder brother Biyant, who had died some time ago, and his missing sons. The neighbour then told him about a youth at the children’s remand home, following which Santok Singh and his wife met Yadav claiming that they were Vir’s uncle and aunt. Santok produced old family photographs and documents to establish the relationship to the remand home authorities. “I am very excited and delighted over meeting my uncle and aunty after 20 years. But I feel sorry to learn about the death of my parents and missing elder brothers,” Vir said. “Though I am a Sikh, I do not know my mother tongue Punjabi, which I have started learning now,” he said. — PTI
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PSEB engineers hold dharna
Patiala, March 3 Gathered under the banner of PSEB (Punjab State Electricity Board) Engineers’ Association, the protesters have been resenting the Punjab Government’s move to raise the retirement age of Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) and other Directors from 62 to 65 years. They are against the entry of IAS officers in the management. These steps, the engineers alleged, violated the norms set while unbundling the PSEB in 2010. Despite an agreement reached with the association, the government has failed to notify the PSPCL and PSTCL recruitment norms, they said, adding that engineers had been denied the differential in pay scale, while other employees had received it. The protesters said they would not perform the duties of their subordinates, and would also not work beyond their routine job hours. The association alleged that the PSPCL management had failed to show any progress in the execution of the 1,320-MW state sector thermal project in Mukerian. This is despite the fact that adequate quantity of indigenous coal was available, it said. The engineers said they would hold another dharna on March 6. Their demands
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Cops thrash conductor of pvt bus
Tarn Taran, March 3 The protest ended after constable Gurwinder Singh was suspended by DSP Sukhwinder Singh and sent to the Police Lines. Sources said the constable, who was travelling in a private bus, was asked by conductor Suraj Pal if he had bought a ticket. The constable said he was a government employee. When asked to show his identity card, he went into a rage. As the bus reached Chabal, the constable called his colleagues.They pulled the conductor out of the bus, brought him to the police station and beaten him up mercilessly. The bus operators parked their buses on all roads leading to Chabal. They gathered at the police station and raised slogans against the police. Unruly behaviour
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Cheated by Facebook
friend, girl ends life
Muktsar, March 3 The deceased, Sandeep Kaur, of Khunan Khurd village had recently completed her MCA course. The police claimed that Sandeep had fallen in love with Harkirat Singh of Karnal in Haryana whom she met through Facebook. The boy was reportedly engaged to some other girl. Disturbed over this, Sandeep consumed poison. She was taken to the local Civil Hospital where she died, the police said. Sources said the relatives of the girl had gone to Karnal today to meet the boy’s family.
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On fast for 6 days, nurse hospitalised
Sangrur, March 3 Sunanda was taken to the local Civil Hospital by the police with the support of her family members even as her protesting colleagues opposed the move. Dr Prabhjot Kaur, who examined Sunanda at the hospital, said she had been suffering from dehydration and problems related to starvation. The doctors said tests were being conducted to ascertain whether her kidneys were functioning normally. Arpinder Kaur, NRHM Staff Nurses Union state secretary, said another colleague, Ninderpal Kaur from Sangrur, had now started indefinite fast. She said they were demanding regularisation of their services.
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vienna violence
Chandigarh, March 3 The Claims Commissioner now has the powers to fix responsibility and recover compensation amount. The development is significant as the Claims Commissioner was earlier not having both the powers. The notification came nearly five years after fatal shooting of a visiting guru at a Sikh temple in Vienna resulted in riots across northern India. Justice Bali is to decide the claims furnished by the victims of large-scale violence witnessed in some parts of the state in 2009. Former Sessions Judge from Punjab, CR Goyal, has also been appointed as assessor-cum-registrar to assist the commission. A notification regarding the appointment of Justice Bali and Goyal was earlier issued by the Punjab government.
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Govt extends last date to deposit house tax
Chandigarh, March 3 Anil Joshi, Minister for Local Bodies, in a press statement, said to avail the benefit the residents would have to deposit the entire outstanding tax up to March 31. The government had earlier offered a rebate of 10 per cent to those who deposited the tax before December 31, 2013.
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Capt blames Badal Govt for denial of OBC status to Jats
Chandigarh, March 3 While Amarinder Singh, who is president of the All-India Jat Mahasabha, blames the SAD-BJP Government for failure to take up the issue with the Centre, Badal blames the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, alleging that the Punjabi Jats had been excluded, despite several recommendations by his government. Amarinder Singh today maintained that the Badal Government had made no such recommendations, which was a mandatory requirement. “I had asked the Punjab Government on several occasions to do so. Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra are the only states that failed to present their cases before the Centre,” he said. Accusing Badal of double standards, he said on the one hand the SAD had passed a resolution demanding reservation for Punjabi Jats and on the other his government had taken no initiative to achieve that objective. Badal countered the allegations, saying the Congress-led Centre was biased against Punjab.
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Body found in canal
Muktsar, March 3 Parveen Kumar, a resident of Kacha Thandewala Road here, had gone on his motorcycle for a haircut on February 23, but did not return. His bike was found abandoned near the twin canals (Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind Feeder) in Bhullar village on the Bathinda road. ASI Darshan Ram, investigating officer, said, "The body bore no injury marks. He seemed to have died due to drowning. The investigation is on."
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NRI police station set up in Sangrur
Sangrur, March 3 The police station will address cases related to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) of Sangrur and Barnala districts. Senior Superintendent of Police, Sangrur, Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the police station would function under the Inspector General of Police (IGP), NRI Police Wing, Gurpreet Kaur Deo. He said Inspector Sanjiv Kumar had been appointed the Station House Officer of the police station. Sidhu said the state government had strenghtened the NRI Police Wing by giving it more powers. — TNS
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pseb class X exams
Chandigarh, March 3 The ruling by Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia came in the case of Jaspreet Singh against the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) and another respondent. The petitioner was seeking directions to the Board to accept his application form and allow him to appear in the matriculation examination scheduled to be held in March, through open school system. His counsel had argued that the petitioner had applied on December 18, 2013. To substantiate his contentions, he placed reliance on a fax sent to the Board. In response, the Board in its communication dated January 27, 2014, asserted that the application was received on January 16. By then, the procedure for conducting and appearing in the annual examinations had already been completed. As such, permission for admission could not be granted. In the written statement filed in the court, it was submitted that matriculation examination in the open school system commenced on February 15 and the petitioner could not be permitted to take admission.
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NCB submits report on its
infra in HC
Chandigarh, March 3 Sources said the bureau was now claiming that it was capable of dealing with the problem. Before adjourning the hearing to Wednesday, the Division Bench made it clear that sometime was required to go through the contents of the report. — TNS
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4 killed, 1 hurt in accident
Bathinda, March 3 The car they were travelling in collided head on with a canter around 6.30 am. The deceased are Sandeep Singh, his wife Mandeep Kaur (both in their twenties), his cousin Amritpal (29) and Gurwinder Singh (27). The injured, Navdeep Kaur, who is Amritpal’s sister, is battling for her life at a local hospital. The body parts of all the deceased were severed in the accident. The head of the newlywed woman was found 12-15 feet away from her torso. She was sitting next to her husband, who was driving the SUV. Sandeep’s body was entangled under the steering in such a manner that a tractor had to be used to extricate it from the vehicle. Investigating officer (IO) Malkit Singh of Sadar Police Station said, “The deceased belonged to an influential family with considerable landholding in Sriganganagar and were on their way to Chandigarh to apply for passports,” Malkit said. The IO said the canter was loaded with industrial material and was moving towards Malout. A case has been registered against the driver canter, who escaped immediately after the accident. Fatal mishap
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Principal’s body found;
suicide note blames ‘MLA’
Ludhiana, March 3 The deceased had allegedly committed suicide yesterday. His scooter was found abandoned near Malaud Bridge. The suicide note was written in a diary, found in the tool box of the
scooter. Akali MLA from Dakha Manpreet Singh Ayali, however, has distanced himself from the controversy. He is the SAD candidate from Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency. Ayali claimed he did not know the deceased and learnt about the incident in the morning. Ranjit Singh’s son Paramvir Singh also denied having blamed Ayali for the death. “It is unethical to blame somebody like this. MLA Dakha could be anyone. I have come to know from some relatives that my father was being harassed by a woman clerk, her husband and another school principal,” he said. The police have registered a case under Section 306 (abetment to suicide), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intent in crime) of the IPC against Perminder Kaur (clerk), her husband Happy and Gurmail Singh, Principal of Government Senior Secondary School in Kalakh village. Speaking to a section of the media, Perminder stated that she had accused the deceased principal of indecent
behaviour, and that she had lodged a complaint with the school management committee, District Education Officer and the Chappar police.
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Jalandhar, March 3
Fazilka, March 3
Patiala, March 3
Sangrur, March 3
Bathinda, March 3
