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Tardy lifting leads to wheat
glut
Excise Dept chargesheets minister Ranike’s son
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AAP sting shows Akalis buying votes
Will move SC against Akalis: Bajwa
PPCC chief Partap Bajwa and former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal show photos of Akali leaders having attended functions allegedly with drug dealers, in Chandigarh on Friday. Tribune photo
SAD activists burn effigies of Cong leaders
AAP ends dharna as police
promise action
Jaskiran Teja, Patiala SP, offers water to an AAP leader on fast in Patiala on Friday. Tribune photo
Repolling in two Nabha booths today
15 booked for Tarn Taran poll violence
Can’t give funds to fight drug menace: Centre tells state
PTU notification to engg colleges scrapped
DNA testing of Ajnala martyrs to begin soon
BSF repatriates 2 Pak nationals
Farmer gets tube well connection after 23 yrs
Farmers rejoice Nakai’s elevation as IFFCO chief
Short of staff, Faridkot civic body loses ‘firepower’ to Kotkapura MC
Cong MLA Raja Warring’s video clip ‘abusing’ kin goes viral
Tankhah to Majithia too mild: SAD (A)
Sikhs object to headgear ban at American park
HC to consider narcotic content to decide penalty
Frame norms for NGOs in 2 months, HC tells state
Five years on, FIR against Jain preacher quashed
Will frame scheme for deceased farmers’ kin, state tells courts
Five get 10-yr jail for theft
Heroin worth Rs 1.5 cr seized
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Tardy lifting leads to wheat
glut
Fazilka, May 2 Sources in the Market Committee said of the total 18,89,420 quintals of wheat procured in Fazilka grain market and its 28 rural purchase centres, only about 40 per cent (7,41,070 quintals) had been lifted so far. As such, a glut-like situation prevails in the market. Ever since the procurement began a month ago on April 1, the speed of lifting has been quite slow. The tall claims of the government notwithstanding, sources said the lifting was yet to begin in Jorki Andhewali, Chimnewala, Sania, Pakka Chisti, Bannawala and Mahuana Bodla rural focal points. It has been learnt that a deadlock persists over the rate of lifting wheat between the contractors and the Food and Civil Supplies Department, which floats tenders. The delay has been causing worry to the commission agents. Due to the searing heat, the moisture content of the wheat procured about a fortnight back shall decrease by the time it is lifted. “We will have to bear financial losses for the loss in weight of the procured wheat,” said the agents. There is virtually no space in the grain market, which is filled to the brim with wheat scattered all around. In addition to it yet another about 6 to 7 lakh quintals of wheat arrival is expected within next fortnight by the time of the end of the arrival season. Sources said there was also a shortage of gunny bags with procuring agencies, including Punsup, Food Corporation of India, Markfed and Pungrain, operating in the Fazilka grain market and rural purchase centres, leading to hurdles in the procurement process. “The delay in the lifting has been brought to the notice of the Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Punjab,” said Deputy Commissioner S Karuna Raju. He said the matter was likely to be resolved soon.
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Excise Dept chargesheets minister Ranike’s son
Patiala, May 2 Department officials said: “We are merely complying with the EC directions.” Sources said Bhupinderpal had been asked to reply within 21 days. “We will send the officer's reply to the Election Commission which will then take a decision,” they said. Priyank Bharti, DEO, Patiala, in his probe report on allegations of liquor having been distributed at a SAD rally in Ghanaur, had indicted Bhupinderpal for “dereliction of duty.” He had recommended action against him and a liquor contractor. Bhupinderpal has been issued the charge sheet under the Punjab Civil Services Rules. “If he pleads not guilty, we will have to summon witnesses,” said an official. The DEO has said that Bhupinderpal had initially given him information that was misleading. He claimed his team could not establish whether the liquor brand shown in The Tribune photos had been sold by a vend in Ghanaur. Bhupinderpal, who had raided the vend, had claimed that he had discovered no wrong-doing. However, the final report recommends strict action against Bhupinderpal. for “withholding facts from the probe team,” said
Bharti. Looking back *
Priyank Bharti, DEO, Patiala, was asked to probe if liquor was distributed at SAD’s poll rally in Ghanaur *
In his probe report, submitted on April 20, the DEO indicted Bhupinderpal for dereliction of duty *
He also recommended action against a liquor contractor in Ghanaur
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AAP sting shows Akalis buying votes
Muktsar, May 2 The video, the party claims, has been shot in a village in Gidderbaha assembly constituency. A few men are purportedly interacting with village residents at a house in Kauni village, asking them to cast their votes in the favour of scale (takkadi) and get Rs 500 for each vote. A policeman in uniform too can be spotted in the video. Some people can be are heard saying, “Kaake nu de de. Sukhe nu vi dva de. Jihna di parchi hai oh lai lo. Eh Kala Singh di nooh hai. Ik vaar vote paa lo baad ch de dyaange. Ehna da naam likh lo. Tere kol 500 rupaye hai nhi. Ek vaar lyaayi. Takkdi te paa aayi. Gaddi ch chad. Chhad aaune haan. Hun vote paayi dhyaan naal. Parchi ton bina paise nahi milde… (Give money to Kaka, Sukha and others. She is Kala Singh’s daughter-in-law. Cast your vote in favour of scale (SAD symbol) and then we will pay Rs 500 to you. Note down their names).” The man who shot the video had first made a telephonic complaint to the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer, Muktsar, alleging that some supporters of SGPC member Navtej Singh Kauni were distributing money at Kauni village. Thereafter, a team headed by local SDM and several other officials went to the village to verify the facts, which has been also shown in the video. In the video, Navtej Kauni has also been shown speaking to someone over the phone, saying, “Oh ji, SDM Gidderbaha sign karvaun aaya. (The SDM came for some signature).” He later hands over the phone to the Gidderbaha SDM, who says, “Complaint hoyi hai. CD banaayi hai kise ne, bheji hai. Dikha taa ohne audio, video. Ehna naal kar lo gall (Someone has prepared a CD and lodged a complaint).” Later, someone says, “Chaar-panj bandeya ton likha lo ke either naa kise ne paise vande te naa hi litte (Get noted by four to five persons that no distribution of money took place here).” When contacted, Gidderbaha SDM Hardeep Singh Dhaliwal said, “I went to Kauni village on the polling day and spent nearly an hour there to verify the facts, but the complainant who had shot the video did not turn up. He was called again, but failed. So, I have not seen the video. But, the villagers present there said they had not accepted any money from any political party or person.” The SDM said, “Even Navtej Singh Kauni was called to give his statement as he was being accused of sending his supporters to bribe the voters.” On the other hand, the complainant, who did not wish to disclose his identity, said, “I was told to appear before the entire village and show the video, which was not possible.” Sumail Singh, AAP’s convener of campaign committee in Punjab, said, “The video was provided to us by a resident of Gidderbaha, which was uploaded on the party’s Facebook page to make the people aware about what happened during the polls.” He said Prof Sadhu Singh, who contested from Faridkot parliamentary constituency, had been told to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission. Kauni, when contacted, said, “I am in a meeting now. All I can say at the moment is I had no role in any incident of buying of votes.” What’s in the video *
A few men, believed to be Akalis, are shown interacting with the residents at a house in Kauni village in Gidderbaha *
The Gidderbaha assembly segment is part of Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency * There was a three-cornered contest between sitting MP Paramjit Kaur Gulshan (SAD), MLA Joginder Panjgrain (Congress) and Prof Sadhu Singh
(AAP) * The villagers, in the video, are asked to cast their votes in favour of scale
(takkadi) * In return, the villagers are assured Rs 500 for each vote; a policeman in uniform too can be spotted in the video *
During his Punjab tour, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had urged his supporters to expose illegal means like use of money and liquor to influence voters *n The video has been uploaded on AAP’s official Facebook page
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Will move SC against Akalis: Bajwa
Chandigarh, May 2 Addressing a press conference here today, PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa, said: “We will seek an inquiry by a sitting High Court Judge into the companies in which the Akali leaders have a major share and the 'conflict of interest' in businesses such as transport, the hotel industry and power as reported by The Tribune.” He said the SAD was bullying its rivals. This was evident from the attack on the residence of a journalist in Chandigarh and the attack on AAP candidate Dr Dharamvir Gandhi in Patiala. Bajwa said 22 kg of heroin was seized from a drug dealer in Dinanagar recently. A picture of the dealer released by the authorities showed Jagjit alias Laadi, a senior SAD leader, standing with the accused. Laadi had also been seen with former Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon's son and other senior SAD leaders in pictures published during the elections, Bajwa said. “The drugs mafia is active in the border belt, particularly in the Gurdaspur and Amritsar constituencies, and Majithia's hand in it cannot be ruled out. The Chief Minister refused to refer the Bhola drug case to the CBI and the High Court declined our plea on the matter. We are now even more determined to pursue the case in the Supreme Court,” the PPCC chief said. Claiming that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would get not more than 10 per cent votes in the state, he said all 13 seats were likely to go to the Congress. But former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said AAP had made its presence felt, "even if small”. She said there was no Modi wave in Punjab. " In my constituency (Lehragaga), his posters were removed by his own party workers," she claimed. Expressing dissatisfaction with the working of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Bhattal said he had not acted on complaints against SAD leaders during campaigning. Jakhar writes to DGP on Malout incident Muktsar: Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Leader Sunil Jakhar, who contested the Ferozepur seat, has written to the Punjab DGP to hold an impartial probe into the poll violence at Malout. Jakhar alleged that Akali workers thrashed Congress polling agent Paramjit Singh when he was returning home. “Paramjit saved his life by taking shelter at a friend's house. The election observer and the election officer were informed about the incident. But the police took away Paramjit and released him later only after Congress workers protested,”Jhakar said. He said the following day, a case under Section 307 of the IPC was registered against seven Congress workers. Jakhar asked the DGP to ensure that the Congress workers were not harassed. — TNS
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SAD activists burn effigies of Cong leaders
Muktsar, May 2 The SAD Gidderbaha constituency in charge, Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, said they would approach the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Muktsar, and seek action against the Congress leaders. He denied he or any SAD supporter had tried to capture polling booths in Gidderbaha. Instead, he pointed an accusing finger at Warring.
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AAP ends dharna as police
promise action
Patiala, May 2 Dr Gandhi warned the administration that the party would resume the agitation if the police did not act on their complaint. Dr Gandhi met Superintendent of Police (Detective) Jaskiran Teja late in the evening and agreed on a compromise. “We have asked the police to register an FIR under Section 307 (attempt to murder) against SAD workers who attacked AAP supporters Kartar Singh and Shamsher Singh in Jalalabad village. “The police have assured us that they will include the relevant Sections in the FIR already registered against SAD councillor Rajinder Virk after they have recorded the statements of witnesses and received a medical report on the injuries suffered by the two AAP activists,” Gandhi told the media. Kartar Singh, who has a head injury, is yet to be discharged from the PGIMER, Chandigarh. Earlier in the day, AAP workers sat on a relay fast outside the DC's office and raised slogans.
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Repolling in two Nabha booths today
Chandigarh, May 2 The repoll will be held at Government Boys School, Doda (Booth No. 90) and Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Nabha (Booth No.140) tomorrow. The timings are from 7am to 6 pm. These polling stations are located in the Nabha Assembly segment, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) VK Singh. Department sources said they had received complaints regarding faulty keys. “When a voter pressed a key in favour of a specific party, the machine would show the ballot having been cast for another party,” the sources said. Another EVM had developed a snag even as the polling was on. Arrangements for the repoll have been made.
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15 booked for Tarn Taran poll violence
Tarn Taran, May 2 In the first case, one Sarabjit Singh complained to the police that the accused had beaten him up severely when he had gone to cast his vote on April 30. The accused, Gurmail Singh, Amrinder Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Mohan Lal, Karandeep Sodhi and their five accomplices, have been booked under Sections 307, 324, 323, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC. In the second incident, one Ranbir Singh of Bhagupur village alleged that accused assaulted him at the polling booth and removed his turban. The accused have been identified as Beera Singh, Rajkaran Singh, Karanjit Singh, Garman Sethi and their unidentified accomplice, all are from the same village. They have been booked under Sections 295, 341, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC. — OC
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Can’t give funds to fight drug menace: Centre tells state
Chandigarh, May 2 In a letter addressed to Special Senior Standing Central Government Counsel Onkar Singh Batalvi, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has asserted that the “state Drug Control Department and their official machinery are exclusive affairs of the state governments… “It is, therefore, not possible for the Central Government to consider any financial assistance to the government of Punjab for the purpose”. At the same time, the Ministry gave the assurance that a new scheme was in the offing, though its implementation would take time. The letter said the ministry has proposed to start a new scheme for strengthening the state’s Drug Regulatory System during the twelfth five year plan, but the scheme had been delayed for want of approval by the Union Ministry of Finance. The development is significant as the observations, during the hearing of the drug menace case, come at a time when the problem in Punjab is an election issue. Just before the votes were polled, the ruling combine candidates were facing uneasy questions over the alleged involvement of political machinery in the distribution of drugs. Both the Congress and the Aam Admi Party have, in fact, been training their guns at the coalition on the drugs issue in the run-up to the parliamentary polls. State’s former Director-General of Police Shashi Kant too has claimed that drug smuggling worth over Rs 60,000 crore takes place annually in the state; and the money goes into funding the elections. Rahul Gandhi had also caused a controversy by saying that “out of every 10 youths in Punjab, seven are into drugs.” The High Court has already ruled that the tendency and frequency of selling narcotics to ruin students, including girls, is “tremendously increasing”; and has called for curbing the menace with a heavy hand.
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PTU notification to engg colleges scrapped
Jalandhar, May 2 Rakesh Verma, Secretary, Technical Education, today said the PTU’s notification issued on February 24 had been cancelled and a new notification for conducting centralised online admission to all colleges of the state would be issued soon. Verma said the decision had been taken after it was being felt that it would not be practically to allow so many colleges to conduct admission at the same time as this could lead to chaos and harassment of students and their parents. Going by the new decision, the PTU will be conducting online centralised admission the way it had been doing till the last year. The National Informatics Centre which had been earlier given the contract for conducting admissions would be assigned the job again. The decision has come at a time when the private-affiliated colleges of the university had hired IT companies to conduct online admission at their own level. The PTU, at its own end, had also authorised Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, Ferozepur, to conduct admission for all government engineering colleges of the state, including Gurdaspur's Beant College of Engineering and Technology, Malout Institute of Management and Information Technology and Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology Lehragaga. The university had decided to restrict itself to conduct admission for only 15 per cent of reserved seats in all colleges under the outside state quota. The Vice-Chancellors of other state universities, including Guru Nanak Dev University and Punjabi University, and owners of private colleges of the state had been mounting pressure on the PTU to allow them to conduct admission on their own after which the PTU had issued the notification. The copy of the notification is still posted on the PTU's website. The decision of the universities has been undone after the directorate of technical education had received representations that a decision to allow the colleges to hold admission independently would lead to clash of schedule and too much running around of parents to seek admission of their wards in the more preferred colleges. The officials of the directorate said that even a Supreme Court judgement on the issue called for centralised admission for ensuring allotment of seats on merit which had to be adhered to, they said, adding that even Haryana was going in for centralised admission. What’s the matter *n As per the notification, PTU had empowered its 100-plus affiliated engineering colleges to independently conduct admissions to the B Tech course *
A new notification for conducting centralised online admission to all colleges of the state will be issued soon *
The decision was taken after it was felt that it would not be practical to allow so many colleges to conduct admission at the same time.
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DNA testing of Ajnala martyrs to begin soon
Amritsar, May 2 While the initial testing would be done by experts from Panjab University (Chandigarh), the final examination and DNA testing would be done at a Hyderabad laboratory. A committee, comprising members of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Punjab’s Cultural Affairs Department and Panjab University’s experts on forensic science and anthropology, have taken the mortal remains into their possession. The panel has urged the Punjab Government for providing some space in the university to conduct DNA tests and preparing biological profiles of the martyrs. “The government is in talks with the university Vice-Chancellor and a decision on this is likely soon,” said Dr Jagminder Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Panjab University. The department officials had visited the site and taken the remains into their possession. SS Channy, Principal Secretary, Cultural Affairs and Archaeology Department, Punjab, said he had spoken to the Vice-Chancellor for providing space to the team, and that “hopefully some arrangement would be made soon”. He said the DNA testing was likely to establish the age, gender and physique of the martyrs who laid down their lives during the uprising. Remains damaged
Dr Jagminder Singh, Assistant Professor at Panjab University, said a majority of the remains had been damaged due to unscientific excavation of the well. Scientifically, he said, it would have taken around three months to dig out the remains, which otherwise were excavated in a mere three days by the Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Management Committee. He said two boxes of bones and teeth, which were in somewhat good condition, had been preserved and deposited with the Department of Cultural Affairs. The excavation team, which worked under the supervision of Surinder Kochhar, a historian, had found 90 skulls, 170 jaws, more than 5,000 teeth, Re 1 coin of East India Company, two Victoria medals, three lockets and some jewellery from the well, dug up in February. About the martyrs Around 500 soldiers are said to have revolted at Mian Mir Cantonment in Lahore as part of the 1857 uprising and swam across the Ravi to reach Ajnala. Of them, 218 were killed by the British at Dadian Sofian village, near here, while the remaining 282 were incarcerated in a cage-like room, where many of them died of asphyxiation. The rest were shot dead before their bodies being thrown in the well, which later came to be known as Kalianwala Khu as the British used to call Indians “kale” (black). Several Punjabi NRIs in Britain, besides British Parliamentarians, have urged the UK Government to list out the names of the martyrs who were killed during the 1857 mutiny.
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BSF repatriates 2 Pak nationals
Amritsar, May 2 Nothing objectionable was found from their possession during interrogation, said the BSF authorities in a press statement issued here. Those handed over to Pakistan Satluj Rangers are Roshan (28) and Sajid Ali (23), both residents of Karachi. The BSF authorities said during interrogation, it was found that the duo inadvertently crossers. Hence, they were repatriated to their home country. — TNS
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Nakai is IFFCO chairman
Chandigarh, May 2 The cooperative is one of the largest bodies in the country supplying fertilisers to farmers. It has around 45,0000 agricultural cooperative societies as its member. Belonging to Rampura Phul in Bathinda district, Nakai has earlier served as IFFCO’s vice-chairman for three terms. The chairman is elected by the Board of Directors. He is also the chairman of the Malwa Fruit and Vegetable Cooperative Marketing-cum-Procurement Society Nakai said cooperative institutions were facing challenges on account of the global slowdown. “But, IFFCO is committed to serve the farmers and will play an active role to guide them for judicious and effective use of chemical fertilisers,” he said.
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PPSC chief Buttar retires
Patiala, May 2 During Buttar’s reign, the PPSC introduced changes in the syllabus and the pattern of the Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Exams in line with the Union Public Service Commission. The optional subjects were done away with and the candidates had to appear in four general studies papers. Moreover, the aggregate marks were increased from 1,000 to 1,500. The PPSC also made it mandatory for the candidates to score 33 per cent marks in all the subjects in order to appear for the interview. “Without the support of other commission members, I would not have been able to effect the changes in the pattern of the exam and select the deserving candidates,” Buttar added.
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Farmer gets tube well connection after 23 yrs
Ropar, May 2 Mahal directed Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to release the tube well connection within 30 days and pay Rs 5,000 as cost. If the PSPCL fails to do this, it would have to pay Rs 1,00,000 as compensation to the applicant. The court said that the delay had caused the farmer financial loss and mental harassment. It was held that the petitioner’s land, if irrigated, would have given him a much higher yield and the PSPCL was liable to compensate the loss. Gurmail Singh of Bajroor village and a co-sharer in the land had applied for a tube well connection on June 4, 1991. Later, Gurmukh Singh, one of the co-sharers, allegedly approached the PSPCL alleging that he never consented for the connection and the NOC did not bear his signature. The PSPCL, therefore, issued a notice to the applicant to submit fresh consent of all the co-sharers. The applicant therefore filed the application before Permanent Lok Adalat to direct the PSPCL to release the tube well connection. The SDO, the PSPCL opposed the application on the grounds that the co-sharer had never given consent and therefore the connection could not be released. The Lok Adalat stated that the PSPCL did not produce Gurmukh Singh or his affidavit to prove if he had not given his consent or opposed the release of the connection. It was also held where the land was in joint possession of co-owners, the NOC of other co-owners was not required. Gurmukh Singh was proved to have submitted the NOC and so he could not withdraw the same. Case file *
Gurmail Singh of Bajroor village and a co-sharer in the land had applied for a tube well connection on June 4, 1991 *
The PSPCL opposed the application on the grounds that the co-sharer had never given consent *
The Lok Adalat said where the land was in joint possession of co-owners, the NOC of other co-owners was not required
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Farmers rejoice Nakai’s elevation as IFFCO chief
Abohar, May 2 The election of chairperson and other members of the IFFCO board are held after every five years. Nakai hails from Rampura Phul town in the Malwa region and has served three terms as the vice-chairperson in the premier organisation. He is a prominent farmer and has been contributing to the cooperative movement for the past three decades. He was instrumental in formulating farmer-oriented policies. “I am overwhelmed by the trust that the Board of Directors has placed in me. With changes in the policy environment, especially in the fertiliser sector, and turbulence in the world economy, farmer institutions such as IFFCO face some challenges. But I have faith in my team and together we can weather any storm,” Nakai told The Tribune over phone. He assured that IFFCO would continue working for the betterment and uplift of the Indian farmers and expand its footprints within and outside the country.
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Short of staff, Faridkot civic body loses ‘firepower’ to Kotkapura MC
Faridkot, May 2 The Faridkot MC has put up a public notice at its main gate, stating that the fire tender had been given to the Kotkapura MC as there was no firefighter to operate the machine in Faridkot. But the Kotkapura MC has a problem of its own. In a financial mess, the MC is unable to repair its three fire tenders, lying in an abandoned condition for a long time. So the ‘gifted’ fire-fighting machine adds to the burden. Poonam Bhatnagar, Executive Officer, Faridkot MC, said the fire tender was given to the Kotkapura MC as there was no employee to operate it. It was lying abandoned, she added. Till a firefighter is recruited, Faridkot residents have been asked to report any incident of fire to the Kotkapura MC. Kotkapura is 13 km from Faridkot. Recently, Kotkapura MC demanded funds from the district administration to get the fire tenders repaired, but to no avail. With the addition of a new fire tender, it has added to the MC’s financial problem. “How will the MC operate another machine when it’s not in a position to maintain the three machines the civic body already has? The sorry state of affairs can be gauged from the MC’s inability to buy fuel for the fire tenders. We need a high-tech equipment,” a senior official in the Kotkapura MC, requesting anonymity, said. Another problem is the shortage of staff. Against the requirement of 22 staffers for one fire tender, there are only 11 employees for all four fire tenders. The building to park the fire tenders is in a bad shape and material used to douse fire is in shortage.
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Cong MLA Raja Warring’s video clip ‘abusing’ kin goes viral
Muktsar, May 2 In the video clip, Raja Warring has been shown losing his temper when his relative, Dumpy, attempted to stop him from stepping out of the house of his aide on April 30 (the day of polling in Punjab) in Gidderbaha, fearing that the situation would turn violent as Akali supporters were gathered outside. Not to be bogged down, the legislator slapped Dumpy on the face, pushed him and abused him publicly. Raja Warring had got the ticket for the 2012 Assembly elections from the Rahul Gandhi’s youth brigade quota. Within no minutes of the video going viral, people posted comments on Facebook. It has also been circulated on Whatsapp. Akali leaders are showing the clip to the maximum number of people to tarnish his image. Some Congress leaders opposed to Raja Warring are criticising him for his “unethical” behaviour, while some, who are fans of his oratory sills are unhappy over the development. Raja is not the lone politician to be caught on camera abusing. Earlier, Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia’s abusive video clip had given him a bad name. That time, the Congress leadership had displayed it on big screens at its Maghi Mela political conference in
Muktsar. Clip details *
In the video clip, Raja Warring has been shown losing his temper when his relative, Dumpy, attempted to stop him from stepping out of the house of his aide on April 30 *n Dumpy feared that the situation would turn violent as Akali supporters had gathered outside *
But Raja Warring purportedly slapped Dumpy on the face, pushed him and abused him publicly
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Tankhah to Majithia too mild: SAD (A)
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 2 Held guilty of distorting a “shabad,” Majithia has been told to wash langar utensils at the five Takhts. Randev Singh Debi, president of the youth wing of the SAD (Amritsar), reminded the Sikh clergy that Guru Har Rai had ex-communicated his son for distorting hymns. “ If the same mistake was committed by a leader of any other party, he would have been definitely ex-communicated,” he said. Debi said there was a feeling among the Sikhs that the Akal Takht Jathedar had become a puppet in the hands of the state government. He criticised SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal for trying to shield Majithia. He asked the Sikhs to boycott Majithia as well as the Chief Minister.
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Sikhs object to headgear ban at American park
Washington, May 2 The complaints were filed with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against Boomers, which is owned by Newport Beach-based Palace Entertainment. Nasir Abdo of Sunnyvale filed a complaint on behalf of his daughter, Noorah Abdo, alleging that she was not allowed to ride on the go-kart at Boomers last August. Members of a Sikh family from Alameda alleged that on July 28 last year, they were not allowed to ride go-karts while wearing the turban, reported Patch.com. Officials of United Sikhs and the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) say another incident in March 2013 involved two women who went to the Boomers in Irvine with their four daughters and two sons. The headgear ban was implemented after riders at other parks around the country were injured when headscarves, hats or other loose clothing were caught in the equipment, Palace Entertainment spokesperson Michele Wischmeyer said. "Safety is our number one priority and this is a matter of safety, not racial or religious discrimination," she was quoted as saying.— IANS
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HC to consider narcotic content to decide penalty
Chandigarh, May 2 The development is significant as in case of commercial quantity, the accused is not bailed out and minimum sentence is 10 years and fine is up to Rs 2 lakh. In case of non-commercial quantity, the penalty is much less. In his petition filed against the Union of India and other respondents, Sakattar Singh (an accused in a drug case) has contended that the possession under Section 2 of the NDPS Act, 1985, is limited to “any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance” only. As such, possession of any other material or powder, which is not narcotic drug or psychotropic substance, cannot be clubbed with “any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance” to punish a person. His counsel RK Kapoor has submitted: “Such a punishment would be in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution and also beyond the scope of the penal provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.” Kapoor has sought directions to ascertain the contents of all salts mixed in the powder seized from the accused, out of which a sample is taken for analysis. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli took note of the contentions raised by Kapoor that “only quantity can be specified which would amount to small quantity or commercial quantity... But annexure P-3 dated November 18, 2009, seeks to make the entire mixture or any solution as part component to determine whether it is small quantity or commercial quantity and not its pure drug content….” The case will come up for directions on August 8. Important issue *
In case of commercial quantity, the accused is not bailed out and minimum sentence is 10 years and fine is up to Rs 2 lakh *
In case of non-commercial quantity, the penalty is much less
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Frame norms for NGOs in 2 months, HC tells state
Chandigarh, May 2 The High Court has made it clear that the norms will apply to all NGOs, regardless of the fact whether they are funded by the government. The Bench also asked the respondents to take a clue from the directions issued by the High Court in June 2009 to Chandigarh administration in the Nari Niketan rape case. The directions came on a petition filed by advocate HC Arora after alleged sexual harassment of girls at Bal Niketan, Chandigarh, by a supervisor. The petition also refers to an incident hovering around the supply of expired fruit juice by a Patiala-based NGO to children with mental disabilities. The High Court, in the Nari Niketan case, had directed the appointment of a nodal officer and the composition of the visitors’ board. The High Court had verbally made it clear that the visitors’ board should comprise dedicated members, instead of VIPs and their spouses. The functioning of Nari Niketan came under the High Court scanner after a girl with mental disabilities was allegedly raped by a sweeper there. She complained of abdominal pain after shifting from Nari Niketan to Ashreya. After the victim was medically examined, she tested positive for pregnancy. The matter was then reported to the police. Reining in NGOs *
The HC asked the state to regulate the activities of all non-government organisations dealing with the upkeep of people with mental disabilities *
The directions came on a petition filed by advocate HC Arora after the alleged sexual harassment of girls at Bal Niketan, Chandigarh.
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Five years on, FIR against Jain preacher quashed
Chandigarh, May 2 The prosecution had claimed that the petitioner made derogatory remarks against “Bhagwan Valmiki” by referring to his alleged transformation during a discourse in Digamber Jain Mandir in Jalandhar Cantonment on August 27, 2009. As a result of the remarks, the Valmiki community felt offended. Her counsel contended that during the discourse the petitioner was preaching the importance of upright thought and action. She narrated stories to inspire and encourage the disciples to shun evil and adopt the path of righteousness. An attempt was also made to highlight the fact that any person, by his good conduct and by worshipping the Lord, could overcome difficulties and become a good human being. The petitioner praised Lord Valmiki by referring to the folklore and traditional belief that he attained sainthood through worship. Her counsel added and the story of his “transformation” has been passed down from one generation to the other since ancient times. Taking up the matter, Justice RP Nagrath asserted the offence under Section Section 295-A of the IPC would be attracted, if the petitioner had deliberate and malicious intention to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens. “In view of the nature of allegations against the petitioner, the said ingredient cannot be even remotely attracted especially when the petitioner delivered the religious discourse in a gathering.” Justice Nagrath added even if the prosecution version on the use of words was to be accepted, “it would not attract the ingredients of Section 295-A of the IPC, as these are not even remotely shown to be utterances made with deliberate and malicious intention outraging the religious feelings of the class of citizens to which the complainant belongs. “If that is the fact, this court must intervene as the continuation of the proceedings in that event would be nothing but an abuse of the process of Court…. The instant petition is allowed and FIR number 85, dated August 28, 2009, registered under Section 295-A IPC at Police Station Jalandhar Cantonment, as well as the chargesheet; the order framing charge dated April 6, 2012, and all subsequent proceedings taken there under are quashed.”
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Will frame scheme for deceased farmers’ kin, state tells courts
Chandigarh, May 2 The undertaking aimed at tackling the deadly issue of suicides by the farmers came on a petition filed by Movement against State Repression. As the case came up for resumed hearing, an affidavit filed by Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Kahan Singh Pannu, was placed before the Bench, stating that the government has decided to formulate a scheme for granting financial assistance to the For the purpose, the Department of Agriculture has already written to the Andhra Pradesh government, seeking details of factors kept in mind while framing the policy. Pannu added Punjab was required to procure and study the scheme prevailing in the State of Andhra Pradesh. It was also required to hold consultations with the finance and revenue authorities. State farmers’ commission too was likely to be involved in process. Alive to the issue of suicides by the farmers, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Arun Palli had in February directed the state to frame an “appropriate scheme” for granting financial assistance to the cultivators. The development is significant as on an average three farmers kill themselves every two days in the state. A survey conducted by Punjabi University, Punjab Agricultural University and Guru Nanak Dev University around two years back also revealed that an estimated 5,000 farmers and farm labourers had committed suicide in the agrarian state in the last decade - 2000 to 2010. Out of the total, 3,000 committed suicide in just two districts of Bathinda and Sangrur. Counsel for the petitioners RS Bains had earlier insisted that the larger question of formulating a policy for giving financial assistance to the family of the farmers committing suicide was yet to be framed. Insisting that the disbursement was being made on ad hoc basis, he submitted some of the states had already framed such schemes, including Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. He also suggested that the Andhra Pradesh module could be followed. Lending a helping hand *
The state says the financial policy for the kin of farmers, who commit suicide due to indebtedness, will be formulated in 3 months *
The scheme will be designed, keeping in mind a similar policy implemented in Andhra Pradesh *
The development is significant as on an average three farmers kill themselves every two days in Punjab
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Five get 10-yr jail for theft
Faridkot, May 2 The theft case was reported on August 1, 2010. As per a police report, Mulkh Raj was in the business of lending money and many people of the area had deposited their gold ornaments as a guarantee with him to raise loan on interest. It is said that the convicts — Swaran Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Gurpartap Singh and Malkeet Singh — gathered details of Raj’s business and approached him separately on the pretext of raising loans. After learning that Raj used to keep all gold ornaments at his house in Sadiq village of the district, they broke into his house and decamped with 7-kg gold ornaments, besides and silver and cash. — TNS
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Heroin worth Rs 1.5 cr seized
Tarn Taran, May 2 The accused have been identified as Angrej Singh of Maddar Mathra Bhaggi (Kharla) and Jagtar Singh of Kakka Kandiala village. They have been booked under Section 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. In all, 260 gram was seized from Angrej and the remaining from Jagtar. — OC
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Commission agents and farmers are a harassed lot due to slow lifting of procured wheat in the local grain market.
The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) today said it would approach the Supreme Court to help uncover the growing clout of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders and the role of Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia in the drug trade.
Workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today ended their dharna when assured by the police that the safety of AAP workers would be ensured and action initiated against Akali workers accused of attacking AAP candidate Dr Dharamvir Gandhi and his supporters on April 30.
A video clip reportedly showing Congress legislator from Gidderbaha Amarinder Singh ‘Raja Warring’ abusing and slapping his relative while giving an interview to a news channel has gone viral on social networking sites.