|
|
|
|
|
Girls outshine boys in PSEB’s Class XII exam
In Fatehgarh Sahib, 88.27% pass exam
Malout school has 22 students on merit list
|
|
|
the tribune
special
Status quo prevails amid tension over Patna Sahib row
Arrest Joshi, demands Congress
Coal supply partly restored, but no pact on fuel price hike yet
A technique that’ll spare diabetics pain of insulin shots
Gurdaspur votes to be counted at two centres
poll counting The state government has been warned to release the funds in three days.
Tribune file photo
State’s move to have common fee structure, syllabus hangs fire
Punjabi detainees being ‘treated like animals’
Pbi varsity’s fiscal mess not due to pay hike: Teachers’ front
Clash fallout
State to pay Rs 62 cr to HP for Shah Nehar project
Nov to be ‘Sikh American awareness’ month
Accused in job racket sent to judicial custody
HC points out extent of falsehood in many cases
Poppy husk was seized from this drum. Tribune photo
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Girls outshine boys in PSEB’s Class XII exam
Mohali, May 11 Fazilka girl Muskan Verma, a student of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, has stood first, securing 99.56 per cent marks (448/450). Sangrur girl Daizy Garg of Springdales Public Senior Secondary School is second with 98.22 per cent marks (442/450).
Charu, a science student of GTB Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Malout (Muktsar) has stood third with 98 per cent marks. In the commerce stream, Kavita Handa has stood first with 97.33 per cent marks (438/450). Bindiya Garg and Gulfam Virdi, with 434 marks, have bagged the second position. All three are students of HMV Collegiate Senior Secondary School,
Jalandhar. Patiala girl Binni Kinger, a student of Government Model Senior Secondary School, has been placed third with 96 per cent marks (432/450). In the overall merit list, Kavita is ranked fifth and Bindiya Garg and Gulfam Virdi are ranked ninth. Binny Kinger remains on the 11th position. In the humanities group, Ramandeep Kaur of GTB Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Malaut (Muktsar) has stood first with 97.11 per cent marks (437/450). In the overall list, she is ranked sixth. Bathinda boy Bhim Singh Brar is second with 96.44 per cent marks (434) and Ludhiana boy Ishpreet Singh third with 96.22 per cent marks (433). In the overall merit list, Bhim Singh and Ishpreet Singh are ranked ninth and 10th. In the vocational group, Patiala boy Somjeet Singh from Government Senior Secondary School (Boys), Nabha, has topped with 94.44 per cent marks (425). His rank on the overall merit list is 18. The pass percentage of girls is 89.82 and that of boys 79.81. Of the total 2,99,057 candidates who appeared in the board exams this time, the boys numbered 161301 and the girls 1,37,756. Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka, PSEB chairperson Dr Tajinder Kaur Dhaliwal and board secretary Gurinder Singh Bath declared the result at about 11.30 am. “With a record pass percentage of 84.42 per cent this time, our students and teachers have done a great job. I congratulate them”, said Maluka. Last year the pass percentage was 78.97 per cent while in 2012 it was 72.31 per cent. The students can apply for re-evaluation within 10 days. For students with compartment, the last date of submission of forms is May 30. The forms are available on the board
website. The result of the open school candidates will be declared separately. No boys among the top 14 students in Faridkot district Faridkot: By occupying all top 14 positions, girls of Faridkot district fared far better than the boys in the Class XII examination of the Punjab School Education Board. While 13 of them are students of private schools, one is a student of Government Senior Secondary School, Jaitu. She made a place for herself by scoring 93.77 per cent marks. District education office officials said the overall pass percentage of girls in the examination this time was 89.82 per cent. The pass percentage of urban students was 84.04 per cent. It was 83.9 per cent in the case of students in rural schools. At 88.42 per cent, Adarsh School students in the state have the highest pass percentage this time. The lowest pass percentage is of government-aided schools (81.29 per cent). The pass percentage of government schools is 84.16 per cent. — TNS 19 students in Jalandhar district on merit list Jalandhar: Nineteen students from Jalandhar district made it to the merit list. Nine positions were bagged by HMV School alone. Students of Nehru Garden School and KMV School got two positions each. Students of BD Arya, Dev Raj Girls and Devi Sahai were ranked 23rd on the list. A student of Government Bara Pind school was also placed on the list. Rekha Kalia Bhardwaj of HMV Collegiate School, said: “I feel proud that our students have done well. The hard work and dedication of the staff and the college’s tradition of imparting education based on values in a disciplined environment has paid off.” Gurinderjit Kaur, principal of Nehru Garden School said: “Last year too our students had done us proud. This school has the legacy of producing toppers, despite being a government school.” — Aparna Banerji Success Mantra
Re-evaluation forms The students can apply for re-evaluation within 10 days. For students with compartment, the last date of submission of forms is May 30. The forms are available on the board’s websiteThe result of the open school candidates will be declared separately Commerce stream
Humanities
Vocational group
|
|
In Fatehgarh Sahib, 88.27% pass exam
Harmanjit Kaur of Baba Zorawar Singh Baba Fateh Singh Senior Secondary School topped the district with 428 marks. She is placed 15 on the merit list. The second position in the district has been bagged by Navneet Kaur and Harjot Kaur. Navneet is a student of Baba Zorawar Singh Baba Fateh Singh Senior Secondary School, and Harjot of Guru Nanak Public School, Khantmanpur. With 420 marks, they have secured the 23rd rank in the state. Amripal Kaur or Jeevanjot Kaur of Baba Zorawar Singh Baba Fateh Singh Senior Secondary School, Sandeep Kumar of Senior Secondary School, Amloh, and Sahibjot Singh of Guru Nanak Public School, Khantmanpur, secured the third position in district, getting 419 marks. They secured the 24th rank.
Abohar: In Abohar subdivision, 18 students have made it to the merit list. Among them are Simran Sehgal, Shabnam Jagga, Akanksha Gupta, Neha Gupta, Nagma, Saloni, Gurjit Kaur, Ayush Nagpal, Pragati Grover, Kiran Deep Kaur, Konika Garg and Amit Garg of Divine Light Public School, Singh Sabha Kanya Pathshala, DAV Collegiate Senior Secondary School and Government Senior Secondary School, Abohar town.
|
||
|
Malout school has 22 students on merit list
Malout (Muktsar), May 11 Ramandeep Kaur (Humanities) has secured 437 marks, Shattel Preet Kaur 437 marks, Jinkle 435 marks, Kamalpreet Singh 434 marks and Parul got 433 marks. Amarjit Narula, school principal, said: “This is the outcome of persistent hard work of students and teachers. Our school has bagged the top position five times- in 1991, 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2013.” An elated Charu said: “I studied till late in the night. I did not go for any tuition class. The credit for my success goes to my parents and teachers who kept motivating me. I want to study in Delhi University and become a maths lecturer.” Charu’s father delivers tiffin food.
|
||
|
the tribune
special
Sardulgarh (Mansa), May 11 The residents of over 20 villages in Mansa district situated alongside the Ghaggar are a witness to the water changing its colour from blue to black. The main cause of the pollution is stated to be the effluents being released into it, mainly by factories, upstream in various parts of Punjab and Haryana. Says Pyara Singh Nambardar of Ranjitgarh Bandar village, “Due to its sanctity, the Dera Muktanand in our village, which is around a century old, had been using the Ghaggar water for preparing ‘karah parshad’ till the late 1980s. Now the water has turned poisonous and leads to itching if someone touches it.” Among the worst affected villages are Jhanda Khurd, Rorkee, Bhunder, Sadhuwala, Sardulgarh, Phoosmandi, Meerpur Kalan, Meerpur Khurd, Bhagwanpur Heengna, Dhalladwala, Ranjitgarh Bandar and Lohgarh. Interestingly, none of the candidates for the Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency raised the issue during the elections. The SAD-BJP government, which has been in power in Punjab for the last over seven years, too has failed to take any initiate to tackle the menace. When contacted, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who was re-nominated by the SAD-BJP coalition, said if elected again, she would take “concrete steps to resolve the issue within six months of her victory”. Bikkarjit Singh of Sadhuwala village says, "The foul smell has made our life hell. We have complained to the Deputy Commissioner several times but to no avail. Leaders promise the moon during the elections, only to be forgotten once the electoral process is over.” Punjab Pollution Control Board chairman Ravinder Singh says, “Three months ago, a meeting of the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Haryana was held in Chandigarh to discuss the issue. It’s an inter-state issue and the pollution is mostly coming from Haryana whereas there is zero pollution from Punjab.” Deputy Commissioner Amit Dhaka claims he has got stopped the discharge of sewerage into the Ghaggar in Sardulgarh. “We have also sought an action-taken report from the pollution board,” he adds.
Blame game
Groundwater too unfit
Most of the villages here rely on groundwater, but that too has been declared unfit for consumption. More than 40 per cent of the samples collected in 2012 by the District Agriculture Department and the Central Groundwater Board were declared unfit for drinking and even irrigation. The groundwater contains high content of fluoride, arsenic, residual sodium carbonate and electrical conductivity in
villages of this constituency. Political mess
|
||
|
Status quo prevails amid tension over Patna Sahib row
Amritsar, May 11 Talking to The Tribune, Giani Iqbal Singh said he had challenged the management committee’s order to suspend and subsequently dismiss him from the post in the Patna High Court. In his appeal in the court, he contended that the action initiated by the committee against him was not legally valid as the committee members were already booked on the attempt to murder charges in connection with the violent clash at the Takht on January 7. Besides, he said the dismissal order could not be considered as implemented as the hearing on his appeal against it was underway in the court of law. He said he was performing all his duties as the Takht Jathedar as usual. On the other hand, SAD (Delhi) president Paramjit Singh Sarna, whose group is at the helm of affairs at Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee, said Giani Iqbal Singh could no more function as Takht Sri Patna Sahib Jathedar, adding that they had already intimated the Akal Takht about their decision while handing it over the relevant documents like his dismissal order. He said they’ve also chosen his successor in the form of Giani Partap Singh and the transition will take place once the election process for the Lok Sabha polls is over on May 16. Former SGPC Secretary Manjeet Singh Calcutta has termed Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh’s move to allow participation of Giani Iqbal Singh in the Sikh clergy’s meeting as “unconstitutional”. He strongly objected to the Akal Takht’s move, saying Giani Iqbal Singh was suspended and subsequently dismissed on the basis of the probe reports of a high-level SGPC team as also a committee set up by Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee. He said the Akal Takht Jathedar should respect the decision taken by Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee. Earlier, on May 1, Giani Iqbal Singh was reportedly forced to quit the meeting of the Sikh clergy after Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh ‘objected’ to his presence in light of his dismissal orders. However, Giani Gurbachan Singh and Giani Iqbal Singh had rejected the talk about him being forced out of the meeting while stating that he had to leave midway due to his ailing health. It is pertinent to mention here that the supporters of Giani Iqbal Singh and Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee had clashed with each other over Giani Partap Singh’s appointment as additional head granthi of the Takht on the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary on January 7. A few persons, including the Jathedar, were injured in the clash. Subsequently, the committee had placed the Jathedar under suspension while he had issued an edict, dissolving the management committee. Following the incident, the demand for formulating norms for the appointment, removal, tenure and working sphere of Sikh high priests was renewed. Sikh leaders had alleged that there was a lack of transparency in the appointment and removal of Sikh high priests. Thus, the management committees of all five Takhts should jointly set the norms.
The clash that led to the controversy Supporters of Giani Iqbal Singh and Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee had clashed with each other over Giani Partap Singh's appointment as additional head granthi of the Takht on the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh's birth anniversary on January 7. A few persons, including the Jathedar, were injured in the clash. Subsequently, the committee had placed the Jathedar under suspension while he had issued an edict, dissolving the management committee
|
||
|
Arrest Joshi, demands Congress
They demanded that a case be registered against Joshi and he be arressted. Seeking a judicial probe into the matter, they threatened to stage a dharna against police “inaction” till the time justice was done. Congress candidate Capt Amarinder Singh criticised BJP candidate Arun Jaitley’s silence on the murderous assault. “Jaitley’s silence on the issue would mean that he approves of whatever Joshi has been doing in Amritsar. Being a lawyer, Jaitley should have had some empathy for his fellow colleagues, who are being victimised,” he said. Amarinder said there was a general impression that those behind the attacks on Gorsi and Mahajan had Jaitley’s patronage and the latter’s silence on the issue would only strengthen this perception. Partap Bajwa, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief, also demanded that Joshi be arrested. He urged the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, to direct the police to act against Joshi. He said the Congress would not be a mute spectator to the atrocities being committed on the people by the “henchmen” of the ruling alliance. He warned that his party workers would take to the streets if no action was taken against Joshi. Sukhpal Khaira, PPCC spokesperson, alleged that the attacks, that were pre-planned, were a “clear attempt by the minister and the police to force the complainants to withdraw their petitions from the court.” The president of rural District Congress Committee, Gurjeet Aujla, said they would gherao Joshi’s house on May 13. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu said anyone guilty in the case, irrespective of his position, should be brought to the book. She said the people were sick of the police-politician nexus. “The police must put its act together to restore the people’s faith in it,” she said. Senior BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla said the law and order needed to be improved and criminals dealt with sternly.
Police needs to get its act together: Dr Sidhu
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu said anyone guilty in the case, irrespective of his position, should be brought to the book. She said the people were sick of the police-politician nexus and the police must get its act together to restore the people’s faith in it. “Instances like thefts and assault are on the rise. This is worrisome," she said. Senior BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla said the law and order situation needed to be improved and criminals dealt with sternly. Chawla visited advocate Vaneet Mahajan and his brother Avneesh in hospital.
— TNS
|
||
|
Coal supply partly restored, but no pact on fuel price hike yet
Panem has dispatched five rakes of coal which arrive here within two days. However, with Panem and PSPCL officials yet to strike a deal on the coal price, the state could face some problems as it will have to depend on short-term power purchase at a higher cost, given the low stocks of coal at thermal plants. The PSPCL has already filed a petition with the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission seeking its permission to buy power worth Rs 2,000 crore to meet the paddy season demand from May to September. Panem, which meets 60 per cent of the coal requirement of the three thermal plants of Punjab, had stopped the supply on April 10, resulting in shutdown of several power units. At present, only five of the 14 units are functional. Sources said the PSPCL top brass had decided to allow some price revision. A meeting in this regard was likely to take place in the next two days. The sources said Panem was firm on charging Rs 100 per tonne over and above the coal rates and Rs 5 crore per day as advance freight. A senior PSPCL official said the management had asked a high-level committee to follow the case and had agreed to allow some price revision, despite objections by senior officials. "We are against giving any extra money to Panem over and above the rates mentioned in the coal purchase agreement as it would mean financially burdening the Punjab Government and the power consumers," he said. GS Chabra, Member (Generation), said five rakes of coal would arrive here in two days. "Further talks are on with Panem officials. We want to resolve the matter at the earliest," he stated. KD Chaudhri, CMD, PSPCL, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Crisis far from over
Bhattal: Govt made false claim on surplus power
|
||
|
A technique that’ll spare diabetics pain of insulin shots
Moga, May 11 The National Research Development Corporation, an autonomous body working under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the scientist for facilitating the technique among drug companies. Talking to The Tribune, Dr Goyal says he had developed patches made of polyvinyl alcohol, which have more drug-loading capacity and longer durability. “The basic idea is to develop an oral formulation for an anti-diabetic drug that not only can deliver the drug in the active form but also provide a sustained and controlled release of the drug,” he says. The clinical experiments have validated the fact that if insulin is delivered in its active state through nano-patches, it gives first-order kinetics, followed by an initial burst release necessary to produce the desired therapeutic activity. An encapsulation efficacy of 99 per cent of the experimental formulation has provided sufficient indication that the composite nano-fibres serve as an ideal carrier for the delivery of insulin through the transmucosal route. “We are in the middle of a revolution of technological advancements to develop innovative methods to treat diabetics. This technique gives the impetus to work in the direction of delivering anti-diabetic drugs (proteins and peptides) orally using electrospun composite nanofibre transmucosal patches,” he avers. The chairman of the ISF College of Pharmacy, Parveen Garg, says, “The coming years will be interesting for commercial preparation of the nano-insulin patches at affordable rates for thousands and thousands of people waiting for relief from the stress of daily insulin injections.”
How it works
|
||
Gurdaspur votes to be counted at two centres
Gurdaspur, May 11 On May 16, the counting will be begin at 8am at the Sukhjindra Group of Institutes and the Beant College of Engineering and Technology, both in Gurdaspur. The district administration is holding regular meetings to ensure that the counting process goes off smoothly. Nearly 10 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the constituency on April 30. The ADC (General), A Kartik, who returned from New Delhi after undergoing training pertaining to the counting of votes, presided over a meeting of Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) today. The AROs were imparted training on the handling of electronic voting machines. The counting for all three Assembly seats — Bhoa, Sujanpur and Pathankot — in the Pathankot revenue district will be held in the Beant College of Engineering and Technology, while votes for six Assembly seats in the Gurdaspur revenue district — Gurdaspur, Qadian, Fatehgarh Churian, Batala, Dera Baba Nanak and Dinanagar — will be counted in the Sukhjindra Group of Institutes. The three main candidates, meanwhile, are keeping themselves busy. Congress candidate Partap Singh Bajwa is busy visiting houses of party workers who were injured by SAD workers after elections, while BJP’s Vinod Khanna has gone to Mumbai to complete his pending film assignments. AAP’s nominee Sadhu Singh Chhotepur has gone to Varanasi with his supporters to campaign for Arvind Kejriwal. All three have confirmed that they will be present at the counting centres on May 16. Arrangements in place
|
||
|
poll counting
Chandigarh, May 11 Raminder Singh, Additional CEO, Punjab, said the returning officers had been directed that all concerned should be briefed about legal provisions, transparency measures and logistic arrangements, including appointment and revocation of counting agents, discipline and decorum at the counting centres, co-operation with security personnel and noting down of the counting trends. Raminder Singh said as per the instructions, in accordance with Section 66 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, the RO should declare the result of counting as soon as the counting was over and he/she was fully satisfied with the legalities concerned. Besides this, copies of video and CCTV recordings of the entire counting process may be supplied to each candidate/election agent/counting agent on demand and payment of requisite costs, he added.
|
|
Central funds sanctioned, but no jobs under MGNREGS
Abohar, May 11 KK Tripathy, MGNREGS director, has directed the state government to transfer the funds, along with the state’s share, to the State Employment Guarantee Fund within three days. “In case the funds are not transferred within three days, the Centre may be forced to stop further release of funds,” he said, adding that the state government would be liable to pay interest at 12 per cent for the period of delay beyond the specified period. The central government has said that the material component, including wages of skilled and semi-skilled labour, will not exceed 40 per cent at the gram panchayat level, and implementing agencies at the block level. The Centre contributes 75 per cent of the material component, while the state fills in with for the rest. Lambasting the state over the issue, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) Leader Sunil Jakhar said Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had assured MNREGA workers during the election campaign that 100 days of work would be provided to them, besides releasing wages within the stipulated period. “The election code of conduct is no hindrance in transferring the funds to the department concerned, but instructions have not been followed so far,” he said. Villages, the Ferozepur candidate said, were waiting for funds to carry out development works, but the cash-strapped state government had not thought it fit to utilise the funds available under MGNREGS. “The state has used 30.71 per cent of funds against the provision of 25 per cent on the purchase of material, which smacks of corruption,” he said. The CLP Leader urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to bring “corrupt officers” to book for the last year’s bungling in the MNREGS funds.
Govt faces penalty
Sunil Jakhar, CLP leader
|
||
|
Now, private financiers offer loans to hepatitis C patients in Faridkot
Faridkot, May 11 HCV is fast emerging problem in this part of Punjab and one out of every seven persons in this part of Punjab is affected with HCV, revealed a study conducted by a team of four doctors at the microbiology, neurosurgery departments in Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot, and Adesh Medical College. Known as a silent killer, the cost of treatment of hepatitis is about ~1 lakh to ~1.5 lakh. So, some private lenders, in collaboration with some pharmaceutical companies, are offering “interest-free” loans for treatment, with focus on poor patients in rural areas. The loan is returnable in monthly instalments in 2 to 3 years. To map the prevalence of active HCV infection in healthy inhabitants of Faridkot, the doctors of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Adesh Medical College had analysed 2,119 individuals through random blood sampling. As many as 15 per cent of the sample were actively infected with HCV, claimed the study. Out of 2,119 individuals screened for HCV, 321 were found positive. The prevalence of active HCV was high -- 73 per cent among the male population in comparison to 26 per cent among females. As many as 237 men and 84 women in the 20-50 year age group were found positive, revealed the study. Another study of 1,510 individuals in Jhok Sarkari village of Faridkot, Kahan Singh Wala in Ferozepur and Jagat Singh Wala in Muktsar recently showed that 30 per cent population in these villages was actively infected with the virus. The study was conducted jointly by Baba Farid Centre for Special Children and Naujawan Bharat Sabha under the supervision of Dr Amar Singh Azad, a senior pediatrician in Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. The private agencies offering loan for HCV treatment said one could easily meet all the medical expenses without any hassle, claimed a spokesman of Sambhav, a loaning agency in
Faridkot.
|
||
|
State’s move to have common fee structure, syllabus hangs fire
Patiala, May 11 The proposal was meant for Chandigarh’s Panjab University (PU) as well, but the university authorities have already expressed reservation about it. And perhaps the government is not inclined to pursue the matter with PU. As for the Patiala and Amritsar universities, they have not come out with any plan for a common fee structure and syllabus. With a few days left for the release of prospectus for the coming academic session and no plan in place, it seems that the government’s proposal would not be implemented, at least in the next session.
The cause of delay
Punjabi University and GNDU, being state universities, are dependent on meagre government funds and student fees. If a common fee structure is put in place, authorities argue, it would entail reducing the fees of some courses and, thus, the universities will lose out on income. As regards the common syllabus, the move will be delayed to next year as a lot of groundwork is required to be done. “Setting a common syllabus is a tedious task. It requires opinion of the heads of several departments of the three universities, consultation with the boards of studies and formation of common committees of professors to end disparities in syllabus,” JA Khan, chairperson of a three-member committee entrusted to frame a common syllabus, told The Tribune. He is also the Dean (Colleges), Punjabi University. The other two members of the committee are Dean, Colleges, of PU and GNDU. Khan further said that since quality of education needed to be maintained, the committee wanted some more time to make a fool-proof plan. “A common syllabus might be implemented from the next year.” On a common fee structure, he said talks were on, but the state government was yet to arrive on a final decision.
Proposal delayed
|
||
|
Punjabi detainees being ‘treated like animals’
Chandigarh, May 11 If this is not enough, a number of detainees and their families have allegedly been fleeced by ‘hack attorneys’ and lawyers, who had taken undue advantage of their plight and have charged a lot of money from them without extending any help to them. These ‘hack attorneys’ have not filed the papers of detainees. They don’t attend to their telephone calls or that of their US-based relatives. “All Punjabi detainees lodged in the El Paso processing centre are being treated like animals. “They are being starved and not provided with medical treatment,” said Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director of the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA). He spent three days meeting the detainees and the ICE authorities at the processing centre. He also met Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) officer Jesus Placencia, an assistant field director, and submitted a memorandum to him. The ICE runs the processing centre. One of the detainees, Manider Singh, complained to Chahal that one day, he was vomiting and was taken to the hospital. A doctor refused to give him medicine, saying that no medication would be prescribed until he vomited in front of him. Two detainees, Sarabjit Singh and Manider Singh, told Chahal the tales of woes of Punjabi youths lodged there for more than 9 to 10 months. “I was told that several Punjabi detainees were sick and nobody was taking care of them. “The NAPA has sought the intervention of the ICE authorities in Washington (headquarters) to put an end to torture,” Chahal said, adding that the ICE authorities had promised to provide satisfactory medical facilities to the detainees. The NAPA has threatened to disclose the names of ‘hack attorneys’ or lawyers, attorney generals concerned and Bar Associations who had charged heavily from the detainees’ relatives but did not help. The NAPA has appealed to all law-enforcement and judicial agencies to transfer the cases of the detainees from 5th circuit court to 9th court in order to enable their California based relatives to pursue their cases easily.
The route to ‘hell’
|
||
|
Pbi varsity’s fiscal mess not due to pay hike: Teachers’ front
Patiala, May 11 The fiscal crisis in Punjabi University was a problem 'made in the Punjabi University'. It has no connection with the increase in salaries of employees and teachers. All over India and Punjab, salaries have been revised according to the norms set by the pay commissions. Punjabi University was no exception to it, said a statement by the DTF. Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, convener, DTF, said there was no financial problem in the GND University, Amritsar, which also pays similar salaries and allowances as per the norms set by the
UGC/pay commissions.
|
||
|
Batalvi auditorium stuck in political wrangling
Batala, May 11 Well, the dilapidated auditorium built in the poet’s memory in 1980 is a pointer to the sorry state of affairs. Its reconstruction, for which the Punjab Government has sanctioned ~1.8 crore, is yet to be completed. Bureaucratic wrangling coupled with petty politicking has halted the reconstruction work. The Shiv Kumar Batalvi Memorial Society president Dr SS Nijjar the latest in the series of row is over the cost of ACs. “The PWD officials quote ACs’ price at ~31 lakh, while we can get them for ~27 lakh,” he said. But there’s more to it than meets the eyes. Insiders say politicking among senior SAD leaders has thrown a spanner in the works. “The society was formed before the 2012 Assembly elections. At that time, former Cabinet Minister SS Sekhwan was an aspirant from the Batala seat. For this reason, he was made the society chief patron. The SAD, however, fielded Sekhwan’s bete noire LS Lodhinangal from Batala. He lost, but was made the halqa in charge (area chief) of Batala,” a SAD leader, on the condition of anonymity, said. The SAD leader further said that Lodhinangal insisted that either he or his loyalists be adjusted in the society. Sekhwan was inimical to this, following which the construction was halted,” he claimed.
|
||
|
Clash fallout
Bathinda, May 11 Mohan Singh Bangi, Jathedar Gurtej Singh Dhande, Mithu Singh Kahnake, Jagjit Singh Khalsa, Surjit Singh Raipur, Major Singh Rampura, Joginder Kaur Balluana, Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, Amrik Singh Kotshamir and Gurpreet Singh Chibbar submitted their resignation to SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar at Talwandi Sabo. Makkar said a decision on the resignations would be taken at a meeting of SGPC office-bearers later. While the SGPC members are demanding that those arrested in the clash be arrested, the villagers accuse the SGPC of trying to take over their land under the Akali patronage. Members of Bathinda and Mansa today convened a meeting where they unanimously decided to tender their resignation letters. They then approached the SGPC president who reached Takht Damdama Sahib. After paying obeisance at Takht Damdama Sahib, all of them handed over their resignation to the SPGC chief. They said they were doing so to protest police inaqction on the matter. There has been tension in the Bathinda village for the past one week. The district administration has increased security in the village and its nearby areas.
|
||
|
State to pay Rs 62 cr to HP for Shah Nehar project
New Delhi, May 11 The Union government has decided to release the funds to Himachal Pradesh through the Planning Commission and from funds available for Punjab, the sources said. The matter has been hanging fire for over two decades. Despite several round of meetings between representatives of Union Water Resources and Expenditure department of Finance Ministry and Planning Commission, the matter could not be resolved.
— PTI
|
||
Nov to be ‘Sikh American awareness’ month
Sacramento, May 11 The resolution seeks to give Californians an opportunity to better understand, recognise, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of the Sikh Americans. “The Sikh American community is an integral thread in the fabric of California history,” said Dickinson, “California’s Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month calls attention to the many contributions to California by Sikh Americans and denounces discrimination against Sikhs.” The Sikh American community has contributed significantly to the Californian history. The Sikhs entered California in 1899 and it was not until 1946 that a legislation was enacted to authorise Sikhs to become US citizens. The Sikh American community has excelled in a various fields such as agriculture and social service.
|
|
Accused in job racket sent to judicial custody
Abohar, May 11 The names of high-ranking police officers and ruling politicians reportedly surfaced during the custodial interrogation. The accused, Amandeep Kamboj of Punnawala village (near Jalalabad), was arrested under Sections 420, 506 and 120-B of the IPC last week. Harjinder Singh of Moga had alleged that Amandeep duped him of ~30 lakh on the pretext of getting him recruited as the Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in the Punjab Police. Harjinder said he paid ~10 lakh to Amandeep at a hotel here, while ~20 lakh was paid to Amandeep’s mother and sister in their native village. A team, comprising DIG AS Chahal, SSP Jagdale Nilambari Vijay and SP KS Chahal, interrogated Amandeep during the police custody. The officers were not inclined to divulge the details, asserting that it might affect investigation. The investigation has brought out that he allegedly brokered deals to secure possession of controversial properties with the help of senior police officers. His “clients” relied on him since he had reportedly got junior member of a family recruited as a constable and got two others promoted. He claimed having influenced transfers of some senior police officers as well. The job racket helped him raise properties in Chandigarh and other places. Amandeep has refuted all allegations.
Murky deals
|
|
|
HC points out extent of falsehood in many cases
Chandigarh, May 11 But a judgment by the Punjab and Haryana High Court has clearly brought out the extent of falsehood. A judge has asserted that being “untruthful” is
so frequent that anything out of the ordinary in court cases requires corroboration. The assertion came in connection with an accident case, wherein the claimant averred that guilt drove two persons to admit involvement in an accident two months after the incident. Taking up the matter, Justice K Kannan asserted: “The only truth is being untruthful is so common place that any unusual statement in court requires corroboration. These are not mere hasty generalisations, but experience- oriented observations.” Justice Kannan added: “The world will be surely a much better place to live in if the Gandhian trait of being truthful takes a universal human disposition.” The observations came during the appeal by Sudesh Kumari and other appellants against
Manoj Kumar and other respondents against the dismissal of a petition for compensation. The claims tribunal had found that the so-called admission of involvement of the respondent’s vehicle was not true and a result of collusion. The accident occurred on July 4, 2007. One of the claimants was the victim’s son. Riding pillion with his father on a motorcycle, he alleged that a white Maruti car had hit them from behind. Nearly two months later, the claimants contended that the respondents showed up at their house and confessed that the “mistake was committed by the driver”. They also sought the claimants’ pardon, which was granted. The tribunal found the case to be “too artificial” and accordingly dismissed the petition, holding that the involvement of the respondent’s vehicle was not true. It also held that the so-called statement made two months later was not worthy of acceptance. Dismissing the plea, Justice Kannan added: “If the tribunal examining the witness states that
two persons owned up to their guilt two months later on no provocation and he (tribunal) suspected such a statement, I will let it rest there. “I have no greater tools of unraveling the truth for such an unusual conduct. If the tribunal held therefore that respondents
are guilty of collusion with the claimants, it had its good reason to make
such observations. “I am not persuaded by the arguments of the counsel that if such cases are to be dismissed, 50 per cent of the cases will be also dismissed. “This is an argument in desperation and I will
not find it merit worthy to accept.”
|
|
farmers’ suicide
Bathinda/Mansa, May 11 The elder, Jugraj Singh, died while the younger -- Jagtar Singh -- is oscillating between life and death in the hospital. Though the SAD-BJP leaders claimed during the election campaign that they have done much for farmers, about 30 farmers have ended their lives in the first four months of the year in the twin districts of Bathinda and Mansa. Debt is taking a toll on successive generations as is reflected in the case of these two brothers of Hassanpur village in Budhada sub-division. But they are not alone in facing multiple suicides over generations in the family. The family of Jagseer Singh in Patto Hira Singh in Moga went through this. He committed suicide in 2008 due to debt and his father ended his life last year for the same reason. Gursewak Singh of Charat Singh Wala in Maur committed suicide in 1997, his son in 2011 while Gursewak’s brother Naib Singh a year later and a nephew last year. The gravity of the problem of farming debt can be gauged from the fact that about 4,000 farmers were listed as defaulters with the Punjab Agriculture Development (PAD) Bank in Budhlada. This bank had served notice on the two brothers of Hassanpur village. While the bank is legally empowered to send such notices, the farmers look up to the government for relief. Navdeep Singh, area manager, PAD Bank, said, “There are around 4,000 farmers who had taken loans for dairy, fishery, agricultural requirements, tractor, credit card, combine etc. They were declared defaulters after they failed to repay it. As a part of the banking process, we keep on sending them notices to remind them to clear their dues." Farmers union leader Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan claimed the state government had promised that from April 1, 2013, immediate compensation of Rs 2 lakh would be paid to the next of kin of a farmer committing suicide. Newspaper reports and claims by the farmers' union leader put the figure at around 30, but no family has been paid compensation so far. Bathinda, Mansa and Sangrur accounted for suicides by about 3,000 farmers between 2000-2010 according to a survey by Punjabi University, Patiala; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said that the union has submitted a memorandum to the Punjab Government listing 18 cases in the past few months in Bathinda where no compensation has been paid. In hospital, Jaswant Kaur summarised her ordeal, "My husband took Rs 1 lakh on loan from the bank and another loan from a commission agent. Due to bad crops, he wasn’t able to repay those. My sons paid two instalments of Rs 90,000 but the amount due kept on multiplying to Rs 2.81 lakh. Three months ago, we sold 3 kanals to repay the loan of the ahrtiya (commission agent). That too did not help much. I lost my husband and a son. Another son is on the death bed." Dr Amritpal Singh, who is treating her son, said the condition of the patient was serious. Many families have lost multiple members
|
|
|
60-kg poppy husk seized
Abohar, May 11 Drug addicts in Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts of Rajasthan have been facing shortage of poppy husk due to restrictions imposed over the sale of contraband to non-permit holders.
— OC
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
I studied for long hours. I did not go for any tuition classes. All credit for my success goes to my parents and my teachers who kept motivating me.
I want to study in Delhi University and become a maths lecturerCharu, malout girl who has stood third
Fatehgarh Sahib, May
11
Amritsar, May 11
Patiala, May
11
Chandigarh: Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has accused the SAD-BJP Government of having made “false claims” of surplus power. She said the government had repeatedly announced that all three upcoming thermal plants would start generating power and that Punjab would become a power surplus state by December 2013. The government had also claimed that it would sell surplus power to Pakistan. Bhattal alleged that contrary to the claims, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited had invited tenders for the purchase of 2,000 MW to tide over the shortage. She said there was an acute shortage of power in the state due to “wrong” policies of the government. “Frequent power cuts are giving a tough time to the people,” the former Chief Minister added.
— TNS
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal
had assured MNREGA workers during the election campaign that 100 days of work would be provided to them, besides releasing wages within the stipulated
period