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Admission
in MBBS, BDS courses
Signboards branding Daulewala village as hub of drugs removed
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32 fishermen among 37 Pak prisoners released
on way back home: Pakistani prisioners before crossing over to Pakistan at the Wagah check post on Friday. A Tribune photograph
Have no such information, says AICC general secretary
Arrest drug lords, not addicts, says Amarinder
Clear CLU cases, Joshi tells dept
Loan defaulters, but minister’s kin, bank staff spared the stick
No power sans rain harvesting plan in houses
Govt identifies sites where sewage flows into Sutlej
Farmers get subsidy without fulfilling criteria
Police not registering FIR against EPF defaulters
Relief for freedom fighters, kin
Mamdot villagers oppose formation of nagar panchayat
Sangrur district library faces shortage of staff, financial crunch
NRI booked for marriage fraud
Camelot project: HC admits plea by MLAs against tax notices
Encroachment: Notices to state, Lokpal, Bibi Jagir Kaur
Militant arrested in Gurdaspur
Man kills brother over property dispute
3 booked in land dispute case
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Admission in MBBS, BDS courses
Chandigarh, May 30 The directions, paving way for their admissions for the time being, came just about two months after the Punjab Government notified that the students were required to pass Class X and 10+2 examination from a recognised school situated in Punjab for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in medical and dental colleges. The High Court has already stayed the operation of the notification issued in this regard. In his petition argued through counsel Deepak Sibal, the petitioners contended that the State of Punjab issued the impugned notification dated March 7 for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in the medical and dental institutes situated in the State for session beginning 2014-15. The notification provided: “A candidate should have passed his/her 10th class examination and also 10+2 examination or other equivalent examination in place of 10+2 examination from a recognised school/institution situated in the State of Punjab except for the exemptions wherever applicable.” Sibal argued that the condition was a complete departure from the previous eligibility conditions on admission to medical and dental colleges situated in the state of Punjab “in as much as it provides that a candidate should have passed not only 10+2 examination, but also Class X examination from the schools/institutes situated in the State of Punjab”. He added the condition was having “a drastic adverse retrospective effect” and made ineligible students who had not passed their Class X examination from Punjab against the 85 per cent state quota.
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Signboards branding Daulewala village as hub of drugs removed
Daulewala (Moga), May 30 SSP Gursharan Singh Sandhu, who took charge last evening, told The Tribune that some words used on the signboards were indeed derogatory and hence these had been removed. "I don't think there was any bad intention behind it. But, surely, the words written on the signboards should have been checked properly by senior officials," he said. He said the wording on the signboards would be rectified and then the local panchayat would be approached to get these installed at a few common places in the village, instead of putting these up along all roads. "The new wording to be used on the signboards will be aimed at motivating people to shun drugs and not indulge in this illegal business," he added. He said the police would adopt a multi-pronged strategy in that regard. "I will also seek support
of the civil administration to chalk out a rehabilitation plan for the unemployed youth of the village," he said. Investigations by The Tribune revealed that rising unemployment and poverty among the weaker sections of the society were the two biggest reasons for a section of the people indulging in drug trade. Baba Avtar Singh Fauji, a local religious leader and member of the Moga Zila Parishad who was also roughed up and detained by the police during the May 24 police swoop-down on the village, said the setting up of signboards branding the entire village as a hub of drugs was illegal and a violation of the human rights. "Not even one-fourth of the households are engaged in the illegal trade, then why should the innocent people bear the stigma of being smugglers," he said. Gagandeep Singh, Karamvir Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Sukhwinder Singh and other villagers said many people had left the village and gone to live with their relatives elsewhere so as to avoid police harassment. "People are feeling terrorised after the police action," they said. Harjinder Singh said there were sand mines in the village. The poor used to extract and sell sand to make their both ends meet. But the state government banned sand mining around a decade ago. Since then, some persons started selling homemade liquor and then shifted to opium and poppy husk. Over
the past couple of years, drugs like smack, heroin and white powder had invaded the area. Another villager Joga Singh said the government should come out with a rehabilitation plan for those who were engaged in the illegal business of drugs and focus on providing jobs to them at the local level to end this menace. Local MLA and senior MLA Jathedar Tota Singh condemned the action of the police branding the whole village as a hub of drugs and said the police had no legal rights to put up such signboards.
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Beas dera head, RSS chief hold parleys in Mansa
Mansa, May 30 Dera followers and RSS workers were tight-lipped over the agenda of the meeting. The dera head landed at Dera Radha Soami here at 11.50 am, a few metres from the school. At 12.20 pm, he entered the school premises and was with the RSS chief till 12.58 pm. (No other person was present at the meeting). He left the Mansa dera at At 1.23 pm. The RSS chief reached Mansa on Wednesday evening to impart training to 222 Swayamsewaks, all aged between 18-40 years. The trainees are from five states — Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. The 20-day camp will end on June 15. Bhagwat is scheduled to leave Mansa tomorrow. Another training camp will be begin in Malerkotla on June 1. The district authorities have deployed 20 policemen at the training camp site. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhupinder Singh Khattra said a large number of policemen had also been deployed in the vicinity of the dera. It is for the first time that the RSS is holding a camp for its activists at Mansa. At least 350 frontline activists, trainers and instructors of the RSS are attending the camp. The RSS and the BJP presence in the Malwa region, comprising Mansa, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar and Sangrur districts, is negligible. The BJP and the RSS already has a sound base in the Majha and Doaba regions. Hence, the RSS is trying to strike roots in the Malwa belt, which has a considerable urban population. The only known RSS leader from Malwa was late Babu Hit Abilashi. He belonged to Budhlada. As of now, the BJP has a strong base in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur districts. Informed sources said the RSS top brass had deliberately selected Mansa for the camp. It intended to inspire more and more youths from the Malwa belt to join the RSS ranks and prepare the ground for the BJP . The BJP is a political ally of the SAD in Punjab as well as at the national level. The SAD has in recent years inducted Hindu leaders in its rank and file, particularly in the Malwa region. As of now, the party has at least four Hindu MLAs from Malwa. It appears that the RSS has realised the need to establish a political base in Malwa. That is why it has chosen Malerkotla for its next camp.
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32 fishermen among 37 Pak prisoners released
Amritsar, May 30 They crossed over into Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah land route today. While 32 fishermen were released from Kutch and Bhuj jails in Gujarat, three were freed from the Amritsar Central Jail, one from Jammu and one from Kolkata. All five civilians had inadvertently crossed over into the Indian Territory. Those released from the Amritsar Central Jail were Mohammad Arshad Masih and Imran (both from Faislabad) and Kaifilludin from Karachi. Manir Ahmad and Mohammad Saagar were released from West Bangal and Jammu jails, respectively. Those set free hoped the two nations would also release the remaining prisoners who had completed their jail terms. Kaifilludin said he was returning home after languishing for one year and nine months in the Amritsar Central Jail. He said he had inadvertently crossed over into the Indian Territory in Attari sector. He said the governments of both countries should release persons like him who unintentionally entered into Indian or Pakistani territories after preliminary probe. Mohammad Ali, a fisherman from Karachi who was released from the Kutch jail, said the government should not put fishermen behind bars as it was impossible to distinguish between Indian and Pakistani water territories, and thus they sometimes inadvertently cross over into each other's territory. He said the governments of both countries should release them along with their fishing boats after preliminary investigations. Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commission Secretary Syad Sultan Hassan and Ministry of Home Affairs official JK Singh visited the Amritsar Central Jail today and held counselling session for six prisoners, including four from Jammu and Kashmir, one from Srinagar and a Pakistani national. They noted down their antecedents to establish their identities.
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Bajwa says he had resigned a week ago
Chandigarh, May 30 Without naming Capt Amarinder Singh or any other leader of his party, Bajwa said all those gunning for him and seeking his ouster should speak with the party high command. “I tendered my resignation about a week ago. It is up to the Congress high command to take a decision on the matter,” said Bajwa. He said he had also submitted a report on the poll losses to the AICC. “There was strong anti-incumbency against the UPA Government as well as the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab.And AAP gained from it,” he explained. “Our defeat in Punjab should be a collective responsibility. We managed to win three seats despite the anti-incumbency. In several other states the Congress fared worse,” contended Bajwa, adding that the NRIs had played a key role in AAP’s success in Punjab. He said the Congress failed to project a united face. “I got a huge response in 40 constituencies that I visited during the party’s anti-drug campaign. Sadly, the drive was opposed and it lost steam. I have listed all the reasons for the poll defeat in my report to the high command,” he said. Bajwa said the high command should have taken note of the bickerings within the party and initiated disciplinary action. “Some leaders even questioned the steps taken by the disciplinary committee appointed by the high command,” he pointed out. Claiming the Shandil Committee was formed after the high command was told about what was happening in the state, Bajwa said: “I don’t want to nail anybody.”
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Have no such information, says AICC general secretary
New Delhi, May 30 Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab Shakeel Ahmed told The Tribune today that he had no information about any such move. “As party general secretary in charge, I would have normally received an intimation on such a move. But I do not have any information in this respect,” he said. Bajwa, despite several phone calls, was not available for comment. It is learnt that Bajwa had spoken to senior Congress leaders about his intention to offer his resignation as demanded by Punjab leaders, including former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. The central leaders are said to have told Bajwa that there was no need for him to quit and that if such an offer was to be made, it should be made quietly to the Congress president or vice-president. Reliable sources said Bajwa had met Rahul Gandhi in the Capital and may have offered to quit. Rahul’s office did not confirm such a meeting. “The leadership is not accepting any resignation offer. The Congress president has been authorised by the Congress Working Committee to effect changes where ever necessary. Party leaders should wait for her to act,” senior Congress leaders said. Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress remains crippled. No state-level talks have yet begun on ways to revive the party, despite its “below expectations” performance in the elections.
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Arrest drug lords, not addicts, says Amarinder
He said the statewide arrests of drug addicts would serve no purpose till the suppliers and drug lords were not put behind bars. Amarinder alleged that the Akalis had realised that the people were unhappy with the government over the drug menace and, hence, had launched the crackdown. “They should know that drug addiction is only a symptom while peddling is the main disease. You cannot cure the disease by merely treating the symptoms. As such, these arrests will not serve any purpose till the suppliers are roaming free... The government is dealing with them like criminals. All they need is treatment and rehabilitation, and not the cruel treatment they are being meted out,” he said. Amarinder said if the drug addicts were not treated for de-addiction, it could even prove fatal for them. “Arresting an addict is no achievement. Let the government say how many suppliers it has put behind bars. The drug lords will find new users and may further spread the scourge as they know how to trap innocent youth,” he said.
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Time to punish guilty of ’84 riots: Sukhbir
Amritsar, May 30 Talking to mediapersons after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple here along with Harsimrat, Sukhbir stated that the SAD would soon discuss the ongoing legal proceedings with the Union Home Minister to ensure proper investigations and to expedite the hearing of the cases. He alleged that the previous UPA Government had tried its best "to shield the culprits and even rewarded those involved with high posts in the party". He said they were confident that the Narendra Modi government would deliver justice. To a query regarding the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, the Deputy CM said they respected the mandate of the people. He said the SAD-BJP alliance would introspect and make all efforts to overcome their shortcomings. He said the main focus of the ruling combine would remain on the all-round development in the state. On AAP’s performance, he said the “party’s bubble would burst soon in Punjab, as it did in Delhi”. Sukhbir and Harsimrat also reviewed the Rs 78 crore Golden Temple Entrance Plaza project and issued directions to the authorities concerned to complete the construction before the deadline. He said the entire plaza would be open for the pilgrims in August since the flooring of 90,000 sq feet had been completed and the tender of lighting worth Rs 3.41 crore would also be awarded soon to a reputed firm. He also reviewed the construction of multipurpose hall and state-of-the-art information centre. He said there would also be a world-class waiting hall for devotees and tourists. They also took stock of the ongoing restoration work of the Golden Temple’s interiors by holding a meeting with the experts engaged in it. Harsimrat said “phenomenal growth” in the food processing sector in the country, particularly Punjab, would be her priority and special efforts would be made to improve the financial health of Punjab farmers.
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Muktsar village rape case
Muktsar, May 30 Rajvir Kaur and Harvir Kaur of Gandhar village have sought the help of their relatives. Their mother Swarnjit Kaur has been arrested and their father Sukhdeep Singh is in Gujarat where he works as a farmhand. “With our parents away, it was difficult to live alone in the house. So we asked our maternal uncle and his family to live with us,” explained the girls. They said instead of going after the accused, who was a proclaimed offender, the police had arrested those demanding his arrest. Ram Swaran Lakhewali, a social activist, said of the 34 arrested for lodging a protest, eight were from Muktsar district. Lachhman Singh Sewewala, state general secretary of the Khet Mazdoor Union, said they would continue to protest till the accused was held. The SSP, Muktsar, Kuldeep Chahal, said: “I have instructed the SHO concerned to start the process of attaching the property of the key accused.”
Bathinda: Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sukhdev Singh and Head Constable Gurjant Singh, both posted with the Bhagta Bhai Ka police station in Bathinda district, have been booked for rape on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The victim had filed a writ petition in the High Court, alleging that the police was not registering a case against the two policemen who had beaten her up and raped her at Burj Throd village on March 5, 2012. Senior Superintendent of police (SSP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said a case had been registered against the two policemen and “we have initiated an inquiry by an officer of the rank of SP (Crime) who will work under the supervision of the IGP (Crime), as directed by the court.” Other officials, including the SHO of the Dyalpura police station, were tight-lipped on the issue.
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Clear CLU cases, Joshi tells dept
Chandigarh, May 30 He warned that if during his visit to various cities in the state he found a file pending, action would be taken against the officer concerned. Joshi said there were reports that many CLU cases were pending clearance. This raised the chances of corruption. He said instructions had been issued to the authorities concerned to provide CLU and sanction building plans within the stipulated time period.
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Loan defaulters, but minister’s kin, bank staff spared the stick
Mansa, May 30 These are a few examples of PADB loan defaulters who have been spared the stick allegedly due to their influence. Most of them either are related to political bigwigs or are the employees of PADB itself. On the other hand, no such “leniency” is shown when marginal farmers default on loan repayment. In fact, they are humiliated publicly through issuance of warning notices and subsequent auction of their land, said an NGO member. “Unable to cope up with humiliation, several farmers have committed suicide in recent years,” he said. Once a gunman of former SAD president late Harchand Singh Longowal, Dayal Singh of Atla Khurd village in Mansa has been fighting for his land that an agricultural bank wants to sell to recover Rs 4 lakh. He had availed a loan of Rs 90,000 in 2001 to get his house repaired. Another farmer of the same village, Jaskarn Singh, had pledged three acres of his land against a loan of Rs 1 lakh from Housefed. Now, the outstanding amount is Rs 3.57 lakh. He has been facing constant threat of auction of his plot. PADB (Bathinda zone) General Manager Rajneesh Bansal denied that preferential treatment was meted out to anybody: “We issue notices to all the defaulters from time to time.”
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No power sans rain harvesting plan in houses
Chandigarh, May 30 The heads of various government offices and other buildings, too, have been directed to have such a system in place. The move is aimed at checking the falling underground water table. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also, at a meeting here yesterday, directed the departments concerned to launch an awareness campaign to check water wastage in houses and ensure its conservation.
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Govt identifies sites where sewage flows into Sutlej
Chandigarh, May 30 The exercise came a day after a review meeting on the water situation in Punjab was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The meeting expressed concern over the pollution in the Sutlej and Buddha Nullah. It also called for immediate corrective steps. The visit came following a report prepared by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (which identified polluting sites in the Sutlej, Beas and Ghaggar) for suggesting the setting up of sewerage treatment plants (STPs). The team has reportedly made a mention of the pollution sources at Kiratpur Sahib and Anandpur Sahib. Apart from the SDMs concerned, the team included representatives of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and the Drainage and Sewerage Board. A similar exercise would be undertaken in Ludhiana on Sunday to review the situation in the polluted Buddha Nullah. The visiting team would suggest corrective measures. In 2012, the ruling SAD had committed to complete the cleaning of all rivers in the state by December 2013. An amount of Rs 650 crore was also earmarked for the project that envisaged setting up of STPs in 45 cities. However, not much could be achieved. Also, the government has approved up-gradation of all three STPs at Jamalpur (48 MLD capacity), Bhattian (161 MLD) and Balloke (257 MLD), besides setting up of three more STPs. The MD of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board has been asked to prepare a comprehensive plan to upgrade all the existing STPs in the state. The official has also been told to expedite the construction of the STPs coming up in Nangal, Ropar, Chamkaur Sahib, SBS Nagar, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and
Phagwara.
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Farmers get subsidy without fulfilling criteria
Muktsar, May 30 They are getting 90 per cent subsidy as part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana for setting up ponds under a demonstration project for fish culture in salt-affected/waterlogged areas. The state government had last year decided to bring 600 acres of land in Muktsar and Fazilka districts under this project. Six villages, including Ghagga (in Gidderbaha sub-division), Rattakhera, Fatehpur Manian and Tapakhera (all in Lambi block) of Muktsar district and Shajrana and Bahadurkhera of Fazilka district, were zeroed in on the condition that they would contribute 100 acres each for the ponds. Initially, some affected farmers had agreed to set up fish ponds by giving applications but with the introduction of the bio-drainage scheme of planting saplings of clonal eucalyptus without any cost and free maintenance for a year by the
forest department in waterlogging-affected areas, some of the farmers changed their minds. As a result, in Tapakhera village of Lambi block, where the farmers had agreed to bring 116 acre of land under the project for fish culture failed to keep their word
and the area was reduced to 21.22 acres. However, as per the records of the fisheries department, these farmers are still getting the 90 per cent subsidy amount, which is meant for excavation of pond, buying feed, seed and net to catch fish. They have got two instalments of the subsidy amount in advance. The situation is similar in Fatehpur Manian, where farmers have got three instalments of the subsidy. Going by the rules, they fall under another scheme of the National Mission for Protein Supplements. Under this project, the subsidy amount to set up a fish pond is 40 per cent. The major difference between the two schemes is that if the affected farmers in unison bring 100 acres of land under fish culture, they become eligible for 90 per cent subsidy and that too in advance but if the area is lesser, they are eligible for 40 per cent subsidy and that too after making the pond of not less than 2.5 acres. In Muktsar district, only 21.22 acres in Tapakhera, 67.65 acres in Fatehpur Manian, 91 acres in Ghagga and 99.67 acres in Rattakhera village are under the project. Ramesh Kumar, Assistant Director, Fisheries Department, Muktsar, said, “The problem has come because farmers initially promised to fulfill the criteria by brining 100 acres of land under aquaculture in each village, but when we asked them to submit their subsidy cases, some of them refused and opted for another scheme of the forest department. We can’t force the farmers now. We have informed this to the higher ups. As of now, the subsidy amount is being given to the farmers as decided earlier. Any further decision has to be taken by seniors,” he said. However, sources said some of the residents of these villages were close to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and so, they were being given undue benefit.
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Police not registering FIR against EPF defaulters
Jalandhar May 30 Even after three weeks of submitting written complaints against six establishments—Kapson Industries Limited, Jalandhar; GNA Udyog Limited, Jalandhar; GB Tools and Forgings Limited, Jalandhar; the Municipal Council, Dasuya, Hoshiarpur; Ess Ess Kay Engineering Company Limited, Kapurthala; and Krishana Engineering Works, Jalandhar—no FIR has been registered so far. These organisations are accused of defaulting in the payment of Rs 13,67,328, Rs 15,69,066, Rs 4,03,048, Rs 30,468, Rs 33,33,807 and Rs 10,79,497, respectively. Regional PF Commissioner Dheeraj Gupta said FIRs in such cases should be registered immediately under Sections 405, 406 and 409 of the IPC. In Lalita Kumari vs Government of UP, the Supreme Court had said that the registration of FIRs was mandatory in congnisable offences and action would be taken against any police official who failed to do so. "We have now apprised the DGP, Punjab, about the lethargic approach of police official in dealing with cognisable offences concerning EPF violations," Gupta said. As per Section 14a/b of the EPF Act, 1952: "Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, an offence relating to default in payment of contribution by the employers punishable under this Act shall be cognizable." EPFO officials said the complaints against the above-mentioned establishments were filed on May 5, but no FIR had been registered so far. Except the Municipal Council, Dasuya, and Krishna Engineering Works, the other four establishments have deposited the amount now. But even in their cases, the police should register the FIRs as the final decision rests with the court. Jalandhar IGP Nirmal Singh Dhillon could not be contacted on phone for his comments on the issue.
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Relief for freedom fighters, kin
Chandigarh, May 30 A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's office said Badal okayed the proposal mooted by the Secretary, Freedom Fighters, taking into consideration the fact that most of the freedom fighters had already crossed the age of 85
years and were unable to represent themselves on these committees. So, the government has decided to give due representation to the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters in their place.
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Army exercise ‘Vajra Prahar’ ends
Chandigarh, May 30 An important aim was to achieve synergy of resources by integration of all combat elements, including the infantry, armour, mechanised infantry, artillery, air defence, signal surveillance and specialised engineering equipment that closely synchronised with operations of the Air Force. Special emphasis was laid on jointness of Army-Air Force operations and achieving battlefield transparency by employing a large array of ground-based and airborne sensors for surveillance. Fording and floatation operations involving large columns of tanks and mechanised infantry units across rivers, canals and other obstacles were also successfully tested and validated. The exercise gave commanders an opportunity to validate a number of latest technology platforms, surveillance and firepower systems operating in a networked environment. Lt Gen Philip Campose, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen AK Bakshi, General Officer Commanding, Vajra Corps, and other senior officers witnessed the exercise.
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Mamdot villagers oppose formation of nagar panchayat
Chandigarh, May 30 A delegation of villagers from Mamdot, Uttar, Sanke Hittar, Basti Pathanwali, Basti Kasmir Singh, Basti Jallo Kalan and Basti Sethanwali met the Local Bodies Department authorities here yesterday and submitted a representation seeking revocation of the notification for setting up the nagar panchayat. Mamdot village sarpanch Kewal Krishan led the delegation. He said the people of the villages that had been included in the nagar panchayat were against it as their agriculture activities would be the affected badly. No notice was served on them before forming the nagar panchayat and their objections were also not heard, he alleged. "Six panchayats have been included in the nagar panchayat. At present, the village sarpanch issues permits for working in the fields situated across the fence on the border. Even women go to work in the fields. However, with the formation of the nagar panchayat, people of all these villages will have to approach the nagar panchayat president at Mamdot for getting these permits. It will be very difficult for women," he added. Kewal Krishan said they were being targeted because they were Congress supporters. They urged the Secretary, Local Bodies, to withdraw the notification immediately.
The
opposition
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Sangrur district library faces shortage of staff, financial crunch
Sangrur, May 30 Due to the paucity of funds, the library authorities have been unable to deposit electricity bills to the tune of about Rs 35,000 for 10 months (from July 2013 to April 2014). The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has served a notice to the district library warning that the electricity connection would be disconnected if the pending bills
are not cleared soon. Besides electricity bills, bills of newspapers and magazines amounting to about Rs 10,000 has also not been paid by the library officials from May 2013 to January 2014. Due to this, the supply was stopped by the newspaper agent from February. Even as the government has failed to pay for newspapers and magazines, a member of the library has been donating eight newspapers and some magazines since February for library members and visitors. The library authorities also have no funds to get around 20,000 old books bound. Besides the financial crisis, there is a shortage of staff. The post of district librarian has been lying vacant for about four years here while another post of librarian has been lying vacant for two decades. A post of library attendant is also vacant. The library is being run only by a woman restorer and a peon. The post of library bearer-cum-attendant, which has been lying vacant since May 5, 2010, could not be filled as the promotion case of the peon, Bhim Sain, could not be forwarded to the higher authorities as there is no librarian to do the needful. Bhim Sain will retire on July 31 next year. The total area of the district library is 3.7 acres but it has no sanctioned post of chowkidar, gardener and sweeper. However, on the request of the district administration, a sweeper, a chowkidar and a gardener were provided by a factory to the library about two years ago.
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NRI booked for marriage fraud
Fatehgarh Sahib, May 30 Damanpreet said she was married to Thalwinder Singh of Mohali on May 13, 2012. Her parents spent huge amount on arranging dowry. At the time of fixing the marriage, Thalwinder had told her parents that he would take her to Canada with him. After the marriage, he demanded Rs 10 lakh for arranging her visa and assured the family that he would return the money later on. The amount was delivered to her father-in-law, she said. Over a month after the marriage, Thalwinder left for Canada, taking along all documents needed for her visa. After Thalwinder's departure, her in-laws started harassing her again for dowry. They also assaulted her. When Damanpreet's parents told her in-laws that they would take up the issue with Thalwinder, they told them that he himself was not interested in keeping Damanpreet with him. Later, they came to know that Thalwinder was already married. A case has been registered against Thalwinder Singh, his father Mohinder Singh and mother Kuldeep Kaur (all residents of
Mohali).
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Camelot project: HC admits plea by MLAs against tax notices
Chandigarh, May 30 Crying hoarse over notices issued to them by the Income Tax Department in connection with the project, no less than 10 former and current Punjab MLAs, including Punjab's former Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, had moved the High Court. Taking up their plea, Justice Rajive Bhalla framed about five questions of law before referring the matter to the Division Bench for adjudicating the issues. In their petition, the MLAs have claimed that the Income Tax Department had wrongly issued them notices to pay "capital gain" on the amount they were yet to receive. The development was significant as Punjab MLAs' Cooperative House Building Society with nearly 100 members was formed way back in 2000-01 by pooling in Rs 5 lakh each. The members were each entitled to 500 sq yard plot. As per the agreement with Tata, each MLA was to get 82.5 lakh and a flat each in lieu of their plot. Describing the issuance of notices as unfair, the counsel for the MLAs today argued that the total amount received so far by each MLAs did not exceed Rs 30 lakh. Besides this, the flats were yet to be given to them by the company. The petitioners submitted that the Income Tax Department could not charge tax on the total amount as they were yet to receive it. The counsel added the MLAs had earlier challenged the orders before the Income Tax Appellate Authority, but it rejected their appeal, compelling them to move the High Court for quashing of the income tax notices. Taking up the matter, a Division Bench issued a notice to the Income Tax Department.
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Encroachment: Notices to state, Lokpal, Bibi Jagir Kaur
Chandigarh, May 30 A notice for October 28 was also issued to Bibi, the Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner and other respondents on the petition filed by George Subh of the Begowal Nagar Panchayat, seeking a CBI probe into the “multi-crore land scam”. Claiming that the market value of the land was more than Rs 100 crore, the petitioner said it belonged to the Begowal panchayat. A part of the land was being utilised to run Sant Prem Singh Khalsa High School that stood on two to three acres. The remaining 18-20 acres were being used by Bibi for agricultural purposes and personal gains, the petitioner said. “The private respondents have raised a 1-km-long and 6-ft-high boundary wall. The Nagar Panchayat, Begowal, issued a notice dated August 8, 2009, to stop the construction. In spite of the notice, the construction on the government land was not stopped,” he alleged. The petitioner claimed he and other residents of the area approached the authorities for redressal of their grievance, but to no avail. They approached then MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira who obtained information under the RTI Act. It was found that there was no record on any land lease. “There was also no record to show as to how and on whose orders the name of the president of Sant Prem Singh Khalsa High School had been entered in the revenue record of the Nagar Panchayat land.” “Abusing her position and because of the shelter and patronage of Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, enjoyed by Bibi, no action of any sort has been taken to stop the illegal activities of the school,” the petitioner alleged, adding that they had also approached the Lokpal but to no avail.
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Militant arrested in Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur, May 30 This border district had remained a hotbed of terrorist activities for nearly a decade in the late eighties and the early nineties. The police, acting on a tip-off, had laid the naka on the Hardochanni-Gurdaspur road. He was heading to Gurdaspur on a two-wheeler. Sheera was arrested in an NDPS case and lodged in Phagwara jail before he jumped parole in July 2011. Superintendent of Police (D) Jagjit Singh Saroya said 11 cases of bank robbery, extortion, NDPS and murder were registered against Sheera at various police stations in the district. He was reportedly hiding in his native village
Narpur.
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Man kills brother over property dispute
Muktsar, May 30 The police said as per the complaint lodged by the deceased’s wife, Karam Singh (45) had gone to the fields with his elder brother Bachittar Singh. Bachittar allegedly hit him on head with an agricultural tool, killing him on the spot. The police have arrested the accused after registering a case of murder against him. The police, however, said the accused was mentally upset. Sources said Karam had three brothers and they all had about five acres of land. One of them had died. The eldest brother, Bachittar, wanted to get separated with his share, to which Karam Singh objected saying that it would not be possible to eke out a living after separation as they had a small landholding. This is what had prompted Bachittar to take such an extreme step, souces said. — TNS
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3 booked in land dispute case
Abohar, May 30 The case was registered after the village panchayat denied having allotted its land near a religious place to anyone. The police said Ranjit and others had also tried to hurt religious sentiments. They had exchanged brickbats with members of another community, triggering a clash on Thursday. — OC
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Amritsar, May 30
Muktsar
village rape case
Mansa, May 30
Patiala, May 30