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Barred from tilling, farmers fear a Kutch in Ajnala
Garbage collection plan re-launch hits hurdle
New Chandigarh development plan okayed
illegal mining
Teenager booked, uneasy calm in Bhai Rupa village
Rights panel seeks report on Sangrur bus stand again
State used as transit point for drug trade, say police
Deal drug mafia with iron hand: NRIs
Cops identify end-recipient in heroin supply chain
New chapter: Govt smart schools open this session
karachi effect
Rs 2.22-crore aid for 215 cancer patients
CM’s home district without DTO
University VC urges students to end strike
90 flood-prone villages identified in Muktsar district
Docs unhappy with govt-supplied drugs
Farmers take to direct
sowing to reduce costs
Dalits protest auction of
panchayat land in Sangrur
Give common land to Dalits at low rates: Bhagwant Mann
Chief Secy to go on leave from Friday?
Bhattal bereaved
Former sarpanch thrashes
SDO, held
Panchayat member attacked by addicts
Alleging land grab, man climbs atop mobile tower
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CM wants Centre to follow riparian law on inter-state waters
Chandigarh, June 10 The President had said the government would consider "all options, including linking of rivers, where feasible, for optimal use of water resources to prevent recurrence of floods and drought." Rehabilitation of drug addicts
Badal and the newly appointed ministers said the government's top priority was rehabilitation of drug addicts and smashing the drug supply chain. Evading a reply on allegations that Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majihia was involved in the drug trade, the Chief Minister said: "I'm personally looking into the functioning of rehabilitation centres. However, the Centre will have to check smuggling at the international border”. While Sohan Singh Thandal said the drug cartels must be busted, Tota Singh said synthetic drugs posed a new challenge to the authorities. Daljit Singh Cheema said: “it is wrong to give a political hue to a problem that is global in nature. We must work together to save our youth." On a sulking Hira Singh Zira, MLA, resigning from party posts, the Chief Minister said: “It's a family matter that will be sorted out amicably.”
Accused Akali leader attends ceremony
Ropar: A day after the SGPC lodged a complaint against an Akali leader, accusing him of selling land belonging to Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, he was seen at the swearing-in ceremony in Chandigarh on Tuesday. The accused belongs to Bhaini village near Nurpur Bedi. He was to give his statement at the Ropar SSP's office at 10.30 am. But he was seen at Raj Bhawan at 9.30 am. He stayed on till the end of the ceremony, much to the embarrassment of senior SAD leaders. Sources said the accused was not allowed inside the area earmarked for VIPs for high tea. The complaint against the SAD leader was lodged after the Chief Minister expressed concern over the issue. — Arun Sharma
Three more join Badal Cabinet
Chandigarh: Sohan Singh Thandal, Jathedar Tota Singh and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema were administered oath as Cabinet Ministers by Governor Shivraj Patil at a brief ceremony here on Tuesday. The new ministers touched Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's feet and sought his blessings. Tota Singh was Agriculture Minister till he was forced to resign in 2012. He was Education Minister during 1997-2002. Thandal represents the Dalits in the Doaba belt. Party spokesperson DS Cheema, who stood by Badal through thick and thin when Capt Amarinder Singh was CM, is a first-time entrant. Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, Cabinet Ministers, CPSes, MPs, MLAs and SAD and BJP leaders were present at the ceremony. — TNS
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Barred from tilling, farmers fear a Kutch in Ajnala
Amritsar, June 10 A few days ago, the BSF had announced to shut down 11 gates that allow entry to around 3,500 acres of the land across the barbed fence. The farmers are now again on the protest path. A visit to the area revealed that from gate numbers 172 to 183, the farmers were not allowed to take their tractors to prepare the land for paddy, though they were allowed to bring back dry fodder. In all, the farmers till 10,868 acres of forestland in 44 villages along the border. Except for 3,500 acres, the remaining land is on the Indian side of the fence. The land was transferred to the Forest Department by the state government in 1968. It was in 1997 that the department for the first time pointed out this illegal occupation to the district administration. Ever since, the forest officials have been trying to take possession of the land, a move being opposed by the farmers. They argue that former Chief Minister Partap Singh Kairon had encouraged them to till the land then in view of food insufficiency in the country. A farmer, Zora Singh, said, “Our situation is the same as that of Punjabi farmers in Kutch whom the Gujarat government is trying to evict. The only difference is that we have a government which is stated to be pro-farmer.” He claimed that their ancestors had made the land suitable for agriculture with their hard work and now the government wanted to take it away. The farmer leaders stated that they had various rounds of talks with the BSF and forest officials after which they might allow them to till the land. The farmers have already started building a movement to oppose any forceful eviction from the land. “The government had tried forceful eviction in 2012 when a clash had occurred between the farmers and the Forest Department officials. The police case against farmers is still going on,” said Gurnam Singh, a farmer leader from area. The 2012 clash at Tananna village had developed a sense of insecurity among the farmers, as a result of which around 20-25 youngsters could be seen sitting at a makeshift post to guard the land. “We won’t let anybody take our land while we are sleeping at home. So we will guard it round the clock,” said one of the youngsters. In 1996, the Supreme Court had issued orders on the ‘misuse’ of forestland and the Punjab Government had given it in writing to abide by the orders. “The Supreme Court orders are the reason why no official can allow this illegal occupation to go,” said a Forest Department official. The farmers reason that they are aware of the Supreme Court orders but when the BSF could not allow farmers to grow tall crops as sugarcane citing smuggling and infiltration threats, how would it allow the Forest Department to grow forest. Most of the forestland is along the point where the Ravi enters Pakistan. Prominent farmer leader, Rattan Singh Randhawa of Border Area Sangharsh Committee, said, “The point is that the Forest Department cannot grow a forest at this land. Secondly because of nearness to river, the land is a big sand quarry.” He reasoned that a few influential people seem to have interest in the land as once the possession is taken over by the Forest Department, it would be easier for them to take out sand. He said the land should be allotted to farmers at reserve price. Trouble on their home turf
Guarding land round the clock The government had tried forceful eviction in 2012 when a clash had occurred between the farmers and the Forest Department officials. The 2012 clash at Tananna village had developed a sense of insecurity among the farmers. As a result, around 20-25 youngsters can be seen sitting at a makeshift post to guard the land. “We won’t let anybody take our land while we are sleeping at home. So we will guard it round the clock,” said one of the youngsters. A farmer, Zora Singh, said, “Our situation is the same as that of Punjabi farmers in Kutch whom the Gujarat Government is trying to evict. The only difference is that we have a government which is stated to be pro-farmer.”
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Garbage collection plan re-launch hits hurdle
Phagwara, June 10 The scheme was initially introduced by Former Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia in July 2010. The authorities were, however, not able to get it implemented in most of the cities and towns of the state, except in Amritsar. Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Local Bodies, Som Parkash said the matter was discussed at a meeting of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahar MLAs on Monday in Chandigarh. The government was determined to implement the scheme in public interests at all costs, he added. He said the tangle would be resolved over the next few days. The Local Bodies Department has carved out eight clusters for solid waste treatment in the state, including Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Bathinda, Pathankot, Ferozepur and GMADA. Under the scheme, arrangement would be made for garbage collection from residential and commercial establishments. Such clusters were already operational in Bathinda, Firozepur and Ludhiana. Executive Officer Adarsh Sharma said Rs 10 to 100 per month would be charged for garbage collection. Despite tall claims, however, the scheme could not be launched in the entire state even now.
Crux of the problem
The "safai karamcharis" are agitated over the SAD-BJP government's move to inaugurate the Solid Waste Treatment Project with the assistance of a private company that will go door to door to lift garbage. Alleging that the government was playing with the future of the "safai sewaks" for giving undue benefit to a private company, members of the Punjab Safai Mazdoor Federation barged into the Circuit House where Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi was addressing mediapersons on Monday. Led by federation chief Chandan Grewal, the members raised slogans against the state government and abused Joshi. This continued for almost an hour. "It is a do or die battle for us," they said. With the Circuit House swelling with federation activists, Joshi, BJP legislator KD Bhandari, Mayor Sunil Jyoti and Jalandhar BJP president Subhash Sood made a hasty exit. But as Joshi sat in his car, the federation member's gheraoed the vehicle.
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New Chandigarh development plan okayed
Chandigarh, June 10 Sukhbir approved the creation of green development in the form of a necklace which would encircle the commercial district as well as residential areas. He approved the creation of a water front development alongside the commercial district, besides setting up of a 50-hectare lake. The Deputy CM approved creation of grids on the pattern of Chandigarh to ensure efficient planning of the residential areas. He approved high rises in both the city centre as well as group housing areas with the restriction that these should be in the north-south grid so that the view of the Shivalik mountains was not disturbed. It was decided that the group housing would be located along the sector park with towers facing the central greens. The consultants have been asked to suggest measures to increase the green cover in all sectors. Aecom Consultants’ officials said New Chandigarh would emerge as an “intelligent city” having no over the ground poles. The firm said it would also be a low carbon emission city with residential areas interconnected with each other. Other features of the city would include an 18-hole golf course. Besides, organic farming would be encouraged in its periphery. It was informed that there would be a provision of community centres in all green areas. The officials said different areas as well as street furniture would be branded by using phulkari motifs. These motifs would also be used to decorate the entrance of the city. Sukhbir asked the company to beautify area adjoining the Siswan dam. He directed the consultants to present a complete landscape plan along with trees and shrubs which would be used. He directed them to start the plantation of the trees in August. New Chandigarh will have a unique land use mix with 386 acres being earmarked for Edu City, 413 acres for Medi City, 75 acres for City Centre and 79 acres for the Commercial Centre. A Venu Prashad, Secretary, Housing, PS Aujla, Principal Secretary to Deputy CM, Manvesh Singh Sidhu and Rahul Tewari, Special Principal Secretaries to Deputy CM, and AK Sinha, Chief Administrator, GMADA were among those present.
Modern city on cards
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Zira men show support
Ferozepur, June 10 Zira is angry with the party leadership for not being included in the state Cabinet. Zira first won the Assembly elections in 1977. He was minister in the Surjit Singh Barnala Government in 1985 holding the Irrigation and Urban Development portfolios. Zira has a clean image. He has never been involved in any controversy. His supporters accuse the Badals of nepotism and have threatened to quit en bloc if Zira is not given a Cabinet berth. Sources close to the SAD MLA said he had convened a meeting of party workers at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Zira on June 15 to chalk out the next course of action. Sources said enraged party workers in Makhu and Mallanwala held a demonstration against the state government. Earlier, two-time SAD legislator from Zira, Inderjit Singh, had joined the Congress after differences with the party leadership. An aide of late Gurcharan Singh Tohra, he had been a minister in 1997.
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illegal mining
Chandigarh, June 10 "The charge has not been made by the Opposition, but a member of the state Cabinet. The Police Department is with the Deputy CM. Hence, he owes an explanation on the issue or else he should proclaim that his Cabinet colleague is lying," he said. Bajwa said the drug menace and the spiralling sand prices had emerged as the two main issues during the elections and the police had a hand in both. "With Joshi coming out into the open to defend his party, the cat is now out of the bag," claimed Bajwa. He said it was common knowledge that powerful politicians controlled the drug and sand mafia in the state.
BJP can’t escape blame, says Jakhar
Congress Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jakhar said the BJP could not escape responsibility for illegal mining by putting all blame on the Akalis. He said if the situation was as bad as claimed by the BJP minister, the BJP should have walked out of the government. He said the Congress would "expose" the government on property tax and sand mafia.
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Teenager booked, uneasy calm in Bhai Rupa village
Bathinda, June 10 A 17-year-old boy has been booked for announcing the arrival of the task force from the village
gurdwara. More than 40 residents, all associated with Bhai Roop Chand Langar Sewa Society, were taken into preventive custody prior to the task force's arrival in the village. Sections 107, 151 of the CrPc were imposed to restrict residents' movement near the disputed
site. Rajwinder Singh Raja, president, Bhai Roop Chand Langar Sewa, alleged that Granthi Gurmit Singh was beaten up by the police. He said the police had arrested 46 persons, six of them under Section 307 of the
IPC. The rest had been arrested under Sections 107 and 151. Raja said they would announce their next course of action soon. When approached, Senior Superintendent of Police
(SSP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said their main concern was to maintain law and order. Asked if action would be taken against members of the SGPC task force for brandishing weapons, he said the officials concerned would submit a report soon and action would be taken accordingly.
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Rights panel seeks report on Sangrur bus stand again
Sangrur, June 10 BJP state unit secretary Jatinder Kalra said he filed a complaint to the commission about the poor condition of the Sangrur bus stand in December 2013. Acting on the complaint, the commission had directed the MD, PRTC, to submit a report on the issue by April 10, but the report had not been filed so far. The commission today directed the PRTC MD to personally ensure that the report was filed as soon as possible, he added. Kalra said the Sangrur bus stand was in bad shape. Stinking conditions prevailed there and the flooring was completely damaged, causing inconvenience to the public. "The problems get aggravated during the rainy season as the area gets inundated," he added.
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State used as transit point for drug trade, say police
Patiala, June 10 Investigations reveal how the trade flourished in Punjab with heroin coming from across the border and then being smuggled to places like Delhi, Mumbai and Goa for high-end party circles. The police have now decided to engage national anti-drug agencies to break the nexus, and to identify more druglords involved in the trade. “We are in touch with central agencies and other anti-drug units in other states to ensure that the drug route is sealed and peddlers are arrested,” said Inspector General (Patiala zone) Paramjit Gill, who is heading the investigations into the infamous synthetic drug racket. Gill said a heroin smuggler procures the contraband from across the border at Rs 3 lakh per kg, a price that shoots up to Rs 20 lakh as soon as it reached Delhi. Yesterday, the Patiala police had arrested two alleged druglords, Varinder Sandhu of Abohar and his associate Bikramjit Singh. Sandhu owned pharma units in Una in neighbouring Himachal. “A major chunk of the synthetic drugs manufactured in Sandhu’s units were sent outside Punjab where it fetched better prices and made the smugglers rich in no time,” said Hardyal Singh Mann, Senior Superintendent of Police, Patiala. Mann has been instrumental in the arrest of Jagdish Bhola, the alleged kingpin of the Rs 6,000 crore synthetic drug racket. Investigations suggest that drugs such as ICE (manufactured in India) and heroin (smuggled from across the border) were smuggled to countries abroad or to other states where it was in demand. “The high-end parties in bigger cities serve as a readymade market for these drugs. There these drugs sell at quite a high price as compared to Punjab,” claimed Mann. 118 persons sent to rehab centres The police on Tuesday sent 118 youths to various drug de-addiction centres. With this, the total number of youths sent to de-addiction centres by the Patiala police has reached 248. During the anti-drug drive, 496 persons have been arrested and 434 cases have been registered over the past fortnight.
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Deal drug mafia with iron hand: NRIs
Chandigarh, June 10 “The Punjabi-American community in North America is deeply shocked to know that more than half of Punjab’s population, particularly the youth, is hooked on to drugs,” said Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director, North American Punjabi Association (NAPA). NAPA’s Chahal and Dalwinder Dhoot have even shot off a letter to Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal expressing concern over the issue. Tarlochan Sohal, Deputy Sheriff of Merced county in California, said the extent of the problem had shocked the NRIs. “It is a worrisome situation, which needs to be tackled strategically. A multi-task force needs to be created at the local level to exclusively deal with the addicts and peddlers. The force should not be under the police control.” He said as was the practice in the US, small peddlers could be effectively used to reach out to the big fish. “In fact, small peddlers should be rewarded for their help. Fully equipped members of a crack force should be deployed on highways to check vehicles,” suggested Sohal. Harry Dhaliwal, a Toronto-based federal judge originally hailing from Jagraon, said, “The influence of the local politicians on the police needs to be checked. The powers of the police to nail anyone in any case should be curtailed.” Jodie Lobana, a Toronto-based chartered accountant, said addicts needed sympathy. “Once a person is tagged as a drug consumer, he is shunned by the society and treated as untouchable. They, in fact, need to be helped to return to the mainstream.”
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Cops identify end-recipient in heroin supply chain
Chandigarh, June 10 Investigations revealed that Bachhu Mian of Rampur (UP) was the kingpin and recipient in a heroin trafficking chain starting from Afghanistan to Pakistan, crossing the international border in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, transiting through Punjab and Delhi and ending in UP. From there, it was supplied to the distribution network. Gaurav Yadav, IGP (counter-intelligence), Punjab, said Mian was a well-connected recipient of narcotics. Ali is the second associate of Mian arrested after Vinod Kumar alias Lucky, a resident of Sukhiabad village in Hoshiarpur (Punjab). He used to collect heroin consignments from their Punjab associates in a Canter truck with fake Haryana registration number (HR-03CA 2225). Elaborate arrangements have been made in the vehicle to avoid detection of heroin during transportation and the consignment was hidden in a cavity inside a mustard seed grinder, said Yadav. The IGP said Mian had also been using Afghan couriers for transporting heroin consignments hidden in capsules. He said in the sustained police action in the past three weeks against drug trafficking, several supply chains had been detected. He said the chain of one cartel started from Bagga Chairman of Lahore and culminated at Anaten of Sri Lanka who used to collect consignments in Delhi, with several Afghanis in various links. The supply chain unravelled today has Mian as the end-recipient with consignments coming from Pakistan and passing through Punjab and Delhi. Another big supply chain, exposed by the border range of the Punjab Police, starts with Arif Mohammad alias Doctor in Pakistan, transits through Punjab smuggler Gurminder Singh alias Lalli and culminates in Delhi-based two Nigerians, Attou and Peter. The Nigerian "end recipients" have been provided 50-60 kg of heroin in eight consignments between 2010 and 2012. He said the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) had earlier exposed a supply chain starting from Pakistan smuggler Abid Ali, use of Pakistani couriers Rashid Ahmed and Shaukat Ali, transit smugglers Sukhraj Singh and Balraj Singh and end-recipient Avinash Pandit of Delhi who were then arrested.
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New chapter: Govt smart schools open this session
Amritsar, June 10 The scheme is registered as "Society for promotion of quality education for poor and meritorious students of Punjab". The students of government school affiliated with the Punjab School Education Board who attain 80 per cent or above marks in Class X during the 2013-14 session would be eligible to seek admission in these schools. These schools, named Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students, are coming up at Amritsar (GNDU campus), Patiala (Punjabi University), Bathinda (Giani Zail Singh Engineering and Technology College), Ludhiana (Government College for Boys), Jalandhar (Sports School) and Mohali (Sector 70, opposite Mataur village). The admission process has been started and the classes have been scheduled to commence from July 1. The admission form can be downloaded from the website www.ssapunjab.org. District Education Officer Shinder Singh said the eligible students can submit the forms through their school head or coordinate with the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan Office (DEO-primary office Amritsar) till June 21. Hostel, though free and separate for boys and girls, is compulsory for all students. Besides the syllabus of Class XI and XII (English medium) prescribed by the Board, special teaching classes for preparation of various competitions like JEE, medical entrance tests, CLAT/ CPET and other undergraduate tests held by universities would be undertaken. These classes too would be free of cost. Shinder Singh said the curriculum had been designed to build overall personality of the students. Special career counsellors would also be there to assist the students from initial stage. The curriculum would be English medium with adequate help from the teachers to translate it into vernacular languages. Admissions on
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karachi effect
Amritsar, June 10 Considered to be one of the hyper-sensitive aviation facilities in India, the Amritsar airport has witnessed the landing of three hijacked planes in the past. To avert any misadventure in the future, the airport’s security was handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in 2001. It has been learnt that officials of the CISF, Airport Authority of India and other security agencies also held a meeting today. With 85 flights landing and taking off every week, the Amritsar airport handles footfall of about 9 lakh passengers annually.
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Rs 2.22-crore aid for 215 cancer patients
Fatehgarh Sahib, June 10 Deputy Commissioner Arun Sekhri said this while presiding over a meeting of the District Health Society at the district administrative complex here today. He is also the Chairman of the District Health Society. He said patients suffering from the dreaded disease were given financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh each so that they could go in for better treatment. He said the government was also setting up cancer treatment units at government medical college hospitals. Cancer-screening campaign had also been launched to detect cancer at early stage. The government was committed to eradicate cancer in the state, he added. He directed the Health Department officials to ensure proper medical facilities and medicines to the patients and warned if any doctor was found negligent in duty, he would not be spared. Sekhri said health camps would be organised for children up to 18 years of age. The government would also provide free treatment for 38 diseases. He said Rs 8.5 lakh had been provided for the purpose in the first phase. The DC said urban primary health centres would be set up in Fatehgarh Sahib and Mandi Gobindgarh under various Central Government-sponsored health schemes. One centre would be set up at Fatehgarh Sahib, while Mandi Gobindgarh would get two such centres. He said 32 Asha workers would be recruited for Mandi Gobindgarh, while and 14 such recruitments would be made for Fatehgarh Sahib.
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CM’s home district without DTO
Muktsar, June 10 The result: Day-to-day work is suffering and people are facing inconvenience. Transporters and traffic rule violators are having a gala time in the absence of any DTO. There is no fear of being caught for any traffic offence. The post fell vacant after Sandeep Rishi was transferred as the Chief Administrator, Amritsar Development Authority, on May 28. He was relieved from here on the same day. Sources in the district administrative complex said the work of issuing learning and regular driving licences and vehicle registration certificates had been pending for around a fortnight now. "Huge piles of files have gathered at the Suwidha Centre. Those who applied even a few days before May 28 are waiting for their driving licences and vehicle registration certificates. Though the department clerk has been authorised to collect challan fee, no one has been give additional or independent charge of the DTO," said an official in the district transport office. "We are selling new files and accepting the duly completed ones, but are unable to process these as these have to be cleared by the DTO," he added. The norms under the Right to Service (RTS) Act are also getting violated as driving licences could not be issued in the prescribed time period of seven days. Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Jaskiran Singh, who assumed charge recently, said, "The DTO was transferred a few days ago and we are planning to give additional charge to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate shortly."
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University VC urges students to end strike
Ludhiana, June 10 The VC said the university authorities were in touch with the state government and prospective employers in the private sector so as to ensure that the students graduating from the university get jobs as soon as they passed out from the campus. He said the authorities concerned had already submitted a Rs 320-crore project proposal to the Central Government and Rs 13.6-crore proposal to the state government wherein more than 30 students would get employment. "All such efforts will be fruitful only if the students completed their courses in time. So, they should end their strike," he said.
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90 flood-prone villages identified in Muktsar district
Muktsar, June 10 He held a meeting with the officials of all the departments concerned to take stock of the preparedness of the administration in tackling potential floods in the monsoon season. Jaskiran Singh said, “We have identified 20 flood-prone villages in Muktsar sub-division, 47 in Malout and 23 in Giddarbaha. The Drainage Department officials have been told to clean the drains before the monsoon. The Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and Circle Revenue Officers (CROs) have been directed to supervise the operations.” He also directed the PWD (B&R) and Mandi Board officials to open the road culverts. Singh further said the district administration would prepare a comprehensive Flood Management Plan (FMP) for the rainy season. Local Congress MLA Karan Kaur Brar alleged the state government only cleaned some existing drains and had failed to carve out new drains in her assembly segment. Last year, the rains had resulted in huge losses in Muktsar district as several villages were flooded.
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Docs unhappy with govt-supplied drugs
Mansa, June 10 During his visit, Jyani met several patients at the hospital. The patients complained of costly treatment. They told Jyani that the doctors didn’t recommend medicines supplied by the government, which were available for free. When questioned on the issue, the doctors complained that the government medicines were of inferior quality. The doctors said they didn’t want to put the patients’ lives at risk. Later, Jyani directed the officials to be punctual and said erring staff would face action. Jyani further said chemists selling banned drugs without prescription would also face action. “Drug Inspectors should regularly conduct raids at medical stores to stop this practice. The officials should send action taken reports to the Head Office on a regular basis in case of any violation. The Drug Inspectors will be held responsible for any illegal practice at pharmacies.”
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Farmers take to direct
sowing to reduce costs
Moga, June 10 The Agriculture Department is also aggressively promoting the direct sowing method to save power and prevent overexploitation of groundwater. The shortage of paddy sowing machines has urged agro-scientists to successfully conduct experiments on sowing paddy directly with the help of zero-tillage machines. These are being used to sow wheat. Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar, in charge of the Government Seed Farm, Raonta, said he had successfully sown paddy on 2 acres with the help of a zero-tillage machine. He plans to sow paddy with the machine on 20 acres. The state government aims to help farmers sow paddy directly on 25,000 hectares in Moga. But with only 10 machines available, farmers are using zero-tillage machines. With every third farmer possessing a zero-tillage machine, it is estimated there are over 10,000 zero-tillage machines in the district. Moreover, the Agriculture Department has offered a subsidy of Rs 20,000 to cooperative societies on every purchase of paddy sowing machine. The machine costs around Rs 50,000. Nirmal Singh of Manuke village, who has already sown paddy seeds on his 2-acre land using this technology, said the weeds were proving to be a problem. The benefits
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Dalits protest auction of
panchayat land in Sangrur
Sangrur, June 10 Committee leader Mukesh Malaud alleged they should have been informed of the auction a week in advance. The protesters lifted the dharna after the administration cancelled the auction.
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Give common land to Dalits at low rates: Bhagwant Mann
Sangrur, June 10 Mann stated this while supporting Dalits from Baopur and Namol villages who have been demanding panchayat land for cultivation on contract at low rates. In a press note, Mann said instead of becoming a mute spectator, the district administration should find a solution to solve the problems of the SC community. Mann said one-third of the agricultural panchayat land in villages had been earmarked for the SCs to improve their living standard, but the state government had been treating the same as a source of revenue. He said after the Parliament session, he would visit villages in the district to thank the voters. He said he would chalk out a plan to provide relief to those who had been “victimised” by the state government.
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Chief Secy to go on leave from Friday? Chandigarh, June 10 The hunt for his successor, top sources said, has already been started by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his top officials. Rakesh Singh was said to be enjoying a good rapport with top Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, even as officers close to him have said he had never preferred to make any mention of his “projected proximity” with any of top BJP leaders, including Rajnath. Immediately after assuming power in the state, the Chief Minister had hand-picked the 1978-batch IAS officer. He was on the central deputation at that time. He is due to retire in September 2015. Singh belongs to Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh and his parents hail from Varanasi. Singh has been yearning to go back to the Centre for a long time but talks about his leaving Punjab had started soon after his reported meetings with the BJP national president just before the Lok Sabha polls.
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Bhattal bereaved
Chandigarh, June 10 The cremation will take place after the deceased’s son arrives from Canada. The PPCC president, Partap Singh Bajwa, said Kuldeep Bhattal's death was an “irreparable loss to the party and his family.” — TNS
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Former sarpanch thrashes SDO, held
Gidderbaha, June 10 The SDO, Mangat Rai Sharma, alleged the former sarpanch accompanied by his supporters thrashed him on the Malout-Bathinda highway outside the SDM office complex. Sharma alleged: "Toti had called me to Bharu village early this morning regarding the laying of irrigation pipes there, but I did not go. Later, he along with supporters came to the SDM office complex to lodge a complaint against me. He levelled corruption charges against me. When I moved out of my office, he thrashed me in front of my staff." The SDO said he had lodged a complaint against Toti with the police and the Gidderbaha SDM, Hardeep Singh Dhaliwal. Toti, however, refuted the allegations. He said: "The Soil Conservation Department is laying some irrigation pipes in Daula and Bharu villages, but most of these are leaking. We had lodged a complaint with the SDO, but he did not bother. When we went to the SDM office complex to lodge a complaint against him, he staged a drama to frame me."
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Panchayat member attacked by addicts
Moga, June 10 Eight of the attackers were arrested and sharp-edged weapons were seized from them, they said. The remaining alleged accused are absconding. The attackers were armed with swords, rods and baseball bats. They injured the victims seriously, police said. Panchayat member Pratap Singh alleged that the accused attacked him and the others while they were going to the village head's house to tell him about their drug addiction, they said. The accused include three brothers, police said. — PTI
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Alleging land grab, man climbs atop mobile tower
Sangrur, June 10 Dilbag Singh, Naib Tehsildar, and Bikkar Singh, SHO, reached the spot. They tried to persuade him to climb him down, but failed. He, however, climbed down after five hours after the civil and police officials assured him that justice would be done. The SHO said there was a dispute over the said land and both parties had reached a compromise a year ago. The other party started some construction at the site a few days ago, but the work was stopped after Rajwinder complained to the police, he said. He said the police had initiated proceedings against the opposite party under Sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC. Krishan Kumar Panthey, Deputy Superintendent of Police, the matter would be probed and action would be taken against the guilty.
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Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today impressed upon the Centre to give due weightage to the riparian law while deciding inter-state water issues.
For thousands of farmers tilling forestland alongside the India-Pakistan border in Ajnala sub-division, protests seem to be the only way to retain the land after every crop.
Taking a serious note of the non-submission of status report on the condition of PRTC bus stand at
Sangrur, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) today asked the PRTC Managing Director (MD) to submit the report at the earliest. The next hearing in the case would be held on June 16.
Doctors in the region today informed state Health Minister Surjit Singh Jyani that they didn’t recommend medicines supplied from government funds to patients since these were inferior. Jyani was on a surprise visit to Mansa Civil Hospital. Jyani, who reached for inspection at 7:50 am, agreed with the doctors and promised to look into the matter.
Former Akali Dal sarpanch of Daula village in Gidderbaha Balwinder Singh alias Toti was today arrested for allegedly thrashing a Sub-Divisional Officer
(SDO) of the Soil Conservation Department outside the SDM office complex in
Gidderbaha. A case under Sections 353, 186, 323 and 506 of the IPC has been registered against him.
Rajwinder Singh (30) of Mahmadpur village near Sherpur today climbed atop a mobile phone tower on the outskirts of his village. He alleged police inaction on his complaint regarding grabbing of his one bigha land.
Dilbag Singh, Naib Tehsildar, and Bikkar Singh, SHO, reached the spot. They tried to persuade him to climb him down, but failed.
He, however, climbed down after five hours after the civil and police officials assured him that justice would be done. The SHO said there was a dispute over the said land and both parties had reached a compromise a year ago.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today accorded in principle approval to a presentation given by multinational architecture and engineering firm Aecom that has been engaged by the Punjab Government to plan the new city.