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Fiery Congress goes all out against govt policies
Factionalism to fore in Fazilka unit
Badal making way for Sukhbir, says Bhattal
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Phoolka seeks SC intervention
35 PCS shifted
Cong failed to corner govt during Budget session
Govt shielding Majithia: Bittu
AAP nat’l executive in Sunam from July 26
Balad Kalan
disputE
State to prepare road safety policy blueprint in month
Dues not paid, state cuts canal supply to R’sthan
Coal shortage
Accused in Tihar, cops announce reward
PRTC buses to remain off road on July 28
Charges against US Sikh dropped
High Court notice to state Education Dept
HC Judge intervenes to end stand-off at Moga court
Minor killed by relatives over Rs
300
SGPC member’s college caught 'stealing power'
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Fiery Congress goes all out against govt policies
Jalandhar, July 23 Addressing party leaders and workers in front of the office of the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner, Bajwa ridiculed Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal over his claim of making Punjab a power-surplus state. "Despite domestic consumers facing long power cuts and the farmers not getting uninterrupted eight-hour power supply, the state government continues to claim through advertisements in newspapers that Punjab is a power-surplus state," Bajwa said. Shortage of water for irrigation was likely to hit paddy yield in the state, he said. "In order to compensate farmers, special girdawari should be ordered and the farmers must be given compensation of Rs 5,000 per acre," he said. After the dharna, Bajwa and some senior party leaders submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner KK Yadav. ‘Govt failed on all fronts’ Patiala: Former Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur on Wednesday said the SAD-BJP alliance had failed on all fronts. She was speaking during a dharna held in front of the mini secretariat. Senior party leaders from the district also participated in the dharna. She alleged the SAD-BJP combine had made tall promises to the electorate, but the government had failed to fulfil those promises. "The government had promised to make power cheaper, but it has actually burdened the people by increasing power tariff. Power cuts have further complicated the situation," she said. Muktsar: District Congress Committee president Gurmeet Singh Khuddian led the Congress protest against the state government at Muktsar. The protest was held at the District Administrative Complex . Senior party leaders, including local MLA Karan Kaur Brar, Gidderbaha MLA Amarinder Singh 'Raja Warring', former MLA Malout Nathu Ram, former District Congress Committee president Gursant Singh Brar and their supporters participated in the protest. They raised issues of power shortage, drug abuse, "unfriendly" state Budget etc. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. Amritsar: Led by DCC president Rajeev Bhagat, Congress workers staged a protest against the SAD-BJP regime's "misrule" outside the Deputy Commissioner office here. They accused the state government of "pushing Punjab into a quagmire of corruption and drug addiction". Bhagat said Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal had promised to make Punjab a power-surplus state, but his claims had fallen flat. Tarn Taran: Congress workers led by senior leaders Harminder Singh Gill and Dharmavir Agnihotri staged a protest against the government here. They said the agriculture and industrial sectors should be given compensation for the losses incurred due to power crisis in the state. They said farmers should be paid a compensation of Rs 5,000 per acre. Phagwara: Former PPCC president HS Hanspal, District Congress Committee president Navtej Singh Cheema and Congress spokesperson Nimisha Mehta have urged the Centre to set up a high-level special investigation team to help families that suffered due to terrorism in the state. They should also be treated like victims of 1984 riots, they said. PPCC spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira and other Congress leaders criticised the "morcha rajneeti" of the Shiromani Akali Dal. Moga: District president Darshan Singh Brar led the Congress protest against the state government in Moga. He said power cuts contradicted the tall claim of Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal that Punjab would be made a power-surplus state. He also spoke on corruption, politicisation of the police, rising unemployment and ineffective implementation of MNREGA proposals in rural areas. Fatehgarh Sahib: Former PPCC president Shamsher Singh Dullo, MLAs Kuljit Singh Nagra and Kaka Randeep Singh, district president Harinder Singh Bhambari and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot participated in the dharna here. Besides power cuts, they also targeted the government over steep rise in bus fares, cost of gravel and essential commodities. A memorandum was submitted to DC Arun Sekhri. Gurdaspur: PPCC spokesman Fatehjung Singh Bajwa and hundreds of Congress workers organised a protest against the state government's alleged "insensitive attitude" at the Congress Bhawan here. Later, they marched to the Deputy Commissioner's office where they handed over a memorandum to him. Sangrur: Congress workers led by district president Mai Roop Kaur Bagrian staged a dharna outside district administrative complex here. Besides rapping the government on the power situation, party leaders also accused it of protecting those involved in the drug trade. Drug addicts were being arrested by the police and not the big smugglers, they said. Divided house here, too Ropar: The Congress once again proved a divided house when prominent leaders, including Rana KP Singh, Chamkaur Sahib MLA Charanjit Singh
Channi, Sukhwidner Singh Whisky, Amarjit Singh Saini (both former district party chiefs) and Dr Ramesh Dutt Sharma did not participate in the
dharna. A large numbers of Congress leaders have been up in arms since the party high command nominated Harbhag Singh Desumajra as the district chief last year. Desumajra and his
supporters protested at Ranjit Bagh and later submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. Badal's offer to quit over HSGPC a ploy: Bajwa As regards Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's statement that he would resign over the issue of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC), PPCC chief Bajwa said, "If Badal is actually sincere towards the issue and it is not a ploy to hand over the CM's chair to his son Sukhbir Badal, not only the senior Badal but the entire Badal family should quit from the Centre and the governments." To move Supreme Court over drugs Since the beginning, the stand of the Congress has been that a CBI probe should be ordered into the drug racket. Only a CBI probe can unravel the truth so that the guilty can be
punished. Partap Singh Bajwa, Punjab pradesh Congress committee chief
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Factionalism to fore in Fazilka unit
Fazilka, July 23 Kaushal Kumar Bouk, DCC president, led the protest, though most of the senior leaders of the district failed to turn up. Prominent among those missing were former Congress MLA Mohinder Kumar Rinwa and Block Congress Committee presidents Surinder Kalra (urban) and Des Raj Jandwalia (rural). Rinwa had last year opposed the appointment of Bouk as the DCC president. Kalra said “he was out of station” and had informed those concerned. The Congress rank and file from Abohar, the constituency represented by the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Sunil Kumar Jakhar, also did not participate.
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Badal making way for Sukhbir, says Bhattal
Bathinda, July 23 The former Chief Minister said the gurdwara issue where the Badal Senior was threatening to resign was only a “clever ploy to ensure the entry of his son Sukhbir Badal to come forward and head the state”. Bhattal said even in the past the SAD had raised the issue of Punjabi ‘suba’ (state) and also the issue of sharing canal waters only to divert public attention from real issues that faced the common man. “They are misleading the people to suit their selfish needs,” she said. She accused the SAD-BJP government of indulging in vendetta politics by linking Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring with the drug mafia. She alleged that the Mansa SSP showed unprecedented hurry in talking to the press and naming Warring only on the basis of a drug peddler’s phone contact list. “The police have no evidence to prove that Warring has any links with the drug trafficker. The police also retracted from their earlier claim of the accused having used Warring’s vehicle. This is all vendetta politics,” she said. Leaving nothing to chance, two of the main aspirants for the party ticket for the Talwandi Sabo byelection, Harmander Singh Jassi and Sukhdev Singh Chahal, met Congress MLA and senior leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal today. Hoshiarpur: The Congress organised a dharna outside the district administrative complex in Hoshiarpur on Wednesday. The protesters raised slogans in protest against power and water shortage. Former MP Mohinder Singh KP blamed the state government for all sufferings of the people.
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SAD conclave: No invite for those favouring HSGPC
Amritsar, July 23 SAD Secretary Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said, “All the SAD leaders, SGPC members, DSGMC members, Sant Samaj leaders and representatives of Nihang Singh organisations will attend the conclave. The SAD leaders from other states too will participate in it. We have extended an invitation to all those who matter today.” He also made it clear that they would not invite any organisation which is siding with the Haryana government over the issue of the separate gurdwara panel. “How can we invite those who are advocating the division of the SGPC which has come into being after innumerable sacrifices?” He also stated that they had invited only those Panthic organisations which “truly practice Panthic ideology”. On splinter SAD groups, he said they no longer existed in the state. On a query regarding some radical Sikh outfits, he said they were “one-man organisations”. SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh said they were expecting a turnout of around 1 lakh for the conclave for which elaborate arrangements were being made by them. He said they would be facilitating accommodation for the participants in the SGPC-run educational institutions in the holy city. Besides, he said huge ‘pandals’ would be erected outside Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall. Special arrangements would also be made for ‘langar’ and ‘chhabeels’ on the occasion, he said, adding that the SAD would be extending the invitations for the conclave. Meanwhile, the Sikh intellectuals held a meeting to deliberate on the separate HSGPC row in Chandigarh on Tuesday and passed a resolution, stating that the issue of handing over the management of Haryana gurdwaras to the Sikh Sangat of Haryana will not cause any division in the Sikh Panth. The meeting also appealed the SAD to drop the idea of putting up a ‘Morcha’ over the issue. “This gathering strongly feels that in the past all Sikh Morchas by the Akali Dal were directed against the powers at the Centre and were justified. However, it is sad that in the 21st century, a call has been made for leading a Morcha against the proposed action. It will not only widen the divide in the community but the respect for the Akali Dal will also diminish drastically,” reads the appeal in the resolution. The Sikh intellectuals urged the SAD to cancel its July 27 conclave while also requesting the Akal Takht Jathedar to issue such a direction to “avoid possible bloodshed and further division in the Panth”. The intellectuals also termed the ex-communication of Haryana Sikh leaders as “unjust” and stated that it has further widened the chasm among the Sikh community. They pleaded the Akal Takht to withdraw this decision. The resolution also advocated the need for the All India Gurdwara Act, which will ensure that collective Sikh issues will be addressed nationally under this umbrella organisation, the state-wise issues of management of Sikh gurdwaras will be addressed by the local Sikh management. Representatives of Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Chandigarh, International Sikh Confederation, Institute of Sikh Studies, Sikh Missionary College, Bhai Gurdas Institute of Advance Sikh Studies and other organisations participated in the meeting.
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Phoolka seeks SC intervention
He said the opinion of the Attorney General was binding on the Central Government alone. There had been numerous instances when the Centre took action on the opinion of Attorney General and the said actions were quashed by the courts for being illegal, he claimed. “The Haryana Government has its own advocate general who has opined that the Haryana Assembly is empowered as per the Constitution to pass this Act,” the AAP leader said. “The SAD is opposing the move on the pretext of keeping the Sikh Panth united. But this action of the SAD is aimed at dividing the Sikh Panth. If the Akalis are sincere in their motive, they should have filed a petition in the Supreme Court. But they do not want to move the court as their move has no legal base,” he alleged. He appealed to the Sikh leaders in Haryana not to take police help in taking over control of the gurdwaras. “This could result in violence. The Badals want violence at this moment as they have failed on all fronts. They want to blame the Haryana Government of using police force in gurdwaras,” Phoolka said. He advised the HSGPC leaders to use peaceful methods to resolve the matter.
Sant Samaj to attend Badal’s conference
Chandigarh: The Sant Samaj has announced to attend the Panthic conference called by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to discuss the future course of action on the HSGPC row The United Sikh Movement, however, has opposed the conclave terming it as a “political stunt”. The conference will be held at Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Amritsar on July 27. Damdami Taksal chief and head of the Sant Samaj Baba Harnam Singh said: “We are against the bifurcation of the SGPC. So we will attend the congregation. We should work out an amicable solution to resolve the matter.” Some Sant Samaj leaders, however, feel that since the HSGPC was a matter pertaining to the Sikhs of both Punjab and Haryana, they should remain neutral.
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3 cops injured in Moga group clash
Moga, July 23 Farmers from both villages pelted each other with stones. They also attacked policemen already deployed there by the district administration. The police resorted to mild cane-charge to disperse the agitated crowd. Three policemen - ASI Nachattar Singh, head constable Narinderjit Singh and constable Rajinder Singh - were injured when the agitated people pelted them with stones. They were admitted to the district hospital, but were discharged soon after, said Dr Arvinder Singh Gill, SMO. Later, additional police force was summoned. Surinder Kaur, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, also reached the spot. In the meantime, an unidentified youth brought a can of kerosene oil and poured it on policemen and mediapersons present at the spot. He even burnt a piece of cloth to ignite fire, but the policemen swiftly doused the fire. The youth fled after the incident. Rajinder Singh, a local resident, alleged the police, including women staff, forcibly entered their houses and misbehaved with women. In some houses, women were seen clashing with the police trying to prevent them from entering into their houses. The residents of Gill Patti alleged some influential persons of Sandhu Patti had encroached upon 50 acres of shamlat land. Earlier the rainwater used to pass through this common land to enter the village drain, but for the past couple of years the encroachers had stopped the passage of water. Late in the evening, Gursharan Singh Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of Police, claimed that the district administration had brokered peace between the two groups. As per the agreement, underground drain pipes would be laid for the passage of rainwater. He ruled out registering a case against either of the groups claiming that his major thrust was to restore peace.
Bone of contention
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Cong failed to corner govt during Budget session
Chandigarh, July 23 Amidst speculation by many within the Congress, like former MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, that many Congress legislators had “tacit understanding” with the government, the fact remains that the party was unable to corner the government on the issues of illicit drug trade, illegal mining and imposition of property tax. Though the Opposition staged some walkouts, they appeared symbolic. Most of the Opposition MLAs were also unprepared on the Bills presented in the Assembly. Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar, however, said their performance was not bad. “We had a good debate on the Budget and the power situation in Punjab. We could have done better had more time been allowed to us,” he said. Jakhar and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Singh, though, managed to puncture several holes in the budgetary figures. However, their contentions were countered by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, who said the state had actually managed to reduce its debt to GSDP ratio and the debt incurred was actually productive debt. Also, senior Congress MLAs admit that after the controversy regarding Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring erupted (his number was found in the phonebook of a drug smuggler), they were unable to launch a sharper attack over the drug issue. Though most of these MLAs believe Warring to be innocent, and that the controversy was raised by Akalis strategically at the time the Congress was demanding a white paper on the drug issue, they say it did blunt their attack on the Akalis. Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia managed to use this issue to his advantage and project himself as a “victim”.
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Govt shielding Majithia: Bittu
Ludhiana, July 23 He was speaking during a dharna organised by Congress members against drug menace and power cuts in the state. The dharna was organised at the mini secretariat. Bittu said the government first got the youth addicted to drugs. Now, those in the government were sending banned medicines manufactured at their factories to get the youth addicted to these. He said the state government was in financial mess. Around 70 per cent of the loans being taken by the government were being used to repay the loans taken earlier. Financial crunch had hit coal supply to thermal power plants in the state, he added.
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AAP nat’l executive in Sunam from July 26
The party is also expected to announce its candidates for the two Assembly seats, Patiala and Talwandi Sabo, where bypoll will be held on August 21. Dr Balbir Singh is being seen as a frontrunner for the AAP ticket from Patiala whereas Barjinder Kaur, a college lecturer, may be fielded from Talwandi Sabo. Though a fledgling party, the AAP had put up an impressive show in Punjab, winning four of the 13 Lok Sabha seats and bagging 25 per cent of the total vote share.
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Balad Kalan
disputE
Sangrur, July 23 The issue pertains to the auction of panchayat land reserved for the Scheduled Caste among non-eligible villagers. Also, in its fact-finding report, district unit of Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR), Punjab, said the lathicharge on agitating Dalits of Balad Kalan village on June 27 was planned. The report states that the police had taken the step so that auction of 478 bighas of the village panchayat land, reserved for SCs, could be held. The agitating Dalits were demanding that the auction be held at low rates on June 27. The police arrested 41 Dalit protesters, who are still lodged in Sangrur Jail. The AFDR has also held the police responsible for using force without warning the people. The report also said the agitators had not provoked the police. The AFDR said though the police had implicated Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union leader Sanjiv Mintoo on June 27, he was not present at the site. In the report, the AFDR has also stated that the police had registered a false attempt to murder case against the agitators. The AFDR has condemned the police action against agitators and termed it as an irresponsible act on the part of the administration.
The committee
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State to prepare road safety policy blueprint in month
Chandigarh, July 23 Kohar also asked the Public Works Department to repair the National Highways and State Highways in the next two years. Taking cognisance of the issue of passengers being ferried in trucks and tractor-trolleys, Kohar said such exercises often led to accidents. He said imposing a ban on ferrying passengers in these vehicles was the need of the hour. The council decided to put an embargo on these vehicles. The Road Safety Council has decided to cancel the permit of trucks and tractors-trolleys ferrying passengers. Kohar also asked Education, Transport and Police Departments to work in consonance with each other to ensure the safety of children going to schools in buses of educational institutes. He also directed school managements to follow the ruling of the apex court and the Motor Vehicle Act-1988 to run their buses, besides ensuring the installation of speed governors in all buses with a maximum speed of 40 km per hour. He said the school buses should also be shaped according to AIS Standard 063.
Don’t charge SC students: Ranike tells DCs
The state government has issued directions to all deputy commissioners to ensure strict compliance of instructions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that scholarship money should be directly credited to the accounts of colleges/institutions and not be charged from Scheduled Caste students eligible for post-matric scholarship.
State tells officials to
be punctual
The state government today issued strict instructions to all officers and employees to maintain punctuality and ensure their availability to public during office hours. The officers have also been asked to schedule their availability at headquarters on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Seats reserved for Kashmiri migrants
One seat for Kashmiri migrants in admissions to various courses has been reserved by the state government. The state government had waived off the condition of domicile requirement for Kashmiri migrants, said Madan Mohan Mittal, Technical Education Minister.
Agriculture Officer dismissed
The state government has dismissed the services of Parminder Singh, Agriculture Officer, under the Punjab Civil Services Rules (Punishment & Appeal), 1970.
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Panic in Ludhiana colony as 3 die of diarrhoea
Ludhiana, July 23 Sonu (40) and his son Aman (6) from the same area also lost their lives after a bout of vomiting and loose motions. Sonu’s two daughters are also admitted in hospital while his wife Suman came home after receiving treatment from a medical camp organised at the Health Department office today. It was only after these deaths that water tankers reached the area for a fresh supply of water. Municipal Councillor Tanveer Singh Dhaliwal said the area residents were being provided fresh water through water tankers. “There is no problem in the water supply. The casualties are from the vehras and probably they are drinking water from sources other than that of the Municipal Corporation,” he claimed. However, Dinesh, who lives in the vehra, said, “We have been receiving contaminated water supply from the past few days. We are paying water bill regularly but the water we have been receiving from the past few days is black or yellow in colour.” Radha, another resident, said she was worried about her one-month-old baby after receiving the news of the infant’s death in their area. She said her baby was suffering from similar symptoms. District Epidemiologist Dr Anil Verma said, “Three persons died after suffering from diarrhoea. Seventeen more are suspected to be infected and have been given necessary medication today. Three patients, who are serious, have
been referred to the Civil Hospital,” he said.
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Dues not paid, state cuts canal supply to R’sthan
Bathinda, July 23 The Punjab Canal Department claimed to have spent around Rs 50 lakh to clean water weed (hyacinth) from the Bikaner canal. However, the Rajasthan Government has allegedly not paid the money yet. The Punjab Government has cut the supply by 200 cusecs after a week’s ultimatum to Rajasthan ended. The Bikaner canal starts from Ferozepur feeder and its capacity is 3,000 cusec. Water weeds (water hyacinth) had become big problem in July and it created trouble for the authorities. East Canal division SDO Bakshish Singh Cheema said the weed problem, which worsened in the event of wind storms, used to hinder the smooth flow of water. “The Punjab Government spent Rs 50 lakh on the cleanliness project. As the cleaning and maintenance expenses of the canal are mostly taken care of by the Rajasthan Government, bills amounting to Rs 40 lakh were went to the neighbouring state. But, those bills are yet to be paid,” he said. Cheema said water weed was always a major issue at Harike headsworks during rains. East Canal division Executive Engineer Sushil Agarwal said he had joined just two days ago, and that the issue was not in his notice. Superintendent Engineer (Rajasthan) KL Jakhar said the bills would be paid within two days. He said the water supply had been decreased from 2,000 cusecs to 1,800 cusecs.
Taken to task
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Coal shortage
Ropar, July 23 With no coal in its stock, the authorities started retrieving the carpet coal in its stock yard that carries high level of moisture and dust. This coal can be used after being mixed with good quality coal and the plant received only one rake of such coal today. Alarmed by the situation, Chief Engineer (Fuel) Suresh Chand Goel and Director, Power Generation, Surinder Pal Singh reached Ropar to chalk out a solution. GGSSTP Chief Engineer HP Singh said there had been a shortage of coal supply for over a week and today there was little stock to run the plant. Keeping that in view, unit numbers 2,4 and 5 were shut down between 4.30 am and 6 am. Because of the temporary closure of the three units, the power generation has dipped by 630 MW. Already, a unit of 210 MW of Lehra Mohabatt Thermal Plant has been shut down for the past 16 days due to technical snag and is expected to be revived on July 28.
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Accused in Tihar, cops announce reward
Jalandhar, July 23 As per the Punjab Police website, Bakshi is a proclaimed offender (PO) in more than 73 cases of criminal conspiracy, fraud and cheating registered in the state. He is among 23 travel agents who have been declared POs in two or more cases of illegal migration. Bakshi was spotted by this correspondent at the city railway station along with six security guards of Tihar Jail this morning. A policeman accompanying him confirmed his identity. When told that the Punjab Police had announced a reward of Rs 1.5 lakh for information about him, the policeman said: “Bakshi has been in Tihar jail for the past over one year. We (the Delhi police) have been frequently taking him for appearance in Phagwara and Nawanshahr courts.” Experts say announcing reward on a criminal already in jail amounts to negligence. It seems that the police have not updated their record on the website, they add. Jasminder Singh, ADGP, Crime, couldn’t be
contacted. Police gaffe
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PRTC buses to remain off road on July 28
Patiala, July 23 Union president Jasmer Singh said management of the Chandigarh depot had terminated the contract of driver Avtar Singh and conductor Balbir Singh without assigning any reason. He said despite repeated meetings, the management had not reinstated the employees. Rupinderpal Singh, general secretary, said the Faridkot depot had also shunted out two employees while the Ludhiana depot general manager had been harassing workers by changing their shifts on a daily basis. He said the union would demand reinstatement of the employees and transfer of the general managers of Chandigarh, Faridkot and Ludhiana depots.
Staff to go on strike PRTC staff say the management has terminated the contract of two employees in Chandigarh without assigning any reason
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Fazilka docs seek early release of salaries
Fazilka, July 23 The employees of the local Civil Hospital warned that if their salaries are not paid till July 26, they would organise a pen-down protest for three hours on July 28. They rued that the month of July was about to come to an end and without their salaries, they were facing many hardships. The Assistant Civil Surgeon assured that their salaries would be
released soon. Copies of the memorandum have also been sent to Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani, Principal Secretary, Health, Vinny Mahajan and Deputy Commissioner, Fazika, Manjeet Singh
Brar.
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Abohar, July 23 They had said that the land mafia was offering substantial money to illegal encroachers to vacate the land in various areas so as to sell the same illegally. Interestingly, the dwellers had been given various facilities, including LPG connections and temporary lights. Coming to the defense of the dwellers, ruling BJP legislator Rajinder Bhadoo alleged the land mafia had created an ugly situation for poor dwellers in a bid to safeguard the encroachments that they had made during the Congress’ regime on prime locations. He alleged that the mafia was forcing below poverty line families to sell out the land/houses under their possession on throw-away prices. — OC
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Charges against US Sikh dropped
New York, July 23 The summons had charged Singh with violating city federal rules, which prohibit carrying of knives with blade lengths of four inches or more. Singh had faced a USD 300 fine as well as imprisonment of up to 15 days. The Queens Criminal Court dismissed the criminal summons after rights group Sikh Coalition’s staff attorney Gurjot Kaur represented Singh during a hearing where Kaur explained the religious significance of Singh’s kirpans and the peaceful nature of his religious practice, the Sikh Coalition said in a statement. Kaur also argued that the law in question provided many secular and recreational exemptions, including exemptions for individuals who carry knives for fishing, hunting and camping purposes and for members of the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts. She said the law should provide an exemption to Sikhs who carry kirpans as part of their First Amendment right to freely exercise their religion. She cited a similar case in 1987 where the court had dismissed all criminal kirpan charges against the Sikh defendant. — PTI The case
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High Court notice to state Education Dept
Chandigarh, July 23 The Bench of Justices Jasbir Singh and Justice HS Sidhu issued the notices to Departmental Recruitment Board also for September 8 on the appeal filed by Harpreet Singh of Patiala. He had challenged advertisement issued in January for recruitment to 25 lecturers in physical education to the extent that a provision was made for giving 10 marks extra for MPhil and 15 marks extra for PhD, although Master’s degree in physical education was the basic qualification for the post. The writ petition filed by him was dismissed by a Single Judge on July 2 after observing there was nothing wrong with awarding of extra marks for extra qualifications. In his appeal, the counsel for petitioner pleaded that the question is not of awarding marks for extra or additional qualifications, but disproportionate and excessive marks. The excessive and disproportionate extent could be gauged from the fact that even a gold medallist could not expect to be called for
counselling.
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HC Judge intervenes to end stand-off at Moga court
Moga, July 23 The District Bar Association had recently announced to boycott the courts of the three women civil judges. They had alleged that the litigants were not getting any relief from these courts due to dilly-dallying attitude and lack of expertise of the young judges. The High Court Judge reviewed the works of these courts by randomly summoning a few files and then held a meeting with Ramesh Grover, Bar president, in the presence of District and Sessions Judge GS Bakshi. Justice Sanghi claimed the stand-off had been resolved amicably.
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Minor killed by relatives over Rs
300
Muktsar, July 23 Jasvir Singh alias Jassa (17) had sold a mobile phone to his relatives a few days ago and was demanding money from them. His relatives, instead, allegedly killed him with a sharp-edged weapon late last evening, sources said. The police have registered a case of murder against brothers Pritam Singh and Gora. Sources said the accused called the deceased to an isolated place on the outskirts of the village, thrashed him and subsequently stabbed him to death. “The body was dumped in shrubs near the village’s cremation ground. When Jasvir did not reach his residence, his family members started looking for him. They came to know about the clash between the trio and soon also found the body,” said the sources. Gursewak Singh, SHO, Kabarwala police station, said, “The duo have been booked in a murder case. They are yet to be arrested.”
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SGPC member’s college caught 'stealing power'
Ropar, July 23 Bawa Singh, PSPCL Sub-Divisional Officer, said the theft was allegedly detected when a team of officials was on a routine checking. “When the PSPCL team reached the college, located at Shekhupur village on the Ropar-Bela road, around 4 pm, it was found that the power was being withdrawn directly while bypassing the electricity meter installed on the premises. A video of the theft was prepared and the process to assess the volume of revenue leakage has been started,” said Bawa Singh. The PSPCL official said he was told the college was started in 2010. An electricity meter with a sanctioned load of 40 KV was installed at the college, he said.
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28 cattle die during smuggling bid
Abohar, July 23 At about 1 am, Vipan Setia, president, Gau Raksha Sewa Dal, Khuyiansarwer unit, Ashwani Poonia, Rajesh Kumar and Bagga Singh of Sadulshehar (Sriganganagar) learnt that the cattle were being smuggled to Uttar Pradesh allegedly for butchering. They flashed a message to other social activists and started chasing the vehicles in two cars. One of the vehicles escaped through link roads but the other was intercepted near Bahawalbasi village, about 6 km from Abohar. As members of Gau Raksha Sewa Da car moved towards the driver’s cabin, they were fired at. However, no one was injured. Four miscreants managed to escape in the melee, two were nabbed. Surinder Kumar, district president of the NGO, informed the police, who took Sartaj of Mujaffarnagar and Aneef of Shamli into custody and shifted the vehicle to the new gaushala complex on the Abohar-Fazilka road. When the container was opened, it was found that 28 out of 36 cattle had died of suffocation. A team of veterinary doctors was called to treat the remaining cattle which were lying in an unconscious state. Preliminary investigation reportedly indicated that a large number of stray cattle were packed at Dharampura village in fully covered containers that are normally used to transport imported goods from sea ports. A case under Sections 295 A and 429 of the IPC, Cow Slaughter Prevention Act, Prevention of Cruelty on Animals Act and the Arms Act has been registered. Social activists said the police could have intercepted the second vehicle by laying nakas and flashing message to other police stations but this was not done.
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